I Will Follow Him… And Her
No, I'm not going to sing.
No, this isn’t a religious post. I’m not wearing a nun’s habit. I’m neither singing on top of a mountain, nor hiding from criminals who want to kill me (as far as I know). And I don’t look like Whoopi Goldberg or Julie Andrews.
Instead, this is link love for the people I follow, the people I admire and the talents I aspire to, out there in interwebnetland. They are bloggers, Tweeters or just folks I have been lucky enough to run into somehow. Click through and see why.
She of the carpet shampoo
Kate writes her blog at Itisi and also produces content for a bunch of clients like Danger Here (a football thing). She knows all about WordPress and is also a graphic designer, but is so modest you’d never know how talented she is until someone tells you. She wields carpet shampoo in times of aggression and flings chips with frightening accuracy. Above all, she always makes me laugh: I wish I had her way with words when it comes to humour.
Steven’s blog covers all sorts of stuff about life in another country and his ongoing quest to publish. While a lot of the content is interesting in itself, it’s the underlying determination and John-Wayne-style endurance that I admire. He’s walked through the desert with only half a bottle of water, been attacked by Apaches, saved half a dozen small villages from marauding Comancheros and may be threatened with lynching at the hands of bandits, but he’ll be damned if he’ll give up, pilgrim. Don’t mess with him.
He of the abstract imagery
Switch off reality, ‘cos here comes Michael. The Qdos man‘s control of imagery, combined with a remarkable imagination – both in extent and how warped it is – make for startling reading. Just go back over a couple of posts here at ScrawlBug and look at his comments. They’re either insane or the work of genius (probably both). Maybe his brain’s host to some kind of alien Mary Shelley who’s seen too much TV. Whatever the reason, I can only aspire to such incredible expression.
She, the geek goddess
Few are the people with whom one can sensibly discuss the relative merits of Winona Ryder and Liv Tyler. Erin‘s an Aussie who can brighten your day simply by saying “hello”. She’s the Princess Leia of Twitter, a geek goddess of writing and one of the friendliest, funniest, smartest people I know. Put her and Kate together and you have side-splitting mirth on tap. I wish I had her calm, almost-always-cheerful attitude and super-sharp wit.
He of the bookish ways
Shack is someone I bumped into on the ProBlogger “better blog in 30 days” thing. What started as a tentative nod of greeting has since turned into a great deal of respect: Andy edits, he researches, he compiles some of the best weekly writing-focussed blog-post lists I’ve ever seen. And anyone who puts a muppet on their Twitter avatar (is that Waldorf or Statler?) gets my thumbs up. I just wish I had his patience and measured, balanced approach to writing and blogging.
He who loves bacon
Previously in Cameroon and now in Hanoi, he’s “Our Man In…“: Steve is a guy whose willingness to throw himself into another country and not only write about it and photograph it, but work for charities at the same time demands attention. He’s opinionated (don’t mention Newcastle United) and sometimes frighteningly blunt – especially about journalists – but his blogging and commentary on life is always worth a read. I envy his courage and the ease with which he handles difficult situations. To be able to just up and go to another country? Especially one without bacon supplies? Impressive.
They may not be famous, but – in my opinion – they should be. Who are your inspirations?
but do you look like Robbie Coltrane and/or Eric Idle?
I wish I could take credit for my blog, but it has died. There’s only one reason: I haven’t made time. I wish I had a good excuse for it, but any effort I make to do so just makes it worse.
Sometimes I think I should try shorter entries… something less demanding. But I haven’t done that yet. I’m glad to see that you’re still pushing through with this one. After awhile, really, it just felt like I was talking to myself. That in itself isn’t so bad, but when I have other writing pressures that I put on myself… but maybe I just need to reinvent it. I will try tonight…
Oh dear, I may just knock off some of the shine.
Things happen when you combine a love of cartoons, humour and going with friends to the cinema.
Friends have a way of seeing beyond the rugged square jaw, the one day these frames will be back in fashion, the snowy blonde hair with only a hint of blonde (a small hint), the eyebrow forest where once only grass danced.
Yes they see beyond these things, and they proclaim.
“You look just like Carl Fredricksen!”
Alas, they are right. The proof is freely available
http://adisney.go.com/disneyvideos/animatedfilms/up/
So the answer to the question “is that Waldorf or Statler?” is;
No, it’s Mr Fredricksen, plain and simple (although we will not mention the simple much, if you don’t mind), for all the world to see. Which of course they have.
Would I mind being Waldorf or Statler? Not one jot, I could easily aspire to their biting wit and the availability of ice creams in the interval.
However, now I may be remembered as the old guy who got chased by that leggy bird.
Thanks for the brilliant mention Spike, all I have to do now is live up to it.
Well, you’re pretty jolly inspiring yourself, Mr TheLobster!
I’m the one feeling like I’m breathing rarified air here…wow Spike. Touched. Thank you. Truly.
Personally, I put it down to Pizza Express on the Strand.
Heh heh, didja notice the electricity spike (small ‘s’) there? Mary says hello.
That’s me plugged back in…where was I, oh yeah, one of those distant sweltering July days when Spike was headed out for provisions somewhere on the South Coast. Twinned in time, I was caught in a moment of indecision a hundred or so miles away, brow furrowed partially in bewilderment at the tourists squinting at the t-shirt seller stand by Nelson’s Column, still perplexed by a meeting at the Savoy just ended but mostly anguished as to whether to go for the Antipasto Platter or Four Seasons. It is in such Sliding Doors infinitesimal moments that destinies have their genesis. Had I been decisive, that moment is unlikely to have led to this one. Instead, I pondered. Hesitant. “When in doubt, Danish” is usually a good option. But this was lunchtime. Pastry was just not going to cut the mustard. Twitter was!
iPhone in the one hand, bottle of Peroni Nastro Azzurro jauntily juggled in the other, my literary life was about to be enriched, altered by a single tweet, aided solely by an olive. But we insane types know better about these synchronicities, don’t we? I sought opinion and tweeted my whereabouts. Spike reached out, sharing of a previous working life in that there famed vicinity. I commented that, on the whole, I’d rather be where he was that fine summer day, promenading. Naturally, Spike’s dry comeback – that I have since come to know and we all love – was so would he. And there you have it, tweeple. No need for SEO autopsy. Put away your marketing and brand profiling. Scratch the self-absorbed social media analysis. That moment to this, epitomises what it’s all about and I don’t even have a blog to speak of.
But, the night is young.
PS The Antipasto won the day. Cheers mate.
Aaw *blush* thanks
That’s very kind of you! I find you most inspirational too, you’re definitely part of my personal Twitterati.
ps: You weren’t dressed as a nun?! I thought all bloggers wore costumes while writing.
My first response when someone writes nice words about me is to go all humble. Maybe this time I’ll give it a miss.
How would Waldorf or Statler respond?
Waldorf, “Hmm, maybe he’s after some reward?”
Statler, “Maybe he needs his head examined?”
In unison, “Maybe both! Haw-Haw-Haw.”
(Note: For any other blog I would have put multiple exclamation marks in there. Scared to do it on a grammar Nazi’s blog)
Thanks for the nice (and undeserved) words Spike. I can’t promise the measured, balanced etc, approach all the time but it is nice to be appreciated.
Oh-oh, it looks like the humble slipped in
Honest guv’ner, I thought that first comment got lost.
So had another go, what with memory being in short supply at my age. It meant that I couldn’t recall the first one, so the second is all different, like.
Great blog Spike (just don’t mention me too often, embarrassment factor too high.)
All: I’m not going to respond to the responses, except to say “thank you” again to each of you for giving me things to aspire to. That includes you, Paul – as you can imagine, making a list of only a few people when I’m lucky enough to know so many talented lunatics… er, I mean individuals… is extremely difficult. You all deserve the recognition.
Oh, and Freelunch – probably more like Eric Idle, since I’m skinny and deranged-looking.
I’m with you, Spike. I didn’t expect even a passing mention. You’ve already done much to tell the world about my stuff. I’m quite happy to feel the gravel on my bum as I ride the coat tails of your chronic (and acute) compadres.
@Andy – honestly, I prefer Worf’s “Perhaps today is a good day to die!”
I don’t have a nun’s habit, but I do have some bad habits. Do nuns have bad habits, I wonder. Maybe over the years they become holy, and they have to get new habits.
@Spike
I tend to prefer desserts over deserts. Still, I’m pushing for the final frontier: success. Hopefully with success would come better dietary desserts so that I could thin out my middle and lose several stones.