No, this isn’t a post about shoplifting, even though that’s a topical “sport” that attracts more practitioners at this time of year. I guess they missed the point in the “goodwill to ALL men” phrase that applies to shopkeepers as well as the rest of us. Anyway, shops are heavy things, and lifting one might cause a hernia.
This blog has been running since November 21st, so I thought it was about time that I took stock and considered where it was going.
I have usually managed to post something new every day, but yesterday I was too busy. Blow me down, the number of visits doubled. I really must make an effort to not write more often! 🙂
Despite humid conditions yesterday, the sun managed to appear for lengthy periods and a welcoming draught of rain passed through in the late afternoon. There was a neighbour who needed some help with a project. Then a pleasant hour was spent leaning on a fence “jaw-boning” with other neighbours and looking across our nice leafy part of the suburb, being serenaded by a tui sitting atop the tallest tree in my garden. I suspect the tui was telling me to stay over at the neighbour’s and leave my garden to him. He and his wife were a bit grumpy when I disturbed them shredding a flax bush on Saturday. Tui don’t seem to fear humans and will quite happily fly noisily past your head if disturbed – the bird equivalent of road rage?
Another pleasant hour was spent catching up with a friend over an ale, listening to the birds singing away in the garden. Later the birds patiently queued up for a cooling dip in the bird bath – well the smaller ones did the queueing, while the bigger ones like blackbirds simply dropped straight in with a splash. SHIP rules – Size Has Its Privileges.
A couple of hours in the workshop drilling holes in things was next on the agenda. Another project nearing completion.
A bit of gossiping on the phone. A toothsome repast to be dealt to. Dishes to be scrubbed, some radio to be listened to – “Sounds Historical” on National Radio. It’s one of the few programmes that the dweebs managing National Radio haven’t managed to “dumb down” as part of the current revamp. I suspect that the assorted dispsticks, dorks and dingbats that are responsible for the new “format” don’t actually listen to the station on Sundays. The first-rate morning show with Chris Laidlaw and Jim Sullivan’s historical programme have survived intact. But I bet they flinch every time a shadow passes over them in the studio just in case it’s the grim reaper from the management team popping in “for a wee chat.”
I sometimes wonder if National Radio’s management are lacing the tea in the “caf” with grumpy pills the way “Moaning Report” and “Checkpoint” have headed down the gurgler in recent months. The tendency toward aggressive interviews and pushing a point of view despite the interviewee’s best attempts to get a word in seems to be the order of the day. This technique may suit those listeners with a short attention span, but is a stark contrast to the other presenters who provide a steady diet of “brain food” in the form of thoughtful interviews, interesting snippets, and panel discussions with people who actually have something useful to say.
But back to the blog. I’ve had a surprising amount of feedback on the blog – mostly about what people don’t like which is a surprisingly good result. Kiwis, like many people, usually vote with their feet when they don’t like something – its unusual for them to take the time to constructively criticise something. Perhaps we don’t like to run the risk of hurting someone.
“That’s NOT a blog.” “Sometimes the articles are too long to read.” “No pictures.” “Too many different topics.” “Sometimes I can’t work out what you are on about without reading the whole thing, and my time is sometimes limited.”
Hmmm. Food for thought there. Watch for a new page called “Site Guide” or somesuch which will give you an overview of how this blog works. Just as blogging was new to me when I started this malarkey, I suspect it is also new to some of the readers. There are shortcuts and most items have a precis – finding them may be the challenge.
As to the comments about what people like – well I won’t mention them here, but the feedback has been appreciated.
To mention the good stuff would be too much like blowing my own trumpet and, in my case, I’d probably get it wrong and suck when I should blow, and end up with a trumpet in me throat. Then you’d have to put up with me “parping on” instead of harping on.