Friday, October 11, 2002

It's time for a little "regime change" of my own. As promised a couple of weeks ago, some new blogs are entering the Daily Reading list, and one of the original members departs today.

First, the deletion. memepool was an early favorite of mine when I first entered blogspace. Since that time, my esteem for it has fallen with each passing month, slowly at first, quite rapidly in the last few weeks. The problem is, admittedly, one of comparison. It does essentially the same thing MetaFilter does, but doesn't deliver the goods as well, or as often, or as promptly. Couple that with their unfortunate tendency toward vague posts that force readers to click links before the subject becomes clear, and the fate of this site was sealed.

Adios, memepool. I make this cut secure in the knowledge that my defection won't even phase you, and that those for whom you're still a good fit will keep you going for a long, long while.

Now, to the happier task of blog addition. We'll start with the announced candidates. All three of the auditionees continued to produce the kind of content that got me interested in the first place, and each has earned a spot on the list. Let's welcome them now...

First up is TV Tattle. I've long been looking for a news-and-information-oriented site about TV as a good companion to the criticism/satire/commiseration TeeVee brings to the table. TV Tattle finally fills that void.

defective yeti is what I would call a near-perfect general blog. Much like 'Bred Crumbs, it covers anything and everything, depending on the author's whim, but always in its own delightful, distinctive voice.

John Scalzi: Whatever would have made it in on its merits alone. However, John dropped me an e-mail shortly after his site's prestigious nomination was announced. Since I love getting unsolicited e-mail, especially from folks whose work I like, the message made his site a virtual lock to join the rotation.

In his note, John claimed that Whatever does not get the kind of traffic which would make it a blogging behemoth, as I thought it to be. He wrote, in part:

I must regretfully inform you that if I meet the standard for the "big time" as it concerns writing online, the medium is in deep and profound trouble.

Well, perhaps my perception is somewhat skewed. But looking at how many folks link to his site as opposed to those that link to mine (even discounting self-links), it's easy to see how that could happen. Mt. Pilot seems like a big city when you're living in Mayberry, so you're "big time" in my eyes, John. Welcome to my list.

But wait! We're not done. Since posting the slate of probable, now actual, new daily reads, two other great blogs have come to my attention. Both have rapidly become favorites, and they join us today as well. Let's meet them:

Whedonesque is a community blog dedicated to Joss Whedon (creator of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, and the new Firefly) and his universes. Great design, informative links, and a wonderful, budding community are the hallmarks of this site. If you like Joss and his brainchildren, come join us.

Peter David - Writer of Stuff is brought to us by, oddly enough, Peter David. If you're not already familiar with him, Peter writes it all: Trek books, comics, original novels, opinion columns, and now a blog.

Peter also holds a special place in my heart, as he features prominently in one of my favorite NYC memories. This would have been a dozen years ago or more. After a convention I attended and at which he appeared, my friend Jessica and I found ourselves in an elevator with him and his young daughter (Ariel, I believe).

We chatted amiably for a bit, and as we exited the hotel talked had turned, as it often does when a small child is around, to Sesame Street. Ariel professed her love for the theme song, and started to sing it. The three of us joined in.

That image, the four of us walking down the streets of Manhattan singing “Could you tell me how to get/How to get to Sesame Street?” warms my heart and brings a smile to my face whenever I think of it.

So there you are. Five new sites, one sadly but of necessity cut loose, giving us a net gain of four. Now, when I spend a whole week doing other things and neglect my own blog, you'll all have plenty to read. Not that I plan to do that again anytime soon, but I like having the safety net.

Posted @ 11:49 AM

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