|
|
Rethink: Rethought
I’m back. Sorry about that. Earlier this year I decided to put this blog on hold while I had a good think about what I was doing with it. I was in one of those despondent moods. I wasn’t particularly caring about what I was writing about, I wasn’t writing what I had originally set out to publish, I didn’t like the way it looked, I didn’t like the fact that it had become a dull chore of music reviews and talk about beer and I didn’t like the fact that it only ever seemed to attract Americans looking for a Christmas record. The talk of beer was getting noticed but I just didn’t know enough or care enough to sustain it, and it wasn’t all that entertaining either. The reviews held my attention for a short time, but it gradually dawned on me that no one was really interested in my critical appraisal… after all, who am I? My life had changed dramatically too. The arrival of a new born changed my perspective on things and made me realise that I just didn’t have the time or inclination to write this type of trivial unread nonsense anymore. But I didn’t want to give the blog up. I’ve had a blog since 2006 and I’ve had a website since 1997… I’m a child of the internet revolution! I like the fact that the internet provides random people like me an audible global voice, but instead my blog was turning out to be a mundane chronical of triviality. It was supposed to be an outlet – a way of liberating the creative expression I’ve wanted to share all of my life but had never managed to for whatever reason. My favourite subject at school was English and I recall seriously thinking about a future career in journalism but running away from it because I was scared of the apparent fight to get a job in a tough and competitive market. I would never have achieved anything anyway, because I didn’t think I knew what type of journalist I wanted to be. But thinking about it now I realise I’ve always known what I’ve wanted to do. I’ve blogged previously about my frustrated desire to be a writer - to author novels that people want to read, produce screen plays that people want to watch… To entertain. And that’s the driving force really. I’ve only ever wanted to use this blog to entertain. A random rant about poor customer service in the hope that someone somewhere will sit up and listen, a random dissection of the joys of buying pyjamas – because it helps me make a choice and people can laugh (hopefully) at the absurdity of my research (and possibly benefit), a random trawl through childhood in the hope that a nostalgic posting will provoke joyous empathy… I was trying to get where I wanted to be, but there was too much of the dull and boring in between. And with some 156 million public blogs out on the internet I didn’t even have a loyal following and was failing miserably. I did speak to some other bloggers for advice, but the consensus was either to narrow down my subject matter or open other specific blogs on individual subjects. Either be pigeon-holed or create a messy monster… I had no desire to do either. I don’t read very much these days (I don’t have the time or the inclination) but the writing I do read tends to be short and entertaining. I enjoy reading the weekend supplements in The Times, and always enjoy pieces by columnists such as Caitlin Moran, Andrew Collins, Giles Coren, Jim Shelley, Charlie Brooker and Jeremy Clarkson. I’m also currently enjoying dipping into an anthology of the late Alan Coren’s hilarious columns and realise that this is the stuff that has always attracted me. Short, funny, opinionated pieces which are easily digested and always entertaining. So that’s what I want to do with the blog. Write short, humorous (occasionally opinionated) entertaining pieces. Time to try again (with the exception of this piece. Obviously) So here I am with what Caitlin Moran recognised back in 2005 as the “classic genre-standard”, “Restarting This Blog Again” posting. I’ve been here before. So have others. This time I’ve archived all of my old blog entries and only kept up the ones which closely match this main intent. Future entries will, I hope, be worthy of the time I invest in them and will be worth reading. I’ve also given the look of the blog an overhaul in the hope of giving it a bit of an individual identity through a splash of colour and some big lettering. I hope you enjoy what follows… Random thoughts from a random bloke. - Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone Location:468 Bus, Croydon
Comments are closed.
|
Random Posts
-
The Bard’s Yards, Vol. 3 – "Tama no Megumi" – Tama’s Gift (and some English proverbs, too!)
A beer blog that I have recently discovered and enjoy has a title that I really dig: A Beer in Hand is Worth Two in the Fridge, by Jay Zeis. Growing up, my grandfather tried steadfastly to impart on me such classic wisdom as "As you sow, so shall you ... [...] Read more →
-
Ultimi singhiozzi da un blog in fin di vita
Quasi un mese di silenzio, probabile record da quando scrivo su queste pagine. Non perchè non viva con la stessa costanza la birra, ma perchè un birrificio sta lentamente sgretolando ogni minuto libero. Sapevo Hoppy-Hour non avrebbe avuto vita longev... [...] Read more →
-
Golden Road Brewing Launches Cans
L.A.’s newest (and biggest) craft brewery breaks into retail with new 16 ounce pint cans and a distribution deal with Whole Foods Market & local specialty shops Los Angeles, CA – Less than two months after their grand opening in October, Golden... [...] Read more →
-
Hay Merchant adds depth to Houston beer scene
Houston's latest craft-beer beer made quite a debut Wednesday. [...] Read more →
-
The happy hoarder: Waxing poetic
Black is the night my friend. If you want to be free to do things in the coming era of brownouts you'll want to have candles on hand. [...] Read more →
-
Know Your Cellaring: Beer Liars
As an academic, my time between December 19 (when grades are due) and January 11 (when classes start again) should be spent catching up on reading, planning for next semester, working on upcoming conference papers, working on my next book, and other related items. Instead, my time is mostly spent trying to catch up on [...] [...] Read more →
-
Food Magazine Promotes Beer
A colleague of mine is a little bit of a foodie and she subscribes to a few different food magazines. One of these is called Saveur. It's very similar to Beer Advocate, but it's about food. It's a really nice magazine. One... [...] Read more →
-
Session 1 Lager
Using Chicago's frigid Winters as a perfect ambiance for brewing lagers, I look forward to the season to get in several batches. Looking back to last years small beers, I thought I'd try making a small lager. A session lager that's low in alcohol, ligh... [...] Read more →
-
Artesania: música negra e cerveja artesanal em Teresópolis
Nesta próxima sexta feira, na cidade serrada de Teresópolis, o estado Rio de Janeiro receberá uma das primeiras grandes festas regadas a cerveja artesanal, a Artesania, que acontecerá no bar Sancho Pança, ao som de muita música negra com participação…
leia mais [...] Read more →
-
The Great British Beer Festival 2011
On Thursday we headed to the Great British Beer Festival in Earl’s Court, London. This is the mother of all UK beer festivals, with over 700 beers on offer as well as a multitude of ciders and perries. At around 12.30 we emerged from Earl’s Court station straight into the pouring rain. We made a [...] [...] Read more →
-
Quadrinhos cervejeiros
Cerveja é, sem dúvida, uma bebida que não combina com mau humor. Por ser considerada um “lubrificante social”, ela está sempre rodeada de gente feliz e sorridente (com exceção dos beersnobs, é claro). Por ter esse espírito bem-humorado, nada mais normal que a cerveja inspire tirinhas bacanas. O nosso confrade Patrick Stephanou já fez algo [...] [...] Read more →
-
St Peter’s Suffolk Smokey
St Peter's Suffolk Smokey [baron rating 3/5] - 4.8% copper ale,sulphurous TCP mild citrus smell,sugary smoky taste,bitter harsh TCP finish Baron Orm Listen to what Chris and the Baron have to say about it. Download flash to hear the audio review Subscribe in iTunes Note: Not bottle conditioned Thank you to @StPetersBrewery from St. Peter's Brewery for sending this through for a ' baron rating'! Buy St. Peter's ales direct  [...] Read more →
-
Sants Espasa Nocturna
Otra de las cervezas presentes en el FES-T’HI celebrado este pasado sábado en Vilanova i la Geltrú, fue esta contundente IPA de 5,5 ABV y unos destacables 101 IBUs, presentada en botella de 66cl, elaborada en las instalaciones de Ausesken... [...] Read more →
-
Beer and Movie Pairings
We all know that beer and food go together. You’ll find tons of beer and food pairings on Google. But what about beer and movies?… [...] Read more →
-
Aitken digs a well
These old newspapers are wonderful things. I think I might have discovered the reason why Aitken took so long to dig a well.Though I'm well aware that newspapers report some things and not others. Anything connected with human tragedy or crime is rep... [...] Read more →
-
Sap Sucker
Label: Sap Suker Maple PorterType: PorterABV[%]: 5.5Packaging: 750 mlBrewery: Fernie Brewing CompanySmell: Maple! Wood Head: Beautifully thick with a wonderful lacingColor: almost black but not cloudyCarbonation: mediumKick: mediumRating: 7/10 Not... [...] Read more →
-
Say What? Another BTY Podcast Already?
Don’t ask us what came over us… We just felt the need and we had enough material to do a second January 2012 Podcast. Don’t expect this every month… I am particularly happy with the music I stole from the new album from the London based band “The Red Inspectors”. Enjoy! Click This to Listen [...] [...] Read more →
-
Criar rótulos é fácil com o Labely! E nem precisa saber Photoshop.
A minha falta de habilidade em desenhar no Paint ou qualquer outro programa para criar marcas é uma coisa surpreendente. Se tivesse nascido no início do século, poderia até fazer concorrência com um certo pintor espanhol, tamanhas as esquisitices que…
leia mais [...] Read more →
-
Who got one of these this year?
-
Episode 078 – Cricket Hill East Coast Lager, Sarnac Summer Brew
We take a look at a VERY small brewery near the Jersey Shore, Cricket Hill, which totally wows us with their East Coast Lager. Anyone who likes a good lager should check them out - if you can get your hands on it ;) Next we move to the Matt Brewing ... [...] Read more →
|
