Geek Out Category
“Wah, GEEK OUT! Le geek, c’est chic!” This is the category that reveals my geekier side. You may not understand what I’m talking about, or you may think I’m revealing just how technologically un-savvy I really am, depending on who you are and what your own geeky proclivities may be.
BlogHer 2007
17
May
2007
In: Geek Out
I’ll be on a panel at BlogHer this summer. Will I see you there?
Yes, my font is bigger
2
May
2007
In: Geek Out
My eyes aren’t as young as they once were.* Yours aren’t, either. Isn’t this nice? Thank you Web 2.0 for popularizing big ol’ fonts.
*Actually, the issue is that post-Lasik, I’m only 20/40 in one eye, which is totally functional but makes teeny fonts less ideal. I am ok with this.
I loves me a good tool
1
May
2007
In: Geek Out
Zotero is making me super happy this week. It’s a plugin for Firefox that acts as a super-awesome research assistant, sort of like del.cio.us on crack. Rumor has it that once you’re done researching, it can even build you a bibliography, which is freaking awesome. Highly recommended.
Callouses courtesy of blogging
8
Apr
2007
In: Geek Out
Last night I had a reading at a bookstore in Bellingham, WA. I was doubtful that there would be much of a crowd, and had prepared myself accordingly. It was indeed a small reading, but the bigger challenge was dealing with the bookstore manager, who felt the need to get sort of simpering and patronizing about the teeny turn-out. I was confused by her behavior, with all the apologetic smiles and condolences. First of all, I’ve gone to reading events where no one showed up (despite TWO authors reading!), so thanks lady, but I’m fine. No really. I’m fine.
Why? Because I’m a blogger. And we have thick fucking skins. This reading may have been small, but there was no one calling me fat. There was no one calling my mom a dyke. There was no one giving graphic fictional details about how my husband is cheating on me — and why. There was no one telling me I was poorly dressed or had ugly toes. No one telling me that I didn’t have a right to be there, or that I should shut the fuck up. These are all things that I’ve been told over the years by readers of Electrolicious.
Prompted by Kathy Sierra’s terrifying experiences, there’s been a lot of buzz recently about female bloggers catching an undue amount of harassment and flack on the web. I’ve never been a male blogger, so I can’t really compare my experience … but I will say that compared to the attacks I’ve received via this website, going to a reading where only five people show up is a cake walk. There’s no need for a simpering bookstore manager to try to make me feel better.
Simply stated, no one in the publishing industry can hold a candle to the cruelty of bloggers. And while that’s sad and fucked up, it’s certainly been excellent practice for the realities of book promotion, which is hard, demoralizing work at times. But sad and demoralizing I can take — thanks to the toughening up I’ve had to do over the last 6.5 years of dealing with haters and trolls on the web.
Technical problems
27
Mar
2007
In: Geek Out
I’m not sure what’s up with my luck these days, but first it was my Sidekick (which spent 48 hours in paperweight mode this weekend) and now it’s my gmail. This weekend the story was “email me cuz my phone is broke.” Today it’s “call/text me cuz my email’s broke.” Moral of the story: I am sadly, completely addicted to drinking from the datastream.
The Familiar Unknown
27
Feb
2007
In: Geek Out
During my New York visit, I’m meeting with two people who’s online writing I’ve been inhaling through my eyeballs for years. Many years.
I can’t remember when I started reading Sarah B, but I know that it was long enough ago that at one point I bought her a Blogger Pro account as a gift, and for bloggers crusty enough to remember Blogger Pro, that puts it somewhere in the five to six year range. Sarah’s and my digital paths have crossed many times, from me trying to help her find publishing work in NYC before she left Oklahoma, to her letting me blatantly rip off Cringe and start the Salon of Shame. And finally this week I will get to mash my boobs against her’s when I give her one of those hippie-hugs we Seattleites are so (in)famous for.
And then there’s Mr. Dash, who’s diamond rant inspired a whole chapter in my book, who I’ve been trying to find ways to work with since I was in Los Angeles toiling away for a web hosting company. I’m going to pick Anil’s brain about all web brand evangelism, because really: is there any blogger who knows more about the subject?
It’s exciting meeting people who I’ve not-known for so long, but also sort of confusing and I never quite have the words to explain it. Despite how mainstream blogging has become and how common these sorts of non-relationships must be, I still just don’t feel like we have the nomenclature to describe the roles these people play in our lives. Writers I admire? Brains I’ve met only digitally? People I’ve conversed with but never smelled? What is that?
Bloggers-you’ve-read are different than other online friends, where you get to know each other simultaneously via a digital medium. I subscribe to Anil’s RSS feed, but make no pretense of knowing if he reads mine.
It’s not quite “friend,” although certainly it can become that. Blogs foster a sense of intimacy and friendship with the writer, but it’s not quite the same thing. Blogger-you’ve-read relationships are lopsided and intriguing. When I got to know Heather Corinna, we dove right in as if we’d known each other for years, but then had to sort of backtrack when we realized we actually were new friends who had whole hidden histories neither of us knew about. One of us would casually mention some character in our past, and the other would give an open mouthed “Buh?” and there would have to be some explaining and realization that oh, I never blogged about that or oh, you missed that post?, etc.
I have no answers, only this: meeting fellow bloggers is weird, but I like it. Sort of like facon.
Next up: Alison and Maude, who’ll be swinging through our basement guest room at some point, and then hopefully someday Brittney, because I can’t wait to witness firsthand the curls of Nashville’s most hated progressive.
BlogHer 2007
17 May 2007 In: Geek OutI’ll be on a panel at BlogHer this summer. Will I see you there?
Yes, my font is bigger
2 May 2007 In: Geek OutMy eyes aren’t as young as they once were.* Yours aren’t, either. Isn’t this nice? Thank you Web 2.0 for popularizing big ol’ fonts.
*Actually, the issue is that post-Lasik, I’m only 20/40 in one eye, which is totally functional but makes teeny fonts less ideal. I am ok with this.
I loves me a good tool
1 May 2007 In: Geek OutZotero is making me super happy this week. It’s a plugin for Firefox that acts as a super-awesome research assistant, sort of like del.cio.us on crack. Rumor has it that once you’re done researching, it can even build you a bibliography, which is freaking awesome. Highly recommended.
Callouses courtesy of blogging
8 Apr 2007 In: Geek OutLast night I had a reading at a bookstore in Bellingham, WA. I was doubtful that there would be much of a crowd, and had prepared myself accordingly. It was indeed a small reading, but the bigger challenge was dealing with the bookstore manager, who felt the need to get sort of simpering and patronizing about the teeny turn-out. I was confused by her behavior, with all the apologetic smiles and condolences. First of all, I’ve gone to reading events where no one showed up (despite TWO authors reading!), so thanks lady, but I’m fine. No really. I’m fine.
Why? Because I’m a blogger. And we have thick fucking skins. This reading may have been small, but there was no one calling me fat. There was no one calling my mom a dyke. There was no one giving graphic fictional details about how my husband is cheating on me — and why. There was no one telling me I was poorly dressed or had ugly toes. No one telling me that I didn’t have a right to be there, or that I should shut the fuck up. These are all things that I’ve been told over the years by readers of Electrolicious.
Prompted by Kathy Sierra’s terrifying experiences, there’s been a lot of buzz recently about female bloggers catching an undue amount of harassment and flack on the web. I’ve never been a male blogger, so I can’t really compare my experience … but I will say that compared to the attacks I’ve received via this website, going to a reading where only five people show up is a cake walk. There’s no need for a simpering bookstore manager to try to make me feel better.
Simply stated, no one in the publishing industry can hold a candle to the cruelty of bloggers. And while that’s sad and fucked up, it’s certainly been excellent practice for the realities of book promotion, which is hard, demoralizing work at times. But sad and demoralizing I can take — thanks to the toughening up I’ve had to do over the last 6.5 years of dealing with haters and trolls on the web.
Technical problems
27 Mar 2007 In: Geek OutI’m not sure what’s up with my luck these days, but first it was my Sidekick (which spent 48 hours in paperweight mode this weekend) and now it’s my gmail. This weekend the story was “email me cuz my phone is broke.” Today it’s “call/text me cuz my email’s broke.” Moral of the story: I am sadly, completely addicted to drinking from the datastream.
The Familiar Unknown
27 Feb 2007 In: Geek OutDuring my New York visit, I’m meeting with two people who’s online writing I’ve been inhaling through my eyeballs for years. Many years.
I can’t remember when I started reading Sarah B, but I know that it was long enough ago that at one point I bought her a Blogger Pro account as a gift, and for bloggers crusty enough to remember Blogger Pro, that puts it somewhere in the five to six year range. Sarah’s and my digital paths have crossed many times, from me trying to help her find publishing work in NYC before she left Oklahoma, to her letting me blatantly rip off Cringe and start the Salon of Shame. And finally this week I will get to mash my boobs against her’s when I give her one of those hippie-hugs we Seattleites are so (in)famous for.
And then there’s Mr. Dash, who’s diamond rant inspired a whole chapter in my book, who I’ve been trying to find ways to work with since I was in Los Angeles toiling away for a web hosting company. I’m going to pick Anil’s brain about all web brand evangelism, because really: is there any blogger who knows more about the subject?
It’s exciting meeting people who I’ve not-known for so long, but also sort of confusing and I never quite have the words to explain it. Despite how mainstream blogging has become and how common these sorts of non-relationships must be, I still just don’t feel like we have the nomenclature to describe the roles these people play in our lives. Writers I admire? Brains I’ve met only digitally? People I’ve conversed with but never smelled? What is that?
Bloggers-you’ve-read are different than other online friends, where you get to know each other simultaneously via a digital medium. I subscribe to Anil’s RSS feed, but make no pretense of knowing if he reads mine.
It’s not quite “friend,” although certainly it can become that. Blogs foster a sense of intimacy and friendship with the writer, but it’s not quite the same thing. Blogger-you’ve-read relationships are lopsided and intriguing. When I got to know Heather Corinna, we dove right in as if we’d known each other for years, but then had to sort of backtrack when we realized we actually were new friends who had whole hidden histories neither of us knew about. One of us would casually mention some character in our past, and the other would give an open mouthed “Buh?” and there would have to be some explaining and realization that oh, I never blogged about that or oh, you missed that post?, etc.
I have no answers, only this: meeting fellow bloggers is weird, but I like it. Sort of like facon.
Next up: Alison and Maude, who’ll be swinging through our basement guest room at some point, and then hopefully someday Brittney, because I can’t wait to witness firsthand the curls of Nashville’s most hated progressive.
Hey there. I'm Ariel Meadow Stallings, a native Seattleite who's written my way up and down the Left Coast. Electrolicious is where I post daily randomata, but I also write for a living. My first book, Offbeat Bride, was published last year.
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