Once Works Well was pure technology. Now it seeks merely to divert.
Pansy subjects - Verse! Opera! Domestic trivia! - are now commonplace.
The 300-word limit for posts is retained. The ego is enlarged

Saturday 16 August 2008

Re-editing the editor

Strolling round my blog, making sure all was made fast and battened down, I came unexpectedly upon my profile hit-counter. At 167 the total was modest enough for this 3½-month enterprise, but nevertheless salutary.

The profile was rushed off heedless of the fact that people might eventually pick among its entrails for clues about my qualifications (minimal), my age (advanced) and my sanity (the jury is out). Assuming the mantle of a new reader I re-examined it and found myself increasingly at odds with the pompous individual gradually revealed.

Prétentieux? Moi? Well, actually, yes. Oh sure, Proust gets a mention but not Ed McBain many of whose 87th Precinct quickies I must confess to re-reading. And those French films unleavened by any reference to gangster movies starring Charles McGraw and Adele Jergens.

Here’s a test. Imagine compiling a profile to be carved on one’s tombstone so that future generations might deconstruct it for signs of lily-gilding. Would that stay one’s hand?

Trouble is I’m committed to comparative brevity. Given my chosen subject I limit my posts to less than 300 words in order not to bore. Same with the profile. I have tinkered with the latter and will do more as I’m visited with bursts of honesty. Let’s call it work in progress, a phrase which can be applied to all our lives I suppose.

4 comments:

Professional Bleeder said...

I tried to rise to your challenge, and probably failed miserably. I mean those were my favourite things... today.

Lucy said...

I agonised a bit over my profile and favourites, even writing an unfinished post qualifying it somewhat. Yes, I really do like Bergman but I didn't let on about 'Conan the Barbarian'.

I have just re-read your endoscopy post. Suffice it to say yours went in at the opposite end to Tom's...

Roderick Robinson said...

A fair enough assessment: a profile is today's snapshot. Tomorrow we'll take another. Beyond that there's always Adobe Photoshop Elements.

Lucy: As Constant Reader of your blog, nothing I have previously seen prepared me for the admission about Conan. This is carrying authorial objectivity and raw courage into new realms. What's more it's had the required effect. I must take a machete to my profile and embrace further opportunities for bleeding-wound honesty.

occasional speeder said...

an 18 year old girl who lists her heros as Kayne West, Roger Federer and Tony Benn may raise an eyebrow. A resident living in rural Gloucestershire/Herefordshire borders claiming that only French Cider will do looks like they're trying too hard but they're really not.