Wednesday, May 04, 2005

We're The Flowers In The Dust Bin

So far today (and no surprises here) has been uneventful.
I got up, went for a walk, came home, had breakfast (a protein drink), watched that “Star Wars” fan film, ate lunch, worked on a picture for a little while, started doing some writing, got tired, took a nap, woke up, read a little, and now here I am writing this.

Despite the fact that very little ever happens in the course of my day I usually have a great deal of material for Threshold entries. Hell, as has been evidenced many times in the past, even when I don’t have anything to write about I can still manage to crank out a lengthy entry.
Of course, the actual problem I face most days is sifting through the bin of ideas and picking out the topic I actually want to write about. When there’s a lot of stuff in the bin, especially if it’s stuff that’s been sitting in there for a while, it can be very difficult to limit myself to a single topic, and often I’ll find myself writing entries with a divided focus, encompassing more than one of the ideas.
Or, as is more frequently the case, and as is the case today, I’ll find myself not wanting to write about any of the ideas sitting around in the bin.
For example, it had been my intention to write a follow-up entry to yesterday’s entry on my (perceived) pickiness, with some specific responses to the comments made by “Zalfiro.”
Of course, for a while now I’ve also been meaning to write an entry about Threshold itself, sort of explaining why it is the way that it is, which is to say a self-absorbed and self-indulgent examination of the minutiae of my trite and mundane existence, as opposed to what it could be. Something, for example, like a forum on my political and religious views, or at least some kind of social commentary.
In many ways, the blogging community has become more relevant, and useful, than many of the more traditional news services. Why haven’t I tried jumping onto that bandwagon? Or why not make Threshold a forum on my struggles to remain sober as a means of providing support and inspiration for other people who might need it?
And if I’m going to write frequent entries about my life as a depressingly single person, why not do so more cogently and with an eye toward speaking on behalf of the “very single,” to borrow a term used in an e-mail to me from the woman who writes a column called “The Single Side,” which appears in the local freebie paper (said e-mail itself being another entry idea gathering dust in the bin) who may need someone to create something of an online support system on their behalf?
In a nutshell, I could address the question of why there is no single overriding focus for Threshold other than just a general look at my largely uninteresting life.
Believe it or not, there are actually several reasons why this blog isn’t any of the things suggested above, or any of a multitude of other things that it could be, and it’s not because I don’t think those might all be good ideas, and more relevant ideas, and it’s also not because I’m totally self-absorbed.
Well, it’s not just because I’m totally self-absorbed.
And I could get into delineating those reasons, as has been an idea sitting in the bin for a while, but I don’t feel like it.
Thus the idea languishes in the bin and collects a little more dust.
On the topic of ideas, though, for as long as I can remember, Marvel Comics has referred to itself as the “House of Ideas.” That occurred to me as I used the phrase “bin of ideas” above, and I thought that maybe I should give Threshold a snazzy nickname like that.
Thus, from this day forward, Threshold will also be known as the “99 Cent Bargain Bin of Ideas.”
‘nuff said.

Feeling Impressed With Myself Dept.
I have to say that I think it’s a real talent that I have that allows me to essentially write a complete entry about how I don’t feel like writing an entry. Sometimes when laziness and creativity meet they can produce truly amazing results. Or, you know, this.
So while that may or may not be impressive, the previous entry about the “Star Wars” fan film has, I must admit, one of my favorite entry titles in a long time.
I think it’s hilarious. I know it spoils a joke if you have to explain it, but I’m pleased enough with it that I’m going to do it anyway. I mean, you do get it, right? “The Empire’s Got Back!” You know, like the Sir Mix-A-Lot song. Because the chick in it, who works for the Emperor, has got some junk in the tunk, so she’s, you know, got back. Like the song. And she’s part of the Empire. And, you know, the second “Star Wars” movie was called….oh forget it! Losers.

In any case, I may or may not be back again with an entry. It is Wednesday after all, and though the DVR can change the way I watch television, so far it hasn’t done so. When 8:00 rolls around I’ll still be parking my behind on the couch to watch “Smallville,” even though I could record it and watch it later (and be able to skip the commercials).
Hmm…maybe I will do that. Either way, though, that’s it for now.

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