Nicola has recently instituted Friday audio over at Ask Nicola. She has an extensive audio archive, and every Friday she puts up a new file (I originally wrote that as throws up a new file, but hmm, that just didn’t look right, grin). I think this is a Most Sensible Idea, this little note of regularity in the ongoing rambling melody of blogging, and I am stealing it.
But not audio. Nope, just words words words. My previous website included the Virtual Pint section, which was my blog of sorts before I got all grownup with WordPress. Here’s how I described it:
One of my favorite things in life is to eat, drink and talk with interesting people. Share stories. Give and receive. Connecting in this way is one of the best things I know, an ongoing joy.
I’m looking for ways to make connections with people who read my work. The best start, of course, is through the work itself. A website is a good support to that, but it’s all pretty much a one-way conversation — a bit like shopping, where I put something on the shelf, and later you come along and pick it up, look at it, put it back or maybe drop it in your basket. That’s connection at a distance: it’s not bad, but it’s not everything. I’d like more.
Does this mean I want to become personally acquainted with everyone who reads my work? Well, no. That’s too close a connection for me. Please don’t call me up for a long intimate chat just because we’ve shared a virtual beer or two. I’m not inviting you into my life, but I am inviting you into some parts of my head that you can’t enter just by reading the fiction. I have always wanted the kind of access to my favorite artists that allows connection without imposition, a shared recognition of mutual experience, an understanding that doesn’t involve everyone having to cuddle up together. We’re all human: we all have things to communicate. So that’s what I’m hoping we’ll do here.
I imagine Virtual Pint as an endless evening in a comfortable pub, with a fire just close enough to keep us warm and a table big enough for everyone. It’s our chance to tell stories, ask and answer questions, rant, muse, laugh. Let’s connect. If you’re interested, come on in.
Virtual Pint was driven completely by readers — people sent in questions or comments about anything, and I responded.
I’ve been working to transfer the Virtual Pint entries to this new incarnation of the site. I’ve posted a few groups of VPs in loose thematic groups, but there’s still a huge backlog. So now there will be a system. I’m going to begin at the beginning and work forward. Every Friday, I’ll post one or two Virtual Pint entries. Since they are backdated, I’ll do a brief announcement/teaser and then link to the backdated post(s).
VP goes back to 2002, and there are a lot of conversations, ideas, thoughts, feelings, perspective… I want that continuity, and I hope that some of you may enjoy these snapshots of where I was as a writer and person.
If you find yourself enjoying the Pints — well, the name has changed, but the theory still applies. You’re welcome to start a conversation anytime about pretty much anything.
And here we go with the first two Virtual Pints evah! Cheers.
- Give a little, get a lot (June 2002). Making work available online is good.
- Sexual salad bar sci-fi (June 2002). Really, what more is there to say (grin)?
I like this 🙂 Whenever I visit blogs, I get the nagging sense that there are so many old posts that I ought to be exploring because they must be just as worthy as the current ones. You’re now making it painless by handpicking a few of those for us every Friday and opening them up for conversation.
As far as connecting with readers goes, you and Nicola are doing an awesome job. You are so consistent with your web presence. Whenever I get a pile of work dumped on my lap, I switch off the internet. I don’t know how you manage. I do hope that the new day comes soon, as you’ve already set up the backbone to thrive in that environment.
Kelley, great idea this ‘let’s all go to the virtual pub and talk’. But when I tried to click on ‘Give a little…’ and ‘Sexual Salad Bar…’ I got kicked somewhere else with a message that read…’this site may no longer exist.’
Hmmm…..so, not sure what’s going on. Would appreciate help from anyone who’s got a guess.
Thank you very much from the luddite among us.
Jan, I’m not sure what to tell you — it’s working fine for me, and at least one other person has already been to both posts and commented.
Try it again. If you are still having trouble, go to the sidebar of the blog, to the “Archives” section at the bottom of the sidebar, and click the link for June 2002.
Sorry you are having problems (but that doesn’t make you a luddite! Sometimes technology is just mean).
Karina, thanks for the kind words. Nicola and I (waves at N, hi honey, speaking for you now…) do work hard to keep connected with readers, to create a public presence that is both accessible and still manageable. The really cool thing about blog culture is that it’s okay to vary the importance level — not everything has to be Deep and Meaningful, you know? But we’re still finding the balance, and I am learning new strategies for staying “present” without much energy expenditure, when necessary. The movie trailer, the cartoon or the wacky link… It’s nice that there’s room for it.
Well, you did say we can talk about anything! So, here goes. I am a little jealous that you’ve got this thing going, and it’s very easy for me to respond here, if I want to, but it’s driving me CRAZY that I can’t do anything with Ask Nicola. Basically, and I am sorry if this offends, I’d rather be talking to/with Nicola and responding to whatever she puts out there, because I feel an affinity towards her, having “known” her a very long time – but I CAN’T, DAMN IT. I don’t know why it’s not working for me. So there, it’s off my chest;-)
I don’t like to sit in front of the computer much (I prefer to do other things), therefore I choose very judiciously where I spend my time. This is not to say your site is not interesting – please don’t misunderstand me. I read everything once I am here 😉
BTW I’ve been meaning to say how nice it is that your mother comes to the site 🙂
Astrid, I suggest you go spend some time at the Blogger help page and see what the problem is, since Ask Nicola is in fact, is totally open to comments. You are clearly doing something incorrectly. I suggest you start by making sure you have a Blogger account, you generally need that in order to leave comments on a Blogger site. If you have disabled cookies, that may also be an issue.
And yes, I’m mildly offended, because if you spent two minutes looking through Nicola’s sidebar you would find a contact email address where you can, if you choose, email her directly about your problem. Which is what I suggest you do. Instead you’re using my blog to tell me that if you had any “choice” in the matter, you’d be over there interacting with her. Well, go interact with her and stop being rude.
my apologies
Apology accepted.