This Is a “Blog of Substance”? Really? Because…

…my ten word summary is as informative as a Science or Nature paper.

Ouch.

So Byte Size Biology tagged me with the “Blog of Substance” meme, originally developed by Bora. I usually don’t participate in internet meme-ey things because I’m just too persnicketty to write about what other people want me to. I really don’t like the concept of “meme” either. But this I can get behind:

Sum up your blogging motivation, philosophy and experience in exactly 10 words.

Unfortunately, this blog’s raison d’être is nineteen words long:

Because it’s marginally more productive than firing Nerf projectiles at my teevee machine when it makes me angry.

I think we can cut this down:

It’s more productive than firing Nerf projectiles at my TV when it angers me.

Still too long… How about:

It’s more productive than firing Nerf projectiles at my TV.

Kinda misses the point–although we’re getting closer to the glamour magz version. Let’s see:

It’s more productive than smashing my TV when I’m angry.

I fit the format! And not it obscures important detail, but lacks the punch of the original.

Glamour magz, here we come!

The other thing I’m supposed to do is tag ten people, so here we go:

1) Confessions of a Science Librarian

2) Christina’s LIS Rant

3) The Mahablog

4) Lance Mannion (it would be a crime, though, to limit him to only ten words)

5) driftglass

6) The Inverse Square Blog

7) Gene Expression

8) Superbug

9) The Pump Handle

10) The Thoughtful Animal

Comments

#1 blf
August 1, 2010

It’s more productive than smashing my TV when I’m angry.

Expanding the contractions, that’s twelve words. </pedant>
Another alternative:

Smashing my TV in anger is less productive.
#2 Mike Haubrich, FCD
August 1, 2010

Blow up your tv? No! Blog!
#3 Paul Murray
August 1, 2010

Pity that “productive-er” is not a wordL

“Productive-er than angry tv-smashing”.

Bwahaha! Four words, but resorting to a) a compound reified noun and b) a word I just made up.
#4 Sharon Astyk
August 2, 2010

“Nerfing.” You just need a new verb, and then you can do it. Make up words – that’s why we’re writers, right?

Sharon
#5 Nomen Nescio
August 2, 2010

except that “to nerf” is already a verb that means something different. oh well.
#6 Lance Mannion
August 3, 2010

Limiting me to 10 words is like limiting a chain smoker to one puff a day. But I’ll see what I can do.
#7 mike jakson
August 4, 2010

Thank you very much for this article!
For a long time I have done exactly what you warn against. This article was a slap in the face – but a needed one.
That being said, what is the value of an intuitive explanation? Is it to give a lay person an “ah-ha” moment? Is it good to have SOME understanding, even if it is “vague and mush?”
#8 Jason G. Goldman
August 5, 2010

Thanks for the plug! Followed the instructions as instructed.