Robert (gurdonark) wrote,
Robert
gurdonark

Memes actually can help me

I was just thinking about how it would be fun to run a "let me ask you questions" meme, when zyzyly just ran one. He had these really cool instructions about them, but I'll omit them, because I think you can freestyle them. First, let me answer for you his questions to me, because that is the first step:



Posted by: zyzyly (zyzyly)
Posted at: March 28th, 2007 02:40 pm (UTC)


1. You seem to like to reach out beyond the borders of the written entry to touch the people on your friends list by doing things like sending out kazoos or music cd's. What does Livejournal mean to you?

My answer:

I am glad you asked this question, because just last month I crossed five years in keeping this weblog. I find this a good time for such reflections.

When I first began the weblog, I thought it would be a resource about law careers, with some personal anecdote thrown in. Soon I found that I enjoyed the daily recording aspect of it. When I began the weblog, I did not even understand the idea of a "friends list" or the interconnectedness of it all.

Now this weblog is nothing less than a real set of interconnections for me. It's an important part of my day, in the way that transferring the change from yesterday's pocket to today's clothes is important. I enjoy making friends and sharing ideas and also just selfishly plodding on with my own record. I keep track of things by seeing what I wrote in my journal.

I post my posts in public, although this rule is not inflexible, and, who knows? it may one day be broken. It's interesting to me to be read by friend and stranger, work acquiatance and real life acquaitance. On paper I would have imagined that this would constrict my speech tremendously, but it turned out I have worlds of things to say that do not require me to reveal anything particularly sensitive.

For me this weblog matters a lot, and those of you for whom I care matter a lot.



2. You also like to "tweak" these things. How will you change this particular meme when it is time for you to post it in your own journal?

I do like to "tweak" these things. I am pondering just how to do it here, and will post the result at post's end.

3. "Casual saints"--what does it mean?

I am very attracted to the idea of people who do good without thinking about it. I like the little village in France which, during WW II, spontaneously determined to shelter Jews from deportation. They did not have grandiose theories or tortured passions of virtue. They just thought it was the right--and only--thing to do, and they did it. That's to me a form of casual sainthood.


4. If you had to move at least 1000 miles away from where you live now, where would you cnoose to go?

southern California--I loved living in the foothills.


5. You win second prize in a beauty contest--$350. What will you do with the money
I would divide it as follows:

A. I would send $ 50 each to three livejournal friends who could use it, perhaps in the form of a gift card with a clever note;
B. I would send $ 50 to Room to Read, the school-building charity which impresses me
C. I would spend $ 100 on software to easily run chess tournaments
D. I would donate $ 50 to netlabels.

I wish I could say that my generosity above stems from virtue, but in fact I have a basic feeling that unearned prize money should be paid back out again.



Now that I have performed the needful, I want to invite you to participate. Here are the rules:

A. You reply to this post by typing "I give you permission to ask, and it is possible I will answer".

B. I then ask you five questions, which may or may not be intrusive. As is usual, I am less concerned with whom you sleep or the latest gossip from your family than with nailing down things that confuse or interest me. It's a bit like stepping into a batting cage--it may turn out the balls come at 99 mph, or it may turn out that a big, fluffy softball wings your way. Sometimes I am curious why you did not do x or y in your career or personal life, and sometimes I want to know whether you prefer your monkeys winged or on motor scooters.

C. You answer my questions, either in the comments, in your journal, or more privately, as you prefer. I am rarely a very cryptic person, but I give you express permission to be cryptic or even elusive. I also give you permission, and perhaps encouragement, to be direct and on point.

D. Once you have answered my questions, you may ask me 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5 of your own, as I think that sharing is a two-way street.

E. You post or do not post this meme as you please, but whether you post or do not post, participate or do not participate, you relax and don't worry too much about it all. The challenge for you is to make it all fun, not to worry that you worry you'll have to tell me about your tattoo of the walrus on your left ankle or the 59 you got in Algebra II, which meant you didn't have the grades to take woodworking your sophomore year.

Finally, the "ringer" instruction, off topic in a charming way:

F. In a show of beneficient thanksgiving for this wonderful meme, you use your
favorite "paint" type program to make a simple drawing, and you post this drawing in your journal with the post title "I am no Matisse".

I hope you'll join me in this meme!
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