29 July, 2008

Don't forget to look around!

I have rearranged things somewhat, with a purpose. I'd like to rearrange things more, but I haven't the inclination to rewrite Blogger's code. They really should offer more templates and flexibility than they currently do.

1. I have a hard time writing entries to the weblog. The result is that I often fail to mention explicitly the many insightful posts that I find on other weblogs. Part of the reason is the compulsion I feel that if I am to dedicate an entire weblog entry then I must add some comments of value, rather than merely list links.

To my rescue comes Google Reader with its ability to share items from an RSS feed. I have done so with many such posts and now you can find them near the top of the right-hand column, organized into various topics.

A lot of references take you to Siris, written by a philosophy professor who makes me wish I could sit in his classes.

On the other hand, you won't notice many references to Sententiae, which might seem strange since I leave comments there much more often than on any other weblog. I have to find a way to link to Clemens' weblog more often, but I have as a rule tried to stay out of news or controversy on this weblog unless they deal with the Catholic faith. Looking at what I have linked, however, things seem a little one-sided (sigh) so perhaps I should loosen up a bit.

2. In the same way, you will find a list of weblogs that I read regularly, in which both Siris and Sententiae are featured. A number of other weblogs are also featured, but many of them have, sadly, gone silent. In illo tempore was one of my favorites, linking frequently to lovely images, reflections, and other treasures of traditional Catholicism. Elliot at Claw of the Conciliator has greatly reduced his output.

(I mention this not as a complaint, but as a sigh, and in case they stop by to let them know that I miss their writings.)

3. It would be interesting to figure out why I have stopped reading some excellent weblogs that persist, such as Lee's A Thinking Reed and Steven Riddle's Flos Carmeli. Perhaps, like old friends, weblogs necessarily part ways. There is only so much time, and we make our decisions, for good or ill. I should mention that Flos Carmeli, along with James Hannam's History, Science, and Religion (to which I do link), were the two weblogs that sparked my interest in a weblog.

4. For what it's worth, I still read Millinerd, and I'd like to share a lot of what he writes, but his weblog's RSS feed mysteriously doesn't work with Google Reader. Mr. Milliner has however begun writing for First Things on occasion, and his most recent column was, as usual, splendid.

5. I recently introduced a tongue-in-cheek poll on a news item I found amusing. In case you've missed it, it's at the top of the right-hand column.

5 comments:

Brandon said...

Well, thank you very much. I imagine I'm more interesting in blog form, though; I often work myself into incoherence when speaking.

jack perry said...

I often work myself into incoherence when speaking.

I hold this in common with you. In fact, many mathematicians do. Geez, I even drafted a paper that was rejected not because the result was incorrect but because the referee found it incoherent. He couldn't get from there to determining whether the result was correct.

There's a reason I don't discuss my research much on the weblog… even I find it hard to express!

Elliot said...

Thanks! I'm flattered! I'm sorry for the reduced output. But I've noticed that blogs grow and wither with the seasons and with the blogger's own life. I know I'm not quite the same person who started the blog a few years ago. Part of my blogging output was driven by the fact that I felt I had something significant to say about science fiction & religion - I wanted to criticize some stereotypes and build some bridges. After awhile I'd said what I wanted to say, so that the information was out there, and also other bloggers had started covering similar territory. New projects started to seem more important.

Also, when I look back, sometimes I was the most prolific when I was the most stressed and depressed. So I'm both occupied with other things and somewhat happier these days - two partial reasons.

I should mention that reading your insights was one of MY inspirations in starting a blog! Thanks!

Elliot said...

PS: I agree with you and Brandon - it's often much easier for me to reason in print than in speech.

jack perry said...

I hope you're flattered; I miss your weblog.

After awhile I'd said what I wanted to say, so that the information was out there, and also other bloggers had started covering similar territory.

Maybe I don't read enough. I fancy my weblog to be rather unique. Actually, it veers into personal experience so much that I suspect it's boring to most people. :-) But I enjoy writing it and fleshing out thoughts, so I don't really care much about the rest of it.

New projects started to seem more important.

Yeah, I wasted this evening on two new entries instead of working some more on finishing The House of the Seven Gables.