Why We're Here

I've flirted with blogging for a while now. I've been reluctant because it always seemed to me there's something a bit sad about blogging. All these words, most of them doomed never to be read, all this time frittered away. All these thoughts, most of them so petty (in-depth analysis of shoelaces vs. loafers, musings upon protocol for avoiding phone call from clingy friend, little spike of joy from new haircut). Blogs thrive on the trivial. Plus, there's the danger of posting private ramblings and getting called on them - recognized by someone who knows you. Or just getting flamed for not having taken care to describe a ramble in approved politically correct manner. People can be so mean, especially when they know they're invisible.

There's a deeper sadness, I think, that lies in bloggers themselves. No one who really leads a rich and exciting life has the time and energy to post all these trivialities. And the best blogs are written by people who are borderline depressed, underappreciated in real life.

Yet worse than writing a blog is probably the kind of lurking I've been doing - I have my favorites I check during down-time at work. I get awfully disappointed when there are no new posts. It's about as vicarious as you can get. So, time to jump in and post some of my own. I'm not sure everything I write will be factual. Got to keep up the secret identity, for one - got to make it interesting, for another. So, here are some facts about me, some of which are true:

I like the words sauerkraut, frolicking, marshy, and fox.
My middle name is Phoenix. I think my parents wanted to give me some glamour to make up for my serviceable, ordinary first and last names.
I'm very fond of applesauce.
I have one sister and a bevy of cousins.
A snake is a really dumb place to hide a Horcrux. Because this is not technically a fact about me, perhaps I should say, I have an opinion that this is so.
I don't believe in the persistence of souls, but I have experienced the persistence of soils, particularly bird poop.
Reading is one of the great pleasures of life that I was happy to pick up again after I finished college.