delightful distractions

It goes without saying that I do not need any more distractions on the web. Nonetheless, in the last couple of months I have become quite taken with a couple of webcomics. In particular, I enjoy a week-daily fix of Scarygoround While I was in the States briefly earlier this year, I had terrible jet-lag and ended up spending rather a lot of early morning hours reading chapters of this light-heartedly spooky and beautifully-drawn comic courtesy of the hotel's wireless internet. 'Whimsy' is the middle name of its creator, John Allison.
I also love Kate Beaton's work - particularly her historical series. Sadly, she posts a lot less often! Not that I can talk...

Slashie

I met someone this weekend who introduced themselves (with good reason!) as a 'writer'. It got me thinking about what it is that I actually do in my working life. I usually say I'm a historian, because I spend most of my days reading, researching, talking and writing history. And I work more than I get paid, so it's more than just employment. (I still find it amazing that I get paid at all to read and write - luxury!)
But recently I have been consciously trying to expand my writing horizons - writing some reviews of popular fiction, resurrecting an old fiction project of my own - and it has struck me that I would probably write better if I understood this as an important part of my historical craft. I could describe myself in 'slashie' terms as a writer/historian! Switching my focus to the writing itself - not just the reading, thinking, researching that precedes it - would probably encourage me to write more imaginatively, creatively, clearly. Something that is perhaps not valued or modelled enough in much historical writing!

Excuses, excuses...

The thing about not blogging is that it becomes addictive... the longer you don't blog, the more embarrassing and ridiculous it seems to actually post something. However, of all the excuses I could make for why I haven't blogged for months, one no longer applies. See that little yella fella in the front of the photo? Mobile broadband, baby.