A day or two ago, Janice informed us that I am the holder of Hijack™ (a non-profit company, I assure you). Yesterday, Jim posted a comment on my thread. I followed this up by quoting him and responded in his thread. I've seen other evidence of our various blogs losing coherence (to the innocent "dropping in wherever" folks) because some of us (okay, mostly me) are incapable of sticking strictly to the thread we're commenting on without referring to one or more of the threads in other C.F. (Collaborating Founders') blogs. (I introduced the concept of C.F.'s yesterday in the comments on my "Yeah, But You Can't Beat the Fringe Benefits" post. The basic concept is that you all as the readers in my first week of blogging are Collaborating Founders in setting the tone here.)
I propose that on Monday, January 28th, we hold the first International Hijack™ Day. We have a week to figure out exactly how it works, but the basics are as follows:
-Each of us post something that invites audience participation.
-Each response should link you to one of the other C.F.'s blogs.
-The response should not be in the blog you're responding to and it shouldn't be in your own blog; it should be in a third blog.
-Confusing? Yes! That's the point.
Like I said, we have a week to figure out the particulars, but anyone who thinks this is a good idea should say so in the comments. Ideas for the rules will be most welcome. Feel free to expand on (or Hijack™) the idea and take it in a direction I haven't thought of.
I'm going to be running around in the cold all day and won't be able to play more until I get home this evening. I look forward to seeing what lunacy the rest of you can propose.
Update: In the spirit of the proposed International Hijack™ Day, you should also feel free to talk about it in each others' blogs...just sayin'.
35 comments:
I think I have a headache.
Let me give this some thought, and I'll get back to you...
I'm confused, but that's normal for me.
Speaking of hijacking: your GF rocks (as I may have mentioned somewhere on my blog)
I'm confused but willing. I'm sure it will all become clear when we actually do it.
Gee, I sound easily led, don't I? I'm not. :)
Two Ls damnit!
Michelle,
Did I leave an "L" out somewhere or have you started playing already.
The rest of you....are confused.
::rubs hands together and twists Snidely Whiplash moustache::
Hah, my evil plans our coming to fruition!
In all seriousness (ok, not really),
I said there were some kinks to be worked out. One of them is that we have to drop crumbs to leave a trail to which blog comes next.
GF appreciated your comment, Jim.
I rock??? Wow. Srsly.
GF
I have started to foment confusion. Bwahahahahaha!!
Hrm. So umm... that means there's at least four blogs involved in every comment: your own blog, the blog you're responding to, the blog you're posting in, and the blog you're referencing. These are all to be separate ones, right?
I think I've gone insane already. o.O Can we do this on a weekend? During the week I have to actually do work and stuff...
Tania,
And I provided you with the opportunity to use "foment" in a sentence. How many times a day does that happen?
MWT,
Now your making my head hurt. Let me think about this whole idea. It was early when I posted it and it needs some refining. (That's one reason I was giving us a week before doing it.) And I'd be totally good with doing it on a weekend, but I've noticed that most others don't seem to blog as much then, so I thought that wouldn't fly. I'll go with the vote of the U.C.F. (that's the Union of Collaborating Founders).
OK
I'm gonna try this right off the top of my head and post it whether it works or proves to me that I've got rocks in my head.
Example Starting Post on my blog.
Welcome to International Hijack™ Day. (An explanation of what the day is, how it works, and an invitation to lurkers and all readers to join in and do the same on their blogs would follow)
For International Hijack™ Day, I'd like to know everyone's preference: Goobers or Raisinets.*
MWT is the first responder and he posts "jeri" as a link to SmugPuppies, where I find his response to my post. I'll know I'm looking for a post from MWT when I get there, but I may have to look for it.
Meanwhile, Jeri has posted about her absolute abhorrence for dryer lint.**
All comments on my thread are either links to answers to my questions or answers to questions on other peoples sites. Answers should also contain a link back to the post with the original question or topic they're responding to.
Rocks, rocks in my head, I say!
There is a good idea in there somewhere, I just need to dig it out. The whole idea is to branch out. To find an answer to my post, maybe I'm forced to go to one of Janiece's readers who I wouldn't necessarily know about. A madness of linkitudy goodness to drag us to places we might not usually go and to bring others to our sites who might not have been there before.
*original post need not be lame.
**see above re: lameness.
Honey, step away from the blog.
GF
What GF said. Because we know she rules.
Maybe random--kinda like we've been seeing--is better?
But then, not that you'd have guessed it otherwise, I have a thing for random.
MWT is the first responder and he posts "jeri" as a link to SmugPuppies, where I find his response to my post.
Whoa. Really?
Sorry. All this time I was thinking that MWT was she and her, not he and his.
michel(1)l(2)e,
I could be totally wrong. Would MWT csre to enlighten us?
I had that question myself. I looked around on MWT's various blogs, and came to the conclusion that gender is not part of MWT's public/web identity. For my own part, I decided that, like Sam Berlant, it isn't a critical part of the story, so any sentence I write about MWT just has to be written in such a way that it can be read either way. Good practice for writing and MWT remains MWT.
(Hope that's OK, MWT!)
MWT has indeed chosen not to specify in public. Though yes, if you dig around far enough, you'll eventually find some answers buried somewhere. I'm in favor of Anne's approach - stretch those word-stringing muscles!
Meanwhile, back to the original topic (an anti-hijack!): people who have no active blogs could use Free Play at Whateveresque for their part of the proceedings. That way maybe we can suck even more people into our little web of bloggy goodness. :)
I didn't even have the luxury of following this chaos as it unfolded. Here's my plan, I'll mention things on various blogs that have to do with other blogs. They may or may not make sense. Even the sentences may or may not makes sense.
Pretty much, it will be like normal for me, and I might fit in. I think Nathan has described my normal blogging pattern.
*TONG*
Oh yeah, MWT -- I've always thought "she", but I noticed you've never specified. I've looked. (No, not like that you weirdos, I mean I looked at MWT's posts in length) Which does, I'll have you know, drive me friggen nuts. Not because it matters, but because I have a bad habit of offending people by assuming wrong.
I've seen Jim say, "him" and a few others as well, but I don't think any of us know for sure.
So no, I'm not prying for information, BUT, you're not allowed to take offense if I accidentally skew your gender neutrality. Deal? :)
Well, it seems like I may have been premature in giving up on this idea. If anyone can come up with a less cumbersome way to make it work, I'm all ears.
Also, you all need to chime in on MWT's request to play it on a weekend.
BTW, MWT, given the choice, would you choose the prize behind door number one? (a lazyboy lounger and 72" flat-screen TV with built-in beer dispenser), or the prize behind door number 2, (a year's worth of free shopping rights at the shoe store of your choice).
::whistles and leaves the room::
BTW, MWT, given the choice, would you choose the prize behind door number one? (a lazyboy lounger and 72" flat-screen TV with built-in beer dispenser), or the prize behind door number 2, (a year's worth of free shopping rights at the shoe store of your choice).
Probably not a good question, because I think *my* answer would be the 72" TV--although I could really do without the beer dispenser.
Though on the other hand, a TV that big might make me motion sick.
Was there a door number three?
And really, I think a better question would be, "assuming no allergies, would you give up chocolate for a million dollars?"
;)
The Gender Guesser places MWT squarely into the Y chromosome party.
And now that I found that fun little site, I'm going to spend my evening genderly verifying every blog I read. At 60% accuracy, that's science you can count on!
*finds all of this rather amusing*
Here is a nice longwinded non-answer for you. ;)
Shawn,
If I take my two longest recent posts, I'm either Weak Female/Weak Male (European) OR Male/Female.
Dumping a piece of my fiction in (1247 words), I'm a Male/Weak Male (European).
Which is actually good, because my main characters are male.
But brings me to the conclusion that I wouldn't trust the software too much.
1) the Hijack This thing sounds fun, but I think random is more interesting than linked.
2) interestingly enough, I have more time on weekends but post less then... so either works for me.
3) The gender guesser pegged 4 of 5 of my writing samples as weak male or male - very odd. In one of them I even used the phrase "as a mom". It'd be interesting to know the methodology.
Oh - once we pick a day (is it still on for Monday?) I'd be happy to talk it up in my blog.
"Hey blogger, blogger, blogger, blogger... swing!"
As far as the date, I'm still happy with Monday January 28th, but there is one vote in for doing it on a weekend. I good either way.
We still need to figure out exactly how we're doing it.
It's too bad it isn't for tomorrow, because I get the day off.
As for how... the original idea made me think more or less what Nathan later detailed, but without the links. So it'd look something like...
Nathan's blog says: "Raisins or Gooberets?"
Jeri's blog says: "dryer lint sucks!"
Then I'd come along to Jeri's blog and say: "Raisins!"
OK,
How about this? I was putting in the links because otherwise, you might not even know who's participating.
To solve that, everyone who wants to play should say so here.
I'll put up a post the night before, listing everyone who's in. On the day, everybody who is playing should post their own explanation of what we're doing and a list of links to everybody who is playing. Then put in your own participatory post.
Between now and then anything you want to do to invite others to play will be great. Don't forget, the idea is to broaden our circle, maybe draw in lurkers. (I don't think I have any yet, but a guy can wish). Anybody you attract to the game should be sent here to "register"
Once again, this idea is a work in progress. If any of you have an idea about tweaking this idea, feel free to pipe up.
Also, may a propose a motto?
Organized Anarchy
But to honor Nathan's copious tangential talents, I think we should also toss in red herring comments.
So, Nathan can post about expensive movie candy.
I can rant about belly button lint.
And then Janiece can come along and add a comment about her favorite icy slips and falls.
This is because it would be kinda fun to search for context on a comment, only to find that there isn't one. ;)
OMG, I've truly created a monster.
Me! Me! Me!
I'm in!
I'm all about random!
You know, I could really use a cool tentacle to liven up the trip through the airport security screening line.
Oh, wait a min... we aren't playing yet?
Oh, well, I'm in. :)
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