Thursday, December 14, 2006

Pre-holiday miscellany: categorical issues

Well, my bags are packed, etc. and I'm ready to be leeeeeaaaving on a jet plane for TO in a couple of hours, so I thought I might kill some time by doing some blog housework.

First thing: someone needs to educate me about this whole Blogger Beta thing. Every time I sign in, Blogger's informing me that my new beta-version blog is ready to go. I have thus far resisted switching over because I seem to remember Erin complaining about beta screwing up her blog when she switched ... and though her site now seems to be clicking along smoothly, I have a phobia about all things computer-cody.

It wasn't an issue before, except that now I can't seem to be able to comment on some blogs that have switched. They want me to sign in with my Google account, which I don't have, and though they say "you can also use your Blogger identity," there doesn't seem to be anything allowing me to do so. So I did sign up for a Google account, which should--I would think?--be redundant. And does switching to Beta clear this issue up?

Second: this became an issue when I decided to add some new links. I got an email from my old friend Susan, who's a diplomat working in Egypt, in which she included a Flickr photo album. So I thought, hey, let's add that to the friends' list. No worries there.

I'd also noticed recently that Passionate Rationality, the blog of former UWO media student Dallas Curow, has me listed under the links. Now, I only know Dallas by reputation (a pretty stellar reputation, it must be said), never having met her (I don't think) or had her in any of my classes at Western, but she is part of a network of former students whose blogs I have listed here ... and has also been munificent enough to take the troubled Brian Fauteux (Rants, Rock, and Reason) under her wing. In spite of not knowing her personally, I've linked to her rather splendid blog -- check out the photography! -- in the "friends" section, largely because it would be weird to have a whole new section titled "Western Media Students I Never Met or Taught But Who Are Dating a Student I Have Taught, and Whom I Know By Reputation," and then have poor lonely Dallas as the only one listed.

ANYWAY ... I attempted to say as much in the comments on her blog yesterday, which is when I discovered what I now believe to be the Beta issue when my comments wouldn't stick.

I've also added another former student, Jennifer Wilhelm, who after a year's hiatus seems to be having a go at something approaching regular entries on her blog. Keep it up, Jennie -- don't make me put Stephen Colbert put you on notice ...

Third: I've added a new category that I hope will grow, one dedicated to MUN bloggers. At present there are only four blogs listed, two by English grad students I know, and two by people I haven't met (I believe). I will add to this list as I learn of more blogs.

OK, time to get myself ready to head home. The next blog entry you read will be posted from the parents' study. Slainte!

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

Have a good Christmas.

Andie W. said...

Thanks for the linkage! Have a Happy Holiday!

Annie said...

Ooh, I'm a link. Neat!

Enjoy your visit (and your Christmas)!

Anonymous said...

Hi Chris in NF/ Professor Lockett,

I appreciate the link! I also have been appreciating your blog for quite a while now. I also appreciate anyone who mocks my surly significant other.
I really wish I'd had the chance to have you as a professor, before you were snapped up by The Rock, but alas, we may encounter eachother in the academic world one day...that is, if I can tough it out long enough to make it through my MA.

Until then, I will continue to be a faithful reader of your blog here. Enjoy your holiday. I know I will!

Chris in NF said...

Sorry not to have had you as a student too, Dallas ... though you *did* have at least one class with Mulligan, as I understand it. That sort of functions as a consolation prize. ;-)

Lesley said...

Beta Blogger or Blogger Beta is a sham! At least that's what I'm telling myself when I sign in and it tells me my new blogger is ready. I refuse to submit to them. Come find me when they steal my soul and put me in a pod somewhere and clone me into some mutant. Or droid. Whatever the case may be.

Safe travels!

Anonymous said...

hahaha

"troubled"

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the kind words of encouragement: A blog make-over is on the agenda for the holidays after regaining my sanity from Ottawa overload.

Anonymous said...

beta blogger isn't all that bad... it was a bit of a hassle in the beginning, but they seem to have worked most of the kinks out and if you're html deficient, they have a nifty layout manipulator thingy (technical jargon that...) that you can work with just your mouse to change your whole layout instead of playing with (read: messing up completely) the html. Of course, you can also do it the old fashioned html way if you are so inclined.

And it gets rid of that pesky problem of not being able to comment on some blogs...