Breathing life into a blog meme, maybe

As I continue reading previous blog posts written on this day, I’ve been struck by a couple of things. One is how often there didn’t seem to be anything worthwhile writing about, and how even writing about that seemed worthwhile. There was a phase when lots of bloggers were looking at their logs and writing about the strange searches that brought readers to them, probably only to be disappointed. Linked to that, there were blog carnivals and blog memes.¹

Carnivals took a more-or-less specialised subject area and aggregated posts on that topic, usually submitted by the writer and often to a different host each time. The basic idea was that if your site occasionally played host to a rich source of good stuff from other sites, then people would be attracted to your site and maybe even stick around or add you to their blogroll. Taking turns at hosting shared the administrative load and the benefits that accrued. It was considered good practice to read all the submissions and craft your own post that would link to them, possibly exercising some selection, in a way that might entice readers to see for themselves. In that respect, because they were curated, blog carnivals to me are distinct from planets that merely accrete stuff, admittedly on a topic, without curation.

Me, me, me

Blog memes were different, more a kind of pyramid scheme or chain letter. One blogger came up with an idea or a prompt, responded to it and then tagged other bloggers to respond, and tag, in turn. The underlying logic of why one should participate was not always that clear (to me). It might have been an early attempt to game page rank algorithms, because you linked back to the person who tagged you and forward to the people you were tagging. I don’t really know, but it did give you something to write.

Anyway … I’m not quite ready to launch a new blog carnival of my own. But when I raised the topic 10 days ago or so it got an enthusiastic response from a few people. And then, as serendipity would have it, an on-this-day post was a response to a blog meme. So, here we are.

Have you ever …

In December 2008, I came across this post from someone who was on my blogroll, or in my feeds, or something. They listed 100 things that one might have done in one’s life, and invited one to indicate those that one had actually done. I took the challenge on as a lark and then decided that the same list could prompt individual blog posts, so I started doing that.² And now I’m resurrecting the meme, and tagging Amanda Rush and ladyhope. I hope they will participate, link to this, and tag two more people.³ Of course, if you are inspired to do it too, then just go ahead.

Here’s the original list, cleaned up so you can do your own bolding

1. Started your own blog

2. Slept under the stars

3. Played in a band

4. Visited Hawaii

5. Watched a meteor shower

6. Given more than you can afford to charity

7. Been to Disneyland

8. Climbed a mountain

9. Held a praying mantis

10. Sang a solo

11. Bungee jumped

12. Visited Paris

13. Watched a lightning storm at sea

14. Taught yourself an art from scratch

15. Adopted a child

16. Had food poisoning

17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty

18. Grown your own vegetables

19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France

20. Slept on an overnight train

21. Had a pillow fight

22. Hitch hiked

23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill

24. Built a snow fort

25. Held a lamb

26. Gone skinny dipping

27. Run a Marathon

28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice

29. Seen a total eclipse

30. Watched a sunrise or sunset

31. Hit a home run

32. Been on a cruise

33. Seen Niagara Falls in person

34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors

35. Seen an Amish community

36. Taught yourself a new language

37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied

38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person

39. Gone rock climbing

40. Seen Michelangelo's David

41. Sung karaoke

42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt

43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant

44. Visited Africa

45. Walked on a beach by moonlight

46. Been transported in an ambulance

47. Had your portrait painted

48. Gone deep sea fishing

49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person

50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris

51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling

52. Kissed in the rain

53. Played in the mud

54. Gone to a drive-in theater

55. Been in a movie

56. Visited the Great Wall of China

57. Started a business

58. Taken a martial arts class

59. Visited Russia

60. Served at a soup kitchen

61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies

62. Gone whale watching

63. Got flowers for no reason

64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma

65. Gone sky diving

66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp

67. Bounced a check

68. Flown in a helicopter

69. Saved a favorite childhood toy

70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial

71. Eaten Caviar

72. Pieced a quilt

73. Stood in Times Square

74. Toured the Everglades

75. Been fired from a job

76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London

77. Broken a bone

78. Been on a speeding motorcycle

79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person

80. Published a book

81. Visited the Vatican

82. Bought a brand new car

83. Walked in Jerusalem

84. Had your picture in the newspaper

85. Read the entire Bible

86. Visited the White House

87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating

88. Had chickenpox

89. Saved someone’s life

90. Sat on a jury

91. Met someone famous

92. Joined a book club

93. Lost a loved one

94. Had a baby

95. Seen the Alamo in person

96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake

97. Been involved in a law suit

98. Owned a cell phone

99. Been stung by a bee

100. Read an entire book in one day

Off you go, and godspeed.