Durham NC

I've heard this web site described as a 'blog' (short for 'web log') a few times, so I checked out a couple of the web's countless blogs to see why. Most of them seem, to me, like journals in the strictest sense: daily (more or less) postings about whatever happens to provoke the author's current interest. These blogs have names like "Where is my Bagel?" and "Cynical Rantings" and publish, to quote the latter, "superfluous thoughts loosely based on the life of a regular, yet potentially fascinating girl." A smaller category of blog is the type ferociously devoted to a specific subject, like the proper maintenance of golf greens. Most entries are short, cursory, and casual, and were obviously written quickly. Some blogs are a lot of fun to read.

This isn't a blog. Once upon a time, sobsey.com contained only narrative travel writing, but I've added new obsessions. Still, I'm deliberate and occasional; if I don't have much, or much important, to say about something, then I don't say it. When I do post, it's after much consideration and editing, and on specific subjects (although travel notes receive special allowance). This voluntary discretion, compounded by the time consumption of my two jobs, explains why weeks often pass without a new installment.

The Middle Schoolers where I teach are currently rehearsing Alice in Wonderland, which counsels, "Start at the beginning, go on until you get to the end, then stop." That's not good advice for sobsey.com. Pick and choose from the archive, or drop in wherever the site is right now and tour as you like. Almost every entry is part of a series, so one thing tends to lead provisionally to another until the given subject expires. There are a few broad themes that recur; you'll spot them quickly if you spend much time here. These themes provide the inner architecture of the site, but it has no intended structure. I may individuate from bloggers, but I'm still keeping a journal, after all.

I just had my second car stereo stolen, but until then my morning commutes had been ruled by Jason Falkner's debut album, Jason Falkner Presents Author Unknown. The chorus of my favorite song goes, "Follow me if you like what you see." I extend the same invitation to you, and feel slightly consoled by yesterday's discovery that the thieves neglected to take the CD.

-Adam Sobsey