Web Memorials
July 3rd, 2008 by joe
Another blogger passed on this weekend, as reported by Eric, longtime blog friend, virtual drinking buddy and Tom Waits brother in arms. This blogger, Winston Rand, I did not know, but if he was a friend of Eric’s I am sure he would have been a friend of mine.
It highlights the fact the blogosphere opens a new element of history and memorialization, that a public diary or collection of essays can stand as one’s monument, one’s epitaph or eulogy.
When the Acidman died a couple years ago, this fact really hit home with me. I read Rob Smith’s blog regularly, but not carefully enough to know he had any serious health issues, so his sudden death (in the midst of blogging, if I recall correctly) was a shock. Right up until the end he was writing cogent, biting, personal essays. He had done this for a long time, and, per his wishes, his blog has remained online as family members have been recycling his posts (because there are so many gosh darn good ones), so that his son will have a place to go to learn about his dad. Click here to follow his last week.
Acidman’s traffic is on average still higher than ours at NVTH, which says something, since we are roughly seven guys who are still generally alive and writing.
It evokes the question of what sort of legacy each of us is leaving on our respective blogs. If I fall dead on the keyboard tonight I would not be overly concerned with the NVTH sitemeter stats two years on, but I wonder if all this written material I’ve left would tell the accurate story for my kids and potential grandkids. They’d definitely be able to glean the fact that “Grampa was angry,” but what else?
As I approach 50, as the years pile up, dropping dead on the keyboard is no longer a distant possibility but a growing likelihood. I hope not soon, but certainly more likely with each passing year. Taking the long view I have to wonder if the legacy here is all I would want to leave.
This entry was posted on Thursday, July 3rd, 2008 at 2:13 am and is filed under Bloggers, Personal Stuff. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
July 3rd, 2008 at 6:14 am
…. thanks, Joe…. Winston was a helluva guy….. as was Rob….
…. but as for blog being a legacy, not all blogs are meant to be viewed that way…. some are just more personal than others….some are politics…. some others are humor…. for what it is worth, I think that you are doing a fine job here…..
July 3rd, 2008 at 8:05 am
I had to re-read this post after dropping a hit of Purple Haze. It was better the second time round. Good people die-just like the bad ones. I view others and wonder how they may view me when the time comes. I feel my physical accomplishments and helping that I have given freely to all I know will be my legacy. “He always tried to do something for you”. You, Joe, will have a legacy of blogging and championing the cause for truth, justice and the American way (to coin a phrase).
I’m sure we will be seeing many more of these “memorial posts” and in some small way it does make a difference. Blog on.
July 3rd, 2008 at 10:42 am
Eric, yours certainly will be a legacy. I guess I want to eventually do some different types of writing here and elsewhere … if I make it long enough before dying on the keyboard.
ACT, probably my local legacy will be “he was a royal pain the ass.”
July 3rd, 2008 at 4:25 pm
Did someone mention a pain in the Ass ?
Yes Joe, you are a pain in the ass. I mean that in a good way. I myself, having spent well over half of my life being a pain in the ass, know one when I see one.
There are of course differing degrees of pain in the ass status.
First there is the amateur pain in the ass. That is the ass who dabbles in inflicting pain and discomfort however, does not see themselves being a pain in the ass forever. They will eventually get a job and stop being a pain in the ass.
Then comes the professional pain in the ass. I consider myself a member of this group in that I thoroughly enjoy being a pain in the ass and expect to do it for sometime.
Finally comes the Royal pain in the ass. This of course is the top of the ladder for those serious about being a pain in the ass. I can only hope to someday reach this status.
However, Joe, you are a Royal Pain in the ass.
July 3rd, 2008 at 4:32 pm
My goodness, this brought a tear to my eye, Stone. I will have these words of yours engraved, framed and hung in our foyer.