Thursday, May 24, 2007

Sally thinks!


I'm currently procrastinating.

Being a woman, I'm supposed to multi task, but sometimes, due to having far too many different things to focus on and multi task about my brain goes into overdrive and freezes. I think it effectively crashes, and then intead of doing the twenty things on my list, I do none.................

So, when all else fails, I write my blog. It's the one thing in my life that I can do with certainty. It may be nonsense that I produce, but I can guarantee that there is always a constant stream of words waiting to be written, however banal.

Now, what I'm hoping is that by writing my blog, I can start the day rolling properly and uncrash the system........

Well, it's worth a try, and it keeps the blog posts rolling!

In the meantime, Alice Band tells me that there are some more awards lurking around and waiting to be given out?

Awards are an interesting phenomenon aren't they? The first time that I saw a set of these awards I got really excited. REALLY EXCITED. Convinced that I would be spotted, swept up and flown out to some exotic location to pick up an Oscar eqivalent of a writing award, I eagerly awaited for my name to appear on the list............

Well.... we can all dream.

In truth though, it seems that most of these awards are dreamt up by people in their back rooms, and come with a prize of a packet of biscuits. And what's more, there appears to be an "in club" of bloggie people who feature on those lists and are then voted for by other people in the elite club.

I remember "in gangs" from School, then University and even work places.

I'm probably quite proud to say that actually I've never been one of the "in gang". Well at least not part of someone else's "in gang".

And you know, to be absolutely honest, until someone comes up with a set of blog awards that are akin to the the Whitbread Award, with proper prize money, that are judged and awarded by complete outsiders, then frankly it isn't really worth an awful lot....

Now, I am going to potentially risk making myself very unpopular here - possibly..........

But.......Petite Anglaise received a publishing deal before a blog award. Now, would you rather have a packet of Bourbons and the approval of 50 people who all know each other, but who have the ability to vote several times from their computers, or would you rather have "Penguin" publishing your book? Personally, I do often find her entertaining..........but I don't need the approval of a blog award to tell me that, any more than I need Oscar nominations to tell me that a film is worth viewing.

Johnny B, who categorically appears to dislike, and constantly writes about how boring he finds babies, and yet is a stay at home Dad - to his baby (!) - seems to win countless nominations for awards. Now call me odd, but my old English teacher used to say that a joke is only funny once. And so, I'm sorry Johnny B, but I think that your joke has been overplayed and for me enough is enough. You are no longer on my blogroll, and in my humble opinion your writing is less worthy than others on the net................

And as for One Track............. Well, we all know why THAT is popular, don't we? And ironically, now she knows that her Mum and possibly her old English teacher is reading, she has felt the need to tone down the content. Anonymity only goes so far in the blogging world. In fact, I recently saw her real name and photo published in the national press, and I think that I was acquainted with her brother at university. Not wishing to blow her cover further I emailed her, privately.

But not being part of the in club, she didn't reply..........

Maybe she isn't my friend's sister. Who knows? But, as my good old Dad has always said.......... "Make friends on the way up Sal, you may need them on the way down." So if you happen to come across this "One Track".......... why not drop me a reply? You never know, I may just be one of those people that you meet on your way back down....

With me, what you see is what you get.

I'm not going to write about my sex life, because my children, my mother and my mother's friends read this and anyway it's not my style. I don't do that.

I will though write about my children, my life and my hassles with financial institutions. And fortunately I have plenty of that stuff to write about!

And on that note..... will the call centres who keep calling me at 8 a.m. on my Stage School line please bear in mind that actually I do have a life other than dealing with calls from, and writing blogs about, call centres, and that if they want to call me during office hours I will tell them then that I do NOT WANT whatever it is they trying to sell me.

p.s. Have just had a sales call from Ben, from The Money Group:

"Is Mrs. Lomax available please?"
"Who's calling please?" (Say I)
"It's Ben from the Money Group."
"Yes, she is Ben, but she's not available to talk to you."
"BYE." I sing, as I put the phone down, uttering a very impolite word under my breath...

32 comments:

Akelamalu said...

I haven't heard/seen any of the blogs you mention,so I can't comment. I do agree that the 'awards' do seem to go to the same people over,and over, and over, and over again.

I hate call centres. One rang for hubby just the other day.
Hubby didn't want to speak to them so I told them that.
"We can't take your word for it, he must tell us himself" they said, so I hung up.
Two minutes later they rang again and hubby answered.
"My wife just told you I don't want to talk to you and what she says goes!" he said and hung up. :)

Anonymous said...

Hi!This is Mr. Scripted from some call centre employed by a scamming money organisation!

Would you be interested in buying something you already have for the same amount of money, AND waste three hours of your time on the phone organising it with us?

...*click*

y.Wendy.y said...

Well said Sally. I agree with every single word you wrote. And, specifically, that the big blog awards is just a euphemism for the 'In Group'. You scratch my back and I'll scratch yours.

As for Jonny B - I am amused by what he writes but it isn't good writing at all. His comments are what I go there for. They can be a riot. Sometimes.

I voted in those awards but only for the lesser known blogs - not the 'biggies' - who will win anyway. *sigh* But as it is a meaningless award, it's not important, I guess.

This is why I love Post of the Week - it highlights good writing on blogs we often don't know about.

Anonymous said...

brave words, sally, and enidd agrees. not so much about jonnyb, who she thinks writes better than some of others who are so well thought of.

you're in enidd's in-crowd, if that's worth anything...

sallywrites said...

Hi Ak! Glad you agree!
Hi Wendz! I like Post of the Week too.
awwh thanks Enidd! You're in mine too!

Alice Band said...

Christ Sal, I'd be more than happy to write about my sex life but as I don't have one then it seems pointless..
Feel very out of the 'in' club but am most mollified to be in the 'in club of the out club'. Get my drift?

y.Wendy.y said...

You know what - I am going to eat some of my words here.

I had a think about Jonny B and, while his writing is very simple and nothing to get excited about in a literary way, I think it isn't easy to consistently write in such a simple style...that simplicity does have a certain appeal to me.

I find it far more pleasant to read than the studied, somewhat artificial style of Petite. She's a good writer, yeah, but not the best and often her writing lacks 'edge'.

And actually, Enidd's writing is better than PA's....oooh err..

So slap me everyone.

*ducks and runs*

sallywrites said...

Hi Alice!
Welcome to the "out club"
Wendz!
I think he annoyed me when he was so unsympathetic to his wife's accident. Maybe I just lost my sense of humour that day........ until then I enjoyed it.

sallywrites said...

p.s. I agree about Enidd. You win my blog awards Enidd! I'll send you a club biscuit!

FH said...

*I'm probably quite proud to say that actually I've never been one of the "in gang".*
Me too!! Although the "in gang" tried hard to "recruit" me in college!:D
I will join your gang anytime Sally:))

headless chicken said...

Come on now Sally - don't beat around the bush!!!!

Beccy said...

Not having read any of the blogs you mention I can't really comment, except, keep up the good work, I love reading you!

Unknown said...

You tell 'em Sally. When do I get my nomination then?

pierre l said...

I sense that I am headed for trouble here, I hope you will forgive me, Sally.

I enjoy reading most of what one-track write, and I read the book. The comments aren't much fun because she almost never replies to them. She replies to the nastiest comments that she doesn't delete, and does so in a very rude way (bitter is probably the word). I don't know why she gives an e-mail address - I imagine the mailbox gets filled with rude messages in large quantities, and she probably just deletes the whole lot. She needs a secretary or na agent to weed the mail. I have set her a few messages over the last year - the latest one expressing sympathy at an apparent bereavement. I never got a reply. I am sorry - I should have warned you when you said you had sent her a message.

Petite gets nowhere near the same amount of traffic. She replies to comments, she has replied to the private messages I have sent and she has previously stated that she welcomes private messages when people want to say something and not have it published. I cannot comment on whether she writes well, but I enjoy it.

Anna Pickard (and her sister Meg) are much more approachable. I have sent her e-mails and always got a reply (providing she wasn't away). And I love reading her as well.

We now come to the Sally circle (extended to include Ig, HC, Wendz, AliceBand, plus many other regulars including Wendy and Keith). I always start my reading session with you Sally, and follow links to the other regular commentors. I do love you all. And the interaction is great fun.

Actually, I must admit that I actually always start with Clare Sudbery - I am worried about her at the moment (just like Wendz said in a reply to a comment recently, you get cyber-attached to people and become concerned for them).

I am very sorry that you are unhappy at the moment Sally, I apologise for taking up so much space and hope you go back to being your happy self really soon.

So much for thinking that I had commentor's block today!

sallywrites said...

Asha - glad to hear it!
Beccy - thanks!
HC - I won't!
John G - I'll give you a nomination!

Pierre - No - not unhappy. Really. At all..........

I just think that, a bit like the Eurovison Song Contest, it's not a proper contest if there are no proper external judges and nominators.

I like many of the blogs that are in the famous circle - and indeed have them on my blogroll. I am just not keen on Johnny B - for reasons stated, and I think that blogging - like Petite said - is a two way thing...

Also, there are so many good people who never even get a sniff at the awards, especially many of the people I read in this part of Blogland - and that is what I intended to point out.

I do hope that my post didn't misfire badly. I certainly didn't intend to sound grumpy or bitter or unhappy.......... so apologies if that's what came across!

I love my blog friends and to be honest, blogging has given my life a new dimension.

So thank you everyone!

pierre l said...

Hi Sally. I am glad you are OK. You may have put it a little strongly, and I may have taken it too literally, but it certainly encouraged me to write. I don't really take notice of these awards. But I do also love "blog of the week", plus you get people like Wendz acting as guest judges!

headless chicken said...

Oh dear,hasn't it all got a bit political?
I'm brand new to blogging so please excuse my ignorance but isn't it ok if someone just wants to write a blog to share thoughts and experiences etc. with others and to enjoy the social interaction it provides,without having to worry about whether they are funny/clever/educated enough? Are you supposed to worry about how well you write or should you just enjoy doing it?...providing of course you are not outright abusive to others.
To me,someone who writes well is someone I enjoy reading whether other people agree or not. It's an individual thing,surely?......I do enjoy reading Sally Writes 'cause it's a bloody good read and I love that Pierre has put me in Sallys circle!!!!X

meredic said...

"I can guarantee that there is always a constant stream of words waiting to be written, however banal"
Yep. That sums mine up as well. Sounds like a gang to me.
I do hope you dont find me unsympathetic to She Of The Town House though. I shall be letting her out of the Tower of London soon.

sallywrites said...

Hi Pierre
I love the Blog of hte Week too! Did everyone read this week's one?
HC
Thank you! You are a great read too!
Meredic - Glad you are letting her out of the tower soon - and NO, it's very different.

sallywrites said...

For those who haven't read the post of the week........

Here it is!

It's a really lovely post!

ChrisB said...

Who cares about the 'in gang' there might be a fleeting moment of envy for those people who constantly strive to be forever popular. I haven't read Johnny B although I confess you have now made me curious. There are a large number of blogs that make compelling reading which is why they have regular followers and in my book they are all award winners!!

Anonymous said...

Whoa! If that isn't an angry outburst for the net, I don't know what is! Mucho respect to you Sallyo for speaking your mind. I think it is about time that someone said it! Personally I don't dislike reading any of the blogs mentioned, but I do see what you are saying. With every award that comes out each month, the whole idea of receiving an award is somehow less appealing.

And yea, it is the same people each time, and it is very club like. Personally, if I had an award to administer each year, I'd have a policy of not allowing anyone to be nominated if they've previously had a nomination. There are too many blogs out there for the same people to keep receiving the publicity. In my system, you get one shot at winning the award and that is it.

Shame no one in the "club" is likely to condecend to read your blog or mine and find out our views on the subject.

Ailsa said...

I always read your blog first.
Looking forward to the book :O)

pierre l said...

Hi again Sally. Just a short apology - I did over-react yesterday. Reading your post again, I realise that you weren't attacking Petite at all, just saying that a book deal was better than some strange award. This is perfectly correct. I happen to have a soft spot for Petite because she is the first blogger I ever read, and still enjoy. I have quite a few soft spots for bloggers, of course, and most are women.
This was certainly a good post. Well done Sally. Oh, and as for that call centre, an excellent response...
I hope I am still one of your blogging friends!

sallywrites said...

Chris - Well said. Here's to all the winners!
Ig - I like your ideas!
Ailsa - Thank you!!
Pierre - Thank you...... and I am glad that I haven't upset you! And yes - still friends of course!

Anonymous said...

Now children you know you can't be in 'a gang' anymore !! Heehee.

Eliza said...

i completely agree with a lot of what you said there Sally- one track to me is a bit boring now, but i can understand why she may not want to blog about her vagina on a weekly basis when her mum is reading it!

Johnny B however i do still find very funny , but that's probably because i basically come from that village and find his 'outsider' view on the life in norfolk very interesting.

PA however, i am new to, i only discovered her blog a month or 2 ago, i like it, manily for the 'parenting' posts. i love reading about parents and their children and how proud and happy they make them.

blog awards baffle me. end of.

sallywrites said...

Eliza - Yes I agree. I like Petite. It's well written and funny.

Anonymous said...

you are all too kind to enidd, thank you so much.

wendz, that's exactly what enidd was thinking about jonnyb - writing clearly and making people smile is difficult. it's easy to chuck in a bunch of adjectives and be all "woe is me" - and a lot of the so-called a-list bloggers often write lazy posts - just some stream of consiousness stuff about how they can't think of anything to blog about (again something that's not true of jonnyb). but enidd better get off that high horse, and back on the point.

sally, your writing is clear, funny when you want it to be, and never overwritten. that's why enidd reads you and others who have the same ideals. an in-crowd is only that - we can have our own if we want!

post of the week is excellent, and although the in-crowd get nominated, they don't always win it. if enidd had a gripe, it would be that the only winners are serious posts about quite unusual events in people's lives. enidd thought the point was to highlight good writing, but there must be other bloggers who, like enidd, weren't raped or abused and who don't have a life threatening condition or a sexual peccadillo. sadly, all enidd can write about is creme eggs and pork with cheese.

Eliza said...

i like enidd too! (it goes without saying)

sallywrites said...

Maybe the judges like creme eggs Enidd? If they didn't they would surely have picked you by now?

James Allison said...

Hey there Sally! Yeah, I just searched for other people who seem to be getting annoyed constantly from "The Money Group". Any idea how to get them to p**s off?!
Everytime, they say "Hello, may I speak to the homeowner?". I'm thinking about devising a script to sell THEM something.
Nice blog Sally!