right, frog.
Here's the deal.
I cannot give up blogging entirely, as if that wasn't obvious to everyone from the very start.
But....and it's a BIG but (not unlike my own)...it will be a different ASV.
There will be no political rants. There will be no leftie bashing. There will be no warmongering. There will be no talk of the election, the war, Israel, anti-war demonstrations, Michael Moore, Iraq, Iran, immigration issues, political correctness run amok, nor will there be any pointing at other bloggers who do talk about those things in a way that runs opposite to my feelings on the subject.
That part of ASV is over. It just has to be that way. It was not an enjoyable experience to write about those things. The last thing in the world I need right now is more negative adrenaline.
Should I have the need to express an opinion on any of those matters, it will be done in a professional manner on the Command Post OpEd page.
I will talk about the troops. However, it will be in the context of various causes from around the blogosphere that support our soldiers.
As I promised/threatened, ASV is now a pop culture blog and will occasionally dip into the personal, as I always have. I am setting up an ASV forum that will be a home to all the quizzes and contests I am so fond of, as well as a place to just hang out and talk shit about each other, which we seem to be fond of as well (and I'm looking at you Red Sox fans when I say that).
The pace of the writing here will not be as frenetic as usual, I assume, until I have finished moving and settling into the new house.
When you've been blogging for three years, and not just at one blog, it's hard to walk by a keyboard or hear a good story without getting itchy trigger fingers and needing to hit the blog. Yes, I am an addict. I would love to the results of a study done to determine the percentage of bloggers with addictive personalities.
How did I make this decision so quickly? Easy. By reading through all the comments and emails and realizing that I enjoyed the doing the fluff blogging as much as people enjoyed reading it. This has obviously been a rough time in my life. I think that subtracting the negativity from this place and adding to the things that make me smile when I write about them can only be good for me. I need good. I need this distraction. I'm still "detoxing" as the doctor calls it (and how the hell long does this go on for, anyhow?) and any moments spent writing about things that make me laugh and smile or make other people laugh and smile is time well spent. It distracts from the constant zaps, the flu-like symptoms and the fact that I got a sunburn today, but it's only on my forehead so it looks like someone slapped some red paint on the upper half of my face.
So, to recap. ASV lives, but ASV as you know it dies. Welcome to the kindler, gentler blog. I hope you like it. If you don't, oh well. I'm currently here to please me, not you. (See? I paid attention to your emails)
To everyone who left song lyrics for me in this morning's post: that just rocks. I sincerely hope that I am the only blogger that can claim her readers serenade her with lyrics. And they were all really, really nice.
How the hell could I leave you guys? You're all my best friends.
Ok, that was really corny. But those mood swings come and go, and this one has "I love everyone" written all over it.
Special kisses to Faith, Andy, Windy, Solly, Stacy, Todd, Lair, Meryl, Treacher, Allah, Dawn, Mel, Billy Gibble (that name still makes me giggle), Choire, Clyde, Lileks, Melly, Dave (Got your snail mail, will write later), Brian and Tanya.
Welcome to the kinder, gentler ASV.
Tonight's MP3 below
Tonight's song is my song for the week. Sing it with passion. It feels good.
I'll have another song in a minute - one of those long distance dedictations.
Incubus - Make Yourself mp3
If I hadn't made me
I would've been made somehow
If I hadn't assembled myself
I'd have fallen apart by now
If I hadn't made me
I'd be more inclined to bow
Powers that be would have swallowed me up
But that's more than I can allow
If you let them make you
They'll make you papier-mache
At a distance you're strong
Until the wind comes
Then you crumble and blow away
If you let them fuck you
There will be no foreplay
But rest assured
They'll screw you complete
Til' your ass is blue and grey
You should make amends with you
If only for better health
But if you really want to live
Why not try and Make Yourself?
If I hadn't made me
I'dve fallen apart by now
I won't let em' make me
It's more than I can allow
So when I make me
I won't be papier-mache
And if I fuck me
I'll fuck me in my own way
You should make amends with you
If only for better health
But if you really want to live
Why not try and Make Yourself?
Comments
I couldn't be happier for you and for ASV!
Posted by: Beth | April 18, 2004 09:39 PM
You know what? That sounds great to me.
Maybe I'll actually make some friends here now! LOL
Good for you!
Big smile.
Posted by: Kevin E. | April 18, 2004 09:48 PM
In the meantime, I have to go back and see what horrible things have been said about me since my last visit. ;)
Posted by: Kevin E. | April 18, 2004 09:49 PM
yay!!!!
Posted by: carol | April 18, 2004 09:54 PM
Yay!
Posted by: a different Bill | April 18, 2004 10:04 PM
Heh, I just finish reading through an assload of comments to figure out whats going on and when I get back.....POOF! You're back!
ASV is one of my favorite places to go on the web, I'll stay here no matter what changes you make
Posted by: RSC17 Spider | April 18, 2004 10:06 PM
{quote}(and I'm looking at you Red Sox fans when I say that,{quote}
Who me?? ;)
Welcome back - not that I ever really believed you were leaving in the first place. Pop culture is good.
Posted by: Chris | April 18, 2004 10:12 PM
Well, I see you saw my draft rant ready to kick your ass.
Keep in mind we're ALL egomaniacs or we wouldn't be "here". Live and let blog, it's supposed to be fun. Even IF one enJOYs spreading the JOY of T&A. The only one's who care are the ones who care. If not,WHO CARES!
Other than that, SFW.
Now worry about YOU, ok?
If everyone's blogs were the same it would be like reading your own shopping list over and over.
Let's have some fun.
Posted by: SondraK | April 18, 2004 10:14 PM
Bwahahahaha! At last, my plot has succeeded! I am the last of the Interblog Beeyatches! I am the Queen of Spleen! I reign supreme!
Hey, where'd everybody go?
Posted by: Andrea Harris | April 18, 2004 10:15 PM
But where, oh where, will I go when I need a fix of Ted Rall bashing? Oh, well, to thine own self be true! I'll keep you on my RSS feed for the months to come because the musical commentary is just too fun to ignore.
I still can't figure out how people who beat up on MoDo can fall all overthemselves for Wonkette. To me, they're cut from the same 9/10/2001 fabric of ironic cattiness.
Posted by: P.J. Hinton | April 18, 2004 10:31 PM
I'm sorry you're giving up the political stuff, Michele. That's really what brought me here. I respect your decision - you have to do what's right for you, but I admit that the appeal of ASV to me will be diminished.
Posted by: Farmer Joe | April 18, 2004 10:37 PM
"This has obviously been a rough time in my life. " Reminds me of the Yankees.
Posted by: bean man | April 18, 2004 10:43 PM
Bean, you're just asking for a beatdown, man.
Posted by: michele | April 18, 2004 10:44 PM
So happy for you Michele.
Somehow I knew you wouldn't stop blogging. I'm glad you found a middle ground where you'll still be doing what you love without upsetting your mental well-being.
Much love!
Posted by: Amanda | April 18, 2004 10:52 PM
That's great news, Michele.
Only problem is, by the end of the summer Yanks vs. Red Sox may surpass loony left vs. reactionary right on the hostility quotient. ;-)
Posted by: MikeR | April 18, 2004 11:09 PM
I totally understand the need to seperate the two, the political and the "personal" so to speak. I say ASV will do well discussing pop culture. And let's face it, pop culture affects us more often and on a more personal level than politics! We're fat, lazy American consumers. And good for us. :)
Posted by: JimK | April 18, 2004 11:12 PM
Absolut Mwah.
Posted by: Billy Gibble | April 18, 2004 11:13 PM
Glad you're sticking around!
Posted by: Geoff | April 18, 2004 11:15 PM
Sounds like a great plan. I'd actually taken a hiatus from this site myself, 'cause it seemed like it was turning much more bitter and contentious content-wise, and I firmly believe that nobody has a right to complain about blog/journal content -- if you don't feel like reading it, don't, so I didn't. It sounds like the new ASV is going to be much more enjoyable, though, much like a lot of the old stuff, and so I'm glad I picked now to pop in here again.
Posted by: M | April 18, 2004 11:21 PM
No more political rants? (..) I'll be good.
[(..) is my looking down, sheepish smiley]
Posted by: Joshua Scholar | April 18, 2004 11:29 PM
maybe (.)(.)
works better
Posted by: Joshua Scholar | April 18, 2004 11:41 PM
Michele,
Thank You, you made my day.
Posted by: Tink | April 19, 2004 12:17 AM
Wheeee! Let the Calvinball resume!
It takes a while to "detox" from almost any psychoactive medication; I've heard various explanations, some contradictory, and it depends on a couple of things. Usually most withdrawal effects are gone in 30 days, in a fairly steady decline (the zaps, for instance, are probably either diminished or gone), but there are "rebound" effects that can keep up for a couple of months :( in rare cases (headaches, drowsiness, grumpy temper kinds of things.) I am not a doctor, just an observent patient who's had too many of these kinds of drugs.
Posted by: htom | April 19, 2004 01:00 AM
ASV is dead. Long live ASV!
Posted by: Venomous Kate | April 19, 2004 01:16 AM
Wheeee! Let the Calvinball resume!
If I were Michele I'd be blushing after a compliment like that.
Is there a Calvinball blog? That's the name I want if I start one!
Posted by: Joshua Scholar | April 19, 2004 01:20 AM
Michele, I always enjoyed the political stuff even when I didn't agree with you (which was a lot). But as someone who's been around since before you took that turn, I'm perfectly happy for a return to the "fluffy stuff." We just like you, dammit!
Posted by: Kris | April 19, 2004 01:30 AM
Cute fluffy bunnies from now on, huh? We can handle it.
Next thing we know you'll take up dog-blogging. ;)
Posted by: david in mn | April 19, 2004 01:56 AM
Cool!
Someone said if you blogged the phonebook, they'd read it... and that's probably true. Your style shines no matter what you write.
Besides, in reality, maybe we all read a little too much of the political stuff...
ASV: A look at pop culture in a world gone insane... or something like that...
Works for me.
Posted by: Jack Grey | April 19, 2004 02:12 AM
Good news
Hey Michele, where you going with that blog in your hand.
Apologies to Hendrix fans
Posted by: matthew | April 19, 2004 06:08 AM
Sounds good to me...just dont be TOO gentle!
Good luck with the move.
Posted by: Bonnie | April 19, 2004 06:32 AM
cool. Glad to see you back, Michele.
and a pop-culture focus is great.
if you keep writing, I'll keep reading.
seriously, someone should pay you to write.
Posted by: ricki | April 19, 2004 08:25 AM
I'm just glad you're back. In whatever way you want to do this!
Posted by: Lisa | April 19, 2004 09:34 AM
glad you're back :)
Posted by: Tom Morgan | April 19, 2004 10:12 AM
Incubus - Make Yourself
...fuckin' choice.
Bravo, michelle.
Posted by: RyMaN600 | April 19, 2004 10:22 AM
Very rarely have I been this happy to see the [ ] (recently updated marker) around a link on my blogroll!
Posted by: Steve Gigl | April 19, 2004 10:55 AM
Joshua Scholar - looks more like boobs. Keep trying
Posted by: LT | April 19, 2004 11:45 AM
Does this mean you're keeping Bill and I don't have to have him in my comments?
Posted by: Meryl Yourish | April 19, 2004 12:48 PM
Horrah! That makes me a very happy camper this morning.
Posted by: Sunidesus | April 19, 2004 01:29 PM
I know how you feel. The struggle against the Forces of Doltishness is never-ending, and there's never an end of material.
For myself, I'd like to have an insight into pop culture - I have no clue there.
Posted by: Mike | April 19, 2004 01:34 PM
REICH WHING DUMBASS QUOTE OF THE DAY:
Bob Tarantino has simply outdone himself in the dumbassery department today.
"You better listen up? Howzabout you listen up, and realize that after partnering up with Saddam's fascist dictatorship to line their own pockets, the UN doesn't deserve to have another shot at ruining the lives of Iraqis."
What can I say. Even while the situation in Iraq disintigrates and the body count rises to the level of the initial invasion and colonization, this rube finds it in himself to trash the UN (which doesn't colonize to steal oil for rich Reich Whing rubes) with a pack of blatent lies. At least most of the other Reich Whingers are sheepishly looking at their shoelaces while Iraq descends into chaos, but not this rube. He's gone into overdrive flinging crap at anyone and everyone he can find to pin the blame on for this yet another Reich Whing astounding Bush failure.
STOMP OUT REICH WING VERMIN!
Posted by: Robert McClelland | April 19, 2004 06:09 PM
Alright, Robert. I've had more than enough patience with you. It's not that I don't mind hearing the "other side" of things, but you just repeat the same shit over and over again, and on posts that having nothing to do with your comments.
In short, you are a prick and you are gone.
Consider your ass hit by the door on your way out.
Posted by: michele | April 19, 2004 06:11 PM
LT: Hmm, boobs is good!
Posted by: Joshua Scholar | April 19, 2004 06:47 PM
Geez..Robert gives trolls a bad name. "Prick" is too gentle of a term.
Posted by: Brian | April 19, 2004 06:49 PM
BTW Michelle....I'm thrilled that you will continue writing! Write for yourself, and thats plenty good enough for all the rest of us.
Posted by: Brian | April 19, 2004 06:52 PM
One small victory for democrats, one giant leap for mankind.
Posted by: Annie | April 19, 2004 08:21 PM
I think Robert's been thrown off a great many blogs, since he writes a random comment and posts it everwhere. This is the fourth or fifth place I've seen this one particular, um, nugget.
And good luck Michelle!
Posted by: George Turner | April 19, 2004 10:54 PM
I think Robert is about 12 years old.
Anyway, I remember once Andrew Sullivan was writing about some great professor of his in grad school. The professor asked him what he was going to do after he got his doctorate and he said that he was probably going to become a journalist. The professor couldn't believe it. He said that he'd always thought that needing to follow the news every day was a sort of nervous disorder.
Imagine what he'd think about blogging.
And Glenn Reynolds was just talking about how people who follow the news every day are less happy/more stressed. And Lileks was just talking about taking a month off from hardcore news following. There's a lot of this going around. I only update 2 or 3 times a week and I find political blogging headache inducing/maddening/stressful/upsetting/addictive/exhilirating/stimulating/horrible, and fun. Doing it with the diligence you were doing it would probably amplify the bad points and lessen the good. Also, following the extremists on both sides and all the inter-blog fights is something I now try to stay away from. It's just so upsetting somehow. This was a great decision. You'll feel worlds better if you get away from this for awhile I'm sure. You performed a great service by doing this as much and as long as you did. I admire you and your blogging and wish you luck and happiness.
Oh, and like everyone's saying, fuck all trolls of all political persuasions on all sites. They're malicious twits who ruin everything for everyone.
Posted by: Eric Deamer | April 19, 2004 11:57 PM
Your taste in music fascinates me so (in a good way, I'm a big Incubus fan myself).
I'm so glad you're not stopping your blogging.
Posted by: Cobby | April 20, 2004 06:06 PM