In a Way, I Hate Myself

Technically speaking, I am part of the media.

No, not because I operate this here blog o'goodness, but because someone pays me to write things that are accessible to millions, though only about 47 people ever read them.

Over this weekend, listening to and reading all the coverage of The Masters has made me very,very angry with the media.

Therefore, I was very, very angry with myself, in a way. See how that works?

Now, the truth of the matter is that I called my peers out on this yesterday over at Epic Carnival and have done so again today with a follow up piece reminding everyone that Trevor Immelman won, as opposed to Tiger losing.

But this isn't confined to golf. Or sports. It's an all-encompassing epidemic and it's taken over mass media.

The biggest names get the biggest coverage even when their story is of the least significance. I know this is because the biggest names draw the most attention and yield the most dollars for the companies and conglomerates who produce the product, but that doesn't mean I have to accept it.

This is the same kind of machine I was raging against earlier this year when I started my Press Coverage series at Epic; drawing attention to the stories that are worthy of our attention, instead of just the arrested athletes and boozy trainwrecks of the world.

What happened to that segment? It fell by the wayside because (a) there just aren't enough great stories in sports over a week that you can find coverage of and (b) readership wasn't that strong because none of the articles involved sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll. Pushing positive is a precarious position.

Don't get me wrong - I love my Pop Culture and know all the scoops and all the stoies; it's just that I also know about the shady electoral results in Zimbawae and the Seal Hunting Scandal back East, which makes Pop Culture the junk food in my information diet, not the main course.

The big names may sell the most issues, but when the big names aren't doing big things, why not focus on the little people who are?

At least Esquire called themselves on it with their current cover - the picture may be Jello For Brains Jessica, but the words tell you they "used this picture to get your attention" so you read the story of an American soldier in Iraq that is outstanding. For now, I'll take these little victories.

For now...

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Back on the Scene / Makin' Like Diddy

Crispy and Clean

You can try

But then why?

Cuz you can't intervene...

It's been too long my friends, it's been too long.

Since I last checked in, I've left Ontario, spent four hours in the airport in Halifax with nothing open (not even Timmy's), worked Christmas Day and Boxing Day (boo-earns, even though I volunteered), moved into the new pad and have finally gotten online to check the goings-on and get back to doing what I do best....

Procrastinating.

Jokes aside, this has been a painful thing, this being without access to this here space. I didn't think it would be that bad, since it was only going to be about a week or so and there was a ton of stuff that I had to do, but I tell you what... I need this...

As much as this is an opportunity for me to do even more writing than I already do, it's also my way of winding down. All the other stuff is work, where this is just, as my friend Paul put it, stream of consciousness blogging about whatever junk is in my head or songs I love or idiots like the Spears Clan who piss me off. None of these pieces are rehearsed, planned or penned out in advance; they just happen and they usually happen fairly quickly and that is the joy of it...

So it's great to be back. I hope you missed me. All seven of you.

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Spencer's Health Update

Not that you necessarily care, but I thought I would let you all in on a few developments, health wise, for your friendly neighbourhood bloggerman.

I quit smoking, as of 9:52 this morning, when I ran out of smokes. I haven't bought any and I don't intend to. That shit'll kill me.

Sans car, walking has become my method of transportation to and from work. It only takes about fifteen minutes, but a third of it is uphill and since it's goddamn freezing on this stupid island, the forty-seven layers of clothes I wear make me sweat like a bastard, so I'll at least lose a little water weight.

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Penning a new segment over at Epic Carnival starting Monday.

The series is called Press Coverage and will highlight athletes who deserve to be recognized for their contributions to society and for the things that they have overcome. After being so pissed off about all the negative press and negative stories over the last handful of months, I decided that writing about the good guys is one way to pry the focus away from the jackasses and knuckleheads out there doing dirt.

Make sure you check it out... Up first - Captain Canada, Steve Nash

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It's time to get my Diddy On!

Much like the name changing chameleon known to his mother as Sean Combs, it's time for this place to get an update.

I Blog Because I Can is used by a bunch of other people and it just doesn't have the umph and flare that we all know I have. Dan Tobin's wife has the best named blog I've seen in a while - A Blog In My Throat - and I want to christen this place with something unique and original like that.

That being said, I want your suggestions and ideas. I may not use them, since I am the creative one here (except for you, Newt...), but fire off some thoughts and we'll unveil the new handle in, say, a week.

Next Saturday: new name. As for now, it's The Blog To Be Named Later...

(The truth? I want to be more findable via Google... I'm an attention whore!)

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