Monday, January 07, 2008

Website of the Month

I was particularly pleased a couple of weeks ago to receive a Christmas Card from an old, old Oxford friend. Not surprised, because I think he's remembered to send me one every Christmas for the last 20 years - he's good at things like that, in a slightly obsessive-compulsive sort of way. But extraordinarily pleased, yes, because it was just about the only card I received from overseas this year (well, one of two - thanks to you also, Harve).

This friend, "Keith Tolstoy" (not his real name, of course; like most of us bloggers, he fanatically misdirects as to his true identity), informed me that he had a few months ago started up a new blog, Webside Gleanings, which uses as a banner the very winning slogan: "I waste my life so you don't have to."

It's not a comment or discussion type of blog; it's not a diaristic or creative writing type of blog; it's not even a humorous blog, in the more conventional way. No, it's just a collection of the things "KT" has found noteworthy in his wide-ranging peregrinations on the Internet. It is a treasurehouse of the bizarre and the offbeat, and it could quite easily eat up 30-60 minutes of your day every day unless you approach it with caution. So - be cautious, be self-disciplined, but do go and have a look. It's a gem.


Note: OK, I exaggerate the risks, the time-wasting potential of this blog - as ever, for humorous effect. KT doesn't even post every day, and rarely more than one or two items per day. The problem I've found is that the links are often to blogs that you want to explore further, or that lead you to follow links to links to..... And 'Gleanings' does now have a 3-month back catalogue to catch up on - so I've been tending to spend upwards of half an hour every time I visit. There's no reason why it should be more than a 60-second indulgence for the rest of you.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Well, good, now that I know KT is taking care of the wasting for me, I'll just get back to be productive.

But wait, what if I *want* to do some wasting?

and now, how do I justify the procrastinating?

This might not be a good thing after all.

Froog said...

Ah, you're back. We'd been getting worried about you.

Have you checked Gleanings out yet? Don't judge a blog just by its tagline.

Froog said...

OK, I exaggerate the risks, the time-wasting potential of this blog - as ever, for humorous effect.

KT doesn't even post every day, and rarely more than one or two items per day.

The problem I've found is that the links are often to blogs that you want to explore further, or that lead you to follow links to links to....

And 'Gleanings'does now have a 3-month back catalogue to catch up on - so I've been tending to spend upwards of half an hour every time I visit.

There's no reason why it should be more than a 60-second indulgence for the rest of you.

Actually, I should probably append this to the post itself, so that I don't discourage anyone from visiting the site.

Anonymous said...

yes, checked it out.

dangerously time consuming... but in a good way. (i won't be the one to discourage your reader(s) from time-wasting.)

and you know how I get about reading one thing then rushing off to explore 5 ideas that came up from reading that one thing. encyclopedia-aholic.

Froog said...

Yes, T. Don't! Danger, danger. You must ration yourself on Gleanings - otherwise we'll never see you again.

Harvster said...

Still waiting for your book wish list to be posted on Amazon.

Froog said...

There is no Amazon in China. Very unharmonious, severely blocked.

Don't taunt me!