Just saw a long list of TV shows hit by the Hollywood writers’ strike. After nearly three weeks of no new jokes, punch lines, plotlines, storylines or storyboards, production has stopped or forced many to go off the air or in re-run, while the launches of 24 and Cashmere Mafia – whatever the hell that is – have been postponed.
As a union member, I sympathise with strikers hitting the bricks for what they believe in, even train drivers who indirectly put my life in danger.
But as an expatriate Canadian living in Germany, the writers’ strike is a faraway sideshow, playing out in a land I’ve never lived in and wouldn’t like to. The only shows I watch out of the whole list are The Daily Show with Jon Stewart – because it comes on CNN and we have that on cable – and The Colbert Report, because I find him hilarious and make an effort to find him on spewtube. The rest? Don’t even recognise them.
But what if bloggers went out on strike? Sound crazy? We’ve got our grievances too, you know! From spammers, sploggers, scrapers and thieves to the petty annoyances of comment trolls, we’ve got every right to lay down our laptops and pick up our picket signs. And just because we have absolutely no hope in hell of ever getting any of our gripes addressed doesn’t mean it should never happen, if only for a week or so.
And if we did, I sure would notice. That’s because I’d miss:
- My nurse, who brings me my daily drip of medical weirdness.
- Bombay Duck, and not only because she’s an old friend from journalism school.
- The oozings of madness pooling from The Leaky Brain.
- The oddball observations of Hermann the German, even though I don’t agree with him half the time, and tell him so.
- Indeterminacy, a blogger who challenges you to write your best.
- The Elle Effect, because I admire raw talent in one so young.
- Charlotte, because she writes so fluently and I learn something new every time I go there.
- The Dilbert Blog.
- Passive-aggressive Notes
- Euro Like Me, whose writing came highly recommended from EuroTrippen.
No particular order, and of course I’ve left out many who should be on the list. But if you head over to EuroTrippen’s write-up of last weekend’s whiney expat meetup in Dresden, you’ll find some more .
Whom would you miss if bloggers went on strike?
© 2007 lettershometoyou
oh my god Ian – I’ve just spent an hour I didn’t have reading all those blogs. can see why you’d miss them if they went on strike
the one I’d miss the most is renalfailure
http://renalfailure.wordpress.com/
Renal Failure! Trust you to be closest to one with a medical theme, nurse. I love the headings in the sidebar. Impurities filtered, There’s blood in my urine..
If nursemyra ever went on strike, the lack of Casual Friday posts would bring the Internet to a screeching halt.
Hi Ian – found you from the whiney expats from a fellow expat who misses Europe dearly..
Who would I miss? Everyone from the other side of the pond! Too many, and if you counted some photo sharing sites, I’d be headed for serious issues and need to get checked into rehab!
I would totally notice the lack of madness if the Leaky Brain went on strike, and as for the other links, you just gave me a whole week’s worth of reading material, thanks
PS: as a patriated-Canadian (if “patriated” is not a word, I don’t care) reading an ex-patriat’s blog, I have to say, I rather enjoy myself over here
American EXPAT in Hamburg, as well Ian. Been in Germany for 7 years and have read MANY Expat blogs. Some of the eraly ones are “gone.” Right now, and for some time now, EuroTrippen is the one I would miss. I think B writes a fine balanced Blog … reality based. Will be meeting her for at least an evening next week. Can NOT wait to simply talk. I lived in Dresden for the first 3 of the 7 years. LOVE the city. My partner, male M, is a native of Dresden. Reading B´s experiences there are fascinating and VERY familiar, although thank God, no kids to deal with.
Recently discovered YOUR Blog and wonder? Where ARE you? BarmbeckSüd here!
Don’t worry, I won’t be on strike anytime soon : )
Lauren! The photographer/philosopher, wise beyond your years: your link goes to myspace, not your blog! I urge readers to go there too – it’s on my blogroll.
I would seriously miss about half the blogs I have on my ‘amigos’ list (nope, no further hints
).