Judging Others

Once upon a time, I would judge you by the books you choose to display on your shelves. If I came into your office or domicile, I'd peruse your shelves ... not to ensure that your tastes match mine, but just to see if there was any weight on them.

The same was true of albums (kind of like CDs, kiddos ... remember CDs?), of course. I know some people who would arrange their albums or CDs very strategically, or hide their embarrassments. "Yes, I was just listening to Elvis Costello, whom nobody really likes, because I'm. That. Cool." And ... "Styx? Pieces of Eight? I don't know how that got there ... that's my brother's album. Kate Bush? Yeah, I know ... my old girlfriend left that here."

I say, embrace your embarrassments. If somebody finds Styx in your music collection, admit you love them. Sing it out. Be a "Renegade"!

So in this post-ownership era, I guess we can judge people by the blogs they read. Here are two I read pretty regularly. I'm eliminating any blog where I knew the creator before I knew the blog, so don't be offended if you're not in the list. I'm trying to maintain scientific objectivity.

The first is "Comics Curmudgeon," which makes fun of the daily comics, a genre(!) for which I continue to have great fondness. The second is "What Would Tyler Durden Do?" The narrative voice (with its inappropriate self-disclosures, if you will) cracks me up, and I have a soft spot for its penchant for wallowing in the failures of the rich and famous. You will undoubtedly be offended by it.