wee bit o' ranting never hurt anyone

this is the first blog i've created. i'm still not sure if i'll keep it up. it seems like there are a lot of blogs out there, a lot of people having their say, but how is it possible that there are enough people interested in us? my main problem with blogging is that it's very self-indulgent.
the reason i started bean there, read that is because i love reading and sharing my thoughts on what i've read. but now that i'm here in cyberspace and reading about what other people have to say...wow do people take this seriously. it is more like everyone putting out their reviews in competition with each other and not so much conversation.

i've also noticed that at the moment it seems there is a bit of a book-blogging war going on with young and old bloggers getting angry at other young and old bloggers for hogging too much of the blog limelight and not sharing the love around. don't get me wrong, i want everyone to read my stuff so that one day i get headhunted to be some kind of commissioning editor for a quirky independent publishing house. but ye gads - i'm also going to do some courses and apply for jobs that i don't really want and put in some hard yards in order to get what i want. i can't see that my blog is going to change anything, really.

there is also a lot of talk about reviewing etiquette. basically they say to be honest, polite and reference your sources. when i review for real magazines they say to indicate the book's intended readership, things that are wrong with it, things that are right. it is pretty much what i learned at uni when doing creative writing classes. and constructive criticism. give it, and learn to receive it. i've been known to make my opinion without really thinking about how it might make the author feel - i am often seduced by the anonymity of the internet, and the speed with which you can make a comment and send it out into the great unknown. i'm going to try to mend the error of my ways. maybe.

maybe one day i will post the infamous review i wrote which sparked the most entertaining response from an irate author whose feelings were hurt beyond repair (i fear). at the moment i still feel conflicted - between concern at my lack of diplomacy and my conviction that i was totally on the money.

but back to the important things:

coffees today included: delicious and creamy skinny milk latte from green on sydney road, brunswick and a strong and hits-the-spot soy latte (with bonsoy) from a minor place on albion st, brunswick.
books today: a quick nostalgic flick through nick earls' zigzag street (bantam) and re-read of angel fish by lili wilkinson (for a black dog books review that should have been done last week).