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Topix

Posted 6 November 2008. Though now dated, this gives a pretty good overview of the topics covered during the heyday of this blog.

What do I write about? Just my every day life, whatever that happens to be. But over the course of time, certain themes do emerge. Here’s an overview of what you’ll find on this blog:

Hoosierleania: Yes, I live in New Orleans, and I write a lot about local stuff. But I lived most of my life in Indiana. My Mom’s family hailed from Ft. Wayne, and I grew up on the south side of Indianapolis in Greenwood. Most of all I loved Bloomington. I lived there thirteen years and married a local. Many of my readers are from Indiana too. My main focus is New Orleans, but I keep one eye on the Hoosier State and look for connections. Locality and a sense of place has always been important to me. Because no matter where you go, there you are.

Geeky Stuff: I’m fascinated by the internet and the many-to-many connections it enables. I’m interested in technology and science in general, but to a lesser degree. The web is what really gets me going. It’s been an arena of constant innovation for the better part of two decades now.

Family: Everybody’s got one. I write about mine from time to time, increasingly more so since I became a father. Both my parents and my in-laws read this blog. It’s a nice way to keep in touch, but I have to watch what I say. Ha!

House Projects: In 2002 we bought a house. And then we got flooded in 2005. Our renovation is mostly complete, but it’s an old house, and there’s always something to do. I’m not the handiest guy in the world, so I sometimes post here about projects and problems, hoping I’ll get advice. And quite often, I do.

Religion: Though I am not a theist, I am one of those people who finds religion and spirituality deeply compelling.

Politics: Who can resist the temptation? I’m as interested in politics as the next guy. I find that political posts tend to get the most response from readers, and that’s reinforcing, for better or for worse.

Life with Xy: The love of my life is a human firecracker and the source of many amusing anecdotes. Read me long and you will learn to love her too. I call her Xy, pronounced Christy.

The Ed Biz: I work at a university and Xy teaches elementary school. Sometimes I have deep thoughts about education. Sometimes I just write about the vagaries of my workplace. I love my job.

Cats: We have a menagerie of felines, some tame and some feral. What blog would be complete without the occasional cat content?

Letters to Persephone: Inspired by Dooce, I have been trying to write a letter to my daughter once a month.

Books & Reading: I’m in a book club, and greatly enjoy reading — mostly novels, mostly science fiction. When I finish a book I generally write about it here. I wouldn’t call these book reviews, however. They are just notes on the book.

Movies, Film, Cinema: We watch a lot of movies, mostly through Netflix. Once upon a time I tried to write at least a capsule review of every film, but that was too much work. So I generally only write about movies when I’m especially motivated.

Radio & Television: Well, I do have an advanced degree in Telecommunications after all.

News & Media: Everybody’s a critic. Especially bloggers. Including me. I sometimes cite media reports that catch my attention and offer my own crackpot critique. Also, as a blogger in post-Katrina New Orleans, I’ve become a source for a number of journalists. When I become a subject or a source in someone else’s story, I generally write about it.

Friends: I don’t know how it happened, but I have made friends with a few human beings on this big old planet. And sometimes I find myself writing about them. It’s a risk of knowing me.

Pix: I am an amateur photographer, not quite avid but definitely enthusiastic. I don’t have any formal training and don’t know much about the technical aspects of photography. But I would like to think that my eye and the occasional grand subject make up for that. Sometimes images round out a post, but often it’s the other way around. Sometimes the visual supersedes the verbal.

Weather & Seasons: Far from banal, the weather is something that affects and connects us all. And in New Orleans, of course, severe weather is not to be ignored. The passing of seasons is a related topic. I’m particularly affected by solstices and equinoxes.

Body: My body gets me around. Sometimes it hurts. I try to take care of it, but it’s getting older. Despite my tendency to intellectualize, I do try to be aware of my body, to pay attention to it, and even write about it. We ignore our bodies at our peril.

Dang. I write about a lot of stuff.

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