Monday, November 03, 2003

Roll up, roll up! 

As a blog-reader, I find that one of the most annoying things around is the blog roll. Elsewhere on the net, links generally have some sort of context, some kind of bait that entices you to give that most priceless of all virtual gifts: The Click. Blog rolls, however, just assume that a witty title and a connection with the writer are enough.

So for your pleasure, here are the venerable members of my blogroll, and why they are deserving of your precious attention. In no particular order...

*Metamorphosism: tales of a US-expat's life in Austria, parenting, learning cello, deer, interpreting for diplomats (best.job.ever.). Check out "Pain Suit", the fiction blog. And don't miss the "Bug" comics. No, I mean it, root through the archives.

*Ni vu ni connu: a bilingual blog of a Québecoise writer. Good for a soft introduction to the wide scary world of the francophone blogosphere. Check out her partner in crime's food blog as well.

*LYD: does he need an introduction? Gay Asian Yahoo designer. Nose-coffee warning. Did a Delta at the Bloggies.

*The 19th floor: a Minnesotan lefty lawyer with SMA. And he's a French pop music geek. OMFG.

*Aussie Lass: a Melbourne chick living the dream in Paris with her French hubby. Think Almost French. The snippets of Parisian life just make me want to jump on a plane... But be warned, there are lots of posts about food, so only read this blog on a full stomach or you'll be drooling on your keyboard. Oh also a Neopets nerd, if that's your poison.

*How to learn Swedish: a gay American in Sweden. Short and sweet slices of life. Wise.

*Hunkabutta: a Canadian in Tokyo. Beautiful photos, funny stories about Japanese wackiness and cultural differences. [Update: now moved back to Canada]

*Textism & Open Brackets: blogging royalty. North Americans living in the south of France. Keep an eye out for Textism's "Daily Oliver". Brackets has a linguistics/translation bent, Textism a web developer one.

*What's new pussycat:a Canberran chick in Edinburgh. Comedy genius, pure and simple. Worth reading through the whole archives.

*Where is Raed?: the (original) Baghdad blogger.

*Slumbering Lungfish: Lore Sjöberg of Brunching Shuttlecocks fame, living legend. 'Nuff said.

*Ftrain: easier to read with revamped navigation. Oh and the writing is like dark chocolate. With coffee. In other words, delicious.

*Metafilter: an internet institution. Fun to watch the bickering and barrack for your favourite personalities (go Migs!), and occasionally there are good links and insightful discussions.

*Boing boing: another old favourite. Good for gadgets, techno oddities and conversation starters.

*Hermes:a med blog from an internal medicine resident. Beautiful writing, medical weirdness. Come on, he's a doctor, he's hot, he writes poetry, he's funny...what more do you want! May or may not be defunct now, but I'm still hoping...

*Code blog: a blog that will make you vow never to become a nurse, and at the same time be completely awestruck by them. Good for a laugh and a cry.

*Mr. Hassle: another med blog, this time from a female emergency resident somewhere in the countryside. Sometimes gets a bit technical, but nevertheless, good if you like the gory details.

*Lost in transit: the gathering place for expat bloggers. The source of the majority of my favourite blogs.

*Lucie le chien: a blog about Lucie and her humans. In French only, and updated every month or so (if only it were more often!). <<< actually more like updated every 6 months. But still funny and cute.

Voilà. If you are what you read, I guess that makes me a gay francophile expat doctor then. For canines.

Non sequitur of the day: the real reason I'm learning French: "Nom de dieu de putain de bordel de merde de saloperie de connard d'enculé de ta mère. It's like wiping your ass with silk."

Re-edited because I realised much of this was patronising twaddle.

# posted at 6:28 pm