What the heck was all of this about?
The last twenty-odd posts were all a part of a blog writing challenge, but not a "post every hour" one, as was implied. The following image may help explain what was up:
If you want to start from the beginning, this link is the quickest link, but you'll have to click "next entry (Forwards!) to proceed chronologically, or you can go to this page, which will politely put the entries in the correct order for you, and requires no clicking.
Visit this page to see how others handled BLITEOTW and the zombie uprising, and to find links to other zomblogs.
In the meantime, just how prepared ARE you for global disaster or martial law? If a hurricane hit your town, how independent could you be, and for how long? How dependent are you on various technological toys and gadgets and gizmos? When is it time to stop being polite, and start getting REAL?
(Sorry! Couldn't resist. Dwan, that one was for you.)
It's been a fun writing exercise, the hardest part being the attempt to work within my usual "blog voice" and to stay as honest as possible about resources on hand, personal abilities, and normal behavior patterns. The blog entries were 95% true when all was said and done, minus the obviously fictional bit about zombie ghouls strolling about muttering "BRAIIIINS!" and stuff.
Except I didn't really get into describing zombies begging for "BRAIIINS!"
The crappy weather, the power outages, general layout of residence, Woozle the Ferret, the general geographical vicinity, the predicted reactions I'd have, the typical failings of my various appliances and technogizmos, neighbors' habits, the unlocked door, the thunder, the sirens, the aircraft flying overhead, the Warhol book, Roomba baiting and switching me into thinking pizza was there, and, yes, of course, even the pizza (though it was barbeque chicken, because I changed my mind, and I have no idea what the pizza lady's name was) were all true. All part and parcel of maintaining that "blog voice" and playing the meme game honestly.
Even the part about an actual "Zombie Walk" being scheduled in Atlanta for this October 7th was true. Participants are to meet at Lenny's, will march through the old cemetery across the street, proceed downtown, and then take MARTA back (bring a MARTA card or $1.75 in quarters for fare). You can opt to do your own makeup, or take a chance that enough makeup artists will participate to help you out. Some have already volunteered.
Another fun aspect of this experiment is seeing how fast the meme spread. I was informed about it when the blogroll had about sixteen participants lined up, and I think the total participants numbered into the hundreds by day's end, from all corners of the blogosphere: wordpress, deadjournal, greatestjournal, blogger, blurty, blogspot, myspace, multiply, twitter, facebook, personal website journals, and, of course, LJ. So many LJers signed on to perpetuate the meme and contribute witty blogs about it that LJ eventually put a halt to me enthusiastic "friending" of zomblog strangers. (So if you didn't get added, you probably will never know you weren't, but if you do find out and wonder why, blame LJ.) Will we ever "talk" again after BLITEOTW? I don't know, but there were some interesting journals I got to read that I otherwise wouldn't have seen. So, I hope we do continue to keep tabs on each other's journals. I like interesting people, and as far as I am concerned, the more, the better.
Some of my zombie-lovin' buddies also hopped on IRC and lurked, our names appended with things like "ZOMGbies!" and occasionally inserting a grunt or moan or request for brains. This, surprisingly, did not earn us all virtual beat-downs, but was either mostly ignored (which calls into question how much we contribute to the free-for-all channels, normally) or accepted with good humour.
The hard part was ignoring some witty comments that blew the lid off the zombie meme a bit too soon for my slower (zombie-shambling-speed?) pace of revelation and foreshadowing and other crap. I did read them, and they are there. I did post a comment on the first post in the series that linked to the BLITEOTW project page, but it was a subtlety that was easy to overlook. (As intended.) Also, as instructed, I tagged all posts with "zombies". (Kids, always check tags and comments if you're confused about something!
All is well here in the Coastal Empire.
Back to your regularly scheduled blog!
P.S. In one minute, this will be appropriate: Happy birthday to
cyanidefish!
If you want to start from the beginning, this link is the quickest link, but you'll have to click "next entry (Forwards!) to proceed chronologically, or you can go to this page, which will politely put the entries in the correct order for you, and requires no clicking.
Visit this page to see how others handled BLITEOTW and the zombie uprising, and to find links to other zomblogs.
In the meantime, just how prepared ARE you for global disaster or martial law? If a hurricane hit your town, how independent could you be, and for how long? How dependent are you on various technological toys and gadgets and gizmos? When is it time to stop being polite, and start getting REAL?
(Sorry! Couldn't resist. Dwan, that one was for you.)
It's been a fun writing exercise, the hardest part being the attempt to work within my usual "blog voice" and to stay as honest as possible about resources on hand, personal abilities, and normal behavior patterns. The blog entries were 95% true when all was said and done, minus the obviously fictional bit about zombie ghouls strolling about muttering "BRAIIIINS!" and stuff.
Except I didn't really get into describing zombies begging for "BRAIIINS!"
The crappy weather, the power outages, general layout of residence, Woozle the Ferret, the general geographical vicinity, the predicted reactions I'd have, the typical failings of my various appliances and technogizmos, neighbors' habits, the unlocked door, the thunder, the sirens, the aircraft flying overhead, the Warhol book, Roomba baiting and switching me into thinking pizza was there, and, yes, of course, even the pizza (though it was barbeque chicken, because I changed my mind, and I have no idea what the pizza lady's name was) were all true. All part and parcel of maintaining that "blog voice" and playing the meme game honestly.
Even the part about an actual "Zombie Walk" being scheduled in Atlanta for this October 7th was true. Participants are to meet at Lenny's, will march through the old cemetery across the street, proceed downtown, and then take MARTA back (bring a MARTA card or $1.75 in quarters for fare). You can opt to do your own makeup, or take a chance that enough makeup artists will participate to help you out. Some have already volunteered.
Another fun aspect of this experiment is seeing how fast the meme spread. I was informed about it when the blogroll had about sixteen participants lined up, and I think the total participants numbered into the hundreds by day's end, from all corners of the blogosphere: wordpress, deadjournal, greatestjournal, blogger, blurty, blogspot, myspace, multiply, twitter, facebook, personal website journals, and, of course, LJ. So many LJers signed on to perpetuate the meme and contribute witty blogs about it that LJ eventually put a halt to me enthusiastic "friending" of zomblog strangers. (So if you didn't get added, you probably will never know you weren't, but if you do find out and wonder why, blame LJ.) Will we ever "talk" again after BLITEOTW? I don't know, but there were some interesting journals I got to read that I otherwise wouldn't have seen. So, I hope we do continue to keep tabs on each other's journals. I like interesting people, and as far as I am concerned, the more, the better.
Some of my zombie-lovin' buddies also hopped on IRC and lurked, our names appended with things like "ZOMGbies!" and occasionally inserting a grunt or moan or request for brains. This, surprisingly, did not earn us all virtual beat-downs, but was either mostly ignored (which calls into question how much we contribute to the free-for-all channels, normally) or accepted with good humour.
The hard part was ignoring some witty comments that blew the lid off the zombie meme a bit too soon for my slower (zombie-shambling-speed?) pace of revelation and foreshadowing and other crap. I did read them, and they are there. I did post a comment on the first post in the series that linked to the BLITEOTW project page, but it was a subtlety that was easy to overlook. (As intended.) Also, as instructed, I tagged all posts with "zombies". (Kids, always check tags and comments if you're confused about something!
All is well here in the Coastal Empire.
Back to your regularly scheduled blog!
P.S. In one minute, this will be appropriate: Happy birthday to
cyanidefish!