Once in a while, I click on the "Next Blog" invitation that usually sits on the top bar above the front page of each blog that's hosted by Blogger. Often the blogs will fall into theme banks so there will, for example, be a succession of blogs on quilting or a bunch of blogs from Estonia, Christian blogs, recipe blogs, Muslim blogs, a group of blogs about cycling or design or music. I'm usually looking out for general interest blogs like my own where there isn't a particular theme at all.
One thing I have noticed is the proliferation of "family blogs" - mostly from the heartlands of America where godfearing families in rude health and comfortable clapper-board houses delight in their normality, their aspirations, their possessions, their friends and their rather ordinary, unremarkable lives. I saved some pictures of example blog-families:-
The Connecticut Crowthers
The Devey Family
The Cutler Family
The Sarber Family
Although I have occasionally posted about my own family, there is no chance whatsoever that I will ever form a new offshoot blog devoted exclusively to The Pudding Family. I find the idea rather nauseating like those A4 family news sheets you sometimes find in Christmas cards where life appears so rosy and there's never any depression or money worries, fiery argument or boredom. In the sugar-coated worlds of the Sarbers, the Crowthers, the Deveys and the Cutlers, life is so irritatingly and unreasonably dreamlike. The sun shines. The grass grows. There's food on the table and God is in his heaven. The function of the family blog seems to be to attempt to confirm that mythology... But I say, hey, if only it were all so simple.
I know exactly what you mean. Posts about what they had for dinner, where they went last weekend and a photo of the kids in case the previous 26 hadn't been enough.
ReplyDeleteBut there has to be a special place in hell for the blogs written by women who refer to their smug other half as their 'hubby'.
Chris would BURN ME IN HELL if he was added to my blog in any detail.... he much prefers to be the shadowy academic figure behind the dross...so to speak
ReplyDeleteAnd you gathered all this from a few smiling faces looking directly into the camera?
ReplyDeleteTo me, the Connecticut Crowthers seem more like the 4th Earl and Countess of Tewksbury and their children, Amanda, Marjorie, and Reginald, whilst the Dever, Cutler, and Sarbey families are refugees from The Beverly Hillbillies, The Karate Kid, and the University of Alabama, respectively.
that "gay" family worries me... they all look like prison inmates?
ReplyDeleteI have to agree with you, YP. I'd be lost if I couldn't have the occasional moan about Keith's untidiness or Paddy's cat chasing.
ReplyDeleteI like to go "Next Blogging" once in a while. Sometimes I even bookmark the interesting ones to check on later. I have been astonished that at least 3 of the happy Christian ladies are blogging a year later that their "hubby" who formerly could do no wrong is no longer there. Well, mine isn't either, but having never claimed that God had anything to do with our relationship at least makes it more realistic and not like a fairy tale that went awry. Maybe those folks post a lot of pictures for their own families to see.
ReplyDeleteSHOOTING PARROTS I wonder how Mrs P refers to you? Love kitten? Snugglepuss?
ReplyDeleteJOHN GRAY Chris sounds like the new Heathcliff, lurking in the shadows of Wuthering Heights... And the "gay family" are wearing religious suits for a christening I believe. Cool gear or what?
RHYMES WITH Not just the pictures sir. I have read a lot of the posts too. Perhaps you could launch The Brague Family Blog? It would probably seem like "America's Got Talent" after a while.
JENNY Of course Keith has nothing to moan about living with Little Miss Perfect aka Lady Demob.
JAN Veneers can look okay on furniture but I prefer solid wood.
I have to say I find the ones spouting religion a bit hard to take but then you just choose the ones that interest you and leave the rest alone don't you?... and there are lots of very interesting ones out there.
ReplyDeleteCheers
Helen
new to you but real old to bob with the plauge but those people in that family preparing for a baptism i am sure by immersion, what can you tell me about that???
ReplyDeletecutler family, do you know from where ???/nationallity????
ReplyDeletePUTZ Thanks for dropping by. The baptism family are led by two males. They're American. I forget where all these families are from but a search via Google blogs should lead you to their doors. I just dipped into their blogs and quickly copied pictures.
ReplyDelete