Whither Shamus? And other mysteries of the blogroll.

For several months now, I’ve been puzzling over a few things.* Namely, what’s become of some of my erstwhile favorite blogs, and how/why have I been getting traffic from sites I’ve never been to or heard of until I started getting traffic from them?

M.I.A.:

Bad for the Glass
The Shamus was one of the greats. Formerly known as That Little Round-Headed Boy (alias Jack, alias Jackie!) The Shamus had impeccable taste in movies, music, and pop culture generally. That doesn’t mean I always agreed with him, but then he also had an uncanny knack for defending or supporting what from anyone else would seem like questionable judgment, entertainment-wise. I especially enjoyed, and will miss, his kooky lists like “75 reasons to love Burt Bacharach on his 75th Birthday.”

Though incredibly disappointing, his suddenly vanishing without a trace is not that unexpected. He was the unofficial Lord of Evanescence. Hated archiving. Constantly changed his layout. If anyone knows of some new iteration or incarnation, or the story behind his decision to stop enriching the quality of discourse in the blogosphere, please leave a link in the comments.

Look at Me. I'm So Important That I Have a Blog.
Done by Darren McLikeshimself, this was one of my favorite slice-of-life blogs. Every post—whether meditating on the foibles of being a 30-something Hoosier trying to make it in NYC, the sublime joy of guacamole at Chipotle, or the merits and pitfalls of sporting J.E.B. Stuart facial hair—was sharply observed and shot through with enviably wry wit and charming self-deprecation. Last I heard, he and Nabbalicious had loaded up the truck and moved to L.A. He did one post about Roscoe’s Chicken and Waffles, and then . . . crickets. Maybe he got a book deal.

NEW:

Deutschland Über Elvis
I occasionally get hits from this site, but there’s no apparent link or reference to me or my blog anywhere that I can find. The only thing I can figure is that that “Next Blog” random thing seems to think that anyone who enjoys reading the observations of an expat, gay, globetrotting marketing guru working out of Munich would like this one. Seems logical.

Wie sagt Man auf Deutsch: Faaabulouuuussss!

Clean Green Slate
Near as I can tell, this blog is relatively new and one of several done by a young attorney from the Midwest who’s getting married in a few months. I have no idea (okay, some) why she linked my site. We don’t seem to have much in common beyond law and an appreciation for The Weepies (abiding in her case; newfound obsession in mine). But I’ll take what I can get and be glad for it.

*Puzzling in tiny little 10- to 15-second bursts. It’s not like I was trapped in the inner circle of thought worried about these things. I’m a 1L with a 3-year-old for crying out loud. I’m lucky if I get to sit down for a meal.

I'm World-Famous in Stennieville.

My friend Stennie is the doyenne of DIY Web 2.0. She's got a slice-of-life blog, a movie blog, a daily trivia page and, as if that weren't enough, a podcast. She's what the kids call "media savvy."

After the last CD Mix Exchange (which she also proctors) she was gracious (desperate?) enough to invite me to sit in on a segment of The Hucklebug to discuss alternate tracks with her and co-Hucklebugtrix Bet. It was quite High Fidelity-esque. I felt like the fifth Beatle. I guess that means Bet and Stennie are two Beatles each. I'll leave it to them to decide who gets/has to be Ringo.

In case you're not familiar with the HB (or the Hizzle-Bizzle as its known in some quarters), it's essentially a virtual gathering around the water cooler* for an hour of Stennie and Bet holding forth on assorted pop-culture ephemera, with a dusting of earthy invective. One segment is called "Fuck-offs," so it's definitely not for those of dainty constitution. I never miss it and I can't recommend it highly enough.

*Bonus points for extending that metaphor by listening to it on the sly at work. Good luck explaining away the smirks, snorts and guffaws that are likely to ensue.

Goldie's Got a Gun

Be advised: I've added Oklahomeless to ye olde blogrolle. It's the online home/journal of my pal and fellow old-BMW enthusiast Daniel Goldberg. Or, I should say, 1LT Daniel Goldberg, given his current gig as a "Baby JAG" in the Direct Commission Course at Ft. Sill, near scenic Lawton, OK.

Like everyone on the blog roll, he's witty, erudite and prolific to a frightening and envy-inspiring degree. Check him out and cheer him on.