Saturday, September 23, 2006

Daddy, what's a meme? (I've been Tagged)

Great question hon. What is a MEME and how do you pronounce it? Let's start with pronunciation. Meme as in fleam (n. A sharp instrument used for opening veins, lancing gums, etc.; a kind of lancet.), or dream, beam, cream. According to Dawkins, who coined the phrase and didn't know about mneme, meme is short for mimeme (from Greek mimos, "mimic"). He wanted "a monosyllable word that sounds a bit like gene".

The puzzling definition from the AHD via Answers.Com

"A unit of cultural information, such as a cultural practice or idea, that is transmitted verbally or by repeated action from one mind to another."

WTF, Is it me or do you find that explanation imponderable? "Daddy, what's WTF stand for?" Sweetie, stop reading over my shoulder.... Let's go to Meme Central
This is Ana Ivanovic. A good dream, meme, I said 'meme'. And great tennis player.

Okay enough on memetics. Let's talk briefly about links, linking and bloggers I like. My new favorite blog is Peg, as she is Why? Because she's a good writer with insight and humor - AND she's generous with her links. As are the other links under 'Blogs I Like, or Beg To Link Here' Today I got rid of some links because no matter how much I read and participated the fact is... they are cliquey. Clever, witty, cliquey. (You know who you are.) Nuff said.

Moving onto the meat of the post. I was tagged by Peg because she was tagged by Julie who was tagged by.... Well, it's six degrees of bloggeration.

The agreeable assignment begins.... Now.

1. One book that changed your life Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo Because it was the first book I stole from my dad's bookshelf and read under the covers when I was supposed to be sleeping.

2. One book that you've read more than once. David Copperfield There is no better first paragraph anywhere.

3. One book that you'd want on a desert island. Naturally this would be "The Inflatable Book" which has yet to be written. It's a doll AND a liferaft.

4. One book that made you laugh. Without Feathers Truly Chekhovian (the funny years) Stuff like "Last evening I had the uneasy feeling that some men were trying to break into my room to shampoo me."

5. One book that made you cry The Stone Boy This was written by Thich Nhat Hanh, an enlightened zen monk. The story of a young girl blinded by Agent Orange during the Vietnam war. It would make a great film. At one point I had the rights to it. Maybe I still do. You know how those Buddhists are.

6. One book that you wish you had written. Hard Boiled Wonderland And The End Of The World That or my unfinished novel. You cannot go wrong with Murakami. Brilliant. Surreal. His books are laced with heroin.

7. One book you wish had never been written. This will bring some hate mail but it was something from Camille Paglia. I can't remember the book but it so angered me that I tossed it.

8. One book that you are reading at the moment. Ginny Good Gerard Jones left the first comment on my blog. I only knew him from his website. Which means he was a stranger. Now we email once in a while. Ginny Jones is hysterical. I am loving this book and HOPE it gets made into a film. Gerard deserves some notice.

9. One book that you've been meaning to read. I keep trying to finish The Corrections The parents in that book are a replica of my inlaws. It's sad and tragically funny. My father in law IS Warren Schmidt.

10. Tag five others that you’d like to do this meme.
Will
Stacy
Keith
Shannon
Cullen

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11 comments:

Anonymous said...

Does tagged mean linked to? Because the other week another blogger I know was so upset by being tagged and I wanted but didn't but I wanted to ask why she's upset that someone linked to her. Or does it mean something else? Yes I'm clueless.

Scott Stambler said...

hey Capri - tagged means "You're IT" And i thought about tagging you but didn't think it was the kind of thing for your site. It is - if the meme is not a chain letter, a compliment to be tagged. At least I thought so.

Cullen said...

It can be complimentary. And any time I act upset, I'm kidding.

But there can be times that you are tagged with three or four memes a week. It can get un-fun pretty quick.

wcdixon said...

okay I will try to get to it today sometime --- your answers were so good, pressures on

Peg said...

Aww, you flatter me, Portnoy!

You know, I read The Corrections a while back (my mother used to work at Borders, so I got access to all kinds of great fiction!), but it's been a while--I know it had me laughing and cringing at the same time. But my memory is fading fast...

And your recollection of the first book you snagged to read under the covers reminded me of my own 'first' snagged book, from my mom. Ironically, it was Mommie Dearest by Christina Crawford!

I look forward to reading your tagged blogs reply to their own respective tags...thanks!!

~Peg

shannon said...

I memed!

Miss Notesy said...

I have no clue what the tagging thing is all about either, but I'm just a baby blogger.

Occasional said...

Portnoy,

Your meme was giggle inducing. I can just hear myself saying to Peg "What? It's just Portnoy's new Inflatable Book."

I now have the spectacular problem of adding to an already crowded reading list. Hard-Boiled Wonderland... looks like a book I could enjoy.

Best,

John

Mimi Lenox said...

I'm so glad I ran across your blog via Random Button. I run a site called Book Meme Central(bookmemecentral.blogspot.com). I'm in the process of compiling the fabulous memes I've read in one location.
I will certainly add yours today if that's ok with you. I'll be back. Great site!

Scott Stambler said...

mimi - if mister linky didn't call himself 'mister linky', I would be mister linky. and you could call me 'linky' for short. I love links. can't get enuff of em. Thank you twice.

Anonymous said...

I love Memes. I'm a meme addict. LOL