19 January 2011

New Year, New Blog

Well, it's finally here. After months of good intentions (I hear the Road to Hell is paved with them, so at least I have a promising career in intentional asphalt), I have finally created my own blog. I'd planned to do so before my much more technologicially-gifted daughter left for college in the wilds of upstate New York last August and then again before she returned after Thanksgiving and Christmas Breaks, but that never happened so I've been forced to navigate the inner workings of blogs without her assistance. After looking at the various types of blog hosts, I ultimately defaulted to Blogger, if for no other reason than to be able to use the background that I wanted on the entire page. Once an idea is in my head, I have difficulty letting it go, it seems.

Originally I just wanted to write a book (and I may still get there someday) but I suffer from a plethora of characters swirling around in my head and no plots in which to place them, which is terribly inconvenient when one is trying to create a novel. Everyone knows that characters should just present themselves in your brain fully developed and replete with flaws and motivations. It could happen--heck, it worked for JK Rowling, right? ("Hello, Delusions, my old friends / I've come to talk with you again...") Anyway, it occurred to me one day that perhaps regular blogging would provide a much-needed exercise in the self-discipline which I so desperately lack. Besides, my secret Facebook stalkers seem to find me amusing, so I guess it's worth a shot. At least it will provide a means of entertaining myself, if nothing else.

So why "Ginger Doodles?" In searching for titles, I wanted something which would incorporate my personality and inherent snarkiness. I have lots of interests, many of which I'm sure you'll all read about over the course of this blog, but I didn't want to be limited by a title which implied only one aspect of my personality. While I am interested in many things, I am not defined any one of those individually, but rather all of them together. While those things may eventually become blogs of their own, I had to decide how to tie all my quirkiness together to start with, and what title would adequately reflect that quirkiness. Initially I thought of "Ginger Snaps," but that only made me think of yummy, gingery cookies, and then I got hungry. Also, I couldn't erase the image of Sally Fields in "Legally Blonde 2" standing in front of Congress with her shiny goblet, saying "Congresswoman Hauser just sent her son off to college, so snaps for Congresswoman Hauser!!" I don't want to be affiliated with a Snap Cup. I would mock a Snap Cup mercilessly. And what's the deal with Libby Hauser in that movie? She starts off as an iron-drawered, cranky old Kerry Vincent of a politician, but after 30 seconds of the Delta Nu Boogaloo with some blonde bimbo in a hair salon she suddenly gets a more gooey center than a melting caramel cream? And she doesn't just become all mushy to Capitol Barbie, but to EVERYONE. Yeah, right...like that's plausible. Because all politicians (whether of the iron-drawered variety or not) suddenly find religion in the bottom of a Snap Cup. Please.

Needless to say, that was a significant strike against "Ginger Snaps." Plus, "Snaps" could imply that all I do is snap at people, which while true probably more often than I like is still not exclusively true. So no. Instead, I decided to keep the "ginger" as an homage to my russet-hued hair (and because one of my dearest friends insists on calling me "Ginger" all the time because of it, much to my amusement). I then changed from "snap" to "snapped" because of my red-headed temperament and dysfunctional lifestyle. Sadly, however, my grand title epiphany proved to be considerably less original than I first imagined, being already taken, as were the many different riffs I could dream up on the idea of sarcasm or "snarkiness." So where to go from there?

"Doodles" derives from both the concept of doodling various sketches or ideas on one's papers, as well as from my (would-be) World-Famous Snickerdoodles, which are full of cinnamony, fluffy cookie goodness, if I do say so myself. They are the one signature item which I cook or bake that sends almost everyone into cookiegasms at first taste, even lifelong chocoholics. Do not snicker at my Doodles. They are doodle-licious--ask anyone fortunate enough to have had one melt in his or her mouth.

Thus my blog has become "Ginger Doodles." In the immortal words of Emperor Joseph in the movie Amadeus, "Well. There it 'tis." Now please buckle your seatbelts and return your trays to their upright and locked position as you join me on the bumpy ride through my quirky and often inexplicable mind and its musings. There will be no refunds on your tickets. (That will teach you to book your flights through Frivolocity.)

4 comments:

  1. Are any of your stalkers really secret, Ginger? I think it's pretty clear who among us stalks you. (ooh, ooh! Me! Me!)

    Enjoyed reading the blog, and I, too, really like that background color. Now I must be off to pick up children. Sigh....

    ReplyDelete
  2. Some are secret and some, like yourself, are not-so-secret. And thanks! Glad you enjoyed the first post. I tried to update it some, and so took it down, now FB is not letting me repost it because it's been "flagged" as "spammy or abusive." Sigh. Loving the technical difficulties...

    ReplyDelete
  3. Proud to be a stalker, and looking forward to reading you! :)

    ReplyDelete