A Big Fat Waste of Time:

What a week. Not only have I been set loose on the entire nation of Italy, but while I'm away, Englishmen are writing in starting all sorts of international incidents right here at A Big Fat Waste of Time. It seems this poor guy "Simon", (not sure if that's his real name, or just a patriotic symbol), has never heard of weblogging.

"I'm a Record Producer working in a studio in London, UK. We were just wondering...who are you? What do you do all day?...How do you have so much free time to run a website about, er, well - yourself?? Is this modern America in action? Do lots of Americans run websites about themselves? Are we so backward and retiring over here? 'So Dad, what did you do today?' 'Well son, spent all day creating a website about myself!' Crazy!"

Yes, Simon, America is crazy. If you didn't figure that out after the 2003 California Gubernatorial election, then the Michael Jackson carnival that's happening now should give you some sort of clue. However, blogging or weblogging (it's Christian name), is not unique to America. Although, it probably was invented by some computer nerds in California. I, for one, have read many an English blog. Usually from London. Though I have not found any as funny or interesting as the ones coming out of New York. Go figure. You guys usually corner the market on humor.

A weblog is basically an online journal. Creators can choose to write about anything from Hollywood gossip to world politics to sports. I have chosen to write about a topic that most interests me...wasting time on the internet when I'm not working. (In reality, what interests me is researching pop culture online...something that directly relates to my work. That work being advertising. I am a copywriter. Which means I come up with the ideas for the ads you see on television, in magazines, on the radio, on billboards, etc.) This is not to say that I'm not doing my work. For example, in addition to posting on this blog, I just finished creating a :30 second spot to help raise funds for a major American landmark. It's an incredible spot that I'm really proud of. I can do both because creating a blog doesn't really take much time at all. I use Typepad which sets everything up for me. All I have to do is type in the copy. Something I'm very good at doing quickly. Plus, my work requires me to be on the internet all day doing research. That's how I got turned on to blogs in the first place. I just decided to record and report the fun and cool things I find while I'm researching. Often after work, I write the stuff that I later post the next day when I feel like unleashing it on the world. In addition to my job, I also like to travel. I'm in Florence at this very moment in the lobby of my hotel about to head to Thanksgiving dinner that will not consist of Turkey. So, you see Simon, as busy as I am, I really have to make time to slack off on the internet. And I do. Because it's important to me. Just as Leonna Naess and understanding primitive cultures are important to you.

I hope this answers your questions. If you want to find a ton of great American blogs, start with Choire Sicha's and the links there will lead you down the path of enlightenment.

Now, I have to go. There's a german woman breathing over my shoulder waiting to use this machine. Ciao! See you all when I get back.