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trainedmonkey

by Jim Winstead Jr.

mostly the truth

jakob nielsen’s list of the top ten design mistakes in weblog usability are generally reasonable advice, but i think it is funny that cory at boing boing decided to call out the one i probably pay the least heed to: #3, nondescript posting titles.

it’s not that my titles are nondescript so much as non-sequitors, or inside jokes so inside that i’m the only one who could possibly understand them. some recent highlights:

  • “mostly the truth” came about because i noticed i had several strategic uses of the weasel-word mostly in this entry. and now i’ve applied it to the whole thing.
  • “not bursting into tears” is a reference to the fact that there were numerous times during the day where i was literally on the verge of bursting into tears. (mostly because of my back, which appears to be fine now. knock on wood.)
  • “don’t get the wrong idea” is the antidote to the content, which is really deliberately crafted to feed various people’s suspicions that shannon and i are involved.
  • “let’s all go to the lobby” is a pop culture reference, of course, to the classic movie theatre advertisement.
  • “mmm, rabbits,” besides being a part of the quote i was calling attention to, is sort of an implied simpsons reference.
  • “solid gold” is what the students in the film say the professor is made of, because he is so pure.
  • “i say hello” is about as obscure as i can get — i originally wrote a bit about how my back pain had flared up to the oh-my-god-where’s-the-vicodin level, and this is a line from a song called “vicodin” by the trainables, a band you’ve never heard of (unless you’re marcus, who was in it).
  • “tax that fellow behind the tree” is a fragment of a quote from russell long: “tax reform means “don’t tax you, don’t tax me, tax that fellow behind the tree.’”
  • “the soul of this man is in his clothes” is a quote from william shakespeare.
  • “more on me and friends” is actually a bit of a play on words — say it out loud, and it is “moron me and friends.”
  • “she sets the summer sun on fire” is a line from “i want candy” by good charlotte.
  • “looking minnesota, feeling california” is a reversal of a line from “outshined” by soundgarden.
  • “flat denial” is one of those titles that i look back on and don’t understand. as i said there, it was in reference to what i started writing about, but i don’t remember what that was any more.

and then there are all the entries i don’t even title.

at the end of the day, i’m (mostly) writing for me, so i like to think that gives me license to flaunt jakob’s list.

» Monday, October 17, 2005 @ 1:42pm » personal, web, blogging, writing » 3 comments, add yours
« everybody loves a loser • downpour »

Comments

whatever. i understand about 95% of your posting titles. screw everyone else. you write for you, not them.

» shannon (link) » Monday, October 17, 2005 @ 5:05pm

95%?

crap.

clearly i need to work on being more obscure.

» jim (link) » Monday, October 17, 2005 @ 5:21pm

"I say hello" is also a line from a Beatles song fwiw

» Samara Morgan » Friday, October 21, 2005 @ 5:09pm

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Dedicated to the public domain by Jim Winstead Jr.