Pseudotherapy

I don’t understand what people have against memes. In the past couple of years, I’ve read numerous diatribes maligning them. Some bloggers have stated adamantly that “you will never see a meme here!” It always puzzles me. What’s so bad about a meme? Let’s take a look at a few of the complaints.

Memes are for lazy people. Are you kidding me? I’ve done memes that took me hours to complete. I’ve done memes that required me to do research. I’ve also done some that were quick and easy, but so what? Posting a photo in five minutes doesn’t make a blogger lazy; why should posting a quick meme?

Memes don’t tell you anything about someone. HUH? I love the process of getting to know someone, and very few memes have gone around that didn’t give insight into the blogger posting them. Don’t you feel like you know someone a bit better when you’ve seen what kind of music they listen to, or what their favorite movies are, or chuckled at seven weird things about them? For that matter, in my opinion, even what memes a person chooses to participate in tells me something about them!

Memes are boring to your readers. I suppose that depends on the reader. I usually get a decent response to the memes I post, and I always enjoy reading other people’s. Besides, even a “regular” post can be boring if it’s not written well. A good writer makes a meme entertaining and interesting. And I don’t read any bad writers.

Clearly™ I like memes, both as a doer and as a reader. To me, it’s no different than a poker night with your neighbors or playing Scrabble on FaceBook. They are games we play on our blogs. And they are a damn sight more fun than the drama games that often play out in the blogosphere arena.

Speaking of memes, below the fold I’ve got the recent Foods I’ve Eaten meme. Because I want to. Because I have many comments to make thereon. Because it was fun.

[We are grateful to Miss Britt for permission to use the trademarked word Clearly.]

• Copy this list into your blog or journal, including these instructions.
• Bold all the items you’ve eaten.
• Strike through any items that you would never consider eating.
• Italicize anything you’ve never heard of.
• Optional extra: Post a comment at www.verygoodtaste.co.uk linking to your results.

1. Venison, shot by my uncle and grilled to the consistency of shoe leather.
2. Nettle tea
3. Huevos rancheros. Come on, I live in San Diego.
4. Steak tartare. I DO NOT EAT RAW MEAT, no matter how it’s seasoned.
5. Crocodile
6. Black pudding. I know what’s in that shit.
7. Cheese fondue
8. Carp
9. Borscht
10. Baba ghanoush. Love, love LOVE.
11. Calamari. Yummy, if properly cooked.
12. Pho
13. PB&J sandwich Is this a joke?
14. Aloo gobi
15. Hot dog from a street cart. I’ve never even seen a hot dog street cart.
16. Epoisses
17. Black truffle
18. Fruit wine made from something other than grapes. Plum wine is the only wine I truly like.
19. Steamed pork buns
20. Pistachio ice cream
21. Heirloom tomatoes. Couldn’t tell the difference.
22. Fresh wild berries. Blackberries, raspberries, gooseberries …
23. Foie gras. Meh, just liver pate with a fancy name.
24. Rice and beans. Come on, I live in San Diego.
25. Brawn, or head cheese. I know what this shit is.
26. Raw Scotch Bonnet pepper. I don’t like food that HURTS.
27. Dulce de leche. Come on, I live in San Diego.
28. Oysters
29. Baklava
30. Bagna cauda. But if I ever see it offered, I’m diving in!
31. Wasabi peas
32. Clam chowder in a sourdough bowl. I like French Onion soup in a bread bowl better. Chowder’s heavy enough on it’s own.
33. Salted lassi. WTF is this?
34. Sauerkraut. My dad used to make his own, from cabbages my mom grew. With grilled pork chops and onions, to die for! Although no one wanted to be around you afterward.
35. Root beer float
36. Cognac with a fat cigar. How about tequila with a Jucy Lucy? That’s what I’m talking about!
37. Clotted cream tea. Someday [sigh] …
38. Vodka jelly/Jell-O
39. Gumbo. And then I discovered the okra in it. UGH!!!
40. Oxtail. Why would you?
41. Curried goat. Not that I know of.
42. Whole insects. In Libya, chocolate-covered ants were a common delicacy.
43. Phaal. Isn’t he a really nasty Goa’uld?
44. Goat’s milk. I liked it a lot, and I ADORE mizithra cheese.
45. Malt whisky from a bottle worth £60/$120 or more. But I have had tequila in this price range.
46. Fugu. I don’t like food that KILLS, either.
47. Chicken tikka masala. Oh my god, I love this stuff. I have the recipe, but haven’t yet attempted it.
48. Eel. Just knowing what it was would make me unable to swallow it.
49. Krispy Kreme original glazed doughnut. Blah. Sugar-coated fried air. Give me an apple fritter from Donut Corner.
50. Sea urchin, although I once unwillingly witnessed one being eaten alive.
51. Prickly pear. I’ve even eaten prickly pear-juice candy!
52. Umeboshi. I do love pickled foods, so would definitely like to try one!
53. Abalone. One of the most heavenly seafoods on earth.
54. Paneer. Damn, now I want Taj Palace for lunch!
55. McDonald’s Big Mac Meal
56. Spaetzle
57. Dirty gin martini. Why is it “dirty”?
58. Beer above 8% ABV. I. DETEST. BEER.
59. Poutine. Uh, I just read the definition of this. Can someone get me some RIGHT NOW?!?!
60. Carob chips. The only excuse for eating these things is a deadly allergy to chocolate. Personally, I’d rather open a vein.
61. S’mores. Never was a huge fan, though.
62. Sweetbreads. I do not eat glands.
63. Kaolin. And so have you, if you’ve ever taken Kaopectate.
64. Currywurst
65. Durian. My friend Kenny’s cat Latte is crazy about this!
66. Frogs’ legs
67. Beignets, churros, elephant ears or funnel cake. Why are these lumped together? A beignet is nothing like a churro!
68. Haggis. Nobody else’s stomach is going into my stomach.
69. Fried plantain
70. Chitterlings, or andouillette. See #68; applies to any form of guts.
71. Gazpacho
72. Caviar and blini, and even a wee baby pancake couldn’t make me like fish eggs.
73. Louche absinthe. Would love to, though!
74. Gjetost, or brunost. Hey, I shop at IKEA. Goes great with their pear sparkling cider.
75. Roadkill. Don’t get excited. My uncle hit a deer with his truck.
76. Baijiu
77. Hostess Fruit Pie
78. Snail. Sauteed in garlic butter, and they were very tasty.
79. Lapsang souchong. I LOVE the smell of this tea brewing, but it’s taste is pretty intense. The cheap stuff tastes like asphalt.
80. Bellini. Isn’t this the peach version of a mimosa? I’m pretty sure. It was delish!
81. Tom yum
82. Eggs Benedict
83. Pocky. Very disappointing. More hype than flavor.
84. Tasting menu at a three-Michelin-star restaurant
85. Kobe beef. Seriously dying to try it! Can it really be that good?
86. Hare
87. Goulash
88. Flowers. Violets, rose petals, squash blossoms, nasturtiums …
89. Horse
90. Criollo chocolate
91. Spam
92. Soft shell crab
93. Rose harissa. Not this variety, just the standard Harissa. I don’t get why rose petals would add to its flavor. It’s not sweet.
94. Catfish. That I’d caught myself, even!
95. Mole poblano. I love Mexican food, but mole is yucky!
96. Bagel and lox. But not in New York.
97. Lobster Thermidor
98. Polenta
99. Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee. And it was as good as the legend.
100. Snake. Tasted like chicken. No, really.

This entry was posted on Thursday, August 28th, 2008 at 1:52 pm and is filed under Random. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.