Tuesday, June 19, 2007

Meme about Me

Sidney Williams has tagged me to continue a bloggers' meme. Meme is a word I'd heard before, but I wasn't sure of its meaning, so I looked it up:
NOUN: 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. ETYMOLOGY: Shortening (modeled on gene) of mimeme, from Greek mimma, something imitated, from mimeisthai, to imitate. See mimesis.--The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language (4th ed., 2000).
Wikipedia has a much lengthier discussion of meme, and frankly I'm still not sure exactly what it means. Nevertheless, although I was startled to be tagged, I was pleased to be noticed. Hence, I willingly comply. (The problem is whether I can find eight other bloggers to tag in my turn.)

Ah well, here goes, according to the instructions:
  • I have to post these rules before I give you the facts.
  • Each player starts with eight random facts/habits about themselves.
  • People who are tagged need to write their own blog about their eight things and post these rules.
  • At the end of your blog, you need to choose eight people to get tagged and list their names.
  • Don’t forget to leave them a comment telling them they’re tagged, and to read your blog.
Here are my eight:

1. I believe in the supernatural and/or the paranormal--"There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio,/Than are dreamt of in your philosophy." Hamlet. Act i. Sc. 5.

2. I believe there are other forms of intelligent life elsewhere in the universe.

3. I don't really trust people who dislike animals.

4. I am a major pack rat--mostly of books, papers, and sentimental stuff. I am working on getting rid of the extra stuff before I die, so my family won't curse me while wading through the stacks of Stuff in Boxes. (I don't expect to die for at least another decade or two, but you never know.)

5. I scorn clothing that bears the designer's or manufacturer's label/initials on the outside. Down with apparel snobbery!

6. I scorn the wearing of fur coats and expensive jewelry, the driving of expensive vehicles, and other flaunting of one's wealth and/or social status.

7. Since Hurricane Katrina I've become addicted to watching HGTV, a cable channel about home redecoration and remodeling. So far I haven't made use of the information--too much Stuff in Boxes in the way--but I dream of feathering my nest "as shown on TV."

8. I love owning thousands of books because it means I'll never run out of things to read, and it makes me feel rich and replete.

I'm tagging C.S. Harris, Shauna Roberts, Farrah Rochon, Roz Green, Lana, Charles Gramlich, Stewart Sternberg, and Kate S. Those on my list who have already done their part in such a meme won't even have to respond (just let me know where your meme is posted). As for those who haven't yet "memed," here's your chance to tell other bloggers/blogreaders a few facts about yourself.

9 comments:

Sidney said...

You should read William Gibson's "Pattern Recognition." The heroine is
so averse to branding it's a phobia. She has branding filed off metal buttons on jackets and hates the Michelin Man.

Shauna Roberts said...

This is the second time I've been tagged, so I guess I should actually post a list this time.

As for memes, think of them as similar to genes. Genes pass information vertically, from generation to generation. Memes pass information horizontally, among people of the same generation. Memes are rather like viruses, which insert their genes into the genes you inherited from your parents and can quickly spread from one person to thousands.

RK Sterling said...

Well, um, thanks? for the tag? :)

I think I'll just copy and paste your list since we have so much in common!

As soon as I'm settled back in, I'll post on my blog. Probably won't be for at least another three weeks, though. (sniffle, sob)

Charles Gramlich said...

As a partner of yours in wordsmiths I already know most of this, oh Sphinxy One. You remain the only person I know who has more books than me. I stand in awe.

Shauna Roberts said...

The deed is done. My eight random facts are up at my blog.

Farrah Rochon said...

I was tagged by a few people several weeks ago, and fear people will realize I'm really a crazy person if I reveal anymore about myself. :)

I agree with #3 on your list. People who dislike animals are just weird.

cs harris said...

I've done it. Although like Kate, I was tempted to steal some of yours.

ninthmuse (roz m) said...

I have completed the listing task set before me, O Sphinx. One wee problem: I don't actually know that many people who blog and have not done this meme already.

Lana Gramlich said...

Thanks for the invite to meme. I've finally come back to see that invite & have posted my responses.