identity issues

So, in the last week, two major media outlets have mentioned {fray} as an example in a story. Which, really, is great. Anything that helps spread the idea of personal storytelling and self expression on the web is okay in my book.

But they can't decide what {fray} is. TechTV thinks it's a good example of a webzine – a term I've never really liked, because the word "zine" conjures up images of 3am Kinko's runs and stacks of stapled paper, which is a fine image and one close to my heart. But that's not what it is, because {fray} is all about audience participation and immersive experiences. You can't do that with a Xerox machine.

On the other side of the spectrum, Reuters thinks {fray} is a great example of a weblog, which is just hysterical. If the reporter had returned my email, I could have told her what a weblog is and why {fray} is, most certainly, not one.

{ more » }   { 7:32pm }

never been popular

PBS - POV: The Sweetest Sound: Popularity Index:

"Powazek, as a surname, does not exist in this database, because it is not among the top 55,000 most common names in the US. And you are the only one with that name of the 12054 visitors of this web page."

{ 7:29pm }

three for three

Three-word reviews of the last three movies I've seen:

Tomb Raider - Big stupid fun.
The Anniversary Party - More needless drama.
Moulin Rouge - Eyes on acid.

{ more » }   { 12:32am }

powazek sighting

Hey mom! Go pick up latest issue of Shift Magazine. There's a six page spread of photographs from Heather's Mirror Project in the front, and I'm in several of them. You can see a sneak peek here. Yay, Heather!

{ 9:35pm }

quote

"Love is as strict as acting. If you want to love somebody, stand there and do it. If you don't, don't. There are no other choices."
– Tyne Daly

{ 3:43pm }

i am your netauthority

Who is the Net Authority? People are talking about it. People are linking to it. It's either a bunch of fundamentalist crazies or a brilliant parody. And while I'd love to investigate, I have a book to write. So, instead, I think I'll just forward their phone number to these guys and let the truth sort itself out.

{ 8:53pm }

palahniuk interview

The Unexpected Romantic: An Interview with Chuck Palahniuk

"Marshall McLuhan had this really interesting phrase," he said. "When a stripper takes off her clothes, the viewers become her clothes." Adds Palahniuk: "I feel that by showing these things, I create an opening for people to share their things with me."

{ 11:04am }

one to watch: noendpress

"NoEnd Press is a forum for anyone to publish their ideas on the Web."

The just-launched site is being put together by some of the most talented folks I know, as part of one of the longest-running email lists around. And one of the instigators, Caleb Clark, is a {fray} contributor, to boot. He wrote a great story about a different kind of love affair.

{ 3:34pm }

attention poetry fans

Old-school {fray} contributor Tarin Towers is part of a national slam poetry tour that's already underway. Check out the Ignition Tour!

{ more » }   { 1:15pm }

then again...

Of course, referer logs aren't all bad news. For example, today I found a familiar name in the fraylog: Project Cool Sightings. Thanks, Erin Gannon!

{ more » }   { 9:42pm }

link: growing up a boy

My friend Caterina is amazingly perceptive.

{ 12:43pm }

note to self

I'm most happy when I don't have access to my referer logs.

{ more » }   { 10:40pm }

postcards from the habbo hotel

The best part of my job? Hanging out in the Habbo Hotel and calling it "research." (And having that be true!) If you've never visited the hotel, drop by. It can be slow and buggy, but it's really at the forefront of the visual virtual community idea.

{ 7:03pm }

happy dad's day

"Father ... thank you ... for letting me fly this flight ... for the privilege of being able to be in this position, to be in this wondrous place, seeing all these many startling, wonderful things."
–L. Gordon Cooper Jr. while orbiting the earth in a space capsule.

{ more » }   { 5:35pm }

dfc: community tools

After a considered conversation with my editor, we've decided to add a chapter to the book on community tools. And while I have a lot of experience with community software, I haven't played with them all. So I'm turning to you, beloved readers, for help.

Have you ever run a site with community functionality? Did you use a commercial product, freeware, or roll your own backend? How has it worked out for you? Lemme know! And thanks!

{ more » }   { 3:04pm }

link: 5pieces

Great idea: give designers five things (a few images, a couple quotes, etc.) and ask them to make an image, a piece of art, really, using those five things and only those five things. Plus, the site itself is lovely. Check it.

{ 12:37pm }

submission-based sites discussion

Soliciting user participation online is a tricky business, especially if you're asking people for quality contributions. Of course, this is what I've been doing at {fray} for years. So when a recent conversation at MetaFilter turned to submission-based sites, my ears perked up. I had my say, too. My basic point was, if you're asking people for submissions, you've gotta pay them somehow.

Speaking of, did you know that Lance Arthur launched a new project? Or that Lance Anderson performs every Wednesday in LA? Or that Luke Seemann is going to open a restaurant? It's true!

{ 11:51am }

link: pretty pictures

Andy Pressman does really nice work.

{ 9:53am }

congratulations, baby

Jezebel is five.

{ 8:55pm }

attack of the lizard brain

Voting continues in the Webby Awards People's Voice, where {fray} is getting the snot beaten out of it by Blogger and Beliefnet. In a way, it's great to lose a popularity contest – it preserves that elusive indie cred. But in another, more lizard-brained way ... fuck that. Go vote! (Here's how.)

{ 5:13pm }

link: the head project

Waferbaby gives good head.

{ 9:57am }

fray day 5 update

Fray Day 5: 10 cities and counting.

{ 11:04pm }

red robot speaks

THIS IS RED ROBOT! I HAVE TAKEN CONTROL OF DEREK'S SITE WHILE HE'S BUSY SLAVING OVER HIS PATHETIC HU-MAN BOOK! I AM TAKING OVER THE WEB! I AM THE SOMEONE WHO SET US UP THE BOMB! I AM KAYCEE NICOLE! I SUCKED SUCK AND FROZE FEED! RED ROBOT CANNOT BE STOPPED! MWA HA HA!!!

{ 12:01pm }

linke: andre

Do you know Andre Torrez? You should.

Andre writes beautiful stories over at torrez.org. His latest, "A Story About Death, Or My Being A Big Weenie, Take Your Pick" gave me little goosebumps when I got to the end.

{ more » }   { 5:56pm }

link: mirrorproject

Heather's Mirror Project has sprung like Athena from the head of Jezebel. Say goodbye to FoJM and hello to The Mirror Project.

{ more » }   { 12:36pm }

link: brinksmanship

Last night, at Chuck Palahnuik's reading, I wanted to (self-servingly) ask him if he ever writes true, personal, non-fiction. Otherwise known as storytelling. I never got the chance.

Turns out, he does.

{ more » }   { 4:01pm }

fanboy

I am giddy. And it's not just because I'm jetlagged and my body thinks it's 6am (though it's probably a contributing factor). I am giddy because I just shook hands with someone I admire. A lot.

The admiring, that is. Not the hand-shaking, though I did do it twice.

{ more » }   { 9:13pm }

stuck in between

It's a beautiful day in San Francisco. The sky is blue and full of fluffy clouds. It's warm with a cool ocean breeze. All the cars are big and stretched out. The streets are asphalt. The trees are tall and skinny. People are outside, washing their cars, walking their dogs, being American.

My mind is stuck somewhere over the Atlantic. It's before lunch, but I'm hungry for dinner. And emotionally, spiritually, I'm still stuck in between. Not quite here, not there.

{ more » }   { 11:11am }

a bittersweet accomplishment

I'm sitting in a net cafe off the main drag in Lodz and there's a light drizzle falling on the stone streets below. In here, where it's dry, there are a dozen computers sharing a single satellite connection, tiny blue monitors and clicky clacky keyboards, and a dozen kids killing each other in Quake.

This town looks like the dingy buildings in the Matrix. Some of these places look like they haven't changed since my grandparents were here.

{ more » }   { 9:37am }