Ben Knapp

As I mentioned the other day on Twitter, I’ve decided to join the many in their pursuit of an Infinite Summer. For those of you that aren’t in the know, here’s a little about the project:

Join endurance bibliophiles from around the world in reading Infinite Jest over the summer of 2009, June 21st to September 22nd. A thousand pages¹ ÷ 92 days = 75 pages a week. No sweat.

I’ve got my bookmarks printed and was lucky enough to score a first edition hardcover of Infinite Jest. I’m not sure why, but a first edition hardcover just seems a little bit cooler than a paperback. I’ll probably be cursing myself though when the behemoth of a book begins to weigh on me…literally.

As with many of the others embarking on this summer reading challenge, there’s no solid reason behind why I decided to read this book now. I think part of it has to do with the outpouring of emotion following David Foster Wallace’s death. At the time, I read everything I could get my hands on written by Wallace – I figured there must be something to this guy. I had planned to dig right in to IJ, but alas, the library had but one copy which was checked out. So I read what I could online and picked up The Broom of the System at the local big box book store. For whatever reason, I got about a third of the way into that book and dropped the ball. It currently sits with its lone bookmark gathering dust on the coffee table. It’s not that I didn’t like it, it’s just…well, other things came up. But that won’t happen with Infinite Jest…this I promise.

Come along on the journey, don’t think too hard, just hard enough. And if I can leave you with one piece of advice, follow these rules for reading IJ.

I’ve just added the Fotomoto service to my photoblog. From what I’ve seen so far, it’s pretty easy to add and really easy to use to purchase prints or send free e-cards. They are even working on the option to send a postcard which I think would be pretty darn sweet. Here’s the blurb from the Fotomoto website:

Fotomoto is an e-commerce system specifically designed for photos. If you are a photographer or you operate a website with a big photo inventory, Fotomoto helps you monetize your photos and sell them in a professional way — on your own website. You will sell without any hassle. Fotomoto takes care of everything: processing orders right on your website, processing payments, making print (or other products based on your photo), and shipping it to the customers on your behalf. Our goal is to let photographers and content owners focus on their photography without worrying about the hassles of selling.

Definitely worth looking into if you’re into the whole photograpy thing and want to make it easy for your viewers to purchase prints of your photos. So take a gander at the new feature and buy some prints!

I’ve finally set up a new photoblog. You can also subscribe to the RSS feed to get the latest and greatest photoblog goodness.

I was using the Pixyblog service for awhile, but couldn’t justify the additional cost since I already have web hosting.

The photoblog itself is a work in progress, but I decided to start publishing photos because if I didn’t, I wouldn’t have ever started posting photos. No excuses now.

Check it out, leave comments, enjoy.

www.swanked.com

I haven’t written here in awhile – but that should be obvious to anyone who actually reads this site, the number of which I can probably count on one hand. There isn’t one reason or another why I haven’t written – it’s any number of things in combination with some number of other things. Crystal clear, I know.

And that brings me to the title of this post. In some ways, I’m still conflicted about what ends up on this blog. I set no real clear goals as to what would show up here when I started this blog…and maybe that was a mistake. Successful blogs are typically about a subject and don’t waver too much. But what defines success? Plus, this blog does have a subject…me.

Therein lies another problem – who cares about me? As a recent NYTimes article said it, “is this just a monologue to an empty room?” On top of that, you (meaning, me) need to be interesting in order to get people interested. But is the goal of this blog to get people interested? Or is it really for me to express myself? And am I ready to really express myself to the so-called masses of the intartubes? Or will this just be a watered down version of what I really want to say and how I really feel?

Questions that need to be answered…or not.

Having recently turned 30, I can tell you that I don’t feel a damn bit different than I felt when I was 29. Some time ago, my actual age really stopped mattering to me – as the saying goes, we’re only as young as we feel.

Since turning 25 and getting a significant discount on my car insurance…birthdays have been birthdays, the number of which was without significance. What’s next? Becoming a senior citizen?? Traditional retirement seems to be a thing of the past, so turning 65 and retiring to my front porch with a gold watch to sit on my rocker, isn’t something I’m necessarily looking towards. Don’t get me wrong though – I’m more than ready to retire now!

When my father was my age, I had already been born for over a year. For some reason, this really strikes me as significant. Is it because people these days are having children later in life? Maybe it’s because at 28, I wasn’t really thinking about having kids.

I look at people whom I consider grown up and I’m not really sure what defines that for me. Is it their age? Is it because they are from my parent’s generation? When I think of myself in these terms, I definitely don’t consider myself grown up. I have most of the responsibilities of a typical grown up; I work, I pay bills, I take care of my stuff…so what is it that will make me feel like a grown up one day? Having kids maybe? Or would I just feel like a kid having a kid? I don’t think I have an answer for this one – but maybe I’ll just wake up one day and feel like I’m officially grown…or something.

Looking back on the past 30 years, I can’t help but feel like I haven’t done much of anything. What have I got to show for being alive so long? And I’m not speaking monetarily or about stuff – because I have those things. What have I done with my life that’s meaningful? What have I done to help others? What have I done to give back?

I think what all this comes down to is that I don’t necessarily feel fulfilled – whatever that may mean. I feel it’s high time to take a long look at me, do some soul searching, and try to figure it all out. Mind you, I don’t really expect to figure it all out. Life is about figuring it all out, the journey. Maybe I’ve already started that journey…

Whether or not you’re a photographer, I think you’ll find Zack Arias’ movie on his yearly bought with his identity as a photographer will have some meaning to your life as well.

Give it a look/listen. And don’t worry about the first part…it’s not really about Photoshop or lighting, I swear.

Just go, go now.

Yes, it really is a word. Look. Honestly, I had planned on using it whether it was a word or not – it’s a good thing I looked it up so I didn’t look like a complete ninny.

See, the thing is, I’ve never really had a problem with being too verbose. I was always searching for those extra few sentences to meet page length requirements – luckily never having to resort to increased line spacing or a larger font size.

And I don’t think anyone who has read anything I’ve ever written would think of the word eloquent – hah. It just seems to come easier to others than it does to me.

Blessing or a curse, I’m not sure. It doesn’t help me write long blog posts that are attention grabbing and audience building. But I won’t waste your time with frufru words either.

I’m still not sure where this blog is going – but maybe just writing what I’m thinking will eventually lead me…and you, in some sort of direction. Or maybe I should just stick to Twitter.

I almost never forward e-mails any more. If you didn’t hear, I’m pretty sure that fad burned out in the late 90s.

However, I still get a few forwards here and there…which I mostly enjoy.

But here’s what I’m asking you, Mr Forward – please, please, please use the BCC field when you send the e-mail if I don’t know everyone on your forward list. That way, some random doesn’t have my e-mail address.

That is all.

According to the news, plug-in cars had a pretty big showing at the latest auto show in Detroit. Spurred by a growing concern about our greeny-ness, designers are trying to come up with answers for our problems. Never mind not that gas prices have fallen to below $2 per gallon, have the masses thought less about oil alternatives than they did when it cost them $60 to fill up their SUV.

But aren’t we just switching from one natural resource to another? What about all the batteries whose components have to be mined and manufactured? That requires energy and resources, right?

What’s the answer? I don’t know if there is an answer, but there are definitely places we can start. Telecommute, walk when you can, or even ride a bike. Remember the bike…the thing you feel off as a kid? Good exercise and can help out the environment.

What are your answers?

A study published in the January 2009 issue of the Journal of the American Dietetic Association, researchers found that young adults (18 – 25) didn’t feel they had time to sit down to have a healthy meal. Instead, they felt rushed which lead to less healthy food choices. Despite their desire to spend time with their friends at the table, those surveyed just didn’t have the time to do so.

But why is this happening? As a child, I can remember sitting down to a family meal almost every night of the week regardless of competing schedules. Is it really that young adults are busier now than in the past, or are they choosing other activities over taking the time out to eat, rather than inhaling a McBurger on the go?

Or is it a product of their environment? Parents don’t seem to have the time anymore either. Are these young adults learning that dinner isn’t an important ritual anymore and continuing with this habit into adulthood?

To all the parents out there, I emplor you; turn off the TV, sit down at the table, talk about your day, and eat a meal together.