Snark…it is for real.

Su Nimon found the following for me, a real editor’s punctuation mark, which is why I titled this essay as I did.

Snark:

Also called the Percontation Point and the Irony Mark, this one's used to indicate that there's another layer of meaning in a sentence. Usually a sarcastic or ironic one.

We are approaching the 2 year anniversary of Snarky Art…the blog site (as opposed to the 1.5 years of Snarky Art…the Studio) which has passed in Scary Fast Time (as opposed to those other two clock shifters).  Memory lane is more like a highway under construction than a simple meandering path for most of us is it not? Sometimes we can speed right along recalling all sorts of details and other times we sit in traffic trying to remember something that “just happened” only to figure out that it was four years ago.   So once again, I must reflect on whether to continue with this Blog (note the all important capital letter to help my self esteem) or add it to the cyber junk drawer of this computer.  This site allows me to check the viewing stats of each and every blog by the hour, day, week, month and all time…(really? What geek sat around and worked all that out? ) I have a really big viewing audience in Russia which is weird….and also an automated searching device according to my son so nobody over there really cares a hoot about what I say. Best I avoid that exit ramp and stay on track with my original intent of reminiscing….which is a word that truly needs spell check.

Last night I attended the Canton Symphony concert for the first time in a long time. We have had season tickets for ages but the dates always fall on “call nights” for my husband or some other conflicting event involving the family. Family before fiddles I always say.  My first blog…no don’t bother going back to read it because it was never published…. was about the Symphony. I had the smarts to contact the pro-blogger Tom Wachunas to ask his advice on whether I should publish it (along with several other questions about this Blogosphere thing) and his answer was along the lines of “well, I wouldn’t” and went on to explain why.  Basically a woman can say things about women that men cannot not and sometimes even a woman should keep her mouth shut. Lets suffice to say that I was commenting on the fashions (or lack thereof) worn by the ladies on stage. Why is this funny now? Because Artwach “tells it like it is” as he should and more power to him to be honest and insightful as an independent observer of the arts…(translation: critic). A recent perusal of his postings (exit ramp approaching) and associated comments about the postings has been very entertaining.  To criticize a critic for being too critical must be the ultimate in irony. I shall reenter the highway now or I could go on and on about how it is okay to criticize music, movies, books, fashion and even beer, but not art….? If I continue with this, I may explore this topic further at a later date.

Snarky Art has had it highlights for sure. My number one most read posting, which continues to get daily traffic (Russia must be really bored) is my review of the 2010 Jackson HS AP portfolio show.  A few have only been read by two people which makes me wonder if you 32 followers out there are for real.

The post which shocked many was about my late friend Gary. I wrote about him needing prayers and support as he battled his last days with cancer. That same day, within in hours of my posting, a long ago friend of his was randomly searching for him on a whim. One can follow the rest of the story in the archives as it was truly one of those moments that came directly from powers beyond our own mortal ones. 

The posting about Brennis and his hours and days of need received the most commentary for which I was grateful because it encouraged me to continue writing. If a few words online can inspire others, then I will gladly put words out there.

You all are a group divided however. Some only like the reviews of shows, some only like the slice of life stuff and a few mention that these are too long but you read them anyway. Some have asked that I review their show and others hint that I should wear Kevlar if coming by anytime soon.  There have been many shows which I have seen but not written about which should not be taken personally by those who wonder why no words appeared. Sometimes I just can’t write in time to beat the closing date or Artwach did a fine job and why should I waste text when all I need to say is…”yeah, what he said”.

Over this span of time I have also learned to Facebook (note the grammatical use of the word and its placement with the sentence structure…) which has been an interesting road as well. I do have to agree with Betty White who called it a “big waste of time” on Saturday Night Live but it does have its advantages a far as instant contact with others is concerned.  The irony of its danger is still lost to some however (exit ramp which I must avoid again lest I rant). 

My stat chart on my dashboard (someone should design a virtual hula girl to go on it) shows that this will be by 181^st posting to Snarky Art.  I will admit that thanks to my editor who reads 95% of these before I publish them, the Snark factor is not as sharp as it could be, which is a good thing.  My original intent statement/post vows to keep my words positive, humorous and hopefully entertaining (shout out to my friends in Russia!)  I don’t want to be too personal (who really wants to read about my issues and news anyway) nor do I want to be all show commentary all the time because I just don’t have time to see that many events because of all my issues and news…family before font folks….. so as I close this 181^st missive of musings, I hope that this site has lived up to my original intent. I do find this process therapeutic at times (being an empty nester, my cats are tired of hearing me talk out loud and the radio just blathers on with no chance of getting a word in edgewise…)  but now  I am over my word limit so Happy Anniversary to me! (not the posted one, the one when tested the waters without a baited hook just in case….)