Tuesday, October 25, 2005

Internet Serendipity

Since I’ve been in one of my creative moods, I’ve been doing some surfing on the ‘net looking for inspiration to keep the juices flowing. That’s when I came up with the idea of "Internet Serendipity." What is it? It’s the magically wonderful phenomenon of finding on the internet valuable or agreeable things not sought for with intention. Essentially, it is surfing the ‘net and finding something good instead of burning out on a page that hasn’t been updated since 1990 and no active links to get you out of it either.

For me internet serendipity is like hitting a new area of town with the most incredible shops all in a row on a quaint street with plenty of parking. I click on something which inspires me to click on something else, and so on, and so forth. Eventually, I wind up at a website for a woman who creates journals. Not the plain, old, boring pen and paper kind! No, think bigger, better, grander. Or, maybe even, small, simple, and pretty. Think artsy! They are the mixed-media kind, similar to the scrapbook I created when I was a sophomore in high school but mine was not nearly as beautiful. Hers was a hodge-podge of pictures, memorabilia, personal artwork and writings. I, of course, saved the link of this woman immediately. Later when time was sufficient, I went digging around her site to see just what she was about and what kind of inspiration I could suck from the marrow between the pixels.

I didn’t get very far when I happened upon one of the pages of her website where she mentioned that she was reading the book “Everyday Matters” by Danny Gregory. It aroused my interest. So, I went looking for the book. What a world of inspiration I fell into! First, I found the book on Amazon and the introductory pages hooked me instantly. How can I not read a book with a line like this: “Two years before I started drawing, my wife was run over by a subway train, and nearly killed. Well, this book is about how art and New York City saved my life.” It sounds like the makings of a rather tragic story. However, I get the feeling from the “saved my life” part that it has a happy ending, or maybe I should say continuation since his life is still being lived. Needless to say, it is now on my to-be-read list.

I was curious as to what kind of bloke Danny Gregory might be so I did a little search of the name and lo-and-behold, I located second entry hoping for an explanation of such a thing since it brought to mind Mary’s pubcrawls. That re-routed me to his mother’s wonderful site for an artistic excursion that had me contemplating buying one of her calendars or prints. She has a wonderful talent for combining the natural with words and calligraphy to create “leafages.” Not wanting to give Mr. Gregory short shrift I returned to his site to explore some more. I looked to the bottom and the words “FREE” caught my eye, being the frugal gal that I am. With a blink of the eye, and a click of the mouse, I was then delving into the wondrous pages of “The Morning News” and having a humorous, visual escapade through “Martha’s Big Day,” an illustrated account reported and sketched by Mr. Gregory. I finally landed on the “free” item and it’s his story, Peanut. It’s a bi-weekly installment in “The Morning News.” Snooping around The Morning News looks like a few more toy surprises might be hiding for me to find too. But, that will have to come on a later day when time permits.

I almost forgot! While snooping in Mr. Gregory’s archives on his weblog, I stumbled on another artsy place to explore at the site of his “pal Roz.”

Internet Seren-DIPITY!!! By damn, I like!

7 comments:

Donna. W said...

Yes, it's amazing how one thing leads to another on this wonderful Internet. The only problem is that you're liable to look at the clock and realize four hours have slipped away, and you should have been doing something else.

Anonymous said...

How odd! I was reading not too long ago a fascinating article about how serendipity has been slowly drained from human experience by technology. The author lamented the fact that we can now dwell in a world entirely of our choosing; that we now seek and pinpoint music, news, art, and reference material that we already know and find comfortable, thereby limiting our communication to those most like us, and excluding the new and 'serendipitous'~ that chance encounter with the unknown that so often opens our horizons. This is another way of looking at the same phenomena. Very cool.

Serendipity, baby! :)

freeepeace said...

I love it. Internet Serendipity. [patent pending, of course.]

What I find amazing is how you remember all the places you've visited along the link-path. When I have moments like that (or, hours like that) I usually lose all track of my path. BUT I do get that sense of Internet Serendipity, as so described by you.

Anonymous said...

I found you!
I like that you have to verify a word in order to leave a comment.

I am sorry you left J-land, but I will try to keep up with you here.

Kathy

Anonymous said...

I haven't done much serendipitous web-surfing. If I'm on the internet for hours, I'm usually looking for something specific. I'll have to give your method a try...

Anonymous said...

hi robbie!

wanted to stop by and bring you a hot tuna casserole...(do people really still make them?)

sorry to see you leave the old neighborhood, but totally understand where you are coming from.

I love the new title - it's so crescent fresh!

I got you bookmarked - so enjoy your new digs and stop by when you can!

xoxo
flora

www.believablebalderdash.com

Anonymous said...

can I say happy housewarming if it is the first time I am here? I wiped my feet on the rug out front and am so glad to see what you have done with the place:):):)