niina among the stars

This Twitter is my latest exploit in the fantastic famemongering of the blogosphere. I held out for a long time because I thought it would seem bad to be that self-obsessed when I'm trying to be taken seriously as a writer. But this ties in to the whole ashamed-to-participate phenomenon that unwise writers carry around. I mean, sure, I'm a writerly writer, a poetical poet and some such, but the truth is that I spend a lot of time reading about famous people. Overall, I don't think this is a problem; as Rohin likes to point out during our routine $3-wine-and-Youtube nights, it's probably an asset to be well versed in the wily ways of the media. That way you don't get screwed by your own naivete when you go applying for jobs (those elusive jobs that still remain, you know, like, in New Jersey or something). But Rohin is a fiction writer, and I am but a poor poet. Media obsession (or even interest!) among poets still tends to be kind of like running into an attractive coworker upon exiting the doctor's office bathroom with your urine sample hot and guilty in your hand. You just kind of don't want to talk about it.

Nevertheless, I want to reveal now that I'm completely fascinated by the particular pathos of being famous. I watch ANTM secretly on my computer when everyone is away. I read Go Fug Yourself and laugh myself stupid at the sartorial trapeze work of our favorite complicated famous people. And I sneer at those cats who dare to suggest that we have more important things to do. Like what? Like read Shakespeare? Yes, I agree that we should read him because Shakespeare is important and edifying, but at the same time, saying that he's more important is creating a false dichotomy. The dude was more than well versed in the particulars of his London society and promptly injected all the gaffe and kook into his own work. I guess what I'm trying to say is that this is your world, too, writers -- this endless need to be watched, this Emperor's-New-Clothes-style empire of fabulous lies. And as Dispatchers from the New Media, you have a responsibility to your world. Observe it, read about it, and then pretend you know what you're talking about.

And follow me on your Twitter.