INTERVIEW # 43

 Hello readers reader. Today we have Interview # 43 for your delectation and a special, very special guest and one of our most prolific commenters - Anonymous.

Anonymous

The Curmudgeon: Welcome Anonymous - can I call you X? You can call me TC.

Anonymous: Thanks TC. Yes X is fine even though that prat Elon Musk denigrated it. I've been called worse ha ha.

The Curmudgeon: I'm sure that you have X, I'm sure that you have. Now X, I see from looking through nearly 20 years of posts that you have been, by far, the most prolific commenter on all of my blogs.

Anonymous: That's a fact Mac, that's a fact. Congratulations by the way on the longevity of your blog and that other one - The Wine Guy.

The Curmudgeon: Thanks X but it was really Richard of Richards Bass Bag who started the craziness and who was blogging before I started.

Anonymous: I know TC, I know. I put a lot of comments on his blog posts as well but he scrapped his entire blog 3 times so there is no continuity. It's a bit Rich (see what I did there) for him to try and claim a 20 year anniversary.

The Curmudgeon: Yes I know. I would have brought this to his attention but, you know me, I'm too polite to cause offence. I notice also X that the second most prolific commenter on my and the other blogs is Unknown. That commenter isn't known to you is it?

Anonymous: Ha- rumbled. Yes, it's me under a pseudonym.

The Curmudgeon: A pseudonym?

Anonymous: A nom- de- plume TC.

The Curmudgeon: A nom- de- plume?

Anonymous: Yes an alias: A pen name: A stage name: A sobriquet: An assumed name: A handle - you should know that TC you yourself use so many of them.

The Curmudgeon: Ha ha X - I'm just kidding with you.

Anonymous: Sheesh!

The Curmudgeon: So, X. As you hang around here so much, do you like my blogs.

Anonymous: Hell yes TC, they are the best. Look, I'll be honest, I hang around a lot of other blogs - millions of them in fact but yours are definitely the best. They are good blog for readers who enjoy irreverent humour, strong opinions and everyday observations — but of course won't appeal to everyone.

The Curmudgeon: Tell me more X, tell me more.

Anonymous: Your blogs have a distinctive personality. They aren't a conventional news site or carefully neutral commentary platforms. They are personal blogs with a satirical, often combative voice, covering life in New Zealand, religion, politics, popular culture and interactions with other bloggers.

The Curmudgeon: So true X, so true.

Anonymous: Your blogs have a recognisable voice. in which you write in a direct, grumpy, tongue-in-cheek style. You can generally tell what sort of writing you're getting with your blogs TC, not some of those other ones that are hit or miss and frankly disappointing. I like the fact that your blog archives show years of posts, including material dating back to at least 2008.

The Curmudgeon: That's nice and of course spot on X.

Anonymous: OK TC, keep you hat on.

Isn't the expression "keep your hair on" X?

Anonymous: Best not to go there TC - you should be happy with "keep your hat on"

The Curmudgeon: Oh - rude!

Anonymous: But where your blogs fall short TC is that they can be abrasive. You frequently mock people you disagree with, including other bloggers. Some readers will find this funny; others may find it mean-spirited. Your blogs are openly opinionated. Religion and politics are recurring targets, and the writing often favours satire over balanced discussion. The blogs aren't a reliable news source. You explicitly describe the blog's material as “approximated news” and say its accuracy, fairness and lack of bias are not guaranteed. The blogs are distinctive and with genuine personality. Their strongest feature is the author's voice; the biggest weakness is that the combative style can sometimes overshadow the substance...

The Curmudgeon:... Hey! Hold on hold on ... I've read that before somewhere ... that's right. You are just repeating the AI review of my blog ...

Anonymous: ... ha - rumbled. Yes, I read that review and so, OK, borrowed it. I'm a bloody commenter not a blogger. If I had the patience to write blog posts I'd, well, write blog posts on my own blog if I could be arsed to start one up.

The Curmudgeon: Yeah - they are onerous I'll Give you that and require some effort to write proper essays, not that all bloggers make such and effort Lok at Ri ... no, best not to say.

Anonymous: I know who you mean. What about that other one - Robert? I enjoyed putting scathing comments on his infrequent posts.

The Curmudgeon: Oh him. He's gone I'm afraid. It seems that Richard upset him somehow and he's taken his blog and gone home.

Anonymous: Sua natura TC, sua natura.

The Curmudgeon: Yes, ex ingenio alright.

Anonymous: Or as they said in 3G classes - a trial balance.

The Curmudgeon: Ha ha X. I like that. Hey! I have to go now to see another Italian Film Festival film Bread and Tulips.

Anonymous: It's a good one TC. Will you dress up to go to that one too?

The Curmudgeon: Nah - it's a bit 'chick-flicky' I think. You're probably thinking of Robert who's likely to want to dress up in a dress like his mates in the Catholic clergy do. See you anon.

Anonymous: Ha ha - I like what you did there. Later.