Time to pick a diarist

Because this diary is about my substantive experience as a diarist, it's Time to pick a diarist.  There are other diarists out there with higher user ID numbers, and, while they may be better writers, it is time to pick a...wait, not working for you?

READY TO LEAD

Sure, I've been kind of absent around here on the diary front lately, but, come on, I used to be a really popular diarist, and lots of people read my stuff.  I am ready to lead, ready to write...no?

THE ZENBOWL I KNOW

Lots of people think I'm a good guy.  Really!  You can ask them.  My wife, for one.  Also, my daughter.  Hey, and this randomly selected Zenbowl fan who is a member of Pipefitters Local... still?  Not really?  OK, I've got another one for you.

BIG CHALLENGES, REAL SOLUTIONS

Because the diary business is rough, and there are lots of challenges.  You can embed youtubes now, and also blockquotes.  And you need a diarist who will be able to face these challenges with solutions...yeah, that wasn't working for me either.  Don't worry, I've got this one:

READY FOR CHANGE, READY TO LEAD

I am ready to change, by leading.  Or, to lead, by changing.  No, wait, the first one.  Or was it...the other way around?  Wait, this one confuses me, still.  OK, how about this, it's catchy!

TURN UP THE HEAT!

What do we do when we don't like what other diarists are writing?  TURN UP THE HEAT!

And what do we do when diarists won't write about global warming?  TURN UP the...heat?

OK, OK, not to worry, I've got more.

IN TO WIN

Most people enter a race, and they don't want to win.  No seriously, that's true.  No, it's true guys.  Hmm, yeah, I guess I see your point.  Who wouldn't be in to win?

OK, I've got another one.  Mark?  Wait, hold on, I'll get back to you guys with some more stuff in a bit.  Meanwhile, don't forget, I'm the diarist with substance, and that's what you get in my diaries, because that's what I'm concerned with, substance, and that's what I know about, and other diarists make their points eloquently in diaries, while I've got substance.  Substance!  Hmm, let's see...  Mark, what about...

•  Tip Jar

  Let's have a conversation, shall we?

  by zenbowl on Fri Feb 15, 2008 at 06:34:00 AM PDT

  •  You forgot

    "The 21st Century (Diary) Solutions Business."

    Pick a diarist...heh.

    :-)

    by DemocraticOz on Fri Feb 15, 2008 at 06:42:55 AM PDT

  •  But zenbowl, are you Ready on Day One?

    by chicago minx on Fri Feb 15, 2008 at 07:29:23 AM PDT

•  I refuse to pick a diarist until YearlyKos comes

  to my city. Until then, I like all of the diarists equally and will decide on the day of the convention.

  by smartdemmg on Fri Feb 15, 2008 at 06:37:45 AM PDT

  •  Odds are

    your city doesn't count, anyway.  Just FYI.  Unless you live in NY, CA, or my home state, or Ohio or Texas, you don't really count.

    Sorry!

    by zenbowl on Fri Feb 15, 2008 at 06:41:17 AM PDT

•  This is something that requires serious

  consideration.  

  I don't think you should expect to enter this arena as "inevitable" on the basis of your alleged experience.

  by nupstateny on Fri Feb 15, 2008 at 06:38:42 AM PDT

  •  But look at my userID number!

    Clearly, I am more qualified.  I have twice your experience, for example.  Also, I was lurking at Daily Kos when other good diarists were here, so that counts.

    by zenbowl on Fri Feb 15, 2008 at 06:40:14 AM PDT

    •  Kossacks don't care about experience!

      They want change!

      by droogie6655321 on Fri Feb 15, 2008 at 06:41:40 AM PDT

      •  But you need a lower userID to bring about change

        otherwise, you're just writing about change.  But I can actually change things.

        See?  I just changed the HTML script on this comment.  That took experience.  Wait, how do I close this italics tag...

        by zenbowl on Fri Feb 15, 2008 at 06:46:14 AM PDT

        •  ah hah!!!

          don't You know

          fancy formatting is NOT offering solutions ... pretty, fancy formatting won't feed the mojo meter

          by josephk on Fri Feb 15, 2008 at 06:48:18 AM PDT

          •  zenbowl was for fancy formatting...

            ... before zenbowl was against it.

            Flapjacker!

            by droogie6655321 on Fri Feb 15, 2008 at 06:52:25 AM PDT

            •  no seriously

              someone help me turn off this  Ok, sorry, I got a little teared up there.  Couldn't see my formatting.  I'm human, what can I say?

              by zenbowl on Fri Feb 15, 2008 at 06:53:40 AM PDT

              •  Do we really want...

                ... a diarist who can't tell a block-quote from italics? I don't trust zenbowl's finger on the buttons of Daily Kos!

                by droogie6655321 on Fri Feb 15, 2008 at 06:54:57 AM PDT

              •  Zenbowl

                I can't vote for you since you refuse to release your tax returns before being named our nominee.  (BTW, read today's E.J. Dionne column).

                by pamelabrown on Fri Feb 15, 2008 at 07:22:45 AM PDT

                •  EJ inspired me this morning

                  And, it's not that I won't release my tax returns, it's that I haven't even sent in my taxes yet.  It's only February people, come on!  Oh, last years returns?  Hmm, ok, that might be a different story...

                  by zenbowl on Fri Feb 15, 2008 at 07:24:59 AM PDT

    •  I hadn't even thought about that but

      surely you should have stressed that in your presentation.

      I think your best bet now is to have Kos or someone of his calliber do some campaigning on your behalf, and remember, all's fair when the competition is stiff.

      by nupstateny on Fri Feb 15, 2008 at 07:49:12 AM PDT

•  Droogie never supported the Pie War

  In fact, Droogie wasn't a user when the Pie Wars were being fought...

  by droogie6655321 on Fri Feb 15, 2008 at 06:41:07 AM PDT

  •  While I did engage in the pie war

    I did so based on the best evidence at the time, that chicks fighting with pies was awesome.  I'm not saying that position was a mistake, but current intel from my wife suggests that I need to adjust that policy.

    by zenbowl on Fri Feb 15, 2008 at 06:42:53 AM PDT

    •  A likely story.

      You didn't only support fights with pies, but also fights with yellow cakes!

      by droogie6655321 on Fri Feb 15, 2008 at 06:43:36 AM PDT

      •  Now that is a mischaracterization of my policy

        We all know that pie is superior to cake, particularly yellow cake.

        by zenbowl on Fri Feb 15, 2008 at 06:44:29 AM PDT

        •  Sure,

          zenbowl claims to be pro-pie. But my campaign has evidence that zenbowl prefers apple crumb "pie."

          That's not a pie, my fellow Americans. That's a cobbler at best!

          by droogie6655321 on Fri Feb 15, 2008 at 06:47:12 AM PDT

          •  I am inclusive about pies

            I don't rely strictly on solid top crust pies.  Solid top crust pies won a bake-off in South Carolina, and, you know, good for them.  They are delicious, too.

            by zenbowl on Fri Feb 15, 2008 at 06:49:24 AM PDT

            •  How condescending

              South Carolina would never choose you as diarist!

              I, on the other hand, was raised on pecan pie. I'm clearly the diarist who can win the Southern Cooking states.

              by droogie6655321 on Fri Feb 15, 2008 at 06:50:35 AM PDT

              •  Well, South Carolina doesn't matter

                so I'm not too worried about that.

                Besides, what about key lime pies?  You didn't even try them.  I say key lime pies deserve a place at the dessert table.

                by zenbowl on Fri Feb 15, 2008 at 06:52:32 AM PDT

                •  Key lime pie...

                  ... changed the recipe, which was against the bake sale rules we all agreed to.

                  (Oh, man. We're mixing metaphors in a rather large mixing bowl)

                  by droogie6655321 on Fri Feb 15, 2008 at 06:53:57 AM PDT

                  •  They may have broken the rules

                    but the results were so delicious, I can't pass them up!

                    (agreed that this is getting stretched.  Also, making me hungry.)

                    by zenbowl on Fri Feb 15, 2008 at 06:55:57 AM PDT

                    •  When you make key lime pie...

                      ... do you use real key limes?

                      I got a bag of those once and made G&Ts for all my friends. It was a huge hit. So I bet the pie would be pretty damn good too.

                      by droogie6655321 on Fri Feb 15, 2008 at 06:57:06 AM PDT

                      •  Every time I have limes

                        I make G&Ts, too, which makes it difficult to make a pie.

                        I've never ventured into making a key lime pie.  Seems potentially disastrous.  I get my key lime pies from relatives in Florida, and they are freaking fantastic.

                        by zenbowl on Fri Feb 15, 2008 at 07:02:24 AM PDT

    •  are You saying that You are

      wait for it ...

      waffling on pies!?

      by josephk on Fri Feb 15, 2008 at 06:46:17 AM PDT

      •  Rec'ing that comment

        is a piece of cake.

        by global citizen on Fri Feb 15, 2008 at 06:47:42 AM PDT

      •  Flapjack, flapjack...

        ... flapjack!

        by droogie6655321 on Fri Feb 15, 2008 at 06:47:45 AM PDT

      •  Not waffling!

        More like, first I wanted the pie, and then I ate it, and then I felt too full, and now I kind of regret it, but not really.

        by zenbowl on Fri Feb 15, 2008 at 06:47:47 AM PDT

        •  Daily Kos....

          ... has been eating the pies that zenbowl wants us to eat for too long! Daily Kos needs a new baker diarist!

          by droogie6655321 on Fri Feb 15, 2008 at 06:49:07 AM PDT

  •  Then how can you

    say that you really understand the dKos ethos? You're young and inexperienced, and you have a funny name.

    Maybe if you get some rap star to make a video for you I'll consider voting for you.

    by PerfectStormer on Fri Feb 15, 2008 at 07:07:53 AM PDT

•  FrontPagers are Undemocratic

  You shouldn't be twisting FP's arms just to secure the title of Diarist ...

  by josephk on Fri Feb 15, 2008 at 06:41:16 AM PDT

  •  We can't let the frontpagers

    ... decide our diarist!

    by droogie6655321 on Fri Feb 15, 2008 at 06:42:14 AM PDT

  •  FrontPagers are sort of like.....

    Super delegates.

    by quaoar on Fri Feb 15, 2008 at 06:43:11 AM PDT

    •  Yes,

      That was the joke. ;-)

      by droogie6655321 on Fri Feb 15, 2008 at 06:43:57 AM PDT

      •  Rec'd

        because i felt that MY pointing that out would have come across as a bit pissy i think!

        by josephk on Fri Feb 15, 2008 at 06:49:51 AM PDT

        •  There's always the risk.

          by droogie6655321 on Fri Feb 15, 2008 at 06:50:55 AM PDT

•  You soooo need a Bridge to the 21st

  Slogan...

  Very funny zb!

  by Pithy Cherub on Fri Feb 15, 2008 at 06:42:04 AM PDT

•  But..but..but.. your diaries don't count.

  Only diaries by big diarists like nyceve and bonddad count.

  by blue jersey mom on Fri Feb 15, 2008 at 06:42:33 AM PDT

  •  Yeah, we tried that one out

    YOUR ASS DON'T COUNT.

    It didn't do well with the focus groups.

    by zenbowl on Fri Feb 15, 2008 at 06:43:47 AM PDT

    •  Heh

      I can see that one emblazoned on a banner, or on one of those lovely backdrops.

      by droogie6655321 on Fri Feb 15, 2008 at 06:44:24 AM PDT

•  Well theres Ann Frank, and Charlotte Perkins

  Gilman, and Mark Twain, and...

  by frankzappatista on Fri Feb 15, 2008 at 06:46:13 AM PDT

  •  Hunter S....

    ... wrote the Rum Diaries.

    by droogie6655321 on Fri Feb 15, 2008 at 06:48:16 AM PDT

  •  Annefrank was banned

    by Jon Meltzer on Fri Feb 15, 2008 at 06:48:22 AM PDT

    •  I mi$$ her already

      by dansac on Fri Feb 15, 2008 at 06:59:34 AM PDT

•  YES, WE DIARY!

  by Jon Meltzer on Fri Feb 15, 2008 at 06:49:12 AM PDT

  •  Diary up!

    Ready to snark!

    by zenbowl on Fri Feb 15, 2008 at 06:49:59 AM PDT

  •  Yes, we dairy

    Oops.

    by droogie6655321 on Fri Feb 15, 2008 at 06:51:29 AM PDT

•  Please tell me you are black,

  as am I.  My recommends should only go to black diarists because that's what is most important in my decisions according to Diarist who told me not to believe in fairy tales and that Jesse Jackson won the diary contest two decades ago.

  by Pithy Cherub on Fri Feb 15, 2008 at 06:49:13 AM PDT

  •  No, but I do consider myself articulate

    if that helps?

    Also, the ghost of LBJ helps me get stuff done.

    by zenbowl on Fri Feb 15, 2008 at 06:57:26 AM PDT

    •  But are you clean?

      The populace will love you if you're articulate and clean.

      by PerfectStormer on Fri Feb 15, 2008 at 07:11:11 AM PDT

      •  And can you dance???

        by gdwtch52 on Fri Feb 15, 2008 at 07:36:23 AM PDT

•  It's (sniff) hard being a diarist

  (sob) There's just so much diary-ing to be done and (sniff) I just don't want to see us (tear) without good diaries

  by dansac on Fri Feb 15, 2008 at 06:59:09 AM PDT

•  Are you a Zen Buddhist?

  You Buddhists are too beholden to the dictates of ... of ... observable reality.  Hmmm, maybe you ARE the diarist to endorse...

  by skralyx on Fri Feb 15, 2008 at 07:10:15 AM PDT

  •  Yeah

    for some reason, Buddha never tells people to start a war.

    We cool like that.

    by zenbowl on Fri Feb 15, 2008 at 07:23:46 AM PDT

•  I'm a non-partisan reader

  here in LA County, but I didn't fill in that little "Recommend" bubble, so I guess my pick won't count.

  by occams hatchet on Fri Feb 15, 2008 at 07:22:43 AM PDT

•  The ballot was confusing

  I think I voted for ZenDroogie.

  by Zwoof on Fri Feb 15, 2008 at 07:27:40 AM PDT

•  After this diary

  I need a diet!!  I'll vote for whichever diarist you choose for me.....even liver and onions.

  by gdwtch52 on Fri Feb 15, 2008 at 07:34:53 AM PDT

•  YES HE CAN! YES HE CAN! YES HE CAN!

  I vote zenbowl because he is ready to lead with many years of experience making change and giving us solutions!!!! Turn up the heat, zenbowl, I know you're in it to win it and I support you all the way!!!

  by Jennifer Clare on Fri Feb 15, 2008 at 09:00:45 AM PDT