What's in a Blog?

Shakespeare put these oft-quoted lines into the mouth of one of his heroines:

"What's in a name? That which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet."

So some of you may be shaking your heads and asking yourselves why I named the blog the way I did. When I assigned a title to it a few days ago, my first choice was something I felt was mildly funny but not stunningly original. I hope this is better--although whether it's funny is a matter of taste, I suppose.

Borba-WHAT? you may be wondering. Well, if you googled it, you will know that it's the plural form of borborygmus, the term for the embarrassing gurgle your innards make when they want something to eat. I still remember the astonishment I felt years later when I learned that there was actually a word for it.

So what will be IN the blog? There again, I just plunked something into the space for the description. But Goodreads is a site devoted to books, reading and reviewing. So you, the readers, might feel that this is just more of the same. After all, many of us spend a good deal of our time tracking our reading progress, swapping recommendations, writing reviews and scanning those of others.

As many of you know, I'm a relatively new author of a short story which is about to be launched into the world. Many authors use their blogs as publicity tools. While this is understandable, it's a turnoff to some readers. So I hope to keep this within acceptable limits.

So what am I going to write about? It's a question which plagues every student who has ever been asked to come up with an original piece of creative writing. Sometimes one of my biggest problems is finding a topic. So I'm willing to entertain suggestions from you, the reader, for intriguing things to discuss in this blog. That's not to say that I promise to use all of them. But if I use yours, you will get a mention as the inspirer thereof.

Wouldn't that be fun?
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Published on September 15, 2012 08:52 Tags: topic
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message 1: by Jonathan (new)

Jonathan  Terrington I hope you wrote a draft with a 2-B - or was that not to be?


message 2: by Richard (new)

Richard Jonathan wrote: "I hope you wrote a draft with a 2-B - or was that not to be?"

What was that you said? I couldn't hear you because it's so drafty in here! :)


message 3: by Jonathan (new)

Jonathan  Terrington I guess you could say it's all Greek to you...


message 4: by Richard (new)

Richard Jonathan wrote: "I guess you could say it's all Greek to you..."

Like Shakespeare, I have little Latin and less Greek.


message 5: by Jonathan (new)

Jonathan  Terrington Well to put it in my own words some men are born great, others achieve greatness and some have greatness thrust upon them.


message 6: by Richard (new)

Richard Jonathan wrote: "Well to put it in my own words some men are born great, others achieve greatness and some have greatness thrust upon them."

And there you have it, ladies and gentlemen, Jonathan's own words. As paraphrased from Twelfth Night, Act 2, Scene 5.


message 7: by Jonathan (last edited Sep 18, 2012 05:54PM) (new)

Jonathan  Terrington *Shhh* Don't tell them that, soon they'll realise that all the cliched phrases I use have been stolen from Shakespeare: http://www.goodreads.com/quotes/27248...

I actually haven't read 12th Night yet, but I intend to go through my Shakespeare when I've cleared my current book pile.


message 8: by [deleted user] (new)

Pretty sure they already know that, Jonathan.

Thanks for the borborygmus word, Richard. If I ever have a son, that's what I'm naming him. Borborygmus the Eructative, glutton and lover extraordinaire.


message 9: by Richard (last edited Sep 20, 2012 08:02PM) (new)

Richard Mike wrote: "Pretty sure they already know that, Jonathan.

Thanks for the borborygmus word, Richard. If I ever have a son, that's what I'm naming him. Borborygmus the Eructative, glutton and lover extraordinaire."


Glad I could help in a small way. :) Your future descendent sounds like a character out of a Terry Pratchett novel (that's a compliment).


message 10: by Jonathan (new)

Jonathan  Terrington Mike wrote: "Pretty sure they already know that, Jonathan.

Thanks for the borborygmus word, Richard. If I ever have a son, that's what I'm naming him. Borborygmus the Eructative, glutton and lover extraordinaire."


It was all for the sake of humour.

I decided if I ever have future descendants one of them gets to have Sherlock in their name somehow.


message 11: by John (new)

John Doherty Richard wrote: "Jonathan wrote: "I guess you could say it's all Greek to you..."

Like Shakespeare, I have little Latin and less Greek."


According to Jonson, Shakespeare had small Latin and less Greek


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Borborygmi from the Back of Beyond

Richard Van Holst
A blog for talking about books, reading, writing or reviewing. Or whatever else comes up.
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