Sunday, August 3, 2008

Master of None

Recently, I saw that google has launched a Wikipedia-type series of articles written by self-appointed/annointed authorities on whatever. They are called "knols" which puts me in mind of a grassy hillock, not a "knowledge unit." Since I'm fond of naming things (I used to be a copywriter), I'm fussy about what things are called. A good title, for instance, can send me into a swoon. Ditto with names. Knol sounds lame to me, although no brilliant alternatives come to mind. knowgles? wislets?

I thought about writing a knol, briefly, but I'm not an expert in anything. Sure, I'm competent in a number of areas, and there are a few things I probably know more about than the average bear, but I'm more a Jill of All Trades. I could write about how to paint a room, cook an omelet, construct an essay, sew a pillow or curtains, plant a shrub, groom a bouvier de flandres, cut men's hair, keep houseplants alive, or play mah jongg. Yawn. Hey, what about leukemia? I know more about that than I'd like to, but honestly, I understand very little about the disease, which is incredibly complex. I do know that it torments people.

So, no knols from me.

1 comment:

Ronni Gordon said...

Hey PJ
Funny list of things you could write an essay about. You probably could also write one about leukemia. Unfortunately, like most of us, you've learned about things you NEVER thought you'd know about. Who knew from chimerisms, BMBs, counts and all that stuff that now we live by?
Ronni