Blogging on

Here's the deal. I've never been inclined to keep a blog, as I'm a rather private person by nature. But I'm obliged to study up on blogs for a project at work, so I figured I'd take a stab at creating one that I'd enjoy. Perhaps you, dear reader, will enjoy it as well.

Many of my friends know me as a nattering nabob of negativity. I won't argue with that -- I blame it on my proclivity for reading the news. It ain't pretty out there. However, one can't spend all one's time ranting and raving and raging, or one will grow sour. In my meanderings through the world I've come across quite a few people who are a credit to the species, and this blog will be a celebration of the many souls I've encountered (artists, musicians, eccentrics, rodeo cowboys...) who make me smile, or laugh, or gasp in awe. There will be no rants here, or political discussions, or dire diatribes. In fact, in this blog I promise to be a prattling poobah of positivity. Just you watch!

Some notes on nomenclature
I've called this blog a "cabinet of curiosities" because it will hold a jumble of cultural artifacts that can't be classified under one subject. Want to know more about the concept of a cabinet of curiosities? To Wikipedia!

I've had the pleasure of visiting a modern-day cabinet of curiosities: The Museum of Jurassic Technology in Los Angeles. (The place defies description, so I have once again left the dirty work to Wikipedia.)

As for the site name, it comes from an interview with Captain Beefheart, who once said "The artist is he who kids himself most gracefully." If you're not familiar with the Captain's music (which was spawned more than 40 years ago), I urge you to head to iTunes and purchase the song "Electricity."

Stay tuned for further curiosities in the days to come.