11.12.2010

McWhat?!!


On the one hand . . . 

Sometimes I think I work way too hard.  For instance, I read a newspaper story about a MN man who has a blog completely devoted to tracking which McDonald's restaurants are selling the McRib sandwich on any given day.  He used to only get around 1500 hits per day (WHAT?!) but since he was mentioned in the Wall Street Journal (WHY?!) he has been getting about 75,000 hits per day.



Yes, you read that right.
There are infinitely more people interested in the McRib sandwich than in fiber art or, in particular, my musings about it.  If it had been the Red Robin Guacamole Burger, I might have been able to understand it.  But the McRib Sandwich?! Seriously.





 

So all of my efforts to dig through my trove of old magazines searching for just the right illustration, to mine my library of quotes to find just the right tidbit of wisdom, or even to put thousands of hand stitches into silly little pictures is much more effort than one needs to expend to find an appreciative audience in today's world.


On the other hand . . . 

Mimi Kirchner said something on her blog, Doll, the other day that really made me pause.  She said:
 
"I need to think more and rely on old habits less."  

Or something like that.  She was talking about stitching and re-stitching a face on a doll that she just couldn't get right, even though she'd stitched similar faces a thousand times.

And I am OH SO GUILTY of thinking less and relying on old habits more.  It becomes particularly difficult for me the further along I get on this journey of fabric storytelling.  It's hard to see all the same old things with new eyes.  It's hard to think of new ways to do those same old things.




All that thinking 
is truly hard work.





I'm sure ruts are the plague of all artists. 
But wouldn't it be nice to be able to put on 
someone else's glasses every now and then, 
and see the world the way they see it?





For instance, once a woman who was looking at my work commented that 
there seemed to be a strong Egyptian influence in my birds . . .






REALLY?  Cool.  I've never had an Egyptian thought in my life. 


Isn't it wonderful how everyone carries their own pair of eyes and their own set of experiences with them wherever they go?  It makes the world so much more interesting.

Even the McRib might fascinate me, if I tried looking at it through a kaleidoscope.


Now I'm wracking my brain trying to come up with a concept for a new blog that could have more mass appeal . . . but I'm having a hard time coming up with anything as completely random or disgustingly processed as the McRib sandwich.  And maybe that's part of the appeal.

In fact, it's probably a brilliant blog concept, just because of its utterly banal subject matter.  Deceptively simple.  (I wouldn't begin to know how or where to gather specific and reliable McDonald's menu data on any given day.) 

Simplicity is sometimes the hardest work of all.



"Personally, I have nothing against work, 
particularly when performed quietly and 
unobtrusively by someone else."  

-- Barbara Ehrenreich





Maybe I'll head over to the McRib site 
and see what all the fuss is about.


(Happy Friday!)








  



11 comments:

Anonymous said...

Even curiousity won't see me heading to that McRib site, not for anyone! No, I'm staying here with the hours of hand-stitching, the search for quotes and pictures - love it! Have a lot of your previous posts to catch up with!

Wendy said...

Ditto what Pam said. I look forward to every post here, and have no desire to visit blogs that cater to the lowest possible denominator. Remember Einstein's theory about mediocre minds...

Moonsilk Stitches said...

I guess it all depends on the reasons you're doing this blog and the kind of readers you would like to attract. Personally, I consider your blog a work of art--just as much as one of your pictures. I don't flip in and out (although I do most often read in google reader which I guess does not click on the counter). I read every word, sometimes more than once, most often coming away with something to ponder. I think that has a lot more value, in all sorts of ways, than toting up the sugar and fat people are consuming in the form of McRib. (yuck) So my question is, what do you find of value in doing this blog?

Allie said...

McRibs? Seriously? That, to me, says more about the state of education in this country than anything else, lol....sheesh.

susan m hinckley said...

I must agree, Allie, and have no fear, Marjorie -- I don't write my blog for anything other than the love of doing it. I LOVE IT. Partly because of the wonderful people I find in blogland. Thanks for your continuing kindness and the gift of your time, friends!

Leenie said...

Yes, simplicity is the hardest work of all. How do you FIND that sweet bit of simplicity? How do you know how to make it so it looks like it's done effortlessly? How do you know when to stop fussing and LEAVE IT ALONE? AARRrrggh!

It's good there are so many different kinds of people. What if we all loved McRibs (?????) and nobody appreciated your very cool Egyptian birds. However, everybody SHOULD like your blog. I know I do!

Crazy for Art said...

I agree with Moonsilk stitches, your blog is a work of art. I love reading every post!

luanne said...

I wouldn't trade your blog for all the McRibs (and McRib wannabes) in the world! McRibs are not even blog-worthy, in my opinion. Sad to see how low the WSJ has fallen!

So please keep on keepin' on, for your fans who appreciate every well-chosen word, every apropos quotation, and every intricate stitch.

Karen S said...

What those guys up there said.

I enjoy every word and stitch and I think that mass appeal is over-rated.

fabriquefantastique said...

Just stumbled on your blog, it makes me smile, love the illustrations. (never even heard of a McRib!)

Unknown said...

the older i get the less appeal 'mass appeal' has! you always make me smile and i need a Guac fix from RR about every 3 weeks! jane m.

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