Where do I begin?

The boss wanted us to start a blog for the newspaper’s Web page, and I do what I’m told (most of the time).

Apparently “The boss,” AKA Editor Terry Jacoby, is unaware of my personal feelings toward this whole “blog” thing.

I have confronted the obvious: that I’m definitely an “old-school” kind of journalist.

At the risk of sounding like a cranky old grouch, I am not as enamored of current technology as many (OK, most) of my colleagues.

The only laptop I use is the one on which I tend to spill my lunch when I’m sitting at my desk.

I still prefer to use a pen and notepad as my primary tools. At least they still work when the power goes out, like it did here twice just last week.

And until my wife gave me one for Christmas, I previously regarded cell phones as symbols of obnoxious self-importance at best; and at worst, a deadly dangerous distraction to motorists.

But these technological gadgets can be wonderful, if used with proper respect.

The Internet is a godsend to those in my profession, however; it makes researching a story and checking facts almost effortless. The downside is all the garbage you have to sift through when you type something in to Google or Yahoo.

Which brings us back to the blog.

When they first started appearing on the Web, I couldn’t think of anything more representative of our increasingly self-centered and self-absorbed culture.

Electronic versions of “Dear Diary: Today I watched my cat throw up” or some such nonsense hold absolutely no interest for me.

It’s not that I don’t care about someone else’s thoughts and opinions, but the concept of personal restraint seems to be eroding before our very eyes.

And the advent of MySpace and YouTube video carry this to a ridiculous extreme, with the added treat of watching someone’s inanity instead of simply reading it.

With that, I thank you for stopping by and letting me blow off some steam. See you next week, if the boss lets me.

-- Edward Freundl