It’s possible it’s some form of a tick, but whenever I go to a new website I need to see if I can find some sort of about-page or profile. At worst it’s very basic but when they’re good? I need to read most of the things the person has written afterwards. I think it’s the small useless “facts” that does it, or certain turns of phrase.

From all of the me-centered texts I’ve written myself, this is probably my favorite (from 2004 I think):

“I live in Uppsala, Sweden. It’s a smallish European country up north. We don’t use the prefix ‘Swedish’ with meatballs — in fact, we kind of think the whole notion is a bit silly. There’s no penguins on the streets, not since they were outlawed in 1924. I have no idea how vast the penguin smuggling trade is, but if you want to try it: go ahead.”

I think it was Kevin Fanning who in an earlier edition of his Why god why about listed his favourites from other people. Think I should to the same thing here and skip the GPOYW, this has far more to say than a lousy picture. Really. Read these, then go and do your own.

• Avery Edison
• Dan Hill — also look at the recent reading and listening in the right column.
• Heather Armstrong
• Lisa Whiteman
• MFC
• Paul Ford
• Rabi
• Scott David Herman
• Todd Levin

There are more than these of course, but you’ll have to find those on your own.

Once Brian Wood listed music and things on his but no more, so he’s not on the list. John Darnielle doesn’t have on on his Last Plane to Jakarta but that’s ok, the page about the printed issues will do just fine…