Tagged Once More...

Nathan Bauman is at it again. He tagged me once before, but I clawed off the tag, shook the transmitter loose, and escaped into the wild . . . as the photo to your right demonstrates.

The tag this time has been more firmly attached:

As a blogger, one never wants to be "tagged" by time-stealing "memes" or chain letters. Nonetheless, I hope that the bloggers here . . . will feel free to write about their three or four most inspiring and useful blogs.

By "bloggers here," Nathan means the bloggers whom he has just reviewed and thereby "tagged," as with my blog, for example:

First, hats off to Gypsy Scholar for his amazing blog! Dr. Hodges, who has a Ph.D. from Berkeley, is a more of a Renaissance Man than a gypsy. He writes intelligently on the issues of the day. He writes engagingly about ancient ecclesiastical historical personages and works of English literature of all periods. He writes humorously about all sorts of things. His background is in biblical studies and English literature (all periods, from Anglo-Saxon to modern), and so there's always something interesting at his site. One of the neat characteristics he has is that he often stays with the same topic for a few days. This leads to greater depth of coverage. Also, if you don't like the topic, you simply wait a few days, and there'll be a new one! But what is most inspiring for me about his blog is his commitment to lifelong learning that is particularly exemplified in his habit of analyzing and picking up new vocabulary. Dr. Hodges is still a Christian, but as a former believer, I still have no problem recommending his blog. Gypsy Scholar: intellectually sexy, solid, and chic!

So, I've been tagged. Or have I? This is more like being pegged than tagged. Yet, I wonder if Nathan has really captured me here.

As one who has been blogging for nearly a year now, I can attest that my online persona, Gypsy Scholar, has begun to take on a life of his own. He's partly the offline me, Jeffery Hodges, for he shares some of my passions and interests, but he also has a whole lot more to offer than I do. Gypsy Scholar is funnier, quicker, smarter, more analytical, and far more knowledgeable and precise than I.

For instance, whereas Jeffery Hodges did not recall that Huddie "Leadbelly" Ledbetter hadn't written "Where Did You Sleep Last Night," Gypsy Scholar did recall this and even knew the details.

I therefore suspect that Nathan Bauman has tagged Gypsy Scholar rather than me, and I can't vouch for what blogs the Gypsy reads on his own for inspiration or utilization.

Perhaps the Gypsy is like me, however, and checks several online news sources and blogs daily for opinions and analysis. If so, then he doesn't have any favorite blogs but prefers to read the ones that are not politically correct so long as they also provide facts, give details, do analysis, cite sources, and offer suggestions.

Consequently, the Gypsy would probably like this blog entry on Islam and Women.

And while the Gypsy is looking into this, allow me to slip once more away into the Ozark woods...