Tumblr
I’m about to fall asleep. But luckily thanks to poster Sophie I have been made aware of the fact that I have a Tumblr account about me. I have never really used Tumblr and had it down as one of these things like Flickr where younger people than myself post photos. It turns out it is a bit more complicated than that. Actually, having been on the site I’m still not sure I understand what it is. But what I can say with certainty is that it’s the biggest archive I have ever seen of photos, press cuttings and so on of me – leaving aside my mum’s one, which stretches back a bit further to take in my school swimming badges, for example. Some of the stuff on this Tumblr site is almost as arcane as that, though. There are a good number of photos/scanned articles/other bits and pieces I’d never seen before myself. There are even a few pictures I’m not sure I remember ever being taken, or could reliably trace back. There’s one that my wife took in Hong Kong in 2006 and I’m blessed if I know how it came to be there.
Anyway, for anyone that likes me, this site is basically porn. For me, it was quite odd, like the closest you get to having one of those montages of your life highlights which are played after your death, while still being technically alive (as I am). From now on if I’m struggling to blog I’m just going to refer you to Tumblr where a composite version of me is still going strong even when I’m not doing anything. The address, or whatever you call it, is below. If someone wants to explain Tumblr to me by the way, that would be excellent. Who set up my page, for instance? Who contributes to it? It seems like people link stuff on other sites like Facebook automatically to it. God, the modern world eh? You think having an opinion on Katy Perry makes you cool, but it turns out there are even more things you have to know about than that.
fuckyeahmarkwatson.tumblr.com
Posted by Hannah on May 12, 2011
@Andrew I should probably explain the ‘fuckyeah’ title.
If you’re creating a fan page the main title you would use is the ‘fuckyeah’ prefix. Basically the first page Tumblr users go to if they wanted to follow whatever comedian/musician/artist/show would be the ‘fuckyeah…’. It’s generally known that if you start the ‘fuckyeah’ it’s your responsibility to keep it updated and current because it’s the main fan blog that everyone first comes to.
So naturally when I created the Tumblr site I chose the ‘fuckyeahmarkwatson’ title because that’ll be the first page any Mark fan would go to on Tumblr.
The profanity isn’t anything personally intentional – just necessary. And in the context of Tumblr it isn’t considered obscene, rather normal in fact.
Posted by Rachael on May 11, 2011
It must be weird to find stuff like that about yourself, flattering, but weird.
Posted by Hannah on May 11, 2011
Well, this is a bit odd. I never thought you Mark would actually read/view it.
Um I, Hannah from Sydney Australia, run this little Tumblr blog with Misha as my partner in crime.
I started the Tumblr blog because there wasn’t a fuck yeah dedicated to Mark, and clearly there had ought to be one. Basically the whole reasoning behind it was:
1. I’m a fan.
2. There should be more fans.
3. I have a bit of collected images/articles/audio over the years. Why not share it with everyone?
And I obviously had to invite Misha to co-run it because she’s probably the best knowledgeable person on everything Mark. And there’d be a person in Aus and in the UK to cover international travellings/announcements/articles that either of us may not have seen.
So, yeah that’s about it. I still find it odd that there’s a Mark blog post about a site that I created.
Sorry if you found fuckyeahmarkwatson.tumblr.com a bit stalkerish/weird Mark. I was going to mention that I ran the site when I spoke to you in Sydney, but like everything Tumblr, it’s not really something you admit in public. And hearing, “I run a blog that basically records your every movement” may have warrented refusal of entry to future shows.
Posted by Patrick on May 11, 2011
I’m going to take this blog as an opportunity to plug my own tumblr, which is also a fuckyeah, but for Tim Minchin. You can find it at http://fuckyeahminchin.tumblr.com
Follow, submit, explode etc.
Posted by Tibbs on May 11, 2011
I’ve always found Tumblr to be a bit random and confusing, although the explanation of it as an online scrapbook does make a lot of sense. I guess what I find the most frustrating with it is that there’s often a lack of context for whatever’s posted, especially with the pictures. Still, that page looks like it has some neat interviews that I haven’t come across, which is always lovely, so thanks for that, maybe-not-Misha-and-Hannah!
And Lydia, I’m very sorry to hear about your grandfather.
Posted by Joelle on May 11, 2011
Tumblr is labelled a blogging website, but not many people actually make proper blog-like posts.
You can post pictures, videos, links to interesting things, quotes and text and you can also ‘reblog’ what other people have posted. By reblogging you can have that thing on your page and they get the credit.
Much like Twitter you follow people and those people will come up on your dashboard. That’s the home page. In that respect it’s similar to Twitter.
I much prefer it over Facebook now because I can join in with different fandoms. I love the idea of having groups of people who love the same shows and people as I do and being able to have conversations with them about it. I’m in Mighty Boosh, Josh Thomas, Tim Minchin and even your fandom! Although I spread myself very thinly across most comedy fandoms.
It’s considered pretty ‘hip’ and most people like to think they’re morally superior to those on Facebook. You do get genuinely nice people who are willing to support you or cheer you up when you’re down.
I may have a slight addiction. Your blog and Tumblr are the main things I missed when I was over east to be honest.
I hope you understand Tumblr soon, it’s great!
Posted by Sophie on May 11, 2011
Excuse me while I run off to hide in a corner because there are days when I forget how to read.
Posted by Miz on May 10, 2011
*coughMISHAcough*
Posted by Eilidh on May 10, 2011
Ooh look at me commenting on 2 blog entries in a row.
Tumblr is very much what you make it. It has a bit of everything on there. People post anything from photography, to fashion, to comedy, to stuff on tv and films. You can probably find a fuckyeah… about almost anything. I will warn anyone thinking of making an account, it is VERY addictive, I log on and scroll through hundreds of posts everyday and I’m pretty sure it’s the reason I’m going to fail my exams. There is supposed to be an element of secrecy about it though. eg. “rule #1 of tumblr: don’t talk about tumblr”.
The blog dedicated to Mark is definitely one of my favourites, well done ladies!
Posted by Misha on May 10, 2011
Anyone genuinely (and for whatever reason) wanting shirtless pictures of Mark could do worse than look on the forum. There’s a few of Kirsty’s from an old show featureing shirtless Sammy J.
Frankly I just got the urge to give them both a hot meal.
Posted by Josie on May 10, 2011
I have a Tumblr and I can honestly say that it went from being a curiousity to an addiction. I genuinely can’t not log on to it – it’s as big a part of my life as Facebook. The second you figure it out, you’re hooked, so I’d steer clear if I was you… just for your own sanity!
Posted by Alex on May 10, 2011
I’m not even sure how you’re meant to pronounce Tumblr.
Posted by Lydia on May 10, 2011
Also Tom, I really like your Tumblr. The Doctor Who stuff is awesome.
Posted by Lydia on May 10, 2011
I go on it sometimes to look at people’s photography. Most of the pictures I have seen on there are very photoshopped but very pretty. I think overall it’s just another kind of blog. It always strikes me as a sort of online scrap book, because you can write or stick any kind of crap in there you feel like. I just realised someone else already wrote this, but I’m leaving it here because I thought it was a good explanation when I thought I had originally thought of it, rather than seeing it out the corner of my eye as I most likely actually did. I am sure my coherence has been missed during my disappearance. I was watching my granddad die. I am interested in how it is that everything goes all awful all at once. There is never one thing at a time.
Were you aware that there is demand for shirtless pictures of you?
http://s3.amazonaws.com/data.tumblr.com/tumblr_lkzmmvMHzT1qgfvqpo1_1280.png?AWSAccessKeyId=AKIAJ6IHWSU3BX3X7X3Q&Expires=1305137356&Signature=PeDZ0PpYEbeo2BQk%2Bms%2BgifU3Lk%3D
Posted by Tom Beasley on May 10, 2011
Sophie explains Tumblr very well in that it is essentially an online scrapbook!
If anyone’s interested, http://tombeasley.tumblr.com/
Posted by Sophie on May 10, 2011
I suppose I ought to explain Tumblr. It labels itself as a microblogging site. Which really sounds confusing already. But, it is like a scrapbook online. That is the best way I can describe it. You can post pictures, text, video, audio, embed things from Youtube and import from flickr. It is also a social networking site in the sense that you can contact other people via “ask box”. So it has a bit of everything.
I’m really not sure who runs the fyeahmark tumblr. It will be my mission tonight to find out.
Posted by Misha on May 10, 2011
I know who runs it.
And who co runs it.
And it definitely maybe might not be me.
And it’s definitely not aussie Hannah.
And even if it were it definitely wouldn’t be more her than me because of my awful internet connection.
Definitely not.
Posted by Ingrid on May 10, 2011
Wow. Thats fairly impressive. Who would have known all your stuff was sitting there in the same place? This would have saved me a lot of time spent surfing youtube!
Posted by Lora on May 10, 2011
Actually that’s one thing I don’t get about Tumblr, as to why fan pages tend to have that prefix?
Posted by MusicalLottie on May 10, 2011
Andrew, I am with you on that. So many Tumblr addresses are similar and it does annoy me.
Posted by Lora on May 10, 2011
I follow the fuckyeah page, I’m not sure who runs it though…
I think the best way of describing Tumblr would probably be that its a combination of aspects of twitter and Facebook. Essentially you can post pictures, videos, audio, quotes etc and anyone can reblog (instead of retweet) or like these posts. It’s also got tracked tags which I suppose are a bit like hashtags on the ole Twitter.
To be fair after typing that out, I’m not sure that’s a whole lot clearer, which is worrying considering if you click on my name it will take you to my Tumblr page…
I think its also quite similar to Twitter in the way that, the more you use it the more it makes sense.
Posted by alot of rachels on May 10, 2011
I’m unsure about what tumblr is, so here’s hoping lots of people explain so we can all understand
Posted by Andrew on May 10, 2011
Instantly losing myself any credibility I might have gained, I’ll admit my disappointment at the site name. I know I’m out of step with much of the world on this one, but there’s a time and a place for profanity (it’s used wonderfully in The Sopranos, for example) and when I chance across it being used in desultory, needless ways online I find it somewhat wearying.
But, like I say, I know even writing this will make me seem like a Daily Mail reader in some quarters, so no need for anyone here to hector me about joining the 21st century.
Posted by MusicalLottie on May 10, 2011
I have no idea what Tumblr is. The only time I visit it is if I click on a link elsewhere to something that interests me, and I’m equally baffled each time.
I’ll be interested to find out what it is. Most sites I can work out, but understanding of this one continues to elude me!