Links that really link

The best link I saw all week was this one, which says it all about the winter we've had in London - blogged and reblogged several times by the time I saw it, and all the more powerful for the shared, repeated "oh, YES!"

In general, though, I guess I'm not the greatest fan of blogging conceived of as mainly an exchange of links, although there are glowing exceptions, those who have made it an art form, like the exciting, revealing and highly individual ongoing compilation that is wood s lot.

It's always a thrill to be linked in that endless stream of new knowledg and pleasures, or to see a familiar blogger there. One recent link on the lot was to Parmanu, who's lately been moving some of his online essays in a new direction - a series or circle of linked pieces to be viewed in any order. It's a lovely use of the form that encourages a more thoughtful and sustained experience than the common hopping from one disparate thing to another. 

Alternatives to relentless variety were also what drew me to Five Branch Tree (discovered, alas, just very lately, and now he's gone on hiatus, but there are archives to explore). I like the way he pursues a topic or person through a whole series of posts. I'd like to do that.

The links worth loving, of course, are links between hearts and minds, sometimes momentary and sometimes ongoing. Those are the kind of links you hope to highlight in a blog carnival - art and writing on a shared theme, with contributions that speak to, spark and reinspire each other, and draw in participants for the next time. So I'm really happy about the >Language >Place blog carnival, and that Edition 4  will be hosted here towards the end of February. There's a suggested theme for this edition: "Another place, another language, another self". Ever felt you were someone else, that new bits of you came to the fore in a strange place or through the medium of a different language? I certainly have, and would love to hear about others' experiences of this. As always, contributions on the wider theme of language and place, both new and from your archives, will also be welcome. Submission details are here, and the deadline is next Sunday 20 February.