I am, after all, a vegetarian, and have been since 1975, so the idea of having meat sandwiched between the introduction and the conclusion goes against my grain. But as much as I might like the idea of having air, or something else similarly light and formless, tucked away their, I have to admit that it would be under-selling myself. The (so far) 42 columns that comprise the Boidem were not planned as an overview of all the significant aspects of life on the internet, but they do give a substantial picture of many of the more significant issues that arise. What's more, a number of topics discussed in the introduction or in the review of the literature have been discussed in the columns themselves.

But the sandwich metaphor, regardless of my culinary preferences, is problematic. The distinctive, defining, part of a sandwich is what's between the two pieces of bread. But then again, if it weren't for those two pieces of bread, it wouldn't be a sandwich at all. So perhaps a different metaphor is called for.

Whenever there's a birthday cake anywhere in her vicinity Hila is sure to ask for a piece. But she doesn't really want the cake. What she wants is the icing, and after finishing that part she returns the cake, telling me what I knew well before - that she doesn't like cake. I often get the feeling that for many readers on the web this is an accurate metaphor of their web-surfing style. For them the links on a page are the candies on the top of the icing which they pick off and devour, while never even taking a bite out of the cake that's just below. And because I'm aware that this is a common reading style on the web, I'm fearful that it has also become part of my writing style.

Go to: An introduction to the extroduction, or
Go to: Web Essays - The evolution of a (personal?) medium