Stones of Erasmus

I follow (and keep) many blogs, some on cooking, some on parenting, some on nothing in particular.  But the blog that I enjoy most is Stones of Erasmus.  It is kept by someone I've never met, about a city I've visited only once in my adolescence.  I am drawn to the blog by the writing. The blog author, Grieg Roselli, writes the kind of prose I strive to write, myself, using language in ways that aren't intuitive, establishing a rhythm that makes it difficult for the eye to turn away. His writing is simply mesmerizing. 

I first came across Stones a few years ago when I was teaching Edward Said's essay "States," something we'll be reading in a few weeks.  I have always been awestruck by one of the photographic images taken by Jean Mohr, which Said includes in his text. The image has haunted me for as long as I have taught this piece, so I googled a description of the image--boy in Grease t-shirt at a refugee camp.  Stones was the first site that popped up.  I am so glad I decided to google that picture, using those words, on that day. 

I'm not the only one who loves this blog.  In a typical week, Stones is accessed over a thousand times.  Given that Roselli isn't a famous writer (not yet), actor, musician, politician, heir, or serial killer with a fan club, it is pretty amazing that his blog receives so much traffic. I sometimes like to think about who else might be reading the blog at the exact moment I am.  Where does that person live? Do they know Roselli? Are they drinking coffee?  Are they as neurotic about ordering coffee as I am?  Grande non-fat mocha with 3 shots of espresso, 2 pumps of chocolate and extra foam.  Nah...couldn't be.

One of Roselli's blog projects is to write about every stop on the NYC subway system.  Some of his posts are simple observations, some take the form of stories.  But they are all magnificant.  I feel like I know NYC through these posts, and I feel closer to my friends who live in NYC, many of whom I have not seen for 15 years.  I have one friend who has started following his blog too, and she thinks she saw him one late morning on the subway.  She tried to ask if he wrote Stones of Erasmus, but he wouldn't look up from his laptop to notice her attempts at conversation.  So, Roselli, if you happen to read this post, give us a call out on your blog. And look up from your writing every once and again before the subway stops.