Blogger Appreciation: Hip Suburban White Guy

Tonight, I'm going to a visitation for a blogger I admired deeply, but silently. I'd bet you a Beam and Coke that he didn't care a rat's patootie what I thought, but I wish I'd taken a few minutes out of my oh-so-busy and oh-so-important life and let him know.

Can't change the past, but you can learn from it. So, this is the start of what I hope will be a not-too-occasional feature highlighting someone from my blogroll and talking about why I appreciate their work.

Hip Suburban White Guy describes himself as "a cranky, old, white guy spewing often ill-informed opinions about whatever the Hell he wants, just because he can." He is the same person who often shows up in the comments section of this and other blogs as "Xavier Onnasis", which it took me months and months to figure out is a clever version of "Save your own . . .".

If I had to choose a word to describe Hip Suburban White Guy (hereinafter HSWG), the word would be "honest". Sure, he goofs around and takes positions to an extreme to get rises out of people, but, when push comes to shove, he puts himself out there.

He has written about his daughter, his relationships, and even his finances with a directness that is both funny and personal. He tackles political topics, and justice topics, but doesn't do so in a preachy fashion whatsoever.

HSWG is not out to change the world. In one memorable post (inspired, in part, by my own involvement with politics), he wrote:

I don't ever want to be taken seriously. I don't give a rat's ass if what I say sways anyone's opinion about anything. In fact, I hope I NEVER do. Because most of the time I'm just venting and don't have any idea what I'm talking about. You'd be an idiot to take any "advice" I spew. Especially about relationships!!

Just like it says on the label, I'm just "a cranky, old, white guy spewing often ill-informed opinions about whatever the Hell he wants, just because he can. Deal with it, bitch."

If I start thinking that I'm anything more than that, kick me in the junk HARD just to get my attention, and then bitch-slap me.

That quotation is a pretty good example of what I like about XO. He's coarse, but not offensive. He's opinionated, but doesn't really care whether you agree or not. And he's funny.

I've met XO a couple times now, and, in person, he's not nearly the bad-ass his unsmiling portrait and edgy humor would lead you to believe. In fact, he's humble and friendly. But his humor remains as you would expect it - quick and edgy.

I don't know XO well as a person, but I know him pretty well as a blogger. His blog refuses to take itself seriously, but that doesn't mean there isn't something serious behind it. HSWG is unrestrained and entertaining. In a deeper sense, HSWG is about the validity of the individual. He's no more impressed with politicians than he is with someone who can make a great pizza (like at his beloved Dish). If it seems like he's trying to get a rise out of you, it's because he wants you to respond.

If you are a lover of subtlety and refinement, you might want to skip HSWG. If you enjoy a raucus good time with outrageous laughs, a full jigger of sarcasm, and the presence of someone you sense would give you the shirt off his back if you needed it, though, Hip Suburban White Guy might be your kind of blog.