Blood’s article talked about how the first blogs could only be made by people who knew how to make a website. However, now posting a blog is a lot easier, and essentially anyone can do it. This is important because it gives people a venue other than the personal diary to explore and be presented with their own thoughts. Although only a handful of people may read the blog, the fact that many bloggers address cyberspace, or even the world at large, instills in the writer the sense that their writing is a larger action in the grand scheme of things- a greater social comment on the world around them. In this way blogs create a way for people to become increasingly self-expressive and observant of the world around them.
Garfield’s article really got me thinking about the reasons why people blog, especially the line, “they are people who write some of the most engaging, trivial, thoughtful, rambling, reactionary, self-obsessed and shamelessly disturbing material of the present day.” It made me think about the pros and cons of blogging. On the one hand, blogging gives people an opportunity to explore their thoughts as they appear typed out before their eyes. Blogging also causes people to become more aware of the world around them. However, if blogging is the only way that people can express their feelings, then I think there is a true problem. This problem goes hand in hand with my issues with Second Life. If the only way that people can express themselves is in front of a computer screen, then they are distancing themselves from an essential part of the human experience- true interpersonal communication and interaction.
Something that I was thinking about with regard to Trott’s article is the notion of people using a blog to update family and friends about their lives instead of e-mail. However, I believe there is an inherent difference between these two mediums. With e-mail, there is absolute intent: one chooses exactly who they want to send an e-mail to, and directs it toward this person. The person may also craft the message toward their specific and individual reader. However, with a blog, one is very much posting for the world at large- a seemingly anonymous audience. It is up to the reader to go out and find this blog and read it. On the other hand, when one sends an e-mail, they are making a point to their reader that they want this individual, specifically, to read what they have to say. Though some would say that e-mail is much less personal than a phone call or an actual conversation, it is far more personal than a blog that is meant for anyone to read (or not read).
Although I’m not a huge fan of technology that tends to distance people from true interaction with one another, I believe that Blanchard makes a good point with regard to why virtual communities are important. The author establishes that through the internet, one is able to connect with people outside of the area in which they live, people from around the globe. These are people that one would most likely never have the opportunity to interact and connect with except for with the aid of the internet. Additionally, I believe that virtual communities are an asset to interpersonal communication if and only when it is not the sole means of interaction that a person utilizes. That is to say that participation in a virtual community is not a crutch or a substitute for interaction that occurs in the real world.
I wasn’t really sure why we were supposed to read Wei’s article; I didn’t find much in the article to be very surprising. That is to say that with regard to there being various procedures and expectations that go along with participating in a webring, I wasn’t surprised. Just as participating in a club or a group also means adhering to specific codes of conduct, I feel that webring procedures are merely and extension of these codes, but in a digital form.
The blog I just couldn’t stop reading was waiterrant.net, because so many of the things on that blog ring true for me. Having waitressed for almost 3 years, so many of the things on this blog resonated greatly with my daily experiences. I’m pretty much obsessed with this blog- it reminds me of the server blog that I put on my personal hypertext about being a waitress at California Pizza Kitchen Valley Fair. Though non-servers would find blogs like this amusing, I think that they are more enjoyable for those who actually live the same kind of life as the blogger. I loved what the blogger said about what happens when a restaurant starts of the day on the wrong foot:
"Nothing’s worse than starting a restaurant day behind schedule. You never get caught up with your work and everyone runs around in a panicked shitty mood that exacerbates the problem. It’s a vicious cycle that only ends when your first post shift drink crosses your lips. Since I’m working a double I’ve got twelve fun filled hours to go.”
Also, the discussion of why waiters tend to be smokers was also amusing- because it is SO true! Similarly, the parts about waiters and partying is also very true. It’s how waiters are able to deal with the public for so long- self-medication! Haha. The owner’s attitude reminded me a lot of an experience that I had with one of my own managers on shift last night.
The blog I really think other people should read is postsecret. I’ve seen this site before, and it is really fascinating. The combination of text and images on this site convey people’s deepest, darkest secrets, as well as secrets which are simply humorous. This is a fun site to check out if you are bored and aren’t really doing anything. I feel like there are a lot of things on that site that people can identify with.
If I were to maintain a weblog, I’d like to make it like chronicles of a paramedic/probie firefighter. The writer is really personable and straightforward. The layout is well done, and the color scheme makes the text easy to read. The writer has a good balance of both personal insights and insights into the job they have. However, it is not so laden with occupational lingo that it is impossible for an outsider to read. It reminded me that people with really important jobs are still just people in the end.
As I searched for blogs, I stumbled across a few that I really liked.
http://www.dancetoyou.com/blog/
http://www.bullz-eye.com/television_reviews/blogs/24.htm
Here are some of my thoughts on the posts of my classmates:
I really liked what Josh was talking about with regard to blogging being therapeutic. Psychologists have been saying for years that journaling is extremely helpful to people when they are trying to figure out a solution to a problem or they are going through a hard time. I think that blogging is the 21st century’s answer…a way that people can work the issues in their life out, vent their frustrations, and come to grips with their emotions…but it fits into the pace of life of people in our day and age. It’s as simple as typing out your thoughts from the confines of your cubicle, or blogging in the library while you simultaneously do research for a paper. Due to the fact that people spend so much of their time behind a computer, it seems appropriate that people have found a means of making this fact work to their advantage with regard to their own mental health.
Stuart’s response to the postsecret website got me thinking about the notion of anonymity. I think that the issues I have with newer technology have to do with this very issue. I feel that in the case of postsecret, anonymity provides a means for people who are battling their own demons to speak out about what they are feeling. Anonymity provides a means of coping, to confront the things in their life which are troubling them. However, the problem with anonymity and things such as Second Life are that people use it to hide; they use it as a shield to ward off criticism of the people that they truly are. We live in a complex and multifaceted world, often beautiful, and I think that people sell themselves short when they live in this anonymous world; a world where no one really has to stand up for who they are or what they believe in. I think that is really weak.
I agreed with Andrea with regard to some blogs being posted more for the people that write them than for other people. I too had seen the title of a blog that caught my eye because it looked like it was going to be a woman ranting about her boyfriend. Much to my dismay, it was not. One issue that I have with misleading blogs is that if people are simply writing for themselves, then why not classify the blog as private and inaccessible to the public? I don’t understand why people would make their thoughts public if they are important to only themselves.
Monday, May 7, 2007
entry 3
so, i started browsing blogs on blogger. com. the first thing that drew my attention was the "blogs of note" section--so i started there. first, i checked out the blog called FemaleScienceProfessor. I noticed, in one of her posts, that she focused on her kids--it seems like this is a new kind of technology not just for computer lovers and "geeks"--parents and teachers get in on it, too. it's kind of weird thinking about how my mom could enjoy having a blog.
the next blog that i looked at was called fashionist, who actually thanked blogger for higlighting his blog in the "blogs of note" section, and then gave a little background to his blog. basically, he goes around sf taking pictures of people he thinks look fashionable. the great thing about stumbling onto his blog today, is that he basically laid out what it is he does for me right at the beginning. he also answered some questions that had come up in the comments.
finally, i looked at the viva las aguas blog, which is about two girls travelling, taking spanish classes, and surfing. they talked about how travelling has actually become comfortable for them, and included a chart of happiness vs. decisions! i liked the chart--it was a humorous addition.
the next blog that i looked at was called fashionist, who actually thanked blogger for higlighting his blog in the "blogs of note" section, and then gave a little background to his blog. basically, he goes around sf taking pictures of people he thinks look fashionable. the great thing about stumbling onto his blog today, is that he basically laid out what it is he does for me right at the beginning. he also answered some questions that had come up in the comments.
finally, i looked at the viva las aguas blog, which is about two girls travelling, taking spanish classes, and surfing. they talked about how travelling has actually become comfortable for them, and included a chart of happiness vs. decisions! i liked the chart--it was a humorous addition.
Blog Articles Cont.
(Lauren Clyne Post 3 of 3)
Blogs as Virtual Communities
This article explores the sociology of the virtual world, and sees where and how communities are created in cyberspace. Using a specific blog (Julie/Julia Project) this article explores concepts of community and how they can exist in a global venue like the internet. I think that its really fascinating that the internet can create a community that mirrors the characteristics of a community created in the real world. These cyber communities can thus be just as influential and meaningful to their members. I guess if I’m stranded on a desert island I’ll hope for the internet to join me so I at least can have some sense of belonging, but then again if I had the internet I’m sure I could find my way back to civilization.
Formation of Norms in a Blog Community
Using the Knitting Bloggers NetRing as its model this article explores the ideas of blogging norms. Within this particular online community there is a set of norms that all bloggers must abide by. Within the framework of this network a community has been created that seeks out and provides information in accordance with a certain code of conduct. I know in a lot of other virtual communities a hierarchy is essentially created because of norms and how well users abide by them-this distinguishes moderators from users from “newbies.”
Blogs as Virtual Communities
This article explores the sociology of the virtual world, and sees where and how communities are created in cyberspace. Using a specific blog (Julie/Julia Project) this article explores concepts of community and how they can exist in a global venue like the internet. I think that its really fascinating that the internet can create a community that mirrors the characteristics of a community created in the real world. These cyber communities can thus be just as influential and meaningful to their members. I guess if I’m stranded on a desert island I’ll hope for the internet to join me so I at least can have some sense of belonging, but then again if I had the internet I’m sure I could find my way back to civilization.
Formation of Norms in a Blog Community
Using the Knitting Bloggers NetRing as its model this article explores the ideas of blogging norms. Within this particular online community there is a set of norms that all bloggers must abide by. Within the framework of this network a community has been created that seeks out and provides information in accordance with a certain code of conduct. I know in a lot of other virtual communities a hierarchy is essentially created because of norms and how well users abide by them-this distinguishes moderators from users from “newbies.”
Ben's Third Post
For me, only two of the blogs listed on the course website felt like communities: Post Secret and Overheard in New York. While I enjoyed looking over the more personal blogs, I was much more interested in the “community” ones. I feel that community blogs are on average more entertaining and have so much more to offer, if only because so many people are able to contribute to it.
Greek Tragedy was the first blog I went to, and I was sort of taken aback by how personal she was in her entries. She was talking about her friends that had just left, and how she felt without them. After reading more entries, I found that the mood was not always as somber as it was in the first post I read, but it still surprised me that someone could be as open as she was with their self and others. One aspect of the blog that I liked was the many pictures that it contained. Pictures, I found, add so much to a blog: they bring the blog above the impersonal/dull text-only web page.
All of the other “personal” blogs listed on the course website (My Boyfriend is a Twat, Dooce, Piehole, and Bellow) seemed to be very similar in content and style to Greek Tragedy: they were all personal, outlandish as times, and creatively decorated. To be honest, I was really not interested in what was being said on any of the sites, and quickly moved on.
A Google search for “political blogs” brought me a list of Forbes’ best political blogs (from 2004). From there, I went to Forbes’ best photo blogs, where I found Catherine Jamieson’s blog, one I feel everyone should visit regularly. Jamieson was diagnosed with AIDS in 1995, and has been taking amazing pictures of things that most people don’t notice. One of my favorite pictures of hers is one of an apple orchard in Nova Scotia.
At first, I think was caught my eye was the awesome picture Forbes list, but after reading Forbes' description of the blog, which mentions Jamieson’s story, I looked at the blog in a totally new way. We can learn so much from people with untreatable illnesses; I feel like often times such people have such a great outlook on life, an outlook that is really what we should all have. Jamieson began to notice the beauty in small things and was lucky enough to have the will to capture the beauty she saw and share it with others.
I know I will bookmark her blog, and look at it as often as I can. And I think you should, too.
Greek Tragedy was the first blog I went to, and I was sort of taken aback by how personal she was in her entries. She was talking about her friends that had just left, and how she felt without them. After reading more entries, I found that the mood was not always as somber as it was in the first post I read, but it still surprised me that someone could be as open as she was with their self and others. One aspect of the blog that I liked was the many pictures that it contained. Pictures, I found, add so much to a blog: they bring the blog above the impersonal/dull text-only web page.
All of the other “personal” blogs listed on the course website (My Boyfriend is a Twat, Dooce, Piehole, and Bellow) seemed to be very similar in content and style to Greek Tragedy: they were all personal, outlandish as times, and creatively decorated. To be honest, I was really not interested in what was being said on any of the sites, and quickly moved on.
A Google search for “political blogs” brought me a list of Forbes’ best political blogs (from 2004). From there, I went to Forbes’ best photo blogs, where I found Catherine Jamieson’s blog, one I feel everyone should visit regularly. Jamieson was diagnosed with AIDS in 1995, and has been taking amazing pictures of things that most people don’t notice. One of my favorite pictures of hers is one of an apple orchard in Nova Scotia.
At first, I think was caught my eye was the awesome picture Forbes list, but after reading Forbes' description of the blog, which mentions Jamieson’s story, I looked at the blog in a totally new way. We can learn so much from people with untreatable illnesses; I feel like often times such people have such a great outlook on life, an outlook that is really what we should all have. Jamieson began to notice the beauty in small things and was lucky enough to have the will to capture the beauty she saw and share it with others.
I know I will bookmark her blog, and look at it as often as I can. And I think you should, too.
Acquired Taste
I think it's valid to say that it takes a certain personality type to maintain a blog. Tony Pierce's guidelines for new bloggers are somewhat demanding. After reading Claire's post, I began to think about how I would perform as a blogger myself. She said that she thought she'd be bad at maintaining her own blog. I would probably be pretty terrible myself. Trying to find the time to blog on this site is work enough. I also don't think I would find my own life interesting enough to disclose facts about my daily activities, expecting that others would want to read about them.
Blog 3
The past few days I have decided to search the web for blogs that I found interesting. I saw that my brother had a forum on his website, crappydance.com. Crappydance is the name of his production company, the blog is where he and all of his friends talk about movies that either they or someone they know is making.
After seeing this i realized that blogging was not only a place for people to talk about themselves but to also talk about what they are doinga nd things that t5heir friends might find interesting. It is a way for people to keep in contact and amd up to date about what to do and what the other person is doing.
Before this I thought that the weblogs where not so much of a communication with friends but just a way to let things off your chest without anyone knowing who you are. But i realized that it is a way for freinds and colegues to talk with eachother and stay up to date. I tihnk trhat this is a much more useful way of blogging then just hiding your identity and sayig anything you want.
After seeing this i realized that blogging was not only a place for people to talk about themselves but to also talk about what they are doinga nd things that t5heir friends might find interesting. It is a way for people to keep in contact and amd up to date about what to do and what the other person is doing.
Before this I thought that the weblogs where not so much of a communication with friends but just a way to let things off your chest without anyone knowing who you are. But i realized that it is a way for freinds and colegues to talk with eachother and stay up to date. I tihnk trhat this is a much more useful way of blogging then just hiding your identity and sayig anything you want.
Blog #3 #4
First off--apologies for posting 2 on the same day.
Like Stuart, I already read a few blogs that are very interesting to me and their other readers, but maybe would not be as interesting to you all. So instead of searching, I’ll list some of them.
Informed Comment is written by Prof. Juan Cole who teaches Middle Eastern history at Michigan. It is one of the best places in this country to get daily Iraq and US Middle East foreign policy related news.
Brick Burner is a political blog with great links to videos and outside news articles. Socialism anyone?
Dead Air Space is Radiohead’s blog. Who? Oh, the greatest band in the history of the universe?
Music is Art is one of my best kept secrets, but I like you guys so, here is where I pretty much get all of my free indie rock MP3s.
Pharyngula is hosted on scienceblogs.com so it all sciency and evolutiony and political and stuff. BEWARE.
The 15 minute Hipster is a great place to keep up with the Bay Area music scene and beyond.
Like Stuart, I already read a few blogs that are very interesting to me and their other readers, but maybe would not be as interesting to you all. So instead of searching, I’ll list some of them.
Informed Comment is written by Prof. Juan Cole who teaches Middle Eastern history at Michigan. It is one of the best places in this country to get daily Iraq and US Middle East foreign policy related news.
Brick Burner is a political blog with great links to videos and outside news articles. Socialism anyone?
Dead Air Space is Radiohead’s blog. Who? Oh, the greatest band in the history of the universe?
Music is Art is one of my best kept secrets, but I like you guys so, here is where I pretty much get all of my free indie rock MP3s.
Pharyngula is hosted on scienceblogs.com so it all sciency and evolutiony and political and stuff. BEWARE.
The 15 minute Hipster is a great place to keep up with the Bay Area music scene and beyond.
Blog #3
As I look through the class posts it seemed that most people have never really been a part of the blog community to now. Also and never realized how large the community was or how much it added to a persons sense of identity.
Before this class started there where two blogs I would sometimes read. One was the message board Allie talked about on water polo planet. I just found it interesting to know what is going on in world of water polo beyond what we do in the pool most days.
Also early this year Mount Madonna School, the school I went to from Kindergarten to 8th grade, senior class went on a trip to India to meet the Dali Lama. The trip was a part of the Dali Lama's new book and school curriculum that they are trying to create. It is called Project Happiness and it involved 3 schools, one from California, one from northern Indian but was made up of Tibetan kids, and one from Nigeria. The senior classes from the three schools were to read the Dali Lama's new book Ethics for the New Millennium. As part of the project they were also asked what is the bases of true human happiness. Any ways the blog started in November and followed the kids through the process of planning for the trip to the April when they returned and started the process of figuring out what they learned along the way.
The blog includes writing from all the kids, about the entire trip, from being in a new country, to playing with kids in the orphanage (which is related to school), to meeting the kids from the other schools, and finally there meeting with the Dali Lama. There is also a documentary about there trip coming out.
While I found this blog very interesting not only because of the adventures the kids had but also because I new many of them.
Before this class started there where two blogs I would sometimes read. One was the message board Allie talked about on water polo planet. I just found it interesting to know what is going on in world of water polo beyond what we do in the pool most days.
Also early this year Mount Madonna School, the school I went to from Kindergarten to 8th grade, senior class went on a trip to India to meet the Dali Lama. The trip was a part of the Dali Lama's new book and school curriculum that they are trying to create. It is called Project Happiness and it involved 3 schools, one from California, one from northern Indian but was made up of Tibetan kids, and one from Nigeria. The senior classes from the three schools were to read the Dali Lama's new book Ethics for the New Millennium. As part of the project they were also asked what is the bases of true human happiness. Any ways the blog started in November and followed the kids through the process of planning for the trip to the April when they returned and started the process of figuring out what they learned along the way.
The blog includes writing from all the kids, about the entire trip, from being in a new country, to playing with kids in the orphanage (which is related to school), to meeting the kids from the other schools, and finally there meeting with the Dali Lama. There is also a documentary about there trip coming out.
While I found this blog very interesting not only because of the adventures the kids had but also because I new many of them.
Blog #3
In response to Allie and Emily's talk about the water polo sites, I agree with Emily. I agree with her that some people use the internet as a way to express feelings that they wouldn't be inclined to say in person. I believe that the internet does provide a way to put up walls and not have to put your whole self out there.
I went back to postsecret so I could see the new postcards that were put on on sunday. The one that really stuck out to me said, "Postsecret doesn't help me anymore. I want to die more than ever." This was really shocking and intense, and made me feel scared for the person that sent it in. Post Secret is a way to vent some frustration, but its not necessarily going to take away the pain. This is one of those postcards that makes you understand why there is a link to www.hopeline.com.
After having to do this assignment, I found that I don't mind blogs. I used to think less of them saying that people have nothing better to do than to just sit at their computer and write about their day. In reading blogs, and responses to blogs, it's easy to see that it's not only for the author, but also the readers.
I went back to postsecret so I could see the new postcards that were put on on sunday. The one that really stuck out to me said, "Postsecret doesn't help me anymore. I want to die more than ever." This was really shocking and intense, and made me feel scared for the person that sent it in. Post Secret is a way to vent some frustration, but its not necessarily going to take away the pain. This is one of those postcards that makes you understand why there is a link to www.hopeline.com.
After having to do this assignment, I found that I don't mind blogs. I used to think less of them saying that people have nothing better to do than to just sit at their computer and write about their day. In reading blogs, and responses to blogs, it's easy to see that it's not only for the author, but also the readers.
Blog #3
My boyfriend is a twat-
I didn’t enjoy this site nearly as much as the Greek tragedy one. I had to read several of the blogs to even get a sense/background of what I was reading about. How funny that even the blogger, Zoe, mentioned that one of her blogs was a ‘really, really, crap post.” I kind of agreed because I had no idea what she was really talking about. I thought the “Wine vs. Water” argument was somewhat amusing, although I’m not a huge wine fan (I must say I thought of all the wine/drinking stories that Professor Bousquet had in class, ha!). This one entry about water and wine said that water essentially makes you poo, a lot. This entry had 81 responses on the website which were just as humorous, one especially made me chuckle: “But... but... what if you like poo?” I think I’ll still be drinking plenty of water, so you can only imagine. Alright, I’m starting to sound like the people that blogged on the website, so I better stop.
Alright, since this was my last blog I must say I kind of enjoyed reading what everybody had to say and looking at some (not all) of the blogs that were on the syllabus. I have continued to look at the ones I enjoyed initially and will probably continue to look at them when i'm bored. We'll see. Lastly, I thought Emily's comment was interesting in looking at how improvement of technology has led to people expressing their feelings in blogs or other type of interactive journals when it used to be writing in the form of a journal or diary. However, I still keep a hand-written diary that I update regulary and enjoy much better than blogging.
I didn’t enjoy this site nearly as much as the Greek tragedy one. I had to read several of the blogs to even get a sense/background of what I was reading about. How funny that even the blogger, Zoe, mentioned that one of her blogs was a ‘really, really, crap post.” I kind of agreed because I had no idea what she was really talking about. I thought the “Wine vs. Water” argument was somewhat amusing, although I’m not a huge wine fan (I must say I thought of all the wine/drinking stories that Professor Bousquet had in class, ha!). This one entry about water and wine said that water essentially makes you poo, a lot. This entry had 81 responses on the website which were just as humorous, one especially made me chuckle: “But... but... what if you like poo?” I think I’ll still be drinking plenty of water, so you can only imagine. Alright, I’m starting to sound like the people that blogged on the website, so I better stop.
Alright, since this was my last blog I must say I kind of enjoyed reading what everybody had to say and looking at some (not all) of the blogs that were on the syllabus. I have continued to look at the ones I enjoyed initially and will probably continue to look at them when i'm bored. We'll see. Lastly, I thought Emily's comment was interesting in looking at how improvement of technology has led to people expressing their feelings in blogs or other type of interactive journals when it used to be writing in the form of a journal or diary. However, I still keep a hand-written diary that I update regulary and enjoy much better than blogging.
I'll admit it, I've been subscribing to a couple blogs for a while now. They're boring econ/politics blogs, but I think they're interesting. They are : The Marginal Revolution, a very popular economist blog by Tyler Cowen and Alex Tabarrok, Environmental Econ, by Tim Haab and John Whitehead, and the blog by Greg Mankiw, a Harvard professor and ex-Bush econ aide. I can't imagine many finding these interesting, except maybe Marginal Revolution. But I've just added footytube to my list. It's a soccer video blog so it again my not be something anyone is interested in.
Shameless plug-
check out my own blog.
Shameless plug-
check out my own blog.
Michael's 2nd Post/Political Dissidence in China
If I were to maintain a weblog, I’d like to make it like topleftpixel. I’ve looked at some other photoblogs before and I thought the idea of posting only one fairly large picture a day was original in some ways. Nori blogged awhile ago about how the minimal description and commentary accompanying each photo leave many things up to the viewer’s imagination, and I agree with her. I think photos and art tend to do that anyway, but this site seems to have something extra. Another photoblog I read does have a picture-a-day, but with a fairly decent amount of writing accompanying it. I would probably do something more like that, not necessarily writing about the photo but more about the politics and culture that produce the photos and everything else in my life.
I probably could have stopped reading the blog Bellow, but I wanted to read all of the posts on her page after starting the first. As far as writing it is the best of the personal blogs that we were looking through. And as far as extending beyond whatever personal feeling/thoughts individual bloggers have to more universal feelings, it is also the best. Her posts about her father’s cancer are original and beautiful. They reminded me of why we do not question the fact that cancer rates our going through the roof; that cancer is a disease of civilization and corporate chemicals; why we don’t fight back. But those are just my thoughts, not Bellow’s.
Everyone should read this: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/arianna-huffington/time-100s-zeng-_b_47793.html
It’s about a 22 year old Chinese political dissident blogger and has a couple great sentences on the intimacy of blogs and blogging in China. It relates perfectly to this week’s readings. I would warn against reading anything else on HuffingtonPost, except for maybe outside news links, as it is mostly delusional. Like the article about Sarkozy put up today. It's wrong. And way to go France! Good job electing your first neocon for the sake of economic security. I guess you saw how well that is working out for us here in the States?
I probably could have stopped reading the blog Bellow, but I wanted to read all of the posts on her page after starting the first. As far as writing it is the best of the personal blogs that we were looking through. And as far as extending beyond whatever personal feeling/thoughts individual bloggers have to more universal feelings, it is also the best. Her posts about her father’s cancer are original and beautiful. They reminded me of why we do not question the fact that cancer rates our going through the roof; that cancer is a disease of civilization and corporate chemicals; why we don’t fight back. But those are just my thoughts, not Bellow’s.
Everyone should read this: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/arianna-huffington/time-100s-zeng-_b_47793.html
It’s about a 22 year old Chinese political dissident blogger and has a couple great sentences on the intimacy of blogs and blogging in China. It relates perfectly to this week’s readings. I would warn against reading anything else on HuffingtonPost, except for maybe outside news links, as it is mostly delusional. Like the article about Sarkozy put up today. It's wrong. And way to go France! Good job electing your first neocon for the sake of economic security. I guess you saw how well that is working out for us here in the States?
To blog or not to blog?
I myself am not very familiar with the blog community. I have never joined or posted on a blog (except this one), at least within the definitions of this class or the introductory articles provided. However, after reading some of the blogs provided as well as some found on my own, I am beginning to realize that there is a whole part of society/culture that I have been missing out on. I am starting to see these personal web logs as a means to venture out beyond the borders of my own ordinary life and examine worlds that were to this point unknown to me. As described in the Blanchard article Blogs As Virtual Communities “This would not necessarily create a global village, but it would expand a person’s village around the globe (Hampton & Wellman, 2001).” In this sense blogs serve as a powerful tool, allowing for people to access communities a world away. It then becomes a question of whether or not these online, interconnected web diaries can constitute a community in the first place. As I read more and more blogs, I came to realize that the sense of membership and integration that one can establish via blogs does constitute the grounds for a community. If anything they represent very specific communities in that you are able to find people with similar interests, problems, emotions, etc. Finding a place in which your own personal identity can take foot amongst other similar characters to me represents the basis for a communal group. Blogs allow for this interaction as you are able to read about as well as respond to people who you may consider interesting/intriguing.
Despite, my “coming around” to the blogging community, I still have my own criticisms of the environment they create. I still get a sense that they represent glorified people-watching, as instead of just being able to watch the actions of a random stranger in a community, you are able to see what they are thinking as the act. This brings to mind an almost fetish like sense of existence as one may find pleasure in this intellectual voyeurism. At least to me the only protection that is offered in this case is the anonymity that a blog can maintain. You may be able to read every word that someone chooses to write on these things, but you will still only be able to know a person as well as they want you to know them. And perhaps it is this idea that can expose a weakness in the idea of a blog group as a community, as the members can only take in what is presented to them by others, they can never really dig much deeper than that. So overall, I guess I still maintain a somewhat ambiguous stance on blogs as at least to me they represent both a powerful method of communication as well as a potentially fickle means to relate to others.
Despite, my “coming around” to the blogging community, I still have my own criticisms of the environment they create. I still get a sense that they represent glorified people-watching, as instead of just being able to watch the actions of a random stranger in a community, you are able to see what they are thinking as the act. This brings to mind an almost fetish like sense of existence as one may find pleasure in this intellectual voyeurism. At least to me the only protection that is offered in this case is the anonymity that a blog can maintain. You may be able to read every word that someone chooses to write on these things, but you will still only be able to know a person as well as they want you to know them. And perhaps it is this idea that can expose a weakness in the idea of a blog group as a community, as the members can only take in what is presented to them by others, they can never really dig much deeper than that. So overall, I guess I still maintain a somewhat ambiguous stance on blogs as at least to me they represent both a powerful method of communication as well as a potentially fickle means to relate to others.
Third Post
As I have continued to read different blogs and the class weblog throughout the week, I have noticed the common theme that people enjoy the anonymity that the blogs offer both the creator and the reader. Like I stated in one of my previous blogs, Postsecret was my favorite blog, as it seems to be a favorite of many in our class as well. I haven't been able to stop reading it as I am intrigued by the courage people have to divulge their deepest secrets. While I don't know if I would ever personally write my own blog, I could see how it is a great form of release both creatively and mentally to just sit and write down anything that is on your mind. I do find it interesting though how the medium for personal expression has changed. Before writing like this usually took the form of a journal or diary, but today people are choosing to publish their thoughts and emotions on the web for everyone to see. I think I would personally like to keep my thoughts to myself, but I guess it is also helpful to see that others have the same experiences and thoughts as ourselves. Actually while I was reading different blogs, my roommate was looking at some with me, and she actually suggested that I start my own blog because she thinks that the random occurences of my own life would make people laugh and that I need some sort of creative release. I couldn't help but laugh at that, and I doubt that will ever happen...
To comment on Allie's post about the water polo website, the same thing happened on a more local water polo site where people could post about other players and big games and make predictions about the state tournament. Before long, it turned into a place for players to anonymously tear other players apart and was eventually shut down. I think its interesting how people can now use the web to disguise themselves and then say things that they would never say in front of others because they feel safe behind the mask of the internet.
To comment on Allie's post about the water polo website, the same thing happened on a more local water polo site where people could post about other players and big games and make predictions about the state tournament. Before long, it turned into a place for players to anonymously tear other players apart and was eventually shut down. I think its interesting how people can now use the web to disguise themselves and then say things that they would never say in front of others because they feel safe behind the mask of the internet.
Blog Articles
(Lauren Clyne Post 2 of 3)
Weblogs: A History and Perspective
This article goes through the history of the blog phenomenon and how it picked up speed. As more and more blogs have surfaced more tutorials have been created and blogging has established a set of standards.
New Kids on the Blog
This article addresses the growth of blogs and how diverse they have become as they have grown. Blogs have been used as means for social commentary, communication, ranting, as personal diaries, and much more. Pretty interesting article.
Random Reality Bites
This article tells the tale of Tom Reynolds, a shy and self-proclaimed bad writer, who has created a large fanbase of blog readers through telling paramedic stories. This article just shows that blogging offers a different venue for social affirmation for those who don't feel as outgoing in real life.
How to Blog
A list of 30 rules of blogging compiled on a blog, by a blogger. This sets up some blogging do's and don'ts, and although this list is clearly influenced by the authors own opinion it offers a good insight to blogging standards.
Blogs, Bandwidth and Banjos
An interesting transcript from a lecture at Blogtalk. The speakers break the blogger image into three main categories: pundits (of religion and politics, blogs surfaced after 9-11), diarists (personal writers), the egoist (desire to become e-famous, see: tila tequila, tom from myspace, etc.). I agree with almost everything said in this article, although I have to disagree to some degree about how much blogs are personally driven and seek to find an audience who wants to read them. A lot of times the diarist and the egoist write because they have an intended audience or want to call attention to their inner workings, and receive praise. Personal Blogging isn't usually a selfless act of putting yourself out there, it seems to me that its a call for attention.
Weblogs: A History and Perspective
This article goes through the history of the blog phenomenon and how it picked up speed. As more and more blogs have surfaced more tutorials have been created and blogging has established a set of standards.
New Kids on the Blog
This article addresses the growth of blogs and how diverse they have become as they have grown. Blogs have been used as means for social commentary, communication, ranting, as personal diaries, and much more. Pretty interesting article.
Random Reality Bites
This article tells the tale of Tom Reynolds, a shy and self-proclaimed bad writer, who has created a large fanbase of blog readers through telling paramedic stories. This article just shows that blogging offers a different venue for social affirmation for those who don't feel as outgoing in real life.
How to Blog
A list of 30 rules of blogging compiled on a blog, by a blogger. This sets up some blogging do's and don'ts, and although this list is clearly influenced by the authors own opinion it offers a good insight to blogging standards.
Blogs, Bandwidth and Banjos
An interesting transcript from a lecture at Blogtalk. The speakers break the blogger image into three main categories: pundits (of religion and politics, blogs surfaced after 9-11), diarists (personal writers), the egoist (desire to become e-famous, see: tila tequila, tom from myspace, etc.). I agree with almost everything said in this article, although I have to disagree to some degree about how much blogs are personally driven and seek to find an audience who wants to read them. A lot of times the diarist and the egoist write because they have an intended audience or want to call attention to their inner workings, and receive praise. Personal Blogging isn't usually a selfless act of putting yourself out there, it seems to me that its a call for attention.
Divulging and Encountering Secrets through Blogging
If one is interested in creative bogs, PostSecret is teeming with examples of creative genius. PostSecret is an online community art project where people mail in their secrets anonymously on the back of a homemade postcard. The concept of PostSecret is intriguing for it serves as testament to how individuals use blogs as a means of self expression and emancipation.
One comment in particular really captivated my attention. The comment stated: “After hearing you talk about courage at my school, I decided to write all my secrets on little pieces of paper. I'm going shopping today for clothes and in every pocket I find I'm going to put in one of my secrets. I have more secrets than I thought.” This individual’s idea to put his secrets in pockets where people will stumble across them, correlates with the concept of the blog. The blog is in essence, like this bloggers pocket idea: it is a place for individuals to deposit their written emotions with the expectation that someone will eventually read them.
Yet just like leaving one’s secrets in a variety of pockets is rather liberating, so too is the blog. Through blogging individuals can let loose their heartfelt emotions, pent-up frustrations, deep-seated bitterness, or intoxicating happiness. And as readers as blogs, we serve as the individual who inadvertently reaches into their pocket to discover someone’s secret…
One comment in particular really captivated my attention. The comment stated: “After hearing you talk about courage at my school, I decided to write all my secrets on little pieces of paper. I'm going shopping today for clothes and in every pocket I find I'm going to put in one of my secrets. I have more secrets than I thought.” This individual’s idea to put his secrets in pockets where people will stumble across them, correlates with the concept of the blog. The blog is in essence, like this bloggers pocket idea: it is a place for individuals to deposit their written emotions with the expectation that someone will eventually read them.
Yet just like leaving one’s secrets in a variety of pockets is rather liberating, so too is the blog. Through blogging individuals can let loose their heartfelt emotions, pent-up frustrations, deep-seated bitterness, or intoxicating happiness. And as readers as blogs, we serve as the individual who inadvertently reaches into their pocket to discover someone’s secret…
Sunday, May 6, 2007
entry 2
so today i wandered through the blogs that were suggested on the syllabus. i kind of just went in order, so the first one that i looked at was the greek tragedy blog. ok. so as a classics major, i was kind of excited to read a blog that seemed like it would be about greek tragedy. in fact, i'm taking a class on greek tragedy right now. lo and behold, it ended up not being about greek tragedy, and was, in fact, some married woman's blog. i couldn't help but feel a little cheated and betrayed--but then again, i had to remember that on the internet, basically nothing is what it claims to be. anyway, the blog was like a married-life version of sex and the city--she posted insightful questions about being married and how her identity now was as a married woman, while her older friends knew her as herself, without a husband.
the next one was the dooce blog, and it kind of made me wonder how many blogs were just parents venting feelings and frustrations. who reads these blogs? other parents? it didn't really interest me--a college student.
then i looked at the piehole and bellow blogs, which i think were nice complements to each other. the piehole blog was more of a diary, while bellow definitely had a more refined and literary aspect to it. bellow consisted of tiny vignettes. i just think it's cool that these blogs are not just considered diaries of sorts--bellow was an example of something really poetic and beautiful.
i think that i'd like to maintain a blog more like bellow's: i'd want it to be something that mirrored my tasted in literature--not just a diary that recounted the events of my day. i can do that anyway, and besides--i don't think it's very interesting. i would mention important and thought provoking things that happened to me or that i did during the day. the blog that i could not stop reading was the overheard in new york one. i seriously spent an hour going through all of those weird things that people would overhear, and it honestly made me laugh out loud more than once. i ended up sending the link to my roommate, who also enjoyed it. i really think other people should read this, too. it's good for hours of mindless time wasting, and besides, you'll get a chuckle out of it.
the next one was the dooce blog, and it kind of made me wonder how many blogs were just parents venting feelings and frustrations. who reads these blogs? other parents? it didn't really interest me--a college student.
then i looked at the piehole and bellow blogs, which i think were nice complements to each other. the piehole blog was more of a diary, while bellow definitely had a more refined and literary aspect to it. bellow consisted of tiny vignettes. i just think it's cool that these blogs are not just considered diaries of sorts--bellow was an example of something really poetic and beautiful.
i think that i'd like to maintain a blog more like bellow's: i'd want it to be something that mirrored my tasted in literature--not just a diary that recounted the events of my day. i can do that anyway, and besides--i don't think it's very interesting. i would mention important and thought provoking things that happened to me or that i did during the day. the blog that i could not stop reading was the overheard in new york one. i seriously spent an hour going through all of those weird things that people would overhear, and it honestly made me laugh out loud more than once. i ended up sending the link to my roommate, who also enjoyed it. i really think other people should read this, too. it's good for hours of mindless time wasting, and besides, you'll get a chuckle out of it.
Second Post
As I read through the blogs I continually ask myself why people let these secrets of themselves out on the public internet. I realize that this is one of the big draws to blogging online anyway. People find a certain sense of freedom and confidence when they are able to blog about whatever they want and not allowing others to know who they are. This reminds me of an incident that happened on a message bored. usawaterpolo.com had a forum where people can go on and blog about anything that they thought was interesting in the sport and you could respond and say whatever you wanted. A couple of years ago though, there was an incident were people were using names and teams and saying very rude stuff about innocent people. After this happened the website made a rule that you had to be a member of usa water polo to blog and you had to use your name and say who you were. This only lasted for a little while until they realized that no one was posting anymore. SO they changed the rule to be that you only had to be a member of usa water polo but you could now post anonymously. I found this interesting how what was once a very interesting website to go on and read about what was happening in my sport suddenly changed to a site that was barely updated. This site has changed a lot, it is still rarely used. There is now a new site, waterpoloplanet.com, where people can go and write whatever they want anonymously.
I think that this story is a perfect example of how much people really use and cherish the ability to post things anonymously. It shows that habing to say who you are and admit your identity, changes the whole blogging experience. I think that this is very interesting, blogging is like hidding behind a mask.
I think that this story is a perfect example of how much people really use and cherish the ability to post things anonymously. It shows that habing to say who you are and admit your identity, changes the whole blogging experience. I think that this is very interesting, blogging is like hidding behind a mask.
Blog Reviews
(Lauren Clyne: Post 1 of 3)
Suggested by Marc
Post Secret
Post secret is updated every Sunday and features postcards from anonymous artists and nonartists, which divulge a secret of the maker. Some may be real, some may be fake, regardless this is a great venue for free artistic expression. Serious issues like rape, murder, and suicide have come up in these postcards and the website provides information for suicide help. Post Secret also just released a book last fall. Really cool stuff. I’ve been a fan for years.
My Boyfriend is a Twat
I’m not going to lie I was drawn to this blog because of its name. Zoe, the author, is a British mother of three living in Belgium. She uses her webspace to rant, rave, and simply discuss the happenings of her life as a divorced office manager with a “lazy twat” for a boyfriend. This blog is a testament to how much people are willing to share about themselves in the commons of the internet.
The Homeless Guy
This blog just shows the reach and the power of the internet. Kevin, the blogs author, has been homeless since 1982. He uses his blog to educate the community on issues of homelessness, share his own experiences, and gain revenue. I think that this is a really important blog for anyone who is curious about issues of homelessness.
Personal Favorites
Geekologie
Updated Mon-Fri this blog introduces the latest, greatest, and most absurd new technologies to the world. Featuring nerdy things like pixilated wallpaper, rubix cube art, toasters that make toast into the shape of keyboards, and more. I’m always a little disappointed that the bloggers don’t update more than they do, but this is by far my favorite blog on the internet.
Boing Boing
Boing Boing claims it’s “a directory of wonderful things.” And I am happy to agree. Boing Boing is a multiple author blog and one of the most popular blogs on the internet. Everyday odd news stories, fun gadgets, and even information about second life (haha) make it into this blog. It’s a fun way of staying informed and it’s a great resource for dinnertime conversation.
We Make Money Not Art
The name is supposed to be ironic. The blog is about artists, not capitalists, otherwise I probably wouldn’t be interested. This blog reports on different happenings in the art world. From gallery openings to projects in the making to interviews with some of today’s most popular contemporary artists. I check this blog out a few times a week and I would highly recommend it to anyone with an interest in art!
Suggested by Marc
Post Secret
Post secret is updated every Sunday and features postcards from anonymous artists and nonartists, which divulge a secret of the maker. Some may be real, some may be fake, regardless this is a great venue for free artistic expression. Serious issues like rape, murder, and suicide have come up in these postcards and the website provides information for suicide help. Post Secret also just released a book last fall. Really cool stuff. I’ve been a fan for years.
My Boyfriend is a Twat
I’m not going to lie I was drawn to this blog because of its name. Zoe, the author, is a British mother of three living in Belgium. She uses her webspace to rant, rave, and simply discuss the happenings of her life as a divorced office manager with a “lazy twat” for a boyfriend. This blog is a testament to how much people are willing to share about themselves in the commons of the internet.
The Homeless Guy
This blog just shows the reach and the power of the internet. Kevin, the blogs author, has been homeless since 1982. He uses his blog to educate the community on issues of homelessness, share his own experiences, and gain revenue. I think that this is a really important blog for anyone who is curious about issues of homelessness.
Personal Favorites
Geekologie
Updated Mon-Fri this blog introduces the latest, greatest, and most absurd new technologies to the world. Featuring nerdy things like pixilated wallpaper, rubix cube art, toasters that make toast into the shape of keyboards, and more. I’m always a little disappointed that the bloggers don’t update more than they do, but this is by far my favorite blog on the internet.
Boing Boing
Boing Boing claims it’s “a directory of wonderful things.” And I am happy to agree. Boing Boing is a multiple author blog and one of the most popular blogs on the internet. Everyday odd news stories, fun gadgets, and even information about second life (haha) make it into this blog. It’s a fun way of staying informed and it’s a great resource for dinnertime conversation.
We Make Money Not Art
The name is supposed to be ironic. The blog is about artists, not capitalists, otherwise I probably wouldn’t be interested. This blog reports on different happenings in the art world. From gallery openings to projects in the making to interviews with some of today’s most popular contemporary artists. I check this blog out a few times a week and I would highly recommend it to anyone with an interest in art!
Michael's First Post/Initial Reactions
After reading ‘Blogs as Virtual Communities’, I agree that the psychological sense of community (and all it entails, eg, belonging, identifying, influence, support, emotional connection) is more important than the idea of a virtual settlement. And I agree that there are many definitions of community and they can be stretched to either prove or disprove blogs as virtual communities (as proven in article). Ultimately, scholarship seems to be in its infant stage on blogs, and I say we don’t hold too tightly to any conclusions like certain individual blogs not being settlements or self-sustaining.
The ‘Women and Children Last’ essay proves that blogs are a part of our patriarchal, hierarchical community as a whole.
In the other readings, I found the emphasis on writing the most interesting. How Rebecca Blood states that bloggers must confront their thoughts and opinions everyday and in so doing will become more confidant writers; they will be more able to articulate themselves. And in the ‘New kids on the blog’ article, it opens with how “the blogging phenomenon produced some of today’s most innovative and engaging writing.”
I don’t know if it’s necessarily true, but I don’t like the ‘one common theme’ of blogs stated in the New Kids, article: that they are all about the blogger’s ego. And can be described as “the most banal wash-up of aimless lives” by more original bloggers. I think people who don’t blog (myself included) have that sense about bloggers, but the blogging spectrum is better explained by Mena Trott. That is, at the two ends are the pundits and diarists, in the middle are the egoists.
As far as all the emphasis on individualism and egoism, I think the most revealing comment was Tony Pierce’s rule: “dont be afraid if you think something has been said before. it has. and better. big whoop. say it anyway using your own words as honestly as you can. just let it out.” Proving that our words and thoughts should not be thought to be as individual as most of us think (we owe most of them to our communities), but after first realizing this, our words and thoughts should be cultivated and articulated as honestly as possible. And blogs seem to be as good of a place to do this as any.
My favorite quote from the readings: Tony Pierce’s “linking is what separates bloggers from apes.”
My favorite concept from the readings: seizing the media from corporations and the state and giving it to the public, as stated on deoxy.org
The ‘Women and Children Last’ essay proves that blogs are a part of our patriarchal, hierarchical community as a whole.
In the other readings, I found the emphasis on writing the most interesting. How Rebecca Blood states that bloggers must confront their thoughts and opinions everyday and in so doing will become more confidant writers; they will be more able to articulate themselves. And in the ‘New kids on the blog’ article, it opens with how “the blogging phenomenon produced some of today’s most innovative and engaging writing.”
I don’t know if it’s necessarily true, but I don’t like the ‘one common theme’ of blogs stated in the New Kids, article: that they are all about the blogger’s ego. And can be described as “the most banal wash-up of aimless lives” by more original bloggers. I think people who don’t blog (myself included) have that sense about bloggers, but the blogging spectrum is better explained by Mena Trott. That is, at the two ends are the pundits and diarists, in the middle are the egoists.
As far as all the emphasis on individualism and egoism, I think the most revealing comment was Tony Pierce’s rule: “dont be afraid if you think something has been said before. it has. and better. big whoop. say it anyway using your own words as honestly as you can. just let it out.” Proving that our words and thoughts should not be thought to be as individual as most of us think (we owe most of them to our communities), but after first realizing this, our words and thoughts should be cultivated and articulated as honestly as possible. And blogs seem to be as good of a place to do this as any.
My favorite quote from the readings: Tony Pierce’s “linking is what separates bloggers from apes.”
My favorite concept from the readings: seizing the media from corporations and the state and giving it to the public, as stated on deoxy.org
Second Post
As I have been looking through different weblogs this week, I continually find myself going back to the the blog postsecret. I find the secrets that people send in fascinating and to be honest much more interesting that the random thoughts and rants that many of these weblogs publish. I guess though this is why many people are attracted to blogs though because it allows people to have a channel to voice their opinions, release any thoughts on their minds, and in some sense is a form a therapy as you are able to get anything off your chest. Looking back at the question posed on the syllabus, after reading different blogs on the web, I can understand why these are considered to be Internet communities. While one may say that these aren't real communities because people are actually physically interacting with one another, I think that blogs do serve the purpose to allow people to connect and relate to one another on different issues, and in a sense, on some issues let people know that they aren't alone in certain situations. For example, in some blogs I found myself thinking about how I could personally relate to the opinions on certain mundane situations, that in my own mind I just thought it was just me who thought had that opinion.
Also, as I continued to look through various blogs, I decided I would try to find one that would be of interest me. Because I play water polo everyday, I thought I would look for any blogs that might be on that topic. While there weren't too many, I did find one http://waterpoloideas.blogspot.com. I personally thought this one was interesting because, while it doesn't really have anyone talking about the sport, it actually is more of a photographic history as it posts pictures of national teams and players from all over the world throughout history, showing how the game has changed over time.
Also, as I continued to look through various blogs, I decided I would try to find one that would be of interest me. Because I play water polo everyday, I thought I would look for any blogs that might be on that topic. While there weren't too many, I did find one http://waterpoloideas.blogspot.com. I personally thought this one was interesting because, while it doesn't really have anyone talking about the sport, it actually is more of a photographic history as it posts pictures of national teams and players from all over the world throughout history, showing how the game has changed over time.
Ben's Second Post
After surfing the blogosphere for blogs of interest for quite some time, I came across a blog entitled Open Culture, one dedicated to the “open source culture.” It was made through Blogger, and as of April 25th had actually been shut down and continued on another website (it now had its own domain, and was renamed Fast Wonder).
Ever since I discovered and researched BitTorrent, I have become very interested in open source in general (when I go home next, I will test out UBUNTU--an open source operating system--for the first time on my PC). I downloaded many of the programs off of Software for Starving Students, and use them often. Needless to say, when I discovered Fast Wonder, I was pretty excited.
After I read some of the posts, I began checking out the Fast Wonder blogroll and was surprised to come across Lawrence Lessig's blog. I read that too for awhile, but eventually returned to Fast Wonder.
The reason I am so interested in open source is because I believe it is what the internet is all about, and was what the internet was all about, before businesses began to take things over. In its earliest days, only people fluent in HTML were able to use it, and I am pretty sure those who were fluent would work together and keep each other informed about problems or new codes that were being used. This general attitude of sharing with one another to improve the overall internet experience lost its importance when businesses and governments entered cyberspace and began their efforts to control content.
I believe it is very important that we return to this once-common attitude, and familiarizing oneself with and using open source programs are clearly great ways to create such a change. In my opinion, if someone wants to share something they own with someone else, they should be able to. The idea that sharing something--a song, for example--through a program like BitTorrent is “wrong” was created by businesses motivated only by their unquenchable desire for profit. My hope is that more and more people will come across blogs like Fast Wonder, as I have, become aware of the untapped benefits the internet has to offer, and work to make the internet everything it can be.
Ever since I discovered and researched BitTorrent, I have become very interested in open source in general (when I go home next, I will test out UBUNTU--an open source operating system--for the first time on my PC). I downloaded many of the programs off of Software for Starving Students, and use them often. Needless to say, when I discovered Fast Wonder, I was pretty excited.
After I read some of the posts, I began checking out the Fast Wonder blogroll and was surprised to come across Lawrence Lessig's blog. I read that too for awhile, but eventually returned to Fast Wonder.
The reason I am so interested in open source is because I believe it is what the internet is all about, and was what the internet was all about, before businesses began to take things over. In its earliest days, only people fluent in HTML were able to use it, and I am pretty sure those who were fluent would work together and keep each other informed about problems or new codes that were being used. This general attitude of sharing with one another to improve the overall internet experience lost its importance when businesses and governments entered cyberspace and began their efforts to control content.
I believe it is very important that we return to this once-common attitude, and familiarizing oneself with and using open source programs are clearly great ways to create such a change. In my opinion, if someone wants to share something they own with someone else, they should be able to. The idea that sharing something--a song, for example--through a program like BitTorrent is “wrong” was created by businesses motivated only by their unquenchable desire for profit. My hope is that more and more people will come across blogs like Fast Wonder, as I have, become aware of the untapped benefits the internet has to offer, and work to make the internet everything it can be.
My Boyfriend is a Twat
The blog that I just couldn’t stop reading was My Boyfriend is a Twat. I loved that the author was British. The language she used was part of the reason I couldn’t stop reading her blog, her choice of words and use of description was very entertaining. However, what I actually found most interesting about this blog was not even the blog itself. I was most impressed by the fact that the author had transcended the traditional blog by introducing additional elements such as her all about me section, photo gallery and Q&A section. I really enjoyed reading her all about me section because it allowed me to really gain an understanding of the author’s life. I liked that she was able to open up so honestly to her readers and reveal her true personality. I found the photo gallery amusing because the pictures were so random. Especially the pictures of spiders and frogs, I’m not really sure why she posted these on her website, but they were entertaining none the less. Her 52 Questions page was also very witty and intriguing because the questions were generated by random people who wrote comments to the author. The author chose to respond as she saw fit and posted her favorite questions on her website.
What I found most unique and intriguing about this blog was that the author had gained enough popularity to create a shopping section on her website. In the shopping section, fans can by clothing, mugs, and other various paraphernalia with the “My Boyfriend is a Twat” logo. I couldn’t believe she had such a following that would enable her to develop an online store containing junk with her title on it! I guess her shopping section is rather cleaver though. I mean, if you can make money by selling products with your blog logo, why not!
What I found most unique and intriguing about this blog was that the author had gained enough popularity to create a shopping section on her website. In the shopping section, fans can by clothing, mugs, and other various paraphernalia with the “My Boyfriend is a Twat” logo. I couldn’t believe she had such a following that would enable her to develop an online store containing junk with her title on it! I guess her shopping section is rather cleaver though. I mean, if you can make money by selling products with your blog logo, why not!
Blog #2
As I continued to read the blogs through the week, the one that I found myself continually going back to read again and again was the Piehole one. The most recent time I looked at it, I was reading the sections called "Boobs and Ass," "Big Dumb Boys," and "Life Lessions." Even though I have looked at these blogs many times, I just can't stop reading them. I find them very entertaining and easy to relate to in my life. I also keep going back to look at the post secret blog. I don't know why it is so intriguing but I guess there is something about some of these disturbing secrets that I want to know. For example, one of them said "After I picked up my daughter's ashes from the funeral, I ate some of them." That is just really messed up to me but I find myself being drawn in my these strange things that people do that are just so unfamiliar to me.
blog 2
This time around I started by reading two blogs; post secret, mentioned by nori and jackie in there blogs, and random reality bites. I also scanned a few others but these were the ones that I kept reading/looking at.
Postsecret.com was interesting, because the secrets very so much. Some are very serious like, "After I picked up my daughter's ashes from the funeral home, I ate some of them." Then some are more silly like, "I love one of my dogs but the other annoys the shit out of me." The post cards sent in are very creative, some having pictures that are attached to the words written and other just very random combinations. For example on says, "I want to fuck my husbands dad" written over a picture of salad and beer. While most the cards seem less serious and just a way
to anonymously let secreets out, others seem like a cry for help. One said that "postsecert.com doesn't help any more (I want to die more than ever). While it might help some to see this online, that people are reading what they have to say, they
are not getting any feed back or support from the postcards they send in. Postsecert.com does have a help line on it's blog, and this week included a story about a girl who used it, and said it helped save her life. I do not think that all that need help are using it. I think this is a very interesting blog and did not want to stop looking at it.
Random Reality Bites was a little more light hearted. The person who wrote it just gave little thougts and ideas about his life working in an ambulance. He wrote how annoyed he got with some calls, or how others were exciting to be a part of,
the rivalry between ambulance companies,and then about things happening with his
computer or mom. His blog also mentions how he has made many friends through his blog, and now has afacebook, myspace, and livejournal. His blog just seemed interesting and funny. I like that he kept each post short and simple. It was enjoyable to read.
Postsecret.com was interesting, because the secrets very so much. Some are very serious like, "After I picked up my daughter's ashes from the funeral home, I ate some of them." Then some are more silly like, "I love one of my dogs but the other annoys the shit out of me." The post cards sent in are very creative, some having pictures that are attached to the words written and other just very random combinations. For example on says, "I want to fuck my husbands dad" written over a picture of salad and beer. While most the cards seem less serious and just a way
to anonymously let secreets out, others seem like a cry for help. One said that "postsecert.com doesn't help any more (I want to die more than ever). While it might help some to see this online, that people are reading what they have to say, they
are not getting any feed back or support from the postcards they send in. Postsecert.com does have a help line on it's blog, and this week included a story about a girl who used it, and said it helped save her life. I do not think that all that need help are using it. I think this is a very interesting blog and did not want to stop looking at it.
Random Reality Bites was a little more light hearted. The person who wrote it just gave little thougts and ideas about his life working in an ambulance. He wrote how annoyed he got with some calls, or how others were exciting to be a part of,
the rivalry between ambulance companies,and then about things happening with his
computer or mom. His blog also mentions how he has made many friends through his blog, and now has afacebook, myspace, and livejournal. His blog just seemed interesting and funny. I like that he kept each post short and simple. It was enjoyable to read.
Saturday, May 5, 2007
Ben's First Post
Of all the articles, I liked Rebecca Blood’s the most (http://www.rebeccablood.net/essays/weblog_history.html). I found it fascinating that weblogs began as commentary on news articles that brought out the shortcomings of news media. As one very concerned about the direction the news media is heading, I feel that the most valuable thing people can have is a reliable source to which they can go to verify that which they hear on the news. News corporations’ top priorities clearly no longer have to do with providing high quality news, and with people commenting on big issues of which they are knowledgeable, an invaluable source of truth for everyone is created.
When I say “knowledgeable” bloggers are valuable, I do not mean only those with doctorates or degrees in the field on which they comment. The great thing about blogs today is that anyone, anywhere can create one. What this means is that the views of everyone from the lowest-paid, least-educated workers to the highest-paid, most-educated profressional can be heard. History has shown use that the voices of those with low status in society are silenced, and blogging gives them, and especially them, a chance to be heard.
If I were to create a blog, I would make one that not only provides my view on current affaris, but also links to opinions and commentary of others. I would try to find views from a variety of sources regarding a given issue: ones from the highly-educated, maybe one from an “everyday” view, and one from a major news source. It would be very rewarding for me: seeing the differences between such views would reveal both the unreliable nature of mainstream news sources and would give everyone a chance to hear the unheard voices. By joining a network or “tribe” (as Blood calls it) of blogs that comment on current affairs, I would be participating in what I believe to be the most important benefit the web has to offer: creating awareness.
When I say “knowledgeable” bloggers are valuable, I do not mean only those with doctorates or degrees in the field on which they comment. The great thing about blogs today is that anyone, anywhere can create one. What this means is that the views of everyone from the lowest-paid, least-educated workers to the highest-paid, most-educated profressional can be heard. History has shown use that the voices of those with low status in society are silenced, and blogging gives them, and especially them, a chance to be heard.
If I were to create a blog, I would make one that not only provides my view on current affaris, but also links to opinions and commentary of others. I would try to find views from a variety of sources regarding a given issue: ones from the highly-educated, maybe one from an “everyday” view, and one from a major news source. It would be very rewarding for me: seeing the differences between such views would reveal both the unreliable nature of mainstream news sources and would give everyone a chance to hear the unheard voices. By joining a network or “tribe” (as Blood calls it) of blogs that comment on current affairs, I would be participating in what I believe to be the most important benefit the web has to offer: creating awareness.
entry 1
i started out reading "how to blog" by tony pierce because i thought that learning the rules would be a great way of easing into blogging. tony emphasizes the importance of writing without boundaries, without hesitation, and without apology. i have to say that i like his overall purpose, and that more people should vigorously pursue writing. when we write, we think, and there aren't that many people who habitually think critically. tony says to not worry about something having been said before--one just has to say it as honestly and as personally as possible.
what was weird to me was the fact that these are rules. it seems like tony places such trust in the individual and the experience that making these guidelines sets perimeters on blogging. there are certain sites and programs that he urges the novice blogger to use, certain behaviors (like linking) that seem to be preferential--it just bothers me when someone writes down (this happens in books that i read all the time...the hipster handbook, sex, drugs, and cocoa puffs...)what you should or should not do. he ended with a example of, in his opinion, a really good blogger--raymi.
i perused her blog for a while and liked how she just basically treated her blog as a diary. i was surprised when she said that someone blatantly took her picture--are bloggers the new celebrities?
what was weird to me was the fact that these are rules. it seems like tony places such trust in the individual and the experience that making these guidelines sets perimeters on blogging. there are certain sites and programs that he urges the novice blogger to use, certain behaviors (like linking) that seem to be preferential--it just bothers me when someone writes down (this happens in books that i read all the time...the hipster handbook, sex, drugs, and cocoa puffs...)what you should or should not do. he ended with a example of, in his opinion, a really good blogger--raymi.
i perused her blog for a while and liked how she just basically treated her blog as a diary. i was surprised when she said that someone blatantly took her picture--are bloggers the new celebrities?
If I...
If I were to maintain a weblog, I’d like to make it like something simple, relatively unassuming, and hopefully interesting.
The blog I just couldn’t stop reading was Waiter Rant.
The blog I really think other people should read is Waiter Rant - I know next time how *not* to treat the waiter or waitress when I go to a restaurant. :)
As for blogs that I discovered on my own that I found interesting, I stumbled upon an interesting sort of non-traditional blog called "Stache-a-Thon" (http://stache826valencia.blogspot.com/) which seems to be a mustache growing contest (to benefit an educational service for children ages 6-18) with a prize for the "mustache farmer" who can grow the best mustache in a set time frame - and $10,000+ has been donated to 826 Valencia (the charity type thing) already. It's an amusing concept, and I think I might check back in a few times to see if any interesting commentary has been added.
The blog I just couldn’t stop reading was Waiter Rant.
The blog I really think other people should read is Waiter Rant - I know next time how *not* to treat the waiter or waitress when I go to a restaurant. :)
As for blogs that I discovered on my own that I found interesting, I stumbled upon an interesting sort of non-traditional blog called "Stache-a-Thon" (http://stache826valencia.blogspot.com/) which seems to be a mustache growing contest (to benefit an educational service for children ages 6-18) with a prize for the "mustache farmer" who can grow the best mustache in a set time frame - and $10,000+ has been donated to 826 Valencia (the charity type thing) already. It's an amusing concept, and I think I might check back in a few times to see if any interesting commentary has been added.
Friday, May 4, 2007
Blogging Entry #2
I checked out the PostSecret.com blog that Nori mentioned she liked and found it interesting as well. The postcards that were made were very creative! I don’t think I could ever actually send a postcard though, even if it was anonymous, after all what is the point? Especially, the postcard that was front and center, about masturbating at the workers desk to relieve cramps, who would that possibly be sent to? The postcards varied a great bit, some of the postcards were humorous while others were really intense. Some of them I felt almost uncomfortable reading because I felt as if I was invading their privacy. Why would someone post a postcard/blog with the message “I tried to choke myself with a belt while I was on LSD?” Is that a cry for help, and how does making it anonymous help any matter? I don’t think the postcard was creative at all, in fact it just freaked me out a little bit. That’s not something I want to read about. There were some other more inspirational ones and thank-you type of postcards that I liked much better.
I found the great gender divide interesting and would have originally agreed that there are more women bloggers than men. How strange that there are actually more men than women. I kind of liked what Danny said about this whole counterpower site though, because most people do seem to blog about their personal feelings and thoughts rather than simply for homework. I don’t think I could get into the whole blogging thing on a regular basis though unless it was for a few select people that I wanted to know about my life. Other than that I still am not comfortable with everyone being able to see what I write and think.
Blog #2
The second blog site I looked into was topleftpixel.com. This blog is different from the other blogs listed in that it is a photoblog. It has no, or few words attached discribing the photo and where it is taken place, but the image is left for your imagination. You can view this image and then form your own ideas, feelings, and emotions from it. It is up to your own imagination. This blog is just the bloggers day-to-day visual experience. This blog has won numerous awards including "Best Photography Blog" from the blogger's choice awards. I really liked this blog because it gives you a chance to see a new image and interpret it however you want.
After viewing the photoblog, I went and viewed "how to blog" by Tony Pierce. Apparently I'm not swearing enough on here since i'm suppose to "cuss like a sailor." I found his blog to be really funny, and true. He was honest about what people want to read, and what they dont want to read about. I truly enjoyed this how to blog...blog. He writes over and over to not be afraid of writing what you are feeling or thinking. "Out yourself, Tell your secrets. You can always delete them later." I thought that this was a good example of being able to present yourself however you want. You can hide the things you don't want others to know, you can "always delete them later" if people don't like what you've said. At the end of his article he wrote "if you're going to ripoff...one blogger make it raymi, she's perfect." I then clicked on raymi to be taken to her site. I read a few pages, and loved it. She was open, honest, and funny. I highly recommend going to raymi's site and seeing what she's posted.
After reading Allie's blog about "Random Reality Bites," I agree with her on the fact that people tune into these blogs somewhat like they would a television show. However, I disagree with her statement that "i think that people shouldnt be letting there life's out on the internet..." Going back to what I mentioned the other night, blogging might be some person's way of venting and connecting with someone. What if a person cannot make connections to other individuals in real life and blogging is the only way that they feel connected to someone. That blog can be their source of support and care that they might need in their life. Therefore, I think that blogging is an important thing. What you say on your blog is your own business; sharing your whole life or only small parts just depends on the person writing.
After viewing the photoblog, I went and viewed "how to blog" by Tony Pierce. Apparently I'm not swearing enough on here since i'm suppose to "cuss like a sailor." I found his blog to be really funny, and true. He was honest about what people want to read, and what they dont want to read about. I truly enjoyed this how to blog...blog. He writes over and over to not be afraid of writing what you are feeling or thinking. "Out yourself, Tell your secrets. You can always delete them later." I thought that this was a good example of being able to present yourself however you want. You can hide the things you don't want others to know, you can "always delete them later" if people don't like what you've said. At the end of his article he wrote "if you're going to ripoff...one blogger make it raymi, she's perfect." I then clicked on raymi to be taken to her site. I read a few pages, and loved it. She was open, honest, and funny. I highly recommend going to raymi's site and seeing what she's posted.
After reading Allie's blog about "Random Reality Bites," I agree with her on the fact that people tune into these blogs somewhat like they would a television show. However, I disagree with her statement that "i think that people shouldnt be letting there life's out on the internet..." Going back to what I mentioned the other night, blogging might be some person's way of venting and connecting with someone. What if a person cannot make connections to other individuals in real life and blogging is the only way that they feel connected to someone. That blog can be their source of support and care that they might need in their life. Therefore, I think that blogging is an important thing. What you say on your blog is your own business; sharing your whole life or only small parts just depends on the person writing.
Blog #1
The first article that I read was the New Kids on the Blog one
http://observer.guardian.co.uk/review/story/0,6903,1185061,00.html
I thought that this was a somewhat interesting article. The first thing that I found interesting was that the one blogger, Gomm, along with many others, didnt seem to understand what they were getting into. They all had attracted the attention of one Belle de Jour, whom none of them knew or even wanted to talk to.
I think that this is classic with blogs. I feel that a lot of people get into them and dont really realize what they are getting into. They dont understand or care that there are people out there that you might not want to read everything you are publishing on the internet.
Another thing I found interesting in this article was how quickly bogs are growing. It states "Two weeks ago, the search for 'blog' on Google yielded 28,600,000 results; last Thursday, it was 29,700,000." This is nearly a million blog increase in two weeks. That is amazing to me.
The other article that I read and found funny was the How to Blog article.
http://www.tonypierce.com/blog/2004/06/how-to-blog-by-tony-pierce-110-1.htm
I found this article interesting. I was unaware that there was a certain way to go about it. These 30 rules made me think a lot about how much confidence people get when they are blogging and no one really knows who they are. The rule i found most interesting was rule number 3 "dont be afraid to do anything. infact if youre afraid of something, do it. then do it again. and again. " This kind of shows that people get a little extra boost of confidence when they are hidding behind the computer monitor.
Random Reality Bites is the third article that I will be writting about.
http://technology.guardian.co.uk/online/weblogs/story/0,14024,1254467,00.html
I feel like this article shows that some people view blogs much like people view television shows. They tune in everyday to get constant updates on the writer. I think this is funny. They fall in love with the writer/character and they want to know what happens to him and what his next adventure is. I think that this is weird because peoples lives are NOT television shows.
I am not a big fan of blogging and i think that people shouldnt be letting there life's out on the internet, privacy is something that i value sometimes and i dont understand why someone would want strangers reading all about there lives. I guess that is why i dont really understand the blog phenomenon.
http://observer.guardian.co.uk/review/story/0,6903,1185061,00.html
I thought that this was a somewhat interesting article. The first thing that I found interesting was that the one blogger, Gomm, along with many others, didnt seem to understand what they were getting into. They all had attracted the attention of one Belle de Jour, whom none of them knew or even wanted to talk to.
I think that this is classic with blogs. I feel that a lot of people get into them and dont really realize what they are getting into. They dont understand or care that there are people out there that you might not want to read everything you are publishing on the internet.
Another thing I found interesting in this article was how quickly bogs are growing. It states "Two weeks ago, the search for 'blog' on Google yielded 28,600,000 results; last Thursday, it was 29,700,000." This is nearly a million blog increase in two weeks. That is amazing to me.
The other article that I read and found funny was the How to Blog article.
http://www.tonypierce.com/blog/2004/06/how-to-blog-by-tony-pierce-110-1.htm
I found this article interesting. I was unaware that there was a certain way to go about it. These 30 rules made me think a lot about how much confidence people get when they are blogging and no one really knows who they are. The rule i found most interesting was rule number 3 "dont be afraid to do anything. infact if youre afraid of something, do it. then do it again. and again. " This kind of shows that people get a little extra boost of confidence when they are hidding behind the computer monitor.
Random Reality Bites is the third article that I will be writting about.
http://technology.guardian.co.uk/online/weblogs/story/0,14024,1254467,00.html
I feel like this article shows that some people view blogs much like people view television shows. They tune in everyday to get constant updates on the writer. I think this is funny. They fall in love with the writer/character and they want to know what happens to him and what his next adventure is. I think that this is weird because peoples lives are NOT television shows.
I am not a big fan of blogging and i think that people shouldnt be letting there life's out on the internet, privacy is something that i value sometimes and i dont understand why someone would want strangers reading all about there lives. I guess that is why i dont really understand the blog phenomenon.
Any good blogs out there?
Is blogging an exclusive culture—a community that requires an invitation.? For pure bloggers, blogging is an outlet for free thought and/or a message board of eclectic community ideas. I am a person who considers my self outside of the blogging culture and much more of an observing/consuming person than a contributing type. I know that my lack of blogging is not a reflection of my work ethic and I see my lack of blogging as a lack of attachment to the blogging culture. I read through blogs because I am required to, but I really want to read through a blog because I want to. Therefore I am posed with the conundrum of finding the right blogging community that fits my personality. Because, when you understand blogging in a simplified format, blogging is simply a cyberspace of personality. This leads me to my next string of thoughts…locating a blog is difficult because legitimate blogs are buried in the cyberspace culture and businesses and for profit bloggers are cluttering the internet with worthless diction.
*as I mentioned earlier we do have a quota to fulfill….so more thoughts next time.
Thursday, May 3, 2007
Blog #1
While looking through some of the blogs that are out in there, I found myself back at a familar site. Stephanie Klein's Greek Tragedy is a site that I visited in English 2. This site once again reminded me of how much I enjoyed it a year ago. As I click through the blogs it is obvious that she is not afraid to speak her mind, and let others into her life. This blog is so much like Sex and the City, like Jackie mentioned as well, that I found myself picturing in my head possible future episodes if the show had not ended. This girl is not afraid to let others know what is happening in her life! I love how there's this easy and relaxed feeling about this blog, as i'm sitting in her living room having a "girl chat" session with her.
Anothing blog that I love is PostSecret.com. PostSecret is a site where viewers can send in postcards reveiling one of their deepest secrets to everyone out there. This site fits in with what Julianne said as blogs being therapeutic. Blogs can help relieve stress and tension that is built up on the inside. Post Secret serves to relieve this stress and tension by sharing (mostly anonymously) a deep secret held by the author. Even though Post Secret can post some funny and lighthearted blogs, a lot of the blogs are serious and intense. These blogs made me feel a somewhat close connection to the authors. Even though I don't know who they are, I feel like I am closer to them because they have opened up their life and shared it with me.
So, in conclusion to my adventures in the blogging world, here are the answers that we were suppose to answer:
If I were to maintain a weblog, I would make it like Stephanie Klein's, because I found it to be very interesting and fun. The blog I just couldn't stop reading was PostSecret. I found it was very interesting becase they were short and all from different authors. It was easy to get through a lot of the postcards in a short amount of time. Since they were so short, it helped to keep my attention. Also, the blog I think others should read is PostSecret. I think this blog is very powerful. I feel that people will be interested in this blog, and possibly want to continue reading it in the future. This site is very popular, and has even been made into two different books.
Anothing blog that I love is PostSecret.com. PostSecret is a site where viewers can send in postcards reveiling one of their deepest secrets to everyone out there. This site fits in with what Julianne said as blogs being therapeutic. Blogs can help relieve stress and tension that is built up on the inside. Post Secret serves to relieve this stress and tension by sharing (mostly anonymously) a deep secret held by the author. Even though Post Secret can post some funny and lighthearted blogs, a lot of the blogs are serious and intense. These blogs made me feel a somewhat close connection to the authors. Even though I don't know who they are, I feel like I am closer to them because they have opened up their life and shared it with me.
So, in conclusion to my adventures in the blogging world, here are the answers that we were suppose to answer:
If I were to maintain a weblog, I would make it like Stephanie Klein's, because I found it to be very interesting and fun. The blog I just couldn't stop reading was PostSecret. I found it was very interesting becase they were short and all from different authors. It was easy to get through a lot of the postcards in a short amount of time. Since they were so short, it helped to keep my attention. Also, the blog I think others should read is PostSecret. I think this blog is very powerful. I feel that people will be interested in this blog, and possibly want to continue reading it in the future. This site is very popular, and has even been made into two different books.
Blog on Blogs #1
I started my readings this week with New Kids on the Block by Simon
Garfield, I found the excerpts she included very interesting.
My favorites were the one about the college kid looking for a fake
"boyfriend" for her parents visit. It seems like the kind of thing that
only happens in movies. While it might just be made up for the blog it
seemed so real. I also enjoyed her interview with the person that said,
"...the real person isn't of course the same person who writes." This
sentence states why people blog perfectly. It gives them a new sense of
identity. It allows them to be who ever they want to be.
My next reading was How to Blog by Tony Pierce. I found it very comical. When I finished
reading it I discovered I would make the worst blog writer in history.
I would tell my friends I blogged, I wouldn't comment on other peoples,
I would have nothing oringnal to say, and I would forget to write. Not to
mention I am a horrible speller and always forgets to spell check. But
the most important
thing I realized from reading this blog was that you had to write what
was true to you, or something that seemed real to your readers.
Lastly
I read the blog My Boyfriend is a Twat. It was not what I expected, but
i ended up really enjoying it. Every entry was completely different. I
did not fell like I was just reading a piece of someones story, but
rather just little excerpts of dailyactivity. I thought it was interesting how one day she wrote about a frog. It seemed so simple but yet made sense with her other blogs.
Garfield, I found the excerpts she included very interesting.
My favorites were the one about the college kid looking for a fake
"boyfriend" for her parents visit. It seems like the kind of thing that
only happens in movies. While it might just be made up for the blog it
seemed so real. I also enjoyed her interview with the person that said,
"...the real person isn't of course the same person who writes." This
sentence states why people blog perfectly. It gives them a new sense of
identity. It allows them to be who ever they want to be.
My next reading was How to Blog by Tony Pierce. I found it very comical. When I finished
reading it I discovered I would make the worst blog writer in history.
I would tell my friends I blogged, I wouldn't comment on other peoples,
I would have nothing oringnal to say, and I would forget to write. Not to
mention I am a horrible speller and always forgets to spell check. But
the most important
thing I realized from reading this blog was that you had to write what
was true to you, or something that seemed real to your readers.
Lastly
I read the blog My Boyfriend is a Twat. It was not what I expected, but
i ended up really enjoying it. Every entry was completely different. I
did not fell like I was just reading a piece of someones story, but
rather just little excerpts of dailyactivity. I thought it was interesting how one day she wrote about a frog. It seemed so simple but yet made sense with her other blogs.
Blog Entry 1
Of all the articles to read, my personal favorite, along with what seems to be the majority opinion, was the How to Blog article. I really enjoyed this article because it was very funny and easy to relate to. My favorites were number 15 (which talked about talking about sex, religion, and politics), number 26 (about being an asswipe), and number 27 (which warns people not to post personal poetry). These are all things that are very prevalent in the blogs that I read in places such as facebook and myspace. These are the articles that, at least for people my age, are the most intriguing to read.
One of the websites that I loved that was given was http://liscious.net/piehole/index.php. I particularly liked the links for the blogs called "Dyke Fu" "Why I Love Seattle" and "Girly Girl." These all contained blogs that were very entertaining because the topics are things that my friends and I normally talk about. I also really enjoyed the blog site http://postsecret.blogspot.com/index.html#1688018462928987629 because it showed peoples' secrets that they have no other way of telling. Everyone likes to know secrets about others and this blog site gives us that satisfaction.
If I were to maintain a weblog, I'd like to make it like the ones in liscious.net because it gets to talk about all the girly things that I like to talk about with my friends but that would probably be inappropriate to talk about in any other situations.
One of the websites that I loved that was given was http://liscious.net/piehole/index.php. I particularly liked the links for the blogs called "Dyke Fu" "Why I Love Seattle" and "Girly Girl." These all contained blogs that were very entertaining because the topics are things that my friends and I normally talk about. I also really enjoyed the blog site http://postsecret.blogspot.com/index.html#1688018462928987629 because it showed peoples' secrets that they have no other way of telling. Everyone likes to know secrets about others and this blog site gives us that satisfaction.
If I were to maintain a weblog, I'd like to make it like the ones in liscious.net because it gets to talk about all the girly things that I like to talk about with my friends but that would probably be inappropriate to talk about in any other situations.
Blog surfing part 3
I took Aseppala's advice and looked into the How to Blog link. It was really funny to read since it was outlining the seemingly trivial aspects of blogging and applying them as rules. I like that the author embraces his ideas as substantial guidelines without taking himself too seriously.
#26. dont be afraid to come across as an asswipe. own your asswipeness.
I also read the comments people left on on his post (191!), and many people were very appreciative of his perspective on blogging. One woman wrote "There are so many immature people out there who need to know what a post should look like, and how to write. Blogging is so much about learning to express yourself better, every day." A little intense...
As simplistic as it was, the weblog I could not stop reading was Overheard in New York which apparently was made into a book of conversations overheard by people in New York. It had some pretty hilarious conversations, as well as interactions that give you so much insight into the strange nature of people. There were several posts of conversations betweens idiotic teenage girls, the kind of dialogs that just make you shake your head in disbelief. For example,
Tween girl #1, trudging through snow: What's with this weather? It's so annoying.
Tween girl #2: Yeah. Weren't we having global warming? Let's stop recycling or something.
#26. dont be afraid to come across as an asswipe. own your asswipeness.
I also read the comments people left on on his post (191!), and many people were very appreciative of his perspective on blogging. One woman wrote "There are so many immature people out there who need to know what a post should look like, and how to write. Blogging is so much about learning to express yourself better, every day." A little intense...
As simplistic as it was, the weblog I could not stop reading was Overheard in New York which apparently was made into a book of conversations overheard by people in New York. It had some pretty hilarious conversations, as well as interactions that give you so much insight into the strange nature of people. There were several posts of conversations betweens idiotic teenage girls, the kind of dialogs that just make you shake your head in disbelief. For example,
Tween girl #1, trudging through snow: What's with this weather? It's so annoying.
Tween girl #2: Yeah. Weren't we having global warming? Let's stop recycling or something.
Another enjoyable post was between a group of "thugs."
It may be just for the easily amused.
How to Blog
I found the article “How to Blog” very amusing. The majority of the guidelines listed are pretty accurate, at least from my knowledge of blogging. However, some suggestions stuck out that should really be ignored. Number 4, “cuss like a sailor,” is a prime example of a blogging how to that should not be followed. First of all, I consider swearing to be a sign of ignorance, especially when associated with any work that people want taken seriously. Secondly, it is just plain unnecessary. The directions that I found most entertaining and pertinent were numbers 2, “if you think youre a good writer, write twice a day;” 17, “people like pictures. use them;” and 19, “push the envelope in what youre writing about and how youre saying it.” One big problem with this article, however, is that the author does not add apostrophes when he writes youre. The author writes about making sure to use spell check and edit your work before publishing, but he/she hasn’t even completed these tasks. It’s just difficult to take someone seriously when they have contradictions in their own work. Overall, however, I still found this article very engaging, I’d just like to see a little for accuracy.
We Blog as a Job while others just Blog
So I am reading other people’s blogs and I have begin to think about why this particular blog, “Counterpower”, does not work as a blog. For real blogs to exist they need bloggers who have a restless desire to maintain a diary of their thoughts online. For “Counterpower” I believe we as a class add to the blog as a task, a piece of homework that needs to be done and checked off the list of things to do. Most bloggers in my opinion, blog (yes I am using blog as a verb, noun, and adjective) because they enjoy scripting out their thoughts and baiting other people’s responses. Because I view blogs and bloggers as no more qualified than I am, I have decided to splatter my own thoughts (intelligent or not) on this blog. So, let us begin with my recent thoughts on lighting. I have come to treasure the twilight hours of the day and furthermore come to believe that lighting is one of the most important attributes about creating a fengshui environment. I am thinking that to simulate the sunset a blend of pink, orange, yellow, and light blue lights would work well in lighting a room for atmosphere. I have more to say about this, but we have a quota to fulfill (3 posts and 3 responses), so unlike a real blog I will cut off here and add later.
Blogging on Blogs, Entry #1
Greek Tragedy- Stephanie Klein Blogs
I absolutely had a blast reading these blogs. I think most of the reviews of her blogs were right on when they compared her to a “Carrie Bradshaw” type of writer. Most of her blogs did remind me completely of Sex and the City. The blog itself, titled “be a sport”, was right on with the way women are when she talked about cleaning/snooping. As I was reading the responses on the website, however, one person had written to not speak of all women when she said cleaning is a form of snooping. I found that interesting considering I thought she was completely right. Not to mention I especially liked the part where she wrote “I’m a libra. I need peaceful pleasant surroundings. Oh blow me. It’s true.” I had to laugh at this because I am also a Libra and need absolute silence and no distractions while I study. Whenever I try to study in my own mess of a room I almost always have to clean it first (probably why I never study as my room is always a mess!) The blogs themselves were all done with a similar style of writing and seemed to be aim for more modern women as I could just picture my mother shaking her head in disbelief if she ever came to this website. I actually bookmarked her website because I enjoyed it that much and plan on reading more.
Alright, I'm pretty unoriginal with the filling in of these sentences, sorry about that!
1. If I were to maintain a weblog, I’d like to make it similar to the Stephanie Klein blog. I think it is the most interesting type of blog and her life was interesting. I definitely wouldn't feel comfortable posting a xanga/live journal type of blog because I wouldn't feel comfortable having anybody read about my life.
2. The blog I just couldn’t stop reading was, again, the Stephanie Klein blog. There isn't much else to say about that, considering i've already written about it plenty.
3. The blog I really think other people should read is any of the personal blogs. I think they're more interesting than learning about blogging.
I agree with Julianne and Josh when they wrote how blogging is therapeutic. It does help us release tension and vent. However, I don't think I could ever be comfortable posting a blog that is so public. Some of those blogs were really personal and I feel like they were a bit personal which made me think some of them are made-up. I think a personal journal would be better for releasing frustrations. As for why we read blogs, I agree again with most, it is an assignment (at least it's fun though), because I don't see myself reading other blogs. Actually, come to think of it, I do read some friends Livejournals which are very edited because I still have to typically call my friends for actual accounts because often they aren't that detailed.
I absolutely had a blast reading these blogs. I think most of the reviews of her blogs were right on when they compared her to a “Carrie Bradshaw” type of writer. Most of her blogs did remind me completely of Sex and the City. The blog itself, titled “be a sport”, was right on with the way women are when she talked about cleaning/snooping. As I was reading the responses on the website, however, one person had written to not speak of all women when she said cleaning is a form of snooping. I found that interesting considering I thought she was completely right. Not to mention I especially liked the part where she wrote “I’m a libra. I need peaceful pleasant surroundings. Oh blow me. It’s true.” I had to laugh at this because I am also a Libra and need absolute silence and no distractions while I study. Whenever I try to study in my own mess of a room I almost always have to clean it first (probably why I never study as my room is always a mess!) The blogs themselves were all done with a similar style of writing and seemed to be aim for more modern women as I could just picture my mother shaking her head in disbelief if she ever came to this website. I actually bookmarked her website because I enjoyed it that much and plan on reading more.
Alright, I'm pretty unoriginal with the filling in of these sentences, sorry about that!
1. If I were to maintain a weblog, I’d like to make it similar to the Stephanie Klein blog. I think it is the most interesting type of blog and her life was interesting. I definitely wouldn't feel comfortable posting a xanga/live journal type of blog because I wouldn't feel comfortable having anybody read about my life.
2. The blog I just couldn’t stop reading was, again, the Stephanie Klein blog. There isn't much else to say about that, considering i've already written about it plenty.
3. The blog I really think other people should read is any of the personal blogs. I think they're more interesting than learning about blogging.
I agree with Julianne and Josh when they wrote how blogging is therapeutic. It does help us release tension and vent. However, I don't think I could ever be comfortable posting a blog that is so public. Some of those blogs were really personal and I feel like they were a bit personal which made me think some of them are made-up. I think a personal journal would be better for releasing frustrations. As for why we read blogs, I agree again with most, it is an assignment (at least it's fun though), because I don't see myself reading other blogs. Actually, come to think of it, I do read some friends Livejournals which are very edited because I still have to typically call my friends for actual accounts because often they aren't that detailed.
Why do we blog, and why do we read blogs?
I think Julianne hit upon a good point when she mentioned that blogging could be therapeutic. When we're angry, pissed off, or just generally not happy about what's going on in life, it can be helpful to know that other people are reading and commiserating with us (through the helpful comment system on most blogs). It's a small victory against what often seems like an unending tide of hopelessness - or at least that's the vibe I get from a lot of blogs. A small victory often only moral in nature - but a victory nonetheless. There's probably also a genuine sense of wanting to share one's own experiences with others present in blogging - after all, we humans thrive on attention and what better way to get attention than by being entirely open and releasing juicy tidbits to the public?
Our reasons for reading blogs are a bit more unclear to me. Personally, the reason why I am reading these blogs right now is because I was assigned to. Much of what I have read is insufferably boring and pointless dreck. I really don't care about many of the bloggers and why their shallow existence is so terrible. A few bloggers, however, rise above that (such as the Waiter Rant I mentioned a few days ago). They make one genuinely care about what happens in the blog and in the bloggers' life. The readers of these blogs often are developing a voyeuristic attitude towards the blog - once they find something interesting, they clamp onto that and follow it closely - sharing in the bloggers' experiences, commiserating with the downs and celebrating with the ups - basically, living vicariously through the blogger. It's the same concept behind reality shows and such - reading blogs gives us an escape from our own existences - living the life of a person who seems more fantasy than fact.
Our reasons for reading blogs are a bit more unclear to me. Personally, the reason why I am reading these blogs right now is because I was assigned to. Much of what I have read is insufferably boring and pointless dreck. I really don't care about many of the bloggers and why their shallow existence is so terrible. A few bloggers, however, rise above that (such as the Waiter Rant I mentioned a few days ago). They make one genuinely care about what happens in the blog and in the bloggers' life. The readers of these blogs often are developing a voyeuristic attitude towards the blog - once they find something interesting, they clamp onto that and follow it closely - sharing in the bloggers' experiences, commiserating with the downs and celebrating with the ups - basically, living vicariously through the blogger. It's the same concept behind reality shows and such - reading blogs gives us an escape from our own existences - living the life of a person who seems more fantasy than fact.
Blogging as Restorative Therapy
Waiterrant is a wonderful example of how blogs serve as a sanctuary to seethe about work. Waiters go to work and talk to customers like everything is peachy keen. “Peachy” like the peach cobbler with the homemade crust and luxurious vanilla ice cream that they insist you try because it is a renowned favorite, when in reality the manager is trying to clear it out of the freezer to make room for next weeks delivery. Yes, these are the type of things that waiters need to rant about, and blogging is conducive to this for it doesn’t result in getting fired. At least as long as the blogger has enough sense to leave out the name of the restaurant under contention. :)
Subsequently, I think Josh brings up a very good point when he stated how Waiterant satisfies our yearning to know what goes on behind the scenes. Although the “scene” we are referencing is a restaurant and not a glamorous Hollywood hangout, the fact that we are reading about what happens in a place that we are denied access too, fulfills our yearning to dip our feet in the waters of the unfamiliar. Additionally, it is exciting to read these blogs for it feels as if we are engaging in scandalous and illegitimate behavior by exposing ourselves to the true thoughts of waiters and the work environment that they have to endure.
Accordingly, blogging can be viewed as a way to maintain ones precious sanity, for without it, a waiter would have no way to vent his frustration about the couple that refuses to sit anywhere but the table in the right corner of the back room, or the mother that covertly slips the restaurant’s crayons into her purse while simultaneously asking for more because the current ones are “dull”. These are the examples of things that fuel irritation and allow waiters to vent their frustrations through blogging, and therefore, keep them from lacing the spaghetti sauce with sleeping powder. Hopefully.
Subsequently, I think Josh brings up a very good point when he stated how Waiterant satisfies our yearning to know what goes on behind the scenes. Although the “scene” we are referencing is a restaurant and not a glamorous Hollywood hangout, the fact that we are reading about what happens in a place that we are denied access too, fulfills our yearning to dip our feet in the waters of the unfamiliar. Additionally, it is exciting to read these blogs for it feels as if we are engaging in scandalous and illegitimate behavior by exposing ourselves to the true thoughts of waiters and the work environment that they have to endure.
Accordingly, blogging can be viewed as a way to maintain ones precious sanity, for without it, a waiter would have no way to vent his frustration about the couple that refuses to sit anywhere but the table in the right corner of the back room, or the mother that covertly slips the restaurant’s crayons into her purse while simultaneously asking for more because the current ones are “dull”. These are the examples of things that fuel irritation and allow waiters to vent their frustrations through blogging, and therefore, keep them from lacing the spaghetti sauce with sleeping powder. Hopefully.
The Great Gender Divide
After reviewing the personal blogs suggested by Bousquet, I agreed with Danny when he said that there was a much larger female blogger community than male. But, the article by Susan C. Herring, Inna Kouper, Lois Ann Scheidt, and Elijah L. Wright, Women and Children Last: The Discursive Construction of Weblogs, argues that there are actually more male adult bloggers than female, and back it up with empirical data, seemingly voiding Danny's statement. But, when they separated the sample by age, they found that there were more women bloggers in the younger demographics. The younger women that dominate that age group may be more drawn to blog about personal and lifestyle topics which may be why that conclusion was drawn from the provided sample. Just a thought. Here's a quote and a link to the full article.
A number of people who maintained online journals in the mid-1990s have
since switched to using blog software, further blurring the distinction between
the two. From the outset, online journals, like the tradition of hand-written
diaries they draw from, have been associated with women (McNeil, 2003). Flynn
(2003) describes the rise of online communities of women journaling about weight
loss, illness, pregnancy, child rearing, and other topics of special concern.
Women (and men) also journal about events in their everyday lives.
Wednesday, May 2, 2007
Another Piehole
Because of Julianne's entry talking about the blog Piehole, I had to take at least a glance. It was love at first sight. She is witty and completely off her bonkers. I know in my previous entry I mentioned that it's a turn off when the blogger just rambles, but this Jennifer woman makes it comedy. Each little entry is good for at least a small smirk. I guess it helps that I'm also a girl and can laugh at the insanity when she talks about having too many handbags where guys might think that it's out of control and tune out. What brings another dimension into the blog is that it has some of her personal photos through a Flickr account. Although the pictures may not be of her, it gives you another insight to what kind of person she is.
Piehole: Defying Convention and Stirring Laughter
Andrea recommended the Piehole blog so I decided to pay particular attention to it. Curiously, the picture on Piehole’s homepage stands as a great representation of this strangely charming blogger. The picture is of a 50’s pin-up woman who naturally looks quite seductive with her ruby red lips and regal fur coat. Yet the irony surfaces in that this elegant temptress clutches a tall glass of beer. One wouldn’t expect a refined woman to be holding a beer and laughing, but the power behind this portrait is that it symbolizes Piehole as a woman who defies conventional standards of sophistication with her frank remarks and vernacular of words like “grody”. Moreover, who can’t be enchanted by a woman who heads her blog with the caption “Surely its happy hour somewhere.”
Just as Andrea posited, I found myself laughing hysterically while reading Piehole’s blog. While some of the humor was rather vulgar, her straight without sugar attitude was quite refreshing. (For those brave enough check out http://www.liscious.net/piehole/archives/cat_the_boob_tube.php. Hint: the words “maxi pad” and “cooch odor” are used). Perhaps the reason I was so enthralled by her blogs is because she is from Seattle. It was comforting reading the sentiments of a fellow Seattleite and her bluntness definitely reminded me of attitudes at home.
Additionally, I can relate with Andrea and her desire to know what bloggers look like. Piehole obviously is a unique woman, and consequently I wonder how she expresses herself through her appearance. Is she the pink-haired woman adorned in green spandex holed up in a bakery at Pike Place market? Or paradoxically, is she the woman wearing the stylish business suit that goes home at night and takes on the persona of a 34-year-old self-professed drunk blogger in order to escape the turmoil of work? Obviously Pieholes appearance does not change the way she writes, but it is fascinating to reflect on how it is an innate desire to form a mental image of the author.
Part of my attraction to Piehole’s blog was her connection with Seattle. Subsequently I decided to check out Seattle blogs since I was passionate about this subject. Even if you aren’t from Seattle, I suggest that you check out http://seattle.blogmob.org/. It is an excellent site that compiles blogs from a myriad of Seattleites, and the sarcasm and political fervor that pervades these blogs is remarkable.
Just as Andrea posited, I found myself laughing hysterically while reading Piehole’s blog. While some of the humor was rather vulgar, her straight without sugar attitude was quite refreshing. (For those brave enough check out http://www.liscious.net/piehole/archives/cat_the_boob_tube.php. Hint: the words “maxi pad” and “cooch odor” are used). Perhaps the reason I was so enthralled by her blogs is because she is from Seattle. It was comforting reading the sentiments of a fellow Seattleite and her bluntness definitely reminded me of attitudes at home.
Additionally, I can relate with Andrea and her desire to know what bloggers look like. Piehole obviously is a unique woman, and consequently I wonder how she expresses herself through her appearance. Is she the pink-haired woman adorned in green spandex holed up in a bakery at Pike Place market? Or paradoxically, is she the woman wearing the stylish business suit that goes home at night and takes on the persona of a 34-year-old self-professed drunk blogger in order to escape the turmoil of work? Obviously Pieholes appearance does not change the way she writes, but it is fascinating to reflect on how it is an innate desire to form a mental image of the author.
Part of my attraction to Piehole’s blog was her connection with Seattle. Subsequently I decided to check out Seattle blogs since I was passionate about this subject. Even if you aren’t from Seattle, I suggest that you check out http://seattle.blogmob.org/. It is an excellent site that compiles blogs from a myriad of Seattleites, and the sarcasm and political fervor that pervades these blogs is remarkable.
Tuesday, May 1, 2007
Blog Thoughts - Waiter Rant
As I meandered through a variety of blogs, the one that caught my attention the most (for today at least) was the "Waiter Rant" blog. (waiterrant.net) This blog definitely has its appeal - it definitely has a certain charm. The blog entries as a whole are entertaining, interesting, and I couldn't stop reading for a long time (until I realized I should get started on this homework).
This definitely contrasts from a lot of blogs I read in that the writer actually makes the reader care about what's happening. In the other blogs I read, a lot of the content was emo-esque whining and boring soliloquies I could care less about. In this Waiter Rant blog, the tone, the word usage, and just the writing in general make me *care* about what happens. The writer is engaging, his work is lively, and it's just a good read in general.
Add that to our natural curiosity for what goes on behind the scenes in a restaurant (an alien environment for many of us), and this blog is definitely a winner. Reading this blog was quite an enjoyable experience, and I hope the rest of the ones I read this week are this good.
This definitely contrasts from a lot of blogs I read in that the writer actually makes the reader care about what's happening. In the other blogs I read, a lot of the content was emo-esque whining and boring soliloquies I could care less about. In this Waiter Rant blog, the tone, the word usage, and just the writing in general make me *care* about what happens. The writer is engaging, his work is lively, and it's just a good read in general.
Add that to our natural curiosity for what goes on behind the scenes in a restaurant (an alien environment for many of us), and this blog is definitely a winner. Reading this blog was quite an enjoyable experience, and I hope the rest of the ones I read this week are this good.
Piehole is a winner
If I were to maintain a weblog, I’d like to make it without pictures to uphold a sense of mystery or intrigue, in the event that people would actually read it regularly. Better yet, I'd put up pictures of random people or find a friend to embody me on my blog.
It's a whole new realm of interaction in getting to know someone without an actual visual. When I was reading the Piehole postings, I was mostly curious about what this woman looked like. In the twat weblog, I wanted to know what her boyfriend looked like. It's strange how much importance I instinctively placed on the physical appearance of these people in order to actually know them. Based on their writing, they could have been any age or race. I found some pictures on each site and the characters I had created in my mind that were telling their stories were not what I had expected. I drew conclusions based on the decor of the blogs and the particular language they used, and was surprised when I saw their photos.
The blog I really think other people should read is the Piehole blog because it has some entertaining stories. The woman who writes them is hilariously dramatic and reminds me of my high school sister. Piehole probably wouldn't appreciate that since she's supposedly 34, but she put herself out there and that's how she came off.
In response to Emily and Danny, apparently it is not the case that women blog more than most. While I also got that impression, this article did a study that showed that male adults are the most frequent bloggers.
It's a whole new realm of interaction in getting to know someone without an actual visual. When I was reading the Piehole postings, I was mostly curious about what this woman looked like. In the twat weblog, I wanted to know what her boyfriend looked like. It's strange how much importance I instinctively placed on the physical appearance of these people in order to actually know them. Based on their writing, they could have been any age or race. I found some pictures on each site and the characters I had created in my mind that were telling their stories were not what I had expected. I drew conclusions based on the decor of the blogs and the particular language they used, and was surprised when I saw their photos.
The blog I really think other people should read is the Piehole blog because it has some entertaining stories. The woman who writes them is hilariously dramatic and reminds me of my high school sister. Piehole probably wouldn't appreciate that since she's supposedly 34, but she put herself out there and that's how she came off.
In response to Emily and Danny, apparently it is not the case that women blog more than most. While I also got that impression, this article did a study that showed that male adults are the most frequent bloggers.
navigating weblogs...
While I am fully aware of what a weblog is and the purpose of them are, this was actually my first attempt to actually take the time to navigate through different weblogs and read what people had to say. With that said, I didn't really know what to expect as I explored different sites and read different people's random thoughts, observations, and rationalizations about their everyday life. I did find myself actually laugh a little to myself when I read on "My boyfriend is a twat.." her logic behind the consumption of water and wine, which was as we drink water we are actually consuming fecal matter, but because wine goes through a process of distillation, it is actually more pure an better for our health than the water. I'm sure a lot of college students would potentially use this as their newest excuse to drink on a regular basis....
As I continued to explore a variety of weblogs, I have to agree with Danny, it seems like a majority of these blogs are just written by women who continually rant about their everyday lives and are particularly boring. No offense but I don't really care about the frog one woman observed in the pond or about the plans another woman is plotting for when a group of her girlfriends come into town. On the other hand though, I do think that the idea of a weblog as a way to journal and release your thoughts is an interesting new spin to what has become the old diary. Before people were concerned about their privacy, and that is why they chose to write in a journal, to have some sort of release for their thoughts and emotions. Today, while you can still remain anonymous, larger numbers of people are choosing to publicly announce their opinions and thoughts. I guess I just find this to be an interesting development because I would still prefer to keep what I have to say or think private....
To complete one of the questions posed for the class, the blog that I couldn't stop reading was postsecret. I was absolutely fascinated by the people who sent in their secrets honesty and how they allowed themselves to confess their vulnerabilities. This is one blog that I could definitely see myself following, not just because I have to for class, but because I find it fascinating.
As I continued to explore a variety of weblogs, I have to agree with Danny, it seems like a majority of these blogs are just written by women who continually rant about their everyday lives and are particularly boring. No offense but I don't really care about the frog one woman observed in the pond or about the plans another woman is plotting for when a group of her girlfriends come into town. On the other hand though, I do think that the idea of a weblog as a way to journal and release your thoughts is an interesting new spin to what has become the old diary. Before people were concerned about their privacy, and that is why they chose to write in a journal, to have some sort of release for their thoughts and emotions. Today, while you can still remain anonymous, larger numbers of people are choosing to publicly announce their opinions and thoughts. I guess I just find this to be an interesting development because I would still prefer to keep what I have to say or think private....
To complete one of the questions posed for the class, the blog that I couldn't stop reading was postsecret. I was absolutely fascinated by the people who sent in their secrets honesty and how they allowed themselves to confess their vulnerabilities. This is one blog that I could definitely see myself following, not just because I have to for class, but because I find it fascinating.
Whoa...
This postsecret blog is unbelievable! The anonymity that the internet provides produces some amazing results. I'm glad that they provide help - through the suicide prevention hotline - but I wonder what they do if they received a "sensitive" confession, say the confession of a, forgive the lack of a better example, a terrorist attack, or some other kind of high profile crime. I'd hate to be the one weighing the options between two confessions. i can see it now:
"Well, the molestation confession with a revenge murder secret is hard hitting and thought provoking, but we need something to lighten today's posting. How about that confession of the girl that likes to get pee'd on!"
Why are tthere so many female bloggers--is this women suffrage still venting?!
Why are all these blogs female authors, where is the male blog voice? The blog that fit me the best from the brief list of blogs given has so far been the piehole blog. I think the straightforwardness and innuendos come off as entertaining insights into this person’s life. While other blogs read thus far have been insightful they also have been plainly boring. Consider reading 19th century English literature with a heavy emphasis on social realism—that is where these blogs from boring hell come from. I tend to like the social commentary that people put into blogs that is about them, who they are, how they see the world; commentary that they have trouble expressing through conversation. I enjoy the ‘tabloid’ blog--The blog that throws out ideas and thoughts that are provoking and entertaining. I personally do not care for blogs like http://www.dooce.com/ where someone goes through there day of seeing a frog by a pond. I like to here other people’s thoughts. When I read blogs I enjoy the feeling of being Mel Gibson’s character from “What Women Want”, I like the private insights, snide humor, self conversation that some people are able to write.
HAHAHA verbatim: Send at least one post that finishes these sentences: “If I were to maintain a weblog, I’d like to make it like a conversation with myself where my thoughts are uninhibited and I can say what a want and mean what I say. I would like to know that my blog is anonymous to to all readers but my closest friends. I would not emphasize inside jokes but rather a satirical social commentary on life—local, regional, national, and international. I would exhaust my stereotypes, prejudices, criticisms, frustrations, and desires through my blog. Like a personal note pad of thoughts where I write how I am feeling, what I have been thinking about and what I want to do in the future. I want to be able to record my ideas for future reference. Perhaps through my blog I will be able to hone a sense of what I want to do with my life. Instead of keeping my thoughts inside I would have an outlet where my mouth does not move and people do not listen. I would consider my blog a private and public place. By private I mean that my blog is about my private thoughts and by public I mean that anyone has the ability to read my thoughts but they will likely not be able to connect my thoughts to me. So far there is not a blog that I cannot stop reading, I would rather read the Onion and as for now I cannot recommend any blog for other people to read, but hopefully in the future I will be able to.
Weblog Notes
I remember reading a number of these blogs a year ago, but didn’t remember the details and was interested in looking them up once more. The first blog that I went to was My Boyfriend is a Twat. It sounded fun and entertaining, but was pretty much anything but that. I found that this particular blog didn’t say very much at all. Yes, it talked about Zoe’s daily happenings, but it wasn’t captivating to the point that I could continue reading her entries now or in the future. Her entries were easy to get through because they weren’t long, but they seemed to be compiled of random thoughts, rambling. The blog itself was disappointing, but her title was definitely an eye catcher, I’ll give her that. I did, however, visit her past posts, and those seemed to have more content. In these blog postings, Zoe actually commented on her twat boyfriend, which is what we expect more of when clicking the link. Looking through the site, however, I realized that there is a disclaimer that makes sense to me now that I’ve read some of her writings. It states that her blog consists mostly of rants about her and her household. She then goes on to say that a friend of hers calls her family a mixture of The Osbournes, Absolutely Fabulous, and My Family. Although I’m unaware of who or what Absolutely Famous and My family are, I can still conclude that her family is perceived as a little nutty. I have yet to find an entry to prove such a thing.
My second attempt at finding an entertaining blog was a success. I think the reason for the interest in this particular one comes from the fact that each entry is like a mini story. It isn’t the author rambling about nothing just to have something to write, it has substance. Waiter Rant is fun to read because if you have not been a waiter or waitress, you get another point of view. Even if you have been a server, the stories that the author shares are still entertaining. He includes a lot of dialog, and you get the feeling that you’re reading a story instead of just reading a narration of the same occurrence. The author is able to pick up conversations between customers or coworkers that are funny or just plain outrageous where you can’t help but laugh or at least sit back and wonder what the hell he just told us. This mixed with some real situations makes things interesting. When Carmela, a coworker complains that her whole table had ordered dessert, she exclaims, “Why can’t I get a table of anorexic bitches? They never order dessert.” It’s so politically incorrect and yet you’re forced to slight nervous, ashamed laughter.
Post Secret is a different sort of blog. It uses a collection of images that real life people create on postcards as its blog entries. It can be used for many reasons such as an outlet if you need to get a secret off of your chest. Because it is as anonymous as you wish it to be, people are able to say anything freely without concern for retribution. It can be used to send a message out to someone that you couldn’t say to their face, or that you don’t want them to necessarily see but feel better just putting it out there. The confessions or secrets on these postcards can range from scary to funny. For example, one states, “I tried to choke myself with a belt when I was on LSD ,” while another says, “Please pee on me… I like it.” Some of the more outrageous ones are sometimes hard to believe, like the one saying I was molested as a child and never told anyone. As an adult I tracked him down, killed him, and never told anyone.” This particular one is scary in a sense that they’re admitting that they committed a murder, which brings me to question that if this were true, what are the legal actions connected to this. The postcards do not have return addresses, so what are the moral obligations of Post Secret?
My second attempt at finding an entertaining blog was a success. I think the reason for the interest in this particular one comes from the fact that each entry is like a mini story. It isn’t the author rambling about nothing just to have something to write, it has substance. Waiter Rant is fun to read because if you have not been a waiter or waitress, you get another point of view. Even if you have been a server, the stories that the author shares are still entertaining. He includes a lot of dialog, and you get the feeling that you’re reading a story instead of just reading a narration of the same occurrence. The author is able to pick up conversations between customers or coworkers that are funny or just plain outrageous where you can’t help but laugh or at least sit back and wonder what the hell he just told us. This mixed with some real situations makes things interesting. When Carmela, a coworker complains that her whole table had ordered dessert, she exclaims, “Why can’t I get a table of anorexic bitches? They never order dessert.” It’s so politically incorrect and yet you’re forced to slight nervous, ashamed laughter.
Post Secret is a different sort of blog. It uses a collection of images that real life people create on postcards as its blog entries. It can be used for many reasons such as an outlet if you need to get a secret off of your chest. Because it is as anonymous as you wish it to be, people are able to say anything freely without concern for retribution. It can be used to send a message out to someone that you couldn’t say to their face, or that you don’t want them to necessarily see but feel better just putting it out there. The confessions or secrets on these postcards can range from scary to funny. For example, one states, “I tried to choke myself with a belt when I was on LSD ,” while another says, “Please pee on me… I like it.” Some of the more outrageous ones are sometimes hard to believe, like the one saying I was molested as a child and never told anyone. As an adult I tracked him down, killed him, and never told anyone.” This particular one is scary in a sense that they’re admitting that they committed a murder, which brings me to question that if this were true, what are the legal actions connected to this. The postcards do not have return addresses, so what are the moral obligations of Post Secret?
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