BLOGS!

[Ms. Jellybean]

Who else has a blog? I've started up, with lucyinthesky704.blogspot.com. I think that's the link.

[Head Mutant]

And we're not on your links? For shame!

[ThePickleMan]

www.ebloggy.com/blog.php?username=Beeij&id=1

WARNING: Strong language is used. =)

_{Edited to fix a broken link - Pooly}

[PoolMan]

I've wrestled with the idea of having a blog, but I've still yet to go for it. There's an intrinsic level of honesty that the really good bloggers have that I don't; there's a line of personal info that I simply don't want to cross in a public forum. Problem is, that's exactly what makes any good blog worth reading.

My brow is FURROWED, I tells ya!

[DocD83]

You could do the other extreme where you lie through your teeth. The world needs to hear about that drunken drag striptease you did on top of a display case in a museum!

[Head Mutant]

I figure we reveal enough of ourselves to the public on MRFH that any blogging is strictly unnecessary. Personally, I don't really ever read anyone's blogs or livejournals, nor do I see the fascination with doing so. But I guess it might have something to do with the world's obsession with reality TV -- a mixture of voyeurism and a "lookit me, lookit me" mentality.

[Head Mutant]

Let me follow that up with a brief disclaimer, lest you think I'm trying to slam anyone who does blog. It's not that I don't think other people are fascinating, or that it's even cool to be in on a little tidbit on someone's life now and then. But when it's strictly about you and nothing else, you either have to be a one-person circus or else you're just not entertaining enough to warrant a daily read. Some blogs counter this by wrapping their life stories up in more universally entertaining aspects -- such as quizzes, tests, polls, cool links they found, etc. That takes the attention momentarily off of themselves and in so doing, invites other people to come in and share the experience.

However, a vast majority of blogs that I've seen don't offer anything else to the meal other than themselves. And when people strictly write about themselves and their opinions, I have a hard time understanding why it's interesting to anyone else past a read or two.

I completely understand the attraction behind writing a journal or diary, and applaud it. It's great to pour out your thoughts in writing, to try to analyze your life that way, to get your frustrations and excitements out like that. But journals and diaries are for you, and you alone. You write to an audience of one, a companion piece for your brain. It's an area where you can be completely honest and open because you know (hopefully) you accept yourself.

But a blog is about as opposite to that as can be. You write about yourself, but not to yourself. You either can't be as honest and open as you would be in a personal journal, or you get off on being so open and exposed that it's the reason for doing that project.

So I'm just saying, if you have a blog, let it have a purpose. A focus. A random spewing of life thoughts that comprise the Me Show doesn't really offer much to others, and since you're writing to others, that's a failing. If you're writing to entertain, then acknowledge that and figure out some fun angle in which to do that.

For example, I once scanned a blog where a girl solely wrote about weird people she observed every day. It was her thoughts and comments, but since it was entertaining and had something to offer the reader besides her own life -- and since people observation is something we all do -- suddenly it was more accessible than the typical blog.

[Deleted]

yeah, I myself have a deadjournal, but it's incredibly boring because it's usually just filled with a mixture of me talking about how I'm bored and have nothing to do, whatever minor current event happened in my life, or any quizzes/survey thingies that I take to waste time.

Not exactly the most interesting thing in the world. The only other journals I read are of people I know. Otherwise it seems kind of pointless.

I really don't know why I keep writing in it. Probably for the same reason I keep updating my website even though barely anyone visits it. Oh well. I guess it's just one of those things...

[FiveMileSmile]

Justin pretty much hit the nail on the head for me with his first post as well. However, nor do I want to be seen as bashing Bloggers; one of the wonders of the internet is that it does allow you a sense of community you might not find elsewhere, plus I guess there's a cathartic element to airing your thoughts and concerns with the comforting blanket of Internet Anonymity(tm).

However, my problem with blogs is that for every one written in English addressing the mundane but genuine day to day activities of a reasonably sane human being, there are 14 Blogs WrItEn LiEk ThIzZ and crammed with so much compressed leetspeak kiddie supidity that it creates some kind of Intellectual Event Horizon that sucks away your IQ just by attempting to read it.

As someone who, amongst other things, spends some time every year teaching people how to correctly lay out and compose structured essays, I have a great respect for language (which I, of course, mangle completely in my reviews, but thats part of the fun), and I weep for the state of the English language when I recieve application forms for my Department at the University that use '2day' for today, 'u' for you, and 'r' for are (all true stories). I'm not saying Blogs are entirely to blame, but every time I see one I get the unquenchable urge to get out my red pen and start correcting all the horrible horrible grammar/spelling/punctuation mistakes that infest them.

- Rich

[Lissa]

I'm certainly not a Blogger/Livejournaler myself, because my entries would probably read either like my movie reviews or my papers, and those get much better press elsewhere. However, for all the lousy ones out there, I have one highly compelling argument for reading Livejournals: The Very Secret Diaries. Nuff said

[PoolMan]

FiveMileSmile said:

...it creates some kind of Intellectual Event Horizon that sucks away your IQ just by attempting to read it.

That shouldn't worry you, Rich! You've got an extra 20 points to lose before you're down in the realm of us mere mortals!

[FiveMileSmile]

I knew that quote would come back and haunt me.

That will teach me to drink and post at the same time.

Oh, and I'll get you, Poole, even if I have to bend all my supergenius IQ to the task.

- Rich

[PoolMan]

Ask Justin... he knows exactly how restrained I've been on the whole '150 IQ' thing.

Exactly.

[Vorlina]

Obviously, this is some testosterone thing that I missed earlier.

And to continue, because I forgot what I was posting about, I read the Tube blogger diaries - mainly to prove to myself that I am not the only truly sentient being alive in the metal coffin when the system crashes.

You get pictures of celebrities snapped unawares on the Tube sometimes too - almost makes you feel like they are real people...

[Head Mutant]

*raises my right hand* Pooly's been very restrained.