In class today, we read three different blogs written by Dr. Jerz. One was on Visual Blogs, one on Imagined Community of Instant Publishing and the last on the Academic Weblog Community.
Visual Blogs: In regards to the blog about Visual blogs, I must say I agree. It’s always nice to look at pictures and see visuals on things that you are reading. However, if you’re looking at a blog, you should mostly be reading it, not looking at all these images. For me, a blog is where you take time out to write about certain topics. While pictures may help get the point across, words are what is needed in today’s society. I feel people rely too much on images. Looking at an image can only get you so far. It can’t describe to you, in detail, what the artist was thinking or what he meant by that particular image. This is where the all-important words come in. Personally, in my opinion, an all visual blog would not be interesting to me. I enjoy reading people’s blogs and reading what they have to say about certain things. If all someone’s blog is, is pictures, it takes away all the fun of reading their viewpoint and imaging what voice or tone they meant certain words in. With pictures you can’t get that. I personally haven’t come across any blogs with pictures. I might have to search Google, and see what comes up!
Imagined Community of Instant Publishing: I didn’t really understand this blog. I’m not sure if it’s because I’m sick and tired from it or what. If someone could comment and give me a quick rundown on it or something, I’d really appreciate it.
Academic Weblog Community: This blog talked about the select few who are very dedicated bloggers. I’m sad to say that I am not one of them. Dr. Jerz talked about how only 5% of the SHU blogging community is active and makes up 50% of the activity. I try to blog, honest. I have a really hard time with blogging, because to me, blogging is supposed to be intelligent. It’s not supposed to be a rundown of my day. That’s what my online journal is for. I also a really hard time finding intelligent topics to blog about. I plan on posting one soon, on a topic that will hopefully create some friendly stir. When it comes to the different categories of bloggers, I completely agree. You have some that may fit into a poetry writing blog or a short story blog. Then you have people like me. I don’t really have a category, I blog on what interests me. I think I may have been one of the select few to blog about the death of Christopher Reeve, because that interested me. I love to write, but posting things I wrote is not something I want to do. I like my blog being up in the air. I mean I never know what the next thing I’ll blog about is going to be. To me, that makes blogging even more exciting and makes me want to find more time to blog in.
Blogging is cool, no matter how you do it. Keep blogging!!!
Posted by MelissaLutz at November 5, 2004 11:44 AM"I have a really hard time with blogging, because to me, blogging is supposed to be intelligent."
Hmm. Don't berate yourself for having a life and posting some of it online on this blog. On my blog, I write a little about a lot of things in my life. Be open to a multi-faceted view of you, and don't constrict yourself to everything that is in the classroom. I mean, look at your blog colors--obviously you have interesting tastes, and I mean that in a good way. :-)
Posted by: Amanda at November 23, 2004 02:57 PMAbout the 5%/50% divide... that's pretty common with weblogs in general. One reason I mentioned it is to remind everyone -- includign myself -- that the superproductive bloggers whose blogs are the most active are not really representative of what the average person experiences when they blog. I find my own blogging, and the student blogging that I read, to be tremendously rewarding; if I didn't then, I wouldn't assign blogging. If I didn't assign blogging, then my students wouldn't have to do it... but that's probably the case with most kinds of reading and writing. As instructors, our job is to expose students to new modes of expression and new ways of thinking. Some of those ways will click, and some won't.
But hopefully, you'll learn something from each thing that you try.
Posted by: Dennis G. Jerz at November 23, 2004 04:48 PMMelissa,
I know what you mean about coming up with a topic to blog about. At the beginning of this class I was really excited and would just blog the most idiotic things, I felt immature. The second half of this semster all I've done is academic blogging, which actually gets kinda boring. In a sense I haven't even had time for that. That would be the reason I'm on a major cram tonight, it's hard to find time to express yourself and research your opinion. It's not to often someone offers you that option, it's more like research and give the straight facts. Don't worry about it people might like to read your daily rundown if something eventful happened! I'm with you as well on not being one of the dedicated bloggers, congrats to those who can keep up! Happy blogging and good luck, creativity strikes us when we least expect it!
Thanks Amanda for your comment. I'm trying not to just focus on academics. Although I am pretty sure the reason I don't blog a lot, besides lack of time, is that I can't find an intelligent way to say certain things. I'm working on it and it is coming along.
Samantha, I know the reason I don't blog as often is because I can't think of anything to write about. I mean nothing exciting really does happen so there I have nothing to blog about and then when stuff does happen, I forget or get lazy and don't blog. I think my main problem is I'm a big procrasinator. I'm trying to work on it though!
Posted by: Melissa at November 30, 2004 09:06 AMI hate to say this but in the WFTI class I have noticed quite a bit of procrastination going on
:-)
Don't worry it's not just you, I get the same way, it's like hey that was interesting...then as the day wears on I would rahter do other things then sit in front of the computer and type more.