Tuesday, May 04, 2004
Do School's Other Than Universities Use Blogs?
Tammy asked me if I found anything about schools using a weblog to communicate with their students...and I hadn't. It bothered me that I hadn't come across that yet..so I did some searching, and found only one example of how I think she was meaning for the blog to be used.
The blog's descritpion is "updates, news and reviews for the parents of Mrs. Scholder's Kindergarten Class" The blog seems to be very helpful for parents whose kids are bringing home dirty, wet notes that aren't very legible anymore. I thought it really seemed to make the teacher incorporate with the parents a lot more than usual. It also provided a schedule, some weekly, some daily to inform the parents what their kids are learning. The blog was also helpful in that she used it as a way to send notes home to the child's parent(s). Listings of school supplies is a great example of how useful this blog can be for parents...even though they maybe should be, parents really aren't as organized as some might think--and definitely not as organized as a kindergarten teacher whose color-coded everything, etc., so I think this is an awesome idea, because they no longer have to keep the paper, but can just zip to the blog and see what they need to buy.
This method could really cut down on the cost of things for a school--especially a small school with little funding. Notes, announcements, bulletins, lunch menus, all of that could be kept as alink off of a blog such as Mrs. Scholder's. It also is a good spot for parents to go to find extra info. about authors, teaching techniques, etc.
The only problem with something like this is that everyone in the class (or their parents) would need to have access to a computer. This isn't always so easily done, but for those who don't own a computer or internet connection, they should probably look into that or will (hopefully) at least have access somehow...now I see how blogs run through the phone could be useful.......
But anyway, I just wanted to share that little tidbit for Tammy--But for any teachers, I think this is a great idea to show the parent's that you're organized, up-to-date with tech, and how motivated you can be..The constant uses of these blogs amazes me, it's truly crazy how hard people will work to fit a blog into their daily lives/careers.
Another Career
Lawyers are also using blogging to get their name out there in more of a local sense--speaking to potential customers. So many people find information and products through search engines, that lawyers find it beneficial to mention both in a post title and in the posting itself the name of the city or area, plus any other information about the surrounding cities to try get customers to click on their blog as they search for the item they were initially looking for. One tennessee law professor's blog was ranked number one.... His Blog's success led to a swarm of lawyer weblogs, proving that they too can keep up with current trends by following the local news--showing they care and are interested, etc.--while posting from a medium that allows them to stay in contact/available to potential customers from all walks of life.........
Tammy asked me if I found anything about schools using a weblog to communicate with their students...and I hadn't. It bothered me that I hadn't come across that yet..so I did some searching, and found only one example of how I think she was meaning for the blog to be used.
The blog's descritpion is "updates, news and reviews for the parents of Mrs. Scholder's Kindergarten Class" The blog seems to be very helpful for parents whose kids are bringing home dirty, wet notes that aren't very legible anymore. I thought it really seemed to make the teacher incorporate with the parents a lot more than usual. It also provided a schedule, some weekly, some daily to inform the parents what their kids are learning. The blog was also helpful in that she used it as a way to send notes home to the child's parent(s). Listings of school supplies is a great example of how useful this blog can be for parents...even though they maybe should be, parents really aren't as organized as some might think--and definitely not as organized as a kindergarten teacher whose color-coded everything, etc., so I think this is an awesome idea, because they no longer have to keep the paper, but can just zip to the blog and see what they need to buy.
This method could really cut down on the cost of things for a school--especially a small school with little funding. Notes, announcements, bulletins, lunch menus, all of that could be kept as alink off of a blog such as Mrs. Scholder's. It also is a good spot for parents to go to find extra info. about authors, teaching techniques, etc.
The only problem with something like this is that everyone in the class (or their parents) would need to have access to a computer. This isn't always so easily done, but for those who don't own a computer or internet connection, they should probably look into that or will (hopefully) at least have access somehow...now I see how blogs run through the phone could be useful.......
But anyway, I just wanted to share that little tidbit for Tammy--But for any teachers, I think this is a great idea to show the parent's that you're organized, up-to-date with tech, and how motivated you can be..The constant uses of these blogs amazes me, it's truly crazy how hard people will work to fit a blog into their daily lives/careers.
Another Career
Lawyers are also using blogging to get their name out there in more of a local sense--speaking to potential customers. So many people find information and products through search engines, that lawyers find it beneficial to mention both in a post title and in the posting itself the name of the city or area, plus any other information about the surrounding cities to try get customers to click on their blog as they search for the item they were initially looking for. One tennessee law professor's blog was ranked number one.... His Blog's success led to a swarm of lawyer weblogs, proving that they too can keep up with current trends by following the local news--showing they care and are interested, etc.--while posting from a medium that allows them to stay in contact/available to potential customers from all walks of life.........
Sunday, May 02, 2004
How Far Have They Come?
Part of the point of compiling all of these blogs was to see where they've been and where they've headed. I found This Article written in 1999; I found a thread of a conversation written in '99 of a group of people discussing what they thought weblogs to be, and whether or not the title 'weblog' fits that or not. One writer, going by the name of "floyd(8635)" really helped me to see how some of the online community was taking to blogging.... he said: "I agree with much of what Katz has to say, but I have to admit, the hype around weblogs really baffles me. They're just link lists with a snarky comments, and there's very little that's revolutionary about that."
WOW. Look how far we've (and blogs themselves) have come! I personally, don't think that there is any possible way that statement can hold itself up any longer, and i'm a little surprised it's still available at Slashdot, but with all of the examples, and different cultures that are grabbing ahold of weblogs as their voices and a place to explain in their words what's going on in their worlds....definitely revolutionary. Perhaps at the time they weren't, though.
But for someone who once believed there was very little revolutionary about them......look at the Blog That Came Out of Denial. It's Pretty impressive...and at the same time he blogs around the instant thought in his head at the moment.... nothing too substantial just a place to put them...
And yet, after some digging, I found that Derek addressed this issue himself....read it Here. I guess when I was reading it, and he said he wanted to rebel against weblogs when they were presented to him in 1999....that explains his more-than-somewhat-off explanation of them above, but I too, did this project, or started doing it, to somehow prove to myself that yeah, weblogs will fail....or that they are worthless to anyone OUTSIDE of the online network. None of which I was able to actually prove...
Either was Derek....one of his final remarks concerning weblogs, only a year later....
"So here we are. I've been running a weblog for almost
six months (or over a year, depending on when you start
counting). And the good still outweighs the bad. In fact,
I'm ready to finally say it:
I don't hate weblogs. I love weblogs. Honest."
The Definition Question
The defintion of a weblog and what they consist of was still being battled back then, as Derek asked readers to send him their definitions...in search for his own. I'm not sure which would've been harder, though, definining weblogs now or then. When they first began they were so new that no one could really come up with anything to describe/compare them too, however, now about five years later, there are so many uses and structures to weblogs that sometimes they are unrecognizable...the window for defining them might be too huge now to do it much more effectively than something that has a time and date stamp on it.... but it is interesting to think about the acceptance/or lack of acceptance that they had to go through to spread as they did.
Part of the point of compiling all of these blogs was to see where they've been and where they've headed. I found This Article written in 1999; I found a thread of a conversation written in '99 of a group of people discussing what they thought weblogs to be, and whether or not the title 'weblog' fits that or not. One writer, going by the name of "floyd(8635)" really helped me to see how some of the online community was taking to blogging.... he said: "I agree with much of what Katz has to say, but I have to admit, the hype around weblogs really baffles me. They're just link lists with a snarky comments, and there's very little that's revolutionary about that."
WOW. Look how far we've (and blogs themselves) have come! I personally, don't think that there is any possible way that statement can hold itself up any longer, and i'm a little surprised it's still available at Slashdot, but with all of the examples, and different cultures that are grabbing ahold of weblogs as their voices and a place to explain in their words what's going on in their worlds....definitely revolutionary. Perhaps at the time they weren't, though.
But for someone who once believed there was very little revolutionary about them......look at the Blog That Came Out of Denial. It's Pretty impressive...and at the same time he blogs around the instant thought in his head at the moment.... nothing too substantial just a place to put them...
And yet, after some digging, I found that Derek addressed this issue himself....read it Here. I guess when I was reading it, and he said he wanted to rebel against weblogs when they were presented to him in 1999....that explains his more-than-somewhat-off explanation of them above, but I too, did this project, or started doing it, to somehow prove to myself that yeah, weblogs will fail....or that they are worthless to anyone OUTSIDE of the online network. None of which I was able to actually prove...
Either was Derek....one of his final remarks concerning weblogs, only a year later....
"So here we are. I've been running a weblog for almost
six months (or over a year, depending on when you start
counting). And the good still outweighs the bad. In fact,
I'm ready to finally say it:
I don't hate weblogs. I love weblogs. Honest."
The Definition Question
The defintion of a weblog and what they consist of was still being battled back then, as Derek asked readers to send him their definitions...in search for his own. I'm not sure which would've been harder, though, definining weblogs now or then. When they first began they were so new that no one could really come up with anything to describe/compare them too, however, now about five years later, there are so many uses and structures to weblogs that sometimes they are unrecognizable...the window for defining them might be too huge now to do it much more effectively than something that has a time and date stamp on it.... but it is interesting to think about the acceptance/or lack of acceptance that they had to go through to spread as they did.
Thursday, April 15, 2004
Something I hope doesn't last.....OR doesn't continue getting out of hand...
Call me cruel or unadventurous but I'm just NOT a huge fan of all the lingo that goes with fads. I don't know yet if weblogs are/will be/should be considered a fad, but this seems to be a bit excessive?-- But
As a dictionary it's pretty well done, it has perma links, sidebars and links so it's quite a bit like the thing it's defining: a blog.
I suppose as a 'thing' blogs are pushing language to come up with terms to define it and it's related items...I'm not sure if there will be a rush of blogs defining blogs (which, hm...I could be doing to an extent) but blogs definitely give people something else/something new, to talk about......According to the blog dict. I think this project would be a kind of blog digest.
If only all the words we have right now could do the job....
Call me cruel or unadventurous but I'm just NOT a huge fan of all the lingo that goes with fads. I don't know yet if weblogs are/will be/should be considered a fad, but this seems to be a bit excessive?-- But
As a dictionary it's pretty well done, it has perma links, sidebars and links so it's quite a bit like the thing it's defining: a blog.
I suppose as a 'thing' blogs are pushing language to come up with terms to define it and it's related items...I'm not sure if there will be a rush of blogs defining blogs (which, hm...I could be doing to an extent) but blogs definitely give people something else/something new, to talk about......According to the blog dict. I think this project would be a kind of blog digest.
If only all the words we have right now could do the job....
Blogging for Charity?
The The Advocacy directly uses weblogs to spread the word about the organization. This works well to put a face and name to the project--the more human it seems the more likely others are to help out.
Blogging for the Jimmy Fund During the South Carolina Primary, a Blog-A-Thon of sorts was held. The $$ raised went to help the Jimmy Fund, which donates to those affected by cancer. However, I couldn't find any more information as to what they actually were doing or blogging about. Bits and pieces of the Blog-A-Thon can be found here but to get a better picture of this I would look at the Trommetter Times blog that has the archives of his 17 hour blogathon entries....that's right, seventeen h o u r s of blogging. Crazy-blogging-frenzy-frightens me. Anyway, he raised $ by doing it-blogging comes easy enough for some people that the real challenge lies in staying AWAKE long enough to keep blogging. Then I'd have to ask, since no one is physically watching you type the entries couldn't one just switch off wtih a buddy and blog together...that would, however, take your voice out of one's blog I guess. I"m not sure why i'm contemplating cheating on charity anyway.
The blogathon entries of Trommetter Times are recovered. One big problem of joining marathons that depend on technology is that technology can always fail. So can one's knee when their on the last stretch of the Boston Matathon, though.
How Does One Get Involved In a Blogathon??
At blogathon.com of course! It sounds easy enough-pick a blogger to sponsor from their list and away you go. At the end of the blogathon you'll be notified by email of how well your blogger did and then it's your turn to send a check directly to the charity you're sponsoring... in 2001 bloggers raised 20,000 dollaz for 70+different charities. If you're interested check it out here. The Blogathon site keeps it easy by keeping track of the pledges, sponsors and bloggers and also makes sure that every charity gets paid in the end.
Merchandising the blogathon...really?
Yep, there's things to be bought from blogathon--I guess nothing can come for free. They give to charity but I guess something has to help keep it alive.. t-shirts, thong underwear, coffee mugs, coasters.....
A -thon for Writers??
Indeed, 'tis true...the blogathon site also has a blogathon in which people collaboarate to write a poem or piece of fiction etc. by adding one line (or whatever is specified) at a time by each blogger. For 24 hours they write, each adding until it's finished. Here's an example. This is a sponsored event also, and all proceeds go to Gilda's Club Worldwide.
I think blogging for charity is awesome. After doing this project for what seems like forever, I'd say this is probably the best idea for blog use that i've seen as of yet. It just makes sense I guess to use this for something generally good . I don't assume this will have much affect on how long blogs will continue to be around, but it is good to see that the useages of them has turned to benefiting others, instead of blogging for one's own income. Something like this could definitely spread, however, there is a problem with using the term 'blogathon' in 2004 because it isn't going to be setting up anymore -athon's until 2005...but I don't see this ending anytime soon, it'll have to be copied many more times before people get sick of the idea, right?
The The Advocacy directly uses weblogs to spread the word about the organization. This works well to put a face and name to the project--the more human it seems the more likely others are to help out.
Blogging for the Jimmy Fund During the South Carolina Primary, a Blog-A-Thon of sorts was held. The $$ raised went to help the Jimmy Fund, which donates to those affected by cancer. However, I couldn't find any more information as to what they actually were doing or blogging about. Bits and pieces of the Blog-A-Thon can be found here but to get a better picture of this I would look at the Trommetter Times blog that has the archives of his 17 hour blogathon entries....that's right, seventeen h o u r s of blogging. Crazy-blogging-frenzy-frightens me. Anyway, he raised $ by doing it-blogging comes easy enough for some people that the real challenge lies in staying AWAKE long enough to keep blogging. Then I'd have to ask, since no one is physically watching you type the entries couldn't one just switch off wtih a buddy and blog together...that would, however, take your voice out of one's blog I guess. I"m not sure why i'm contemplating cheating on charity anyway.
The blogathon entries of Trommetter Times are recovered. One big problem of joining marathons that depend on technology is that technology can always fail. So can one's knee when their on the last stretch of the Boston Matathon, though.
How Does One Get Involved In a Blogathon??
At blogathon.com of course! It sounds easy enough-pick a blogger to sponsor from their list and away you go. At the end of the blogathon you'll be notified by email of how well your blogger did and then it's your turn to send a check directly to the charity you're sponsoring... in 2001 bloggers raised 20,000 dollaz for 70+different charities. If you're interested check it out here. The Blogathon site keeps it easy by keeping track of the pledges, sponsors and bloggers and also makes sure that every charity gets paid in the end.
Merchandising the blogathon...really?
Yep, there's things to be bought from blogathon--I guess nothing can come for free. They give to charity but I guess something has to help keep it alive.. t-shirts, thong underwear, coffee mugs, coasters.....
A -thon for Writers??
Indeed, 'tis true...the blogathon site also has a blogathon in which people collaboarate to write a poem or piece of fiction etc. by adding one line (or whatever is specified) at a time by each blogger. For 24 hours they write, each adding until it's finished. Here's an example. This is a sponsored event also, and all proceeds go to Gilda's Club Worldwide.
I think blogging for charity is awesome. After doing this project for what seems like forever, I'd say this is probably the best idea for blog use that i've seen as of yet. It just makes sense I guess to use this for something generally good . I don't assume this will have much affect on how long blogs will continue to be around, but it is good to see that the useages of them has turned to benefiting others, instead of blogging for one's own income. Something like this could definitely spread, however, there is a problem with using the term 'blogathon' in 2004 because it isn't going to be setting up anymore -athon's until 2005...but I don't see this ending anytime soon, it'll have to be copied many more times before people get sick of the idea, right?
Tuesday, April 13, 2004
Giving Voice
I just want to remark about how weblogs give voice to those who don't really get one--or are encouraged to have less of one, in respect to the above article on BBC News. I've all ready blogged around Salam Pax, and his ability to get on the internet and discuss what was going on in times of war....now, Iranian citizens use the internet to blog about things in their daily lives that they don't otherwise get to. The Internet is one of the only places where they have immediate freedom of speech and the ability to Get Out what they are trying to say...Now, there are over 1200 Persian blogs, according to the article, which boosted after the directions were translated into different languages....
I Think
It struck me that it is illegal for the Iranian govt. to censor the citizen's blogs. Although, finding out who was actually writing what would be difficult/impossible because very few use any real names or information when writing and creating their blogs. If a lot of people here in the US used this idea of blogging anonymously, I think the respectability would go down for bloggers--we (US and Iran) have such different ideas of trust, an issue that keeps coming up again and again....
I think the women being able to find a voice and express their emotions is great...but some of the comments: (for those of you who don't actually want to read the article) struck me as odd:
One woman said: "I had some negative responses,
people saying I am disrespecting the
image of an Iranian woman. Some
people even insulted me."
But at the same time: "I've had e-mails from men who have
told me that I changed their attitude
towards women in Iran."
As they blog on mostly social issues, boyfriends, girlfriends, daily-life issues...
Adding countries into the blogging world is really going to take off, I think, because it is a place to find support, feedback and ideas about one's life.
I just want to remark about how weblogs give voice to those who don't really get one--or are encouraged to have less of one, in respect to the above article on BBC News. I've all ready blogged around Salam Pax, and his ability to get on the internet and discuss what was going on in times of war....now, Iranian citizens use the internet to blog about things in their daily lives that they don't otherwise get to. The Internet is one of the only places where they have immediate freedom of speech and the ability to Get Out what they are trying to say...Now, there are over 1200 Persian blogs, according to the article, which boosted after the directions were translated into different languages....
I Think
It struck me that it is illegal for the Iranian govt. to censor the citizen's blogs. Although, finding out who was actually writing what would be difficult/impossible because very few use any real names or information when writing and creating their blogs. If a lot of people here in the US used this idea of blogging anonymously, I think the respectability would go down for bloggers--we (US and Iran) have such different ideas of trust, an issue that keeps coming up again and again....
I think the women being able to find a voice and express their emotions is great...but some of the comments: (for those of you who don't actually want to read the article) struck me as odd:
One woman said: "I had some negative responses,
people saying I am disrespecting the
image of an Iranian woman. Some
people even insulted me."
But at the same time: "I've had e-mails from men who have
told me that I changed their attitude
towards women in Iran."
As they blog on mostly social issues, boyfriends, girlfriends, daily-life issues...
Adding countries into the blogging world is really going to take off, I think, because it is a place to find support, feedback and ideas about one's life.
Wednesday, April 07, 2004
I've talked about war blogs, and K-blogs, come across thousands of personal blogs, linked to business blogs, but a new community--of sorts--has sprung up centerered around something entirely different. Medicine. Not as in pill poppers staying up for days writing blogs, but medlogs--blogs by doctors...This seems to be a fairly new phemonemon as I havent' come across any others except those listed here. Most of them are hardly finished and the connection usually broke so I couldn't get into most of them, but they are there....Some centered on medicine alone and others don't appear to be written by a doctor at all. One that I thought was exceptionally well done and is picking up some devoted readers was MedRants. He focuses on important studies, research, pharmacies, medicines, treatments...and it's cute. It's very well done, and I think a lot of people could benefit from these types of blogs, both because they get readers thinking about their own health (as they sit and read blogs or surf the net w/out getting up for hours...nice circulation) and also I thought it was nice to see a doctor as a real person--instead of such an intimidating figure.
Some Problems
If I happened to be reading my own doctor's weblog and I found ANYTHING about me or my health/history on it, that could cause quite a controversey. MedRants seemed to shy away from this however, This Blog could get itself into trouble..I know it only mentions the problem and not the patient, however, if I could recognize myself, I wouldn't be happy.
Another problem I brainstormed was that of copy cat syndrome. It's all ready out there on the web, with the problems between whose telling the truth and who probably aren't. If i wanted to make a blog and claim to be a doctor--it's done, it's easy to be someone you're not when you control how much or little the audience knows about you...It'd be kind of scary to see someone who believes everything they read/doesn't question anything that's on the web or in books, and see how easily they are swayed to try some crazy medical technique that really doesn't exist anywhere but in the land of the crazies--or on someones joke of a blog....I just hope enough people have enough respect for what's true and what's not to decide for themselves what they will/will not believe.
Some Problems
If I happened to be reading my own doctor's weblog and I found ANYTHING about me or my health/history on it, that could cause quite a controversey. MedRants seemed to shy away from this however, This Blog could get itself into trouble..I know it only mentions the problem and not the patient, however, if I could recognize myself, I wouldn't be happy.
Another problem I brainstormed was that of copy cat syndrome. It's all ready out there on the web, with the problems between whose telling the truth and who probably aren't. If i wanted to make a blog and claim to be a doctor--it's done, it's easy to be someone you're not when you control how much or little the audience knows about you...It'd be kind of scary to see someone who believes everything they read/doesn't question anything that's on the web or in books, and see how easily they are swayed to try some crazy medical technique that really doesn't exist anywhere but in the land of the crazies--or on someones joke of a blog....I just hope enough people have enough respect for what's true and what's not to decide for themselves what they will/will not believe.
Monday, April 05, 2004
Blogs of Type: ArtBlogs
I've come across a lot of different types of weblogs, one I like especially, that has little to do with the writing of a blog are art blogs....
Inside that, there are also different types of art blogs- as in photoblogs and drawing..
this blog in particular is a good mix of both art and writing. Rakugaki illustrates a story in a blog format--something different, but very unique to look at. The drawings are enough to keep my attention, and when doubled with a story line about them, it's really a cool thing. The writing is generally short, but I think his focus is more on the art anyway.
This Superhero uses her blog to accompany her website promoting her jewlery. This blog is a lot more personal than either of the other two. The blog is definitely a good place to include picts of her business' products, though. She seems to have quite a few readers--and customers--who leave comments as the commens scroll is often longer than the post itself. The pictures kind of include both unrelated ones and also those of friends etc. wearing the jewlery she sellls. Knowing that this blog is related to her business kind of makes me want to not like it--but it's interesting and fun, and doesn't feel business-y; it's just hard to convince the critic in me. Otherwise, I think this (mixing biz and pleasure on a blog) is a great idea.
Another example of mixing photography with writing in a blog is that of this unknown blogger who wants to stay somewhat anonymous on it as she wants to keep it a place for her to have fun--a place unrelated to work. This doesn't work so much as a portfolio as it does a showcase, which it is. However, for those interested in photography and the technicalities of it all, this blog seems helpful ( i know nothing of photography except those fuzzy snap shots i take from a 3 dolla camera but...) she talks about the equipment she uses, and why the shot did or didn't work for her. This has a very rich blog feel as her personal information is also posted--just not her name or anything much about her job. The pictures adds so much more to the blog--I like that they aren't pictures of her or her cats etc., because I really don't care about what she or her friends or her cats look like. Even though she doesn't always spend the entire post talking about what's featured in the picture of the day...it just adds...something.
blog.art is where you go to get your blogs Out There. It was designed in Aug. of 2003 and has expanded exponentially so that the blog now accepts art from other art blogs and links from your blog to theirs...tadah~ Why not use someone elses blog to get your art noticed?-
What's the Use?
For those interested in art and design, art blogs are great. I see them being used as online portfolios a lot--it's the easiest way for people to get Out There and be noticed, I think. It also adds some furthur info. for potential employers to get a second look at your work; doing it like a blog allows them to see how dedicated you are to sharing it (once a week, a month or everyday) and it also allows one to add little explanations of the work online. Also like the Superhero blog, it gets attention directed toward you and eventually to your business. And as for the second photo blog I talked about, it can also serve to distance ones self from business-like adventures.
what I think ?
Do these somehow add to a future in blogging? Do they somehow enhance it so much or go past the boundaries so far that bloggers are destined to do this kind of writing (with picts) forever? NOPE. but there does seem to be something lasting about artists/photographers posting their work proudly on for other people to comment on. They've formed a community paralell to that of other bloggers mixed in with other bloggers, weaving through both the art and writing worlds, and many of them linked together sharing ideas--it's nice to eavesdrop into. I do think this gives blogs another reason to stick around for a while--if it really is helping business or helping people get noticed/employment--why would anyone give up?
I've come across a lot of different types of weblogs, one I like especially, that has little to do with the writing of a blog are art blogs....
Inside that, there are also different types of art blogs- as in photoblogs and drawing..
this blog in particular is a good mix of both art and writing. Rakugaki illustrates a story in a blog format--something different, but very unique to look at. The drawings are enough to keep my attention, and when doubled with a story line about them, it's really a cool thing. The writing is generally short, but I think his focus is more on the art anyway.
This Superhero uses her blog to accompany her website promoting her jewlery. This blog is a lot more personal than either of the other two. The blog is definitely a good place to include picts of her business' products, though. She seems to have quite a few readers--and customers--who leave comments as the commens scroll is often longer than the post itself. The pictures kind of include both unrelated ones and also those of friends etc. wearing the jewlery she sellls. Knowing that this blog is related to her business kind of makes me want to not like it--but it's interesting and fun, and doesn't feel business-y; it's just hard to convince the critic in me. Otherwise, I think this (mixing biz and pleasure on a blog) is a great idea.
Another example of mixing photography with writing in a blog is that of this unknown blogger who wants to stay somewhat anonymous on it as she wants to keep it a place for her to have fun--a place unrelated to work. This doesn't work so much as a portfolio as it does a showcase, which it is. However, for those interested in photography and the technicalities of it all, this blog seems helpful ( i know nothing of photography except those fuzzy snap shots i take from a 3 dolla camera but...) she talks about the equipment she uses, and why the shot did or didn't work for her. This has a very rich blog feel as her personal information is also posted--just not her name or anything much about her job. The pictures adds so much more to the blog--I like that they aren't pictures of her or her cats etc., because I really don't care about what she or her friends or her cats look like. Even though she doesn't always spend the entire post talking about what's featured in the picture of the day...it just adds...something.
blog.art is where you go to get your blogs Out There. It was designed in Aug. of 2003 and has expanded exponentially so that the blog now accepts art from other art blogs and links from your blog to theirs...tadah~ Why not use someone elses blog to get your art noticed?-
What's the Use?
For those interested in art and design, art blogs are great. I see them being used as online portfolios a lot--it's the easiest way for people to get Out There and be noticed, I think. It also adds some furthur info. for potential employers to get a second look at your work; doing it like a blog allows them to see how dedicated you are to sharing it (once a week, a month or everyday) and it also allows one to add little explanations of the work online. Also like the Superhero blog, it gets attention directed toward you and eventually to your business. And as for the second photo blog I talked about, it can also serve to distance ones self from business-like adventures.
what I think ?
Do these somehow add to a future in blogging? Do they somehow enhance it so much or go past the boundaries so far that bloggers are destined to do this kind of writing (with picts) forever? NOPE. but there does seem to be something lasting about artists/photographers posting their work proudly on for other people to comment on. They've formed a community paralell to that of other bloggers mixed in with other bloggers, weaving through both the art and writing worlds, and many of them linked together sharing ideas--it's nice to eavesdrop into. I do think this gives blogs another reason to stick around for a while--if it really is helping business or helping people get noticed/employment--why would anyone give up?
Wednesday, March 24, 2004
The Phone Isn't Just for Ordering Out Anymore
Ok, so I was browsing along when I came to a site that claimed it was a blog, but didn't look like one--according to my sketchy idea of what one should look like...I clicked on the ONLY thing I could and it said the weblog wasn't what I was looking at, but what I would hear when I picked up any phone and dialed the number on the screen. So, what better way to decide if this is a good idea or not besides trying it. So I dialed 1-800-555-TELL like the site said, and I got some nice soothing music and a woman's soothing voice. I came to a Main Menu, listened to the options, but the option "extensions" listed on the site wasn't available. However, other topics like Sports, News and Entertainment were still available to listen to. I guess if you're in a hurry and need to knwo a quick blurb about the news--over the phone on the way to somewhere or while eating breakfast is a decent way to do it.
Getting a blog read to you over the phone is fresh and new, but I don't know how many would actually continue it. This was definitely new. IT's different in that you don't have to have a cell phone or text messaging to hear this blog. It also has a list of featured speakers....but since that section of it is no longer in service, the speakers are just bait to get people to call. I guess I don't need to explain it much more..I checked it out here.
For the cell phone savvy, Press Nothing To Continue also offers a blog or "small nuggets of text" to a portable device of choice.
This may make some people nervous giving out their number to complete strangers...and it should, however they do offer this statement:
I will not call your phone. I will not give your number to anyone. I will not sell your number to anyone. I will not write your number in a bathroom stall preceded by the words "for a good time call". The only thing I'm going to use your phone number for is sending you pocket via email or text messaging. That's it.
Whether or not thats reassuring or not is up to you...The site didn't seem too confident that others would actually want to do this over-the-phone option, but it's out there and offered by Blogger.....
Ok, so I was browsing along when I came to a site that claimed it was a blog, but didn't look like one--according to my sketchy idea of what one should look like...I clicked on the ONLY thing I could and it said the weblog wasn't what I was looking at, but what I would hear when I picked up any phone and dialed the number on the screen. So, what better way to decide if this is a good idea or not besides trying it. So I dialed 1-800-555-TELL like the site said, and I got some nice soothing music and a woman's soothing voice. I came to a Main Menu, listened to the options, but the option "extensions" listed on the site wasn't available. However, other topics like Sports, News and Entertainment were still available to listen to. I guess if you're in a hurry and need to knwo a quick blurb about the news--over the phone on the way to somewhere or while eating breakfast is a decent way to do it.
Getting a blog read to you over the phone is fresh and new, but I don't know how many would actually continue it. This was definitely new. IT's different in that you don't have to have a cell phone or text messaging to hear this blog. It also has a list of featured speakers....but since that section of it is no longer in service, the speakers are just bait to get people to call. I guess I don't need to explain it much more..I checked it out here.
For the cell phone savvy, Press Nothing To Continue also offers a blog or "small nuggets of text" to a portable device of choice.
This may make some people nervous giving out their number to complete strangers...and it should, however they do offer this statement:
I will not call your phone. I will not give your number to anyone. I will not sell your number to anyone. I will not write your number in a bathroom stall preceded by the words "for a good time call". The only thing I'm going to use your phone number for is sending you pocket via email or text messaging. That's it.
Whether or not thats reassuring or not is up to you...The site didn't seem too confident that others would actually want to do this over-the-phone option, but it's out there and offered by Blogger.....
