One week ago, I was forced into acknowledging the world of blogging, something that until now I was happy to ignore. Devoting my focus to the things going on around me rather than that of someone with too much spare time and no writing abilities what so ever. But then I looked around and to my amazement found there is a lot more to the world of blogging than sad lonely souls who think their lives are interesting. There are blogs about everything you could imagine, and some of them are rather helpful, semi interesting, and even intelligent. What a shock.
http://www.kingblind.com/
Kingblind is apparently a very popular blog, completely about music, arts and entertainment. It is filled with album reviews, band tour updates and gossip and opinion pieces on bands and all other creative sorts of entertainment. With posts having titles like ‘Radiohead's Thom Yorke writes song for 'Twilight' sequel’, it is kept straight to the point and easy to decide what you’re interested in reading and what you’re not. It’s my kind of blog site, and from what I’ve heard from blog review sites it appeals to a wide range of bloggers.
http://dear_raed.blogspot.com/
This blog drew me in as soon as it was one I had heard about, possibly the only blog I had ever heard about. It is the blog of Salam Pax an anonymous blogger, living in Baghdad, Iraq. His blogging became well known during the heat of the war on terror, as he was telling the story of his everyday life, living in the middle of the war. I found this blog something I could easily become addicted to, he talks of things with depth and meaning in a witty and understandable way, which really allows the reader to relate.
http://www.shauny.org/pussycat/
The blog of a 25 year old Australian woman, living in Scotland, writing about what ever random thing she feels for one day. One blog post I read was ‘Dream Job’ merely her talking about how she would love to be the person who chops up makeup for magazine ads. The topic was dull and I couldn’t take a lot of it, but she has an entertaining and quirky way of writing. It was light and entertaining but not something I’d crave to read again.
http://loobylu.com/
Loubylou – By Claire Robertson. This blog is one of those based upon someone’s life, the kids, the job and what not. She is into crafty things however, something that could be very appealing to someone with similar interests, age and kids maybe. To me however it sucked.
http://you.dontquestion.me/
You don’t question me- Loubylou’s husband. This was blog is from a different angle, he posts photo’s of unusual funny signs he has seen or art works that have made him think, he writes no more than a line about them and keeps and short and simple, something you can just skim over and enjoy. Leading you to have a chuckle, or put you in a contemplative mood.
Even though I found this wide range of blogs, that I enjoyed none the less. I’m still not convinced blogging is all that great, after all I sourced these from ‘smh.com.au’ list of the world’s best blogs and I still managed to find things not that great, I’d hate to see a list of the most terrible.
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Five blogs... by Kate Lucas
1. http://www.usatoday.com/life/lifestyle/2009-06-09-status-writing-online_N.htm?csp=Tech – this is a blog by Maria Puente discussing how social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter are used to tell people what you are doing. Maria Puente’s opinion is that the statuses are too short and pointless and how if you are going to update your status, you should make it interesting. I like it because it has a very good point about making status’ interesting. It goes on forever and repeats itself a bit.
2. http://www.quietlikehorses.com/ - this site is a series of blogs written by Sobrina Tung called The Quiet Horse about her husband who has been diagnosed with cancer. The blogs are quite personal and focused on the one theme. She writes them as if writing in a personal diary and they are very deep and meaningful.
3. http://www.ohmishka.blogspot.com/ - this is a series of general themed blogs written by Michelle called Oh Mishka. They are all generally about lifestyle, ranging from exercise to what Michelle was planning to do on her weekend.
4. http://melissabxoxo.blogspot.com/2009/07/return-of-redheads.html - this blog is written by Melissa Blake and how she wants to fit in with everyone else but thinks that because she has bright red hair and thousands of freckles that this will never happen. All in all, the blogger is constantly whinging throughout her story. And just because of her looks. As a redhead myself, I understand where she’s coming from, what with all the different names but I don’t think whinging in a blog is the way to solve your problems.
5. http://missus-emm.blogspot.com/ - this blog is written by Emm and is about her various trips overseas. This particular blog, called Emm in London is about how she went to see the War of The Worlds 30th anniversary live show. I wasn’t that interested in what she was writing about as she sort of went off track a bit towards the end.
2. http://www.quietlikehorses.com/ - this site is a series of blogs written by Sobrina Tung called The Quiet Horse about her husband who has been diagnosed with cancer. The blogs are quite personal and focused on the one theme. She writes them as if writing in a personal diary and they are very deep and meaningful.
3. http://www.ohmishka.blogspot.com/ - this is a series of general themed blogs written by Michelle called Oh Mishka. They are all generally about lifestyle, ranging from exercise to what Michelle was planning to do on her weekend.
4. http://melissabxoxo.blogspot.com/2009/07/return-of-redheads.html - this blog is written by Melissa Blake and how she wants to fit in with everyone else but thinks that because she has bright red hair and thousands of freckles that this will never happen. All in all, the blogger is constantly whinging throughout her story. And just because of her looks. As a redhead myself, I understand where she’s coming from, what with all the different names but I don’t think whinging in a blog is the way to solve your problems.
5. http://missus-emm.blogspot.com/ - this blog is written by Emm and is about her various trips overseas. This particular blog, called Emm in London is about how she went to see the War of The Worlds 30th anniversary live show. I wasn’t that interested in what she was writing about as she sort of went off track a bit towards the end.
Five blogs ... by Frances Vinall
Now, I’m not generally one to get into blogs. Basically because I am an intensely cynical person and I simply Don’t Care about your dog, your weekend or your children. However, here assembled for you today are five cyber-masterpieces, or at least in my eyes. Enjoy.
1. http://www.girlwithasatchel.com/. This is a blog about the (sometimes not so) glossy world of the glossy pages. It is run and written by Erica Bartle (nee Holbourn,) who writes with expertise and style about the comings and goings of Vogue, Yen, Oyster, InStyle and all the rest of their competitors. Personally, I find this blog appealing because it’s about a medium I want to get in to, but it’s also likeable because of its light hearted style and frothy, DIY layout – the pages of the magazines it writes about are splashed like borders down both sides and relevant cut outs and clips are scattered throughout the posts.
2. http://mamamia.com.au/. This is a personal blog written by professional columnist Mia Freedman, focusing on the subjects most applicable to her somewhat-stereotypical, clearly female target audience. She writes like she’s having a conversation with you – albeit a clever, witty conversation, about topics ranging from shopping to childbirth to pop culture to a discussion about something you’ve come across in a magazine. Don’t get me wrong though – mamamia is a far cry from the women’s weekly, “How to make the perfect eggplant quiche” type read. It has a distinctly feminist edge, all wrapped up in anecdotes about pushy sales girls. The only downside I could see, and this is just my personal preference, was the childish, purple diamante-and-newspaper-cut out theme, which came off as a bit tacky. This blog is a gem for anyone relatable – if you think “wedges” are a type of fat chip, this isn’t the blog for you.
3. http://www.yenmag.net/news/page/211/. This is a blog run by Yen magazine; Australia’s artiest, indie-est, publication for women. It’s written by a range of contributors, and is somewhat of a noticeboard for all things so-weird-they’re-cool. It’s a valuable source if you’re looking for woollen necklaces or the latest electro-folk band, and the kitschy style is attractive, but the number of contributors means it can lack consistency, and sometimes the writing style is, well, amateur. Still, it’s an interesting read with some truly fascinating posts. Shoes in a birdcage, anyone?
4. http://cakewrecks.blogspot.com/. This is a blog about; hear me out here, professional cakes. But it’s hilarious. Feast your eyes on a collection of the best in accidental misprints, bizarre ideas and the fabulously wrong. The site is easy to read, with satirical commentary accompanying each picture and the generic, navy-blue-and-white-writing BlogSpot design. A truly original idea, and it is genuinely entertaining.
5. http://www.thetypingmakesmesoundbusy.com/. This blog is very well written. The proof? I found myself getting caught up in a story about someone I don’t know who isn’t famous going to the dentist. I actually experienced a feeling of suspense as Jelisa Castrodale sat, agonised, in the chair, and laughed-out-loud (well, at least chuckled,) at her description of her own unemployment. It’s a completely personal blog, with drawn-out anecdotes that don’t actually seem that long, as they move forwards at lightning speed and are practically exploding with wit.
1. http://www.girlwithasatchel.com/. This is a blog about the (sometimes not so) glossy world of the glossy pages. It is run and written by Erica Bartle (nee Holbourn,) who writes with expertise and style about the comings and goings of Vogue, Yen, Oyster, InStyle and all the rest of their competitors. Personally, I find this blog appealing because it’s about a medium I want to get in to, but it’s also likeable because of its light hearted style and frothy, DIY layout – the pages of the magazines it writes about are splashed like borders down both sides and relevant cut outs and clips are scattered throughout the posts.
2. http://mamamia.com.au/. This is a personal blog written by professional columnist Mia Freedman, focusing on the subjects most applicable to her somewhat-stereotypical, clearly female target audience. She writes like she’s having a conversation with you – albeit a clever, witty conversation, about topics ranging from shopping to childbirth to pop culture to a discussion about something you’ve come across in a magazine. Don’t get me wrong though – mamamia is a far cry from the women’s weekly, “How to make the perfect eggplant quiche” type read. It has a distinctly feminist edge, all wrapped up in anecdotes about pushy sales girls. The only downside I could see, and this is just my personal preference, was the childish, purple diamante-and-newspaper-cut out theme, which came off as a bit tacky. This blog is a gem for anyone relatable – if you think “wedges” are a type of fat chip, this isn’t the blog for you.
3. http://www.yenmag.net/news/page/211/. This is a blog run by Yen magazine; Australia’s artiest, indie-est, publication for women. It’s written by a range of contributors, and is somewhat of a noticeboard for all things so-weird-they’re-cool. It’s a valuable source if you’re looking for woollen necklaces or the latest electro-folk band, and the kitschy style is attractive, but the number of contributors means it can lack consistency, and sometimes the writing style is, well, amateur. Still, it’s an interesting read with some truly fascinating posts. Shoes in a birdcage, anyone?
4. http://cakewrecks.blogspot.com/. This is a blog about; hear me out here, professional cakes. But it’s hilarious. Feast your eyes on a collection of the best in accidental misprints, bizarre ideas and the fabulously wrong. The site is easy to read, with satirical commentary accompanying each picture and the generic, navy-blue-and-white-writing BlogSpot design. A truly original idea, and it is genuinely entertaining.
5. http://www.thetypingmakesmesoundbusy.com/. This blog is very well written. The proof? I found myself getting caught up in a story about someone I don’t know who isn’t famous going to the dentist. I actually experienced a feeling of suspense as Jelisa Castrodale sat, agonised, in the chair, and laughed-out-loud (well, at least chuckled,) at her description of her own unemployment. It’s a completely personal blog, with drawn-out anecdotes that don’t actually seem that long, as they move forwards at lightning speed and are practically exploding with wit.
Five blogs... by Nick Wade
http://www.mattresspolice.com/?PostID=48
I like this blog because of its humorous take on all the mundane and pointless things in life that may only slightly annoy people but are written about regardless. It is a personal blog about random situations that annoy the blogger on a range of subjects. The blog has a very comedic tone and creates the feeling that the blogger is more a stand up comedian rather than a man sitting at a computer writing about his life.
http://www.bestweekever.tv/2009-07-28/penn-state-named-1-party-school-now-that-im-no-longer-there/
I like this blog because it doesn’t follow any real structure or even language rules but is just a funny rant. It is focused on a particular subject within the media though not important or relevant to most people as it is concerning an American university. It has a very conversational and colloquial feel to the blog which only raises interest as the reader feels as if they are being talked to personally rather than just talked at.
http://www.smilinginfidel.com/2009/07/dance-and-world-dances-with.html
I like this blog because it details funny occurrences in the life of the blogger. It is a personal blog that focuses on good story telling aimed to make the audience laugh and feel good. It is perhaps so appealing to an audience of today because it deals with what some may view as mundane issues though embarrassing none the less and just about all readers can relate to that kind of situation.
http://www.defamer.com.au/2009/07/the-kyle-and-jackie-o-show-hook-teen-up-to-lie-detector-on-air-with-disastrous-results/#more-338839
I liked this bloggers take on a serious news issue. The blog was focused on the most recent Kyle and Jackie O radio scandal and showed no mercy for the “appalling” radio segment unleashing insult after insult upon the mother of the child involved and the radio hosts.
http://www.smh.com.au/news/opinion/a-brave-new-teen-world-in-blog-land/2007/03/12/1173548110242.html
This is an interesting blog from a parent discussing the shift from diaries to blogging. While she uses personal anecdotes within the blog the issue she’s discussing is very focused in the media. The blog is set out as an opinion peace, addressing the issue but with a little bit of colour so the reader isn’t forced to read an article made up of cold hard facts.
I like this blog because of its humorous take on all the mundane and pointless things in life that may only slightly annoy people but are written about regardless. It is a personal blog about random situations that annoy the blogger on a range of subjects. The blog has a very comedic tone and creates the feeling that the blogger is more a stand up comedian rather than a man sitting at a computer writing about his life.
http://www.bestweekever.tv/2009-07-28/penn-state-named-1-party-school-now-that-im-no-longer-there/
I like this blog because it doesn’t follow any real structure or even language rules but is just a funny rant. It is focused on a particular subject within the media though not important or relevant to most people as it is concerning an American university. It has a very conversational and colloquial feel to the blog which only raises interest as the reader feels as if they are being talked to personally rather than just talked at.
http://www.smilinginfidel.com/2009/07/dance-and-world-dances-with.html
I like this blog because it details funny occurrences in the life of the blogger. It is a personal blog that focuses on good story telling aimed to make the audience laugh and feel good. It is perhaps so appealing to an audience of today because it deals with what some may view as mundane issues though embarrassing none the less and just about all readers can relate to that kind of situation.
http://www.defamer.com.au/2009/07/the-kyle-and-jackie-o-show-hook-teen-up-to-lie-detector-on-air-with-disastrous-results/#more-338839
I liked this bloggers take on a serious news issue. The blog was focused on the most recent Kyle and Jackie O radio scandal and showed no mercy for the “appalling” radio segment unleashing insult after insult upon the mother of the child involved and the radio hosts.
http://www.smh.com.au/news/opinion/a-brave-new-teen-world-in-blog-land/2007/03/12/1173548110242.html
This is an interesting blog from a parent discussing the shift from diaries to blogging. While she uses personal anecdotes within the blog the issue she’s discussing is very focused in the media. The blog is set out as an opinion peace, addressing the issue but with a little bit of colour so the reader isn’t forced to read an article made up of cold hard facts.
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Five blogs... by Jay Marshall
Today was my first ever glimpse into the world of blogging, so to gain a little taste of what blogs had to offer, I decided to click upon the following five blogs that were recommended to me by Blogspot, the very website that hosts them. Mind you, these are listed in no order of quality, but rather in the order I viewed them. I must say, I wasn’t extremely impressed by what was on the menu concerning blogs, but it showed me the potential they had when in the right hands. Read on to hear about my experiences, if you dare, but don’t expect me to be forgiving - I’m extremely critical and judgemental.
1. “Thinking Out Loud” by Kim Salyer. I believe this lady has a flair for writing; however the stories of her life she relays to her audience aren’t my cup of tea. It seems only the despondent pages of her history are offered up for us to read, and it really depresses me and no doubt every other reader. When I read a blog, I usually do it as an escape from the real world, but if I’m suddenly bombarded with far more drama than I already have to deal with, it really defeats the purpose. That being said, I still maintain the way she articulates and expresses herself is of a high standard. All she needs to do is cut down the proportions of her woe-is-me mentality and plate up some more stories about overcoming her adversity instead of drowning in it.
2. “Life of the Jet Setter” by Diggy. When I go to Blogspot and see the recommendations the website provides me, I expect to go to a quality blog. Let’s think for a second what makes a “Blog of Note”. It should be something interesting, witty, intelligent, well flowing and have good grammar. Diggy fails at all of these qualities throughout his entire blog. In fact, I hardly see what any of the blog has to do with jet-setting. His blog is just a medium for him to advertise clothing he buys and to spread gossip on all his celebrity “friends”. I highly recommend giving this blog a skip. All it is is a waste of internet usage.
3. “Madness and Beauty” by Violet Dear Canada. The name speaks for itself, this blog is completely mad but the messages it conveys are absolutely beautiful. This blog is by far the best in this list, combining true meaning and absolutely marvellous writing that manages to balance the perfect blend of subtlety and sarcastic humour. The blog focuses on the personal life of Violet and how she is trying to influence the world. Ranging from exposing the audience to an Orang-utan Rehabilitation Centre to showing the state of Orphanages in Africa to just her activities at home, this truly is a blog of meaning. Violet offers a side to herself that is truly inspiring, while not always dragging down her audience with the lachrymose stories by adding some good, tasteful humour. Go to this blog now if you haven’t already. It’s amazing.
4. “So About What I Said…” by Melissa Blake. I may come off very cynical and mean here, but I really must say this. Shakespeare does NOT like your emo, teen-angst poetry. And neither do I. Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for self-expression, and believe poetry is one of, if not the best, mediums in which a person can reveal their inner feelings and true selves because they can hide behind a mask of metaphor and other techniques. But I can also tell when someone is exaggerating for the purpose of gaining an audience out of sympathy. Her poems are so melodramatic, I swear I’m watching a badly-scripted soap opera rather than reading an emotive and meaningful poem. Each stanza, though beautifully written, makes me cringe when I just see the same things over and over. That being said, her photography that accompanies her poetry is simply sublime, elevating her blog from receiving a “Do Not Disturb” sign from me to recommending opening the door for all to view.
5. “Yogabeans!” by Elastigirl. If you want a cheap laugh, go here. If not, stray away from this blog. The entire blog chronicles the yoga lessons of various super-hero action figures through captioned pictures. Although you are sure to get a laugh out of this one, some jokes just seem so incredibly silly that you’d swear a ten year old came up with it. But then again, that’s probably true. I was amused by this, but it didn’t keep my interest for that long, so it’s great for whittling away at least a few minutes while at work or school.
1. “Thinking Out Loud” by Kim Salyer. I believe this lady has a flair for writing; however the stories of her life she relays to her audience aren’t my cup of tea. It seems only the despondent pages of her history are offered up for us to read, and it really depresses me and no doubt every other reader. When I read a blog, I usually do it as an escape from the real world, but if I’m suddenly bombarded with far more drama than I already have to deal with, it really defeats the purpose. That being said, I still maintain the way she articulates and expresses herself is of a high standard. All she needs to do is cut down the proportions of her woe-is-me mentality and plate up some more stories about overcoming her adversity instead of drowning in it.
2. “Life of the Jet Setter” by Diggy. When I go to Blogspot and see the recommendations the website provides me, I expect to go to a quality blog. Let’s think for a second what makes a “Blog of Note”. It should be something interesting, witty, intelligent, well flowing and have good grammar. Diggy fails at all of these qualities throughout his entire blog. In fact, I hardly see what any of the blog has to do with jet-setting. His blog is just a medium for him to advertise clothing he buys and to spread gossip on all his celebrity “friends”. I highly recommend giving this blog a skip. All it is is a waste of internet usage.
3. “Madness and Beauty” by Violet Dear Canada. The name speaks for itself, this blog is completely mad but the messages it conveys are absolutely beautiful. This blog is by far the best in this list, combining true meaning and absolutely marvellous writing that manages to balance the perfect blend of subtlety and sarcastic humour. The blog focuses on the personal life of Violet and how she is trying to influence the world. Ranging from exposing the audience to an Orang-utan Rehabilitation Centre to showing the state of Orphanages in Africa to just her activities at home, this truly is a blog of meaning. Violet offers a side to herself that is truly inspiring, while not always dragging down her audience with the lachrymose stories by adding some good, tasteful humour. Go to this blog now if you haven’t already. It’s amazing.
4. “So About What I Said…” by Melissa Blake. I may come off very cynical and mean here, but I really must say this. Shakespeare does NOT like your emo, teen-angst poetry. And neither do I. Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for self-expression, and believe poetry is one of, if not the best, mediums in which a person can reveal their inner feelings and true selves because they can hide behind a mask of metaphor and other techniques. But I can also tell when someone is exaggerating for the purpose of gaining an audience out of sympathy. Her poems are so melodramatic, I swear I’m watching a badly-scripted soap opera rather than reading an emotive and meaningful poem. Each stanza, though beautifully written, makes me cringe when I just see the same things over and over. That being said, her photography that accompanies her poetry is simply sublime, elevating her blog from receiving a “Do Not Disturb” sign from me to recommending opening the door for all to view.
5. “Yogabeans!” by Elastigirl. If you want a cheap laugh, go here. If not, stray away from this blog. The entire blog chronicles the yoga lessons of various super-hero action figures through captioned pictures. Although you are sure to get a laugh out of this one, some jokes just seem so incredibly silly that you’d swear a ten year old came up with it. But then again, that’s probably true. I was amused by this, but it didn’t keep my interest for that long, so it’s great for whittling away at least a few minutes while at work or school.
Saturday, July 25, 2009
Welcome to TAFFY!
This blog has been set up to showcase the work of students in the Bathurst TAFE News Media class in 2009. Stay tuned for more content soon!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)