I have spent (dare I say "wasted" with no offense to this course - it's my own fault!) the past few hours clicking in circles on my laptop. I really should have stuck to the recommended feed locaters, because I ended up finding some pretty awful stuff! It all started innocently enough at Blogdigger (which looks a lot like Google) and I was intrigued by their "local" search. "How many people in Anchorage are blogging?" I wondered. Well, according to Blogdigger, the only Anchorage bloggers are actually in Kentucky. So I went to the real Google and typed a few key words and suddenly there were over a million hits. (Obviously I didn't type enough key words!) I ended up at http://www.ringsurf.com/ring/alaskablogs/ and - voila! - I can read the rants of countless Alaskan scribes. They ranged from folks posting amazing photography to the chronicles of Baby Kira's every new accomplishment. My favorite title was "Bicycles and Icicles: a blog about riding bikes in Alaska."
I must say, the whole blog thing is a little odd to me. I'm surprised at how many people have their online journals exposed to the entire world. I can see wanting to share with friends or family, but the public at large is another thing. If someone is trying to make a living doing it, or is an aspiring writer, or is putting together some sort of public service... that all makes sense. I remember the story about the lady who is now a rich and famous blogger/author because of her post selling a used baseball on eBay. (And yes, I found her blog too and it can be read here: Because I Said So!) But folks in those categories seem to be a very, very small percentage of the bloggers out there.
I think it must all be somehow related to the swift shift we are making to online communities, in addition to (please don't let it be in place of) real life communities. I guess blogs are an important part of the online world and a way for people to meet and get to know one another. In reality, I'm a little overwhelmed at keeping up with my fleshy friends that I don't think I'll spend too much time reading personal blogs just yet. (Tonight being the exception!) I think I'll limit my Google Reader to the professional development sites and news feeds for now.
Okay... that's it... no more blogs for me tonight!
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I have to admit that for a long time I really didn't get the RSS thing but I have become a convert. Just take this class for example. No way would I be able to keep up with 9 blogs without my googlereader!!!
It all comes down to finding something that you are really interested in following, and then it is clear.
As for writing blogs....it is a struggle for me. Who wants to read my musings??? I thought about doing a blog about beading...but I decided I'd rather bead....
Also, on the number of people open to the world...I had a friend who is a human resources person at a nation wide company tell me that people are losing jobs because of their online identity that follows them not only across the country but through time. As she said, "what you think is funny or cute at twenty can lose you a job at 30"
Ann
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