She Should Switch to DeCaf

I have recently come across a blog written by a New Yorker, more specifically from Brooklyn, who moved to Connecticut. The description of this blog in a New York Times article leads the reader to believe that this is a blog about her transition from city life to suburban life. But once you get to the site and begin reading her posts, it seems more like one lady's random rambling about her life.

From the handful of postings of hers that I have read, there seemed to be no mention of her life in the suburbs, nor her life in the city. This blog seems to be an amalgamation of many different subjects. She mentions family problems, relationship issues, movie and television show critiques, and even recipes.

There are some things I would recommend changing if she was ever looking to attract new readers. When I first started reading her blog I was very confused. Posts are structured in such a way that she seems to be writing to people who have always read her blog. When a new reader comes in, it is confusing. She refers to her husband as SO, and just expects the reader to know that. It took me reading about 5 or 6 postings before I figured out who SO really was.

This issue is something I think all blog writers should be conscious of when posting. Should they write each post as if their audience was a new reader? Or should they basically isolate any new reader and write only for their main following? I do know that "caffeine girl" seriously turned me off to reading her postings on a regular basis; because I think it will be annoying to have to go back and read her stuff from the beginning just so I will completely understand who I am reading about.

Reading this specific blog did make me realize something. This form of writing can be extremely useful in certain instances. The writer had mentioned the topic of a bone marrow donation in one of her postings. This post had me thinking about all the patients out there in need of a bone marrow donation and what this medium of blogging can bring to the situation. People can post about the needing of a donation or even use a blog as an outlet to write about their situation. A web log can be a greater form of therapy than any person ever imagined. Not only is it free, a person may be more open to a computer screen, than to a doctor who is sitting right in front of them. All-in-all this site wasn't all that terrible.

The best part was I learned how the make the "Perfect Bellini." Need I say more?

Get Over It!!!

We live in a world where someone in the public eye must be cautious of every little thing they say. There is always someone out there to critique and argue against you opinions. To those people who curb themselves from creating a web log because they are afraid of the comments that might be brought about by other, I say GET OVER IT!!!

This world would be an extremely dull place if everyone always agreed with each other. Our differences are what make life interesting. People should not shy away from criticism that might arise over a web posting that they create. Hopefully people are objective enough to listen to the message that those who are disagreeing with them are trying to convey. Everyone should be thankful of the fact that we live in a society that allows its members to have the freedom of speech.

The internet is an especially amazing medium. This is the one outlet where people can be as open and honest as they choose to be. There are not as many regulations placed on the internet as there are in other medium, such as a newspaper or a television program.

There are some Dumb People Roaming the Streets

It seems as though everyone who has access to the internet has decided to create a Blog. Some of the thoughts that these people decide to post are nothing less than interesting. There are sites devoted to popular music and movies, there are sites where its creators feel the need to comment negatively on the current administration of this country, and there are even sites dedicated to the boring life an individual. (Ahem, i.e. this one.) But not all Blogs are to be looked at as the ramblings of ignorant people with too much time on their hands. There are a few out there with important messages.

That is not the case when it comes to my favorite blog. The blog I always get the most amusement out of is Overheard in New York. These are quotes that people have overheard on the streets of New York. It really scares me that there are actually people this dumb out there in this world. The things they say is just unbelievable. It makes you wonder how these people manage to get along in everyday life.

Case in point:
Girl #1: What language are they singing in? Is that German?
Girl #2: No, it's European.
--Virgin, Times Square
This is just one of the interesting posts on this site.

This site hits close to home for me, being a native New Yorker. I know these locations that people are posting about. I walk these streets, ride these trains, and shop in these stores. It is interesting for me to see what the people from where I come from have been saying. But I do hope that others are not from NY who and reading this site do not now think all New Yorkers are this ignorant. Cause some of these people could be tourists.

Not every site I look at has to be about something meaningful or contain a novel idea. I think we sometimes overlook that a blog can just be about entertainment. Which this one definitely seems to be.

EN/W 350's Music Man

EN/W 350 is lucky enough to have a music expert in the class. Brian Larkin, hailing from Silver Springs Maryland, lives at the beach like most of the seniors at Fairfield University. His house has been designated the Sandtrap. Brian enjoys listening to music and his favorite band is Modest Mouse.

He has been fortunate to work with the Fairfield Arts Council. This opportunity allowed him to be apart of a ceremony for a local 80s band, the Talking Heads. Brian even created a website to help promote local Fairfield Bands and their upcoming shows.

This semester Brian leaves behind his musical interests for an internship on another area of interest to him. He will be working with Modern Brewery Magazine. Brian will be writing reviews for the magazine about breweries. He might even be so fortunate as to partake in a few taste testings.

Brian was lucky enough to study a semester abroad in Ireland. He chooses to study in Ireland because of his Irish roots. He enjoyed his time away, but could not wait to return to the States to finish up his last year at Fairfield.

In his free time Brian enjoys playing rugby and hanging out with his two dogs Will and Grace. Ironically enough their names have nothing to do with the popular television characters.