Blogging...and ramblings of

I think blogging is a really broad category that can function as a lot of things. On the most simple level, I think that it does serve as a diary, weather or not the blogger intends for it to. The things that we choose to write about and our feelings about them are a reflection of ourselves. The best part about a blog is that no one is going to stop you from publishing it. It’s not like an article, where if you speak negatively about a certain thing you stand in fear of having your article cut, or at least heavily edited. With blogging you can say what you truly feel, with no restraints. and that’s why I think it is so powerful. In the role of convergent media and freelance writing, it is essential to have a blog. This gives your readers an outlet to become more familiar with you. Also, it expands your audience by making yourself more accessible.

I think to me blogging serves a dual role. It serves as a sort of diary but it also makes me accountable. For example, if my blog is about doing interesting things, I need to actually do interesting things and report about them on a regular basis.

For random blogs I just clicked on friends of friends until I found someone that I didn’t know…

Blog 1: http://www.adam-cook.blogspot.com/
This is more of a “diary” type blog, but there is also a heavy use of photography. I really enjoyed reading this blog, even though it seemed that it was mostly compiled for people that he actually knew. I think that their reason for blogging was simply to make a meaningful record of themselves, possibly just to look back on some day in the future.

Blog 2: http://morganpea.blogspot.com/
Once again, a diary type blog. It was really difficult for me to engage with this blog because I do not know her personally. I found myself disinterested in what she was doing with her life. Perhaps if she expanded her posts to have a more profound meaning, instead of “this is what I did today”, than it might be better.

JRN 415 Midterm

This has to be about the 100th time that I have recieved this assignment: Find a niche!!!!!

"Well, what if I don't have a niche" was my response the first couple of times. The next few times I was just depressed that I didn't have one.

Then I realized that sure, other people that I know do have clearly defined niches, but that doesn't mean that I don't have one.

The other day I was talking to my mom about the future, and I was trying to describe what I wanted out of life.

"I don't even have the slightest clue what the future has in store for me", I said, "But I want to live a BIG life, you know".

And that's what is. I want my life to be BIG. Even when I'm stuck at college and can't find the time or money to go on a big European vacation, I want this blog to make responsible to anyone that reads it that I constantly need to be making an effort to make my life BIG.

This week I did a little bit to make my life BIG. I did something that I alweays put off. I climed Mt. Rubidoux. Sure, the drive was only five minutes and the walk was only a few miles, but it was one thing that I did for myself, to make my life as extraordinary as I could at the moment.

I can't even begin to describe how amazing the view was from the top, but the sense of accomplishment that I did something BIG for myself, even if it was just on a small scale, was extraordinary.

JRN 415 Midterm