Skins & Midterms

I have been studying for midterms and finishing so many projects and homework assignments this weekend I have had almost no time for anything else. There was few things I did accomplish including washing the dishes, vacuuming my room, and watching MTV's new show Skins. MTV describes the show as "Be it sex, drugs, the breadth of friendships or the depth of heartbreaks, Skinsis an emotional mosh-pit that slams through the insanity of teenage years. They'll crush hearts and burn brain cells, while fearlessly confronting every obstacle head on...or slightly off." While this description is an accurate one, the show is just insanely ridiculous. Have any of you seen this show? I couldn't stand it being on my T.V. for more than ten minutes. 




I'll take Degrassi any day...

Google: Convenient or Addictive?

Recently in class, we have been discussing Google, how it operates, and the rapid increase in its usage. One question brought up during these discussions was whether or not people are addicted to the Google search engine. 


The way I see it, people these days love convenience. Efficiency is key in this world. Google is, (for the most part) reliant and correct. People have a fast, accurate way of finding what they are looking for, rather than going to a library or search for themselves online, page by page. It can be considered that people are addicted to the internet itself, not necessarily just Google alone. 


I, myself, have become somewhat dependable upon the great Google, but I wouldn't go as far as saying I am addicted to it. I love the convenience of the search. It is a free service that I am very happy with, so why not use it again and again? Does that make it an addiction? 

Why blog?

In April 2006, Rebecca Blood interviewed blogger Meagan Reardon about her blog Not Martha. 

Reardon started her blog in 2001 to document things that sparked her own interest. She was blogging for herself, and the popularity of her blog was just an added bonus. 

During the interview, Blood asked Reardon:

"Is there something about blog writing that is easier or less threatening for you?

I think of it as something completely separate. I don't have to write on a specific subject or fulfill a number of words. Simply because I'm not responsible to anybody else takes away all anxiety. All the potential humiliation is completely my own. Even more important — I have control over the final product. I can edit it, or remove it and pretend it never existed."

I like this answer because I agree with Meagan's blogging philosophy. It should be personal, non-threatening, and enjoyable. Meagan mentions she doesn't have to fulfill a certain number of words or write about a certain topic. Despite that this class, however, does have prompts, and has a minimum number of words I have to write, I believe I am given enough freedom to make this blogging experience personal, non-threatening and enjoyable. 

Another question Blood asked Reardon is:

"How has your weblog changed your life?

It's made me aware of a much larger world and put me in touch with people I would never know otherwise. It's also made me aware that people are much kinder and weirder than we allow ourselves to be in public. It's such a relief."

I take comfort in reading Reardon's answer because I agree 100%. People tend to be "more themselves" when the pressure of being in public is off. Online, you can be the person you really are and branch out of the box of "norms". When in public, I find it much harder to be who I really am, for fear of humiliation, judgement, failure, etc. Personal blogging, however, will free you from the harsh world public humiliation, and you can get in touch with people who have similar interests, similar hobbies, and similar personalities. Everyone is weird. Most people are afraid to show that weird side in public though. Online, however, you take a weird person with good writing skills, and you've got one interesting blog to read.