If they had a "guy least likely to be writing a blog" contest, I'd be a leading candidate to win.
I'd
better confess right off the bat that the whole idea of a doing a blog
is a bit of an anathema to me. Journalists of my generation (I'm 56)
were taught to keep their personal opinions to themselves when I
graduated from J-school (University of Western Ontario in 1971). The
only place you expressed your own viewpoint was in columns and
editorials.
Old habits die hard and the idea of doing a running
commentary on the world we know as Mississauga is frankly unsettling in
many ways. It always seems presumptuous to me that journalists, simply
by dint of their front-row seat at the news table, think that their
opinions somehow count more than those who observe from a greater
distance. As a consumer of news, I find the explosion of point-of-view
reporting I see everywhere on-line and in newspapers irritating at
best, and insulting at worst. I often find myself wanting to yell at
the television or the computer, 'Don't interpret the news for me
please, just tell me the facts. I am perfectly capable of forming my
own opinion.'
And yet, in the right context, I just love to hear
others' takes on the world: on the new Scorcese doc on Dylan; on the
latest Burgundies at Vintages (even though I can't afford them) and on
how the unflappable Josh (Baby Face) Towers got to be the Jays' best
pitcher (while Doc is in the infirmary).
You see, the self-indulgence starts already.
One
other thing that disqualifies me from blogging: I don't do rant well.
It's undoubtedly the training. All that stuff about providing the other
side of the story, ensuring balance and maintaining objectivity. I'm
old school and I'm not sure old school belongs on the Net. I had to be
shown how to find blogs and, someday soon, I'll get around to reading
some.
In the meantime - you out there staring at the screen in
amazement - would you mind running upstairs and getting your Mother
and Father? Now let's see how this works.....
Comments (6)
Your comments about being 56 and blogging really hit home this week....I set out to have a yard sale but realizing (amazingly) that I didn't have enough "treasures" by myself, started talking to
neighbours and WOW ! now we are doing a fund raiser for The Compass (Food Bank/Drop-in Centre), the Chartwell Baptist Church Hurrican Katrina Relief Fund, and the Clarkson Co-op Nursery School.
Anyways, after walking the local streets on Saturday and Sunday and delivering 1,000 flyers, my husband and I sat down to figure out how to contact more people and get the communty aboard.
Everytime we called someone (mostly automatic Voice Mail which I thought was bad enough) I was given the pat answer - email me...... when contacting business for the Silent Auction... the same - email me.
While I work with a client base throughout North America and Europe and email all day long...it really surprised me that seldom do you get a voice and rarely do you see a face even in your own community when reaching out to people.
To communicate with someone and see the enthusiasm and excitement in a person's face is really a good part of the skill of
communicating....now that you are a "Blogger" have you found words to pass expressions ! conviction ! spirit ! on to others....as we certainly could do with you new found expertise.
I guess the days when one person really can make a difference is going to change with the "delete" key being so handy and no one is watching so you don't even have to take the time to be polite and listen....
Mass communication certainly has it's place, but hard to get "warm and fuzzy" when it's black on white, without even a colour or two added.
Posted by Sheila Morgan | September 15, 2005 1:05 PM
Posted on September 15, 2005 13:05
Rants can be overrated entertainment devices ; rather like the preacher reaching those who have chosen already to be sold. Read the comments section of any large blog for an earful. I like RSS aggregators on line. Bloglines and CNet Newsburst are easy to tailor searchers that you don't need to carry on your own computer. They also include suggested feeds. I'm 57 myself with less than 2 years into net exploration - no kids around !
Posted by opit | September 11, 2005 11:07 AM
Posted on September 11, 2005 11:07
What a refreshing blog! Ranting is not a blogging necessity -- balance and reason, especially when presenting personal opinion, are mature, cultivated virtues. Excellent start and I'm looking forward to more.
Posted by Gene Wilburn | September 10, 2005 1:29 PM
Posted on September 10, 2005 13:29
Cool blog!
Personally I think
less ranting + more thinking/observing= better blog
Keep blogging dude!
OJ
Posted by OJ | September 8, 2005 8:55 PM
Posted on September 8, 2005 20:55
Looking forward to future posts. Good luck with the new age of journalism.
Posted by Craig MacBride | September 8, 2005 3:44 PM
Posted on September 8, 2005 15:44
Ranting well or not is a state of mind. As I see it, you did well. And congratulations on venturing out bravely into the electronic world of writing. It is here and is the futre.
Posted by mephotoguy | September 8, 2005 3:39 PM
Posted on September 8, 2005 15:39