Blatherskite

MercuryNews.com | 02/22/2005 | Bloggers’ Internet obsession

For some, keeping a blog subtly colors every aspect of life. Renee Blodgett carries a digital camera wherever she goes to capture images for Down the Avenue (www.downtheavenue.com), which mixes notes on San Francisco, technology and poetry. She walked into a cafe recently and caught herself paying attention to the colors, sounds and people. “I was thinking how I could turn it into a post,” said Blodgett, who is in her mid-30s. “Before, I’d just sit down, have my bowl of soup and zone out.”

Yet Blodgett worries whether the blog will make her less social. “Will I become more engaged with my laptop, more engaged with my blog than I am with people?” she said.

Here is an interesting article in the merc. about blogging. The issues raised are some of the things I have thought about. I have mixed feelings about blogging lately. On the one hand, it does make you see the world around you a little bit more critically. Like when I was trying to take a picture a day…I was looking at things around me in terms of “what would make a good photograph.” It puts you in “right brain” mode, which I always like.

On the other hand blogging has also been a thorn in my side. You put yourself out there when you blog, and when a drive-by troll comes in and makes a comment that is inciteful it is upsetting. Not that that’s happened in awhile, but nonetheless.

I guess there is good and bad with everything.