Tuesday, April 29, 2014

A Blog Challenge About Blogging?

This is probably the cleanest image that
popped up when I searched my computer
with just the term blog.
How self-referential! A blog challenge about blogging. Or maybe it is introspection. Skipping last week's challenge from Strawberry Singh I felt I really had to jump into her "My Blogging Journey Challenge" er .. challenge .. and try to do a good job with this one. Of course, you'll be the judge.

Meme instructions: Copy and paste the following questions and answers to your post, delete my answers and input your own. Don’t forget to leave a link to your post in the comments so others can come by and read your answers as well!

Which electronic devices do you use to blog with?
I have an Apple iMac 27" (Late 2009) desktop computer for my blogging. Sometimes I use my iPad  Air but the Google Blogger app isn't really that good.

Do you have a mission statement for your blog, if so, what is it?
The subtitle on my blog is about as close to a mission statement as it gets, I suppose. Sometime a while back I changed it to "Real Me. Digital Life. Virtual Spaces," one of a series in a similar vein. For a long time it referenced Second Life but this more generic form lets me espouse many subjects. Not that justification is needed. It's my blog. But it does help to focus me.

How do you feel about blogs that use their platforms to spread negativity?
There are blogs that do that? Ah .. Fox News. Right. I've heard of them.

Are you a grammar junkie? Do you thoroughly check your blog for errors before posting and/or do you judge other people’s posts if they contain errors?
I prefer the term Word Nerd, thank you. As often as I proof read my posts before hitting the orange Publish button I frequently find errors on subsequent reads. My conscience twinges when I "fix" an older post, but as I'm not really a journalist that is probably a moot issue. If an error is egregious or fixing it changes the nature of the post, I'll note the changes and tack on [Update] to the title. So it's obvious I'm not perfect and that tells me I don't have the right to be "Judge Judy and Executioner" (source). Fellow word nerds should check out A Way With Words, a blog and podcast.

If you could switch blogs with another blogger who would it be?
Cripes. I did that once, switching with Torley Linden for a big blog swap challenge a few years ago. and it was fun, but I don't think I could do justice to other blogs.  See here info on the swap.

Has your blog/blogging style evolved over the year(s)? How?
If my style has evolved then I don't see it. Probably I'm too close to notice anything.

What is the most extraordinary thing that has happened to you because of blogging?
Sticking with Second Life blogging (I have non-SL blogs) ... That time I was chosen to for the blog swap I mentioned was kinda cool. And I was a guest blogger for the Lindens one Halloween (see here).  Now and then I get a wee thrill when someone thinks I'm a fashion blogger and sends free clothes to me. That usually doesn't pan out as I'm brutally honest (read: not flattering).

When it comes to Second Life blogs, there are different styles: Fashion bloggers, Lifestyle & Travel bloggers, Informative bloggers, and more. Which style do you prefer and where do you feel your blog fits in?
The Poultry Report (named after the radio news farm reports I grew up hearing) is a mishmash of styles. Once in a while I'll toss in posts on fashion ("What's in My Closet?"), lots on travel (often as my itinerant pixy character Zyx and her road trips), helpful (I hope) posts about how to do things, and quite a few rants. Real Life often pops up especially when I feel one of those rants.

What has blogging taught you?
Blogging has taught me that I'm basically lazy. Really. Consider that I'd rather clean your kitchen than my own. My pastor when I was in high school figured out that if he set baskets of laundry next to me without saying a word I'd fold them nicely unless it was my own laundry. Most days I'll think of some great (IMHO) blog ideas and write them in my head, but they don't hit the computer. Thank goodness for these challenges.

Share your top 3 tips for new bloggers.
Just do it.
Have fun.
Don't be afraid of mistakes learning opportunities.

1 comment:

Strawberry Singh said...

Wow, you had a blog swap with Torley Linden? That's awesome! Great tips too!