Competition - Brings Out Best & Worst In PeopleI've noticed local blogosphere post of late which pertain to Illinois Times' Best of Springfield edition. Folks, just who in their right mind believes that one blog could be the best? Some actually believe they have the best blog in Springfield. I won't name names, but you know who you are. Are any of you serious? I suspect some may be, and it frightens me - I'm a sensitive kind of guy. Seriously, it's time to run to the mirror, and ask who is fairest blogger of them all, for you are not it - and neither am I!
No matter who won the Best of Springfield In The Blog Category we should wish that blogger well, whether we agree with the vote or not. There is always next year - you Cubs fans will understand what I'm getting to here. Blogging is just as much process, as it is product. We are all winners in the sense that each of us grows in our skills as writers, photographers, analyst, censors, researchers, etc. Which Blogger is the winner? We all are!
Treasures Of Thought & Experience Shared FreelyI've enjoyed Jim Leach's blog enormously as he is a good writer, and he is very good at political satire. I want to see him continue to post as his perspective is badly needed in this community.
I'm amazed at how Dave, at the11thhour manages to post in such volume - he really is rippin, and readin! His news, and writing experience, and that great sense of humor he conveys makes for great reading. Oh Boy don't I get depressed when he's on vacation, and not blogging!
My buddy Randy is snapping, and sharing incredibly beautiful photos at photos-etc. Needless to say he forces me to work harder at the images I share. If you're not checking his site out you're missing something.
Blogfreespringfield's post are indepth, and interesting. Now there's the stuff that makes a blog credible.
SpfldNet is a great find, and everyone needs to check in to read some political reviews you won't find anywhere else.
Palmer Blevins has just redesigned his blog, and continues to write "in your face post" that may one day get his head chopped off. So read him while you can!
Thirtywhat has openned doors to a personal side of blogging, and in a manner which invites all to participate.
DisarrangingMine consistently post little slices of her life's observations, and in such brevity that it is always worth a link, and a wink over to - not to mention the photos! Marie always seems to be willing to lend a supportive comment too.
There are many others I have not mentioned for brevity's sake, but check out my links, and read them regularly - you'll be glad you did.
There are many local blogs which I know exist, and have yet to link to them, and many of them are very good blogs. And yes, some of them aren't so good.
Blogs - As Unique As BloggersYou can't compare a photo oriented blog like photos-etc, to a text oriented blog like Jim Leach, and you can't compare an almost always serious blog like blogfreespringfield to an often sarcastic blog like the11thhour. You can't make these comparisons if you want to be fair.
Every blogger brings something different to the mix.
Ask yourself this question, if you had to pick just one blog to read from now on which one would it be? Now ask yourself, just how long you would continue to read that blog, or how long you would blog yourself if you knew only one person would ever read your blog.
It's the diversity that makes blogging interesting. The fact that there are so many blogs to read is what makes blogging such an incredible resource.
Blogging - A Transformational ProcessWe've seen how blogs can change into "official websites" such as Springfield Rewind. or how blogs have been turned into publicity tools for local media.
We've seen perfectly excellent blogs shut down overnight.
We have also seen how the local blogging community has slowly grown in confidence of their ability to tell a tale, share who they are, what they want the world to know, and what they want the world to be. Blogging breaks down much of the sense of alienation, and distance, which we all feel living in this modern society.
Blogging allows bloggers to grow in communication skills, by allowing bloggers to convey thoughts to others, and by reading, viewing, and listening to the ideas of others. Through our comments to each other we also experience the give, and take that form of interaction allows - which Main Stream Media often ignores.
Bloggers - We Are MediaBloggers are on the front line of a new media. We collect original information, and present it. We collect old information and represent it. We can interpret, and redigest news stories, and make them more interesting. We accomplish this using words, images, graphical content, and audio & video!
We may not be taken seriously, but we are not going to go away.
Why We BlogMost importantly, blogging is fun!
I feel darned sad for anyone who blogs who isn't experiencing that sense of fun.
Many of us have yearned for a way to express a part of ourselves through writing, photography, art, and even audio, and video. Blogging allows the writer, the pundit, the philosopher, the artist, the poet, the historian, the photographer, the joker, the child, and the wise old sage in us all to find a voice - a voice we can share with the world.
To say that one of us has the best blog is utter folly, and anyone who puts forth the argument that their blog should "win" a vote for best blog is either joking around, or deserves to be laughed at.
Time Is ShortI decided
not to vote in the Illinois Times Best Of Springfield - Best Blog Category. People we only have so much time! Let's use it wisely, and get to blogging!
Note: None of the photos used in this post are mine, and some may be copyrighted.
