Stop. Think.

So we've been writing our blogs for... what, a little over a month now? It's time to take a step back, and look at what we've accomplished on them so far. What's good? What's bad? What works? What doesn't? What are the benefits from keeping an online blog? Disadvantages?

I have had a Xanga for a little over 3 years now. I started writing in it in 7th grade, and although I hardly write in it anymore, I still update occasionally when I find my muse. This was now always the case, however. Back in 7th and 8th grade I was very prolific and would crank out posts almost everyday. Long one's too. After 1 year, I celebrated my blog's birthday by going back and reading every post that I'd made in the previous year. Needless to say, it took me over a week, but I learned a lot about myself. By writing in my blog everyday, I had essentially taken a picture of myself everyday. Although we can't see ourselves grow day by day, there's no doubt that we look different a year later. So, by going back and reading all of my posts, I watched and read a slideshow of myself growing. I did this the next year, and the next year as well, though admittedly it took me significantly shorter to finish as the years went on. The beauty of a blog is its honestly. Much like how a picture can't lie, a blog shows your true self much more accurately than most formal writing.

This is definitely a check on the "pro" list for blogs. By using a blog, students tend to feel more open, honest, and generally relaxed. This, in theory, leads to writing with voice. Voice is important to develop as a writer because it gives them their own personality, and sets them apart as an individual.

But, let's look as some of the things on the "con" list, because they are also significant.

One disadvantage about blogs, which I've had first hand experience with is the necessity of a computer. Let's face it. It's impossible to write a post without a computer. Just within this month that I've had this blog, I've been prevented from writing because of lack of a computer on several occasions. Often, I have to write posts when I can jump on the computer (which seems to be eternally under the control of a certain older female sibling or one of my parents). So needing a computer can make blogging inconvenient.

On the other hand, I much prefer typing to longhand.

Another downside to blogs is the publicity. While, this obviously has it's upsides (as is, arguably THE upside), it also makes me nervous. I don't like to think that any and every one of my classmates has the potential to read what I write. Sometimes I like the confidentiality of writing strictly between my teacher and myself. Much like how it would be easier for me to ask questions to a tutor rather than a teacher in class, I don't want my peers to know what I'm thinking. Secretive? Paranoid? Er.. not entirely. I like to think of it more as an identity crisis. Who I am to my family is different from who I am to my friends. Who I am to my friends is different from who I am from my acquaintances. Who I am from my acquaintances is different from who I am to my teachers. This is bad, I know. Although... we're not entirely schizo yet. :-P

On the other hand, this honestly of character is what I juts commended as my first "pro" point. I guess blogs go both ways. They're mixed bads; with the good comes bad and vice versa. So I suppose that from this point to my next checkpoint, I should try to make some goals.

1. Try to develop/identify my own voice.
2. Address identity crisis. Close some gaps between my various selves, starting with my Teacher-self and my Acquaintance-self.
3. Find more interesting things to post about.
4. Revisit the "essential" questions of Sophomore English.
5. Identify some "essential" questions for myself. Find questions significant enough to me that I don't feel like putting quotes around the word "essential" anymore.
6. Continue to observe my peers' blogs (as well as other sources) and look for things that I would like to encorporate into my blog.

春节快乐！恭喜发财！