This project - redesigning a website, for those outside my class who might be reading this - has been enlightening. It has confirmed for me that I do NOT want to go back to working in website design! As much as I have enjoyed this project, it was the opportunity to go back to my past that made it so much fun; like when you spend the day watching television shows from your childrood. A full day of The Muppet Show is a treat; a daily diet of it gets old really fast.
As I get closer to graduation, I have to make the hard choices of which path to take. I do believe my heart is set on teaching and/or writing, but there is a part of me that is sad to know - for certain - that I will be shutting the door on Marketing. I was only 7 years old when I decided that was what I wanted to do with me life, and started educating myself with that goal in mind ar age 12; taking enrichment classes in videography and television production; Economics classes at 14; and Marketing through my city's vocational high school a year later. I eventually graduated as the Outstanding Student (the equivelant of Valordictorian), with a perfect 4.0 GPA and a head full of hopes and dreams.
For almost 30 years, I lived, ate, and breathed Marketing. I saw changes that people once thought impossible - the launching of a fourth major TV network (FOX); the turn towards computer design over freehand artwork; the birth of the Internet...the future is here, and I am content to leave it to a new generation and to step off in a new direction - but it is nice to wallow in the past every once in a whie, if only to remember from whence I came.
Saturday, October 29, 2011
Friday, October 28, 2011
Deadlines Aren't Arbitrary
It is 2:20 AM and I cannot sleep because this group project is on my mind. I have to say, I am extremely impressed with how Group Member #2 took the draft/template website I created and turned it into the amazing finished product that it is, and how s/he managed to do it in such a short time. It blows my own efforts away (and I have been told that my efforts were quite impressive!), and I am happy to have been teamed with this person...I truly am; but at the same time I am somewhat annoyed that I have to be exclusionary of our third group member, who thus far has contributed nothing because "web design" isn't their "strong point". The beauty of this forum is that it is a classroom - if something is not your strong point, then that is what you are here to learn and it is all the more reason that you should be actively participating instead of taking a back-seat to others. Layout formatting isn't my strongest point, but I gave it a shot; and some of my efforts even made it into the final draft of the site!
The complete lack of communication from Group Member #3 also bothers me, although s/he claims to have left messages for me on Facebook. I double checked the link to my page that I posted, and it is correct, yet no messages have been received there. Anything posted to Sakai goes directly to my URI email, so there is no reason to post outside the closed forum of our classroom. I only provided my Facebook info because it is a quick way to get in touch with me in the case of an emergency - but then poor planning on someone else's part does not constitute an emergency on mine.
Having been asked to wear the mantle of Group Leader, I posted a thread about the final leg of this project today - the proposal memo. I was planning on doing it myself since Group Member #2 worked so hard these past few days in turning what started as my vision into a first-class cooperative; and, quite honestly, because the third member of the group has proven that s/he feels deadlines are arbitrary. I am really excited about this project, and if Group Member #2 agrees to it, I would like to submit the proposed website to the owners of the company who's site we chose to improve. Although I have no plans to return to design work, this site would be a huge plus for any portfolio, student or professional.
Anyhow, the reason I can't sleep is because Group Member #3 has requested the assignment of doing the proposal memo. Seeing how s/he has contributed nothing to the project yet, I realize it is only fair to give them the chance to do something...and yet I wonder: had I not posted the request for input into it, would s/he had taken the initiative to draft the proposal anyway? The assignment was posted 12 days ago, and here it is only 3 or 4 days before deadline before s/he makes an effort to contribute - and business writing is what s/he called their "strong point". If that were me, I would have jumped on it a week ago!
I guess I just feel that this group member is only seeking to contribute at this point because s/he would otherwise face the very real possibility of getting a zero for the entire assignment, considering that is what s/he has contributed to it. Therein is my quandry: Do I trust this person's motivation? Do I trust that writing the business proposal will play to their strengths, and thus strengthen the overall impact of this project?
What has me second guessing my decision to give this person the go-ahead to handle the proposal memo is that I can't even refer to their "reaction writing" for the last two readings (Palmquist's piece on what constitutes a good website and the "Design for Non-Designers" chapter) to judge whether or not assigning them the proposal memo would be a solid decision. S/he hasn't posted either of these required reaction responses to our group's forum, even though the first was due a week ago and the second due a few hours ago. See what I mean when I say s/he has proven that s/he finds deadlines to be arbitrary?
This proposal memo has become a monkey on my back, one which I would love to send sailing off of a cliff. I have a Physics exam on Monday, and studying for it is going to require a lot of my time this weekend. I want to believe that the proposal memo is in good hands, and that when I wake Tuesday morning, it will be posted to our group forum where the completed*** website now sits; but I can't...something tells me that in order to shed the monkey I am going to have to put together a back-up proposal just in case the assigned proposal is not posted in time to be included with the rest of the project.
[***I added these stars because one thought led to another, but I did not want to digress (for a change): Group Member #3 has informed us that s/he will review the site we created and add their own edits, which we can include or reject. When I commented that the site was complete unless anyone had any more edits, it was worded inclusively because it is a group project, but directed at Group Member #2 since s/he is the only other one who has been working on it!! As far as I am concerned, the website looks perfect - to add to it would be like putting lipstick on a pig - and Group Member #3 has no right to make edits to the website when s/he has contributed nothing to the creative process thus far.]
Well, it is now 3:21 AM, and I have a long day ahead of me...now that this is all out of my system, maybe I will be able to sleep.
The complete lack of communication from Group Member #3 also bothers me, although s/he claims to have left messages for me on Facebook. I double checked the link to my page that I posted, and it is correct, yet no messages have been received there. Anything posted to Sakai goes directly to my URI email, so there is no reason to post outside the closed forum of our classroom. I only provided my Facebook info because it is a quick way to get in touch with me in the case of an emergency - but then poor planning on someone else's part does not constitute an emergency on mine.
Having been asked to wear the mantle of Group Leader, I posted a thread about the final leg of this project today - the proposal memo. I was planning on doing it myself since Group Member #2 worked so hard these past few days in turning what started as my vision into a first-class cooperative; and, quite honestly, because the third member of the group has proven that s/he feels deadlines are arbitrary. I am really excited about this project, and if Group Member #2 agrees to it, I would like to submit the proposed website to the owners of the company who's site we chose to improve. Although I have no plans to return to design work, this site would be a huge plus for any portfolio, student or professional.
Anyhow, the reason I can't sleep is because Group Member #3 has requested the assignment of doing the proposal memo. Seeing how s/he has contributed nothing to the project yet, I realize it is only fair to give them the chance to do something...and yet I wonder: had I not posted the request for input into it, would s/he had taken the initiative to draft the proposal anyway? The assignment was posted 12 days ago, and here it is only 3 or 4 days before deadline before s/he makes an effort to contribute - and business writing is what s/he called their "strong point". If that were me, I would have jumped on it a week ago!
I guess I just feel that this group member is only seeking to contribute at this point because s/he would otherwise face the very real possibility of getting a zero for the entire assignment, considering that is what s/he has contributed to it. Therein is my quandry: Do I trust this person's motivation? Do I trust that writing the business proposal will play to their strengths, and thus strengthen the overall impact of this project?
What has me second guessing my decision to give this person the go-ahead to handle the proposal memo is that I can't even refer to their "reaction writing" for the last two readings (Palmquist's piece on what constitutes a good website and the "Design for Non-Designers" chapter) to judge whether or not assigning them the proposal memo would be a solid decision. S/he hasn't posted either of these required reaction responses to our group's forum, even though the first was due a week ago and the second due a few hours ago. See what I mean when I say s/he has proven that s/he finds deadlines to be arbitrary?
This proposal memo has become a monkey on my back, one which I would love to send sailing off of a cliff. I have a Physics exam on Monday, and studying for it is going to require a lot of my time this weekend. I want to believe that the proposal memo is in good hands, and that when I wake Tuesday morning, it will be posted to our group forum where the completed*** website now sits; but I can't...something tells me that in order to shed the monkey I am going to have to put together a back-up proposal just in case the assigned proposal is not posted in time to be included with the rest of the project.
[***I added these stars because one thought led to another, but I did not want to digress (for a change): Group Member #3 has informed us that s/he will review the site we created and add their own edits, which we can include or reject. When I commented that the site was complete unless anyone had any more edits, it was worded inclusively because it is a group project, but directed at Group Member #2 since s/he is the only other one who has been working on it!! As far as I am concerned, the website looks perfect - to add to it would be like putting lipstick on a pig - and Group Member #3 has no right to make edits to the website when s/he has contributed nothing to the creative process thus far.]
Well, it is now 3:21 AM, and I have a long day ahead of me...now that this is all out of my system, maybe I will be able to sleep.
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Thoughts On Leadership
It has been suggested that I be the Group Leader for Project 3 - Redesigning a Website; but I believe a person can only lead if others are willing to follow. I do my best to inspire, but if the message is not heard the result is the same as writing a blog that has no readers: zero impact.
A person must first be willing to be an active part of a group before they can follow. I will not accept the Captaincy of the Titanic knowing she is going to sink. Rather, I will Captain my own ship and whether she sinks or sails will be on me and not the result of another's apathy.
A person must first be willing to be an active part of a group before they can follow. I will not accept the Captaincy of the Titanic knowing she is going to sink. Rather, I will Captain my own ship and whether she sinks or sails will be on me and not the result of another's apathy.
Saturday, October 22, 2011
Project #3...
My new project is a group project, wherein we redesign a crappy website. Or should I say, "a website that needs help with its design"? Having spent the last few years of my Marketing career designing websites, I'd like to think I have earned the right to be blunt.
This project got me thinking about why I left creating Marketing, and when I saw the webpage (not even a site, just a page) that my old employer settled on (after I quit in disgust), I remembered. I remembered how I spent 20 hours a week - half of my 40 hours - busting my ass to design a site for the company, only to have the owner reject it because it "wasn't what he wanted" - not that he could tell me what he wanted; just that he'd "know it when he saw it". Gee, thanks for the creative input! I remembered how he brought in one of his buddies - a retired electrician, who had picked up website design as a hobby, and was trying to make a business of it - to "teach" me how to design a website.
That day, it was all I could do not to quit on the spot (which I did a few weeks later; and six weeks after that, my division was closed when they discovered that replacing me for what they were paying me proved to be harder than they thought. I still feel badly about that, considering it put some good people out of work). Anyhow, my point was that I went to school to learn Marketing and Design and Photography; to understand how different cultures reacted to different marketing techniques (the Japanese love pictures, the Germans love text); and in the process of climbing my career ladder, earned a reputation as one of the best in my field thanks to my education and creative skills. This man picked up web design as a hobby and - with no education whatsoever - decided to try and make a second career of it, starting with his buddy's company as his very first client!
I remember asking him if he had any artistic skills, and he responded, "No, I grab all of my pictures and graphics off of the Internet". Apparently, in addition to all his other shortcomings, the man had no understanding of copyright laws. I also remember him trying to tell me how to design a "successful website". Thankfully, the CFO walked in at that very moment and intervened before the flames shooting from my eyes incinerated the man.
At least they used the logo I had to redesign from nothing. (There was no electronic copy of the logo, and the only print copy they had of was so pixilated, it could not be used. The font was unique to the company, so I had to make an electronic version of it, pixel by pixel. It was hours of long, boring work, but at least it wasn't for nothing).
Anyhow, this project is reminding me why I do not want to go back into Marketing Communications - the stress and burn-out is too much to sacrifice. If I don't go the path of education, Public Relations will be what I choose. Why I ever left it in the first place, I can't remember...maybe this project will help with that, too.
This project got me thinking about why I left creating Marketing, and when I saw the webpage (not even a site, just a page) that my old employer settled on (after I quit in disgust), I remembered. I remembered how I spent 20 hours a week - half of my 40 hours - busting my ass to design a site for the company, only to have the owner reject it because it "wasn't what he wanted" - not that he could tell me what he wanted; just that he'd "know it when he saw it". Gee, thanks for the creative input! I remembered how he brought in one of his buddies - a retired electrician, who had picked up website design as a hobby, and was trying to make a business of it - to "teach" me how to design a website.
That day, it was all I could do not to quit on the spot (which I did a few weeks later; and six weeks after that, my division was closed when they discovered that replacing me for what they were paying me proved to be harder than they thought. I still feel badly about that, considering it put some good people out of work). Anyhow, my point was that I went to school to learn Marketing and Design and Photography; to understand how different cultures reacted to different marketing techniques (the Japanese love pictures, the Germans love text); and in the process of climbing my career ladder, earned a reputation as one of the best in my field thanks to my education and creative skills. This man picked up web design as a hobby and - with no education whatsoever - decided to try and make a second career of it, starting with his buddy's company as his very first client!
I remember asking him if he had any artistic skills, and he responded, "No, I grab all of my pictures and graphics off of the Internet". Apparently, in addition to all his other shortcomings, the man had no understanding of copyright laws. I also remember him trying to tell me how to design a "successful website". Thankfully, the CFO walked in at that very moment and intervened before the flames shooting from my eyes incinerated the man.
At least they used the logo I had to redesign from nothing. (There was no electronic copy of the logo, and the only print copy they had of was so pixilated, it could not be used. The font was unique to the company, so I had to make an electronic version of it, pixel by pixel. It was hours of long, boring work, but at least it wasn't for nothing).
Anyhow, this project is reminding me why I do not want to go back into Marketing Communications - the stress and burn-out is too much to sacrifice. If I don't go the path of education, Public Relations will be what I choose. Why I ever left it in the first place, I can't remember...maybe this project will help with that, too.
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Travel Writing
My WikiTravel project is completed - you can check it out here, if you would like - and I discovered that I enjoy travel writing almost as much as I do traveling. For me, this project brought a sense of exploration into something that was old and worn, although not uncomfortable - just too comfortable.
How often do we lose appreciation for that which has become routine to us? How many Rhode Islanders claim to love Newport during the summertime, but cannot remember the last time we actually went to Newport during the summer? How often do we take our relationships with others for granted, simply because they are always there? One thing I always do with John is to try and learn new things about him on a regular basis...and to work to surprise him with things he never knew about me. (Even after 4 1/2 years together, I can still surprize him by brekaing into an old school rap song!).
For me, my writing is like a relationship - I need to try new things in order to keep it fresh. Travel writing was new, but what is more it brought a newness to traveling; even if the trip was only a few miles down the highway. I almost feel like I have discovered a new hobby - almost. I am not saying I will commit to writing about the places I travel; but I think I will try to see them through a travel writer's eyes, if only for the thrill of discovery.
How often do we lose appreciation for that which has become routine to us? How many Rhode Islanders claim to love Newport during the summertime, but cannot remember the last time we actually went to Newport during the summer? How often do we take our relationships with others for granted, simply because they are always there? One thing I always do with John is to try and learn new things about him on a regular basis...and to work to surprise him with things he never knew about me. (Even after 4 1/2 years together, I can still surprize him by brekaing into an old school rap song!).
For me, my writing is like a relationship - I need to try new things in order to keep it fresh. Travel writing was new, but what is more it brought a newness to traveling; even if the trip was only a few miles down the highway. I almost feel like I have discovered a new hobby - almost. I am not saying I will commit to writing about the places I travel; but I think I will try to see them through a travel writer's eyes, if only for the thrill of discovery.
Friday, October 14, 2011
Writers vs. People Who Write...and Why Mark Patinikin Gets On My Nerves
Why is it anyone who puts their mind to recording their thoughts in print on a regular basis considers themselves a Writer? If someone does their own car repairs, do they consider themselves a Mechanic? No. If someone home-schools their children, do they consider themselves a Teacher? No. So why is it people who upchuck their every thought or idea into printed words consider themselves Writers? I believe the reason that the person who repairs their own car or home-schools their children are not considered professionals is because they cannot do what they do on a professional level. Why is writing so different?
I consider myself a Writer because once upon a career, that is how I made my living! People found my work to be of such merit that they actually paid me to produce it! I guess this is why I get so annoyed at people who call themselves writers, yet have never had a single word published by a discerning entity that pays its contributors - regardless of how many freelance contributions they have attempted to see published.
I know that this is why Mark Patinkin's column gets on my nerves - aside from the sexist commentary he has been producing since his marriage started to dissolve, which would upset me even if I was not a Writer. Until quite recently, half of the stuff he has been writing for the Providence Journal have been lists - which my seventh grade Writing teacher always told me to avoid, as they are "the fodder of the unimaginative". I get angry because I know the man has an amazing talent, and he is producing work that is beneath him; work that is on par with "people who write", who use the oft heard on Thayer Street phrase, "I've lost my muse" as they try to excuse the drivel they know they are producing.
Until this class lit in me the flame that had faded, I never thought I would go back to professional writing. Now, I am not so sure; and this confuses me as to what I am: Am I a former and possibly future Writer? Am I a Writer on hiatus? Or am I just someone who writes? The search for identity continues.
P.S. Over the last few months, Patinkin's stuff has been amazing...I do hope that he has got his grove back!
I consider myself a Writer because once upon a career, that is how I made my living! People found my work to be of such merit that they actually paid me to produce it! I guess this is why I get so annoyed at people who call themselves writers, yet have never had a single word published by a discerning entity that pays its contributors - regardless of how many freelance contributions they have attempted to see published.
I know that this is why Mark Patinkin's column gets on my nerves - aside from the sexist commentary he has been producing since his marriage started to dissolve, which would upset me even if I was not a Writer. Until quite recently, half of the stuff he has been writing for the Providence Journal have been lists - which my seventh grade Writing teacher always told me to avoid, as they are "the fodder of the unimaginative". I get angry because I know the man has an amazing talent, and he is producing work that is beneath him; work that is on par with "people who write", who use the oft heard on Thayer Street phrase, "I've lost my muse" as they try to excuse the drivel they know they are producing.
Until this class lit in me the flame that had faded, I never thought I would go back to professional writing. Now, I am not so sure; and this confuses me as to what I am: Am I a former and possibly future Writer? Am I a Writer on hiatus? Or am I just someone who writes? The search for identity continues.
P.S. Over the last few months, Patinkin's stuff has been amazing...I do hope that he has got his grove back!
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
Our Precious Ecologies...
Information Ecologies: Using Technology With Heart” (© 1998, MIT Press)
The above link leads to the reading done for this week's class. I really enjoyed it, and I think the reason why I liked it so much was because it was written by Librarians. My friend Adrienne, a local Librarian, recently posted a jpg to her Facebook page that said, "The Internet will give you answers. A Librarian will give you correct answers". This article took what was expressed in that jpg and explained why it is so important that we protect our information ecologies, just as we protect our natural ecologies. I am hoping it is something that Generation Next takes to heart.
The above link leads to the reading done for this week's class. I really enjoyed it, and I think the reason why I liked it so much was because it was written by Librarians. My friend Adrienne, a local Librarian, recently posted a jpg to her Facebook page that said, "The Internet will give you answers. A Librarian will give you correct answers". This article took what was expressed in that jpg and explained why it is so important that we protect our information ecologies, just as we protect our natural ecologies. I am hoping it is something that Generation Next takes to heart.
The Random Musings Of A Human Barometer
Oh my Lord, Oh Sweet Jesus! Who needs a barometer when you've got tendonitis? I feel like a giant biometric barometric measuring device. The closer the rain gets, the worse the pain is...and I am supposed to concentrate on writing through this physical agony? Isn't the mental agony of Wikipedia enough?
Having to discuss Wikipedia and its slim merits was bad enough, but having to write for it, too? For me, this whole project has been like having to eat big spoonfuls of shit; all the while keeping an open mind about the taste so as to grasp every nuance of the flavor in order to impartially review all of its qualities, both virtuous and vile.
Topping off this mental anguish is the smell-o-gram I am receiving from the compost which I mixed into the soil of my grapefruit tree's pot. (I brought it inside due to the cold snap we are supposed to get tonight). There is a slightly sulfurous smell coming from the decomposition of Heaven knows what...I woke to the smell and the thought that I should pray to Saint Isidore to make it go away. (Okay, what is weirder: The fact that I know St. Isidore is the patron saint of farmers or that I also happen to know that he is my patron saint by virtue of birth? His Feast Day is May 15th, my birthday).
The painkillers are clocking in, so I will be clocking out for now.
Having to discuss Wikipedia and its slim merits was bad enough, but having to write for it, too? For me, this whole project has been like having to eat big spoonfuls of shit; all the while keeping an open mind about the taste so as to grasp every nuance of the flavor in order to impartially review all of its qualities, both virtuous and vile.
Topping off this mental anguish is the smell-o-gram I am receiving from the compost which I mixed into the soil of my grapefruit tree's pot. (I brought it inside due to the cold snap we are supposed to get tonight). There is a slightly sulfurous smell coming from the decomposition of Heaven knows what...I woke to the smell and the thought that I should pray to Saint Isidore to make it go away. (Okay, what is weirder: The fact that I know St. Isidore is the patron saint of farmers or that I also happen to know that he is my patron saint by virtue of birth? His Feast Day is May 15th, my birthday).
The painkillers are clocking in, so I will be clocking out for now.
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
One Last Wiki Blog...Or So I Pray
I am seriously hoping this will be my last blog on the Internet scourge that is Wikipedia. I am seriously ready to gouge my eyes out just so I do not have to go back to another Wiki site. In discussing this issue with someone the other day, I told them that there is a difference between someone who is a writer and someone who writes. Just because you own a kepboard and have an Internet connection does not make you a writer, regardless of what Wikipedia allows you to believe.
I know my reviews of Wikipedia and its various branches sound harsh and bitchy, and may be they are...maybe WikiTravel is a great place for budding travel writers to build their portfolio before applying for paying work; but their work is the diamond that is buried somewhere in the rough.
I have pretty much finished my paste-up of my WikiTravel piece, and am just waiting on my peer review of it before putting together the final copy; and am trying to decide where it would best serve travelers - because isn't that the point of WikiTravel articles? Isn't the purpose of this site to be of service to travelers trying to make plans in a territory that is unknown to them?
Obviously, my choice of location - Fox Point/Wickenden Street - does not belong among the most broad of categaories, or even a broad category at all. It definitely fits into the "District" category WikiTravel offers - anybody who knows Fox Point knows that Wickenden Street is the heart of Fox Point, which is more of a neighborhood than a district - but I think Wikitravel could narrow the selection even further. If I were search Bourbon Street, in what category would I find it? Some streets are destinations in and of themselves, and I think they deserve their own category.
In short, I would guess my place choices for my entry would be "District", which does exist; "Neighborhood", which should exist but does not; and "Famous Streets", another non-existant category.
I know my reviews of Wikipedia and its various branches sound harsh and bitchy, and may be they are...maybe WikiTravel is a great place for budding travel writers to build their portfolio before applying for paying work; but their work is the diamond that is buried somewhere in the rough.
I have pretty much finished my paste-up of my WikiTravel piece, and am just waiting on my peer review of it before putting together the final copy; and am trying to decide where it would best serve travelers - because isn't that the point of WikiTravel articles? Isn't the purpose of this site to be of service to travelers trying to make plans in a territory that is unknown to them?
Obviously, my choice of location - Fox Point/Wickenden Street - does not belong among the most broad of categaories, or even a broad category at all. It definitely fits into the "District" category WikiTravel offers - anybody who knows Fox Point knows that Wickenden Street is the heart of Fox Point, which is more of a neighborhood than a district - but I think Wikitravel could narrow the selection even further. If I were search Bourbon Street, in what category would I find it? Some streets are destinations in and of themselves, and I think they deserve their own category.
In short, I would guess my place choices for my entry would be "District", which does exist; "Neighborhood", which should exist but does not; and "Famous Streets", another non-existant category.
I Still Hate Wikipedia
I just can't get into this whole Wikipedia assignment. Last night, when I was uploading and making minor edits to my article, someone else jumped onto it and started changing it on me. To me, that is the height of rudeness to go in and change someone else's work because you THINK what you have to say is better. I can understand if it were a regular Wikipedia article and incorrect information was posted; but to rearrange my sentence structure because you think ending sentences with prepositions sounds better than using proper grammar? I have two words for that Bozo, and one of them is "off". Seriously, if we are to write for audiences that may not have a full grasp of the English language, improper grammar is not going to make the article any easier for them to comprehend.
Anyhow, I believe that all clouds have silver linings, and for me Wikitravel's glimmer of argentum is its Manual of Style. As someone who is new to writing for the Wiki sites, there were a few helpful sections. The first would have to be the Structural Style Guide, which offers helpful writing tips to writers on where exactly their article will fit into the scheme of Wikitravel; as well as advice on when to start a new article or simply edit an existing one. I am not sure how many people actually read these instructions, but they are pretty darn comprehensive. The importance of this concept should be obvious: it eliminates redundancy, something which there is already way too much of on the web.
The other section of the Manual of Style that I found helpful is the section on Writing Style. This portion of the manual offers over a dozen links to elaborate on simple instructional phrases, such as "Don't tout"; Words to avoid"; and my personal favorite, "No advice from Captain Obvious".
I found "Don't tout" to be interesting, because I did not know what professional touting was, even though I frequently see it on the Internet and the inherent dishonesty of it has always upset me. I think it is important for contributors in general to remember this rule lest their articles be marked as SPAM and deleted from the site. Sometimes, you have to curb your enthusiasm in order to be heard.
"Words to avoid" made me laugh because there is nothing I hate more than pretense. It is one thing to drop a fancy sounding word here or there if it comes naturally to you. As a Science major, my brain is filled with both the English and Latin names for so many things. Combine this fact with the fact that I also speak French and you can see that I have three different languages spinning through my brain at the speed of thought. Is it any wonder that words like "argentum" spill out of my mind and into this process blog? However, this process blog has a limited audience, one that is presumed to be college educated. The same cannot be assumed of WikiTravel, so to fill an article with "50-cent words" would be foolish - unless your goal is to sound like a pretentious snot; then, by all means, write like you are submitting a court brief instead of a travel article.
The guideline "No advice from Captain Obvious" was by far my personal favorite for its simplicity, which is something people often forget about in their attempts to sound knowledgeable. I think it is important to keep the obvious out of the article for a few reasons. The first and most obvious is that including such information insults the intelligence of the reader. The second and less obvious is that it also bores the reader. When writing for the Internet, you need to keep your readers focused on what you are writing while maintaining their interest in your topic. If you lose the reader's interest, they will click on a link that will take them elsewhere and - eventually - lead them far from your article.
____________________________________________________________
My one problem with WikiTravel is that it is so broad that it seems difficult to be useful in planning a trip. I would be more likely to use it for local or regional travel than to plan a longer, more expansive trip. For example, if I were to take a day-trip to New Hampshire and wanted to know about restaurants in the area where I would be going, I might search the region or district on Wikitravel. Most likely, though, I would just CitySearch it.
P.S. Does anyone outside of science and/or academia know what argentum is?
Anyhow, I believe that all clouds have silver linings, and for me Wikitravel's glimmer of argentum is its Manual of Style. As someone who is new to writing for the Wiki sites, there were a few helpful sections. The first would have to be the Structural Style Guide, which offers helpful writing tips to writers on where exactly their article will fit into the scheme of Wikitravel; as well as advice on when to start a new article or simply edit an existing one. I am not sure how many people actually read these instructions, but they are pretty darn comprehensive. The importance of this concept should be obvious: it eliminates redundancy, something which there is already way too much of on the web.
The other section of the Manual of Style that I found helpful is the section on Writing Style. This portion of the manual offers over a dozen links to elaborate on simple instructional phrases, such as "Don't tout"; Words to avoid"; and my personal favorite, "No advice from Captain Obvious".
I found "Don't tout" to be interesting, because I did not know what professional touting was, even though I frequently see it on the Internet and the inherent dishonesty of it has always upset me. I think it is important for contributors in general to remember this rule lest their articles be marked as SPAM and deleted from the site. Sometimes, you have to curb your enthusiasm in order to be heard.
"Words to avoid" made me laugh because there is nothing I hate more than pretense. It is one thing to drop a fancy sounding word here or there if it comes naturally to you. As a Science major, my brain is filled with both the English and Latin names for so many things. Combine this fact with the fact that I also speak French and you can see that I have three different languages spinning through my brain at the speed of thought. Is it any wonder that words like "argentum" spill out of my mind and into this process blog? However, this process blog has a limited audience, one that is presumed to be college educated. The same cannot be assumed of WikiTravel, so to fill an article with "50-cent words" would be foolish - unless your goal is to sound like a pretentious snot; then, by all means, write like you are submitting a court brief instead of a travel article.
The guideline "No advice from Captain Obvious" was by far my personal favorite for its simplicity, which is something people often forget about in their attempts to sound knowledgeable. I think it is important to keep the obvious out of the article for a few reasons. The first and most obvious is that including such information insults the intelligence of the reader. The second and less obvious is that it also bores the reader. When writing for the Internet, you need to keep your readers focused on what you are writing while maintaining their interest in your topic. If you lose the reader's interest, they will click on a link that will take them elsewhere and - eventually - lead them far from your article.
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My one problem with WikiTravel is that it is so broad that it seems difficult to be useful in planning a trip. I would be more likely to use it for local or regional travel than to plan a longer, more expansive trip. For example, if I were to take a day-trip to New Hampshire and wanted to know about restaurants in the area where I would be going, I might search the region or district on Wikitravel. Most likely, though, I would just CitySearch it.
P.S. Does anyone outside of science and/or academia know what argentum is?
Monday, October 10, 2011
Wickenden Wanderings
As part of my research for my Wikitravel project I took a wander down Wickenden Street this week, looking at it with new eyes. Instead of just passing by the art galleries, I stopped into them and explored their offerings. It turns out OOP isn't the only local gallery with overpriced art. I could go to the glassblowers in Vermont and purchase the same pieces for a quarter of what the Wickenden Street artists were charging...but then I guess that is the difference between a bustling city like Providence and a rural, economically depressed region like Quechee, VT.
I also noticed how much the economic downturn has cut into the commerce of Wickenden Street - many businesses have closed shop, although many of those many were hair salons; and there are still several of those left. There were also a few foreclosed houses, the sight of which always makes me sad. If the American dream is to own your own home, foreclosure must be the American nightmare.
Store proprietors, noticing my notebook, asked me if I was writing for publication. "Sort of", was my reply, explaining my situation, which always makes me feel like I am "somewhere in between halfway there and someplace else". (I put that in quotes because as much as I would like to take full credit for those words, they are a twisted paraphrase of something posted on the wall at the Roger Williams University Library, where I spent much of my time the year I studied there. I was an "older" student, and was often made to feel like a square peg in a round hole; but the library was the one place where I always felt welcome). Sigh...now, I am rambling. How embarassing.
I have the credentials of a professional writer, along with an impressive portfolio - or rather, I had an impressive portfolio, until it was destroyed in a flood. At the time, that had felt like the final break between me and my "old life"...and that was when I started thinking about whether or not I truly wanted to leave that "old" life behind, or just wanted to update it. But then I digress, which is something I am known for in my writing...or rather, something I used to be known for in my writing. Maybe it is something for which I will be known for again? It was, after all, my niche.
Anyhow, most proprietors welcomed the attention, but others looked at me suspiciously; as if I was trying to publicize something secret - and maybe, in a way, I am. Wickenden Street is far less populated than the bloated Thayer Street, and is far less pretentious. Its inhabitants are older, and have a more mature view of the world; the kind that can only come from experiencing life, as opposed to just living it, and being able to compare the decades as they pass. This new knowledge has caused me to change the style of my article. I know it is last minute, but at the same time I know that this re-write will result in a much better project.
I also noticed how much the economic downturn has cut into the commerce of Wickenden Street - many businesses have closed shop, although many of those many were hair salons; and there are still several of those left. There were also a few foreclosed houses, the sight of which always makes me sad. If the American dream is to own your own home, foreclosure must be the American nightmare.
Store proprietors, noticing my notebook, asked me if I was writing for publication. "Sort of", was my reply, explaining my situation, which always makes me feel like I am "somewhere in between halfway there and someplace else". (I put that in quotes because as much as I would like to take full credit for those words, they are a twisted paraphrase of something posted on the wall at the Roger Williams University Library, where I spent much of my time the year I studied there. I was an "older" student, and was often made to feel like a square peg in a round hole; but the library was the one place where I always felt welcome). Sigh...now, I am rambling. How embarassing.
I have the credentials of a professional writer, along with an impressive portfolio - or rather, I had an impressive portfolio, until it was destroyed in a flood. At the time, that had felt like the final break between me and my "old life"...and that was when I started thinking about whether or not I truly wanted to leave that "old" life behind, or just wanted to update it. But then I digress, which is something I am known for in my writing...or rather, something I used to be known for in my writing. Maybe it is something for which I will be known for again? It was, after all, my niche.
Anyhow, most proprietors welcomed the attention, but others looked at me suspiciously; as if I was trying to publicize something secret - and maybe, in a way, I am. Wickenden Street is far less populated than the bloated Thayer Street, and is far less pretentious. Its inhabitants are older, and have a more mature view of the world; the kind that can only come from experiencing life, as opposed to just living it, and being able to compare the decades as they pass. This new knowledge has caused me to change the style of my article. I know it is last minute, but at the same time I know that this re-write will result in a much better project.
Sunday, October 9, 2011
I Just Can't Process It All!!!!
I have been having trouble keeping up with my process blog for the simple fact that I have so much to process in my personal life (that is definitely affecting my writing).
For the past year and a half, I have been wrestling with the direction I wish to pursue after graduation. I KNOW that I want to work in the Sciences - no change of major is necessary. However, like Robert Plante crooned in Stairway to Heaven, "there are two paths you can go by; but in the long run, there's still time to change the road you're on. And it makes me wonder". And it does make me wonder...in fact, I have been wondering for the last 18 months...and I finally made my decision.
This writing class has taught me more than how to improve my craft for online audiences; it has taught me that I really, really, miss writing; miss working in Communications; and that I do not wish to simply abandon my first degree because I will have attained a second. Which is why I have "changed the road I'm on". (Good Lord, how I HATE ending a sentence with a preposition!).
As a Science student, my goal was to work in a research lab. As a Science Tutor, I found my heart yearning to teach what others have researched. I tried to convince myself that I could do both - first, a career in research; then teaching, after retirement. I think I may have been able to convince myself that this path was okay, too. I know I convinced myself of it long enough to attain my A.S. in General Science, as opposed to the easier A.A. (which truly is the science equivalent of a degree in basket-weaving).
I do not regret my A.S.; in fact, I am happy I got it; because it was in attaining the degree that I discovered I was capable of all I thought I could not accomplish - namely, A's in Algebra and Chemistry, and pass Calculus I with a better than decent grade. However, I now stand at a crossroads: If I were to stay on the path of Research, a B.S. in Biological Sciences would be the minimum educational requirement. If I took the path of Scientific Communications - either as a teacher or as a Public Relations Officer for a Biotech company - a B.A. would suffice. The only problem with a B.A. is that Scientists look down on it.
Just like PhD's will look down on the person who "only" has a Masters degree, a B.S. in Science will look down on a B.A., assuming that they "couldn't hack" the rigors of the B.S. program. I know in my heart that this is not true - as I was sitting in my Organic Chemistry lecture I discovered that in spite of the fact that I was fascinated by the subject, I had no desire to study it to the depth required of a B.S. student. The following week, however, I felt myself light up as I assisted one of my classmates through a problem of some difficulty. When he told me "you make this stuff easy", I knew that it was time to change the road I was on and pursue the B.A. in Biology; with a possible minor in writing - just to keep my other B.A. fresh!
Re-reading this post, it all sounds so simple; and yet it took me two full weeks of pure thought-processing to reach this point: the point where I can put into concise and understandable words exactly what has been possessing my mind to the detriment of all other projects.
For the past year and a half, I have been wrestling with the direction I wish to pursue after graduation. I KNOW that I want to work in the Sciences - no change of major is necessary. However, like Robert Plante crooned in Stairway to Heaven, "there are two paths you can go by; but in the long run, there's still time to change the road you're on. And it makes me wonder". And it does make me wonder...in fact, I have been wondering for the last 18 months...and I finally made my decision.
This writing class has taught me more than how to improve my craft for online audiences; it has taught me that I really, really, miss writing; miss working in Communications; and that I do not wish to simply abandon my first degree because I will have attained a second. Which is why I have "changed the road I'm on". (Good Lord, how I HATE ending a sentence with a preposition!).
As a Science student, my goal was to work in a research lab. As a Science Tutor, I found my heart yearning to teach what others have researched. I tried to convince myself that I could do both - first, a career in research; then teaching, after retirement. I think I may have been able to convince myself that this path was okay, too. I know I convinced myself of it long enough to attain my A.S. in General Science, as opposed to the easier A.A. (which truly is the science equivalent of a degree in basket-weaving).
I do not regret my A.S.; in fact, I am happy I got it; because it was in attaining the degree that I discovered I was capable of all I thought I could not accomplish - namely, A's in Algebra and Chemistry, and pass Calculus I with a better than decent grade. However, I now stand at a crossroads: If I were to stay on the path of Research, a B.S. in Biological Sciences would be the minimum educational requirement. If I took the path of Scientific Communications - either as a teacher or as a Public Relations Officer for a Biotech company - a B.A. would suffice. The only problem with a B.A. is that Scientists look down on it.
Just like PhD's will look down on the person who "only" has a Masters degree, a B.S. in Science will look down on a B.A., assuming that they "couldn't hack" the rigors of the B.S. program. I know in my heart that this is not true - as I was sitting in my Organic Chemistry lecture I discovered that in spite of the fact that I was fascinated by the subject, I had no desire to study it to the depth required of a B.S. student. The following week, however, I felt myself light up as I assisted one of my classmates through a problem of some difficulty. When he told me "you make this stuff easy", I knew that it was time to change the road I was on and pursue the B.A. in Biology; with a possible minor in writing - just to keep my other B.A. fresh!
Re-reading this post, it all sounds so simple; and yet it took me two full weeks of pure thought-processing to reach this point: the point where I can put into concise and understandable words exactly what has been possessing my mind to the detriment of all other projects.
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
Time Flies...
I can't believe it has been 10 days since my last process posting. The good news is, I have been busy writing. I really enjoy writing Ask Tazi!, and have been making time in my busy schedule to write it six days a week. For the first time since As the Tummy Turns I am enjoying writing a regular blog.
In addition to writing Tazi-Kat's column, I have been researching a Wikitravel project for class. To start, I really should point out that I F!!!!!!!!ING HATE WIKIPEDIA!!!!! Seriously, the idea of a site that anybody can log-on and edit goes against every professional fiber of my being; so the idea that I have to write an article for a Wiki site really gnaws at me. On the other hand, I suppose it is an opportunity to re-visit an old haunt; and to share what I find so fascinating.
Once upon a time, I did a lot of traveling; for both work and pleasure, so I have seen a great deal of America...yet, like Dorothy Gale discovered during her trip to Oz, there's no place like home. Like I said to an out of state classmate this morning, as we walked through downtown Providence to the CCE building, "Rhode Island is quirky, but it grows on you". I find one of the quirkiest places in RI to be the East-Side/Fox Point corridor, which runs from Thayer Street to Wickenden Street. For this reason, I decided to write about this area for my Wikitravel article...and so, in a roundabout way, I return to my blogging roots: My late friend Jimmy (co-founder of Tummy) is the one who introduced me this area.
Currently, I spend a lot of time on Wickenden since my boyfriend works on that street and I stop by frequently to say hello; bring him coffee; and shop. Now that Autumn is here, I am looking forward to spending the day strolling through the area and reconnecting with all the area has to offer - things like Rory Raven's annual Ghost Walk tours (I still hope to see Edgar Allen Poe's ghost one of these days!); followed by an early dinner at Andrea's on Thayer Street or pizza at Fellini's on Wickenden.
I suppose one of the best things about travel writing is the first-person research that goes along with it.
In addition to writing Tazi-Kat's column, I have been researching a Wikitravel project for class. To start, I really should point out that I F!!!!!!!!ING HATE WIKIPEDIA!!!!! Seriously, the idea of a site that anybody can log-on and edit goes against every professional fiber of my being; so the idea that I have to write an article for a Wiki site really gnaws at me. On the other hand, I suppose it is an opportunity to re-visit an old haunt; and to share what I find so fascinating.
Once upon a time, I did a lot of traveling; for both work and pleasure, so I have seen a great deal of America...yet, like Dorothy Gale discovered during her trip to Oz, there's no place like home. Like I said to an out of state classmate this morning, as we walked through downtown Providence to the CCE building, "Rhode Island is quirky, but it grows on you". I find one of the quirkiest places in RI to be the East-Side/Fox Point corridor, which runs from Thayer Street to Wickenden Street. For this reason, I decided to write about this area for my Wikitravel article...and so, in a roundabout way, I return to my blogging roots: My late friend Jimmy (co-founder of Tummy) is the one who introduced me this area.
Currently, I spend a lot of time on Wickenden since my boyfriend works on that street and I stop by frequently to say hello; bring him coffee; and shop. Now that Autumn is here, I am looking forward to spending the day strolling through the area and reconnecting with all the area has to offer - things like Rory Raven's annual Ghost Walk tours (I still hope to see Edgar Allen Poe's ghost one of these days!); followed by an early dinner at Andrea's on Thayer Street or pizza at Fellini's on Wickenden.
I suppose one of the best things about travel writing is the first-person research that goes along with it.
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