I have been on this site now for what, almost a year I think (I'd have to actually look at my profile to get the exact number of weeks, but I joined somewhere around June of last year)... But you can definitely see where I have grown as a blogger. This was my first blogging site when I joined.
You can see a difference in my writing styles from when I first started posting (http://www.progressiveu.org/190000-does-the-united-states-government-have-the-right-to-ban-smoking-or-other-things-proven-harmful-to-ones-health)
to somewhere in the middle during my second contest (http://www.progressiveu.org/190000-should-theocratic-evidence-in-non-religious-debates-be-allowed)
To more recent posts (http://www.progressiveu.org/014347-are-you-racist)
So what's my point?
I've grown... That's what we're all supposed to be doing, yes? But sadly, I don't think others agree. And why have I grown? Because I read through my emails / private messages, and take the criticism (even the rude ones) into consideration.
You see, many of my changes came about because of emailed complaints. When I first started, I got very few comments on my blogs, but a lot of emails saying "you're blogs are too long"... So I shortened them.
Then I got emails saying "you should blog more about news and keep your opinions on other things to yourself" - so I began blogging about the news and incorporating what I believed to be attention-worthy news stories into more of my blogs. No, I did not keep my other opinions to myself.
Then I received emails from people saying "you shouldn't copy and paste the news article directly into your blog, just provide a link" so now I have even begun cutting down the length of the articles that I directly copy into my post, and also provide a link.
Then I started getting complaints that I just post a blog and ask for others' opinions rather than post my own opinions (which was never true); so I started making sure my opinions were stated very clearly so they would not be missed.
I've received emails saying I blog too much, and others saying I blog too little. Some say that my blogs are thoughtless, while others say they don't get enough attention. I've been accused of taking on too many "causes" for my blogs. I see myself posting a blog, receiving very few comments, and then another blog about the exact same topic, with the exact same opinion gets posted and receives more comments and replies and/or becomes featured.
And now, I have even received emails complaining that my friends list is too long, and that's the only reason any of my blogs get any ratings at all... What are peoples' problems?
So far in this contest, I have been accused of being selfish, making up stories to blog about, not putting any thought into my blogs, and writing too much. Granted, the levels of these accusations runs anywhere from polite suggestions to blunt accusations...
But I am beginning to wonder, why? Why do people feel the need to take anyone who is making an earnest attempt at this site and turn it into a negative thing? Seriously? Who cares if I post a lot of blogs one day, and only two the next day? Does the number of blogs that I post make the meaning behind the blogs any less important, somehow?
I am willing to bet that I would probably get along with many of the members of this site if we were to meet in real life rather than simply over a few comments and a font. But, I can only deduce that most of the people that seem to so dislike me only do so because of our shared involvement in this contest. I think the amount of my private messages and emails wouldn't be nearly as high if A) this contest wasn't taking place and B) there were the same number of users as there are today.
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I'm sure a lot of it has to do with the contest. If you want to get the most points then why not hurt other people and make them stop blogging here. But I probably wouldn't change the way I write my blogs just because someone says something bad about it. Unless it was very valid like I have spelling and grammer issues.
Jenna
Well, I don't mind changing my overall formatting or things like that to help my readers out. I am a firm believer in the idea that if there is a misunderstanding between a speaker and an audience - it is the speaker's fault for not being clear and not the audience's fault for not asking questions.
Some of the changes that I think are ridiculous, I completely ignore; and some that I feel are unwarranted or don't really apply to me (like if I make an obviously typo-related mistake like "hte") I led slide. I really don't mind criticism at all.
I just find it amazing at how much I've been getting! LOL, I used to think I was a good writer!
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"Dream as though you'll live forever, but live as though there's no tomorrow" --James Dean
http://www.progressiveu.org/blog/fanaile-essence
http://www.progressiveu.org/090204-dont-miss-this-chance
Thank you fanaile for all those helpful criticisms! I truly appreciate it. I think we would all get along much better in person, instead of behind a computer where everyone else is just your opposing viewpoint, or the discredit to your argument.
DISCLAIMER: I am not being rude. I'm stating my opinion. No personal attacks are meant. Please give some leniency on how you take my words. imagine me saying them with a smile. ^__^
Well, hopefully the smilies will help!
At any rate, communicating online does rob everyone of other nonverbal forms of communication we come to rely on, such as tone inflection, body language, and facial expressions. Sometimes I receive flags about a particular comment that when I read it, there doesn't seem to be anything wrong, but the person who flagged it read a very different message and was completely insulted.
We're forced to read things with the tone of our mindsets... that makes online communications much more difficult.
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"when you have nothing else to say, "Fwonk" is always the perfect thing."
"yeah well, fwonk"
--Devon
Fanaile Essence,
A-Team Member
I don't think so. Lots of people on here are nice and many of them have given me painful but very true criticisms.
Blogging can be for informative reasons, fun reasons, political reasons, educational reasons, etc. There are no 'rules' to blogging despite what many people say. You are your own person and can blog as you like. There is nothing even wrong with say, posting a whole article that you like on your blog (as long as you cite the source, publication dates, etc etc). When blogging feels like it is going under a watchdog's scrutiny, that is when it becomes not fun. That is when its not worth it anymore. But luckily, because blogging has no 'real' rules and you can always blog as you want within reason, the latter can never occur unless you yourself allow it too.
Make sense?
Yes, that makes total sense; and I realize that I might be complaining for absolutely no good reason at all...
In fact, I'm sitting here thinking about it, getting ready to reply to my latest email, and wondering exactly why I'm as upset as I am about it. I don't get mad - it's a waste of my energy and time.
Yet for some reason some of these emails just irk me.
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"Dream as though you'll live forever, but live as though there's no tomorrow" --James Dean
http://www.progressiveu.org/blog/fanaile-essence
I like the new addition of smileys. When were those added? I noticed that it helps to get the message across more so in the way that the the original user intended.
"And now, I have even received emails complaining that my friends list is too long, and that's the only reason any of my blogs get any ratings at all... What are peoples' problems?"
Wow, that's pretty low considering what the purpose of this site is all about. Maybe envy? If I have some to say to someone I try to do it in respectful manner. Blunt accusations are pretty childish.
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"When people say, "I’m so tired it's not even funny" or "my head hurts so much it's not even funny", why would it even be funny in the first place?"
I agree; I will make suggestions (especially if they are asked for) and try to do so in a polite, respectful manner.
And for the complaint about my buddy list - I don't even know where that came from! I have no control over who adds me to their freind's list or why; and I am generally very stringent about who I add to mine.
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"Dream as though you'll live forever, but live as though there's no tomorrow" --James Dean
http://www.progressiveu.org/blog/fanaile-essence
Okay about the emails saying your friend list is too long-thats just bogus. HOw annoying for people to be so rude like that. ITs kind of silly to complain about it,actually.
Well I cant speak for everyone . . . but it is kind of my job to comment on posts about what bloggers can do to be better bloggers lol . . . so please dont take my comments on your blogs personally! I am just trying to help people learn techniques that will make them better bloggers and help them to win the competition.
Francesca Chambers
Oh, most of the comments / emails I receive I haven't taken personally. I give almost every one the benefit of the doubt that they are just trying to be honest and helpful, rather than hateful.
It just seems weird to me, I know you can't satisfy every one... But during the contest periods on this site, it seems like you can't please anyone no matter what.
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"Dream as though you'll live forever, but live as though there's no tomorrow" --James Dean
http://www.progressiveu.org/blog/fanaile-essence
You said : it is kind of my job to comment on posts about what bloggers can do to be better bloggers lol .
Are you an administrator? Just curious cuz I had no idea before.
I wuv you!
No seriously though. I like reading your posts. They are well thought out and not some "in your face" crap. You can back up what you talk about, and are very respectful.
LOL ((Hugs))
I feel the Wuv!
Anyway, thank you for the compliments! It's so nice to hear when people like reading what I have to say about something (which I do receive both in comment and in email form from time to time, but sadly they are far and few between)...
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"Dream as though you'll live forever, but live as though there's no tomorrow" --James Dean
http://www.progressiveu.org/blog/fanaile-essence
I wuv you too Fanaile! I fell like I have grown to know you much more just by pm'ing each other. IF only we had smileys earlier...maybe then I wouldn't be so angry and defensive, LOL!
Right!
Why didn't I do those sooner?
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"when you have nothing else to say, "Fwonk" is always the perfect thing."
"yeah well, fwonk"
--Devon
Fanaile Essence,
A-Team Member
Oh my goodness! A Five star rating after nearly a month of writing this! I must be cheating somehow!
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"Dream as though you'll live forever, but live as though there's no tomorrow" --James Dean
http://www.progressiveu.org/blog/fanaile-essence
wait...it took you a month to write this blog fanaile? Wow. Well, either you are very busy or very meticulate.
LOL.
No, I wrote this out, and it received a five star rating a month later. I was making a joke because one of the accusations going around at the time was saying that my blogs always get rated 5 stars within 5 minutes and clog up the "Highest Rated" list.
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"when you have nothing else to say, "Fwonk" is always the perfect thing."
"yeah well, fwonk"
--Devon
Fanaile Essence,
A-Team Member
I wish I received even half as much feedback as you do. Lol.
LOL, I wish you were here when I wrote this!
I had completely forgotten about this particular blog entry; amazing. I should go back and read some of my other blogs! See what else I might have forgotten about!
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"when you have nothing else to say, "Fwonk" is always the perfect thing."
"yeah well, fwonk"
--Devon
Fanaile Essence,
A-Team Member
I dont recommend that. It's scary really.
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Soar high and laugh on the wind
~Fallon~
"If you have built castles in the air, your work need not be lost; that is where they should be. Now put the foundations under them."- Thoreau
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I've been stalking both of you. Muahahahahahahahaha!
It's fun to read how people have changed in their writing (dare I say progressed?). I hope that I will/have improved at least to some degree.
hahaha. Yeah, all my angry religion blogs received MORE THAN ENOUGH feedback .Good times,good times.
Some people complain a little too much that others` blogs aren`t done the way they want them. But I have seen the odd poster who seems to be so focused on churning out blogs that they don`t care if there is any point to the blogs. You`re not one of those.
I have a question on one reference in this post that I`ve wondered about. Can someone tell me what is the buddies list? I`ve never used features like this because I don`t know what it means.
The buddies' list is actually really helpful. You can add somebody by clicking on their user name and then going to the bottom of their profile, and clicking, "add to buddy list."
Then they come up under "My buddies' recent posts" on the right hand side when you log on. It's helpful when you don't want to weed through the crap, or wait for the recent posts list to come up.
: )
See, I wish I could have someone explain all the technical things to me when I first started! I had to guess my way through it.
Poster. That is an interesting word. I have never heard it applied to people before but that's okay. I was just a little confused at first about what poster you were talking about and realized its not paper, its people, lol!
I can't recall anything you've written that I didn't find agreeable or at least balanced. I actually find it quite amusing that some people are so angry or uptight that they can even find stuff to whinge at bloggers as balanced as you about.....fuckwits.
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I am the people my mother warned me about.
http://www.progressiveu.org/blog/tuffgong
TUFFGONG
Senior Executive Administrator™
Aww, thanks! That means a lot to me coming from you; but then, you've often been there to support me whenever I needed such support :)
This is exactly one of the reasons I came to believe that people were just complaining to or about me simply because - at the time I wrote this - I was a participant in the BFP contest. I was also relatively high profile because I was online a lot, and commented frequently.
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"when you have nothing else to say, "Fwonk" is always the perfect thing."
"yeah well, fwonk"
--Devon
Fanaile Essence,
A-Team Member
"I was also relatively high profile because I was online a lot, and commented frequently."
Yeah, but your comments are generally intelligently put together, maybe you're offending ThE KiND oF PEOPLE WHO dOn't Take kiNdly to, and Hoo iN FACT might BE ResENtful ov ur FANCY SCHMANCY words and show-oFFy Gramur?
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I am the people my mother warned me about.
http://www.progressiveu.org/blog/tuffgong
TUFFGONG
Senior Executive Administrator™
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"when you have nothing else to say, "Fwonk" is always the perfect thing."
"yeah well, fwonk"
--Devon
Fanaile Essence,
A-Team Member
Are you going to be in a scholarship contest again Fanaile? after this one?
Tuffgong, not to be mean or anything, but could you please edit your comment? You know, the last word? thanks.
Why do you want me to edit my comment?
_____________________________________________________________
I am the people my mother warned me about.
http://www.progressiveu.org/blog/tuffgong
TUFFGONG
Senior Executive Administrator™
well, you don't have to. I just thought it wasn't very polite. But whatever. (please, its 3:50 am dont comment back and rant and rave at me. don't get offended. I can't take that at this time).
" I just thought it wasn't very polite."
The beauty of this site is the fact that they don't treat the bloggers here like babies; they recognize the fact that plenty of perfectly intelligent adult people will swear from time to time.
You may note that it didn't bother Fanaile all that much, largely because she has a good capacity for interpretting a piece of communication for what it's message might be, as opposed to trying to draw a negative from the choice of words used to convey the message. The rules that you apply to your own use of language are yours, not mine. I believe in freedom of language, you seem to endorse a more authoritarian approach to it; liberty over dogma I suppose.
_____________________________________________________________
I am the people my mother warned me about.
http://www.progressiveu.org/blog/tuffgong
TUFFGONG
Senior Executive Administrator™
Okay, i didn't even notice how old this blog was! Hope my comment doesn't seem out of place since it's almost a year late....
I don't understand why you were picked on so often. I don't even get any private messages or emails from Progressive U members. Maybe I'm not influential enough on the site. Still, I would try to see the number of responses that you received as being a good thing, because you made people want to respond or PM you.
Of course, this comment might be too late to make a difference, but I thought I'd try anyway.
It's never too late to comment! :)
And I appreciate it very much.
Actually, I was debating about whether or not I should take this particular blog entry down; but ultimately I decided against it since I'm sure at one point in time or another that someone else may feel the same way.
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"when you have nothing else to say, "Fwonk" is always the perfect thing."
"yeah well, fwonk"
--Devon
Fanaile Essence,
A-Team Member
Oh! After reading the above comment, I just looked at the date! Lol, that is funny.
I love your blogs they are well written and your point of view is often very unique. 9 times out of 10 when ever I find a blog I can actually read all the way through without wanting to stab myself in the eyes, I scroll up and sure enough you are the master mind. Don't listen to these people they just wish they had written what you wrote.
Yeah, I do the same thing. I scan the bad ones and when I read a good one I look up to see who the writer is and sure enough its usually a moderator.
who cares what they say. its ur blog. put w/e you want if they dont like it then they dont care. this is where you can unwhine and write facts. if its long its that much more important. if they complain why are they reading it. if the title attracts them then they should get annoyed or bored with all the writing. its better having the article in the blog to completely tie together what your trying to say. if people complain let them. its not your fault they can't read alot at once. just do what you want. its your voice not theirs.
yeah, sammigurl has a point. Accept good advice, but don't lose yourself in the process. You can't please everyone.
i'm not one for reading comments, but i totally understand about the blog... i'm more of a myspace blogger, b/c i have some friends who read them. but i've got a friend (just one) who reads some on here too... i've just joined and haven't recieved any emails at all, but i'm sure they'll start flooding in as soon as i start blogging hardcore. i've been known to JUST complain about my life. but hey, it's how i cope with the confusions of the world, write about it. so i guess they can deal. write what you want.
-velvet
i just put links on my myspace to here. Its pretty nice actually considering the fact that more people care what you write here and you get more responses.
I like that you voice your opinion, but regardless, unfortunately, I mean this with respect, but this blog has no purpose. Itis merely a rant. I would encourage that you ask for action to be taken or make a firm stance in what you plan on doing about it or where you stand.
Its wonderful that you use this site to assist yourself in growing as a better writer, I agree, sites like this can assist one in growing in their writing ability. I too feel I have grown.
Keep up the work.
- Liberal Daniel A.K.A. Daniel Newell
www.myspace.com/liberaldaniel
Just for reference, Fanaile Essence is now one of the most active members of the team that moderates at ProgressiveU and has done quite a lot to ensure this type of thing doesn't happen to other bloggers in the future. This post is rather old; from the Spring contest and she and this blog (and others like it) spurred many changes in the Fall contest that just ended. :)
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Soar high and laugh on the wind
~Fallon~
"If you have built castles in the air, your work need not be lost; that is where they should be. Now put the foundations under them."- Thoreau
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Hi Daniel!
:)
You're absolutely right, this was a rant with no obvious purpose. But please consider the time and context in which this rant was written.
This blog was written while I was still competing for the scholarship; and right around the same time, if you do several searches, you will find several posts that were accusing me, some by name and others by allusion, of cheating to win that contest.
It was rather pathetic.
But there was a purpose, albeit a hidden one. The purpose behind this blog was to inform everyone of the masks we all hide behind while online. Chances are several people on this site that were accusing me of such acts would actually have liked me and have respected me had a contest not been going on. Additionally, many of us would have been friends if we had first met in real life rather than hiding behind the fonts of a blogging site. I wanted a way to point this out to try to curb the negativity and other crap that was going on at the time.
How it got rated this highly a year after I published this post is beyond me; LOL.
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"when you have nothing else to say, "Fwonk" is always the perfect thing."
"yeah well, fwonk"
--Devon
Fanaile Essence