Is honesty really - REALLY - the best policy?

Lately, I've had a little bit of an inner struggle regarding the direction of this blog. Now that I am (somewhat) employed, do I keep this blog up and running? Although I definitely do plan to document my internship throughout the summer and - hopefully - its eventual transformation into a job, I can't really write about my simultaneous search for something more full-time when my employers are aware of my online place of rambling. Disclaimer: yes, I am hoping for an offer from the company that I will intern for starting on Tuesday, but for security's sake, I still intend to apply for other positions, just in case. The scramble continues.

But, if I don't feel as if I can be fully honest about the continuation of my job search, what can I write about? Despite the unhealthy level of enjoyment I take in reading about the inner lives of celebrities, I get pretty uncomfortable when it comes to writing about my own friendships and relationships. As much as I respect honesty - and truthfully believe that exposing, vulnerable pieces are the best kind - when putting myself out there into the WWW, how much honesty is too much? I realize that this double-standard is unfair, but I just know I would wind up hurting someone's feelings. I also might make myself look like a jackass. I'm not sure which is worse.

Today, I had lunch with a friend of mine from school who had studied abroad in Rome last semester (as did I, a little over a year ago). After a half-hour of joint nostalgia, she told me that a girl her age in my sorority - one grade below myself - was about to film a pilot for a main cable network about her blog. Her blog is all about sex, how much she engages in it, and the answers to questions her many readers might have about it. In between our laughter, though, about how it was about time this girl got on a TV show and how it might reflect upon our sorority, I had some thoughts. Jealous thoughts.

I would absolutely love to have the kind of readership that this future reality starlet (oxymoron?) has. And it's only going to get bigger if this show actually gets picked up. I created this blog because I love to write, and although I don't necessarily update the site that often, I would like to know that others care about what I have to say, even if it's just my friends and family. But then, I realized: this girl's blog highlights all of her sexual escapades in explicit detail. Mine has a picture of scrambled eggs on the top banner. I guess I plead no contest?

Yeah, I acknowledge the fact that when it comes to writing - whether it's political journalism, tweeting about the LOST finale (still so many questions!), or mommy blogging, it's much better to be honest. Readers will respect you for it, whether they agree or disagree with you. And that's why I try to be as honest as possible when I write here. I just care too much about my future, including my career path, my friendships, etc., to publish every thought that pops into my head, no matter who it will offend. Call me chicken; as a writer, I deserve it. But if exposing my relationships in the most extreme detail is really all that will give me my Julie and Julia blog-turned-national-phenomenon moment, then I guess I'm okay with kissing that dream goodbye.

Happy Valentines Day, peeps!

I've been pretty busy this weekend, hanging out with my valentine and doing absolutely nothing. More later this week on job schtuff. In the meantime, enjoy some V-Day love from artist Phil Hansen.

HBO's plans to document my life...sort of.

Here's something to give me hope during my Winter TV series-break blues (April 13th can't come any sooner!). Rumor has it that HBO is currently producing a new series called Tilda, which will be all about the ubiquitously-described "no holds barred" entertainment blogger chick. Way to swipe a phrase straight from the press release, people.

I'm not entirely sure when this series is set to release, but I have to say, I'm pretty psyched about it. Being a female blogger myself, and always trying to learn from the best about my, ahem, "craft," I'm hoping that this show will be like many of the other HBO original programs that I enjoy - entertaining, but also insightful. Although I'd still definitely say that I'm new at this, I have already learned that there are lots of ups and downs that come with blogging. It will be fun to watch these similar experiences via an unexpected medium for such a subject, rather than simply reading about them on the smaller screen.

My place as a cog within the great "Machine": turning slowly as of late

It's been a long weekend. Meh.

Actually, that's a lie. I was home in Boston this weekend, which was lovely. A relaxing few days, filled with sleep, a date night or two, and snuggle time with my lil' muffin, Lizzie. And by "lil' muffin," I mean my mom's Teacup Maltese, who she shamelessly dresses up in ridiculous outfits. Aww.

Anyway, although this weekend was relaxing, I still feel like it was pretty busy - squeezing in time with the parents, the boyfriend, etc., in between my (indirect) flights, there and back. Because I had to get up at 6 AM this morning, I'm feeling a little sluggish in the blogging department. However, I thought I'd post this awesome YouTube clip (no, it's not Charlie or my other fav little one eating a pickle/lemon/whatever it is that makes his face so squishy). The beyond creative video is all about how Web 2.0 has revolutionized our society and the way we think, explore, and relate to one another. I promise: it's not boring.

As a blogger, I find a lot of personal relevance within this video. I could go on and on about the implications of this clip, and many people have; I think that Michael Wesch put it out in 2007, and it's generated quite a bit of commentary since then, to say the least. But I'll let you judge it for yourself.

Using social media to put Obama on the spot? Count me in!

Tonight, at 9 PM, our president plans to address all of us Joe Schmoes during his annual State of the Union. To us, this is a time that, once a year, we can feel as if we've reverted back to the good ol' days of FDR's Fireside Chats; although Obama's speech will air to millions, when we watch such broadcasts, it seems as though he talks directly to us, to me, as I sit on my living room couch.

This year, though, this intimacy has been brought to a whole new level. Throughout the broadcast, which will be available live on Citizentube, viewers can submit their questions for President Obama via video or text. In the following days, we can submit more questions and vote on which ones we would like to hear Obama address the most. Next week, the folks at YouTube will field some of these favorite questions to our president himself, in a live interview from the White House also broadcasted from Citizentube.

Now, this isn't on the same level as me tweeting Pauly D to find out if he's spinning at Rick's this Thursday in Ann Arbor (it really looks like he replies to all his fan tweets!). He's not, by the way. This is me, talking one-on-one with Big Man Obama. How cool is that?!

Since I didn't vote for the Massachusetts Senatorial election last week and feel like a giant jackass, this is the least that I can do to remain somewhat passionate and politically involved. Yeah, the chances people will vote for my questions are slim, but who cares? I'm definitely interested to hear what he (and all of us) have to say.

How to become a material girl/a girl that's got some material to write about?

Obviously, now that I've really pledged to put myself out there with this thing - and even promoted it on Facebook! - I've got a case of writer's block. Typical.

I think that this might be because of all the reading and writing I, as an English major, have to fulfill for my courses here. I'm really making an effort to separate this blog from my schoolwork, but as a senior (and a pretty hard-working student, if I do say so myself), is that entirely even possible? Earlier this week, I wrote a little bit about an online reading from my New Technology and the Humanities class. I did this because the reading truly inspired me, utterly taking over my mind until I finally put it out on paper - or in this case, out in the blogosphere - that I vowed to take heed. Now that I think about it, I'm not even so sure that it's such a bad thing that I incorporate class lessons and materials into my own life. I guess that it means that I am, dare I say, actually learning something.

Since I have been having minor technical difficulties in the material department as of late, I've decided to really make an effort to resume following some of my favorite other bloggers. Hey, if I've got nothing interesting to say, I can at least point you to someone who does. Right?

Chris Brogan is one such mastermind; he's got a ton of valuable insights into the online world, how to navigate it successfully, and how we can use it to really improve our lives. Here's an interesting post from today that I found particularly relevant. Happy reading!

Why I (Should) Blog

I'm pretty psyched about this semester. I, believe it or not, actually really enjoy all of my classes that I'm taking. I truly feel like each one pertains to both my interests and my career goals - a double whammy!

Last week, for my Technology and the Humanities class, we read Andrew Sullivan's piece, "Why I Blog". It really got me thinking - why do I blog?

Yes, I blog to vill a void I felt has been left open in the online world, that void being an open forum (led my me, duh) on the painstaking process of finding one's first post-grad job. Yes, I blog to share resources and offer experiences for fellow college students (and hopefully others) to empathize with. And yeah, I'll admit that I blog because it's somewhat therapeutic to get all my thoughts out on the table that is the online world. But do all of these factors really make this blog worth it, even if I don't blog nearly as often as I want to/should? If I want to communicate with readers, I have to have some readers in the first place, right? And I know I personally wouldn't continue reading something that only uploads new content only every two weeks.

Ally - one of my precious few regular readers (this far, wink) - told me last night that she enjoys my blog more when I veer off course, when I blab about stuff that isn't necessarily job-related. Complaining about my career ventures, she told me, might sometimes even produce more anxiety within readers. Hmmm.

So, I've decided to really make an effort to blog more. Really. I know I've said this before, but I think that the reason I've held back is because of my previously proclaimed theme of this blog, a theme that I deeply care about. Although I do wish to adhere to this theme from time to time, in the past, I think that because my posts "had" to be somewhat informative, writing here felt like a minor chore.

My promise to you, dear readers, is that I will be more honest about my daily life and all that goes on within it, including interviews, rejections, and the creation of new contacts. But there will be less of a limit upon this. All that I ask of you is to comment! I really do want to hear what you guys think - maybe you can offer me some advice (or make me laugh, cry, or want to throw my computer out my second-story window). As Sullivan says, "Rudeness, in any case, isn't the worst thing that can happen to a blogger. Being ignored is...The conversation is the point."

Oh, and by the way, I had another phone conversation this morning with that same company from last week - things are going well. I'm not going to count my chickens before they hatch, though. But that's not my point anymore! Consider this blog a little less anxiety and a little more fun.