First Impressions

So, here I am, after a couple of days blogging, and I have to say -- this stuff is pretty fun. I love to write and it's nice to deviate from the strict formats of academic papers and hard news writing. As much FUN as this has been, I have learned to have a newfound respect for those bloggers who maintain "exceptional" blogs on a daily basis (although I'm not sure that I'm ready to call them journalists, quite yet).

Finding newsworthy, relevant stories to write about and analyze (in a manner that hasn't already been done and re-done about a thousand times) is no small task. And after a day of writing, classes and work, it can be hard to motivate yourself to do even MORE work. I can only imagine that it's even tougher when you know that you have hundreds -- possibly even thousands -- of people waiting on your post. That's a lot of pressure (as far as I know, only some friends and family are waiting on my blog -- not too much pressure there).

Which brings me to my next issue: how the hell do people get their blogs so widely recognized? I used Facebook, the telephone and word of mouth to spread word about my new blog, but that still only reaches people that I KNOW. I would like to know how other blogs are nationally, or internationally, recognized. I suppose they've just been at this longer than...4 days.

But, back to the fun part. I really like messing around with the posts, adding pictures, making words links and adding polls and such to my page. I do wish that I understood this site better so that I could make my page more "customized," but I guess that all just comes with experience/fiddling around.

I really hope that I can keep myself motivated to continue posting (although I doubt it will be on a daily basis), because there's a strange sense of satisfaction in posting something that you've written on the Internet. Even if it is only read by a few people.

Bye for now.

-Brian

Before You Jump all over Obama...

I think that you should watch this video.

Now, personally, I do not think that Barack Obama should have won the Nobel Peace Prize. Yet, I still find it worrisome to see and hear masses of American citizens attack the integrity of the President. I hope that this video can help to put things into perspective, even if it affects just a few of you.

President Obama is not the first recipient of the award whose tentative "plan of action" has not yet been initiated (or even successful), as Ms. Maddow dutifully points out. And, contrary to the views of the angered citizenry of the United States (and abroad), I do not think that President Obama's acceptance of the Peace Prize takes away from the integrity of the award (I have heard allegations that the award/nomination process has become a popularity contest with international recognition and a $1.4 million purse as compensation). I also disagree with Rush Limbaugh's view that the United States -- and its president -- have become an international laughing stock.

Professor Bachrach, a Media Law and Ethics professor here at BU, offered some interesting insight into the situation, suggesting that perhaps Obama should have respectfully declined the award and suggested another, more qualified, leader. Not only would the President become the first recipient in the history of the award to decline, but would also appear as a selfless leader in the eyes of the international community. It appears to be a win-win scenario for all parties involved.

But Obama did not decline, and the debate rages on. While I personally do not find there to be substance to the argument that Obama won the famed award simply because "he's not George W. Bush," I do not think that his actions -- or even his plan -- have warranted the honor of being nominated. At least not in his first term in office. And, apparently he doesn't think so either.

Let's put things into perspective people: the President of the United States won a prestigious award -- he did not nominate himself and is not purporting himself to be a qualified candidate. Maybe we can try to be a little less resentful and a little more prideful.

Until next time.

-Brian

(Photo courtesy of Google Images)

Baseball's October-fest Ends Early for Red Sox Faithful, but Did it Ever Get Started?

With a couple of swings of the bat, the Los Angeles Angles dashed the Red Sox's hopes for another deep playoff run. Leading 6-4 entering the top of the 9th, Boston reliever Jonathan Papelbon surrendered a single that plated two Angels base runners.

But as the season draws to a close, I can't help but wonder: where did the Boston playoff fever go this year?

Make no mistake about it -- as a lifetime Yankees fan, watching the Red Sox lose today put a smile on my face, especially as the Yankees go for a first-round sweep later on tonight. But, as an avid sports fan, I do miss the vibrant playoff atmosphere -- the dirty looks I get walking down Comm Ave with a Yankees hat on, the plethora of Red Sox Jerseys and "Yankees Suck" shirts and the screaming, semi-intoxicated fans near Fenway. All of that makes Boston one of America's truly great baseball towns.

But, I feel like baseball's second season never got kick-started in Beantown. While there were a fair share of Sox faithful sporting their Beckett, Pedroia and Ellsbury jerseys on the T, it just didn't seem like Octobers past. Maybe it's because Boston fell into a 0-2 hole in Los Angeles, maybe it's because Red Sox fans aren't used to losing in October or maybe Boston has just taken the playoffs for granted.

This year should be a wake-up call for all you members of the "Red Sox nation". Take it from someone who has seen first-round elimination after first-round elimination for the past few years: the playoffs are something to be treasured. October is THE month for baseball fans, the "make or break" period, if you will. Only eight teams get the privilege to play after the end of the regular season. I know the adage typically reads: "Act like you've been there before," but I don't think that should apply to a team's fanbase -- sometimes you've got to act like your team hasn't been there before and won't get there again...

So Boston, when the Red Sox make the playoffs next year (and they will, they're way too talented not to), kindly treat every game like you did in '04 or '07 when you guys won it all. Even this Yankee fan can appreciate Boston's baseball atmosphere.

Until tomorrow,

-Brian

(Photo courtesy of ESPN)

Thoughts of a New Blogger...

As a student of the College of Communication, it's somewhat surprising that I've never given the "blogosphere" a sustained effort. I thought about blogging once, but wrote only sporadically. So, here I am, writing a "new blogger's journal" for Boston University's new lifestyle magazine, The Buzz -- an assignment that requires me to write in this thing more than three times over the course of six to eight months.

Don't get me wrong, I like blogs. As a sports journalism major, I enjoy reading blogs written by students, experts and columnists. However, I'm still not convinced that all blogging is hard journalism, and it peeves me when some bloggers label themselves citizen journalists. Bloggers don't answer to any editors, most don't go through formal training and most don't gather news themselves. What they write sure can be a good read, though.

While blogging may not always constitute "real" journalism, I do think that the "blogosphere" is a good arena for citizens and journalists to comment on a wide variety of things -- from fashion to Barack Obama's Nobel Prize. Hey, it might even be nice to break free from the structured writing style of my News Writing and Reporting class as I write about things in the greater Boston area that affect college students. Who knows? Maybe I'll even become a bonafide blogger myself...

That's all for now.

-Brian