Blog Blunders

After receiving an email from Steve regarding the use of blogging, I have realised that my blog isn’t quite evaluative enough. By evaluative I mean:

• Why
• How
• Feelings
• Changes
• Comparing

Although my blog has a lot of space dedicated to feelings, I don’t feel, reading back through them, that I have explored all evaluative aspects further.

My blog is very informal. I know that Steve’s intention for the blogs is for them to be used as a professional aid, and it is often commented on about how I can be too honest and deep within my writing.

I had a little disagreement with Steve and John during last week’s individual meetings. I didn’t mean to come across as stubborn and self righteous, no doubt I did, but it was suggested that I shouldn’t comment so much about my illness and try to use the blog particularly for evaluating college work and learning. It was said that from a prospective employer’s point of view, it wasn’t very professional. I understood their point and that it was for my own benefit but it also made me quite angry as, at the moment, I have factors affecting how I think and feel about college and why my approach to work changes depending on how I’m feeling. That to me is evaluating myself, therefore coming to conclusions as to why I find the work easy/difficult/challenging/boring etc.

In my opinion, I think people, when they read my blog, think I don’t quite understand the reason I’m writing it and that’s it’s some sort of diary, well I do and it’s not. As I said before, I have to include the reasons behind my thoughts and feelings toward college otherwise I am not painting a true picture of my learning and development.
As for prospective employers, I want to work for myself eventually but if I don’t, and an employer reads my blog, I believe it shows personality, creativity, a strong will and non conformity, which in a design world is not a bad thing.

I also use humour in my writing and like doing so. It’s nice to make people laugh when reading it and shows character. There is nothing worse than writing a blog that relives exactly what happened throughout the day, step by step, it doesn’t make you want to read it or comment on it, it’s boring! I think this is why some people find it hard to comment effectively.

In respect of Steve’s wishes I will stop swearing in my blog, I can understand why he doesn’t like it, and try to be more evaluative on the work aspect of things. I will not, however, stop evaluating myself in the form of thoughts and feelings as I feel it is relevant. Sorry John.

So to wrap it up, I don’t think this is quite what Steve was expecting, or maybe he was from me, I don’t know, but I have been honest and I hope it’s the last I hear about the blogs. I feel my work load is large enough at the moment, without worrying if I’m recording my own opinions right.