The World of Blogs

Blogs have a variety of different uses; as learning tools, for catching up on the news, and for expressing your own personal experiences and beliefs, which may be described as both good and bad. Blogs can be good for expressing your opinions, while they can be bad for the exact same reason because your words can get you into trouble. When you first click on the icon to the internet, you are entering the world of blogs whether you know it or not. Blogs flood the world wide web bearing both horns and a halo.

Blogs are used daily by diverse people everywhere. This can range from teens to businessmen, from wives to celebrities, and everyone in-between. People check the news online, they might research information for their jobs or for school, they may also use them for their own personal enjoyment, or for the sole purpose of entertainment. Some blogs may be a mixture between both news and entertainment, such as www.theonion.com. When you visit this website you will find news blogs about different events happening in the world, but with a humorous twist.

For many people, blogging is a way to express themselves. They are free to write about anything and everything. This can range from their everyday life, opinions, stories, jobs, beliefs, and so on. Blogs may be the only way a person can tell how they feel or things that they are going through that they may not be able to talk about any other way. This is not always a good thing though. It isn't unheard of that some people talk about their bosses or co-workers in their blogs, and they don't always talk about how great they are. In fact, it is usually the complete opposite. This can lead to big trouble. There are so many different blogs on the internet, that it is sometimes assumed that no one will read or find your blog, which is not true at all. Someone could decide to Google a co-workers name and come across their blog, which can lead to potential problems depending on what is talked about, and who is reading it. "All bloggers...would be wise to write as if their bosses, future bosses or grandmothers were reading over their shoulders", states www.blueskyresumes.com in their blog about the pros and cons of blogging. It can also be against a corporations policy to have a blog due to privacy matters. "While blogs have a legitimate use, online journals pose serious threats to enterprise confidentiality, integrity, and availability", as stated in an article at www.researchandmarkets.com.

So it is always good to be aware of the things you write about in your blog, if you do not you may get falsely accused of something you didn’t do. One recent example of this involved the Virginia Tech killings. Police and detectives were still trying to uncover the gunman and came across a blog containing coincidental information from an Asian student. The blog was written by Wayne Chiang, a 23-year-old student at Virginia Tech. His blog contained information about his love of guns and even how he had recently gone their a bad break-up just like Cho Seung-Hui, the actual gunman. The news started spreading the story and Chiang had to inform them that he was not the killer, and had to post this information on his blog. You can visit his website and read about him, and the things he went through dealing with the accusations at http://wanusmaximus.livejournal.com/.

The majority of blogs are used for positive use, but some are used mainly for negativity or hostility. This simple form of communication or expression can be found as a horrible thing, or an item used to incriminate others, whether they really are guilty, or if they happen to be innocent. Internet users have to be aware of their surroundings online, and their own actions online by using blogs wisely. Like stated before: "All bloggers...would be wise to write as if their bosses, future bosses or grandmothers were reading over their shoulders". Blogs have come a long way since when they were first discovered. They can be seen all over the web from sites that are educational, personal, or even news related, and have become very useful to people today due to the high operation of computers. As soon as your mouse clicks on the internet icon, you are entering the world of blogs.

Traveling Interview

Q: Why did you choose to write your blog about traveling?

R: I chose to write about traveling in my blog because I love it. I love to travel and see new places in the world. It thrills me. I can list so many places I have been to and tell you all about them. Every place has something new, and something exciting to see or do. I guess it would be my dream job to be a travel places and write about my experience. (So if anyone who works for the Travel Channel ever looks at my blog....) So I would say that I chose traveling because it is my passion and joy.

Q: What do you hope people learn from your writing?

R: I mainly hope that people gain a learning and appreciation of places on this Earth. I just want them to be able to have the same experiences I have had, and if I can help them out with a little bit of information about a specific place I'm satisfied. I find it inspirational that my words can make someone want to visit a certain island, state, or country.

Q: What have you learned from this experience?

R: I would have to say that I have learned that I love traveling and that it is something I am interested in persuing in my career. I never really knew what I wanted to do in life for certain and this has shed some light in that part of my life. I am not sure what exact job I would like to have in travel, but as long as it makes me happy and it is something I enjoy doing everyday, I'm sure it will be perfect.

Q: What blog entry did you enjoy writing the most?

R: This is a hard question because I enjoyed writing all of them. If I had to choose I would probably say my blog about Nassau Bahamas. It was a very fun topic to write about, and I would love to visit there again. Never does it stop amazing me, no matter how many times I go there. I mean the Atlantis Hotel is just so huge and incredible. So that would have to be my favorite blog I've written.

Q: Will you continue writing your blogs even after your class ends?

R: I am not sure yet if I will continue writing or not. I guess it depends on if I visit any new places, and if people would like me to continue my blog or not. If not, I'm sure I'll always keep it so I can look back and read about everything.

St. Maarten

Located between the Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea is the island of St. Maarten. It covers 37 square miles, and Dutch & French are the official languages, although English is spoken everywhere.

The island has many sights and attractions to visit. It offers activities such as hiking, mountain biking, climbing, tennis, and those are only onshore. Aquatic activities like snorkeling, parasailing, renting wave runners, or riding on the banana boat are great fun. You could spend hours in the countless shops and boutiques on the island.

When I was in St. Maarten, my family and I escaped to the beach to relax. We decided on Orient Beach. It was a clothing optional beach which seemed to be the only draw back (since most of the nude people were over the age of 60). The water was a beautiful blue, and the sand was a blistering hot white, like most in the world.

With all the things St. Maarten has to offer, I could see no reason why anyone would not want to visit.

Cruising

I believe that vacationing on cruise ships may be one of the best things I have ever experienced, and I am not the only one who thinks this way. The blog I chose to write about was an informative and opinionated review of a cruise that a woman (Alice) and her family took on the ship Navigator of the Seas. The review can be found at www.cruisecritic.com, and is simply titled "Royal Caribbean International, Navigator of the Seas". Alice tells about their journey traveling to their port of call, Miami, and boarding the ship. Once onboard they explored the ship and went to find their cabin. She explains the experience that they had onboard, the shows, food, entertainment, the staff, the ports of call and the things they liked.

I enjoyed reading this review, because I too liked many of the same things her and her family found interesting or enjoyable on the boat, and have cruised on the same ship. There was one thing I found very different about our travel experiences. In the beginning of the blog, Alice says that she and her family did not have to wait long in the lines of the pier terminal. Maybe they got there at a slower time than we did, but of all the four times I have been on a cruise; the lines have always been very long in the terminal. The last cruise I went on was by far the worst. My family and I stood in line until our whole body went numb with boredom. I was so excited to get on the boat that I felt like a child trying to sleep the night before Christmas; you never can, and the minutes feel like hours because you are so anxious. When comparing my experience with hers, I can relate to almost everything, and feel the same way.

Like the author, my family and I had to wear very casual clothes to dinner the same day we boarded the ship, since the luggage does not usually arrive until 6:30 or so, which can be a hassle if you packed something you needed right away in it. At dinner, I too found our waiter to be magnificent, and was always there to be of help or service. There is not just the main dining area, there are also other restaurants as well such as Johnny Rockets. "Johnny Rockets was a dinner choice one night, but it wasn’t what we expected, so we didn’t return". Unlike the author and her family, I enjoyed eating at Johnny Rockets and went there several times. The Windjammer buffet was another dining option. My family and I ate there everyday. We would go there for breakfast, lunch, and even sometimes dinner if we missed our dining time. "Lunches were usually in the Windjammer mainly due to time restraints", which seemed to play a role in Alice’s experience too when they would dine there.

There are countless activities on the ship like a rock climbing wall, golf, swimming pools, the casino, and other bar activities. I enjoyed the experience of the rock climbing wall and even losing in putt-putt. The author and her husband liked playing the slots in the casino, which I will admit had me addicted most of the cruise. The different activities and trivia games offered in the bars were also very amusing to my family and I, as well as by Alice. Her children were not allowed to roam the ship alone because they thought it would create too much trouble such as; disturbing guests, or staff; which I believe is not true. I understand not letting her younger ten and twelve year olds explore alone, but I believe her sixteen year old should be allowed. I would wander alone on the ship all the time when I was sixteen and it never lead to too much trouble. Besides at night there aren’t too many things to get into when you are sixteen. The teen club closes, and the adult club checks i.d’s.

A thought of the author’s that I do agree with is the fact that the staff on the ship is very friendly. I met some great crew members onboard on my previous cruise. We actually hung out and even exchanged emails so we could stay in touch. The shows and entertainment on the boat were incredible. Alice tells about how her children enjoyed seeing them, and how she loved the Love and Marriage show. I first saw this show on my last cruise and also found it to be a hoot. Tears were streaming down my face I was laughing so hard. The author then tells about the ports of call and what they did on each island. I was in total agreement with her belief that St.Thomas is very beautiful. The water is crystal clear, and the shopping is always fun.

Disembarking the ship was always a sad day for me. It meant vacation was over, but the process of leaving the ship is well organized and easy. Like the author I LOVED the ship and would definitely return to it and would recommend it to anyone!

Why should you travel to Ohio? (Looking outside of the box)

1) GREAT PARKS

Ohio has great amusement parks. One was even voted the best amusement park on Earth...Cedar Point. It is located right by Lake Erie, which does not hurt its appeal. Another fun park is Kings Island. Both include tons of great roller coaster rides, and some good exercise.

2) INDIAN EARTH MOUNDS

Newark, Ohio, has some of the oldest Indian mounds in the world. They are over 2,000 years old and they are a great mystery. The mounds are thought to be a huge lunar calendar, whereas; the mounds in Chillicothe are a solar calendar. It is an incredible sight to see how precise the mounds are (height, measurements, and how accuarte they are). How could these people with such limited technology, and tools create such works of art?

3)ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME

Located in Cleveland, Ohio, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame is a must see if you love music. There are so many different things to see; rock stars guitars, outfits, lyrics, history and background of music, and so much more. Check it out.

4) FACTORIES

As shown on "Made in America" show, is the only whistle factory in the United States, which is located in Columbus, Ohio. You can go visit and see how they make whistles, and maybe even find out why they put that little ball in there. Another great factory to visit is the Longaberger Co. This company makes baskets, and is a huge influence in Dresden, Ohio. There is also a huge basket building located in Newark, Ohio.

5) THE PEOPLE

Come visit Ohio and meet some great people too!

Niagara Falls: Part ll

I've decided to write about Niagara Falls again to inform you about my time there this past weekend. Honors students, faculty members, and I left bright and early at 700 on Friday morning for Canada. It was a long drive there, but I slept most of the time and got to know the people I was going to be with for the next three days. After crossing the boarder we went directly to our hotel to get cleaned up. My roommate and a few others went for a quick swim in the pool, then we got ready to go see St. Joan play at the Shaw Festival. The play was magnificent. The actors did a great job, they made you forget you were watching a play.

When we arrived back at the hotel a few of us decided to go out and find a pub to go to. After walking in search of a bar we came across The Blue Lagoon. When I first walked in it looked like a biker club gone bad. There was a mixture of older guys and some people our age sitting around. The dance floor was bare and I thought to myself that this was going to be boring. After a few drinks everyone loosened up and started to have a good time. We ordered shots and laughed the night away. We stumbled back to the hotel and passed out. After about four hours of sleep we had to get up to meet in the lobby of the hotel so we could go to the Butterfly Conservatory and eat lunch at the Hard Rock Cafe. I love butterflies, but I'm sure I would have enjoyed the experience even more if I hadn't been still feeling the over affects of the night before. We spent about an hour or so at the Butterfly Convservatory and headed to get some lunch. I wasn't in the mood to eat anything so I just drank a milkshake, and tried not to think about how it reminded me of the mudslides I had at the bar.

We left the Hard Rock Cafe and went to see the falls. We walked for what seemed like miles and then walked even more back to the shops after seeing the falls. We shopped for a short period of time and then headed back toward the hotel (which was about two miles away). On the way I stopped to buy a little something for my boyfriend and then decided to walk to Hooters with another student since it was kind of on the way back. The walk was a little further than expected, and my legs were killing me! After what seemed like hours of walking, we finally made it back to the hotel. We weren't sure what to go and do so we headed to "The Beer Store" and bought a few beverages of choice (Sex on the Beach is the best the drink ever!). We were in there for awhile trying to decide what we each wanted, and after making our purchases we partied back in the hotel room. Everyone downed their drinks and wanted to stay at the hotel, but myself and three others decided to go out. We got a taxi and went to the casino to gamble for a bit. We didn't stay more than fifteen minutes, and only spent about $5 before we got bored with it (besides we had American money and the machines would only take Canadian) so we grabbed another taxi and went to the main strip to find a club. We decided on a club called "Mardi Gras" and danced the night away. My legs were so sore the next day, but it was well worth it. I loved seeing the signs that say "Under 19? Don't think about it". It was so odd since I'm used to seeing them same signs but with the age of 21. It felt damn good!

After the club we took the party back to our hotel room and loudly sat around talking (we got yelled at for being so loud). I was one of the last to finally pass out and go to sleep. I got about four hours of sleep before I had to wake up and pack my luggage. Everyone boarded the bus and we heaed for Niagara on the Lake so we could do some shopping and then go to see Mack and Mable. Well the combination of a musical with my lack of sleep was not so good. I fell asleep quite a few times. From what I did manage to stay awake for was good. Right after the play we headed back to Ohio. We finally got home around 1:00 in the morning, and although I didn't want to come home, because that meant responsibility, but it was nice to be back.

Cruising for Dummies: Ten Things You Should Know

1) PACK ESSENTIALS IN YOUR CARRY ON

One thing most people do not know about their luggage is that is typically does not arrive until three or four hours after you have boarded the ship. It usually comes RIGHT before or during the first dinner time. So it is important to pack things you will need or want with your carry on, such as: bathing suits, or important paperwork.

2) BRING LOTS OF MONEY

This is a major must. There are not only a ton of cool things to buy, but staff pays to pay, the cost of alcoholic drinks, and the extra charges to get in Johnny Rockets. You can put money on the room key they give you. They charge things you buy on the ship on this card. Everything you buy onboard is charged on this card and you pay what you owe at the end of the cruise. It is easier to just put money on it and try not to abuse it like a credit card.

3) GET TO SHOWS AND EVENTS EARLY

Being early to shows is a must. Seats fill up fast! Also events that are held on the deck, or on the promenade get packed with people and you may not get the best view if you do not get there early.

4) EXPECT TO WALK A LOT

There are many, many sets of stairs on the ship. It also may be quite a walk to your cabin, especially if you are on the complete opposite end of the boat from where your cabin is loacted.

5) EXPLORE TO GET A FEEL FOR WHERE THINGS ARE

Once you board the ship it is always good to walk around and find where specific places/things are located. Even after spending four days on the ship, I would still get lost or forget where places where. It is a lot to remember.

6) MAKE RESERVATIONS EARLY

If you want to eat at some of the nicer restaurants onboard, you need to make reservations early so you can reserve a spot because they fill up quick. The same goes for getting tickets to see the ice show. Get them as soon as you can.

7) DON'T BE SHY, GET INVOLVED

Do not be afraid to take part in activities offered onboard like ice skating, karaoke, guys sexy leg contest, water volleyball and countess other. Even if you aren't the best just try, it is fun and the people always cheer you on no matter how bad you are. (You can even ask my Dad about this, he can prove this point by telling you about his karaoke experience.)

8) TAKE YOUR OWN PICTURES AT DINNER

At dinner there are always photographers taking pictures of families and couples before they go in to eat. It is very professional and there are nice backgrounds. It is free to get your picture taken, but they are extremely expensive. So it is best to just take your own pictures.

9) WATCH FOR PEOPLE OFFERING/SELLING THINGS TO YOU ON THE ISLANDS

There are always locals hasseling you to buy a necklace, get your hair braided or go parasailing. If you want to buy something or get your hair in corn rows then go for it, but they are everywhere when you get off the ship, and at the different beaches.

10) AND FINALLY...RELAX AND HAVE FUN

Enjoy yourself, that is what vacation is all about. Oh and wear sunscreen, sunburns suck!!!