This article by David Beard has some really good ideas for new bloggers and journalists alike. As I've mentioned in previous posts, I am not trained in journalism, so any comments I make about the field are coming from a purely outsider view. I write for pleasure, and because fiction writing has never come easy to me,* I write non-fiction, with reviews, commentary, and articles. To me, journalism is non-fiction writing! This is slightly unconventional, but anything that requires research; any analysis; seems to be journalism to me. As newspapers are struggling, more and more, journalism is becoming something that is comprehensive, including writing for all sorts of media and on all sorts of platforms. What is a non-fiction book, other than a really long article? Labels and titles are overrated, and everything in the world is open to interpretation. The only thing holding people back in some cases is their inability to look beyond labels and titles. Journalists don't have to be only writers for newspapers, especially not in this day and age.
The key is, of course, is quality. What ultimately defines a journalist from a casual writer is the quality of the writing. The quality of the reporting. The completeness of the research, and the validity of their sources. As journalists venture away from the newspapers and into other media, it is up to the journalists themselves to police the quality of their writing, especially for those that write on the internet. The editors are fewer and far between, and reporting can be written and posted online in minutes.
For my purposes, Beard's article gave me a few good ideas for promoting my blog. I review enough movies, perhaps there is some way to create a "click-to-buy" feature with reviews, that will link to Amazon, and if a movie is bought that way, I could create a profit. Then again, a lot of the stuff I post, I post with a Creative Commons license, which basically says that as long as I source my material and I do not make a profit off of it, then I can use it on my site. Still, it's something to consider. I have also thought of posting a "Donate" button, that would link to PayPal, which I've seen on some other blogs. This is just a way for people to donate money to your site. The only way that would create a profit is if you have a large following, and again, you could only use that money for site maintenance, or for things that would be posted on the site. I mean, ethically!
*It's not for lack of trying, that's for damn sure. I have a real way with words, I have been told that my writing is "evocative". However, I have a problem with originality. I have read thousands of books and seen thousands of movies (this is not an over-estimation) and every time I sit down to write something, I can't set down a sentence without thinking of something I've seen or read. I'm like Tarantino when it comes to fiction writing. Everything I write is a summation of the many things that have influenced me. It has been frustrating, and eventually I gave up. Anyone who has some tips on how to overcome this, I would greatly appreciate it!
Sunday, November 1, 2009
Social Media and the TED Talks
I really enjoyed Clay Shirky's TED talk on social media, not only because I've been a fan of the TED talks for quite some time, but also because he really proved something that I've been spouting about myself.
To people who aren't familiar with the internet, (in that they only use it for basic functions, socializing with friends, e-mail, work, etc.) YouTube, Twitter, and many other social media are stereotypically thought of as the realms of fame-hungry desperate people making stupid videos for no reason other than to get a million hits. But for those of us who use the internet as a way to enrich our lives, we know the internet is just like any other form of media. Just as with television, radio, and writing, there is a huge amount of waste and filler (crap) and we all have to sift through it to find the things that are actually really good. There are shows like Rock of Love, and then there are shows like Breaking Bad. The internet and social media are the same. There are the YouTube videos of kids trying to drink a gallon of milk without getting sick, and then there are the YouTube videos, such as this one that allow people to view really cool and interesting things that they normally would never see. Personally, I really like to use YouTube as my own personal MTV. Since it's nearly impossible to find music on music television channels, I, like many others, have taken to the web for music videos. I am able to find really creative, cool videos for little-known bands, add them to a playlist, and, since my computer is connected to my television, watch them on my TV. I've made my own MTV and it's way more awesome than the real thing. (Check out one of my favorites, Michigan natives Awesome Color--you won't see this video on any music channel--except mine!). And of course, as Clay Shirky demonstrated, the potential for real social and historical change lies in these social media formats. I remember myself when the internet blew up with coverage and words from people in Iran protesting the elections. The story that hit me the hardest was that of Neda Agha Soltan, a 27-year-old student whose death was caught on video and then transmitted in every format possible, including YouTube. While I couldn't bring myself to watch the actual video, her story was one that I took to heart and repeated to as many people as possible.
It is really easy to forget how small the internet has made the world. Two years ago I studied abroad in Tokyo, Japan. I was able to use Skype to talk to my family back in the US for pennies. While I was in Tokyo, I posted photos daily of my adventures on Facebook, and my friends and family could see them in minutes. Today, I can talk to any of the friends that I made while in Tokyo, people who are scattered all over the world, in moments. These are all incredible things that were pretty unbelievable twenty years ago. As history continues, I feel that we will only see the world shrink more and more; I mean, YouTube has only been around for four years! Think about that! What will be around in four more? Ten more? Being a sci-fi fan, I'm still holding out for contact lenses that allow me to surf the web...but I'd settle for flying cars first!
On another note, I have been a fan of the TED talks for quite some time, and the TED talks themselves are an amazing example of the potential of the internet. I was turned on to them after one of the many blogs I read linked this talk by V.S. Ramachandran, (he talks about neuroscience, specifically synesthesia, which is incredibly cool) and I highly recommend it. Another fantastic site that I frequent is Vimeo which is a little more high-brow than YouTube. Vimeo sets itself apart by only allowing videos that are user-created, and it caters to a lot of artists, both visual and auditory.
To people who aren't familiar with the internet, (in that they only use it for basic functions, socializing with friends, e-mail, work, etc.) YouTube, Twitter, and many other social media are stereotypically thought of as the realms of fame-hungry desperate people making stupid videos for no reason other than to get a million hits. But for those of us who use the internet as a way to enrich our lives, we know the internet is just like any other form of media. Just as with television, radio, and writing, there is a huge amount of waste and filler (crap) and we all have to sift through it to find the things that are actually really good. There are shows like Rock of Love, and then there are shows like Breaking Bad. The internet and social media are the same. There are the YouTube videos of kids trying to drink a gallon of milk without getting sick, and then there are the YouTube videos, such as this one that allow people to view really cool and interesting things that they normally would never see. Personally, I really like to use YouTube as my own personal MTV. Since it's nearly impossible to find music on music television channels, I, like many others, have taken to the web for music videos. I am able to find really creative, cool videos for little-known bands, add them to a playlist, and, since my computer is connected to my television, watch them on my TV. I've made my own MTV and it's way more awesome than the real thing. (Check out one of my favorites, Michigan natives Awesome Color--you won't see this video on any music channel--except mine!). And of course, as Clay Shirky demonstrated, the potential for real social and historical change lies in these social media formats. I remember myself when the internet blew up with coverage and words from people in Iran protesting the elections. The story that hit me the hardest was that of Neda Agha Soltan, a 27-year-old student whose death was caught on video and then transmitted in every format possible, including YouTube. While I couldn't bring myself to watch the actual video, her story was one that I took to heart and repeated to as many people as possible.
It is really easy to forget how small the internet has made the world. Two years ago I studied abroad in Tokyo, Japan. I was able to use Skype to talk to my family back in the US for pennies. While I was in Tokyo, I posted photos daily of my adventures on Facebook, and my friends and family could see them in minutes. Today, I can talk to any of the friends that I made while in Tokyo, people who are scattered all over the world, in moments. These are all incredible things that were pretty unbelievable twenty years ago. As history continues, I feel that we will only see the world shrink more and more; I mean, YouTube has only been around for four years! Think about that! What will be around in four more? Ten more? Being a sci-fi fan, I'm still holding out for contact lenses that allow me to surf the web...but I'd settle for flying cars first!
On another note, I have been a fan of the TED talks for quite some time, and the TED talks themselves are an amazing example of the potential of the internet. I was turned on to them after one of the many blogs I read linked this talk by V.S. Ramachandran, (he talks about neuroscience, specifically synesthesia, which is incredibly cool) and I highly recommend it. Another fantastic site that I frequent is Vimeo which is a little more high-brow than YouTube. Vimeo sets itself apart by only allowing videos that are user-created, and it caters to a lot of artists, both visual and auditory.
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
The scariest thing about Halloween this year...
is the FLU. I've got it. Went to the doctor today, and I'm not to have any contact with the public until Friday. How awesome is that? (Spoiler alert, it's not awesome. It's a helluva lot of NOT AWESOME). What is usually my favorite time of the year has been reduced to bouts of semi-consciousness in between long hours as a coughing, moaning, snotty mess. All of my plans for my blog (haunted house reviews, Rocky Horror Picture Show at CMU, candy reviews, movie reviews) have been completely sidelined, as I'm barely able to complete any work in any of my classes. This is the last thing I need, as I'm still catching up from the time I took off to take care of my fiance when he was recovering from surgery. I started antibiotics today, so I've got my fingers crossed that Halloween itself might still be awesome. Even if I am not well enough to leave the house, I will dress up in my Max from Where the Wild Things Are costume and celebrate on my own. (Actually, I will make any excuse to wear fuzzy feety pajamas. I may just never get out of my Max costume...) In the meantime, I will still work on catching up on my entries here and at least put a few new things up on my blog related to the greatest holiday of the year, even though I am saddened that my big plans threw up (wakka wakka!) in my face. On a lighter note, here is a video of French comedian Remi Gaillard dressed up as a giant bat and scaring the poo out of people. It's not as good as his famous Kangaroo video, but it's appropriately spooky!
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Still catching up..."He Said, She Said" journalism
While reading this analysis of "He Said, She Said" journalism, a couple key points stuck out for me, personally. It should be noted that I am not a journalism student, and therefore I have no formal education about journalistic practices or theories. Reading this article as a layperson not familiar with the field does give me a slightly different perspective, however.
First, I recognized immediately that I have no real understanding of journalism or journalistic practices. To be honest, I get all of my news from NPR or the internet. It's probably sad to hear for many of you, but I am one of many who've never read newspapers consistently. I'm from Ann Arbor, and we used to get the Ann Arbor news; the only section I read for several years with any consistency was the Entertainment section, simply because that was what I was interested in. When I would get news before I started listening to NPR, it would be from television reporting or from magazines like TIME. And herein lies my point, I find that this "he said, she said" practice is particularly absent from magazine publications and especially from NPR. Both publications make the effort to take a stand on issues, even when they present both sides. Reporting is researched, and often, after a news story is reported, the articles/reports cite sources for readers/listeners; sources that lead to more information and knowledge. This is the type of reporting I will always advocate. While I understand that in the past, newspapers were where the public predominantly got their news, and strict deadlines held reign, forcing this "he said, she said" journalism to become common practice, today, I feel that if traditional newspapers want to survive amidst all the competition (internet, radio, etc.) that the only way to rise above is by loosening deadlines, allowing for reporting that isn't hastily put together and written to find a middle ground; replacing it with reporting that is thoroughly researched and well-written.
I also find the excuse "research takes too much time" to be lame. (Again, note that this opinion is an example of NOT writing with "he said, she said" journalism, BUT this is the opinion of someone that has absolutely no idea what it is like to write for a newspaper!) Before the internet, I can see this excuse carrying weight. I often wonder myself how in the world was any scientific advancement made without easy access to research! With a few clicks and searches, I can easily have dozens of journals and archives available to me, thanks to the magic of the internet. I have a hard time accepting the excuse that journalists can't find the time to clarify their reporting with such easy access to information.
Finally, I feel that the article is also missing a huge point. But, this could be because journalists are so focused on preserving the newspaper as their main medium. As an outsider looking into the dilemma of fading newspapers, and as someone who never read newspapers, I feel that journalists are spending too much time bemoaning newspaper writing, arguing about content and practice, and refusing to open their eyes to the many opportunities that have and still are arising in the wake of collapsing newspapers. I mentioned NPR earlier, and as an avid listener, I feel radio and other audio mediums, such as podcasts, are a severely underestimated source for journalists. This type of reporting allows consumers to get their news in ways that are easier than newspaper--anywhere that a portable audio player can be taken and used is a place that consumers can get their news. And many people understand and retain information better from listening to it, rather than reading it. And, again, there is the almighty Internet. What the Internet is severely lacking is BALANCED reporting, that does analyze both sides of an argument, factually and rationally, while still presenting a viewpoint. What abounds on the Internet is biased writings on personal blogs and ridiculous memes (balloon-boy overkill, anyone?). With electronic readers like Kindle, and new advancements every day, electronic writing may eventually be the only form of writing left at some point. Don't get me wrong, I am a fan of the printed word, (I would LOVE to have my own Dewey Decimal system for my personal library one day!) but at least this movement would save trees! I do feel that traditional newspapers do have their place, and that is in LOCAL reporting. When I want to look up what times the local haunted house is open this Halloween, I turn to a local newspaper. This type of information can only easily be consumed in this manner. Local television news covers the same information, but in my opinion, it is just really depressing to watch, simply because it seems televised local news really focuses on crime reporting over nearly everything else, and man, that stuff can get a girl feeling low!
Anyways, I know I've rambled on a bit, but I hope that my opinions and thoughts are at least different from others' and that perhaps my view as an outsider may give a few of you journalism majors some thought.
First, I recognized immediately that I have no real understanding of journalism or journalistic practices. To be honest, I get all of my news from NPR or the internet. It's probably sad to hear for many of you, but I am one of many who've never read newspapers consistently. I'm from Ann Arbor, and we used to get the Ann Arbor news; the only section I read for several years with any consistency was the Entertainment section, simply because that was what I was interested in. When I would get news before I started listening to NPR, it would be from television reporting or from magazines like TIME. And herein lies my point, I find that this "he said, she said" practice is particularly absent from magazine publications and especially from NPR. Both publications make the effort to take a stand on issues, even when they present both sides. Reporting is researched, and often, after a news story is reported, the articles/reports cite sources for readers/listeners; sources that lead to more information and knowledge. This is the type of reporting I will always advocate. While I understand that in the past, newspapers were where the public predominantly got their news, and strict deadlines held reign, forcing this "he said, she said" journalism to become common practice, today, I feel that if traditional newspapers want to survive amidst all the competition (internet, radio, etc.) that the only way to rise above is by loosening deadlines, allowing for reporting that isn't hastily put together and written to find a middle ground; replacing it with reporting that is thoroughly researched and well-written.
I also find the excuse "research takes too much time" to be lame. (Again, note that this opinion is an example of NOT writing with "he said, she said" journalism, BUT this is the opinion of someone that has absolutely no idea what it is like to write for a newspaper!) Before the internet, I can see this excuse carrying weight. I often wonder myself how in the world was any scientific advancement made without easy access to research! With a few clicks and searches, I can easily have dozens of journals and archives available to me, thanks to the magic of the internet. I have a hard time accepting the excuse that journalists can't find the time to clarify their reporting with such easy access to information.
Finally, I feel that the article is also missing a huge point. But, this could be because journalists are so focused on preserving the newspaper as their main medium. As an outsider looking into the dilemma of fading newspapers, and as someone who never read newspapers, I feel that journalists are spending too much time bemoaning newspaper writing, arguing about content and practice, and refusing to open their eyes to the many opportunities that have and still are arising in the wake of collapsing newspapers. I mentioned NPR earlier, and as an avid listener, I feel radio and other audio mediums, such as podcasts, are a severely underestimated source for journalists. This type of reporting allows consumers to get their news in ways that are easier than newspaper--anywhere that a portable audio player can be taken and used is a place that consumers can get their news. And many people understand and retain information better from listening to it, rather than reading it. And, again, there is the almighty Internet. What the Internet is severely lacking is BALANCED reporting, that does analyze both sides of an argument, factually and rationally, while still presenting a viewpoint. What abounds on the Internet is biased writings on personal blogs and ridiculous memes (balloon-boy overkill, anyone?). With electronic readers like Kindle, and new advancements every day, electronic writing may eventually be the only form of writing left at some point. Don't get me wrong, I am a fan of the printed word, (I would LOVE to have my own Dewey Decimal system for my personal library one day!) but at least this movement would save trees! I do feel that traditional newspapers do have their place, and that is in LOCAL reporting. When I want to look up what times the local haunted house is open this Halloween, I turn to a local newspaper. This type of information can only easily be consumed in this manner. Local television news covers the same information, but in my opinion, it is just really depressing to watch, simply because it seems televised local news really focuses on crime reporting over nearly everything else, and man, that stuff can get a girl feeling low!
Anyways, I know I've rambled on a bit, but I hope that my opinions and thoughts are at least different from others' and that perhaps my view as an outsider may give a few of you journalism majors some thought.
Monday, October 12, 2009
Writer's Block
So, the second thing that has been troubling me lately has been a severe case of writer's block. As a person who writes all the time for pleasure and for school, I've never been struck with writer's block before, shockingly. Yet, I was this year, for some reason. Last year I had a class with Prof. John Jablonski, a notoriously hard grader, and I wrote an extensively and exahustively researched final paper that was reviewed by other professors and students. Still, I didn't receive a grade that I felt was what my paper deserved, and I think this, along with some other events, might have contributed to my writer's block.
If you haven't suffered from this before, here is what happened to me. I would sit in front of the computer, unable to start anything. My mind would just swirl with anxieties: Am I really a good writer at all? Was all of my hope of doing this professionally just a joke? I don't know where to start! This is so important, I need to get on this! But I can't think of the perfect way to start!...and so on. I went online and researched ways to overcome writer's block, only to receive a ton of useless information and conflicting ideas. Some writers' sites went so far as to claim that writer's block doesn't even exist! Most of the advice consisted of things like, "Get up and stretch" "Take a break"....lame tips that were not helpful.
Obviously I've gotten over my writer's block, at least to a certain extent. I'm still having a little trouble here and there but I've found a way to get over it...but I'm not sure I like it. In order to get over my writer's block...well...to be honest, I got a little drunk. I poured myself a few glasses of wine, felt my head get a little buzzy, and suddenly, my anxieties/inhibitions about my writing had been lifted. This concerns me, I mean, I don't want to get all Charles Bukowski here...(don't get me wrong, I love the guy, but man...it's tough out there is all I'm sayin')
So, I am asking all of you, have you ever dealt with writer's block? Do you even think it exists? If you have felt it's clammy touch, how did you deal with it?
If you haven't suffered from this before, here is what happened to me. I would sit in front of the computer, unable to start anything. My mind would just swirl with anxieties: Am I really a good writer at all? Was all of my hope of doing this professionally just a joke? I don't know where to start! This is so important, I need to get on this! But I can't think of the perfect way to start!...and so on. I went online and researched ways to overcome writer's block, only to receive a ton of useless information and conflicting ideas. Some writers' sites went so far as to claim that writer's block doesn't even exist! Most of the advice consisted of things like, "Get up and stretch" "Take a break"....lame tips that were not helpful.
Obviously I've gotten over my writer's block, at least to a certain extent. I'm still having a little trouble here and there but I've found a way to get over it...but I'm not sure I like it. In order to get over my writer's block...well...to be honest, I got a little drunk. I poured myself a few glasses of wine, felt my head get a little buzzy, and suddenly, my anxieties/inhibitions about my writing had been lifted. This concerns me, I mean, I don't want to get all Charles Bukowski here...(don't get me wrong, I love the guy, but man...it's tough out there is all I'm sayin')
So, I am asking all of you, have you ever dealt with writer's block? Do you even think it exists? If you have felt it's clammy touch, how did you deal with it?
Tonsils! and Comments
Well, it's been crazy for me lately...I've just barely been able to keep up with homework, (okay, well, I'm still struggling on that front) but things are finally starting to settle down a little. Two things happened to cause this difficulty for me. First, I was the sole caretaker of my fiance who underwent surgery last week, and I SEVERELY underestimated how hard it is to be a full-time nurse and keep up in school. If you, god forbid, ever have to get your tonsils out as an adult, let me just give you a couple words of advice. First, getting your tonsils out as an adult is NOT like getting them out as a kid. It's extremely painful, and a long recovery. Something about the nerve endings growing in deeper. Anyways, be prepared for the pain. (My fiance also got intranasal reconstruction, but the pain from his throat pretty much eclipsed the pain of his nose) Secondly, make sure you have someone around to take care of you 24/7. You will be coughing up all sorts of disgusting fluids and just hope that you've got someone around who doesn't mind cleaning up all of that, (or doing fifty loads of laundry composed of grody sheets and towels). Thirdly, your best weapon is WATER. Drink it constantly. It will hurt to drink it, but it is the fastest way to get better...drink a gallon a day if you can. Fourth, DO NOT MISS YOUR MEDICATION. Even if you feel better, do not skip a dose of your pain meds. I guarantee that you will feel the pain tenfold only a few minutes after you miss that dose. And finally, get a humidifier, and make your bedroom into a RAINFOREST. Keeping your throat from drying out is all-important, and the humidifier we bought was a lifesaver.
Through all of this, I learned one more important thing. You know you are ready to spend the rest of your life with someone when you are willingly cleaning out their spit-dish full of mucous and blood every hour. Especially when you are a bit of a germ-phobe, like me. My hands have been scrubbed raw with soap and hot water, (I almost went with bleach, but then I realized that would be crazy....right?) but I stuck it out, and that, my friends, is true love.
So, I know I missed our last class session, so I don't know whether we all agreed to discuss each other's blogs in person during class or if we still are supposed to leave comments. I know I'm a little late on this, but I went around and left comments on quite a few of your pages, whether it was your ENG 117 page, or your project page. Don't be offended if we decided to discuss comments in class, because I still don't know if a decision was made there. Either way, I LOVE comments on my stuff, because it helps me write better, so even if we did decide to discuss stuff in class, I want everyone to know that I will still comment when I am inspired to by something you write, and that I also welcome comments on either this blog or hellozombie.net.
I know that I said two things caused my crazy tardiness on work, but I'll put the second thing in another post, since this one ran a little long.
Through all of this, I learned one more important thing. You know you are ready to spend the rest of your life with someone when you are willingly cleaning out their spit-dish full of mucous and blood every hour. Especially when you are a bit of a germ-phobe, like me. My hands have been scrubbed raw with soap and hot water, (I almost went with bleach, but then I realized that would be crazy....right?) but I stuck it out, and that, my friends, is true love.
So, I know I missed our last class session, so I don't know whether we all agreed to discuss each other's blogs in person during class or if we still are supposed to leave comments. I know I'm a little late on this, but I went around and left comments on quite a few of your pages, whether it was your ENG 117 page, or your project page. Don't be offended if we decided to discuss comments in class, because I still don't know if a decision was made there. Either way, I LOVE comments on my stuff, because it helps me write better, so even if we did decide to discuss stuff in class, I want everyone to know that I will still comment when I am inspired to by something you write, and that I also welcome comments on either this blog or hellozombie.net.
I know that I said two things caused my crazy tardiness on work, but I'll put the second thing in another post, since this one ran a little long.
Another Update...
Well, my blog is off to a great start!! It's really helpful that I've been saving up TONS of information to post, so I am basically just sifting through all of the stuff I've been sitting on for months now, and posting things that are relevant. I am focusing on a lot of Halloween/horror related stuff right now, but that's because it's HALLOWEENTOBER! After October, I usually am burnt out on horror stuff, and plan to focus on film reviews (no more horror for a while) as well as science/geek news. I have some big projects planned for the site this October:
1. Instead of reviewing all of my favorite horror movies separately, which would take millions of hours, I've decided to create a list similar to Bravo's 100 Scariest Movie Moments. Over the rest of October I will do postings of my own personal scariest movie moments (still compiling the list, almost up to fifty so it might not be 100) and in those postings do "mini-reviews" of the movies themselves. Still trying to decide if it should be "scariest" movie moments, as not all of my moments are outright scary, some, like ones that take place in Shaun of the Dead are just awesome, not particularly scary.
2. I will be doing a photoblog of a Halloween Candy Review, in which I, and possibly a friend, will eat copious amounts of strange Halloween Candy ("strange" meaning the specialty stuff, like, "Jelly Brains" you see in the stores) wearing costumes, and taking what I hope will be humorous pictures of our progress.
3. I will be visiting the largest haunted house in the world, as verified by the Guinness Book of World Records, "Erebus" in Pontiac, MI. I have wanted to go here for years and FINALLY I"m going, (in place of Cedar Point's Halloweekends, which is usually my Halloween tradition, but thanks to a lack of funds, is not doable this year). I will be posting an extensive article about Erebus and the thrills and chills that lie inside. I may also be visiting a few other haunted houses around Michigan and will post reviews of those.
These are just a few of the "special" postings I plan on doing. I will continue to daily update my blog with geeky news from all over the web as well. If anyone has any suggestions for cool things to do or review, PLEASE don't hesitate to comment!!
1. Instead of reviewing all of my favorite horror movies separately, which would take millions of hours, I've decided to create a list similar to Bravo's 100 Scariest Movie Moments. Over the rest of October I will do postings of my own personal scariest movie moments (still compiling the list, almost up to fifty so it might not be 100) and in those postings do "mini-reviews" of the movies themselves. Still trying to decide if it should be "scariest" movie moments, as not all of my moments are outright scary, some, like ones that take place in Shaun of the Dead are just awesome, not particularly scary.
2. I will be doing a photoblog of a Halloween Candy Review, in which I, and possibly a friend, will eat copious amounts of strange Halloween Candy ("strange" meaning the specialty stuff, like, "Jelly Brains" you see in the stores) wearing costumes, and taking what I hope will be humorous pictures of our progress.
3. I will be visiting the largest haunted house in the world, as verified by the Guinness Book of World Records, "Erebus" in Pontiac, MI. I have wanted to go here for years and FINALLY I"m going, (in place of Cedar Point's Halloweekends, which is usually my Halloween tradition, but thanks to a lack of funds, is not doable this year). I will be posting an extensive article about Erebus and the thrills and chills that lie inside. I may also be visiting a few other haunted houses around Michigan and will post reviews of those.
These are just a few of the "special" postings I plan on doing. I will continue to daily update my blog with geeky news from all over the web as well. If anyone has any suggestions for cool things to do or review, PLEASE don't hesitate to comment!!
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