By Amanda Clifford
Portland's best happy hour spots, knitting, the latest political scandal, Michelle Obama's chic wardrobe, sports, fat cats, the greatest hamburgers, best and worst professors at the University of Portland ? you name it, there's a blog out there about it.
According to Technorati, an Internet search engine for searching blogs, there are more than 112 million blogs on the Internet today and more than 120,000 new blogs created daily. The blogging world has evolved over the years to become a legitimate news source and a way for people all over the world to express themselves and connect with others.
Many UP students and professors have joined the recent blogging craze and currently keep blogs and read those of others on a daily basis.
"I think it's great that more students are blogging," communication studies Professor Michael Rabby said. "Blogging allows people to publish just about anything to the entire world, and really, it makes people feel as if they have a voice and that their opinions mean something."
Although Rabby does not have his own personal blog, he reads several blogs frequently, including blogs about politics and those written by his friends.
"Someday likely if I have kids, I will keep one for the family that doesn't live in Portland," Rabby said.
For others, like communication studies Professor Helyn Trickey, blogging is a ?high-tech alternative to her old habits of journaling in a notebook.
"I've kept a journal my entire life. I have more than 15 notebooks of my thoughts and experiences, but just over a year and a half ago, I started blogging online," Trickey said. "Blogging is easy, and it's like a sand pit where I can play with my writing. My blog is very private, but if I decide I want to share my thoughts, I can with just the click of the mouse."
Trickey was surprised, however, by how much she enjoyed reading other's blogs.
"I never meant to be a blog reader, but as a writer, I am generally drawn to good writing, and there is some really good writing out there," Trickey said. "It's a very powerful feeling when you find a blog that relates to you in one way or another and you can connect with that person."
While many students and professors around campus admit to using their blogs as a personal journal, others are blogging about particular topics of interest.
Heather Petersen, a senior theater student and aspiring actress, blogs primarily about theater and performing arts. In her theater-themed blog, Petersen writes reviews about local theater venues and shows, as well as entries about her latest accomplishments toward becoming an actress.
For Petersen, blogging has become something more than merely an online diary. Rather, her blog is a networking tool, bringing her closer to her dream of becoming an actress.
"It wasn't long after I started blogging that theaters and other small businesses around town began noticing what I had to say," Petersen said. "I would show up to a theater, and people would recognize me from my blog. I even got a call from Portland Center Stage, which was fabulous."
A study released by The New York Times in fall 2008 revealed that blog readership increased by 300 percent from 2004 to 2008, indicating that more than 47 percent of online consumers now read blogs. The study also revealed that of the 2,210 people surveyed, 50 percent of the participants read blogs as a source of feedback on different products before they make a purchase.
Many bloggers offer critiques about the latest movies, electronics, wines, and even restaurants and bars, for people to use as a purchasing tool. And according to The New York Times, these critics are making quite the impact on consumers.
Portland happy hour enthusiasts, seniors Kelly DeGraaf and Katie Mitchell, chose to create a blog reviewing different happy hour spots around Portland for students and Oregonians looking to find a cheap but great place to wine and dine. After grabbing a cocktail and a bite to eat, DeGraaf and Mitchell write about every detail of their experience, from the quality of the food and service, to the food and drink prices.
"We both really enjoy going to different happy hours, so when we started blogging it was a great excuse for us to go out more often," DeGraaf said. "The best part is sharing our good experiences with others, and letting people know what places are not so good. We've gotten great feedback from our friends, and I think they really like reading the blog."
Despite the never-ending benefits of blogging, there are several possible risks involved with blogging.
Trickey and Rabby both warned that bloggers should be extremely careful about who and what they choose to blog about. Although bloggers can use privacy settings to keep most unwanted viewers from viewing their blog, there are ways around those settings, according to Rabby.
"It's important that people don't blog about the wrong things, especially those that could potentially come back to bite you," Trickey says. "As long as you are careful, I think writing is a fantastic thing for students to do, and if that's what you like to do, I would definitely recommend blogging."
