The Weblog Review

I’m not quite sure where to begin. The Thought-Space is, by far, one of the most intense sites I’ve ever had the fortune to come across. Please allow me to stumble my way through my thoughts about it.



This is a site unlike any I’ve ever seen before. Gabriel is a person who is living with MPD (multiple personality disorder) and has many personalities living within his body (he discusses and explains this much more eloquently than I can, so please refer to his site for a better explanation), stemming from abuse in his childhood. From what I gather on his very thorough and detailed site, he has had a very traumatic past, including the loss of his children. He is married and seems to be very much in love with his wife.



There is a great deal of history contained within his journal. Due to the emotional level of the subject matter, I was unable to read a lot of it at any one sitting, but everything I read took hold of my interest and didn’t let go. Archives are available (since January 1999) and will, no doubt, take the reader further into Gabriel’s intricate world.



Design-wise, this is a stunning site. The color scheme is soft and muted, and everything is organized in a manner that is logical and flowing.



I fear that my words have not properly conveyed my thoughts on this site. Please visit this site ad view for yourself the very interesting world that Gabriel lives in. It’s not a site for those who are easily offended or do not handle delicate subject matter very well, but if you’re interested in learning about MPD from a very personal viewpoint, I think you’ll appreciate this site.

The Thought-Space

Sleepyme.net did anything but put me to sleep! This is a site that combines a simple, uncluttered layout with witty, intelligent thoughts.



Heather is a twenty-two year-old girl living in Massachusetts (I love spelling that word!). Her journal archives don’t go past March 8, 2002, so I didn’t collect too much background info on her, but her “about” page covers the basics. She claims she loves grammar but can’t spell, yet I didn’t find any obvious spelling errors. Way to go! 😉



The navigation on this site consists of four text links at the top of each page – log, photos, about, links, and archives. Each page is laid out nicely and in the same format. The few graphics she has (excluding the photo page) load quickly. Her photo page contains thumbnails arranged by date. The thumbnails load quickly and each image opens in a pop-up window.



There’s nothing flashy about this site, but it’s perfect that way. Heather’s entries are inviting and easy to read, and I would recommend this site to anyone who’s interested in a nice, easy read that leaves you with a smile on your face.

sleepyme

The name ‘Fag Files’ evokes certain imagery without even needing to open the index page. I think that’s the specific purpose of such a name. Perhaps the owner, Rob, is saying that he is a no BS kind of guy and what you see is what you get.



My first impressions were fairly accurate as I read on about Rob’s day to day life in Seattle. He actually reminds me of a few friends of mine, which I found familiar and inviting. Rob speaks often of his partner, his dogs, and a regular domestic existence. Injected into the entries is Rob’s own brand of sometimes sarcastic, but very enjoyable, humor. He has original opinions about various topics, all of which are educated and well thought out. Rob has no inhibitions about letting the web know exactly who he is, right down to some quite personal bits. Shh.



The design of The Fag Files is simple, functional, and basically well done. The colors are soft and the graphics provide interest with their industrial feel. The layout is consistent and the navigation is very user friendly. I think the ‘marquee’ looking font is especially appropriate to accompany Rob’s time in the spotlight.



In addition to his absorbing weblog, Rob has added his own photographs for our viewing pleasure. I found the photos to be well composed and full of pleasing form. The subject matter ranges from industrial cityscapes to lovely rural scenes. In my opinion, Rob has a certain elegance when handling his camera, and a great deal of creative potential.



The Fag Files has appeal to any open minded adult and is worth visiting again and again. Rob is a likeable average guy with a head full of fascinating things. Within his log, Rob has managed to convey himself as caring, funny, and, in this reviewer’s opinion, cute to boot.

The Fag Files

At first glance, Benboy Studios gave no real hint as to the identity of the author or the content of the site. There was a rather mysterious appeal as I clicked on my chosen destination.



I began my journey by reading about Benboy himself. He’s a regular 20-something guy from the Philippines who designs web sites for a living. He has a fantastic sense of humor, (I chuckled multiple times) likes sports, (especially snowboarding) and works hard. I found his blog entries entertaining and well written. There is a lot of mention about his career life, but even that is capable of holding reader’s attention do to Ben’s writing style. He genuinely cares about the people he writes about in his blog and includes pictures of some of them for an added touch.



The design of Benboy Studios is fantastic. The lines are clean and the colors are easy on the eyes, if a bit dark. The simple images that have been sprinkled about the pages, including pictures of Ben, give the site a very professional look. (Go figure.) Ben doesn’t like it very much, but artists are always their own worst critics.



In addition to a well written blog, Ben has provided an extensive ‘About’ page and links to various other sites. You can also find his professional portfolio, wallpaper, and quite a bit more.



Benboy Studios is a blog for just about everyone. Web Designers and Sports Enthusiasts, especially, would have a great time browsing through Ben’s archives and exploring his site. This is certainly a blog worth reading and I look forward to future additions.



Lee

benboy studios

When opening Substitute Scene, I immediately see a rather large and yellow graphic to the left of the mostly white page. The design is clean and pleasant until the grungy black letters of the title load on the right. The splotched letters just don’t work well with the clean layout. From this first sight I half expected to begin reading the blog of an angsty teenage boy who will tell me how much he hates his parents with every entry.



Thankfully, my first impressions were unfounded. The thoughts posted within this weblog come from Reen. She’s 19 and her life, as well as her blog, seems to revolve mostly around her friends. Entries range from very mundane to things of a more personal and provoking nature. I suppose, for my taste, I would have rather seen more of the personal entries outnumber the mundane ones. Most of the entries are written with care, but a few are quite confusing. I think perhaps those entries may have been targeted towards a particular group of friends who frequent the log.



Added features to Substitute Scene include a selection of photos from NYC just after 9-11 and various other artistic projects. I enjoyed the montage presented in the visual section and would like to see more from Reen in this area.



I think Substitute Scene and Reen herself appeal to an audience of younger adults with social lifestyles. Overall this site is worth a look, but I hope in the future that we will be able to see a bit more of Reen exposed to the web and exploring her creativity.



Leesubstitute scene.