Month: January 1970

“The Evolving Word” struck me at first as merely another “links to other sites” type of site, with very little actual content of it’s own.

How wrong I was.

After looking through the first couple of posts I became aware of how very coherent and intelligent the entries are. The author is obviously broad minded as his posts range from toilet humour (May 27th) to a detailed history of the way the Incas communicated (June 23). The posts are divided up in to 15 different topics (though two topics have no posts allocated to them yet) including language, sports and music.

There is little personal content about the author and what there is tends to be slightly over-analytical (June 16th), but this is not really a bad thing due to the variety of the content and the exceedingly entertaining and informative manner in which it is written. The author also states that he wanted to avoid the more personal aspects due to its ubiquity in other weblogs.

Some postings are long and in depth, some shorter but very amusing, all of which contain relevant links to a variety of sources. There is multimedia content in many entries too which is a nice touch (especially as they enhance the posts and are not just for show) though I guess this would slow things down for dial-up readers.

The layout of the website is also very good. The posts on the main page are shortened, with the opportunity to read more if you want to (which I often did), as well as the opportunity for commenting. The archives are easily accessible, with a number of statistics included.

My only gripe really was the need for registration to view the photographs and to leave comments with your name attached (they are anonymous without registration). I am sure the registration information would not be used for nefarious purposes, but I am still not sure why it is necessary.

Apart from that, this is a thoroughly entertaining, intelligently written and wide ranging weblog.

Editors Note: the site use phpNuke software as the blogging tool. While phpNuke can be used for blogs it is more of a full CMS and that is why there is the registration requirement for certain aspects.The Evolving Word

The site was like a black and white photo!! Very clinical and clean cut. It looked easy to use and gentle on the eyes. I think that it may be a standard template, but dawn has added her own graphics to make it stand out. The main text stood out nicely form the rest of the page.

The content of the weblog was very interesting. Everything that Dawn writes about, whether it is a movie or some music she has heard, she brings her own thoughts and feelings into it. She gives you facts about historic times, and her feelings and views on everything she finds interesting. Some of the postings gave you a real insight into her mind and emotions. She is a very interesting lady with some very interesting views, even if they may differ from your own.

The design has a sort of mystic feel, and reading through posts and the hobbies of Dawn, you get the feeling that there is a real deep thinker behind this blog! The design was easy to use and very clean cut. There are lots of flashing links and blogrings that you have to scroll through to get to the archives. The archives are in a format that requires you to pick a date to see if Dawn posted on that day. I was really unlucky as the 5 dates that I choose had no postings! Instead, you get the option to sign her guestbook or leave feedback.

Overall I enjoyed this as a personal site. It really made you feel as though you could get to know Dawn quite well. She is a lady that has a lot to write about and say, and most of it relates directly to her life and feelings. The design and flow of the site is easy on the eyes and she even has a chatterbox so that you can chat online to her. I must admit that I would have liked to see her archives closer to the top of the site, but that is just me.

I enjoyed my visit and learnt a few things whilst having a read. I thought that it was well written, and a journey into what and who Dawn is. She has some strong opinions, and some of them make for fascinating reading. A good site to get you thinking about all areas of life and what it all means!Blogger111’s Xanga Site

I wasn’t exactly sure what I was going to get with quira.net. I figured it would be a personal blog since it doesn’t have a name other than the url for the site. But I didn’t know anything else to expect with this site.

I was glad when I got to quira.net to find an about section. Since I didn’t have any expectations or thoughts on what to expect this was a good starting point. I found out that the author is a female living in L.A. and is a student. Oh yeah, she just move here from Austria.

Diving into the weblog with this new found information didn’t help me too much. At first I was thinking the site was just your normal weblog. Nothing going for it really. But as I got further and further into the archives I could see what was unique about this weblog. The fact that the author is from Austria.

All of the experiences that are mentioned are told in amazing detail as if you were right there. They are looked at as if through a child’s eyes seeing something for the first time, because she is seeing it for the first time. Other posts include daily ramblings of college work, friends, and family issues. In her about section she has a mini FAQ and one question is “Are you some kind of exhibitionist?” and it is very true. The level on which we get to learn about the author is amazing.

The design of the site is original which is a good thing. It is simple and clean which I really enjoy. The author is wanting to go into web design so I am glad that she was able to put forth a design that complements her site.

Overall this site takes a bit to get into and probably isn’t for everyone. It is your standard weblog with a little bit of a twist. The experiences and events that she talks about are a very enjoyable read and the design does not hurt the site. If you want a new weblog to read that is a stereotypical personal blog, quira.net is your site.
quira.net

From the beginning of reading Indigo Ocean, you get the impression of the blogger as one that is very spiritually minded. While this is present throughout her writing, you certainly never get beat on the head with it.

The design itself was simple. Not too loud or obnoxious, but certainly not a place to go for eye candy. It’s seems to be more of a personal blog, that’s opening up her world for the rest of us to view, if we choose. The blog has only been around for about a month or so, so there wasn’t much in the way of archives. Though from what I read, the feel of this blog is one that will give you insight into the writer’s personal feelings – not in such a way that she preaches – but the more you read, the more you’ll certainly begin to learn about the person you’re reading about.

Overall, I thought it was a good blog. It’s the type of place you’d visit if you want to more about the reader’s trip to Bali (visit the site, click on the e-book link) or if you find yourself wandering and wanting to check out what other people are doing. Its not however, the kind of personal site with long, ranting babblings on the world at large. It’s more reserved and dignified than that.

I rated a 2, because while there was nothing “bad” about it, I didn’t find anything particularly exciting about the site. Of course, this is no reflection on the site or the author itself. But as a casual reader, I saw little to keep me there, other than the fact that I was reading to do a review.
Indigo Ocean

Want a spiritual journey mixed with hearts and blessings and flowers and beauty and philosophy? Then this blog is for you. This is a very new blog with barely enough entries for a proper review but… I felt I had a strong feel for the direction Indigo is heading rather quickly.

The site is pretty standard in appearance and has the occasional photo tossed in. It functions like a standard blog site and has commenting options. (Which didn’t appear to be getting much play…) 🙁

It was an interesting read. A different perspective than I would normally read (or would choose to read). Indigo is spiritual, philosophical and has some interesting opinions, such as these:

I couldn’t resist this one (since it mentions us bitter bloggers):

Yet I spend hours surfing to find one single blog that has something positive to say. I believe in pragmatic optimism. Experience has taught me that when forced to make a choice with imperfect information the more optimistic choice will usually lead to better outcomes. That is the choice that spurs me to action and doesn’t let me give up until I achieve my objective.

Whine, whine, whine. Why don’t the pessimists get up off their butts (and buts) and go do something? What, are they waiting for someone else to improve the situation and save the world? Well if someone does, it will definitely be an optimist.

Waxes on life:

What do you need to feel good about your life, not by the world’s standards, but by your own? Who did you choose human life so that you might become? Enjoying your life depends absolutely on being who you came to be and doing what you choose to do from the deepest point of your self.

Comments on poor old Dubya:

“Just let me say I can’t even bear to look at my current president. Whenever he comes on TV I have to change the station.”

On Bullfrogs (or Sleep takers in this case):

“On a personal note, I am happy to report that I hunted down the bullfrogs that have been keeping me awake at night. I caught one with a net and relocated him to a creek about 150 yards away. Since frogs don’t move more than 50 yards from where they are born in their lifetimes, he will likely never come back. I chased two others, but they escaped into the thickest part of the garden. Fine – they didn’t make noise all night at least and I got the first full night of sleep in almost a week.

Let this be a word to city folk. Frogs are only a pleasant nighttime serenade when they are at least 100 yards away. When they are in a pond in front of a glass wall to your house they are TORTURE.”

Overall a decent blog. Not my cup of tea personally, but certainly warrants a look by the more spiritual among us. “ I am sure of my purpose, and watch attentively as God unfolds it. The mission is to be lived, not accomplished. And I am ready to live it.” You go!
Indigo Ocean