My Blogging Journey

Strawberry Singh, super blogger and a real star in the SL Blogging Unviverse, has a way of making us all think about blogging in a new light. Her meme challenges push us past the normal mode of our own blogs, and get us to think about other things that make us who we are, and therefore influence the way we blog, and the why of it too. This week's challenge is a follow-up on one done last April, when I was, shall we say M.I.A in SL. This is my chance to get in on the action, I have been blogging my Second Life since 2007. Things sure have changed, and so have I. Here is My Blogging Journey. Hope you share yours too, and remember to share your post in the comments over at Ms. Berry's Blog.

Meme instructions: Copy and paste the following questions and answers to your post, delete my answers and input your own. Don’t forget to leave a link to your post in the comments on Ms. Berry's Blog so others can come by and read your answers as well!

1. Which electronic devices do you use to blog with? I use my desktop computer for everything from taking my images in-world, to PS Elements cropping, and posting and editing with flickr. 
2. Do you have a mission statement for your blog, if so, what is it? I don't have a formal mission statement, but I think I might add one. I guess it boils down to what I consider art, SL content creation and fashion is a form of self-expression and art to me. I love to showcase what I think is the best of the best, and let it speak for itself. I take IP and original content creation very seriously, and I try my best to express that by avoiding content I feel is questionable. That is a choice and a statement at once. I try not to get involved in politics or dram on my blog, it is about the best things in my Second Life, and often my real life bleeds into my blog posts. I want to share the positive aspects of SL, and document my own journey at the same time.
3. How do you feel about blogs that use their platforms to spread negativity? I Generally don't know of blogs that are negative in nature, and maybe that is blissful ignorance, but I try to avoid them in any case. I just think there is enough negativity in the world without seeking it out or contributing to it any further.
4. Are you a grammar junkie? Do you thoroughly check your blog for errors before posting and/or do you judge other people’s posts if they contain errors? In general I don't worry too much about how others choose to express themselves, be it a flurry of rants that are full of grammatical or spelling errors, or cussing. I try to read my posts over before publishing, but I know there are some errors I miss. 
5. If you could switch blogs with another blogger who would it be? Probably Strawberry Singh, she has a way of bringing bloggers together that I admire, and she does beautiful photographs that I could never manage even if I had the technology. Beyond her challenges and memes, she covers so many topics and issues related to SL, I admire the scope of her writing, her amazing sense of humor, and her humility.
6. Has your blog/blogging style evolved over the year(s)? How? Absolutely. As I have blogged over the years, I have become more aware of the issues of around Intellectual Property, and I am more careful about what I want to represent on my blog. The quality of my images has improved as well. I went from some seriously questionable collage type images in the beginning, to studio only set-ups, to branching out now and looking for great places around SL to showcase in my posts. Also, giving credit to everything I possibly can is really important to me now. That means poses, props, locations, and everything in between. If I show it, someone might want to know where it can be found, and I want that information readily available to them.
7. What is the most extraordinary thing that has happened to you because of blogging? I feel like I am so blessed to have met the amazing people I have over the years, and many are fellow bloggers or designers.  It's not about having the widest reach, most hits, or the best syndication. I am proud of the connections I have made as a blogger, ones that are still strong even after 4 years of absence.
8. When it comes to Second Life blogs, there are different styles: Fashion bloggers, Lifestyle & Travel bloggers, Informative bloggers, and more. Which style do you prefer and where do you feel your blog fits in? There is no doubt that I am a fashion blogger by default, but I also love to highlight events that I find fun and worth visiting.  I guess it depends on the mood of the day and the moments in time, but I have blogged a little bit of all of it.
9. What has blogging taught you? It has taught me that I am a part of a larger community, and that I need to be responsible for the words I use, the issues I highlight, and the positions I take in my posts. I have made mistakes, I have taken sides in disputes that didn't concern me, I have said things I regret to others in the community. I can't take that back, I can only say I am sorry and hope to be a better person in the future. I can only change my own behavior and hope others will forgive. I am not perfect.
10. Share your top 3 tips for new bloggers. 

• Blog what you want to, and not what others are blogging, it's not about always being the first to show off things, it's about showing others what works for you.
• Don't be afraid to mix things up. You don't have to wear 'Designer A' from head to toe, you can wear things by 'Designer A' and six other content creators to give it your own flair.
• Unless you are prepared for the backlash, never blog mad or drunk or stoned or any combination of the above. It's just like texting, once it's out there, someone may see it, save it, or screen grab it, and you may feel different in the morning. Try to be kind and refrain from judgement of others. If you don't know the whole story, you are going to have a bad time.

 
Credits: 
Hair - TRUTH HAIR Betsy [Unrigged] (NEW RELEASE)

Skin - *League*  Skin Erin Pale Mint Brunette Chest D w/ Erin Brows Black - Pale
Facelight - *League* Windlight Facelight Softer

Eyes - IKON Ascension Eyes - Hazel (L)
Lashes - MMS-Thora Lashes [No Longer Available]

Hands - Slink, Avatar Enhancement Hands - Elegant1 R & Flat L
Feet - Slink Female Feet (AvEnhance) XS - Flat

[Note: Above Textured With Slink Advanced HUD from *League* ]

Nails -  Hello Dave - Slink AvEnhance - Ophelia's Ascent RARE (Gacha Prize)
Facial Tattoo - Letis Tattoo :: Stars (L) :: 100% :: FC12001
Nightgown - Tee*fy Aurora  Nightdress - OceanCatch
Necklace - ::LEONARD:: Vintage Heart Pendant Necklace -silver-
Watch - [ glow ] studio - Boyfriends Watch with bracelets (rose gold)

Facial Piercings - :Diamante: Gluttony Facial Piercing

Pose - Dream Print - All Talk 1 (Pose Fair 2014 Free Gift)

Decor -
floorplan. Salon Set (Complete Gacha Set) [Previous Arcade Gacha Exclusive]
This is a Fawn - Embroidery Hoop Art [win or die] 
-tres blah- Vanity Set (Gacha Set - No Rares) [Previous Arcade Gacha Exclusive]
{XO} Vanity Make Up [Luck Of The Irish Gacha Fair Item]
O.M.E.N - Dear John - Pin Cushion [Previous Arcade Gacha Exclusive]
PILOT - Nail Polish Rack Deux [White]
TA Ikon Clothes Rack
llorisen //ciaran skybox