Week #2: Hello world

After 9/11, America realized the importance of in Internet and it’s ability to immediately update the public on rapidly evolving news not only from news experts, but also from the general public. In “Say Everything: How Blogging Began, What It’s Becoming, and Why It Matters”, Scott Rosenberg explains how this use of the Internet and blogging has become more significant over the past few decades.

Of course there are posts that can be disruptive, completely uninformed and inaccurate according to The Cluetrain Manifesto: The End of Business As Usual. But its refreshing to see that of “the percentage of ‘raw’ content published, direct from a creator’s fingers to our eyes, is much higher than in traditional media” (Cluetrain Manifesto). Now that the Internet provides free services for blogging, tweets and status updates, anyone can create their own online persona in which they can share their ideas and interests with world without fear of judgment. We have seen this recently not only in reporting the news, but also in response to current news items such as the active response to President Obama’s State of the Union address on twitter. I have always been someone who has let this fear of judgment hold me back from expressing my true emotions and ideas in print, but if I let that fear hold me back, I will never be truly successful in making my mark on the world. Didn’t we all hope to end up in the history books in grade school? Well, The internet is the new history book, so here’s one of many stories to come about my life in relation to social media.

As a child, I was always restless. I was always running around outside, going on adventures and terrorizing the neighbors. As an adult today, I have the same personality, but I deal with it in a more reserved manner, quietly stalking people on facebook (I’m only half kidding), and internalizing my energy into working out.

When I wake up in the morning, the first thing I think about doing is going for a run so I can get a shower in and begin my day on a good note. If I don’t, my body will feel stiff, I will be unhappy all day and I will feel completely unproductive. Running is my stress release from the world; my happy meditation.

The world of communication and blogging has changed the way I think about my favorite activities, like running, in that I have to learn to put my feelings about these interests in to words in some sort of witty way, with hopes I can interest my readers as well as connect to them in some way.

So far the best way I can put my feelings about running into words is to show pictures of the scenery I run in everyday, in hopes that they can convey the same sort of emotions I feel when I run. I am a very visual person, but I hope over the semester I will grow to learn how to explain the importance of running (and other interests of mine) in my life, as well as how my social chameleon personality thrives on the thoughts I am able to utilize in my “me” time when I run.

I think of this course and my soon-to-be ability to be a ‘social media guru’ as similar to the progress of my talent in running. As long as I put forth a valid effort everyday, I will get progressively better and more informed on my how to best train my body. If I start slow, I will grow slowly, and ultimately access the talent I aspire to have. So here goes. I’ll just run with it.