On Blogging, Tweeting, and Tumbling

Blogging was looked down upon, ages ago, as something that only lonely, emotional, or self centered people did. I remember back during my school years, when Blogging first came about and LiveJournal was all the rage, most people used it as a way of tracking stuff day to day, with little interesting to say, but more recently it's become a medium that most people have some connection to, be it writing or reading.

I myself write in my blog to get across emotions, or thoughts, that I have that are too complex to keep in my head. Writing helps me overcome these and, while it might not be best to broadcast these to the public, I am not ashamed of how i've thought or felt and, in the end, it may well better my writing ability, which is the second reason I blog.

I blog because, more often then not, I don't have a lot of time, or motivation, to be creative, so I use it to keep my writing on track; as a way to prove to myself that I still can, and I like to think this helps.

However more recently there has been a surge in, what I call, convenience blogging, using Facebook Status', Tweeting, or posting a quick Tumblr article. It's these blogs which I am being drawn into. They take no time and you can simply post a thought, or feeling, without having to write a large essay such as I am now. However I feel we're losing out on some of the more interesting blogs. While nearly every celebrate, or so it seems, now Tweets about their antics, surely a more detailed explanation, a full blog, would be prefered by their truer fans. Surely it would be better then the articles and gossip we read in all the 'Chat' and 'People' magazines. While some people still write articles while Tweeting, Neil Gaiman for instance, mainy provide a simple one sentence update about their lives.

I think with a happy medium we could blog, tweet, and update our facebooks, bringing us truly into the shared experience of social networking and the internet. All of which, I think, is a positive and horizon broadening thing.

Beyond the Veil

So the future is looming and it gets more apparent with each passing day and it leaves my mind buzzing with questions. Am I going to fail University? What am I going to do afterwards? Will I be able to cope with it?

As per usual motivation is a main problem of mine. I still procrastinate and I still can't be bothered to make myself work. I'm in the final year! I should be stressing, working hard, conducting my study and doing my background reading. I should have everything planned for when I leave University and I should be looking forward to my future. At the moment the only thing I can see myself doing, and enjoying, is sitting in front of a T.V. playing Xbox while putting off actually doing anything productive.

Maybe I'm allergic to productivity?
I can't even do anything creative anymore.

Sweet Home Solihull

I'm normally under the impression that where I am from, Solihull, is quite small. I base this idea off of its limited attractions, entertainment, and that nobody seems to have heard of it... ever. However, more recently I have been beginning to realise that perhaps it's better then we, well I, give it credit for.

Due to its close proximity to Birmingham a large set of amusements isn't far away, a huge selection of bars and clubs and a vast area to shop make it a popular day trip out. Something that many people travel from much further away to see. Solihull itself boasts the Touchwood shopping centre (Note: Touchwood, not Torchwood, you Doctor Who fans). There's restaurants, bars, the cinema. Stuff I usually took for granted, but from talking with other people from other, smaller, areas its become apparent that I should maybe appreciate what my home town has got.

A few people have told me that where they are from the largest 'local' city isn't easily accessible, while others have told me there home-town doesn't even have a good pub or cinema. It's this that has made me consider, perhaps where I am from isn't so bad after all?

Space. The final frontier.

Space, my own space that is, seems to be what I am currently aiming for. It's the current goal in my life.

As I draw near to the end of my final year at Derby University I'm starting to crave my own space and freedom. It isn't that I don't like living with my housemates, in fact I get on with them very well and, in many ways, probably better then the majority of other houses out there. What is bugging me is the idea that everything in the house is joint and I'm craving just feeling that everything is mine. The whole group behaviour is getting to me and I feel, in a way, that I might have out grown it.

For instance, doing a 'group shop' consists of me spending £50 towards house supplies when, if I lived alone, I'm sure I could knock that down to only the basics I needed and actually used. It seems I just pay it to keep face, rather then disputing how much of it I personally will use. In another case is the washing up rota. While taking it in turns to do a wash is organised and fair, which I'm not disputing, I simply feel it would be easier, and less time consuming if you were washing what you, personally, had used for yourself.

One of the main reasons these issues have surfaced is the lack of group activity. While before we always seemed to eat together, now people are more frequently eating alone, or with girlfriends. This means the group dynamic no longer works and I'm beginning to feel more solitary.

Another issue I believe is affecting this is the idea of going back home at the end. It's like a step back. I'll be living with my parents once again, in their house and with their rules. I can't see myself wanting to stay there long but at the same time I wont have enough money to move out or live on my own.

I'm stuck in a predicament with no easily reachable solution.