Reviews

Actuality Log is probably one of the most addictive blogs I have encountered thus far. I always try to start a review by first reading the author’s profile, and then jumping to the first post, before skimming through the rest of the blog and reading passages that catch my attention. However, this blog was truly interesting, and after starting my normal routine of reading the profile and then the first post, I was hooked. I read the second post, then the third, and before I knew it, I was reading and intrigued by this young man’s new life in the USA.

The author starts out as a resident of India and getting ready to embark on a new life in the USA as a college student. The blog is journal of his life, thoughts, and ideas along his journey. The author has a remarkable ability to express himself, and each entry into his journal makes you want to read the next, just to see how things end up.

While I could not possibly read every entry (4 years worth) I did read all of his first 2 years posts, before jumping ahead somewhat. At some point, I almost felt as though I had grown to know him a little bit, and the ability to stand outside the circle and observe the life of this individual is an experience worth every minute of reading time.

I will also make mention that there is a certain bit of realization that comes from reading a blog that has been running for such a long period. Not only did I get to read about a scared young man that has an infatuation with things like the Transformers, video games, and Homer Simpson, I also got to experience this individual’s initial excitement about living in the USA to his realizations of some of the prejudices that still exist in today’s society.

This author is an amazingly intelligent person, with high ambitions and an apparent desire to rise above normal averages. After several years, he still posts very regularly to his blog, and although the blog seems very simple and plain to look at, you will find that it is intentionally built that way. The blog is designed to serve as an outlet for him and he has taken great care to preserve the integrity of his blog by not lacing it with ads, and colorful embellishments. Aside from a few broken links caused by updates or websites being taken down over time, this blog is nearly flawless.

I only wish I had the time in my life to continue reading Actuality Log. I have enjoyed reading it, and I wish this young man all the best from life. He deserves it, and has worked so very hard for it. If you have the chance to visit his blog, I highly recommend doing so.

Ok, before I continue on with this review, I just want all my buddies to know that I did it, and it is my job. I don’t want to hear any comments about how I spend my time reading wedding planning tips and getting advice for my honeymoon.

That said, I now have to admit that I of enjoyed this review. The New Wife is a blog written by a newlywed woman living in New York City. It is written as a guide to engaged or dating couples in order to help them plan and execute their relationships and wedding with as few problems as possible, and also for married couples to learn more about how to live happily with each other long after the wedding.

This blog is very detailed and is packed full of great information. The author obviously has done her research, and is now providing her knowledge to her readers. Aside from her own personal tips and advice, she also has a nice resource of links to other sites with similar topics.

The author makes a new post about every 3 or 4 days, yet also manages her life and full time career. I did find all of the little animations on the site a bit bothersome, but overall the design is nice. The colors suit the blog very well and add an atmosphere to the blog that definitely fits the occasion. If I had a recommendation, it would be to make the archives more available, so a person could enjoy all of the information.

Although I have been married for quite a number of years, I enjoyed reading along with some of her posts and thinking to myself “Now she tells me!” I think the author of this blog has wisdom that is beyond her years, and will have a bright future ahead of her in this capacity.

The Hollow Blah was indeed one of the most interesting blogs I have ever read. After spending the better part of half the day reading this blog, I must caution anyone following the link back to their blog, that you should enter it with a very open mind. You should be prepared for strong opinionated posts, personal ideas and details of events that are not what is considered “Mainstream” in society.

I have always found it very intriguing to read and hear about different cultural ideals and occurrences. While I have my own opinions on life, religion, and reality, I also consider myself a very open minded person and I believe that each and every person has the right to their own beliefs and should be allowed to live their lives based on how “They” believe is true to themselves.

The Hollow Blah, for the most part is written by two brothers. Jeremy and Kenji Yamaguchi were born in Japan to missionary parents. They have spent much of their lives traveling the world, and have developed their blog as a portal of contact for them, their fellow organization members, and as a means of expressing their beliefs of what they call their “Religion.” The follow a group called The Family International, and until reading this blog, I had never heard of such a group. While I definitely do not agree, nor would I ever be part of an organization such as they are, I hold to my claim of being open minded, and acknowledge their right to freedom.

I found their blog a very difficult blog to read. Almost every post is made of segmented rants or statements that I can only assume were just random thoughts being expressed. Much of it is a sort of dark and mysteriously worded communication between writers. I am assuming that they understand each other perfectly, but to an average reader, their writings do not serve much information.

Their diaries tell stories of meeting “Contacts” and events within their church. I did find some of their thoughts fascinating, in the sense that their lifestyles are so much different than anything I have ever experienced. This is not saying that I would ever want to live life as they do, but I think it is tribute to one of the great things about the Internet, the ability to see a prospective of the entire human race, as opposed to just life in our own living rooms.

I give their designer a great deal of credit in designing a blog that is unique. The layout is very easy to follow, and they have obviously taken great pride in their work. There are illustrations in their blog, although the obvious drawings of anarchy, they are very well done.

My rating of this blog is based on several factors. The blog is difficult to read, therefore not very “User friendly.” I also never really found a profound statement as to what their true beliefs are. I think that if a person truly wants to be taken seriously in their beliefs, they should take a solid stance and express just what those beliefs are. Making sublime statements only tends to make me wonder just how firmly they do believe. In other words, “What exactly is your point?” If you have a message, deliver it.

I am giving good ratings based on other factors. A unique design is always welcomed, and it encourages a reader to understand that the person writing the blog is serious about it, and takes pride in it. They update their blog frequently, and encourage their readers to post comments. I also give my regards to these writers for having the courage to invite others into their personal thoughts, and for giving the world the chance to peer into a lifestyle that is very difficult to understand.

While I did find this blog very interesting to read, I compare it to some vacations I have taken. They were great places to visit, but I wouldn’t want to live their.