Home Fires Blog

Great blog tip: Visit the New York Times site for the Home Fires Blog (http://homefires.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/09/28/greetings-from-the-sunshine-state/). This wonderful blog recounts the experiences of American veterans on the post-war life.

Like Writing? Need to Get Out More? Try These Classes Next Term

"Travel Writing" and "Poetry of Place" -- two writing courses offered through the UPG Creative Writing Program this Spring -- promise to reconnect you to the world after a semester of cyber-living. The Travel Writing course is offered on alternate Saturdays and includes trips to local landmarks like The Strip District, museums, Falling Water, and more. The "Poetry of Place" class is a readings-based course that will challenge student writers to write their worlds. For more information about either class, call 724-836-7481, e-mail Prof. Jakiela or Prof. Vollmer, or see your adviser. And don't forget -- if you like blogging, you'll love being a member of The UPG Insider newspaper staff. The class is available for a three-credit or one-credit option. For more information about The Insider, contact Brian Estadt, the Insider adviser, at brianestadt@gmail.com.

Tonight in Blogging: You know what's good with bacon? Bacon!

Tonight's guest speaker is Jason Mosley, founder/blogger of mrbaconpants.com and The Pittsburgh Observer. Have your questions -- bacon-related or not -- ready.

Group 2 was up for sharking this week. I circled. I sharked. I visited all the active blogs in the group. If I didn't visit your blog and leave at least one comment, please check with me to be sure your blog is active and that I and your group members have the correct site address.

This week I'll be visiting Group 3. Everyone -- Group 3 or not -- should be sure to keep the blogs active. That means three posts and five comments each.

You'll also sign up for the blog you'll be researching for your final project/short in-class presentation. You can choose from a list of Time Magazine's 25 Top Blogs of 2009. (I'll pass the list in class.)

The next quiz won't be until Tuesday, Oct. 20. See below for details about next week's class. The following week, Oct. 13, is Fall Break. So we won't be back in McKenna 137 until Tuesday, Oct. 20. Confused? Don't be. Breathe. Breathe. Check calendar. Breathe.

Classy D.C. Blogger Replaces Class Next Week

Next week, we won't have class on Tuesday, Oct. 6. Instead, please do your best to attend a guest lecture on Thursday, Oct. 8 at 4 p.m. in the Coffeehouse. Nikki Schwab, a blogger/reporter for The Washington Examiner's Yeas & Nays column, will be here. (That's Nikki, left, with her fellow columnist Tara Palmieri, right, in the picture.)

Schwab, a Ligonier native, came to The Washington Examiner Yeas & Nays column (www.washingtonexaminer.com) from U.S. News & World Report, where she'd been a reporter for the widely-read Washington Whispers column. She also produced the Washington Whispers section on u.s.news.com, updating its content throughout the day. She previously served internships at WashingtonPost.com, Newsweek Interactive, The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and the Gateway Newspapers. She graduated magna cum laude from the University of Pittsburgh and received a master 's degree in communication from American University.

Schwab's talk is free and open to the public. For more info, call 724-836-7481.

To Do: Last Reminder

Please check and make sure your blog is listed on the blogroll (look left). If it's not, please correct this right away by sending me your blog title and blog address. Send to: lljakiela@gmail.com. Also, the link to the Five Least Favorite Things blog is not working. Could you please send me the correct address for the blog? If your blog isn't listed on the blogroll, it doesn't exist as far as class credit is concerned. Another friendly reminder from your sponsor.

A Reminder to All Good Citizens of this Class

To Everyone: Be sure you're keeping up with your blogs and that you're being a good citizen by commenting on the other blogs in your group. Even if your group isn't up for review this week. Even if you're feeling uninspired and cyberly anti-social. At the end of the term, your grade will depend on this. It's not like you have to build your own log cabin or save a nation or anything. So get to it.

Tonight in Blogging...

We'll enjoy a delicious Powerpoint Presentation on the wonders of voice and the eight rules of good blogging. We'll discuss what you love about language and writing. We'll discuss the voice of blogger/author Julie Powell. And we'll workshop some Group 1 blogs.

During the blog workshop, we'll follow basic writing-workshop protocol. This means the blog's author will be quiet during our discussion of his/her blog. There will be a chance for a response afterward. Our discussion of each blog should focus on these things:

* Voice
* Focus
* Technique (proofreading and accuracy)
* Reader interest
* Sense of beat reporting (owning the topic)

We'll also review your questions for Jason Mosley, Mr. Baconpants himself.

At home:
* Read Chapter 5 in Huffington.
* Maintain blogs.
* Group 2 is up for the next workshop.
* Jason Mosley visits next week! Be ready for bacon!(Now that's delicious!)

Weekly Reqs

Here are the weekly requirements for the class. These are in addition to other pesky things like reading assignments and assigned research. Here goes:
* You are responsible for maintaining your blog.
You must ensure that your address is correct and active, and that everyone in your group has this information. Make sure the information on the We Blog site is correct, too. If it's not, you're responsible for correcting this. Make sure your blog roll includes everyone in your group. (If you have questions about who's in your group, see the comments section on last week's assignment.)
* You must keep your blog active.
This means at least three posts per week.
* Your posts should exhibit your writerly skills.
They should be thoughtful and in some cases include research. You should pay close attention to grammar and technique. Refer to Strunk & White if you have technical concerns. (We'll also be workshopping blogs each week. During workshop, we'll focus primarily on content, but we'll briefly cover some technical/grammatical issues.)
* You must be an active member of your blog group.
This means posting at least one comment on each person's blog each week.

Blog G20 News

Visit Cyberpunk Apocalypse for a personal take on the coming G20. http://www.cyberpunkapocalypse.blogspot.com/

Check the Blog Roll

Check it! Then be sure to add the blogs from your group to your own blogroll, too. (If you gave me your blog address in class yesterday, your blog should be listed. If I missed something, or if you didn't have your address ready yesterday, please send an e-mail or carrier pigeon. Thanks!)

This Week in Blogging: Time's Running Out -- Get Yr Blogs Up

Tonight we have a tasty quiz, followed by a quick preview of the importance of voice in writing, as well as an introduction to your blogs. Your homework assignments include:
* Read Chapter 4 in Huffington
* Read the handout from Julie Powell's book Julie & Julia and be prepared to discuss the role of voice in both Powell's book and her blog (check it -- http://juliepowell.blogspot.com.
* Get your blogs up and running. Three entries by next Tuesday. Be sure to exchange blog titles and addresses with the members of your group. Be sure to comment actively on the blogs in your group, too. (By active, at least five comments per week -- and spread the love. Don't just comment on the same blog every week. Comment on all the blogs in your group.)

Get to work. And don't Dali! (Get it? Dali?)

Also, breaking news... Mr. Baconpants, a.k.a. Jason Mosley, will be visiting on Tuesday, Sept. 29. Please make a short list of questions you'd like to ask Jason and give that list to me next week. I'll pass your questions to Jason. (And don't forget to visit http://www.mrbaconpants.com for the latest in bacon-mania.)

First Blog Assignments

The following good folks completed their assignment from last week and have their blogs ready to go. Please add these blogs to your blog roll. Remember, you'll be responsible for commenting on the blogs in your group each week. Starting this week. (You're also responsible for doing your homework. On time. Every week. It's a grade thing. If a shark ate your homework, please let me know. I'll need to see teeth marks.)

From Group 1
Tailgate Nation by Katie Braun (kbrauntailgatenation.blogspot.com)
Miller High Life Lovers by Brian DeRiggi (highlifelove.blogspot.com)

From Group 2
Fact or Science Fiction? by Elizabeth Foster (canuck117.blogspot.com)
Steel City Metal by Shane Hoolahan (pghmetal.blogspot.com)
Get Off My Lawn! by David King (waagebaage.blogspot.com)

From Group 3
Charting Lost: The Search for the Essence Behind The Prime-time Hit by Matt Reilly (chartinglost.blogspot.com)

From Group 4
These Are a Few of My Least Favorite Things by Caitlin Thomson (ckthom2.blogspot.com)

Not Quite Ready for Take Off (Yet!)

We're slowing things down a bit. Please don't move on to your full blogs just yet. Instead, do the following:

* Send me the title of your blog. Remember to come up with something that doesn't suffer from the "Huh" factor. (If you're saying "huh?", see your textbook for more information.)
* Send me the web address for your blog.
* Send me your name along with these things so I can match you to your blog. (I know you know this, but, well, you know.)
* Polish the template for your blog and add all your little bits. (Bio note, photos, subhead, that first post you did if it's relevant, another sample first post if you'd prefer, that sort of thing.)
* Be sure you're happy with your template and it's ready to go. It's a commitment thing.
* Be ready to launch your blogs starting next week.

Please complete the above by 2 p.m. on Sunday and send the info to: lljakiela@gmail.com. I'll make a list of all the blogs and addresses and send it to you via e-mail.

Once you get the list, add the people in your group to your blogroll. You each should have between four to six blogs (depending on the size of your group) in your blogroll by Tuesday.

Oh, and don't forget to read Chapter 3 in Huffington. The quiz will cover Chapters 1-3.

Happy blog-birthing!

Welcome to Week Two! Assignments for You

Tonight's lecture will cover the Introduction and Chapters 1 & 2 in The Huffington Post Guide to Blogging. We'll take a look at The Huffington Post and use a blog as an example of everything that's good and right in the blogosphere. Then we'll move on to... Your Blogs.

You'll be working in small groups for the second half of class. For now, the groups are as follows (I'll adjust to accomodate any reasonable requests):

Group #1 -- Berkebile, Braun, Campbell, DeRiggi, Foster

Group #2 -- Garland, Graham, Henry, Hoolahan, King

Group #3 -- Kopa, Little, Milliner, Reilly, Russell

Group #4 -- Thomson, Yungwirth, Williams, Wilson, Wharton

Once you're in your group, you'll share your proposed Blog Names and Blog Topics with your group, and then with the whole class. Before we leave, you'll exchange blog addresses with members of your group and add all members to your blogroll.

At Home: E-mail me your blog addresses (lljakiela@gmail.com). I'll add all blog address to the Weblogublog blogroll.

Then -- Start blogging. You'll need to do at least three entries per week. And check in and comment regularly on all the blogs in your group.

Oh, and read Chapters 3 and 4 in Huffington. We'll have a short quiz next week.

Happy blogging!

Time Permitting:

Workshop some sample blog posts

Trib Magazines Seeking Interns

Writing majors or folks with journalism experience: The Tribune-Review's magazines division is looking for writing/editing interns. Interested? See Professor Jakiela for more information.

First Week's Assignments

You know summer's really over when you get your first Blogging assignment. Here goes:
* Be sure you've set up a blog site on Blogspot.
* For your first post, complete the assignment that appears on this blog.
* For your second post, make a list of five things you'd like to blog about. Make sure these are things you're passionate about. If you have ideas for titles for blogs, include these in your list.
* Be prepared to pull up your blog and your first two posts in class on Tuesday. Be ready to read them and discuss them in class.
* Read Chapters 1 & 2 in Huffington. There will be a short quiz on these readings on Tuesday.
* Sign up for The Huffington Post (http://www.huffingtonpost.com).
* Have fun!

New 'Zine Needs Writers

When Mr. Baconpants isn't frying bacon, he's busy launching The Pittsburgh Observer. The new 'zine covers Pittsburgh culture and events, and features the work of UPG alumni writers. The editors are seeking new voices, too. Click the Want to Write for Us? link on the site for more information.

Everything's Better With Bacon (Even This Class)

Visit www.mrbaconpants.com for a peek at a successful blog driven by porcine passion. Jason Mosley, Mr. Baconpants himself, will visit our class this semester to share the insights he's gained from more than seven years in the blogosphere. And to share bacon, of course.