Thursday, November 09, 2006

It's all about the bling, baby!

I saw a clip on a show (of course I can't remember which mentioned it) of this rose garden grown and tended completely by prison inmates and I've been thinking about it for quite a while. I think it's the grandest idea! I recall them talking to some former inmates that had been out a while and credited that garden for them staying out of trouble and leading a better life. No doubt. Plants do wonderful things to people. I wish they'd show more pics of it.

I've noticed a blog trend lately that I'm not sure I like all that well. Now, I know people use their garden blogs to record their garden progress, failure, success etc. And it is their blog after all, so why not do as they please. I hate conformity or constriction of any kind myself. But why all the bling on some of them? Granted, I get frustrated with slow loading blogs that have tons of pics on them, but I don't think the experience would be the same without them, and more than not, I'm glad I waited! I'm usually in awe of both their garden expertise and photography skills.

But I'm talking 'bling' here. I'll be the first to admit I'm guilty - I do have a ticker. I wonder if blogs are going the way of MySpace? Video clips, voice clips, pretty sparkly sidebars, music clips and floating backgrounds. My daughter's drives me nuts! Ok, granted, she's 20 and very bling oriented (I wonder if I was at 20?). It's her space, she's allowed to make it as blingy as she wants.

Have you ever been to a site that was so overwhelmed with bling that it was thoroughly confusing and mind-numbing? I hate wading through mishmashs of glittering stars, decorated cursors, pics up the wazoo and music that is more than likely something I don't even want to listen to for 3 seconds, much less the whole song. My brain reaches max overload before the page even gets loaded and I'll immediately click on to something else.

Whatever happened to basic, simple and easy on the eye? Now, mine just seems boring. Hmmm, maybe I'll have to go looking for a template with a little more interest or possibly a bit more bling...

StumbleUpon.com

4 comments:

Colleen Vanderlinden said...

I don't think your blog is boring! There is a lot to be said for classic simplicity. I've mostly stayed away from bling on my blog too, though I've been tempted. I do have the "Top 100" badge on there, and I've added ads.

I don't know how many times I've almost added that damn "what flower are you?" badge. Everyone seems to have it. And here I thought I was too old for peer pressure :-)

Be as blingy as you want to be. Blogging is really about individuality and expressing yourself. And, I come to your blog to read what you have to say....not see what bling you may or may not have.

Sissy said...

Tina,
Different strokes for different folks!
I, myself, don't have blinking bling, but I visit several who do, but high speed makes it easier, I think! It would take hours to download some of those badges, on dial-up!

Charley "Apple" Grabowski said...

For me adding things to my sidebar is a learning experience - you can teach an old dog new tricks! I visit different blogs to read what they have to say, I enjoy pictures but they're not necessary. If they have something else that looks interesting I may click and take a look. I do keep my sound turned off though so I don't have to listen to someone else's music.

Tina said...

Colleen,
Classic simplicity. I think that includes my whole life. lol. I just always chalked it up to I was boring. Think I like your description much, much better. Never too old for peer pressure.

Sissy,
doesn't that blinking bling drive you nuts though? Does me! But you're absolutely right - different strokes.

Apple,
I love learning new things too! Though it makes me feel really old when I discover something 'new' to me, get all excited about it and my kids just roll their eyes and go, "Duh, Mom. You didn't know that?" Little boogers...