Seven Days Blogs: 802 Online

Real VT: College kids are back

Catch them two or three nights a week at 10 East Ave. in Burlington. These guys got their inspiration from collegehumor.com. Read about 'em in this week's Seven Days.

VT Blogs: Vermonter in Iraq

I've been looking for Vermont soldier blogs for awhile now and thanks to Frank at Cool Blue Blog, I've found one. Roger's Blog details the trials and tribulations of a Vermont soldier and his family during his time in Iraq. Roger and his wife Sarah and friend Stef contribute to the site.

The bloggers all live in Vermont, but Sarah wrote in an email to me that she would prefer not to reveal any other identifying information. They once listed their last names and the last names of Roger's fellow soldiers, but have since removed that information at the request of Roger's superiors. Like other military bloggers, they're struggling to figure out what's acceptable to post and what's not. According to Sarah, Roger's commanders have since asked to review his posts before they go live online. That jives with the announcement of a crackdown on unauthorized military blogging.

Since March, Roger's Blog has been filled with accounts of mundane daily life in Iraq, sometimes with photos. But the blog isn't just about Roger. In today's entry, for example, Sarah writes about her life on the homefront:

Folks who know me, know I don’t wear my emotions on my sleeve. Coworkers at a former place of employment considered me a snob because I largely kept to myself. And yet, I’m finding myself a raw bundle of nerves these days. I cry at the drop of a hat. I have trouble focusing. I forget small things. But, I take each day as it comes and try to take care of myself because I need to be strong for Roger.

Sarah goes on to describe the hard time she had when she asked her employer to help ship Roger's bike to him. His birthday is next week.

If you're looking for a new perspective on the war and how it impacts Vermonters, this site is required reading. Click there now, before someone makes them take it down.

Real VT: A Barre Home Companion

Where the soft serve is called a cremee, the baby goats are fat and the mommies are all a bit tipsy. Via Milkweed Hill...

Real VT: Sunday afternoon at the fair

Just got back from an afternoon at the fair. Here's some disturbing photographic proof. The first photo shows some hats made by A&W Designs (check out the inscription on the one in the foreground!). The second photo is of a sign from the sideshow on the midway that my friends and I paid $2 apiece to see. Not surprisingly, the cat turned out to be pretty pathetic, and not even alive, though the 6-legged goat and 6-legged cow were both real. Last shot is from the back of one of the merch tents. The creepy stuff is always in the back. We actually had a fun time, and ate lots of greasy junk. I highly recommend the experience.

my spacers

Ok, I guess I've milked the anniversaries enough. Time to move on. Big article on the front page of today's New York Times Sunday Styles section about My Space. I know about the site, and I think I even created an account at one point, but I never really got into it. Ditto with livejournal. I know there are probably zillions of Vermonters who blog on these sites, but as of yet I've only listed a few on my Vermont blogs list.

I'm eager to list them, and map those corners of the VT blogosphere, but I wonder if objective readers are truly interested in reading those diary sites? At what point does that curiousity become voyeurism? I'm not exactly sure. If people are interested in sending me those links, I guess I'm interested in listing them.

Happy Blogiversary to me

So I checked the archives on my original blog site and realized that I started blogging a year ago today. I started the blog as an experiment to see what I could do with this new medium. First, I called it "Notes from the Margins." Then it was "Amaryllis." In February, I changed its name to "802 Online," and in May it moved from Blogger to Typepad and became a Seven Days-sponsored venture.

Over the past year, I've really enjoyed getting to know other bloggers, both local and otherwise. I look forward to continuing to develop a vibrant and relevant local blogosphere that showcases diverse new perspectives unavailable in the traditional media.

Thanks, everybody, for reading and commenting.

Also, I'd like to note that 5 years ago today, my partner Ann-Elise and I got civil unioned. That was one of the best things that's ever happened to me. Happy Anniversary, AJ!

VT Blogs: The Bovine Bugle

Look, another Vermont farmer blog!  The Bovine Bugle is sponsored by Stonyfield Farm.

Here's a synopsis from the site: Jonathan Gates reports from Howmars Farm in Franklin, Vermont. Howmars is a certified organic dairy farm, one of many Organic Valley/CROPP Cooperative farmer members who supply the milk that goes into making Stonyfield's yogurts and smoothies. The entire family pitches in on this third-generation farm that converted from conventional dairy farming to organic 7 years ago. Meet Jonathan, wife Karen, sons Benjamin, Justin, and Noah, and Jonathan's parents, Howard and Mary. And, of course, the cows.

Thanks, Morgan, for the tip.

You have entered unhealthy game time

Check this out — yesterday, China introduced a system designed to fight online game addiction. The Financial Times reports that internet service providers have signed a contract created by China's "press and publications administration." The anti-addiction system kicks in after 3 hours of gaming. Then players start to experience a decline in the in-game benefits they accrue.

Says the FT: After five hours online, players will be subjected every 15 minutes to the warning: “You have entered unhealthy game time, please go offline immediately to rest. If you do not your health will be damaged and the benefits you can win will be cut to zero.“

Good thing they didn't have that system when I was fiddling around in my basement with my old Commodore 64.

Has anyone else noticed that there's a new video gaming lounge opening up on Church St.?

Real VT: Woman Seeking Woman

New York Ex is on the prowl. She hit the three email mark with her new potential paramour earlier today and will talk to her on the phone tonight.

I wonder if NYE will tell her about the blog? Blogging dating ethics fascinate me. How does that work? When do you tell someone you've been writing about them online?

Sometimes I tell Ann-Elise that I've written about her on my blog. She still doesn't look at it. Sigh.

For real this time — new server is here!

No foolin', the new server is up and running. Check it out.