It so happens that there is an association for bloggers here in our country. Hmmm, over a cup of coffee or over their froth drinks on the 25th March, bloggers saw it fit to have an association to protect them or maybe to create a family of bloggers. BAKE, Bloggers Association of Kenya, is the umbrella under which Kenyan bloggers will have an opportunity to take this not so new concept further. Here at Daystar University some students have taken up blogging as a form of personal diary, which is somewhat ridiculous because a diary is personal but when on the blog it is open to everyone, to see, read and comment.
Loi Awat is a third year communication student who sadly cannot have a blog of her own, because of time, but loves reading other people’s blogs. I found out that her reason for reading other people’s blogs is so that she can get to know what other people are up to, sounds like being nosy but hey…if it is private then it should not be on the internet in the first place. I urged her to share some of her favourite blogs. Today’s Colours in Black and White by Ras Mengesha- who by the way was a Daystarian- tops her list. Sienna African Design and Dan Mugo are the other blogs that she reads. Loi Awat urges people to read blogs to get to know what people are up to and what they think. This, I second and also add that it is an easy and cheap form of recreation, or what do you think?
(Above: Loi Awat)
Aggrey Ojiambo, as I got to find out from an interview I had with him, is a relatively new blogger. He took up blogging as a form of documenting the things he loves to do and that is video productions and editing. What a brilliant way of creating an on-line portfolio, way to go Aggrey. He further told me that this is the best avenue as a student to get in touch with people who are in the same industry as you and share ideas as well as market yourself. This concept got me thinking of how I could start my own blog and do my thing you know, but on a second thought I remembered the blog I had started but never followed through with it, probably I was too busy or I just was not into it, guess I will never know.
Aggrey Ojiambo’s blog, Video Production, is one month old. I found out that he logs in at least four times a week to update or just check if he has any following. So far he has one follower; I might be the second person if I keep my promise of joining, which I will.
Aggrey Ojiambo does not shy away from the fact that he reads other people’s blogs, how then would he have known about blogs? He agrees his blog would have been up and running a very long time ago but his procrastination kept him from doing this until recently. He hopes to market himself through his blog and attract as much traffic, not the same as the one on Mombasa Road but the number of people visiting or reading his blog, as possible. I also learnt that he hopes to get job opportunities when people read his blog and see what he is up to.
Dennis Musyimi prides himself of being a wonderful blogger. He went for a catchy name for his blog, Delarmark. When I heard the name of this blog I thought it was more of a fashion or trend setting blog. I laughed at myself when I found out it was about critiquing videos. Dennis Musyimi is passionate about videos and hence the reason why he came up with the blog. A year ago, I had little to do unlike now when things are thick and I have a lot of piled work. This is the same for one Dennis Musyimi who would blog at least thrice a day, wow. He had the passion for it, until the work load caught up with him and now he blogs thrice a week.
It is hard to keep up a blog but from Dennis Musyimi tells me in the interview there is need to keep an up to date blog especially if you have a following like his. Two hundred followers and still counting, kudos. He encourages Daystar students to take up blogging for it is a good way to stay up to date.
(Above: A beautiful sunset at Daystar University)
Now a recap of what this entire blogging thing is all about. In my view, it is a fun and interesting way of sharing information with the world, be it personal or business or educational. Personal blogs are what I have been looking at and to say the truth I found it to be more interesting and having a relaxed feel compared to the other two types of blogs. A personal blog gives one the best opportunity to vent but be careful you might ‘say’ things you might end up regretting later. The information presented in blogs however represents the opinion of the blogger which at times might not be factual, and this is why I think people following blogs should be very careful when it comes to taking up advice given by people on blogs or believing the things posted on blogs. If interested in starting your own blog now, here are some easy steps to follow:
• Go to one of the available free blogging sites (most popular www.blogger.com)
• Provide the necessary information required
• Create a title for your blog (I suggest it should be catchy and witty)
• Accept the terms and select a template
• Publish… (Hope you get followers)
As you think of starting your blog now I am more than motivated to update my not so long forgotten blog and hope to see you somewhere in this global village doing what you do best.
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