The week in blog

Insights, quirks and news by citizen journalists

March 30, 2006

By DANE GOLDEN

When Al Gore was inventing the Internet, he never envisioned this, this other world. A world where men and women of all ages, from all walks of life, would go online and, in whatever fashion they wished, share their thoughts.

The entries are called blogs. You may have heard of them. The term originates from the word "web log," and many are simply online diaries, collections of thoughts about whatever comes to mind. Dull you say? Boring? Perhaps, in some cases. But what if instead of reading any old drab, you could pick from a cross section of the community, each with different interests?

What if you could open the diaries of several Petaluma residents, such as a baker, a couple of students, a British gardener, a dog lover, a mother's group member, a school principal and one of the "volunteeriest" guys in town? What would they say?

Now's your chance to find out. The Argus-Courier has invited these varied citizens to create their own blogs on its Web site. And they're writing about subjects as varied as their interests.

Then comes the best part. Whatever they're talking about, you can join in the conversation. Use the "Add Your Comment" link and create a discussion. Because, hey, you've got an opinion about whatever it is they're talking about, too.

And what are they talking about? Well, here are some recent samples of what's going on in the Petaluma blogosphere:

Casa Grande senior Emma Drew blogged about two stories that were on the front page of the Argus-Courier last week, including her team's adventures winning the Academic Decathlon state championship for the sixth time in seven years. She also blogged about the downtown anti-war protest.

"I knew we were watching something few could say they witnessed firsthand," she writes.

A blog about a dog? No, it's not by the author of the New York Times best seller "Marley & Me," but could instead be called "Maddie & Me." In his blog, creative writing student Ross Lockhart has some frankly fascinating conversations with Maddie, his 7-year-old Shih Tzu. This week, they discuss proposed changes to leash laws while on one of their regular walks to Wickersham Park. The writing's great, and the photos of Maddie are priceless.

Petaluma Mothers' Club member Vanessa Dodge pointed to a number of things that Petaluma needs in the realm of indoor activities in Petaluma for children aged five and under, which include, "A fence around the children's area in the library, with a gate that cannot be opened by tiny hands."

Frances Rivetti writes about a rockin' Saturday night at Hermann Sons Hall, where a crowd of more than 250 turned out "in their finery for a fabulous evening of live and silent auctions, dinner and dancing to the Peter Welker band. Valley Vista Elementary School's fourth annual Viking Voyage was the grand occasion, with parents, teachers and many more public education supporters giving a stupendous show of support for bolstering the PTA coffers."

Gardener Sue Wilcox detailed the Wild Onion Saga: "I'm attempting to eradicate a plant that I initially thought was Welsh onions (allium fistulosum)," she writes, "but turned out to be wild white-flowered onion (allium triquetrum), aka three-cornered leek."

Get out the red carpet. A Petaluma retiree, cybernaut and one of the volunteeriest guys in town, blogger Bill Hammerman has invited gazillionaire Bill Gates to Petaluma. What will Gates think of our new blogosphere?

Art maven Linda Postenrieder tells of a day trip to show out-of-town guests the new de Young Museum in Golden Gate Park. "We happened across a friend who manages the weekend membership signups and got the inside scoop. After enjoying the spectrum of art & craft in the featured exhibit, we took in as much as we could of the American paintings & photography exhibits."

Bob Raines discussed the implications of Justice Antonin Scalia leading a Supreme Court majority toward a redefinition of the laws concerning admissibility of testimony in domestic violence and child abuse cases.

"I have had the unfortunate experience of speaking with too many women who have been physically assaulted by their husbands and partners," Raines writes. "I have dried the tears of far too many children who have spoken of being hurt, and worse, by the very adults who are supposed to care for them."

Recently crowned as one of Martha Stewart's Best Bakers in America on Stewart's new TV show, Meloni Courtway, as requested, baked an "Army guy" cake for her nephew's birthday. Check out the photo.

"I am happy to tell you," Courtway wrote, "that the cake itself was absolutely to die for. It was my own chocolate almond devil's food cake with a cream cheese frosting filling, and vanilla buttercream (which was light as air) on the outside."

Tom Joynt had to make some quick changes to his anniversary plans: "As the blog was coming to life and emerging," he writes, "so was a storm on the island of Kauai. Heavy rains washed out a road for a time and parts of the 'wedding isle' were inaccessible.''

SRJC student Skyler Fuhrman writes about the pleasures of a brisk walk around downtown at 5 a.m. on his way to the gym, and then challenges his readers, "What have you done in the last few days which made you appreciate all the amazing things that surround you each and every day?"

Indeed. What have we done?

If you'd like to hear more from these brave new writers, visit www.arguscourier.com/ blogs. And remember, you're encouraged to give your feedback by clicking "Add a Comment."

(Dane Golden is an Argus-Courier reporter who writes business, features and general assignment news, as well as filling the role of "blog instigator.")