Blogging perks?
Are there perks to this kind of disjointed, whatever topic comes to mind, politics, personal, family, sports, movie, entertainment, games, rambling online conversation?
Is there any reason to do this?
I've never heard a great answer to that question, other than vague (and usually somewhat silly) generalities about a psychological need to feel connected, or to feel like somebody is listening, or to claim one's 15 minutes of fame. Today, though, that all changed.
No, really. It did.
Today there is a real, honest-to-goodness, tangible benefit to blogging.
I get a pair of free tickets to go see a movie, Serenity, at an advance screening. What did I have to do in order to get these tickets? I simply had to agree to write the most stunningly positive and glowing review a movie has ever received! (Okay, not really. I just made that part up.)
I simply agreed to blog a review of the movie - positive or negative.
If you're not familiar with it, the movie is the feature film based on the short-lived television series Firefly. The synopsis of the film (from the filmmakers) is as follows:
Joss Whedon, the Oscar® - and Emmy - nominated writer/director responsible for the worldwide television phenomena of BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER, ANGEL and FIREFLY, now applies his trademark compassion and wit to a small band of galactic outcasts 500 years in the future in his feature film directorial debut, Serenity. The film centers around Captain Malcolm Reynolds, a hardened veteran (on the losing side) of a galactic civil war, who now ekes out a living pulling off small crimes and transport-for-hire aboard his ship, Serenity. He leads a small, eclectic crew who are the closest thing he has left to family -squabbling, insubordinate and undyingly loyal.
So... in return for doing something I would kind of enjoy doing anyway, I get to go see a movie that I probably wouldn't have made time to see right away. Based on the previews, I fully expect it to be a highly enjoyable movie, so I'm looking forward to that.
It's really a win-win-don't lose situation.
The movie guys get a little added publicity... wait - since I'm now a movie reviewer I should use the lingo. They get a little extra BUZZ surrounding their movie.
I get free movie tickets.
You - well... you get to read what an aerospace engineer in Dallas thinks of the movie. I'll be honest - you might be getting shafted in the whole "benefits" department here...
I'll see the movie on the 27th. My review will be posted that night or the following morning.
Bye!
UPDATE: I got confirmation by email today (9/24/05) that I am "in" for this showing. How cool is that?
Is there any reason to do this?
I've never heard a great answer to that question, other than vague (and usually somewhat silly) generalities about a psychological need to feel connected, or to feel like somebody is listening, or to claim one's 15 minutes of fame. Today, though, that all changed.
No, really. It did.
Today there is a real, honest-to-goodness, tangible benefit to blogging.
I get a pair of free tickets to go see a movie, Serenity, at an advance screening. What did I have to do in order to get these tickets? I simply had to agree to write the most stunningly positive and glowing review a movie has ever received! (Okay, not really. I just made that part up.)
I simply agreed to blog a review of the movie - positive or negative.
If you're not familiar with it, the movie is the feature film based on the short-lived television series Firefly. The synopsis of the film (from the filmmakers) is as follows:
Joss Whedon, the Oscar® - and Emmy - nominated writer/director responsible for the worldwide television phenomena of BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER, ANGEL and FIREFLY, now applies his trademark compassion and wit to a small band of galactic outcasts 500 years in the future in his feature film directorial debut, Serenity. The film centers around Captain Malcolm Reynolds, a hardened veteran (on the losing side) of a galactic civil war, who now ekes out a living pulling off small crimes and transport-for-hire aboard his ship, Serenity. He leads a small, eclectic crew who are the closest thing he has left to family -squabbling, insubordinate and undyingly loyal.
So... in return for doing something I would kind of enjoy doing anyway, I get to go see a movie that I probably wouldn't have made time to see right away. Based on the previews, I fully expect it to be a highly enjoyable movie, so I'm looking forward to that.
It's really a win-win-don't lose situation.
The movie guys get a little added publicity... wait - since I'm now a movie reviewer I should use the lingo. They get a little extra BUZZ surrounding their movie.
I get free movie tickets.
You - well... you get to read what an aerospace engineer in Dallas thinks of the movie. I'll be honest - you might be getting shafted in the whole "benefits" department here...
I'll see the movie on the 27th. My review will be posted that night or the following morning.
Bye!
UPDATE: I got confirmation by email today (9/24/05) that I am "in" for this showing. How cool is that?