Looking back on my previous posts… I hate to say that my digital persona is a bit snarky. I didn’t mean for everything to come across that way! I know I am writing this particular blog in an incredibly informal and personal way. I am hoping that this would make for a blog that was easier to read. I just realize now how informal I might seem. Especially when you compare my writing style to digital scholars like Daniel Cohen, Toni Weller, and Roy Rosenzweig.
I think I’m a bit like the scholars at the Nursing Clio, who write about personal experiences mixed with historical context. The last two posts I read, Carrie Pitzulo’s My Miscarriage (Is Not Your Miscarriage) and Carrie Adkins’ article on “Blame” and the history of 19th and 20th century gynecology were both factually informative, but also importantly emotionally moving. I haven’t covered anything nearly as complex as those authors, but I do think the tone and incorporation of images into my posts are similar to many authors on the blog.
Hopefully in the future (if I can get my hands on a small coal forge), I can get more things blacksmithed and publish my projects and progress similar to the author of Romantic History. In the meantime you’re always welcome to follow me on Pinterest or Ravelry. Sadly, I don’t think I had enough time to convert my fellow digital historians to Pinterest junkies. Everyone who isn’t using it is sincerely missing out.
So far I’ve been pretty satisfied by Feedly. I still can’t get it to mark things are “read” once I scroll past them, but it’s the closest thing to fill the Google Reader shaped hole in my heart. Sadly, I still check Facebook more often then I do Feedly and Twitter. I follow ALFHAM (Association of Living History Farm and Agricultural Museums) on Feedly, but our local New England head does a lot more posting on Facebook. I’ve gotten great information and joined interesting debates simply because she is more active on that particular site.
If I were to try and wrangle the power of Web 2.0 for a digital project I would embrace all available social media: this blog, Twitter, Pinterest, Facebook, etc. because every person is different and just because there are a lot of followers in one are (i.e. Facebook) it doesn’t mean that person is particularly engaged. I’m sure I’m listed as following lots of things I haven’t taken the time to check up on! It is important to stay current if you want to keep an audience. Hence why my Twitter following is dwindling.
Yet, after Tweeting at a popular group it has seemed to draw me three new followers in a single day! Lord knows if they’re robots. I’ll take what I can get. 🙂
The Knitting Blacksmith 