My new semester began yesterday, and my multimedia journalism class is already providing ideas about how to fix my website. (This is one of the numerous reasons I love being a college student.)  While I clearly did not learn the wonders of the virtual universe in one class period, I did realize just how limiting Weebly, the website that I used to create this website, can be regarding certain blogging aspects.  Namely, I can post YouTube videos on my blog, but only links to videos on Vimeo or Vevo; I also cannot indent my paragraphs.  In addition, I would like to implement several formatting changes.

I want to ensure MasonPlanet.com is exactly as I desire it to be, so I have begun pursuing other options.  I could switch host websites, but I think the more compelling option is to build a custom website through Dreamweaver.  Since I have already been taught how to use that software, it should not be too challenging; the only downside is the difficulty keeping my previous blog entries.  However, I think this issue is trumped by the ability to use an individual logo, implement custom  HTML and finally ditch that darn Weebly advertisement at the bottom of every page.

The point of this entry is that I believe I have outgrown using a host website.  Growth is good, right?

-M

For the past ten months, I have been nurturing Mason Planet to become an authentic website, and not just somewhere I could share information with friends.  As such, I can happily boast that my baby reached a big milestone today: someone finally commented on one of my blog posts.  (Yes, you read that correctly: I am celebrating a single comment!)  

At any other website, a single entry could get numerous posts in an hour, but I received one comment in ten months. (I will probably write stand up comedy about this one day, or cry about it to my therapist.) Someone was bound to comment eventually, and not surprisingly it was for a TIM post, but I am grateful I did not write the first comment. (I am also thankful that first person was not my mother, who by the way celebrated her... 29th birthday today.)

While most readers simply view my blog from afar, Susan, the gorgeous saint of the Internet, felt the need to take that magical first step. Seriously, I am grateful to Susan, whomever she might be in real life, for illustrating that she enjoys my blog posts.  I love writing this blog, and, while I think it's awesome that my posts are shared on social networking websites, I am excited to see readers commenting on my blog posts. 

Again, I thank you for visiting my web site, and for reading my blog.

-M

In between updating my website and writing stories, I am always on the lookout for interesting blogs to read. Below are three blogs that have caught my eye.  (Side note: I am aware this post is very meta, since I am blogging about blogging.  Now that we have that settled, please continue.)

Kat Candler, one of my great friends and mentors in the world of film, writes a blog about her experiences in the industry.  Kat has been blogging for seven years, and while she has been posting less frequently, her personal opinions, experiences and photographs are truly unique.  Disclaimer: Kat has mentioned me several times over the past few years, so naturally I am biased towards her blog.

Isabelle, a friend of mine that I recently met through YouTube, has been writing a blog for the past couple of months.  While she writes in a youthful and casual style, Isabelle successfully manages to question American culture, while simultaneously writing about the perils of high school.  Yes, Isabelle is young, but don't let her age discourage you from reading her blog.  (After all, as of this writing, I am only 19.)

Meghan, one of my favorite childhood swim coaches, gave birth to her first child last month.  Meghan recently started blogging about her experiences as a new mother.  Her posts are realistically humorous, yet heartwarming at the same time.  I plan to postmark Meghan's blog for when I become a parent, although that hopefully won't happen for many years!

Three blogs, each covering a different topic: film, social attitudes and motherhood.  If anyone knows of any other interesting, poignant or creative blogs, please feel free to share them with me. 

-M

*Note* Functional Five is the name of my new advice column, which I will post semi-regularly on the blog. 

Many people may become bored or absent-minded at work.  Considering that is my personality specialty, at the ripe young age of 19-years-old, I have lots of (unscientific) advice to offer.  Here are some simple solutions, to be done outside of the office, which can improve your productivity.  

For starters, today is the sixth month anniversary of my website.  Thank you for continuing to visit the blog, albeit silently, and read about my latest adventures and opinions. 

I hope the domain change from masonbkerwick.weebly.com to the more user friendly masonplanet.com has not caused anyone too much trouble reaching the blog.  I believe the website can still be accessed by entering the old domain, but I am not sure how long that will continue.  

Is there anything else that should be changed as well?  Please comment about what is working and what is not.  Fortunately, this is an ever changing Web page, not a concrete slab, so updates can be easily implemented.  Although if you would like the author to change, I recommend going to website that is not named after myself.    

-M

2011 started 16 days ago, eek!  Crazy how time flies.  

Speaking of which, a lot has happened since I posted my last blog entry in... November.  If I want this to be a blog, and not a "Hey, I've got an announcement" place, I should probably update more frequently.  Less news worthy, and more post worthy!    Speaking of which, I am back in Austin now and I couldn't be happier.   

Firstly, my new years resolution is to eat healthier!  I would love to become a vegetarian, but I am afraid of the amount of fat I would eat in the absence of protein, so I am trying to eat all organic, fresh foods.   My family started getting community supported agriculture (CSA) boxes, and they are absolutely wonderful.  I have been cooking very simple dishes the last few nights, like roasted rosemary-lemon chicken with sauteed zucchini, but because the of fresh vegetables they taste amazing.  Hopefully one of these nights I can remember to take some pictures before eating! 

The second import update is that I am working on a new, fictional web series!  My good friend Kat Candler is executive producing and I am so excited to collaborate with her.  I can't say much about the plot of the series, but hopefully it will be ready by the end of the spring.  

See that wasn't so hard!  Nothing too important, right?  Anyway, I am thrilled to be updating you during this exciting time period of my life. That sounded so sarcastic, but I truly mean it. 

-M

I cannot tell you how many times I have attempted to start a blog in the past.  Yet every time, the pressure I put on myself to start my blog with a truly original post has hindered my efforts.  So I figured, why bother with one this time?  I could simply write something about how this was my first post, and throw it onto the word wide web. Sadly, my presence on the internet follows me wherever I go, even on this brand new website.  Fans of The Mason Show, however few they might be, would complain about the lack of originality I was placing into my writing.  Friends of mine on Facebook and Twitter would comment on how my blog lacked the humor of my statuses.  And I personally would feel I was robbing myself of another opportunity to showcase my talent. 

So, to satisfy everyone (myself included), I will begin my blog with the following statement: 

~ Blogging Is Pure Vanity ~

I guess fittingly the originator of this statement is unknown. 

-M