The bloomin' Phila Flower Show

If you can't guess, the theme of this year's Philadelphia Flower Show is good ol' Great Britain! Of course this Philly-based Brit had to take a look.

I have plenty more photos where these came from… But if you'd rather see these darling buds for real, the show goes on until the end of the week. It's jolly good!

Is blog really a dirty word?

Let's be clear straight away: Blogging is not journalism. It's not old journalism, and it's not even new journalism. I'm not being snobbish when I say that: I'm a blogger, not a journalist.

A couple of weeks ago I wrote a longer piece about why bloggers need to be honest about their business models. This is in part because trade guidelines require it, but also because much of their business depends on readership, and readers need to be rewarded for their loyality (and custom) with honesty.

It was interesting then for me to read several articles about dishonesty and the bad reputation that blogging sometimes earns.

However, I don't particularly identify with the type of blogging mentioned in ManRepeller.com's piece Blog is a dirty word. I don't mean that I can't identify blogs like that in the blogger world; I can. But that's not me. And it's certainly not the entire blogosphere. It's a part of the blogosphere.

Ditto this article, Fashion blogging has a transparency problem. This op-ed highlights some of the problems I mentioned last week; including a lack of dishonesty about advertising and funding.

These pieces are interesting, and I don't disagree with them, but I think there are a couple of take-aways about blogging that I have from these pieces. First, blogging is still a relatively new medium. Online journaling has been around for 15-20 years, Blogger itself was launched in 1999, but it's evolving as a style.

Second, blogging is not journalism. If you Google "blogging is not journalism" you'll find some interesting debate on the matter, but I think I'm right in saying that they are very different mediums.

Blogging takes many forms. In essence there are two kinds, which I outlined, but the style and variety of blogging means it's hard to generalize. There are the lookbook fashion blogs, with product reviews and self-portraits. There are almost-journalism blogs, or citizen-journalism blogs, with investigative stories that the mainstream news didn't cover or didn't uncover. There are person stories, fictional pieces, craft and DIY and much much more. But what is similar for most of these is that they are organic, most are home-grown. Most have an element of stream of consciousness, an unfinished what-happens-next feeling. Some of that is deliberate, designed to make the reader come back. Some of that is simply because blogging allows for the discussion of unfinished thoughts.

Another distinction is that Journalism is not narcissism. Or it's not meant to be. 

There are similarities with journalism. News journalism will have that what-happens-next-feeling as news unfolds or as follow-up stories are investigated. Plus news journalism can cover many subjects too. But it's tightly written (even online), and bound by different grammar and code. Journalists are trained to find facts, cover all sides of a story, and to do so ethically. Some journalists also blog, but they are probably journalists first and foremost.

Journalism resource Poynter recently asserted this though: Don't assume journalists have more training than bloggers in truth-telling. Journalists may have qualified to be journalists by learning to code, write copy, interview subjects and to abide by media law. Bloggers don't need to qualify to become bloggers. And a lot of them are very good.

The Man Repeller article actually defends blogging as symptomatic of an under-employed Gen Y populace finding their own way (and own income) as digital entrepreneurs:

"Darwinism will always prevail. The strong will continue to survive and the weak will eventually begin to weed off. The question is, what will make us strong? It seems like the blogging landscape must tackle some serious change."

There's no official qualification to become a blogger. And that's the point. It is not journalism.  Sometimes it may pretend to be, but at heart it doesn't want to be. I believe the problems with honesty and advertising will continue for a while as commercial blogging comes of age. Light-touch regulations such as the FTC guidelines will become more important, but there will always be problems with blogging and authenticity and honesty that doesn't (or shouldn't) exist in the journalism world (more on media law later though).

Blogging and journalism are both democratic now by nature, and readers will always be able to call out bloggers for making mistakes, whether factual, ethical, or business.
I am still studying towards my diploma in journalism, and for a time I wanted to pursue a career in pure journalism, although I was a little apprehensive. I realized that being apprehensive doesn't fit with pursuing a career in journalism, but I can use old and new journalistic skills and techniques in other ways. That's not dirty in the slightest, in fact, I think that's the point.

What do you think? I'd love to know. As I'm still working through my journalism courses, and pursuing similar interests, I'd love to keep blogging my thoughts on media and culture. What do you think about Monday slot on these themes?

Sunday Supplements (and Sunday puppy too)

Here's a low-budget photography tip: Anything, yes anything, can be used as a tripod or light-stand, even a yoga mat.

This week I spent a long time trying to recreate the glad blog from scratch using CSS, chatted with old friends about coding and cameras, designed some posters for my local YMCA, and got stood up by a photography client.*

While you're reading this I'll be out for birthday brunch with my friend Dave. When I moved over I was so worried about everything, including making new friends, but Dave is one of those guys I instantly clicked with over cocktails and conversations about British sit-coms. Everyone say happy (belated) birthday to Dave!

 *The rest of time, here's what I did…

Watching

 

Time Lapse Video of Philadelphia - This is quite cute, and the Penguin Cafe Orchestra soundtrack is always beautiful.

Admiring

 

A Philadelphia Row Home - This is what a Philly row home looks like in cross-section. 

Lonely photos of the BBC Television Centre - BBC TVC is a magical place to me. As a young child I knew that this was the place where television was made. It was a dream come true to get the chance to work there last year, especially since the BBC is moving out soon. It is a building so full of UK pop culture history, so perfectly designed, and yet so old and crumbling. Even in my short time there I found strange abandoned spaces, with walls that probably had a million celebrity stories to tell if only they could talk.

Jennifer Lawrence at the Oscars - Let's just all agree that it was her night. The Oscar, the dress, the finger, Jack Nicholson. Just wow.

Oscar Nominations - This is quite old now, but it's fun to revisit these literal movie posters post-Oscars.

Lunch Bags designed by the best dad in the world - This is a devoted father. A serious contender against the wave at the bus dad for best dad ever award.

Reading

Associate Animals Editor at Buzzfeed - This is a real job advert.

Expat voting rights - As a UK citizen with US Residency I don't get to vote. I don't get to vote anywhere. I'm not supposed to vote in the UK, and I can't vote in the USA. If I stay long enough to get a US Passport, then I'll be able to vote in US elections. It's strange being disenfranchised like this, but that's actually the way I think it should be.

I admit I was biased when I first stumbled upon this article - someone who does not live in the UK should not expect the right to vote in the UK. Her argument about voting in Spain, under the EU freedom of movement, is interesting.

I mentioned this to my husband, asking "if you lived abroad for 20 years, you could still vote in US elections?" to which he replied, in true American fashion "hell yeah, if I have property in the USA, I could still vote, wherever I was."

To my expat and traveller readers, what do you think about expat voting rights?

Liebstagain!

March Marches onwards now, and soon it will be a year since I left a (fantastic) job in the UK in preparation for moving to the USA. I didn't actually emigrate until several months later, due to a couple of months working in television, and a grand farewell tour that took me from London to the Highlands and back. 

But this did get me thinking about where I am now, and what I want to achieve here in the New World. 

Last week I attended a fascinating discussion about arts and culture journalism, hosted at WHYY, Philly's public media channel. At a fundraiser the next day I got the chance to see a view of Philadelphia from the heights of the Comcast Center (and didn't even take a picture for you, sorry). Sometimes expat life can be frustrating and sometimes it just ain't bad!

So I am super excited to say that I'll be starting a new position at an art gallery in the city next week. Philadelphia has a fantastic arts and culture scene so I can't wait to get stuck in, and to meet more of the people involved in making Philly so vibrant and interesting. Maybe sometime soon, I'll be one of them!

Earlier in February, blogger Ari from Vicenarian Stew nominated me for another Liebster. If you recall, I already did one but I thought it'd be fun to answer the questions that Ari set. So here goes…

1. What is one of your favorite quotes?

BETTER DROWNED THAN DUFFERS IF NOT DUFFERS WON'T DROWN, from Swallows and Amazons. Even as a young child I thought that was hilarious parenting.
 
2. What was the best meal you have ever eaten?   

I've eaten some amazing stuff. Snails, monkfish, ostrich, tripe (really), deep-fried tofu, oyster. One of my favorite meals though was a giant rigatoni (paccheri) dish I had while on honeymoon in Malta.

3. If you could travel anywhere in the world where would you go and why? 

 Japan. I've never been to Asia, and I'd love to see this country's contrast between the ultra-modern and the super-traditional. Plus I could visit some of those abandoned theme parks.

4. What do you do for a living, and what would you like to be doing to make a living? 

I'm currently doing photography part-time. What would I like to do? I've always wanted to stay in the creative/cultural sector. I'd love to re-build my career in arts administration and/or communications for non-profits.

5. What do you miss most about your childhood?   

Ceefax and what looked like a really exciting time to be making TV. But we have the internet now, so I'm not complaining.


6. What are five adjectives you would use to describe yourself? 

Tea please, milk no sugar. Okay…

Creative, loyal, intellectual, savvy, witty.

7. What is the number 1 song played on your iPod?   

My most played song in iTunes is Bobby Darin's Beyond the Sea. It was our wedding dance, and it resonated a lot when we were a long-distance couple and couldn't wait to be reunited.

8. If you could be any fictional character, who would you be? 

Hmmmm…I'm not sure I want to be bound by somebody else's story! That's corny, isn't it?

9. What is your favorite joke? 

How many men does it take to tile a bathroom? About three, but it depends how thin you slice them.

10. What accomplishment are you most proud of?   

Doing a Master's while working full-time and attending German and Spanish classes, and having no debt at the end of it.

This week I also pulled together a new CSS template for this blog. If I get it working I'll be pretty proud of that too.

11. What is your biggest pet peeve?

Girls who wear flip-flops that are too small for them. Please don't.

These books, and the others I took out from the local library, were actually overdue (Sorry library, I think you're great)

Glad Notes: A Play, a Pie, and a Pint

Next week, on March 6th, the Society Hill Playhouse here in Philadelphia will be launching their third season of A Play, A Pie and A Pint. This is a casual dinnertime theater special for just $15, where theater-goers enjoy an original short play, along with a choice of beverage and a slice of pie.

This tasty theatrical treat actually originated in 2004, in my old stomping ground at the Oran Mor, a beautiful pub and arts/events space in Glasgow, Scotland, just a stone's throw from my student apartment and campus. It was often the perfect for satiating my appetite for culture and pies, while appeasing my student budget.

Play/Pie/Pint is a sneeky, ingenious way to encourage non-traditional audiences to try out a trip to the theater and boost income for the arts. In Scotland they run matinees for the lunch-time crowd, so we'd catch a cheeky wee pint, lunch and a bit o'culture between lectures. Seeing a Philly incarnation amused me a lot!

Just one caveat: In the UK, pie means meat wrapped in pastry. Here in Philly it refers to a slice of pizza. I hope the quality of the beer and theater is universal though, because Philadelphia has some great beer and an excellent craft brewing scene, and fantastic arts and cultural scene. I look forward to trying it out!

Sunday Supplements (and Sunday puppy too)

She's obviously looking at cheese. Does your dog love cheese?

Watching

 

The Hunger Games (again) - Far less political than the book(s) but I still enjoy it.

The Oscars…? - I'm not sure I'll be watching tonight, but I'm just going to leave this Tweet from July here…

Admiring

Urb-Ex photos of an abandoned Chinese theme park - One thing you should know about me is that I simply love photos of urban decay and urban exploration. I once lost a whole weekend to looking at photos of abandoned Japanese theme parks - Japan seemed to go theme park crazy during the economic boom and there are a whole host of empty parks in strange, remote places. These photos are from a place in Florida that blogger Yelle took.

Urb-Ex photos of an abandoned hospital near Philadelphia - This Philly local posts one photo a day on his Tumblr. Here's another from this week of a church mid-demolition.

Reading

Living in Harmony with your contradictions - a wonderfully honest piece by blogger Betsy, which resulted in some great comments/discussion.

With no shortcut to Green Card, gay couples leave the US - some US States may now allow gay marriage, but without federal recognition there's no immigration status for same-sex spouses. Additionally, the couple mentioned in the article moved to the UK before the new UK immigration rules came into force. Any later and they could have been stuck between the two countries.

Arianna Huffington renames Millennial generation as 'generation stressed' - As a millennial in the USA right now, I see Arianna's point, but we're not the only generation to have lived in a time of high unemployment or unrest. Arianna again makes her point about the need for good sleep, which I saw her make at the PA Women's Conference last year, and also before that in her short TED talk.

College Degree Becomes New High School Diploma - Just another article highlighting the difficulties millennials are facing. Can someone smarter than me tell me if US education loans could lead to another credit crunch?

and finally…
  
How I got my body ready for the Oscars - Ordinary person preps body for red carpet ceremony. Very interesting, very funny and very inspiring! These people look perfect because that's their full time job.

Tell me what you've been reading and looking at this week!

Five UK shows I wish BBC America would broadcast

Me petitioning the BBC to show more programs in the USA (actually I was working and that didn't cross my mind, sadly).

I do love American television. I really do. There's just something so garish and gluttonous and appealing about it. Watching US TV is like going for a sneaky midnight drive-thru meal: It's so wrong it's just perfectly right.

But sometimes I miss the hearty, reliable stodge of Old Blighty's television. I miss smooth deadpan voiceovers and useful signals that commercials are going to begin. 

BBC America is there for those moments, but only sometimes. It's catered more to the American Anglophile rather than to the British expat market, and is filled with Dr Who and Top Gear re-runs.

Here are five shows that are quintessentially British, and that I think BBC America would do well to show. Not only because I want to watch them myself, but also because I think Americans would get a kick out of them.

1. Come Dine With Me

 

Premise: Complete strangers host dinner parties for each other. They judge and rate each other's evenings, and at the end of the week the winner takes home a thousand bucks.

This daytime TV format turned prime-time hit has all the elements of British society. 

First, it's like a disastrous cooking show with amusingly amateurish results. Secondly, it has that keyhole voyeurism we all enjoy from the likes of house-buying shows and MTV's Cribs. Third, it has a competitive element and, of course, a supremely sarcastic voice-over. 

My American Mom-In-Law loves it. BBC America actually used to show it, but then stopped for seemingly no reason. Perhaps Americans couldn't believe how terrible Brits are at cooking, or why we have an obsession with poking around in other people's wardrobes. Either way, America has about thirty seasons to catch up on by now. Shame.

2. The Great British Bake Off

Premise: Talented, lovely, chipper Brits prepare baked goods in a marquee on the grounds of an English stately home. It is exactly as twee as it sounds.

Mark and I tried the infamous eight plait bread from the latest series of Great British Bake Off. We were quite proud!
Not quite up to Paul Hollywood's standards though.

The Great British Bake-Off was a surprise hit in the UK because it captured a zeitgeist for patriotic escakeism. It is the complete antithesis to every competitive cooking program on American television.

Unlike Cupcake Wars or Cake Boss, Bake Off is understated and charming. The competitors are all nice. Two baking pros, a formidable bread-master and an exacting cake lady, interact with a female comedy presenting duo for a lilting cookery show that, surprisingly, oozes with subtle innuendo.

Late last year US channel CBS ordered an American series of Bake Off, although the women's institution that is Mary Berry already announced that she would not be involved. I'm very excited, but also intrigued to see if the charming and gentile format will translate well to this brash and proud country. Regardless, I hope whoopie pies are involved.

3. Coronation St

 

Premise: Working class people living on a cobbled street in Northern England work in an underwear factory, go to the pub and have marital affairs. Almost every day. For over fifty years. It's The longest television soap in the world.

The whining drone of the theme tune was the punctuation to my evening since I was very young. I grew up on a diet of soap operas at dinner.  My undergrad dissertation supervisor even had a PhD in Corrie.

If you've never seen it before, take a look at this classic scene where a young character advises an old neighbor on how to get rid of the weeds in his paved back yard. It's that perfect balance of voyeurism, banality and jovial innuendo that makes the show, along with irresistably trashy yet brilliant story writing.

It saddened me that emigrating meant I would have to resort to nefarious means of accessing my daily fix of this domestic drama. The great news is that Hulu started streaming the show on a two week delay just last month, but I still think BBC America should syndicate the show for the expat market.

 

This is actually Valley Forge and nothing to do with Coronation St

4.  Have I Got News For You / 8 Out of 10 Cats

 

Premise: Well known public figures and comedians sit at a large desk for a weekly quiz, and make timely quips about the news, providing large helpings of off-the-cuff sarcasm and political cynicism.

 

The USA has its own attempts at political satire, sure. The Daily Show (and its spin-off The Colbert Report) are decent, and many Brits actually watch the international editions. Stewart and Colbert satirize the format and sensationalism of most US cable news shows: One person, one desk, lashings of hyperbole and caustic humor based on the strangest political truths.

It doesn't quite compare to the rigors of political satire in the UK though, where politicians are invited to get mercilessly mocked by some of Britain's brightest comedic minds. Occasionally the presenters themselves get embroiled in news stories and become the brunt of the unrelenting punchlines.
 
The skill of these shows is making the humor seem unrehearsed and almost throw-away. This is what makes them so British. HIGNFY excels at this, but Cats has a special place in my heart because I worked on the show (where I got to work with the charming Jimmy Carr and meet the legendary David Hasselhoff).

5. Blue Peter / Newsround

 

Premise: One is a magazine show about making popular items from toilet paper tubes; the other is the most trusted and cogent news source in the UK. Both are kids' shows.

 

Here's one I made earlier…The famous Thunderbird Tracy Island craft make is on display at the BBC Television Centre.
What will happen to it when the BBC moves out of the building?

Blue Peter is like the Scouts for coach potatoes, complete with badges. It's also the world's longest running childrens' TV show, featuring a mishmash of celebrity culture, sports and activities, fundraising appeals and arts and crafts.

The show has had some defining moments: making a popular toy (the Thunderbird island above) out of paper mache and soft cheese containers; having a baby elephant poo in a studio live on TV; and breaking the news to young viewers that the goldfish in the studio garden were killed after drunken soccer players broke in.

Newsround is not Aaron Sorkin's latest HBO drama; it's a long running news broadcast specifically for children. It's one of the best news shows on television due to the BBC's remit for balanced reporting and its ability to simplify complex news stories. Perhaps Sorkin's Newsroom would have been more entertaining if it had been about a kids' news show instead.

Kids in the UK graduate from Sesame St and progress onto Blue Peter and Newsround before becoming sensible, civic-minded citizens. Or at least they used to before the Disney Channel became more popular. Kids just aren't into toilet tubes like they used to be.

Fun Fact: There's a video in existence of myself interviewing the current Newsround newscaster, the lovely Ore Orduba, while he pretends to be Jessica Alba. No - you ain't ever gonna see it.

What are your favorite UK TV shows? Do any of these sound more appealing than Sherlock and Downtown Abbey?