Posted on Wed, Aug 22, 2007
Blogging around Our Town
By Bernard J. Scally

Blogging has gone local. What's a blog, some may ask. The word 'blog' is a corruption or abbreviated version of the word 'Web log". It is a place on the Internet where anyone at any age can rant and rave about the shortcomings of home, have a discussion on any topic usually culture, politics and history, or just share other interesting pieces.

"It's like a reverse email," said Amy Quinn. "You can share without clogging someone's inbox." Quinn is undoubtedly one of the most notable bloggers from Our Town. (The Review's own reporter is mere padawan compared to her skills.) While Quinn now lives in New Jersey, she grew up here in Our Town; many of her family still live here. Quinn, a former editorial and opinion writer for the Philadelphia Inquirer, in her own words, "chucked it all in to be a stay at home mom." Quinn's blog, Citizen Mom, debuted in 2004, was one of many blogs profiled by the Inquirer's Dan Rubin.

"At first, blogging was a way of staying in contact with people," said Quinn.
Quinn foray into blogging has been wildly successful turning her blog into a free-lance success. She contributes to city-wide blogs Philebrity.com and Phawker.com.

"Blogging takes it a out of you as a business," said Quinn about her contributions. "But it is also a way to stay in the game."

Citizen Mom readers can find a number of topics covered by Quinn. Often, it can be commentary to a news story with link to said story so readers and read for themselves. And logically since Quinn is a mother, she will discuss issues related to parenting. With the advancements of technology, bloggers can also add amusing videos as well. Quinn presented a range of songs and events from classic crooner Frank Sinatra to the latest indie Canadians Tegan and Sara.

While many bloggers post about a number of subjects some can be tailored to a single purpose then finished. During the rollercoaster year of the Kayla Peter investigation and trial, Donna Persico used a blog to keep the story in the public eye.

"I read about blogging in the Inquirer," said Persico. "I read about how it used for Latoyia Figueroa." Figueroa was a young black woman while pregnant with her second child went missing. She left behind a seven-year-old child. Bloggers had been responsible for keeping her story in the public eye. "The blog was directly for Kayla," said Persico. "We wanted to keep her name in the public eye."

The blog kept an eye on the chief suspect in the case Susannah Goihman. The blog would relay sightings of Goihman. The grand jury report on the incident was posted on the blog. Vigils and other events were also posted. The blog also had a another purpose. "It was place for the kids to vent," said Persico. "The response was unbelievable."

The Kayla Peter blog had 300,000 hits during its time. Persico believes that many members of the news media read the blog to keep up on the story. Persico has since finished blogging.

"The blog definitely had a purpose and it served a purpose," said Persico.
While some blogs have a short-term goal in mind, others also leave a lasting posterity.

Pat Zysk Cannon is the writer of the "Journey into the Past" blog. Many readers may remember it was Cannon who was a large help in March track down information for the Graveyard series.

Cannon got into her family's genealogy in 1990 and has been blogging since 2005. Her blog has a number of photos, stories and other tidbits about the Roxborough-Manayunk area. "My family has been here since the 1830s," said Cannon. "I just put it out there and it has snowballed."

Everything on Cannon's blog has a connection to family history whether celebrating the newest member or learning the sights of the hangouts of the progenitor. The blog has had excellent responses from people who once lived in the area and have since moved out; but the blog also had some fantastic unintended consequences.

"We found connections with family we didn't know we had," said Cannon.
Cannon found family from all over the United States and one member who was working in China.

While the blog was started in honor of family, it also has now become a big help in area history. "I didn't want the history of my family and the area to die." said Cannon.

A new generation have started blogging around Our Town. "Roxborough Trash" is blog run by a young 20-year-old who discusses issues in the neighborhood important to him. His latest post was a lament of things that have disappeared from the neighborhood. Things like freeze tag, the Andorra Movie theater and others.

Blogging itself also seems to have a bright future.
"It is a place for expression, for Journaling," said Quinn. "Blogging as a business is already evolving. People want to share things."

article was in the review dated aug 22, 2007