FRIDAY FUN: PET PEEVE OF THE DAY...live-blogging isn't really "live" - it's afterthought-blogging; note-taking posted later by some geeks

Everyone has little annoyances that get under their skin from time to time. They are not huge, catastrophic things - just the pebble in the shoe kind of things that irritate more than exasperate.

One of the little pebbles in my shoe is "live-blogging."

Live-blogging for the most part is a misnomer. Live-blogging really isn't "live." It's just delayed note-taking of an event that you attended live. In the current "live-blogging" world, someone's notes are usually revamped, or touched up by listening back to a simple recording the blogger made while the live message was being given so that they could make changes if necessary and their "live-blogging" post more thorough before actually publishing to their blog. This is referred to by industry geeks as "afterthought-blogging"; but as you can see, it's definitely not "live-blogging."

"Live-blogging" should live up to its name and be a "live-real-time experience." It should be for lack of a better word... live. Instead of: "I am personally attending a conference and am taking notes while someone is speaking; and I will try and post something on my blog about the talk I've just heard within three hours or so-blogging." Again, that's not live-blogging; it's computer-geeks at a conference looking for a reason to be there. 

For example: could you imagine ABC Sports advertising that they are going to be carrying XYZ sporting event "live" (they are "live-broadcasting"); but when you tune in to actually watch your "live-broadcast" you discover it's not being broadcast-live at all. It is a delayed broadcast that only has shown a highlight reel. That's essentially what guys are now doing in the name of "live-blogging."

So "live-blogging" a Christian conference is nothing more than taking some notes, improving upon those notes by maybe listening back to a simple recording you just made on a pocket recorder of the talk you just heard, and then posting it on your blog two, three, or four hours later.  Well if that's considered "live-blogging", then folks I want you to know that I will be "live-blogging" Ben Stein's new movie, "Expelled." I will also be "live-blogging" Chris Matthews Hardball AND Sean Hannity too. You won't want to miss it--stay tuned for details when it will actually happen. I will also take some pictures and "live-photograph" my TV screen for you and post those pictures up on my blog so that you can really feel what it's like to be there. :-).

Now, if you want to see live-blogging in action, watch this. THIS IS LIVE-BLOGGING.

So... next time a well-meaning Christian blogger is announcing they are traveling to such and such a Bible conference and will be "live-blogging" the conference for you. just smile politely and know what to expect. You can even take a little pity on them for their delusional geekdom. OR better yet, you could listen to the MP3's that most conferences have up now for free within an hour or so of it actually taking place.  OR, you could watch the live-streaming that many conferences offer as well. Then you can "live-MP3blog" or "live-video-streaming-blog" about it on your own blog for others to read who haven't heard the MP3's yet or missed the live-streaming. Really cool!  And what's a real added benefit is you save on the expensive conference fees; airfare; rent-a-car; hotel; meals, etc.  It's a win - win.

So everybody... let's try it!

Pick an event that you might be doing with your family - say walking the dog, washing the car, going to the movies, watching a TV show... and "live-blog" about it today. And here's the great thing - it doesn't have to be live - just make sure it's within a few hours of when you actually did it.

FYI: I have "live-posted" this article for you; you can "live-comment" if you'd like; and then we could "live-dialogue" about its content. :-)

Thanks for letting me get the pebble out of my shoe...
This has been Campi, "live-blogging" from COT national headquarters (my dining room) in sunny Nashville, TN.

PS - If you really want to live-blog check out Cover It Live.