Storytelling

Regarding storytelling, that is of the non-fiction kind, recently I filled out a survey from a USC (University of Southern California) Ph.D. student/researcher who is part of The Narrative Group. The survey was sent to bloggers who were discovered through their software (a "bot"? I am not sure if that is the right term for it) that seeks out blogs that are posted to somewhat frequently with real-life stories. It was sort of interesting, and gave me something to think about other than what has been sort of an up-and-down start to a new year.

Most of the questions were pretty simple, like "why do you want to write a blog" and "what aspects of your life do you include (or not include)"? One question was about views on Hilary Clinton, which I thought was weird! :) But, maybe these researchers can make some associations based on that. They know more about their research than I do, obviously.

This connection is one more reason to keep blogging, I guess. Other than Rocking Dog Ranch continually poking at me, that is! :) Since I used to work in a university research environment, years ago, the USC survey was appealing for that reason, too. It is too bad that most of the other sheepdog bloggers have given up but that is their choice. Certainly it is not as easy to blog as it is to post on FB but there is room here to expand and do more, which is one reason why I like it. It also functions as a journal of sorts. And a place to put photos that I have played around with in my photo software. :)

From the Narrative Group's website:

The Narrative Group investigates storytelling and the human mind, exploring how people experience, interpret and narrate the events in their lives. We pursue creative research at the intersection of computer science, psychology, and communications. Our projects range from basic science research to advanced prototype development.