The first time you arrive at the ‘Neural Net’ blog, you are required to enter a user name and password for some strange reason. This initial obstacle is an unpleasant surprise; so just hit the Cancel-button in order to continue. Some random images appear and in the upper left-hand corner is the logo telling you where you are. The entry page explains something about the time being ripe to join a members’ section. I do not want to join anything, don’t feel like emailing personal information in order to be part of the so-called “fun and debauchery.” I just want to read the darn blog, wherever it is. Where is it now? I am already lost in the Neural Net.
This is an unusual blog in that it is never really clear where you are going to, nor where you are coming from. Perhaps this was the original intention of the author, and if this was his goal he did a pretty good job of achieving it. Confusing but also aggravating.
If I get lost and find my way back to the home page, I am again confronted with that login window. Hit the Cancel-button in order to continue for the nth time. Okay, there is a dropdown list-box centered at the top of the page, maybe I can find something in there. Yes, journal is in there, so I select it.
The real journal comes up, okay I have finally made it. At first it appears pretty empty, this journal, sparsely populated with words and an occasional picture. Lots of white space, nothing really interesting, and there are parts which seem not yet completed, perhaps still under construction?
Here’s a typical entry: “Hey, I’m sorry I haven’t posted anything lately, but I have nothing to offer the journal lately, and it has had nothing to offer me…” Need I say more? The only form of navigation is jumping back and forth 20 entries via a link at the bottom of the page or using that dropdown list-box I told you about.
One part with some semblance of a personality behind the artist penning these words few-and-far-between is the biography. Introspective questions like “how old are you?†or “where are you at?†or “do you have any brothers or sisters?†give the reader unique insights (yeah, sure). There is however a pretty nice collection of interesting photographs (which unfortunately takes time to download), giving one a much needed and refreshing break. They are actually pretty good I have to admit.
Certainly it is not my intention to sound overly critical, but there is no avoiding it. This blog still needs a lot of work, more structure, and improved navigation features. There are blogs out there for one’s own self, and there are even better blogs created with feeling especially for others to read with pleasure. This is definitely not the latter. Just a Neural Net is all.Reality Rendered.