8_22_2009 Retail SOUTH 11
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L EDGER L AND PAGE 1 1 AU G 2 0 0 9 S AT U R D AY 22 / 2 3 ON THE WEB JOHN GALLUZZO I Bio: Galluzzo, 38, of Weymouth, a local author and naturalist, is an education coordinator and citizens science coordinator for the Massachusetts Audubon Society. I Blog: 30 Minutes a Day on Foot at http://halfanhouraday.blogspot.com/ Galluzzo takes at least a 30-minute walk somewhere on the South Shore each day. He blogs about his observations, weaves in a bit of history and posts a snapshot from his journey. His theory: Life is about exploring, and that can be done across the country or a block from your house. I What’s there: Photos and commentary I Excerpt: “I surveyed the roadside scene, the bushes, the shrubs, the guardrails, and planned my approach. I sidled into position and turned on my camera. No luck. As soon as one great blue heron saw me - about two hundred feet away - it flew. Mass hysteria broke out and soon all of the birds were aloft . . . I snapped and snapped, but mostly got retreating bird butts. I never said this was easy. I walked on.” BOB GALLAGHER I Bio: 48, of Scituate, six months into his job as the new keeper of the Old Scituate Light. He is also a local schoolteacher. I Blog: The word from old Scituate Light at http://oldscituatelight.blogspot.com/ Ever wonder what it’s like to be a lighthouse keeper? Gallagher fills you in with his blog. He started posting the day he took over as PAT GLENNON I Bio: 37, father of four from Rockland, works in the finance industry. I Blog: Annoyingly Boring? at http://annoyinglyboring.com/ Glennon is trying to shoot and post a photo a day, every day, DAN BEAKEY I Bio: 30, lifelong Quincy resident who works for a car dealership and blogs in his spare time I Blog: The Quincy Scallion at http://be akwilder.blogspot. com/ A satirical look at life and politics in Quincy (essentially, a localized version of The Onion). Beakey puts forth no pretense, titling the blog, “The best fake news source on the South S h o r e . ” Warning : Nothing and no one is off-limits on this site, and not all the content is PG-rated. I What’s there: Photos, and commentary with a punch I Excerpt: “The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority has recently announced plans to begin showing feature length films during the dreaded ride between North Quincy Station and JFK/UMass . .. inb oun d com muters were able to watch The Godfather: Part II , leaving them ...thirty- seven minutes of awkward silence before finally reaching JFK/UMass.” Each day, South Shore residents flock to their computers to share their thoughts and passions By JENNIFER MANN THE PATRIOT LEDGER QUI N CY A walk down the street turns into an exploration of nature and history. The trivial becomes intriguing if captured at the right angle. Wedding parties arrive by day, beacons of light guide boats by night. The newsworthy takes on a comically outrageous tone. This is the South Shore online – via blogs. Every day, people across the region flock to their computers and blog. What was once a strange word is now a well-known verb, and chances are, you know somebody doing it. A look at some of the more established blogs written on the South Shore shows a diverse world of tho ught, exper ience and creativit y. There is Bob Gallagher, the lightho use keeper; John Galluzzo, the naturalist ; Pat Glenno n, the photo addict; and Dan Beakey , the satirist. And those are just a few. Everyone from teachers to professional organizers to police union bosses are putting their thoughts online. Sometimes, the blogs only are viewed by friends and family. Other times, they ignite a firestorm of criticism or gain faithful followers. Galluzzo, who works for the Massachusetts Audubon Society, makes a point of taking at least a 30-minute walk each day. He then blogs about what he sees, whether it is a warbler in a maple tree or a wagon wheel near South Shore Hospital. “I thought it would help folks to understand the beauty of the South Shore,” he said. “I’m eig ht months into it, and I’ve got a list of places I need to get to before the year is over.” In each post, Galluzzo notes how long the trip took and what else he did in his day. His message: even busy people can find time for exercise and explorati o n. Beake y lov es his cit y – so much so that he’s willing to laugh at it. “There’s a lot of characters here,” said Beakey , who runs “The Quincy Scallion ” blog, a no-ho lds- barred look at life in the City of Presidents. Beakey spends a couple of hours each day updating his blog, with help from friend Pearse McGrath. “This is a passion of mine. I’m sarcastic, and I like to at least pretend I’m funn y ,” he said. Glennon has been blogging for about two years. But it wasn’t until he started his photo-a-d ay, everyday project that the blog really took off. “If it’s something that interests yo u, yo u find the time,” he said of the demands of maintaining a blog. “I’ll just keep doing it until I get tired of it, and I don’t think that will be anytime soon.” Jennifer Mann may be reached at jmann@ledger .com. DEBORAH BARRETT I Bio: A teacher and Quincy resident, born and raised there. I Blog: Quincy Daily Photo, http://quincydailyphoto. blogspot.com/ Barrett I For links to local bloggers, go to PatriotLedge r.com GARY HIGGINS/THE PA TRIOT LEDGER I John Galluzzo is a local author and naturalist who works for the Massachusetts Audubon Society. I Dan Beakey spends a couple of hours ea ch day updating his blog. I Atlantic Puffin photo from John Galluzzo’ s blog. I Dan Beakey blogs about Quincy in “The Quincy Scallion”.
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