Blogging in Review: Top Ten Blog Posts

Presenting: my top ten favorite posts in order of the date posted. Enjoy!

1. New Year = Spanking New Post! - This is my very first post. I wanted to include it as an example of my blogging foundation. I don't think its so bad, though a little hard to read. I would have bolded the headings for increased scan-ability.
2. Online Class 1: Barlow and Whalen...Discuss -This is my second post and already you can see the progress I've made in terms of formatting. There are bolded text, linking, and separation of ideas by paragraphs. I also liked this article because it presented an argument in a concise and easy to follow manner.
3. Songsmith Rocks! -This is an example of the majority of non class related posts I did for this blog. I really enjoy this post because it shows that I don't have to write a lot to convey a message, I can use other media like a video or a song.
4. Blogging and other writings: a comparison -This posts compares online writing to print writing. I liked this post because I think my ideas are relevant and presented in an easy to read way.
   
5. It's about time I posted a picture. -This post is an example of how dynamic a blog post can be. I used a combination of text, pictures, and video to convey my message.
   
6. Searching for Something? -I really like this post because it contained a lot of useful information and was presented in an interesting and easy to read way. I also think that the title is intriguing and informative.
7. Online Class 7: Zines -This post is very well organized and easy to scan. I was able to clearly lay out my Zine project for all to review. I also included a label for easy organization. This was one of my posts that solicited comments.
8. Attempting to Organize -This is another product description. I feel that I gave a good review of the tool and gave readers enough information to arrive at a general opinion. But, I also included external links that would take them to more information about the product.
9. Online Class 10: Web Project -I liked this post because like the Zine post, I was able to clearly outline my ideas in an easy to read format.
10. What I stumbledupon today -This post reviews another product/tool in an easy to digest manner. I offer reasons why I like it as well as reason why I don't. I demonstrate how the tool works and link to more information.

Blogging in Review

I wrote my first blog post just four months ago as a part of my Writing for the Web course. The semester is now coming to an end and I feel that it would be beneficial to review my progression as an online writer.

Blogging Techniques
One of the key things I've learned in the course is how to communicate to online readers both through modifying the content of my blog as well as the format. I find that Constance J. Peterson's Writing for a Web Audience sums it up best. A good blog post:

• Punch up headlines
• Emphasize key concepts
• Create meaningful captions
• Simplify for understanding
• States conclusion first
  
• Has only one idea per paragraph
• Makes each page stand alone
• Links wisely
• Is current, accurate, and credible
  

The Power of Blogging
This experience has also taught me that blogging can be a powerful tool for forming public opinions. Just look at the impact of Engadget and Gizmodo on the technology industry or the impact of blogs like the Daily Kos, the Huffington Post, and FiveThirtyEight on politics. In fact I would argue that blogs are so influential in our daily decision making that corporations are taking note and have started participating in this new media. In the last ten years, social online media as an industry sector has grown tremendously. It seems everyone is online spreading some kind of message.

Digital vs Print
To me, digital writing like blogs are more informal and generally more accessible than writing for print. I've done a lot of writing for other classes and blogging has been the easiest way for me to voice my opinions in a quick and effective way. I enjoy how interactive a blog can be, a element missing from writing a reflection or an essay. It's almost as good as having an in person discussion with someone. As I discussed in my post Blogging and other writings: a comparison blogging is different from print writing because blogging:

• Is more interactive
• Allows for more creativity in presenting ideas
• Is a social activity

My Progression
Having written in this blog for the entire semester, I have learned that my writing style and my personality is better suited for writing on the web. Specifically, I enjoy the interactiveness of the online public and the feeling that I am reaching out to a lot of people. This sense of power is very compelling.

My writing style is also better for online writing because I enjoy writing in blog form: in chunks with headings, captions, and pictures. I find that a multi-media approach best conveys my ideas in an efficient and effective way.

I can't say that I am a citizen journalist but I feel that I do contribute to the overall dialogue. I have discovered that much of what I write is influenced by what I read which are reviews of innovative ideas, tools, and products.

I think Meg Hourihan's post What We're Doing When We Blog best explains my experience as a blogger and why I prefer blogging to writing for print. She writes:

"Blog posts are short, informal, sometimes controversial, and sometimes deeply personal, no matter what topic they approach. They can be characterized by their conversational tone and unlike a more formal essay or speech, a blog post is often an opening to a discussion, rather than a full-fledged argument already arrived at."

While we may differ in the content of our blogs, we are the same in that blogging provides us with a method of communication unlike any other. As a writer, whose purpose is to communicate with her readers, blogging is perhaps one of the best medium.

Final Thoughts
Overall I have had a positive blogging experience. I can truly say that I have enjoyed this course immensely and feel that I have been given just the right amount of information and support for developing my blog. One area that I would have enjoyed exploring though is that of blogging in the context of business and entrepreneurship. Overall I would recommend learning about blogging and online media to everyone, especially if you want to stay in the information loop. I know I have much to learn and will continue to refine my digital writing skills.

What I Stumbledupon Today

There are many social media tools out there and I hardly pay attention to any of them. But one such tools that I actually use quite frequently is stumbleupon, which is a web surfing tool that allow users to randomly shuffle through websites based on their interests. Some of my interest include: art, bizarre, food, safety (for work), business, and technology.

Stumbleupon In Action
Look what I stumbled just now!

Slovenian artist Franc Grom


Toilet Paper Roll Sculptures


Pros and Cons
I have to say stumbleupon is quite addictive and can offer hours of fun. I even use it to brainstorm ideas with my boss. The problem is that stumbleupon isn't very easy to organize so now I have a whole bunch of cool websites but I can't find anything when I need it. Overall though, it is a great web tool.

Online Class 11: Tweet Tweet!

Everyone has their preferences for social media: there is facebook, myspace, twitter, stumbleupon, and the list goes on and on. Personally, I haven't really gotten into social media. I feel like the relationships developed online aren't as "real". Of course I've never actually developed a true relationship with anyone online. I think I'm a little skeptical of who is out there.

For me I use social media outlets for keeping up with and sharing information with current friends. A general rule for me is to be online friends with people I've met at least once. I think I have difficulty making friends online because I am pretty skeptical of people in general. I tend not to make "true" friends easily, even in person.

As a result, I tend to think that social media relationships are, as Clive Thomson puts it in "I'm So Digitally Close to You," , "the ultimate expression of a generation of celebrity-addled youths who believe their every utterance is fascinating and ought to be shared with the world". On some level I think this addiction to social media is creating a generation of socially stunted people.

What a terrible day!

Last night I went to bed at 3 AM finishing up a paper that was due this morning. I wake up an hour late and rush to print my paper while getting ready. Lo and behold there's no paper in the printer. So I leave without it.

I'm already late so I park closer to my class in one of the metered parking but run out of change to get the max amount of time. I rush off praying I don't get towed.

I get to class and we do absolutely nothing. I am working with a partner who doesn't want to work and we sit and watch YouTube videos. I explain my printer mishap to my professor and she tells me I can turn it in tomorrow. What a waste of time! Had I known it wasn't due I wouldn't have stayed up late to finish it.

After wasting away for an hour and a half we finally get to leave. I run to my car and of course I get a parking ticket. OF COURSE!

On the way back the traffic is crap. I get home and there is no milk. I am rushed by a million things to do and a bajillion projects to complete. Today has started off on a terrible note.

But, as I relive my morning, via this blog post, I realize that it hasn't been that bad after all. Hopefully these will cheer me up:



On Engrish! Find more here.

Online Class 10: Web Project

I am doing my web project for the company I work for: Osha Services. The goal is to create a research database and resource website that will:

1. Be the number one source of OSHA information in Trinidad and Tobago and
   
2. Drive more business

The Design
In order to achieve this we are looking to use a more circular site structure where multiple pages are linked to each other. The primary source of information will be the TT OSH Act which will drive the rest of the resource website. We hope to integrate our existing newsletter with this website. Additionally, we want to incorporate multimedia videos and interactive activities as a means to teach the material in a more web friendly way.

Design Paradigm
I will be emphasizing the following techniques in creating this website:

• use bullets and chunking for easier readability
• try to illustrate with pictures and videos
• avoid flash to increase download speeds
• try to format the page to fit the screen entirely, minimizing scroll
• incorporate corporate branding throughout the website
• provide search engines and linked outlines for easier accessibility

Overall, I think this will be a challenging project but once the site is up, I think it will drive a lot of business. Do you have any suggestions for making the website user friendly?

Online Class 9: Perez Made me Illiterate

In 2008, ReadWriteWeb claimed that GEN-Y is taking over. The article Why Gen-Y is Going to Change the Web features several ways in which we differ from the rest of the world and how organizations, businesses in particular, can capitalize on this. I have to say the author was right on target. (Probably cause she is some twenty-year old intern writing the article. Of course I'm only speculating).

One particularly interesting insight was that websites will have to cater to shorter attention spans. For me, this is especially true and quite scary because I found that my focus in general has been lacking. Like the author in Is Google Making Us Stupid, reading for me has become more difficult than ever. I remember I used to breeze through books when I was in middle school, back when I didn't even really like the computer. Now I feel like I'm always chunking what I read and craving for bullet points and bold to guide me through a passage. This has made reading books nearly impossible. I am always reading passages over again because I would have been distracted by just about anything. This phenomenon happens for books I enjoy too! To remedy this I even bought a book on how to read effectively. Unfortunately, I never finished it.

I think reading online has really changed the way I read. I think I am actually hardwired now to comprehend a certain way.

So, I think someone (maybe me?) should develop a technique/a book on how to read post Internet brain scramble. By appealing to the tendencies of the Internet reader, perhaps we can re-learn how to read a book. Or maybe its time to change the way books are written.

What do you think?

Lastly for your amusement:

Attempting to Organize

As graduation approaches, I have decided to really embrace the pending adulthood/real world of which I am about to enter. For me this means getting organized.

Disorganization in the past has caused me a lot of grief. I am always wasting time trying to find something. To top that off, I have a terrible memory which means that half the time I don't really know what I'm looking for. This ultimately leads to procrastination and many nights of last minute cramming. It's all very hectic and it's time I did something about it.

First Attempts
I attempted to read 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, Four Hour Work Week, Getting Things Done, and other similar books on how I can be a more productive person. Sadly, I have very little time or patience for reading books and as a result have only read maybe half of each book.

Web 2.0 as the Solution
Having failed to become more organized and productive through reading books, I have turned to online tools for help. In reading various blogs and reviews and actually taking it for a test drive, I found EVERNOTE to be exactly what I needed.


What is Evernote?
Evernote is a program that allows users to capture, collect, and organize information. This information can be captured from the web, using a camera, a scanner, and more.

Here is a brief introduction of the program:


Why I Like It
I see all kinds of information I want to remember and Evernote allows me to capture it virtually anywhere. It is flexible and customizable which means it can be tailored to your needs. So far I have been very pleased.

Additional Information
I am still new at the software but there are plenty of seasoned Evernote users out there that can help you use the tool more effectively.

• Evernote blog
• 7 Ways to Use Evernote
• Clever Uses for Evernote

Now that you know about it, try it out! You can use it online or on your desktop. It is compatible for both MACs and PCs! If you need more convincing...

Here is a short pitch by the CEO of Evernote Corporation:

Online Class 7: Zines

Assignment:
Develop an e-zine article.

Initial Thoughts:
Whats the difference between zines and blogs anyway? Apparently quite a bit.

• While both can be about a variety of subjects, e-zines typically have an editor who filters out content.
  
• As the Zoning in on Zines article explains, e-zines originated out of fanzines which are

  homemade publications that usually have a staff of one and are produced as entertainment and not for profit. They generally don’t have regular publishing schedules, and they’re usually traded or sold through the mail.

• A trend in online publications is for major print magazines to post online. Off the top of my head some examples are: ELLE, The Economist, Wired, and all the other Conde Nast Publications, some of which are purely digital (epicurious).

My E-Zine Article
There are several different topics that I am considering for my e-zine article.

• FOOD. Being a major foodie. I would love to create an article for Epicurious. Maybe a recipe or cooking experience. Since I am new to cooking I have plenty of disaster tales to write about. Another take on this topic would to review my favorite restaurants in Arizona. The Phoenix New Times features a zine/blog that I love called Chow Bella that would be perfect for a restaurant review piece.
• Occupational Safety and Health. I know it seems totally random and super boring but I work for a consulting company specializing in occupational safety and health. I am the marketing strategist for the company responsible for establishing the company brand. For the Zine project I could write an occupational safety and health article much like the ones featured on on EHS Today and OH&S.
  
• Fashion. I have recently developed an interest in fashion. While I don't feel like I'm super fashionable I think I can bring a unique perspective to the fashion world.
  
• Others. I am also considering doing an article on fun random facts, China business, cheap travel, personal finance, and personal development.
  

Final Note:
Having read the article Writing for a Web Audience, I have tried to incorporate the techniques in constructing this blog post. Did you notice a difference?

Do citizen journalists provide a more diverse source of media?

My boyfriend is a political junkie and reads a lot of political blogs. He claims that the only major media program he watches for news is the News Hour with Jim Lehrer. He thinks that all the other major networks clutter their news with unsupported and biased analysis. He wants the facts and he wants to make the interpretation himself.

I can see why he's frustrated. But his solution is turning to online blogs because he feels that bloggers, while giving their opinion gives a more unbiased fact based analysis because they are not profit driven. I would like to agree but fundamentally I just don't think he is correct.

First of all, many blogs are profit driven, though its a smaller bottom line. But I find it hard to distinguish writing that is experience based in comparison to readership driven. Who's to say bloggers don't write what they think readers want to hear?

Second, I feel that as a blog reader you tend to read things that reflect your way of thinking. In this way, you aren't accessing a more diverse source for your news. So then are you benefiting from relying on blogs for information?

Finally, I think my boyfriend believes that the blogs he reads are so much better than network news because he reads blogs that reflects his opinions and views on life. I wonder if he would think as highly of a blog source if it provided opinions contradictory to his.

I guess the only factor that makes blogs more "real/true" is the fact that there is so much competition out there bloggers have to provide good, fact based analysis or else they won't get much readership.

Online Class 6: I'm in LOVE with the Internet

Once upon a time, I hated the internet. I know its blasphemous to say so, especially for a blogger but when I was younger I didn't really see much value in it and I especially hated having to type.

But now, I can't imagine my life without it. The internet has changed me as a person. To the extent that I consider it one of the most influential forces in my life. Pretty soon it'll be nature versus nurture versus the internet as the competing forces that shape each and every one of us. The following is a list of how the internet has made me who I am today...for better or for worse.

• Typing has made me a terrible speller. I also have terrible handwriting. Imagine reading my grocery list. :-(
  
• Ever since Hulu, I have no use for a TV anymore. Why be entertained on the network's schedule when I can watch 5 episodes of Bones in one sitting at 4 am in the morning?
• I also don't buy workout tapes, books, music, or movies anymore. Not that I did in the first place but I have so much access to content I don't even know where to start.
• I have learned how to do many things online including but not limited to: making a kitty liter facial scrub, making a messenger bag out of trash bags, and how to speak Spanish.
  
• The idea of working from home and telecommuting isn't so foreign and mysterious like it once was. Currently, I work for a firm based in Trinidad but I live in the United States. I Skype with my boss and use OfficeLive to coordinate work. I've only been to the actual office twice! Now that I know I can work in a virtual office I'm thinking of moving all of my work online. Before, I thought working 9 to 5 in a cubicle was the norm but having worked in a dynamic environment, I would much rather work from home on project based work. The internet in essence has changed my outlook on career options post college.
  
• I study marketing and I've realized that because of the internet there is a whole new component to marketing that is very fascinating. I definitely have a lot more to learn about SEO and online marketing.
• The internet has also forced me to go outside of my bubble. I recently went to a Meetup event where I learned to knit with a bunch of girls I have never met before! They were really nice and I learned something new! I definitely wouldn't found a group like that without the internet.
• Google maps has reinforced my inability to navigate. If the internet was to go down I would be lost both metaphorically and literally.
• The most important way the internet has changed my life is that it has allowed me to access a variety of information in a condensed format (wikipedia, rss feeds, about.com). I feel empowered by the internet. I feel as if I can do anything and if I don't know how I can just Google it and find out.

Basically it comes to the fact that I LOVE the INTERNET. I would totally marry it.

Searching for Something?

Do remember the time before Google, Yahoo, Alta Vista? How did we find anything on the web? Search engines have certainly made the Internet the way it is today, and without it the world wide web just wouldn't have been functional. Today there are all sorts of search engines, some that even search ethically! Below is a list of some of the most innovative ones.

GOOSHING
GOOSHING is a shopping site that allows you to search for items from ethical companies at the cheapest price. According to the website's about page, GOOSHING is brought to you by

The Ethical Company Organisation, who first published The Good Shopping Guide – which has become the world’s leading ethical shopping reference authority.

Multicolr Search Lab
The Multicolr Search Lab allows users to find various pictures of the same color. For example if I was looking for a pink picture I would click on the exact shade that I wanted and the search engine would display various pictures with pink as the dominate color:


Ecocho
According to the Ecocho website,

Ecocho is a new search engine trying to make a difference for climate change. For every 1000 searches users make on Ecocho they counter balance or "offset" a ton of greenhouse gases. They do this by sponsoring two trees via advertising on the site.

Basically Ecocho has partnered with Yahoo to provide users with an easy to use search engine. But the cool part is that while you search you can also help save the planet!

Searchme
Searchme allows users to conduct visual searches.

In the above picture I searched for Yoga and searchme automatically displayed the search results in a mini screenshot form. I think this search tool is especially useful for visual learners.

It's about time I posted a picture.

So I was looking back on my blog posts and realized that I have done what I absolutely hate about other blogs. I have created a blog full of text and hardly any pictures! I am a true believer that a picture is worth a thousand words and to think that I have not supplemented my posts with pictures is quite shameful. So, to make up for my neglect, here is a series of funny/interesting pictures! Enjoy!

Happy Clams
Source: Sticky Comics

Camouflage by Liu Bolin
Source: DesignBoom


Rat Shoe
Source: InventorSpot


KEWB Multi-Functional Living Room Set
Source: Web Urbanist


Lastly a cool video:
Reverse Graffiti : Ossario: Alexandre Orion
Source: Ossario.net

Online Class 5: Citizen Journalism

Citizen journalists play a critical role in truth and knowledge sharing. It seems that many people now a days are skeptical of the truth in conventional journalism and have turned to citizen journalists for the most up to date and "real" information. Though this information is highly biased, at least readers have the ability to survey a wide variety of opinions on a certain subject and come to a conclusion for themselves. I feel that in traditional media we are spoon fed a certain politically correct version of the truth and expected to accept that as reality. Citizen journalists offer us more freedom in how we view the world. I believe this has motivated a lot of people to turn to citizen journalism for their news.

Citizen journalism has also changed the way we make decisions. Just look at how Engadget and
Gizmodo impacts the technology industry. A positive review on these sites can really help a product boost credibility. Or how about the 2008 presidential election? Many of my peers completely ignored traditional media coverage. They turned to Daily Kos, the Huffington Post, and FiveThirtyEight for information and analysis. I think the appeal is in the equality between writer and reader. Because there is so much interaction the reader has some influence in content.

Citizen journalism has also provided us with the most up to date information on things we may not otherwise have access to. This is news in real time. In the most recent Israeli/Palestine conflict citizen journalists on the ground were able to provide a unique perspective on what was going on. One such blog is Life Must Go On in Gaza and Sderot. This blog is written by an Israeli man and a Palestinian man living on opposite sides of the divide. What they share daily simply cannot be reproduced by traditional media. They provide a certain type of insight that we all crave but cannot get by traditional means. Thus, we turn to these citizen journalists.

I think its amazing how much impact everyday people can have on the world now and its all thanks to the Internet!

Blogging is hard

Do you have to be opinionated to blog well?

I feel that because I don't have particularly strong opinions on many things it has been difficult for me to blog. I'm one of those people that can see both sides of the story and find it hard to take sides.

Do you have to write well to blog well?

Maybe I'm being a cop-out but I blame my inability to write on the fact that English is my second language. Because of this it has been hard to articulate my thoughts in writing form. I think I am articulate when speaking. How do I translate that onto paper?

I think I'm approaching blogging completely wrong. I'm blogging for others ie readers but I think most bloggers blog for themselves. They write what interests them and see it as an outlet. For me being an accomplished blogger means having lots of readers interested in what I have to say. Without readers I find no joy in blogging. Am I going about this all wrong?

I guess what I'm trying to say is blogging is HARD!

Blogging and other writings: a comparison

VS

How is blogging different from other forms of writing? In my opinion blogging is different because:

Blogging is Personal
In my last post I mentioned that I haven't ventured out into the blog world as much as I should have. To date, I still haven't. I realize this really limits my blogging experience as much of blogging is about making connections with the reader. For many writers this is a luxury. In non web forms of writing, the writer simply cannot get instantaneous feedback from their readers. But this is exactly what is preventing me from venturing out. There is much more personal involvement in blogging and sometimes I just want to share information without having to listen to input from others.

Blogging is Creative
Blogging is also different than other print writings in that it allows for more creativity. When I write for print my tools are words and pictures but blogging allows me to use video and links to create a more complete reading experience.

Blogging is social
Blogging is also more social than some of the traditional forms of writing. It seems that popular blogs always incite some sort of comment from readers and for some bloggers their main purpose is to engage readers in a dialogue.

Blogging is better communication
Blogging also forces me to be more aware of who my readers are. Since anyone could read my blog I often have to consider who these people may be and try to communicate in a way that is clear for people from a variety of backgrounds.

What do you think? What makes blogging different for you?

Thriller!

When I was in elementary school I was in LOVE with Michael Jackson. I wanted to marry him. This was during his human years:

I remember I used to sneak downstairs to watch MTV music specials on Michael Jackson. Of course my all time favorite Michael Jackson music video is Thriller. I used to think it was really scary but I couldn't help but watch it because of all the great dancing and of course Michael.

Apparently I'm not the only one who loves it! The website ThrilltheWorld is dedicated to Thriller! More importantly how to do the dance in Thriller! There are even videos that breakdown each movement! This is a dream come true. I'm going to go practice and then dance my pants off! You should try it too!

For those who need inspiration check out these Philippine prisoners doing the dance. If they can do it, you can too!

Online Class 4: What's it all about?

Since starting this blog I've tried to determine what kind of contribution I wanted to make to the Internet universe.

For me this blog is my way of sharing interesting, creative and unique ideas and occurrences whatever they may be. I always stumble on cool things on the Internet and it is enjoyable, even fulfilling for me to share these websites. But e-mailing seems so limiting because I can only reach my friends. So this blog was created to share my cool finds with the world! I guess its my way of democratizing information. But I must admit I haven't been connecting with other bloggers as much. I think it's because I'm afraid that readers won't find my posts interesting. But I can't hide forever. This is the Internet and people are bound to read what I'm writing.

So...this week I will attempt to step out of my comfort zone and connect with a blogger! Come back soon to hear about how it went!

Just a thought

There is a general notion that the Internet has allowed us to share more and be more open with the world but consider this. When we type an e-mail, send a text, post a blog we are writing our thoughts in a text editor. This gives us the ability to edit and manipulate what we say and how we say it. Combined with pictures and videos what we present on the world wide web is this censored version of ourselves. On the other hand when we engage in a conversation it is much harder to edit what we say. Is what we post electronically the truth or an overly managed portrayal of ourselves?
Are we really sharing that much with each other?

What do you think?

25 Questions

In order to help you get to know me a little bit better I've decided to post that 25 questions survey from Facebook on here. I know I know its soooo last week but I figure it would help us get to know each other! So...here goes 25 random things about me!

1. I feel guilty because I'm not much of an animal person. Is it wrong if I don't have feelings for animals?
2. When I was a baby my grandmother would insist that I sleep on my back so that I would develop a flat head. This was supposedly better for ponytails and therefore desirable. I kind of resent her for that.
3. I had my first piece of cheese when I was 8.
4. I hate watching dramas because I become too involved in the story. But some of the best movies of seen were ones that I was forced to see.
5. Generally speaking I prefer hanging out with guys. I think girls are too complicated.
6. I enjoy chopping vegetables. I think it's very soothing
7. I think pigeons are plotting to take over the world. Notice how they aren't afraid of people anymore. They don't even move when you walk towards them. That really scares me.
8. Birds creep me out. I hate pigeons especially because I try not to run them over on the road but they won't fly out of the way.
9. I've shot a machine gun in the jungles of Vietnam. Its the only gun I've touched.
10. I want a dancer's body and I think that if I danced I would get one.
11. Engrish always makes me happy.
12. After I watch foreign film with subttitles I always feel like I can speak the language.
13. My goal is to have traveled to all 7 continents by the age of 25. I still need to go to Australia, Europe, Latin America, and Antarctica.
14. My brother is nine years younger then me so sometimes I still feel like an only child.
15. I hate driving and am a big fan of public transportation.
16. Forest green is my favorite color.
17. It's been so long since I've read a book.
18. I love the way a library/book store smells.
19. I like going to yard sales because its always an adventure you never know what you are going to find.
20. Liechtenstein is my favorite country in the world because I did a report on it in Middle School.
21. I like standing on my head.
22. I've never had a pet.
23. I don't like to take medicines. I always give my body the opportunity to fight it first.
24. I've tried donating blood every year since high school (almost 6 years) but have never been successful because of travel restrictions.
25. I think airplane food is the best part of flying.

Online Class 3: The Evolution of Internet Use

I remember when I was in elementary school I hated typing up reports on the computer. I thought it was really tedious and that it took forever. That was before I knew how to type fast. And then came AIM and my relationship with the internet and computers completely changed. Next came Yahoo Mail, Shockwave games, Xanga, Livejournal, and Kazaa. Once I entered high school my internet usage evolved beyond entertainment. I began doing research on Google Scholar and online databases, and I shared documents via Google Docs. I found my way around town using Mapquest and started downloading through Mytunes.

Today theres a whole mess of programs and softwares I use on a daily basis: Pandora for music, Yelp for reviews, Constant Contact for work, Google groups for my thesis writing group, and the list goes on. I can't believe I once dreaded writing reports on a computer and now I couldn't imagine handwriting anything! What a change I have experienced in just ten years!

But having what seems like having the world at my finger tips does have its consequences. While I have been able to share all sorts of information with people all over the world, I still dont feel CONNECTED to people. It seems that the internet has brought us closer together also kept us apart. I think there is real value in having in person experiences where we can engage all of our senses. Perhaps thats where the internet is headed in the future. As users demand a more realistic human experience over the internet we may see the development widgets built to enhance our tactile senses. Wouldn't that be something?

But for now I would be happy with a more integrated internet. Lucky for me I'm not the only one! Check out this cool new tool from Mozilla.


Ubiquity for Firefox from Aza Raskin on Vimeo.

Check out the Mozilla blog post about it here.

Revel in RIVES

I'm not terribly fond of poems. I just don't get most of them. I don't want to guess at what your saying I just want you to tell me.

Then along came RIVES. Here are some examples of his genius.





Oh how I wish I could make words work for me!

Speaking of Blogs

This blog post is about blogs. First a video: the essence of blogging explained in twenty minutes, a TED speech by Mena Trott.

Note: the speech drags after about five minutes.



For the beginner:
Problogger's Crawl before you walk: 6 Step-by-step Instructions for Starting your First Blog
Problogger's Starting Your First Blog? 29 Tips, Tutorials and Resources for New Bloggers

More blog resources to come. Do you have any favorite blog related resources?

Songsmith Rocks!

Microsoft Songsmith allows users to make their own music and write songs. Essentially the program generates musical accompaniment that matches a singer’s voice.

The real beauty of Songsmith however is that it has taken off as a viral hit, partially because of Johannes Kreidler, who used Songsmith to create melodies from stock charts. Check it out:



Gotta love the internet!

Online Class 2: Picture This

Blogging is a whole new genre of writing best suited for what seems like the ever shrinking attention span. Its therefore, no surprise to me that most blogs are littered with pictures and links. Meredith Badger calls them visual blogs and claims that

[w]hen we encounter images in weblogs the sense of entering a private space is enhanced, particularly as weblog images often reveal information about the blogger, either intentionally or by accident. Some weblogs include an image of the blogger at the top of the page and we carry this face in our minds as we read the text. Is the blogger young or old? Male or female? What nationality? The information imparted by the blogger’s photograph inevitably influences how we react to the words that surround it.

I completely agree! When I was first introduced to the world of blogs I was itching for some inspiration. After going through what seemed like a million blogs I found myself consistently returning to one particular blogger: Shopgirl's Shanghai. Her content isn't that interesting but based on her info page and all the pictures she posts of herself I felt drawn to her because she reminded me of myself. So even though by everyone's standards she may not have been interesting, I was interested in what she had to say because I was intrigued by our similarities. I guess a picture is worth a thousand words.

And so, given that a picture is rather revealing I have been quite hesitant to include any personal photos of myself. I don't want my image to influence the way people perceive my blog. For me this blog is about sharing interesting tidbits about life and living that may inform and inspire you. The last thing I want is to be discredited by a photo of myself. On the other hand, have I already limited myself by not including a photo? Does the absence of a photo say anything about me?

Online Class 1: Barlow and Whalen...Discuss

Here is the text:
A Declaration of Independence of Cyberspace-John Perry Barlow
The Mayhem is the Message-John Whalen

My Two Cents:
Two words: Net Neutrality. Barlow and Whalen would have supported net neutrality which is defined by Google as "the principle that Internet users should be in control of what content they view and what applications they use on the Internet. [...] Fundamentally, net neutrality is about equal access to the Internet." (There's all sorts of OTHER stuff related to net neutrality which can be found on Wikipedia.) But for the purpose of this post I am going to define net neutrality as freedom of the internet.

Specifically...

Barlow
Barlow stresses that the internet is free, vast, permeable, welcoming, and free flowing. There is a dual sense of unity and disconnect. Internet users are not bounded by common laws of government but by one single GOLDEN RULE. Barlow's description is almost religious in tone, recruiting readers to resist THE MAN! How powerful his words must have been in the early days of the internet. As with all new technology, the introduction of something so epic as the internet forces us to question many elements of the status quo.

Whalen
Whalen's article introduces us to those freshly recruited readers of Barlow's Declaration, now bent on enforcing the freedom of the internet in creative and often humorous ways. This article stresses the continuing divide between those in support of net neutrality and those who want to control the internet. Perhaps its another case of liberalism vs. conservatism? Change vs. stability? Security above all?

I think it's interesting that back then jamming and such techniques were labeled "cultural terrorism" and now its hip new guerrilla media. Oh how the times have changed.

New Year = Spanking New Post!

Hello Bloggers:

1. This is my first post and I feel obligated to share that bit of information. Perhaps now I won't be judged as critically or worse, rejected by readers (we're all fearful of judgment and rejection aren't we?). In my defense, I used to have a LiveJournal way back when (building some credibility here).

2. Happy 牛 Year!

Roughly translated: Happy New Year. Year of the Ox! If you know Chinese you would understand why this is clever. Let me explain...

a) Today is Chinese New Year and it is the year of the ox.
b) 牛means ox and phonetically it is pronounced 'niu' which sounds like 'new'
c) Therefore, Happy 牛 Year = Happy New Year!

I love clever Chinese/English sayings like these. More to come I'm sure.

3. I am looking forward to dumping random musings from my life here at this blog. These musings may include: comments for my ENG 494 class, trivia, fashion, art, design, how I am improving my life, and similar randomness.

4. As always comments and suggestions are welcome! Hate mail not so much...but accepted (this is the internet after all).

That is all.