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.
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.
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.
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:
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:
Be the number one source of OSHA information in Trinidad and Tobago and
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 TTOSH 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?
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.
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.
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:
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?
