So everyone is on MySpace these days, and it’s kind of funny and fast things spread and how people sign up for it. When I first signed up for it a few years ago, I didn’t really look for people on there. I didn’t know anyone using it, in fact I think I just got a friends list this year! You don’t really realize how big it is until you start getting friend requests from people you knew waaay back in the day. (more…)

One of the most interesting things about our culture these days is how fast everything is changing, without us paying a ton of attention to it. I was reading this article today, and I wish I could remember where it was so I could refer back to it, but it was obviously an article about technology, but one part mentions how with all of this new cool stuff coming out, we’re spawning an indoor generation.

Now I couldn’t agree more with what the guy is saying, because I could be a prime example. But in all honesty, there are sites out there (Facebook, MySpace, YouTube, etc.) where it is way too easy to get sucked into countless hours of browsing, if you will. Would you agree? As far as my habits are concerned, computers are getting better, video games are getting better, more channels are becoming available in high def, and the list goes on and on.

Aside from that, the internet is growing tremendously, so more services are becoming available so that you don’t even have to leave your home. Hell, I’m at the forefront of this. I pay all of my bills online, my job essentially consists of being on the computer, so I could work from home if I was allowed. My main line of communication is through email, and is probably the best way for someone to get in touch with me since I’m always at my computer. The list could go on and on.

I can’t exactly say if this whole ‘indoor’ generation is a good thing, because lots of these luxuries are pretty convenient and beneficial, but I also think it subconsciously does something to us……..well depending on the person. The more people stay inside, the more your interpersonal skills [could] slip, which definitely is not a good thing. No these indoor luxuries won’t go anywhere, but neither will the need to know how to deal with people face to face.

Though I love my technology, there are some situations where I just need to be face to face with someone. If I have get clients for business, I find it essential that I meet them face to face. I am not a fan of phone interviews either, rather I like to read people’s body/face language, and give them the chance to read mine. So in some cases, there is no way I want to rely on technology, and those are pretty important instances.

So yeah, all the new toys and sites coming out are cool as hell, but I think the more of those that come out, the longer we spend inside. That’s why I am glad that I work out and get out of house. It’s refreshing being able to step away from those things sometimes. I guess that’s all I got……just something that crossed my mind.

peace

I think it’s very easy to underestimate the amount of information that is available out on the web. In this whole process of trying to start a company, there were lots of things that we needed to learn about as far as the business aspect of things. Now I don’t really know a whole lot about business. Only classes I took related to busines were economics, and at this point, the info learned in econ is pretty much worthless. Who knows, that could change though.

The one class that I wish I would have taken while in school was marketing, especially online marketing. That will prove, for us, to be very useful. So over the past few days, I’ve been reading different blogs and listening to recording about marketing jargon. The area of focus that I leaned on was Google Ad Words. Last week, I didn’t really know much about them. But after spending a large amount of time today reading up about it, and listening to this expert talk about them and how to use them, I feel fairly confident that when it comes time to market online, I will feel very confident about that.

Everywhere I’ve been reading has been saying how great it can be to attract potential customers to your site. Also from what I’ve researched, alot depends on how you write your ad, instead of the amount of money put into. Well, it just so happens that our team writes pretty well, so that could help us out a ton.

So I won’t get down to all the details, but my point here is that there is so much information available to learn useful stuff, and for free. I haven’t paid a dime researching about marketing techniques, yet I feel like I have a very solid grasp on how we want to market our company. Of course the Google way isn’t the only way we will choose to do this, but if we know how to use it effectively, how bad can Google really be.

I think information is available for a large number of job industries out on the web, and if you really want to learn about something, the information is at your finger tips for the mear price of nothing……well I guess it does cost to have an internet connection. But for me, I’ll take that internet connection over having to pay $495+ per credit hour. Of course there are things you can’t really learn on the web, but those same things you can’t learn in a classroom either.

That thing is real life situations. That person-to-person interaction. No way in hell a class can teach you that, however, reading different types of input from various sources on the web can give you a better idea of what to expect in different situations. So in a sense, what value do we get out of classrooms.

Now of course you can take that last sentence with a grain of salt, because it really depends on the industry. My major was professional writing, but I am a web designer, and consider myself, for the most part, self-taught. I just wanted it, and wasn’t getting exactly what I wanted out of the classes offered, therefore I had to fend for myself. And to learn all the stuff that I know about design now, it cost me time, that’s it, and it was a good great return on investment.

So, because of the fact that I don’t have the time nor money to take business classes, I will have to just invest some of my time in reading up on different things online, and taking in those real life situations as a big learning experience along the way. I’m sure I’m not the only one that thinks that in order to prepare for the real world, you need to be active in the real world. What doesn’t kill you only makes you stronger/smarter right?

I’ll keep you posted on the business ventures we encounter.

peace

So a couple weeks ago, I invited Paulie D to do a guest spot for me to somewhat introduce his writing style to everyone. He also mentioned to check out his site, which is finally done. He’s already put up one post, which is a little brief but it gets the ball rolling.

I like the design that I did for him. I think it fits his writing and personality. I’m also kinda salty because I was just playing around and ended up making a logo for him that I really like. Why can’t I do that for myself?! Oh well. So hopefully P doesn’t slack and put a good site to waste.
I won’t lie though, I am mad interested in to seeing what kind of stuff that P writes about, just because he’s so quiet, so if he thinks he would like to write, then there has to be some major thought brewing up in his head. So anyways, I’d like to introduce you to my latest creation, and Paulie’s new project: Live from the BK Lounge. So throw this site in your bookmarks, or RSS readers, or whatever.

I sit on my computer for at least 10-12 hours a day, and by the end of the day, my brain is just exhausted. Now in no way is that healthy for my eyes or anything, but for 8 hours I’m at work so obviously I don’t have a choice but to be in front of a computer. For the other few hours I spend at home, I’m playing around doing web shit that I can’t exactly do at work, and yes I have a choice in that matter, but I choose to get web stuff done. I mentioned in my last post that I am looking forward to working out, but there are more reasons for working out other than getting in shape.

Today I read a very intriguing article that talked about our culture and technology, and for hundreds of years, civilization and the technology it created worked to bring us closer together. Well today, as much as you can say that technology brings us closer together, I don’t think that’s true. Why? Because it seems like people hide behind technology now, and use things (ie facebook) to create these virtual relationships to replace the physical ones. Unless people are already really close friends on these sites, then everyone else you talk to is just a virtual representation of the real person, and you can’t really get to know someone like that.
It’s like what was once healthy for our society like meeting people face to face, and having business meeting, etc. now turned into conference calls, video conferencing, emailing, and all this other kind of stuff just for the sake of convenience. Now I’m not saying I’m any kind of special case, because I easily fall in this category, and even though some of this tech stuff is cool, do you think it’s worth sacrificing the physical interaction that you have with people? I don’t think so.

And I hope you can somewhat understand what I am talking about, because you don’t have to be some techy (like myself) to realize it. But am I the only one that thinks it’s kind of weird that people surrounded by their own technological atmosphere trade in real life interactions with cyber-interactions? Why? Because it’s just too damn convenient to sit on your ass and do it. It’s not just in your home either. Now tons of [public] coffee shops now offer wireless internet. So you can even go to a public place just to be in your own world on the computer. Aren’t Weren’t coffee shops like a social meeting place?
So again, I don’t exclude myself from this, in fact maybe I’m a prime example of this. I do all of my banking online, as opposed to going to the bank. If you’re a client, then best way to get in touch with me is through email, as opposed to talking on the phone or having a meeting in person. I play online video games wtih friends instead of going somewhere to play basketball or whatever.

Here is a direct quote of a quote from the article that I read:

We have at our disposal more free time than ever before, but instead of using it creatively for personal study and inner growth, we lean back in the controlled comfort of our living rooms and demand to be entertained, hypnotized by the endless parade of animated figures on a television screen.

…We are a society of spectators, voyeurs rarely experiencing the peace that comes from physical expression and personal accomplishment. We seek a life of ease and comfort, believing that this is the way to happiness, and then wonder why life has lost its flavor.

That basically sums up what I’m trying to say, and I fall dead in that category. Now at this point, you’re probably wondering what the hell that has to do with working out. Well I guess another reason why working out will be good for me, is that it will give me a chance to get away from my computer and tv. I know that I’m a computer/internet junkie, but when there is something to do, then I have no problem walking away from it. And although I’m usually being productive while surfing the net, it’s always good to get away from it for awhile. That’s another reason why I’m looking forward to next weekend at Sarah’s too. So working out will be very good for me, even if just for an hour, it’s an hour of resting my eyes from staring at a computer screen or tv.