del.icio.us

I think del.icio.us and other bookmarking sites are a GREAT idea. I have a heavy hand when it comes to bookmarking and having access to all of my bookmarks from any computer - GENIUS!

I don't know if I really need to share my list or that I would peruse the bookmarks of others but overall, I'm happy to learn about this site.

Twitter

I don't know what to think about Twitter.

I think it could be a fun way to keep up with friends ... raising the level of familiarity with distant buddies. I like that it can create a weird sort of dialogue.

BUT ... I think it borders on TMI - Too Much Information. I think that we all want to be important so we dump all of our information out into cyberspace with the hope that someone else will care about our in's and out's as much as we do. Blame it on Reality TV or Andy Warhol or just our inherent need for validation.

If I'm going to broadcast information, I feel like it should be important to someone other than myself. Twitter may not be for me.

Library Thing

I really enjoy Library Thing and what it can do. I think you can tell a lot about someone from his/her bookshelf. I fully intend to scour the blogs and shelves of my co-workers for good reads.
This is fun!

News feeds

I have to admit that I'm overwhelmed by the amount of information that can find it's own way to me with the help of news feeds. I've looked at some of the search tools and I find it difficult to get past the mountains of information to needle in on what interests me. Leaving those sites makes me feel like I've eaten an entire bag of Halloween candy - tired, bleary-eyed and a little sick.

I find most of my regular news sources through websites I visit or word of mouth. I think I'm finding what I need. These search tools for news feeds will help me expand my boundaries a bit. And to avoid the queasiness ... all things in moderation.

Generators - Toys!

Missy's World Travels

http://bighugelabs.com/flickr/map.php
">Missy's World Travels

http://bighugelabs.com/flickr/map.php
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I've been messing around with some generators at work today (some will have to wait until I'm home and have more time to enjoy them). I guess you can use the internet to make almost anything look the way you want it to look (even your face!).



Here's my attempt at a World Travels Map ...

Technophobes

I'm anxious to start really digging into creating a blog for our honeymoon recap. I have been resizing photos and getting them ready to load into Flickr. It seems like a great way to share information with friends and family ... on their terms. They can look at and read as much or as little as they would like. Gone are the days of the never-ending slideshows! Hoorah!

I'm planning to visit my mom this weekend and she asked if we had photos to share. I told her about the blog I'm making and she said, " I like to see the photographs. I want to hold them in my hands." She had said the same thing about our wedding photos earlier this year. I think that for my mom, and many other people, the computer is impersonal. She needs the photos in her hands to feel connected to them.

While I don't share my mom's need for real printed photos, I must confess to some technophobia. I have been learning about all of the great things you can do to store and share information. I get so excited about the possibilities! Then ... I think about how much and what information I really want out there. Full names? Places I like to visit? Photos of my family? Until I learn how to really protect my information, I will continue to be guarded.