Six Sites I Log Into Daily

AIf you're like me, you are on the Internet quite a bit. When I was using Firefox as my Internet browser, I liked that I could save my session so that the next time I opened Firefox, the same pages would display from the previous session.

Unfortunately, that feature does not exist (yet) in Google Chrome. However, Chrome does allow you to enter in the urls that you want to use when you first open Chrome. It's not a substitute for the save session feature, but it's a work around that I can accept.

Image courtesy of Cheth Studios

So I currently have six websites that I begin with daily.

1. Twitter: It's become my lifeline. I have five twitter accounts that I manage and that's a bit much to keep up with. I often use Social Oomph to schedule tweets and I use TweetDeck too. Tweetdeck has recently upped their game and I like some of the new features. All that to say, that I'm still married to the Twitter web interface and I like to see the Top Tweets too.

2. Facebook: Well, yeah, you know that FB would be on the list. Living abroad, FB is my connection to my friends w/out having to talk to them. I'd love to talk to them, but the seven hour time difference is a bit of a problem sometimes. So FB is a good bridge between the time zones.

3. AUC Mail: I need to remain in touch w/what is going on at work. Though currently I have my vacation message on: "Final grades have been submitted and I am away from the office until August, 2010" or something like that.

4. Gmail: My Gmail has mostly become my primary email account. I still use Hotmail and Yahoo, but I like the Gmail interface and options like adding labels.

5. Delicious: I like Delicious because I can see what my network is bookmarking and what stories I may have missed. Sometimes I'll check to see what's popular and recent, but mostly I'm just adding my own bookmarks and checking my networks bookmarks.

6. Yahoo!: My yahoo account has become my account for subscriptions. So it tends to fill up and not really with emails that I make the time to read. I usually scan for important emails. Oh, and I take a glance at the top stories on the Yahoo! home page too.

Recording Podcasts Easily w/Audioboo

I don't quite know how I stumbled across Audioboo, but I did. Oh, I first recall that iPhone users had been tweeting about it. But I thought that it was just for iPhones. But it is not.

Folks who don't have an iPhone or the Audioboo iPhone app, can use the Web interface to take advantage of Audioboo. Count me in.

The platform is super simple. You can record audio w/their recorder (if you have a working microphone on your laptop or computer). Or you can upload your audio file to Audioboo.

They have a social networking component where you can follow people's 'boos' and they can follow yours. You can also easily share your 'boos' on other social networking platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr and more. Let me know if you're using Audioboo, so that I can add you to my list of followers.

On top of all of that, you can grab an embed code and post the audio on your blog or Web site.

I've decided to use Audioboo to document my teaching this semester. On the brief podcast above, the audio quality is not the best. I used the mic on my laptop. I think I will begin to use my Zoom H2 recorder and upload the files.

My only problem w/Audioboo is the name. Enough said.

VIDEO TUTORIAL: Facebook Privacy Settings

I've been experimenting w/making video tutorials. So I thought I'd share one.

Lots of folks are using Facebook. Some people have evil intentions and as a result you don't want to make your information available to just anyone. It's nice that there are privacy settings on Facebook, but maybe you did not know just how many settings there are.

In this video, I'll discuss the privacy settings for applications as well as the newsfeed privacy settings.

I made the video using Jing. Let me know what you think.

If the video and the text are too small for you to see, you can view the video on Screencast:

• Screencast Facebook Privacy Settings (part 2)

25 Random Things About Me

This has been floating around Facebook for the past few weeks. Here's my take on it:

1. I love French Fries.
2. "The Young and the Restless" is my guilty pleasure.
3. I'd rather be hot than cold; being cold makes me cranky.
4. I never thought that I'd meet some of my best friends while living in Buffalo, NY (that includes Tonja Moss; everytime we talk it is usually non-stop hilarity).
5. I'm super crazy about my Jeep Wrangler.
6. Oldies and old school hip hop are my favs.
7. I quit drinking alcohol in the summer of 2002 to save money and haven't gone back since.
8. My days in grad school were bittersweet, but the TCOM Women got me through.
9. I have a pair of rollerblades and skate as often as I can.
10. I have never traveled outside of North America.
11. I used to be a helluva of bowler; trumpet player too - first chair, thankyouverymuch!
12. I like potatoes, pasta and popcorn
13. Radio is my passion. Love to listen and make great audio.
14. I thought I'd become more tolerant of people, but ... not so much.
15. My daughter is turning into a very wise young lady.
16. Let me sleep and then sleep some more.
17. I began making handmade greeting cards in 2004 or early 2005. It is what keeps me sane. My art therapy.
18. My interest in sports lead to a stint as a radio sports anchor.
19. One of my career highlights was working Superbowl XXXIV: Rams v. Titans in Atlanta and being on the field where all the action was (thanks Duane Walker).
20. My mom is so resilient and more incredible than she knows. I'm really proud of the fact that she has three out of three college grads on her hands.
21. I did not get a driver's license until I landed my first job out of college in Cincinnati. Even when I purchased my first car - a Honda Prelude (stick shift) - I did not have a driver's license. Finally passed the test about two weeks after I got the car after I had sort of learned to work the stick shift. Oh, did I mention that I failed the test once having rolled over one of the orange cones and then seeing my mother's boyfriend wave and yell "nnnnnnoooooooo" in the rearview mirror.
22. My dream trip is to drive across the United States (but not necessarily drive back).
23. I have been blessed to have dated some really good guys though none of them could convince me to settle down with them.
24. My favorite type of movies is comedy. Make me laugh and you have won my heart over. Not really interested in action or thrillers.
25. If I could speak another language it would be Spanish. I plan to learn it throughout this year.

And now you know; at least you know a little more.

My Social Media Usage

I've been using social media for a bit. I jumped onto Facebook some time ago when I could hardly track down my students. But when I'd contact them through Facebook, they would immediately respond. Now Facebook is crammed. It's interesting to see the folks who are now jumping on board - the late comers. Some want to know what all the hype is about. I basically tell them that they can keep up w/me w/o ever actually talking to me (or others). Like eavesdropping.

I've been on MySpace for a while too. Though it is not my fav. Just too flashy and I do mean crazy graphics and blinkies. But I still go there to check out artists and to listen to music and see tour schedules.

I have not been Twittering for long. I checked it out for longer than normal to try and get the gist of it. I like the definition of micro blogging. I sort of use it as a daily diary; more like what I'm doing or going to be doing. Sometimes I use it to drive traffic to one of my blogs. I just try to keep it basic. I do like the way that Chris Brogan uses it. He shares a wealth of information it is so SM (social media).

The other SM platform that I've been on, but was slow to get fully emersed is LinkedIn. My friend Tonja mentioned it to me as a way to network. To especially get in touch w/say, HR folks who might otherwise be unreachable. I know that would not work as well today now that the platform is popular and seeking to expand.

There are some other areas that I've recently gotten involved in:

• FriendFeed
• LiveMocha
• Utterz
  

Here are the platforms that I rarely use:

• Last.Fm
• Hulu
  

Platforms that I'm aware of, but not interested in or yet to jump in:

• Plurk
• Flock
• Multiply
• Spokeo

That should tide you over for a minute or do tell about your social media experience.

Wallet Reunited w/its Owner!

Crazy things happen all the time. I recently traveled to Chicago and had a blast w/lots of friends (I'll get around to posting pix from that trip later in the week).

I had a great time w/friends; we were attending the UNITY Journalists of Color convention. Good times indeed.

However, on the very last evening, as my roomie and I were cabbing it back to our hotel, we discovered a wallet in the backseat of the cab. The cabbie seemed uninterested in getting wallet to its rightful owner. But everything was in there: money, credit cards, driver's license, keys ... so we thought we'd play Sherlock. Didn't think it would be that difficult, but time was not on our side as were we both scheduled to leave Chicago less than 12 hours after finding the wallet. We took it w/us - as opposed to leaving it w/the cabbie.

Well, somehow, I ended up w/the wallet. I packed it up in the hopes of finding the owner. However, I left Chicago, then went to Akron and Cleveland. When I finally arrived home, I did not immediately unpack. When I did get to unpacking several days later, I saw the wallet and thought I'd use the Internet to get in contact w/the owner. First I tried LinkedIn. No luck. But I hit the jackpot on Facebook. I found an exact name (she had a unique name too) and the city matched - Chicago. So I sent her a message via Facebook. Well, most people check their FB accounts more than they use the restroom on a daily basis, but not this person. After several days, she finally checked her FB and yes, it was the right person! How cool is that?

So she provided me w/her mailing address and I put the wallet (along w/one of my handmade greeting cards) in the mail this past Friday - all contents inside.

Life is good!