Playing with my new toys
I’ve been away from my blog for over a week…shame on me. I do have an excuse, however. I’ve been playing with my new toys.
First of all, I ordered a new iPod. My old one was nice, but it was full and had no more hard drive space for me to download podcasts. My new one is the new pink Nano, with 8 Gigs of space for all my stuff. I’ve grown to really love listening to podcasts. My favorite is FIR, which stands for For Immediate Release, is all about PR and social media. The hosts are Shel Holtz and Neville Hobson.
Shel is the guy who turned me on to the applications of Social Media and PR when I attended a workshop he gave at the Society of American Travel Writers meeting last fall and the inspiration for this blog. His podcast is all about social media: blogs, Wikis, podcasts, twitter, Second Life, and all the great online tools available to us as communicators. I’ve learned a lot from listening to them. I’ve never called in, or attended one of their “geek dinners,” (their way of getting computer addicts out from behind their keyboards and into a restaurant to socialize in person), but I vow to get more involved as part of their community.
The other podcast I’ve been really enjoying is Oprah Winfrey and Eckhart Tolle talking about Ekhart’s new book, “A New Earth.” It’s all about living in the present moment and not getting stressed out about the future or tied up with regrets about the past. That’s helpful for an obsessive compulsive Type A-driven personality like me.
So, back to my new iPod. I’ve downloaded podcasts, music, TV shows and a movie to watch on my upcoming plane trip to Chicago. But I wanted to listen to it in my car, and one day I listened through the ear buds but I realized that was dangerous. So I went to Radio Shack and bought a Belkin car adapter kit so I could plug my iPod into the cigarette lighter and listen through my radio. Since I drive a lot, at least 30,000 miles a year (God help me with the rising price of gas), I can now drive and learn new things from my podcasts. Previously I was fairly addicted to XM Radio , but I now like podcasts better because the subject matter is more targeted to my interests.
The other new toy I purchased this past week was a Motorola Phone Tools kit to connect my cell phone to my computer so I could download the photos I take with my cell phone. The photos are small — thumbnail size — but it’s still fun to have them on my computer and now I can easily post them on my blog.
This is a thumbnail of our little cousin Calvin who was adopted from Russia last year:
So, as you can see, I’ve been playing with my technology toys. I have lots of cords and cables on my desk, which is making it look cluttery. I need to clean up my space now so I can think more clearly.
But when I come back, I’m going to write about the progress we’re making on the Franklin County Community College Network logo project. We’re coming right along on that one.
And the spring weather has been fabulous! I’ve been riding my bike and driving around with my sun roof open (listening to podcasts)! What more could you want out of life?
Let’s hope Ms. Marshall excercises more self-discipline than I do. My wife bought me an iPod Touch last month and for a week, I did nothing but fiddle with that sucker. Setting up playlists when I should have been writing. Blowing off blocks of time meant for editing so that I could sit here and marvel over the cool album flow function. New gadgets cause us to regress, I think. We’re like kids with new bikes. Then again, if you don’t thrill easy, it doesn’t happen often.
Or something. Clearly my life is on shuffle right now.
I listen to a lot of podcasts too, being that a good part of my day job is data entry. Have you tried the Satellite Sisters? They are fun; I think you’d like them.
Mr. LaFlamme: I know how it feels like a waste of time to learn to use the new gadgets, however I’m doing it in the name of research for my new interest in Social Media. Is that good justification? I don’t know, but that’s my excuse for now, and I’m sticking with it.
Nancy – I’m curious how the Belkin adaptor works out for you. I tried that adaptor when I initially got my iPod (2006 Christmas present from my sweetie, Matt) and the signal wasn’t strong enough so the iPod wouldn’t play well. A techie at Radio Shack recommended the Monster adaptor ( http://www.monstercable.com/productdisplay.asp?pin=3029 ) instead and now I would recommend it as well! ;c)
Nicole: Yes, I love the Satellite Sisters! I feel like I could be one of them, actually. They grew up in Connecticut near where I grew up, at around the same time that I grew up. I have never met them however, but I’d like to! They even went to summer camp in Maine. I learned that by listening to their show on XM Radio. They attended Wyonegonic in Bridgton which is the sister camp of Winona, which is one of my clients. There’s that ‘seven degrees of separation’ thing going on there, wouldn’t you say?
Nancy
Julie: Hmmm, wish I had known about that Monster adapter since I, like you, drive in a lot of remote locations in Maine. I did have trouble one day last week getting it tuned in but generally it’s been OK. If my primary interest was in listening to music, it might not be quite clear enough but for the podcasts it has been fine so far.
Thanks for your recommendation. Those techies at Radio Shack can be a God-send!
Nancy