Sunday, March 9, 2014

Google and its Integration

I finally did it. I finally figured out how to be my real self and how to be my avatar, Raftwet Jewell. Google integration was a tough one for me.

In real life, I started my social media career with Yahoo many moons ago. At that time, there was nothing but a bunch of people communicating online in chat rooms and/or pseudo social media such as Yahoo's Geocities.

Remember Geocities? That was a place where I spent many hours writing and posting about my real life company. So many of my email addresses were written down in so many vanity books. There was Yahoo, of course. Google, Blogger, Twitter, Flickr, Ning, Squidoo, and so many others, that I have no memory of being in them except for the notation in those little vanity books.

When Google decided to protect us from unscrupulous bloggers, posters, and that ilk, I just was not properly prepared, even though I knew integration was coming! I had to gather a few years of user names, passwords, secret questions and locations. Trying to integrate the real world company and the virtual world avatar, was a nightmare.

So I walked away from all of the techno muck for a couple of years.  

My mind was a blur of words, photos, updates, and BS. The world has definitely changed both in virtual and real. The internet has become such a spooky boogyman. The "Monster" knows everything about us. Being fully integrated is kinda worrisome as it means that a hack can literally destroy everything.

What all of us created was a syncopated world of blogging/posting platforms. Majority of the 'stuff' is so not important to anyone. Just words and pics floating like flotsam in the wind with everyone sharing them. And, that's the real reason why social media is important. The act of sharing them.

When you share with your next door neighbor, an overwhelming feeling of comfort may envelope you. Why? You connected with a person soley with a plate of cookies. That person may share that plate of food with another person close by. Then, that other person may tell their baker down the street how awesome your cookies were to eat. And voila! That baker contacted you about a special event where he wanted someone to make cookies!

What I hope is that this simply created avatar, my precious jewel, can continue her virtual life peacefully with grace and dignity. So many great new things, like mesh,  have happened on the grid. I am also definitely looking forward to being able to access the grid with my cell phone.

2014 will go down in my memory book as the year that I took care of my avie, and all the other loose ends on the net.

Spring is coming... time to go shopping for my avatar!


Making my way through social media... again!

Posted by raftwet jewell
Photo by raftwet jewell

Thursday, January 2, 2014

2014 ... Wha' Happened to 2013?


Yes, indeed, 2014. What happened to 2013?

2013 had bad numbers for me. Oh, yes, I am superstituous. Very wary of numbers and places. I over analyzed everything. For what? For nothing, really, except watching an age old battle between major groups in virtual and also in real life, too.

I just did not want to post much of anything. All I did last year was to try and figure out what the entire networking meant for "Networks." The networks came out in droves... proud of who they were. No more hiding behind the OZ curtain. There was Sony, Google, Apple, Facebook, Youtube, Twitter, etc, etc and many more, including small regional sites. And everything, including the internet became more expensive.

Let's face it. Everyone is in a lifestyle group. EVERYONE. Why? Because everything we do is in someone's lifestyle. Weddings? that's a lifestyle. Travel? that's a lifestyle. Entertainment? that's a lifestyle. Food? that's a lifestyle. What is NOT a lifestyle??? Nuttin' honey.

Group synergy was weird everywhere. Groups were vying for top positions, top events, and top roles. Why? I am not sure, but I do believe that people are definitely swayed by titles and positions... just like in real world.

The battle on the internet now is between the Networks, while the rest of us just move to the next "big thing" or try to ride someone else's traffic.

What I had hoped for, I guess, is an impossible dream. Imagine. (kudos to John Lennon...) Imagine all the people...











Imagine
Lyrics by John Lennon
...
 No need for greed or hunger
A brotherhood of man

Imagine all the people
Sharing all the world
You, you may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you will join us
And the world will live as one

I still believe this.

Thanks to John Lennon
Thanks to MetroLyrics for the lines
EMI Music Publishing for lyrics
Thanks to Google for images!
Thanks to me, raftwet jewell for the photo of WETLands