by jphilo | Nov 18, 2014 | Top Ten Tuesday
The internet gets some pretty bad press and for good reason. But it’s a neutral medium, as is any technology. When it’s used the right way, it makes life much easier as this top ten list shows.
10. YouTube how to clips take the pain out of DYI projects . It’s also handy for finding funny clips to dress up speeches. And the technology is simple enough for digital immigrant authors to create videos about their books.
9. Much as I like to handpick gifts at real stores, online shopping makes life easier in a pinch. As does printing out coupons and then shopping at real stores. I can just about here my grandkids talking about the olden days when grandma was a girl, and she had to hunt for newspapers and cut coupons.
8. What’s not to like about online Bibles with hot link cross-references? Clicko, presto, and the verse is right there. Can you say time saver?
7. Email means book proposals and manuscripts can be sent to agents and editors as attachments. No more printing hard copies, preparing them for mailing, driving to the post office, and paying an arm and a leg for postage.
6. The internet makes research fun and fast. Want to know if your latest book idea is unique? Do an Amazon search. Need to know the date of the Saturday before Thanksgiving in 1977? There’s a website for that. Or how about the television viewing schedule for October 1988? It’s all online!
5. Recipes, recipes, recipes.
4. Online conferences and church services make it possible for people who can’t leave home to not only watch a worship service, but also to interact with other worshipers.
3. Netflix = 0 commercials.
2. Mapquest and Google Maps means never having to ask for directions again.
1. Facebook is a wonderful place to create community among parents of kids with special needs–parents whose caregiving duties make it hard for them to get out of the house. Thanks to Facebook, a few years ago I met other parents of kids with the same condition my son was born with in 1988. To find someone who totally understands your parenting journey is a gift beyond measure.
by jphilo | May 8, 2014 | Three Thoughts for Thursday
- This week Facebook announced that they’re building a second data center in a town about 40 miles from where I live. And they have plans to build a third one. Do you know what this means? The unassuming people who populate the state where Herbert Hoover, Radar O’Reilly, and Captain Kirk were born are one building closer to world domination.
- Robin Wright is a terrific actor, but my inner fairy tale world crumbles a little each time Princess Buttercup conspires with Frank Underwood. It’s not right on so many levels.
- Simple pleasure of the week: peanut butter on a graham cracker. Yours?
Photo Source
by jphilo | Oct 4, 2013 | Current Events
A few days ago one of my dearest, wackiest friends left the following message on my Facebook page:
Jolene, WHY did I not think of this before NOW? Every celebrity goes by a Hip mini abbreviated version of their name. YOU are a celebrity on so many levels and I have the perfect name for your author wing dings and speaking engagements. Take the first from your first name and the last from your last name… TA DA… Ready…… JO LO!!!! I love it!! Jo Lo … JoLo What do you think?
To which I responded:
It is perfect. Especially since so many people already confuse me with J. Lo!
As in, “Excuse me, are you J. Lo? Can I have your autograph.” Because me and Jenn look so much alike. Which you probably already noticed. Which is why the idea came to you:)
To which he responded:
Yes, there is an uncanny resemblance between you and J Lo!!!! You must check your geneology I have a feeling you two are distant cousins!!!
To which I responded:
Hmm, my steely-eyed German and Scandinavian ancestors never mentioned hot, Latin blood. Maybe the Irish side of the family learned to tango.
All of which has me wondering if my ancestors, who I’ve always considered more dour than dancers, tangoed with those of Latin descent. Perhaps, dear readers, your observations can put an end to my wild speculation.
So, here’s J Lo:
and here’s JoLo:
Click “Like” if you think we look enough alike to be related.
by jphilo | Dec 7, 2008 | Out and About
For the past few days, diversionary tactics have been the name of the game for Allen and me. Decorating the tree with Brenda was just what I needed. Her tree had a theme and is color coordinated to match the living room. My tree at home is a sentimental collection of thirty-two years worth of decorations which match nothing and make me cry when I take them out of their boxes.
Allen’s diversion was Facebook. Once he got past the culture shock of online social networking – along with the idea of iPods, iTunes and all sorts of technology that developed during his five years in the monastery – he made rapid progress. He set up and account and located numerous old high school and college friends. One of them gave him a crash course in Facebookology, and my son is now more proficient at it than I am.
We’re both ready for the diversions to end and the hard work of therapy to begin. Please pray for Allen as he begins. From all we’ve read, it will be emotionally exhausting and life-changing, so pray for his courage and strength to face what is ahead. Pray that I respond to him as a twenty-six-year-old man and provide the right mix of support and independence.
We leave Bowling Green around noon, with a 5 – 6 hour drive to Morgantown. The weather, which was snowy and windy yesterday, is calm and sunny today, and we’re glad. It’s a new week and a new adventure. Hi, ho Silver, away!
by jphilo | Nov 6, 2008 | Current Events
For your information, I am virtually popular. My virtual popularity includes seventy-seven friends on my Facebook account. So far, most of them are former students, a few friends my own age, several relatives, and one high school classmate.
My daughter pushed me into virtual society. Last year, during her first year of college, she wanted me nowhere near Facebook. But this summer she beggme me to join and promised to help me set up an account. But we never managed to get together, and I never got around to it, though Hiram did. I probably wouldn’t have done it this week except for an email invitation I received from a church friend.
Digital popularity has been enlightening. I’m not sure we’re a perfect fit since most of my virtual friends hang out from 9:00 PM until about 2:30 AM. Mind you, I’m not awake much of that time, but I catch up in the morning when they’re all asleep. This morning I discovered that my husband and daughter posted random things on one another’s walls last night. I’m feeling kinda left out. Why doesn’t she post on my wall? She likes him better than she likes me. Pout, pout, pout.
If I’m not careful, this hip, Facebook chick is going to devolve from virtually popular to cyberspace wallflower. I was a wallflower throughout real junior high. No way do I want to go back there on the internet. Instead, I’ll go to my daughter’s wall and write something on her “tell me your awkward story” thread. I’ve got plenty to chose from. Most of them deal with my junior high wallflower days.
So visit me on Facebook. I’ll introduce you to all my virtual friends. And you can read my awkward story. It’ll be a doozy.
