Category Archives: Videos

My heart’s a stereo – and I’m going to start sharing “deep stuff” ;)

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It is trite and dramatic to mention my entire world has changed over the past 8 months; of course it has!  Hasn’t everyone’s?  How can you LIVE and love and not change or grow? But yet I find myself wanting to say it!

I have changed.  I am changed.

I am also Queen of the Obvious!

But there!  I said it – I got it out of the way.  We can move forward.  :)  haha – ok I’m not like COMPLETELY changed.  My sense of humor is still about the same.  :)  which let’s be real – that is a HUGE SIGH OF RELIEF!!!!!

YAY!!!!!

You see, I LOVE to laugh and I think I’m funny.  So the fact that I STILL think I’m funny?!?!!  Wahoo!!   :)  :)

Anyway I’m only mentioning this because I’ve done moderately well at being “adjusted” despite my – umm – well – my life.  I’ve tried to maintain a happy perspective, I’ve worked at being optimistic and I’ve NEVER taken the “why me?” attitude; though I have most certainly wondered about the purpose of life.  But I’ve adjusted; I’ve adapted.   I’m still here and most days I’m still laughing.  :)

Up until recently I didn’t want to really admit… (continue reading on my new blog here.)

Or if you just want to stick with the light stuff …

Let me share with you my new favorite-est-est-est song!!!  I’ve mentioned that my BF and I have a soundtrack of US.  (you should read it the story – it’s cute) And this song makes it on the list.  The lyrics ring true in my heart.  I love J, and I WOULD carry him around even if he were an old school 50lb boombox, and I’d hold him on my shoulder wherever I walked, and turn his volume up  in front of the cops, and crank it higher every time they told me to stop. hee hee ;)  Yes – My heart’s a stereo.

Tim Tams, Jib Jabs, NaNoWriMo, and the Monster Mash

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I think I may as well start off with my plea to PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE vote for me at http://www.sam-e.com/job/profile/560 and if you are feeling particularly kind – tell your coworkers or friends to take the TWO SECONDS to vote too.  :)  I’m starting out 2 weeks late – but I only have to be in the top 50 to make it to the next round so I’m optimistic.  :)

Also – as promised before – get your blog readers to vote (as in vote and vote and vote *yay!*) and I’ll send you some Australian lollies.  :)  Mmmm … tim tams, zappos, fizzers, bounties, boosts – you name it – it’s yours.  :)

BIG WEEKEND NEWS :)

I’ve been so busy with school and getting over pharyngitis that I forgot to tell you all that Nicole from Girl from Mih-nee-soo-ta will be visiting this weekend.  It’s always fun to have blog meet-ups so that’s pretty cool.

Also – North Sydney has his son so guess who won’t be seeing him??  That’s right!  Me!  OH AND LOU IS IN TOWN!!!  YAY!!!!  I’m soooooooooo excited.  I get to catch up with her and @deeleea on Sunday in Manly.  CAN’T WAIT!!!

And lastly – you know how I have a photo blog?? 4, 5, 6… ELEVEN Petals Well…I originally posted this gem of a video THERE but since it’s not really REAL photography skillz  (though I SO took all of those face pics) … I’ve moved it over HERE so you can ALL enjoy this Halloween heaven sent bliss.  Cast – in order of appearance – Alexis, ny niece, theTooth, Me, ScottPete – it’s a regular old Daisy Family Delight!!  HAHAHAHAHA!  I laugh every single time I watch it.  Never gets old.

Try JibJab Sendables® eCards today!

AAANNNDDD – anyone else doing National Novel Writing Month besides Pam from Reflections of a Neurotic Writer?? Let me know! :)  And click on her link cuz it’s a post with a cartoon about National Novel Writing Month that is SO FUNNY!!!

Orange Sky – Sand Storm – Bondi Beach and Part 5 :)

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Ok – so today is supposed to be my LAST 200 words about online communities but BEFORE we get to it (cuz I know you’re all like SUPER DUPER EXCITED about it) I want to show you what I woke up to this morning.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PltMz1gQBJM[/youtube]

CRRAAAZZZYYY!  I’ve seen the world glow before.  A bright moonlit night with snow all around makes for a stunning BRIGHT night.  But glowing red, orange and sometimes blood orange?  Today was a first.  Definitely a wow!

Ok so I’ve come to realize that online communities and our identities within online communities are complicated topics!!!  There’s no way we could really have a full blown conversation about it in only 200 words per pop.  But hey – it’s the effort that counts right?  :)  Thanks to the commentors (scoMan, dave, ebonyJewel and MattyMatt) for commenting!!!  It’s always great to hear others’ insight!!

And for those of you who I have no doubt WANTED to comment deep down in your heart (which is everyone else i.e MOM, TIM, ALEXIS, SCOTT and all of my other bloggy friends) thank you ALSO because life is more fun with family and bloggy friends!!!   :)  )  Oh and it’s not too late to throw in your 2 cents because I’ve decided to write my final paper in a different class on this topic.  :)

Down to bizness.

ONLINE COMMUNITIES – You and Me are a CommuniTY – part #5 – wrap up.

(btw anyone notice that I did part NUMBER 5 or part NUMBER 4? LOL I did it just to be silly.  I am fully aware, thank you, that it SHOULD be part 5 or just #5. hee hee)

I’ve decided that I am fascinated by this topic.  100%.  Our world is becoming more and more digital every day.  We move to online communities more and more every day.  Our selves, our identities, and our culture are all being impacted by this change.  And though I suppose our identities, cultures and selves always change, I think it’s important to recognize the significance of online avatars/identities and how this increase in control over image may affect our core definitions.

I took this opportunity to round up some (only 3 because most of them were dumb) quotes on self image.

1“The ”self-image” is the key to human personality and human behavior. Change the self image and you change the personality and the behavior.”
2“Our self image, strongly held, essentially determines what we become”

Maxwell Maltz quotes (US plastic surgeon, motivational author, and creator of the Psycho-Cybernetics, 1927-2003)
3“If you wake up at a different time, in a different place, could you wake up as a different person?”

Chuck Palahniuk quotes (American freelance Journalist, Satirist and Novelist. b.1961)

I suppose one interesting thing about networks and identities is they change with time.  As I meet and become connected with more people, my network grows.  As my connections meet and become connected with more people, my network grows.  As my identity is tried and tested with time, it evolves and takes stronger shape.  I don’t believe we can STOP a network or an identity.  We may take on new layers, new directions and new flavors, but the network around us and our identity (regardless of how many we choose to have) all overlap a bit with each other.  We can’t go backward – only forward.

Part #4 – You and Me are a CommuniTY – Avatars

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HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!  You MUST MUST MUST watch these videos – LOL and you should watch them simultaneously if possible.  :)  Same song – different actors.  In one version you see an ACTUAL person.  In the other version you see their AVATAR (or online identity.)  SO CLASSIC!!!!

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=urNyg1ftMIU[/youtube]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UCgHS0TwIA8[/youtube]

We left off yesterday thinking about how many identities we have and how our online identities may differ from our “real life” selves.  I confessed that years ago I presented my identity on mySpace differently than on Facebook.  I was the same person – but my online identities differed.  ScoMan made a good point about how our identities change according to context.  Dave philosophized that our TRUE identity is found somewhere between our dreams (identities we wish we could try out – or do try out in the online world) and our fears (the identity we present to the actual world – held back by fear or societal pressure.)

Soo… let’s get on with it.  200 words or less.  :)  Let’s talk AVATARS!!!  :)

(First you should PROLLY for fun – turn a picture of yourself into an avatar-ish pic at BeFunky.com – why? because it’s FUN! :)

Dr. Suler from Self Help Magazine explains,

“The basic assumption of a psychotherapy using avatars is that all of the personae created in the virtual scenario are the various manifestations of the person’s psyche.”

DO YOU AGREE??  Is the picture you choose to use as an avatar a manifestation of your psyche?  I think it might!!  We choose the clothes we want to wear and how we present ourselves.  It says something about us.  How is choosing how we present ourselves online be any different?

This begs the question – if the avatar we choose is an alter ego then is it our alter ego interacting in the network or online community? For example if Jane is a thin, elderly woman but her avatar in her online community is a fat man – is it the fat man or thin Jane engaging in the network??  And if our avatar becomes besties within a social network with the fat man, are we really only networked with thin Jane?  Because we THOUGHT we were besties with a fat man!!

This next clip is an example of how online identities can be so very, very different than real life.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ge2FHDf_L78[/youtube]

Alright – that’s enough for this part!!  We’ll conclude tomorrow!!  :)

Life is more fun with love

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After -3 told me he loved me, asked me to imagine what it would be like to be pregnant with his kids, suggested that we could “mix our genes” one day, and sent me $350 worth of Victoria’s Secret AND THEN DUMPED ME 4 DAYS LATER!!! I decided to spend an additional week in Utah mending my broken heart.  Ok ok – mending my wounded pride.

ALRIGHT FINE!!!  Also mending my broken heart.  Stupid -3.  I actually DID imagine having kids with him, imagined a life with him – blah blah blah sappy sappy sappy – let’s just say – I liked my imaginings.  And now??  Now I imagine how great I will look in that sexy lingerie parading in front of a mirror – or maybe (mom just skip the next sentence) MAYBE even ONE DAY parading it in front of a hot rebound.  HAHA!  -3 had asked for pictures and then when he DUMPED me he very astutely observed that “I probably won’t be getting those pictures now will I?”  NO.  Haha – actually I think he will!!  A couple sexy pics (NOT SCANDALOUS THOUGH – I’m from UT) wouldn’t hurt him would it?  In fact I think it would be incredibly gracious of me – a nice way to say “Thank you!” and “Please feel sick at what you are now missing out on.”

Oopsie!  Did I just say that out loud?  NOPE!  But I did type it on a public blog so I think that’s CLOSE enough.

Anyway – back to the point.  I got a little distracted for a second talking about the old man (did I mention he was 42?)  Anyway … because I decided to stay an extra week in Utah I’ve taken this opportunity to spend as much QUALITY time as possible.  :)  YAY!!!  I love quality time.   Quality time = time with my dogs, time with my nieces and nephew and time with my family and close friends.  YAY!!!

BTW!!!  HUGE UPDATE!!!  Everything is back to normal with my family.  I heart them with my ENTIRE HEART (and always have.)  And I hear I have a pretty hefty heart so that’s a LOT.  :)  And it’s been a wonderful dream to spend time with all of them like we used to before things went a little sour.  Nothing better to heal a heart than a little unconditional family love.  oxoxoxoxo

Here’s a little video of some of my family – we’re just being silly and having fun.  This is what I call quality time.  :)

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DjBa-0l3BGM[/youtube]