I am pathetic
Here I am sitting in the library pretending like I am actually going to get something done. This is the never ending saga of my college career. I come here because it is quiet (for the most part), convenient, and free of distractions, OR IS IT? I get online because when people my age sit down at a computer their brain wastes no time to tell the hand to swiftly place the little tiny white arrow on the desktop link to the INTERNET (the effect I am going for here would be better achieved if the capitalized was read in a deep scary voice followed by a DUN DUN DUN, so feel free to go back and reread it if you didn’t catch it the first time around). “Oh la la,” in the 1.3 seconds it takes for the computer to connect I realize that all the PCs in the library are new flat screen DELLS “Me likey.” FOCUS, I tell myself, but self doesn’t hear. Self has already delved into something much more compelling than writing a seven hundred word paper. My well programmed internet mind has found websites, websites like myspace.com and livejournal.com. Distractions that cannot be documented on a work sited page. I know these black holes called online communities are bad news, but I just can’t break away I JUST CAN’T!
I have spent about a half an hour now reading the latest entries of friends and strangers who were kind enough to add me to their online “friends list.” Welcome to the world of livejournal.com. If you haven’t been there go, but don’t say I didn’t warn you. Don’t say I didn’t tell you about the potential addiction because I have. Let me explain. Livejournal.com is an online community. People sign up through a simple registration process where a “username” and passwords are created; then it is time to create “your info” write a little something based on the provided headings with things all about you and your life. Explain what kind of music you like and even write a short bio if you like. This makes it easier for strangers from all over the world to find out ALL about you. Some may find this terrifying, but others feel exhilarated by the whole bit. If this wasn’t personal enough a member even has the option of designing their page. Pictures can be used to add one’s own special flare; color is always nice. Basically, you decorate based on your own style. Give it the “you” feel. Finally, it is time to “update” (that’s LJ lingo for write an entry oh, and “LJ” is livejournal lingo for livejournal). Let’s go back to the basics, the name, Livejournal.com. See get it now? It is a journal of your own that can be made public for anyone interested to read. Of course there is more to it like finding other people and adding them to your friends list and people adding you, but that is the gist of it all.
Myspace.com is a more popular website these days than Livejournal.com and also newer, but also remarkably similar. The registration process is almost exactly the same, you make a username, you fill out info about yourself (myspace however is a little more specific on the things they want to know for example there are places to list favorite bands, movies, and books), you can personalize your page and add pictures. The picture part here is a little more exciting because you get to post ten instead of just one. Myspace is the same in the aspect that you search for people that interest you and then you add them to your friends and hope that they want to be your friend too, but it is different because it is not necessarily a journal. There are places to write “blogs” if you like, but it is not necessary. Myspace is mainly used as a source of communicating with new people and advertisement of a sort. Everyone has a place on their profile for comments. If you are someone’s friends you can leave a comment for that person to read (anyone else cal also read these). Have something private to say? Well no fear there is messaging for that. This is basically an e-mail sent through Myspace. The advertising aspect of it all comes into play with the bulletins; people send them out to their friends announcing things like special nights at clubs and shows their bands are playing. To explain the rest would be boring and extremely nerdy of me so if you are interested in releasing yourself to the online sharks just visit Myspace.com (I should be getting paid for this).
Well, an hour and a half later and I have accomplished absolutely nothing on my paper. Or have I? Could I possibly use the two things that usually keep me from doing homework as homework? I guess we’ll see.
I have spent about a half an hour now reading the latest entries of friends and strangers who were kind enough to add me to their online “friends list.” Welcome to the world of livejournal.com. If you haven’t been there go, but don’t say I didn’t warn you. Don’t say I didn’t tell you about the potential addiction because I have. Let me explain. Livejournal.com is an online community. People sign up through a simple registration process where a “username” and passwords are created; then it is time to create “your info” write a little something based on the provided headings with things all about you and your life. Explain what kind of music you like and even write a short bio if you like. This makes it easier for strangers from all over the world to find out ALL about you. Some may find this terrifying, but others feel exhilarated by the whole bit. If this wasn’t personal enough a member even has the option of designing their page. Pictures can be used to add one’s own special flare; color is always nice. Basically, you decorate based on your own style. Give it the “you” feel. Finally, it is time to “update” (that’s LJ lingo for write an entry oh, and “LJ” is livejournal lingo for livejournal). Let’s go back to the basics, the name, Livejournal.com. See get it now? It is a journal of your own that can be made public for anyone interested to read. Of course there is more to it like finding other people and adding them to your friends list and people adding you, but that is the gist of it all.
Myspace.com is a more popular website these days than Livejournal.com and also newer, but also remarkably similar. The registration process is almost exactly the same, you make a username, you fill out info about yourself (myspace however is a little more specific on the things they want to know for example there are places to list favorite bands, movies, and books), you can personalize your page and add pictures. The picture part here is a little more exciting because you get to post ten instead of just one. Myspace is the same in the aspect that you search for people that interest you and then you add them to your friends and hope that they want to be your friend too, but it is different because it is not necessarily a journal. There are places to write “blogs” if you like, but it is not necessary. Myspace is mainly used as a source of communicating with new people and advertisement of a sort. Everyone has a place on their profile for comments. If you are someone’s friends you can leave a comment for that person to read (anyone else cal also read these). Have something private to say? Well no fear there is messaging for that. This is basically an e-mail sent through Myspace. The advertising aspect of it all comes into play with the bulletins; people send them out to their friends announcing things like special nights at clubs and shows their bands are playing. To explain the rest would be boring and extremely nerdy of me so if you are interested in releasing yourself to the online sharks just visit Myspace.com (I should be getting paid for this).
Well, an hour and a half later and I have accomplished absolutely nothing on my paper. Or have I? Could I possibly use the two things that usually keep me from doing homework as homework? I guess we’ll see.