I am sitting at my desk this morning all set to write something intelligent and insightful about videos online… Then I realized that it is time for a bit of a fun blog. I haven’t written one of those in awhile.
Today I woke up on the perfect side of the bed and realized that I needed to spend some time checking in on my favourite websites. Now, everyone has their favourite sites that reflect personal interests and passions. What I love about blogs and community forums in general is that I can read about the sites that other people are interested in. For many of us, reading opinions online is a portal into another world that we did not know was even available.
It would be amazing if a day had 36 hours and I only needed an hour of sleep so that I could spend time exploring the world around me. The internet provides a clear window into the world around us that is so exciting and interesting, it can be hard to pull yourself away.
I was recently sitting with an uncle of mine discussing the internet and what it has to offer. That day, I was particularly spazzier than usual and was going on and on about how exciting podcasts were. I was telling my uncle that I had just listed to a fantastic documentary on China, learning how to improve Customer Service and in tune with all of the up to date news stories of the day.
My brain could not fathom a world without podcasts on this particular day. The debate began to unfold and my excitement started to dwindle as my uncle was laying out the dark side of the internet that he is familiar with. Being a police officer, he is regularly faced with stories of child molesters, addicts, and communities of killers using the internet as a tool to fulfill their deluded mission. A world so scary that I found it a challenge to acknowledge.
The reality is that a dark side exists in every part of our world. Where there is good, there is evil…the world of Batman and Superman are not far off in this case. I stood up straight and started to delve into all of the learning that can be done with the internet and the miraculous information that can be found online. The preaching began on what is available to us at our finger tips and I couldn’t hold myself back. I realized I was an addict.
Addicted to all things new and exciting. I started hearing myself say…”No wonder I get bored so quickly…I am used to immediate mental stimulation”. This information is fantastic; is it possible to overload?
How many of us subscribe to blogs and podcasts? How many of us lose time and aren’t sure where it went as we surf the web? Many. And I am one of them. Although the excitement of the online world has possible drawbacks, none of us can deny the information that comes from it and how many people benefit from access to this type of technology.
If everyone who reads this blog can add at least one of their favourite daily visits, others can start to explore new and interesting aspects of the online world that they weren’t aware of before. Below I am going to share a couple of my personal favourite websites with you all. Keep in mind that I restricted myself to non social networking and non blog and podcast related sites; otherwise we would be here all day. So on to the little fun in this fantastic Friday…
Time Photo Essays: I love photography and politics so this site is the epitome of a happy place for me. I try to visit this site daily and enjoy the fantastic photography available. A friend introduced me to this site and now I am there regularly.
BBC World News: If you had a chance to check out my bio on Spark Internet Marketing, you will know that I majored in Politics for my undergraduate degree which makes me forever a news junkie. The documentaries from the BBC can also be downloaded in the form of a podcast; currently one of my favourites. If I did not hear about a major news break before my husband…yikes, lookout!
Okay, it’s your turn!
~S
