Tag: Tech

Online Music Explorations

Carl Setzer

Another thing that makes me *heart* the internet: music. The ability to connect, on myriad levels, with a huge variety of artists just delights me.

Today I started exploring both Reverbnation and SoundCloud. They seem like great ways to dive deeper into lesser-covered music. One of my hipster-eque traits: I love to be able to say “I knew that band back before they were famous”. Just need to get paid for such.

I like both sites pretty well, though they’re pretty different. I spent more time at ReverbNation, but mostly to explore a friend’s band (check out Verdant Mile). SoundCloud hosts one of my favorite podcasts, Story Collider. Having the larger library of content is particularly delightful to me. I’ll need a deeper dive, though, until I really can form an opion.

Any of you use either of these much? Love them? Hate them? Know of another site that’s way better? Let me know!

Expectations of instant responses are getting silly

Carl Setzer

On a regular basis, I get hit with complaints that I didn’t respond to a message. “I left a message with you 10 minutes ago. Why haven’t your replied?” I get hit with this in all sincerity and, sometimes, with angry vigor. Another colleague was lamenting to me that they’d sent several emails and left several voicemails that morning and were ANGRY that the hadn’t heard back. She was a bit taken back when I pointed out that this person has 100s of clients and is extremely over-worked, and that I was certain there was no insult meant by her less-timely response. 

I think that this stems from our always-on world. Email, texts, etc, come fast; we have nearly instantaneous communication. We get answers from Google/Bing instantly. We are accustomed to immediate response. So, waiting even several minutes feels unreasonable.

I notice, though, that when people are drawn out of themselves, raising their focus, they easily see the bigger picture. They see that I really can’t respond instantly to each of the 100 some odd emails I get in a day. And that taking some time to respond isn’t disrespectful.  

Perhaps we need to just slow down. Perhaps we can. Perhaps….

Annoying Videos Ads

Carl Setzer1 Comment

The first thing I do when one of those obnoxious, over-loud video ads launches on a website I just opened starts playing is to close the whole page. I have to be pretty committed to reading the article for me to stick around through that, or to try and locate the “off” or “mute” button for the bloody thing. 

So, for those of you promoting advertising on your website, you now have something to consider. Of course, I should look at running Ad-Blocker or something like that and move this nuisance into historical reference. 

New Running Online Community

Carl Setzer1 Comment

Over the past few months, I’ve been working hard to get my fitness level back up. Years ago, I was a hard-core runner and cyclist, with many hours/miles logged. Though I’ve slipped on cycling, it’s still a regular part of my life. However, running has not.

Back then, there was a zen quality to running and cycling. Now, cycling still has that quality. Running, however, is simply work. There are moments, when I run, that I feel my mind slip away into the rhythm of my cadence. Moments, fading into work.

Having accountability, connection, makes the return to this level of fitness much more fun. So, seeing on GeekWire that Brooks and MapMyFitness have started a new community makes me feel good. Run Happy looks like it might really add something to the fitness community. I look forward to seeing how this evolves.

Added To My Must See List: Living Computer Museum

Carl Setzer

Just stumbled across this via the Billings Gazette, of all things. They have a great overview of the place so no need for me to recreate their work. Give them a peek.

This, definitely, must be on my 2013 tour list. I guess the biggest question is whether I’ll force my family to come along. Since it’s really not geek centric, perhaps they’ll enjoy it, too.

Perhaps..

More details are on their site: www.livingcomputermuseum.org/