It occurred to me that I’ve been writingabout Twitter, but not all you would be familiar with it. If you know what Twitter is, feel free to skip this post. If it’s new to you, then keep on reading.
What is Twitter?
Twitter is a micro-blogging site. Users can sign up for free and then send text-based messages, called Tweets. Tweets can be no longer than 140 characters (hence the micro part of micro-blogging.)
Following / Followers
Twitter allows you to “follow” others. When you follow another twitter user, you see their tweets in your twitter stream (the main page of your twitter account). Likewise, you have followers, which are the people following you and they see what you tweet.
@replies
People can talk to and interact with one another on Twitter by using @replies. By typing an @ symbol followed immediately by the user’s name (ie: @AdventureSome ) the tweet will show up in the mentioned user’s @reply stream. This allows conversations to take place as people talk back and forth, as well as allowing one to know when they’re being talked about.
Direct Messages
A direct message is Twitter’s version of an email. The private (still 140 character) message is visible only by the person you send it to. Unfortunately, unlike email, it is not currently possible to forward the message, and if you reply the person must remember the original message so they know what you are replying to.
Lists
Because it is possible to follow thousands of people, there has to be some way to manage that amount of information. You can add users to lists and narrow them down this way. You can create as many lists as you like to organize the people you follow as you prefer (though you might want to be aware that users can see what lists they are on) and then view only the lists that you want to really keep up with.
What’s it good for?
This is one of the great debates that take place concerning all social media venues. The greatest potential it holds is to build relationships. Isn’t this just another form of networking? Yes, it is, but you really have to build a relationship, not just know someone. Twitter allows people to connect who would never meet otherwise (think A-list graphic designer talking to a graphic design student).
This is why I’m interested in keeping my Twitter account. I want to reach out and connect with others who share my interests and passions. The majority of the people I will talk to won’t be anywhere near me, geographically, but Twitter will allow me to connect with them anyway. Hopefully I will network, but the real goal is to make new friends.
It’s easy to spend a lot of time on Twitter, but with a little forethought, one can easily be productive in only a few minutes a day.
I mentioned that I’m going to become something of a modern Luddite, but I didn’t explain what exactly that was. So, here we go…
A Bit of History
During the Industrial Revolution, a group of people protested against changes that were taking place. This social movement often expressed itself by destroying mechanized looms. These textile artisans felt that the machines were going to replace them and that their livelyhood was in danger.
Their name comes from Ned Ludd, who was believed to have destroyed two large pieces of equipment (stocking frames) earlier in England, making him the first actor in the movement. At that time, breaking machinery could be punished by execution, so the name Ned Ludd might have been ficticious. False name or not, the name stuck, and the Luddite movement was formed.
Since the Luddites thought that the new machines were going to take away their source of livelyhood, they were acting in self-preservation. They didn’t understand basic economics, and so didn’t realize that they would still have their jobs, the factory in which they were working would have simply made more product by using the machines.
Modern Luddites
The term Luddite managed to stick around from the early 1800s until today. In the 1970s large numbers of people began to question technology and called themselves “New Luddites”. And so the Neo-Luddite movement was born. People opposed to advances in technology because of the cultural and socioeconomoic changes that are associated with it.
Most often, the term Luddite was used in a negative way by advocates of technology, insinuating that Luddites are backwards and foolish for their beliefs. However, I believe that the term can hold a positive connotation. It is with this aim which I will be using the word.
My Version
Luddite as a positive. I am not against technology. I believe that technology has provided us with many opportunities that simply weren’t available only a few short years ago. The world has shrunk, we can travel around it in a matter of hours, we can talk across it after only a few short rings, on phones that we carry in our pockets. Work can be done from anywhere, at any time. What amazing opportunities are now available to us!
Unfortunately, with the ready availibility of technology, it has begun to take over our lives. I constantly see people who “cannot live” without their cell phone and texting, or without an mp3 player of some sort stuck in their ears. Not only do I resent the erosion of manners that have taken place, but I feel that we are actually less productive than ever before, precisely because of the devices that have been created to help us.
So, as a modern Luddite, I am breaking the technology habit. People lived quite happily for years without a cell phone in their pocket, without email, and without Google to control all of their information. I will be taking a look at the technology that I use and make educated decisions about what to keep and what to let go.
Technology might be here to stay, but that doesn’t mean that I have to use all of it all the time.
Well, I’ve cleaned off my computer desktop, so the next natural step would be to… complete the homework that I have open in my browser. Since I have no desire to do that, and no looming deadline, I decided to work more towards my luddite goals.
There wasn’t much on my desk to start with, but most of those few items needed to go.
I copied the photos from the camera onto my computer and put the camera back where it belongs.
The todo/reminder lists were condensed and put into digital form.
Random papers were filed away.
The coin rolls from when I rolled my loose change were put in my backpack so that I will remember to change them for paper money.
Now my desk is much less cluttered and more pleasant to work at. On it are:
My laptop and mouse.
A hand-made mug (from childhood) that holds some of my fountain pens.
A small scratch pad for capturing ideas.
The piece of paper that is part of the project I’m currently working on.
After only about 10 minutes, this is a nice step in the right direction. Now I just need to keep the momentum going. Guess I should really get started on that homework…
As I mentioned in my recent post, one of the things that I wanted to do was to declutter my computer’s desktop (once again). Once I finished writing the last post, I decided that it was the perfect time to do exactly that.
As a sign that I really wanted to make this change, I had already narrowed my browsers down to a single window with only three tabs open (email, homework, and post editor for blog). It was a simple matter to close my email tab and leave the homework tab for later (since I need to actually do some homework.) And once I finish writing this post, the post editor will be closed as well.
I had gathered quite a few items on my desktop, so I had to spend a few minutes to take care of them. As I cleaned I listened to a podcast that I had downloaded. Once it was finished I was able to delete it. A number of files were reminders to myself, many of which had already passed. They were deleted, and the remainder were transferred to my todo list. The rest of the files were thrown into the “Stuff” folder on my desktop. This folder and the “Recycle Bin” are the only icons on my desktop at this point.
Of course, it was time for a new background as well. I checked to see what I had already downloaded, and then spent less than five minutes checking online. Nothing online beat what I already had, so I went with these adorable penguins. (Though I deleted the text, as it was too distracting to leave.)
So, the finished result? After less than fifteen minutes, I have a total of two icons on my desktop, a relaxing background that I enjoy, and far less clutter on my computer. Here in just a moment the only programs I will have open is some sort of music player and the web page I need to do my homework.
I spend way too much time on my computer. Reading blogs, looking up information, checking email, finding things to do, and other unimportant things. Unfortunately, this is nothing new, since I’ve written about it before.
This idea comes as an extension of the Minimalist Experiment. I’m going to become something of a modern luddite, while simultaneously trying to become more productive. Since I feel that I spend too much time on my computer, the vast majority of it in unimportant, unproductive tasks, it is time to cut out some of my computer time. I have better things to do.
So Here’s the Plan
I’ve got a few things that I want to get done, and a few ideas of how to do them.
Things to Get Done
Write a minimum of one high-quality blog post a week (because I’m doing horribly at keeping any kind of a writing schedule going.)
Create a digital resource (ebook) that I can sell.
Keep up with my schoolwork and maintain my grades (some of my classes have major online components, so I’ll be using my computer frequently).
How To Get Them Done
This could also be called the “Things To Get Rid of List”.
Check email only twice a day (instead of keeping gmail open at all times in my browser.)
Determine how often I really use Facebook, and if it’s not often enough then delete my Facebook account! If it is useful, then I can at least unfriend all of the people that I don’t talk to.
Determine how useful Twitter really is for me, and if it’s not useful, then delete the Twitter account! If it is useful, then at least unfollow the vast majority of the people who I don’t talk to.
Ignore my cell phone more. I’m pretty good at this already, but I am still pretty dependent on that gadget that I carry around all day long.
Since I don’t have a TV, I don’t struggle with the desire to watch that. I am, however, often tempted to watch some favorite shows online. So I have to ensure that I only watch them once my “to do” tasks are completed.
Clean up my computer’s desktop to get rid of the distractions that lurk there.
Clean up my actual desktop to get rid of the distractions that lurk there.
Timeframe
I’m hesitant to give a definite time restriction in which I want to get these things done. I will be putting them on my todo list each day. This way I will move at least a small step closer each day.
Within a week I will have cleaned up my desktop and deleted or pared down my Twitter and Facebook accounts.
Within a month I will have written the ebook that I said I would be working on for over a year now.
So there’s my plan. Would anyone like to join me as we take back our time from the technology that is supposed to help us?
All too often I forget to carry my camera with me, and I miss some great shots. Each time, I tell myself that I need to remember to bring it with me the next time I head out the door, only to forget again.
By neglecting to carry my camera with me on a regular basis, not only do I miss out on some wonderful shots, but I also don’t get the practice that I need to improve my photographs.
Are you doing the same thing? Are you making it harder to improve your photography while missing great shots?
The solution is simple:
DON’T FORGET YOUR CAMERA!
If you have your camera, you’re likely to use it. Using it more often will result in an increase in the quality of your shots. Practice makes perfect, right?
For the month of July, I’ll be doing this. My camera will go everywhere with me. Part of my job this month is to document the daily happenings around me. This will force me to grow accustomed to carrying the camera with me everywhere, and remember to take pictures. I will be treating this forced lesson as the beginning of a long-term habit. I have a nice little point-and-shoot camera that fits perfectly into any of my pants pockets. Soon, it will become a frequent resident of those pockets as it joins me on my daily adventures.
What About You?
Are you going to continue wishing you took better pictures? Will you keep regretting that you missed some great photo opportunities because you didn’t have your camera with you? Join me this month as we work to make a habit of always having our cameras with us.
Terral Fox replied to my post Featuring YOU! and told me about a unique adventure that he and his brothers often go on: mountain unicycling! It is often called Muni for short. They ride specially built off-road unicycles down mountain biking trails. Terral said that “Mountain Unicycling is an incredible
challenge of balance, strength, and stamina. I think that the simplicity and challenge of it is what draws me to it.” I can certainly see how challenging this would be from this video that Terral made of himself and his brother out riding:
(This is definitely worth seeing full-screen. Click on the arrows next to the volume control to expand it.)
This video only served to pique my interest, so I asked Terral if he was willing to be interviewed. Fortunately he was, and he provided some wonderful details about how he got into Muni. Read on to see what he has to say. (My questions are in italics and Terral’s response is regular text.)
Tell us a little about yourself.
I am a freelance graphic designer and photographer living in Southern Utah. I have a degree in graphic design and I’m working on a second degree in photography as well. (editor’s note: You can see some of Terral’s work on his website.) Some of my favorite activities are: hiking, snowboarding, rock climbing, mountain biking, kayaking/rafting, camping, backpacking, fishing, and mountain unicycling. I love just about any outdoor recreational activity. I live in an area that offers a wide variety of recreational opportunities and an amazing landscape.
How did you get into Muni?
When I was in the 5th grade my friend got a unicycle for his birthday. I was intrigued by it and asked my parents if I could get one. The same year I got one for Christmas and learned how to ride it. I rode it around for several years but eventually it got put away and I rarely ever rode it. Later in life I became interested in BMX bikes. I couldn’t afford a new BMX bike that I could do tricks on so I had a used bike that someone gave me. It was in bad shape so I had to spend quite a bit of time fixing it up. One day my friends were out riding their bikes and I really wanted to go but my bike was not in shape to ride yet.
At this point I remembered my unicycle and I had this crazy idea… I wondered if I could do tricks on my unicycle. I dusted it off and began playing around on it. Before long I realized that I could stand up on the pedals and hop up and down. This, of course, led me to riding it around trying some of the tricks my friends were doing on BMX bikes. One of my friends saw me doing it and asked if I could teach him how to ride. Eventually he had one and was riding with me. On any given day we were out on either bikes or unicycles. One day we took a shortcut on a dirt road on our unicycles. We discovered that it was a totally different experience to go off road. One thing led to another and soon we decided to ride down a new mountain bike trail near our homes. It was 4.5 miles of technical single track downhill.
We thought that we had invented a new sport of mountain unicycling. The problem was that our unicycles were not designed to take the abuse we were giving them. They didn’t last very long at all. We ended up fixing them and modifying them to be better suited for off road use. Eventually my friend began looking for a new unicycle and found that there were custom unicycles being built for off road use. Of course this meant that we were not the first to venture off road on unicycles but it also meant that there were resources for better unicycles. Mountain unicycling is often shortened to “muni”.
What kind of gear do you need for Muni? Do you make or buy it? Where at, if you have a preferred place?
Eventually I got a new unicycle with a 24 inch wheel and a three inch tire. I ordered all of the parts online and assembled it myself. Although I’ve replaced some parts, I still ride the same unicycle. I have now been riding a unicycle for about 16 years and I have been riding muni for about 10 years.
A good mountain unicycle usually costs anywhere from $200 to $1,600. Some bike shops are now carrying mountain unicycles but most of them are bought online. It has become more popular in Europe so it is easier to purchase them there. Unicycle.com is really the only distributer of mountain unicycles in the U.S. that I know of.
Since all of a riders weight is placed directly on the pedals during most of the technical riding and while hopping they are made with extremely strong crank arms and hubs. They are also made with wide tires to get better traction and to absorb as much shock as possible. All mountain and freestyle unicycles have a handle on the front of the saddle. Some unicycles now have brakes but usually a rider’s legs are the only brakes that they have. Safety gear is a must! At bare minimum you will want a helmut, gloves, and shin guards. I often ride with elbow and knee pads as well.
Tell us about some experiences with Muni.
People give us funny looks and always make comments like “looks like the circus is in town”, or “what happened to the other half of your bike?”. They don’t realize that someone else said the same thing to us five minutes ago! The most common response when people find out that we ride on advanced mountain biking trails is that they think we are crazy and ask us if we have a death wish. In reality mountain unicycling is MUCH safer than mountain biking. I do both and I rarely get injuries from unicycling, if I do they are usually minor. Since a unicycle doesn’t coast it can only go as fast as your legs can pedal! When things get out of control it is easy to go from pedaling to running. I travel much faster on a mountain bike and if I crash, I can’t just bail and land on my feet like I can a unicycle. Of course there are people that push the limits of safety but for the most part it is safer than people think it is. The most common injury is a pedal to the calf!
The longest trail I have done was a 17 mile downhill trail. It is technical single track until the last two miles. Mountain unicycling is the best leg workout I have ever had. When we do a long trail or a trail that is very steep it hurts to go down stairs the next day!
Although all of the riding in the video is in the desert low elevation mountains (we filmed it in the early spring) we often ride in the high mountains.
<-- end interview -->
As you can see, Terral did a wonderful job of answering my questions. (Thanks Terral!) If you want to know more about him, check out his website or his new blog where he is selling the Unshoes sandals that he makes.
Saw this photo the other day and thought it summed up why I have the “freebie” phone that came with my plan quite nicely.
Sure, I love the idea of having an iPhone (or BlackBerry, or whatever you prefer). But it’s not worth it to me to spend the money on it, much less on the monthly data plan. My phone does everything that I need, and a whole lot more. Other than wanting a new toy, I have no need of a fancier phone. Leo wrote about letting go of desires just the other day. This desire would replace something I already have, so it might not derail the Minimalist Experiment. But it’s also not something that I need, so the money can be spent in a better fashion.
One of these days, I’ll have a touch-screen phone with all the bells and whistles. Until then, my phone works just fine.
Nope, it’s not horse-back riding… I’m back on my bicycle, and it feels good! (so long as the hill is not too steep or long, of course.)
Until about 4 days ago, I hadn’t ridden my bicycle since December. It’s kinda hard to pack a bicycle in a suitcase (especially since I don’t have a folding bike). I was bicycle-less while in Ireland, and again after returning; not that a bicycle would have done me much good during the hectic month or so of cross-country driving.
Now I’m getting back in the swing of things. Work is going strong, finals are coming to a close and school is starting back up. Since everything is ramping back up to full time, and my wife and I’s schedules do not quite coincide, the bikes are being put back into action.
While I am definitely not in the shape that I was back in December (oh how my legs scream on the hills!) it certainly feels good to be riding again. It’s only a matter of time until I get back in shape (and with the way my schedule’s looking… it’ll be a short time).
Not only is it nice to be back on the bike, but it’s also a step towards one of the goals on my list. Some daily riding with longer rides once a week will be the small stepping stones I need to take to get there.
What did you used to do that you miss? Why aren’t you doing it now? No good reason? Go, do it!
