Happy Valentines Day, peeps!

I've been pretty busy this weekend, hanging out with my valentine and doing absolutely nothing. More later this week on job schtuff. In the meantime, enjoy some V-Day love from artist Phil Hansen.

HBO's plans to document my life...sort of.

Here's something to give me hope during my Winter TV series-break blues (April 13th can't come any sooner!). Rumor has it that HBO is currently producing a new series called Tilda, which will be all about the ubiquitously-described "no holds barred" entertainment blogger chick. Way to swipe a phrase straight from the press release, people.

I'm not entirely sure when this series is set to release, but I have to say, I'm pretty psyched about it. Being a female blogger myself, and always trying to learn from the best about my, ahem, "craft," I'm hoping that this show will be like many of the other HBO original programs that I enjoy - entertaining, but also insightful. Although I'd still definitely say that I'm new at this, I have already learned that there are lots of ups and downs that come with blogging. It will be fun to watch these similar experiences via an unexpected medium for such a subject, rather than simply reading about them on the smaller screen.

When it comes to applications, it's quality over quantity

I already have a New Year's resolution, and for the most part, I'm sticking to it. I got a gym membership (!) and I've actually been using it almost every day, with no sign of stopping anytime soon. I'm giving myself a pat on the back for that one. But the other day, I made another resolution - to try to apply to five jobs every week. To me, this didn't seem like too daunting a task.

I even designated a chunk of time to work on this goal, and nothing else. This can be pretty tough for me sometimes, because more often than not, I tend to let my schoolwork get in the way of my job search. Already, things were looking pretty good. It was a Friday afternoon, I had already visited the gym, and I had a list of saved jobs on my Indeed.com homepage, ready and waiting for me.

But once I began researching these positions, their respective companies, and any current employees that I might be able to network with, I realized that - if done right - this seemingly easy "routine" of applying to a few jobs a week might take longer than I thought. In the few hours that I had set aside for the Employment Effort, I sent a ton of e-mails, LinkedIn messages and invitations to join my network. I added notes to each of my saved listings on Indeed, of who I contacted via what mode of communication, their position, and my relationship to this person (past employer, UM alumnus, etc.) Now what?

Because it is always better to have a direct contact at whatever companies I apply to, I know that it is worth the wait for the (potentially quite few) responses that I will receive. For the time being, the ball isn't in my court anymore. And I'm okay with that. I was even able to set up a few calls about certain positions and/or organizations, although they might only be informational interviews; I'm not sure. If people don't get back to me, I'll probably try again this weekend. If round two is similarly unsuccessful, I'll either try to find some other contacts or just go ahead and apply for those jobs.

Bottom line is, while goals are absolutely important, it's important to make sure these goals are realistic and truly in your best interest. Even though I left the UgLi yesterday feeling completely depressed/unproductive/like a waste of space, I know that all of my communication efforts aren't for nothing. In my opinion, it's way better to go into a job application prepared than to simply pump out copied-and-pasted cover letters and resumes. I think? Hopefully, I'll actually see some results. Stay tuned!

Google alert - friend or foe?

This past Sunday night, the Grammys included lots of fun moments: Beyonce KILLING it on stage, an MJ tribute that made me wish I had seen Avatar just for the 3-D glasses (and also to end my status as the last person on Earth who hasn't seen it), and lots and lots of pretty dresses.

But what I remembered most about the awards ceremony happened even before any of the stars stepped off the red carpet and into the huge venue. In a pre-show interview with Katy Perry (side boob alert?) and Russell Brand on E!, the couple was asked about their recent engagement. Perry admitted that she knew Brand would pop the question sooner rather than later, because, "Unfortunately, I still Google myself sometimes; I saw it on Google alerts."

Even as someone who maintains a hardcore passion for all things web, Perry's self-proclaimed "honest!" claim shook me to the core. What kind of a society do we live in, where the wonderful, life-changing moments in one's life can be tipped off by Google? Granted, I'm not a celebrity, and it's not like people mention me at all in the blogosphere or anything. So, I guess I'm not the prime candidate for an eponymous Google alert, although I can totally see the benefits of the application for business or brand reputation management. Still. Something about this rubs me the wrong way.

I'm a Google lover, not a fighter. And it's possible that whoever mentioned any Brand ring-browsing sighting didn't know that Perry herself would ever see it. To me, this is just another example of how the Internet continues to change how we relate to each other. What's next? Cutting out the middle man and just proposing online all together? Thoughts?

My place as a cog within the great "Machine": turning slowly as of late

It's been a long weekend. Meh.

Actually, that's a lie. I was home in Boston this weekend, which was lovely. A relaxing few days, filled with sleep, a date night or two, and snuggle time with my lil' muffin, Lizzie. And by "lil' muffin," I mean my mom's Teacup Maltese, who she shamelessly dresses up in ridiculous outfits. Aww.

Anyway, although this weekend was relaxing, I still feel like it was pretty busy - squeezing in time with the parents, the boyfriend, etc., in between my (indirect) flights, there and back. Because I had to get up at 6 AM this morning, I'm feeling a little sluggish in the blogging department. However, I thought I'd post this awesome YouTube clip (no, it's not Charlie or my other fav little one eating a pickle/lemon/whatever it is that makes his face so squishy). The beyond creative video is all about how Web 2.0 has revolutionized our society and the way we think, explore, and relate to one another. I promise: it's not boring.

As a blogger, I find a lot of personal relevance within this video. I could go on and on about the implications of this clip, and many people have; I think that Michael Wesch put it out in 2007, and it's generated quite a bit of commentary since then, to say the least. But I'll let you judge it for yourself.

Using social media to put Obama on the spot? Count me in!

Tonight, at 9 PM, our president plans to address all of us Joe Schmoes during his annual State of the Union. To us, this is a time that, once a year, we can feel as if we've reverted back to the good ol' days of FDR's Fireside Chats; although Obama's speech will air to millions, when we watch such broadcasts, it seems as though he talks directly to us, to me, as I sit on my living room couch.

This year, though, this intimacy has been brought to a whole new level. Throughout the broadcast, which will be available live on Citizentube, viewers can submit their questions for President Obama via video or text. In the following days, we can submit more questions and vote on which ones we would like to hear Obama address the most. Next week, the folks at YouTube will field some of these favorite questions to our president himself, in a live interview from the White House also broadcasted from Citizentube.

Now, this isn't on the same level as me tweeting Pauly D to find out if he's spinning at Rick's this Thursday in Ann Arbor (it really looks like he replies to all his fan tweets!). He's not, by the way. This is me, talking one-on-one with Big Man Obama. How cool is that?!

Since I didn't vote for the Massachusetts Senatorial election last week and feel like a giant jackass, this is the least that I can do to remain somewhat passionate and politically involved. Yeah, the chances people will vote for my questions are slim, but who cares? I'm definitely interested to hear what he (and all of us) have to say.

How to become a material girl/a girl that's got some material to write about?

Obviously, now that I've really pledged to put myself out there with this thing - and even promoted it on Facebook! - I've got a case of writer's block. Typical.

I think that this might be because of all the reading and writing I, as an English major, have to fulfill for my courses here. I'm really making an effort to separate this blog from my schoolwork, but as a senior (and a pretty hard-working student, if I do say so myself), is that entirely even possible? Earlier this week, I wrote a little bit about an online reading from my New Technology and the Humanities class. I did this because the reading truly inspired me, utterly taking over my mind until I finally put it out on paper - or in this case, out in the blogosphere - that I vowed to take heed. Now that I think about it, I'm not even so sure that it's such a bad thing that I incorporate class lessons and materials into my own life. I guess that it means that I am, dare I say, actually learning something.

Since I have been having minor technical difficulties in the material department as of late, I've decided to really make an effort to resume following some of my favorite other bloggers. Hey, if I've got nothing interesting to say, I can at least point you to someone who does. Right?

Chris Brogan is one such mastermind; he's got a ton of valuable insights into the online world, how to navigate it successfully, and how we can use it to really improve our lives. Here's an interesting post from today that I found particularly relevant. Happy reading!