Facebook- A Self-Esteem Crutch?

I read an article this evening titled, “Don’t Overload Your Social Network.” The article spoke of how people can use social media as a crutch for their self-esteem. Just because facebook says you have 500 friends, doesn’t really mean these are your true friends. The article mentioned that there has been research that states when you view facebook and your notifications your brain releases Oxytocin. This is the same chemical that is released when you are in love. The article also provided tips regarding when you should avoid trying to build your self-esteem through facebook and other social media outlets, such as contacting friends you haven’t seen in a while, keeping in touch with exes, and contacting your family. Reading this article immediately made me think of a commercial I had recently seen.

I find this commercial entertaining and also a bit sad because I think our generation and the next are becoming more and more reclusive. We do not have to even leave our homes anymore and while I recognize that is a bit of an exaggeration, in a way that's where it seems that we are headed. You can purchase anything you need online, even your food for the week and have it delivered to your door. You can work from home and hold meetings online with the use of skype and other online meeting tools. There is constantly new ways to not have to actually speak with someone- including the use of texting. Instead of calling your friend to tell them some big news- some people post it on facebook. And in a way this article makes sense that people gain some gratification by seeing that people are acknowledging their status or their new photos. And, I can be guilty of this as well- I enjoy seeing that a friend of mine commented on a photo or left me a message. But, hopefully people won't lose the gratification that comes from actually meeting up with friends or holding a conversation over the phone.

http://www.cnn.com/2011/TECH/social.media/07/27/social.network.overload.netiquette/index.html

I killed my Wii...

So this week I did a bad thing…I killed my Nintendo Wii.  I’ve never been a gamer- as a kid I had a gameboy but it pretty much collected dust.  I’ve never had the patience to figure out what I needed to do to get to the next level of a video game.  So it’s funny that I now find myself sitting in an apartment looking at a PS2 that is collecting dust, a brand new PS3, and a dead Wii.  I had bought the Wii for my fiancée about 2 years ago for his birthday- he likes video games and I wanted to stream Netflix.  I have loved being able to watch tv shows and movies through that program but this week I accidentally didn’t shut it off when I thought I had powered it down.   You really need to hold that power button down for a long time!  So when my fiancée tried to use it later in the week all he got was a blank screen- it had over heated from being left on for 4 days. 

So after “googling” how to fix a wii that has overheated I found this website: http://gameolosophy.com/consoles/wii/wii-black-screen-of-death-how-to-fix-wii-errors/.  If you look at problem number 2, I followed the steps it provided and unfortunately nothing has worked.  I personally am fine with not replacing it as we have the Ps3 that plays blu ray discs and can stream Netflix, however, my fiancée has games that he would like to play on it so he is debating on either sending it back to have it fixed or just waiting until the new version of the Wii comes out.  I found this great blog about what the new Wii will entail and it includes a trailer for the new gaming system.  

http://www.videogamesblogger.com/2011/07/02/what-is-the-wii-u-a-console-tablet-or-controller-iwata-explains-its-all.htm.  At this point I think its better just to wait until the next version comes out next year.  It seems like it has a lot more features to it that can be utilized for many different types of games and internet use.  

Cashier or Self-Checkout?

I stepped into my local CVS last night to discover they had completely renovated it.  They added a new food section with more refrigerated items and also added 3 self-checkout stations.  Self-checkout stations are popping up at many retailers including Stop & Shop, Walmart, and Home Depot.  Since watching Friedman’s lecture, these machines now make  me think of his reference about Southwest Airlines.  Now you can go food shopping, scan your own items, and also bag your own groceries- Stop and Shop and other retailers who utilize this device are putting you to work for THEM!  Stop and Shop has taken it one step further with a scan as you shop option.  This is where you can take a scanner that is available in the front of the store and then scan and bag your groceries as you shop for them.  Then your bill is already calculated when you arrive at the register. 

People I’ve spoken to about this technology in the past have very different opinions about them.  I personally will use the self-check out if I only have a few items and the line is shorter than the others.  Other people see it as a challenge to use, because some items won’t always scan or the belt won’t recognize that you’ve placed something on it and then you need to get someone who works there to help you with correcting the problem.  I have never used the scan as you go option at Stop and Shop, but a couple people I’ve spoken to say that they love it.  They think it makes the experience easier and all you have to do when you arrive at the register is pay your bill and leave. 

I found an article on MSNBC.com about this technology and at the end of the article they ran a pole asking people what they think about self-check outs.  36.9% of people stated that they hate them because they feel like they are doing the work while 34.5% of people said they loved them and 27.6% of people said they just use them when they have to (http://business.newsvine.com/_news/2011/07/08/7043552-what-do-you-think-of-self-checkout-lanes).  I also found a couple youtube clips showing the process of the scan as you go and a comedy sketch about the self-check out options.  How do you feel about these options?  Do you think they are putting you to work for the company you are paying?

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Getting Married in an Online Era

Planning a wedding has been a lot of fun, but I get the feeling it’s a bit different now than it was when my parents got married.  My mom planned her wedding in 2 months and did everything face to face with her vendors.  Now, as she helps me plan my wedding for next summer she is really surprised by how much I can get done online through various websites and through just emailing a vendor. 

Wedding planning has moved almost completely online; for most things I don’t even have to speak with a person- I can book things completely online.  While some things like finding a venue are all still something you would go to see, other items such as, finding an someone to marry us, a band or a dj, dress shopping for both myself and my bridesmaids, picking out the tuxes (not the fittings), and purchases like cocktail napkins and invitations can all be done online. 

The Knot is a website that specializes in helping brides (and grooms) plan their wedding.  There are online discussion boards where brides to be can ask the opinions of other brides on decisions they are trying to make- and these brides don’t hold back!  They provide real wedding examples of ceremonies, receptions, and invitations which is a helpful resource to help someone get creative with their own wedding.  They also have online videos from everything to dress shopping, do it yourself invitations, to honeymoon ideas.  They have a wedding shop where you can purchase favors, gifts for bridesmaids, and reception décor.  If you are planning to register for gifts you can synch your registries from multiple stores to one site http://www.giftregistry360.com/.  You don’t even have to walk into a store to register for gifts anymore- it can all be done online. 

I personally prefer to meet with my vendors to see what their ideas are and to make sure it blends with how I see our wedding day.  I can’t imagine having booked my band without having gone to see them perform and then meeting with the contact person to discuss the details.  I’m an event planner as part of my professional job and I like to know the details and plan for what could go wrong.  So for me while it’s great to be able to read online reviews from other brides I still like to personalize it with an in-person meeting.  

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Droid or iPhone 4

Every two years I have to make a big decision…what new cell phone will I get to carry me through my new phone contract?  While for some there is no debate- they have a phone that they love and they want to stick with it, for others like myself, I have to do some research.  The last time I upgraded my phone I was debating whether or not to get an iPhone or stick with a regular Samsung without a data plan.  I decided on the Samsung and within 6 months I had regretted that decision.  So I upgraded to an iPhone 3 that my friend was no longer using and I love it, but it is really slow.  I like that I can use various applications and use both my work email and my personal email as well as access one calendar that sync's up to both work and personal calendars.  However, now that I am able to upgrade next month I have been hearing great reviews about the Droid phone from friends who own them and also there is the possibility of an iPhone 4s or 5 being released in September.  So now it’s time to do a little bit of research. 

I found an article that was done by PC world that compares the iPhone 4 to the Droid- http://www.pcworld.com/article/199844/iphone_4_vs_droid_x_a_headtohead_comparison.html.  I found this to be really helpful with pointing out some items that the iPhone does better than the Droid. I like that it provided me with a sample image of photos taken by each camera.  The iPhone 3 has a crummy camera with no flash and the iPhone 4 has upgraded the camera and added a much needed flash to the phone.  The article also states that the iPhone 4 had faster download speeds than the droid and with how slow my current old iPhone 3 can be, faster download time would be much appreciated!

As far as a release date for a new iPhone is concerned…the internet is one big rumor mill.  There is still no confirmed date or any information on what will actually be the difference between the iPhone 4 and any other newer version of this.  For now I am leaning towards an iPhone 4.  I like AT&T’s plan and service and if I moved to a droid I would have to switch back to Verizon.  So unless any new information is released regarding a new iPhone release it looks like I will stick with a phone that I know I like.