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Cost of Technology

Posted Jan 7 2012 by in General Tech with 8 Comments
technology

 

Tonight, as my thoughts drifted back to simpler times in life, I wondered about the high cost of  new technology all around us – not cost in terms of dollars and cents, but rather our quality of life.

What have we lost along the way?

I can sit here at my computer and order any book with just a few clicks on my keyboard, but I can no longer visit my favorite bookstore.

It’s simply gone.

Gone are the lazy afternoons browsing through the titles surrounded by the smells of fresh pastries and coffee. The oversized chairs that I loved to relax in while breathing air filled with dreams and possibilities have all been hauled away in the name of new technology. If I drive far enough I can find the big corporate chain bookstores but I don’t expect them to last much longer either.

Technology is not likely to allow it.

Perhaps one day, the entire concept of books will be forgotten…

There are entire stores dedicated to babies these days, yet as I wander through the aisles I find it curious that the store offers only a half dozen styles of rocking chairs, yet countless rows of technology for soothing a baby – bears that sound like a mother’s womb, monitors so advanced that you can sooth your baby (from another room) with your voice without even getting up from your computer.

In the end though, no matter how technology continues to grow, it will never replace the love of a mother’s arms rocking her baby and singing sweet lullabies.

You don’t want to get me started on the way we communicate these days!

How often do we actually SPEAK to each other? Don’t get me wrong, I am as bad as the next guy. I actually groan when the phone rings because texting is so much easier than actually stopping what I am doing and truly communicating with someone. And, God forbid we meet in person to talk. LOLOLOL!

I am an admitted tech junkie.

I love new technology. I spend hours wandering the aisles (and drooling) in places like Best Buy and often find myself ordering things from Amazon.

I would never want to go backwards with where technology has gone.

I just think that every now and then we need to take a step back to remember our priorities and find some sort of balance with it all.

 

J. Cricket Walker of CricketWalker.com

December Photo Scavenger Hunt

Posted Dec 1 2011 by in Photography with 2 Comments
Photo Scavenger Hunt

 

  1. Hot
  2. Cold
  3. Warm
  4. Green
  5. Fast Food
  6. Religious
  7. Natural
  8. Family
  9. Lights
  10. Friends
  11. Wild
  12. Big
  13. Tall
  14. Tiny
  15. Paper
  16. Colors
  17. Silly
  18. Photographer’s Choice

December 1, 2011 – December 31, 2011

You have 31 days to complete this scavenger hunt. The speed that you post your entries is not vital. You can take a picture every other day, or spend a full day finding all of them. It is vital though that YOU are the one who takes every picture.

You cannot use one of your old pictures. Every picture needs to be a new one that you have taken during this 31 days challenge.

Each photo theme is open to your personal interpretation. As an example, if one of the theme challenges would have been “face” that does not necessarily mean a human face. You could just as easily choose to photograph the face of a clock. We only expect that you will explain each shot, and how it applies to the specific theme.

The more creative you are with this, the more fun it will be.

Getting Started With The Scavenger Hunt

Make it known that you intend to participate in the challenge by adding your name to the list on the Official V7N Photo Scavenger Hunt thread over at the V7N.

If you have questions or comments, please respond to this post here on the blog.

During The Photo Scavenger Hunt

Post your images to the location of your choice, such as your personal blog, or a service such as Picasa Web Albums or Flickr. It will help us follow your progress if you notify us of the location (link) and thumbnail of each new submission to the Official V7N Photo Scavenger Hunt thread.

The order that you complete the challenge is not important, just let us know which theme the submitted picture applies to.

Are There Prizes For Participating?

At the end of the scavenger hunt we will do a random drawing of all members who completed the challenge to give away 5 V7N Directory listings. We will also be featuring the 5 best shots (with linked photography credit) here on the V7N Technology blog. (Please note that you must post your submissions for this challenge in the V7N Photo Scavenger Hunt thread to qualify.)

Added Notes

It is not important if you are just getting started with photography or if you are a seasoned professional. We also don’t care if you use a point and shoot camera, your cell phone, or DSLR. What matters is just getting out there and shooting the world around you.

Use your imagination and just have fun!

 

J. Cricket Walker of CricketWalker.com

November Photo Scavenger Hunt

Posted Nov 1 2011 by in Photography with 0 Comments
camera

 

  1. November
  2. Liquid
  3. Smile
  4. Red
  5. Old
  6. Wood
  7. Baby
  8. Wildlife
  9. Transportation
  10. Random
  11. Love
  12. Food
  13. Abandoned
  14. Dislike
  15. Stranger
  16. Sign
  17. Communication
  18. Peace

November 1, 2011 – November 30, 2011

You have 30 days to complete this scavenger hunt. The speed that you post your entries is not vital. You can take a picture every other day, or spend a full day finding all of them. It is vital though that YOU are the one who takes every picture.

You cannot use one of your old pictures. Every picture needs to be a new one that you have taken during this 30 days challenge.

Each photo theme is open to your personal interpretation. As an example, if one of the theme challenges would have been “face” that does not necessarily mean a human face. You could just as easily choose to photograph the face of a clock. We only expect that you will explain each shot, and how it applies to the specific theme.

The more creative you are with this, the more fun it will be.

Getting Started With The Scavenger Hunt

Make it known that you intend to participate in the challenge by adding your name to the list on the Official V7N Photo Scavenger Hunt thread over at the V7N.

If you have questions or comments, please respond to this post here on the blog.

During The Photo Scavenger Hunt

Post your images to the location of your choice, such as your personal blog, or a service such as Picasa Web Albums or Flickr. It will help us follow your progress if you notify us of the location (link) and thumbnail of each new submission to the Official V7N Photo Scavenger Hunt thread.

The order that you complete the challenge is not important, just let us know which theme the submitted picture applies to.

Are There Prizes For Participating?

At the end of the scavenger hunt we will do a random drawing of all members who completed the challenge to give away 5 V7N Directory listings. We will also be featuring the 5 best shots (with linked photography credit) here on the V7N Technology blog. (Please note that you must post your submissions for this challenge in the V7N Photo Scavenger Hunt thread to qualify.)

Added Notes

It is not important if you are just getting started with photography or if you are a seasoned professional. We also don’t care if you use a point and shoot camera, your cell phone, or DSLR. What matters is just getting out there and shooting.

Use your imagination and just have fun!

 

J. Cricket Walker of CricketWalker.com

Netflix Offers Self Serving Apology

Posted Sep 19 2011 by in General Tech with 1 Comment
Drag Your Credit Card Back Out For Netflix?

“It is clear from the feedback over the past two months that many members felt we lacked respect and humility in the way we announced the separation of DVD and streaming and the price changes. That was certainly not our intent, and I offer my sincere apology.” Reed Hastings, Netflix co-founder and CEO

Seriously? Is that what you call an apology?

It wasn’t just that members felt you lacked respect and humility when you ignored thousands and thousands of them giving you feedback on your FB page and by phone. It was that you DID lack respect and humility.

Then you proceed to follow up that “apology” with a launch for Qwikster thinking we will drag our credit cards back out because you said you were sorry.

Are you kidding me?

Wasn’t that really the plan all along?

At this point, I would be more than willing to pay more to another company if it meant they had an ounce of integrity because that would be far more integrity than Netflix has shown during this mess.

As always, just my 2 cents…

J. Cricket Walker of CricketWalker.com

Photo Challenge: One Photo A Day

Posted Aug 8 2011 by in Photography with 2 Comments
photo challenge

 

A few years back I was going through a very challenging time in my life. I found myself stuck in some sort of cocoon of safety that I had created around myself. A friend of mine couldn’t seem to leave me there in my comfort of darkness. Much time had passed with me not even picking up my camera, let alone using it. I think he believed that if he could just get me to pick up my camera, that I would begin my journey back. He challenged me to take at least one photo a day for the next 30 days.

It ended up to be a life changing journey for my daughter and me.

Beyond being able to see the world through the eye of my lens, I learned so much more than I ever would have imagined.

I learned that I can choose how I respond to stress, and above all I learned how to make a commitment and stick with it by choosing small baby steps that I was certain I could accomplish daily.

How about you?

Are you ready to give this a go?

Let’s make a promise to ourselves to take at least one photo a day for the next 30 days. Keep in mind that it doesn’t much matter what camera you choose to use. It can be a simple point and shoot pocket camera, a DSLR, or even your cell phone.

Your pictures do not need to be a work of art! I don’t care if you take a picture of your newly painted toe nails! Just take a picture every single day and post it.

Time should not be a factor in this if you keep a camera nearby. It really shouldn’t take more than 10 minutes to take a picture, upload it, and post the image or link to the image. If you can’t find 10 minutes in your day, we really better start discussing time management. (evil grin!)

You can upload your pictures to an online album (created for this challenge) on free services such Flickr or Google’s Picasa Web Albums and then post the link (and comments) in our challenge thread both in the V7N Forum, and in our Facebook group. Those of you who are bloggers, may find this to be a good way to step up your blogging efforts by posting each picture to your blog with your thoughts for the day, but make sure you still let us know the link each day so that we can follow your progress.

As always, I will give away some free V7N Directory listings at the end of this challenge in random drawings.

When would be a good time to start? Well, how about now? :)

J. Cricket Walker of CricketWalker.com

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