Verizon is bound to get this beautiful phone....at some point in time.

So, I’m sure you have heard the rumors, but honestly, enough already!!!! I can’t take it anymore. I want to know who is going to become the iPhones next big carrier. Verizon or T-Mobile?

I was hanging out with the fam this weekend for Christmas and started talking about how badly we each wanted a new phone. Someone brought up the notion that iPhone was indeed, coming to Verizon in January.

This got me all excited even when I knew it would lead to this blog, then lead to a sobbing fit. Not really, that would be pretty pathetic, actually not pretty at all.  I am of course still hoping for a miracle. In case you haven’t heard the gossip, here’s the saga.

Awhile ago it was said that Verizon would be the next likely service provider for the iPhone, but then it was said that Verizon passed — Said Nah, We love V-cast! Blah. Blah. Blah. I barely use it, do you? I surely could do without.

Then Verizon came out with the Droid and have to point out everything Droid has that iPhone doesn’t. I could tell you one thing iPhone has that Driod doesn’t….Fans! You’re telling me that there is or will be another phone out there to put the iPhone reputation in the dirt? As if. If it is one thing Apple has done a superb job with it’s the name…Everybody knows it, everybody talks about it, everybody wants it, including me.

Now it is “said” that T-Mobile is going to benefit from this deal because T-Mobile is a GSM carrier rather than a CDMA carrier. This means that Apple would not have to manufacture a new version of the iPhone to run on its network. If T-Mobile gets the pleasure of housing the iPhone, we get to go through another year of the same he said, she said crap and someone has yet to create the new stinking version.

But before the emotions start welling up, a bit of rejoice. Earlier this month, a research analyst says Verizon will see the iPhone in late 2010.

Anyway you look at it,Verizon is bound to get this beautiful phone….at some point in time. I hope I’m wrong, but I think we could be waiting a few years. I’m curious how many people Verizon would lose over this?

This cracks me up because the commercials are done so well and really know how to spike your curiosity, and I'm Married!

I have never been a member of Match.com or eHarmony.com nor have I ever met someone from the internet. I had never even met anyone who has used those sites, until this past year. I’ve met 3 people who really have taken this internet dating thing seriously.

Each dater very different, but I thought I’d share with you a conversation I had this morning over an instant message with one who is what you would call a  “First Timer.”

First Timer: we are like so alike and get along so well

First Timer: its crazy
k*kol**:  thats awesome

First Timer: Im just s surprised how this all happened.
k*kol**: thats how its suppose to happen
First Timer: I mean… hes so cute
k*kol**: thats what the commercials say anyway
k*kol**: lol

This cracks me up because the commercials are done so well and really know how to spike your curiosity, and I’m Married! It’s especially intriguing when you have never met anyone like those in the commercials. It will be quite interesting to see how this romance unfolds.  Good Luck First Timer!

How can my tags refer traffic to my blog?

I have another blog — EverythingLiaSophia — performing exceptionally well, seeing 43 views yesterday. That to me is so little yet so much! It really is, considering this blog usually sees 2-5 views per day. So as I was browsing the stats, I noticed that many people are being “referred” from tags. Not categories, but tags…my very own tags. I have other clients who see a whole lot of blog views each day and have never run into this particular occurrence.  I started to think this was a result of a WordPress glitch, until the same occurrence started happening again today.

We know tags are essential for searching and browsing. For example, if “Lia Sophia 2009 catalog” was searched through Google and one of my tags was “2009 Catalog,” the search would be matched with that particular search term, someone clicks my link and would then be recorded in WordPress stats under “Search Engine Terms.” With this assumption, my wondrous mind of course is questioning…how is it possible for readers to be “referred” from my tags to my blog? In other words, How can my tags refer traffic to my blog? Wouldn’t they already be there? And I am not seeing that it is the case that other bloggers have the same tag as me.

Am I missing something? I’d like to know what you know or think.

This is what my stats are telling me.

Anyways, from what I remember I was posting all sorts of photos and links and comments and clicking the “like” button on every status as if I’m going to get 5 gold stars and a raise because my superior Facebook skills got my client 72,000 Facebook friends.

I cant figure out if I’m just stressing at work or if this dream is a sign from above that I need to tell the world an important message or we are all going to die. By the way, did you read the article about what would happen if the internet broke? I really think people would die – just think about all of the ways people could die without the internet. There are so many different scenarios. For example, A person insults another through an IM (instant message), and before getting the chance to say “J/K, J/K LYLAS!!! I’m totes Joking!” the Internet breaks. The insulted is now dead as a result of suicide. I would bet you 72,000 facebook friends that would happen.

So if I’m going to dream about Facebook there are some things that need to change. And even though no one really give a hoot about what I say, I am going to tell you what I would change personally to make Facebook a bit more “dream friendly” in 2010 anyway.

Status Updates: I really do not care about what people did/said/felt yesterday. If I wanted to know what they did yesterday I would go to their profile and find out. That’s when I’m creeping – Hey…we all do it! So Facebook, what I really want for Christmas is “real time” status updates.

Advertisments: You cannot tell me that because I changed my relationship status to “Married” that those are the only ads that you can find to show me. No! I do not want a baby & no thanks, my teeth are perfectly fine. I have so much detailed info on my profile. Show me the goods.

Automatic Updates: You must be able to automatically update & feed into every platform (Twitter, Flickr, Pandora) I use & vise versa(detect everything I do on those sites and upload to Facebook). You have almost 300 million users, I think you can handle that. I can’t be the only one that could dream of this. Make it happen!

TV: Could you be on TV? If I could program you to show me updates on the bottom of my TV screen like those ads on YouTube you would be my favorite celebrity. I could update my status from there, post cool stuff I just saw on TV and watch the news at the same time. Twitter would have to be like this too! I wouldn’t have to sit in front of a computer screen any longer than I have to.

I think this is all for now. As I think of others I will let you know.

P.S. If  you search “Facebook” in Google Images there are some really strange images.

Even though this one came out in late 2008, I definitely viewed it a hell of a lot more in 2009.

This one is OSM!!

Is he/she saying Bob or Mom??

“Ok..this is what I want you to do” – Watch “the Channing show!”

And no the mask is not the funny part.

Hmm….I am seeing a trend here. You have to admit, people love seeing others act a fool!

Do not follow someone you do not like. You will become best friends and people will make fun of you.

So you think your one of the cool kids? Maybe so, but perhaps you just think so. I have these theories.

1.) Everyone on twitter boosts your cool factor because they want to be cool too.

It works like this — You post something regardless if it’s interesting, cool or entertaining, you get a reply or retweet from someone you either don’t know or absolutely hate, thank them (even if you don’t like them) for making you feel cool by following them back. Then they think they are cool too and are now you’re best friend because you followed them making their follower numbers go up.

The quick fix: Do not follow someone you do not like. You will become best friends and people will make fun of you. You also do not want to have more online friends than offline friends.

2.) You tweet more than Joe Cool therefore your cooler.

It works like this — So…you post stuff…a lot. You average about 15-20 (god help you if it’s more) tweets a day mostly likely 75% of them are exactly what you are doing like, “making a sandwich for lunch” and then on to notify the world that you are “eating the sandwich for lunch” while the other 25% are retweets.

The quick fix: Simmer down now on the tweets, no one actually cares about your damn sandwich. And if you must retweet, retweet me.

So, I think all tweeters hit one of these theories at some twitiful point in their tweetful lives. Don’t be ashamed. The first step is admitting you have a problem and all you need to do is fix it. I would do it fast before urban dictionary declares the term Twitter douche. Too Late!

We know we won’t walk out empty handed.

Who is getting up at the butt crack of dawn on Friday, November 27th? I haven’t made up my mind yet, but the ads sure are looking great! I’m pumped and this year it seems I’ve been pumped since July, thanks to Kmart & Sears!

Did you know there is an official website for Black Friday ads? Of course there is. It looks a little ghetto, but it’s an excellent location for those line jumping, demolition cart racing, credit card swiping customers. There is even a Facebook page and Twitter account for Black Friday ads. The “Black Friday Ads” Facebook page has a whopping 73,984 fans while the twitter account has only 2,925 followers. I find this incredibly interesting. Black Friday has managed to successfully engage its FB fans, but lacking in Twitter followers. Perhaps it’s because the Facebook page is more visual — showing actual advertisements while the Twitter account is simply throwing out discounted numbers and links.

This tells me people really do care about the content of an advertisement and it really does excite them to see the red and green colors of Christmas that pumps them up when looking at sale ads. Do they necessarily care about the price reduction? Or are they looking for the amusement of just how low the price is on something whether they plan to buy it or not?

My family goes coo-coo for sale ads. It’s a family tradition. After our Thanksgiving feast, we all feast around good ole’ Grandmas kitchen table piled high with Black Friday ads, get in each others way and try to guess what we are all getting the up and coming December 25^th morning.

Maybe it’s a family togetherness thing people like about sale ads. Whatever the reason, Black Friday can represent so many things for people and their families. It means little Johnny is getting a new iPod for Christmas (because it’s on sale), Suzie Q is going to spend some quality time with the family and Pops is in total shock over how low the price is on a new grill at Sears over the same grill at Lowes.

After all of this excitement, we want more…so we go out on that hectic day whether we want to buy something or not. We know we won’t walk out empty handed.

So, my point is…no matter how a Black Friday ad is viewed, online or offline, in my opinion it seems to always have the same effect, even if you are looking at it in July.

If I go out I’m looking for a deep freeze freezer….I know, I know….LAME! But I’ll probably get one hell of deal and you know something else, Nobody is going to be in line for a freezer. I’m in for a real treat! Or not…

I told you what I’m going to buy, what are you going to buy on Black Friday? What is your most memorable Black Friday story? I want to hear some of those outrageous stories you only see in the movies.

The results are so amusing I found myself lol-ing in my car by myself...

While I was driving to work this morning, I was listening to 99.5 Chicago Country Radio hoping to hear an Alan Jackson favorite or Chris Young’s new song. Though I didn’t hear much music, Rambin Ray and Lisa Dent amused my drive when talking about a study performed by Retrevo called a “Gadgetology study“.

This particular “Gagdetology study” surveyed 450 iPhone users and Blackberry users to determine their dating habits. The results are so amusing I found myself lol-ing in my car by myself mostly because I have been considering the switch from my BB to an iPhone. Hmmm…is it worth my marriage?

The survey found:

• 35% of iPhone users find it a “turn off” if a potential partner had an old, out of date phone.
• 1/3 of iPhone users admitted texting someone to break-up with them.
• 1 in 4 iPhone users has broken up with their partner because that person spent too much time on their phone.
• 20% of iPhone users admitted to looking at porn while BB users resulted in 12%.
• 22% of Blackberry users are a tad bit more sensitive.
• Some iPhone users prefer a partner with cool gadgets over a college degree

So…how many of you iPhone users fit these statistics? Any BB users? I want to hear details people!!!

This photo is courtesy of Marc Battaglia's Flickr PhotostreamI have this friend who is practically my room-mate -- she is my co-worker. We have been working with each other for about a year and a half now and have come to the conclusion that she is....well...yea... Awkward. But please don't confuse this word with weird or odd or unpleasant because she is none of those things, she can give you some of the best moments of your life.

There are 4 of us at work that are pretty close, we live in a basement, and each have an awesomely awesome one word characteristic – Chrissy (@Cagrabek13), we all should know by now is…awkward, Luke (@Ltrayser), who we all “LLAS” – Love like a sister and Ashley (@Acegrl), the gerbil. We totes like to have fun at the office.

Anyways, each of us except Chrissy have set up a blog, each about different topics. In the line of work we are in, it helps our creativity and puts us at the forefront of our field. So now…Chrissy is pursuing the voyage of being a blogger. She knows she is awkward and isn’t ashamed to admit so the journey of setting up a blog begins…

It was yesterday that I was approached by Chrissy. She said, “Krystin…I’m gonna set up a blog, what should the title be?” This put me on the spot especially because she was sitting in my office looking at me like I was going to start giving her 1,001 ideas and “Afternoon Delight” would start playing through the speaker above us . I told her I’d think about it. In the mean time here is the time-line of IMs (instant messages) I received and my replies.

l*vs2*****: UGH IDK WHAT TO TITLE THIS
l*vs2*****: What if I title it…IOftenForget.wordpress.com and then my tagline could be… “You’re cute, what’s your name again?”
l*vs2*****: Im basically copying 10 things I hate about you.

k**ola*: hmmm
k**ola*: it took me a long time to think of a name for my blog
k**ola*: so just really think about it

l*vs2*****: I wanna make it sound like a scatter brain
l*vs2*****: like im all over the place

Here are a few things I told her.

From my personal experience, think about what you are going to be writing about. Once you have that pinned down, take those ideas and start describing them. Take five, six, or seven of those descriptive words and start a word document. Under each term apply all of it’s synonyms and even a few antonyms. After this documents if filled with words, you can begin to form sentences. This process is actually a lot of fun. here are some of the combination’s Chrissy & I came up with or that we hysterically made-up on our own.

• MAAATheMeatLoaf.wordpress.com
• AwkwardsTurtle.wordpress.com – This one is taken by the way.
• IndulgentDivulgence.wordpress.com
• IFallAlot.wordpress.com – We agreed this one is totally emo.
• IDontRemeberWhatThisisCalled.wordpress.com
• HitorMiss.wordpress.com
• SideSplittingHeadache.wordpress.com

After all of this “brainstorming” I jokingly suggested AwkwardIngedients.wordpress.com, tagline – unseasoned content with a flavored personality. And resulted in this commentary…

l*vs2*****: Im likin it.
l*vs2*****: I can make my header have just random shit
l*vs2*****: LOL
k**ola*: of what?
l*vs2*****: like a rutabega and a turnip.. maybe some thyme and then like anchovies
l*vs2*****: LOL
l*vs2*****: wtf am I making
k**ola*: hahaha
k**ola*: ewww
l*vs2*****: who knows its just awkward
l*vs2*****: lol

And from here we made history. Ladies and Gentleman I am honored to present to you AwkwardIngredients.wordpress.com. Give her some love!!! Also, don’t forget to check out CommonVents.com and AceSpot.wordpress.com.

Here are a few more tips on setting up a blog:

• Before you go setting up your wordpress blog, make sure you have the domain you want because you won’t be able to change it.
• I suggest finding an appropriate title for you never know who is going to be looking at your blog, i.e., your boss, your clients or your grandma
• Choose a template with a custom header this way you can create your own
• Try to create an entry at least once a week
• Take your time
• And ALWAYS share. Post to twitter, bookmarking and seeding site, facebook, email, etc.

This little recap has forced me to push it real good into the discussion “how social media and cell phones can and should be used in the classroom.”

I don’t know what the statistics are on this, but hundreds or maybe even thousands of students have been reprimanded for the presence of a cell phone ringing in a locker or perhaps a sneaked visit to YouTube while in the computer lab. While these are both personal uses of the technology, why not use this opportunity to get the students learning through the inevitable…communication.

Today’s youth is growing up in a time where the internet and small technological devices are just as common as the the number of TV’s you have in your household. I have three and don’t even have anywhere to put the third one, but they all have a purpose, just as each type of technology you have is for a purpose. Here are some ways I think cells phones, social media and other online tools can serve a purpose in school.

Google Calendar & Shared Docs: This would be a great way for students to remember deadlines and stay organized while keeping the entire class involved.

Podcasts: These are always informative and students can even create their own. I think it’s important for children to also have a voice would make them feel like someone is listening.

Text messages/Tweets: During a field trip, you split-up in groups with chaperones. Let’s say the teacher or one of the teams have discovered something really interesting, they can send a message or even a tweet out to the class. This is just one example of many.

Facebook group: A Facebook group is an ideal place for students and teachers to interact.

Create a social network: There are various sites out there such as SocialCast.com and Ning.com. With this you are capable of communicating to students in real time. Much like Facebook, but a few of these sites are based around organizational use. Makes it easy to share videos, photos, documents. Users can post discussions, comments, & ideas. All of these things can be set-up to alert someone through email when there has been an addition or interaction with the network.

Eblasts: I can see a benefit for both the teacher and the student. A teacher can create a weekly eblast for their students as a homework reminder or a recap of the week and what to expect the following week. Posting frequently asked questions that were received from other students could helps other and would allow the teacher to actually see who opened, viewed, clicked, etc. All of these things could be placed in a Facebook group too, but this is another place for the content. The more places this info is the more likely it is that it will be seen & actually heard.

Video Conferencing: If you record all of or perhaps just some key lectures, having them available online for students to reference later or who are out sick/on vacation is an easy alternative to keeping students up-to-date.

The important thing to note here is — The internet is an archive. This is where we go for information. And with so many phones capable of accessing the internet, you can access it anywhere!

These are just a few, I can keep going the more I think, but then this post would be very long and very unorganized. I’ll probably add more to this when and where I see fit so check back often. Oh…and please feel free to add to it with some comments!