$aving Money

The economy is shit right now, we all know it. Millions of people have been affected by it, and as a result are cutting costs of all kinds (my family included). I thought since tons of people could relate to this, I would make a post on ways to save money using the internet, since we use it so much.

The first is the obvious idea- shopping online. While some products are the same, if not more expensive online than in-store, there are millions of exclusive online sales and deals that aren't available in person. Most stores offer them... you just have to check their sites frequently or get their emails to know when the sales are.

eBay- a great way to buy something (at the expense that it could be pre-owned) for extremely cheap, or to make some money by selling things. There are both auction and immediate purchase options, so there's a solution for everyone. Amazon.com is similar to eBay- you can purchase used items for SUPER cheap (including textbooks) and sell things. Amazon has virtually anything and everything you'd ever want or need to buy. The tricky part with these sites is that most products are sold by independent sellers, so tricks and scams are lingering out there.

Promo codes- not that many people are into these, but they can save you a great deal of money. You know when you go to buy something online, and there's always a box that says PROMOTIONAL CODE? APPLY HERE _________. Well, we usually don't have any, so we leave that blank. But all you have to do is google "American Apparel Promo Code," (or whatever company it is you're buying from) and websites will come up that offer them. You copy and paste them, and voila! You save around 10-15% on your purchase, or eliminate shipping costs. Retailmenot.com is a fabulous promo code/coupon site.

Specialty discount websites- there are tons of sites out there that are dedicated to helping you get things at a discount. Two of my favorites are Groupon.com and Restaurant.com. Here's how they work:

Groupon.com is a daily deal website- they offer AMAZING offers for 24 hours at a time on great things you wouldn't do in a daily routine, and are ran locally. Lazer hair treatments at 90% off, Spa packages, Gift cards, parasailing rides, sales on food, etc... i recommend you check it out for yourself because it's an amazing site. You can click on "recent deals" to get a feel of things they offer.

Restaurant.com is a site that offers gift certificates to good restaurants at a huge discount, around 40-50% off. Add a googled promo code at the end, and you have yourself a 50$ gift certificate that you paid $5 for.

Both of these sites make for GREAT GIFTS- maybe not when you're looking for a super personalized present, but for a nice gesture for any occasion, this is the place to go.

If you're into fashion, but don't like spending a ton of money on designers, there are websites for you too. Ruelala.com & Gilt.com are sites that like groupon, offer daily deals on designer collections at extreme discounts. Because they're expensive to begin with, your purchase probably won't be cheap, but it's an amazing save compared to the retail price. You can't sign up automatically- someone needs to invite you (aka have someone whos registered forward you an email). And you get a $25 credit for signing up.

If you're an extreme frugalista and love saving money on everything, I suggest you check out $uper $teals. It's my friends facebook page dedicated to finding deals and saving money. There are even iPhone apps that are coupon based, offering deals and offers in your area. The possibilities are endless..

There are tons of ways to save money using the internet, and these only name a few. It is possible to save money and still live a fabulous life, you just have to apply yourself to it. Hope this helped some of you out! Until next time,

Work party blog!

FOODFOODFOOD

So i've been trying to think about what else I could write about- I've talked about entertainment, social networks, communication, working, e-commerce, and school. Then it dawned on me that technology has had a major impact on food- yes, food.

Obviously, we don't eat technology. But thanks to the internet (and even smartphones), we are able to find dish recipes online rather than searching for them in a book or magazine. We print them out, keep them ready at hand, cook away, and voila! A gourmet meal!

Similarly to recipes, we keep track of our diets online. Several diet programs such as Weight Watchers and the South Beach Diet have online dieting programs that don't require you to visit meetings, or a gym. There are even online nutritionists who set up custom plans based on your eating habits and personal info. It's good that websites like these have online programs, because some people are so busy (or lazy), they don't have the time or enery to go somewhere in person.

It's even possible to order your groceries online. Publix Direct (which no longer exists) was an online grocer- it had stock items for everything inside Publix stores, and it would be delivered to you on the date you chose. The deliverers would even bring them inside to your kitchen. While this convenient service isn't available anymore, I'm sure there are other services similar to it.

Food is a part of our everyday lives, and the internet has only enhanced it. (The picture above is the Nordstrom Bistro Club, my favorite sandwich EVER)

HEALTH & THE INTERNET

At the same time, the internet can be harmful to us as well. With the availability of food online as well as everything else the internet has to offer, it can take it's toll on our bodies and minds, especially younger generations who grow up with the internet. Becoming obsessed and dependent on the internet rather than being active can lead to obesity and other illnesses. The Washington Post has a great article on it.

Just like everything else- too much of something good can be bad. You just have to know how to limit yourself.

Until next time,

Work Party Blog!

Online Technologies & School

An interesting topic to talk about is how much technology has changed how we go about taking care of school operations. When you think about it, we revolved around the computer to do almost all of our school functions (except going to class, which most kids don't do anyway). We write our assignments on the computer and turn them online, store files, and even have online textbooks. We check grades online, communicate with teachers and classmates via e-mail, register for classes and even take classes online such as this one.

Because I'm 21, I've been familiar with the internet playing a big role in our education so as long as it's had to be. Back in elementary and middle school, projects and assignments were never complex enough that a computer was really needed (though we had computer classes and smart boards)- assignments were hand written for the most part and everyone had agendas to write down the calendar schedule. Nowadays though, there are tons of younger students who have already taken a technological approach to their educations. My best friend's younger sisters were required to have laptops when they entered 5th grade (what for, I'm not really sure).

Once high school came along, we wrote our papers online and had an online grade system similar to blackboard. We used the internet for sources and teachers relied on it, and we were taught how to use different computer programs. And then college came alone, where everything revolved around the internet. It's interesting to think how much we use the internet... it's become a second nature to us really.. just the norm.

Until next time,
Work, party, blog!

#FF

I'm posting the #FF now because come tomorrow during the day, i will be on a cruise to the Bahamas 8) I'll see if I work up the desire to post on the ship (technology is readily available there with WiFi and computer labs), but I'm pretty sure my mentality the entire trip is gonna be along the lines of lying on the beach with a bahama mama or taking shots at fat tuesdays. Soo..

DailyTunez - a music blog that's very up to date with pop, house, dance, and hip hop music. It's basically party music, and they update pretty often.

KingJames - Lebron James' twitter account, just bc he joined the Heat. I'm not a big sports fan, but I know when something big is happening!

That's all for now! See you Monday. Until next time,

Work, party, blog!

e-Commerce

This doesn't really have to do much with entertainment or communication directly, but in essence they all tie together, so this is relevant.

Think of how much the internet has influenced commerce. You can buy ANYTHING online these days. From the smallest purchases like Silly Bandz to a movie, or even a plane ticket, car, or house. Online transactions have made shopping much easier and more convenient to consumers everywhere- you can buy whatever you want from anywhere in the world with just one click. It works well vs. buying things in person; a store may not have something in stock, but the internet will. It works well vs. buying over the phone; you won't have to deal with an annoying representative or recording. Obviously there are some things such as a car or a house that would be wiser to purchase in person (at least i think!).

Online commerce obviously has it's pros to it, but there are some cons as well...

Buying things online puts a damper on business. While retail stores still need a team to work in person, many people will shop online rather than in-store, leaving some employees without work. Online purchases has taken a big toll on the travel industry- while some people still use travel agents, almost everyone makes their own travel arrangements these days. We book our own flights, hotels, cars, cruises, trains etc. because it's simple and we trust ourselves more than anyone else. I know I book all my own travel arrangements on my own, unless I'm traveling in a large family group (in which case a family friend is a great travel agent and books everything for us). Since so many people take care of their own travels though, the need for travel agents has relatively dissappeared, and a carreer in it is hard to manage. This article describes it pretty well..

Along with the loss of business and some jobs, commerce online can be dangerous. You willingly put your credit card numbers online for websites, but who know's who really has access to it, or who is trying to hack into your information? Recently, my bank informed me that someone in South Carolina had been using my credit card (I've never been to SC), and I can only imagine that they got my account info from some website I bought something from. It's a sketchy world out there.

Until next time

Work, party, blog!

LOST in the world wide web

Ok, short post. This is just to go over how ecstatic I am that most of the entire series of LOST is on Netflix. I was (still am) an avid LOST fanatic, and I was dying to watch the series over again this summer. I plan to buy the seasons, but that requires money, and so the fact that I can watch them on my computer (or better- on my step dad's HUGE Mac monitor) FO DA FREE makes me feel like it's Christmas morning. Another way technology influences entertainment these days (see Entertainment Junkies post). Now I will re-live Jack & Kate and the crazy "WTF is going on" that is the Island :)

Until next time..

Work, party blog!

Entertainment, volume II

I went over entertainment and talked about how the internet plays such a significant role in it (in the longest post ever). But there's even more entertainment that is all over the internet... as a society, we have become fascinated and obsessed with pop culture. The actors we watch the movies in, the artists who sing our favorite songs, and more from athletes to models to entrepeneurs. We love them. We thrive on knowing everything about them. Yes, American society has always been interested in this, for generations now- but the internet has taken it to the next level.

We used to rely on entertainment television (we still do) and tabloid magazines (we still do) to get all our Hollywood fixes. Nowadays, celebrities have their own personal blogs and websites- this way they can put up their facts, speak what's on their mind, and keep fans updated on what's next for them. And we eat it all up. Similarly, tabloid websites exist all over the world wide web to report and post information about celebrities- good and bad. PerezHilton (who i love love love) is one of the most well known sites, as well as TMZ, and Just Jared.

Along with celebrity gossip, we get more into things we like with the internet. Thousands of websites dedicated to different actors, movies, music, and more exist- fanbased pages, forums, and organizations that are all about them. Mugglenet is a website that is run by a few young adults, and is dedicated to anything and everything Harry Potter, from the books to movies to the actors personal lives. Websites like this exist for almost anything imaginable. There are Twilight followings, Renee Zellweger fansites, Clarissa Explains it all forums, and The Beatles pages to name only some.

Many people think that we as a society have become too obsessed with pop culture, and it is only taking our world backwards rather than moving forwards. While I dont think it's nessecarily hurting our culture, I wouldn't say that it's advancing us either. Associated Content has an article on this that brings up some points. I do admit that I love it though- PerezHilton and Mugglenet are some of my favorite websites to name a few... why wouldn't I want to learn more about different things I like? It may not be the healthiest to obsess over these things, but it's just a fun hobby. It doesn't take over my life (though it does for some people).

As I finish this post, I'll get back to work (and check Perez every hour or so). Until next time..

Work, party, blog!

Entertainment Junkies

So we've gone through Facebook, and how work (at least mine) revolves around computer techonlogy to make their world go round. Now how about how technology has taken a toll on entertainment?

Flashback a few years, and everyone was using the good old television to watch TV, listening to CDs to hear music, going to the cinema to watch movies, and going to a bookstore to buy reading materials. Flash forward to present day, and millions of people are watching TV shows online, buying movies (or hacking movies) online, and reading books online. Why is this?

It's simple to figure out- The 2009 Neilsen ratings state that almost 92% of Americans (who have a computer) have internet access. With the internet becoming so popular and conveniant among society, having things literally at our fingertips seems like the way to go. Making entertainment readily available online makes this possible, and brings instant satisfaction to customers and viewers. It saves us time and money while still bringing us temporary gratification- if buying something, doing it online almost always turns out cheaper than going to a local store to get something, and it saves you the time to commute there (plus other expenses that might distract you on the way).

When music programs like Napster and others that followed came out, it was a way to personalize and customize your mass produced computer. You could carry a piece of what you liked wherever you went- who doesn't enjoy having things they like at their leisure? iTunes, Rhapsody, and other music programs followed after, so that consumers could have their own personal libraries in their computers. The purchasing of CDs has declined significantly because of this. According to Digital Media Wire, between 2007 and 2009, there was a 21% decline in music purchasing (over 24 million people). In 2000, *NSYNC made records selling 1.1 million CDs in one day. Now, it's unheard of to be able for an artist to break a 500,000 mark in a week's time.

TV & movies have taken a similar path- as music started taking a digital path, so did TV and film. The ability to download shows and movies became more common, and so to stop piracy, companies started making their pieces available online- some for a price, and some not. Networks like the CW, FOX and ABC have their show libraries online for free so viewers can watch full episodes if they missed them or want to re-watch them. Other websites such as Hulu and YouTube also have agreements with netowrks and companies to air TV shows, or even movies on their sites. Some sites have subscription fees to watch and download unlimited amounts of media (Netflix being one leading one). There are also illegal sites which stream movies while they're still in theatres. While this is frowned upon, it is very popular in today's economy. As the years have gone by, the price to go see a movie has risen ridiculously, so the idea of watching a new release online is appealing to young moviegoers.

Even books have turned digital. While I still like to have a hard copy of a book to hold and fold pages, many people like having several books available to them at once. The amazon Kindle and now the iPad are some examples of tablets that can hold hundreds of books on one sleek device. Books cost less this way, and are downloaded straight to your device in minutes so you can read immediately.

Digital entertainment has certainly taken over in the past few years, but it hasn't stopped the entertainment industry from continuing working normally. Movie tickets will always sell, and Americans will always purchase cable subscriptions and books. Still though, the times are a changin, and companies are just doing their part technologically to keep up to date with them. Until next time...

Work, party, blog!

#FF

It's #followfriday! And Friday in general!

Today's pages I think are worthy of checking out are:

http://www.mugglenet.com/ - all things Harry Potter. With the theme park that just opened, and the Deathly Hallows trailer coming soon, I can't contain my excitement. (Educational post related to this coming soon).

www.twitter.com/krepsdemaria - my work's twitter. Just spreading it out there :)

That's all for now. Keep in mind my #ff's from last Friday. Until next time

Work, party, blog!

Communication at Work

Technology has become such a vital part of our lives, I seem to overlook it, especially at work. When I arrive at the office (i'm interning for a public relations firm), i grab some coffee and then i go straight to the computer. We're all connected on a "public server," which means that all the client documents & anything/everything about our firm is available to any computer in the office. It's run by a network, so if the internet is down, then so is every document on the computer unless it's saved in a private folder.

This morning, the servers we're down for about an hour, which meant that I couldn't do anything- i couldn't access previous documents I was working on, I couldn't check my e-mails, or even check facebook. We were in the dark until the computer technician came and fixed our problem. Now that it's up, I can go back to work (and sneak in this post).

It really puts it into perspective just how much we use technology for communication today- to the point that without internet access, an office cannot function. I remember going to work with my mother when I was little, and she was still using type-writers and rolodexes. Now everything is electronically based. My my, how times have changed. Until next time...

Work Party Blog!

Facebook

So how has Facebook changed the way we communicate?

In countless ways. Of course FB wasn't the trend setter- I think for me, it really began with AOL.. the idea of a buddy list and talking with friends started there. Then all the social networking sites came about (at least the ones I was into):

LiveJournal- now it seems like another blogging website, but before it was an online diary really. I had all my friends from school and I would post my oh-so dramatic, end of the world, crazy high school problems.

Myspace- even though we're so over it now, it really was a phenomenon. Posting pictures, leaving comments on people's pages, making your profile customized and cute. It was almost stressful! Really though, this is where online communication took a big step- Myspace allowed me to find old friends from elementary school, class trips to different cities, and even long lost family members. I could look at their pages and know what they were up to- I knew where to reach them if I ever had to. Something that was unheard of before unless I had a personal phone number or e-mail address.

Facebook- really the mother-load of all these sites. FB is the more sophisticated version of myspace I think. It's more intense too- I can still keep in touch with friends and contacts from all over the world, but if I really wanted to, I could find out details about anyones life from a few pictures or wall post.

We all do it- Facebook stalking! This could be considered a downfall of the new types of online communications in our daily lives. We put our information out there so willingly, we sometimes do not know what we're getting ourselves into exactly; we are exposing personal details that should maybe be kept personal. Employers have started looking into people's facebooks to determine what kind of person you are, and if you are the kind of person they want representing their company. Sometimes, they are just looking for inappropriate pictures (ex. all of us FSU students partying and such), but sometimes they discriminate based on personal info and opinions. Bloomberg posted this article that summed it up pretty good.

You have to put it into perspective though- there has to be some bad points with anything good... you just have to learn what to put online and what to keep hidden.

And still, FB took it further still- they incorporated a chatting system in the homepage, where you can instant message your friends who are online at the same time as you. It's convenient and simple. What's next?

I think it's incredible how you can keep in touch with someone like this. One of my best friends is spending the summer in Yellowstone National Park interning there, and she has no phone service. Thankfully though, through AIM I talk to her everyday, and through FB I can see her picture uploads and stay in the loop with all her stories.

I have family that live in different cities, and FB helps me keep in touch with them greatly- I dont get to see my family in Texas, Naples, or Palm Beach as much as I'd like to, but through pictures posted online, we keep each other in the loop. It's great... Similarly, my mother is on FB, and she's constantly finding old friends she knew as far back as elementary school. Just like on Twitter, time is relative- you can find out what someone is doing at one very moment, and the effort to communicate with them becomes so much easier than having to send a mail letter or a long distance phone call we once had to.

I wonder what the next craze will be? I'm still an avid FB user, so for now I hope it isn't going anywhere. I'm gonna go browse through profiles that pop up on my newsfeed now! Until next time..

Work, party, blog!

#FF

Following in the footsteps of twitter, I shall call this post #followfriday. I'm just gonna post links to cool blogs/sites that I like and want to promote.

www.ohheypin.blogspot.com - my personal blog

http://imremembering.com/ - a tumblr that basically goes through late 80's and 90's toys, foods, shows, movies etc.. our childhood in a blog. Polly Pockets to Aah Real Monsters to Tamogotchis. It makes me happy.

www.miaminicepopup.blogspot.com - my friend's blog about fun things you wouldn't normally think to do in Miami. If anyone is in the Miami area, this is a great summer blog.

Thats about all for now. If anyone wants me to post a link to their pages, feel free to let me know!

"never give up on the good times" - Spice Girls

Tweet Tweet

I'm all about the twitter revolution. I've been on twitter for over a year now, and I love it- I get my friends updates to my phone, and I can update straight from there (though sometimes I go on tweet overload). More than just writing your "status," I write funny things, inside jokes, pictures, and a plethora of other things. I follow the celebrities I like, and I block people I don't know who follow me. It's like being in one giant chat room with your friends, where you can laugh with/at them, or remind the world of what's on your mind.

It's a whole new way to communicate with people- those you know personally, and those you don't know personally. It's a good way to get your voice out there, and it's entertaining at the same time. You find yourself laughing, smiling, or getting upset at the things other people tweet.

It's amazing to think how society can simply look at someone's "status" and know exactly what they're doing at that very moment. They can be anywhere in the world- time is relative on twitter. It's another trend we have become obsessed with. And it's not going anywhere- at least not for now.

Go ahead and follow me

twitter.com/pineirooo

"Cause you're tweeting me like tweety bird on your iPhone," - MIA

How Things Change...

Through the years, computers have made a drastic change in their performance and appearance.

My first computer looked at little something like this, and didn't do much except

go on AOL (very slowly), use Word Perfect, and have the Paint

program.

My second computer looked more like the second picture, and

did a whole lot more. It only lasted me a few

years though, as it was part of a badly made Dell generation. It was when the age of KazAa, Napster, and AIM came into play.

Third was the next Dell computer- this one flat screen. I should've learned then to stop buying Windows (no offense to you Windows users). Still though, I used downloading programs, AOL, Photoshop, and the social media revolution. I also started loading my pictures from my digital cameras into here, taking up lots of memory. I did lot's of school work on here.

Finally, as I went to college almost four years ago, I got my beautiful MacBook. I do all the things I did on my other computers, and more. I travel with it, video chat on it, and control my calendars, e-mail accounts, and tons of pictures, music, and programs.

Funny how the computer looks like an ancient mad scientists' machine to a sleek device we all own huh?

Oh hey!

So as a class project, this blog will entail all things online media. It's obvious that our not only our generation, but the ones before and after ours are becoming immersed in all things technology. I'll post links to websites that exemplify where we are today in technology, old pictures to remember how we were just a few years ago, and everything in between. Some posts longer than others, some more relevant. I am a product of this technological world and I embrace it fully. Feel free to comment, leave suggestions, or whatever you like. Remember, work. play. blog.

Oh, and I'll post links to cool blogs and sites I think everyone should check out :) Until then..