Cross it, Crack it, Switch - Update it (A Look at Pinterest)

Yes, the third installment in this little experiment has arrived - it's Pinterest time!

But not quite yet - first I'll give you good folks an update about my experiences with Tumblr.

As I predicted, I wasn't completely gun-ho about Tumblr right from the very start. Although this could of course be because I've been busy as heck with final projects and other such tasks.

But I did take the liberty of following a few different groups on Tumblr, to begin to get myself established on there.

Some of these groups include thelbdofficial, lovelyhandwrittennotes, and of course my good friend MellieEggo.

I'm not sure how I'll use Tumblr in the future - whether I'll keep going with this blog and use Tumblr to aid me with that or if I'll find a more personal use for it. As of this moment, I'm not entirely sure.

But for now, let's switch gears!

I'm eager to take a look at this site, because it's one I've seen in passing quite a bit but I've never fully understood how to function through it. My mother can even navigate Pinterest with ease which depresses me greatly.

So to give us some insightful information on Pinterest, I turned to a fellow classmate who on the 2nd day of class mentioned her love for the site, and so I got into contact with her for an interview.

4EvaGeek: How would you describe Pinterest to somebody who has never used it before?

Ashley P: I would describe Pinterest as being an social media platform that focuses on the distribution and sharing of pre-existing or personally created images. These images act as hyperlinks to the website that are associated with the picture. For instance, an individual who is really into creating crafts might 'Pin' an image of their latest artwork which would act as a link back to their personal blog. Unlike Facebook and Twitter it's entirely driven by images and very little text. Pinners can follow other pinners boards to get their latest pin 
updates or they can search from wider pin catagories such as "Food and Drink" or "Travel".

4EvaGeek: How do you personally use Pinterest?

Ashley P: I personally use Pinterest in a number of different ways. As an Art History student I initially used the website to keep a record of pieces of historical or contemporary artworks that I saw in class and enjoyed. I eventually started tracking down and pinning geographical locations and architecture that I hoped to someday travel to see. My Architecture and Cityscapes board has since become one of my most popular boards.
Once I removed meat from my diet in February I turned to my fellow pinners for creative recipes (other than salads!) that I could incorporate into my new diet. I created a number of meat-free recipe boards that contain recipes for both vegan and vegetarian diets. These now rival the popularity of my Architecture and Cityscapes board with the majority of visitors to my page re-pinning these recipes. It also inspired me to make my own blog on cooking and baking!

4EvaGeek: What is it you like about Pinterest?

Ashley P: I like the 'silent community' aspect of Pinterest. There are no fights (that I have seen) and it's a very drama-free. I use it to relax and plan out my weekly meals and daydream about places I want to travel to.

4EvaGeek: Any additional comments about Pinterest that you can provide would be appreciated.

Ashley P: I've watched this website grow in popularity over the past few years. I don't have the stats on it - but I would look into the male/female ratio since I have a feeling there are more guys using it then there used to be. There is a terrible stereotype that Pinterest is only used by the female demographic to plan their 'dream weddings', but I feel that more and more people are using it for other reasons now - such as recipe shopping.
There are also copyright issues at play on the website - some people really don’t want pinners repining their work (I see this a lot with contemporary artists) since they feel that credit is sometimes not properly given to them.

And there you have it! Pinterest, from a fellow Brock student (sorry this text here at the end is coming up funny, I'm having some technical difficulties).

I will link Ashley's Pinterest page here as well, she goes by Ashley Paolozzi.

I hope to make an account on Pinterest soon, and once I do it will be linked in the side bar along with all the other lovely links that you can see over there.

I will still be posting to describe my personal experiences with Pinterest after this. As for what else comes after that . . . who knows?

So I'll leave you guys with a question, as always:

Do you use Pinterest? If so, how do you use it?

Keep me posted!

~ 4EvaGeek