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

Load it, Check it, Quick - Rewrite it (A Look at Tumblr)

Just like last week, I'd like to take a look at Tumblr, another aspect of new media that I'm not all that familiar with.

But first, let's recap on how things have been going with me regarding how I've been using Instagram since last week.

I've been using Instagram - along with Twitter - to share different pictures, either of mail I've received (picture one), projects I've been working on (picture 3) or more everyday moments (picture 2).

I've been connecting with people I may not have been able to connect with while just using Twitter, getting various likes on photos (especially the one with the crochet squid) and I've begun following other people, mainly other iggles like myself.

And now we come to a whole other for of new media - Tumblr.

Truth be told, unlike Instagram, I have used Tumblr before, but only sparingly - last year me and a classmate used Tumblr for a final project in an English/Medieval and Renaissance Studies course. And the entire time, I had to have my hand held since I didn't have a single clue how the site worked, or what its purpose was. I`d heard of some people doing some roleplaying with Tumblr, and that it was used for blogging - but it still didn't make sense.

Unfortunately, the classmate that I'd worked with was unavailable for an interview - but I did have a backup, somebody that I've known since I was five years old.

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

mellieeggo: Tumblr was originally made as a blogging site, a place to put original writings and thoughts. As time has worn on, people have used it to band together with like minded individuals over various things, from pop-culture followings, to recipe groups, to celebrity followers. It has also evolved from a site consisting of written entries to things more like photo's, paintings, and artworks.

4EvaGeek: How do you personally use Tumblr?

mellieeggo: I personally use Tumblr to connect with people who have the same interests and obsessions as me. I mostly follow blogs that focus on the actor's Chris Colfer, Darren Criss, and Tom Hiddleston, as well as the TV show Glee. I also use it to publish my own personal written works, including both originals and fanfiction

4EvaGeek: What is it you like about Tumblr?

mellieeggo: I love Tumblr because it is a place where I can connect with people who enjoy the same things as me, and express it in the same ways. Thanks to the anonymity of the internet, I feel no shame or nervousness with expressing my true feelings regarding the things that I enjoy, from my "OTP's" (One True Pairings) to my fandoms (fan groupings around a piece of pop-culture). It also gives me an avenue to publish everything I write to the greater world, without having to jump through the red-tape of any companies. I write not to make money, but to bring people enjoyment, and Tumblr gives me a place I can do that without worry.

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

mellieeggo: Tumblr is the greatest site ever. It steals almost all my time.

And there, from an old friend of mine, is Tumblr!

I'll be re-vamping the accounts I created for a school project last year and trying to get some use out of Tumblr. To be honest I'm not as confident about Tumblr as I was with Instagram, but I'll still be giving the site an equal shot.

I'll link my own Tumblr account along with my other links on the side bar to the right of these posts once I have it set up. And for anyone that may be interested, mellieeggo's Tumblr can be found here!

So I guess my question for this post is obvious:

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

That's all for now! One more in this series to go! Next week I'll be looking at Pinterest. So until then!

~ 4EvaGeek

Snap it, Work it, Quick - Erase it (A Look at Instagram)

So first off, I apologize that this post is coming late - I had three interviews I wanted to collect and it took me a bit to get the final one.

Alright, so let's get right to it!

I expressed in my very first post that with this blog I wanted to explore things that I wasn't familiar with before, in order to expand my horizons a bit. And I found the perfect way to do that, and it relates directly to media :)

At the same time, it still relates to my overall geek theme, because the people I have chosen to educate me are three lovely women with varying interests that they are passionate about. Having passion doesn't mean a person defines themselves as a geek, as I detailed in my last post, but passion is still an integral part of geek-dom, no matter what that passion happens to be.

Here is my plan for the next three posts: I've interviewed three ladies regarding three separate new media websites; Instagram, Tumblr and Pinterest, none of which I have very much personal experience with.

For each post I'm going to show you the interview I conducted, and then I'm going to give myself a bit of time, using the knowledge they have provided me, to try out this new media for myself.

So let's get started with Instagram! Providing me with her personal experiences is SparkleGirl Jen, co-founder of the International Geek Girls Pen Pal Club, a creative crafter that sells her wares at conventions and on Etsy, as well as a fellow blogger and fellow Canadian.

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

SparklegirlJen: Instagram is an app that you can download where you have the option of sharing photos either with followers on Instagram or through other social media sites that you can connect to your Instagram app. There are some fun and basic photo editing options in the app as well that you can use before publishing your photo. You do have the option to make your account private so no one can see your photos, unless you accept someone's request to follow your feed. Private accounts allow you to take photos, edit them, and then either store them on Instagram or share them through your social media accounts. Hashtags are also very popular on Instagram. You can tag each photo with whatever fits and describes your photo. This allows users to search by a specific tag and your photo will be a part of their search results. I get a lot of 'likes' on my photos from fans of specific fandoms that find my photos through hashtags.

4EvaGeek: How do you personally use Instagram?

SparklegirlJen: My Instagram account is public so anyone can follow me and I use Instagram for a few things. First, I like to share photos of my crafts and finished projects. I can post them publicly on Instagram for everyone to see and I also use Instagram to share the same photo on my Facebook page, tumblr, Flickr account, and/or on my Twitter if I choose. It's an easy way to advertise my creations that I will have at an upcoming show or will be adding to my Etsy shop. Second, I like to share photos from my daily life. I have a lot of family and friends that follow me on Instagram and since I recently moved 5 hours away, it's a great way to share photos of sunsets, my baking, my cats, a new haircut, etc. And third, I enjoy sharing every day joys, whether it's photos from the beach, from a comic convention, a funny book cover, or a new toy I've purchased. 

4EvaGeek: What is it you like about Instagram in general?

SparklegirlJen: I really enjoy seeing peeks of people's everyday lives. I follow some really talented, beautiful, and fun people! Between outfit posts, crafts, art, baking, and other every day pleasures, I find inspiration in these photos. 

I found Jen's insights regarding Instagram to be very helpful, and I'm hoping that I can begin to use Instagram as another media tool in my online tool belt.

So I've set up an account, downloaded the app on my phone, and so far I haven't posted any pictures yet. So far the only people I'm following on Instagram are theashleyclem, who is the actress that played Lizzie Bennet in The Lizzie Bennet Diaries since she takes a lot of interesting pictures, and of course, sparklegirljen.

I'm hoping that in the next week I'll begin to post some more photos, attach a whole lot of hashtags to them, and even use Twitter alongside Instagram to share my photos to even more people!

I won't be able to report any real progress regarding Instagram until some time has passed, so I will start my next post with an update. Stay tuned!

Also, here is my question to wrap things up:

Do you use Instagram? If so, what kind of things do you use it for?

Have a good one, guys! And I owe a big thanks to Jen for allowing me to interview her for this post. I'll let you guys know about my Instagram pursuits next week!

~ 4EvaGeek

"Who Wrote This?" "Shakespeare!" (Web Series Madness!)

I'm sure the title of this post was a bit confusing. Well ^this^ is what it's from!

And now I bet that you're even more confused!

Well, I do realize that my last couple posts were a bit on the long side (especially the very last post I did with all the crazy writing and the many, many video clips. I'm hoping this one will be shorter, less writing and a bit more relaxed and just something that people can sit back and enjoy.

Now fair warning: This post will have a lot of video clips, most likely. But I will do my best not to overload you with writing. If there's something that you're unclear about or that you want to learn more about, just ask me on Twitter or in the comments, no problem whatsoever!

Alright, so anyway, this week I'm going to be showing you guys my favorite web series from YouTube, and I'll explain a little bit about why I like each one, but I won't go into too much detail, especially since there are a couple web series I wanted to cover for my upcoming Case Study projects.

So let's get started!

But WAIT!

You Need to know something first!

A Web Series

IS NOT THE SAME AS

A Video Blog (Vlog)

And I will provide you with a quick example instead of giving you a boring dictionary definition.

This is a Vlog:

(You guys don't have to watch the entire thing, I know it's a longer video - I'm sure my point has been understood)

Alright, so in no particular order, I will be listing some of my favorite geeky YouTube web series.

#1: The Lizzie Bennet Diaries

Since I posted a link to the first video in my last blog, I thought I'd post my favorite episode out of the first 10.

So just a little bit about why I like this series: I'm a bit of an Austenite, for one, in case you guys didn't know that about me. Also, such as in this episode, it's pretty hilarious all the way through. And I started watching this series pretty early in while they were still posting 2 videos a week, and following along with it and watching these character grow over the course of a year was pretty great.

Not to mention... THIS SHOW WON AN EMMY.

Yes, I'm not kidding! This series won a Creative Arts Emmy! You can look it up if you don't believe me!

#2: Hey Ash What'cha Playin'

This series is about various video games, and is done by the brother & sister team Anthony and Ashly Burch. I barely play half of the video games they do, but it doesn't matter and I'm still able to laugh at every video these guys make.

Quick little fun fact for you: Anthony Burch works for Gearbox Software and is the head writer of the game Borderlands 2. Ashly Burch did the voice for a popular character in the game, Tiny Tina.

Now for clips! Here is the one I show to people who laugh at physical comedy:

And for those who prefer more "intellectual" humor:

#3: Board With Life

So, I'll admit, I started watching this series because Ashly Burch is in it.

But I kept watching it because it's an honest and entertaining series about a group of friends and their love for board games, and while there are a lot of videos related to board games on YouTube I'd never actually seen a fictional series surrounding it.

These guys release bits every week too, even though the first season of the series is over, and this one made me laugh so much that I really want to buy and play this game:

#4: Job Hunters

So basically, this series is a bit similar to post-apocalyptic plots like you would find in The Hunger Games, only this series focuses more on the problem of overpopulation.

This series has its series moments, but it also has really silly moments such as Avery yelling at a toaster, a unicorn named Cornelius, and of course, tiny marshmallows.

And that's it for now! There are of course some other series I watch, such as Squaresville, School of Thrones (which is only 3 episodes long), and I am counting down the days until EMMA Approved begins, which is the second Austen adapted series created by Hank Green and Bernie Su (it airs on October 7th, in case anyone is interested).

Each of these series have their own dedicated fandom backing them. The sizes of those fandoms varies for each series, but the internet is full of people (like me! :) ) geeking out about all of these videos.

And I suppose that's it for now! Don't forget to check out my various links on the side there, and I will leave you all today with a question:

#1: What is your favorite fictional web series?

#2: If you don't have any web series that you follow on a regular basis, what are your thoughts based on the clips/full episodes provided here?

That's all for now! Thanks for reading guys!

~ 4EvaGeek

With A Little Help From My Friends (Online Geek Groups)

If my existence doesn't already prove it to you, yes, there are others like you out there!

Hard to believe, I know!

Truth be told, I didn't really feel like a true blue geek until I joined an online group where there were a whole bunch of other geeks just like me. I not only got to share my own interests and opinions with a bunch of like-minded people, but being part of a real community introduced me to even more amazing and geeky things. That's how I got into vlogging, which has really given me a sense of pride about all the unique interests I have that I share with a good amount of people.

You might have friends that you know In Real Life (IRL) that share in the same interests in you, and if you do, than that's great!

You Get To Be Weird Together! :D

And I totally get it! I personally have friends that are a kooky bunch of weirdos just like myself. We all have interests that are similar or different and we get along great and bond over our weirdness all the time.

As for the rest of you that find this to be the norm...

FEAR NOT!

Believe it or not, there are other weird, geeky people to connect with, even if they don't live within walking distance of you.

Today I've going to go over just a small number of the popular online groups that I know to be out there. One of them I am a proud member of, and the other two I am not myself involved with but have heard various glowing reviews from each. One of them is meant strictly for girls, another is completely gender neutral, and the final one is directed towards girls but boys are both welcome and encouraged to join.

So here is the master list, and we'll get to tackling them in order. Click on the names for a direct like to the site:

Wonderly

Nerdfighters

International Geek Girls Pen Pal Club

So let's start with Wonderly.

You may have seen this trailer on YouTube in the past, depending on what sorts of web series you tend to gander at in your spare time.

Most of the current members of Wonderly have their own channels on YouTube, both separate or connected to Wonderly. You might recognize Kristina Horner from a few things including her role in the series Job Hunters, and there is also the series Squaresville involved with the site, along with the woman behind Overly Attached Girlfriend.

So this site is directed towards female geeks with a varied spread of tastes, hobbies and interests, and there's plenty of ways to get involved. It appears to be quite the close-knit community of ladies, all of them quite passionate about the things they love, such as crafting, cooking, reading, and so much more.

Their main connection to each other is through video, so if you're the type that feels too shy to sit and record yourself with a camera, this site might look a bit intimidating. However, it says right on the site that "While video is our common ground, you and we are so much more. We're talking about putting pen to paper, making music, cooking, drawing, painting, dreaming, and doing."

These guys have a lot going on, so if you're a geek girl that has a knack for creativity, I recommend you taking a nice long look at their website.

Now let's look at the Nerd Fighters.

So, this video is a good introduction to Nerd Fighter culture. And if you want to know anything about Nerd Fighters, first I'll give you a quick intro to John and Hank Green.

Better known as the vlogbrothers, these guys are in fact brothers and they post video rather frequently on YouTube and have been doing so now for many years.

They not only post videos covering various subjects regarding nerdom/geekdom, life and other awesome things, but they have a lot of other projects credited to them, things like VidCon, a convention about web video in the states, and an annual charitable event called Project Awesome.

A large fan base has surrounded many of their creations, such as John Green's Young Adult books, one of those being The Fault in Our Stars which is currently being made into a movie, along with the Emmy Award-winning web series that was originally Hank's brain child and has taken off considerably since then, The Lizzie Bennet Diaries

((I'm semi-obsessed with this series, so I HAD to post a video up here))

So if you watched the vlogbrothers video above, you'll know that all it takes to be a Nerd Fighter is to want to be one! So congratulations to anybody who saw the video and had the slightest urge to join in, you are now a proud member, myself included!

Okay, video overload, I know, but videos are so fun!

Alright, now time for the group that I have been a proud member of since April, and that would be the International Geek Girls Pen Pal Club, also known as the IGGPPC

So I'm going to do my best not too be too biased with my description here, but I have to say that I really do love this group of girls and it's helped me to meet a lot of amazing people.

Now, this group was founded fairly recently, as you can see from the video, and there are four main girls heading this organization of geekiness. One of them, SparklegirlJen, is actually Canadian and lived in the same city as me for a time, now I believe she lives about an hour or two away. She's very down to earth and we occasionally chat on twitter.

What sets this site apart from a lot of other geek groups is that you can sign up for your very own pen pal! You put in your top 5 geek loves, and your age, and you get matched with somebody based on having similar interests. I received my own pen pal in round 3, and we have been writing each other (yes, I'm taking good old fashioned Snail Mail) ever since. There are rounds set up every month to get a pen pal, and both membership and getting a pen pal are completely free, although you can pay a small fee to get into a V.I.P group in order to get early access to signing up for a pen pal, since it does tend to fill up each month. Even with the large number of members, however, so long as you're not trying to sign up the day before the round closes, you shouldn't have difficulty getting in.

And you don't need to sign up for a pen pal in order to be a part of this group. Another big focus on the main IGGPPC site is the forums, where geek girls (commonly referred to as iggles) and guys (miggles) can chat about anything and everything! It's an easy way to connect with people, seek recommendations on new things you can try, and much more!

The forums aren't the only way to get involved with the IGGPPC community, however. On the activities tab on the site there are many other opportunities to become involved, such as an iggle book club on GoodReads, Igglebugs for people that enjoy photography, a traveling journal you can have sent to you, and of course the Vlogging Iggles, of which I am a proud member.

Joining this group of Vlogging Iggles gave me a fun way to connect with other people like me, as well as introduced me to a great group of girls that I regularly get to message on Facebook. We even send mail to each other on occasion.

So that's about it for online geek groups! I'm sure that there are many more, and if you know of any or belong to any other groups that I may not have heard of, please let me know over twitter or in the comments section below.

I hope you guys found this informative, or if you were bored the entire time than I'd like to know that too.

I'll leave you guys with a few questions before I go:

#1: Are you a member of any of these groups? If not, would you ever consider joining in and connecting with people from any of these groups? Why or why not?

#2: What kind of geeky interests would you like to have friends, either IRL or online, share in common with you?

I think that's it for now! Don't Forget To Be Awesome!

~ 4EvaGeek