south of the loop

The problem with Web 2.0 stuff (applications? websites? help me out here, computer geeks) is that I feel like I have to try something out before I can decide whether I love or hate it. Generally, no matter how much somebody tries to sell you on something—say, del.icio.us, which I use heavily and evangelize endlessly—it just doesn’t work for everybody. With the three bazillion Web 2.0… things… out there, it seems like I have two bazillion ninety-nine dormant accounts.

So, yeah, I’ve joined another one to test out: Twitter. I’ve read several persuasive accounts of Why Twitter Will Change Your Life, but I’ve never really understood it. It basically allows you to send a “tweet,” an overly precious term for the Web equivalent of a text message. And instead of sending it to one (or a few) friends, you send it out to cyberspace where it can be tracked by all your friends as well as that creepy guy on the elevator. I know: what’s the point? Well, two rather grown-uppy bloggers I sometimes read both use it, which convinced me that it might not just be for 13-year-old girls. The selling point? One of those bloggers uses it to describe her daily carpool. And those of you who have had the pleasure of hearing me bitch about the CTA know I have a lot to say about my commute.

I might love it, I might hate it, but in the meantime, stay tuned at http://twitter.com/ellembee. (There’s also a link in the right sidebar of this blog).

* * *

current book: I just finished (again) The Devil Wears Prada, which I started while at my parents’ house for Thanksgiving. It is fluffy, cliche-laden, and delicious.

current music: Lisa just reminded me about the Margot & the Nuclear So-and-Sos show at the end of this year. I’ve got to get on that!

current socks: Stripeys in various shades of blue, covered in smiley faces.

Filed under: technology by admin2
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I got on the elevator this evening after work with two guys, one of whom works in my office, one of whom works in the other office on our floor. But that doesn’t really matter, so I’ll call them Guy #1 and Guy #2.

Guy #2 strikes up a conversation with Guy #1 and myself about the weather, which is indeed conversation-with-strangers worthy. (See: any news source for details of tornado warnings and flash floods and massive public transit delays). Guy #1 is rather nonchalant. He is playing with his iPhone, so I can’t really blame him for being more interested in it than the weather.

We all get on the elevator. At this point, I’m close enough to drool over the iPhone, so I acknowledge that fact with an, “Mmmm. Is that an iPhone? It’s prettttty.” Guy #1 nods. I mean, duh, of course it’s pretty.

Guy #2 suddenly looks interested. Guy #1 obliges us and shows off some fancy fingerwork that results in, seriously, magic. Pictures of his basset hound! In portrait! In landscape! Email! More pictures! Sweet jesus, I want one.

Guy #2 says, “So what’s it called?”

Guy #1: “An iPhone.”

Guy #2: “How much does one of those things cost?”

Guy #1: “About $400. And look, it’s the best camera you’ll get on a phone.” [more fancy fingerwork ensues on his part; more drooling on my part]

Guy #2: “Huh. Who makes that?”

[The sound of my head hitting the elevator door.]

* * *

current book: Had to re-purchase Museum today. Am hoping I can either return the more pristine of my copies or perhaps gift it. But I looked through many, many boxes and couldn’t find it. I’m sure it’s on the bottom layer of a box on the bottom of the stack.

current music: The sound of heavy rain, thunder, and lightning. It’s a monsoon out there.

current socks: Thankfully I had flip-flops with me today. Socks are no good in ankle-high puddles.

Filed under: chicago, life in general, technology by admin2
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Snapped this with the camera phone on my way home tonight. Across the street at the AT&T store was a line that wrapped around the building.

It’s the last thing in the world I need, but oh how I want one!

* * *

current book: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

current music: Still stuck The Shins, actually.

current socks: It was actually cold today—mid 60s—so I wore socks with sneakers. Black socks with brightly colored cats on them. Merow!

Filed under: chicago, technology by admin2
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I know I’m way behind the times on this, but I finally set up a del.icio.us profile. I’ve known about del.icio.us for awhile now, but I’ve resisted. I thought it was going to be one of those “social networking” sites like MySpace, which I’ve been sucked into but hate. Instead, it’s more like LibraryThing, another one of those “social networking” (social cataloguing?) sites, which I’ve been sucked into and love.

I was reading an article in The Atlantic Monthly this morning by James Fallows, their technology correspondent. All it took was the dumbed-down explanation of what del.icio.us actually is to persuade me to immediately set up a profile. This alarms me. I used to be sort of a tech-head—not so much in the sense of wanting to build my own computer, but definitely in the sense of wanting to stay on top of the newest gadgets and toys. And now I need the Preschooler’s Primer—in the fucking Atlantic, no less—to even go to the website? Maybe growing older isn’t going to be so much fun after all. Not if I’m going to be a Luddite by the time I’m 30.

Basically, del.icio.us is like your Bookmarks folder, only better. It’s accessible anywhere you have internet access, and you can tag, or categorize, every website you add. This is ultimately far more functional than your bookmarks folder, since it’s searchable on your own terms. For example, I started using it at work today. I frequently come across websites, only to find 10 minutes later that, oh shit, I really need to cite it—and where was it again? So I just set up a “work” tag and started tagging sites that I thought I’d need later. Voila!

My del.icio.us, which I’m sure will grow exponentially over the next few weeks. There’s also a link in my right sidebar.

You really want to know what James Fallows has to say? See below currents.

current book: Taking a break from The Crystal Frontier to catch up on The New Yorker and Atlantic Monthly, both of which I just got Saturday at the post office, since our mail simply stopped coming to our door.

current music: The Specials’ “Ghost Town”

current socks: Smartwools in dark red with alternating stripes of snowflakes and polka dots. Very warm. Very comfy.

(more…)

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