The journey of a one-liner

admin — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 14:29:23 +0000

I was walking to work the other day and thought of something funny to say to a friend of mine. Since I was walking alone, and I did not particularly feel like granting a stranger with my out-of-the-blue humor, I needed a different outlet.

And so the following mental process ensued:

I could call her, but that’s too invasive, and I don’t have anything else to say. Well, I suppose I could send her an email, but it’s really to short for that. A text would be ok….but I think other people might find this funny as well, knowing both of us. Twitter…too broad a broadcasting range, most people won’t get it. Facebook? Sure, but where? A message? Too direct. Not on my wall…her wall. That way she will see it, but other people might as well, and therefore be impressed with my wit.

All of this occurred within a few seconds and my phone was out and into my Facebook app before I realized the negotiation of media that had occurred for me to say, admittedly, one only vaguely amusing thing. Had I not had the ability to plug into any of the above applications, the thought would have passed from my mind, likely never to be voiced–instead, it is cataloged in the infinite annals of the internet.

We live in strange times.

NPR Song of the Day: Kingsley Flood

admin — Tue, 17 May 2011 19:16:38 +0000

I wish this had been a part of the Ear to Ear Project, because my how those musical connections do fly. After reading my piece on Hoots and Hellmouth, Nick from Kingsley Flood sent me an email. Though he wrote to introduce the band, I had already heard them at a show at Rock and Roll Hotel a few months earlier, and fallen in love with their high-energy, rock-folk-influenced performances. So when he offered me an unreleased single for the Song of the Day, I jumped on it. Here’s the result, and the track is available for free – check out the details on Kinglsey Flood’s website .
Kingsley Flood: Call Of The Wild

Breaking the chain between Facebook and Twitter

admin — Sun, 24 Apr 2011 21:26:43 +0000

This week I broke the social-media chain, unlinking most of my accounts. Each one now floats free in the digital universe, in their own pocket of communication laws.

Though the linked account can be convenient, in my recent return to twitter I’ve found it only irritating. I’ve struggled with the multitude of crosspostings, bad formatting, and accidental doubling.

Really, very few outside aggregators, like TweetDeck, work that well on both platforms - links don’t translate well into Facebook, and followers don’t necessarily need to see what I had for breakfast. Each site truly has it’s own purpose and it’s own voice, and almost never does one post work for both. Because Facebook is for friends, Twitter is for the world.

Perhaps obvious, but looking at many I’m following, it doesn’t seem to be.

Twitter, to me, is microblogging–sharing of information, of links, of thoughts that are for the general populace. Facebook is more about me–it’s fine to comment on other people’s “overheard” comment conversations, or talk about what I’m cooking for dinner, or that I’m having a bad day. I know professional colleagues who are also friends may see these things, but the expectation of professionalism isn’t as strong on Facebook.

So the links are gone, and I’m much the happier for it. Sometimes convenience is just inconvenient.

NPR Song of the Day: Hoots and Hellmouth

admin — Fri, 01 Apr 2011 18:14:20 +0000

I’ve loved Hoots & Hellmouth ever sine I first heard them, at the PASA Conference last year. The new EP gave me a chance to do a Song of the Day essay on them, and it showed up in my inbox this afternoon!

Hoots And Hellmouth: The Roots Of Americana

Copy Editing: A New Adventure in Every Volume

admin — Thu, 24 Mar 2011 20:13:30 +0000

I’ve been getting copy editing work from a friend of mine who works for Information Age Publishing, a group that does mostly publishes research about education, management, and psychology. It’s been an interesting process – excellent for my copy editing skills, going through so many hundreds of pages (and citations – never have I had to delve so deeply into APA), but also for the subjects. I’ve done books about education in the Contemporary Kyrgyz Republic; second language studies from Hawaii, workplace culture and differences, and public, private, and charter schools.

I really like the precision of copy editing, and I notice that I read quite differently now, never skimming over punctuation and really seeing every letter. I still wish I could get my hands on some real structural editing, but such is my assignment–just the commas, nothing more.

The new site is live!

admin — Mon, 14 Mar 2011 05:13:25 +0000

After years of good service, I have retired my old website and started fresh with a new one – the visual elements remain much the same, as I love them all deeply, but it gave me a chance to play with my brand new copy of Dreamweaver, and see what a weekend of work would get me.

And as much as I liked the black script underneath my name, I felt that it wasn’t broad enough for what I am now – writer, editor, project manager…I still love to write about music, but I do more than I could have ever imagined five years ago when I just got started.

Now, a fresh face can be presented to the world, with the new clairemarieblaustein.com.