This has certainly been an interesting and worthwhile insight into the world of social media and other applications. There are some I already used - OK - maybe just Facebook, but there are others that I am glad to be introduced to - Doodle, Flickr, Tagzedo. There are others I will never use because I do not see the point, but at least I now know that I was right in not seeing the point - stand up Twitter and RSS feeds! There are others that I actively dislike - yes, that IS you, LinkedIn - I smell your desperation.
But it has been a good excuse to get the measure of them and try them out whilst feeling that you are not wasting your work time. In the same way, one of the huge merits of the Book Group I attend, is that books you would normally dismiss on a glance at the first page, turn out to be mesmerising marvels - "Agent Zigzag" by Ben McIntyre if anyone would like a recommendation. It is good to be taken out of your comfort zone and shown what is out there and what could be useful.
Downside is that you end up with so many different log ins/passwords/email addresses that it can be difficult to remember how to get back in if used rarely. For example, Flickr was one of our most recent "Things", and I found it easy to use. Whilst visiting my Mum in Lancashire, I took some more photos and on returning after the Easter break, tried to load them onto Flickr. This I confidently predicted would take me about 10 minutes. In fact, it took me nearly an hour to remember my log in - not gmail or soton this time, but yahoo. For goodness sake. And then the photos would not load and it hung around with only the revolving doughnut for company till I heard myself weeping quietly. Close it down, start again, and finally it is as easy as pie and all is sorted in 10 mins as predicted, but all in all it was half the morning. So to actually get a benefit from using these facilities, you really need to use them a lot.
However, the one thing I have really enjoyed doing above all, is doing this blog, and if I am completely honest, the only thing that kept me going sometimes is that I could then blog about it and choose pictures to represent what I thought. I actually signed this off and then realised I would miss the blog and that it had been one of the 23 things, which I had forgotten. It had become a working tool and an enjoyable part of my life. I can see now why people blog and just wish I had something worth blogging about in the future that would interest other people or even just myself. Blogging, I shall miss you. But maybe I will be back..........
As far as the other Things go though, I am glad it is at an end as it has been challenging keeping up as a part-timer, but it has also been great to have had the opportunity to sample what is on offer. It is a large box of mixed chocolates - some of which are more appealing than others. However, there would never be any chocolates I would not eat, and I am glad I have tried all 23 things.
It is Friday - my chocolate day - enjoy - and thanks for letting me share!
Photo Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
