Even though I have been incredibly busy, it was nice not to be tethered to my computer.  I often feel like my computer is an extension of me, but by stepping away (there were several days when I didn’t even touch my computer!), I realized that not only can I live without technology, but which technologies actually make my life easier.

My BlackBerry allowed me to received all my important emails (moving is hard!) without using my computer.  I had all my podcasts and music on my iPod for entertainment on the airplanes.  And really, that’s about it.

I didn’t read my blogs, didn’t watch much TV, didn’t surf Facebook.  The freed time allowed me to read, connect with friends and just clear my head.  Even though I love technology and am constantly trying to add more into my life, there is a world beyond it and stepping away make you appreciate technology even more.

With all that said, I feel like I don’t know what’s going on in the world (Kim and Reggie?!) and I am very happy to be plugging in again.   You can look forward to more from me in the upcoming days and weeks!

There was a recent study done by the Kaiser Family Foundation that found that kids (8-18) are spending about 7.5 hours a day in front of a screen.  Basically, that leaves time for school, sleeping, eating and bathing.

The blog-o-sphere has been atwitter (haha) about the findings, though I have to say, did they really need a study to realize that kids’ (and adults’) lives revolve around technology?  I also am not convinced it’s a bad thing.

There is a reason that everyone uses technology to the degree that they do — it makes our lives easier.  We are able to do more and better things with it.  Could you imagine work without email?  Nothing would happen as quickly.  Schools now rely heavily on computers, so much that often there are no physical textbooks assigned for a class because everything is available online.

It seems like the Kaiser Family Foundation is critical of our acceptance of new technology and its applications.  Should kids go back to using the card catalog at the library instead of Google Books?  Just because they are in front of a screen does not mean they are up to no good — likely they are studying and learning.

Interestingly, kids are consuming about 11 hours of media in that 7.5 hour period suggesting that kids are good multi-taskers.  This could be good or bad.  Our generation already has an ADD problem, this cannot be helping.  However, being able to analyze and handle a lot could be good for efficiency in the long run.

I do not have kids (and am arguably still one) so my analysis of this study may be flawed and naive, but I just don’t believe increased consumption of media is a bad thing.

• Yes, we don’t want kids’ brains to rot, however, there are remarkably smart and positive media available, so I say, don’t think so little of your children.
• Parents can also do their part in controlling what kind of media the kids see.
• Media professionals (probably very pleased by this study) should do their part by putting out positive media for the kids.

What do you think?  Are kids (and adults) consuming too much media? What kinds of media are your kids consuming?

Twittabling.com offers jewelry with your Twitter handle, like name plates.  Not only do these necklaces, rings and bracelets show off your sense of fashion, but they also show just how geeky you are.

Couldn’t be a bad way to get more followers… I think it’s pretty fantastic, I should order an @theAcumenity name plate now (prices start at $49.95).

Also see Survival of the Hippest.

A few days ago I read about the new punctuation denoting sarcasm.  The dot surrounded by a squiggly line aims to express emotion like the exclamation point or the question mark — long accepted forms of punctuation.  I read about it, made my own sarcastic comment (sans SarcMark) and moved onto the next post in my Google reader.

However, over the following fews days, the SarcMark actually stuck with me.  Maybe because I use sarcasm a little too freely (and obliquely) I found myself thinking how useful this punctuation could actually be.  No more hurt feelings over a joke that wasn’t really funny.   No more confusion over the meaning of a sentence.

Still, I am not a convert.  I rarely use sarcasm in formal emails.  I do use it in my blog, but I feel the subtlety of my jokes adds pithiness  (don’t you agree, fervent reader?).  Mostly I reserve my sarcasm for instant messaging and texting.

You can download the SarcMark, for a staggering $1.99 onto your computer, so my Gchat is taken care of, but what about texting?  Perhaps this company should develop a mobile SarcMark, the e-SarcMark, if you will.  This punctuation mark will only become popular if it is accessible and USED widely.  Make it easy for us to use!!

Also, the exclamation point and question mark translate into spoken language well via inflection.  Part of the issue (and magic) with sarcasm is that no one knows when you are joking or being truthful.  Inflection would give away all the fun, so maybe this punctuation mark be suck the fun out as well.

What do you think?

I’ve recently gotten more into Twitter.  I’ve had an account for months, but mostly left it inactive.  In the past couple weeks, maybe out of boredom from vacation, I have started following more people and actively tweeting.  While I consider this a positive addition to my life, one of the new people I follow, John Mayer @johncmayer, does not.

Mayer is suggesting that everyone take a “Digital Cleanse” starting January 1st at 9am.  These are the guidelines for the cleanse:

Begins on January 1 at 9AM and runs until January 8 at 9AM
*email only from laptop or desktop computers
*cell phones can only be used to make calls, and no text messages or e-mails are allowed – if you receive a text, you must reply in voice over the phone. E-mails must be returned from a laptop or desktop computer.
*no use of Twitter or any other social networking site – this includes reading as well as posting.
*no visiting of any entertainment or gossip sites. (No need to detail which ones – you know what they are.)

All that sounds pretty reasonable, actually.  Remember back a couple years ago when you weren’t as tethered to your email/phone/internet?  Life was simplified, I guess.   I am a believer in the positive force of technology, in making the world more efficient.  However, with this efficiency, I think our brain (a muscle after all) forgets how to function on its own without constant stimulation.

I heard the Aughts described as a decade for those with ADD, “who will have forgotten the point of this post by the time they finish reading this sentence.” And that’s dangerous.

While I will not be partaking in this cleanse, for several reasons, including I don’t want John Mayer dictating my life…  However, he has over 2.8 million followers (same as KIM!) and that’s some real sway.

Will you participate?  Would you want to?  Would it impact your life?

As a fledgling PR professional, I can say that if there is such a formula, it’s worth gold.

Cashmore narrows success down to a few categories: The cute factor, humor, emotional response, music, cumulative advantage. Note sure if he has it right, but I will leave you with the most popular of the year:

The world has been struck with Vampire fever.  I feel like I woke up one morning and everyone had been bitten by vampires.  Everything from the Twilight books, to the Twilight movies, to True Blood to the Vampire diaries.  Media has been taken over by these ghouls.  I thought Halloween was a couple weeks ago.

I am going on this tirade in the wake of the recent “New Moon” release, the second of four in the Twilight series.

I read a lot of blogs, some trashy (Perez), some with more depth (Drudge, Mashable).  However, I could not escape the Twilight mania.  I find myself wondering, are Kristen and Robert dating in real life????  Taylor and Taylor, what could be cuter.  All the chatter is ignoring a few things, though:

1. The movie sucks.

2. This is the worst of the four books, and the books aren’t good to start with (yes, I have read the series).

3. Twilight vampires aren’t real vampires!!!

1.  I have not seen the Twilight movies.  I have friends who pre-ordered their midnight tickets to the New Moon opening.  I heard that Glamour magazine will actually ask prospective employees if they have seen the movie, and if they haven’t, they cannot be considered for the job (for the sake of journalism and humanity, let’s hope that’s just a sick rumor).  I just don’t care to waste my time or money on a brooding love story.  Every clip I have seen has been poor.

2. I read the entire series in about a week at the end of the summer.  I had heard they were good and my sister had already purchased them for her own reading pleasure, so I sat down and didn’t get up for a week, until there wasn’t anything left to read.  The books were utterly worthless, however I could not tear myself away.  The romance was hackneyed and unrealistic, the plot was predictable (until the fourth book, OMG) and tedious.  However, the characters drew me in.  They kind of become your soulless friends.  I suppose that is the goal of literature…

3.  While reading the Twilight series and I was watching True Blood.  I found True Blood much more compelling and sophisticated and binged on the first two seasons in an inordinately short amount of time.  Interestingly, the vampires do not have the same defining characteristics.  True Blood vampires cannot go outside during the day, while Twilight ones can, for instance.  I found the discrepancies between the two descriptions of the mythical  creations disheartening (come on, shouldn’t there be a vampire conference for the definitive answer).   True Blood’s is quite certainly the more accurate.

What was even scarier than having opinions about the authenticity of the vampire descriptions was that I started seeing vampires waking among us.  Those who were pale, with dark features, perhaps a little too thin screamed vampire to me.  But, I wasn’t afraid, I just wanted to ask them if they could go into the sun or not.

Update 11/28: Due to the vampire trend, sales of pale foundation have risen 200% in the past month.  I am a bit skeptical, however.  It wouldn’t have anything to do with winter, would it?

The most popular shows on Hulu.com include the Office, 30 Rock and Glee.  Those who claim to laugh out loud at 30 Rock, I challenge you to explain what it so funny, iIt is too obvious.  The Office can have its subtlies, but after several seasons, they seem to be trying too hard.  And Glee, it isn’t trying to be funny when it is so I can’t call that comedy.

Hulu does have some incredibly hilarious options, namely Arrested Development (I was a never-nude for Halloween two years ago) and It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia.

Again, I have issues with these.  Arrested development only has three season, so it gets old after seeing each episode numerous times.  It’s Always Sunny culminates in yelling in every episode — how tiresome.  However, they are onto something with wine in a can.

So I stumbled over to TED.

For those who are not aware of TED Talks, it is a yearly conference bringing together some of the most brilliant minds in the world for various talks on various specialties.  Obviously, I headed straight to comedy, it’s not a philosophical night, and found some smart humor at last.

I like comedy that makes you think and doesn’t go for the easy joke.  Enjoy.