RyanJin.me

Over the last two weeks, and through the next month, it looks like we’ll be doing some major home repairs, renovation, and landscape work! Although I don’t have any photos for you quite yet (before) I’ll put some up soon so you can take a look at what we are working with.. the process, and the end result.

Any ways, to give you an idea of what we’re doing though, here’s our todo list:

• Create landscape design (rock work, pavers, grass, new plants).
• Purchase and install new pavers, rock, and plants.
• Repair sprinkler system.
• Plant new grass (seed in front, sod in back).
• Wall up kitchen door.
• Make new kitchen door.
• Take out cabintry.
• Update plumbing in kitchen.
• Update electrical in kitchen (and rest of house).
• Lay new hardwood floor.
• Install new cabinetry.
• Install new plumbing fixtures.
• Divert gas line to kitchen.
• Frame new walls for kitchen.
• Drywall new walls.
• Install new lighting.
• Update vents, take out old.
• Install new vents in bathrooms.
• Finish Xavier’s room.

That about covers the major stuff. Again, I don’t have any pictures, but check back Friday, and I should have some pictures for you then. In the meantime please keep your fingers crossed that this stuff gets completed in a timely cost-effective manner. I’m crossing my fingers as hard as my fingers can cross.

Peace.

Today, Apollo Group, the owner of the ginormous, University of Phoenix, fell 4.71 points to $56.71 today out of news that they were below street estimates. The prime culprit you ask? Bad debt.

Now remember back in the day when people were foreclosing on homes, losing their jobs, yadda yadda yadda? Well to combat this, our government decided to issue some  stimulus into our economy. More money to people means more money in our economic system right? Not necessarily, but the idea is good. In addition to that stimulus, Obama told people, “Go back to school!”, “Get a higher education,” and so on and so forth. Again this is a great idea and an important tool to increasing the prosperity of our nation.. but what do you think happens to the schools when you have people who can’t pay for this education?

Another bad day on Wall Street.

High Education, For Profit Education.. it was a nice little alternative for people who lost a lot last year in banks or financials… but looking forward to this year and beyond… my only suggestion is to take caution. UofP mentions that they’re trying to focus their efforts from Undergraduates to more Graduates and Doctoral students… this does make sense, but if you are seriously considering a Masters or higher, I’d try and find a reputable University that focuses on Masters or higher.

For a long time, UofP and their undergraduate programs were a behemoth to not get in a battle with, but is it crazy to think that the idea of ‘Online University’ is moving more along the lines of ‘Online Graduate University’? I think it should, or at least play a more substantial role.

Online degrees (undergraduate) were a good idea, but as people become more and more independent within their own personal education system, so do their mentalities once they began their career. Now, with high school diplomas available online, are kids supposed to think that all higher education is easier AND better online? I hope not. Traditional universities with a campus, athletics, coffee shops, etc. are an important lesson ground for everyday life.. aside from a career perspective. Giving students that kind of experience is almost impossible for online universities to do.. this is why I believe online education should be a post undergraduate thing.

What do you think?

Peace.

As I progress deeper and deeper into my career in Phoenix, as well as into my own personal side projects, I find it hard to come back to RyanJin.me and write for 10 or 20 minutes. I’m sorry this is the case, but its true. If you’ve noticed, I haven’t been very good at keeping up in my daily posts.. like horrible.

Any ways, I’ve realized this has really been an issue for me all the way back since I was a little kid. I’d really like to start something cool, but after a while, the spark of it would die out and I’d want to try something else. In essence, finishing something to the very end has always been a very very bad problem for me. But I guess I’m hoping I can reverse this plague of mine with my blog. Sure I’ve got other blogs up and running with other people (which I do not want to share with you at this time because you might think it is some crazy stuff) but I feel inherently ingrained with RyanJin.me.

Therefore, it is now a pledge of mine to say that if I cannot produce two posts a week from here on out, I have to close down RyanJin.me. This is an ultimatum for myself, but I think of it more as a very important motivation tool. If you do read this blog (those of you who do) please comment. Otherwise, I feel no obligation to keep writing. If you don’t, then I’ll take that as a sign that you really could care less about what I have to say.

Peace.

In my recent attempt to switch from platform maker to platform user, I’ve started thinking more and more about the correct way to create a model for content that is suitable to today’s Web 2.0 audience. Interaction, Yes! That is the goal, but to what extent do I show the true side of the content, in other words, how transparent is my agenda?

If you’ve noticed, the last few posts here at RyanJin.me have focused more primarily around the idea of content and how it is the essential life blood of everything the internet stands for. Really, it is! But as content becomes saturated with fluff, echoes, and ‘how-tos’ for idiots, the idea of content as a serious factor in success has become a hard topic marketers need to grapple with. Top Ten Lists won’t cut it any more.. except if you’re trying to target wannabe social media experts, in that case… welcome to the party. Everyone has left, or has grown up.

But honestly finding the right content and mode of delivering that content is a hurdle for many people these days. Sure you can find your niche and build your reputation organically, but where to begin?

Taking a step back, I’ve been watching Andrea lately and her habits on the internet. Every day, she visits her favorite blogs, favorite discussion forms, and favorite sites. Like clockwork, she manually updates her internal RSS feed to make sure she is up to date on everything and anything associated with what she feels is important to her online experience. From this perspective, should it seem ridiculous that every niche has this kind of network? No! It’s really a simple concept, and it is expressed in everyday user experience of the internet.

When Web 2.0 came out, I thought the concept was hilarious. But quite honestly, it has become the most important changing factor in how consumers AND producers use the internet. For this reason, blogs became the big thing, but then came micro-blogs. As if a concept for the ‘everyday blogger’ Twitter is turning more and more into the Second Life of today. As I see myself using less and less of the application, I feel like I am trying to fix this through other means of ‘reaching out’ or ‘communicating’ with others around me. This is not to say I am retired of Twitter, I just think the program as a singular entity is becoming outdated. Once private networks, or private HOSTED networks become the core of how Twitter or micro-blogging tools connect, there could be a new influx in use, but for some reason, saturation in Facebook, iPhones, or whatever else has rendered the service hard to justify. So what is next?

Even with all of the new talk of Twitter, and then this gradual fall, blogs have still remained. Actually, as people have seen they can be heard (or read) through Twitter, more and more are adopted actual blogs. I think this is absolutely great. With everyone’s blog however, simple RSS reeders are going to get their work cut out for them.

My prediction for 2010 and 2011: Organization of social media is going to become very very important. Twitter will remain, of course, but it is already evident that there needs to be an internal organizational change to make the service more enticing for new and retired users. Association of blogs and personal sites… RSS readers will become the new TweetDecks or Twitterifics. When there is something new to read that is seriously from a valid source… you know as well as me that we’re both going to read it.

Peace

If you’ve been floating around the internet lately, especially those social networks that shan’t be named, you might have seen some posts that start with the ever so popular “Top 10…”, or “10 Reasons to…” or “10 Ways to do…”. Is it me or do these kinds of things begin to get a little irritating?

With that said and done, here is my Top 7 Reasons Top 10 Lists are So Popular!

1. They are Quick. – The thing that many bloggers don’t have a lot of these days, is time. If you’re like me, you’re always looking for little 10 or 20 minute windows to pump out an entry in between the day job activities. Although I don’t really do this I have to admit, I do. But this is not a problem with Top 10 Lists! The beauty to writing out a in-depth and well thought out Top 10 List, is most of the work is already done. In in all reality, its really like writing a top 3 list!

2. Its great content that everyone loves reading! (tiny bit of sarcasm there) – If you can pull a top 10 list out of your butt and have it be at least somewhat engaging, people out there will read it. Let’s just say you do a top 10 list of the reasons why H tags are important in SEO…. If you do SEO, I’m sure you can think of 10 reasons why H tags are important, and if you can’t, I’m sure you know how to find those reasons out. The point being made is… these so-called lists are the quickest and most informative way of expressing content in a post. I bet I can do a Top 10 List every day and the average amount of traffic I get to my site will increase day after day… which brings me to point 3.

3. They are quick to read. – When someone is looking through some author’s hugely engrossing Top 10 List, if they don’t want to spend the time carefully uncovering those treasured facts, they can skim through the headings and get the gist of the post. Bold your headings or at least do some sort of thing to make your list look like an easy read.. even if it isn’t.

4. You don’t need any creativity.. Just find someone else’s top list and just jumble their list items around to make your own, it’s really simple actually for you lazy bums out there. On that same note, creativity does actually help when trying to persuade your audience why your specific list item is there, but in all reality.. they’re not reading your thought out reasons… am I right? (In this case, I hope I’m wrong).

5. They make you look informed. Although I have to say my top 7 list does not really do me any credit when it comes to social media, I just wanted to add fuel to the fire.. like I always do. Believe me, I am not an informed social media guru… I’m not even that big of a D-Bag. I’m just an individual taking both sides of the social debate. The talker and the listener… its quite fun and revealing when you are on both sides.

6. Its a nice Thursday morning write-up when you can’t think of anything else to write. – While professional bloggers might think they are future novelists and great thinkers of the Web2.0, there are times when writer’s block strikes the best of us. The beauty behind Top 10 Lists is that they are mindless. A good way to come up with a new list… 1) Take something you like. 2) Find 10 reasons you like it. 3) Spend 2 minutes writing them out. You’re done. Congratulations!

7. They are the easiest way so-called “social media experts” can get you to their content. – Sorry, but its true. When people are looking to be informed, they are looking for simple easily readable information. If that person thinks you’re credible or at least likes your list.. well great. On the other hand, those who disagree with you from time to time will also enjoy reading your lists and explaining back to you why your list is wrong and totally screwed up. Hey, but at least I’m getting traffic right?

So there you have it. My Top 7 Reasons Top 10 Lists are So Popular. If you skimmed through this and didn’t take the time to read the actual post, well then thanks. My writing isn’t good any ways.

Peace.

As December suddenly made its way into my hectic lifestyle, a few important and very exciting things have started occuring to me… and I guess it centers mostly on family.

Being away from my family this past Thanksgiving was a little difficult, but Andrea and I made the most of it through spending some quality time at Disneyland. Honestly, it was a really fun trip, and I’m still going through withdrawls. (the car ride home was horrible) But that being said, I can hardly wait for Christmas to come. Not only will I get to go home, but I’m totally excited to see my family, friends, and eat good food. Just thinking about it now makes me ansy.

And although I know this has no relevance to anything in search or social, I’ve really felt the strong desire to tell you now just how I feel. Actually, I was visiting a blog of my friends who is in Japan teaching. Recently, Julia has been updating her blog on holiday plans, food posts, and pictures of her daughter, who is just too cute. It is the highly personal things (from family and friends) that really make me come back to a blog to read more and continue to stay updated. I may think I’m more into reading up on my professional area of expertise, but I think when it comes down to it, friends, family, and thoughts of comfort (home) is what makes me the most happiest.

And so I guess this brings me back to my blog. No personal pictures, no stories of my family, and not even a steady post rate. As a blogger, I’d have to say I deserve the grade of a strong C-. There is a lot to improve upon, but more importantly, I’m thinking I don’t really want to lecture in my posts anymore, but communicate more along the lines of talking and discussing. I know I’m a month early, but I think a good new years resolution for me is to push out 5 times as many posts as I did this year. (I don’t think that will be too hard) I’ll try more.

Peace

Image from: Yahoo! Music - new.music.yahoo.com

In a recent article I read on Yahoo, Rock ‘N’ Roll Might Be Over, Says…U2?, the popular (insert musical adjective) group, U2, explains that Rock ‘n Roll as we know is it a dying breed. Even more, the group’s bassist, Adam Clayton says:

“What is rock ‘n ‘roll in this changing world? Because, to some extent, the concept of the music fan–the concept of the person who buys music and listens to music for the pleasure of music itself–is an outdated idea,”

Alright alright, so the traditional music fan doesn’t exist. I wholeheartedly agree. But I think there are way different reasons as to why this is, and I personally think they are good.

First, to say that the traditional music fan is dead, or in essence, the music industry itself, is pure ignorance. People love music today just as much, if not more than yesterday, the day before, all the way back to the beginning of time. Although I’m biased, I don’t think people can really get tired of music. However, in regards to the music INDUSTRY..? yeah things are changing, but things always change!

In all reality, music HAS to change especially with the speed in which written publication has changed. Think maybe 8-6 years ago. If you had no clue how to create a webpage and write HTML, what would have been your best bet in publishing something that you wrote? The newspaper? Damn, I never thought I’d write something that more then 5-6 people would read. But I was in 3rd grade. Basically, publishing something you’ve written is as easy as clicking a button on a webpage. In relation to the music industry, that should seem unreal! And scary!

With the introduction of YouTube (the music player) people have been uploading remixes of crap they’ve done (heck I did one with Michael Jackson and Rhianna last year), covers, or even original compositions that sound pretty much as good as a lot of the stuff that companies are making major money with. The whole idea behind finding the next ‘American Idol’…. is it really that hard? I would hope it isn’t. That show just takes out the work. With all the people who say they hate capitalism, you’d think this would be a growing trend… but people like drama on television I guess.

Music today is more accessible. People can download T-Pain apps on their iPhone, or learn how to play guitar on YouTube! People can sample other works, and make cool mash-ups or remixes themselves, and above all, be proud of it! When professional musicians feel their music is changing, they should be happy, because only then, will they know that their fans are banding together to move music in more and more directions. And its all happening organically.

So to make my long story short, I think musicians today who have a hard time with people having fun with music..(ie: musicians who hate Guitar Hero… HELLO! Of course its not like playing the real thing, but is Madden anything like playing football? Is Halo anything like shooting aliens? Is NBA Live anything like playing in the NBA? I don’t think so!)… should just take a chill pill. As technology continues to evolve and shape the way we live, peoples tastes will change, but so will their involvement. Music is turning into an art form where people can continue to evolve and shape the real and beautiful artistry of it! Stand alone pieces? Elvis, the Beatles, Mozart, Chopin, Shakespeare, DaVinci, Monet, Rowling, and U2, just to name a few, all have created great works of art, but the inspiration and ideas their works instilled in others, should be an art form in and of itself. That is progression!

Peace

I just realized that it’s been a long while since I’ve posted a YouTube video or some YouTube music on here. I know it isn’t professional or worth a good discussion, but in all reality, music is a passion of mine. While I do have about 11 years of classical piano under my belt, I’m also interested in the non-classical stuff.

For example, for all you Michael Jackson lovers out there, this is a totally cool ‘Demo’ version of PYT, originally on the Thriller album.

I almost like this version more than the original. Just chill and relaxed. Can I have a plush couch with some modern retro art and mood lighting?

Want more? This next song is a classic.. I mean it… Truly a great classic. I heard Lou Rawls sing this back in high school when I played trombone in the jazz band (He was quite a bit older… I’m not old!)  Have any of you Social/SEM gurus out there participated in the Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival in Moscow, ID? Probably some of my favorite memories from back in the day. Oh, and our band took home 1st one year… mind you there were only 8 or 9 other bands in our division, but still!

Lou Rawls singin You’ll Never Find Another Love Like Mine

You’re gunna miss my lovin!

Peace

Recently, thanks to a Facebook wall post made by one of my good friends, I stumbled upon this great article in regards to a recent alumna who is suing her school because she has not yet found a job. I’ll let you go and read the story… did you read it? Alright, good.

After reading the article I went about and did a Google search for Trina Thompson. After finding a few more news article results, I decided to take my search efforts to Facebook. Yeah I know what you’re thinking… but lo and behold, I found the ‘Support Trina Thompson’ Facebook Group Page!  Oh shit, this is going to be good. Take a gander below….

You have to click to see full size image!

Alright, so don’t get me wrong, I am supportive of people in need. Everyone deserves a chance at success and happiness. The way you individually measure success and happiness… you can decide upon yourself. But this to me just boggles my mind. Let me first explain a few of my first thoughts:

• Going to college does not guarantee a job, especially with a GPA of 2.7.
• Going to college offers you an education… and a degree.
• If she wants to sue a college for the total cost of her degree.. well that is one thing.. if she succeeds in winning the case, well then she better come out of there with absolutely no degree and no college credits to her name. Do you think that would change her mind? Maybe not, she’s not a smart person.
• The economy.
• If going to college was such a burden on your life, maybe you should have taken a broader look at the severity of your education at the time. Yes it is a major expense, albeit important one, but your livelihood in the here and now is possibly a little more important.

Okay, so those are just a few of my first thoughts on the whole thing. Now in regards to the Facebook group… did you look at the image? Did you happen to see the ‘Related Groups’ section?

• MAFIA WARS OFFICERS
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• Masters of Mafia Wars ( +50 reward point weekly

Okay, so am I out of line in saying this is a little hilarious? When bands of Mafia Wars players get together… shit is going to hit the fan. Oh and Cathy Perez?…. ‘I AM GOING THROUGH THE SAME PROBLEM…’ really? Well damnit… lets get you an attorney! Cathy then goes on to say ‘I WANT TO SUE THIS SCHOOL, AND I HOPE IT CLOSES ITS DOORS FOREVER…’ Can these people be serious? Oh man… it really makes me want to cry!

I understand these are hard times. The economy has tanked… hopefully not any more, and unemployment rates are high. But also realize, its not just you, its everyone. So while you might think you are qualified with no experience, and a 2.6 GPA, chances are there are others out there who are just as if not more experienced. Sometimes you need to bite the bullet, take a job you are over qualified for for the time being while you search for your career. It is not the easiest path to follow, but it is better then making yourself look like a fool.

Disclaimer. All information taken from open sources. All oppinions expressed are mine.

Peace

After two weeks back at home in Washington, a week and a half of work, and then 3 nights in Vegas, I’m back to my old self… working, writing, studying, eating.. and hey, now golfing!

So I apologize for my absence from reality and lack of anything good posted here… really that last post was a piece of crap.. although the picture of me in the boat was real. That being said, I wanted to just write out a quick post with updates on what has been happening in my life. If you visit this site for content, then you might not be interested in reading further – this is a personal one guys.

So the fourth of July was spent back at home in goold old Birch Bay, Washington. Spent with both my parents and Andrea’s parents, we spent most of our time chillaxin on the beach, eating homemade food, and playing board games. Have you heard or Thurn and Taxis?

Well, if you haven’t, its sorta like Ticket to Ride, combined with Settlers of Catan… and if you have no idea what I’m talking about, get out and play more boardgames! – Sorry I just had to praise Thurn and Taxis pretty much because I won 2 of the 3 times we played… and I think I figured out a good rule of thumb to winning the game. Don’t worry, I won’t give it away.

Well, after a few weeks back in Washington, I headed back to Phoenix, with a set of ‘new’ golf clubs in hand. Actually they weren’t new.. there was an estate sale that I took them from Now, I’m vowing to get good at golf. Hey, if I am ever invited to a green meeting I need to be prepared.  (Pun intended)

So any ways, after a good week and a half back at work, I was off again, this time headed towards my first trip to Las Vegas. Long story short, I’m still recovering from that one. But if you want the rundown, it went pretty much like this…

• Arrive
• Go to room
• Get food
• Drink
• Walk Around
• Drink
• Gamble
• Walk Around
• Drink
• Walk Around
• Drink
• Sleep

Aside from the Saturday night VIP table at Jet, and sitting out by the pool, the days pretty much just played out like that. I got to see Elliott from RyanAndElliott.com though! Also Mohammad, Mersudin, Brendan, Aziz, and Salam. I told you this was going to be boring if you’re here for any kind of content!

And now, sitting here at my desk Friday mid morning, I’m ready to be reunited with Andrea. Its been about 15 days or so since I’ve seen her last and I’ve come to realize bacheloring it is really boring. But hey.. I’ve got a conference in Chicago and a retreat in August to forward to!

Content coming soon I promise!

Peace.