One semester left
Tags: life, tweekly.fm, twimemachine
It’s been a while since I made proper blog post to update on my life and what’s going down.
Study Study
The topic says it all. I have one semester left, until I graduate (if all goes smoothly) with a degree in Socio-Informatics and Marketing. My plans are up in the air for next year. I’m kinda ‘over’ studying. If the honours program in Socio-Informatics turn out to be super interesting, it might become an option to continue with my studies at Stellenbosch. But the problem with Stellenbosch, is that the longer you stay here, the greater the comfort zone and bubble it becomes. Something might happen with Tweekly.fm that sees me jump full-time into that after I get my degree. So far my default option is going to be to head to Melbourne next year. I have temp visa, so why not take the option?
Tweekly.fm
It is growing. And growing well. We are pushing a lot of tweets a day (as much as the whole of Twitter did a day back in 2007). And by the nature of our service, it will keep growing. A new server that sits at last.fm (thanks guys!) is also doing wonders for both the respective API’s (last.fm and twitter), making it faster and better. A host of new features will be rolled out later this year, making discovering new music much easier. So in that regard, it is going good. Now we still need to figure out that business model…
TwimeMachine
My TwimeMachine is also doing really well. A new design was made by Misha Kvakin. It gets these random ’spikes’ of traffic when some ’social media expert’ tweets about it. Always great to see. It is also win to know that apparently it was mentioned at Mesh Conference in Toronto. I don’t know in what capacity, just that it was.
Music
I have a soundcloud profile now for my new moniker, Simon Segfault. I’ve been making some dubstep. So go have a listen. I’ve decided that the next album/music I release must be top-notch. In that past when I had 10 songs, I just said, ‘k lets release it’, but this time I’m taking a different approach. And damn me for my big musical influences. I just don’t know what it will end up like. Might be dubstep/drum and bass album, or it might be lyrically inspired, blues, guitar electronica. Just don’t know. Might also do something with my brother that could turn into a vocal chiptune album. Maybe I’ll just all the above genres? Drum-blues-and-chip-step rock?
So I have one semester left to figure what happens next year? The options are so varied… For now, I’m just going to enjoy my holiday.
Are we that which is written? (part 2)
Tags: facebook, internet, life, memory
After my previous post on they way web is determining who and what we are, I thought about it some more. I let mull in my head.
I said, that because we don’t remember the things we did, we must take the things we did on the internet as truth. It is the only measure for what we did. On top of that, it means that we can determine how our life must be like. Write something positive about your day, because when you look back in the archives (of life), it is THAT you will see.
Subconsciously I think it is already in effect. Take a look at Facebook. When we upload photos, we try to upload the photos we would want to look at. We determine what is seen. With that limited knowledge, other people take whatever they see as truth.
Remember the 25 things note? We were able to determine the way we want to be represented. It is only the internet, but because, it has become such an integral part of everyday society, people start to accept the way people are presented.
As with the recent 100 truths note meme circulating on Facebook. With this, we can show people what we are like. We reveal more information about ourselves so that people will get the right idea about who we are. If more is known about someone, you won’t make assumptions and conclusions on certain aspects of that person.
I’m sure there is a note that I can design that could prove this a bit more.
With the coming of something like the internet, we can determine who we are, what our lives must be like, and for what we will be remembered. Truly powerful, if harnessed correctly! I have another “Are we that which is written” post lined up. Watch our for that.
Are we that which is written?
Sometimes out of curiousity I search myself (who doesn’t?). Sometimes I come across forum posts and things I said years ago, but which I can’t remember. Stuff like this. (scroll to author: Tr00jg) on the Newgrounds BBS that I posted at the end of 2004. Most of the posts from that account I don’t remember. It startled me to see what I posted (so many exclamation marks)!!!
The thing is, is that could be bothersome or great. If I don’t remember, and I see that which I have written, is it the truth? If on my deathbed, I decide to read all my tweets from when I started Twitter, I WILL take it is truth if I don’t remember it, as it is the only thing I can use as a measure.
Just after I thought of all this, I ran into a friend of mine. She has the tendency to change her name on Facebook. It is now Lirrea Minturn. Guess what I thought? “Hey, there’s Lirrea.” It bothered me because are we taking that which the internet stores as fact (subconsciously or consciously)?
It all came to me when I wondered again how the internet is storing everything we do. Would I like to read all my tweets when I lie on my deathbed? Will there be a chance that as I read it, I will regret the choices I made and paths I took? Isn’t it better then to not have Twitter and romanticise the events and memories I do remember?
Because we DO take accounts of what we did when we can’t remember it as fact, can’t we romanticise life while we live it? In essence, everything I put to note (be it on twitter or whatever), must be something I’d want to read later on. Had a bad day? Don’t tweet about it. Tweet about the small thing that made you happy that day. Buying a chocolate to make you feel better.
Who agrees?
The beautiful life
My twin bro wrote a note on Facebook on the question, “What is it that makes life beautiful?”. I just had to share it.
—
The true feat of humankind is not to be selfish: a game of survival just like animals hunting down prey, but in the human venture of sharing, inspiring and helping others. That to me is what makes life beautiful.
A smile, an unexpected thank you and touch of empathy can change lives. Just thinking that someone is sharing something with you is inherently a great prize and you should be privileged, even if you don’t get the correct message. The beautiful part is the the attempt not the content.
Often this is what seperates those that merely live life and those that go and grasp opportunities. They know they might not always achieve the best results, but they tried. The best reward is seeing those people achieve what they set out to overcome and standing back up when they failed with a brimming smile, happy that they tried and learned something from their attempt.
That is why one has to embrace the brave act of being selfless. The ego is a survival mechanism and if one can overcome that you have truly transcended and showed to yourself that you are human. Often one looks for signs in life to show that you are human, something that sets you apart from other animals, because you are lost in this field of primal desires, but look around.
The essence of human beings are all around you, the sharing of an intimate secret, the attempt of trying to convey a experience, a whisper, the extra tight hug on a Monday morning, a song that one shares, holding hands, a cherished moment together, talking: giving something to others that does not necessarily benefit you.
That is why the communion of two lovers is the penultimate feat of humankind. They give themselves selflessly to share an intimacy that is unparalleled among earth’s animal kingdom. It defines the meaning to be human: love.
That to me is what makes life beautiful: the shedding of the ego to share experiences with unconditional perseverance and selfless caring for others. When you understand that life is not merely yours, but what you do to others, you will realize that you can be anywhere in this world and you will still feel the exact same if you don’t have a person to share your experiences with.
So next time you are sitting next to someone looking at the stars and you are in awe at this beautiful planet we inherit say thank you to the person sharing it with you, because without them your life will be a bland endeavour. That is the beautiful life.
Social
Personals
My electronic music
Tweekly.fm - my last.fm/twitter mashup
My twitter babblings
My Last.FM top weekly artists.
