Technology and Social Media Have Really Changed Pictures

It is without question that we are in the most picture taking era we have ever been in. Cameras are easily available on our cell phones/smart phones and even tablets.

Nowadays, some of the main reasons one chooses a particular smartphone is for the type of camera: the resolution, front facing feature for selfies, size, and also easy availability to upload photos to social media.

Photos have definitely enhanced the social media process, so much that Instagram was created, and goes hand in hand with Facebook. You take pics from a night out, an event or just for the heck of it and instanteously share them.

Many even back their pictures up to the Cloud and print their pictures so they can forever preserve the memories.

Digital cameras and social networking both became popular in the 90s. During these days, you had to have a scanner to save your photos to a disk and then upload them to your pages. Things continued evolving as MySpace and Facebook came along. Then cell phones with cameras were introduced around the same time. It's almost like this was a match made in Heaven and has worked out well.

One can do so much with photos from simply the smartphone. Pictures can be edited, cropped, placed into multiple frames as a collage, and so forth. Apps such as PhotoGrid and PicsArt are perfect for this and even work well with all of the social networks.

Both technology and social media will continue to evolve, as will our capability to preserve memories and day to day living.

Social Media Etiquette

Social media has been around for quite sometime now, and grows in popularity and relevance daily. I have already written about the three most popular networks: Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

However, some of us still don't know how to properly conduct ourselves on these platforms.

Here are some etiquette guidelines I have came up with throughout my many years on social networks.

1. Follow everyone back, unless you're a big celebrity.

If you cannot follow back everyone on Twitter and Instagram, they really serve no purpose on your follower list. Social interacting is supposed to a two way street, not a popularity contest to see whom has the most followers.

2. Do you really need that many friends?

Yes yes I know, some of you know I have huge friend lists on all three major outlets. However, I ensure you that each and every friend and follower has a legitimate purpose on my list. I do regular housecleaning, filtering and deleting. Sometimes you simply have to clean house.

3. Be an active friend

Comment and like on certain pictures and comments. Retweet certain tweets. Most importantly, take the time to talk to a few friends/day if possible.

4. Go outside your close circle of friends and family.

Many people have their settings and filters set so they only see and comment on the updates of certain people. Heck we're all guilty of it. However, it's simply polite and shows good character when you like and comment on something you like, rather than just because your best friend from kindergarten posted it.

5. Respond to every comment in some way.

This can simply mean just saying "thanks everyone" or liking all the comments on a post.  Nevertheless, skipping over a comment someone has made to you is rude and thoughtless.

6. Actually network!

That is part of the purpose of social media, to reconnect with people you already know, and connect more deeply with those you just met or barely know.

7. Answer those idle friend requests.

Don't leave a friend request in limbo for months. Add or delete that person. It's not brain surgery.

OK it's simple. Be kind, exercise good judgment and interact with others.

How do you normally behave on social media? What is your purpose for having a social networking account?

Revenge Of The Nerds: Social Media

The series on the intellectuals and geniuses continues with social media. I have spoken about social media often, but not really about its origins.

Social media really came out in the late 1990s with BlackPlanet and College Club. Basically if you were a programming wiz with web development and HTML experience, creating a social network was very possible.

During the 2000s, MySpace and Friendster came on the scene. Then a 19 year old sophomore at Harvard named Mark Zuckerberg created Facebook in 2004.  The initial purpose was to make it exclusive for Harvard students only. They then started expanding to colleges around the country and the world. You could not get an account prior to 2006 unless your college was listed and you had a .edu email. Now the entire world can sign up for an access Facebook.

While Facebook eventually became the world's #1 network, there has been more competition from Twitter, Foursquare, Instagram, Google + , LinkedIn, and Pinterest. Despite all of their various efforts, Facebook has remained strong and Zuckerberg is worth billions.

Now this is not bad at all. A so called "geek" and "loner" created a site to help others connect with their friends worldwide and became wealthy from it. It appears being smart definitely paid off for young Zuckerberg, who isn't even 30 yet.

Social media, as I have also mentioned before, seems here to stay in our culture. We should encourage our youth to learn about computers and web development so they develop great sites and apps to assist the world. Knowledge is definitely power now.

Hashtag Knowledge: #thisishowyoushouldusethissocialmediatool

Many use hashtags regularly in this social media driven world. It started with Twitter when hashtagging catchphrases,  trending topics,  talking about sports, television shows, and your favorite teams became popular.  Now you see these tags on all three of the major social networks: Facebook,  Twitter, and Instagram. Also, they're getting too long and out of hand. People are using entire sentences now and excessive tags in a post. It's become messy and clique'.

Here are some discrete ways to use hashtags in your social media posts and otherwise. 

1. Short but sweet.

You need not use one long as a summer day, as the example in the title. Use a buzzword or two that gets right to the point. Try quick phrases instead of whole, run-on sentences that have your former English teachers feeling embarrassed. Now I find it interesting that people use shorthand and slang regularly, but can suddenly construct a complete sentence within a hashtag. That seems odd and backwards to me.

2. Less is more.

In my post about Instagram last year, I touched on this point. Use five or less tags. Better yet, try to keep it to about three. More than five makes the post seem messy and distracting. It's almost like a cry for attention when you have about 50 long tags #really #attentionwhore #unnecessary #seewhatIdid #hotmess

3. Make them meaningful and catchy.

The original intent behind these was to further the social networking process. This is why when you watch a TV program,  you see a tag on the bottom of the screen. That gives you a starting point right there.  Now be creative and come up with some quick ones that grab attention and apply to many folks and your post. Examples are #workflow,  #turnup (which I despise) #God, #awesomeness #happy, and #epicfail. Use your emotions and your words.

4. Don't use them in a serious post or a remorseful one

Even hashtags have their place. If the post is one of a serious tone, perhaps you shouldn't be drawing attention away from it.  One colorful may not do harm, but it could be best to refrain from them all together. 

5. Don't get so obsessed with them that you are having entire conversations with them.

I have a longtime friend who I do this with for kicks. Nevertheless, try not to do this on a social media platform. Regular words do not go out of style,  and remember what the actual purpose of a hashtag is. It is intended to draw attention towards a certain topic, nog away from the discussion at hand.

Happy hashtagging! 

Do you use hashtags in your social networking?  How often and how long are your tags typically?

Selfie Knowledge and Tips

One of the many popular things to do with a cell phone camera and social media for many, many years has been the selfie.  This is taking a picture of yourself with your own phone. 

Selfies have taken a life of their own, as the front facing camera was invented years ago to help one capture a better angle upon themselves. Also, Ellen DeGeneres popularized the group selfie during this year's Oscars.

Here are some pointers and tips I have picked up along the way in taking selfies.

1. Cook your head and neck slightly downward.

This minimizes showing you holding the camera,  which is important in a good selfie. Also, it makes you look slightly slimmer.

2. Make sure whatever area you use, especially the bathroom,  is clean.

Approximately 75 percent of all selfies are taken in the car or the bathroom for some reasons. You look at the picture,  and all you see is the junk, mess, and clutter surrounding you. Please take of this.

3. Don't overdo it.

Take about one selfie/week maximum.  You need not take 100 selfies/day. It makes you appear narcissistic and self-centered.  Less really is more.

4. Use photo apps to enhance your selfies. 

Add funny effects, reverse angles, or several different photos in one grid. Allow your creativity to take over and simply be a master of your own masterpiece. 

5. Always adjust your lighting properly,  on your camera and the room.

This is all so vital,  especially for the front camera shot. Often the light and resolution are both dimmed, so increasing both can help you create a fine, visible self-portrait.

How many selfies do you take per day, week or month?  Do you have any tips to offer?

The Importance Of Taking and Keeping Photos

We are most definitely in a photo taking industry. One can snap 10 photos in one day with a smartphone or tablet,  upload them to Facebook and Instagram immediately, and then send them to a photo lab such as Walgreens to have them printed out for a song before the sun goes down.

I heard my best friend's wife once say it is important we utilize resources such as this and Cloud to save important photos.  A social media site could decide to shut down overnight, and a phone's memory card could easily malfunction.  One would eventually hate to lose these memories, just as the person who never took the time to capture them.

My late grandmother, Myrtle Lanier, was ahead of her time. She was basically the family photographer as she was always snapping pictures of her friends and family. Over the years, she accumulated numerous photo albums.  She willed them to my mother, and these mementos have come in handy.

Not many people on my mom's side of the family took a lot of photos, especially not before the 80s. Therefore, my mom and I are often the family source when it comes to family photos. We're always happy to send pictures to relatives, invite them over to view them, post them in our family group on FB, and often print them upon request.

This is fortunately something the generation behind me will not have to worry about. People now realize the value of photographs, and want to capture every special moment. Birthdays, family reunions, holidays, weddings, and simply random everyday happenings. The future will not have a shortage of photos.

A picture is often worth a thousand words. Also, photos can tell stories, and give insights into history. You can see how strong your family genes are, who resembles who, and even relive old moments through the power of the glass eye.

Photographers are paid well and get lots of work for a reason.  They capture memories, experiences, and give families priceless heirlooms. I'm very thankful that my grandmother took so many pictures.  It gives me a huge sense of history and joy.

Therefore, continue taking and posting your images.  In a few decades, your offspring will be extremely grateful.

Be Kind and Please Rewind: How Movie Rentals Have Changed

Renting a good movie to watch used to be an awesome thrill for me. Streaming movies and getting them in the mail is still good, but I do hate that the nostalgia of going into a video store is basically gone.

I remember as a child in the mid 80s, we had just bought a VCR. We rented movies from the local video store every weekend. It was a new experience to see unedited movies outside of the theatre. When I became old enough, I got my own membership to Blockbuster Video. It was liberating to be able to rent and return my own movies. You had to have them back and rewinded on time or you were subject to fines.

When DVDs came along, the similar principle applied, minus the rewinding. Then Netflix became popular for their mail in rental system. You could have unlimited rentals, no due dates for a flat monthly fee. Blockbuster tried the same thing. For a while, both Netflix and Blockbuster were at war, to see who could win the most customers. I remained loyal to Blockbuster. They had better service and rates, and quality of DVDs. Before I began this blog, I even did a note on Facebook about Blockbuster, Netflix, and now even Redbox.

Redbox changed the game to another level. It's hard to beat being able to rent movies for only $1/night, and only being charged a dollar late fee for every night you were late. You also didn't have to wait in the mail for your movie to arrive. Both Netflix and Blockbuster then began allowing subscribers to stream movies online and via their Blu Ray players and PS3. It appeared Netflix had the edge, however, and leads the movie rental business currently. Blockbuster even tried setting up blue rental kiosks similar to Redbox.However, those haven't worked out as well.

It appears Blockbuster is fading into obscurity. They are becoming like Quincys, Ryans, Shoneys and pay phones. Obsolete, hard to find, lesser quality and thus insignificant.

However, I have been with Blockbuster since the 90s and I'm sticking with them until they fold. Their customer service is top notch, as our their selection of movies. Plus they offer numerous discounts. They were once a leading force. Now they are like the old man in the club that every girl ignores and finds creepy.

There will be another competitor or innovator rise up and challenge Netflix and Redbox, and change the movie rental game once again. I have a feeling smartphones and social media will be involved, but watch and wait for it. It will be almost, if not more, exciting than the movie or TV show you just streamed from Netflix.

Instagram: Review, Tips, and Tricks

It appears the latest (and currently hottest) social networking app is Instagram. It has been popular with the iPhones for about two years now. Two things happened last April 2012:  Instagram became available for Android phones, and Facebook bought Instagram. They thought it would be great to integrate the two networks.  So far, it seems to be a smart move

Instagram has really captured some of the greatest things about modern smartphones: taking and sharing photos, networking with others, sharing photos with and to other social media outlets, and the ability to simply express yourself. It is photo based, but people use other apps such as Textgram and Versagram to post quotes. Instachat is even available for the iPhone users, and should be available in the Google Play market before long. You can also geotag your photos, allowing folks to know the location of the photos/images posted. Consider it a combination of Facebook and Twitter, or even a more visual Twitter.

Here are some tips I've picked up in my short time on Instagram to help others just beginning, or those already on to improve their overall Instagram profiles.

1. Have a variety of images

Don't just have a bunch of quotes, self-shots of yourself, or pictures of food. Strike a nice, healthy balance.

2. Participate in monthly photo challenges and Throwback Thursday #tbt

This makes Instagram more fun, and makes your IG more diverse and exciting. It can be like a scavenger hunt completing photo challenges, finding unique photos to fill out the month. Also, Throw back Thursday is always nostalgic. You can even post photos of old TVs, shoes, phones, and memorabilia. I look forward to Thursday to see what appears on my news feed.

3. Interact with others.

This is self-explanatory, but show your followers love. Like and comment on their photos. Repost when they have cool images and quotes. Also, when a person likes four or more of your photos in a row, screenshot them in your notifications (if your phone has this feature) , post that as an image, and shout them out.

4. Keep the hash tags to a minimum.

One thing that can be messy and cluttered is those photos with about 30 hash tags, often these being long, random words. Choose your hash tags carefully, and keep them to a minimum of five or six.

5. Remember it is social media so,

Enjoy it and have fun.  However, be careful how you want yourself portrayed. A picture is worth a 1,000 words. Therefore, you want images that are unique to you, but present you in a positive light. You can attract the wrong type of attention, or turn away certain people for your posts. Yes it is YOUR Instagram. However remember there are decorum and a Terms and Conditions clause. You do not want your account being flagged.

Follow me at my popular nickname/handle @drewhouse74. As I say in my headline, mine is an Instagram like no other. I believe I have held true to that thus far.

2012 End Year Cowbell List

Ok it's that time of year again. Who needed more cowbell, and who has become a permanent fixture on my list? Joined once again by my lovely and intelligent sidekick Regina Wright, here's the list for the second half of 2012, starting with the repeat offenders.

Repeat Offenders:

-2Chainz, (along with Chief Keef, Lil Wayne, and any other garbage rapper) What is the deal with this awful music? Bands Will Make Her Dance? Hip hop is becoming less about lyrics and more about club and booty anthems.

-Mitt Romney: Did you really expect America to believe all of those lies? I'm guessing you will return to your faith and continue with the whoppers.

-Facebook: more privacy changes, making Instagram more controlling, and just doing too much period. It's still addictive and the #1 social network. Some of these changes, however, weren't necessary. At times it's best to leave well enough alone.

-The LA Lakers. First you don't even give Phil Jackson a chance. Then you play lost until Steve Nash returned.  Looks like another short season for the Lakeshow.

-Charlotte Bobcats. Slightly better but still terrible to watch. Perhaps regaining the Hornets name will make you play better.

-Apple. It appears the iPhone 5 has been a disappoinment thus far. Google has once again one-upped you. How's that iPhone 6 coming?

-Overcommercialism. Hey we all have to eat and live. But we should.be able to live and enjoy things and holidays without all the bs. 

-Tony Romo. You are just a choke artist. When will the Cowboys learn you are not Staubach or Aikman. You're not even Philip Rivers.

-VH-1. Still displaying coonery in the form of new seasons of Basketball Wives and washed up athletes and rappers with their own shows.

-World Star Hip Hop. Still exposing ignorance, from the Ramen noodle boy, to the infamous bus driver uppercut. Debra Lee must secretly own y'all.

New Additions:

-Mikalya. You may not be impressed, but guess what, neither is anyone else.
-The overall media. TV, print, and social media cannot stop overexposing a story and running it into the ground. That's when I find a good book and start reading.
-Christmas music and specials. How long can we endure the classics of yesteryear? We need fresh holiday tunes, movies and specials.
-12.21.12 (and anyone who believed it). When is the last time you ever saw a Mayan?
-Haters for no reasons, especially on Gabby Douglas, Notre Dame football, and President Obama.  No merit in your statements at all.
-Clint Eastwood. Looks like you had more than trouble with the curve during the RNC. The Republicans slipped you something strong.
-Modern radio. Still terrible, and still playing the same 20 songs/artists
-MTV. First your network has gone to Hell. Then you decide to put your highest rated program, the VMAs, on the same night as the final night of the DNC.
-Viacom. You should have known you couldn't bully DirecTV. You are truly greedy and vile.
-School security. It appears school children of every age are no longer safe.
-Big Lots. How do you accept debit cards, but no cashback option? That's like saying you can get into the club free , but the club closes at midnight.
-Brooklyn Nets. You didn't give Avery Johnson a fair shot. Now your inner city rival, my beloved Knicks, will dominate you.
-Texas Rangers. Welp you let Josh Hamiliton go. So much for getting that World Series title anytime soon.
-Spike Lee. You always have something to say. Now you're criticizing Django Unchained. Umm now weren't you an executive producer of the IFC mockumentary The CSA: The Confederate States of America? Need to borrow a broom to sweep around your front lawn?
-The 22 States that petitioned to secede from the USA. And the worst part: half of you are states that voted President Obama back into office.
-Rex Ryan. You talk too much, you don't give Tebow a fair chance, and now you may never be a head coach again. Good riddance.
-Nicki Minaj. Ok first you endorse Mitt Romney. Then you threaten Mariah Carey. Sit your fake self down somewhere.
-Kim and Kenya Moore from RHOA. Kim, why did you even return to the show, only to leave later?  Kenya, simmer down on the thirstiness. If you want to be married that bad, find someone that wants to be married right away.
-Phrases such as "flow", "real talk" , "gucci" and "swag". They all need to die in 2013.
-People going too crazy over the latest Jordans. Shoes above everything else huh?
-Chik Fil-A. Now everyone knows what you really stand for. Hope you're cool with that
-Honey Boo Boo and her mom. Need I say more?

Happy New Year to all of my readers and those stopping in for the first time. One of your resolutions should be to stay off of this list!

Suicide: Giving Up On Life, But Why?

Life is tough, always has been, always will be. It seems that many more people, young and old, are ending their lives early. They are throwing in the towel too easily instead of toughing it out.

This is the type of stuff that inspires Facebook drama and Lifetime movies. It also puts gun control laws in question. Suicide is nothing to be taken lightly. One can reach an extreme state of depression and mental anguish and feel this is their only way out. Matter of fact 9/11 is also known as National Suicide Prevention Day.

Depression is definitely a leading cause and reason for suicide. It seems people now, especially the younger generation, are doing it more common. They cannot handle heartbreak, money problems, or even others picking on them or gossiping about them. They feel their way is only one way out. Of course, they are wrong.

The Columbine kids felt this way after shooting up their high school. The same occurred with the Virginia Tech gunman in 2007.

 However, it seems these folks cannot live with the guilt and terror of taking lives, so they end up ending theirs.

Many notable celebrities, such as Ray Combs, former Family Feud host, retired NFL linebacker Junior Seau, novie director Tony Scott , and most recently Robin Williams have taken the most valuable gift there is from themselves. They may have had money and fame, but they are still human inside.

Suicide hotlines and mental assistance are available. One popular one is 1-800-273-TALK (8255). Too many have too much pride to seek professional help. What they don't realize is that failure to do this can make them even more insane. Regarding a suicidal scenario, these individuals need an added boost.

Therefore, do not ignore someone that's on the brink of ending their life. You have to at least get them to see why life is worth living. They at least need to see all those that love them and would miss them.

Life is really hard, but precious, and shouldn't be thrown away.  Ending your own life is the ultimate, and it’s unimaginable to me.  However, it does happen, and they need the proper help. They may thank you later when they come to their senses and realize how terrible and senseless suicide is.

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Top 7: My Favorite Romance Movies (not necessarily chick flicks)

I'm actually becoming more of a fan of romantic movies as I get older. I'm just a fan of good cinema period.  Some love stories, or chick flicks, are clique and predictable. I actually prefer romantic comedies.

Here are my 7 favorite romantic movies (chick flicks and non), and even a list of honorable mentions. Once again, I love movies!

1. Love Jones

Being a huge fan of poetry and of Larenz Tate and the beautiful Nia Long, it's natural for me to love this movie. It also came out in the 90s, during the time where I was becoming a man. I can watch this movie over and over and it always redeems my belief in true love.

2. The Notebook

Yes, yes, I know and realize this is the quintessential chick flick of chick flicks, and many women's favorite love movie. However, this is an awesome story of loving and true love, for better or for worse. Nicholas Sparks has just become a master of Southern love stories. Many of his other movies, however, such as Dear John and The Vow, simply haven't lived up to The Notebook. It is his version of "Thriller" if you will.

3. Love and Basketball

BET played the heck out of this movie for years. It was also one of the first DVDs I owned. I believe it has a good balance between love and sports, showing two athletes who always loved each other even when at different points in their life. Brown Sugar can be called the hip hop version of this movie.

4. Friends With Benefits

This is a good spin on the traditional love story. Awesome romantic comedy that you can watch over and over and feel good, even if you do not believe in the concept. Watching both Justin Timberlake and Mila Kunis give up on love, then realize they were catching feelings was interesting and refreshing.

5. Titanic

The #2 highest grossing film of all time was recently re-released in theaters. Many women (and even men) watched this movie several times in the theater. I believe the appeal of the haves and have nots helped make this movie such a timeless hit, although most folks already knew the end result going in.

6. Rocky

This is not only one of the best sports movies of all time, and extremely inspirational, its a love story in every sense. Rocky tried to get noticed in the ring and by the local pet store clerk, Adrian. They really loved each other and it was a gradual love, growing through his training and culminating with his big fight.  Adrian!!!!

7. You've Got Mail

This was literally an upgrade on "Sleepless in Seattle" and even included the same actors (Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan). This was released at a time when internet dating was not only taboo but new. Now its more commonplace with e-Harmony, Match and even ole Facebook.

Honorable Mention: Jungle Fever, Sixteen Candles, Crazy, Stupid, Love, Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves

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Bullying: my personal battles

There are many things wrong with this country, this world. We're nearing a depression, no major disease has been cured in nearly 60 years, and it seems our younger generation is not offering much promise. However, there has been one great form of justice that I love seeing and believe its far too late. This is the anti-bullying laws that are on the books and growing. Too bad this wasn't around in the 80s and 90s when I was a child, but this gives our troubled generation something to be fortunate about.

I was bullied and tormented throughout most of my school days. I was beaten up, called names, made fun of, ostracized from most of my peers, and just made to feel an outcast. It's not that I didn't fight back. I can fight, and as a muscular man who grew up in the sticks, I learned how to defend myself early on. In fact, I got into four fights in one school year, all on defending myself. However, I had to start fighting off of school grounds because all of this fighting was not looking good on my school record.

You name it, I got bullied for it. Being one of the smart kids, being poor, not having nice clothes or my own car when I turned 15, not being able to get girls, being overweight, biracial, stuttering.  Needless to say, my mother stayed up at the school for years, talking to teachers and principals to put a stop to this.  It was horrific, and made me realize who my true friends were then.

This sort of bullying, and even in more extreme forms, occurred for years until April 20, 1999, when a couple of teenagers at Columbine High in Colorado had enough.  They confronted and killed their assailants, several other students, then killed themselves. This single incident not only changed public school dynamics forever, it spawned many other school shootings and bomb threats. 

Technology also intensified bullying to a different level. Texting and social networks such as Facebook gave bullies other vehicles to get at folks that were simply "different" Victims then began committing suicide as they could not handle all the bullying coming from every angle.

Finally, a change was necessary. That is when anti-bullying laws finally came into effect in many states. Now I never consider taking my own life because of a bully. I do hate it took extreme fatalities before legislation was passed to control this. Bullying dates back to even biblical times. There has always been a bully for every smart, unique person that just couldn't fit in. Looks like a change is here. Perhaps not the change President Obama campaigned of in 2008, but a positive one nonetheless.

Now I'm not the type to hold a grudge. I'm very forgiving and am cool with many of the folks that bullied me in childhood. Many of them have apologized to myself and my mother for making my childhood hard. There is no weakness in forgiveness.

My faith in God, plus my strong willed nature and family and friend support have helped me to overcome my demons from the past. You have to move on, and not let bad moments turn you into a monster. I feel I became a better man as a result of my experiences.

My advice to current victims is not textbook but effective. Defend yourself. Stand strong and don't back down. Try to refrain from weapons if possible.  Take up boxing or MMA at your local Y, gym, or join a self defense class. If all that fails, find an adult you trust to help. This can be a parent, guardian, teacher, coach, pastor, or even a positive mentor. Let's end bullying once and for all. 

I appreciate everything I have and have accomplished in life because I have earned it.  I could have taken a left turn and ended up in jail, dead, or just an angry hoodlum. But instead I am a positive, educated, productive members of society. Life is full of choices and I was determined at a young age that these mean, misunderstood children were not going to get the best of me. Matter of fact, they motivate me and continue to do so to this day.

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Twitter 102: Effectively navigating the Twitterverse

I wrote a while back about how big and major social networking has become. Most everyone seems to be on Facebook now. Many more folks are joining Twitter now. However, its a different platform, and can be hard to figure out. It's actually a little more effective far as finding out the latest news in world and entertainment, plus it has better networking tools. Here are some tips from my 2 years of experience to help you make the most of Twitter.

- Follow actual people, and not just celebrities. Try to engage in conversation with them as they tweet and such.

-Participate in TTs (Trending Topics) often. These can be world events such as the upcoming Royal Wedding, or topics in hashtags such as #tragicmoviedeaths. You would put the hashtagged subject into your tweet, and tweet something related to the topic.

- Less is more. Refrain from going over the 140 character limit in your tweets whenever possible. Many folks do not care to read too much on an extra link. One and two liners are key.

- Retweet the tweets are others, but don't overdo it. Make sure you mix it up with your own tweets and convos with others. This will make your timeline (TL) more interesting and therefore a more interesting follower.

- While you shouldn't expect every one you follow to follow you back, try following back your followers. Be interactive!

- Whether on your computer or your cell phone, get a Twitter app. It makes your Twitter experience more exciting and easier. Tweetdeck is a good app, available for the PC, iPhone, and Android phones. There's also Tweetcaster and Plume for Android, Twitbird and Echofon for the iPhone, and UberSocial for the Blackberry, to name some of the more popular Twitter apps out.

-Make your tweets and accounts private. Due to spammers and such, this should be a given.

-Upload interesting photos (or Twitpics) frequently.

Beware of follower services and even Follow Fridays. Many times these are ineffective ways to gain followers. The best bet is to gain followers through interacting with others.

- Check frequently to see if you have been unfollowed. FriendorFollow.com is effective for this purpose. You don't need your TL cluttered with folks that followed you just to increase their follower count.

- Lastly, have fun, don't bash others or become an e-thug, and be socialble. If you feel the need to blast a follower, send them a direct message (DM) . Discretion is best.

Happy Tweeting!

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Social Networking: here to stay, and a necessary evil

Social networking's a big part of our lives now. It started out seemingly as a fad, a way to pass the time. Now many businesses, social organizations, and of course, folks wanting to socialize, utilize one or more of the many social networking outlets such as Facebook, Twitter, Skype, LinkedIn, etc.

I've personally been part of the social networking craze since 1998. I started out with CollegeClub and BlackPlanet. I was slow to get into Myspace and Facebook, not getting accounts on either one of those until 2006. It's been a very positive, fun part of my life despite the negativity and evils that comes with it.

Being that I'm a big fan and advocate of the social networking concept, I believe I've learned from observing others, from my own trial and errors and mistakes, some tips in successful social networking. And this can apply to Facebook, Twitter, or whatever your social networking site of choice may be.

- Adjust your privacy settings as strict as possible. Make your tweets private so they cannot be easily googled. Set your Facebook photos so that a limited group of folks can see them (preferably friends only). Do not allow other folks to see your friend's lists. Many folks will add friends off of your list that they don't even know. Then you are receiving phone calls, texts, saying "Who is Jane Person? I don't know her, she's on your list?". Also, do not put your phone number on your pages. Be very careful with your email of course, but definitely leave your phone number off. Not everyone needs that info.

- Be careful what you say. Yes, we live in a free country with 1st Amendment rights, but there is also common sense and discretion. Don't talk and bash personal things such as your job or your family. Those types of things should stay within those particular networks, especially your job. Your employer can terminate you for bashing the place of employment. It's best not to talk about these types of things at all.

- Use discretion in which pictures you pose. I know this sounds strange, but I don't have a pic up of my current vehicle on my profile. Unless you've met me and know me well, I don't need for you to know what type of car I drive, where I live, etc. Also, it's ok to show yourself having fun and having a nice social life. However, pics of yourself overly inebriated and/or half-naked are not always favorable, unless you're an actor, model or both. As a man, I enjoy looking at the sexy photos many of my female friends post on their profiles. However, even I must admit that sometimes they are too much. You want to portray the proper image on your page. It doesn't have to be of a saint, but you should be willing to accept any potential fallout and consequences.

- Make sure every friend/follower has a purpose on your page. You are, for better or worse, showing some part of yourself to cyberspace. You don't want to just accept anyone's friend request. Preferably, if it's not friends, family, co-workers, or classmates, it should be at least someone you want to get to know. Yeah having 4,000 FB friends can look cool. But what if you only know AND talk to like 100 of them? I have quite a few myself and I'm proud to say I know more than half of them, and talk to most of them. Which brings me to,...

- Every few months, do a friend inventory. Discard and delete where you have to. If you have that belligerent friend that's always causing trouble on every update you make, is overly critical, or always poses an overall problem, then they should go. I like to call it "spring cleaning". I sometimes delete around 200 friends in a given year. It's nothing personal. It's just that if we're not at least conversing on FB or Twitter and you're NOT a big-time celebrity or a franchise, you're wasting space.

- Her are a couple of real brief tips for internet dating. If you're going to use social networking for this purpose, chat with this person extensively. Use your mutual friends to find out what you may/may not already know about this person. After that, if the chemistry's still right, agree to meet at a party, shopping mall or a park (a public place where both of your sets of friends will be present). Internet dating is still dangerous, but much more common. Therefore, use common sense and good judgment, just as you would when courting anyone else. All can turn out well.

- FINALLY, remember it's only social networking, it doesn't have to be your entire world. It's just an important component of your life now, like a supplement. Therefore, don't take anything on a social network too seriously. Use it for good and not for evil. Don't become co-depedent upon it either.

From the numerous horror stories about Facebook, MySpace, including the recent MSNBC special, it can make you want to delete every social networking profile. I say pump your brakes on that action first and take heed and caution. Many things and ideas, including the Internet itself, were feared and weren't rapidly accepted in the world. However, like the Internet, the automobile, electricity, cell phones, and the like, social networking is definitely a necessarily evil in our world. It's no longer a guilty pleasure, it's beneficial and a powerful part in the overall networking process. Many folks use it for mating, sharing information with their current friends, finding old friends, networking about jobs and upcoming events, promoting their various causes, and much more. If you haven't seen the Oscar nominated "The Social Network", I would highly recommend renting it. Mark Zuckerberg and crew were definitely on to something when they originally wanted to create a network where they could get to know their college classmates better, and the students at other colleges. Now it's a widespread concept.

Social networking is now a permanent fixture in our lives and world. It will be here in the good and the bad. It can only get better with folks being responsible and sensible with its usage.

Happy Whoreish Halloween!

Halloween is this weekend and of course that can mean a variety of things. For children it means trick-or-treating, gathering up enough candy to last until Valentine's Day. For many grown-ups, that means haunted trails, and going to Halloween costume parties.

Halloween parties take on a different meaning for females. Males simply try to be creative and may dress as a ghoul, a superhero, or even a celebrity. For females, this is the one time/year where they get a pass to dress like a whore or slut without fear of judgment. Many women wear catsuits, tight leather, or simply lingerie. Some of the more popular female costumes are police officers, naughty nurses, devils, cats, rabbits, and superheroes such as Wonder Woman, Catwoman or Storm from the X-Men.

As a male, I personally enjoy looking at women dressed scantily clad. I usually attend at least one party that I pay admission to, and then go to a free party or bar/lounge to check out the eye candy. I then log onto Facebook and for two straight days look at the various pictures that have been uploaded it. It sounds perverted, but it's a joyous occasion.

I believe it enpowers many women to be able to express themselves sexually. Many women feel shy about showing off their bodies, especially for fear of judgment or folks (especially men) thinking they're easy and are saying "come and get it boy". Halloween, everyone is neutral.

Masquerade balls and parties are a happy medium. Women and men dress up, but often the women aren't looking extra sexy or whoreish. It's more of an alternative to the typical adult Halloween parties. I've attended these before, but I believe I prefer the Halloween parties where the women have it all hanging out. Don't judge me please.

Men and women will pay upwards to even $100 for that perfect, sexy outfit. They are getting together their outfits as I type this blog. Personally, I plan on having a clever, creative outfit, but well under my budget. I don't judge others, but I cannot see the purpose of paying more than $30 in this economy for an outfit you probably will only wear once or twice. Costume shops are making a killing around this time of year. I utilize my own clothing collection, Wal-Mart, thrift shops, Goodwill and Salvation Army to assemble a quality Halloween costume. Can't wait to see how it turns out.

So ladies, I'm looking forward to the Halloween fashion show. Of course I'm not expecting you to just be ready to sleep with any man based on your attire. It's Halloween weekend and you're exempt from the usual rules of society. That is, until November 1.

Until then, Happy Whoreish Halloween!

CHURCH: not what it once was, and not what it's supposed to be

Being that this is Sunday and the Lord's day in many eyes, hearts, and minds, church is a major part of Sunday. Some folks, regardless of their relationship with the Lord, pack churches mainly out of habit. They've been doing it for years, and they feel weird when they're not there.

I can't chalk it up to getting older, the church and overall way folks have changed in the 21st century or both. But the modern church has changed now and NOT for the better. It is become more of a business, very corporate, flooded with crooked ministers, shady, hypocritical members, and more drama than the WWE, Facebook, and SOAP.net combined. It seems God is no longer on the forefront. And folks wonder why I don't currently attend church. I will come clean in this blog and explain why I PERSONALLY do not choose to attend church.

First, I have to explain how great church was, and still can be. I grew up in the church. My late grandmother was a devout, religious Christian, attending church every time the doors were open. She never made me attend church, but highly encouraged it. And I loved it then. The fellowship, playing with the children before and after services, Sunday School, VBS, church dinners, etc. Church was soo great then and people were loving and God-fearing. Then I grew up.

I remember how one church had wronged my grandmother over and over again, even after she became disabled. The pastor came to my grandmother's house just weeks after she suffered a stroke and talked down to her like she were a child. My grandmother was a Sunday School teacher (a dang good one too) and she basically said some things in her lesson that stepped on some toes. She didn't call anyone out, but sometimes the truth hurts. Anyways, some of the "inner circle" inside of that church complained to the pastor, and the pastor took their side. My grandmother then left that church. However, my mother still went to that church a few years later. She felt more comfortable in that small, country environment, rather than the bigger church my grandmother and I were now attending. She was disrespected and ostracized by the members and the pastor because she couldn't attend all the time, and judged wrongly due to petty issues. My mother no longer felt comfortable there as she felt the wrath of the inner-circle and favortism working against her.

I then experienced problems of my own within the church. You see, I try to avoid drama at all causes, and my focus was (and still is) worshipping the Lord and receiving His message. However, when I can't do either peacefully and openly, there's a problem. The church I was at was (and still is) a good church. I was there for years. However, it was my family church, therefore most of my family attended that church. It seemed like I couldn't raise my hand in worship at a certain time without getting snotty looks, judgments, or a phone call to my mom and grandma. As the young folks say now, #wheredeydothatat? Also, I had been undergoing changes for a while. You see, I grew up Pentacostal, in the Church of God. Yes that's right, the shouting, speaking in tongues, fire-breathing sermons, so on and so forth. However I began to realize that denomination shouldn't be the reason you worship God. It's about his love, his lessons and teachings, and the fact that he sent Jesus to die on the cross for our sins.

Having all of these thoughts in my head, I left my family church and became non-Denominational. I just couldn't belong to a church where 90% of my family belonged, were in my business all the time, plus subscribed to a certain denomination. You see, Christianity has become a big joke now. You have Pentacostals, southern Baptists, independent Baptists, AME Zion, Presbyterians, Methodists, etc. What people fail to realize is WE ALL WORSHIP THE SAME GOD IN CHRISTIANITY!!! When you lose sight of that and your spirituality, you are missing out. Your heart might be the right place, but your mind must wake up.

When my beloved grandmother passed in 2004, I decided to give church another try. I went to a non-Denominational church that was all I was asking for: free and open worship, not subscribing to a religion, getting away from traditional church service but not the traditional message. I even knew the minister and liked him. However, that church lacked structure and organization. It appeared an inner-circle of few tried to take over the church once the Pastor left. They even had it rationalized since one of them was an ordained minister. However, none of the church members voted on it. Heck I was there 7 months and they never even made me a member. That was very sad. I wasn't kept informed on much of anything: church happenings, gatherings, prayer meetings. Basically, if it wasn't in the church program, I didn't know about it. I got tired of that mess and left by the end of the year.

I then tried another church a couple of months later. It appeared to have the elements I mentioned earlier, plus a lot of more organization and order. Too much order, as I would later learn. This church was quite a piece of work as I would also learn later. The pastor and his wife were evangelists so they would, in addition to Sunday morning worship and Wednesday Bible study, often have services out of town 3-4 nights a week. These services would be as far away as Forest City, NC, and they expected their members to attend. Now at the time I was evaluating the church to become a member, I didn't realize the church was like this. It seemed once I became a member, it was completely different. It was difficult for me to make certain services as I lived 30 minutes away from the church. Plus they had funding issues at the building they were at, and would always ask every Sunday for a $20 offering from everyone, in addition to tithes. When that was ineffective, they toyed with the idea of making folks bring in their check stubs and tax statements to ensure that they were tithing properly.

The pastor there was also quite a piece of work. He was a talented, charismatic minister, teacher and musician. However, he had an attitude problem and was very aggressive. He got sooo ridiculous that used to get onto me for using the restroom during altar call (by get onto, I mean publicly call out for the ushers to block the doors so I couldn't get out). That's when I just about had it. I mean, seriously, how and why can you tell an adult NOT to use the bathroom during services? That never did sit right with me. I let that persist for a couple of more weeks, even sought the advice of some Christian warriors in my life. Within a month, I left that church.

Some of you are probably thinking "well Drew you just haven't found the right church, you can't give up on God, etc, etc". I say well back the truck up there! I have NEVER given up on God. Just because you don't attend church doesn't mean you've given up on the Lord! Give me a break! I have just grown tired of being around hypocrites, crooked ministers, unfocused, fake Christians. That's not what God intended for his church to be about. If one reads carefully in Matthew, it says nothing about these things being part of the church, nor does it say you will be condemned for not attending church. Personally I read my Bible daily (especially Proverbs) thanks to my Bible app on my BB, I watch Joel Osteen weekly, I pay my tithes to charitable organizations and other Christian avenues that need them. Lastly, I associate myself not only with Godly folks, relatives, friends, and ministers alike, but REAL, HONEST folks who I know I can trust and aren't hypocrites. I've already did a blog on "Keeping it 100?" so by now you should know that honesty is important all around for me. It is no different in regards to the Lord.

I'm ashamed of how the church is now. Corrupted by inner circles, Aunt Esthers, crooked ministers, the mega-church system, hypocrisy, prejudice, and I could go on (Heck I already have). It is frustrating to me to see how church is now. I do attend a few live services a year, but I feel that my way is good as well. Only God can judge me and my spirituality.

By no means am I trying to get anyone to stop attending church. I just get tired of folks looking down their noses at me and feeling I'm a heathen just because I'm not in church every time the door is open. Well to you I say this in closing. I know who I am, my relationship with the Lord, my Bible, and I do what is required of me, in spirit and my heart. Please sweep besides your own front door first before coming to mine. Thank you and good night!