As a personal update, I want to let my readers know that I am going through a bit of change in my life.  Recently I made a change from a full-time employee to being employed part time while filling the rest of my income by web-working.  In this article I would like to talk about what web-working is, what the pluses and minuses are, why I am only doing it part time, and why I am doing it at all.

What is web-working?

Web-working is exactly what it sounds like: working on the web.  Basically, if you make any of your income working on the Internet, whether from home or otherwise remotely, whether it be for yourself or an employer, you are a web-worker.  In my case, as a blogger, I have been hired on as a staff writer for MakeUseOf.com, a very popular technology blog.  In so doing, I receive part of my income from home writing articles for a website.  That is why I consider myself to be a web-worker.  I guess you can say I am a part-time web-worker.

What are the pluses and minuses of being a web-worker?

I am glad you asked!  The reason being is that the whole idea of working from home, making your own schedule and being your own boss seems very appealing but it may not be all it’s cracked up to be!  It is true, I do LOVE the flexibility of making my own schedule and such, but it is not always easy!  I am learning that there are a few lessons I need to learn.  I am learning to be self-motivated.  I am learning to be more organized.  I am working on being focused (something I have always had a hard time with).  I am even learning how to make my own goals and complete them.  All of these are really awesome things to learn and if I do it will affect other parts of my life positively.  However, you must realize that it is NOT for everyone!  Everyone may not even enjoy it.

Why am I only doing it part-time?

This is a good question!  If I enjoy the flexibility and the learning/growing experience, why not do it full-time?  Well, the main reason is that I need stability.  What would happen if either I was asked to step down as staff writer, or worse, if the site I write for goes under?  I would be on the street!  And nobody wants to hear a grown man weep!  Well, there’s nothing wrong with a man that cries, but you know what I mean!  I like the safety of having more than one stream of income, especially when the economy tanks.  Another reason is that right now I only write for one site, and the income is only a part-time income.  Am I actively looking for more writing gigs?  Well, other than having INTENTIONS on continuing my own blogging, not really.  Would I turn down another gig if I was offered one?  It would depend:)

Why am I a web-worker at all?

One reason has already been leaked earlier in this article: I like the flexibility!  As was also mentioned, I like the growing experience.  There is more though.  I like being able to spend more time home with my wife.  I like working on the Internet because it’s something I know and have enjoyed growing with through the years (I have also grown to respect it as a great power for both good and evil).  Similarly, I enjoy working at a computer (manual labor makes me cry – j/k!).  And I like working in the comfort of my own office in my own house in my own bedroom!  How’s that work for ya!?

Some tips I need to follow!

So, what do you think?  Am I totally off my rocker?  Have you ever thought about taking a similar leap?  Are you currently a web-worker?  Share with us!

The other day someone stopped me to ask me for the time.  I did the funniest thing, something I apparently ALWAYS do when someone asks me what the time is but I never really think about it.  I stopped and checked my cell phone!  In the last ten years my cell phone has replaced any form of watch in my life!  How did this happen?  I’m not really sure but it is interesting… to me.

I do remember the days of wearing a watch.  I remember having various types through my childhood.  I remember having that sweaty mark underneath the plastic wrist band.  I remember having that “farmer’s tan” of sorts from having no sun exposure on my wrist.  I remember replacing those tiny batteries that were never easy to get to.  And, the most annoying part, I remember having to set the time… MANUALLY.

Image by alexkerhead via Flickr

My days of wrist watch wearing did finally come to an end.  It was probably with my first cell phone.  Man, the cell phone just makes everything easier, doesn’t it?  Time isn’t just kept, it’s held in the palm of your hand!  No nuisance of strapping something to your wrist.  No changing tiny batteries!  And no manually setting the time!  Cell phones even change with daylight savings time!  Basically, we carry them around anyway so there’s no reason to having a separate time-keeping device taking up space in your life!

This is really not all that new, cell phones have been in the hands of the everyday person for quite some time.  In fact, it dawned on me the other day how pervasive they have actually become in today’s culture.  Today, ANYONE can afford to carry some type of cell phone.  These days, even those who abhor technology, the Internet, and almost anything electronic (you know the type) break down and carry cell phones, whether or not they know how to use them!  The purpose of this post is just to give a proverbial “farewell” to the age of the watch and to give the well belated “welcome” to the age of our beloved digital pocket watch, the cell phone!

Image via Wikipedia

Am I off my rocker?  Let me know!  Do you wear a watch and are offended by my opinion?  Let me know!  I don’t care, I’ll probably just delete the comment anyway (just kidding, of course)!

I’ve noticed how quickly news travels now, especially when there is a video involved.  Remember the incedent with Ryan Moats and the police officer?  How about poor old lady being tasered?  Many of us have seen these videos and have our own opinions about them but just think back 5 to 10 years ago… would so many of us have known much about them?  Probably not.

In a recent post on the Google Blog, the subject of “digital activism” was discussed.  I think it’s a very interesting thing to ponder in light of fairly recent events in some very closed nations.  There were some videos being circulated from China, and even Iran showing some goings-on.  Sites like Youtube have really opened the door for people to get their points across!

A few weeks back I was interested to watch a youtube video of someone making a point.  There is a movement in New England about camera rights and particularly in court rooms and other public places.  The movement is an interesting one but not really what I want to talk about today.  It made me think about how easy it is today to make video content and how easy it is to share it with others.

Check out the video and share some of your thoughts in the comments.  Tell us a few things:

1. Has the impact of the digital age been a good thing or not, and why or why not?
2. In what ways has digital activism changed how you think or feel?
3. Obviously the idea of activism is to help others see your point of view.  Does this video help you see the activist’s point?  Why or why not?

Today I want to do little more than share a list of sites I think you’ll find helpful.  I hope you get as much out of these sites as I do (in no specific order):

1. unclutterer.com – Visit this site to find ways to unclutter your life (who doesn’t need that?)
2. WebWorkerDaily.com – This site is all about working remotely but there are many cool tips anyone can use
3. MakeUseOf.com – MakeUseOf is all about sharing tips and tools you can use (you may end up seeing some posts by yours truly)
4. Bill Mullin’s Weblog – Tech Thoughts – Good guy who knows his computer stuff, find tech thoughts by a real master
5. YFNCG.com – Really neat blog about Matt’s road to beginning his own home-based computer support business (learn as he does)
6. Tech – for Everyone – Tech tips and tricks & advice – written in plain English
7. ClearTechInfo.com – Beginner’s guide on computers, Internet, and technology
8. LifeHacker.com – Tips and downloads to get things done

What sites do you regularly follow?  Share in the comments!

I was poking through some of the technology blogs I’m following via RSS in Google Reader and I came across an article highlighting a new feature Yahoo is getting ready to release.  Yahoo, you remember them?  I know Google and Bing get a lot of press but Yahoo’s still around ya know!  In fact, Yahoo is probably the primary search engine I use, still!

Anyway, this new feature is called “Search Pad.”  It appears to serve a similar purpose that Google Notes attempted to serve.  Yahoo, equipped with this “Search Pad” feature is supposed to tell if you are trying to research something, ask if you want to take notes (remember the sites you come across), and allow you to make notes by each site you visit.  You can also save the notes with your Yahoo account (you have one, right?).

Usually, I’ll use several methods of saving sites for research purposes, one of which is using a Google Doc to save links and notes.  I’m wondering if Yahoo has come up with a better solution.  Perhaps we’ll find out when it’s released!  Meanwhile, here’s a video Yahoo has released highlighting, well, the highlights of the tool:

I read this article on the Fox News website and was intrigued by the opinion of the author. The article starts out with this line: “My baby is turning 1. It’s time to get her a laptop.” The article brings up the question of how early our kids should be given access to a computer, and how much exposure they should get. He disagrees with the American Academy of Pediatrics which claims there should be “‘no screen time’ for children under 2 and at most 1 or 2 hours daily for kids.”

The article goes on to conclude that there is a “fluency” achieved when someone has grown up with something such as language (he makes the application to computers). He also makes this comment on the importance of introducing technology to children from the beginning: “For kids learning to navigate 21st-century society, computers and media are just as important as balls, books, and baby dolls.”

Although the author makes the obligatory points about moderation, monitoring and filtering, I think his over all stance is a little extreme. Is technology important to the healthy development of children? I believe so. In today’s world, it is necessary for kids to learn how to navigate newer mediums of information. In fact, we could actually be handicapping them as they get older if we don’t allow them to. However, I would also make the point that we may be handicapping our children by exposing them too young to too much stimulation.

As I have discussed in prior articles, such as the one about reading preferences, I believe I even show signs of a short attention span because of over stimulation. This is only one of the dangers of over exposure to media and technology.

In light of a subject that is obviously controversial, I would like to ask a few questions:

1. How young is too young for your child to have his/her own computer?
2. What age is appropriate for your child to have his/her own computer?
3. What are the positives and negatives of your child having their own computer early on?

And include a quick poll:

As a parent, have you ever felt “left behind” or “in the dark” when it comes to today’s technology that our youth are so dependent on?  As you seek to stay connected with your children and to understand what they are up to, I found a blog that I believe can help!

WiredParentPad.com is run by a man named Jamie Pick, who apparently has been in the Information Technology field for 10 years and is a parent of 2 teenage boys.

He describes the mission of his site:

At WiredParentPad, I share my personal experiences, advice, and newsworthy stories related to basically anything we’d consider part of the “information age”.

Some of the articles you may find interesting are:

• 8 Essential Text Shortcut Websites for Parents
• Energy Drinks and Teens – What Every Parent Ought to Know
• Tracking Your Teen’s Progress in School has Never Been Easier
• A Fundamental Guide to Music Sharing for Today’s Parents

If you are a parent of teens or soon-to-be teens, I’d encourage you to keep up with today’s technology and I believe this site can help!  Stop by often (and tell him I sent you)!