Christopher R. Cooper | Questionable Uses of Time

I have added a Twitter feed preview to all of the pages on this site.  From the home page, you will see the feed preview on the left side of the page (and on the right from the blog content pages).  This feed preview shows you the latest two tweets I have posted to Twitter.  Hopefully this will make it even easier to keep pace with me and see what I am up to.  You can also view my full Twitter feed.

Right now, my biggest Twitter use is a few services offered by Twitter users:

• Timer: Following this Twitter user allows you to send a direct message with a special syntax to Timer that will then tweet you back with a reminder.
• GCal: By following the directions available at the Twittercal website, you can follow the GCal Twitter user and send a direct message to this user to add an event to your Google Calendar.

Now, the steps necessary to use either of these tools makes them seem sort of pointless, after all it is not that difficult to sign into Google Calendar and add an event.  Nor is it difficult to use any variety of timer functions or even a manual timer for reminders.  However, I use Quicksilver (or Launchy for Windows users) to send Tweets within just a few keystrokes while using my computer; so combining Quicksilver with these Twitter tools, I can easily setup a reminder or add a Google Calendar event in a matter of a few key presses.

I cannot honestly say that I am much of a Twitter user in the traditional sense, as of now anyways, and am a bit curious as to what others think of Twitter.  What do you think the purpose of Twitter is and how can it be useful?  What do you personally use your Twitter account for?

Orchestra is the CMS (Content Management System) canvas from the web technology company I work with, Daymuse Studios.  This new personal blog of mine is actually powered by Orchestra, which is the reasoning for this post.  The technical side of this new service won't be too terribly interesting to you, so instead I would rather just point out some of the neat things you will notice around this blog that may be different from what you have seen elsewhere on the internet.

1. Commenting System: The entire commenting system is based around the idea that users should be able to comment and interact with each other in real time.  You will notice that if you click the "comments" section following any article, you will be able to instantly read the article's comments, without reloading the page or going to a new version of the article with the comments shown.  The comments are also listed in reverse chronological order, which means the newest comment will always be the first one shown.  You can also easily add comments without even creating an account!  What's very special about this, is that your comment appears virtually instantly on other user's screens as well, without them having to reload the comments - this creates a virtual live conversation with every article.  Blogs powered by Wordpress and Blogger might have you constantly reloading the page in order to see new comments, but that won't be the case here!
2. Account Tools: You can easily create a new user account from any article or page on the site, just by clicking the register link at the top right.  You will instantly be able to create an account with the simple three field form that appears and even use your account management tools - all without ever reloading the page or losing track of the article you may have been reading before you decided to create an account.
3. Connecting: You can easily share any article you find interesting with a friend or family member by clicking the "share this" link following any article, all without ever going to a new page and losing track of what you were doing.  You can always keep in touch with me using any of the socializing tools presented in the opposite column, as well as catch my latest Flickr photos, and even send me an email instantly.

There are also a variety of behind-the-scenes administration tools for users with special privileges.  If you are interested in how these work, feel free to take a look at a recent client screencast I created to present how these tools work:

I hope you find these new technologies make it even easier to browse, share, and socialize on this blog.  Now, make use of them!

This post is dated February 11, 2008 - the original launch date of TicTocLife.com, a personal travel blog.  The site has underwent a significant change in structure, layout and the systems that power it.  I am reintroducing this blog with updated travel posts.  Below is a modified version of the original introduction to Tic Toc Life.

So, what's the point of this travel blog?  Good question!  It's probably best to start with who I am:

A twenty-something that finds great value in travel and exploration. I do my best to weave a variety of trips into my schedule and then share these experiences with you all. I've been on a number of adventures over the past years and even spent time volunteering with the Peace Corps in Nicaragua.

From the "Who Are You?" section

I've had a moderate amount of experience around the globe, all things considered.  I thoroughly enjoy exploring the world and its people.  I've had several family members and friends request that I keep tabs on myself and deliver periodic tidbits about my latest last-minute trips.  I will do my best to offer interesting and useful information about locations I have spent some time in.  This might be local transportation suggestions, recommendations for sites to see, expenses, or some incite into the culture of the location.

If you happen to be a traveler as well and find yourself familiar with a location I am featuring, do feel free to add in your own opinion via the comments.  You can always drop me a line with the contact form as well!