Blurb Shift

Moving Day

2008-06-26T20:41:00.003-05:00

We're moving from Blogger. It's been good, but not good enough. We want some more features with a more robust... everything. So we've chosen WordPress. Sorry, Blogger. We just need to move on, yah know?

Head on over to blurbshift.wordpress.com to check it out.

Make sure to change your bookmarks and/or your RSS feed! :)

Meet yah over at WordPress! Tah-tah, Blogger!

WOO!

2008-06-07T13:25:00.003-05:00

Hey, I just realized--Blurbshift has been up and running for more than a year! So happy anniversary to us! We may not have a big fanbase [hopefully that will change in time!], but it's been really fun to write for a public blog. As said in the previous posts about possible changes, expect big things from Blurbshift in the future! If we can get a web host, that is. Nonetheless, if you've been reading, please continue! And if you have friends who need something to do for the summer, send them our link!
A belated celebration post is on its way!

Here We Go 'Round Again!

2008-06-01T12:52:00.000-05:00

Note: This post will be at the top of the blog until June 1st. Please scroll down to read recent posts.

Here's the deal, kids.

BlurbShift isn't where we want it to be yet. We want to change that. We want to make it a supercool safe haven of writing, art, and other awesomeness.

To make that idea reality, we have a few ideas. First off, a new website. We're calling it redo with our own domain name. But we're not stopping there. We're revamping the whole dang thing with voting features, ranking, and a second blog that's like a melting pot of everything you guys send to us, and not just what we think is great.

Second, for those of you who've been keeping up with us since we've started, we're going to go back to creating a printable magazine with the best of the best, some exclusive stories, and some stuff we like that you've sent us that we didn't really want to waste just putting in the blog.

Third, accessibility. We want you to go BlurbShiftin' all over the place. That means on your phone, your iPod, and of course your computer. We're going to optimize the site for whatever your needs and desires, as long as you ask for it. Maybe even a version for you Opera Mini users. I know I'd like that! ;)

We don't know when all this'll be up and running, but it could be from weeks to months to a year and a half from now. Just hang on and ride with us as we go beta crazy and test out features and ideas and make it what we want it to be.

Thanks!

Crap You Don't Know, And Don't Need To Know: Vol. I

2008-05-24T23:13:00.010-05:00

Lets try something. I know some info, mostly about gadgets and websites and other crap, all of which I don't really need to know. So I feel I should pass that information on to you, the reader of this post, so that you may know some info you don't need to know also. Ready? Lets do this then!

*For all of you who have an iPhone, an iPod Touch, or are thinking about getting one or the other, here's a little tidbit. Or two. On the 9th of June, Apple is releasing v2.0 of the software for the iPhone and Touch. What's this do you ask? Well, kind reader, it's going to include some updates that aren't announced yet, but also an update that includes the ability for developers to create applications that are native to the devices, and not just through accessible Mobile Safari. This way, developers can use the full potential of the device's capabilities, and not just what Mobile Safari can do. This includes full 3D games with motion support, powerful productivity apps, etc.
And, if you're going to buy either a shiny new iPhone or Touch, wait until after the 9th. Apple's probably going to come out with a newer iPhone or some price drops, and that's not too far away, is it?

*What do you get when you mix awesomeness, the internet, and cellphones? The free mobile web browser Opera Mini, of course! It's comparable to the web browser in the iPhone, not as good of course, but still a really great mobile web browser. Zoom in and out of full webpages with ease. Go the the site to check it out. It actually made the $15 a month worth it for unlimited internet on my phone.

*Making things is hard. That's why there's Instructibles. The how-to on everything you'd ever need to do, by people who've done it themselves, with step-by-step instructions, pictures, and sometimes even video. Perfect for finding something to do for a "look what I did!" weekend, or weeknight, project.

Have crap you know and don't need to know? Send it over to
blurbshift (AT) gmail (DOT) com.

House MD

2008-05-21T22:07:00.006-05:00

I think I was asleep when I wrote this. Or just totally out of it. So it kind of is getting edited a lot. Drop a comment if it needs to be edited further. Why am I keeping it? Because I think it'd be a really good post if it made sense :P

Jeez, someone needs to update this blog more. What's wrong with people these days?
Oh wait. That's my job. Guess I should be a little more consistent :P
[That, by the way, is my way of apologizing for not writing in over a MONTH!]
Anyway. I don't have much to write about so I figured I could write about the season finale of House, on Fox.
If you don't know what House is: It's a TV series based on a series of books, I think, about a mad genius doctor who takes almost unacceptable risks to save lives.
Ok.
SPOILER ALERT!
Not only was the story line compelling because it showed us that yes, House does have emotion somewhere deep inside that humongous skull of his, but it is also compelling because it has so many twists, turns, and unexpected occurances. His first conflict? Saving his best friend's girlfriend who he thinks he might have slept with. His dreams with her bring on disturbingly accurate symptoms that she has, and help him to solve the case. However, his friend's desperation to save his girlfriend effects House [oh my!], and he starts to waver and change treatments and become cautious to save his friend some pains. In the end though, he has to make the tough decision to go against his friend's requests, only to follow them again to successfully solve the case. After risking his life to save that of his friend's girlfriend, he pushes his already fractured skull to the limit and falls into a coma that he later confesses he's not sure he wants to wake up from [this is suicidal, people!] And all of this is, in a way, in vain, as he finds out she overdosed on a drug for her flu [I can't remember the name of the drug] that turns the situation terminal, and she's expected to die within the day. All of this is very sad and depressing, but brace yourselves because it gets worse! When Wilson [House's heartbroken friend] finds out his girlfriend will die in a matter of hours, he is miraculously able to wake her up for her remaining time on earth to snuggle with her and whisper sweet somethings in her ear. The saddest exchange of words?
Wilson: Why aren't you angry?
Amber [His dying girlfriend]: Anger is not the last emotion I want to experience.
Or something like that. A real tearjerker...if you cry.
But the saddest part has to be when Wilson gives her one last loving kiss, then dramatically turns to shut off her support, one by one. She gasps and gurgles romantically a little bit, and dies in his arms. Awe.
And if that weren't bad enough, House's female team member finds out she has a genetic and terminal disease [which I think is like...Huntington's?]. What makes it more heartbreaking is the fact that she's avoided taking the test so long--you hope that maybe there's a chance she didn't have it, that she was worried over nothing. But no. She has it.
And to make matters worse, when Wilson goes home, he finds an utterly suicidal note on his bed.
"Sorry I'm not here, went to pick up House. Love, Amber."
The significance? Her pathway to death started when she went to pick up a drunk House from a bar. After leaving they took a bus together that was in a nasty accident. But before the accident, Amber confesses she has the flu and takes the deadly medicine. Then, CRASH and everything is a blur. And so, Amber's last "words" become even more depressing, because perhaps, the note implies she's returning. Which she's not. Ever. And when that thought hits you, how do you deal with it? Not well, I would assume.
So shall we sum it up?
-Amber dies.
-House goes into a coma saving her.
-Wilson dies on the inside because Amber did, and gets the arrow twisted inside his bleeding heart with the devastating note.
-Female team member ["14"] has a terminal genetic illness.
-House has suicidal thoughts and admits his fear of returning to pain and misery.
[Did I not mention that? He's in a "bus to heaven" with Amber after she dies, talking about not wanting to get off, wanting to die because he doesn't want to live through pain and misery.]
Have a happy day. XD

Bore-dom.

2008-04-20T18:01:00.002-05:00

Yes...we all suffer from it every once and a while.
Your schedule is hectic and full of social events, school, and whatever else you crazy people do with your spare time, and then boom! It hits. Suddenly you have a day where there is NOTHING you can even imagine having fun doing. And it's such short notice--who's to say if anyone is available for a movie or a day of hanging out? So how do we beat this boredom?
There are several ways, and I think I can list a few.
Take a walk. *gasp* I know...stepping outside into the world of germs, leaves, and annoying little kids. But hey, you don't want to grow up to be a fat person, do you? Well, maybe you do. But anyhow, it's a nice way to just relax, do some low key exercise and think about everything you wanted to think about. You could even call someone and walk around if just aimlessly wandering isn't your thing.

Play a game. This can be on your computer, with your family, or solitaire. Computer games are a great option because there are so many! Just go to:
Addicting Games
MiniClips
iSketch
Shockwave
Or just google "free online games",
And you have so many options your head will be spinning. And if you play interactive games like isketch or inklink or runescape, then you can talk to other people who are also probably bored and have nothing else to do...or who are complete gaming addicts.

Call someone. Now, personally this is not a good option for me. I've got what one might call "phonaphobia" or something. But for tons of people, this is a great option. Just pick up your cell or home phone and call up a friend to catch up on what's been going on. And we all know how conversations can travel.

Do any extra homework or chores. *blech*. Not the best option, but if you have nothing else to do, and you know that the following week or so is going to be stressful, then this is a good option to ensure a relaxing and not-head-spinningly-stressful week ahead.

Read. Let your imagination flow through novels, biographies, BLOGS, or comics! A great way to waste a few hours doing something that will entertain you, and maybe expand your vocab. And, you get to see what OTHER people think the world is like, possibly. Or, learn what the world WAS like. That's always fun.

Hope these have helped your bored-days! If you have any other ways of passing the time, drop in and comment, we'd love to hear your ideas!

Bet You Haven't Heard Of...

2008-04-11T23:38:00.005-05:00

Sorry I haven't written for a while! I've had a Blurbshift writer's block and nothing has come to me. But now I have something.
Oh, and Blurbshift is looking to expand; to get known a little more etc. So if you'd like to recommend it to a friend or link us in your blog or whatever, please do, we will be eternally great full :D
On to the article.

Bet You Haven't Heard Of...(Music)
ASTRONAUTILUS:
I was introduced to this band by a friend of mine who gave me one of their CD's. His synopsis of the band? "A white rapper that does really interesting stuff." Now the word "rap" turned me away from the band from the word "play". Buut as fate would have it, Shuffle introduced me to the song "Short Term Memory Loss" and I was hooked. The mellow sound with a hint of experimental techno really perked my ears up and I immediately went to listen to the CD in its entirety. So not only does the music sound amazing, but the lyrics are pretty awesome too. And it's not really RAP per say. It's more of...poetry with a rhyme. Which is what rap is. But if you listen, it's different.

CHIODOS:
These guys you may have heard of, but probably not, they aren't too big on the scene yet. Anyway, they're sort of your typical new alternative group with a garage-band sound and an angsty singer. But his voice is amazing. A soft whisper, then some almost-screaming. And some nice lyrics. Some very nice lyrics. I recommend getting their CD "Bone Palace Ballet". There are some soft songs [still with a rock edge] and some pretty hyped songs so it's a nice variation. No falling asleep or getting a headache :D
Which is always good.

BE YOUR OWN PET:
Another band introduced to be by the same person who told me about Astronautilus. Strange person, this one. Anyway. This band is really bizarre; an acquired taste if you ask me...it sounds like a bunch of shouting and screaming BUT the singer's voice [it's a girl! :D] is really nice actually, and suits the shouting well. And it's fun to listen to if you aren't really doing much, but if you DO pay attention to the lyrics they're pretty funny. Warning: there is some more..."adult" language so if you're a kid I don't suggest this band. :/ Sorry!

HELLOGOODBYE:
A more popular band, so you've probably heard of them. But their music is very pop-rock [not rock-pop] and very dance-able. They're all incredibly sweet and endearing love songs with a touch of techno. The sound is incredibly upbeat and the guys are sweet little nerds, so if that's your style then you really should listen to these people.

BLUE OCTOBER:
You've probably seen one or two of their music videos on MTV, but not too many have heard of them [at least that I know of]. They have really really amazing lyrics, although they might be a little depressing for some...
They're songs are pretty slow as well, but some of them have a little faster pace goin' on. Full of interesting lyrics and sounds, this band should definitely be checked out.

THE HUSH SOUND:
Ok people, last one for now!
This band was actually discovered by Panic at the Disco (they're actually opening for performances on Panic's tour), and then signed to the same record label, Fueled by Ramen. The band's been around for 3 cd's, and it seems like each one keeps getting better. The upbeat music is enough to make your day, with a couple soft, melodic songs thrown in once in awhile to slow it all down and make it balanced. Piano is a strong instrument in the music of The Hush Sound and gives it the quality of classic swing music. Female and male leads switch off and combine to pull it all together and give it a place on your playlist. (added by Chase)

If you have any other obscure or under-the-radar bands, please comment or e-mail us, we would love to hear about them! Hey, we need new music too!

Do you Hulu?

2008-03-13T11:26:00.004-05:00

A few months ago, a new service was released to a limited selection of beta testers (including me). The service is called "Hulu" and allows you to watch your favorite shows online, on demand, anytime your heart desires. Now, this has been heard of before. Going on to NBC's site and watching a missed episode of Heroes or The Office is something I'm sure millions of people have done, including you.

Now, as is the case with Hulu, you can watch dozens of networks' shows that have signed on with the service. A few "local" stations have joined, including FOX, NBC, and WB, even though WB has only one show available. But other than the stations that are picked up with your bunny ears, there's a good handful of cable stations including Bravo, FOX Reality, Sci Fi, FX, and Oxygen.

The site itself is pretty simple, showing links for TV and Movies, the latter of the two we'll get to later. Below that is popular episodes and clips (note that not all shows have full episodes) and a search bar.

When you choose a show, you go to a pretty straight-forward window. The video is widescreen and pretty decent-looking quality, but with my rather slow internet connection and 3 other tabs open, ran extremely choppy and kept stopping periodically. Before starting, a message came up noting that there are limited commercial interruptions. This is one thing that is, as far as I know, from watching it on another network's site. Usually, on those sites, you have to watch an un-skippable commercial that lasts about 15 or 10 seconds.

After closing 2 of the tabs and quitting Flash MX, iMovie, Microsoft Word, and iTunes that were all in the background, the video ran with less stopping, but still choppy. I put it in full screen and it looked very pixelated, but still wasn't as bad as watching, say, a Youtube video in full screen. A rather interesting and welcomed feature when watching it in a window, is that you can "turn off the lights" which makes everything around the video darker, and is much easier on the eyes.

Above the video is some basic info about it, and below is lists of clips, episodes, and comments. It seems like comments should be a little higher up on the page, considering they're at the extreme bottom below several lists of videos. This could also be a good choice, though, if the same Youtube crowd shows up on Hulu to flame their day away.

Another extremely welcomed feature, as mentioned before, are movies. There's a good amount of movies to be watched (I counted 74), including popular titles such as The Big Lebowski, Sideways, October Sky, and Ice Age, and Me, Myself & Irene. I watched the first few minutes of October Sky and it looked and sounded pretty good. As with the case of TV shows, there's commercials in about 15-20 minute intervals, if not more.

Some final thoughts: Hulu is often ridden with ads; even a Chili's ad popped up in the middle of October Sky, even though you could get rid of it. And don't think that you can skip through commercials. If you skip through one, a 10-20 second ad is played, just as if it would have if you watched it.
Video quality is pretty decent, and I'm sure it's even better the faster connection you have. The Office was running pretty choppy, but the October Sky ran smoothly, so it could depend on if you reload the video or different ways you play with it to make it work.
It's a pretty good service and I'd say that I would use it, especially to see a missed episode or a movie I haven't seen in awhile for free.

It may even replace your TV in a few years, if not another service or the network's sites combined.

So, my question is, do you Hulu? Let me hear it in the comments, and maybe even your thoughts on the service and what experience you had.

Science is in the air...

2008-02-24T13:32:00.002-06:00

No, I'm not talking about oxygen and gravity and whatnot.
I'm talking science fair
Gasp...the horror!
Thinking of an experiment, a hypothesis, testing it, making a conclusion, charts, the board, the stress!
Now, maybe your school requires it (mine does), and maybe it doesn't. But you should be about halfway through give or take. Which means you're writing your conclusion, or you are finishing up your tests. So if you are doing science fair (by force or by choice) then please remember these things:
Pace yourself! No need to rush, you have until March...and maybe your teachers and fellow classmates won't like you being a showoff.
Ask for help when you need it! Science fair can be confusing and weird, so jumping in without a lifeline is a baaad idea.
Be thorough! Don't skip over minor details-people will notice.
Don't push yourself! If you work too hard to perfect the project, then you'll die before you win! That's not good.
And lastly: Follow the rules! It doesn't matter how awesome your experiment is...if you don't follow the rules and regulations, it's a dud.
Hope these help-I didn't want to get too specific because everyone is different. If you have any other advice, or you want to share your awesome projects, please let us know!

Emoticons have...emotions?

2008-02-18T16:26:00.002-06:00

Lately I've noticed that different-style emoticons have different emotions...the happy is sometimes slap happy, sometimes sweet happy. For example: on oh say, Gaiaonline. com, the happy emoticon looks just absolutely devious. The one on my IM client (Adium) looks sweet and endearing.
Why are they all so different? Well, mostly it's probably that emotions aren't necessarily defined. Happy varies from person to person. And so, when the emoticons are invented the person's opinion on an emotion comes through in their final set.
So next time you see an emoticon, notice that it's probably different then the one on this or that site. Or...just ignore it. XP

Happy Valentine's Day!

2008-02-14T07:57:00.004-06:00

So, today is Valentine's day-the day to show those you love just how much you care for them. But how far do you really need to go? An I love you? A kiss? A rose? A really expensive gift? They all should mean the same. Is Valentine's day too commercialized by the media and market? There really is no need for such attention. Valentine's day should be small, honest, even *gasp* intimate. So.
That's my little post for the day...please feel free to post your opinions on valentine's day or send us a story of how it was! (Please keep it PG-13).

You need encouragement!

2008-02-09T17:46:00.000-06:00

That's right, you're needy needy people who won't contribute unless you hear how wonderful you are!
And you are wonderful! Wonderful wonderful writers who should show off their talents! So please, submit stories, articles, anything to us. Because as fun as it is to write articles for Blurbshift, we writers run out of ideas sometimes, and you, fellow readers/writers, can be our inspiration.
So contribute to this INTERACTIVE newsletter because I'd love to see what other writers think about :P

Overused phrases and words

2008-02-08T13:40:00.003-06:00

Sorry i haven't posted in a while – I couldn't find my account information. :P
Plus I was sick. So! I'll try and post more.

Anyway. Today I've decided to write about phrases or words that are used way too much in our lives today. I'm not saying that these phrases are necessarily bad, but maybe we should reconsider when we use them, and how often.

"I love you":
We hear it all the time. A sign of affection, undying commitment, starry-eyed gazes and happy little dreams about those we care about. But do we hear it too much? We hear it from married couples and families to people who've been dating for a year, or less. We hear it among groups of friends that are newly formed or long-lasting. At what point do these three words lose their meaning? It seems that nowadays, saying "I love you" isn't a huge deal. Should it be?

"You're/That's so gay":
Ok. Some people hear this one more than others, perhaps. It really depends on your environment. It barely even fits the definition any more where I hear it. Someone trips and then stumbles: "That was gay". Someone likes a certain movie "You're so gay". Does it really apply to the context in which it's used in these two instances? Ok. Maybe if it was one of the Barbie movies, and maybe if she shrieked like a girl when they tripped. But more often than not it'll be them just being clumsy or liking a movie that shows just a hint of emotion.

"OCD":
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. A real disease that's thought to have derived from Tourettes Syndrome. Personally, I hear it a LOT. "You're so OCD" my friends laugh as I straighten the pencil on my desk. But OCD is a real, serious thing that needs to be addressed and treated as such. Maybe we have obsessive compulsive tendencies but I doubt that I, or anyone I know, has a full-blown disorder. But hey, maybe I need to see a doctor.

Curse Words:
I'm not going to sit here an lecture people [aka you] on the horrible-ness of curse words. Becaues I use them too. But maybe society uses them too often. Throwing in the F word just because it sounds cool or it adds another syllable is not going to get you far in life. Sure, they can serve a purpose; they can add emphasis and emotion to a sentence. But really, do we need to use them so casually? Many of them are derogatory anyway. "Bitch". Are you calling me a dog? I think not. "Mother fucker". No, I don't have sex with any of my friend's mothers, thank you very much. "God Damnit". No, you did.

"Like":
So I like, totally think that this word like, is the worst use of a word since like, ever.
It should be a curse word. It's used so abusively and horrible. Like: similar to or a fondness of. Not a "I can't think of anything else to say" word. We use "um" and "uh" for that. And really it just makes you sound unintelligent. I'm not saying that you aren't smart [because I'm guilty of using these inappropriately too; I think we all are] but maybe you should expand your filler word vocabulary.

So that's a short list [with descriptions] of words and phrases that are used in the wrong way, used too much, or both. Maybe I'll post something about "Txt talk" words and phrases etc eventually. If you have any more that you would like to contribute with a brief description of why the word/phrase is over/wrongly used, please feel free to contribute by posting in our forums at our social network page, or e-mail us at BlurbShift@gmail.com.

New Year? How about some movies?

2008-01-06T00:32:00.000-06:00

Especially some that many of you may not have seen or heard of. Let me name some for you...

Little Miss Sunshine
A disfunctional family packs in a yellow Volkswagon van to ride to a young girl's dream pageant. But the trip turns out to be much more when the family comes together in an amazing movie.

Juno (In theatres now!)
A witty sixteen year old girl (Ellen Page) becomes pregnant from her best friend (Michael Cera), and it makes her rethink life and love. The movie's very funny, but also has it's serious and heart-felt moments which make one of the best movie's I've ever seen. Also, not to mention a nice soundtrack.

Lady in the Water
With twists and turns and an extremely deep story line, this movie offers much more than what you'd expect. While previews persude you to believe that it's a thriller, it's really more of a fantasy in a modern day world. There's maybe, at most, a couple of jumps that may make you pee yourself a little, it's really not that kind of movie. Plus, I think M. Night Shyamalan is an amazing writer/director. And if you've never seen The Village, it's time you should.

Stranger than Fiction
Will Ferrell plays a man who discovers a voice in his head may be much more. Will Ferrell (actually) plays a serious and very convincing role. This movie messes with your head and keeps you wanting more.

The Terminal
A foreign man (Tom Hanks) gets stuck in an JFK airport in New York after a war between his country and another's. He has to spend many nights in the airport, but he meets a woman played by Catherine Zeta-Jones who turns out to be a much needed companion during his stay. Catherine is a little oddly casted, but if you can get past that, it's a great movie.

So watch those. You'll be happy. At least you should be.

Happy New Year 2008!

The NEW Blurbshift!

2007-12-09T10:13:00.000-06:00

Our wonderful web design/blog design manager Chase has created a soothing and natural BlurbShift website where you can access the Blog, cool features, and where you can submit ANYTHING you want!

The website is still in development, but if you have any ideas, please feel free to e-mail us!

Blurbshift.tk

Right now the site is a little odd feeling, but it'll get better.

We also have a new e-mail:
Blurbshift@gmail.com
All of the same subject headings apply.

Facebook Efficiency

2007-10-23T15:35:00.000-05:00

About a year back, Myspace.com was the #1 site for connecting with friends.

But in the mean time, a site called Facebook was being developed by a college student who never knew it would get to where it is today. He was originally creating the site for him and his buddies and classmates to stay connected. But, in a small matter of time, it became what it is today. Now Facebook is considered by many to be the best social networking site out there.

But how efficiently are you using YOUR account on Facebook?
Here's some ways to keep you connected, organized, and have more fun.

• Applications •

- Along-side of your Graffiti, sticky notes and The Office quotes are probably some unneeded or unused applications that got added to your account somewhere along the line. Delete 'em. They'll clog-up your application page in no-time and when you actually need to find one quick, you won't be able to.

- Remove boxes from your profile from apps that make your profile look cluttered. Also, from applications like Advanced wall or Fun Wall, delete your original wall from your profile so it's not confusing. Remember, to delete boxes from your profile, just go into your profile and click the X on the upper right-hand side of any box.

- Search for apps that you think could be on the Facebook application directory, or browse around for some. A lot of apps allow you to keep better track of your friends, your life, and sites that you visit a lot. Just click "Applications" on the left-hand side and then click "Browse applications"

• Friends •

- Search for old friends using the search bar. Even if you haven't talked in forever, or know you may not talk, it's still good to let people know you're still alive and let them keep track of you.

- Make events on Facebook when you're having a party or group event. It helps remind friends on events and is an easy way to invite people.

• Updates •

- Read the news feed. It keeps you caught up, and it's sometimes fun, too.

- Set the settings to the news feed. Click "preferances" at the top of the feed on the homepage. You can set which stories to see more of, which is helpful.

-Delete the stories you don't want others to see. To do so, go to your profile and click the X's on the stories in your mini-feed. Or, you can also click "privacy" at the top right-hand side at any time and click "news feed and mini-feed" to select which things are and are not published.

-Don't go crazy on status updates. And don't be too specific either. There's a difference between a status update and telling people where you are and when.

Got any other tips? Leave a comment on this post and we'll add them!

Hey, you've GOT to read these.

2007-10-20T22:32:00.000-05:00

This is Anna speaking, I still can't remember my password DX

Anyway. I've been on sort of a reading binge lately [I know, what a bookworm :p] And I have some [Ok, 4 or 5] books that you would LOVE if you're like me.

PRIVATE PEACEFUL:
This book is about a guy reliving his childhood, and then his life in the military. It's sad, but it's really really good. It conveys the life of a soldier and his family as well as the life of just a normal teenage boy dealing with World War 1 and all of the other teenage drama stuff.

NOT AS CRAZY AS I SEEM:
A 14 year old boy has OCD-in one of the worst ways. The book is about living through it as a teenager in a prep school. He can't step outside his box, and he doesn't want to [which is an interesting twist, believe me]. A really good book that makes you think about what mental issues YOU may have :p

CRUNCH TIME:
Ok. Maybe not the best book to read right before the SATs. Because that's what it's about; 4 high school juniors start an SAT prep study group. It's told from each of the 4 people's POV [that's Point of View :p]. Then, someone cheats! :o
But who could it be? By the end, you don't really care, even though it's a significant element to the WHOLE novel. You wouldn't believe how everything is connected. Anyway, it goes through the whole high school drama/college nervousness really well, and you get to hear what it's like for the guys, and the girls; you get to hear both sides of almost every story. It's just GREAT XD

GO ASK ALICE:
About a girl who gets into drugs during the hippie age, and her downward spiral then her upward struggle. Great. Need I say more? Anyway, it's great, and real [because it's a real diary] and you can really see her change. Just fantastic. A must-read.

---------------------------------------
Hey, this is Chase... I read a book, too! And I really liked it! Haha...

TUESDAYS WITH MORRIE
A man, many years after graduating from college, sees his professor Morrie on Dateline after being diagnosed with a fatal disease that slowly kills every muscle in his body. After seeing this, the man goes to visit with him and discovers this is his final lecture with Morrie. Every Tuesday the man learns about life, death, and relationships.
Quick read, and a great book. True story, too.

Goodbye, Bob Barker

2007-10-17T19:47:00.001-05:00

Goodbye, Bob Barker. It's been fun. I never "came down" or won that fancy car, but I did watch you while eating tomato soup and grilled cheese, staying home sick from school.

Goodbye, Bob Barker. It's been good. I loved how you were always patient with the contestant who said hi to her mom, dad, cousin, and her 7 cats: Juju, Monkey, Vanilla, Rose, Ash-Face, Hasbro, and Karachucola.

Goodbye, Bob Barker. It's been real. You told me to get my pets spayed and neutered, and I totally did. Thanks for reminding me.

Goodbye, Bob Barker. Goodbye.

2007-10-17T18:46:00.000-05:00

As you probably noticed, there's been some design changes.
Over the next month or two, things are going to be changing a little bit in the design of BlurbShift, so look out for that. :)

Study Skills? DX

2007-09-15T16:46:00.000-05:00

First off, this is Anna. I forgot my password, so I'll be posting off of the main account :P

Study Skills! I know...we hate to study, and do homework, but it's necessary for a successful school career [unless, of course, you could care less].

First off, studying for tests:
1. Study as much as you can, all in a general sense. Then, if a teacher emphasized a certain point or subject, go more into detail about those.
2. Everyone learns and takes in information differently, but my method is to read, write notes, and highlight. This ensures that you are actually READING, not just reading. If that makes sense.
3. Re-read or re-write your notes, so you know the information pretty well.
4. You could make yourself a study guide, but I don't find that a particularly useful approach, unless it's made by the creator of the test.
If your teacher DID give you a study guide, I recommend you take it, and work on it.
5. RE-READ AGAIN. It's a pain, but maybe it'll help.
6. Get the facts down, so you're prepared. And know all your vocab.
7. If the teacher tells you the aspects on the test [multiple choice, essay, etc] write them down, and prepare for said aspects.
8. Getting to know your teacher's style of testing also is a huge help, so you know what to study for, which minimizes your cram time.

Homework:
1. DO IT. It'll save you a lot of pain, and your teachers will love you. In the future, if you forget an assignment or need an extension, they're more likely to help you.
2. DO IT WELL. Yes, I know, it's boring, but doing it well will help you with tests, your understanding, and your teacher will trust you more.
3. Get help if you don't understand it.
4. Don't cheat if there are answers in the back or whatever, just use those to review. Once again, study helps for tests.
5. Double check everything, if you get graded on more than completion.
6. Keep all of your assignments, organized somewhere, so you can refer to them later.
7. Write down your assignments so you know what you have to do.

iPods and Complaints

2007-09-06T18:02:00.000-05:00

Yesterday, at about 12:00 Central time, Steve Jobs (of Apple Inc.) announced some fresh new iPods.
But, unlike many other launches of new Apple products, it felt (to me) a little messy.

There were several impovements and additions to the iPod line, including a dwarf-esque/video playing Nano, a new extra-roomy iPod (which they now call the iPod Classic), and color changes to the Nanos and Shuffles (not including the now silver, instead of white, iPod Classic). And, taking the floor, the iPod Touch, which many call "an iPhone without the phone".

There were several complaints over the new products, though, such as not enough space in the Touch, and that the Nano is now oddly shaped and sometimes too small.

My take, though, is this:

The new colors on the Shuffle and Nano are... strange. They all seem to be 'cool' colors, as opposed to 'warm' colors now. The only color that really stands out in the Shuffles is the RED edition.

I have absolutely no complaints on the new UI (user interface) on the Nano and Classic iPods. It's still simple but now adds a half-screen preview which looks great, based on screen shots and videos.

The extra space on the iPod Classics are more than enough now with memory up to 160 GB's which, according to Apple, can hold up to 40,000 songs or 200 hours of video. No complaints here, and I don't know why anyone would complain about the improvements to the Classic.

As for the Nanos, I'm not sure what to think. They're still very cool looking, but seem like they would fit not-so-great in your hand. They're too square, in my opinion, which seems like it would give you a hurting hand after a few games (3 are included) or scrolls through long menus. The screen also seems like it would give you a headache if you watch a movie on it, but it's good to know you can now.

Finally, the iPod Touch is the one I would get if I got an iPod, which I haven't yet done (jeez, what's wrong with me?). Although, this addition to the iPod line seems like it has gotten the most crap from fans and critics. And, along with these complaints, I'd like to contradict them.

First off, the complaint on the drive space. 8 GB or 16 GB are the choices, and for me I would prefer the 16 GB over the 8 GB, but who wouldn't? It doesn't majorly affect me, considering in my music phone loaded with videos and music, I only have a gig, which I haven't yet filled. My iTunes library has 8.5 GBs worth of music, but I really only listen to about a GB of it, and only 500 mb do I ever ACTUALLY listen to. My videos in my library, which include several free TV shows from the iTunes store and a small collection of podcasts, only equals about 1.5 GBs. Now, for me, an 8 GB iPod wouldn't be a problem for me, but I could see it could be for some who like to put all their music in their pocket, whether they've listened to it in the last 10 years or not.

Second, I LOVE the idea of using wi-fi to browse the internet on my iPod. Watching YouTube videos too, which I find myself doing for an hour at a time. Oh, AND browsing the iTunes store for music. But, along with this, comes the complaint of no Google Maps app, and no Email app.

But anyone who is complaining, stop and think. The iPod is not being advertised as a "communications device". It's being advertised as an iPod. Plus, if these apps were included, why would anyone want to buy an iPhone? What would set it apart, and what purpose would the iPhone have? You can still check your email on the Safari web browser, and even use maps and more.

Oh, and, I love photography, too, and showing off pictures and browsing through my photo library on it would be awesome on the 3.5 inch screen, instead of the 2.5 inch screen on my Samsung Sync, which doesn't even let me view photos in landscape mode. Just thought I'd say that.

Anyway, the new line is basically very decision driven on what you want to do with your iPod. Is it just music? Music with a couple videos to show off to your buds? Carrying thousands and thousands of songs in your pocket? Or an odd mix of all of those? Take your pick, or continue to wait until they come out with something even better in the next, give or take, 6 months.

School's Almost Back... The Site List.

2007-08-01T11:17:00.000-05:00

School's almost back!
Just a reminder. And not a very pleasant one, at that...

But hey... it's still summer. If you're totally bored on some days when you're feeling like the rest of your summer is just wasting away... and there's absolutely nothing to do but watch Price is Right and eat Cocoa Puffs... hop on the computer and check out four great time-wasting sites.

Gizmodo
Shows you cool gadgets, inventions, and anything else really technology related. Updated less than hourly so there's always something new to read...

Teagames
Fun online games that are addictive, well designed, and challenging. All games are custom made from Teagames, and all have the same style and fun physics.

Stumbleupon
Stumbleupon is a free toolbar for Firefox and Internet Explorer. Before being installing the toolbar, you do a quick signup, choose your interests, and create a profile. Once finally configured, you can click the "Stumble!" button on the toolbar which brings you to a random site that has to do with your interests.

Habbo
Habbo's a lot more popular than it used to be, so you may have heard of it. Habbo's an online game where thousands of people can sign on and chat, create rooms, and play games together. You have to pay actual money if you want to get furniture, but it's all pretty cheap. And you'll end up wanting to, because Habbo's a subliminal message jerk face.

Gaiaonline
Added August 3rd, 2007
A great community site where you can create yourself in a pixelated avatar and talk, trade or buy clothes and objects, and more.

Have any sites that eat away YOUR time? Post 'em in a comment. We'll love you forever.

Harry Potter : worth the hype?

2007-07-12T22:23:00.001-05:00

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix is a much anticipated film. For obvious reasons, of course. The past 4 movies have been very good, filled with drama, comedy, and "lovely" British accents.

While the 5th movie still has drama, comedy and accents, it lacks something....
Sounds vague, but the movie didn't have quite the...depth of the other ones. It feels just a bit scattered, and having read the book (but loooong ago) I would recommend reading it beforehand. Much, much sooner than I did.

I'm not saying the movie was bad; it was a wonderful movie. Fitting a 600-page book in a 2 1/2 hour movie is no easy task, and of course, things will end up on the cutting room floor. But WHAT ends up there is the important part; and unfortunately, some important things were left to sit and dust, while other things (were they even in the book?) sneaked their way in.

But that's just my opinion :)

While You're Waiting...

2007-06-24T11:54:00.000-05:00

Here is a little something to look at while you're waiting for our FABULOUS first issue:

My recommended songs for summer listening (From my personal playlist):

30 Seconds to Mars: Attack, The Kill

A.F.I: Decemberunderground CD

The All-American Rejects: Dirty Little Secret, Change Your Mind, 11:11 PM, Top of the World

Armor For Sleep: Remember to Feel Real, The Truth About Heaven, Car Underwater

Beck: E-Pro, Qué Onda Quero, Girl

Blue October: Foiled CD

Bright Eyes: A Scale, A Mirror, and Those Indifferent Clocks, The Calendar Hung Itself...., The Movement of a Hand, Arienette, Sunrise Sunset

Bullet For My Valentine: All These Things I Hate (Revolve Around Me)

Flogging Molly: The Seven Deadly SIns, Devil's Dance Floor

The Fratellis: Flathead, Whistle For the Choir, Chelsea Dagger, The Gutterati?, For the Girl, Creepin Up the Backstairs

The Fray: How To Save A Life CD

From First To Last: Note To Self, Untitled Hidden Track

Goo Goo Dolls: A Boy Named Goo CD, Dizzy Up the Girl CD, Big Machine, Here is Gone, What A Scene, Truth is a Whisper, Let Love In CD

Hellogoodbye: Zombies! Aliens! Vampires! Dinosaurs!

Hoobastank: Born To Lead, Moving Forward, Inside of You

Incubus: Dig, Anna Molly

JET: Are You Gonna Be My Girl

John Mayer: Waiting on the World to Change

The Killers: Mr. Brightside, Somebody Told Me, When You Were Young

Less Than Jake: In With the Outcrowd CD, Absolution For Idiots CD

My Chemical Romance: Three Cheers For Sweet Revenge CD, Welcome to the Black Parade, Famous Last Words

Ok Go: Oh No CD

Panic! At The Disco: A Fever You Can't Sweat Out CD

Red Hot Chili Peppers: Dani California, Snow (Hey Oh), Charlie, Tell Me Baby

Red Jumpsuit Apparatus: Don't You Fake It CD

Relient K: Apathetic Way To Be, Must Have Done Something Right, Mmhmm CD, Two Lefts Don't Make a Right CD

Silversun Pickups: Lazy Eye

Switchfoot: Learning to Breathe CD, New Way to Be Human CD, Stars, Easier Than Love, Politicians, We Are One Tonight, American Dream, Oh! Gravity. , Dirty Second Hands

System of a Down: B.Y.O.B., Cigaro, Violent Pornography, Question!, Sad Statue

Taking Back Sunday: What's it Feel Like to Be a Ghost, MakeDamnSure, Twenty-Twenty Surgery

The Used: In Love and Death CD, Lies for the Liars CD

**If you want to add to the list, comment this post, or e-mail us with the subject: song recommendations add-on. And I'm SURE you know our e-mail by now ;)

Last Chance!

2007-06-10T19:47:00.000-05:00

Right now, it's your last chance to submit any articles, stories, etc to our very first post! Please send them in quickly if you want them reviewed, and added in!
Note: Although we love having people from around the world read and contribute to our newlsetter, we are limited in our translation skills. So, please send in your submissions in English! Or, if you want yours to be in your native tongue, send in two copies; one in your language, and one in ours. We would love to hear from people all around the world!

Mmm. Smells New.

2007-06-04T21:37:00.000-05:00

Can you smell that iTunes goodness? I can. What's new about it? Well, a little thing called iTunes Plus. What is that you ask? Well...

If you download music off of iTunes, you probably know that when you have a song or two or an album, Apple wants you to stay inside the court yard and play with your nice, fancy foursquare ball. And by court yard I mean iTunes, and by foursquare ball I mean your iPod.
Well, with iTunes Plus, you can set your music free to your... ahem.. tsk tsk... mp3 player or music phone. How boring, but I guess that's YOUR choice...

Anyway, for $0.30 more a song, you can get DRM-free (digital rights management) music. And you can even update your old library to iTunes Plus music... that is, once Apple steps up and actually adds more music with a choice for iTunes Plus. But they are adding more and converting the old stuff, slowly but surely.

But, one thing that people do complain about is the fact that inside of each of these music files is still your iTunes account data. That means that if you're sticking your music all over the web, Apple can still track you down in a back alley and beat the living crap out of you. But, still, if you're responsible and actually want that iTunes-exclusive track on your music phone or mp3 player, you can do so for $0.30 more. And, yes, KT Tunstall is plus-er-ized. I knew you'd be happy.

UPDATE: Ok, I admit it, I like KT Tunstall. :l

Ok, ok. Chill.

2007-06-04T21:09:00.000-05:00

Well, this is what happens when computers crash, layouts are complicated, and due dates are just too hard. Bummer right? WRONG!

We're working on it. We'll get the first issue to you. And this means it'll be 2x better. So get a hobby in the meantime. You'll be ok. And it'll be here by the end of this month. I promise. Anna promises too. Ok? Good. Thanks.

And wipe your feet next time. Jeez.

UPDATE: Articles have been e-mailed and transferred, and so now all that's left is putting it all together. We promise a fabulous issue coming your way!

The first issue!

2007-05-21T20:05:00.001-05:00

The first issue is due any time now, and you're in for some true entertainment! Coming up: Team Bios (because you have to know who we are!) and lots of school to summer articles and lists! Have any suggestions before the issue comes out? Send us anything you want added before the 28th!
If you want to add anything to us, use this guide so we know what you want!

WHAT YOU'RE E-MAILING US ABOUT/SUBJECT NAME:
questions:: question (question topic here)
stories:: storty (what article it's for)
articles:: article (title of article)
quiz questions:: quiz question
quiz answers:: quiz answer (date quiz question was posted)
contest stuff:: contest (contest you're submitting for)
subscription:: subscribe to alerts
suggestions:: suggestions (topic of suggestion)
add-ons:: add-on (what you're adding on to)
comments/other:: random stuff (what it is...comment, etc)

What's the difference between a story and an article?
A story is a response to an article. For example: I write an article on the danger of cheese, and you submit a story about a past experience with cheese.
An article is something you want us to publish as a regular content of the specific issue. In the cheese example, you would be writing about the cheese, not sending in personal experiences. If you have any questions (as always) e-mail us.

The Blurb Shift Team (Anna)

Summer Music Picks

2007-05-18T01:19:00.000-05:00

Want some new music for your earbuds?
Here's some select CD's straight from mine.
For a lot of you, you may have even been listening to these LAST summer. But if you missed out on all the great tunes, listen up.
(Links require iTunes 7 ... Free download here)

Snow Patrol - Eyes Open
Get ready for some deep & musical songs that will be in your head for days. Literally.

Ok Go - Oh No
Ok Go makes great, catchy songs whether they're upbeat and jumpy, or slow and mellow. Clever lyrics and funny stories will fill you with delight.

Panic! at the Disco - A Fever You Can't Sweat Out
Clever mixes of different instruments including violins, synthesizers, and pianos with the often used electric guitars and drum sets make one hell of a delight on the ears. And you can't forget about the great lyrics.

Switchfoot - Oh! Gravity
Meaningful lyrics, catchy melodies, and funny thoughts.

What's your favorite CD's? Email us at blurbshiftalerts@yahoo.com w/ a little diddy on why you like it! We'll even post it right here!

Getting Involved in Blurb Shift

2007-05-17T16:47:00.000-05:00

Oh dearest people of the Blurb Shift community,
We, the Blurb Shift Team, are not the only ones who can create articles, quiz questions, contests etc for this online newsletter. You too can become an active member of the community. It's simple, too. Here are 4 easy steps to helping us (and our readers) out:
1. Submit suggestions for our newsletter. All of your suggestions will be carefully and thoroughly reviewed by me, and I will respond with a personalized e-mail (not one of those "we'll get back to you" ones). Since this newsletter is new, suggestions are highly recommended, and appreciated.
2. Comment on our articles, etc. This is just fun, for anyone who reads our newsletter. We love comments, and if you have anything to say to us (suggestions, tweaks, add-ons, etc) we would greatly appreciate it. Of course, you can always just comment to comment :)
3. Submit your own articles. Although we do have writers on our Team here, viewer articles are appreciated, and most of them will be posted. Of course, if there are 10 articles on potatoes, we'll choose the best one, but for the most part, your article will be posted with recognition (and as much personal information as you want: name, age, location, etc)
4. Submit Stories. Almost all of the articles here will have an ending paragraph with how to contact us and contribute to a specific article. For example: if we have an article on Jobs, you are welcome to submit to us a story about one of your jobs. This can be written as a comment (in which case all comments that are stories related to the specific article will be re-posted as a follow-up) or in an e-mail (in which case all e-mailed stories will be re-posted as a follow-up). Once again, you'll get as much recognition as desired: no more, no less.

Thank you for reading,
The Blurb Shift Team (Anna)

Once again, our contact information:
E-mail us at blurbshiftalerts@yahoo.com for Anything listed above, quiz questions, quiz answers, contest questions and submissions, general questions, and for subscribing. Thank you!

Just to add on

2007-05-16T19:49:00.000-05:00

Blog posts will not only include the PDF of the actual newsletter, they will also include everything that is sent out in the alerts e mail. This is so that non-subscribers can read as well (hopefully, they'll subscribe too!). Also, the previous editions will be on the side, for up to 5 months back.
Thanks for reading this, and please contact us at blurbshiftalerts@yahoo.com to subscribe!
Remember to put the subject of the email as "Subscribe to Alerts"!

The first issue is coming to you before the month is over, or at the VERY VERY beginning of the next.

About Blurb Shift:

2007-05-16T19:27:00.000-05:00

Blurb Shift is an interactive online newsletter with stories, art, news, and more... all from you and the rest of the Blurb Shift community.

Blurb Shift releases a PDF format of the newsletter in a blog post whenever we have enough information or feel like we need to release a new edition.

For more information, or if you have any ideas, email BlurbShiftAlerts@yahoo.com.

If you wish to subscribe to email alerts, send an email with the subject "Subscribe to Alerts". When you subscribe, you get all the posts in your email, and also exclusive news and updates.

Keep a watchful eye for the first edition!