A Human Element In The Digital Realm

Bits-n-Bytes.

I've been thinking for some time now that things have been somewhat different in the digital arena... seems like there's something missing, or perhaps there's just less of it and when you see it, it's more apparrent or obvious. I'm talking about the human element. It's that essence which separates the "wheat from the chaff." It is evident in the threads that weave a social fabric that keeps us warm, gives us protection, and transcends the boundaries of location, time or language. You know it when you see it. That little bit of humanity that can't be easily replicated by a device or software algorhythm. Don't get me wrong, I love machines, robots, and artificial intelligence — but they just don't have that element.

Here's some relevant sounds to groove on while you read the post...

Anti-Social Media: Signal or Noise?

I've noticed the lack of that human element most in social media. Seems like folks are more focussed on followers, +1's and likes than in actual participation the game: the fun stuff, the sharing, the  "Hey, how you doin'? Long time no speak..." or witty writings on my wall, and engaging with others. We become the proverbial "rats running races." Yeah, everybody's busy, and I'm guilty of some of it from time to time too. Yup. But I work long hours at my full-time job and try to do side projects whenever I can. I do my reading and try to stay on top of trends and everything new. Add to that all the family stuff, chores, errands and things that just seem to swallow-up any remaining time that's left over. That said, I still I try hard not to make a habit of it and I always try to be myself, be inclusive and stay sincere.

What, Me Worry?

Sometimes I get discouraged and think, "why bother logging in" and wonder if it's "time to get off the social grid." Most of the time I just don't think about it... I generally don't worry about the missing human aspect, but as I said before, I do make an effort to not add to the problem. Nope. Not me. Just like James Brown, 'I'm gonna get-up and do my thang.'

The Human Element is Alive and Kicking.

In the last few weeks I've had the pleasure of seeing that element rise-up and brighten my day. At the end of the day for me it's not really about click-throughs, SEO link-juice, a Klout score, or being the Mayor of FarmVille. Don't get me wrong, that stuff matters too. I love a momentous mention here and there, a bunch of re-tweets, any +1's I can get my mouse on, those funky #FollowFridays... I can't imagine a month without a luscious like now and again. It's just different I guess.

Sometimes, You Get What You Give. 

It's that super-sauce. That dash of goodness sprinkled on it that makes the meal so tasty. The 80/20 rule is in a full frontal attack, yet a subtle signal of secret sauce remains among the nasty noise in the digital realm. Tough to find it, but lately I've enjoyed the luxury of that 20% that has the human element. Once in a while, you get the good stuff. It's the stuff that builds a great brand. Honesty, credibility, integrity, loyalty... keeps 'em coming back for more. With that in mind, here are some folks that are doin' things right and shining bright despite the plight:

Codiqa
http://codiqa.com
@codiqa

Buffer
http://bufferapp.com
@bufferapp

reelSEO
http://www.reelseo.com
@reelseo

GoPro
http://gopro.com
@GoPro

MixyTV
http://mixy.tv
@mixytv

DreamHost
http://dreamhost.com
@DreamHost

LiveFyre
http://livefyre.com
@Livefyre

Sokanu
http://sokanu.com
@sokanu

Inanimatt
http://inanimatt.com
@inanimatt

Formulate
http://formulate.com.au
@Formulate

Zerply
http://zerply.com
@zerply

Thanks for making it more than just another rat race folks :)

1 Minute Interview: Tony Aguilar

A one minute interview with Tony Aguilar, conducted via mobile phone and email. I wanted to keep it brief. Everybody's busy. Got a minute? Read on…

Question: What are three movies, three songs, and three words that mean something to you?

Here's Tony's Answers…

Movies:

• the Godfather
• Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
• Autobiography of a Flea

Songs:

• Machine Gun, Jimi Hendrix
• Telephone Line, E.L.O.
• In my Room, Beach Boys

Words:

• think.
• f@ck.
• play.

…contact him directly if you need elaborations. xo





O'Briens Pub - Allston, MA 8/17/11



Listen here...


Totimoshi Avenger by Totimoshi




Totitmoshi links...

• totimoshi.com
• facebook.com/totimoshi
• myspace.com/totimoshi
• en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Totimoshi
• last.fm/music/Totimoshi
• soundcloud.com/totimoshi

:D

Lenticular Business Cards Are Awesome

Yup, I'm totally blown away!

Wow, I just received my new lenticular business cards from The Mines Press (Visit MinesPress.com | follow @theminespress on Twitter) and they look fantastic! A few months ago, I was incredibly lucky and won a set of business cards after entering in a contest on one of my favorite blogs WebExpedition18. I strongly advise you to add their RSS feed, read their articles, and follow @colaja and the other writers and contributers to help you stay on top of all the latest and greatest webdesign trends.

Go on, follow those links in another tab right now... I'll wait here :)

Not "Just Another Surfin' Safari..."

I was doing my daily web surfing and regular reading a few months ago when I stumbled on the WebExpedition18 special giveaway post. I actually just commented and tweated the "Win Attractive Lenticular Business Cards from The Mines Press Inc." post because I thought the cards were super cool. Suffice to say that I was pleasantly surprised about winning the contest — and I am even more surprised at how cool the cards really are after they arrived at my door! Another plus is that he cards arrived more than two weeks before they were scheduled to ship. Extra nice... The cards are absolutely beautiful and the level of quality is stellar. They're double-sided, and incorporate multiple images which are revealed as you view the cards from different angles.

An American Dream Come True

The Mines Press is a family owned company located in New York and has been in business for more than 76 years. The company was started in 1933 during 'The Great Depression' and has grown to more than 130 employees. Yup, they are an example of 'The American Dream' come true and an inspiration in these difficult times... I followed the tips and recommendations on how to make use of the lenticular technology, and I think I was able to leverage it to get really nice results. Their customer service is fantastic, and the high quality of their work is outstanding. That said, if you're looking to stand out from the crowd, I encourage you to visit The Mines Press and have them handle all your future printing needs.

A bit about branding and Identity

These cards are a perfect fit for my brand. My design goals were to support and extend my web presence by matching the 'active', 'alive', and 'playful' nature of my current branding efforts and online identity. Yeah, the lenticular technology is incredibly cool and geeky but more importantly, it also adds a bit of sophistication and an active, lively and techy feel to my otherwise basic business cards.

LINKS:

· Lenticular business cards example & information »

· Read WebExpedition18 »

A few photos of my business cards

Here are a few photos of my new cards... It's tricky to photograph lenticular cards because they change depending on the angle at which you view them. I did my best to capture them in the photos, but it wasn't easy — you need to see and hold them to really appreciate 'em. They have a truly unique feel, and they're definitely unforgettable.