I like to explore. I get excited about new places and things. I can’t help it.

Sometimes it gets me in trouble. Like the first time I traveled to Washington, D.C. I parked in a parking garage, got excited about my new surroundings and failed to notice the address of the garage. Hours later, I couldn’t remember the exact location amid a handful of parking garages in the area. Silly directionally-challenged me.

I recently let the same thing happen with social media. I got distracted. While studying interactive media in graduate school, I dove into all kinds of social media sites. Some I found more useful than others, so some profiles lingered untouched. I thought I needed to keep all of them alive and around. Silly directionally-challenged me.

So I reevaluated the social media tools I used and the approach I took. Here’s what I did.

Less is More

• StumbleUpon: Gone. I enjoyed the spontaneity of this social discovery and bookmarking site, but to me, it overlapped some of what I found on Twitter and Delicious.
• Vimeo: Gone. I like Vimeo’s interface much more than YouTube’s, but I stuck with YouTube because I’ve been there longer.
• Google Buzz: Gone. I simply turned off my Buzz account, but did not delete. I’m curious to see what will happen with the much-rumored Google Me, and how that will effect Buzz.
• Delicious: Replaced. I joined Diigo because it has more options, like sticky notes and page captures.
• Flickr: Replaced. Now, have a simple photo blog on Posterous in place of Flickr. Although I love Flickr, I never used it that much, and the blogging style fits me better.
• I also kept profiles on the current standbys: Facebook and LinkedIn.

So now I’m a firm believer in less is more. I can focus more on the services I enjoy more, like Twitter, and giving more attention to my running blog on Tumblr. However, I would say to each his own. You have to find the right combination that suits you and your interests.

Tips for Organization

My advice?

1. Use the networks you actually enjoy and/or are important to your profession.
2. Keep your main profiles to a minimum of three to five. Have another two or three that you experiment with.
3. Constantly evaluate. Are you using your profiles? Are you getting value? Are you giving value?

I certainly still leave room for exploration. I’m trying the new Digg, although I never used the older version much, and Cliqset stands alone as one of my favorite, lesser-known social networks and tools. So I still explore, except now it’s easier to remember where I parked.

Image by Drouu.

What’s the last thing you liked?

Oh come on, you know what I’m talking about. On Facebook – what’s the last thing you liked? Maybe it was a sport, like kayaking, which does have its own Facebook Page, thanks Facebook launching Community Pages earlier this year. But do you really like that? Or did you just opt into it when Facebook launched its new feature?

That happened with me, and I went back later and deleted many of the movies and hobbies that were linked to those Community Pages. I didn’t think these lame community pages added any value to my Facebook profile. That got me thinking, “What makes us like a page?”

Web Strategist Jeremiah Owyang has assembled an excellent presentation on successful strategies for Facebook Page marketing. See the document embedded below.

Here’s what makes me like a Facebook Page:

1. I’m involved or have been involved with the company or organization.
2. I stand behind the company or organization’s products and/or mission.
3. I enjoy the content I get from the page.

What makes you like a page?

Image by Brokenarts.

We know that media consumption habits have changed and evolved tremendously.

But have you thought about yours lately? It’s an interesting thought, I think. The Atlantic Wire has a cool series called Media Diet, where staffers interview top thinkers about what they read.

I stumbled across one of the stories, what Jay Rosen reads, via Twitter. It intrigued me, so I decided to write my own, What I Read. So here goes…

Social Media

I check Twitter when I hit the computer in the morning. First, I just check my normal stream for what I like to call accidental knowledge. The thing I love about Twitter is the fact people help me discover neat links and information I wouldn’t have otherwise. After that, I’ll check a few of my Twitter Lists. The usual ones I check are Creative, Internet-Tech and Media.

After that, it’s on to Facebook to see what my friends are talking about and what links they’re sharing. Most of the news I get from them falls into the category of what’s happening in their lives.

Feeds

Next, I check my feed reader. I use two: Shrook and Google Reader. I love Shrook’s beautiful interface for use on my Mac. I’ve used the online version as well, but don’t like it as much. All my feeds sit in Google Reader as well, just in case I need to access my feeds when I’m away from my computer.

What I read there really varies. I check my regular news feeds first. These are NPR. New York Times, Washington Post, CNN, Slate and Salon. After that, I attack feeds according to whatever mood I’m in or what kind of project I’m working on. I typically check a handful of the 200 some-odd feeds I follow. Some of the more regular ones I like to read are 10,000 Words, Chris Brogan, Nieman Lab, Romenesko, Dave Winer, Seth Godin, Poynter, Mental Floss, Neatorama, A List Apart, Mashable, The Next Web, Tech Crunch, Smashing Magazine, ReadWriteWeb, ProBlogger and Search Engine Land.

News

On most days, I catch NPR on my local station, WFDD – out of Wake Forest University. If I don’t, I try to listen online. I also check several news feeds via my feed reader. These include the New York Times, Washington Post, CNN, Sports Illustrated, Slate and Salon. I also follow several news outlets on Twitter, and often hear of breaking news there. I subscribe to news alerts via email from the New York Times as well. Currently, I do not subscribe to any magazines or newspapers. I also don’t watch much, if any, television news.

Television and Online Video

I canceled cable a few months before I started graduate school, and haven’t looked back. I’m enjoying all the free time I have since I avoid programs I’m not really interested in much easier now. I do subscribe to NetFlix, and love all the documentaries there. Some recent ones I have watched include Tyson, Truman and Food, Inc. I’m also a frequent visitor to Interactive Narratives and MediaStorm, always looking for cool, multimedia stories. Lastly, I like to watch my share of Jon Stewart clips.

Books

I love to write, so therefore I read a lot. I recently read Googled, and The Future of the Internet (both for graduate school, among other titles). I also just finished What I Talk About When I Talk About Running. I’m currently reading Once a Runner and Bad Luck and Trouble. My favorite authors are Po Bronson and Paul Auster.

Fun Stuff

I watch some television series, thanks to Netflix. I just finished The X-Files in its entirety. I’m also into Mad Men and Man vs. Wild. And you know what, I usually can’t make it a month without watching Strongbad answer some emails. My friends fill in other odds and ends via links on Twitter and Facebook.

That’s my media diet. What do you snack on?

Image by JayLopez.

You may have noticed a recent update I sent out via Twitter.

Steve Earley and I just launched a new blog focused on how interactivity is helping and can help the news industry. Both Steve and I love blogging, have a deep passion for the future of the news and wanted to join the larger debate surrounding journalism’s ongoing evolution, so starting this blog just made sense. We were lucky to have quite a few supporters already.

If you enjoy reading what I write here, I encourage you to check out Journalism Lives. Steve and I worked together really well during grad school at Elon, and have big plans and hopes for the site.

I’ll also say this: even though Journalism Lives will focus on the news industry, I won’t stop writing about it in this space. I plan to continue exploring multimedia journalism and other types of storytelling with technology here. Journalism isn’t the only field facing a massive evolution, so the more we entertain problems and questions from anywhere and everywhere, the sooner we be able to craft innovative solutions and answers.

That’s why I believe a blog like Journalism Lives can hold value for anyone interested in how people access online information. Our blog, like this one, is likely to draw inspiration from many different sources.

I hope you check it out and thanks for reading.

Can you build up creativity, like a muscle?

I watched a video interview with one of my favorite authors, Po Bronson, on TechCrunch yesterday. He talked about the nature of creativity, and how creativity in America has declined. In the interview, he speaks about how engaging in creative activities can help people become more creative. He also points to how being open to trying new experiences can aid creativity.

All this made me think: how can storytellers constantly work on their creativity? I think the answer remains different for everyone. Here’s what I do:

• My storytelling involves a lot of writing, so I blog in several places.
• I keep an online learning journal, so to speak, where I post links and thoughts that I find interesting. I also try to post what new things I’m learning about there.
• I read as much as I can.
• I try out new technology. One of the latest social networking tools I’ve tried is Cliqset.
• I run. This gets my mind wandering, and it sometimes fuels great ideas.
• I’ve tried to take on a few freelance projects, especially those involving web design. Designing sites means I have to come up with something out of nothing – an important task for improving creativity.
• Oh, and I like to scribble ideas and things in a notebook.

So what’s your strategy for building your creative ways?

Image by Ba1969.

Choosing a blogging platform is like going to a new restaurant: you want to try something new, but you don’t want to commit to something that won’t be that good, and end up with a bad taste in your mouth. Plus, the choices remain endless.

I recently wrote a two part series on using WordPress for your website, and am always interested in the evolution of blogging and publishing platforms. Mónica Guzmán asked via Twitter how Posterous and Tumblr compared. Also, my good friend, Colleen Callahan, had some questions about Tumblr the other day, so I thought I’d tackle this question in a post.

1. Create an Account on Both Platforms

I have some expertise in interactive media, so I certainly could take a better stance here and recommend one platform over the other, but that would be pointless. Why? Everyone is different.

So don’t be afraid to sign up for an account on both Posterous and Tumblr and experiment. You’ll probably know very quickly which one you prefer.

2. See Who’s There (in the Community)

Both Tumblr and Posterous have strong online communities of bloggers who blog there every day. Depending on who’s there, you may want to select one over the other. Sure, a blog or website can be read by everyone, but it’s often the people within a certain community who first become evangelists for your site.

For example, my friend, Colleen, wants to start a site centered around music. I told her Tumblr might have the stronger community for that audience. I put my running blog there because I found more runners in that community than Posterous. I put my learning journal blog on Posterous because I found a lot of general-interest blogs already there.

3. Think About the Content You’ll Have and What That Will Mean for Using the Site

Many of the options and features for Posterous and Tumblr have striking similarities, but ultimately, it comes down to your content, how easy it is for you to get it out there and how easy it is for users to interact with it. Choose the platform best suited for this process.

Conclusion

When I researched each of these platforms, I found this head to head comparison by Mashable very handy. They like Posterous over Tumblr, by the way. I also wrote this article over at Fuel Your Writing on four of the main blogging platforms.

As for me, I find it hard to pick a clear winner. I use each one for a different purpose, so it’s hard to compare. It all comes down to YOU in the end.

Image by Brendan76.

I’ve been hesitant to jump on the iPad bandwagon just yet, but I must admit this app for Apollo News looks neat.

The app learns what kind of content you like and recommends similar content you might find interesting. Sounds like a search engine in a way, only more personal. Worth taking a look and pondering whether or not this could be the newspaper of the future.

Sure, everyone has different answers to that question.

My take? In social media, authenticity always wins out. You may be shaking your head here. After all, the fake BP PR account is fake. Not very authentic, but it’s real in a different sense. It brims with honesty.

Whomever tweets from BP Global PR (some reports have it as Mike Monteiro), they post the kind of messages and fuel the kind of dialogue that only existed in many people’s hearts and minds before the account existed. Whether you find the tweets humorous or not, the Twitter updates strike a nerve.

They do that because even though the account portrays fictional people behind a real company, those fictional people speak from the heart. In your social media practices, remember that just because you’re sending messages out into the ethos, real people are listening. Give them what they want: something real.

If you wish to use WordPress to power your website, you’re lucky. Thousands of people who love and support WordPress have filled the web with tons of resources. I’m going to share my favorites, and segment them by category. I hope they help you. If you have more to add, please do so in the comments.

Resources from WordPress

• Automattic – The company behind WordPress, and started by WordPress creator Matt Mullenweg.
• WordPress.com – The free blogging platform created by Automattic, the company behind WordPress.
• WordPress.org – The free blogging software, available for download and able to be run on a server, and power an entire site.
• WordPress Documentation – The WordPress Codex has all the relevant details, tricks and tips on how to take advantage of WordPress’ full power.
• WordPress Showcase – See sites built by WordPress, and discover what it can really do.
• WordPress Theme Directory – Download free themes for WordPress.
• Commercial Themes – WordPress also has many premium themes for purchase. Download them here.
• Plugins – WordPress can be extended by way of plugins. Browse and download those here.

WordPress Design

• Design galleries – from the Vandelay Design Blog.
• 60 unusual WordPress designs – from Noupe.
• 100 free WordPress themes – from Smashing Magazine.

WordPress Development

• WordPress development frameworks – can help you get a jump on building a site with WordPress.
• Another guide to WordPress theme frameworks – via a Slideshare presentation.
• How to create a WordPress theme – the ultimate tutorial from Ian Stewart.
• Another WordPress theme tutorial – from WP Shout.
• Use WordPress as a true CMS – by Selene Bowlby.
• More than 100 techniques for using WordPress as a CMS – from Noupe.
• Fifteen essential functions for use with WordPress – from Digging into WordPress.
• Protect your WordPress theme from upgrades the smart way – from Ian Stewart.
• WordPress developer’s toolbox – from Smashing Magazine.
• How to properly code the WordPress loop – from Justin Tadlock.
• WordPress theme hacks – from Web Designer Wall.
• A huge list of WordPress tricks – by Perishable Press.
• Even more WordPress code snippets – from WordPress Hacks.
• WordPress sample content – from WP Candy.

Blogs About WordPress

• Digging into WordPress
• WordPress Beginner
• WPazo
• WordPress Candy
• Themeshaper

There’s more here at this nice list of 10 as well.

And if you want more great links about WordPress, be sure to follow my Delicious account and this tag.

Photo by JayLopez.

I once wanted nothing more than to fly.

Not just fly though, but to go to space. I couldn’t help but have this dream. I grew up in Cocoa, close to Cape Canaveral and the Kennedy Space Center. I watched shuttle launches live. I saw Space Shuttle Discovery up close on a tour of the Space Center, thanks a family member who worked there.

I was in love with the thought of it all, but as it turns out I had poor eye sight and wasn’t that solid in math or science. Not a good combination for want-to-be astronaut.

But that’s all right. Everyone has their place in the world, and I can still live the dream through photos and video footage. Excellent documentaries on the space program, like Discovery Channel’s When We Left Earth, also allow myself and other want-to-be astronauts relive the story of space exploration. If you check out the website, it does a nice job of providing users with some interactive features. Users can explore a quiz, video clips, photos and audio messages chronicling the memories of people who watched the missions from Earth.

As I watched one of the documentary episodes last night, a line by one of the astronauts reinforced one of the biggest ingredients to a successful interactive media project and its story. The episode told of the tale of one of the Apollo Eight mission, and the first time America viewed the moon.

After Astronaut William Anders took his famous photo, “Earthrise,” he said:

“It’s ironic. We went there to explore the moon and we rediscovered Earth.”

That’s what you have to do with interactive media projects and stories. Never forget to take people where they can’t go. It lets them rediscover things, and live dreams they may not have a chance to live.

Photo illustration by Dimitri_C.