Posts Tagged ‘Web 2.0’

More Information on the Revisions Made to JerseySmarts.com

Tuesday, October 27th, 2009

As some of you may have continued to notice, there are more changes here at JerseySmarts.com. First, the header is now changed to a three part design with the site’s button-style logo on the far left, a set picture of the steps leading up the path at my Mom’s house in the middle as well as a graphical representation of the site’s name, and an advertisement in the far right. You’ll notice the “Joe’s Journal at JerseySmarts.com” name has been shortened to just “JerseySmarts.com.” Hey, that’s the name of the site – no reason to beat around the bush, right?

I’ve also darkened the background on which you are reading right now. For those of you that liked the brighter white background, I’m sorry – it just hurt my eyes too much so I had to change it. Chances are I spend a lot more time on this website that most of the readers so I have to be sure that simply looking at the website doesn’t bother me!

I’m always looking for new ideas, so let me know if you have any thoughts. Right now I think the site is somewhat boring in its approach, but that’s because I’m not currently integrating pictures and other multimedia into the various entries. That should be changing soon. Also, I have some graphics that I’ll be adding to the sidebar sooner or later (for example, the link to my Facebook pictures). I’m debating whether or not to even keep the Google image gallery, so I can’t guarantee that the Google images link will reappear.

Frankly, I wanted to do these revisions to JerseySmarts.com in November, right around the one year anniversary of merging JerseySmarts.com and Joe’s Journal. However, sometimes you just have to act on the momentum in your head and make the changes while you’re motivated!

Again, I’m always open to your thoughts and ideas, so please feel free to send them over.

Minor Design Format Changes and Revisions Coming

Sunday, October 25th, 2009

Do not be alarmed, there are some minor design format changes and overall revisions coming to JerseySmarts.com. The first thing that you’ll see is the difference in the body of the website. The next task is to reorganize the header of the website and find a way to upload the new one that I created without making a complete mess of the situation. I’m also going to be removing some of the advertisements from the website as, after a year of running certain programs, I’ve earned no revenue from them whatsoever. There’s no reason for me to clog up my blog with advertising programs that just aren’t working, you know?

But hang in there, I don’t think that there will be any major changes besides going back to a 2 column format for the time being (which is really a revision being made to the core design of the blog for better use with Facebook). Let me know if you have any questions, comments, or concerns as I work out some of the kinks. Thanks!

My Ten Year High School Reunion

Tuesday, September 29th, 2009

This past Saturday night was the ten year anniversary for my graduating class from Roxbury High School. Actually, it was a combined reunion for the Class of 1999 (my class) and the Class of 2000. Typically, high school reunions only draw in 10% – 15% of possible attendees so combining the two classes was a good idea. Each of our classes had some 350+ students in them, so out of possible pool of about 720 students, I would say that maybe 60 or so showed up. When you add in wives, husbands, girlfriends, boyfriends, and fiances, there might have been about 100 people in attendance.

It wasn’t a bad event, in fact it was fun. I enjoyed seeing a lot of the people that I haven’t talked to since Project Graduation, which took place right after we graduated high school. Also, it was nice to meet the husbands and wives of some of my old high school friends.

When I was driving home, though, something did cross my mind. Namely, do reunions have the same value that they once had now that Facebook is ubiquitous? Granted, there are a lot of people who are not on Facebook, but the fact is that there are a growing multitude of people who ARE using this social media platform. And yes, while I understand that there is something special to be said about the face-to-face interaction that comes with a reunion, there is also something to be said about the ability to look someone up on Facebook and see what they’re up to these days.

Just something that crossed my mind as I was driving home.

The group that put the reunion together to an amazing job and I hope that they receive the credit that they deserve. I put a little note on the lead organizer’s Facebook page telling her what a great job that she did. Reunions are hard events to plan, so I hope that this team comes back again in 5 or 10 years for the next one!

Ten Year High School Reunion Coming Up This Weekend

Wednesday, September 23rd, 2009

This weekend I’ll be attending my ten year high school reunion. The organizers did a pretty smart thing, I think, because they waited for a few months to go by after our official ten year anniversary (sometime last June) and combined our reunion with the grade below us. In other words, the Classes of 1999 and 2000 will both have their reunions at the same time in the same place this weekend for one large reunion.

I think this is a pretty good idea since between both classes there are some 700 or so students. If the classes manage to pull in about 10% to 15% of that number of graduates, it may not be such a bad turnout. You figure if 100 people come and half of them have a significant other than accompanies them, you’ve got about 150 people in one place – which would be a good turnout.

The group that the organizers put together on Facebook shows some 69 “confirmed” guests (with 105 invitees not attending and 117 “maybe” attending). Frankly, I don’t think that many of those “maybe” respondents will make it over into the “confirmed” column. That’s okay, though.

If I remember to bring my camera, I’ll try to take some pictures to add to my Facebook collection. Should be a good time – I’m looking forward to it.


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