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Thursday 30 September 2010

Introduction to My Social Media Journey

An interesting aspect of some journeys is when you set out with no particular destination in mind. Or, to put it more accurately, only a vague concept of the destination. An idea, a belief, a conviction that the destination is out there, although it has yet to be named or defined. I suppose my "social media" journey is kind of like that, as it began long before anybody ever used the term "social media."

Hi. My name is Ken Goldstein, known on many sites by my online handle of "kenrg" and I'm here to share a bit of my social media journey...  In brief, I've been online since about 1993, first using text-only dial-up services, then AOL, then an ISP to get directly to the full colorful web. One of my first surprises was the sense of community. Even in plain text, there were pockets of like-minded people, anxious to share information and to connect.

I learned html and posted my first web site around 1995. Shortly after, I added a cgi script for basic threaded discussion and ran a board for a music-related group. Again, community being the focus.

Meanwhile, professionally, I was also a member of an online community of nonprofit and social service professionals, called HandsNet. By 1999 I was not simply a HandsNet member, but had joined the staff as Director of Online Community Development, managing discussion board related to fighting poverty, and supervising the discussion moderators.

When I first opened my account here on blogger.com, nearly ten years ago, it was well before Google had purchased it from Pyra, the original developers. Likewise, I joined YouTube four-and-a-half years ago, before the Google purchase, and have been regularly tweeting away on twitter for nearly four years as well. Heck, I was even a Friendster member long before MySpace and Facebook.

From "online community" to "web 2.0" to "social media" I've been along on the journey, sometimes testing the waters ahead of the crowds, sometimes following, but always eager to learn the latest tools. For me, it's always been about the connections, and about communication. And I believe we have only begun to tap the true power and possibility of this brave new world.

I'm pleased that Andy has asked me to be a contributor to this blog. I will be sharing some recollections of my journey so far, my opinions on where we're going, and some criticisms of those who don't get it (hint: those who think Twitter is an advertising medium will be regular targets of my scorn). And I look forward to your comments on my posts.

You can find links to all my various feeds (blogs, vlogs, podcasts, photostreams, etc.) on my home portal (kengoldstein.ca).  Meanwhile, here are links to a couple of recent blog posts to give you an idea of where I stand:

Social Media Journeys


How has Social Media changed you?

An introduction to this new project.
Imported from my YouTube channel.

If you want to contribute, please get in touch & tell us your own story.
I already have one new contributor.

A beach vlog.

Blog Post - YouTube Is A Social Network

A blog post originally posted on my Moose Musings blog on 25th July, 2010:

Blog post - YouTube is a Social Network

Sorry for the confusion, after my last post. But, i suddenly realised that i'd missed this older post and felt that it needed to be added.
Hopefully, that's the last of the older posts and we can now move onto new ones.

Wednesday 29 September 2010

Where did they come from?

Anyone who might have stumbled upon this new blog. Would probably be wondering why there are already 23 videos and 3 blog posts here. After all, this Social Media Journeys blog was only created a few days ago.

Well, all will be revealed throughout the blog posts that will follow, now that this new blog is up and running properly.

But, a brief explanation is that, all of the posts, below this one,  have been taken from either my YouTube channel , or from my other blog, Moose Musings.

The reason for this is that i have been talking and making videos about Social Media for around 4 years now. And i felt that those videos and blog posts were as valid here as they were on their original channels. I also felt that they are as valid now as they were when they were made.

They cover the same sort of topics that this blog will, hopefully, be covering. And although some of them are a few years old, they are a part of my own social media journey. Looking back on them shows me how far i have come and how much i've learned along the way.

It is always interesting for me to look back on the videos especially and i hope that it might be interesting and possibly valuable to you as well.

We all have to start somewhere and watching somebody elses first faltering steps, on their own social media journey,  can be a very valuable learning experience.

After all, the longest journey starts with just a single step.

Tuesday 28 September 2010

4 Years And Counting.


Originally posted on YouTube on 13th August, 2010.
That was the 4th anniversary of opening my YouTube account.
Some reflections of my time on YouTube.

I actually posted my first video on 25th August 2006:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dSKnhJ...

Blog Post: Vlogging - For Personal Use.

Blog Post - Vlogging For Personal Use

From my blog: http://andymooseman.blogspot.com/
Originally posted on 18th August, 2010.

Blog Post - Social Media And Me.

Blog post - Social Media And Me

Blog post from: http://andymooseman.blogspot.com/
Originally posted on 18th July, 2010.

Blog Post - A Digital Memory Bank

Blog post - Digital Memory Bank

A post from my other blog: http://andymooseman.blogspot.com/
Originally posted on 30th June, 2010.

This is Our Vloggerhood.


Originally posted on YouTube on 19th April, 2007.
This is one of the YouTube videos that i am most proud of.
Collaboration videos are one of the best things about the whole YouTube experience.

A Vlogger's Code.
These are not rules, just ideas and ideals.
It's about responsibility and respect. It's about honour and integrity. It's about entertaining and enlightening.
A collaboration with:
http://www.youtube.com/ohcurt & http://www.youtube.com/thefrozenghost
Music supplied by: www.g-manink.com

andymooseman - The Brand


Originally posted on YouTube on 12th March, 2010.
Are we all becoming a brand?
A beach vlog.

My blog - Moose Musings:
http://andymooseman.blogspot.com/

Sub 4 What?


Originally posted on YouTube on 20th February, 2010.
Talking about subscribers on YouTube.
Another beach vlog.

Re: Social Media - How Connected Are You?


Originally posted to YouTube on 12th November, 2009.
This was another response video. This time to: http://www.youtube.com/user/SunnyDazS...

Socialnomics & Social Media


Originally posted on YouTube on 12th October, 2009.
Some thoughts.
This is a follow up video to "Socialnomics - A Book Review".

Following on from my review of the book:
Socialnomics by Erik Qualman.

Socialnomics - A Book Review


Originally posted on YouTube on 12th October, 2009.

Social Media Revolution video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sIFYPQ...

A review of the book:
Socialnomics by Erik Qualman.

Check out:
http://www.youtube.com/user/Socialnom...

"United Breaks Guitars" video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5YGc4z...

Friends


Originally posted to YouTube on 8th October, 2009.
The evolution of friendships here on the Internet & other related thoughts

Wired


Originally posted on YouTube on 23rd September, 2009.
Thinking about Social Media & Social networking.
A stream of consciousness video.

Blurry.


Originally posted on YouTube on 20th September, 2009.
Real life vs Internet life.
Are the two worlds starting to collide? And how big will you let the bang be?

Crisis Of Faith?


Originally posted on YouTube on 30th August, 2009.
A video inspired by a conversation on Twitter. Inspiration can come from the most unlikely places.

Social Media & It's Use.


Originally posted on YouTube on 11th August, 2009.
A vlog inspired by three blogs/articles i'd recently read.
Have you changed the way you use the Internet & social media.
Does your age determine how you use social media?

A Secret Life?


Originally posted to YouTube on 19th July, 2009.
This was a response to my own "Digital memory bamk" video and to a comment from another YouTuber.
Many of my videos have come from viewers comments and feedback.

Digital Memory Bank.


Originally posted to YouTube on 18th July, 2009.
As with so many other videos, this was inspired by somebody else. On this occasion it was:
http://www.youtube.com/user/atree3

This is her video explaining what she's doing:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lprtC_...

My original AudioBoo about this topic:
http://audioboo.fm/boos/44506-a-digit...

Happy archiving. 

I Like.....Vlogging.


Originally posted on YouTube on 11th July, 2009.
This was a response to a "tag" by a fellow YouTuber. Tagging has been quite popular on YouTube, during my time there.
The title says it all really.

Vlog A Day - Social Networking.


Originally posted on YouTube on 19th February, 2009.
Social Networking - Is that term an oxymoron?
Can Social Networking damage your health?
Discuss.

Are Vloggers Weird?


Originally posted to YouTube on 29th August, 2008.
Why are vloggers not taken as seriously as other communicators?
Vloggers vs Bloggers.
I apologise if you find it hard to distinguish between me saying Vloggers & Bloggers. You may have to listen carefully!
Just some thoughts.

What Is A Vlog?


Originally posted to YouTube on 6th August, 2008.
These are just my own thoughts as to what a vlog really is.
I have recently found out that this videos was quoted and referenced in an academic paper about "Real vlogs": http://firstmonday.org/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/ojs/index.php/fm/article/view/2699/2353

Internet Friendships.


Originally posted on YouTube on 26th January, 2008.
Can Internet friendships ever be real friendships.
This is also the first "beach vlog" included here and does contains some scenes of the sea.

The Global Village.


This video was originally posted on YouTube on 20th September, 2007.
It was inspired by the use of one of my videos, by an English teacher in Bogota, Columbia. Showing how our videos can be seen and affect people around the world.

The Great YouTube Learning Experience.


This video was originally uploaded to YouTube on 21st February, 2007.
It is the 3rd in a series of videos about YouTube and is the follow up to "Are you a secret YouTuber?".

Are You A Secret YouTuber?


This video was originally posted on YouTube on 16th January, 2007.
It was the 2nd in a short series of videos about YouTube and is the follow up to "Are you a YouTube virgin?".

Are You A YouTube Virgin?


This video was originally posted onto YouTube on 11th December, 2006.
The video was posted to try and persuade others to take the plunge and make their own first video for YouTube. It was also the first in a short series of videos i did about my early YouTube experiences.