I love technology and technology loves me. I’m the guy who walks in the room and the computer refuses to do the thing that made you call tech support in the first place. There are more computers than people in my house. I’ve been online longer than most MySpace users have been alive. You would think I have some sort of crazy smart phone, but I don’t. I use a very basic Samsung M300. It’s the free phone you get when you sign up.

Going Mobile

Can you effectively stay connected to social media with a basic cell phone and a generous (unlimited) text messaging plan? Facebook and Twitter have the functionality, but is it still cool, interesting, fun, and effective on a basic phone with a tiny screen and no QWERTY keypad? I’ve set up mobile access to my Facebook and Twitter accounts. Follow me and find out how effective it is.

Why am I doing this? Being a dad takes a lot of my time. My computer time is limited. I’m looking for the pebbles and the grains of sand to squeeze between the boulders. Using public transit means waiting and sitting. When I don’t feel like listening to music or watching a video podcast, I can send tweets and check in with Facebook.

Facebook Text Messaging Options

Send Text to 32665 (FBOOK)

You don’t even have to type in your friend’s full name to send a message, get profile info, poke, write on their wall. You can type just enough to uniquely identify that person. For example, if I wanted to send a msg to Ernesto Brown, I can just enter “msg ernesto b hey, what’s up brownie?”

You can also set up which notifications go to your phone. Currently, I have messages, pokes, and status updates of a few select friends going to my phone.

Twitter Commands

Send texts to 40404

The offical Twitter Commands can be found in their help pages. Twitter is well-suited for text messaging since your tweets need to be 140 characters or less. You definitely want to fine-tune which events trigger a notification. You will get a LOT of text messages if you don’t pare it down to essential information. I only have direct messages going to my phone for now.

A New Paradigm

Accessing email on my phone is an exercise in frustration, but so far, the mobile versions of Twitter and Facebook have been good to me. If you really need to get in touch with me, sending me messages through Facebook and/or Twitter is, in some cases, more effective than calling, emailing, or instant messaging me.

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Disclosure: I am registered as an Independent and I do not officially endorse any particular candidates or advocate for any issues.

People turned out in record numbers to vote early. There were reports of people waiting in line for 4 or more hours. For the last Presidential election, I chose to vote early and wait in line. This time, I requested an absentee ballot and cast my vote in the comfort of my own home. Having my computer beside me allowed me to make even more informed decisions as I filled out the ballot.

The first time I ever voted, I did so out of a sense of obligation. Now I do it because it really does make a difference. Now that I have children to care for, voting becomes even more important to me.

You may feel like your single vote won’t sway the results, but it’s you and like-minded people turning out who make a difference. At every election, there are local issues on the ballot. There are issues on every ballot at the state, county, congressional district, and city levels. As you drill down further, your vote matters even more.

My name is Elliott Kim and I approve this message.

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Celebrate 1/100th of a Century With 21st Century Dad

YI’ve seen several of my blogging buddies let their anniversary (or blogiversary) pass and be followed up with a “I forgot… better late than never.” I swore up and down I wouldn’t miss mine. Guess what happened on October 24th? Nothing! That’s why I’m here today.

Every “blogging expert” tells you not to write any “I’m sorry I haven’t posted lately” posts. I did it once and most of you have too. My posting frequency is down, but I do strive for quality content. What fun is it if you open your feed reader or check your email only to see such a cardinal blogging sin let you down? You can catch up with my random musings on Twitter in between posts. For now, just wait patiently for entertainment, information or a combination of both.

Wherever you stand, you hope to look back and feel good about it. We’ve faced our share of adversity in this household over that period:

• A blog is born
  
• We celebrated a birthday
• We said goodbye to a dear friend

Most viewed posts:

1. Riding My Bike To Save Money
2. How to Prepare for a Baby’s Arrival on a Budget
3. Teaching Teens How To Use Public Transit
4. Get Stuff for Free - Freesource and The Freecycle Network
5. Good Dad or Good Employee. Pick One
6. What Does Social Media Mean To You?
7. Teen Saved From The Pitfalls of Poor Communication Methods
8. High Fructose Corn Syrup Scorecard
   
9. Take Better Photos of Your Children - Use Window Light

There’s only 9 because it’s my blog and I’ll do what I want. If you really care what #10 is, your odds for a correct guess, as of November 2nd, 2008, are 119-to-1.

Top Referring Blogs:

1. Frugal Dad
2. Renee and Elliott
3. Unpredictable Life
4. Parent Hacks
5. 21st Century Parenting
6. Geek Mom Mashup
7. Building Camelot
8. From Mike
9. Thingamababy
10. Mom Is Just A Nickname
11. Dad Thing
12. The Busy Dad Blog
13. TipDad

There are more than 10 blogs listed here because I wanted to be sure to mention Jared, Jim, and Jason. My top-13 is bookended by Jason’s two blogs.

What to Expect in Year 2

This is your blog too. I’m open to suggestions. The comment section below is a great place for you to make your voice heard. Cast your vote here too. A vote in the state of Florida can count and can still make a difference. I already have some ideas for continuing topics and new topics:

Personal Finance - This is a topic I shied away from at first. We already have some great personal finance bloggers out there. I’ve also been a slacker in this department. But I am shaping up.

Photography - I would not be true to myself if I didn’t cover photography. I enjoy taking photos immensely. I am my own worst critic, but have learned to relax. I’ve dipped my toe in the water. This year I’m taking the plunge too.

Personal Accounts - Are you a mommy or daddy blogger? You probably started off trying to share tips, tricks, secrets, and be informative. Then one day, you posted a personal account of parenting and your popularity improved dramatically.

Time Management - The first time I put myself through fiscal rehab, I started to pay more attention to my time. Time is much more finite than money, so you have to manage it to be effective in all areas of your life. I have some time management posts in the works.

Career and Workplace - I am in regular contact with industrial-organizational psychologists through my work. I think about this kind of stuff a lot.

Cooking - Here’s another passion that I’ve been encouraged to channel into blogging. Just like the work I do in the kitchen, I have to massage the written word to be fit for human consumption.

Enjoy Year 2 of this blog!

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