Last night while trying to catch up on Google Reader I came across two posts that are completely unrelated, but when brought together in the right context, make a lot of sense.
First up, a clever little "photo of the day" post from Whitney Hess , a UX consultant in NYC. She quickly noted how ridiculous the "wash hands before returning to work" instructions were, but I'm now thinking we need to adapt those instructions for non-foodie related work.
Next, Advergirl is back in the blogging mode with a killer post highlighting the ways personal media consumption can impact the work that we produce.
Given Advergirl's ideas about mixing up the media we consume, maybe washing our hands before work is more relevant than we think. Let me explain.
I've done a lot of things to try and explore media out of my realm, even to the point of watching the Daytona 500 with Libby (with Keystone Light, of course). But I often fall victim to the same industry blogs, client related news feeds and the familiar podcasts. I do these things so that I will be better at my job, but how much good am I missing out on by not stepping out of my boundaries more often? I've never been one to play it safe, but when my "catch up on the interwebs" time is cut shorter everyday, it's not always easy to venture away from the go-to blogs or news channels.
That being said, I'm going to start washing my hands [of familiar media] before work. Before writing new posts. And, gasp, even before catching up on daily LOLCats. The familiar is great, but these two posts have reminded me that even a few minutes on a website, or with a magazine or video clip that I'd never thought I'd stumble upon can have a huge impact on the way I address projects and view the world.
So let's start now. This week I will watch the local 10pm news, watch a prime time television show in its natural form (not iTunes), and listen to my dad's favorite talk radio station. I know it's not going to put me inside the shoes of someone else, but it's a start and it's important to be aware of all the options. I'm curious to know some of the things you might to do mix up your media. Do tell!
4 comments:
I don't know if this counts, but I am planning on watching the Watchmen. I'm not a graphic novel enthusiast, but I think I was in another life, because for some strange reason I am drawn to this movie. So maybe it doesn't count as something outside of my normal media mix... I can't tell.
So, who wants to channel their inner comic book nerd and eventually go to see this in the IMAX with me and drink beer?
@alicia: IN!
I'm going to set my homepage to a portal--MSN or Yahoo, I can't bear AOL--and read the headlines from there.
When I worked for Toughest Cowboy (the reality TV show) I belonged to three social networks and at least 15 forums for rodeo fans. Needless to say, I was way out of my comfort zone.
Thanks so much for including me in your post! Glad you enjoyed the silly sign.
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