3 Places I visit for Video and Image Media

1. Instagram

Instagram has been called, "Facebook for people who can't read." It is a social media site where you can post short videos or pictures for people you know or don't know and follow others that might have the same interests by looking up hashtags others post when posting their video or picture. There is also an option to filter the pictures to bring out the colors or put a unique view on the media. Check out Instagram at https://instagram.com/.




2. YouTube

I love YouTube for the pure fact that I can find ANYTHING on this site. From DIY projects to one of my favorite short cartoons named Llamas with Hats to my professors videos of how to navigate the internet. You can also create a profile and follow your favorite posters, which will notify you when that user has posted a new video. Or you can post videos yourself of pretty much anything you want, as long as you follow the rules. These videos are accessible to the general public unless you want to keep your profile private which is always an option as well. If you're looking for a good laugh, look up Jenna Marbles or Lil Bub at https://www.youtube.com/.



3. Flickr

I must admit, I'm fairly new to the Flickr scene. I feel like this site is an upgraded more organized version of Instagram. It has similar features like photo sharing with other photographers but it also has categories with a "photo of the day" and pictures that had been posted that day from thousands of people in the same area of the world. It also has other galleries such as 20 under 20. This specific gallery shows photos that have been posted by 20 of the youngest most inspirational photographers on Flicker.This site will definitely suck you in if you have the time to look through it. Create an account to follow photographers you love. To check out Flickr, go to https://www.flickr.com/

3 Blogs I'm Interested In Reading Regularly

3 Blogs I'm Interested In Reading Regularly

1. Real Food Liz

 Up until a few years ago, I suffered from migraines that would last months... not kidding. I didn't really seek medical help but it was disrupting my daily activities. I also had a goal to get in the best shape of my life before I hit 30. That's when I discovered Paleo style eating. I started taking the grain out of my diet and my headaches went away. It was the best feeling. I later discovered that I was allergic to whole wheat. It's a very hard allergy to have because it is in almost everything, from food dyes to salad dressings and soft cheeses. I follow the blog http://realfoodliz.com/. Her recipes and suggestions about how to make amazing food with substitutions make my life a little easier. If you dig a little deeper into her blog, she has grain free lotion recipes, because quite a few lotions use wheat to thicken, and podcast available on the topics of how to eat grain free. Check her out and start eating a little cleaner!

2. LifeHacker

I've browsed http://lifehacker.com/ a little in the past but never fully explored what it had to offer till recently. LifeHacker has articles on all types of technology and updates, how-to's for your computer or smartphone, to screen savers. It is kind of like reading a paper that someone with a short attention span may have written because the topics don't flow. I will have to  a little more reading into the posts they have written but I do like how this blog shakes it up a bit by writing about text bars to 'technology to get you mother for mothers day', or how to look up movies more efficiently on your smart phone.

3. Crossfit Journal

Yes I know the reputation that crossfitters have put on the world by talking and obsessing over the training program. I have to admit, I have never felt better in my life after starting his training... end of soap box. I discovered this blog through my crossfit trainer who asked if I had ever thought about being a trainer. There are posts about how to become a certified trainer step by step. It also has blogs about form, training programs, correct form, and why to stay motivated. It is one of the better crossfit blogs I have read because the posts are not by only one writer. There are numerous people posting their stories on this site to help motivate others. For an inspiring read click on http://journal.crossfit.com/. Plus, they have paleo recipes!

3 Safety Suggestions I Need To Follow

I have learned a lot about safety on the web this week. In the past, I believed if no one could see what I was doing, then I was completely safe. I didn't know that someone on the same open network could actually spy and look through my computer, They can collect password, emails, and your identity. Scary. I read through the articles in my CIS 178 class and was very surprised how much I can reduce or even prevent these thing from happening.

1. Using Public Wi-Fi

I wouldn't think twice about using the free Internet at Starbucks. I mean it was great... and free! Getting all my bills paid online, checking bank accounts, shopping, etc. I had no idea that my personal and financial information was out there for the world to see. After reading about the dangers on http://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-avoid-being-hacked-2015-4, I decided to change my ways. I will no longer do my banking, shopping, or even read my email on a public Wi-Fi source. I will do everything from home on secured Wi-Fi, or as secured as I can get.






2. Suspicious Emails and Texts

I actually practiced my safety today. A friend of mine sent a link over text message. In one of the articles I read, people are gaining access to phone numbers and using them to text worms. I instantly text her back and asked if she sent the link. In the past, I would have opened it with out thinking twice. I have also done this with emails. "Click on the link to find out" was a big eye catcher for me. In the link below... if you dare to click... you can see a few of these scams. Some of them are asking for money or say that you are preapproved for a credit card. I received an email the other day saying that I won a free cruise. I noticed that words were misspelled which made my red flags go up. I Googled the company which came up with quite a few reports that it was a scam. You've got to be smarter than the people who are trying to scam you. Don't open the link. Check to see if you know the sender of the email, and you might even want to email the sending to confirm that they did send that email to you. Better safe than sorry.
http://netforbeginners.about.com/od/scamsandidentitytheft/ss/top10inetscams.htm#step-heading






3. Different Passwords

I didn't think about how if I was hacked, and they gained access to my emails, they could also find where I bank, my amazon account name, my school id... which all had the same password. I had to change things. I switched all of my passwords so none of them would be the same. If they hacked into one piece of information, they could not use the same password for another location. As time consuming as this was, I did it for my own safety. To read more about different passwords, click http://www.businessinsider.com/justin-schuh-google-chrome-security-interview-2015-3.

Three Productivity Web Tools

Three Productivity Web Tools

Pinterest

I absolutely adore Pinterest and I use it everyday to organize ideas for school, home, work, etc. Its an easy way to search and upload your own ideas for projects or school work help while keeping it organized on specific boards. You can share your boards with others who can "pin" your ideas on their boards or keep your boards private. I first learned about Pinterest while planning my wedding. I quickly learned that it was an unlimited source of information and ideas while having a way to organize and refer back to with ease. Pinterest is available as an app for your smart phone or as a webpage. To find Pinterest, click on https://www.pinterest.com/.




Evernote 


I first learned about Evernote through my CIS 178 class on http://blog.highperformancelifestyle.net/productivity-tools/. After reading reviews and a description of what this tool can do, I decided to create an account. From the reviews that I read, it seems to be a popular site amongst the people interviewed about organizational tecniques. I can take a picture of what I am trying to remember or write a note and store it in Evernote, where it will file and save the image or note for me until I'm ready to use it. I can later look it up and send it to others. I can also stay organized and send specific notes, pictures, videos to users with this program as well as keep track of ideas plus... it's interactive. Evernote is available as an app for your smart phone or as a web page. To find Evernote, click https://evernote.com/.


Todoist

I read about Todoist on Lifehack.com this week. It caught my attention because of the number of organizational tools that it offers. I browsed through this site and saw that you can set up your "to do" list according to date, priority or name while sharing or exporting and collaborating with others. It seems like it would be a good tool to use in group projects or to just keep yourself organized with school work or in a work setting that consists of projects. I am definitely going to explore this tool. I think it would help keep my school projects as well as daily activities organized. I'm really looking forward to getting to know this tool. To explore Todoist, click https://todoist.com/