Earthquake Relief 2011

The news of the earthquake was a relief because it meant that for once, the room wasn’t shaking for just me.

 

Tags: earthquake, earthquake 2011, earthquake NJ

Gray Area

The pale, flour-white sun hangs by a wire over the still waters of the evening bay. In a warm state of gray and ivory, half silhouetted by an overcast 6pm sky, I refuse to believe it is the same sun I’d seen before. The same sun that baked my skin at the beach, when it was young and glared over the ocean. It’s not the same one in the pictures sent from my vacationing relatives in Tahiti. Big, red, heat-heavy, hanging in the background, staying perfectly still and lighting the clouds just right. Posing until the picture was taken, alongside my fat, pale white cousins. So picture perfect, that it could be a postcard. Actually, it was a postcard. The people who I consider to be wading in the shallow end of the family’s gene pool thought their chubby smiles in paradise looked so perfect, that they had the picture made into a postcard, just to send to me in heather gray-skied New Jersey.

This sun in front of me now isn’t the same sun as in those Corona commercials. This sun, homely and lukewarm, has much more character. This is the kind of skyscene you could sit down to have tea with. Have a polite conversation with. A bit more reserved than the “HEY GUYS I’M THE SUN. WANNA HANG OUT, PLAY VOLLEYBALL?” type of light that gets all the airtime and brochure covers. The sun today would be more likely to sit across from me in a cafe, cross its legs and say “Hey. So, it’s not really warm enough to go outside. Kinda overcast. What are you going to do?”

“Well,” I’d say and pause for a moment. This kind of weather calls for a slight stint of self examination. “I think I’m going to write.” Then I’d take a sip of my coffee, in this metaphorical cafe with this personified sun. But since that scene is hypothetical and this weather is weighing my eyes down, I reach for my real coffee and take a sip instead as I drive home along the bay. The coffee is warm. It’s some rare Guatemalan blend with an oak wood color. I let it linger in my mouth to see if I can taste any hint of the South American sun. Then I realize I couldn’t find Guatemala on a map if I had to, and that it’s probably in Central America. But South American sun sounds better so I swallow and pretend to taste the warmth. I look back into the pale, blue-gray eyes of the sky over the bay and wonder what coffee grown under this sun would taste like. Probably more like tea.

Tags: coffee, Gray Area, Guatemala, Just Write, prose, sun, writing

Just Write.

My fingertips struggle to write the words.  Swimming, pushing, struggling through latex gloves filled with thickening rubber cement, dried out from weeks of typing on a desk, penless. My  mind feels frosted over from a long winter, chilly with spreadsheets and tags, emails and formalities, and barely a single ray of sun-kissed creativity has broken through the bleak white winter ceiling. But inspiration calls to me from the same colorlessness of the white page and a whisper of a thought: Just Write.

It’s been a busy couple of weeks, and I just saw the new “Just Write” full-screen update to WordPress. This post was half inspired by the update, and half by the heat of June warming my fingers up. Another Just Writepost inspired by today’s gray Sunday evening coming soon.

Tags: Just Write, writing

Grammargasm on This Week’s Triple Dub

On this week’s very much late Weekly Web Wrap-up, we go back to last weeks posts which for one reason or another all centered around grammar, writing, and other word-related gems. So many of my friends liked the term “grammargasm” to describe these posts that I had to put it in the title; give the people what they want, as they say.

HEY. Woah, wait. Didn’t this blog used to be called something else?

Yep. It did used to have another title. A wordy, slightly generic title (see, it was so generic, you don’t even remember what it was called) which slightly misrepresented this blog’s content, and made me feel like every post had to be about writing and only writing. So, now that it’s officially been re-imagined as Presto Writes, I’m going to post and write about a wider range of topics. Social media, music, writing, culture (web culture mostly), blogging, etc.

Things We Say Wrong

This video will make you very self conscious about how you speak, unless you have very firm footing with your grammar. Also, I want this man as an add-on in Microsoft Office instead of that little paper clip.

My BFF just told me “TTYL” is in the dictionary. LMAO.

OMG kids these days and their crazy texting slang. It is good that new, relevant words are being added to the dictionary, but I  like don’t encourage kids (namely my 15 year old brother) to get into the habit of abbreviating everything. Although, I did witness my friend ROFL once. True story.

http://blog.oup.com/2010/09/noad3/

Merriam-Webster Ask the Editor — Doozy

Oh, Merriam-Webster, you make me miss my OED subscription I had during college!

Krista Vernoff “Commit to Thrive”

Inspiring, true, and very well stated. Watch and digest.

And a little bonus nugget for you literature-minded lover of words,
Howl the Movie with James Franco as Allen Ginsberg.

HOWL

Tags: ask the editor, Commit to Thrive, doozy, Grammargasm, How James Fanco, Howl Allen Ginsberg, Howl movie, Krista Vernoff, Merriam-Webster, Things we say wrong, WhatYouOughtToKnow

NJ Connect Panel: Collaborate, Experiment, and Follow the Leaders

Experiment with different sites and services. Keep an eye out for upcoming sites and be an early adopter of platforms you find useful.

Follow the leaders.

Pay attention to what successful social media campaigns do, and use them as a springboard for ideas on your own strategies for creatively driving your content.

Bloggers are very social creatures. Seize any opportunities you can for guests posts, linking, or cross promotion with like-minded bloggers, or bloggers in your field. And always be sure to include tools for others to share your content across their networks.

Thank you to the organizers of NJ Connect for having me on the panel! Follow me at @HelloPresto, or connect to me through SocialMediaChef.net

Click here to view my presentation on Using Social Media to Get You Message Out from the beginning!

This Week on the Triple Dub

The Triple Dub is short and sweet this week folks. But don’t panic, they’ll be more coming your way next week. Promise.

Warning: 20% coffee remaining

Clever, yet frighteningly accurate.

I posted this on Facebook around 2:00pm on Monday, and all my fellow office-working, caffeine addict friends liked and reposted it. This may be a very accurate depiction of my personal energy after a full week, or at 2pm on a busy Monday.

Museum of Modern Art Acquires the @ Symbol

http://artnews.com/issues/article.asp?art_id=3017

This was an article shared with me by the always artistic JenBrown. I read an article earlier this year about the MOMA trying to acquire it, but I much prefer this one because it offers some more explanation of why the museum is getting the symbol, the thinking behind it, and the implications of  the whole endeavor. But I won’t spoil it with lengthy, wordy sentences; just read the article for yourself @ artnews.com.

Velociraptor-free Workplace

I can’t tell you how tempted I am to hang this by my desk at work. I probably will. I mean, our workplace has been Velociraptor-free for at least 24 days, and that deserves some signage.

That’s all for this week folks. There was some buzz about the new Google Instant search this week, some clever fictional business cards, and even more cleverly designed 404 pages that are worth mentioning. You can also check out a new post at The Social Media Chef on how Twitter was super useful in the hands of Monmouth County locals during a blackout.

Tags: 20% coffee remaining, 404 pages, coffee, coffee addiction, Google Instant search, MOMA, moma @ symbol, social media chef, the social media chef, Triple Dub, velociraptor, Velociraptor-free, weekly web wrap-up

This Week’s Triple Dub – Weekly Web Wrap-up

Music, memes, HTML5, and social media mayhem this week on the Weekly Web Wrap-up. But before we get into all that, let’s start out nice and easy with a minimalistic site around a simple idea:

RainyMood.com

For those like me who like a good rainy day, there’s RainyMood.com. The site plays a high quality 30 minute loop of rain and a little thunder, and that’s it. Clean layout, options to share, simple, and no umbrella required.

The Wilderness Downtown

The band Arcade Fire and the folks at Google have whipped up what many are calling the first example of what HTML5 can really do. I just call it awesome. Type in the address of where you grew up, and Google maps incorporates your childhood right into the video in a surprisingly smooth way. A very cool experiment, but make sure you run the site in Google Chrome to make sure it works properly.
http://thewildernessdowntown.com/

Fictionaut

Fictionaut is a new social network for writers and readers of short fiction. Which just so happens to be my cup of tea. The site is still closed to the public, but I managed to snag 1 of 100 invites from Mashable (thanks Mashable!). I have to be honest, I haven’t gotten to really explore the site as much as I’d like to yet. But this being a writing blog, expect a full review of the site after I wonder around it thoroughly.
http://www.fictionaut.com

Ping

So, this week we’ve seen music, we’ve seen social networks, and now we see a new music social network from Apple. As a new part of iTunes 10, Ping lives right along your music library and purchases and allows you to share what your listening to, as well as follow your friends and favorite artists (or so Apple says). Does it do all that? Not really. You can’t actually share what your listening to, searching for your friends is hit or miss (along with the ability to add Facebook friends being removed), and the number of artists you can follow is still only around 12, as far as I can see. Most people using the feature are echoing the same disappointed buzz, but we’ll give it more than a few days before we shoot it down. I think the feature has a lot of potential, and I can only hope it ends up functioning as smoothly as Rdio.com, only without the subscription fee.
http://www.apple.com/itunes/ping/

A Guide to Internet Memes

Last but not least, a brief infographic-style guide to internet memes. A great initial explanation to someone unfamiliar with the term, but a bit basic for you seasoned interweb junkies (protip: get your un-ending meme fix at  KnowYourMeme.com). My favorite meme of the moment: Inception memes.
http://www.onlineuniversity.org/a-guide-to-internet-memes

And speaking of Inception…

BONUS: hitREcord.org

From the mind of Joseph Gordon-Levitt

Joseph Gordon-Levitt who recently starred in Inception also has what he calls a “fully professional, open, collaborative production company.” I call it awesome, and a great thing for a big time actor to be doing.

What’s your favorite internet meme of all time?

Tags: apple ping, arcade fire, fictionaut, hirecord.org, Joseph Gorgon-Levitt, memes, ping, rainymood.com, the wilderness downtown

The Weekly Web Wrap-up (aka, the Triple Dub)

So here’s the deal.

I work, play, and basically live on the internet. And in my day-to-day, I come across a lot of things that I think my social network will like. So, I post these videos/pictures/articles/little-bundles-of-win on Facebook, and typically get a very positive reaction. After a few months of frequent posting, someone suggested that I keep a list of all the tid-bits I post so people can browse them at their leisure. And so, a weekly post is born. Every Friday, I’m going to post the best/most popular items that I come across and a little blurb with my 2 cents, just in case you missed it the first time. I’ll also probably come up with a catchier tag-line for these weekly posts, but for now it’s just the

WWW (Weekly Web Wrap-up, aka, the Triple Dub)

But Preston, this is new and different! I thought this was a blog about writing, and only writing?

Well that’s a good point, anonymous, italicized commenter. This is a good time to mention that this blog will be changing gears a little bit, and will have a new name and feel fairly soon. The blog as you’ve known it so far, Writings of a Writer that has featured mostly writing pieces will be morphing into the new blog, tentatively called Presto Writes! Presto Writes! will still have all the writing you’ve come to know and love, but will also have a little more variety in the posts, which means more frequent posts. So stay tuned for that.

Without any further ado, (what is ado, anyway?) I bring you the best web nuggets I dug up this week:

Scott Pilgrim Vs The Matrix

Ah, one of my old favorite movies meets one of my new favorite movies. One of the most masterful mash-ups I’ve seen.

College Curriculum Requires Undergrads to Play Video Game “Portal”

Hello and welcome to the Education Enrichment Cent- I mean college. For anyone who has played portal, you know you wish you went to this college. For those who haven’t played, I can only describe the game as well written, delightfully challenging, witty, and relatively short. A perfect requirement before sending tomorrow’s minds out into the real world.

Deadmau5 Crashes Japanese Ham Site via Facebook

Yeah, you read that right. Most of my tid-bits are things that are posted on sites like Mashable, Neatorama, Buzzfeed, etc. But this next little bit of awesome is something I witnessed first hand. Musical artist Deadmau5 posted a link to what appears to be a Japanese ham site on his Facebook page…
Minutes later, his status was flooded with comments saying the site was down. Well, could it have been from tens of thousands of his fans clicking the link? Later that day, the plot (and the lols) thickened…

Kudos to you Joel, and congrats on scoring the spot as the house artist at the MTV VMAs this year.

Speaking of Awesome Music:

(you like that silky-smooth segway) You should head over to my little music Tumblr, The Antifreeze. I just posted a little piano remix of Faxing Berlin, and you’ll probably like it.

A Meeting of Creative Minds

on Red Bank Green

This article was posted on Red Bank Green, covering a meeting of the newly formed group, Red Bank Creative. I attended this event, so trust me when I tell you that the group is filled with a more than a handful of creative minds and talented artists. If you live in the Red Bank area, check it out!

Until Next Week, Folks. Happy Friday.

What’s the most interesting thing you found on the web this week? Leave a comment, and it could end up in next week’s Triple Dub.

Tags: deadmau5, deadmau5 crashes ham site, portal, presto writes!, preston porter, red bank, red bank creative, scott pilgrim, scott pilgrim vs the matrix, scott pilgrim vs the world, Triple Dub, weekly web wrap-up

Post-It Poetry

I recently started a community driven poetry blog called Post-It Poetry.

The idea is this: write a short poem on a post-it note, take a picture, send it to postitpoem@gmail.com, and it is posted to the blog for all to enjoy. Author names is optional, creative pen names are encouraged, as are titles for the poems. Read more at http://postitpoems.wordpress.com

Become a fan and submit poems via Facebook

Tags: blog, poems, poetry, writing

5 Things I’ve Learned From Lady Gaga

I’ll just come right out and admit it; over the last few months, I have become a Lady Gaga fan, aka a “Little Monster” (along with some of my fellow bloggers *cough* Matt Chevy).  If you’re unfamiliar with who Lady Gaga is, please come out from that rock you’re under.  She’s become immensely popular, which for me is usually a sign that I would never enjoy her music.  I’ve never been a real big fan of pop music, and didn’t much care for “Poker Face” when I first heard it.  But I heard other songs by her, saw some of the extravagant outfits she wears, watched her perform on TV, and eventually saw an interview.

Wow.  A truly genuine, truly original, truly hard working, truly devoted and strangely alluring artist.  Emphasis on artist.  I was quickly converted to a Little Monster.

After listening to her two albums, watching and reading many interviews, and seeing her live in Radio City Music Hall, I’ve learned some things I definitely didn’t expect to from someone who “wants your bad romance“

To me, these things apply to me as a blogger, as a writer, and as a person setting off into the first year of their career.

They can probably apply to you and some aspect of your life as well.

1. Love What you Do

There’s really only one place to start: doing what you love.  Gaga may have gained her massive popularity over the last year or so, but that success represents a lifetime of work.  From a young age, Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta was passionate about music- so that’s what she did.  Practicing piano from age 4, went to school to study music, and spent years playing at open mic nights and dive bars (you can read the full details of her back story here). Gaga spent her entire life working towards her goals, putting in the effort endlessly because she was doing what she loves.  We all can’t be incredibly successful pop stars, but we can always follow what we love, and be true to ourselves, no matter our individual situation.  You may not have your dream job, you may not be where you want to be quite yet, but don’t let your passions go.  Start a blog about what you love, start a web comic, start writing more.  Replace time spent watching TV with doing something you’re passionate about.  Try it.

2. Be Your Authentic Self

Everything Lady Gaga does is about individuality.  Her most recent tour is called “The Monster Ball” tour.  Gaga said, “I don’t care what people think about me, I care what they think about themselves.”  The idea of the Monster Ball was to create a free environment where her fans could be themselves and release their inner freak, and not feel self-conscious.  It worked.  The show I went to one of the shows on this tour and saw some of the most unique “outfits” I’ve ever seen.  I’ve never seen l so much leather, sequins, duct tape, flashing lights, tin foil, confidence and charisma in one place.
Now translate this into your online/professional identity.  Granted, you shouldn’t wear this to your next job interview or change you LinkedIn picture to something with lots of leather and glitter, but be authentic.  Worry less about forging a bland personal brand, and spend more thought in developing your own unique style and skill set.  Bring your own blend of flavors to whatever you do.  We’re all individuals, so why work against what you’ve already got going for you that makes you stand out?

3. Filter Criticism

We’ve all heard some pretty extreme rumors about Lady Gaga.  When asked how she deals with all the scrutiny, she responded “Only value the opinion of those that you respect.”  Short and sweet.

4. Hate Money

Okay, maybe hate is a strong word; we all have to pay the bills and buy coffee now and again. During her show at Radio City Music Hall, Gaga said “Do you know what the 2nd thing is that I hate most?  Money.  I hate money.”  In the beginning to her song Teeth, she says “Don’t want your money, (that shit’s ugly)”  It was rumored that she spends all her money on her shows.  When asked about it, she said “Yeah,” without hesitation.  “Ask my manager,” she said chuckling.  “I’d much rather have the biggest show on Earth than the best house..”  An article in January estimates that the Monster Ball Tour “lost $4 million.”  They say lost, I say cost; either way, Lady Gaga values what she loves over money.  What’s the point of being rich if you’re not pursuing what you love?

The takeaway here is that many of us (myself included) loose sight of what they truly love in pursuit of money. Work a job making less money doing something you love, instead of a high paying job you hate going to every day.
Gaga did mention the thing she hates the most, even more than money: the truth.

5. Make the Lie True

In an interview with Fuse after being asked when she decided to fully become “Gaga” instead of Stephanie, she replied “It’s sort of like a mantra.  You know, you repeat it to yourself every day: music is my life, music is my life, the fame is inside of me, I’m going to make a number one record, with number one hits.  And it’s not yet; it’s a lie.  You’re saying a lie over and over and over again.  And then one day, the lie is true.”  She announces at her shows, “People say Lady Gaga is a lie, and they are right. I am a lie. And every day I kill to make it true.” She’s also said “I operate from a place of delusion… I want people to walk around delusional about how great they can be – and then to fight so hard for it every day that the lie becomes the truth.”

Although this an extreme example of goal setting, it does stress the point that to accomplish your goals, you have to have a clear vision of what you’re trying to achieve, and you have to be infinitely positive and confident about reaching that goal. This post will get 100 comments, this post will get 100 comments.  One of them will be from Gaga.

Thoughts, comments? What life lessons have you taken away from a musician or their music?

Tags: advice, blogging, career, Lady gaga, life lessons, writing