Independence Day

An update:

-I'm finished with my undergrad! I graduated in May and am currently steeped in a job search, which is exciting and scary all at once. I have a few interviews coming up next week-- some more promising than others-- so cross your fingers for me if you have a moment.

-In the meantime, I have an internship at the City of Minneapolis Department of Civil Rights and I am absolutely loving it. I get to assist Department attorneys with discrimination complaints and be a fly on the walls of city hall.

-After watching the film Man on Wire and then reading the book, I decided that I want to learn how to juggle. I told my mum this a week or so ago and when I came home last night I was surprised with a mystery package containing Juggling for the Complete Klutz, complete with a set of beanbags. After my first hourish of practice, I can get three bags going for about fifteen tosses before they inevitably go flying into something fragile or in all directions. I'm really enjoying it so far- it's step one on the long road to wire-walking and it gives me a feeling of accomplishment when I need it most.

-And, because no update is a real update without multimedia, here is a gem that Jason found:

Take a look, it's in a book...

I just got the best Twitterthing ever.

"levarburton Want y'all to know that I'm seriously moving forward with an idea for a new version of a Reading Rainbow like show. Webisodes for adults."

Yes, that's the real LeVar Burton from the real Reading Rainbow. THIS IS THE BEST NEWS I HAVE EVER GOTTEN. I solemnly swear to post updates as they happen. Yeah, you could just follow LeVar on your own, but then you wouldn't need me. That would be tragic.

My second day back, and already a retraction...

All right, apparently jerkbook doesn't own all of our content forever. It's still subject to privacy settings.

"We are not claiming and have never claimed ownership of material that users upload. The new Terms were clarified to be more consistent with the behavior of the site. That is, if you send a message to another user (or post to their wall, etc...), that content might not be removed by Facebook if you delete your account (but can be deleted by your friend). Furthermore, it is important to note that this license is made subject to the user's privacy settings. So any limitations that a user puts on display of the relevant content (e.g. To specific friends) are respected by Facebook. Also, the license only allows us to use the info "in connection with the Facebook Service or the promotion thereof."
-facebook rep

They're working on a formal statement, so keep an eye out. I'm just glad I don't have to agonize over whether to delete my account anymore. <3

More like jerkbook, am I right?

Apparently facebook has changed its Terms of Service. Under the new TOS, they keep the rights to any content you've ever uploaded, even after you've closed your account. I was annoyed enough when they started selling my very desirable demographic information to advertisers, but this is just pretty disgusting.

I would absolutely close my account at this news, but:

A) It wouldn't matter-- they already asserted their right to all of my stuff without asking me.
B) I need facebook. Damn that marvel of technology that allows me to keep in touch with everyone I love.

Oh, well. At least I've kept anything proprietary off of the site so far. However, if you've uploaded any original art/writing/music/videos that you don't want siezed, you may want to take them down... assuming, of course, that Mark Zuckerberg and his army of facebook harpies haven't already stolen them.

Social Media for Dummies

One of my many New Year's Resolutions (yeah, I'm a bit late) is to familiarize myself with every social media outlet possible to make myself irresistably attractive to potential employers, most of whom think that facebook is a magical brainwashing tool that will make my very desirable demographic do anything. Yes, we know better, but my need to learn it all has prompted me to do a couple of very important things.

A) Start this blog back up. Expect to see humor, music/movie/etc. reviews, rants about the news, and lots of stuff about media.

B) Sign up for a Twitter account. I know, it makes me want to cry too. However, there is a happy side! I can follow LeVar Burton, former Reading Rainbow host, and you can follow ME! My mind-blowingly creative username is LRHayden.

Things to Come:
-A review of "Exposed," the School of Design senior fashion show (February 21)
-A review of Jimmy Eat World's tenth-anniversary "Clarity" show in Chicago (February 28)
-Everything I have ever learned about being a young aspiring journalist

Update

I'm here! I started a new job on campus so my free time has been squeezed more than usual. Of course, that hasn't kept me from anything really important.


For example, a couple of friends and I saw genius Jose Gonzalez play at Milwaukee's Pabst Theater over spring break. It was, almost impossibly, better than I had anticipated. He played "Down The Line," my current favorite track from his new album, flawlessly. His encore included his cover of Massive Attack's class "Teardrop," which blew my mind. Then he shook my hand and it was awesome.

Also, Make Me a Supermodel recently wrapped up its first season in the United States. (Bravo showed the UK marathon last week, which was absolutely, completely and in every way off the chain. They managed to make the gayest show on television about a million times more flamboyant.) Anyway, Holly won and there's really no way I can argue with that- girl is a rockstar.

I'm so jealous I might puke.

Fortunately, Season 10 of America's Next Top Model is still going on or I'd have nothing to do. And THE OFFICE IS COMING BACK tomorrow night. I'm off to restock my stapler and give my Dwight bobblehead a wiggle to get psyched up.

Spring Break

I suck at blog maintenance. But I have excuses! Classes have been particularly insane this semester and I'm writing for La Prensa de Minnesota, a bilingual newspaper that covers the Twin Cities. It's a pretty boss setup- my editor, Marco, is fantastic and I'm getting lots of gritty real-world news experience (can we say anonymous sources? Aww, yeah). I also started a new job this week, so time is a pretty limited resource.

But spring break is upon the University of Minnesota and that means I get to return to the fortress in Milwaukee, WI for a week of relaxation, old friends and... paper-writing. Ugh.

Fortunately the springing of spring means more than warmer temperatures and a new season of America's Next Top Model. It means that Ugg boots are slowly but disappearing from the pavement. Thank goodness.

Women of Minnesota, free your feet from these giant burnt marshmallows. The aptly named Ugg boot is now even more impractical (if that's even possible) than it was back in December.
Sadly, the decline of hideous boots coincides with the downfall of pea coats, scarves and everything else I love about winter.

So I'm going to go home and dig some spring clothes out of the basement, sniffling all the while. Since time is on my side this week, I promise to post more over the next few days, including installment two of my Project Runway analysis and all kinds of crazy Milwaukee hijinks.

Everyone stay warm, and kick off the spring awesomely!