Month: June 2014

Posted in Technology

The Extensive Powers of Social Media Networks

Posted on by melissaburgess

So last night I was thinking about social media. Lots of people will be quick to point out the negative aspects of it; to say we’re “addicted” or “obsessed” with technology and social media. Those people will also point out things like “catfishing” and other deceptive situations. But there are so many wonderful things about social media networks, including Facebook, Twitter and Tumblr. The possibilities are truly endless. Here’s five benefits that I can see with these such networks. While each of these may have negative bits attached, I think they’re generally positive.

  • Starting a conversation about literally any topic. This is especially true of Twitter and Tumblr, where a conversation between two people can spark and develop into a conversation between 10, 100 or even 1,000 people — and it can be about any topic. Whether you want to talk about how that hockey game went last night, what that celebrity was wearing this morning, how it’s the anniversary of a book release, what you thought of that movie the other day or literally ANY other topic, you’re almost guaranteed to find someone else out there who can talk about that, too. The expansive wealth of topics for conversation on any social media network is ever-changing and constantly expanding. It’s a nonstop conversation.
  • A marketplace for sharing artwork, writing, ideas. Draw something neat? Share it. Snap an amazing photo during your vacation? Share it. Write something and need opinions on it? Share it. Social media is a great marketplace by which people can share any materials they’ve created. It’s a great way to start getting your work – and your name – out there and get people to notice your work and share it with others.
  • Finding like-minded others across the world. One of the great things about social media is that it allows you to connect with people from all around the world. No matter what your interests are, you’re bound to find someone else out there who likes the same thing you do or has a similar opinion about something as you. I have met a lot of wonderful people through social media who have similar interests to myself; the difference is that we all live around the world, but are able to come together in one place on the Internet, and I think there’s a certain beauty in that. We all live our own lives – working, going to school, maintaining other friendships and relationships – and we all come from these completely different places, joined together by a common interest, on social media. It’s also a great way to delve deeper into a topic you’re interested in and learn more from others who are more involved or experienced in that field.
  • The ability to stay connected with friends and family — or even to find them. How many stories have we heard about people who have connected with long-lost siblings or relatives through Facebook or other social media? It’s also a wonderful way to stay connected with someone after they’ve moved away for a new job or to attend college, gotten married, etc. So many people are on social media nowadays; all you need is a name and a general idea of their location and you’ll be able to contact them. Not only does social media allow us to create relationships with people around the world, it allows us to stay connected with friends and family worldwide. Of course, reading someone’s Facebook status shouldn’t be a substitute for a phone call or in-person visit, but it’s a nice way to keep tabs on each other in between visits or phone calls.
  • A venue by which people can share their opinions and have open debates. If you have strong opinions about anything, there is probably someone on social media who is willing to debate with you about it. Whether it’s a political issue, environmental issue, something in the news you want to talk about, or even a controversial sports play, there’s bound to be someone out there with an opposing viewpoint who’s willing to chat — and I think that’s a great thing. Social media allows us to connect with others who share our opinions as well as those who don’t, taking us out of our “box” and pushing us to consider the opinions and thoughts of others. Yes, there’s going to be those people who harass others for their opinions, but I’m talking about healthy debates, a healthy sharing of ideas and opinions.

So next time you’re thinking about social media, be sure to consider all the wonderful opportunities it offers people — this is just the tip of the iceberg.

Posted in Travel & Experiences, Uncategorized

Being a Tourist In Niagara Falls

Posted on by melissaburgess

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Sometimes, it’s fun to do “tourist” things in a city you may have been to a handful of times already; maybe even being a tourist in your hometown could be fun. It gives you a chance to see things from a different perspective, try out some other/new/different things, and see your city from the eyes of a visitor.

I’ve lived my entire life in Buffalo. I’ve been going to Niagara Falls since I was a kid – it’s only about a half-hour drive up from downtown Buffalo. Sometimes, I think I’ve gotten used to it, and then other times I’m struck by the fact that my house is less than 30 miles from this amazing thing that puts roughly 3,160 tons of of water over the Falls every SECOND and produces over 4 million kilowatts of electricity for the United States and Canada.

It’s easy to forget just how incredible that is… but wow, it’s incredible when you really think about it. So yes, it’s certainly fun to take a tourist-y trip up there every once in a while.

A few weeks ago, I took my father up there to celebrate Father’s Day. He hadn’t been to the Falls in years, so it was something different for him; here’s what we did.

First off, let me note that there is plenty of parking in the area, but be prepared to fork over a good couple of bucks. When we went, the official State Park lot was full (that’s usually where I park, but this WAS a beautiful Saturday afternoon.) So we parked in a lot not far from there, still in a convenient location…. but it was $20 for the day! I think that’s a little crazy, and I especially didn’t like how the lot didn’t have signage out in front, so you only found out once you had already pulled in and had five cars waiting behind you that you were expected to fork over the $20. What choice do you have then?

Anyways, I digress. It was an absolutely beautiful Saturday morning, the sun was shining and no clouds in sight. We started off the day by walking around Niagara Falls State Park for a bit, eventually making our way to the Maid of the Mist ticket booths. It’s currently running at $17 per adult, which I found quite affordable. It’s truly a unique experience that you’ll never be able to get any other way, so for that price….. it’s not bad.

For those who have never done the Maid of the Mist before, here’s how it goes. Buy your ticket, go through the turnstile, and take the elevator up to the observation deck. This is a great view in and of itself; look to one side and see the Falls, look across and see the Canadian side of Niagara Falls, look to your other side and you’ll see the Rainbow Bridge and the Niagara Gorge. You can stay up there as long as you’d like, but don’t stay too long – the real adventure awaits!

Once you’d had enough of the observation deck, you take an elevator all the way down to the dock area of the Maid of the Mist. Wait in line, hand in your ticket, get your poncho, and (eventually) board the boat. It’s a 20-minute ride and no matter where you are on the boat, I can guarantee two things: 1) you’ll get a great view and 2) you’re going to get wet. Even on the lower deck, you’ll still get wet. Don’t think you can avoid it — trust me, you can’t.

The ride is a short but incredible one, taking you by the American Falls, the Horseshoe Falls and the Canadian Falls and back around. It’s so difficult to describe it in words — it’s just breathtaking to get that close. Everyone, particularly those who live in WNY, needs to do the Maid of the Mist at least once in their lifetime. I’ve been fortunate enough to do it twice (2012, 2014) and I’d like to do it once more and try to convince my mother to go. And for those who might be scared — you’ll be so fascinated by the Falls that it’ll be hard to think about anything else.

After doing the Maid of the Mist, we walked across the Rainbow Bridge to Canada. If you’re going to do this, make sure you: a) have proper ID to get into Canada and back into the United States b) take a photo at the border line c) have 50 cents for the toll you’ll pay on the way back to the States.

Lunch at the Hard Rock Cafe was good, with live outdoor music being played just feet away. (A bit loud for my taste, but that’s certainly the aura of any Hard Rock.) Poutine was good, but not the best I’ve ever had. We also walked up to Clifton Hill and did a bit of sightseeing and shopping before going on the Niagara Skywheel.

I’ve been to Clifton Hill plenty of times, but this was my first time doing the Skywheel. It was an incredible view of the Falls; I could also see downtown Buffalo from the top! I had hoped to get a glimpse of Toronto’s skyline in the other direction, but that didn’t quite work out. Either way, it’s a pretty neat tourist attraction and I can certainly see why it’s so popular.

A walk back over the Rainbow Bridge and a drive back to Buffalo completed our trip. It was a nice little tourist day in Niagara Falls, a beautiful Saturday in June and overall, a good experience that I’d certainly recommend.

Posted in A Better You, Uncategorized

Your Morning Links to Brighten Your Monday

Posted on by melissaburgess

Happy Monday, everyone! Today is the beginning of a new week; anything is possible today. Who knows what could happen in the next seven days? Start things off right by taking a deep breath, getting focused and preparing to charge in the week that lies ahead. Here’s some links for further reading to get you started off this week.

Angie is just four years old and she’s already making a splash on the Internet — you see, she makes dresses out of construction paper and tape. You might be envisioning some craft day horror, but these are legitimate. Many of them are modeled after high-fashion dresses seen on the runway or on red carpets, and they’re pretty amazing. Especially when you recall that she’s just FOUR YEARS OLD. [Huffington Post]

Want to get your mind going this morning? Here’s a blog post from Marc and Angel on 40 questions everyone is afraid to ask. Why not check it out and start by asking yourself even one of those questions today? Write about it. [Marc and Angel]

Anyone who’s a bit of a history nerd like me will enjoy this Soldiers and Sailors database, which contains information about those who served in the Union and Confederate armies during the Civil War. There’s all sorts of information on this website, and it’s really interesting (or at least, it is to me) to just browse through even a bit of it. [National Park Service]

Last night, the annual Tony Awards were held at Radio City Music Hall in New York City. Miss the winners? Here’s the full list, and here’s a CBS video of some of the highlights of the show.

Finally, here’s 10 infographics and cheat sheets that will make your life a little bit easier. Isn’t that handy?!

Dictionary.com’s Word of the Day: strident.

Happy Monday!

Posted in Movies, Reviews, Uncategorized

On Books and Their Film Adaptations

Posted on by melissaburgess

On the eve of the release of the film “The Fault in Our Stars,” I’ve elected to re-read the book one more time. This has always been a habit of mine — read the book before the film, and usually read it once more right before I go see the movie.

Here’s how I see it. The first time I read a book, it’s a completely new experience. I know nothing about the characters and rely solely on the author’s descriptions and my own mind to shape how I envision them. I don’t know what happens in the book, how it ends or who dies or who moves away or anything else like that. It’s a pure experience, and there are many books that I wish I could go back and read for the first time again.

When a book is becoming a movie, I start to see trailers of it online and elsewhere. I start to see photos of the actors and actresses in their parts, see clips of different scenes and piece it all together in my head. It starts to align the written version of the story with this other version that’s being put together in front of us. Then, when I go to read the book once more before I see the film, it almost becomes a jumble. I read the descriptions of the characters and try to see if they match up with what I’ve seen in the previews for the film. I hold on to the purity that the book has, savoring every word and enjoying it because I know that once I’ve seen the film, my experience in reading the book will change.

Once I see that film, it will become a challenge for me to read the book the same way. My perspective will be different. Instead of seeing my own visions of what the characters look like, I’ll start to see them as they appear in the film. I’ll start to notice the differences, the things that were left out or changed for the big screen. It may even anger me or upset me. I know the movie company and everyone involved has done their best possible job to maintain as much as they can of the book, but even so, it can’t be exactly the same.

Now, as I re-read TFIOS before going to see the film, I find myself reading it and wondering how they’ll do this scene or that one; will they keep this part in, or edit it out? Have they really captured the true essence of Augustus Waters’ personality? What does the author of An Imperial Affliction actually look like? Can they do this scene justice, or will it become a hurried moment, kept in for the reader’s sake but rushed through due to time constraints? There are so, so many questions, but I guess for now, I have to focus on enjoying the book one last time in this way, because in the future, I’ll still enjoy it, but not in the exact same way as I do now.

Posted in Travel & Experiences

A Traveler’s Thoughts on…. Traveling

Posted on by melissaburgess

Every time I travel, I’m struck with the same line of thinking.

First, it’s amazing to me that I can hop on a bus and travel a couple hours with a group of complete strangers, and we’re all traveling for our own unique purposes. I think there’s a certain beauty in that. Of the 40-some odd people on this Greyhound bus traveling down the highway, how many are headed home, and how many are going off to some wonderful vacation or trip? How many are headed towards a final destination, and how many are simply headed to a crossover, a layover along the way? We’re all on our own journeys, but for this moment – whether it’s an hour or six hours – we’re all going in the same direction.

And we’re all going for different reasons. A handful may be off on a vacation, while others are tidied up for a business or work-related trip. Someone may be headed to visit family members they haven’t seen in ages; to celebrate a wedding or a birth, or to mourn at a funeral. Others may be on the journey returning home from such events. I find the beauty in that; we’re all here for different purposes and at different points along our own individual maps, but this is the point where we all intersect.

When we reach our destination, we’ll all be headed off in our own directions, and it’s likely that I’ll never see most of these people again in my lifetime, unless our paths somehow happen to cross. Some will continue their journey with a whole new set of companions on the next leg of the trip, while for others, this is the end of the line. Either way, this journey is ours together, for this moment.

I’m also struck with the fact that while I’m off to visit a city that may be hundreds of miles from home, I’m a tourist; a visitor, a temporary occupant. But there are people who have made lives there, who have constructed a paradigm and grounded themselves in this spot, whereas I’m just a fleeting pushpin on that spot of the map.

While I’m basking in the glory of the tourist attractions like the Capitol Building and all the memorials in DC, there are people who live here daily. I wonder if, to them, walking by these attractions is no big deal anymore. I wonder if they see the White House and think “Yep, that’s there,” whereas I pass and think “Wow! How incredible! The PRESIDENT lives there!” That goes for any city. I wonder if the people who live in Pittsburgh every day truly appreciate the majestic beauty of the yellow bridges and the three rivers; I wonder if the people in Toronto recognize the beauty of that skyline and all the amazing things it holds, etc.

That makes me wonder, then, what I could be missing about my own hometown. Do I appreciate it the same way that tourists may? Or do they see something else, something deeper, that has simply become ingrained in my mind due to living here for so long?