Every Wednesday, I share five interesting blog posts that I found around the Internet. This week’s selection is quite eclectic, so hopefully there’s something here for everyone.
We start off with BTR commenting mainstay Ray Ebersole who is in the final stages of earning his Associate of Arts Degree at the State College of Florida. As part of that program, he recently gave an informative speech on sexual assault, discussing some of the different ways that it is studied and reported. One thing that I learned from school was that sample sizes are very important, a concept which Ray explores as well.
Speaking of school, did you find that it was far easier to make friends as a child? You all went to the same class and had the same schedule. As children, you had fewer inhibitions, so you could really open up with one another. Dean J reminds us that we can still make friends as adults by following these same ideas. Leverage your social assets, go to interest groups, and go to the same place at the same time.
The audience is important. That’s why writing for the web can be quite different from writing for a conventional magazine or writing a press release. Mark Nichol reminds us four out of five people typically scan online content rather than read it word by word. This is why using appropriate headlines can be so useful. You should also break up the content into smaller blocks of more easily digestible text.
It’s a topic that I’ve explored before, but Leo Babauta expands on this conversation by looking at the futility of comparing yourself to others. The fact of the matter is that you are probably “comparing your reality to an ideal, a fantasy.” This is because the things that people post on their Facebook profiles are typically just the high points. Instead, you should compare yourself to yourself.
And finally, we have Jeffrey Trull. He has a blog post that’s just in time for the summer travel season (speaking of Facebook updates), outlining some of the lesser-known ways for you to save on airfare on airline fees. We’ve seen how airlines now charge for seat selection, checked bags and even carry-on bags, so it’s important to be mindful of how all these extra charges can add up.
Thanks Michael, I just gave my final speech of the class last night on whether we should allow teachers and staff to carry guns in schools. I have 3 other courses and all will be finished during the summer semester. I have 2 Finals this week, one Thursday through Sunday online and one on campus next Monday evening.
About making friends, I can definitely relate to Dean, as I was a Navy Brat, moving every two years. I had to learn to make friends quickly, which has helped me in my adult life.