Review : The New Myspace

What do you get when you mesh Spotify, Instagram, Pandora, and your favorite flavor of social news articles into one? If played right, it could be this year’s biggest social network extravaganza - and don’t call it a comeback. I am not ashamed to admit that I am one of the seemingly few people I know who are currently using The New Myspace, a heavy attempt at a revitalization-non-revitalization of a social network aimed for a more cozy and pleasant experience, not only for your average social networker, but also for the aspiring and established artists of the world.

At first glance, The New Myspace was very confusing. Even after skimming the built in tutorials that the website offers you after first login, I still found myself questioning “where do I find [this] or [that]?”, or even “how do I go back to my own personal page?”. This is where I see positives and negatives. The New Myspace offers a completely different interface and navigation than most of the social networks I’m used to. For instance, most of the scrolling comes from going left to right, rather than up or down. Unless you’ve moved to Windows 8 as your primary operating system, this is already a pretty big mind muscle to exercise. After time, however, I started to enjoy this more. I feel this offers a cleaner user experience, and less loading is involved than usual. Will people adapt well to this though? The first thing that comes to mind is the seemingly endless rants I find on my Facebook new feed when the company makes even the smallest tweak to their interface. To get past step one, I feel that the future users of The New Myspace need to keep an open mind, and be willing to want to find out the answer, even if the end result means finding out how to complain about it on the site itself.

So let’s get to features. What makes The New Myspace better than the existing competitors? Well, besides a different and arguably better interface, there are tons of great features packed within every area. Let’s start with the best - music. Isn’t that what Myspace is all about anyway? I remember a time when I could go to Myspace to stream any and every song I wanted right then and there. And then, seemingly out of nowhere, Spotify came into existence. Spotify has a great niche to getting the music you want hear without going through tons of overly extravagant and disgustingly colorful ads about acne, and The New Myspace definitely took notes. When searching for music, movies, people, etc all that needs to be done is typing what you want. Where? Anywhere. That’s right, no search bar or button necessary. There is no specific place you have to be to search for whatever is on your mind. Do I like it? I love it. This takes getting used to, but I feel overall is a wonderful concept. When it comes to your mind, type it out and find it that second. The music library available for streaming on TNM seems endless, and it was very difficult for me to try and find someone who didn’t have accessible content on the site, even if they didn’t have their own dedicated page. With music, you have the ability to create your own “stations” and “mixes”, which are essentially playlists stored within your account. You have the ability to share these mixes with other users, and the creation, addition, and editing of your mixes appears in your connections news feeds. So far, I’ve had no problem using TNM as a pretty easy replacement to Spotify.

Another great feature I love about TNM is the way you see and read news, in which they call their “Discover” section. From the get-go, you have the ability to decide what you want to see news about and what your interests are. This combines those interests and puts in into one news feed that you can scroll through. You also have the ability to break your news feed down to only see one section of whatever you may be interested in looking into at that time. I’ve found the articles have been a bit limited from time to time, but I’m also considering how new the social network is, and I only expect the “Discover” section to grow bigger and better as time goes on.

So what about the social part? After all, if you’re only going to use The New Myspace for yourself, what’s the point of it being a social network? Photo, video, music, and events are as you’d expect. You can upload or create all of these items separately and put them into different “mixes” (equivalent of albums or folders) in which other people can like and comment on. And don’t fret myspace users, you still have a “Top 8” and “profile song” to show off who you know and your emotions for the day or week. You even have the ability to upload a bigger and higher definition picture, equivalent of Facebook’s “cover photo”, which, in my opinion, looks much nicer on TNM. And if you thought they haven’t borrowed enough ideas up to this point, when initially connecting to a new song, artist, album, or other, you have that ability to do so via an icon represented by circles (thanks, Google+)! Chat is also available to any users who appear as “online”, and notifications can be found at the bottom of the screen, represented by... wait for it... a flag icon.

My concluding thoughts : The New Myspace is in no way, shape, or form original. Nearly every aspect of this social network is “borrowed” from an existing social network or service. The combination (and if you want to be nice, we can call it “collaboration”) is what makes the experience great. All in all, I love using The New Myspace, and I would absolutely love for more  people I (and others) know to get on it to continue the experience.

So here is the big question - “Is The New Myspace right for me?”. My answer? It depends. If you enjoy keeping up with media and news, streaming music, seeing who is having what for lunch in picture form, a more suitable an all in one solution, TNM is amazing. What I ask you to consider - “Am I patient enough to use it?” Can you “tough it out” to train your mind to think differently about how you use a social network? If so, I highly recommend giving it a shot. Just like every social network, The New Myspace’s future depends on your willingness to join and use it.

-Todd-

February Cross-Poll Blog: Introducing Todd Chappell

Everyone please meet our newest contributor, the multi-talented, creative and clever Todd Chappell. Not only will he writing a column a month on this blog (and I guarantee they will entertain and enlighten), but his photography is so glorious that you are about to get hit over the head with a Metropolitan worthy art show and you won't even be expecting it. So, join me as we get to know a little about this artist on the rise, and after you read this post, please check out his stand alone blog: 

This Room Became a Hill. 

1. So, we love your blog. Tell us a bit about how you came up with the name. How do you think that ties in your vision as an artist?

Thank you! I have an ambient music project called The Ideal Setback, and “This Room Became A Hill” is actually a borrowed name from a track off of my very first album. I really like the title, because I feel that it gives the feeling of surrealism that can be mistaken for reality. Thinking about it from a photographer’s perspective, seeing one thing and shooting at an angle or perspective, editing, layering, and going through those processes that almost makes it something else completely – it’s one of the coolest abilities you can have with art. 

2. When did you get started in photography? Where do you hope to go with it?

I can’t remember exactly when I first started photography. I had a few instant film cameras when I was really young, and would take silly pictures of things like my action figures. I remember getting my first digital point-and-shoot camera in 2006. In 2007, I went on an Alaskan Cruise, and I feel like that’s where I truly fell in love with photography. It was the perfect storm for something like that, because Alaska (or at least the parts they take you on a cruise) is absolutely beautiful. I still have a shot to this day from that trip that I’m really proud of, given the equipment and know-how that I had at the time. 

3. What has been your favorite subject to photograph? What makes you want to get out your camera and snap away?

That’s a really tough question. It’s so hard to pick a favorite. I really enjoy shooting landscapes. Long exposure photography has definitely become my favorite way to shoot. The entire process is so fun to mess with. If I had to pick a favorite “subject” at this point in my life, I’d say New York City. I visited this past December, and there was so much to take in. You could get so much variety from anything – portraits, architecture, lights, traffic, parks, etc. It was a lot of fun getting those shots, coming home, and literally spending weeks on editing and organizing. 

4. Loaded question alert: I've sort of noticed that everyone and their mother these days are "photographers." You aren't one of those, obviously, because your artistry is so clear. Do you feel like too many people these days believe themselves to be true photographers just because they own a nice camera? What do you think distinguishes true artists from those just having nice equipment?

There are so many different schools of thought on this. I feel like with smartphones and services like Instagram, photography is becoming such an integrated and normal part of day-to-day routines, and I honestly think it’s a positive thing. It gives everyone the ability to create and, whether they know it or not, inspire, right from the palm of their hands. As far as calling yourself an “artist” or a “photographer”, just because you can snap a picture of your lunch and apply a pre-made filter, I feel like that’s really more subjective than anything, not only to those individuals who provide the content, but to the audience it’s reaching as well.  

5. So excited that you are adventurous enough to try writing with our crazy team. What do you think the city of Memphis needs more of in the blogosphere? How do you see yourself contributing to our blog?

I am very excited to be a part of this awesome adventure! When it comes down to it, I really feel that Memphis would really benefit from an easily accessible blog of events. “There’s nothing to do in Memphis!” is one of the most common phrases I hear, and that’s just not true. I feel that a blog that can reach multiple generations without a lot of effort that gives an idea of things to do and events that are going on could really turn things around in a major way.

6. How long have you lived in the city, and what makes you a proud resident?

I’ve physically lived in Collierville basically my entire life, but my heart is in Midtown. At the end of the day, Memphis really is what you make it. We have a very interesting culture, and you can take a lot of positivity away from the things that are offered. Local food, shops, restaurants, and businesses make up a huge part of what I like about Memphis.

6.5. Glass half-empty or glass half-full? 

Don’t worry; remember the glass is already broken.

Quick Q’s

1. favorite restaurant in the city: Bari Ristorante

2. favorite song: No specific favorite, but if I were on a desert island and could only take one song with me, it would be “Hengilas”, by Jónsi.

3. favorite local hangout: Alchemy

4. favorite book: “This Is A Book”, by Demetri Martin

5. favorite famous Memphian: Morgan Freeman

6. best street in Memphis: South Main

6.5. what would be the added bonus to this already awesome city: Safe and efficient public transportation.

To see more of Todd's amazing work, check out his blog: This Room Became a Hill. Be sure to watch out for more of his photography and writing to be featured on this blog as well. I am especially excited to share with you pics that he has taken of this city; they are punch-someone-in-the-face gorgeous, y'all.

- The New 6&1/2 Team 

January Relationships: Productivity Partners

Don't you wish you could choose your own colleagues? You know yourself well enough to know what types of people help you create your magic, and which ones you wish would magically disappear. Unfortunately, most of the time, it isn't up to you to make these decisions. You simply wait for the new hire to appear and either mesh or squash whatever dynamic you have going in your work enviornment.

Well, we don't have that problem here at 6&1/2things. Sorry to rub it in your faces that we have the unique opportunity to choose who we work with here at the blog, but we did want to share with you that perfect work enviornments do not exist (even if self-manufactured). Okay, that's a little modest. It is pretty close to perfect here, but it does not exist without many strange little quirks. Here we will share with you some of the more interesting ways that we have had to adapt to one another's style in the hopes that you may have at least a little take away about how to work with one another in a more productive manner. 

CT on Morgz: 

Working with another person can be tough. I never liked group projects in school. Basically, I always thought my partners would ruin it. However, working with Morgz is easy and never dull. It's structured, but relaxed. We take breaks to paint our nails, we obsess over notebooks and pens, and we sometimes (often) work from Morgz's bed. We both love writing and brainstorm super well together (more like brain tsunami actually because it's messy and foreign and at times destructive). 

Morgz's train of thought can be particularly frightening. It reminds me of a dog watching cars go by, although that would give her too much credit for staying focused on one thing, when in reality she focuses on everything in the world all at the same time. Yet somehow, she is the one that keeps us reigned in on our goals and facilitates all of the planning month to month.

One of Morgan's weird "outfits."  See #2 below. 

Funny things about Morgz that I have gotten used to: 

1. She gets passionately upset about having to pee. It's weird to say the least. She just hates the fact that it is a necessary human function that disrupts so many other activities and trains of thought. 

2. On most days, Morgan's work attire consists of pajamas. A particular Tinkerbell oversized tee shirt comes to mind (she also has an Eeyore one). Her outfits in general can just be plain weird at times. 

3. She likes to work at coffee shops but dislikes coffee. 

4. Her mom calls to check on her often and before she answers she always turns to me and says "shhh... I'm cleaning my house." 

5. She's incredibly passionate about music and wants to listen to it, talk about it, and insert it into every single blog post possible. Sometimes she listens to two stereos at once. While playing the drums. Badly. 

6. She randomly laughs a LOT about stuff that she remembers from the past. I never really know what she is laughing about unless she decides to revisit the object of her laughter and share it with me.  

6.5. This isn't really so much about her, but more about me. An ex-flame of hers from France gave her the nickname Morgz and I have no idea why it stuck with her. I think it's dumb. 

Morgz on CT: 

I almost just want to show you video proof after video proof of what it is like to work with Sassy Cassie. She is the best and worst colleague I have ever had. And I love her for it. She is my creative counterpart in many ways when it comes to writing and event planning and we just share a ton of the same visions about making our lives in Memphis more fun. She is very, very hard to pin down for actual "work" time because she has rehearsal constantly (the life of a blossoming starlet), but when we do find that time to work together, we are productive enough for a month's worth of work. She is a ball of fun mostly all of the time, unless she is in one of her rare sassy moods, in which case, we just point out the obvious and move on to something else to laugh about. She is the fun and creative spark that this blog needs to survive and venture on paths that I would never think of on my own.

Cassie's unparalleled professionalism on the job

Cassie Quirks that make blogging more fun: 

1. She has to write everything by hand. I think it's because she is fairly narcissistic about her handwriting and doesn't function as well typing on a computer. She has a dance that she is unaware of when she writes. 

2. She will often be "working on a blog post" and when I try and take a look at what progress she has made, I instead see little animal drawings with song lyrics word bubbles instead. 

3. She says weird things that no one else says, like "a of all, b of all." It's supposed to be "first of all, second of all." 

4. She talks to herself while she writes. At one point, a timer I set read thirty straight minutes of talking to herself without a single response from me. 

5. If she has chosen to work on my computer that day, I will find all sorts of weird baby animal pictures on my desktop that weren't there before. Last week, I found a picture of a random animated rat fraggle sucking from a straw. 

6. She freaks out on a constant basis about her teeth, skin, and hair. She will go from wanting to dye her hair brown to blonder within thirty seconds time. 

6.5. She is just jealous that there is a "z" in my nickname and not in hers. 

We seriously doubt that we have given you any help on how to get along with your colleagues, but we do just want to say that we have learned to accept that the other ones works very differently from the other. Trying to fit a colleague into your own work style box could be just as destructive as a 7.8 earthquake. Let them be them and see what kinds of different viewpoints that will bring to the table. As always, if you have any comments or stories of your own that you wish to share, please email us at sixandahalfthings@blogspot.com. Also, p.s. we are going to be adding new writers to the team very, very soon so be on the lookout. 

- Morgz and CT

January Playlist: Explore Indie Music from Around the World

Hey-o. It's the weekend and we are still knee deep in resolUTIONizing our worlds. With that in mind, here's our monthly playlist, this time dedicating to taking a trip around the world and expanding our musical horizons. Okay, I'm not venturing off the indie/alternative path at all, but how cool is it that Korea and South Africa have bands actually on that scene now? Seriously, if you haven't downloaded any of our playlists yet (fair enough) - at least sample these songs on Spotify or itunes or something. It's pretty freaking cool, plus it'll teach you about how they pull off music in other cultures also. Put on your headphones, crank up the volume, and take this journey with us across the globe. 

The Plastics Revolution

BLK JKS

1. "Around the World" by Daft Punk (France) 

2. "Taro" by Alt-J (Britain) 

3. "Atlas (The Time and Space Machine Remix)" by Fanfarlo (Sweden/Britain)

4. "The Theory of Relativity" by Stars (Canada)

5. "Am I Wry? No" by Mew (Denmark) 

6. "Trouble Maker" by The Koxx (Korea) 

7. "Lakeside" by BLK JKS (South Africa) 

8. Invasion" by The Plastics Revolution (Mexico) 

9. "Daylight" by Villa Nah (Finland) 

10. "Dead Sound" by The Raveonettes (Denmark) 

11. "Music is my Hot Hot Sex" by CSS (Brazil) 

12. "Baby Don't Deny It" by Bonde de Role (Brazil) 

13. "Bad Girls" by M.I.A. (Sri Lanka/Britain) 

14. "All I Need" by Air (France) 

15. "Die Ausfahrt Zum Haus deiner Eltern" by Kettcar (German)  

Here's a video of song #8 courtesy of You Tube. Enjoy. 

- MORGZZ

January Resolutions: Routine Eating

I have trouble dieting because of the fact that I love food and food loves me. However, I have found that something that has helped is to have a routine when it comes to eating. So, yes. This is my secret to a long life filled with happiness and skinny jeans that no one judges you for wearing: routine eating.

Let's start with breakfast. After all, the beginning of the day is the perfect time to set yourself up to succeed. Breakfast is simple enough. Find a rhythm. I had not sat down to eat breakfast in the last 10 years. I was more of a pop tart in the morning kind of girl. So this was a big thing for me to try, but not a difficult thing.

I've started getting up at 8 and making a healthy, easy breakfast: 

2 egg whites 

45 cal. toast (whole wheat) with crunchy natural peanut butter 

1/2 orange 

and 2 turkey sausage links 

and either tea or coffee 

Prep time is under 10 minutes total and I enjoyed actually having a relaxing breakfast time in the a.m. Really, I was killing two birds with 1 stone. I used the time to review my resolutions, check social media, make a daily plan, journal, and just breathe. 

I already (day 4) feel a huge difference and have much more sustained energy! I also feel my metabolism at work! Stop thinking about what not to eat, and think of a feel good food habit to last not just this year, but the rest of your life. 

Now, as far as other meals go... a simple start is just eating at or around the same time every day and not eating after a reasonable hour, for me this is 7:30 p.m. NOT EVEN SNACKS. This makes such a difference and I wake up so much less bloated! 

I am also keeping a food journal not really to calorie count, but to track habits and keep a tally of my water intake and note what times of day my body feels tired or hungry. Basically, I'm using January to learn about what makes my body work best, and once I figure that out, I will be set for a great new year. This is not expert advice by any means, but I am happy with my plan and think enough of it to share the love with you! Let me know if you have any tips you want to swing my way regarding this plan! Email us at sixandahalfthings@gmail.com and maybe we will use your comments to better our plan. 

- CT 

Fit Fashion: Wonder Woman, otherwise known as Wondrously Productive Woman

Fit fashion. It's the only thing that keeps me exercising. Rather, it's the last ditch effort to get me exercising. I might be wrong, but I am pretty sure I am not the only one who believes that getting out of bed and putting on work out clothes might magically spark that fire to run to the gym. After several years of this committed effort on my part, it has not proved successful. With that said, I am thinking of taking it up a notch and promoting myself as a Wonder Woman type character in order to beg the obvious questions from the numerous onlookers I am sure to encounter. Question number 1: so, are you Wonder Woman? The answer, of course, is no, but I would love someone to be at least remotely surprised that I am not a superhero. Question number 2: why aren't you in shape, Wonder Woman? The answer then would be to hang my head in shame and then head to the gym. But seriously, I want those shoes and would work out everyday just to have a valid reason to wear them other than explaining it away with my whimsically weird everyday style. 

Wonder Woman by moharriman featuring sports bras

Top
$77 - modekungen.se

Fables by Barrie one piece swimsuit
modcloth.com

Republic
$24 - republic.co.uk

NIKE sports bra
finishline.com

Fit Watch
puma.com

Wonder Woman Applique Patch, Iron or Sew on
etsy.com

- Morgzz

Productive App Review: Save $ and explore with Airbnb

Thinking of going out of town for the upcoming MLK holiday? Well, let me tell you about this cool app called Airbnb that may turn your mini vacay into a unique and enlightening experience. How? Through bypassing the whole "staying at an expensive and generic hotel" thing and staying in someone's local lodgings while they are away. Instead of paying upwards of $100 per night at a hotel that offers you one bed, one bathroom, and maybe a mini-fridge with ridiculously overpriced bottled water, you can have an entire apartment with a full kitchen to yourself for the same price! The options at Airbnb are endlessly amazing. After searching for 30 seconds, I found an ancient castle in Great Britain for $152 a night, a treehouse in Hawaii for $149 a night, and a loft style adorable apartment in Barcelona for a meager $55 a night.

So why would you even THINK about staying a hotel now when you can have the comforts of home, really learn how the locals live, possibly have a full kitchen, and be doing this all at the same price of some generic hotel? Du-uuhh. Let's say you take my advice. How would you go about choosing your lodging? Well, glad you asked. First, search by the city you are staying. You will have a few options: you can either choose a private room, a shared room, or an entire place all to yourself. You could also filter your search by number of bedrooms, bathrooms, beds you may need. There is also a search option for "help! I need a place to stay tonight!" which will link to your location and pull up a map of nearby places. I found a place in midtown Memphis within seconds. I am dying to do this. In fact, it kind of took me so long to post this one because I kept playing around with the app myself. The app is free, by the way, so go get it. Like right now. Kthxbye. 

- CT, ghost written by Morgzz