Group Blog Recap

This week I tried to think of something that I could create that the blog really needed.  We are always trying to write more and more reviews of locations but there has never been a way to organize them so I decided to make a map.

I posted the Google map on the blog and then also created a “Reviews” page that will serve as a permanent home.  Hopefully this will make it a lot easier when people are looking for specific reviews or are just seeing what the blog has to offer.

I also wrote another edition of “Living Cheap” which concentrated on air conditioning since it is getting warmer.  I’m really pleased that I have been able to keep the department going for so long now.

Next week, I’m going to continue “Living Cheap” and hopefully come up with another idea that will help organize or promote our blog more.  It might be time for a Move-in Morgantown facelift too.  The right frame on the site looks a little cluttered the last time I saw.

Photo Contests

For all of the photo and film fans out there, it’s a great time to get inspired.

Trailspace blog just completed it’s first ever member photo contest.  There were 227 entries and the winners are nothing but spectacular.

"Freeze" by Scott McWatty, the Grand Prize winner and first place in the Nature and Wildlife category. Courtesy of trailspace.com.

The inspiring thing is that these are just people who are interested in wildlife photography, like you and me.  As Scott, the featured photographer above, said, “I’ve basically self taught myself through a lot of trial and error and help from several generous souls on some online photography forums.”

There are contests like this on the local level too.

Right now the Morgantown Adventure Photo and Film Festival (MAPFF) is in full swing.

Dozens of photos are on display at Black Bear Burritos in downtown Morgantown where you can vote on your favorite photo and help choose the 2010 winner.

The film portion of the festival will be held tomorrow, April 22nd, at the Warner Theater just up the road.

View Larger Map

So come down and support local artists and hobbyists like yourself!

Used Gear Sale at Adventure’s Edge

Are your closets filled with old gear that has somehow accumulated over the years?  I know mine are.

But don’t despair!  Adventure’s Edge in Morgantown, WV will sell your gear for you (if there is anyone out there that is still willing to buy those old boots).

The sale is on Saturday the 17th so try to drop your gear off soon.  Different payment options are available – just ask when you come by or call (304) 296-9007.

For those of you whose closets are empty, now is the perfect chance to fill them up.  There are usually tents, snowboards, skis, clothes, backpacks and even kayaks.  It’s definitely worth checking out if you are in the area.

More posts to follow soon with pictures from this weekend.

Group Blog Recap #4

Everything was pretty straightforward this week at Move-in Morganotwn after a little bit of a respite over spring break.  Personally, I worked on the two articles “Consider a Mobile Home” and “Living Cheap: Water.”  Both stories were relatively simple to write but I tried to emphasize adding as many links as possible.

I am also trying to come up with the best way to distribute the QR code I developed last week.  Now that we have it, we need to see how it works after being placed around campus.  I was thinking possibly printing them off on stickers and using them as part of a “guerrilla campaign.”

Next week I plan to continue with the “Living Cheap” series and maybe take a look at electric bills.

Rope Tow Misfortune

With such an emphasis on being cool when you’re on the slopes, it’s inevitable that someone out there can’t live up to the standards.

I’m one of them.  I don’t have the brightest coat or the gnarliest skis.  I understand that inferior feeling as “the cool kids” do flips off jumps and land gracefully without extra effort.

But, hey, we can always take solace in someone else’s misfortune.  Right?

Here’s a guy that makes the rest of us look good.  Soak it up fellow outcasts.

The Goat has a great point: “For a moment I thought this was a staged joke, but no conventional male human would subject themselves to that type of pain.”

This week I feel like I finally was able to make some headway on some of my goals with the group blog.  I began the week by finishing an interview that had eluded me for the first two weeks.  It was the article about a fellow college student who was buying a house under his name.  I also continued the “Living Cheap” department with a transportation section.

I was most excited about trying to promote the blog with the QR Code I developed.  I plan to place these codes around campus and hopefully will generate some interest from them.  It seems like an exciting and new way to promote a blog that most other people haven’t utilized yet.

Drinking and Eating Optional

All ultra light backpackers and caffeine addicts out there rejoice!  Coffee is now inhalable!

Wait… what?  Sorry, my fingers were just confused after typing that.

I thought the French would never be able to outdo the Statue of Liberty, but I stand corrected.

Courtesy of LeWhif.com

Artscience Labs have developed inhalable coffee and chocolate which is great news for anyone who thinks drinking and eating is too hard but bad news for anyone who doesn’t want to be grossed out.

Here’s a clip from The Colbert Report featuring LeWhif and his less than impressed reaction.

Getoutdoors blog realized that though some ultralighters might not be so concerned about taste as much as weight though.

I consider myself a pseudo-ultralighter but don’t think I could ever go this far.  Drinking coffee and eating chocolate are two things I’m not willing to give up quite yet.  Are you?

Scanning this blog too!

I just posted on my other blog, Move-in Morgantown, that I am going to try to promote it using a QR code and I just couldn’t leave this one out!

In short, QR codes will lead people directly to something (text, URL’s, phone numbers, etc) just by scanning them on your smart phone so I’m experimenting with the idea.

Copy, paste, copy, paste and help me promote Facespacing using an innovative new tool!

Scan me!!

Group Blog Recap #2

This week was definitely a little more challenging than last week concerning my group blog, Move-in Morgantown. I had two ideas that I was going to pursue (dorms for upperclassmen, and a student buying a house) but wasn’t able to interview either of the parties for the stories.

Luckily, I was able to start a new department, “Living Cheap,” that I hope to continue as a weekly column and concentrate on “Staying Healthy in a Dorm” instead.  I was in great shape once I began these two posts but it took me a little bit of time to change gears from my initial ideas.

Next week I plan to keep “Living Cheap” alive and also to finish the story about a student who is buying a house.  Hopefully, I’ll be able to get the interview and follow through with my idea.

Andriod Speedometer Application

Since I got my new phone set up in February, I’ve been playing with a lot of the Android applications and I’ve found a few that stand out from the rest.

Of course there’s the Pandora Radio application, which recently entertained me all the way to Philadelphia.  You should also check out Foursquare, an app that has turned mundane errands into a bragging rights competition.

While those are neat, neither has impressed me as much as the Speedometer application.  I downloaded this little gem on the ski slopes one day to see how fast I was actually going (56 mph if you’re wondering) and have loved it ever since.

But don’t let the name fool you.  Speedometer is much more than just the simple gage on your dashboard.

This application is a full-blown GPS with all of the bells and whistles.  It automatically charts your elevation and speed and places your tracks directly on Google Maps for reference.

With all of your track information, the application also gives you exact calculations for average speed, pace, distance, altitude and duration just to name a few.

The thing that blew me away was the accuracy that was available using my phone as a GPS.  I never thought my phone would be able to rival an actual GPS, but in my opinion, it definitely does.

One tool I haven’t explored yet is the upload tool.  It allows you to upload your tracks to your computer which gives you the ability to compare and chart progress.

The amount of features packed into this application is pretty impressive and I would definitely recommend it to other Andriod users.

Courtesy of SportsTrackLive

Courtesy of SportsTrackLive

Courtesy of SportsTrackLive