Facebook launched new layout, again?

I am sure most of us are astonished by the changes on our beloved Facebook pages that took place on Sunday night. I am a regular Facebooker who barely keep up with any new features on my Facebook site. However, we all know that with this new amendment there will sure to be controversy.

The changes on Facebook this time is whole lot subtler then the last redesign. I was entirely pissed off by the previous changes that Facebook made to my page.

According to slate.com, 94% of one million users voted against that design. Still, we endured it for almost 19 months.

This time, all updates (new messages, requests and notifications) plus the search bar are moved to the top-left hand side of the page. It is said that these features are now located at a more “prominent” position.

Nonetheless, I find that the switching side of the “Home,” “Profile,” and “Account” links to the right has created some discomfort for the mouse. Well, we will be able to deal with it.

The new Facebook now shows you which of your friends are online automatically. This new feature is located at the left navigation bar. I would say we have been waiting for this long enough. Good job, Facebook. I can now see who is appeared online and simply removed the hassle of clicking the chat tool at the bottom right side of the page.

The new redesign has also included the links and applications that you’ve bookmarked immediately under the core features – News feed, events, photos and friends list. Each of them has a pretty looking dashboard. Since I am not a big fan of Facebook games or applications, this doesn’t bother me much.

The reminder for events and friends’ birthdays remain at the lower right navigation bar. And the chat box still sit at the same place. I suppose we would love to see something new at our chat box.

Yet, this new layout still hasn’t done away with the noisy homepage. I am especially headache and lost when I see irrelevant updates early in the morning. The new “Top News” and “Most Recent” are not of much help.

Logging out is also another troublesome tasking since we now have to sign out under the account menu, a thumb-down to that.

Overall, the new revamp has not created a big wave out of all Facebookers, which is, in a sense, a good thing. At least for this time round the changes are not too drastic and obstructive. I think the Facebook team must have been very careful when they were drawing this new layout. After the hoo-haas in 2008, I believe they have learnt a lesson.

Nevertheless, no matter what happens to Facebook in the future, I presume it will still be our much-loved social networking media as it has always been.

Columnist
University Chronicle

Did you just mentioned "Weekend?"

Boy it's Saturday! It's so relieving seeing an empty, well, almost empty schedule on my planner. Can't believe a week of classes plus work just passed in blink.

I am looking forward to spring break. I believe the InterVasity mission trip to Arizona will be a good one. It is 30 days from now and Miles is heading the planning committee on his own, salute him. I look forward to serving the household in White Mountain Apache Indian Reservation in Cibecue. I look forward to meeting especially the children there.

Well, what's gonna happen today is basically the drum practice (we are going to the high school in Minneapolis to perform this coming Friday!) and TH 148 Class theatre going assignment - watching the Romeo and Juliet play at Paramount Theatre this evening.

Also, 3 things that I have to deal with the Govt. by the end of this month:

1. Submit Social Security Number (SSN) application form.
2. Submit Tax-return Filing form.
3. Get my Minn. Driver's License!

As for Sunday, church will be having the annual Super Bowl party, looking forward to more fun time together.

Okie-dookie. That's all the reporting from me. Like it or not, it's my life!

Killer Week

Feeling kind of frustrated today because I have not received replies on the emails that I've sent out, requesting for interviews. I hate waiting for emails, I am pretty sure on that.

Nonetheless, I am glad that the whole CA selection process is finally over. It was quite tiring during the workshops that are held in the evenings of Tuesdays and Thursdays for the last two weeks. The interview was today and I think it went quite well for me. It was a relaxing one, instead of a normally tensed environment. I will be notified by February the twelfth whether or not I will be hired as an CA for the next semester.

Looking at my fully packed schedules, I am wondering if I could split myself into many selves. So many things that I want to- and need to do at once. Covering news, attending appointments, interviewing professionals, writing assignments, reading materials, going to classes, attending fellowship meetings, not forgetting - feeding myself.

Snow falls somedays and in the other, the temperature rises. It is kinda hard to determine what "kind" of day it would be. Lovely, or ugly.

As I was tearing down the monthly calendar page of January, I'm attracted to the quote that is stated at the back of it.

Hold fast to dreams, for if dreams die, life is a broken winged bird that cannot fly.

I find it true. Let's fly, enjoy every moment, for none of them are reversible in life. Good luck surviving through the killer week!

Here comes February

I want to take back my words, January wasn't slow by the way. It was really just a blink of eye that now we are in the second month of 2010.

Just got an email from my boss indicating that I am now officially the Staff Writer for the University Chronicle. My fourth stories, excluding my opinion pieces are published this in this week's publication. It is a good news because all my writings, from now on, will earn me $10 each.

I felt that I am getting more and more passionate about writing news articles now. I find it fun to interview or talk to different people, especially interesting people while writing my stories. The most memorable interview I had was with Barney Smith, a member cum the artistic director of VOCES8 choral group.

VOCES8 is an international award-winning Capella octet. They came to perform at my school on Saturday evening in conjunction with the SCSU Concert Choir's Big Sing Honor Festival Concert.

It was really interesting to talk to Mr. Smith as I have to try hard to understand his British accent. It was not so bad after all. I managed to jot down all his quotes.

Being a student journalist, my schedule is now inconsistent. The funniest time I had last week was when I woke up at 12noon on Friday, checked my email inbox, and found a reply on a message from the interim director of choral activities from the Music department wanting to see me at 12:30pm.

It was just fun as I learn along the way.

Cheers, life marches on!

It has been Good

Hey peeps, let's jump around!

Everything has been going well since my last update here. Classes went quite well, had my two articles published in the Chronicle again, went to the spring musical audition today and had 3 out of 4 CA workshop completed.

Rewind back to the weekends, it was a sweet yet bitter memory. I was invited by Noah to his grandparents home to watch the champion game between Vikings and the Saints. Sweet memory because I spent quality time with the family and I felt so comfortable being with them. Bitter part is when Vikings lost to the Saints by 3 points. Even though they did not make it to the Superbowl this year, Good News church will still definitely going to have a big annual Superbowl party next week.

Political science class was canceled on Monday, had the rest of the day running around to cover one of the news for this week. Now I know how it feels to be a journalist, there's not much time hanging around, every second is precious.

Last update for today will be the audition, for the Threepenny Opera musical that is going to be played in April. I practiced my vocal a few times in my dorm room with the help from Ms. Jaime, who helped me to record the piano music sheet and send it to me all the way from Malaysia, by email of course. Performance wise, did pretty good at the singing, judges are pleased. Screwed the dancing, I think I am not so talented in this area. Will see how it goes, callbacks list will be up on Thursday.

All I want to say is to thank God for a chance to participate. Never had I thought that I would stand at the center of the stage alone and sing. I felt good even just for the short moment on stage. Whether I will be selected or not, it is not as important anymore, I have achieved my goal that is to try out the audition and embrace my fear. I could say I did a not so bad job on this.

Oh yea, please take time to look at this too, it took me 150 minutes in from of the PC at Atwood Memorial Center to put everything together. It is my journalism class assignment but I made it into more like a collection approach, to keep all my clippings. Comment on my articles if possible!

Looking forward to more challenges installed ahead!