Graduation

" i woke up this morning
with this feeling inside me
that i can't explain
like a weight that i've carried
been carried away
but i know something is coming
i don't know what it is
but i know it's amazing,
my time is coming
it feels like today,
i know it feels like today,
i'm sure it feels like today,
feels like your life changes." – rascal flatts


It's finally here....next stop Dublin.

Comment Posted on Travel Blog

Here is the link to the comment I made on the Lonely Planet Travel Blog.

https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=36278947&postID=8230915139141430357&page=1

Barcelona by Foot, by Bus, or by Train...What to do...What to do?

"any town is where i'm bound. anyway to get me gone. don't think about me, never let me cross your mind. except when you hear that midnight lonesome whistle whine." – the eagles


Here are some of the different ways we could see the sights in Barcelona:

Barcelona Hop On Hop Off Bus Turistic – “The double-decker Barcelona Bus Turistic is the most convenient way to discover Barcelona! Get a bird's eye view of the most interesting and attractive sights of the city including Casa Batllo, Sagrada Familia and Placa de Catalunya. You can hop on and off as many times as you like at any of the 42 stops. The Northern route and the Southern Route are two hours long, while the Forum route is 40 minutes long. The three tour routes are inter-connected so you can hop easily between each of the stops!”

Gourmet Tapas Walking Tour of Barcelona – “Begin your Gourmet Tapas Walking Tour of Barcelona at a restaurant with a wide selection of local, delectable tapas, situated in Barcelona's most emblematic and elegant avenue, overseeing the best modernist architecture of the country has to offer. Here you will enjoy 3 tapas with a glass of wine or beer, while your food and wine guide explains the flavors of the wine, the cuisine and the cultures present in Spain. From here your guide will lead you to Barcelona's most famous street, La Rambla. Continue to the Gothic Quarter, where you will discover architecture, atmosphere, language and gastronomy that are unique in Spain, and some of the gourmet shops which are over 100 years old. Your last stop will be at a Basque Bar in a historic 14th century building, an ideal spot to take a break in your trip along the gothic quarter. Here 3 tasty Tapas and a glass of wine, beer or sidra will be waiting for you.”

Wines of the Montsant by Train – “Capcanes is a village hidden away in the Priorato hills that is the source of many fine wines today and has a long wine growing history. Take a walk around the wild landscape of the Serra de Llaberia winery where you will find olive tree fields, almond trees, masias and some of the oldest vines in Spain. After learning about the area's geology, climate and the harvest, you will visit the winery and enjoy a hosted wine-tasting. The cultivated varieties are cabernet sauvignon, merlot, syrah and garnache. After the winery visit continue to Marca, where you are treated to a lunch of regional cuisine, served with a sample of Priorat wines. Lunch is followed by free time on your own to visit the village at your leisure, before returning by rail to Barcelona.”

Granted all of these cost money and we are trying to be frugal with our spending but they sound so fun we may just have to splurge for at least one of them!

VQUZESHUF!

When Irish Eyes Are Smiling...

"all that is gold does not glitter; not all those who wander are lost." - j.r.r. tolkien

We will be traveling on our own for the first 9 days of our trip and that will include stops in Dublin, Galway, Cork as well as Barcelona. When I went on a tour of Ireland two summers ago I visited Dublin and Galway for a brief time so I’m excited to go back and see more of those cities on a more individual independent basis. But I’m really excited to explore Barcelona and Cork because they will be completely new and I have no idea what to expect. I have been looking into the city of Cork to get a better idea of what the city is like, what they have to offer, and what we will be seeing. Originally I thought we would be passing through Cork around the time of Cork’s Midsummer Festival but unfortunately because of some switching in our itinerary we will not be there around that time but I’m sure it’ll still be just as fun. I’m sure we will end up going along St. Patrick’s Street as well as passing by the old bank buildings and homes built in Georgian style along the Grand Parade and South Mall. And we will be definitely be heading over to the church tower of Shandon:

“Cork's most famous building is the church tower of Shandon, which dominates the North side of the city. The North and East sides are faced in red sandstone, and the West and South sides are clad in the predominant stone of the region, white limestone. At the top sits a weather vane in the shape of an eleven-foot salmon. The clock tower on the church is known by locals as The Four-faced Liar, as from the base of the building, each clock face appears to show a different time. Shandon is accessible to the public, and the bells may be rung by visitors.” (Cork – Places of Interest)

One thing I can safely say I will not be trying is the local food traditions because as much as I want to immerse myself in the culture the idea of eating pig’s feet (Crubeens), “black” pudding (Drisheen) which is a mixture of cow's, pig's and/or sheep's blood, milk, salt, fat and breadcrumbs which is boiled and served and then cooked as a sausage, or cow stomach (Tripe), really doesn’t sit well with me.

Apparently the accent in the city of Cork differs greatly not only from the neighboring cities and counties but also differs amongst the people living on the opposite sides of the River Lee. I think it’ll be really interesting to listen to various dialects and see how they differ in the various sections of the city and in the various areas of the country.


VQUZESHUF till the next entry.

Response to Required Blog Reading: AttentionMax Posting “You’re Nothing Without a Link”

After reading this posting and learning through our own experiments with our invented word, it is clear that search engine optimization is a really important aspect of the linking process on blogs and websites alike. Obviously, you have to give credit where credit is due and in the age of internet blogs and news sources, the credit is given by linking the source page to your article or commentary. Nearly everything that is written in hard copy eventually finds its way onto the web and its common courtesy to continue the flow of information and help in the search engine optimization by linking all the affiliated sites to the necessary articles. It helps to keep the reader in tune with the necessary sources, stops them from having to begin an independent search for the source of the information and allows for the site to gain some credibility and the opportunity to link up with other credible sources. It’s only fair to ask up front that instead of simply mentioning a company’s name as a source, that the article instead be linked with the affiliated story. It allows the reader the chance to check out the original source and there is no harm in having more than one source contributing to the validity of a statement or story. It’s a win-win situation for all involved and should become a common practice in the industry.

Another entry for " vquzeshuf " with a little Contiki thrown in for good measure...

"well she was an american girl raised on promises. she couldn't help thinkin' that there was a little more to life somewhere else. after all it was a great big world with lots of places to run to..." - tom petty

We have to link the word vquzeshuf as an assigment so I've made it into a link for three videos about the tour company we will be using. The trip is inching closer.....exciting stuff =)


1. vquzeshuf

2. vquzeshuf

3. vquzeshuf

Advantages of Using the Internet in Business - Post 2

As we wrap up the semester it is necessary to refer back to the core lessons that began the whole basis of internet marketing: its relation to business and the continued success it has brought various ventures. The internet has been a key tool for my continued job hunt and I have become more aware of the increasing number of companies that conduct a great deal of business through internet based communication and interaction. I have found two articles that coincide with the increasing use of the wireless world in business and they are both prime examples of the shift from a “bricks” mentality to a “clicks” mentality.

Wireless Business Drives AT&T

This article outlines the 22% increase in profits in first quarter income, which comes from the increased focus on their wireless business. Although they have suffered layoffs recently and have had to pay out severance packages as well as deal with the slowing demand for wired communication, they have shifted their focus successfully in order to continue being profitable. The growth has been spearheaded by subscriber gains as well as partnership with Apple Inc.’s iPhone. The revenue generated with wireless data services has shown the increases in the population’s use of internet, email, and online services within the business communication. They are also shifting their focus from geographical boundaries as a means o f targeting customers and instead are focusing on operational units within the company.

AT&T releases new BlackBerry for small business market

Apparently, AT&T is making a lot of moves in the internet business market as of recent including a concerted effort to bring the small business sector into the internet business. AT&T and Research in Motion Ltd. have combined their efforts to make the quintessential online business tool, the BlackBerry, to be compatible with people who run small to medium size businesses. It allows them access to email, calendars, contacts, and business data and can support up to 30 users on the network.