Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Top 10 Tuesday: Google is crafty. I am not. Even so...

Search Engine. Analytics. Feed Reader. News. Images. Chat. VoIP. YouTube. Blogger. Is there anything Google doesn't do and doesn't do pretty well?

Sometimes (always) I'm pretty sure Google is (way) smarter than I am. For instance, you know when you accidentally misspell a search term:

How does it know that's what you meant? My old coworker Wes wrote about this phenomenon much more intelligently than I ever could here.

But Google doesn't just stop there. When Riley and I were in Cambridge last year, I was shooting off a quick email for school when Google gave me this error message:


If you can't read it, it says, "You wrote 'I've attached' in your message but there are no files attached. Send anyway?"

I forgot to attach the file and Google knew it. Besides the kind of creepy Big Brother undertones of a search engine reading my mail, how cool is that? I was totally blown away (ask Riley) and I didn't think I'd ever be more surprised by Google.

But I was wrong.

Maybe you've seen those Facebook statuses or blog posts going around saying something like this:

"I promise to send something hand-made to the first five people who leave a comment here. You must in turn post this on your blog and send something that YOU make to the first five people that comment on your blog! The rules are the item has to be HANDMADE by YOU and sent sometime in 2011! How fun it that!"

Well, you only need to look at my sad history of glue-smeared, paint-spattered, ink-stained, over-sized t shirts to know that crafty I am not.

However, Adriane posted one of these challenges, and she always makes the cutest things. So I had, had, had, to sign up. And now I have to pay it forward...

But, before I made the same offer, I decided to do a little research. So in preparation for this behemoth task, I sat down one Saturday morning to look for some crafty ideas. And what better place to look for a lot of ideas in one place than Etsy? So I typed the URL into my browser and this is what I got:


Just kidding.

But I kind of wish I weren't. Wouldn't it be great if Google warned you when you were about to do something crazy? Imagine:
  • Google says, "If we send you to this shopping website, you will spend all of your discretionary income for the year in one fell swoop. Send anyway?"
  • Google says, "If we send you to Facebook now, you will waste your entire lunch hour stalking your latest 24-hour crush only to find out he has a girlfriend and she's gorgeous. Send anyway?"
  • Google says, "If we send you to this YouTube Video you'll end up staying up until 3 a.m. watching literal music videos and you'll wake up exhausted with really sore abs. Send anyway?"
I probably wouldn't listen, but forewarned is forearmed, right?

Anyway, it was in fact my first time ever logging onto Esty (I know, I'm totally nebbish.) And nearly two hours later it was one rabbit hole I'm still not sure I should have gone down...

However, I think I'm ready to get crafty. And I think it's time I go big or go home.

So I'm paying it forward on Top 10 Tuesday. This means that I'll make something for the first ten people who comment and I won't make you turn around and do the same (unless you want to).

So, enter at your own risk.

And incidentally, if you enter, can you please let me know if you have a favorite quote, poem, song, or book? Awesome.

11 comments:

Lauren Davison said...

Ooooh! :) I'm in. And Etsy is a very dangerous place indeed. But I love it. How soon do you need to know the quote, poem, song, or book? 'Cause... I can't think of one just now. :)

Love, Lauren

Nama said...

Yes!!!! I win!

Google never ceases to amazes me, either. And even if they are/will turn into an evil company, I think I will still love Google. And when they take over the world, I will gladly be one of their minions.

And, uh, I have lots of favorites in that category. Off the top of my head, one of my favorite poems is ee cummings' "i thank you God for this most amazing".

And in return, pick a photo. I'll send you a print of your favorite. :)

Jon said...

I did say once that Google was taking over the earth.

That's right. I scooped Glenn Beck.

K.J. said...

Ha ha! I've never been to etsy either. And I'm not crafty. We should be friends! :)

Adriane said...

A ha ha ha ha ha (you'll have to just know that it's my delighted laugh)! Since I don't have to do the same, I can be a cheater cheater face and beg for a crafty thing from you too! YAY!

Aaaand, I can count the number of times I've been to etsy on one hand. Sad sad day.

Aaaaaaaand you are nicer to people than I am.

Aaaaaaaaaaaaand I will find a favorite quote for you if you keep on reminding me.

YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY!

Jena said...

I signed up for Adriane's craftiness benefit, too. Did I miss the part where I have to pay it forward?

Meridith said...

Literal music videos are hilarious. That is all.

Ashley said...

I'm totally blog stalking right now... sort of. I do you know you (now that did sound creepy) we were in the BYU 2nd ward. And I'm pretty sure you were my visiting teacher (?) Anyway, I want something crafty!

Mostly because people who say they aren't crafty more often than not, are totally crafty! So, if its not too much bother I would love something handmade by you.

As far as the quote, I would say it would be from Elder Wirthlin, "Come what may and love it." Story of my life. Favorite song? Has to be my wedding song -- Lucky by Jason Mraz and Colbie Callait. And book? Book series. Harry Potter. Totally juvenile.

Ap said...

I want in :) I can't wait to see what you come up with, I'm sure it will be super cute! I don't have a favorite poem, but my favorite quote is by Pres. Hinckley, "Try a little harder to do a little better." My favorite song is "Just my Imagination" by Temptations, and my favorite book is Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte.

Tiff said...

Wow, I made it! :)
When it comes to crafty things I've found I can figure out how to do it, my problem lies in the actual execution. :)
Favorite Book - Pride & Prejudice and the Harry Potter Series.
I have a few favorite quotes, however I like this new one "The road to success is always under construction."

Mark K. Warburton said...

Look up web 3.0, it does the kind of stuff you are talking about here... Well sort of. Semantic Web is off the chain.