The Amazing World of Electronics and Internet

I've been talking with a few of the execs here to learn more about their history, and how they ended up at CPX. It's so amazing to think about just how much the Internet has changed and developed in my lifetime. I know I sound like an old fogey, but think back to your teenage years or earlier...it's just crazy the advances that have been made.

It's interesting though how the younger generations tend to take this technology for granted. They can't imagine a world without Internet, Facebook, iPods, smartphones, and cell phones. Who knows what the future will hold? I just hope it doesn't get to the point where people don't have real conversations anymore. If you saw Wall-E, you know what I'm talking about. Yeah, technology is great, and without it, we would have a lot harder time keeping in touch with people who we don't see every day. With friends who are across the country and around the world right now, I'm so grateful for IM, e-mail, and web cams.

But, I don't ever want to get to the point where I'm so engrossed in my technological world that I forget about the importance of human contact. There is nothing like a face to face conversation or a hug from a friend. Every time I feel like I've been glued to the computer screen for too long, I just think about those people in Wall-E who sat in their chairs all day with their digital screen in their face, and didn't even know there were other people all around them. What a horrible tragedy it would be if that actually happened in our world.

Snow Storm Drivers

Today, as I drove to work in the slush and snow, I marveled at one particular inconsiderate snow storm driver. There are always the people who are too lazy to brush off their whole car, or perhaps too short to reach the roof of their massive SUV, but usually they just leave a massive pile on the roof of the car. This is of course dangerous and annoying, as it can easily slide down their back windshield or fly off of their roof onto your windshield as soon as they get above 30 mph. However, this morning I saw a car driving down the highway with an inch thick layer of snow on their back windshield. Really?

Entering the Blogosphere

As a journalism student at Quinnipiac University, I wasn't so sure about blogs. I knew that the online space had changed the definition of "journalist" forever, and that was a little unsettling. But, now that I've been working with so many different Web 2.0 resources as Marketing Assistant for CPX Interactive, I thought I'd give it a try. So, first, the name...if you don't know what movie I'm referencing, you are way behind on your pop culture. It's from Forest Gump, for those who are out of the loop, and I chose this quote as my blog title because Forest was exactly right when he said, "Life is like a box of chocolates; you never know what you're going to get."

Second, the blog itself. I definitely don't claim to know everything at 23 years old. In fact, like pretty much everyone, I have days when I feel like I don't know anything. But, I've experienced a lot and learned countless valuable lessons, so I think I have something worthwhile to share.

So, my first nugget of wisdom: When my friend Max passed away this summer (far too soon, at the age of 21), my dad gave a beautiful eulogy. He looked out at Max's young friends who had come to pay their respects and told them that the best way to honor their friend's memory was to take care of themselves and each other, and make smart decisions. He told them to make every moment count. This is a mantra that I have been trying to live by, and I've found that it's a refreshing way to look at life. Not only is life like a box of chocolates, but it can be a roller coaster too. You never know when something really good or really bad is going to happen.

So, make every moment count...tell people how much they mean to you, make new friends, speak out, stand up for something you believe in, be there for someone who needs you, thank those who have been there for you, take chances, try something new, don't be afraid to follow your dreams, follow through, smile at a stranger, forgive...so down the road you can look back without regrets.

Booklist

I love to read. A good book draws you in, and takes you along for the ride. You don't want to put it down, but at the same time, you don't want the story to end. I wrote a post a little while ago about some of my favorite books, but I wanted to expand on it and share even more. Here are some favorites of mine, and I will be adding more as time goes on. Feel free to leave your own suggestions too!

Also, if you're a blogger who loves to read, you should check out, Blogging Bookworms, the awesome online book club created by me and my friend Grace.

Historical Fiction:

The Book Thief
by Markus Zusak

The Kommandant's Girl and The Diplomat's Wife
by Pam Jenoff

The Queen's Fool
by Phillipa Gregory

Fiction:

Keeping the House
by Ellen Baker

The Kite Runner and A Thousand Splendid Suns
by Khaled Hosseini

Fluff:

The Devil Wears Prada and Everyone Worth Knowing
by Lauren Weisberger

The Ivy Chronicles
by Karen Quinn

Something Borrowed and Something Blue
by Emily Giffin

Non-Fiction/Memoir:

The Glass Castle
by Jeanette Walls

The Secret Man: The Story of Watergate's Deep Throat
by Bob Woodward

Fun Books:

My Life As a Furry Red Monster
by Kevin Clash (aka Elmo)

The World According to Mister Rodgers: Important Things to Remember
by Fred Rodgers

Contact Me

Want to get in touch?

E-mail: samanthaekarol [at] gmail [dot] com

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About Me

My name is Samantha, but my friends call me Sam. I'm a 20-something Marketing Assistant at a great company called CPX Interactive. I grew up in Massachusetts, moved to Long Island in high school, went to college in Connecticut (except the semester I spent in D.C.), and now I'm living in Brooklyn. I love to write, and this blog is my creative outlet. I also enjoy watching sports, traveling, ice cream, meeting new people, Web 2.0, reading, and much more.

I've been through a lot in my life, and every experience has taught me something valuable, even if I didn't realized it at the time. I certainly don't know everything, but I hope that by sharing a little bit of my life with you, you'll learn something, feel like you're not alone, or be inspired in some way. In the wise words of Forest Gump, "Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you're going to get."

Link Love

My Favorite GenY Bloggers:

• Small Hands, Big Ideas
• intersected
• Life Without Pants
• Politicoholic
• Justice for all
• Insomniac Lolita
• america, this is hollywood
• Miss Musing
• i care.
• Life After College
• twenty(or)something
• Working Girl

My Favorite Web 2.0 Utilities:
(subject to change)

• Digsby
• TweetDeck
• TwitterBerry

My Favorite Photo and Widget Sites:

• Picnik
• RockYou
• Widgetbox
• Good Widgets