Cheongy

A Study done by Centro on the digital industry in America. The results aren’t surprising…

.Results

Full Report can be downloaded here: http://bit.ly/amRaUu

This digital/internet fascination started with my first modem – a 14400 silicon beast that would sit on top my parents revolutionary 386 machine… I wasn’t born of the internet age – I was born of the BBS (Bulletin Board Service) era – where micro networks would exist on Locally hosted computers, and you would need to dial in via modem in order to access them… As an 8 year old child, my experimentation with nick names would go as far as to remove an ‘x’ from my name – hence on these local bulletin board services I would be known as Ale ‘Sobre in the Making’ (In hindsight… did I need a slogan… possibly not, do I feel slightly embarrassed that I had one…. yes, and was I fat? yes…). Anyway I’m moving off topic…my point is… it was fairly easy to get a nick name and own an identity in my childhood, Especially when I was only dealing with a micro % of the population (uber nerds) who would convene on one BBS system – which normally averaged round a user base of 200… Now… I have a different problem…

There are (as of todays blog post) – 145 Alex Cheongs who have are connected via facebook… and as I have grown out of using nick names (wokboy, mywok69, Ale) it would appear that I’m in a constant struggle/race to beat my other Alex Cheong dopplegangers from securing my name on the latest greatest service…(Gmail, Facespace, Foursquare, etc). Generally I’m losing… Not to mention – there is one Alex Cheong out there who is far more savy… and has SEO’d my name… Time to get back in the game I think (Shameless Insertion of a Keyword – Alex Cheong).

It was announced this year that Facebook had grown larger in terms of usage than Google – this would suggest to me that the Internet is becoming less about data and more about connections, and identity. Is there space for 145 Alex Cheongs in this new digital world of connectivity? Will I eventually push back against the masses (of Me’s) and migrate back to my roots – smaller, niche communities where I can be myself again, and not one of a 145 Alex Cheongs?

I’ll finish this blog post with a quote from Highlander…

‘There can be only one….’

Snowbombing in 2010… April (kicks of Easter Monday, hence one day free holiday! Blamo!

Fly to Munich, Transfer to Austria, Party up for 5 days and Snowboard for 5 days….

I’m guessing its going to be just shy of £1000 for everything… that can’t be that bad for a snow trip… (not to mention you get a festival on top of it….)..

Mmmmm Food for though, might even keep this in the pocket for next year…. (*shrug)

Apparently one of the best festivals to happen in Europe, kicking off on July 6th, it runs till July 14th , 24 hours a day:)

I’ve just booked by tickets with PP Travel (they are doing a 20 off promotion).

Flying in to Biarritz (via Ryan Air) on the 3rd of July, and then flying out on the 11th – I’ve heard you dont really need to do the full festival… not sure mother would appreciate me putting my life at risk 8 days in a row. Suffice to say that PP travel are currently doing an accomodation package – which is a flat fee of 169 (unless u book before January 31st, in which you get 20 pounds off). Seeing as the festival is still 6 months away – its quite surprising that airfares are already so high… so unless you’re quite partial to sitting on bus/ferry for 24 hours – I suggest most people do the same. At the moment Ryan Air flights are around…. 120(incl. one bag) and Easyjet to Bilbao is about (200). Of course you could always fly to Madrid, and take a 3 hour train up – which could be equally fun… and less tiresome then the overland trek from london;)

So I reckon a few day in Pamplona, drinking Sangria up to my eyeballs – and then another few days in San Sebastian – recovering, and drinking more Sangria… and maybe some Skydiving!

Keeeeen as!