I got to move it, move it!

Last week we had to do a test for our class. It was not one of the tests you expect from a course at university which gets graded and stuff, but it was more of a personal one. The question was "What Kind of Tech User are you?"

Our teacher's idea was that we should do the test twice: One time we had to answer the questions regularly and the second time she wanted us to think back to the time before our seminar and answer the questions from that perspective. To be honest: I didn't plan to do so. I said to myself: Well, do that test, see what kind of tech user you are (ähm... ME - A TECH USER?!?!) and that's it. It won't make any difference if you do it twice.

My first result was that I'm a "Media Mover". Yeah, I thought, that sounds good. I really had no idea what it meant and the description given by the program didn't help a lot, but at least I thought it sounded great. "Ellie the Media Mover". I'm Moooooving. Moooooving in Media Space. Woooow! I like the image of me moving, because actually what makes me a Media Mover is the fact that I sit in front of my computer a lot. I move in the internet. That has nothing to do with sports or health, but it made me feel better. At least I get around a lot - virtually.

If I had followed my actual plan to do the test only once that would have been it. I would have lived happily ever after with the image of me being a Media Mover. But while I had answered the questions it occured to me that there were some, I actually would have answered differently a little time ago. So, I did the test a second time and now, hold tight! I only became a Media Mover in the last few months!! Before that I was an "Ambivalent Networker"! I have to admit: I didn't get the meaning of that term either. And in addition to that I didn't think it sounded as cool as "Media Mover". So, the idea that I probably was an Ambivalent Networker some time ago didn't bother me that much. What interested me was the fact, that my behaviour actually changed in the last weeks. That the way I use technology changed. That I myself somewhat changed.

I tried to figure out in which ways my technical attitude has changed and I found some. One thing for example is my new mobile. (I told you about it in Think Pink!) The reason why it changed my attitude is simple: It has more tools than the one I had before. You know, for example it has a 5 mp camera included. One of my friends even screamed: "Your camera is ringing!", when my mom called me. The fact that I now have a camera with me every day makes me use it very (very, very) often. Ok, maybe even too often... But that's not the point. The point is, that my new mobile did its part to change the kind of tech user I am.
A second thing that occured to me might seem obvious to you: I have a blog now! And thinking about that, I realised that my whole online attitude changed in the last few months! I do not only blog on my own, but I also read a lot of other blogs what I never used to do. I also comment on a few of them regularly. I also have a new profile on Facebook and even tried Twitter (but that still swamps me). And I discovered YouTube! Actually, I think I am a little addicted... A few months ago, I almost never visited YouTube, because I just didn't know what I should watch there. It felt like a waste of time to me. Now, every time I get bored I watch some videos. Ok that's still wasting time, but when I wanted to distract me before I watched TV. I didn't go online. So, that's another thing: Nowadays, I only watch TV (waaaait for it:) once in a blue moon. Wow, what a cool term ;)

When I realised all this, I felt as if I'm one of the murderers of "Old Media". So, I promised to myself to never stop reading newspapers. Technology entertains me, but I like to get my information the old-school way. I somewhat feel that I have to find the line between New and Old Media. That's what keeps the Media Mover in motion...

By the way: Although my technical attitude changed in the last few months, I don't think that has a lot to do with our new media course. I rather think it's due to the fact that I go to university now and nearly everything is managed online here. And my YouTube addiction is absolutely Anna Bananas fault!!! :-*