adventures in 中国

Just to show that I'm not a Debbie Downer about Beijing. See, it can be pretty.

Sites I frequently visit or just enjoy in general (in no particular order):

1 > GMail -- a given. Who doesn't love their GMail?

2 > PostSecret -- check this site every Sunday, without fail. Usually at 1 a.m.

3 > GroundReport -- sure, some of the articles aren't THAT interesting...but I like the concept of the whole site. It's international, it's free, it's diverse, and...gotta give props to a fellow NYU alumna.

4 > Facebook -- one of my guilty pleasures. I'm away from O.H. (Original Home) a lot, so FB is a good way to connect not only with people back home, but with people all around the world. Just don't "friend" me if we barely spoke two words to each other in high school. Or college, for that matter.

5 > 43folders -- I'll be the first to admit that my time management is something that wavers between "bad" and "horrible." I may look like I'm being productive and efficient, but it's all a show...usually. Besides, who doesn't want tips on how to make one's work life a bit easier? Always room for improvement. I'm a growing girl.

6 > NYTimes -- a daily read for me. My day's incomplete without stopping by the Times' site. Check it right after GMail.

7 > The Atlantic -- good, interesting variety...generally well-written. Can't argue with that.

8 > GoodReads -- always looking for book recommendations. And I enjoy reading a lot of the posted reviews.

9 > news.yahoo.com -- okay, so it's not the best place to get your news (by FAR...and it's certainly not my only resource, don't worry), but it sure is interesting. I go to the "Most Popular" tab, and the stories range from banal to extremely weird. You also get to see which articles + photos are "most e-mailed" or "most viewed", and it's all usually a quick read or a quick glance.

10 > GoodMagazine -- the printed version is better, but the online version is relatively better for the environment (...or is it?). Just a great, fresh, new magazine that makes you want to read the entire thing cover to cover...twice. Oh, and did I mention that 100% of subscription costs go to one of 12 non-profit partners?

11 > Heifer.org and Kiva.org -- because I think sustainable, alternative sources of income are a great thing. And it's fun to read people's success stories!

12 > YouTube -- not gonna lie...it's endless entertainment. Don't have an account, but I have my favorite videos mentally bookmarked (search engines are a wonderful thing). For instance, type in the keywords "Hey Jude baby singing." Enjoy.

13 > MediaStorm.org -- just check it out. You'll love it. (Thanks, Jeff, for introducing me to it.)

14 > Posterous -- new to the list!

...recommend some of your favorites! I'd love to check 'em out. That is, if I can access them..