The path is— as it's wont to do— the destination.

***

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A classic sports car going through a classic Kingston street is a good reminder that the Hudson Valley is a living idyllic painting. You just have to look.
Sometimes, though, the beauty of the valley just comes to you.

A butterfly just hit me in the neck

— Ivan Lajara (@ivanlajara) June 26, 2015

***

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Is there a balance between positive and negative things, or is it a matter of perception? Is it better to be exposed to terrible things, if they're seen through a positive lens? But can even that be too much? And aren't some things simply irredeemable?
It's up to us, really, to find that right balance. Let's hang in there for a moment.

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This is from my newsletter. Seriously.

Journalists, members of Digital First Media and pretty much everyone else who wants to - are going to be taking part on the weekly Twitter chat Wednesday at noon, Eastern Time.

Today we are talking about experimentation! And when you have no time! CRAZY! How do you even go about it? What kinds of things can journalists try when the workload is so heavy? Are there experiments that might save time? What tools can journalist use and/or experiment with?
The feed is posted below. You can also check out past chats over here.

If you want to chime in, post a comment in the container or a tweet with the hashtag "#dfmchat" so it can automatically appear below.

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Today is a weird day, full of weird things. And that's OK! Let's embrace the weirdness.

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Experiment! How much different would it be if you only read the opening of Yesterday's Internet, Today! ? Would it feel pretentious? Optimistic? Thoughtful? Vapid? Would you miss the links and/or the cat? Does the photo make it feel different?
Let's look at things with new eyes. Just for kicks.
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The Ashokan Reservoir in the distance, from somewhere up the hill in Shokan.

Things look smaller far in the distance, and their immensity is sometimes overlooked. But if you try to look too far ahead, things begin to become blurry. There's no point in guessing what's there.
You'll know once you get there.

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I was using Google Glass as well. Hence the photo.

Journalists, members of Digital First Media and pretty much everyone else who wants to - are going to be taking part on the weekly Twitter chat Wednesday at noon, Eastern Time.

Today we are talking about ~disrupting~ the summer coverage. You've got your festivals, parades, concerts and gatherings. What are the best ways to cover such events? What tools do you bring? How do you maximize your audience and participation? Bring your toolkit!

The feed is posted below. You can also check out past chats over here.

If you want to chime in, post a comment in the container or a tweet with the hashtag "#dfmchat" so it can automatically appear below.

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Camp Seewackamano in Shokan. I'm on a boat.

Is it summer yet? We can all use a break and read some things while enjoying the weather. I've recently started reading fiction again, after years —to many to count—of sticking exclusively to nonfiction, and I'm not talking about books, but news and online articles, also too many to count.

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Whenever you read a Facebook comment, or a story comment or a tweet that makes you angry, what do you do?
Let that sit in your head for a moment.

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There is a bird in this picture. Can you see it?
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The beauty of Onteora Lake is palpable. And you can also smell it.
I've never had the chance to fully explore the other side, though. So it's calling me. It has for a while.
Are there small things you've been wanting to do for a while? What is it that prevents us from fully doing them?

***

Pizza Hut is one step closer to becoming Taco Town.

I'm pretty sure this will become a reality one day:

Never use hashtags.
Never tweet.
Never eat.

***

The Four: 
* Conspiracy and nepotism charges are the stuff of school board meetings, obvs.
* Living Large.
* The Rev. Modele Clarke said that the city of Kingston is one misstep away from an explosive incident like Baltimore. I have no segway for this, so Fun fact! Clarke once held the position I hold at the Freeman.

* This is a story about radio-transmitting utility meters, so bring your pitchforks.

***

One cat: Spy.

1: Or….maybe we’ll run out of stories and have to tweet cat photos. #CIACat #Twitterversary pic.twitter.com/nql9d0Gsmr

— CIA (@CIA) June 10, 2015

Yesterday's Internet, Today!  never sticks out. Subscribe! 

Answer: "Never tweet."

Journalists, members of Digital First Media and pretty much everyone else who wants to - are going to be taking part on the weekly Twitter chat Wednesday at noon, Eastern Time.

Today we are talking about Twitter use for small newsrooms: What is ideal vs. what's real. How do you maintain a presence and how do you use it if you're short on resources? Is it worth it if the community you cover is barely using the service? (Short answer: Yes. Let's find out why).

The feed is posted below. You can also check out past chats over here.

If you want to chime in, post a comment in the container or a tweet with the hashtag "#dfmchat" so it can automatically appear below.

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"Super Horse" at the Saratogian.

I was in Saratoga on Tuesday to share with some colleagues some ~insights~ and ~strategies~ for newsrooms when it comes to social media, specifically Facebook and Twitter.
I said "cats" a lot, as I'm wont to do. I also made terrible faces and said terrible things like "brands" and "millennials," which I should have replaced with "cats," obviously, because those words are terrible.

It was great.

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Onteora lake

The water is getting warmer and clearer, but the weather is still capricious and won't stop being unpredictable.
Not knowing, after all, is what's predictable.
Are you comfortable knowing that there are things we can't know?

***
Predictability in journalism:
Taking the job too seriously.
Not taking the job too seriously.
Revisionist online journalism history.
In conclusion: We don't know anything, so come at me, bro.

This photo is real. Caption contest? pic.twitter.com/6LKzWfPteO

— New York Times World (@nytimesworld) June 8, 2015

***

The Four:
*  ʕ•ᴥ•ʔ.
* From ice factory to brewery
* Block party.
* Kickball.

***

One cat: For kicks.



Yesterday's Internet, Today! plays ball. If you get the emails, you get extra stuff.

The Kingston Fire Department

One path is shorter but strenuous. The other one, long and a bit boring.
And the one you choose to take, many times, really hinges more on your current state of mind than on anything else.
In life, also many times, you don't get do-overs when presented with choices.
So if you do get do-overs, cherish them as if you'd gotten a new life.

All I'm really saying is to not go the same way to work every day because it gets boring.

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The unavoidable "Artemis" towers over Kingston. But what is she saying?
Baltimore-based artist Gaia painted the mural for the O Positive festival on the back of the BSP building two years ago. The other two sides of the building now sport their own murals. But Artemis is the one that really stands out.
I know the open arms are supposed to signify something profound, but this is an online world, and nowadays, open arms like that either mean "come at me, bro" or ¯\_(ツ)_/¯.
Sorry. I don't make the rules. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯.

***

If you didn't get a post from me yesterday it was because I was hosting #dfmchat and after that I had to make a decision between cats or bunnies and I also have a job I'm supposed to be doing instead lol sure thing.

Therefore, here's the face of a pig that just pooped on a cop car.

***

The Four:
* Bill Maher is billmahering in Kingston this weekend.
* Mountain Jam live blog yes please.
* Would you like to buy one Tech City?
* All revved up in Saugerties.

***

One cat: All revved up.



Yesterday's Internet, Today! doesn't poop on cop cars.

Journalists, members of Digital First Media and pretty much everyone else who wants to - are going to be taking part on the weekly Twitter chat Wednesday at noon, Eastern Time.

Today we are talking about mobile live video. What is the value of using live-streaming apps like newcomers Periscope, Meerkat or Ustream, Livestream and the others? What are the advantages and disadvantages of using those apps? What's then, the best way to implement their use in news coverage? Bring your #realtalk (and your livestreaming apps).

The feed is posted below. You can also check out past chats over here.

If you want to chime in, post a comment in the container or a tweet with the hashtag "#dfmchat" so it can automatically appear below.

Read more »

Trying to simplify and make sense of complicated things is one way we deal with our issues, and to be able to see the path ahead. The risk is when we simplify things too much, or when we make things more complicated than they need to be, like starting a sentence with a gerund.
When I find myself in such situations, one thing I do is to just look around and take a step forward, and let the sentences, links and terrible metaphors fall where they may.

Let's see what happened, then:

***

"Tired of having to put the food in your own mouth?"

Hellington Post < "Huffington Post for balls." 

Pew does Snake People. 

This Sunday New York Times Magazine story about professional Russian propaganda troll farms is amazing(ly terrifying). And make sure you get to the crazy end. It's long, but worth it. Or you can save it for Sunday, when it goes to print.

PSA: In the future, all your photos will be stock photos. The future is now, btw.

***

The Four:
* Town of Esopus politicians are upset about a planned alcohol dependency rehabilitation facility in town.
* However, town of Esopus politicians want a vodka plant. Priorities, people. Priorities.
* Let's have some barbecue by the side of the road.
* Challenge.

One cat: 

Yesterday's Internet, Today! is not a professional Russian troll.

The Saugerties Lighthouse trail

The wind was strong on Sunday in the Hudson Valley, as it carried clouds and rains. And if you left yourself exposed, you could have seen just how much it wanted to be noticed, as it made everything dance, even though you couldn't catch it.
The darkest days can be refreshing.

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