Joe D’Ambrose

Since 2004, everyone’s been talking about Web 2.0, in other words, the “second generation of Internet-based services that emphasize online collaboration and sharing among users.” As if it is some very recent phenomenon. In my opinion we are in the sold-out aftermath of Web 2.0 in which everyone is trying to get their piece. I’d say eBay was the true pioneer.

I began using the Half.com shortly after eBay purchased the site in 2000. I used to join BMG music club and get “12 CDs for the price of 1″, I’d buy all the best sellers and sell them on Half.com. I would go to thrift shops and buy brand new looking books for 25 cents, and a few days later ride my bike over to the post office to ship out the sales. No listing fees, fixed prices, and ultimately, easy to sell. It was a fun way to fund my summers during early high school. Now a days I use the site to buy and sell college textbooks, and it’s also my favorite place to buy CDs and books.

Okay so I really only have three semesters at Bryant left. Insane! I can’t complain though, life is as good as it ever has been. I’m going back to school on January 19th, one week from today. Four classes this semester (America and the Free Market, Stats II, Non-profit Law, and Mechanisms of the Mind), plus a directed study in Sociology with the rest of the Javalids team. Should be a good line-up, no night classes.

I’ve always been a huge Everclear fan. I just noticed at their website that they are back on tour. I’ll have to check them out in Boston on February 22nd and at the Mohegan Sun on February 24th.

I recently heard about the new Apple iPhone, and while I’m not usually one to jump on the newest gadgets, this might be too cool to pass up. I like the iPod but with the iPhone you don’t have to carry around your cell phone and your iPod. This device seems to be unreal: internet browsing, e-mails, iPod music, photos, movies, etc. Steve Jobs calls it an “industry changing item“. I might have to jump on the bandwagon when it comes out in June. I’ve been a happy Verizon customer for 6 years, and the only downside I see so far is that the iPhone is only becoming available through Cingular… ehh.

I think this has been my favorite Christmas vacation to date. Suprisingly, my schedule is nearly as crazy as it is at school. I still go to bed at somewhat rediculous hours most of the time. The best part about home is being able to sleep in my own bed - the twin bed in the dorm room can get old real quick. I’m happy to have shelter either way!

This past week, as the holiday decorations get put away I’ve been hammering away mostly on two Normal Kings projects: (1) new functions for Theatre Lives, Connecticut’s favorite website for musical theatre, and (2) Middletown Revival, a website to showcase Max Baldwin’s exciting new property. It’s cool, I am grateful for the fact that I am able to work my own hours and at random locations. I’ve been getting my work done down at Brew Baker’s a lot of the time during this past week.

I don’t spend as much time surfing the net as I used to, because I work on my computer so I’d rather not be sitting at it while not at work. But a part of me is still a tech geek so I thought I’d tell I’d list a few websites that I actually enjoy: TechCrunch, Half.com, Facebook, Myspace, Hotornot, Pandora, Wikipedia, Pollstar, TomGreen.com, Netvibes

This was an especially exciting holiday season. My sister has been engaged: Congratulations to her and Phil. I have set them up with a website for them to post updates from their home in Baltimore. Also check out my father’s new website at VideoVisions.com.I spent December 27th in New York City with the family. It wasn’t my first time in the city, but for the first time it really became clear to me: I would never want to live in New York City. Too much commerce, everywhere. Megapixels, gigabytes, traffic lights, light bulbs, advertisements, logos, taxis, beeping, people, branding, SD-cards, MicroSD cards, cell phones, business to business transactions, pretzels… it’s all too much. I seek simplicity and New York City is way too fast. But we did catch a broadway play, The Producers, which was hilarious.

On another note, last week I tuned into NBC late at night and saw Tom Green, one of my all time favorite entertainers, happened to be a guest on Carson Daly’s late show. On the show, they talked about Tom Green’s new online TV channel at TomGreen.com. I watched the episode with guest Steve-O and it was hilarious. It was really some of the best TV I’ve seen in a while. Totally uncensored. Tom set up a TV studio in his own living room in Los Angeles! I really believe this is the future of talk shows. Online.

Happy birthday to me. I’ve just turned 20 on December 12th. Every so often I think about my plan for after graduation. I foresee paying off student loans, further developing the businesses, and attending graduate school for an MBA. I’m thinking of spending the “in-between” period in Hawaii..? If possible, I’d like to apply to graduate school during my senior year, defer my application by 1 or 2 years, and move out to Kauai with some friends and run the businesses from out there. I’m strongly considering it, anyway. Other than dreaming, I’ve also been finishing up my course work for the end of the semester. I have only one final exam left, and then I’ll be home for Christmas break for more than a month. Ahh. This Christmas break will be a great time to reunite with friends and family in Connecticut. But this is also an exciting time for the three businesses: 

It’s re-subscription time for Expedient Laundry. Any semester customers need to re-subscribe for next semester. We’re moving out of the Cornerstone Pub, our home on Bryant’s campus, and moving into the basement of Hall 4. Thanks to Residence Life for hooking us up with that new spot.  Normal Kings is actively working on several projects, many of which are in the finishing stages. Baldwin has a lot of new work for us as well. We’re going to be interviewing some potential part-time employees as our work load increases.

Javalids has come a long way since my last blog post. We’re going to be moving forward with our initial partnerships with charitable foundations and coffee shops during the holiday break. When we return to school, the student team will be engaged in a directed study in sociology in which we will develop the business, learn, and receive course credit. We’re going to be seeking funding and really launching. I understand that I’m not revealing nearly enough details, but for now there is a private Javalids blog for interested people, so you can e-mail me for a password if you’re interested. All Javalids information will become readily available to the public by February!

Life is good. Yesterday was a successful week #7 of the ROOTS radio show and week #10 of Expedient Laundry. This past weekend was enjoyable - went to the Ziggy concert on Friday with John and Jason, good times. Tuesday night, went to Boston with Hajjar for the Slightly Stoopid concert, but we arrived too late for Pepper, who opened for them. For some reason the Avalon has their concerts early; we were out of there by 11:00pm.In even more exciting news, my friend Cary and I are starting a new non-profit company called Javalids, Inc. The company will spread messages that support charitable causes in a very creative way. More details to come on Javalids over the next few weeks, but I can definately tell you that it is going to be huge! We are going to need a lot of help to make this a reality, though… so let me know if you want to be a part of it!

Normal Kings remains busy with web work, and our newest project we are working on is SeeOurPlaces.com, which, once complete, will be a new Web 2.0 website where people can share pictures of places! Be on the lookout for new updates on that.

Thanksgiving is coming up which means some much-needed time off from classes. I’m going home this coming Saturday and staying home for 8 nights! Should be very refreshing, and I look forward to spending time with the fam.

These past two weekends have been pretty sweet. On Friday the 27th I spent the day at Harvard’s Graduate School of Business, at an open-house type event for college students. Following that, of course, the Holloween weekend festivities at Bryant were excellent as usual. Then, this past weekend, I was in Chicago from November 2nd to November 5th for a national conference of the Collegiate Entrepreneurs’ Organization… fun times in a great city. Check it out if you ever have a chance. In other news, I’m hoping to check out a Ziggy Marley concert this Friday night. I had planned to see Slightly Stoopid and Pepper next week on the 14th, but it looks as though the show is alrady sold out. Bummer. More to come, Thanksgiving only a few weeks away… check back soon. - Joey D.