Let's see what's new in social media this week: Twitter is expected to earn $150 million in ad revenues this year, a huge increase over revenues of $45 million during 2010. Facebook is giving brands a new way to collect 'likes.'? 'Sponsored Stories'? will give brand-related action such as a 'like'? or a check-in a lot more visibility on Facebook by adding them to an ad unit in addition to users' news feeds. Grubwithus, a new social network, is hoping to break the mold with their service. They offer price-fixed meals at vetted restaurants with the intention of bringing together singles and couples who want to meet new people in the neighborhoods Twitter users are now spending 2 hours and 12 minutes per month on the website, which is up from the 1 hour and 51 minutes last year. Twitter has brought in a new feature called 'Connections,'? getting rid of their 'You Both Follow'? feature.
Like most people in today's world, I find it difficult to shut down and disconnect. Moving from meeting to call to email, I am always on and always accessible (via phone, text, email, bbm, Facebook, you name it). Exercise has always been my form of release, a way to shut down momentarily. A few months ago, I began feeling somewhat bored with my usual cardio/weight training routine, and was finding it increasingly difficult to turn everything off like I was once able. Then I remembered - several years ago, a doctor recommended I try yoga to kick a nail-biting habit. I, of course, dismissed her advice because yoga was 'weird.'? Now, trying to switch things up a bit, I decided to take her advice and jump on the bandwagon. Though Yoga has been around for centuries, it has just recently boomed into the bustling billion dollar industry that it now is. There is a yoga for everyone- partner yoga, power Yoga, laughter yoga, even naked yoga. Sitcoms today such as Modern Family poke fun at the success and proliferation of the practice, coining the term 'Troga,'? or treadmill Yoga. So I took the plunge, and fell in love instantly. Before my first class, the instructor told us to forget about what had happened that day, that week, that hour, and just focus on being present. And it worked. Everything seemed to quiet down and shut off for a bit while in Warrior I. After my first few classes, I of course 'needed' to buy the latest and greatest in Yoga paraphernalia ' a new mat, a super-absorbent and custom Yoga towel, and a packages of trial sessions from a few local studios. Given my newfound love-affair with Yoga, I began to take notice of the many journals, sites, blogs, communities, deals and steals out there in the Yoga world. I am now subscribed to receive email blasts, news and promotions from almost every studio or shop within a 5 mile radius of my apartment. Yoga, an ancient practice rooted in transcendence of the mind and spiritual enlightenment, and my new form of freedom and solace, now buzzes me at least once a day, letting me know that the ___ Yoga studio is having a $5 community Vinyasa class on Sunday. Ironic, right? Will I unsubscribe? Probably not. Even Yoga has had to adapt to fit the times and I can't blame it. And, though I might not be connected in the now traditional sense during class, the goal of practicing yoga is still to try to connect (to yourself, your inner energy, or something greater perhaps). Maybe these ancient yogis were onto something back then'?¦And hey, who doesn't love a discount?
