Florida football beat LSU this weekend in the Swamp. The atmosphere was one of the most intense I’ve felt in a long time. After beating LSU on Saturday, Florida football is now ranked number 4 in the nation. I love Muschamp’s reaction and how excited he is to be with his team after the big win. It’s his energy that keeps the team together.
As an aspiring journalist, I love seeing funny interviews from the news. This is one of my favorites, and one that is often quoted in my apartment. “Ain’t nobody got time for that!”
Steve Krug knows what he’s talking about. He’s had years of experience in web usability, and he got started when the Web was just blossoming into what it is today. His first copy of Don’t Make Me Think was printed in 2000, right when Internet mania was heating up. Krug has seen the Internet grow more than most people will in their lifetimes, and his advice is extremely helpful for aspiring young people.
One of the things I like most about Krug’s book is his explicit examples. He never tears apart a website, just makes a note about what he would fix on it if it was his website. For instance, in the Street Signs and Breadcrumbs chapter, Krug uses websites like Amazon, Quicken, and Global Mart to get his point across about why the trunk test is effective.
I also love that Krug uses comics to get his point across, such as in The Farmer and The Cowman and the Usability As Common Courtesy chapters. The comics he chose in The Farmer and The Cowman portray co-workers in a boardroom having meetings about their websites: a very real occurrence that happens in the modern day business world. Krug says you should have at least three or four people check your website’s usability, but also shows how too many people involved can complicate things. The graphics he chose for the Usability As Common Courtesy chapter are small and simple, yet effective. After reading the section, you understand The Reservoir of Goodwill a little bit more. Krug gives resources for different types of learners so everyone can learn from his book easily.
Based on what I learned from Don’t Make Me Think, I would say a good website is easy to navigate, has clear labeling, and is straightforward. It should also have a good search option. Krug stresses this as one of the most important things about a website. You should only have to type in one thing into the search bar in order to get the results you want. Another important aspect of a website is site recognition. Krug also encourages site owners to post their logo on every page of the website so users never forget where they are. If they click on a link that takes them to a different site, they should be able to tell they are no longer on yours.
And the most important thing on a website (besides good usability, of course!) is the home page. Krug dedicates a whole chapter just to discuss the home page and its importance, as well as what you should have on it. The home page should have site recognition, search functions, teases, deals, shortcuts, and site hierarchy. It has to be easy to use and it should make people want to come back to it over and over. The home page is the most difficult thing to design because it is the most clicked on page on the website. Krug says the thing that most often gets lost is “conveying the big picture”, or making sure you answer the four questions. What is this? What do they do here? What can I do here? And Why should I be here and not somewhere else? Those four things need to be instantly recognizable, no matter the excuse. Home pages should be as basic as possible. And, as Krug would say, “Nothing beats a good tagline!”
I just got back from visiting my little brother this past weekend. It was very exciting because they finally won their first football game! I was so excited for him, and sad to leave. Hopefully … Continue reading
Tonight I made slutty brownies for a meeting I was having. They are called slutty brownies because they are easy to make and messy! Yes, I got the recipe off Pinterest. Basically this is the Mayans’ gift to us poor unfortunate souls that only have 89 days left to live. It’s chocolate chip cookie dough on the bottom, then Oreos, then brownies on top served warm with vanilla ice cream. You can see the different layers in the picture here. It’s like heaven!
Today I’m loving Heidi Klum’s Emmy dress. There were so many amazing colors on the red carpet last night (and being from Florida, I love color) that it was difficult to pick just one. This Alexander Vauthier number was my favorite because of the double slits and the matching jewelry. Heidi looked absolutely stunning. Julianne Hough’s turquoise mermaid gown was a close second, but her hair freaked me out. What was your favorite Emmy dress?
Today I am thankful for work connections. I got to be part of a shoot for ESPNUNITE (a new late night comedy show on ESPNU. Tune in at midnight!) with Alberta and two Dazzlers, as well as my friend Mike and my new friend Jordan, whom I met through a work connection. The footage seemed like it was funny, so I can’t wait to see the finished project!
Today I am thankful for Gator football! The Gators put the Tennessee Vols back in their place today after beating them 37-20. The Vols haven’t won the “rivalry” since 2004. It’s great to be a Florida Gator! This picture is from the Tennessee game in Gainesville last year!
As I mentioned in my About Me, I am a Telecommunications major at the University of Florida. Today, I’m excited that the world is still around because we started newscasts again today! We didn’t go live, which was a good thing, because some of my video played in slow motion. However, next week we are live and ready to roll. I anchor the sports segment on Wednesday at 5 p.m. You can tune in on wuft.org or if you are in the Gainesville area watch us on Florida’s 5 WUFT! I love doing sports because the story is always interesting every day. Fans are truly passionate about sports, and everyone is always happy to talk about it. Even if a team is not doing so well (ahem Gator football), fans are still there cheering them on. There just may not be as many of them. Sports is what keeps the world from ending before the Mayans think it will, because, like entertainment, it allows people to escape from the stress of every day life. 
Today I’m thankful for Target. I got this super cute tie neck sheer blouse for $19, and normally shirts like this are expensive. Not to mention, the heart print is adorable! Target always has good quality at an affordable price depending on what you are looking for!
____ Days Until the End of the World 