Internet Clicks

Everyone seems to be all over Pinterest these days.  Even the most techno-illiterate people on my Facebook feed (they still hunt-and-peck!) are on Pinterest.  But for whatever reason, I missed the wave.  What's weird is I typically love aggregators like that.  I would like to give it another fair shake, but I'm a little preoccupied with with graduate school stuff.  So let me share a couple of my current go-to clicks.

Let me start with Goodreads.  It is precisely what it sound like, a site to find good books to check out.  You can rate and review books that you've read and receive recommendations for further reading.  You can organize books that you have read, are reading or would like to read on your profile.  There are also book lists, made by site members and moderators, centered around certain themes.  When I was first introduced to the site, I went a little crazy on it.  I rated about four hundred books, and put about a hundred more on my "to-read" shelf.  I haven't had much of a chance to get involved in the community aspects of the site.  It has been interesting to read reviews.  Unlike a site like Amazon, where you get reviews more from a customer angle, Goodreads reviewers usually style themselves a lot like critics.  It's a lot more like reading an editorial review.  I could go on and on but I'll stop except to say that I recently went on a used books shopping spree and bought  mostly books on my "to-read" shelf.

Next is Houzz, which is sort of like a bevy of home magazines with all the articles cut out.  It is tons and tons of pictures of home spaces (and home products like sofas and beds and whatnot).  On the site you can create ideabooks, where you can collect images that inspire you.  The site also has the capability to point you towards local professionals that could help you in remodeling-contractors, furniture stores, etc.  Since I am currently poor as dirt, I haven't used this service so I can't speak to its usefulness.  You can browse others' ideabooks or search the images for a specific feature, such as small kitchens or English garden.  There are also a number of useful and just humorous articles on home-related topics.

So those two are my current internet obsessions.  I'm sure when Pinterest gets a fair shake, I'll be super addicted just like everyone else I know.