Generative Research

What I can’t live without

Computer: I use the computer to access the internet which allows me to listen to communicate with peers and colleagues, gather news, and stay up to date on new music and movies.  All of these activities are very much so at the center of my life.

Food: Food is one of my favorite things in the world and provides an important creative outlet and means of relaxation in my life.  

Floss: I am borderline OCD about flossing.  Whenever I run out of floss, I become anxious and feel like the rest of my day is out of sync.

What I care about:

Nature: Being outdoors is a very important part of my general happiness during the week.  After spending a few days primarily indoors, I become anxious and feel like I am being trapped in.  

Bed: My bed is the item in my life that reminds me most of home.  As I have moved from apartment to apartment every year, It is the only homely item that has been with me for the past four years.  I make serious effort to get 7-8 hours of sleep every night.   

Blogs and Forums:

I use blogs and forums, specifically Reddit and Hacker News, because it is a source credible user-generated content.  Because of the ranking system, the sites only allow articles that are mutually agreed upon by the community as credible.  Because the content is often generated from users and not a for-profit media source, I trust that the articles and comments on them are representative of all opinions.  

Twitter and Facebook:

I use social media as a primary means of gathering information for a few reasons.  First, because this information is shared through a group of people who are my friends, I can often be confident that it will be worth the investment taken to consume it.  Next, Twitter, and Facebook to some extent, lets you directly tailor what people and sources of news you want to see on your feed.  This control allows me to further ensure that this news is relevant to my interests and beliefs.  Finally, because this information is user-generated, it often provides stories and insights before major media corporations can crank an article out.  

Online Video:

Video is source of media that introduces the elements of imagery and sound.  Being able to consume information through video and audio makes the process much more enriching than plain-text.  Video also ingrains the information in my head more strongly because it prevents me from consuming the information hastily such as when I am reading too quickly.