Facebook Pages: 5 Reasons to be Annoyed at Timeline

I love Facebook. I'm Facebook obsessed. So, it's rare to get a FB rant out of me, but I'm here to tell you that I am not down with the new Timeline format for Pages.

Let me take a quick moment to say that I am completely fine with Timeline for personal Facebooks. It's more organized, more graphic, a lot more interactive but not mind-blowingly different from the last one. All they really did was put our profiles in boxes and threw a timeline on the side. I don't mind this change at all because, the truth of the matter is, Facebook always changes and I always forget what exactly it looked like beforehand. Don't lie, you do too.

So when it was announced that Timeline was going to become available for Pages I was stoked! The new cover photo feature was an exciting feature I was ready to utilize. Not to mention, with the boxes of Timeline, you get to see more of the Page's content without having to scroll down and search.

HOWEVER! I was deceived.

Five reasons why Facebook, in my opinion, defiled Timeline for Pages:

1. Why, oh, why did you stack everything on the top of the Page?
Notifications, New Likes, Messages (this feature I happen to like a lot, just not where it's placed), Insights and Page Tips are the first thing that loads when you click on a Page you admin. This.is.annoying. I know there isn't ample amount of room to store these sections, but I just feel like FB could find better places for them. Why not do the whole sidebar bit? Maybe store it under the new Manage tab at the top? Sure, that tab annoys me, but I'd rather get the drop down than everything jumbled at the top.
Maybe I wouldn't have as much as an issue with the placement if...

2. Business Pages tend to load SO SLOWLY now. When I go to a Page (and mind you, I run about a dozen) the cover photo loads on top for an instant and then, realizing it has to go to the bottom of the Page to make room for Notifications, New Likes, etc., it moves down. The white space then slowly fills with all the info. that has to go at the top of the Page now.
Also, sometimes I'm impatient and like to scroll down to see my Page's wall. So when it is loading I'm already scrolling. But, again, the whole Page loads so slowly. I have to wait for the top to load and then my wall, and then the rest of the top section.

3. TABS--where did you go my lovies? You used to be under the profile picture, all neat and organized and pretty. Then, Timeline came along and I thought they would do something special for you. But, alas, you were attached to the bar that held the About, Photos and Likes. Only three boxes can be shown on this bar. You have to hit the down arrow to see more options. This really messed up businesses that utilize multiple tab sections that they want to be visible at all times. Because, honestly, most people aren't going to really look around your Page to search for a drop down menu of your once-loved tabs.

4. I manage about a dozen different Pages, daily. When I'm on my news feed I click on the Page I want to sign in as and, with the old version of Pages, I would go to the right sidebar to be that Page. It was a simple, simple process. Now, I have to wait for my Page to load and click the Manage drop down and then click the Use Facebook as So and So. I know this a knit-picky thing to complain about, but it's one more step that I didn't have before and it almost feels like it slows down my flow from Page to Page.

5. Let me revisit the slow issue. When I scroll down on a Page to see earlier posts, it takes a good while for them to load. I have faster response time on my personal Page and it just irks me. I only put up with it because it's MY Page, so what about those people who are just browsing? Will they get annoyed and just leave? Am I losing some potential viewers because of slow Page response time?

These are the reasons why I am disappointed in Timeline for Pages so far. Knowing Facebook, they'll make more changes to, hopefully, make it better. Until then, know when you go to a Facebook Page that I cringe with you.
If you have different reasons, be sure to comment!

Social Spaz Staff!

I am beyond proud to say that after almost six months of being in business, Social Spaz has become more successful than I could have hoped. Due to the growth I have been working around the clock with clients and the future expansion. This is where my new staff comes in! Let me introduce you to the newest members of Social Spaz!

Staff

Jeremy Paul Coté

Web Developer

More info. here

Yuka Nareta 

In-house Artist

More info. here

Now, to our new team of interns!

Becky Johnson

Sarah Dowling

Steve Caldwell

Welcome newest members! 

Intern, schmentern.

To start off, for those who know me personally, this is a legitimate internship position that I'm offering. Social Spaz is broken up into two branches--the business side and the internet personality. Both are very important to what Social Spaz has become and what it will continue to be.

Business side includes:
Working with several small businesses on a daily basis
Creating and maintaining several (countless) social media accounts
Constantly researching
Blogging for customers
Creating, overseeing and participating in event promos
Website design, editing and maintenance
The occasional mini-photoshoot (see Carpet Annie)
Plus the crop up of human networking (yes, in the outside world without a computer)

Internet Personality (The Spaz) includes:
Maning a ba-koodle of social media sites daily
Diving into several new sites
Again, lots of researching
Blogging
Website design, editing and maintenance
Troubleshooting
Networking with people all over the world (not even joking)

Now, there are more to both sides and even though The Spaz portion may not seem important it is. Social Spaz is in the middle of an expansion. That's why having an extra pair of hands and eyes is so important. The expansion, at the moment, is a secret--only few know what the future is going to bring to S.S.

However, for both sides to function without a hitch an intern is being sought out. I would like to have two to three people so we can make a team but it depends on the amount of applicants.

Here's some info:

Unpaid Internship (can live anywhere as long as you have a computer & internet)
What you will be expected to do

• Research new trends in social media and marketing
• Occasionally focus all energy on one client's social media (including Social Spaz)
• Create personalized social networking strategies 
• Work with a team of people, including the owner, in brainstorming sessions
• The occasional blog (all credit will be given to the writer)
• Network with people all over the world (your email will become your best friend)
• Update/edit the website (You will be taught Wordpress if you don't know how)
• Frequent popular social media sites and be crazy social
• Help with the expansion of Social Spaz
• Be awesome

Now, since this is an unpaid internship, there are still benefits to being an Social Spaz intern.

• You will be given credit for everything you do
• If you don't royally screw up or BETRAY Social Spaz, you will be given a wonderful letter of recommendation and be able to put down Social Spaz as a work reference
• You will be able to put your marketing and networking skills to good use in the real world
• You will make contacts with important people who will value your work
• If you are unfamiliar with the technical aspects of the websites, Social Spaz will teach you the ropes so you will be able to add to your skill sets
• When Social Spaz hires in the next year, you will be one of the first up for consideration 

Hours vary and you will only be asked to work from Monday-Thursday. Social Spaz understands you aren't being paid so we are very flexible with the schedule. 

If interested, email thesocialspaz@gmail.com with your resume and a short explanation of why you would like to be the new Social Spaz intern!

Thanks!

The Future of Social Media

A great big, wonderful thanks to Crazy Love Studios for producing this beyond adorable picture of an even more adorable baby.

Awkward Baker: S'more Brownies

I've figured it out. I am impatient and impulsive--two things that makes baking rather messy. This recipe (courtesy Food Network Magazine) was once again straightforward and yet I hit some bumps.

First you need to make Fudgy Brownies. As stated in the recipe you need to melt your chocolate and butter in a saucepan over low heat. Then it says, off heat to whisk in 3/4 cup each light brown sugar and sugar. Then whisk in 4 eggs, once at a time, and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Then stir in 1 cup flour and 1/2 teaspoon salt.

Okay, I know I'm not down with baker's lingo but I feel like the phrase "off heat" is weird. Does that mean not on the oven or turn the oven off and still have it on top? Well, I took it as mix the items in a different bowl, my trusty glass bowl that is.

This is where my impatience and impulsiveness comes in. Instead of taking the sweet time to mix everything like the directions said, I threw everything in my glass bowl and got my mixer. Did I mention that it asked for vanilla and I put in vanilla extract? Is that okay? We'll find out.

So I mixed everything and threw down my graham crackers as a very rickety foundation to this lovely S'more creation, then put everything in the oven for 30 min. Like an excited child, when it was finished, I piled the marshmellows and chocolate chips high and placed it back into the oven for 10 min.

I must say, despite my mixing aversion and vanilla issue, it tastes like an awesome brownie S'more!

Below are the recipes to follow.

Fudgy Brownies 
Melt 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips and 1 stick butter in a saucepan over low heat, stirring. Off the heat, whisk in 3/4 cup each light brown sugar and granulated sugar; cool slightly. Whisk in 4 eggs, one at a time, and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Stir in 1 cup flour and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Spread in the pan; bake 45 minutes

Then...

S'mores Brownies 
Make Fudgy Brownies (No. 11), lining the pan with a layer of graham crackers before adding the batter. Bake 35 minutes; top with mini marshmallows and mini chocolate chips and bake 10 more minutes.

Finished product!

The Awkward Baker Strikes!

Now, before I post the recipe and pictures of the finished product, let me tell you how I tried to skirt an issue and how it bit me in the backside!

The Pots De Creme seemed like a very yummy idea and an easy recipe to execute. However, let me remind everyone, my cooking/baking skills are at an all time low. But this is what the Month of Chocolate is about: paying homage to amazing chocolate and learning how to make all of these creations.

However, I managed to make this easy recipe a lot harder starting with the first direction.

Place the chocolate chips in the blender. Crack in the eggs, then add the vanilla and the salt. Pulse 5 to 7 times, or until the chocolate chips are partially pulverized.

I don't have a blender. So what did I immediately do instead? Look around the house for a hammer. I could pulverize a bag of chocolate chips with a hammer surely. After 10 minutes, I was hammerless and frustrated and I hadn't even started yet! But step one was upsetting me so I decided to do the coffee part next, skipping step one in its entirety.

So I got the coffee ready and then eyed my 2 cups of chocolate chips in annoyance. No blender, no hammer...Then in step two it says the coffee is meant to be poured into the chocolate chip/egg/vanila/sugar mixture (that I hadn't yet made) so what did I do? I assumed that I could melt the chocolate chips in a bowl in the microwave, mix the other ingredients in a different bowl and then combine in one large bowl.

Don't do this. Go buy a blender...or a hammer.

It was a messy, messy affair but I managed to get everything into one bowl. I received a mixer from a very lovely woman and began to mix everything. It looked completely unappetizing in my large glass bowl.

Then there came the next instruction where I was supposed to combine the coffee with this mixture into a cup.

So what did Awkward Baker do? Poured the coffee into the bowl and mixed it with my nifty mixer.

After that, it looked yummy and smelled great so I put it into the fridge like the instructions called for and went on to the messy business of cleaning the dishes that I wasn't really supposed to use in the first place.

I feel like I did okay with what I had (and didn't) but I won't know until they cool for a few hours! In conclusion, remember to buy a blender.

Up to my elbows in melted chocolate,

The Awkward Baker


Here's the recipe:


Ree Drummond's Pots de Creme

Courtesy Food Network Magazine, The Chocolate Issue
Time:
20 min
Yield:
10 to 12 servings
Level:
Easy

Ingredients
12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
4 large eggs, at room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 pinch salt
8 ounces (1 cup) very hot strong coffee
1 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons sugar

Directions

Place the chocolate chips in the blender. Crack in the eggs, then add the vanilla and the salt. Pulse 5 to 7 times, or until the chocolate chips are partially pulverized.

Turn on the blender, then pour in the very hot coffee through the hole in the top in a steady stream. The coffee will melt the chocolate and turn it into a smooth mixture.

Pour the mixture into small mason jars, pretty wine glasses or demitasse cups. Place the jars on a tray and refrigerate them for 2 to 3 hours, or until firm.

Whip the cream with the sugar and plop it onto the top of each glass.

What Food Network's Pots de Creme look like!

Month of Chocolate by Awkward Baker

I am the awkward baker.

Work has become very intense and for the month of March (excluding Sat. & Sun. because I don't have super powers) I am making a new chocolate creation and documenting my stumbling attempts at cooking/baking.

To follow my rocky, chocolatey journey go and Like this page: Just For Women Magazine.
You can be a guy and still like it. There are plenty of male members and you can always hide it from your profile if you're that scared.

Here is the first blog post from that page:

A friend showed me the Chocolate Issue of Food Network Magazine and I simply fell in love.  Chocolalte, to me, is the best thing you could ever taste (a close second being sweet tea, of course) and there were so many wonderful recipes in the issue that I thought "there needs to be a month to hold all of these." Thus, the idea of Month of Chocolate sprung. 

Women, in my mind, are the only truly smart people when it comes to chocolate. Not only do they usually like it, they appreciate it. Now, I realize that I'm on the very extreme side of loving chocolate but I thought it would be wonderful to make each dish with a running commentary attached.

Why? So you all could make your own versions and learn new very yummy recipes. Also, to be quite honest, I'm a very awkward baker. I grew up with a single father who did all the cooking and didn't always have the time to show me the ropes. I've baked exactly three things ever: two ugly, but yummy simple cakes and an intense amount of 10-minute muffins. This Month of Chocolate exersion has been approached with equal amounts of excitement and trepidation! 

But oh how I would love for all of the treats to turn out wonderfully and for people to also try out these yummy recipes!

So please follow an awkward baker on Just for Women Magazine's Page for this Month of Chocolate. Feedback and encouragement are greatly appreciated and encouraged