Google+: first impressions

First off; why am I writing about this here?  Well as it has implications on all Google services, including Blogger which this blog is on, Google Plus will have some sort of effect on this blog and I'll come on to that in a minute...

If you didn't know then Google Plus launched as a beta or 'field test' recently.  It's a new social networking system/site to rival Facebook.

So I've been on Google Plus, or Google+, or G+, for a few days now.  I've read lots of reviews and articles about it but none seem to really sum it up for me; or more to the point they don't provide a valid reason for switching to it from, say, Facebook, for example.

I've been enjoying the clean interface and, as a bit of a nerd, have been happy fiddling about with the settings, sparks and all sorts of other things.  On the surface it's just like Facebook with a different look but, because of the way it's been written, I think it has the legs to take over from Facebook although don't expect Facebook to go quietly, although I expect a lot of people said this of Myspace...

A lot has been made about the main feature that distinguishes it from Facebook; 'Circles', essentially this primarily seems to be a way of filtering who you share what with; a way of keeping groups of contacts separate.  It's pretty self explanatory, I won't go into it here as, although useful and very refreshing compared to Facebook, I don't find it very interesting, so far I've posted everything to all my circles and haven't felt that there's anything (or indeed anyone in any circles) that I don't want all to know; I expect this will change as my other contacts from Facebook (the old school and work friends I don't really know anymore) sign up and I want to filter the updates.

I'm really interested in the bridging or integration of other Google services:

I understand that Blogger will be renamed and integrated into G+.  I would like to have my blog posts automatically added to my Google+ stream, at the moment I have to share the link (unless there is a way and I haven't noticed it).  I presume that, at some point in the near future, when posting to blogger I'll be able to choose to post it to Google plus and choose which Circles to share the post with.  Right now it seems really cumbersome as in Facebook I have it set import the blog posts into my notes so my Facebook contacts, who don't know the blog address, can still read our news from Somerset.

Other Google services such as Latitude and Buzz don't, at the time of writing, show up in Google+ when you use them.  For example you can check into places, and indeed buzz about them, from Google maps but you have to manually reflect your check ins from one service to the other; which is less than ideal.  As I use my Android phone a lot I'm looking forward to G+ integration so I can use Google Maps in the same way that I can, at present, with Buzz.

Other targets.  I felt that, when editing my Google profile (which you're expected to on G+), they have made it easy to list where you've lived, studied and worked; this to me feels like they're after linked in too.  It makes sense; it's easy to keep your personal and work lives separate thanks to circles so why not.

Ah well, I'm enjoying a 'new toy' for now and hope that it will mature into the panacea of tools I expect it to....

I'd better post this on Google+ then ;)

Mad dash

Saturday was the RUH Mad Dash.  We entered Oscar into the 200m toddle, he didn't seem to sure of why we were there in the field by Bath Spa Campus (which is really pleasant by the way).  But when everyone lined up and started running he got the idea.  Unfortunately a little tumble near the start put his off so Nicky had to pick him up and run all the way.

He got a goody bag and both Oscar and Nicky got a nice medal for taking part although Oscar really wasn't impressed with the teddy bear in the goody bag.

We think we'll go again next year when one of us can run the 10k or 2k race too.

Oscar and Nicky rearing to get running!

Looking at this shot Oscar actually managed to run some distance!

I ran all that way for this?

We suffered an epic fail using Google Maps as a search for a nearby country park offered us all sorts of results but unfortunately Google doesn't seem to know what a country park is.  It took us to Iford house, which does look very pleasant but wasn't what we were after; fortunately we did find Barton Farm Country Park using trusty paper map 'and a little bit of Googling'.  Oscar really enjoyed paddling in the stream, we only stayed for a short while as the lack of hard cash and hunger took us on our way in search of either a cash point or somewhere that we could pay by card...

Oscar really enjoyed finding fish in the water.

Sunday was eventful, but not in a good way.  When walking the dogs with Oscar in his backpack carrier George, in his rabbit chasing frenzy, disturbed a wasp nest and they went for us.  Toby got stung in his back leg, George in his mouth (although his adrenalin seemed to stop the effects until he got home), and I got stung on my hand, arm, chin and head; fortunately Oscar escaped unscathed.  Predictably I ran off screaming like a pansy and Oscar thought this was hilarious.

Maesbury Castle Revisited

We had another walk to Maesbury Castle this afternoon once Nicky had finished work.  Not really much to say this time rather than repeating myself from the last post but it was Toby's first time there; he and George really got a good run in!

The view from Maesbury Castle to Glastonbury Tor

We had to cross a field of young bulls which were very interested in us so Nicky had to scare them off with my walking poles...

Alfred's Tower and the Woods by Stourhead

We returned to the Stourhead Estate for a walk in the woods near King Alfred's Tower.  The weather was great and it was pleasantly cool in the shady woods.  Being quite a hilly area it was more challenging with Oscar than I expected but well worth it as is such a beautiful place.

We only walked a very small fraction of the woods and found that the nearby Bull Inn was fantastic and worth revisiting so expect a return visit or two for more walks as time goes by!


View Alfred's Tower And Woods in a larger map

The approach to King Alfred's Tower

Nicky and the hounds at the start of the walk

Mighty tall trees

A toadstool straight out of Super Mario Bros

We came across some fine horses and stopped to say hello 

Nicky got the dogs to a nice bit of grassy shade at the end of the walk while Oscar found a picture of an owl.

Oscar couldn't work out the walking poles, good job he gets carried around!

Stourhead revisited

We met Nanny Glynis and Uncle Brian for a visit to Stourhead gardens.  A lovely walk with two visits to the cafe!

Brian, Glynis and Nicky

Look; a rabbit!

Brother and sister, Brian and Glynis

Nicky, Oscar, Nanny and Brian

Julius, Oscar, Glynis and Brian

The Temple of Apollo

The ceiling inside the Temple of Apollo

The view across the lake from the bridge

Geese taking the amazing colourful flora for granted!

We're keeping him!

So we are keeping Toby, we are still undecided about his name so are sticking to Toby.  He's just had his vaccination and checkup and to make things official I've carved our contact details into his collar.

That's George's and my shadow by the way.

He's looking so much happier and healthier already, also George seems to really like the company; it's had a calming effect on him, although George keeps trying to fit Toby's head in his mouth to encourage him to play....

At least the blurry out of focus shot conveys the amount of movement with these two

Leaping George

Not much of a post, just really a picture of George.  I managed to get a shot of him bounding through the long grass on Barren Down (his favourite running spot).