It’s a long story.

One I’ll tell you all one day, in one form or another.

1 x 9 + 2 = 11
12 x 9 + 3 = 111
123 x 9 + 4 = 1111
1234 x 9 + 5 = 11111
12345 x 9 + 6 = 111111
123456 x 9 + 7 = 1111111
1234567 x 9 + 8 = 11111111
12345678 x 9 + 9 = 111111111
123456789 x 9 +10= 1111111111

9 x 9 + 7 = 88
98 x 9 + 6 = 888
987 x 9 + 5 = 8888
9876 x 9 + 4 = 88888
98765 x 9 + 3 = 888888
987654 x 9 + 2 = 8888888
9876543 x 9 + 1 = 88888888
98765432 x 9 + 0 = 888888888

1 x 1 = 1
11 x 11 = 121
111 x 111 = 12321
1111 x 1111 = 1234321
11111 x 11111 = 123454321
111111 x 111111 = 12345654321
1111111 x 1111111 = 1234567654321
11111111 x 11111111 = 123456787654321
111111111 x 111111111 = 12345678987654321

Today, Martin from TheNextWeb ponders on whether we will see an element of ‘badge fatigue’ by next year.

I got fatigued about this quite a while ago when I first saw them. I really have never seen the ‘gaming’ element in these ‘badges’, nor the ‘reward’.

Where’s the ‘game’ in this apart from the site or system itself ‘gaming’ the intelligence of its users? (Don’t get me started on so-called ‘virtual gifts’ : small jpeg/gif images of flowers, teddy bears or treasure chests which some people buy for other people to put on some site profile or other. Maybe it’s just not for me.

The same goes for the ‘virtual’ object pickups and drops in places like Gowalla. Ermm.. what?? I just don’t see the point at all. I check in at home and have the ability to ‘drop’ a teddy bear and ‘pick up’ a guitar. I’m sorry, but WTF?

Am I alone in finding it really strange that ‘mostly adult’ 20- or 30-somethings (and over/under) actually take some pride in ‘collecting’ these images for their various site profiles? I could understand I bit more if it was children with ‘webkins’ or ‘moshi monsters’ etc. doing a similar thing as many did with football/baseball cards, to collect full sets, but adults?

Am I totally missing something? Have I become too cynical after being in the web for over 15 years? Is there maybe some irony which escapes me?

I understand the reward in possibly getting a discount from a real-life product in a real-life store/cafe/etc. from being the person who has checked in the most and become the ‘mayor’ of an establishment. Incidentally, I am the ‘mayor’ of the local pub down the road here in Somerset, but if I was to tell the landlord this fact and ask for a free pint, I think I’d find myself stuffed in to a cider barrel and rolled down the lane before you could shout “village idiot!”.

I’m building a few sites at the moment, some location-based, some requiring creativity and expression and some (apparent) utter wastes of time (surely a winner! ;p) which could, if I wanted to, have ‘badges’ as a part of the system, to lure users back to use the site and offer them the thrill of ‘unlocking’ features in thanks to using (or testing) a site more than another user. I can see the ‘reward’ in unlocking extra features.

But just another sticker-like image on my profile page? I just don’t get it yet.

Could someone please explain it to me. I am open to being convinced of the value to the users, I can see the value for the site owners, for sure.

But I can’t just see the ‘fun’ in it. Yet.

ps: Yes, I know this post is ‘littered’ with ‘quotes’. Just do an ‘air quote’ with your fingers each time you see one. Or drink. It’s a lot of ‘fun’. ;p

Incredible highs and lows all around the world with heaps of opportunities.

Through the gates of despair lies the palace of wisdom. I hope.

I hope to post more next year – since Twitter destroyed by ability to post a full blog post – either here or on Phreadz, which has been my baby for a couple of years now. I’m planning some new stuff early in 2010 so that people can use it more like a cross between a blog, Twitter, a podcast (audio or video) or to make it easy to share whatever people like.

The key thing about Phreadz is how things connect. Which is just how I like my friends. Connectable

Happy New year everyone!

It’s been a hell of a year for me ending in many personal and professional changes which have made me see people and light in different ways (and not all good – but not all bad either).

They say if it doesn’t kill you, it can only make you stronger. Right?

So, I’m giving it a go down under in Melbourne to get away from the constant doom and gloom of London and just about the whole of the Northern Hemisphere and try to tap in to and lap up the apparent positive attitudes I feel from most of the people down here (so far).

I have never felt so at home so far from home in any other place in the world. Ever. I feel like I belong here – but I still have a long way to go in finding work, a visa and a place of my own to live and start carving out a new life for myself on my own again.

Life doesn’t always work out the way you plan it – but who knows: if I try hard this time to not let things like work get in the way of living life and looking after myself and people I care about, then maybe it will all turn out right.

Either way : the only thing I can do is stay positive and give it my best shot. Let’s see….

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