that "25 things about me" thing is out of control

You've either filled the thing out and posted in on Notes of Facebook, heard of it, or seen it on a friend's profile.

I'm talking about the 25 Random Things About Me chain letter that is dominating my Facebook news feed every morning when I stumble into the Where I've Been headquarters.

Don't get me wrong, I love knowing little tidbits of information about my friends that I can use to sabotage them, but is this whole thing just a spammy fad? And how many times do I really have to hear the usual, uninteresting stuff such as:

"#3 My favourite color is blue"
"#16 I like the beach"
"#8 I broke my ankle when I was 2"

I was still foaming at the mouth at 2, and I'm pretty sure no one wants to hear about that via 25 Random Things. Anyway, I have created my own list for travelers and WIB fans only, and it's called "Top Ten Places I Need To See Before I Perish".

1. Dubai. I have always been fascinated by Dubai and its beaches, the vast land, and its sky-high buildings. It is said that Dubai is home to 15% of the world's cranes which comes as no surprise since it's skyline is constantly changing. While there, I would love to stay at the Burj Al Arab, the world's only seven star hotel, which is shaped like a sail. Groovy!
2. Japan. I dream about Tokyo at least once a week. Seriously . The movie, Lost in Translation, has only further triggered my desire to see this place. I'm fascinated with the way Japanese people live, their food, their street attire, the architecture, and nightlife. I absolutely love the feeling of being lost and bewildered, and I know this is the place to lose myself and be completely stumped by my surroundings.
3. California. When I was younger, I was heavily influenced by shows such as Beverly Hills 90210, Fresh Prince of Bel Air, and Saved By the Bell - all TV shows based around the laid-back, breezy, Californian lifestyle. I have lived in America for 10 years and I have never been to the west coast. From the vineyards, to Universal Studios, to Hollywood, to Route66, I want to see it all! Please, someone, guide me to the American Airlines website and help me book this flight asap lol.
4. South Africa. The African tribes, such as the Zulu people, are known for their beautiful attire and jewelry and their peaceful way of life, so I want to have the chance to meet people from that tribe to get a true grasp of their lifestyle and culture. Also, I have never been in a hot air balloon, and I can't think of any other place I'd want to do that than in South Africa, overlooking the breath-taking landscape.
5. Moscow. Russia is known for it's history, art, and architecture and I would love to see and experience every aspect of Moscow's best attractions: the Red Square, Lenin's Mausoleum, and the Cathedral of St. Basil, and the Kremlin. While here, I'd like to dine at the famous One Red Square restaurant, which boasts a menu fit for kings inside the beautiful red brick building.
6. India. My favorite food is Indian, and I have always wanted to know what authentic Indian really tastes like which is one of the many reasons I'd like to see India, namely Mumbai, Goa, and New Delhi. Some of the main attractions I'd like to see are the Taj Mahal, The Ganges, and the Red Fort.
7. Brazil. From what I have read, heard, and seen on TV, Rio de Janeiro is notably one of the most beautiful places in the world. I'd love to see the Christ the Redeemer statue, and stay at the famous, luxury Copacabana Palace Hotel. This trip alone would rinse my bank account.
8. Marshall Islands. This is a secret I have kept to myself but I have a huge desire to visit the Marshall Islands for no other reason than it's secluded, peaceful, and completely disconnected from the real world. Everyone has their own idea, or vision, of paradise and for me this is it.
9. Germany. Looking back on my school days, I wish I had taken German as my foreign language course! I'd like to go to Berlin, the country's largest city and capital, to learn about the city's history see how Berlin has been revitalized after WWII. Some of the sites I'd like to see include Hitler's bunker, the Stasimuseum and the DDR Museum. Other than my love for German beer, food, and history, my mum was born in West Germany ... just another brilliant reason to visit! I'd also love to see Munich and Hamburg.
10. Egypt. One of my favorite movies when I was little was Aladdin, so I would love to visit Egypt - the center of the Arab world! I have always wanted to go somewhere that's just completely different from anything I've ever experienced which is why I would like to visit Sharm el-Sheik. Here, it would be fascinating to take a cruise across the Nile, ride on a camel, and visit the ancient wonders - the Pyramids! Aladdin - call me sometime.

Where do you want to go?
Katy Lynch
Community Manager

.. and just in case you were wondering, I no longer foam at the mouth.

the Facebook Developer Garage outcome!

The moment you have all been waiting for....

Facebook Developer Garage video footage! THANK YOU to Imran Javed for acting as a superstar cameraman last Friday night. Imran has condensed over one hour of great footage into this video for you all to feast your eyes on.

For all those people who came up to me at the end of the night and said "I missed the Facebook guy!", do not fear. The Facebook guy has a name. It's Luke Shepard, and his presentation is featured in the second video. Enjoy!


Facebook Garage - CHICAGO! from Jessie Ray on Vimeo.


Luke Shepard, Facebook Garage Chicago from Jessie Ray on Vimeo.

Special thanks to our speakers for sharing their outstanding knowledge and wisdom. (I hope their vocal chords have been repaired by now.)
Sachin Agarwal
Jennifer Beese
Craig Ulliott
Keith Schacht
Luke Shepard
Ben Parr

Thank you to our sponsors and ALL (over 170 of you!) who came to support the Chicago tech community, our speakers, and Facebook. We adore you, and we look forward to the next event in the windy city.

Until next time..
Katy Lynch
Community Manager & Facebook fanatic!
Home | Twitter

50 is the magic number

If you don`t get out of the box you`ve been raised in, you won`t understand how much bigger the world is. - Angelina Jolie

This is probably one of the most outstanding pieces of travel news I have heard in a while. Daniel Seddiqui is planning to hold 50 jobs in 50 American states in 50 weeks.

But why?

Daniel says he's on a mission to explore the diverse careers, environments, and cultures offered in America. A recent graduate from University of Southern California, Daniel openly admits that he was unaware what he was getting himself into.

"I didn't know what kind of career I wanted to take on. I had no clue what Chicago looked like before I moved. Not too many people are risk takers, that's why I want to take everyone along with me provided through my videos, articles, and photos. I cover a broad range of careers that are true American jobs. I want America to see themselves and how much of an impact the environment, career, and culture shape their lifestyle." [source: Living The Map]

So where has Daniel been?


Week 1: Utah
Week 2: Colorado
Week 3: South Dakota
Week 4: North Dakota
Week 5: Minnesota
Week 6: Iowa
Week 7: Nebraska
Week 8: Wyoming
Week 9: Montana
Week 10: Idaho
Week 11: Washington
Week 12: Oregon
Week 13: Nevada
Week 14: Arizona
Week 15: New Mexico
Week 16: Kansas
Week 17: Missouri
Week 18: Arkansas
Week 19: Oklahoma
Week 20: Texas
Week 21: Louisiana
Week 22: Mississippi
Week 23: Wisconsin

Daniel has already received an immense amount of exposure of his travels. Some of the news stations that have captured his journey are: Fox - Milwaukee, The Today Show NBC, The Bonnie Hunt Show, CNN, ABC news, and FOX5 - Las Vegas. He is also creating quite a buzz on Twitter!

To follow Daniel on his fascinating life-changing journey around the country, visit his page Living The Map. :)

Good luck Daniel!
Katy Lynch
Community Manager
Where I've Been | Home
Where I've Been | Twitter

METSummit09

Where I've Been is going to be at METSummit09 on Friday, February 27, 2009 between the hours of 10am-3pm. We will be speaking in the Experience Room, a special space dedicated to companies that can display their latest gadgets, games, and new products commercially available or on the verge of release. The Experience Room will be open throughout the day for all to step inside and interact with new technologies! [source: METSummit]
Some other companies that will be attending, and speaking in the Experience Room, are: News at Seven, Cazoodle, Everyblock, mPayy, Manifest Digital, and Flashpoint Academy.

METSummit will be held at the state-of-the-art Harper Center in Hyde Park. With the combined forces of The Media & Entertainment Group and the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, METSummit brings together entrepreneurs, and tech industry leaders and experts, for an exciting day of mind blowing discussions about the convergence of media, technology and entertainment.

For more information, you can visit the official METSummit09 website.

Hope to see you there!
Katy Lynch
Community Manager
Twitter | Where I've Been
Home | Where I've Been

Facebook Developer Garage CHICAGO STYLE!

this event is free

Do you ROCK OUT every time you log in to Facebook?

Are you blown away by all facets of technology and the media?

This is a huge shout-out to Chicago developers, entrepreneurs, technology buffs, and marketing professionals interested in the social network realm.

http://wiki.developers.facebook.com/index.php/Garage_Calendar

Where I've Been is hosting the Facebook Developer Garage, right here in the Windy City, on Friday, February 20th 2009!

Luke Shepard, a representative from Facebook, will be speaking at the event. Luke is a Chicago University alum who is on the Facebook Platform team and one of the head engineers on Connect. During the Garage, he will be giving a technical session of how to build a Facebook Connect implementation.

Food & drink will be provided! Guests will receive SWAG from Where I've Been & Facebook.


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For more info, or if you just want to share your excitement about the event, contact me at katy@whereivebeen.com

Warm regards,
Katy Lynch
Community Manager
http://www.whereivebeen.com