Aggregator-What???????

Aggregator is usually defined as a website or computer software that compiles information from multiple online sources. The purpose of collecting this information can range from compiling it to sell to others, use for new sources, gathering data for polling information, reviews of products or services, watch for trends in various searches on search engines, collecting information from social media networking services, and collecting and organizing online video sources. In its true form this definition does not acknowledge that a single person could be an aggregator. The process has to be done electronically. As we know things can morph and change. It has been acknowledged that a single person can be thought of as an aggregator. With the changes in Social Media this has made this change in the definition of the word happen. Yes, the software is still capturing the information, but a specific person is now driving the collection of the information from different sources then grinding and pushing it out to others. If their style is interesting and varied enough they start to get enough of a following that they can expand on their data collection base and can churn out more data to more people. The cycle keeps repeating and keeps growing. In the past couple of months it has been pointed out that my new role, one of the many that I seem to take on, is that of an aggregator of information. My Facebook page is a wealth of information. I have ‘Friends’ all over the world and the information that I am getting and re-sharing is amazing. I do not always get to research all that I share, but I put it out there for others to enjoy and leave it up to them to do further research if they are interested in a subject matter. I have people privately emailing, messaging me and talking to me when I am at tradeshows or teaching and telling me that they love the information that I share. They tell me that they are telling people to sign up on my page to see all of the information that I churn out. I take my role as a sharer of information seriously. I share equally for all parties. If I get information from a shop to pass on I will share for all shops. I do so for all designers and for all projects. I try to not my personal touch on the information, buy hey we are all human and I do every once in a while interject my side. I try not to offend, but we are all human…. In my long winded way of getting to the point, I am writing about this subject on my blog to let people know that I am taking this position seriously. I have a planned stay in at home so that I can dye, design, get ready for market, submit to magazines, work on new teaching pieces and just plan take a breather! I am going to work on media networking and this new role as aggregator of information to see if in a small way I can help our industry. Please help by passing on information to my Facebook, Twitter or email me personally with classes, workshops, retreats, specials, releases, ideas, cool pictures of finished pieces or anything that you think would be of interest that I can pass on to others. Please let others know about what is going on so that as a whole we can reach more people and stay informed. Ebeth