What goes around comes around

In the writer’s block that usually precedes my blog writing, I started scouring the Internet for recent news I’ve read, fun things around the web and the latest social trends.  I’m trying to keep you guys entertained here!  New smart phone here, lighter & faster tablet there and the seemingly endless stream of new social media and apps that go with it; I’ll be the first to admit, it’s nearly overwhelming.  (Check out this snapshot of the several “share” options one of my photo editing apps gives me)  However, upon further inspection of all the new crazes, I’ve been left wondering today – is anything really new more?

I guess now that I’m (gulp) older, I see that everything comes full circle.  I’m an avid fashion follower; I guess I always have been since I was young.  I was in denial when my mom told me the peasant blouses and wide leg pants I adored in junior high were “exactly what she wore” when she was young.  So there I was, pinning away the other night and I found myself heavily looking at denim vests.  Ones identical to the one I wore and loved about 15 years ago.  Oh, I remember how badly I wanted one then, and how much I wore it.  I then became equal parts excited and horrified with myself, so I quickly closed the browser window!

Fashion is just one easy example of nothing being new anymore.   Pinterest was the most amazing thing when it came out.  Ok it’s still pretty amazing to me, although my honeymoon phase with it is over.  Instagram rocked my socks off, but even that love affair has started to fade because it’s not exclusive anymore.  When someone told me about Pinstagram this week I thought surely they were kidding.  But it’s a real thing folks!  These guys were joking around about combining 2 of the most popular social apps (and haven’t we all?) and then did it! And it’s catching on!  This week I also fell upon http://www.trippy.com/, which is best described as Pinterest exclusively for travel. Clearly this isn’t a TOTALLY unique concept.  Someone just decided that there is a segment of the online population that wants to pin only their travel ideas or experiences.  I think both Pinstagram and Trippy are a little too new for anyone to make the call declaring either “the next big thing”.  What I do find intriguing is the creator’s ability to take a great idea and identify the one thing that will make it great.

It’s been said that “necessity is the mother of invention”.  While I may not NEED a 6^th photo editing and sharing app on my phone, I will probably, at some point, download another one because it feeds another “need”.  A new filter I don’t have, a different border treatment, or even a following of people that I want to be a part of.  Tom Anderson started MySpace and it was a big deal for a little bit.  No one pays any attention to him anymore (no really I had to Google his real last name) because Mark Zuckerburg did the same thing, but he did it better.   I’m sure “the next big thing” that comes out in social media or technology won’t be brand new  – but an improvement or expansion on what’s already out there.

Where am I going with this? Well I’m hoping that maybe next time you’re in a creative rut, you’ll take time to go back and look at some old ideas for inspiration. Maybe a fresh look at something old will inspire you with a brand new idea!