Sometimes we would like to get more information about our hobby (or livelihood). I remember back when I started in calligraphy (which was on or not long after 1972, based on the 20th Edition Speedball Handbook copyright, one of my first books), we had few resources; no Internet; there were no discussion groups or YouTube videos, few classes, and certainly no TV shows devoted to calligraphy. The Internet has come a long way to give us articles to read on our favorite topics. Google has a browser tool that will sift through the information it has gathered from around the world for items related to your subject, then sends it to your email box.

Every day in my email box I’ll read of what’s in the news or in a blog related to calligraphy. It may be a news item about the unveiling of an over-sized, hand-written Koran, a Chinese calligraphy exhibit, an American news article on a calligrapher, or any of a number of  calligraphy subjects in someone’s blog, be it wedding, design, or paper crafts.

I get these notices by signing up for Google Alerts at http://www.google.com/alerts. You’ll type in the keyword that should appear in the content, such as “calligraphy,” the volume of alerts, such as “Only the best results,”  the frequency of emails, such  as “Once a day,” and what email address to send the alerts to. You’ll be given a choice of the information source origin: News, Blogs, Video, Discussions, Books, and my favorite: Everything.

You can add any number of alert types based on what you are interested in. You can use “copperplate,” “penman,” “fractur,” and so on. Each one will be its own alert. Of course, I’m suggesting words of interest to my readers. Your interests may also include sewing, paper crafts, kung fu, cruises, a movie or actor, an ailment, your city name, and so on.

Have fun, and make technology work for you!