What's a Web 2.0 homepage without widgets? Newsweek has already declared 2007 "Year of the Widget," much like 2006 was the year of online video. Sometimes the phrase "world wide widgets" or "the widgetization of the web" is thrown around, indicating just how prevalent widgets are these days.

Web widgets (as opposed to desktop widgets) are mini applications that can add all sorts of functionality to your webpage or blog. What's wonderful about widgets is that there are so many of them, anything from Dog Quotes to Lava Lamps. By hand-picking your widgets, you can create your own little web universe or at least carve out a small piece of the web just for you and your visitors. It's the ultimate way to customize the web.

There are already short descriptions of some of the widgets featured in the sidebar of this homepage-blog. I thought I'd add a few more widgets that seemed interesting.

• @ PostSecret : Won the 2007 Bloggie for best overall blog, as well as for best topical blog and best community blog. Handmade postcard confessionals from anyone who wants to anonymously share a deep, dark secret with the world. At times racy (semi-nudity, profanity).
• @ Grazr : Customizable RSS reader with sample feeds.
• @ Digg RSS Viewer : See what stories are hot at the moment, as they are voted by members of Digg.com.
• @ Korean Blog Search : Search blogs by expats (foreigners living in Korea, writing mostly in English)
• @ This Day in History : Little trip back in time.
• @ Joke of the Day : For your reading pleasure.

(For instructions on how to add Tistory keyword-widgets to the sidebar, see Tistory Hack: Keyword-Widgets.)