My 4040 blog

2006-05-08T12:53:00.000-07:00

My final portfolio!
I really didn't know anything about blogs when I first began this class. To be honest, I didn't even know that it was a blogging class until the first day. And I wasn't that excited about it. The only exposure that I had to blogs were the journals that some of my friends kept online, and I couldn't understand why anyone would want to post such personal things online. My initial reaction to blogging was a kind of confused one-I didn't really know what it really was and I wasn't sure if it was something that I wanted to participate in. But I had to do it, and the experience ended up being up being much more positive than I initially thought it was going to be.
A few good posts...

Despite the fact that My 4040 blog is amateur, there are some posts that I am proud of. These are posts that I feel reflect my personality and voice as a writer. I think that these posts are effective because they are personal...but not personal in that "wow, listen about how drunk I got last night..." kind of way I wanted to avoid at the beginning of the semester. I also considered a post to be better than average if it provoked comments from other class members.
I hate cell phones
This was one of my earlier posts, but for some reason I really like it. In this post, I was able to use something that really happened and by talking about it, show a real side of who I am. I was able to inject some of my personal ideas while also managing to keep the post light-hearted and humorous. It was also a post that other class members could relate to.
I had an extremely panic-filled moment today...
This was another post that I thought that other class members could relate to. It is another example of how I can really let my personality shine through when I write about the thing that is really on my mind at the time. To me, this is a post that I can look back on in twenty years and be able to see who I was in that moment. It is good example of my voice; I was able to express myself in the way I would if I was simply talking to a friend. In my mind, the best writing is when it is natural and honest.
Pennies.
This post is probably my favorite. Although it didn't get a huge number of comments, it got a positive reaction from Donna, which of course made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. Also, I was writing about something I cared about, so I put more thought into the post...which usually leads to a better final product. I was able to show another little piece of myself and put an important memory out in the open.

Very bad posts...

Well, maybe not very bad...but these are definitely the posts that I would consider my weakest. I categorized these as "bad" because there were the posts that I put the least feeling into. They're kind of boring, and I don't think that my true personality shines through. They feel kind of forced, like I was just writing to get it over with. Which obviously doesn't lead to a quality product. Plus, there are no pictures or links, which is pretty lame.
Blast from the Past This post is just really boring to me. I could have said so much more about what happened, or made more connections to the subject matter that I was writing about. The topic is something that everyone can relate to, but I was unsuccessful in making it a worthwhile read.
TV
This is basically one of those "I don't have anything to write about today" posts. I think I had the opportunity to make it like the cell phone post, but it was too blah. I could have talked about so many other things in relation to television. So again, this could have been a good topic, but the execution ruined it.
Spring Break
Boooorrring. I could have gone into more depth about my family, about the stigma relating to spring break, about being at home...basically I could have spiced up this post a lot more. And there could have been a opportunity for pictures, but obviously there are none, so that's no good.

Becoming a part of the blogosphere
We talked a lot about blogs as a community, and I think that it is a great tool for communication. I've realized that blogging is a effective way to find meaningful connections with other people. I was able to actively participate in this community by commenting on other people's blogs, and here are some of my comments.
Here's a comment I made on J L's post about underage drinking. I think in this comment I was able to show my opinion in a thought-out way and get my point across. It was a good discussion topic, and something that many people our age talk about. I almost wish that I had used this topic to create an entirely new post.
Here is a comment I made about hannel's post holy roller novocaine. This is an example of how blogs can connect people. I may not personally know hannel, but I can still create a meaningful connection with her about a similar thought that we both have.
It feels like we've only just begun...
I can hardly believe that the semester is almost over and that this class is over. I feel like I could have been a better blogger and more involved in the blogosphere, but I still feel like I've learned so much. I've learned :
1) what a blog is. Not that there is any one solid definition. There shouldn't be. My narrow perception of what a blog is has truly been changed by this class. As cheesy as this may sound, I have a a newfound respect for blogging.
2) How to be a better writer and how to relate to readers. I was able to see what kind of writing got a reaction. By putting yourself and your work out there, as scary as that might seem, you learn so much about what works and what doesn't. And being in the practice of writing several times a week helps form the writer's voice.

So it's the end, and I guess the big question is if I will continue to blog. I think the answer is yes. I have never been the kind of person to keep a diary or journal; I've tried many times and I always end up abandoning it. But I think this is different, and I think blogging will always be a great tool in my life. It not only lets me get my thoughts and feelings out, but it lets me connect with others. I feel like blogging has somewhat become a part of my life, even if I don't write everyday I have become a "lurker" of other blogs, such as waiter rant. I hope to continue blogging, and I hope to continue reading all of the blogs of my classmates.
And that's the end folks!

2006-05-02T12:42:00.000-07:00

It's really surreal that it's almost over. I still feel like I'll be moving back next August and going to all my new classes...but that won't be happening. Instead I'll be in the "real world" - whatever that is. For the first time in my life, I have absolutely no idea what I am going to be doing next month. And I really have no idea. Everyone keeps asking me what my plans are for after graduation and I have to continue responding with 'I don't know." I mean, I've applied for several jobs but I haven't actually gotten one yet. For some reason, this doesn't bother me as much as I thought it would. It's kind of nice for once in my life to not have a plan, to not be tied down to anything. It's a strange feeling, but it's good.
And it really is almost over. I really don't have that much schoolwork left. I only have three actual classes I have to attend. All the work for the capstone is done, all it has to be done is to present the finished product tommorow (which I AM really nervous about, but just because I hate public speaking.) I have one paper, which should take about an hour. I have this portfolio, which should take some time but probably will be kind of enjoyable. And I only have one measly final next week, in a elective class that I am having no problems with.
It feels weird, being at the end of the line and not having 500 things on my plate at once. It feels good. I'm OK with not knowing exactly what I want to do with my degree or where I want to go. Because do we ever REALLY know what we want to do? My Mom says that no matter how old you get, you never have it all figured out, and that you have to enjoy the things you've got in the moment. So, instead of worrying about what I'm going to do in a month, or what path my career is going to take, I'm just going to enjoy these last few weeks with all of my friends. It might be the last time we are all together in the same place at the same time. I have plenty of time to find some kind of an answer to the dreaded, ever-present question "So what are you going to do with your life?"

2006-05-01T08:36:00.000-07:00

My portfolio (draft)

I really didn't know anything about blogs when I first began this class. To be honest, I didn't even know that it was a blogging class until the first day. And I wasn't that excited about it. The only exposure that I had to blogs were the journals that some of my friends kept online, and I couldn't understand why anyone would want to post such personal things online. But I had to do it, and the experience ended up being up being much more positive than I initially thought it was going to be.
My 4040 blog is still an amatuer blog, but there was some entries that I thought were well-done. I thought the following entries were good generally because of the response that I got from them.
I hate cell phones
I had an extremely panic-filled moment today...
Pennies.
I think that these posts are effective because they are personal...but not personal in that "wow, listen about how drunk I got last night..." kind of way I wanted to avoid at the beginning of the semester. In these posts, I feel that I might have been able to get some of my voice and personality across.

Of course, there are definitely some posts that I'm not so proud of.
Blast from the Past
TV
Spring Break

To me, these posts were kind of boring and could have delved further into the subject matter. They seemed a little rushed, and I don't think they really showed who I am as a writer.

I still need to link to comments-having difficulty finding them
And relate this post to readings etc. from class

2006-04-25T13:09:00.000-07:00

I really liked the photo presentation that Steve did for his technology presentation, so I decided to make a little one of my own. Click here to see.

These are just a few pretty recent pictures of my family. My family is extremely important to me. I consider myself very blessed to have them. My parents were strict growing up, which I hated, but now that I am older I am grateful for it. I see how some parents don't care enough to really discipline their kids. I also am lucky because I am one of the few whose parents pay for their college expenses. I will graduate with zero debt, which is an amazing thing in this day and age.
And it's not even so much the money thing that shows how blessed I am. My parents, and sister, are there for me no matter what. I can call my parents up crying tears of frustration, sadness, or joy and they are always there to talk to me. I can't count the many times that I have called my mom at 6 in the morning because I am freaking out about school or something else. I talk to my parents nearly every day on the phone, and though that might sound weird to some, I really do feel like they are two of my best friends. I can pretty much tell them everything.
I also feel blessed because they are not my biological parents- they adopted me when I was about a month old. The fact that my I was lucky enough to be found by people as amazing as my parents. It reminds me that, as many things that go wrong in the world, some things turn out right.
I guess that this might sound kind of sentimental and cheesy, but my friends and I were talking about our parents last night, and I guess it was just on my mind. My relationship is a big thing in my life, because I know some people haven't been as blessed, and I am thankful for what I have.

2006-04-24T13:29:00.002-07:00

Well, I've been absent from the blog for awhile. Last week was an extremely stressful one...my roommates spread some kind of chest-cold sickness on to me and I was pretty much down for the count for the week. Except for the fact that a substantial amount of work in my capstone was due at the end of the week, so I was feverishly working on InDesign during the hours that I was awake. Why does it seem like all my other senior friends get to go out every night while I am stuck in a computer lab every night?....arg.
Anyway, it really stinks being sick while you are at school. I know, I have been here four years and I should be dealing with it like a grown-up, but it really does suck. It's just nice being at home and having people around to take care of you. I have my roommates and other friends to bring me medicine and stuff, but it's not the same as good old Mom.
I remember when I got chicken pox in the first grade. It was the best week of my life, seriously. At first when I found out what I had, I cried because I didn't want to miss a week of school. Hmmmm...it's funny how things change. Anyway, I had a really mild case, so I basically felt fine, even though I was contagious. My mom had to take the week off work to stay at home with me, and all we did was play all day long. I "helped" her clean the house, and I got to watch all my favorite PBS shows like Zoobilee Zooand Reading Rainbow, shows that I usually missed while I was at school. I remember my mom bought me popsicles and ice cream and pretty much let me run the house for the week. Ahhh, when sick days were fun. Now, feeling sick just means having to do work while feeling crappy and missing participation points in class.
Being sick when you're a kid doesn't always pan out though. After my little bout with the pox, I gave my sister a horrendous case, which she ironically got on Christmas day. She was too sick to open her presents. Fifteen years later, she still hasn't let me forget about that Christmas "surprise."

2006-04-17T18:41:00.000-07:00

Well, I have an eight-page paper due tommorow that's worth a good deal of my grade. I've exhausted all of my usual procrastination outlets, so I decided to write a blog. I'm already halfway done with the paper, which is pretty good for 8:30 at night. Well, at least for me. I wish I could blame this on senioritis, but I've always kind of been a procrastinator, and I do my best work under the gun.
I don't actually have too much to say. Something that has been freaking me out on campus...the bees.

Well, this photo turned out a bit larger than I expected...but it kind of fits because the bees are HUGE! At least to me...has anyone else noticed this? Or am I just going crazy? I've been hanging around the J-school for 2 years now, and I have never felt like the area was this swarmed by bees until now. And I'm scared of bees; I've never been stung before.
Another weird thing- I keep seeing the exact same purse everywhere on campus. It's this turquoise blue hobo bag... I saw it at least five times today, being carried by five different girls. I know because I counted. Ok, yes, I am crazy. But originality, people!
So, this post was basically pointless. Purses and bees...I guess I should finish my paper now.

2006-04-13T12:54:00.000-07:00

Today's news discussion was really interesting, and really challenging. I'm not into science fiction, but it was fascinating hearing everyone's thoughts. The thought of putting computer chips in people's brains kind of freaks me out, although I don't think that this scientific advancement will truly become an issue for years.
I guess what it really made me think about is how much should we tamper with what we were born with? This goes along with the whole question of if we are becoming over-medicated as a society. Although I don't agree with Tom Cruise's nutty views about healthcare, I do think that medicine, like Zoloft and Ritalin, is far overprescribed. Many do need this medicine to live their lives, but many don't. I think our society goes towards "quick fixes" more often than not, and instead of dealing with problems and living life, with all the good and the bad. Life wasn't meant to be perfect, pain and challenge free- that's what makes it life.
Now I'm reminded of a conversation in Garden State-

Andrew Largeman: ..... And I'm not gonna take those drugs anymore, because they have left me completely fucking numb. I have felt so fucking numb to everything I have experienced in my life, OK? And for that... for that I'm here to forgive you. You've always said that all you wanted was for us to have whatever it is we wanted, right? Well, maybe, what Mom wanted more then anything is for it to all be over, and for me, what I want more then anything in the world, is for it to be OK with you for me to feel something again, even if it's pain.
Gideon Largeman: Well, you're going against your doctor's recommendation, that a pretty weighty experiment to take on, don't you think?
Andrew Largeman: This is my life, Dad, this is it. I spent 26 years waiting for something else to start, so, no, I don't think it's too much to take on, because it's everything there is. I see now it's all of it. You and I are gonna be OK, you know that, right? We may not be as happy as you always dreamed we would be, but for the first time let's just allow ourselves to be whatever it is we are and that will be better. OK? I think that will be better.

I understand the need for scientific improvements, and it's hard to draw the line of when we are going too far. Why shouldn't we just be? If a child is born mentally challenged, who are we to say that they need a mental chip to make their lives more valuable?
Hmmm...I don't really know exactly what I think about this. It's definitely an interesting topic of conversation, but a frustrating one as well.

2006-04-11T12:54:00.000-07:00

So...today we discussed how our culture is moving towards network. It's getting out of "the grid" and getting blurry, more sporadic.
Blogs obviously go along with a network rather than a grid. But there are some grid-like elements to the blogosphere. Our blog, WeBlog, can be rather grid-like. Our class is all members of it, because of the same reason-the fact we are all taking this class. Other blogs are also made up of various bloggers because of some other similarity.
But that's the point where the gridness seems to end. We all link to different sites and blogs, based on a huge variety of interests. Our blogs' content is also completely different from the other. Donna gives us an assignment, such as the assignment based on this reading. They all turned out completely different, though they stemmed from the same idea. Nothing grid-like about that. Our blogs are all inspired by different things in our life, and we all generally blog at different times of day. There's no set pattern about blogging, really.
This discussion got me thinking about not just blogs, but how life in general has turned away from the structure of a grid. And while the networking atmosphere is stimulating, it's also stressful. At least to me. There never seems to be a point where I can just shut myself off from the world, the way that it seems like people may have been able to do before cell phones/internet etc. etc.
In fact, I could defintely could use more grid in my life. My life, except for class times and work schedule, has absolutely NO structure. Maybe a little more structure and a little less "network" could help my state of mind.

2006-04-10T22:13:00.000-07:00

My technology presentation!!!

I tend to be pretty technologically challenged, and it's late, and I have been on campus for over 12 hours in class and doing homework(seriously.) So I'm sorry if this isn't helpful. But I did try! So here are some things to enhance your blog.
This is mainly for those that are interested in getting more traffic for their blog. A good way to do this is to set up a BlogExplosion account. An account connects you to thousands of other bloggers, and it's really easy to find other bloggers with the same interests as you on this site.
Go to www.blogexplosion.com.
Click on the 100% FREE! JOIN NOW link.
Put in all your info.
A confirmation number will be sent through e-mail. It took me awhile to get this, so you may have to wait. Then once you get it, you are ready to go.
There are some interesting features to the sight. You can post a headline for your latest blog entry that links to the blog. You can browse blogs based on different categories, watch/post podcasts. Once an administrator approves your blog, you can also check your blog stats or "ping" your blog to sights such as Technorati, which ensures that your blog can be viewed by readers of that sight.

If you aren't interested in this, you can create a Cbox. This is a free tagboard service that appears on your blog page. You can see mine in my sidebar.
Go to this page and put in your info. You can then choose a size and a skin. After you do that, past the code where you would like it. I put it at the end of my sidebar, right before the

symbols. Then of course preview before saving. I didn't find it too difficult to get up.

I hope any of this info is helpful...it was sort of challenging finding something "new" to do. Through browsing I also figured out to add an "avatar" that you can see in my sidebar. If you have a yahoo id you can make a little person that looks like you and put it up....extremely cheesy but I found it amusing at the time.

2006-04-07T15:45:00.000-07:00

I had a bit of a "blast from the past" yesterday. My old high school boyfriend gave me a ring to catch up. We went out for a few years, and I get it was as serious as a high-schoool relationship can get. I haven't seen him in three years, but we've kept in loose contact over the phone.
Anyway, it turns out he is going to be a father.
It just kind of jarred me a little bit. It's just one of those moments that everyone goes through as we're getting older. Seeing old friends and old boyfriends/girlfriends get married, have children, moving away, etc. It's so strange to see how much people's lives have changed that you used to be so close to. Our lives have gone in such drastically different directions. I guess it made me realize that we are all growing up and changing.
It is a little nuts, and I don't know if I'm ready for it. My best friend is also married and having a baby, and I just went with another good friend to pick out her wedding dress.
It's just weird, sometimes I feel like I am still a junior-high schooler, you know?

2006-04-06T12:18:00.000-07:00

I am so sick of looking in magazines and looking at women that look like this...

But apparently I'm not THAT sick of it, cause I keep buying Vogue, and Elle, and so on. But realizing what looking at these images day after day does to our culture makes me sick.
Yesterday, I was in a meeting and a girl came in with a yummy-looking coffee drink covered in whipped cream. Another, rail-thin super-tanned girl looked at the beverage with a turned up nose, saying, "Those things have soooo many calories."
The girl with the coffee said, "Well, I'm going to do an extra half-hour of cardio."
Then launched was a discussion about working out, eating(or lack of eating) and calories. I learned that rail-thin girl had "hardly eaten" in the last four days because she didn't keep groceries in the house, a fact that she seemed proud of.
I'm so over it. So over seeing weight-obsessed covers on tabloid magazines tracking every pound lost by Nicole Ritchie/Lindsay Lohan/insert other pointless star. I'm tired of reading magainze articles telling readers to embrace their flaws and to be happy with their 'full-figured" bodies, while the article is placed next to an ad with a model that weighs about 96 lbs.
Anyway, there's my little rant. I guess I just wish I was immune to our image-obsessed culture. I can't wait for the day where I don't feel guilty for eating dessert, or not going to the gym.
I do think that our culture should be interested in staying in shape, instead of the focus on being attractive and flawless. The quest for being something unattainable is only hurting us.

2006-04-04T12:50:00.000-07:00

I definitely have the after-spring-break blues.

I thought that I would be refreshed after a week at home, and of course I thought that I would get more productive "school-related" things done over break. But I didn't, and I don't feel that refreshed, ready to get-down-to work feeling that I was hoping to have this first week back. Instead, I feel like sleeping in every day, hanging out with my friends, skipping class and enjoying the beautiful (for now) weather outside.
I am a bit behind in one of my classes, and although it wouldn't take me that much work to catch up, I don't really like the class and therefore am doing nothing about it.
I also have a huge paper due in a week and a half, and an issue of a magazine that needs to be written, designed and in my capstone
professor's hands in just a few short weeks. Plus my final story for my creative story is due next week.
And, oh yeah, I should probably find a job since I'm graduating in May.
Yuck.
When I feel overwhelmed, I tend to shut down and do absolutely NOTHING.
It's just that end-of-the semester drama I put myself through always. Somehow, everything will get done, just like it always does.
Hopefully.
But for today, I think I might just get a good book and sit outside. At least I made it to all of my classes.

2006-03-21T16:45:00.000-08:00

I had an extremely panic-filled moment today.
We were getting back midterm exams in my History class today.
The professor was holding the exams in her hand, and promptly told us that at least half of the class failed. And though it would be expected that the freshman and sophomores would be the ones that failed, they were the only ones to get A's and B's.
Being a senior, my heart was in my throat.
Then the professor went on to say that those who failed were generally non-history majors.
Again, I fit this description, and I was seriously coming to the verge of having a panic attack or something.
Because if my graduation was delayed because I failed an elective, that would be pretty ridiculous. And there was the fact that I spent FOREVER studying for this exam.
Then the professor proceeded to go through every question on the exam, with the papers still held firmly in her hand. I HATE it when teachers do that. Tell you how awful you did, then let you sit there and stew while going through every possible bad scenario in your head. I know that was what I was doing. I pretty much accepted the fact that I had flunked the test, and then began making a mental plan about how I was going to go about bringing my grade up, thinking about the times I could meet with the professor to plead for extra credit, and probably work up some tears for sympathy.
There was so much tension in the room, I haven't seen so many students squirm in their seats since the second grade. Of course, the younger students in the room were sitting pretty because they knew THEY all had passed.
The professor actually kept us five minutes late to talk about how bad we all did, and to let everyone freak out for a little while longer.
Finally we got to get them. And of course the prof set them all out on the front desk so everyone could see everyone elses grades. Isn't that against school policy or something?
Anyway, I found my name, braced myself and looked.
I got a C+. Which usually isn't a grade I would be all too happy with for a test I actually spent time studying for, but the relief I felt was amazing.
For a good couple of minutes, and the adrenaline was still going strong and my heart was still beating a little faster than usual. I went to Brady and bought my cap and gown and graduation announcement, glad that I would most likely be wearing them in the near future. (For some reason I have this huge fear something is going to go wrong and they are going to tell me I'm not going to graduate or something. This is basically an unfounded fear, but it still is in the back of my mind ALL of the time.)
Anyway, I could have really done without having a few years taken off my life today. Maybe I just need to chill out!

2006-03-20T12:45:00.000-08:00

I am so tired right now I can barely keep my eyes open and I could seriously just lay my head down on this desk and fall dead asleep. I'm supposed to be writing a five page paper for my History of the West class, and I just don't have the mental capacity to do so right now.
I was up really late last night revising drafts of two articles that I am writing for my capstone course, Magazine Publishing. I guess I got about 5 1/2 hours of sleep- which my freshman year would have been enough shut-eye to get me through an entire week. I don't know how I used to do it, but it would be nothing for me to go to bed at 4 or 5 in the morning most nights of the week. I guess I'm getting old. If I don't have my eight hours of sleep every night I'm basically braindead and unable to function as a human the entire next day.
Anyway, what's been taking away from sleep is my capstone course. It's actually pretty cool- we get to start a magazine from the ground up. We have to figure out our target market, advertising and circulation/marketing plans as well as dream up the stories and write them and also design the magazine. My group's magazine is an international travel magazine - SCRAM- targeted towards young adults that have enough income to splurge on great trips. It's a really fasicnating class- but I am drained of energy and creativity, and writing more just doesn't seem feasible right now.
But I've got to get this paper done, so wish me luck.

2006-03-14T12:50:00.000-08:00

So, in our last class we talked about what "voice" is.
To me, voice is the style, grammar and vocabulary a writer uses to convey his/her message. The writer's voice often changes depending on what they are trying to say, or what kind of mood they are trying to inject into the piece. Above all, a writer's voice should reflect their personality.
Looking back at my past posts- I don't really think I have achieved that goal. Because my posts are pretty boring if you ask me. I truly hope that I don't sound this boring in real life. I hope that I'm funny or witty sometimes. But I am definitely not either of these things in this blog.
Part of this has to do with that I am censoring myself when I am writing this thing. I know that the whole class, and anyone else that runs across this blog, can read it. That kind of freaks me out.
It's something that I have had to get past in my creative writing classes. Being a bit shy in nature, it's hard for me to let go and let people see what's actually going on inside of my head. I think I've finally reached that point in my creative writing courses after taking them for the last 2 years here.
Now I need to find a way to do that here.
The way I was able to achieve this before is by writing about things that actually happened to me, or things that I was actually passionate about.
So I'm going to try this, and hopefully my 'true self' will come through in this blog.
Or maybe I'm just a really boring person. Who knows?

2006-03-14T11:05:00.000-08:00

Well, the Wal-Mart blogger gave me a comment saying that my "blogging in the news" blog was factually incorrect, here's the comment, because the New York Times writer that did the story - Wal-Mart Enlists Bloggers in P.R. Campaign- made up quotes and ignored what the blogger actually told him, misrepresenting what he actually did/said.
This kind of weirded me out because
1) I couldn't believe that the guy that I wrote the blog about actually read my blog and responded. I guess I didn't really realize how far-reaching blogs can be, and how simple it is to find a blog written about a certain topic. I guess I really didn't expect for anyone outside of our class to read my blog....
2) I wonder who is telling the truth about this? The blogger, or the New York Times? It is extremely hard for me to believe that a New York Times writer just made up quotes and ignored what an interviewee actually said. But maybe the journalist in me just doesn't want to think that...after all it has happened before, to a much grander scale (Jayson Blair). But to think that someone just made up a quote for a story to make it into what they want it to be makes me upset. But it is a possiblity that the blogger was telling the truth- he could have been misrepresented. I guess I just don't know what to believe.

2006-03-09T13:17:00.000-08:00

So...after deliberating with my friends/roommates about what fabulous place to go for spring break, we all finally decided on the same place- HOME.
Which sounds really unglamorous, I know. No tropical beaches, no traveling to a different exotic country, no gambling in Vegas.
But it's really not bothering me as much as I thought it would. I haven't been home in a couple of months, so it will be good to see my parents, dog, and friends.
There's just something so relaxing about being home. I've been pretty stressed out, so it will be really nice to unwind. I don't think that a full week of drinking all day and night and spending huge amounts of money will really do the trick. What I need is a good night's sleep in my real bed....I can't wait.

2006-03-09T12:37:00.000-08:00

Pennies

When I was younger, I used to spend the night at my grandmother's house all of the time, sometimes along with my older sister. We always used to play card games, easy stuff like Old Maid or War.

But one day my grandmother was in the mood to play poker. She taught my sister and I how to play five-card stud. Since she didn't have any poker chips, she got her old coffee can that was filled to the brim with pennies. She took a few handfuls out and let them go on the wooden kitchen table- it was really loud. Then she carefully counted out the amount that we all had, so my sister and I couldn't argue over who had the bigger pile.

When I was eight, I knew all the poker hands- Full house, Royal Flush, Two of a Kind. She also taught us how to bluff when we had a bad hand, how many pennies to bet when we had a really good one. She always let us win.

We stopped playing after my grandmother left us. My sister and I would try to play later at home, but we had forgotten some of the rules and neither of us could shuffle very well. The similar penny jar that my Dad had was left virtually untouched.

When I joined a poker game several years later, I found that I still knew all of the hands.

2006-03-09T09:19:00.000-08:00

My blogging in the news presentation.

I recently read a few articles about Wal-Mart using blogs as another form of public relations. Here is the one I read from the New York Times and another from Washington Post.
In a nutshell, it was discovered that a blogger had posted several sentences against legistation that would force Wal-Mart to spend more money on employee health insurance that were identical to sentences in a Wal-Mart press release.
Here is a link to the blog that this was discovered- The Iowa Voice.
Apparently another blogger and Wal-mart representative for online public affairs, Marshall Manson, has been sending e-mail messages to bloggers thave have previously made positive comments about the Wal-mart corporation. These e-mail messages include "exclusive news" from wal-mart headquarters and a link or two to the news about the topic. These messages are written in a blog format, but Manson reportedly warned these bloggers agains copying the material word-for-word.

This raises a few questions-
1) Do you think that blogging should be used as a PR tool, as Microsoft and General Electric have previously done, or as Wal-mart is doing in attempt to improve its
bad image?
2)Should bloggers attribute everything that they post, or is it OK for them to cut and paste something without giving the original source?
3)How can this issue can be controlled? How can regular blogs be monitored and seperated from corporate blogs?

Here is another article from Fool.com that gives more insight to the situation.

And a few more relevant links-
Will Blogs Replace Press Releases?
blogs are the new press releases

2006-03-07T12:41:00.000-08:00

Midterm assignment...

It's already midterm time, and I don't feel like I have completely gotten ahold of this whole blogging thing. It's definitely been difficult for me for me to get the 3 posts in every week- partially because my home computer has gone kaput and I have to do all my online stuff on campus now, partially because it has been hard for me to come up with topics to write about. But here are my most "blog-like" posts.

My post about cell phones was one of my better ones, I think because I let my opinion and thoughts through, and it was something people cold respond to.

My post about senioritis was another I liked. It got into how I was feeling at the time, and other people could relate to these feelings.

Other posts from other blogs that I liked-
I miss field trips in Chronicle of a Book Retold was great because it was about something that currently happened in her life while tying it to a memory that most everyone can relate to. I also really liked the visuals.

I also liked me.just me. from Look to the Sky. I think I could really relate to this post. It was easy to see where she was coming from, and the visuals of all the pots made the post really come alive.

2006-03-02T12:44:00.000-08:00

About blogs as a community...

I think that blogs are very effective as a virtual community. I have friends that have found outlets of communication related to things that they are interested in, that people that they know in "real life" may not be. For intance, one of my best friends is very active in a Catholic blog site. My other friend is active in music-related sites, and also Star Wars sites. I guess the whole "Star Wars" thing may seem a little nerdy, but he has really found some good friends and even met a few of them in "real life."
Blogging can be a great tool to connect with other people with similar interests/ideas. For those that cannot find people that are interested in the same things they are, or in general have trouble communicating face-to-face, blogging has a potential to be a social outlet. I don't think it's bad/weird to use blogging as social networking and meeting new friends; I think that it can really help people determine a sense of self and to explore what they love to do.
I do think that some social relationships through blogging or on places like myspace can be dangerous. I thought the idea of blog education in schools that someone brought up in class today was a good one. If kids and teens learned what blogging puts out there, they may be able to use it in a way that connects that intellectually to other people. I definitely think people should learn how to blog safely; I've read one too many blogs that puts the blogger in a not-too-positive light. But used correctly, blogs can be a fun way to get to know other people in a different kind of way. Just because a relationshop with another person is begun online, doesn't neccesarily make it "not real.'

2006-02-23T13:14:00.000-08:00

I recently read an article online-
Americans Work More,Seem to Accomplish Less
The article gives some facts and figures.
'82 percent said they accomplished at least half their daily planned work but that number fell to 50 percent last year. A decade ago, 40 percent of workers called themselves very or extremely successful, but that number fell to just 28 percent.' the article states, from research compiled from Day-Timers Inc., an East Texas, Pennsylvania-based maker of organizational products.
According to their other research, the biggest factor that contributes to this is computers. People get an average of 46 e-mails a day and spend nearly twice as much time on a computer as they did a decade ago, according to the article.
I found this kind of interesting, since technology is supposed to make everything so much faster. And I think it does have the ability to do that, but it also has the ability to clutter. There is so much out there on the Internet, I think it helps people waste more time. I know while I am supposed to be on the computer "doing homework" I often can find 101 ways to procrastinate.
I wonder how we can fix this problem and clear out the clutter while using the advantages of technology.
If there was only some way to simplify everything. But is there a way to cut down on the number of emails, cell phone calls, and text messages?
Because if technology gets even more intricate, will we get even less productive?

2006-02-23T12:52:00.000-08:00

This is from a link that I found interesting on Waiter Rant, my favorite blog to read when I have spare time.

(Image courtesy of The Smoking Gun)

This might look like a normal DUI sheet, but look at the name.

That's right, it's our president.
I just thought this was interesting; I had never known that he was arrested for drunk driving. The story broke out a few years ago, but it was news to me.

I guess if you get a DUI, your parents can be rest assured that their child can still grow up to be president.

Cheers to that! (Image courtesy of liquorsnob.com)

Here's the whole page and here's the post that I got the link from.
Any former/current restaraunt server should check out this sight, I think that's it is funny and extrememely well written.

For some more up-to-date info on Bush's affair with alcohol, here's an article from the always accurate National Enquirer.

2006-02-23T11:31:00.001-08:00

So...it's my senior year and I'm supposed to be finding a job.
But I really, really don't have time to.
Or maybe that's just what I'm telling myself?
It's true that I have a full course load and an internship, plus school organizations I'm involved in, but I'm not really that out-of-control busy at the moment. If I really wanted to, I could be job searching when I am sleeping in on the weekends or screwing around on the computer.
But I really don't have the drive to. I think I'm a little scared of the future, and of failure. Everyone is so worked up on what you are going to do after graduation I guess I'm worried whatever I do won't be good enough. Or that I won't like the job I find. Or that I'll find a job in my hometown and be stuck there forever. So, like always, instead of actively solving my problem I am simply ignoring it. Hopefully soon this will pass, and I will get my act together and start really searching.

2006-02-21T12:10:00.000-08:00

"I've learned one thing, and that's to quit worrying about stupid things. You have four years to be irresponsible here. Relax. Work is for people with jobs. You'll never remember class time, but you'll remember time you wasted hanging out with your friends. So, stay out late. Go out on a Tuesday with your friends when you have a paper due Wednesday. Spend money you don't have. Drink 'til sunrise. The work never ends, but college does..."
-Tom Petty

This is a quote that is up in a lot of my friends 'facebook' profile, and that college students often live by.
A lot of people I know go by the philosophy that 'well, I'm in college so I can do whatever the hell I want now and worry about the consequences later.' Meaning that whatever insane, completely irresponsible thing and chalk it up to simply being a college student. Like, it's okay to ignore studying for a test or the fact that you have to work the next day and go party because, hey, you're having a good time!
I'm not about to say that this way of thinking is completely wrong, and heaven knows I've followed the aforementioned principle a few times during my college career. But it's definitely not completely right, either.
I know plenty of people that have worked their way into a whole lot of debt because of living this lifestyle, and these people have also passed up some great opportunities (job, internships, etc.) as well. I think that a lot of students have given up or lost something important becasue of bad habits/lack of caring.
I think most people forget that we are supposed to be in college to learn something and to be prepared to take on a job in our field. I mean, we may not all have 'real jobs' but college is supposed to be our job in a way. There have been some classes that I know that haven't just taught me academically, but have also helped to me to learn about myself. I understand wanting to party and do things that you most likely won't be able to do after you get out of school, but there are lines that can be crossed in the irresponsiblity department.
We might not be in the 'real world' yet, but we should be ready for it when we are.

2006-02-14T10:53:00.000-08:00

Valentine's Day...

I think this is probably one of the most dreaded holidays, whether you are in a relationship or not. If you are single, you dread not having a special someone to spend the day with or get something fun from. If thought about too much, it can end up being a very lonely day for a single person. I remember in high school how most of the girls with boyfriends would get flowers delivered to school, and how depressing it could be for those that didn't get anything (I was one of the lucky ones then.) It can be a day that can make someone feel very left out.
At the same time, it can be a really not-fun day for couples. One of my friends was freaking out in class because she had no idea what to get her boyfriend, who was going to be in town in just a few short hours. When I had a boyfriend, I remember always waiting until the last minute and always having to frantically come up with something that would seem original and romantic. And for guys the day can definitley become a hardship. Girls generally say "Oh don't get me anything" or "don't spend too much or go out of your way." But deep in their minds, they have some kind of outrageous expectations of the day that are usually left unfullfilled in some way. It seems to be a rare occasion when a Valentines Day goes perfectlly as planned, with no broken expectations or hurt feelings.
I'm not going to go into how Valentines Day is just a holiday manufactured by Hallmark and we should boycott it and blah blah...Valentines Day can be a lot of fun, as well. It's not just about romance and big cheesy gestures of how much you love someone. It can be about all kinds of love. My parents always send me a package in the mail, which always makes me feel great. Most of my friends, couples or not, are going to get together tonight for a potluck dinner and wine and forget about school/other responsiblities for the evening and have fun with each other. Valentines Day is great when not taken too seriously...it is just a day after all.

2006-02-09T12:57:00.000-08:00

I hate cell phones.
Mostly because I'm always breaking them, losing them, or the battery stops working...or whatever. Today I lost my phone on campus and I sort of had a freak out moment. I retraced my steps, went to the front desks of Memorial Union and the computer lab I had been in...no luck. I seriously think I spent at least forty-five minutes trying to track the thing down.
Then I got to thinking, why am I so worried? The last few times my phone has been misplaced/broken I have survived. Do I really need to be in constant communication with everyone I know at every waking moment?
Think about ten years ago. Cells phones definitely existed, but generally only rich people/business people carried them around. I remember my parents had one for emergencies only, and the thing weighed about 12 lbs.
But most people didn't have them...and everyone was OK. People still kept in touch, were up to date on each other lives, were able to get together at night. Now it seems as if people don't have their cell phone with them, they are stranded and cut off from the world. Have we become too dependent on cell phones?
I think so. Cell phones are convienent, especially in an emergency, but they also cause a lot of problems. How many relationships have been busted up because of a cell phone (ex. 'why didn't you answer your phone/call me back/i saw your ex's number on your dialed calls list!') How many embarrassing moments have occurred becasue of the dreaded 'drunk dial' (which I don't think really existed before cells. especially when there were still rotary phones.) Also, sometimes I am able to talk to my friends so much on my cell (you know that at least every other person walking on campus has there cell attached to their ear at all times) that when I actually get together with them in person we already know everything that has happened to each other for the past week.
I'm not saying that cell phones are bad. I'm definitely going to keep looking for mine, and if I can't find one buy another. But maybe our society has become so dependent on cell phones that we just don't give each other enough actual face time.

2006-02-07T12:19:00.000-08:00

2006-02-07T11:11:00.000-08:00

Like many others, I have had difficulties finding a blog that I like enough to keep up with. I think this is probably because there are just so many blogs out there. But there are a few I have found to be somewhat interesting.

La Shawn Barber's Corner is a blog that I found really interesting. She blogs about her faith and politics, she is also a freelance writer(which is of interest to me as a English writing minor and print journalism major). This is a woman who does not prescibe to either the Democratic or Republican party,so I think that reading about her views on certain issues is interesting.
In my Online Journalism class, we have been looking at blogs so I have been exposed to some local Columbia blogs. One that I liked is Haphazardous, a mom who takes pics in/around Columbia. It's just a different view of our town, and some of her pics are pretty good.
Mostly, I like to read blogs for enjoyment...not to read someone's rant about politics or current events. Most of the time, I would rather read the paper and create my own opinion. I am fashion
is really visual and fun for anyone who likes to read mags like Vogue or Harper's Bazaar...
A guilty pleasure would definitely have to beA Socialite's Life. It is basically just a socialite dishing about random Hollywood gossip and making fun of celebs...not very intellectually stimulating but great for when you sort of feel like shutting your brain off for a while!
A truly funny and relatable blog I found is Waiter Rant. If you've ever been a hostess or server, you will completely relate to these entries. Most of the entries are humorous, but some really hit home to larger issues. Look at Heaven and Hell. This is some good blogging that gets tons of responses.

2006-02-06T17:28:00.000-08:00

Senioritus

Senioritus is definitely something that I have been feeling lately. It's harder for me to stay connected to classes and get this semester going. I think part of this reason is that I have had a head cold since the semester started. But it actually has more to do with the fact that I know that I am leaving Mizzou and Columbia in a few months that I know will go by quickly. I am so ready to be done with my undergrad and get done with the J-school and ready to move on from CoMo. I love Columbia, but I have to admit I am tired of the whole "college town" thing. I think I am just ready for the next chapter.

Not that I have any idea what I want to do, or have a plan after graduation. But that's part of the excitement. Part of my discontentment has to do with the two weeks that I spent traveling in Europe over Christmas break. It really made me feel like different parts of the world were accessible to me. Not that I neccesarily want to live abroad, but now I do feel like I could really go anywhere. I definitely have the itch to move somewhere new and meet new people. I am so ready for unpredictable things to happen...the routine of school isn't really desirable to me right now! I know a lot of people are feeling this way. Many are feeling scared about what they are going to do next, and I have some of those fears as well. I just think that whatever comes next, whether its scary or not, is just going to add up for another great life experience, just like college has been.

2006-01-31T12:21:00.000-08:00

My roommates and I only get 1 TV channel (NBC)- everyone seems to think this is crazy. After all, who in this day and age doesn't have cable television? And it's not that we are too poor to get it, we would rather spend our money on other things, like going out. Plus I think we are all too lazy to actually sign up for it.
I think not really having television is a good thing. When I had cable in my apartment last year, I sometimes used to stay up extremely late for no good reason, except for the fact that something mildly interesting was on some random cable channel. I would stay up til 3 in the morning to watch some weird documentary on HBO.
Now, I don't have that problem. I don't really like watching the Tonight Show, so if I feel a need to stay up late, I can read a book or hang out with friends. It's much more intellectually stimulating to have an actual conversation that to watch one. I guess I just realized what an utter waste of time it is to let your mind go for a few hours to watch TV. I just wish people wouldn't freak out so much when they learn I can't watch the Real World.

2006-01-26T13:06:00.001-08:00

More thoughts on our readings....

From Just what is a blog anyway?.

"I don't care," e-mails Jeff Jarvis, the veteran print journalist and prominent blogger behind BuzzMachine. "There is no need to define 'blog.' I doubt there ever was such a call to define 'newspaper' or 'television' or 'radio' or 'book' -- or, for that matter, 'telephone' or 'instant messenger.' A blog is merely a tool that lets you do anything from change the world to share your shopping list. People will use it however they wish. And it is way too soon in the invention of uses for this tool to limit it with a set definition. That's why I resist even calling it a medium; it is a means of sharing information and also of interacting: It's more about conversation than content ... so far. I think it is equally tiresome and useless to argue about whether blogs are journalism, for journalism is not limited by the tool or medium or person used in the act. Blogs are whatever they want to be. Blogs are whatever we make them. Defining 'blog' is a fool's errand."

I thought this article was very interesting- I agree with the author's sentiments that there can't truly be one definition of what a blog is. No one will ever be able to pinpoint an exact definition-especially as blogging becomes more popular and is used for more and more different things.
I thought by not attempting to give a simple definition of what a blog is was effective. It helped me understand even mroe what a blog can be. As Jarvis stated above, "blogs are whatever we make them." The article gave examples of this, a blog can be filled with pictures and video, it can be a column, it can follow a beat. I also liked how the article intertwined the history of a blog and the changing image of a blog today.

2006-01-24T12:54:00.000-08:00

Here are some thoughts on the readings....

Blogging 101

I thought that this was a very organized article, outlining the history of blogs and what should be included in a blog.

There is a Blog in Your Future

This article showed how blogging should become a way of life that is helpful and come easily, not be a burden. It showed how you should formulate your blog to reflect what is important to you and to share knowledge/ideas with others.
The link on how create links was also helpful...

The Art of Blogging

Some of the things that I found most useful about this site was the lists of different uses and benefits for blogging. It gave me a better feel for what a blog could be. I also thought the links to the examples of different types of blogs was helpful. This article was the most useful to me, especially with the list of things to do/consider/use as general guidelines while creating a blog.

2006-01-24T12:17:00.000-08:00

Before beginning this class, I had previously only read blogs, not participated myself. My assumptions, based on mainly my friends' blogs, were that they were basically a diary and often included information that I personally wouldn't want on the web. Many blogs include the blogger's crazy tales of their weekend- which often includes information that you definitely wouldn't want your parents or relatives to see. Blogs I have read have often included gossip and other pieces of information that sometimes can become overly personal and hurtful. To me, blogs seemed to be something that could be potentially dangerous- putting information out that perhaps should not be public. The only other type of blog I have read have been political blogs that were often angry rants and arguing. With this narrow view of what blogging was, I chose not to get involved. It just didn't seem like something I would be interested in.
Through the readings and looking at other blogs in the past 2 weeks, some of my assumptions about blogs have turned around. While blogging can include simply a retelling of personal events, it can include many other things. Ideas can be shared about topics such as politics, literature, currents events, music, movies....the list could go on and on. Most blogs serve some sort of intellectual purpose.
The reading gave me some ideas about how I want to shape my blog. I don't want to create a diary about my life, but I do want to create something that shares my ideas about things that interest me in daily life- such as music, movies and current events. I want it to be lighthearted and fun to read, and not too serious.

2006-01-19T12:48:00.000-08:00

first post