I'm just sayin'...

I just want to be able to stand on solid ground.

2010-08-22T17:43:00.000-07:00

I have too much going on right now to worry about affection. I've been duking it out with Financial Aid, haven't packed a darn thing, and still require books. But I am distracted. The one aspect of my life that could be neglected is plaguing my mind, constantly. My hope for this post is to try to map out the jumbled mess in my head, and hopefully get satisfaction from at least going through the motions of being transparent and honest to an audience. As a warning, this will just be a slew of incoherent, raw whining. This is mainly for me, and possibly the entertainment of whoever might read this. Pardon the typos and grammatical errors...

Historically speaking, I am not the most romantic person. Any boy that has held the position of "boyfriend" in my life has at most been a glorified friend. (That I make-out with). I always anticipated the relationship ending, and never got too bent out of shape over it. (But to be fair, this is in retrospect, and I could possibly have forgotten that I was devastated). I have remained friendly with almost anyone I have shared myself with, on any level. And honestly, I take a lot of pride in that fact. It's easy to part ways with someone and remain amicable with them when you didn't really take any emotional risk.

Enter Dominic. Dominic was/is, on the surface, everything my parents would describe as an acceptable partner, and everything I spent the majority of my adolescence avoiding. He was well-spoken, well-dressed, well-mannered, and attended church. He also possessed a sense of humor similar to my own, was outdoorsy, humble, enthusiastic about everything in Life, patient, and reminded me of everything that was comforting from my childhood. (Even some aspects that are a little destructive). He was the perfect storm for my own personal heartache. When I was with him, I could be as sloppy, silly, boring, moody, and stupid as I wanted to be. My triumphs and happiness in Life was multiplied with his presence. I wasn't afraid to share anything and everything with him. The only problem was that in the two years I was with him, I don't think he ever really wanted to evolve with me, but rather mold me into something else. (Does that make sense???). When we finally parted ways, I never have felt so foolish in my life. It was like that "LOVE THING" that movies/music/books glorify was just a big practical joke on me, and I was emotionally punched in the face.

Please don't get it twisted: all of that was not written to gain sympathy. I understand almost everyone has to have this happen to them once, at least. I am no one special. But right now, I DON'T LIKE IT.

Months have gone by, and I can honestly say I hardly think about him. It sort of worries me that someone I once claimed I was ready to spend the rest of my mortal days with could disappear from my consciousness so easily. Am I really that heartless? Or just really good at self-preservation?

What's even MORE CRAZY is when I started developing affection for someone else. I didn't compare him to Dominic, because GOD WILLING, he WON'T be Dominic. Our dynamic CAN'T play out the same way. That time has passed. I constantly go back and forth on whether or not this is a good idea. I'm not sure if this is just misguided affection out of loneliness, lust, or a genuine connection. I'm insanely paranoid if even the suggesting to pursue anything would be unfair to him, me, or the both of us. But I guess I really, really want to.

I have admittedly been vague with him, and ultimately unfair. Out of exhaustion and fear residual from my break-up with Dominic. God bless him, he still wants to at least communicate with me. I'm finally ready to give this, "Us" a serious try. Because no matter how infuriated he, the situation, my feelings for him make me, I'm still incredibly diggin' him/it. Unfortunately, he has in turn become vague and cautious with him. Rightfully so, but I hate when I feel like I have no control over a situation. Or at least can clearly see the possible outcomes.

The most unfair part about this "dating garbage" is that you can never foresee anything. You have to just jump in. And I'm a wuss.

The end... : )

Links to how I feel about "Love"...

2010-08-17T09:01:00.001-07:00

My favorite poem:

http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/an-almost-made-up-poem/

Indie-rock sweetie; what I'd sing to those love-struck boys, if I could sing:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WSO4Y9ygPIw

What I imagine a boy lusting after me would sing to me:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W0xONse62eo

How I would break up with them:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WDpF6E9t8qo

The song I'd use to serenade a boy I actually loved:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s3PB-2YouAI

And this is just hilarious:

http://www.viruscomix.com/things.html

Sorry that I never write...

2010-08-08T14:42:00.000-07:00

A thousand apologies Tracy and Heather. I just saw your comments now. And I'm sorry that I don't keep up with this. It's really sweet that you two read my posts : )

I was just thinkin': The man told stories, fed the masses, and got the booze to prolong parties. How could you NOT like Jesus at that time??

It's lonely hearts season...

2010-05-22T19:15:00.000-07:00

As predicted, I did INDEED became complacent with my blog. I'm OK with that. I started reading through my posts for class, and am horribly embarrassed by the spelling and grammatical errors. (Although, if I recall correctly, I still ACED the class). I could remove them, but I like to look back on my writing and reassure myself that I am improving. Hopefully my posts this time around will become more articulate, and have an easier time expressing my ideas...
Anywho! "Lonely Hearts Season". I think I've declared every season this year that. Everyone around me has been struck with "Noah's Arc" fever; desperate to find a counter part. And I sort of feel caught in the crossfire. Whether it's being on the phone with a recently broken heart 'til the early morning hours, or the misguided object of lust for an especially lonesome fellow. What makes it all a lot funnier is that my two year-long relationship has recently met its demise. (Someone told me it had something to do with Mercury and where it's aligned... I think it's just because he couldn't pick up a phone). I can't be too much help in the relationship department. I don't feel qualified to offer advice, or good company for even temporary companionship.
Folks are just going CRAZY! All everyone wants to talk about is how they're alone, and what they're course of action is to rectify the situation. It's hard to stay interested when I'm pretty determined to be on my own, and be OK with it. I honestly don't see the point. It's a lot of unnecessary stress.
My equivalent to all of this I suppose is just missing those who have been in my life. Being home and not very social has given me a lot of time to reflect on the last couple years. I have determined several things in the relationship/friendship department:
1) More often than not, people get bored with me. At some point, I stop being an amusing caricature, and reveal myself to be just another human. I watch TV, eat food that's bad for me, and sometimes just don't feel like having "intellectual discussions". And SOMETIMES, I can't always be clever and LOUD. This disappoints a lot of people I meet, I guess. They evaporate from my life. Soon followed by my heart cracking.
2) The people I end up missing the most are the ones I've managed to always keep at arm's length. I know that I've idealized them to the point that the version of them that I think I know doesn't really exist. I am conscience of all of this, and it's OK with me. I reminisce and miss of their memory that can never disappoint me, and I'll always have a fondness for them, and pray to God that we don't ever actually meet.
3) I'm absolutely terrified to get to know someone. It's a combination of both "one" and "two". The way I disappoint people, I don't want to in turn be disappointed. And I want to always like them.
4) I can like just about anyone. And I can also alienate just about anyone. This is all done on a whim.
If I were honest with myself, I'd admit I'm just as lonely as everyone else, just maybe in a different. It's equally pathetic.
But I still haven't cried over the break-up. It's been about a month.
None of this makes sense! But, as I've declared many times before, it's Lonely Hearts Season. I can be as illogical and self-involved as I damn well please. Especially since I am using a blog as the medium to express all of this. Blogs are fueled by self-importance.
Thank you for reading, if anyone is : )

Back after almost two years... WTF!?

2010-01-07T17:03:00.000-08:00

So, I was sitting around the house, trapped in my own head, and my thoughts went back to freshman year at Keene State. I remembered this ridiculous class I took on blogging. The course description presented it as a class focused on gender roles. They lied... Instead, I read a TEXTBOOK on the Internet and its progression over the last decade or so. Horribly disappointed, initially. But I liked my professor, and really enjoyed the people that were (tricked as well?) in the class.

I used to keep a blog, or "online journal", when I was in middle school. Self-involvement was alllll the rage. I neglected it, and was upset when I realized that I probably wouldn't be able to archive my writings during my most angst-ridden years. (Perhaps it is better off that way). Undoubtedly history will repeat itself, and I will lose gusto for this in a matter of months. Oh well...

Very often, I get lost in my own thoughts to the point that I question my own sanity. I debate ideas and essentially converse with myself in my head. So hopefully by typing out said thoughts, I'll actually be able to progress as a human, and escape this mental imprisonment.

... TAH-DAR!

PODCAST THREE!

2007-12-06T15:53:00.001-08:00

http://www.archive.org/details/Podcast2_993

Click here to follow link.

PODCAST TWO!!!

2007-12-06T15:52:00.000-08:00

http://www.archive.org/details/Podcast1_581

Click here to follow link.

PODCAST ONE!

2007-12-06T15:51:00.000-08:00

http://itw101.blogspot.com/2007/11/blog-of-one-own-22.html

Click here to follow link.

HW 30: Scott Ritter

2007-12-06T08:47:00.000-08:00

First of all, I left before the guy even started the question and answering portion. The first half hour the man spewed arrogance and self-righteous garbage. He opened with how he wanted it to be a dialogue; and exchange of ideas, because that's how things get accomplished. However, the man seemed ot like the sound of his own voice, more so than the potential for students to grow and learn form his experiences.
He was all about constitution, and assumed that no one in the building knew it as well as he did, or its importance.
"If you call yourselves citizens, the only legitimate hold is knowing this document".
Yeah, we know dude. The last ten years of schooling hammered that idea into our heads relentlessly.
Then he detailed the hierarchy and duties of citizens to soldiers.
"[Soldiers] defends citizens. Takes an oath to defend the constitution [from enemies] foreign and domestic".
Domestic enemies? Yes, they walk among us! As in violating the fourth amendment, "illegal search and seizure". I know this, and I know what the fourth amendment entails. However, since I am merely a college student, with no life experience, I couldn't possibly understand that. It's the next comment that pretty pushed me to split the scene:
"I'll give you a hint: open up the piece of paper and go to the fourth Amendment".
Already ahead of you, buddy!
He went on some tangent about wire-tapping and conspiracy theories, and that's when I ever so politely gave him a salute and marched out like a good citizen-soldier ought to.
Maybe I didn't give this guy enough of a chance, but I can't take someone's word seriously if they can't even fathom the idea of giving my intelligence some credit.

HW 30: Secret Daughter

2007-12-06T08:34:00.000-08:00

In June Cross's documentary, "Secret Daughter", she speaks about being her mother's shame. Her mother, a white woman, had June with a black comedian Larry Cross. Even though her mother was openly friends with a lot of black people, she knew that actually having a child with one would only lead to a life of hardship for the both of them. She ended up leaving June with two of her black friends, having June come out during summer break to visit her and her new husband in LA.
The first moment June felt her mother's rejection was over a dinner.
"It began with a plate of string beans that tasted different than what I was used to".
Being so young, and unable to really understand or verbalize what she felt, she took it out on those string beans and tossed them across the room.
To this day, some of her mother's friends don't know that they are mother and daughter. Her mother always made the division between her and June very clear. One time, June tried to style her hair and different way. Her mother's response: "Why do blacks try so hard to imitate white people?".
Apparently she was oblivious to the fact that maybe this was just a common case of daughter emulating mother, not a race thing.
The documentary was very interesting, and to me eye-opening. And couldn't believe the racial division that people to this day still hold in their hearts. Hopefully a change will come and work like this of Cross will in a catalyst for that change.

HW 27: Letter to Riverbend.

2007-12-06T08:27:00.000-08:00

Dear Riverbend,
I'm taking a writing class at Keene State College in New Hampshire, and we just started reading your published blog, "Baghdad Burning". I'm really excited about it so far. It was very brave of you to put this out there, because of the criticism you may receive, and certain groups of people trying to stop you from having your voice heard.
You're style of writing is very stimulating and keeps readers intrigued. Normally any information we receive on the war in Iraq are just cold statistics or biased views from people who don't even know what their talking about it. What I like the most about your blog is that it's not involved with politics, it's your life. That's something people can relate to and take seriously. I think it's phenomenal that you're giving people this opportunity to have a first-hand account of the devastation through you.
Also, as horrible as this seems, most Americans have the wrong idea about Iraq. They think that everyone over there are heartless, uneducated monsters of some sort. Your blog proves them all wrong. It's something that I strongly believe: we're all people, we're all the same, we're all one.
Thank you so much, sister! And I can't wait to read the rest!
xoxo
Amy G!

HW 25: Intro to Baghdad Burning

2007-12-06T08:19:00.000-08:00

In the introduction, blogger Riverbend talks about her day to day life in Iraq after 9-11. Her entire existence is turned upside down, and her and her family need to pick up the pieces and attempt to try to live a relatively normal life. Soueif translates her blogs, so people world-wide are able to hear this middle-class Iraqi girl's perspective.
She writes a blog of the destruction that is revolving around her daily. Riverbend is a clever girl, and it shows even in her blog's title, "Baghdad Burning". This already sets up the reader for the kind of struggle that is her life. She gives us detail by detail of what it is like to live her life. Ridgeway provides background of what has been going on in Iraq over the last four years,which has lead Riverbend to this turmoil. Ridgeway explains that events like the Gulf War are what lead to the mess that is the Middle East today.
After glossing over the book, I'm actually really excited to get into it. It seems like this girl has a lot to say, and it'll be interesting to read from the perspective of someone who is living it, rather than a biased view that you tend to get from main-stream media.

HW 24: I better have a room... I'm paying tuition!

2007-12-06T08:10:00.000-08:00

This entire book to me has been flowery nonsense. Virginia Woolf insists that for women to really succeed in writing, they need to be catered to in a special way. I suppose what she is trying to say is that women have to juggle being a perfect housewife, and then a creative genius. And one cannot exist with the other simultaneously.
"I am talking of the common life which is the real life and not the separate lives which we live as individuals -and have five hundred a year each of us and rooms of our own; if we have the habit of freedom and the courage to write exactly what we think; if we escape a little from the common sitting room and see human beings not always in their relationships to each other but in relation to reality."(Woolf pg.113-114)
I agree with that statement to some extent. I personally really enjoy time to myself. I feel like I get the most meditating and contemplating done with that time. However, so say that women especially over men need this time because we are different, is making it even harder to really respect women as writers. We're all people. We all have our individual process. And, men have just as many distractions in day to day life that keep them from really exercising their creativity and talent to their full potential.
I understand where Woolf is coming from, and I do see the inequality that did and still does exist between the sexes. I just don't agree with her solution, I suppose.

HW: 21 LETTERRRR

2007-12-06T08:02:00.000-08:00

Dear Bro-sky!
A Room of One’s Own is probably one the silliest required readings I've had to date. It starts off with the main character, Mary, contemplating over the place women have in fiction. We all know that women are considered lesser citizens. From day to day life on campus, she feels inferior to men. She talks about how angry is makes her that men some kind of power over the considered fairer sex. But her solution is that women should have a room of their own to be better writers. I think that's ridiculous. She's further dividing the two sexes. She isn't asking for equality, but a handicap. I probably won't like the rest of this book at all. Nicky, if you ever date a girl, make sure she's like not this. Make sure she isn't a childish whiner, that believes the steps to equality between men and women means giving women special privileges. If people like Mary truly want to be seen as something more than eye-candy and cooks, then they need to be prepared to take on what a man does.
How are the pets? How's mom? haha
xoxo
Amy G!

HW 16: Five Pillars

2007-10-04T08:07:00.000-07:00

In the chapter "Blogs: Humanizing the Face of Corporate America", Robert Scoble talks about the benefits blogging has to offers to corporate companies. Mainly, that it sets up a more intimate relationship with the customers, and a better understanding of what they want. And knowing your customers' needs will help you design products that will sell better. And we're all about the bottom line...
To really take full advantage of blogs, Scoble instructs companies to "remember that five things made blogging hot" (Kline and Burstein). He refers to these things as "The Five Pillars of Conversational Software".

ONE: Ease of publishing.
The first appeal to blogging, as it hit mainstream, was that anyone could do it. You could set up an account and start putting in your two cents on almost any topic, and exchange dialog with anyone in the world. So essentially, blogging could possibly reach a wide variety of customers, in all sorts of demographics.
TWO: Discover ability.
When you check out one blog, you will ultimately be lead to about ten other ones, pertaining in a similar topic. As long as you word your tags right, more people will come across your site (product) that didn't even mean to. Companies should take full advantage of this: the networking paths are already set, it's just a matter of placing your ads on the right one to guarantee you the most customers.
THREE: Cross-site conversations.
Word of mouth was the original way for products to really become known. Now with the Internet, it's like having a world-sized coffee shop, or water cooler for people to stand around and just chat up their latest purchases. Like the second pillar, companies don't need to do much. Just put their information out there, and let it run its course.
FOURTH: Permalinking
If someone finds a post they find interesting, they can isolate it, and pull it up later on. This is really good for companies, because now the information can easily be re-accessed, granted someone has a computer. They can send that specific article or post to someone else who may be interested.
FIFTH: Syndication
This is the core of blogging. It's the exchange of ideas, posts, pictures, etc sent into the gigantic social network that blogging has become.

If companies fully utilized these five pillars, they can efficiently get their product out there, and make the most money using little to no sources.

HW 17: "CCC': The LiveJournal For Bored '30s Housewives"

2007-10-04T07:52:00.000-07:00

I came across this post on the "Jezbel" blog. In the article they talk about the loneliness and guilt for feeling lonely that housewives experience. There are "intelligent women who found themselves married and confined to their homes, not exactly fulfilled by their roles as housewives and mothers". Women got together and formed Cooperative Correspondence Club, a group of about twenty four members who put out one copy of a magazine every two weeks. In the magazine, women talk about the monotony of their daily routine, and express their desires for something more stimulating than changing diapers and making dinners.
I'm glad I came across this. I believe that this is the Internet and blogging used in a positive way. It's connecting people on a personal level, and giving a group a creative outlet and support that they wouldn't be able to obtain any other way.

I have a pretty optimistic view on the project. Although I don’t think that this is necessarily the solution to the boredom of all housewives worldwide, it’s definitely a good step. However, the writer of the article seems to have a much different feeling about it:

“As cheesy as it sounds, what's fascinating is that this urge, desire -- to bond with other women through the written word, read their stories and secrets, without actually knowing or meeting them -- sounds a lot like what we do right here everyday. Just a moment of sincerity. We'll be back to jaded and superficial before you know it.”

I don’t know if that’s entirely fair. I think she needs to have a little bit more faith in these women, and believe that substance is what they really want, and what they will continue to strive for.

http://jezebel.com/gossip/ladymag-lookback/ccc-the-livejournal-for-bored-30s-housewives-306775.php

HW 14: Denton

2007-10-02T13:07:00.000-07:00

In “Take the Obsession, Then Feed It!”, Denton recognizes the power and influence blogging can have on the business world. However, he says it is more of an evolution, than a revolution; that blogging did not “spring up suddenly in the last couple of years… in fact [there have been] some extremely successful independent media sites that have a lot of attributes of weblogs”. (Kline and Burstein 154)

Despite the fact that blogs have the potential to reach millions of people in an efficient, non-costly manner, the task of selecting out of the billions and billions of websites and blogs, both independent and main stream, that targets their particular customers, is an arduous task most large companies are not willing to take on. After all, there are other ways to advertise, that are tried and true.

Indeed blogging is taking communication to another level, but the idea of it completely taking out other forms of media is naïve: Denton has a passive look at the influence the Internet has on the Internet, and I completely agree with him. Although it is true that the main stream media tends to report events at an angle that best serves their investors, they are still the ones on the scene, and reporting first person accounts. So, blogging is just an interpretation of these accounts, and shouldn’t be depended on solely for getting information. To put bluntly, blogging is really an extension of main stream media, rather than a combative, opposing force.

However, something blogging has to offer that main stream media cannot is an opportunity for talented writers to get their word out, since it seems that “mediocre people end up getting jobs” due to “who [they] know and how well [they] can schmooze at parties”. (Kline and Burstein 152) So, blogging offers people a chance to exercise their creative energy and put it out there, and others to benefit; something they couldn’t do before.

To summarize, Denton expressed a lot of the same feelings have towards blogging and the Internet in general: It is simply a tool, not the end-all to human interaction and communication.

"Free Hugs" > Business Blogs

2007-09-27T13:20:00.000-07:00

"Sure, most blogs are painfully primitive. That's not the point. They represent power. Look at it this way: In the age of mass media, publications like ours print the news. Sources try to get quoted, but the decision is ours... they reach a huge audience".

(Kline and Burstein 224)

In May of 2005, Stephan Baker and Heather Green wrote an article discussing the impact that blogging is having on big business, and how these companies are now trying to utilize the Internet's power to their advantage. They understand how large this online community is now, and want to try to get their products out there through it. It makes sense: Think about how many hours a day you're on the Internet, and are endlessly being bombarded by advertising, slowly being brainwashed to CONSUME, CONSUME, CONSUME! This interpretation challenges the critics that have long assumed that blogging would be a passing trend, and have no affect on our society.

Although the Internet can be used as a great tool to keep people informed and gives them an opportunity to participate in their government, or society in general, most people don't. There are about nine million blogs out there (Kline and Burstein), however, only about twenty-seven percent of Internet users bother to visit political blogs (Kline and Burstein). Information is out there, people are just drawn to trash. If you were to check the History on an average Americans computer, you'd be more likely to find links to blogs discussing The Apprentice, than you are one on the presidential election.

Think about your day-to-day conversations. If people were honest, the majority of their chats consists of the latest video they watched on You Tube. And there's nothing wrong with that. We all want to believe that we are "above" that sort of thing. But human beings to their core tend to be cold-hearted, nosy, bored souls. So the Internet is like a giant, world-wide water cooler: People from across the oceans can discuss and poke fun at the latest moment of shame by Lindsey Lohan.

It's sad, but fascinating. Blogging is solidifying the fact that despite differences in background, location, language, people are all the same. I think that's the most important contribution the Internet has made. It literally connects people. Even though the planet is not dominated by towering intellects, the human population is evolving. You may not know, or even care, about the political state of the Philippines, but that "Thiller" video from a prison over there was fantastic! The Internet opens doors, and you're able to get to know people as PEOPLE, rather than a list of statistics and blanket statements about their culture.

Yes, whenever you open a page to a website, a billion ads come flying at you. Yes, big business can use blogs for customer feedback, or check which sites you visit the most to see what kind of products they put out there will be sold. But that's with any form of media. It's been done through newspapers, magazines, television, etc. So, I wouldn't say that the impact of blogging has on business is the most important aspect of blogging. If it wasn't through the Internet, it would have been through something else.

However, the worldwide networking is what sets the Internet and blogging apart from any other sort of media. Never before have individuals been able to reach other individuals on such a large scale, so conveniently. It's making people aware that the world is a lot bigger than what they themselves experience day-to-day, and cultivating a sense of Oneness through communicating with people from all parts of the world. We are all One, and this new form of social networking is making that clear.

PS-- I highly recommend watching "Free Hugs" on You Tube, and you'll get what I mean.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=vr3x_RRJdd4

HW 11: Blogs Go Global

2007-09-25T13:09:00.000-07:00

`The blog I looked up from the reading “Making Global Voices Heard” was Issaac Mao’s. The set-up was pretty simplistic, as was the language. It’s very much journal-style writing. The main topic is censorship in China, and he’s been documenting the process of “The Great Chinese Firewall”. I’m going to be honest, I know close to nothing about computers and the internet. That’s why I like Mao’s blog: It is pretty easy to understand.

In the chapter, MacKinnon does not really go into great detail describing Mao’s blog, but what she did say was exactly what I saw. She first mentions that he posts not only in Chinese but English too, and that is why he became so popular. Then MacKinnon goes on to “objectionable content”, which are trigger words that if set off by what the system considers inappropriate language, the post will not be published. This is probably why while reading Mao’s writing, there’s a lack of passion or pure opinion. His posts are mostly factual, and are filled with links to other articles, so his credibility isn’t questioned. He draws a few conclusions, but they are very general, and are left up to interpretation.

Of course, some will probably disagree with this assertion that his censorship was an act of protecting himself. You could argue since he is from China, and may be fluent in English; some things could be lost in translation. And perhaps this site was not designed to enrage people, but to educate them, objectively.

Regardless of his intended or not intended language, Mao accomplishes his mission of arming his fellow bloggers with knowledge.

http://isaacmao.com/meta/

Get out the kitchens, ladies!

2007-09-19T09:45:00.001-07:00

In the chapter, “A Weblog Saved My Life Last Night”, Ayelet Waldman talks about the night she posted that she was considering suicide, and was immediately “rescued” by her husband and bloggers that read it. She goes on to describe the pain that plagued her, and how the consoling of her readers helped”

“You feel as if you should be incredibly happy yet you’re not. There’s this incredible alienation, incredible low-grade depression, and isolation… There are women with whom to bond for an hour a day when your kid is napping, to talk to about the sense of despair and loneliness”

(Kline and Burstein 314)

Waldman’s confession about her struggles is useful because it sheds insight on the difficult problem of gender roles that still plague our society. Women are programmed almost from birth that their ultimate goal and only real purpose on this planet is to reproduce. And that they should welcome this constraining role with complete joy, and go into a state of mindless bliss, for they were not “meant” to feel fulfillment in any other way.

Well, that’s garbage.

I’m not saying that raising a child will only lead to misery however, limiting someone’s options is damaging to the mind and body. Humans are social creatures, and seek out knowledge and experience, through interactions. As joyous as having a child could be, mothers are still cut-off from any kind of stimulation, and are trapped in their heads. And from my experience and observations, “in your own head” is a pretty bad place to be.

I’m excited that blogs like these are out there. Blogs themselves cannot “make or break” this society. It’s merely a tool, and like all tools, it all depends on how you utilize it. Blogs pertaining to topics such as infertility are an example of using this new tool in a positive manner. It’s not just about pouring your heart, but making honesty, human connections, with people who are going through a similar heart-ache. It’s one thing to receive love and support from people in your immediate vicinity, but the value of kind words from someone who is in almost identical emotional turmoil is ten-fold.

In my own experience, I’ve known many couples who came close to, or did, separate due to difficulties in having a child. The most powerful statement someone made to me was: “You’re in so much pain. You can’t even imagine that [your partner] could possibly be hurting as much as you”.

Blogs now make it possible for people to reach each other, and let them know that someone is hurting as much as you. They bond through pain, and isn’t pain the only real universal thing among people?

TV Dinners Don't Equal Quality Time

2007-09-18T13:35:00.000-07:00

As much as I think that blogging is hyped up a little too much, I also believe that it cannot harm the youth any more than any other element of pop culture. Television and music can be just as damaging and a “bad influence” as blogging. The argument that a form of media could be the soul factor in leading the youth down a horrific path is a total cop-out by parents that are too self-absorbed to raise their kids… people who probably shouldn’t have reproduced. (That, friends would have helped strengthen the population, not eliminating blogging).
In the chapter, “My So-Called Blog”, Nussbaum interviews teenagers who write in online journals, and received nothing but positive responses. Teenagers really feel that this medium of communication is “better than therapy”. They’re able to get their thoughts and feelings out there, without the repercussions and criticisms they would receive outside the cyber world.
Nussbaum states that online journals are not completely alternating the functioning of teenagers, but giving them another outlet to productively work through the stresses of adolescence:
At heart, an online journal is like a hyper flexible adolescent body… [it] offers a creative outlet with a hundred moving parts. And unlike a real journal, with a blog, your friends are all around, invisible voyeurs. (Kline and Burstein (356)
During adolescence, peers take up the majority of a young person’s support network. They can commiserate with one another, something that a fifteen year old can’t even fathom taking place with their parents. Blogging is just another means. If it never came into existence, there would still be meetings in school hallways, phones, etc. During the critical time in one’s development of adolescence, blogging is a God-send. It provides another mode of idea and energy exchange that kids need in order to become successful adults.
Some inappropriate topics do get posted. But, again, it has nothing to do with blogging. Teenagers are disgusting, crude little demons sometimes. (Most of the time). Kids are always going to do things that their parents don’t necessarily approve of, but that goes with the deal. If these parents really just wanted something to mindlessly do everything they wanted, they probably should have opted for a puppy.
If the real concern is that parents feel like their “losing their babies”, here’s an idea: make time for your kids. You put them on this planet, didn’t you?

hw 6

2007-09-12T11:46:00.001-07:00

The topics I am most interesting in doing my semester-long paper on are:

Overcoming sexism
Overcoming racism
Overcoming homophobia

I’m interested in these topics because they directly affect my life. The three of them are similar in the way that in this country, most people would like to believe that these are issues that have been dealt with, and we should move on. It’s interesting in the media, how we have convinced ourselves that we’ve gone full-circle on these issues, and it is OK to make assinine comments as a joke. The thing is: It’s not funny. These things are still issues, in a very subtle way. I think that’s much scarier than problems that are blatant. It’s over-looked, and we stop evolving. We settle. I’m asking mankind not to settle.

The three social computing technologies I want to use are blogs, social bookmarking, and wikis. I feel that these three sources are more open than the others, and will lead to a wider variety of sources. But there also some structure to it, so I don’t risk reading self-righteous rants, but exchanges of ideas.

I want to either focus on the US or undeveloped countries. The US obviously, because that’s what is directly affecting me. I’m interested in the undeveloped country, because it’s the polar opposite lifestyle of my own. Is oppression and ignorance universal, and man can relate to, no matter where you come from? I hope not. Also, it’d be interesting to see what aspects are more important to them in contrast to what is to me.

Spell-checking is for champs! (HW 5b)

2007-09-12T11:29:00.000-07:00

In the reading, “I Blog, Therefore I am”, Kline insists that, despite the naysayers, the revolution that is Blogging will not impair the literacy skills of the youth. He continues on his exhausted, romantic tangent about the Internet is for the people, by the people, and the creation of a “new language” (“Net Speak”), is not dumbing the youth. He finishes the chapter off with the poetic proclamation that, “not every voice [should] be smart, or right, or even polite… we [should] all have a voice”.

No, Kline, no one said we should be any of those things, but coherency would be nice.

Kline argues that, even though proper language is not being used, at least the youth are encouraged to write, and that’s better than nothing at all. It is wonderful that young people are excited about writing, but with the presence of the Internet and blogging, a realm where spell-checking and revision does not exist, they’re doomed to be conditioned into a lower form of literacy. (Let's set low standards; so we have no expectations!)

Again and again I hear teachers, professors, MY DAD complain about how increasingly poor the writing skills of students are. There’s a lot to be said about being able to efficiently, and clearly express yourself. There leaves little to no room for your words to be misconstrued and your point lost if you take the time to master some sort of language and writing skills.

I’m not denying the empowering source that the Internet can be, is. But unlike Kline, I have more faith in bloggers, and expect some coherency in their arguments, and solid sentence structure. I do not doubt the intelligence of the bloggers, as Kline apparently does; I’m questioning the seriousness in their writing. If they can’t take the time to re-read and revise before hitting “submit”, I won't waste mine trying to decipher them. It just shows lack of serious thought, and how can I be expected to care if the author doesn’t?

Go ahead, write away. Get your thoughts out there. You have that right. But I have the right to demand something thought-provoking, stimulating, and readable. When you don’t take the time to re insure that your point will not be lost in translation, you just sound like an adolescent going on an angst-ridden rant. And no one takes adolescents seriously.

Mom and Pop goes Corporate, and I love it.

2007-09-11T13:19:00.000-07:00

The product I picked was Desert Essence Organice Spicy Citrus hand and body lotion.

The immediate promise implied was that this particular product is a natural alternative to convential body care products. That since this product is natural, clearly it is better for your body than one filled with chemicals. Even on the back of the bottle, in addition to listing the ingrediants, they also give a brief summary of how each conponent enhances you skin, rather than completely changing its nature and structure.

(It’s also 100% vegan, which appeals to customers that want absolutely nothing to do with hurting cute, fuzzy animals, or those hungary vegans who have a taste for “spicy orange”).

On the website, under “About Us”, they continue on saying, “The Desert Essence mission is to deliver quality, natural-based products that improve the lifestyles of today's most health-conscious consumer”. This statement lures people in by convincing them that intelligent, informed people use their products. They also state how they’ve been “a leader in the nutritional supplement industry for over 35 years”, giving the customer reassurance that their brand can be trusted.

In my own experience, the product has “kept its promise”. I have very sensitive skin, and this lotion doesn’t irritate my skin, and seems to “work with it”. Although I do honestly have bad reactions to most chemicals, this product, as with most promises in advertisments, could just be a situation of “mind over matter”. We’re made to believe that the products we use day to day are better than their competitors by the constant hammering from the media, essentially brainwashing us, and putting us into to zombie mode to consume, consume, CONSUME!

Though Desert Essence is not a well-known company with ads all over the television like for instance, Pepsi, it’s still a business, and the goal is still to get me to buy their product and make money, regardless of the seemingly good place they are coming from.

Am a mindless drone easily influenced by clever ad schemes and pretty packaging? Of course, but I’m not ashamed. Even if it’s all in my head, my skin has never been happier.

Website:

http://www.desertessence.com/pages/about_us.html

HW 3: Donkey or Elephant? I'd rather be a catapillar...

2007-09-05T11:40:00.001-07:00

Conventional wisdom has it that the public is disenchanted by main stream media, due to its biased reporting, dictated by corporate funding. In the reading, “Toward a More Participatory Democracy”, Kline goes into these long, embittered rants about how the media has been feeding nothing but garbage, and now with the capabilities of blogging, we the people can now fight back. (Anyone else ready to join his ranks?).

It’s true. The dreaded, big, bad media does have an agenda. Who doesn’t? What I found amusing was after his adolescent whining about how the people are now being empowered by mediums such as blogging, and encouraged their voices to be heard, he went on to point out the “mistakes” made by liberal bloggers last elections, and even mapped out a strategy for utilizing the Net more efficiently. (We’ll get ‘em next time boys!).

I saw the point he was trying to make: highlighting how the blogging was and wasn’t used to its full potential. (Obviously the Republicans did it the “right” way). To me, it just felt chock-full of opinionated rambles and skewed information; the very same thing he claims that blogging will combat.

He offered up plenty of techniques for political activists to use the Net to their advantage, but nothing to the general public when they’re thrown all this information. How do we filter out the garbage, and be sure that John Smith doesn’t have some kind of agenda of his own?

The one thing I did agree with was the encouragement for more independent parties. Theoretically, if a candidate is chosen by the people, funded by the people, and voted for by the people, he’d at least make some sort of effort to satisfy the wants of the people who got him there. Instead of using the Net as a tool to continue the monotonous, never-ending, life-draining, pointless, epic struggle between Democrats and Republicans, let’s set up all people interested in running this sinking ship of a country with a blog, read them, be informed about real issues, and pick the person who is most compatible with the nation’s wants as a whole.

Ready… GO!

HW 2: Don't believe the hype!

2007-09-05T10:41:00.001-07:00

The one aspect I found interesting from Kline’s and Burstein’s passage, “From Cave Painting to Wonkette” was that blogging will ultimately lead the human race to greater truths and speed up evolution because there are now more sources out there that aren’t presenting information from a biased place, since they have no corporate backing.

My response: False!

I strongly believe that blogging, along with anything else in technology or human advancement, has its draw backs, can be misused, and the chance that people will become too dependant on it.

Yes, there are more individuals out there without a corporate agenda, but they have an agenda nonetheless. Even if it’s just to get their word out there. That’s commendable. However, the problem is that opinions are being published, not truths; facts. The information you’re reading into may not be an out and out lie, to perhaps get you to buy something, but it’s still just one person’s opinion: skewed information, from a perhaps unknowledgeable source.

The part that scares me the most about this misinformation being put out there is the dependency people may have on it, especially teenagers. One random guy in Illinois with internet, and a knack for satirical writing will have thousands of kids eating up his every word, regardless if what he has to say is all angst-ridden, uneducated garbage.

Blogging and other forms of communicating via internet, could lead to great leaps in human knowledge, but only if the “right” information is put out there. As of now, with all the sources (individuals) out there, is just seems like a bigger mess than when “the media” was the main source of information.

I suppose my main problem with the whole idea of blogging is the lack of control, and faith in humanity to not simply “subscribe” their own opinions away. And who can’t relate to that?