So this week marks premiere week for the big networks- ABC, NBC, CBS, and FOX. I don't know about you, but the reason i get hooked on most series like Law and Order SVU, House, NCIS and the CSI's is due to their syndication on great cable channels like USA. However, if you've watched any of the channels that feature these popular shows in syndication, you're probably aware that you no longer have to watch re-runs anymore because this week everything is all new! And I'm here to tell you- I'm excited.
I read an article in Friday's USAToday (yes I do realize it is Sunday, and I'm two days late but still) and it got me really pumped about these new seasons. I guess the point of the article was to promote the new series like The Event, Lone Star and Hawaii Five-O and 20 other new series slated for the fall, but really the article just got me pumped up for the series I already love- House, NCIS, and Glee. I was very distraught when I discovered that two of these beloved shows will be aired at the same time. NCIS and GLEE both come on Tuesday's at 7. What am I going to do? Be forced to watch episodes online.
Now I know that advertising is a part of life. Hey- I am even considering it as a career path so this is not in any way a diss to the advertisers. But advertising during online shows is getting ridiculous. I know that there are tons more commercials when you actually watch the shows, but on top of commercials during the online re-runs you have to deal with buffering and skipping and other annoyances that are unique to TV viewing online.
Today I wanted to watch the season re-cap for NCIS and so i got to cbs.com and click on the link. First it shows me a long animated version of a Clorox 2 ad. Then there's a whole thirty-three second ad for the same product. Then I have to click to continue and the advertisement for Clorox 2 surrounds the video box. So I was forced to endure 6 minutes of exposure for Clorox 2. I know that it's supposed to be great at getting stains out of colors without fading the clothes, but am I going to go to the store and buy Clorox 2? Probably not. Why? Besides the fact that I'm a huge fan of the smells-amazing Apple Mango Tango Gain detergent, I am plain annoyed that Clorox 2 had the balls (pardon my...English?) to force their product on viewers that much. It's like pick one form of Internet annoyance. Go with the commercial or the banner ad not both and definitely not both plus another ad. Come on now.
People do everything they can to avoid advertising. As an aspiring marketer, this is something that really interests me. Why don't advertisers understand this fact? I mean think about it. When do you go to the bathroom? During the commercial breaks. Want something to snack on? Wait for the commercial. Then you won't miss anything important. DVRs have opened a whole new door for TV viewers who hate ads. All they have to do now is fastforward through those bad boys and hey! There's the show again which is what they wanted to watch in the first place.
I personally enjoy some commercials. I mean there are some really entertaining ones out there like the Old Spice ads, Cheeze-its, and I even get a kick out of some of the Geico ads (NOT the cavemen ones the ones with the cute lizard). I'm not going to say that there aren't times when I wish the commercials would just go away (and when I do have the luxury of a DVR I skip those annoying suckers) so I can get back to my show but watching commercials on TV is totally different than watching them online.
I like that you are given an exact time that the commercial will last. That's a plus. But again I find myself distracted from the ad I simply watch the countdown.
Perhaps I'm being too hard on advertisers. With the increase in the number of TV viewers watching shows online it is understandable that advertisers want in on this market. However, they need to realize that people who watch TV online are probably trying to avoid ads anyway and therefore advertising shouldn't be forced down our throats. Just be nice about it. There's no reason to show three different types of ads BEFORE the show even starts. Keep it simple.
So if you're like me and you also like NCIS and Glee its going to be a long season of alternating between watching on TV and watching online but hey these two shows are great and I'm willing to put up with a little extra advertising to keep up with them. It all starts tomorrow. Get excited.
Sunday, September 19, 2010
The death of childhood and creativity
When I was a kid my fashion sense was impeccable. I had a pair of purple jeans, some pink, purple, and orange keds, a tie-dyed Mickey Mouse dress, and cowboy boots. I used to play games outside that involved running, jumping, climbing, and crawling. I sang kid songs like nursery rhymes,Disney songs, and christmas carols.I used to play with dolls for hours on end and I used to pretend pieces of sliced white bread was the mushroom from Alice in Wonderland. My sister and I used to make up our own games using our imaginations. We made up goofy names and characters and had a bunch of inside jokes that only we could understand. If we didn't have something our characters wanted guess what we did? We pretended we had it! I used to color outside the lines. I used to use crazy colors for ordinary objects to give them more pizzazz. What has happened to the imaginations and childhood of kids these days?
The other day I passed by a Children's Place store and all of the kid-sized mannequins in the window were wearing hoodies, loose fitting jeans, and baseball caps. My first thought was, when did being a kid become so gangster? Remember that YouTube video of those little girls gyrating suggestively in hookerish clothes to Beyonce's Single Ladies? What's happening to childhood today? If six year olds are already wearing mini-skirts with hair extensions and make-up, what's going to happen when they turn 16? 18? Why are parents letting the media and technology steal their children's childhood?
Kids these days have access to a plethora of unnecessary technology. Books that read to them, video games that talk to them, toys that walk and talk,narkers that only work on certain surfacesm and there are even chidren's book apps on the iPad. What's next? Virtual mommy and daddy apps? Why would a parent let a child even hold a $600 iPad? much less play with one? All of these interactive technological advances are definitely cool to see and use but what about personal interaction? Kids need to physically play with other kids. They need their parents to read to them and play games with them that don't involve gaming consoles. They need to be able to use their own imaginations.
I'm a marketing major. People often say that marketing is the creative side of business. In one of my classes, Creative Marketing, the class defined creativity as something that we are born with but through the educational system and the focus on critical thinking, we are slowly molded into a mass of like-minded people. Our creativity and ability to use our imaginations are slowly beaten out of us by pick the best answer and choose only one option choices on tests. We are programmed to believe that there is only one right answer. When brainstorming for new ideas aren't the first ideas of the group members scary similar? We've been programmed into thinking alike. My question is this. If my generation, who didn't have nearly as much technology involved in our childhood as kids these days, are so like-minded what does that mean for the generation of kids today? What does that mean for the future of creativity?
I understand that technology is always changing and evolving and improving. I understand that it's important to stay up-to-date with all of the advances but is it more important than preserving imagination, creativity, and childhood? But you know those people who make their own eclectic clothes and frequent the thrift stores just looking for something they can transform into something new and cool? Those people probably weren't inundated with technology as a child. That kind of creativity is what is lacking from the world of business today. And we need to get it back.
Parents. Don't give in to your child's every whim. Don't shut your kids up by plopping them down in front of a computer or video games. Let them play with other kids. Let them use their imaginations to come up with new games. Give them dolls that don't require batteries. Let them color outide the lines and with crazy colors.
I appreciate the fact that we now have computers we can carry around and even fit into our pockets. I like that we have portable music players that are smaller than my palm. Technology is amazing and I'm not knocking it. Just saying that it's important to take a step back and realize that it's creativity and innovation that brings these kind of advances to life. Don't lose track of your own creativity. Don't kill your own ideas before you even consider them because you think someone else might think it's dumb. I mean hey if everyone did that we wouldn't have inventions out there like the Snuggie, and let's admit it, it may not be the most stylish option but it definitely sells. So next time you think of something creative and cool nurture it. Don't shove it under the rug. And next time you see a kid reading on an iPad, for God's sake, give em a box a crayons and a coloring book.
The other day I passed by a Children's Place store and all of the kid-sized mannequins in the window were wearing hoodies, loose fitting jeans, and baseball caps. My first thought was, when did being a kid become so gangster? Remember that YouTube video of those little girls gyrating suggestively in hookerish clothes to Beyonce's Single Ladies? What's happening to childhood today? If six year olds are already wearing mini-skirts with hair extensions and make-up, what's going to happen when they turn 16? 18? Why are parents letting the media and technology steal their children's childhood?
Kids these days have access to a plethora of unnecessary technology. Books that read to them, video games that talk to them, toys that walk and talk,narkers that only work on certain surfacesm and there are even chidren's book apps on the iPad. What's next? Virtual mommy and daddy apps? Why would a parent let a child even hold a $600 iPad? much less play with one? All of these interactive technological advances are definitely cool to see and use but what about personal interaction? Kids need to physically play with other kids. They need their parents to read to them and play games with them that don't involve gaming consoles. They need to be able to use their own imaginations.
I'm a marketing major. People often say that marketing is the creative side of business. In one of my classes, Creative Marketing, the class defined creativity as something that we are born with but through the educational system and the focus on critical thinking, we are slowly molded into a mass of like-minded people. Our creativity and ability to use our imaginations are slowly beaten out of us by pick the best answer and choose only one option choices on tests. We are programmed to believe that there is only one right answer. When brainstorming for new ideas aren't the first ideas of the group members scary similar? We've been programmed into thinking alike. My question is this. If my generation, who didn't have nearly as much technology involved in our childhood as kids these days, are so like-minded what does that mean for the generation of kids today? What does that mean for the future of creativity?
I understand that technology is always changing and evolving and improving. I understand that it's important to stay up-to-date with all of the advances but is it more important than preserving imagination, creativity, and childhood? But you know those people who make their own eclectic clothes and frequent the thrift stores just looking for something they can transform into something new and cool? Those people probably weren't inundated with technology as a child. That kind of creativity is what is lacking from the world of business today. And we need to get it back.
Parents. Don't give in to your child's every whim. Don't shut your kids up by plopping them down in front of a computer or video games. Let them play with other kids. Let them use their imaginations to come up with new games. Give them dolls that don't require batteries. Let them color outide the lines and with crazy colors.
I appreciate the fact that we now have computers we can carry around and even fit into our pockets. I like that we have portable music players that are smaller than my palm. Technology is amazing and I'm not knocking it. Just saying that it's important to take a step back and realize that it's creativity and innovation that brings these kind of advances to life. Don't lose track of your own creativity. Don't kill your own ideas before you even consider them because you think someone else might think it's dumb. I mean hey if everyone did that we wouldn't have inventions out there like the Snuggie, and let's admit it, it may not be the most stylish option but it definitely sells. So next time you think of something creative and cool nurture it. Don't shove it under the rug. And next time you see a kid reading on an iPad, for God's sake, give em a box a crayons and a coloring book.
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Roaches, Love, and Reason
NOTE: this was a class assignment that called for a piece of creative nonfiction that referenced an actual life experience. its lengthy but i like it. enjoy.
I can’t begin to say that in my twenty-one years of life experience that I’ve discovered the essential truths of life. I don’t have any inkling why things of the heart are always unpredictable and overwhelmingly uncertain. But I do know this: Fears, irrational fears at that, are just as uncertain and unpredictable as the matters of the heart, like love and infatuation. Our response to love and fear, physical and otherwise, are as different as they are alike.
I am afraid of roaches. As long as I can remember this has been the case. Why? They can’t cause me much, if any, physical harm. They aren’t going to eat me or attack me. But whenever I see one crawling creepily across the floor or God forbid up the wall, my first instinct is to run away.
When I was about eleven or twelve, I had a sleepover at my house. My sister and I, who are very close in age, each had a friend over to spend the night at our home. We were watching a movie or television, I can’t remember what, and out of the corner of my eye I saw the familiar infamous black shape moving creepily along the wood paneled wall of our family room. Even though for me at least, there’s a certain degree of shame that comes with admitting that my home is susceptible to the vileness that is a roach, and even though there were two outsiders witnessing firsthand my shame, I quickly darted away from the wicked intruder and called out to my dad for rescue. My heart rate increased and the first hint of sweat tingled across my forehead. By the time I had barricaded myself behind the couch, the other girls succumbed to the irrational screeching and shying away from the insect like many girls do. My dad, whose attention was elsewhere, called to me from the next room and said simply, “Well, kill it.” I replied, “No, I can’t! I’m afraid of it!” Again, fear comes into the picture. In the few minutes that this encounter lasted I fought a mental battle. The instincts to put as much space between me and the threat and not wanting to lose sight of it kept me pinned in my hiding place with my eyes wide open following its every move.
What does this show? My irrational fear led me to not only distance myself from the danger but also to hide with my eyes still transfixed on the threat. Even though I wanted to run, I was pinned there by that conflicting desire to know what was going to happen. I wanted to hold on to some semblance of control in the situation. Instead of giving that roach the satisfaction of scaring me away completely, it was me, after all, that called out to the one who would eventually end its short life. Am I then the conqueror of this creature? Or by my delegation am I just weak? Is this situation, this feeling of fear and of wanting to escape but not being able to fully get away, different from any other reaction to an irrational emotion? This phenomenon is not limited only to fear. This same reaction happens when someone is heartbroken. Immediately following the demise of any relationship both parties are hyper aware of the other’s absence. That routine that was once established is thrown off course leaving you feeling unbalanced and vulnerable. And then inevitably there’s the first time the two run into each other accidentally in the hallways or in the grocery store and there again is that inability to escape completely. Even though in most cases at least one party is hoping to avoid the encounter, they are both drawn to each other if only by curiosity to get over that first awkward meeting since their downfall. Once you see the other person from across the room there’s that inner monologue that asks, “Did he see me? What should I say? Do I say anything? Do I look cute? Is he seeing someone else? Why didn’t I wear that cute dress today?” And that internal struggle persists right up until the point that the two finally meet.
Irrational behavior plagues us all at some point or another. Often times, several times a day. Why is it that the boy who ignores you is the one you fall for hopelessly? Why is it that a tiny, non-threatening, bug can make you run away? Most of our most meaningful experiences are often times initiated by irrational emotional responses. This irrationality that is such a foundational part of a human’s being is not however bad or detrimental. This inherent tendency toward the irrational gives clarity to our rational thoughts and individuality to our lives. If we didn’t understand that most of the responses we have that cause an overwhelming amount of emotional response, like fear and love, we couldn’t recognize the things that are significantly less important. This contrast is essential in the understanding we have of ourselves. If we are able to recognize that many of our desires and fears are irrational and still we pursue or run from them, what does that say about the human race? We humans pride ourselves on our ability to think rationally. Our minds are capable of higher order thinking and critical thinking but instead the roots of many decisions we make are not divined through our reasonable and rational minds. There are even times when the brain can rationally see that one course of action is the most logical and rational choice yet still consciously chooses not to follow that path.
I run away from roaches. Even as a twenty-one year old who, through the educational system, has been trained to evaluate and think critically, I still literally run away from roaches. To this day I have never killed one of these pests and the only reason for it is that my irrational fear mandates that my body and my mind respond accordingly. I like to pride myself on my rational capabilities. It is for my critical thinking skills that I have received recognition over the years, but what I fail to see objectively is just how irrationally I behave.
That cliché phrase, “The heart wants what it wants,” is just a romantic way of describing the irrational nature of one of life’s most written about, discussed, and felt emotions: love. Even when we sensibly know that that desire will only lead to pain, we take it anyway in the hope that our reason will prove faulty somewhere down the road. Why do we delude ourselves into thinking that our reasoning, which we spend years and years trying to hone and make more precise, is wrong in only certain situations? Why do we give ourselves a break on this? These choices are some of the most significant choices we will make in our lives. What sense does it make to intentionally choose the option that you know for certain, will lead to pain?
To answer these questions you have to first answer this question: is pain the absolute worst consequence? If you can examine the situation and the choices are eventual pain and avoiding a potentially life changing experience simply to avoid pain, is it logical to only avoid pain?
This kind of reasoning seems to be purely a justification for irrational behavior instead of actually examining the situation critically. This justification leads us to make the choice we wanted to make the first place. How is it possible to examine the same set of data and come up with two logical answers and have them both be correct? Doesn’t that go against the concept of critical thinking? Shouldn’t critical thinking lead to only one answer that is most correct?
This leads to me to believe that even though our lives are full of situations that make us want to behave irrationally we should try and get the best possible experience out of whatever choice we make. There are definitely some instances where it is easy to see that overcoming the irrational desires will lead to a better outcome in the long run like overcoming my fear of roaches and being able to confidently squash one. But for those bigger more important life-changing experiences, like love, it is important to take the risks that the irrational desires demand. Can this lead to pain? Absolutely! However, there are much more devastating consequences than pain.
Maybe my reasoning is flawed. Perhaps my confidence in my rational mind is inflated with pride and vanity and youthful ignorance. However, I refuse to give up on the fact that love or even those first inklings of affection and infatuation that may grow into love should be avoided on the premise that they might lead to pain. Isn’t that the right choice? Doesn’t that make the most sense?
I can’t begin to say that in my twenty-one years of life experience that I’ve discovered the essential truths of life. I don’t have any inkling why things of the heart are always unpredictable and overwhelmingly uncertain. But I do know this: Fears, irrational fears at that, are just as uncertain and unpredictable as the matters of the heart, like love and infatuation. Our response to love and fear, physical and otherwise, are as different as they are alike.
I am afraid of roaches. As long as I can remember this has been the case. Why? They can’t cause me much, if any, physical harm. They aren’t going to eat me or attack me. But whenever I see one crawling creepily across the floor or God forbid up the wall, my first instinct is to run away.
When I was about eleven or twelve, I had a sleepover at my house. My sister and I, who are very close in age, each had a friend over to spend the night at our home. We were watching a movie or television, I can’t remember what, and out of the corner of my eye I saw the familiar infamous black shape moving creepily along the wood paneled wall of our family room. Even though for me at least, there’s a certain degree of shame that comes with admitting that my home is susceptible to the vileness that is a roach, and even though there were two outsiders witnessing firsthand my shame, I quickly darted away from the wicked intruder and called out to my dad for rescue. My heart rate increased and the first hint of sweat tingled across my forehead. By the time I had barricaded myself behind the couch, the other girls succumbed to the irrational screeching and shying away from the insect like many girls do. My dad, whose attention was elsewhere, called to me from the next room and said simply, “Well, kill it.” I replied, “No, I can’t! I’m afraid of it!” Again, fear comes into the picture. In the few minutes that this encounter lasted I fought a mental battle. The instincts to put as much space between me and the threat and not wanting to lose sight of it kept me pinned in my hiding place with my eyes wide open following its every move.
What does this show? My irrational fear led me to not only distance myself from the danger but also to hide with my eyes still transfixed on the threat. Even though I wanted to run, I was pinned there by that conflicting desire to know what was going to happen. I wanted to hold on to some semblance of control in the situation. Instead of giving that roach the satisfaction of scaring me away completely, it was me, after all, that called out to the one who would eventually end its short life. Am I then the conqueror of this creature? Or by my delegation am I just weak? Is this situation, this feeling of fear and of wanting to escape but not being able to fully get away, different from any other reaction to an irrational emotion? This phenomenon is not limited only to fear. This same reaction happens when someone is heartbroken. Immediately following the demise of any relationship both parties are hyper aware of the other’s absence. That routine that was once established is thrown off course leaving you feeling unbalanced and vulnerable. And then inevitably there’s the first time the two run into each other accidentally in the hallways or in the grocery store and there again is that inability to escape completely. Even though in most cases at least one party is hoping to avoid the encounter, they are both drawn to each other if only by curiosity to get over that first awkward meeting since their downfall. Once you see the other person from across the room there’s that inner monologue that asks, “Did he see me? What should I say? Do I say anything? Do I look cute? Is he seeing someone else? Why didn’t I wear that cute dress today?” And that internal struggle persists right up until the point that the two finally meet.
Irrational behavior plagues us all at some point or another. Often times, several times a day. Why is it that the boy who ignores you is the one you fall for hopelessly? Why is it that a tiny, non-threatening, bug can make you run away? Most of our most meaningful experiences are often times initiated by irrational emotional responses. This irrationality that is such a foundational part of a human’s being is not however bad or detrimental. This inherent tendency toward the irrational gives clarity to our rational thoughts and individuality to our lives. If we didn’t understand that most of the responses we have that cause an overwhelming amount of emotional response, like fear and love, we couldn’t recognize the things that are significantly less important. This contrast is essential in the understanding we have of ourselves. If we are able to recognize that many of our desires and fears are irrational and still we pursue or run from them, what does that say about the human race? We humans pride ourselves on our ability to think rationally. Our minds are capable of higher order thinking and critical thinking but instead the roots of many decisions we make are not divined through our reasonable and rational minds. There are even times when the brain can rationally see that one course of action is the most logical and rational choice yet still consciously chooses not to follow that path.
I run away from roaches. Even as a twenty-one year old who, through the educational system, has been trained to evaluate and think critically, I still literally run away from roaches. To this day I have never killed one of these pests and the only reason for it is that my irrational fear mandates that my body and my mind respond accordingly. I like to pride myself on my rational capabilities. It is for my critical thinking skills that I have received recognition over the years, but what I fail to see objectively is just how irrationally I behave.
That cliché phrase, “The heart wants what it wants,” is just a romantic way of describing the irrational nature of one of life’s most written about, discussed, and felt emotions: love. Even when we sensibly know that that desire will only lead to pain, we take it anyway in the hope that our reason will prove faulty somewhere down the road. Why do we delude ourselves into thinking that our reasoning, which we spend years and years trying to hone and make more precise, is wrong in only certain situations? Why do we give ourselves a break on this? These choices are some of the most significant choices we will make in our lives. What sense does it make to intentionally choose the option that you know for certain, will lead to pain?
To answer these questions you have to first answer this question: is pain the absolute worst consequence? If you can examine the situation and the choices are eventual pain and avoiding a potentially life changing experience simply to avoid pain, is it logical to only avoid pain?
This kind of reasoning seems to be purely a justification for irrational behavior instead of actually examining the situation critically. This justification leads us to make the choice we wanted to make the first place. How is it possible to examine the same set of data and come up with two logical answers and have them both be correct? Doesn’t that go against the concept of critical thinking? Shouldn’t critical thinking lead to only one answer that is most correct?
This leads to me to believe that even though our lives are full of situations that make us want to behave irrationally we should try and get the best possible experience out of whatever choice we make. There are definitely some instances where it is easy to see that overcoming the irrational desires will lead to a better outcome in the long run like overcoming my fear of roaches and being able to confidently squash one. But for those bigger more important life-changing experiences, like love, it is important to take the risks that the irrational desires demand. Can this lead to pain? Absolutely! However, there are much more devastating consequences than pain.
Maybe my reasoning is flawed. Perhaps my confidence in my rational mind is inflated with pride and vanity and youthful ignorance. However, I refuse to give up on the fact that love or even those first inklings of affection and infatuation that may grow into love should be avoided on the premise that they might lead to pain. Isn’t that the right choice? Doesn’t that make the most sense?
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Coca-Cola: a love story
Coca-Cola.
No one really knows what makes that "cola" flavor but whatever it is people everywhere like it and demand it by name. Not only does Coke have excellent "feel-good" commercials but they also have a quality product. How else could they have such dominance in the market? Sure they've made mistakes, (cough coca-cola blak cough) but overall Coke's pretty much been great.
Even though we can all recognize the cursive writing and the familiar bottle shape, I used to HATE coke. With a passion. I didn't want anything to do with it. Parties and events where soft drinks were served I'd drink nothing in order to avoid Coke. Why was I so anti-coke? I have no idea. I've been scouring the depths of my memory to discover the real reason why I've been depriving myself of the delicious-ness that is Coke for the past twenty years and I came up empty. The only thing I can guess is that one time I had a tiny sip and my immature tastebuds couldn't comprehend the delicate taste of one of the world's most sought after beverages, thus scarring me for life.
What changed my mind about coke you may ask? Was it their cute commercials before every movie? Was it the mycokerewards program? Was it because of endorsements by people I know and respect? Nope. The real reason I made the switch to Coke is becuase one day, I was hot and thirsty and the only available source of liquid sustenance was a can of coke. This coke wasn't like ones on the vending machine pictures. It didn't have ice surrounding it or water dripping suggestively down the sides. It was an ordinary, room-temperature coca-cola. I popped it open took a few gulps and then, I discovered that hey- this wasn't so bad. So I continued to drink the whole thing and when it was all gone, I found myself wanting more- and not just becuase I was hot and thirsty.
Now I find myself craving it at random times of the day. I see someone walking down the street drinking a coke and I find myself wanting a sip. (Of course I don't go around asking random people for a sip of their coke!) But I'm now a fan of coke. I may even go and "like" Coke on facebook just to prove my support. I may not give up water in favor of coke but I will say that I'll never make the blasphemous statement that coke is gross ever again. I'm not sure what that flavor is, but whatever it is; I like it.
The reason I'm writing about my newfound relationship with coca-cola isn't to make you thirsty or help increase coke sales. It's to point out that advertising and even personal reviews aren't enough to convince every consumer that your product is king. Being there right when they want your product however, will get them everytime (and if it doesn't your product probably isn't as good as you think it is). In my area here in south Mississippi, Coca-Cola is king of the soft drink market. Just about wherever you are you have access to a coke at any given moment in time. Thanks coke for being around. You turned my into a coke drinker and I'm even proud to admit it!
So next time you're really thirsty and can't find your ol' faithful beverage of choice, grab a coke and you won't be disappointed.
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Getting back into the swing of things
Today I have officially been a college senior for a whole week. Whew! What a week it's been. Adjusting to waking up for class, getting back into the habit of riding my bike across campus, trying to find good deals on textbooks (an impossibility as far as I'm concerned), coordinating lunch dates with friends, and re-adjusting to campus life in general has been interesting.
I'm actually excited about my classes. My schedule, I have to admit, is pretty fabulous. No class on Fridays, not ridiculously long breaks in the middle of the day and let me tell you- it is wonderful. It took me four years to figure out how to make the best schedule.
As a senior, I'm finally taking mainly major classes (which for those of you who don't know is Marketing). I'm really enjoying the mix of major classes that I have too. Creative, Research, and Consumer Behavior. The main three fields I'm considering in Marketing. So I'm thrilled to be taking them together. Only a few class meetings in and I can already tell that yes! I did choose the right major for me! I'm super excited about actually applying what I'm learning in real situations. (And yes I do realize just how nerdy that sounds but hey! I am excited!)
I'm really looking forward to the rest of the semester and I hope everything continues to go smoothly. Of course my last year of college isn't going to be spend completely in the books but I know what I came here for so I won't lose focus. Trust me: when the weekend rolls around (which starts Thursdays for me!) you can bet I'll be living it up like a college senior should!
I'm actually excited about my classes. My schedule, I have to admit, is pretty fabulous. No class on Fridays, not ridiculously long breaks in the middle of the day and let me tell you- it is wonderful. It took me four years to figure out how to make the best schedule.
As a senior, I'm finally taking mainly major classes (which for those of you who don't know is Marketing). I'm really enjoying the mix of major classes that I have too. Creative, Research, and Consumer Behavior. The main three fields I'm considering in Marketing. So I'm thrilled to be taking them together. Only a few class meetings in and I can already tell that yes! I did choose the right major for me! I'm super excited about actually applying what I'm learning in real situations. (And yes I do realize just how nerdy that sounds but hey! I am excited!)
I'm really looking forward to the rest of the semester and I hope everything continues to go smoothly. Of course my last year of college isn't going to be spend completely in the books but I know what I came here for so I won't lose focus. Trust me: when the weekend rolls around (which starts Thursdays for me!) you can bet I'll be living it up like a college senior should!
Sunday, August 22, 2010
True Blood, Harry Potter,...and the dying art of reading
Making books into movies and television series seems to be all the rage these days. TrueBlood, Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, Twilight and others have recently been "brought to life on the big screen." I like that movie makers and TV executives can see value in these works of literature but a lot of the time, books made into movies or TV shows lose the integrity of the storyline which really disappoints fans of the books.
Personally I love reading. I devour books. Let me give you an example. Charlaine Harris, the author of the Sookie Stackhouse novels which has been turned into the hit HBO series TrueBlood, has written 10 parts to this series. I read all ten of these books in the span of approximately a week and a half. I know I know it seems a little intense or even to some like a waste of time, but I simply enjoy immersing myself into the different worlds of these characters and letting myself really get into these stories. It's not just the fact that vampires are cool and therefore everyone is jumping on the vampire book bandwagon, I love to read all kinds of books and I personally love book series because it takes a special kind of author to take the same characters and let them grow and adapt and change over the course of several books. I really admire the authors and I feel like it is insulting to them for their artwork to be picked apart, overly edited, and changed to fit into a mold that some producer or director thinks will make the most money without regard to making sure that the storyline is intact so that readers and fans will not leave the theater unhappy.
Take the Harry Potter series for example. Yes I understand that 300-700 page books would be incredibly difficult to condense into a two and a half hour movie but I feel like there is a way to make sure that large important parts of the story are included. I guess that for some people, especially those who haven't read these stories several times and really gotten into the specific details of the plot and how seemingly small things are related to one another in the big picture. Some of the changes that are made are just wildly inaccurate. Now when I go to see a movie or a TV show based on a book that I have grown to love I spend my time not enjoying seeing a representation of a great book, but instead I spend time focusing on the flaws and the inconsistencies.
Apart from my own personal disappointment in these kinds of movies, I've met people who call themselves TrueBlood fans or Harry Potter fans and even Twilight fans who have never read the books. I understand that it is possible to like these movies independent of the books they were based upon but it is still mind boggling to me that there are so many people who would rather wait for someone else's interpretation of a book than to first read the book and paint the image in their own minds. I love it when the producers and directors get it right! For example, Carlisle in the Twilight series looks EXACTLY as I imagined him from Stephanie Meyer’s description.
It makes me nearly want to scream every time I bump into someone who says, "I don't want to read that book; I'll wait for the movie." Why aren't more people drawn to the world or reading? What happened to that fervor for learning that we had when we were little and the Cat and the Hat was our source of entertainment? Why is reading falling by the wayside? Are television and movies really going to hijack something that is so important in our society? Reading helps us to not only tap into our creativity when imagining the scenes and characters depicted by the words but also helps improve language skills which in our country these days is increasingly important. When there are people in upper level college courses who cannot read aloud without mispronouncing common words there is a severe problem. In a country like ours where access to knowledge and books is virtually universal, it is appalling how many people fail to take advantage of these things.
Next time you want to be entertained instead of reaching for the remote or standing in line at the movie theater, break out that old library card or go to your neighborhood bookstore and peruse the shelves. You never know what fascinating world you may stumble into. Don't rely on the imaginations of others when you can paint just as vivid pictures within your own mind.
Friday, August 20, 2010
It's been a while...
Hey everyone,
I know it's been a while since my last post but it's been a whirlwind of a summer and I can't believe it's already over. I'm starting my senior year in college and I can't for the life of me tell you where the time went.
London was amazing. I can't even begin to describe my experience in any way that will really convey what all happened and what I experienced. I can tell you this though- I've made new friends that I hope to keep for a long time and I have memories that will definitely last for the rest of my life. I took a zillion pictures and even those don't do it justice. My advice: if you get the chance to go abroad for any reason, TAKE IT! Pictures and movies and personal recollections can't realy explain that it's like. It's not just the fact that you see things and can touch things that have been around for centuries but also the sense of independence and the feeling that you can do anything is exhilarating. I wouldn't take back my experiences over there for anything.
All of a sudden I'm a senior in college. A senior. In college! That means in a few short months I'll be (hopefully) moving away and starting a real job. While I really do feel like my classes and internships are preparing me for the real world I feel as though time is suddenly speeding up. I feel as though my safety net is being pulled out from underneath me. I know that I'm not the only one who feels this way and I won't be the last but this feeling of now knowing what is coming is so unfamiliar and it's both exhilarating and terrifying at the same time. I feel as though my life is about to change dramatically and I'm just treading water until BAM! things take off and I'm on yet another roller coaster that hopefully will lead to fun, fascinating, and incredible things.
I have no idea what I'm going to do, where I'm going to go, or who I'm going to meet but I trust that things will happen in exactly the right and best way for me. Even though I am terrified of what's coming in the next few months I know that all this training and preparation that I've taken will help me succeed. Now I just have to keep my head above water as things begin to speed up. A full class schedule, an internship, an job, and trying to savor every last moment of college life is going to be a day-at-a-time process but hopefully I'll make it through!
I know it's been a while since my last post but it's been a whirlwind of a summer and I can't believe it's already over. I'm starting my senior year in college and I can't for the life of me tell you where the time went.
London was amazing. I can't even begin to describe my experience in any way that will really convey what all happened and what I experienced. I can tell you this though- I've made new friends that I hope to keep for a long time and I have memories that will definitely last for the rest of my life. I took a zillion pictures and even those don't do it justice. My advice: if you get the chance to go abroad for any reason, TAKE IT! Pictures and movies and personal recollections can't realy explain that it's like. It's not just the fact that you see things and can touch things that have been around for centuries but also the sense of independence and the feeling that you can do anything is exhilarating. I wouldn't take back my experiences over there for anything.
All of a sudden I'm a senior in college. A senior. In college! That means in a few short months I'll be (hopefully) moving away and starting a real job. While I really do feel like my classes and internships are preparing me for the real world I feel as though time is suddenly speeding up. I feel as though my safety net is being pulled out from underneath me. I know that I'm not the only one who feels this way and I won't be the last but this feeling of now knowing what is coming is so unfamiliar and it's both exhilarating and terrifying at the same time. I feel as though my life is about to change dramatically and I'm just treading water until BAM! things take off and I'm on yet another roller coaster that hopefully will lead to fun, fascinating, and incredible things.
I have no idea what I'm going to do, where I'm going to go, or who I'm going to meet but I trust that things will happen in exactly the right and best way for me. Even though I am terrified of what's coming in the next few months I know that all this training and preparation that I've taken will help me succeed. Now I just have to keep my head above water as things begin to speed up. A full class schedule, an internship, an job, and trying to savor every last moment of college life is going to be a day-at-a-time process but hopefully I'll make it through!
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