This last month has been just as chaotic as the one before. And now suddenly I'm in the the middle of December. Why must time forever be moving forward?
I had planned on blogging everyday in December because it's the month Emily Dickinson was born, but that obviously didn't happen. At least I'm getting to it today, her actual birthday. (for those who didn't know, "much madness is divinest sense" is line from one of her poems.)
This upcoming week is finals and promises to be extra stressful. But along with the stress there has been some real good times with some real good people. With all the ups and downs, I am trying my best to stay positive and enjoy the little joys that live still offers.
Wish me luck on staying sane during the next week!
It's no secret that Hollywood has run out of new ideas. But this fact has become more obvious of late. First vampires, then werewolves, then zombies, and now anything by the Brothers Grimm. The latest fad in film and television is revamping (pun intended) classic fairy tales. There are two movies retelling the story of Snow White coming out next summer alone.
The first one looks more like a romantic comedy with Julia Roberts playing a role tailor made for her: evil queen. The second looks like another Twilight knockoff. That is partly because Kristen "How-Does-She-Keep-Getting-Work" Stewart is playing Snow White. These movies come flying in on the tail of Red Riding Hood and Beastly and slew of other "modern take on classic fairy tale" movies.
I'm not really excited about any of them. The fact that Roberts and Stewart are involved is enough to keep me away. Far, far away. But I will probably watch them anyway because I am a sucker for fairy tales. But I'm not happy about it. In fact, I'm quite conflicted about this emerging genre. Even TV is getting in on the action:
And since I love fairy tales so much, I'll probably end up watching these two shows as well. But it's not something I'm proud of. They are guilty pleasures that I'll hate myself for watching because I am just feeding the machine that is Hollywood as it cashes in on the latest craze. What can I do but try to enjoy the this trend until it ends? So what if the movies are unoriginal and pander to an audience that is desperate to relive its childhood by watching melodramatic, teen angst versions of its favorite fairy tales?
It snowed today. First of the season. I had heard a rumor of this happening yesterday. I was not overly excited about it. Snow signifies autumn, which happens to be my favorite season, is over and winter, which happens to last forever in South Dakota, is beginning.
But when I saw the snow, I smiled. This morning when I looked out my window, I saw the world transformed. It's amazing that after so many years, the first snow never seems to lose it's magic. The world has been given a new coat of paint. All the mistakes that were so obvious and jarring before have now been cleaned away. A fresh slate has been offered to me. New beginnings coincide with a new season.
Honestly though, this new found optimism is starting to get to me.
I glanced around this morning and found that half of November is already gone. When did this happen? October dragged her heals and refused to leave without a fight. November is trying to get out as soon as he can. (and yes, I just gave the months genders. deal with it.) I don't appreciate either. But time never passes the way you want it to. Time speeds by when wish it wouldn't. And when you're waiting for something, time goes by so slowly. (and now I have Unchained Melody stuck in my head. and hopefully yours too.)
But this is an old argument. There is nothing for me to say that hasn't already been said a thousand times before by people far more eloquent than me.
Time might heal most wounds but it also creates new ones by pushing you forward when you'd rather stand still.
Typography is something I am really interested in. As a lover of words, it's no wonder that I would be fascinated by the way people put them on a page. In typography, each letter is a work of art.
But these! These are art on a whole different level. All of them are made of simple paper folded and bent into intricate designs. (I feel like there's an allegory for life in there somewhere but I'm too lazy to find it at the moment)
Nanocon. A gaming convention. In a small town. In the middle of South Dakota. And here I am, sitting at a booth, selling raffle tickets to help the Drama Club.
"Nanocon is Madison, South Dakota's premier gaming convention."
Madison, South Dakota's premier gaming convention? Really? I'm pretty sure it's the only one for miles. Does it really deserve the moniker of premier? I'm a word nerd. That's my thing. I feel lost amongst all these gaming nerds who use poor grammar and are prone to hyperbolic descriptions of card games.
My life has taken an odd turn of late.
Guess who got job at the library? This girl! I start today and I couldn't be more excited. It's like a dream job for me. In case you haven't noticed, I happen to adore books. I love reading them. I love holding them. I love organizing them. I love merely being near them.
Even when reading is impossible, the presence of books acquired produces such an ecstasy that the buying of more books than one can read is nothing less than the soul reaching towards infinity. We cherish books even if unread, their presence exudes comfort, their ready access reassurance.
- A. E. Newton
Oh, how I could wax lyrical about the beauty of books forever. Do you know what my dream workplace is? It looks a little like this:
The library at Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland: my personal mecca
I feel with this new job of mine, I am taking the smallest of steps toward this literary haven. Some think being a librarian is the world's most tedious occupation. For myself, it is a dream come true and I only pity those who do not understand the magic that libraries hold.
I have always imagined that Paradise will be a kind of library. - Jorge Luis Borges
The play is done and suddenly the days have more hours in them. I have time to accomplish things. I have time to relax. In all honesty, I've been doing more of the latter in the past few days. I need to do decompress.
October was a stressful month to say the least. Not just with the play and school, but with life. So much personal drama went down I can't even begin to inventory it all. Everything seemed to be happening all at once. There were stunning highs and the crippling lows. What does one do when they happen at the same moment? Can a person's emotions be in two places at once?
But today marks the start of a new month. I'm not going to let the roller coaster that was October keep me from going forward into the future and enjoying these last days of 2011.
And now I'll leave you with a song that both amazing and pertinent:
There is one thing I have wanted every year for my birthday. It's not something one can ask for though. It would defeat the purpose of the entire thing. Yes, the one thing that I have always wanted is a surprise party. And this year, the 21st year of our dear Jamie, my fondest wish was granted.
It was a Wednesday so I was not expecting a party at all. Everyone was busy with homework, work, and other things. I was planning on a quiet evening watching a movie with my best friends Molly and Martha. This is what I had been lead to believe.
When I walked into the room, my two friends quickly directed my attention to the table which held the most beautiful birthday cake (though it really wasn't a cake) I had ever seen:
They were owls! I loved them so much!
But they were just a diversion. As soon as my attention was fixed on them, my friend shouted the code word, "Monkey Slut!" (if you don't understand reference, that's ok. I did and that's what counted.) And suddenly, people appeared from under desks, behind curtains, and out of closets. I screamed like a little girl. Partly out of shock but mostly out of joy. Joy that I had finally been given a surprise party.
And then we ate owls and danced to Foster the People. It was an epic night and I loved every moment.
It's called the Chameleon and it is the most beautiful mouse I have ever seen. It's a mouse, a game controller, and a remote control. I don't know how efficient this device would be, but the idea of it is amazing. I love how many new devices are now being made to multitask. Best of all, this design is sleek, attractive, and it comes in red. It's the perfect blend of design and functionality. Or should I say multifunctionality?
This semester, I'm in a class entitled, "Classical Myth and Media". I was incredibly excited to be taking such a course, for, as most of my friends know, I am a huge lover of mythology. I have been studying it independently for years now. I've read hundreds of articles on the internet, purchased several books on the subject, and watched dozens of specials on the History Channel.
One of my favorite programs. Pity it only lasted 10 episodes...
So naturally I was looking forward to the class. Alas, I was only to be disappointed, but that is story for another day...
Besides my mythology class, I am taking a course on world literature. And wouldn't you know it, we're now reading the Iliad and the Odyssey in that class too. So at the moment, I'm getting a double dose of Achilles's rage and Odysseus's exploits. I've read both epic poems before so this all mostly review for me. But I still love it. I love anything to do with mythology. And I love being able to talk about with other people and not feel like a complete dork whilst doing so. I feel like all the time I spent reading up on the different pantheons and mystical creatures was not a complete waste of my youth.
If you happen to be in the area,
come and see the play on Oct 27, 28, 29!
Also this fall, I am participating in a production Metamorphose. This play consists of several different Greek myths adapted for the stage. I'm loving it, of course. No only because I adore Greek Mythology, but also because I love theater (see post below).
So between the two classes and the play, one would think I would have my fill of mythology. But they would be wrong! For those crazy ancient Greeks keep popping up everywhere. In my sociology class, we were discussing Freud. And that man had a lot to say about Greek myths. In my mass communications class, I had to make a business card for a famous literary figure. Who do you think I chose? Athena of course! My favorite of all the gods and goddesses.
You must be thinking, "So what, is this supposed a post complaining that Greek Mythology won't leave her alone?" Quite the contrary. I am utterly thrilled to be surrounded the stories and characters that I love everywhere I go. I'll be sad when it ends and I have to go back to being a closet mythology addict.
Ever had one of those days where you just don't feel like yourself? Every had a week like that? How about two? For about the last two weeks, the Jamie I have come to know and mostly tolerate, has been missing in action. In her place is this weird, confused version of Jamie. Maybe it's frustration. Maybe it's stress. But I just don't feel like me. I fee like:
It's frustrating knowing that something is off but having no idea as to what that something might be. Things are so weird right now. Life has become this convoluted mess of strange emotions and inexplicable actions.
Hopefully things will get better soon because I don't know how much more of this inner chaos I can stand without imploding. Or exploding. Which would not be good for those who are standing near.
English for New Media. What does this mean? Honestly, I'm not really sure. I like reading and writing. But I do not, under any circumstances, want to teach. Ever. So this major seemed like the best choice for me. But what does one do with a major in English for New Media?
I get asked this question every time I tell someone my major. I usually answer by saying I want to be a writer. And then the questioner asks what the 'new media' part means. And I really don't know what to say. I'll be using a computer? I'll blog a lot? Right now I'm just going with it.
But as I get closer to the end my time in college, I begin to worry. What am I going to do with a degree in English for New Media? I do not want to be one of those hipster baristas.
Lord, save me from that fate.
I am assigned a paper to write. I come up with an idea that I think will fit the criteria but will also be somewhat unique. I hate handing in something that I know the professor has read a thousand times before. So I always try to make it my own. Put my own spin on it.
So I do the research and get some sources. Then I sit down and I write. I slave over a hot keyboard for hours, pounding out an essay. I am reasonably please with it. I like the writing. I like the topic. I find it to a be a nice little paper. I'm proud of the work I've done and I'm happy with the result. I'm all ready to hand it in and have the weight of it off my shoulders.
And then I run into this little speed bump:
Do I really want to submit this? It is good enough? Is it what the professor wants? Does it fit the guidelines well enough? Do I have all the information I need? Why didn't I just pick a safe topic? Why did I have to make it my own? Why couldn't I have just done it like everybody else? What was I thinking?
But there's no going back. The deadline is to near to start a new paper. I have to tell myself that handing in something that might not be exactly what was asked for is better than not handing in anything at all.
I close my eyes and click the button. I receive the confirmation email that says my paper is out there in the open, exposed to the world. I take a deep breath and wish it luck as it prepares to be judged and used however the professor sees fit.
I know I should be happy that I got it done. Even if it isn't perfect, it's better than a zero.
But that logic does nothing to shake the feeling that somehow, I just gambled my grade away.
The phrase 'be yourself' is something that has been preached to my generation since we first stumbled onto this planet. It's an easy concept to understand. It's a little more difficult to put it into action. Everyone knows being yourself isn't easy in a world that demands conformity.
Turns out though, being yourself all the time isn't always the best thing. Peer pressure has a purpose. Studies have shown kids who experience peer pressure actually turn out to be better adjusted than those who are always running around 'being themselves.' People who experience peer pressure learn to be more accommodating toward their fellow humans. They learn to compromise. They learn that life is not all about making themselves happy.
This is an excerpt from an article entitled "7 Things 'Good Parents' Do (That Screw Up Kids For Life)" by Cezary Jan Strusiewicz: "Maybe more importantly, when you actually give a damn about how people view you, it develops a skill of reading the most subtle changes in people's emotional states, leading ultimately to a heightened sense of empathy. In this socially awkward age of the Internet, it turns out peer pressure at the right time can basically give you superpowers."
Read more of this humorous and interesting article here.
Not that being yourself is a bad thing. Quite the contrary. It's very good to be yourself. You'll be a happier person if you are comfortable with who you are. However, as with most important things in life, there a balance. In short, one should not use the excuse of 'being yourself' to be a jackass.
You just can't let peer pressure control you. It's okay to act like an idiot every once in a while. In fact, it's quite fun. Besides, who knows what 'being yourself' really means? Like 'yourself' is a definite, clear thing. It's not. All we can do is try to stay true to ourselves without being obnoxious.
And now to lighten the mood, I'll leave you with a funny:
I don't like to push buttons. I avoid ruffling feathers. I dread stepping on toes. Some call me a push over. I like to think I'm just a polite person who doesn't like to upset others when it's not necessary.
But occasionally it is necessary. If one wants something, one often has to push to get it. Occasionally that invovles pushing people. I don't enjoy it. But when I have to, I will. I will inconvenience someone else to further my own goals (whatever they may be at the time). But it's not fun.
Some people have no problem imposing on other people. Is this just people being rude? Or is this just people who are unafraid of going after what they want? I suppose there is a line. A fine line, as these types of line usually are, between being rude and being determined.
I wish I could be that person who doesn't worry about bothering other people. But that person, I am not. I always try to keep everyone happy. But that is an impossible goal. Buttons get pushed. Feathers are inadvertently ruffled. And toes will inevitably be stepped on. You can't please everyone.
Sexism!
It's easy to forget just how far women have come in the last 50 years when we still have so far to go. But indeed we are in a much better place than we were. Take a look at this compilation of ads for coffee from the 50's and 60's:
It's funny and offensive. It's so offensive that it's funny.
I laughed out loud when I first watched this. It seems more like a caricature than a realistic representation of the life of a housewife.The sad looks on the women's faces when their husbands tell them how bad their coffee is are pathetic. The condescending tones of the men make my hand itch to slap them. Was life really like this for some women? Did they really spend their days worrying over trivial little things like coffee just to make their husbands happy?
To me this notion is ridiculous. I've grown up in an age where sexism is condemned. Bigotry is not tolerated. Chauvinistic behavior is no longer passively accepted. I've grown up with the idea that I am to be treated as an equal. I sometimes take for granted the fact that it has not always been so. That these ads would even make it to air is seems ridiculous now. That's what makes them funny. But then I think about the ads on television today and I realize they aren't much better. (take note that this is from someone who has never taken a gender studies course in her life)
Sexism isn't disappearing anytime soon. Women still fight a daily battle to be treated with respect. But at least it's better than it was; a fact illustrated here by these absurd commercials.
My Foundations in English for New Media class ended last semester. This blog was originally created for that class. Since that class is no more, this blog shall no longer focus solely on new media. Instead it shall contain my ramblings because I do so like to ramble on. Usually about things of no real consequence. And what better place to prattle on about nothing than the Internet?
This is the updated version of my video promoting theater.
Narrated by Jason Ehlenfeldt
Words taken from "The Experience of Theatre" by Debra Bruch (c) 1990
Pictures by Molly Miller
Music by Vitamin String Quartet (Fireflies by Owl City)
Edited by Jamie Rueckert
Special thanks to DSU Drama for use of photos from their productions of "Anything Goes" and "The Diviners"
Here is another ad about magazines that I found. They seem to be trying really hard to prove that print media is not entirely dead. I don't know about everyone else, but I liked the first one better.
The other day I watched an episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer in which everyone lost the ability to speak. The entire episode centered on what it would be like to be unable to talk to one another. In the show, life came a complete halt. People were wandering around aimlessly. It was like a scene out of any random apocalypse movie. The whole time I was watching the show, I was wondering what it would be like today if we suddenly lost the ability to speak aloud.
Losing the ability to speak would be awful. But I do not think it would present as big a problem nowadays as it would have been fifteen years ago. We communicate so differently now than we used to. Not being able to talk on the phone is not a huge issue. We have texting. We have the almighty Internet. Who needs vocal cords when we have a key board?
There are certainly a great number people who are quite talented when it comes to the art of speaking. I am not when of these people.
When it comes to communicating with the world, generally, I hate talking but I love writing. I am much more witty when I write. When speaking to someone, I never seem to be able to find the words in the moment. Later, after I've had time think, I can usually come up a perfect response. Therein lies the problem. The written word is something I can perfect, speaking is not. I often fumble over words and repeat myself over and over until the point I was trying make becomes so muddled that I don't even know what I'm say. There is no backspace or delete button when talking. There is no eraser to fix the mistakes one makes when speaking.
And that is really all I have to say today, though this post has little to do with new media.
I am, at this very moment, sitting in a library. Shocking it might seem to some, but these places do still exist. Today was an especially lucky day since this particular library is selling its outdated books to the general public for fifty cents a piece. As a confirmed bibliophile, this is a gift from the literary gods. I bought seven. I love books. I believe I've said that before, and I'll probably say it many times more.
As much as I love new media and all its advantages, it will never replace the feeling of an actual book. I realize the irony of typing this on a computer to be read on the Internet. But this is the world we live in. Old is mixing with the new. Some things are changing and other things will never change.
As to the false reverends mentioned in the title of this entry, well that is a funny story. I was looking at those specimens of ancient library practices: the due date cards. Back in the day, these were signed by the patrons that checked the book out. My friend who works at the library and I were examining the names and dates. We were confused as to why someone would sign with only the word 'reverend.' Seemed a little pretentious. But according the dates, it had been the sixties. Perhaps there had only been one reverend. How were we to know? And this reverend seemed to check out the most random books. "Thomas More and his Utopia" "Applied philosophy" "Confucius and the Chinese way" After closer examination, we realized that 'reverend' was actually 'renewed.' (in our defense, it was written in cursive and the two words look remarkably similar when written that way) Subsequently, we felt both duped and daft. But we had a good laugh and thus another adventurous day at the library.
As anyone who has grown up in the in the last century, movies have played significant part in my life. To put it quite simply, I adore them. I love getting wrapped up the story that plays out on the screen. For two hours those character are real to me. Well, most of the time that is the case. There is always the danger when starting a movie that it will turn out to be terrible (The Simpsons Movie = two hours of my life that I’ll never get back). But the rewards are well worth the risk. When one finds a movie that captivates and enthralls, reality melts away and life is good.
Like most children of the nineties, movies by the Disney Company took up a substantial amount of my time as a child. Many of them still rank high in my list of favorite movies. The Lion King, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, The Little Mermaid, and Pocahontas are among my chief favorites. I remember spending hours watching them over and over. Then many more hours pretending to be the characters I saw on the screen.
There are just some movies that become so ingrained in one’s psyche that they become almost mythical. A legend. You cease thinking of it as just a movie. The film takes on new proportions and it seems wrong to put it in the same category as lesser examples. It is difficult to see the actors play any other character because in your mind they are that character. Any flaws it might have are overlooked. Nothing negative can be said about them.
When I think of movies that have reached legendary status I think of Star Wars, The Wizard of Oz, The Sound of Music, Indiana Jones and hundreds of others. The American Film Institute just loves making lists of them.
There thousands of lists out there naming the best movies in cinematic history. Each one is slightly different. Because there is no scientific formula to what makes a movie great. What makes a movie brilliant to one person might be completely different from the reasons another person loves it. Because what makes a movie great is the personal experience you have with it.
It’s a beautiful poem. And it’s about yogurt! The first time I saw this commercial I was captivated by it. The poem was beautiful and the images that went along with it were as well. It is by far the best commercial I have seen in a long time. Who would have guessed that advertisers could be so creative?
Ad after ad on TV seems to scream at people, telling them to by their product. This commercial for Fage Yogurt offers a different approach. Is it any better? I haven’t the slightest idea. I do know that it took me three times of seeing it on TV for me to actually catch what it was selling. I was too distracted by how striking it was to pay attention to the advertisement part of it. However, I am now very intrigued by this brand of yogurt, and I never would have guess that one could ever be intrigued by yogurt. So did the advertisers win?
Do I now want to try this yogurt? Perhaps a bit. Am I any more likely to actually buy this brand of yogurt? Probably not. I’m a Yoplait person.
At this very moment I am looking at a giant poster of the world. All the countries are outlined and labeled accordingly. I think about the recent drama going on in other parts of the world, the troubles in Egypt and Libya, the disaster in Japan. All of these reported on and the stories updated instantly. The world has never been more connected. Forget the Silk Road, we have the information superhighway. Major global events are known throughout the world almost as soon as they happen. We don't have to wait years or months or even hours for updates. Last year I was in a class on social problems. At the beginning of the semester the professor asked us if we had a positive or negative outlook on the world. After I thought about it for a minute, I decided that my outlook is positive because the world is so connected. We have never been more aware of each other. Being aware of the world outside our doors can only be looked at as a good thing. Being aware is the first step in helping. The more people who are aware of a situation, the more people will want to do something about it. Having these instant updates on world occurrences lets people know more, react faster, and have a bigger impact. In this way, the Internet is a huge blessing to world. How many lives have been saved because of it? Seems ridiculous to think of the Internet as saving anyone. For most of people it seems to suck the life right out of them. But that is only one end of the spectrum. On the other end are those who use their up-to-date knowledge of world events to create a positive change. At the moment I do not belong in this category. I can only hope that as time passes I too can find a way to use my connection to the World Wide Web for the greater good.
On the one hand, the bibliophile in me is sad to see a perfectly good book desecrated and made impossible to read again.
On the other hand, these are clearly works of art.
I love the idea of using old media to create something new and beautiful. Just because something has become outdated and seemingly useless doesn’t mean it has to stay that way. It just takes a little ingenuity to put new life into something old.
These sculptures are amazing. They are by an artist named Brian Dettmer. He takes these out of date encyclopedias, medical journals, illustration books, or dictionaries and bends, folds, stacks and manipulates them to make new works of art. Nothing is transferred or rearranged, only removed. He carefully and painstakingly cuts away at book to form his unique sculptures.
Brian Dettmer isn’t the only person to use this old media to create something new. Alex Queral uses old phone books to carve portraits of people. Old media made new!
And then there is Isaac Salazar and book origami. No cutting or pasting for this guy. All he does is carefully fold the pages of books to create something remarkable.
I could not love these more even if I wanted to. Check out these artists respective websites for more outstanding works of art.
I was recently flipping through one of my mother's magazines, Good Housekeeping I think. I came across an advertisement that I loved. It's only one page but it conveys a big message. The title said “We surf the Internet. We swim in magazines”. This is absolutely true. While on the internet, we skim the surface and jump from page to page, never really digging any deeper. In magazines or books we immerse ourselves in the written word.
Once in a while I will be reading an amazing book that has me totally enthralled. When I take a break from reading it, I usually think of it as coming up for air. It’s a metaphor that I particularly love and when I share it with other booklovers, they agree that it perfectly describes the sensation of pausing whilst reading. When you are reading a really great book it is like being underwater. All other sounds and distractions fade to indistinct echoes of a world happening outside of the one you are reading about. If I am especially engrossed in a book and then suddenly startled out of it, it is a shock to my system, like coming up to the surface to fast. It takes me a moment to readjust to what is happening.
However, I still love surfing the internet (I would like to learn to actually surf as well but that’s beside the point). It’s fun and, like real surfing, faster paced than going for a swim in a book. Surfing keeps you just above the surface and makes it easy to move around from place to place. Perhaps it is the weight of the physical aspect of the magazine that holds one under the metaphorical water. But being underwater isn’t necessary a bad place to be.
I cannot study for an exam off a screen. I remember things better if I see them on a piece of paper as opposed to on a screen. I can shift through long paragraphs and find what I need with more ease if I am holding a physical copy of the article or story instead of scrolling down on a screen.
That being said, the eco-warrior in me resists wasting endless reams of paper just so I can better study for an exam. But I usually do it anyway. At this point in my life my need to get a better grade on an exam trumps my need to save the world from global warming. Is this selfish? Perhaps a bit. But my impact seems so small, the guilt over wasting precious resources doesn’t last long and I go on to print again.
I try to always print responsibly though. Unless it's a paper for a class that has specific format requirements of course. I adjust the margins, the font size and I print front to back. I go through what I want before I print and cut out the information I know I won't need. I try to keep my carbon footprint as small as possible whenever possible.
One would think I would be more accustomed to reading off a screen. I grew up with computers and most of my days are spent looking at one.
The first time I was in a newspaper was the summer I was seven years old. My friend and I were at the park. We were the only ones there that day. The local paper was doing a story on how hot it had been that summer. A reporter took our picture and asked us questions about our summer activities. Later that week our images were committed to ink. I was so excited to see myself in the newspaper. I thought everyone would for sure see it and that somehow made me important. Like a local celebrity.
Of course that was not the case. The paper in my hometown is a small one. It has little in it that could be considered actual news. Most of its pages are filled with average human interest stories or ads for local businesses. I can't count how many times I've been in my hometown paper since then. At least a couple dozen times for this and that. My mother has kept each and every issue in which I mentioned or pictured.
In high school, I wrote for my school's paper. Most of the pieces for that were quite trivial and boring. They were very routine and took little effort to write. Once, a student reporter wrote an article criticizing the student body about its disrespectful attitude towards the teachers and staff at school. That caused quite the scandal and was a topic of hot debate for weeks at our little school. That is the only time I ever experienced first hand the impact a newspaper article can have.
A device that is solely devoted to one function? Unheard of these days.
Meet the NoteSlate. This device is a tablet that one can write on using E-Ink. And that’s all. One can’t connect to the Internet, read the latest bestseller on it, or play any games on it. The NoteSlate is meant to be a piece of virtual notebook paper and nothing else.
While this might seem like a step backwards to some, I like the idea. This tool could be used to write down one’s ideas, notes, sketches, lists, or whatever without the distraction of the Internet. It would be like having an endless supply of scratch paper. It does have all the basic inputs such as USB, headphones, and SD card so you would be able to transfer everything you wrote to whatever other device you would need. And at only $99, it’s relatively inexpensive. And a lot cheaper than buying a regular notebook every time one runs out of paper. Plus (a major plus), it’s much more eco-friendly.
But in the end, is this concept a pointless one? Wouldn’t having Internet access and all the other bells and whistles be much more efficient? Is this just another example of technology for technology’s sake? I haven’t a clue, but it does look cool.
I looked at least a dozen examples of digital storytelling. The one I chose to talk about, I chose for the shallowest of reasons. It had pretty colors.
Of course, that is not the real reason I chose it. The project titled Dim O'Gauble was actually very interesting. It tells the story of a young boy (I assume his name is Dim O'Gauble, but one cannot be entirely sure) who is sees dark visions. These visions are apparently dark and nightmarish from the sound of it. The boy's mother seems to be less than sympathetic. It is only his grandmother he can relate his visions to. I got the impression that she, too, had visions. Something was said about it skipping a generation. They are never really explained. Like most of the other projects on Dreaming Methods, this story is presented in bits and pieces, letting the reader fill in the gaps. Though I must say that this story is one of the more complete ones, making it much easier to follow.
The graphics were well done and beautiful, though less than elaborate. The story is presented on the screen in layers. The layers move with mouse which makes for a interesting effect. It is as if you are digging through the layers of the story. These background images look like random doodles that appear to mean nothing. This just adds to mystique though. Parts of the story appear on the screen only briefly and then fade away. Because of this I had to go through the story several times to get it all.
One simply clicks on the yellow arrows to move through the story. Though, some of the words are links which takes the reader 'into' the boy's visions. These visions are effectively eerie.
Overall, I quite enjoyed this digital read. It was interesting and visually appealing. I highly recommend taking a look at it.
This afternoon I was unassumingly sitting in the cafeteria when I was approached by a woman bearing candy and an iPod Touch. What was that thing my parents always told me about strangers with candy and portable media players?
In any case, I ignored my parent’s advice and spoke to her.She asked me to take a survey about the food services here. As a form of payment for answering these questions, I would receive a free piece of candy. Sadly I would not get to keep the iPod. The iPod was instead the tool used to take the survey. Twelve questions were answered via the touch screen device. It seems these new media instruments are becoming ever increasingly present in daily life. Something as simple as asking and answering a few questions is now made easier and more environmentally friendly. No paper and pencils to carry around. No surveys to sift through when done. All the results are immediately calculated without the risk of a single paper cut. Very convenient, indeed.
Carrying around a half dozen iPod Touches and giant blue bag of candy did look a tad cumbersome. But still this must be vastly superior to the old way of conducting a survey. And very rewarding when one considers the candy.
Instructions in the ways of old media. Perhaps I was mistaken when I thought books to be less fragile than their electronic counterparts. At the very least, the number of instructions here is far less than that which would come with the eBook readers.
Similar to most people I know, I have mixed feelings about eBook readers. I fear that most of what I have to say about them has already been said many times over. However, I shall write it out here anyway and hope that I might be able to add something new to the conversation; nonetheless, I would not blame anyone who chose not to read this particular entry all the way through.
I can appreciate the advantages eBook readers offer. It would be nice to have all your books in one place and be able to take them with you anywhere. It certainly would be easier to carry. Being able to purchase books and read them instantly would convenient as well. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve ordered books online and had to wait as the next three or four stretched out to feel more like an entire month. When you are truly excited to read a book, it is almost painful to have to wait to read it.
Also, on average, eBooks are cheaper than regular books. So overtime the eBook reader would essentially pay for itself when one counted all the money saved buying digital copies of a book rather than one made of paper.
Speaking of paper, the eBook reader requite very little of that. It is much more environmentally conscious to purchase an eBook. It must save quite a few trees. As someone who tries to be ecofriendly, this is a major plus.
There are so many different eBook readers out there now. There are the big ones such the Kindle and the Nook. Both Sony and Samsung have its own eBook reader. There’s also the PocketBook and the Kobo and a dozen others that I’ve never heard of. It’s clear that the eBook reader is not going anywhere anytime soon. And (no surprise) even Google is getting in on the game:
(regardless of what it says about Google or what it means for the book business, this a pretty amazing video)
But like any true bibliophile, I cannot help but feel a small amount of animosity towards the eBook. No matter how bad it is for the environment, I will always prefer the feel of paper than piece of machinery.
I would miss the smell of books too. For me, it is one of the most delightful smells in the world, right behind the smell of fresh baked muffins and a new pot of coffee.
Being able to hold a book and turn the pages will always be preferable to touching a screen. A book doesn’t need batteries. And if it gets wet, it does quite working. Sure there might be some water damage, but that won’t stop me from being able read it.
Having shelves of books might be more expensive and take up more room than an eBook reader, but that won’t stop me from preferring real books to virtual ones.
Rubber stamps. I don’t know about everyone else, but I had a huge collection of them when I was a child. Every once in a while I would take them out to create my own strange works of art. They are an old medium for sure. It’s been ages since I’ve seen one. Looking back, I’m not sure what made them so much fun. There were countless different shapes you could get in a rainbow of colors. It was easier than actually attempting to do draw something myself, I suppose. I always got a kick out of it when I was young. How many afternoons did I end up with inky fingers and reams of paper covered in smudged stamping? They always got thrown away in the end anyway. Other than in the scrapbooking world, what purpose do they serve? There are the times when a teacher doesn’t want to spend the money on shiny stickers; they usually opt for the stamp.
Now, you’re probably asking yourself, “Where is she going with this? Stamps? Who cares?” Well just hold on my friend, because you are about to be blown away.
I have just discovered that even this old art form could go high tech. There is now a concept design for a device that is a digital camera and rubber stamp in one. You take a picture and, through some crazy miracle of modern technology, have the option of turning it into a rubber stamp. Thus you would get an instant copy of the photo in ink. It’s like a Polaroid, only more fun. If you ask me, a stamp is way cooler than getting a regular printed version of your photos.
Too bad it’s only a concept right now. But if this product were to become a reality (a reasonably priced reality) I would most definitely be in line to buy my own. What more could one want from life than to have a digital rubber stamp? Turn my own face into a stamp? Yes, please!
Here is the link to the design if you care to learn more.
This was my first attempt at stop motion, so please don't judge too harshly. I don't think I'll be making another stop motion video anytime soon. I hope.
It is no secret that I am a fan of Star Wars. I’m not a fanatic or anything like that. I would never go to a convention or name my children after a character from the series. I cannot tell you the name of the ship Luke used to get to whatever planet he was on when he met Yoda for the first time. But I can tell you that I’ve seen all six movies numerous times and that my favorite one in the series is The Empire Strikes Back because it has all the best lines.
My love of the Star Wars began with my parents. I basically grew up watching the saga. When I was a child, I was blown away by the special effects in the movies. But as I grew older, I became less and less impressed by them. As a teenager I found them laughable. By then the industry of special effects was just beginning to hit its stride. Images that were once impossible to produce are now right there in front of us on the screen. Effects that were reserved only for the movies with the biggest budgets are now seen every day on cable TV.
I shared this view point with my mother. I asked her how she could have ever thought that the effects in A New Hope were anything but ridiculous. She told me I just didn’t understand. It was 1977 and they had never seen anything like it before. In the opening scene when the star destroyer flies overhead, it left them all in awe. She said she felt bad that I would never get to experience that rush of excitement at the movies because I have become almost indifferent to special effects. I just expect them to be there and to be amazing. My parents watched the slow evolution of special effects over the past decades, seeing them become more refined and impressive.
Should I feel as if I have been spoiled? I do get to experience all the amazing advances in movie technology without first having to deal with its primitive beginnings. Or should I be jealous that my parents got watch the evolution special effects first hand?
At home I have a small TV and a small DVD player. I have no idea what brand they are or how old they are either. But they both still work, so that’s good enough for me.
I still have an old stereo that works. It’s so old that it still has the ability to play cassette tapes. I love it because it’s neon blue.
I have an old iPod that barely still functions. I got it second hand from a friend when she upgraded. I named it Monty.
I have a tiny little mp3 player that my mom got for me using her Coke Points.
I have a habit of losing my cell phones so right now I’m using the first one I ever owned. It’s old. It doesn’t even have a camera on it. But I’m ok with that.
I do have a FUJIFILM FinePix S2000HD I bought two years ago. I love that thing so much. I named it Carmine.
Then there is the temperamental Fujitsu tablet I’m typing on right now.
I have no idea how I ever survived high school. I'm not talking about the social aspects of it. That is an entirely different story. I'm talking about the work. (not that surviving peer pressure isn't hard work) I'm talking about the day to day. I'm talking about sitting in a classroom, listening to the teacher talk, taking notes, all without a computer sitting in front of me. I don't know how it was for everyone else, but at my high school we had block scheduling. Thus, each class was an hour and half long. Everyday. At the time, I loved it. I only had four classes a day each semester. But how did I pass the time? I remember I doodled quite a bit in my notes. I remember staring out of a lot of windows. But now that I've grown so used to having the Internet at my finger tips at all times, I do not think I could do it again.
I was watching a movie from the early 2000's the other day. In it some high schoolers got caught passing notes to each other in class. I remember the days when that was our only means of communication during a particularly doldrum day of learning. How much money did my parents spend on notebooks and pencils only to have them used in such a fashion? In high school, texting erased the need to pass paper notes. Though it was perhaps easier to get caught texting than it was in passing a piece of paper. Now we access Skype, IM, Facebook and a host of other means of instant communication twenty-four hours a day. Who needs paper?
If for some reason I had to go back, I am quite sure I would go crazy.
This is a video my friend made for a school project last year. I loved it then and I love it even more so now. Student made videos have been on my mind. I felt I needed to share this one with the world.
Hello cyber world, my name is Jamie and this is my blog. This first entry is to introduce myself, but where to begin? I am currently a sophomore at Dakota State University and I am an English for New Media major. What I am going to do with a degree in that, I have no idea. I have high hopes for something amazing to come out of it though. I am from a small town in eastern South Dakota, so I obviously travel a great distance to be here at DSU. Though I once in lived in Nevada for three years. I love to travel. This past summer I saw the Atlantic Ocean for the first time when I went on a road trip with some friends to Charleston, SC. My goal in life is to travel the world. I love to act. I was in DSU's fall production of "The Diviners." It was an amazing experience. I am also going to be in the spring production of "Anything Goes" though mine is a small part because I am not known for my singing talents. Just recently I traveled with several other theater folk to Ames, Iowa for the American College Theater Festival. It was a wonderful adventure. There were acting and tech workshops to go to and amazing plays to see. My favorite was a production of the Odyssey. I also love music. In high school I played the saxophone and clarinet in band and was first chair for both instruments. I also know how to play the flute and piano and I am learning the guitar and trumpet. Since DSU does not have an official band program, I make due with the pep band. Though I must admit it is great fun all the same. I am an avid reader. I do have a favorite genre. I love historical fiction books that are also murder mysteries. Yes, it is a very specific genre to love, but one would be surprised how many books fit into that category. But I love all sorts of other books as well. I have quite the collection of books at my home. My room is dominated by the presence of literature. Almost every surface is overflowing with books. Well, that's all I can think of for now. More to come in the future.
