English 326 Blog

Group Identity Experience

2011-04-11T13:46:00.000-07:00

My Group Identity Project experience was pretty smooth. Not everyone contributed equally, but it worked out. The dating profile on Britney Spears ended up being humorous, but not too mean. It's hard to not make fun of Britney and things that have happened over her life, that is followed by the paparazzi basically everyday. She doesn't seem to be a mean-spirited person, she has just never really been in control of her own life and isn't terribly smart. We modeled the profile off of a normal dating-site profile. The exact one I used as a template was one of an overweight man in his sixties. I obviously changed a whole lot and tried to be funny, while sticking to the source material. I would do it again.

Online Identity Performance

2011-04-05T12:53:00.000-07:00

I'm not totally clear on what's required of the Online Identity Performance. I suppose I would like to do it on a subject that is close to my heart. I would like to include current-day American poverty in my discussion, no matter what the subject ends up being. Perhaps it might have something to do with independent film or views/lack-of-views of poverty in the mainstream. The modes I would use might be a blog or a video or just a normal paper. I really enjoy making videos so I'd like to do that, but I'm not sure If I'll have enough time to do an entire video over the next two weeks. I might include statistics and examples of the subject in pop culture/media. Video clips would ideally be included.

Hearing things

2011-03-14T11:54:00.000-07:00

What can I do with a story in sound that I can’t in print? You can give your characters voices which helps define them and can completely change the way something is meant. Voice establishes emotion and character, in the story and in manipulating your audience's emotions. You can also allude to things in simple ways with sound. For instance if you hear a 'booing' sound you associate it with unpopularity. You can also establish atmosphere and setting.
How does sound limit? Well, if you're talking about sound alone, it lacks a visual component. Visuals help us judge and they help us distinguish in all the ways sound does. One uses sight and the other hearing to tell a tale and stimulate the audience. And print helps us paint a picture of what we are hearing.
What does sound ask of “readers”? It asks a so-called "reader" to listen and make sense of what they're listening to.

Podcast Ideas

2011-03-13T16:05:00.000-07:00

I really want my podcast to be interesting, but I can't decide on what it should be about. I really can't decide. I'm thinking of just telling a story about possibly an injury I sustained or something traumatic, but entertaining that has happened to me. However, when I try to think of an example I come up blank. It's annoying because I know there are plenty of examples, I just can't think of them when I need to. Hmm, maybe I'll just talk about a collection of short, random stories from various times in my life. 3-5 minutes is a tough length to work with because once I get started I might have trouble wrapping it up.

Abled by tech

2011-03-02T13:22:00.000-08:00

I'm abled by technology in several ways. I am able to find resources easier than I normally would. Search engines help with that, in addition to giving access to quick answers. If I want to know what something looks like I can simply type it into google images. Not everything displayed will be what I want but you can figure it out by being assisted by definitions and answers from other users. The internet is an endless resource. I am also able to stay in touch with people through social networking and I can even help make a name for myself. I could probably be an internet celebrity if I wanted. I might try being funny or just really annoying and outragous.

Dollhouse blog

2011-02-28T14:18:00.000-08:00

The Dollhouse clip today, in relation to our relationship to technology, shows that television knows how to market stylish science fiction. The images of women at certain times do sexualize them. Technology is portrayed as scary because of its future 'mind-erasing abilities' in Dollhouse. It is partially used as a dating service. It also seems to have many violent fight scenes, characters, and one-liners straight out of a Schwarzenegger movie.

Online Gender Roles

2011-02-28T11:22:00.000-08:00

Speaking about "Men are from Video Games, Women are from Social Networks," I don't really trust the statement that women are at the forefront of social media. First off, the article has numerous grammatical errors. It uses 'then' rather than 'than' in the first few sentences. More to the point, social media is hugely male in many ways. Forums are made up of mostly men. Angry, horny, illiterate men litter forums and post nonstop from what I have seen, and I've seen quite a bit. Also, men created sites such as Facebook. I do know that women use social media more and more everyday, but I don't believe for an instant that it is much more female than male.

In-class Race Blog

2011-02-21T14:36:00.000-08:00

I try not to associate only with those of my own race and being in places like Las Cruces and often El Paso helps. Online I really don't know if I'm associating with those of many races, unless it is on facebook and I know and/or can see the person. Since everyone is so open on the net, race is discussed. Usually when it is discussed online it isn't very articulate or thought-provoking. It can be, but it is often angry, mean-spirited and ignorant.

Online Race Discussion

2011-02-21T12:04:00.000-08:00

I don't believe online spaces are appropriate places (hey that rhymes) for discussing race. There are so many reasons, and almost all of them lead back to the anonymity of it.

When you are 'hidden' and nobody knows who you are, you are naturally less inhibited. There is no reputation on the line. Therefore there is less embarrassment at stake. It's the same as when we were talking about MMOs. You are someone else, someone anonymous, so you can be whoever you want to be.

When that is the case, you don't know whom you are arguing with, you don't know if they really hold the opinions they claim to, you don't have the same judgement in relating to someone because they are faceless, and there is much room for miscommunication.

As I mentioned before, one's judgement is not the same online as it is offline. Neither you nor the person you are communicating with are as level-headed. As Bomberger notes in the reading, impulisve thoughts and the easy accessibility of the internet leads us to vent thoughts in snap decisions. We aren't as thoughtful in responding to opinions that might not even be serious or well thought-out in the first place.

Race is one of those touchy, sensitive, and deep subjects which only heightens people's emotions when talking about them. When arguing online, someone more than likely doesn't know all the facts and history too. Then, of course is when judgement comes in, which leads me back to the beginning.

Medium Analysis Blog

2011-02-14T14:06:00.000-08:00

There are several modes of communication that I can consider for how they affect my online and offline identity. I can easily see myself writing about several of these types of communicating technologically.
Facebook groups can affect our lives because we interact with others with interests in common, including those we might never see.
Forums of course are another very similar example, when talking about internet communicating. It can make many people red in the face without much effort.
Story writing in general, if I'm trying to get some sort of film made, can change the opinion of what others think of me. It can also affect where I am in life, career-wise. Writing, especially collaborative writing can be communicated through computers. It often is nowadays.
What about social media as a whole? If I was going to talk broader, but more thoughtfully I might talk about social networking.
A fifth example would be blogging. This blog might change your opinion of me if you think it sucks, or more likely think it's the greatest blog ever created with run-on sentences.

Discourse Communities

2011-02-09T12:05:00.000-08:00

Discourse communities I belong to are Youtube, various internet forums and Facebook. I believe Facebook counts as a discourse community because many that associate on Facebook have common interests, often displayed on their pages and lots of people even belong to certain groups within the popular site. Many people on Facebook also go to the same school or are alumni of a school or certain geographical areas. A forum on an internet site called Bloody Disgusting is another example of a discourse community of which I am a member. Those interested in horror post on various subjects, mostly pertaining to the horror genre. There is much bonding over movies, tv, auteurs, the world at large and internet stupidity in general. Language is used on these sites, in its various points of credibility to relate, voice opinions, collaborate, get the word out on whatever and for recommendations.

Technology Autobio Thesis

2011-01-31T15:00:00.000-08:00

My experience with technology started at an early age. Before I was ten years old I had my own computer and played one or two computer games. I became obsessed and amazed at the way I could be transported to another world in a video game. The concept of a computer however was more confusing to me, but I was curious nonetheless.

Tickle Me Elmo on fire

2011-01-26T14:26:00.000-08:00

This youtube video is something apparently over 2.5 million people have seen as of writing this. Elmo is set on fire and the doll reacts by laughing its head off. I laughed my head off too to be honest. I thought it was funny. I don't really see what the problem is with this, I mean, it's just a stupid toy. Toys are for our own amusement so why the hell not burn it up. I wouldn't recommend everyone do it though because if you don't want a toy you can always donate it to the Goodwill or some other organization.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GYGhmJD9LKc

WWII Poster

2011-01-26T13:56:00.000-08:00

The colors are dark, moody and red-tinted. The font is very formal, and readable too. The arrangement of things is well spaced and realistic. The flag behind her means she has someone overseas and is waiting for him (or her) to return. The message on the image converys this too. It encourages women to go against conventions and get a job helping out the war effort. The woman looks very much like many women of her time too. The hairstyle and clothes perfectly fit the forties. This makes it very relatable.

Digital Native

2011-01-24T14:16:00.000-08:00

I am absolutely a digital native. I grew up in the digital era and I'm sickeningly familiar with all the internet memes. The first time I used the internet it was for napster. I still largely contribute to internet traffic and even have a youtube channel (sort of). My parents fall into the immigrant category because they need much handholding when it comes to the internet and technology. My mother even holds her ipod upside down and my dad finds that 'invisible cord' commercial funny. All in all I'm a victim of my generation, not that it's all bad (insert lol here).