The Anti-Ending of a Great Thing

* sorry this is so late ! 

Well, It was a good run, wasn't it ? Hope all of you who are going have truckloads of fun! I wish all of you my best. Thanks, DOTCOM as well, for giving me the opportunity to talk to people who really help. And, thanks to Dr. Rob & Elizabeth for inspiring me to get out there. (:

Now onto the blog... 

What was the most fun/exciting part of the DOTCOM PHASE 1 project for you?

Definitely is was being able to ask Josh, Azru, & Onnik questions about what they're doing to help! It was such an honor getting to Q&A with such inspiring people! Also, I really liked all the blogs we had to use youtube for. It was so fun to see everyone's personalities come through when they posted certain videos & added all of their poignant commentary. (: 

What was the most challenging part of the DOTCOM PHASE 1 project for you?
Getting everything to be in on time & making everything great. For me, it seemed like school was getting more & more demanding as this went on. So, my blog suffered tremendously. You'll probably see a lot of my posts and look at the weak content and think "Geez. Doesn't this person care?" YES! I do care. But, with everything going on in and out of school, I really had to struggle for some time to post. And, honestly, thats what I regret most. If I could go back in a time machine and make sure to get these done first thing the next morning, then I'd probably feel a lot better and a lot less guilty about the lack of that something in the content of my posts. 

What is one specific suggestion you have for the DOTCOM PHASE 1 project, when we do this project again?

Maybe the physical participation shouldn't be judged solely on the blogs themselves, but on the people. Maybe they should make a youtube channel and have Vlogs instead of blogs (: But, really, thats all I have to say regarding criticisms. Everything else in this program was great. Just participating in the blogs made you feel important. Your fingers moving swiftly across your keys to get every thought spelled out just perfectly on your blog. You make sure every link, every photo, and every video was in just the right order. That was what we looked forward to every day. I know I loved checking the blogs every other day to see what new was being posted, what was going on in the real world. And typing this now, I feel so grateful for the experience. For if there wasn't DOTCOM I'd still be the naive person I was just a mere few months ago.

Now to my funny videos...

You've probably seen this many times on TV but we all know how great this is ! 

Square Butts

~ HONORABLE MENTIONS ~

I have more than one funny video, so I'm making an honorable mentions category! One for each genre of videos available.

(Funniest Character/Puppet Video) I loooove this video. Well, I love all of Neil Cicierega's videos. But the Potter Puppet Pals really are fun. For anybody, not just Harry Potter Fans. 

Potter Puppet Pals in "THE MYSTERIOUS TICKING NOISE" !

All Rights Reserved to NeilCicierega (:

(Funniest Dance Video) I posted a livelavalive video on a previous module, but its this one right here that really made me subscribe to Livelavalive. 

The Party Music

All Rights Reserved to Mitchell Davis of livelavalive (:

(Funniest Music Video) I went through a lot of fan made music videos to find this. No, thats a lie, I'd consider myself an original fan of JKL productions & Fred. I remember two years ago watching my first JKL video. Good times.

Hannah Montana - Nobody's Perfect

All Rights Reserved to Lucas, John, & Katie of JKLproduction (:

Keira Knightly Domestic Violence PSA

I don't know if any of you have seen it, but this is the Keira Knightly Domestic Violence PSA. It is directed by Joe Wright, who worked with her on Atonement and Pride & Prejudice. Most people are saying that he went too far with this, but its only because its the truth and people are scared of the truth. 

By doing this, Joe Wright has really opened a door on the reality of Domestic Violence. As much as I respect Wright's choice to do such a raw PSA, there really are pros & cons to this. 

Some of the pros being showing the truth and really getting the issue out there. And the only con being that it is so raw. But isn't that how it is for these women who are enduring domestic violence themselves? 

What do you think ?

Easter for the Not So Nonbelievers

I grew up as a catholic, so celebrating Easter was  the norm, growing up. The whole family would get together and we would go to Church, have dinner, egg hunts, egg baskets, EVERYTHING. But, you know, to me it feels like the religious aspect of the holiday has worn off. Most kids just see it as:

a) the day we have too dress up n frilly ruffles to take pictures with the Easter bunny

b) The day we get loads of candy in Easter baskets

&

c) the day everyone comes of to have an egg hunt...

Really, I don't have a problem with losing the religious aspect but, I feel a bit guilty about it. To me, the best part about Easter is that we get to have whatever we gave up for lent. Which is a tad selfish, but when you try and go forty days/nights without sweets, then talk to me. 

Other than that, Easter here in the U.S is probably the same as it is anywhere else. April 12th this year. So, please, reply t this post with how you celebrate it. I think it'd be really cool to see what we do the same. To see what's different (:

The Persuasive Language of Media

The advertisement appeals to my NEOCORTEX brain (with all the people it caused my neocortex to kick into gear and question "How do all these people come together?") and my LIMBIC brain (the music was really catchy and really made the commercial. Its also helps give the commercial that effect that makes it a good commercial!). It also appeals to my REPTILIAN brain because almost instinctually my head started bopping to the beat!

It also uses a number of persuasive techniques from our list.
1. Testimonial: the use of Lebron James & the ever popular "Lil" Wayne make people say: "HEY. THEY'RE USING NIKES! I WANT TO TOO!" Not only this, but Nike is implying that you are BETTER with Nikes (Hence the use of Lebron James). We all pretty much adore athletes, so any chance we get to be like them we take it. (Usually the most successful technique.)

2. SLOGAN: the catchy "Just do it" slogan is something we never forget because of its simplicity.

3. PLAIN FOLKS: The commercial uses everyday people to get in touch with that soft spot we all have. We all love it when we can see its normal, eh ?

4. BANDWAGON: The commercial suggests that everyone is wearing Nikes, and that we should too. 

5. STRENGTH: Following up to the previous technique and the testimonial tenchnique, the implication of everyone wearing nikes also implies strength AND success. Which is something EVERYONE wants.

Our Brain On Media

Video: Eternal Sunshine

Posted By: livelavalive

This video really spoke to my limbic (the images & music) & neocortex brains. It appealed to my limbic brain because of the music probably. The images required more of my neocortex brain because they were sort of out of focus & really needed to be seen.

The collaborated images and music really made a great effect. Although they aren't the most powerful, they really make you LOOK.

My Media Inventory

BOOKS
Reading, for me anyway, is to air as spinach is to Popeye. It really motivates me to do things. I'll ask myself things like, "What would [Insert Characters Name Here] Do?" I feel that reading is the reason I do most of the things I do. Some of my favorite books include the Harry Potter Series (J.K Rowling), The Host (Stephenie Meyer), and the Seven Deadly Sins Series (Robin Wasserman). I think I use books as a way to escape the real world. I like to think of it as a way out from the bumble and jumble of my daily life. The best book I've read lately? I'd probably say the collection of Jane Austen novels. I don't know how may times I've read Pride & Prejudice. I tend to stay away from nonfiction books. This is because I don't know... I guess that that knowing kind of scares me. Don't get me wrong, I like being aware. But, knowing that the most I have to complain about is the weather is kind of like slapping the faces of all the child soldiers in Uganda.

I would really recommend The World Without Us by Alan Weisman.

NEWSPAPERS/MAGAZINES

I read the newspaper and magazines. I really like reading Nylon & Vogue. As for newspapers, I just pick up whatever is cheapest. But, if both (Daily News & LA TIMES) have a good story on the front page, I'll get each. As I said above about books, the same goes for fashion. The articles about silk chiffon and the soft architecture of the clothing raptures me.

MUSIC

I don't play music, but I love listening to it. My music taste is rather eclectic, I can go from listening to music from Puccini's Tosca, to listening to hardcore screamo music. I listen to music in many ways -- through my itunes library on my laptop, my iPod when I want to listen on the go, or through CDs. Even though I do all of that, I still think live shows are the best way to listen to music. A few musicians that I'm really into right now are: Kings of Leon, The Violent Femmes, and Jason Mraz. I really like Kings of Leon because all of their music is different. It's also kind of soothing. The Violent Femmes are amazing --- and catchy ! Now, for Jason Mraz, he's one of those artists that everyone can find themselves tapping to. For example, my cousin and I have totally different music tastes, but we find a common ground with Jason Mraz.

TELEVISION

I do, indeed, watch television, but in moderation. The only two shows that I watch habitually are CSI:NY(I can honestly say I'm obsessed with this) & Gossip Girl (The drama is addicting). I love CSI: NY because I'm looking into becoming a forensic scientists. I just like how everything makes sense and fits together like a puzzle. As for Gossip Girl, I just really like getting my fictional drama fix, seeing as how much I hate it in real life (Ironic, huh?). I read the Gossip Girl books before the show, and if you've seen it and think that's bad, the books are way worse. Other than Gossip Girl & CSI, I can't go a day without watching Countdown with Keith Olberman and Anderson Cooper 360. Seriously, those two men are genius ! Both of them make politics even more interesting. I also watch Saturday Night Live.

VIDEO GAMES

I'm not HUGE on video games, but I do play occasionally. Recently, we just got Rockband. It's actually more fun than I expected it to be. I also play guitar hero, but I don't know. I guess the whole band aspect is more fun than just the guitar. Actually, my favorite video game experience is on my computer. I can honestly say that I am addicted to Sims 2. But, I'll explain this more in the next question.

COMPUTERS

I use my computer all the time. I use it for the obvious things such as homework and essays. I use it for fun to read stories and articles and plays. I use it for leisure to play Sims 2. I use it to keep in touch with people by AOL instant messenger & email and for other social applications such as myspace (... and only myspace, I refuse to have a facebook). I don't need my computer every waking second of my life, but yes, it does come in handy. If I didn't have my computer... I'd probably be finishing the last book in the library.

INTERNET

I spend a fair amount of time on the internet, whether its to read, get tutored, or just to go on the internet for the fun of it. I can pretty much find any reason to go on, haha. I spend most of my time on the interent reading. I can't get enough of it. I like fan fictions and stories and articles... pretty much everything. Although, I'm not really a sci-fi fan. It really has yet to capture me as the other genres have.

MEDIA RANKINGS...

1. Books

2. Internet

3. Music

4. Computers

5. Newspapers/Magazines

6. TV

7. Video Games

Knowledge Tree

1. Tell us about yourself in a brief autobiography of between 20 - 25 sentences. Where are you from? What do you most like to study? What are your passions and your dreams? Tell us a bit about your personality. Are you outgoing? A leader? Quiet and shy? An observer? What do you want us to know about you?
My name is Lyndsey (with a Y) Jimenez. I live in Reseda, California nearish to LA. I am a freshman at Cleveland High School and a student in the SAS Program. Just this year, I entered the club T.I.M.E (Teen International Media Exchange) and got to see what went on in the real world(I knew what was going on, but really got to see it). I love making films. It is an easy way to combine social awareness with media. I adore fashion and photography as well. I have dreams of becoming a famous fashion designer or even a famous director (see above). I also enjoy science: physical science, biology, and the taste of chemistry I got in the eighth grade was interesting too. I may seem shy to most people, but really, when you get to know me, I'm not. I am, to most people, a wallflower. I enjoy watching and observing. I like to consider myself a person who could make a difference in someones life, if not it being my own. Making a difference doesn't only mean putting your life on the line to save others, although that is usually your best bet when trying to get your point across. Putting your VitaminWater bottle in the recycle bin, or even deciding to watch what you eat regarding who tests with what can make a bigger difference than you think. I like to read. No, I LOVE to read. I'm not one of those hermits that sit in dark corners reading, I just take my book with me wherever I go. (: Honestly, I wouldn't be in this program if I wasn't a reader. Reading has just made me so... Aware. Aware of my surroundings, aware of everything. While reading Animal Farm by George Orwell, I noticed that that's how are society is. We believe everything our "leader" says, like sheep. We couldn't tell who was who, until we began to ignore the propaganda and fallacies.

2. Explore your relationship with media in five sentences by telling us about a favorite media experience you are having – a book you are reading, a video game you are playing, a movie you just saw, a magazine you subscribe to, a newspaper you read regularly, or a musician or band whose music you really like. What is it about this media experience that makes it powerful for you?
I am actually a huge, huge, HUGE fan of postsecret. More times often than not, I'll find a secret that relates to me, or what I believe in. The thing about postsecret is that you can be free, anonymously. It allows people to lift a heavy burden off their shoulders in such a safe, yet cowardly (at times) way. I also enjoyed the movie/memoir Running With Scissors. It really speaks to me because a) it is true and b) most of us do deal with narcissistic fathers and mothers. Most of us also deal with the identity battle that Augusten suffers from throughout the entire memoir/movie.

3. In five sentences, tell us about an issue you are concerned about in your home community. Why? What, if anything, have you tried to do about something you are concerned about, or what would you like to do if you could?
There are a few problems I'm worried about, such as the recycling problem... the lack of care most people seem to have for our neighborhood too. But mostly, I am concerned about the graffiti turning up in the neighborhood and the people it will bring along with it. I have called whenever I have seen vulgar graffiti to get it removed. I have talked to a few of my neighbors who also think that this graffiti is a problem, and I hope to maybe start a neighborhood watch. I really hope this plan can put this graffiti problem under control and protect the already ruined ozone.


4. In five sentences, tell us what you can contribute to the group of participants during our DOTCOM program (face-to-face) workshops?
I think I could contribute my take on things, my opinion... which is probably what everyone else said. But, really, we all have a different take on things. We all come from different ways of life, which is what we bring to the table. Our platforms, our beliefs, and our unique personalities. When we come together in these face to face workshops we will be able to connect in ways that we can't do with anyone else because we all have a guaranteed thing in common: Our desire to make a difference. I'd also like to say that I have a nice creative knack & a love for media. So, I could probably help with that.