Entry #11- Creative Seriousness = Blogging

So... How was Blogging?

While blogging for this class had its pros and cons, it was rather enjoyable for the most part. The self-generated blogs were really fun because they allowed for a creative outlet, and a break from your stereotypical "textbook" schoolwork. 

I enjoyed making blogs about fighting techniques, self introductions, concerts, and my favorite artist. Those posts were particularly fun to compose. 

On the other hand....

The posts that were assigned were extremely boring and felt like a waste of time. I suppose they were helpful to further elaborate on our topics for writing projects, but it seemed like unnecessary work to me. 

At times it may be difficult to keep up with commenting on other students' blogs while also maintaining your own blog, but it is worth the time spent on it. Blogging helped me to learn how to effectively communicate with an online audience, which is particularly helpful for online or hybrid classes since they are largely composed of online communication. It's also a helpful skill to know how to communicate effectively online since much of the world's communication nowadays is in fact online. 

Don't be afraid to be creative with your posts! That's how you can keep it interesting for your peers and your instructor. Not only does it make it easier and more enjoyable for them to read and look through, but it also will create a little fun for yourself. Don't think of it as just another assignment to complete, but instead as an opportunity to expand your knowledge of online communication and to learn more about your classmates as individuals. 

Enjoy Blogging!

Entry #10- Online Dating

Bit by the Online Lovebug

While online dating used to be something that most people were opposed to and once saw as something that was unsafe and "weird," its use and success rates have been increasing dramatically over the years. This technological use of finding love has even become more popular than the traditional way of meeting a significant other at a rate of about 17% out of any other way of meeting people.







With online dating sites allowing people to see other's personality traits and interests before meeting, it could help in lowering divorce rates since it could increase chances of finding people who are more compatible. It provides an opportunity to broaden your horizon by meeting many more people. My mother and her husband are a perfect example of a successful marriage that started from meeting online. My mom has had a few unhappy marriages that started through traditional meeting that all failed, but I've never seen her so happy as she is with her current husband whom she met on Christian Mingle.

So if you're looking for love and have thus far been unsuccessful in finding it through traditional means, perhaps trying online dating sites could help you find your true love. It could be a good opportunity for you, or to at least give it a shot!

Entry #9- Video Media

To Read or to See?

Media is a powerful thing that can have a strong influence over people, and one of the strongest forms of media is video. People are much more likely to pay attention to a video instead of reading a paper, even if they cover the same information. It takes less effort to watch something than it does to read. Plus, videos have a visual appeal while papers do not. 

College students usually have little time, and if given the option to watch a video or read a paper, the video will almost always be chosen. I bet that the video posted above, covering the same information I'm talking about will better keep people's attention that reading this. I would much rather watch a short video that covers the same information of a paper simply because it's faster, visually appealing, takes less effort, and I zone out a lot when trying to read something of dull substance. A perfect example of this would be reading a chapter in a history textbook or having the option to watch a video representation of the same information. Which would you rather do, watch the history video or read the chapter? 

Entry #8- Kat Von D and Tattoo Artistry

Kat Von D is best known for her tv show, LA Ink. Her show is held primarily in her shop, High Voltage, with her fellow "tattoo family" that are considered some of the best of the best tattoo artists. Her show is used for entertainment, and I personally feel like it gets too into her personal life; however, I love to watch her show to see all the artists' work. As one artist to another, I appreciate the real talent these people have. It's a fantastic art form.

Kat Von D herself

Some of Kat's Tattoo Work

Kat Von D's Private Work Station

I love the creativity of her work station. Every artist needs a personalized work space in order to let the creativity fully flow. Her station is beautiful with all the melted candles and the portrait of Beethoven, one of my favorite pianists. 

I truly cannot see why tattooing is still so frowned upon by many people in society. It truly is an art form that takes real talent. Of course there are amateurs out there who try to pass themselves off as artists just to make a quick buck, but there are the true artists like Kat Von D who do it because it is their passion. Tattoos are a way to wear art on the body and carry it around. If you get a tattoo from a true artist, then you become a walking piece of art. I personally just got my first tattoo done as a half sleeve on my left arm by a local artist named Siege who works at Revival Art Collective. I feel he falls into the category of true tattoo artists because I can see the passion in his work. He went to school to get a bachelor's in art, participates in tattoo and art expos, and puts full effort into all his work. So not only have I witnessed tattooing as a true art form on television, but I've also experienced it in person. I see no shame in having beautiful tattoos because it quite simply makes people walking art. Beautiful tattoos are art, not a taboo and shouldn't be discriminated against. 

Entry #7- Dumb Men?

Dumb Men Stereotypes

After watching more than a handful of the videos linked on the Dumb Men website, I feel offended for men, even as a woman myself. Sure, some of the videos are funny, but many of them are also insulting to the intelligence of men. They are portrayed as dumb, incompetent, and inferior to women. I strongly believe in equality of all humans, and I don't like when any one person is portrayed as being less than another. 

The couple of the videos on this site that portrayed such instances were Fidelity Male Bashing, Stupid Men Can't Figure Out Home Improvement Projects: Lowe's, and the Stupid Dad Grilling Commercial. 

Just in the titles of these videos, one can already tell they have the potential to be insulting to men, which I saw as true after watching them. Fidelity Male Bashing portrayed men as incapable of thinking or doing even the simplest of things by themselves, Stupid Men Can't Figure Out Home Improvement Projects: Lowe's made men seem incompetent to take care of their homes without Lowe's helping them, and Stupid Dad Grilling Commercial makes it look like his family hates him because he can't cook even a simple meal for them. 

Commercials can portray an image and sell the product of whatever company they are advertising for without insulting the intelligence of people. Fidelity could've showed their employees helping families sign up for their product instead of making men look dumb. Lowe's could've showed men successfully using their products as a way to sell their merchandise without making men look dumb without it. In Stupid Dad Grilling, Papa Murphey's could've advertised their hamburger pizza by showing people enjoying eating it rather than showing a man failing at simple grilling. 

I think these videos are seriously lacking in credibility due to the fact that they are insulting to men. The goal of selling products can be achieved without insulting the intelligence of anybody, which is why these commercials lost my respect. By making a joke of the intelligence of men, I lost all attention to these advertisements which in turn could've lost a potential customer. 

Entry #6- The Insanity of Rock N' Roll Concerts

Ever been to a rock n' roll or metal concert? They've been given bad raps as being full of violent, aggressive, drugged-up, drunk people. While some of the people who attend these concerts are like that, this is far from the truth of what a rock n' roll or metal concert really is. It's truly about the music, support, unity, and letting loose. I've been to a few all-day metal festivals, local shows, and even a death metal concert in a small venue for a world-famous band. In personal experience, these types of concerts are not what they're made out to be. 

Desert Uprising Music Festival 2013

Gojira at the Marquee Theater in Phoenix

Local band, Enkaged, at The Nile 

In my experiences with rock n' roll concerts, I've met some of the nicest people one can meet. Of course there are people who drink and do drugs, but that can be found at any concert. That type of behavior is strictly in fault of the people, not the music. 

People can say these concerts are violent. Well, yes, they can get crazy; however, you can still enjoy the music without getting hurt at all. Moshpits typically have designated areas, so just stay away from those areas if you don't want to participate. Even then, if you fall or get hurt in a moshpit or anywhere at a rock n' roll/metal concert, the people around you will immediately stop what they're doing and help you. They'll make sure you're ok before moving on. Sometimes, if the band members themselves see you get hurt, they'll even invite you up onstage to make up for it. I've been to concerts of other music genres, and I've never seen this type of care for others as I have at rock n' roll and metal concerts. 

Here's a prime example of such behavior at an Avenged Sevenfold concert:

Even though stopping the show to help a fan who got hurt caused them to mess up, they still invited her onstage and maintained a good sense of humor despite difficulty getting the song started back up.

So you see, metal and rock n' roll concerts aren't all violence, drugs, and evil people. In reality, they're actually full of some quality people. Don't judge book by its cover is really a cliche that should be followed in everyday life! 

Entry #5- Shorter ASU Courses

Regular or Shorter Classes?

The typical university semester lasts about 15weeks long, which is a good fit for many students but also too long of a time period for others. Arizona State University is now starting to offer sped up courses that are only 7-1/2weeks long for their students. These courses would require students to spend twice as much time in class than they did for the 15week courses, but they are being given the opportunity to finish the class much quicker.

Short courses like this have their pros and cons, and they most definitely are not for everybody. They would also only be proper for certain classes while harmful to others. 

Short courses would be good for students who have enough time to dedicate to the extra-fast pace, are committed to the workload, and who can also handle the stress of the quicker pace since most college students would agree that college is stressful in the first place. It wouldn't be good for those who can't handle the more time-crunched, stressful workload. 

These type of classes would only be good for general education classes such as English, critical reading, and math. Again, if the student can keep up with the pace, it could be beneficial to get these types of classes done quicker. Science and healthcare related classes, however, would be harmed by such dramatically shortened semesters. Many healthcare students go straight into the workforce without any experience, not really knowing what to do, along with already being overwhelmed with large workloads crammed into the longer, 15week semesters.

That being said, students do still have the options of different course lengths to take, so they do not have to take these new, shorter courses if they do not want to. Simply sign up for a course that you think you can handle and is at an appropriate pace. 

Entry #4- "That Broke College Student Life"

"That Broke College Student Life"

If you attend college and have moved out of your parent's home, then you are more than likely living the stereotypical, "broke college student life." I myself, am a broke college student. I moved out one month after turing eighteen. I love my parents, but I need my freedom and respect that it's, "their house, their rules." To say, it's tough having to pay for all my own things on a low income and being a full-time honors students in college. Although, it's not impossible! You have to be very smart with your time and money.

BUDGET YOURSELF and TIME MANAGEMENT!

- make a list before grocery shopping, and never go when hungry

- always set aside money for gas if you drive, and no slamming on the gas pedal

- don't buy brand name items

- LIVE BELOW YOUR MEANS, so you can have leftover money in the case of an emergency

- never procrastinate... get everything done as soon as possible

- don't waste money on things such as alcohol.. you don't need it

- if it's not necessary for life and success, don't buy it

- sleep whenever possible to prevent burnout

- prioritize, prioritize, and prioritize

- don't be afraid to ask for help when you really need it and have the option

- Keep a positive attitude

No doubt, living on your own and staring out in life is tough. For me, it's definitely full of penny-pinching, but I know hard work and dedication will eventually pay off. I knew life would be expensive, but not as expensive as it turned out to really be. I have a lot of bills and responsibility, but by following the list above, it's possible. So long as you are able to stay organized, keep your priorities in order, and budget yourself, IT IS POSSIBLE! It's tough to start out on your own, but not impossible. It'll all pay off in the end and be completely worth it!

Entry #3- Slanted Reporting

There are many instances of reports that are indirectly opinionated, but they do still possess an opinion. While the opinion is still there, it is just cleverly hidden without being directly stated. All the author has to do is input only the information that they think supports their opinion to persuade the reader while only using a little information that might say otherwise.

This is a perfect example of slanted reporting since the man asking the questions is only asking the other man questions that answers would all be in favor of Obama. He's not directly stating his opinion that he thinks Obama is doing a good job as president, but he sneaks it in by only giving the other man the option to choose positive responses about whether Obama is doing a good job. 

Slanted reporting is used in many things, such as news reports, so careful evaluation of such work should be made to see if the hidden opinion is valid or if they're just pulling your leg. Slanted reporting isn't necessarily non-credible, but it needs to be used and evaluated carefully so as to not lose credibility or to be blindly persuaded. 

Entry #2- Keep Yourself Safe

Prevent Yourself from being a Victim

Everyday, people are attacked and do not know how to defend themselves. Do to this a lack of knowledge of self defense, people often end up robbed and/or seriously injured. One way to help prevent such loss and injury, one could participate in classes to teach him or herself how to fight. 

There are a variety of ways to defend yourself from attackers, but nothing is better than learning how to use your own body as a method of protection. Many people do not always carry weapons such as guns, pepper spray, or knives on them. Also, if somebody were to grab you from behind and make it difficult to move, you would have to know some kind self defense techniques to get yourself out of his or her grip to even gain access to protective weapons if you do happen to carry some with you. 

Examples of Self Defense Techniques

Brazilian Jujitsu- a type of fighting style that can be used in situations such as being grabbed from behind or pinned to the ground. Techniques of this fighting style include hip tosses, getting out from under a person on top of you, and wrist locks. It is a good fighting style that uses the weight of people against them. 

Kickboxing (Thai boxing)- if you manage to get out of the grip of the attacker and create distance, critical strikes should be your next thought. Kickboxing teaches you how to strike with power, balance, and speed. It is efficient for all weights and sizes, giving you a variety of strikes such as leg kicks, straight punches, and elbow and knee strikes.

Proper Self-Defense Classes- classes applied to real life situations such as getting attacked when getting money out of an ATM or entering your car late at night. They can teach you critical blows such as groin, throat, and eye strikes.

One should always know how to protect him or herself in case of being attacked. Not only would it be good to take classes on self defense to protect yourself, but it would also be good to use to protect your loved ones. In my case, I would use it to defend myself and my little brother who does not know how to defend himself. My boyfriend uses it to defend himself, his family, and me. Self defense classes are not to look cool or pick unnecessary fights, but instead are a way of providing protection and a sense of security. It would be a good thing to learn for yourself and those you love. Stay safe! 

Entry #1- Opinion on Blogs

As we begin our blogs for Eng102, we need to learn what to do and what not to do. Hopefully, I can stay along the lines of, "What to Do." I went over a few blogs to look at and gather opinions of other blogs to help develop a stronger sense of blogging. Here are a few that I liked, and one I did not like as much.

Good to Go's!

1) The first blog I enjoyed viewing and reading was 20-Nothings by Jessie Rosen. She kept a professional look to it while still making it sound welcoming and entertaining. Also, she explains her posts before getting into detail, which helped me decide whether I wanted to read it and if I thought it would keep my attention. I particularly liked her post about 49 Life Skills Every Modern Woman Should Have since she made it into a list, thus making it easy and entertaining to read. 

What I learned from 20-Nothings:

- Use lists when appropriate to make things easier to read

- Try to write in a way that keeps the attention of readers

- In short, explain what I'm writing about before diving in

2) A second blog that was particularly nice to go through was Dot Earth by Andrew C. Revkin. 

It was informative and professional, keeping readers updated on world news. In a way, it was similar to a newspaper. For instance, Revkin updates people on the ebola epidemic in West Africa. Another thing I appreciated about this blog is that the pictures and text were evenly spaced out and did not create any type of disorganized clusters. Also, it had many links to lead to a more detailed version of each topic blogged. 

What I learned from Dot Earth:

- use links when appropriate

- avoid disorganized clusters

- be informative when needed

Not that Great

1) One blog I viewed that I did not like whatsoever was PostSecret. It hardly had any text to it and was mainly a long stream of pictures. Also, the content was mostly inappropriate material that made me a little uncomfortable. It wasn't professional in any way, and it also was not particularly personal. While the things posted may be personal information, it was a cluster of posts made be many people verses one. 

What I learned from PostSecret:

- do not post things that could potentially make readers uncomfortable

Hopefully my blogs will be easy for everybody to navigate through and will keep your attention by breaking it down into sections and staying organized!

Practice Entry- Nice to Meet You

Hello Everyone! My name is Ashley Evenson, and I am eighteen years old. I am currently attending my first year of college at GCC to start earning my nursing degree. I love to help people whenever possible, especially the elderly, so I hope to become a hospice nurse in the future.

As for my interests and hobbies, I would consider myself an amateur artist and a lover of music. When it comes to my artwork, I love composing works made with pencil or ink. The mass majority of my work is made up of portraits, but I do have pieces that include other types of images. In regard to the portraits, many of them are of famous musicians. This relates back to my love of music. A large portion of my inspiration for art comes from the music I listen to, thus the musicians who created it. The main genre of music that brings me happiness is rock n' roll. Bands such as Aerosmith, Guns N' Roses, Led Zeppelin, Avenged Sevenfold, and Pearl Jam are among some of my favorite bands. It's easy to appreciate the talent put into their work and is highly entertaining. Everybody has some kind of passion in their lives, and mine happens to be music and art. I look forward to learning about everybody in my class and continuing our educations together. I hope you all enjoy your time at GCC! 

Some of my Artwork