Singing the weekend away Week 4

Where does all the time go? Seriously, this quarter seems to trump all of last years busyness. Maybe it has something to do with the transition from my lazy summer directly into days filled with classes, meetings, friends, athletics, work... I am not complaining though, because I put it all on myself. Most students have this dilemma, several have it worse than I do I'm sure. Anyway, this tangent is somehow leading into what I was involved in this past weekend.

University Singers, of which I am a part, traveled to Toledo Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights in order to sing with the Toledo Symphony Orchestra. We joined three other colleges to form a 200 member choir. The symphony we performed was composed by Gustav Mahler. The piece is roughly an hour and a half long. The choir only sings in the last fifteen minutes. That left us sitting onstage in our pretty black dresses and tuxes, appearing professional and engaged for quite some time. It was a bit of a challenge, but we made it. Through it, I developed a new appreciation for orchestral music. Having a "front row seat" directly behind the orchestra allowed us to watch their every move and envelop ourselves not only in the sounds, but also in the experience, of classical music.

I am grateful for the opportunities I have been given at ONU so far. I think the university does a spectacular job of encouraging new experiences and pushing for them. It doesn't matter what area of study or what hobbies one pursues...it feels like there is always an organization or cause to get involved with. The opportunites are there, we just need the drive to enthusiastically take them.

Laptops for Everyone ...Week 4

Democratization concerning the internet is a loaded topic. Social media fuels the race for it. According to McConnell and Huba in chapter three of Citizen Marketers, democratization perpetuates the battle between transparency and control within companies and organizations. To me, one of the most interesting ideas concerning the concept was introduced by Nicholas Negroponte. He is an MIT hotshot who began a project called the One Laptop Per Child project in 2005. For around $135 each, the project sells laptops to children in developing nations. Negroponte is "trying to ride the wave of technological democratization by gentrifying the elitism of computer ownership." Once I broke this statement down into smaller words that I could understand, it made a lot of sense. Negroponte is embracing the concept of democratization and he knows that it is fueled by social media. He is working against the idea that only the privileged and wealthier countries should have social media tools at their fingertips. Negroponte knows that everyone has a voice and the potential to be a citizen marketer, whether they're an American businessman or a Nigerian child. I think the One Laptop Per Child project is genius.

"Magic Mirror" ...Week 4

Shopping has normally been a very social activity. Girls love to try on clothes and get their friend's opinions. But every once in awhile, someone has to shop by themself and alas, it can become a crisis. Without a friend's opinion on a dress or a swimsuit, how will we know which style to go with or what color to choose?

I came across an article on CNNmoney.com about a new invention that can aid us in this problem. A digital technology developer from New York, IconNicholson, was developing a dressing room product called the "Magic Mirror." Basically it is a full length mirror with two cameras. The shopper tries on an outfit, stands in front of the mirror, and uses their cell phone's camera to "transfer an image to a Web site where family and friends can see them model different outfits." The mirror is interactive and displays text messages and replies to the different outfits, as well as new suggestions. Joseph Olewitz, the senior vice president of IconNicholson's client relations, says, "The real innovation here is social retailing. We're bringing together the entire universe of networking concepts through the use of the Internet, the webcam, the webcast to enable shoppers to interact with their friends.

Social networking is seeping into every aspect of our lives. The more connected people are to others, the more they feel a part of something. Now shopping has even become a tool for social media to invade. Cameras, text messaging, and interactive Web sites in a dressing room! It is everywhere. Supposedly these "Magic Mirrors" were supposed to hit the major retail stores about a year ago. I haven't seen them yet, but then again, I live in Ohio. Maybe the idea of social networking in a store dressing room was a little too much, a little too soon...

kids these days

I have viewed hundreds of videos on YouTube over the past few years, but I have not uploaded one of my own on the site. Probably due to the fact that I don't know how and I don't have the time to learn. Anyway, my younger brothers have plenty of time on their hands. They and their friends spend their time dressing up in wigs and filming short movies which they edit and directly put on YouTube. I admire their technological expertise. Their movies only get a few hundred views, but it is important for them to have their work online for anyone to view. It's crazy for me to comprehend how young kids are growing up with these social media tools at their fingertips and will be inventing newer and better versions in the blink of an eye.




Their creations are very weird. At least they have fun with it.

RSS means what?

When I viewed different blogs and videos online in the past, I always noticed the little "RSS" sympbol but never knew what it meant. After reading Citizen Marketers by Ben McConnell and Jackie Huba, I understand the significance of RSS (Really Simple Syndication). They explain that it simply "makes anything on the Web subscribable." It is commonly referred to as a "feed". I am baffled by a feed's comparison to traditional media. McConnell and Huba show that feeds do not consume energy, they are free, and they are an immediate form of communication, thereby accelerating direct communication between consumers and companies. Why aren't all companies jumping on this bandwagon? The economic benefits alone are substantial.

The required books for this class have so far been very enlightening. They are fun and informative, when I don't procrastinate. After only two weeks of class I have learned more than I ever expected. The field of PR is undergoing a radical revolution with social media at the forefront. Thank God I am learning about it now before I attempted to place myself in the work world without blogging knowledge or desire.

Privacy is a thing of the past

Thanks to this class, I have been increasingly aware of social media's influence everywhere I look. Ashamed as I am to admit this, I am an avid Gossip Girls fan. The characters on that show are constantly using their cell phones or the internet to communicate the latest gossip. None of the characters can get away with anything. When Serena and Dan secretly rekindled their romance after a summer of being broken up, a random girl on the street spotted them kissing and snapped a picture with her camera phone. She then proceeded to send the pic to every other teenager in the city apparently. (This tends to happen at least once an episode.) Privacy doesn't exist in the fast-paced, technical world of Gossip Girl. But Gossip Girl's world is not far from our own.


With everyone owning an instant-connection-to-every-humanbeing device aka a cell phone, anything can be captured and sent out to people within seconds. Social networking sites are superb at capturing every little detail of one's activity and posting it in the open for all to witness. Ben Parr wrote a fantastic blog about the link between social media and privacy at http://mashable.com/2008/09/08/social-media-privacy-news-feed/


Facebook began their news feed application almost exactly two years ago. He explains that at first people were wary about the idea of the instant feeds and had no desire to post their lives online or view anyone elses. Or so they thought. Once the phenomena caught on, it exploded. Parr says the Facebook News Feed began to revolutionize how people viewed their friendships with people online and off. Suddenly, everyone could know when Joe Schmoe broke up with his girlfriend and what she had written on her best friend's wall about it. Parr writes, "Our views on what should be shared, what shouldn’t be shared, and with whom we share our lives are what have changed the most. We are more comfortable sharing our lives and thoughts instantly to thousands of people, close friends and strangers alike". Social media has invaded our privacy, but we are willing to let it. Individually, each person should ask themselves, how much should I put out there? What do I want my parents, boss, teachers, to see? Personal discretion is becoming more and more necessary.

I couldn't find any herbs at the festival...

Today was the day of Ada's noblest community effort-the harvest and herb festival. It was a beautifully sunny day for the little street affair. It amazed me how many people came out to enjoy the cotton candy, sugar-glazed almonds, and craft tents. The store owners were in shock at the amount of customers. I wandered around from booth to booth with no intention of purchasing a thing. I simply enjoy observing people and feeling the sense of community when college students and townies combine.

Maybe I have a connection with the harvest and herb festival because it was one of my first experiences with Ada. I was a mere four or five years old when my parents took me to a festival in a little town the next county over. I remember the day well because it was slightly traumatic. Because it was a festival, my parents allowed me to get a Mountain Dew (i was stoked). My Dad opened the can and handed it to me. For some crazy reason, a bee flew in the little hole and I didn't see it. I lifted the can to my lips to take a drink and instead of sugary liquid, i got a painful beesting on my lip. It was shocking for a four year old. I honestly thought the liquid had electrocuted or burned me. Once my parents realized what happened, they attempted to calm me down.

When I think about it, it's interesting that I had a connection to Ada years before I would ever consider living here. I hope that is a good thing, although I wouldn't consider a bee sting a welcoming gesture...

Mud

I always had a fondness for playing in the mud. Nostalgia flourished last Saturday when I joined five of my friends in the mud volleyball tournament. Last year I was too preoccupied with freshman fears to be outgoing enough to join a volleyball team. But I have regretted it for an entire year, so this fall I was keyed up to get down and dirty. We duct taped our feet (i don't really know why...I just did what my team told me) and we had to take the infamous "before" picture. The experience reminded me of an Orbit commercial. When our team, The X Factor, was called up to the court, I gleefully jumped into the mud. P.S. I suck at volleyball. Anyway, we lost the first game and were finished in the tournament. But in the heat of competition, all that gushy, flying mud was absolutely exhilarating. And it did wonders for my pores. As did the freezing lake water... My body was numb and in shock. Oh boy...I can't wait for next year! I'll work on my volleyball abilities in the meantime.

technology woes

I feel that I deserve the right to rant. I am an extremely busy person and when I finally have time to check my email or research the internet for a class, I would really appreciate it for the internet to WORK. How much am I paying a year to live in the residence halls? What is the quarterly "technology fee"? ONU wireless needs some help. I do not appreciate the added frustrations that it causes. I am sick of looking at the little blue computer icon, praying that a globe will appear (meaning that it has internet access). And even when it does happen to connect there is, at the most, two little signal bars. It is ridiculous. After suffering through 9am-3pm class without a break, I can't take it when I need to check my e-mail and the wireless decides to act up. I don't know what needs to be done, or how it can be fixed, but I would like to see some action. Information Technology, where are you?

My roommate and I had enough problems this past week with cable malfunctions and the beyond awful shower heads with water pressure constituting a dribble. All I'm asking for is some consistency with the internet situation. It is virtually impossible to survive as a college student without access to the internet.

Brand 1 for President

I have a confession to make.
Politics bore me to death.
Therefore, I do not take the time to inform myself of current political issues. I am gradually realizing their importance, but at this current stage of my life...I have bigger concerns.

I attended Aaron Brown's talk at the PRSSA meeting the other day. He was discussing public relation's role in the presidential campaign. It got me thinking. I never realized how a candidate's image and public relations strategies dominate the competition. My interest led me to research what people were saying about the emphasis of public relations in the Obama:McCain campaigns.

Diana Francis, a blogger on nationalpost.com, referred to the current presidential election as a "battle between two brands." Since the majority of the public doesn't personally know either candidate and can't predict with certainty what they will do once taking office, she says the vote rides on the image of the candidate and how they are portrayed to the people. Francis explains that McCain's brand emphasizes the experience that comes with his old age. On the other side, Obama pushes a hip, youthful, tech-savvy image. Both candidates realize the impact of public relations and seek to get the most positive media coverage possible. It's more about the appeal of the brand than the issues. I should really take the time to become a truly informed voter before November. So...whose brand appeals to me more?


http://network.nationalpost.com/np/blogs/francis/archive/2008/07/27/obama-mccain-battle-of-the-brands.aspx

Blogging -not bad after all

This week I realized that I am a public relations major who has completely underestimated the impact of social media in my future profession. Talk about an overwhelming realization... Before this week, blogs held no interest for me. My preconcieved notions led me to believe that blogs were computerized versions of diaries reserved for the bored and internet addicts. Silly me, now I know better.

This idea of blogging initially caused me to sympathize with the poor newspapers, radios, and televisions. It saddens me that they are spiraling into antiquity, overshadowed by the internet's capabilities. However, my crying subsided when I reached page 11 in Gillan's book, The New Influencers. He explained how mainstream media and blogging are actually complementary. Once I thought about it, it made sense. Where are bloggers going to get their current information? From newspapers, television, radio, etc. of course. And how do bloggers assist mainstream media? They supply them with helpful feedback. The two are dependent on each other for success.

Gillan portrayed this relationship with an example involving the company Sony. A large amount of Sony BMG music cd's were sold with hidden software on them. Nobody knew of this activity until a blogger discovered it and blogged about it. From there, bloggers went crazy responding to the scandal. The mainstream media found out about the Sony scandal through blogging. Mainstream media and the blogosphere played off each other to bring the scandal to light for the public. The public greatly benefits from the relationship between blogs and mainstream media.

Hopefully this means that in the future my children won't be one track minded to the internet. I can only hope they won't give me funny looks when I talk about printed newspapers or turn off the i-pod to listen to the radio.

And it begins...

There was a class I was highly anticipating to take all summer.   Sadly, it was not the wonderful Social Media class.   It was to be my first real art class - studio foundations 1.   I try to be an artist at heart.  Considering my love for drawing and painting in high school, I had to incorporate an art class somewhere in my college career.  

So I walked into the class, unprepared and not knowing what to expect.  Their desk/seats are a little too unconventional for me.  Backless stools with adjustable desks... hello back pain.  I figured I had a decent grasp on the artist lingo, but after the first ten minutes I realized my lack of knowledge.  The teacher rambled on about 2B, 3H, and 4B pencils with seven different types of erasers.  

Next, we had to take off our shoes and draw them.  I was wearing old blue flip-flops.  fantastic.