Blog Prompt #2

Convergence

What exactly is convergence?

A situation in which multiple media systems coexist and where media content flows fluidly across technology.

It's funny. I watched an episode of The Office last night that displayed the exact definition of the convergence. If you have never seen the office thats okay. The episode was about a member of the office who created this new way of communicating. Well, it isn't exactly new but the concept is entirely different from traditional way of contacting someone to discuss something. He created WUPHF. I wasn't exactly sure what the acronym stood for, but the concept was that a person sends a WUPHF to another person and the message will sent to the other person's phone, computer, fax machine, on various applications like email, text, instant message, and in one case the person received a a voice message.

Empowering

In The Office case the use of convergence was at its extreme. But today the way we use our technology is very empowering to the consumers of convergence because of we have the capability to communicate in many ways. I have a macbook pro. On this computer, I can send a text from my phone account to anyone who has an iPhone. I could FaceTime anyone with an apple device, and I can do all of that while I write a paper or listen to a lecture in class. I think that our technology has advance a lot in the ways to communicate. I could be sitting at the boiler house on the NCC campus while I send a text to my friend in Chicago. I could easily pick up my iPhone and FaceTime with my sister who lives in Florida. It's amazing that these kind of communications were not around for my parents, and it will be more advanced for my children.


"Happy Winds-day"
-Winnie the Pooh

Blog prompt #1

Blog Prompt #1

For this blog post I had to read a interview conducted by Rebecca Blood and write my response.

The interview I chose to read was about a blogger named Trine-Marie Kristensen. The interview was conducted in 2007 and by that time she was a blogger for only three years. One thing I found interesting about Kristensen that really intrigued myself to continue blogging is that she receives money for blogging. Not just from her 700-1000 word daily posts but she participated in media coverage and interviews as a result of her blog.

Another thing that I liked about Kristensen was her field of discipline. She did not go to school for writing. In fact, she went to school for the same major as myself: marketing. This helps me understand that I could continue to blog, and maybe go beyond blogging, without had be strictly trained in writing or English. On the other hand, North Central College is a liberal arts school and I give a lot of props to their level of assignments in writing.

The name of her blog is Hovedetpaabloggen. It is German for "Head on the Block" meaning "to dare". I like the concept of her title because I feel like most titles out there are generic or boring but this adds in the word blog into another language. I thought it was remarkable.

Kristensen writes whatever comes to mind. But she keeps at the hobby to connect with other people with similar topics. She thinks it is fascinating to connect with people from various parts of the globe and connect on one thing. I feel like that is awesome because as time moves on, international connections are getting stronger and more valuable. I feel like blogging helps people understand other cultures which will lead to optimism with cultures and ethnic groups.

What I learned from Trine-Marie Kristensen is that anyone can blog about whatever they want. It is how they use their blog to connect and become personable with fellow bloggers from other countries. These connections may be a gateway to further impact maybe a few readers, communities, or maybe even a whole country.

Happy Friday!

My First Post

April fools

What I did on this comedic holiday

On this day, I always end up with a plan, but I would never fall through with the planning. On Wednesday, I had a plan to do something simple. Something that would not take a lot of brain power.

A lot of pranks can be found on YouTube. There are hundreds and thousands of subscribers who strictly prank and joke with friends. Plastic wrap, hot peppers, and the simple scare are the most popular pranks you will see on YouTube. Here are a few links:

Saran Wrap Prank
Hot pepper extract
Original Scarecrow Prank

Pranks are so funny. Is it because we love to watch other people get humiliated and ridiculed? Definitely. We like to be the pranker, but when it's our turn to be the prankee, it's the end of the world. The next time you are being pranked make sure that you aren't  a sore loser. It makes the pranker feel as if they accomplished their prank if it ends in tears, anger, or retaliation. But if it ends in relationship severing, then the prankee overreacted. Well, unless the prank was life-threatening.

Do you remember your senior year of High School? Remember this is another time a prank is deemed "okay" to do? I've heard many pranks to do for a senior prank, but I only have one favorite. The one my senior class did was not my favorite because all we did was block off the parking lot from the underclass students and have a barbecue. But my old time favorite includes farm animals. You've heard of the three pigs numbers 1,2, and 4? It's a classic. The cow is another animal prank that is hilarious. Rumor has it  that cows can walk up the up the stairs but not down. Have you ever seen a a school rent construction machinery to remove a wall and release a cow? 

Here's a link for a few more ideas for senior pranks

So here's the deal. I planned nothing this year for my April fools prank. I went the easy route. I went out and bought a pack of googley eyes. It was like a pack of 6 pairs for 88 cents. I should have bought more, and I should have bought the smaller eyes. I glued eyes on random items in the fridge (I live with my boyfriend and his parents). I only had enough for six items: the milk, mustard, two yogurts, chicken stock container, and a container of juice. It seemed to have worked. I posted the picture on my facebook page with the caption:

"To those who go to the fridge just to stare..."

In the end, my prank was funny but not something epic. It was quite popular on facebook but not a hit with my in-laws. 

Thanks for reading and from the words of the famous Ron Burgundy:

"Stay classy San Diego"