Pictures in my head?? Usually songs, but here goes...

"The ony feeling that anyone can have about an event he does not experience is the feeling aroused by his mental image of that event. That is why until we know what others think they know, we cannot truly understand their acts." This quote stood out for me because coming back from studying abroad was a strange experience. Many people imagined what it was like but could not get the total essence of what I thought, and they could not really get why I acted differently than before.

I use media in many different ways, and unfortunately, I know that it often makes the pictures in my head change. The best picutres that I often find are from reading books and other print sources. These are often the most genuine, however the images I see on TV greatly change what I had initially thought and show me that my perception might have been off.

My reality is very limited regardless of the amount I have traveled and tried to experience because of my innate characteristics. It is limited by the fact that I do not feel that I am yet a real contributor to society, and I do not currently pay enough attention to what is happening in the world and locally. Finally, it is limited by the fact that there is always a filter for the information that I recieve.

If I were to engage in more media, and make more time for it, I feel that I would have a greater grasp on the realities, however, it could also be somewhat skewed by the viewpoints that are presented. Along this line of thought, if I analyze message, the medium, and gatekeepers critically, I may be able to weed out the parts of the statements that I see as opinion. If this is done, it is likely to help me keep an open view of all media that I take in.

After seeing the headline about New Orleans needing teachers because of the fallout after Hurricane Katrina, I immediately pictured classrooms that badly needed help that I had seen in Jamaica. Without an intention to be discriminatory in any way, but I immediately pictured black children, when this is not going to be the only situation at all. I had to move past this initial picture to the one of a simple classroom in need of help. This made me understand the story as it was portrayed as more of a charity situation. Later as they appealed to the viewer with stories of the problems that were occuring, I saw even more what was being portrayed. In this situation, I let the information wash over me, because after considering it, there would be no reason to slant the facts in this situation. I believe that I am selective in the evidence that I believe and do not, and that New Orleans is still a city that really needs our help.

I've come to the realization that I'm an IM junkie.

Well as an additional class assignment, we were asked to reflect on our favorite media. This has taken me a while to think about, but I would have to say instant messaging. It is probably the one I use the most and is the most functional for me. I had not realized how much I really used it until I recently moved back on campus. While waiting for the ever annoying TitanNet to load and my port to be turned on, the only thing I could use was the slow email. At this point, I was starting to go crazy for my lack of a buddy list and friends to drop a line to! I also use instant messaging to talk to my parents so that I can just leave messages at the odd hours that I'm awake, and they can reply. I also use it to ask questions of friends on campus so that I don't have to constantly call. Probably my favorite use of it is to talk to several of my friends in the UK. After studying abroad there, I've really missed them. Phone is too expensive, and emails take too long to get a reply with. My best friend from there and I sometimes use a video chat, so it's even better to hear her voice and see her face. Although I love most forms of IM from aim to skype to windows messenger, I'd have to say that I'd much rather talk to them in person. However, if IM was taken away from me I would make do with other resources such as email and phone. I would miss the quick contact and the ability to know what several people are doing at once. I would also miss the quick file sharing that is an added bonus to IM. Hopefully, this never has to happen!

Media Checklist

So my first blog entry is going to be a little boring, but I'm starting this for class, so here goes. Hopefully this will be something that I can carry into later years to keep family and friends updated, but we shall see!

1. I use the phone pretty much every day, mostly to call family
2. I listened to a public speaker at the Fall Colloquium for Kappa Delta Pi
3. I use IM every day and talk mostly to Roxy, my friend from the UK, and my mom so I don't have to call.
4. I use email every day to check updates for classes and communicate with family and friends.
5. I paid for music about two weeks ago on iTunes.
6. The most recent thing I watched on TV was right now when Liz, my roommate put on Full House.
7. The last time I recorded a television program was last night when I couldn't watch Grey's because of a meeting.
8. I watched We Are Marshall at the theater about a week and a half ago, and Step Up on DVD two days ago.
9. Titan Radio- because it's on the radio in our bathroom.
10. The Memory Keepers' Daughter was the most recent book I read for me because I was told it was good!
11. The last newspaper I read was the Beaver County Times, about a week and a half ago, because our family has a subscription.
12. I don't really pay for magazines, I read them if someone else buys them: aka my family's subscription to TV Guide.
13. I wrote and sent a letter last week to a friend in England.
14. I have my bank and credit card sites bookmarked and visit them often to check on my accounts and pay bills.
15. I have a MySpace and Facebook listing, and use them to keep and contact with friends.
16. I don't do a lot of gaming, but if I do, it's probably FreeCell or Spider Solitare