Money… March 27, 2007

So I just logged onto my bank account and I have decided that I friggen hate money.  No, on second thought I hate how expensive everything is.  I wish that when you walked into a store that you could barter like you could in the old days. For example, “I will give you a toaster and this sweater for those jeans”.  How awesome would that be?  You could get rid of all of your old shit and get some better new shit in return… what a system.

Considering how I hate money and how expensive EVERYTHING is these days, I also came to the conclusion that I hate the advertising portion of the mass media.  If they didn’t advertise everything then I wouldn’t be so tempted to buy everything.  Some would say this comes down to self-restraint and needs vs. wants and all that shit, but I think it is all about living because when you think about it you only live once.

Take for instance the cost of a Thursday for me to go back to Calgary.  I begin my day with a nice bowl of Shreddies (I love Shreddies).  Then I get a tea at Starbucks on my way to school (that is a want, but ohhh soo good!) which comes to $2.28.  Once I have actually arrived at school I go to class at 10:50.  Then I buy my lunch which is normally about 5 or 6 dollars. Then after I eat lunch I go to my other classes and then eventually school is done.  On my way out of Lethbridge I have to fill up my gas tank…$30.00, check the oil- if that is in need then its about another $6.00 to buy some.  Then I normally have to get some dinner for the road; this can be a cost of anywhere from $5.00- $7.50.  So as you can see to just get through a Thursday going back home can hit the wallet quite hard.

All in all I just think that money and the way that every single product is advertised these days sucks.  Inflation is so friggen high that I can’t even afford to buy half the stuff I need (textbooks for example).  Did you know that it is cheaper to eat at Tim Hortons for dinner then to buy a chicken from Safeway…that sucks!  But again I guess such is life as a student.

I guess I should be giving props to the advertising companies though because they do make everything look so good and appealing!  Especially that Tim Horton’s chicken noodle soup… which I strongly reccomend to everybody!

On a closing note we were talking about in class what a split-infinitive is and how we needed to define it in our blogs.  Well to enlighten everyone, according to answers.com a split infinitive is an infinitive verb with an element, usually an adverb, interposed between to and the verb form, as in “To boldly go”.  This rule is acceptable but not preferable because it is not always viewed as grammatically correct or viewed as a good style of writing!

Now come on, who would not want to eat this:

Oh Computer Games… March 26, 2007

Ok, so I think that the article “Computer Game Criticism: A Method for Computer Game Analysis” is far far far too in depth.  Judging from the first class we had when we had to get into groups of what we liked most, the video game group was “lacking” some people.

I think that computer games are way to complex and hard to understand.  That is probably the main reason that I do not play video games.  For example, in the article it talks about all the different layers that you need to go through to really understand computer games better. Wow, this is not something that in my opinion, consumers really care about.  I think that people want to play the game, understand it right away, and have some fun.  How frustrating is it to buy some new form of technology and have to spend 3 hard-core, in depth hours reading the manual to try and understand the god dam thing.  Kinda takes all the fun out of it.  That is why I like Guitar Hero.  You press the color buttons on the guitar when they show up on the screen… not hard.

The article starts out with Layer 1: The Hardware.  This layer consists of wires, hardware, components, signals etc… Wow, I am already confused and uninterested.  I don’t get why there need to be so many layers.  Then there is Layer 2: Program Code.  This layer is all about the code…. Ok now by this point I am so lost I don’t care anymore.  Layer 2 is also frustrating when you are setting up a new game because there are always those friggen codes that you need to put in to even start the game.  I always hate that part of new things… just give me the game set-up! hahaha I don’t want to feel like I am in school and have to read the instructions for 3 hours like I am studying for a test.

This is my point, I think that people really need to simplify things.  Computer games are like when a doctor talks to you in their “language”.  I think everything should be done is simple terms… let’s make life a little bit easier. 

Now throughout the article it goes on to all the different layers there are to the computer game.  When I got to Layer 5: Meaning, I was kinda scared.  It is easy to just read something and not understand it, or do something and not really grasp it, so this section was rather intimidating for me.  It talked about semantics which is the studying of sings and the meanings that they have.  I guess with all the codes and wires etc… that are required for a game it makes these “semantics” easier, but in society I think that certain signs and the meanings they hold are very subjective and depend on the person.

All in all, I still think computer games and video games are too in depth and take to much effort to really understand them in order to get the “full experience”! I am just too lazy, I would rather just turn on the TV and watch a show and not have to think… AWESOME!

Wednesday’s Class… March 26, 2007

Wow.  Why is the media so friggen influential?  I know I always say this, but I never really thought about how the media really does contribute to an individuals self image.  I guess I do compare myself to the media and all the girls etc… that are on the television/internet etc… and how they dress.  I thought it was really interesting to be able to hear a lecture that was basically about girls insecurities and how they fix them.

Now I am not going to lie, I am not the biggest chested person. But to be perfectly honest with you all, I can’t see myself going under the knife to get boob implants (I am not the biggest fan of pain/needles etc… though haha).  I couldn’t believe what I was hearing when the lecturer was telling everybody that when a girl decided to get hers done she was told to go through magazines and “pick which ones she liked best”.  Like how impersonal is that.  For many people this is a life changing surgery and to treat it so non-chalant is atrocious to me.

I thought it was kinda weird how some girls got the surgery because they wanted their boobs to look like they were in a push-up bra 24/7… I guess it’s understandable, but can’t say I’d want my boobs at my chin all day long.

It made perfect sense when it was said that girls like getting comments about their boobs after their breast surgery. I think that it is much more broad then that though because I think girls like getting compliments about anything.  Girls in my opinion are very very insecure and a compliment about anything makes them feel better about themselves (not to say that guys don’t want/need compliments either I just think it is more dominant in girls).

It sucks that society today is all about how girls are comparing themselves and always trying to be better.  I know that will probably never change now because no one settles anymore; people always want something better (perhaps that is why divorce is the way it is?)

I know the media is sweet and all, but after this class I kinda think it sucks.  I hate when i’m having an ugly day, and I think that the media makes people feel that way all the time.  People are always comparing themselves to the next broad or guy next to them.  That sucks!

Now to get to the thing that really pissed me off: “Today, real naked women are just bad porn”- Naomi Wolf.  Who is this broad? Like seriously?  I know a lot of guys who don’t like the balloon sized boobs etc… I think natural is fantastic.  Like why does this person think that people are only good looking if they are plastic? To be perfectly honest, I don’t think Barbie is that sweet looking and Ken is kinda ugly.

Well enough of my rant.  I will add in however that when it was stated that the pussy-cat dolls were viewed as role models and how that contributes to a “pornoized culture” I was kinda choked.  Like I get that they may not dress very appropriate all the time but who gets the right to define appropriate?  What is appropriate? I don’t think young girls are ever going to be looking up to politicians etc. as a role model because they aren’t fun.  Isn’t that what being young is about? I’m not saying go and dress like a slut or anything, but I think that there are reasons why artists are idolized and I don’t think that decision is solely based on their attire.

Why does everyone care so much??? March 20, 2007

For starters, honkeydoree…

I find that when I read the articles for the upcoming class, I am very angered.  When I read the article “Should gay people seek to cultivate representations of a unified gay identity in the media, or is this counterproductive?” I was rather distraught.

I don’t know why people can’t just let people be.  If someone wants to be gay, let them be gay… if someone wants to die their hair purple or pierce their tongue… let them.  I don’t know why some people feel the need to try and control/ brainwash others with their thoughts and ideas… half the time NO ONE CARES.

The article talks about how sexual acts and roles contribute to what makes homosexual human beings a culture. The article talks about how gay men are coming up with new things for their sexual activities. First off- gay couples I’m sure are not the only people who are finding new and exciting shit to do in the sheets, Second of all- who gives a shit? If someone wants to be kinky and get down and dirty… let them!

The part of the article that I really enjoyed was stated by Larry Gross.  Gross says “the media portrays gay people as “weak and silly, or evil and corrupt”… Gross worries about this because of the major role that mass communication has in our society.  I completely agree with this because I think that people act the way they do because that is how they see others.  No one wants to be the odd one out, or the black sheep if you will- especially when you are younger.  Growing up in junior high and high school all anyone wants to do is fit in.  If teenagers view on television and movies etc. that being gay is only associated with certain characteristics then children are likely to target others who hold these characteristics.  I think the media plays a large part in the stereotyping of an entire culture and it is despicable.  The world would not be what it is today if it were not for diversity.

I will give the media props however for starting to show more and more diverse sets of people on their shows etc… Will and Grace for example was a prime-time hit! I loved that show.  I think that when people view shows like this it shows that these “weak or evil” stereotypes are just formalized and really contain no substance.

The stereotypes that are surrounding the gay community is astonishing.  Clothing, apperance, actions are all things that people attribute differently to a homosexual person.  Why can’t people just let people be? 

Gross really hits home later on in the article when he says “…the reason minorities are afflicted with negative stereotyping…is because they aren’t represented enough and have too little control over the means of production”.  This is sooo true in my opinion.  If the majority rules for the majority then there really is no one left to represent the minority because lets face it, the majority is heterosexual.  Homosexuals are faced with discrimination all the time, most of the time it is hidden which sometimes makes it even worse (for example- female police officers- my friend has to hide her sexuality).  This discrimination prevents gays and lesbians from being able to get a position of power to make positive changes for their culture.  It is a never ending vicious cycle.

Monday Night Television March 19, 2007

I am in love with Monday nights.  There is so much television I don’t know what to do with myself; I will never be able to take a Monday night class because I am too busy (it was hard enough to give up Wednesday’s- One Tree Hill, America’s next top model and American Idol…i’m still choked).

The night starts off with “Everybody Loves Raymond” at 5:00 and I watch that until 6:00.  Now it is at this time that I eat dinner, possibly read a few pages of assigned readings if i’m feeling up to it, but whose to say really.  Then at around 7:00 I call this my “flip-through randomly” time.  This is when I watch whatever is on that night and just relax and enjoy myself.  The party however doesn’t really start until 8:00.  At 8:00 I watch “Dance Life” on MTV and then at 8:30 is “The Hills” and then at 9:00-10:00 is “Prison Break”.  I do not even answer the phone during these 2 hours.  They are AWESOME!!!  I mean how much more action packed of an evening can one endure?

My roomie and I sit in her bed, with a shit load of food and just watch T.V.  We talk to each other during commercials, but never while the show is on… it’s a rule in our house.  I really enjoy the 8-9 time we share because I love MTV.  It’s an attempt at reality TV, but i’m not gonna lie it hooks me every time.  On the weekend for example, we flipped to the good ol’ channel 80 and there was a new show on called “engaged and under age” this show was amazing. hahaha it was so hilarious.  I’m gonna have to make time for that one too.  And “Two-a-days”… wow, I’m speechless.

Then when 9:00 roles around I am psyched for “Prison Break”.  But let me tell you, I am exhausted by 10 because I was so stressed out during the previous hour that I need to hit the sheets.  All in all, Monday nights are awesome!

Talk to you guys later!!!

Here is a clip of stuff from Prison Break season 1:

Advertising… March 19, 2007

OK, so I am not too sharp and I bunged up all my readings, so here is my advertising blog!  I read the article “All Of Your Insecurities Wrapped Up In A Thirty Second Spot” by Abby Friedrich, and I thought that it was completely true.  The picture that was inserted into the article that says “Women will look at a picture of a nude woman longer then a man will” is dead on.   If i’m looking at a nude picture of a broad, I am always comparing that picture to myself.

All you hear nowadays from girls is how they want to be skinny or how they want to look a certain way which is ALWAYS different from how they look.  I don’t think there are many girls who are completely satisfied with the body they have.  Girls and guys see media advertisements and models etc. and they want to look like that.  Models may not always be viewed as the sharpest people (stereotypical I know), but more often then not, that is what girls/guys today are looking at and thinking to themselves that if they don’t look like that then there is something wrong with them.  This angers me to my core. 

I think I talked about this in an earlier blog, but I saw a presentation on how people in one of my university classes thought the ideal woman should look like.  By the time this was done, the broad looked like an idiot. I wish everyone could have seen this because it really makes you feel better about yourself in a way. 

When I go to Safeway I see girls who are about 14 years old and 90 pounds checking out fat labels and saying they shouldn’t be eating that because there is a school dance or something like that coming up and they want to look good… considering how the world is starting to become very obese, I think young girls and boys are more concerned with looks today then ever.  This sucks because it makes people think about how they don’t like themselves or how they should change something.

I really enjoyed how Friedrich touched on all of this.  She basically says that people who see models modelling some form of clothing expect that it should look like that on them, and if it doesn’t then they are too fat… this is soooo true.  Seriously though, I can not even begin to explain to you how many times I have seen a piece of clothing I wanted modelled on television, I go to the store to try it on and when I’m looking at myself in the mirror I’m like “holy shit, I look horrendous in this” … like it happens all the time! Not everyone can look like a friggen board…

Another thing that angers me to the core is how men are portrayed… Women more then likely are cast in some way, shape, or form sexually.  Men on the other hand in advertising (in my opinion) are more then likely portrayed as masculine, can’t mess with me, my muscles are bigger then yours type of role.  I think advertising companies really play heavily on this because out of the people I know, girls want a guy with some muscles etc…

So I guess that even though advertising companies are shallow, and really emphasize characteristics that normal people don’t have, they do advertise this way because that is what the normal person wants… I hope this makes sense…

The thing that makes me the most happiest is the new dove soap advertisements on tv.  I think that the ad really shows how people really are.

Society and Video Games… March 16, 2007

To be completely honest with you guys, when I saw that we had to do this weeks blog’s on video games I was chhhokedddd. Haha, as I said before in one of the first blogs I did, I am not a big fan of video games (minus of course Guitar Hero).  So when I started reading the article “The Soprano’s Meets EverQuest Social Networking In Massively Multiplayer Online Games” By Mikael Jakobsson I was more intrigued that I thought I would be!

I came to realize that a video game is not always an individual playing a monster like character that shoots green shit at other monsters; I came to understand that video games and the characters that you create in the game are the main deciding factor for their “status” in the community.  This struck me as very ironic because that seems to be how society is today as well.  For example, you watch all the “mass media” (television, internet, movies etc…) and people come to associate that to attain a certain “status” in our society today, there are certain factors and expectations that one must live up to.

This may seem strange, but this works especially when you go into a different society, or in this case a different virtual community then the one you are from.  If you don’t know the etiquette of that particular society, you are given a certain stigma that may or may not stay with you all the time.  This is very interesting to me because it seems that the “real world” we live in and all the expectations that are here, carry on into the virtual world of video games.  The mass media seems to be getting to EVERYTHING for how people and the things they do SHOULD be done. Haha I hope this makes sense… whose to say! haha.

The article also talked about how you have to be careful when you are going to invite other virtual gamers into your community; their reputation and connections should be examined before hand.  This is actually mind boggling to me because that is sooo much like society today.  Like a work place for example; the employees hired are the representatives of the company.  CEO’s and managers etc… will not hire people who will contribute to giving their company a bad reputation.  No one wants to be associated with someone who has a bad reputation because in our world people may or may not think the same of you! This is crazy how in video games there are so many social factors that you have to watch for to protect your own identity and self-concept.

The mass media seems to be taking over everything; more so then I had originally thought. It least with Guitar Hero all you have to do is play the music notes, but again I guess that if someone looks at the score card and sees that you absolutely blow at the game, it won’t exactly make that person call you to be on their team!   No matter where you go you are judged on invisible characteristics and status’.  Oh my… It seems to be that the more and more things that the media advertises, the more and more repercussions there are on the people within that society.

To end on a sweeter note (haha no pun intended) here is my brother’s guitar that I use to play Guitar Hero (and just to let you all know, I don’t have the worst score! hahaha):

Society is how it is… March 13, 2007

The article “The Portrayal of Women on Television”, in my opinion, has brought up some interesting points.  The article talks about “sex role stereotyping”in reference to women versus men.  Sex role stereotyping is defined in the article as women who are stay at home moms, or women who are the primary care giver to the children, and the role that family plays in their life.  The article states that about 75% of men work, where only 50% of women do.  I do not find this problematic because in most cases I think that this is true.  I am not saying that women don’t have the same rights and all that shit, all i’m saying is that women are possibly still portrayed in this role because that is still dominant in today’s society.  Yes, women are going into the work force in greater numbers and becoming equals to men everywhere, yet they are still viewed as the dominant care giver in the family. I think that is why television portrays many women in the “care giver” way; no matter how many women are going into the work place, there are still more women then men who stay at home to care for the house and the children.

Now this statementmay have slightly pissed some people off.  I’m sorry… I do acknowledge that society has changed in a positive way toward women (yahooo!!!), but the fact still remains the same in the eyes of society (in my opinion): women are put into these roles on television because that is how they are still viewed in society today.  Perhaps if something happened and men started to become the main sex to stay at home and clean the house and care for the children then this view would change.  This is interesting also because is it a known fact that no matter what people do, males still get a higher pay check then females do for the same job… so I purpose this: if your family is struggling and you or your husband (or significant other…) have to work, would it not make more sense for him to go considering how chances are he will make more money then you???

Now I understand I may sound like an anti-feminist, but i’m really just viewing this article as it stands in my opinion.  I don’t think that women should always be the ones to stay at home etc, etc… I’m all for equality.  I do think however, which brings me back to my main point, that women are portrayed this way because that is what is still dominant.

Many television shows portray women as caregivers, yet many shows do cast women as equals.  Friends for example had an even cast: 3 males and 3 females, Everybody Loves Raymond has a pretty equal cast of air time between males and females. Nonetheless in my opinion, in more shows then not, women are cast in roles that have them as the more sensitive, background characters.

Here is a clip from “Everybody Loves Raymond”:

Friends is the Ultimate Prime time Television Show… March 11, 2007

In doing this weeks readings, there were so many I did not know which one to choose.  When I scanned the list I came across the article that was on the “Friends” sitcom that was based on Joey and Chandler’s friendship.

I think parts in this article are atrociously written.  There is a section in the article that discusses how Chandler in a sense is ”anti-gay” because of a bracelet that was given to him from Joey. The quote in the article reads as follows: “Having received the bracelet, Chandler reacted in a way that simulated gay camp from a hysterical heterosexual standpoint, labelling it a ‘woman repeller’”.  Just because Chandler did not like the bracelet that Joey gave to him does not mean he is feeling like he is in a homosexual relationship with Joey, or that Joey in any way, shape, or form is trying to tell him something.

I think people are reading way to much into things on television these days.  There are so many critics out there who just want to be “heard” that they are picking apart situations and applying certain stigmas to them that really do not work.  For instance, I was a dedicated “Friends” fan right up to when the last episode aired; never in the 9 or 10 seasons “Friends” was on did I think that Chandler or Joey were homophobic or were gay themselves.  People have too much time on their hands.  Why can’t people just leave things as they are?

Joey and Chandler had one of the best on screen friendships I have ever witnessed.  I enjoyed watching them so much that I wanted to be their friend in real life (I still do!).  Joey is like the little kid and Chandler is like the dad who takes care of him.  There is no sexual chemistry between the two of them; especially not because Chandler did not know how to accept an ugly bracelet that was given to him as a present.  I would like to throw this out there: has anyone ever been given a gift that they don’t like but feel obligated to wear?  Oh wow, this has happened to me so many times and I acted the exact same way that Chandler did, I wore it because I had too, but I hated every second of it.  That is just what you do to save face.

Society today is so focused on the media and everything that surrounds it (internet, cell phones, TV, movies, etc…) that, in my opinion, no one ever just sits back and enjoys the show you might say. People are bombarded with all this bull shit information that a hug between males on a television show means they are gay… seriously why can’t people just let shit be? 

In conclusion, I think that Joey and Chandler had a phenomenal relationship that always put a smile on my face when I watched the show.  I remember the one episode where Chandler cheated with Joey’s girlfriend and Joey made Chandler sit in a box sealed up for hours.  That was an awesome episode, I highly recommend it!

Until later…

Here is a clip from “Friends”:

Singers becoming Actors… March 9, 2007

I would like to put this out there… does anyone know of a singer who has decided to act that actually has talent in the last decade?  When I think about singers who have attempted to join the acting world, I think of singers like Mariah Carey and her epic movie “Glitter” or there is Brittney Spears and that must see flick (completely kidding) “Crossroads”. 

Whitney Houston may be the only singer I can think of that was decent in a movie, but then again the “Bodyguard” was filmed a long time ago and had a fantastic cast including Kevin Costner.  Mandy Moore however, is a B rated singer, and her flicks are not much better then that in my opinion (minus “Because I said So”). 

So back to my main question, are there any good singers who can break into the acting world with a decent flick in today’s society?  In my opinion I don’t think that there is.  When I hear of singers making deals to make movies I always say to myself “I won’t be seeing that movie”.  Stereotypical, yes.  But then again, if I am going to be paying $12.00 for 2 hours of entertainment it has to be good (not including the cost of candy and of course that $3.00 bottle of water).

So in conclusion, I just thought I would post my thought and see if anyone has anything to say about it!  Talk to you all later!!!

If you haven’t seen this movie (Glitter), I do not suggest it. Here is the trailor: