Going Paperless

With the 'going green' trend picking up speed everyday there always seems to be some new way to lessen your impact on our planet. The new media technologies that we have become so used to today (computers, the internet, iphones) have at least had a hand in giving us the opportunity to use less paper. I used to get pages upon pages of bank statements in the mail and when I realized I rarely look at them (I look at the online version) I "went paperless." This function allows us to get the same information we would have anyways and saves us from household clutter and wasting paper. Other ways media tech. has helped us go paperless are evident in the use of online magazines, newspapers, e-mail, and countless others. I especially enjoy not having to print 25 page papers when they can be submitted electronically. Even if you don't necessarily care about wasting paper (which you should) going paperless helps keep you organized. Give it a shot.

Three Cups of Tea

My mother just finished reading the NY Times bestselling book 'Three Cups of Tea.' From what she has told me about the book, it is hard to not get inspired by it. The book reveals the poor conditions in Pakistan and Afghanistan for school aged children, especially girls. The main character of the book (which is a true story) is still working to build proper schools for boys and girls in these countries to offer an alternative to terrorist training camps.

While I haven't read it yet, I was intrigued when my mother shared with me the fact that the back of the book had a page about what to do if the book inspired you. It suggested that readers either go to the books website to purchase copies (so proceeds can support female education in these countries), blog about it to spread the word, and rate the book on amazon.com. I think its amazing how something as far away from modern media technology as a book has transcended the norm and has grown to incorporate the growing social media and internet-dependent society we exist in.

Texting While Driving

Cell phones consume our global society and have an infinite number of benefits. They make it easy to communicate with all of our contacts and have stretching the boundaries of media technology farther than anyone in the time of Alexander Graham Bell could have imagined. Like anything else, with great innovation comes great problems. In my opinion, on of the largest problems cell phones create is a driving distraction. While most people with cell phones can be found guilty of talking while driving, the people that feel they are good enough to drive while texting (with their eyes completely glued to their phone and not the road) are putting other ,people in danger.

The point of text messaging is to deliver messages to people that are not usually considered 'important' enough to make a phone call. If the text message isn't urgent why risk the lives of you, the people in your car, and all of the other people on the road. There are so many things that distract drivers but this media frenzy is another that can be added to the list.

I'm not asking you to pledge to Oprah that you will never text while driving (or you could...)But think about it... what if you killed someone in an accident because you were texting someone something like "yo, whats going on tonight?"

The Virtual Classroom

When I tell people that I go school two days a week they assume I’m part-time. I happen to be a full time student and just squeeze all of my classes in two days so that I can continue to work on the other days. When people inquire about how I am able to do this I smile and say –online classes =]. Some people have this thing with online classes; they think I’m enrolled at the University of Phoenix Online or something (an unaccredited school that you basically purchase your “diploma” from). Some people don’t seem to understand that classes on the internet are just as challenging and important as classes that you sit in. I think this can be blamed on the generation gap between me and the people who have these comments. To some the internet is for fun and games, but to me the internet means work! I wonder if this attitude will change someday and people will give you as much “credit” for being a working student who takes online classes as someone who never has experienced an online classes. Online classes are definitely convenient but they are in no way necessarily easier than regular classes because of their nature. An essay is still an essay, a reading is still a reading, and class participation might even happen more often online than in the classroom.

Nothing in the 'fridge, guess I'll have to order take out...

Social Networking media entities like Facebook and Twitter have become so popular that they are beginning to develop their own socially acceptable rules. I was reading a girly magazine the other day and there was an article about common things that people feel the need to post on their FB/Twitter page that clearly break the laws of “we don’t care!” , “join the club,” and “too much information.” I don’t have the article on hand because I read it at the gym but it was pretty funny-and sadly very true. It gave examples of the crimes people commit like posting “There’s nothing in my fridge, settling on PB&J for lunch.” This comment of course breaks the “we don’t care!” law. Then there are other people who complain about something stupid—for lack of a better word: “Up since 5am and have so much work to do!” –“join the club” applies here. And then there are people who tell you things that you never wanted to know. Ever. For instance, why they broke up with their boyfriend, how they are officially done being sick, etc. This article was hilarious because of its content but I really do get annoyed with the minute-by-minute updates people post. I guess that’s the point of these social media sites but when one person posts so much garbage that all you see is their name and everything they’ve done in the past week on your home page-enough is enough!

Commitment Issues

I know that there are many shows on TV right now that people are addicted to. Maybe I'm just picky in terms of choosing a show to follow through its entire season. I don't think I have ever actually watched a show from its pilot episode to its season finale. Many people I talk to and most of my friends are huge fans of a show (ie Grey's, Survivor, 30 Rock)...and I like some of these shows but there is just something in me that doesn't have that TV commitment.

In an attempt to get over my commitment issues, this past week i tried to watch the first episodes of the new shows Parenthood and The Marriage Ref. I was so disappointed with the storyline of the former and the lack of humor and content of the latter that I doubt I'll watch another episode of either of these. Was anyone else disappointed with the pilots of these shows? The advertisements for them seemed funny and enticing but I was left high and dry by the end of viewing them.