Home Might Be Like

Home might be like static resonating in your ear. It might be annoying and give you a headache. It might constantly surround you and be the only thing absorbing your attention. Home might have once been a clear radio station that is now fading in and out. Home may be hard to hear. It might seem like it will never leave you alone and it might make you feel trapped. Home might buzz in your ear until you want to run away and ti might make you feel bothered. It could possibly feel like it's smothering you. Home might make you feel like you've had enough and it might be oddly comforting.

Home Is Not Like

A shattered mirror
Dog poop stuck to the bottom of your shoe
And ice cream cone fallen to the ground
A two-year-old throwing a tantrum
Static resonating in your ears
A monster hiding under your bed


Home is not like a monster hiding under your bed. It won't frighten you when you least expect it. It won't hang you in your dreams and it definitely won't keep you up at night. It won't scare you away from your comfortable bed or threaten your sanity. It's main goal is not to give you a heart attack or leave you in tears. Home will never make you feel like your worst fears are coming true. It won't latch on to your leg and pull you into its dark treacherous abyss. It will never claw and growl at you until you scream bloody murder. Home won't make the hairs on the back of your neck stand up and it definitely won't give you goosebumps. It won't make blood curdling noises at night and it won't make you wet the bed. Home never wants to frighten you.

60 Seconds

Home is like the smell of your clothes just as they come out of the laundry. There's a hint of freshness and it brings warmth to you.

Hypertext and the "Remediation" of Print

This group makes the claim that electronic writing is making old styles of print writing obsolete. They compared this to phones and how old phones don't work as efficiently as newer phones and they don't work as fast either. Ultimately they are saying that electronic writing is more efficient and will eventually make print writing obsolete since it is not up to speed. They also made the strong claim that today we have the "Knook" which can store the same amount of writing as hundreds of books in such a small space. Then they made the claim that our culture is now viewing print writing as "out of style" and primitive to the point where people mock it. Print is being put to death.

Hypertext and the Remediation of Print

The point of this was to argue that electronic writing is simply just more convenient for authors to use instead of written writing or forms of writing such as the typewriter. This group makes this claim by stating that electronic writing allows you to change the structure of your writing to make it look however you want whereas the typewriter forced you to write in a very linear format. Also they stated that electronic writing allows for others to add on to your thoughts and build on them. They used the example of Twitter to explain this. They said that once you place your thoughts on to Twitter anyone has the right to read what you have written and comment on it whether it be positive or negative. They also argued that remediation of print is just a pathway towards our "final destination," or in simpler terms,  media. Hypertext moves barriers.

Main Point of Chapter 2: "Human's Vs. Technology"

The argument of this Prezi was that not only is writing a form of technology but humans are too and if they can't use technology properly they could easily be replaced by it. Technology is replacing the printed book so we must change and adapt in order to use the technology properly.

Are You Afraid Of Writing?

I am not afraid of writing but maybe that's because I don't take it nearly as seriously as Jacques Derrida does. I take my writing seriously of course but never to the point where I would consider myself crazy for anything that I have written. Maybe it's because I try not to second guess my own writing, especially if it's on the spot. When I impulsively write I know that it's an act of my subconscious getting everything off my chest that I normally want to say, and I believe there is nothing wrong with being expressive. Everyone is entitled to their own thoughts and opinions and if it's something I feel the need to say I should not regret it. If I regret anything that I've written that I haven't put much thought and genuineness behind it.

Writing With Technology

Writing is and always has been powerful, but now with the technology advancements we have today it has become even more powerful. Technology links the world in a whole new way. It allows our thoughts and ideas to reach people across the globe. Take Facebook for example. How many people are you friends with on Facebook? And how many of those people do you actually speak to on a daily basis? But with the quick click of a button and a confirmed friend request you are instantly linked to that person. You can find and understand so much more about them through their status updates, wall posts, tagged photos, etc. Technology has take over the world. It's become necessary to our every day lifestyle and without it, we feel we lose touch with reality. But why is this? Why have we allowed technology to hold so much power in our lives? Are we truly controlling technology through the thoughts and ideas that we post? Or is technology controlling us?

Bolter Prezi

Group Prezi: Chapter 2

Old Spice Commercial

Here's the commercial!

This commercial features a man who talks about all the things he's not but he appears as because he uses Old Spice. In the end he wins the girl and they live happily ever after. This means the commercial is trying to tell males to buy their product so they can trick females into liking them, and that will be that.
Throughout the commercial this man speaks about the things it appears he has that he really doesn't that attracts women to him. For example his incredible amount of abs and endless supply of money. Is this trying to say that women are superficial and only want to date guys who are good looking and rich? Not only that but are they also trying to communicate to their male audience that they have to wear this cologne so that it puts on this facade for them and women will instantly be more attracted to them? The commercial is trying to play off the materialistic world that we live in but goes at it the wrong way, by telling people they need to pretend to be someone their not to be matched up with the right person.

A positive glimpse into my writing process

My writing process is not nearly as painful as Chel White's is. White talks about breaking into a cold sweat and wondering if he's going to die. Slightly over dramatic. Writing is fun for me, and not exactly a long and grueling process. I even find it to be a bit relaxing. (For those of you who are reading this and dread writing try not to think I'm crazy. Hear me out.) Personally I love creative writing. It reminds me that I have a voice that people can relate to and I find it calming to be able to express myself through the written word. I don't have to stress over a topic to write about. It just comes naturally as soon as my pen touches the paper. It's like my thoughts go where they need to and I don't have to try to stir the pot first to get them to react. But I'll be honest, not all writing is like skipping through a field of daisies. Let's take essays for example. I hate essays... not necessarily to the point where I think I might drive off a cliff like White suggests, but maybe to the point where I may have to walk away from my writing because my pen and my thoughts just don't want to see eye to eye. Writing essays could possibly be considered a form of torture, though writing them isn't the end of the world. I mean who really wants to deal with a bunch of rules and regulations on how you can and can not write? And honestly, who in their right mind would get enjoyment out of being forced to write about a topic that nearly bores you to tears? If writing only consisted of writing what we want when we want I feel like the world would finally be at peace. Creative writing makes me feel like I'm splashing through a freshly fallen puddle of rain with a smile and a laugh. There's a hint of excitement and freedom when my thoughts and my pen coincide.

Heiniken Commercial Analysis Draft

Heiniken is a very commonly known beer. Their slogan is "Serving the planet" but through their commercial the audience questions if they really serve the planet, or just one specific group of people. The setting of this commercial takes place in a large house during a very populated party. The woman hosting the party is dressed in a very fancy black dress as she leads her friends into her room to show them her walk-in closet. Her three friends immediately begin screaming and showing excitement as they stare in awe at the monstrous closet filled with clothes, shoes, and jewelry -- a woman's perfect world. Within a few minutes the women overhear a group of men in the next room over. It turns out they are equally as excited but instead of screaming over a walk-in closet filled to the brim with expensive clothes they are freaking out over a walk-in fridge filled with Heiniken beer.

What exactly is this saying about the value of the beer? If they're comparing a fridge full of Heiniken to a closet filled with expensive and luxurious clothing can anyone afford this beer? It seems that there is an underlying message that this beer is highly priced and not everyone can afford it. Which then leads the audience to wonder does Heiniken really serve the planet? Or just the people who are rich enough to afford it?

Heiniken Commercial Questions

1. What is this saying about the value of the beer?
2. What audience are they targeting?
3. Why does it take place at a party?
4. What emotions are they trying to get you to feel?
5. Why don't the girls have the same reaction to the beer? Are they trying to say the beer is just for me and the women won't enjoy it?
6. What is the lifestyle they're promoting?
7. Why do they each have three friends?
8. Why is the party so dark?
9. Why is the bedroom empty?
10. Why is the only speaker German?
11. Why are only attractive people shown?
12. Why is everyone wearing dark clothing?

AT&T Commercial Questions

1. Why did they choose the music they did?
2. Why use a fairytale?
3. Why use children?
4. What is this trying to say to children?
5. Why do the bread crumbs keep getting misplaced?
6. Why is the change of daylight so drastic?
7. How did they get into the city in the first place?
8. Why do the only words in the commercial occur at the end?
9. Who is the target audience?

AT&T Hansel and Gretel Commercial Analysis Draft

The AT&T Commercial

This AT&T commercial shows the audience how they're life would be with their new GPS. They use the story behind Hansel and Gretel to intensify and over-dramatize their point. The way that the children walk throughout the commercial symbolizes how the audiences life would be changed with the new AT&T GPS.
In the beginning of the commercial  the children are wandering lost throughout a big city. Their pace is slow and they're lonely, unsure, and scared. This is parallel to their lives without the AT&T GPS. They have no idea where they're going and they're so unsure of themselves. At the end of the commercial though they begin to skip. This is because they have used the GPS and they become happy. The commercial is trying to tell the audience that if you buy they're GPS you will always be sure and confident of where you're going, so much so that you will skip away with joy.

Pantene Commercial Analysis

The Pantene Commercial

This Thai Pantene Commercial depicts the story of how a deaf girl's determination is brought down by others around her as she tries to play the violin. Throughout the commercial the girl struggles with bullying and negativity as she pushes herself to learn to play the violin.  The violin symbolizes her determination to learn to play.
During the entire commercial the violin plays in the background as she continues to push herself to play. Suddenly a group of boys who are bullying her break her violin and the music stops and all that is heard are the harsh tones of the piano. The girl's determination like her violin is broken. She knows though that she must not give up. So as she pieces her violin back together she pieces her determination back together as well and by the end of the commercial she has taught herself how to play the violin. She plays in a concert in front of a crowd who applaud her with a standing ovation when she's done. Though the violin like her determination has scratch marks and signs of damage she manages to play it in the end. The commercial teaches you that if someone tries to break you down all you have to do is piece yourself together and push through and you can shine, just like if you buy Pantene.

Focused Free Write 9/12

John Trimble makes the case that all writers are like warriors, defending claims and fortifying arguments. How do you respond to this trope, this figurative turn?

I don't necessarily agree with Trimble's statement that all writers are like warriors, defending claims and fortifying arguments. Using the term "all," is just too general and every writer is different. Some writers write exactly as Trimble states and stick to their guns the entire way through their writing, never backing down from their claims and arguments no matter what, but other writers are different. Some writers aren't always necessarily defensive. Some writers use more simple and poetic terms to explain themselves which deviates away from a warrior like stance. Some writers like to accommodate to their readers and deliver their message in a more and calm and lovely manner unlike warriors. Warriors show no mercy. Ever. Though warriors and writers both hold a lot of power: the warrior with his sword, and the writer with his pen it all depends on how they each use that power. Warriors use their swords all the same but each writer has their own signature tone and sometimes they just aren't nearly as similar to warriors as Trimble believes.

My First Free Write

So here I am at Hofstra and I am blogging.  Writing online makes me feel differently depending on the situation and the social network I'm writing on. If I write anonymously on a blog I feel free. I feel as though I have a voice that people listen to without actually judging me first. But when I write on networks like Facebook or other networks where people know me by name I feel as though my creativity is limited. There is always that fear of being judged by your peers, so sometimes people, and I know this goes for me as well, conform their thoughts to fit others standards so that they don't get picked on. What's crazy though is that other people do it too. It seems as though everyone has at least a tiny bit of a fear of being judged so they hold back from being who they truly are. But what's also crazy is that everyone judges everyone else whether they realize that they do it or not. When making friends you try to find people you have things in common with, so you may prejudge people by the way they dress, talk, or act before deciding to become friends with them. It's natural for people to subconsciously judge others, but if we could somehow eliminate the fear of being judge and just come to terms with the fact that it will always happen then maybe we could learn to let go and be who we want to be. It's cliche but there really is nothing better than being yourself. Throughout your teenage years especially you will hear people say that, but it's true. If you don't stay true to who you are you may begin to conform to society's standards and lose yourself in the process. Nothing is worse than feeling like you don't know who you are or how you fit into the world. No one wants to be a clone of anyone, and everyone wants to be different, but you can't be different if you're too focused on how everyone perceives you. Now I'm not saying that I never fear being judged by others because that's just completely silly. I do care what others think of me every now and then but I do try not to let it bother me. If I'm having fun, and being myself, and there are people who love me in the process then I think that's all that should matter. There will always be people who won't like you, and you can't change that, so why worry about it? The only person's opinion of you who should matter is you. You will always come to find that there are more people who like you than who don't. So don't be afraid to be yourself ever. Never lose touch of who you genuinely are. Don't be afraid to dance in front of your mirror in your underwear while singing into a hairbrush. Everyone does weird things when they think no one's watching, but that's who they truly are. Never lose that.