doctoral candidate in rhetoric and scientific and technical communication
video
graphic design tools
0In the world of graphic design, nothing can beat Microsoft Paint. Hah, you say? Really? This is the best tool ever made. Forget Illustrator, Photoshop, and InDesign. MS Paint is IT.
It says so right here.
This made me laugh so hard that I just had to share it. I love how the actors pull it off and have such serious demeanors. Or…maybe they really believe it. Heh heh.
ugh…cute
0I don’t typically go for the kitty is cute kinds of things. Cats are ok. Don’t get me wrong. I’m just not a big cat person and I would choose a dog over a cat anytime (and not a froo-froo dog, either…has to be medium to large-ish).
This, however, is cute. I know. Cute. On a Monday morning. Ugh. But really. It is.
Cute, that is, until the cat goes for the JUGULAR. Sheesh.
found via cute overload
write me a letter
04 years ago
Remember, back in the day, when we used to put pen to paper and write lovely, heart-wrenching personal letters to our loved ones? We would catch them up on what has been happening since the last letter and let them know how we were doing. We might ask a few questions to encourage them to write back. I know, I know. Some of us still write snail mail but it seems to be a fashion that is quickly going with the horse-drawn carriages — a relic of days gone by.
The thing about the letters, at least my letters, is that I took care to write them. I was careful with the wording. I wanted to get it right. I wanted to make sure that my message was clear and that the person on the other end (my audience, if you will) was able to understand what that message was (typically: I love you. I miss you. Please write me back.).
I was careful with the wording. This is key. Words are power. How we use them, what context we frame them in, and how we present them are all elements of style that can either convey or convolute a message.
In today’s world of email, IM’ing, Twitter, Pownce, Facebook, MySpace, and more, we are shooting words all over the place without understanding their velocity, power, or impact. We need to do that more.
AgentXPQ takes that into account when he writes a “getting to know you” email.
Words are key. How we use them determines how others view us.
is this *really* ok?
0You don’t have to understand the language in order to get the drift of this video (someone does translate it roughly on YouTube but I’m not going to post that here in case it’s not correct).
I’m wondering, though — is it just me or is this EXTREMELY creepy? It was like a kick in the stomach while watching it.
Why is it still ok to treat women with such disrespect? Why is it ok to use that disrespect to sell goods?
How long will the struggle go on until we are treated with the same respect and consideration that men require (and deserve)?
These kinds of things wear me out. Really.
making me happy
0These days, when things are a bit crazy and life seems to be rushing by, it’s not always easy to remember to be happy — or to even feel happy. I’ve been incredibly stressed about my thesis. I don’t feel like I do it right, or that I’m doing justice to the information, or that it’s information that people will find worthwhile. I’ve been stressed about my GRE (which I didn’t do well on even though I studied like crazy and I’m upset with myself because of that). And I’m so worried that I won’t get into a PhD program. And I don’t know what I’ll do with my life if I don’t.
I don’t want to be a failure anymore and for me, that would be a failure. I’ve been one far too many times. I can’t seem to get it together enough to make my life a success and I feel like this is my one chance to do that…to do something right for myself. So I’m scared and worried and stressed most of the time these days.
But there are moments when I’m so happy.
This weekend, I spent some time with my niece. We’re driving down the road, singing to the radio together. We’re having fun. And laughing. And smiling.
This song makes me happy. It’s one that Willow and I sing together. It’s a sweet song. And I can imagine it – being close to someone, feeling it in my toes, crinkling my nose – I can imagine it. It makes me smile. Yeah, it’s a little pop-y and yeah, it will probably hurt my Indie cred (hah!), but I don’t care. It makes me happy when I hear it. So here it is…and maybe it will make you smile, too.
Artist: Colbie Caillat
Title: BubblyV1: I’ve been awake for a while now
you’ve got me feeling like a child now
cause every time I see your bubbly face
I get the tinglies in a silly placeC: It starts in my toes
and I crinkle my nose
where ever it goes I always know
that you make me smile
please stay for a while now
just take your time
where ever you goV2: The rain is falling on my window pane
but we are hiding in a safer place
under the covers staying dry and warm
you give me feelings that I adoreC: It starts in my toes
makes me crinkle my nose
where ever it goes
I always know
that you make me smile
please stay for a while now
just take your time
where ever you goB: What am I gonna say
when you make me feel this way
I just……..mmmmmmmmmmmC: It starts in my toes
makes me crinkle my nose
where ever it goes
I always know
that you make me smile
please stay for a while now
just take your time
where ever you go
V3: I’ve been asleep for a while now
You tucked me in just like a child now
Cause every time you hold me in your arms
I’m comfortable enough to feel your warmthC: It starts in my soul
And I lose all control
When you kiss my nose
The feeling shows
Cause you make me smile
Baby just take your time
Holding me tightWhere ever, where ever, where ever you go
Where ever, where ever, where ever you go…..
viral
0I hate to perpetuate viral videos except that some of them are worth promoting. The Digital Ethnography Group at Kansas State University regularly put out videos that make us think, ponder this social networking we do, and look at what we’re doing in a new way. It’s no surprise that this newest video makes us think about what we’re doing.
I saw it the first day it came out (a few weeks ago) and put it in my YouTubes favorites to think about and hold until I was ready to talk about it.
Having been a student for the past (*cough*) few years and an instructor this semester, I can say that many of these things are true — but not all of them and not for all students. What I think is important about this video is that it may make us look at education a little differently.
Lecturing from the front of a room doesn’t work. It hasn’t ever worked for all students. They aren’t engaged, their brains aren’t being challenged. Hearing a voice droning on and on about topics that most students won’t find interesting is a waste of the students’ and instructor’s time.
Instead, instructor’s should be out talking to the students, working with them, understanding how the topic will work within their interests and how they can build on the things they know to incorporate what can be learned in this course. If students are bringing laptops, iPods, ultra-mobile PCs, and cell phones to class, how can those tools be used to incorporate learning? What can we share with our students about sites like Facebook and MySpace to encourage them to use those sites responsibly (and this is a topic I’ll come back to later since it is my call to arms statement in my thesis)?
Where can we facillitate learning and not just give directed instructions? I think that we, as instructors, learn just as much when we open a classroom up and promote conversation than when we stand in front of a classroom and lecture. That type of instruction isn’t any fun for anyone.
onslaught
0This is the best Dove commercial yet.As I wrote to my brother, this little girl reminds me of my niece, Willow; not only because she’s a redhead but because I have wondered what she sees every day.
It makes me want to be a better woman so she has one more woman (besides her mom) who she can see as strong, independent, and not willing to compromise my beliefs to fit in with what society deems is appropriate (and what may go against my own ideals).