Status Updates

A lot of the time status updates are boring, mundane, trivial, complaints. However, there are those odd times when they’re done just right. Now I might be biased, but I’d like to think that I sometimes have some good stuff. Anyway, here’s a compilation of some of my best;

“To the drug dealer in my house; one of your clients came looking for the goods. They weren’t sure where you lived, nor was I since I have no idea who you are (ooh it’s like clue- who sells the stuff, in what room, in what form), so they got nervous and left. I was told to forward this message. That is all.”

This happened. Honestly. I was alone in the house, and probably shouldn’t have answered the door, and in walks this very nervous little man. He was fidgety and his beady little eyes were darting everywhere at a ridiculous rate. He then whispered, “Do you have the ma*shhhhhhp*”. I didn’t hear what he said, so he repeated it and I heard him properly and laughed. I assured him I had no idea who sold the stuff, and then his hopes fell but he continued to stand in my hallway for what seemed like an eternity.

Chow (my name): “is fully aware that she is androgynous-looking and can pass for a boy, but really… she is quite thankful that you enlightened her on this matter!”

I was informed, by someone who I may or may not have been ’seeing’, that I was androgynous looking. Thank you. I like stating the obvious too; you’re an idiot! This same person later told me that I would receive a lot more attention if I dressed like, you know, a girl. Also, this person told me I was not allowed to dress in American Apparel clothing. That’s right, they forbid me from sporting anything AA.

“Dear Middle Aged Lady With Hair On Your Chin, Just because you CAN stand really close to me on the bus and subsequently breathe your vile breath into my face while your hand is strategically placed on my crotch does not mean you HAVE to. There’s a difference. On a side note, I enjoyed our intimate moment. Sincerely, Your Bus Buddy KChow”

I think this one is self-explanatory.

“It’s all fun & games until a spider flies off of my bag and I scream like a girly girl… in class…”

I’m sure you can surmise from the status about my androgyny, that I’m not the most girly of girls, except when it comes to spiders. This spider flew off my bag and started crawling towards me at a terrifying pace and I screamed. In class. Then I started wiggling around in my chair because it was still hurtling towards me like some foul leviathan. I kept hitting the girl beside me who proceeded to give me dirty looks until she saw the spider coming. She then started to squeal. It was a chain reaction. Everyone thought I was insane.

Well, that’s it folks!

I’ve Got A Disease! Social-Awkwarditus

Awkward.

Social Awkwarditus is a socially debilitating disease that affects 1/4 of the world’s population (possibly, probably, more). Common symptoms include sweaty palms, pale face, pained expression, fidgeting, sense of dread, and tongue tied troubles…

Socially awkward, socially inept, socially impaired- you get the gist. These people, by definition have;

A lack of interest in ordinary socially acceptable situations involving groups of unlike-minded people which results in an inability to effectively converse with those same unlike-minded people.

The Socially Impaired have fun on a more personal level. Our enjoyment comes from groups of like-minded people conversing and interacting with eachother in familiar places. The Socially Acceptable often herd to bars and clubs for their fun with mostly strangers.

Socially Impaired Bob stayed at home with his two best friends playing video games, watching movies, drinking beer and eating pizza instead of going to the club with Socially Acceptable Mary. They both had fun, but Mary accused Bob of not knowing how to have fun because what Bob did is not the Socially Acceptable form of fun.

I am one of these poor, unfortunate souls who was born with a very limited ability to socialize. This is not to say I can’t pretend and feign comfort in new social situations, even though I’m experiencing the polar opposite, but it also doesn’t mean I’m enjoying myself. The socially awkward among us, however, aren’t necessarily opposed to or averse to doing ‘normal social’ things, we just have our own unique way of doing them. I often struggle to find some form of common ground with most people, on which we can meet and chat. For example, a girl from one of my classes this semester has one of her interests on Facebook listed as, and I quote, “curling her hair”. In my opinion, there is no way I can hold an entire conversation about curling my hair. So maybe the people labeled as socially awkward are in fact operating on an entirely different level altogether.

When I list my interests, I’m sure I will receive scoffs and giggles, because let’s be honest… I’m a geek. Je suis un raisin, n’est pas Savage? My interests include; reading (graphic novels too), playing guitar, watching TEDtalk on YouTube, making obscure references to political figures/political philosophers, finding a way to relate everything I learn in school to my life,and so on. However, I do also enjoying going out, dancing, drinking, participating in normal social activity. I just happen to have to try 10,000 times harder that everyone else.

Join me next week when we discuss the ever more prevalent disease known as Hideous Corpus; ugliness of the person.

La Roux, La Roux, La Roux is on fire!

This past summer was a bust for me, but through all the dim and grim I managed to find a really great two-act electro pop band from jolly old England. I’m referring of course, to La Roux. The day before my birthday (a milestone of a birthday at that) I was strolling through the streets of Montreal when I heard some kickin’ tunes coming from the nearby Osheaga concert. Of course the sound was somewhat muffled seeing as how I was very far away from the source, but I definitely liked what I heard. Being the music whore that I am, I recognized one of the songs playing and after months of putting off my investigation I decided I would look into a little band called La Roux.

When I returned home I did all that I could to find information on these guys and one could even say I became obsessed (not in a stalker-like way, that would be weird… ahem). Eventually I ended up downloading (legally) the band’s self titled debut album and boy was I blown away. It was like music to my ears. Literally. The whole 80’s revivalist wave really kills it when it’s done right, and let’s just say it; La Roux goes in for the kill and nails it!! Do you like that awesome reference, do you? La Roux reference #6.

Not only is La Roux cranking out sweet tunes, but the front woman Elly Jackson also has an amazing sense of style (at least in my opinion). She knows how to do the 1980’s just right. From the Flock of Seagulls inspired hairdo to the bright, bold patterns she wears, this girl is stylin’.

In my quest for all things La Roux, I came across this blog; which you should definitely check out if you find the music and visuals of the 1980’s appealing like I do. It’s about exactly what it sounds; dancing to La Roux. You should also check out La Roux’s blog here .

So I’ll let you decide for yourself whether or not La Roux’s tunes are as fantastic as I’m touting them to be. I’ll have you know that I’ve seen them live once already and can tell you they are AMAZING, so much so that I’m going to see them again in February. Care to join me? If the 80’s aren’t your thing, I don’t think we can be friends… I mean I have to love the 80’s, I’m a result of that awesome decade!

Roommate Etiquette 101

So you’re done with the days of high school, free from the days of teenage warfare, emancipated from the chains of mundane existence, so what now? For those of you who have decided to pursue a post secondary education, you may be excited by the prospect of sharing a place with a roommate. What better way to get to know someone  you didn’t before, or create an even stronger bond with a preexisting friend than to shack up in a little place of your own?

This was my mindset when I walked out the doors of my high school, wide eyed and optimistic. I marched forward confidently and was ready to conquer the world. And then I met my first roommate, let’s call her K. During my first semester, and a half of the second, I put up with the loveliness that was K. It was amazing, be it the sleepless nights or the awkward confrontations, I took it in fully knowing that this was the life. Sardonic anecdotes aside, I decided it was best to move with another roommate and I at last found my peace. Then Second year rolled around and I lived with the same people I’m living with at the moment. Over these years of living with students, I feel I am able to call myself somewhat of an expert on roommate etiquette. So here’s the 101 on living with students;

1) Make sure your room is used as a brothel, not an actual bedroom; the bigger the better. You want to make sure you have as much traffic flowing in and out as possible. Think Grand Central Station.

2) Always be polite and ensure that you eat as much of your roommates food as possible, you wouldn’t want to let it to spoil after all.

3) Use the toilet and be sure you don’t flush. Especially if its a #2. Remember the rules; “If it’s yellow, let it mellow. If it’s brown, don’t flush it down.”

4) Be sure to invite all of your conformist friends over to the house to have an awesome party. Of course alcohol is a must, and once you’re tipsy enough be sure to start gossiping about your roommate.

5) Ensure that you always have crayons on the ready so that you can scribble beautiful works of art all over the walls.

6) If after showering, excess water pools around the edge of the bathtub don’t fret! Just grab your roomie’s towels and fold it neatly, then place it on the floor so that it can absorb the water.

7) Blast your music (I suggest investing in an expensive set of speakers with a subwoofer of epic proportions) and be sure to play all the classics; from Taylor Swift to Justin Beiber, you’ve got yourself an automatic friend.

Well there you have it. These are some of the cardinal rules you must follow rigorously if you want to create a peaceful household environment. I guarantee you this will win you friends and make you popular. If you don’t find this helps, I will give you your money back guaranteed!

A Sad, Pathetic Moan

It’s been quite some time since I’ve written here, but now, during exam time, and while everything that could possibly go wrong has, I need a release. So here I am.

Have you ever felt completely lost? Like everything you’ve done, everything you’ve worked towards, everything you’ve accomplished has been a complete and utter waste of time? Well, I feel you. I don’t even know where to begin…

This past semester has been so strange. It’s been a constant rush from failure to failure, and I don’t specifically mean in an academic sense, but in nearly every aspect. I’ve done my best to change my pessimist ways and keep positive, and for the most part it has worked. Except for now. I’ve hit a wall, a huge brick wall reinforced by barbed wire and negativity. Ouch! I realize everyone is bogged down with exams and other troubles at the moment and me whining about my woes accomplishes nothing, but I figure if I write here where no one will ever hear my sobbing, it can’t possibly hurt- right?

Anyway, back to the issue at hand… I feel like this semester more than ever, I stepped out of my ’socially awkward’ shell and attempted, key word being attempted, to make new friends and to what end? I don’t feel like I’ve been anything but a bother to the people who I’ve socialized with. I get it, you don’t want to be friends, I’ll stop. To one particular person, who will never read this anyway, I tried very hard to be your friend. I like you. I like you a lot and I understand if you can’t reciprocate these feelings. You confuse me and do nothing but fill me with doubt, tenfold. I’m not even sure quite what I mean by any of that, but I do know that I most certainly irritate you. For this reason I will cease and desist; I might be stubborn but I’m not an idiot, I know when my presence is not wanted. For your information though, I may be laid back and while I do not wholly enjoy ‘feelings’ and ‘emotions’, this does not inherently imply that I’m devoid of them. So I’ll thank you to stop fucking with my mind! Everyone has feelings, regardless of whether or not they embrace them, for to lack emotion is to lack humanity and I for one, am human. I feel like La Roux’s album is pretty reflective of my feelings this semester, albeit a little too upbeat. Take the tempo down a notch or two and you’ve got my life.

In terms of academia, I might as well just resign myself to failure. No. I won’t because I’m staying positive, remember? Okay, so now that I’m positive let’s not discuss this part of life (failures and successes that is). School is what it is. I actually enjoy learning and going to class, but the way in which my knowledge is tested is a little outdated and antiquated in my belief. How does me sitting in front of a computer and typing random blurbs of information on particular topics prove to you that I’m well versed in the subject matter? Similarly, how does me memorizing quotations, passages and theories and then regurgitating them onto a piece of paper in a 3 hour span prove that I’m any more informed on the subject than I was 3 months ago? It doesn’t. I’m not even sure how we should be tested, but I don’t think failing an essay or an exam exactly proves that I’m empty headed; so to the education system, I say good day and good riddance.

On a final, melodramatic note, I will reiterate that I’m not looking for your sympathy or your pity. I’m just writing a sad, pathetic moan to get this stuff off my chest. So if you’re looking for an argument or what have you, I suggest you mosey along and take your aggression elsewhere. Now where the fuck is my magical land filled with butterflies and unicorns and happy dancing flower people where rainbows shoot out of your arse?! Is that too much to ask?

The Times They Are A-Changin’

New Media!

Everyday I wake up, roll out of my comfy bed, and after a few moments of bumbling grogginess I make my way over to my computer desk. Once I’ve sat myself down, I start up my laptop and open iTunes. I’ll choose some music to listen to, and depending on what kind of mood I’m in I’ll listen to peppy or mellow songs, as I get ready for the day. After I’ve made and consumed some delicious breakfast in a gluttonous fashion, I then hit the shower.

After a magical transformation, I become all prettified and I’ll sit down at my computer yet again and sign into MSN and log onto my Hotmail and Facebook accounts. Score! Lots of friends are online, let’s start chatting. Awesome! I’ve got 2, 330, 876 e-mails from Facebook telling me people have written on my wall, poked me, and my friends statuses tell me Lacquisha and Angus have broken up. Rad! I can now see the millions of notifications of things people have done to me on Facebook, that I so needed to hear about through e-mail. Then I’ll reach for my cell phone and see if I have any missed calls or texts. Sweet! Meaghan has texted me to see if I’m going to be in class, since I’m already 45 minutes late. Woops. I then hurry up, I don’t want to disrupt class by walking in too late, so I switch into super-sonic, warp speed (think cheetah). As I’m putting on my coat, scarf and shoes in a hurry I nearly always forget my iPod. How silly, I can’t live without it- my iPod and I are practically symbiotic… except when I forget it… So I put my earbuds in and scroll through the list of artists and finally decide on… Bob Dylan! Ha you thought I was going to say Lady GaGa! With my iPod in my back pocket, my cell phone in my front pocket, and my computer in my bag, I make my way to the bus stop with a smile on my face, feeling fulfilled by all of my electronic gadgets which make up this thing called ‘new media’.

The point of my personal anecdote was to demonstrate how people of today, and more specifically youths, use of new media (I dare you to say that 10x fast). It is part of our every day lives, it surrounds us wherever we go. So what exactly is it, and what can it do for us?

Throughout the semester I have been reading about, using, analyzing and dissecting any form of new media that is readily available. I have learned a lot about new media; so in short, I’ll give you a recap.

BLOGGING:

Blogging gives everyone the opportunity to let their inner thoughts be heard, without the repercussions of being stigmatized for their beliefs. Celebrity blogs are entertaining and a good tool for procrastination, and have also been legitimized through their shift from TV and magazines to the web.

FILE SHARING:

With peer-to-peer file sharing, we can share everything as one collective. The idea of ownership and property is becoming almost inconsequential. In a way, the digital world/digital global village is a Communist playground.

IDENTITY:

Young adults who use the internet can experiment with their identities through the creation of a fake persona or alter egos, at a time when they are first just coming into their own. It has its positives and negatives.

CYBER BULLYING:

A major drawback to youths using the internet, cell phones, and new media in general… People can now be reached whenever, wherever and it makes it easier for jerks to bully others. There are a number of new ways in which one can be bullied thanks to new media.

KIDS USING NEW MEDIA:

Children are more often than not using computers. What computers offer is an educational distraction. So are children too young to use computers? Should children be allowed to use computers when they can’t even tie their shoes?

NORMALIZATION OF THE INTERNET:

Originally, many within the corporate sector believed that the internet would continue to crack the Capitalist whip, and that the mass audience would bow their heads and consume. Boy did that backfire on them… With the internet there has been a shift within the mass audience, no longer are we blindly consuming; we’re now the ones generating content. Anyone who has access to a computer can do it.

VIDEO GAMES:

Again, it was assumed that the mass audience was passive, but we’ve broken free from those chains and gone from passivity and moved into activity. The evolution of the video game demonstrates the collective’s thirst for interactive media. Plus, viva le Pac-Man.

MODERN DAY STUDENTS:

As with all things, new media technology has it’s pro’s and con’s. Since the introduction of things like cell phones, iPods and laptops, youths/students have become increasingly anti-social, distracted, and have a constant need to be entertained. This however is just another change, not something horrible- it can be overcome if the archaic structure of the teaching-learning system is re-evaluated and modified.

SOCIAL NETWORKING:

Social networks have drastically changed our concept of social activity and socializing. We are a society that seems to be more anti-social when dealing with face-to-face situations, but were are more social on cyber space. Is it then that we are anti-social or simply redefining the idea of socializing?

FAME:

In a fame-driven society where vanity, narcissism, and material wealth seems to be of utmost importance (I’m really not this cynical, honestly), is it really a surprise you can find millions of videos on YouTubes where people display their talents in hopes of becoming famous? Not really. However, what YouTube has given us is a chance to display our uniqueness and our sameness- we can all related to something or someone on YouTube, so it’s not all negative. We can very easily demonstrate our creative expression online.

I think Dr. Serajul I. Bhuiyan gives a nice summation of new media when he/she (I’m terribly sorry, I have no idea if that is a male or female name) says;

Maximizing free speech and the free flow of information in on-line and interactive media is emphasized in western democracy. Interactive media, unlike mass media, feature abundant bandwidth, diverse programming, and increased control by users over programming they receive and information with which they interact. These characteristics of new media increasingly undermine past rationales and future effectiveness of government speech content restrictions which have dominated the mass media. Interactive media requires alternative, less intrusive, means — often relying on technology rather than content regulation — for achieving public ends.”

So there you have it. New media in a nutshell… Overall, new media in my opinion seems to have more positive effects on the world than it does negative. Whatever the case, technological revolutions will undoubtedly come and go and in my lifetime there will be even further advancements in new media. The only thing we can do is hope for the best and acknowledge that we have to adapt. For it is as Bob Dylan says, ‘the times they are-a changin’.”

Just for fun, you can listen to the song ‘The Times They Are-A Chanin’ here:

The Times They Are-A Changin\’ by Bob Dylan

Celebrity Obsession

Some time ago I was introduced to a little thing called TMZ. At first I was somewhat disgusted by the idea behind TMZ, I mean really why should I care about what the latest celebrity trend is? It was soon after that I was introduced to Perez Hilton and it was then that my life was changed. Of course I’m being melodramatic when I say this, but I really have become addicted to these celebrity blogs and I’m not alone when I say this.

Over the years there has been a shift in the way the mass audience consumes new in general, and celebrity news or ‘infotainment’ as it is otherwise known has come to be considered valuable information. With the convenience of the internet, people not only read most of their political, economic, everyday news online, but have also taken an interest in celebrity culture. Shows like Entertainment Tonight along with magazines like People have been kicking around for quite some time now, and though people definitely lapped it up and continue to watch and read them, it seems as though these shows were geared towards the generations before mine as it is now online celebrity blogs which are dominating.

According to one expert, “Blogs have become the online expression of American egalitarianism in relation to those placed on a pedestal by way of their participation in public entertainment. And just as Oscar Wilde and Voltaire lampooned the aristocracy in 19th and 17th century Europe, so too do Michael K, Trent Vanegas, and Perez Hilton sit down each day at their computers and turn their keen eyes to the celebrity aristocracy among us.”

You’re probably thinking so what Kaitlin? Who cares? Well, apparently millions of people do… Perez Hilton alone gets about 4,000,000 hits per day. The point is, the internet has furthered the idea that celebrity news is authentic news, and beyond that it has allowed the mass audience to view the celebrities and their lifestyles with a more cynical view. No longer do the famous people we place on pedastools seem to be the perfect and ethereal beings we have previously thought.

Besides, who wouldn’t want to know why Ryan Reynolds wants to hump Robert Pattinson, or that Tyson Beckford dissed Lindsay Lohan (oh no he did-ent).

True love.

Needles!! Not for the Faint of Heart…

There seems to be a trend on YouTube which may be very disturbing to some, or very appealing to others; needles. What do I mean by needles? Why I am referring to tattoos and piercings of course. You won’t find much if you type in the search term needles on YouTube but you will be sure to get a lot of hits if you type in either ‘tattoos’ or ‘piercings’. I recommend that anyone who does not take kindly to needles should not watch the videos I will be uploading…

The amount of results returned for tattoos on YouTube is about 107,000 videos, whereas piercings returns about 43.000 results. Even the amount of videos tagged with the term body modification is steadily growing with over 2,000 results. You can find everything from DIY piercings and tattoos to people getting them done professionally, aftercare instruction videos, and even body mods gone wrong. So what’s deal? Why is everyone so fascinated by piercings and tattoos, or rather why are they interested in watching other people get these body modifications done?

This video of a girl getting an industrial piercing has over 1,000,000 views. I decided to take a look at what the comments said to see why everyone had watched it.  Most of the comments were from people asking how much it hurts to get done, or people discussing their stories of piercings gone wrong or right.

Here’s a video from a girl giving advice regarding how to make sure you get get your piercing done properly, as well as aftercare. This video has had about 23, 000 views.

In this video that has over 140, 000 views, we get to watch Kat Von D (if you don’t know who she is, we can never be friends) not only sketching the tattoo, but we get to see her tattooing some lucky guy!

So what do you think? Will you ever upload a video of yourself getting tattooed or pierced? Maybe not, maybe you don’t even like tattoos or piercings, but regardless of what your opinion may be, it is obvious that there is a growing trend in people wanting to see other people get tattoos and piercings. In a way, it has created a sub-culture or sub-community on YouTube for those of us who don’t mind a little pain, and like the aesthetic of body modifications. With the growing size of this community, perhaps in the future people will not judge others because of tattoos and piercings as there continues to be somewhat of a negative connotation attached to those who get body modifications. Perhaps trivial things like Barbies with tattoos won’t be an issue in the future.

Youngins Using New Media

Way back in the day, when I was about six years old I remember going on my mom’s old Compaq computer to fool around. I remember those days fondly; hours upon hours of endless educational fun through the guise of the Lion King and Story Book Weaver (does this still exist, if so I’m SO buying it). Of course our computer was old school, really really freaking slow, but I didn’t really notice. My generation was one of the first to really start using the PC from such a young and vulnerable age, and the generations following mine are practically born with a computer in their hand (or in some cases born on YouTube/the computer).

What could that baby possibly be typing?!

So how about those dandy contraptions? Are computers a benefit or a setback for childrens’ learning and intellectual growth? There are countless software programs out on the market which are educational and targeted toward young children. For example you have things such as Reader Rabbit (whom I have some vague recollection of from my past…), Arthur’s Computer Adventure, Clifford the Big Red Dog Reading Adventures, etc. Many of the bestsellers talk a good game, but are they actually foster childrens’ development?

Michael Levine, executive director of the Joan Ganz Cooney Center posits that “[I] think the potential is great and largely untapped…most new media products for young children come to market with little or no input from child development experts and therefore there’s little understanding of the educational science (if any) underlying them.”

As with the phenomenon of sites like YouTube and Facebook, it is far too early to gather any conclusive evidence. There seems to be a mix of the good, bad, and in between when it comes to educational software for children. It really depends on the parents; it is them who must decide at what age they deem a child fit to start using the computer.

In the meantime Lisa Guernsey, a  former New York Times reporter has come up with the ‘Three C’s”. This approach should help parents out when deciding on whether or not to allow their young children to use the computer.

“Three C’s” Approach to Kid’s Media

Content – What is the basic premise of show? How is it designed? Does it have repetition? Are new words defined by pointing or labeling?

Context – Who is interacting with the child? How do parents talk about what’s on the screen? Is the child learning through a game, then applying that in another activity? Is the child telling stories about what he or she has experienced?

Child – How much stimulation can this child take? What scares her? What types of media trigger the most curious questions, playful reenactments, engagement and joy?

Beware Ye Pirates

We're all connected, aww.

In Chapter 2 of ‘The Empire of Mind’ Dr. Strangelove discusses the conflict between the consumers and the corporations. More specifically, he goes into detail about digital piracy and why full contol over digital content.

We, as the mass audience or consumers, have got all those big businesses shaking in their boots. Their fear is that we’re changing the way in which we consume, especially online. It’s because of peer-to-peer file sharing that we’ve got more liberties when it comes to acquiring digital content; if one person purchases a CD for example, the rest of us can all share what we have, without ever having to go out and buy the CD oursevles. What does this mass form of sharing remind you of? Personally, it reminds me of a little ideology I like to call Communism. In a sense, because we’re all sharing our digital content with each other, we’re accomplishing somwhat of a revolution within the Capitalist system; we’re creating a digital world at least, where we all have access to the same things provided we have a computer. Sure peer-to-peer sharing is old news, but it continues to occur today, and we still have corporations worrying about a possible threat to their precious Captialist system.

The corporate world’s response to our revolts, according to Dr. Strangelove, are DRM technologies or Digital Rights Management technologies. Though DRMs can be effective, there are many hackers and computer geeks alike who can crack the code so that the content is no longer protected. Lawrence Lessig believes that in the future, there will be total control of not only the consumption or manner in which digital content is acquire, but also a totalitarian control over the internet itself. Dr. Strangelove does not dispute this idea, but rather he feels that total control over anything is improbable, and the internet and digital content are no exceptions. I would have to agree.

So what is the future of peer-to-peer file sharing? Who knows, we’ll just have to sit back and see what happens. Perhaps with progams like the iTunes store where songs for example are available for download for just $o.99, we can come to a comporomise; the corporations get their money, and we get our content for cheap.

With all this talk of Capitalsim, I have the sudden urge to go buy something…