It's just a meme bro

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Lesson 14: Part V (Passion Question)

What was the most recent event or action you’ve done that has made a sizable impact on your life? For myself, this was attending Coachella for the first time and meeting some people who inspired me to not just follow the “standard” career paths but to really do something I’d enjoy doing. Sounds obvious, but I never really put it to such a thought!

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Lesson 14: Part IV (Creative “Make” Challenge)

Interviewee One:

He finds himself too connected to his phone, where it’s the first thing he checks when he wakes up and he tends to stay on it too much late at night. He plans to fix this by making more of a morning schedule where he goes to the bathroom, does a small ab workout/make breakfast and then check his phone. By engraving this morning routine, he hopes to help with the bad habit and he also wants to try doing a no electronics thing after a certain time frame.

Interviewee Two:

Wants to prioritize his life more by waking up earlier and trying to work out more. He made some stories of how it’s hard when there’s things like finals that come around, but h realizes that if you want something, you can make time for it.

Interviewee Three:

He finds himself saying “Bro” too often. He wants to try changing his choice of words by calling himself out every time he says it.

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Lesson 14: Part III (EdgeMaking Habits Journal Prompts)

Although I’d describe myself as healthy, I’d like to schedule my life up a bit more. Waking up around the same time, no matter the day. Working out more and being more active or joining more active hobbies. Eating better and cooking more of my own meals. Spending less time online and more time just exploring either through travel or just doing something different.

I don’t know how much free time I’ll always have, but I know if I really want something, I can make the time for it!

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Lesson 14: Part II (Curation and Analysis)

How to Change Your Life: A User’s Guide

I’m happy I took this course now at such a pivotal point in time of my life. Days away from graduation, no longer is my life so deeply revolved around the premeditated route of going to school or doing homework or whatever. I feel like now is a time of big choices where I really decide what I’ll be doing with the rest of my life and using this time to not only think about careers/relationships, but to also think about myself as an individual is a major thing I wouldn’t have done so much so without this course. Using this time to personalize change and have it more revolve around myself can be a really productive thing that I wouldn’t have been able to do to the same capacity without clarifying that I am my word and that I choose what drives my life. We all have our own stories and we can let these drive us for the better or for the worse, but knowing that deep down, life is all what you make it is a prime point I wouldn’t have thought so deep down about.

Start with a simple statement: what do you want to be?

I want to be a programmer. I want to live a successful life in which I’m happy, I’m above the median in income, I love what I do and I treat my body and others with respect and friendliness. I believe respect is earned not given, and I want to be earn that respect with any many as I can. I want to make an impact, I want to lead a change in the world where people can live a life of more peacefulness and positivity.

Follow through with the link from above, the five minutes you take reading it could be beneficial.

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Lesson 14: Part I (Inquiry and Analysis)

The first two links of the Lesson 14 - Inquiry and analysis section seem to be down or require us to make accounts to view the material! And the link to Common Sense Media leads to a website with no article anymore.

Protecting Twitter Users (Sometimes From Themselves)” by Del Harvey

At first I found her Ted talk only average because of it’s slight shallowness. She didn’t really dive too deep into exactly how she ensures safety or what guidelines they use to really assess the edge cases, but I did really like one portion of it towards the end where she describes more retrospective thinking. I believe it’s doing exactly that which allows people to be more preemptive with avoiding issues, especially when it comes to online content nowadays. Putting yourself in the shoes of the user is not only a great way to find/remedy problematic things, it also could allow for security to be strengthened because you’re able to see where faults arrive and where current parts of the security are lacking. For instance, by thinking about the Geo Data that pictures taken from our phones have, Twitter was able to better promote security/anonymity by stripping this information from content when its posted on their servers. For the average user, this may not mean much, but for those edge cases, this could mean all the world in privacy. I believe this process works well with the quote from Albert Einstein, “The world as we have created it is a process of our thinking. It cannot be changed without changing our thinking.” If we want to optimize privacy or security or whatever, we have to change the way we think about things to compose the full circle.

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Lesson 13: Part V (Passion Question)

What are some examples of the most iconic photographs of our time, and what makes them iconic?

When you think/reflect on the past, do you think about specific moments as in what directly happened during them, or do you remember more of the emotions you felt at the time associated with the event?

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Lesson 13: Part IV (Creative “Make” Challenge)

Visualizing the Wicked Pro Story of Me in Three

This song has lot of meaning to me, but this picture can wrap up a good portion of my younger life. When We Were Young - Dillon Francis

From high school into college alone, I’m almost an entirely different person, and that’s not the first time I’ve been through a change. I don’t like to stay stagnant, rather that’s with work, life or whatever, I ant to keep moving forward to be a better person for myself. It isn’t something I’m doing for others, I want to truly get better myself.

I’m a big fan in saying pictures have a lot of meaning, if you couldn’t already tell...I graduate within two weeks, in a field with boundless capabilities. I know I’m an intelligent young man, and I’m beginning to realize I’m pretty attractive too. I know how to have and hold a conversation, and I even have experience on knowing when to say quiet. I have the whole world ahead of me, but it doesn’t seem like the big step it used to be quite anymore.

Visualizing the Wicked Problem

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K.Flay - High Enough (Lyric Video)

Get K.Flay’s new album, ‘Every Where Is Some Where,’ out now: http://smarturl.it/EWISW K.Flay “High Enough” (Lyric Video) available now for download and stre...

Lesson 13: Part III (EdgeMaking Habits Journal Prompts)

I chose this lyric video because I found the symbolism in it already really apparent, but I knew that the inclusion of extra ‘visual grammars’ and sketches would only help to visualize the imagery in this song even further so. I find it a great choice, K Flay has a voice like no other where I think she can sing things with just enough spunk, but can still keep everything delicately sounding. The theme in the song is apparent enough, but I’d like to add to it by describing how some people use drugs and other means as their escape, but what about when you’re feeling “High Enough”?

“’What if I don’t need anything but what I’ve got?’ There are many moments in my life—whether it’s because of a person or a place—that I don’t want to feel altered or high or buzzed. I just want to feel exactly what I’m feeling.” - K Flay

A R E   Y O U   H I G H   E N O U G H?

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Lesson 13: Part II (Curation and Analysis)

Are You A Visual Thinker?

Visual Thinking for Engineers

Human Population: Population Growth

“We live in a time with a lot of big issues, system-level issues, that can’t be addressed in ways that we’ve done before. We have environmental issues, energy issues--we have a massively growing population, and these really require you to think in a different way...”

It’s no longer just about following through with the factory job simply because it’s the big job recruiter near your home designed for men or because it’s what your dad’s dad’s dad did. Companies are coming and going with some booming to rise and shine because they’re addressing the coming issues of today. Better and faster processes, the internet of things, but even more so, the more complex issues of today with protecting the environment and promoting sustainability. In math classes, one of the most interesting topics to me is always Exponential Growth & Decay functions. I’’m not always the most fond of math, but it’s usefulness to our everyday lives is incredibly important. Due to advances that are happening, especially in just the last couple of decades, life is changing incredibly fast. Advances in the medical realm, advances in the technological capabilities of people and companies--we’re at booming technological age, but what happens when we begin to hit our limits. I’m not saying technological or brain power limits--I believe there’s quite a distance away, but is it? When we hit the limiting factors of what can work for society as a whole like living space, or food, or water, that’s when we’ll be put at the edge of our thinking. I couldn’t say how soon or far away that might be, but exponential growth is exponential growth. A cap is most certainly possible, and that’s where I like the sources I chose.

They realize that the issues of today are not like the ones from our past days. We have to think innovatively and we have to be able to sell these innovative thoughts so people realize their value and feel inspired to act upon it as well. Answering the problems of today isn’t any single man job, it’s a collective effort among us all.

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Lesson 13: Part I (Inquiry and Analysis)

Modern Day Slavery

They say a picture is worth a thousand words--Nightmarish, Segregation,   Injustice, Inhumane, Abuse, Assault, Chaotic, Brutality, Cruelty, Absolute Disregard--here’s eleven words and yet that doesn’t even remotely describe the brevity of what these pictures portray, not even the tip of the iceberg. To think that the rights of individuals are so disregarded is absolutely mind-boggling, but it’s a very sad truth to say the least. I want to think there’s so much good in the world, I want to be able to always say life is beautiful, but it’s all in the eyes of the beholder sometimes.

To elaborate on that, there’s so many social ladders out there, not just a wealthy, middle or lower class, instead; we have to back out even further if we really want to categorize the various positions of people throughout the world. We have to look at those with higher and lower socioeconomic status, those born with more privilege and capability than others, those born in various places to others--the factors are almost boundless depending upon the scope we want to portray. There’s lots of areas that can influence a person to believe they’re higher or lower on the ladder, but it’s easy to say that no matter how we think of it, these people are struggling. I don’t like to be overly condescending, but when you live a life where dealing with toxins/poisons without proper care of yourself or the chemicals at hand is the norm--there’s an issue. When you live a life where there’s a constant fear of beatings and when your inability to properly urinate is totally accepted due to the harsh conditions you have to put your body through--there is an issue.

I won’t speak too much for everyone, but I find these pictures powerful and eye-opening because they tell a story. I dream of a world where disregard for other people is considered inhumane by all, a world where everyone worked together. I’m not saying everyone must be devoted to a world where they work for the greater good the all, but a few random acts of kindness by everyone wouldn’t hurt. I wouldn’t wish of this slavery kind of lifestyle on my ‘worst enemy’. I’d hope most people could agree to the same.

Artist: Lisa Kristine

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Lesson 12: Part V (Passion Question)

What is the greatest story ever told, that of religion, that of life or purpose, that of meaning? Whose to say we aren’t as tiny and insignificant as being a subatomic particle to something far larger in life than us? We just have to keep zooming out...as well as zoom in.

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Lesson 12: Part IV (Creative “Make” Challenge - Life Map of Challenge)

Identify 10-15 pivotal moments in your life that either caused you to follow a new path or changed your behavior, thinking or approach to life in some way. The author calls these life changing events “Inflections” or “Disruptions”

Playing soccer as a kid

Joining a fraternity

Choosing to play the trumpet

Watching the Food Network s much in high school

Deciding to take computer courses in high school, I definitely think it’s what led me to becoming a CS Major

Not getting a lot of outdoors time growing up, I feel like I have a much higher appreciation for hikes and nature now.

Going to so many concerts/music festivals! (e.g. Coachella, concerts even as a kid).

Choosing the University of Arizona

Not having a father figure in the house. It’s caused me to try to find my own role models in everything, I think it’s one of the biggest factors of how I am the way I am now. I follow what I find morally right and observe in others, there wasn’t anyone specifically telling me how things worked or actions to follow or avoid.

The classes I’ve taken thus far!

Listening to music has a bit of an effect on my thoughts/emotions. I’d definitely say the music I listen to has had some effects on me all throughout life. From the more grunge-like music of high school to the more edm/rap choices of college. I’d definitely say it’s changed my personality/thins I enjoy.

Heart-to-heart talks with friends and family!

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Top 10 Best Super Bowl 50 Commercials (2016 Funniest Ads)

Top 10 Best & Funniest Super Bowl Commercials! (NFL Football The Big Game - Superbowl 50s best Ads) What video do you want to see next? Song: Tobu - Hope Oth...

Lesson 12: Part III (EdgeMaking Habits Journal Prompts)

The ad that’s showing on this before even clicking is exactly the one in mind. The Kevin Hart commercial with the car finder feature was a fantastic commercial because they didn’t just tell the story of losing your camera at an event or something similar when you’re feeling absent-minded. Instead, they made a whole new comical use of it where you feel you can be directly in the spot of Kevin Hart as a father being able to be protective over your daughter/kids. I almost feel bad for the teenage boy featured in the commercial, but it’s funny nonetheless! The commercial draws you in and you find the brand/feature that much better, rather it’s something you’ll really need or not.

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Lesson 12: Part II (Curation and Analysis - “3 Images, 1 Question” Presentation)

This week’s Inquiry and Analysis section had a lot of great reads that I never thought so much about till this past week. Growing up in school, I always noticed the coolest most popular kids were of course always those with the most money or best looks, but the others in that section were those who were always the funniest or had the craziest life. I don’t mean crazy in that their was entirely abnormal or filled with prescriptions/doctor visits, but those who were able to tell the most interesting or fascinating stories about how they got to where they are now.

Moving forward, I’ve seen this same trait in successful work hires, in startups that kicked off, even in people who I’ve found to make great salespeople--they’ve all had a trait of great storytelling and that’s because of how vital it is in our day-to-day human interaction, because it creates the bridge that draws people in and allows them to experience or imagine your same position.

“ As social creatures, we depend on others for our survival and happiness. A decade ago, my lab discovered that a neurochemical called oxytocin is a key “it’s safe to approach others” signal in the brain. Oxytocin is produced when we are trusted or shown a kindness, and it motivates cooperation with others. It does this by enhancing the sense of empathy, our ability to experience others’ emotions. Empathy is important for social creatures because it allows us to understand how others are likely to react to a situation, including those with whom we work.“  - Paul J. Zak

This picture should be pretty self explanatory.

Hook, Line & Sinker: Immerse the person, make them feel your wirds comprise their story.

Distinguish and choose!

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Lesson 12: Part I (Inquiry and Analysis)

Winning the Story Wars: Jonah Sachs at TEDxRainier

Wisdom in the Age of Information and the Importance of Storytelling in Making Sense of the World: An Animated Essay

Ken Burns: On Story

The content found on these three pieces was eye opening in that it really gets your attention with the importance of “Story-telling”. This skill isn’t just something to work on that you can possibly add to the resume-- it’s a trait that’s been molded over in humans over the centuries in our DNA due to its vital importance in life. Being able to create your own personal stories is what shapes our world in that they’re what provide people with experiences and memories and lessons--they’re what separate us from animals. I can’t go too far psychologically speaking because that’s when people will start t tear my arguments apart, but it’s almost like being able to develop stories is a prime portion of what leads to consciousness.

When you think of animals or fish for example, fish tend to forget things so quickly that saying they have consciousness is almost silly because they don’t tend to remember/learn from their past. Humans, in contrast, tend to use their personal stories to shape their thoughts and actions throughout their lifetime because it’s their formed memories that detail their past.There’s no “Off/On” switch for all of our memories (without hefty brain damage), because everything is composed of the stories we have because the only real moment we have in life is now.

Rather we notice most of our stories or not, they’re instilled into us as humans where they essentially “have us”. The thing from here though is being able to distinguish that and now choose them. Are they the stories you want guiding your life or is there something you can do about it? If you want to stop smoking, choose the story where you’re over it!

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Lesson 11: Part V (Passion Question)

Regarding the culture and innovation process of today’s word, what’s a thing you’d change to make the world more unified and ready for change? How do you improve the innovation process?

What should be the most important item in a nation’s innovation strategy--think about this, why do you value it to that respect?

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Lesson 11: Part IV (Creative “Make” Challenge - Letter to Head of State)

Dear Trump,

No fake news here, but we need to talk about the state of the country and world right now. You’re a businessman, an intelligent one at that, but what are you doing right now? I know it’s hard to respond to that, especially without taking offense or wanting to jump to a conclusion that I’m some crazy liberal, but seriously. Cutting funding for educational departments, removal of extracurricular activities--as if our whole educational system wasn’t in a less than desired position already.

I feel you know your way around a dollar and can work some wonders with creating an influx of money to help out the American economy, but you also have to ask “How much a dollar cost”. When you cut funding to sponsor something that could hopefully make more money in the long run, or into something you may personally find more valuable, you have to still see exactly where all the money is being used in those programs. If money grew on trees, I’m sure just about every program could receive a bonus, but unfortunately that isn’t the way the world works where there needs to be a fine balance that works to glue everything together.

In addition, the fight over the media and its fake news is nothing out of the ordinary, you don’t have to make such a deal over the ‘lying media’, but we can try to change the way the media works by not just trying to be ‘politically correct’, but holding them accountable to their faults just as they might towards you.

Nowadays, it seems like anyone can be a reporter if they can write a story or headline well enough to cause people to want to click it, but maybe there should be more of a process to establish/have to declare a website’s intent or political favor-ability