welcome to my media

[iriseevahn]

Final Writing 105M Post: In the Bitter Limelight: K-Stew's Poem

I thoroughly enjoyed this Video-Text Remediation project we had to finish off Writing 105M for this Winter Quarter. As a Film and Media major, it was really enjoyable to transcend major barriers and utilize production elements in another major. I also really liked creating a video versus writing an essay because it required a lot of thinking pertaining to aesthetics, pacing, audio editing, etc. Even though essays are similar in that the varying of sentence structure contributes to aesthetics and pacing, this final project included the visual element incorporated with the text element. It just enabled creativity that many people are not used to if they are not some sort of art major, so it was really fun. The mixture of text within the video really pressured us to think in a different, interesting, bold, and innovative manner. My group had thought the project would be a breeze because our footage was based on images/articles/clips that were already created, but I think that aspect of our project almost made it all the more difficult because we had to put in a lot of research of what was going to be put in the project. Every image had to have a purpose and because of the time constraints of how long the poem was narrated, we really had to pick and choose what we would place in the video.

I did want to make a statement about the ending. The ending of the video was exceptionally difficult because how could we end this statement we are making on “tabloid’s bullying,” per say, because it is such a foreign concept to the mass public. It was difficult because we already chose a controversial person to discuss (Kristen Stewart) and our message throughout the video shows other controversial people being attacked by tabloids and paparazzi. Perhaps it would have been better to add no text at the end of the video, but I feel that had we done that, the video would feel like there was not any purpose to it, especially because the duration of it was so short. Even though we ended with a somewhat funny concept of “STOP #CELEBULLYING,” we believe it would begin a conversation on the topic. Many people could easily make jokes about how the celebrities featured in the video are not talented and they have all the money in the world, so who cares if paparazzi follows them everywhere. But even with one comment on the video, that leads to another, and another, until I fully believe that at one point in the conversation, someone will type up and submit a response that says, “Maybe this video has a point though.” It was tough to take these already hated celebrities and place them in a context that would create sympathy for them, so that is why I think it was necessary to add that text in the end of the video to stimulate conversation, rather than have the video feel like it had no conclusion.

When it came to publishing the video, we tried to do everything we could. We added tons of tags to the youtube description that range from words that describe the video to tags like, “hot, beautiful, robert pattinson,” that would bring viewers in unsuspectedly. I tweeted out the video to several celebrities that have had bad occurrences with tabloids as well as advertised it amongst several friends. We have not gotten that many views yet and it may be a video that someone will stumble upon it and take it seriously or think it’s funny, and then eventually get views.

All I know is I’m glad we weren’t graded on how many views we got versus the quality of our project. There is no formula in predicting how to make a viral video. Trust me, I’ve tried. There are certain elements that can be added to a video that will make it more likely to become viral, but even then, it is hard to predict what the mass audience will want to see. This is why I wholeheartedly disagree with the concept of viral education that Wuebben discussed in class. All because a scholarly article and lecture are “up-voted” does not mean it will necessarily be good, and all because a scholarly article has no rankings or views, doesn’t mean that is it a bad one. Unless we lived in a utopian world that we had everyone put effort in reading and critically thinking about every piece placed online, articles that should be seen may not be seen. When it comes to TED talks, I think it is more reasonable to have these viral pieces as the most shown, but when it comes to broader education that someone could get a certificate for, education should not be judged on the popularity of it online. In the end, popularity contests are just popularity contests. They are hardly a correct judgement of character or quality. They were unfair when we ran for student council in the 5th grade, and they’re still going to be unfair when mass society judges what education will be “liked” or “favorited.”

[iriseevahn]

In the Bitter Limelight: K-Stews Poem

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ctsP4tFp-Zc

[iriseevahn]

Post 11: "Resume Tips" Review

I really enjoyed this video! It's extremely relevant for students since we will soon/have already been applying to jobs and internships!

The information and tips offered are helpful and seeing the actual "what-to-do's" and "what-not-to-do's" of the resume is great to visualize and compare. I believe utilizing visuals rather than just sitting and reading a how-to guide that will help you write a well-done resume is a better way to understand the concept.

By your music choices, editing, and even voice-over really distinguishes the well-done resume from the bad resume. It is funny to watch because the well-done resume obviously provides the clean-cut imagery of the correct resume, but even the female voice-over sounds more professional than the "Bro's" voice that talks over the images of his resume. Adding the dubstep music is just the cherry on top to fully exaggerate how horrible and inappropriate his resume.

My only criticism really is to arrange your tips differently. Instead of having the video split up between "Tip 1," "Tip 2," and so on., maybe you can form a list of the tips that you can add on to, and bold or change the color of the added line when you introduce it.

For example: 

Tip 1: The Resume should be easy to read.

Next part:

1: The Resume should be easy to read.

2: The layout of the resume should be coherent.

Next part:

1: The Resume should be easy to read.

2: The layout of the resume should be coherent.

3. The content of the resume should be truthful.

And so on. That way people can remember and visualize the tips because as the video was going on, I was beginning to forget the previous tips.

Otherwise, the video was really well done and I can't wait to see the final project!

[iriseevahn]

Post 10: The Kristen Stewart Media Representation Project

The text my group has chosen to remediate is Kristen Stewart’s unusual poem, “My Heart is a Wiffle Ball/Freedom Pole.” I was attracted to its nonconformist pace and the abrasiveness of the words creating an effect resemblant of cacophony, such as the phrase “Devils not done diving,” and “Your evert twitch hand drum salute.” It’s just many harsh consonant words placed together to describe Stewart’s affections towards her love for ex-boyfriend, Robert Pattinson, and chooses poetry to relay an honest message to the public. The poem is a decent poem, but since Kristen Stewart has such an awkward persona represented by the media that displays her as rude and uncomfortable with Hollywood, the press has not been taking this poem lately. Headlines have popped up on to the internet such as “Kristen Stewart: Read her “embarrasing” poem,” or “Kristen Stewart: Twilight star writes worst poem of all time,” and one of the harshest ones, “Kristen Stewart Wrote a Poem That’s Worse than She Is.” My group has decided to analyze the poem in our video and to incorporate the media’s harsh judgements upon her, and later on, include other celebrities that have had a rough time with media and paparazzi representations and involvement starting with early Hollywood stars up until recent times. We will incorporate footage of Stewart’s films, publicity photos of her and other celebrities, and uncomfortable news clippings that chase after these less liked celebrities.

Our project is heavily editing based because we are using the sources from Kristen Stewart’s body of work and news clippings. We are only filming audio of each of our voices reciting lines from Stewart’s poem to be played throughout the video. Before we start editing, I am in charge of getting audio: an instrumental song that will be played during the video, and sounds like a clock ticking or other non-diegetic sounds that are used to accompany the poem (for example, the line, “You read its clock,” will be accompanied with the soft ticking of a manual clock). After my group compiles all of its audio, news clippings and other visual scenes, we will work together to edit an aesthetically pleasing project that properly analyzes the poem and make a broader comment about the involvement of paparazzi in celebrities lives that should be diminished because it can severely affect people, ranging from simply making actors feel uncomfortable to celebrities wanting to avoid the limelight completely that they develop depressions.

[iriseevahn]

Post 9: Youtube to YouNiversity

I really was interested in the idea of creating a university that include the “bottom-up power” that Jenkins mentions (2). Just as how Youtube involves a variety of people uploading different genres and types of footage, he describes the YouNiversity as a program that provided an eclectic group of teachings that came together to create an interdisciplinary learning experience. This idea would not let fragmentation of the students with what they’re studying but instead looks at the “integrated contexts within which media are produced, marketed, and consumed.”

My worry with an academic department featuring this concept of “YouNiversity,” is that rather learning things in depth, I’d be worried the scope of scattered expertise would be too large to promote competent knowledge of the subject. Though by having student input into the curriculum, this “adhocracy,” that Jenkins describes, could potentially cause chaos in the variety of ideas that can be placed within the academic program. Because there would not be any structure to which the student would design its studies, there could be a possibility they are spreading themselves to thin, rather than expanding their knowledge thoroughly.

I think there needs to be an important balance of the student being able to expand their knowledge in what they are learning (for example, as a film major, I am stuck taking film classes and if I wanted as a job to market films, I would have to take some marketing classes that aren’t offered to me) to have a great basis to appeal to employers, but the structure is important to avoid mediocrity through various subjects. There is a reason that few videos on youtube go viral and are taken seriously, whereas the more structured clip-sharing website, Vimeo, creates for the most part extremely good quality content. The social structure between what people consider appropriate for Vimeo and Youtube lead to different content, the former being the content that is taken more seriously within the film and television industry. Just as with Vimeo, the academic department adds a structure to the student’s life that attempts to prepare them, but it is not as interdisciplinary as Youtube is in it’s content. I do believe structure is more important, but students should have the opportunity to find a way to express themselves and branch out past the structure to promote innovative thinking; I just do not believe that allowing them to have complete freedom is the solution to the issue of media integration.

[iriseevahn]

Video Project

I am planning on working with Noelle and Elvia in a video interpretation of Kristen Stewart's poem.

[iriseevahn]

In-Class Assignment

1) Describe one of your favorite reading experiences (which book, poem, story) and explain why it is your favorite.

My favorite reading experience was when I was 15 and it was on the day the final Harry Potter book was released. My family and I were driving from San Diego up to San Francisco to visit my brother in university. My parents promised me that we would stop by a bookstore to buy the book so I could read it on the trip. Normally, they would have told me to bring another book to read, but they knew not to get in the way of Harry Potter and I. We stopped at five bookstores and each bookstore crushed my soul because they all had sold out. It wasn't until we reached Los Angeles that a Barnes and Nobles had two books left in stock. I read the entire book in six hours. That Harry Potter may not have been my favorite book, but it was my favorite reading experience because I remember the day so vividly as I anxiously searched for the book with my family and the great relief I had when the book was finally in my hands. My excitement carried on through the heart-wrenching plot line until the last page turned, and I realized that this constant read I had through my childhood had now ended.

2) Describe one of your favorite learning experiences (what class, lesson, skill, etc.) and explain why it is your favorite.

My favorite learning experience was in the seventh grade when I taught myself to use the professional editing program, Sony Vegas. It was back when the program competed with Final Cut in the professional industry. I had really been interested in editing films and music videos together, so I would sit at my computer for hours trying to learn the most intricate editing techniques that the program offered and I felt so accomplished. I impressed my family with the skills I obtained and since then, I knew I wanted to work in the film industry.

3) Describe one of your favorite viewing experiences (film, TV series, etc.) and explain why it is your favorite.

I would say my favorite viewing experience is when I watch the episodes of BBC Sherlock. The show is impeccable and so innovative in editing and story-lines that I could watch the hour and a half episodes daily and still find something new in each episode. Having the opportunity to watch such a well-thought out show serves as constant inspiration for me to think outside the box, while still making a product that is still mainstream that can appeal to the whole world.

4) Describe one your favorite YouTube videos and explain why it is your favorite.

I would say my favorite youtube video is the Harvard's Sailing Team's "Puppy Pictures." It is a comedic sketch about this man that overreacts when his friend shows everyone these puppy pictures she's taken over the holidays. It's entirely relatable because people obviously love baby puppies (they'd be crazy if they didn't) but I also really enjoy it because it's high-definition and beautifully shot, even though it's a silly little sketch. The actors take it seriously, which make it all the more hilarious because it is such an over-exaggeration of the love of puppies. It's just a wonderfully thought-out video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dOtzvi4tiig

[iriseevahn]

Multimedia Project: Timeline JS and Zeemaps

Timeline: Vasquez Rocks

Map: Filming Locations in Santa Clarita

As a film major, I never ceased having the excitement of viewing a set or snapping a photograph of me at the location of a popular scene from a film. Living in Southern California, many people have the opportunity to drive around, pretend they are a tourist for the day, and visit film sets or past locations. Even though I have bias because I am a film major, I normally drag around my friends for the day and they have become really interested in film sets. I decided to focus my Timeline JS on the history of the Vasquez Rocks, a rocky formation that has been in films for the past 100 years. In addition to that, my Zeemaps pinpoints film set locations in the Santa Clarita Valley (including the Vasquez Rocks), for film buffs and tourists alike to visit.

The Vasquez Rocks are particularly interesting because they show how film productions can take a location and alter it to fit many genres. The Rocks were named after Tiburcio Vasquez, a bandit from the 1800’s who stole and pillaged towns. His hideaway was located behind the rocks. In the early 1900’s, Los Angeles County decided to name the rocks after him because of all the notorious tales (“Vasquez Rocks”). When films began to start shooting at the location, they were westerns for the most part. This was fitting because a bandit had lived there and the rocks were in the middle of the Agua Dulca area, which looks very similar to a desert. It was in the 1950’s and 1960’s that science fiction films like “The Fugitive,” and television shows such as “Battlestar Galactica,” began filming at the rocks. The rock formations look alien in the films because they are such bold and sharp, distinct figures (“The True Hollywood Story of the Vasquez Rocks”). The rocks are continued to use up until this day and have even been featured in animation films, like Cars.

My timeline follows the film history of the rocks and explores the changes of genre. It truly is spectacular how artists can take an area and adjust it through minimal sets, characters in costumes, and color editing to have it fit well in different genres, especially by branching outside of Western films. Because of the amount of films that have been featured the Vasquez Rocks, I had to separate the timeline in decades, and I only pointed out a few key films. The early decades were Westerns, mid-1900’s were Sci-Fi films, and then early 2000’s featured pop culture, such as music videos, comedies, and animation films. Many of the photos I chose showed shots of movies with the Vasquez Rocks in them, so the viewer can compare the different shots. I also included two videos of the Rocks in “Star Trek,” as well as the Rocks in “The Flinstones,” which is fitting since we are discussing film.

Originally I wanted my Zeemaps to only feature film locations that featured geographic locations in the Santa Clarita Valley, but I only found information for the Vasquez Rocks. I had to expand my range into any type of filming set that Santa Clarita had and that included restaurants, ice skating rinks, parks, etc. While making my map, I decided my tone was reminiscent of a cheesy tourist guide, so I decided to list the locations, place a photo of the location, list the films and television shows featured in the area, and then list what else is offered at the location and what are they known for. It is kind of a mix of film entertainment and family fun entertainment for just traveling.

Zeemaps was a great medium to show off all these entertaining locations for people to visit. The site itself though I think needs to be updated and I also believe it should be more aesthetically pleasing. It was wonderful though to pinpoint a location and to be able to read a description about a person’s personal experiences or to get further information if interested in visiting it. As for Timeline JS, I enjoyed it. I wish I could have added more points, but due to the subject and the many films that were featured, I thought it was better to just have the films separated by genre in decade to see the transition of film at the Vasquez Rocks. It would be interesting if the site allowed for more customization apart from font size. Maybe to adjust the colors of the background and placement of the photos or videos. As a whole though, both programs work excellently to offer quick information effectively and easy-to-understand, which is great for those that are browsing to find something interesting that have an interesting hook and have them pursue further research in the selected topic.

Bibliography:

“County Parks - Vasquez Rocks Natural Area.” Santa Clarita Guide. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Feb. 2014.

“Film Lover’s Travel; Southern California Travel and Southern California Attractions.” Visit Santa Clarita. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Feb. 2014.

“Hollywood’s Backlot - SCV.” Hollywood’s Backlot, Valencia & Santa Clarita Valley in Los Angeles County. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Feb. 2014.

“Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation.” Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Feb. 2014.

“The True Hollywood Story of the Vasquez Rocks - Hollywood’s Favorite Rocky Set.” Filmmaker IQcom. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Feb. 2014.

“Vasquez Rocks.” Vasquez Rocks. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Feb. 2014.

[noelleann2-blog]

[noelleann2-blog]

[iriseevahn]

Digital Anxiety

How digital media are changing what we do and how we do things;

One of the most drastic differences that digital media has changed is for the student; the way the student researches for his/her education. Just fifteen to twenty years ago, access to computers were extremely limited and internet content was scarce. When students were assigned projects or essays, they would actually have to go to the library and open books to read or search through the many volumes of encyclopedias. What an unusual concept to think about today. Now when I want to know what instigated the 7 Years War, I can know everything within 10 seconds of googling the subject and skimming the page. The internet has made many hard cover books almost obsolete or not as important as journal articles offer the primary background information to an undergraduate’s essay. The concerns people have is largely with the ease of immediate information. They believe that as students, we are absorbing more vast knowledge, but less depth. I do understand that information is now immediate which can have people focus less and actually learn from reading an entire chapter of the book, but at the same time, we are learning so much through the open access that comes with the internet.

How digital media are changing how we express ourselves and use language;

Social media sites have changed our dialogue quite a bit. It is not uncommon to be walking down the street and here a group of girls laughing and saying, “L O L” or some guys yelling, “F M L.” Why is it not enough to just laugh or to curse anymore? Don’t even get me started on hearing people literally say, “hashtag insert sarcastic comment here.” Though potentially appropriate on the internet and on social networking sites, people worry that this shorthand speak will follow into the offline life and people will begin to understand text-speak almost as if it was a dialect. I understand the frustrations that come with here people say “B R B” or “T T Y L” but the way I view it, as long as it does not substitute actual physical writing, it is not a negative side effect of digital media, its just relatively annoying.

How digital media are changing how we relate to other people;

This one may be a bit personal, but social networking sites changes the way we read and view people. If a girl has a crush on a guy, we will obsess over what he’s posted on his Facebook, look up all his friends, and most importantly, sit and wait to see if he likes anything on your page! If a person gets many interactions on their profile from another individual, one can assume they are closer to that individual than others. In a time when we analyze our intimacy with someone as being dependent through how much they interact with us on our social network identity. Instead of promoting meeting people off the network, the rise of internet dating worries people that humans are beginning to lack the ability to interact socially in real, physical life. I agree that we are spending too much attention on our relationships online with people rather than making memories off the net. Sometimes, sitting and waiting for something exciting to pop up on Facebook may not be the best way to relate to someone.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        

How digital media are changing how we think;

As I stated above, digital media has changed the immediacy of which we get information. Want to figure out how to fix a car window? Youtube it. Want to find out how to meet someone at a bar? Check WikiHow. I think we have less stress when it comes to figuring things out because we can so easily get an answer. The effect of that though is that we get things done faster and more effectively. That is not necessarily a negative thing. The negative aspect of that though is we lose the ability to be patient. If we have to wait for something to be patient, or we can’t search something immediately, at least for me, I get so impatient and feel like I am wasting my time.

How digital media are changing the ways we manage our social identities.

We were discussing in lecture one time the idea of perfecting our social identity on networking sites. We get advice constantly about what to post online so future employers do not have a reason to not hire you. We only upload the most perfect photos of us (some of us even photoshop!). We filter, crop, tweak, edit all of our photos, updates, blogs, so that we project the most greatest version of ourselves. Then we expect people to look at our projected social identity, and assume for us to be the same. Before digital media social identities, people could not necessarily think for a long time before they said anything or acted. What was projected might have been imperfect, but it was real. The I don’t believe there is much concern as there should be about this perfect image, but I do think it is smart to not put certain images, videos, or posts online that could potentially hurt job options or should remain private.

[iriseevahn]

10 Hours with No Laptop or Cell Phone

I had decided to challenge myself by keeping distance from technology on Saturday. The plan was to wake up Saturday morning and spend ten hours studying for the midterms that I have this week. I prepared myself the night before, letting my boyfriend who lives in Alaska know that he would not be receiving my usual “Good morning babe! Hope your day is wonderful. Skype tonight?” text. Expecting complaints from him, hoping he would long for my voice or my silly snapchats, I was severely disappointed to hear him say, “Okay, good luck. Talk to you later!” Reminding myself that the male gender is not as romantic in that they do not need to hear their significant partner during all twenty-four hours of the day, I moved on and got back to business.

I heard trees groaning in the distance when I printed out my twenty page article describing Martin Scorsese’s auteurism within his eclectic array of films. During a quarter where all my readings are online, I forgot how it felt to feel the weight of a reading in my hands and to hold a highlighter and annotate physically rather than to take notes on my laptop. 

Within just an hour of waking up, I was already feeling restless. What if I got an email from my boss or the internship I’ve applied to for this summer? What if I forgot to print out an integral part of my homework? And more importantly, what if I got tagged in any photos on Facebook from the night before!? My roommate saw me fidgeting and not focusing so she offered to take me out to Bagel Cafe, like a puppy feeling restless before a walk. After getting lunch, her and I headed to the beach where I instantly wanted to take a photo and send it to my best friend who lives in New Jersey that there are parts of America that is not covered in eight inches of snow. Without a phone on me, I could not and made a mental note to tease her about it that night. 

I returned to my apartment with my roommate where I studied some more, napped, and then continued to read Albert Camus’, The Myth of Sisyphus, to help accomplish my goal to read more significant literature this year. The hours passed slowly but once it hit eight o’clock, surprisingly the first thing I reached for was not my phone. I had been mid-conversation with my friends, having a “whine and dine” night, where we downed chardonnay and ranted over this week’s mishaps. 

Like an addict, the first two-three hours of the challenge had me continuously reaching into my pocket, thinking my beautiful iPhone featured perfectly in a case featuring the TARDIS in the sky. I told myself that the Doctor, who lives life transporting himself into different time periods, would never stop what he was doing to take a photo or text anyone because that would take away from the experience. Luckily, acknowledging that my hero would look down upon me having an electronic device stuck by my side every second of the day, it became easier to push Facebook, texting, emails, and Instagram out of my mind.

[iriseevahn]

Like I had mentioned in my previous post, I was really inspired by the duality of the phrase, “All my happiness depends on you.” On one side, it sounds romantic and meaningful representing the trust and passion one has in their partner and on the other, the weight of a love placed in the hands of someone trusted. If that weight of happiness is unable to be held steady, the happiness is broken and it is unknown if that person’s joy can be revived. The tragic love story that has been rewritten through the ages is far more interesting than the happy-go-lucky love story, which is why I decided to create a floral telegram in the shape of a skull. The skull is shaped by a facade of beautiful, bright, and vivid flowers to represent the light-hearted exterior or happiness, but even the most prettiest flowers cannot cover the shape of the iconic deathly skull. Even with the negative connotation of a skull, the flowers feel tinted with poison due to their appearance and context. The narcissus represents the ego that is inflamed with knowing that someone has so much power over their partner and their happiness. I also chose the dahlia due to its association with early 1900’s black dahlia murder, a horrific story of a young woman who was found mutilated on a lawn. My final flower was the clematis, whose origin has no negative associations but its appearance is extremely eery. The flower’s colored veins run through the petals in a shade darker than the rest of the flower. The veins lead to a dark colored batch of filaments that burst at the center in different directions. The clematis looks alien and poisonous, as if running through those veins holds a substance so venomous, one drop can surrender someone to their end.

I had dabbled in Photoshop here and there during high school but it has been a couple years since I’ve opened the program. My greatest obstacle was feeling comfortable with the program to achieve the desired effect I strove for in this image, but like riding a bike, within an hour, Photoshop felt natural. After selecting the images of my chosen flowers, I used the magnetic lasso tool to cut out an outline of them and then deleted the surrounding backgrounds. I took another image of a skull to use as a background outline to start shaping the flowers in the correct manner. Each flower is a different layer, so it was extremely tedious to copy and paste in a new layer, move the flower around, apply the change and continue on. Though it may not have been as fun to arrange the flowers, it ended up looking really fantastic because the bright flowers compacted into a little skull makes the image look rather hypnotic. Just as the naive person who is completely captivated with love decides to place all their happiness on one person, the image corresponds and appears to hypnotize and mesmerize the viewer.

[iriseevahn]

Floral Telegraph Photoshop Project

After clicking through the scanned pages of the Floral Telegraph book, endlessly hoping to find a phrase that would inspire me, my eyes fell upon good ol’ 109: “All my happiness depends on you.” The remnants of my high school romantic self that was influenced by Disney princesses saved by princes jumped at that statement. How sweet and how passionate! What a great thought to be so in love that one can have the faith in placing all of one’s happiness in his/her partner! I decided that I would choose the brightest colors and the most elegant flowers and overlay them into a heart to represent the truest and happiest love offered to one’s partner.

Soon enough though, my more bitter aging self realized how deranged that statement is. What has now come to my mind when I read “All my happiness depends on you,” is the weight of having the responsibility of a person’s entire happiness. Having such a substantial amount of trust in a partner that he/she won’t hurt, disappoint, or leave the other is terrifying. According to the American Psychological Association’s website, the divorce rate for married couples in the United States is 40-50%. Even allowing oneself to enter a relationship is risking the depression that comes with betrayal and breakups. In extreme circumstances, if someone’s happiness is dependent on their lover who fails the other, the partner cannot recover from that. Immediately the phrase takes a grim turn and it should not be viewed as a positive statement because in reading it, it feels like there is so much pressure in holding one’s entire happiness.

I decided to interpret the statement by creating a human skull made up of flowers. The skull, symbolizing death, is used to show the ultimate end of happiness that stems from the possibility of ultimate dependence on someone. In the flower tables that correlated with 109, I was lucky enough to find a flowers that were negatively associated with things either through history or appearances. The first flower I chose was narcissus whose name comes from the greek myth of a man who was in love with himself. His enormous ego prevented him from being courteous to others and refused to keep in mind other people’s feelings. I am so glad that was a flower listed that I could use because it could represent how the partner holding the happiness of the other would feel. It is a possibility that when a person knows he/she holds so much power over the other, they could become extremely conceited. The next flower I chose was the clematis. This flower’s origin was not what drew it to me but rather its appearance did. The flower’s stigma has dark purple, pointy pollen filaments surrounded by white petals whose veins glow violet. The clematis looks poisonous and dangerous, which is a perfect addition for flowers to shape the skull. The last flower is the dahlia, which is also an eery-looking flower. The association that comes to mind when I think of the dahlia flower is the black dahlia murder. The murder involves a young woman who was found mutilated on a lawn. Each of these flowers exhume a grim aura that fit well in creating a skull to represent the heavy phrase “All of my happiness depends on you.”

[alienshinubie]

Tip / Guideline / Things to keep in mind:

1:  Don’t use too many hashtags, it’s annoying.  

2:  Very simplistic is bad:  Ocean, food, etc are too simple, too many things pop up.  

3:  Many of your friends don’t use / appreciate hashtags as much as you do.  

4:  Humorous hashtags shouldn’t be overused.  

5:  Hashtags shouldn’t be too long or it is too difficult to read them.  

[sarahndall]

The Instagram hashtag challenge that I have decided to analyze is titled “#middleoftheroad”. I chose this particular challenge because the idea intrigued me. Roads are something that is both everyday and unique. They are everyday in that they are ubiquitous: one cannot go through a day without...

[iriseevahn]

I completely connected with your description that roads are interesting because they are "both everyday and unique." In my post pertaining the hashtag challenge "strideby," I described how intrigued I was by the idea that people are walking through these exotic locations and are unfazed by them. These locations may appear unique to me, but so normal for others.

As you described with the roads, there are ubiquitous but they are all very different from each other. This hashtag challenge provides a wonderful opportunity to view something so common in a new light.

[iriseevahn]

#WHPstrideby

The Instagram weekly challenges are experimental ways to inspire instagrams from the wide assortment of users, ranging from the amateur social media sharer to the professional photographer. They challenge the user to view the world in a different way and capture a moment that they might not have recognized before had the theme of the week not brought images to the forefront of the mind.

I thoroughly enjoyed the challenge #WHPstrideby. Inspired by the hashtag “strideby” series created earlier in the year, the challenge asked Instagrammers to capture moments of people striding through unique locations. Immediately, an influx of photos entered the insta-verse of beautiful locations all around then world carrying the hashtag #WHPstrideby.

One of the photos I really appreciated was a photo by @cheknice that whose subject was a person casually walking down the street. In the background stood a building’s brick wall and a large metal garage with it’s lower half covered in graffiti. The person took no notice of his surroundings, why would he? Just another day in the city, passing graffiti-covered buildings and no attention needed to be wasted on it.

Another instagram, by @reallykindofamazing, featured a surfer walking across a white sanded beach with these beautiful turquoise waves crashing onto the shore. There is hardly a distinction between where the light blue sky ends and meets the ocean, really emphasizing the striding surfer in the photograph.

Throughout the many other photographs featuring #WHPstrideby, users take us to every inch of the world, in front of churches, towns, art installations, and nature and in every instance, there is a lonesome human just passing through, unfazed by his/her surroundings. The uniformity of the solo person juxtaposed against the eclectic backgrounds links the photographs in the set together. As I sat and clicked through the photos, they all appeared to be beautiful. From the person that is standing by an intricate gothic cathedral to the person in front of the graffiti-covered garage, the photos were both so aesthetically pleasing.

Apart from showing the beauty of many different places, I feel that #WHPstrideby had a more detached tone to it. Throughout all the photographs, we see people just walking by these different locations, paying no attention to the beauty that surrounds them at that moment in time. It offers the impression that the daily “strideby” past the locations make these exotic locations have a tone of normalcy. But to an outsider looking in, the viewer can glance past the normalcy stemmed from the lonesome human walking and really emphasize the differential backgrounds coming from each photograph. It’s peculiar how something can appear so exotic to some yet so normal to others.