In preparation of finals Week

     With finals week approaching, almost every student will be studying heavily for their exams. With all of this constant studying, a lot of stress can build up in the students. I feel that it is important to take care of ourselves mentally. Be sure to take breaks and find time to relax. In the residence halls, they will be hosting de-stress events like having puppies for people to pet and hold. While studying is important to passing your classes, your mental and physical health is more important. Be sure to get enough sleep and get enough to eat.    

movie adaptions vs book/comic versions

       I have always found it interesting when a book/comic is being turned into a movie and the changes they make. I become curious as to what will be put in/left out in the movie, compared to the books. One example of this is in the new Venom movie. The changes that were made really changes up the actual story in the comics. In the comics, the story of Venom starts off with Spider man first putting on the suite, not Eddy Brock. Also the story takes place in New York, but in the movie they are in San Francisco, California. There are a bunch of other details that I could list, but I feel like that may spoil the film so I won't mention them. Another example is the lack of details or explanation of events in the movies. One example of this is the Harry Potter franchise. In the books, there is so much more detail and information on the characters and events happening compared to the movies, were sometimes they gloss over some of this information. I feel this is probably due to time constants and the budget of the movies, still it is very interesting as to what they chose to leave out.           

I voted

Side by side pictures of the original and redesign campus sign

Technical Communication Response

When I think of Technical Communication, I think of the different ways to convey information in a story to an audience. This information can be anything from scientific data, to a professionally written report. The storytelling aspects of Technical Communication help to convey a clear and concise message. With Technical Communication, the information or data should be very detailed and be very easy to follow. I used detailed information in my own project, to convey my thought process of re-doing my sign and the steps I took to change the sign. With Technical Communication, the frame or procedural rhetoric that is provided is a good process for the writer to follow. The writer can use this rhetoric to make clear concise details and arrange them in a nice orderly fashion.

The keywords that stand out to me are improvisation and creative. Improvisation sticks out to me, because I feel that being able to come up with a story without guide lines is a good way to express one’s self. I feel that improvising is a good skill to have in writing a story and also in everyday life. The word creative also stood out to me, because I feel that having a creative mind can help to tell wonderful stories. I think of my favorite books, and how the authors came up with the ideas in making their characters or story. I think about what could have inspired them to create these fantastic stories that hold me to the edge of my seat.         

The value of Storytelling for the Campus signage project

     For me, storytelling is one of the most important aspects in conveying a point/message. Good storytelling can captivate a person and make them want to know more about your topic. A story that has a consistent flow makes it easier for a person to follow and understand. I feel good authors/storytellers know how to express important information at the appropriate time and know how detailed the information should be. When applying this to the campus signage project, I feel that starting from when you first found the sign is a good place to start. Starting from the beginning would help to explain why someone finds the sign and why it was unappealing to them. Going into detail as to what could be done to change the sign to make it stand out more and showing the steps you take to make those changes is important as well. Finally, I feel that when presenting the redesign, it was important to show the differences with side by side pictures of the original and the redesign. This way the audience can see the exact changes that were made and form their own opinions.      

Cartel Land Reflection

 At the beginning of the movie, there are Mexican cartel members making drugs out on a field at night. One of the members was discussing to the camera man why he got involved with the cartel. The man said that he couldn’t get a job that payed well enough to support his family, so he decided to join the cartel to steal and take the things he needed. The man describes a never-ending cycle of people trying to make a difference in Mexico by trying to stand up to the cartel but these people always fail. He explains how the cartel always win in the end, and how people always look at themselves as good people who are doing the right thing. This way of thinking from the man, really shapes the main discussion of the movie. People on both sides of the Mexico/American border are fighting to protect their views of what is right in their eyes, while simultaneously condemning the actions of those who do not agree. While I don’t agree with the actions of cartels or gangs in any country, I do agree with this particular statement from the cartel member that people feel their actions are justified based on what they believe is right.

Another scene that really hit me was a scene of a funeral happening in Mexico. About 15 people, 12 of which were from the same family, were killed by cartel members while working at a farm. The reason the cartel members killed these people was because the owner of the farm couldn’t pay the cartel the money they demanded. So, the cartel killed the workers as a form of compensation for the missed payment. This scene really hit me, because when the members of the family were burying them, a woman described that some of the dead were children. The woman explained that the cartel members took the children by their legs and swung their heads, bashing them into rocks. This also plays into the conversation of people feeling their actions are justified based on what they believe. The cartel believed they were owed money and should be compensated for the missed payment. I believe this type of questioning is brought to the audience’s attention throughout the film, to show how people make decisions based on what they feel is right and wrong.