Warmup

I disagree with Keedy, because a poor visual representation of something can affect how the viewers perceive whatever it is the ad is trying to 'sell'. People are influenced by what they see and if something is half-done in a crappy way, fewer people are going to care about it or support it. For example the Truth commercials for smoking are very effective in stating the facts about smoking and if I smoked, I would definately consider quitting.

Comments for 2/28

The article "First Things First Manifest 2000" seems angry at how graphic designers are viewed as only being capable of making advertisements for superficial products like cigarettes or beer. The author would like to shift focus away from advertisements and use their skills for something much better. Ironically their view of 'better' is making movies and the like, but its clear they want to do more with their skills than use photoshop on a Nike shoe and put the words 'Just Do It' on the picture.

Comments for 2/26

The article Car Culture describes how celebrities with 'new money' are more likely to buy the big, gaudy, and completely impractical Hummers while those with 'old money' are more apt to purchase the smaller, subdued, and economical Prius. However despite the so called 'new money' wanting to own the Hummers, on important events they leave them at home. The author then mentions that Hummers are becoming less and less popular (possibly due to their abysmal gas milage while gas prices are getting ungodly high) and that sales have fallen in six straight months. I found this article amusing in that what is seen as 'the vehicle' for anyone with money is losing its popularity to a hybrid car.

Freewrite

I am a PC fan. I have used a PC all my life and have never used a MAC before.
The design is a very sleek look and has a modern feel to it.
The software is very easy to use and allows you to do whatever it is you need to do.
MACs have the better ad campaign because their comercials are more memorable.

Freewrite

One of my old friends used to quote that 'Scarface' line "Say hello to my little friend!" every chance he could. He remembers the line apparently because it is rather iconic, coming in the final scene of that movie. The line itself is really just trashtalk so I guess it would mean he likes to trashtalk. I know that he loved that movie because he watched it almost 3 times a month so that's why he remembered it.

Comments for 2/12

Writing Assignment #1

1. "Ducks on a Pond" by Mark Sibley-Jones

2. I believe the main arguement of the text is that the past can't be forgotten but you can move on from it and live your life happily.

3. p. 259 halfway down the page: "I couldn't shake the image of his careening off the curb, the sight of the car swerving. I'd dreamed too many times as a child of the accident at the mill. I wondered how my father, so graceful and surefooted, had managed to fall toward the spinner. He'd have been chewed to bits if not for Mixson. Neither Dad nor Mama told me the full story, but talk circulated in the mill village. Sometimes I'd wake up in a sweat, thinking I was hearing the puncture of the eyeball and the grinding of bone in the teeth of the machine, only to race into the next room and find Mom sewing on her Singer."

4. The section where Mixson is almost run over is important, in that, while Mixson shrugs the near death experience off and goes on his way, Baxter and Carl are shaken and berate Mixson for not being careful. Carl even guides Mixson across the street showing that he's worried one of the cars might run him over despite all of them being stopped. Mixson is clearly happy to just keep moving forward while Carl and Baxter are more worried about keeping him completely safe from harm.

5. No significant rhyme, rhythm, or alliteration.

6. It contributes in that it shows that people shouldn't worry so much and that they should keep moving forward in life rather than trying to spot every danger.

Thesis: Life is to be enjoyed and experienced, and worrying about every little thing and staying focused on the past will not get you anywhere.

Writing Assignment #2

The short story "Ducks on a Pond" by Mark Sibley-Jones is a story about a grandfather and his grandson's trip to the park. However underneath all that is something far deeper. Life is to be enjoyed and experienced, and worrying about every little thing and staying focused on the past will not get you anywhere. The reader must look at how Mixson and Baxter go about their day at the park and pay attention to how different their reactions to certain things are. This story is all about moving forward in life and not letting your past drag you down.

Sonny Blues

Sonny Blues is a rather sad story about the relationship a man has with his brother. Sonny is a musician, he plays piano, who gets addicted to heroin. Prior to that, the brothers had a falling out and the narrator lost contact with Sonny until he saw a story in the newspaper about his brother being arrested for selling drugs. After Sonny gets out of therapy, the narrator accompanies Sonny to a club where he watches him play. After the performance, the narrator buys his brother a drink which seems to signify that they are going to reconnect.

Lost in the Funhouse

The story was rather dull and it seemed to just lose itself in all of its text. I really couldn't grasp any messages other than you can become lost in life. It was all very confusing and it really seemed like the narrator was literally just saying everything that came to his mind.

Videotape

This story was very dark and kind of disturbing as well. The story involves a man getting killed while a little girl watches and records it on camera. The tape is then watched by other people who hold a fasination with death. The message I got from this story was that people are subtely attracted to the disturbing and the morose.