My response: When I heard this, I thought about the classic books that I have read: To Kill a Mockingbird, Crime and Punishmen, The Scarlet Letter, Jane Eyre, just to name a few. Does that mean that an author would have to die in order for a classic to emerge? Will the Harry Potter series become a classic when J.K. Rowling passes away? To me, a classic book is one that is timeless. Rob himself said that with classics, they seem to embody an "eternal freshness". I completely agree. Our teachers in high school may have forced us to read The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn or The Great Gatsby, but forever these books will have an eternal freshness.
1/24/2012 - "They've been using them since grade 5; me for 5 minutes" (Rob regarding the smartboard in class)
My response: I remember seeing a smartboard for the first time in 8th grade. I was so amazed that we could be very hands-on in the classroom and do math problems or look at maps onto this computerized white board. There are so many gadgets incorporated into them and it made learning for me very exciting and fun. It was also entertaining to draw doodles on the board when the teacher wasn't looking. It amazes me how technology can become advanced so quickly. In what ways could technology continue to become more advanced? We can read newspapers on our iPads, so does that mean physical newpapers will become "old fashioned"? Only time will tell.
1/31/2012- "I'm excited to see these videos." (Rob regarding his enthusiasm for the "How-To" Videos)
My response: Me too. These videos are ways for us to become more media savvy and to learn some techniques, such as working in the studio, to generate a video and publish the final project to the social networking world. The videos will be a lot of work, from script writing, to acting, and finally, editing, but I think we will all be very pleased with the outcome in the end.
2/7/2012 - "Informational and entertaining..." (Regarding the How-To videos)
My response: I completely agree. Not only did I learn more about swag, Minnesota winters, how to hook a hottie and the life of a college student, I felt that each other videos was thoroughly entertaining. They all had a message to get out to the public and they did, but it's also good to have humor because it makes it less serious and more enjoyable to watch. I think you can remember information better if there is something comical associated with it. I liked each and every video and do agree that not only was it informational, but very entertaining. 2/9/2012 - "Mass media is like yoga..."
My response: Rob stated in class that mass media is like yoga. You need to spend a little bit of time every day working on it. If you don't, you fall behind and are not very "fit". Mass media is demanding and a lot of work. If we spend just a little bit every night working on our assignments, it will all add up in the end.
2/21/2012 - "I want to launch my greeting card career."
My response: Rob, with your witty humor, I think you could definitely be in the greeting card business. My cousin actually works for Hallmark, being a photographer and she has actually been in greeting cards (it was her hands), which is pretty awesome. I think it would be a fun career to have, designing cards or thinking of creative wording. I think it goes along with this class - Writing for Mass Media - because greeting cards talk to people. We send cards in the mail to our loved ones for their birthdays or our friends to congratulate them for something important. I bet with Rob's idea of insulting people, it would actually work because there are people who would get a kick out of it. Who knows... one of us will be writing for the media through greeting cards.
3/1/2012 - "I hope you are proud." (Regarding the lulu books)
My response: I am. This process was challenging trying to figure everything out but in the end, it's pretty awesome have a book that is my work. I love to take pictures and it makes me very proud to know that is this my work and that people can buy this. I truly am proud of it.
3/6/2012 - "That is lesson number one--don't give up."
My response: Writing can set all the wheels in motion. Yes, there are probably going to be days where you have writers block or just don't feel like writing that paper for your psychology class. We shouldn't give up though. Just push through it. We all have the ability to write, strengthen our writing, and improve, so why not keep going on?
3/20/2012 "Media is this progressive story."
Today, Rob talked about the history or timeline of the media. I remember him talking about it in his Media Literacy class. We really are the media. We print photographs, talk over the radio, create videos and post on YouTube. The media started a long time ago, whether you think it began with cave paintings or Adam and Eve. We use the media every single day of our lives, whether we realize it or not; spoken word, writing, Facebook, YouTube, reading, etc. We have advanced so much since the beginning of the media, and who knows what lies for us in the future. Media is a progressive story and us humans will continue to be the media and lengthen it's story.
