Consumed by Media..

It’s no secret that all forms of media can consume our daily lives. We have unlimited access so massive amounts of information. I think our lives center around convenience, and our smart phones and tablets make it so we don’t have to do a lot to answer our questions. We are the media we use.

Personally, I find that I get the majority of my information from various outlets. I don’t particularly like watching the news on TV, so I have a few apps on my iPad that give my daily dose of world and local news. These apps also have stories that aren’t serious, but are just purely for entertainment. I’m surfing these apps before I fall asleep, waiting in line at Starbucks, or just have some free time. I don’t claim to be the most up-to-date on the issues going on the world, but I do try to keep myself somewhat less than ignorant.

I find myself checking my Facebook when I want a weather update locally, because even though I have a window and am perfectly capable of looking outside to see what’s happening... I know I can rely on those certain Facebook users to post a picture of snow or a sunset. I don’t use Twitter or Snapchat. I mainly keep to Facebook – to stay connected with family who don’t live near me. But, honestly? My favorite thing to do on Facebook is watch amusing animal videos (my life is clearly very exciting). But I tend to stay away from outlets like Twitter because I find the idea of following your favorite celebrates to be trivial… I do not care about Kanye West’s latest Twitter feud, or how much money Taylor Swift donated to some washed up pop-singer’s Ludacris court case. I claim not to care about these things, yet I’m still aware of them. I don’t think its because I care, but it is what is all over my social media and new outlets. How is this hard-hitting news?

There are those rare moments when I find myself being “too connected” and I need to just to step away from the smart phone. I like to dive into a good book, more than likely one I’ve read before. Or just getting outside or having a conversation with a real human being that isn’t over a text message 

conversation.

Im not saying it was media... but it was media

I guess the type of media I am naturally drawn to is the news…on the tv…? Yes question mark… Media and I don’t get along very well for multiple reasons *cough tonypandy and bias cough* I like to know what is going on in the world, whether it be overseas or closer to home. So the overall news venue and I have a complicated relationship.

I tend to stay off of most of the social media sites. The app market is flooded with so many communication type programs that I have no interest in even attempting to keep up with which yakbookspacechat things that are in the current fad.

Okay maybe I lied a little bit. I use FB to keep up with friends and family that are spread around me but that’s about it. Instagram is okay but definitely No candy crush or Arnold combat war games.

In today’s world every bit of information ever known is floating in your pocket. We have access to it 24/7. When I grew up pagers were the biggest thing to have. Now every toddler has an IPhone. I have an understanding of media and how it works, and personally believe it’s our greatest feat and our biggest down fall. I believe it brainwashes society. The brainwashing has become so intense that when you pass by someone you don’t know, or uncomfortable with, or just don’t want to make eye contact with…9 times out of 10 you pull your phone out and open facebook instead of interacting.

If you haven’t figured it out by now I kind of dislike electronic forms of media. I did this thing as a kid called playing in the woods with sticks and mud. I would rather experience media first hand. For example going into the forest for a hike instead of looking pictures up on the interwebs, or go to a concert instead of paying a dollar for a song on Itunes on my phone…etc. Seeing a breathtaking landscape and being exposed to not only the visual aspect but the sounds, smells, and feelings of the ocean by a bonfire on a cool summer night will always be better than just seeing it on Instagram. I do have to admit seeing a picture can without a doubt stir emotions and touch ones soul but its still not the same.

The application and formality of the media and which venue it used to share that information is a big deal. Like we saw in class with the visiting professors different forms of media portray different messages. If I could have an ever changing newspaper (like in the harry potter films) that would snuggly fit in my pocket I would be squared away. Whatever medium of media I deal with has to have credibility and legitimacy. Unless its onion news network, they are the most legitimate news source ever known to man…ever!

Main point being I don’t really mess with the “media” stuffs. It is nice to relax and pull out a tablet and browse cool stuff or investigate cool things but I just can’t do it for long. Unless it’s something ludacris that will give me a laugh like…#ninjacat on IG or some meme. Totally don’t know if #ninjacat is real now I have to use media to find out…damn. Totally just gave away that I am an old man. 

Reality Check: Media

First off Hi! It has been a long time since we have written things. 

Now lets get to blog writing!

(Did I forget to mention I have an entire arsenal of gifs?)

When I was looking at the Wikipedia page, I was amazed at all the types of media out there--both physical and digital. I mean I'm no artist or anything ( No, really I'm not that much of an artist, just look at my deviant arts page) wait a second...

I just realized something, there is a lot types of social media out there in the interwebs. I mean I could list them all out but that would very....very....very boring (not even my sarcasm jokes and gifs/pics can help). But seriously there are is a lot. There are social media geared toward different subjects, for example Goodreads, the facebook for book lovers. There is also again deviantart, where people can share their works to the community. So obviously we see where I gravitate towards, considering the fact I practically live on the internet but for good reason. Back when I used to play this one game (not going to mention it because you guys will probably get the wrong idea ;) ), I started gaining all these friends from around the globe and we started talking to each other via social media. Even now about 7 years later I still talk to some of the people now, even though we all have grown up and move into our young adult lives.  To me social media makes me believe that we are not far apart, infact we are closer than we think. Now, I mainly used the typical teenage/young adult social media outlets most people used...except pintrest...only because I need to have some self control or I will end up baking anything that pops up on my feed. It gives me an outlet to rant or just be the really random weird person that majority of you guys don't get to see in class because I'm too shy to say anything. Yes on social media I am a social butterfly, only because I don't have to look at somebody's face :D. But, I should not take this for granted as real relationship come from human contact (which is an entire blog post in itself). 

Sidenote: if you still use myspace or pronounce gif as jif like the peanut butter....

(sorry I needed an excuse to use this gif and the g in gif is graphic so yeah) 

Media? You're Talking About Media??

As I am sure we are all aware by now, there are numerous types of media available to us in our everyday society. Types of media include paintings, drawings, architecture, carpentry, sound, and more. Do I sound like the Wikipedia article yet?

Back to being serious. Media affects each and every person differently. Some of us may love sound and the musical form of media but others may prefer the silent process of drawing a picture. Regardless of what form one may prefer, all forms of media help provide us with some level of fun and entertainment. The different forms allow us to take a momentary leave from the stressful thing we all call "life."

For me, I interact with the film, electronic, sound, literature, and food forms of media on a daily basis. I am a big lover of movies and television, as I'm sure you can all tell by my numerous references to House of Cards in class. 

Food makes me happy and keeps me alive so yeah... Music keeps me sane and reading allows me to use my imagination and enter worlds and lives I'd not ordinarily be able to experience.

I do not interact with the drawing or painting forms of media as much as I would like. I'm not as cultured as some individuals but it is something I am trying to work on.

I'm a pretty big supporter and fan of social media. I am on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat. I feel as if all of these forms help me keep in contact with my friends who I no longer see on a daily basis. By seeing pictures of their lives or seeing posts regarding their accomplishments, it makes me feel as if I'm not so far away and that can be an extremely comforting feeling. Social media also helps everyone meet new people and network to an extent and, lets be honest, networking is huge these days.

All of these forms of media help me in some way become a better person. By eating, I'm keeping myself alive. By reading, I'm furthering my knowledge. By watching movies, I'm realizing mistakes that some characters make and how I can avoid them in real life. Music keeps my brain working and social media helps me keep all of my friendships current and up to date.

Without media, I'd be lost.

There is a LOT of Media

Before looking at the Wikipedia page that listed out all of the different types of media, I only assumed that physical ways to communicate an idea was considered media. We all know about social media, such as Facebook,  Twitter, Tumblr, etc., as well as print media, like newspapers and magazines.  Television was also an electronic version of media that I knew of before reading the article; but I never would have thought that food, light, and carpentry were sources of media.

I feel that we are all drawn to the types of media that directly give us the information we want when we want it, and that can also entertain us.  We can use Google for almost anything, Facebook to share random things and to look at what other random things are in your news feed, and YouTube to watch plenty of videos varying from pop culture news to gaming videos, and make up tutorials to the cinnamon challenge.  But we don't really come into contact with the other forms, such as paintings and architecture, because unlike during the Renaissance, we aren't drastically changing our style and our views.

Now on the talk of social media, which everyone has at least some version of, I personally only use Instagram, Vine, and Tumblr.  When I first got an Instagram, no one used it, so I thought it was just a photo editing app.  Next thing I know, everyone is using it and are requesting to follow me.  Vine and Tumblr are versions of social media that I have an account on, but only use to procrastinate, I don't actually post anything.  Now Facebook is where things get complicated.  I have an account, but since Facebook became less about what your "friends" actually post and more about ads and what they have shared, I have gotten really annoyed with it, and just don't use it.  Twitter and Pinterest are the types of social media I do not use.  I don't have accounts with either and I honestly don't understand how they work or what their points are, so naturally I just don't use them.

Then there is the topic of Youtube.  Is it considered social media, or is it not?  I consider it a form of social media because their is a possible form of two way conversation.  Their is the comment section where people can communicate with the video's owner or other viewers.  Some YouTubers have Q&A's where they answer their viewers questions, or host livestreams so that their viewers can watch and interact in real time.

Ultimately, social media is a form of media that can reciprocate communication, hence the word "social."

Can You Imagine Life Without Media?

Everyday I look at different media, and after looking at the Wikipedia page I realized that there were a lot more types then I thought.  In all media there are different mediums used to create the piece.  When using different media we experience the ideas of the text differently, which I find is interesting.  When we did the assignments for Mr. Angello we looked at three different medias, which included the movie, the twitter page, and the reading.  All three of these medias gave me a different idea of what Shakespeare was like, but I liked the movie the best.

The media that I look at everyday is social media and I don't know what I would do without it.  I would say that everyday I look at the following social media pages, Twitter, Instagam, Snapchat, Facebook, and Pinterest.  Social media for me is just a way to take a break in the day and maybe find something interesting or entertaining to look at. 

When I look at Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat I kind of just take a quick look not reading much of it and then moving along.  When I look at Facebook I tend to look at everything because there are usually a lot more topics then what I did today kind of stuff.  Lastly when I look on Pinterest I can be on there for hours because there are so many different ideas and projects that you can save to your boards!  Which brings me to my favorite media that is baking.  On Pinterest I have 567 recipes saved, I know I will never be able to do all of them, but I want to!  I started baking because my grandmother used to bake cakes and she taught me to bake.  I love baking cupcakes whenever I can get the chance!  I use many different tools when baking, they include: an electric mixer, oven, stove, pans, juicer, paper baking cups, bowls, piping bag, spatula, measuring cups, and more.  

I like to make all different kinds of cupcakes from cookie dough cupcakes to pink lemonade cupcakes. I like making cupcakes look and taste good because it's fun and it lowers my stress.  The media that I use the least would have to be drawing, painting, sculpture, and ceramics not because I don’t like it but because I am not good at it.  I think that media will always be around no matter where we are in life and that it can affect the people we are and how we see things!