Monthly Archives: November 2019

Transmedia Integration Plan

Process Post

I plan on incorporating more transmedia into my publication by using YouTube. Since my website is a professional portfolio incorporating other channels into my website is not necessarily integral or useful. My work is mainly text and image based, therefore my website is the best place to display it. However, I have some work that could be viewed on Youtube. In addition, I think a lot of my fashion blogging would benefit from linking to YouTube videos that support what I am writing on (interviews, runway shows, fashion vlogs, etc.) Other than this, I do not feel that incorporating more transmedia would benefit my website.

Week 11 Process Post

Up to now, my online social media presence is focused on my favorite platform -Instagram, I use it for promoting my website and attracting more audiences, and I believed that the visual media platform like Instagram is effectively to build the connection between bloggers and readers. The reading “POKEMON AS TRANSMEDIA STORYTELLING” from this week really sparked me a lot, the author mentioned that transmedia storytelling is the ideal aesthetic form for an era of collective intelligence. As social media have become more prevalent and easy to use, fans and audiences can drill deeper into the ever-expanding world of their followed blogger, transmedia makes a unique contribution to the narrative system as a whole, which helps readers to piece together a comparatively fuller picture of the blogger’s life. Thus I am considering incorporating more transmedia integration into my online publication, maybe a mixture of other social media platforms or channels such as youtube if I will create my Vlog in the future.

The main reason why I choose to incorporate Instagram specifically into my website and online presence is that Instagram is my most familiar social media and I have been using it for a long time. I like to post my traveling photos and share them habitually on Instagram, it is a good way to record my traveling footstep, which not only helps me to enrich my self-online publishing but also promotes my website effectively. In my view, Instagram is a great online channel to market to my audience, according to my google analytics I knew that many readers of my blog come from my Instagram.

Moreover, I put my Instagram page on the widget of my website, this widget is displayed my Instagram feed on the homepage of my blog, which shows many beautiful traveling photos directly for my audiences, if they are interested in any picture, they can click the “Follow” button and easily check the story of the photo or follow my account to know me well.

Overall speaking, be a transmedia creator is an interesting experience for any blogger, but is not easy to balance each channel. Personally, I will keep up with my Instagram account and continue my traveling photography posting for my blog, and make progress on content creating or blog promotion for my audiences, maybe in the future, I will happy to buildup Youtube channel and create my own traveling Vlog.

References:

Kevinbrittenylauren.wordpress.com. 2013. “Pokemon as transmedia storytelling: https://kevinbrittenylauren.wordpress.com/2013/11/21/pokemon-as-transmedia-storytelling/

Sunset in London

Week 5 – Design

The website I will analyze is none other than Apple, that company is has a phenomenal web design. Just like their products, the website is simple and clean. The use of neutral colours further amplifies their products which is the primary focus for the viewers. When you go on the homepage you can clearly tell the featured product apple is trying to advertise. Moreover, what I love about their website are the pictures of their products in HD and how they have made everything interactive and responsive when you scroll down the page. One thing I noticed the most is the typography on the website and how it changes with the background, the font sits really nicely on top of the background making it a smooth transition.

The icons on the menu of Apple are simple, because for a user who is not familiar to the website can easily navigate just by clicking on the pictures associated with the product.

For example, when I visit their AirPods section from the menu, as soon as I start scrolling you notice every inch of the product explained through pictures. You will see the the product stretched out to explain the technology used in the product. Texts come up and disappear as images take over and the transition from white to black background is seamless. The interactive feature is brilliant that it has the capability to make you buy their product in a heartbeat (or at least that is me).

Overall, the website is beautifully made and perfectly balanced, it fully captures the essence of the product. The colour palette compliments the products and makes them stand out from the photography. It is consistent throughout the website, one can even say you could spend all your time on the Apple website, playing with the interactive features and not get bored. Personally the website still manages to amaze me with their attention to detail.

Thoughts on transmedia integration.

Process Post.

Umhmm…transmedia integration, interesting!

Transmedia integration is definitely an important step for website creators to further expand and promote their websites. So, this week I’m going to think about how could I plan to incorporate more transmedia integration into my online publication.

Since my website is about food-hunting and sharing, I will surely plan to focus on channels that enable a wide spread of pictures/videos, and those that allow users to interact easily. The initial ones that pop up in my mind are Instagram and Pinterest, these two are those I consume most aesthetically appealing pictures and posts. I also watch a lot of foodie vlogs from YouTube, so YouTube would be a great choice too!

To talk about the implementation of transmedia integration more pragmatically, take Instagram as an example, I would like to have the images of my blog posts immediately inserted from IG accounts; which means when readers click into the image of my post, they will be immediately directed to my IG account or the restaurant’s IG account. Of course, they could check the location by IG’s map function too. (though I’m not sure if this would somehow violate copyrights if the pictures are from the food places, so I reckon it would be better to communicate with the shops at first hand).

Also, I would like to develop a YouTube channel for my website with videos (aka vlogs) about food tours to the places I’ve introduced in my blogs, but these would take quite a lot of time and energy! But the good thing is, it’ll surely be fun. It’s very difficult for a video channel to attract the first group of viewers so I guess the best strategy for me if I do this is to spread my videos through my family members and friends during the early stage and pray for some good results!

Create a GIF.

  • An attempt to create a gif that summarizes my university life… I mean even food fails to motivate me when it’s near the end of the semester hahaha.
  • The video for this gif is taken in a Cat Cafe in Vancouver, which is named “Cataro Cafe”.
  • The cafe serves different kinds of tea, coffees, etc. (including boba tea) and some mini cakes as well.

Google Analytics

Learning how to use Google Analytics to optimize my blog was definitely confusing but interesting at the same time. It’s nice that new users of the tool are presented with a basic dashboard as a starting point so we can familiarize ourselves with what type of information we can get. I then explored further into the types of categories of my audiences.

I looked at the data for the last 30 days, and saw that majority of my readers visit my blog on Tuesdays in the late afternoon to evening. Likely because Pub101 assignments are due Tuesdays, and people are interested in other peer’s posts. This insight helps me set a time for when my posts should be up by to get the maximum amount of pageviews.

My Usability page received the most pageviews, informing me that those content are what my readers are most interested in. Out of the 46 total pageviews, 35 were unique, meaning readers visits a page more than once during their session. This tells me my content are of interest to my visitors when they return again.

Make Your Own Photos Instead of Buying Them

HIRE LOCAL PHOTOGRAPHERS

Every home, or office can use photos as decorative pieces. I’ve purchased random art and photos at stores like Ikea and HomeSense to hang on my walls. Art and photos that have absolutely no meaning to me, except that they match the room’s aesthetics. Do you do that as well? Did you know you can easily hire local photographers to have private photoshoots with you and a small group around the city to make your own artwork? I’m sure you can find photographers online, and on several social media platforms, but you can also easily do so on Airbnb. Many of us think that Airbnb is only for renting homes, but you can also book many experiences including photoshoots with a large list of different photographers. There are many different photographers, each with different photo taking and editing styles to fit your preference- from murals, portraits to scenic shots. Most photographers are rated atleast a high 4 out of 5 stars. Additionally, Airbnb ensures your experience is safe, as they verify the photographer’s identify, and you can exchange contact information and location of meeting directly on the website. Instead of purchasing a random piece of wall hanging at a store, consider hiring a local photographer to personalized create the art you want. Below are three photographers I came across on the Airbnb website that have three different styles of shooting I think you might enjoy. Check them out on AIRBNB.

NASRI

Nasri photo sessions are two hours long at $109 per person. Nasri became a local photographer in 2016, and has since developed his own unique style, focusing on night shoots. Nasri outlines what you can expect when you book with him, he will immerse you into night of Downtown Vancouver, and will take you to shoot at seven iconic spots where he will take photos for you and your group, and even help guide you how to pose. 
Nasri guarantees a minimum of 50 edited photos, with a turnaround time of less than three day.
Check him out here: https://www.airbnb.ca/experiences/1263078?s=67&shared_item_type=2&virality_entry_point=2&sharer_id=126398290

DAVID

David is a photographer with over 20 years experience, he as a team of photographers we will get you the perfect portraits around the city. With David, you get a tour and a photoshoot. You can pick from either Granville Island, Gastown, or Stanley Park. His photo sessions are one hour long at $76 per person on average. He takes up to a maximum of four people, and will get 30 edited photos to you within three days after the shoot. David and his team has over 70 positive reviews on Airbnb.
Check him out here: https://www.airbnb.ca/experiences/791229?s=67&shared_item_type=2&virality_entry_point=2&sharer_id=126398290

ANA

Ana is a local photographer who uses DSLR camera, to take photos of you and a group of up to three people around Vancouver. Ana actually offers several different types of photo sessions, with over 200 combined positive reviews. There is the “Rooftops of Downtown Photoshoot Tour” which costs $45 per son, where Ana will guide you around secret rooftops around downtown and take photos. There are also other tours where she will take you to take photos along False Creek, or the Waterfront area, Seawall, and Gastown. After the photo session, you will have all the unedited photos she took, and you can pick five photos for her to edit. 
Check her out here: https://www.airbnb.ca/experiences/459413?s=67&shared_item_type=2&virality_entry_point=2&sharer_id=126398290

Top 3 Stores for Minimalists

In today’s day and age, a lot of shopping can be accomplished through the internet. I love Amazon Prime, and I’ll even order food from UberEats on a rare occasion. However, I always purchase clothing in-store (or at least, try it on in-store first). There has been one too many occasions where the size or fit simply isn’t right, and I’m stuck with a final sale item that never gets to see the light of day.

I’d like to think that after making clothing purchases for 10 years, I’ve found the perfect stores for those who prefer the minimalistic and simple style.

#1 Aritzia ($$)

This probably goes without saying. Approximate 90% of the posts on this blog contain items from Aritzia, and my own closet is filled with Aritiza clothing. I think I’ve always loved the style of this store, but the High School me could not possibly afford to shop at Aritzia on the usual. I could not justify paying above $100 for a sweater or a pair of trousers back then (unfortunately, not the case anymore LOL). With the help of co-op and part-time jobs, I am now able to fund my shopping sprees at Aritzia.

Aritzia was originally founded in Vancouver, and I’m so proud that Aritzia has made it internationally. Numerous celebrities have been spotted wearing their pieces, and I’m not surprised at all. Their style is simple yet flattering, and the quality is also not bad for a fast-fashion chain. I find that complicated and colorful pieces often seem attractive at first, but I also get tired of the garment quicker. Simple pieces make it easier to match with other clothing, and it’s less likely to go out of style.

#2 Lululemon Athletica ($$)

I don’t think I’ve actually worn any Lulumeon pieces in my blogs, but that doesn’t mean that I love them any less than the other stores. I’ve refrained from wearing or mentioning too much Lululemon pieces in my blog posts, simply because they are sporty-casual and that’s not the direction I initially wanted to take my blog.

I’ve personally purchased and tried on leggings from various brands (TNA, Adidas, Nike, etc.) and none compares to the aesthetics and comfort of Lululemons leggings. Two years ago, I thought that I would never be crazy enough to pay $100 for a pair of leggings. Today, I can say firmly that I’ve purchased 4 pairs of leggings from Lululemon over the course of a year. That’s one pair every 3 months on average. They offer different materials for different purposes (day-to-day, yoga, running), and different lengths as well (did I mention they have complimentary tailoring as well?). On my lazy days when I just don’t feel like constricting my legs with skinny jeans, I throw on a pair of Lululemon leggings and a hoodie. You can never go wrong with that combination!

#3 Oak and Fort ($)

I think we were all expecting this one as well. When I think of minimalistic fashion, the first brand that pops up in my head is Oak and Fort. The majority of pieces at Oak and Fort are neutral-toned and gender-neutral. There are a couple of girly pieces here and there, but they specialize in more over-sized and loose-fitting attire. I find that Oak and Fort clothing has been decaying in quality. The past two purchases have had the same ware-house-y smell to them. And it isn’t pleasant at all. I’m not sure why this is, but it makes it hard for me to want to wear the garment out when I’m always conscious of how it smells to other people.

In terms of pricing, I think that it’s more wallet-friendly than Aritzia. However, I cannot place Oak and Fort higher than Aritzia because I simply do not find nearly as many favorites. It’s unfortunate, but it seems that Oak and Fort has changed their business strategy to quantity-over-quality over the past few years.

Week 12: Process Post

This week, I have been tasked with creating the community guidelines for this blog. Below are the new community guidelines that I have come up with.

Creation

I figured that these guidelines would work best for my blog. My number one rule is that people are respectful of one another while on my site. Not only do I not tolerate hate in my daily life, but I also do not want to be responsible for facilitating hateful discussions on my blog. I also want to make sure that comments that are posted on my site are actually relevant to the content and are free from any spam or advertisements. I also want to make it clear that I do not have an issue with my content being shared on other platforms; however, this could become an issue if I am not being recognized and credited for my work, which is indicated in rule #3. This space is also meant to be inclusive and rated G, so I do not encourage inappropriate language to be posted on my site.

Implementation

I have decided to locate these guidelines under the “About” tab on my site. I figured that this would be a visible enough place for readers to access the guidelines without overwhelming them by having them thrown at them as soon as they get to the homepage.

I am hoping that with the integration of these community guidelines to my site that I can encourage readers to share insightful comments and engage in pleasant discussions while in this space.

Finding Your Music Identity

Music is something so versatile and profound that it appeals to all types of people with unique tastes and preferences. Trends and waves of emerging genres can lead to over-saturation of similar artists, tracks, and styles all within one genre. Finding new and unique music that has been overshadowed by this can be difficult but is very rewarding once you have. Most of the music I have reviewed is from underground or other lesser known, alternative hip hop artists. Some people may wonder how people like me are able to find these artists. In truth, it is not very difficult. The amount of resources available online makes finding any type of artist simple to find if you know what you are looking for. Personally, I’ll find one artist on a feature or elsewhere that I like and then go down a rabbit hole. This rabbit hole usually leads to other small artists with the same type of style that I like, and this cycles until I’ve reached the end. This is why many of the artists I’ve reviewed are from Chicago. Most of them have all collaborated and essentially introduced each other to me. The hardest part about finding music you like, is know what kind of music you like. Once you’ve established this, doing a bit of research should bring you to exactly what you’re looking for. This is the beautiful thing about music: you can be a casual listener or a particular and purposeful listener. You can listen to whatever is most convenient to you and be content, or you can try to discover music that you are passionate about. Sources referencing new music are endless, and a little bit of effort can lead to a very rewarding experience with music. Even following music review media or blogs such as this one is a great step to starting your journey into music bliss.    

The Autobiography

The Autobiography is Vic Mensa’s first studio album and came out in 2017.

The Autobiography is Vic Mensa’s first studio album and came out in 2017. The album is quite unique and niche in terms of consumer taste. Vic’s approach is heavily based around more spoken words rather than trying to find certain flows. He can pull this off without it sounding boring or monotonous in part due to the quality and tastefulness of the production. The styles of instrumental vary heavily between songs which keeps it interesting and enjoyable. Vic also incorporates a lot of his singing on this project. His voice is more coarse and tough which adds to some of the emphasis and effect of his lyrics. The album features different chapters of his life, and Vic displays his ability to story tell through vivid imagery and effective wordplay. My favourite track that exhibits this is “Heaven on Earth”. This is a track about the exchange of messages between Vic and his murdered friend in Heaven. The beat is perfectly balanced so that you can really pay attention to the lyrics while enjoying the euphony of the song. The track takes your mind to the different scenes so seamlessly all while maintaining the integrity and quality of a good song. The rest of the album touches on different topics like love, drugs, depression, and his childhood among other things. The album feels a bit retro and old school with hints of trap and modernism. Listening to this album was a nice break from a lot of modern genres of hip hop. The samples for the beats are from different eras that range from the late 30s all the way to 2016. This helps offer new flavours with each track and gives the album the versatility to keep listeners engaged. I would rate this album a 4/5. I think some of his vocals were a little too coarse and didn’t mix well with some of the auto tune that was utilized. I would’ve appreciated a little more lyrical diversity in terms of his flows and rapping.

Notable Tracks: “Heaven on Earth”, “Didn’t I”, “Memories on 47th St.”, and “Wings”

Process Post #7: Analytics

I took my general idea for the website from other creepy-pasta esque websites such as Lorepodcast.com. Lore primarily features an excellent podcast. If you’re interested in the topic of cryptids, I highly recommend it.

In Genereal:
– I understand my meatier posts can be quite wordy, and that is likely a problem which stems from my own bias.
– I think the darker theme looks nice. It sets the mood and is an easy way to visually indicate what kind of website it is
– As you may have noticed, I try to keep myself relatively anonymous
– In regards to the first Peer Review of my website, I certainly am trying to implement some of the suggestions. The main concern being content, but also a few edits

Try Every Fitness Class Around the City

CLASSPASS

Sign up here

 

Did you know instead of signing up for a membership at a single fitness center, you can actually use Classpass and have access to majority of fitness studios around the city? The app has nearly 200 different studios around the city. I actually discovered Classpass while travelling in Asia. Our group was in Thailand, and we were looking for nearby gyms we could go to. Usually prices for day passes at gyms are relatively high, but when we called in to a nearby gym, they told us about Classpass. We downloaded the app and found that they are actually so much more than gyms on there. 

How the app works is that you pay a monthly fee to get credits. You can use these credits to access various gyms, classes, and fitness centers worldwide. The app is great if you want to try out different classes around the city, or try out different styles of activities. They offer everything from group activities like yoga, cycling, Pilates, or boxing, to wellness appointments like massages, cryotherapy, sauna, acupuncture, meditation, cupping, and more. The app therefore is great if you want to experience a bunch of local f classes that are offered around the city, without any committing to a long-term membership. 

Below are some highlights of the studios I’ve been to. If you have Classpass or a membership to a local fitness center, join the conversation in the comment sections and let me know what you think.


Elite
Performance

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The studio offers small group classes, personal training, and strength and conditioning training. They provide towels, mats, and there are lockers and showers in the facility. If you’re intimidated by a boxing class, or a beginner, their trainers here actually make you feel very respected and comfortable.

The studio offers challenging, and high energy experiences with strength and circuit training. Bootcamp, Maui Thai, boxing, and kick boxing classes. I will say that classes here are a bit more challenging, so if you a beginner, I would suggest coming here after you have already gone to couple classes at other studios. The studio has showers, lockers, parking, and offer mats but you have to bring your own towel and a change of shoes. You also need to bring gloves and wraps, or you can rent or purchase gloves on site.


MarVill Fitness and Athletics

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Movement
108

Facebook Instagram

The studio offers movement classes that uses kettlebells, body weight, and TRX. Their combo classes are great to get a mix of everything, and you get both cardio and strength training. The trainers here are very friendly, welcoming, and helpful. They really help you with your form and technique. 

 

Short Story – Tomorrow For Yesterday

The rain trickled down the window, leaving its trail behind as it slowly made its way to the bottom of the antique frame. The window was old and outdated. Marjorie was always staring out the window, but it never made her happy. What she used to know as “Aberfield Lane” a street in Chicago Illinois that was lined with jazz clubs and restaurants and the cutest little homes, one of them being her own. Was now “Aberfield Lane” the 1989 suburb. The cookie cutter houses replaced the clubs, a new playground replaced her favourite restaurant and the entire neighbourhood reeked of Aqua net and Electric youth. The only thing that never changed was her house. Everything looked as though it was stuck in the past, every plate was chipped and stained, every wall, an antique pink and every room smelt like smoke and Shalimar. It seemed as though the 1920s never left until you stepped outside the front door. 

Every time a car drove by, blasting the latest rock song, it got harder and harder for her to understand. How on earth could the world allow something as beautiful and perfect as jazz be replaced by electric guitars and painted faces? It was as though, with every passed day and every new invention, the world shed loved faded further and further away. 

That night, she fixed herself a brandy and lit her cigar. She placed her favourite record on the player and watched it spin. She could feel the band moving to the music as men sat and smoked with a women dressed to the nine wrapped in their arms. 

Eventually she sat down in her chair and drifted to sleep while the record continued to spin. She slept all through the night and day, dreaming of her past. When eventually she was awoken by the sound of a saxophone playing its brassy melodies outside her windows. Which she noticed looked as new as they did when she first bought the house. As a matter of fact, everything looked brand new, the only thing that seemed to be the same was the smell. She walked towards the front door to see what had happened and as she passed the front hall she was startled by a young women staring back at her. The women had short blonde hair cut into a chic bob. Her dress was sparkly and drowned in fringe that swayed every time she moved. Marjorie realized it was no women at all, but a mirror reflecting her own image. It was as if she was 22 yet again, she felt so beautiful and happy that she couldn’t help but smile and skip out the front door to see what else had changed. To her amazement, she was right, everything was as it used to be. Everywhere she looked, people were dressed in fur and top hats with gorgeous short hair and cigarettes between their lips. She could hear the jazz music coming from “The Kit Kat” the most popular club around. Without hesitation she ran towards it, smiling as the smell of brandy grew stronger. Two gentlemen dressed in suits welcomed her as they opened the doors and clouds of smoke flew out and encircled her, bringing her towards the dance floor which welcomed her like an old friend that would never let her go again. As she danced the night away, the woman in the chair smiled as the sound of her heartbeat was replaced with the sound of music, forever. 

Transmedia: Representation: “I’ll be seeing you” sung by Billie Holiday

Starbucks Application

The Starbucks app not only allows customers to browse and order ahead, it is constantly inviting them to engage with the company. The app reflects their philosophy of offering enjoyable and innovative experiences.

User Focused
Personalized elements can be seen right on the Home screen of the Starbucks app; greeting users by their names and time of day. It also conveniently shows user’s Starbucks Rewards program points, and how many points are needed for each reward level. 

The app stores user’s previous orders so they can easily reorder, making it even more convenient to make purchases. It also automatically finds the closest store, or users can manually select and save their most frequent stores.


Starbucks Rewards Program
Users earn two stars for every dollar spent, which then can be used to redeem various food and drinks. Starbucks keeps users engaged by constantly offering “challenges” to get bonus stars. This gamification offers immediate tangible rewards, and in turn builds loyalty as customers seek that sense of accomplishment. Users can easily track their progress throughout their challenges. If engagement has been low for a while, the app will prompt users with simple challenges to get them interacting again.

Members also benefit from free in-store refills, early member offers/events, personalized offers, and a free beverage on their birthday.

Customization
Many people might not know what they can customize in an item, or the options they have. In the app, they can explore all the possibilities and fully customize all the presented options. The one downside is that prices are not listed on the menu, but only after the item is added to their cart. This can create frustrations in users if price plays a major factor in their decision-making. 

Grab n’ Go
Starbucks was among the first to introduce mobile orders for pick up in 2015. This feature is catered towards people who are on the go, and combats foot traffic and wait times in store. Before even completing the mobile order, users are given an estimated time their order would be ready by, so they can plan ahead. It also streamlines the reward redemption process by showing if users have any points they can use toward their current order. The app recommends other products based on user’s ordering habits. For Starbucks, placing that here is a great marketing strategy, and provides a sense of personalization for the user.

Success
The approach to mobile is very saturated now, and Starbucks’ success comes from their dedication to understanding their users and what’s most important to them.