According to Data. ai’s, State of Mobile 2022 report people, on average, spend 4 hours 48 minutes on their mobile devices, which equates to 1/3 of our day. This is important to remember because as someone who is cultivating and growing a brand/website, it is important to think about how my website designs translate on mobile devices. I have to consider if my website is accessible and easy to use on mobile devices to capture the attention of more readers. It is essential to have well-functioning and mobile adaptability because that is the new target audience; with Gen Z being a mobile-first society, it is paving the way for the future of technology and media (Data.ai., n.d.).
SEO is another crucial component in a well-functioning website as it enables us to understand and reach readers and can help create better user experiences for them to be captivated (Hollingsworth, 2021). Further, SEO “establish[s] a strong foundation for a beautiful website with a clean, effective user experience that is easily discoverable in search, thanks to the trust and credibility of the brand and its digital properties” (Hollingsworth, 2021). SEO is important to consider when creating a website because our words and hashtags matter to create visibility. A good heading should never be too long, and I heard that the best titles fall short of 6 words. Technology and the internet will continue evolving and changing, but SEO can help us stay relevant.
Hollingsworth, S. (2021, August 6). 15 Reasons Why Your Business Absolutely Needs SEO. Search Engine Journal. https://www.searchenginejournal.com/why-seo-is-important-for-business/248101/#close
For the third and final peer review of the semester, I was assigned to review Roland’s website; however, due to Roland’s website being incomplete as well as lacking content, I randomized another person and am now going to peer review Emerson’s website. This was finalized on Saturday, March 25, 2023, anything posted after this date were not included.
At first glance, Emerson’s website can be seen as a dark hole, a bit bland with nothing behind the surface, but then you would be quite wrong. The first thing I checked out was the “About” tab on the menu, it was only then was I able to understand what I was getting into. Emerson’s creative take on creating your website was shown, and I started to believe that I was able to get away from it all with dripowensonline.
Emerson’s audience is himself, and he doesn’t sugarcoat it. He states it in “Process Post #5”, “I don’t expect others to find it”. Rather than trying to state that their audience is whoever comes upon it, Emerson admits that they are writing to themselves and does not need to adapt to anyone’s comfort levels as it all depends on what he believes is true. Since his website audience is so small, relative to who Emerson lets into his digital garden, it allows it to be comfortable and welcoming. The minimalistic-ness of the “Home” page allows for a personal aroma for the user and reader.
I like to take a look at what other people are doing in class. I check out the google sheets page with all the websites and inquire what people are writing about or posting. Having looked at Emerson’s website I can say that I haven’t seen anything like it. In the recommended reading “How to Survive the Digital Apocalypse” by Travis Gertz, he talks about copycat culture and how companies are looking at the most successful websites and copying what they are doing. “When another company achieves success, there’s a lot of pressure to investigate what they did right and apply that to our own organizations” (Gertz, 2015). Looking at all the different websites in the class, I can say without a doubt, I haven’t seen something like Emerson’s. As I mentioned previously, his audience is himself, and because of that, he doesn’t need to copy others because he doesn’t have the same audience.
As a reader, of course, my perspective on Emerson’s website is going to be different than his perspective or even someone else’s. Because of this, it’s hard to say what I would think needs changing on his website. I am not his intended audience so of course, I am going to think of things differently than he would or he would want to. I would say, if it was my website, I would change the titles of my process posts. I like to make my posts engaging, even if it’s just for myself, so possibly changing the titles of your process posts could make your website just a little more interesting.
Altogether, I enjoyed Emerson’s website immensely and look forward to seeing more interesting and creative photos in his “Archive”.
This week, I was assigned to peer review the website sixtyfortythree by Darien Smallboy. The website showcases all of the photography work that the author has done in a very aesthetic way. As a user, I am quite pleased with the design of the website as it is minimalistic and easy to use but still shows the work in very nice way. Any buttons about where to contact Darien, where to find more of their work, and where to learn about the brand are all very easy to find and even encouraged to click on. I think this is useful especially if someone who does not know how to use technology very well finds this website as they will be able to navigate through it quite smoothly. I also like that there is a portion of the website that talks about the sixtyfortythree brand, why it was created, and the credentials that Darien has as a photographer to gain the trust of the users. In Sam Hollingsworth’s writing about SEO and why they are important, he states that “establishing a brand as an authority takes patience, effort, and commitment and relies on offering a valuable, quality product or service that allows customers to trust a brand” (Hollingsworth, 2021). Which is why I appreciate the use of examples of the photography that Darien has included to show experience in order to gain the trust of the website’s users.
Regarding the marketability of this website, I am not sure if Darien is planning on monetizing the website and making a profit off the content, but I think it would be a great opportunity to! I think one great way to engage with the audience a little but more would be to introduce social media platforms, if possible. Danah Boyd writes about using social media as a tool for creating publics as it builds a network of people and connections. Social media allows users to access their friends and introduces them to a broader world, making them feel like they are a part of something bigger and important to it. “Through engagement with publics, people develop a sense of others that ideally manifests as tolerance and respect” (Boyd, 2014). That being said, I think if Darien linked some social media platforms that also showed more photography it would encourage a specific public. Additionally, these social media accounts could be used to further promote the website.
Overall, I think Darien has done a great job with the website so far with its marketability as I can determine his intended audience based on the design, and I can see a lot of potential for how this audience can be marketed to, and how the website could possibly be monetized and used to support Darien’s future in photography!
When opening Victor’s website you are first presented with a fullscreen image of Ash Ketchum with Pikachu on his shoulder. I like this design choice and think it gives the reader a glimpse of what his website is about without using any words which is a good thing. At the top left of the page there is a title for his website in a nice simple bold font, and just to the right of that is a navigation menu that allows readers to access each part of his website. Both use a white font which provides a good contrast to the dark blue background making it easier to read. While I think this is a good start, there are a few things I would change. For starters I would replace the default text over the image, currently, it says “My Blog” and “Just another WordPress site”. I think if he replaced that with his website title and then centered the navigation menu at the top it would be more balanced and remove some unnecessary text. Moreover, if he would like to keep the two text boxes he could also add the text just underneath the image that says “VP CARD COLLECTIONS IS A PLACE TO SHARE STORIES AND IN-DEPTH REVIEWS ABOUT A VARIETY OF TRADING CARD PRODUCTS”, that way when someone opens his site they get the title and a short description of it without having to scroll at all.
Scrolling down, there is a detailed about me section with a good picture followed by a section talking about pokemon as it’s one of the main topics of the website and finally at the bottom, there is a gallery of pictures of different card packs he has opened. I think everything here is well done and valid to have on the homepage. The theme of the homepage is very good and looks professional, some may critique the fact that the background changes from black to white to black again as it is inconsistent but I like it and think it provides distinct indicators that you are on a new section of the homepage. The design is kept consistent throughout the entirety of his website, overall a very simple and minimal design that just works very well for this kind of blog. One thing to note is that not all of the content is showing up in the navigation menu which makes it a little confusing to find all his posts. The actual content itself is well done, his content posts examine many different trading cards/card sets from pokemon to the NHL. Reading the posts you can tell this is something he is passionate about, he goes over how many cards are in each set, the prices, the rarity of certain cards, cards that have special qualities, and the artwork on the cards. The process posts do a good job of examining the readings from each week and providing his thoughts on them, but in his more recent ones, he doesn’t include any changes he made to his website or details on his process of content creation for that week which is an important part of the process posts. Since this week is all about blog marketability and search engine optimization I thought I would outline some things that are done well and things that could help improve this for Victor’s blog. The article 15 Reasons Why Your Business Absolutely Needs SEO outlines 15 reasons search engine optimization is so important for reachability and every one of these points can translate to any website not only businesses. “With the rise and growing domination of mobile traffic, local search has become a fundamental part of… Success”(Hollingsworth, 2021). The article explains the importance of mobile support for reachability and this is something Victor has done well. Everything on his site works on mobile just as well as on desktop and the navigation bar is put into a three-line icon that just makes more sense for mobile. The article also explains the importance of having keywords on your website so your content will show up more frequently in people’s search results. Pokemon is a massive brand with millions of searches each day so it’ll be hard to optimize this for his website but I think if he used specific pack names as titles for his content posts that it would show up more for people looking for information on those packs. Overall I enjoyed reviewing Victor’s website as someone who grew up playing pokemon games and had tons of pokemon cards as a kid. It was interesting to hear about recent information on the subject and I think with a little more polishing this website would be very good.
My Own Experience: How I Learned to Recognize and Avoid Different Types of Toxic People
Image source: Unsplash
As I sit down to pen my experience, my mind wanders back to when I realized the power of courage and overcame the guilt of being entangled in toxic relationships. It was a life-changing journey that taught me how to identify and avoid different types of toxic people. Growing up, various personalities surrounded me, and it was difficult to differentiate between good and bad relationships. As a result, my emotional and mental well-being was negatively impacted. It took me a long time to recognize and understand the different types of toxic people and their behaviour. In this post, I will share my personal journey of recognizing and avoiding toxic people. In addition, I will offer tips and tricks that worked for me and recommend books, podcasts, and videos that helped me in my journey of personal growth.
Recognizing Toxic People: Different Types of Toxic Personalities
Image source: sainttwenty.com
Navigating through life, I met various individuals with toxic personalities. Toxic people come in all forms – some are overt, while others are more subtle. The different types of toxic characters that I have encountered include:
·The Manipulator: Manipulative individuals use deception, coercion, or intimidation to control others. They have hidden agendas and will stop at nothing to get what they want.
·The Victim: Individuals with a victim mentality often blame others for their problems and refuse to take responsibility for their actions. They seek sympathy and attention, and their presence can be emotionally draining.
·The Narcissist:These individuals are self-absorbed, lack empathy, and have a grandiose sense of self-importance. They are attention seekers and will go to any lengths to obtain validation.
Recognizing Toxic Behaviours: Signs to Look Out For
Recognizing toxic behaviours is critical in avoiding toxic people. Constant criticism, manipulation, gaslighting, bullying, and belittling are some behaviours to look out for. Toxic people often exhibit controlling behaviour and try to dominate others. They lack empathy and are self-centred. They blame others for their mistakes and lack accountability.
The Impact of Toxic People on Mental Health
Toxic people can significantly impact an individual’s mental and emotional well-being. Being around toxic people can lead to anxiety, depression, and low self-esteem. As a result, an individual may experience constant stress, feel drained, and be exhausted. Toxic people can also cause feelings of guilt and self-blame, leading to a loss of self-worth and confidence.
Coping with Toxic People at Work, School, Family, Friends, and in Personal Relationships
Dealing with toxic people can be challenging, especially if they are family members, close friends, or coworkers. However, it is essential to set boundaries and communicate assertively. It is crucial to understand that you cannot change a toxic person, and it is not your responsibility to fix them. Avoid engaging in their toxic behaviour and practice self-care. Seeking support from a trusted friend, family member, or mental health professional is also crucial.
My journey to Finding Courage and Overcoming Guilt
During my transformation journey to becoming Roj, I used to feel guilty in front of toxic people. However, I eventually realized that I was not responsible for their behaviour and could not change them. I found courage and strength in setting boundaries and removing myself from toxic situations. I learned to prioritize my mental and emotional well-being and started engaging in self-care practices.
Experimented Tips and Tricks to Avoid Toxic People
Here are some tips and tricks that I experimented with to avoid toxic people:
Identify toxic people and their behaviours and avoid engaging with them.
Surround yourself with positive people who uplift and support you.
Practice self-care and engage in activities that bring you joy.
Set boundaries and communicate assertively.
Offer compassion, but don’t try to fix them.
Remember, you aren’t at fault.
Don’t expect change!
Understand the cycle!
Recommended Videos, Books, and Podcasts That Have Helped Me on My Journey:
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Eliminating Toxic People from Your Life: When It’s Necessary
While trying to avoid toxic people is essential, sometimes it’s necessary to eliminate them from your life entirely. This can be a difficult decision, but it’s essential to prioritize your well-being. For example, if the person is causing you more harm than good, it may be time to say goodbye.
Living a Happy Life Without Toxic People: Conclusion
Toxic people can have a profound impact on your mental health and well-being. It’s crucial to recognize toxic behaviours and set boundaries to protect yourself. Remember that your mental health should always come first. Don’t be afraid to eliminate toxic people from your life if necessary. By surrounding yourself with positive and supportive people, practicing self-care, and trusting your instincts, you can live a happy, healthy life free from toxic people. Ultimately, the only way to win with toxic people is not to play.
Bibliography:
Smith, J. (2022, March 15). The Mental Health Effects of Toxic People. Wanderdolls. https://wanderdolls.com/the-mental-health-effects-of-toxic-people/
Saint Twenty. (2022, June 20). Types of Toxic People to Ditch. Retrieved from https://sainttwenty.com/2022/06/20/types-of-toxic-people-to-ditch/
For my third peer review, I had the opportunity to look at Melvin’s website called Smile Host Dream. Right off the bat, I really love the aesthetic and style of his blog and I love that he’s using his website to share a passion of his which is creating and editing documentaries, stop motion animation, and machinima. As a viewer and reader, I also really appreciate that his mission and explanation for his website is on his homepage and that I don’t need to scroll to far to find it. He has a very specific niche and a very clear purpose for his page, which I think it great!
At the moment, as a viewer I feel that his website is more of a personal blog than a business with a business strategy and plan. However, I think Smile Host Dream has great potential with growing his page and potentially monetization. Although I am not a part of his target audience, I do think that people would be inclined to engage with his call to actions. Specifically, his call to action on his homepage that suggests his reader to comment on his videos and engage with them! I think that it’s really inviting and that it would make someone who enjoys the content he posts write him comments and keep up to date with his content.
To showcase his productions he has linked the video thumbnail to the full video on his YouTube channel, and I really like that he did that because it could possibly allow him to gain more traction to his YouTube channel from his website. On the other hand, I think that Melvin could definitely leverage social media platforms by posting shorter versions of his videos in order to get his audience interested in watching his full creations on YouTube and also learning more about his production process on his website. In terms of monetization, I think that his website would be great with Google Ads and that it could be a main source of income for him if he developed his page into a business. Melvin’s YouTube channel also has monetization potential if he continues to develop it further and post videos more consistently.
One key suggestion from Melvin’s second peer review was to link his social accounts to his website for cross-promotion and to encourage more growth for his website and his brand overall. Melvin does have his YouTube channel and videos links throughout his page, which I really think is a key asset for his content! However, having social media accounts created specifically for his brand to promote his videos on platforms like Instagram and TikTok would definitely allow him to further grow his brand and treat it more like a business. Overall, I’m really loving Melvin’s style and the direction he’s heading with his page!
For this week’s assignment, I had the opportunity to review one of my peers’ blogs for PUB 201. I was paired up with Lita Lising where her blog is about her exercising journey. The content Read More
Today I’ll be reviewing Nicole’s website, https://tmylife.ca/! It’s a personal blog about exploring and trying new things. Her tagline is “Shake up your routine and explore, ” which sums up her website well. She wishes to break a monotonous routine and share new ideas with her readers. I love how she tells her story before approaching the blog’s purpose because it provides context and a personable tone to her writing.
She uses a content marketing strategy to appeal to viewers, through personal storytelling. It’s written from the perspective of someone who wants to change something about her life, and the journey of her doing such.
She has different categories for her blog, using a submenu to highlight different topics such as ‘My Explore’, ‘A Day in a Life’, and ‘T Time’. This is a strategic way to organize her website content and allow viewers to read different topics based on what they are drawn to. This is also an excellent way to keep users on the site for longer, improving her Google Analytics.
Looking deeper into her blogs, her branding is fairly consistent across the board, naming her blogs ‘Plogs’. This is a unique way to draw viewers in, though I’d love to know what inspired ‘Plogs’. She is authentic and honest about her life, even in her most recent post, detailing how busy she was and how she was unable to go to different places.
In addition, I think it would be beneficial to only include a few recent blog posts on her home page, rather than all of them, as the homepage looks a bit busy, and users may feel overwhelmed.
In terms of business strategy, she utilizes her social media as a strategy to get viewers to read her site. Her social media is consistent and engaging, which I love. I would recommend she add links to the images on her website, to link to her Instagram posts. I notice she has a Pinterest as well, which contributes to the aesthetics of her website. I would recommend she consider other social media channels such as TikTok or Twitter. She could also make Day in the Life vlogs to include in her blog posts. To invite leads or more viewers, I would include a contact page of some sort, and use that as a call-to-action in her posts. She has a subscribe box at the bottom of her page, but it is hard to see, so I would try to make that more visible somehow, by including it earlier on the home page.
All in all, the consistency of her branding is compelling, and I would personally read her blog posts and view her website. I can tell she pays attention to the design and content and ensures they are synonymous with each other. Check out her website!
For this third and final peer review of this class of PUB 101, I was assigned to review another blogger’s website. For this peer review, I am told to observe the website’s marketability to an intended audience group. I was paired up with a student named Kashish Shodwani, and her website is called “BRAINY BLOG” I think this was one interesting website to look into. For starters, some may notice that there is an eye-catching title to the website, there is this picture of a plastic brain and huge text stating “Unlocking the secrets of the brain.” As for her about page, she starts by greeting the viewers of her website by saying “Hello psychology geeks…” Which can give a big hint of what she had imagined her audience to be. As for the about page, she said that she is a major in Psychology. She said she hopes to grow by learning better about her life by understanding how she and others work; Hearing this reminded me of an article called “How To Talk to Stranger” which goes into how to be a more friendly persona and how to talk to strangers out in the world (Hamblin, 2016).
As for the design and aesthetic of the website, I noticed it has a very similar colour background and formatting to the POSIEL website which is our home site for this class. I feel that this design, intentional or not makes a sense of familiarity within the site since most of the returning audiences may be students in the same class of PUB 101. For the marketability of this website, I believe the top of the page is a great eye-catcher, it has a bright orange brain picture on the right, and Big bold text stating “A dive into how to use psychological concepts in everyday life: Tips, Tricks and Insights.” Which may make the reader interested to read more about psychology. The big bold text can make an easy marketing strategy for her viewers, which can make the difference for people stay on her site or not. The typing style used in blogs on this website is very formal with proper punctuation and grammar. This typing style can give the feeling that the author makes blogs for people who are more sophisticated in reading longer blogs and readings.
One of her blogs called “Fight the Stress” this blog goes on about how stress is very draining to almost everyone and how we should control it. I feel that Shodwani’s public audience in mind was other people who are interested in Psychology. For example, Shodwani stated in her introduction sentence saying “Hello psychology geeks…” which is a massive giveaway to Shodwani’s idea of what her public was going to be on. According to an article called “Publics and Counterpublics” by Michael Warner, Warner stated that “A public is a space of discourse organized by nothing other than discourse itself.” (Warner, 2002).
Bibliography:
Hamblin, J. (2016, August 25). How to talk to Strangers Irl. The Atlantic. Retrieved March 23, 2023, from https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2016/08/civil-inattention/497183/
Warner, M. (2002). Frontpage. Public. Retrieved March 23, 2023, from http://knowledgepublic.pbworks.com/
Whenever members of the royal family have any sort of outing, for better or for worse, fashion decisions are always at the forefront. Their styles are emulated by millions around the world who aim to look as prim and proper as true royalty. But ladies of the royal family take the cake for having the most iconic fashion senses. Today, Spilling the Royaltea is awarding rankings to the top three most stylish members of the royal family.
Bronze Medal: Queen Elizabeth II
Queen Elizabeth, despite not being the most daring in her fashion choices, was known for her bright-coloured ensembles and signature handbags. As told by her daughter-in-law, Sophie, the Duchess of Edinburgh, the late Queen wore these neon outfits, from bright red to green, to everything in between so that her admirers could always spot her in a crowd. Being easily spottable meant that everyone who wanted to had the chance to easily say “I saw the Queen!” Aww… she did it for us!
Queen Elizabeth II’s rainbow of outfits
Silver Medal: Kate Middleton
Kate Middleton’s elegant style has her looking royal every time the camera is graced with the opportunity to catch a photo. Her fashion sense, although not always the boldest, is palatable to all, making her a global fashion icon. Her ability to pull off both designer brands and more affordable pieces from places like Zara caters to women all over the world.
Kate Middleton wearing a dress from Zara during a visit to the University of London for its Children of the 2020s project on October 5, 2021
She often wears coat dresses and pantsuits with simple prints, paired with classic jewelry pieces, creating timeless, impeccable ensembles. Just look at her!
Kate Middleton wearing a pink pastel suit at a meeting for The Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood in June 2022
Gold Medal: Princess Diana
Despite her tragic passing over twenty years ago, Princess Diana’s iconic, daring outfits have left their mark on us all. From her casual outfits of the 70s and 80s fashion to her beautiful, HUGE wedding dress, Princess Diana always had us guessing what she would choose next.
Princess Diana’s 1981 wedding dress
But what makes her take the cake as the most fashionable member of the royal family is her ICONIC revenge dress she wore after her husband, King Charles confessed on TV to committing adultery with the now Queen Consort, Camilla. The beautiful black off-the-shoulder gown screams “I don’t care about my husband and I don’t need him” and we’re here for it.
Princess Diana’s iconic revenge dress in June 1994
Okay, maybe it’s cliche, but I feel like it’s just something I need to experience at least once. “The city of love” has always intrigued me for its stunning scenery and just the city life in general. I would love to see all the famous landmarks, including the Eiffel Tower, of course!
There’s something about the beaches here and the turquoise waters that really intrigue me. It just seems like the ultimate destination for a tropical vacation.
I would love to visit Tokyo to appreciate all the art and culture that the city has to offer! The cherry blossoms in the spring is something I have always wanted to see.
“I haven’t been everywhere, but it’s on my list.” – Susan Sontag Hi, welcome back, another week another plog! Can’t believe there are only two to three more weeks of classes till this term ends. Almost there and then break!! Read More
One adventure that always gets me out of the house is a good ole giveaway, what can I say… I’m a sucker for free things!
So when a new neighborhood grocery store has a grand opening event and mails you an invite for a chance to win a $500 gift card, you better wake your butt up at 5:30 am to be one of the first 500 in line!
Save on Foods grand opening on March 23, 2023, and Gift Card Giveaway
For the first 500 people, they were giving away 2 chances at a $500 gift card and another 498 opportunities at a $10 gift card. So, I had pretty good odds at $500. Why not try, at the least, I could get some free milk and butter while I was up.
After waiting in line for an hour and 20 mins, we all filed into the store at 7 am and were greeted by friendly, smiling staff that were handing out the gift cards one by one. The store was pristine, I had never seen a store untouched and displayed so beautifully. They also had a pianist playing music for us.
To find out what you won you had to bring your gift card to the cashier. They also had another coupon if you bought $50 worth of groceries, you get a $10 gift certificate for next time. With all those people coming in all at the same time, the store got pretty crowded quickly. So I got $50 worth of grub and headed to cash.
Here’s my card! Guess how much I won!
Drum rollllllllll…
Ahhh, I won $10. Plus, I also got another $10 gift card for next time! It wasn’t $500, but it was exciting to try. Plus it was great to support a local business on its grand opening.
Go check out Save on Foods in Richmond, B.C. at 9100 Blundell Road at the Garden City Shopping Center. Open every day from 7 am – 10 pm
They are having a door crasher for the first 500 customers on Saturday, March 25th. They’ll be giving away a 3 lbs bag of navel oranges (worth $8.49)! Happy adventuring!
Being a writer or anyone pursuing a creative field is difficult because you have no one to push you to do the craft except for yourself. As a result, it is easy to get burnt out or fall behind on creative work. Therefore, creating consistency through implementing a routine that will help you produce good work is essential.
#1: Eliminate All Distractions Eliminate all distractions by putting your phone away or putting it on do not disturb. If you’re working on a device, clear all the tabs you do not need and close all the programs you don’t need. A further tip is to delete the messing app from the dock to prevent you from being distracted by incoming messages.
#2 Empty Your Mind Before you sit down and start your creative process, you must clear away any distractions. As an overthinker, I find it important to empty my mind by journaling or meditating to clear any lingering thoughts and worries. It is also a great time to set your intentions and be relaxed before you start working.
#3 Set the Mood Whether it’s lighting a candle/incense or playing music in the background, it is important to stay zen and relaxed to help you focus on the task at hand.
#4 Come Prepared with All Your Materials For me, I know when it is time to write when I have all my material laid out for me and a freshly brewed hot cup of coffee. Further, having all your supplies will help you enter a flow state as you do not have to keep moving around and encountering distractions.
#5 Get Working Some days are better than others, but as long as you dedicate even 5 minutes to the craft, you are one step closer to getting better each day. I work organically, and sometimes hours go by, and sometimes I spend more time staring at a blank page but learn what works best for you. You may want to do the pomodoro method or see where the day takes you.
When I opened the “State of Mobile” reading by data.ai I actually laughed as I went to the eleventh page and looked at the “Average Age Group Index Among Top Apps Per Category”. For Gen Z is said the typical apps, apps that I use like Instagram, Snapchat, Spotify, although I was surprised that Tik Tok wasn’t on there. For Millennials it had said WhatsApp Messenger, which I thought was funny because I am on a family groupchat with a bunch of cousins as well as aunts and uncles on WhatsApp and I would say the average age on the group chat falls into the Millennial age category. And than last, but not least, where I laughed out loud was for Gen X and baby boomers where it had in fourth place, Stocard. I laughed because when I am currently writing this, Thursday March 23, my mom had JUST texted our “Jackson 4” groupchat to add her Chipotle card to our Stocard app.
That little starter may not be relatable, but for me it was quite funny. ANYWAY, while starting my website, as I had mentioned in previous posts, I never thought I would actually be writing to an audience. I thought the only ones who would read my posts would be myself time and time again, but then also those who were reviewing my blog as well as whoever was marking it. Little did I know, when I post on Instagram, people actually look at what I post or share. Now, I get an average of 43 people viewing my blog postings when I share a story on Instagram promoting it.
For my audience and my goal as a blog content creator (weird to say that after writing consistently for 2 months), I never really aimed to have my blog show up on others search pages. Sure I could include keywords for people to view my posts, but personally, my blog wasn’t meant for that. My blog was never meant to be a profit maximizing website to capitalize off of the hungry, but rather a way for me to just write about what I like. I have to admit, I hate writing about topics that I’m not interested in, and I have had teachers tell me “Tara, when you like something and are actually interested about the topic, your writing drastically improves”. So when writing this blog feels like a chore, or a job, than I might start to write more dry.
If I just focus on the reasons ten and eleven in Sam Hollingsworth’s article “15 Reasons Why Your Business Absolutely Needs SEO”, which are 10. SEO is PR and 11. It’s a Long-Term Strategy. I believe all Sam’s points are valid and make sense, but his points concerning my website do not coincide. For example, both his tenth and eleventh points relate to the longevity of the website, but for me, I don’t plan on writing posts consistently for the rest of my life or even past this course. Once the course is done, as fun as it has been, I don’t plan on keeping my website going as I have other things in my life I have to deal with and other courses to work on. Anyway, all in all, I have to decide what I want to do and want to complete in the remaining part of this class.
Falsettos is a 1992 musical about an unorthodox family living through the AIDs epidemic while exploring themes of gender roles, sexuality, and Jewish identity in New York City around the 1970’s/80s. The original musical was remastered for a Broadway run starting in 2016, which is the version I intend to talk about today (with spoilers, of course).
There is a primary cast of 5 characters (plus 2 which are introduced in the second act), but I wish to deal with the often underappreciated character of Trina. Trina is Marvin’s ex-wife, Jason’s mother, Mendel’s partner, but she is also a complex person in her own right.
When discussing Trina’s enneagram type, many people instinctively declare her as a 2. I’d like to make a case for Trina being a type 6w7, specifically the self preservation subtype. I’ll go over some core aspects of the two types to explain my reasoning, and then analyze each of her solo songs in more detail.
Twos and self-preservation sixes are commonly mistyped because of their outwardly warm disposition and devotion to others, but the key difference lies in motivation. From what we can tell in Trina’s lyrics, she cares for and attends to the needs of the people in her life in order to gain a sense of security for herself.
There is something to be said about the particular role that Trina is cast into as a housewife in the late 1970s, though I believe that to be ultimately unrelated to this analysis. The character of Whizzer is similarly burdened with unfair gender roles forced onto him, but he is clearly shown to be handling that like a typical 7.
The first of three solo songs performed by Trina is “I’m Breaking Down”, a satirized version of a cooking program with plenty of innuendos and thinly-veiled metaphors. It is a tragic first glimpse into Trina’s inner world, filled with nods to her unfulfilling life before the musical takes place. Trina’s desperate motives line up with a typical 6, showing a deep sense of responsibility while also lacking confidence in her own judgement. This leads Trina to seek out someone, anyone, with whom she can satisfy her need for companionship and safety.
“I only want to love a man who can love me…. Or like me… Or help me…”
Trina’s emotional reactivity is on full display and her sense of self clearly hinges on the attachment to important people in her life (both traits of the harmonics and object relations group that 6 belongs to).
“Trina’s song” (which is grouped together in the official recording) a few minutes later shifts the tone quite considerably, serving as a pained letter to the men in her life. At this point, Trina’s primary strategy for staying in control of her life is to lie low and take on her assumed role. Appeasing other people to assure a support system that won’t leave you is a defence mechanism commonly seen in self-preservation 6s.
“That said, I’ll be his wife I’ll wed and change my life”
The last song that Trina plays a primary part in is “Holding to the Ground”, which is perhaps the most obvious example of her true feelings. Trina grapples with her assumptions around how families are defined and the pressure placed on her since birth to live within the mainstream narrative. She also deals with themes of trying to find comfort in a world unlike anything she prepared for.
“Life is never what you planned Life is moments you can’t understand And that is life”
Trina discovers a certain clarity at the end of each of her songs, in which she attempts to solve every problem in her life with carefully planned actions (which never work). After this realization, Trina gains the insight necessary to cope with the reality that her world will be changed at every turn.
Trina’s character development is firmly rooted in breaking out of the expectations placed on her and learning to trust her own guidance and strength. She experiences immense progress from act 1 to 2, and ultimately is able to find solace in the found family she has cultivated, despite being so completely different from what Trina or her parents would have expected.
And she’s definitely a 6.
Trina is one of my favourite characters from Falsettos and I appreciate that she isn’t shoved aside by the writers for the sake of the main 4 men in the show. I had no idea what to expect from her on a first watch, but I found her character to be deeply relatable and immeasurably important to the story.
AI is on a rapid rise in education. Professors and educators have been banning new softwares like ChatGPT and Dall-E with the fear that students will use them to plagiarize entire assignments and diminish critical thinking. However, the use of these technologies is inevitable and increasing in various everyday circumstances. As educational institutions continue banning them, they will just get more and more advanced, which means that at some point, we’ll all have to cope with them somehow. So this week, I tried out two of these technologies: ChatGPT and Dall-E, and found a few ways students might positively use it in the classroom.
What is ChatGPT?
ChatGPT is an AI software developed by OpenAI that is meant to generate almost-immediate, conversational responses to questions, prompts, and commands. It launched to the public in November 2022, and since then has been a topic of discourse in academia, ethics and technology, and general interest of the common person with free time and internet connection. Its impressive technology allows the responses to be detailed, articulate, and generally factually correct. User input also helps craft desired outputs, as the AI can “learn” and tailor its responses to reflect feedback and critiques. As mentioned, ChatGPT has faced rejection from educators and institutions with its negative implications for students, but there are ways that ChatGPT can be effectively implemented to aid learning and expression.
Idea Generation
Writer’s block is pretty inevitable for any class, especially PUB 101, where I write two or three posts a week. With a simple prompt, ChatGPT can generate ideas to take inspiration from for essays, assignments, and blog posts. This could yield excellent results, as each student would be able to spend more time on the execution of their project, rather than spending time brainstorming ideas that are often too simple to accurately and rigorously demonstrate their learning. To bypass the possible concern that this would limit creative thinking and be a case of plagiarism, I must clarify that in fleshing out projects from a mere concept to execution still requires a lot of creative thinking, and by referencing the software’s assistance it would steer clear of plagiarism claims since the ideas would in a sense still be the student’s own based on the prompt and information fed.
Keyword Generation
In PUB 101, I’ve learned that inputting keywords in posts is extremely important. They help improve the SEO and my website’s reach. ChatGPT could effectively help generate some of these keywords to benefit each post on my blog. So, I decided to type the following into ChatGPT: what are some keywords to include in a blog post about reviewing Taylor Swift’s album “folklore”? Here’s what it generated.
What is Dall-E?
Dall-E is an AI software, also developed by OpenAI, that generates complex creative images from text prompts. Prompts can include things like recreating individual artists’ styles, using various art mediums, and ultimately absurd visuals that one would not expect to see in one image. Like ChatGPT, the use of Dall-E has been a controversial topic. Specifically, when is it ethically permissible to use it, especially in academic contexts?
Creating Visual Interest
My content posts often use a lot of images from the internet. While this is useful in many cases, especially for posts that take on a more editorial-style, I think that adding pictures created from DALL-E could enhance the personalization of my posts. It could make the blog reflect me and my own personality instead of always relying on other people’s pictures and using generic-looking stock photos. For example, my post about crocheting could have included Dall-E pictures to create added entertainment, visual interest, and personality.
Dall-E generated image using the prompt “an oil painting of a girl learning how to crochet”.
Citing and Copyright?
Since ChatGPT is such a novel tool, traditional citation styles have yet to cohesively come up with solutions for ways students should properly credit the use of the technology in their work. However, as a student and a blog-owner, citing your sources is a critical step in ethical academia and success. Suggestions have been made for citation style from APA, for example, an online library guide for a university suggests, “This technology is new and we are all learning about generative AI resources and how to ethically use them. Consider making the ChatGPT conversation retrievable by including the text as an appendix or as online supplemental material.”
But then again, would we even need to credit the model if it’s not really taking from other people’s ideas? If things are written by ChatGPT, who owns the copyright? The human who generated the prompt, or the creators of the model? Only time will tell.
References:
Antonelli, W. (n.d.). How to use dall·e 2 and Craiyon, the AI art tools that can generate images from any text prompt. Business Insider. Retrieved March 23, 2023, from https://www.businessinsider.com/guides/tech/dall-e-mini
Dall·E: Creating images from text. DALL·E: Creating images from text. (n.d.). Retrieved March 23, 2023, from https://openai.com/research/dall-e
Introducing chatgpt. Introducing ChatGPT. (n.d.). Retrieved March 23, 2023, from https://openai.com/blog/chatgpt/
Johnson, A. (2023, January 31). Chatgpt in schools: Here’s where it’s banned-and how it could potentially help students. Forbes. Retrieved March 23, 2023, from https://www.forbes.com/sites/ariannajohnson/2023/01/18/chatgpt-in-schools-heres-where-its-banned-and-how-it-could-potentially-help-students/?sh=130da4506e2c
Research guides: APA style 7th edition: Chatgpt & ai tools. Humber. (n.d.). Retrieved March 23, 2023, from https://guelphhumber.libguides.com/c.php?g=716556&p=5279441
For this week, the readings have made a shift in content. Although these shifts happen every week, I thought that this week was different from the rest. While one of the readings involve the basics of SEO and other things, the reading that caught my attention was the data on mobile usage and apps. The data collected was from 2022, and the article is called “S T A T E O F M O B I L E 2 0 2 2.” This study collects data on apps downloaded and where it is downloaded in each country. The article states that there are “Globally 230 Billion Downloads…” (data.ai, 2022, pg. 7).
Some examples of data that I found interesting was the use of apps from each generation, one of the top most used apps by Gen Z according to data.ai is Instagram, followed by Spotify, Netflix, then Snapchat. I was also surprised that male and female usages were different for the top-used apps. Accordingly, males’ top downloaded app was WhatsApp Messenger, while females’ top downloaded is Facebook. Overall this article is a great source of collecting and looking at data, and I suggest that you take a visit to it as well.
References:
Unknown. (2022). S T A T E O F M O B I L E 2 0 2 2. PUB 101: The Publication of Self in Everyday Life. Retrieved March 22, 2023, from https://posiel.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/dataai__state_of_mobile_2022__en.pdf
My swan has been improving! It still isn’t great, but to be fair I haven’t looked up any sort of tutorial so I’m going off of what I think I am supposed to do when I really have no idea. However, I like being creative in this way and just making whatever works!
In recent years there has been news of copyright plagiarism, so what is copyright and under what circumstances can you be sued? What is the content they publish? Who actually copied who? What is my copyright? Faced with some of these questions, I can’t get answers.、
My friend is a nail artist, and she always puts her own watermark, only her own watermark, on her finished artwork pictures, and she told me that this way she won’t be saved by her peers to post on her own platform. For example, every time I upload a picture on my blog, a picture of my dog or my life, a picture of a landscape, wouldn’t I have to put a watermark on every time? No, I think that’s too much trouble, I just want to show my life among my blog. Now there are a lot of impersonating a person to create another platform account, I don’t know what the point is, money or what? So would it be useful to sue in this case, just to be on a social networking site and steal someone else’s photos to post on your own social account.
This week I’m reading“You Say ‘Tomaydo’, I say no copyright infringement: Recipe book not an original compilation” by Peter Henein, The defendant take-out catering business recipes, in this case, signed an agreement attributed to the original recipe and a copy of the original.The text states that “a compilation is entitled to copyright protection when the selection and arrangement of the compilation is made in an original manner. However, copyright protection is limited to the original part of the editorial; it does not protect the underlying non-original elements. I have a different point of view. In the case of protecting one’s copyright, if it is limited to the editor’s original part only, then if it is a combination of both original content and non-original content, it will not be treated as plagiarism? To what extent does the law allow certain things to change in the face of litigation?
