Writing 105M, you have been good to me...

Truthfully, Writing 105M came at a perfect time in my life. Then again, everything else during this wondrous winter quarter did, too. I am a big believer in the phenomenon that everything happens for a reason, and much of what I accomplished in my personal, social and work life seems to have paralleled the new skills I have acquired from this course. This has been an incredibly rewarding and fulfilling experience. I have only recently learned just how crucial it is to express yourself creatively, emotionally, mentally, physically, and essentially, in any way you can. We have so many outlets readily available to achieve this, and while I find it important to express known parts of yourself, expression is just as good for uncovering elements about oneself and bringing them to the surface. Personally, I had no idea what I was able to accomplish in Prezi, Gliffy, this blog, Screencast-O-Matic, Audacity, and especially Photoshop. This class nurtures the mentality that is actively trying to create and yearns for opportunities to learn and acquire new skills and have new experiences. I became a better writer in the way that I learned to write in a different style. And if there is one thing I would like to accomplish while being in school here, it is becoming a better and versatile writer. I have found that the hardest part, with this class, with my personality, and with essentially anything that means something is always trying. With that being said, I would like to leave you all with this quote that has helped me tremendously:

Thank you all for a fabulous quarter together! You truly inspired me with your blindingly beautiful work and hungry minds. There is no sweeter feeling than fostering creativity in a loving and encouraging environment, and I have each and every one of you to thank for providing me with that! 

Screencasts on screencasts

First off, my only love for formal presentations used to be Powerpoint. But, Prezi is much more engaging and allowed me to visually represent all of my other desires in a cool and stylistic way, like with music, its 3D aspect, and even my own screencast. It is limited in some aspects, but it does allow a creator to achieve many things at once, and I am happy I had that opportunity with this program.

Below is my screencast about my Prezi -- with a screencast in it. Hehe. Enjoy!

Happy weekend everybody! :)

Writing isn't linear in multimedia, and that's okay

May your writing always feel as free as the waters of this earth. 

The first thing to intrigue me about this article was its title. Though simple, I felt it not only contributed to the premise of this class, but also to the writing process in general, our experience as young and new writers, and our exposure to the field of multimedia. I think all of us have been exposed to various elements of multimedia, but until now, have not actively written in its style or within the subject matter enough to know what constitutes its writing process. 

I particularly appreciated when Jean Simard, the author, said "writing is not a linear process but the focal point of many other processes. Writing can be facilitated by an environment that is non-linear and rich in connecting together many different abstractions and occurrences." 

This really struck me. I think it's a statement at the forefront of the our changing society and how technology permeates other forms of expression and articulation. The multimedia component is the difference between a traditional history paper and a photoshop project that combines word and text. The process for each is navigated differently. Each serve their own purpose. 

Simard also claims "multimedia environments facilitates learning the writing process." I also specifically identified with this excerpt: "Multimedia environments appeal to many types of learners and potential writers: those who prefer to imagine and picture things, those who need to see things, those who like to hear and say things, and those who learn best by doing things." 

I am an extremely hands-on and visual person, and have learned that multimedia helps me to conquer multiple things at once: visuals, written descriptions of these visuals, etc. Simard rightfully claims multimedia is a process just like others, but that it can still be shaped and guided by the writer. Writing is interactive and ever changing. Multimedia is complicated because it addresses the use of various forms of media to develop its expression of something. 

Writing is also entirely subjective. The only thing anyone could ever do wrong is not try. Simard emphasizes this ideal. Her perspective was extremely refreshing and let me know not to change what I'm doing, but to just continue to open me eyes and mind to new ideas about the discipline of multimedia and how this will impact my writing. 

A link to read the rest of the article. I highly recommend you do:

http://horizon.unc.edu/projects/monograph/CD/Language_Music/Simard.html

Boy, have I learned

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=epaIPo6BeXg

First: Patience is key in all things design and especially in Photoshop.  

Second: Be in touch with your purpose. It can only guide you. 

Third: Quality comes eventually. 

Of course I learned specific Photoshop skills, but in a much broader scope, I learned about myself as a designer and what my creative process usually looks like. Design is such a tricky balance of patience and achievement. You have to make progress to even want to continue, even if that means finding out what a certain button does and if/how it can be applied to your work. Photoshop also becomes strangely addictive when you've learned enough. I felt the need to need and strong desire to keep going. I suppose that's the whole point, though. 

It's been fun, Photoshop. 

A blessing

First off, I had heard about this study a few years back, before I was in college, and really liked the whole idea. I think my generation is unique for a number of different reasons, one of which being our dependency on media. We all know it is the biggest curse and blessing. I think it's extremely paradoxical how the whole idea is to bring people closer, as it provides a sense of convenient connectivity, and yet, almost nothing achieves isolation better than media. It crushes me when I walk into a room and see every. single. person. on their phone. Breathe. Look up. Engage in a face to face conversation with someone. Nothing will ever measure up to that. We've lost a sense of togetherness at the expense of media. 

Now, I do think why we get carried away is because it's fun. But it's also our generation's obsession with a) posting what we are doing every second of the day and b) wanting to know what everyone else is doing at all times. That also kind of sickens me. But I, again, as always, have mixed feelings. I love seeing how others express themselves in photos, tweets, statuses, the whole nine yards. But I'd argue that stems from my passion for humanity and general and genuinely wishing I knew everyone's story. That topic is for another time.

I've gone days without media before, and truly, I've never had a better time when I do. I wish everyone would just get their faces out of their phone, even if only for an hour, and look at this beautiful planet for all that it is. Go do something spontaneous. It can be anything. I would actually be completely content without having an account on any social media platform. The only two aspects of media I would struggle without is the convenience of being able to talk to my parents through texting and calling, and listening to music. Truly, that's it. In that way, it is a blessing. But it's a curse that I even have these privileges, or that it's even a consideration of mine. I wonder what the style of living was like in previous generations. I almost feel life may have been more pure. What is convenient is not always what is best, and that, friends, is what I learned most recently from going without media for an entire day.

And above all, life is precious. Be wise with your time. Short and sweet, but not so simple. 

"X" marks the spot

My secret paradise 

This week was the hardest for me thus far. Working with photo editing software was something I have had a lot of experience with, but in very basic programming. Editing and work with photos is something I do find extremely relaxing, though, and have been doing for a very long time, which certainly helps given the extensive and often frustrating nature of learning how to use Photoshop.

Though initially this photo was not what I wanted to use for the letter portion of the project, the idea grew on me quite a bit in the sense that because it was the first photo I worked with, I was able to develop my entire theme for the rest of the photoshop project as a whole: places I have been happy. The main appeal of this picture was 1) the moment in which it was captured, 2) who captured it, and most of all, what was captured in that singular moment. I knew that it would be particularly enjoyable to work with for all of these reasons.

First, I edited the picture as a whole, working with and utilizing numerous different elements of the toolbox on the right, such as the filters, brightness/contrast gauge, curves, levels and vibrance. I did this until the picture, in totality, was pleasing to my eye. Then, the difficult part: figuring out how to accentuate the "X" on the gate I am standing on. The sky was a blinding and breathtaking blue that day, and I felt that it would make a lot of sense aesthetically to incorporate some similarity between the letter X and the sky's blue. First, I highlighted the area of the "X" with the magic wand and then experimented with many different blues, knowing initially I wanted it to be a very light baby blue, as something darker would be too harsh.

I'm pleased in the sense that this was my first time ever using photoshop, and it felt good to familiarize myself with various tools and options. I do realize that the creative process, even for each of the four pictures within this project, will be navigated differently, and in that way, I will learn more about how to use different tools to serve various purposes, mediums and criteria. That makes me very excited.

I'm happy to say that the conclusion I have drawn from all of this is that I am truly starting to feel like a designer in ways different from before. The horizon has been expanded. :)

Design is in the eye of the beholder

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, just as design is.

Within the contexts of this class, I have not only been influenced by new experiences, but I have also been able to look at the concept of design in an entirely different light. McCloud's article in some ways helped me realize that. I particularly enjoyed his point about the human brain and our ability to form connections and impressions and I think that's the key to design and the visual element: the openness of a mind and its subjective experience.

In some ways both this course and it supplements -- such as McCloud's reading -- has allowed me to think about my own experience with visual elements, how this shapes my perception, and thus be impacted by the beauty that is design and art. I also think this has much to do with the visual person I am by nature. I hold this belief, as cliche and as beat into the ground as it is, that having an open heart and mind allows a single person to be exposed to the most wonderful elements the world has to offer. I also believe the beauty of design also parallels some of the beauty of the real world: that anyone and anything can teach you anything at any time, and the only way that process can be functional and successful is if one opens the means through which perception happens. It's like nature and nurture at work; the psychology of the brain we are born with and how we are nurtured by outside influences and participate in society and how these two coincide. 

In this way, our design and projects also take on a certain uniqueness. Of the various project that we've completed throughout the quarter so far -- even podcasting -- I have learned much about myself as a designer. When I was younger, I basically lived for making collages of anything I enjoyed, and during middle school, that was either basketball and soccer, or my favorite television show at the time: One Tree Hill. When I entered high school, I tried my hand in a few different graphic design classes and still have the desire to expand that knowledge base. But from reading about McCloud's icons to Williams' view of design, and Ginger and Spiekermann's notion of fonts, I have realized design comes in so many different forms. Yes, there are many commonalities and widely accepted ideas of what it means to be a designer and design, but there also exists such variety in even these notions. Anyone can be a designer. Shoot, the colorful smoothie I made for breakfast, before blended up, was very aesthetically pleasing, just as the words on this page are in some way. 

It's effort and thought and rawness. It's a form of a expression we make our own. And I think it's safe to say that's the most beautiful realization I've had all week. 

Text to audio -- where does podcasting come in?

The horizon of this picture symbolized many things to me -- the growth I have felt in this class thus far, the expansion of knowledge, and sincerely how fulfilling that feels. 

Initially, I wanted to see what others were saying about podcasting, so I read an article on UPenn's website about the medium of podcasting and if it will continue to generate money in the years to come with other forms of newly developed technology. What is important to remember, though, is that because of this new technology, a relationship has been formed. This relationship is defined by the accessibility of the content of a podcast on smart phones, iPads, iPods, laptops and essentially any other technologically savvy device. The article, entitled "Podcasting: Can This New Medium Make Money?" states, "Podcasting is also different from traditional media in that the means of production and distribution are readily available to anyone. The technology required to produce podcast content is relatively simple and, unlike the scarce radio broadcast spectrum, the distribution channel -- the Internet -- is available to all." I think in this way, podcasting, beyond just the concern of generating income, can be like any other form of artistic expression and sees the same freedoms as these modes of expression because of its accessibility. 

Audio in some sense brings to life the words in a script, but that also depends largely on the medium through which the audio is being perceived. It also depends on the individual perception of a person -- someone may interpret a message differently if they are more visual versus kinesthetic, or more hands on versus not. Personally, I am visual, but my audacity piece discusses music, which is a medium of audio that affects me on an intensely emotional level. However, I think that is due to the passive act of listening to music; we may not always actively be paying attention to what it is we are listening to, but we know that it impacts us in some form. However, a podcast requires much more attentiveness and extraction of crucial information, even despite the designated subject matter. For example, I was able to preview Whitney's podcast script earlier this week, and while I was thoroughly excited even to read it on the page, I am just as excited, if not more, to hear it recorded, and for the emotional signals indicated in her script to come to life. I know it will take on an entirely different form once I actually hear her enthusiasm for the recipe she is describing, and the passion she feels for sharing that with others. 

Though I have not worked on my own piece much, I found that I am just as thrilled for that process to occur. I have never made a podcast before, and although I have written in many different forms, I have found it to be very difficult even to compose a script that will be very fun to record and thus, listen to. I very much appreciate the slowed process of composition, however. Reading your writing in your head versus out loud makes even a small difference, but recording it for others to listen to adds additional pressure I can't help but feel. Nevertheless, although I have not started recording, familiarizing myself with the workings of audacity, a program entirely new and unique to me, has been thrilling. A feeling I know will increase from here on out as I work on and complete my very first podcast! 

I am beyond enthused to hear all of your projects, because what I have gathered is that all of us are fairly avid podcasters with little to no experience, and I think that makes this process much more exciting because we're all learning something together, yet will all produce something unique to us. Happy podcasting!  

The Initial Choice

As my colleague Whitney mentioned, Anne Lamott's piece "Shitty First Drafts" was extremely refreshing. I find myself consistently comforted by individuals who experience similar struggles as I do when I write, but as Anne explains, in their own personalized way. I love that the writing process does not take the same form for everyone, just as it would boring as if all the people in the world were the same, or if we ate the same food everyday, and so on.

That being said, there is something so powerful about the togetherness everyone, to some degree, can feel about their personal writing progress in relation to others. This is precisely what lead me to feel comforted by Anne's theory that shitty first drafts are an essential component of the writing process. "Every artist was first an amateur"-type thinking. Even the best write first drafts and because I am, too, interested in writing, and supported by even more advanced writers, as Anne herself probably is, I feel my shitty first drafts are now solidified and absolutely necessary.

When I think about how strenuous writing can be, I feel one and only one thing can ever reassure me: that the craft of writing is beautiful and unique all the same because it is in fact strenuous and makes you want to pull your hair out. And first drafts are an essential part of that process. It reminds me of my training off-court for tennis: it is just as important as actually hitting the ball, if not more. It gives substance to the core, to the main course, to the first draft. It also reminds me of the simple life fact that one must always learn somewhere and must also start somewhere. First drafts are likely difficult to come to terms with because they are the absolute raw beginning: the hardest part of anything. Once you are immersed in the craft and you have three drafts to your name, it's not so hard. But that all started with a beginning, a choice, and an action to do so. 

Maybe this example is completely irrelevant, but I feel the need to go forth with it. In the past half year I have been really into inspirational quotes and writing. It's like my whole world is suddenly colored and alive when I am inspired, and others probably have a similar experience, as they are meant to. I have also been very into developing thoughts I find inspiring, and hopefully thoughts that in turn inspire others as well. The process looks like this: I am on a run, in the shower, driving, listening to heart wrenching music, or anything else on autopilot, and it strikes me. Inspiration, a thought I wish to develop within myself, and then share with others. But see, that's not how I write my academic work. My academic work is much more professional and frankly, boring.

The audience is different. The intent is different. Yet, I couldn't have one without the other. In academia, I learn structure and the craft, the language, and so on. Then I use that skill to artistically express myself. My point is that I appreciate both immensely for how they function within their own purposes and thus how they serve to function for each other. Suddenly, limitation loses all meaning within the context of composition and writing.

I like to think that's what Anne is saying. Anyone can do and be anything they wish, but it all starts with a choice to begin. And that is something everyone can attest to. The initial step. The initial choice. And perhaps the most important.

Have a wonderful long weekend, everyone!

--Megan

Megan Carter, more commonly known as Meeg Cartier

Hello, friends! My name is Megan Carter and I am from the beautiful Pacific Northwest in the little but growing town of Vancouver, Washington. I am a St. Patrick's Day baby and I, to this very day, credit that for many instances of luck in my life that have lead me to meet incredible people and experience incredible things.  

I love Santa Barbara for numerous reasons, but mostly because I crave sunshine and the endless activity it offers outside. A huge part of my life has been spent being active; I tried my hand in many different sports as a child, but primarily played soccer and basketball competitively growing up. However, when I was thirteen I attended a tennis camp and ultimately found my passion. I have now been playing competitive tennis for seven years and have competed at the collegiate level for UCSB. I also very much enjoy running, swimming, skating, biking, playing pickup sports, frolicking on the beach, adventuring, hiking, and my personal favorite: anything that qualifies as spontaneity. 

More recently, I have found a passion for traveling. I have an extremely intense desire to see all parts of the world, especially those with great hiking and especially those with amazingly tropical atmospheres. I like to think I have a pretty keen eye for photography, but would also love to learn so much more about that art so I am able to take awesome photos of my future travels.

My greatest passion lies with humanity. Beyond simply being in the presence of other people being, I love listening to them, conversing, and finding out what it is I can learn from them. I very much believe in the goodness of people and I highly value an open heart and mind. I have met so many wonderful individuals in my lifetime and I credit them largely for giving me belief in the universe. That's why my dream career is a life coach. I am a big believer in holism and the notion that emphasis on all parts of the whole, ideally with none being neglected, is what constitutes a full life and a full heart. If something is important to someone else, chances are it's important to me. 

I am a diehard music fan and have been for as long as I can remember. Rarely is there an instance I am not listening to music. I certainly listen to almost all genres and I am consistently stunned at its raw emotional impact. Music is truly a gift to the world and something that has given so much light to my life.

I am most proud of being a daughter. I share a very close relationship with my parents. In totality, they are my everything, and there is simply not a day that goes by that I don't see, feel, or hear traces of their  fun-loving and extremely supportive guidance. There is something so beautiful about sacrifice -- what blood will do for blood. My parents believed in me enough to sacrifice their whole lives essentially, so that I could be a first generation college student. I simply cannot think of a brighter, more selfless love. They are heroes in my eyes.

Writing is something I have always enjoyed immensely and lately I have really taken a liking to inspirational quotes and videos. Though writing in so many ways has always impacted me, my fondness for the craft has only grown in recent years as I have tried different types and grown as a writer and scholar. I hope to continue that growth within the context of, and beyond, this classroom with all of you. 

Because truthfully, absolutely nothing makes me happier than living and learning in an encouraging environment, seeing my peers succeed and develop and grow and plan and chase their passions like there's no tomorrow. That is the kind of beauty and strength that transcends life's greatest adversity and makes this one happy place to coexist and thrive in. 

I wish you all a very happy winter quarter. :)

--Megan