Digital Media Project- Reflection

As this project comes to an end, I feel like I have enough substance to really think about the progress I have made and things that I could do to make it even better. I feel like its strengths lie in the effort put into it. I didn’t do so well on my Print Media Project, so I felt inclined to really make this blog good. I played with the templates, came up with a travel theme to reflect my blog’s overall theme of spreading my wings into a digital world, while incorporating pieces to create dimension in my personal endeavors. Some weaknesses would be that I’m somewhat new to the blogging scene, so it doesn’t look or function nearly at the same level as a blog done by a professional blogger. I also don’t have a specific career that I am pursuing since I honestly don’t know what one thing I want to do. There is always room for improvement with research for content, links, templates, design, audience reach and more to make it a top-notch professional piece of online material.

Although it is a rather amateur blog, I feel like I learned a lot when it comes to how to blog. I became familiar with the Blogger program, how to move things around, publish and adjust settings to my desire. Every time I log in, I find something new to incorporate to my blog to make it more interesting and more professional, and ultimately show my growing experience. Also, writing about content that interested me was rather enjoyable. Even though it was a bit difficult to figure out what to write, once I had a solid idea the post seemed to write itself. I also spent a lot more time editing than I had anticipated, and that’s where I found the real work. The question of ‘how do I say this?’ can sometimes be more difficult than ‘what is it that I want to say?’ Although the posts didn’t take much time to write, the revision process definitely took a few hours! I would have to say the three most important changes I made were in theme adjustment (title, background, colors, etc.), narrowing down the focus in each piece, and the About section at the top. These changes help clarify the blog so the reader knows exactly how to relate each post to the theme, effectively communicate my purpose of career and interest exploration for future jobs while incorporating the digital media and new technologies, navigate easily, and so that it ultimately comes together as a wholesome, interesting blog.

Overall, I found it to be a bit challenging and that I definitely need to work on writing professionally online. Since my prior experience was minimal, I found that learning by doing was the best method of improvement. I know that my current desire to be a good writer and my previous skills provide a foundation to make me a great writer, but I know that I have to practice to master anything. I will admit that the work load was daunting since I have a lot on my plate with other classes already, but I somehow managed to put in the effort needed to complete the tasks at hand and learn along the way. If I had three more weeks, I would probably work on making it look more professional, add more interactive content and apply more fine tuning and maybe even report on my application statuses for possible internships and new careers I find intriguing to pursue.

If I could give this blog a grade, I would give it an A. I feel like the design is simple and easy to navigate, there is variety in content, there is a variety of interactive media, it’s visually appealing with complementary colors, and the theme creatively ties my posts together. I chose the title to be Bon Voyage because that’s exactly what my pursuit is- a trip, a voyage, and a process of arriving at a destination. I also elaborate on my love for travel, so that ties the theme together even more. The background is a post card to complement the title while enhancing the aesthetics so that it is appealing to look at. I feel like I adequately address the specific topics and have a clear message in each post that is relatively interesting to read while still relating to the emergence of new technology and digital composition in my chosen career paths. Although I don’t have one specific career in mind, I feel like I lay out my interests, goals and plans of finding my dream career pretty well so that the reader knows the general direction I want to go and what types of jobs I would want to do while simultaneously gaining experience in writing through digital media.

Spotlight: David Brooks, Op-Ed Columnist of the New York Times

As I browse through the internet for various blogs, videos and articles that pertain to my specific career paths, I started to remember one specific writer, David Brooks, who stuck out to me after reading a few of his articles for my ENC1145 class my Freshman year. Brooks, who writes various Op-Ed articles for the New York Times writes witty, thought-provoking pieces that really make me think about the subject matter. Unlike various other Op-Ed writers I've read, he seems to present an opinionby raising questions and how he personally sees the issues at hand rather than just outright argue one side . Even if I don't agree with him on a viewpoint, he always seems to bring up great points that make me think about why I don't agree with him. Brooks tends to take a moderately conservative stance and comments on societal progression as a middle-aged upper-class citizen, so it's interesting to see how he compares the past, present and future from another generational standpoint.

One article that I find to be particularly interesting is from earlier this month called Where Are the Jobs? Here he talks about the lack of progression in innovation where it is not as rapid today as the previous years. One line that stood out to me was "A person born in 1900 began with horse-drawn buggies and died with men walking on the Moon, but the last few decades have seen nothing like that sort of technological advance." He addresses concern about the advancement of travel, cure to diseases, grain production, and energy sources by comparing their rapid past progression to their stagnancy today- of course these are extremely important developments but Brooks doesn't really mention the innovation of digital communication today. He also doesn't mention the effect of the economy on funding for technological advancement, which I believe is a huge factor in any societal progression. Although he acknowledges Steve Jobs for his contribution to modern technological innovation, he argues that there is nothing else that seems to follow Jobs' work in Apple's development to be the next breakthrough in society. However, I think Jobs opened the door to innovation in the digital word- something that hasn't been stagnant since its breakthrough. Jobs may have passed away, but that doesn't mean the great minds working for Apple or large innovative companies will stop working to create the next big thing or inspire someone else to come up with the next modern marvel in technology. I do agree that there will be challenges to keep society moving as fast as it has been, but maybe a little stagnation is necessary to reflect on what really needs to be fixed after decades of non-stop movement. And who knows, maybe the next innovation deals with a social, political or environmental movement instead of a tangible invention!

As I mentioned before, whether or not I agree with his pieces they get me to think. As a reader, I find this intriguing and as an aspiring writer, I have an example to follow so I can do just that- provoke thought and discussion like David Brooks does so well.

Maybe There Is A Light at The End of The Tunnel!

As I scroll through potential internships on the State Department website to get a feel for what I'm applying for, I realize how awesome my majors are. Classes for International Affairs, Editing Writing and Media with an added French minor can be quite laborious, and to be honest, I lose my focus at points but when I look through this it seems like it just may be worth it in the end. Right now I'm applying to work in the Bureau of International Information Programs where potential internship tasks would be:

• To work through daily articles published on USINFO, web chats and digital video conferences (DVCs) between public opinion leaders and overseas audiences, monthly electronic journals, and overseas speaker programs, IIP presents U.S. policy on foreign, economic, security, and global issues, as well as information about American society and values to the rest of the world.
• To enjoy full inclusion and participation with our full-time staff, and your bylined articles will have a global audience, in multiple languages, thanks to the Internet and U.S. embassy officials who place them in local media.
• Attending and writing articles about speeches and press conferences by senior U.S. officials, programs at Washington-based think tanks and nongovernmental organizations, congressional hearings and cultural events
• Design and conduct web chats and DVCs that allow interaction and communication between foreign audiences and opinion leaders in the areas of culture, science, politics and business
• Assist in the production of electronic journals, IIP’s online magazines, which examine a wide range of issues such as human rights, narcotics, terrorism, American society, democracy, and information technology
• Assess, recruit and schedule U.S. officials, people from the academic community and subject specialists for overseas speaking and training programs
• Assist in the provision of information research to public diplomacy officials at home and abroad using top-of-the-line proprietary databases

Or the overseas internship in Europe where I could potentially:

• Conduct U.S. foreign relations with countries in Europe
• Direct, coordinate, and supervise U.S. government activities within these regions, including consular and administrative management issues, and U.S. assistance
• In addition to working on country-specific issues, the bureau offers the opportunity to do multilateral work related to the European Union, NATO, the OSCE, the OECD, the G-8, and the Council of Europe
• "Applicants interested in these multilateral positions should specifically note such interest in their Statement of Interest. in Washington, D.C., and abroad at certain U.S. embassies and consulates throughout the year. When available, housing is provided to interns assigned abroad. For students applying for an internship abroad, you will have an opportunity to specify the country in which you are willing to pursue your internship. You may elaborate on your choices in your Statement of Interest. Duties of both domestic and overseas interns are similar in nature to that of an entry-level professional."

These are just two different positions out of many others that seem absolutely incredible, but these are what I narrowed my interests down for my application. I'll admit to losing sight of where I was going in school, what I was doing with my degrees, and even started to show it in my classes. However, this has helped me regain my sight and direction and I hope that even if I don't get chosen to intern here that I'll eventually work in a setting like this!

Guy-Philippe Goldstein: How cyberattacks threaten real-world peace | Video on TED.com

Check out this video, it talks about the effects of world peace if cyber attacks are what we are worrying about. It goes into the topic of cyberterrorism and the future of national defense in the digital age.

Although cyber defense isn't the exact career path I plan on taking, I still think it's very interesting to see the ways we are now thinking about confronting the problems that are threatening the world today. My dad works with Cent Com and for a while held the position of an Electronic Warfare Officer (EWO). This position blew my mind when I first heard of it around 10 years ago- how could war be conducted through an electronic medium?! This Ted Talk is great for outlining what exactly is going on now, and what we have to worry about in the future. Like I said before, although I don't plan on taking on electronic defense, it will probably play a major role in how I work whether it's updating programs on my computer to make sure foreign hackers don't get into anything, or the different security measures taken when I want to publish. The fact of the matter is that national security isn't just limited to tanks and bombs, it now involves people who are simply sitting behind a computer screen at a desk just anyone else. Being aware of what they can do to offend or defend is revolutionary in itself, and I think that people should be aware of the different measures in the usage of technology.

Let's Talk Manners

Now that society today is plugged into the internet and spending a good chunk of their lives online, it is important to learn how to behave accordingly! Etiquette is no longer just for the dinner table or a set of guidelines when visiting your extended family- it expands to a digital medium and if you are not a "digital native," it's definitely not going to come naturally. Even as someone growing up in a digital age, it is important to know the proper ways of self expression online just as it is in any other public setting.

Emily Post recently came out with a book that highlights the do's and don'ts of online behavior, something that shows how far we have come in our use of social media and internet usage. The digital boom has transformed the way we live our lives in society today, and as this article points out, proper behavior can determine whether the internet and social media is used against you, or to your benefit. I found it to be very interesting that we have to learn a whole new set of manners and pass them down to future generations, and unlike table manners, these will modify as quickly as the technology- something that we have to stay on top of to make sure that we, as well as future generations can use to our full benefit.

The full article can be found here: http://www.npr.org/blogs/monkeysee/2011/10/19/141480472/a-new-emily-post-for-your-blog-posts

Twitter- A Media Revolution

Since I've started using Twitter, I have found a whole new way of receiving my news. As I think about it, Twitter is a blend of news completely different from Facebook where I only hear about people in my life, or news websites- It's a liason linking me to all of them. As I scroll through what seems like endless tweets, I can follow everyone from my father to USAID, Kim Kardashian to the New York Times. Even The Pope has a Twitter! Because of this, people can now send messages to their followers in real-time rather than going through multiple steps of publicists and scheduled news timings for simple messages.

Right now since I'm focused on getting an internship with the State Department, I have started following their tweets to see what's going on around the world and what they're doing to participate in world issues. It completely blows my mind how closely connected just a follow can be- For example, this morning I found out about a 7.2 magnitude earthquake in a province of Turkey that I had once visited through tweets from the State Department, where I could then click on links leading me to more information on what exactly happened. They keep a live update by sending messages whenever their representatives have something relevant to say to the public. Another example of this is when Osama Bin Laden had been captured, the message had gotten out on Twitter faster than Obama's address to the nation. Talk about revolutionary!

The door to the ease of access of information has been opened through the internet, and it seems that Twitter is a major moving force. To keep up digitally, I'm following future employers closely and have read of opportunities through their tweets. I also have a part-time writing job where I have seen the benefits of tweeting a new article. Because I can add tags, it has made starting out less strenuous by having articles under the tags that I post with them. By actively engaging in Twitter, I can see how keeping up digitally is important. The way information is transferred is on hyper-speed, especially when people like me are preparing to become active working citizens. I can see that it is a revolution in the digital age and I'm excited to see how it evolves!

Tigris

In Summer of 2010, I went to Turkey to do a study abroad for Political Science. While we were there, we went on excursions throughout the country to explore different regions, political institutions and cultures. One day we went to the Tigris River in Southeastern Turkey to tour and explore the region, where I was later inspired to write a creative piece based on my experience that day. I wrote it for another editing class, and have it saved on another personal blog as the first of many creative pieces I have written in my spare time. Although I am interested in reporting or working in foreign relations, I would also be interested in blogging about travel experiences and this is the piece that relatively sparked my interest.

The bus doors swing open and I’m immediately greeted by a blast of hot air and the sound of a wailing prayer from a mosque just barely in earshot. The two hour bus ride seemed to go all too quickly- then again, it’s something I expected after international flights and multiple weeks of touring around the country while I wasn’t in class. The sun is high, and I can’t find my sunglasses in the mess of crap that I’ve accumulated in the past day of traveling Southeastern Turkey. Not to mention, I’m irritated from my lack of sleep and whatever isn’t agreeing with me from dinner the night before. I eventually find my camera and slowly trail the group of dragging students from the bus into the sweltering heat. I let my eyes adjust to the brightness, and start taking pictures. We’re in the Batman province of Turkey, and no, Robin was nowhere in sight. However, we were only a few hours’ drive away from the borders near Syria and Iraq.

So this is what the Tigris River looks like.

We’re at the top of a hill, looking down to the shore of the river. Little Kurdish children start to swarm the bus, handing us notes in English saying “I love you,” while offering their services as tour guides. Where their parents were, I don’t know. But these kids knew how to hustle. Growing up in Colorado, I expected something raging with class 5 rapids, something that had the sublimity of the Grand Canyon or Pikes Peak that roared with grandeur. But this isn’t so. The Tigris is a slow flowing, wide and shallow river that has a light murky turquoise color- something I had never seen before. It moves with the ease of a wise old woman who is in no hurry to get from here to there, carrying stories from civilizations that we can only read about in history books. Its intimidation wasn’t stemming from its size or intensity, but its calm beauty and significance in the world.

After a few moments of taking pictures, we notice a group of people gathering together by the riverbank and the crowd is growing quickly. I turn around, and see a young boy talking to our tour guide while pointing to the congregation. “There’s a little boy in there. He’s been down for a couple of minutes and he hasn’t come up from the water… I guess he tried to cross with his father and got swept under,” the tour guide says. The child tells this story like it’s regular town gossip. The tour guide’s face has a look of concern but helplessness. The crowd is growing larger now.

We continue our walk across the bridge into the town. As we pass through a street laden with Mesoptamya shops and cafes, we could see more and more people look down to the riverbank to see if they could spot the boy. Making our way to a deck overseeing the river, we could now see a life raft with people searching the bottom in one direction. In the other direction, people are sitting on the café porch drinking tea, watching the spectacle from the shade. “This happens all too often. Life is cheap here,” says the professor. We head down to the banks to take pictures and pick up some rocks, while trying not to get the scene in the background. “I think they’re close to finding the body, we should go,” someone said after about ten minutes. Slowly, we make our way back up to the bus. Once again greeted by children, we exchange goodbyes, and take the road back to what we consider real life with our newfound memories from the birthplace of civilization.

---

Even if creative writing isn't my full time career, it has been some of the fuel to my writing fire. I know that if I want to be successful, I need to keep up with the digital age in my writing skills and learn how to write for online media and how to target my audience when literally anyone can access what I write. Since I want to know how to work with journaling online just posting something like this on this blog is another step in gaining experience!