Let's do this chumps

Leroy Jenkins

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it's funny in the middle. seriously.

Check out my SKILLZ

Welcome back to this week's blog entries, I'm Aidan Mewha.

This week we will explore the many skills I have and what I am qualified to do outside of the broadcasting profession.

First of all, because I am a communications major, I have a very strong writing background which is beneficial to any profession I may pursue. I am also creative, a great time manager, and self- driven which can take me anywhere from a flight attendant to an Arby's manager. I am so qualified!

One thing that I really think I could pursue if broadcasting doesn't work out is working with horses. I am an excellent beginning riding instructor, and I have been bringing along green horses since I was eleven years old. I have a good bedside manner at the barn and I am organized and able to demonstrate my points very easily to new and old riders.

I'm still trying to figure out how to have a horse when I have to get a real job, but that will hopefully come to me when that time comes.

Until next time...

Media and Reality

I'm supposed to evaluate my and everyone else's reality concerning perception and media. I look at it this way: my reality is influenced by the figures and situations in my life. I see things differently than everyone else around me and they see everything differently than everyone around them. There is no set "reality." We hatch our own and act out in our world the way we've been taught. As for within the meadia, our reality is what they put forth for us. This is where gatekeeping comes in. We care about poor little white girl lost in Aruba because they tellus to. We care about Terry Schiavo and John-Bennette Ramsey because the "world" thinks this is important. And I have to see digitally mastered photos of what baby Shiloh will look like when she grows up because that's what people "care about" in their reality.

While gatekeeping is a very scary topic to discuss because it outlines the fact that wenever know the real truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth...but regardless, as I stated before, that could never really happen. That is because everyone has a different take on everything and so which ever story we heard, it would come out of someone's face differently the next time we heard it. But I digress, gatekeeping only lets us hear one side of the story and keeps our realities limited to what the media shows us and tells us. This creates narrow-mindedness and the inability to look at situations in other light because if Katie Couric says it, it must be true.

There is no right answer to this issue because again, I may think I have it right while someone else will think I'm totally out of my gourd.

The end.

Not just for porn...

I'd have to say my FAVORITE form of media is...the internet. Created by Al Gore, it is vital to everyone's survival from day to day. I don't know what I would do if I had to wait to watch the weather on the news, go through a card catalogue to find a book, or actually compose a letter and put postage on it. The internet makes my life worth living and lets me connect with so many more people than I would if I lived in my secluded little Pennsylvania bubble. I love you, internet, and contrary to belief you're not just for porn.

Media Usage Inventory

For Mass Comm. I was asked to take a look at all the media I use and how often I use it. Here are the questions I was asked to answer:

Media Usage Inventory

How often do you use the telephone? Who do you call most often?
On average, I have 351 calls/month. I don't have a set calling list, but I usually call work associates, classmates, and the romantic interest the most.

When’s the last time you listened to a speech (not required for class)? What was it and why?
At the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival last week about the Irene Ryan Awards.

How often do you IM? Name two people on your buddy list or people you frequently chat with?
I don't IM all that often, but I usualy talk to Danielle to find out where she is and also my roommate to mess with her when she's sitting across the room. I use AIM as a locator to see where the people are I need to call.

When’s the last time you paid for music to listen to? What was it? CD? iTunes? concert?
Last music purchase was in September when I bouth Fergie's The Dutchess CD.

What’s the most recent thing you’ve watched on TV? Why?
The last thing I watched was South Park because it was late at night and I was looking for amusement.

When’s the last time you recorded a movie or television program? What was it?
I don't record, I rent. And I rented Casablanca last night because I had never seen it

Name the most recent movie you watched for fun at the theater? DVD?
I saw Stranger than Fiction last in the theatre.

Name the type of radio station you last listened to & why?
I usually listen to Titan Radio or KISS FM if I must listen to the radio, but I prefer my IPOD. I listen to those stations to find new music to download.

Name the most recent book you read for YOU (not a class)? Why?
Catcher in the Rye because I wanted to know why it caused people to kill celebrities.

When was the last time you read a newspaper? Name it? Why were you reading it?
I read USA Today in L.A. because there was nothing good on TV.

Same question as #5, but apply it to magazine.
I read Sky Mall in the airplane because there was nothing to do and I was trapped in a flying object.

When’s the last time you wrote a letter and sent it?
When I was in first grade.

Name a web site you frequent or have bookmarked on your browser? When’s the last time you visited? Why?
Equine.com to look for horses for sale. I go there atleast once a week.

Do you have a “My Space” or “Facebook” or other type page? Why?
I have both. My myspace is neglected because I only got one because my friend made me, but I have a facebook to keep contact with friends and stay updated on their status.

Do you blog? How often? Why?0
Oh, I blog. I blog for two classes now and I will blog every week.

Future E-mail

This week I missed capstone because I was in New York competing in the Irene Ryan's at the American College Theatre Festival. It went well, but alas, I did not win anything. Such is life. I saw a lot of shows that really inspired me, one in particular was Waiting for Godot, which I was dragged to by my friend, but I was so happy they made me go! The acting was stellar and the entire direction and concept was so fresh and inspriring that I saw it twice. I also went to a workshop about voiceover work and met a lady named Davida Bloom. She showed us what we need to put on a resume tape for Animation or just to voiceover commercials or anything like that. She also recommended we check out voicebank.com for some more help.

From what I'm gathering from the capstone e-mail I just read, I need to send myself a future e-mail, meaning that I send myself an e-mail now and it will be delivered sometime in the future. Here's what I wrote to myself:

Dear FutureMe,
I hope this letter catches you well, as I hope that you haven't died or contracted any serious illnesses in the past months. I'm just checking in to make sure you've done the following:

Graduated College
Gotten a job
Secured residency for the time being
Kept dreaming.

Don't settle for anything. Don't let the comfort that you may have found temporarily hindered you from wanting to move on to bigger and better things. And remember, to always stay true to yourself.
Also, remember to keep track of your cash, and if you recenlty overdrew, I'm very disappointed.

Hope you're well!
Love,
The past you.

That's all the time I have for now...until next time.

The Break is Ending

Over the break I took my sitcom to my brother's company which doesn't have a lot to do with broadcasting or sitcoms in general, but they are a group of creative individuals that set up shop to brainstorm and develop plots and characters for videogames. I figured that they would at least have some sort of interesting comments for me. I talked to my brother's friend Patsy who liked the general concept, but gave a me some constructive criticism on how to buff up the B-storyline and make a stronger, more climactic ending. I also showed it to my brother, which is always the hardest thing for me to do because he is so smart and creative, and my work always feels so inferior to his, but he complimented my writing and said that I had a good foundation for something that I can continually work on.

I also ventured out to Los Angelas and San Diego over break to scope out whether or not I would want to lvie there, and I am soooooo there. My hotel was a block away from NBC in San Diego but due to time constraints I never got to go inside. So sad, but it was still a nice research project nonetheles.

I've also been reflecting on my professional capabilities. I think that some of my strengths are being fair, a very good time manager, and I also am very capable of working well under pressure.

My weaknesses would have to be putting pride in my work, I never feel 100% about anything that I do. I always try my hardest but I never feel that anything is good enough.

I'm looking forward to starting my internship when I get back to school, but I must first go to New York for an acting competition that I'm looking really forward to.

So until then...
Wish me luck!