Garage Band is fun

So this afternoon I was fiddling around on garage band, and it was just so much fun (and easy to use). First, I dropped in my WAV file that I had recorded for this past Tuesday's class. Although I was unimpressed with my first draft, I was however impressed of how I mastered the Marantz, and managed to transfer it onto my computer and then successfully drop into garage band. Technology is getting amazing, at least until after I figured out how to learn garage band and that I realized that I plugged the wrong wire into the wrong transmitter device thing.

I think part of the reason I enjoyed garage band so very much (besides that I knew how to use it) was that I got to drag all of my own songs into my podcast. As I had said in earlier posts, I am a class rock aficionado, so when the day came to choose my audio elements for my podcast I was all over it. Ironically, I have yet to perfect my written draft, but I have jumped the gun on my audio. Probably not the best decision, but I know that when I have my creative juices running I should definitely take advantage of them. When it comes to music, they are also flowing or running or ya...

After pressing the down arrow key and gliding through my iTunes library I decided to switch over to Delia's blog and see what was on the agenda for the blog post etc. As we were advised, I listened to the three assigned podcasts. Below is what I thought of each:

"Scared" by John Biewen 

This clip automatically drew me in, and then it subsequently freaked me out. Let me explain. He starts describing how love is physical, and then he mentions thighs, and then a baby makes a sound. Kinda freaky! I continue to listen...The music starts, it reminds me of the itsy bitsy spider (which I'm pretty sure it is but can't say for sure). The narrator's voice is interspersed with Harper (the daughter) speaking and as the clip progresses she matures and so does her voice. There's a depressing vibe coming from the music. Although I adore the "itsy bitsy" there is just something off about the key, its deeper than usual. The "itsy bitsy" deeper tone coupled with him calling Harper "girl" and lines such as "in which her body was never for you" freaked me out throughout the podcast. "Sacred" was definitely scary for me, especially when there was a break with silence. I guess you can say that Biewen effectively used audio effects to evoke this "scary" emotion in the audience. 

Next....

"In a Bubble (Quiet Kids)" by Hillary Frank 

This piece was ironic. These self-proclaimed quiet kids are actually articulate on the tape. Besides for one boy, the rest of the bunch sound like normal teenagers. Their tone and speaking voices don't match what they are saying, which is in fact that they are "shy" kids. As the clip progresses a girl talks about how others might wrongly perceive her quietness as her judging others. Then, with that said "the others" join in on the audio. There is a noisy background filled with children and bells going off to match what the student was speaking about. The background sound paints a precise picture of what the students are describing. Together, both the oral + the sound, equal an easily imagined scene.

Lastly....

"Lost in Translation" by Iswari P. Pandey

After listening to the two prior clips by Americans, I was caught off guard by Iswari. It was hard for me to pay attention to what he was saying, especially because he was not enthusiastic nor did he put any emphasis on certain words or phrases. I felt like I was listening to a tape on loop, with an unfamiliar voice, where his words just blurred together and I couldn't make anything out. Then all of a sudden there would be a burst of music. After that quick burst of classical music, Pandey continues on with his dialogue and then once again a song. This pattern continues with short clips breaking up the monotonous voice. I wasn't a fan (if you can't tell) but I thank Pandey for adding those clips because they kept me on my toes throughout the podcast. I became almost consumed with these little bursts of audio energy. Instead of listening to Iswari, I waited for what strange clip would play in between. Successful usage of audio? You decide.

images retrieved from:

Garage Band: htttp://faculty.umf.maine.edu/%7Eoverallt/melwebquest/guitar.jpg

John Biewen: http://www.civicframe.org/img/board/bigpics/John_Biewen.jpg

Hillary Frank: http://www.ctools.umich.edu

Iswari Pandey: http://www.wrt.syr.edu/newsarchive/pandey/pandeyccr.jpg

I don't want to dump "new media"

Now, with just a few weeks until the semester ends, and I am officially a graduate of the University of Michigan, I would like to take some time out to reflect on what I have learned throughout my four years as an undergrad student. I've studied everything from astronomy, economics, to the history of religion in Spanish, to the environment, and way too many classes on the 60's. But, since this is indeed a blog about new media, I propose that it is only correct that I give a mindful account of my progress as a student of new media technology.

I look back at the beginning weeks of this class (when it was actually a comfortable temperature in our classroom versus the suffocating heat that we experienced the other day) and I have to say I have come a long way. Remembering those discussions on what is "new media," brings a comical smile to my face. I can't say that I'm smiling because I can give you or even myself a clear,

concise definition of the term, but I know that I am beginning to wrap my mind around the idea. I have also come a long way from my first week of blogging when I learned the hard way that you apparently can't type your blog in a word document and copy and paste into your blogger screen ( I'm still smiling about that one!).

It's pretty cool to say that I have my own blog, and I made a website on traveling to Barcelona, and now in the final stretch of the semester I will be working on my very own podcast. I pride myself on these accomplishments (even if I'm not exactly proud of all of my finished products). I know that I am really getting at the heart of this new media reality that is seemingly going to represent the future in Journalism, news reporting, entertainment, and everything else that happens in the world.

Everything that we do/have done in this class is so "in" right now. Not to say that a learning experience can be passe or en vogue, but it's totally true! Watch out you just might see a podcast strutting down the runaway (just kidding, that was kinda lame). I am learning about something that is happening today, and that is happening tomorrow, and not just facts and tid-bits on some event that occurred decades ago. Of course history is important, and the future is dependent on the past events, I would just like to note that there is something to be said about learning about blogging and podcasting, when the a large portion of the population doesn't know what either is.

New Media Writing has opened up a whole world to me. Of course I've heard of podcasting and blogging before, but I have to admit that I really didn't know much about what went on with either of  them. I had never read Andrew Sullivan, or clicked onto the Huffington Post, or listened to a "This American Life" podcast. I was technically a new media virgin (except for that one time that experimented with Perez).

I hope that after this class wraps up I will continue my relationship with new media technology. I don't even need to say that, because new media has become a part of my life, as it is becoming a part of everyones'.  At the end of every semester I gleefully dump all of my scribbled notes, and doodled binders into the big dumpster behind my apartment building. I usually don't want to savor the memories of studying for tests, and writing 15 page papers, I just want to get rid of them and everything that reminds me of them right away! But, this April this certainly won't be the case with my new media materials.

Why? Well, number one is because I don't have a binder for this class. Number two is:  you can't just "throw away" a blog, a podcast, or website. These three new media productions are alive and not just filed away under all of my other books. I can't escape my new media creations, and I don't think I am ready to let go of them either. 

images retrieved from:

graduation: http://www.cardinalspellman.org/pics/graduation_cap.jpg

smiley: http://www.jester-records.com/images/SmileyFace.jpg

runway: http://www.mcstudios.com/image/pro_stage.jpg

dumpster: http://tvgasm.com/newsgasm/dumpster.jpg

New Media: Journalism's savoir

Sitting on the floor in the back of the Hussey Room of the Michigan League, I thought to myself wow either the blogosphere is brimming with fans or everyone is just here for extra credit. Whether it was one or the other (or both), I think that Professor Warner's lecture was extraordinarily applicable to me as, as a Communications major and someone with a future career in advertising. I found Ms. Warner especially intuitive, but I think part of that opinion stems from previous lecturers she has given. 

Last year, I had taken a class with Fara on Trends in Journalism, and in our first class meeting we spent an hour and a half discussing Paris Hilton. Ms. Warner knows that the future of journalism is not in one area (i.e. straight news) but it is in gossip entertainment, because Ms. Hilton makes it that way. Paris Hilton is a marketing genius, who has the media wrapped around her "thats just so hot" finger. She uses her celebrity to make money, and gives into the paparazzi (she actually give them a list of her day-to-day itineraries). Professor Warner allowed our class to learn about Journalism (how to write a newspaper article, marketing pitch, and press release) but she also facilitated a course that was immersed in today's world of Journalism, marketing, and advertising. Journalism has evolved into a new form, one in which in includes stories on Paris Hilton of course. Ms. Warner, continued her argument in her lecture this past Wednesday. Although she didn't talk about Paris, her discussion certainly was focused on the future of Journalism.

The future of journalism is in new media, 

specifically in blogging, social networking sites, and websites that seek out journalists (such as www.spotus.com).  Why? Because newspapers are seeing a serious decline in readership, and an even more sharp decline in advertising revenue. The new breed of journalism lives in the new age of Internet portals. But, as Fara warns, although thousands of new blogs have been created within the past 5 years or so, Journalists have been fairly unsuccessful in profiting off of the new format. There needs to be a new business plan, for Journalism to thrive, but it seems that nobody has yet found the magic solution to the problem. Yes it is known that new media is where the audiences are at, but how do you make money off of that?

On Thursday, The Daily wrote a review of Professor Warner's lecture. Ironically, I began my blog with the same opening line: ...."in the Hussey room of the Michigan League." Annie Thomas, who authored the article, summarized Ms. Warner's lecture as "optimistic," despite Journalists continuing to lose their jobs. Ms.  Thomas' article is totally unlike mine. Hers includes quotes, mine is absent of them. Her article is available in print, and mine is only available online. (the differences continue on....)

But yet that is exact point of new media. It is supposed to bring a new future to Journalism, and I happy to say that I am contributing to that transformation. Ms. Thomas' article is perfectly written (and mine is probably not so perfectly written) but who cares, because my blog is also available to whomever wants to read it, and that is pretty cool!

images retrieved from:

Fara Warner: http://www.michigandaily.com/files/blog. jpg

Paris Hilton: http://www. bbc.co.uk/blogs/aceandvis/paris-hilton-001.jpg

Dollar sign: htttp://www.spahp2.creighton.edu/oasa/Leadership.aspx

Back to Blogging

It's been a couple of weeks since my last post, and I feel as if I am starting anew with my blog. Its strange to think that even though I've been consumed with other things (i.e. "Vamos a Barcelona") that my blog continues to live on. Very bizarre. As "spring ahead" just occurred Sunday morning, you can say that time is on my mind.

                                         

Without much further ado, my comeback post will be dedicated to my very first podcast listening experience, which featured Ira Glass and his "Plan B" segment aired on "This American Life." 

As I was lying in my bed on Saturday morning, I wasn't yet ready to go to the library nor was I in the mood to watch mindl

ess t.v. So it occurred to me this would be the perfect time to listen to the "podcast." Listening to the first five minutes of Ira's podcast in class, wet my appetite for more and so I unplugged my laptop and plopped it atop my pile of blankets.

As my listening experience got underway, I kept thinking to myself, this is so great. I am being entertained, able to relax, do an assignment, and reflect on life choices all at the same time. Talk about multi-tasking! Not to make myself out to be a lazy person (everyone is allowed to lie in their bed sometimes and veg out),  but listening to a podcast was actually extremely ideal for the entertainment I was looking for. Its strange to think of homework as entertainment, but that's what listening to Ira's podcast was for me.

Writing this blog post right now has led me to question, why I don't download these podcasts to my ipod? I really should. On my w

ay to the grad (where I am writing this blog post) I had the usual a.d.d. with my shuffle feature. I didn't want to listen to anything that came on! I listen to the same music all day long: at my computer, in my car, and walking around campus. Do I honestly need anymore classic rock? What I really should've done is download some more podcasts now that I'm thinking about it....

But, maybe I just liked this particular podcast? It can be quite possible, and before I put all of my eggs in one basket, and proclaim that I am a podcast aficionado, I should really test out some other options.  In the interim of starting this blog post and finishing it (which I hope to do soon) I set out to find some other podcasters.  I sat at my google homepage for more than 3 minutes (o.k. it was more like 2) thinking about who exactly to google and for what podcast? I really had no idea.

To help with my search, I decided to start from the beginning: what is podcasting? Podcasting (check it is symbol to the right in purple)

is a broadcast, that is downloadable from the Internet, and then can be played on a portable device. I then realized that I really don't listen to "broadcasts" in general. Sure I listen to music, but not to a particular talk show host. My parents are actually the ones who fall into the talk show host audience (my mom listens to Joan Hamburg and my dad listens to Howard Stern). Basically, my realization is that if I am going to cross over to the podcasting audience, I need to talk to other podcast listeners and find out who is a "must-listen." I googled "recommended podcasts," and then I x'd out before the results appeared (I just had a bad feeling about the idea of searching for recommended podcasts, as if the were restaurants).

I feel like this post was a refreshing switch up. I didn't have to write about anything in particular, but wrote about my thoughts and feelings on podcasting. Although as I finish this post, I have this nagging feeling that I really should have talked about Ira Glass and "This American Life" a tad bit more (since I did "dedicate" this post to him) but my thoughts just flowed some place else as I began typing away. I also have this uncomfortable feeling about not writing about "Plan B" because I really genuinely liked the broadcast, and I didn't let you fellow bloggers why! One more reason why I feel uncomfortable about my lack of writing on "Plan B" is because I took over 2 pages of notes on the over 50 minute broadcast!!!

Perhaps, those 2 pages deserve their own post?.... After thinking, well that just doesn't seem very natural and hence it should remain absent from the blogosphere.

Question: Blogging is back, but is it here to stay? 

Answer: Until the end of the semester it is!

image citations:

1. www.lca.org.mt/userfiles/image/calendar.jpg

2. http://alloveralbany.com

3. htttp://i.i.com

4. www.studiodaily.com

Jello Jiggles and Betty Doesn't Know What She's Cooking

       And the battle for best website begins....

Jello.com and bettycrocker.com will compete on thr

ee factors. These three factors are:

1. Content: Content is a combination of audience and argument.

Every website has an intended target audience. In order to appeal to the target, website features, such as design, text choices, background should be reflective of your target's interests.

Argument is the equivalent of the website's thesis. The argument for a website acts to persuade the audience to take action, or share an opinion. While, the purpose of a website is what the website wants their audience to do after looking at the site.

2. Web Architecture: Web Architecture is the navi

gation and organization of information.

A site does not appear out of thin air. The creator puts tho

ught into how to build the site. There are multiple layers in one site, and the creator needs to make sure that the visitor can easily move around the site to get where they need to go.

3. Design: Design includes color, typeface, and layout choices. 

These three design elements contribute to the website's overall argument. Color

 should be closely aligned with the argument's "mood." Color choices should not distract the viewer, and should provide for easy viewing. 

Typeface should be limited to two or three different fonts, as to again make it easy for the viewer to read. Layout choices should remain consistent throughout the entire website.

Now that I have briefly outline the three criteria in which we will be judging two websites on, let me know re-introduce the competitors.

              In the right hand corner, we have....

In the left hand corner we have....

Jell-O:

1. Content:

Jell-O's target audience is consumers who are on a diet on want to satisfy their sweet tooth. These are health consciousness individuals, probably women, who are looking for fun ideas to incorporate healthy snacks into their diet. Its hard to be on a diet, and Jell-O tells its target that they can still indulge on low calorie Jell-O snacks. How can I tell? Because of Jell-O's tagline: "Every Diet Needs a Little Wiggle Room."

As mentioned above, target audience is intertwined with argument and purpose. Jell-O's argument can be summarized through their tagline as well. They are arguing that Jell-O is the perfect snack for when you are on a diet. Their products are even broken up into different categories based on calories, and sugar content. For example, you can "satisfy your sweet tooth" with a 10 calorie Jell-O snack. The purpose of the site, is for consumers to buy Jell-O snacks.

When someone visits Jell-O site, they know exactly who Jell-O is targeting, and what their argument is.

2. Web Architecture:

You enter the site through Jell-O's homepage, which has three different tabs located on the top, in addition to a "search" bar. The tabs are labeled "products," "recipes," and "explore Jell-O." Once you click on a tab, for example "products," the user can choose from other subpages, such as "Jell-O Gelatin," "Jell-O Pudding," and "Jello-Flavor Finder." The same is true for the other tabs. Whenever  clicked on a subpage, for example "Flavor Finder," the three tabs remained a t the top of the page. I could also click on the "Jell-O" to return to the homepage. There is also a site map at the bottom of the page, if the user chooses to navigate the site that way. 

3. Design:

This is Jell-O's best asset. First, I would like to mention that Jell-O is known for its wiggle, and its site incorporates this. When you move your mouse over an image it wiggle for you! The color choice is reflective of the brand, because Jell-O is indeed red. Typefaces are animated, but yet still easy to read. There are three different fonts that appear on the homepage, but the rest of the website is consistent in its main font choice. The website's layout is very well balanced. 

Betty Crocker:

1. Content:

Betty Crocker's target audience is people who cook and bake. But, unlike Jell-O's website Betty Crocker does not just feature one product line, it features many different ones. When I first visited the homepage, there was a Turkey-Pineapple salad, but then two minutes later I checked back and saw that the salad had transformed itself into chocolate? So after doing some more browsing, I realized that Betty Crocker offers more than cake mixes and brownie mixes. Betty Crocker does dinner ("cooking") and desert ("baking"). There is also an emphasis on ease of use and convenience. Betty Crocker's target thus are people who like to cook, but dont' like to spend all day preparing a meal.

Betty Crocker's argument is its tagline: "Expertise from our kitchen to yours." This further supports who their target audience is. Every meal or desert that is advertised is also accompanied with a quick and easy recipe. 

2. Web Architecture:

Since Betty Crocker is such a varied site, it has many more pages and subpages than Jell-O. Compared to Jell-O's three tabs plus a search bar, Betty Crocker has eight tabs plus a search bar. It is only when you click on one of the tabs that you can access the subpages. There is no drop-down menu like Jell-O's site. The main tabs do however remain on each page, and I can click on "betty crocker" to return to the homepage.

3. Design:

This is perhaps the websites worst attribute. There is way too much stuff on each page!! On the each page (including the home page) there are four different sections. Unlike Jell-O who's one main page was broken into smaller sections, Betty Crocker's pages actually have four separate pages in one. I want to stress that the content is unrelated as well. For example, on the right side of the homepage you can subscribe to the newsletter, become a member, and participate in the kitchen poll. On the bottom of the page you can read a blog-esque section. In the middle of the page you can get the recipe of the day, cookie mix contest info, and peanut butter recall info. And, finally at the top of the page, a rotating recipe is featured. Although there are only two main colors (red and blue) all of the content's images are too distracting. Since, there are so many different sections located on one page, three different typefaces are used to distinguish them. Although three typefaces are okay, more than three gets you into trouble. Since Betty Crocker is already doing poorly on her layout, she should play it safe on her type choices.

So you might have guess it.... the winner is Jell-O!

Jell-O keeps it simple, while Betty Crocker piles it on. The best bet in website design it too keep it simple, let your user navigate through content easily, and make sure the user knows what your site is about. Jell-O is successful on all three of these. Although BettyCrocker.com is not necessarily the worst website, she has a long way to go to compete with Jell-O . 

Adam and Andrew

There were a lot of babies born on Tuesday, February 3rd. Some were White and some were African American.

Meet Adam...

Meet Andrew...

or

 Meet Andrew...

Meet Adam

Adam and Andrew grew up on the same block.

They lived right next door to each other actually.

 Adam and Andrew became great friends.

Andrew and Adam went to the same high school.

Adam is going to Yale. Andrew is going to his state school, the University of Michigan.

They had identical High School transcripts....

There were a lot of babies born on February 3rd, some were White and some were African American.

After finally completing my post, my biggest challenge was getting the images to be in the spot I wanted them to be in. Once I inserted another image, the image that I had already placed would move to another spot, or disappear altogether. As I was doing this post, I kept thinking about how much I would like to be taking these pictures myself. Unfortunately, I do not have the time nor the resources to have done that so I was forced to rely on Google images. Google images for the most part is great, but for my post I was looking for very specific images to convey a very specific message. A lot of the time, I would find an image that has a text written over it for copyright issues. Finding images was very time consuming. From the beginning I wanted to do a post on Affirmative Action, and portray it from a different point of view. My argument is that Affirmative Action should not be based on race alone. The story of these two boys is an example of how race should not allow advantages for one individual versus another individual who has the same credentials. I named the boys Adam and Andrew to show the extreme similarities between the two  (both had names that started with A, both grew up on the same block, etc.).  I never tell my reader who is Andrew and who is Adam. I do this on purpose to keep the reader guessing, and to show that Affirmative Action is inherently unfair, because these two boys are equal, and no different besides for the color of their skin. As Berger argued, photographs are isolated bits of time. In my post I try to create a continuous history for my two characters, starting at birth, and ending at college to show that photos can indeed tell a full story when ordered in a particular way.

Could I have a thing for Geek Dad?

After browsing through the various blogs that were posted for this assignment, I confess that I absolutely was most intrigued by Wired's Geek Dad blog. It was extremely surprising too me, because as a gossip enthusiast (who watches E! every single night without avail at 7 pm to catch E! News) I was expecting to fall head over heels for Perez Hilton's blog. But, apparently this was not the case.

I have visited Mr. Hilton's blog on a 

previous occasion, just briefly passing through between checking my mail and hopping on over to the New York Times front page.  I browsed a few pictures, didn't read any of the posts, and quickly left neither satisfied nor unsatisfied. Basically, I wasn't expecting anything, except for a quick gossip fix mid-day. But, as I spend more time on P. Hilton's site (and that would be Perez and not Paris) I'm really just not feeling his vibe. For one thing, his notorious bad mouthing blogging style has really shown its true colors. 

As Perez welcomes his readers to his site, which he entitles "Hollywood's Most Hated Web-Site," his intentions are not to provide gossip, but to provide it in a way that basically embarrasses, makes fun of, or puts any celebrity to shame. Hence his first post of today, is e accusing Kanye West of being gay or bisexual, a very touchy matter that is not dealt with much sensitivity. Hilton's style is further illustrated in his doodles, in which he pens comments, hearts, and even highlights Jessica Simpson's.... I can't even bring myself to say it. Anyway, his tone is flirtatious and provocative, but you don't even necessarily need to read the short, quick, posts because the pictures basically say it all. But, maybe that is Hilton's intention (since the pictures do canvas almost the entire page). In the world of celebrity blogging, images can be much more powerful, than a snide comment or a snarky remark. A titilating title and a blown up picture of whoever with a doodle is all you need for a little controversy.  In an interesting twist though, Hilton doesn't only blog about Hollywood, he is also blogging about current events, such as unemployment and the recession. I think Perez should just stick to what he knows best, which would be antagonizing celebs for the guilty pleasure of his readership.

Now, onto blog number two. Numero dos appears in the lifestyle category, specifically food. I was first intrigued by the description of the blog, because I never know what to eat for dinner, EVER! So... I click the URL in hopes of this blog being my savior from countless nights of wondering what should eat. But, unfortunately I was not impressed. Sure, the blog does what it says it will do, and that is provide people with dinner ideas. But, it wasn't exactly entertaining or inviting to the reader. First of, there was not one single picture on the page!!!! When you think of a traditional cook book, I think of recipes coupled with elaborate images. But, when I think of a cook book online, I definitely think of images, because why not take advantage of what the digitality has to offer???? It just looked plain boring! In regards to the language, each blog started off with a brief conversational introduction of what the author was doing that day or whatever. But, what the author had to say was not exactly what I really wanted to read about when I looked for a recipe. Each of the recent posts began with an

 apology for not writing, and then a complaint, and none of it was uplifting. And then.... ta dah what I came for...the recipe! The recipe was dry, simple, easy to follow, and the author did offer tips. I think that this site should try to stay on topic and focus on the food and

 not on feeling, and possibly spice it up with a picture or two!

Even an inexperienced blogger like myself could pop in a pic or two (well it might actually be the only thing I can pop in but that's ok....I'm a self-proclaimed beginner)

And now, onto my favorite blog, which appeared in the science/technology category. First off, my expectations were not extremely high for this post. What could Geek Dad possibly have to say that I could be interested in. But, I was wrong. I would like to first compliment Geek Dad (or Dads) on their tone. Every post that I read was had a nice balance between professionalism and casualism (is that a word???...I guess not!). They were never too pretentious, nor were they totally informal. After reading Perez Hilton's "shiz" and whatever, and the food blog's boring posts, Geek Dad was a nice return to reality, because I think that this is the way people really should blog. Of course every subject lends itself to a unique tone of voice, but Geek Dad is blogging on a range of topics, and they manage to be consistent with their language. All of the posts had either a picture or an embedded video, which kept me focused on each of the posts. Once I see a really long, text heavy post (I know I'm a hyprocite because I am writing exactly what I don't like to read)

I usually don't really want to bother reading it at all. But, Geek Dad used images extremely well. I think I was also drawn to the Lego Mario, because it brought me back to my own childhood. I used to play with Lego's and play Nintendo all the time when I was younger, and those images provided me with a nice trip down memory lane. Even the rainbow cake was exciting (and trust me I am not a food enthusiast by any means!) Also, the post about Diet Coke cans exploding was relevant to my life. As a person who drinks at least a can of Diet Coke a day, this is pretty useful knowledge for me!

Bottom line, a good blog (for me) needs to be applicable to my life, written in a non-offensive tone, and have a nice balance of text and images.

And now...after a lot of rambling I think I have finished my very third blog post. Not only is this my third blog post, it is also the only post in which I think I have accomplished what I am supposed to being doing while I am blogging. I (think) am supposed to facilitate a conversation between my readers and I, and I hope I have accomplished this! But, of course I will let my readers comment on what they think.