They call it the end, but it’s really just the beginning of something new!

We have achieved so much this semester. I’d say this is perhaps the best. While there was so much to learn, I can’t contain it, I’m happy that I was a part of CT101.

From Blog Writing to Website Building, we did ALOT! Keep reading to see everything I worked on in this class.

I liked the fact that the class was very hands–on and interactive. It was a great way to learn how to use technology to tell stories engagingly and creatively. Our instructor was very knowledgeable and always willing to help if we had any questions or needed assistance. The class was also very fun , and I enjoyed all the activities we did.

I would definitely recommend this digital storytelling class. It provides an excellent introduction to the basics of digital storytelling and offers plenty of hands–on experience with the software used to create digital stories.

I did more writing this semester than any other. It was totally worth it, though. Checkout my blog entries below:

• Checkout my first blog post!

• Digging into my plans!

• Setting up Domain + Hosting

• Diving into the web!

• Tick tock, Mid-Term Recap

• mmm.jamrock!

• A little dose of creativity

• Yesterday is the past, today is all about MEMES!

• GIFs, school and more GIFs

• Corn, rocket, the Queen… Made me happy?

These were my blog posts from newest to oldest. Guess what? The first one I did is still my favourite. It encompassed everything I wanted to speak about. I can’t believe it’s been three months, though. I’ve grown and learned so many skills.

Here are some skills I learned in CT101:

• Storytelling: Learning to craft an engaging story that can effectively communicate a message or idea is a valuable skill for any digital storyteller.
• Visual Design: Understanding how to design visuals that draw in an audience is essential for any storyteller.
• Writing: Writing compelling copy that captures the essence of your story is a key skill for any digital storyteller.
• Research: Developing research skills will enable you to find the resources and information you need to tell your story effectively.

Now on to the website!

Maintaining and regularly updating a website is essential to keeping it secure, relevant, and user–friendly. As the website owner, I will ensure that my website remains up-to-date with the latest software and security updates and regularly check for any broken links or outdated content. Additionally,I plan to update my blog and other content on the website regularly to keep visitors engaged.

To head over to the website, visit www.arppra.com

Now, this is the homepage. You can learn more and join the ARPPRA world experience!

 

After seeing the homepage, you Discover So Much More! It’s seamless and easy.

 

Then you can jump over to the blog

 

 

 

You must also beware of travel hacks!

 

 

So essentially, now is the best time to travel but travel safely using the best tips.

 

I’m now signing out! Happy Holidays and add me on Instagram @akkeemp

Guess what?

There’s a new Blog Post live on www.arppra.com.

Remember when I said we would be focusing on travel and adventure? Well, the first post on the site is all about an awesome island in the Caribbean that you can travel to and enjoy! That’s right; we are talking about the island of Jamaica!

Read up about the Jamaican culture, people and more by clicking here

The semester is coming to a close fast!

Since we are focusing on building our site, let me give you a rundown of the plan!

So far, I plan to work on downloading the best plugins I need for the site. But first, what is a plugin? Watch the video below to find out.

So WordPress has a suite of awesome plugins to choose from. Based on my previous assignment, we chose a domain name and dived into the web!

After logging into the admin dashboard, I headed over to Plugins.

There are thousands to choose from, and they can do so much. If you look at the bottom of the screenshot above, you’ll see an app called Jetpack downloaded. This app helps with backing up and protecting the website.  Read more about it here.

Now it’s onto the pages. I’ve decided to stick with three pages, a “Home” page, a “Blog” page and a “Contact Us” page. I don’t think the site needs any more. It’s critical not to overwhelm viewers with the information they don’t need to know. I will also add something else to the Header Menu that will link to other pages.

I will remove the default content from the theme and customise the home page. I can’t wait!

Also, look out for a new colour scheme. I’m thinking blue, red and white. Hopefully, I’m inspired to keep those even though they have no significance.  There will also be a Blog Post, so you can look out for that!

Essentially, this website will talk about travel and adventure. Two things I love the most.

There are just so many places to discover. Where will you travel next?

Stay tuned for more updates on my website.

Hola, here with another post! Now on to this assignment.

We were focused on our domains. If you checked my last post, you’d see that we were brainstorming domain names. Now it was time to put it into action! By hopping on to Reclaim Hosting, it was time to sign up and get started.

Honestly, sometimes it moves a little bit slower than expected.  I didn’t like the site’s responsiveness initially, but I got used to it over time. But fast forward to setting up, I could choose a domain and jump on the “freeness.” The domains are free for a year, so I have until 2023 to make the best of it. My domain name is www.arppra.com

Now at this point, I was upset about the slowness of the page, but again, over time, it improved. I then jumped onto the cPanel, where all the magic happens.

Of course, I forgot my password.

But you get the point. That’s where you go to access the WordPress site

So far, I’ve just installed the JetPack plugin, so I won’t lose anything and can back up easily. The overall process of setting up a domain wasn’t hard. Well, the hardest part was dealing with the slow loading. I may also just be impatient. However, other than that, the steps were clear and thorough. It’s a simple 1, 2,3.  So far, though, this is all on my site:

Looks fun, right?

That’s all for now. I’ll keep you updated on the progress of the website!

It’s crazy how we use it frequently but never take the time to think about it. No, I’m not talking about your devices, but something your devices helps you to get to. Let’s talk about web domains!

No, it’s not only about Google.com but more than that. A web domain is an actual presence on the internet. Still unsure? Watch the video below to learn more.

Now it’s time to start with the perfect domain name for my new website. Here’s a list of some I thought of:

• akkeem.name
• arppra.com
• runawaytocali.com
• lockedaway.net
• abroadlifeofajamaican.net
• cariblifestyle.com
• caribinny.com

I especially liked the first two and the last two. These examples highlight different aspects of my story. Whether my present situation or aspects of my past ones.

I think my website should be about my journey at York or overall. I’m thinking:

• Blogs I wrote before
• Blogs about life in NY
• Pictures of the city
• Pictures of the Caribbean
• Blogs about Caribbean Life
• Video Blogs (VLOGS) about everything

Again, not completely sure, but the possibilities are endless!

Owning and managing a website is like real estate, especially if your site gets many visits. It gets increasingly valuable the longer you have it.

This leads me to the perks of having a site; they include:

• The joy of owning something, even if it’s just a website and a domain.
• It can be monetized to create an extra income stream if it grows.
• Ability to be uniquely creative!
• Building my online presence which might mean even more websites.

This has me feeling really pumped about this entire website journey.

Finally, I have some websites that are already motivating me. Check them out below:

Hubspot is an all-in-one marketing platform. I don’t hate it. I love the UX/UI aspect.  It’s just sleek and modern.

2.

Well, this is not the best, but it’s here because I’m probably addicted to the site. This is Amazon. It’s user-friendly, but if I join their development team, I will give them some pointers on enhancing the entire site. (If you have an Amazon link, let me know)

3.

Now hold on, CNN is a hit, but their site will not make you head over heels. However, it does the job, and I like that. Not too hard to navigate, and the info you went on the site to see is staring you right in the face. Simple isn’t always bad.

These are just some of the many websites I like. It just shows that all websites don’t have to be the same. The purpose, target and motivation are important. Don’t ever lose sight of that.

Stay tuned to see what happens with my website.

Tick tock on the clock! Time is flying

Now let’s review a few things from my CT101 Experience. They are in bullet point format because I learned that people like that. Is that true?

• Currently, in CT101, I think I am doing well. When it started out in September, I was very interested, and fast forward to now, and I still am. This experience has been entertaining and wholesome, with a great teacher thus far.
• In my years of being on the computer, I never took the time to understand key elements such as GIFs. Learning how easy it is to create a GIF stood out the most for me. It’s simple as jumping on Giphy and creating the unthinkable. This is creativity at its finest.
• Since starting CT101, I’ve honed my writing skills and developed them even more. A saying in Jamaica says, “practice makes perfect.” This thought highlights the importance of constantly doing a task to ensure it’s perfected. Doing the weekly blogs allowed me to improve my research skills and ensure that I keep a good measure of worded content to graphical ones. This ensures the reader doesn’t get bored easily.
• In the class, I believe my performance is good. I started posting blogs close to the “deadline” (before the new assignment was posted), and little by little, I did better in my head. Talking with my classmates and Prof Ryan made the experience even better. I was able to learn even more by following examples and being creative.
• As I said above, I’m happy I learned how to make Gifs. It’s an awesome experience. Everyone should check out a tutorial here 
• I think I am maintaining an A+. I respond to comments, try to publish blogs, update blog posts based on feedback, etc. #AplusforAkkeem

• Over time blog post after post, I’m getting to like the process even more. I can try new things and see what works and what doesn’t. Sometimes I keep things in drafts because two days after, I might change it up a bit. I’m starting to find my style and am happy about that.
• Overall, up to this point, I have completed all the assignments. Here’s a rundown:
  • • 1. Corn, rocket, the Queen… Made me happy? (My favorite)
      2. GIFs, school and more GIFs
      3. Yesterday is the past, today is all about MEMES!
      4. A little dose of creativity (Honorable mention)
      5. mmm.jamrock!
• During class time, I contribute when I can. The discussions always become intriguing and thought-provoking, and I like that. Now, I want to get back on track with future assignments. My personal goal is to complete them as soon as they are posted.

Looking forward to an awesome 2nd leg of the semester!

Another day, another blog post

We are looking at everything creative. Yes, creativity.

As a class, we looked at so much, from creativity to intuition and immediacy.  It boiled to creative potential. For example, the assignment I will write about below had so much potential. If you look at it, it’s crazy how a small device you mostly use on a table or in your lap, can do so much.  In this case, we worked on a website by adding various elements. Just think about life now vs life 20 years ago. Crazy how more creative you can be as time goes on. There’s always something unique that can be done.

At this point, while I’m not completely sure what I’m passionate about, using these handheld devices just to make something is just

Now let’s dive into what I worked on

Using this site mmm.page , I built something about Jamaica. Now while I’m not a UX/UI designer, I was able to throw some stuff on the screen and in my mind they made sense. First, here’s a little info on the website.

Now, I worked on a Jamaican site. Here’s the first page

This was just a mash-up of some things/people unique to Jamaica. Why did I create it? At the time of brainstorming, I was listening to a Jamaican song that got me really hyped. It’s PG80. Listen at your own risk.

But it reminded me of Jamaica, so I got to work. In the picture, you’ll see icons like Usain Bolt (fastest man on the planet), Shelly-Ann Frazer Pryce (one of the three fastest women alive), a girl dancing to Dancehall, and our National Tree. These are just mere snippets of Jamaica. Most importantly, the flag of Jamaica. The colors are black, green and gold!

Now on to the second page.

It started off with a video explaining Jamaican symbols. There is a very famous poem there as well, written by a very famous Jamaican, Louise Bennett Coverly

There are also some other elements, like a Bob Marley and Spice gif.

To be honest, I didn’t really like the site’s functionality. I guess because I’m used to other builders like WordPress and Wix. I also didn’t like the fact that I could only upload 10 pieces of media. Overall, it wasn’t bad to work with. It was simple and easy to add stuff and write text.

So…….. Remember to embrace your creativity. What will you create next?

Bye

Now it’s time for another blog post!

But first, let’s kick this off with a song that fits this blog’s theme.

It’s all about creativity!

As we journey into the land of creativity, we will create even more things. If you look here, there are various tasks to challenge and bring our creativity to the next level.

The two assignments I will be working on are as follows:

• Poster based on this assignment
• Coding based on this assignment

I chose the Poster assignment because of my nonexistent graphical creativity. Let me explain.

A good poster would look like this

However, a poster I do will look like this

Understanding??? Therefore, this assignment will challenge me. On the other hand, the coding assignment  isn’t that ununusualIt requires zero graphical knowledge or expertise because I don’t have to focus on the UX/UI aspect. So I will have to learn the basics of a good design for the poster and the compiling environment on the browser for the coding one. I Let uso atat leastwo more kinds of these kinds of projects to solidify our understanding. This will help us toild storytelling skills and alscover the   ndreds of tools to aid our creative journey.

These skills are important as they will help us to be more creative. It’s crazy how life is, ; theore one learns, the more they probably realize they like to do a cespecificask. In no time, they can use that very task to make billions. It only takes a spark to get a fire going. The skills we learn might be that spark for a  creative journey beyond measure.

Now on to the first assignment.

I jumped onto Youtube University to learn a little more about Canva. I decided that I would be using that platform to create the poster. Essentially, the poster should be a movie ad where the theme contradicts the title.

It started out with a blank Canva page. Nothing on it at all.

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Then I made some progress. Started looking for some scary pictures because I brainstormed an idea.

I wasn’t sure at this point, but then I remembered I hated scary movies. However, I still went ahead with something scary.

At first, I actually liked the picture but then people would think it’s weird. So I’ll behave like it scares the living daylight out of me. I then went ahead and added some stuff to make it slap!

I believed it was time to add some words. Something that contrasts the theme. I also added some other effects.

Lovely signifies something nice. Is this really a nice toy? It looks like it’s ready to

Ready to smile? Let’s see.

See the final version below. It’s giving contradicting.

Now on to the second assignment. Here I’ll be creating a tool that we all know and love.

It’s a calculator… YAY!

Even though I think the Devil created Math to hurt my head, I still programmed a calculator.

Here is how it went:

It started out by simply adding the functions.

Then one thing led to the next. Now I had to write the display statements so the user could choose what they wanted to do.

Then I added more lines of boring code. This has everything to do with the actual operation of the calculator.

When all that was done, I ran the code and tested it. Shoutout to Programiz 

There you have it, a great tool for a terrible subject.

If you ever want to learn to program, you can watch this video below:

Also if you ever think that you are blessed with the gift to design posters. Checkout Canva 

Now, let me leave you alone.

Bye!

Hola, Hello, Wah gwaan…Let’s talk about memes, but first how many languages can you say hello in?

Now it’s time to start this week’s blog! This week is all about MEMES.

It’s easy to do and all that.

Now to the question, are memes art? I jumped onto Google University to find some information to answer this question. This site says that memes do the same thing art does. It makes you feel happy, and it’s fun.

Another site (click here)  said that “[a meme is a ]form of pop art and draws a parallel to Andy Warhol’s work, which often involved appropriating images from pop culture, not unlike the way memes are created today.” Basically confirming that MEMES are indeed art.

Before continuing, I must announce some very important news in the meme world. We found this meme in real life. Living and breathing. Watch the video to hear from him. He’s one of my favorite people to meme.

Now back to regular programming.

Memes are good for art. Meme artists can create anything to spread joy and happiness worldwide, especially on social media. Isn’t that the aim of art?

I am pretty sure communicating with memes is good. I don’t think it should replace a normal conversation though.

Again, memes allow people to express themselves. Even though not everyone will understand individual expressions, that’s alright. People should be allowed to express themselves in any way they like, especially if it’s a meme. If that’s how you feel will best represent your creative nature, then power to you! It can also be used as an escape from this messed up world. Just like how you go to Kevin Hart to hear jokes, you can pull up some memes on the internet and see the jokes, literally.

Now, this leads to … Wait. Let me stop again and show you how to make your own meme. Watch this short video below  (click the link) to learn how.

WATCH NOW

Now, this leads to whether or not memes can be used for storytelling. They can be used to do just that. Let me tell you a little story.

See, now you can be a Pastor. You’re welcome.

Now memes can literally explain the type of person you are in a second. Let me show you who I am.

Shout out to Richard Dawkins for creating the word MEME. I probably should meme that but memes are just fun, like I’ve said probably 100 times since the start, but who’s counting? I like some memes more than others.

Checkout my top three memes of all time:

3.

2.

1.

Yes, I love Kermit the Frog memes. Don’t judge.

Now imagine a class where you can sit and blog about memes.

You literally don’t have to rush.

This is way better than most of my other courses

In the end the fact remains the same. Memes and CT1010 are awesome.

Thanks for reading. You can go back to watching Abbott Elementary on Hulu

Peace!

It’s almost October already! I honestly can’t believe it. Where did the weeks go?

Yesterday was summer, now it’s Fall? I don’t even know what that means. Today it’s cold, tomorrow it’s hot, then next week it’s raining. Why can’t New York make up its mind!?

Anyways, let me move on. GIFs are a huge deal, especially in the modern-day dispensation of the internet. It was developed by Steve Wilhite and his team and released in 1987.

YES, 1987.

We have some awesome sites like Giphy and Imgur which are arguably the two best platforms for GIFs on the internet. I rather Giphy because the interface and user experience are better. Also, it looks more modern. Imgur doesn’t. It looks boring.

Giphy has awesome features like the reactions menu and the ease of creating your own gif. They walk you through it step by step.

In regards to this class, CT101, I love it here. The first day was everything. It matched my expectations. Not boring, but engaging. I also met an awesome Professor, Ryan Seslow . Let me feature one of his GIFs below.

I love how the course is structured, and how it fosters a creative mindset. Hearing about the course made me feel

I guess you can call it happy 🤷 … When you compare this class to my other classes, you can say it’s way better. Let me put it in a simpler way.

My other classes:

This class:

This class will help with being more creative in any endeavor. Learning how to blog, make gifs, tell stories, and so much more is great. It proves that creativity is an art and is unique. We just need to embrace our creative being.

I feel really…

I feel good because I will learn a lot of internet tools to help me to perfect my craft. What is my craft? I don’t know yet, but learning more will help me to find it pretty soon. It’s somewhere over the rainbow.

I just needed a reason to post that gif but learning new skills will help me to find my passion. I’m excited about what is to come in this class. Also, I’m looking forward to passing (Please read this twice Prof Seslow).

An A+ but a pizza won’t hurt either.

GIFs have allowed me to expand my thinking. It’s no longer about just conveying an idea by writing it, now, I’m able to express it in various different ways. See my process of making a GIF:

1. Find and record a video

2. Go to giphy.com

3. Log In

4. Upload the clip of the video from the camera roll

5. Trim the video

6. Watch the GIF in action. Mine is Bolt winning!

Corn, rocket, the Queen… Made me happy?

This was a very interesting week to be alive. Wasn’t the past couple of days just crazy? It was crazy for me, but amid the craziness, there was always a place for happiness. 

I’ll be talking about four things that made me happy on the internet this week. Keep reading to see if we are by even a fraction similar.

Before we get into the list, I want to recognize this guy, Bobby McFerrin, who sang about not worrying and being happy:

While I love the song because it preaches happiness, I am worried because I always look at this reaction and wonder if he’s more scared than happy, but who am I to judge? 

But first, who am I? I’m Akkeem, a student here at York, trying to navigate his way through life, one day at a time. Also, I’m in this Digital Storytelling class, so there’s that too. Interesting right?

Now let’s get to the list:

4) Corn, viral, what?

I was amazed by the newly crowned and viral CEO of Corn, the Corn Kid. I find his obsession with corn really interesting. IT’S CORN!

Weirdly enough, it triggered the nerd in me, and I went to do some research. According to Google University, corn was developed by some people in Mexico almost 7000 years ago. Crazy right? All hail corn! Now it’s a global sensation, thanks to the Corn Kid.

3) Marion with the Dancehall Gospel

“Heels On” singer Marion Hall, formerly Lady Saw, turned to Jesus a few years back. She decided her reign as Queen of the Dancehall had to be over to make way for her new journey in the gospel.

However, she released a song, and let me tell you, it’s fantastic. It reminded me of the time that she was in the Dancehall. I had it on repeat all week. The beat, the melody, the tone, everything was just incredible.

2) Jamaica dominates the track, again

I’m Jamaican, so I had to take out my pots and pans (I really didn’t).

Mommy Rocket, Shelly-Ann Fraser Pryce, reminded us why she is one of the greatest of all time. She sprinted to victory to win the Diamond League 100m Women finals again. Lest we forget, she is the reigning World Champion. She made us proud! Shout out to Shericka Jackson as well, who took home the silver.

1) London Bridge went downnnnn

Not the actual London Bridge, but the Queen died, and that’s what they referred to the plan surrounding her death as. I’m not happy she died, but Julie Mango’s Tiktok video where Jamaicans reacted to her death was hilarious….

But before, RIP to Queen Elizabeth the 2nd and condolences to her family.

But the video was hilarious (It’s mostly in patois, so I’ll understand if most readers don’t get it).

Click here to watch

That summed up my week. Not too exciting but not too dull either. I hope your week was fantastic! Catch you again soon!