My passions: Interior and Exterior Designing and Event Planning

According to the BetterUp Blog: What is a Passion, “Before you can pursue your passions, you need to discover what your passions are. You’ll likely have to work many days, in many ways, to discover the work that taps into your passion.” This is true because I always knew that designing and decorating was my hobby, but I also felt there had to be more. I don’t just love doing it; I’m passionately in love with doing it. It brings me comfort and joy. 

Every event, whether it’s someone’s birthday or the Christmas celebration preparation, I get super excited to research ideas for whatever upcoming events I have to plan for. Two of my go-to websites are Yelp.com and Pinterest.com. I take full advantage of these ideas and also apply my own unique touches to my work. Here are a few of my creations:

I found my passion for decorating around age 15 because I remember always fighting my sisters to decorate the house for Christmas. Sometimes, I let them decorate the house, and afterward, I made my own changes, which blew their minds every time. Lol! Since then, my mom has encouraged me to use my hobbies/passions toward my career path. In this case, I will work doing what I love and make money off it. Also, CT101 will allow me to create my own styles and designs and blog my business.

My plan after graduation is to acquire as many certificates as I can in event planning, designing, and decorating to gain the qualifications and more experience to start a business and continue doing what I love.

 

And so we continue… The History of Blogging and Digital Storytelling

Blogging is the online platform where bloggers share their thoughts, opinions, and experiences on various topics, allowing individuals to express themselves and connect with others. It’s a popular form of online storytelling, journalism, marketing, and income, utilizing media like images, videos, and infographics to engage readers.

Digital storytelling is a blend of traditional storytelling techniques and technology, utilizing multimedia elements like images, videos, and audio to create immersive narratives. It’s gaining popularity due to its ability to connect with audiences through platforms like websites, social media, or dedicated platforms, offering dynamic experiences beyond traditional mediums.

History of Blogging: A Timeline highlights the first blog created by Justin Hall in 1994 on Links.net, up until modern blogging like LinkedIn, WordPress.com, Tumblr, Blogger, etc. During the 1990s, people enjoyed blogging about their personal lives, including hobbies, beliefs, and daily lives. Lately, very few people blog about their lifestyles because everyone started microblogging on social media instead. Casual blogging is gone, but what has replaced it with a vengeance? Business blogging, says Content Hacker

 

According to Content Hacker.com, blogging is not dead but has evolved! However, nowadays, blogging is loosely used as  Content Creation.

The YouTube video: A Brief History of the Internet is quite interesting because it outlines key moments of the Internet, from the beginning of the Internet in the 1970s, which took 20 years for the public to gain access to it, to social media and memes. The first email was sent in 1971; the first website, the World Wide Web (www), was created in 1990; the first picture uploaded on the web was in 1992; and following in 1994 was the first search engine. The first blog was in 1999; the first mobile phone internet was in 1996; however, the birth of the mobile internet wasn’t until 1999, when i-mode was launched in Japan. The first Internet celebrity was in 1999. The first word on Skype was in 2003; the first Facebook user was in 2004; the first YouTube video was in 2005; the first Twitter post was in 2006; and the first Instagram post was in 2010. the first meme was in 1996, the dancing baby. 

Concerning the case studies on blogging, congratulations to Ree Drummond for her blog page, The Pioneer Woman. Her page is quite interesting, showcasing her yummy foods, beautiful home decor, and fashionable clothing line. Hats off to her for successfully blogging for so many years and still striving.

With reference to the case study on digital storytelling, National Geographic is one of my favorite TV channels, and yes, it is also a well-known digital storytelling publication where it publishes things like science, trips, explorations, and the studies of the world’s culture and history; not forgetting advertisements also. 

 

 

 

Assignment #3 – Meme away!

This meme is one of my favorites because sleeping is indeed my hobby.

This meme was once sent to me by my sister, and it speaks my truth—my reason for calling it another one of my favorites.

ARE MEMES ART?

According to the YouTube video, I believe internet memes should be considered art forms because art reflects a human’s emotions, culture, beliefs, and truth, which internet memes do. Like many other art forms, memes are used to understand, analyze, and exchange ideas about the world around us. Memes are acceptable forms of art that have an impact on society that extends well beyond the digital realm. They become ingrained in our minds, aiding our understanding of the world around us, and form part of our cultural mindset- Memes as art. Digital art can be transformed into tangible objects like 3D-printed ceramics and Photoshop files, while memes can be printed on products like mugs, shirts, and bags. However, the classification of these as “memes” can be unclear- Memes: Entertainment or Fine Art

However, an article by The Courier disagrees with this, stating that memes are visual platforms rather than art. Memes, while providing cultural commentary, are not considered art due to their lack of symbolism and emotional impact, and their generic replication has led to their exclusion from the category of art.

Internet memes, as described by Dawkins in 2013, are rapidly spreading concepts that are deliberately altered by human creativity, mirroring current cultural events and becoming part of the period, exemplifying the meme theory at work.

Linked-in states that memes can have a negative impact on us; excessive meme-viewing may indicate phone addiction, as it can be used to procrastinate, escape reality, maintain mood, and prevent boredom. This habit can develop into a lifetime habit. However, exposure to negative sentiments on social media can lead to carryover effects in real life, making processing facial emotions more challenging. Phubbing, which combines snubbing with using a phone, can damage relationships and lead to doom scrolling. However, memes can convey information and encourage rethinking, making them a valuable tool for discussing mental health issues like depression. Research during COVID-19 showed that anxious individuals found memes funnier, more sympathetic, and more shareable. Studies also show that depressive individuals find memes funny and relatable, which can boost their mood. The level of self-defeating humor can mediate these effects, proving that memes can be beneficial for depression sufferers.

I’m an early 90’s baby, and I’m pretty sure I’ve seen the meme of The Dancing Baby somewhere, but I was never curious about its existence until now. Now I know it’s the first viral internet meme that was created just a few years after I was born. However, I’m not familiar with The Ally McBeal show but, after a little research, I came across this YouTube video that gave me insights into Ally’s going through a biological clock crisis, hence the dancing baby.

According to Water Hub, memes and graphics can convey various emotions and shared values, but it’s crucial to consider the feelings and values they activate. Leaning into humor and pop culture can provide a unique way to deliver messages in a familiar package, enhancing the impact of our work. Memes are used on the web for various purposes; according to Sprout Social, memes are used for viral marketing and social engagements.

 

Crafting a narrative using memes and personal experiences can be a creative and engaging way to communicate ideas and emotions. To begin, you can select memes that align with the themes or messages you want to convey. Memes are often humorous or relatable, so you can use them to add a lighthearted touch to your narrative by thinking of how your personal experience can enhance the narrative and by sharing insights from your life that relate to the topic at hand. It is important to strike a balance between using memes and personal experiences. Here are some memes that I’ve created to express my sentiments for the CT101 class.

Some Online Tools that I use to make Memes and GIFs:

Giphy.com

Make a Meme

Tenor.com

 

Assignment #2: My GIPHY Story

Let me begin by saying I’m currently taking five courses this semester, which is helping me stay on top of my game. This is my third year, so since the beginning of college, the least number of courses I’ve covered is four, and since then, I look forward to having a packed semester every term. This class, CT101, is neither a required course nor an elective. I’m not sure how I ended up in this class, but I’m here, and so far, I’m loving it! On my first day, I thought nothing much of this class, which is why I took it in the first place. Professor Ryan says everything I expected. He even went above and beyond when he noted that assignments don’t have due dates. God bless his heart!

Of course, hearing about the CT101 course on the first day brought relief, knowing that not only would I have less work to worry about, but that I would also have fun creating and sharing my digital stories. I was confident in this class and pleased that I had picked it along with my other classes.

 

Comparing CT101 with Public Health, Clinical Microbiology, Research Writing 303, and the Health Profession is like comparing the strength of a raging bull to that of a Billy Goat! This class is much easier than the others.

I’m hoping to generate new ideas and connect seemingly unrelated concepts to create something unique and original. By doing this, I need to practice more, experiment with different gifs and images from giphy.com, and videos from YouTube.com, etc., and have confidence in my work. Always prioritizing quality over perfection.

It’s our fourth week, and I’ve been looking forward to learning something new every week. I’ve never blogged before, but doing it now seems interesting. Learning to embed videos and use GIFs to express myself is my favorite part. I’m excited to see what else I can produce with these little fingers and brilliant brains and eyes of mine.

During this week, I came across a few videos because I didn’t spend much time browsing the internet as I was buried in school and housework. However, when I opened YouTube, the first video that drew my attention was an adorable baby girl singing and dancing, and that was the end of it for me. This video got me to the conclusion of my search since it not only made me feel happy but also made me smile.

I chose this YouTube video because it brightened my day the first time I viewed it. Her voice is lovely, and her dance movements are incredible. I’m guessing this is one of her favorite tunes. Her preparation for the camera demonstrated that she understood the assignment. I must have watched this video at least 20 times and still do because she reminds me of my now 4-year-old daughter, who would always dance to any music and sing out loud even if she didn’t know the lyrics.

 

 

This next image brings out the same emotions in me as it demonstrates a baby in full light, camera, and action. Could it possibly get any better than this? I downloaded this GIF from Giphy because I enjoy watching babies in their happy moments, which brings me joy and happiness.