This Isn’t Goodbye :'(

CT101 has been the best class I took this semester! I was allowed to learn at my own pace because of the live sessions, where I learned technical skills and supporting tools about building my personal website – I never felt discouraged or thought any problem was too big. For that, I want to thank Professor Seslow and his unique approach to teaching us in such unprecedented times. Thank you, thank you! So, without further ado, let us dive into this reflection and assess my time here in CT101:

Week 5-8

By this time, I was pretty much settled into class – I felt comfortable publishing blogs, adding media, gifs, and hyperlinks! The foundations of blogging were there, and now it was about sharpening these tools. From there, I was confident and eager to create more projects, so diving into the DS106 Project by my 5th week was a great way to challenge my foundations and learn new technical tools in content curation. For this project, I chose the sub-category “Design Assignments,” where I created a sports poster using any editing software to produce a cohesive design.

Through this project, I had the chance to hone in on new digital storytelling skills through Photoshop and illustrator while implementing them in a blog post with skills I already learned. In the following weeks, my bag of tricks grew more robust, and it was time to start thinking about domain names for my website. So I created a blog post about potential names, the purpose of my website, and the services I would offer. This process was all so exciting! I was in the groove of learning things every single class, practicing new tools in my blogs, and finally was so close to creating my website.

But I was so passionate about the material that I was constantly inspired to create my solutions and genuinely enjoyed the state of not knowing. As the weeks intensified and expectations grew, the mid-semester recap felt like a perfect time for all of us in the class to hit the pause button. It was a moment for us to reflect on how much we had learned, appreciate our efforts, and see our incredible growth in 6.5 weeks. However, the semester was not over, and the job was not done.

Following the Recap, I felt refreshed in my creativity. Finally, I was ready to tackle the rest of the semester, starting with submitting our domains and setting up web-hosting through our partners, Reclaim Hosting.

Week 9-12

Week 9-12 felt very similar to Week 1-4. I was onboarding a new project and learning everything from scratch, just like when I first entered this class and knew nothing. The feelings of confidence from prior weeks slowly faded, and the anxiety grew. I told myself I had no clue what I was doing, and the thought of building a website seemed ever so daunting.

With nothing to lose and my anxiety growing at an alarming rate, I resourced to the simple fundamentals of my work ethic and relied on motivational quotes like:

I accepted the oblivion that lied ahead and dove head-in. This method worked when I first started this class and was the only sure thing I knew how to do. From here, I looked at the facts. I had chosen my domain name, set up a web hosting account, and had the necessary framework to start building and customizing my website. Professor Seslow and his blog posts early on in this project helped me understand the purpose of my site, which ultimately gave me clarity on what visual and functional decisions I would need to make. From here, I went on to explore WordPress. Having the zoom recordings at my disposal made it easy to go at my own pace and grasp the software functionalities fully. After two or three weeks of making changes to my website and growing this new knowledge, my classmates and I had the opportunity to exchange feedback and look over each other’s sites. Some of the ones I got to look over were:

https://vinikaeats.com/about/

http://monopillowtalk.net/about/

http://breesbrunch.com/about/

My classmates were making so much progress on their various websites, and it was so inspiring to see their growth. I particularly want to shout out Baźan’s website, so definitely check out my thoughts in this blog post. From here, I went on to finalize my website with inspiration from my classmates and make all the final edits to customize and personalize my website for its intended purpose.

https://tashidostu.com/

This is my final product and the first website I have ever created. On this site, you will find my latest projects as a Nike stylist, web design work, advertisements, and other creative mediums on the services page. The home page will be a brief introduction and a place for my latest work to be posted. The About page will have a description of my personal and professional background and my hopes with this website. The blog page will showcase any industry-related case competitions, papers, and features in publications. Lastly, the contact page will allow for any inquiries to be sent to my business email immediately.

To sum up the website building process, I’d say: what once felt like a daunting task seems like yesterday’s problem. Professor Seslow made this whole project a reality with his detailed instructions and gave me constant support when needed. Thank you so much, Professor Seslow, and I really would not have achieved and learned so much this semester without you.

I look forward to taking all the individual lessons, the technical skills, and the connections I have made beyond this class. I am excited to utilize my introductory view and understanding of Communication Technology to further my education in this industry and create opportunities beyond school in my workplace and the freelancing field. In addition, I will continue maintaining my website and use it as a place to sharpen the skills  I’ve learned throughout this semester.

Grading

Mid-semester Recap: this is what I had to say as far as grading goes: I have been able to catch up on all assignments to date, try new things within blog posts using Adobe Creative Cloud, which I learned myself. I also think about text placement, images, and spacing in my blogs. From my first post to my more recent post, I feel that I have way more confidence in some of the practical skills we learned initially, like using blog tools before upload, media upload, and making gifs move. In conclusion, I would give myself an 87 for a maintained grade right now.

Final Semester Recap Grade: In a semester of unprecedented times and so many external factors, I do believe I have done my best to show up and give my 100% effort with every single blog post and quality of what I upload. Keeping it simple, I have learned so much this semester, from the copyright and delivering a website to saying “nice to meet you” in ASL and fighting for memes being Art. I would love for my quality of work to speak for itself in the grading process, but if I had to quantify, I would give myself anywhere from an 87-93. In the end, I am so happy with everything I have learned and everyone I have met that I don’t believe the grade could account for such factors. Lastly, cheers to everyone, our successes, and cheers to Professor Seslow being the G.o.a.t. of a professor he is. Thank you!!

 

One of my favorite websites to explore was Bazán’s. Her website was very organized, user-friendly, and put together. The comments section was detailed, allowing her to engage back with her viewers. The homepage was very to the point with her work, and every story even had a time estimate which is an excellent addition for anyone that wants a quick read. My only advice would be to add the SSL plugin to secure your website. Overall, it is inspiring to see her website this developed in 3 weeks; and I’m looking forward to checking back in at the end of the semester. Great job Bazán!

Fashion stylist Reviews

Hi Everyone,

I am a stylist for Nike Inc. based out of NYHQ, and I want to share some insight into what fashion stylists do.

This review focuses on the things you won’t find online about Stylist and will be helpful for anyone looking to get into the fashion world. There are key takeaways, and I hope you guys enjoy the read. Please check out my work over on Tashidostu and show some love. Thank you so much!!

My Website is live!!! This is an exciting time for me because I have always wanted to create a Website.

 

Working in the creative field, I work on unique projects that get put out in the real world. However, it has always been hard to showcase my work because I didn’t have a website or used applications like LinkedIn, where the industry demands were so different from mine. When I was looking for a job, I would’ve had to individually send portfolios to various companies and startups, which added an extra step for me and was tedious. 

With the launch of tashidostu.com and learning how to create a Website, I look forward to getting rid of my old ways and publishing my portfolio digitally. This online studio will be a place where I showcase all my creative work in mediums such as styling, photography, and Adobe Creative Cloud. 

Ultimately, it will be a one-stop-shop for all my services and create a more fluid experience for companies looking to hire.

 

 

How am I doing in CT101? What grade do I believe I am maintaining? 

Ct101 has been everything that I imagined it to be but even better because of the instructor and course curriculum. The first few weeks were relatively simple:

• learning how to make gifs
• learning the history of gifs and memes
• implementing them into our Blogs

Then I noticed the class progress, especially during the DS106 assignment where we looked at different Communications technology mediums. For that assignment, I made a sports poster and researched making a day vlog video. I spent week six searching domain names, and now I am learning how to make a website. 

Although I cannot attend every class live- I have a genuine passion for communications technology and love the fact that Professor Seslow is so organized. His course curriculum has allowed busy people to allocate time properly while still keeping up to date with the assignments and education. I have been making a constant effort to try much more complex strategies with my blog posts because I cannot attend the class and have dialogue, so I try to show my understanding through the work I produce and the lectures I watch. 

As far as grading goes, I have been able to catch up on all assignments to date, try new things within blog posts using Adobe Creative Cloud, which I learned myself. I also think about text placement, images, and spacing in my blogs. From my first post to my more recent post, I feel that I have way more confidence in some of the practical skills we learned initially, like using blog tools before upload, media upload, and gifs move. In conclusion, I would give myself an 87 for a maintained grade right now. 

What have I learned the most? What is my greatest learned asset in this class so far?

My greatest learned asset was the Ds106 project, where I got to go on adobe creative cloud and mess with applications like Illustrator and photoshop to create a Sports Project. Although I feel more confident in producing gifs and memes because of repetition- I like the challenge of working with new mediums, and Ds106 pushed me out of my comfort zone to learn applications that have always been intimidating. I look forward to working with Adobe Creative Cloud in my free time and using it more in my blogs and website. 

What skills have I developed, cultivated, and regularly displayed in my posts?

Through Ct101 and professor Seslow’s lectures, I have understood the dynamic ways to get across a message outside of just using texts. I make it a point of emphasis to get across a message visually if possible because it allows me to hone in and practice these skills I learn. I have also grown comfortable using blog tools like hyperlinks, spacing, text size, and text boldness. I have developed and regularly displayed these skills in my post to show my understanding, thought process, and growth since the first week.

How do I assess my performance through self-reflection in this class?

When I consider my performance in this class, I like to refer back to my first posts, my mind going into that post, and how I feel after six weeks of blogging. I’ve noticed that I can find commands quicker six weeks into the class. In my last couple of posts, I have also seen that I am more mindful of layout and stylistic elements to bolster the story in my blogs, whereas in the beginning, my only concern was getting through the blog because I was so lost. These skills I have developed over time will be beneficial when I make my website because I want to be very particular in laying it out. 

What do I know now that I did not know before taking this class?

Before taking CT101, I was always interested in communications technology but had no starting point. With this class, I have been able to dive in slowly at my own pace and learn the fundamentals Professor Seslow teaches to create a website ultimately. The biggest lessons I have taken away from this class so far are how to structure blogs, create memes, create posters, and create gifs.

Do I see my weekly blogging work expanding creatively? If so, please explain – or am I stuck in a loop where my posts seem to look the same most of the time? How will I change that?

For every post I write, I use a couple of elements I have learned from Professor Seslow to create a whole blog. I have noticed that I am getting better at the layout for my blogs every week and getting more creative with my blogs’ flow to see where pictures, gifs, hyperlinks are appropriate. On the other hand, I would like to challenge myself to create more digital work for my blogs and start implementing one every week to flex my creative muscles. 

 

Hope you guys are well! Today we are going to be looking potential domain names for my website and why I chose them. They are listed below and are in no particular order:

Tashido.us  

I chose this domain because I want something that people will recognize easily, and what other way to show ownership than with my name. Secondly, my last name is Dorjee; my life motto is to “either be a doer or a don’ters.” Therefore I thought it would be fun to take the common letters out from my last name and make it almost sound like Tashi do….

Tashidostu.com

This domain name piggybacks off the first one. However, I wanted this website to be more of a catalog for my creative work. In a way, it is like my online studio but writing that word out entirely seemed too long, so I tried to keep it short and straightforward, especially since my name isn’t too common.

Ev-en.us

This domain comes from an initial business idea for a creative studio outsourcing college students to small businesses for creative work and tapping the companies into the digital world with revamped business models and initiatives. The word “even” is crucial to me because it means balance. Balance is good in everything you do in life. It’s also a good balance for the two people involved in this business idea. Lastly, I wanted to show that this website meant creativity, so I played with the words’ sizing and kept it simple because that’s my aesthetic.

Evenstudios.net

Like Domain Idea 2, I wanted to add the “studio” because I have seen many creatives do it. Using the word also helps indicate the line of work, usually because of the connotations that come with “studio.” Ideally, there would be period after “even” is to help split up the domain as two words which is how I want people to read it.

Whathestudio.us

My last domain idea is one that took me 5 seconds to come up with. I enjoy doing this blog, so it is easy for me to think hard and long about names. However, sometimes the best ideas come when you take a step back and simplify. This domain shows my thought process in coming up with something fast, intuitively, and it’s the one that I enjoyed doing most because it doesn’t cause me stress in thinking about whether the domain is good enough or not.

 

Website Roots 

I have always wanted to start a website but never knew where to start or what I would be posting. With great interest in digital communications and the support of Professor Seslow, I would love to create a portfolio-like website where I would highlight some of my most creative and proud projects. Mediums would include but are not limited to Photography, videography, Adobe Cloud work, marketing Case comps, and Ct101 projects.

The Purpose of this Website is to allow people to see my creative strengths through different mediums all in one place and create business opportunities through my work. I am beyond excited to dive in, find a domain that works, and finally, be the owner of a website! I am also looking forward to all the education that comes with taking on this size project.

 

Two of my favorite websites are heliotemil.com and www.artechouse.com for their layouts,  UX features, and detail.These processes will be a crucial point in developing my website as well as using them for inspiration.

 

Storytelling In Different Ways 

The first Project I chose comes from DS106, the subcategory “Design Assignments.” The assignment was to make a sports poster using text, images, and any editing software to produce a cohesive design. I felt inspired to choose this Project for reasons such as a passion for sports, honing in on my Adobe Creative Cloud skills, and believing I could execute this independently. Although I was eager to start, I faced challenges along the way and discovered the importance of self-learning resources while problem-solving innovatively.                               

For this Project, I allocated most of my time to Photoshop and Illustrator, which I believe are critical tools in building strong storytelling skills. No matter the Project, Adobe Creative Cloud can be a valuable skill to create strong stories, and that is why I look forward to using every opportunity in & out of class to familiarize myself with the software.

The second Project I chose is from DS106, the subcategory “video assignments.” Every Hour Vlog is about recording small clips of my day every hour and using video editing software to create a well-connected Day Vlog. This Project stuck out to me because I have no experience in video editing or production but understand that it is paramount to my overall storytelling repertoire. As someone who loves watching cinematography, I am constantly amazed by the visual representation of stories and how WHOLE narratives can be through moving pictures.

I look forward to exploring this Project in my off time and hoping for similar exposures in CT101 to build a solid foundation within this medium.

In conclusion, video storytelling is a different media type I have yet to learn. I understand it is a whole other language that takes time to master; however, I believe it will pay great dividends with the unique way stories are shared.

No Doubt About It- Memes are Art.

 Art comes in many different mediums, whether you are a dancer, singer, stylist, painter, or graphic designer- You are ultimately trying to communicate and express  yourself through an aesthetic manner or in a way you know best. It can revolve around themes like trending topics, world news, feelings, and events but delivered in any medium I mentioned above, including MEMES.

Elon Musk meme convinces people to buy DOGECOIN

To the most sophisticated Art critics, memes might not be “Art,” but by definition, the term “meme” describes any “cultural artifact that spreads quickly and uncontrollably within and across cultures.” 

At its simplicity, this description highlights some of the most famous art paintings like Salvator Mundi, The Scream, and many other influential paintings that have traveled through time, cultures, and continents, keeping its demand.

In conclusion, memes share traditional art values yet gauge a new and youthful audience allowing people to exercise their creative muscles, be funny, and share a more profound message. I believe Art is ever-evolving, and it is a conscious choice that we make to accept new mediums or stay true to what we know.   #teammemealltheway #memeyou

 

 

On the first day of class, I felt excited, optimistic about the things we would learn, and finally getting to take a class that I was interested  in.

 

 

 

I  still feel great about CT101 but am a “little” nervous considering this is my first Communications Technology class… haha