This spring break, I was able to work more than the sane person should, and got to go to Austin for family bonding. I am a waitress at Carino's, and I enjoy my job. One of my favorite reasons for going to work is to interact with all of the customers we get everyday. To make someone's night that much better makes my work all worth the while. Serving food not be my undying passion. I don't have vivid dreams of myself being the top-notch waitress I know I'm capable of being. I don't wish to stay at Carino's for much longer. But I do love meeting new faces, serving them, and getting to know who they are through my service.
In the middle of my spring break week, me and my wonderful boyfriend, Jimmy, went to Austin to see my cousin and two aunts on my mother's side. We are all extremely close, and they got to meet Jimmy for the first time. Me and Jimmy have been dating for almost a year and a half, and we haven't had the chance to introduce him to my family. Due to my grandmother being sick (and passing away later that week), there is a sense of closeness that our family is experiencing that is unlike any other time in our lives. We are learning to cling to each other for strength and unity. It is so special for me to take part in a unique time in all of our lives.
My spring break mixed the perfect amount of work, play, joy, and sadness. The week couldn't have flown by any faster. Isn't that how spring break always turns out?
Monday, March 29, 2010
Monday, March 22, 2010
Jour 4250: March 22 Lecture
Tonight during class we discussed the gay community in the media and how they are portrayed. We watched a documentary on the stereotypes seen on the television, and the effects due to these portrayals. I am from a conservative, Christian household, and I have been taught that, first and foremost, all people are exactly equal. No matter what lifestyle we choose, we are still seen just as lovable as anyone else. Watching the documentary and hearing the class' comments made me realize that the GLBT community doesn't feel that love from society. They find unmatched love in their own community, but the moment they intermingle with the "other" communities (other than GLBT) there is a sense of displacement and loneliness. It breaks my heart to see and hear story after story of cruelty and hate. We live in a fallen world that can be selfish and self-serving, but it is our honor to "love one another as himself".
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Jour 4460: Network, network, network
As graduation comes hauntingly closer and closer, I am beginning to fully understand just how important networking is in my industry of choice. Whether through social media like Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn, or through meeting and mingling with people at career events, I am constantly challenging myself to put myself out there.
While on Google, I decided to search "public relations blogs", and PR blog popped up. Ironically enough, the blog is called "Pop! PR Jots" by Jeremy Pepper. Clicking into it, I decided to read the latest post Pepper decided to write about. Throughout his writing, one word screamed at me from my computer screen: "NETWORK!"
Pepper stressed the importance of networking through social media, events, finding PR mentors, and helping professionals and young professionals out in any way.
"Throughout my career, almost all my jobs have come through referrals or recommendations from past interactions," Pepper says. "That is how the world works, and you have to allow your work to speak for you, not your social media presence."
He doesn't downplay the significance of understanding the social media world, but he stresses the importance of making connections with personal interaction.
My generation of college graduates is a unique bunch. I am not quite sure that we understand just how important personal interaction is. We, and I am guilty as well, believe that if we are involved in multiple Twitter conversations with PR professionals, create social media presence, and email prospective employers, we will get hired the moment we receive our diploma. The truth of the matter is forget the importance a face-to-face conversation and our physical presence in an office of a company we could see ourselves working at.
Let us not forget how to be as impressive in person as we are on the Internet.
Sources:
http://pop-pr.blogspot.com/
While on Google, I decided to search "public relations blogs", and PR blog popped up. Ironically enough, the blog is called "Pop! PR Jots" by Jeremy Pepper. Clicking into it, I decided to read the latest post Pepper decided to write about. Throughout his writing, one word screamed at me from my computer screen: "NETWORK!"
Pepper stressed the importance of networking through social media, events, finding PR mentors, and helping professionals and young professionals out in any way.
"Throughout my career, almost all my jobs have come through referrals or recommendations from past interactions," Pepper says. "That is how the world works, and you have to allow your work to speak for you, not your social media presence."
He doesn't downplay the significance of understanding the social media world, but he stresses the importance of making connections with personal interaction.
My generation of college graduates is a unique bunch. I am not quite sure that we understand just how important personal interaction is. We, and I am guilty as well, believe that if we are involved in multiple Twitter conversations with PR professionals, create social media presence, and email prospective employers, we will get hired the moment we receive our diploma. The truth of the matter is forget the importance a face-to-face conversation and our physical presence in an office of a company we could see ourselves working at.
Let us not forget how to be as impressive in person as we are on the Internet.
Sources:
http://pop-pr.blogspot.com/
Jour 4250: March 8 Lecture
In class on Monday, we took our test, and I felt extremely confident about how I did. Being the first one finished, I felt a little prideful towards my hard studying efforts.
Afterwards, we viewed a few music videos and discussed the stereotypes seen repeatedly on the screen. Women were looked at as sexual icons, rappers were seen as violent gangsters, and women were also depicted as independent and powerful. I have always been aware of the stereotypes seen in music videos, but once it was brought to my attention, the music scene is bombarded with vivid images of how we are supposed to be, look like, and act like. It was quite disturbing.
Afterwards, we viewed a few music videos and discussed the stereotypes seen repeatedly on the screen. Women were looked at as sexual icons, rappers were seen as violent gangsters, and women were also depicted as independent and powerful. I have always been aware of the stereotypes seen in music videos, but once it was brought to my attention, the music scene is bombarded with vivid images of how we are supposed to be, look like, and act like. It was quite disturbing.
Jour 4470: Ethics - Post 2
With the excitement of the Winter Olympics slowly dying, a few memories will stick in the minds of viewers. The great Shaun White and his Double McTwist 1260 at the end of his run, the unfortunate crash of Lindsey Vonn, and the tragic death of Georgian luger, Nodar Kumaritashvili, are some of the premier events that took place. The horrific death of Kumaritashvili caused an uproar in the world.
During Kumaritashvili’s 27th run down the track on Whistler, he lost control of his sled at 90 mph and slammed his head on the back of a pole found in the curve of the track. Seconds later, emergency crews rush to his side and attempt to bring his limp body back to life. This memory will stick in the minds of the people attending him, but also in the minds of the entire world to see.
Vivid coverage of the crash and emergency crews afterwards can be found plastered everywhere on the Internet. Type a few keywords in a search engine, and you’ve got over 10 venues to watch the video on. Ethically, is this what is right and good? Or were the media wrong in putting the graphic videos on the Internet minutes after the fatal crash?
If I were a broadcaster covering the Winter Olympic Games, I would have waited for the family to be informed to tell of this horrific death. They are the ones directly affected. Kumaritashvili’s father was a luger, and is quoted expressing his son’s anxiety about the track.
“"I'm a luger as well and that's why I told him, 'Brake, brake, don't risk it,' " the elder Kumaritashvili said. "He said, 'No Dad, I will risk it, what will be will be.' And he took the risk." (Luger 2010).
Out of sensitivity to Kumaritashvili’s family, I would have exercised Virtue ethics. “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you” (Gower 2008). People of the public do not need to see the crash and the aftermath of it. Personally, I feel that it was not considerate of the luger or his family’s emotions.
To play the devil’s advocate, I could argue that the people should be informed so that they are aware of the on-goings at the Winter Games. People love to be entertained and informed, and horrific deaths and crashes entertain people. It gives them something to talk about.
Although media coverage is a business that must captivate and keep an audience, it should always act ethically before it considers what kind of profit a certain story will make. According to the Journalist Code of Ethics, “be sensitive when seeking or using interviews or photographs of those affected by tragedy or grief.” I feel that it breaks the code of ethics by leaking those videos and photographs to the public.
All in all, if Virtue ethics would have been applied, the journalists covering the Olympics should have considered the feelings of the family before the drive of a good story.
Sources:
Society of Professional Journalists Code of Ethics http://www.spj.org/ethicscode.asp
Gower, K.K, Classical Theories. (2008). Legal and ethical considerations for public relations. Long Grove, Illinois: Waveland Press, Inc.
Press, Associated. "Luger Was Afraid of a Turn, Father Says." Winter Olympics. ESPN, 15 Feb. 2010. Web. 10 Mar. 2010..
During Kumaritashvili’s 27th run down the track on Whistler, he lost control of his sled at 90 mph and slammed his head on the back of a pole found in the curve of the track. Seconds later, emergency crews rush to his side and attempt to bring his limp body back to life. This memory will stick in the minds of the people attending him, but also in the minds of the entire world to see.
Vivid coverage of the crash and emergency crews afterwards can be found plastered everywhere on the Internet. Type a few keywords in a search engine, and you’ve got over 10 venues to watch the video on. Ethically, is this what is right and good? Or were the media wrong in putting the graphic videos on the Internet minutes after the fatal crash?
If I were a broadcaster covering the Winter Olympic Games, I would have waited for the family to be informed to tell of this horrific death. They are the ones directly affected. Kumaritashvili’s father was a luger, and is quoted expressing his son’s anxiety about the track.
“"I'm a luger as well and that's why I told him, 'Brake, brake, don't risk it,' " the elder Kumaritashvili said. "He said, 'No Dad, I will risk it, what will be will be.' And he took the risk." (Luger 2010).
Out of sensitivity to Kumaritashvili’s family, I would have exercised Virtue ethics. “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you” (Gower 2008). People of the public do not need to see the crash and the aftermath of it. Personally, I feel that it was not considerate of the luger or his family’s emotions.
To play the devil’s advocate, I could argue that the people should be informed so that they are aware of the on-goings at the Winter Games. People love to be entertained and informed, and horrific deaths and crashes entertain people. It gives them something to talk about.
Although media coverage is a business that must captivate and keep an audience, it should always act ethically before it considers what kind of profit a certain story will make. According to the Journalist Code of Ethics, “be sensitive when seeking or using interviews or photographs of those affected by tragedy or grief.” I feel that it breaks the code of ethics by leaking those videos and photographs to the public.
All in all, if Virtue ethics would have been applied, the journalists covering the Olympics should have considered the feelings of the family before the drive of a good story.
Sources:
Society of Professional Journalists Code of Ethics http://www.spj.org/ethicscode.asp
Gower, K.K, Classical Theories. (2008). Legal and ethical considerations for public relations. Long Grove, Illinois: Waveland Press, Inc.
Press, Associated. "Luger Was Afraid of a Turn, Father Says." Winter Olympics. ESPN, 15 Feb. 2010. Web. 10 Mar. 2010.
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