Me, Myself, and My Blog

SO this is not the end but the beginning of my exploration of blogging. I no longer have my instructor to give me topics to blog about. Nor, have to comment on my classmates attempts to accomplish an assignment. Yes. It was extremely enjoyable and I don’t think I will be stopping anytime soon. My experience of new media couldn’t come at a better time. As the media industry grows into different outlets usage and expands the multi-requirements I needed to learn. Before this class blogging was so unheard of. Twitter was so uncaused for. However, how could we consider ourselves as media students and our expectations are limited to completely not accepting new media usage. We are able to get our voices heard, our perspectives out there with little money. Our new media habits grew from boring to excitement. We getting more involved in trending topics and growing more aware of the politics that surrounds us. We all are connected at several different times in several different locations with several different people, that’s the best part of it all.We can add our blogging to our E-portfolio as evidence that we are capable of writing, establishing personal or company blogs with literacy on how to do so. We can have a growing fan base who actually would love to read our work. The best thing about it is IT’S FREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE. I am so into the Mediatakeout.com I have become a noisy hag. My interest in the media has grown tremendously including blogging. Our class could have been more productive on behave of the students. I just felt that they complained a little too much for them be completely oblivious about self expectations. The class surely could have used a more mature and diverse group of students, it was eliminated every complaint I heard this semester. Hey, even me I threw some in there as well. BUT, bickering and shouting out like you just have to be heard became so annoying that I actually wanted to stop coming to class. We have had our great discussions inside the classroom that offered a little motivation when blogging. At the end of the semester you have to keep yourself aware of the use of appropriate language, comments, and behavior. Did I do twitter.com/whatdoesittakes to successfully pass this class with a B. Did the class love my blogs or did they even read my blogs. in the end I still had fun coming and sharing my thoughts on controversial topics. I did learn that the lack of education can increase the non-desire to critically think. There were some good points made in blogs and in class via peer and instructor. Nonetheless, that good knowledge went misunderstood because the lack of education on particular topics. Just because you are in college doesn't mean don't lack educations or obtain education. You are just an individual who attends an institution. But, you could be an individual who becomes a student. It's been great. See you around.

STOPtheMERGER

Who took the TV?

Over the break I went to the country. In the woods, in the middle of nowhere. No signal on my cell phone. No Internet and ABSOLUTELY no cable. Who has no cable, where they do that at? In all I hand wrote notes I took about my family gatherings and activities. I typically go back home to Chicago during the break but funds were limited so I opted to stay in the south to go and visit my grand aunts, uncles, and cousins etc. So as I traveled to Natchez, MS I got lost and in the middle of no where. I couldn't stop too many trees and white folks with pick-up trucks. I had no signal on my phone and it was getting dark. So I went back to the old colonial days before there were maps and just followed the sun until I saw a lighted gas station with cameras and a lot of people.

I made it! As I spent one week which felt like a month down there it was very non media related. I had no internet, I was in the woods so I couldn't use my cell phone (no service, what to go t-mobile), and they ate all the Thanksgiving food up from me. I bogus is that. I wasn't the only one with a cell phone but I was the only one with a Smart-Phone. Although it was limited communication, they did take me to The Boat. I didn't like it, too boring.

My Grandma and her sisters gathered around and we talked about Christ and my childhood growing up. I noticed that there wasn't a TV in any of the rooms at my Aunti house. She had no computer. Only a land line phone and one of the first radios. Very dusty too. My grandma had a cell phone, so I used her's to do all my calling back home. None of my grands and even my cousins are on Facebook and Twiiter. One day I did walk my grandma through Twitter to set up an account but that was the last time she tweeted. The cousins in my age group text and talk alot on their cell phones when they did work. But they still wasn't on Facebook. Now I know why, they didn't a computer or the internet.

I felt like I should be a Cowboy for an entire week just so I could fit in. They call me to Diva-ish and said I was too much of a city girl. BUT THEY HAD NO INTERNET. How whack is that. Only form of media interest expressed is when my Grandma found an article in the USA Today Newspaper about the return of Christ. Amen. My Grands set in the living room everyday reading, praying, listening to the radio, and asking me questions about school. There's nothing wrong with it but I didn't change my status before I left and it bothered me because it said "Headed to the Capital City Classic Tailgating at my cousin house" THAT WAS SEVERAL DAYS AGO.

One of my cousin's from Chicago she came down there with me. The entire time she listen to her IPOD built into her cell phone. Whack. What I can say the the conversations was actually intriguing. I just sat and listened to my Grands talk, and talk, and talk, and talk, and talk, and talk some more. I had fun spending real quality time.

STOPtheMERGER

Okay, Mississippi Governor, Haley Barbour proposed to merge Alcorn State, Mississippi Valley, and Jackson State University as one college in order to savage the state's budget for $35 million dollars. Although Governor Barbour has limited good ideas, this one is sort of brilliant. I mean, merging educational institutions together. BUT, the number one problem to his brilliant proposal is that he's in the WRONG TERRITORY. Maybe he thought since Blacks became somewhat quiet and complacent ( I don't know why) in their economical/ financial ranking in Mississippi, than much wouldn't be sad. I never knew that a Governor could have a brilliant idea but very ignorant/dumb assumptions.

New media has pushed the thoughts, the voice, the concerns, and the PETITION to a national level. Via Twitter, Facebook, and Personal Email addresses has encouraged to protest against the merger. New media also has brought light to the anticipated assumption that African Americans can not unite with one another for their rights. The petition and the shirts isn't similar to the severity of the protest and riots on the UCLA Campus when tuition there was threatening to dramatically increase by 10%. Although the HBCU's tastefully protested at the State Capital and the Rally held on Jackson State Campus, this has the potential to grow into a blown out riot.

There are nothing but HBCU graduates, mostly Alcorn Braves (booooooo), in my family. Majority of them grew up in the south and had opted to attend and graduate from a HBCU versus those of us who are still influenced to stop the merger but less effected grew up in the North but opted for the black college experience. After proclaiming that the Alcornites would no longer exist but they would be Distant Tigers (lol), their decision and perspective on the topic was slightly defensive. "It won't happen. It will never happen." my cousin said. Soon after everyone pitched in with their comments of disgust.

As the ONLY soon-to-be Jackson State graduate in the room but not in the family, that was an argument that I wasn't ready for. And I agree. As bold and bald as Haley Barbour is "It will never happen." And, it won't but some concerns where raised about how academically poor and financially crippled this universities are becoming. Is the black community at a point where they are blinded by non-acceptance of ideas that they would rather hold legacy of a school that they didn't start but is continuing on and watch other BLACK colleges struggle to stay afloat. If is documented that Mississippi Valley and Alcorn State are declining in funds, resources, and enrollment facing fatal potential to no longer exist, wouldn't everyone loose out anyway. An university's legacy and heritage would surely be wiped out.

BUT, is this the time that BLACK AMERICA should be on one accord. Would everyone rather see their fellow HBCU-ians fall off the map? OR, would they rather embrace these falling institutions under one wing and not completely end their legacy but alter it. Of course in any hand written work you have cross your T's and dot your I's. However, are black institutions that selfish that we fight against difference. Black institutions shouldn't play comrades versus constituent. We should be CONFIDANT institutions for the Black America.

STOPtheMERGER