Social Media

Every day from your computer, phone, or other electronic device, you can keep up with your friends no matter where they are.  Anyone from your neighbor to a friend 7,000 miles away from home, can update their status from pretty much anything that is getting an internet signal, so you can catch up on what is going on in their lives. You know what I am talking about, Social Networking or Social Media.  You can hook up to the internet and follow your favorite celebrity, the kid next door with the freckles, or your choice of news channels.  You can stay in contact with people that are living in a completely different country.  Facebook, Myspace, and Twitter all offer you an option that has changed our world.  It can have it’s positive and negative effects, but we all know that it does affect all of us.  Social Media has changed how we communicate to everyone.  This truly has affected the whole world!

Advice Columns

I think that some letters in magazine advice columns are real but I also think that some are fake.  I’m sure that magazines like to spice it up a bit here and there and use fake letters to get readers reeled in.  Whether they are real or not does not hurt anyone, it actually might help someone.  What if someone was too ashamed to send in for advice, but as they were looking through a magazine, found a similar story as theirs?  They may be able to take on some of the advice that they read.  Although this sounds nice the reality is most advice columns are just drama.  I think it is just fine for magazines to run unsigned letters because what is it hurting?  It can either help someone that may need it or get the drama queens excited to read it.  They are just trying to sell more magazines.  Isn’t that what this world is obsessed with now, more popularity, more money, more fame, more attention?  Magazines are just more companies trying to keep up with the Jones’.    

The Fishbowl

Celebrity gossip is one of the most common things that spin out of control over a picture or a sighting.  Our imaginations can lead us on so many scenarios just by one thought or idea.  I believe that celebrities should be left alone.  Whether we want to hear it or not, the celebrities did not put themselves in the fishbowl, we did.  We put them on a pedestal and make their stories so much more significant than the average Joe.  If a celebrity sneezes, we immediately hear about it and every detail.  “I saw it coming from a distance.  Jennifer Aniston squint her eyes and drew her head back when all of a sudden… she sneezed.  She then reached into her purse and pulled out a tissue and blotted her nose five times.”  I know this is a little over exaggerated, but in all reality the things that are reported are everyday happenstances for most of us.  Michael Douglas was diagnosed with cancer some time ago now.  He was wanted for interviews with many television stations and was talked about constantly for a while.  He was in magazines, on talk shows, and of course in the news.  They followed his treatment and talked to his wife about their suffering.  In working in a salon, most of the gossip surprisingly, was about celebrities.  While Michael Douglas is on television speaking of how his treatments are going, my cousin is in the clinic getting Chemo Therapy for his cancer.  We are a world, absorbed in everyone else’s life,  putting others in a fishbowl so that we can be entertained. 

Michael Douglas

Rumor Mill

Rumors are like a wildfire, once it starts, it spreads.  Just as individuals, companies also have to deal with vicious rumors.  I believe that companies should respond with swift, short explanations to rumors on the internet.  Let’s bring this into perspective using an example of an individual.  There is a rumor that you got fired for drinking on the job when in reality, you were fired for a reason you do not know, but you know you have never drank on the job.  You are approached weeks later about the abrupt absence from work.  In hearing the rumor, I believe the best defense for this is a simple answer that you do not drink on the job.  If you get too defensive it will appear as if you are desperately trying to get people off your tail and trying to hide something.  If it is not true a simple defense is all that is needed.  This is how it would be for a company as well.  The more you talk and explain your way out, the more desperate it sounds.  Rumors are so common, they are just part of life.  In order to defend a company in the best way possible is to not get too wordy and just accept that some will continue to believe otherwise.  Do what you can do and then leave it alone.          

Brand Name

There are many people that select a particular brand for many different reasons.  Some may like the quality of the product while others believe it is the best value.  There are not many things I buy because of the brand.  I do enjoy buying Tide for my laundry detergent.  It is a little pricy, but it seems to be of great quality.  Tide is great on stains, keeps my colors vibrant, as well as making them feel and smell incredible.  Above all it is gentle on fabric, therefore allowing me to keep things longer with less wear.  I believe a good technique would be offering to donate something to people in need, maybe clothes or washing machines.  With the purchase of every bottle we donate $2 to homeless shelters.  There is a big difference on buying a certain brand because of its quality and buying something just to have the brand on it.  I have a friend that buys a certain brand of clothes.  She refuses to put her babies in anything but this certain brand and I would never see her walking around with anything from Walmart.  This to me is foolish.  Especially when you have babies that grow so fast, they don’t have a chance to wear things down.  So you can spend ten dollars on a cute off brand outfit that they will grow out of in less than three months or you can spend eighty dollars on a similar outfit that has a name brand tag on it.  For me it is an easy choice, be wise with my money!     

The Googler

I believe that the Google may or may not make us stupid.  Yes, I am an avid “googler.”  I look everything up from how to cook something to how to write a letter.  I know it is crazy, but sometimes I need a little extra help.  I guess the question is, are we learning from it or are we depending on it?  There is a big difference.  Depending on the person and their own learning skills, one may be able to “google” something and catch on right away, learning and taking something away from it.  Next time they attempt the same task they needed help with, they automatically have it.  On the other hand some may not be as fortunate.  Some may struggle and “google” something and accomplishes it, only to turn around and depend on “Google” time and time again to be able to accomplish a task.  The internet is such a great tool, but I guess we all need to tone it down and try not to depend on it so much.

What's on TV?

Television has become so diverse and continues steadily.  When you turn on the television who knows what will be on.  I think that one of the most obvious changes in television has been the popularity of Reality television shows.  These shows have completely exploded.  You can watch anything from the birth of a baby to an argumentative family to people making cakes.  Networks probably find it more viewer friendly the more variety they have.  History Channel is no longer for history buffs.  They have so many shows on that channel that appeal to many different people.  They have shows like Top Shot and Pawn Stars for the brawny men, Ancient Aliens for the paranormal viewers, American eats for the food coinsure, as well as some of the basic shows like Modern Marvels for those who just want to know more.  The more ratings the better and that is what these networks are striving for.