Reconsidering friends

After our class discussion yesterday on facebook and what constitutes a "friend" I was motivated to go through and edit my friends list. I deleted about 80 people who I was "friends" with. Many of the these people I have never actually talked to, or haven't talked to in years. There were even a few people on there I didn't even know who they were or where I knew them from.
It was actually was very refreshing and almost therapeutic cleaning out excess people.

All Eyes on Tiger

Ever since the unfortunate news came out about Tiger Woods, the media have been buzzing around trying to pick up on every juicy detail they can get their slimy hands on.

After Tiger's first public statement on Friday, I was shocked that for the rest of the day on ESPN and many other news channels, "analysts" dissected every part of his statement. "Forgiveness experts" were called in to weigh their opinion on Tiger's remarks. Some even diagnosed Tiger's statement as an "alleged apology," claiming it did not contain all the necessary ingredients to be considered an apology.

Leave the man alone for goodness sake! Why is it that as a society we thrive off of hearing about the tragedies in celebrities lives?

Is this really a sport?

I think it's so funny how a sport that I normally could care less about, during the Olympics I get sucked in and have to see who wins.

For example, short track speed skating. I think this event is ridiculous. But last night I had to watch the relay (that went on forever) just to see how the Americans did. In this event, grown men in tight spandex suits just skate around in a tiny circle, and then their buddy gets out in front of them, and they give them a big push in the rump. And then they keep spinning in circles over and over again, rotating who skates.

C'mon, that's not a real sport is it? But because it's in the Olympics people suddenly become interested in the "sport". We proclaim these people as world class athletes. Are they world class because they are the only ones who enjoy spinning in circles, touching each other, and crashing on the ice?

Oh the Olympics

This weekend my husband and I are in Colorado Springs. We got back to our hotel room last night and turned on the TV. We were excited to see that the Opening Ceremonies for the Winter Olympics was on. It was the Parade of Nations. What is so interesting about this, is that actually it is very long and boring, but we could not peel ourselves away from it.

We flipped through the channels several times, but for some reason were always drawn back to the Opening Ceremonies.

I'm not sure if it is the excitement surrounding the Olympics or the "spirit" of the Games, or perhaps maybe the glamour of the athletes, but we were enthralled by the long Parade of Athletes; while also bored out of our mind. A weird paradox, I know.

Number the Stars

This was one of my favorite books growing up. I read this book over and over in elementary and junior high school.
The story is about a ten-year-old girl named Annemarie who lived in Denmark in 1943 and was caught up in the events surrounding the Nazis and Danish Jews. She and her family risked their lives to help Annemarie's best friend, Ellen Rosen, by pretending that Ellen is Annemarie's older sister; the sister had died earlier in the war during her work for the Resistance.

You market to your audience

I spent this past Friday and Saturday in Pocatello, Idaho (oh joy...)
I paid attention to the advertising banners and sponsers in the Holt Arena (where their track is) at Idaho State University.

There were advertising banners thru-out the complex, just like at most sport events. I noticed an interesting theme among these banners. This is just a small sample of the banners:

-Got milk? Idaho DairyMan Association
-Simplot (Idaho potatoes)
-Farm Bureau of Idaho
-Heinz ketchup
-Idaho Lottery

Technology helps erase the miles

This week my husband and I are separated. He is in New York City for a track meet. It is funny just how LOOOONG 5 days can feel when you are alone.

I am VERY grateful for technology! We have texted throughout the day and emailed each other. It helps erase some of the distance between us.

The past couple nights when I am home alone I've played music when the house feels empty without him. I started paying attention to the music and its effect on me after our class discussion on music Thursday.
I realized different types of songs put me in different types of moods. Love songs or songs that I equate with my husband just made me feel lonelier. The songs that helped me feel comforted the most were Church music, and I have to admit; some of the cheesy EFY cd's.

So I have to admit, I do not feel like the most media savvy person. I hardly ever watch TV, I haven't seen a movie since Christmas break, I rarely listen to the radio while in the car, and I'm not an I-pod junky. So lately I have been trying to pay attention to what types of media I do use.
So this is just a list of typical day in my life and the media I use:

• In the morning I wake up to my cell phone buzzing.
  

• Each morning at school I pick up a BYU newspaper and flip through the pages quickly to see if anything catches my eye. Usually I skim through the paper and then take time to analyze the grocery ads.

• I consult my phone several times throughout the day hoping someone has texted me.

• Sometimes in class I will take notes on my laptop if I'm in the mood to act like a good student. And of course, if there is internet access, my screen may occasionally from time to time flip to my email or facebook account.

• I read many types of written media throughout the day; scriptures, textbooks, online articles, printed articles, recipes, labels, traffic signs, and emails.