DISNEY+

DISNEY+, DISNEY+, DISNEY+!!!!!!!! So needless to say I signed up for Disney + this week and am LOVING it!!!! It has been way too much fun looking through all the old movies and TV shows (some I have see many times but totally forgot they existed) and reminiscing with my siblings. My family and I are huge Disney fans and so my siblings and grew up watching Disney movies and Disney Channel so this is a common interest we all can share. The day Disney+ was launched our family group chat was consumed with fun memories and plans to rewatch some of our favorites together. Media is such an effective way to bring people together. I say that EVERY week but its interesting that almost all of the media I have mentioned on this blog stands out in my mind because of its ability to connect me with others.
As a side note, If you have signed up for Disney+ I would highly recommend watching the documentary that is included on the app called "The Imagineering Story". I watched it the first say the app was released and was very inspired by it. If you are a Disney fan is a must see.

P.S. I have finally published the video blog that I mentioned in my post a few weeks ago if any of you want to check it out. Here's the link: https://kaitlynday96.wixsite.com/mysite

The Lightning Thief

My husband and I have been reading/listening to the Percy Jackson series recently. We are almost finished with the first book, The Lightning Thief. Reading these books together has provided us with a really fun activity to do together. In the past we have had a hard time finding an activity that we both equally enjoy. Finding a form of media such as a book or TV show that we can agree upon gives us an easy choice for how to spend our time when we get a free night. My husband and I are invested in so many different efforts throughout the week that having a fun story to be mutually invested in is really refreshing.

TED Talks

This week I have been listening to a lot of TED Talks in my free time. I forgot how much I enjoy listening to them. There are TED Talks on about every subject you can think of usually there are several on similar topics. I really enjoy hear the different perspectives and ideas people have. Whenever I listen to these ideas I find myself filling my head and my conversations with more meaningful information. I think media not only provides us entertainment in our down time but also often makes up the content of our thoughts and words when are not consuming it. This experience just reminds me of the importance of being an active and thoughtful consumer of media.

The Ellen Show

I generally don't watch very much TV but this week I have started watching clips from the Ellen show of YouTube. I think that I tend to get tired of different forms of media pretty quickly so I often switch up what I watch frequently and Ellen is my current media of choice. Ellen provides great comedic relief to my day and that is for sure the main reason I enjoy her show. When I am stressed about the day watching a 5 minute clip from her show often gives me the boost I need to keep working on whatever me current task is. Is this health? Should I be looking for a boost from real people in my life rather than a person on a screen that I've never met? I don't know. Maybe? Thoughts?

Video Blog

So I going to start by being very upfront and honest... I tend to judge video bloggers pretty harshly. I often wonder how someone can possibly have enough confidence to put videos of themselves on the web and expect others to spend their precious time watching and listening to what they have to say. I know that sounds really negative and unkind but that is how I have always felt about it. However, during the most recent general conference I received the distinct impression to start my own video blog about the struggles I face in my day to day life in order to connect with others on a more personal level. WOW.... it took me about a week to act on this impress due to my firmly held bias against video blogs but I finally gave in and created a website and started making videos. I haven't yet made the blog public but I will let you guys know once I do. Through the prompting I received to use media in a more active way to spread hope and love I have learned to be less judgmental of those using the media to do the same thing the Lord has inspired me to do. I wonder how long the Lord has been prompting me to use a media platform in this way but was not able to get through due to my hard heart. As I have started recording videos for my new blog I have released that it isn't at all about all the knowledge and experience I have and the fact that I need to share that with the world but rather the fact that I need a place to share my struggles and connect with others.

Map My Run

I have enjoyed running for many years but had to slow down a couple of years ago due to a hip injury. I have since recovered and recently started running again. As I started to get back in shape I began to wonder if I was back to the speed I had previously been capable of before my injury so I downloaded the Map My Run app on my phone and I have LOVED it! The ability to track my run and get in the moment feedback from my phone is so motivational and my speed has improved significantly since I started using the app. This form of media has had a very positive influence on my physically health.

Tamagotchi

Last week in class we talked about video games and that got me thinking about some of the games I played as a child. I have never been very big into video games but I do remember liking augmented reality type games where you like take care of a puppy or something. I thought it might be fun to download a couple of those types of games on my phone and play them for memory sake. In my searching I re-discovered TAMAGOTCHI pets!!!!! I don't know how many of you remember Tamagotchi from your elementary school days but they were like the coolest thing ever back then. They were these little electronic devices on a key chain that had little tiny black and white screens which you used to take care of your little Tamagotchi pet (ie. feeding it, playing games with it, taking it to the bathroom, putting it to sleep etc). I remember that these devices were $15 at Walmart and I saved up FOREVER to be able to finally buy one. Anyways, I downloaded the Tamagotchi app on my phone this week (for FREE by the way, no saving required) and have been enjoying the nostalgia of playing the game this week. It is funny to me though how addicting such a silly and childish game can be though. I have found myself getting all sucked into the tasks of playing arcade games to earn points for food and clothes for my pet and then bathing and feeding and putting it to bed. Its a bit embarrassing to admit that it has become a distraction for me at times when I should be doing homework or other tasks. I think the reason why games like this appeal to me in particular is because I am 100% the kind of person that feels successful when I am busy regardless if what I am busy with is meaningful or not. These types of games provide something to DO and satisfaction when you complete tasks and earn points.