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.

Children's Books

I know I talked about books in my last post but I really wanted to share this experience with you all. For one of the online classes I am taking I have been volunteering at a retirement home for the past several months. This last weekend, during my volunteer hour, I brought some award winning Children's Books and poetry to read to the residents. I happened to be volunteering right during the BYU football game and lets just say I learned very quickly that the elderly are as energetic about sports as anyone I know. However, there was one resident named Marg that was much more interested in the books I brought to read than the game. She and I found a quiet place and I read to her for about an hour. We enjoyed looking and the pictures and talking about the stories. This experience reminded me of how grateful I am for media's ability to bring people together.  

Harry Potter

I have been re-reading the Harry Potter series again recently and I am just LOVING it!!! I'm on book 5 right now, The Order of the Phoenix. I have always loved books, they are one of my very favorite forms of media. I tend to read when I want a fully immersive experience that will pull my mind away from the world around me so completely that I forget my worries. I think books do this better then any other type of media because they require active brain power because you have to actually read the story and require complete utilization of your imagination. There is not any space left in your mind to think or worry about anything else. Although I much prefer the Harry Potter books to the movies, I have definitely seen all of the movies several times. This experience is interesting because as I am reading the books I can hear the voices of the actors from the movie in my mind and see their faces. This creates an interesting blend of media that often leaves me reading and thinking in a British accent for hours after I put down the book.

F.R.I.E.N.D.S

I recently have started watching the T.V. show Friends. I had an extremely stressful week and spent a couple of hours watching the show as an escape from my stressors. I find that media often serves as a distraction from difficult or stressful situations. Friends is a funny show without a lot of stressful or emotionally intense content which makes it perfect for decompressing at the end of a stressful day.