oh my...

bang, indeed.

the freak shall inherit the earth

Because the fashion ads we've been looking at have been so provocative, I wanted to find another kind of ad wrought with affect. so, I image-searched COLLEGE ADS and thought there might be something interesting. Bingo! I found these, advertising Centennial College, and immediately began arguing for and against them with myself.

I think we can all get the gist. Generally, advertisements for colleges consist of intelligent-looking youngsters, holding a textbook to their chest and staring majestically into the corner of the frame as they contemplate the vast and important roles they will fill in changing the world. Many also showcase how much "fun" a young adult can have at college. Think of a poster featuring a group of ethnically diverse students surrounding a big table with pizza on it. Everyone is smiling and it looks like a party- but wait! There are textbooks and calculators on the table, too. Oh! It's a study party! Wow, look how fun it is to be in college! 

Even when a college ad is trying to show the light, fun side of university life- generally speaking, the students pictured, and the scenes they are pictured in, nevertheless evoke a sense of 

responsibility, achievement, ambition... ya da ya da.

These ads, are clearly targeted at a different audience than usual. High school kids, most likely: "Come on, peeps! We're a cool college. If you have straggly hair or a tongue piercing; if you like crashing out after gorging on pizza (and possibly beer- though you'll have to infer that yourself), then we are the college for you!" I do think it's a nice idea to reach out to those potential students who might (stereotypically speaking) not be the type who usually pursues a degree right away. college isn't just for the honor roll kids, or the over-achievers, or the well-groomed, polish youth of high society. It's for everyone! right?

then again, don't we already know that? on another note, i don't know how i feel about labeling a person a "freak" just because she's got a tongue ring and possibly dyed hair. And the whole, "Einstein didn't own a hairbrush either" bit- it's very confrontational. Like the lame argument a kid would make to their equally lame parent who gave a damn about the state of their kid's hair. It's setting Centennial College up to be the "other" of colleges in general. "We're not like those guys. We're cooler." I mean, yes, the point of advertising one's university is to get more students and more tuition flowing in. It is competitive.

I dunno. There seems to be a lot going on here for me- hopefully during class today some of you can tell me what ya think.

huh.

wouldn't a person want to take the stairs because it's good exercise?

does everyone who rides an elevator dislike the event so much because there might be someone they don't know in there with them? oh no, what will i do?! i don't want to have to decide whether or not to just say "hi" to the other woman who smiled politely at me as i stepped into the elevator. four more floors to go on this hell ride!? god! awkward silences are the worst! i should just take the stairs so i don't have to interact with humanity.

hmmm. well, weapons are weapons, i can't argue with that.

(photos found on thechive.com by "alec" 2012)

hey...that looks like a...

i wasn't able to download 'the usual suspects' intro, and i don't remember the reflection questions. hopefully, we'll go over it again in class today, and i'll write a follow-up blog then. for now, in light of our new project, i'll share a picture i took last week at lagoon. it's a safety sign for one of the rides:

perhaps i'm immature for noticing... then again, i was with a group of my friends and family, and they ALL noticed this sign, and we all took pictures of it while giggling stupidly. but seriously! didn't the designers of this sign think about how this looked? maybe they thought loftily that no one would be so crude and immature- and for those people who might notice something odd/hilarious? damn them anyway. if they had used two different colors for this- keeping the 'person' a solid color, and the seat/ride (including the penis-looking safety bar) a different color- it might not have seemed odd or hilarious in the slightest.

i don't know what this has to do with our assignment. i'll reflect more and write again after we talk about 'the usual suspects' project some more.

reflection

my mundane

http://prezi.com/eiddreovhob_/the-mundane/

above is a link to my prezi, should anyone wish to see it again.

presentations

so, when i presented on thursday...i had really been hoping to put it off until tuesday. i had been so STUCK with my presentation. i knew other people were using video and music, and i felt my little picture slideshow was nowhere near ready. i feared ridicule and a bad grade.

as to my grade, eh, i'm not sure, but i'm not worried about it anymore. and thanks to my lovely class i did not feel ridiculed at all. you helped me feel that my presentation WAS adequate, and i clearly saw the beauty in my own pictures.

this was a fun project- i'm glad we had so much flexibility. everyone's project so far has been so different, and i've enjoyed them all. i'm looking forward to seeing the rest tomorrow.