Yesterday I worked all day, and then immediately following, my fiance and I went to the store and did the gift registry thing at Target and Kohls for the big day on August 21st. Wow, I can't believe the date is nearly here, and I can finally say my vows, and marry the man of my prayers.
I was pretty tired by the time we were done, and we still had not eaten dinner at eight o-clock approached. Don, my fiance, said he thought we should probably get going since I had homework and other things to do before bed. Typical, we are always being rushed around. It seems there is never time anymore to just enjoy each other's company, as I hardly ever get to see him anymore. Our schedules don't really allow it right now. I decided that I was not going to let the world impose on my few moments we had together.
So, even though I had many things to do, we decided to take time out for ourselves and eat at Applebees. It had been a while since we did anything nice for ourselves, and just ate out and enjoyed the atmosphere.
I ordered a margarita, or two... and went home to start catching up on homework and Don went to work. This may have been something really insignificant to some of you, but to me, it was the world at the moment. Taking time out for ourselves is vital. It makes me keep sane and less stressed. Even though I had to work a double today and finish homework, I was more mellow and could handle the work load better because I took some time out for myself yesterday. Do you get where I'm coming from?
Monday, June 28, 2010
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
My Small Experience in the World of Intercultural Communication
Oh Chicago, How I Sometimes Loathe You!
Written intercultural communication guidelines like the ones provided on the website Ezine articles, (link http://ezinearticles.com/?Ten-Commandments-of-Intercultural-Communication&id=120247
would have been great to consider when I traveled to Chicago for my FedEx Express training! I was way out of my comfort zone, and the cultural composition was overwhelming compared to Upper Michigan, where everyone speaks English and has pretty much the same cultural background.
In Chicago, I remember my head was almost spinning while I was walking around at the airport. There were so many different conversations in so many different languages. All of Chicago seemed to be like that. I listened a lot to what was going on around me so I could “fit in.” I wanted to respect the fact that this was not “my house” (ownership of area) and be polite. Hanging back and observing is the best way, in my opinion, to learn other cultural norms and respect them. I adjust to my surroundings a lot quicker that way. A few extreme religious people approached me now and then, and came on a bit strong. They tried to convince me I wasn’t going to Heaven unless I followed their beliefs. I tried to brush them off gently. No point in ticking anyone off, especially in an unknown environment.
I am naturally a flexible person who can “go with the flow.” For intercultural communication that can be a blessing, along with patience and respect. I have all of those. I remember some of the Chicago cab rides. I thought some of the cab drivers were crazy! I was polite, told them thank you still.
Written intercultural communication guidelines like the ones provided on the website Ezine articles, (link http://ezinearticles.com/?Ten-Commandments-of-Intercultural-Communication&id=120247
would have been great to consider when I traveled to Chicago for my FedEx Express training! I was way out of my comfort zone, and the cultural composition was overwhelming compared to Upper Michigan, where everyone speaks English and has pretty much the same cultural background.
In Chicago, I remember my head was almost spinning while I was walking around at the airport. There were so many different conversations in so many different languages. All of Chicago seemed to be like that. I listened a lot to what was going on around me so I could “fit in.” I wanted to respect the fact that this was not “my house” (ownership of area) and be polite. Hanging back and observing is the best way, in my opinion, to learn other cultural norms and respect them. I adjust to my surroundings a lot quicker that way. A few extreme religious people approached me now and then, and came on a bit strong. They tried to convince me I wasn’t going to Heaven unless I followed their beliefs. I tried to brush them off gently. No point in ticking anyone off, especially in an unknown environment.
I am naturally a flexible person who can “go with the flow.” For intercultural communication that can be a blessing, along with patience and respect. I have all of those. I remember some of the Chicago cab rides. I thought some of the cab drivers were crazy! I was polite, told them thank you still.
Monday, June 7, 2010
Ever think about media technology and it's effect on all of us?
I found an awesome website with the title “New Media of Mass Communication” which really grabbed my attention. Some of the media technologies I would like to discuss, such as virtual worlds, social networks, blogging, twitter, and ITunes, I found on this website, at http://www.uncp.edu/home/acurtis/NewMedia/NewMediaCommunicationTechnologies.html. It really does have a lot of neat listings if anyone wants to check it out!
Virtual Worlds/Virtual Reality- Is “a genre of online community that often takes the form of a computer-based simulated environment, through which users can interact with one another and use and create objects.” (Wikipedia, 2010) A good example of a virtual world is the game “World of Warcraft.” You can be anyone and do just about anything in these three-dimensional worlds in the computer through gaming. You create an Avatar (object or virtual being) to represent yourself in the virtual world. This is very popular because people can do things completely out of character or things they have always dreamed of. Other people playing online have no stereotypes of who you are in real life. You are judged on your skills and avatar online. The gaming community isn’t the only type of audience for the virtual world, though it is the most popular to that group. There are also training virtual worlds to better companies and employee skills, and education tools for younger generations. (Curtis, 2009)
Social Networks- Facebook and Myspace are great examples of social networks. Anyone can use them. From posting pictures to chatting daily with friends this form of interacting via the internet has exploded. A lot of people can now stay “in touch” due to this convenient form of communication. I know of teenagers to people older than my mom who use facebook. It’s a great way to give out some personal information, share interests, voice opinions, post pictures and stay in contact with people all over the globe.
E-mail, bloggs, twitter- “Blog is short for weblog, a form of online journal.” (Curtis, 2009) Tweeting is done via cell phone or internet. It gives you instant information on which you are inquiring. E-mail and blogging is done via the internet mostly, although you can still e-mail things via cell phones. E-mail is used by just about everyone from personal to business reasons. I use e-mail everyday at work to inform my boss on any issues that came up during the day, or concerns that need to be addressed. Blogging can be done by anyone and is a great source for others to communicate their opinions or input about a particular subject. We all use at least one of these forms of communication.
ITunes- I love this media tool! I use ITunes for my IPod, another popular form of media technology. I tunes allows you to download music online or from your own personal compact disc collection. You can then import them into ITunes and make playlists. Also, media books are downloadable to this media tool. I use media books on my ipod, along with games and an address book. I don’t see a lot of the older generation using ipods, mostly young kids to maybe the age of 50 year olds. If you enjoy listening to music on the go, or in the gym, this is definitely the tool to use paired with I-Tunes!
Cell phones/I Phones- Working for FedEx has given me a huge inside track on things that are popular and shipped out daily. We receive an unimaginable amount of cell phones from Virizon Wireless everyday and it astounds me. Most of the time, when we attempt a cell phone package and the recipient isn’t home, they will drive to our office that night to pick it up. It doesn’t matter how far away they live, they will come get it because it is their new cell phone, and they can’t wait to have it. Really, I mean REALLY?! I guess that is what it’s coming down to. There is no discrepancy in age for the popularity of phones, well, with the exception that I don’t see many elderly people reacting that way. Cell phones are a wonderful tool that help us complete everyday tasks on the go. Kids can stay in contact with their parents, and parents can have the comfort of knowing their child is a phone call away at all times. Adults use their phones for everything anymore, such as e-mailing, using the web, and taking pictures. Phones store address books and data that is depended upon by the user.
We use all of these things on a daily basis. Doesn't that just blow your mind? Of course, most of the people in today's world have a cell phone attatched to their ear out in public, grrrr.... While these are wonderful tools and toys, taking time out and enjoying the great outdoors away from all of this technology is important now and then. I recommend finding your zen, if only once in a great while. Disconnect that cell phone from your ear, and get out and enjoy a nice walk or the pleasures that awaits you in the outdoors.
References
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virtual_world#cite_note-0http://www.uncp.edu/home/acurtis/NewMedia/NewMediaCommunicationTechnologies.html
Virtual Worlds/Virtual Reality- Is “a genre of online community that often takes the form of a computer-based simulated environment, through which users can interact with one another and use and create objects.” (Wikipedia, 2010) A good example of a virtual world is the game “World of Warcraft.” You can be anyone and do just about anything in these three-dimensional worlds in the computer through gaming. You create an Avatar (object or virtual being) to represent yourself in the virtual world. This is very popular because people can do things completely out of character or things they have always dreamed of. Other people playing online have no stereotypes of who you are in real life. You are judged on your skills and avatar online. The gaming community isn’t the only type of audience for the virtual world, though it is the most popular to that group. There are also training virtual worlds to better companies and employee skills, and education tools for younger generations. (Curtis, 2009)
Social Networks- Facebook and Myspace are great examples of social networks. Anyone can use them. From posting pictures to chatting daily with friends this form of interacting via the internet has exploded. A lot of people can now stay “in touch” due to this convenient form of communication. I know of teenagers to people older than my mom who use facebook. It’s a great way to give out some personal information, share interests, voice opinions, post pictures and stay in contact with people all over the globe.
E-mail, bloggs, twitter- “Blog is short for weblog, a form of online journal.” (Curtis, 2009) Tweeting is done via cell phone or internet. It gives you instant information on which you are inquiring. E-mail and blogging is done via the internet mostly, although you can still e-mail things via cell phones. E-mail is used by just about everyone from personal to business reasons. I use e-mail everyday at work to inform my boss on any issues that came up during the day, or concerns that need to be addressed. Blogging can be done by anyone and is a great source for others to communicate their opinions or input about a particular subject. We all use at least one of these forms of communication.
ITunes- I love this media tool! I use ITunes for my IPod, another popular form of media technology. I tunes allows you to download music online or from your own personal compact disc collection. You can then import them into ITunes and make playlists. Also, media books are downloadable to this media tool. I use media books on my ipod, along with games and an address book. I don’t see a lot of the older generation using ipods, mostly young kids to maybe the age of 50 year olds. If you enjoy listening to music on the go, or in the gym, this is definitely the tool to use paired with I-Tunes!
Cell phones/I Phones- Working for FedEx has given me a huge inside track on things that are popular and shipped out daily. We receive an unimaginable amount of cell phones from Virizon Wireless everyday and it astounds me. Most of the time, when we attempt a cell phone package and the recipient isn’t home, they will drive to our office that night to pick it up. It doesn’t matter how far away they live, they will come get it because it is their new cell phone, and they can’t wait to have it. Really, I mean REALLY?! I guess that is what it’s coming down to. There is no discrepancy in age for the popularity of phones, well, with the exception that I don’t see many elderly people reacting that way. Cell phones are a wonderful tool that help us complete everyday tasks on the go. Kids can stay in contact with their parents, and parents can have the comfort of knowing their child is a phone call away at all times. Adults use their phones for everything anymore, such as e-mailing, using the web, and taking pictures. Phones store address books and data that is depended upon by the user.
We use all of these things on a daily basis. Doesn't that just blow your mind? Of course, most of the people in today's world have a cell phone attatched to their ear out in public, grrrr.... While these are wonderful tools and toys, taking time out and enjoying the great outdoors away from all of this technology is important now and then. I recommend finding your zen, if only once in a great while. Disconnect that cell phone from your ear, and get out and enjoy a nice walk or the pleasures that awaits you in the outdoors.
References
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virtual_world#cite_note-0http://www.uncp.edu/home/acurtis/NewMedia/NewMediaCommunicationTechnologies.html
Monday, May 31, 2010
My little moment today.
I took the time out today to call my sick grandma who just got out of the hospital. How many of you out there know someone who is not feeling well, and is elderly? Sometimes we are so use to this idea, we think to ourselves, we should get around to calling them, or checking up on this person, but never do even though we mean well. I waited like that before, and the lady I wanted to make time to visit passed away, and I never even got a chance to say my goodbyes. I refuse to regret any part of life. So, today I called grandma to listen to her concerns, and cheer her up. I could tell it made her feel good that I took the time. That's all it takes folks, a piece in time.
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