Appreciating Visual Rhetoric

After learning about visual rhetoric, I have definately come to a greater apreciation for the skills that are required in advertising. Before, I thought a picture presented in an advertisement was simply produced by by some photographer. Now I realive that he/she is much more than that. The photographer is also a psychologist, an english professor, a businessman, an artist, and a scientist who must perform research. It makes me all the more interested in photography. Now, I analyze everything more. Visual Rhetoric is not limited to a page in a magazine, a billboard, or a painting. It is manifest in nearly everything, no matter how big or small and insignificant. Since taking this class, it even effects the way I dress in the morning.

Views on Visual Rhetoric

Everywhere you look now days there are advertisements trying to catch your attention. Whether you are watching TV, searching on the internet or browsing on Facebook there is always an ad in the picture. I work at an internet marketing firm and am exposed to various forms of advertising done by business owners nearly every day. As you can imagine I have a pretty good understanding about how advertising works and some of the techniques used to make you feel certain emotions and feel compelled to view an ad that catches your interest. Although I may work in advertising, some of the exercises that we have done in class have made me become more aware of the wide variety of techniques that advertisers use. Not only do I see the ads and the 'call to action' anymore, I have developed more of an understanding of why certain objects, colors, and general ideas have been included in ads that may not be so obvious. I definitely think that in the future I will be more conscious of all aspects that are included in advertisements whether it be the color, perspective, tone, or even the overall idea of what the ad is getting at.

Advertisement

Ever sense we've been learning about this advertisement and how it's done I've kind of looked at it different. I almost feel like everything is "a face" and not really what it is. So basically I've gotten a little harsh on advertisements haha But I can see how its almost necessary to set things up the way they are to be effective. Its interesting how by using different techniques you can capture different audiences. I didn't really think about it much before, but now I see how it can really be effective. Its good to know though because thats a lot of what I'll be doing in my major. I'm glad we took the time to study this because I think its really something I'll use a lot in my near future.

Visual Rhetoric

As I walk down the halls of UVU I am hit with a barrage of visual rhetoric. There are ads with reds, yellows and blues, soft colors that lure you in and bold colors that inspire. Since we discussed visual rhetoric in class I analyze EVERYTHING! Questions come to mind such as: Why is he pointing at me? Does he really want ME or is his target audience older people since his hair is gray. Maybe he’s targeting patriotic people with his stars and stripes hat. I notice how ads have "hot" women dressed in sexy clothes (or lack thereof) to try to sell products that have absolutely nothing to do with women or sex for that matter. Or how companies pay celebrities endorse products that they would never actually use. I remember hearing of a Carls Jr. add that had Audrina Patridge in a bikini eating a fatty burger. I can almost guarantee you she never actually EATS those burgers because if she did she wouldn’t look the way she does.

Honestly, before we talked about visual rhetoric I did noticed how odd advertising was, for instance, when they would get attractive women to talk about a computer game that would typically cause attractive women to run for the hills. But now that we have deeply discussed visual rhetoric I over analyze things every color, every piece of text, every item in the scene. Why is that water bottle there? Why does the model have a wedding ring on? Why did they put the women on the left not the right?

It has become a fun sort of “game” for me to try to figure out the “why”. I’m sure my analysis is not always correct but they are good enough for me J

Visual Rheoric

Through all of our studies of visual rhetoric I've learned quite a bit. I never realized how much thought goes into each advertisement we see in magazines, on billboards, and all around us. Nothing is ever accidental concerning and ad. Each aspect is carefully analyzed and processed before it's placed on the board. There are so many ways to reach out and snag people's attention and to make them feel like they need your product. It would be interesting to be able to sit in a room with a company that is designing an advertisement knowing what I know now about visual rhetoric. I wonder if I could be any help! :)

I'm not gonna buy that, and you can't make me.

     Our class discussions on visual rhetoric have changed the way I look at advertisements
in a few key ways. I'm much more analytical when I look at ads. Now I look at the ad
and I consider what consumer base the ad is trying to reach? And how are the advertisers
trying to reach their intended consumers? What lifestyle or image are they representing?
And what rhetorical strategies do they use to accomplish their goal? I also seem to have
lost a certain ignorance when perceiving advertisements. No longer do I just take in an
ad blindly. I'm not content to just digest the ad as is. I want to break it apart. I want
to analyze it's pieces. I guess that comes back around to I'm much more analytical in the
way I look at ads now. Which is a good thing. I like having a deeper understanding of how
advertisers are trying to sway my opinion. It gives me a better defense against the
constant bombardment of ads that I wade through each day. Well, that's all
I have for now, peace out.

I definitely see advertisements in a new perspective now. The common knowledge in sales and advertising is that you look at things from the outside to inside. By thinking about what is appealing to the customers will benefit companies with increased sales. I suppose for myself I can now put a term to what I do when I analyze an advertisement. I can refer to logos, pathos, kairos, or ethos to determine if I am the targeted audience and how I can relate to that product. Personally I like to be able to see myself using the specified product; otherwise I have no reason to read on about it. There are more details that I can focus on that can boost the appeal of the ad also. Everyone’s comments about those details really do point out the art of symbolism that can be involved. Symbolism is a very common and obvious method for interpretation. Another thing worth mentioning is that for most ads there is more of an implication to a global perspective. I’m sure that the advertising specialists are not just focused on getting the “clique” to buy their products, but anybody close to that range. I do like the fact that from everyone’s point of view, there are so many things that can have a factor of importance within the ad. I work with a company that does a lot of advertising, and I’ve just always been pretty ignorant about why any ad is done a particular way. And now I feel enlightened. (smiley face)

Visual Rhetoric

I have noticed that after we have discussed and talked about visual rhetoric, the more i have used it in my daily-routine'd life. Whenever i look at an advertisement, i always catch myself looking at more details and seeing how the seller is trying to convince me to buy his/her product. It's very interesting looking at the crazy ideas people come up with to try to get you to buy what they are selling. Sometimes its quite entertaining, other times its just weird, and sometimes i just find myself asking "What on earth does this have to do with the product?". I used to not really pay attention to the little details that are in pictures, but after our class discussion and seeing the way everyone picked out little things they saw, it kind of helped me open my eyes and see all those bits and pieces rather than seeing the picture as a whole, even though that can be helpful at times. One last thing i learned is to read the fine print in the picture or the writing (if any) because sometimes the things people write on their ads makes it more understandable rather than looking at the picture itself and trying to make sense of it.

iTunes Store

As I looked around the iTunes store looking for some new tunes for my iPod, I was overwhelmed by all the many choices that it had to offer me! The bright colors of one link contrasting to the next made my head spin! Looking at a rhetoric perspective, this was a bold move for these artists who want their album art to attract potential customers right away. The words "NEW ALBUM" blinking across the screen also caught my eye and made me wonder, "Oooo! What's that?" Catching audiences attention in that sense was very successful as well. As I looked at the home page of this store, it reminds me of a whole crowd of people trying to get your attention. Only the ones who are forceful in the sense of bright, bold colors, or screaming, "HEY! LOOK! I'M NEW!" would successfully catch my attention first. Thinking even further, it's like a game of who's going to get on top, which is essentially what every business is doing, right? It makes sense to me that they would use those tactics to be seen first. I mean, come on! Who would gaze at a boring grey album cover first over a bright red and yellow one? Or one that has "NEW!" in 72 font size, underlined to the maximum, and bolded to the limits? That is how viewing iTunes in a rhetorical eye has now got me thinking....it's strange to see all the different ways people are trying to suck my iTunes card's money out of me with their sneaky, yet efficient ways!

Prada

Prada! The name itself has it's own standing among the fashion world. If you know anything about fashion you know Prada. It is for the elite, those who want the cutting-edge of fashion. The web page personifies that. The home page is a photograph of a white canvas sheet like covered room with interesting detailed art mostly black with accents of red and blue. In the center of the floor is what looks like a red rock arch and there are railings strategically placed around the room. i would venture to say that this is an innovative cat-walk for a runway show. It shows the cutting-edge persona that is Prada. There demographic would be the outer-direct consumer, the achievers. Those who are successful and sophisticated and like to stay on the up-and-up to show their success. Just knowing the name I know it's nothing I could come close to being able to afford. Just the home page reiterates that. .... ho-hum .. one day...

Crazy big, like an animal.

I chose to analyze Animalpak.com. To be honest I was a little confused as to what this website was about at first, but after a few minutes I managed to deduce that they must be selling body building supplements. Most of the Images on the site are of very buff men, portrayed in various settings that all appear to be in a gym, either working out or just posing / flexing in front of a mirror. Nobody looks at the camera, all the models seem preoccupied with their own routine or workout. Most of the images look real, that is they don't look staged. Except for the ones where the product takes the center stage, those pictures do have a “concocted” or staged look to them. The images focus on the individual. For example the pictures tend to have one model per picture, and that one model is the main focus for the image. The models are very buff, implying that the supplements being sold work well. At this point I'm not sure what value system the author of the site is trying to reach. But I am pretty sure that men are the targeted audience. Even the name itself seems to have manly qualities. I think that the website does a fare job of portraying images of what a body builder would want to look like. Although excessive muscle building is not my desire, the visual rhetoric on this website has intrigued me enough to at least read the ingredients for their product. Well that's my analysis, albeit limited, of the visual rhetoric of animalpak.com.

Viva La Coldplay!

I was instantly intrigued by the idea of going to coldplay.com, because of the incredible music the band Coldplay puts out. I had equally high expectations for the website. When you first enter the site it has the word “Viva” in red and black letters boldly written across the screen. The rest of the page is white, with very simple drawings and a child like font. The Center focus of the word “Viva” immediately reminded me of their latest album (which is brilliant, if you haven’t picked it up already). The page defiantly has a main focus of the new album, and even has a link to download some free music of theirs, as a thank you to the fans. Although I have all the free songs, I immediately entered my email address and downloaded the free music. (What is it with me and the word ‘free’?) I think the free download will make fans feel loved and appreciated by the band. If you click the other links such as “news” or “discography”, the website continues to have an artistic and simple feel to it. On the “live” page, it has a messy green paint background, with words that appear to be finger painted in white. The words say things like go, love, and heavy. The whole website reminded me of Viva La Vida tour and made me want to go see them live again, which in the end, is the effect I’m sure the web designer wanted. Great website, great band, check them out :]

Nike.com a website for the "Elite"

As I browse Nike.com it becomes very apparent that I have left the world of "normal" people with "normal" abilities, and been tossed into a world filled with athletes that can run faster jump higher and BE better. These new abilities and more are all because of Nike. And it leads me to believe that if I own a pair of Nikes I can become one of them too because once you own a pair of Nikes you'll never be normal again. On Nike.com you can browse a list of other not "normal" people like Andrei Kirilenko, and LeBron James and it even has the source of their abilities... "Which Nike shoes they use". Once you own your own pair of Nikes the website has lots of tools to help you fit in to your new family, like for instance you can learn how to "Draw the Double Team" from Lebron James, or learn to do a "Pull-up Jumper" from Kobe Bryant. You can also get connected with your own "Ballers Network" set up games with other "Elite" Nike shoe owners. I feel that the visual rhetoric of this website is that they are all better than you, and if you want to be one of them you need Nike shoes to do it. Luckily for me, I’ve never wanted to be anyone but ME, so this website had very little affect on me.

Long Live Coldplay

The visual rhetoric of coldplay.com- Coldplay is one of my favorite bands yet I have never been to their website. I feel like coldplay.com is expressing an amount of artistic abilities with the background and focal points of the website. With stripes of paint in black, red, and white they have taken a simplistic approach to designing a site that has a precise artistic feel. It is clear what Coldplay is trying to get across… “VIVA” often an expression used in Spanish type languages to say ‘long live’... or just ‘live’. It is also one of Coldplay’s headlining songs in one of their newest cd’s (which is a great cd by the way). What isn’t clear is what mode of art they are using, this possibly a way that they are expressing Coldplay as a band that is well rounded or has many different fans that like all types of genres. The other pages of the website also follow the same style of artistic style and ideas, this website is not the typical website, and it is very apparent that the designer has put some thought into how this site is supposed to flow and look. I’m sure over the course of history Coldplay has had many websites, this one is possibly the most creative, and also may express their current purpose as a band, and that seems to be that they want to create good music that all types of people want to listen to.

Kobe Zoom IV

I visited www.Nike.com and they had some pretty cool ideas for visual rhetoric. They have this 3D virtual imagery where you click on a little bar that you can drag across your screen and above the bar there is a picture of a new shoe they are trying to sell called the Kobe Zoom IV. You drag the bar across your screen and it moves the shoe in a certain way so you can see all the angles of vision. I thought this was a very good, and very usefull idea of visual rhetoric because it lets you view the shoe in multiple angles instead of just 1. If you can only see the shoe in 1 angle, You are risking the fact that you might not even like the shoe if you bought it. The way they portray their product, you are able to see the whole show in every angle possible and it sort of makes you feel like your actually holding the shoe. The image is crystal clear and it feels like its right there in front of you! Another good use of visual rhetoric in this 3D visual imagery is the fact that the shoe has Kobe Bryants (one of THE biggest NBA stars if you didnt know) signature in gold lettering on the back of the shoe. And that would persuade ANY die hard fan of Kobe Bryant to buy these shoes because they are "Kobe's" shoes. All in all, i think Nike.com's visual rhetoric is very succesfull because they have a very unique way of displaying/selling their products. Excuse me while i go purchase those shoes. ;-)

Inceptmarine

I went to my own sight http://www.inceptmarine.com/k30x-whitewater-inflatable-kayak.htm. If you scroll down a little, click on the link "watch Sally in action". I love whitewater kayak videos, as I am a kayaker (of the extreme creek-boater variety) and this video is geared to an audiance of my community. The goal of the video is to sell their boat to a group who is usually quite critical of the performance and durability of inflatable kayaks. Incept Marine could have wrote till they were blue in the face about it's performance and we still wouldn't believe them. This video definately proves us wrong on this boat. I like the music too, it makes the kayakers experiance in their boat seem crazy and fun. They also show all the things that a kayaker would be looking for: how well in plays in the waves, running falls, manueverability, rolling, how durable it is (slamming on the brakes and letting the kayak fly off the top of their vehicle) and how easy it is in getting it inflated and ready to run those rivers. I would love to back-pack it into a remote river and have an awesome adventure. I want one!!!

express yourself ?!

www.express.com

The argument being made in this ad is that if you purchase their clothes now, you will save money and be in fashionable clothes for the fall season. The target audience for this ad is men and women from late teens to late twenties. It appeals to logos, or logic, that you need to buy the pants now in order to get the discount prices and be ready for fall. However, even though the prices are not shown the ad is sufficient. I would be motivated to click on the shopping guide link to investigate the prices right away to calculate how much money I would really be spending on these pants. All in all it is a very typical ad because you would see this in lots of different stores. The sale of buy 1 item and get the 2nd item half off is an eye catcher to bring the interest of the target audience to at least find out more about the products and the prices. The argument is accurate because you would be saving 50% off the 2nd pair of pants purchased. We are not able to know if this fashion is “in” for fall because they do not make any appeal to authority. Therefore we do not know if this part of the argument is accurate. The argument is relevant because it does appeal to the target audience. This age group is both concerned about being “in style” and saving money. Although the argument does have some flaws, it works for the audience it is intended for.

The one and only Coldplay!!!

I have been a Coldplay fan for a long time so when I saw that their website was recommended I jumped on it! I have visited this website many times and I'm pretty comfortable with it. Not only is the website so coldplay but it really easy to use which I love! I'm not the best at computers so when it gets too complicated I stop looking and move on to something else. The fact that Coldplay.com makes me want to stay on it for hours, must mean it is an amazing site. Maybe I'm just an obsessed fan but in my opinion, it is very well put together. Something that makes you instantly comfortable is a good thing. Sometimes I see sites that have way to much going on and it just turns me off but coldplay.com has a simplicity about it that I love. So check it out! It's pretty much amazing. :)

Children's innocence

Have you ever wondered what war does to children’s innocence? I came across a photography taken by Reza during the war in Bosnia. The photo depicts a girl leaning against a dark wall in a corner of a war-torn Sarajevo. Her eyes are set on the photographer, yet she seems beyond her own place. She wears a red winter’s hat, a long coat that reaches her knees and colorful gloves that remind the viewer of childhood dreams. On the girl’s left-side, against a blurry background of what seems an alley, the girl’s Christmas presents wait to be sold. The girl, whose eyes pierce one’s heart, is selling her dolls so that her family may have food to survive. There is no bloodshed or wounded people to be seen, but the image of a child giving away part of her childhood shows another side of war, a side that hurts even more than physical death.
Is interesting to notice all the emotions that that the picture itself evoke on you. It makes you thing about what is important in life, like family. There is so much to learn from children like her, especially --the power that love has in times of war.
What do you think that happens to children’s innocence when they are forced to grow up amidst the pains of war? Do they love more or less?

http://digitaljournalist.org/issue0701/oneworld47.html

Zune... Zune...

There is no mistaking what the product is or what it does. I see Zune written everywhere on the page. It has advertisements like portable and perfection. It also is introducing a new une HD, sleek, poerful, and packed with features like multi-touch navagation, HD radio tchnology, and HD video. It puts a world of enterainment in the palm of your hand. It has a list of applications that you can experience; Music, Video, Pictures, Radio, Marketplace, Social, and Internet. There listed in a sequnce kind of order from most popular to less popular. I liked how they have all these ways of helping people learn more or experience the zune just by clicking a button. I feel that it was a great advertisement and everything is flashy with cool colors and sweet electronic devices. When you go to this website you feel that if you were to purchase this item that you would be hip and cool around your friends. I think they should use more direct words toward a specific age of people though. Like Ipod has a cool picture of a guy rocking out to his music, that would be more enticing to me.

Life is a freakshow?

To be honest, and pardon my slang, I was incredibly creeped out while browsing on animalpak.com. Through cruising the sight I came to the conclusion that it is a body building group or power lifting training. However, at my first glance of the sight I felt like I'd been thrust into the movie Fight Club. I started to hear Brad Pitt's voice as Tyler Durden talking about how the world needs to be reduced to chaos and anarchy and such. The website contains unsettling tabs like "The Breach" and "Life is a freakshow". The visual rhetoric was so dark, I don't know why anyone would want to be involved in this operation. I realize that it's probably something harmless like lifting weights and drinking protein shakes, but all I see are steroids and violence. The people they draw in from this are not individuals I would like to encounter in a dark alley...or anywhere really for that matter. I'd feel so puny and helpless against their bulging veiny bodies. This website is going to give me nightmares of gigantic monsters hurling dumbells and cases of protein supplement.

People Who Wear the Dolce and Gbabbana aren't happy?

As I browsed through the website for the Dolce and Gabbana Company I noticed that none of the models in any of the pictures were smiling. Why is this? Maybe it is because they are unhappy with what they are wearing, or maybe are they simply “too good” to smile and look like an average person getting their picture taken? It can be that they are unhappy because the clothes they are wearing are too bold or loud, or it can be that they don’t like the particular style of the outfit they are trying to advertise. Perhaps they feel as if they don’t have the body they need to pull off what they are wearing. Whatever the reason, it simply makes the person viewing the photograph of them not want to buy the outfit that they are wearing. It makes them think that perhaps if they wore the same outfit the model is wearing then maybe it might make them unhappy also. It also makes them think that since the beautiful and handsome models aren’t happy, then obviously I won’t be happy with the outfit either. Since the clothes that are sold through the Dolce and Gabbana Company are extremely expensive, I personally think that the models who are wearing their products should smile more. It will give the potential costumers the idea that maybe if I wear the same outfit the model is wearing then I too might be happy and maybe my self-worth and esteem may improve.

Coldplay

Ok so I went to check out coldplay.com and it seems about right. It expresses who they are very well I think. Its cool, grabs your attention, easy to understand, and shows their personality. Its easy to follow especially with the major things like where they'll be touring, what they'll be doing and all of that kind of stuff. The center viva is very well presented for what they're going for. Anyone who knows anything about coldplay realizes that that's their slogan for their new album. I think it was very well put together and represents who they are and what they're going for.

Scientology REALLY fascinated me.

I have for several years heard about the religion of Scientology. I have always wondered what it was about? Where did the religion originate from? After all Tom Cruise, John Travolta and several other famous celebrities are members of Scientology it must be something interesting or could be something crazy and out of this world. This is the thought process or belief I have had. I clicked on the website and was very fascinated of the message that was available. The website was very well done. The videos that were available was very well done. I was drawn into the the message "Scientology know yourself, know life." They believe that man is basically good and he is seeking to survive. After watching a few of the videos I was interested in finding out about the founder of Scientology. L Ron Hubbard is the founder born in 1911. This man has an awesome autobiology. He has been the youngest Eagle Scout in history, he has traveled thousands of miles from the east to west studying culture and religion. He has lived extreme adventures and he has studied science and the spirit of man. He was a great author and wrote many, many books. He authored a book Workable technology of the mind "Dianetics" this has been the biggest selling book on the mind. This was the stepping stone to discovering of long elution of life source. He discovered past life exteriorisation. Demostrating the spirit was in deed separable from the body and mind thus Scientology was born. Finding this information has brought me a whole new knowledge of Scientology. That the religion is not mysterious and leaving me wondering what it is all about.

Dolce and Gabanna

Ok, so I have to admit that I went to prada.com first and it was extremly tough to write about their site and how it caught my interest because there wasn't much detail on the page so I decided to visit Dolce and Gabanna instead. I like their company much better anyway! Anywho, I was quickly impressed with the home site page. I had almost mistaken the lady in the big white fur jacket to be a polar bear. I thought that her outfit was quite unique. What I can tell from this site is they have their own way of speaking out to the public about fashion. It is loud and intriguing. Becaue of their bizarre case of clothing, it was instantly an eye opener and caught my attention. The first thing that came to mind was "expensive and down right ugly". I wouldn't say that it is rare for Dolce and Gabanna to have ugly things because from my experience, I have walked into many fashion show malls and have seen the most hideous apparel, but because of it's "uniqueness", it attracts those of the more wealthier side. I think they showed emotion by putting two children in their. I am not sure what for, but my guess is you can dress your kid in their ugly clothing too? First off, who would buy a two hundred and fifty dollar shirt for a six year old anyway? Don't they start clean then end up filthy when they come home? Why would you wanna risk spending an incredible amount of money when it is going to have other kids lovely boogers and other bodily functions all over it anyway? Don't get me wrong, I have seen some incredibly cute accesories from Dolce and Gabanna, but their clothing slacks a little in my opinion. I think for what they are trying to sell, it is a little over priced. If you ask me, I will stick to Nordstroms. Theyre price is about as high as I can go and want to go!

Wow really intrigued me!!

I went to the Dolce & Gabbana site. I looked at a couple of the advertisements there, but one really made me interested. They had a picture of some sun glasses that looked really interesting. So I clicked on it. What I saw next was really weird, just a bunch of words describing what the glasses were made out of. But it had really interesting music that didn't make much sense with just a bunch of words. So I clicked next and it took me to 2 glass stands with black covers over them. I really wanted to see what was under them. When you click on one of the stands it has an option to lift the black cover to peek at what was under them. So I did. It made me mad at first because when you did that it only showed you the glasses for just a second. Well I wanted to get a better look at them so you can understand my frustration. And then all the sudden the cover flies off and it brings up the glasses so you can really get a good view of them.

I think this advertisement is effective because it really gets you wanting more. It is very mysterious and just really brings out your curiosity. They don't fulfil your curiosity at first they make you keep going further and further which is a really good technique. I think it works very well for them. It worked on me at least.

Creature of the Woods

Within the deep recesses of many of us lurks a creature. This creature seeks freedom from the cultural normalities of our society. This creature wants to be free. Free to wander as it wills. If it wants to go poop in the woods, so be it. If it finds joy in hiding behind a bush and chucking pinecones at unsuspecting passerbys, then it will. If It yearns to scamble across the majestic mountain slopes exploring every nook and cranny, and then explore every stream, river, and lake, chasing ducks along the way, ok then. Catching snakes, minnows, and snipes is no big thing, nor is rain, snow, the desert heat, or the darkness of night. It loves thunderstorms and the wind. When it lies down at night, it stares upon the full moon and all the wonderous constellations, the glowing yellow eyes of all it's brothren in the dark recesses of the forest. It listens to the wind, and converses with the chatter of it's wild family. It enjoys the cool breeze, the softness of grass underneath, and even the stickiness of tree sap stuck to it's paws. And finally it is lulled to sleep by the intoxicating scent of pines and fallen rain. Do you perhaps believe that you just might be one of us? If so, come along. We will show you our ways and our hearts. Dont be afraid. We will be family, and we will take care of one another, for deep down we all are one.

Join us at http://sasquatchesanonymous.blogspot.com/

They Just did it

I went to the Nike website and was at first a little confused by what I saw. Was that a bad thing. At first you would think so. However when you become confused you often become curious. Pretend you walk into the room just as someone finishes a story and the room bursts into laughter over the closing line. In your head that phrase has no significance and is not funny. Suddenly you forget why you entered the room in the first place and instead need to know what that story was. I was struck with this desire as the Nike web site finished loading and a man with what I guessed to be scales was looking back at me. I thought to myself hmm....... Some sort of lizard man.....what are they trying to say? I was intrigued I must admit and so I pressed the play button and one commercial later I realized it was advertising a new type of padding with hexagons on it. With my curiosity sated I was able to appreciate the proposed merchandise Having been lured into viewing the commercial and appreciating the strength and speed and determination depicted by the player who in contrast completely demoralized the other players lacking something. What was that something? Well it was Nike's Scale like football pads. I think this ad was very effective at drawing me in and intriguing me. I might just have to get me some scale skin.

Pepsi or Coke?

Here's my Believing and Doubting essay for everyone to read! :) Here's the scene: a man in a grocery store, deciding what kind of tasty beverage he wants to drink...enjoy! :) :)

As I stand in the grocery store, staring at the two biggest drinks ever comprised, I scrunched my eyebrows and placed my hand on my chin in deep contemplation. There they were, two long shelves of Coca-Cola beverages and Pepsi soft drinks. Oh how I wanted them! The thirst that was upon me nearly overwhelmed my senses. My throat was dry and my eyes blood shot from the lack of confidence in choosing a suitable soda to satisfy my senses. Pepsi or Coke? The choice was maddening!

The sweet taste of Coca-Cola flew into my senses as I could taste the caramel, fizzy, and smooth liquid run down my throat. Remembering the smell of it was intoxicating! I glanced over at the Pepsi products. Poof! My Coca-Cola angel appeared on my right shoulder, caressing my face, gently. “You don’t want Pepsi, my friend. Coke is where it’s at! Remember that time at the Christmas party?” He teased. I smiled as I reflected back on the time he was referring to.

“That was a slamming party,” I admitted to myself as my Coke angel softly pushed my head to look at the Coca-Cola section once again with a giant grin his devilish face.

“Red is the color of power and adventure. Choose the Coca-Cola. It’ll make you invisible!” He whispered, convincingly. I do like adventure, but wait a minute.

“Aren’t you my shoulder devil?” I asked averting my gaze to look at the red angel, standing on my shoulder. He looked surprised. “You’re all dressed in red with little horns on your head. Wouldn’t that make the guy who’s about to appear to tempt me about the Pepsi, my shoulder angel?” He glared at me in fury.

I continued to gaze at my choices between the two soda kings, Coca-Cola and Pepsi. I furled my eyebrows once again in the exasperating attempt to choose between the two colas. Poof! A blue devil appeared on my left shoulder. His face staring down my Coke Angel, maliciously. “The man is right, red’s the color of evil! Blue is where love, harmony, and peace come from. That means when you pick up the Pepsi drink, you will be filled with sweet satisfaction and nothing will ever disturb that inner bliss! Think of it’s vanilla taste, superior caramel color and texture, the carbonation not making your stomach bloat up with too much air, and the ladies love it,” my Pepsi Angel persuaded, tempting me with the thought of less carbonation. A smile spread across my face at that thought as I stared deep into the inviting blue labels of the Pepsi products.

I reached one arm out, ready to grab one of the twelve ounce plastic Pepsi bottles in front of me. My Coke devil tugged on my ear to try to stop me as my Pepsi devil mocked the other devil victoriously. My fingers touched the bumpy grip of the bottle’s exterior. I came to my senses, my grin fading. “Hold on, how do you know that Pepsi has less carbonation than Coke? And my wife hates the soda period!” I argued, looking at the blue devil on my left shoulder.

“What? No, no, no! You can drink it! Your wife doesn’t have to know!” the Pepsi devil pleaded as the Coke devil burst out in laughter. I shrugged my shoulders, walked down the aisle a little ways, grabbed a Country Time Lemonade, twisted the bottle’s cap with a swish of a sound, and downed half of it in sweet contentment with a sigh of relief. That’s what I needed. The two devils on either side of my face moaned and cursed in defeat as they disappeared with two loud poofs! I smiled in my pleasure as I began to walk to the check out line to pay my $2.89 plus tax worth of quenching relief.

Any comments? I would like to hear them...thanks! :)

My Hardship

A few days ago, i was driving to my work to pick up my tips (i work at Tucanos in Provo) and after that, go to the bank. On the way down from my house (i live up on "Y" mountain) i was driving as a normal person should. by obeying the speed limit and rules of the road. Well as i was driving i was going up a small hill, which we will call road "A". and at the peak of that hill, there is another road perpendicular to the road i was driving on, which we will call road "B". There is a yield sign at the end of road "B" and as i reached the peak of this little hill, something moving very fast came flying down the perpendicular road (road "B") and flew straight in front my my car. there was no time for me to respond to the situation, it was all within a matter of a millisecond. Or so it felt like. Before i could even comprehend what had happened, i was down road "A" about 10 or 15 feet. As soon as i came to realize what happened, i slammed on my breaks and looked in my rear view mirror to see what i had hit. Trauma and horror fell into my eyes as i looked at a little 14-year-old girl on the side of the road looking up at my car with a very bloody face. I immediately turned around and dialed 9-1-1. At first, she didn't realize what happened, but as i got out of my car, she looked down at her left leg and twitched it a little to see if she could get up or move. After this brief moment, i heard the most terrifying, devastating scream i have ever heard in my entire life! The sound of her cries have consistently replayed in my mind the last 3 days. After the paramedics got to the scene, i realized that if i had been going even 1 MPH faster, i would have hit her head on and probably ran over her and possibly killed her. This blew my mind away! I felt my eyes water as tears trickled down my face! How lucky i was to have been going that 1 mph slower which in my opinion, saved her life! I feel very blessed in a way, even though i changed this little girls life forever! I will always remember the look on her face as she screamed for her best friend, it felt like needles being shoved into my ears! After it happened, it felt like a giant nightmare that i couldn't wake up from. I wanted to wake up so badly, but nothing happened. I quickly realized it was a real encounter, and it happened to me, and there was nothing i could do to change it.

Do Seven-Headed Dragons Truly Exist?
By Scott England


Do you really think that all the mythical creatures of the Book of Revelations is for real? Did angels really come down out of Heaven to procreate with the daughters of men, creating giants upon the Earth? Was the Garden of Eden really guarded by a cheribum with a flaming sword? In the Last Days, will we really be branded with the mark of the beast upon our foreheads? Did Adam and Eve really fall (bringing death and birth into the world unto all creatures including mankind), after eating a forbidden apple? How much of the scriptures are symbolic? How much eternal truth lay unrevealed to man because we are not prepared to receive such? God has used symbolism and parables, allowed vagueries and mistruths into our library of spiritual knowledge, for our benefit. The more we come to know, the more we realize we don’t know.
Look at creationism vs. evolution for example. Does it really make sense that humans, and many other living creatures, carry organs that have absolutely no function to them, for examples: our appendixes and the hip bones of whales. Why do Humans look so much like apes? Why is our social structure so similar to that of other apes? And why is there so much evidence that we evolved from lower primates? Yet it is written that Adam was the first man. Even though I am a Latter-day Saint, I believe in evolution. It is powerful evidence that God does truly exist, directing the course of progression between the species, displaying his love and involvement in our lives. His fairness in love to all creatures is apparent, after all, humans have only existed here on earth for a flicker of time. Adam was still the first Man even if he was born of a Neanderthal. I believe that God created Adam from the dust of the Earth through evolution. And in the womb, Man received the breath of life, and upon his birth, the light of Christ. And God came down from his home on high and raised Adam to be a man like unto himself. And perhaps he truly did create Eve from the rib of Adam as a reminder that husband and wife should be one. Is not that ability beyond us today? God taught Adam and Eve right from wrong and to make decisions for themselves. Once they exercised making their own decisions, they were blessed by consequences and received wisdom.
What about resurrection of all life into an unending immortal state? I believe that whatever has a beginning, also has an end, and whatever has no beginning, has no end. Think about this: Why in the world would a lion have incredible strength, massive claws and teeth for the tearing of flesh, keen sense of smell and hearing for hunting, camoflauge, a digestive tract for the consumption of flesh, or the circulatory and respitory systems for the delivering the nutrients derived from his prey to his cells? Why would every behavior of a lion be conducive to its character as a hunter if for the rest of eternity it would no longer be able to hunt because all life will be immortal? Why, if for the space in time, in comparison to one trillionth of the radius of an electron to that of a trillion times the length of our planet to the farthest star in the universe, would such traits that make up everything that a lion is, only be logical in such a miniscule time within eternity? I do not believe that God wasted his time in creating the lion. I believe the lion will continue to be a lion until he has completely fulfilled the measure of his creation.
I believe in eternal progression. Would it be fair for a worm to always be a worm? Wouldn’t it be blessing for that worm to progress, to gain in intelligence, little by little, dying and taking upon its spirit a new body of higher order, eventually being able to experience the joys of love, excitement, discovery, and fulfillment that we now enjoy. Wouldn’t it be an incredible blessing given by our Father for all of his creations to develop and have all that he has? I would hope that we could continue to progress, gaining in spiritual capacities within each reincarnation, albeit our spiritual memories are veiled by our physical minds. But that is advantageous to us, as we grow by exercising our faith. Hopefully, throughout the consequent eternities, over all, we will not procrastinate too much, that we may not suffer excessively, and have to endure the buffetings of Satan for too long. But avoiding the ‘’Everlasting torment of fire and brimestone” of the Testiments is a strong motivator.

Part-timer

I feel like life is moving at such an incredible speed that there is no way I'll catch it. I work part time in slc, schedule 9am to 230pm Monday thur Friday, I come to school at night Monday thur Thursday. I've been going to school now for 3 semesters this one being my 4th and I am still a freshmen! I have come a long way to just get to a level playing ground with other college students. My problem is that I can't afford to do anything full time. I need to work to pay for school and by doing so I can't be a full time student. I feel that I'm running at the speed of a turtle for lack of a better word. Our lives are so busy it feels like we are all part-timers, we have our hands in so many things at onces its hard to organize and decide on our priorities. I'm affraid that before I know it I'll be 5 years down the road and just be graduating. I don't want this to be the case but it could be with all the part time things in my life.

Overwhelmed!!!

Well this year I am a freshman. I graduated from high school in May so I am going through a big adjustment. Having to juggle my life between working in Delta, my boyfriend, school and of course trying to balance money have all really been hard for me. I've never really had bills or anything until now so before now i could just spend my money on whatever I wanted as long as i had enough for gas. I drive up to Orem from my apartment in Payson and it really is hard for me because I spend $35 ever 3-4 days in just gas alone. Really my overall problem is money!!! I went and paid for my books and I just realized they charged me twice for them so until I can get that figured out I'm living with about $10 in my bank acount. (literally) The school work is a lot different then it was in high school thats for sure. In high school I never had to go to school just had to make sure my assignments were turned in on time and I could still pull straight A's. College is more like you have to be in class to understand whats going on and there is a ton more homework and study time. So pretty much I just need to adjust to living on my own and learn how to balance everything. But until then.....Im just so overwhelmed!!

Politics

So it seems in today's world to get a lot of things done you need to be on the inside somehow. Whether it be on a sports team, a job, getting on the good side of one of your professors, or whatever it may be, you need to have a connection. Connections seem to be a key point to making some of these things happen anymore. Example: When I moved down here I tried and tried to find a job for a good six weeks before finally having any success. The only reason I feel like I got the job I have right now is because I knew the general manager beforehand. He totally hooked me up and saved my first semester here at UVU. Although its unfair, its life. Lets be honest. All through high school I saw people make the sports teams, receive leadership positions, and obtain "special awards" because their older brother or sister had done a good job prior to them obtaining the position. All of the time over qualified people get turned down due to the world of politics. So what do you do about that? I guess you've got to start somewhere right? Everyone starts at ground zero sometime in their life huh.

Hmmmmm.... I don't know.

Well I seriously can't say I have any problem that I am facing here at UVU besides a little extra time on my hands which I am sure will change here pretty soon due to homework! Ya see, about a week before school started, my whole schedule changed. I got a new job, signed back up in dance, and registered for night classes. Everything just fell into place. Anywho, just these past two weeks, I have had these three hour breaks in between my classes with nothing to do! I actually wish homework would start already!! I live in Springville so because of gas and timing, it is a little inconvenient for me to drive all the way back home to turn right back around. I feel very lucky to say that I have no serious problem I am facing here at UVU. I love this school. I think it is kind hard to keep blogging when there is no problem. I guess I agree with that one kid in our class (im sorry I forgot your name) . When there is no problem, it is hard to write and use two hundred and fifty words to describe how there is really no problem. I am enjoying life right now and where my education is. I think UVU is a great school and pretty organized if you ask me. Well i hope this is two hundred and fifty words. Sorry I cant tell! Well I hope you enjoyed reading this pointless blog cause I really just rambled on.

My great life as a UVU student

This is my second semester here at UVU and I enjoy it. Last semester I did a lot of playing and only took two serious classes and had three play classes. I had no worries. My school was paid for through a grant, so I didn't need a job very badly. I figured I could just take my time through school. I was even working out with the UVU wrestling team and I would probably be wrestling with the team this year. But a lot has happened this summer that has made me decide that I need to be more serious. On June 26th I got married to my sweetheart. It has been a blast being married. But with school I am taking 4 hard classes and she is also taking classes full time. And on top of that we both work to pay the bills. So that is what I struggle with is being away from my wife. I am gone from 7:40 am to 9:00 pm every school day, than she normally works on the weekend as well. The good part is my wife and I are very good at using are time wisely. so we don't feel as overwhelmed as most people probably would. You know a lot of my dreams as a single guy being on the wrestling team and playing through college have come to an end. I wouldn't change what I got now for anything.

Get rid of your car!!!

Just a recommendation, but you must have an open mind to accept this as a possibilty for you. You could do what I am doing and get rid of your vehicle, you do get free bus fare as a student. If you can sell it, that would open up $$$$ from car loan payments (if you have them), gas, repairs, insurance, oil changes and services, new tires every couple years, registration, tickets, almost certain catastophic accidents that occur at least once during your lifetime- medical bills, disabilities, costly repairs resulting. There is a strong possibility of having to pay large unexpected sums of money that have to do with driving a car. Not to mention the fact all the interest you would not have to pay on credit cards and loans etc, because you could use that extra dough from not having a car for paying it off much more quickly. Or better yet, not have to get them in the first place. You would also have better credit and lower home mortgage rates. I would never buy a home in today's or tommorrow's economy anyway, it is no longer an asset, very far from it. But that is a subject for another posting. Anyway, do you have any idea how much money you would save while shopping as the result of relying on a bike, or your own two feet? How would you take all of that junk home with you? Unneeded purchases are greatly reduced. You could also invest all that saved money for retirement. You would do alot more walking or riding a bike which will make you much more healthy and save you alot on health-care costs when you get older. Your life would be more simple. Since you exercise more, you will be more healthy psycologicaly, and that will get you better paying jobs. Plus it is better on the enviroment. I went about 5 years as an adult without driving a car, it can be done.

STATS:
Here is rough example of how much I am saving by selling my truck, paying off my 4 year loan, and relieving myself of the associated expenses for the next 4 years:
Loan: $180/mo x 48 mo = $8640, Ins: $85/mo x 48 mo = $4080, Gas: $200/mo x 48 mo = $9600, repairs: abt $1000, tires(1 set) abt $600, oil changes(16x) $800, tune-ups abt $1000, registration abt $500, tickets abt. $500.

$26,520 is the amount spent on my vehicle in 4 years, excluding major repairs, accidents, and a few other costly factors. Transportation should only be %10 of your income! Wouldn't you much rather use that money for paying for school or something else of value?

Have I made the right choice to come back to school?

Well here we are at the beginning of the fall semester. And I can't help but wonder, have I made the right decision to come back to college? Am I wasting my time learning information that I may or may not use in the real world? At this point I'm not sure. And I wonder how many other people consider this same dilemma. I think that this is an important question, because it addresses why I'm doing what I'm doing right now. Well, let me consider my motivations: to learn new things, to meet new people, and so I can make more money in a more interesting and more fulfilling career. My current job pays pretty good. But it gives me no satisfaction, other than a paycheck. And it provides my with no mental challenge. It's safe to say that I don't want to make a career out of my current job.

If while here in college, all I did was learn new things, I would not consider my time wasted. In answer to my own question, yes I think that I made the right choice in coming back to school. I'm glad that I decided to come back to college. And I'm happy to share a classroom with you fine people. Hopefully this class can help me to grow as a writer, and succeed as a student.

Really Cool Post

I am in class right now, and this is a demonstration.

The troubles of being young!!!

I honestly haven't been here long enough to know any problems that are here at UVU. Being fresh from high school has me a little oblivious. So, I'm happy to say that I don't know of any problems. That's a plus! The only thing that's bothering my mind, my body for that matter, is a very difficult and complicated situation I am in right now. I'm in love with a boy that I barely even know. At least, when I've described it to a friend, that's what she said I was. In fact, I'm really not sure if that's what it is because I am so young, but it's completely possible too. I think about him constantly and I get anxious for no reason at all. Today at work for example, I had butterflies all day which gave me a very unpleasant stomach ache! It was terrible! I'm worried because I feel so strongly about this, but I don't know how he feels. AH! I can kinda tell that he's at least attracted to me, and this is how it's been for a year now, but honestly, I don't know what to do with myself. He's the first boy to intimidate me, and with the way I look, I know I intimidate him too. We're both also too shy to really get into any deep conversations, and my mind goes blank whenever I'm around him. It's so frustrating! We're friends, of course, but I kinda want to be more. I don't know what to do with myself because we don't see enough of each other, but circumstances becoming the way they are, I will see him more. I've decided to get his phone number and get over my intimidation and start talking to him! But to be honest, I don't know what I'm doing since I've never had any luck in this area, and there's this other girl who lives in another state who's OBSESSED with him! So, naturally, I'm feeling a little jealous and thinking that she should stop worrying about it because he's here. And I'm here. Makes sense to me! Anyways, I just hope that I can learn something from this because it is seriously driving me crazy, and I know this is SOOO high school, but make a comment if you want, I could use impute. Thank you!

Problems for me

The most important and frustrating problem that I am currently facing is the limited amount of time available for the things that I want and need to do. I have calculated that I have 16 hours in my weekdays. I am working full time of 30 hours a week to fund for my housing, food and bills. My day starts at 5:30am and it goes roughly until 9:30pm. For me, my work, school and training are my life. I will work until the early afternoon, and then head off to UVU for my classes. In the evening, I am training at the gym for a few hours every day, and then I work on my class assignments until I hit the hay. I can’t afford to stop working altogether because then I wouldn’t have the funds for my daily survival expenses. I can’t stop going to school because that would delay my goal towards finishing pharmacy school. I definitely cannot stop my gym training because that would drive me absolutely insane. I want to be able to train more at my grappling training so I can be amongst the best. I want to be able to work more to have more funds for a feeling of financial security to get me through school. I want to take more classes at UVU so I don’t have to wait any more to reach pharmacy school. With all these things I am doing in my life, it drains me mentally, physically and emotionally.

a problem with bookstore

I always have a problem with homeless animals it frustrates me when someone just drops their dog and leaves it abandoned.(ooh), I had new problem with the bookstore just yesterday. I purchased a "required book" for my class and found that the teacher didn't require the book. The book store added the book to the list. The book was purchased last week and it has a 24 hr return policy on the book and now the bookstore will not accecpt it back. Frustrated!!!

Evening classes

One problem I face as a student is finding the classes I need offered in the evening. I work full time during the day and so I only have time to take classes in the evening. I started with my first ASL 1010 class last fall. The next class, as far as I understand, is 1020. So far it has only been offered in the morning. I can't cut hours at work, I have a family to provide for. This includes insurance and if my hours drop below 36 then I loose full time status and loose insurance. I could look for another job that would free my mornings but everyone knows what the economy is like, finding a job is a bit difficult so why would I want to leave the security of one. By the time spring semester is here and if they happen to offer the class I need in the evening it will have been a year since I took my first class. With out the use ASL in my everyday life it starts to fade. I'll spend the first half of the class trying to remember what I learned and bringing myself back up to speed.

Culinary Program and everything that comes with it!

When I tell people i'm in the culinary program the response I get is "Wow, that's so cool!" Which it is, don't get me wrong, but nobody realizes that the price is not "Wow, that's so cool!" In fact, it sucks. Not only is it an extra $1,500 bucks on top of tuition but each one of our books cost around $100 on top of our very attractive and pricey uniforms. You would think that you could buy one uniform and get away with it but no, you need at least 4 to get you through the week. So, since I haven't been priviledged with wealthy parents, I get to figure out how to pay for school all on my own. Not only is it expensive but i'm in classes 8-5 almost everyday with pills of homework leaving no time to get a job. So how am I going to pay for my car, rent, insurance, gas, food, and other expenses? It's called a student loan. Not just one, but 3. I have always had a thing about getting into debt and how it would never be me but this semester has changed my mind. So debt here I come but at least i'll have my educattion, right?

Casheeesh!!

So..... I'm broke and I don't see that changing any time soon. Most if not all of us have a lot of expenses. For me they seem to have all come at once I am a first year student and didn't realize how complicated it would be to get grants or a student loan. I would without any outside hindrance be able to pay out of pocket. However lets just say that between my car that cant make it two weeks without needing any repairs, such as a blown tire last week, or being engaged and all that goes along with that I'm strapped for cash. I get paid every two weeks and I know where every penny of each of my paychecks will be going at least a month in advance. I went into the campus bookstore the other day to buy my textbooks and quickly realized I probably couldn't afford a coloring book let alone my 160 dollar math book or even my 50 dollar PE book. It seems like every time I turn around there is someone else there asking for money for one reason or another. You might think well there is a simple solution to the problem, and that solution would be to get a job or work more hours. I have a job which pays well but my problem lies in how to use my time. I have had to cut back my hours at work to be able to fit in all of my classes as they say time is money and as I say my money seems to be gone in no time.

Parking For Money Bags

Do you ever feel like everyone thinks you have an unlimited supply of cash? I don't know about you, but I do. I can understand some things take money to run. But the one thing I really have a hard time paying for is parking. Parking at UVU is obviously an issue. If you want to even park in a UVU parking lot, you must either pay the $50 per semester, or $80 per school year fee, or just suffer the consequences if you end up getting a ticket. To put this into perspective, the neighboring school, BYU, has many more students than UVU, and offers their parking for free. All you have to do is register your car and you can receive your free parking pass. UVU on the other hand charges to allow students to park at a school they are already paying tuition for. Are you wondering how much UVU might be making off of this? Well, lets say there are 4,000 people at UVU that pay for a parking pass this year... that's 320,000 dollars every year! Not to mention these students are paying for a parking pass just to drive up and down the rows of cars struggling to find a parking spot. I understand there are parking lots that are free but many of us are traveling to or from work and don't have the time to wait for the bus or take a 20 minute walk to class. UVU, if you are listening, please help!

Where the hall might lead

I often find myself wandering through the halls and I wonder where they might lead me. To the vast expanse of space among the sun and the moon, or deep inside the earth between her secrets yet untold. One day I'm an astronaut and yet another one a hunter of bones. It is as if every turn of the hall leads me no-where and everywhere, it is bitter-sweet. Through the hall of flags I leap like a frog from nation to nation, but I don't belong. Oh! Where is the place for my tired feet to rest? Is it science? Is it arts?
Today, as I traveled through the hall, feeling hopeless about the future, the hall led me to a place of silence, a place of books. I was afraid of the unknown until the sun hugged me through the windows and showed me the world outside. How blessed I was that very moment. That I could feel the warmth that gives life, that warmth that awakes the dead on spring days. It was then, even if it was for just a moment, that I felt that although as scary as it might be, I must follow where the hall might lead.

My problem I'm facing? I have no problem.

I know I'm supposed to post about a current problem I am facing as a UVU student. But what if I have no problems? What if I absolutely LOVE my life here at UVU? I am one of the sign language interpreters here as well as a full time student and it is wonderful! I really don't have anything to complain about, Even if I wanted to. So the only problem I am facing is my lack of a problem to write about for this assignment. Which is, as you can imagine a pretty big problem. The reason I feel that this is important to discuss is: I feel that not having a problem is probably a problem that a lot of students in this course are having right now.