Ten Years

            My first thought as I put on my makeup today was that ten years ago I didn’t wear makeup. The last time I saw my mother alive I was fresh-faced, my biggest worry was how fast I could run a mile in P.E. and my big weekend plans still involved the Disney channel. It’s amazing how much life can change in one decade. In fact, decade is a hefty word full of meaning. It represents an entire chunk of time passing, with new cultural fads, new technological innovations. As much as my life has changed, I hate the fact that a decade implies that enough time has gone by to escape the hurt that comes with losing someone so close to you. It’s not. No matter how many personal changes I’ve gone through, that hurt remains with you for life. The regret for words left unsaid has followed me into each new relationship. Career accomplishments come with the shadow of the one person who can’t tell me they’re proud of me. The loneliness can find you anywhere, even deep in the hills of Tuscany where I thought I could disappear from everything left behind.

            That’s not to say that strength doesn’t come from tragedy.

Trepidation to Education

(A look back at my internship experience in PR)

I think it is safe to say I started my internship at Freestyle Public Relations with a fair amount of trepidation. The word “intern” had my mind instantly conjuring up images of how my summer would be spent: making coffee, trying to figure out how to translate that skill to my resume, and working for someone who would probably mispronounce my name for three months. As my internship wraps up I am glad to say my preconceived notions have been proven false. Now when I hear the word “intern” another word comes to mind­— “opportunity”. Contrary to what I had previously believed, I spent my summer learning about the PR industry, furthering my skills, acquiring new real-world techniques and immersing myself in the industries of Freestyle’s clients. Also, my name was pronounced correctly every time.

 The Top 5 Things I Learned from Freestyle

 1)Lots of work and RESEARCH, RESEARCH, RESEARCH, go into everything
One thing that particularly struck me while working at Freestyle was just how much work goes into a successful public relations effort.

Stereotyping? There's an App For That

Twenty questions. It’s not just a game. That’s how long makers of the Android app “Is My Son Gay?” believed it would take mothers to get an answer. LGBT advocacy groups like Allout.org had the app, made by French development company Emmene Moi, taken down within a matter of days. No word yet on whether they will release a “Is My Mom a Bigot?” app anytime soon.

Visit Allout.org to see how you can help fight other problems facing the LGBT community.



(Wednesday Writing Challenge: 50 words)

Disaster in Italy

Three months ago I had the life-altering chance to work and live in Florence, Italy. While there I fell in love with the land, the people and the culture. However, that's not to say there is never a downside to traveling in a foreign country. The travel guides don't exactly highlight the less-than-glamourous side of travel which can include having to pay to use every public restroom, hostels that haven't changed the dirty sheets and "bathrooms" that are literally a hole in the ground. One trip in particular that I took with my friends was a series of unfortunate events from beginning to end. This is the story of Lido di Camiore...

I’m sure that Lido in and of itself is a cute town with a beautiful shoreline, but in my mind, Lido is hell.

After a beautiful day in Cinque Terre we (myself and five other interns) met up with the other 80 or so kids in our program to take the bus back to Lido di Camiore, where they had been having their two-week orientation while we had been in Florence. As we drove past all the towering mountains chock full of the marble that has created the art of Florence for centuries, we got more and more excited for our stay at the seaside. Truth be told we had been somewhat jealous of the other kids who got to spend their time between classes on the beach.

Wednesday Writing Challenge: Music Reviews (Part 2)

Marie Digby

Unfold

Marie Digby is more than just a cover artist. She blew up YouTube with her acoustic version of Rihanna’s “Umbrella”, but Digby’s first album shows triple threat stardom ahead. With a soulful, sultry voice and piano playing skills Vanessa Carlton would compliment, the rich lyrics are just icing on the cake. Digby is the opposite of today’s pop divas. You won’t find Auto-Tune anywhere on Unfold. She sings with that clear acoustic quality we wish all our favorite crooners had stuck with from Day 1. Instead of lyrics about getting drunk in clubs, Digby sings with vulnerability about love and heartbreak in tracks like “Stupid for You” and “ Miss Invisible”. Maybe we should all surf the web for our next music sensation. It they’re as talented as Digby, we won’t be disappointed.

Wednesday Writing Challenge: Music Reviews

Ke$ha

Animal

Ke$ha is the epitome of a foul-mouthed party girl that can’t get it together. She wears clothes made of trash bags, gothic proportions of eyeliner and glitter in places it just shouldn’t be. She has all the makings of a star people would love to criticize, but the crowds can’t get enough of her. Everyone loves a hot mess after all.

It’s because she owns up to everything. Ke$ha is Ke$ha and she doesn’t give a f*ck what anyone thinks. With lyrics like “I wanna be naked ‘cause you’re wasted” and “got a water bottle full of whiskey in my handbag,” the singer vocalizes what straight-laced girls wish they could be when they let their hair down. Yes, the album lacks any and all musical quality. And yes certain songs like “Dinosaur” deserve an immediate hit of the skip button (think Gwen Stefani’s spelling of ‘bananas). But sometimes a girl just wants to dance to a good beat and ridiculous lyrics. Here’s hoping her second album is just as much of a lovable disaster.

Roadtrip: Days 5 & 6

There has been a change of plans. Day 5 of my roadtrip was supposed to consist of me driving back to Pittsburgh then flying to Chicago, Day 6 would have been filled with shopping at Woodfield Mall with a sorority sister from school and Day 7 was going to be going to a Cubs game at Wrigley Field. Last year's Cubs game turned into quite the adventure when a gigantic downpour started right after the ninth inning, nearly flooding the stadium. Since we were all being cheap after an expensive weekend in Chicago, my two girlfriends and I ran through the rain/took a cab for a little bit/ran some more to get from Wrigley Field to Union Station. I was really looking forward to more such adventures, but ended up in Pittsburgh for the weekend instead due to various circumstances. However, this is also good news as it means more time with my dad before I ship off in August.

Today (Day 6), we went to downtown Pittsburgh so I could do some shopping at H&M and get some lightweight dresses for work in Italy. The thought of voluntarily subjecting myself to more 100-degree temperatures after the week we've had is a little disconcerting, but I keep reminding myself that I've dreamed of this since I was little. (I try not to tell people that I've dreamed of it since watching some Mary Kate & Ashley movie where they go to Rome. Perhaps it was Hillary Duff? Either way, I'll make up a different story before I leave :))

We ate dinner at this very authentic German restaurant where the waitresses dressed in traditional costumes, live polka music was performed and the beer flowed freely. I got a chicken ceaser salad. Yes, I'm that girl. But I really wanted something fresh after all the eating out we've been doing.

Roadtrip: Day 4

The sun is still relentless in Ohio and I've become very weary of climbing onto the hot seats of the Jeep. However, we have found a cooler place to stay for the night. This morning we packed our things up at the B&B, deciding to forgo the second night's stay, and instead checked into a hotel. I am decidedly not a B&B person. Call me high maintenance if you must, but I like being able to come and go from a hotel without making small talk, I like the air conditioner on full blast, the simple no-frills rooms, and I especially like that hotel owners don't comment on your personal lives. The owner of the B&B kept commenting on how young my father looked and saying that we looked more like a couple than father and daughter. I really wish people would keep that thought in their heads when they have it.

After we found a hotel, we stopped at a Wal-Mart so my dad could buy swim trunks. I can't even count the amount of times we have gone kayaking, tubing and canoeing together and yet the man does not own swim trunks. When we got to the store he headed directly to some khaki cargo shorts and I had to steer him away to the actual waterproof shorts. After we had found ones that he didn't think were "too short" and had stocked up on sunscreen and Gatorade, we got in the car and drove to nearby Port Clinton.

From Port Clinton we took a Jet Express ferry. The Jet Express was much faster than a normal ferry and got up to speeds of 30-35 mph, so the wind was a nice relief from the heat and the view of Lake Eerie was gorgeous. The ferry took us to Put-In Bay, this little island with lots of resorts and touristy restaurants. Everywhere you turn there is a golf cart cruising down the road, as many people leave their cars in Port Clinton and take a ferry like we did.

We spent the afternoon on the island and rented a jet ski. My sister would probably have a fit if she knew the fastest we went was about 35 mph. She's a speed demon and likes to top the machines out as fast as they can go, whereas I've become a little nervous ever since last summer when I flew off of a jet ski, hit my head and was convinced I had a concussion. Then again, I'm often convinced I have some tragic ailment; last week I diagnosed myself with appendicitis three times.

Our night ended with dinner at Olive Garden, where shockingly my dad ate more than a side salad. I realize he's vegetarian, but I'm always shocked at how much more I eat than him in a given day. It's really not a pleasant experience now that I can't blame growth spurts. After dinner we went shopping and my dad bought a button-down and a casual blazer, asking me if his wife would "think I'm casual now". I couldn't stop laughing because this is a man who irons his jeans. When people ask me why I wear dresses and skirts everyday to class, I should just start bringing in my dad as a reference.

Roadtrip: Day 3 (The Rollercoaster Capital of the World)

The sun took everything I had yesterday: physically, emotionally, spiritually. This is not an exaggeration. Remember all those lovely, nostalgic things I said about riding in the Jeep? That all went out the window (the windows that we took off the car and stored in the backseat) when temperatures reached 100. Yes, the Midwest's heat wave has hit Ohio. Every time I set my legs down on the seat, a puddle of sweat quickly followed. Even the breeze from the windowless sides was too hot to be any good. Frequent stops at McDonald's for iced coffees and smoothies only went so far.

Once we made it to our destination, Sandusky, Ohio, we checked into the bed and breakfast we were going to be staying at for the following two nights. This place was Victorian to the max. While the outside was, yes, a Victorian style home, the inside was jam-packed with Victorian masks, jewelry, dolls, photos, etc. There was barely a spare tabletop to set my toothbrush on!

We had been planning to go to Cedar Point amusement park the following day, but when the owner told us that Thursday (today) was supposed to be even hotter, I think we both thought we would have to cross it off our list. Instead, to beat the heat we went and saw Harry Potter in 3D (when I say we I mean me, because my dad has never seen any of them and fell asleep shortly after I explained who Voldemort was). We also shopped around for a little Ohio t-shirt or sweatshirt for my five-month-old nephew, Caymen and I added another Chelsea Handler book to my stash.

After dinner we decided to drive by Cedar Point and check it out. The park has some of the longest roller coasters in the world and is pretty much surrounded by Lake Eerie. Helpful hint! If you ever go, go after 5 PM. We ended up not being able to turn around and actually went to the park. Not only were tickets discounted at this time ($29), but the lines were very short! We went on eight rides in three hours, which I think is a record for me.

My favorites are usually the old wooden rollercoasters, but this time mine was a log-ride style ride. The operator warned us that we would get soaked, but of course we took this advice with some eye-rolling and a "they all say that" kind of attitude. They weren't kidding! Once you hit the water, a six foot tall wave rises and falls down on you. My dad, who was dressed in his normal attire of khaki pants and a dress shirt—summer or winter, church or park—and I, who was in a very lightweight, should-not-get-wet in public, sundress, could not stop laughing. It literally looked as though we had jumped in a pool with our clothes on

As we drove back at 10 PM, with views of the lake on both sides and roller coasters in the background, I think we both forgot about the heatwave and were lost in thoughts of a day that turned out to be really fun and very bonding. It was a perfect ending to the day! (That andddd the ice cream from Steak and Shake ;) )

Roadtrip: Day 2

Today's roadtrip destination was all about rock'n'roll. Early this morning we loaded up our old Jeep Wrangler and made the three-hour drive from Pittsburgh to Cleveland. Nothing says 'summer' or 'roadtrip' more than driving around in the Jeep with the wind blowing through my hair. We bought the Jeep in 1995, after moving back to California from Australia and have had it ever since. The paint is barely still visible on the hood and the bumper is pretty much rusting away, but that Jeep holds the memories of my childhood. I can still picture my great-grandma Mildred using a step stool to climb into it when she was in her 90s. I remember pretending I was Laura Ingalls Wilder when I was little and playing around for hours in my "buggy." And our family used to love drive-in movies in the jeep, even though the only one I can remember vividly is "The Nutty Professor." It's nice knowing I can add this vacation to the memories I have of the Jeep.

We arrived at our hotel without any problems (my dad finally caved in and allowed us to use my GPS). We're spending the night at a Hampton Inn downtown and about a half mile from Lake Eerie and as luck would have it, we somehow got placed in really nice suite.

Our next stop was The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. We both agreed that the building itself was by far the most interesting part about the place. All six levels of the museum are in this glass pyramid building that resembles The Lourve in Paris. I wasn't sure exactly how much I would enjoy the museum until....I SAW LADY GAGA'S MEAT DRESS! Let me tell you, I can die happy. We also saw Michael Jackson's studded glove, Ray Charles' sunglasses and the outfit Britney Spears first performed 'Oops I Did It Again' in. The museum of course had a ton of music videos playing, guitars and memorabilia, but I didn't realize how many outfits there would be! It was like a fashion lover and a music lover's passions all rolled into one and shoved into a work of beautiful architecture. Leave it to my dad to uncover something interesting to do in...Cleveland.

We ate lunch on the patio outside the museum and watched the planes fly into the waterfront airport. Then after lunch we wandered around and took pictures of downtown. I should explain that when I say we took pictures, I don't mean like normal tourist pictures. My dad likes to get photos of everything on his cell phone so that he can picture message them to the rest of the family, photos that I doubt other tourists took today. For example, he took a photo of me walking against a reflective building so that it looked like I was walking with his reflection. He also took a photo of me next to the yield sign we passed because, "They're so much bigger here!" People often describe me as quirky. Ladies and gentlemen, is there any wonder why? Hilarious; I love him.

Continuing with our rock'n'roll theme, we ate dinner at the Hard Rock Cafe. I had only been to the one in Atlanta where my friends and I ended up rushing through our dinners when we realized our tickets to Lion King were earlier than we thought, and my dad had never been before. It's good food and it's fun to watch the music videos while you eat, but I don't think I'm really one for all the hype.

After dinner, in the classic style of my father, we didn't just walk back to the hotel, we rambled and stopped at almost every building along the way to stare and read the plagues. We took photos at some war memorial and a fountain near the Lake that is supposed to depict someone reaching for eternal peace. We also walked around the outside of a federal reserve bank and looked at the statues outside the ginormous public library. A lot of the buildings in downtown Cleveland are older, from the 1800s, and it really gives the city a character that some newer cities don't quite possess.

We are waking up early tomorrow to head to Sandusky, OH. I will post photos soon!

Roadtrip: Day 1 (or Top Ten Airport Annoyances)

My roadtrip began this morning the same way most of my trips do, with me scrambling to pack because God knows I have never packed more than six hours before I'm actually supposed to be out the door. My strategy mostly consists of throwing in as many dresses as possible because unlike tops and bottoms, I don't have to figure out what will match and be comfortable etc.

Day 1 of the trip doesn't actually involve anything fun, seeing as my day involved six hours of driving to get to O'hare and then the three-hour wait and flight to Pittsburgh where I am spending the night at my dad's house. Waiting, driving, flying and general lack of sleep are all things that make me very testy, so I decided that this is going to be a rant post. You may proceed to a) roll your eyes, you have your own annoyances (this choice is not rewarding), b) read on out of curiosity (getting warmer), or c) read, laugh hysterically because we can ALL relate to these occurrences (ding ding ding!).

Top Ten Things I Hate About Airports:

1) I realize that people who work in airports are doing their best to move things along in a timely manner, but when I ask a question I expect to be answered in a kind and friendly way because that is after all part of their job that they are being paid for.

2) Children on leashes. If a couple is carrying so much that they can't carry and/or supervise their child, they should probably either reconsider their packing strategy or should enlist the grandparents to babysit. The whole concept just seems cruel and unusual.

3) Sick people that don't cover their mouths or wash their hands! This one goes for anywhere, not just airports. Containing your own germs while sick is simply common courtesy and when I'm already in a confined space with recycled air, I expect fellow passengers to at least rain in the cloud of spit that emits from their sneezes with the crook of their elbow. This is not rocket science.

4)....but speaking of rocket science, I'm not one of those people that enjoys sitting in the emergency aisle. While the extra legroom is nice, I am always very aware that in a time of crisis or panic I don't think anyone wants the little sorority girl in charge of manhandling the 42-pound door. Also, I thoroughly looked over the how-to diagram and it's not a simple process.

5) People who bring stinky food onto the plane. See #3-recycled air people! You did just sit at the gate for 45 minutes doing nothing, in which you could have wolfed down that odorous food out of everyone else's nose range.

6) The fact that airlines are now too stingy to give out roasted peanuts. (Although Midwest Airlines does give chocolate chip cookies!)

7) The person that wants to know your life story. I don't even really like making small talk with people that I do know while on an airplane, let alone a stranger. I tend to conk out as soon as I hear the whirring sound of the plane, so if you are sitting next to me and trying to chat with me, not only am I fighting to stay awake but now I have to fight to look interested. However, I do always hold out the hope that I will miraculously be seated next to the editor-in-chief of a magazine who just so happens to have an editor position open, and in that case I will be witty and dazzling.

8) The definition of liquids when it comes to the 3-oz liquid rule. I am a woman. I have lots of products. And while I realize I need to pack lightly, some things are just not liquid that are banned. For instance, on a flight to Orlando I had a jar of peanut butter confiscated—not liquid! I have had to put up a fight to keep my Bare Minerals—not liquid! And one time I even got my highlighters thrown away—not liquid!

9) The person who needs to get something out of the overhead compartment every five minutes. If you need something so badly, stow it under the seat in front of you, because yes, I actually listened to the stewardess give her spiel.

10) The person who carries such a big bag that they don't notice they just knocked it into everyone's heads while walking down the aisle. (Confession: I think this person may be me..)

But all rants aside, I made it to Pittsburgh safe and sound and am ready to face Day 2 of the roadtrip. Especially because Day 2 doesn't involve airports.

Settling Down

I had an interesting conversation with a friend this weekend about settling down (nothing mind you, I need to worry about as a 20-year-old). After telling him that, once again, I am packing up my bags and going somewhere new (Italy!), he asked me if I ever got tired of moving around and told me that come five or six years from now I will probably want to settle down, that’s how life goes.

Well the conversation made me think. The thought of settling down, not having to constantly figure out cable rates and where the best place to get cardboard boxes is, sounds lovely but frightening. In my experience you get somewhere new, get comfortable, make friends and everything finally starts to feel right, but it is inevitable that some form of earthquake will come. Something will shake the very foundation you worked so hard to build. You have options: you can stay and desperately try to fill in the cracks that have formed, working towards the semblance of what was once there. However you can also run-find somewhere new, reinvent yourself and pretend that that earthquake never happened. This is the choice I usually make. Reinvention is my salvation.

If someone does manage to get really close to me, close enough to see those cracks, well then maybe they can fill them. But while the thought of someone being there to love me unconditionally, and the mental image of a house full of memories sounds ideal, I think I’ll always be looking over my shoulder, watching for another storm, another quake, another test of faith and personal strength.

I’ll settle down one day, but it will take someone who will hide my running shoes and weather the storm with me.

Do we take Freedom of Speech too far?

Anthony Lewis writes in “Freedom For the Thought That We Hate-A Biography of the First Amendment”, that we live in “an age of exposure” and discusses the “crushing of privacy in the name of [free speech]”. Lewis suggests that the balance between privacy and freedom has tipped too far toward freedom. I however, disagree.

In all matters of free speech that are being debated: the issue of privacy being invaded due to free speech, hate speech being protected by the first amendment, etc., it is important to look at how alternative rulings on the matter would affect the interpretation of the First Amendment. If the laws were changed it would be very difficult to set the criteria for matters such as privacy and hate speech. The definition of hate speech could be stretched to include any negative comments on our government, taking us back to colonial era struggles. Stricter privacy laws would greatly affect our news and how much the public is informed of. While yes, I don’t think photographers need to be sneaking around in the bushes of celebrities to publish embarrassing photos of them, I consider the flip side to be much worse. Imagine that due to privacy laws the names of sex offenders in your area could not be released for the general public to know. It would be difficult to define what could and could not be kept private.

In 2002 Lord Chief Justice Woolf set aside an injunction obtained by a football player to keep a tabloid from publishing details of his affairs with two women. Woolf later expressed the importance of judges not censoring information merely because it offends them. Commenting on his verdict Woolf said, “a man who indulges in multiple affairs cannot complain if one of the women kisses and tells.” This particular case reminds me that in many cases in which people are suing for publication of intimate or embarrassing facts, those facts are usually considered so due to a flaw in their moral character or an error in their judgment. Of course this is not the case in all privacy issues, such as the case of William Sidis or The Hill family, but when the matter is the fault of the plaintiff I feel no remorse in its publication.

Additionally the notion of privacy is an odd one in our society today. It takes me about ten seconds to log onto Facebook and find out what town a person is from, what schools they have been to, where they have worked, their family members’ names, where they vacation, etc. My Twitter feed is constantly updating me on where people are, what they are doing, and what they think. These social media channels aren’t only providing me with this information about my friends and peers, but also about people I may have only exchanged one conversation with, perhaps not even that. With our wired in society it is hard to believe that any matter could be kept private for long.

I can clearly see Lewis’s point about us living in an age of exposure, and cases similar to those of William Sidis or of the Hill family do still make me question how privacy cases are decided. However, considering the alternative stances that could be taken, the nature of many privacy cases today, and the copious amounts of personal information that our society chooses to share with the world, I cannot say I think that the balance has been tipped too far.

Hsmason.wordpress.com

Check out my new dating blog, Trial and Error at hsmason.wordpress.com!

About:

The entertainment industry thrives on the failures and successes of dating. Going through my iTunes, about 90% of my music library is devoted to songs about love, I am a devoted fan of cheesy romantic comedies, and my bookshelf is loaded down with stories of any relationship imaginable.

It’s no wonder that the media devotes so much time and attention to this subject, because really, it’s one that everyone is constantly trying to figure out. Whether it’s the single girl looking for love or the married man trying to keep his marriage strong, questions always arise.

Maybe I’ve just always been way too big a fan of Carrie Bradshaw’s fictional blog on relationships, but I’d like to think I can give my voice to some of these questions just as well as the Sex star can.

Thus with this blog, Trial and Error, I begin my attempts.

Feel free to send any questions, comments, stories, or anecdotes to my email address, Helen.mason@drake.edu.

Enjoy!

3 Must-See Destinations in London

Home to almost eight million people, the location for countless movies and the birthplace of Harry Potter, London can seem a formidable opponent to the average traveler. These three destinations will make any tourist want to skip that flight home, and become a resident of the city that is “the Big Smoke”.

1) Camden Market-

Camden Market puts New York City’s Canal Street to shame. Selling designer knock-offs right alongside the works of upcoming designers, the market contains anything your heart could desire, as long as you’re willing to look for it. If you can navigate the twisting and turning paths of stalls, you can find unique furniture, hand-made clothing and an impossible array of knick-knacks. The stunning view of Regent’s Canal makes the experience that much more visit-worthy.

2) The Tower of London-

Feel like royalty and visit the 23,578 crown jewels in the jewel house, go through the interactive exhibition of the prisons and torture methods used long ago or take a guided tour given by the Yeoman Warders (royal bodyguards). Leave plenty of time for these activities, as all of them are included in the price of your admission ticket. When you’re done, don’t forget to take the standard tourist picture next to the Tower of London Bridge to send home.

3) The Natural History Museum

Traveling around London isn’t cheap; so take advantage of any free activities, a great one being the Natural History Museum. Open everyday, the museum boasts an impressive exhibit of 14 dinosaur skeletons, a gorgeous mineral gallery displaying crystals and gemstones and a frighteningly realistic exhibit of Earth’s potential demise. Finish the day like a true Brit with tea and scones in the museum’s café.

While one could spend year after year in London and not completely discover everything the city has to offer, these three stops will give you enough tales, photos and facts to enthrall your friends with a journey well traveled.

New “Power of Print” Ads Trash Talk Internet

When I first saw the new Magazines: The Power of Print ads last spring, they gave me hope. In the world of a magazine major, where I am constantly told by my parents and non-journalism student peers that magazines are dying, the ads were a nice reminder that readers do still enjoy the glossy, tangible print versions of magazines.

Additionally, the collaboration between Conde Nast, Hearst Magazines,Meredith Corporation, Time Inc. and Wenner Media was inspiring. To see the heads of competing publications working together to save an industry I want to work in sent to me, as well as to the general public a message; magazines are here to stay. According to MultiVu, a PR newswire company, “With the full support of the Magazine Publishers of America (MPA), the campaign targets advertisers, shareholders and industry influencers, and seeks to reshape the broader conversation about magazines, challenge misperceptions about the medium’s relevancy and longevity, and reinforce magazines’ important cultural role.”

An older "Power of Print" ad

The ads have indeed started this conversation. However, the tone of this conversation has changed with the “Power of Print” ads that just came out. Featuring, a woman laying in a hammock presumably reading a magazine, the new ads don’t just promote print magazines, but also comment on the drawbacks to the internet. ”They (print magazines) don’t show video or deliver pop up ads out of nowhere,” the new ads state.

New ads

While, the creators were most likely trying to send the same message as the other advertisements, I found this one to be slightly distasteful. Although I know there is an importance to advocating the longevity of print media, journalists must also accept that the internet has opened up an even wider array of markets and target audiences. Magazine websites that offer additional content, blogs from different publications, iPad versions of publications, and many other web-based versions of content allow magazines to reach many more people than was once possible. I’d like to see the ads go back to merely advocating print, rather than attacking something we need to embrace and utilize.

Do you agree that the new ads have taken a different direction from the previous ones, or are they merely promoting the same message? Do you prefer your content delivered through print or electronically? What are other ways that publishers can advocate print?

Diwali Night

Diwali-at first just a foreign-sounding word, soon became an eye opening experience in a few short hours of celebration and learning.

Wanting to break out of our usual weekend routine, my friend and I recently attended the Southeast Asian Student Association and Malaysian Student Association's collaborative Diwali festival at Drake University. The Hindu holiday, meaning celebration of lights, was celebrated with Southeast Asian cuisine, dancers and a presentation on the meaning of Diwali, as well as on the Shanti Bhavan Children's Project (the benefiting organization from the evening).

Although the evening was a fun break from the monotony of college weekends and a unique cultural exposure for me, my main takeaway was the reminder that all sorts of people with various backgrounds and experiences attend my tiny liberal arts school. I've found that going to a small school makes it far too easy to make generalizations about people. We go to classes and see the same people everyday; we go to parties and talk to familiar people and spot them downtown, wave because we've had at least one conversation with them. But just because we see these people all the time, doesn't mean we actually know them. We don't know their fears, hopes, or hidden trials.

Diwali showed me that maybe some of these guys aren't just the fratty boys I see out. Maybe that frat guy cares about his family in the same way I do, maybe he has a culture completely different from my own, or maybe he's passionate about something I've never seen him do. As I watched one of my sorority sisters dance across the stage, her ears adorned with jewelry and wearing a colorful sari, I was struck once again with the fact that I don't really know her. She isn't another random Drake student, but someone I eat dinner with, share secret rituals with, and she has a whole separate life just like I do.

I don't know why I never came to this realization before. I know how frustrated I get when people think they know me: a sorority girl with a 4.0, someone that loves to have fun as much as I study, the girl on campus always in a skirt. But little do they know that I've suffered heartache, lost a parent, raised myself and come out on the other side a little broken, but strong. It saddens me that I could generalize people in such a hypocritical fashion.

So I got more out of Diwali than buttered chicken. I was reminded to open my eyes and get to know the people around me, because a liberal arts education could give me much more than a bachelor's degree.

Breaking Up Is Hard To Do

(Photo courtesy of blissfullydomestic.com)

Neil Sedaka had it right; breaking up is hard to do. Whether you’re the dump-er or the dump-ee, hurt is bound to follow.

The Dump-er

Although it may seem like the easier position of the two, no one likes hurting people (at least if you’re a good person you don’t).

I recently read an article on collegecandy.com about the etiquette of breaking up. Miss Manners offered these tips:

-Break up face to face

-Avoid using clichés

-Don’t say, “I love you” unless you actually mean it

-Don’t hook up/get caught with another guy too soon

Her overall rule, though, and the most important: Be Respectful.

No matter what this guy has done to you, leave with the upper hand. Be the classy mature woman you would want to be remembered as.

My own tip for breaking up is to wait out your decision for a bit. In the days following a break-up, you may desperately miss that person. After being with them for so long, you may come to realize how much time you spent with them and may no longer know how to fill it. And in today’s world, grabbing your cell phone, or communicating via Facebook with your ex is all too easy...don’t! While you may miss them for now, wait at least two weeks before taking any action. That way you can decide if you really miss them as a person, or if you just miss companionship in general.

The Dump-ee

My hard and fast rule for breaking up: You get two days to wallow, two weeks to be sad, and then go on with your life as usual. If he broke up with you, he obviously couldn’t see all the wonderful things you had to offer, or perhaps you just weren’t compatible. Move on!

Romanceforeveryone.com gives their tips on moving on:

-Figure out who is in your support network

-Remove reminders of the relationship

-Minimize contact with your ex

-Don’t start dating immediately

-Hang out with your single friends

My number one pet peeve about people who have just broken up is reading all about it on Facebook or Twitter. Don’t feel the need to update everyone on your friends list about your feelings via status updates!

No matter what, remember things happen for a reason. Dating is all trial and error, and eventually, things will work out for the best.

Thinking Outside the Dating Box

I was a high school cliché, a cheerleader dating the all-American football player. But at a high school of 400 kids, almost every guy played football. Even the theater guys played football. Never once would I say I had a “type.” I dated bad boys, class clowns, guys who could sing and guys who could shoot a bow and arrow.

But after coming to college, I realized a lot of girls do seem to date the same type of guys, each one almost a paper-doll cutout of the next. I learned a new vocabulary word when my friend got called a “jersey-chaser” because she had a thing for athletes. I also have a friend who only seems to be attracted to guys of one fraternity. So what does that make her, a “letter-chaser”? There are also those almost incestuous groups that continuously hook up with different people from their clique of friends or people on their dorm floor (floor-cest).

So is it good to have a type, to know what you want and to go for it? Or, does it rule out people that could potentially be a perfect fit? I tend to agree with the latter for one reason: picky eaters. I hated eating anything green when I was little. Corn and carrots were fine, but a green bean was repulsive. A few years down the line, and I actually find myself craving fresh salads and broccoli after one too many Spike’s burritos.

Either way, vegetables or guys, you don’t know what you like until you try out a variety of types. Carrot after carrot can be great, but you may be missing out on a really tasty cucumber.

Not to mention, most of us are in our early 20s, the age where we have no clue what we want. I can barely pick out what skirt to wear each day, let alone what I want out of a relationship. We all know at least one person that has changed their major about eight times. I think it’s safe to say our “types” will change as time goes on. If I end up 40 and single, a Samantha-type girl from “Sex and the City,” then maybe I will consider narrowing down my interests to a “type.”

Next weekend when you’re hanging out at the same frat house as every other weekend, try thinking more about that cute non-greek guy. Maybe that guy you see hanging out in FAC all the time can make you laugh harder than anyone else on the field. Make yourself a vegetable medley and discover what else is out there.

http://www.timesdelphic.com/2010/10/03/thinking-outside-the-dating-box

GaGa a Gimmick

Last week I had my first article published in the school newspaper. I decided this year to do an opinion's column, except I only remembered this at 2 AM the day of my noon deadline. So sitting in front of a blank screen, I tried desperately to come up with an opinion on something, anything. All of a sudden my friend said, "Everyone has an opinion about Lady GaGa, write about her."

The finished product:

(My column picture!)

Fishnet tights, metallic platforms and pointy shoulder pads finished off my friends’ Friday night outfits. Climbing into a cab, they should have been going to an all night dance party, but really they were just sick.

Not stay at home with the stomach flu sick or 104-degree fever sick; they caught the Gaga fever, and it’s a hard one to shake.

From her days at Tisch School of the Arts in New York in 2003 to releasing her first album in 2008, Lady Gaga has been nothing but weird, and it’s just continued from there. This woman has sold over 15 million albums worldwide by talking about someone’s “Poker Face.” Gaga also sings about “Liking it Rough” and taking off “Our Fancy Pants.” But it’s more than just crude lyrics that have inspired Lady Gaga fans to show up in droves at her concerts.

Lady Gaga’s personality is just as eccentric as her lyrics. Bringing Kermit the Frog as her date to the 2009 Video Music Awards, Gaga made another one of her famously confusing public appearances.

Even when heading to the supermarket, the singer goes out in full costume and makeup. Clearly, she is not one to push that celebrities are real people, too.

Personally, I don’t understand the hype. The costumes and the stunts all seem to be just a ruse to get famous quick and to make people talk, even if it isn’t always positive things being said. However, I have to give it to Gaga, she doesn’t beat around the bush about her desire for fame, naming her first two albums “The Fame” and “Fame Monster.”

She’s even using her fame status to preach abstinence to her young fans. Handing out condoms at all her shows, Gaga told The Huffington Post about her celibacy, and her desire for her fans to hold off on sex and “get to know people.” Sounds pretty hypocritical to me, coming from a woman who sings about “disco sticks.”

What if all of our favorite celebrities survived on gimmicks alone? When I hear Lady Gaga’s name, her singing voice isn’t exactly the first thing on my mind. Whatever happened to the sophistication and culture of the performing arts? What once used to be a nation’s refined taste has now shifted unto gyrating divas like Gaga.

If we want to continue seeing talented people become icons let’s ditch the gimmicks and the pointy shoulder pads, and rely on our art.

Surprisingly, I've gotten quite a bit of email response from this piece, something I didn't even think was worth publishing. So surprise me again! Let me know if you have any opinions.