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.