Entry #11. It's Been Real, 102.

This is not a "Goodbye", but rather an "I'll see you later".

Well, for the past 4 months I have been actively blogging for my English 101 and English 102 Hybrid courses. I have genuinely enjoyed this project and took it very seriously, completing each and every blog assignment given.

There are so many benefits to creating a blog. To start, blogging makes you a member of an online connected community. When you post your ideas, comments, opinions and feelings on a blog that allows everyone in the world who has access to the internet can see it. This publicity makes it possible for you to share your thoughts with others that are all over the planet. It's kind of fascinating how the Internet brings people together who would never be able to meet in person because of distance. Blogs also allow you to express yourself, they can be a great source for venting and relieving other internal feelings. It is almost like having an online diary!

For some reason I just really love to type and I find it to be a lot easier and faster to spill my thoughts via the keyboard rather than a pen and paper. Don't get me wrong though, I have three personal hard copy journals in my room that I do consistently write in, however, not in the way that I do on my blog. The only challenge I really found when writing my posts was initially sparking my topic ideas, sometimes it is hard for me to get the ball rolling. Once I do though, my words and ideas usually come together and flow much easier than the beginning. Other times I have to remind myself to keep the tone casual professional and not use too much informal lingo. Of course I like to add my own voice and flair but at times it can be hard to not act as if this is a personal blog.

The past few months I have learned a lot about rhetoric through writing these blog posts. Each topic, either given or self-generated, allows you to think about a specific purpose, audience and tone. I have come to understand the importance of providing the readers with enough background information to set up what I am discussing in each post. I also have found that I cannot be too biased or opinionated in my writing and never want to offend anyone online. Ending each entry with a final thought and wrap up is very important to properly sign off to the reader.

As a student, my writing has really developed because of this blog project. I feel like I am a lot more comfortable with my writing and do not hesitate as much as I did when I first began. I also enjoy reading other people's blogs and hearing different perspectives on certain topics. I also feel like I am becoming more savvy with finding videos/pictures and making my website interesting to read through.

Overall, I found blogging to be extremely useful to me. I wish I would have been able to do this assignment in my English classes throughout high school. I felt like it was much easier to express what I had to say and grow as a writer. I am very glad that we had this project assigned and I am even more thankful I had such an outstanding professor for the two courses. To successfully accomplish this blog project, it is very important to stay on top of the due dates and not plan to get them all done in one day.

Even though I have completed English 101 and English 102 I will still be using this Relayed Byt Lexy blog for personal use in my life. I feel like I have found a new passion and hobby of freely expressing myself via my laptop. For those of you that are just starting, don't hold back- let your thoughts and ideas flow out to the rest of the world. It can be a difficult project if you are not consistent with your casual professional tone and/or procrastinate, so be responsible. Have fun letting your ideas go and happy blogging to all, my friends. :)

Entry #7. Dumb Men.

www.dumbmen.com

This link above is a website literally filled with video clips and commercials about men and all the dumb things they do. It is hilarious and entertaining because it is completely accurate and true! In these videos, men are depicted as anything from incompetent, rude, lazy, or foolish. A lot of times they are seen drinking beer, watching sports and gawking over women.

One of the clips I found to be the most funny was the Miller Lite beer commercial. Watch it for yourself below:

It is funny that the guy ordering the drink is considered to be acting like a female just because he chose a generic light beer and not a Miller Lite. The female bartender's tone is very sarcastic as she hands him the drink and he is wearing a skirt walking away from the bar. The narrator then says "Man up!" as if he is missing out on a dramatic difference in taste by not choosing Miller Lite. I work in a bar and it makes me laugh when I am serving a couple of men and one makes fun of the other guy for their alcoholic beverage choice. Like most of the time the guy that order a domestic or light beer will get made fun of from the guy that prefer imported. And when it comes to hard liquor, whenever I have a guy orders a well drink and the other is drinking a name brand- the one drinking the better alcohol will joke about the other guy's drink too.

Guys are always so competitive with one another and tend to be a lot more openly expressive about it than females. I think it is rather funny, sure it can get annoying in extreme, but still humorous. At times I have to deal with some pretty dumb guys, but I feel like both sexes can have their stupid moments, haha! I'm sure there are plenty of dumb women commercials out there as well.

Did you like this commercial? Have you seen any other advertisements on T.V or online that show men in a dumb and humorous lighting? Comment and share your findings!

Entry #10. Christmas.

Christmas is just around the corner. The spirit has completely filled the air and it's beginning to really feel like the holiday season. I feel like every year Christmas comes and go even faster than the year before. Maybe it is because we live in the Arizona desert, where it is literally only cold for 3 months out of the year. I'm sure in other states where it snows or gets colder sooner they probably start to feel the winter holiday season much sooner than us.

This is a perfect time for selfless acts and putting other people's needs before yours. The holiday season brings together family and friends to spend time together making memories. Schools and businesses usually get some time off or at least Christmas Day itself to partake in different festivities. Most people have specific traditions they involve thenselves in each and every year and it's always fun to look forward to those set activities. 

A little list of fun things to do around this time of year include:

-Cooking and baking (for others & you of course!)

-Get a Christmas tree and decorate it!

-Add holiday decorations to your house and room! 

-Making cards for the ones you care about.

-Drive around and look at Christmas lights 

-Make hot cocoa and binge watch Christmas movies.

-Visit Glendale Glitters, Zoo Lights, or the holiday light parade downtown. 

-Create a gingerbread house. 

-Visit a family member or friend in town.

-Go Christmas caroling 

-Gather a box of clothes you don't wear or things you don't use anymore and donate it to a shelter of some kind. 

-Go out of town and visit a new destination!

-Shop the holiday deals! & Wrap/give presents. 

The Top Christmas Songs: 

•The Christmas Song

•Do you Hear What I Hear

•It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year

•Holy Night

•White Christmas 

•A Holly Jolly Christmas

•The First Noel

•The Little Drummer Boy

•It's Beginning to Look Alot Like Christmas

•Sleigh Ride

•Winter Wonderland

•Jingle Bell Rock

The Top Christmas Movies:

•A Christmas Story

•Elf (personal favorite!!)

•The Nightmare Before Christmas

• It's a Wonderful Life

•National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation

•The Santa Clause 

•How The Grinch Stole Christmas

•The Polar Express

•Miracle on 34th Street

•A Charlie Brown Christmas

•The Holiday

•White Christmas 

There are tons and tons of festive activities around this time of year to involve yourself in, don't be a Scrooge and enjoy the season! Spread love and cheer to everyone around you and try to go out of your way for someone else this month. HAPPY HOLIDAYS FELLOW BLOGGERS!

Entry #9. Media Synthesize

Media has ultimately taken over our world. Every day our society becomes more knowledgable and developed. The technology we have access to is constantly growing and our lives are greatly affected by this advancement on a day to day basis. Since I live with my grandma, I like to compare our generations opinions on  media and she constantly reminds me that my era is much too reliant on it.

I feel like just about everyone has a smartphone in today's age. And most of the smartphone users have apps downloaded that allow them to stay in constant connection with the world. From social media like Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, to instant discussions with friends via text messages, FaceTime and Snapchat- our technology give us this capability.

Video games have developed so much since when I was a little kid and even more so when our parent's generation were kids. The graphics and details on the screen are so unreal it is almost like you are actually in the game! This can be a major reason why there is so much violence among men, because there is a large number of the male population who invest quite a but of time into them.

Women are also greatly affected by the advancement in technology. Commercials, advertisements, billboards, magazines, te and other sources of media portray women in the most unrealistic ways. Photoshop and other programs are used to alter features on the women's body to make them look much more attractive than they really are. Models are supposedly the world's idea of a 'beautiful' woman and so many females strive to be this skinny, pretty idea of perfection. It becomes harder for women to be able to accept their flaws and be comfortable in their own skin because there is this constant influence of fake beauty.

News can be another factor about media that is extremely influential. There is so much bias information shared through political channels and other shows that discuss events going on in the world. Reality T.V is also huge- there are countless shows from Keeping up with the Kardashians, American Next Top Model, The Real Housewives, The Bachelor, Top Chef and so many more that have millions of viewers following their series. These are huge sources of entertainment

It's crazy to think that literally only a decade ago, social media was nowhere near what is it today. I remember in 7th and 8th grade when Myspace was the most popular site online. Now, there is Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, Tinder and a bunch of others that literally control our society's lives. I feel like now, we are all way too reliant on these apps and websites on an everyday basis. So many people rely on "likes, comments, retweets and shares" to determine their level of popularity in this world. It should not matter what other people think; you are who you are no matter how many likes one of your posts gets.

I think we are a very blessed generation to be able to have access to all of the technology and media that we do. However, there are a lot of downfalls to these advancements- such as too much distraction and dependence on it. Don't get me wrong, I love my social media, constant internet access, and cable television but I am just as guilty of wasting too much time on them. Our technology is only going to get more developed as time goes on and it will be interesting to see what will be invented and how much more will change in the future. How much time do you spend using media and technology? What do you think about where we have come as such a developed society?

Entry #8. An Eye Opening Experience.

This crazy world we live in is filled with so many different dangers and obstacles. At one point or another, we all experience challenges that give us a reality check and ultimately a new perspective on things. These challenges could be a death of a loved one, tragic accident, illness/disease, or just a traumatic situation that we are faced with. It is important to stay strong while overcoming your problems and try to find a lesson to learn from it in the end.

Recently, I went through a pretty eye opening experience. The Saturday night before Thanksgiving this year I was in a car accident and totaled my vehicle. Before this night, my driving record was clean (besides a little speeding ticket), I have never been in a car accident before. This was the first Saturday I was not scheduled at work and I had spent the entire day being lazy, sleeping and doing some homework. I decided to be spontaneous around 8:30/9pm and drive to Las Vegas to pick up my little brother and mom for the holiday. My idea was to just drive out there, sleep and drive back Sunday morning- super quick trip. I drove by myself and thought the 4 hour trip would be a breeze since it was later at night. Boy, was I wrong. 

I was driving on the 93, the highway that is basically a straight shot from Phoenix to Las Vegas. The speed limit was pretty much 65mph the whole way there, however, at one point in time it reduced to 50mph. I guess I just didn't see that and took a bend way turn too fast. My car got too close to the guard rail and I slammed into it completely losing control of the vehicle. I blacked out from the impact and my car spun about 7 or 8 times, hitting the other guard rail and landing in a ditch. I woke up to an awful smell and was unable to get my car door opened. My hazards would not turn on because my battery literally flew 100 ft away from my vehicle. On top of all of this, about 30 minutes prior to my accident my cell phone fell in between my passenger seat and the middle console. I had just accepted it and popped a CD in for music; however, once the accident happened I could not get my phone out from where it was stuck! I was in a full anxiety attack, uncontrollably shaking and crying.

I managed to push open my car door and get out. It was pitch black outside, now 11pm and probably about 55 degrees outside. I was so cold and so scared, I literally had no idea what to do. My phone could not get a signal so i was unable to contact the police for a solid 10 minutes. Finally when I got ahold of someone, they told me they were sending a highway patrol officer out to me right away. I turned the flashlight on my phone and tried to flag down every single car that drove by me. A semi truck caught sight of me and pulled over, he let me sit in his truck and checked the conditions of my car and myself. He also called the police and his son, who happened to be a firefighter- I am extremely thankful for that man. From the time of my accident it took 45 minutes until a police officer and fire department crew found me. I was about an hour and 30 minutes away from Kingman, literally in the middle of nowhere. I was claiming I was in no pain and I literally did't have a single scratch on me. The fire rescue team performed a bunch of tests on me and hooked me up to the EKG machine to check for problems with the electrical activity of my heart. 

The firefighters and police officer both told me I was not forced to go to the hospital, but they all thought it would be a very wise decision considering I blacked out during the impact. They told me I could be in complete shock and my adrenaline could be preventing me from feeling the pain I was really experiencing. So I decided to go on the ambulance. 74 miles later we arrived at the Kingman hospital and the doctor ended up not even running tests on me. Since my adrenaline had worn off in the ambulance ride, I was much more calm when I got to the hospital and still did not complain of any pain. The doctor told me he wasn't going to do anything with me and that I basically was just staying at the hospital so that I could wait somewhere safe for my ride. 

Coincidentally, a friend of mine was in Las Vegas for his construction job and he drove to come pick me up from the hospital. I paid him to take me to my mom's place in Henderson and stayed with her and my brother until my grandma was able to drive from Phoenix and get me. It was all such a nightmare. All because I decided to make an impulsive decision and make a late night quick trip to Vegas. 

I missed some school and work from this accident, have been experiencing neck/back pain and re-occuring headaches. It seems like I am overwhelmed with the stress of finding rides to where I need to go, investing in a new car and payments, drowning in school work and trying to finish up everything for finals week. Life has been pretty rough for me because of this night but I have taken a lot from it. The biggest lesson I learned is that materialistic things do not matter and can be replaced, we only have one life. I could have easily lost mine that night and I am so beyond gracious I didn't. I had an angel watching over me, that is for sure. Another lesson I am learning is to not stress about school and work. It will all end up getting done eventually and I should not let myself get overwhelmed. Even in the worst scenarios, you can find a lesson to be learned out of it. I encourage you to try to find a positive light to every situation, I know it can be hard when you are being tested. Can you think of a time you were put through a challenge that was life changing and gave you a new perspective? 

Entry #6. Love Yourself First.

In this day in age it seems like everyone is looking for a significant other in their life. All of our peers constantly post things on social media saying "Relationship Goals" or "Bae Goals". Or always wanting someone to "Netflix and Chill" with.  It seems like there is a constant need for love and attention in our world. In the 20 years I have been on this Earth, I have learned that the most important love you can seek is for yourself.

I previously discussed a relationship I was about to pursue in my getting to know me post. Well, I guess I jumped the gun and spoke to soon because things didn't exactly work out like I thought they were going to..which is okay! I have been out of a relationship for over a year and a half so this new thing recently was something I was very hesitant about. I just haven't felt that i am in a position to be with somebody else at this point in my life. 

Relationships are crazy. They bring out so much emotion and can be a lot to handle at times. When you choose to love and pursue someone, a lot of your time and feelings go into that individual. You most likely spend hours with them, plan dinners and dates with them,  and travel or create memories with one another.  You build a bond between the two of you that can only be felt and experienced together. 

Relationships can bring you the most happiness and greatest blessings around. However, they can also cause some painful heartbreaks and sadness. It is all a learning experience and is meant to happen in order to find the one significant other that you are destined to be with. You should never settled for less than you deserve and most importantly, do not love until you are ready. 

Learn to LOVE YOURSELF. This is your life, you are the star of the show and make all of the calls for you; before looking for a soul mate, find yourself. Understand your feelings more and vent them in some kind of way, whether it is to another person, in a journal or through an electronic blog. Develop your physique the way you dream it to be by dedicating more time to healthy eating and working out. Sign up for school or other classes to educate yourself and expand your knowledge on all different subjects. Learn a new talent, hobby, or participate in an activity you never have involved yourself in before. There is so much to do with yourself in this world and so many different paths to take. 

It doesn't matter what is being posted on Twitter or Facebook about ideal relationships and love goals.  There is no rush to finding a significant other. After all- I always heard that you shouldn't have to look for your destined partner, they will find their way to you in this life. Everything works out for a specific reason and you should always be ready and well prepared when deciding to get into a relationship. Discovering and loving yourself first is what it all comes down too, my friends. You don't want to risk stressing yourself out and having certain insecurities or trust issues come out because you simply weren't ready yet. You are the most important. :)

Happy blogging!

Entry #5. ASU Offers More Short Classes.

Arizona students!

Or anyone who plans to attend Arizona State University, listen here!

There is an article from Arizona Central online that discusses a new change that will be starting in January of next year for our AZ college. To follow along with what I am discussing and read it yourself click on this link: http://archive.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/news/articles/2011/02/22/20110222arizona-state-university-shorter-classes.html

Ultimately, this change is to offer more classes that can be completed in half of the time than a typical 15 week semester. This means students can take more class hours, finish courses quicker and ultimately graduate sooner with a lower tuition. How awesome!

In my opinion, this is a great opportunity to reduce the amount of time spent earning your degree. This semester at GCC I have felt very accomplished by taking the english 101 and 102 hybrid courses. This is a similar concept to ASU's new idea. I have loved the fast pace and feel like I work harder to get the work done because there has been double the work. This idea of shorter classes also saves a lot money- not only because you spend less time in school but there is more opportunity for electronic uses as well. A lot of the shorter courses that are going to be added are online- this is more convenient for students who are working a lot but still trying to complete school at a quick pace. 

This article definitely relates to me because I plan on transferring to ASU when I am finished with my studies at the community college. I hope to look into taking some of the shorter classes myself if they are offering ones pertaining to my degree. All students are different and everyone has their own way of learning in class. Some people just can't complete a shortened class because it is much too big of a workload for them or too fast faced, and that's okay. It is not like these shortened classes are mandatory, they are simply being put in play to help those who are trying to complete school quicker. 

Of course, there are the complicated subjects and classes that could probably use the full 15 weeks to really break down the material and teach the students successfully. So I am sure the shortened version will only be available for certain classes that are manageable in half the time of a regular course. 

Overall, I think is is a very substantial idea to offer short classes and will bring a lot of success to Arizona college students.  What are your thoughts?