In Class: Listen Up!

I found all of these videos to be inspiring in some way, even the poorly filmed ones. They each had a voice. A personal story was portrayed, or some deeper message that maybe only someone of the 'teenage' generation may understand. There were many refrences to drugs, alcohol, depression, sex and violence. These are all sensitive topics individuals are exposed to during their teenage years. I have often found that these topics are disregarded or rarely talked about.

One of my favorite videos, was about a gay couple. A man's boyfriend contracted a disease and the hospital was not allowing him to spend the last few hours with his love.

Everyone should hear this story, listen here

The social networking site, Last.fm, allows teens to express how they feel about music. Each artist and song has a profile page and individuals are free to discuss what they feel about the song/artist. Also, I feel that Youtube is a website that allows teenagers to talk back. Just the fact that they can comment about videos. Aside from that, everyone is free to upload any kind of video, you can search whatever floats your boat.

I also came across another video I found inspiring...
Here is the story of a boy and how he came out to the world

Southpark

I am a huge fan of Southpark. I just caught the latest episode, although may sound a bit ridiculous, but I found had a lot of good points. If any of you would like to watch, here is a direct link. It's about the new feminist movement :)

Watch here!

Henry Jenkins Interview/ Testing Horace Mann

I understand the motive behind social networking sites. This motive does not include creating stalkers nor does it include minor exposing themselves. I understand that it is not the websites responcibility. What one individual choses to expose on their site, and which material they chose to make public is up to them. Myspace and Facebook are just trying to make it easier for people to keep in touch. I find Facebook incredibly handy, although I do have a Myspace as well. I feel that Myspace is 11-16 oriented where as most of my professors have a Facebook. I also feel Facebook is more respected because it does not allow for the exposure of as much as Myspace does.

A few years ago, I'm not sure if Myspace still has this feature, but it allowed the reporting of underage users. At the time my sister was an 'under age user' posting inappropriate pictures, so I took the liberaty of reporting her. Her account was deleted no more than 3 days after. The thing with this feature is that, it is so easy for anyone to create an account and go under false identity. No more than a day later she would create another, and the process would repeat. I eventually gave in. I believe it is the users responcibility.

"By giving youth access to a public of their peers, MySpace provides a fertile ground for identity development and cultural integration. As youth transition from childhood, they seek out public environments to make sense of culture, social status and how they fit into the world. Interacting with strangers helps them understand who they are and communities of interest allow them to explore ideas and values."

I do still check my Myspace account regularly, but Facebook gets my vote.

If Women Ran Hip-Hop

A reading for one of my other women's studies class, may appeal to some of you :)

http://webct.ric.edu:8900/1092-RICOL-WMST-350-SEC02-21091/If%20W.ran%20hip%20hop%2D%20DeLeon.pdf

What are your views on this article?

Prep: Curtis Sittenfeld

This novel is about a teenage girl who is attending a boarding school. Her experiences are very typical and very relate-able. I can remember a few too many instances of awkwardness. I feel that the author portrays these instances, in such a way, that I find myself looking back and laughing at awkward moments.

Reading students blogs, many wrote about her affection for Gates. I wish she had turned out to be gay, but that's just me. I believe everyone has instances of same-sex attraction at some point in their life, just some tend to pursue it more than others :)

I related this reading to Hines in many ways. Hines believes that most is learned through experience and that problems should not be categorized by age groups. This is one view of Hines that relates most for me.

I understood everything about this reading. It was an easy read and quite thought provoking. I felt a sense of comfort knowing that someone may be just as awkward as I have been.

Rhode Island Stereotypes

East Greenwich Barbie
This Barbie is sold only sold at stores along Main Street in East Greenwich.. She comes with an Assortment of Kate Spade Handbags, a Lexus SUV, a long-haired foreign dog named Honey and a cookie-cutter house. Available with or without tummy tuck and face Lift. Workaholic Ken sold only in conjunction with the augmented version.



Western Cranston Barbie
The modern day homemaker Barbie is available with Ford Wind star Minivan And matching gym outfit. She gets lost easily and has no full-time occupation. Traffic jamming cell phone sold separately.


Central Falls Barbie
This recently paroled Barbie comes with a 9mm handgun, a Ray Lewis knife, a Chevy with dark tinted windows, and a Meth Lab Kit. This model is only available after dark and must be paid for in cash (preferably small, untraceable bills) . . . Unless you are a cop, then we don't know what you are talking about.



Newport Barbie
This yuppie Barbie comes with your choice of BMW convertible or Hummer H2. Included are her own Starbucks cup, credit card and country club membership. Also available for this set are Shallow Ken and Private School Skipper. You won't be able to afford any of them.



Foster / Glocester Barbie
This tanned model comes dressed in her own Levi's jeans two sizes too small, a John Deere t-shirt, and Tweety Bird tattoo on her shoulder. She has a six-pack of Rolling Rock and a Garth Brooks CD set. She can spit over 5 feet, split wood, drive a tractor and kick mullet-haired Ken's butt when she is drunk. Purchase her pickup truck separately and get a Confederate flag bumper sticker absolutely free.



Downtown Providence Barbie
This collagen injected, rhino plastic Barbie wears a leopard print outfit and drinks cosmopolitans while entertaining friends. Percocet prescription available as well as warehouse conversion condo.



West Warwick Barbie
This tobacco-chewing, brassy-haired Barbie has a pair of her own
high-heeled sandals with one broken heel from the time she chased beer-gutted Ken out her house. Her ensemble includes low-rise acid-washed jeans, fake fingernails, and a see-through halter-top. Also available with a mobile home.



College Hill Barbie
This doll is made of actual tofu. She has long straight brown hair, arch-less feet, hairy armpits, no makeup and Birkenstocks with white socks. She prefers that you call her Willow . She does not want or need a Ken doll, but if you purchase two Barbies and the optional Subaru wagon, you get a rainbow flag bumper sticker for free.



South Providence Barbie
This Barbie now comes with a stroller and infant doll. Optional accessories include A GED and bus pass. Gangsta Ken and his 1979 Caddy were available, but are now very difficult to find since the addition of the infant.



Newport Mansions Barbie
She's perfect in every way. We don't know where Ken is because he's always out a-'huntin'.



Providence Nightlife Barbie/Ken
This versatile doll can be easily converted from Barbie to Ken by simply adding or subtracting the multiple snap-on parts.

Fast Forward: Laura Greenfield

When I was younger I always felt that growing up quick was the only way I would be both respected and tolerated. I have always felt incredibly influenced to be older than I am, and still subconsciously feel that way. I really enjoyed reading Laura Greenfield's artist statement. I connected with how she felt about the idea behind her photos to be a growing process. I especially like how she noted the differences between areas. I spent the last 3 weeks in Utah, and my idea of 'the obnoxious teenager' was entirely different from what that area may portray it as. Looking for something to photograph involved a different kind of approach.

I love Greenfields' photos. All of them. You could seriously write a book about each photograph. Her photographs prove not only that we are all influenced from such a young age, but also how it follows us. Influence is constantly lingering. Greenfield photographed all kinds of people at many different ages, with many different ethnicities and social upbringings.

In recent years, I photographed “Fast Forward” youth in Milan and Shanghai. The young and privileged in Shanghai don’t care about politics or communism but are obsessed with MTV, Fashion TV, Gucci, and L.V. (Louis Vuitton). Milanese youth don cutting edge hip-hop fashion originated by the inner city and perfected by haute couture designers. Fourteen-year old Italian girls wear thongs deliberately hiked up over their low-riding pants and rip revealing holes in their jeans. They go out to discos on school nights and dance to American hip-hop and electronica until dawn.

Tonight I went out to take more pictures for my photo project. I don't think I realized how intense geographical differences can be, when it comes to influence. I guess that can be what I don't understand. I would like to learn more about that. I really would love to travel more and come to more realizations. I find it comforting!