The Problem with Live Television

Yesterday was the season premiere of The Big Bang Theory, one of my favorite shows. Each episode is 21 minutes long. I was so excited for the 1 hour special that started at 7pm last night. But what I didn't realize is it wasn't actually an hour special, like some shows actually have. They simply were airing the first two episodes back to back.

So while it took an hour of time, as it was scheduled from 7-7:30 and 7:30-8, It was 42 mins of a show and 18 minutes of commercials. Which is only 3 minutes away from being a third episode!

So the problem with the media of live TV to me is that it creates a time vacuum. Especially "1 hour" specials like the one mentioned. You are putting about as much time as an episode in being shown advertisements that are not always good media.

I probably should have know this sooner or realized it sooner. But last night as I realized I had been tricked and I sat through 18 minutes of stupid commercials I felt I would much rather watch TV shows on netflix then have to be exposed to a variety of ads that I don't care about.

Thanks for reading my rant,
Lisa

The Smartphone Epidemic

My sister used up almost our entire data plan by using her phone without having it connected to the apartment wifi. Whoops! This lead to us not being able to do anything "smart" on our smartphones since the data plan is split between four girls. No pinterest when your board waiting or any other apps unless you have wifi. Because I had to be so careful with using my phone when I wasn't connected to wifi, I was made more aware how often I use it. I think I may have underestimated my media usage in the class activity we did.

Because I could only use my phone in my apartment or when I had campus wifi, I realized how often I use it unnecessarily. During a commute to SLC when I could be socializing is one example. And then because I couldn't I noticed how many people are always staring at a phone screen.

When you at dinner with friends, don't be playing a game on you phone! 1024 can wait! So can your desire to get to 2048. Because honestly why does that even matter? I am just as guilty of being prone to be on my phone during conversations etc. But having to quit made me want to quit more permanently.

I find my smartphone to be very good. It is my GPS in the car, I can check my mail, I can text and call home, and many other things. But this was a reminder to put down your phone and converse when your with people. And don't make your smartphone your life. Real communication is much more fun.

Cheers!
Lisa Norton

10 Books That Have Influenced Me

So since this challenge has been going around social media I figured it would be a good place to put here as apart of my media series of posts. Here are 10 books that have influenced me in good ways. So this would all be books I feel are good/positive sources of media because they have influenced me for the better in some way. Here they are, in no particular order:

• The Book of Mormon: Filled with spiritual guidance and other nuggets of wisdom. I have only read it straight through 3 times but I find that every read provides me with something new to learn and grow from.

• Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling: These were some of my childhood friends and I love that the series grew with me. Definitely an example of my best para-social friends.

• The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien: This was a favorite of my mothers and so when she shared it with me and I finally read it in high school it was a family favorite. It taught me about friendship and adventure and that heroes came from all sorts of places and experiences. It taught me to be brave.

• Wild Magic by Tamora Pierce: This book series created my love for Tamora Pierce and I have read many of her books since. I actually just re-read it for maybe the 10th time this weekend. It is about accepting others for who they are, not judging by appearances, and second chances. I love it!

• Slathbog's Gold by M.L. Forman: I picked up this book when I moved to a new place. The series characters became my friends when I had no friends in my new home. I loved the main character as he learned to be a friend. He is so selfless and caring. I aspired to be more like him, and still do.

• A Modern Witch by Debora Geary: One of the first adult book series I read when I became and adult. I love the relationships, the magic, but mostly the words of wisdom. Every book makes you cry and every book teaches more about yourself and who you want to become. And it teaches you how to get through trials with family and a sense of humor.

• Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen: My first introduction to Jane Austen, and Mr. Darcy, made me a romantic. It is a lovely example of learning not to judge others and to be humble. This is a classic for a reason.

• Hamlet by Shakespeare: The first Shakespeare play I read and created my love of his work. I think that each of his plays teach a ton, but this one creates an inner dialogue about revenge and the cost of revenge. I also think it makes you really think about mental disorders.

• The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale: A princess who is different and forced to go through an ordeal because of her station. And then how she overcomes the many trials and pain that come from betrayal. I loved the example of a strong female character and wanted to be a princess like Ani.

• Fairest by Gail Carson Levine: A story of a girl learning to accept herself for who she is. I really loved the lessons in the book as well as how they are mixed with magic and fairy tales. If you love snow white you will love fairest.

So these are ten books that I still continue to re-read and have helped shape me into a better, more accepting person. They helped shape me as a child and teenager and I love what they make me remember in my adult life.

Enjoy,

Lisa Jean

Media and My Life

So since this blog ended up becoming a mess of random posts I felt it would be perfect to use for my class on Media, family, and human development. The assignment is to make two entries a week about the media content I was exposed to and my thoughts on it. Good? Bad? Effects? Etc?

To start I will say that my biggest forms of media are

1. Movies and Television
2. Books
3. Video Games

The order actually varies depending on my amount of free time and my current stress level. I also am a big multi-tasker with media. I love to play video games with a background show/movie.

This past weekend was the SLC Comic Con. Since I am a fangirl of many things I went both Friday and Saturday. I even got to meet Simon Helberg, from Big Bang Theory! Which was super fun since it is one of my favorite shows. The witty humor is really great, though the show can get a little sexual.

My experience at comic con was that I ended up spending more money on books then I spend on the ticket to go! I enjoyed panels on writing and literature. Since one of my goals is to someday write something, and make use of all the stories I create in my head, I thought that was fitting. One of the panels was really fun because both Authors are LDS and write clean books middle grade and young adult readers. I have read several of their different series. Here is Shannon Hale and Brandon Mull.

So this weekend I found that my media exposure was quite high. I spent time traveling on the front runner listening to music. Most of which I think had good effects on me. It made me happy, helped time pass quickly, pumped me up, and basically brought me to a happy place. I enjoyed listening to a playlist my sister had made which I enjoy almost all the songs, but I did skip a few since I tend to care more about lyrics then sound and found some made me uncomfortable, or at least the subject matter of the lyrics I felt could have a bad effect because they promoted topics and situations with which I disagree.

I also brought my Nintendo 3DS with me and played a few games that require socialization so I think that is also pretty good. It is a way to come together with other people. But I also became a little too obsessed with getting this one achievement and that probably was bad because looking at it now, I didn't get it, I probably should have let it go sooner and not wasted time and energy especially because it has no long-term effects or really anything to do with real life.

I think overall despite the weekend probably tripling my media usage and exposure it was all fairly good because most of it promoted good things and overall was pretty positive.

Lisa Jean

This is me dressed as Katniss from the Hunger Games

My Life Goals

Lisa's Life Goals

A friend and I were recently talking about The Bucket List (the movie) and making our own bucket lists. I had written a bucket list that was supposed to have one hundred items, I reached 97, and I decided to go through the list and look at the items I hadn't yet accomplished and actually still wanted to accomplish. This is the edited list from about 5 years ago of what I still want to accomplish in my life. Most involve travel and learning.

1. Marry a worthy Priesthood holder in the Temple

2. Visit every Temple in the world

3. Live in a foreign country for a time

4. Backpack through Europe

5. Get a private pilot license

6. Write a book

7. Learn martial arts

8. Learn to surf

9. See all seven wonders of the world

10. Learn to scuba dive

11. Give blood before I am 30

12. Live in a boat for a 6 months

13. Be able to support myself financially by my fifth year out of college

14. Support my parents as they supported me

15. Keep a record of the major moments in my life

16. Learn more about photography

17. Host a study abroad student(s)

18. Take a RV/motor home trip across the United States

19. Go on a mission with my husband

20. Visit every Disney Park

21. Stay awake to watch the sun set and then rise

22. Sleep under the stars

23. Run a Disney marathon

24. Grow a garden and keep it alive

25. Design, decorate and build a dream house

26. Massive road-trip across the United States 

27. Visit the following places (some for the second time):

• China
• Japan
• Switzerland
• England
• Scotland
• Ireland
• Italy
• New Zealand
• Greece
• Norway
• Australia
• Finland
• Israel
• Spain

Friday Family Crafts

Enjoying my two weeks of winter break, which comes to an end in two days, by making crafts with my siblings. Making things to decorate my new apartment which I move into later this week. The first craft I made on friday two weeks ago was DIY Coasters:

It was much easier then I thought.

1. Buy Square Ceramic tiles from a crafting store (4inx4in) and cut paper to that size. 
2. Line them up and mod podge the bottom side of the paper and press it unto the tile. 
3. Wait 20 mins and mod podge over the top of the paper. You can do another layer if you need to. 
4. Once your done stick felt circles to the bottom of the tiles so they don't scrape the surfaces you place them on. 

And Viola! I used scrapbook paper but I want to make four more with maps of places I have visited (Tokyo, Paris, Lucerne, and Munich).

Then last week I bought a wooden sign and letters with acrylic paint to make a christmas decroation with my sister.

The top one was mine and the bottom one was my sisters. We used Gorilla wood glue to glue the letters to the sign once they had been painted and dried. My sister added little decorations to hers that I thought  added character.

Well those were my two major crafts this winter. I'm working on one more before I leave to organize my saved cards.

Happy Holidays and See you in the New Year!
La La La Lisa Jean :)

22 Days and Counting....

Well that didn't go very well...or go anywhere at all.

Its officially December 12, 2012 (12/12/12) and I haven't updated in over 2 months. I am in the midst of moving (transferring schools!!) which became official in October. And honestly with how much I went to and from college and my Parent's house and working and school...Let's just say I shouldn't have been surprised when it was Oct 4th and I still had nothing, but a calendar outlined with dinner ideas. Especially because I was pretty set in my routines. But with my big move coming January 3rd (two days after making New Year's Resolution) I think I might try tweaking my plan and coming up with a system that I can start which utilizes my new apartment which will be completely empty (of food thats mine anyways. I am going to have my own room but 3 roommates).

So I am doing some massive Pinterst research (Pinsearch?) to find some ideas for what I actually want to do. I have some health goals, some food goals, and some organizing goals for my new apartment. Updates coming soon! Maybe this experiment will go better than the last. I'm counting on the whole new city, new apartment, new life to push me into setting up new routines for myself :) I just have to make sure I introduce them one at a time!

Wish me luck!

Lisa Jean