Titans, Ice, and Goodbyes

Now WHO said Titans can't ice skate?

...Because whoever that was, they were right!

I captured this video at last week's Titans On Ice/Winter Wonderland event hosted by ASI.  On that note, I'd like to express my appreciation now that I know where my tuition is being spent, BUUUTTTTT I digress...

If you were to walk past Titan Square like I did on Wednesday afternoon, you'd have heard some of the students performing at Open Mic, maybe saw a pretty good crowd, a long line for free hot chocolate (because suddenly it tastes better when it's free *wink), and perhaps you heard the shrieks of joy from the brave Titans who decided to try their luck on the ice skating rink that ASI brought for the day.  

Oh did I say shrieks of joy?  I meant shrieks of fear, seeing as though most of these kids had no idea how to skate.  And who can blame them!?  We live in beautiful, sunny Southern California. We're not supposed to know how to ice skate!

 I will say that it was pretty cool to see so much fun being had by the Titan student body, but I will say this:  SoCal kids can surely dress for the snow, but we are so NOT cut out for it.  Happy Holidays!

While this is my last post for this semester's assignment, I think I'll continue blogging.

So until Spring...

 This is The TITANic Semantic, reporting.

Thank you for reading... yes, all five of you *wink.

See you next semester.

-T

Oh Snap!

This petition which condemned the The Daily Titan's advertisements on "date rape" had been swimming around campus for students to sign.  OH. SNAP.  

While this has received it's own share of criticism, you know what?  This is a proud moment for ALL students.  It doesn't matter if you're male, female, a communications student or not, or even a reader of the school's newspaper.  This is a perfect example of active participation and uniting together to stand up and speak out against media-- even if it is as seemingly insignificant as the school newspaper.

Students, our very own Titans, wrote this petition.  Hundreds have signed the petition- even faculty!  These students are also citizens, consumers of today's media, maybe even our future leaders.  This shows that we have a voice and that we aren't afraid to stand together and speak.  It shows that there's still spark in our youth, in the power of being educated and in spreading awareness on matters that really affect people.

One of my favorite professors, Dr. Nancy Snow (the professor who was originally going to teach this class this semester) said to me,"Speak truth to power."

I think that is exactly what this is.

-T

Daily Titan, This Is NOT Okay

I’m feeling very proud seeing my fellow students speak out against The Daily Titan’s poor judgment and tasteless advertisement which is anything but clever or creative. EDUCATE yourselves instead of regurgitating the same trash today’s media produces. We go to school to change that and make a difference; not to mimic what’s already been done.

-

I'm sorry, but The Daily Titan REALLY should have ran this by someone before publishing it.  I don't know...how about by a professional, maybe?

You call yourselves Comm. and advertising students? Pathetic. ACTUALLY, you guys fit the bill just fine—creating a poorly-made ad that objectifies women, cuts away at their dignity, caters to mass media’s warped sense of reality,  and perpetuates the cycle of labeling and stereotyping? Yeah, you guys are PERFECT for this industry.

As a Comm. student myself, if it's anything I've learned it's that we are here to learn how to become better and more effective communicators- the kind that advocate AGAINST the means of communication that pervades today's industry.  We need to rise above all we see today and use our knowledge, skill, and creativity to shed light on information that sends maybe not a positive message to our audience (because really, not everything is sunshine and rainbows) but an EDUCATED one.

You ought to be ashamed and embarrassed to think nobody would speak out against this excuse of a “clever” or “edgy” advertisement.

Baby, It's Cold Outside!

Just waiting for class next to the beautiful trees in Titan Square on this ch-ch-ch-chi-chilly winter day.

Sarah Silverman? Err. I mean...Professor Perez?

Okay.  This has been on my mind since Day 1 of the semester.

I need to get it off my chest.

Doesn't comedian Sarah Silverman bear a slight resemblance to my Women of American Studies professor, Amanda Perez?

In my mind, they're the same people and I'm just going to run with that.

Reunion

Last semester I met a boy in Dr. Beals’ social psychology class.  One of my earlier posts referenced an art exhibit put on by one of the graduate students in that same class.  Hmm.  Who would have thought that class would have such an impact?  Anyways, so I met this boy who sat next to me for the majority of that spring semester. 

Immediately people expect a romantic undertone, but no. This was romantic in the sense that it was just a raw, human connection between two souls that would probably never meet again. I'll omit his name out of privacy, only because he might think me somewhat of a stalker for being inspired by this encounter.  *cough* Rene *cough*cough*

HONESTLY though, I think this sort of thing happens more often than we think or would like to believe.

In class, He complimented my boots and hippie bracelets. I complimented his smile.  If I could describe him, I’d say he looked like a Waldo (Where’s Waldo) hipster. We never got to say “goodbye” after our final.

Well.

I’m here watching the jazz band perform on campus and who walks up, guitar in hand? Hipster Waldo. We both smiled and waved. I’m wearing the same boots he complimented. His smile hasn't changed.

"Bye", I said.

"And hello again", he replied.

"I still dig your boots, bro."

"And I still dig your smile, bra."

W#6 Video Commentary

This is a video commentary that was assigned for my Comm. 435 Opinion & Editorial Writing class here at CSUF.  I wanted to comment on the issue of student loans and the ridiculous amount of debt students are being forced into.  I would almost argue that it's abusive to students who are just trying to get an education.  Basically its a satirical commentary on this issue and I fashioned it after the PSA commercial of abused pets...yes the Sarah McLaughlin one...and yes, the one that we're all guilty of changing the channel from ;-)

Enjoy.

-T.

P.S. Maybe one day I WILL establish the Indentured Student Servant Fund.  You think Oprah would be in on it?