I am a digital native

Definitely grew up knowing about technology. I played educational video games all the time and was familar with the Internet at a young age.

I am lucky enough that I have one parent, my Dad, who keeps up with technology and even knows WAY more than I do about it.

My knowledge of technology comes from my Dad.

Ok, so I really can't think of any obvious examples from back in the day. I can think of the time when one of my professors was having difficulty navagating a Web site and projector for our class. It wasn't really all that terrible, but there's been several occasions that I can think of, this one included, when students end up getting up to help the teacher and help them navigate through computer set-up and the Internet.

My Tech History

Whew! So as soon as I read the objective for this blog, I was a little overwhelmed. I think anybody my age (21) has tech so embedded in their life that they don't even know it! Anywho, I'm going to try my best to list the technologies that are important to me now and in the past and to begin to "identify a unifying theme."

I'm going to go chronological:
*Beeper-- As an elementary student with parents that worked full-time I was given a beeper to let me know what to do after school.

*VHS/DVDs--This category is one of those technologies that's really embedded. I remember watching VHS and then it's like there was this flash and everyone was using DVDs, haha. I love film and (some) TV almost as much as I love music (see below), so this technology has been a quiet, but constant staple in my life.

*Game consoles--My Dad was the person would introduced to gaming with a 16-bit Sega Genesis console (which I still have working!). I love games, but I really like the simple stuff, so I'm not as big of a gamer as I used to be. In my house, after Sega, came PC games, Internet games, the Gamecube and then the Wii. My fiancé, whom I live with, has a PS2 and now an X-Box 360. Nowadays I own on Guitar Hero and Rockband. I really LOVE (and also own, haha) Metroid Prime on the Gamecube and Dead Rising is pretty awesome on the X-Box. Can't forget arcade games! I love Area 51 and Mortal Kombat.

*Cell phone--Same deal as the beeper. I had a cellphone as early was 5th grade for the purposes of letting me know what to do after school. In middle school I didn't need it anymore, but I got another cell phone as a freshman in high school and have had one ever since. Remember when cell phones were just for talking? I do. Now I use text messaging everyday and picture messages here and there. I just recently found out that Photobucket lets you upload from your cell phone. OMFG! I think that rocks.

*Cameras--I've had a camera since I was about 13 or 14. My first one was one of those giant brick digital cameras, haha. I used to take photos a lot more and have a fairly large library of personal photos. I still go out sometimes and use my camera, a Nikon CoolPix (it's a little older, circa late 1990s/early 2000s) and take the occasional camera phone picture if I feel so moved. I really love taking pictures as a creative, relaxing thing to do. Check out this link to see some recent photos I took with my Nikon: http://www.captureelpaso.com/photo/146261

*Computer--I have used one since I was about 10 and had my own computer by about 13. Love them! Can't imagine life without them! They provide me with information, the ability to create school and creative work as well as enjoy entertainment. Totally ties in with the next entry.

Internet--I began using the Internet around 10 or 12-years-old. I used to use chat rooms and of course AOL IM (not so popular anymore, I guess, haha?), with the occasional Web site browse here and there. Nowadays I use the Internet every single day. I think I'm addicted. My fiancé agrees. Ever find yourself asking an inane question and then you must know the answer? Does the immediate thought of "Googling" it come up? Is the Internet the first place you to turn to for answers? This is VERY much me. I love to research using the Internet (but I have to add that I am VERY discriminating about the sources I use when searching for a serious answer). The Internet is a big part of my life. I even use it for school. I am a VERY BIG WebCT fan. In fact, there's kind of a sub-category that applies to my Internet use. I am a big fan of social networking websites and sites that share member-generated creative content. And, I love to blog. Here are sites I am a member of, or like to check out:
MySpace-- my account
Purevolume--awesome (or crappy sometimes, haha) music from indie and mainstream!
Facebook
Photobucket--my account (very random, haha)
Livejournal--my account
deviantART
Worth1000--i love Photoshop
Threadless-- i like t-shirts
Funny or Die--yay! Will Ferrell!
YouTube
and I'm sure there are some I'm forgetting.

I also love to catch up on the news using the Internet. I love the fact that there are so many sources to look at. I read the La Times online everyday. And then of course, there's online shopping sometimes. I try not to do that too often, as it's easy to get carried away, haha!

*Portable music player: Since I was about 10 years old I had some way to listen to music, first it was a Walkmen. Remember those? Then when I was about 12 I got a CD player and it was attached to my hip for years (I went through at least two players). I actually only got an MP3 player recently, about a year or two ago. I chose to get a Zune instead of an iPod or Sandisk. A Zune appealed to me the most (sorry Apple kids, the cult kinda annoys me) and they just came out with some awesome updates that tap into its WiFi capability. If (and when I hope) Microsoft comes out with a browser for the Zune, I'm going to be one happy little girl. Anyway, on this subject, music is simply something I really enjoy. It powers me.

So yup, that's about all I can think of right now.

As far as a unifying theme, I would think it's communication, whether visual or written. I think this is a pretty fitting theme for my essay as I'm set to dedicated my life to communication as a journalism major.

See you in class!

- Jackie

My discourse community: NARAL Pro-Choice America

This community, as stated by its "About Us" section, has:
"been the nation's leading advocate for privacy and a woman's right to choose. With more than one million members and supporters, NARAL Pro-Choice America is fighting to protect the pro-choice values of freedom and privacy. With the far right in control of the White House and many state legislatures, our work has never been more important."

I actually used to be the NMSU chapter president, but am no longer active because I'm hardly on campus anymore. This community is DEFINITELY female oriented, for obvious reasons. Though, it's important to add that I have seen several men participate in NARAL activities.

First, as a pro-choice organization its mission is obviously connected to women. Take the logo, for example:


It is a close up of Lady Liberty. The angle shows her femininity, better than say a full length shot. In addition, Lady Liberty of course stands for freedom, in this case the freedom for a woman to choose whether or not she wants to have a child.

Also, as you first enter the NARAL Web site, there are mostly images of women of all ages and races. I also think that the logo color choice of purple and the web site color scheme implies femininity, yet not without "strength."

So, I think it's fairly clear that NARAL as a discourse community is a feminine area.

Web site: http://www.prochoiceamerica.org/

Ello, Everybody!

Hi,

I'm re-posting, or cross posting i suppose haha, my latest blog on my MySpace just to give you a preview. I have that account private, so I'm putting the entry here too.

Enjoy:

A John McCain future . . .

Is this it? I am chilled to the bone.

As I watch V for Vendetta and have read [and love] "1984" and "A Brave New World" I can't help but link the two. It might not happen immediately, and it may not even happen during McCain's presidency, but I believe that if we continue to allow the devious and destructive Republican belief system that is currently controlling control our country to continue, eventually this is what our children, grandchildren, etc. will have to look forward to.

I know to compare these things is a tad harsh, but I just feel so freaked out. The things I am hearing and learning are really starting to disturb the core of me.

Dear friends, I don't really care exactly who you vote for. I don't. Just please don't vote for John McCain . . . or the Nazi party haha . . .

"Stand Up" by Flobots

Stand up
We shall not be moved
Except By a child with no socks and shoes
If you've got more to give then you've got to prove
Put your hands up and I'll copy you
Stand up We shall not be moved
Except by a woman dying from a loss of food
If you've got more to give then you've got to prove
Put your hands up and I'll copy you

We still don't understand thunder and lightning
Flash back to when we didn't fund the dam
Didn't fund the dam levee? No wonder man
Now our whole damn city's torn asunder man
Under water but we still don't understand
We see hurricane spills overrun the land
Through gaps you couldn't fill with a 100 tons of sand
No we still don't understand
We've seen planes in the windows of buildings crumbled in
We've seen flames send the chills through London
And we've sent planes to kill them and some of them were children
But still we crumbling the building
Underfunded but we still don't understand
Under God but we kill like the son of Sam
But if you feel like I feel like about the son of man
We will overcome

So Stand up
We shall not be moved
Except By a child with no socks and shoes
If you've got more to give then you've got to prove
Put your hands up and I'll copy you
Stand up We shall not be moved
Except by a woman dying from a loss of food
If you've got more to give then you've got to prove
Put your hands up and I'll copy you

I said Put your hands up and I'll copy you
Put your hands up and I'll copy you
If you've got more to give then you've got to prove
Put your hands up and I'll copy you

We shall not be moved
Except By a child with no socks and shoes
Except by a woman dying from a loss of food
Except by a freedom fighter bleeding on a cross for you
We shall not be moved
Except by a system thats rotten through
Neglecting the victims and ordering the cops to shoot
High treason now we need to prosecute

So Stand up
We shall not be moved
And we won't fight a war for fossil fuel
Its times like this that you want to plot a coup
Put your hands up and I'll copy you
So Stand up
We shall not be moved
Unless were taking a route we have not pursued
So if you've got a dream and a lot to do
Put your hands up and I'll copy you

I said Put your hands up and I'll copy you
Put your hands up and I'll copy you
if you've got a dream and a lot to do
Put your hands up

Now shake, shake
A Polaroid dream
nightmare negatives develop on the screen
We sit back and wait for the government team
Criticize they but who the fuck are we
The people want peace but the leaders want war
Our neighbors don't speak, peek through the front door
House representatives preach "stay the course"
Time for a leap of faith
Once More

Put your hands up high if you haven't abandoned
Hope that the pen strokes stronger than the cannon
Balls to the wall, Nose to the grindstone
My interrogation techniques leave your mind blown
So Place your bets lets speak to the enemy
Don't let em pretend that we seek blood
And who's we anyways Kemo Sabe?
Mighty warlord wanna-be street thug
a threat for a threat leaves the whole world terrified
blow for blow never settles the score
word for word is time need clarify
We the people did not want war

So Stand up
We shall not be moved
Except By a child with no socks and shoes
If you've got more to give then you've got to prove
Put your hands up and I'll copy you
Unless were taking a route we have not pursued
So if you've got a dream and a lot to do
Put your hands up and I'll copy you

I said Put your hands up and I'll copy you
Put your hands up and I'll copy you
if you've got a dream and a lot to do
Put your hands up

"Rise" by the Flobots
So much pain we
Don't know how to be but angry
Feel infected like we've got gangrene
Please don't let anybody try to change me
Me
Just me
In the middle of a sea full of faces
Full of faces
Some laugh some salivate
Whats in your alleyway
Recycling bins or bullet cases
Its not equal
Its not fair
Were different people
But were not scared
We ain't never scared
To pave a new path
Make a new street
Build a new bridge
Say can you see by the dawns early light
Free slaves running
Songs words weren't right
Now a new days coming
The few stay stunning while the many are handsome
Your soul is alive but they want it for ransom
The base drumming is the anthem
We step to the heartbeats of our granddaughters and grandsons
And

Rise together
We rise together
[repeated several times]

Lost hope and found need
Grounded by our surroundings
Did the walls scream universities
Or you and i verse the tees
React automatic and we burst when squeezed
And make 9-11 each emergency
Urgency amber to red like the turning leaves
Oh please let the hurting cease
Don't let apathy police the populace
We will march across
Those stereotypes that were marked for us
The answers obvious
We switch the consonants
Change the sword to words and lift continents

If you believe in redemption
I'm calling to you from another dimension

"Try Out Your Voice" by Big D and the Kids Table
I was talking to a young man at a party in these war days
And he asked me my thoughts
I talked about peace, fighting for the people, he scowled than walked away
Told me my views are fucked
We screamed, we cry, the message has amplified
But they won't hear the people's voice
We screamed, we cry, the message has amplified
But they won't hear the people's voice
Common suits its time to show us something
You know its time for better days
Common suits its time to show us something
Just get your hearts out front, and prove your something
Remember being proud, remember feeling loved, remember when leaders gave sacrifice
I believe all men don't have a price
Truth in the state of the union address
Truth in this political process
I should not have to sit in for this
We screamed, we cry, the message has amplified
But they won't hear the people's voice
We screamed, we cry, the message has amplified
But they won't hear the people's voice
Common suits its time to show us something
You know its time for better days
Common suits its time to show us something
Just get your hearts out front, and prove your
out your voice, now use it, now use it, we are the people
Try out your voice, now use it, now use it, we are the people
Try out your voice, now use it, now use it, we are the people
Try out your voice, try out your voice, just try out your voice
Now use it, now use it, we are the people

- Jackie