Latisse - The Future?

When I saw this commercial, I was shocked. Is this really the extent women are going to these days to look different? Are longer eyelashes really worth having your eyelids turn dark and your eye color turn brown? And if they really want people to buy this product, is this the best advertising they got? This also reminded me of the Dove campaign, and how true it really is. The world is so pressuring for girls, and now our eyelashes have to be a certain length?

I think the best thing would be if every woman completely stopped wearing makeup, fake eyelashes, and "latisse." If everyone stopped, it might be weird at first, but eventually it would be the normal. We would save the next generation. There would be no more pressure, no more expectations, and everyone would be natural, and beautiful just the way they are. Maybe if we start trying to reverse all the things society has created, eventually things will go back to the simple days. Maybe Twelve year old girls won't be wandering the mall in mini skirts and glitter eye shadow, ten year olds won't be on facebook, and eight year olds won't have cell phones.

Letter to Me

Dear Mary,

I thought I'd write this letter to remind you of some important things. If these days seem tough, remember one day you'll be thinking that the past made you who you a are. Every single thing happens for a reason, and from every mistake or bad experience, a lesson is learned. But for now, here are some pointers to help you get through. First of all, never go a day without thanking God for everything you have. Even if you don't have a car, or a credit card, you have an amazing family, amazing friends, a nice house, a great education, and everything you need. Don't just ask God for things you want, but having a good relationship with God will get you through anything that comes your way. Don't ever forget that God has a plan, and even if it seems like what you want is what should happen, it isn't. And one day, you will be glad that God did it his way, and not yours. Also, don't waste time arguing with mom and dad. Even if it doesn't seem like it at the time, they are usually always right. I know you must be thinking there is no way they are right about not getting you a car when you are 16, but trust me, when you graduate from high school and get a brand new car, it is pretty sweet, so be patient. Don't waste time gossiping or getting involved in any drama, and if drama comes your way, don't let it bother you. Drama is unnecessary, but if you have to deal with it, be mature and sophisticated, and remember that it will teach you valuable lessons. And don't forget to study hard, you aren't going to make it to a good college without hard work. Plus, those good studying habits will carry you through the rest of your life. And when you get to senior high school, don't fall into the drugs and alcohol trap, even if your friends do it. I'm not worried about you because I know you never will get into all that, but just let them go and don't be too upset about it because you are doing the right thing. I know this seems like a lot to take in at once, and you probably just want to go on with your life the way you want to. So here are the main things you need to remember:

- Everything happens for a reason. "To everything there is a season, a time and purpose under heaven."
- Let God guide you, and trust in Him with all your heart.
- Love and trust your family - they are the best :)
- Nothing is impossible through Christ
- No matter how bad something seems, you will get through and the sun will shine.

Love,
Me :)

(By the way, Brad Paisley got in touch with his creativity and wrote a letter to himself too)

Brad Paisley
 
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My Creative Process

When our class was shown the illlustrations of "The Creative Process" by some of the top people in advertising today, I was fascinated. It is so cool to see what goes through the heads of people that create some of the best ads of today. I started thinking about what I would do if i were to draw my creative process. Now, I'm still learning how to develop a creative process, but here is what came to mind...

Stress Relief?

So, Sunday night is a typical homework night. Friday, you don't even think about it... Saturday, you are still trying to avoid it... but Sunday it is right there staring at you in the face. This Sunday, I found myself particularly stressed. I had so many thoughts swirling around my head that I didn't know what to do with. That's when I found myself doing something very strange. I pulled out a piece of paper, and started drawing a mindmap. I stopped to think how strange it was that something that was once an assignment has become something voluntary.

discovery -- mindmapping is a great form of stress release! whattttt? I know all the advertising smarties might now that already, but I did not think I would be one of those people that would go to the mindmap to solve problems... but I have discovered the amazing feeling of letting everything in your head spill onto paper. the things I was thinking about may have not been solved by the mindmap, but seeing them on paper and not jumbled in my head made it easier to think clearly and think about them one by one.

so here it is... the first of many stress relief mindmaps.

6 Billion Ideas

Have you ever wondered how many ideas, how many thoughts, are circuling the globe right now, in a single moment?

There are approximately 6 billion people in the world. If every person had an idea a minute, every minute there would be 6 billion ideas in the world. 6 billion ideas. 6 billion completely different thoughts and ideas all at one time. One person might have an idea of ordering chinese food for dinner, and one person might be solving a scientific formula to invent the ultimate vaccine.

what if everyone came together... and everyone in the world thought about the same problem at the same time. we would have 6 billion ideas, 6 billion possible solutions to a problem. what if we got everyone connected, either physically or via phone or via skype and we said "what can we do to solve world peace?" okay so this is a cliche and never ending question to solve, but we would get 6 billion ideas in a minute. and by everyone hearing each other, more ideas would generate, and maybe somewhere in the midst of billions of ideas, we'd find the solution.

maybe it's time the world came together to solve problems creatively together.

Just Drive.

You know what you're supposed to do on a road? drive.

i love driving.
but here are some things that have ruined driving for me.

1. 18 wheelers driving on the speed limit in the left lane on the highway
2. cars driving under the speed limit on the highway
3. traffic in the middle of the day

first of all, 18 wheelers should all drive in the right lane. the worst is when there are three blocking your way so you're stuck following them. second of all, why do cars drive under or exactly on the speed limit on the highway? if you're scared of driving on the highway, learn how. if you're scared of the police, don't be. they aren't going to give you a ticket for going 65-70 in a 60. third of all, at 2 pm on a weekday, why are there that many people on the road? where are they going? aren't people supposed to be at work? i wish we could communicate from car to car so i could ask them. although...that would probably cause even more road rage.

so here is what we need to do...

18 wheelers have their own sectioned off lane on the right. followed by that lane is a lane for slow drivers sectioned off kind of like the HOV lane. that way they aren't pressured by other drivers and they aren't frustrating all the drivers behind them. and if we get rid of the real HOV lane, that leaves 3 lanes for normal, above the speed limit, cars. and if everyone just keeps moving, this is assuming there isn't an accident, there shouldn't be traffic.

sound like a good plan? great i'll start on that tomorrow.

yeah it's kind of like this...



plus,

Britney for Babies?

I recently attended Britney Spears' "Circus," that came back to Dallas after having a sold out show six months earlier. Of course, it was an amazing show, and Britney never fails to entertain. It was one of my childhood dreams come true, except Britney in my childhood was sweet, innocent, and wearing pigtails.

There was one thing about the concert that drove me a little crazy, and it didn't have to do with the show. As we walked up towards the American Airlines Center, I started noticing groups of young girls, probably from ages 7-10. My first thought was, were these kids even alive when Britney became famous? But then I noticed, these girls were dressed in knee high boots with heels and short skirts. Really moms? You let your little angels go out like this and then when they are 16 you wonder how they became sluts? As the show started, Britney danced around the stage in basically a bra and underwear as she sang songs such as "Get Naked (I got a Plan)," "Womanizer," and "If You Seek Amy," which we all know is not about finding Amy. They even showed a video with tons of people groping each other. There were guys groping girls, guys groping guys, girls kissing girls, and more. I couldn't help but think of these little girls. First of all, what parents think it's appropriate to bring their 7 year old daughter to a show like this? Second of all, if that generation is being exposed to this, along with tons of other age inappropriate things in society, where is that generation headed? It seems like every generation gets worse. When I was 12 I would stay at home with my best friend and play vet, but now 12 year olds hang out at the mall in their mini skirts and white tank tops.

As we left the concert, I noticed a small t-shirt for sale that was only $20 instead of the outrageous $40. I asked if they were in kid's sizes and was informed they were toddler shirts. Should a toddler really be crawling around in a half naked Britney Spears t-shirt even if they don't know?

Sometimes things in society are really shocking, and I can only wonder what this next generation will bring to the world. I think mom's need to stop adapting to the times, stick to good old parenting, and make sure their child isn't 17 by age 7.

Intertextuality

Intertextuality is one of those things that I kind of noticed, but it is really cool to be able to understand the whole theory. Now I notice intertextuality everywhere, and how much advertising takes advantage of it. One commercial I found that had great examples of intertextuality was this Pepsi commercial.



This commercial has great examples of vertical intertextuality. The most obvious is the the connection with the music industry. This commercial features Britney Spears, Pink, Beyonce, and even Enrique Iglesias. Not only do they use one celebrity endorser, but four. They even have the three girl musical artists flaunting their talent. Another example of vertical intertextuality is the roman colosseum setting. The rounded auditorium seating with the higher seperate emperor and the fighting warriors below are all reminiscent of the Roman Empire Colosseum gladiator shows. This Roman Empire setting is also reminiscent of movies such as "Gladiator," and "Spartacus," which is also vertical intertextuality. The use of the song "We Will Rock You," is another example of vertical intertextuality to the music industry. The use of this song is also an example of vertical textuality for me because it reminds me of Friday night high school football when the crowd would make the same beat and sing the "We Will Rock You" song together to cheer on the team.

This is one example of intertextuality out of thousands that fill the advertising world.

What Kind of Artist?

In all my life, I used to claim I was not an artist. I was always jealous of those people in art class who made amazing drawings, and who just seemed to be able to do it. I always wished I could just draw or paint naturally, but it was never my best subject.

Over the past few years, I've realized I'm a different type of artist. It may not seem too exciting, and it may not be as praise worthy as some types of artists, but I think I would call myself a crafty artist. Whenever my family or friends have a birthday, or for Christmas, I find myself making something as the present. I've made bulletin boards, picture frames, notebooks, poster collages, blankets, and more. These crafts usually involve painting, or more simply putting things together to look good. I imagine something in my head exactly the way I want it to look, the way everything is laid out, and then I create that image in my head. This past year, I made my own birthday cake and decorated it, which I had recently become interested in.

This is my way of being an artist. It's a great way to be creative, and it is so much fun. So, I no longer think I'm terribly unartistic. I no longer immediately turn away from the thought of drawing or doing anything artistic. I think I've found my own way to be artistic, even if it's a little different.



(bulletin board i made for my sister last christmas) :)

Perspective

When it's been one of those days that you're so stressed out, you can't see the end of all the things you have to do, and you have no earthly idea how you are ever going to get everything done... all you need is a little perspective.

First of all, breathe. Stressing about something does not make it any easier.
Second of all, things will get done. You just have to take it step by step.

and most importantly...

Even if you have 5 big tests tomorrow, 27 projects, and 12 papers to write, at least you are getting an amazing education. Some people in the world are stressed out because they don't know what they are going to feed their family of 8 that day for dinner. Some people in the world have just had their homes taken away. Some people in the world are living in the middle of war and are worried about making it through. So I say, if my stress comes from all the things I have to get done to get my education at SMU, I think I'm going to be okay.

It's all in the perspective.

Pet or Child?

Everytime I see a parent walking through the mall with their child on a leash, it makes me want to run up and set the kid free. It seems like everything is done for us these days, and society is becoming more and more lazy. We have food delivered, movies delivered, clothes and other items ordered online and delivered, dry cleaning picked up, our television automatically knows what to record for us, and even our cars come with on and off buttons so we don't have to get our keys out of our bags. Sure, these things may make our lives easier, but they are also making us lazy. The same goes for child leashes.


Are parents too lazy to watch their child when they are in public to make sure they don't run off? Are parents too lazy to hold their child's hand or call their name if they step away? Better question, are parents too lazy to teach their children that they shouldn't run off when they are in a public place and they need to stay with mommy or daddy? These children who are put on leashes must feel so unloved. Maybe they don't know any better, but think about the difference between a child on a leash and a child walking by their mommy holding her hand. It must have some pyschological impact on them, even if we haven't observed it yet. It makes me so sad to see that this is what the world has come to. We depend on other people and automated systems so much to do things for us, that now parents depend on a leash to keep their child in sight.


Some parents might argue that it keeps the kids safe from being kidnapped, but if someone really wanted to kidnap your child, why wouldnt they just grab him with the leash and pull you down? And why can't you be observant and careful enough with your children to make sure they aren't kidnapped? Is it too much work? Some parents argue that if they have twins or triplets it is impossible to keep track of them, and this is just helpful. Well, mom's survived fine with twins or triplets before leashes came along, it is possible. Children are not pets, they deserve to be respected as human beings, and they deserve to be loved. Parenting is work, and if you are going to be a parent you should deal with that.


Everything that is created these days is aimed to make life easier, but when is it going to stop? Are we going to have little robots to shower us and dress us? Although some of these things are appreciated, i don't think it is for the good of society. Because it is making us into lazy people, and why would we work when we can have something do the work for us?

By the way, the monkey on the leash does not make it cute or any better.

Art?

So, what is art? who determines what art is? is it all based on individual opinion? I came across this while I was shopping the other day, and if you notice the sign says "The Graphic Tee. This is Art. Wear it." This store is claiming that their graphic tee shirts are art. They are also using that idea as a type of advertising to try to get people to wear it. The funny part about this is, they didn't advertise the shirts as "this is hott!" or "this is sexy!" They have determined that their clothes are art, fashion is art, and that is why people should wear it.

So is this art? Is your child's scribble art? Is Jackson Pollock's splatter paint art? Or is art reserved for Van Gogh and Da Vinci? Dictionary.com has 16 definitions listed for art, but here is the first one, "the quality, production, expression, or realm, according to aesthetic principles, of what is beautiful, appealing, or of more than ordinary significance." So to be art does it have to be beautiful?

I don't think there could be any straightforward definition of art. The definiton of art has become so broad, that if you were to say something isn't art it would seem like an insult. So, for now, the definiton is subjective. In my opinion, art is something new and original. Some people look at Pollock's work and say "I could do that! That's not art!"But Pollock was the first one to do that. It was original and now, and therefore, it's art.

This topic is basically a never ending cycle with no definite answer, but if you've never thought about it, think. It will get your brain working.

Viva la Vida

As I was internet browsing today, I came across a really interesting set of pictures from a wedding that really inspired me. Now you might be thinking, how could wedding pictures be that interesting? well... take a look.

This got me thinking.. do people who have traditional, big, expensive weddings do it because they actually like all that stuff or just because that is what is normal these days. Do people really like paying $5000 on seat covers, and riding in a big limo, and wearing a dress that has a 10 foot train? Sure, there may be some girls that really like that stuff. But I think most people just do it because.. well, that's what a wedding "should be" these days. When brides say, "well i have to get the best seat covers!" Do you really have to? Is someone forcing you to by a cover for a chair for people to put their butts on for an hour when they could just as easily just sit on the chair itself? Why not save the thousands of dollars and get a great house or have a great honeymoon?

I don't think this just applies for weddings, but for most things around us these days. People just do something because everyone else is doing it, even if they don't really like it. Do all girls really want to join a sororiety? Do all guys really like sperrys? I feel like people have lost their individuality. Everyone just looks like a big blob, and maybe that's why people that are "creative," are seen as different or weird. People think they are just like everyone else and like the same things as everyone else because that is what they made themselves think. I think more people need to break out of the group and be individuals.

So when I see people like this, who go outside the norm and do something they really like, something fun, I think it is awesome. The world needs more people like this, or soon enough everyone is going to be the same on the outisde, even if that isn't how they really are on the inside. These people expressed themselves, they were creative, and they definitely have a memorable day.