New Stuff

Something I did for my paper over the past week was watching the documentary Life in A Day. This documentary, which was produced by Ridley Scott, was an extremely interesting project. The project was based upon the idea that through the YouTube and the Internet, a day in our world could be experienced and shared between not only all of us but all of our future descendants. The day July 24, 2010 was chosen, and over 4,500 hours of video that were recorded by random YouTube users around the globe was submitted to Scott's team. They compressed the entire human experience of that day into an hour and a half long documentary that truly allowed me to see how the world went on that day.
The movie was not only fascinating but also extremely relevant to my paper. I will develop how so during my paper, but the basic idea is that I was able to connect to and be impacted by humans all over the world and share the simple experiences of a summer day with them through the power of the Internet.

Post Rough Draft (#21)

Here are some thoughts I have about furthering my rough draft:
1) Find more sources and information to incorporate into my paper (new books, articles, facts)
2) Develop some of the ideas that I touched upon briefly in my paper and intended to expand
3) Brainstorm for new concepts and topics to add to the paper

Puzzle Pieces

It's months into the project and I am now trying to make connections, or complete the puzzle. I have various pieces of information, sources, facts, and studies. All of these things are in my hand, but they have yet to be assembled as a clear picture. It is like having every puzzle piece on the table, just not put together. The difference is that when doing a puzzle, the step of assembling is the hardest part. I feel that for this project though, acquiring the pieces is the tough part, and fitting it all together in a cohesive paper is not as challenging.
My schedule this week is not busy at all, so I am planning on really pushing my project forward. I am hoping to do this step of assembling the puzzle. My plan is to really focus on the project this week and to bring it to the next step.

Josh Bock's Blog

I have just finished reading Josh Bock's blog, and his research and dedication is amazing. He has accumulated a really large number of resourceful books, movies, and biographies that will really help him develop his topic of mystery. He knows that in order to make a mystery novel, which is his project, he should learn from the very best by reading and watching the best novels and films. He has great movies such as The Usual Suspects, and great directors such as Alfred Hitchcock. Josh will have no lack of research or quotes. I am impressed that he is analyzing the development of mystery in novels by tracking literary techniques. I have two pieces of advice for Josh:
1) Get started on the novel, because it could prove to take a long time.
2) Don't get too carried away trying to read and watch every mystery... You should make sufficient time for your own analysis and thinking.

Breaktime

Breaks are extremely important parts of all aspects of our lives. Too much of something is unhealthy. Breaks allow us to step back from an activity or process, refresh our minds, and eventually return better suited for success. Every cycle needs to include a break, including this research project. Breaks seem counterproductive because they take us away from research and progress; however, they help us refocus, to brainstorm, and to reenergize. Although a break takes us away physically from writing and researching, it allows us to exercise mentally. Many great discoveries and observations have been achieved 'on break'. There are countless stories of inventions and discoveries that were made unintentionally or through a random thought. Every process requires a break, because an excess of one certain thing can be counterproductive.

Technology

This blog is kind of ironic: evaluating the impact of technology on a project about the impact of technology. As I am writing this post I realize how weird it is that technology has been a huge factor in this project. Without technology, I could not have done many of my research on technology. The internet, this blog, electronic libraries, and cell phone communications have really expanded my access to certain materials and sources. I am realizing that technology is so integrated in our lives that it even controls and affects how we view and learn about itself. It is so powerful and vast that it is the most useful tool we have to learn and connect. The bottom line of my thoughts right now is that technology has such a large effect on us that it teaches us about itself. It is so much a part of our lives that we do not even realize when we utilize it or when it impacts us. We even use technology to learn about technology.

These new thoughts of mine are extremely fascinating. I have never looked at this aspect of technological effects. I am going to continue developing these ideas and hopefully insert them in my paper.

Surprise!!!

As I initially began this project, I truthfully thought that it would have no ramifications on my life. I thought I would learn some cool things and that I would enjoy it, but I did not imagine that my research would change the way I look at certain aspects of my life.
Nowadays, any time I find myself texting during class, surfing the web during a speech, or playing games during a conversation, I stop and realize the extent that technology affects me personally. It really makes me appreciate the research I am doing. These moments make my topic come alive and become relatable. Every time something like this occurs, I try to put down my phone or close my computer, because I remember the value of 'real interactions'. It has really been a refreshing few months, as these have been happening often. I have found a new sense of fulfillment at the end of the day, because instead of being glued to my electronics I am bonding with and learning from others.
I never would have thought this project would be constantly on my mind, let alone affecting the way I act. Writing this, though, I realize the surprising impact my topic has had on my life.