Kathryn's Blog

BIRTHDAY

kaschmidt2 — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 22:10:00 +0000

It is my birthday today! Unfortunately, I am spending it in the library and doing work. I celebrated all weekend though, so I suppose that will have to do. I just finished my audio powerpoint for this class and am quite proud. This is the first time I have ever done an audio presentation on the computer and while it took awhile to figure out, I think I was finally successful. However, it took me numerous attempts to get it right. And actually, i still got cut off on a few slides, but I posted the speech, as well.(Chris, if I get cut off speaking, I apologize, but I literally tried to perfect it a billion times and still could not figure out the problem, hence why i posted audio in words on the wiki). Other than LIS 201, I have alot of other work to do, but that won’t require technology, so I should be golden. It will just take alot of time.

end of semester

kaschmidt2 — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 03:34:25 +0000

The semester’s end is nearing and I have mixed feelings about it; i am excited to finish up classes and have a fresh start in new ones, but i am also nervous for yet another new beginning – a new room in my sorority house, new professors, and new faces. The main reason I am excited for the semester to end is because I will get to go home and SLEEP. I am exhausted. I’m one of the few people I know who can pull consecutive all-nighters and still function, but even I am at my end.

Currently, I am sitting on the floor of the tv in my sorority house with a bunch of girls. We are all watching the Victori’as Secret Fashion Show and everyone of us have our laptops out. Technology is ever present in our lives. Lately, I have been carrying my mini laptop everywhere. It has become synonymous to my cell phone.

On another note, also relating to technology, today my cell phone died during a class. I had no time to go home and was literally panicking. I made a special trip, completely out of my way, to run back to my house just to get the charger. I didn’t feel like I could go without it for the few hours. I needed to communicate with various people about different matters. It just goes to show how much people today rely on technology in their everyday lives, even on a minute to minute basis.

Facebook Gets Creepy

kaschmidt2 — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 23:41:48 +0000

I never noticed this about Facebook until a friend pointed it out, but now I always notice it. When you click onto your Facebook homepage, advertisements come up on the sides…and they are geared towards you. The more information you give Facebook and the more active of a user you are, the more accurat these advertisements are. One of my friends made her status New York and soon enough, advertisements geared towards traveling and New York popped up. Similarily, if a friend downloaded a sports application, advertisements geared towards sports would most likely pop up. Anyways, this reminds me of Big Brother from 1984 and how he all aspects of privacy are invaded and then, used against people. It just proves how technology is becoming smarter and smarter and replacing the need for many occupations.

College Library

kaschmidt2 — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 11:15:23 +0000

I am currently at College Library, studying, procrastinating, and sleeping for minutes here and there – it is 6:02 in the morning. Throughout my long and tedious night here at the library, I have had several interesting thoughts, all of relation to technology.

First, I went down to the library cafe to purchase a drink; however, i had not realized how much time had passed since I last looked at my cell phone and therefore, i did not realize that it was already two am and the cafe had closed. Settling on the next best alternative, I headed over to the vending machines. I was about to purchase a soda when I realized I could buy coffee from a vending machine too. I had seen this type of machine before, many times actually, but I never gave it a second thought. It was just there. In my extreme want for coffee, I decided to give the machine a chance, despite my opinion that coffee from a vending machine sounds disgusting, and awaited my drink. I was pleasantly suprised, not only by the amount of options I had as to what type of coffee drink I would like, but also by the efficiency and speed of the machine. It even asked me if I wanted a small or large cup and if I wanted cream in my drink. Impressive. I realize you may be reading this thinking, “Wow, she needs to get out more,” or “That isn’t a big deal at all,” but when I really think about it, it is awesome to me that a machine can do reproduce human actions so easily. It gives the word convenience an entirely new meaning.

Moving on, I had another technology related thought. Every time I needed a break from writing my paper or studying for one of my many exams – and I needed quite a few breaks – I would take a stroll, hoping to run into friends, or search facebook for statuses that alerted me someone was at the library. That is when i thought, “How great would it be if their was a device that told you everyone who was at College Library at the same time you were!” I would have loved to know who was there, for both socializing and school work related reasons.

I am heading back to work now. The sun is beginning to rise, ever so slowly. Clearly, it is way too late to be up (or too early). Goodnight all!

Harmful or helpful? ethics of technology and the media

kaschmidt2 — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 02:37:53 +0000

Recently, outside of Fenger High, in Chicago, a murder of a sixteen year old honor student, Derrion Albert, was committed in the midst of a major gang fight. This particular event caused attracted a fit of media attention due to the circumstances and the aftermath. Someone watching the fight captured the scene on a cell phone video camera and soon, it was posted across the internet for anyone to see. In the video, Derrion Albert appears to be helpful another student, but then was hit in the head with a board and continually beat up. Workers from a nearby community center rushed over, but it was already too late; the damage had been done. Derrior Albert had suffered fatal injuries, leading to his unfortunatedeath.

It is interesting to hear people’s thoughts on the video that was posted shortly after the death. Some believe it was posted to help identity the remainging suspects, but others think that the people who sit and watch videos like these are just as guilty as those involved. The video is definitely difficult to watch and a breach of privacy, especially for those involved and the family. However, at the same time, people who committ a crime deserve to be punished. There are many conflicting views out there. I, myself, am not sure of my opinion at the time either, although I feel great sympathy toward the family of Derrior Albert. They suffered an unimaginable tragedy, one which no one deserves to go through. The media and the online videos certaintly do not help to ease their pain.

This, of course, leads to technology and the question of whether, “does it cause more harm than it does good?” While people have various opinions, I think it is obvious that amost all technology has many benefits. The internet, has countless advantages that cannot be denied. In an instance like this, though, technology is questioned, and causes harm.

THOUGHTS or OPINIONS?

Quick addition to last blog

kaschmidt2 — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 18:20:41 +0000

As I was walking past the room next to mine (in order to get to the elevators), I heard a woman say “not a good design, but looks cool,” in reference to the bathroom door. Immediately, I understood what she meant, because I had been experiencing difficulty with the bathroom’s sliding door all day. It just goes to show that not all newer technology is better.

modern times

kaschmidt2 — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 16:35:21 +0000

Hey everyone,

It is official…everytime something technologically related comes up, I think of my blog and this class. Pathetic? A little bit. Oh well. I am currently in Chicago visiting my parents – my dad is here for a medical conference – and we are staying at a very modernized hotel. My dad even said he was tired of the typical luxiourous, yet old fashioned hotels and wanted a change. I remember him using the word “hip’ yesterday to describe it. The rooms are dimly lit by interesting looking lights, ipod docks and flat plasma televisions appear everywhere, and mechanical blindes are controlled by the press of a button. Technology is seen in every bit of the hotel, but i did not realize it until I actually thought about it. It is easy to miss things when they are incorporated so flawlessly and effortlessly into the normalcy of life. For example, I had to insert my hotel key card into a slot in the elevator in order to be granted permission to press a floor button.

While I am on topic of the hotel, although this comment has nothing to do with technology, i just wanted to quickly tell you about this hotel’s signature food item. I apologize for this randomness. For breakfast, my sister ordered pancakes. Little did we know that by pancakes, they meant huge and fluffy doughy cakes the size of an extra large pizza pie. I am not kidding, and there were two of them! Needless to say, she finished a quarter of one and we gave the rest to a homeless man. If I am trying to relate this little bit of information to technology, I would guess they have an interesting and unique cooking machine or griddle to allow for the making of such huge pancakes.

thoughts on email

kaschmidt2 — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 05:49:11 +0000

Electronic mail, commonly referred to as email, is actually a rather large part of my life; it is how i communicate with my professors, how i set up appointments, catch up with long distance friends, and learn about opportunities on campus. I even receive shopping information through my email, which would be a negative thing (as it is tempting and distracting). I frequently receive emails, almost on a minute by minute basis, at time, from members in my sorority. Because there is an email address that actually sends your mail out to the entire sorority, people frequently take advantage of this to send out a variety of emails, ranging from the tshirts they are selling, promoting their club, looking for items they lost, selling or searching for football tickets, to badgering someone about paying their dues and informing people of upcoming events. The topics of emails are endless. The idea of email particularly interested me tonight because of recent emails flooding my inbox from my sorority. One girl sent out an email to the entire sorority, but single out one girl. Therefore, the email should have been sent out as an individual email. In response to the email, the singled out girl sent one back to the entire sorority, upset that she was scolded via email, in which th entire sorority could read. Basically, this resulted in a full out email battle. As entertaining as this was, I did not need those extra emails cluttering my inbox and pulling my attention away from more important matters. After tonight, I have concluded that email – along with most forms of technology – has both its pros and its cons.

How Technology Makes You TOO Available

kaschmidt2 — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 18:05:51 +0000

I am currently sitting in the Great Room of my sorority house, which by the way, has an amazing view of the lake, and am attempting to study with a few of my friends. We were taking a break, so I decided to write my blog. At a loss for what to write about, I asked for their opinions and ideas. They immediately shouted out suggestions, most of which related to things that they were unhappy about right now; they wanted me to write about how there is not time this week to go to all the required sorority events due to their enormous and overwhelming amount of school work. When I asked them how that related to technology, one of the girls said “technology makes you too avaiable.” As I thought about what she said, I was more and more impressed with her insight. It is true. Technology DOES make us TOO available; if we didn’t have email, I would never know about half of the events in time or if we didn’t have text messaging, I wouldn’t get messages that the location changed. Because of technology, people can communicate at a moment’s notice and there is rarely an excuse for not getting the memo and therefore, there is no excuse for not being at the event, on time and ready to go. While technology is helpful, it can also be frustrating at times. Don’t you wish you could ever just turn off your phone for the day? It reminds me of the movies when a dad is constantly working, even when he is at home – by way of mobile phone or blackberry, always replying to this email or calling back that client – and all his child wants to do is spend time with him, without interuption. Sometimes, that is how I feel. All I want to do is have a conversation with someone without them checking their phone ever 10 seconds or so to see if their boyfriend has texted them back or to see if they have received any updates on their Facebook. People say technology gives you an identity; well, i think it might take away identity. It can make you feel lost or make you feel as if you are the same as every other girl walking down the street on her cell phone. Technology clearly has its advantages, benefits that I myself could not function well without, but it is obvious that there are cons, as well. If you get too wrapped up in technology, you just might miss the beauty in the world or the enjoyment that your company can offer you!

Poem

kaschmidt2 — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 03:44:32 +0000

I mentioned in one of my previous blogs that I really enjoy writing poetry. Sometimes, I feel that it is easier to express how I feel in a rhyme. It is exciting to me that I can share my poetry with the world (or at least a class) through technology; this blog may be beneficial to me, after all. Here’s a poem I wrote about my sorority.

It all began on a sunny day
The process of rush in its usual way
Talking with girls while sweat ran about
Left me buried under a pile of doubt.

Day one to pref was filled with friends and fun
I knew what I wanted, I was almost done
Great conversations I had with all who I met
But there was one sorority I couldn’t forget.

I based my decision on their chocolate fondue
Just kidding, of course, there was much more to review
Genuine girls with stories to impress
They sparkled and glistened among the rest.

Wisconsin’s bid day finally arrived
With the anticipation I had, I barely survived
When I saw my envelope, I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry
I was so excited to see the 3 words – pi beta phi.

In only a short time, memories were made
Pomping our float and the homecoming parade
Then there was the time I mistook beer for a shot
But no matter, you girls blew me try, getting every last spot.

That’s what I’m learning sisterhood is for
To help them back up when they fall on the floor
To yell at a boy who isn’t worth their time
Or to just be their friend and their partners in crime.

You girls teach me to laugh as much as possible
And cry a little less
To conceive the inconceivable
And dare to tell life “yes!”

It’s crazy to think the journey has just begun
But there’s so much more that’s left to be done
Philanthropy, socials, or even the act of just being there
Is what makes pi phi so special and rare.

Each of us is individually unique
But put us together and we are complete
Our fabric of friendship will always be strong
Because each thread, each girl, was picked to belong.

Thanks to tiff, we all passed our test
We’re lucky to have her to guide us in our quest
I even look forward to her billion emails
To find out what’s next to cross through our trail.

No matter the distance, no matter the time
I’ll always be here to write you a rhyme
It’s easy to see
Sisters and friends, forever we’ll be.

That is hopefully the first of many poems I can share through the help and use of this blog.