Friday, March 31, 2006

hooray for tv

I've been avoiding an essay like the plague and I just realized there's only a week left of school before the exam period starts. (Un)Fortunately, two of them occur next week. I haven't decided whether this is a good or a bad thing. Means I won't have the weekend entirely free I suppose.
Chris and Alison have got me back into Buffy the Vampire Slayer in a serious way. I can't wait for tomorrow night, for there's another Buffy marathon planned. One thing I did learn from university, it is SOOOO much better to watch a series in it's entirety from the beginning. Don't jump in halfway, don't settle for one episode a week - download the muthafucka and watch it from start to finish (in as few days as possible). That is the BEST way to go about television. I found it is possible to watch over seven episodes in one sitting (and that was only at the start of this developing trend) without getting bored, because TV, unlike film, is supposed to grab your attention and keep it for an hour. Thus, there is no such thing as a television show just dragging on and on. Shows fly past with individual plots, and the underlying arching story lines are easier to keep up with (there's no forgetting what Willow did last week, or why Xander is upset).
Other shows I am now addicted to include:
-The Office (American version with Steve Carell but I'm dying to see the British version)
-Supernatural (but I never watch it alone, and always in broad daylight!)
-Smallville (The acting may be poor but Michael Rosenbaum (Lex) is ohhh soo sexy!!!!)
-Buffy the Vampire Slayer (we're in the middle of season two now)
and last, but DEFINITELY not least
- House, M.D. (Those piercing blue eyes... "oh House, your very name, will never leave this girl the same")

Wednesday, March 29, 2006

Emdie!


Ben Crites and I created a genre a while back... the same night we figured out that he is almost exactly three dryers long (the laundry room is where genius truly occurs) So I drew a dude to illustrate our idea. He's so full of 'tude. He's depressed and pretentious at the same time. So his self-esteem is extremely high and low at the same time... what a conundrum!

Tuesday, March 28, 2006

I hate school

I challenge anyone to bullshit an article for a journalism class better than this one. I didn't do any interviews, though all these cool people do exist in real life. The quotes are bullshit, and "Blythe Lang" is my cover, because you are definitely not supposed to write about yourself or use your own quotes. I had about a month to write this, and I started the night before it was due at like 1 am. It's a feature article...and the lead is a bit weird, but I didn't know how to start it off, so I used a "list lead" as described in my coursepack, because it seemed to work in this situation. Other than that, the article is kosher - the prices and devices are real...

The New Roadmap to a Relationship

A straight up evaluation of software, hardware, and everything in between that can be used to make a relationship work – whatever the odds.

Michael Kerr, 18, and Blythe Lang, 18, have been together almost seven months now.
Jackie Larkin, 19, has been in a relationship with Nathan Schmidt, 19, for a year.
Lucy Bridges, 18, very recently began dating Nick Schoenfelder, 19.
Mark Jenkins, 18, and Krista Pierce, 17, have been a couple for over a year.
These relationships have one thing in common: they are all long distance.
Many people balk at the thought of a long distance relationship, and it is true they can be much more difficult to maintain, and come with some major disadvantages – but with the right technology, and the right outlook, it’s possible to make the relationship work. So when my friend Lucy came to me for advice about handling a new long distance relationship (she lives in Edmonton, he lives in Naniamo), I went to the experts in the subject – other couples.
“You definitely have to be sure you want this,” said Kerr, a first year student at North Island College in Courtenay, B.C. “I was really hesitant at first, but I’m really happy I went for it, I’m so in love with this girl.”
“I think this kind of relationship is so difficult mainly because of how much you have to trust the other person, undoubtedly more than in a normal relationship. And sometimes there’s a lot of frustration which leads to some really petty arguments,” said Larkin. She moved from Victoria to Calgary to live closer to her boyfriend, who is currently in his second year at the University of Lethbridge.
One thing they all agree on, whether separated by a four hour drive or the Atlantic Ocean, a long distance relationship is tough, but technology is making it easier.
So what is out there? From web cams to text-messaging – these days communication isn’t limited to the postal service.
“We talk on msn, send emails, and call each other almost every night” said Larkin, “sometimes it’s really tough – but you deal with it.”
Long distance phone calls can be very expensive. Cell phones are packed full of outrageous fees that can pile up faster than you can talk. Still, couples tend to use them.
“The phone still beats everything else… I talk to Krista on my cell every night” said Jenkins, a student in residence at the University of Victoria. His girlfriend lives in White Rock.
“If you know you’re going to be doing something long distance, you should think about getting a landline phone instead of a cell phone. Cell phones are more convenient, but they are definitely not meant for long phone calls. Prepaid phone cards are the way to go,” was Larkin’s advice.
She’s right. Prepaid long distance cards come in almost any denomination and there are many varieties suited to how often and how long you talk on the phone. And while you won’t be able to talk on the go, you’ll have a clearer picture of how much you are spending.
Cell phone companies charge upwards of 25 cents a minute for long distance calls, and that’s not even taking into consideration the cost of running over your minutes. Text-messaging on a cell phone is even more expensive and can cost around 50 cents per message.
“My mom freaked out at me because my bill was over $300... it was a complete shock, I just didn’t realize how much I was being charged for every minute I spent on the phone” said Lang. “We’ve changed my plan now, and I’m really careful about how much time I spend talking.”
A great alternative to this is the internet. With the purchase of a microphone (prices range from $20 - $60+, and most new laptops have built in microphones) you can talk for free online, using programs such as MSN Messenger or Skype.
“Skype has it’s drawbacks for sure, the reception isn’t quite like the phone, sometimes my voice sounds kind of canned,” Kerr noted “but other than that it’s okay. It’s free, that’s the best part”
“Mike doesn’t like Skype as much, but if it stops my mom from screaming about my phone bill, then it’s worth it” said Lang.
The biggest problem with Skype is the echoing – many people are uncomfortable hearing themselves through their speakers a half second after they speak – but this can be easily solved with a pair of headphones. If you are using it on a laptop, the only other drawback is how close the microphone is to the keyboard. Generally, it’s best not to engage in other activities on the computer when you’re talking – because your voice will be drowned out by the clatter of the keys as you type.
Of course there is always instant messenger which can be a great way to talk casually with your sweetheart. The only problem is how addicting it is.
“Now that Nick and I are dating, we’ve been talking on msn for like seven hours a night! It’s crazy, I’m not getting enough sleep…but I can’t help it, I miss him so much already,” said Bridges.
Kerr’s advice: don’t drag out conversations. “At first it’s really hard not to talk to them all night, but it gets easier to say goodbye after a while. Just remember you’ve got a life outside of your relationship”
“It’s best if you don’t spend all night moping around – last semester I was skipping parties just to talk to Mike on msn… then I realized that the best way to deal with the stress was to get out of my room, go see my friends, and have some fun,” said Lang. “Just taking my mind off of him made things so much better, we talk a lot less now, but we’re still just as close.”
Msn also has options for using web cameras and microphones. Web cameras are relatively inexpensive, but the images aren’t always great on the cheaper versions.
So before you dive into a long distance relationship, check your budget and consider picking up some gadgets that could make the distance almost disappear.

Sunday, March 19, 2006