The Wandering Kid: November 2015

18 | The Public Speaking High School Competition. Speak Sense

Monday, November 30, 2015
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17 | Seminar on Media Literacy

Listening to a person talking about media literacy isn't new to me. Before I attended college, I used to encounter and research about this a lot because I was actually kind of interested in it.

There were three speakers. they talked about "How to effectively write a story." She said that journalism is basically "storytelling with a purpose." Kind of like Miss World's slogan "Beauty with a purpose." She discussed about the elements of Journalism and the 5 W's, and 1 H. The Who, What, When, Where, Why, and How. And insisted upon telling us that we often forget one more element. The So What.

When we're writing an effective story, she taught us to think about the important questions.

Content - What's the story
New? - Value added information
So What? - Why people should care
And then? What we want to happen

Those are the important questions that you should be telling yourself when writing an effective story. She shared a few So What issues:

Duterte declares intention to run for presidency
Six years ater Maguindanao massacre and justice still remains elusive
Pnoy: Laglag-bala scam sensationalized
Kalyeserye: Alden, naguguluhan dahil ayaw niya magpakasal kay Cindy sa Sabado.

Another thing she shared with us is the Art of Interview

Embrace the Silence
Don't be afraid to play dumb
Take notes for more questions and angles
Research is a process of gathering data, not the result
Start strong, end stronger

Aside from those, she said in writing a story, we should follow some of these rules

List main findings of your field work
Decide which facts and details go together
Write nut graph (hard lead, newspeg, background)
What's the point? (context first)
Put the human face

She also told us some of her key experiences as a journalist.

Be critical when asking questions. Red key blues, make sure grammar is correct and composition. Take time to destress. You will be busy as hell so brace yourselves. And lastly, report the unreported.

The other speaker was all about the talk of "Deglamorizing New Media." She really opposed the mob mentality. She taught us about the role of the media and advocacy of journalism For media, first is to inform, to educate, and to entertain. She also showed us examples.

One thing is for sure, the internet and the media are powerful tools that can either help society move forward, or destroy humanity. We must all be careful when browsing and posting in the net. We never know what lurks about.

Monday, November 30, 2015
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16 | Understanding Plagiarism

Plagiarism is something that we all have done in the past. Even I can admit that I have done it in the past as well. But that doesn't mean that everyone should think it as a normal act in society. But what exactly is plagiarism? According to the internet, "plagiarism is an act of fraud. It involves both stealing someone else's work and lying about it afterward." So why is it that even the most honest of people commit such an act and think that it's fine?

I have a lot of good and kind friends that commit plagiarism even when they know that it's not a wise thing to do. One time I even caught my friend who's the "follow -the-rule book" kind of girl. She always follows authority - even when it was legal, she would still think twice about doing something that she thinks is against the rules. There was a time when we went into this empty classroom and she wouldn't go in because she thinks that we have to ask for permission first, even though there wasn't going to be any class in that room anymore. Yet still, it was fine for her to plagiarize.

Plagiarism can be dangerous to the one doing it. So I suggest to just avoid it by citing sources, or by simply letting your readers know that your words and sentences were only borrowed. I also know that plagiarism is a great concern to teachers because all they want is for their students to present a work that was actually done by them with their own efforts. It wasn't an issue back then, but now that the age of technology and the internet has come, it has now become one of the most aggravating issue.

For me, the reason as to why the students commit plagiarism though is because they simply have little time to do all of their assignments/projects. I myself am struggling really hard right now as I have 3 speeches to make and to memorize and all of them are to be presented on days near each other, and there I have 5 writing assignments, so naturally, the students are too tired and end up neglecting their other writing activities.

Monday, November 30, 2015
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15 | My Queen, Lana Del Rey

Elizabeth Woolridge Grant, more commonly known by her stage name, Lana Del Rey, is an American singer, songwriter, and model.

When she entered the music scene in 2012, almost everyone criticized her because of her appearance on Saturday Night Live. Everyone called her this "Pop star that's been engineered by the media." Little did everyone know, Lana became depressed. I first found out about her when I listened to her song Born to Die and Summertime Sadness back in 2012. I initially found her to be too boring for my taste and chose to ignore her every time she appeared on TV. And then after 2 years, the Maleficent trailer came where she was the one who sang a different, more spooky version of 'Once Upon A Dream'. I actually thought that Angelina Jolie was the one singing. After that I bumped into her again while watching The Great Gatsby because she was the one chosen to make and sing the original soundtrack, Young and Beautiful. After that, I fell in love. I searched for her old songs and I came to love those songs that I first thought were boring.

Young Lizzy when she wasn't famous yet and before she became Lana Del Rey

I basically stalked her and researched more about her background information and that is when I ultimately fell in love. Lana Del Rey is a true romantic that feels as though she doesn't fit in this world and thinks she's supposed to have been born in a different time. Her idols were the same as mine. Elvis Presley, Marilyn Monroe, Audrey Hepburn, Kurt Cobain, James Dean, and more. As I researched more about her, the more I felt as if I really know her and the more her songs and lyrics touched me. I could feel her sadness. I could really feel her longing for freedom. I find it sad because most people misunderstand her lyrics. When people said her first hit song “Video Games” wasn’t emotionally healthy, she also brushed that off.

She explained, "I didn't understand how that arose any kind of feminist commentary, because all I was saying was, 'I'm so happy when you get home, and heaven is a place on earth with you. I've never been happier.' I didn't understand any reason why that sounded submissive, to me. In fact, I actually thought that at such a young age, I was blessed to find someone who made me so happy. And I just didn't understand why true love shouldn't be the end-all, be-all.”

I love that, since art is art and should be afforded some fluidity in analysis. I love Lana Del Rey’s lyrical candidness!

Another thing that I love about her is that She’s got some pretty deep feelings...and knows how to express them. Even though Del Rey is described as “sad” more often than not, we should remember that she’s a person with many emotions, just like anyone else!

"I'm happy when things are just kind of calm. I love going to the ocean. I love driving. I love going to shows. Just being with people I really have fun with. I love the summer. I'm happy in the summer. Love hot, hot weather. I'm happy when I'm making a record, most of the time,” she says.

There are a lot more things I want to say and talk about, but I want to reserve more of those for next time. I can just about Lana for hours. The last thing I would say to all of you is to try to listen to her music. You'll either love it or hate it. But if you come to love it, you'll be in for a roller coaster ride as that is what most of her fans feel when listening to her songs. she's great for a lazy muggy afternoon when you just want to listen to something "nice". Oh, and don't forget to buy her new album titled 'Honeymoon.'

Wednesday, November 18, 2015
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14 | Why I love Game of Thrones

Wednesday, November 18, 2015
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13 | Blue Spring Ride

Ao Haru Ride, or Blue Spring Ride if translated in english, is an anime that I watched this week, and a manga that I read this week. And all I can say is that, it left me depressed, in a good way. You know that feeling after watching a movie and you feel depressed because you know you're never going to see those characters you got attached to so much. That's what I'm feeling right now. :(

Blue Spring Ride is an anime about love, but it's underlying principle is really to make the audience watch two people grow and CHANGE. the concept of a childhood girl developing a crush towards a boy is something that has been done over and over before. It also has a sense of innocence as the young Futaba Yoshioka sees boys as ‘violent’. The only exception is a boy named Kou Tanaka who she sees as gentle. The problem is that a simple misunderstanding leads to a separation between the two as Tanaka transfer from school. Simply put, the experiences that Futaba shared with Tanaka is a treasure. But that treasure right now is buried away until one day…

The story revolves a group of characters during their school days. It’s easy to say that school is a setting for people to grow up and perhaps change themselves. Futaba tries to do exactly that as she makes effort to be less girly. Her actions speaks louder than words too such as when she purposely eats more than appears to be to play down her girly side. The friends she has made essentially can also be seen as the tough crowd as they ostracizes her later on. Nonetheless, Futaba is a genuine kind girl as shown through her relationship with Yuuri, a pretty classmate who is despised by other girls. Other characters joining the story includes the lone wolf Shuuko Murao and the energetic Aya Kominato. Most importantly, Kou returns but now goes by the name “Kou Mabuchi”. This isn’t the only change though. Unlike his gentle self, the new Kou makes a 180 degree personality change with his sarcastic behavior and cold gestures. Really, you’re probably asking yourself what in the world happened, right?

Parts that can make you engaged to the characters is the diversity. Almost every character has a different personality yet they all become part of the story that gets interconnected in some way. A short arc during the show also gets the main characters together to on a camping trip where they must collectively work together to succeed. It takes on development routes as circumstances are bought up between characters as they grow closer. Examples include Kou and Yuuri where the latter seems to feel more towards him than just a friend. Similarly, Shuuko also begins to open up more after confessing her own interests. Regardless, the show connects relationships in a realistic way that can be relatable. Ever wondered how love ever blooms between certain people? Ao Haru Ride pushes the buttons between the characters to both show and tell exactly just that.

Perhaps the most prominent relationship throughout the show is between Kou and Futaba. After all, there’s so much contrast in their characters that a seemingly meaningful relationship between the two just seems to be impossible. There’s a lot of teasing and sarcasm between the duo despite an obvious mutual attraction. Jealousy is also an easy feeling that both characters feel throughout the show during various scenarios. But for what’s worth, their relationship will spark a curious interest. The “will they or won’t they?” will be one of those questions viewers will ask themselves a lot of the time. Their story stabs in the heart at times when moments are broken by misunderstandings or interruptions. Nonetheless, the show has grace and spirit and isn’t afraid to pull out moments that draws them closer together. On the other hand, Kou’s actions often contrasts what he says. In essence, he is one of those guys that isn’t being entirely honest with himself and struggles to be closer with others. This stark contrast to his childhood self is an interesting insight to see as Futaba tries to remember their times together. Speaking of which, Futaba’s feelings also resurfaces as she gets to know the current Kou. While his personality as a friend has changed, she recognizes that he is still the same person she comes to love. With a depth of flashbacks, it’s easy to see how these two can connect together despite being so very different.

No relationship can be without misunderstandings and love triangles. Ao Haru Ride doesn’t break far from that as it follows the cliché. The catch is that Futaba doesn’t wish to hurt others despite of her own feelings. A part of the story depicts her inner struggles to tell a friend about what she feels towards the boy. And if you guess right, that friend also shares the same feelings as the boy he fell for. Awkward moments must be accepted for enjoyment or this show will haunt you like a ticking time bomb. Luckily the show doesn’t play on a viewer’s patience too much. Even when it gets a bit intimidating, the show still is able to manage by with its clever humor and dramatic dialogues. They are often lighthearted with no shock value or profane scenarios. The slight problem sometimes though is the way it tries, especially with its dialogues during conversations. While the drama can get emotional and feel realistic, it has empty thrills and predictable outcomes. Furthermore, there’s little you can feel at times because of the stereotypes. And because Kou and Futaba are the main focus, there’s an obvious lack of characterization on the other characters. We don’t find out too much about other characters besides who they are on the surface and their personalities. In retrospect, they feel less conventional as the love triangle is more of a plot device to draw Kou and Futaba closer together. The collateral damage is the one that’s hurt as they become a cannon fodder; without the actual injury of course.

For a shoujo series, Ao Haru Ride is surprisingly well structured based on its story. It has the look and feel of what a shoujo series should be with its characters, visuals, and other commonly seen tropes. While the show doesn’t characterize everyone at the same level, it’s interesting to see how their lives become interconnected through one and another. And through that, relationship are developed that can be everlasting. The show also does well with its realism and wastes little time to flesh out what it’s trying to do with the premise. Indeed, the show doesn’t stride far from where it begins as we see the relationship development between Futaba and Kou. An issue might arise that makes the audience ask themselves ‘was that it?’ or when the story feels repetitive. Still, with what it has offered up in its sleeves, I can say that Ao Haru Ride is definitely a ride worth taking.

Wednesday, November 18, 2015
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12 | Are video games unhealthy?

Are video games really unhealthy for us humans? Generally, the one's who really hates video games are the parents as they think that video games are bad as time-wasters, and worse, some education experts think that these games corrupt the brain. Playing violent video games are easily blamed by the media and some experts as the reason why some young people become violent or commit extreme behavior that is frowned upon by the society. But many scientists and psychologists find that video games can actually have many benefits. It can even make kids smarter. Video games may actually teach kids high-level thinking skills that they will need in the future.

According to my research, “Video games change your brain,” according to University of Wisconsin psychologist C. Shawn Green. Playing video games change the brain’s physical structure the same way as do learning to read, playing the piano, or navigating using a map. Much like exercise can build muscle, the powerful combination of concentration and rewarding surges of neurotransmitters like dopamine strengthen neural circuits that can build the brain. There are several good and bad effects of video games. Follow me if you want to know more.

The Good Effects

1. It makes kids follow instructions because in every game, there are tutorials and rules that the kid has to follow in order to become better at the game.

2. There are a lot of problem solving and logic in video games. When a child plays a game, say for example as superman, angry birds, or even as his favorite anime character, he trains his brain to come up with creative ways to solve puzzles and other problems in short bursts

3. Their bodies are being accustomed to Hand-eye coordination, fine motor and spatial skills. In shooting games, for example the character may be running and shooting at the same time. This requires the real-world player to keep track of the position of the character, where he/she is heading, his speed, where the gun is aiming, if the gunfire is hitting the enemy, and so on. All these factors need to be taken into account, and then the player must then coordinate the brain’s interpretation and reaction with the movement in his hands and fingertips. This requires a great deal of eye-hand coordination and visual-spatial ability to be successful. Research also suggests that people can learn iconic, spatial, and visual attention skills from video games. There have been even studies with adults showing that experience with video games is related to better surgical skills. Also, a reason given by experts as to why fighter pilots of today are more skillful is that this generation’s pilots are being weaned on video games.

4. They become more accurate. Action games, according to a study by the University of Rochester, train the player’s brain to make faster decisions without losing accuracy. In today’s world, it is important to move quickly without sacrificing accuracy.

There a lot more positive effects when playing video games. But let's now head on to the negative effects.

The Bad Effects

1. Children become more aggressive. Most of the bad effects of video games are blamed on the violence they contain. Children who play more violent video games are more likely to have increased aggressive thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.

2. Obesity. It’s estimated that roughly one-third of the world's population are obese, and this is largely blamed on bad diets and sedentary lifestyles. In some cases, we can thank video games for that.

3. Poor Grades. Many parents suspect that kids who spend significant amounts of time playing video games may not be devoting enough time to school work. There are attention problems as most kids would rather finish a game than finish a homework.

4. Attention problems. Kids who actively play video games are prone to attention problems, may it be at home when it comes to talking with the parents, or in school when it comes to paying attention in class.

But let's look at the bright side because, like every thing in the world, everything has it's negative effects. It's just that you should do everything with MODERATION. And video games are no exceptions. Just make sure to keep and eye on your child and both of you will learn that life is worth living when both of you concentrate and work, but also not forgetting to let loose and have fun.