Sunday, December 15, 2013

FINALS WEEK. OH BOY!



(Funny story, I had this ready to post on Saturday night, but the snowstorm knocked out our internet, so I couldn’t do much of anything. Here’s hoping it still gets a decent grade. Fingers crossed.)

This semester actually hasn’t been too bad for finals week. I have a PowerPoint due in my Introduction to Technical Writing class about the data I collected for my Final Report, which wasn’t really that hard. I did procrastinate on that one, eventually finishing it about two hours after the class where it was due. I presented it to the teacher for revision in class, though, so the late submittal was fine.

I just have a reflection due in Educating Exceptional Students, and we’re going to spend the finals time updating our efolios, so that’ll be fun. I believe the reflection statement needs to be on the pajama drive we did that’s in the newsletter. I think it’s on Effective Citizenship.

I believe that the only thing I have due in Introduction to Education is a revised form of a previous assignment, along with a reflection statement concerning Communication, I think.

For the final in Psych 250, we have a group presentation on the Maori for New Zealand and their cultural rituals from birth to death. It’s boring as balls, but it has to be done. Here’s hoping I don’t screw up too bad on that one.

The one that’s really twerking my buns is the Comm 200 portfolio. I’ve got the notes we took in class on what all is supposed to be included in the portfolio, but I’m still having trouble figuring out what all is due and how it should be organized. I believe that there is a reflection statement due with every one of the seven sections, and I believe that I have everything but those reflection statements done, but it’s wacking my gasket trying to put everything together into a cohesive whole.

Overall, though, I think I’m in a good place for the finals. Here’s hoping I can keep the ship above water.

Saturday, December 7, 2013

This Week: SNOW. SO MUCH SNOW.

The assigned topic this week was the recent snowstorm. I don't like snow. I don't like cold. Some would ask: "Why Robert, if you don't like snow or the cold, what are you doing in North Dakota?" To which I would respond: "I ask myself that same question." I awoke the morning it started (Tuesday or Wednesday, I forget) with an omen of bad portents. I showered, thinking that the floor was kinda cold, got something to eat, and got ready for class without once looking in a window. I got in my car in the garage, opened the door, and backed out INTO A GODDAMN WINTER WONDERLAND.






http://www.colourbox.com/preview/3091375-182657-happy-couple-playing-outdoor-at-winter-mountains-active-people-over-natural-blue-wintertime-landscape-background-with-falling-snow-christmas-vacation-holidays.jpg

Like this, but with more rage and cursing.

Now, as I've already established, I don't like snow. I don't like winter. I think that the only time that snow is appropriate is from the hours of 4pm to midnight on Christmas Eve. Before or after that, snow is a nuisance. It makes otherwise rational people drive like complete morons. If someone is driving a 2-ton death machine near me, I don't want ANYTHING impairing their limited ability.

http://www.gtspirit.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/car_crash_bmw_x5m_flips_upside_down_480x280.jpg

Like this, but with more rage and cursing.

I've heard so many people start conversations this week with "isn't that snow great?" and I have to refrain from screaming at the top of my lungs: "NO. NOT AT ALL." This much snow might be the polar opposite (see what I did there?) of great. It is the antithesis of great. If this storm and a similar volume of essence of great were to come into contact, they would both be annihilated in an antimatter reaction. That is how not great this snowstorm was.

In conclusion, f*ck snow. That is all.

Saturday, November 30, 2013

Thanksgiving Post

In my family, Thanksgiving is really about food and family, then everything else, in that order. This year, we did get to be a part of the "festivities" of pre-Black Friday in Jamestown, where we bought a TV.

Our Thanksgiving dinner (at 2 pm, so not sure why everyone calls it dinner) (side note, everything was demolished so fast I didn't get pictures of anything, so the images are stock. Though everything looks just like it did for us. Scout's honor.) consisted of:

Turkey

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d2/Oven_roasted_brine-soaked_turkey.jpg

Stuffing

http://www.seriouseats.com/images/2011/11/20101117-stuffing.jpg

Corn

http://us.123rf.com/400wm/400/400/carb28/carb280906/carb28090600073/5072664-bowl-of-freshly-harvested-and-cut-canned-whole-kernel-corn.jpg

Yams
http://vegansistahdotcom.files.wordpress.com/2012/01/yams-1.jpg

Mac and Cheese

http://eatathomecooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/macaroni-and-cheese-done-1024x680.jpg

Cheddar Bay Biscuits

http://www.browneyedbaker.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/cheddar-bay-biscuits-37-600.jpg

Cornbread

http://earlymorningharvest.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/early-morning-harvest_corn-bread.jpg

Cranberry Chutney

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBgfOZlvS2rZ4MVo8Mp_ajIObzGcdJYOhG2oVg_NHKis1Iw9WkHMcKMr8-PoH-qM8NrddkQldLcygM-JeGUPXT9noXnsfU81I488vQHS2lSdtTCrNb8sZgN7Bzqpa8Kft6uXefTAQmFvTM/s800/Cranberry+Chutney+500.jpg

And all of it was delicious.

Saturday, November 23, 2013

Blog Post for 11/23

As I am currently working my ass off on this advertising campaign, this will have to be short and sweet. I figure that since there's no enforced topic and no word count, I'll just post an update as to where I'm at with my Advertising campaign.

  • 10 points: Use of grammar and punctuation overall - Checkity-check.
  • 10 points: Audience Analysis/ Survey. I'm using both my information and information that the company has collected about their customers.
  • 10 points: Planning Sheet - Checkamundo.
  • 10 points: Flier - Finishing up on this, just need the feedback from my business.
  • 10 points: Brochure - This one is a pain in the ass, but I'm almost done with it. Just a few more images and such.
  • 10 points: 1 print ad - This is pretty much done, but my formatting is all funky.
  • 10 points: Radio spot - This one is giving me problems, as I am used to putting my words a certain way, and some might go over the heads of some listeners. It sounds really bad to say, but I kinda need to "dumb down" my writing style.
  • 30 points: Video advertisement - This and the jingle are the things that are killing me at this point. I don't have a whole lot of experience with making and editing video, so it's like moving through molasses for me. This is the one part that is going to bite me in the ass.

Saturday, November 16, 2013

Field of Study Research

I chose to research a person in my field of study, as I felt I wouldn't have enough time to interview one. I chose to research John Green, a novelist and internet celebrity. He plays a large part in the internet community, especially YouTube. He and his brother Hank run the YouTube channel Vlogbrothers. As an English major, I consider myself a lover of languages and novels, and researching John Green seemed like an excellent fit.

John uses media writing in several key ways. He writes his own scripts for multiple channels on YouTube including Vlogbrothers, Crash Course, and Mental Floss, just to name a few. He also runs his own blog Fishingboatproceeds, and uses media writing to make himself understood in that medium. Finally, along with his brother, he maintains the Nerdfighter community, a sort of non-profit dedicated to "decreasing world suck". In his leadership capacity, he must use media writing to express the goals and ambitions of both himself and the community as a whole.

Links:

http://www.youtube.com/user/vlogbrothers
http://www.youtube.com/user/MentalFlossVideo
http://www.youtube.com/user/crashcourse
http://fishingboatproceeds.tumblr.com/
http://nerdfighteria.org/
http://dftba.net/

Friday, November 8, 2013

Central Avenue Health Mart Fixed Blogpost



Contact: Robert Carter
Central Avenue Health Mart
Phone (701) 845-5280
Rc.carter@hotmail.com
323 Central Ave North, Suite 101
Valley City, ND 58072

Central Avenue Health Mart Announces RX PAX

New Program to Assist Customers in Organizing Medicine

Valley City, ND, November 1, 2013:  Central Avenue Health Mart is finally releasing pre-packaged versions of customer’s medications. This system, dubbed “RX PAX”, is being released to any customer that is interested. The testing for this product has been going on internally for over a year. “RX PAX” are small packets of the customer’s medication that is labeled and grouped by the time of day required for ingestion to streamline the medication process and reduce accidental ingestion of incorrect medications.
Why RX PAX?
With the pharmacy looking at novel ways to assist their new and returning customers, surveys and other forms of research were done all looking for one goal: “what will help our customers the most?” What their internal research found was that for elderly people or people on the go, they didn’t want to bring tons of bottles with them on vacation, and were looking for a simpler option. Thus, it was decided to release RX PAX and make the option available to customers. The program is currently being offered to all customers, and further advertising is planned.
# # #
·         For more information, contact: Doreen Sayler at doreen@healthmartvc.com, (701) 845-5280, or visit their Facebook page at facebook.com/CentralAvenueHealthmartPharmacy/.

Friday, November 1, 2013

Central Avenue Health Mart Press Release Assignment

I made this in Word, so the graphics aren't translating the best. The following is a link to the actual word document and polished copy.

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B0OzI9oDBATjRS1valBRdS1vdms/edit?usp=sharing&pli=1

---

The following is a text approximation of the actual document, copy-pasted from the Word document itself.



Contact: Robert Carter
Central Avenue Health Mart
Phone (701) 845-5280
Rc.carter@hotmail.com
323 Central Ave North, Suite 101
Valley City, ND 58072

Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Central Avenue Health Mart Announces RX PAX

New Program to Assist Customers in Organizing Medicine

Valley City, ND, November 1, 2013:  Central Avenue Health Mart is finally releasing pre-packaged versions of customer’s medications. This system, dubbed “RX PAX”, is being released to any customer that is interested. The testing for this product has been going on internally for over a year. “RX PAX” are small packets of the customer’s medication that is labeled and grouped by the time of day required for ingestion to streamline the medication process and reduce accidental ingestion of incorrect medications.
Why RX PAX?
With the pharmacy looking at novel ways to assist their new and returning customers, surveys and other forms of research were done all looking for one goal: “what will help our customers the most?” What their internal research found was that for elderly people or people on the go, they didn’t want to bring tons of bottles with them on vacation, and were looking for a simpler option. Thus, it was decided to release RX PAX and make the option available to customers. The program is currently being offered to all customers, and further advertising is planned.
# # #
·         For more information, contact: Doreen Sayler at doreen@healthmartvc.com, (701) 845-5280, or visit their Facebook page at facebook.com/CentralAvenueHealthmartPharmacy/.