Why I Don't Believe In Luck

Do you really believe in luck? Or do you just say "good luck," or "I'm having bad luck today," just because that's what everyone says. Do you really think that someone who made a 3 pointer to win the game was lucky? Or maybe they just practice every day and they happened to be on target that shot. It is not impossible, you don't have to get lucky in order to do something amazing or something improbable. I don't believe there is such thing as luck. Now people may argue that people who win the lottery are lucky, that doesn't require a skill you practice. No it doesn't require a skill, but everyone who buys a lottery ticket has an equal chance of winning, and numbers are choosen randomly. It is amazing that they picked you from everyone, but is that really lucky? I believe that everything happens for a reason. Things will happen the way they are supposed too, and in the end that is how it is supposed to be. So I guess what I am trying to say is, you don't really need luck, whatever is supposed to happen, will. Things that seem impossible shouldn't become lucky when they are overcome.

When Is Free Good? When Is Free Bad?

When most people think of free they automatically associate that with something good, but I don't think free is always good. Sometimes it depends on what exactly is free. If it is a free Kesha CD or drugs, that is bad, but on the other hand if it is a free education or a free space in Bingo, that is wonderful! It also depends on the circumstances, who is giving and who receiving the free item. If someone gives a 13 year old free beer, that is not good. Just because it is free doesn't necessarily make it good. The free thing must be appropriate. Also, someone who might get everything for free and never has to work for anything might develop bad habits. Someone who needs to learn how to be responsible wouldn't benefit from everything being free. They would benefit if things weren't free and they actually had to work for them. Maybe older people or more experienced people who have worked for things in the past would benefit from some things being free to them. We are free to do as we please in this world, and that is a wonderful thing, but that doesn't necessarily mean all things free is good. It might not be obvious, and it might not be what we want, but working for something that is not free can be beneficial.

The One Thing I Couldn't Live Without

What is the one thing you couldn't live without? Most people's answers would consist of material items like, an Ipod, a cell phone, a car, a teddy bear, a lucky egg. These are all great things, and it is amazing that they are of that high importance that you couldn't live without them, but I look at the question a little bit differently. When I see one thing you couldn't live without, I start thinking about survival. Yes we all need food and we all need water to survive, but then that is two things. So technically we couldn't survive with just one thing in our lives, BUT let's assume that we have food and water. I don't think I could live without my thumbs. Without my thumbs, it would be a challenge just to type this blog. Without thumbs, we couldn't grasp anything. Without thumbs it would be really difficult to pick things up. Thumbs are actually what differentiate humans from other animals. What if we all had hooves, could you imagine how difficult life would be. We wouldn't be able to do a lot of things just because it wouldn't be possible without thumbs. So you all can keep your Ipods and Cell Phones, but have fun using them without thumbs!

You Say Tomato..

Being here at SMU has really shown me how diverse our world is. I have new friends and teachers from all over the country, and even the world. Whether it is a across the border of Texas, or across the ocean to Europe there is a huge difference in the way people talk, eat, dress and even think. I always thought the way everyone did everything in remotely the same way for pretty much the same reasons. I’ve found out that’s not true. Even things as simple as asking for a soda are different. My friends from Minnesota all call it “pop”. The way all of my friends talk is different too. I have friends with so many different accents its funny to get them all in a group and have a conversation just to hear the difference. Whether it’s my friends from California or New Jersey. It seems like every detail about everything is different even though we all are from the same country and go to the same school now. Sometimes I miss my hometown where everyone was on the same page, and everyone knows everyone. It really makes you take a step back and think about how big our world is and how different people across the world must be if there are so many differences between my friends who live across the country.

Man's Best Friend, Seriously

Why are dogs considered man's best friend? They can't even talk, so how do we have such strong connections to them. As a victim of unconditional love from four dogs I can tell you why. Dogs are amazing creatures, and they are actually incredible friends. They provide companionship and loyalty. You hardly find a dog that is not just dying to please you and obey you. They love you no matter what. And it is actually proven that having dogs make our lives healthier by convincing us to be more active. Dogs can serve as someone' eyes, or someone's ears. They can also serve as stability for someone in need. They are incredibly caring and smart. And they will never give up on you. There is good reason why dogs are said to be man's best friend. I am sure everyone who has a dog understands what I am talking about. You form a deep friendship with them that can even be stronger then a friendship with another human. As crazy as that sounds, I know my dog lovers are with me. Unfortunately dogs do not live as long as we do, and it is heartbreaking when we have to say goodbye. I am going through that time with my dog right now, and it is harder than anything to say goodbye to my best friend, but I will never forget why he was my best friend.

Books VS Movies

I saw the new Harry Potter movie a few days ago which got me thinking about how much more fun reading can be at times than watching a movie. Don’t get me wrong, I thought the Harry Potter movie was great, but the movie just left out a lot of what I got from the book. When I start reading a book I get to decide what my characters look like, what they sound like, and what they are wearing. It was weird watching the first Harry Potter movie because all of the characters were a lot different than I had imagined. It is disappointing to me, but sometimes movies help when there aren’t a lot of character descriptions in the book, like I never pictured Hagrid so tall when I read the book.  A lot of my friends who read a lot of the books like Harry Potter and Twilight say the movies ruin the books because you already have the story in your head and you end up disappointed when the movie is different. I also do the same things with music. When I listen to a song for the first time I usually relate the song back to the memory of when I first heard the song, or I make my own little music video in my head. Then when I watch the real music video it’s so weird to see what the singer is actually singing about or who they are singing about. I just wish everything played out like it does in my head!

The Silent Treatment

A new project has been organized under Alicia Keys on behalf of her charity, Keep A Child Alive, which helps children who suffer from AIDS. Her idea is to have many famous celebrities go dark on their Facebook and Twitter Accounts, meaning, no updates or using these social networks at all. The goal is for people to be deprived of their celebrity gossip and updates and in order to get that back they must help raise one million dollars for this foundation. The celebrities will not be allowed to break their silence until they do. Their efforts will be supported by dramatic videos of the celebrities lying in coffins to represent their "digital death." I think this is a clever idea to raise awareness about a certain cause and hopefully it will help raise money to reach their goal. Personally I don't care that much about celebrities to be deprived of their Facebook updates or Tweets, but I guess their are people in the world that enjoy keeping up with the lives of celebrities. This is a new strategy for fundraising and I think that enough people will be deprived of their celebrity "digital deaths," to donate or help raise money for this cause. I really enjoyed reading about this new project, and I think Alicia Keys is doing a wonderful thing for these children.

Are You Ready?

Are you ready for Target 2-Day Sale? This is a recent campaign that Target has been running nonstop for the past couple weeks. Although the actress in the commercials, Maria Bamford, seemed to frighten Adfreak last year, her commercials this year are actually quite amusing. Target is not necessarily focusing on the actual products or brand itself in this campaign, it is focusing more on actually getting the consumer excited about the sale. These commercials show a lady who is doing anything imaginable to prepare for this sale. She is shown working out, timing herself wrapping presents, and counting down the days until the sale. I think this is a great way to advertise without really advertising the product or brand specifically. Consumers watch the same kinds of advertisements all day long, and it is nice to watch something like this that can actually make you laugh and not really feel like an advertisement. "It's not really about what it's about." This statement is so true regarding advertising. It is so much more effective to find a bigger, more interesting big idea to share with consumers rather than just sharing information about the product.

Time Flys When You Are Losing All Your Money

I was reading an article about Las Vegas when it said that the there is not one casino in Las Vegas that has a clock. I never thought of this being a possible solution to keep people there longer. I honestly thought that they would almost have to have a clock. I feel like it is against the law or something. It is a good strategy, and very creative, I just don’t know if I think that is right for them to do. I played online poker for fun this summer what seemed like every day. Almost every time I would lose track of time and spend hours upon hours of playing poker. I would be up till 3 in the morning most nights not realizing the time. Las Vegas is known to be built by the fortune of losers. It is crazy how many movies revolve around Las Vegas. It is ridiculous to think that this city’s fame and fortune was built on the loss of so many others. Las Vegas has even taken over so many television channels as well. On ESPN, there is poker, on the travel channel there are Vegas hotels, the food network there are specials on all the special restaurants in the billion dollar hotels. It seems to me like Las Vegas has a very successful way of tricking people into staying longer, and spending more, and I only see it getting worse in the future.

The Good Ole' Days

Now that I am an adult and living on my own in an apartment with my roommates I start to miss my childhood and realize there are so many things we take for granted as kids. I really miss the days when I could come home from school and just do whatever my little heart desired; which usually consisted of Arthur and lunch. Now I don’t have much time for just me, whether it’s because of homework or my sorority, I really miss having time to just relax. When I was younger I also use to have my parents make all my food, drive me everywhere, and pay for everything. I never realized how nice it was to have no real responsibilities. When I was young I can remember that I spent most of my time just wishing I was older, and now I have switched places. I can’t rely on my parents to do my dishes, take out the trash, and clean my bathroom. I really wish I could go back to being a little girl and only have to worry about what color the Little Mermaid’s hair would be. It’s crazy to think about how much your life can change in a matter of a few years. I wish I could relive being a kid and actually enjoy every second, and take full advantage of the daily nap during kindergarten. Thos were the days!

Bucket List

Believe it or not a show on MTV has inspired me to do something good! The show is called The Buried Life, it is a group of five guys and they composed a list of things they want to do before they die. So the show is about them crossing those things off their list; but not only do they just do things from their list, every time they cross something off theirs, they ask a stranger what they would like to do before they die, and actually help them achieve that. This show has inspired me to actually start a list of my own. I think it is important that you have things that you would really like to do in the future. It gives you something to look forward too, and amazing memories to look back on. So since I've started watching the show, I began a short list of things I would like to do before I die, my personal Bucket List. I want to learn to speak another language fluently, I want to learn how to juggle three balls, teach someone illiterate how to read, I want to make my own website, I want to skydive, I want to travel the world, and I want to ride an elephant. Some things are small and seem somewhat insignificant while others seem a little more important, but they are all things I would like to experience at one point in my life no matter the importance. I really suggest that everyone make this for themselves, it helps to set goals and look forward to the future. I never thought I would say this but, thanks MTV.

It Doesn't Make Any Sense, But I Can't Stop Watching It!

As I was looking at Ad Age I saw a link for Best Ads. Of course, curious, I clicked on it and one of the first advertisments on the list was an ad for Orangina. It sounded familiar and as I watched the ad I realized I had Orangina a very long time ago, it tastes a little like Sunkist. I am not quite sure if it is just a coinsidence but lately I have seen advertisements that I watch and after I think to myself, "I don't get it," and yet I will find myself watching the commercial on YouTube because it is so different and interesting. Obviously I think that Orangina and other companies make ads that don't really make sense on purpose, but the weirder they are, I think the larger response they get. I don't know if this kind of advertising works to sell more products but I think it is a cool new approach that many companies are trying.

When It Gets Awkward

Where are you from? What is your major? How was your break? What are you doing this weekend? Where do you live? There are only so many questions you can ask somebody. Hopefully the person you just met LOVES to talk and is GREAT at keeping a conversation. Unfortunately that is not always the case. As for me, I have to deal with these kinds of situations a lot. Being in a Sorority, we have to meet a lot of freshman and try to carry on a conversation nonstop for 10 minutes. Doesn't sound that bad right? Try it. Even a second of silence while you try to think of something else to ask them is brutal. I try to have questions already in my head, so when she answers one question I am already hittin' her with another, but sometimes it is difficult to listen to her answer while you are thinking of a new subject to talk about. I'm sure we all have had awkward moments and we all have different ways of dealing with them. I usually end up laughing to try and ease the awkwardness. Usually it doesn't really help, so then I start saying, "Umm Yeah, umm what else," which probably makes things even worse! I also start looking around, maybe even pretend like I see someone I know. A few times I've even pretended as if I got a text or a phone call that was really important. So when in doubt, laugh or pretend like you have friends.

I Miss Walking

One of my favorite quotes is, “you don’t know what you’ve got until it’s gone.” I think it is so true and applies to every situation. When I was in 10th grade I broke my leg playing soccer. I ended up having to be in a cast for four whole months! And to make matters even worse, I was on crutches for 2 months before I could walk with the cast. I never realized how much two healthy legs meant to me. I took being able to walk, run, take a shower without problems for granted.  Everyday tasks became tedious chores. Despite the struggle of everyday tasks, I still went on vacation with my family to Germany for the World Cup. Let’s just say the relaxing vacation was not so relaxing. Getting anywhere with me and my crutches was impossible. It limited so many of the fun things we were able to do, and sights we wanted to see. When I look back there are so many pictures of my family, swimming, biking, and having fun in Germany; and I am not in any of them, I felt so left out. If I could go back into time and do that whole trip over with two healthy legs I would in a heartbeat. I have a new appreciation for the things I am able to do and I know I am so lucky I can.

Raising Awareness Unexpectedly

During one of my classes we looked at what I thought was one of the coolest ways to raise awareness I've ever seen. They scattered what looked like drivers licenses all around the sidewalks of New York. Although they looked just like a drivers license, when looked at more closely, people see a picture of a homeless person with a fact about homeless people on it. Many people pick up the license with the intention of trying to return it back to the person and are almost dumbfounded when they read what the the card says. It really raises awareness in a way nobody expected and therefore will be so much more effective. People are free to pick up the license and take it with them, and most of them do and end up showing friends, which results in an even greater reach. Many homeless people don't even have a form of identification and this is a perfect way to show that. I hope that more people think of great ways such as this one to raise awareness for a great cause or promote something else. They also made an advertisement on a blanket which they put on the side of buildings in big cities where homeless people often are. The blanket reads, "If you are cold or know anybody who is, take this blanket." So instead of it just being an Advertisement on a billboard with this statement, it actually serves a purpose as well. This is what is going to get through to consumers, just seeing pictures and reading about these gave me the chills, I can only imagine what it would be like to encounter something like this, and I hope one day I will.

I Blame Facebook

I think I speak for most people my age when I say I am always on Facebook. I have accepted the face that I am an addict. Facebook wastes so much of my time and I actually hate it. I realize what I am doing but for some reason I can’t seem to close the web page. Facebook has taken over most common types of communication. Businesses are using it to reach customers. Instead of telling someone happy birthday in person everyone just post on your wall. Facebook is everywhere I go. Every business, every restaurant, every team now has a Facebook. There is even a mobile app you can download so you can take it on the go with you. I think it is fair to say the world is obsessed. Even my parents and their friends have their own Facebook page. It is really interesting how everything connects to Facebook. There is a friendship button you can click and it shows the similarities between you and another person. It records all of your likes from music, movies, and quotations, to friends family and products you say you use. I recently saw the movie “social network” , also about Facebook. It was pretty interesting to see who Mark Zuckerburg created Facebook. I have mixed feelings about Facebook. I love how it connects me to all of my friends and family easily and I can keep in touch, but I hate how it has a huge impact on my life, because it really shouldn’t be. It should be a fun thing people do on the side, only when they have time. There life shouldn’t revolve around it.  

Spiders or Die!

Fact: On average, people fear spiders more than death. What is wrong with everyone?! I absolutely hate spiders, bugs, and creepy crawly things, but I don't think I really fear them more then death itself. I was really confused and actually kind of shocked when I read this statement. I decided I wanted to ask some of my friends what they thought about this subject. After talking to a few of them, I came to a conclusion that they many people feel that death is something that will happen to everyone. It is natural and everyones time will come. Spiders are a completely different fear. Although most people don't enjoy thinking of death, they don't necessarily fear it. Also, because so many people are religious many of them believe that after death will be even better then life on Earth. So in that case, there is really no reason to fear death at all. So after thinking about it for a while, I understood why this was true. Obviously no one wants to die, it is a scary inevitable thing that will happen to all of us, and maybe that is what makes it less scary. It is unavoidable and we basically have to get over the fact we will die eventually. Spiders are scary, and can be avoided hopefully, therefore much worse!!!

Are They Worth Anything Still?

When are pennies going to be absolutely useless? It already costs more money to produce a penny then it is actually worth. I don't know anyone who uses pennies as form of payment anymore, they are not worth enough to actually take the time to count them out. Our world revolves around speed, the faster the better. Even actual dollars are being used less today because swiping a credit card is a lot faster. I know I hardly carry around any cash with me anymore. It is easier to keep track of what money is spent on and where all of your money is when it is all on one card, in one spot. In my opinion I think pennies aren't worth the hassel. I have so many pennies in my wallet and my room, and I don't even know what to do with them. I am predicting that sometime in the future we will completely get rid of pennies, and I am sure even farther in the future we will get rid of money all together. Our technology is advancing so quickly that our methods of paying for it must also change with it. Getting things done faster and more efficiently is key to our society today, and pennies are just slowing us down!

I'm An Animal

If I could be any animal in the world I would want to be a Killer Whale, also known as an Orca Whale. Growing up my dream job has always been to work at Sea World and swim with Shamu. I absolutely love going to Sea World and watching the Shamu show over and over again. In my opinion, I think they are the most interesting animals on the planet. So, if I could be any animal, this would have to be my choice. For one, I would love to know what it is like to live in the water. Sure, I have been Scuba Diving. The farthest i've ever been down is about 100 feet. It was an amazing experience, but I would love to just be able to live down there. There is so much of the ocean that hasn't been explored yet, and there is so much to be seen. Killer Whales have the opportunity to see a beautiful world beneath the surface most humans will never have the chance too. I know that fish and other marine animals live in the ocean also , but as a Killer Whale, I would have a much greater chance at survival, since they have no natural predators. Also, Killer Whales can swim over 30 miles per hour, that would be so fun!! I would love to be able to know what it is like to live the life of a Killer Whale. Plus it is kinda cool to be the main attraction at Sea World!

Banner Ads Aren't Effective

Recent surveys show that banner advertisements are what 43 % of consumers claim that they ignore while on the Internet. I hadn't really thought about banner advertisements until I read this article and as a result I browsed the Internet for a while just to see what kind of advertisements I saw on each web page. When I was looking for advertisements I noticed there were many banner advertisements that I hadn't really noticed before. I don't think they seem very successful. When I see them, I sort of feel like they are almost like a virus, or something I don't want to click on. Therefore my mind automatically ignores them and I don't really even notice them when I am on the Internet net normally. Another big category were Internet Search-Engine Ads; 23% of people claimed to ignore these also while on the Internet. My theory behind this would be because when many people use a search engine they already have in mind what they are searching for and are not looking out for other advertisements, they are just mainly focused on typing in their search and getting results. In my opinion, companies need to find more creative and interactive ways to advertise to the consumer to get their attention. Banner Advertisements are too simple, and at least to me, seem to be ineffective.

http://www.adweek.com/aw/content_display/news/digital/e3iff352c323b9a2c10626c155c7736411a