WEEK #1: First Blog Posting

1. I have a B.A. in Anthropology and minors in Art History and Environmental Studies.
2. Having recently embarked on a career exploration journey, I have expressed an interest in the field of communications. As this class will be my first exposure to the discipline, I am hoping it will spark my interest to continue on this path.
3. To gain a better understanding of the possible career opportunities within the communications arena.
4. A recent media experience that I've enjoyed is the 2008 PBS food and travel series called, "Spain on the Road Again" with actress Gwyneth Paltrow, chef Mario Batali, New York Times food writer Mark Bittman and Spanish actress Claudia Bassols who travel through out Spain exploring the country's traditional cuisine and history. Even though their travel arrangements are a bit luxurious, the scenery and rich culture has sparked a desire that is deeply rooted in me to travel and immerse myself in another culture. It will probably have to wait a couple of years until my children are a little older.

One specific aspect of our 21st century media culture which I like is when a breaking news story is all over the television I can browse the internet and find almost instantaneous news coverage of the specific news story. The ability to access information about media stories via the internet is amazing and it's hard for me to think what life would be without the internet.

As a parent of two small children I am struck by how our society has become so absorbed in media related activities that I feel as though we are unable to function without various media tools. I think that as a society we're losing interest or the desire to spend quality time not connected to various media outlets and enjoy one another's company the old fashioned way like playing a board game, sitting by the fireplace chatting with friends, reading books, etc. Media tools can be distractions and deterrents to quiet peaceful time which can be very engergizing and often needed in a culture which is saturated with many distractions.After having completed this course I am hoping to better understand current media trends and potential career opportunities that exist for me within the field of mass communication.
January 15, 2009 6:12 PM