Children's media today

My brother and his family came into town this past weekend. Last night I was reading a story to my 6-year-old niece. The story was about a detective. During the chapter, this detective was using the computer to find our information. I was amazed at all the media-related jargon (dealing with computers) that the children's novel contained. When I was her age, the media was something completely different than it is today. The books I read at her age were much less technologically advanced. It made me feel old.

Newspaper

Yesterday I was reading the newspaper, which is a rare occurrence. After reading it, I started thinking about how much newspapers are read by society. I bet most people find out news from either the television or the internet. It made me wonder if the day will come when newspapers will cease to exist. I think it is possible. However, I also think it is sad that the day might come. There is nothing like reading the news from a newspaper. The internet just isn't the same.

Change

Today I was in class, and my teacher made a comment that made me stop and think. She said that so much has changed in technology since she was a student at BYU. She commented on how easy it is for us to use computers in a classroom setting now. That made me start thinking about how true her statement was. Then I wondered, "where will the media be when my own children are attending school at a university? To stay connected, one must keep up on the current media use.

Master of everything?

Last night I went to the Missionary Preparation Fireside that they do at BYU every year. I wasn't super excited because I had a lot to do yesterday, and I was super tired. However, I found it very uplifting. One of the topics discussed was on controlling our appetites and passions--especially our thoughts. Something the speaker said left an impression on me: "If we master our thoughts, we master everything."
In relating this to media, I think what we watch and listen to really can impact our thought process and outlook on life. Part of mastering our thoughts comes when we make the decision of what type of media we will view.

Sexual Content?

Today I watched and observed the sexual content in the media. I was proud to realize that most of the media I watch doesn't portray too much sexual content. (I think it has a lot to do with the kind of shows I like to watch.) However, there was one show I watched which contained quite a bit of sexual content...or at least more than I thought the show contained. It's amazing how many little comments have double meanings which relate to sex. It made me more alert about what kinds of shows I was viewing. It was a good wake-up call.

I love Disney!

Last night I watched "The Little Mermaid" for a school assignment. I hadn't seen it in so long, but it used to be one of my very favorite movies when I was a kid. Watching it brought back so many memories! It was also fun to watch a movie that is so innocent. There are so many movies now that are filled with sarcasm and hate.
What I love about the classic Disney movies is that they contain so many little jokes and funny lines that I never understood when I was a child. It made it fun to watch.

The Goonies

My husband and I have been starting to watch Halloween movies. This past weekend, I watched "Goonies" (I think that is the title) for the first time. My husband used to watch it all the time when he was a kid. I thought it was a funny show, although it was quite surprising to hear the children swear so many times... I think what made watching this media fun was the memories that it brought back for my husband. :) Sometimes, memories is what makes media viewing worth it.

feeling happy

Ever since I got married, it has been a challenge for me to personally read my scriptures. I used to be so good at it, but now I struggle more with it.
I recently made a new commitment to start reading again on my own (before I had just been counting family scripture time as enough). The past two mornings, I have gotten up a little earlier, and read. It is totally amazing at how it has already changed my life. I feel so much happier and positive about life.
It's amazing how committing just a little amount of time to reading scriptures can totally change my attitude about life.:)

I LOVE music

Music can be so inspiring! I love how turning on different types of music can totally change my mood. Music is something I definitely cannot live without.
Tonight I was feeling overwhelmed because I had a lot of housecleaning to do before tomorrow. I have some family coming over tomorrow, and I wanted everything to look presentable. I avoided it all day today, but finally the time came in which I had to start cleaning. I turned on some good music, and it totally pulled my spirits up, and helped me to get into the swing of things. I was able to work fast, and finish my work.
Thank-you music!

Good Media?

My husband recently got an I-POD Touch. At first I wasn't so sure I wanted him to get one. Every time he would talk about it, I would try to change the subject. However, finally the day came when he got one from the company he works for. What I came to realize is that every form of media has good and bad to it. The I-POD Touch is actually pretty cool, and I think has many positive aspects to it. I learned not to be so judgemental.

Church History

Last night I finished reading a biography on Pres. John Taylor. It was a very long book, and took me awhile to read. However, I learned so much. The early pioneers were so faithful, and full of so much conviction of the truth. I have heard all the stories about Joseph Smith, and the pioneers who traveled across the planes. However, the early settlers of Utah were tested just as much (in my opinion).
My favorite thing about reading this biography was all the little insights I got on his life. The last few years of his Presidency he spent in exile, due to government pressure concerning polygamy. He was a very inspirational man who never lost trust in God.

Ella Enchanted

As an adolescent, my favorite book was the novel "Ella Enchanted" by Gail Carson Levine. this young-adult fiction novel is a take-off on Cinderella. Ella's entire world is made up of fairies, gnomes, ogres, giants, and magic. At birth, she is given a gift (or curse) by a fairy named Lucinda. This gift is obedience. Ella has to obey whatever she is told. This adds a twist to her story. The book follows her life from the death of her mother, to befriending and falling in love with Prince Char, to dealing with her step-family, and ultimately to overcoming her curse so she can live "happily ever after."
I think I really liked this novel because I felt that I could identify with Ella. She wasn't a perfect person, and she had to deal with situations I understood. I admired her, even though she was a fictional character. I loved the adventure in the novel, and all the situations Ella was confronted with. More than anything, I really enjoyed the love story of Ella and Char. I too fell in love with Char, and would dream of the day I would meet my own "prince." Reading this book made me happy, and in a way explained what I wanted in life

General Conference

This past weekend I was reminded at the good media really provides for us. General Conference was so awesome, and I left wanting to be a better individual. I heard once that the reason why we have had so much progress in technology is due to the gospel. The media is one great way to share the message of Jesus Christ. I'm so grateful that the media makes it so easy for me to be inspired and uplifted (at times such as General Conference).

Religious Media

Yesterday I was reading the Visiting Teaching message for September, and thinking about how often I use church media. I realized that I could be using it more, and how it would probably influence my life for the better. The church has so much media available, but I think it is easy to get distracted on other forms of it.
I find when I include more spiritual music, movies, books, and internet use, I am a happier person. It's just so easy for me to get busy and distracted from the little things that make life better.

Miss Evers

Last Thursday evening, I watched a movie with my husband for his Business Ethics class entitled "Miss Evers". The main character (Miss Evers) faces a moral dilemna, and the movie really made me think about what I would do if I were in her shoes.
As a nurse, she was invovled in a situation where the doctors informed her of an experiment they were performing on African American patients to treat Syphilis (a disease). She was told that the experiment would increase knowledge on how to treat the disease, and would also raise money for a cure for these patients. However, year after year went by, and they never treated the patients....
It is quite a complex story, but I actually really enjoyed it. If you are looking for a movie that will make you think, this is a good pick.

Big AL

I'm reading a book for my Adult Dev. and Aging class, entitled "Big AL". It is a caregiver's diary of the daily dealings she has with her husband who has Alzheimer's.
It has really opened my eyes, and made me think a lot about what I would do if my husband were to get this brain disease. Some people go through so much, and I marvel at how little my life has been tried. I'm sure someday soon, it will be my turn.
I love books that make you think and re-evaluate yourself. Although I much prefer to read literature which isn't sad (as this one is), I have enjoyed the insight it has given me. I have realized that all different types of media, (even books) can really influence my mood.

Wonderful music

This past week I have been listening to piano music on Pandora while I am at work. I love how it makes me feel relaxed and motivated at the same time! Music definitely changes the way I am feeling. I don't think I would want to live without music.

Media Impact

Tonight I sat down with my husband for a few minutes to watch "Everybody Loves Raymond". It is one of our favorite shows to watch together. I think it is so funny, and it really relaxes us after a long day.
However, I started thinking about this media and how it might have an impact on my family. I thought about our class discussions, and wondered if the sarcasm and rudeness sometimes portrayed in this show ever transfers into my own home. For me, I think the hardest thing about the media is that some of my favorite things to watch aren't perhaps the best influence on my home environment. It is something I am going to think about more.

Varying Media

This past week I have been in St. George visiting my family. Something I realized is how much the media seems to vary from place to place. There seem to be a lot of health-conscious people in St. George, and it showed in the television commercials, and the general media. As my husband and I were watching tv, I noticed that so many of the ads seemed to focus on alternative and natural healthcare products. I found it very interesting