For those unfamiliar with the way Blogger.com works, each blogger has their own Dashboard; in essence, their homepage. From here, bloggers can make posts, edit past posts, follow other blogger's posts, and see who is following them.
For a while now, my dashboard has told me that eight people are following my blog. The fact that I have even one follower makes me happy, but of my eight followers, I only hear from maybe three on a semi-regular basis. There were a couple more that used to comment earlier on, but those have slowly died out. So, now it's down to three.
However, I've decided that I want to hear from as many of my followers as possible, as well any potential "ghost" followers that have not indicated that they follow my blog. I'll even make it simple for you all. Just comment and tell me about a memory you have of us. That's it. It can be anything you want; good, bad, ugly, whatever. You don't even have to tell me who you are. Just tell me the memory anonymously. And for any followers that don't have an actual memory with me, just tell me how you stumbled across my blog.
Simple as that. I want to see how many people actually read my blog, and I figure this is a fun way to do it.
3.07.2010
3.06.2010
Happy Blogday to Me!
I can hardly believe it, but my little blog is one year old today.
Ah, it seems like just yesterday when I first started making the clickety-clicks on the keyboard and now here we are, still going and still growing. What started as a simple little blog with no direction has become an important outlet for me.
I never imagined my blog would've grown into what it is today, but I'm so glad it has. Happy Blogday to me! I expect lots of presents.
Ah, it seems like just yesterday when I first started making the clickety-clicks on the keyboard and now here we are, still going and still growing. What started as a simple little blog with no direction has become an important outlet for me.
I never imagined my blog would've grown into what it is today, but I'm so glad it has. Happy Blogday to me! I expect lots of presents.
3.05.2010
My Fear
Today, three local game studios came to visit and meet with students from the Media Arts & Animation and Game Art & Design programs. It was primarily a meet and greet, but we also had the chance to bring in our portfolios and have the studio representatives take a look. I initially wasn't going to bring any form of portfolio, as I don't think any of my schoolwork is up to portfolio standards, but I figured late last night it's better to bring something than nothing at all.
So, I was up all night working on throwing a simple portfolio together. At the end of my troubles, I have eight pages to show for it; none of which I'm truly happy with. Oh well. I'll be sure to get a respectable portfolio together for next time.
The three studios came and each gave a little presentation on who they are, what they do, and what they hope to do in the future. As all of the studios are in Sacramento, none of them are big at all. In fact, the largest company had 20 employees; the smallest had three. Still, they it nice to hear their stories of how they started, and even some of their past failures at launching a company. It gave me, and the other students, a good perspective on how hard our future career paths can be sometimes.
When it came time to show the studios our portfolios, I was very reluctant at first. I wasn't confident at all with what I brought, and to honest, I just thought it'd be a waste of time. However, my academic director convinced me that no matter how bad I might think it was, it'd be better to show them something than nothing at all. So, I sat down with all the students that had portfolios; lined up like prostitutes and a ranch, hoping a client will like what he sees.
It was at that moment that my fears of failure really came down on me. I saw what some of the other students had to show, and they were good. I was nowhere near their level of talent. I remember asking myself, "What am I doing here?" I've spent the last two years at school, but I don't think I'm anywhere close to where I need to be to make it out there in the "real world". What if I leave here, a year from now, and I can't make it anywhere? This isn't some pity party where I want everyone to tell me, "No, it'll be alright. You have talent. You'll make it." Blah blah blah...
No, I'm very much a realist. I know I have talents. I know that if I can just get to where I want to be, I'll be great. Unfortunately, no one is going to be able to see those talents unless I get my foot in the door, and that's what I'm worried about. I don't think I'll be able to get my foot in the door I want. I know I'll be able to do something, but I fear it won't be what I want.
In a sense, I see that as failure. Not doing what I set out to do, because I couldn't make it, is failure in my eyes, and that scares me. I still have a year to prove myself wrong, so here's hoping.
So, I was up all night working on throwing a simple portfolio together. At the end of my troubles, I have eight pages to show for it; none of which I'm truly happy with. Oh well. I'll be sure to get a respectable portfolio together for next time.
The three studios came and each gave a little presentation on who they are, what they do, and what they hope to do in the future. As all of the studios are in Sacramento, none of them are big at all. In fact, the largest company had 20 employees; the smallest had three. Still, they it nice to hear their stories of how they started, and even some of their past failures at launching a company. It gave me, and the other students, a good perspective on how hard our future career paths can be sometimes.
When it came time to show the studios our portfolios, I was very reluctant at first. I wasn't confident at all with what I brought, and to honest, I just thought it'd be a waste of time. However, my academic director convinced me that no matter how bad I might think it was, it'd be better to show them something than nothing at all. So, I sat down with all the students that had portfolios; lined up like prostitutes and a ranch, hoping a client will like what he sees.
It was at that moment that my fears of failure really came down on me. I saw what some of the other students had to show, and they were good. I was nowhere near their level of talent. I remember asking myself, "What am I doing here?" I've spent the last two years at school, but I don't think I'm anywhere close to where I need to be to make it out there in the "real world". What if I leave here, a year from now, and I can't make it anywhere? This isn't some pity party where I want everyone to tell me, "No, it'll be alright. You have talent. You'll make it." Blah blah blah...
No, I'm very much a realist. I know I have talents. I know that if I can just get to where I want to be, I'll be great. Unfortunately, no one is going to be able to see those talents unless I get my foot in the door, and that's what I'm worried about. I don't think I'll be able to get my foot in the door I want. I know I'll be able to do something, but I fear it won't be what I want.
In a sense, I see that as failure. Not doing what I set out to do, because I couldn't make it, is failure in my eyes, and that scares me. I still have a year to prove myself wrong, so here's hoping.
3.04.2010
Sexism and Gender Roles
Earlier tonight, I watched NBC's new show, The Marriage Ref. I first saw the show last Sunday - when NBC brilliantly decided to interrupt the Olympic's Closing Ceremony to premiere an early episode - and it was surprisingly entertaining. There's something very intriguing about watching other people's relationship problems. Tonight's episode introduced a couple where the wife thought her husband should automatically know how to build a patio simply because he's a man. Surprisingly, Eva Longoria, one of the celebrity panel members, agreed with the wife. The husband argued that was ridiculous and that his wife was being sexist. If she expected him to just be good at manual labor because he was a man, then he expected her to serve him whenever he demanded. After all, that has been the "traditional" role of a woman.
This really got me thinking whether "traditional" gender roles and assumptions are as prevalent today as they were in past generations. Personally, I view the “proper” relationships of men and women as understanding that each gender has certain strengths, and that only by coming together can society be truly effective. For example, men are viewed as being more logical, while women are viewed as being more compassionate. Therefore, coming together ensures that multiple outlooks are used, as opposed to just one. This is not to say that men are incapable of feeling compassion, or women incapable of being logical. Not at all. I simply believe men and women are pieces of a puzzle, and only by equally coming together can the picture be complete.
I was raised in a family where both my father and mother were strong presences. My father was more of a traditional Mexican male, and from him I learned strength. Not physical strength, but the strength to be confident, stand up for oneself, and succeed in life. He taught this lesson to my younger siblings, but I believe he placed emphasis on me learning this. He expected my sisters to be strong for themselves, but he expected me to be strong not only for myself, but also for my sisters, mother and future family. To him, men are the protectors.
My mother, although also Mexican, had the outlook of perhaps more of a modern American woman; but combined it with an understanding of our Mexican heritage. She also placed emphasis on me being a strong presence for my sisters and future family, but instilled in me the importance of treating the women in my life with the upmost respect. It is perhaps more so from her that I learned the relationship between a man and a woman should be an equal partnership. The one thing that both parents taught me is that no matter what views people may hold, it is up to me to buy into them or be myself.
Basically, what I'm trying to say is that I agree with the husband. He shouldn't magically know how to install a patio simply because he's a man. That's ridiculous. That's like saying I'm magically amazing at soccer, simply because I'm Mexican.
Ridiculous.
This really got me thinking whether "traditional" gender roles and assumptions are as prevalent today as they were in past generations. Personally, I view the “proper” relationships of men and women as understanding that each gender has certain strengths, and that only by coming together can society be truly effective. For example, men are viewed as being more logical, while women are viewed as being more compassionate. Therefore, coming together ensures that multiple outlooks are used, as opposed to just one. This is not to say that men are incapable of feeling compassion, or women incapable of being logical. Not at all. I simply believe men and women are pieces of a puzzle, and only by equally coming together can the picture be complete.
I was raised in a family where both my father and mother were strong presences. My father was more of a traditional Mexican male, and from him I learned strength. Not physical strength, but the strength to be confident, stand up for oneself, and succeed in life. He taught this lesson to my younger siblings, but I believe he placed emphasis on me learning this. He expected my sisters to be strong for themselves, but he expected me to be strong not only for myself, but also for my sisters, mother and future family. To him, men are the protectors.
My mother, although also Mexican, had the outlook of perhaps more of a modern American woman; but combined it with an understanding of our Mexican heritage. She also placed emphasis on me being a strong presence for my sisters and future family, but instilled in me the importance of treating the women in my life with the upmost respect. It is perhaps more so from her that I learned the relationship between a man and a woman should be an equal partnership. The one thing that both parents taught me is that no matter what views people may hold, it is up to me to buy into them or be myself.
Basically, what I'm trying to say is that I agree with the husband. He shouldn't magically know how to install a patio simply because he's a man. That's ridiculous. That's like saying I'm magically amazing at soccer, simply because I'm Mexican.
Ridiculous.
3.03.2010
Music Minute #12
Image from http://camillecookiedough.deviantart.comLooks like it is time for another Music Minute. Here are some of my favorite songs of the moment, and if you give them a listen, I'm sure some might become yours, too.
- Gorillaz feat. Bobby Womack & Mos Def - "Stylo"
- I Blame Coco feat. Robyn - "Caesar"
- Lady Antebellum - "Need You Now"
- Little Boots - "Remedy"
- Marie-Mai - "Emmène-Moi"
- Gorillaz feat. Bobby Womack & Mos Def - "Stylo"
- I Blame Coco feat. Robyn - "Caesar"
- Lady Antebellum - "Need You Now"
- Little Boots - "Remedy"
- Marie-Mai - "Emmène-Moi"
3.02.2010
A Letter to Lady Gaga, Part II
Dear Lady Gaga,
WTF?! What goes through your mind when you go out in public with a ridiculous getup like this? Look at those two guys next to you. I know exactly what's going through their minds: "Please don't let anyone I know see me next to this weirdo." It's clearly written all over their face.
Please, let someone get you some help, because I think you might have a screw or two loose. I'm worried about you.
Again,
Jason Rico
Jason Rico
3.01.2010
365 in 2010: February Completed
February always seems to go by quicker than most months, no doubt due to the fact that there are only 28 days. As such, I actually forgot that yesterday was the last day in February, which means that with yesterday's post, I have successfully completed 1/6th of my goal to post an entry for everyday of the year.
This has definitely been no easy task, as everyday it seems like it gets more difficult to find something interesting to post. Not to mention my days are so busy sometimes that I don't really have the time to sit on my computer and type. Oh well, I made this goal and I have to stick with it for as long as I can.
Two months down, just ten more to go...
Days Completed: 59
Days to Go: 306
This has definitely been no easy task, as everyday it seems like it gets more difficult to find something interesting to post. Not to mention my days are so busy sometimes that I don't really have the time to sit on my computer and type. Oh well, I made this goal and I have to stick with it for as long as I can.
Two months down, just ten more to go...
Days Completed: 59
Days to Go: 306
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