If You'll Let Me Direct Your Attention... // Regular Show

Due to holidays, etc. I'm going to be cheating once again and posting one of my blog posts from this past semester, from my Television class. Enjoy!

Trade articles are one of the best ways to find out what is going on behind the scenes with various television channels and programs. Yet, the content in these articles is often focused on a specific aspect that the publisher or the network wanted to emphasize. For example, this article (entitled “Cartoon Network’s ‘Regular Show’ To Step Up Half-Hours”) spends about a fourth of the article focusing on Regular Show’s popularity and emphasis on friendship and fun, a point the creator J.G. Quintel feels is one of the reason it’s so well received by parents as well as kids. This confliction between the title’s focus and the actual content of the article helps to emphasis who’s being privileged in the publication of trade articles. Trade articles, while useful for finding information about a show from behind-the-scenes, should be read knowing that they tend to be biased toward the agendas of the network and the creators of a particular show, as well as the desires of the publication.

Regular Show is undeniably one of Cartoon Network’s most popular shows at present. It’s popular with not just younger kids, but also with their parents, older kids, and other adults and young adults. It does, as one can easily see in this clip, contain themes of friendship. However, it’s important to notice that the “friendship” in, at least in this specific clip, is a little warped in a way that might concern parents with younger kids. One prominent way is that Mordecai pushes Rigby at one particular instance, and this passes with no consequences (other than Rigby crying, which even that doesn't have any consequences). This reinforcement of physically violent interactions between friends may not be the kind of “friendship” that parents want to emphasize. This notion conflicts with Quintel’s statement that the show is popular with parents and kids due to its portrayal of friendships.

If the content of the show is at odds with the creator’s comments on the show in the trade journal, why is this still such a huge emphasis in the article that is supposed to be focused, according to the title, on the timeslot expansion of the show? The answer lies at the heart of trade journalism: the network’s agenda. Cartoon Network, while definitely pandering to young adult and adult audiences with its content (as discussed by many of the previous Cartoon Network blog posts), they still pride themselves on being a cartoon channel for kids and families. Therefore, the network wants to promote the concepts that appeal to parents, such as the emphasis on friendship in their shows, even if they aren't always completely accurate or ideal. In this way, this trade article, amongst other articles, effectively ignore the perspectives of audiences of television, choosing to emphasize the networks’ and creators’ agendas for a show or channel.

In this way, this trade article seems to reflect the efforts made on-screen in shows throughout Cartoon Network. That is, they choose to publicly emphasize the positive, family-friendly qualities that are included in their shows in attempts to win over parents. It’s the other content that attracts other audiences and forms such a wide following.

That being said, I really must say Regular Show is one of Cartoon Networks best shows right now, and I (being a twenty year old male) thoroughly enjoy the show. I'd recommend it to young adult audiences and whatnot, though I'd encourage parental discretion when it comes to younger audiences.

Until next time, when I'll hopefully have an original post for the first time in too long, 

I’m Michael, and this is my life.

I'm Bad at This... // Rick and Morty

Hello all. I apologize for my absence from the blogosphere. I've hit that time of the school year where there’s so much to do and so little time. I will do my utmost to get back here as soon as possible. I love writing here, and so I can't wait to get back! I'll hopefully see you next week or the week after. I’m sorry, again.

In the meantime… Watch Rick and Morty. It’s a great show. Well worth it. There'll be a quiz later.

Until… sometime.

I’m Michael, promising to be back eventually. This is my life.

Cartoon Network's Multi-Audience Agenda // Clarence

The following was a blog post assignment for my Intro to Television class. I've been extremely busy, so I'm cheating a bit and posting it here as well.

The business model of designing children’s cartoons for kids and adults simultaneously has been a long-standing model for Cartoon Network and similar channels. By adding adult-oriented jokes, they can appeal to a wider audience than just children. By appealing to adults as well as kids, they can expand advertising and secondary market opportunities.

Clarence is a new show on Cartoon Network that is a great example of the blend of adult-oriented and kid-oriented content. This clip is a pre-release preview of the first three and a half minutes of the pilot episode. There are few great examples of adult-oriented jokes, such as the custom invitation for the teacher, and the jump cut to the mother taking pizza poppers out of the oven, her butt very blatantly the center of the frame. (The latter can arguably be both adult- and kid-oriented, as kids like butt jokes.) As briefly aforementioned, this blending of audience appeal can broaden their advertising possibilities, so they can air ads that are also intended for a mix of ages, such as Lego commercials. It can also help with secondary market opportunities, as adults who fall in love with a Cartoon Network show like Clarence would likely be willing to purchase seasons on it, or it might appeal more to Netflix’s kids department if parents would enjoy watching it with their children.

This business model can, however, be a tricky one. In aiming their shows at both adults and kids, this encourages parents to watch the show with their children. However, the edgy, adult-oriented jokes they include can be considered by some parents as unsuitable for children, effectively removing both their adult and child audiences. In order to create quality, successful shows that appeal to kid and adult audiences, Cartoon Network must really focus on making the kid-oriented content highly appealing to concerned parents. This particular clip shows a great example of the kid-oriented themes, such as being a new kid at school, making new friends, and even growing up with separated parents, as is suggested by the mother telling Clarence that “Chad” is in her room. In doing this, Cartoon Network is attempting to create a relatable set of realistic characters, at least in terms of life and personality.

So balance is hard when trying to simultaneously appeal to adults and kids, but Cartoon Network uses relatable characters and jokes oriented at both kids and adults to help this. Their purpose in doing so is so as to broaden their advertising possibilities as well as their secondary market opportunities.

I'd encourage you all to check out Clarence. Happy watching!

I'm Michael, and this is my life.

Social Networking // The Head and the Heart

You all no doubt have some form of social networking, be it MySpace, Facebook, Twitter, Google+, or any other number of social network accounts. In fact, you probably have accounts on a few (if not all) of these sites. Here’s a question for you, though: Why?

Don’t think I’m attacking you for having social networking. I have an account on many of the current leaders in social networking (my favorite of which is Google+). I just want to know why you have one, because while I do have them, I almost never create original posts. I go to post something and think to myself “Will anyone really care?” I psyche myself out of posting a lot of status updates and Tumblr posts and whatnot. I feel like they’re just too trivial, too insignificant to be a productive use of someone’s feed space. And yet, despite this feeling, I find myself returning frequently to these sites to read what others have posted. Even more shockingly, I find myself writing these posts on a weekly basis when not more than a handful of people really read it, if that. Honestly, not even many of my friends make the time to read these things. (Not because they don’t support me, but because they’re all busy people. At least, that’s what I keep telling myself.)

Back on track, though. Why do people find it enjoyable to write a quick blurb on a site like Facebook or Twitter? Is it the social gratification of getting Likes or Retweets or whatnot? Or is it because they enjoy using it as an outlet for their thoughts and activities? Here’s my theory: I think almost everyone in the world just wants to tell someone about their life, about what they’re doing. I think most people want to express their interests to someone who may or may not care. I think humans are innately wired to want to share information about what’s happening to them. I don’t have any scientific evidence for this hypothesis, but I believe it’s the case for most people. While I don’t post to social networking often, I do find myself frequently telling one of my friends about something I did or saw or heard recently, even if they don’t express any interest at all in hearing about it. My flatmates probably hate me for this, but it’s just something I do.

This blog stems from the same desire. I want to share things I like, thoughts I’ve had, and opinions I hold. It’s just in my nature. So when I tell you, as I’m about to, that I love the band The Head and the Heart, and am going to a free concert of theirs tonight, I’m saying this mostly because I just want to tell someone. I want someone to know that I’m doing this, and that I enjoy this band.

The best part is of blogging about my life? I can just say these things that I want to, solely for the reason that I want to. Honestly, I’d be satisfied if even just one person read this blog and found it enjoyable. That being said, the more people who read this, enjoy it, subscribe to it, and even benefit from it, the happier I’ll become. This is going to be one of the few times I say this, but here it goes: if you enjoy this blog, if you find it entertaining at all, please share it with your friends or family. If you want to let me know you enjoy it and give me encouragement, I’d love to hear from you. You can message me on my Google+ account or hit me up on Twitter or Tumblr. Funny how I came back to social networking without even planning it. FULL CIRCLE!

Until next time,

I’m Michael, and this is my life.

Back to School // Tick Tick & Magic the Gathering

School has started. True, it started a couple weeks ago, but at the end of my second week I’m really feeling the effects of being back to classes with homework and whatnot. Almost as soon as the semester started, I became perpetually tired. It’s not like I’m getting insufficient sleep or eating poorly or anything, I’m just inexplicably tired.

The worst part of being back in school, though, has to be the complete and sheer amount of homework and the consequential lack of free time. I work about 14 hours per week, and I am taking four classes, all of which have required weekly reading, and three of which have required weekly writing. I wouldn’t say I’m swamped, but if I chose to, I could spend all of my ‘free time’ doing homework. No matter how much I do, it almost always feels like there’s something more I could be doing.

One of the best decisions I’ve made thus far this school year is to stay organized. Aside from just getting folders and notebooks for each class, I’ve downloaded an app on my computer and phone called Tick Tick. Tick Tick is a to-do list app that allows you to create multiple projects (for me, these are my classes, as well as a section for errands and such). It allows you to prioritize your tasks so that you can see what’s most important and what you could maybe save until later. Most importantly, you can set reminders/due dates for your tasks, which will pop up on your phone to help keep you on track.

But even with all my homework and such, I still hold true to my philosophy, though: always make some time for true, glorious, relaxing free time. I’m not saying I don’t do my homework, or that you shouldn’t do yours. That would be a terrible decision, really. I’m just saying that I’d recommend that you, like me, make sure to structure your weeks so that you get a little free time each day if possible. It helps keep me sane, really.

Personally, I find that Magic the Gathering (a long-running, extremely popular trading card game) is a fantastic way to unwind. One of my flatmates collects with me, and we frequently build, tweak, and rebuild decks, all the while testing them to see if they work well. Once you get the general gist of the game (which is pretty easy), it becomes fun to try and build a solid deck. It’s an expensive hobby (though not as expensive as some other hobbies), but it’s so much fun. Even if MTG isn’t for you, find or choose at least one hobby or activity to do frequently during your free time to help you unwind.

Reminding all you students (and, really, everyone) to relax, stay organized, and stay sane,

I’m Michael, and this is my life.

Exercise is Awesome // Support Your Local Library

Recently, I went on an approximately 26 mile biking trip. Now, to some of you that may seem short and easy, to others that may seem long. I’m in the latter category. Prior to university, the longest I had biked was 7 miles, and I was completely worn after that. During the early years of middle school, I was a chubby child. It was only when I got my major growth spurt that I began to thin out, but even then the thinning was merely aesthetic. I was not by any means fit. I stayed this way until I joined my high school’s ultimate team, at which point I began to get somewhat into shape. I still struggled, however, with my stamina. My biggest obstacle, in terms of fitness, throughout my life has been my stamina when exercising. So when I say I biked 26 miles, I’m saying it in the way a parent announces that their eldest child has graduated high school: with pride and astonishment. It’s not that I doubted that I’d make it so much as I failed to believe it—a difference I’ll leave you to think about.

I’m not here to brag about my personal achievements, though. Okay, I am a little, but mostly I’m here to talk to you about my thoughts, so here they are: exercise is the single most painful and despicable fun thing you could ever do, and I’d encourage each and every one of you to do it. Get off of your computer (not yet! You should finish this first.) and get outside. If you’re already super fit, then great! If not, that’s okay. I’m not really all that fit, either. Just go out there and do something, be it a walk, a run, a bike ride, or whatever. Get some aerobic exercise today, and keep doing it. It’s so rewarding.

Anyway. Back to the trip. I biked 26 miles with my girlfriend from campus down to her parents’ house. While down there, we went to the local library which was having their annual book sale. We found stacks and stacks of good books ranging from young adult to adult, fantasy to mystery, and so on. The best part? These books were incredibly reasonable in their pricing, and all the money went to support the library.

Most libraries in my area have some sort of book sale, be it annual or monthly or whatever. I always love going, because I find such great deals on quality books. More importantly, though, I support the local library. Libraries are, sadly, a dying breed. They are underfunded and underappreciated in many areas. Many of the people who are left using these establishments are only hardcore readers and elderly folks with plenty of time. The number of youth who use the library is dwindling. I’m here to encourage you to go out and support your library. Check out a book, attend the book sale, maybe even make a donation. Your library is a fantastic resource with hundreds of books for pleasure or research. Not into books? Most libraries also have a fantastic selection of movies, music, and sometimes even games! The library closest to my current apartment happens to be incredibly small, but I’m continually amazed by their amazing selection of quality films.

So get some exercise and support quality local establishments by walking, running, or biking on down to your nearest library. If you’re not familiar with your local library, then I’d encourage you to swing by and check it out.  Get exercise and a good book/film!  Not sure what to check out? Talk to the librarians there! Librarians have a vast knowledge of the content in their libraries and will be more than happy to help you find something to suit your interests.

Encouraging you to get off your computer, get out there, and get a good book,

I’m Michael, and this is my life.

A Thing About Beauty // Facetune (and Why I Dislike It)

            Recently I stumbled across an app in the Google Play Store called Facetune. This $3 app is basically designed as a selfie editor, allowing users to tweak their face in app to look “beautiful”. Now, I use quotations here because the app defines beauty in the same way that mass media does: flawless and altered. It not only advertises the ability to smooth skin and remove blemishes, but it also boasts the ability to reshape one’s face. This warped sense of beauty has permeated western culture, and many people (myself included) find it to be a horrible and sickening thing.

            I’m a long-time sufferer of acne, myself, so it’s not like I don’t understand where they’re coming from. Back in middle school and early high school I used to alter my photos before posting them, especially back when I used webpages like the now-dead Dailybooth. I had bought into the warped sense of beauty that the media was perpetuating. However, sometime in high school I came to the realization that I didn’t need to alter how I looked. The truth is, true beauty is far from this warped sense of beauty.

            You see, here’s a thing about acne that even I didn’t fully understand until late in my high school career: a person’s level of acne is never their fault. Acne is incredibly difficult to get and keep under control. At least, it is for those of us with extremely oily skin. In high school, I’d look around and see people with really clear skin and wonder what product they were using to wash their faces, because it must work, right? If they could keep their acne under control, why couldn’t I? What I didn’t understand was that people’s skin has a wide range of oiliness. Mine just happened to be in the higher section of that range, which necessitated that I get stronger face wash.

            Generalizations of these concepts can be applied to many other things that the warped western sense of beauty considers “ugly”, be it a person’s weight, facial structure, breast size, nose shape, or any other feature.

            Things like weight can be put with acne in the category of “extremely hard to control”. There are a variety of factors that affect a person’s weight aside from simply their diet and exercise routines. Genetics, for example, plays a large role in a person’s ability to gain or lose weight. So while some people may find it relatively easy to stay in shape, there are people who struggle every day to maintain a healthy weight (be it because they are too heavy or too light).

            The other group of features, including facial structure, breast size, etc., compose the category of “virtually impossible to control”. Sure, there are things such as surgery that can alter these things, but those surgeries are popularized under the concept that there is a certain “ideal aesthetic” that everyone should strive for. What used to be a corrective procedure has become desirable, and it’s sickening.

            I’ll stop myself before I ramble much longer. I just wanted to get it out there that I greatly dislike things like Facetune that perpetuate and feed off of this warped sense of beauty that has be created. Here’s the truth: you are handsome; you are beautiful; you are looking really good today, and every day. So go out into your day and your life knowing that you look fantastic.

Wishing you a happy week, and telling you your hair looks nice today,

I’m Michael, and this is my life.

Fears and Phobias // Horror and Thriller Video Games

            Spiders are scary. At least that’s what my brain tells me. I don’t really know when it started, but sometime when I was younger I developed a phobia of spiders (arachnophobia). The most interesting thing about phobias, in my opinion, is that almost all of them are by definition irrational. I’ve never had a bad experience with a spider. There exists no rational explanation for my fear of spiders. What’s worse is that this fear extends to other arachnids (e.g. ticks, scorpions) and even other bugs by way of my brain registering them as “spider-esque”, though spiders are the only thing that I’m truly afraid of.

             By far one of the strangest afflictions that results from my phobia is that my brain catalogues dark spots, marks, etc. that are on walls. Whenever I enter a room, I unconsciously look around and register the marks on the walls. My brain then filters out the ones that are most likely not spiders. If any remain, they’re brought to my conscious mind and I examine them. If they’re a spider, I get terrified and have someone kill it. The spots that are either filtered out or discovered to be non-spiders are then added to my unconscious brain catalogue of non-spider wall things. This means that when I re-enter a room, I don’t have to re-catalogue all of those spots. When a new spot appears, however, I go through the same process for that spot, determining its danger and reacting accordingly.

             This process is utterly fascinating to me, because it’s such an unconscious process that I’m almost never aware that I’m doing it. It’s strange how this irrational fear of spiders has programmed my brain to constantly and unconsciously catalogue wall markings. I’m sure other phobias have similar unconscious afflictions, such as a phobia of clowns causing one to catalogue split-second clips of the beginnings of McDonald’s commercials.

            This type of fear cataloguing helps make living with fears and phobias easier. It helps with horror films and television, as well. The one medium that I can think of that has managed to create consistently scary content is the video game. Horror and thriller genre video games have begun to take into account this fear catalogue. Games like Remedy’s story-intensive thriller Alan Wake—a game I would highly recommend for it’s incredible use of narrative—have worked in a minor random event mechanic to create certain unpredictable encounters to keep you on the edge of your seat, but must still have certain events be set in order to advance the story. Other games like Valve’s Left 4 Dead or Parsec Productions’ Slender: The Eight Pages have created engines that randomize the fear-inducing enemy location(s) so that players never know when they might be attacked. Whatever method the developers choose, they do their best to make it so that the players cannot catalogue the events of their game. It’s for this reason that these video games can be replayed and are consistently frightening to the player, no matter how many times one plays them, and why many of them, especially of the horror genre, become so viral.

            I’d encourage all of you to play these video games if you get a chance to. Don’t let your fear keep you from enjoying them (unless the consequential fear would be more harmful). More generally, don’t ever let your fears prevent you from enjoying life. While my phobia of spiders merely keeps me on my toes and keeps my walls clean, other fears can cause people to avoid opportunities that they could find to be incredibly enjoyable. Go out and live your life, and don’t let fear get in your way. (Although, pro tip: a healthy dose of fear can keep you safe.)

Wishing you all an enjoyable, chances-taken day,

I’m Michael, and this is my life.

A Notice of Delay

Due to the crazy busy week that I've had this week, this week's blog post will be postponed to next Friday. Apologies.

What's Your Purpose? // The Wind Waker

            When we delve into fantastical stories of fiction, be it through movies or books or video games, we accept that there is probably going to be some sort of plot. The story has a beginning an end, and the events between are a means of guiding the protagonist to said end. One of the most rewarding experiences when enjoying a complex, well-constructed work of fiction is going back, re-experiencing the story, and noticing all of the little details that guided the protagonist to the end. For example, let’s take a look at The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, my personal favorite Zelda game, mostly for sentimental reasons. (The following may contain spoilers.) Toward the beginning of the game, the sister of the protagonist, Link, is kidnapped from their home island. Driven by a desire to save her, Link joins up with some pirates, the leader of whom is known as Tetra, as a means to get to the island where she’s being held. On said island, it’s revealed that Ganondorf, the evil antagonist of the series, has returned to make yet another attempt at ruling the world. Yadda yadda yadda, fast forward a few hours, Link defeats Ganondorf, the world is saved. In the plot of the game, it’s clear that Link’s sister’s kidnapping served the purpose of getting Link off of his home island, discovering Ganondorf, and ultimately defeating him and saving the world. As such, the Link at the end of the game can look back to the beginning of the narrative and feel content, with his sister now safe, that her kidnapping ultimately served a good purpose. (End of spoilers.) Retrospective logic stating “I’m glad [event] happened, because it brought me to where I am today” becomes a problem, however, when people try to apply it at the outset of their problems. Be it breakups, bad grades, job losses, or countless other unfortunate situations, people like to look at their misfortune at the time when they occur and tell themselves, “It’s okay, everything happens for a reason.”

            This phrase is as pervasive as they come. It’s an attempt to apply some undefined purpose to events so as to rationalize why such an event would occur in the first place. It’s used to comfort, telling those in dark times to keep their head up and keep pushing forward, and while I admire the sentiment of the phrase, I cannot help but be bothered by it.

            No occurrence in the universe has an innate purpose. Additionally, the universe is (most likely) not the brainchild of some cosmic life author who constructs a plot for all of us to follow. The wind does not blow in a certain direction with the purpose of propelling a ship, the sun does not fuse hydrogen into helium with the purpose of producing light and heat for us living beings on earth, and a former significant other did not break up with their former partner with the purpose of guiding them to their soulmate (a concept I also despise, but that’s for another time). None of these actions happened for a reason; they simply happened because that’s how events played out. Any and all perceived purpose of any event in life is retroactively fitted to that experience.

            Many people are bothered by the notion that their lives and the events that occur therein have no innate purpose, but here’s the thing: it’s okay. It’s okay for two reasons. First, being purposeless is not the same as being meaningless. Second, having no innate purpose is not that same as being without purpose altogether. It’s true that the events of your life may not have purposefully lead you to where you are today, but that doesn’t mean those events were unimportant. Your life is a spectacular coincidence in this vast and irrational universe, but the minute blip in time that is your life can be deeply influential to those around you.

            The truth is, virtually nothing happens for a reason. You didn’t even happen for a reason, but here’s the good news: having no innate purpose means that your life’s purpose is whatever you want it to be. If you want your life’s purpose to be helping starving children worldwide, so be it! If you want your life’s purpose to be creating one of the most groundbreaking and medium-defining films in history, then make is so! If you want your life’s purpose to be making the world a better place for everyone you encounter, that’s a wonderful purpose! You are the creator of your life’s purpose, so promise me one thing: make it a good one.

The Don't Be a Dick Rule // Ultimate (Frisbee)

            I’ve been playing ultimate (commonly known as ultimate Frisbee) for about four years now. I started in my sophomore year of high school, but we didn’t play competitively until my junior year. I’ve also been on a summer league through a local ultimate organization. It’s a fantastic sport that’s highly under-appreciated.

            Perhaps the most interesting aspect of ultimate is that each game is largely self-governed, unless you’re playing at a highly competitive level where referees are needed. What this means is that if a foul occurs, the person fouled against must call the foul. The person who supposedly committed the foul must then choose whether they contest the call or not. (There are a variety of rules defining what happens for each call.) This level of self-governing might seem to some as a bad idea, as anyone could theoretically call a foul when none occurred. However, this is also included in the rules as a overarching rule entitled the “Spirit of the Game”, which my friends and myself jokingly refer to as the “Don’t Be a Dick Rule”:

“Ultimate relies upon a spirit of sportsmanship that places the responsibility for fair play on the player. Highly competitive play is encouraged, but never at the expense of mutual respect among competitors, adherence to the agreed upon rules, or the basic joy of play. Protection of these vital elements serves to eliminate unsportsmanlike conduct from the Ultimate field. Such actions as taunting opposing players, dangerous aggression, belligerent intimidation, intentional infractions, or other ‘win-at-all-costs’ behavior are contrary to the spirit of the game and must be avoided by all players.”

-11th Edition Rules, USA Ultimate

(tl;dr: every player must be a good sportsman)

            I find this rule to be one of the most interesting and unique aspects of ultimate, and also one of the most applicable to daily life. In most things, we as humans are self-governed. True, there are laws, politicians, police officers, etc. to govern us as citizens, but on a smaller scale, outside of this, we are self-governed. Every day we decide how we’re going to treat others. We decide what we’re going to say, if we’re going to smile at others, and how we’re going to act. So many people seem to forget that other people are just that: people. We are all people with goals, desires, beliefs, and opinions. There is no excuse for making the world a sucky place for others to live, so don’t do it; don’t be a dick.

Hoping for a kinder world,
I'm Michael, and this is my life.

(P.S. Today is my first post officially back, but it is also coincidentally the one-year anniversary of my first post ever on this blog. Hopefully this attempt will go better than the last.)