Casey Reiland
Author: cgr16
Website
Here is my website: https://reilandc.github.io/Website/
Website Link
Website Reflection
I have decided to choose the website Electric Literature, which is basically a blog site that focuses on books. It really emphasizes the name of the blog and its set against a background that is interactive. The background consists of a pond and the water moves and the fog surrounding it does as well. The name is big and appears first, and after it is a navigational bar where people can choose different areas of the blog to visit. Below, there is a list of articles and events about books and authors. Compared to many websites I've visited, this one is really well-organized because as you continue to scroll down you are given more options and information. I think contrast is also used well because most of the links and pictures are really bright and colorful against a white background, forcing people to place their attention on these parts that stand out. The elements are also aligned streaming downward so a person can just keep scrolling until they find something they are interested in. They are also evenly spread out across the page, which is nice because that way my vision wasn't too overwhelmed, but I didn't have to search for what I was looking for for a long time.
Audio Reflection
I was very surprised when I listened to the audio version of "Future Ex Buys Pajamas" because the tone that I had when reading the essay was vastly different from hearing it read aloud. First of all, the voice was much darker. It almost reminded me of a black-and-white film where they have a grainy, harsh narrator describing what characters are doing. When I was reading to myself, I found the piece to be deep and insightful when highlighting the differences between cultures and victimizing women for being too overexposed. When I listened to it though, I think he's trying to be more ironic, attempting to show that the fact that the narrator thinks that it is worrisome that women secretly find relief in pajamas and comforters is ridiculous. The narrator is so focused on his manhood that he can't recognize that women might find dressing in lingerie as freeing. I think that tone is an important aspect that radio can give us that text can't, or rather, it's more difficult to spot. I also thought it was effective that he added in music and put a filter over his voice to make it sound more muddled. It further shows how distance the speaker is from bottom issue in the story: that the speaker values his own beliefs over those that differ from him.
Reflection on Copyright and Fair Use
After reading the sections on copyright and fair use, I was surprised to realize all of the details that go into citing something, even the image of a cereal box. First, I find it odd that we don't learn any of this information earlier in our education, at least I never really knew about the importance of copyright laws, besides plagirization in essays, until my freshmen year of college. In a world where technology has become a major integral part of our society and work life, we have unlimited access to text, images, and graphics that are not our own. Sure, we can cite the name or author of these art forms, but in the end we could still be punished legally if we do not receive permission from the creators. In education, the fine line between what is acceptable/what is not when using various works is slightly more blurry because it depends on the purpose behind its usage and the size of the audience it will reach. How do we know, then, when it is appropriate to utilize images and texts that aren't ours? And how do we properly cite them?
Reflection
I found the videos on Git Hub to be extremely helpful. They fully explained the purpose of the website and all of its functions. To be honest, though, I did struggle with some points on the website while going through the guide. I feel like I am more of a visual person so I have to see someone show me an example of a certain step before I can complete it. I think the platform will be easier to use, though, as I continue to work with it throughout the next week.
Introduction
Hi, my name is Casey and I'm currently a senior studying English Writing and Global Studies. I decided to take Composing Digital Media to hone my writing skills on digital platforms. In my spare time I like to run and write short stories. After graduation I hope to get a job in the publishing field. I can't wait to get to know everyone this semester!