Video Project - "A Bathroom Surprise" [Repost]

Reposting one last time before the last day of class!!!

Blog Entry 12/9

So today is dead day at SJSU and I couldn't be more happy about that! I really need a day off to finish whatever I need to finish. But I hear that other schools have a dead week rather than a dead day... I'm jealous. Anyways, yesterday I had my Edco final. It went well, I came early so I could get started sooner. My friend and I finished early so we left. The professor told us both that since we never missed a class, we could use her as a reference whenever we needed it. I was so glad to hear that because I don't really have any references. It feels good knowing I have at least one, haha. I guess it does pay off to not miss classes.

Blog Entry 12/7

Finals are coming up! I just had my English1A final on Saturday. The topic of the essay was oddly about English writing courses. The excerpt was about how writing courses should not only be about preparing a student for the workplace but to prepare students to be active participants politically. Like how writing courses help you become a better writer and reader so that you will be able to vote or go into politics. Writing courses are also suppose to help you learn something about yourself. English classes have definitely helped me learn about myself in ways I never knew. You read a lot of different stuff in writing classes that make you think a certain way.

Blog Entry 12/2

• Meet with your professors: There are only upsides to getting to know your professors, especially if later in the semester you run into some snags. Professors schedule office hours for the sole purpose of meeting with students -- take advantage of that time.
  
  
• Don't procrastinate; prioritize your life: It may have been easy in high school to wait until the last minute to complete an assignment and still get a good grade, but that kind of stuff will not work for you in college. Give yourself deadlines -- and stick to them.

Blog Entry 11/30

• Go to class: Sleeping in and skipping that 8 am class will be tempting at times. Avoid the temptation. Besides learning the material by attending classes, you'll also receive vital information from the professors about what to expect on tests, changes in due dates, etc.
  
  
• Become an expert on course requirements and due dates: Professors spend hours and hours preparing course syllabi and calendars so that you will know exactly what is expected of you -- and when. One of the lamest excuses a student can give a professor: "I didn't know it was due today."

MUSE Interview

Patrick Hennessey Interviewed Matt Won and Jose Interviewed Natalie:

Blog Entry 11/25

• Be proactive: Being a self-starter is an important trait to cultivate for college, and beyond. Taking the initiative to meet with professors, consult with advisors, or seek out activities and opportunities related to personal development and career goals can really pay off.
  
  
• Be prepared for tougher academic demands: 200-page reading assignments are not unusual in college. Carve out time each day for heavy reading and assignments and take advantage of campus resources such as tutoring centers that can help them devise strategies to manage their workload and keep their performance level high.

Blog Entry 11/23

• Ask for help when you need it: Whether you're thinking about changing your major or are dealing with a difficult personal situation, help is always available. Seeking out information and assistance from advisors, counselors, faculty and friends can help you survive the tough times and keep them on the road to success.
  
  
• Become financially literate: Financial literacy starts with understanding the requirements of scholarships and loans, and the steps needed to maintain them. It also means creating a budget and then sticking to it, knowing the terms-of-payment for credit cards and cell phone services, and focusing on "needs" rather than "wants."

Blog Entry 11/18

Today in class we interviewed both a senior and a peer mentor. The two guests were pretty cool and they had a lot of good advice for us freshmen. Professor Dan recorded both the interviews and showed us how to edit them in Audacity. Audacity is a pretty cool audio software. You can record and edit audio and the program is free. Both the guests were seniors and peer mentors so they answered all kinds of questions. One of them told us to get more involved on campus because that's what they wished they did more when they were a freshman. Don't take too long in choosing your major but don't make a quick decision.

We also learned more about peer mentors. To become a peer mentor, you must go through a certain process where they interview you. Apparently the school really takes care of them; they get first pick of classes and help out students on campus for pretty much everything. Professor Dan also talked about how the president of SJSU keeps making his speeches all positive and hopeful while in reality the school is in big trouble.

Blog Entry 11/16

• Keep track of your money.
  If you've never had to create a budget, now is the time to do so. Find ways to stretch your money - and as best you can, avoid all those credit card solicitations you'll soon be receiving. The average credit card debt of college grads is staggering.
  
• Don't cut corners.
  College is all about learning. If you procrastinate and cram, you may still do well on tests, but you'll learn very little. Even worse, don't cheat on term papers or tests.
  
• Be prepared to feel overwhelmed.
  There's a lot going in your life right now. Expect to have moments where it seems a bit too much. As one student says, be prepared to feel completely unprepared. The trick is knowing that you're not the only one feeling that way.

Blog Entry 11/11

• Strive for good grades.
  While good grades could have come naturally to you in high school, you will have to earn them in college -- and that means setting some goals for yourself and then making sure you work as hard as you can to achieve them.
• Take advantage of the study resources on campus.
  Just about all colleges have learning labs and tutors available. If you're having some troubles, these resources are another tool available to you. Another idea: form study groups.

Video Project - "A Bathroom Surprise" [Repost]

Don't forget to watch our video!

Blog Entry 11/9

• Get to know your academic adviser.
  This is the person who will help you with course conflicts, adding or dropping courses, scheduling of classes for future semesters, deciding on majors and minors. This person is a key resource for you -- and should be the person you turn to with any academic issues or conflicts. And don't be afraid of requesting another adviser if you don't click with the one first assigned to you.

• Get involved on campus.
  A big problem for a lot of new students is a combination of homesickness and a feeling of not quite belonging. A solution? Consider joining a select group -- and be careful not to go overboard -- of student organizations, clubs, sororities or fraternities, or sports teams. You'll make new friends, learn new skills, and feel more connected to your school.

Blog Entry 11/4

Recognize Organization Patterns Part 2

• Cycle: Cycle patterns of organization show how trends end up where they started. Signal words include first, second, finally, while, now, then, same and circular.
• Problem-Solving: The instructor identifies a problem, establishes conditions for solving the problem, explains the solution, and predicts the aftereffects. Signal words include since, resulting, hypothesis, leading to, because, so, if... then, and solution.
• Cause-and-Effect: These patterns involve showing causal connections between two events. Signal words include prediction, effect, causation, and control.
• Examples: These patterns involve defining a concept and then offering examples or illustrations to clarify or explain the term.
  

Blog Entry 11/2

Recognize Organization Patters in the Lecture:

• Listing: Instructors present all the relevant facts, concepts, and events in simple lists that reflect the order of importance. Signal words include first, second, also, in addition, another, moreover, next, and furthermore.
• Comparison: These patterns focus on similarities and differences. Signal words include on one hand, similarly, in contrast, but, then either, or, compared to, opposite of, and like.
• Sequence: Many times instructors will incorporate timelines, chronologies, or procedural steps or stages to show how things are fixed in a certain order. Signal words include first, second, finally, while, now, then, and next.
  

Workshop: Choosing Your Major or Concentration 10/27

Today Bryan and I also went to a workshop at the Career Center. It was about choosing a college major or concentration. The speaker told us about how activities that you did when you were a kid could affect the major you pick. For example, a kid who liked to play with animals would become a vet. We talked about decision making. Do you make decisions with your gut instinct or do you plan and lay down all the facts? We talked about certain personalities and what majors fit those personalities. We also talked about what you should do when you choose your major. Set up an appointment with an adviser from that department and plan your college career. Ask them questions like "Is it easy or hard to get into this program?" and "What kind of jobs do students usually get when they graduate?"

Workshop: Stressin' Out 10/27

Today I went with Bryan Le to a workshop at the Health Center. The workshop was about stressing out and how to relieve stress. Stress is "a specific response by the body to a stimulus, as fear or pain, that disturbs or interferes with the normal physiological equilibrium of an organism." Some symptoms: Over eating or eating very little, depression, sleep problems, skin disease, heart disease, etc. We learned ways to relieve stress such as meditating and breathing in and out while tightening your muscles. Some other ways to relieve stress are: listening to music, acupuncture, time management, and workouts. It was a good workshop to attend and I will gladly use some of the techniques we learned.

Video Project - "A Bathroom Surprise"

Competing for the most views, watch for a quick laugh! :)

10/21 Blog Entry

Test Taking Notes

• Be prepared. Relax.
• Prepare phyiscally for the exam.
• Know what is expected of you.
• Study groups.
• Preview the test.
• Get a good nights sleep.
• Ask for clarification if necessary.
• Use clues to job your memory.
• Use multiple sense.
• Don't linger on hard questions.
• Categorize the information.
• Use notecards.
• Talk positively.
• Know you're ready.
• Ask people who have taken the test before.
• Check calendar for exam/due dates.
• Check notes.
• Reward yourself for being prepared.

Setting Goals: Set goals that are reasonable, specific, and challenging.

Blog Entry 10/14

Today in class we shared our video ideas with the other groups. Prof Dan and Cindy seemed to like our idea. It was pretty hilarious when Prof Dan came up with the whole "transvestite lesbian date" thing, haha. He told us even if that doesn't totally relate to your video, adding those words to the tags will bring in the views. I think our video is really simple and clear and will hopefully be as funny as I can picture it in my head.

Blog Entry 10/12

Map Your Academic Path with Your Adviser:

• Get to know your college catalog.
• Select the right courses.
• Choose your major.
• Explore a certificate or an AA Degree.
• Create a Four-or Five-Year plan.
• Transfer Credits.

Connect with Technology:

• Keep up to speed.
• Explore the internet.
• Use a Word-processing program.
• Consider online learning.
• Expand your technology tool kit
• Avoid computer addiction.
• Use social-networking sites responsibly.
  

Blog on Video Project 10/8

Bryan is really experienced with writing scripts and making videos so he already whipped up a script. All four of us are going to work on the kinks together so that we can start filming. There won't be too much dialog considering that we're only going to record using a laptop. We decided not to rent a camera from school because the cameras do not have memory cards and it will be a hassle to transfer the video on to the computer. Instead, we'll just record straight to a laptop. Lisa and Jenny are going to be our actors while Bryan and I will be the behind-the-scenes people. I've used iMovie before so it should be fine. We will film the scenes in the MLK Library. I probably shouldn't say anything more in case of spoilers. :)

Blog Entry 10/7

Today Professor Dan showed us an example on how to create a video blog or "vlog" if you're internet PC. Lisa and Jenny were the example and they created a short vlog describing our MUSE class. It was pretty funny because Lisa is a total dork. Haha, just kidding. Prof Dan showed us iMovie and all the effects and tricks. You can edit the audio, play around with video effects, add captions, and intro/outro clips. After they were done, he showed us how to upload the video on to YouTube. I'm not sure if I'll start vlogging because I'm paranoid about having a video of me on the internet. I'll stick to blogging!

Blog Entry 10/5

Ten Writing Guidelines

1. Don't give everything away right at the beginning. Maintain interest by spreading these "nuggets" throughout the story.
2. Use the active voice: Subject, verb, object.
3. Remember that nouns and verbs are stronger than adjectives and adverbs.
4. Avoid jargon: use well-known terms.
5. Include defining details.
6. Write (tell!) the story as if you were trying to catch the interest of a friend.
7. After you write something, set it aside for at least ten minutes and concentrate on something else. Then come back and review.
8. Read the story aloud and rewrite sentences that are long, tongue-twist, and phrases that could be taken two ways.
9. Don't reply on the soundtrack to tell the story or explain the video.
10. Screen the complete audio and video story as a "doubting Thomas."
    

Blog Entry 9/30

Revision Strategies:

• Finish your project a week ahead of the deadline.
• Sleep on it.
• Read it aloud to friends or family.
• Work your way backward through the paper paragraph by paragraph.
• Scrutinize word choice to see if you have chosen the right word for the right effect.
• Use computer functions to correct spelling and grammar.
• Proofread two hours ahead of the deadline to catch mistakes.
  

Video Project Details

Final: 10/26
4-5 People Per Group

• Scribe(Script Writer) * Due 10/9 *
  
• Actors
• Director
• Producer
• Editor
• Camera Operator
• IRC

30 Sec - 3 Min Max

• Beginning/Middle/End - Have a Twist
  
• W/ Intro/Outro Titles (optional)
  
• Music/Audio Tracks (optional)

Meta-tags + HTML Class Notes 9/30

• HTML = Hyper Text Markup Language
• XML = Extensible Markup Language
• XHTML = Extensible Hyper Text Markup Language
  
• <*Head*> - Meta-tags, Title, Scripts, Javascript - Invisible Code
  - Meta-tags: Title, Description, Keywords (250 Characters only), Googlebot (Index,Follow)
  
• <*Body*> - Everything you see. Ads, content, etc.
• HTTP = Hypertext Transfer Protocol
• WWW = World Wide Web
• .Com, .Edu = Suffix

Blog Entry 9/28

Referencing page 278 for this blog entry.

1. Writing and speaking is extremely important in any job or career you have.
2. Every job requires working with other people. You need speaking skills in order to communicate well.
3. Good writing is an important part of any career as well.

• A thesis statement is the main point in your paper that you are trying to prove. Everything in your paper will back up your thesis statement.
• A thesis statement is important because it will help define what your paper is about so you can prove your point to the reader.
• Students should avoid plagiarism in order to to keep everything original. If caught, a student could be put on academic probation.
• To avoid plagiarism, cite all of your sources.
  

Group Meeting 9/23

Types of Speaking Opportunities:
- Delivering a researched position.
- Give an extemporaneous speech on a topic.
- Group speaking (Case presentations, panel discussions, and debates) This works best when group members can coordinate their individual pieces and practice together.

Writing a Good Speech:
- Define your purpose.
- Engage your audience.
- Building a message.

Choosing Topics and Keeping the Audience Interested:
- Do not overwhelm the audience with statistics and stories.
- Instead choose your evidence carefully to create both emotional and logical appeal.
- Reflect what you've learned from the course.

- Relate to the audience as much as possible. Know your audience.
- Do not choose a topic that does not interest you or your audience.
- Be strong on your stand point. Don't get distracted by the audience.

Self-Portrait Poem

Michael
Ambitious, Creative, Easy Going, Nonconformist
Mom, Dad, Older Sister
Family, Friends, Education
Free, Youthful, Unstoppable
Love, Compassion, Respect
Trust, Friendship, Respect
Heights, Pain, Disappointment
Future, Peace, Graduation
Milpitas, Terra Alta Dr.
Tran

Blog Entry 9/21

Today in class we talked about ways to improve our writing.

Some tips and tricks:

• Know the audience of your paper.
• Your thesis presents your position clearly and concisely and creates interest in your paper.
• You need to do research and gather sources for your paper.
• Plan to look at more materials than you will ultimately refer to in your work.
• Quality of evidence is more impressive than quantity.
• Find some articles that argue against your assertions.
• Read original sources to support your ideas. Internet sources can be false and not backed up with other sources. No Wikipedia!
  
• Make use of the internet wisely and with caution. Look for articles that are peer reviewed.
• Write with an active voice, using action verbs.
• Use descriptive language that draws on the senses.
• Don't use "big" words just to impress.
• Remove words to clarify your meaning.
• Replace words that don't seem right.
• Shorten sentences to make writing crisper. Less is more.
• Rearrange sentences to find the correct structure.
• Avoid being confusing. Good grammar and spelling are the essential elements of a paper.
• Learn from feedback from your instructor carefully for future assignments. Allow yourself to be disappointed.
  

Blog Entry 9/16

Referencing page 24 for this blog entry.

My college catalog is an important resource because it lists all the majors and minors available at SJSU. It also lists the classes and units required for each major and minor. They list a small description for each class so you can decide if you want to take it or not. My career exploration teacher told us that it is important to look at all the classes we would be taking for our major and decide if we like it or not. The key considerations for choosing a major are: What jobs could you get with this major? Do you like this major? Is this major taught well at SJSU? You might know when you've made an inappropriate choice when you realize that you do not like your classes.

Blog Entry 9/14

Referencing page 5 for this blog entry.

• How can I check out materials?
  - You can check out books or look up databases and articles on the library website.
• What are the penalties for late book returns?
  - A charge of one dollar a day.
• Do instructors place materials on reserve? How does it work?
  - Yes, through the website, you click on the reserve button. Once the book is available, you can pick it up using your library card.
• Can I access the library's resources electronically?
  - Yes, databases and articles are available through the internet.
• What kinds of reference materials are available?
  - All kinds of reference materials are available from all the majors and minors at SJSU.
• What technological resources does the library have that will help me succeed in college?
  - RefWorks will help students save a lot of time as well as research on databases and articles.
  

Blog Entry 9/9 - MLK Library Tour

Today the class met in the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Library. I've been to the library before, however, I had no idea where to find things or what services the library offered. One of the many librarians took us on a tour of the library's website. He showed us RefWorks. You use it to save and manage your citations online. He showed us some online databases that will help us write scholarly papers and the paper that will be due at the end of the semester. He also showed us what we should do if a book we want is checked out. Send a request through the website and see if you can find the book you want at a different school. They will ship the book to the MLK library so you can use it. I also got my own library card. I had no idea how to get one but it was very easy. All of the services are free so it's important to take advantage of them.

Database Suggestions:

• Academic Search Premiere
• Communication and Mass Media Complete

Blog Entry 9/2

Referencing page 26 for this blog entry.

The activities I enjoy doing the most are graphic designing, watching movies, hanging out with friends, reading, and playing video games. When I'm doing what I want, I'm usually on the computer working on some designs. On my leisure time, I'm always with my friends doing anything around town. I also try to find time to work on my freelance graphic design website. My interest in graphic design made me think of majoring in that but I soon realized that it's not what I want my career to be. I could possibly major in advertising because of my experience in graphic design. I'm really interested in watching movies so I could link that to being a journalist. I try to be as social as I can so maybe a job as a social worker is an option.

Blog Entry 8/31

Referencing page 29 for this blog entry.

• The names of the persons who have helped me the most on campus: Tiffany Ventura, My Professors, etc.
• How they have helped me: My friend Tiffany helped me using the light rail. She also helped me with my classes and such. She gave me lots of tips and tricks on surviving college. My professors of course have helped me make my freshman year more comfortable.
• The aspect of college that I need the most help with is: figuring out my major/minor and dealing with all my classes.
  
• The person on campus that would most likely could help me is: My Professors.
  

The computer skills that I have are: fast typing, experience in Photoshop, Flash, Dreamweaver, PowerPoint, Word, Wordpress, Blogger, etc. I don't have any fears or problems regarding computers because I've grown up using a computer and taught myself. I'm not a total expert but I usually teach myself how to fix my own problems so I can learn from them.

Group Meeting #1

Group Members: Michael Tran, Paolo Listana, Adalberto Cabello, Jose Zopiyactle
Group Leader: Michael Tran
Group Name: Arkham Asylum

Jose's first week: Got lost in school without noticing. Walked in a circle for three times. He was late for his first class. He won the cable in our class. He saw an old lady on the bus fall asleep.

Adalberto's first week: Easy so far. Had a group of people he knew that showed him around and introduced him to other friends. His birthday weekend was yesterday.

Paolo's first week: Lives on campus in the bricks. Had a chill weekend.

Michael's first week: Easy so far. Got to all my classes on time.

My First Week At SJSU

This blog was created for the MUSE Get Internet Famous Class. Our first blog is suppose to be about our first week on campus.

My first week at SJSU went better than I expected. I didn't know what to expect really, but all my classes went pretty smoothly. The only thing that I regret is picking my classes at early times. They aren't too early but I do have to wake up earlier than usual to catch the light rail. But the upside to picking classes in the morning is that I get off classes early as well. I won't be stuck on campus for the afternoon so things could be worse. My professors seem really cool too. I guess I lucked out because there was always so many people in each of my classes trying to get enrolled. Next semester will be even tougher for freshman since we get last pick. Hopefully I can get the classes I want again like this semester. But again, my professors this semester seem really down-to-earth. I hope to get to know each one by the time classes are over.

The low point of my week was probably on Thursday when I had to do a diagnostic essay in my English 1A class. I don't think I did too well but apparently neither did anyone else I was talking with did. Hopefully it turns out to be one of those situations where you think you did badly but you did better than you thought you would. That was about it for my first week. I would just like to say that having 3 day weekends from now on is the best part about college.

Top 10 Favorite Websites

MCOM Assignment: List your top 10 favorite websites to visit and give a brief
reason on why it is on your list.

1. Ph0t0genic Designs - Not to be conceited, but this is my website. I started this website with a friend of mine that goes to NYU. He is an excellent coder (XHTML, PHP, etc) and Photogenic Designs is where we do freelance graphic design for people all over the world. He takes care of the coding and I am in charge of designing.
2. Facebook - Facebook is just a great way to stay connected to my friends and family. Feel free to add me as a friend!
   
3. Twitter - Twitter is also a good place to interact with friends and family. I also use it for news. Follow me!
   
4. YouTube - A great website to go to when you're bored and have nothing to do!
5. Meebo - Meebo lets you use AIM, MSN, Gmail Chat, etc without having to download the individual programs. Really useful for chatting with friends.
6. Oh No They Didn't - This is a celebrity gossip blog on Livejournal that is really entertaining when you're bored! It's not like your typical gossip blogs. It's run by members so it's not just one person's point of view.
7. Apple Trailers - I love watching movies and this website always has the most recent trailers for upcoming movies.
8. Deviant Art - I also like digital art so I'm always on Deviant Art checking out new stuff. I also have my own account.
9. Google - I use almost everything on Google's website. Gmail, Maps, Translator, Blogger, etc.
10. Yahoo! - This is my homepage so I visit this site everyday. Like Google, I use many of the other applications on the site.