Some thought this day would never come...

I finally did it.
              I caved.
                    I got a phone.

It's kind of a big deal, for me. According to my friends I have 'officially reached an entirely new level of cool' and am 'almost a real person now!' I'm not sure I believe either of those comments, especially the latter, but it certainly is different having my own phone. I've had it for less than 72 hours, and it's already become a major means of communication for me. The first couple of days, though, I would completely forget I had it within even 10 minutes of using it - that is, until an abrupt ring or vibration would politely remind me. 
When people ask me how it is finally having a phone, I usually respond with 'convenient.' By that, I don't mean to imply that I don't enjoy having a phone. In fact it's just the opposite because of the ways in which it makes life quite a bit easier - for both me and my family/friends. It is quite strange though, the oxymoronic feeling of freedom and captivation. I no longer have to rely on my friends and their phones to get ahold of people (or be reached by people, as the case may be). I can now contact people without being near my computer or home phone. It's rather fantastic. But at the same time I can hardly put it down. I'll keep checking and re-checking it even when I know I have no unread messages. I'll drop everything at a moment's ...(hang on a second)...notice to check a text. I wouldn't say I feel entirely dependent on it, but I would say I'm developing a sense of attachment.  In class we talked about how some people feel alienated by technology while others see it as an extension of themselves. It's still weird to think of my phone as a part of me, as familiar and normal, but I'm sure I'll get used to the idea.

Project Tour

We talked a lot about identity during the second unit; the relevance and importance of having an online presence and how that takes shape. I found this section to be one of the most fascinating, and, therefore, it's not too surprising that the rhetorical situation I found for my project fit within that realm. You may recall from some of my blog posts, that finding a topic for this project was a bit of a struggle for me. I had some ideas about what media I might want to use, but I didn't have an exigence to propel my ideas forward. So in an effort to brainstorm, I went back through the previous units. With a little inspiration from some classmates, I decided to make identity the focus of my project.

I wanted to help my sister establish and develop an online identity through the means of a blog. I chose this particular medium because it would suit her semi-scatterbrained personality. She wouldn't be forced to categorize, label, or box the different areas of her life, but could allow it all to flow together naturally in a way that others could share in. The rhetorical situation here is not so much the presence of a problem so much as an absence of..well, her. Bitzer said that, “In short, rhetoric is a mode of altering reality... by the creation of discourse which changes reality through the mediation of thought and action” (4). Through the blog, she will be capable of changing reality through sculpting another side of her identity.

To examine the rhetorical situation further, we will take a look at content, audience, purpose and context. “Because communication is what binds us together and helps build...our communities, you are responsible for finding communicative purposes that respond to what is needed around you, that contribute usefully to the networks in which we all live” (Wysocki, 35).I already stated that the purpose of the project was to give my sister an opportunity to expand her online identity, and in doing so she would be helping build upon, or contributing to, an already existing community. The blog is a way for her to share her daily thoughts and activities with others, get feedback, connect with others of similar interests, and perhaps learn more about herself in the process.

As for content, I spent a lot of time on the visual format of the blog. This is the first thing that the audience will take in. The audience, in this case, would be anyone who follows the blog, allowing for a context that is undefined in breadth and nature because it is an ongoing discourse that each audience member comes across under varying circumstances. However, regardless of the individual circumstances, it was still important that the blog was visually inviting and that it be reflective of my sister. The color scheme I chose was one she was particularly fond of and it was rather warm and tranquil. Then there was the title – another prominent feature. The alliteration of “Everyday Effervescence” may have been a bit of a personal preference on my part, but my sister was on board with it. 'Effervescence' means “vivacity and enthusiasm” (Oxford Online Dictionary). It's to help reflect the way in which my sister finds joy in the little, everyday things, in simplicity and creativity.

The whole process, from brainstorming to my design plan to production, was full of unexpected changes and shifts. When I began this assignment, I certainly didn't expect it to end up where it has. However, the experience in manufacturing a digital media artifact and what that requires, all under a topic I was interested in exploring (identity), made this a personally beneficial and – I may say – enjoyable endeavor.

Peer Feedback

Sarah

Major Argument: Vocal Achord is an exciting and fun musical group.

Strengths: The logos presented a very clear message and helped portray a sense of liveliness. The musical symbols and references as well as the name of the group itself let the audience know what the group is about. The lettering as well as the orientation of some of the symbols helped present the group as fun-loving and exciting.

Things to Develop: Color will definitely help make the logo more eye-catching as well as help the words to stand out from the background and be more legible.


Charlie

Major Argument: Club Indigo is a neat place to learn about various cultures, experience community, and have a good time through food, entertainment, and social interaction.

Strengths: The presentation was able to stand on its own. It presented a clear message and was very informative. The text stood out well from the background and was easy to read. I definitely think that the pictures, when added, will help draw in the audience even more.

Things to Develop: Some of the slides had too much information on them and were hard to get through before the slide changed. One thing I noticed is that you say, "Why should I go?" on one slide. But then say, "Hope to see you soon!" on another. It might help if you changed the former to the second person 'you' instead of 'I' for consistency's sake.


James

Major Argument: Online piracy is a prevalent and serious problem.

Strengths: Statistics and numbers are visually represented well and help to make the message clear. The color contrast helps important information to stand out. Graphics help keep the audience engaged.

Things to Develop: This may just be a personal preference, but if you could lighten the background a bit it might make the black text easier to read. 


Cassandra

Major Argument: Greek life offers a lot of leadership opportunities.

Strengths: The presentation is informative and specific. The choice of medium is good because the movement it allows helps give a sense of energy and excitement to the presentation. Color contrast helped the text to stand out.

Things to Develop: There were a few instances where the text was hard to read because of the size and because there were too many colors going on at once. Try slowing it down ever so slightly to make sure the audience has time to read everything. I may have missed it if you already did this, but changing the orientation of the presentation (i.e. rotating or flipping it) might make it more dynamic and attention-grabbing.

Design Plan

Statement of Purpose: To provide my sister with a webspace for displaying, advertising, and, to an extent, documenting her variety of handmade crafts and projects. My sister is not, to my knowledge, looking to start up a business, however, this sharing of her creative outlets may eventually encourage her to do so; or it may just continue to be something she enjoys sharing with those around her.

Audience: Anyone interested in following my sister's work, particularly those who share similar interests or would like to purchase her work or commission her to make something.

Overall Strategies/Arrangement/Medium: I've decided to create a blog for my sister to accomplish this. I hope for it to be a rather visual blog that may even include tutorials and step-by-step instructions accompanied by a plethora of images. I like the blog because of the timeline setup, which will allow both my sister and her audience to see how her ideas and work have progressed and developed.