Phineas and Ferb

 I was thinking about this earlier on my car ride to school, the old Disney television show Phineas and Ferb was criminally underrated. That show was one of the cornerstones of my childhood, with my favorite character being Heinz Doofenschmirtz. I just feel like the show did a lot in terms of making me as a child realize how awesome it is to be creative. The whole show revolved around that concept really. Phineas and Ferb used their creativity to produce all sorts of mind-boggling inventions, which inspired kids all around the country to use their brains, including me. I feel like I drew a lot of my motivation to do well academically from this show in particular.

 Not only this but the soundtrack to the show as absolutely fire. I still listen to the soundtrack on a daily basis, because it’s honestly just so well made. I love how many genres of music the show showcases within its time running, because it’s a very diverse pallette. Just one episode can have 3 songs all ranging from prison blues, to pop, to even pretend Bollywood productions. They’re all bops and have allowed me as a musician to actually be able to practice some vocal techniques that I struggle with because they’re in the songs. One song titled “Chains on Me,” is a prison blues song that is sang using just rasp. I’ve always struggled with rasp so this song allowed me to practice it and eventually become much better at it. I like Phineas and Ferb and will continue to watch it until I am senile enough to not understand it.

I was thinking about this earlier on my car ride to school, the old Disney television show Phineas and Ferb was criminally underrated. That show was one of the cornerstones of my childhood, with my favorite character being Heinz Doofenschmirtz. I just feel like the show did a lot in terms of making me as a child realize how awesome it is to be creative. The whole show revolved around that concept really. Phineas and Ferb used their creativity to produce all sorts of mind-boggling inventions, which inspired kids all around the country to use their brains, including me. I feel like I drew a lot of my motivation to do well academically from this show in particular.

 

TikTok is Pretty Rad

 I use TikTok pretty regularly and it makes me feel bad sometimes. I hate when I catch myself doom scrolling and I realize how much time I’ve wasted on literally nothing. Although, I’m just like many other people of my generation that find TikTok to be very addicting, which plays into why this platform is so good for marketing online.

 The way TikTok works is very unique and has propelled forth a revolution of content that is seconds long, rather than longer content that must keep audiences invested. As someone keeps scrolling they are exposed to a wide variety of different media. So as I, as a avid TikTok consumer, continue to scroll through my feed it would make complete sense for companies to get in on this short-term content action to make a profit. They do just that. I see ads all the time on TikTok, and they’re in the exact same content structure as regular content. I see this fact as very beneficial because they play into the addictive nature of the app, and even I sometimes see myself getting sucked into the ad because I just see it as regular content. TikTok’s addictive nature plays a key role in advertising on the app, and I definitely see the benefit.

Paper Popper Panic

 

I was bored this past weekend and so were my dogs so I decided I wanted to expose them to some sort of new experience, that way they’re seeing something new and interesting. So I dug through the internet until I found something that caught my eye, and eventually I found what I thought would be perfect. I found a tutorial on how to make a paper popper. Now, if you don’t know what a paper popper is, it’s essentially a piece of origami you can swing that creates a loud noise when you do.

So, I got to work. I spent twenty whole minutes of my life watching a YouTube video on how to create this popper and I did it with relative ease. By the end I had a solid product, the folds looked great and there was only one thing left to do: test the product. So, without any second thought I brought my dogs into the kitchen with me and let it rip. With a thunderous crack, I swung the popper through the air. I expected the dogs to be bewildered, perhaps even a little nervous but I was wrong in that assumption. They went ballistic. It was as if I was holding a live squirrel in my hand after the paper made that noise. They chased me all around the house, barking, begging, doing anything within their power to get the paper away from me. Eventually I ran back to the kitchen table and had my arm over it to prevent the dogs from getting to the paper when Khloe jumped 4 feet into the air onto the table and snatched it from my hand. She then ran away, and I had to chase her down to retrieve the paper.

 I have never seen my dogs so feral for an inanimate object before. I was happy I was able to entertain them, but I did not expect this degree of success in doing so. What is worrisome, however, is that I think I have now conditioned my dogs into having a significant prey drive for paper. I’ll cross that bridge when I get to it I guess.

I Love Breaking Bad So Much.

 This has nothing to do with my dogs but I need to rant about how great Breaking Bad is. I just finished the series a couple of days ago and this is the first time I have ever been sad to see a television series go. In particular, the sheer amount of literary techniques that went into this show is something that I really appreciate.

 I was in AP Literature in high school so I studied a lot of literary techniques that authors use to demonstrate themes, and I loved doing that. So when I saw Breaking Bad and how much thought went into each scene I was in love. I love the use of symbolism throughout the show to convey different traits of characters becoming more prevalent. Some of my favorites were Walter’s “Heisenberg” hat, Gus’s suits which represented his temperament at any moment, the use of shadows in the show to represent deceit and confliction and my personal favorite: Walter’s pool.

Walter’s pool was possibly my favorite part of this whole series. Any time Walt would contemplate his own actions he would stare into the light blue glow of his pool. I don’t want to spoil this series, but the pool’s color is very important and represents a key component of Walt’s life. Whenever things are going awry Walt stares into his pool and just thinks in silence. I love the tranquility of these scenes which parallel the chaos elsewhere, and I love what these scenes lead to.

Anyway, this was my favorite show of all time. Easily.

Khloe.

 One thing that is a little odd about having a formally abused dog is how they display their affection. It varies from dog to dog and their respective situations, but Khloe in particular displays her affection in a way that is very endearing but at times annoying. She loves kisses. The word “loves” may even be an understatement here. Khloe would love nothing more than to shower our faces in kisses at all times; and when I say “all times,” I mean it.

 There are no limits to when, how, why or where, if she sees a face it is getting licked. Last night was a great example of this phenomenon. I allow my dogs to sleep in my bed with me because they’re good and they also deserve the comfort of my sheets and blankets. I wrangled them into my bedroom and got under my covers when suddenly above me there is the shadow of a dog staring down at me. Not even a second went by before she started licking my face. I pushed her away because I wanted to sleep but there’s one minute detail about Khloe that I have not yet mentioned: she abhors rejection. So, in retaliation to my rejection of her licking, she decided to jump onto my body WWE style and continue her licking. I once again pushed her off and I was victorious as she went to sleep, but I still petted her to ensure that she felt loved. Either way, it just goes to show some of the difficulties of having a formally abused dog, because in my case personal space no longer exists.

Pinterest Has Blown My Mind

 

I’ve used Pinterest before. I like Pinterest. In my time I’ve found it to be a great platform to find memes on, and to find a nice recipe or two to try cooking. Never would I ever consider before this class that there would be legitimate marketing potential on this platform. This is just due to my own experience on the app when I was a kid. I loved memes, and Pinterest was full of them. I downloaded them and showed my friends for a laugh, and never once did I take notice of an ad or go onto the platform for any sort of corporate exchange.

 

So when I say that I was shocked at the statistics in the textbook concerning the spending habits of Pinterest users, I am understating the world-shaking shift in view I undertook. This is just one that I found absolutely crazy, the textbook states that “93% of Pinners use Pinterest to plan purchases.” I have never once viewed Pinterest as a platform that would ever get even remotely close to my wallet, but there is a whole 93% of users of the platform that would heavily disagree with me. This is mind-blowing to me. I think a large part of my shock comes from the fact that I don’t think I’m exactly the target audience. I have little to be interested in on Pinterest anymore, so chances are that they got heavier on marketing over the years, but still that shift is completely unprecedented in my brain. Yet after reflection I guess it does make sense. My mom uses Pinterest for many different clothing purchases and such so I suppose I have experienced a real world example of that marketing working. After all, Pinterest is marketed heavily towards fashion and health and beauty products, so it adds up after all. Regardless, I am just completely flabbergasted at the effectiveness of marketing on Pinterest, and cannot wait to learn more about it.

A More Chaotic Walk

 Walks with my dogs have been going well as of late. They’ve kept their composure and I’ve not had to discipline them much on our walks as a result. Honestly it’s been relaxing and makes me feel better as a dog owner knowing they can have this privilege that seems rudimentary to owning a dog. It has all been going increasingly well and it came to a head on yesterday’s walk.

 For starters, the reason I am so nervous about them going on walks is because they were attacked by another dog once while we were on a walk and they fought back and their owner called the warden on us. If we had another “incident,” they would assuredly be put down, despite it not being our faults the first time. My family has been stressed out about this for a long time, and I’ve been always of the opinion that regardless of what happened we should still let them do dog things and enjoy standard luxuries of pets.

 So yesterday I took them on yet another walk up and down our block, when suddenly a labradoodle came storming down the street at my dogs. This has always been what my family has been scared of. So naturally, I tighten down on my dogs’ leashes to keep them near me and away from the dog. The ‘doodle approached and sniffed my dogs and they sniffed back, but nothing aggressive happened. My dogs were scared at first, but they quickly realized there were no ill intentions by this lil’ guy. So what was once a gigantic fear ended up being a gigantic opportunity yesterday, and I think my dogs may be becoming less temperamental.

Snapchat: A Secret Treasure

To the younger generations, many social media platforms of old have grown stale. They’re unused, undervalued, and are on their way to a grave that is dug by new generations. Snapchat is not one of these. Snapchat, though viewed as a platform that is unprofessional, is one of the most effective marketing tools on the internet.

I was at one point unaware of the success that digital marketers have had on Snapchat. I always have used the app as more of a chatroom of sorts, only to answer DM’s and text with people I’m not comfortable enough with to give my number to. Never did I bat an eye at the multitude of ads that are quite literally sneaked into my viewing. My mind is seriously boggled at the statistics I saw on the successes of Snapchat marketing. Ads are 2x more viewed than that of Facebook, they have an astronomically low cost, and they’re extremely effective in sales due to the fast-paced nature of the network.

 Not only this, but marketing with Snapchat plays into the role that I personally have lent it. I don’t like giving out my phone number, but Snapchat is a more comfortable medium for communication. The same goes for marketing. Snapchat is a very accessible, comforting platform for one on one interaction with a potential customer. This can make advertising much more personal, and can provide for blossoming relationships that are not seen on other social networking platforms. I’ve been a big fan of Snapchat for a long time, and this adds onto that respect. Snapchat is a fantastic network for advertising and their statistics shocked me to say the least.

Fun Ride in the Car WOOHOO!

 My dogs are very big fans of car rides. They always have been and always will be. Hearing the words "bye-bye in the car” immediately triggers a state of upmost bliss in them, and Sunday was no different. My day started off very lazily, I woke up and watched a couple episodes of Breaking Bad while cuddling the dogs and then began to clean the house. The process of cleaning my house is one that takes several hours as well as vacuuming expertise. So while I was cleaning the dogs took advantage of the two hours of sleep that were readily available to them. After I was done, I woke them up and that is when the fun began.

 My dad and I wanted pizza Sunday, but not just any pizza. We wanted Cassano’s Pizza in Sidney, Ohio. This is my family’s favorite pizza and the margin of likability between this pizza and the next is not close. This is a treasure to behold, and whenever we bring home one of these pies it’s cause for celebration. So, before me and my dad embarked on our pizza pilgrimage, I had the idea of taking the dogs with us so they could go for a fun ride. Begrudgingly, he agreed and I got the opportunity to tell the dogs and watch literal smiles grow on their faces. They hopped in the car and we hit the road.

 Being honest, the ride wasn’t anything special but seeing Apollo happy was. I turned
around in my seat about halfway to Sidney and I sincerely do not think I have ever seen Apollo as happy as I saw him in that moment. I even took a picture, which is in this post. It was the brightest smile I have ever seen on that little guy’s face. It made my day. After about an hour we arrived home with the pizza and feasted, and the dogs had their share was well.

Khloe is Sick

 Of all the tribulations of being the owner of two active dogs, them being sick is probably the most difficult. I do not mean this from an actual work perspective as much as I do from an emotional perspective. Seeing them not feeling well absolutely breaks my heart, because I want to help them but I do not know how. This past weekend was one of those instances.

 I woke up Saturday morning at about eight in the morning to find that my bed had been surrounded by a moat of vomit. I then looked up from the puddles to find Khloe looking directly at me as if to say, “my tummy hurts.” While I remain adamant that this is more emotionally tiresome than physically, the vomit still was quite a hassle to clean up. Even with my heavy duty carpet-cleaner, it took a solid hour to make my carpet look as though there wasn’t a bomb that went off on it.

 After a very fun hour of cleaning vomit, I then tended to Khloe’s needs. I made her drink water, tried to get her to eat (albeit unfruitfully) and tried to lighten her spirits with some pets. While she did drink water, it did not help her attitude about the day. Khloe spent the entirety of Saturday laying on the couch with her head in her paws huffing, and seemed to have the mentality that nothing was going to deter her from doing so. All that time Apollo was the equal and opposite. He was bounding with youthful energy, constantly wanting to play and to interact with his grumpy sister. Once I knew Khloe was going to be okay, I gave Apollo the time of day and played with him for a good hour or so. Then my mom got home and was able to sit with Khloe and form a covalent bond on the couch with her.

 At the end of the day Khloe finally got up from her spot on the couch and ate. This was a relief to me and my family who had been worrying that she would not until the next day. Then she briefly took a drink of water and receded into my bedroom to call an end to her bad day. The next morning Khloe was the same Khloe I always knew. She was energetic, hungry and her normal self. Yet that still did not take away from the bad day that was yesterday, as well as the trauma of cleaning up those oceans of vomit.