So I just found out I can blog from my iPhone! Maybe I'll blog this way more often. This way if I'm not near a computer and feel like expressing myself, I just need my phone.

Advertisers step into elderly shoes

I came across this article on ADLAB'S blog that described a new technology/strategy where the Wall Street Journal said, "Before walking into a Walgreens drugstore here, Todd Vang [a Walgreens VP] donned glasses that blurred his vision, slipped un-popped popcorn into his shoes and adjusted tape that bound his thumbs to his palms."

http://adverlab.blogspot.com/2009/09/glasses-gloves-simulate-geriatric.html

Advertisers and marketers are trying to make their stores elderly friendly and this new strategy is helping accomplish this goal. I think it is an amazing and innovative way to increase sales in stores. As the baby boomers age, new accommodations will be needed to assist them in every day life such as shopping for basic needs. Fear of not being able to see or reach products may embarrass and prevent the elderly from shopping at certain stores, but if stores are elderly friendly, I believe anxiety levels would be low and the elderly would feel more confident in shopping.

Goofy Music Innovator

Photo by Spencer Jenkins, LEO Weekly

During my journalistic career so far, I have met some very interesting people. The most interesting person I have met so far would have to be Ronald Jenkees, who is a huge "YouTube sensation." His strange composition of music has led him to famous artist and acclaimed fame. I had a photo shoot with him this summer for the music edition of LEO Weekly in Louisville, Ky. where we met at a second-hand peddlers mall. His goofy attitude and facial expressions was a gift from the photo gods for me. This is one of the reasons why I love journalism so much; I get to meet amazing and interesting people who have a story to tell. To learn more about him visit http://www.ronaldjenkees.com/ or search for him on YouTube.

Converge this!

Media convergence is inevitably invading our society day by day. Between the Internet, "crackberries" and iPhones, we have all become media junkies. As a journalist I ask myself if this convergence takes away some of my journalistic integrity. When I get a job, will I have to report about some ridiculous reality show because the publication I write for is owned by the same company as the show? I honestly hope to god that I will write about things that honestly matter to people in life. If it is a reality show, I guess I'll have to write about it. (After all, if someone cares about it, it must be reported).

Not only do I have to know how to write a story; I also need to shoot photos, record audio, shoot video and then package it all together in a nice multimedia project. I don't mind this new way of storytelling, because in the end, the story is what matters, not the technology.

If it were up to me, I would have an old school typewriter and film cameras. I feel like I have been robbed the traditional journalism experience because of new technologies. As the newsroom shrinks, so does the old school journalism practices. However, I have become skilled in new media and I must accept the fact that journalism will be advancing in technology from hereon out. As long as I can write a story that means something to someone, I'm content.

The Media and Me

The media consumes my life on a daily basis. Whether it be watching and listening to the latest celebrity gossip on my T.V. or reading the latest news on insane town hall meetings in a crinkly newspaper, everything I do consists of media. When I turn on my phone, the latest tweets and facebook status pop up, as well as news from CNN via text messaging. Because of all of this media, I am not worried about my future as a journalism student because I am media.

Tons of baby boomers and some baby boomer's parents are "scared" of the future of journalism. Heaven forbid journalism becomes an online outlet for journalists. What these "older" people don't realize is that us young journalists are okay with this phenomena. We have used the Internet and computers to communicate as far back as we can remember. The old school journalists just think that journalism will die once they leave, but they don't understand that we know the new technology, we don't get angry with computers, and Internet and technology as been bred into us by society. Once my generation hits the newsrooms, journalism is in for a huge come back full of every kind of technology out there.

I am a writer and photographer so I have a huge advantage working with me once I enter the workforce. I have the knowledge of writing technologies and photography technologies. Both of which use audio and multimedia which I also know how to use. Hopefully I will be able to take this knowledge into a large newspaper corporation or a large magazine corporation. I have a lot of talent that I think many publications would find useful. Not only me, but my entire journalism generation has tons of useful technology knowledge that will help newspapers and media come back drastically. Maybe it will be with only online newspapers or futuristic tools to receive news, there is nothing we cannot handle.