miércoles, 3 de julio de 2013

My "Career week"

Honestly, I never thought that this was going to help me this much when it comes to be completely certain about what to study after highachool. I was actually having a hard time a few days before this activity, since i didn't knew what I wanted exactly. But that feeling didn't last long. a few days before vacations started, my mom told me that I already had a place at my step-dad's office.
He's a lawyer and he has his own firm. At first i wasn't excited at all, because I wasn't sure if laws was really my thing, but vacations came, and so did my first day of work. The first impression when I walked inside the office was that absolutely everyone was wearing a suit, and I was the only one with jeans.
But talking about the actual work, I was lucky, since my step-brother was working there as well, and that actually helped me a lot, since I had someone who could explain all the things I didn't understand. So my first task was just to help my step-brother in whatever he was doing, and so I did. He explained to me that all the paperwork he had on his desk where actions from different businesses and industries. and that his assignament was to verify that all the information that they had was the correct one. The first thought that it came to my mind after the first day was "if this is what i'm going to do every day, this is definitly not for me.." The first days where pretty much the same, and we fallowed the same routine for 3 days straight. When I was almost a hundred percent sure that laws was defenitly not my career, we finally got another assignament, and this one actually involved other things besides office work. I had the chance to see how a Lawyer tries to find an exit using the laws on his advantage. and also to see things in a slightly different perspective. They gave me an example that made a lot of sense to me and that was, to see the laws as the rules of the game, the better you know the rules, the faster you'll understand the game, and therefore, you'll win.
By the end of the week, I was sattisfied with all the work I did. and i came to the conclution that laws is a very pretty career, and that the most probable thing is that I'll be studing that the next year.

jueves, 16 de mayo de 2013

The Impact of Music Genres on Society.


Since the beginning of our existence, mankind has been producing music; it has always been an integral part of our social interactions. It allows us to express feelings and even ideas that we simply can’t put into words. It’s interesting to note how our ability to produce music has only grown and gotten better as our society has grown and our social interactions have changed. This is clear evidence that music gives a deeper and more meaningful social interaction.

At first, music was closely related to religion, as part of different rituals and ceremonies. This music was more about the rhythm rather than melody. Complex notes weren’t possible with the rudimentary tools we had. Yet music endured and helped people access said rituals, it encouraged transcendental states of mind. As we advanced, so did our musical prowess, especially the way we made music itself.

During the Middle Ages, music reflected the uptight society. Heavily influenced by religion once again, music was constantly used to remind us that God was watching, and damning sinners left to right. Our ability to produce melodies improved drastically, giving us more complex instruments. However the melodies and more complex notes were used on monotone, somewhat droll music.

Then came the Renaissance a time of change. The more complex notes, rhythms and melodies were perfect for the new movement. Humans were looking for new, complex ways of expressing themselves. They naturally turned to music in search of new ways of expression, of sharing and above all Enlightenment. Music became an art, rather than part of rituals or ceremonies. At the time several, several music figures changed the way music was perceived, instead of using it to praise God, they went ahead and praised humanity, themselves even. Some of these notable figures were Nicolo Pagganini, Ludwig Van Beethoven, Amadeus Mozart, and Chopin. These men were controversial, since their music certainly broke the norm. They were all about being complex, giving hard to follow melodies. This was a clear reflection of the changing society.

Music hasn’t stopped evolving with times though. Different genres have been present during different historical events. For example, during the times of slavery, oppressed slaves shared their sorrows in sad ballads, these developed into what we know today as blues. During the 40’s it further developed into what we know as rock and roll. Later in the 60’s this rebellious music was used a sort of an anti-war anthem.

Modern music reflects our society by being heavily based on technology and electronic instruments, exactly like the society developing it. This music is more about the beat and he thrills it gives while listening to it. Just like our youth; who are more concerned about the present and living it. However fast music changes, we can only be certain that as society changes, so will our music.

jueves, 25 de abril de 2013

Transitional Expressions




Initially, I saw this commercial and liked the product being sold. In the end, though, I chose this video because I liked the message. It is promoting a certain product, however, it manages to send a message beyond simple branding. In fact, it urges us towards a healthier life. For example, you can see a bunch of people doing different sports, and also their use of the word "inspire" as a slogan.

Indeed, the way these Earbuds create a possitive message is effective. It catches the consumer's eye. Eventually, it makes them want to be that way and consequently want to buy the product. For this reason, the Yurbuds will work for anyone that may want to have a healthier life through excerscise while listening to good music! Therefore, it promotes a message of physical health as well as selling their product. As a result, it is easy to see that this is a well-written ad campaign.

lunes, 4 de marzo de 2013

Money or Happiness?

Money can take you places and get you things, but there are things that money cannot buy. Among many other things, these include happiness, friendship, and love. People often think that if they have money, then they have the solution to all of his or her problems. It can have drawbacks, however, such as drawing unwanted attention from people who are more concerned with the wealth than the well-being of the person possessing it.

The priorities one places on where to spend money is based on individual preferences. For example, if I had enough money to buy either a watch or to attend a concert of my choosing, I would have to weigh my options. I am a musician, so I would naturally lean towards choosing the concert. I am also aware of the practical use of a watch, as well as the long term investment of the money spent on it.

I try not to put too much importance on material goods, but that does not stop me from appreciating and enjoying what I have. With that in mind, I place more importance on the people that I surround myself with in life. These people are more important than money or things, because their friendships will last forever and be worth more than cash ever could be. With this philosophy, of choosing people who know my worth as well as I know theirs, has led me to meeting good people. These people turn into friends that I know I can trust, who will be there for me, and are worth interacting with.

Back to the original topic, of acquiring a watch or attending a concert. A quality watch could fund several concert trips, so my choice would be to gather up my loved ones and take them to the concerts with me. With this, I'll buy memories and happiness, not just a watch to sit on my wrist.

In the end, the legacy you leave behind is the memories others have of you. Their memories of the kind of person you were, the things you did, and the people you let into your life. The material possessions you had will not matter and will be forgotten in time. This is why, people should consider if their material wealth is really worth it, really so important. Thinking about this can help to lead a person down the right path

domingo, 24 de febrero de 2013

Listening & Understanding Natural Speech (PS4)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=5hjx2Sd52U4
Answer the fallowing questions regarding the topic seen in the video:

1.What does the video talk about?
2.What is the PlayStation 4 Promise?
3.What was "Simple" interpreted as?
4.What did Alex Rigopulos say about the "instinct of craft"?
5.What does the button "share" allow you to do?

martes, 5 de febrero de 2013

Facing Reality

How many times have you asked yourself, What can I do for my country?
It is hard to answer, especially if you think the way most people do.
The majority of people have thought this. Instead of feeling responsible, they assume that it is not a big deal. They think that someone else is going to take care of the problem, or that others are going to come up with a great invention that is going to save us all. Because of this way of thinking, we are still at the some point of stale progression, and we often do not know all the problems our country is going through. Despite this, we still call our country's youth "Guatemala's Future." It is OUR responsibility to see and create meaningful change in the next generation.

Most of Guatemala's population lives in poor conditions. The much smaller percentage with a higher quality of life is looking forward to leaving the country to seek a better one elsewhere. Statistics show that more than 1.5 million Guatemalans have left the country, mostly searching for better opportunities in the United States. This generates a list of other problems that should be focused on. 8 - 10,000 teenagers are involved with gangs or drugs, which reduces their life expectancy by up to 50%. With the decrease in life expectancy, women are becoming pregnant younger. An average Guatemalan woman is expected to get pregnant at the age of twenty. This is concerning because at that age, it is frequently difficult to have a stable job or complete a formal education. These elements make for a potentially bad home for the children. Children are often born in broken families because of these things, and this causes the child to have a poor perspective on life. Other problems the child will face include limited opportunity for decent education, access to adequate nutrition, and living in poor housing.

Behind all of this darkness, Guatemala "the country of the eternal spring," can be a beautiful place to live. There is perfect weather, a rich cultural heritage left by our Mayan ancestors, and the natural landscapes that we find in each department. We just need to open our eyes to see our opportunities, and try not give up hope on our beautiful country. Stand against corruption, and be the change we want to see among Guatemalans. There is nothing better than to feel proud of where you come from.