Overview of Class

Thank you very much Renee for the pictures. They were quite lovely :)

Throughout this past semester we have touched on identity and community within the world of cell phones, personal blogs and second life. I never really put much thought into any of these new media resources, but now after this class, I have a whole new perspective.

Every time I see my brother texting back an forth between his friends and his girlfriend, I will think about how different the various age groups use the cell phone's technology. I will also be more cautious of how I treat my future children someday when they want a cell phone. Although there are many options today on keeping a GPS tracking system on the cell phone user, I will make sure that I don't make my children feel as if they have a "digital leash" around their necks.

The next time I go and read my favorite blog - Something Old and Something New, I will think more about the kind of interactions I may be having with the blog's author. Although I may not make a direct posting on that person's page (lurker), I do take the time to read her entires as well as check out the various items that she suggests (and even go on to buying them!). I will also be more aware of the kind of impact that a blog posting can have on my audience. If a blog is set to open readership, then everyone can read and respond, and I must be prepared to receive various different comments and feedback.

As for Second Life... there is so much more to be discovered that I cannot even begin to comment on. Second Life is truly a second world that can become addicting and even take over some people's lives. My computer, however doesn't seem to like the software that much, so it doesn't look like addiction will be a problem with me. I do want to be able to explore the world even more and test out my avatar, make friends (safely) and hopefully someday join SMC as we get our own island! Overall, it has been a very interesting experience.

Thank you Professor Berdayes as well as the rest of the class for a great semester. I never knew that there could be so many different levels to the items that we discussed in class - it was definitely eye opening!