Alarm Clocks and Personality Traits

I think that I can learn a lot about people by where they place their alarm clock and how they use it. I know I'm using broad generalizations and stereotypes. These are just my perceptions based on some people I know. So, right or wrong, read them over and see if you agree or recognize anyone you know!


A. Before we even get to the alarm feature, let’s take a look at the time setting in relation to real time.

I think there are three main categories of people here:

1) The first category is those that have their time (alarm clock, watches, wall clocks) set to the exact/actual time. Based on my experience these people tend to be very orderly and precise. These are the type of people who like the adage, “a place for everything and everything in its place”. They tend to be meticulous and organized. These people are time-focused and would rarely be without a means of telling time (watch, cell phone used for telling time, etc.). In fact, they might feel a little lost without a watch, alarm clock or cell phone.

2) The second category is for people whose clocks are behind real/actual time. I've found that these people tend to be more laid back and perhaps even a little more apathetic about time and schedules in general. "The clocks off? Whatever...who needs time? I’ll get there when I get there." People who have clocks that are off might not even know they are off. These people might also tend to be the ones that don’t wear watches. In my experience, they can also be a little more disorganized, forgetful, and polychronic (those that tend to be social, like to do something until they feel ready to go, and tend to generally like going with the flow). I think non-watch wearers are not the type to set strict agendas and as is the case with some people I know, can have trouble following schedules set by others. (Sometimes people from category 2 will see people from category 1 as "uptight" or "rigid", while category 1 people might see category 2 types as "lazy" or "apathetic").

3) Ah, then there's the last category…those that set their time ahead, on purpose. What I've discovered here is that these are the type of people who tend to consistently run late. They too are a bit disorganized, maybe take on too much and think they can change. “If I just set the clock ahead I’ll end up getting there on time” but guess what? Typically, these late people still tend to be late. In my experience, these are the people who usually have good intentions but lack some follow-through. These people like to think they are in control but sometimes aren’t.

B. Ok now let’s move on to where your alarm clock is located.

1) Right next to the bed. To me this indicates you are self-motivated. Again, probably like some organization in your life and can follow through on given tasks.

2) Across the room. You like your sleep and tend to give in to self pleasures like a little extra sleep. You need more motivation than some others because unless you actually get yourself up out of bed, you might just go back to sleep. And I’m guessing for some of you across-the-room alarm clockers, that you’ve actually still done just that—get out of bed, turn off the alarm, and collapse back on the bed in rebellion. That’s right, you have a bit of a rebellious side.

3) Cell phone alarm clocks. You might fit into category 1 if you are diligent in placing your cell phone within reach each night before you go to bed. Or you may be a category 2 if your cellphone is still placed across the room. However, if it gets left where ever it gets left, like in a pocket, this might indicate a slight tendency to be a 2. But whether you're a 1, 2, or pocket alarmer, people who use their cell phone as an alarm generally are into gadgets, technology and toys. More than likely these people would feel lost without their cell phone and would probably rank it high on the list of items they couldn’t live without. Oh, and perhaps they tend to exaggerate.

4) Some people don’t set an alarm. This either indicates that you are a morning person, bright and bubbly, ready to face the day. Or you have kids that wake you up, so why bother setting one. You don’t really count in this category, because at heart you’re really one of the other personality types, but your kids have gotten in the way of your morning alarm preference and routine. Am I right?

Now, let’s look at the time setting of when you want your alarm to go off.

1) I’m guessing if you were an A.1 you are going to have your alarm set for the exact time you plan on getting up. You probably also tend to get up at the same time everyday or alternating times if you are on a swing shift. More than likely you tend to also be a B.1

2) People who set their alarm ahead exactly one “snooze” unit feel like they’re missing something in life. For example, this type of person knows they require 30 minutes to get ready in the morning. They need to leave the house be 7:30 am. So this person sets their alarm for 6:51 am. (Just reading that uneven number is probably unnerving some of you A.1/B.1 individuals) “If only I had 9 more minutes of sleep…I’d feel better.” These type of people like to trick themselves into thinking things are better than they are. My guess is you like your sleep and aren’t happy that you’re not getting enough.

3) The more “snooze units” you use, the more possibly lazy or possibly unproductive perhaps a person might be. I’ve had students report they set their alarms 5 snooze units ahead. These type of people tend to also be more of a night-owl and some might say self-pleasing. They probably stayed up very late playing video games or hanging out with friends. These people sometimes have trouble getting work done that others may think is important and again, are probably a little more apathetic about it as well. However, to this person, setting 5 snooze units ahead makes perfect sense. As does setting your wall clock ahead 12 minutes. To an “exact timer” (someone who likes the time set exactly to real time and gets up on the first alarm) this sounds absolutely ridiculous.

Enter culture clash: You get a roommate or a spouse who is of a different “time persuasion”. A couple who come from opposite time orientations, might have some serious communication problems if these differences aren’t talked about and a collaborative agreement reached.

An alarm clock may just be an item but it sends messages about its owner based on where it is located, what time is showing, and how the alarm is set in correlation to "snooze units". And we didn't even touch on other telling factors like volume settings, radio vs buzzer, music selection, white noise use and other alarm clock features. Those too are interesting variables to look at in correlation to personality types.

I hope you've enjoyed this generalized and stereotyped view of alarm clocks as "Artifactual communication".

Questions to Think About:

Can you classify yourself by how you use or don’t use an alarm clock?

Did other people come to mind when you read the classifications?

How do you agree or disagree with the assessments made about each personality type based on the alarm clock's use?

Do those traits hold true for you?

What other “traits” might be implied by the alarm clocks?

In the last example, the culture clash, what options do these individuals have?

What other common “artifacts” (objects) and corresponding use do you think are “telling” of one’s personality?

Unexpected Discoveries on the trail

After two days of biking around town trying to get my legs back in shape, I decided to venture a little further south to bike the Soo Line trail--a trail I had taken often last summer accumulating in 50 mile trips. Although I wasn't expecting to make it 50 miles today, I was certainly thinking I'd get further down the trail then just a couple of miles before I stopped. However, this stop turned into one of the most delightful unexpected discoveries I've had this summer.

The Soo line begins with pavement at Highway 10 just south of Little Falls. It's a nice, mainly flat trail that is nature-lined for miles. About every 7 miles or so there is a little town or a spot where one can rest if needed, otherwise it's mainly farms and forests. However, about two miles in, the trail meets the Mississippi, or I should say, meets the Blanchard dam of the Mississippi. I had noticed the canoe portage sign on one of my previous bike trips, but never had I seen anyone using it--until today.

Seeing as the bike trail is not only relatively flat, but relatively straight as well, something caught my attention before I even approached the crossing. At first I thought it was an animal on the trail, but it was awfully still. As I got closer I could tell that it was an inanimate object and then as I got closer I could tell it was several inanimate objects. Soon I could see the bridge for Blanchard Dam and I figured it could be a canoer portaging back to the river. I slowed down but didn't see anyone. There was alot of stuff: duffle bags, water jugs, cooler, sleeping bag (spread out to dry) one canoe, a waterproof bag and other miscellaneous stuff. I figured it had to be a few people who were canoeing and that they must be in the processing of coming with another canoe.

I continued on my way, but something was pulling me back. I thought about the principle of portaging and thought maybe that would be a good blog topic...so I turned my bike around and went back to capture a picture or two as inspiration. Still curious about the mystery traveler, I decided to hang out a minute or two. Like I said, I was drawn to who might be coming down the trail (and I wanted to explain that I wasn't trying to steal any stuff, better yet, hopefully I could get the travelers' permission to use the photos I'd just taken.) Well sure enough in the distance I could see someone approaching--but it was not who I expected.

I guess I was being stereotypical, expecting some young teenagers on summer vacation or twenty-somethings doing the "up north" adventure. Instead, there was Dick. A fifty something year old gentleman in bib overalls and work boots "incrementally moving forward" (to quote Dick). To break the ice, I asked if this stuff was his (in class we'd call that using "free information in conversation initiation"). Upon his reply that it was, I asked where he was traveling to...and thus began a 2 hour conversation adventure with Dick.

Dick was a history buff who had recently lost his job due to the economy. A former Navy guy and "paddle expert", Dick had done a few long river voyages in the past. When he lost his job, he figured it was time for another one. He told me he was planning on going to Norfolk, Virginia. Traveling the Mississippi to New Orleans, he'd then take a couple other riverways to the Potomac and to Virginia. He anticipated this taking about a year. Wow.

He didn't have set plans or deadlines. He planned to take it like it came. His only rule was like that of Stonewall Jackson, a man he'd studied through his history hobbies, work for 50 minutes and rest 10--that way you won't burn out. I helped him portage his load with a few trips. Each time we came back to the trail crossing we'd rest. The last time, he offerred me a beer. How could I resist? I wanted to hear more. So at 1:11pm we opened a beer and grabbed a bit of pavement in order to continue our conversations.



He told me about the other river journeys he'd been on (one from New York to Texas and a white water journey on the Salmon River). He shared his secret recipe for pickled sausage, one of the stock foods he travels with and explained the necessary gear he takes along. I learned 400 paddle strokes equals about one mile in his world. We talked religion and politics, travel and history. We talked about the economy and employment. We talked facts and opinions. Funny to think we shared alot of ideas and philosophies. Though there were similarities there were of course differences but what a treat to just visit with no time constraints or obligations to be someplace or do anything else than appreciate the opportunity at hand.

He talked about another fellow he'd met on the river in Brainerd who was also planning to canoe the entire length of the Mississippi. They had paddled a day together and camped together one night before continuing on their separate ways. Neal Moore, who was blogging and vlogging his way at http://www.flashriversafari.com/ was making a two day stop in Little Falls, but Dick had stories to share about Neal and his adventures too. Dick even wrote a book about one of his previous river adventures but is still looking to get it published. Unlike Neal, Dick is documenting his trip the old-fashioned way--with paper and pen.

It's amazing the amount of people Dick seemed to have met on his trips, considering most of his time is spent on the river by himself in his small canoe. But I am glad our paths crossed, literally, and that I took the opportunity to be open to this unexpected discovery along my bike trail. I wish Dick (and Neal) well on their long and hard journeys. Neal interviewed Dick and according to his blog, is going to post it sometime soon. When he does, I'll be sure to share. Til then--I hope you keep your eyes and ears open to the unexpected discoveries available to you on your life trails. May they be as pleasant and as entertaining as mine was today.

August 4: B: 11.95 M 1:05
August 5: B: 12.78 M 59 min

100th Post

Wow. How appropriate that this be my 100th post on this blog site. After almost a year after starting it, I find myself coming almost full circle. What once started off as a driving stimulus to get my butt out the door and outside for invigorating exercise and mental contemplation about the world around me, and my life without work, slowly blurred into a blog about my life of work. I looked around and what I saw was more opportunities for sharing lessons with my students and before I knew it I had delved into a year of sabbatical work just as hard if not harder than before I had been on sabbatical. And what a year it has been.

I attended 5 state and national teaching and learning conferences:
1) D2L (Desire2Learn) National 2008 Fusion Conference in Memphis, TN (OMG what a blast--it will go down in history as probably the most memorable conference I will have ever attended--and I know this to be true)
2) CTAM State Conference in Alexandria where my speech and theatre colleagues are able to get together to talk about communication and theatre arts, to collaborate and foster relationships between the high schools and the post-secondary colleges, and between the two-year colleges and the transfer colleges and universities. What a great time to talk shop and learn and grow our fabulous discipline. There's never a dull moment when you bring a bunch of communication and theatre majors together!
3) ITC (Instructional Technology Council) National eLearning Conference in Portland, Oregon. Great practical tips and tools. Blogged my way through the whole conference (see my blog "What I Learned on Sabbatical" also hosted at blogger.com)
4) I also attended my first "unconference" which was held on edemocracy and sponsored in part by the Blandin Foundation. It was here that I got reaquainted with classmate and friend Heidi Holtan who works for KAXE. Soon after this I was writing news articles for the Northern Community Internet Project--An online community journalism publication. I think I have since written 7 articles for them and developed a curriculum unit so that my mass communication students could have an opportunity to have their news article published through NCI. (8 student pieces were forwarded to the managing editor of the project). It was also here that I conducted my first two mass communication interviews with my flip camera: Heidi of KAXE and Pam Colby, Executive Director of the Minneapolis Television Network. This helped confirm the value of adding real local voices from the mass communication field to my class curriculum. I later would go on to interview: Jodi Schwen, Editor-in-chief of Lake Country Journal magazine; Mike Lundeby, CEO of CRC Marketing Solutions, Inc.; and Matt Perkins, reporter and "Twitter editor" at the Morrison County Record. I also incorporated my blog entries from local MN author, Will Weaver who gave several presentations at Central Lakes College one day this past winter. So I'm grateful for the wealth of opportunities that snowballed from attending that unconference.
5) Full circle again--the fifth conference was the D2L Fusion 2009 National Conference right here in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

As you can see, alot of time was spent developing learning artifacts and objectives for my new Mass Communication's class (a class that had just been switched over to the speech department). But also during this year I designed and developed 2 other new courses for the speech department. "Social Networking" and "Blogging and Vlogging" both were brought forward to and passed by AASC in the spring as part of the New Emerging Digital Technologies Certificate that the college is starting. So that was unexpected work not originally in my sabbatical plan.

Also not part of the plan was all my blogging. I started two new blogs, this one and the one mentioned above. I also had a blog on my Egypt trip that I had started in March of 2008 that I was able to elaborate. At the end of July, between the 3 blogs I had posted 461 blog entries (just within this past year). Of those, 196 entries were on my Egypt trip blog site. Why so many? Because I had created 196 videos from my 14 hours of live footage I came home with on mini dvds. Turning that 14 hours (along with material from my trips to Norway, Guatemala and Thailand) took up the majority of my winter.

I now have a GREAT respect for movie editors. It is amazing how much time you can spend converting, downloading, transferring, editing, researching, enhancing, re-converting, uploading and managing video!! There were numerous 16 hour or more days! (Literally staying up til 3 am and back working in the morning). I had to do this because I was working on my friend's apple computer. Without Deb's assistance and generosity to let me tie up so much time on her computer, I would never have gotten through those videos. I will now think twice about what type of video recorder I ever purchase in the future. The technical difficulties encountered hindered the fun I was expecting to have going through travel footage. But once I got going--there was no way I was going to stop until they were all done! So because of that determination and the support of family and friends, I finished editing the video into manageable units and then uploaded each as a separate blog entry for my use or the use of others.

You see all together I've created over 300 videos this year. That's kinda crazy! Besides the Egypt videos I created compilation summary videos Egypt and Guatemala. I created two fun music videos (one from Guatemala and one from Thailand) to go along with the Windows and Mirros theory I use in many of my classes. I also created a Window and Mirrors video on "A Wedding in Norway" which I actually used this summer for the first time in my Intercultural Communication class. On top of the travel videos, and the local Mass Communication videos, I made a few podcasts on chapter concepts and "living notes". Again, most of these are public videos, a few I put just on my blog for the comfort of those I was interviewing, but the rest are housed on youtube. Although the majority of my videos were not up until after January, I had over 6,000 hits by the end of July.

I spent alot of time cleaning up computer files and trying to make them more manageable. In one case I went from over 1500 files on the front page to 55. I condensed content files and expanded question libraries in my online courses. I made new quizzes and improved old ones. I sorted thousands and thousands of photos. I even created an electonic portfolio for myself that reflected the 2 inch 3-ring binder portfolio I was asked to created as part of being selected for the Outstanding Educator Award from the MnSCU board of Trustees. What a great honor that was--but again, alot of work!

I also devised a series of tiered assessments for both my Inercultural Communication class and my Mass Communication class. I created learning objectives on each assignment and assessed them with each weekly assignment schedule. Because it was new and needed to be done with each and every assignment, it was quite extensive, thereby requiring alot of time on the computer. I also added new assignment that needed new quizzes and assessment. For example, I visited the Hindu Temple of Maple Grove, one of the largest Hindu temples in the United States. It was amazing and when I heard the story about how they handled convicted vandals of their Temple, I knew it was a story that had to be used in my Intercultural Class on World Religions. Again, adding the local perspective I hoped would make the material more real, more interesting. But I needed something tangible--so we found a video and I created quiz questions for it. Again, just something else that kept me tied to my computer.

I mentored two new adjuncts for our speech department--doing much of it online. And I continued to serve on the online education subcommittee and the international education committee. I still had 30 some email a day to go through--and more once summer school started and I added in the discussion board posts that needed to be read.

So what I'm getting at, is that it has been a long year filled with lots of exciting discoveries, but also a year much more tied to the computer and to technology than I would ever have imagined going into this. So when I started this blog in order to get out of the house and discover my world, I didn't realize how soon that outdoor world would be replaced with a digital one. I almost feel like I've had a virtual life this past year--all technology, too much time wired in and "online". I was so busy, even my online social networking world was affected.

My facebook status (once updated a 3-4 times a week) went blank from not being current because I was too busy with other online obligations and classwork. When I did get in (one week before summer session ended, my status line read: "Summer school almost kicked my butt this year") That's really no exaggeration. Working 60, 70, sometimes even 80 hours a week, took it's toll on me. I was sick much of the summer...tired and stressed. Most of all, I had given up taking time for myself, to blog about anything other than work related items. And my body was paying for it. Besides gaining 15 pounds (would have been more but there were times when I didn't eat because I was working and suddenly it would be 4 pm and I'd realize I hadn't had breakfast or lunch) I became out of shape. Gone were the days of walking, gone were the days of running 4 miles a day, gone were the days of biking 50 miles in one day! Where was that person? or worse yet...who had I become?

Unfortunately, I couldn't allow myself the time to figure it out. I had to stay plugged in. I had to get my work done. I had to stay true to what I had committed myself to accomplish. And so it went for June and July. And then, summer school ended. I love teaching, but I could not deny that it felt like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders. I could breathe again. I entered my final grades Friday afternoon, wrote my sabbatical report Saturday--vowing to get it done before I left town, and with the help of a friend who helped my photo copy and paperclip my appendices together--we got it done and turned in Saturday night.

And so...I woke up this morning...the Monday after summer school and afer completing my sabbatical report...and I...well, I woke up again. I realized that I didn't have to work my life away in order to still be dedicated to my life's work. This I think is easier said than done however. But it all starts one step at a time. And so I woke up this morning and decided to get back in the saddle--to say, so what if I'm out of shape now and can't run 4 miles or bike 50. I can start where I'm at and at least start. I can get out and be in the sunshine (something I only did about 5 days this past summer).

So I got on my bike. I left my itouch at home and I rode 11 miles. Not shabby. Then after I got home and realized I still needed to go to the grocery store, so I took my shower and when I went to grab a t-shirt, a little fate came into play. There it was...staring me in the face--my "life is good" shirt, the one that said, "log on, crash, reboot". That's exactly what I needed after a year of being attached to my computer. I threw on the shirt and resisted temptation to take my Jeep the 1.25 miles, instead I grabbed my backpack and got back on the bike. Afterall, that's life. Sometimes you do just have to "get back on" even when you've fallen off. The bike ride felt great. The sunshine felt amazing. I felt awake again and as I rode I thought to myself, "I should blog about this when I get back." I guess I've really come full circle as once again I feel compelled to write about my reality--the one, that for now at least, is not all about work and technology. I need to write about the other aspects of my life and I need to take care of the other aspects of my life--both now and in the future, because like the shirt says..."Life is good!"

Oh yeah...it's been so long, I forgot...B: 14 miles

Interview with Mike Lundeby

The following interview with Michael Lundeby was conducted on July 9, 2009 at CRC Marketing Solutions of Eden Prairie, Minnesota. Mike is the CEO of the company and a native of Brainerd, Minnesota. In the video interview he addresses some of the following:

* what his company is about and the type of accounts they have worked on in the past as well as businesses with whom they currently work
* what changes his company has seen with emerging technologies and where the marketing business may be going in the next few years because of new technologies
* what advice he would offer to students looking at going into the industry

The interview is broken into 3 smaller parts.

Part A:

Part B:

Part C:

Papyrus Video Link

Here is the link to my video on the papyrus demonstration as we saw it in Egypt. The video is currently housed on youtube along with almost 200 other videos from my trip to Egypt in March of 2008.




Here are just a few sample of papyrus scenes.

Papyrus Article

From an ancient scribe’s shopping list to souvenir bookmarks and reprints of tomb scenes, papyrus has had a long run. The Ancient Egyptians were doodling on this stuff long before most of the world knew what writing was – much less had anything to write on.

Even though the ancient Egyptians had the means to document the A-to-Z of papyrus making for future generations, they neglected to write the process down. Clearly they weren’t planning on obsolescence – papyrus was used for writing and painting for 4,000 years, beginning around 3000 BC.

The Egyptians exported papyrus, but closely guarded the secrets of its manufacture. That monopoly turned out to be the undoing of the industry. Papyrus has a long shelf life in dry Egyptian weather, but doesn’t fare so well in humid European climes. As people began searching for cheaper, more durable alternatives, pulp-based paper and vellum made of animal hide gained in popularity. With no local producers to defend it, papyrus fell out of use in the eleventh century AD.

The world forgot about papyrus until 1956, when Dr. Hassan Ragab, then Egypt’s ambassador to China, visited the birthplace of Ziaolin, the man who, in the second century AD, invented paper as we know it today. Watching the villagers making paper, the Egyptian ambassador thought about how his ancestors created papyrus – from which paper, incidentally, takes its name.

After ending his diplomatic travels, Ragab, an engineer by training, embarked on a journey of research, only to discover that nobody knew for sure how papyrus was made. So he began to experiment.

The first problem: finding an actual papyrus plant. As pulp-based papermaking took hold, Cyperus papyrus stopped being cultivated and eventually died out in Egypt. Ragab had to reintroduce the plant using roots from Sudan and Ethiopia, eventually establishing several large plantations.

Next, he had to figure out how the papyrus sheets were made. Ragab studied existing papyrus scrolls to find out how strips meshed together horizontally and vertically. He took a couple of plants, cut them up and soaked them in his bathtub, trying to figure out how to put the strips together. After much trial and error, he developed a method to make papyrus sheets in 1966.

Fufa Cherine, Ragab’s cousin and a tour guide, suggested that tourists would want to see how papyrus is made. Thus was born the idea of the Pharaonic Village, which now has 11 museums and papyrus making centers – on a 34-acre island off the banks of the Nile in Giza, the site of Ragab’s first papyrus plantation.

Ragab, who is credited with more than 40 inventions, patented his technique for papyrus making, but he was less successful than the ancients in guarding the secret. After Ragab taught his workers how to make the product, many left to set up their own papyrus production liens – eventually leading to an explosion of papyrus making under different manufacturers. Today there are over 200 different makers in the country.

Ragab died in 2004, but his son Abdel-Salam Ragab continues papyrus-making legacy. “Today, the industry has been killed,” Abdel-Salam asserts. “Papyrus is being sold for one or two pounds – it’s not genuine.”

The triangular papyrus stalks are peeled and cut into long thin strips

Indeed, it’s hard to visit any tourist site without tripping over someone with a piece of ‘papyrus’ to sell. Its popularity among tourists and locals alike has spawned an entire industry of fake products, scrolls that look and feel like papyrus to the untrained eye but are actually made of banana leaves.

So how can you tell the difference? Abdel-Salam has a list of things to look for. “Firstly, it has to be made of papyrus, not banana leaves or peels, or any other vegetable or fruit product. Secondly, real papyrus is not chemically treated. You can tell chemically treated papyri by its homogenous surface. Real papyri are not homogenous. Normally, the stem is different from the top of the plant, and when you cut it, it is going to be a little dark here, a little light there. The chemically treated type disintegrates after some time because the chemicals go into the cellulose of the fiber, making it disintegrate. So you have a picture that looks beautiful, but after three to four years, it is destroyed. It breaks, as it is not as durable.

The papyrus strips soaked in water and laid out in horizontal and vertical layers, which give the paper its distinctive look and feel.

“Thirdly, you have to try to scroll and roll the papyrus, and if it has difficulty rolling, that’s the real papyrus. If it is malleable, it has been chemically treated. Fourthly, put it up to the sun and look at how the meshwork runs, whether it has shades of dark or shades of light. Lastly, see how thick it is – real papyrus is thick. Mercantile papyrus is very thin, you may like it because it is thin and you can fold it but it’s not genuine.”

The sheet is pounded flat on both sides, which helps remove the excess water.

Abdel-Salam’s passion for papyrus runs as deep as his father’s did. “Except for parchment, it was the only paper of the time. It shows the ingenuity of the Egyptians and depicts scenes from ancient Egypt,” he says, “It was not only used for paper, but to make ropes, boats, sandals, mattresses and all kinds of things.”

“The lower, softer part of the stem was also a common article of food, either raw or cooked.” Abdel-Salam’s father told a Saudi Aramco reporter in a 1973 interview, “I’ve tried it myself, and it’s not bad.”

The younger Ragab does not always appreciate modern marketing of the ancient paper. “They have taken it and done many different things to it, like drawing the Mona Lisa on it,” he says. “It has lost its historical significance.”

The paper is then placed under a flat, heavy weight to finish drying. Once dry, the sheet is burnished slightly to create a smooth surface ready for writing.

One way to tell if a design on papyrus is authentically Pharaonic is to look at the colors used in the drawings. “[Modern designs] use colors like gold and black, which tourists like, even though the ancient Egyptians rarely used gold – the colors they did use are green, blue and red. But [modern papyrus makers] do this to suit the tourist. If you want to suit the tourist, you do things one way. If you want to make the authentic thing, you do it another way.”

Regardless of whether you choose modern or Pharaonic images, you should display it with pride. Abdel-Salam suggests showing the scroll between two panels of glass. “It is the best way to show how the paper is from both sides. This way you can hold it up against the sun and see the transverse and vertical strips that make up this paper.”

So buy your papyrus wisely. The extra effort will go a long way.

THE REED OF THE PHARAOHS

Papyrus is made from the stems of the reed-like plant, Cyperus papyrus, which once grew abundantly in the Nile Delta and along the banks of the river Nile. The Pharaohs discovered paprus’ use as writing material around 2750 BC. Indeed, papyrus is a Greed word derived from the Ancient Egyptian term pa-per-aa, meaning ‘material of Pharaohs.’

Pharaonic Egypt was among the first civilizations to use a written language. Before the development of papyrus, hieroglyphics were used to record experiences. Written language enabled the Pharaohs to communicate over long distances and extend their power to the furthest borders of their kingdom. Some of the best-preserved ancient papyrus documents are economic and trade records.

Around the same time, the Chinese had developed their own written language using the bark of certain trees and, later, rice paper. Papyrus, however, was cheaper than other materials, and was easy to handle and transport. The new writing material could be produced in large quantities. Scrolls of papyrus served as books, newspapers, and letters. Papyrus became a major Egyptian export, with the Greeks, Romans, and Phoenicians using it as their main writing material.

Unfortunately the papyrus reeds no longer grow in the wild in Egypt. They can, however, be found in botanic gardens and at the papyrus institutes. Today the reed only grows naturally south of the Sahara, in the wetlands of central and southern Africa. Papyrus grows in particular abundance in the Okevango Delta in Botswana and along the shores of Lake Victoria.

Article is from the HORUS: The Inflight Magzine of EgyptAir Febrary/March 2008 issue, in coordination with EgyptAir Holding Company--Publicity and Information Department

Googledoc URL: http://docs.google.com/View?id=dcrhk8km_26g2xx3kcx

Jodi Schwen Interviews

The following two clips are from an interview I conducted with Jodi Schwen, Editor-in-Chief, of the magazine Lake Country Journal. The interview was conducted on Tuesday, June 9, 2009 at Evergreen Press of Brainerd, LLC, 201 West Laurel Street, P.O. Box 465, Brainerd, MN 56401.

The sound on the flip video is not as strong as I'd like so please make sure you turn your volume WAY UP. Thanks and enjoy!

Heidi Holtan Interviews

Heidi Holtan KAXE Radio Interview Part A:




Heidi Holtan KAXE Radio Interview Part B:

Guatemala: 3-Part Service Learning Presentation

In 2006 I participated in a service learning trip to Guatemala. I put together a 3 part video series that overviewed the experience. In order to keep them more manageable for uploading and viewing, I tried to keep each part under 10 minutes. However, in doing so I ended up not including information some may find valuable. In order to help answer more questions I am including the San Lucas Toliman Mission webaddress. It is as follows:

http://www.sanlucasmission.com/

Part One: Overview of San Lucas Toliman, the Mission's Mission, program areas, and brief introduction to a couple of the projects we participated in while there. The link to this video is:

The Second Part of the presentation series looks at some stories and surprises we encountered while at San Lucas Toliman. The link to this video follows:

The third and final part of the presentation looks at a few more of our adventures, including time spent traveling outside of San Lucas Toliman. The video follows:

Writing with Will Weaver -- "Writing for Young Adults"

The following notes come from Will Weaver's 3rd session at Central Lakes College. This session was titled "Writing for the Young Adult". It ran from 2:00-3:30 on April 24, 2009.

"When writing, think about using description as you would use a camera..." like a lens moving across the subject.

It might not have been about until late 60's that books were specifically written for young adults. The Outsiders, written by a young adult for a young adult.

Real life events can be a stepping off point for one's writing.

Smaller event, finding the sensation of that event and then elaborate on that.

There's a book for every child--the right book at the right time. Different genres for different populations--check out awards for young adults which list them by category.

There can sometimes be a challenge for kids: finding the books that reflect their life. "I don't like to read"--"why do we have to read that?" can be statements that reflect this discrepancy.

Will is working on a 3 book series "motor books". First book: "Saturday Night Dirt" . To get more kids interested in reading about something that does reflect real life, the book is being promoted with a real stock car and a real teenage driver. They've nicknamed the car the "Bookmobile". The real life teenage motorcar driver is curently racing real races in Minnesota. The teenager's Dad was the crew chief. They take the car around to different schools during the off season. It has been so popular with the schools that they have more invitations than they can currently accept.

They've also made some promotional video which is used at the schools and on the blog http://www.motornovels.com/ (a site created just for Team Weaver). Some of video took place right at NorthCentral Speedway here in Brainerd. Many of races take place in Bemidji as that is where Will lives. Will went to NWTech in Bemidji to attend some classes and immerse himself in motor cars again.

According to Will, the real life story of the real driver is "interesting narrative" too. Skylar was struggling with school and Will decided he should give him the chance to race the car on the condition that he stay in school and improve his grades. Will even monitors his grades a bit and steps in a bit if he feels Skylar needs a little reinforcement.

As far as whether or not a young adult book needs to have universal teenage issues, Will says "they could be there, doesn't have to be--it just needs to hold your attention".

Dialogue has an edge or an issue otherwise it's just conversation. Soap operas seem to have alot of arguing. Use the issues to spark the dialogue versus boring conversation.

According to Will, generally there's distance of the kids (point of view) and "the parents". Tends to be part of the genre.

Value added part of the story "...something that in the end that would allow me as a writer to compete with Grand Theft Auto 4"

In the end it all comes down to sentences. You can have the greatest idea and concept but if you don't have the sentence and the desription to write good stories it won't go anywhere.

Part of the author's job is "looking for a universal transparent language that doesn't have a shelf life...if it uses alot of current phrases then it gets stuck in time"

As for feedback will says, most writers will have a writers group or class. Some of them wing it. Will now uses his editor.

"Writing is truly a step by step process not a miracle". Alot of revision--each page gets revised about 15 times.

Writing with Will Weaver -- "Short Stories"

The following are notes from Will Weaver's second session, "Short Stories", which ran from 11-12:30 at Central Lakes College in Brainerd, Minnesota on April 24, 2009.

"We all have stories, interesting stuff, great thoughts...we have to get them out"

"I think there is a built in need for stories {that's a part of being human, it's} a way of organizing life or expressing ourselves"

Ideas can come from very simple places/concepts too.

Sometimes as writers we overlook those little moments, family moments that are rich with potential.

"Insufficient"

Great arch--the contrast

Stories can be fun and light.

Short stories often have tidy endings.

Will: "True art...something we can revisit again and again."

Short stories need a great opening line.

Story should go somewhere--up the ladder, conflict crisis resolution.

Limit characters

"Writing is more what you leave out than what you leave in"

When do write best? Find your own biorhythms

The right topic, finding the right topic for you is KEY. It has to interest you. Leave the reader thinking.

Writing with Will Weaver--"Our Own Stories"

The following are notes as I took them from the Will Weaver workshop "Our Own Stories" held at Central Lakes College in Brainerd, Minnesota. "Our Own Stories" was held from 9-11 am.

http://www.willweaverbooks.com/

Quotes by Mr Weaver:

"Write intensely with authentic local details..."

"Former Students" Poem by Mark Vince

"We are surrounded by our material and think twice about it"

"Revisit, reexpress our own stories"

Realistic Fiction have some basis of your own perception, your experience (like 80 fiction/20 life)

story should be personally valuable and important to us

Nature can be an inspiration. Metaphors very important

"Pre-writing Strategies: Every book is its own puzzle"
1) How much time am I going to cover (a summer, a lifetime)
2) Point of View--how much distance (first person--very intimate)
3) Audience
4) Focus


Approach Big Subject through a very small lens

Gertrude Stein once commented that there are only 10 stories that just get told and retold (like coming of age, love found, love lost). So how do develop your own voice for telling that story?
*Use strong desription, full-range of imagery and details to make it REAL
*Need Sensory Imagery. Most people remember visual imagery, but forget the other sense. So don't neglect olfactory, tactile, aural, and details you can almost taste.
*There also needs to be a balance of time for story and the details (too many details can affect the tempo)
*Use symbolism
*Conflict--puzzle
*Create a movie in your head
*Get feedback

But sometimes you have an original idea or concept.

Tips for how to catch editors attention can be found on his blog. But you need:
*Strong sentence structure and writing skills
*Write with "Zing"
*Have a strong story to tell

Short stories have a tight ending (clean clear ending)

Will commented that he benefited from the exercise of taking his work and another person's work and comparing it page by page.


"If you want to be a writer you also need to be a reader"


Poems and short stories can be sent directly to magazines (realizing it is a non paid submission--usually get a couple of copies of the journal) or there are some onlines sites.

Will's not a fan of self-publishing--he comments that this is a debateable topic in writing circles. He adds, "Some people want to be a writer more than they want to write...maybe these people are starting at the wrong end."

Be ready for rejection. And even after that feel as if the work wasn't wasted, wasn't for naught

His experience was that working with the independent movie makers was much more collaborative than big hollywood. When your works get taken on by someone else, expect changes and have a thick skin.

Croci & Hope

The croci are out so I figured I should be too. I turned off my computer, put on a pair of tennis shoes and went for a walk. Even more exciting is that after walking 2.6 miles, I ran the last mile home! Woohoo! I was a little concerned that after being computer-bound all winter and not running that it would take me months to get back to being able to run my 3.6 mile route. But the fact that I completed that mile without feeling like I was dying really gave me hope. But afterall, isn't that kind of what spring is all about? Hope that we'll have warm summer days. Hope that as we have more sunlight each day that our hearts will be lighter and the lazy days of summer will seem longer. And hope that life will seem as rejuvinated as the spring flowers that burst with bright colors from the post-winter ground, just like the bright purple crocus flower that's the first to greet me in the spring. Spring--gotta love it!

HAPPY EARTH DAY!!

W 2.6. R 1. B 3

Windows and Mirrors Video; A Wedding in Norway

Twitter History--one in a million

I am writing this blog entry at 1:52 am after staying up to be a part of Twitter History. For the last 3 hours I've been multi-tasking, toggling between twitter, facebook and Ashton Kutcher's live streaming video. As I understand it, Ashton made a comment that he had more followers on Twitter as a single person than the conglomerate CNN. Somehow, this then turned into a challenge which actually was quite close. Although the lead changed when it came down to the wire, Ashton had about a 1,000 person edge that narrowed as the hours turned into minutes--but he pulled it off. And I was there to witness it, as only our modern multi-medium high tech world would have me: IM'ing two people at the same time on facebook, listening/watching his live stream, updating my twitter feed, and googling the history of the CNN/Kutcher Challenge. When it's all said and done, he apparently not only won the race, but became the first person on Twitter to reach a following of 1 million people. And yes, I was one of them--guess that truly does make me one in a million!

Taxes, Trash and more Youtube videos

Well it has been awhile since I posted. I've been working on new videos. These videos cross a range of topics and courses. Some videos are podcasts I shot with my friend's help. While others are edited pieces from interviews I conducted with local mass communication specialists. The first person I interviewed was Pam Colby, the Executive Director of Minneapolis Television Network, a community access medium. The other person I interviewed was Heidi Holtan, who works with KAXE, a community radio organization out of Grand Rapids that also has a Brainerd broadcasting channel. I will post these videos in separate blog entries but worth noting is the fact that as of tonight, I have created and uploaded to youtube 264 videos--all since I've been on sabbatical.

As some of the videos were uploading, I ventured out for a walk in this beautiful weather we had today. Although I had completed my taxes a whole week early, I was still very aware of it being the tax deadline day. I apparently have been pretty oblivious to certain news as of late and only recently came to hear about all the "tea bag parties" that were scheduled for today. Although I believe in the first rights guaranteed by the first amendment, I still took issue with these types of protest parties. I'm not going to go on a rampage of my own--I didn't think that would be productive or particularly advantageous to anyone. So instead, I decided that I would do something that was productive and that did have some type of concrete benefit to my community.

First I walked to the local grocery store and purchased food for the local food shelf which I carried in my reusable grocery bag. I walked my non-perishables over to the donation site. After that I walked over to the nearby river walk and local park where I spent an hour collecting garbage from the grounds, the shrubs, and along the banks of the Red River. There are tall grasses that grow along the side of the river and trap quite a bit of garbage.

I am glad I took the opportunity to do this today. I am thankful for many things and today was a day to remember a few of those reasons why I am thankful. And that I felt was worth noting.

Emotion Collages

I created three emotion collages. Look at the pictures that form each number and decide what the overall emotion was that was being portrayed in that particular collage.

All 3 collages were created through Shape Collage--a really cool free program. Thanks Shape Collage!

Thai Food Pictures

Here's a link to some pictures of the various food I encountered in Thailand. Some pictures are from the local markets, some are from restaurants or meals prepared by our hosts. Some food is store bought and some pictures include local fruits and nuts--picked or on the tree. Enjoy!

http://picasaweb.google.com/kfrischMN/ThailandMarketsAndFood#

For the Girls

Hooray!!!!

I completed the second Windows and Mirrors music video. This one is set to Martina McBride's "This One's For the Girls" and features photos from our college trip to Thailand. Here it is:

Don't be afraid to Ask

I was a bit worried about creating a music video using a published song by a major artist. However, I figured I needed to practice what I preach. So I wrote an email to John Ondrasik of Five for Fighting requesting permission to use his song '"100 years" for my Guatemala windows and mirrors video. To my surprise and delight I received the email back within 12 hours. Here's a copy of my official permission to use his song for this project.


From: fiveforfriends@aol.com
Date: March 24, 2009 9:54:20 PM CDT
To: jakari1@mac.com
Subject: Re: 100 years

Sure Kari,

Be my guest...Thanks for asking

J.

-----Original Message-----

To: fiveforfriends@aol.com
Sent: Tue, 24 Mar 2009 6:01 pm
Subject: 100 years

Hello. My name is Kari Frisch and I am an instructor at a Community and Technical College in Minnesota. I believe in the power of music and images. The combination can speak volumes and are valuable assets in the classroom especially considering the type of learners that are entering college these days have grown up in this media-saturated age. I am specifically writing you to ask your permission to use your song "100 years" for a class assignment I've designed. It is solely for educational purposes and would not be used for profit in any way. I went to Guatemala on a service learning trip and thought the song could be used to demonstrate the similarities of growing up male whether from the US or from Guatemala. I'd like to use it in the background to accompany some of the photos I took there. Would you grant me the permission to use this song in this manner for my college class? Thank you for your time and consideration.

I look forward to your response.
Kari Frisch

Windows and Mirrors Video Guatemala Video

Yipee!!!  I finally finished another project on my to do list.  This one however has been on my to do list for 3 years!  When I was in Guatemala on a service learning trip, I had this idea to make a music video for my classes to a song by Five for Fighting, called "100 years".  I thought it would make a great windows and mirrors assignment.  Well, 3 years later it has all come together...so here it is:

A series of weak moments

I recently posted a rather embarrassing video of myself on my facebook page.  Call it a moment of weakness or better yet a series of weak moments.  Before I tell you anymore, I should fill you in on the backstory...

About six weeks ago I was invited to dinner with a friend at her sister's place.  While we were visiting it came up that the sister, the sister's son-in-law, and the sister's ten year old grandson all routinely use an item called the "neti pot".  I had not heard of a neti pot before and so made the mistake of inquiring more about it.  It was described as a pot used to hold a warm water and salt mixture that then gets poured into one nostril and come out the other!  

I thought they were joking.  Next thing I knew they were showing them off to us.  Yes, they actually traveled with them.  I still couldn't get over the concept.  I just thought it sounded so funny.  My friend kind of agreed and it became a running joke between the two of us.  If one of us cleared our throat or had to blow our nose, they other would chime "better get a neti pot!"  

Well, fortunately it was coming up to Christmas and I knew exactly what I wanted to get my friend--yes, you guessed it--a neti pot.  And in my first moment of weakness in this tale, I actually bought it and gave it to her.  Her reaction was priceless.  Her family was excited.  I still thought the whole thing was amusing.  Until later when we were back at her place and she decided we should try the neti pot, recording it as proof for her family.  Now that still wouldn't have been too terrible except the experience didn't go as smoothly as it sounded which resulted in a hilarious and truth-be-told quite disgusting video of her.  So she insisted I try it too. And with a deadly combination of curiosity and weakness (number 2) I agreed.  

My video of course was no better. Unless you're talking entertainment value.  It was so horrible it made us laugh until we cried.  Deb went off and within an hour she had both on youtube with the privacy function, or so I thought.  She sent them off to her sister who sent them to her son-in-law and every one got a big kick out of it.  Belly laughs were had by all I heard.  Again, I didn't think to much of it. Until...

The next morning we got up and went over to work on the computers (I'm staying with this friend a couple of weeks to work on video projects on her mac).  I started on my video editing and she checked her email.  Next thing I know, I look over and she's on the youtube site.  "I guess I didn't make those videos private" she reports, "there's 18 hits on the your video".  I quickly did some math, her sister, the son-in-law, the grandson--that's three, that would mean they would have had to each watch the video 6 times--oh crap.  I knew complete strangers had now seen me with a spout jammed up my nose with face contortions even a cartoonist couldn't imagine.  

Sure enough, on closer look it was revealed that people from all over the world had watched my video.  There were hits in New Zealand, Belgium, Italy, France, Germany and of course the United States.  I was at a critical turning point.  I could either be completely embarrassed about this fact or I could just accept it and go with it.  It's never been easy for me to laugh at myself and I tend to take life a bit too seriously sometimes.  Since it was the New Year I opted to take the adventurous route.  "Let the video be out there" I said and I tried to convince myself it was going to be all right.    

That morning when a friend IM'd me on facebook I thought I'd test the waters, so I shared the link to the video.  She said she had tears running down her face.  She shared it with her husband who is a colleague of mine at school and his response was "I know what I'm showing at your retirement party".  At that point in what I call my third and final moment of weakness in this saga, I plunged full-heartedly into the "laugh and the world laughs with you" route and posted my video on facebook.

I'm still not sure if that was the right decision or not.  It's not good to have embarrassing evidence out there as the article linked below will attest.  But done is done.  And from what I've heard, and from what my friends have reported on my facebook wall, a good laugh has been had by many.  I'm happy to report this time I'm laughing with being laughed at.

Tips for budding politicians on how to avoid embarrassment on Facebook. - By Abby Callard - Slate Ma