This week was our last week in class it a bitter sweet moment. I learned a lot in this class things that I never knew or never saw in a specific point of view. It was a good experience being in that class all my classmates were really fun and although i didn't know them all it was good getting to have discussions with them. Im a sure that we all learn something from this class, i know i did. working with my group while it was a challenging project because of our schedules we all manage to make it work and came up with a pretty awesome project, that at the end we couldn't present, but overall it was fun actually making the project, i could relate to some of my group members, in that we commute far to go to school, we work and go to school. I learned a lot from them and of them, that was a really fun project to  do with a group and i usually don't like working in groups but this worked very well. We all took the final and wish everyone good luck on it. It was nice having you all for a class. I wish you all happy holidays and have fun with your family and friends.

In class last week we had a discussion about about and technology. We talked about Facebook and how it has impacted our society. Facebook has gone global the majority of people use it. It has become a part of our lives, now people talk more through Facebook than they do in person. Family can talk to other family members that live far away through Facebook they can message each other, chat, see pictures of other family members and even video chat. When people use it to contact their love ones Facebook is a good source of technology, but when it is being used constantly and it has become a way of life and taken over someones life, for example making someone less social, or only want to be in Facebook all day and do nothing else is a bad source of technology. In the class discussion we had also talked about that Facebook helping people who are not very social help them open up with people and become social towards Facebook, we talked about how Facebook is all around the world a lot of countries have access to Facebook even in the poorest country, but there are some countries where Facebook is not allowed therefore it is blocked. whatever be the case Facebook is everywhere and if it is a good thing or a bad thing depends on the person, because we all have different opinions about it.

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone. I have always wondered what is the purposed of Thanksgiving, it is a time to give thanks for what you have and the people that are around you. This Thanksgiving I gave thanks for my parents and my family still being around with me, although it was a bitter sweet moment because not all my family could be home with me. This year will be a bitter sweet remaining of the year Thanksgiving and Christmas and New Years will not be the same. The reason is because my brother is deployed he wont spend the end of the year with us and he wont spend the beginning of the year with us either. It is very sad he can't be home with us, but I know he is out there fighting for this country, which i will thank him for the rest of my life. Not only him, but every man and woman that is deployed for the holidays, they are defending this country for us and that is why we should be thankful to them for that. There are many different ways to celebrate the holidays and to some people it might seem wrong, but don't judge what are other people's traditions or ways of celebrating. My family is weird in away we love to cook together, then go to my aunts and uncles house and cook some more then we sit together and eat and catch up on things. Which is pretty typical, but what some people may judge or not like is that in the night we all go shopping for christmas gifts its not cause of the sales, well that helps but that is also a way we communicate with each other and spend time with each other is what we do.

Many years ago I struggled to find out who I was. It may sound weird, but I think every person goes through that stage in their life when they don’t know who they are or how they fit in, in this world and that was me. When you are young no one ever knows why it’s a big struggle with his or her identity. Now that I have taken this Pop Culture class I have realized that I did not know who I was because the media influenced more than I thought it did. Now I realized that I didn’t know who I was because I wanted to be like every celebrity out there. I wanted to be skinny, wanted to have nice hair, have a clear face, and have nice clothes and shoes. I wanted to be like Jessica Alba, Jennifer Lopez anyone, but myself. I was so unhappy with myself because that is how the media made me, it made the celebrities untouchable people that everyone would want to be like them and should be like them. Every teenager struggles with their identity because of the media, what they see on TV the magazines etc. We all want the next big thing, the next thing the celebrities are getting whether it is hair extensions, pills to get skinny, surgery etc. To this day I still want to be like some famous celebrity look how they look, dress like they dress, but I’ve learned to accept myself and like myself for who I am. Although it is a challenge not to fall into the media’s gossip its better to be yourself than trying to be some famous celebrity that in reality we could never be, because we are not them and they are not us.

My group and I chose to read the book Flight Club this book is about a guy who just can’t find himself in the real world. He has spent many sleepless nights, according to the narrator he has insomnia, he says he doesn’t know if he’s awake or asleep. The narrator wants something to make him go to sleep, but the doctor doesn’t want to give him anything for the insomnia the doctor actually suggests to go to support groups. There although he is not severely ill he feels like he belongs there because everyone listens to him and his problems after that he is able to sleep. In these groups he meets Marla and he can’t cry and can’t sleep. So he joins the fight club. Long story short the narrator and Tyler Durden is the same guy, Project Mayhem, the dead of Bob, blowing up buildings was the side of the narrator that was scared to come out, but without knowing he came out and his name was Tyler Durden. In my group we wanted to touch base with some past concepts of the class for example we talk about Post Modernism how it ties to the support groups that the narrator went to. Those support groups where irrational and unscientific because the narrator wasn’t sick he just liked the attention and felt good hearing the diseases that other people had and he liked when people herd his problems, he also liked the fact that he could cry freely without the fear of being judged. We talked about consumerism and media, how for example Tyler was alter ego of the narrator, which is why he did the things, he did. We talked about simulacra which he said that with insomnia nothing is real its just a copy of a copy. Also, we talked about Risk Management related to his job, how he would forget when he scanned things in the printer cause he was so tired, at first he was scared to lose his job he would do everything his boss told him to do. Lastly we talked about Feminism, which was my slide. How Marla is related to feminism in the way that she did what she wanted to do, she didn’t need anyone she will feed herself by stealing food from her dead neighbors she would steal clothes and sell them, that is how she got she got money. I talked about how she is related to feminism because she will always get what she wants; she used sex to get the things she wanted. Marla talked about having Tylers babies and abort them, while she thought she over dosed on pills she implied that she couldn’t fall asleep and that she needed to stay up and by that she was talking about sex. With this slide I ask the classmates to give examples of feminism related to Marla or examples over all about feminism. I also edited some of my groups’ slides; I contributed on deciding that the class should be divided into two and start a debate. I also wanted to add a slide about what Tyler’s acid kiss meant and why he did it. I was going to ask my classmates why they though Tyler did that. I though it was because it was a way of control of the other people kind of like their master. I took the slide away just because of time issue, but it was discusses with my group members.

Going back to the article of the plastics. I was thinking and wondering what is the reason that they have to go off and get plastic surgery? Could it be that they have low self esteem, or was it simply that they were not happy with their bodies. What got my concern was that maybe with these girls new bodies they were exposing themselves into a lot of dangers. First they are exposing themselves to the danger of the surgery, what if something bad would happen while they are in surgery what if the surgery went wrong and they would be disfigured or maybe wont even come out of the surgery alive. What will happen then, all just because they wanted to look prettier and maybe even feel confident. Other dangers that comes to mind is them being raped, maybe their new bodies gave them a little too much confident that makes them dress very provocative giving guys the wrong impression. Although it is rare this situation might happen, whatever the reason to get plastic surgery can not be taken lightly it is a serious matter that needs serious though and if unhappy with your body plastic surgery has to be the last option women have. They need to think about the dangers that they are exposing themselves too all to simply feel pretty. Wise people say that the most important beauty is skin deep not on the outside because we all get old and wrinkly making all that surgery pointless.

Last week in class we were discussing the article "material girl." This article talked about how people are now being known as plastics. Women and even men are known as this because a good amount of celebrities have had some kind of surgery to either fix their lips, nose, fat, breasts or butt. Not only are celebrities exposing themselves to this danger, but teens see this and because they want to be just like their favorite TV show artist they will do anything that the artists is doing even changing their body, to something that is known as plastic simply because your changing to something that is not real, not you it is fake. My question is why aren't people happy with their body? We all know that we are not perfect that we have blemishes here and there, why is it so hard to accept who you are and not change who you are. We as a society need to start teaching our kids that beauty is not trying to be what other people, but to be who you are, beauty is inside the body not outside. Although trying to look pretty is not a bad thing, but not going to the extend to change your own body with plastic surgery. First, because it is dangerous and second because no one gets really any joy out of it if things go wrong. If you are trying to make yourself pretty for your own satisfaction change your look, not your face. Go to the gym get fit, get a new hairstyle, new clothe but not a new butt or new boobs. Be happy with who you are accept yourself and everyone else will accept you.

Belen Lomeli

October 24, 2013

English 313

Love and Die

            This story is a typical romantic comedy with an unexpected twist.  This story involves a couple and the girl that the guy is cheating on his girlfriend with. Sounds pretty typical, but the difference is what happen after the girlfriend finds out her boyfriend is cheating on her. You would think the girlfriend would just leave him, but she doesn’t she does more she finds the other girl and what she does to her is very surprising, there was a murder a horrible murder.

            The names of the main characters are; Chris is the boyfriend, Ruth is the girlfriend and Britney the girl that Chris is cheating on Ruth with. Also; involved in this movie are Britney’s best friends Nataly and Rosie. There were other people involved, for example the guy Britney went out with, Ruth’s friend who coincidently are Britney’s friends too and many other people that while not main characters they are important people that help Britney through all this.  In the movie I would like Channing tatum to play Chris he has similar characteristics are Chris, and Channing Tatum would be able to really get in the character as Chris. Ashley Rickards would be playing Ruth, just because Ruth is punkish/ rock and roll and Ashley has played rolls in which she is punk and emotional which makes her the perfect candidate to play Ruth.  Sophia Bush will be playing Britney; Britney has a strong personality she’s very independent, she knows what she wants and goes for it, at times she’s very lonely or so she feels. Sophia Bush has been in One Tree Hill and she played a girl that was very independent, she has experience playing this roll, she’s very talented and sure she can play the roll of Britney. Bethany Joy Benz would play the Roll of Nataly the reason why she would be the perfect person to play Nataly, besides Bethany looking like Nataly, Bethany in One Tree Hill played one of the best friends of the main character, which is what Nataly is to me. Bethany played an outsider, lonely, quiet lonely that with time bloomed to be an outgoing person that will do anything for her friends, totally and completely the same as how Nataly is. The other best friend of Britney the one that has known her since they were small is Rosie, she is a strong opinioned girl that keeps all her feelings and emotions bottle in, tells no one what is going on, but she’s the first person who will help you if you ever need it.  Like every other person she struggles to find who she is and what she is capable of doing, she struggles in love because she trusts no one. Hilarie Burton in One Tree Hill plays a very vulnerable girl who struggles with her identity, ideal to play the part of Rosie. Also, in One Tree Hill Sophia Bush and Hilarie Burton play best friends just like Britney and Rosie. You might ask why I want all the actors to be from the same show and the answer to that is, everyone in One Tree Hill were friends or were people that interfered with their friendships or relationships which is what happened to Chris, Ruth, Britney etc. etc. Chris is the only one not from the show because he was knew to their little circle, Ruth’s character is from One Tree Hill, but she later on came into the show just like Chris.

            All the other Characters in specific one guy that Britney talked to would be played by Paul Walker the reason honestly is just because he is very handsome and has some resemblance to Ray the name of the guy Britney was dating. The other people where Britney’s sister who would be played by Alexis Bledel, the sister in law who would be played by Emma Stone every other person that was apart of Britney’s life was played by an extra not very important who played them since they were in and out of he life; they did not last long enough in her life for actors to have an actual roll for those people.

            Now with that brief description of who are the characters and the actors that will play them, is time to talk about what the movie will be about. The movie will be about Chris and Britney, they met at work when Britney started working at Fedex  the first day they both look into each others eyes and it was love at first sight or just a really strong connection. They went months dating and talking, when Britney found out that Chris was talking to another girl name Ruth she was devastated, Britney felt horrible she thought she should of listen to her best friends when they told her that Chris was only but trouble. Britney confronted Chris and he finally told her the truth that Ruth was his girlfriend when she heard that she tried ending thing with Chris. The situation was very hard because they all worked in the same place Britney couldn’t stand seen them together especially since their was still feelings involved between Chris and Britney. Britney needed to forget about him she went to her friends for advice, they told her to forget about Chris and move on let him be with Ruth they said and you just find someone else just move on. “ Panoptic- meaning doing the norm because of the idea that people are watching” (Barker pg. ) Making Britney want to end thing that is why she went with her friends, but didn’t listen to their advice she continued to go out with Chris knowing he had a girlfriend; why did she allow it you ask? Well it was because she had strong feelings for the guy, but one day came when Britney found out he went on vacation with Ruth and that was the breaking point for Britney she ended whatever they had going on. Even though it killed her she told him not to talk to her ever again; times goes by and Chris keeps trying to talk to Britney. Britney at that time is talking to Ray someone that would help her forget about Chris. Chris makes all types of promises to her and she falls for it. Once again her friends tell her that all he is doing is playing with her, but it turns out that he actually broke up with his girlfriend to be with her. Britney and her friends where ecstatic so many years and Britney and Chris were finally together, they all though things were very good and that nothing could go wrong. They did not expect what was going to happen next, a couple of months pass by and Ruth finds out what Chris and Britney were doing so she seeks revenge. One night Rosie, Nataly, Chris, Britney and Chris friends go to a cabin to forget about work and just have fun, what they didn’t expect was to see Ruth there. A fight burst out when Ruth sees Britney, problems happening from the first day to the last day. Everyone is gone from the cabin; Britney stays alone when she starts hearing noises she thinks that her boyfriend and her friends are playing a joke on her. Ruth caught Britney and little by little she tortured Britney, she cut off her fingers one finger at a time, then her toes, stabbed her 10 times and to end Britney’s life she cut of her head and Ruth enjoyed every minute of it.  When everyone comes home they are frighten to see what is left of Britney in the living room, with Ruth standing next to her holding a knife. Such a beautiful love story ends in tragedy and who is to blame the crazy ex or Britney and Chris for going out knowing Chris had a girlfriend.

            You ask why you should pay for this movie to be made, simply because it’s a movie with a simple message do what is right no matter what the feelings are. The author Baker talks about language that it’s the formal system. This movie has clear language people would not have a problem interpreting the language or the message of that language. You should make this movie because the characters show a real connection amongst each other; it shows that love at first sight does really exist. Like in Doctor No written by Cyndi Baron, Chris was a womanizer just like James Bond, but the difference is that in this film you get to see a man go from being a womanizer to being faithful to one girl. Yea I know what you must be thinking why does Britney die at the end why isn’t it a happily ever after, and the answer is that this movies is trying to show that life not always has a happy ending thing might be hard at times then be good, but if things are done wrong something bad can happen.  As I read a book called Walden on Wheels the guy was in a horrible debt didn’t know what to do he called that debt blue cloud, it consumed him, he didn’t know if what he was doing to get rid of the debt was the right thing. That is exactly how Britney felt like she had a blue cloud, their so call relationship was consuming her and killing her little by little. Although Chris and Britney’s relationship was based on their similar personalities they did things completely wrong. “Personality consists of a relatively enduring set of characteristics that define our individuality and affect our interactions with the environment and people.” (Bjorklund pg.146)  There simple personality should of made them realize they were messing up. This movie will show people that we are all humans and make mistakes, that love exists, that things could haunt you if you do them wrong. The movie is romantic comedic and a horror film making it the best combination for a perfect movie. “Students were asked to report on their romantic comedy movie viewing and beliefs about romance. Results showed that individuals who watched these films in order to learn reported stronger endorsement of romantic ideal beliefs than those who did not watch to learn” (Hefner, Wislon). This study is a strong proof that college student like romantic movies, that is what’s going to make this movie a big hit, also there’s not a dull moment in this movie keeping the viewer wanting to watch it and not leave during the movielike it has happen before.

Work Cited

Barker.  Cultural Studies: Theory and Practice

Baron, Cynthia. Doctor No: Bonding Britishness to Racial Sovereignty. The James Bond Phenomenon.

Bjorklund, Barbara. Psychology the Journey of Adulthood. Pearson Learning Solutions. CSUN costume Edition 2014.

Hefner, Veronica, and Barbara J. Wilson. "From Love At First Sight To Soul Mate: The Influence Of Romantic Ideals In Popular Films On Young People's Beliefs About Relationships." Communication Monographs 80.2 (2013): 150-175. Academic Search Elite. Web. 28 Oct. 2013.

Ilgunas, Ken. Walden on Wheels. Boston New York. 2013

Last week in class we were talking about James Bond. While we were discussion the different types of James Bonds that there has been. I kinda started daydreaming what it would be like to be the female version of James Bond. Through out all the movies that James Bond has made in all of them there is a new character playing James Bond, he has little adventures with girls every chance he gets he uses the girls for whatever he wants to. In none of the movies is there a girl that does what he does, but  I was thinking about a James Bond girl. Someone that is really beautiful, can do everything that the guy James Bonds can do, be strong, flexible, smart have so many abilities and has good intuitions. I wonder how people would react to the concept of James Bond Being a girl and not a guy. It is time to switch it up yeah theres movies were girls are the heroes, but nothing that compares to what James Bond can do. Now that movie I would definitely watch, a women in power what can be better than that. The truth is that I was picturing myself as the female version James Bond, what girl wouldn't want to be the super hero of a movie, but still being beautiful and smart. I would think that any girl would want to do that at least I know I would and no I don't think it is degrading women because it is simply just showing to the world that women are just as good in doing things as men are. They would be degrading if they let themselves.

Last week in class we saw the movie 10. It is a movie about a guy who falls in love with a girl that he sees really fast and for the first time. He looks for her until he finds her and they end up having sex, he thought it was going to be something amazing; that she was going to be something a mazing, but things are not the way he thinks they were going to be. The guy is around 40 years old and the girl that he falls madly in love with or that he is obsessed with is much more younger than that. When they are about to have sex he realizes that they are completely different, she wants to smoke pot and doesn't care that she is cheating on her husband. The guy on the other hand is really not into that, but he does it cause he wants to be with her. Towards the end he decides to leave h didn't want to be with her anymore so he tries to go back to his old girlfriend. The thing that I got from the movie is that age depending on the situation might actually matter. No matter how attractive someone is age plays a big role in their lives especially if their partner is much more older or younger. There are some people that age is not a big difference, but then other people do care about the age differences.

In class we have been talking about sex. For example which sex is much more dominant male or female? It is clear that males are still more dominant than females; not just all males, but white males they are still the ones with power. In a corporation, big business if you want to call them they are the ones who are the main bosses and make all the decisions. Although, males have the power females now a days do not let themselves be pushed around, they have a voice and are not afraid to speak their minds like in different times. In some situations you still see males that use their power for evil, or for their own convince. Now more and more females are raising that latter which puts them in the same situation as the males. For example a friend of mine just got fired because they told her that she was dressing inappropriate to work on a day that she was her day off, her boss didn't even let her explain the reason why she was wearing a dress that to me did not seem inappropriate, it was just a dress like any other dress, but her boss claimed to be inappropriate. To me there has to be a much more stronger reason why he fired her, wearing a dress on her day off is insufficient evidence and should not matter to him anyways for firing her. Was it because she was a girl that looked provocative according to him or what could have been the reason? Is it cause the power went to his head and thinks he could fire people left and right?

My super heroes name is Haley the invincible she has no race because she is a little of everything, she is a girl which is obvious by the name. She was born in the middle of nowhere in the poorest area of Africa on October 2, 1991. She was left alone in the middle of nowhere, but was found by a very poor family that took her in, she had 8 brothers and sisters although they were poor they were a very happy family. She made friends with everyone she met, when she got older she wanted to leave home to go to school to study to become a doctor and help the people in need. Her parents couldn't afford school so she began working in whatever she could find. Years after she was able to get the money foe school, while she was studying she also wanted to travel. She wanted to travel the world, become a doctor, get married and start a family. Her super powers are able to hear people think  or talk, having strong feelings when someone is in danger, knowing when someone is sad and need of help. Her powers are endless she's able to do anything and everything that is necessary to help the whole world. She was born with these powers, but did not know it little by little she knew what powers she had and what she was capable of doing. Her only limitation was chocolate it made her week, but no one knew that, she had no costume she seemed like an ordinary girl which help because people never knew what she was capable of doing. She tried to protect innocent little kids, anyone who was really in danger her villains where politicians, Narcs, people from the black market, Drug dealers and murders. She was the only girl trying to fight all these people for a better society better people. People loved her and depended on her they accepted her, she was peace something everyone their needed. There were people who did not accept her because she was a girl and a young girl at that they didn't think that a girl should have so much power. Without Haley the invincible people would be lost and defenseless, they wouldn't have the ability to stand up for themselves without her. They would not be able to defend themselves and everything would collapse people would do what they want to who ever they wanted with no shame, people would starve, die and destroy without her. Haley the invisible is a mixture of every culture, religion, class and race with that she believes that one should not form judgement based on those things, but based on their character. Everyone should be treated equal with no favoritism.

What is Love?
In the movie Jerry Maguire there was different ways of showing that you love someone. Jerry had a different relationship with his wife because he married her without loving her. I believe that he married her because she was his partner and they work well together. They married, but then they separated because she realized he didn't love her was only with her cause either of gratitude or cause they work well together in their jobs(attachment). Then he realized that love is a person who will help you built your business, who will be your companion, but will also take care of the kids and house. Its based on communication. Also, it is based on identity the people knowing who they are and what they want to do or be in the world. Jerry and his wife worked together she was his assistant she took care of him, she would be there if he needed her help at work. He met her kid and got attached to him. Their love was based on attachment, caring, communication, working well with others and helping each other at their jobs. That is what love is according to the Jerry Maguire movie.

In class on Monday we had to get an article piece and describe it to the class. I got a page on a hair dye. The people that are in charge of promoting the products did a very good job in promoting Olia Hair dye. It talked most about beauty that if you want your hair to be healthy and vibrant you should buy Olia hair dye also they were promoting by saying it was ammonia free. Not only that, but the model that they paid to do the add looked like she had beautiful healthy hair. In a away they were saying that if you want to look like her and have hair like hers you will have to buy this hair dye. As I was looking at the article I was thinking to myself, "What has society come to." "To what extend are people willing to go to sell their products."  One thing that I know is that girls struggle a lot with their self esteem and all this article is doing is making girls feel insecure about how they look, that is why so many girls want to be like the models in the articles to look just like them without anything being wrong with their hair, skin, clothes or simply how they look like. This is all corrupt and is brainwashing many people to buying their products.

Like I mentioned before I work at Fedex and for the last couple of days I have noticed so many things that do not seem right to me Its just another act of the people with power getting their ways. A couple of days ago I've noticed that the main manager the one with all the power (if you can call it that) talked to a Dock Manager saying that a girl could not come to pick up her check on her day off wearing a dress. I did not understand why he was flipping out just cause she was wearing a dress, but according to them as soon as you step until premises you have to be dressed properly. They told the girl she couldn't dress like that and the girl listen just because she was scared to lose her job. The sad thing is that the main manager did not tell her himself a dock manager had to tell her, it seemed to me he could say or do whatever he wanted because he is the main manager and people are afraid to get fired. Talk about using your power for evil. Am I wrong about this or am I right? The girl should be allowed to wear anything she wants to when she's off the clock. What do you think? Am I over thinking this?

My name is Belen Lomeli I am 21 years old and currently attending CSUN trying to get my BA in psychology then studying medicine which has been my dream since I was really young. This semester I decided to take an English class a popular English class to be exact I honestly didn't know what this class was about, but I was automatically hooked since the first day off class. Im a full time on site  manager for an agency named Tri state that is associated with Fedex in Los Angeles and I am a full time student as well. Everyday I commute to school and back it is tiring, but i am used to it. In my popular Cultural class I've learned that the way we see things is based on social media. We are who we are because of what we see on TV we try to be like the famous celebrities, wear and buy the best new thing. I have to admit I was and maybe still am like that, theres days where I still let the social media influence me, but for the most part I dress and do whatever I want to.