With or Against the Grain

With the Grain
In “On Teenagers and Tattoos,” published in the Journal of American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Dr. Andrés Martin brilliantly explores the realm of reasons behind teenage tattooing. He opens our eyes to the possibility that tattoos among teenagers are more than a fad or form of rebellion, but more so a bold statement about whom they are as individuals. Dr Martin’s publication gives several solid reasons why teenagers get tattoos, making it hard to refute him. His first reason is tattoos give teenagers a sense of uniqueness; making them stand apart from their peers and helping them stand out as individuals in a society that can be authoritarian and unfavorable. Boldly stating this is my unique self and I am like no other. Martin’s second acknowledgement is that teenager often get tattoos to remember and solidify a specific person, time, event or place that has an importance in their life. I was a witness to this very act a few months ago, when my sister and her two best friends graduated high school. They each got a tattoo that link the other two, to remember their special bond, knowing that they are all off to separate colleges. His final reason behind teens getting tattoos is for a sense of belonging. “Tattoos can be a readily available source of grounding,”[120] acting as a steady ground in a world of constant change and turmoil. “Adolescents’ bodily decoration, at times radical and dramatic in their presentation, can be seen in terms of figuration rather than disfigurement,” is an excellent way to look at tattoos among teenagers and a great way to sum up this article.

Against the Grain
In “On Teenagers and Tattoos,” published in the Journal of American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Dr. Andrés Martin explores the realm of reasons behind teenage tattooing without thinking about the future of these teenagers. Martin gives us several reasons why teenagers get tattoos, basically saying that we as adults should okay them and almost encourage them. His first reason is tattoos give teenagers a sense of uniqueness; making them stand apart from their peers and helping them stand out as individuals in a society that can be unfavorable and authoritarian. So does, joining a sports team, getting involved in student government or finding something they are good at and doesn’t permanently mark their bodies making it hard to get decent jobs at adults. Martin’s second acknowledgement is that teenagers often get tattoos to remember and solidify a specific person, event, time, or place that has an importance in their life. Realistically this is true for all ages that get tattoos, and is probably one of the main reasons behind most of them. His final reason behind teens getting tattoos is for a sense of belonging. There are a thousand reasons why teenagers get tattoos, but should we really be telling their parents to embrace it, without making their children fully aware of the future consequences outside their adolescent lives?

Works Cited
Martin, Andrés. “On Teenagers and Tattoos.” Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. Rpt. in The Allyn & Bacon Guide to Writing. John D. Ramage, John C. Bean, and June Johnson. 4th ed. New York: Longman, 2006. 118-121.

Revised Secret Ad

Any female can tell you that Secret has a cornerstone on the deodorant market, with their strong ad campaigns and nationally recognized slogan, "Strong enough for a man, but made for a woman." Secret has an aggressive marketing strategy, appearing in all different media markets, from fashion to parenting magazines, television, strong web presence, and the list goes on. They empower women from all different walks of life. If you analyze the plethora of Secret ads out there, you will find, that they don't just promote a way to cover up and prevent body odor, they empower, encourage, and motivate women to bring out their inner strength and beauty. Never knew a deodorant could go all that did you? I never really paid attention to the strong ionic power these ads had on consumers.

The ad for Secret Platinum in Cosmopolitan magazine is the epitome of empowerment. The female in this advertisement represents all independent, career oriented, driven, in-control, sexy, beautiful women. They display a female who works in a male dominant career and somehow portray all these qualities. She is actually a racecar driver in the Indy 500®. The focus of the ad is the female, who is dressed in a beautiful gold couture gown, with long flowing brunette hair, with high heals on. Her left hand is on her hip, saying I am in charge here, with the other hand rested on her thigh where she has pulled up her dress to display her foot on her helmet. This is a full body shot, and she is starring straight into the camera. She has a confident smile on her face, more of a half smile, not too big to lessen her force of the message. The catch phrase displayed directly to the left her in a darker shade of blue than the background, says, "MY SECRET," with "Deep down, I'm a girly girl." underneath it. And, that is exactly what the ad portrays. The text to the right of her is simple, with a bit of information about her. It also drives you to the website, by enticing you to find out more of her secrets. They use several different fonts, in several different colors. They used all muted, earthy colors in this ad, except for the helmet. The background is very simple, just a wash of light blue color, making her the main focus. And, of course, the deodorant bottle is displayed in the bottom right hand corner. Whoever created this ad did a superb job, making a bold statement that all women can do what ever they dream! I personally had bought this particular version of Secret deodorant after seeing this ad.

The ad for Secret Clinical Strength in Parent Magazine screams I am a beautiful pregnant mom with it all under control. The female in this advertisement represents all pregnant women. She is shot from the belly up, with her hand rested on her stomach to emphasize her pregnancy. She is starring straight into the camera with her head tilted slightly to the left, showing she is importance of the shot. She is saying I am relaxed, modern, in-control, domestic, beautiful and can take on the world. She is dressed in a modern dress with a puffed sleeve jean jacket over it. The portion of the dress that covers her belly has a bold colorful pattern, emphasizing her pregnancy as well. She is well accessorized, showing she is hip and still takes time for herself. She looks like the everyday average mom, with freckles, minimal makeup, unpainted but well-groomed nails, short stylish haircut, giving her a real down- to- earth look. She has a simple half smile, making her seem calm and peaceful. She takes up almost the entire ad, leaving only a little bit of gray, brick and concrete wall in the background. The catch phrase on this ad is, “ONE hot MAMA,” (hot is double the size of the other two words) again emphasizing the pregnancy and her control. The additional text is simple and geared toward pregnant women. There is also a website promoted next to her head, that is different from their normal website. This ad has a girly and fun feel to it as well because, there are scrolly doodles surrounding the text. All the text is white making a bolder statement and they use several different fonts. And, of course, the deodorant bottle is displayed in the bottom right hand corner. The creators of this ad did an excellent job appealing to pregnant women. Having been pregnant, this ad appeals to me and clearly gets the message across.

Both of these advertisements make a clear definitive statement. They share many same characteristics, and are definitely empowering for women in general. The marketing company that creates these advertisements have a clear precise knowledge of the audience they are targeting. Secret, in my opinion, does an excellent job marketing their products.

Secret Ad

Any female can tell you that Secret has a cornerstone on the deodorant market, with their strong ad campaigns and nationally recognized slogan, "Strong enough for a man, but made for a woman." Secret has an aggressive marketing strategy, appearing in all different media markets, from fashion to parenting magazines, television, strong web presence, and the list goes on. They empower women from all different walks of life. If you analyze the plethora of Secret ads out there, you will find, that they don't just promote a way to cover up and prevent body odor, they empower, encourage, and motivate women to bring out their inner strength and beauty. Never knew a deodorant could go all that did you? I never really paid attention to the strong ionic power these ads had on consumers.

The ad for Secret Platinum in Cosmopolitan magazine is the epitome of empowerment. The female in this advertisement represents all independent, career oriented, driven, in-control, sexy, beautiful women. They display a female who works in a male dominant career and somehow portray all these qualities. She is actually a racecar driver in the Indy 500®. The focus of the ad is the female, who is dressed in a beautiful gold couture gown, with long flowing brunette hair, with high heals on. Her left hand is on her hip, saying I am in charge here, with the other hand rested on her thigh where she has pulled up her dress to display her foot on her helmet. This is a full body shot, and she is starring straight into the camera. She has a confident smile on her face, more of a half smile, not too big to lessen her force of the message. The catch phrase displayed directly to the left her in a darker shade of blue than the background, says, "MY SECRET," with "Deep down, I'm a girly girl." underneath it. And, that is exactly what the ad portrays. The text to the right of her is simple, with a bit of information about her. It also drives you to the website, by enticing you to find out more of her secrets. They use several different fonts, in several different colors. They used all muted, earthy colors in this ad, except for the helmet. The background is very simple, just a wash of light blue color, making her the main focus. And, of course, the deodorant bottle is displayed in the bottom right hand corner. Whoever created this ad did a superb job, making a bold statement that all women can do what ever they dream! I personally had bought this particular version of Secret deodorant after seeing this ad.

The ad for Secret Clinical Strength in Parent Magazine screams I am a beautiful pregnant mom with it all under control. The female in this advertisement represents all pregnant women. She is shot from the belly up, with her hand rested on her stomach to emphasize her pregnancy. She is starring straight into the camera with her head tilted slightly to the left, showing she is importance of the shot. She is saying I am relaxed, modern, in-control, domestic, beautiful and can take on the world. She is dressed in a modern dress with a puffed sleeve jean jacket over it. The portion of the dress that covers her belly has a bold colorful pattern, emphasizing her pregnancy as well. She is well accessorized, showing she is hip and still takes time for herself. She looks like the everyday average mom, with freckles, minimal makeup, unpainted but well-groomed nails, short stylish haircut, giving her a real down- to- earth look. She has a simple half smile, making her seem calm and peaceful. She takes up almost the entire ad, leaving only a little bit of gray, brick and concrete wall in the background. The catch phrase on this ad is, “ONE hot MAMA,” (hot is double the size of the other two words) again emphasizing the pregnancy and her control. The additional text is simple and geared toward pregnant women. There is also a website promoted next to her head, that is different from their normal website. This ad has a girly and fun feel to it as well because, there are scrolly doodles surrounding the text. All the text is white making a bolder statement and they use several different fonts. And, of course, the deodorant bottle is displayed in the bottom right hand corner. The creators of this ad did an excellent job appealing to pregnant women. Having been pregnant, this ad appeals to me and clearly gets the message across.

Both of these advertisements make a clear definitive statement. They share many same characteristics, and are definitely empowering for women in general. Secret, in my opinion, does an excellent job marketing their products.

What do my clothes say?

At first glance my clothes don't have much to say about me, but then I look closer. Like many females we have different sets of clothes. The ones we wear for comfort, to hang out with friends, dates with our boyfriends/husbands, and playing with our children. Being married I realize that guys have their owns sets too. Before, I thought males had it so easy; they just threw on some clothes and go. In order to describe what my clothes say about me, I started thinking about how I have felt on different shopping trips. Right now shopping for me is non-existent with a 3 year old. When she was younger, I would stroll in and out of stores with a sleeping baby tucked in her buggy. What I am trying to say is, in the past I picked items with thought and because I was attracted to them. Now, it’s whatever I know works to clothe my body. Today, my clothes say, I am a sleep-deprived mom, who gave it her best effort by putting on some mascara. Which is not what I intended but well, that's life. When, I work with my husband, my clothes say I am a cutsie, relaxed young lady. On family days, I dress for comfort, because, it's a safe guess that we are either going to the Museum of Natural Science or the Zoo. The overall consensus of my clothes would say that I am not fussy, lacking accessories besides the watch, relaxed, flexible, and down to earth. I had a thing for handbags, so that would be my only flare to my ensemble. I believe this is basically how the world sees me, simple and average. This varies only in the eyes of few people. My sisters, who are all younger than me, think I don't care enough about fashion, except my handbags. This is true, except in the case of my daughter, which is a whole other issue. My friends without children always look like they stepped out of a magazine to go grocery shopping, and expect me to look the same. My friends with children always tell me I look cute, but really this is code for, at least she didn’t show up in a tee shirt and jeans, again. But, for the average person, I must seem pretty average. Just like most other moms, I dress according to what I will be doing and where I am going. My wardrobe consist of 85% all cotton items that can be machine-washed, even the dresses. 10% are clothes I just can’t let go of, because a miracle will happen one day and I will fit in them again. The other 5% is the formal dresses that I buy for parties and formal events. This section in my closest is what my daughter likes to call, “mommies dress up clothes.” My wardrobe doesn’t say as much about me, as a conversation would. I am no longer worried if I look stylish or have the latest designer jeans. I invest my time and money in my family. And, of course, Disney gets its fair share, too!

Reality T.V.

Believing and Doubting, reality television is an important part of American culture.

Believe
Reality television has been around for over 60 years, having a huge impact on our culture. It has inspired people to try things outside their comfort zones and laugh at the mundane of everyday life. Candid Camera was one of the pioneer reality television shows. This reality show was a huge hit with Americans at a time in our society when all they wanted was some fun, uncomplicated television at the end of the day. Candid Camera was good-natured humor, because as Funt said, “[it] caught people in the act of being themselves.”(Allen Funt, creator/producer) To date we still have shows that aim for the same goal, in fact, Candid Camera is still going. Hundreds of reality shows have popped up since, changing as our society changes, therefore keeping a constant, captivated audience. What draws viewers in is these shows give people, who otherwise would not have the means or outlet, a chance to express themselves and their special talents. All viewers, from aspiring chefs, to singers, even beat boxers, feel like, they to can have the American dream of riches and fame. What does this say about us? What happened to good old-fashioned hard work and inner drive? I have to admit that I enjoy watching American Idol and On the Lot, both on the Fox network. What gets me involved is the connection you develop with the contestants as the weeks go on. You start to route for the ones you feel most worthy of the "prize." I also believe that some reality shows inspire people in both a good and bad way. A show that creates laughter is a positive thing, right? At what expense? Shows like Survivor and the ever popular, Jackass, are prime examples of negative realty t.v. These kinds of shows have inspired people to do things that are physically and emotionally tortuous for the "prize" at the end, or just a laugh. No matter, positive or negative, competitiveness and materialism drive our society and reality television displays this nightly for millions of Americans.

Doubt
Although, I believe reality television plays a part in American culture, it is not so much as television in general. Many avid t.v. watchers are starting to feel the producers of these shows are going too far, and have become generally appalled. However, that does not mean that television in general is not a major part of American culture. Varying polls show that an estimate of 85% of Americans have cable or satellite television. Millions of Americans tune in daily for all aspects of their lives; news, entertainment, travel, exercise, even buying houses. "Those of use who are parents understand that raising a child in today's modern media marketplace is a daunting task at times." (Adam D. Thierer, the Director of Telecommunications studies at the Cato Institute) This said, I would like to bring up an even bigger influence in our lives, video games. The gaming industry has skyrocketed and is now a multi-billion dollar industry. Millions of people of all ages spend countless hours playing video games every day. So many parents opt for the cool video game, or DVD, to teach basic things to their children, such as the alphabet and counting. Long gone are the days of going to the library or making flash cards. Honestly, in my opinion the most important part of American culture, is the technology and communication. These two major players go hand in hand and have made us a society based on faster, better, and convenience. After all, how would we function without, cell phones, laptops, and most important, the Internet!

Introduction

I'm Jessica. I am a 27 year old, first year, college student. I actually registered and started classes at UH 8 years ago. I withdrew from my classes after getting very sick and not knowing why. Turns out I have severe Cronic Renal Disease (Kidney Disease). I've survived alot of life since then and accomplished great things. I have a 3 year old daughter and have been married 6 years. Both my husband and my daughter are my greatest accomplishments, for several reasons. My husband, because, he has always been my strenght and encouragement. My daughter, because, the odds were against me and she came out perfect and I survived. Several months after leaving school I found out why I was so sick and started treatment. Kidney Disease is something I will always have and we have learned to live with.

I have written about many things, from life experience to wine pairing with meals. I have always been able to sit and write out my thoughts and feelings about anything. I have written several articles in a magazine my husband and I use to publish. I am my worst critic, feeling constantly like my work is lacking. I have always been eager to research topics. I like to be well versed on a subject before writing about it. After, my daughter was born, I started a new business that is now popping up all over. It was an indoor playground for children 0-6yrs. old. We did tons of birthdays on the weekends and I was always writing fun little puppet shows and sing alongs for the kids. (Does that count?) I have always been one to write long letter and start discussions about anything that interests me. I also have experience in creative writing for marketing products, concepts, things of that nature. I would not say that I am a good writer, just willing to try, and improve.

Besides, the me with the bad kidneys, I have many interests and loves in life. The main one is travel! We have been to several countries, on amazing adventures into different cultures. I love to document our experiences through photographs. I have thousands of pictures! I am a big lover of music, of all genres. I acquired this passion from my husband, who had a band for several years. But, my true and lifelong love is reading. It takes me to a calm and relaxed place, where my mind can imagine and dive in. Right now I am really into the Allyn & Bacon, Guide to Writing. A bit of humor!

Here's my cynical side. If I have not answered any of the questions completely, just let me know. I can go on for hours. My friends always joke and say, "Don't get her started!"

Jessica