Social Media Final Assignment (Assignment 5)

Overview

As I scroll through the 2644 posts in my time slot (Nov. 18^th, 8 a.m.-9 a.m.), I am really surprised by the similarity of the posts. Many mention something about the two OSU coaches. Very few mention the other two people lost in the crash even though one of the pilots was a former state senator. However, I understand why. The coaches had a much greater impact on our current society than the senator and his wife. The sheer amount of mentions is overwhelming. I expected to see several mentions from the main media outlets but I still am fascinated by other forms on online media. Forums, blogs, websites, personal pages and more all give their thoughts and perspectives on this tragedy. While I did not see any person I knew, I followed the majority of the OSU sites and even found some more to follow through this search.

All the various OSU sites commented on the event several times. These mentions were also the more shared but I would expect this. The public would expect OSU to have the most updated and accurate information. I love how connected OSU is with their students. Every group seemed to mention the crash. Another common post was the OSU crash ten years ago. It is very hard to believe that OSU has suffered so much loss related to planes. I wouldn’t have the guts to fly after so many accidents but I guess it’s important to overcome your fears.

Specific Content

1.    This is the first mention I had in the time slot that I selected. I was very surprised by this post! I know from personal experience that people who fly small planes are very close to one another. This forum takes the pilot perspective. While many of them were upset by what happened, the majority of posts discuss what might have gone wrong and what pilots can do in occurrences like this one.  I never really thought about the pilot community so this was very interesting to read.

a.    “I just saw this on Yahoo and didn't see this anywhere on A.Net - Very sad. RIP for all souls involved. http://news.yahoo.com/okla-st-womens...die-ark-plane-crash-142844897.html”

2.    This next post caught my eye because it was first post to mention the names of the coaches. I think it’s important to remember who they were, not just what they did.

a.    “Kurt Budke, Miranda Serna remembered fondly by women’s basketball community … – New York Daily News

b.    http://www.thenewstrend.com/2011/11/kurt-budke-miranda-serna-remembered-fondly-by-womens-basketball-community-new-york-daily-news.html”

3.    This was the first post I saw not related to the OSU plane crash. It’s a video discussing the Black Ops video game. I’m not surprised that this was mentioned. My boyfriend is addicted to this game and he’s always searching for videos on YouTube.

a.   

4.    Another post that I was intrigued with was this tweet by WinklerEYE. He is in the sports business but instead of retweeting what everyone else was saying, he posted a personal experience. This really makes me reflect on the personal effects of the plane crash. Most people mention OSU entirely. There are very few posts that even mention the women’s basketball team. Reading how someone was personally affected tugs at my heart.

a.    “When I was in Monroe & he was at #LaTech, Kurt Budke was one of the 1st coaches I ever covered in this business. Wow. #OkState #Budke”

5.    I really appreciate posts from OU fans like MikeIke171. Even though we have a strong rivalry with them, there are still several posts from their fans. Most people in Oklahoma really do try to pull together in a crisis.

a.    “Prayers from #SoonerNation going out to #Okstate. Another tragic plane crash, RIP”

6.    It took from post 671 to 1121 for someone to post something generic that actually mentions the other two people in the crash. Several news stations state that there were six killed (inaccurate information) but they always include the two coaches. I like this post because I feel like its pure sincere concern. Thanks to AZSteve72.

a.    “Omg there was a plane crash in Arkansas this morning that took the lives of 4 people. May god give strength to their families”

7.    The last post on my list was the posted by WZZM, which is an ABC news station. They were very generic, as most news stations were in their posts about the crash. I appreciate them sharing the news but it’s nothing special.

a.    Oklahoma State coaches die in plane crash http://dlvr.it/wf6b3

Google

The first thing that came up when I googled was an article by the NY Times. It was a very good article with a lot of information. They even mentioned the previous crash and who the deceased were survived by.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/19/sports/ncaabasketball/oklahoma-state-coaches-die-in-plane-crash.html

Flickr

The first picture that came up on this site was posted by OSU Communications. There were several pictures of the memorial that came up along with these.

YouTube

            I did not even have to type in the full phrase when I was searching on YouTube. The video that came up was the one posted by the Associated Press and it’s been viewed 4,579 times since November 18. I appreciate news on YouTube but I prefer to view the videos posted by students over news stations.

 

This was the first video posted by a person and it happened to be an OU fan.

 

Review

            Tragic events happen all over the world every day but when something happens close to home, a tragedy is much more than a tragedy. This plane crash effected more than the sports teams at OSU. The OSU coaches touched students, alumni, friends and of course family. To see over 20,000 posts about their death is humbling. I loved watching the girls’ basketball team and I enjoyed seeing the two coaches interact with one another. However, I never thought about the impact they had on the nation. I believe our society is full of selfishness. It’s hard for people to focus on anything but what is going on in their own lives. When events like this one happen, it forces people to think about someone else. That is what truly amazed me in reading all of these posts. So many people, even if they just re-tweeted a post, were genuinely concerned about OSU and the families of the deceased. If this dreadful event didn’t teach me anything else, I realized I’m proud to be an OSU Cowboy because we care about one another. We pull together through sadness and happiness.  

A New Leaf!

We are looking back at some snow pictures from last year! I love the snow.

I am VERY excited to get to work with my non-profit. I finally met the director yesterday and I must say, I think I fell in love with the organization. A New Leaf specializes in helping children and adults with developmental disabilities. They focus primarily on job placement but they also have six onsite greenhouses where they sell everything from vegetables to tropical plants. All of the greenhouse employees have some type of developmental disability but you would never know it! The plants they grow are absolutely exquisite. The students I met know everything there is to know about their plants and can answer any question. Now with that said, if you guys are looking for some GORGEOUS poinsettias to give out this winter, I have your solution! A New Leaf offers 32 varieties of color and can customize combination planters.

                  Pot Size                  Poinsettia Size              Price

1.    6 inch                    6-8 blooms                  $9.99

2.    8 inch                    8+ blooms                   $22.99 (Excellent centerpiece)

3.    10 inch                  10+ blooms                 $29.99

Please let me know if you are interested and I will get you an order sheet. Also, do not worry about going to pick them up because A New Leaf delivers! I can’t wait to get to know the organization better J



I LOVE the Fall :)

This is a pea flower. I really like the shape and the little ants.

This is a blooming Christmas Cactus. My grandmother received this plant from her grandmother and now its mine :)

I'm still not doing any better with updating my blog but I did find a very exciting smart phone app through my social media class. SCVNGR is like an adult scavenger hunt. It allows you to check in, take pictures and say something about a business. While this may sound pointless, I really think it could be a vital advertising tool. Encouraging people to check-in at your business and write positive comments in exchange for coupons or free items seems to be a great, almost free advertising tool! All my fellow bloggers need to check it out!

I also have an update on last week’s blog. My boyfriend and I found a house! It sits on ten acres out in Inola. The house itself is hideous but livable. There are beavers, deer and some type of wild dog on the property. There is a two acre open field in front of the house with the rest of acreage in the back. I am starting to get a little anxious about moving but it’s too late to turn back now. We will soon be living “in the wild.”

Surprising Events

I’m reflecting back on Alaska this week. I wish this trip had lasted forever. My sisters, mom and grandma took a cruise together. It was the best trip of my life J

I love all the fall colors that are appearing! I can’t wait to do some hiking in the next few weeks. I was looking forward to going camping this week but life was just too hectic. However, my boyfriend and I did get some very exciting news. We were approved for a new house loan! We love the house we own now but are very excited to start looking for a house in the country J He and I already have a garden that takes up our entire yard and seven chickens. It will be much easier to maintain a healthy lifestyle with a large garden. I also love horses! I can’t wait to ride around our property for hours.

With that said, I would love to know if my readers would rather live in the city or in the country. Some of the people I’ve told think I’m crazy. I only live ten minutes from work, school and most of my family. Why would I want to sacrifice that for a 30-40 minutes drive? I can’t stand the city noise anymore. I’ve been waiting my whole life to be able to look outside and see the stars at night. That time has come and I couldn’t be more excited! Finally, HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Blogging Fail

Who can tell me if this is a Hawk or Spinx moth? I can't tell the difference!

Well, this week I am feeling like a failed blogger. I cannot seem to post more than once a week and it’s usually right before class! I loved the idea of creating a blog. I thought it would be really interesting to post different ideas and bounce them off of fellow bloggers. However, no one is going to read a blog that is NEVER updated. I will have to set an agenda and make myself write on several days during the week. Does anyone have suggestions on a better way to maintain a blog? Also, being sick last week has made me feel extremely behind on class work but I’m pretty sure that is only in my head.

On a completely different topic, I’m sad it’s going to freeze tonight! I think my fall garden is remarkable. Each of my pepper plants has several peppers on them. Outside of a few tomato plants being invaded by Hawk or Spinx moths, I have multiple tomatoes every day. I have eaten a fresh salad with bok choy, spinach, a variety of lettuce and Swiss chard every day for the past four weeks. My carrots are still crisp and the onions are almost sweet. I will do my best to put a freeze cloth out but the reality is winter is here. I need to start moving all of the potted plants indoors and figure out a planting strategy for the spring. I wish my garden could count as class credit…it takes up more time than my homework but I actually enjoy it J

3 Cheers for Midterms....Or NOT!

This week’s picture is from my trip to London this summer.

Sorry for the delayed post everyone. These past two weeks are a complete blur. I have never had so many intense midterms!

 Anyway, I am really excited about my writing class assignment. Making a Facebook page for my photography business is AWESOME. I will finally learn how to make my page productive and bring in more business. Feel free to check it out :)

https://www.facebook.com/pages/J-Renee-Photography/259692730719845

Most of my classmates know that I am into photography. I love being outdoors and interacting with people. I take pictures of anything and everything. My problem with photography is I don’t know where to go from here. Photography is an exceptionally competitive field. I know almost ½ of my classmates dabbles in the photography realm. However, I don’t think this a bad thing. Knowing the artistic side of a business is just as important as knowing how to write a press release in my opinion. Each time I go to class, I realize how important it is to have a broad skill range. I think the more you know, the more valuable to you are to a business. What do you all think out there in the cyber world?

Well, I will update more often with midterms week out the way. I really want a NEW place to go take pictures of this weekend. I’m due for a little fun. Any suggestions?

Homework in the Red Buds

Interesting photography spot for the week:

Red Bud Valley in Catoosa, Okla.

••••••••••

Today’s frustration is a lack of motivation. I honestly enjoy going to my classes this semester. Persuasive writing class challenges all aspects of my writing. I’m not a creative writer and I don’t have a great grasp of grammar but I enjoy learning how to better myself. My graphic design class forces me to look at every aspect of a design. I struggle with the software but it won’t be like that forever. The online Social media class is my biggest challenge because I can’t remind myself to check it. I don’t understand what we are doing but that’s the point. Figure out what social media is to me!

 However, I do not want to do any homework in or outside of the classroom! It’s hard for me to make the time to sit down and complete an assignment. It’s pathetic. Doing homework is excellent practice but I just don’t like it. I hope blogging is even better practice because I’m excited about it! I think it provides unique challenges. Create something people are interested in and maintain that interest. Talk about something I care about and get feedback from several people…blogging is right up my alley.

I wish all homework could be in the form of a blog or a photography assignment!