Here I am again. Been a while. You can so tell by my last 2 posts I'm a girl....can anybody smell hormones? oops! It's true though, sentimental crap does make me mushy and annoying loud girls piss me off! Which I'm sure is true for everyone! ( I think I am being a bit of a boy today)
Just to let you know, I got my second mark back of the term and got 62 which I was pleasantly surprised with again, so things are on the up you will be glad to hear.
I thought I would mention, that for my interactive media report, I am planning to look into communities and their uses to organisations if they were to run one on their website. I was looking particularly at women's websites. I found them to be so open and sharing, and a genuinely caring community to come into. Also, as all of these women are brought together by the topic of their threads, they have common interests that they really want to talk about.
Some of which were weddings, where women talked about: proposals, rings, dresses, locations, grooms, photographers. Even if you hadn't participated, you'd know they best jewelers, the best photographers. Even if you were a fella getting ready to make a proposal, its a great place to get ideas.
I then looked on the pages that are regarding pregnancy, babies, conception, motherhood. Some of these women had made thousands of posts in their time. They all knew each others babies, families, birth stories, and presumably have never even met. I though for somebody on the outside that had no experience of any of these things, but wanted to find out, it was an amazing source of information. The women were so open about sharing their experiences, offering advice, helping each other with problems.
So then I thought a company who's target market consisted of women like these, would benefit greatly facilitating a community such as this. And I came up with "Mothercare". The majority of people going to that website would be expecting a child, hoping to expect a child or know somebody that is expecting.
And it would benefit the company as if they developed a community, their customers would be coming back to participate in the forum and would then browse the shop whilst waiting for responses. They would get an insight into the needs and wants of their customers, perhaps ideas for new products. They could be adding value to their services, perhaps by having doctors, or experts participating in the forum? I should really be writing this in my assignment rather than on here.
Going to head home soon I think, library ain't that buzzing. But I will be sure to write this week about my latest online purchases, of which there have been a few you will be glad to hear.
Ooh and I must tell you about the new additions to my house as well....very exciting!
(don't worry, not babies if you're concerned about my previous topic! hehe)

Happy Monday,
So I just had my first official uni day of 2007, which consisted of an Interactive media lecture and seminar. The Lecture in the morning had been relocated from last terms Poole house slot, into the Lee's lecture theatre. I had not had a lecture in this room since back in my first year! 4 years ago!!! Back in the autumn of 2003, BAIM, BAM, BAAMC and BAPR, would all trek there on a Thursday evening and listen to Stewart rambling on about Levis, and Campaigns and other advertising treats, when all we were contemplating was what to do before heading to The opera House! It was really strange. It sounds so cliché, but the room actually seemed so much smaller than I had remembered. It felt like the room had doubled in size since the first time I had stepped in there for my introductory lecture where we met the SU president and all of our lecturers for the year!
And then this afternoon in the seminar, after discussing ideas and criteria for the assignment. We got to talking about day dreaming, andfantasizingg and nostalgia. How everybody does it, but few admit what thier fantasies consist of. And if more people were to open up, would realise that most people lust after the same ideas! It did not take long for eBay to arise in conversation and 2 girls both confessing to having browsed for 'CareBears' in the past. Then there was debate about how people associate such items from years gone by, that take them back to that time. Items can take people back to a certain memory. And what could have been a happier time.
I have to say, Im not a very CareBear girl, but I do admit to having browsed around the Polly Pocket section of eBay, where I was happy to discover a number a goods, some of which I recognised from my childhood collection! And when I saw them (including the pictured clock) it really did make me smile. It brought back memories of playing with these figures and fantasising about ficticious scenarios in which thecharacterss were involved! Oh to live in the top of amantelpiecee clock, with a ladder up the side, and aswingingg butterfly chair!
I have always been a very sentimental type. Never to throw anything away. And to keep boxes of little memories of trips, or events, or gifts, or just a birthday card. I never thought of these keepsafes as items that would allow me to fantacise about a time where I was happier. But to never let me forget these memories that do make me happy. Perhaps I am preparing myself for a time where I can use these items forstimulationn to make myself happy.
Thinking about it, when I have reached for my box of memories in the past, it has been at a time where I need to make myself feel better, or remind myself that people care. So it is helping me get away from my current state of mind, and transform it to a happier place. And I love that I can do that. If my house were to burn down; that memory box, and my boxes of photographs, would be the most devastatingg items to lose. As there is absolutely nothing that would be able to reincarnate them and I would feel like my memories had been taken away. Its strange but its true, but the most insignificant items to one person could be the most valuable possessionss to another.

p.s. so you go into the library on a Sunday afternoon, and find a secluded little computer, in a quiet little spot. And the most irritatingly noisy person finds you and sits a mere 2 meters away.
I heard this noise echoing around the bookshelves, that sounded like an amplified supermarket trolly, with one of it's wheels loose, being dragged around a metallic floor! Turns out its a stupid chunky neclace with beads and a giant heart and a key and probably a diamonte crusifix and the contents of the cutlery drawer hanging from it. That every move the wearer makes, that charming sound is projected again!!
I might be touchy, and grouchy! But is there any need!? who are these people accessorising for!?!
And then you think as they pack up their laptop, put back their books, the silence will return.
....oh no no no
Just took a break to go and get chrisps and sweets and canned carbonated drinks. All the kinds of things not allowed in the library, and apparently take about 20 very noisy and ruslty minutes to eat. (with their mouth open, so everyone around gets to experience the eating process also)
What next you might say!? well I hate to break it to you , but the annoying phone conevrsation has already taken place. BUT! "Stace" wasnt there, so will be getting a call back later!...Can't wait!

Oh I'm so tired. Work is so boring. Well it's not, but my head hurts from too much computer and journals etc. I got my first mark back on Friday (it's Sunday today), very pleased with it. I previously mentioned how I disliked the briefing for both of the assignments we were given last term. When I thought about getting back my work, I came out in a cold sweat becuase of the fear that I didnt meet the criteria. Every piece of work I do, I do it to the best of my ability, but when I dont know what is expected, thats where the fear kicks in. (fortunatly, I did meet the criteria!)
Thats quite how I'm feeling about my dissertation at the moment. I think about it every waking hour. But its just so unique and elabourate in comparison to my other assignments, I could be going off on a tangent! alas! I will stop talking about it else I will just get myself in a fizz!
My eyes are also sleepy due to my charming other half who paid me a visit at 3am this morning after a late night poker game concluded! Although, I'm probably just bitter because I was knocked out at 12:30 and after a brief stint as dealer decided my bed was the more appealing option. There's £5 I'll never see again!
Perhaps I will go and brush up on my poker skills now by playing online! All in the name of research of course!

Oh dear, I am just touching base after having visted the cemp forum only to see that 27 users have viewed my Happy New Year post...but nobody has responed, woe is me! I have been scared off initiating any conversations in the fear of rejection again! ....oh well!
Whilst I was there, I re-read the (updated) assignment brief. I'm still deciding on which company to use as I don't think I can get away with using Tosh this time. he he. But another company from a completely different industry, and image, and target market would be fun. I'm also really looking foreward to this assignment (despite the fact that its falling bang in the middle of my planned dissertation panick season). I really didnt enjoy the two assignements we we're set in the Winter term for our core modules. The case study was so out of date and long winded, and the model had no background. The briefing for the IMS assignement seems prefectly outlined, it is clear exactly what is expected in our answer. But at the same time gives us the opportunity to explore websites and companys to find something that will really stimulate us.
In the other assignments, I found our briefs to be so scatty and poorly put together, and any follow up questions to the assignment, even in the presence of our entire course, were rejected. Whereas here they are encouraged.
I will presumably have more to say on the subject once my organisation has been decided upon. But now I'm going to go and have dinner with my wonderfully gorgeous fella!
Tally Ho!

Happy New Year!
Well now that that festive period has sadly come to an end, I'm sure all students are rolling up their sleeves , slyly strollign over to their workstations, opening that laptop....and heading straight to myspace!
It's terrible how much of an addiciton it has become this year. I say that when I am struggling with focusing on work this year it is becuase of having had a job last year and I cant find the motivation I used to for academia. But looking back. I didnt resent the internet quite so much as I do this year because I easily waste at least an hour a day doing nothing on the internet, not expanding my knowledge of my chosen subects , but just wasting time! In my first and second year, I did not have the internet at home! In my first year, after a lengthy battle with the university to get a connection, we had to share this one connection between 5 students, while somebody else held the connection together, and after my final assignment was in, my lap top had a meltdown, so I was without my own pc for months. And it didnt bother me. I only needed a quick 15 minute email check at uni every few days to keep me satisfied.
In my second year living with only 1 other girl, to keep bills at a minumum we didnt get an internet connection. We lived only a 5 minute walk from the lansdowne open access centre which suited me fine.
I did use the internet a little more for emails and research and msn, and of course, the placement search!
On my placement, the internet was a big part of my day as I was in charge of the competitor research so I was constantly checking the competitions websites and emailing clients. However, I only checked my personal email accounts, or any news websites, or shopping websites in my allocated lunch hour, before the working day started or when it was complete!
The final year is the only time the internet has been a major issue and I think it is because of its availablility, i use it in my non work time for entertainment and amusement, and then I start to procrastinate in my work time by using it the same way! It's a vicious circle!
I think it is time to remove my wireless card and keep it under lock and key!
Toodles!