Homecoming Ep. 1-4

Word Count: 358

Homecoming 

In class we began listening to a podcast by the name of Homecoming – created by Gimlet Media and available to all via Soundcloud. As a home assignment, we were asked to listen to the following three episodes.. And might I say WOW. As an individual who usually does not listen to podcasts, I was not originally too thrilled to be forced to listen to anything, but this podcast certainly changed that for me. Now, I'm not saying that I am going to dive head first into every podcast that I come across, but I am certainly more open to the idea now that I have started this one. It is just that great, so far, that is.  

Homecoming was written in an exquisite manner; the dialogue was excellent and the sound effects were superb. Not only was the word choice picked out well, but the sounds selected were right on cue. Even the natural sounds that one might forget to include were there. Those aspects specifically are really important considering the fact the audience cannot see what exactly is going on. It makes the audience feel like they are there in that moment. Another thing that is really important are the voices themselves; not all voices ought to be recorded truthfully speaking. In addition to the actors themselves sounding good, they also act really well! They do a fantastic job of spacing out the words when needed, providing just the right amount of silence when needed, and things of the like.  

The plot itself is also really intriguing! It is full of detail, and the story line just pulls you in.  I asked myself so many questions both during and after listening to the podcast. Why doesn't Heidi remember working where she worked? Why doesn't she remember her ex – the when and hows of the breakup, or even how long they dated? Why is Colin such a douche-bag? What experiment is happening, exactly? What's going on with Walter and Heidi (whom I love as a couple very much, I might add)? Did they wipe Heidi's memory? I just hope that all of my questions are answered, and soon! 

A poem by one of my favorites! (As depressing as he may be...)

For this post, we have been asked to record a poem that we really like. I chose Annabel Lee by none other than the joyful Edgar Allen Poe! That can be found below:

https://soundcloud.com/kalyn-davis-4/annabel-lee-assignment

A funky secret

No class? Blue Mass!

Word Count: 469
The picture I selected for this assignment is Ryan McGinley's Jack (Blue Mass) 2009 - pictured below.

There was a mysterious body of water that the whole town knew about - the Blue Mass. It was located in a cave, not too far from town. The travel time was not too long, but my was the commute a confusing one. This was not the type of destination that was on any map or any GPS, that would be too easy. To get to the Blue Mass, you had to actually leave the small town and drive north. You spend some time driving north to get on to the nearest highway, but before you know it, you're on a narrow dirt road with too many twists and turns – all a part of the journey. You're on this road, and roads like it, for a little bit before you have to just park and walk the rest. Most people go during the day, since it will be dark in the cave anyway. But, they also go during the day because this is not the kind of trip you would want to take during the night; rumor has it, several people have gone missing trying to get to the Blue Mass. The entrance to the cave is not the most inviting; there are even man-made signs advising you to turn around and go home. To the truest of explorers, though, these signs are no threat. After about half a mile of navigating through the untamed, seemingly undisturbed environment, you finally reach said entrance.  

One day, during a typical Monday afternoon, a few kids from town decided to take this trip. Sammy, a skinny, 18 year old girl with extremely long blonde hair was the driver for that day's expedition. The second group member was Tony, her boyfriend of 2 years. He had dirty blonde hair and was only 17. Last, there was Vincent. Vincent was Sammy's younger cousin; he was only 11 and followed the couple wherever he could. He was short for his age, and did not really have any friends his own age.  

After doing all the driving and wondering, they finally arrived at the cave. After reading the signs, Vincent and Tony expressed worry and wanted to back out. Sammy would not let them; she pressured the two to follow her in. The further the three walked, the darker the inside of the cave got and the deeper the water too. When the water was too deep to continue without getting all the way in, Sammy told Vincent to strip naked and get in the water. He hesitated, but he knew Sammy would just keep asking and pushing had he refused. So he did it; he took off all his clothes and got in slowly as Sammy took out her camera.  

This picture was the only thing left of the three of them after that day.  

But Ice-cream is fun, Mom!

Word Count: 523

Hey again dear readers! 

This post is going to be an elongated version of a prompt given to us in our last class! I am going to write about my earliest memory that I can remember. Let me preface this all by saying that my memory is actually DEPLORABLE.. 

...Like at all times. To the point that you can tell me something, and I may forget five minutes later. I have to write everything down. I like to blame this on the fact that my mind runs a mile a minute, but I am also kind of starting to believe that I just have a small burnt out brain that can only remember so much – who knows. Getting back to the story, I would also like to mention that I am not sure if I actually remember this story myself, or if I'm just remembering a story that my mother or father has told me... but we'll run with it anyway. SO... my first remembered memory was of my father's father feeding me ice-cream as a wee baby. It is the only memory I have of this man because he passed soon after, unfortunately. I remember that the ice-cream was extremely cold (obviously) and green in color... now part of me thinks that it was mint chocolate chip but another part of me is now thinking pistachio.

 Again, who knows? What I do know, is that if someone tried to feed me mint chocolate chip ice-cream this day in age, we would be fighting! I don't like chocolate and I hate even the idea of mint ice-cream. Who even decided to make mint ice-cream a thing? Why does it exist? The inventor couldn't just brush his or her teeth? They have to put it in food too? Gross.  

Like I was saying, the ice-cream was extremely cold and that is about all I remember about the ice-cream itself.. I am pretty sure that is all he gave me. My mom was SPAZZING (as she does about pretty much everything). She didn't want me having the ice-cream in the first place (I guess because I was young and it was too cold?), but my father's dad did it anyway. From what I understand, he was a clown so this would definitely be the expected reaction to anyone telling him not to do anything. His son, my father, was the same way and gave him the go ahead (despite my mother's spazzing). I don't really remember much else besides the laughter of my grandfather and father, and the straight face my mother had. I want to say that we were inside some type of hospital or institution, as opposed to someone's house because I remember bright white lighting and a really clean, minimalist setting. Maybe the walls were cream as I'm imagining, or maybe I'm remembering wrong, or MAYBE this is all a dream? Ok, it definitely is not a dream, but whatever. Thanks for reading, as usual, y'all! 

P.S - I hope someone besides the professor is actually reading my funny words. Also, the illustration of this story through pictures can be found below!

Don't make fun of my stick figures!

Da Intro

Word Count: 509

Hey there readers! 

For my first post, I'm going to delve into me as a person and tell a little about myself.

me as a young lad, yeah I know.. I was cute right?

 I'm going to refer to myself as "K." I am a forth year senior here at the lovely (*rolls eyes*) Rutgers University of New Jersey. 

I have two majors - Social Work and Sociology! That puts me at the School of Social Work and the School of Arts and Sciences. How do I feel about school? eh, if I didn't feel like I had to be here, I probably wouldn't be. 

precisely how school makes me feel

Being here at Rutgers has taught me a lot though. I have grown as a person tremendously since I have been here.

follow me on Twitter (:

 I have learned to stop assuming the best out of people, and not to be so naive. I have learned that not everyone has the same heart and mind that I do. I have learned my weaknesses. I have learned the importance of networking. I have learned that I am the world's biggest procrastinator, 

and I have learned that the F bus is almost twice as fast as the EE – but both suck from around 4pm till about 10pm. There's more, but I'm sure that will come up in another post haha. Anyway.. back to me I guess. I was born in Cleveland, Ohio (WHOOP!) .. and no I do not know, nor like Lebron James.

I have a strong disdain for that human

 At the age of about three, we moved to Tampa, Florida. Then at some point, I moved to Atlanta, Georgia. THEN, I moved back to Ohio, to a suburb called Beachwood. After that, I moved to Cleveland Heights, followed by University Heights – all suburbs around Cleveland. Thennnn, I moved to Cresskill, New Jersey, followed by Dumont, New Jersey – both are minuscule towns in Bergen county. 

What people see in their heads when I start naming the places I have lived

After graduation, I moved to New Brunswick, New Jersey for school and I have been here ever since. Of all of the states that I've inhabited, Jersey is by far the worst (: The people largely suck.

My opinion hasn't changed since I wrote this in 2015

 I am sure you are wondering why I have moved so often.. Well mostly because of my mom's new marriages or new jobs. It's not hard for me to make friends seeing as though it’s a familiar process, but that does not make me enjoy it any more. More about me, let's see... I have never broken a bone which is a tad surprising considering both how clumsy I am and how weak my joints are. I was a cheerleader for years on end, and I actually miss it. I played Volleyball in middle school and in high school, and I miss that even more. I have a few medals for Track and Field; I was a sprinter. I'm obsessed with anything miniature. I love Netflix. I am extremely intrigued and interested in astrology.. Aquarius gang (WHOOP!). I am easily irritated by little things – like slow walkers, people who do not utilize their blinkers, and people who chew with their mouth open. 

Oh, and I am really bad at creating subjects for blogs (: 

Thanks for reading! Follow me on Twitter here: https://twitter.com/kcierraaaad_

~ K <3