Media Connecting Life

Media Connecting Life

Friday 9.7.2010
Got back home from work as usual. Already being all sweaty from the humid and warm weather, the moment I entered the house it felt like entering a warm heated oven! I imidiately turned on the ventilator to cool down. Although that didn't help much.

Hungry as I was, I wondered whether it was another day of self-home-cooking or perhaps there might be some food prepared. I was lucky to see the cup of salad when I opened the refrigerator!! Some cold fruit & pasta salad just perfectly suits this weather.

Well after taking a refreshing shower I got behind my Vaio and logged on to, the modern social platform a 21st century man can't lived without: Facebook.

After logging in to facebook, the eyed will imidiately glance to the upper left corner to scan for some small red boxes with a, preferably (or not), high digit number in it. After all, social network sites are meant for "networking". And the term "networking" can be defined in many possible ways. Some take it more seriously than others. (Replying to endless reactions on a boardmessage like: "I can not sleep, I think I will skipp class tomorrow..." or "Went to school on 8.30 but the teacher is sick, so now I'm stuck here for 5 more hours untill the next class". being some examples ) Hey it's fun right? I'm not complaining.

Me myself am not that much of a "poster/reply'er" on facebook, but on friday I got a message from someone on facebook who is studying International Marketing at a University in London. She was doing her master thesis on social media, and in particular: The Greenpeace Kitkat Campaign, to stop Nestle from chopping rainforests to use palmoil for making several of their products. Anyway, being a supporter of Greenpeace myself I reacted on some of the messages on facebook, that I guess caught the attention of this student. So I was asked whether I was willing to participate in this scientific research (to call it in a fancy way) regarding social media. And being a former Communications student myself I was, ofcourse without doubt, gladly to help her out.

What I like about this is, social media like facebook can really connect and reach out to a lot of parties.
In this case, Greenpeace could both make this issue heard for a lot of people who didn't knew about this, and making a statement, but also offering public pressure to Nestle by showing all the supporters of this campaign.

Funny enough, or maybe logically, the way this student reached me is also through social media. So that is what I really like. Media really can connect people as opposed to 20 years ago, where this could not have be possible, or at least not so easily as it is on this scale.

Having stopped at the University as a Communication student, I'm really fired up now for next year at College. As I will be studying Media, Information & Communications. I just can't wait!!


Saturday 10.7.2010
If you're in a routine, it's hard to adapt to a change. One of the very few routines I had the past year was to get up early on saturday mornings to go to Chinese school. I was so used to this that on this particular saturday morning I didn't knew what day it was nor at what time I should be getting up. Being disoriented for a while (and perhaps also being in a dreamy-condition) I finally realized it was saturday and chinese school was over.
Got up and took a shower (again! yes this warm and humid weather forces you to spill extra water!) had a brunch, which is a nice word-mix-up of breakfast & lunch, and prepared to go out for an outing later on the evening.

The day was pretty warm (note: I don't use the word "hot", that one is reserved only for places like HongKong or Japan=P ). It was basically too unbearable to go out in long jeans or trousers of some short. For a long time I wasn't particulary a fan of shorts. And beside, I thought the only shorts I had were basketball shorts. Untill I accidentaly found not one, but even two! shorts in my closet. It was those 3/4 styled. Although if you extend it down abit it would be like 85% styled short. Hurray~~! Now I don't have to buy one!

Around noon I went out in my "black 85% shorts" with a white! shirt (I haven't wore white outside for a long long time, blue or black or grey it was, always) backed up with my Eastpak backpag! I felt like a tourist. And I think most people thought I was too.

Met up with the band for a BandOuting, since half of the band would be gone for Holidays, we wouldn't be jamming for a while. When we walked out on the Damsquare, my 'asian-senses' imidiately spotted some non-chinese-most-probably-korean-or-japanese- group of youngster stalling out some stuff. Curious as I was I kept looking, untill one of the girls shouted to me: "It's FREE!!!" I was like: "it's FREE??!!!" So when something it's free you are obligated to check it out =) So we went closer to take a look and it turns out they were korean students studying Visual Communications (woow another 'media related' encounter!) at a University in Korea. They came here to do some Creative Design Project of some sort. Anyway, we needed to pick out a sticker and stick it to a big white cardboard that marks a big 'M' on it. We were actually the first to past the stickers onto the board. And after that we get to choose a FREE =) button. I picked a blue one with recycle mark as you can see on the top photo. Amidst this short conversation we even managed to say some korean words like kamsamida and shouted "So nyuh shi dae" , that being one of the most popular groups right now in Korea.
The girls seemed quite suprised when we said that, don't know if they were fan, but I guess the one guy that was there most probably is. Along the way, even a photo was taken of us. I guess now our faces will end up on one of those wallboards in one of Korea University hallways. Or maybe in the local university newspaper. Who knows.

This is really another thing I like. Doing projects like this. Visual communications, media etc. And even coming all the way from Korea. I hope one day I can go to Korea or Japan or some other nice country for my study as well. (and ofcourse meeting some other peers from Korea who are studying something in common is fun too!!)


Saturday night on Sunday 11.07.2010
After some Iced Lattee and life discussions later, we decided to go home before the lightning and thunder struck us. (Or as they say it in Dutch: 'Before the hell breaks loose!") Back home again, it was warm again. I couldn't really sleep and I kind of decided to stay up the whole night. I'll just go to sleep in the morning when it has cooled down. Surfing on the net checking media sites, and japan blogs and so on, I remembered again what I wanted to do. One of my dreams was to have a own media production company. Making films/adverts/blogs/sites and so on. That's really one of the things I want to do. Combine that with some journalism, trips to asia (or other places), inspiring projects, film, music and fun...that would really be something I would want to do.

6am...
Somehow, life seems promising again. Standing right there in my kitchen watchin over the breaking dawn, at the day that most likely will be a historic one for the whole country. As the Dutch national football team face up Spain in the finale of the WorldCup 2010 in South Africa.

I hope they win.

Since this life is full of hope.
This is the life.