A Collection of Uplifting Media In the Works

When we were told we needed to write a blog post every week I knew that it would be a struggle for me as I am not a great writer, but I didn't think about how it would become a source of good, clean media from a host of different people. It has become an enjoyably habit to sit down each week and read through probably more blog posts than I should. I don't know how many outside our class are reached, but I do know that many times I have benefited from the insights of others in our class.

Truthfully I thought it was partially a ploy to get some type of large and current content sample as created from our particular demographic of BYU students. And sure it could still be used for some kind of content analysis study, but I find that the growing collection of posts is worth far more than a simple sample of content.

Artful Finishes

Having finished an enjoyable TV series this week I reflected on the many serialized media stories I have enjoyed. From book series, movie sagas, television shows, artwork collections, etc. there are so many ways that the next installment in a series can sour or enrich the enjoyment of the others and I don't think this is ever more true than the first or the final installments into any type of series. The way a story is first and last presented often define and label much of the middle.

What is it that makes a beginning so intriguing or an ending so satisfying? How complicated can a world get before it is too much for anyone to show interest? How much should be left open at the end of a series and how much should be sealed by revealing it?

So many variables that make a series successful. Personally I prefer more rather than less. Quite frankly just the fact that something is a series is likely to draw more interest from me than those pieces that are stand alone works of art. I enjoy the continuation of stories and being able to continually enjoy an established world without repeating the same actions. But these variables have to reach different levels for each individual and they are part of what defines our interest in a variety of media types and selections.

Levels of Media

Anyone who knows me well, knows that I consume a lot of media in many different forms every week. Because of this I always struggle to know what to say about media on this blog each week. It's such a broad topic that touches every part of my life. From my Sabbath day worship to my weekend pleasure there are movies, posters, quotes, books, webpages, forums, recordings, etc. all pouring in everyday to enrich life. Not to mention the countless power points used by my professors to try and help me visually remember what I am cognitively learning. I use media to distract, engage, intensify, explain, and more.

I can't really control much of what I am exposed to in class or on drives around town. But on my own time I try to filter my media consumption to the most valuable for me. To do this I try to find sources that I have come to trust at choosing media that is both wholesome and enjoyable. My wife, father, and brother are my three most trusted sources of suggestions for media I know I will enjoy. Where I seldom take suggestions from Facebook acquaintances and Netflix's "suggested for you" items and even when I do take suggestions from those areas I use a lot of caution and I'm prepared to leave at a moments notice.

I can't say it always works, but in the past few years of being much more selective in where I find entertainment, I have been much more pleased with the options I have taken and needed less to feel rested and ready for more work.

A Small Collection

As this is a media blog and as Pam asked to see some of what I've done I thought I'd post some of the various pieces of media I've created.

I've done a lot of simple pen work.

I've done pencil shade work.

I enjoy taking photos.

 I have done digital paintings.

And digital collages.

I enjoy doing combo hand drawn digitally painted pieces.

 This is just a small collection of the still pieces I've created. I have also done websites and little films. I really enjoy creating and consuming media in every form.