Visual Journal Final Project

"TIS THE SEASON TO BE WITH THE ONE YOU LOVE."

Every year around Christmas time, I like to be a festive mom and attend as many events over the holiday break with my three-year old son. The visual content listed below are cherished moments and takes us on a journey of my son’s growth over the past three years during the Christmas Holidays, enjoy, and Merry Christmas! 


     
(DJ'S FIRST CHRISTMAS PHOTOS-SHOOT AND OUR FIRST PROFESSIONAL PHOTO-SHOOT AS MOMMY AND SON, 2016!)

                   
    (DJ’S VERY FIRST CHRISTMAS! CHRISTMAS DAY, 2016.)

(CHRISTMAS EVE, 2017. DJ WAVING AT THE CAMERA DURING OUR LAST MINUTE SHOPPING TRIP IN TEXARKANA, TX! )

(CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY ACTIVITIES, 2018.)

DJ VISITING WITH SANTA INSIDE OF TEXARKANA'S MALL A WEEK BEFORE CHRISTMAS!

DJ AND I TAKING A PICTURE AT CHEDDAR'S AFTER COMPLETING OUR SHOPPING TRIP IN LITTLE ROCK, AR. THREE DAYS BEFORE CHRISTMAS DAY!

THE SUNDAY BEFORE CHRISTMAS EVE AND CHRISTMAS DAY! DJ LOVED THIS SUIT SO MUCH. THE CHURCH SERVICE BEFORE CHRISTMAS DAY IS VERY ESSENTIAL IN MANY FAMILIES, LIKE MY OWN. 

                                             CHRISTMAS EVE, 2018. 

DJ HOLDING MY LIGHT NECKLACE, AND SITTING BY THE TREE! DJ LOVES SITTING BY THE MAIN CHRISTMAS TREE!

                 

OUR FIRST TIME WEARING MATCHING PAJAMA'S. TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS! 

                                                   CHRISTMAS DAY, 2018! 

DJ PREPARING TO RIDE HIS 4-WHEELER HE GOT FOR CHRISTMAS!

(DJ'S FIRST TIME AT SAU'S CELEBRATION OF LIGHTS ANNUAL CHRISTMAS EVENT, 2019!)

DJ AND I TAKING A PICTURE BY THE "BIG LIGHT TREE" AS HE STATED. 

DJ AND FROZEN'S VERY OWN OLAF! :)

https://www.instagram.com/p/B53wL2oAnpv/?igshid=is5b7v11kwz1

Wild Card- Single Mothers Raising Successful Sons

         

  
       There are currently 22 million children being raised by single mothers, and indications suggest these numbers won’t decrease soon. Although single moms struggle and often need support, their children reap benefits that serve them well. According to research, single mothers are responsible for what their son will become. As a single mother, I can relate to the previous statement simply because of the choices I have made as a parent of a boy. At first I was worried about whether I could teach my son the right things due to not being a man, but the reality of it is parenting is not anchored to gender, parenting is trying your best and making what seems impossible happen, parenting isn’t male or female. Of course there are some things that can be taught better by each gender based off of experiences and education, but parenting has no set gender, sometimes you just are forced to deal with the cards that were dealt, even if it requires being a single mother to a little boy, or even a single father to a little girl.

           

     

   As I thought about my own experience and research with being a single parent to a male, I discovered what other researchers have made clear, boys have an astonishing ability to grow up to be successful men, to establish a strong sense of ambition in their nature, and single mothers can nurture this by having strategic parenting habits, by planning and achieving goals that is necessary for their child to see. For example, as a mother I'm always sure to tell my three-year old why he got in trouble for something that was inappropriate, or a quote on quote "No, no.", I also make sure to tell him I love him afterwards. Another example is how seriously I take my education now that I have my child, I enrolled back into college 11 months after my son was born with the help of my parents and other family members who are a great support system to the both of us. I realize that my son seeing me work hard, graduate from college, as well as still making the obligation to him as his mother will benefit his work ethic, and character in the long run. I often see posts on social media about successful men on social media being honored and acknowledged for their success, almost every summary or article stated that each man was raised by a single mother. 

              

      Now I'm not saying that a male is most likely to be successful if he is raised by a single mother, but what I am saying is single mothers of boys, or even single mothers in general are stronger than we think we are. Some of us have different circumstances, but we are all the first to wake up in the morning and the last to go to sleep at night due to hard work and sacrifices. I am a firm believer that being a single mother, a caring single mother comes with more resilience and ambition as an individual for our children. No matter the gender of the parent, proper examples can still be set and right and wrongs can still be taught correctly. Should fathers be active in their son’s life no matter the situation? Yes, but regardless if one parent is present and the other one is, grandfathers, grandmothers, uncles, and aunts play a role and are a good support system when it comes to raising boys to become successful men as well. Though raising a child without the other biological parent present every day, or not present at all is hard, it still can be done and accomplished accordingly, and boys can still be raised as great men by a single mother. 

 The significance and meaning that a child is always watching. Sometimes while studying he will bring me a book, and I will stop what I'm doing to read to him. I call those moments "The best study breaks". :) 

 My son exactly 5 days before he turned one. Immediately after his one year old photo-shoot I had to return to school for class. 

 (Professor Reppert holding student's (Nashante Hopskins) new born son after class! Adorable and inspiring).

A mother hugging her child after graduating college. I use this photo and of course photos of my son as motivation. 

https://www.parents.com/parenting/dynamics/single-parenting/surviving-and-thriving-as-a-single-mom/

https://www.today.com/parents/single-mom-thanks-4-year-old-son-her-college-graduation-t93426

Classmate Blog Critique- Cameron Carter

                First and fore most I would like to say that all of my fellow classmates have a sense of creativity that is out of this world, and that touches base on who they are as individuals. Cameron Carter’s blog stood out to me the most during class periods, and as I did my own personal research on the creativity of her blog. The first thing I noticed about my classmate’s blog was the deliverance she gave about every concept of each blog. Her words were clear, and how she covered each story line was interesting as well, she kept my attention every time she spoke. In my opinion I believe that Cameron has the ability to grasp the attention of an audience while she is speaking and reiterating about the story she covered. 

            The other thing I noticed about Cameron’s blog is how well the visual concept is put together as far the format, and her assignment list goes. I can tell that she took out the extra time to format her blog exactly how she wanted it, as well as listening and studying and making necessary changes on her blog’s visual content. The thing I like most about Cameron’s blog is that it is detailed, and you won’t see the full details until you actually click on the blog, which means her titles and headings gave away enough, but not too much, you actually have to read her blog to find out information, which is something I really like and feel is important to do as a blogger, I feel it's important to find ways to make sure that your audience or reader has no other choice but to click and read your blog. The only suggestion I would make and the only thing that I would critique on my classmate’s blog is to add a little bit more color, and a few more visuals for the blog to stand out a bit more. Overall, I feel as if Cameron’s creativity, wording, and visual aspects of her blog, as well as her deliverance of each concept is outstanding.

https://camcarterscorner.blogspot.com/2019/11/no16-opinion-local-issue.html

Assignment 18- News App Critique

            Microsoft News, available for iPhone IOS and Android offers a lightweight and easy way to quickly access the news you need. When the MSN news app is opened for the first time it gives the opportunity for the user to access or select what they are interested in. The main window of the app shows news that may be relevant and useful for the user. Scrolling between topics is also allowed as well as switching to local news or news articles that are near the user’s location. The Microsoft news app also has a choice of dark and light themes as well as what type of breaking news notifications that can be sent to your phone. My critique for this news app would be for it not to be cliché in many aspects. I would suggest for the app to include more things that other apps don’t have, like the availability to share or blog new stories from one’s personal aspect. 

     

https://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/best-news-apps/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ez_nnZVBttI

Assignment 17- Opinion (State, National, or International Issue)

                Mass shootings in America has become one of the most common and dreadful crises in society today. The most notable mass shootings in the United States range from the year of 1922 to this present day. In 46 weeks of this year there have been 44 mass shootings in America. Mass shootings are known to often happen at schools, whether its at a grade school or a college university. The issue of mass shootings in America have been frequently updated for the past 10 years. Its hard to figure out how do we stop this issue and crisis epidemic as whole. Schools have practiced and performed lock downs, as well as enhancing security systems. 

    

     In my opinion I believe that America’s Gun issue plays a big role in mass shootings. No other country has the same rate as Gun violence in America. The United States has almost six times the gun homicide rate as Canada, 16 times in Germany, and seven times as Sweden. Guns in America is the reason to why there is a huge homicide rate in the country. Another issue to be recognized is that the US as a country has the highest rate of privately owned firearm in the entire world. I believe that more guns cause more deaths in America as well. To deal with this problem, America would have to make less guns accessible and then maybe there would be less mass shootings? 

https://www.cnn.com/2019/11/15/us/2019-us-school-shootings-trnd/index.html

https://time.com/5209901/gun-violence-america-reduction/

      

           

Assignment 16- Opinion Local Issue

           This semester at Southern Arkansas University, the Esports and Competitive Gaming program enhanced their club ten times bigger and better by being provided with a new and improved gaming lab at the top of Reynolds. The gaming lab includes 18 computers and big flat screened tv sets providing access to PlayStations and X-boxes. The eSports team already has 100 compromising members apart of the club, where there is also a gaming lab inside of honors hall allowing members to get their “game on” with upscale games like Call of Duty, NBA 2K, and the list goes on. The bigger gaming lab that is now located at the top of Reynolds is available from 8:00am-12:00am to not only students who are a part of the competitive eSports club, but to other students who just like to simply play video games without a structure or title.

            
            

     There are about three issues I can come up with about the enhancement of gaming at Southern Arkansas University. Myself, my peers, and many other students have issues with completing our assignments in the library system, why? Because, clearly the Student Activities Administration at Southern Arkansas University didn’t really think this through. The reason to why myself and other students feel as if this new gaming lab wasn’t thought through rationally is because trying to make students use the same WiFi in the library or in any other learning/studying labs across campus as the gaming students isn’t necessarily working in some of our favors. Not to mention, Southern Arkansas University’s WiFi isn’t that great or up to par to begin with. There have been multiple complaints from students using the campus WiFi for other reasons like homework, blackboard, FaceTime, and the usage of apps. Which leaves me to the question, why can’t we get better and stronger WiFi, is there a separate network for the eSports club and those random gamers? 

            

    I’m all for enhancement of clubs and providing the necessary resources to do so, but in my opinion, this is an issue for other campus students who aren’t a part eSports or those who aren’t quote on quote expert gamers. I feel that we should be able to access websites and studying material without difficulties and frustration with low speed internet.

Assignment 15- Entertainment or Pop Culture

    

Whoopi Goldberg’s former L.A. home is for sale and on the market for over $9 million. The view co-host Last year the beautiful and cozy home was sold very quickly, but as we can see it is back on the market this year for 9.6 million. As reported last year, the co-host of "The View" placed her sumptuous art deco digs on the market for $8,795,000 in January. By February, the luxury property had been snapped up by a buyer for $8.8 million. The previous buyers made minor renovations to the space and bumped up the price by nearly a million bucks.

The 7,039-square-foot house has multiple stone terraces, balconies, and a pool. An apartment over the three-car garage can accommodate guests or staff and offers a full kitchen, bathroom, and fireplace.

https://www.today.com/home/whoopi-goldberg-s-former-la-home-market-t167030

https://www.realtor.com/videos/video-whoopi-goldberg-s-former-home-is-an-oasis-on-the-palisades-riviera-/02c6eb77-419e-4f08-b20c-ca5852d27520 

https://www.today.com/popculture

https://www.today.com/home/whoopi-goldberg-s-former-la-home-market-t167030