I am a WOMAN -- a young, modern 2008 outlook to being a W - O - M - A - N

There has been a lot on my mind recently.
Unfortunately, I have been so busy with work and school and rehearsing for my show, that I have had little time to post.
But, rest assured... I have plenty to say.

I have been thinking a lot about how women are being marketed to both online and offline. Yes, there was the superbowl a few weeks ago (see, I really have been busy). Sure, there were some cute commercials with some interesting messages... thank you Victoria's Secret. Thank you Sun Silk ... Whatever. But what I have been thinking about is the messages that TV has been sending me. There are 2 new TV shows that I have been checking out, Cashmere Mafia and Lipstick Jungle. Both shows similarly portray powerful, successful women. Great message, right!? But, these women also face major struggles due to their inability to balance their crazy, chaotic lives. (honestly, now that the writers have their jobs back, lets twist these shows around and give these girls some substance. Ok, thanks. ) Sure they can afford fabulous clothing and an extravagant lifestyle.. but this show seems to suggest that's not enough. With viewers tuning in to check out where they go, what they are wearing and what bag they are carrying (not to mention the iphones in last week's episode), is that all this show really is? Sadly, it seems that not one of the women on these shows is strong enough to handle their social lives/family ties and their businesses which is inevitably leading charactors to have affairs, divorce and inner turmoil - which of course can always be healed with a hug from a close friend or a drink.

Is this what my generation has to look forward to? Are you saying that we really can't have fabulous shoes, a great job and blissful married life? Was Carrie Bradshaw right? Can we ever really have it all? Sure maybe one day we will get to be president... but will that be enough?

Nowheremen.net -- A trendy combination of TV and social media?

I get really excited when the spam-ish daily emails that I have signed up for end up being interesting and relevant.

Every morning I get the latest headlines from NY Times, Boston Globe and Daily Candy, and usually I delete them. But today, something caught my attention.

Daily Candy (if you're not an avid reader) is a daily email with cool, trendy things going on both online and in a major city near you. Sometimes the emails are about a fun restaurant or a store opening, but something about today's headline "GOODTV? Nowhere, Man" encouraged me not to slip over this one...

I mean, like any other college student, I do have my TV obsessions (although finding time for them is my challenge). I mean who can seriously resist an episode of Project Runway?
But today, Daily Candy provided me with something that I had to look into. NOWHEREMEN.NET.

The first sentence of the email referred to the writer's strike and the serious lack of new GG episodes. Instantly they had my attention (talk about knowing their target audience). You can imagine how relieved I was to know that I wasn't the only one missing the weekly dose of Gossip Girl drama.

Moving right along.
The website that Daily Candy shared with me today is from a new online phenomena called nowheremen.net where a social community has formed around this online mystery webshow.
As you can imagine.. there are a few things I found quite interesting about this.

As the writer's strike continues and unfortunately it looks as though it may continue for a few more weeks. (Just enough to cancel a few more of my favorite events) I am not enthused by the fact that my only choices to watch on TV right now are American Idol and Biggest Loser, because honestly, Reality TV doesn't do it for me. (Call me crazy, but I don't like people singing badly. It annoys me!)

Today as consumers, we have the ability to choose what we see, when we see it and that got me thinking about this interesting online TV show. Participators on the site are showed video "episode" clues and together this community can search for answers to find the main character, Derek. This social reality online game is totally weird and totally different then anything I have ever seen... however, the fact that the site's registered users can post videos, pictures and join groups, seems to ring a familiar bell.
I don't really understand this "game," but that's not really what is important to me right now.

What interests me the most about this website, is that fact that it is outsourcing TV entertainment as we know it and making it interactive! This seems to me like a serious combination of TV and social media. How cool! Bringing people together, online, around a series... Has this been done before? Of course, Gossip girls has their own blog, and people check it out and can share whatever they want, but I don't think that strangers have ever come together quite like this!

And what does this mean for the future of my favorite TV series? Although I can watch episodes online from my favorite shows, will I be turning to the internet in the future for my entertainment?
Although to me, this webseries has a FOX's 24 feel, will it be enough to to fill our void with the inevitable high dosage of reality TV this year?

McDonalds Shocks Us Again... Will Lattes be featured on the dollar menu?

Lets play a little game,

It's called name the first thing that comes to your mind...

When I say BOSTON you say...

FREEZING (especially today!)

When I say STARBUCKS you say ...

Expensive coffee that isn't very good, but you buy it regardless.

When I say McDonalds you say...

Cheap, bad ambiance, and of course FRENCH FRIES

not coffee, right?

As you might have heard, McDonalds will soon be brewing up fancy coffee beverages.

When I think of Vanilla Lattes and Caramel Cappuccinos, I don't think of McD's...

But maybe soon I will.

There are a few things that I find really interesting about this latest move.

As I have already demonstrated, I just don't think of McDonalds when I'm in the mood for a coffee beverage. Call me materialistic or vain or whatever you want, McD's is a child's restaurant, a greasy fast food chain -- NOT a cool, relaxing place to get a coffee and veg out.

Will this change? who knows.

Coming from NY, there has always been a "cool factor" associated with Starbucks. Walking around the mall, or my high school (welcome to Long Island) it was cool to have a starbucks drink. Sure, I was young. Sure I just wanted to fit-in. But McD's was NEVER cool. It was never trendy to walk around with a happy meal. Will it be cool to walk around with a McD's latte?
I DOUBT IT.

Now, not to get all political on you, but there seems to be one thing on everyone's mind with this upcoming election.
THE ECONOMY.
So, the big question in my mind (regarding this whole thing) is:
Will Americans sacrifice ambiance and trendiness to save a few bucks?
Will Mc'D expand their McWorld?
Will I ever really walk into McD and order a McLatte?

Only time will tell.

A New Year... A New You? (Will My Social Media Obsession Continue?)

Happy New Year.
How is it already January 6th?
I can't believe that its been nearly a month since my last post.
And as you can imagine, I have plenty to say.

1. My social media wrap-up from last semester.
I guess due to finals and then leaving for winter break I never had an opportunity to do a "look at me now...how did I get here" post. The truth is that if you had asked me 6 months ago, I never would have guessed that I would be involved in this community. I have enjoyed learning and adapting social media into my life and my everyday routine (thank you google reader). I think that what I took away most from the class last semester was not only the friends that I made (old and new), the ability to share what I have learned , but most importantly this wonderful, smart and engaging community that I appreciate and look up to.

Now, I did say something here about being involved in this community, and I sort of feel cheap saying that. The truth is that I am not as involved as I could be. Or as I want to be. So this leads me to my next section.

2. Happy New Year... Now what's my resolution?

Like most people, I often make a little resolution for myself. Sometimes that means better organization, not just saying I will, but actually cleaning my room, or of course the infamous hitting the gym more frequently. But this year, due to my social media obsession my resolution is gonna be TWITTER.

The thing is, I need to be more active in this community. I don't think that updating my blog is enough. The problem most frequently is that I don't actually have enough time to do everything I want to, but that is why I am saying it right here right now. I want to get more involved.
boom.

(well see if it happens... but I usually am pretty true to my word... except for the cleaning my room... but its not that bad!)

Are you there God, It's me Danielle... Has there been a technological evolution affecting Religion?

I just got back from a 10 day trip to Israel and it was great. This trip marked my second time traveling in Israel. Last year I was lucky enough to go on Taglit-Birthright (which is such an amazing experience). If you are under 25 and jewish, get your butt on a birthright trip. It's a real no-brainer.

Walking around the old city of Jerusalem (one of my favorite parts of the trip) was really an amazing experience. Not only can you see the way that your ancestors (jews, christians and muslims alike) lived, but you can see where they shopped, ate and prayed. (duh)

But, it's not until you go to the Western Wall or Kotel, that you can appreciate the long and unbelievable history that makes Israel so special. A visitor to the western wall ascends the Western Wall Plaza, separates from the men they are visiting with, and walks towards the grand wall which reaches only 105 feet towards the sky. Upon entering the area I looked around and took in everything that I saw, trying to understand what exactly makes this area so holy.

Please understand that this post is not intended to be in any way an overly religious post. I'm going somewhere related to technology and social media, I promise.
Let me move on to my next point.

What you see in front of you however, are women (or men) praying by themselves. This is a picture of me and my grandma. Sure there are many people praying, but how could jews from long island give up this photo-op?


What astounds me is that for only a few years (since 1967), Jews have been allowed to come to this section of the wall. Considered the holy of the holy, the site of the first temple from the 10th century BCE, today, Jews come from all over the world to the Wailing wall to pray and leave notes (prayers) for god.

Finally, my point.

Jews are people who have been forced to constantly evolve. The story always goes: they tried to kill us, we are still alive, lets celebrate aka eat.

So heres my big question... Why are we leaving all these notes in the wall? And why haven't we found a better way to do this? Why are we leaving scraps of paper at the holyest place there is?
Ding Ding Ding
Can we do this electronically? Have we evolved this far? Has web 2.0 at all affected this practice?

I asked my rabbi who we were traveling with to answer some of these questions, but I what I came across when I returned home was really even more interesting.

This first site, gives a good summary of how and why we started leaving notes in the wall, and how routinely they are collected and buried. Blah Blah Blah, this is the history etc.
However, we have really evolved. This links to a site that I found even more interesting. It really shows just how interconnected we all really are and how internet 2.0 how connected people in more ways then I could ever imagine. It is amazing to think that you can send you note to god half way across the world using the internet, and volunteers will print it out and put it at the wall. Such an unbelievable concept.

Sure it's not the same feeling, but giving people around the world a chance to participate in something cutting edge and new ... sounds pretty savvy to me!