Blogger nominations

 I would have to say one my favorite blog assignment was the “Create Your Own Community”. It gave us complete freedom as writers and allowed us to explore different ideas of the perfect city. After reading a few of my classmates’ blogs, I would have to say the blog post “Pocket Neighborhoods” by Michael Peters was the best. He not only wrote a detailed summery about his community he also include pictures to better illustrate his ideas.

Michael Peters: “Michael Peters 106” http://michaelpeters106.blogspot.com/

I also really liked writing about our dream vacation spot. I think Kyle Kantebet’s “I’ve Got 2 Tickets to Paradise” was a fun blog post to read. Although we wrote about the same dream vacation, I would have to say I liked reading his description a little better. The intro was very attention grabbing and I like his reference to Eddie Money’s song “I got two tickets to Paradise”.

Kyle Kantebet: “On the Outside looking in”http://ontheoutsidelookingin11.blogspot.com/

Living on a Dollar

There is a lot of vacant space in the city of the Detroit, but with a little funds and hard work have the potential to become something great. If I were given the opportunity to create a new community within the city of Detroit, I would design it for the broke college students. I would use the funds I had to create a safe and affordable environment for people still in college or just entering the work force.

I would create apartment like housing that offered single rooms and multi-room suits that provide roommate options. There would also be houses and condos that people can rent out if they don’t want to live in an apartment. The housing would be more affordable then dorms and allow for more freedom.

The community would offer the same amenities as any other town. It would have a movie theater, shopping center, grocery store, restaurants, night clubs and numerous other businesses. With the amount of businesses needed to be run, it would provide the young people with job opportunities to help pay for their living expenses. I would also like to promote urban farming. This would help bring the community together and cut down on the food cost.

I know this may sound risky but it would give the newer generation an opportunity to make it on their own, almost like a head start program for young adults. I don’t plan on putting a gate around the town and excluding everyone over the age of twenty five but I would make it more appealing to the young. The town would need some experienced adults to help keep the town in order.

Overall, I would like the community to be a safe affordable place for young people to live and develop their skills. With today’s high living expenses, it’s hard for people in and out of college to move out on their own. By providing them with a cheap and comfortable place to live, that also has plenty of jobs; it will give them a chance to make it. I think the young adults would appreciate it, but maybe I’m just bias because I am a broke college student myself.

"Top five places to visit in Michigan"

 I have lived in Michigan for nineteen years and there are a few places I make a priority to visit at least once a year. Depending on what time of year it is, I like to take my out of town guest to these places too.

1.      The Detroit Zoo is one of my favorite places to visit during the summer and entertaining for all ages. It is home to over 3,000 animals and 280 species.  It is also located in Royal Oak which is also a fun place to have dinner after a fun day at the zoo.

2.      I traveled to Gran Haven last summer and had a blast camping on the beach. The water was refreshing and the waves were big enough for boogie boarding. The beach is located right off of like Michigan and has a towering lighthouse located at the pier. They have mobile home campsites for overnight stay or you can just visit for the day. It’s a fun place to take Michigan visitors or residents that have never been.

3.      If guest plan on traveling to Michigan during mid January, I highly recommend visiting the North American International Auto Show. Even if they are not car enthusiast, it is still pretty fun. Many people just go there to take pictures of the cars and fantasize about owning them, like I do.

4.      One place that I always take my family when they come to visit is the mall. I love shopping and I always set aside a day for it. I usually take my guest to Twelve Oaks because it is close to my house and has something for everybody.

5.      Whenever my family comes to visit we always go to Dearborn. Since I am of middle-eastern decent, I take my family here to indulge in traditional Middle-eastern cuisine. This may not be a place where other people take their guest but for my family it is in our top five places to visit. 

"Lights, Camera, Action"

Writers and directors use different mechanics to attract their audience to make a film seem more interesting or dramatic. Sometimes the setting of movies, TV shows, and books are how characters and plots develop.

The television show “Friends” is a perfect example of directors using the city setting to develop the story. In many scenes viewer see the happy group of friends hanging out in a New York coffee shop, talking about the struggles of life. Another familiar television show to most teens is “The Hills”. This show was filmed in Hollywood hills and features teenagers that come from wealthy families and live the luxurious lifestyle. By using this setting, it shaped the characters and storyline portrayed in “The Hills”.

The most common back drop for action and superhero movies is the city. It is a tool that directors use to bring movies to life. Movie viewers not only see this in action films but in pretty much every other movie. New York and Las Angeles are familiar backdrops for these box office hits. Spiderman probably wouldn’t receive as much positive hype if it was not for its city setting. I doubt anyone would find it just as interesting if he was swing from condominium to condominium in a small suburb.

Cities are full of excitement and drama, which is why they make the perfect setting for certain movies. I’m not saying suburbs cannot produce the same amount of excitement and drama but they’re not the ideal atmosphere for Marvel films. I think it is resourceful for director, authors and writers to use cities to set the scene for their investments.