Mega Millions … 425 Mil

Sooo i was just thinking what i would do if i did in fact on some off chance happened to win the megamillions ….

Clearly , my first thought would be to hop a flight to Barcelona, my favorite place thus far that i have discovered in the world. I realized also even if i did win i would definitely still want to be in the working world….

I’d give at least 1 million back to the University of Michigan’s Communication Studies program , whether this would be divided up into scholarships or furthering some sort of research i’m not quite sure. I feel like I need to give back to an establishment that has given me so much.

I’d give at least 5 million to the City of Detroit – in some way shape or form. In order to make Detroit better than it once was we have to clear out the old and rubble. Ruin porn is fascinating concept … the fact that people are finding beauty in the demise of downtown…. kids have gone as far as SKiiNG iNSiDE these broke down buildings, making jumps and all kinds of crazy things. Turning a scrap yard into a full fledged Urban Putt Putt venue that was created by Lawrence Tech (Detroit University) students. The course is named Roosevelt Par and is in the same pocket as the Imagination Station ….!! The Imagination Station is a new nonprofit whose humble first job is to clean up 2230 and 2236 14th street, two blighted historic houses on Roosevelt Park facing the iconic ruins of Michigan Central Station in Detroit’s Corktown neighborhood.  I would like to contribute something to the city that is creative and innovative while hosting a community space for safe gathering.  I’m going to continue the blog about Do It For Detroit … cuz i could go on for days !

I would get a penthouse suite at the W south beach or Fontainbleau for NYE !!

Buy 15 – 20 fur blankets for some close friends and family for the holiday, because who wouldn’t love to get all cozied up in that !!

A Ferrari California, a car for Melshaw whatever kind she dreamt of and maybe one one other car ( it could be for you ! )

Definitely plan a ski trip to Chile with at least 4 – 6 friends !! All of me betches.O yah you’d have to wait til Summer for this trip ! :p

A new lab top Mac Book Air & I phone … yes i said it … i’d also invest in Typo Keyboard … maybe 1.5 mill so i’ve donated more than Ryan Secreast and get the ball rolling on the best way to bring back the features from a blackberry … such as the keyboard !

I’d buy an original Roy Lichtenstein , Keith Haring, Andy Warhol & Georgia O Keefe ( some ideas featured here in the blog post).

 

I’d put away 200 mill for safe keepings and later in life.

LShaw in Ann Arbor

My barSHAWLona lyfestyle has come and gone, and never will be forgotten. To follow my current adventures please check out my American blog @ http://www.livinlikelindsey.wordpress.com !

 

Street Side in Ann Arbor September 2013.

Social Media and History

Priming my self for the journey back to the US of A, I topped off the end of my FOUR FABULOUS months in BARSHAWLONA spain at  OPIUM BEACH CLUB. our FOURTH and FINAL BARC  “bigtime” DJ appearance by DIRTY SOUTH ft Dj BErrie took place on THURSDAY APRiL 28th.Most of us only knew about DIRTY SOUTH bc of the  BROmoted song ” I’m Coming Home” orignally sung by Diddy.

But it ain’t no place like home… ! My ears no longer vibrate with HOUSE music.No longer can i called myself #barshawlona. i’m back in the D… where the streets are filled with HIP HOP and UNDERGROUND RAP(Eminem BLASTS out on the radio), cars are actually AMERICAN MADE, and you hold true to being a WiNGS, PiSTONS, LiONS and TiGERS fan even if they suck.

“I’m BACKKKKKKK” tweet tweet tweet via @LSHAWTAYY detroit Legend.

Many moments of my abroad experience were tracked via SOCIAL MEDIA. Live-up dates of what i was doing and where i was doing it could have been found via MUPLOADS ( mobile uploads on Facebook), TWiTPiC ( pictures submitted via Twitter), Tweets, or status updates on Facebook.

Tweets, status updates, blogging and even email can be seen as ways to track your personal history. We don’t need diaries and note books any more, its easy to digitize it !! I am tracking and documenting my personal history via social media platforms.  I have been an avid blogger since 2004. Even though i have moved around between different blogging forums, I have continuously documented my Life. I have also created a range of blogs outside of personal life.

we have to think of journalism on a bigger scale now..!

“Journalism is distributed to anyone with a smartphone” now a days, anyone can report “what’s happening” at any given moment in any given city. My new favorite website that i follow : WIRED.COM they take note of the fact that social media is now being used as a way to document history.

http://gigaom.com/2011/05/06/how-social-media-creates-a-rough-draft-of-history/

As if Landing back in the US wasn’t enough on its own… OSAMA BIN LADEN is now known as the most LEGENDARY HIDE AND SEEK player of ALL TIMES!! after staying hidden for almost 10 YEARS – he was shot to the head !!  and how was this FIRST discovered?! TWITTER. is it a good or bad thing that the news was FIRST broadcasted via “Sohaib Athar, the Pakistani computer programmer who live-tweeted the recent U.S. military raid on Osama bin Laden’s compound.”

brand/market

At a quick glance at the television, a magazine, or simply walking down the street you are bombarded with a symbol that represents a BRAND. BRANDS are ubiquitous in our everyday lives.

Do you recognize any of these symbols that represent the success of marketing? recogonize the black swoosh??  www.nike.com or how about the silver apple ?? www.apple.com. 

A simple personal or organizational website is no longer the single source of information available online about a BRAND. With the help of social media, corporations can communicate effectively to their consumers. with the click of a few buttons, the corporation can advertise their message/BRAND  from one to many.

Get the latest updates on your favorite BRAND via twitter update, or facebook page.

social media is beneficial to BRANDS because it creates a relationship with the consumer of the product and the company.

Over 54 consumers were able to show that the like the new website and 15 consumers were able to give FEEDBACK and share their opinions about the new NIKE WEBSITE. social media can benefit the image of the company. By receiving consumer FEEDBACK , the company can alter its image to further satisfy the consumers needs or wants. allowing for early detection and smooth transitions of crisis management.

social media is changing the communication with guests of the media.  it allows for a new way of attracting talent.

facebook allows users to keep in touch by posting pictures, messages, videos, audio clips, links, etc. twitter allows for an exchange of quick, frequent 140 character texts. best for one to many and the chatter surrounding a product. both of these social media services are creating customer loyalty and FEEDBACK from their consumers.

Burger Me Barcelona!

My FAVORITE foods to eat are a Hamburger and French Fries. No matter what time of day or what day of the week it is I am always down to grab a Hamburger and French Fries.I’ve got my usual burger joints back in Bloomfield Hills, Detroit and Ann Arbor. Coming to Barcelona meant I had to begin my Burger journey again to find the top spots! Obviously, I had the options of going to McDonalds and Burger King, but I was not going to settle for those American fast food joints! I wanted to find AUTHENTIC BURGER joints in Barcelona. I was not able to take this on alone, and had to look for some “Burger Buddies“, people who would be on the hunt for a great burger joint.

The  the perfect combination of Hamburger and Fries depends on type of meat used for the burger, the cripsy-ness of the fries, the amount of time it takes to be cooked and where you are going to be eating the burger and fries!

Stop 1: Sandwich and Friends – with four convenient locations, I found myself struck by the “Burger & Friends” advertisements at a local restaurant by my apartment.  This burger was of decent size, but served with chips not fries.   it was garnished with just a bun… BORING. Therefore, i can only give it a 5/10 rating. Sandwich and Friends overall gets a 4 star rating, as they are open 7 days a week and have free wifi !!

Stop 2: Bar Paris – a small cafe/bar that is located next to my apartment. Bar Paris is open at almost all hours of the day and is seen as a local hot spot for drinks, coffee, and tapas! Their burger is small and has a funky Catalan taste. It is not like your typical American burger as it comes solely as the meat, lettuce, a tomato, and bun. nothing more, nothing less. To me this is a dinky burger! but it is cheap and convenient.  I give this burger  a 6/10

How to Eat a Burger the “RIGHT” way ….

stop 3: La Champagneria o El Champayxet – tucked away in a tiny alley way – reina christina – near port olympico at the end of Via Lietana you will find this local spot. You throw your trash on the ground, meat is hanging in the air, and champagne is popping left and right. this burger may be on the smaller side, but it’s bun it filled with goodness!! pickles, bacon and spicy sauce top this burger off… no fries here either. But you can wash it down with home made champagne !! Making it a 7/10 on the rating scale

I have discovered secret places of barcelona where to get the BEST BURGER EVER EVER- you’ll have to ask me because i will not publicly share this information. and let me tell you this burger makes the top 5 world wide list!!!

Barca give me housee!!

If the embedded video player doesn’t work please click on this Link to view a podcast about the Beats of Barcelona !!

Technology is becoming increasingly intertwined with pop culture. On a daily basis we use digitized versions of books, films, and radio series.
we are known as the “tech babies” of generation Y those who are familiar with media, communication, and digital technologies. It only makes sense that these aspects would resonate in our daily lives. We use our ipods and mp3 players to watch tv shows, movies, and listen to music and podcasts.Generation Y is obsessing over “HOUSE MUSIC” aka “TECHNO MUSIC“. House music is computer generated sound bites, beats, and jams.

The 20/21 year old study abroad students here in Barcelona exaggerate the growing passion for HOUSE MUSIC. We eat , barely sleep, and dream HOUSE MUSIC. As of January 2011, college students from America got their first taste of HOUSE MUSIC at the “Energy” show in Amsterdamn, Netherlands. Other HOUSE MUSIC shows that many study abroad students attended were: AfroJack in Barcelona, Laidback Luke in Barcelona, Avicii in Barcelona, Skrillex in London, and “Sensation White” in Brussels, Beliguim. Many students will attend one final show before heading back home to the US of A on April 28th 2011 – Dirty South ft Dj David Berrie in Barcelona.

Study abroad students have been fortunate enough to see a multitude of HOUSE MUSIC shows and concerts in Barcelona!! Students studying abroad in other cities( such as Florence,Prague, London) have traveled to Barcelona just to experience these HOUSE MUSIC artist’s.

Barca give me houseee!!

Calling anyone and everyone!

Have you ever heard of a podcast?A podcast is a PERSONAL, ON DEMAND, broDCAST that is typically audio only. podcasts a fabulous venue to share and learn information about a topic because they are easy to access and free.  Anyone can create a podcast, all you need is a computer, a microphone and a connection the web. The advancement of podcasting came about in early 2004 with the advent and increasing popularity of MP3 players and iPods. These are not the only mediums in which you can listen to a podcast. podcasts because they are broadcasted on the web are easily accessible. Today, people are able to access the internet from their hand held phone… something that was basically unheard of seven short years ago.Trying to explain a podcast to someone who did not grow up in the digital generation may be difficult. I took the time to share this video of podcasting in plain english to my mom, a new user to the internet and technology.

podcasting

podcasts are ideal for someone who wants to have a quick update, background, or full emersion of a topic. podcasts cover various topics, from serious political and legislative news, rap artist’s latest song to your neighbor’s gardening skills. 

The best part is that you can watch AS MUCH AS YOU WANT , WHENEVER YOU WANT, and can be HEARD VIA MULTIPLE MEDIA OUTLETS. Podcast’s are ideal for both people who are on the go-go-go and those who just like to sit back and learn about something new. You can tailor your “podcast playlist” to YOUR interests and hobbies. They are distributed episodically and streamed on the web.Being openly accessible and available 24/7 is a perk of subscribing to podcasts.

another benefit to podcasting is the lack of a gatekeeper. anyone and everyone has the ability to produce and export media content.   i think it is important that people take advantage of the opportunity to share their experiences with the rest of the ” World”, or those who are community members to the WORLD WIDE WEB. podcasts have evolved the process of audio mediums from a PUSH to a PULL. We are able to personalize and pull our own information easily and accessibly. these are important in determining the success of your podcast.

NPR- national public radio , one of the few if not only in the US that still exists. This medium offers a variety of podcasts to listen to. It is obvious that there is something for EVERYONE by browsing through the main categories of NPR’s podcasts : around the nation, art and life, books, business, economy, food, health, music, news, politics, science, technology, US and World.

Go out and explore the WEB! find the perfect podcast for you!

Featured film : Answer This!

I LOVE ANN ARBOR! I am a 4th generation student at the University of Michigan. My Great Grandpa , my grandma, and my father attended U of M. Going to Michigan can almost be thought of as a family tradition. It is common to have a linage of family members who go to the same university.

This is an over view of the center of the University of Michigan campus also known as “The Diag“. In the center of the diag is a GIANT block M.

Many students lay out, read books, or just converse in the diag area.

When first arriving to the diag, you are brought to the center block M. There is an old story that is told about the M. It is BAD LUCK to step on the M before you take your first blue book exam.If you step on it before your exam , you are said to FAIL it.  I was told this story many years ago, and had to avoid walking on it for 18 years!

People become extremely passionate for the town of ANN ARBOR. It is a laid back and liberal city, where you can see diverse groups of people and hobbies. How can you share your passion for a city to a mass audience? Different media outlets allow for easy and accessible information. A great way to learn about another place is through film.

Answer This! Is the first movie ever filmed in Ann Arbor AND about the fabulous A2. Tonight was the exclusive premiere for cast and friends, and those who were fortunate enough to purchase tickets to the 10pm showing. The room was filled to the brim with fans, over 50 people had to stand to watch the film. No joke, a smile was on my face during the entire screening of Answer This.

The film follows the tale of LEGENDARY professor Ralph Williams and his son featured as a GSI. He taught a religion class here at the University of Michigan for many years. This class touched the hearts and minds of Michigan students forever. So much so that Chris Farah– the director of the film was inspired to create a screen play about it. He is a U of M grad who moved to LA after graduating. He and his brother co-produced the film. 

The love for the city of Ann Arbor, how academics play into it, and the passion for Bar trivia outlines the movie. The trivia pub team- The Ice Tigers defend their way to the final round in pub trivia at Ashley’s on State Street. The movie is filmed in all of the hot spots of Ann Arbor. You can see the actors and actresses strolling down Greenwood, State Street, in the diag and at Expresso Royale.

The main actors in the film are Kip Pardue aka Sunshine from Remember the Titans, Christopher Gorham aka Henry from Ugly Betty, and Arielle Kebbel from Jon Tucker Must Die.

Fun fact, yours truly earned my 15 minutes of fame by taking on a small extra role in the film. Look out for me in the lecture hall scenes! Other friends of mine that are Michigan students are also featured in the film: Emily Smith, Adam Bleznak (Alumni), and Nelson Kazan.

IF YOU BLEED MAIZE AND BLUE, THIS MOVIE IS FOR YOU!or if you just want to learn about Ann Arbor! 😀

Keep a look out during the Summer of 2011 for ANSWER THIS!

Photo from the premiere of Christopher Gorham, myself ,and Ralph Williams (actors from the film)

Cookin’ up a storm!

I knew that with coming to Barcelona I would experience an immense amount of new activities! Back in ANN ARBOR, I am constantly running from place to place and moving non stop. Now that I have a bit more leisure time to mess around, I have taken my talents to the kitchen. Yes, I have actually cooked multiple meals AND not had any fires (yet).

I started with the simplest of foods: EGGS. How hard could it be to crack an EGG , toss it in a pan, and mix it around until it was ready.

 

Advancin’ for Manci

Getting a bit bored of plain old eggs , I decided what are EGGS without hashbrowns...!?Jules, My roommate at school is a better chef than Emerl in my eyes. One night she fascinated me and whipped me up a fresh batch of homemade hashbrowns!! I have never felt the same way about cooking since that night.Day after day I waited to attempt making hashbrowns on my own. The perfect day had finally come to test my breakfast skills … Amanda Manci’s 21st Birthday!! A little bit of this and a little bit of that… and look what I made!

Manci's Birthday Brunch

Fruit plate of kiwi and strawberries, along side the homemade hash browns and grilled chicken!

Grilled chicken is also another easy dish to make! All you have to do is pick up some raw”pollo” from the market or the local pollaria. You toss it in a pan with oil and than season it up!

Pick it up a notch

Eating the basics got old fast, I knew it was time to step it up in the kitchen.  Thinking about all of the foods I missed at home the most, a BIM BIM BOP came to mind. Spicy hot sauce poured all over the burning bowl of rice, vegetables, chicken and egg… a re creation was needed ASAP. This led me to the my ASIAN CRAZE in the kitchen.

This photo is a bit distorted because it is taken from a camera phone… but this was the result of a do-it-yourself lettuce wrap!

 

 

 

 

It is hard to tell, but it is made up of : grilled chicken, EGG, carrots, broccoli, and a bit of celery for some CRUNCH.

Madeline's Dish

Madeline, my roommate, made the next part of the ASIAN meal. It is a combination of : grilled chicken, grilled red peppers, garlic, noodles, and a little feta on top.

It is fun to experiment in the kitchen!! It is worth taking a risk and trying NEW things.