My Favorite Christmas Songs Translated Into Japanese and Back to English Using Google Translator

1. Midnight Came to Clear
2. I want a real Christmas for a good tan
3. I was home for Christmas
4. RITORUDORAMABOI (the little Drummer Boy)
5. It is the first to look a lot like Christmas
6. Leave the Manger
7. Quiet Night
8. Chestnuts roasting by shooting
9. Merry紳士TA you God Rest
10. Yourself, Little Merry Christmas

I got this idea from a website sometime this summer but can't remember where. Merry Christmas!

Dual Coding Theory

Dual coding theory is can be used in many types of commercials. I believe this theory is very important to advertising because it appeals directly to the senses. When something is tied to memory, it can be easily remembered.

One company that uses this theory effectively is Olive Garden. Their commercials always feature pictures of their dishes, which initially appeal to the eyes. After the picture is in the viewer's head, he begins to recall the flavor and aroma the dish.

Another company that implements this theory is Ikea. In Ikea's commercials, they present many bright patterns and textures which give their relatively cheap products visual appeal. People can remember these products better because the colorful images remain in their memory longer than those of other, more mundane furniture commercials.

Group Work

This is definitely not my first group project since I have been at Clemson, so this was not a great learning experience for me. I can say that this was one of the better situations I have had because we did not wait until the last minute, and everyone pulled his weight. The only real problems experienced by our group was a group member's failure to show up for meetings. Luckily, it was not too much of a burden on our group to pick up his slack.
Miscommunications were also not a big issue, but this was mainly because we worked in advance. If someone forgot to do something or did something wrong, there was always plenty of time to fix the problem. The thing that worked best for our group was allowing one person to put everything together. That way, everything was uniform as far as style and formatting. Our group was also very flexible with each other's ideas.
One thing I liked about my group, though a little odd, is that we are all from different areas of the country. I was the only person in my group who was from South Carolina, much less the south. It was an interesting experience for me because I was able to work with people whose paths I never would have crossed. This was one of the best group work experiences I have had in college.

Another Free Blog

It is about 11:30 on Sunday night, and I just remembered this blog. I thought I had forgotten to write last week but remembered that my mock interview reflection was the entry. I have a big test tomorrow in accounting. I am studying really hard for it, even though it feels pretty useless. We have six tests and a final in this class, so I do have room to improve on bad grades. However, I am watching my grades drop about three or four points on each test. I would like to see this progression stop. This is one of those classes that leaves you feeling stupid even though you know the contents of your notes and the book backwards and forwards. Nonetheless, I am not trying to be a downer. Although, I have another equally as difficult test later this week.

I am trying to look forward to the weekend when I plan on going to the beach with some friends. It will definitely be a nice break from this week of school! This weekend, though, was not all filled with studying. We had a Halloween party at my apartment on Friday night, and it was a big hit! I will include a picture of my costume, but the best costume of the night was my friend Alison who dressed up as an acid trip. It was hilarious but totally fitting to her personality.

PS. This totally not my personality, just posing for a picture!

Mock Interview Reflection

I did my mock interview for the Masters of Real Estate Development program at Clemson. This is definitely an option for after college because it is a subject that greatly interests me, and I would love to be a tiger for as long as possible. I was really confident going into my mock interview. I think this was because I knew it wasnt real so it was easier for me to relax. I thought that my answers were pretty good, but I did tend to spout out just whatever came to the top of my head. Being put on the spot, does seem to induce some "word vomit", but I don't think that was too much of a problem. I think this is a common problem among people being intereviewed.

I recieved some good feedback that I will remember for future interviews. For example, I learned to really show that I've done my research on the program/job by mentioning specifics that truly interest me. I also realized how I could take my seemingly unrelated job experiences and actually relate them to how I might handle situations and tasks on the job. I thought this was a helpful experience, and I hope to take what I have learned from this mock interview and use it to increase my confidence in future interviews.

Presentation reflections

One presentation that stands out in my mind was Stacy's presentation about Boulder, Colorado. The part that was most effective was the pictures. I enjoyed the beautiful scenery and laughed at the picture of 420.

Another presentation I really enjoyed was the one about the history of the bathing suit. I thought it was such an interesting topic, and I knew very little about it beforehand. I also appreciated this presentation because it wasn't too long either. Those presentations that were long lost my interest quickly.

Free Blog

I finally got into the system today. This blog is 2 days late, but at least I finally got to it. You might think that I would have something wonderful to write because I've had 2 extra days to think about it. However, I still have no idea what to write. With nothing else to write, I'm just go to report on the 18 pictures above my desk.

1. Dave and I are watching the first Clemson baseball game of the season. For me, opening day is bigger than the first day of football.
2. A group of friends and I decided to get all dressed up last semester at the end of exam week and treat ourselves to a nice dinner at The Melting Pot in Greenville, financed by money from selling back textbooks.
3. I was dying my roommate's hair purple... a result of a random late night trip to Walmart.
4. The girls from the dinner at Melting Pot are standing under a sign that says "Forget love, I'd rather fall in chocolate."
5. Death Valley on the snow day last year
6. Baseball tailgating
7. A jumping in mid-air shot after a baseball game
8. A picture with the little girl I babysit
9. Three of my friends are making a a pyramid on a trip to the mountains with the bluest skies I've ever seen in the background!
10. Ashley and I are gutting out a house in New Orleans after Katrina.
11. A night of ice skating in Greenville with an old friend and a new friend
12. My best friend from high school and I after graduation in our caps and gowns
13. There are about 13 of us posing for a picture on the futon for my roomate's birthday.
14. A sign from a trip to the mountains that says, "Leave flowers for others to enjoy"
15. An old friend and I are at the beach about a week before we leave to go to college.
16. I am with two friends before our first game as Clemson students. We've had classes together since kindergarten.
17. A picture with my friend who is like a big sister to me... We are both only children.
18. My group with our homeowner on my first trip to New Orleans after Katrina.