Rewrite: Etiquette and Social Interactions in Today's Society

Have you ever noticed how many people use their cellphones in public places? The number is astounding. Just look next time you are at your favorite restaurant or sitting in the movie theater. Cellphones have become an inescapable part of our lives. We can only choose to respect our cellphone use in public spaces or ignore it.

Modern technology has enhanced our lives. I am a communications student and technology is a large part of my life. I use my cellphone on a daily basis, mostly to make phone calls and search the Internet. What makes modern technology so valuable to use is its convenience. We can make a phone call and use the Internet at any time and any place. That is why schoolchildren carry cellphones now; for convenience and safety. Technology is vital in our society, but our behaviors are the reason for negative opinions about modern technology.

Do we even know what cellphone etiquette is? Most people will agree that cellphone etiquette is turning off your ringer, shutting off your phone or avoid talking loudly in public spaces. Is disrespecting cellphone etiquette the problem? The real issue is that users are not being aware of their surroundings, respecting the people around them and the publics perceptions.

There are different kinds of people in this world. There are Type-A and Type-B personalities that butt heads when they interact. People come from different cultures and generations. Morales and ethics are unique to each person, but the standard rules for etiquette are widely known and respected. You cannot expect that every cellphone user will respect etiquette in public spaces. Not everyone says excuse me or thank you.

Our perceptions can also influence our negative thoughts and opinions about modern technology. Picture this, a young married couple having dinner in a restaurant. They appear to be having a great time. The couple continues to laugh and then the cellphone rings. You notice her smile abruptly change to a disappointing frown. Her husband picks up the phone and appears to be concerned. His voice rises in volume. She looks annoyed. But, what you do not know is... their babysitter just called to inform the married couple that their son came down with a fever. Yes, your perception assumed that the husband was receiving a phone call of no importance. To him it was an emergency.

Before you judge, think about the possibilities. Modern technology is not the culprit. It is the user's behaviors and other people's perceptions.

To Become A Better Writer...

"Discuss what was most valuable to you in becoming a better writer"

What does it take to be a good writer? Before this course I would have answered, a good writer uses impressive and descriptive words to paint a picture to their audience.

After taking this course, I now understand that writing is not about using fancy words to communicate to your readers. A good writer writes for self-discovery: to learn more about unfamiliar territory and most importantly to learn about yourself.

I used to think that writing was an outlet to voice your opinion and ideas. Writing is more than that. It is about generating fresh and unique ideas and solutions. Anyone can be a writer, but it takes passion and practice to develop writing skills that will provoke the readers mind.

To be a good writer, you need to write for yourself. You need to be egotistical. Good writers do not use cliches: they use metaphors. Writers play the devil's advocate and question all sides, while proposing new angles. Good writing is a mashup of logic and research. It is brief and to the point. It continues to be edited, rewritten and edited again. Good writers are not afraid to take risks, including killing their darlings. Yes, writing is hard, but a writer needs to be patient.

This has become my new way of writing. I do not just write to write. I now question myself, what do I have to say? I used to write about my feeling and thoughts, but that is not what the readers want. They want to be challenged and enlightened. I strive to evoke fresh and new ideas within my readers and myself. I do however; continue to add a piece of me into my writing. For my stories, experiences, ideas and opinions are unique to my writing style.
The most valuable lesson that I have learned in this course is writing to evoke the readers thought process. I have started to develop the skills by playing the devil's advocate and thinking outside the box. Writing is rewarding because you start to learn more information about yourself. When I drive on the highway, I now think about driving etiquette and the different perceptions of drivers. If I was successful in my writing, then I was able to make you think about fresh and new ideas...and that is the reward in itself.

Scene Script: A Day In The Park

FADE IN:

EXT. PLAYFUL PAWS DOG PARK      DAY

GENEVIEVE pulls into the parking lot. She parks her car and takes her dog, Monchichi, out of the car. They begin to walk toward the dog park. In the distance, you can hear dog barks coming from the park. It is a warm and sunny day.

GENEVIEVE
(Monchichi is panting with excitement)

All right, Monchichi. It’s been a long time since we’ve been at the park.

They walk up a slight incline towards the dog park. She sighs as she notices there are three dogs in the park. Monchichi’ s tail begins to wag out of control and his excitement builds.

GENEVIEVE

Yes! You have been a good boy all winter, Monchichi.

She pats him on the head and leads him into the park. He begins to whine as Genevieve is trying to open up the gate. She unhooks his leash and watches him gallop toward the other dogs.  She begins to walk towards an empty picnic table. She smiles and nodes at the other pet owners.  She finally sits at the table and watches Monchichi play.  The thumping of paws and pants of excitement echo throughout the park. 

(voice appears from behind her)

TRENT

Well, hello there!

GENEVIEVE

(she turns around slowly, unsure of the voice)

Hi.

TRENT

I couldn’t help but notice your dog. Boy or girl?

GENEVIEVE

(the man is attractive and around her age, she lets her guard down)

Boy. His name is Monchichi. Which dog is yours?

TRENT

(lifts his arm and points toward a black and white Dalmatian)

That’s my girl. Her name is Lucky. She’s 10 months.

GENEVIEVE

No kidding! Monchichi is 9 months today.

TRENT

No wonder they are getting along so well.

(he chuckles)

GENEVIEVE

Do you come here often?

TRENT

I’ve been here a few times. I usually come here when the weather is warm.

GENEVIEVE

Me too. I love to come here and just chill.

(she smiles at TRENT and then realizes she doesn’t know his name)

Oh, by the way, my name is Genevieve.

TRENT

Nice to meet you. I’m Trent.

In that moment, they realize that they are interested in one another. Trent has seen her in the park before, but is keeping it quiet. He doesn’t want to freak her out and appear like a stalker.

TRENT

So, where do you live?

GENEVIEVE

In Hamerville. It’s a twenty minute drive. We don’t have dog parks in our area.

TRENT

Oh wow, that stinks. But, at least you have a place to visit.

They both become quiet, as they watch the dog’s play with each other.

TRENT

I know we just met, but would you be interested in getting coffee with me sometime?

GENEVIEVE

(trying to keep her cool, she looks down and smiles)

Sure.

A new dog enters the park and begins to chase after the dogs.  The intimidating Rottweiler begins to get rough with Monchichi. The dogs begin to growl and bark out of control.

GENEVIEVE

Oh crap. Monchichi! Monchichi! Come here!

The two dogs begin to fight. She gets up and runs to Monchichi. The owner of the Rottweiler, is out of sight. She tries to break them up, but is afraid of getting bit. The other dog owner, Chad runs over and gains control of his Rottweiler.

GENEVIEVE

(looking at the dog other dog owner)

Why do you even bother to come here anymore?

CHAD

(smirks at her)

Because, it’s a free country.

GENVIEVE

Ugh! You’re such an idiot.

She puts Monchichi on his leash as the metal clings. She heads back to the picnic table to say goodbye to Trent.

GENEVIEVE

(looking disheveled)

I’m so sorry, but I have to leave.

TRENT

Is Monchichi ok?

GENEVIEVE

Yah, he’s fine.

(looking at Chad and rolling her eyes)

I just can’t stand that guy.

TRENT

Oh. What happened?

GENEVIEVE

Long story! Here’s the abridged version. We used to date. He was a jerk then and he is still a jerk now. He only comes here, if he sees my car in the parking lot.

TRENT

(raises one eyebrow)

So, he’s a stalker?

GENEVIEVE

Something like that.

(sounding disappointed)

Anyways, I have to get out of here.

TRENT

Wait! What about our coffee date?

GENEVIEVE

(hiding her excitement)

Date?

TRENT

(hesitant to answer back)

Um.  I mean. Yes, a coffee date.

GENEVIEVE

I’m free next Saturday.

TRENT

How about we meet here next Saturday at 10am and then we can head out to the coffee shop.

GENEVIEVE

Sounds good. I’m so sorry, but I have to get out of here now.  I’ll see you next week!

Genevieve leads Monchichi out of the dog park. She looks back at Trent wishing she didn’t have to leave in a hurry.  Chad notices the connection between Genevieve and Trent and becomes jealous.

FADE OUT:

Social Media Campaign

There aren’t many canine health foundations that support overall health. The majority of canine foundations focus on specific health conditions, such as cancer. I was able to find one canine health foundation that focuses on overall canine health.  I decided to follow the American Kennel Club Canine Health Foundation and their social media campaign.

The American Kennel Club Canine Health Foundation‘s mission is to advance dog health: to prevent, treat and cure canine diseases. They help fund research, support and distribute information. The Passion for PAWS Foundation can learn a lot from their social media campaign. They are similar in their mission and interests.

The American Kennel Club Canine Health Foundation has a strong presence through their social media campaign. The campaign focuses on three major social media components; website, Facebook and Twitter. Their website, http://www.akcchf.org, appears to be the favored medium.  The website provides quality content that is consistent and simple to read. They provide numerous topics such as; frequently asked questions, who they are, how they work, governance information, alliances, member information, latest progress in research, funded research, news, events and donation information. The website also provides readers a way to share website information through a variety of social media. The list includes, email, Twitter, LinkedIn, Reddit, Tumblr, Facebook, Digg, Stumble Upon, Pinterest and Delicious.

The second favored medium is Facebook. You can find them at http://www.facebook.com/akccaninehealthfoundation.  The American Kennel Club Canine Health Foundation posts often on their Facebook wall. On their wall, you can find posts from their website, photographs, past events, notes and promotional items.  Readers can also access podcasts created by The American Kennel Club Canine Health Foundation through their page or click on the link to connect to their podcast website, http://akcchf.libsyn.com/webpage.  I expected to see more likes on their Facebook page. They only had 3, 517 likes and only 62 people talked about their Facebook content.

Twitter appears to be the third favored medium through social media. Their Twitter profile, @CanineHealthFnd, provides informational links to their website, Facebook and podcasts. They also add information regarding events and grant information. The content isn’t as active compared to their website and Facebook account. The information isn’t updated on a daily basis, as the Twitter account only has 163 tweets and only 575 followers.

The Passion for PAWS Foundation can certainly learn a lot from The American Kennel Club Canine Health Foundation’s social media campaign. For our online presence, The Passion for PAWS Foundation would like to concentrate on the three major social media components; website, Facebook and Twitter. We believe that social media can increase awareness of our organization by bringing more knowledge to our mission and fundraising initiatives.  This is why we would start with the three main social media components. We want to increase our web presence and influence readers with high quality content that is consistent and updated daily. We want to be a valuable resource. In addition to increasing traffic, we would also like to protect our brand by monitoring conversations.  I think it is also important to have the ability to share content with friends and communities. Our goal is to raise awareness. Our foundation wants to be bookmarked, get more views, more likes, more friends, more tweets.  In order of importance, we will start our social media campaign through our website, http://passionforpawss.blogspot.com, Facebook, Twitter and then YouTube.

Our hope is to inform as many readers as we can through our social media campaign for three reasons. To bring awareness to our foundation, bring awareness to canine health and to raise money for canine health research.

To Neuter or Not To Neuter...That is the Question!

My Dad always took care of our dog's neutering responsibilities. As a child, I always wished our dog's would have babies. But, that never happened. As I got older, I started to understand that the most common reason people neutered their pets was for birth control.

Now that I am an adult, I understand the health benefits associated with neutering pets. When I got my puppy, I didn't want to neuter him. But, the health benefits of neutering led me to make my decision.

Neutering helps prevent testicular cancer. It is suggested by professionals that males should get neutered before the age of six months.

In addition to the health benefits, neutering also promotes good behavior. Dogs become less aggressive and lose their desire to find a mate. Their instinct to roam away from home will subdue, since they do not feel the need to mate with another dog. Neutering also stops dogs from marking their territory by spraying.

And lastly, the most common reason for neutering is to limit overpopulation. High numbers of unplanned litters can be controlled by neutering. This reducing the need to euthanize stray animals.

I decided to neuter him. He was not happy after the surgery, but he bounced back quickly. He is even more disciplined,  calmer, and hasn't sprayed in the house since the surgery. His behavior has improved. I know I have made the right decision for me and Gizmo.

H3N8 Influenza-Protect Your Pups!

I took my two puppies to the veterinarian's office for their first physical. The veterinarian checked Gizmo and Chewbacca's heart rate and temperature. She then proceeded to inspect their eyes, ears and teeth. After she examined them, she asked if we wanted to give them a flu shot. I was astounded by her question.

A flu shot? Who gives their dog a flu shot?

This wasn't the first time that she had confused pet owners express concern. She then continued to explain the need for the canine influenza vaccine.

The canine influenza (H3N8) is a highly contagious new disease that causes respiratory complications. This new disease emerged in 2003 and continues to spread. The outbreaks have been commonly found in kennels, veterinary clinics, dog parks and animal shelters. An infected canine can also spread the disease to another canine through direct contact. The disease can cause serious complications and lead to death. This is why all canines should receive the canine flu vaccine.

But, I wonder...where did the canine influenza come from? We know the strain is closely related to the horse influenza virus, but why is it infecting our canines? More research will have to be conducted since the disease is new to our knowledge.

Boarding kennels are now requesting guests to show proof of vaccination. If I decide to not get the vaccine, then I can't kennel my puppies. I am still indecisive as to whether I should give my puppies the vaccine. Canines have survived all these years without vaccines. Why now?

Transcript: Passion For PAWS Foundation

Hi, my name is Capulet and I am the founder of the Passion for PAWS Foundation.

I started this foundation because of my passion for dogs and their health. Over the past few years, I began to take an active role in learning more information about canine health. It all started with my beloved Zorro. Towards the last few years of his life, his health began to decline.

I wanted to be a pro-active pet owner. I began to research information and talk to professionals in the animal health field. That is when I noticed that canine health research is not as advanced and developed compared to human health.

We need to continue to improve canine health studies and research. Our pets deserve the best health care. They are our best friends and we want them happy and healthy.

That is why the Passion for PAWS Foundation is committed to raising canine health awareness to pet owners.

To support our cause, we will hold an annual dog walk to raise money for canine health once a year. The event will be held on the first Saturday in May. The annual dog walk will take place in any town, city or neighborhood that is interested in participating.

Pet owners can either walk their dog(s) for 30 minutes or participate by bringing their dog(s) to a local dog park and have them play for 30 minutes

The fundraiser will help raise money for canine health research. The research will be conducted with the highest scientific methods and standards. It will focus on all health related issues, including diseases and illnesses.

What we need from you is your financial support to get the program started.

We have created a blog site called passionforpawss.blogspot.com. This is a place for pet owners to learn more information about canine health awareness.

In addition to the website, we have created a smart phone application where users can research health information, compare dog food products, view nutrition facts and recipe ideas. The application will also have an option to link their account to their vet’s pet profile. This will enable users to view their pet’s medical history anytime and anywhere. This application will be available to connect through social networks, such as Twitter and Facebook. Passion for PAWS can also be found on Facebook, Google +, and Twitter. The Passion for PAWS Foundation is currently being promoted through social media and we hope to expand our brand.

Here is where you can help. We need assistance with promotional items. We would like to sell promotional items such as clothing apparel for pet owners and canines. This would include T-shirts, hats, dog collars, leashes and canine t-shirts. Charging money for the apparel will help assist with an alternative way for donation support, while promoting the cause.

In addition to the apparel, we would also like to generate free informational promotional items. We would like to print brochures, posters and newsletters to leave in veterinarian offices and pet stores. The printed material will inform pet owners about canine health awareness and more information about the Passion for PAWS Foundation.

Please support our mission! It is a fun and a great way to help raise money and bring awareness to canine health and research!

Thank you.