Festy Fun! - Media Meditation #2

Over this past summer, I took one of the best trips of my life. It was to Mariaville, NY, a small town in the middle of nowhere. Why did I go here you ask? That's right, I traveled to this tiny town to attend a music festival: Camp Bisco.

(courtesy of TheMusic.FM)

The headliners to this festival is a group called the Disco Biscuits, but they were accompanied by another 20-30 bands and DJs. This was an experience like no other. It was pure euphoria for my limbic brain when I was surrounded by over 10,000 other people all there for the same reason as me, to enjoy the music. Music is one of my biggest passions in life. I enjoy nothing more than going to hear live music.

Not only did I get to listen to great music this weekend, I also got to enjoy the great outdoors and do a little bit of camping. Sure did make me appreciate having a roof to live under! There's nothing better than festy fun. I highly recommend everyone to attend a music festival at some point in their lives. There's nothing else like it.

From digital to ANALOG - Media Meditation #1

(courtesy of deviant art)

I consider myself to be a technologically challenged individual. I am always behind the times of technology. iPods debuted in the year 2000, I didn't get one of my own until about 2008, and I'm still using my mixed CDs! Since the technological shift, it is not often that you can go the opposite way, from digital to ANALOG. I had the pleasure of doing so just the other day. I just recently found out that my good friend has a record player. Upon finding out, I demanded that we go listen to it immediately (record players send my limbic brain into a state of extreme happiness). My friend had a variety of different records to listen to such as Bob Dylan, The Beatles, The Grateful Dead, etc. All the usual bands that would be found playing during the creative revolution in the 1960s. There is just nothing like listening to a vinyl record. The way a record works is much different than mp3s or any other digital way to store music. That circular piece of plastic is actually capturing the music within it. When listening to a CD or an mp3 on your iPod or mp3 player, you are listening to the music which has been converted into numerical patterns on a computer and then back to an analog format in order for you to hear it. You see, in a vinyl record, actual sound waves from a live performance of the song are physically imprinted on the surface of the vinyl. This makes for a much richer sound when played aloud. It's like you're actually there!

I can appreciate it more that way. If you don't know what I'm talking about, switch your normal routine up a bit. Instead of using your iPod as usual, try to find your way to a record player. I assure you, you won't be disappointed.

My name is Kelly Pratt. I am from Franklin, Massachusetts.




My two favorite media experiences this summer were seeing Inception, which is now one of my favorite films, and going to a three day music festival in new york.



One thing I like about our media culture is our multiple ways to communicate because I am a very social person. One thing I dislike about our media culture is the laziness it inhibits.

As of right now I am unsure of my future plans, but I am sure to figure it out while I am here at Champlain.