The Blog-a-day Challenge

Official Start Time: 5:30 p.m.
Date: 2/28/09
Official End Time: 6:00 p.m.

The end of the month is finally here and I'm proud to say we've done pretty well this month. I haven't seen such a crazy amount of activity since October when we first had Lane join the site . . . good times.

Right now I'm working on my Analyzing Digital Media! group and a bunch of other under ground stuff that I can't wait to release to the masses. This month however I don't just want to reach my goals; I want to redefine them.

Success can be a two way street and in the end it really comes down to the impact our journey has. The impact can be defined the people it has affected and yet it can be defined by the affect it has had on the individual. What we learn from this experience is what will go with us after we move onto the next big thing; always pushing our limits and even our souls.

With that, the site still has a lot to give. I'm sure in the couple of months to go we will really challenge the start to embark some great project and continue to provide the great service we do to all our members. Little by little, we will continue to push the name and honor that makes this site so incredible.

Sincerely, Hector Guzman

Official Start Time: 10:50 p.m.
Date: 2/27/09
Official End Time: 11:00 p.m.

Sincerely, Hector Guzman

Official Start Time: 6:20 p.m.
Date: 2/26/09
Official End Time: 6:30 p.m.



Sincerely, Hector Guzman

Official Start Time: 9:00 p.m.
Date: 2/25/09
Official End Time: 9:30 p.m.

Analyzing Digital Media! Curriculum

I. Introduction

• Defining the Web 2.0 generation
• Defining Digital Media
• Life in a knowledge-based economy

Assignment 1-Blog: "Students in the 21st Century"

II. The Embedded Code

• Defining the embedded code
• Sharing is caring
• Spreading the good word

Assignment 2-Recreate your image

III. Creative Rights

• Defining creative rights
• Using other people's work
• Suspended YouTube Channels . . where they in the wrong?

Assignment 3-Discuss: Responding to copyright infringement

IV. Digital Footprint

• Defining your digital footprint
• Things that add to your digital footprint
• THe 3E's of Tomorrow: Efficiency, Environment, and Energy

Assignment 4-Tracking your digital footprint

V. Viral Videos

• Defining Viral Videos
• Things that works, don't work, etc . . .
• Successful videos

Assignment 5-YouTube Channels

VI. Digital Media & Education

• Defining the typical classroom
• Introducing Digital Media to the classroom
• Do schools kill creativity?

Assignment 6-Course Proposal

VII. Digital Media: Music to my ears

• Digital media in the audio form
• What makes a successful podcast?
• Talk What You Like Radio Talk Show

Assignment 7-Broadcast Yourself!

VIII. Digital Media: A Picture-Perfect Shot

• Digital media in the visual form
• What makes a successful video?
• The Danish Poet

Assignment 8-The Webby Awards

IX. Digital Media: A Thesis Written for 2

• Digital media in the textual form
• What makes a successful blog?
• Reaching Middl Ground in Education

Assignment 9-Blog: "Controversy Hits The Web!"

X. Advertisements

• Defining advertisements
• Breaking down their influence
• Job Cigarette Ad

Assignment 10-Create an advertisement

XI. Commercials

• Defining commercials
• Breaking down their impact
• There Can Only Be One: Magic and Bird

Assignment 11-Create a commercial

XII. Digital Media & Marketing

• Web 2.0 hits the masses
• Marketing in the 21st century
• The 2008 Presidential Election

Assignment 12-Essential Resources

XIII. The Digital Media Super Giants: YouTube

• Breaking down YouTube
• Analyze: Impact, Influence, and Strength
• Success: What can we expect next?

Assignment 13-Broadcast: "Why do we tube?

XIV. The Digital Media Super Giants: Google

• Breaking down Google
• Analyze: Impact, Influence, and Strength
• Success: What can we expect next?

Assignment 14-Video: "Google Music Video"

XV. The Digital Media Super Giants: Facebook

• Breaking down Facebook
• Analyze: Impact, Influence, and Strength
• Success: What can we expect next?

Assignment 15-Broadcast: "Social Entrepreneurs"

XVI. Conclusion

Sincerely, Hector Guzman

Official Start Time: 2:15 p.m.
Date: 2/24/09
Official End Time: 2:30 p.m.



I think we're all confused which kinda makes it hard to define how we got here and where we will go after we leave this Earth. I believe there has to be something more to life than what we are able to experience on Earth and its all worth it knowing our sacrifices will be repayed.

Sincerely, Hector Guzman

Official Start Time: 1:55 a.m.
Date: 2/23/09
Official End Time: 2:00 a.m.


A happy birthday to Lane Catherine and my mother; two wild women who share such a special day. Both have been pretty awesome to me and I can't way to learn more about one even though I know so much about the other. Crazy how sweet life can be . . . I hope it never has to end.

Sincerely, Hector Guzman

Official Start Time: 1:00 a.m.
Date: 2/22/09
Official End Time: 1:30 a.m.

The world we live in today can best be described by the connectivity that has come to label it. People today live in a global society that takes place in a knowledge-based economy. Everyone works hard, aiming to live a better life that grants them a secure future. This capitalistic way of thinking however doesn’t work when the number of people in need versus those who should be helping those in need is offset. The answer is simple: one should give back to a community through the benefits and opportunities one has been blessed with as a way of insuring a better tomorrow for future generations.

Life in the knowledge-based economy in which we reside has taught us that “united we stand, divided we fall.” Time and time again, history has shown us that when people come together; they are able to accomplish the impossible. It takes sacrifice, commitment, and skill to defy the odds and only with the help of our fellow man can we reach that stage. Giving should be a sign of altruism that sets the stage for a world where poverty and hunger do not hinder us from our everyday routine, but push us toward building a better tomorrow for future generations.

Capitalism, if anything, has taught us that it is not the responsibility of the individual to carry the burdens of society. Certain aspects of life such as food, water, and sanitation should be the responsibility of government. So why should I give my hard earned money to a cause I have no connection to? One should give because it’s a way of giving back to a community of people who were just like us and needed a hand to get up off their feet.

The future ahead is a troubled place as energy, the economy, and the environment seem to bring the planet to its knees. Great civilizations of the past have taught us that when everyone gives their time and shows their support; they provide a better tomorrow for future generations. It is an act of altruism and in many ways an act of faith. Man must believe that his sacrifice and hard work will all one day be worth it when he sees future generations pick up where he left off.

In conclusion, man should take it upon himself to give back to a community through the benefits and opportunities one has been blessed with as a way of insuring a better tomorrow for future generations. Everything in this world requires sacrifice and change can only be seen when one does the right thing not because of a reward, but because one would be satisfied with just seeing a better tomorrow for their kids and your kids too.

Sincerely, Hector Guzman

Official Start Time: 9:50 p.m.
Date: 2/21/09
Official End Time: 10:00 p.m.


Sincerely, Hector Guzman

Official Start Time: 9:00 p.m.
Date: 2/20/09
Official End Time: 9:30 p.m.


Tonight will be the final episode of Late Night with Conan O' Brien. After 16 years of doing the show, Conan O' Brien will be moving on to the tonight show; giving up his legendary 12:30 p.m. slot. With the final episode we say farewell to a legacy of laughs and cynical humor as we watched the show evolve from just another commercial to the main attraction of late night television.

We've seen impersonations, skits, and crimes of nature that no normal man would dare commit and yet we also saw Conan make his presence with other giants such as Jack Sparse, Steve Allen, Johnny Carson, and Jay Leno. He isn't leaving T.V. but he is leaving an environment filled with so many memories and laughs. It's hard not to say good bye and wish him the best as he hits L.A. and continues making us laugh for many years to come.

Sincerely, Hector Guzman

Official Start Time: 8:30 p.m.
Date: 2/19/09
Official End Time: 9:00 p.m.

The site has exploded. I can't even finish a sentence without having to approve a new member. So many people . . .

All the traffic is coming from the college students being referred to the site as they prepare for the 2009 MOJO International Service Camp. Every time they refer someone, they receive a $5 credit towards their trip. Shocking what a little compensation can do. In the month of February alone we've added more than 112 members and I'm pretty sure we will add close to 200 members by the end of this month if this continues to go on.

It reminds me of my earlier days and all the people I've added. I never even thought about how much money I was earning towards my trip. I was just concerned with expanding the site. If I do go back, I know that I have already referred 81 people and I could easily get a bunch more thanks to all the other friends I have on the other Ning networks. I am however concerned how we're going to be paying people for all the members being referred. $5 may seem like a small amount but when you have 10 college kids at work, the numbers quickly multiplies. Would that mean if I ever wanted to go on a future trip that I would already have $405 towards my trip or would I have to start fresh like everyone else.

This isn't the first time people have asked me if I plan to go back and its a question thats been in the back of my head for a while. It would be great to go back and see all my old friends but I feel that I would only go back with a purpose. I still have till September 26, 2009 to make my impact and I've been scratching away at what I can do. It could be something small, but I believe that my impact will be organizing a trip to the US for Chinese students. It's easy to say those words, but actions speak louder than words and its only a matter of time before I take the first major step.

Sincerely, Hector Guzman

Official Start Time: 8:45 p.m.
Date: 2/18/09
Official End Time: 9:00 p.m.


Sincerely, Hector Guzman

Official Start Time: 8:20 p.m.
Date: 2/17/09
Official End Time: 8:30 p.m.


Sincerely, Hector Guzman

Official Start Time: 10:00 p.m.
Date: 2/16/09
Official End Time: 10:30 p.m.

Analyzing Digital Media!: http://www.dragonstudentexchange.org/group/analyzingdigitalmedia

The purpose of this group will be to analyze digital media to its core and how it affects social structures today and in the future to come. Participants will take part of discussions in which they will look at different forms of digital media in the form of audio, video, or text and will reflect on the impact that the piece can have on social structures today or in the future to come.

Projects are another part of the course as students will be asked to maintain a blog, create a video, and organize an online photo album through tools they can find on the Internet. Each project will be graded on the students use of digital media and creativity along with the impact their project is able to create. The impact will be measured in the size of the project, the number of comments, and the different ways they are able to apply their project to everyday situations.

Students who are interested are welcomed to join. Contrary to your typical English or Math class, the Analyzing Digital Media course doesn't rely on text books or examinations but project-based learning structures where students come together to produce a finished project after reviewing information provided by the discussions and previous assignments. College credit is available to all participants who complete the course. So Sign Up Already!

Sincerely, Hector Guzman

Official Start Time: 11:20 p.m.
Date: 2/15/09
Official End Time: 11:30 p.m.


For the poet that rest inside each and every one of us, we dedicate these few moments of openness to our will to believe that we express is true and reflective of our human nature to believe that life isn't as black and white as it seems.

Sincerely, Hector Guzman

Official Start Time: 12:00 a.m.
Date: 2/14/09
Official End Time: 12:30 a.m.

Today being Valentine's Day, I am reminded of how fortunate I am to be alive. Typically this day means nothing more to me than it means to the rest of us who live alone but submerged in a sea of friends who also spend their days typing on their computers and pushing their rank as college looms closer and closer. This desperate life of always aiming for the top seems so empty when you have no one to share it. Today however I have reason to work so hard. Today I can be happy with all the hard work I put into everything I do for today is a day for lovers. A day for those who are in love to express their feelings and remind those they love that without them they are lost. That they give them hope and reason to believe that what we do today will reflect where we are tomorrow. I've met someone special.

Her name is Jassica. It all started as nothing more than an instant message. I wanted help and she wanted a friend, someone she could talk to on her late afternoons after school. However, our relationship soon evolved. We soon began to flirt and our conversations stepped away from the grammar and started to look into who we were as people. We would talk about everything: nature, school, life, children, the list could go on for ages. What made me happiest the most was how caring she was to my every word. She remembered everything I said as I remembered everything she said. We would talk for hours and we would drive our parents mad. It almost became a game where every chance we had to meet only brought us closer and closer to the brink of destruction. But it was all worth it just to hear the other person's voice.

It's been a little over 4 months and it only seems like yesterday that I started talking to her. I love her so much and it drives me crazy every time I can't talk to her. I try to be realistic but sometimes love makes us blind. It blinds us from the truth of the situation and in many ways pushes us to dream. To believe that we can take the world by storm even though we are just pawns on this giant board of chess. However, I am determined and ambitious. I'll always give it everything I got if it means being one step closer to holding you in my arms and kissing you till God himself has to pull us apart.

I love you Jassica.

Sincerely, Hector Guzman

Official Start Time: 6:50 p.m.
Date: 2/13/09
Official End Time: 7:00 p.m.


Sincerely, Hector Guzman

Official Start Time: 5:00 p.m.
Date: 2/12/09
Official End Time: 5:30 p.m.

It begins. Today is the first day of a 5 day weekend I will have and it is AWESOME!!!! Finally, I'll have sometime to sleep. Sometime to eat. And sometime to relax.

For 5 days, I won't have to worry about english class. For 5 days, I'll have all the time in the world to eat, sleep and do basically whatever I want. I'll take the time into consideration and try to be productive but at the same time, I'm looking forward to just doing nothing at all. I don't want it to seem like I'm on a vacation away from work while still dong work. That kills the whole idea.

However, when you look at it from the adult perspective it seems like only time wasted. While you're sleep, everyone else is out fulfilling their goals and aspirations. All you'll have to show is the drool on your face. Its hard being proactive. In some respects, it relies on inspiration and drive. However, that can't always be the excuse and we honestly just need to suck it up and get our work done. We need to make a difference today so that tomorrow we have something to look back and gloat about . . . . teehee!

SIncerely, Hector Guzman

Official Start Time: 4:40 p.m.
Date: 2/11/09
Official End Time: 5:00 p.m.


Remembering the 90s and a generation of kids who watched more TV and read more books than you could ever imagine . . . . how times have changed.

Sincerely, Hector Guzman

Official Start TIme: 4:20 p.m.
Date: 2/10/09
Official End Time: 4:30 p.m.



Sincerely, Hector Guzman

Official Start Time: 3:00 p.m.
Date: 2/9/09
Official End Time: 3:30 p.m.

I think cartoons are a big part in child development in terms of mentality and persona. In many ways child development is based off the resources and environment they're exposed to. If you grew up in an abusive home where no one really believed in you, chances are you won't amount to much because of the lack of support. This however doesn't always hold true as many wish to not commit the same mistake their parents did and work hard to live a better life.

In terms of cartoons, I believe cartoons give children the creative capacity to be original. As a child, I always remembered watching cartoons after school (something that has since been eradicated from tv). Times were different back then, but what I remember most about cartoons was how they inspired me to come up with crazy games and elaborate stories (I was a bit of a nerd). Cartoons encourage children to be original and express ideas in an environment not confined by rules and regulations.

I also read a lot when I was little, but in my opinion its really up to the child and the foundation he/she is able to establish that will determine what kind of student he/she will be. For me, it was never enough to just watch the cartoon, but to recreate my own interpretation. I wasn't someone who always asked for helped; i was the kind of kid who rather figure it out on my own. More importantly, I was always reminded that I had to do well in school and be something in the future. School in my head was just a big game where I would gain points based off the grades I obtained.

Long story short, cartoons, video games, and other forms of media are an enriching experiencing to any child's development and its all about moderation. For every cartoon you watch, there should be a book being read. What you gain from that book (no matter what kind of book it is) is what add ons to the person you will be. Life in the 21st century has become confined but I still believe that we can embrace the "age old" traditions that got you and me to where we are today.

Sincerely, Hector Guzman

Official Start Time: 10:20 p.m.
Date: 2/8/09
Official End Time: 10:30 p.m.




Sincerely, Hector Guzman

Official Start Time: 3:40 a.m.
Date: 2/7/09
Official End Time: 4:00 a.m.

I feel like a dumb-ass right now after having realized that time and time again my control issues seem to get the best of me. I'm referring to wanting to have complete and total control. I know I'm not the first man to feel this way and I probably won't be the last. I just like to have access to all resources when working/creating something.

For instance, it bugs me when I can't do something I'm so good at. Like my blogs for instance. I came across an issue with the number of blogs I had done during the month of January and how it seems like I was either missing or had an additional blog that I couldn't quite put my finger on.

Missing a blog isn't too bad. Usually it means I set the date wrong and I have to go back and fix whatever the issue might be. Sometime the issue makes no sense, like I deleted something and yet it still counts toward the total number of blogs or pictures I have. I guess its really just something to do with Ning and me being too controlling with how much of everything I have and where.

I came across this conclusion today when I was updating my blog and I kept going back to fix things like the way the picture was positioned and the size of the text. Somehow I wound up editing the blog after I published it and I came across having an extra blog that doesn't exist anywhere.

• Post the blog when you are sure it is perfect (I have two "imaginary blogs" because of this issue)
• Always safe a copy in the form of a .txt or .rtf file just in case you need to go back and fix something so simple and stupid
• Finally, be happy with what you post, delete if you get the chance before things head south, and be progressive . . it works

Sincerely, Hector Guzman

Official Start Time: 2:40 p.m.
Date: 2/6/09
Official End Time: 3:00 p.m.



The beauty of nature and how pure it can make life seem is what seems to make us picture this paradise where all our problems seem to drift away. I imagine nature as this paradise on Earth that has been untouched by man's negative intentions. It really represents the purity that we are born with and how we all one day must revert to this pure state, eventually that is.

Sincerely, Hector Guzman

Official Start Time: 1:00 p.m.
Date: 2/5/09
Official End Time: 1:30 p.m.

Now I don't mean this literally. What I'm referring to is things it seems/feels we can get away with because of the number of people who are doing it and how less likely it is for us to get caught. For instance, it seems totally harmless to download a song that has probably already been downloaded over 1,000,000 times in the last hour. Who would catch you and what kind of punishment could you suspect from something that hundreds do everyday?

Morally speaking, it is wrong to download music illegally. There are a lot of things that morally speaking seem wrong to do. However it seems that with time, man is able to accept new ideas and more importantly embrace new lifestyles. Things that were thought to be crazy ideas in the past are now accepted as norms in our everyday lives. It's really only a matter of time before we start becoming more open with ourselves and our fellow man.

I guess its really human nature and like evolution, something that takes place over a gradual period of time and cannot be labeled by a distinct moment.



Sincerely, Hector Guzman

Official Start Time: 10:00 p.m.
Date: 2/4/09
Official End Time: 11:00 p.m.

Its hard to do but it's something we must all come to terms with. We can avoid it as long as we want but in reality we are only feeding a beast that thrives on our pain and suffering. This monster lurks in the shadows and has been there since the dawn of time. It saw man take its first step and it will probably see man take his last. It can't be stopped by sword and shield nor it can be it vanquished into an alternate dimension. It really take human will and power to extinguish such a flame that burns through the rain and wind.

It takes determination, diligence, and even might to see this creature eye to eye and not stare away. It teeth are capable of shredding our soul in two while its grin only makes you hate it more than it already it hates itself. And yet it continues to lurk the shadows and torment those whose minds are no longer habitable. It thrives off their suffering and eats away at their spirit until only a shell is left. It moves on waiting to find a new host where it can sink its teeth and drain the life from another innocent victim whose mind is puzzled with the fears and doubts of life.

Fear and doubt is what make us human and yet it is what created this beast. Our fears and doubts are what lure this beast to our doorstep. It is what allows this creature to sink its teeth and it is what closes the chapters of our spiritual life that once held so much potential.

But I however believe that this beast is really a crucial element to our spirit. Without it, we wouldn't be human. It lays at the bottom of our soul as a reminder of what can strike when we close the door on our friends and on our dreams. Without it, life wouldn't hold any boundaries. We would be free to take the world by storm; only to see our fellow man blaze a trail through what we have worked so hard to create and no rhyme or reason stopping him. Thus, it is a fight between the beast and ourselves as we strive to achieve the balance that satisfies both its hunger and our sanity.

Sincerely, Hector Guzman

Official Start Time: 3:50 a.m.
Date: 2/3/09
Official End Time: 4:00 a.m.




Sincerely, Hector Guzman

Official Start Time: 2:40 a.m.
Date: 2/2/09
Official End Time: 3:00 a.m.



Sincerely, Hector Guzman

Official Start Time: 11:00 p.m.
Date: 2/1/09
Official End Time: 11:30 p.m.

Today we finally reached 500 members on the site, and I'm so happy we finally reached our half way mark. However, I fear that we now have even less time to reach our bigger goal.

The number of people on the site use to be such a big thing for me and several others on the site. Overtime however it seems like the site became less and less important. People began to drift away into their everyday life while others refused to take on the challenge that laid ahead. For some reason or another, it seems like I was never able to let go like so many others before me have.

I guess it really comes down to how much one really cares. "How much do I get out of each hour I invest and is it worth it?" In reality, we only have so much time to accomplish the impossible; something that when you don't have support or the resources necessary seems impossible. Towards the end, it seems like time and time again we are able to get a grasp of victory only to see success snatched away from us. And it sucks so much having to see that happen time and time again.

The walk home from the battle field however has to be the sweetest part of the journey. The friends and colleagues who greet you on your way into town seem to understand your struggle the most and congratulate you on your valiant effort. It hurts inside wishing you could have done better but it feels great knowing others knew you did your best. I guess it's really just an experience that we should look back on with pride rather than shame.

Sincerely, Hector Guzman