Bucket List (top ten)

If you don't know the term, a Bucket List includes all the goals you want to achieve before you die.We have dreams of visiting majestic places, to do something spontaneous or even try a new dish. I enjoy reading bucket lists, so here's a sneak peak of the great (and simple) things I hope to do someday :D

1. Write a novel

I posted in the Writer's Discussion Group on +Google+   that I am 16,300 words in my novel. My aim is 50,000 or 70,000. But the main concern is the content of the novel, and not how many words I can write. Congrats to those who are at 1.45 million. It's exhausting sometimes, but I love writing. I am not thinking about editing and the publication process just now. I have to write first!


2. Visit Paris

This might seem like a cliche wish, but I have read and heard that Paris is THE place for writers. I remember watching Midnight in Paris and felt a need to visit some of the historic sites and just get lost in the city, and write!


3. Get a closet Makeover and fill it with bohemian pieces

(mollymcgeeney/my style)

I am such a casual person, and I am always drawn to lightweight, effortless pieces. I love skinny jeans, loose pants and patterned tops. I would not call myself a bohemian/hippie. But I have always been interested in the culture and the fashion. Its so frustrating to be wearing clothes that I don't really like, but I don't have a wide range of choices in my country. Everything is so sheer or tight.



4. Live in an apartment in New York

This has always been a dream of mine, especially when I started writing. The atmosphere is full of driven people who are always on the go. I feel inspired when I observe people and  would love to lose myself in the hustle and bustle of the Big Apple.


5. Learn to bake

Now this may seem easy for some, but no matter how often or hard I try, I can never capture the art of baking. My products are either too hard, well they are always hard. My cookies are another story -_-


6. Go on a road trip

I live in the beautiful country of Jamaica, and as small as the country is, I have not even been around it once. I want to especially visit Negril and Portland. It would be great if I could take a trip with my family.

7. Meet a Caribbean Author

(Merle Hodge)

My favourite West Indian novels are Crick Crack Monkey and Annie John. You can read a review I wrote for Annie John HERE . I would love to sit with Jamaica Kincaid or Merle Hodge in a setting like that of the novel and talk endlessly about the writing process, their lives and anything about writing.

8. Go Vegan

   

( Essena Oneill)

I am currently a pescetarian, which  means my diet is primarily plant based, but I consume fish. I admire +Ela Gale ♡  and Essena Oneill on Youtube for their persistence and healthy lifestyle. I would love to go all natural and organic, but it can be a bit pricey.


9.  Do Yoga in Thailand

After doing the 90 minute Absolute yoga, I wanted badly to visit the Yoga camp in Thailand. Yoga has so many benefits for the mind and body. It helps to ease stress and gives you overall peace and stability. I do yoga for fitness and stress reasons, not the religious aspect.



10. And the big 1-0 is to  go on a mission. I used to present  the mission story at church and always felt a deep inclination to visit a country like Africa or Indonesia. It would be a joy to sit with children to read and play with them. How enriching would it be to immerse myself in a foreign culture.

**I would love to read some of your bucket lists, so please share them with me on my profile  +Renee J  or in the comments below :)


Most people have never learned that one of the main aims in life is to enjoy it.

Samuel Butler

Tone it down!

                                

TGIF!

If you visit my Instagram explore page, you might find your mouth hanging. Maybe you would think I am a pervert to follow people who post only sexual content. But no, most of these are based on popular pages. We are sexual beings so either we engage in sex or think about it. Or maybe not, if you are strong Christians who don't yield to temptation. But I feel as though its getting a bit overwhelming. From the sexy women on posters, billboards and Kendall Jenner who can't seem to stop playing peek-a-boo with her breasts in photo shoots. I find western culture a bit hilarious, because contrary to my West Indian upbringing, growing up seems to be who can dress the raunchiest and curse the most.

Some love their bodies, and justify their naked poses as appreciating themselves just the way they are. But if you are advertising a pair of jeans, where is the jeans? and why are you naked? If you are in a commercial for a burger, WHY are you naked? But lets go back  to my Instagram, I get a glimpse of the preferred sex toys, favourite positions and how freaky people can get, and I think TMI! I was a bit too nosey one Friday after I saw #eggplantfriday circulating on my twitter feed, and did my eyes widen. I'm not telling you to go look, but if ya nosey, have your way!

Celebrate your body, show your weight-loss progress. But I personally don't believe my body is for the world and I never want to be seen as a pornographic figure. But since you want likes, then cut your slit higher, put your ass up and your face down or post your va-jay-jay and penis and your notifications will blow up -_-

Love yourself and show off a little. But if you are only seeking attention, I am sure you have a talent or skill, so please stop exposing every inch of your body. I don't care about your sexual preferences, keep it in the bedroom or wherever your prefer. Follow Humans of NY and learn something different, be unique and post something that's worth attention. Women and Men are worth more than  their bodies. Enjoy this viral commercial (worth watching) on diversity and Inclusion ( sorry to disappoint, but it has no half naked men and women)

Show your naked face, not your naked body

This too shall pass

This post is inspired by President +Barack Obama  visit to my country. As I watched and listened to my country make preparations, I thought "How does one man feel about his success?" It was impressive to see the world's most powerful man speak with such comfort and ease. I marvelled at how he was looked at with such awe and started wondering about my own life and achievements.

It is easy to get down when you fail to achieve certain goals or you receive a terrible grade. I have been to the place where I start doubting my abilities. It gets intense when persons start making expectations, and you try to live up to them, to the point where you simply crash.

I try to read widely and expose myself to the world and all that it has to offer. I see dreams becoming reality and watch as mine seem to be going down the drain,  swallowed in a deep black hole filled with grime and my spiralling hope. There are many that I have read about who did not believe that they would overcome their trials, but they did! I watch +AprilJustinTV  on a daily, and her success story is an inspiration to never give up, even when others put you down.

My dream is to be an Author, to do something I love every single day of my life. But there are many potholes, burning tires and clown faces in the way, and you move pass those, and have good days.But once you turn the corner, more appear and sometimes they stay for awhile. But that too shall pass

I want you to close your eyes and remember a bad day, it could be yesterday, last month or a few years ago, then open your eyes and realize that it is the past. Those days are gone, those trials are over and everyday we wake up is a blessing for new possibilities. It is the time to re-invent yourself. I want to remind you that we live in a fractured creation and most of us will never see our names in bright lights, but even appreciation by one can change your outlook. You might never know if you have saved or will save someone's life with your positivity and hope in their abilities. But it may never happen if you stop trying.

This too shall pass: The sadness, pain, the rejections. You will wake up one day and be in a different place. You might even get to share your story with the world someday. As long as you keep going, even if your achievements seem snail-like, you will reach. Success does not occur overnight, so keep your dreams alive.

Buzzfeed shares a list of 20 brilliant Authors who did not give up, check it out!

http://www.buzzfeed.com/stmartinspress/20-brilliant-authors-whose-work-was-initially-reje-7rut#.fjnzyE37qj


I've failed over and over and over again in my life and that is why I succeed.

Michael Jordan

Meatless Monday Campaign Critique (Johnson_R_ IMCC2701 Final Blog)

Campaign: Meatless Monday 

Rationale: 

The Monday Campaigns created a social marketing effort to address the need for Americans to make healthier lifestyle choices. The campaign speaks to what a lot of Americans wish to avoid: a meat free diet. The campaign goes beyond special seasons such as Lent to advocate for behaviour change. Instead, the campaign is ongoing and tries to relay a positive attitude for the rest of the Human life. Social Marketing strives “to promote the adoptions of behaviours that improve health or well being of the target audience or of society at whole.” (Kotler & Lee, 2011, p.30) This is a clear identification of a campaign that is determined to change behaviour without a time limit, and to communicate a beneficial message worthy of recognition. 

Background Information: 

Americans are said to consume about 270 pounds of meat a year. The meatless Monday campaign was created to address this issue. It all started in 2003 and the social marketing effort was implemented by The Monday Campaigns Incorporated in association with The John Hopkins School of Health and the Centre for a Livable Future. The organizers wanted to raise awareness about the effects of consuming too much meat and to lower the incidence of preventable diseases such as obesity. Monday was the day selected because studies show that persons who decide to quit unhealthy behaviour do so on a Monday, since Mondays represent a new start to the week and new possibilities. (see Appendix A for graph showing why people make changes on Mondays) 

Objectives: 

• Get persons to cut out meat once per week to improve health and the environment by introducing the public to a plant based diet. 
• The Campaign seeks to reduce the consumption of dietary saturated fat by 15% and reduce the risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease. 
• Attract individuals, organizations and institutions such as schools and restaurants and encourage them to make changes to menus on Mondays. 

Target Audiences: 

•  Downstream audience includes American individuals, particularly those who consume meat on a daily basis. Students at all levels are being targeted. Included are individuals at risk such as those diagnosed with heart disease, diabetes and lung disease, as research shows that too much meat consumption can aggravate these health conditions. 
•  Midstream audience consists of vegetarians, food bloggers, health workers and celebrities. Bloggers are useful to provide healthy vegan and vegetarian recipes to their frequent readers. The media has also been targeted, especially online, print (health magazines) and news outlets. A-List celebrities such as Paul McCartney have joined the movement to spread the Meatless Monday message. 
• Health workers were targeted to provide information about the benefits of engaging in a meatless diet.  
• Upstream audience consists mostly of influential groups and organizations; these include learning institutions ranging from pre-school to universities, hospitals and government organizations. The San Francisco school region has been heavily participating in the campaign. 

Communication Strategy: 

Chris Elam, the program director at Meatless Monday states that their strategy was smart by relaying the right message and good timing. He awards the success of the campaign to building an online presence, gaining influencers such as Oprah Winfrey, allowing others to use their agenda( for example, People for the ethical treatment of Animals {PETA}) and having a simple, accessible, empowering message “once a week-cut out meat.” (Meatless Monday reaches 50% awareness, 2011)  The directors mostly utilized the marketing principles product and place to strengthen the campaign.  

Much attention was given to identifying the core product by placing emphasis on health and environmental benefits. Place identifies specifically the distribution channels, celebrities used to add impact and the various institutions and organizations that were targeted for Meatless Monday, such as Ohio State University and food distributor, Sodexo. Monday Campaigns Incorporated positioned themselves as the brand for healthy choices, so participants most attributed their meat free diets “Meatless Monday.” 

Campaign Activities and Materials: 

Events:  Places across America and the world stage their own events at different time periods. An example of such event is the 10th Anniversary symposium which was held at the John Hopkins School in October 2013.  

Tool Kits: Useful guides are available for persons and Institutions that are interested in participating; these include campus and general kits. There is no cost to gain access to the posters and tool kits, and they can be used anywhere and by any organizations who wish to get involved. (See Appendix B) 

Posters and Logos: Posters and logos are available for download from the Meatless Monday website for those who wish to be formally affiliated with the campaign. (see Appendix C) 

Other activities: Cooking classes, cooking demos and community activities. 

Research: 

• Major research is done every two years. The campaign mostly made use of descriptive research and at the collection stage; the commonly used methods included polls and surveys. 
• Nationwide polls were conducted by the National Public Radio (NPR) in 2008 and American Meat Institute in 2010 to find out the frequency of meat consumption in adults and if the campaign influenced any lifestyle changes. Surveys were also done to gain responses from cafeteria customers regarding the change of the Monday Menu. A major survey was done by the FGI Research Firm in 2012 to test the effectiveness of the campaign. (Appendix D shows the findings of FGI’s research.)  

Strengths: 

• The campaign coordinators thought of all possible avenues to relay the message and to engage individuals. It was obvious that much research was done to provide participants with the benefits of being involved in the campaign. Data from the FGI research shows that in just 6 months, awareness went up from 30% to 50%.  The campaign is impacting the American Nation as half the country is now aware of Meatless Monday. 
• The campaign has been consistent from the time of its existence to present day and the Media plays a significant role in spreading the message. Various influential bloggers and personalities were targeted to strengthen the campaign and highlight its purpose and focus which is to make meat eaters aware of the flexitarian diet.  Top chefs and celebrities became involved in the campaign without endorsement. Due to major influencers, the campaign is now recognized in 36 countries. 
• The campaign was specific in audience segmentation. Groups are categorized based on diet (mostly meat eaters) age and occupation (e.g. Bloggers). Research Firm, FGI’s Survey Report (2012) shows that 62% percent of respondents have started a weekly Meatless Monday routine.  

Weaknesses: 

• The posters and flyers lack diversity. There has not been much change since the start of the campaign, and the images lack luster and appeal. The colours are dull and somewhat plain. The campaign seeks to attract even three year olds, but the kit provided is not attractive enough and may need the work of teachers/parents to make it more appealing. 
• Even though, many are enthusiastic to cut down meat consumption, lifestyle change remains a barrier to the campaign; individuals were upset about the change to the menus especially at colleges and work cafeterias. A sorority house at Stanford University is currently experiencing setbacks, as students voiced that they want only meat in their diets. If some are still not willing to make a commitment even for a day, these groups showcase a need to be more informed and involved in the campaign. 
• It has been observed that much pretesting has not been done. Based on findings, the campaign provides benefits and simply asks persons what they think, but thorough pretesting was not conducted to gain valuable responses. Student critics state that the menus were just changed almost forced on them. 

Recommendations: 

• The campaign utilized almost every type of medium to attract its various audiences. This is an aspect of the campaign that should be maintained. There is a strong online presence, especially with the rising popularity of blogging. Persons of various ages are attracted to blogs with its colourful and welcoming displays. 
• The posters and logo could use a bit more attractiveness, especially for the younger audience. There is a consistent use of pigs and cows on almost all the posters, logos and kits. Use of different images, especially the foods, people happily eating and brighter colours to grab attention at first glance. 
• The Campaign is global; a useful idea would be to ask representatives from different countries to make a video to show the world the impact of Meatless Monday in different cultures, as it would be good to showcase a visual aspect instead of just statistics. 
• Operators could add more meatless options on the day instead of an entire menu change. Many persons have not warmed up to the concept as yet, and feel as though the change has been forced on them. Promote a flexible diet and include the benefits of consuming less meat by making the diet exciting and maybe start with samples. 

References 

About us: Meatless Monday (2015, March 30) Retrieved from http://www.meatlessmonday.com/ 

Elam.,C (2011,May 31)  Meatless Monday reaches 50% awareness. Huffington Post. Retrieved from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/chris-elam/meatless-monday-50-percent-awareness_b_868029.html? 

FGI Survey Report: Meatless Monday Online panel. (2012) Retrieved from http://www.meatlessmonday.com/images/photos/2012/10/FGI-Survey-Report.pdf 

Kotler.,p & Lee.,N.(2011) Social Marketing: Influencing behaviours for good. Thousand Oaks, California: Sage Publication Inc. 

Meatless Monday movement gets more veggies on the menu (2013 October 22) Retrieved from http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/2013/10/21/239126655/meatless-monday-movement-gets-more-veggies-on-the-menu 

Palmer.,S. (2013). Meatless Monday:  Today’s Dietitian, 15. Retrieved from http://www.todaysdietitian.com/newarchives/010713p38.shtml 

Appendices 

Appendix A 

Appendix B 

  

Appendix C 

Appendix D