REFLECTION

Looking back on the process of this assignment I cringe a little bit. It’s not that I didn’t have enough time for the assignment, because I did. But I also changed my topic. When I do articles and stuff like that I don’t always keep in mind how will I be able to report the story considering I am not at a newspaper or magazine and have minimal resources. Thinking this way made this project harder to accomplish. I decided to change my trend from fashion to items and products that were trendy around holidays. That was easier to report. I could actually walk up to people and just ask them a few questions. Sure I got more people who didn’t want to be on the record or gave one word answers that I could use. But what amazed me was how some of my sources gave me too much information and still somehow managed not to answer the original question…weird.

The other thing that really got to me with this assignment was the online element. I understand what it is for, but I think a photo is a photo, a video is a video. I dropped my phone in water last week Wednesday and was unable to use my camera phone which I rely on. I haven’t purchased a digital camera because I tend to lose things of value. I tried to go and get some pictures but my camera wouldn’t work and the photos I had can’t be accessed because the phone will only turn on. So as I’m reflecting I highly regret thinking it was okay to wash my hands and be on the phone at the same time.

And like I said before I would’ve preferred to have the idea originally to save myself some anguish and time. It was hard to get sources and everything done on top of my other work since I changed my topic. Everyone is on their rough drafts and I am scrambling trying to get my sources together. Speaking of sources…

Trends Bends

YPSILANTI, Mich. -- Trends will always be apart of our everyday lives, whether the most “happening” trend out there is a music artist, a specific designer, or a handy appliance -- what better time to introduce a trend than the holidays.

Children are a key target to many businesses all around the world. The holiday season drawing nearer makes finding the items on kids lists harder. Years back every child just had to have a Furby, Hannah Montana and High School Musical merchandise, or a Tickle Me Elmo. This year it’s Zhu Zhu Pets.

Zhu Zhu Pets are said to be the world’s first innovative, realistic, interactive, plush, and artificially intelligent hamsters that not only talk, but move around specially designed play sets. There are four rodents available for sale: Chunk, Pipsqueak, Squiggles, and Numnums, and each has its own unique personality and whimsical sounds.

They also come with two modes of play, loving; which exhibit the toys nurturing needs and will purr and coo. They will also roam around on the floor or their habitats with intelligent audio and mechanical responses to their surroundings in explore mode.

Parents are flocking to department stores to purchase these new age hamsters and are having no luck finding them. Zhu Zhu’s are sold at retailers like Wal-Mart and Toys R Us and cost any where from eight dollars to $32 for a bundle of four. The bundles are only available online and at both stores they are fresh out of Zhu Zhu’s. It appears some parents won’t see smiling faces on Christmas morning…or will they.

Just because they aren’t in stores doesn’t mean they can’t be had. Another trend that isn’t so new anymore but highly respected and recommended are eBay and Amazon. Both online havens have people around the world willing and able to sell a desperate parent in need a Zhu Zhu Pet, a set, or a play set, they just hike up the price.

WCC student Chris Koenig said he had no idea what Zhu Zhu Pets were and thought from the sounds of them they were a waste of hard earned money. He has been shopping around for a toy for his niece.

“I’m not a very trendy person so I try to avoid them at all costs. Don’t get me wrong a good product is a good product, but sometimes you have to say no,” said Koenig.

When it comes to trends this particular student prefers to keep it old school.



“Cabbage Patch dolls. Do you remember them,” he asked. “That’s what I have been looking for this holiday season,” said Chris, “But I can’t find them anywhere!”

What lengths with parents, family, and friends go to, to provide their loved ones with the number one item on Santa’s list? Ashley Perry and Ypsilanti resident said her brother was dying for a Zhu Zhu pet play set and had his heart set on Chunk.

"The prices online are crazy and they are supposed to cost less than $10 in-store,” said Perry, “The play sets are more expensive and those can be found. But I can’t buy my brother a play set he has nothing to put in it.”

She commented that it would be like buying him a cage and supplies for a real hamster and not buying the hamster.

“I thought about getting him a real live hamster, but my mom might not like that and he would have to take care of it. I think the toy is the best idea,” she said, “The problem is I just can’t find them… for a reasonable price that is.”

Ashley heard about ZHU ZHU’s not much before Thanksgiving and Black Friday. She thought they were a bit dull because the child doesn’t have to physically do anything but move around and build these play sets.

“I much rather get my brother something he will have to be active to use, but considering this is what he wants and kids will be in more because of the winter why not let him be one of the “cool kids” at school,” Perry said.


Perhaps trends are appealing to all ages. Perry also commented that she didn’t have a child to buy Tickle Me Elmo doll for. She bought it for herself.

“Elmo is so cute,” she said. “I always loved Elmo. And yes I was one of those crazy people standing in line for hours at Toys R Us, not for my child because I don’t have any, but for myself.”

Perry was so kind to share that she keep him on her dresser, and she feels the least bit poorly squeezes his hand to bring a smile to her face.

Jared Groves an Oakland County resident and employee at AT&T in White Lake hasn’t heard anything about Zhu Zhu Pets. He said he is the middle child and his youngest brother is in high school.

“He’s interested in girls not little hamsters that move around,” said Groves.

When does a child or in this case a young adult become too “mature” for toys and trendy fun?



“I’m not sure if it’s a matter of getting too old,” Groves said, “The standards change. Working at AT&T the I-phone is our latest trend.” “Kids like my brother don’t want toys to play with, they want gadgets they can use and flash around.”

The Blackberry is still a very popular trend, but people tend to have both if not one or the other he said. “At least this year the Hannah Montana and High School Musical phase is out because it was astonishing how many parents were buying their kids ring tones and phone accessories for their phones. But at the end of the day I still got commission,” Jared said.

Groves thinks that Zhu Zhu’s after it was explained to him will abruptly cease to exist and become a vagrant memory, collecting dust on department store shelves, before they are on the clearance rack, and taken off the inventory sheet.

“Products like these just don’t stick around long. It was much like the Furby. It promised to do all these awesome and wonderful things and when you finally got it, it was a huge disappointment,” Groves said.

If posted on eBay or Amazon it would be the phrase every buyer hopes for: Like new, only used once, never opened.

The holiday season is sure to be another end to a great year past, both inviting and saying goodbye to old and new trends of all calibers. Whether you need a new I-Phone, Tickle Me Elmo, latest Hannah Montana album, or a furry artificial pet, they are just a click away. And for buyers like Perry who don’t own computers it can be more challenging, but not impossible.

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A story written by Mitch Lipka about Zhu Zhu's. Take a look.

Who's Down for a Little Gift Giving?

YPSILANTI, Mich. --Thanksgiving and Black Friday are right around the corner and the short check out lanes at one Meijer store worries some.

“Lately they have been sending us home early so I might not be able to afford gifts this year,” said Michele Gray, who has been a cashier for 10 years and adds she needs her 40 hours to stay on top of her finances.

James Stubbs is one of Meijer’s newest baggers and is responsible for keeping carts available to Meijer visitors. He explained you can always tell if it is busy in the store by how many carts are in the corral on the north entrance, which is most popular at the Ypsilanti? store.

“Normally, I struggle to keep the corral full on a Saturday, but lately I have had to find other jobs to occupy my time. Getting sent home early isn’t ideal for me. I need my hours,” Stubbs said. “So people need to continue to come in.”

Shelly McKinney a mother of one with another on the way said, customers are biding their time for better deals.

“I think business has been slower this past October because people are spending wisely to be able to have a decent Thanksgiving and Christmas,” said McKinney, who has only been working at Meijer for about seven months and used to shop at Meijer before she worked there.

Ashley Ivory said she can't wait for the promotions that the Michigan-based grocer and retailer will offer during the holidays.

“I have been working as a cashier at Meijer for two years and every year I wait for those promotions,” Ivory said, “Santa Bucks are right around the corner and I will be putting them to good use.”

Black Friday is one of the busiest shopping days of the year. The best bargains are available and it’s a good time to be thrifty. Until that day comes and extra hands aren’t needed to guide the ship, employees working on an hourly salary continue to feel the ripples of the water.

As seasonal workers are hired to prepare for a busy November and December, customers remain minimal.

“A few months ago it would take me a while just to get through the store while I shopped let alone the waiting my turn at a checkout lane. The last few weeks it’s been in-and-out,” said an Ypsilanti resident.

This season family and friends may be enough for some and a bargain perfect for others.





Meijer Christmas Commercial: The company applies humor and everyday living to reach it's customers. This commercial is a prime example of their strategy to get parents shopping at Meijer. This particular commercial geared toward holiday spending.

Fading memory -- Gordon's Five & Dime

Gordon's Five & Dime located in Depot Town


YPSILANTI, Mich., -- The room once smelled sweet like fresh fruit and honey. Displayed were all colors of the rainbow and countless shades of the color wheel collage through out the novelty shop. Collectibles, childhood favorites, and most of all candy were the strong hold of this establishment.

Everything had it’s place at Gordon's Five & Dime. Dozens of fish bowls with lids containing sugary tastes many remember from childhood sit eagerly waiting to be chosen. A blast to the past the candies costing only a penny each were plainly decorated and of no popular 21st century brand. Majority of the morsels found here were of an earlier generation. Parents and grandparents could visit this five and dime and remember the “good ol’ days” when penny candy was all they knew.

The store was once filled with old figurines and candies you couldn’t find at local grocery store carried: Necco Wafers, Sugar Daddy Pops, Abba Zappas and the Sky Bar.

But the vintage candies are no longer available at 23 E. Cross St. in Depot Town. In it’s place is the Nelson Amos Studio. What used to have toys hanging in the windows underneath a white 23 over crimson awning, now displays paintings in frames and photos.

Gordon’s closure about a year ago was unexpected and rather sudden. Two woman who preferred not to give their names were disappointed the store had closed and aimlessly walked the streets of Depot Town convinced they had overlooked it. After realizing Gordon’s was no longer they settled for The Rocket (similar to Gordon's ), which is on Michigan Avenue.

“Small talk and the buzz from other owners around is all we essentially know about one business or another,” Dennis Unyon said. He said they don't necessarily share personal information, but if there were talks of a store being in trouble someone more than likely would hear about it.

Co-owner of Dennis’s Music Sean Robinson said he thought the closure of Gordon's was voluntary. Dennis’s Music has been happily stationed in Depot Town for four years.

“Depot Town is a pride spot of Ypsilanti,” said Robinson, who was born and raised in Washtenaw County and currently a resident. “It would be great to see all the current business owners come together. We aren’t real close, but we are friendly and know each other by face and name. Businesses here on Cross Street really creates a sense of community.”

Business owners tend to keep to themselves while running their businesses. “You may hear we had a good day or bad day, a good month or a bad month," Robinson said. "But right now I don’t think businesses are in the position to take risks. They have to stay conservative and provide excellent customer service all the time, not just because of the economy.” “And that’s why I think the strip is staying alive."


Gordon’s Five & Dime is only one of many stores to leave the historical town, but it will certainly be missed and remembered, but never forgotten.

Nelson Amos Studio which is now in place of Gordon's Five & Dime.

Roving Festival Writer--TheRFW.com--Introduces Rashon Amiel

YPSILANTI Mich. -- Rashon A. Massey is a mission is to focus on underrated musicians and talent.

“Mainstream music always has someone to capture their every move on stage and off.” “But what about the others whose music is phenomenal just not mainstream? That is where we step in, said Massey, a co-creator of Roving Festival Writer, a Web site that is dedicated to “Documenting Music Just As” according to its motto by delivering insight to music worthy of exposure that mainstream has forgotten.

Massey who is from Flint, and co-creator Ben Landsman, who is from Birmingham,make a great match. According to Massey, Landsman is the traveling one. If nothing else he loves traveling to all the shows and festivals and rarely misses any. In the summer they both travel from fest to fest documenting, recording, and interviewing people and artists.

It hasn’t been easy for the Ypsilanti natives to get things up and running.

“We wanted to keep everything in our family,” Massey said.

The main goal was to keep this business friends and family. They figured with a few of their friends graduating from Eastern Michigan University with film, public relations, journalism, and telecommunication degrees, they would want to help out. However, that didn't work out and the duo separated for almost a year convinced they had been defeated.

Massey has taken the obligations of the Web and maintaining connections and networking their business. Recently, the RFW teamed with up sponsors and was invited to Michigan’s very own Rothbury Music Festival as guests of Madison House Publications.

“Ben and I were able to put together our own team for the first time, sure we could pay them but we just asked around and put messages onto Craigs List and created Team Rothbury 2009,” Massey said. "We chose to have two camera men, a journalist, and Ben and I as brand reps."
"Madison House Productions really came through for the upcoming company," he said

“The ladies of Madison House were very generous, they gave us a space to set up the photo booth, which was created for Rothbury, and donated by miphotobooth of Zeeland,” Massey said, “It was a great success.”

They also teamed up with Everybody’s Nuts who makes excellent pistachios in different flavors. Klean Kanteen whose main focus is to a food-grade stainless steel that contains no harmful chemicals or toxins. The RFW also tries to promote going green. Along with Klean Kanteen it made a new connection at Rothbury '09, E-Cooler, an earth friendly company. E-Cooler Michigan based company produces and distributes waterproof, reusable, paper coolers.

“It has been a pleasure working with Rashon, he has great ideas and keeps up with the technology we need to stay afloat. Granted we are starting out with hopes of earning a living with RFW I am confident with his ideas and work ethics, and my eagerness to explore and meet-and-greet, we will get to where we want to be soon,” Landsman said.

Massey said he is striving forward working harder than ever to get RFW on the map. Massey who will be relocating to Chicago after his performance as Lysander in "A Midsummer Night’s Dream" at the Blackbird Theater in Ann Arbor closes, vows to stay true to his roots here in Michigan.

“The great thing about the site is that I can work from anywhere,” Rashon said.

Video extra

Here is an example of his company’s videos taken from Rothbury Music Festival 2009. For more videos, click here.

Karaoke: Lights, Camera, Twitter!

Pub 13 karaoke and piano bar


YPSILANTI Mich., -- The smell of cigarettes, hops, and whiskey consume the air of the dimly lit main floor of the establishment. Chatter and laughter loudly linger as the wait staff diligently rush table to table gathering orders, which tend to be alcoholic beverages rather than food.

Karaoke is more than good or bad singers, a stage, a microphone, and a monitor feeding participants lyrics. It's entertainment that invites you to be the show for a brief moment or a part of it whether you sit, listen, and watch. Karaoke is not a one man show.

Pub 13 Food and Spirits in Ypsilanti, demonstrates the need for individuals to not only participate, but to be a supportive audience. Sunday nights at the pub is Karaoke with Gypsy. She has themes every Sunday. Roulette which she throws songs in a bucket and participants are normally singing a song they do not know is not a crowd favorite. At the end of the night the audience votes on ballad slips and the winners receive prizes. Other nights it's classic karaoke where you put your name in and sing a song. The most popular is contest nights. Ten contestants sign up at the beginning of the night, they choose songs to sing, and compete for a Pub 13 gift certificate and a spot in the finals.

Karaoke with Gypsy wouldn’t work without supportive audience members such as Keevan Cole. He began karaoke at Pub 13 six years ago when he was a manager there, and he never misses a night. Although he will admit he is not the best singer he does it because it is fun.

“ I am the prime example of tone deaf, but I will continue to get on that stage every Sunday at least twice,” said Cole. His social network is there every weekend and he is definitely a milestone for the establishment.

Can’t make it to the Pub on Sundays, or maybe you aren’t 21 yet? No problem. Granted the 13 doesn’t have a live video feed of the night, what would our social lives be without Twitter.

Brian Carbine said he believes that Twitter is wherever he is. Karaoke is a social gathering for him as well considering he is close with the host. In addition his network extends on the cyber network as well.

“Pub 13: A parade of train wrecks. No really this is Jawsome,” he twittered to his 75 followers.

That says it all.

Introducing Me

I am excited for the journey to the place many are terrified of. The place that people in my hometown call the ghetto, oblivious of the beautifully kept communities of Detroit.


I am confident in saying I've gotten the best of both worlds. I was born in Detroit, raised here in Michigan, and I am proud to be a part of the metro Detroit area. Born in Detroit and raised in the Farmington Hills which is 20 minutes outside of the city,and allowed me to view life through many kaleidoscopes.

Having family in the city kept me intertwined in the city wheel. Although I laid my head in Farmington Hills most nights, my family ties were there, so so was I. The culture of this place is amazing. The stories behind how she has flourished, struggled, changed, risen up, and crumbled, speak for themselves. Detroit is here to stay.

I think metro Detroit is a huge player in the growth of our country and the automotive industry. As we have watched the United States struggle through a decline in automotive demand so has our city, so has our state. This is my first opportunity to construct a blog. Although it is a requirement I think it's an excellent one. My METROBLOG is going to focus on things metro Detroit.

It will be an honest look at everything that either made up Detroit at one point in history, to what is keeping the pulse of the city so hard to feel. I hope to embody the essence of Detroit with a bit of punch. Detroit shan't take a TKO without a deafening fight.