Introduction

Hello! My name is Mary Hui and ETEC 540 is my last course I have to take in the MET program before I graduate! It seems like I only started the program not too long ago… time flies.  I’m excited to learn and collaborate with all of you.

I have separate backpacks for work, hobbies (after hours) and for special events ready to go. For this assignment, I’ve decided to choose my hobbies / school bag because it’s the one that brings me the most joy after work, had dinner and have a chance to rest.

My backpack includes (Starting from the left): Charging chord, yarn, orange shopping bag, stuffing’s, sailor moon mouse, headphones, tissues, strength band, crochet kit, laptop, keys, phone charger, notebook, pens, and an adaptor.

Because of the nature of my work as a system support analyst / coordinator, I choose to stay anonymous in the internet world. However, after taking a few courses in the MET program, I am starting to like creating content online and foster my own online brand. This the reason I bring my laptop, charger and mouse with me wherever I go, it’s so I can gather my thoughts and document them in my google docs/drive. I’m of course, also taking classes, so for a few hours, I am completing my readings and working on my assignments at the coffee shop or a quiet library.

When I need a break, I take out my crochet kit, which includes the crochet needles, yarn and micro fibers, to create knitted projects. Here are some of the projects I’ve completed to date:

Other times, I write my thoughts down using my notebook / pens, or I do some light stretching for my back with my strength band. The adaptor / phone charger connects to my laptop when my phone runs out of battery. The orange shopping bag is for when I need to pick up groceries on the way. After my day ends, I have my keys so I can get back to my house.

Items Considered as Text

Growing up in a binational household where my family speaks Cantonese and the media I consume is spoken in English, I would do activities I like, such as crochet, creating websites online or go running, to learn both languages so I can use them interchangeably as needed. My family was too poor afford cable / TV, so cannot watch any dramas with closed caption. So, I would read and write the definitions down in a notebook, or draw them out. For example:

English	Cantonese
Laptop – Latin for “lap” upper legs of a seated person, and “top” is modelled after desktop	電腦 – Direct definition: 電 means “electricity” and 腦 means “Brain”, together it means “computer”
Crochet – derives from French.  croc means “hook”	鉤針 – 鉤 – means hook, 針 means needle
Mouse – refers to the shape and size which looks like a mouse, and the chord looks like a tail.	滑鼠 – 滑 means slip or slide, and 鼠 means mouse.

Despite not having enough funds to afford cable, my mom loved to play video games. She was the one who introduced me to the first Super Mario Brothers game, and I found solutions on the internet for her to play for free.  There weren’t many e-books back in the day, so I often go to the library for free books and resources. However, the internet / search engine fascinated me and I began to use Yahoo! and Google to search for game related content to read and engage in language and communication. I used communication tools such as ICQ or MSN to communicate with my classmates and friends.

The narrative contents in my bag speaks to the more creative side of myself where I’m not afraid to use my finished art projects as gifts for my peers. This helps me generate an environment and community of those who also likes to create art and receive art as gifts. My outward narrative is a quiet person who has no problem being alone and can accomplish anything she puts her mind into it. Some people may take my silence as stern / seriousness, but once I open up to them more, they see a giant nerd with many hobbies and interests.

My bag looks pretty similar 15 years ago as I was an undergrad student completing my Interactive Arts and Technology degree at Simon Fraser University. In fact, my bag may be filled with items related to school projects. 25 years ago, my bag may look very different, as I may not have the money to afford my laptop, or the more expensive yarn / art materials.

So if an archeologist aiming to understand this temporal period might view the contents of my bag many years in the future. They would see an average typical bi national girl who is really into creating art projects for fun. This person also have experience writing with pen/paper and is also very comfortable with technology.

Thank you for the opportunity to explore this side of myself for the intro 🙂 Looking forward to learning / collaborating with everyone for this course!