Invitation Answers post 2

         A year in April I had started a class called Sociology of Ageism.  A class that seemed more to do with life than with career choice. It was during this class that I was able to meet one of my favorite instructors that I had during my three years online.  She was really quite animated and did her entire lecture with the camera on. 

          I had seen other instructors use the camera before the lecture started, but not for the entire lecture.  I don’t know how many students watched the video.  I was the only one present for her live lectures.  I had become familiar with Zoom during those three years at school.  I did not realize that this year it would be an essential for so many.

          I’ve had several instructors who cared about their students as well as the subject they were teaching.  I didn’t have many who didn’t seem to care, but I do remember a couple that didn’t seem like they wanted to be there and expressed a “whatever” attitude.  But at times I understood the tone in their voice.  Either the subject was boring or else they just weren’t getting the feedback that they were looking for.

          I think it was during my last year that the students were required to elaborate on the quote of an instructor and to ask a question related to the lecture.  Thus I was forced to take notes which actually helped me to retain more.  What a concept, right?

          I have written posts about many of the classes that I had taken.  Some I did not.  I can’t seem to find any mention of my entrepreneur assignments.  I think entrepreneurship is the American Dream for many, but not for me.  I never wanted to own a business or invent something in order to gain profit.  There are so many advertisements right now that are related to Covid19 or current situation.  Some offer product out of concern for their clients but I think overall companies are taking advantage of marketing by preying on weaknesses or necessities even that volunteers have given but of course the company product is much better and so you should buy.

          I never did take the marketing class that was a part of the agenda when I had first started taking courses.  The agenda was changed and the marketing class was removed.  In Salt Lake marketing was always in my face.  In this little town of Myrtle Creek, only a handful of people understand what marketing is.

Rumors and Speculation

I remember hearing about the Hostess bankruptcy (here and here) back in 2012 – the year I started my blog.  I’d written down some ideas and had collected some pictures to go with a post that never got posted.  I would miss the delicious cream-filled treats.  I would not be able to make “Twinkie” trains with Jenna

https://www.somewhatsimple.com/how-to-make-a-train-cake/  © 2019 SOMEWHAT SIMPLE, DESIGN BY LINDSAY HUMES.

But as I was working on my post, it was announced that Twinkie would stay (here) and so I never posted it (as the title was "No More Twinkie Trains").

or purchased Ding Dongs or Hostess Cupcakes again.

In 2016 Hostess announced a rebirth for their products (here and here).  However, the icons no longer appear on the box (eg Captain Cupcake, King Ding Dong, and Twinkie the Kid)

and the snacks are about a third of the size from what I remember (for example, the foiled ding dong covered my palm and didn’t appear to be lost in it;  and keep in mind that I really do have small hands)

 

The ding dong no longer comes in foil

But hey, what a great marketing strategy.  Disappear for four years and come back smaller and perhaps the public will be so grateful that they might not notice the decrease in size – and maybe even taste.

  

The only snack that appears to have gone up in size is the Hostess Zinger which was a parent company to then Dolly Madison (here and here). 

Not much difference in size when comparing the twinkie side by side the zinger.  There was a vast difference in size when the zinger was marketed under Dolly Madison.  

Lots of parent companies that seemingly own everybody else.  Too many hands in the pot if you ask me.