Esmeralda Portillo
Category Archive: Editorial
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Weird Social Situations, Thanks to Twitter
Friendster, MySpace, Facebook, Twitter; it’s so weird that the impulse to share every thought that pops into our head is a concept we’ve only had for 12 years or so. MySpace and Facebook gave us the opportunity to share our cat photos with close friends, but Twitter came along and changed the game when it provided the option for anyone…
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The Hardest Thing About Being a Freelance Writer
Driving ferraris and attending lavish parties is what freelancers are made for, but that’s not the life freelancers actually live. With the luxuries of working from home and setting your own schedule come the immense hurdles of sporadic work availability and the too frequent non-payments. Though recently I’ve come across something I as a freelance writer, which…
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“You’re Too Skinny!” The Other Side of the Body Image Struggle
Living in Los Angeles has been an interesting experience. Stationary traffic and smog aside, it’s hard not to miss the heavy focus the LA culture has on health: protein shakes, gluten-free menus, sushi, yoga, juice cleanses, etc. It’s a city with “body image” as its core, and it’s one that can be quite overwhelming for…
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“How are you?” A powerful question that loses its meaning every day
Here’s a quick experiment: for an entire day, count the amount of times the phrase “how are you?” comes up, either by uttering it yourself or others asking you. Of those times, how often did you actually engage in conversation? Better yet, how often did you give a meaningful response, or cared about what the…
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Stop the Hate (Gamers)
In 2002 the world was introduced to Friendster, with MySpace soon to follow, but it was Facebook launching in 2004 and Twitter in 2006 that truly solidified the power of social media. These platforms have sparked millions of people to become more vocal of their ideals and opinions, and this in turn is shaping traditional…
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A Note on the IGDA Controversy
Another party, another controversy, this time at the Game Developer Conference. You can be sure if there’s an article denouncing a party or event of some sort, it usually involves women. The IGDA has come under fire after news broke out that their GDC party last night had a group of scantily clad women dancing…
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Clinging to my Brick and Mortar Stores
Do you notice how your older relatives always start a sentence with “back in my day” when they’re about to complain? Like clockwork I would hear my mother criticize today’s gas prices, food prices, electricity… anything to do with money when compared to a few years ago. Now I’m beginning to fear I’ll start all…
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Are the Brutal Tomb Raider Death Scenes Sexist?
The new Tomb Raider is a reboot to a well-known and beloved series, enlightening us with the backstory to how Lara Croft came to be so skilled at what she does. From the minute Tomb Raider appeared on your television screen, she was shooting wolves in the face and managing to scale rocks and walls unclimbable to…
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