English 1020

Self-Reflective Essay

2007-05-05T11:13:00.000-06:00

All good writers continue to grow throughout time and have to adapt to different writing styles. I have found that I have continued to grow as a writer through the English 1020 class through challenging myself to write different types of essays, apply different techniques and develop my tone more. I also find that I have discovered the difference between writing for paper and writing for a blog, even more so than I could have simply explained. I have learned much more by actually writing my own blog and reading other blogs, in and out of the classroom. My tone for writing a blog has changed in comparison to my tone when I write for a paper based project. Through this class I have been able to grow as a writer, learn what my strengths are and what I can still work on as well as being able to change my writing style to fit that of a blog atmosphere.

I would consider myself a decent writer, with strengths and areas to work on. My strengths include being able to stick to a given assignment and write it well through conventions, diction, and general mechanics. However, I feel that I can work on several aspects of my writing still. While I am improving, I feel that my thesis statements can be better. I need to work on developing my thesis through many stages, and not just sticking with the first thesis that happens to pop into my mind. I believe that further developing my thesis will aid in my overall assignment’s quality as I will be able to be even more focused on my topic.

Another area that I feel I could work on to improve myself as a writer is to expand upon my ideas more. While I have ideas, I feel I often stop too soon to present a completely well thought out analysis. Although there are word constraints with any assignment, and especially these in the 1020 class, it would have been difficult to expand too much more without exceeding the word count. However, when I start English 2030 I believe that it will be more demanding and expansion will be an aspect that I must continue to work on and get better at.

Writing for a blog is much different than writing a simple paper, as the tone is different and less academic. Throughout the semester I have found that my writing style has changed to accommodate the blogging style that is necessary. In this earlier post, I find my style is still very strict and academic, not quite what is looked for in a blog.

“Paper-based writing cannot change the audience instantaneously. If a journalist published an article in Time magazine, it is impossible to change the subject for each country Time is published in. There is one copy, one version, no ability to change the contents to something that someone in Sweden might be more interested in.”

In this blog I was discussing the difference between a web based article and a paper based article. This passage exudes a sense of academia and I seem to have missed the overall point that I have gained from writing for a blog instead of writing for a paper based source. While my argument is valid, I feel that the main difference between these two types of writing has morphed my own writing into a style that is more geared toward the blogging community. In a later post, my style is more loose and personal.

“I understand that childhood obesity is a problem, but my guess is this little girl is not even the slightest bit overweight, if her mother is this obsessed about weight. I agree with many of the listeners about how she is setting her daughter up for an eating disorder.”

In this passage I am more willing to express my opinion and use first person. In high school it was drilled into me not to use the first person; however, what ended up happening was that I had a very hard time adjusting to a writing style that uses first person regularly and it is an integral part of blogging as I have learned.

All writers must be able to adapt their writing voice and style to the assignment at hand. I found that this semester I was able to transpose my usually academic and strict writing style to a looser, more personal blogging style. While I still have my strengths and weaknesses as a writer, I believe that I will be able to work on them more and more as I continue through school, and this was a valuable experience to my development as a successful writer.

The Third of May 1808

2007-05-02T18:06:00.000-06:00

Art can be interpreted an infinite amount of ways, and that is partially why art is art; it can mean anything to anyone. If the artist provokes anything, from emotions to conversation to a controversy, it is usually a good thing. Some art is clearer cut than others, while some art is much more open to interpretation. From portraits to sculptures to historical scenes, art can truly be anything. Francisco Goya, a famous Romantic Spanish painter, captured an unforgettable moment in history in his painting The Third of May 1808. Goya’s painting demonstrates his argument for the inhumanity and consequences of war to deter future generations from falling into such an inhumane trap.

In the early nineteenth century Napoleon was attempting to expand his empire, and invaded Spain in 1807. As the royal family was not in good standing with the Spanish citizens, when it became known that the last two members of the royal family were to leave Spain, on the second of May, “[t]he mob in the square outside the royal palace tried to prevent…[them] from leaving the city” (Thomas 42). The Spanish mob moved into the streets killing some French soldiers that were stationed near the royal palace trying to move the French out of the country, and take Spain back into the hands of the Spanish. Rioting continued until Napoleon’s brother, Murat (a Frenchman), came into town and was “angered by the death of Frenchmen and hoping to extinguish all germs of rebellion” gave an order: “’ [t]he populace of Madrid, led astray, has given itself to revolt and murder. French blood has flowed. It demands vengeance’” (Thomas 43). The third of May the “vengeance” that Murat spoke of was delivered, in the form of 400 deaths. “Shooting went on sporadically all night and, again as usual in these circumstances, some innocent people were shot with those technically guilty” (Thomas 44) of killing French soldiers. This massacre was captured by Goya six years after it occurred in his painting The Third of May 1808.

After analyzing this painting, Goya’s argument of the inhumanity and horror of war becomes apparent. Starting with the focal point of the picture, the man in the middle with the white shirt and the yellow pants, arms out stretched, the argument begins. For this time period it was unusual for a painting to be made of someone unrecognizable (Thomas 13-4). The man’s race is uncertain and this adds to the mystery and the ambiguity of the man. This man is very human with desperation and fear overflowing from his eyes and his face. His position references the crucifixion and Christianity. The fact that this man is ordinary lends itself to the idea that war can happen to anyone at anytime, and there is no deciding factor on who lives and who dies. The reference to the crucifixion implies that this is a wrong killing, but hopefully will be the last, and will save us all of our sins just as Jesus did for the Christians. However, upon further analysis of the painting, a dead body to the left of this central figure has arms outstretched in the same way, implying that the dead man was in the position that the central figure is currently in (Thomas 19 - 20). This suggests that Goya is making an argument that war can never truly be over, not matter the warnings, or how many die. The analogy technique that is employed in this situation aids in the rhetoric and the strength of the argument. The dead people are graphic and there is blood all over the place, this is not glorifying war but is a warning against it. Off to the left of this dead body, “lies the bloody body of another victim, scarcely distinguishable, more a carcass than a human being” (Thomas 20). Once again dehumanizing those involved makes Goya’s argument that war is pointless and inhumane, the actions that are taken during war aren’t human. The other group of people, besides the soldiers, is those lined up to be killed. While the audience cannot see all who are lined up behind the first row, it is implied that the number of people present and about to be massacred is a high number. Looking at the faces of these people, “[n]one of them seems specially brave: all seem human” (Thomas 17). Some are closing their eyes, which enforce the possible theme of “the end of vision” (Thomas 19). When war breaks out, creativity is usually lost, the arts suffer, and this could be a reference to this loss of vision. Yet another downfall to war.

The painting has a feeling of time and history’s circular movement. There are those lined up to be killed, the man who is in the process of being killed, and the killed. Before, present, after (Thomas 20). Goya illustrates the consequences and demonstrates the circular flow and the repetition of history by having these three sets of time. This comparison and contrast to the living and the dead also emphasizes the severity of war and Goya’s ultimate argument against war. An interesting note to make however that is the soldiers remain constant for the entire piece. The soldiers are symbolic of war and inhumanity. Unlike all other figures in the painting, the faces of the soldiers aren’t visible; they are in a uniformed line in comparison to the chaos of the victims that stand across from them. Goya makes this point extremely obvious, war is faceless and inhumane.

Goya creates the feeling of fear and horror through this painting. His ultimate message of the brutality and bestiality of war is portrayed through the soldiers, the Christianity reference, the dead, those lined up to be killed, everything aids in his argument. Goya illustrates war to deter future generations from getting involved in war and to display the fear, the hurt, the suffering, and the pain associated with it, and how dehumanizing it can be even when humanity is staring at you with big frightened eyes.

Bibliography

Thomas, Hugh. Goya: Third of May 1808. 1972. New York: Viking, 1972.

Has this mother gone too far?

2007-04-21T12:11:00.000-06:00

I often listen to Alice 105.9’s afternoon show with Slacker and Steve. On their show they have a segment called “Other People’s Problems” where listeners email Slacker and Steve about a problem they have and Slacker and Steve open up the problem to other listeners in an attempt to solve the problem. I believe it was last Thursday where there was an OPP about this mother who took her daughter to the gym to do cardio, had her on a diet, and kept a weight journal. O, and did I mention the daughter is eight? The writer was the father who believes that the mother went too far. Many people called in saying that this mother was setting up her daughter for an eating disorder, but there was one doctor who thought she was doing her daughter a favor. I understand that childhood obesity is a problem, but my guess is this little girl is not even the slightest bit overweight, if her mother is this obsessed about weight. I agree with many of the listeners about how she is setting her daughter up for an eating disorder. I don’t have a problem with going to the gym, or even eating healthy, but I believe that she is going too far with the weight journal. Charting her weight at such an early age I believe can set her up to be obsessed with her weight for the rest of her life (but at this point in society there aren’t many women who aren’t obsessed over their weight). I just think she should wait until the girl is like 14 or something around that age because at 8, you are supposed to still eat ice cream without feeling guilty or like you have to go burn it off in the gym.

Shooter

2007-04-21T11:51:00.000-06:00

Last night, I went to go see Shooter, with Mark Wahlberg, and I thought it was a great movie, and it caused me to start thinking about things. The short synopsis of the movie involves a sniper who was accused of an assassination attempt on the President of the United States, and was framed by the government. It makes me think about how corrupt Washington and all of the politicians can be. There is a line in the movie by a senator who says something about how there are not democrats or republicans, only the haves and the have-nots. I found this an interesting proposition, as in politics, I think that is somewhat accurate. Some politicians get what they want and get away with it while others don’t, and don’t have connections and power within the political structure we like to think of as a democracy. They talk about how there are agencies in the government that “don’t exist”, and I am almost certain that there are those out there that are in these agencies and that our government is so corrupt, the citizens probably wouldn’t even want to know half of what goes on. And how much should we know? How much do we have the right to know? And how much do we want to know? I believe that there is a good number of citizens out there that don’t want to know about any evil doing this country participates in and wants to continue to think that we are really spreading freedom and democracy to those deprived and we are the true humanitarians that the government likes to portray us to be.

One Day to Change the World

2007-04-15T11:00:00.000-06:00

“World peace”: This is the generic wish for those who I believe don’t know what to wish for. Ironic as it may be, this is what I would change if I had one day to change the world. Some might call this ambition overly optimistic, but if I had one day with unlimited resources, I would start the wheels of change (cliché I know).I would launch a multi-national “coexist” campaign. Posting signs, running commercials, all methods of advertising would be employed to achieve this goal. A multi-national holiday dedicated to the goal of world peace and being able to coexist in harmony. Bringing about the idea and spreading the word would be extremely important, like in all political campaigns, just reminding people of your name helps you win, and I believe that just reminding people of “coexist” would help. Educating everyone on conflicts all over the world, informing is the first step in solving any problem. The more people that are aware, the more people that can think of a solution, the more solutions we have, the better chance there is for success A world-wide holiday full of education set apart from stereotypes and peer pressure. Bias-free information and discussion groups with all answers submitted to solve our world-wide problems. Eliminating stereotyping, prejudices, and grudges throughout the world is a major step in the “coexist” campaign. As humans I believe that we are intrinsically good, and that without these poisons world peace could be achieved.

You Tube Video

2007-04-10T14:24:00.000-06:00

Mock - Calvin Klein Advertisement

2007-04-08T17:30:00.000-06:00

In some ways this ad uses comparison-contrast, as it relies upon your knowledge of the typical Calvin Klein perfume advertisements. Without this knowledge of being able to compare this man’s hairy body to that of the twenty-one year old chiseled hairless body, it would be somewhat pointless and the audience wouldn’t understand the parody. In most Calvin Klein “for men” advertisements, you see the typical gorgeous male model, that maybe two percent of all males look like; this ad plays off of that notion, exaggerating the fact that the “Reality” is that men are hairy and fat, and very few have clean chests with enormous pectoral muscles and an eight pack. It is making fun and mocking the American culture of our perception of what the ideal male body looks like, and saying that really, this is what most men look like and this is the reality, stop letting these ads feed you garbage about how gorgeous men and women should look, because that isn’t reality : this is. This ad can appeal to everyone, because we have all been to the beach and seen the majority of older men looking exactly like this ad, but with a swim suit on. This ad looks pretty gross to me, I definitely don’t want to see anything on this man’s body. But what does that say about what the ad is trying to do? We only want to see the bodies that look like models, and the everyone should look like the model and have a gorgeous body.

Calvin Klein Jeans

2007-04-08T17:16:00.000-06:00

Sex Appeal is used to some extent in this ad, but compared to other Calvin Klein ads, this one seems mild. The focal point of this ad is a female with her neck out stretched and her head tilted back and her eyes closed and her mouth slightly open, exposing her perfect teeth. There is half of a man’s head to the left of her and about an eighth of another female’s head to the right of her. The look on her face looks like she is either relaxed, just had an orgasm, or could be asleep. She doesn’t look to be in pain and nothing really inappropriate is going on in this advertisement. It is a gorgeous model showing off her elongated neck. While some might consider it somewhat sexual, it isn’t like she’s flashing the world. It could be a sensual pose in certain contexts, and maybe part of the reason why not much of her surroundings are showing is to create this sense of sensuousness. The use of black and white in this ad also adds to the mystery and sensuousness, the definition in her neck and her face with the shadowing is much more exaggerated and makes it more sexual. I don’t believe that any of the exaggerated uses of pathos are being used in this ad; however, one note to make, the ad is advertising Calvin Klein’s jeans, and there are no jeans in the ad at all. It would seem to be more appropriate to have this ad be for perfume, as the neck is an area that perfume is applied to.

Analysis of Thomas Allen's FANCY

2007-04-01T16:26:00.000-06:00

The overwhelming juxtaposition of these two unlike categories enforces Allen’s meaning in this picture. The mother and the father being blurred out of the picture infers that they are no longer apart of the picture, both literally and figuratively. It implies that they don’t understand and can’t comprehend what is happening to their children. Both the mother and the father are looking in the same direction, away from both of their children, creating a sense of naiveté and denial on the parents’ part. The similarity between the little girl’s look and the show girl’s look is astounding and not accidental. I believe that Allen wished to portray the loss of innocence in the little girl and to illustrate what the little girl is going to turn into, and the changing of a culture from the Leave it to Beaver era to the present era full of sexual innuendos and Brittany Spears. The show girl reaching out to the little boy implies some sort of connection that is intriguing to the boy and desired by the show girl; yet again enforcing the loss of innocence and the transition into present culture. While the family is closest to the audience, the show girl has the focal point as she is above the others and employs the hierarchical scale. The majority of her body is showing and is bigger than any other person in the picture, implying her importance. The blurring also aids in the focal point and the creation of the picture.

Reflection of Thomas Allen's FANCY

2007-04-01T16:08:00.000-06:00

The woman in this print reminds me of the show girls in Las Vegas and of Marilyn Monroe. The woman in this picture seems to be desperate and has a fake smile and facial position. Her position reminds me of an ending pose of a routine. When I was in gymnastics we always had to finish with hands up, heads up, and back arched. It was a position that was considered proper and the standard of how someone finishes a maneuver. This woman looks as though she just finished a dance routine and this is her ending position. The family on the other hand reminds me of the “perfect” 1950’s family with Joan and Ward Cleaver from Leave it to Beaver. It is obviously from a previous time when families actually sat down and spent quality time together. This is somewhat rare nowadays. The little girl’s clothing and hair style also remind me of an earlier time, as it appears she is wearing a blue dress and her hair is short and flipped the typical hair style that was put on little girls during that time. The family looks innocent and happy, with the exception of the little boy. Not to say that he looks sad, he looks as though he is having a day dream as he is looking up and away from where everyone else is looking. This again sets him apart drawing more attention to him and reminds me of some little boy that doesn’t listen to his parents.

Observation of Thomas Allen's FANCY

2007-04-01T16:06:00.000-06:00

The focal point of the picture is the woman in the back. She has blond Marilyn Monroe hair, with red lipstick and eye makeup. Black lace gloves come up past her elbow and the main torso of the dress matches the gloves. She is smiling and has her left hand up above her head with the hand open and her torso somewhat turned to expose her right hand more enabling it to reach out with the palm faced down, and the fingers spread. The rest of the dress looks to be magenta feathers. She appears to be standing on or behind some sort of stage framed by curtains. In front of the woman is a family of four, including a mom wearing a red dress playing the piano, the father standing behind her wearing a suit, a little girl wearing a blue dress sitting beside her mother, and a little boy wearing a black and white striped shirt sitting by his sister. The family is singing, and the mother and father are blurry and out of focus in the picture. The show woman’s hand is stretching out of the stage in perfect focus and looks to be almost touching the top of the boy’s head, who is the only one of the family who is entirely in focus and crisp. The right side of the picture is out of focus, slowly coming into focus starting at the show woman and then fading back out of focus passing the little girl and blurring the father and the mother.

Reflective Essay: Obese Children

2007-03-15T20:23:00.000-06:00

It’s raining over my spring break in Maui, and after three hours of shopping, my friend Leo and I are hungry and we run into a food court. Five restaurants enclose about twenty orange plastic tables and we make our way over to the Chinese take-out counter. As I order the orange chicken, chow mien, and beef and broccoli I notice that our idea is not so uncommon. A couple families are sitting eating some McDonald's along with some other single and double parties strewn around the room. We make our way over to a table near the window, and as we watch the rain poor down we complain about how we are unable to do any outdoor activities. I look to my right and I see this thirteen or fourteen year old boy eating McDonald's by himself. He has a tray full of super-sized French – fries, several hamburgers, and a soda the size of a pint at least. As I look at this boy I can only imagine that his t-shirt covering his five rolls of fat is a 6XL at least, and I find myself in amazement that swim-trunks are made that big. He is overflowing out of his chair, and he doesn’t seem to notice the looks that he is getting as he salts his fries and dips them in ketchup. I started to look around for his parents, but they are nowhere to be found. On vacation in Hawaii and some teenager is eating McDonald's by himself.

After a while, I noticed the families eating McDonald's were somewhat over weight as well. It is alarming to me that so many children are becoming obese, and the fact that the parents don’t seem to care astounds me. I’ve tried to come up with several excuses for this new epidemic, and some seem ludicrous while others I believe may have had a large hand in the matter. The explosion of the fast-food industry combined with our busy lifestyles I believe has contributed to this epidemic along with the advancements in technology that have made the average American lazier and lazier. While these I believe contribute to this problem, it is my opinion that the lack of parental influence and involvement that has aided in the epidemic the most.

Maybe the problem is that the parents are just as overweight as the children. The American Obesity Association (AOA) reports that overweight children aged 10 to 14, with at least one overweight or obese parent, were reported to have a 79 percent likelihood of overweight persisting into adulthood. Could it be that the American obesity epidemic is becoming genetic? It definitely seems hypocritical to a child when an overweight parent tells him or her to lose some weight or to go exercise. If we look at the cause of childhood obesity to be the fault of the obese parent, then it is necessary to examine why the parents are obese and have passed this trait/lifestyle down to his/her child.

Fast food restaurants have become more and more popular, with more and more of them located throughout the country. Fast food revenue accounts for more than half of all food sales in the United States which is triple what it was in the 1970s. In August of 2002, three New York teens sued McDonald's claiming that their food was the reason they were obese. This case lead to the idea to make a documentary about the Fast Food industry’s influence on the average body, this documentary became known as Super Size Me. In this film, Morgan Spurlock only ate McDonald's for a whole month, charting his body’s progress (or demise). This documentary was meant to become evidence toward the case to prove that the Fast Food industry was responsible, however the case was dismissed. In a strictly legal sense, the fast food companies are not responsible for the obesity epidemic, which leads me to my next question. Why are people eating fast food more? If the demand for fast food wasn’t there, the industry would not be as big as it is today, so obviously there is a strong demand for fast food, but why?

The answer to this question could be many different things, but in my opinion it is the advancements in technology that has aided in the demand for fast food. When an invention is made, the usual goal is to make life easier in one way or another. The stapler was invented to make it easier to keep papers together. The laptop was invented to make it a computer more accessible wherever one might be. Every invention has a purpose that can be linked to the “betterment” of someone’s life. Hence, such inventions as the remote control and the automobile have made it easier to complete a task without much exerted effort. The video game was invented to entertain more easily, and to have an entertainment device right in front of you so you don’t have to go and do anything to entertain yourself. All of these inventions have made Americans and many citizens of the world lazier. Take-out food was invented to save time and make dinner easier. Fast food is the ultimate easy (and cheap). American expect everything to be at a much faster pace and want instant gratification. I saw a teenager calling someone on her cell phone, and when the desired party didn’t pick up, she became so annoyed that she said she “hated him anyways”. Teenagers have become used to instant gratification, and heaven forbid that the food takes thirty minutes to cook in the oven.

Our morphed life style from women in the work force to a higher divorce rate means less time at home, and everything must be at a faster, easier pace. The lifestyle of the average American has changed into something that is almost unfathomable. Rarely any home-cooked dinners that are eaten as a family, without a television blaring in the back ground, or the foreground as the case may be. Now instead of going outside to ride a bike for fun, children are sitting inside playing their Play Station or watching television. The culture has changed right alongside the technology. Our lifestyles have adapted the new technology and this results in a more overweight and obese population. Unfortunately these children are the result of such changes.

I BELIEVE...

2007-02-28T13:58:00.000-07:00

I believe…

In fate

There is someone for everyone

Love Actually is all around us

That those who cut others off on the high way will get what they deserve

A smile can positively impact someone’s day

One person can make a difference and that

Picking a gum wrapper off the floor makes our world a better place

In banana’s foster from Ruth’s Chris Steak House

The meat in hot doges from the street vendors is questionable

Eating Ben and Jerry’s out of the container is the only way to do it

Eating a spoonful of peanut butter will cure hiccups

In the power of music

The songs about Vietnam made an impact

Music has the ability of heal and rejuvenate

In democracy and the power of the people

The World is Flat

A government should be balanced between members that represent all views of life, not just two

One can never own enough shoes

Appearance reveals a lot about someone

Morale is boosted when you wear something you feel amazing in

Getting up at 5 am to watch the sunrise is refreshing

Mother nature presents miracles everyday

There is gold at the end of every rainbow

In making decisions

You must make goals to get anywhere

Everyone has the ability to say “no”

Wasting time is for the birds

“no one ever sat their way to success except the hen”

In standing up for what is right even when you are standing alone

The world will improve when people stop following the crowd,

And start following their hearts

That racism and prejudice are still problems

We are all more similar than different

It is our duty to fight for those who cannot

In baking your own birthday cake

In celebrating yourself, your accomplishments

Your family, your fortune, and all aspects of your life

Celebration is necessary

In spontaneity

In running through the sprinklers at ten at night by yourself

In taking a drive with no destination in mind

In carpe diem

In my dreams

In my hopes

I will make them come true

Caption of an unknown painting

2007-02-28T12:43:00.000-07:00

This painting is by Daniel Sprick and there are many objects and items present in this photo that may represent a number of different things. The focal point of this painting is the white table draped with a white sheet a little off to the left. On this table are roses, and irises. White flowers are traditional for in America, weddings, but in Japan and other Asian countries, funerals. The skeleton in the middle is such a bland color that it almost blends into the back ground from far away. The skeleton could be a reminder of death for the artist. The skeleton is looking to the upper left and this could infer something that the skeleton was looking at when he or she died, but it could also suggest a relaxed position at the time of death, simply resting the head back. On the rug there are several items including a purple cloth, and a couple metal containers. In the back ground there are paint brushes and what looks like an easel’s profile. This is possibly suggesting that the skeleton was a model maybe, or even the artist on a break from painting. The rug beneath the subjects adds depth to the painting as the walls and all other background is white. This gives the painting a “big” feeling creating a lot of negative space. The contrast to the rug is pleasing to the eye and helps to balance the painting.

Uncovering "History of the Button"

2007-02-25T08:06:00.000-07:00

The blog History of the Button is extremely interesting and well developed. The author, Bill DeRouchey, uses pictures very well throughout all of his blogs, so that the reader is well aware of what he is talking about. On some blogs he simply posts one or two sentences talking about something interesting. On others, when he is analyzing the buttons, are a bit longer. They continue on with pictures and links making inferences, analyzing the functionality of the particular button in question and think about the origin of the symbol on the button. The inferences in the analysis that he made are extremely interesting and thought provoking. Who knew that a button a washing machine could suggest that a company is “old” and another is “innovative”? Another convention he uses that I found interesting, is when he borrows from someone else’s work or quotes someone like Steve Jobbs, he uses a lighter gray font and separates it from his text instead of incorporating and using quotes like regular “hard copy” writing. He also organized all of his blogs into categories that are available on the top of his blog. He also uses some hyperlinks, but not as often as he uses pictures. The author seems to be more focused on using his own work instead of leading the reader to another sight. Some might consider the template of his blog boring as it is gray on the edges with white background where the black text is used. The pictures help an awful lot, but in many blog critics’ opinions, white background is not good.

When comparing my blog to DeRouchey’s I realize that I still am writing for “paper” instead of for my blog. Considering that I never had a blog before and the internet writing experience is new for me, this isn’t a surprising development. I have tried to use pictures with my posts to make them more exciting, interesting and visually appealing, but they are not as involved in my writing as DeRouchey’s. He continually refers to the pictures, as it is essential to prove any point that he is striving toward without a visual aid for himself and the audience. His writing style, while still analytic and interesting, is most definitely different than mine, but that is to be expected when comparing authors. I also have difficulty incorporating the use of first person into anything that doesn’t directly concern me. This may be the product of several years of teaching for the AP tests. So in some respects I must un-learn several aspects of “paper” writing to adopt “blog” writing. I often times am too structured in my writing and afraid to use first person but that is what the genera of blogging includes, so I’ve learned. Being more conversational and free in my writing I believe is a key step to achieving the true “blog” jargon and genera.

Observational Essay: Defying Gravity

2007-02-18T08:15:00.000-07:00

“The building is alive, it breathes and moves”. After arriving at Sky Venture Indoor Skydiving, I realized that this was the only building I had ever been in that was actually living. Powering 120 miles per hour winds to suspend a person in the air is bound to shake the sturdiest of buildings. Upon entering I was given a complicated form to sign covering all liabilities. Since this was my first flight, I had to take the informational class at 7:30 P.M. before I could fly at 8 ‘o’ clock. After completing the form I went back up to the desk handed it to Brad, my future instructor, and he advised me to go to the bathroom before going upstairs to the wind tunnel.

As I walked up the stairs I got my first glance at the air tunnel. Approximately twelve feet in diameter, it is one of the fastest wind tunnels in the United States. Benches surround the room with the tunnel the focal point of the room. The vertical glass panels were in a circular shape with two doors on either side. The tunnel extended higher than the glass panels on the outside, so to the spectators outside the entirety of the tunnel was not visible, and the bottom was made up of somewhat flexible cables. Against one of the panels was an atomic clock and a computer screen displaying the amount of time left in each person’s flight and when the fight was six seconds from being over the instructor would grab the flyer and push him or her out of the tunnel.

Finally it was 7:30 and Brad told me it was time for my classroom session. I went into a blue and white room filled with standard folding chairs and a television in the front of the room. I watched a three minute video explaining the proper body position and the common hand signals that would be used (as you can’t hear amongst the 120 miles per hour winds). Some of these signals were: keep your chin up, bend your legs, and relax. After the three minute video was over, Brad came in to talk to me and gave me a couple more hand gestures such as what to do if something was hurting. He explained to me what to do if I landed on the ground: not to push off, but to straighten my hands and feet. He explained this to me by giving me an analogy of a bird,

“What happens if a bird stops flapping its wings?”

“He’ll fall” I replied.

“Precisely, so don’t bring your arms or your ‘wings’ in, keep them strong, even if you bump into the walls, don’t move your ‘wings’”.

It seemed simple enough. I went over to the equipment desk where I received two pairs of pads “Yellow for knees, white for elbows” Brad told me. Then he gave me a blue, baggy suit to put on over my clothing which had handles that would allow him to change my body position safely. Adding to my equipment was a pair of neon pink and yellow ear plugs, which I have never had the pleasure of wearing before. After a couple attempts they went into my ears and slowly expanded, blocking out most of the noise surrounding me. The goggles were next, and then the black helmet.

The sky diver joining us: Sergio, had a little over three hours flying time logged here, and considering that each sky dive is about fifty seconds, he was really experienced. Sergio was working on flying upside down, on his head, while I was working on jumping into the wind tunnel.

It was eight ‘o’clock; Brad decided I would go first so I dove in head first and assumed the arms out, legs bent position. Brad moved my arms to the position to keep me up, pushed my chin down a little, and straightened out my legs. Looking at the mirror within the chamber I could see my cheeks flapping in the wind. I was flying somewhat low to the ground so Brad signaled to the technical crew outside to turn up the winds. This raised me almost above my instructor’s head. I bumped into the walls, but remembering what Brad had told me about keeping my position strong, I let myself bump into the walls and continued flying around (I was very thankful for the padding I had received earlier). After my first minute Brad pushed me out of the chamber into the waiting room and Sergio went in to practice his moves. My instructor mouthed some suggestions to me as you can’t hear anything with so much wind. Sitting waiting for Sergio to come out, my lower back had a little tinge of pain, but I was psyched to go back in. Sergio was pushed out, and I dove in, this time I was more stable this meant that I wasn’t going up and down and all around, I was in one stable position, so Brad didn’t have to alter my body’s position. Brad then taught me how to turn (which most people learn on their third or fourth session). Cupping my hands to the right made me turn right, cupping them towards the left made me turn to the left. Then Brad got into the sky diving position, and held onto my leg and arm on the right side. We then floated up higher then I had been able to reach on my own, above where the glass panes reached, and then Brad brought us spinning down to the ground. We then floated back up to the top, and we came spinning down once more. I realized that my mouth was open and spit was flying out, but I couldn’t wipe it because if I moved either of my hands down, Brad and I would fall down on the cables underneath us. I was pushed out of the wind tunnel for the last time wishing I could go back in, but alas, it was over. It was close to 8:30 now and I took off my equipment and Brad gave me my “survival” certificate which is now hanging proudly on my refrigerator.

Randomly Selected Words

2007-02-08T14:28:00.000-07:00

Randomly selected words: artery, belligerent, challenge, derivative, executive, flare, grip, homeopathy, imp, joust, knockdown, linoleum, malignity, Norse, obstreperous, parry, quadruped, rhizome, smooth, temblor, unemployed, vivify, warder, x-chromosome, yodel, zigzag

The circulatory system is extremely important for sustaining life. A belligerent is an individual, group, country or other entity which acts in an aggressive or hostile manner, such as engaging in combat. New to Challenge, Jimmy Carr is asking the questions and providing the distractions as contestants have to stay focused to win. Starts Monday at 11pm. Differentiation has many applications throughout all numerate disciplines. The term "executive" comes from wording of the United States Constitution, which charges the President to "take care that the laws be faithfully executed". Submit a video speaking out about AIDS and you could win two gala tickets to the Fashion Cares event in Toronto May 12. It also provides an automated frontend for MP3 (and other audio format) encoders, letting you take a disc and transform it easily straight into MP3s. Homeopathy has a 200-year-old history of success in treating epidemic diseases -- beginning with Hahnemann's use of Belladonna to treat and prevent scarlet fever in the epidemic of 1801. It adds advanced features such as searching multiple mailboxes, identities, and a hierarchical mailbox navigator, as well as a cleaner, redesigned user interface. Brandon's lance landed just one centimetre away from making a hole in the king's head. This oligonucleotide will bind to this active gene (or its transcripts) to decrease expression of a specific gene, copying the effects of such a genetic modification. Linoleum is a floor covering made from solidified linseed oil (linoxyn) in combination with wood flour or cork dust over a burlap or canvas backing. the emotion of hate; a feeling of dislike so strong that it demands action. Norse or Scandinavian mythology comprises the pre-Christian religion, beliefs and legends of the Scandinavian people, including those who settled on Iceland, where the written sources for Norse mythology were assembled. He began standing up to the Orderlies, talking back, openly obstreperous. Just a few pages of our New user friendly Website are still currently under construction. In July of 2005, in rural Turkey, scientists discovered five Kurdish siblings who had learned to walk naturally on their hands and feet. Effective approaches to the stewardship of electronic art rely on the blending of traditional museum practice with new modes of operating that derive from and respond to the complex nature of these installations. From our industry-leading warranties, next business day shipping, extended service support, 20 plus years in the industry, and Factory Direct pricing, we have set the standard for others to copy. shaking and vibration at the surface of the earth resulting from underground movement along a fault plane of from volcanic activity. In practice, measuring the number of unemployed workers actually seeking work is notoriously difficult, particularly those whose unemployment benefits have expired before finding work. Can the writer isolate and vivify all in experience that most deeply engages our intellects and our hearts? A person who is bonded by an Aes Sedai to become her protector. The sex chromosomes are one of the 23 homologous pairs of human chromosomes. One of my greatest pleasures is to look in the audience and see young and old smiling. World Masters Team title, beating hosts Puerto Rico by 59 points in an exciting final day of surfing which was held in 10 to 15 foot surf at Domes in Rincon.

** Please note that for the word "smooth" the first website was an explicit website in which I was not comfortable clicking on anything. I chose the third link on the Google search.

Skydiving... but indoors

2007-02-04T14:17:00.000-07:00

Skydiving… but indoors. Who would have thought? For my observational essay I have decided to learn more about indoor skydiving, how it works, where you can do it and how much it costs, as well as the type of people that actually do it. My audience is anyone on the web, but mainly my classmates who are probably just as intrigued at the idea as I am. I would assume that my audience is as clueless about this new technology as I am, and they would probably like to know how it works as well as what it is in general. I plan to go to the indoor skydiving center in Lone Tree Colorado called Sky Venture. I will not only learning about how it works, but also what type of people go in to this type of place, and how often. Is it hard? How long does it take? Is it dangerous? Has anyone ever been seriously injured from this? This new alternative to jumping out of planes intrigues me as it could provide a safer alternative for thrill seekers who have some worries about real sky diving.

The technology that makes this possible is extremely exciting and intriguing to me. I also plan to find out how long this technology has been around and who invented it. I believe that I will find the facial expressions of the “skydivers” entertaining as well as the instructors watching their first time students “take the dive”. I imagine that this works somewhat like a ping-pong ball on top of a hair dryer… but on a much bigger scale!

I am also planning on finding out who this is available to. Are there age requirements, weight requirements, and health requirements? And if so, what are they? I would imagine a given would be no pregnant ladies or anyone with serious health concerns.

I have always wanted to do this and I believe that researching and doing this observational essay on this topic will help me decide if I am the type of person that could do this. My friends and I always talk about how much fun it would be to finally take the plunge, but we never do. I am under the impression that it is extremely expensive and don’t have enough money to do such a thing, hopefully I am wrong, or I will just have to save up to give this thrill a try. I wonder if it is popular for birthday parties, prom activities, or if there are people out there who can’t get away for a day or so to do the real thing. To help me with my research I have found a few websites to give me some more information like Outdoor Adventure’s website that gives a little more information on the sport and Sky Venture’s website to tell me where it is and the logistics about visiting the location. I also found an informative article on Wikipedia. I plan on finding out everything there is to know about indoor skydiving and hopefully I will be able to give a first hand description of what it is actually like.

Do you believe in MIRACLES?

2007-01-31T13:02:00.000-07:00

Whenever I see this video clip I get goose-bumps and it really gets to me. In the 1980 Olympics, the United States beat the undefeatable USSR to win the gold medal, and this clip is a video of the last sixteen seconds of the game where the US wins and the famous line “Do you believe in miracles?” is asked.

This video is meant to be emotional, and evoke proud feelings within the United States citizen watching. It is necessary to know some of the background facts of this story to fully understand and grasp the monumental occasion that this video demonstrates. Someone with no knowledge of this event might look at this clip and conclude that it is a boring old hockey clip, not knowing that it is the end of a journey for all of the boys on that team. Not knowing what the boys put into that team, what they sacrificed, how much they wanted it, and knowing that none of them played for the NFL and were straight out of college… all of this is essential in feeling the full effects of this clip.

I don’t think anything was changed by the person who published the video, especially since ESPN’s logo came up at the end. The fact that this question is even raised presents differences between watching the clip online versus on television or in a movie theater. When watching something on TV or in a movie theater, the audience knows that someone hasn’t altered it at all. It may be a biased opinion, but it is thought of more believable and credible if it is on a major television station or in a major motion picture. Watching the clip at home off of an online sight with the knowledge that it could have been altered presents a new problem. The clip can be taken less seriously and must be taken with some criticism and skepticism. All media should be taken this way, but as a general audience, it is more crucial to look at online media with special skepticism as it is easy and the technology exists to alter almost anything a person would like to. With the proper knowledge of technology anything is possible on the Internet.

Obviously this clip couldn’t be nearly as good as watching it in real life, or even in the movie. Watching something real time has a different connotation associated with it. The viewer knows that he or she is among the first to see it happen and no one could have predicted the outcome of the game at the beginning for certain. Obviously this piece of footage was good enough to re-play over and over again, and it was good enough and touching enough to make an entire movie about.

If you aren’t familiar with this story or haven’t at least seen Miracle, it’s a story every American should know as it is a story that parallels the competition with Russia during the 70s and 80s and is a major milestone in our history.

Why a Louis?

2007-01-26T11:24:00.000-07:00

As previously mentioned, Louis’ website changes based on what country the visitor picks. This is important because they realize that not all cultures will be attracted to the same things, and as an international company it is necessary to cater to all cultures. Companies that are of the opinion that the same advertising that works in the United States, works in Africa, are at a disadvantage. The “who” of this website is what makes it what it is. There are people buying these bags from all over the world.

It is necessary to realize that Louis Vuitton is a very successful and expensive brand, and if someone doesn’t realize this going into their sight, they would not know what they are getting into. People visiting the site hoping to find a purse for fifty dollars are going to be extremely disappointed. Visitors must also realize that the Louis Vuitton bag is a status symbol, and you are paying for the name and quality. Some would even consider Louis Vuitton the highest status as far as bags are concerned. It is an international and universal sign of wealth, and many people crave this status, so there are many look-a-like bags out there. The black market for Louis Vuitton bags is extensive. There is an entire street in New York dedicated to knock-off bags, and people go there to find a bag that doesn’t look like a fake. People are attracted to the way you will be treated when carrying a bag of this stature. Walking into a Neiman Marcus store with a Target bag is not going to get you good service, walking in with a Louis is. There are even companies out there that let you rent a Louis Vuitton bag or a Prada bag for a month for a fee of fifty dollars and then the following month, you get a new one. Going onto this website people have to be willing to make an investment and if someone isn’t aware of the connotations of a Louis Vuitton bag, they are going to have a hard time comprehending the “fuss” about this brand, and spending an excess of a thousand dollars for a piece of luggage or a purse.

Another perk of this luggage that many are aware of is the timelessness of the bag. The classic Louis Vuitton print is always in style and isn’t a fad. This bag will last someone forever (even though chances are if they are buying a bag like this they aren’t going to stop at one extremely expensive bag). There is not answer to the “when” question of the context in this instance because the bag never goes out. It is never on the “Not Hot” list of Cosmopolitan Magazine.

All of these factors combined answer why someone would buy this bag. To some people status, your reputation, or how you appear to everyone, is the most important thing, and these are the people that generally spend this kind of money on a bag that they will not likely use forever.

What to Expect from Louis

2007-01-26T08:42:00.000-07:00

Louis Vuitton. The name instantly triggers money signs for many. One would hope that their website is amazing, and have no fear: it is. The focal point of the website is the slide show of pictures accompanies by up-beat music and multiple languages crossing the screen wishing a happy new year to everyone. The images and music are incredible and are great attention grabbers. They employ the strong elements of art such as diagonals, bright colors, and symmetry. The icons on the bottom of the screen introduce the new line for 2007 and offer hyper-links to new products and lines. Unlike a conventional essay, the noise combined with a moving visual outdoes any “hook” that could be used in a paper-based writing. The site map link is the table of contents for the entire website and makes the website easy to navigate. The “reader” or “audience” can decide what he or she would like to look at without having to get through the body of the entire “piece”. With websites and hyper-links, information is attained at a much quicker pace, and attentions are harder to keep. With the click of a mouse, the audience is gone, and the website has less than one second to capture the audience before he or she moves on to another site. However, that is a key difference in searching for a general topic and looking for a name brand. Louis Vuitton has respect associated with the name and those going to the sight have probably not accidentally stumbled upon it in search of something else.

The expected audience dictates what is on the website. It is important for Louis Vuitton to have an incredible website, because the people visiting there; the audience that the web designers have in mind are wealthy, and expect a lot. Another important distinction that the website makes is at the beginning, the website opens with links to different countries. The very first screen the audience sees has the viewer identify the culture that he or she is coming from. This then alters the language, and the features at the bottom of the page to collections and items that that specific country is more likely to buy.

The differences between paper-based writing and web-based writing are endless. Paper-based writing cannot change the audience instantaneously. If a journalist published an article in Time magazine, it is impossible to change the subject for each country Time is published in. There is one copy, one version, no ability to change the contents to something that someone in Sweden might be more interested in. In addition to changing audiences, while books and magazines have a table of contents, it is much harder and much more time consuming to find exactly what he or she is searching for, reading more than he or she really would like to read. The differences are thick, but conventions still exist whether it is a glossary or a search bar.