Soundtrack of My Life

Sara Evans, “You’ll Always Be My Baby”:
My dad has always been there for me, even when times have gone bad. The lines, “Waiting in my room for him to come home, I just knew he'd be so mad, Though I begged my mother not to, she told my dad,” portray the image when I broke my very own bike, purchased by my dad. When I was 8 years old, I tip-toed out to the garage to find my one very own Mountaineer bicycle. Bright pink with all the necessary equipment provided. It included a horn, a basket on the front, and plastic streamers of all shades of pink and purple that sparkled as the wind whipped through them. The spokes of the wheels had fluorescent pink flowers attached to every other spoke in a way that rattled when the wheels turned, making a humming noise to my ears. In all my excitement that day, I jumped on a my bike and peddled faster and faster down the sidewalk. To my surprise a car was directly ahead of me and “SLAM” I smashed into the parked car. After a few moments, I realized what I had done. My brand new shiny and spotless bike now had a bent front tire. What was I going to tell my dad who had just purchased this bicycle for me? The confrontation with Dad went well. I showed him my beat-up, scrapped, chipped, and broken bicycle. Without hesitation he grasped me to give me a concerning hug. He said, “Everything is okay, dry your eyes and let’s move on. .

Aladdin, “A Whole New World”:
Dark blue was the color of my dad’s pick-up truck, likewise the color of Aladdin’s carpet rug. In this video, Aladdin often took his girl around to show her the new world, as did my dad. Aladdin never had anything bit the best for his girl, and my dad was sure to finesse me with only the best, his truck. October 24th was a new adventure for my entire family in this truck. Moving to a new state was quite a decision. His pick-up truck was the one thing that surrounded us with a feeling of comfort. With its 6.4L displacement and dual-stage turbochargers, this diesel cranks out a maximum 350 horsepower. The rumble of the engine made my heart roar each time I stepped into that passenger seat. The exhaust would blast out of the chrome pipes like a steam kettle ready to tip over. Hopping into the passenger seat there was a significant odor to the way my dad’s truck smelled. Being in the pastures brought out the best in the feedlot, the manure. I cozy myself in the center of the enormous tan leathered seat while adjusting each knob and switch I can find. Depending on the season, whether summer or winter, the tan leather seats were sure to be scorching hot, or freezing cold. I would curl my legs up, making sure not to touch a bare ounce of skin to the material. Through the changes of moving to Nebraska, I could always rely on my dad to take me for a ride in his diesel blue truck.

Kenny Chesney, “Don’t Blink”:
My sophomore year in high school went by with the blink of an eye. This is why Kenny’s Chesney’s song, “Don’t Blink” forces me to remember that time with my grandpa. My grandpa resembles the old man at the beginning of this video being interviewed. It was Christmas time and he sat down to talk to me. He proceeded to tell me to enjoy each minute of my high school career. Sitting yonder on the dark stained oak wood sat a dozen figurines in the background. They were called Storytellers. These came from an Indian reservation where storytelling was part of their culture. Each stone creation was about ten inches high. There was a main “mother” and half a dozen children around her listening. The “mother” always had an open mouth as if she were in mid-sentence. Children huddled beneath her, around her feet, on her shoulders, over her back, upon her knee, anywhere there was an open space. With markings in white, black, and red, the Indian heritage was brought out. These markings were shown anywhere from on their back to their forehead. Staring for a couple minutes, I noticed their beady black eyes that all appeared looking toward “mother”. The uniformity of the structure created an ambience with textures and detail. My grandpa was thrilled that I had noticed his statues. While I marveled at their beauty and delicacy, he noticed the placing of them. One figurine was in front of the other two. The placing atop the white knitted cloth was in a triangle looking from a birds eye view.

Lee Ann Womack, “I Hope You Dance”:
Inspirational speakers provide many reasons to be secure with the choices made in life. These choices deal with many challenges life may give you or the unknown awaiting to arrive. Listening to Chris Wellington, that day changed my life in a variety of ways.
In a cold, small classroom the girls cross country of Kearney High School waited anxiously to hear the words spoken by her mouth. Twenty-four girls all decked out in bright sunshine yellow t-shirts and worn blue jeans never expected to hear what she had to say. Seated one by one in school desks lined by single-file rows, all forty-eight eyes were on this woman. One girl had a water bottle she was sucking on while another was fiddling with her purse. Tension arose while the sentences were flowing and the motions were extravagant. Racing, pacing, prancing around the room, Wellington never missed a beat with a single word, phrase or sentence. The lips of the girls were quivering, feeling as mighty as ever because a new feeling had been instilled in them. “I Hope You Dance” expels the qualities exemplified in this speech. The lines, “I hope you never fear those mountains in the distance, Never settle for the path of least resistance,” hit home to me when reminiscing on this turning day. A single day my freshman year of high school changed my entire outlook on life. This day surrounded around a very special person, Chris Wellington.
The place, time, and person were formatted to fit my needs as a young teen. My inspiration arose from a speaker who never knew my name or remembered my face. That is not what is important, she taught me how to dance within the tides of life.

Reba McEntire, “Somebody”:
Working in a nursing home deals with more equipment than a person may think. Carl lived in room South 9A and was always on the go. His walker connected me and him. Although, I did not get the chance to know him as well as I would have liked, his walker allowed us to have a chat heading to dinner. Down the long stretched blue carpeted hallway Carl and I would walk around the bend, past the activities room, through the entrance to the dining room. His table was the fourth table on the left hand side and he sat facing the kitchen. His back was never to anyone, per his own request, as he wanted to see everyone. The setting of this video is the exact setting for Carl and I, which is centered around a meal. It seems ironic how food can connect people in a different manner. Grasping on to his own walker, his fists turned white from a strong forced grip. The two wheels and two pegs scooted across the carpet with a jangle from the basket. The wheels screeched while needing oiled badly, and the pegs looked as they were going to snap with the next step due to the amount of pressure Carl relied on his walker. The basket was for very minimal use. Made of black wire the basket was about 6 inches by 4 inches. This was useful only for a few Kleenexes and a comb. While eating a meal, Carl’s walker would be perfectly aligned with his chair. One leg, a peg and wheel included, would fold inward and be placed closest the backing of the chair while the other side would be wrapped around the side of the chair making an “L” figure. Carl and his walker are close companions of each other. He grew to rely on his walker and the friendships made by having the ability to walk about.

Celine Dion, “That’s The Way It Is”:
“I can read your mind and I know your story” are two lines in this song that describe Aunt Charlotte and I. There was not a stronger bond between anyone and lemon drops were of great significance. Lemon drops are of great tribute to Aunt Charlotte. No, this was not my aunt; rather she was my dad’s aunt. Lemon drops brought us close together during her final months in the Kearney Good Samaritan Hospital. In the shape of real lemon, yet one-tenth the original size, this hard candy made anyone’s lips pucker. Colored with bright canary yellow, the white sugar surrounded to make the coating, toned down the hue of yellow. Popping one single Drop into your mouth made your mouth salivate and crave for a splash of cool water. Each visit to Aunt Charlotte was filled with multiple piece of candy each offered by the gentle touch of her hand. A residue of sugar would be left in the palm of her hand once I had removed the candy to put in my mouth. The next step was to dab the spot with a Kleenex. My tongue moved about my mouth switching the position of the hard candy in my mouth to be sure I got the full satisfaction. There are two ways to eat this candy, chomp it up or slowly let it melt away. Chomping it up gave a quick sudden burst of flavor or letting it melt made the effect last longer and also made your tongue raw from the sour taste. Now, the months have passed and through the connection of our love for Lemon Drops, Aunt Charlotte and I became best friends. She encouraged me in my path of life and listened to what I had to say. Lemon Drops have a new meaning to me.

Faith Hill, "When The Lights Go Down":
Being atop that stage on the grand finale dance for my senior performance dancing for Dance Works, I couldn’t hide the tears in my eyes. For as long as I can remember I have been blinded by the stage lights in the far distance that beam across rows upon rows of audience seats. The lights can be so blinding that not a soul will be seen in the crowd. This was the case my final performance. “When the lights go down, And the truth is all you see, When you feel that hole inside your soul, And wonder what you're made of.” These lines are what I experienced in this performance. I was emotionally filled with taking in my last ounce of dancing that I noticed nothing that was going on around me. The yellow lights overcame me. I could see only the dust particles I was rustling about upon the dance floor. The source from this array of light was from a circular black box seated in the balcony with a man projecting it. The ray of light focused in on a single person, me, while prancing from corner to corner of the hard wooden stage. Imagine an eye doctor shining that bright laser light in your eye for a test and blindness occurs. I’m sure there was reasoning behind this enormous amount of light, but at this moment I didn’t know why. These lights are one of the last things I remember from dancing at Dance Works.

Michael Buble, “Home”:
College is a wonderful experience, a whole new experience no one can be prepared for. My dorm room is definitely not home yet. Home is in Kearney for me. I have only spent three weekends here at Wesleyan, while the other are spent at a place I can call home. While Michael Buble is sitting in the café, this picture represents me at times. I like to be alone, especially when I’m missing my home. Michael visits various places, yet nothing still feels right for him, nothing like home. My home consists of 5 bedrooms, a big kitchen where we can all eat, and a big living room where we can all be together. The kitchen is the place I miss the most. Cooking is a hobby of mine and also a place to share memories with my mother. My kitchen has navy blue countertops, which are very hard to keep clean! The pastel blue walls make the atmosphere feel warm and comforting. A big center countertop island makes it easy to circle around the kitchen when friends come over. French doors open to the inviting backyard with a luscious green lawn. A windows with white panels attached are above the sink to enjoy this scenery. The smell coming from the white oven taunts my taste buds into a new temptation. Home is where the heart is, one might say. My heart belongs in my home being with my family, making memories. College is a great experience, don’t get me wrong, but the reassuring feeling stepping into my home is where I need to be. Cooking began as far back as I can remember with my mother, and it still continues today. The kitchen is our space, where I belong.

"Strawberry Wine" by Deanna Carter

The first music video that I remember watching is, “Strawberry Wine” by Deanna Carter. She used to be my idol and I looked up to her everyday. I remember clearly the days when I would stand atop the fireplace hearth and scream these songs to my mom, or for that matter, anyone who was listening. I loved Deana Carter and I admired her for everything she was worth.

First of all, like all little girls, I dreamed about falling in love someday to my Prince Charming. This would be the man of my dreams and we would live happily ever after. This song describes finding a good guy and how these two people grew together through their adolescent/young adult times. This young girl fell hopelessly in love with a young boy who worked on her father’s farm. I think this is safe to say for all young girls, that our first love we feel is going to be “the one”. I wanted this when I was younger, I dreamed about falling in love.

This feeling of falling hard for a man can be difficult and often times causes heartbreak. In the end, it is worth all the struggles, because you know that you have found who you were supposed to. This song is a true country song in that it is centered around the love scene. A country song has to do with three things, love, their truck, and their wife leaving them along with the dog. This certain song is love.

My impressions of this music video haven't changed much, maybe because I am still young, but I guess that in 20 years from now, I will have mixed emotions. I still like this song and it brings back great memories of when I was younger and I had no worries, except finding a boy!

Although Deana Carter is hardly ever heard of anymore she put out some amazing hits on the Billboard. Her songs are still today good to pop in the old CD player and listen to a few such as, “Did I Shave My Legs For This?” or “We Danced Anyway".

Hick Chick by Cowboy Troy

Where do I begin? First of all, this song is terrible! “Hick Chicks” by Cowboy Troy has got to be one of the worst songs there is! This is not singing that is going on it is pure yelling and screaming. What happened to the good old country guitar and the good moral lessons taught through the lyrics of the song? This song is a disappointment to the country music industry.

I also don’t like how the song is all about the sex appeal of women. Why does this society have to revolve around the attractiveness of ladies? It is common for women to become depressed because of the constant pressure involved in the media. This is a perfect example of how the women are treated according to men. The way this video is set up makes it appear to us that the women have to go through a variation of “tests’ in order to pass the proficiency of the men. The men get to sit back and either laugh or awe at the women struggling through the events. Why do the women have to go through this? This seems like the old times when women didn’t have the same rights as men. It is the year 2007 and these things are still happening! WHAT IS GOING ON?!

Also, the way these girls dress is obnoxious. I’m not one of those girls that dress to impress the guys. I do not go by the motto, “Less is better”. To me, having a decent amount of clothes on is appealing to men and what guy would want to take home a tramp for a girl? I feel that, especially in the summertime, the girls tend to strip off their clothes just to get the boys to notice them. This should not be happening and this video is a perfect example of the “tests” girls are being put to by men.

Extra Credit: Harryette Mullen

I was thrilled when I saw that an African American was going to be the speaker for the final fall poet speaker. I believe it important to have diversity in our lives and this was successfully completed when Harryette Mullen came to read her work. Every piece of her work was amazing. She truly knows how to use the dictionary by the use of her many wide ranged vocabulary words used in works from, “Sleeping with the Dictionary.”
The first piece she read from this book was, “She landed on the Moon.” This was about how the human tends to work work work and try to accomplish all that is possible. This girl took the basic steps to succeeding to finally landing on the moon. She studied and prepared herself as much as she could and finally accomplished something great. One of my favorite poems was titled, “Free Radicals”. This poem was based off of an original journal entry of hers. It was about a prude woman who had never done anything wrong. She mentions she gave radishes to the horses yet had no flowers on Mother’s Day. She went to bed sober because she has never had a drop of wine to drink. Also, she could always turn heat from bickering to banter into something more calm and pleasant. This woman was truly incredible in the poem and could do no wrong and always was on her toes and up to something new and different. I found the poem entitled, “Bilingual Instruction” to be quite controversial, yet mind-boggling at the same time. One line went along the lines of, “California says ‘No’ to everything about bilingualism yet doesn’t say ‘No’ to it on a garbage bin.” I found this to be interesting. I’m not for ELL programs, yet I don’t feel the need to put anything on the bins. I thought this poem could have struck the audience in a lot of different ways. I was happy to see she could talk about something controversial considering her background. Overall, I thought the work that was read by Harryette Mullen was fantastic. She presented her work in an appealing way with voice variation and pitch content.

KU Mascot Is Symbolic

Mascots are believed to bring good luck, especially to athletic teams. Just about every college claims a mascot. The University of Kansas is home of the Jayhawk, a mythical bird with a fascinating history. Its origin is rooted in the historic struggles of Kansas settlers. The term "Jayhawk" was probably coined about 1848. Accounts of its use appeared from Illinois to Texas. The name combines two birds--the blue jay, a noisy, quarrelsome thing known to rob other nests, and the sparrow hawk, a stealthy hunter. The message here: Don't turn your back on this bird. (http://www.ku.edu/) Mascots can bring about numerous feelings and emotions surrounding the central theme of the game day atmosphere.

During the 1850s, the Kansas Territory was filled with such Jayhawks. The area was a battleground between those wanting a state where slavery would be legal and those committed to a Free State. The factions looted, sacked, rustled cattle, stole horses, and otherwise attacked each other's settlements. For a time, ruffians on both sides were called Jayhawkers. But the name stuck to the free staters. Lawrence, where KU would be founded, was a Free State stronghold.

Taking a closer look at the bird, the Jayhawk, the origin of this bird stems from two different birds, the blue jay, and the sparrow hawk. These two birds combined became known together as the Jayhawk. This succession of birds can be correlated to the interconnected background and the diversity of Kansas. The bird symbolizes strength with its demeaning figure and bold appearance. This connection between two birds resembles an analogy. Both birds, the blue jay and the sparrow hawk, are known to be defensive of their own possessions. The Blue Jay is generally aggressive toward other birds and it will chase birds from feeders or other food sources just the same way as the sparrow hawk. These two birds are ideal for a mascot because of the intimidating figure to each individual.

The Jayhawk figure is an animal becoming a bird. This transition between the two is shown in a number of ways. For instance, the shoes that the bird is wearing is unique. First of all, a bird wearing shoes is unusual yet for this instance it seems fitting. The shoes make the bird closer to becoming a human, something we as humans can relate to. The shoes in particular are what is essential to the true meaning of these shoes. The shoes have buckles on them which resemble the same type of shoe that the “Jayhawkers” once wore. The origin of the term Jayhawker is uncertain although. This transition between human and bird is comparable to the human attributes and the mascots capabilities. In a sense, the mascot is supposed to be over-exaggerating what the fans should be doing while participating in watching an athletic event. The humans, fans, and the Jayhawk all have common similarities.

During the Civil War the members of the Seventh Kansas regiment, commanded by Colonel C. R. Jennison, became known as the Jayhawkers, and probably from this fact the Jayhawker came to be regarded by many as purely a Kansas institution. In more recent years the term Jayhawker is applied to Kansas men and products, the same as the word Hoosier is applied to an Indianian, or the word Buckeye to a resident of Ohio. The shoes worn by the Jayhawkers, plainsman, are similar in traits to the shoes worn by the Jayhawk mascot. This is representation of how the Jayhawk bird resembles not only the University of Kansas, but also the state of Kansas as a whole.

Moving forward, the bird is smiling which has been changed over the years and progression of the changing of the Jayhawk. In the earlier times, the bird did not smile while giving a mean and interrogating look. Now today, the bird smiles with glee. The way the bird is smiling represents the happy-go-lucky atmosphere of the campus and the enthusiasm experienced daily. This smile can bring about many feelings by the Alum of the University. Yet, not everyone feels the same way when presented with a Jayhawk figure in front of them. The Alum have a special feeling toward their school. This creature brings about pathos instilled in alumnae traditions. The pathos will capture the viewers’ eye followed by reminiscing about their past experiences.

Ethos are being implied because the obvious reason is to attend KU and spend your college years experiencing the great traditions of KU. One way to make this happen is through the use of the mascot and his abilities to “pump up” the crowd just by the sheer image of him. The actions of the figure have nothing to do with what the actual image of this bird portrays. When a bright picture of the Jayhawk is placed upon the big screen television where play by play action occurs, the crowd goes wild.

The University can build tradition based on the surroundings of the previous historical people. Pathos is being employed when choosing the Jayhawk bird as the mascot. The Jayhawk has a significant meaning to the population and background of Kansas. The University captivates the public by providing a strong hard Civil War story to correlate with the bird. Many mascots are just randomly placed on a campus. This is not the incident at KU. The mascot has historical significance and is a figure that all can relate to in one way or another. The University is built up of

It is the idea of having a mascot visible to the public that infers the possible victory in the upcoming athletic events. Imagining success can become a reality. Pathos is being employed in every University. In order to put the audience in a particular mood or frame of mind, pathos must be employed. The appearance of the Jayhawk can be seen a plethora of times. The multiple times the Jayhawk makes appearances instills the importance of school spirit in each fan. In order for a mascot to have validity it must first have a background story that in return repeats the credibility.

A mascot is a simple logo with an extended meaning. Logos are all around in today’s society and a big part of this section is the logos intended for the athletic side. The Kansas Jayhawk entails a rational argument that displays the rivalry of Kansas versus all other universities. This appeals to reason and attempts to persuade the audience through clear reasoning and philosophy by providing hard evidence and facts of the profound bird, the Hawk.

What stems from all this emotion? The rivalry, the teamwork, the emotions running wild. A cause and effect relationship happens with the mascot. From the mascot being colorful, it makes people get excited and pumped up for the big game. Because the mascot is funny while doing tricks and dancing around aimlessly, he makes the fans cheer louder. The mascot rallies up the crowd and fans which in turn rallies the players up. Each and every game appearance brings the athletes, fans, and students together as one by shouting chants and racing about. Inside the body of a mascot beats the heart of a Duck or a Gopher, a Badger, a Wildcat, or in some instances, a Jayhawk. Across the nation, men and women take up the suits of their school's mascot and give new meaning to the words school spirit. For these individuals, the opportunity to don a hot and hefty costume carries a lot of pride.

The logo placed in the center of the Jayhawk’s chest is a symbol that catches the eye right away. A wise choice of colors was choose when the logo KU was pronounced in white upon a blue chest. The white stands out upon the blue background in which is appealing to the audience. The red, blue, and yellow are significant figures in the artwork of the caricature bird. Red is the warmest of all colors. Red is the color most chosen by extroverts and one of the top picks of males. Red excites the fans. A pure blue is the color of inspiration, sincerity and spirituality. Blue is often the chosen color by conservative people. Blue is the color of good sportsmanship. Yellow symbolizes wisdom. Yellow means joy and happiness. People of high intellect favor yellow.

An example of the enthusiasm between the mascot and the fans is the attire in which is worn at games. There are many people that show up at games that are very school-spirited and have a lot of eagerness. There are some that go that extra mile just to show how much they support the school. People come dressed in the school colors or they may come with different signs or posters to cheer on the players. The heart of all tradition through the players in with the mascot. The pride a joy of being able to wear the school colors and the emblem of the school means a lot to the individual playing a certain sport. No matter how big or small the event is, while putting on the gear to get ready, a sense of satisfaction comes along with it. Wearing the Jayhawk on your shirt or pants can resemble many things including school spirit, dedication to the school and sport, and enthusiasm with the crowd. Seeing the bright blue, red, and yellow mascot appear before the crowd’s eyes on another persons clothing can bring a sense of connection between the two people. A love or likeness for something in common connects each other.

No matter the situation, the event, or the time period, a mascot brings out the best in the fans. The Jayhawk is a true resemblance of what the University of Kansas stands for. With the historical significance, the people of the past being Jayhawkers, and the fictional stories being told, the Jayhawk implies unity within itself. A mascot, whether it be for Kansas or not, is a symbol that unites the entire community of not only fans and proud supporters, but also the system of the University as a whole.

"The University of Kansas" Kansas University. 2007. The University of Kansas. 07 November 2007. http://ku.edu