ENG 001: Section 09

Soundtrack of My Life

2007-12-06T21:41:00.000-06:00

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

2007-11-12T21:43:00.000-06:00

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

2007-11-12T21:30:00.000-06:00

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

2007-11-11T22:45:00.000-06:00

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

2007-11-11T22:02:00.000-06:00

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

Everyday America

2007-11-11T14:40:00.001-06:00

I am personally inclined to the music video by Sugarland ,”Everyday America.” Being from Kansas and relocating to Nebraska I can relate to this song by almost every line. I have been raised a country girl and although I have never lived on a farm, I know exactly what the country life is like. Almost every country family in Nebraska share the same values of hard work, dedication, and perseverance. We are all working hard for what we get for in life and nothing comes to us easy whereas it may to Hollywood stars. Nebraska is known as the Heartland of the country and because of this our values are placed high in our life.

The grocery store setting was ideal in this video. A grocery store can be a social place for many country livers. It is like the local coffee shop for the men in the morning. The grocery store is a general place, every town having one, nothing fancy, and a place where old friends are often encountered. This location brings back recollections of past conversations and new friendships are even made in a local grocery store!

As the line says, “Everybody’s dreaming big, everybody’s just getting by” is true to each person no matter their background. This song is almost as if it is a biography of someone’s life living in the Heart of Nebraska. We all dream big for that next big catch in our lifetime, and at the same time we work hard and very hard at that for what we get. The dreaming part is a fun part for us because that is what we always beg for. The Hollywood lifestyle seems in the distant, yet that is something I personally am not looking for. There is another line saying how we live for those Friday nights. It’s nice to be able to relax on a Friday evening and not have the big city rush surrounding you.

Obesity Begins in the School Cafeteria

2007-10-21T19:23:00.000-05:00

French fries. Pop. Candy. What do these three things have in common? Each one of them leads to becoming overweight and perhaps even becoming obese. According to this article titled, “Study: School Lunches Healthier” in the Lincoln Journal Star one-third of the nation’s children are overweight and 17% are obese. What a ridiculous number, compared to even a few years ago. The healthy lifestyle begins at school, where most children spend most of their day. If school lunches are unhealthy, an unhealthy lifestyle will follow into the home. It took an 8th-grader to get attention on this subject in the Lincoln Public School

American advertising is amazing. It is only in this country that we have glorified junk food. Junk food is just that, junk, and adding a gram of calcium or zinc does not change it. However, parents are greatly attracted to this new version of junk food and think that they can kill two birds with one stone, which is giving kids what they want to eat and having a pre-baked meal for them. A significant problem that is emerging is the substitution of fortified junk food for healthy foods that actually supply nutrients. Just think, Nestle Nesquick now comes in fat free, or fortified with calcium and fruit Gushers are said to be made with real fruit.

It is important to look at different times and eras, to see how food consumption in the United States has evolved. It is interesting to see how times have changed and how people have become more dependant on instant gratification.

The sedentary lifestyle of a student and many other Americans, combined with the junk food they consume, create long lasting medical complications. In the documentary Super Size Me the frightening results of devouring fast food were alarming. Take the consumption of colas for example, this is obvious. Many children and teenagers prefer to drink colas rather than milk and juices. The choice in drink contributes to the environment children grow up in, the lifestyle they choose. It is much easier to grab a can of coke rather than pour yourself a glass of juice. The availability and comfort that the companies supply is the lifestyle they create for adolescents leading to obesity. Soft drink companies only add to the frequency of childhood obesity cases across American homes and schools.

Bread, Water......Life

2007-10-15T13:10:00.000-05:00

Sitting in a clean cut white dress last night, feeling a little awkward, so many emotions were running through me. I thought of what many other people were doing right now. Right this very instant. Hunger is a huge problem often times overlooked across the nation. So many people are out there starving right this instant and nothing is being done about it. I know there are organizations trying to help the cause, but if everyone would help a little bit this issue would not be a concern for very long. Granted, there are those out there who want to live on the streets, but many are being forced out of their homes due to late payments and debt. Why should this be happening when so many other people are living a life of ease? We have the President of the United States living in a mansion and he is able to take his family away for a month on vacation during one of the toughest times of the year, during this war in Iraq! Now, this won’t get political, but is that right? He is leading our country, a huge job, and he takes a vacation no other American could probably do.

The starved surely could not even possibly dream of that! There are times in which it runs through my mind to possibly eat minimal just to live a day or week in the shoes of someone else. Why isn’t there more help out there? Last night, I was learning proper manners at the dinner table when someone else was learning how to steal off the streets for their food. This comes to another point of why are some things set so highly above others? Why is the outward appearance of ourselves so important compared to helping a lending hand when in need? These are just a few questions everyone should take the time to consider each day waking up in the warmth of their own bed.

Beware: Technology in Theatres Advances

2007-10-14T13:04:00.000-05:00

The up and coming new world can be a sad and also a happy time for many people. Not too many technology advances that happened 30, 20, or even 10 years ago still exist today. There are constantly new changes being made about just about every field out there. Medicine and technology are two major categories. These advances can be challenging and breath taking at first, but once a few years pass by, it soon becomes old news.

There can be positive effects to new advances though. The date of age is constantly regrouping, rebuilding, and reforming to make this community a better place for the citizens. Without the latest advances, maybe we would still be riding horses as our motive for transportation. According to the article in the Omaha World Herald, “Days of Film Dying As Theatres Goes Digital”, Matt Mains says, "Digital is good business from a studio point of view, it's cheaper, distribution-wise." Cost efficient ways of getting by are becoming more popular. The television industry seems to growing more rapidly, not only at home but in theatres. The effects seem to be good.

Specifically for the film reel industry, the digital world is a gladly appreciated touch. There was much hassle of trying to rewind each reel and keep them in order for the next showing. The new digital style, makes this easy with just a click of the button. As said by Jim Foyt about the upcoming technological advances, "You can welcome it with open arms or turn your back on it, but it is coming." There is no way of getting around it. There are scientist and just inquisitive people out there who want to make this world easier. They are not concerned with the memories that go a long with old equipment, they just want what is best. Is this a good thing or a bad? Can so many recollections die out and never be remembered? Do the positive effects out weigh the negative effects? This is a decision made only by the producers.

Ghastly Goblins and Candy Cravings

2007-10-09T21:39:00.000-05:00

Trick or treat! When said by children, these three words bring back a flood of childhood memories to most adults. Memories of masquerading as vampires, ghosts, witches, ghouls, monsters and fairies. Memories of canvassing the neighborhood, going door to door, shouting those three little words, and watching their bags fill up with all sorts of candies, apples, nuts and other goodies. Memories of parades, parties and playing tricks, like soaping the neighbors’ windows, decorating their trees with toilet tissue, or playing baseball with their roadside mailboxes. After all, one might reason, “What’s so wrong with Halloween?” Most believe that it is just another harmless childhood indulgence—much the way they view Christmas and birthday parties. Many wonder, “What’s so wrong with having a little fun?”
Besides teaching children that it is alright to beg for something instead of earning it through work, and also turning them into extortionists, trick or treat essentially means “give me a treat or I’ll play a trick on you”. Halloween, its spooky costumes, scary jack-o-lanterns, juvenile tricks and colorful parades, may look like clean, innocent fun. But its traditions, customs and practices are rooted in a past far darker, far more sinister than you may realize.
Where did Halloween actually come from? How did it originate? How did it get to be so widely observed, especially in the United States?
The ancient Celts lived 2,000 years ago, in what is now Ireland, Great Britain, and Northern France. The Celts were pagan nature worshippers who had many gods, including the sun, which they believed commanded their work and rest times. They believed the sun maintained the earth and kept it beautiful, and caused their crops to grow. The Celts observed their new year on November 1, which marked the end of the harvest and summer, as well as the beginning of the cold, dark winter ahead. From October 31 to November 2, the Celts celebrated a 48-hour festival, the Vigil of Samhain. They believed that Samhain, the pagan lord of the dead, assembled the souls of those who had died during the previous year and decided what form they would take for the next year. The souls would either pass on to human bodies or would be condemned to live within animals, known as the most evil of the bad souls or spirits would take the form of cats. Hoping to coax Samhain into giving lighter sentences, the Celtic worshippers tried to bribe him with gifts and prayers.
At Samhain, held on November 1, the world of the gods was believed to be made visible to mankind, and the gods played many tricks on their mortal worshippers; it was a time fraught with danger, charged with fear, and full of supernatural episodes. Sacrifices and propitiations of every kind were thought to be vital, for without them the Celts believed they could not prevail over the perils of the season or counteract the activities of the deities. Samhain was an important precursor to Halloween. On the night of October 31, the eve of the new year, the Celts, after harvesting their crops and storing them for the coming winter, began their festival. First, they extinguished the cooking fires in their homes. Then the Druids met on hilltops in the dark oak forests and built huge sacred bonfires to frighten away evil spirits and to honor the sun god. Next, the people would burn crop and animal sacrifices to their gods, dancing around the fires as the season of the sun passed and the season of darkness began. The Celts wore costumes of animal heads and skins, and told each other their fortunes. The next morning, they re-lit their cooking fires from the sacred bonfires, in order to free them from evil spirits as well as to help protect them during the coming winter season.

The Age and Art of Dancing

2007-10-07T23:27:00.000-05:00

The lights dim, the orchestra begins to warm up, the rustling of paper can be heard, and then the curtain rises. The performance begins with an overture, a prelude to what will happen. Suddenly, the star ballerina appears on stage. She is beautiful and the audience claps vigorously for her. At the end of the show, she receives flowers and massive amounts of applause. Every little girl in the audience wants to be the ballerina on stage that was just seen. How does a little girl fulfill her dream of becoming a professional ballerina? What are the steps she must take in order to be on a stage gaining recognition one day? These are the common assumptions made by Americans of dancing. Dancing is closely related to the aging of the building in which the studio is located in. On the corner of P Street, Starstuck Dance Academy sits the Haymarket Square, rising above the trees of O Street but still dwarfed by the other buildings that tower into the smoke filled sky. Unlike the tame uniformity and monotonous insipidity of many Lincoln streets, here the buildings exhibit an endless change in their perpendicular and horizontal lines. Life can take people on many journeys but it is up to the observer as to what journeys are fitting for the future. Meandering about this historic site to Lincoln, Nebraska, there is a building to which many would refer to as “old” with people walking here and there. There is plenty of laughing, talking, loud music, and people eating. There is a unique overwhelming feeling that comes over while walking down the stairs of the cafeteria. Upon entering, the sweet and subtle sound of piano music greets you from the overhead speakers and the gleam of the marble columns are blinding. Tourists sit deep in conversation or hurtle towards doors into another boutique shop. Then, following the wooden rickety stairs toward the sky leads to the class, the only class of dancers. Passing pillars and chandeliers along the way resembles an antique structure. Possibly this is an antique structure with the location being in Haymarket Square. The lobby greets you with the essence of ice cream from the parlor, leaving a few extra pounds on any observer’s hips, not to mention the unwanted temptations that arise during the brief bypassing of those French glass doors with etched glass.

Remembering my recollections of dance in my past brings a tear to my eye. I have been involved in dance for so long that I could dance in my sleep. The building where I once took was located in an area similar to this one with old buildings and many unique features. As I sit and gaze, I can not help but think of my teacher. My teacher was my inspiration. My inspiration led to my dreams. Now, my dreams are leading to where I am today. Although dance has very little part in my life right at this moment, a lot of valuable lessons were learned. Not only can I establish a well balance day filled with work and play, but I can manage my time in order to not miss an important date. The rooms are a completely different story; they are more modern than
the traditional marble finish in the lobby. The rooms are mainly mahogany wood based, but more modern aspects had been blended in such as the bright overlooking window panes outstretching from wall to wall, appearing to go on forever. The office was cozy yet classy in that the desk was perfectly organized with a well thought out layout. The light fixtures seemed to glisten in the night on the mirrored walls with the light reflecting up into the arched ceilings.
As the music begins, feet begin to move to the beat, or off the beat, but either way the movements are beautiful. Parents sit in admiration of their little one and clap no matter what goes on. The mission of dance is to provide quality dance education to students of all ages and abilities, fostering many essential skills, creativity and confidence. This class is geared to giving tremendous personal attention, and taking the whole individual developing child into account. In the modern dance, creative dance and jazz classes, aside from technique, a premium is placed on having the students realize their own solutions to dance tasks. Dance is taught in a way that helps the developing child create their own voice, with dance as the medium. Here there is extensive imaginary play through dance; stories are enacted and improvisations are explored. As stated by Emily Daharsh, “My motivation for going to work everyday is seeing the kids smiling faces, trying to make them smile, making them better, looking forward to maybe teaching a new combo that I really love, that kind of think.” The works of young kids are irreplaceable by the fact that they are willing to try new and different things. Young children love to move, be it at play or when listening to music. By channeling this innate love through dance and movement classes not only helps to develop cognitive, motor and social skills but also instills exercise as a way of life.
As children grow older dance can continue to be a hobby for some or a future career choice for others. Dancing will grow with a child as the progress through their age. The age of the building can be related to the progress of the dancers’ ability. Whatever a child's goal, dance frequently produces confident, well-coordinated young people with good posture, self respect and respect for others. It is also a fun hobby which gives young people the chance to experience the thrill of performance and the satisfaction of progressing and gaining qualifications with an international body. “Look what I can do!” says a little girl with a bushy brown ponytail and bright green eyes. She just learned how to spin around on one foot, called a pirouette, and wanted to show Ms. Emily. The flowing of the girls's arms as she rounds a pirouette into a sa-shey, I was stunned by the amount of ability she had managed. Ms. Emily appears to be very patient with the girls, with nothing more to ask of them than to have fun. When asked what the hardest thing is for little girls she responded by saying, “They get frustrated easily. Sometimes it’s hard to balance fun to keep them excited and learning to keep them progressing, they can get tired and have a low attention span.” As I sit off in the distance the music that is playing is, “Somewhere Over The Rainbow” and the little girls seem to be more motivated by a song they know. The image of little ponytails, curls, and bows can not escape my mind. This is the usual attire of a dance class. Of course, this class is unique because of the girls’ specific to the age. Undergarments are a necessity to this time. With underwear hanging below their leotards, I can feel the awkward stages coming a long.
Experiencing dance is a whole new feeling. This is a feeling that no one can experience until actually been on the stage. From the crackling of the paint on the ballet bar to the hand prints on the mirror, anyone can see that this is no ordinary dance class. This environment is filled with fast pace moving people who love to express themselves through dance. Although quite young, expression plays a key role in what they are doing.
The music is instantly accessible to these young girls, and the venues are equipped with bars, which adds to feeling that they are having a play night rather than the usually playing at home. Best of all, even to a first-timer who can't quite co-ordinate her hands and has managed to bruise one or two toes, watching the fluid, sensuous moves of accomplished dancers, bodies perfectly synchronized, is nothing short of inspiring. All heights, weights, nationalities and different abilities fill this cavernous studio with movement. They dance, sing, play, learn, listen, teach, stomp, clap, tap, and have fun together as the music shifts and changes. Some effortlessly leading and following, others stopping to confer with their mothers about busy nonsense, all are focused on the task at hand, to have fun. The music stops. Teacher claps her hands. Oh no, this couldn’t be it. This couldn’t be the end of dance class for the week. What will happen until next week. Emily says of her happiness, “I like to make the kids feel good about themselves, even if they aren’t the best dancer in the world. I still want them to feel excited about dance and feel good about it when they go home…I love to hear about how little kids danced all around the house!” This proves that Emily is passionate about job. The little girls will squirm all over the car on the way home in order to hop in the door and show their dance moves.
A series of set of movements to music, either alone or with a partner. That is the definition of dancing. Dancing is a way to express one's feeling and to get active. Dance has been a part of human history since the earliest records of human life. The time learning dance can be well worth it. Once the girls get big enough maybe even someday they will be that ballerina on stage too.

Extra Credit: Erik Campbell

2007-10-03T15:25:00.000-05:00

From the moment Erik Campbell walked up to the podium, I knew he was unique. I knew I was going to like him. He began by not bringing the proper materials to the podium with him and had to race back to the table to scrounge around for the right ones. He made it back in perfect timing, just ready to begin his reading.
Erik Campbell has a very interesting story. He and his wife spent 5 years in Indonesia. Through the many years spent far away, he had the opportunity to experience a lot and broaden his range of writing capabilities. Many of the pieces he read were ones he wrote while over there, along with his recollections after returning back.
I found quite a few of his pieces very compelling in that he uses his sense of humor in a mature fashion. He began the reading with a series of short poems all encompassed by one theme, a Hamlet action figure series. The characters in this were Jason and Amy, who were in the crowd with us that evening. Campbell uses the names of loved ones in his poems instead of random names picked from the sky. This poem goes on to describe the many feelings and emotions experienced by many of the characters including The Gravedigger, Hamlet himself, Polonius, and Claudius. The humors exceeded in this poem are for all ages. The older crowd got laughs out of it as well as the younger crowd like myself. Along with the individual snickers here and there, Campbell knew how to correlate both kinds of humor into one line. He mentioned how he knew, “why the parents bought this game and children did not.”
After getting my attention, I deeply listened to the words he was saying. His vocabulary was so pronounce that I would get quite lost for awhile, but after a few moments, I would be right on track again. The poem I found was striking was one called, “The Strong Box” possibly because it relates to around my age. He got his inspiration for this piece after buying a safe with his wife. He felt “all grown up” buying this article because it meant that he actually has important documents now that could forever not be destroyed. He had car insurance, life insurance, a birth certificate, tax information, credit cards. Plainly said, he had grown up materials now, he wasn’t a kid. This seemed to be a moment in his life. He has realized something new. He mentions in this poem how he thought about testing this safe box under high temperatures because, “every mistake is made by a professional.” I thought that was very mature language.
Erik Campbell had a great sense of humor about him making it easy to relate to his audience. It wasn’t hard to keep my attention toward him. A great writer I would call him.

Extra Credit: Sawako Nakayasu

2007-09-28T19:41:00.000-05:00

While attending my first poetry reading, I was amazed at how energetic it was. I enjoyed every minute of it! My particularly favorite poem was the poem titled, “Hitch Hiking.” I felt this very compelling to my own life and many other peoples’ lives. This poem was about ants climbing on top of shoes to get from place to place. I feel like, at times, in order to survive and stay on top of things in the world one must “piggy back” on another friend to get by. Life can be frustrating to go through and many people sink, but also many will swim. The ants mentioned that the little things like crossing the street was hard to do without the help of a shoe nearby. The ants were not able to make it across the street in time without the cars being able to go; therefore they will be squished and succumbed to death.

Everyone can relate this to their life, especially those who are not made of money. America seems to be all about how much money a family has and who can gain the respect of being rich faster than their neighbor. In order to get ahead in the game, it is always good to rely on a friend. The importance of friends comes out in this poem in that, nothing is possible by yourself. Well, it may be, but things will be a lot harder like that. According to the ants, if you weren’t fast enough to hop onto a shoe you would be left behind. Left behind can mean a lot of things. Are you left behind in the scheme of the world, or in the life of your own? A lot of self opinions are relevant to this subject. Many would think that if they do their own thing, they will be just fine in the end, other’s will think that they must keep up to date with the entire world in order to be in the know. While listening to this poem, I thought a lot about myself and what I consider “getting left behind.”

There's No Place Like Nebraska...

2007-09-22T20:30:00.001-05:00

There is nothing more peaceful than walking through the wilderness no matter where you are. I especially liked this video from “Wilderness Park in Lincoln, Nebraska” because it showed the opposite view of the so thought of hick Nebraska. This video showed that there is more to Nebraska than the cornfields and the pasture. I liked the scenery and I felt like I was on a vacation myself. Plowing through the wilderness here, it reminded me of the four-wheeling trips my family takes every year in New Mexico. Nature makes me feel like I am surrounded by God’s creations. I feel holy when I am in the mountains, and I also tend to give thanks for more during that time. Too often times, many people don’t take a second to look around and take a glance at their surroundings. The United States, and the world at that, is becoming so industrialized that each and every day a little bit more of nature is being used up for the construction of a new building.

Bike riding can resemble a multitude of things. I can remember since I was a child going on bike rides with my family. From the moment this video started, I couldn’t stop thinking about my family. Family is so important to me. So, bike riding for me brings back memories. The exercise part in bike riding comes to mind also. I have always loved to exercise and bike riding is a good source of that. In Nebraska, there aren’t too many places where a bike ride can be as energetic as this one. The friends or companions riding along resemble the fun things people can do together rather than the typical going out to dinner. Too many times, the nation as a whole will eat rather than exercise. This video shows the wonders of what can be discovered while touring the world around you.

I thought the music was exceptional. It really had a good beat to it that was uplifting and let my mind wander. The different types of beats, staccato, long and smooth, and short and quick, were well thought out. This piece of music was well thought through to be incorporated into something such as this movie. I didn’t like how the music stopped for a bit, and then a new song began. At first I thought something happened, but then a new song started and they didn’t give it enough time to finish either. The break in between the songs although, could be a source of the climax. This was a place for the viewer to form their own opinion about their reactions. This video is an exceptional documentary toward the neat nature sources Nebraska has to offer.

2007-09-19T22:52:00.001-05:00

Dancing is the first thought on someone’s mind waking up in the morning. Dancing is more than just counting the steps and beats, and moving your feet. Dancing is about rhythm, feeling the music, and expressing yourself. Dancing is a hobby, a practice, a ritual. Dancing to me is energy, love, and craze.
Walking up the old rickety steps to dance class, the smell of the dust is evident all around. The studio is in a fine position in Lincoln, Nebraska. It appears at the heart of the downtown square, Haymarket Square. To many, Haymarket is what they remember about Lincoln. History is formed here and famous events are constantly happening. Culture is evident with the style of dance being taught, the authentic food, and the Farmer’s Market appealing to all generations. There is so much to do at the heart of Lincoln in downtown very own Haymarket Square.
One very interesting aspect to this place is the Starstuck Dance Academy. Through many decades dance has been taught in this real dance studio overlooking the main street to the Square. The parking meters are the first thing a driver would recognize. Downtown is filled with parking meters. Twenty five cents now-a-days won’t get a person much, but it will get thirty minutes at the parking meter! The cobblestone streets define the antique aging of the place as well as the parallel parking. The one-way streets provide confusion, yet traffic flows even better this way. Nearby, behind the Square, is a railroad track, and often the sound of the horn blowing is heard. The smoke arises from the many smokers standing outside, and the noise from neighboring bars blares through the streets.
As rough as this place may sound, it is very interesting with a lot of history involved. Walking up the steps to dance the smell of the ice cream parlor overwhelms me, making the calories just jump onto my hips. The studio is filled with young adults trying to move their feet to the beat of the music. Stinky feet smell up the waiting room along with dirty dance shoes and bags overcrowding the carpet floor. As soon as I step onto the dance floor I feel a vibe of energy. The floor is dusty, which makes it better to dance, not to slip! Mirrors are filled with little girls’ handprints and the teacher is filled with energy.
So many sensations a person can feel by just taking one step on a dance floor. The process leading up to the dance floor sets the mood of the type of dance being ready to performed. I can almost see the dancers move as close my eyes at the end of a long night.

Shop 'Til You Drop!

2007-09-12T23:43:00.000-05:00

Green grass. Smelly smoke. Crickets chirping. Does this sound like the typical mall to you? South Pointe Pavilions in Lincoln, Nebraska has a unique aroma and sense about it. Being outdoors gives it a fresh feeling full of liveliness and scenery that no other mall can portray. Being in the south part of Lincoln, it is quite a special treat to me when I get to go shopping WAY down there!

As I meander on the rough cobblestone sidewalks, I can smell an unusually smelly smell. No, not a good smell, but a rather disturbing smoking smell. Yes, of course, this is an outside place in a city, so there is bound to be the smoke smell nearby. Of all the places to smoke, please don’t chose the beautiful South Pointe Pavilions Mall to smoke at. Colors of every shade surround me on my way to my first stop, Hollister. The flowers are bright in full bloom as if just opening up in the spring time showers for the first time. I see every color from bright cranberry red to striking canary yellow. Landscaping was definitely someone’s strong suit as the planning began to build an amazing architectural view.

Shops can make or break a mall. It appears that this particular mall can be defined as elegant and pleasing to the eye. The buildings are enormous with perfect stone work and the facade of each business has a unique touch to welcome new customers. My favorite of these shops is Gap. I have loved Gap since the minute I first walked in. Gap has the city-style feel, simple, pleasant, and classic appeal to it. The business casual effect has been made possible with the affordable clothes. There is more to do than just shop. Watching a movie at The Cinema, eating at Panera Bread or Old Chicago, or just relaxing in the center on the benches. So much to do in so little time!
How often can a city show off a major shopping mall that is well-kept, clean, and user friendly? Lincoln can do this and so much more with South Pointe Pavilions. A lot of hard work, dedication, and patience went into planning the abstract buildings of the buildings. The at home feeling received while shopping is incredible.

Youth Centers: A+ In My Books

2007-09-12T22:18:00.000-05:00

The question is never what can your community, but what you can do for your community? In this certain instance though, these two significantly different standpoints work together to do something better for the community. More often than not, a building to help out the youth is not passed by the city council because of unsure feelings about how it will go. The youth tend to hit the “hot” spots, and when a new place comes to town, the main attraction may possibly not be it. There are many benefits to having a youth center such as this one mentioned in the Lincoln Journal Star coming soon to the Lincoln area.

This may be considered a personal opinion, but I think most can agree that youth programs don’t hinder the development of a child, but only enhance the life. I have never seen a bad outcome of a sponsored children’s program, especially one in a town like Lincoln. A community like this includes various types of people, but the majority are down to earth caring people. When a person with interest steps up to take a stab at coordinating a youth event, they are taking on a big challenge. First of all, the adult side of views is a lot different than the kid side of views. What an adult thinks is cool, a kid may not, and vise-versa. Primarily, the intent is to get kids involved, but if the adult chooses the wrong motion, there is no hope.

In this certain article, a Christian youth building is being built. The man who is in charge had led a group out of his home and now he feels he needs the space to hold more members. Possibly this group of kids are very close and want to remain together as friends as life proceeds them. I realize that this is a Christian atmosphere, but possibly new ideas can be brought about through the use of this website, Benefits of Youth Sports Programs. Through my church related activities, we have had intramurals and different activities than the normal Bible study. Parents who may be concerned of what is going on can read this website and get a general idea of the benefits of youth programs.

A newspaper is a newspaper; it can be what it wants to be. But, reading this article stunned me at how terribly wrote it was. Maybe this is the way this article had to be wrote in order to convey a lot of information in a short amount of time, but it was bland. This new building is a great opportunity and I think that more attention and possibly a bigger article could have been in the paper.

MONA Adventures

2007-09-09T23:12:00.000-05:00

Kearney, Nebraska can be defined as a small town, a hick town, or an uprising small city. To me, Kearney is a unique community filled with connections and personality, a home I would call it. The welcoming atmosphere with the friendly people makes the people of the town feel and little more at ease. One observing fact is the history built into Kearney. The old downtown, the college (UNK), and of course The MONA! The MONA has served the people of Kearney for numerous years with amazing architecture and brilliant art. The surreal scenery pronounces a dignified art museum with tasteful work upon the walls.

One art exhibit within the museum especially caught my eye. Solomon Butcher was a photographer in the early days of filmmaking. He captured memories and history in his photos that will never be forgotten. A television screen within the museum portrayed the many different aspects he caught in each and every one of his photos. For example, the details inside a house were shown in a picture that was taken of a family standing on the outside of the house. Butcher made a point to reflect the times of the day by photographing the different materials used inside and outside the house. Butcher was a detail-oriented person by always setting up his scene in order to achieve the best portrait. Another example is he had the men carry a woman outside so her feet didn’t get dirty for the picture.

From a different outlook on art, the sculpture side surprisingly caught my attention. Right at the entryway of MONA was a wall with ten shelves each filled with 10 glass frosted cupcakes. This work was done by the Artist Tom Kreager, and was called “100 Frosted Tastee Cupcakes.” Right around the corner was another display by Kreager called, “100 Mothers.” Each exhibit was roughly the same idea, with many variances. The glasswork was uniquely incorporated to make the cupcakes appear edible and the mothers’ hair to look touchable. Kreager showed much talent in designing each three inch by three inch piece of art.

My experiences at The MONA art museum will affect me for the rest of my life. I have never had a true appreciation for the many different styles of art until this assignment. This is the way school ought to be. School should be about learning your surroundings, appreciating the culture and history in one’s own community. Sure the math, chemistry, and language is all important, but what about the background of our country or even ourselves? I find it amazing how little America knows about each other. We are all neighbors in a sense, yet we barely make time to get to know anything about the other world we have never experienced. This world for me is art. I may have even found my own niche.

Post 1: Discourse Surrounding the Essay

2007-09-03T15:36:00.000-05:00

“Writing that has a voice is writing that has something like a personality. But whose personality is it? As with most things in art, there is not straight road from the product back to the person who made it up. There are writers read and loved for their humor who are not especially funny people, and writers read and loved for their eloquence who, in conversation, swallow their words or can’t seem to finish a sentence. Wisdom on the page correlates with wisdom in the writer about as frequently as a high batting average correlates with a high IQ: they just seem to have very little to do with one another. Charming people can produce prose of sneering sententiousness, and cranky neurotics can, to their readers seem to be inexhaustibly delightful. Personal drabness, through some obscure neural kink, can deliver verbal blooms. Readers who meet writers whose voice they have fallen in love with usually need to make a small adjustment in order to hang on to their infatuation.”
-Louis Menand

Louis Menand mentions very good points while using colorful words to express the feelings of a true voice and personality essay. The first sentence struck me off guard by saying that writing, voice, and personality all go hand in hand. Without voice the reader often times does not get in full detail the assumptions meaning to make by the author. In order to fully comply what the author is saying and relate to your own life, an author must put voice at the top of their “Things To Do” list.
Before beginning to write an essay, Louis mentions that a person must fully accept who they are. Some writers are humorous or serious and are loved for that fact. While others pretend to be someone they are not. America as a whole gets caught up in the limelight of what is popular at the moment. Even though writing about the global economy may not be an authors’ strong suit, he or she may write about such a topic to gain audience attention. This is not the write way of doing work. Write what you are passionate about. The true colors of your soul come out to develop a unique piece of art called an essay. An essay has not only facts, but has a story to entertain. The objective point of view is subdued by the subjective point of view and is often times collaborated to create an equal balance of the two.
As mentioned by Joseph Epstein, an essay should be written in common conversational talk. An essay should be just as you are talking to your neighbor. I disagree with Epstein. Common conversation talk is very informal. No, I’m not saying that an essay must be the utmost formal paper ever written, but conversational talk is too casual. Louis Menand describes the ideal essay; writing with voice and personality create the greatest balance in writing.

Post 1: Test Post

2007-08-30T09:37:00.000-05:00

First Post.