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Friday, March 12, 2010
Table of Contents
Intro to Revision piece
The Value of Communication
I chose this as my revision piece as I feel it was my best essay. Originally we were required to write a 3-4 page paper that analyzes how a specific cultural tradition has been challenged, altered, or undermined. Although I did well writing this piece there were several areas that needed to be shown to my audience rather than just told. I’ve gone through and spruced it up. I feel confident that aside from understanding my writings you will now be able to visualize the concepts as well. For example, in the original paper I created this sentence: “One of the best things about earlier ways of communication was the face-to-face contact, which showed that a person cared enough to step away from a busy schedule to spend time with a loved one.” That’s where I ended it and did not show the reader how this could be done. In the revised version, you’ll read this: “One of the best things about earlier ways of communication was the face-to-face contact, which showed that a person cared enough to step away from a busy schedule to spend time with a loved one. During an busy time of the school quarter, I received a late night invitation from a friend who was devastated to learn the she had Multiple Sclerosis and asked that I come over and spend a couple hours with her. Homework and sleep was put aside in order to support her right then.” I hope you enjoy the read!
I chose this as my revision piece as I feel it was my best essay. Originally we were required to write a 3-4 page paper that analyzes how a specific cultural tradition has been challenged, altered, or undermined. Although I did well writing this piece there were several areas that needed to be shown to my audience rather than just told. I’ve gone through and spruced it up. I feel confident that aside from understanding my writings you will now be able to visualize the concepts as well. For example, in the original paper I created this sentence: “One of the best things about earlier ways of communication was the face-to-face contact, which showed that a person cared enough to step away from a busy schedule to spend time with a loved one.” That’s where I ended it and did not show the reader how this could be done. In the revised version, you’ll read this: “One of the best things about earlier ways of communication was the face-to-face contact, which showed that a person cared enough to step away from a busy schedule to spend time with a loved one. During an busy time of the school quarter, I received a late night invitation from a friend who was devastated to learn the she had Multiple Sclerosis and asked that I come over and spend a couple hours with her. Homework and sleep was put aside in order to support her right then.” I hope you enjoy the read!
Voice and Audience piece
I must start off by saying that I am not one of those women who carry the sum of their life in their purse. I have a purse - yes, just one, but I rarely use it. I like to travel light so I use a wallet. It's a Fossil wallet I bought at Macey's about 4 years ago now. It's black genuine leather and has little dents in it from when I dropped it out my pocket onto the gravel driveway then proceeded to back over it with my car. It has everything I need in it, except money. Go figure.
I generally just keep the basics in my wallet. I have insurance cards for each of my three children, my drivers license,debit cards,random business cards,restaurant stamp cards,Starbucks cards, a Safeway club card, and a few gift cards. One thing I find very interesting in my wallet is the presence of two hotel key cards. I have zero recollection as to where I got them or what hotel they are from. Ahem, don't let your imaginations run wild here...or wait... go ahead, and then tell me your ideas. Maybe I'll remember! I think anyone who found my wallet would just assume that I like Starbucks and that I take care of my children but otherwise not anything extraordinary.
What anyone who found my wallet would not know is that I have a great sense of humor, I'm divorced, I love the sunshine and my favorite colors are purple and yellow. They also would not know that I'm going to school to better myself for the benefit of my family, that I'm doing everything I can to keep afloat. I'm also dedicated to my friends and do anything within my power to support them and make them feel important.
I generally just keep the basics in my wallet. I have insurance cards for each of my three children, my drivers license,debit cards,random business cards,restaurant stamp cards,Starbucks cards, a Safeway club card, and a few gift cards. One thing I find very interesting in my wallet is the presence of two hotel key cards. I have zero recollection as to where I got them or what hotel they are from. Ahem, don't let your imaginations run wild here...or wait... go ahead, and then tell me your ideas. Maybe I'll remember! I think anyone who found my wallet would just assume that I like Starbucks and that I take care of my children but otherwise not anything extraordinary.
What anyone who found my wallet would not know is that I have a great sense of humor, I'm divorced, I love the sunshine and my favorite colors are purple and yellow. They also would not know that I'm going to school to better myself for the benefit of my family, that I'm doing everything I can to keep afloat. I'm also dedicated to my friends and do anything within my power to support them and make them feel important.
Intro to voice and audience
Wallets can tell you so much about a person.
This is one of my blog writings. In this assignment we were to explain to our readers about how the contents of our wallets held clues to the type of person we are. One thing I noticed when reading some of the blogs from my classmates was that most seemed to list things that you wouldn’t be able to know about them based on what they had in their wallets. For me these seemed to be some of the most important qualities of my classmates. “What anyone who found my wallet would not know is that I have a great sense of humor, I'm divorced, I love the sunshine and my favorite colors are purple and yellow. They also would not know that I'm going to school to better myself for the benefit of my family, that I'm doing everything I can to keep afloat. I'm also dedicated to my friends and do anything within my power to support them and make them feel important.” These are things I value most about myself and you wouldn’t know that by looking through my wallet.
This class gave me my first experience with blogging. I’d never tried it before and it’s taught me that we all have a bit of a writer in us and it doesn’t always have to be structured. It showed me a different aspect to my creative side. It also taught me how to use analysis on things I wouldn’t otherwise. If I were to look through a stranger’s wallet, my brain would go on the path of finding a way to get the wallet back to the owner. While looking through this person’s wallet I never would have wondered what kind of person they are, but now I just might.
This is one of my blog writings. In this assignment we were to explain to our readers about how the contents of our wallets held clues to the type of person we are. One thing I noticed when reading some of the blogs from my classmates was that most seemed to list things that you wouldn’t be able to know about them based on what they had in their wallets. For me these seemed to be some of the most important qualities of my classmates. “What anyone who found my wallet would not know is that I have a great sense of humor, I'm divorced, I love the sunshine and my favorite colors are purple and yellow. They also would not know that I'm going to school to better myself for the benefit of my family, that I'm doing everything I can to keep afloat. I'm also dedicated to my friends and do anything within my power to support them and make them feel important.” These are things I value most about myself and you wouldn’t know that by looking through my wallet.
This class gave me my first experience with blogging. I’d never tried it before and it’s taught me that we all have a bit of a writer in us and it doesn’t always have to be structured. It showed me a different aspect to my creative side. It also taught me how to use analysis on things I wouldn’t otherwise. If I were to look through a stranger’s wallet, my brain would go on the path of finding a way to get the wallet back to the owner. While looking through this person’s wallet I never would have wondered what kind of person they are, but now I just might.
Writer's choice
This film wants us to believe that it's ok to accept someone no matter how different they might be. It shows us that we can step outside our comfort zones to support anyone when they are different. We all understand that there are many people with an illness whether it is physical or mental. But does anyone really treat them as if they didn't have a thing wrong with them? I think that many people aren't really sure how to act around someone with a disability. We think that perhaps they wouldn't want us to but what if they did?! It's scary because nobody wants to hurt anyone's feelings or make them feel weird and out of place. In the film it shows practically a whole community pretending that everything is normal for the sake of one person.
How realistic is the idea of this film? Could something similar like this happen? Would the whole community take part in it? I found myself thinking about the compassion of everyone but at the same time the idea was so far fetched that I found it hard to see it as very realistic.
During the film Lars was invited to a party. As he was arriving with Bianca, he hesitated almost as if he knew that his situation was not quite normal. As Lars enters the party with Bianca, all conversation stops and people watch to see what happens next. This is the part of the movie where I thought for sure something bad would happen. Perhaps someone might have too much to drink and decide to tell Lars how crazy everyone thinks he is.
We've watched this scene happen in other movies where an "outsider" enters a large gathering and everything stops to watch them. It happens actually in any public place where someone is acting differently, looks differently, talks differently, and everyone kind of points and stares. The filmmaker decides in this scene to have everyone accept Lars and go along with his situation with Bianca. Even the hosts husband dances with her! They really show how you can accept anyone regardless of their differences.
How realistic is the idea of this film? Could something similar like this happen? Would the whole community take part in it? I found myself thinking about the compassion of everyone but at the same time the idea was so far fetched that I found it hard to see it as very realistic.
During the film Lars was invited to a party. As he was arriving with Bianca, he hesitated almost as if he knew that his situation was not quite normal. As Lars enters the party with Bianca, all conversation stops and people watch to see what happens next. This is the part of the movie where I thought for sure something bad would happen. Perhaps someone might have too much to drink and decide to tell Lars how crazy everyone thinks he is.
We've watched this scene happen in other movies where an "outsider" enters a large gathering and everything stops to watch them. It happens actually in any public place where someone is acting differently, looks differently, talks differently, and everyone kind of points and stares. The filmmaker decides in this scene to have everyone accept Lars and go along with his situation with Bianca. Even the hosts husband dances with her! They really show how you can accept anyone regardless of their differences.
Intro to Writer's Choice
Movie Talk!
Most may have chosen one of their essays for this piece. I thought about it but while it shows the improvement I’ve made in learning how to write an essay, it doesn’t show my accomplishment in analysis as much as I think this Movie Talk did. Asking someone to watch a movie and then explain the big picture can be difficult. Additionally there can be many different instances happening throughout. I used to watch a movie and just see it. After our lessons of Movie Talk I actually see more of what is happening – things I used to miss when I would watch a movie.
I found this to be one of the more meaningful lessons of analysis – I find that it’s actually enjoyable. Here’s a bit of my post:
“This film wants us to believe that it's ok to accept someone no matter how different they might be. It shows us that we can step outside our comfort zones to support anyone when they are different. We all understand that there are many people with an illness whether it is physical or mental. But does anyone really treat them as if they didn't have a thing wrong with them? I think that many people aren't really sure how to act around someone with a disability. We think that perhaps they wouldn't want us to but what if they did?! It's scary because nobody wants to hurt anyone's feelings or make them feel weird and out of place.”
The movie was called Lars and the Real Girl. It’s about a man who orders a realistic life-size doll and actually thinks she is alive. She goes everywhere she goes and the community around him supports him through his disorder rather than label him an outsider.
Most may have chosen one of their essays for this piece. I thought about it but while it shows the improvement I’ve made in learning how to write an essay, it doesn’t show my accomplishment in analysis as much as I think this Movie Talk did. Asking someone to watch a movie and then explain the big picture can be difficult. Additionally there can be many different instances happening throughout. I used to watch a movie and just see it. After our lessons of Movie Talk I actually see more of what is happening – things I used to miss when I would watch a movie.
I found this to be one of the more meaningful lessons of analysis – I find that it’s actually enjoyable. Here’s a bit of my post:
“This film wants us to believe that it's ok to accept someone no matter how different they might be. It shows us that we can step outside our comfort zones to support anyone when they are different. We all understand that there are many people with an illness whether it is physical or mental. But does anyone really treat them as if they didn't have a thing wrong with them? I think that many people aren't really sure how to act around someone with a disability. We think that perhaps they wouldn't want us to but what if they did?! It's scary because nobody wants to hurt anyone's feelings or make them feel weird and out of place.”
The movie was called Lars and the Real Girl. It’s about a man who orders a realistic life-size doll and actually thinks she is alive. She goes everywhere she goes and the community around him supports him through his disorder rather than label him an outsider.
Revise this.
The Value of Communication
“Communicating with the masses is a very powerful thing, however, there is nothing romantic about it, the mood is like stainless steel as opposed to a summer breeze,” stated one user when asked the downside of Facebook. There are those who find electronic communication to be more convenient and certainly a faster method of communication than perhaps talking on the phone or actually visiting with someone. However, there are some who miss meeting a friend for a coffee or lunch. The older more personal methods of communication between family and friends have been replaced by the impersonal and even lazy ways of modern communication.
Not long ago, when it a person wanted to discuss an issue with a relative or friend, it used to be they’d call on the telephone or even drive to their home for a visit. A face-to-face visit is more personal. Today it is common to send emails, texts, and instant messages to talk about issues, which can leave room for misinterpretation of the emotions or tones. This can be especially bad in a work environment. An administrative assistant to a sales group has to prioritize her workload while responding to several emails through out the day. Sometimes those responses are to let that sales rep know that the administrative assistant won’t be able to help them until perhaps the following day. The sales person might interpret the email differently and take offense. This could have been avoided if the administrative assistant was able to make a quick phone call to let them know the situation, as the sales rep would be able to hear the polite tone during the conversation. Unnecessary reprimands over how the tone of an email to a co-worker was construed can be avoided if the employees have an in person conversation rather than an electronic one.
As the convenience of electronic communication increases, so too, does laziness. It takes no more than a few minutes to open up email versus the 45 minutes of drive time to visit a family member. One of the best things about earlier ways of communication was the face-to-face contact, which showed that a person cared enough to step away from a busy schedule to spend time with a loved one. During an busy time of the school quarter, I received a late night invitation from a friend who was devastated to learn the she had Multiple Sclerosis and asked that I come over and spend a couple hours with her. Homework and sleep was put aside in order to support her right then. In “This is How we Live”, Ellen DeGeneres talks a bit about the laziness seen today: “Modern life requires hardly any physical activity. We just push a button and stand there. Take the car window. Someone decided that having to crank the window down yourself was too hard. ‘I don’t want to churn butter, I just want fresh air.’ So we got a button to do it” (638). People are in such a hurry to do something quickly that they miss out on some really important interaction. A child might ask his mom to read to him before bed and she might do a quick story so that she can get back to a television show. What she doesn’t realize she’s missing is how the love and admiration her child feels for her expands.
Not every aspect of social networking is bad. We are able to find friends or family members that we lost touch with over the years. Jobs can be found. Long distance phone bills are all but eliminated. No need to worry about putting gas in the tank or buying an airplane ticket. The caring, concern, and compassion can still be shown. When a Facebook user posted a survey on Facebook asking their friends “How has the internet, email, facebook changed your communication with friends and family members in either a postive or negative way and why?”, one friend answered in this way, “Really??? You’re asking this question?? Connection and communication is a life force!! Without all this technology, I would have been in the “home” a long time ago!!” For someone who lacks confidence in social environments, email, Internet, Facebook, and Myspace would indeed be considered the best way to stay connected to the outside world and could potentially be lost without it. In “Myspace Outage Leaves Millions Friendless”, an article from The Onion makes fun of how addicted people are to social networking programs: “I lost 6,456 of my best friends in an instant,” said Minneapolis resident Peter Steinberg, 20 who has loyally befriended as many profiles as possible over the past two years.” “Nothing can describe how devastated I feel. Some of these people I’ve exchanged two, even three comments with, and I can’t tell you how many ROTFLMAOs we’ve shared, too” (159). While it may be a joke there is much truth behind it. So many users make a game of seeing how many people they can become friends with on Myspace regardless of if they know them or not.
Getting family and friends together to catch up with each other’s lives or to just touch base is important. While a phone call works well, an actual appearance can be better. It provides a way to actually see a friend or a relative to physically assess their well being, rather than just judge from a phone conversation. A hug or a comforting touch cannot be done through an email or a cell phone text. While we might be saving a couple hours in our day through electronic communication, by taking time to call or visit those we care about we’re gaining a better relationship.
Works Cited
DeGeneres, Ellen. “This is How we Live.” Remix Reading + Composing Culture. 2nd Ed. Catherine G. Latterell. Bedford/St. Martin’s 2010. 638-642. Print.
The Onion. “MySpace Outage Leaves Millions Friendless.” Remix Reading + Composing Culture. Second edition. Catherine G. Latterell. Bedford/St. Martin’s 2010. 158-160
Anonymous Facebook friends. “Opinions wanted!! How has the internet, email, facebook changed your communication with friends and family members in either a postive or negative way and why?” Responses to the user. 25 Feb. 2010.
“Communicating with the masses is a very powerful thing, however, there is nothing romantic about it, the mood is like stainless steel as opposed to a summer breeze,” stated one user when asked the downside of Facebook. There are those who find electronic communication to be more convenient and certainly a faster method of communication than perhaps talking on the phone or actually visiting with someone. However, there are some who miss meeting a friend for a coffee or lunch. The older more personal methods of communication between family and friends have been replaced by the impersonal and even lazy ways of modern communication.
Not long ago, when it a person wanted to discuss an issue with a relative or friend, it used to be they’d call on the telephone or even drive to their home for a visit. A face-to-face visit is more personal. Today it is common to send emails, texts, and instant messages to talk about issues, which can leave room for misinterpretation of the emotions or tones. This can be especially bad in a work environment. An administrative assistant to a sales group has to prioritize her workload while responding to several emails through out the day. Sometimes those responses are to let that sales rep know that the administrative assistant won’t be able to help them until perhaps the following day. The sales person might interpret the email differently and take offense. This could have been avoided if the administrative assistant was able to make a quick phone call to let them know the situation, as the sales rep would be able to hear the polite tone during the conversation. Unnecessary reprimands over how the tone of an email to a co-worker was construed can be avoided if the employees have an in person conversation rather than an electronic one.
As the convenience of electronic communication increases, so too, does laziness. It takes no more than a few minutes to open up email versus the 45 minutes of drive time to visit a family member. One of the best things about earlier ways of communication was the face-to-face contact, which showed that a person cared enough to step away from a busy schedule to spend time with a loved one. During an busy time of the school quarter, I received a late night invitation from a friend who was devastated to learn the she had Multiple Sclerosis and asked that I come over and spend a couple hours with her. Homework and sleep was put aside in order to support her right then. In “This is How we Live”, Ellen DeGeneres talks a bit about the laziness seen today: “Modern life requires hardly any physical activity. We just push a button and stand there. Take the car window. Someone decided that having to crank the window down yourself was too hard. ‘I don’t want to churn butter, I just want fresh air.’ So we got a button to do it” (638). People are in such a hurry to do something quickly that they miss out on some really important interaction. A child might ask his mom to read to him before bed and she might do a quick story so that she can get back to a television show. What she doesn’t realize she’s missing is how the love and admiration her child feels for her expands.
Not every aspect of social networking is bad. We are able to find friends or family members that we lost touch with over the years. Jobs can be found. Long distance phone bills are all but eliminated. No need to worry about putting gas in the tank or buying an airplane ticket. The caring, concern, and compassion can still be shown. When a Facebook user posted a survey on Facebook asking their friends “How has the internet, email, facebook changed your communication with friends and family members in either a postive or negative way and why?”, one friend answered in this way, “Really??? You’re asking this question?? Connection and communication is a life force!! Without all this technology, I would have been in the “home” a long time ago!!” For someone who lacks confidence in social environments, email, Internet, Facebook, and Myspace would indeed be considered the best way to stay connected to the outside world and could potentially be lost without it. In “Myspace Outage Leaves Millions Friendless”, an article from The Onion makes fun of how addicted people are to social networking programs: “I lost 6,456 of my best friends in an instant,” said Minneapolis resident Peter Steinberg, 20 who has loyally befriended as many profiles as possible over the past two years.” “Nothing can describe how devastated I feel. Some of these people I’ve exchanged two, even three comments with, and I can’t tell you how many ROTFLMAOs we’ve shared, too” (159). While it may be a joke there is much truth behind it. So many users make a game of seeing how many people they can become friends with on Myspace regardless of if they know them or not.
Getting family and friends together to catch up with each other’s lives or to just touch base is important. While a phone call works well, an actual appearance can be better. It provides a way to actually see a friend or a relative to physically assess their well being, rather than just judge from a phone conversation. A hug or a comforting touch cannot be done through an email or a cell phone text. While we might be saving a couple hours in our day through electronic communication, by taking time to call or visit those we care about we’re gaining a better relationship.
Works Cited
DeGeneres, Ellen. “This is How we Live.” Remix Reading + Composing Culture. 2nd Ed. Catherine G. Latterell. Bedford/St. Martin’s 2010. 638-642. Print.
The Onion. “MySpace Outage Leaves Millions Friendless.” Remix Reading + Composing Culture. Second edition. Catherine G. Latterell. Bedford/St. Martin’s 2010. 158-160
Anonymous Facebook friends. “Opinions wanted!! How has the internet, email, facebook changed your communication with friends and family members in either a postive or negative way and why?” Responses to the user. 25 Feb. 2010.
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