Tangerine

Strangely interesting weekend. Friday I probably should have been doing work but it didn't really work out. I watched a movie with friends instead. That night a bunch of friends and I went to my friend's apartment. We got a ride there but none of us were really thinking of how we would get back. This apartment was by the IHOP, it was a rainy, wet night but walking seemed like a good option. It was an incredibly long walk. Later we mapquested it and saw that it was 2.5 miles to the View where we got a bus to go back home...it was a long walk. Quite an interesting night. The football game against NC State was an awesome experience. It was wet and slightly cold and really started to pour by the end of the first quarter but it still was a lot of fun. As usual, I stood in the first row and got completely into the game. My friend, who is really into football, stood right behind me and pretty much was my commentator for the game, giving a play by play analysis. Saturday my sister had a halloween party. I brought a few of my friends and my brother was there with a few of his. It ended up being a lot of fun. I went as a hippie... a completely last minute option but I went all out. When I got there my sister and brother took one look at me and said something like, wow, you do know that you were supposed to dress up?... apparently they think that I am a hippie...yea that's probably true. Nevertheless my costume was an extreme exaggeration of what I would normally wear so it worked out. Today I hardly left my room. All day I sat at my desk doing homework when all I wanted to do was sit outside. By the time I finished everything, the sun had set. Hopefully tomorrow will be like today weather wise and I can go out to enjoy it.

Promising Light

So I'm sitting at my desk right now and, as hard as I try, I can not get my brain to focus on one thing right now. The english essay is due monday and I have all of my research done and an outline planned basically in my head, I just need to start writing, which is truly easier said than done. I have a good amount of reading to do for women's studies which I've been looking at and a math test to study for. The game is in an hour and a half and it should be a fun one. I have a friend who gets there early to get the front row and he always saves me and my friends spots so we get the best seats. There's nothing better than being up front and completely engaged in the game. It's a grey, rainy day, not terribly cold, but miserable, nonetheless. Not the best weather to go out in when you are recovering from being sick but the game is well worth it. It's hard to concentrate on work when I keep thinking about the game and plans for the night. I know that I have work to do and yet I am procrastinating hardcore, hence why I'm writing a blog right now.
I was looking at my grades and realized that I have all A's right now...except for english with a Satisfactory. That 'S' which appears next to English 101 is very elusive. What does it mean really? There are just so many degrees of Satisfactory that I really have no way of gaging how I am doing. I mean I definitely do all of my work for the class and I did fine on the essay but I really just kind of want to know exactly how I am doing.
I'm pretty proud of myself though because I got a 94% on my first Government100 test which, hopefully, will set the tone for the rest of the tests for the class. Now I know my professor's style of making tests and I know my TA's style of grading and I know exactly how to study to prepare for the tests so there really is no reason why I shouldn't do even better on the next test. We shall see. I have to get a B in the class to stay in the Government and Politics major and I'm thinking that I should be able to do that without any real problem, though I was pretty worried before. I'm not even sure if I want to stay in this major but if I'm going to leave it, I want to leave by my own free will as opposed to being kicked out. Government is a pragmatic choice for a major, especially if I choose to go to law school after college but as something that I would be doing for the rest of my life, I'm not so sure. I met with the Anthropology advisor a few weeks ago and he was really helpful. I think that I'm going to take a class in the subject next semester to see if I really like it but right now, it seems to be a definite possibility. I can double major pretty easily, and my advisor suggests double degreeing, but this would involve me deciding on majors very soon...no pressure, it's just something that could determine the path for the rest of my life. I feel like Government is a pragamtic choice but I need a major that will make me happy, I think Anthropology or maybe Philosophy could fulfill that need. I've got some time to decide obviously and I really just need to take classes in a wide array of subjects so that I can make an existential choice. I need to do some serious soul searching.

Over the Hills and Far Away

I've heard it all before, time and time again. Sometimes I am just completely in my own world, over the hills and far away. Living in my head, consumed by my own thoughts, a little spacey. At home, I could go off by myself, to my room, to sit under a tree, to think through my thoughts or reflect, meditate. I guess since I am living in such close quarters with people and I am constantly around someone, I can't really hide this fact about myself. Just today I was walking with two friends to the in-con to pick up some things and I looked up to see a tree, framed by a sky blue sky, filled with the most vibrantly red fruit. Brown birds flew around the branches, eating the fruit, singing to one another. I couldn't help but stop for a moment and smile, meditate on the scene. I guess I forgot that I was engaged in a conversation at the time as my friends stopped to stare in amusement at my behavior. I didn't even notice until they started to mock me; of course, all in good fun. Other times I'll be in my floor's lounge doing homework or talking with people and all of a sudden I'll just stare off into space for a while and smile or have a quizzical expression. Someone always asks me what I'm thinking about. Most of the time it has nothing to do with what's going on, and usually it's something that I wouldn't dream of sharing; they are, after all, my own thoughts. My friend always tries to catch me when I'm thinking, he finds it entertaining, I find it natural. There was a trail which wound its way through a patch of woods near my house. I used to run on the trail frequently but it wasn't uncommon for me to wander off into the depths of the woods when passion inspired me. I guess that this is what led to my connection to Thoreau. I'm not sure why I feel emboldened to write this. It just seems to be another one of my random thoughts.

Free Falling

Mid-October and it's truly beginning to feel like autumn. It is to the point where you can wear long sleeves and jeans and maybe a sweatshirt to be comfortable outside. The leaves are still mostly green but have a mixture of the reds, yellows, oranges, browns that characterize the season. By far autumn is my favorite season. The temperature is perfect and the colors of the scenery capture my feelings. My room at home, as a manifestation of my personality, is inspired by this season. Unfortunately, with every change of season I manage to get sick which is bad but I'm sure it will pass. Right now I'm rocking the raspy voice and cough which make singing nearly impossible.
I don't really know what to say right now about school. A large part of me is having a great time with college, all of the freedom and studying subjects that are interesting. But, I miss home and it's lazier ways. I guess I'm a little overwhelmed with all of the work and trying to still emphasize a social life. I just really want to be able to play my guitar and write and read and breathe just for a minute. I wish that I could just do the things that I love all of the time. I'm sure that that is a typical desire, but not at all realistic.

Rhetorical Journal Assignment #2

http://www.jstor.org/stable/3398883?&Search=yes&term=music&term=budget&term=students&term=effects&term=education&term=cuts&list=hide&searchUri=%2Faction%2FdoAdvancedSearch%3Fq0%3Dmusic%2Beducation%26f0%3Dall%26c0%3DAND%26q1%3Deffects%2Bon%2Bstudents%26f1%3Dall%26c1%3DAND%26q2%3Dbudget%2Bcuts%26f2%3Dall%26c2%3DAND%26q3%3D%26f3%3Dall%26wc%3Don%26Search%3DSearch%26sd%3D%26ed%3D%26la%3D%26jo%3D&item=1&ttl=541&returnArticleService=showArticle
In this article, the author, June Hinckley, is arguing for the benefits of music education in urban public schools. She begins with an appeal to pathos to describe the urban setting, a place “where hope has become little more than a word and where neglect, indifference, decay, and even hatred… are such daily realities that some might consider them to be a part of a normal existence.” Right from the first paragraph the reader is engaged with the argument and feels an intense sympathy for the students. Hinckley argues that music education can bridge the gap between the harsh urban realm and the traditional, loving home.
The article contains several appeals to ethos to give the argument credibility. Michael Green, the president of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, Inc., was cited to have said that the youth felt great anger due to being denied access to music in schools, a privilege that older generations had admittance to. The New York Times published an article in 1993 which described positive effects of music on students including one classroom where all of the students collectively wrote their own lyrics to a popular song. This created a connection between a student’s life in school and life out of school which is vital to a student’s growth in education. A study called The Role of the Fine and Performing Arts in High School Dropout Prevention defended the side that competition and high expectations in the classroom will encourage students to achieve far more. There is also a positive correlation with the morale of teachers, engagement of the community in school affairs, and self-esteem and attendance of students. Patronizing students and “dumbing down” work will have the opposite effects.
June Hinckley used the system of stasis theory as well. Urban schools are generally problematic with statistically lower test scores and graduation rates. This has been attributed to many factors but the author strongly argues that the decay of urban schools is primarily caused by a lack of family and community involvement in schools. Music education has the potential to change this trend by creating a connection between school and home life. It is vital that some form of action be taken to pursue a betterment of urban schools for the sake of the youth. This begins with the teachers. The curriculum must be geared to engage the students in the material on a personal level. When a student chooses to study music, usually the underlying desire is to someday compose and perform their own music. Teachers should teach the skills to make this possible and encourage development in this area. This will cause a strong tie from home to school. The curriculum is primarily dictated by the school board while the teachers retain some artistic license in interpreting it.
The author effectively makes her argument for strong music programs in urban schools by clearly following the stasis theory. In addition, she gains the audience’s sympathy through pathos and credibility through ethos.

Touch of Grey

It was inevitable for this to happen and yet somehow I didn't believe it could happen to me. I am sick. Living in such close quarters with no place to hide, no way to isolate yourself, sickness spreads unbelievably fast in a dorm. My friend has a sinus infection , my roommate has a permanent cough, innumerable people have colds. I held out for a pretty long time, I guess I thought that my immune system was pretty strong but it couldn't stand up against the lack of sleep and poor diet. I didn't even feel that bad until a few hours ago but as soon as it came on, I grabbed medicine and tea as fast as possible. Maybe it has something to do with the changingweather. It would be miserable to be sick right now. The worst part about it is even though I am incredibly tired right now, I can't sleep. My roommate has a friend from home here and they are watching a movie. I'd rather not ruin their good time so I guess I'm kind of just attempting to rest by doing homework in bed.
Today was an incredibly easy day. Since english was cancelled, I scheduled an appointment with my academic advisor to go over my four year plan. The meeting went well, though I'm not any closer to realizing where I want to be in four years. After that I went to the library to write an essay for women's studies which took a few hours. Math was cancelled today too so I didn't have any class today. I was able to get ahead in my work for a lot of classes which relieves a good amount of stress. So at least that's one less worry.

Subterranean Homesick Blues

After almost a month and a half away, I am finally home. I'm sitting in my room right now and it's still so hard to believe that I ever left. The beginning of my college career feels like a dream. What if it was? Though, I guess I wouldn't be blogging for an english assignment then. I honestly missed home so much while I was away but I didn't want to miss anything at school so I wasn't willing to leave for a weekend. But this weekend is family weekend so a lot of people are going home so it was a convenient time to go home. Plus, my cousin's wedding is Sunday so I guess I didn't really have a choice. I definitely needed a break from all of the distractions and drama and work. Truthfully, I missed my room, my bed, my kitchen, my stuff and most importantly my parents. That was the longest that I have ever been away and, though I had a lot of fun, it's good to be home. I had to wake up pretty early this morning so that we could get back in time for a doctor's appointment. My sister has a car on campus so she drove me, my brother, and my friend, Alex, home. I think everyone had gone to bed sometime after 4 the night before so, needless to say, it was a rough drive for all of us.
After a greeting with my mom, the first thing that I did was look for food. Isn't that sad? It makes me seem as if I was emaciated for a month...far from it...but there just is comfort in food from home. Everyone is probably tired of hearing me talk about how much I miss my dad's cooking. He always adds extra spice and flavor to his cooking which is such a sharp contrast from the diner's bland monotony. I talked with my mom for a long time and then the sleep deprivation arose... I took a three hour nap in the middle of the day. But no joke, it was the most restless sleep I have ever had. I missed my bed so much when I was at school. The sleep was needed for sure, it's hard to survive on an average of 6 hours of sleep every night (and only 4 hours of sleep the night before). For dinner, my family went to our favorite Chinese restaurant where I ate to my heart's content. I definitely got my fair share of spicy food! I intend on going to bed early...but after being used to never going to bed until well after midnight, I don't know how well that plan will work out.

Hey Jude

"Hey Jude don't make it bad, take a sad song and make it better, remember to let her into your heart, then you can start to make it better..." I went to Santa Fe last night to see the Beatles cover band, The Mahoney Brothers. It was a great night. I went with my two friends and I knew a few guys that were going. The opening bands were decently good but the Beatles cover band was really good, it almost sounded pre-recorded. The band members looked like they were in their late 50s which was kind of eerie but it didn't detract from the sound. They changed after a set of songs to depict the outfits for the era of songs which really added to the mood. My sister and her friends came too which made the night interesting. I ended up dancing the whole night and overall just having a really good time. If I had to rank all of my music from favorite to least favorite, the Beatles would most definitely be near the very top. On itunes I literally have every song and the play count is outrageously high. No matter what kind of day I am having, I can find a Beatles song to capture my mood and emotions. Maybe it might sound cliche to be enthralled with a band which is so timeless and so well-known but I was brought up with the Beatles not merely as a favorite music group but as a philosophy, a way of life. Pretty intense. So when I found out that a Beatles cover band was going to be playing at Santa Fe, there wasn't going to be anything to stop me from going, not even my resolution to not spend money this week. Tickets were $15 but well worth every cent. What contributed the most to the overall awesomeness of the night was that I was with my friends. I get along really well with a good amount of people on my floor and have become very close with them. My friends that were there last night were ones that I always have fun with. Throughout the night we weren't always together but we ran into each other in passing. At the end of the night, when the band was wrapping up their set and most people had left, my group all found each other. The very last song: Hey Jude. It was all of us, up by the stage, belting out every word and dancing to the feeling of the music, especially to the chorus... "na na na nanananaaaa, nanananaaa hey jude!". This probably sounds over emotional but I took myself out of the moment just for a second and realized how lucky I was to be where I was. Not that I was in a run down College Park bar with a drug bust occurring outside at the same time, but that I was having a great time with great people. In a way the song was a manifestation of our camaraderie, all that we have been through so far at school and all that is to come. On the bus on the way home we couldn't help but belt out the chorus one more time, starting quietly and then building up strength as everyone joined in... yea we were those people.

Rhetorical Journal Assignment

My rhetorical journal is in response to the Geico commercial with Peter Frampton. The audience for this advertisement is all those who would be seeking car insurance. From talking geckos to slogans like “so easy a caveman can do it,” Geico is known for using humor and wit to grab the audience’s attention. The company succeeds with this strategy in this commercial as well.
In this style of commercials, the ad features a popular celebrity that the audience would look up to or appreciate. For this particular commercial, Peter Frampton’s celebrity status contrasts with the every-day normality of the woman. When she narrates the story it is straight-forward and uninspired but Peter Frampton tells it in his unique, signature way: through. The difference between the two is entertaining and grabs the audience’s attention. In addition, the commercial shows a celebrity endorsing Geico’s services which would be enough to convince some to do the same. This strategy is using the rhetorical appeal of pathos because it is appealing to the emotions of the reader. It evokes a feeling of amazement and awe as well as humor to see him in the commercial. The audience would find Peter Frampton, a famous guitarist from the 1970s, to be cool and entertaining. In a certain sense, they probably wouldn’t mind having him sit in their homes and tell of their own experiences with Geico.
The advertisement is giving an example of how Geico can positively affect one’s life and how any consumer can use it because it is so easy. Geico came to the rescue when everything was going wrong for this woman and they can do the same for everyone. The woman’s testimony is considered use of the ethos appeal. Viewers in the audience will believe that Geico is a good company because she, an ordinary consumer like them, is endorsing it. She is a credible source.
Geico’s commercial with Peter Frampton is an effective use of rhetorical strategies. To a certain degree, however, I almost lose sight of what the commercial is trying to sell. Geico has become so synonymous with car insurance that the main focus of the ads is entertainment instead of more direct attempts to sell their services through logos. Still, the commercial remains successful in its goal to grab the audience’s attention and sell its product.

Radio Cure

Rough day? No, rough week. For some reason I just now finally realized that I am putting way too much emphasis on the social aspects of college life. Monday was the Ravens game, the RA went home for the night, everyone went crazy. Tuesday I was determined to start studying for government but got distracted by my two best friends here who were celebrating a good grade on a chem lab. Wednesday I think I was expecting something to happen, but nothing ever really did. I couldn't sleep at all last night. There were just way too many distractions. When I finally went to my room around 2ish, I played my guitar for awhile and then was lying on my bed for a good amount of time, completely lost in thought. I was not tired at all. Maybe it was all of the sugar that I had that night (my friend made apple crisp) or maybe it was that I was listening to the guy who lives next door to me who was playing his keyboard. Regardless, sleep was not happening. Maybe at like 3 I heard a knock on my door and talking in the hall. It was three of my guy friends from my hall. I'm not even really sure why they came by but we talked in the hall for an hour, eating the powdered hot chocolate packages and being obnoxiously loud for the time that it was. So today, for obvious reasons, was a lazy sweatpants and sweatshirt kind of day because there was no way that I was awake enough to put thought into an outfit. The day was going fine, I got a lot of work done, but my government discussion changed my mood. I found out that I have to write an 8-10 page essay about a pretty confusing, ambiguous topic. Sweet. Because I didn't have enough to do before.
I have a government exam tuesday, another reason for my stress, so I'm going to go study with a friend in a little bit. I also have to figure out a good time to go to a museum in DC for womens studies this weekend. I'm thinking that I may go home this weekend, at least for saturday night. I really just need a place to go without any distractions, a place where I can turn my cell phone off without feeling disconnected, a place where people don't come to visit at 3 in the morning. I just need a day to get my head together and then I should be fine. But for now, Pandora radio is my cure.