Basically our conversations of Text in classes boiled down to What is Truth? Weird. Presuming there is a truth...rather, if there is such a thing as Truth, then what would it be like? Dr. Rickly and I went back and forth on this topic. I was holding fast to truth claims and she was (as usual) playing her favorite role, Devil's advocate. Of course she believes in Truth. Ask her. She was only speculating the possibility of an ideal relativist world-view.
I somewhat understand the philosophy of idealic relativism and even rationalism, however, that is all they are, idealic. The actual existence of these world-views cannot exist. Rationalism ends with the lead of faith in proving one's own reality. Relativism is destroyed in claiming the 'absolute truth' that "EVERYTHING IS RELATIVE."
All in all, the text (or Truths) Do exist in our class. Its existence is revealed in our ability to a simultaneously understand Dr. Rickly. She speaks words, and we coherently can interpret them, store them, and repeat them.
out.
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Update on Project
Today our group attempted to start and finish our film. This did not happen. We successfully started, however finishing seems just as far as before. I've learned two things thus far through this project (alliteration; 5 points!).
Playing in the MULL = fun.
Choosing appropriate music for the background of our film = difficult.
We've had three topics now. We started off fooling around with Jobs After College. Quickly, we switched to On-campus Parking, you all remember. We announced this topic and were met by awkward stares and scolding by Dr. Ohio State. We took it as motivation to blow your minds. We ended up changing topics (for personal reasons, not because of you), but because the needed research was too fierce in such little time. Finally, we arrived at our current brain-child: Death to Books, Digital Life.
I wait now for 3 comments from 3 group members who don't like this title. BEFORE YOU SEND THEM*** Note: This is the first title to exit my brain, not our final title, or even one I like...whew, close one!
Our project is concerned with the end of the physical book age, where research is a long and dreadful task, and the start of digital research. In a quick poll of COMMON SENSE, all must agree students rarely head to the stacks, rather search within databases for "full-text" article. Articles that are Not "full-text" (accessible for students from their current computer) do not stand a chance nowadays. This project does not go into depths as to 'why?' or 'is this an ok thing?' however sheds light on the running slaughter of Card-catalogues to digital-research databases.
If this is not right, I'm sure I will be corrected shortly by my colleages (sp?).
Playing in the MULL = fun.
Choosing appropriate music for the background of our film = difficult.
We've had three topics now. We started off fooling around with Jobs After College. Quickly, we switched to On-campus Parking, you all remember. We announced this topic and were met by awkward stares and scolding by Dr. Ohio State. We took it as motivation to blow your minds. We ended up changing topics (for personal reasons, not because of you), but because the needed research was too fierce in such little time. Finally, we arrived at our current brain-child: Death to Books, Digital Life.
I wait now for 3 comments from 3 group members who don't like this title. BEFORE YOU SEND THEM*** Note: This is the first title to exit my brain, not our final title, or even one I like...whew, close one!
Our project is concerned with the end of the physical book age, where research is a long and dreadful task, and the start of digital research. In a quick poll of COMMON SENSE, all must agree students rarely head to the stacks, rather search within databases for "full-text" article. Articles that are Not "full-text" (accessible for students from their current computer) do not stand a chance nowadays. This project does not go into depths as to 'why?' or 'is this an ok thing?' however sheds light on the running slaughter of Card-catalogues to digital-research databases.
If this is not right, I'm sure I will be corrected shortly by my colleages (sp?).
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
I'm such a tool.
HAHA! how does she come up with these blog topics?
Tool; 1. an object used to accomplish a certain goal or task, for example: a hoe. 2. the name for a person acting out the previous description, being used for a certain purpose, ie. John is such a tool.
No one would ever admit to being a tool, however, truthfully we are all tools. We are all used by other people for certain goals, to reach certain ends. Is this a shocking truth? No. We all know this, yet do not complain. Why? We don't complain, because we use tools all the time; we use people all day everyday.
The world is one big tool shed. Which tool are you?
Tool; 1. an object used to accomplish a certain goal or task, for example: a hoe. 2. the name for a person acting out the previous description, being used for a certain purpose, ie. John is such a tool.
No one would ever admit to being a tool, however, truthfully we are all tools. We are all used by other people for certain goals, to reach certain ends. Is this a shocking truth? No. We all know this, yet do not complain. Why? We don't complain, because we use tools all the time; we use people all day everyday.
The world is one big tool shed. Which tool are you?
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
In my opinion...
Is video text? I don't know. It depends on how you define the terms. No, I do not believe video is text. Video is a picture movie in order to relay information; moving pictures. Text is simply words placed in a particular order to accomplish the same end.
The second question however,concerns visual literacy. I believe visual literacy exists. Look specifically at American Cinema in the past 50 years. I took a Cinema class last year. I learned that a lot of the techniques used nowadays within movies could not have been used earlier in the film industry; audiences could not follow the train of thought as well as they can now. Audiences have been trained, they have had practice in understanding what a split screen means, how to interpret a scene where P.O.V. is ever-changing but the music remains throughout, etc. and so on...
Audiences are now visually literate.
The second question however,concerns visual literacy. I believe visual literacy exists. Look specifically at American Cinema in the past 50 years. I took a Cinema class last year. I learned that a lot of the techniques used nowadays within movies could not have been used earlier in the film industry; audiences could not follow the train of thought as well as they can now. Audiences have been trained, they have had practice in understanding what a split screen means, how to interpret a scene where P.O.V. is ever-changing but the music remains throughout, etc. and so on...
Audiences are now visually literate.
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Tea Party
The news cannot help but publish the ongoing GOP push, the current Tea Party. More interesting is the amount of coverage thrown on this political movement so quickly following Haiti's destruction. Sharing the spotlight with Haiti is the irony of snow. Canada desperately needs snow for the Olympic games. Meanwhile, snow is beating northeast America.
Liberal news stations are keeping their focus on Haiti. Conservative stations, however are not only but also focused on the Tea Party. Why? Well this movement is their answer to the previous political takeover by brash democrats.
The liberal media's reason for keeping all eyes on Haiti is compassionate. On the other hand, I wait for FOX to suggest Haiti being their scapegoat, taking any attnetion they can off the Tea Party.
Wow! way too serious for me.
Out.
Liberal news stations are keeping their focus on Haiti. Conservative stations, however are not only but also focused on the Tea Party. Why? Well this movement is their answer to the previous political takeover by brash democrats.
The liberal media's reason for keeping all eyes on Haiti is compassionate. On the other hand, I wait for FOX to suggest Haiti being their scapegoat, taking any attnetion they can off the Tea Party.
Wow! way too serious for me.
Out.
Monday, February 8, 2010
6 palabras tocar a short story.
Sparks of creativity! Despair; no ink.
Shadows. She's showing. Shocked. Shane's out.
yawn, cereal, listen, PBJ, speak, toothpaste
Groceries:
Milk
Coco-puffs
pens
paper
pills
Shadows. She's showing. Shocked. Shane's out.
yawn, cereal, listen, PBJ, speak, toothpaste
Groceries:
Milk
Coco-puffs
pens
paper
pills
Thursday, February 4, 2010
La Guera
This is not assigned, let's see who reads it. Before I can type anything else on this blog, and before anyone else speaks praise for "La Guera" in class or via blog, let me get this out:
I hated the story.
Wow, I feel a lot better. I don't hate women, homosexuals, or latinos, but the whole story is her complaining. I understand she is oppressed, and I will show compassion for the oppressed. She was merely complaining. That should be our next blog post: complain about someway in which you are naturally oppressed.
Sorry to all who are offended.
I am oppressed by all who praise this story. She could not control being a latino, homosexual, woman; I cannot help hating "La Guera."
Out.
I hated the story.
Wow, I feel a lot better. I don't hate women, homosexuals, or latinos, but the whole story is her complaining. I understand she is oppressed, and I will show compassion for the oppressed. She was merely complaining. That should be our next blog post: complain about someway in which you are naturally oppressed.
Sorry to all who are offended.
I am oppressed by all who praise this story. She could not control being a latino, homosexual, woman; I cannot help hating "La Guera."
Out.
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Style. I don't even know where to begin.
I used to wear woman's clothing; thank you Julie. My sister thought dressing me up in adult woman's clothing was fun and funny. This was my first bitter taste of style, or I guess fashion. The implications are clear. I did and still do not like even the thought of wearing my mother's clothes. I needed to find a style to my own liking.
Flash forward, from 9 years old to grade 9. I am instructed to read Emma. I attempt and that's it. I could not get past the first chapter before finding Sparknotes' version of Jane Austen's wordy "masterpiece." I again avoid a particular style. The similarities between my mother's clothing and this novel are funny if contemplated.
Before I throw up all over my keyboard recalling all I hate, I have enjoyed:
Ender's Game,
Angels and Demons,
Fight Club,
The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym of Nantucket.
In how they were written, what do these have in common?
These amazing books are written in a dialogue fashion but use action words. The frequent action words keep my A.D.D. under raps. Fight Club and A.G. Pym are both told from the perspective of a character in the story. This adds another level of thought to my reading experience. I must decifer the ethos of the narrator. Also, instead of telling me what to feel, these authors draw emotion out through literary devices such as the setting or symbolism.
All four of these books were written with common language, unlike Emma. My memory of Emma is a story filled with stoic language and loooooooooong, draaawn out sentences, small tiny print, squeezed on a page. This I can't stand, like my mom's high-heels and lip stick.
Flash forward, from 9 years old to grade 9. I am instructed to read Emma. I attempt and that's it. I could not get past the first chapter before finding Sparknotes' version of Jane Austen's wordy "masterpiece." I again avoid a particular style. The similarities between my mother's clothing and this novel are funny if contemplated.
Before I throw up all over my keyboard recalling all I hate, I have enjoyed:
Ender's Game,
Angels and Demons,
Fight Club,
The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym of Nantucket.
In how they were written, what do these have in common?
These amazing books are written in a dialogue fashion but use action words. The frequent action words keep my A.D.D. under raps. Fight Club and A.G. Pym are both told from the perspective of a character in the story. This adds another level of thought to my reading experience. I must decifer the ethos of the narrator. Also, instead of telling me what to feel, these authors draw emotion out through literary devices such as the setting or symbolism.
All four of these books were written with common language, unlike Emma. My memory of Emma is a story filled with stoic language and loooooooooong, draaawn out sentences, small tiny print, squeezed on a page. This I can't stand, like my mom's high-heels and lip stick.
Monday, January 25, 2010
Colored Caps, long itchy socks, gloves, hotdogs, flags, screaming parents, the American pastime. These mark the earliest memories for many young boys. They plague my first memories. They're not all bad. First lessons of working hard to get an applause, or working at all to earn a snowcone or coke. This sets the stage for my first passion for literacy:
Ear to Cap to wrist to watch, a swipe across his chest, wink, and pounding fist together. "Base hit! Make contact with the ball," Coach would exclaim. Cap was the indicator. The signs were unlocked; wrist? means nothing. Watch? Watch! Watch means bunt. Show time!
Reading my coaches signs from homeplate was fun yet challenging, like a mental puzzle. If I unlocked the puzzle correctly, I got the opportunity to lay down the perfect bunt, or steal second base. The rewards were fame in the eyes of the lot of parents, respect among friends.
Upon entering middle school, I also entered percussion. After learning the mechanics of using drumsticks properly, the literature followed. I honestly don't remember the difficulty of learning to read music. I do remember the fruit of being able to, a lifetime of music. Whether on the drumset, timpani, or marimba, sweet music flows from my ability to look at a page of music and breath life into it, a miracle.
I walked into my first serious literature class my sophomore year of high school to read these three lines on the board:
If this makes sense raise your hand.
If you do not regularly read novels or books of any kind, put down your hand.
If your hand is up, you can read.
This professor turned out to be the best I have ever had. Through this exercise, he revealed that even if we have the ability to put letters together to make words, not using the gift voids the very ability; if we do not use the gift to read, it's as if we do not have the ability. Well his conviction gave me the push to read for knowledge and pleasure, and ultimately to writing for the same reasons.
From baseball to drums to reading, I like to think of myself as literate.
Ear to Cap to wrist to watch, a swipe across his chest, wink, and pounding fist together. "Base hit! Make contact with the ball," Coach would exclaim. Cap was the indicator. The signs were unlocked; wrist? means nothing. Watch? Watch! Watch means bunt. Show time!
Reading my coaches signs from homeplate was fun yet challenging, like a mental puzzle. If I unlocked the puzzle correctly, I got the opportunity to lay down the perfect bunt, or steal second base. The rewards were fame in the eyes of the lot of parents, respect among friends.
Upon entering middle school, I also entered percussion. After learning the mechanics of using drumsticks properly, the literature followed. I honestly don't remember the difficulty of learning to read music. I do remember the fruit of being able to, a lifetime of music. Whether on the drumset, timpani, or marimba, sweet music flows from my ability to look at a page of music and breath life into it, a miracle.
I walked into my first serious literature class my sophomore year of high school to read these three lines on the board:
If this makes sense raise your hand.
If you do not regularly read novels or books of any kind, put down your hand.
If your hand is up, you can read.
This professor turned out to be the best I have ever had. Through this exercise, he revealed that even if we have the ability to put letters together to make words, not using the gift voids the very ability; if we do not use the gift to read, it's as if we do not have the ability. Well his conviction gave me the push to read for knowledge and pleasure, and ultimately to writing for the same reasons.
From baseball to drums to reading, I like to think of myself as literate.
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Two Stunning yet Too Short Stories
This past fall I read at the least forty stories in Dr. Aycock's short story class. English 3389 was very enjoyable. Two stories standing in my memory above the rest, ones that would also help us in view of the goals for this course are:
"Respectability" within Sherwood Anderson's Winesburg, Ohio.
"Respectability" is a great short story, one to register in the hearts of all who read it.
and
"The Kugelmass Episode" by Woody Allen.
"The Kugelmass Episode" is a magical story by way of content and in light of the author's creativity.
Check these stories out if you have the internet and a spare 30 minutes.
out.
"Respectability" within Sherwood Anderson's Winesburg, Ohio.
"Respectability" is a great short story, one to register in the hearts of all who read it.
and
"The Kugelmass Episode" by Woody Allen.
"The Kugelmass Episode" is a magical story by way of content and in light of the author's creativity.
Check these stories out if you have the internet and a spare 30 minutes.
out.
Thursday, January 14, 2010
ground zero
Hey, I'm John from Sugar Land, Tx. I'm an English Major, Secondary Education Minor of course. As if I needed any other reason to not feel like an individual; this class is filled half full of future English Educators, ones (future tense) to take the future job I desire. Interesting facts about me? I'm a Christian, and a pansy for not telling the class at the opportune time. I settled for the less exciting truth that I'm a writing tutor on campus. What do I hope to gain from this class? Knowledge and degree credit.
Cliche I know.
out.
Cliche I know.
out.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)