Megan's Soundtrack

Theme Song from Underdog: The video starts out with the evil robot kidnapping a woman. This video takes me back to the times when I had no worries in the world. As a child I watched Underdog everyday at daycare with my best friend Charley. We grew up together and even started our first day of preschool together. My mom took a picture of us before we headed off to school that day. We were both dressed in our best, standing in front of that white fence downtown in our hometown Oakland, Nebraska. You can see the excitement on our faces but also the nerves for starting something so big for us. We had our brand new shiny backpacks on that had never been used before. The sidewalk we stand on is ready to lead us away to a new journey that is completely unknown to both of us. As we stand there arm and arm with each other you can see we are ready for our first day of preschool. Since that picture was taken we have been through a lot together. We just graduated high school together last year at this time. But in August we separated as I went to Lincoln and he went to Manhattan, Kansas. Even though we are far apart now we will always have our long-time favorite show to remember, Underdog, and that picture to remind us of the days when life was much easier.

Colors of the Wind from Pocahontas: When I hear the song form this video I think of so many things. This song has been my favorite for quite some time but there is more behind the song than you think. I can still remember to this day July 6, 1995. This is the day I saw Pocahontas for the very first time and have loved it ever since. My mom and I went to see it in the Fremont theatre. But when I got home I found out my grandpa had died. My grandpa's funeral was my first funeral ever. I don't remember much about the funeral but I do remember the flag my grandpa received since he had fought in the war. The soldiers folded the flag all uniformly with their planned out motions. When the flag was in its perfect triangle formation it was handed off to my grandma. As it lay in my grandma's lap I could see that she was full of pride and also still sad. The red, white, and blue could be seen at angles along with the stars and stripes. My grandma how keeps the flag in a wooden case with a glass window. It lays in its case with all the colors, stars, and stripes still showing to this day. So when I see this video I think of the flag my grandma got at my grandpa's funeral so many years back.


Que Sera, Sera (Whatever Will Be Will Be) by Doris Day: As soon as I hear the words from the video I can remember so many memories from my childhood. The words, "Que sera, sera," come out of the video and I think right away of my mom and my grandma's old rocking chair. My mom used to sing this song to me whenever I had nightmares. My mom would always take me to the rocking chair in our dining room and sing me this song. The same rocking chair still sits in my new house. The same dark brown wood with even darker grain marks in it still sits in the living room. A new white rag-doll now occupies the chair instead of my mom and I. Even to this day, when you sit in the chair it still has that same old creak. It only creaks when you are rocking forward. That little creak helped rocked me to sleep so many years ago. As it sits in the corner with its swirl legs and head rest, I can still see myself in it trying to get to sleep. As you sit in the chair you can still feel the smoothness of the wood that was there so long ago when I was getting rocked to sleep. The circle design on the side of the arms is still there. The song in this video reminds me of all the times my mom rocked me to sleep in that rocking chair.

The Thunder Rolls by Garth Brooks: The video starts out with a man and a woman on a dark story night. There is thunder and lightning all around in the background. In my old house in my old room I use to hate thunderstorms, or even when it rained. I would snuggle up with my comforter and just try to get to sleep. My comforter was huge, a queen size to be exact. It really isn't that big but for my double size bed it was. When it would storm outside I would stay close to it. It was reversible. On the one side it was plaid with blues, greens, and yellows alternating all over it. Then on the other side it was just a light sky blue with darker blue flowers. The softness of the cotton in it just made me feel better when the storms came. When my room would light up from the lightning being so bright I would just try to hide under the big drape I used it as. As the years went on the yellow in the blanket it started to fade, but I didn't care because it was still so soft and comfy. When holding the blanket close to my face I could still smell the Downy fabric softener she used when she would wash and dry it. With all the memories I had with it no wonder my mom had to force me to give it up. But now when the thunder rolls I can just use my normal, everyday, average comforter. 


Driving Away by Holiday Parade: The song starts off with "she's driving away from me as we speak." The first thing that comes to mind as soon as I hear this line from the song is well, me driving my car. My car is The Monte. It is a Chevrolet Monte Carlo, but don't call it a Monte Carla. It is The Monte, isn't just any ordinary Monte Carlo that you see all the time. The Monte is white but a lot of the time it is a slight tan from all the dust it gets. Its 2-door structure requires my passengers to get into the back and slide under the seat belt. The black cloth interior on the seats have been through a lot and so has the center console, in between the driver and passenger seats. The Monte has a lot of character to it. The rims are peeling, but don't let you think that it looks trashy. It just classifies it as mine, the one with the rims that are peeling. The "Just Run" and "Wesleyan" stickers in the non-tinted windows also tell you its mine. Dirt covers the floor-mats in the front and the back seat which usually means that the seats have a little bit of dirt on them. My pineapple air-freshener hangs form my rearview mirror that holds my stars that also hangs down from it. The radio blares most of the time I am driving it usually the radio, in the cd player, or form my iPod. The music varies from season to season depending on my current mood, but the volume is usually rather loud. But whenever I decide to play this song I always think of my car, The Monte.

Graduation (Friends Forever) by Vitamin C:  The video shows all the good high school days, whether they were good or bad. This song has been played all over the United States everywhere for graduations, including mine. My graduation gown exactly one year ago from Oakland-Craig High School was plain black. We wore the choir robes that the school owned but we bought the black mortarboards we wore on our heads. The class colors we chose were silver and maroon. The sashes we wore around our neck were silver with maroon writing. Our tassels matched that we wore on our mortarboards as we walked down the aisle of folding chairs. The tassels attached to the top of them so they would hang down in front of our faces. Our gowns we wore were mid-calf length that we wore for our ceremony. My class grew up together and really got to know each other since there were only twenty-seven of us. Our fully black robes we put on before to take pictures. We put on the robes in the wrestling rooms. The robes zipped in the front from the bottom up. The robes had velcro at the top to snap them shut along with a hook to secure them closed. With our whole class dressed in complete black with our silver shawls we walked down the aisle to receive our high school diplomas. I can still remember walking towards the front of our school's gym with Nick and Tracey by my side. We had to walk in a special formation, then took our seat in the chairs. At the end of the ceremony we moved our maroon and silver to the other side to be official graduated. We all left and the school was left empty just like at the end of the video.
Air Force Ones by Nelly: This music video is all about one thing...shoes! My favorite thing ever is shoes. But my cross country shoes have meant a lot to me since I got them and have had many memories made in them through all the years I ran in high school. The red stripes clashed rather well with our black and orange uniforms. The uniforms we ran hundreds of miles in still are fresh in my mind to this day because I have put it on so many times. The top was a solid black tank top with a white stripe down the side. The front displayed our school masco, the knights, and then read Oakland-Craig Cross Country. The tank tops would end right when they hit the next part of our uniforms, the shorts. Our shorts were a lot the like tops. They were solid black with the white strip continuing down the side. On the right leg at the bottom of the shorts it had an CC logo with an arrow through it. The whole uniform was a mesh like material. Us girls on the team were also required to wear a black sports bra under the uniforms so we would all match and look like a team. With the uniforms being so lightweight they were easy to run in at the meets we went to. The last time I put on my uniform and shoes was the last day of school my senior year to take a picture. But the shoes I still have sitting in my closet to remind me of my good old running days I use to have in that cross country uniform I wore not too long ago.

In Too Deep by Sum 41: This video is performed in an empty pool. Whenever I think of a pool I think right away about summer. But with all the bright summer sun you need to protect your eyes, with sunglasses. My sunglasses are always on or always near me. I love them and they very unique but I just can't part from them. Their dark black lenses block out those harmful ultraviolet rays from the sun when I wear them. But these aren't just any normal pair of sunglasses that anyone has. Their black frames are covered in diamond formations and swirls all over the sides of the frames. They block the sun from the front and the sides. The large lenses keep my eyes hidden through the summer months. The lenses extend across the nosepiece so no part of my eye can be damaged of sunrays. The lenses also cover my face from my eyebrows down to my cheekbones so then I am fully protected. They cover a good portion of my face so I can handle the hot summer days we have in Nebraska. If my sunglasses aren't on my face they are on my head. But whenever I put them on their plastic nosepieces keep them in place all day or however long I wear them for. So when I see this Sum 41 video I just get in the mood to head to the move and grab my sunglasses for a nice easy day of hanging out with friends.

Extra Credit: Mathias Svalina

This past Tuesday, on April 22nd, Mathias Svalina had a reading where he read some of his published or soon to be published poems. This first poem he read I found to be interesting. His first piece was titled "Why I am White." I found just the title very intriguing.  But I decided to pick my quote from his second book he read from. This book was one collection of lot of poems all titled "Creation Myth."  I chose a line from his second poem he read from this collection.

"In the beginning there was a pen, that drew itself."

I chose this quote because it made me think about the creation myth of how everything started. What was first? Well I guess it all really depends on what you believe in. There is a huge difference in how you would view this statement if you believed in God or if you believed in the big bang theory. This could be viewed however you want it to be. But this sentence just really stuck out to me. Mathias Svalina then started listing off all the things that the pen had drawn. But in the end the pen had realized that it had run out of ink. It thought back to the beginning and wished it would of drawn another pen or ink. Another reason why I chose this quote is because of what one of my friends said to me today at supper. She came up to me and told me that she had a dream about a pen going mad. She dreamt that the pen was freaking out and drawing everything all around. This one poem had enough affect on her to get into her dreams and kind of in a weird way too.  

Worst Song....Ever (close to it)

I absolutely hate the song Touch My Body by Mariah Carey. First off Mariah Carey needs to stop pretending that her career isn't over. She is done with and should stay off of the radios with new songs because I don't like them. Second off Mariah needs to put on some clothes. Does the girl ever wear anything more than a swimming suit? Honestly, leave something to the imagination for just once...please. She isn't exactly in her teens anymore, she is getting up there. She has been through a lot. From horrible music videos just like this one to horrible movies like Glitter, she has done it all. I do not understand Mariah Carey at all and I probably never will. In this song she discusses how she will hunt you down. Now that isn't creepy at all. I don't understand the point of this song or the video which I couldn't even watch all of it. But what I did watch was she invited a "geek" into her house so she could dance sexily around him. Now this makes complete sense to me. Who doesn't do this on a regular basis? I will tell you who does this, Mariah Carey. The song goes on and on about how you should touch her body. Okay? Now this is just flat out odd to me. I don't want people touching me all the time and she definitely shouldn't since she is pretty much half naked all the time. Well I guess I have ranted enough about Mariah Carey. She doesn't even deserve to be ranted about and I should of chose someone more worthy of my time, but I don't really want to re-type 300 words again.

Current Favorite Song

For this post we were suppose to pick our favorite song as of now. I found this to be a very hard task because I like everything...well almost. But then I thought about really hard and I knew exactly what song I would pick. I chose 9 in the Afternoon by Panic! at the Disco. First off I really like Panic! so that helped why I picked them. But also this song is just so catchy and makes me want to sing it. This group is know for their unique style, which is shown in this interesting video, and way to get their message across. The lyrics at first glance are rather strange because first off there is no 9 in the afternoon. With its little jig it has for a melody I don't know how you can't listen to it over and over. One of the main reasons I chose this song is because of how much I like Panic! at the Disco. I saw them in concert and they were amazing. It was not just any normal concert. It was a show. They had dancers that were on stilts, fireworks, and story lines that were being portrayed right there on stage. Even if you couldn't see the band because you were too far back you still had something to look at. With all that going on you could not help but love the show. My friends and I left the concert in amazement of everything that we had seen. I was ready for the concert but not for people coming down form he ceiling. So all and all I just flat out like Panic! at the Disco and this song. So go ahead and play the video again, you know you want to.

Happy Birthday!

Happy birthday to you! I absolutely love my birthday. Last night we celebrated one of my friend's birthday by going out and it reminded me of my own. Her birthday was actaully on Thursday. But the weekend still counts, it is close enough. Birthdays are my favorite thing to celebrate and they just are so much fun to me. I usually count down the days till my birthday because I just can't wait for it to get here. Birthdays are filled with celebration and it makes the day all about the person that is having that birthday. You get one day a year to truly celebrate just you, and only you. Who wouldn't like that? Cake, presents, and a party...what would be better?

One of the best part of birthdays is the pictures. I love taking pictures. But the best part of taking pictures is looking back through them remembering something you forgot. But now a days everyone can see you pictures too. From Facebook to Myspace, your friends can see your every move. They can see what photos you were tagged in or just flat out stalk you. 

Another reasons why I love birthdays is my friends. I don not know what I would do without them. And the best part is that you get to celebrate each person's birthday! The birthday celebration could last all year round depending how many friends you have. Also you always get free desert at restaurants for you birthday. You can't deny anything free, especially when it is chocolate and the waiters and waitresses are singing to you. It would be rude not to eat or accept it. Even though sometimes people do take advantage of the free birthday deserts are restaurants. 

So all and all I pretty much just love birthdays in general even if they aren't mine. So I wish everyone a happy birthday whenever it is. And remember it is your day.

Rain, Rain Go Away

I don't like rain. Not at all. It is wet and annoying and messes up everything. I don't understand why it is raining so much lately and it makes me very upset. I know I get the point of rain and all. But still, can't we have a little break from it? I mean honestly, it is getting ridiculous lately. I know the old saying "April showers bring May flowers." I enjoy flowers and everything but not today I don't care about the flowers. I just want the sun to be out so then it can be warm. Because then when it starts getting warm that means that school is almost over. Then the next thing you know summer is here! I just can't wait for summer to be here. The warm weather, no papers due, and no worries. Summer is pretty much the most amazing thing ever. Who could not like summer? I don't understand those kind of people at all. I don't like snow, rain, or being cold. So don't ask me why I am still in Nebraska. The summer here is what keeps me sane. Without summer I am pretty sure I would crazy without all the amazing things that come with summer. I just want to be able to not have to worry about handing in a paper on time or getting it done for three months. Wow, that sounds like heaven already. But with summer break comes living with my parents for the time also. I want to live with them because well it is rent free. But still after being away from them and their rules is nice. It is going to be really hard to have to go back to them. But I guess I will sacrifice some of my freedom so I don't have to fork up money at the end of the month for rent. In the end of all my ramblings this all doesn't matter because I may day dream about summer, but it is still raining outside.

Extra Credit: William Henry Lewis

Last week on Thursday, April 3rd William Henry Lewis came to Wesleyan to read in the Callen Conference center.  Throughout all three of his readings many quotes of his stuck out to me. It was hard to pick one of the many I wrote down. But, I finally did decide on one of them.

"Many places are right for a moment like this, but the moments are few."

As soon as I heard this quote it stuck right out to me. It just makes complete sense when you think about it. We live all of our lives in all different locations and it does not really matter where we are. But what does truly matter is what happens in that place where we are. We tend to make a big deal about where we are at but in the end it does not matter that much. The moments that happen where we are is what makes our lives as to what they are today and what will make them for tomorrow. 

I think one of the main points William Henry Lewis was trying to make with this quote was make the moment yours. Don't let a stupid thing like the location of something throw your off to what is happening. Somethings only come around once in a lifetime and we need to take advantage of these rare occasions. "The moments are few." That was really why I chose this quote. We need to remember that moments should be treasured and not taken for granted of. We need to live for these memorable moments. As we go on with our lives to new places with new faces we must all not forget what memories we made through all the moments. And also, remember all the memories we can make in new places with all new moments in our lives. 

Marlboro Man...The Good, The Bad, And The Truth

We have probably all seen the advertisement shown above. A rough and tumble cowboy riding his horse through wide-open country, he is free as a bird. Who would not want to light up a cigarette after seeing this advertisement of a good-looking cowboy of a man? The Marlboro man was introduced in 1955 to promote Marlboro cigarettes. The company was trying to appeal to a new audience of men. The Marlboro cowboy helped launch Marlboro as a brand and made Marlboro a whole lot of money. He not only launched them but also took them to the top. (npr.org) Good and bad effects have come out of the legendary image of the Marlboro cowboy. 

Now this next picture that is shown above not everyone has seen before. This picture appeals more to your emotions when you see it. The well-developed pathos appeal develops into the parody and compare and contrast strategies, which all combine together to make an effective advertisement.

The anti-smoking ad is not your everyday picture that you see. With a bright blue sky in the background the orange desert really sticks out. A cowboy stands there alone with his horse next to him on the ground. The point of this advertisement is to hit you and make it count. One of the best ways to do this is to make the ad relatable. The most recognizable smoking icon is then used, the Marlboro cowboy. But instead of hurting him, they hurt the closest thing next to him, his horse. This ad wants to show you that you are not only hurting yourself when you light up; you are also hurting the people near and around you.

The pathos present in this picture is clearly stated by the horse lying there on the ground next to the saddened cowboy. The picture hits your emotions because it shows all the people you are endangering, besides yourself. The Marlboro man is still in perfect shape here but his horse was hit with horrible tragedy instead. “Marlboro Country” is emphasized in the first advertisement shown but the second advertisement shows you how maybe this make believe place is not what it really seems to be.

The pathos in the anti-smoking ad is exaggerated due to the scare tactic they are trying to put in place. This advertisement is trying to scare you out of smoking. The dead horse shows you what you can turn into if you start to smoke. The slippery slope that you can face if you start smoke is also addressed in this ad. First you start to smoke, then you get addicted, and then you die from smoking. The pathos has an ability to draw you in and make you feel for the cowboy because he has lost his horse. This relationship between the cowboy and his horse represents the way parents can hurt children so easily.

But the real pathos put in behind the scenes in the anti-smoking ad is only possible to see if you know the truth. Most people do not know that there actually was more than one Marlboro cowboy in these cigarette ads. Actually there were quite a few, from actors to real cowboys later on in the Marlboro campaign. Wayne McLaren (shown at right) and David McLean (shown at left were the two most famous of the cowboys, who both died of lung cancer at ages 51 and 73 respectively. Wayne McLaren actually appeared in front of legislature to promote a bill that would add taxes to cigarettes in order to support health education. McLaren also took a stance at a meeting for Phillip Morris stockholders to limit advertising. In an interview Wayne McLaren stated, "If I was responsible for making one person smoke, maybe I can be responsible for making two of them quit." (newyorktimes.com) David McLean on the other hand was the original Marlboro man. McLean started smoking when he was twelve years old in 1934. But vague warning labels about some risks of smoking weren’t even added until the 1960’s. These labels didn’t even warn about the nicotine addiction of cigarettes. (allbusiness.com) With all this truth now out in the air you can see the true emotions put behind the anti-smoking ad. In real life the horse doesn’t die, the cowboy does.

The anti-smoking ad is taking in the fact that you have seen the Marlboro man and his horse before.  This familiar image of a cowboy and his horse is then given a spin of modern day reality. There are advertisements everywhere these days about all the dangers of smoking to the smoker and the smoker’s acquaintances.  The anti-smoking ad took all this into mind when it made a parody of the Marlboro man. They took into the fact that this image is so familiar and people would know what it is. But they didn’t just put text across the top next to a normal Marlboro ad. No, they added to it by telling the true reality that happens when you light up. You hurt your family and your closest friends not just yourself.

This anti-smoking ad also exhibits comparison and contrast strategies. This advertisement cuts straight to the point. Right in the middle of the ad it states, “Second hand smoke kills.” There is no hinting around the subject, just going straight to the point. The Marlboro man was usually accompanied by his horse, so this makes the cowboy’s horse an easy target. The anti-smoking ad is showing the differences between the alive and the now dead horse from all the second hand smoke the cowboy gave him.

At first glance the pictures are both pretty similar. But once you take a deeper look into them you can see more of the differences. In the top picture the cowboy is in the beautiful country with nice tall grass all round him. Now take a look at the anti-smoking ad. The cowboy is in dry desert looking area. A more suffering environment with more miserable conditions is where the second scene takes place. This ad wants to point out to you that when you smoke you will suffer. But the first wants to point out to you that when you smoke you are in a great wonderful place, like a meadow of grass. The comparing of the pictures is simple to do because they both look like the average smoking advertisements you can see everyday. But as you take a look more into the environment of the pictures you can see the contrasting factors that are taking place in the anti-smoking ad.

Another big difference in the two ads is the emotions of the cowboys. The cowboy in the Marlboro ad is all saddled up and ready to take on the day with the chores he has set forth. But the anti-smoking ad cowboy is standing there with his head down and slumping. This cowboy is not in the mood to round up cattle because his horse has now left him. With the horse lying on the ground the cowboy is looking at it with sadness. These two differences in the cowboys show the two different points the ads are trying to get across.

Overall you can tell the effectiveness of the rhetorical strategies and appeals used in the anti-smoking advertisement. From pathos, parody, and compare and contrast, the point of the advertisement gets across. This is not any ordinary add that you see everyday; even though it might appear that way the first time you look at it. But further analysis shows all the thought and persuasive strategies that are put into the ad itself. At first glance the ad seems to have a comical feature to it and is telling you not to smoke for other’s sakes. But the underlying message that you can conclude to after the true history is revealed of the many Marlboro men. This history reveals the cause of their own death, which sadly resulted from the very product that they were getting paid to endorse in the first place.

 

Works Cited

Marchese, John. A Rough Ride." New York Times 13 Sept. 1992. http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html? sec=health&res=9E0CE7DF1031F930A2575AC0A964958260

Schalch, Kathleen. "The Marlboro Man." 21 Oct. 2002. npr. 5 Apr 2008 .

"The Original "Marlboro Man" Dies from Lung Cancer Caused by Smoking; Family Sues Tobacco Companies for Fraud and Deceit." Business Wire 19 Sept.1996. http://www.allbusiness.com/legal/torts-wrongful-death/7269468-1.html.

John McCain

At first glance John McCain's political website looks like any other campaign website. All of them have the same idea; they want money and your vote. But what strategies of persuasion must these presidential candidates use? Is John McCain's strategy to get us to vote for him the same strategy that Crest uses for us to buy their toothpaste? The rhetorical strategies don't change much from commercials on TV for John McCain to commercials on TV for the new and exciting face wash that can wash away your troubled acne in no time. 

When first arriving to McCain's website the first thing my eye goes to is the bright red and blue "join", "donate", and "McCain store" buttons. This obvious grab to your attention shows you the main purpose to his website. Definition is used throughout the website to show how McCain feels on certain issues. Without knowing how the candidate stands on issues that involve our nation everyday it would make it very hard for you to decide or vot or which candidate you think is best. This is an obvious factor that most politicians will use to show you how they feel on things. 

Venturing further into McCain's website you can find many of rhetorical strategies he uses to convince you he is the best choice. On one page McCain uses cause and effect on what will happen if he is nominated as President of the United States. McCain expresses if we cause him to become President then the effect will be lower taxes and it will be harder in the future to raise taxes. Also on this page McCain goes on and on about all the things will that can happen if we just elect him President. McCain expresses how we need to reform our government for being as costly as they shouldn't be and make the nation more for the taxpayers.

These days politicians have to do a lot more to win the people's vote than ever before. With technology on the rise you can be seen anywhere and everywhere. Your every move and sound are always on record so you have to watch what you do and say. McCain has had this experience in the past when in 2001 he did not support Bush's legislation to cut taxes. But McCain has come back with a process to demonstrate how he can cut back on taxes and on our nation's spending. Politicians must now how to recover from instances like these. Their past will not be forgotten because records are being kept everywhere. McCain's description on how he can use his process is one great rhetorical strategy he took to improve his running status.

Political candidates must use every rhetorical strategy they can think of when they are trying to convince the American public that they can be the next great President of the United States. With all these similarities to common everyday commercials its kind of makes you wonder what the people behind the scenes are thinking. Are they trying to capture us in with their great strategies or are they trying to trick us into their fallacies? So when you go to vote on Tuesday November 4, you just remember things aren't always as they seem and maybe you should take a deeper look.

Nike + You = Good Golfer

We have all seen commercials ever since we were little and understand that they want us to spend our hard earned money on their product. Commercials have become more and more advanced today. They have come up with new ways to "fool" us into buying their new and exciting product. From celebrity endorsements to flashy graphics, commercials always try and suck us in to their new exciting item they came up with. This commercial uses many rhetorical strategies throughout the whole thing. The most obvious of them all is logical fallacies. If you use a Nike golf ball or Nike gear, then you can be good at golf like Tiger Woods. This video also gives you the sense of false needs. Do you really need a Nike golf shirt, with matching shoes, then a Nike cap, and a Nike golf ball just to top it all off? Just because it says Tiger Woods on it doesn't mean its made better, it just means he gets paid a little more every time you buy one. The Nike logo isn't present in the commercial until the very end. But the Nike swoosh can be recognized wherever you go these days. The definition of the product is showed in this video, because well Tiger Woods is golfer and is a golfer. By Tiger Wood's being an example this commercial shows well Tiger uses Nike, so you should too. And since Tiger Woods is good at golf then if you use Nike golf gear than you can be good at golf just like him. Mostly logos is used in this ad campaign. From the cause-effect argument and just the plain old celebrity endorsement, Nike really wants you to by their golf stuff. 

Tiger Woods Commercial

When the commercial for Nike first starts I am in utter amazement of what Tiger Woods is doing. Bouncing it up a couple of times is impressive. I know I definitely can't do that. But then he switches the hand he is holding his club in. One huge toss by him then has me won over. This is truly amazing and I can't believe he can actually do this stunt of his. Next, I still can't believe my eyes. No matter how many times I watch this clip. Tiger then puts his club between his legs while still not letting the bad tough the ground. I am lucky to hit a golf ball let alone bounce it on my golf club. Not only do he do this amazing move once, but no that would be just a little above average. He has to do it twice. A true talent that probably not many can do, especially not me. But flipping the ball between his legs just isn't good enough Tiger though. Let's just toss it behind the back too, easy , no problem stuff there. And then while doing this behind the back lets stop the ball and then start it up again. I can barely start this skill let alone start and stop it while doing it behind my back. As the commercial draw to an end Tiger straightens his stance up and starts turning to the side. Just as I think I have seen the best of Tiger's skills he decides to shock me beyond I ever thought he could. He continues bouncing the golf ball on his club. Then Tiger lines up and swings to hit the golf ball all while the ball as never touched the ground. Once this commercial is done with I can't believe what I have just seen and wish I could do it too. 

Zaireeka Reflection

As I think back to the day we listened to Zaireeka in class many things come to mind. The first thing that I think about is my observation at the mall. When I was sitting in the leather chair in the cafeteria in the middle of the mall all the music seemed to compile together. From the music the mall played to the individual songs that all the stores played they just seemed to mix. I never would of thought that someone would make music out of it. I can't imagine the time and patience that goes into something like Zaireeka. This experiment has to be on the exact same timing but then when the music gets off its gets even more interesting. Who could imagine throwing dogs barking, guitars, and drums all in together to make a song and then into a c.d.. When I was at the mall this happened to me everywhere I go. The store's melodies just seem to blend together after awhile. But this mixture of songs is completely different of what Zaireeka is. Zaireeka is more a random organization of sounds and noises. I know this definition may not make any sense to someone who has never heard it, but if you have ever heard it before you would completely understand. With the sounds being so random at times you get surprised. From dog barks to singing to instruments almost every noise has its chance. Even with all the random sounds they all seem to belong though. Each noise and random act of sound has its very own place. It is first hard to follow because you are not use to hearing something like ever before. But, as the songs go on you start to get into the flow.

Zaireeka

As I sit there on the floor leaning against the podium in the front of the room I'm not so sure what to expect from this experiment. "Track One," is announced through all four of the stereos. "Cd 1, 2, 3, and 4," rotates around the room and shocks me with the their synchronization. I start to  hear drums from the stereo close to the left of me. Then chanting is heard from the boombox across the room. As the track fades I am surprised at this whole experiment. "Track Two," is announced through the speakers and we start listening to the next track. Booming begins at my close left and then the others join in. Singing is coming from all around except the stereo to my close left, which then starts playing guitar along with the one on my right. Quiet erupts the noise, then singing begins. Ooo's  start coming from my left, guitar across from me, and then horns start rotating around as it fades away. At this point in time my pen dies and I have to go across the room to retrieve a new one. A steaming pot sound starts rack three and a piano starts playing starts at my close left. Singing begins at my left also and then echos from my right to left. Singing fades and now there is just a melody playing and it fades down to out of sync booms from all stereos. The next track begins with guitar, singing, and a flute. The singing stops and fades down and string instruments start playing from across. Bug sounds start to fill the room until a guitar comes in. The stereo across from me stops last. By this point in time Cd four is way ahead by this point. The next track continues the sequence of random sounds and instruments with singing coming in at all different times. Track six is a short one and the once with a piercing sound. I start to get a headache half way through the track. Then track seven starts with the stereo across from me being very behind. The track continues and all the boom boxes get a little louder, then the left one stops. The stereo across from me plays piano while all the other are still silent. The song ends with the stereo to my close left fading down with it playing piano. Track eight starts at my close left and then dog noises start coming from my right. Track eight ends with the across stopping last.

Observation

Just another ordinary mall, that is what most people think about when visiting the Westfield Gateway mall right here in Lincoln. But really this mall is just a normal mall and also unique in its very own ways that helps show us how our society is today.

The skylights up above let in natural light as you step onto the tan rusted colored tile. As soon as I step into the doors of the mall I realize the interesting setup. The one shocking thing about this mall is where you find all the major shopping stores. All of the stores are on one level, no need for stairs or escalators, unless you want to go to the parking garage. So this structure of the mall makes for easy walking. I sink down into it as I sit and watch the shoppers who walk through the center of the mall by me. Many walkers walk past me as I sit on the big comfy tan chair in the cafeteria. No matter what the weather is there are always mall walkers pumping their arms as they touch every corner and chat away to their walking mate. They pass by me quite a few times but still seem to be on such a mission. From young to old the walkers trudge on from one corner of the mall to the next turn. As I sit there in the middle of the mall the rest of it revolves around me.

The cafeteria is what truly makes a mall unique or just the same old one you can find anywhere else. All kinds of people go to eat in the cafeteria. The Westfield Gateway mall has every kind of food you can imagine, from Hibachi San to Sbarro. With the aroma of food engulfing you as soon as you get near the cafeteria it is hard not to buy something. When first walking into the cafeteria the smell of fresh baked pizza overtakes me and makes me crave it, until I run into Panda Express. Fresh Chinese food just sitting there waiting for me to pick which kind I want. As the rice steams my mouth waters for I must walk away before I am forced to take out my wallet. But once you get your food one must decide where to sit. At the mall there are so many options these days. You can take the normal way out and just pick the average height tables with the regular size chairs. Or you can pick the high top tables with the taller chairs. But my favorite is when people pick the little chairs at the tiny tables. How cute it is to see a child sitting there with excitement painted all over their face because they have a table just for them.

The one thing that amazes me most about most malls is the ability to just tune things out when there. When people walk by me they don't even notice me. They just walk on by with their own lives on their mind and don't even notice. People get so wrapped up in their own lives these days that they don't notice the obvious around them. I sat in the cafeteria for over a half an hour and was barely noticed. It's hard not to tune people out when almost everyone you see is on their cell phone either talking or texting. Our society has become over taken by technology that we can't even take a simple shopping trip to the mall without our little hand held gadgets. The mall has taken this into consideration with its many cell phone stands right in the middle where you can easily access them. With all our little trinkets like cell phones, iPods, and Blackeberrys, how can we notice anything else?

Another interesting factor they put in the mall that I that i hadn't thought about much before is the ATM. Dead and center in the mall is an ATM, how nice and convenient. What a strategic move on the mall's part, which works since there are always people constantly at it. Slide your card, punch in your code, take out card, take out money, take your receipt, then go and spend all the money then you just took out of your account on a new outfit. Going to the ATM is just a simple task that a lot of us do a bit too often these days. But the location of this machine is just way too coincidental. Front and center, right in the middle of the traffic. I don't blame the people in charge at the mall for putting it there. It is something one doesn't notice who is caught up in the hustle and bustle of our everyday lives. Something plain and simple like the location of an ATM makes you think about the other things that you wouldn't normally think about. 

As the carousel just sits there alone by itself I wonder why no one ever gets on. The carousel is another unique unused feature at the Westfield Gateway mall. The lights stay on but yet no one gives it a chance. I always knew it was there but never noticed that no one ever actually rode it. People just walk by it and look at it but don't actually take the time to ride it. The carousel adds a decorative feature to mall but what is its use if there are never passengers? After sometime I started to question if there could even be riders on it until one lone little boy decided to drag his mom over to it. He begged to ride it until his mom let him. The joy he experienced on that couple minute ride lead me to the reason they have the carousel in the mall. Kids most of the time do not enjoy shopping trips. The mom is dragging her purchases in one hand and the child in the other. The bags seem to be heavy but the child is the heaviest weight on her. But as soon as that child gets on that carousel that same mother gets a break, and finally gets to see her child happy. Once off the carousel the little boy isn't in such a bad mood and seems more willing to be at the mall with his mom. Maybe more people should take advantage of the lonely carousel in the middle of the cafeteria. But why would they put a carousel in the middle of the hustle and bustle of the mall? For the children, just like that little boy, so they can enjoy the experience also. Or is this just another strategic move on the mall designer’s part?

My mind seems so confused on what to listen to. Which type of music should I pick? All the sounds just seem to be thrown together but yet also seem to mesh, the carousel melody or the mushed up music from all the stores. I smell vanilla coffee as I sink into the brown comfy chair again. Love is seen in people walking by holding hands. From old to new couples they still can show their care for each other in this simple action. Holding hands is another thing that I don't really think about. You don't just hold hands with anyone, like a stranger. Holding hands with someone really shows them how much you care about them. Just by doing this simple little thing can make you feel like someone else wants you there with them.

Our malls are filled with how our culture is today. The Westfield Gateway mall is just one of the many malls that represents us each day. So the next time you decide to go to the mall take a look around. You never know what you may notice. Maybe it will be something you've never seen before, or discover something completely new. 

Desk Diagram

This diagram is very unique, I never would of thought of drawing what I am looking at right now. The top of my desk, very original. I think the best thing about this diagram is the point it makes...there is a whole lot of graffiti on the desks in Old Main. The desks are covered in things to read. From every swear word in the book, to all the sororities and fraternities that have ever been here at Wesleyan, there are on a desk. But I have to admit the desks with the interesting drawings are the most entertaining. If you ever get bored one day in class just look done at your desk. Time sure does fly when you are trying to figure out what that squiggly thing in the top right corner of your desk is. Then the next class you can pick a new desk and start all over again. Another interesting thing about this diagram is the pencils. There isn't just one, no no this person needs two. A back up pencil, you know just in case. Because only bringing one to class could turn out horrible. What if your first pencil broke and God forbid you would have to get up out of your graffiti desk and sharpen it? Or even worse, what if you just happened to drop your pencil and at the perfect time someone behind you gets up and steps on it? This is why a back up pencil, or auxiliary pencil as labeled in the diagram. But I think the most interesting thing about this diagram is what isn't labeled. The square thingy at the top right corner of the picture. Is it tape with a doodle on it? Is it just more graffiti on the desk? No one knows because the line drawer person did not draw a line to it. We just may never know. 

Desert Island Tunes

If I were stranded on a desert island and could only pick five c.d.s to live on for the rest of my life I would chose the following:

Stop - Plain White T's

This Is My Year - Holiday Parade

International Superhits - Green Day

RENT Soundtrack - RENT cast

The Beatles 1 - The Beatles 

I chose all of these albums for a couple different reasons. I like variety in my life so if I am going to be stuck on an island I am gonna need to switch it up quite a bit so I tried to choose an array of types of music. 

First off I chose the Plain White T's, well of course because I love them. They are my favorite band so why wouldn't I choose them?  I chose their album Stop, their first album, because I like it the most. And also because it has my two favorite songs ever on it, Shine and A Lonely September.  If I was stuck on a desert island I just know that the Plain White T's would help me through my lonely times. 

Next I chose Holiday Parade, because well I love them too. I love their upbeat songs and the way they just make me want to jam out. When stranded on a desert island and all I really have is a boombox and five c.d.s I have a lot of time to jam out. So that is why I would bring this c.d. because in those boring long days of being in the sun I can put this on and just relax.

My next chose is Green Day. I use to be the biggest, hugest Green Day fan but it has faded. But I do still like them and since I am limited to five c.d.s I figured I would choose their greatest hits album. It was a hard choice on this one between the one I chose and Dookie, because I just love them both so much. But I am glad I chose this one for then I can get a little bit of every album, well except their latest but this one will do.

I know I know what you are thinking about my last choice. RENT, honestly? I love the movie RENT, the music, the cast, everything about it. I could listen to this c.d. for hours, days, months, years on end. Which is what I probably would end up doing on a deserted island. There really isn't much to say about this album except it makes me happy and I just absolutely love it!

Last, and most certainly not least, is The Beatles. Now who wouldn't pick The Beatles? Not only are they the greatest band ever on the face of this planet, but they have good music. But really, it's The Beatles, I don't really need to say much here.

I wake up early as I hear my alarm blaring its annoying sound I hear every morning. As the sun shines through the window I force myself down my bed. Getting up usually isn't this difficult for me but today is the day I don't want to get up. On this day I must do that one that I hate the most. Put myself in a new situation all by myself. I get ready like I do every morning, but yet thoughts still run through my mind that maybe today I feel a little queazy. My mind is racing about all the horrible things that could happen, including my biggest fear ever...getting lost. I complain to my roommate a couple of times about how much I don't want to go. I keep on questioning myself, "Why am I still in this class? I hate little kids, so what am I thinking?" As the clock ticks down closer and closer to 8:40 I start to get even more nervous. My roommate wishes me good look on my way out the door and I am off to my "new" school. I scrape the frost my window and step into my bitter cold car just waiting for more excuses to come to me. As the turn the ignition and pull out of the parking lot my heart is racing. Pulling onto 48th I calm myself down and turn onto Adams. A pickup follows me into the school parking lot. Walking to the school in my painful high heels was a long and traitorous walk that I just didn't want to be taking. I slip on my name tag while I check into the front desk. Walking into that classroom of third graders at Huntington made my palms sweat. Being introduced as the new helper Miss Anderson eased me as all the kids turned and smiled at me. This was my first day of being a teacher's assistant at Huntington Elementary, that turned out to be better than I had expected it to be.

Henry Doorly Zoo

Yes, that’s right, the smell of feces is in the air, the first sign that you are at a zoo.

First off I picked this quote because it makes me laugh if you just read it by itself. But, I mainly picked it because I absolutely love the zoo!! I have been lucky and only live a short hour form Omaha so going to the amazing Henry Doorly Zoo isn't too difficult. I can't think of the countless times I have been to the zoo. The best part about the Henry 

Doorly Zoo is that they keep on updating everything. I was just there last year and the place is getting huge. It's hard not to get lost without a map these days there. Going back to zoo these days just reminds me of the good old days. My favorite part of the zoo I would have to say would be the penguins. I love the penguins! Who honestly couldn't love the penguins? The zoo is a place you can forget your worries and just watch all the cute animals. We are lucky in Nebraska to have such a great zoo so close to us. The Henry Doorly Zoo is ranked as one of the top zoo in the United States. Which is so awesome, we have the great attraction right here in our home state. If the weather is nice a trip to the zoo can be the absolute perfect thing to do that day. I actually went to the zoo last year for a Honor Roll Field trip. My friends and I all had a blast, even though we were seniors in high school then. Everyone likes to revisit their childhood and at the zoo is where I do that. If you have never been the Henry Doorly Zoo I highly request that you do, it will be an experience that you will never forget. And if you do go there make sure you go to Dairy World, so you can milk the cow!

Plain White T's

It's Our Time Now by the Plain White T's

The Plain White T's, what can I say? I love them! I have seen them in concert three times and have loved every minute of it. It all started four years ago when I saw them perform at the Ranch Bowl in Omaha. I have been an avid fan ever since that night. My best friend and I decided to head down to Omaha one night to see Lucy Boys Confusion in concert. A couple bands played and then the Plain White T's went on. We were floored especially since we were also in the front row. We have been concert buddies for the Plain White T's ever since. I have to say that I am such a huge fan of them because of their relatable lyrics and their upbeat songs. Whenever I listen to one song of theirs it just makes me want to listen to another one. That is what music should be, an escape to yourself and the world. Turning on your favorite song should be an outlet for you whenever you turn up those speakers. Jamming out in your car to you should be therapeutic. That is all I really need sometimes. Good music can completely turn around your attitude for the day. Without music I really don't know where my life would be today. I remember those back when I would just pop in a c.d. and lay on my bed and just listen to it for hours. Just laying there, listening, and relaxing. Can life get any better than that? Sometimes you just need that breather from life where you need to take a step back and just chill. Listening to music is breath of fresh air. Getting caught up in the crazy things that happen to mess with you. Sometimes you just got to take a break from our world today. 

2/7/08 Assignment

Certain author’s have certain voice which either the reader’s enjoy and will read more of their books or won’t understand or like it and will most likely not read that author anymore.

I believe this statement to be very true. We all have our favorite authors and we all have the ones that we really don't like that much. You know that one book that you and you hate so you never want to pick up a book by that same author ever again. I experienced this a lot when I was in high school. I remember when I was in high school I absolutely loved the author John Grishman, and don't get me wrong I still do. I really got into all different kinds of books when I became an upper classmen because the books in the library were starting to get into a smaller, and smaller collection. So once all the John Grisham books were gone I went on to Nicholas Sparks, the author all my friends loved to read and cry over his books. Well I read of his books, I'm not quite sure which one it was, and well I guess I thought it was okay. But honestly the way all my friends had built him up so much, I was a tad but disappointed. So from this disappoint I never really could read another book by him again. I know some of you are thinking what a shame because you just love his writing. But, it's kind of like when you are going to see a movie and everyone who has seen tells you it's the best movie ever, that you will laugh your head off, and that there is no way you won't love it. Then, once the credits start rolling and you are left there sitting in your seat you think ummm....okay that wasn't as fantastic as I thought it was going to be, but I guess it was alright. The movie is almost ruined because you had just high expectations for it.