"A Waitress at Duval" Writing 1

At first glance the waitress seems jocundly pleased. Her hand positioning in combination with her apron gave me the impression that she was hard working. Yet her youthful disposition and the cracking of her smile made me feel that she was happy, and had somewhat of a sass about her. I made up an assumption that she works hard but this is the only life she really knows, so she manages to find pleasure in it? After examining Billy Collins' poem I have a very similar opinion of the waitress. Although I feel this is the waitress portrayed towards the later half of Collins' poem, or perhaps in the middle. She has more of a distinguishable personality than "every waitress | who has ever served [him]" but she is not in the ballroom quite yet. Maybe this is the  moment where she will strip her work attire and become part of his perception as a human being rather than a server. After all, I think Renoir's painting is supposed to humanize the waitress and give her a personality because as part of the working class she has certainly been overlooked on more than one occasion.

Response: "Chick-Fil-A Debuts New Homophobic Sandwich"

In July The Onion featured an article satirizing the news pertaining to Chick-Fil-A CEO's investments in anti-gay agendas. I found this article to be pretty damn funny. As I mentioned in my response paper, I vividly remember when this happened (not just because it was only a few months ago), because it had a large impact on my community. In West Hollywood, a very gay friendly neighborhood, Chick-Fil-A was loved until this story broke and then was severely boycotted.
For my symbol I chose a simple cross to represent the Christian agenda represented in the article.  Although I am a strong believer in respecting all religious and overall personal choices of people, I still find it hard to maintain such respect for any group that wishes to discriminate. I went to Catholic school for 7 years (which isn't exactly the same thing, but pretty damn close). Before I attended Catholic school, I was very much a Catholic girl. I was a strong believer because I did not overanalyze the stories or traditions but rather focused on messages preached by Christianity. But in school I was often faced with people, even teachers, who were so preoccupied in keeping the country the same that they lost their way. Of course, not all Christians or Catholics feel the same way, as no group as complicated as a religion can be bound completely and utterly all of the same ideas. Also I must admit in the rage of remembering school, I am getting a bit off topic. Really, I just do not understand the roles Christian agenda's often play in gay rights. It seems quite barbaric to try to set back discrimination when clearly the nation is ready to move forward. I believe the CEO's actions were plain silly. It has become a norm to accept all different types of people and let go of discrimination. Publicly discriminating against one group of people seems almost as sociably unacceptable and going to work with no clothes on. Thus, I truly appreciated the humor used in The Onion article.

"The Americano Dream"

I really enjoyed the structure of this essay. It seemed to be an organized form of stream of consciousness. The author starts at one place and just keeps going and although the tangents he chooses to go on can seem momentarily random they eventually connect with the main ideas of moving and settling anxieties. The structure of this essay was also chronological, which kept it easy to understand. There was not any jumping from past to present, but rather it remained one line. Finally, I liked the structure of the paragraphs themselves. They were quick and started out with bolded headliners. This fast pace style kept my attention well yet was able to express a lot. I believe that the details chosen and their order made it a rounded story and thus more enjoyable to read.

"The Little Store" p. 154 Seeing 1 & 2

1. There was one passage in Welty's "The Little Store" that really summed the story. She writes, "setting out in this world a child feels so indelible. He only comes to find out later that it
s all the others along his way who are making themselves indelible to him." Although the store and how it had an effect on her is a very important aspect of the story, the journey there is just as influential. This is just as the child is important but really all the things that affect the child in it's environment and cause the child to feel important are important. The beginning paragraphs have a nice almost organized stream of consciousness flow about them. They carry one idea and connect with the next and the next until we are at this journey to the store. Her travel to the store presents a pleasant point of view adventure into her childhood and the time. It characterizes her thought process and gives a unique perspective on the not so mundane errand. Entering the store Welty starts out with the sense of smell, as I'm sure all the odors she describes were quite overpowering. Then it sets into the sights of the shelves and such and the touch of all the residue on the ground and the cold water that holds the precious pop. Overall she gives a rounded description of the store, seeing how it is a main point of the essay. Her ability to point out details and observations really shapes the point of view of the essay and thus it is easier to understand these menial events becoming influential memories that would teach a child about all sorts of realities.
2. I wasn't really sure if this was the Mr.Sessions or not. Although I guess since he disappeared that wouldn't really make sense. But still, when I looked at the photograph after having read the passage I couldn't really help but think that this was the man in the story. He is very stern and lengthy. He definitely looks wise and aged but has a certain vitality in him still. His face, eyes especially, are filled with expression and show a sense of life. He, as well as the store around him, have a great sense of character. The light bouncing off of him really illuminates him in more than just a physical sense. It makes him seem important. He is the light of the picture, and thus given almost a new paramount stance. Also, as a side note, the fact that he is resting his hand on the large round fruit or vegetable still gives him that sense of reliability, and makes him seem as though he has a hands on, hard working attitude.

Homeplace p. 178 Seeing 1 & 2

1. To start, this was the first essay we have read in this class that I did not like both in context and style. First off I believe Sanders did a poor job using his examples to support his ideas. I think it was a mistake to frequently use quotes from individuals who had a counter argument to his and then dissect and comment on those. Each time he went through this process I found myself agree more with the original quote than with his opinion (which often appeared as a petty jab to the text). Furthermore I didn't approve of his other examples either. The first personal one was probably the best and overall I really think he should have stuck with these personal instances rather than pulling other sources out of his ass that didn't really seem to fit well for me. I have a bit of an interest in Zen Buddhism and I think by isolating this one statement he somewhat improperly used a teaching for his own use. However, I admit that I am not a master of this concept, unlike Sanders probably is… And on top of that there was the hideous illusion to the Holocaust. Seriously? But then again I am probably being a bit unfair because I did not go into reading this with an open mind. My opinion of wether one should stay put or explore is the exact opposite of Sanders. My formative years were spent traveling around the world for my fathers job. In increments from anywhere between a month and a year I have lived in Rome, Prague, Berlin and a few cities in Morocco, but I have also done a great deal of traveling on top of that. When I frequently go back to Rome and Berlin and each time it is a wonderful, often sentimental experience. I feel because I have traveled and had my horizon broadened I do not just have one home base, but several, each with a unique diversity that has added to my character. I absolutely loved my childhood and feel very fortunate to have had these opportunities because I know it really added a great deal to my perspective. However, that is something that worked for me. Some people would be their happiest moving, others staying put. I think that everyone should be educated and have an idea of the world existing outside their comfort zone. But I believe that there is not one good or bad way to live in that regard. Again every person is different and wants different things.
2. Clearly, I did not enjoy the essay. I found Sanders's tone to be very abrasive. I felt he was less saying look at this perspective (which is a more effective and positive way to communicate an opinion) and was more expressing that he was right. It seemed as though he thought what he was saying to be some great wonderful important movement of Americans or that he had the truth that no one else has put into action. I really didn't feel he had enough humbleness in his manor of presenting this argument. If I had to read this essay I would do so quite dramatically to both accentuate the absolute seriousness and importance of his points but really just to mock the ridiculousness that is this essay.

Dorothy Allison: Trash Plume

If I am going to speak honestly, this expert seemed like "What's Eating Gilbert Grape?" meets Flannery O'Connors' "The Life You Save May be Your Own." The narration of this girl was spectacular. I really enjoyed her vernacular because it was simple yet the ideas she was expressing had a beautiful complexity of their own. Naturally, without having read any of the story prior to what was given in this assignment the beginning was a bit confusing. However The last two paragraphs were immaculate. The second to last was so relatable. It touched on some physical qualities of anger and holding in emotion I can relate to so well but have never thought to express into words. When reading it I was reminded and thus employed to think about my relationships and own struggles similar to hers. And of course any writing that really causes you to think and reflect upon your own life or the lives of others beyond the end of the paragraph is good writing. The final paragraph, though I could not personally relate to it, was equally as thought provoking. For one it is very revealing about the two characters. The aunt lives a fairy tale life and is perhaps as a result oblivious to the needs of others. Yet the narrator, who is so strong and can appreciate the subtle beauties of life, is forced to only watch. She has to watch her aunt mindlessly screw up and pick up the pieces for everyone. And worst of all she must choose not to vent her frustration because ultimately it would be unappreciated and never be understood. Throughout this ending Allison really conveys her characters emotions and struggles beautifully.

P. 145 Seeing 1 & 2

Hirsch develops a distinct tone when personifying the house that effects the entirety of the poem. He strips down the house with each new characteristic until it is a skeleton, much like that of a man. He builds the house to be a gawky and lonely man with a tortured soul. The sky and the ground and the train tracks all isolate the house and make it more aware of it's melancholy state. Do to this layering of human attributes, the house becomes relatable, and thus the painting is able to take on another meaning. Hirsch really emphasizes a viewpoint that Hopper subtly created in this painting. It is clear through the painting and the poem that the house is a representation of Hopper himself.

Seeing #1 p. 127

Akiko Busch poses the broad question, "What gives ordinary objects their value?" This seems to epitomize what a thesis idea is, as apposed to a thesis statement. Of course this question is vague in the sense that it will produce a multitude of different answers, all right in their own ways.
In my Economics class last year, we were presented with a term called the paradox of value. Generally, it is how we as humans assign some value to objects not necessarily based off of their use, but rather their importance to us as individuals or as a society. Paradox of value is used to explain why something like water, which we all need to survive, is relatively cheap yet diamonds, which are of course an unnecessary luxury, are very expensive. Later this tied into a multitude of economic ideas such as want and demand and other concepts which I personally find very dry. However, it seems that Busch's main answer to her question explores this idea in the sense that it is always the humans who naturally assign value to objects.
Busch uses a wide arrange of examples to draw attention to and flesh out her points. Objects tell a story about their owners, that is why we find a need to collect. They hold function as well as emotions. Objects are even used to show how we care for others, or perhaps don't care. They define us, and we naturally let them do so.
This concept of conveying ourselves through the objects we posses seems very logical. Objects seem to help define what is tangible and abstract about ourselves. What we choose to give value to is supposed to be a representation of ourselves. For example, I posses a few pieces of jewelry I could not bear to take off. I have a few gold pieces (a necklace, a ring, a set of hoop earrings) I wear everyday because they were given to me by my mother. In contrast, I also wear a small black string bracelet with little metal balls given to me by my father. Clearly their economic values are very different, but because they are both from my parents, whom I love equally, I thus assign equal value to both objects.

Magazine Exercise

Making a comparison between magazine of choice proved to be an eye opening experience. Essentially it seems that magazines are just a condensed version of one's interests. They take texts, images and other media from all different sources (i.e. books, Internet, culture, etc.) and cut them down to an easily digestible substance. It seems as though they are even more relevant in toady's society where the general public is more adjusted and thus wants a fast paced lifestyle. For instance, Andrew brought a copy of Hip Hop weekly. Not his particular favorite of narrative texts, yet it caters one particular interest and therefore proves to be a more useful source of information. For someone who is only interested in celebrity culture or the musical world it is much better. But then again, even though it is more convenient, is the use of magazines or any shortened text harmful to us? Perhaps it is better to do be faced with a little more sifting through information, like one might find in a newspaper. This way, they get both the articles they find most entertaining, but are still engaged in a broader world. It is possible that the more an individual becomes used to instant gratification, the more they are hindering themselves and as a result becoming isolated from the rest of the world. Regardless, it's only entertainment, right?

Seeing P.91 #1 

1. "A Matter of Scale" was an enchanting essay that was both entertaining and enlightening. Cole provokes so much thought about the effect of scale and perception which humans take for granted. The concept itself is quite captivating, but what especially caught my attention was the idea of how a beings size and lifespan can change the relevance of time. Cole notes the ideas of biologist Stephen Jay Gould that "small mammals tick fast, burn rapidly, and live for a short time; large mammals live long at a steady pace. Measured by their own internal clocks, mammals of different sizes tend to live for the same amount of time." When I began to grasp this fascinating idea an inner dialogue about religion manifested itself in my thoughts. Like any other person, I have had my own internal discussions about the existence of a god. I could never quite understand if there is a god that he could love every single person and be so involved in their lives when, because of his immortal existence, our lives are simply a quick flash in comparison to his. But then to be presented with the idea that I am in fact real, and that there are real living things that, in comparison to my life span, are a flash as well is a bit daunting. And even more intriguing is the relation that I as a human being have to these bacteria life forms. Cole paraphrases microbiologists Lynn Margulis and Dorian Sagans findings that "10 percent of our body weight consists of bacteria - most of which we couldn't live without." Thus not only are these once seemingly insignificant creatures real, but they are also vital to my own existence. Therefore it makes the idea of there actually being a compassionate and attentive god a bit more feasible to grasp.
Coles essay was non stop fascinating; every single part will most likely stick with me. However, the fact that it conjured up a fresh idea in my ongoing debate about what I believe in was even more remarkable to me. It's safe to say I very much enjoyed reading this.

2. The way Cole uses the ending quote has a very different purpose than the way she quotes and references other authors. Throughout the essay these external sources mostly serve as either evidence to support what she is saying in her essay, or they present a new and relevant idea that she comments and discusses there after. However quoting Schrödinger seemed to be less of a piece of evidence and more of a traditional conclusion method. It summarizes some of the ideas presented in the essay without being repetitive yet still leaves the audience with another idea to think about when the essay is complete. By doing this it accomplishes a great purpose of all essays, which is of course to keep the reader informed and thinking about a particular idea or string of ideas. I think it fit quite nicely at the end, especially due to the somewhat fanciful nature of the comparison between a "triangular circle" and a "winged lion."

Seeing #1 & #2, page 42

1. First, I would attempt to describe Peter Menzel's photographic portraits as objectively as possible. Each photograph depicts family members posing beside packages or groupings of food that are being displayed in the center. Each person is making direct eye contact with the camera and is undoubtably being posed and thus aware of the picture. Then, I would proceed into telling them the facts you could not mealy assume from looking at the picture. Each family is of different race, lives in a different place and has a very unique diet. These food choices both represent the people culturally as well as economically and vary in types of food, price of food, and also amount of food present.
For example, the food of the Mendoza Family of Guatemala present in the first picture represents the family's culture very well. The fruits and vegetables displayed represent a traditional lifestyle that is very rural. From my own perspective it is much more minimal than my family's weekly diet but they seem to be just as happy. To me, food is something I put in my body just to survive. I don't really put a lot of effort into my cooking and do not hold much value to the process of consuming food. But it seems as though food to this family is not only used to maintain a healthy lifestyle as referenced in D'Aluisio's summary, but it is also a bonding mechanism. The process it must take to make the food in contrast with my diet of easy cook meals most likely plays a large effect in the family's togetherness.

2. The photographs of the Fernandez Family of the United States and the Aboubakar Family of Chad are the easiest juxtaposition to make because there is so much contrast present between the food of the two families. The Fernandez family seems to represent the American eating lifestyle. They have a bounty of processed food big enough to fill their home and everyone's stomachs to the brim. The Aboubakar family on the other hand has very little, and what they do possess does not seem to obtain a great deal of substance. What is interesting about both of them is separately the represent very well the place where the family comes from. There are many stereotypical conclusions you can draw from each culture just based of the composition of the photograph. The background of both pictures represents the country and lifestyle well. However something the two pictures have in common is the essence of family. Despite the large differences in their meals, neither family looks very unhappy. They pose together, connected to each other. And since food is generally a large connector between people in a family, neither group is lacking that connection. This is something more beautiful or touching to be observed about the to pictures, and perhaps that is a message that Menzel and D'Aluisio were trying to convey with this project.