Continuum

We live in a world where we are impacted by the history of the town, the city, the state we reside.  The fingerprint left on us is one that is subtle and often not realized until we are older.  As seniors preparing to embark on a journey that may or may not take you far from home, it is vital for you to think about the place you come from.  Watch this video by John Greene entitled Space Time Continuum: Thoughts on Dublin and think about the influences made on you.  How much of the history is part of you?  What have you learned from where you are from? 

I grew up in two places: my first place was a thirty-three acre farm and the second was Akron.  Both of these places have left their fingerprint.  Both have helped to mold me into the cynically lighthearted person that I am.  On the farm, I was exposed to the natural side of the world.  My family grew many vegetables in the garden, shot and ate groundhog, killed snakes, and climbed trees in the apple orchard.  In Akron, I learned about the others in the world, learned what profanity was, learned to be tougher, and that I was the only one who would ever stand up for me, so I better figure out how to do it.  Both of these places nurtured in me the duality that is me.  I am two cymbals held by two different hands and when they are clanged together, they make a pretty cool sound.  (Yes, I just described myself as cool:)) Now, I live in another place, suburbia. It is quiet, quaint, and home.  The perfect bend of my two other worlds--perhaps a watercolor where my colors have blended removing the rough edges, but maintaining the original art. 

Art

Every day we see the world.  We see with our eyes, but what we often miss are the details.  Here are three pieces of art.  Look at what is going on in each piece.  What emotion is brought out through the colors, shapes, designs? 

Choose one of these pieces to connect to either a poem, novel, or essay read this year in class.  Explain how the artwork connects to an idea, a particular scene, or even a character.  Break both down in your explanation. 

Your explanation should breakdown what you see in the artwork and then connect the art to your poem, novel, or essay.  Remember to focus in on a specific character, scene or idea.  All ideas should be original. 

Gender Roles:

Throughout history, the role of gender has been debated. What can or can’t a woman do? What constitutes a man? These are just some of the questions posed. These same questions are evident in the literature we read. In the Canterbury Tales, the Wife of Bath presents her thoughts on what women want and how women are seen during the time. Chaucer uses this to provide commentary on his world and the role of women. This idea is still present today.

Look this week at the television shows or video games you normally watch or play. What character traits are the women given? What character traits are the men given? What does the assigning of the traits say about our society? Also pay attention to the physical traits of each. Are the females presented as curvaceous and dull witted or slim and intelligent?  Your idea does not have to be about sexism.  I want you to look at how men and women are being portrayed and what message is being conveyed about gender roles in society.   

The show I would address is “Three’s Company.”

This show is about three roommates and the many conflicts that present themselves in their day to day activities. It takes place in 70s and 80s. The roommates consist of two women and a man. One of the females is a blonde and the other is a brunette. The show portrays the two women differently: the blonde is supposed to be very attractive, curvy, and lacking intelligence. The brunette is portrayed as intelligent, a planner, and “cute.” The male roommate is a man who very much likes women, a klutz, and in need of mothering by the female roommates.  

In this show, the women have to battle the way they are portrayed. This shows the shift in the role of women. Women were fighting for more equality and to be seen as more than just homemakers and dependent on males. Both women were single seeking husbands, but also speaking to independence.  The man is a chef. He needs to pretend to be what he is not in order to be permitted to rent the apartment with the girls. He is battling with the preconceived role of the quintessential male. Here we see gender trying to make a shift—move from traditional roles while using humor and the novel idea of roommates.

Be mindful of your language and how you present your case.  Keep it PG!  Do not say anything you think might be offensive! 

Commercials

We are bombarded by visual images each day.  Yesterday, was a celebration of not only football, but the commercial.  What new and innovative techniques were to be used in order to make the commercial worth the money being spent on the advertisement and time slot? 
My favorite commercials are the Pure Michigan commercials. I love the feel of the commercial.  The music, the voice of Tim Allen, the imagery--they all just resonate with me.  They make me nostalgic.  Watch this commercial (the word commercial is the link) and pay attention to what is being done to make Michigan attractive. 
What I want you to do is to watch television this week and look at how advertisers are trying to speak to you.  Answer these questions:

1. What is the advertisement for?
2. How are they trying to persuade you to Buy in to their product--ethos, logos, pathos?
3. What appeals to you when it comes to advertising?

WARNING---Keep your comments clean and PG!!!!! If I have to delete your response, you do not get points.  If I am offended, that is all that matters:)


    

Why we read...

I often hear my students provide the disgruntled groan when asked to read something for class.  It is not out of disrespect or angst directed toward me.  It is, I think, because we have become a society that views reading as a chore.  It asks us to engage with a text--not in a shallow or quick manner--but in a manner that asks us to make a commitment.  We need to pay attention to our words.  Not just the meaning either, but what they say, how they say it, what order they fall in, and to whether or not they are used out of context.  Additionally, we have to look at the figurative language, punctuation and the time period of the text.  All of this attention to detail begs us to engage.  We cannot be passive.  We must pay attention!!!

We are very capable.  We do this during video games, sporting events, musical entertainment.  We can do this for reading.  This video is by John Green (his name is the link) and he is an author of several books.  Pay attention to what he says about reading and how it benefits you to read. 

Your assignment:
1. Point out and explain one of his main points about reading critically.
2. What do you need to do as a reader in order to read more critically?
3.  Why do you love to read, or why do you hate to read?  Explain!


Happy blogging!!!

Creativity

We often take for granted creativity.  As children we enjoy drawing in the sand with a stick, using street chalk, painting with our fingers, and making up stories.  All of these are still part of who we are.  In our book Anthem and in our other texts read this year, we see the importance of our childhood and its impact on our later years. 
Being creative is so much more than being able to draw or tell a good story.  It is about being an original.  It is about allowing ourselves to step out of line and form our own steps, build our own buildings, or write our own tunes. 
I want you to watch this Ted Talk.  It will take you about 18 minutes.  (Yes, I know this is longer than normal.)  Listen to Jarrett J. Krosoczka (his name is the link) and what he says about creativity and how it is formed. Once you have listened, think about what influences your creative side. 
In your post, you should do the following:
                      1. Point out something you found to be interesting about Krosoczka's life and his art and 
                      explain why.
                      2. Explain what inspires your creative juices and what dampens them.
                      3. Explain how you will use art or the arts in your future career(s).

Holidays

      Well, we have about two weeks until Christmas.  I am in shock at how quickly the time has flown  this first semester.  It seems the older I get, the faster time goes.  My elders have been telling me this for years, but being that they are older and youth possesses a tinge of arrogance, I have listened with only one ear.  They are right.  It is easy for this time of year to go by very quickly.  One of the ways to slow the time down is to take the time to remember tradition.  Each of us has our own set of traditions that have either been started with our own immediate families or started with the previous generations.

      These traditions are what root us to the family tree.  These, more than anything, shape our belief systems, build our stories, and define who we are and will be.  In my family, we have many traditions.  One of our traditions is that I host Christmas Eve dinner at my house.  I invite my family that lives near by or is town for the holidays.  If everyone comes, I usually cook for about 25-30 people.  It is wonderful to have everyone one at my home.  Another tradition is rolled into the food.  Like most, I make candy: chocolate covered pretzels, chocolate covered Oreos, and chocolate covered peanuts.  I make pumpkin roll, and the usual cut outs for my kids to decorate.  I also make snicker doodles.  These are a family favorite.  Christmas would not seem like Christmas without them. 
      About seven years ago, my grandmother passed away.  I was in the middle of making this cookie when my dad called to tell me his mom had died.  It was a very hard time.  I tell you this because whenever I make this cookie and continue the tradition, it is more than just baking.  It is about remembering those who have impacted us in ways we can never find the words to appropriately describe.  It is about slowing time to spend one more moment with the ones we love and to build future memories for our children.  My brother once made the statement when he was younger that he wanted a good "Look back to his future."  We all laughed at the illogical nature of the statement.  But it is true.  Everything we do is about a "look back to our futures." 
      Your blog this week is for you to explain one family tradition at this holiday time and what "look back to your future" it has given you.  What will you remember and what has it taught you?