SRTE

I completed my SRTE for you, Denise.

Week Fourteen

Thesis:
Homelessness is a significant problem in major cities across the country, and despite our best efforts, remains an issue.


Old paragraph:
Unfortunately, despite all their good intentions, programs from different departments and even within the same wings of the same departments sometimes overlap one another, and waste money and effort on providing duplicate services for some and no service for others. Some of these problems are cause by issues as silly as being unable to agree on the definition of 'homeless,' and what services those that are homeless or varying degrees of homeless qualify for. This has not only affects what services can be offered, but also what data can be collected in surveys. For example, if multiple departments sponsor multiple surveys and statistical reports that investigate identical or similar material, then there is no winning situation. If they agree with each other completely, then there was a huge waste of money. If they disagree on every point, then the survey or investigation must be redone by an independent third party, so as to not skew the results, which in the end wastes more money and time. If they agree on some things and disagree on others, then both scenarios come true, and money is still wasted, instead of being spent helping the homeless. This is why the Government Accountability Office is recommending a joint committee between HHS, HUD, and the Department of Education, which would be responsible for coordinating the three and making sure all resources are wisely distributed.


New paragraph:
Unfortunately, despite all their good intentions, programs from different departments sometimes overlap one another, wasting money and effort on providing duplicate services for some and no service for others. Some of these problems are caused by issues as silly as being unable to agree on the definition of ‘homeless,’ and what services those that are homeless qualify for. This has not only affected what services can be offered, but also what data can be collected in surveys. For example, if multiple departments sponsor multiple surveys that investigate identical or similar data trends, then there is no winning situation. If they agree with each other completely, then there was a huge waste of money. If they disagree on every point, then the survey or investigation must be redone by an independent third party, so as to not skew the results, which in the end wastes more money and time. If they agree on some things and disagree on others, then both scenarios come true, and money is still wasted, instead of being spent helping the homeless. That is why the Government Accountability Office is recommending a joint committee between HHS, HUD, and the Department of Education, which would be responsible for coordinating the three and making sure all resources are wisely distributed (Cackley).

Week Fourteen

Thesis:
Homelessness is a significant problem in major cities across the country, and despite our best efforts, remains an issue.


Old paragraph:
Unfortunately, despite all their good intentions, programs from different departments and even within the same wings of the same departments sometimes overlap one another, and waste money and effort on providing duplicate services for some and no service for others. Some of these problems are cause by issues as silly as being unable to agree on the definition of 'homeless,' and what services those that are homeless or varying degrees of homeless qualify for. This has not only affects what services can be offered, but also what data can be collected in surveys. For example, if multiple departments sponsor multiple surveys and statistical reports that investigate identical or similar material, then there is no winning situation. If they agree with each other completely, then there was a huge waste of money. If they disagree on every point, then the survey or investigation must be redone by an independent third party, so as to not skew the results, which in the end wastes more money and time. If they agree on some things and disagree on others, then both scenarios come true, and money is still wasted, instead of being spent helping the homeless. This is why the Government Accountability Office is recommending a joint committee between HHS, HUD, and the Department of Education, which would be responsible for coordinating the three and making sure all resources are wisely distributed.


New paragraph:
Unfortunately, despite all their good intentions, programs from different departments sometimes overlap one another, wasting money and effort on providing duplicate services for some and no service for others. Some of these problems are caused by issues as silly as being unable to agree on the definition of ‘homeless,’ and what services those that are homeless qualify for. This has not only affected what services can be offered, but also what data can be collected in surveys. For example, if multiple departments sponsor multiple surveys that investigate identical or similar data trends, then there is no winning situation. If they agree with each other completely, then there was a huge waste of money. If they disagree on every point, then the survey or investigation must be redone by an independent third party, so as to not skew the results, which in the end wastes more money and time. If they agree on some things and disagree on others, then both scenarios come true, and money is still wasted, instead of being spent helping the homeless. That is why the Government Accountability Office is recommending a joint committee between HHS, HUD, and the Department of Education, which would be responsible for coordinating the three and making sure all resources are wisely distributed (Cackley).

Week Twelve

Original:
The idea practice of monogamy has been widely accepted for much of history. Religious figures have always praised it, and cursed those that reject it. Politically, fathers would marry off their daughters for an increase in social status or power. To get the most value out of their daughters, they would ensure that they were still virgins when married, and it was understood that they would only marry once. In fact, the idea of love didn't become widespread until the Industrial Revolution in the nineteenth century. That is less than 200 years ago that people actually started to marry for reasons other than money and status. At the time, this was a huge deal for the fathers, who didn't want their daughters to marry some poor farm boy, but rather someone with money to make them richer. But as with all major shifts in thinking, people come to accept the change over time, and now we have certain days set aside in the year to spend with the poor farm boy your dad told you now to hang around.


Revised:

The practice of monogamy has been widely accepted for much of history. Religious figures have always praised it, and cursed those that reject it (patriarchywebsite.com). Historically, daughters were viewed as a valuable business commodity. Seeing as how daughters were less useful as physical laborers than sons were, and couldn’t carry on the family name, fathers would marry off their daughters for an increase in social status or power. To get the highest value from their daughters, they would ensure that they were still virgins when married, and they would only marry once. In fact, the idea of love didn’t become widespread until the Industrial Revolution. Less than 200 years ago that people actually started to marry for reasons other than money and status (hirr.hartsem.edu). At the time, this of the upmost importance for fathers, who didn’t want their daughters to marry some poor farm boy, but rather someone with money to make them richer. But as with all major shifts in thinking, people came to accept the change over time, and now we have certain days set aside in the year to spend with your significant other.

            Speaking of Valentine’s Day, you might be surprised as to how unromantic the roots of this holiday truly are. From as early as 600 BC, Romans practiced a festival in which men drew the names of teenage girls from a box. Whoevers name they drew would be their sexual partner for the following year, until the next festival (wilstar.com). All that has changed is now instead of pulling a name out of a box, we buy a card and some flowers, or go out to a nice dinner before enjoying copious amounts of sex.

Week Ten

I would highly recommend 'A Modest Proposal' by Jonathon Swift to anyone looking for a good read. Regardless of whether it is required for a class or not, it is an entertaining piece of literature all on its own. Part of what makes it such an entertaining read is how successful it is. This success is drawn from an excellent understanding of a few key points in every proposal.


The first key point to include in any proposal is to identify the problem you are proposing a solution for. Swift very clearly identifies the problem: starvation in Ireland and the overbearing English. This problem is very near and dear to his audience, so there is not much he has to do to get the readers attention.


The second thing Swift does is to state his solution. Now he doesn't just come out and say it simply, but leads you into it with small steps, each one only a little less likable than the last. This allows you to keeping reading long after a more upfront approach would have failed. This helps to connect to the third most important thing, which is show why your proposal is better than any other. Swift shows that the sale and subsequent consumption of babies would benefit all involved, save the babies themselves. The decrease in population, the increase in the income of the poor, the increase in the food and clothing available for the rich, are all good arguments he uses to support his proposal.


The fourth important thing in any proposal is to be able to demonstrate the feasibility of the proposal. Swift uses something that would seem like science to determine the exact age and size for a child to be properly harvested. His exact specifications and manipulation of language provide ample reason why this is feasible.

10 Questions

I will be investigating alternatives to monogamy in the traditional sense. I will be focusing on the following questions:
1. What are the traditional expectations of a couple, especially in marriage, and how have they been failing recently? How widespread of a problem is this?
2. What are the benefits to a healthy relationship? What are the consequences of an unhealthy one?
3. What are the current solutions to a failing relationship?
4. How are expectations in relationships changing?
5. What are the alternatives to monogamy? How feasible are these alternatives?
6. What is the best alternative? Why?
7. How does one implement said alternative?
8. What's the difference between fear of commitment and a rejection of monogamy?
9. What are the effects of a change? What are the effects of no change?

Week Nine and Three Quarters

Nuclear Power
The world is quickly falling into an energy crisis. Coal and oil sources are drying up at an alarming rate, and finding new veins is becoming increasingly more expensive and difficult. One power source that continues to advance it's technology and increase efficiency is nuclear energy. I am in full support of construction of additional nuclear power plants. Unfortunately, with the current Japanese nuclear crisis, nuclear energies negative stigmatism will undoubtedly increase.


Monogamy? No thank you!
One of the most commonly accepted practices in modern society is monogamy. This is truly terrible. Why should honest, hormone-driven people be forced to have sex with just one person at a time? I can understand living with just one person for the purpose of raising children, but if you want to go out and have an enjoyable evening with someone, why not?


Infrastructure
The current state of the United States infrastructure is a sad one indeed. Interstate highways, electrical lines, and urban plumbing are all at least 60 years old, and one of the least-funded budget items. I believe more of the budget should be directed towards maintaining our own country.

State Patty's Day

Being from Ann Arbor, I had never heard of State Patty’s Day before coming to Penn State. For the first month of class, every time I saw a shirt, I assumed it was a miss-print for St. Patty’s Day. Eventually I pieced together a mental image of State Patty’s Day, formed from many a story of upperclassmen I’ve gotten to know. From mounted police to armored cars, the stories made it sound like State College was displaced to a third world militaristic state for the weekend. However, I was excited to form my own stories of State Patty’s to tell to clueless freshmen next year.

            I didn’t have any friends visiting for the holiday, so I decided to just take an easy weekend. My Friday night I worked on homework until about 8:30, showered, and then headed over to my friends dorm for some grand theft auto in his room. After wasting an hour on that, we decided to visit a friend of his in State College Park. We had to catch the N bus at College and Allen, so we decided to walk down College Ave for shits and giggles. We witnessed large groups of people dressed in green garb, pounding on windows and doors of closed businesses for no apparent reason. I mean, who wouldn’t want to break into a clothes store at 10 pm on a Friday night? Once on the bus, we stopped just before the IST building on Atherton Ave to drop some riders off. At this stop, a large group of people made to board the bus. However, they were stopped by the bus driver, who instructed them they had to pay for their ride. Then one of them asked, to no one in particular, “Does this bus take us to frat row? Does this bus go to frat row? Can I take this bus to frat row?” His only reply was shouts of, “Get off the bus!”

            Arriving at State College Park, we disembarked and walked across an icy parking lot towards the building. We passed a drunk who had fallen on the ice, and refused his girlfriend’s protests to get up and start acting normal. Once at my friend’s friend’s apartment, we just chilled out and watched a western hockey league game. The apartment had a party that started at 6:00 pm that day, but by the time we got there (10:30 pm) it had mostly died down, and everyone had left. The host was drunk as a skunk, and trying to debate whether to open his bottle of champagne. After about two hours, he settled on opening it, on the constituency that we finished it that night. He also made it his goal to drink enough to wake up drunk the next morning, and as a result, he drank almost all the champagne. We left the apartment at 1:00 in the morning, and I went to bed after that.

            Saturday morning I woke up, showered, ate, and went downtown around 10:30 am to purchase a bike I found on craigslist. On the short walk down Garner across College, I passed someone who was struggling to stand on their own. They resorted to leaning up against McLanahan’s, and occasionally flopping an arm around. This was at 10:30 in the morning. I then vowed to walk around downtown in approximately twelve hours, just to see what all the fuss was about.

            During the day, I visited a friend in University Gateway. This was at about 2:00 pm. As I got off the elevator on the fifth floor, I was greeted by a puddle of partially dried vomit that led across the floor and up a wall to an open window. I guess whoever it came from just couldn’t hold it. Stepping around the orange sticky liquid, I made my way into my friends room on the east side of the building. This is the side that faces the Meridian apartment complex. On this side of the building, just about every other window had people leaning out of it, shouting to people around them, people in the opposite building, people walking by, or just shouting in general. Numerous items were thrown from windows, including full beer cans, water bottles, and red plastic cups. At one point, a girl in a room on the top floor of the Meridian stood up on her windowsill, bent over forward, and leaned the top half of her body out of the window. She stayed in this position for nearly twenty minutes, all the while people were yelling at her not to jump. I wasn’t afraid of suicide, but seeing how intoxicated she was, I could see her tripping and accidentally falling through the open window. Again, this was at 2:00 in the afternoon.

            I ended up eating out that night, and then seeing Harry Potter 7 in the HUB. After that, I went back to my room and freshened up. Then I made my way back downtown, and tried to keep an open mind about what I would see. At first, it seemed like the whole student population of the university had left their residences and where walking the streets. However, this couldn’t be true, because almost every balcony lining Beaver Ave was crowded with even more people. The town was packed with more people than it could support. I had an easier time walking the streets of New York City, the largest city in the country, than walking down Beaver Ave on Saturday night. Personally, I didn’t see anyone I knew, but several people acted quite friendly to me. The most memorable occurred when a girl tripped into me while we were going opposite ways. She was very apologetic, and tried to prove she was sorry by giving me an awkwardly long and tight hug. After we pulled apart, she put her hand around my neck, looked me dead in the eyes, and managed to slur out, “I’m so sorry, it’s going to be ok. You know that, right? Everything’s going to be ok. You don’t have to worry, it’s going to be ok.” I assured her that I was fine, and continued on my way back to my room. I had seen enough.

Week Eight

Bagel – The derivation of the shape is simple enough. Take two concentric circles, make the distance between them the diameter of a perpendicular circle, and rotate the perpendicular circle around the center point of the center of the concentric circles. This design eliminates the center of the bread, allowing for a more even bake. The hole also allows for more interesting displays, as bakers may string them on dowel rods and hang them in their shops. The design also accommodates for individual consumption quite well. The thumb and middle finger come together in the hole to form interlocking rings with the bagel. Then the bagel can be brought up to the mouth and back down to the side with ease. The thickness of bagels allows a horizontal cut through them, on which a multitude of spreads can be applied. Or the two pieces of bagel can be used to create a sandwich.

Muffin – This is another baked breakfast item, but that’s about were the similarities end. The muffin is basically a overflowing inverted cone without the bottom half. The muffin bottom is baked in a molded form, and the top is a natural form, created from the rising yeast. During this rising, the bread escapes the confines of the form and spills out over the top, creating a shape called a ‘muffin top’. The form is usually lined with a paper wrapping to prevent the muffin from burning. This paper holds the muffin together when removed from the mold, but isn’t edible. But when the paper is removed, inescapably some of the muffin comes off with it, and the form begins to fall apart. The disintegration of the form requires the muffin to be consumed while being unwrapped, requiring two hands and a good deal of concentration to simply consume it. Thus the form of a muffin is not the most practical for travel or a multi-task meal.

Week Seven

For my review I chose my shoes, the Nike Free Everyday 2+. I purchased these shoes in August of 2009, and as such they are no longer available for purchase. However, I felt a review of them was in order, as I can now comfortable and assuredly give a well-informed and knowledgeable review of them. I am evaluating this product as my personal response to the media buzz and social popularity and impact they had upon the running world.

When the first pair of Nike Frees came out, there was more talk about them than actual sales. Though not an original idea, Nike was the first major running shoe company to produce a “barefoot” running shoe. The concept comes from scientific studies which show that advancements in shoe technology has allowed our form as a species to degrade to a point where we are hurting ourselves more than helping. Runners are landing primarily on the heel, and then pushing off hard with the toes. This adds extra stress to the knees in the shock of body weight being slammed down onto cement or concrete. Barefoot running draws its roots from the primitive form of running, which is the natural way our bodies have been designed to run, landing upon the ball of the foot and barely pushing off. It is a much lighter and more efficient way to run, employing even the use of gravity by the lean forward, shifting the center of balance forward of the feet. The Nike Free helps promote this action by strengthening the arch of the foot and being incredibly flexible.

            Due to the large amount of press and hype the Nike Free produced, Nike went on to redesign the shoe again and again, creating the Free2, Free v. 3.0, Free v. 4.0, Free 5.0, Free 6.0, and Free 7.0. They also produced a Free Everyday and a Free Everyday 2+, which are designed for strengthening the arch while walking, without sacrificing any of the flexibility of the original Free.

            I purchased a pair of Everyday 2+ mainly because most of my friends had them, and had nothing but good things to say about them. I was also in sore need of a new pair of shoes, as my old ones had worn out faster than expected. I chose the Everyday 2+ over the Free 5.0 because I have a tendency to over pronate when I run, which means I run slightly on the outside sides of my feet, rather than flat on the bottom. This condition requires minor weights in my running shoes, which doesn’t fix the problem, but creates a desire for my feet to run correctly. The weight is added through the use of a denser foam on the inside of my running shoes, which the Free 5.0 did not offer. So I went with the Everyday 2+.

            Initially, I was quite satisfied with my purchase. Nike’s website was well organized, with many different fields for easy quick navigation, and a multitude of search refining options. The delivery occurred within a week, and I was eager to try them out as an everyday shoe. The first week of wearing them was a bit uncomfortable, and my feet where usually sore after a full day. I believe this to be a problem of my arch being pitifully weak before wear these shoes, as the problem receded and vanished within two weeks. The exterior was quite ascetically pleasing, with a few suggestive curves of fabric in a simple dark grey, light grey, blue color scheme. The mesh used as a cover for your foot is very breathable, almost translucent fabric that somehow manages to hold enough heat in to keep feet warm for decently long periods of time in the winter, but cool and dry during the summer. The flat laces that come with the shoe allow for quick and easy knots that stay tied through extended use. The sole is ridiculously flexible, allowing me to touch the toe backwards to the heel. The comfort of the shoe after two weeks is also notable. For the first ten miles, the sole has a very soft and pliable upper foam. Assuming only one person wears the shoes for this period of time, the foam with mold itself to the person’s foot, similar to how a wet sponge will yield to any applied pressure. After the first ten miles, the foam will harden like a dry sponge to form a rigid structure perfectly molded to the owners own feet. Dr Scholls be jealous.

            As far as lifetime of the shoe, I have worn this shoe almost exclusively for every day since August of 2009. That’s around 550 days, give or take. The shoes are still entirely wearable, with no serious structural defects. There are minor tears on the inside, where the fabric is pulling the upper foam off of the lower foam, but these are less than ¼ inch long, and pose no immediate threat to the overall shoe. The sole shows obvious signs of extensive wear, and there is slight discoloration on the fabric, but that comes from excessive use. I could not be happier with the shoes overall durability and strength. I have been through blizzards, mud bogs, sand dunes, grassy fields, the streets of New York City, and everything in between in them.

            One last thing I have to mention is the cost. These shoes were not cheap, costing me about $140, including $30 shipping & handling. However, they were well worth the cost, as I will foreseeably get two full years of use out of them without needing a replacement. While a large initial investment, I fully recommend these shoes to anyone interested in extreme comfort without slacking in the classy department.

Week Six

            Imagine the coldest day in winter. The wind howling across your face, whipping around your hair, and biting through every layer you’ve methodically applied to your person. The snow isn’t falling, but twisting up into the sky in a sort of violent dance. You’re standing on the side of a street, with no one for company but the wind, snow, and cold concrete sidewalk. In the distance, you hear the sound of relief that you’ve been waiting for: The roar of a CATA bus accelerating from a stop, and the familiar red and white monster lumbers into view. As the brakes screech in protest, the vehicle slows to a standstill a few feet past you. As you hurriedly climb inside and feed the machine $1.50, you instantly forget the last fifteen minutes you’ve spent cursing the cold and the bus. The bus lurches into motion, temporarily throwing you off balance and into a wall of bodies. After you steady yourself against an overhead bar, you look around and notice how packed the bus is. The shear multitude of bodies pushed closer together than socially acceptable is astounding. “How is the vehicle even moving?” you wonder. As you begin to settle into the pattern of speeding up and slowing down for stops, you let your mind wander in an effort to distract from the scene surround you. Busses aren’t exactly the prettiest things in the world. Built almost entirely for function, they offer little in the way of beauty. Think of a big metal box, screw on some wheels and an engine, and throw a few of the cheapest, smallest plastic chairs inside, and you have a CATA bus. In an effort to keep the exterior of the bus clean and simple, all advertisements are placed inside the bus, above the windows. However, this has the end effect of making the windows smaller, which encloses the occupants even further. The floor is dirtier than a piece of 100-year-old carpet. The smell is comparable to a wet dog in sore need of a bath. The air is heavy with the breath of unfamiliar bodies pressing in on all sides. Even if you are lucky enough to obtain a seat, if your ride is longer than ten minutes, you will be stiff by the time your destination is reached. This, unfortunately, has become the norm for commuters across the State College area.

Quotes:

“I don’t really use the busses, Dave [a friend] has a car that we all use to get around.” – Sam Heppelmann (freshmen, physics)

“I routinely pay for the V and couldn’t care less about giving a company a few dollars if it meant they could do things right and not wait for full busses to go past.” – Thaddeus McGilicutty (junior, criminal justice)

“I don’t think I’d use the links more if they were free… I’d really like to see more buses on the blue and white loops though, so the wait isn’t as long.” – Laura Wake-Ramos (freshmen, architecture)

Facts:

A new free CATA app for Android-based smart phones is available for download. This app shows real-time bus locations and schedules, just like the app for the iPhone.

“CATA to offer bus tracking app.” Centre Daily Times [Centre County, PA] 2 February 2011: Web.

The University of Michigan offers free bussing to students, staff, and faculty on university and city busses through a program called MRide.

University of Michigan: Parking & Transportation Services. University of Michigan. n.d. Web. 14 February 2011.

CATA offers university employees unlimited CATA access for $5 a month, and students can purchase a ‘OnePass’ for a variety of time periods for decreasing monthly costs, ranging from $39 to $55 a month.

CATA. Centre Area Transit Authority. n.d. Web. 14 February 2011.

CATA is studying “the feasibility of making its entire bus system fare-free for all riders.”

Smeltz, Adam. “CATA Study to Explore Fare-Free Rider Access.” statecollege.com. State College, 17 January 2011. Web. 14 February 2011.

Further research required:

I am interested in investigating several professors who use the $5 month ride fee, and see their opinion and view on the current study. It should be interesting to compare the reaction of students to that of professors.

I am interested in analyzing the multitude of statistics available on catabus.com on ridership with many different breakdowns and spins on the data. It will also be interesting to analyze what they don’t provide statistics on.

Week Four

As an undergraduate student at Penn State, I can certainly see where the school’s ranking as the #1 Party School came from. As such, I think the report by This American Life does a very thorough job examining the issue from all points of view. It was obviously well researched, with audio clips from many different people affected by it, from students to university officials, from alumni to local residents. All of these groups were interviewed in a professional, direct method that got the information necessary without wasting time, which can be a problem without sounding too leading. Numerous statistics and data analysis were used to illustrate points in a much more numerical way. The manner in which the issue is presented is very easy to understand and follow, as the narrator often inputs their own emotions in such a manner as to not pass judgment, something which is rather difficult in investigative reporting. The reason for immediate investigation is twofold: First, the schools ranking as the #1 party school in the nation, and second, the recent death of freshmen Joe Dado. Specifically, I believe the narrator in this story wants the listener to understand that at big party schools like Penn State, alcohol consumption is too much a part of the social norm and cultural history for anyone to do anything effective about it.

Personally, I enjoyed the report. I might not have spared the time on my own to listen to all of it, but I didn’t have a problem listening to it, just finding the time to do so. Towards the end I found my mind drifting off, and had to go back and re-listen to a few portions because I was day dreaming. Other than that, I found it to be well composed, thoughtful, informative, and clear. I never had a problem comprehending the subject of conversation, or following the report. I did find myself in a relatively unique position as an undergraduate student at Penn State, and possibly that helped me relate to and understand the situation. I knew the location of all the businesses discussed, and have visited several of them myself. I have shaken hands with the president of the university, and have even had a casual lunch with him. I suppose to shorten the work, less time could have been spent on what the university is doing to curb excessive drinking. Personally, I know all of the measures they have taken, as they have all been advertised directly to me. This work supposedly was to discover what living in State College is like, and they did a fantastic job accomplishing that in the first three sections. The fourth is kind of a digression into what is being done to change life in State College, which although ultimately unnecessary, it is very helpful and relevant to the discussion. I respect the hell out of This American Life for that report, as it is exceptionally well done.

MFA Reading 1/28/11 aka Night of Many Drinks

The story of this night begins with my English 15 class, taught by Ms Denise Grollmus. You see, for extra credit Denise had informed our class we could attend any one of a series of MFA readings over the course of semester, and write a 500-word summary of the event. This seemed relatively easy to me, so I opted to attend the first of the readings, which was to take place at the university club and begin at 7:30 pm on Friday, January 28^th, 2011.

I happen to have class on Fridays until 5:30 pm, and usually go out to dinner with some friends immediately following class. This particular Friday, we chose the West Halls dining commons for dinner, known for its exceptional quality in food preparation. This night the main entrée was crab cakes, and let me tell you, they were good. We departed the dining commons at approximately 6:15 pm, and I split off from my friends to head over to the university club. I knew I would have extra time between dinner and the reading, so I had brought my laptop with me and planned to edit and revise a narrative I had due on Monday in the downtime. I had never been to the university club, but I figured it was just another classroom building, and I would be able to find a chair or desk to sit and work at.

            Boy was I wrong. My first impression of the building was the stone walkway spilling from a large wooden front door, flanked on either side by three deep fluted columns with ionic capitals well above 20 feet in the air. This impressive entrance was made even more grand by the landscape, which sloped upwards to the structure. As I pushed aside the door, I was surprised to find a familiar floor plan stretching away from me. The floors were all wooden, and there weren’t any doors, but rather openings in the walls. This was definitely not your typical classroom building. To the right of the front door was what could only be described as a sitting room, with a multitude of couches and low-seated armchairs scattered throughout on top of several rugs, interrupted by the occasional coffee table. The room was probably close to 600 square feet. Behind it was another room arranged in the same fashion, but only 400 square feet. Both rooms where dark and deserted, and I felt relieved for some privacy in a situation that was beginning to feel slightly uncomfortable.

Through the next hour, no one came in the room or talked to me. People slowly filed through the front door, but not enough to create a large crowd. They all seemed familiar with where to go, and didn’t give me a second glance. At approximately 7:25, I packed up my belongings and set off to find the location of the people. After taking out my iPod, I could hear a repetitive slight thump from a base speaker, and found a set of stairs leading to a basement where the music was coming from. These stairs emptied into a space just large enough for a pool table, which is just where one was located. To the left I saw rows of stackable chairs all facing a podium and projector screen, which was obviously where the reading was to take place. No one was sitting in the chairs, but several jackets had been flung over a few chairs in a very possessive manner. But the feature that got my attention the most was the red carpet. You see, it not only covered the floor but also the walls. There had been wooden frames constructed over top of the cement walls, and the carpet had been nailed to this, with holes cut into it for recessed lighting. The other unusual feature was the benches that where cantilevered from the walls, also covered in red carpet. However unsightly or dirty the benches where, they looked more roomy and less awkward than the chairs, which were pushed together to the point of being uncomfortable. Thus, I took a seat near the back on a bench, and buried my nose in my laptop once more.

After a few minutes, there was a call to order, including a mention of “road beer.” As people began to shuffle into the cramped rows of seats, I caught a few glimpses of what they had been crowded around: A mini bar. After all, it was a Friday night, was it not? I wondered to myself if there was anyone else in the basement that was underage. As it turns out, there wasn’t. I imagine I could’ve gotten a drink if I wanted, but at the time I was genuinely thirsty, and only interested in water.

The program started right away with a short introduction of the first of four writers to be reading their work that evening. Though brief, the introduction managed to include a slew of sexual innuendos and naughty implications. This was obviously a group of people who knew each other well enough to laugh at such jokes. However, the effect on me was to make my desire to leave even more urgent. All introductions were given in the same manner, and just further heightened the awkwardness of the evening for me. It didn’t help that I was about eight years younger than the average age of the room, and the only one with a laptop taking notes. I was also distressed to notice Nicolette, who teaches English 15 to a number of my friends, sitting directly across from me.

Despite my sense of not belonging, I did appreciate a majority of the work read by the four writers. The first read a very elegantly worded and length fictional narrative set in the style of letters to the owner of a house from the neighborhood to which they belonged. The second and third read poems, but they were very different readers. The second had a very lively personality and voice, until she started to read her work. Then, for some reason unbeknownst to me, she became very monotone, and dragged her ‘s’ on for just slightly too long, which was just enough to distract me from trying to listen to her writing. I don’t know what she was trying to write about, but I imagine it was good. The third reader was by far my favorite. She read a series of sonnets, which covered a variety of topics. The thing I liked most about her was her style of writing. It was very broken, offering the observer only glimpses of scenes and emotions, leaving them to fill in the rest with their imagination. I liked this because it spoke to something different in everyone, provoking a different interpretation from everyone. It revealed not only something about the author but something about yourself. Very cool stuff. My expectations were high for the fourth reader, which is perhaps why her work was such a letdown. She chose to read a piece comparing panda mating patterns to those of humans, including personal experiences. Not exactly something I felt particularly drawn to.

Thankfully the whole event wrapped up at 9:00 pm on the nose. I was the first person to walk out of that basement. Yet despite how uncomfortable I was the whole time, I can see myself returning on February 18^th. Partially for the purpose of hearing good works of writing, partially for extra credit, and partially for the humor of being the only undergrad student at an event geared toward a very exclusive audience without enough of a backbone to kick me out.

Week Three

So here is what I generally think about this: It is boring. There. That is my response to "Shitty First Drafts" by Anne Lamott. I mean, really? Everyone with a competent third grade education knows the writing process. It starts with brainstorming, continued with drafting, followed by several stages of revising and editing, and ends with a final polished draft. I really do not see why this has to be the subject of debate. Who in the world thinks that great writers just sit down, writing something, and publish it as is? I have never met anyone with such a skewed perception of the world. Now I know that there are people out there who have not experienced the benefits of free public education, and while it is up to debate about whether or not that is their fault or not, we can agree that there are uneducated, illiterate people living in our towns and communities. Nevertheless, are these the kind of people who enrolling at Penn State and taking English 15? Or better, are these the kind of people that are going to be reading novels and works of non-fiction?

            However, this piece does bring up an interesting method of writing. In the excerpt, she describes the process she goes through to write food reviews. It starts by her gathering observations and quotes from a group of friends about a large variety of food. Then she runs into a roadblock: she does not know where to start the first paragraph. After much procrastination, she just writes everything she can and slowly whittles it down. While this is possible, I am finding difficulty subscribing to the belief that it is the most efficient method to writing, at least for me. My simple, user-friendly alternative is a common enough solution: the outline. Now this may just be a result of my writing history containing mainly persuasive and informative pieces, but I also use outlines for a variety of purposes, including shopping lists and class notes. They are quick, easily adaptable, concise, and are personalizable for your specific needs quickly and easily. They also offer you a first glimpse at your finished product. With an outline, you can get a point across while using half the paper and a quarter of the words as an actual paper. It might not be the most graceful or eloquent, but that is not the point of an outline. A draft of a paper is easy to flesh out from the frame of an outline. Outlines form the content of a paper, and are editable until the flow of ideas and logic is clear and easy to follow. Then the rest of the work can be filled in with sentences and paragraphs, and run through another process of editing for clarity. Then voila! A finished work is in hand, and one is free to take on other tasks.

            The point Anne Lamott is suggesting in “Shitty First Draft” is combining the traditional brainstorming and drafting phases. Rather than have a period where one searches for inspiration, and then takes time to pick the best of the inspired ideas and apply them to the work, she is suggesting using the work as a source and method of inspiration. While I understand where she is coming from, I have my doubts. Personally, I do not foresee this ever producing great work for me. In others, I see if merely encouraging settling for the first idea one comes across, and attempting to write a significant and legitimate work of literature from that first mediocre idea. Whereas a period of brainstorming encourages other ideas to form and blossom, writing straight from the gun can turn into a mess without a meaning quite easily. Or worse yet, the point can be arbitrary, insignificant, or just plain unoriginal, in which case the paper is cursed before it can ever be written.

            In hindsight, I am not sure if I answered any questions, or just created new ones. I attempted to follow Ms. Lamott’s suggestion and just write whatever comes to mind when it does. I am still unsure if this entry is even clear enough to follow. However, I am not nervous about publishing this, as it is merely a blog, and the purpose of the blog is to consistently write on topic relevant to current class material. Therefore, whether or not this essay makes any sense is irrelevant to the fact that I wrote it, and attempted a new writing style while writing it. I feel I fulfilled the requirements in my own method, and if it is not accepted, I will know not to attempt this style again.

Week Two

The struggles of parenthood can often be overwhelming. They are nothing compared to the struggles of a parent whose child has become an addict. The essay “My Addicted Son” by David Sheff covers this situation. The author focuses on specific events in his life that directly relate to his sons fall into the clutches of drug abuse, rather than trying to narrate his entire life story. This story is especially relevant to our age group, as we are entering college and living on our own for the first time in our lives. While this independence is usually very welcome, it can also lead to the undoing of many college students, even those considered to be the “good students” in high school.

          The author includes adequate descriptions of major events in the narrative that help the reader visualize them and feel the emotions pulsating through the story. From the crying of the authors son Jasper after Nick was arrested to the utter helplessness when Nick relapsed the third time, one really gets a feel for the desolation and loss this story reveals. The intended audience is all parents, whether their children are drug-free or going through the same trials as Nick went through. It serves as not only a warning to all parents, but also as a testament to what one might have to go through should their child fall victim to drugs. Although dialogue is rare, what David does include highlights Nick’s detachment from his family and society.

          David has done an excellent job providing context for each of the major events, and flowing the story smoothly from one to the next. The only time I had trouble following was on page 6, when he reminisced on times he and Nick had had at the Steps of Rome café, and how he had slowly made more and more excuses for Nick’s behavior through the years. This whole process of fighting meth for control of Nick has showed David how much pain and loss parents can bear for their children. As he says at the bottom of page 6, “Every time we reach a point where we feel as if we can’t bear any more, we do.” The bonds between parent and child are some of the strongest in the world, able to forgive the gravest travesties. I have only known one side of this relationship, but I can see it at work when I Skype my parents. As a parent, David is torn apart by watching his sons slip into addiction. As a writer, he does a fantastic job characterizing and documenting every major event without letting his own emotions cloud the story, only spice up the tale whenever appropriate.

Week One

There are a few things that are always with one during the walk of life. Unfortunately, the things that stick with you seem to always be those that you despise the most. For me, one of these things is writing. I've never been a very good writer, and continue to struggle to this day. Writing just takes too long. Often I feel I could easily express my opinions and arguments in a much more concise and practical manner than that which is expected of me. My problem first materialized in fifth grade, when I got a C in English. It was my first C ever, and came completely out of the blue. I thought I was doing just fine. As a child, I was devastated, and gradually grew a discomfort for English, which grew into an annoyance, which grew into a dislike, which grew into a hatred, which grew into abhorrence. I'd really rather do just about anything than write. Unfortunately, as we are all painfully aware, it is not possible to exist in today's society without writing. English exists as a core curricular subject in every level of education. Scholarships and applications for school and work often require essays that are the deciding factor. So one learns to live with such things and get one with life.

My situation as a rhetor is slightly different. I have adequate competence in observing and understanding exigencies, but my motivation and determination to see my message through to the end is lacking, to say the least. A prime example would be current events. In all honesty, I really should at least follow the state and national government, as the policies my representatives write and put into effect are those that affect my day-to-day life. But instead, I find myself asking my friends, peers, parents, and instructors whether or not things have already changed, only to be met with the same blank stares that occupies my face. Everyone knows that the local news stations are not the best source of relevant information, but it’s better than nothing. I have, in effect, become another one of the blind mass of the American public, uninformed and apathetic to global happenings.

Despite my lack of appreciation for writing, I find ample satisfaction of reading the work of others, provided it is thought through and well written. Some of the most inspiring works to me is Do Hard Things by Alex and Brett Harris. This book contains a description of their nonviolent, teen-led revolution against the low expectations society places upon adolescents. It is written in a very up-in-your-face manner, demanding one put down the book and do something for oneself, a friend, or a stranger. Another very influential book for me has been Diary by Chuck Palahniuk. In this novel, the theme of suffering and true inspiration and their intimate relation are discussed and theorized. Seeing as how architecture is technically an art, I consider any discussion on inspiration to be intriguing.

Writing can be considered a very broad topic in the career path of an artist. In all artistic fields, it is difficult at best to quantify an improvement of an individual. Of course, it is possible for one to determine one’s own preferences, and even for society to determine their preferences. However, is that really a valid form of judging an artist’s talent compared to those of other artists? I do not believe so. Therefore, the only really judge of what is an improvement in an artist can be the artists themselves. As time passes, the artist’s tastes and preferences change, and therefore their product does as well. All of these changes can be considered improvements in the eyes of the artist, as their current tastes and preferences dictate that their current work is an improvement upon previous products. We then arrive at the conclusion that the only way to improve one’s work is to let time pass, tastes and preferences evolve, and oneself dictate what work they desire to produce, as that will be an improvement upon their previous products.