Saturday, October 20, 2007
Personal Experience with Religion
To be perfectly and dreadfully honest I do not wish to post a blog on a personal religious experience, although I have had many. I would not think twice of speaking publicly on my views of political affairs or any of the other controversial topics we have thus far covered in this class. But in this setting, a classroom of very different people and the World Wide Web, where anyone with internet access could possibly find my small collection of written work, I feel as though I am bound to my writing, and can and will be judged upon its content. Though what I write comes from the heart, or somewhere around there, I am still learning. My views are not set in stone. The curious thing is that more than any other thing, I would hate to say something wrong or misleading that has to do with religion. I am not emotionally or spiritually up to the task of sharing a personal experience with religion at the moment. And I would try but as this is for a grade and with a deadline: all I can say is that I will work on putting up a blog with a real experience but for now, I give my regrets to all who read this.
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
Details in a Photograph by Bill Wittliff
A seemingly old and uneventful porch of a bar is lit up by a fair haired woman sitting in front of a window. The porch is not dirty, making it look slightly set up. Horizontal wooden slats of different shades are her background and thick wood boards are her foundation. The window is divided into four panes; the top two, smaller, each hold a single word to spell out the name “Dry Bean” in fading white paint. The woman is young, and looks lonely until you catch on to her head cocked to the right, and as the light hits her chin, jaw line, and the side of her neck, there relaxed and slightly playful attitude. Her right shoulder is lifted to meet the side of her face as a resting place.
Long ruffled and lacey fabric drapes over her torso in a deep “V” shape down to her navel. The same old-fashion looking ruffles weigh down the ends of her three-quarter sleeves, which are pushed indifferently to different places on her arms. A patterned calico fabric is the main part of the dress; the pattern is polka-dotted and seemingly floral. By the way the calico fabric lies naturally with waves and wrinkles it is feminine but obviously cheap and thin. Although she’s wearing a dress her legs are spread apart, and her hands lie on her knees pulling the fabric slightly upward. Because of the perception of the photograph, her hands seem proportionally larger than average; her right hand is definitely dominant. Stout working fingers look almost grubby as they cast small dark shadows on the clean dress.
Going downwards, white knees are followed closely by even whiter socks and then dark black boots, laced up several inches past her ankles. The toes of the boots are scuffed and scratched different shades of gray. Only the outer edges of her boots touch the ground. Her legs open up to a “V” shape, but the left leg is pulled farther from center than the right. The inside of her left calf catches the light.
Her face is plain but pretty. Her eyes look straight into the camera but do not stare. Dark brows and lashes strengthen her face. Her mouth, untouched by make-up, softly compliments her face. A tiny shadow on the left by her top lip hints at a knowing smile. Defined cheekbones feminize her face. A mane of sandy blonde hair frames her face. Her hair holds a bounce and wave that can be seen in magazines on the heads of supermodels. But her hair is not pretentious; it is cut to short lengths of thick wisps that are easily pushed back with fingers behind the ear, or tossed back with a small, precise jerk of the head.
Behind the young woman is a shadow that is not her own. It seems to be coming from inside the building and reveals a clashing and outdated pattern of a darkening curtain. The shadow is an odd shape. On her left side is an edgy dark object that seems like a chimney pipe. It extends upwards on her left to a rounded top. The object making the shadow is inconsequential but the shadow itself contrasts the woman’s fair pale skin, hair and dress.
In the upper right corner of the photograph a small wooden sign takes its place in this art. It reads “LAGER BEER” in hand-painted white letters. The function of this sign is to draw away from the symmetry the four pained window imposes. The word “beer” relaxes the picture to a scene of a bar’s porch. It allows the woman the freedom to sit so “unladylike,” though her eyes tell us that she is not even slightly buzzed.
Long ruffled and lacey fabric drapes over her torso in a deep “V” shape down to her navel. The same old-fashion looking ruffles weigh down the ends of her three-quarter sleeves, which are pushed indifferently to different places on her arms. A patterned calico fabric is the main part of the dress; the pattern is polka-dotted and seemingly floral. By the way the calico fabric lies naturally with waves and wrinkles it is feminine but obviously cheap and thin. Although she’s wearing a dress her legs are spread apart, and her hands lie on her knees pulling the fabric slightly upward. Because of the perception of the photograph, her hands seem proportionally larger than average; her right hand is definitely dominant. Stout working fingers look almost grubby as they cast small dark shadows on the clean dress.
Going downwards, white knees are followed closely by even whiter socks and then dark black boots, laced up several inches past her ankles. The toes of the boots are scuffed and scratched different shades of gray. Only the outer edges of her boots touch the ground. Her legs open up to a “V” shape, but the left leg is pulled farther from center than the right. The inside of her left calf catches the light.
Her face is plain but pretty. Her eyes look straight into the camera but do not stare. Dark brows and lashes strengthen her face. Her mouth, untouched by make-up, softly compliments her face. A tiny shadow on the left by her top lip hints at a knowing smile. Defined cheekbones feminize her face. A mane of sandy blonde hair frames her face. Her hair holds a bounce and wave that can be seen in magazines on the heads of supermodels. But her hair is not pretentious; it is cut to short lengths of thick wisps that are easily pushed back with fingers behind the ear, or tossed back with a small, precise jerk of the head.
Behind the young woman is a shadow that is not her own. It seems to be coming from inside the building and reveals a clashing and outdated pattern of a darkening curtain. The shadow is an odd shape. On her left side is an edgy dark object that seems like a chimney pipe. It extends upwards on her left to a rounded top. The object making the shadow is inconsequential but the shadow itself contrasts the woman’s fair pale skin, hair and dress.
In the upper right corner of the photograph a small wooden sign takes its place in this art. It reads “LAGER BEER” in hand-painted white letters. The function of this sign is to draw away from the symmetry the four pained window imposes. The word “beer” relaxes the picture to a scene of a bar’s porch. It allows the woman the freedom to sit so “unladylike,” though her eyes tell us that she is not even slightly buzzed.
Monday, October 1, 2007
The Effectiveness of the Definition of a Word
In class Thursday, September 28th, a question came up about the effectiveness of using a word’s definition in a paper. To some people, a definition may seem redundant and pointless. And sure, some words just don’t need to be defined. But if you look at how a word is defined and by whom, a definition may become more important. In my experience, that which is hardest to define has the most important definition. I found this quote on my friend’s AIM buddy profile, so my source is worthy of skepticism; regardless I love the quote.
Despite all the hard scientific knowledge we have accumulated, the heart still retains its mythic, metaphoric role as the bodily center of courage and love...
A living heart "is...the pulsing energy that is the essence of all life, whether atoms and electrons or two people making love or the whole universe expanding and contracting. It's the vital force. It's life itself."
-George Leonard
A dictionary, a child, or a biologist would all have different definitions of the heart. A dictionary definition is not necessarily meaningful, but they way each of us personally define something is crucial. When considering the English language, the power of certain words amazes me. Throughout history terms like “gay” or “Jewish” have gone through an immense variety of meanings. Both have had deadly connotations. Conversely, they both have beautiful connotations to certain people. When words have a wide gap in possible meanings, a definition can be used to see past bias. With so many meanings to each word, I think that if in a paper, one decides to look at only one meaning of a word, that definition is valuable information, and in many cases a effective element to an essay.
Despite all the hard scientific knowledge we have accumulated, the heart still retains its mythic, metaphoric role as the bodily center of courage and love...
A living heart "is...the pulsing energy that is the essence of all life, whether atoms and electrons or two people making love or the whole universe expanding and contracting. It's the vital force. It's life itself."
-George Leonard
A dictionary, a child, or a biologist would all have different definitions of the heart. A dictionary definition is not necessarily meaningful, but they way each of us personally define something is crucial. When considering the English language, the power of certain words amazes me. Throughout history terms like “gay” or “Jewish” have gone through an immense variety of meanings. Both have had deadly connotations. Conversely, they both have beautiful connotations to certain people. When words have a wide gap in possible meanings, a definition can be used to see past bias. With so many meanings to each word, I think that if in a paper, one decides to look at only one meaning of a word, that definition is valuable information, and in many cases a effective element to an essay.
How Do They Define "Gay"?
Images from the following websites:
http://haste-network.net/movies-76/i-now-pronounce-you-chuck-larry-3205.html
http://www.tomalberts.com/galleries/gaypride2006/gay_pride_balloons.php
http://www.goodasyou.org/good_as_you/2007/04/12/index.html
http://www.mickeyz.net/news/mickeyz/fullarticle/my_gay_marriage_question/
http://www.usatoday.com/life/movies/movieawards/oscars/2007-02-26-parties_x.htm
http://blogs.menupages.com/boston/2007/06/
http://haste-network.net/movies-76/i-now-pronounce-you-chuck-larry-3205.html
http://www.tomalberts.com/galleries/gaypride2006/gay_pride_balloons.php
http://www.goodasyou.org/good_as_you/2007/04/12/index.html
http://www.mickeyz.net/news/mickeyz/fullarticle/my_gay_marriage_question/
http://www.usatoday.com/life/movies/movieawards/oscars/2007-02-26-parties_x.htm
http://blogs.menupages.com/boston/2007/06/
Norman Rockwell and The Spirit of Education
Norman Rockwell’s painting “The Spirit of Education” depicts a smiling white woman behind a blonde boy. The woman is holding a sash across his chest with the words: THE SPIRIT OF EDUCATION. The woman sits behind the boy and next to them is a chest, topped with an open box; she seems to be dressing him. He is clad in a toga, sandals, and a laurel crown. A torch lies lazily in one hand and a large book is held in the other. The boy’s brow is furrowed and he wears a very displeased look on his face.
What is Norman Rockwell saying about education? Why the disgruntled boy or the nearly synthetic smile on the woman who seems to glorify him?
The way I see it is the woman is like the government and teachers and school officials who want to glorify education. They do not see that the children/students are nonetheless unreceptive and unappreciative. Students do not like to be made to look like they care. The students’ apathetic attitude toward education mocks people who work hard on making it possible. She dresses him in a white garment to represent innocence. The torch is for liberty. The thick book shows knowledge and dedication. Rockwell tells us the spirit of education is made to look pure and innocent, having the qualities of wisdom, freedom and goodness, but in reality it is flawed and discontented. The government dresses up the spirit of education to look better than it is so that they may receive approval of the public and the respect of other countries.
I did a little research on Norman Rockwell's paintings. This is my favorite of his paintings. It's called Doctor and the Doll. (Isn't Google Images wonderful?)
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