ENG 001: Section 09

Project 3: The Soundtrack of My Life

2007-12-05T20:13:00.000-06:00

Tim McGraw, “My Little Girl”: The line in this song, “You’ve had me wrapped around your finger since the day you were born”, is a reflection of the way my dad feels toward me. I have always been his little girl, being the youngest and the only daughter in my family. With my dad I could get away with anything and he spoiled me any chance he got. Once when I was younger, we were at the store and it was just my dad and I. Well I wanted a new Barbie doll and all I had to do was bat my “baby blues” as he called my eyes and I got my way. When we got home and my mom saw the doll, she asked where that came from and I said, “Daddy bought it for me.” She would just roll her eyes at my dad and laugh. Still to this day, I usually can talk my dad into “spoiling” me. I could also get out of trouble with him more easily than my mom, like how the song says, “When you were in trouble that crooked little smile could melt my heart of stone.” I know he’s finally realizing that I’m growing up, like in the song it says, “Now look at you, I’ve turned around and you’ve almost grown.” I know I’m his baby girl, but even though it’s hard for him to do he encourages me, like in the song to, “chase your dreams but always know the road that’ll lead you home again.” And sometime on late nights when my mom and I have an ice cream craving, I can still talk him into going to get us ice cream from TCBY.

Keith Urban, “Tonight I Wanna Cry”: Between the scenes of the singer playing the piano, this video cuts to shots of artwork on the walls with snow falling down around. When I was about six years old, my parents bought me a grand piano and I started lessons right away. Its mahogany colored wood with its ornate Victorian-style carvings on the legs and front graced our front living room. I practiced all the time. Even in the mornings before I left for school I would sit down on the wooden bench with its burgundy seat cushion and play a little tune. Slowly I got better and better. When I wasn’t playing I loved listening to my mom and grandma play on the piano and I loved the way you could hear their fingernails could be heard clicking the notes as they played. I would always sit next to them with my feet dangling off the bench and listen to the beautiful noised emerging from the piano. I couldn’t wait till I could play like that. After taking enough lessons to get into the advanced level book, I finally quit taking lessons. Now that I am older, my fingers glide up and down the black and ivory keys with ease. Now when I play, my fingernails make that same clicking sound that I used to hear when my mom and grandma played. Sitting in front of the keys and the music with my back to everything else in the world, I feel at peace and relaxed. Even now, when I’m stressed, mad, or sad all I have to do is play the piano and I feel relieved with all my worries escaping through my fingers into the music.

Dierks Bentley, “What Was I Thinkin’”: The action scenes from this video of the car chase and the fight scene in the bar make it very exciting; however, the scene from when he takes the girl back home and her daddy is waiting on the front porch with a shot gun in hand is one that I can relate to. First of all, my dad is a police officer, and is very protective of me, his only daughter. On one of my first dates, the guy, who was from a small town close to McCook, came to the door to pick me up. Thinking there could be no harm in this and that my dad wouldn’t dare embarrass me, he wanted to meet the guy. While not resorting to the open threat of violence through a gun, he did, to my shock, verbally threaten him with, “Now you two have fun…” and staring right at the guy he said, “but not too much, or I’ll have to kill ya.” My mother and I had a look of complete horror on our faces as we realized what he had just said. We were so embarrassed. Of course, we knew he was just kidding, but my date didn’t. I was surprised that he ever took me out again, but apparently I must have made a fairly good impression on him, despite my dad’s over-protective nature. From that point on, I gained the reputation of being the cop’s daughter in the towns surrounding McCook. While I didn’t thoroughly enjoy this title, my dad sure did, thinking it was more intimidating for guys; however, to his dismay it didn’t scare them off, but I'm sure he still has a gun hidden just in case he needs to really scare any off.

Jason Aldean, “Hicktown”: Between the shots of the pick-ups going mudding and doing other “hickish” things, this video cuts to scenes of teenagers dancing and the band playing the music for the song. These moments of going mudding and the lyrics’ mention of girls getting rowdy tonight down at the football game are events that kids growing up in a small town undoubtedly are familiar with. Throughout high school during the fall season, all my Friday nights were spent at Weiland Field, the football stadium in McCook, for home games. My friends and I would get all glitzed up to cheer at the game or sometimes we decorated t-shirts with paint and glitter to cheer on our boys. Each year every class would come up with a unique design to embellish t-shirts. For my senior year, our red and black tie-dyed shirts read, “Senior Chicks” on the front with our last name and 007 on the back. Being the procrastinators that we were, we were up late the night before the Homecoming game decorating our shirts in one of my friend’s garage. While I had my shirt all sprawled out in front of me, paint in hand, a huge bug started crawling toward me. I jumped up and grabbed the blow drier that we were using to dry the paint and tried to roast the bug. Tripping over the cord, trying to chase the bug all my friends got a kick out of my girly actions and clumsiness. These nights of making shirts added to my high school experience and memories with my friends.

Kenny Chesney, “She Thinks My Tractor’s Sexy”: Starting off with a John Deere tractor chugging through the fields, this video cuts to shots of the singer in the barn surrounded by hay bales. These scenes are shots that anyone from a small, rural town could recognize. My senior year of high school, I was all dressed up in my glamorous, long, flowing black dress and glitzy rhinestone earrings for my final prom. My hair was all done up with big spiral curls framing my face. I felt like a princess. After dinner, my date drove to a parking lot where I was ecstatic to find our chariot to prom, a brand new shiny John Deere tractor. With the tractor towering above us, my date helped pull me up the three far spread out stairs into the cab as I struggled to hold the handle with one hand and the end of my dress with the other so as not to get it snagged. A little pillow cushion awaited me right next to the driver’s seat. We got the engine going and we were off. Traveling at a mighty five miles per hour, we finally made it the four blocks to Promenade where we made our grand entrance in the mighty green and yellow beast. The next day we were the talk of the town, as we had made front-page news in our local newspaper, the McCook Daily Gazette. It just goes to show how even the small things that happen in a small town are deemed important.

Taylor Swift, “Tim McGraw”: Between the scenes of the singer lying on the dirt and grass strewn shore next to the pond and the couple sitting in the bed of the pickup gazing at the stars and dancing underneath the night sky are memories that most couples from small towns are familiar with. Especially considering that there isn’t much else to do for dates. Gazing at stars is definitely one of my favorite things to do, whether it be on a date, out in the country, or just on the bench on my front porch at home. One night during the summer, a friend and I decided to drive out to Red Willow Lake and go stargazing. Finally reaching the lake after a fifteen-minute drive, we trudged our way through the sand so we got close to the water line. My cute heels continuously sinking further and further in, making it ever so difficult to walk, resulting in their removal. The lyrics, "The moon like a spotlight on the lake" reminds me of the way the moonlight and starlight reflected brightly off the surface of the calm water. Being the geniuses that we were, we decided to start a fire. After walking through the sand in my bare feet and collecting numerous small and large sticks to get the fire going, thanks to my friend’s expertise, we succeeded. With the little campfire blazing and the stars glowing magnificently overhead, it was a perfectly calming night. We spotted many constellations and named some stars of our own. Now at college, living in Lincoln, the stars aren’t as brilliant to gaze upon and sometimes are totally impossible to see, which is one of the things I miss about my small town.

Carrie Underwood, “Don’t Forget to Remember Me”: The scenes in this video of the singer driving off to start her life on her own is an event that everyone has to go through and that college students can definitely relate to. The line, “We were loading up that Chevy both trying not to cry, Momma kept on talking putting off good-bye,” reminds me off packing my stuff up to go to college. The whole summer my parents were dreading the day. It finally came and we loaded my white Chrysler Sebring to the max with totes of clothes, bedding, school supplies, and various other necessities. Not only was my car full, but my dad’s jeep was packed with the multitude of items that I would need to survive in my college dorm. My mom and I drove the three and a half hours in my car to Lincoln, while my dad followed behind us. I’m sure the whole trip my mom was trying to forget the fact that she was riding with me to take me to college. She was just pretending like it was just another one of our many shopping excursions. Finally when we got to Nebraska Wesleyan University’s campus, the totes and other things that were neatly packed in the car were unloaded and lugged up three flights of stairs through Johnson Hall to my new room. That trip was a difficult one for my parents and I alike, but as the song says, “I still feel like I’m where I’m supposed to be.”

Rascal Flatts, “Stand”: In this video, it shows a wide variety of people who seem like they’re at their very last straw, hanging on to their will by only a short thread. The lines “Alone and helpless like you’ve lost you’re fight, but you’ll be alright” remind me of the times of life that are really hard but somehow you still make it through. My strong Christian faith has given me the courage to get through any challenge. Whether it be finals week or a family/friend problem, I am confident that I can handle anything thrown at me. Trying to make it through the first college final’s week of my life, I have to remind myself that I can make it through and get everything accomplished even if I feel like there is just way to much to do in so little time. “When push comes to shove, you taste what you’re made of,” is another line that reminds me that I need to keep pushing myself. It all comes back to my faith in the Lord. I know that He can pull me through anything, just as he has done the past eighteen years of my life. As I sit her typing this, I read the verse Deuteronomy 31:6, which is on a plaque that my Grandma mailed me, “For the Lord your God goes with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you.” Being able to read this verse everyday reminds me that I’m not alone and that I can get through anything that I set my mind to. This plaque with its picture of a snow covered path with trees surrounding it and a little brook running along side it, with the verse written below, brings me peace and comfort on my stressful days, just by looking at it. It reminds me of home and of my faith.

Post 13: This is the Song that Never Ends

2007-11-11T22:06:00.001-06:00

I’m not sure if this is exactly a music video, but it is the first video with music that I could remember seeing from my childhood. It is from the television show, Lamb Chops. Back then; I remember thinking that Lamb Chops was probably one of the coolest things ever. I loved watching it and I always sang along with the puppets to, “This is the song that never ends”, which was always played at the end of the show, and is shown in the video clip.

Seeing it again, I realize just how ridiculous the puppets actually look. When I was little I probably thought they looked more realistic and cooler. However, watching it now I thought the puppets looked a little creepy and I’m surprised it didn’t scare me when I was little. The song and basically everything else in the video is kind of cheesy and poorly made, as well. Before watching the video, I thought that the song was faster paced and more up beat, but I found the video to be kind of boring and annoying after awhile.

I just find it crazy how much your perspectives and feelings about things can change so drastically over time. It makes me laugh to think that something from my childhood that I probably used to think was the best thing ever could change into something that I find rather ridiculous and silly. You never really realize just how much you’ve grown up mentally and intellectually until you look back on things that you used to like when you were little. I also think it shows a lot about the changes that have been made in children television in our culture. Now most shows that kids watch are made on computers with digital effects. It shows that just over a span of about 15 years, the world has completely turned to technology and will undoubtedly continue this trend.

Post 12: Not Ready to Make Nice

2007-11-11T21:40:00.000-06:00

I don’t really like this music video of the song, “Not Ready to Make Nice”, by the Dixie Chicks. First of all, I think it is kind of creepy and demented; like at the beginning how they flash in and out with the girls smearing black ink on each other’s white dresses. Then later they are dressed in all black with black ink floating on a screen behind them. During the whole video, the girls act angry and almost psychotic. Especially when the on girl is trying to tear free from the grasp of the other two girls.

Another reason I don’t really like the video is because of the meaning of the song. It deals with the controversy that was started after the main singer’s critical comment about President George Bush while performing a concert in London. I just think that was a very unnecessary act and that even if you don’t agree with the president’s decisions, you shouldn’t criticize him in front of other countries, because then that gives them a bad view of our country as a whole and makes them question our leadership. The video shows the group’s outrage after being “attacked” by angry Americans for the comments they made. I understand their hurt but those comments never should have been made in the first place and I think they made the issue even more controversial by the video than if they would have just dropped it.

I understand that they have freedom of expression but they also should show respect for their country and to their president, even if they don’t agree with him. He still deserves respect. I just see this video as a pity party for them, giving the message that we should feel sorry for them because they’re being “attacked”, yet they were the ones who were at fault in the first place.

Post 11: Best I Ever Had

2007-11-10T13:34:00.000-06:00

This country music video is of the song “Best I Ever Had” by Gary Allen. I really like this song, and I think the video is kind of sad because it shows the loss of love. In the video, I think his loss is exemplified by his standing on the dock that is completely surrounded by water. It shows that he is lonely without her and is now confused as to what to do. As he says in the song, “Remembering the girl leaves me down and lonely”.

In the video, since the girl is all dressed in white and almost angelic looking, it makes the viewer get the impression that maybe she had to leave because she passed away. This idea is later illustrated when the boat returns to the dock where he is singing and she has disappeared and all that remains is a bunch of flowers. It really sparks emotions in the viewer of a sense of sadness and loss, which most people can relate to.

When he puts the letter in the bottle and throws it out to sea and it finally reaches her, it demonstrates the part of the song when he says, “send it in a letter, make yourself feel better”. At this point when she reads the letter, she starts putting flowers in the water, almost as if she were leaving a trail for others to follow, but the sadness in her eyes reveals that its one that she can’t return to.

I think people can read this video in many different ways, depending on their situations in life. It’s kind of an ambiguous video, so it can be interpreted in ways that relate to the events you’ve experienced in life. I just really like this song because I think the guitar in it makes it very relaxing and easy to listen to.

Project 2: Human Right #19: Freedom of Expression

2007-11-09T23:51:00.000-06:00

Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness; these are all very general rights that we, as humans, have when we are born. But there is more to it than that, right? Human rights are the basis of a just world; these rights need to be known and exercised for the good of the world.

Beginning centuries ago, the Magna Carta, which was signed by King John of England, enumerated a number of what later became known as human rights. This was the first concept of human rights that existed in European thought. During the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, European philosophers thought that humans had “natural rights” which belonged to a person by nature. This concept was drawn heavily upon during the American Revolutionary War, and a document, The Declaration of Independence, that was produced as a result, still stirs feelings about certain human rights. One part of the this document declares, “We hold these truths to be self-evident; that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” (A Short History of the Human Rights Movement). So what exactly constitutes for a person’s happiness? The freedom to express yourself in any way you find appealing or necessary would be considered a person’s pursuit of happiness, as well as their liberty to do so in life.

As a public service announcement project to educate and possibly inspire the world, the Youth for Human Rights International teamed up with the Church of Scientology International and created thirty powerful videos focusing on human rights. Their hope is to make people advocates for tolerance and peace. These thirty videos all deal with one article of the United Nations’ Universal Declaration of Human Rights. In one of the videos that this group made, they establish the argument that freedom of expression is an inalienable human right, no matter what a person’s race, ethnicity, gender, or age; and this expression can be portrayed in a multitude of ways. I think it is rather ironic that this video, in particular, has no dialogue, even though it’s about freedom of expression, because speaking is a component of expressing yourself. It just exemplifies the fact that there are so many other ways to express oneself than just with verbal communication. Because of its unique approach to the concept of freedom of expression, this video makes a great argument for this human right.

In this video, the creators used many strategies to develop the rhetorical argument. First of all, illustration is heavily employed throughout the video. A young man plays soothingly on the piano, a little girl concentrates on practicing the violin, and a black boy performs a tune on the trumpet. A young lady dances elegantly while the sun rises, two girls make elaborate drawings on the sidewalks with chalks, and a guy passionately strikes his drum set to the beat. A teenager jumps around and rocks out on his electric guitar, a young woman listens and ends up dancing to her music in an elevator full of businessmen, and a group of teenagers jam out while driving around. A group of guys break dance in a circle, a black girl lip-syncs while brushing her teeth, and a girl paints effortlessly using vivid colors. These clips relate to everybody’s life, since they show such a wide variety of ways that people express their feelings. They give people the desire to express their feelings, emotions, and thoughts through their own unique way. It’s very inspiring to see all of these youths using their talents to their maximum potentials. All of the people in this ad illustrate ways in which people exercise their right of expression.

The ad also employs the use of an analogy. For example, at the beginning, the piano player plays very softly and timidly, almost as if wary about whether to play or not. As the video progresses and continuously returns to shots of the player, the audience can see how his expression through music gets louder and stronger. The audience notices throughout that as all of the people’s modes of expression join together the video becomes faster-paced, stronger, and more unified. This exemplifies the idea that if people work together in this world, utilizing their liberty to express themselves in a constructive manner with their God-given talents, then the world would likewise become stronger and more unified. It shows the benefits of utilizing that particular right.

This ad relies on both logos, pathos, and ethos. In this ad, logos is the tool of persuasion responsible for making the ad such an argumentative force. Watching this commercial might give others the confidence and energy to express themselves in new ways. This commercial presents the argument that by expressing yourself you will be like the people in the ad.

The majority of this argument; however, is made with pathos. This is done by appealing to the emotions of the audience. The clips of all the young people in the video strike different feelings in different people. For example, for an older person, it may spark the emotion of joy because they may have once expressed themselves in a similar manner and it brings back good memories. On the other hand, it may spark some sadness or morose because perhaps they didn’t have the same opportunities to express themselves so openly and freely. However, for a younger person watching this video, it may inspire them to do or become like the people in the video, because they have the desire to be more open and expressive. Each child has many talents and abilities; they just need to find a way to express themselves. The expressions on the peoples’ faces in the video also prompt emotions in the audience. In the piano player, the viewer sees a look of determination from his constant gaze at the piano keys, the audience can tell he is in the zone and striking the correct keys is his only focus; in the dancers, the viewer sees strength from their elegant and agile movements; in the kid’s driving around, the viewer sees faces of laughter and enjoying friendship; and in the girl lip-syncing, the viewer sees a look of joy and excitement from her side-to-side movement and the smirk on her face.

The set-up of the video, for example, the illusion of sunlight coming through some of the shots and the sepia-tone of the video, reinforces the pathos of it because it makes it seem time-less so any age group can relate to it. Also since the video show different races, the sepia-tone makes everything appear similarly colored, so it gives the effect that everyone is equal.

Ethos is also employed in the video. As a whole, the video argues for Human Right #19, which is the Freedom of Expression. As was prior mentioned, these human rights are articles of the United Nations’ Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Therefore the argument made is given a large amount of authority and credibility from this source.

The only text in the video is at the very end. It reads, “Human Right #19: Freedom of Expression” in a text that appears glowing and sunlight. The near lack of text lets the audience put more of their own experiences into the video so they relate more to it than if it had a lot of dialogue. This helps with the argument of freedom of expression because expression can go so many different directions that it can’t be tied down to only one. The mind needs to have the freedom to wander and this aspect of the ad allows for this.

The ability to express oneself never ends. Even after death, the things one leaves behind continue to express their thoughts and feelings, like the Declaration of Independence was a monumental form of free expression. This just shows how far expressions can take a person and even a country. This is why this right is so important and the reason this video showed so many young people freely expressing themselves. This right cannot be forgotten amongst any generation. So there is more to it than just life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, and this right of expression, especially can help in the greater good of the world if used to its maximum potential.

Works Cited

“A Short History of the Human Rights Movement.” Hrweb.org 25 Jan. 1997. Human Rights Web. 28 Oct. 2007 http://www.hrweb.org/history.html

Post 10: Improving Child Literacy

2007-10-18T00:22:00.001-05:00

Reading and literacy have always been major parts of education. Without the ability to read and comprehend the material, its nigh impossible to learn any subject of study. For this reason, I think the Rural Language and Literacy Connections program is very important for Nebraska communities. According to “UNL wins $2.74M grant to improve literacy”, from the Lincoln Journal Star, this program teaches language and reading skills to rural, low-income children from ages three to five.

I think this program is definitely something very worthwhile and I think its awesome that the University of Nebraska-Lincoln was granted with such a large monetary grant from the U.S. Department of Education to go towards this program.

This is a very admirable feat and I’m a firm believer that a child’s education is extremely important and has a great effect on their future. If young children aren’t given the maximum opportunity for a good education, then where will our future be? The future rests in their hands and the one thing we can make sure they obtain is a good education. The one thing I don’t fully understand is why the only focus of this program is for reading. I would think that other subjects would be as equally important to teach, as well.

The program is to be conducted in Grand Island and includes 200 children and 50 educators. Hopefully this just marks the beginning of a more widespread literacy support program for other low-income children to give them a better start in the world. According to the article, “If children don’t have this background in literacy and the tools they need by third grade, they’ll stay behind, and they may never make that up.” This is a scary thought, because third grade is a very early time, especially considering how much longer they have to gain a better education. This just supports the fact that if a person starts down the wrong path at an early age, its very difficult to get back on course; for example, dealing with alcoholics, drug users, etc. Education is no different.

Post 9: iPod Technology Researched at UNL

2007-10-14T18:05:00.000-05:00

Whether it be walking down the street, working out, studying, sleeping, or just relaxing, people use iPods " everywhere you turn. The allow you to listen to whatever type of music you enjoy without being a bother to the people surrounding you. It’s also lightweight, convenient, and can store thousands of songs. Walking around a college campus, it’s hard put to go even a couple of feet without passing a student with a set of headsets stuck in each ear and a cord running down, attached to and iPod. This is just one way that shows how important iPods are in our society.

I find it amazing how so many songs can be packed into something so small. According to the Lincoln Journal Star’s article, "Research leads to Nobel Prize and, more importantly, iPods"", the science that led to the technology used in iPods was developed in 1988. The two scientists who discovered this were later Nobel Prize winners. After reading this I wondered if these two realized just how important their discovery really was to our culture.

Now at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, researchers are focusing on this same science used to develop iPods. I think this is amazing because this major research is being conducted right here in Nebraska. Usually when I think of scientists, I think of people in big cities or foreign countries, so it really impresses me knowing that research of this caliber is being done right here.

Maybe some day in the near future, these Nebraskan scientist’ research will develop some new culture-affecting technology that’s even more advanced than the iPod. It seems like there’s always something new coming out. I think it’s amazing how people can come up with so many new ideas and develop them into extremely popular products, just like the iPod.

Post 8: Gang Activity in Lincoln Schools

2007-10-11T20:45:00.000-05:00

Gangs are just something you see in movies, right? Wrong. Surprisingly, even in Lincoln, NE, there are gangs. This may not be a huge shock to some, but for me, coming from small-town Nebraska, it is. After reading the article, “Officials see signs of gang activity in schools” in the Lincoln Journal Star, I realized just how soon gang activity can begin and how troubling it can be. It not only affects the person involved in the gang, but also those who care about them.

The article talks about a girl, who had a lot of potential, was a student at Lincoln North Star High School, and at age fourteen she was recruited into a gang. I think this is very sad and something should definitely be done to deal with this pressing issue so it doesn’t become worse and more widespread. According to this article, gangs begin recruiting kids as early as middle school and about 400 or more people in Lincoln have connections to gangs. At this age, some kids don’t know any better and tend to be very vulnerable, meaning they are perfect targets for gangs. This is especially true for kids who come from spilt families, like the girl in the article.

For me, it’s hard to imagine how somebody with so much potential to go far in this world, could get sucked in so easily to the evil of gangs and throw all of that potential away. It just shows that it can happen to anybody and that teachers, parents, etc. really need to begin paying a lot more attention on their students and look out for signs of any possible gang involvement.

Middle school is a tough time for everybody, when the need to fit in is very prevalent; therefore, it’s a fragile time in a child’s life. If they make wrong decisions, such as joining a gang and getting involved with drugs, sex, and/or alcohol; it can have a huge impact on the rest of their lives. All we can do is look out for the signs and try to prevent gang activity in schools and the community.

Post 7: A Passion for Swing Dancing

2007-10-09T19:18:00.000-05:00

What’s your passion? College students all across America probably heard this question asked thousands of times while trying to decide on the ‘perfect’ college. I know I did. Hearing this inquiry over and over again, I finally gave it some consideration. What are my passions? After much thought and analysis, I came to the conclusion that I don’t really have one main passion. I’m passionate about a wide variety of things; one of these being country swing dancing .

Have you ever watched a couple swing dance? To me it is one of the most fascinating things. It’s amazing how the pair’s arms can appear so twisted up and get there with such speed and rhythm, yet they don’t actually get tangled or mess the dancers up. The lifts and stunts pulled by swing dancers are also spectacular. Over the head, around the waist, under the legs, to the left or to the right, there are an endless amount of tricks that the couple can do and still manage to stay on beat.

I can still remember the first time I learned how to swing dance. It was during my sophomore year of high school. Starting to catch the hang of it about the middle of the song “Fishin’ in the Dark”, I was suddenly shocked when my partner grabbed me around the waist and, before I knew what was happening, he flipped me upside down and back up again. Startled, I let out a little yelp, just as he set me back down safely on my feet. It was an exhilarating and liberating feeling, almost defying gravity. From that day forward, I never passed up a chance to go swing dancing.

Coming from a little town to the big city, I’ve found that not as many people listen to country music, which is rather disappointing, but I was ecstatic when I discovered the Pla Mor Ballroom , which holds country swing dancing nights every Sunday. Whenever I get the chance I try to go and improve upon my four years experience of swing dancing. I love learning new moves and tricks. Dancing with a wide range of partners, from very experienced to no experience and me having to teach the moves, I can truly say that swing dancing has become a part of who I am and is, and probably always will be, one of my passions.

Project 1: "Torn Notebook": Observation & Reflection

2007-09-27T19:34:00.000-05:00

It was probably five years ago when I first encountered the “Torn Notebook” statue. Back then at about the age of thirteen, all I saw was a huge chunk of metal sculpted in the shape of a notebook. I saw no words written on the pages, or papers blowing in the wind, or any of the other meanings of the sculpture. In my naivety, I thought it was a rather asinine thing to build a big notebook. All I could ask myself was “Why? What’s the point?”

Over the years, after seeing it from time to time when visiting Lincoln on shopping trips or for Husker games, I became more and more acquainted with this statue and as I became more sophisticated I began to see it in a new light. I still didn’t comprehend its meaning or purpose, but I started to appreciate the beauty of its movement and craftsmanship. Now, living in Lincoln as a student at Nebraska Wesleyan University, I figure its time to revisit this ambiguous work of art, and attempt to grasp its meanings. I realized that the “Torn Notebook” challenges viewers to look beyond the contents of its pages at the unwritten messages it is trying to portray.

Reaching upwards about twenty feet, this monstrous notebook attracts much attention from the downtown population of Lincoln. Of course, this notebook is no ordinary notebook made of paper. Instead, it’s constructed of aluminum and steel, painted with white for the pages, black for the cover, and silver for the spiral binding. The main notebook is torn down the middle and two other pieces of the statue are scattered in front, as if being blown away by the torturous Nebraska winds.

The sculptors, Claes Oldenburg and Coosje van Bruggen, were inspired to create this masterpiece, which represented their personal artistic style and process, because they always carry small spiral-bound notebooks wherever they go, so the subject matter was very appropriate. Their other source of inspiration was the state of Nebraska, itself. The statue reflects the two artist’s impression and the respect they gained for the Nebraska community. The statue truly encompasses all the components of Nebraska into one masterpiece.

Located at the edge of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s campus and downtown Lincoln and as part of the Sheldon Art Gallery collection, the statue is a symbol of the education and wisdom received at college. Thoughts, memories, ideas, and notes are a few of the things written in a notebook. The statue is like a big source of all of this knowledge and can be interpreted in many different ways. The torn pages of the notebook are like a representation of freedom. Because of its location at the edge of campus, I imagine a student mentally or physically tearing a notebook apart after the completion of college classes. This ‘ceremony’ marks the commencement of freedom to set out into the real world with all the knowledge gained from studying late at night from those now-torn notebooks.

The shape of the statue also helps with this idea of autonomy. The torn pages create four separate “wings” while the spiral forms the “body” creating the image of a butterfly. Butterflies stimulate a sense of freedom because of their movements and ability to fly. Just as butterflies drift with the wind, going where they please, a college student also drifts along not knowing which path to take. But eventually the butterfly finds a flower to land on, just as a college student ultimately finds his/her place in the world.

Along with the aspect of freedom created by the “Torn Notebook”, it also gives the viewer a feeling of what Nebraska is all about, not only naturally and physically, but also socially. Most obvious is the fact that the pages appear like they’re blowing in the wind, which is common for Nebraska. Another thing unique to this state is the prevalent tornadoes, which are represented in the statue by the twists and curves of the notebook’s spiral.

The words carved through the aluminum by way of water jet are written in a very flowing script. Coming straight from the notebooks carried by Oldenburg and van Bruggen while visiting Nebraska, the words all have a particular meaning directed towards Nebraska. Some lyrical phrases include: “desert ocean of grass”, “dancing cranes”, and “in wayward winds swing henhouses”, which represent some of the sights seen by the Oldenburg and van Bruggen while visiting the state. Other descriptions noted were “wind”, “goose”, “clouds”, and some more obscure images. Some specific Lincoln descriptions in the text are “L-bow”, which refers to the sharp angle of the sower’s elbow on top of the State Capitol building. Nebraska Wesleyan University is even referred to by the word “Arch” on the notebooks pages, because of the arch at the entrance of campus. “Roller skate” is another one that appears because of the artist’s visit to the National Museum of Roller Skating located in Lincoln. Even though there are obviously words on the pages, they are scribbled in such a way that at different angles it’s illegible and looks like jibberish. Also at different times of the day, the shadows cast by the statue and the cutout words create interesting shapes on the surrounding sidewalk. I think this adds to the degree of interpretation for different people.

The statue itself is very deceiving. First of all for the fact that it’s not actually a notebook. It’s not made of paper or anything natural. It’s constructed from man-made materials. With all of its implications towards the natural parts of Nebraska; such as, the wind, tornados, butterflies, etc., and the elegant flowing movement of the pages, you wouldn’t think of it as being made of aluminum and steel. However, this adds to the beauty and ambiguity of the piece. The word notebook has many connotations, and the fact that the statue looks like a notebook, even though it really is just a bunch of metal, makes the viewer think of all these different meanings and feelings that are generally associated with a real notebook. A few of the feelings evoked by the word notebook are related to intelligence, learning, turning a page in one’s life, and moving on to a different chapter in one’s life

The torn pages of the notebook also reflect a different type of movement. A movement of action that evokes feelings of anger, frustration, and/or confusion, because these are generally the reasons you think of for ripping a notebook in half. Movement is also shown in the way the pages are furling in the wind. This whole idea of movement relates not only to the natural world but also to the collegiate world. It is representational of college students’ transition from high school to college and finally to the real world. The notebook is a perfect symbol for this because a notebook is often associated with knowledge, which is what most students strive to attain while at college. These three transitional stages of mid to late adolescence into adulthood, I think are even further represented with the three pieces of the statue.

What feelings does a notebook spark in a person? A notebook is a place where the words flowing from your mind are captured on paper, making your thoughts, ideas, etc. visible to others. After people read these ideas, it evokes new or similar thoughts in their minds. The subsequent effect is that these ideas begin to flow from person to person and finally into society. Some words can cause people to jump into action and in some cases start a whole movement or riot. For example, when the Declaration of Independence was written, the words were so strong, powerful, and resonating in the hearts of the writers and their followers that it caused the creation of a whole new country and government, that we still follow, to this day.

This statue truly brings together and unifies many aspects of Nebraska by identifying various aspects of the state in one artistic movement. Even the two artists’ conception for the idea of the statue can be related to the movement of ideas from notebook to actualization. Not only are notebooks important to students, but they are also pertinent to the society as a whole. Without them there would be no movement.

After my revisit to the “Torn Notebook” and seeing all the college students with notebooks in hand and book bags in tow, I came to my senses and realized there is no inane part to this structure, even if my thirteen year old self had thought so the first time seeing its scattered pages. It has a true and meaningful message that hopefully all Nebraskans and visitors understand. I know this artwork will bedazzle, and perhaps stupefy many generations to come, but that’s the point of art, right? To let people’s imaginations run wild and allow them to form their own interpretations and perhaps jot them down in a notebook.

Extra Credit: Sawako Nakayasu's Poetry Reading

2007-09-25T19:28:00.000-05:00

Walking into the Callen Conference Center in on Thursday, September 20th, I wasn’t sure what to expect from Sawako Nakayasu’s poetry reading. I had never been to a poetry reading and had never even heard one of her poems. After taking a seat, she was introduced and then began to read.

The poem that stuck out the most to me was “Battery”. It was a very dramatic poem about an ant. Being set in the New Mexico desert far away from any civilization, the poem sounded very frantic and had a panicky type mood because the ant was trying to get somewhere and was struggling. I really liked the way in which Nakayasu read the poem, I think that’s why it stuck out the most to me. She read it in a way that made it feel like you were part of the action and really hoped that the ant succeeded in its struggles. Throughout the poem the word “very” was repeated an extensive amount, even in places that ordinarily wouldn’t have made any sense. For this reason I think it made it feel even more urgent and desperate. Then at the end of the poem, Nakayasu yelled, “ Charge!” which was an abrupt end to such a fast paced poem, yet it fit in very well with the struggling, then conquering theme.

I think the reason that this poem stuck out to me the most was because it’s easy to relate to. Everybody goes through struggles that seem impossible to overcome and you’re just desperate to succeed, so you just keep pushing yourself to the limit, like a battery, and like the ant in the poem, working constantly. Life isn’t always easy, not for humans or for ants, and Nakayasu made this point very clear in her poem.

Post 6: Nebraska Pride

2007-09-20T16:11:00.000-05:00

The tunnel walk. These words create a profound amount of emotions in many Nebraskans and other fans. This dramatic ritual entrance for the Nebraska Cornhuskers is an unforgettable experience. Whether it be watching it from your living room on TV or on the 50-yard line at Memorial Stadium, it somehow always mysteriously causes goose bumps to raise on people’s arms. It’s a powerful moment for the athletes and fans alike.

Watching this video I realized just how moving the tunnel walk really is. It’s not just a ritual, it’s a moment of motivation and a time to jumpstart everyone’s adrenaline into hyper mode to prepare them for the big game. I thought this video really highlighted the power of Nebraska football, also known as the “Power of Red”. It gave me a sense of pride in not only our beloved football team but also the state of Nebraska. When the tunnel walk occurs it’s like the whole state is brought together for that exhilarating moment. Everyone blends together in a vivid hue of Husker red.

In the video, when the phrase, “Day by day we get better and better, til we can’t be beat, won’t be beat!” is chanted by a huddle of players, I thought this moment was very uplifting and powerful. It really made me believe that one of these days the Huskers would come back on a winning streak and shut down our rival, the University of Southern California.

All of the graphics and music in the video added to the affect of power and pride. I also thought the camera angles and speed emphasized the affect of running down a tunnel and finally coming to an end when the video ends with an overall view of Memorial Stadium.

Not everyone may agree that the tunnel walk is as exhilarating as I do, but I thought this video succeeded in translating the mood created with the tunnel walk. It makes me anticipate the next chance I get to watch the Huskers play at Memorial Stadium and rush through the tunnel.

Post 5: To Tear a Notebook

2007-09-19T19:05:00.000-05:00

Merging downtown Lincoln to the huge campus of UNL is a structure over 20 feet tall that rises above the horizon. Designed by the artists Claes Oldenburg and Coosje van Bruggen, this structure is known as the “Torn Notebook”.

It’s so named for its aluminum pages that appear torn down the middle, which are connected to a silver spiral that is bent and curved almost imitating a Nebraska tornado. The back cover of the notebook is painted black as a contrast. Random words including such things as corn, barbwire, goose, wind clouds, buffalo, grasses, and cranes all represent parts of Nebraska culture and heritage. At varying times of the day, the constantly changing shadows cast different shapes and words onto the ground making it even more interesting and appealing. Two aluminum pages are scattered in front of the main sculpture to accentuate the idea that the notebook is blowing in the strong Nebraska winds. Surrounding this man-made and unnatural sculpture is green grass, which makes the piece the focal point of the garden.

From a distance, it’s hard to tell what this monstrosity is. It almost appears as a bird going into flight, which also reflects the Nebraska theme of nature. A lot of the aspects of the “Torn Notebook” reflect nature even though the piece is completely made of aluminum and steel, which contradicts nature.

All around the art work is a hub-bub of activity; students bustling around from UNL, community members going to and from work, cars and buses driving by, or visitors just enjoying a nice walk or shopping experience downtown and in the Hay Market. The sculpture embodies all of the aspects of the Lincoln community; from the social aspect, to the culture, and the physical environment. It’s truly a work of beauty and something for everyone to have pride in.

Post 4: The Elegance of the Capital

2007-09-12T23:09:00.000-05:00

Nebraska, home of Runza, the original Cabelas, Car Henge, and the Cornhuskers, is also home to the Nation’s most architecturally beautiful state capitol building, which is located in Lincoln, NE. Being a college student living in Lincoln, the state capitol is a must-see, so I figured I had better go visit, being the good Nebraskan that I am.

Traipsing by the sparkling, blue water fountain, clambering up the two flights of stairs, and then hefting open the gigantic double doors meant my arrival to the capitol. With the buildings huge shadow casting down upon me, I wasn’t sure what to expect.

One step inside, I realized that they weren’t kidding about the amazing architecture. As an art major, I have a deep appreciation for the arts, and I was mesmerized by the stunning beauty and elegance of all that surrounded me. Gazing toward the heavens, I discovered a ceiling rising way up, which when it finally ended was rounded and had an incredible mosaic upon it with a chandelier hanging from the middle. This was surrounded by four intricate and sturdy columns, one in each corner lead my eyes back to the floor, which was masterly laid out with tiny square tiles forming another mosaic. Following the floor, I was lead straight through the main interior hall of the structure. More chandeliers of various sizes lit the dark hall and extravagant works of art decorated the tall walls. Continuing my walk down the hall and gazing around at all the doors, never-ending hallways, and stairways, I realize how easy it would be for one to get lost in this labyrinth.

As a native Nebraskan, I never knew there was such an amazing building within Nebraska’s borders. I felt as if I had journeyed to Europe during an era bygone when architecture was still considered an art form, just in the time it took to pass through the capitol’s double doors. I loved the architecture, and beauty of the building, but wish I had had more time to explore all of its hidden crevices.

Post 3: Animal Rescue in Crete

2007-09-11T15:22:00.000-05:00

Have you ever been to an animal rescue shelter and seen all the abandoned and forlorn critters? While reading “Vineyard now a haven for once-hurting animals”, from the Lincoln Journal Star by Rebecca Svec, I realized that there is a greater need for these kinds of places. This article focuses on Andrea Holmes, who has taken animal rescue into her own hands and to a totally different level.

I thought the article was very heartfelt and sentimental. It showed how one lady’s compassion and love can truly make a difference in a part of the world, not only in our lives, but the lives of numerous animals, as well.

An old Shih Tzu with a cancerous tumor, named Wezzle, started Holmes animal rescue obsession. She fell in love with him despite his flaws and illness. He taught her to be more compassionate and she decided to continue adopting more neglected, ill or abandoned animals.
Holmes’ generosity is reflected in the fact that she does all of this and more without expecting to be paid or recognized for her efforts. With the purchase of an outbuilding on 20 acres of the former Blue Valley Vineyard site east of Crete, NE, she planned to use it as a sort of sanctuary for all of her animals. This is shows great character in Holmes, who, with a full-time job, and other time and money commitments, still creates the time and provides the necessities and love needed to care for all of her 'unwanted' animals.

If everyone took on a part in this world as Holmes has, the world would be a much more loving and gentle place to live. But in the meantime, “she’ll just keep saving animals in her corner of the world…” says Svec, “…And remember all the animals need love every single day…” That’s how Holmes does animal rescue.

Post 2: Roller Skating, Sport or Accident?

2007-09-06T19:39:00.000-05:00

You’ve roller-skated before, right? Almost everyone has roller-skated at one point in time. Well, have you ever wondered how somebody came up with the idea of roller-skating? After taking a visit to the National, yes I said national, Museum of Roller Skating, I discovered a multitude of information about roller-skating.

It actually all began with a frustrated ice skater, named Hans Brinker, in the early 1700’s. Thinking it would be easier to skate on pavement, rather than on ice, he produced a wheeled skate with several wooden spools in a line. Then over a century later on November 12, 1819, Monsieur Petitbled received the very first patent for roller skates. The wheels were made of wood, metal, or “deluxe” ivory; however, they could only go on straight path. Fortunately, in 1863, James Leonard Plimpton patented his four-wheeled turning roller skate, which quickly revolutionized the roller skate industry. After his improvements people in America, as well as abroad, embraced the art of roller-skating as a fun and social activity. Eventually, during the 1870’s to mid-1890’s, skating at local roller rinks was one of the most popular social events. Then its popularity started to wan in the early 1890’s because many roller rinks gained a bad reputation due to irresponsible management. In order to rebuild the roller rinks popularity, seventeen rink operators formed the Roller Skating Rink Operators Association in 1937.

Today, after all the redesigning and revolutionizing of roller-skates the activity has grown immensely. Now, not only can you skate, but you can also play roller derby, roller hockey, or roller polo. You can also in-line skate, roller figure skate, or dance skate. The opportunities are endless. And to think, it all began with a guy, named Brinker, who just couldn’t figure out the finesse in ice-skating, thank goodness for his clumsiness.

Post I: Discourse Surrounding the Essay

2007-09-03T21:41:00.000-05:00

“In reading an essay, I want to feel that I’m communing with a real person, and a person who cares about what he or she’s writing about. The words sound sentimental and trite, but the qualities are rare. For me, the ideal essay is not an assignment, to be dispatched efficiently and intelligently, but an exploration, a questioning, an introspection. I want to see a piece of the essayist. I want to see a mind at work, imagining, spinning, struggling to understand. If the essayist has all the answers about something, you continually grapple with it, because it is alive in you. It thrashes and moves, like all living things.

When I’m reading a good essay, I feel that I’m going on a journey. The essayist is searching for something and taking me along. That something could be a particular idea, an unraveling of identity, a meaning in the wallow of observations and facts. The facts are important but never enough. An essay, for me, must go past the facts, an essay must travel and move. Even the facts of the essayist’s own history, the personal memoir, are insufficient alone. The facts of personal history provide anchor, but the essayist then swings in a wide arc on his anchor line, testing and pulling hard.
~Alan Lightman in “The Ideal Essay.”

I was very intrigued in Lightman’s views on an “ideal” essay. Before reading his quote, I never thought of an essay in such a light. My view was that an essay was just a boring assignment written on material that nobody really cared about. However, after reading Lightman’s take on an essay, I feel that essays can be much more exciting and innovative than ever before.

In this quote, Lightman personifies the essay, saying, “an essay must travel and move.” I definitely agree with this, because if an essay doesn’t grasp your attention and make your mind wander with it, then there is no point or desire to continue reading it. As Lightman said, “If the essayist has all the answers, then he isn’t struggling to grasp, and I won’t either.” People don’t want to read an essay that is supposedly full of all the answers, if that’s what they wanted they could turn to a collegiate textbook on a certain subject. Reading an essay should be different. It should let you see the author’s mind at work about a subject that takes the reader on a journey.

I believe that all the points made by Lightman are very valid and that essayists should take his ideas into consideration when writing and just let their thoughts shine in their writing. I really like how his views take you away from the stereotypical outlook on an essay and spotlight the fact that essays should be more of an excursion into your mind trying to grasp something that is very real to you and that you want to translate from your mind into words for others to see. I agree with Lightman that an essay needs to be on a topic that you care about so you can really let the reader see your knowledge and opinions on the subject.

An essay is like a journey through the labyrinth of tunnels in your mind and I believe that Lightman’s quote exemplified this statement. I also can tell that he truly believes this because, just by reading his quote, you could see a piece of his mind at work.

Post 1: Test Post

2007-08-30T09:37:00.000-05:00

First Post.