REFLECTIVE LETER
This page is a reflection on all of the work that I have done throughout the semester in my Writing, Research, and Technology class. This reflection shows me how this class has helped my writing develop and grow.
WRITING
Billy the Kid
Colors, lighting, and metaphors played a key role in this story. Sally was a woman who was trapped in her own home and though she existed, she never really lived. She seemed to have a big heart and a voice deep inside her but was so closed off to the world from being sheltered by her husband. She was compared to a ghost a lot and floating. This could signify her feeling dead just floating through life. Living in darkness was mentioned numerous times throughout the story. Everything was compared to a color. “The night, the early morning yellow, the gradual move from dark blue at 11 o clock, the new white 4 o clock sun let in, later the gradual growing dark again” (page 5). Some other things are her blue veins, brown tanned feet, yellow pearl of eyes, black with scars, long white dress, and brown boots. Cold and darkness were two very repetitive words. Colors, lighting, and weather all play such an important role when creating feeling when writing. One automatically can put an image in their mind associating mood to color. One is able to feel what the narrator is feeling. Towards the end on Page 7 Billy is taken by John to the room where they kept the animals. They were kept in darkness as well.
“You could peer into a cage and see nothing till a rattle of claws hit the grid an inch from your face and their churning feathers seemed to hiss, and a yellow pearl of an eye cracked with veins glowed through the criss-crossed fence”. I can see how this is being a reference to Sally. Just like the animals Sally is kept in darkness and separated from the rest of the world. I can’t seem to understand John too well. Sally has to be scared of him if she lets him control her life so much.
“And down the room, the parrot begins to talk to itself in the dark, thinking it is night” (page 6). This is another reference to Sally. Just like a parrot, Sally has so much to say but is so closed off. She is trapped, unable to release her inner thoughts to the world. Darkness (John) shields her from living.
Paris to the Moon
This reading was hard to capture my attention and at first I could not get into it. I couldn’t get into his stories at first and maybe it was because I couldn’t relate to them at all. I started to skim it and then actually walked away from it for a little because I was bored. When I took a breather and came back I decided to read it with an open mind. As I was reading I started to connect to his stories. I mean I never been to France or the circus but all of his stories have meaning behind them that led him to write. I think his main message was to express change. It kind of reminded me of “A Native Hill” where the author says “In a metamorphic sense you can’t go home again. It is no longer possible to imagine how the country looked in the beginning”. In Paris to the Moon he talks about his stories as a child in France and how different it is now when he brought his child there. His child will never experience the same memories exactly how he once did and he is expressing what it’s like growing to be aware of that. Memories, stories, and things people experience shape them into who they are and how they view the world. His child is going to gain something completely different from France and the places he was taken. Life is constantly changing as well as the world around us. It is important to take in things and stories as you experience them.
Dubliners
This story was very easy to relate too being in reference to school. Leo was reading “The Half Penny Marbles” a series about the Wild West and Apache Indians. Father Butler came over and snatched the magazine right out of his hands and began to take a look at it. After seeing that it wasn’t the educational book he was supposed to have out or an educational book in general, Father Butler referred to it as “Scribble”. Basically, calling it worthless trash in which Leo will never learn from. I feel like many students often feel like they have metaFather Butler in their lifetime. Still many teachers don’t believe that anything that’s not an educational book can be worthwhile. However, I like to differ. I feel like many students along with myself have learned a lot from a lot of other outside books, magazines, comics that do not have any relation to school texts. I feel like it is when the school texts are being urged to take over is when learning stops.
Leo and Mahony end up planning a day to skip school. Leo says “School and home seemed to recede from us”. A lot of people can relate to this. When you think of those two words other words that are connected with it are authority, rules, regulations, and guidelines. Sometimes it just gets overwhelming and you just want to do your own thing and your own time with no one stopping you. I’m sure most people in their life time can relate to these two boys and skipped school. I’m sure that everyone as also had a Joe Dillon who chickened out. Power to those Joe Dillon’s.
Once they were on their journey everything was great and dandy until they reached the oldman. I feel like all kids at some point learn that the grass is not always greener on the other side. Come to think of it, maybe that’s why the word green is mentioned so many times. “Green Eyes, green stems, green leaves, suit of greenish black. It also shows the innocence of children and talking to strangers. The old man they encounter is a total, complete freak show, creep who should be put in jail. He is very scary and you can immediately tell by his language. He is always talking in a mysterious monotone voice. He has some sick obsession with young girls and is constantly referring to their “nice white hands, nice soft hands, nice young girl, nice soft hair, and their beauty. He then talks about nice warm whipping she would love to give to a young boy who would ever think to have a sweetheart. The old man constantly repeats himself. Leo references it as “orbiting thoughts”. Poor Leo at this point realizes the safety of home and how scary the outside world can be. Mahony is not as mature as Leo when it comes to his development in his thinking process. I feel like Leo can grasp a better awareness to what feels right and wrong. Mahony mentions he has three sweethearts when the man asked how many they each had and that’s when the old man started to talk about whipping young boys. Mahony went off to chase a cat. What I thought was interesting was that the cat was referenced to as a she. “The cat escaped once more and Mahony began to throw stones at the wall she had escaladed.” I think the cat was in reference to Mahony chasing girls. He claimed to have three but in reality he didn’t have any so the cat could be seen as a girl running away and Mahony coming after it. I probably just over analyzed it way to much which I have a tendency to do a lot ha. Scratch that. Both Leo and Mahony said things to try to impress the old man in the beginning of their conversations before they found out he was a total creep. Leo told the old man he read all the books he named so that the old man would think he is smart. People can relate to this. I have definitely claimed to have read a book or some educational source to an adult just to seem really smart and like I know what I’m actually talking about.
Children have such innocence to them but learn only through making mistakes and experiencing the world through their own mind and pair of eyes. Not even just children. Everyone, including myself. You can get as much advice in the world from adults, parents, teachers, and friends and they can tell you what they learned from their experiences but no matter what you need to learn on your own. In my opinion I have learned best from making my own mistakes.
ANTHOLOGY OF SHORT STORIES
Often time’s people have mixed feelings about short stories because you’re not really given a beginning, middle, or an end. You don't have enough time to connect with a character and you’re often left on your own to figure out what happened. I used to absolutely hate it as well. Then I took different outlook on it. I let myself create my own endings and started to look at the short story itself without worrying about the missing pieces. Just look at what is given to you and be ok with it. If you start to let it bother you it is only going to stop your creativity and your mind from allowing the short piece to process.
The setting of all these short stories have to do with Mexico and some kind of difficulties the people encounter. "Wrong Channel" taking place in a hospital gives it a serious tone since Barbarita was sick but has a comical side to it when Mima who claims to be Barbaritas interpreter confuses "TB" with TV. Mima was in all seriousness to which increased its humor. I don't why but it triggered a couple specific memories in my head. At my job the Mexicans in the back are hysterical. They are always singing and dancing and Gilberto who we call "Berty" was trying to sing "like a G6" and in all seriousness he sings "like a cheese steak, like a cheese steak, now I'm feelin so fly like a cheese steak". I literally almost peed my pants. Then another time we were talking about muscles and he comes in and goes oh yea the big mussels are good with ya know like lobster and stuff".
""Mockingbird" by Laurie Berry gave us a sense of Mexican culture when she relates to the hard work ethic and the long hours they work. I think of music and dancing when I think of Mexican culture and in the story the albino Mexican was dancing to mariachi music. It also kind of gives a sense of the different work values of Mexican and Americans. The girlfriend was talking about the neighbors who work all day and are just so exhausted but they have a nice house to show for it and they have money and the boyfriend stated "I’d rather inherit it". Then it says he just traveled to a third world country to play tennis. I think the story also tries to impose what sometimes Americans take for granted. I could be wrong though.
"Lands End" by Antonya Nelson refers to cervesa, sun, drinking, and sex. I definitely think of those words when thinking about Mexican culture. Idon't know what else to say about this one. It confused me a lot.
"Waiting" by Peggy McNally showed the difficulties of a different culture getting a job. I'm assuming she was Mexican and had to deal with racial discrimination. References to being the "lowest paid teacher" and how she will always be stuck being a substitute. She works just as hard as a teacher but never feels like she will have the importance of one because she will always just be a "sub" bouncing around from classroom to classroom never having her own group of students for longer than a day. No matter how great of a teacher she is or what passion she has for it, racial discrimination will always outweigh her goal which makes her live in a world of heartache.
MICROFICTIONS
In this post I have created to Micro-Fictions. The first one is based off the line "For the longest time I couldn’t figure it out" from "How to Tame a Wild Tongue" by Gloria Anzaldua. I created my own micro fiction based off that single line.
______ as we know it?
For the longest time I couldn’t figure it out. This thing called life. What is it really about? What is my place in this world? Every day is the same. 6:00 a.m as Bonnie Tyler’s singing what a feeling over and over again in my ear. I snooze her pain in the ass five times before I move. Shower. Class. Work. Gym. Homework. The person walking next to me looks at me funny as my stomach sounds like a broken furby. Oh yea, maybe because I’m so caught up with everything else I forget I’m a human being that has necessities such as eating. Soon I’m going to need an oxygen tank connected to my hip just in case I forget to breathe. It’s not like I sleep anymore. Around 11:30 every night my mind won’t shut up. It just keeps talking and talking about EVERYTHING. Apple thinks they are so great. Coming out with all these crazy advanced technologies. Well how about internal earplugs that can connect to your brain and make it shut up already. It’s not 4 a.m and I get up, walk downstairs, pour three shots of vodka (Ha-ha just kidding) a warm glass of milk and sit on the rusty old bench as I look at the cotton candy sky, and the only noise I hear is the hummingbird, that looks like it has just been dipped into the perfect sunset, land on the corner of my chair. Here, alone just nature and I. begin to breath. I begin to write. The answer to life.
My second micro-fiction is based off one of my tweets from twitter. "How is it possible I’m sick again? This is like the fourth time in 2 months".
THE poison apple
"An apple a day keeps the doctor away". How is it possible I’m sick again? This is like the fourth time in 2 months. Energy is slowly vacuumed out of my body, walking with 20 pound weights on each foot. He watches me every day like a life guard just waiting for me to drown. The doctor puts the blue strap around my arm and pumps the air so tightly against my arm as it goes numb. The needle injects into my vein feeling slight bit of discomfort reminding me I’m human as I watch the deep red cells spiral around into the glass tube. He watches me, and tells me I’m going to be ok as he places his hand upon my back. A week goes by. The doctor calls and tells me I’m physically ok. I’m as healthy as they come, (chuckling) actually if I was any healthier he said he may be concerned.. He watches me talk to the doctor, and comes behind me roping his arms around my body tightly.” I told you, everything is going to be ok” he said. We sat down on the couch watching the discovery channel .An episode about the stars, the sky, and the planets. My eyes are watching but his voice orbits my mind with “Everything is going to be ok” drowning out the boiling tea kettle as the water volcanoes onto the stove in the kitchen and the timer on the oven buzzing. I walked outside as he asked me where I was going. I said nothing. He followed me but I shut the door behind me giving myself a few seconds of silence. I stared into the black sky as the North Star and I made contact with each other. This is what it feels like to be alive. To be me. For those brief 3 seconds I felt something unusual. Healthy… Happy….Then I felt his hand on my back…
MEANING OF WRITING
Switching from different genres in our blogs has really made me think in different ways as a writer. At first I was intimidated because writing in new ways and different styles makes you go outside of your comfort zone. When writing the found poem I picked out 10 random tweets. I looked at them all and had no idea of where to start. I then picked out a random word and somehow it sparked ideas really quickly. I did get frustrated at certain points because I was missing certain words that I wanted to use. IT forced me to really think on take on a different path. IT was almost like a puzzle and finding the right piece to fit. When it was finished I was taken back because I would have never thought that my 10 random tweets that have to do with Wawa, my Shakespeare class, quotes from tiny Buddha, corny jokes I made, etc, would turn into a poem about nature and how distracted we are as people and how we need to just stop and look. Force yourself to pause and breath. I thought it was really cool to see how one thing could turn into something completely different.
The micro fictions were so much fun. I enjoyed creating something of my own from a single sentence. First it made me think. I pulled out a few different sentences from Anzulduas pieces and looked at which one spoke to me best to get ideas flowing. I never thought that the line I picked would turn into the piece I wrote. That’s another thing about switching over genres. I wasn’t aware of what I could write until I was faced with the assignment. Switching over in these genres really forces you to be creative and express your own individuality as a writer. I first started off with Anzulduas sentence and somehow it became a piece of me. The second micro fiction based on my tweets also shocked me. Once again I randomly picked out a tweet of mine and started writing. I’m starting to find myself write without being afraid of being wrong. I’m starting to just write. I know that may sound confusing and I am the type of person that knows what I’m thinking in my head but has trouble explaining it into words. All these genres are so different from each other and it allows you to think. I use to be the writer that would always have to think before I write. I would plan and plan until I had some central idea. All this writing and different genres have shaped me to write without thinking at all. I don’t have a plan; I don’t have this main goal I’m trying to reach. As I am writing new possibilities, new ideas, all come to me when I just allow myself to talk to the paper. Not only has my stress level in writing decreased, but I can’t stop writing. I write about everything now. I like exploring new ways to write because I’m watching myself grow as a writer and a learner.
Knockdown, Drag—Out Heavyweight Title Fight: Fan of Stephanie the Slammer
Dear Stephanie the Slammer,
My name is Charlie. Charlie Fragglesworth. I am 13 years old, but let me tell you I am a man. I am writing you this as your number one fan. I have been searching all throughout Eaglesbridge elementary school for a lady like you. Fierce, Aggressive, and can really throw an Alabama slammer down. BOOM. POW. CHICKA WOW WOW! I missed pizza Friday, and the school dance (it may not sound like much, but I must say I can’t keep the ladies off me, must be the new AXE spray my mom got me, let me tell you those commercials don’t lie!), just to watch your fight! I have been looking for tickets left and right!! They are always sold out!!! If I could have one wish it would be to meet you!!! And since that is probably out of the question considering you probably like 9478545734573 letters like this every day, can you possibly send me an I max theatre size poster of you, signed, and seal with a kiss, that I can hang on my wall! All the guys at school are huge fans of yours too! We watched how you tackled down Bruce the Bronco, and Scotty Stallion as they tried to make excuses for losing. “Oh, well I have a pinched nerve in my hand, couldn’t give it my all” or “ my sweat dripped into my eyes within the last 5 seconds of the fight, impaired my vision”. Give me a break. These guys call themselves men. HA. PALEASE. You show them what’s up. They don’t deserve metals. Put them back in diapers where they belong, crying like little babies, calling themselves men. You may be a girl but you fight like a bull injected with terminator steroids. I hope one day I will be able to watch from the front row, close enough to see my reflection in your beads of sweat as you win, singing “Another one bites the dust”. YOU ROCK MY WORLD STEPAHNIE SLAMMER!!
Stephanie Slammer
She’s so hot the girls cant stand her
V-I-C-T-O-R-Y
She kicks the boys ass and she makes them cry
Im her number one fan, never missed a fight
Even skipped my hot school dance on a Friday man night
The alabamer slammer, her signature move
But it’s her huckleberry hoe down that really gets her in her groove
BOOM POW opponent never makes it to round 2
She fights like a lion that just escaped from the zoo
Fast like Fred Flinstone screaming yabadabadoo
She must have good trainers and an awesome management crew
She never gives up, crazy, fierce, and wild like mike Tyson the whole way through!
RESEARCH
The Different Use of Language in the Two Narrative Inquiry Articles
When I first started reading “Situating Narrative Inquiry” I immediately thought I was going to hate it. I thought “Ok, Nicole give it a chance you only read the first paragraph, your judging it to quickly”. After it took me a half hour to break down the meaning of the first few pages I was crossing my fingers that my black cloud would storm and kill my computer somehow so I wouldn’t have to read anymore. It was miserable I was trying to understand what they were saying and it was all over the place. They were going on, and on, and getting nowhere. Their rhetoric was boring, irritating, confusing, and directed towards people who seem to understand technical language. For something called a “narrative inquiry” there didn’t seem to be too much narrative going on. “The four turns are a change in relationship between the researcher and the researched, a move from the use of number towards the use of words as data, and a change from a focus on the general and universal toward the local and the specific, and a widening in acceptance of alternative epistemologies or ways of knowing”. I can understand this. That’s why I decided to give it a chance. However, it does not take 34 pages to make this point or get someone to understand it. It took forever to get to the point. Not only that, but they were so repetitive. After the first 15 times of telling me the four points of what this article was about, I think I get the hint. “What narrative researchers hold in common is the studies of stories or narratives, or descriptions of a series of events”. The article should have then went on to describe a story or gave examples that people could relate to and identify with. As a reader I want to understand the point they are trying to make and be able to identify. I don’t want to hear a “careful scholarly, detailed analysis and theoretical defense of narrative knowing or an argument for two ways of knowing in the human sciences”. I want to hear real life stories and real experiences from everyday people. I really hated this article. I would rather be stuck in a sauna smothered in a 500 pound mans armpit who lived in cavemen times and never discovered deodorant than read this entire article.
Because I was so bitter about the first article, I was really debating on even opening up this second one. I’m glad I did. I realized why we were assigned to read the other article first. I think it was to see the difference in language and the way it is used to communicate to the readers. This article was making the exact same point but communicated in a completely different way. This article used real life stories and experiences to help the reader understand the point they were trying to make. I was interested in the stories and was able to identify each specific point to the moments in each individual’s life. This article really made me aware of the difference language makes while reading any article or story.
Narrative is so important while writing and one learns so much from other peoples’ narratives which leads one to continue to grow and add to their own. Narrative Inquiry is “personal and social (interaction); past, present, and future (continuity); combined with the notion of place (situation). Any type of research has to do with narrative inquiry. It shapes your view on life and helps you to understand more about yourself and your view on what you’re writing about. One’s past, present, and future shapes your psychological view on things and the way you feel and think about life and everything you write about. The “inward,outward,backward,forward” concept really is a great way of understanding narrative inquiry and is an easy way to apply narrative inquiry to writing. I was able to understand each individuals stories through using these terms. By explaining the terms and breaking them down applying them to each story, I was able to really understand and analyze each particular view of each individual. The repetition in this article was beneficial because the language was based on real life experiences. Two stories were given and both stories were broken down piece by piece. Then the reflective note at the end really brought the whole article together.
This telling of ourselves, this meeting of ourselves n the past through inquiry, makes clear that as inquirers we, too, are part of the parade. We have helped make the world in which we find ourselves…..Being in this world, we need to remake ourselves as well as offer up research understandings that could lead to a better world………Working in this space means that we become visible with our own lived and told stories. (10)
WHAT IS ORAL HISTRY
This article gave me a basic ground for what oral history is. I got the most from the summary.
” To summarize: oral history might be understood as a self-conscious, disciplined conversation between two people about some aspect of the past considered by them to be of historical significance and intentionally recorded for the record. Although the conversation takes the form of an interview, in which one person--the interviewer--asks questions of another person--variously referred to as the interviewee or narrator--oral history is, at its heart, a dialogue.”
When you think about oral history as a dialogue it seems much more appealing. Reading written documentation is informative but you don’t get the same out of it as listening to it orally from the narrator. You connect much more on a personal level when you are able to communicate with the narrator. You get to see facial expressions, hear tone of voice, and communicate and respond back. For example. I am really interested in the Holocaust. I am very engaged while reading and written documentaries provide me with a good idea of how that person felt. However, interviewing someone that was in it would be a completely different experience. I would get so much for feeling and interest from discussing it face to face. I thought it was helpful to view oral history as “what it all meant then and what it all means now”. It is like looking back on any experience. When one is going through something they are going to feel and look at the situation completely different when a long time has passed and they are reflecting on it. It is going to mean something different. Talking about a topic is a great way for the narrator to reflect on what they went through and often time’s feelings and new insights will stir.
LIKE IT WAS
This Chapter helped me understand how to construct an interview and provided helpful guidelines to carry throughout. It is important to connect with the person you are interviewing. Make them feel comfortable and relaxed. Show that you are interested and engaged in what they have to say. I think it is helpful to think about how you would want someone to make you feel if they were to interview you. The more you connect with them the more they will open up. It is important to avoid yes or no questions. Actually, I take that back. Yes or No questions are ok. However, it is important to expand on them. Any question that involves feeling and interpretation will provide for an interesting question. Things that are hard to talk about such as challenges, conflicts, obstacles, tragedies are often the most touching and therapeutic for the narrator to talk about. Think about anything in life that has been a tough time for you and how great it feels to talk about it. It’s not always easy; in fact you may think breaking through a brick wall would be easier than talking about it. However, once it comes off of your chest it’s cleansing and therapeutic. Once you learn your relationship with the person you are interviewing you will be able to get a feel for what is appropriate to ask. It is important not to be afraid to ask daring questions. A few quotes from this chapter that helped me gain a good understanding of oral history are the following:
“I would be an audience before whom she could make an honest analysis of her life”
You are the audience. The narrator gets to re tell his/her story. The retelling of their story helps them see and analyze it in a different way than when it was actually happening. It helps them see how they got to where they are in life or how that event has shaped them in some way who they are today.
“Basic necessities are: a person who wants to tell their story and a genuine interest on your part in what is being told”
If you have these two things then you have the two essentials in creating a well constructed interview. They will enjoy telling their story to you and if you have a genuine interest then you will be so engaged and enjoy listening to everything they have to say.
“The distant past becomes especially vivid as they grow older”
This quote kind of goes along with the first one. Retelling their story helps them catch pieces, glimpses, or feelings that they might have forgotten about because it was so long ago. Each time you tell a story new memories and feelings might spark that you didn’t remember when you were actually going through it. It’s like an oral revision in a way. You experience something. Time goes by. You talk about it a month after it happens, then a year after it happens, and then 50 years after it happens. You are going to have different feelings toward it each time and the bits and pieces you forgot will probably come up.
TURNS OF THOUGHT
Turns of Thought by Donna Qualley is a book about how learners discover themselves as writers using different approaches. She talks about her experiences with writing and whom she learned different methods from based on her observations and different approaches. Most schools and teachers try to give their students a certain formula to writing to fit the system when in reality there is “no need for consistency”. It is helpful to look at teaching writing and writing itself as a way of getting in touch with the world and how to make sense of it. This fits in the role of one of the most effective writing approaches called reflexive inquiry. “Reflexivity is a way of discovering and examining one’s own thoughts through a response triggered by another idea, person, culture, or text”. It is a way of connecting to your internal thought process and being able to grow, adapt, and see things through a different pair of eyes. The act of reflexivity also means being able to make sense of the multiple responses that travel down your stream of thought. By being open to learning from other people’s ideas, cultures, lives, and history, it is a gateway for one to learn about themselves and gain new insight and understanding. It is important to not be afraid to “unlearn”. In fact, unlearning is one of the most successful keys to revision. The best way to learn is when the learner is thrown off balance and outside of their comfort zone.
The Pleasures of Eating by Wendall Berry
The Pleasures of Eating by Wendall Berry is an article about the mind warping power of the food industry and its ability to hypnotize people from the truth inside their healthy advertising labels. The food industry does not care about the health of the people and the cleanest, healthiest, and friendliest ways to manufacture their products. The main thing that the Food Industry cares about is money. Vegetables and Fruits are injected with chemicals to make them grow faster. Animals are being injected with hormones and chemicals to make them grow faster and fatter and treated in the most inhumane ways. The Food Industry will do whatever they have to in order make the most money, regardless of the health effects it has on people. Berry believes one of the main thing that contributes to the lack of concern from the people is lack of time. People are always in a hurry and don’t have much time to carefully look into what they are eating, to grow their own food, and to go to a farmers market and pick out fresh grass fed chemical free foods. The healthier the food is the more expensive it will be. Berry gives a list of seven things one can do to lead a healthier lifestyle in which one can only benefit from. It doesn’t take much to learn how to eat “true healthy foods” but the first step is to actually care what you are putting into your body.
Research Questions
10 Research Questions
1) What is the truth behind food labels? Why is it that if less than a certain amount of an ingredient is in a product that the manufacturer can pretend that the product contains none of the ingredient and label it as “fat free, sodium free, cholesterol free..etc”?
2) Is it possible to eat healthy in your local grocery store?
3) Why are there no food nutritional labels on the fruits and vegetables in the grocery store?
4) What are our students eating in cafeterias? Where do schools get their foods from?
5) What are the statistics of people’s health fifty years ago compared to now?
6) What were cafeterias like 25,40,50 years ago from now?
7) If we spend more money on good quality food, would we spend less money on health care?
8) Whose fault is it that obesity is one the number one health problems in America?
9) Where is the healthiest place to live in the world and why? What are they doing to create such a a healthy environment?
10) Are the fast food “healthy options” really healthy?
Good,Clean,Fair: The Rhetoric of Slow Food Movement by Stephen Schnider
Good,Clean,Fair: The rhetoric of slow food movement by Stephen Schnider is an article about the what the slow food movement is, it’s history, and what it’s main purposes and goals are. This program is used to educate society about what they are eating and the importance of eating “good, clean, and fair food”. Carlo Petrini, the founder of the Slow Food Movement, identifies that food is more than just an object. It is “happiness, identity, culture, pleasure, nutrition, local economy, and survival”. Because of the fast pace of modern society, and the demanding time that work entails, most people use the excuse of not having “time” to cook and focus on what they are eating. It is about being able to understand and identify what good, clean, food is and learning how to take a step back from the constant lightening speed of life, and slow down. The faster the pace of life picks up the more robotic people and systems become gaining control of everything in sight. People can make a difference and have the ability to stand up in order to save their health. Both Petrini and Schnieder want the people to be aware of the mind warping power of the rapid growth of industrialization and globalization and the more we conform to and go along with it, the more power and health destruction is too come. Their main goal is to educate people about what they are eating in every possible way they can in as many different institutions as possible.
Introduction of Fast Food Nation by Eric Schlosser
In the Introduction of Fast Food Nation, Eric Schlosser informs his readers of the rapid productions of Fast Food restaurants and how they are slowly dominating the world in which we live in. Using a series of statistics Schlossar shows us the shift and growth of the fast food industry compared to that of a few centuries ago. The main example eh explores is McDonalds. Using this example he explores how it has become more than just a fast food chain but a part of life that stands out more than any historical event, symbol, or figure in the United States. Using supportive evidence Schlosser informs us makes his audience aware of how powerful our fast food nation as become consuming most of people’s money more than any other industry in the nation. We are living our lives under a now historical figure “Ronald McDonald” and other fast food chains, a dangerous place of underpaid workers, chemical and hormone produced meat, and packaged and processed foods that are slowly destroying human beings. Schlossar wraps his introduction up with a familiar but true statement: “You are what you eat”.
Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution (Clips)
This past weekend I have watched clips from Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution. Jamie Oliver started off in Huntington Virginia's school district due to the fact that city was labeled the unhealthiest city in America. When he first walks in the school he sees the children are eating pizza for breakfast. Oliver than held up a tomato and ask the children what it was and the response was a "potato". In another clip Oliver took out the chocolate milk and strawberry milk because it contains more sugar than a can of soda. The next day the school brought the chocolate and strawberry milk back. Oliver was really annoyed with this and asked them why? The school district said that children need calcium and seeing milk that has an appealing flavor and color will more likely make them drink it. Oliver made one meal consisting of pasta that included seven different vegetables, a fresh chicken breast, white milk, and a fresh fruit cup. The head woman in charge of the cafeteria said that was not an "approved" meal and that the mandatory amount of fruits and veggies are a cup and a fourth. The woman then said he can add fries because it counts as a vegetable according to the food administrators. He argued that his fresh pasta that included a variety of vegetables, a fresh piece of chicken breast, white milk and a fresh fruit cup wasn't ok, but a chicken patty sandwich with french fries and chocolate milk is the better choice?
School Cafeteria Questions
1) where do you get the food from?
2) What are the nutritional requirements for fruits and vegetables?
3) Are french fries considered a vegetable here?
4) Has your lunch program changed at all over the years?
5) How much money does the school program receive to purchase foods?
6) How is the menu made up?
Collaborative Research Questions
This is a collaborative post between all of our group members to decide on the interview questions that we definitely want to use.
Jamie Olivers Food Revolution Episode 3
In the beginning of this episode Jamie Oliver shows the children what a processed chicken nugget is really made up of. He grinded down all the stuff which looked like a diseased cows lavatory that just got done eating a truck load of burritos. The kids shockingly still said they would eat it! Insanity. If it looks good and tastes good kids will eat it.Bottom Line. After a few weeks of the new healthy food lucnhes that Jamie has constructed the children were eating it. It goes to show that children will eat food that is given to them. When they are hungry they aren’t going to complain that they aren’t eating french fries and pizza that have enough grease to cover the Pacific Ocean and still have enough left over to cover Uncles Jessies hair for a year. The children were happy and not one of them were complaining. Why not make a difference and provide healthy lives for the children? Jamie then decided to take on Huntington High school. In this school there were four different lines in the cafeteria. A salad bar, a pasta bar, a pizza bar, and chicken sand which with French fry bar. You would think Lil’ Wayne was making an appearnace in front of the chicken and French fry bar from seeing how long the line was for it. High school differs from Elementary school because the students have a choice here. The Elementary students have to eat what is given to them because there is only one choice. Jamie’s goal here was to get the students to want to make the right choice. He wants to make people care about their health and what they are eating. Jamie then had students volunteer to help work in the kitchen and join his movement to try and make a difference and a change. He had 6 different students volunteer who really were passionate about making a difference. Some of them with past family members who have died from obesity, some who wanted to learn how to cook and would love to make a difference and lead healthy lifestyles, and the one girl Brittany who struggled with obesity her whole life and had tried everything in her power to lose weight. It was heartbreaking to see. I was sitting in front of my computer eating apples and raisins crying with her, more so than I did in the Notebook when Ally couldn’t remember who Noah was. It was so touching to see these students want to make a difference and knowing that there are so many girls like Brittany who struggle with obesity and the risk of losing their lives due to weight should be enough motivation for anyone to help in any way they can. The first day in cooking for the high school he had his team hand out samples. of a healthy chicken teriyaki noodle dish. This really is a great way to get students to try things because peers react to other peers and peer pressure. If students are handing out samples of food and walking around the cafeteria other students are definitely going to be willing to give it a try. One of the main problems for Jamie Oliver is that school didn’t have enough money to fund the program. This food revolution he was constructing required more help in the kitchens and more money. Jamie had a camp fire with his team of students and discussed that he usually cooks for the Senator and other officials every year after spending six or seven months working with his team. He told them they were going to be cooking a dinner for them in only two days. This gathering dinner was to help start a fundraiser to get the Senator to provide them with funds to help make a change. The entire restaurant was filled including all the students families. Jamie didn’t tell the people that the students were the ones cooking it until the end. It was amazing how these students came together and the amount of work and effort they put in. After chaos and commotion all the food went out smoothly. Jamie was so proud of his team. I was so proud of them I was cheering and rooting at my computer like I was at a Baseball game or something. After the dinner went out Jamie brought the team out and told everyone these kids cooked the food. Each team member gave a speech about why this food revolution is important to them and the changes that need to happen. If you ever wanted to take on a food revolution and make a difference but didn’t have the motivation, then watch this episode. It made me want to jump on top of the Rowan Cafeteria tables and my own version of Martin Luther Kings’ “ I had a dream” speech. In the end the senator agreed to supply the money and help them make a historical change!
Duffield’s Farm Questions
1) Do you sell products to any local organizations?
2) Do you sell to any local schools?
3) When the students come on education trips here do they bring their own lunch or do you provide lunches for them from your market?
4) Would you ever consider going to schools as a guest speaker to talk about the organic food you sell and what makes it so fresh and healthy?
5) Have you ever thought about selling to a local school? If a district was interested in working something out would you be willing? Do you grow enough products or would that not be feasible?
6) Have you ever thought of advertising through schools? School newsletters?
Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution Episode Four
Jamie Olivers’ Food Revolution Episode 4 starts off with him at the radio station talking to the Ron, the radio host, live. Ron is very skeptical of Jamie at first because he thinks Jamie is trying to do the impossible and taking things way to far. Ron said he was sick of all this health talk and no one wants to live off lettuce. You don’t have to live off lettuce to be healthy!! It drives me nuts when people think eating healthy is all about eating celery and carrot sticks. There are so many delicious healthy foods out there that taste amazing. According to Jamie and other health resources I have previously, healthy foods increase your mood,skin,eye sight, bones, hair, energy level,and even your sex life!
So Jamie bet Ron that if he can get 1000 people in the city of Huntington to cook and join him. Ron laughs and believes there is no way that that’s possible. The first day he advertised it no one came. Jamie then went to the high school and got a whole bunch of people and students to create a dance to do randomly in the middle of Huntington streets to get people to come to his kitchen and cook. The entire dance had to do with cooking and was unbelievable. It worked and got the towns attention. Within the next few days people were flocking to come help. Within the next few days he had up to 700 people. Jamie knew he needed more help and he wanted to show Ron the severity of not eating healthy and what obesity can do to people’s lives. He first took him to a funeral home. The two men in charge showed them the size of a normal casket and one of an obese person which was about 4 normal caskets put together. The funeral men then stated that one of the obesity caskets cannot fit in a regular car and there has to be a special van to place it in. Also, one has to reserve two spots in the cemetery for a casket that large. This is was the start of Ron’s transformation. He began to see this lifestyle people are living is much more severe than taken account for. After seeing that, Jamie’s anger, motivation, and desire to get these people to change was at its highest peak. He then took Ron to meet his team of students that help him cook. Marisa told the story of her father who she lost to obesity. Her story was devastating because not only did she lose her father figure but he was her best friend as well. She had a picture of him she showed Ron and he was a little over 400 pounds in the picture. Then another towns woman was there to guest speak to Ron about her son. She said her family has always lived the so called American life eating whatever they want including fast food never taking their healthy into consideration. She was also overweight but what made her realize the severity of this was when she took her 12 year old son to the doctors. The doctor said her son was at serious health risks being over 300 pounds. The mother was saying how guilty she felt because she took part in this. She let it get this far by not paying attention to health and the damage it really can do. She fought for Jamie’s side and said this revolution needs to happen. We need more people like Jamie. What really was match that lit the final stick of dynamite to change over to Jamies side, was when Brittany told her story. Brittany, being overweight, has struggled all her life with trying every diet in the book. Everytime she tells this story I cant help but tear up. Her emotions leech onto me and I can’t escape them. This girl is only in highschool and the doctor told her that there are spots on her liver and if she cant lose weight she will only have 5 to 7 years to live. Everytime Brittany tells this story she breaks down. I mean can you imagine what that must be like? Feeling so hopeless trying to lose weight and then having a doctor tell you, you may not even live until your 25 due to being overweight? Brittany expresses that Jamie has helped so much so far and has been such an inspiration. She said she is learning so much from him about eating healthy and how to make changes, and that without Jamie she would have never had this opportunity and motivation . Ron was instantly transformed after this. He wanted to help Jamie and the town of Huntington in a new way of living healthy. Jamie posted Ron as the 1000 picture during the big get together with the towns people.
The more I am watching this show, the more I am realizing how little people know about leading healthy life styles. I mean we live in a world where fast food exists on every other street corner. We live in a world where everyone lives from day to day like Nintendo Mario when he gets a star and receives lightening speed. Everyone is pressed for time. I truly understand that. Not everyone has the money to spend on high quality food. I also understand that. HOWEVER, you can live a healthy lifestyle by starting to care. You need to want to learn about how to eat healthy, what foods to get when your grocery shopping, what to make or get when your pressed for time. There are dishes you can make that will take faster to cook than the time it takes you to go to McDonalds’ and get Famystchockenous sandwhich. Yes, I said Famystchkenous on purpose and it was not a misspelling,. I decided to make my own word which is a combination of Fake and Mysterious put together. Revising the chicken to choken because it’s not real chicken. I use this word now whenever referring to fast food.
Famystbarfous -: any beef product
Famystfushous: any fish product
We need to get people to want to care about what they are putting into their bodies. The door to change is open all we have to do is get people to want to walk through. Each episode motivates me more and more. It makes me want to get involved in my town and see what I can do to make a difference. It doesn’t take superman or a magical creature to make change, all it takes to start is one human being to care.
Duffield’s Website Review
When entering Duffield's Farm into your search engine on your computure you are confronted with an extremely interactive and informative webpage. Duffield's homepage welcomes you with an array of unique and different options to click on and explore while visiting their site such as lessons, parties, hayrides, maket and many more. Each of these differet tabs offers you a variety of different information all gearing towards whatever fits your needs. They have rich informations concerning the production of their crops and the methods they use to harvest. Another great topic that is discussed on the webpage is about organic grown vegtables, it discusses the chemicals that are used and the different stipulations that require foods to be organic. Lastly but definately not least my favorite affordance about this site is that they offer lesson plans for teachers to use within their classrooms. This is great because they are allowing for teachers to incorperate the learning process of what goes along with growing vegtables and healthier ways of eatting. This is a great site for you to visit if you ever have some free time and are just browsing the web.
Local Matters
As a group we all looked at the website "Local Matters" and checked out the different aspects that go into schools and the local food organizations. Lindsey Finklestein, Tarrah Martinelli, and Nicole Flesch.
After looking at the link "Local Matters," our group doesn't think we could find anything more perfect to parallel with our project. The First Lady of Ohio, Karen Walbillig Kasich has made a $95,000 contribution to the Local Matters organization, which is working to curb childhood obesity. Local Matters has a program called Food Matters, which teaches children, parents, and teachers about nutrition, cooking, and gardening. They go to thirty-five classrooms each week. We think this is incredible. It is one thing to blindly change the lunch programs for children, but after this meal if students simply go back the same habits at home because of a lack of education, the change was not accomplished. Though we still definitely agree with changing the lunch programs, we think this next step is truly what the schools need.
The program is hoping to spread even further soon. They are also focusing on Ohio-Grown foods when discussing healthy options. The program institutes twenty-eight weeks of lessons for the children so they can understand where the food comes from and why it is important to know this. With the additional funds, the program hopes to expand and reach even more children in the schools. This is your new blog post. Click here and start typing, or drag in elements from the top bar.
The Truth About Food Inc.
Summary
In this video, the producer and director of Food Inc. Robert Kenner, and the author of Omnivore's Dilemma, Michael Pollan, get together for an interview for CBSNewsOnline. They discuss how "Our food has been fundamentally transformed," (Kenner). The nutritional value of our produce in a supermarket has been diminished due to the goal of making food as cheap and abundant as possible. Pollan discusses the historical aspects of how we have gotten to this point, where it started, and how fast food is driving our nation. Due to this, we have an issue with obesity and malnutrition in our nation. The workers and animals are "brutalized," which in turn is adding additional moral "costs" that we are not aware of (Pollan). Kenner goes on to discuss the hardships he faced trying to get these food organizations on camera. There is a lot of information that the corporations are trying to keep from us. Pollan discusses how we are subsidizing the wrong foods. We are making all of the unhealthy things cheaper rather than the healthy which is affecting our society. To sum things up, they both discuss how we are on the verge of a national movement. Ominvore's Dilemma and Food Inc. are meant to be a jump start to this movement.
Reflection
This video gives a great background to the driving purpose behind both Food Inc. and Omnivore's Dilemma. One of the most controversial points that they raised was how these major corporations are keeping from the public what is going on with our food. It is our right to know that we are not eating real tomatoes, carrots, etc. One of the most alarming facts was that not only do they make genetically modified food now, but they are literally cloning food as well. We have a right to know what we are putting into our bodies. The facts about how unhealthy food is made cheaper than healthy food which is part of the reason people don't buy it, is also alarming. Is this not the total opposite of how it should be? Overall, every point that they made should alarm the people of our nation. Our group clearly is, which is the driving force behind our project.
Collaborative Group Blog: Tarrah Martinelli, Chelsea Ernst, Nicole Flesch, Lindsey Finklestein
Children’s Choice
Throughout our research and interviews our group though it would be interesting to see what lunch option they would pick when given a choice. In Bells Elementary School, the students are given a choice of Six different options: Lunch of the Day, Hoagie, Hot dog, Salad, Smuckers PB & J, Cold Platter, or Chicken Patty. Also, they offer Vegetarian options such as: Meatless Chef Salad, Vegan Salad, and Fruit Salad. Our group was very impressed with the variety of choices the children were given. This is such an improvement even from when we were in Elementary School. I (Nicole),am currently observing in Mrs.Barca’s first grade classroom on Tuesdays. I took a tally of what the students got for lunch that day. Twelve students picked the Lunch of the Day which was chicken nugget and french fries. One student picked a hot dog, one student picked cold platter, and five students brought lunch from home.
Also, I paid close attention during snack time to what the students were eating. There were items such as Doritos, fruit roll ups, Fritos, Oreo Cakes, cookies, gummy fruit snacks, and gold fish. A few students did bring healthy snacks such as carrots, apples, raisins, and pretzels. Our group strongly believes that children will eat whatever their parents pack for them. When children are hungry they will eat anything. Parents’ are most responsible for what children eat.
Collaborative Blog: Tarrah Mart, Lindsay Finkelstein, Chelsea Ernst, Nicole Flesch
TECHNOLOGY
Haiku Poem
In class we were asked to create a Haiku based on one of our Micro-fictions. I chose to base if off "______ as we know it".
Mind, caught up, talking
Sit, Breathe, Connect, Nature, Write,
The Answer to Life
FOUND POEM
We were also asked to create a found poem based off our tweets on twitter.
Time is on speed
Running in multiple places
Would love to stop already
I learn to look
Surf the waves
I spring into Nature
So interesting
My new best friend
One precious mind
Pouring out
I stop. I write
Wow.
This poem was created from these 10 tweets.
ill your head with twenty regular and write! #twitterive #wrt1
tinybuddha on twitter is my new best friend thank you andrea #twitterive
a 2 and a half hour shakespeare class should not be allowed. granted i do have the cutest, most precious old man professor ever #twitterive
I wish i went to school to become a child psychologist. The mind is so interesting. #twitterive
"You can't stop the waves, but you can learn to surf." ~Jon Kabat-Zinn #twitterive #wrt1
WAWA- running over a muffler, gas pouring out into the wawa parking lot, 4 cops, and 3 firetrucks. <3 #twitterive #wrt1
one foot in multiple places #twitterive #wrt1
i would really love to go rollerblading right about now. can spring just come already #twitterive
Wow. Nature is really pretty when you actuallytake the time to Stop and look #twitterive #wrt1
speed up like broccoli and "floret". haha I'm just so funny. #twitterive
Twitterive Question
1) Who are the characters in your story?
Me, my friends
2) What connections do you feel to this place?
It is a strong mental connection that effects me and my everyday life.
3) When does this story take place?
2 years ago until present time.
4) Where?
It's a mental place I call the "Black Cloud" but the places where they actually occur are grounded.
5) Why?
Because I feel strongly connected to this place. It lives with me everyday and I am my own permanent bad luck charm so it had become comical to me.
6) Delivering?
Multi-Genre, rap, poem, pictures, video, song, recipe, narrative,
I think this was a helpful exercise. It helped show me how to deliver what I am trying to say more clearly and direct. I know what I wanted to say but wasn't quite saying it on paper so this helped me.
Twitterive Draft Review Questions
1)Were you able to connect right away?
2) Was it clear and easy to understand?
3) Did it flow from one story to the next?
4) What should I add or take away?
5) Was your interest kept the whole way through?
6) Any open suggestions?
Research Frustrations
Collaborative Blog: Tarrah Mart, Lindsay Finkelstein, Chelsea Ernst, Nicole Flesch Add Comment Research Frustrations 04/19/2011 0 Comments This is a collaborative blog done by: Tarrah Martinelli, Nicole Flesch, Chelsea Earnst, and Lindsay Finkelstein
Throughout this process, we have experienced a lot of difficulty going about our research the way we had planned. Our original goals were to interview people who directly effect the food that students are served for school lunches. Since we had direct contacts with personell in those positions, we thought we were set. We quickly realized that the nutritional values of school lunches is an extremely touchy subject. Many of our contacts would not even respond to our emails or phone calls. These were people that we talk to frequently, but apparently wanted no part in our research. One example was when Tarrah contacted the directer of food services from the school district that she not only attended but also worked for. She grew up playing softball with the woman's daughter, and frequently sees her and has to contact her for her job. After two emails and a phone call about the research, Tarrah had to once again email her about snacks for her after-school program. The snacks arrived two days later, without any email response. Nicole had a similar experience. She went to the high school that she attended and explained to the secretaries what our research was, and left a note for the principal. Surprise, surprise, they never contacted her.
Once we finally landed our interviews, we had difficulty being able to actually video the interviewee's and give their information. Two of them specifically chose to be left completely anonymous (Chelsea and Tarrah's interviews). They still answered all of our questions which we were grateful for, but it once again showed how unwilling people are to discuss this matter. Now we can understand a little bit why Jamie Oliver is experiencing so much resistance. The question that this raises for us is, why are people so hesitant to talk about it? What are they afraid of?
WRITING
Billy the Kid
Colors, lighting, and metaphors played a key role in this story. Sally was a woman who was trapped in her own home and though she existed, she never really lived. She seemed to have a big heart and a voice deep inside her but was so closed off to the world from being sheltered by her husband. She was compared to a ghost a lot and floating. This could signify her feeling dead just floating through life. Living in darkness was mentioned numerous times throughout the story. Everything was compared to a color. “The night, the early morning yellow, the gradual move from dark blue at 11 o clock, the new white 4 o clock sun let in, later the gradual growing dark again” (page 5). Some other things are her blue veins, brown tanned feet, yellow pearl of eyes, black with scars, long white dress, and brown boots. Cold and darkness were two very repetitive words. Colors, lighting, and weather all play such an important role when creating feeling when writing. One automatically can put an image in their mind associating mood to color. One is able to feel what the narrator is feeling. Towards the end on Page 7 Billy is taken by John to the room where they kept the animals. They were kept in darkness as well.
“You could peer into a cage and see nothing till a rattle of claws hit the grid an inch from your face and their churning feathers seemed to hiss, and a yellow pearl of an eye cracked with veins glowed through the criss-crossed fence”. I can see how this is being a reference to Sally. Just like the animals Sally is kept in darkness and separated from the rest of the world. I can’t seem to understand John too well. Sally has to be scared of him if she lets him control her life so much.
“And down the room, the parrot begins to talk to itself in the dark, thinking it is night” (page 6). This is another reference to Sally. Just like a parrot, Sally has so much to say but is so closed off. She is trapped, unable to release her inner thoughts to the world. Darkness (John) shields her from living.
Paris to the Moon
This reading was hard to capture my attention and at first I could not get into it. I couldn’t get into his stories at first and maybe it was because I couldn’t relate to them at all. I started to skim it and then actually walked away from it for a little because I was bored. When I took a breather and came back I decided to read it with an open mind. As I was reading I started to connect to his stories. I mean I never been to France or the circus but all of his stories have meaning behind them that led him to write. I think his main message was to express change. It kind of reminded me of “A Native Hill” where the author says “In a metamorphic sense you can’t go home again. It is no longer possible to imagine how the country looked in the beginning”. In Paris to the Moon he talks about his stories as a child in France and how different it is now when he brought his child there. His child will never experience the same memories exactly how he once did and he is expressing what it’s like growing to be aware of that. Memories, stories, and things people experience shape them into who they are and how they view the world. His child is going to gain something completely different from France and the places he was taken. Life is constantly changing as well as the world around us. It is important to take in things and stories as you experience them.
Dubliners
This story was very easy to relate too being in reference to school. Leo was reading “The Half Penny Marbles” a series about the Wild West and Apache Indians. Father Butler came over and snatched the magazine right out of his hands and began to take a look at it. After seeing that it wasn’t the educational book he was supposed to have out or an educational book in general, Father Butler referred to it as “Scribble”. Basically, calling it worthless trash in which Leo will never learn from. I feel like many students often feel like they have metaFather Butler in their lifetime. Still many teachers don’t believe that anything that’s not an educational book can be worthwhile. However, I like to differ. I feel like many students along with myself have learned a lot from a lot of other outside books, magazines, comics that do not have any relation to school texts. I feel like it is when the school texts are being urged to take over is when learning stops.
Leo and Mahony end up planning a day to skip school. Leo says “School and home seemed to recede from us”. A lot of people can relate to this. When you think of those two words other words that are connected with it are authority, rules, regulations, and guidelines. Sometimes it just gets overwhelming and you just want to do your own thing and your own time with no one stopping you. I’m sure most people in their life time can relate to these two boys and skipped school. I’m sure that everyone as also had a Joe Dillon who chickened out. Power to those Joe Dillon’s.
Once they were on their journey everything was great and dandy until they reached the oldman. I feel like all kids at some point learn that the grass is not always greener on the other side. Come to think of it, maybe that’s why the word green is mentioned so many times. “Green Eyes, green stems, green leaves, suit of greenish black. It also shows the innocence of children and talking to strangers. The old man they encounter is a total, complete freak show, creep who should be put in jail. He is very scary and you can immediately tell by his language. He is always talking in a mysterious monotone voice. He has some sick obsession with young girls and is constantly referring to their “nice white hands, nice soft hands, nice young girl, nice soft hair, and their beauty. He then talks about nice warm whipping she would love to give to a young boy who would ever think to have a sweetheart. The old man constantly repeats himself. Leo references it as “orbiting thoughts”. Poor Leo at this point realizes the safety of home and how scary the outside world can be. Mahony is not as mature as Leo when it comes to his development in his thinking process. I feel like Leo can grasp a better awareness to what feels right and wrong. Mahony mentions he has three sweethearts when the man asked how many they each had and that’s when the old man started to talk about whipping young boys. Mahony went off to chase a cat. What I thought was interesting was that the cat was referenced to as a she. “The cat escaped once more and Mahony began to throw stones at the wall she had escaladed.” I think the cat was in reference to Mahony chasing girls. He claimed to have three but in reality he didn’t have any so the cat could be seen as a girl running away and Mahony coming after it. I probably just over analyzed it way to much which I have a tendency to do a lot ha. Scratch that. Both Leo and Mahony said things to try to impress the old man in the beginning of their conversations before they found out he was a total creep. Leo told the old man he read all the books he named so that the old man would think he is smart. People can relate to this. I have definitely claimed to have read a book or some educational source to an adult just to seem really smart and like I know what I’m actually talking about.
Children have such innocence to them but learn only through making mistakes and experiencing the world through their own mind and pair of eyes. Not even just children. Everyone, including myself. You can get as much advice in the world from adults, parents, teachers, and friends and they can tell you what they learned from their experiences but no matter what you need to learn on your own. In my opinion I have learned best from making my own mistakes.
ANTHOLOGY OF SHORT STORIES
Often time’s people have mixed feelings about short stories because you’re not really given a beginning, middle, or an end. You don't have enough time to connect with a character and you’re often left on your own to figure out what happened. I used to absolutely hate it as well. Then I took different outlook on it. I let myself create my own endings and started to look at the short story itself without worrying about the missing pieces. Just look at what is given to you and be ok with it. If you start to let it bother you it is only going to stop your creativity and your mind from allowing the short piece to process.
The setting of all these short stories have to do with Mexico and some kind of difficulties the people encounter. "Wrong Channel" taking place in a hospital gives it a serious tone since Barbarita was sick but has a comical side to it when Mima who claims to be Barbaritas interpreter confuses "TB" with TV. Mima was in all seriousness to which increased its humor. I don't why but it triggered a couple specific memories in my head. At my job the Mexicans in the back are hysterical. They are always singing and dancing and Gilberto who we call "Berty" was trying to sing "like a G6" and in all seriousness he sings "like a cheese steak, like a cheese steak, now I'm feelin so fly like a cheese steak". I literally almost peed my pants. Then another time we were talking about muscles and he comes in and goes oh yea the big mussels are good with ya know like lobster and stuff".
""Mockingbird" by Laurie Berry gave us a sense of Mexican culture when she relates to the hard work ethic and the long hours they work. I think of music and dancing when I think of Mexican culture and in the story the albino Mexican was dancing to mariachi music. It also kind of gives a sense of the different work values of Mexican and Americans. The girlfriend was talking about the neighbors who work all day and are just so exhausted but they have a nice house to show for it and they have money and the boyfriend stated "I’d rather inherit it". Then it says he just traveled to a third world country to play tennis. I think the story also tries to impose what sometimes Americans take for granted. I could be wrong though.
"Lands End" by Antonya Nelson refers to cervesa, sun, drinking, and sex. I definitely think of those words when thinking about Mexican culture. Idon't know what else to say about this one. It confused me a lot.
"Waiting" by Peggy McNally showed the difficulties of a different culture getting a job. I'm assuming she was Mexican and had to deal with racial discrimination. References to being the "lowest paid teacher" and how she will always be stuck being a substitute. She works just as hard as a teacher but never feels like she will have the importance of one because she will always just be a "sub" bouncing around from classroom to classroom never having her own group of students for longer than a day. No matter how great of a teacher she is or what passion she has for it, racial discrimination will always outweigh her goal which makes her live in a world of heartache.
MICROFICTIONS
In this post I have created to Micro-Fictions. The first one is based off the line "For the longest time I couldn’t figure it out" from "How to Tame a Wild Tongue" by Gloria Anzaldua. I created my own micro fiction based off that single line.
______ as we know it?
For the longest time I couldn’t figure it out. This thing called life. What is it really about? What is my place in this world? Every day is the same. 6:00 a.m as Bonnie Tyler’s singing what a feeling over and over again in my ear. I snooze her pain in the ass five times before I move. Shower. Class. Work. Gym. Homework. The person walking next to me looks at me funny as my stomach sounds like a broken furby. Oh yea, maybe because I’m so caught up with everything else I forget I’m a human being that has necessities such as eating. Soon I’m going to need an oxygen tank connected to my hip just in case I forget to breathe. It’s not like I sleep anymore. Around 11:30 every night my mind won’t shut up. It just keeps talking and talking about EVERYTHING. Apple thinks they are so great. Coming out with all these crazy advanced technologies. Well how about internal earplugs that can connect to your brain and make it shut up already. It’s not 4 a.m and I get up, walk downstairs, pour three shots of vodka (Ha-ha just kidding) a warm glass of milk and sit on the rusty old bench as I look at the cotton candy sky, and the only noise I hear is the hummingbird, that looks like it has just been dipped into the perfect sunset, land on the corner of my chair. Here, alone just nature and I. begin to breath. I begin to write. The answer to life.
My second micro-fiction is based off one of my tweets from twitter. "How is it possible I’m sick again? This is like the fourth time in 2 months".
THE poison apple
"An apple a day keeps the doctor away". How is it possible I’m sick again? This is like the fourth time in 2 months. Energy is slowly vacuumed out of my body, walking with 20 pound weights on each foot. He watches me every day like a life guard just waiting for me to drown. The doctor puts the blue strap around my arm and pumps the air so tightly against my arm as it goes numb. The needle injects into my vein feeling slight bit of discomfort reminding me I’m human as I watch the deep red cells spiral around into the glass tube. He watches me, and tells me I’m going to be ok as he places his hand upon my back. A week goes by. The doctor calls and tells me I’m physically ok. I’m as healthy as they come, (chuckling) actually if I was any healthier he said he may be concerned.. He watches me talk to the doctor, and comes behind me roping his arms around my body tightly.” I told you, everything is going to be ok” he said. We sat down on the couch watching the discovery channel .An episode about the stars, the sky, and the planets. My eyes are watching but his voice orbits my mind with “Everything is going to be ok” drowning out the boiling tea kettle as the water volcanoes onto the stove in the kitchen and the timer on the oven buzzing. I walked outside as he asked me where I was going. I said nothing. He followed me but I shut the door behind me giving myself a few seconds of silence. I stared into the black sky as the North Star and I made contact with each other. This is what it feels like to be alive. To be me. For those brief 3 seconds I felt something unusual. Healthy… Happy….Then I felt his hand on my back…
MEANING OF WRITING
Switching from different genres in our blogs has really made me think in different ways as a writer. At first I was intimidated because writing in new ways and different styles makes you go outside of your comfort zone. When writing the found poem I picked out 10 random tweets. I looked at them all and had no idea of where to start. I then picked out a random word and somehow it sparked ideas really quickly. I did get frustrated at certain points because I was missing certain words that I wanted to use. IT forced me to really think on take on a different path. IT was almost like a puzzle and finding the right piece to fit. When it was finished I was taken back because I would have never thought that my 10 random tweets that have to do with Wawa, my Shakespeare class, quotes from tiny Buddha, corny jokes I made, etc, would turn into a poem about nature and how distracted we are as people and how we need to just stop and look. Force yourself to pause and breath. I thought it was really cool to see how one thing could turn into something completely different.
The micro fictions were so much fun. I enjoyed creating something of my own from a single sentence. First it made me think. I pulled out a few different sentences from Anzulduas pieces and looked at which one spoke to me best to get ideas flowing. I never thought that the line I picked would turn into the piece I wrote. That’s another thing about switching over genres. I wasn’t aware of what I could write until I was faced with the assignment. Switching over in these genres really forces you to be creative and express your own individuality as a writer. I first started off with Anzulduas sentence and somehow it became a piece of me. The second micro fiction based on my tweets also shocked me. Once again I randomly picked out a tweet of mine and started writing. I’m starting to find myself write without being afraid of being wrong. I’m starting to just write. I know that may sound confusing and I am the type of person that knows what I’m thinking in my head but has trouble explaining it into words. All these genres are so different from each other and it allows you to think. I use to be the writer that would always have to think before I write. I would plan and plan until I had some central idea. All this writing and different genres have shaped me to write without thinking at all. I don’t have a plan; I don’t have this main goal I’m trying to reach. As I am writing new possibilities, new ideas, all come to me when I just allow myself to talk to the paper. Not only has my stress level in writing decreased, but I can’t stop writing. I write about everything now. I like exploring new ways to write because I’m watching myself grow as a writer and a learner.
Knockdown, Drag—Out Heavyweight Title Fight: Fan of Stephanie the Slammer
Dear Stephanie the Slammer,
My name is Charlie. Charlie Fragglesworth. I am 13 years old, but let me tell you I am a man. I am writing you this as your number one fan. I have been searching all throughout Eaglesbridge elementary school for a lady like you. Fierce, Aggressive, and can really throw an Alabama slammer down. BOOM. POW. CHICKA WOW WOW! I missed pizza Friday, and the school dance (it may not sound like much, but I must say I can’t keep the ladies off me, must be the new AXE spray my mom got me, let me tell you those commercials don’t lie!), just to watch your fight! I have been looking for tickets left and right!! They are always sold out!!! If I could have one wish it would be to meet you!!! And since that is probably out of the question considering you probably like 9478545734573 letters like this every day, can you possibly send me an I max theatre size poster of you, signed, and seal with a kiss, that I can hang on my wall! All the guys at school are huge fans of yours too! We watched how you tackled down Bruce the Bronco, and Scotty Stallion as they tried to make excuses for losing. “Oh, well I have a pinched nerve in my hand, couldn’t give it my all” or “ my sweat dripped into my eyes within the last 5 seconds of the fight, impaired my vision”. Give me a break. These guys call themselves men. HA. PALEASE. You show them what’s up. They don’t deserve metals. Put them back in diapers where they belong, crying like little babies, calling themselves men. You may be a girl but you fight like a bull injected with terminator steroids. I hope one day I will be able to watch from the front row, close enough to see my reflection in your beads of sweat as you win, singing “Another one bites the dust”. YOU ROCK MY WORLD STEPAHNIE SLAMMER!!
Stephanie Slammer
She’s so hot the girls cant stand her
V-I-C-T-O-R-Y
She kicks the boys ass and she makes them cry
Im her number one fan, never missed a fight
Even skipped my hot school dance on a Friday man night
The alabamer slammer, her signature move
But it’s her huckleberry hoe down that really gets her in her groove
BOOM POW opponent never makes it to round 2
She fights like a lion that just escaped from the zoo
Fast like Fred Flinstone screaming yabadabadoo
She must have good trainers and an awesome management crew
She never gives up, crazy, fierce, and wild like mike Tyson the whole way through!
RESEARCH
The Different Use of Language in the Two Narrative Inquiry Articles
When I first started reading “Situating Narrative Inquiry” I immediately thought I was going to hate it. I thought “Ok, Nicole give it a chance you only read the first paragraph, your judging it to quickly”. After it took me a half hour to break down the meaning of the first few pages I was crossing my fingers that my black cloud would storm and kill my computer somehow so I wouldn’t have to read anymore. It was miserable I was trying to understand what they were saying and it was all over the place. They were going on, and on, and getting nowhere. Their rhetoric was boring, irritating, confusing, and directed towards people who seem to understand technical language. For something called a “narrative inquiry” there didn’t seem to be too much narrative going on. “The four turns are a change in relationship between the researcher and the researched, a move from the use of number towards the use of words as data, and a change from a focus on the general and universal toward the local and the specific, and a widening in acceptance of alternative epistemologies or ways of knowing”. I can understand this. That’s why I decided to give it a chance. However, it does not take 34 pages to make this point or get someone to understand it. It took forever to get to the point. Not only that, but they were so repetitive. After the first 15 times of telling me the four points of what this article was about, I think I get the hint. “What narrative researchers hold in common is the studies of stories or narratives, or descriptions of a series of events”. The article should have then went on to describe a story or gave examples that people could relate to and identify with. As a reader I want to understand the point they are trying to make and be able to identify. I don’t want to hear a “careful scholarly, detailed analysis and theoretical defense of narrative knowing or an argument for two ways of knowing in the human sciences”. I want to hear real life stories and real experiences from everyday people. I really hated this article. I would rather be stuck in a sauna smothered in a 500 pound mans armpit who lived in cavemen times and never discovered deodorant than read this entire article.
Because I was so bitter about the first article, I was really debating on even opening up this second one. I’m glad I did. I realized why we were assigned to read the other article first. I think it was to see the difference in language and the way it is used to communicate to the readers. This article was making the exact same point but communicated in a completely different way. This article used real life stories and experiences to help the reader understand the point they were trying to make. I was interested in the stories and was able to identify each specific point to the moments in each individual’s life. This article really made me aware of the difference language makes while reading any article or story.
Narrative is so important while writing and one learns so much from other peoples’ narratives which leads one to continue to grow and add to their own. Narrative Inquiry is “personal and social (interaction); past, present, and future (continuity); combined with the notion of place (situation). Any type of research has to do with narrative inquiry. It shapes your view on life and helps you to understand more about yourself and your view on what you’re writing about. One’s past, present, and future shapes your psychological view on things and the way you feel and think about life and everything you write about. The “inward,outward,backward,forward” concept really is a great way of understanding narrative inquiry and is an easy way to apply narrative inquiry to writing. I was able to understand each individuals stories through using these terms. By explaining the terms and breaking them down applying them to each story, I was able to really understand and analyze each particular view of each individual. The repetition in this article was beneficial because the language was based on real life experiences. Two stories were given and both stories were broken down piece by piece. Then the reflective note at the end really brought the whole article together.
This telling of ourselves, this meeting of ourselves n the past through inquiry, makes clear that as inquirers we, too, are part of the parade. We have helped make the world in which we find ourselves…..Being in this world, we need to remake ourselves as well as offer up research understandings that could lead to a better world………Working in this space means that we become visible with our own lived and told stories. (10)
WHAT IS ORAL HISTRY
This article gave me a basic ground for what oral history is. I got the most from the summary.
” To summarize: oral history might be understood as a self-conscious, disciplined conversation between two people about some aspect of the past considered by them to be of historical significance and intentionally recorded for the record. Although the conversation takes the form of an interview, in which one person--the interviewer--asks questions of another person--variously referred to as the interviewee or narrator--oral history is, at its heart, a dialogue.”
When you think about oral history as a dialogue it seems much more appealing. Reading written documentation is informative but you don’t get the same out of it as listening to it orally from the narrator. You connect much more on a personal level when you are able to communicate with the narrator. You get to see facial expressions, hear tone of voice, and communicate and respond back. For example. I am really interested in the Holocaust. I am very engaged while reading and written documentaries provide me with a good idea of how that person felt. However, interviewing someone that was in it would be a completely different experience. I would get so much for feeling and interest from discussing it face to face. I thought it was helpful to view oral history as “what it all meant then and what it all means now”. It is like looking back on any experience. When one is going through something they are going to feel and look at the situation completely different when a long time has passed and they are reflecting on it. It is going to mean something different. Talking about a topic is a great way for the narrator to reflect on what they went through and often time’s feelings and new insights will stir.
LIKE IT WAS
This Chapter helped me understand how to construct an interview and provided helpful guidelines to carry throughout. It is important to connect with the person you are interviewing. Make them feel comfortable and relaxed. Show that you are interested and engaged in what they have to say. I think it is helpful to think about how you would want someone to make you feel if they were to interview you. The more you connect with them the more they will open up. It is important to avoid yes or no questions. Actually, I take that back. Yes or No questions are ok. However, it is important to expand on them. Any question that involves feeling and interpretation will provide for an interesting question. Things that are hard to talk about such as challenges, conflicts, obstacles, tragedies are often the most touching and therapeutic for the narrator to talk about. Think about anything in life that has been a tough time for you and how great it feels to talk about it. It’s not always easy; in fact you may think breaking through a brick wall would be easier than talking about it. However, once it comes off of your chest it’s cleansing and therapeutic. Once you learn your relationship with the person you are interviewing you will be able to get a feel for what is appropriate to ask. It is important not to be afraid to ask daring questions. A few quotes from this chapter that helped me gain a good understanding of oral history are the following:
“I would be an audience before whom she could make an honest analysis of her life”
You are the audience. The narrator gets to re tell his/her story. The retelling of their story helps them see and analyze it in a different way than when it was actually happening. It helps them see how they got to where they are in life or how that event has shaped them in some way who they are today.
“Basic necessities are: a person who wants to tell their story and a genuine interest on your part in what is being told”
If you have these two things then you have the two essentials in creating a well constructed interview. They will enjoy telling their story to you and if you have a genuine interest then you will be so engaged and enjoy listening to everything they have to say.
“The distant past becomes especially vivid as they grow older”
This quote kind of goes along with the first one. Retelling their story helps them catch pieces, glimpses, or feelings that they might have forgotten about because it was so long ago. Each time you tell a story new memories and feelings might spark that you didn’t remember when you were actually going through it. It’s like an oral revision in a way. You experience something. Time goes by. You talk about it a month after it happens, then a year after it happens, and then 50 years after it happens. You are going to have different feelings toward it each time and the bits and pieces you forgot will probably come up.
TURNS OF THOUGHT
Turns of Thought by Donna Qualley is a book about how learners discover themselves as writers using different approaches. She talks about her experiences with writing and whom she learned different methods from based on her observations and different approaches. Most schools and teachers try to give their students a certain formula to writing to fit the system when in reality there is “no need for consistency”. It is helpful to look at teaching writing and writing itself as a way of getting in touch with the world and how to make sense of it. This fits in the role of one of the most effective writing approaches called reflexive inquiry. “Reflexivity is a way of discovering and examining one’s own thoughts through a response triggered by another idea, person, culture, or text”. It is a way of connecting to your internal thought process and being able to grow, adapt, and see things through a different pair of eyes. The act of reflexivity also means being able to make sense of the multiple responses that travel down your stream of thought. By being open to learning from other people’s ideas, cultures, lives, and history, it is a gateway for one to learn about themselves and gain new insight and understanding. It is important to not be afraid to “unlearn”. In fact, unlearning is one of the most successful keys to revision. The best way to learn is when the learner is thrown off balance and outside of their comfort zone.
The Pleasures of Eating by Wendall Berry
The Pleasures of Eating by Wendall Berry is an article about the mind warping power of the food industry and its ability to hypnotize people from the truth inside their healthy advertising labels. The food industry does not care about the health of the people and the cleanest, healthiest, and friendliest ways to manufacture their products. The main thing that the Food Industry cares about is money. Vegetables and Fruits are injected with chemicals to make them grow faster. Animals are being injected with hormones and chemicals to make them grow faster and fatter and treated in the most inhumane ways. The Food Industry will do whatever they have to in order make the most money, regardless of the health effects it has on people. Berry believes one of the main thing that contributes to the lack of concern from the people is lack of time. People are always in a hurry and don’t have much time to carefully look into what they are eating, to grow their own food, and to go to a farmers market and pick out fresh grass fed chemical free foods. The healthier the food is the more expensive it will be. Berry gives a list of seven things one can do to lead a healthier lifestyle in which one can only benefit from. It doesn’t take much to learn how to eat “true healthy foods” but the first step is to actually care what you are putting into your body.
Research Questions
10 Research Questions
1) What is the truth behind food labels? Why is it that if less than a certain amount of an ingredient is in a product that the manufacturer can pretend that the product contains none of the ingredient and label it as “fat free, sodium free, cholesterol free..etc”?
2) Is it possible to eat healthy in your local grocery store?
3) Why are there no food nutritional labels on the fruits and vegetables in the grocery store?
4) What are our students eating in cafeterias? Where do schools get their foods from?
5) What are the statistics of people’s health fifty years ago compared to now?
6) What were cafeterias like 25,40,50 years ago from now?
7) If we spend more money on good quality food, would we spend less money on health care?
8) Whose fault is it that obesity is one the number one health problems in America?
9) Where is the healthiest place to live in the world and why? What are they doing to create such a a healthy environment?
10) Are the fast food “healthy options” really healthy?
Good,Clean,Fair: The Rhetoric of Slow Food Movement by Stephen Schnider
Good,Clean,Fair: The rhetoric of slow food movement by Stephen Schnider is an article about the what the slow food movement is, it’s history, and what it’s main purposes and goals are. This program is used to educate society about what they are eating and the importance of eating “good, clean, and fair food”. Carlo Petrini, the founder of the Slow Food Movement, identifies that food is more than just an object. It is “happiness, identity, culture, pleasure, nutrition, local economy, and survival”. Because of the fast pace of modern society, and the demanding time that work entails, most people use the excuse of not having “time” to cook and focus on what they are eating. It is about being able to understand and identify what good, clean, food is and learning how to take a step back from the constant lightening speed of life, and slow down. The faster the pace of life picks up the more robotic people and systems become gaining control of everything in sight. People can make a difference and have the ability to stand up in order to save their health. Both Petrini and Schnieder want the people to be aware of the mind warping power of the rapid growth of industrialization and globalization and the more we conform to and go along with it, the more power and health destruction is too come. Their main goal is to educate people about what they are eating in every possible way they can in as many different institutions as possible.
Introduction of Fast Food Nation by Eric Schlosser
In the Introduction of Fast Food Nation, Eric Schlosser informs his readers of the rapid productions of Fast Food restaurants and how they are slowly dominating the world in which we live in. Using a series of statistics Schlossar shows us the shift and growth of the fast food industry compared to that of a few centuries ago. The main example eh explores is McDonalds. Using this example he explores how it has become more than just a fast food chain but a part of life that stands out more than any historical event, symbol, or figure in the United States. Using supportive evidence Schlosser informs us makes his audience aware of how powerful our fast food nation as become consuming most of people’s money more than any other industry in the nation. We are living our lives under a now historical figure “Ronald McDonald” and other fast food chains, a dangerous place of underpaid workers, chemical and hormone produced meat, and packaged and processed foods that are slowly destroying human beings. Schlossar wraps his introduction up with a familiar but true statement: “You are what you eat”.
Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution (Clips)
This past weekend I have watched clips from Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution. Jamie Oliver started off in Huntington Virginia's school district due to the fact that city was labeled the unhealthiest city in America. When he first walks in the school he sees the children are eating pizza for breakfast. Oliver than held up a tomato and ask the children what it was and the response was a "potato". In another clip Oliver took out the chocolate milk and strawberry milk because it contains more sugar than a can of soda. The next day the school brought the chocolate and strawberry milk back. Oliver was really annoyed with this and asked them why? The school district said that children need calcium and seeing milk that has an appealing flavor and color will more likely make them drink it. Oliver made one meal consisting of pasta that included seven different vegetables, a fresh chicken breast, white milk, and a fresh fruit cup. The head woman in charge of the cafeteria said that was not an "approved" meal and that the mandatory amount of fruits and veggies are a cup and a fourth. The woman then said he can add fries because it counts as a vegetable according to the food administrators. He argued that his fresh pasta that included a variety of vegetables, a fresh piece of chicken breast, white milk and a fresh fruit cup wasn't ok, but a chicken patty sandwich with french fries and chocolate milk is the better choice?
School Cafeteria Questions
1) where do you get the food from?
2) What are the nutritional requirements for fruits and vegetables?
3) Are french fries considered a vegetable here?
4) Has your lunch program changed at all over the years?
5) How much money does the school program receive to purchase foods?
6) How is the menu made up?
Collaborative Research Questions
This is a collaborative post between all of our group members to decide on the interview questions that we definitely want to use.
- Do you buy products from any local farms or produce venders?
- Are there any specific nutrition requirements? For example a set amount of calories or food groups per meal.
- What beverages are provided?
- What changes have you undergone in order to make school lunches healthier for the students?
- Were these changes due to district requirements or National FDA guidelines?
- Is your budget on food affect the products that you buy? If so, would you choose the healthier yet more expensive option, or the processed cheaper option?
- Do you think the lunches could still improve or do you think they are good as of right now? Explain.
- As a parent, are you satisfied with the nutritional value of these lunches? To be more specific, would you feed the same foods to your children at home?
Jamie Olivers Food Revolution Episode 3
In the beginning of this episode Jamie Oliver shows the children what a processed chicken nugget is really made up of. He grinded down all the stuff which looked like a diseased cows lavatory that just got done eating a truck load of burritos. The kids shockingly still said they would eat it! Insanity. If it looks good and tastes good kids will eat it.Bottom Line. After a few weeks of the new healthy food lucnhes that Jamie has constructed the children were eating it. It goes to show that children will eat food that is given to them. When they are hungry they aren’t going to complain that they aren’t eating french fries and pizza that have enough grease to cover the Pacific Ocean and still have enough left over to cover Uncles Jessies hair for a year. The children were happy and not one of them were complaining. Why not make a difference and provide healthy lives for the children? Jamie then decided to take on Huntington High school. In this school there were four different lines in the cafeteria. A salad bar, a pasta bar, a pizza bar, and chicken sand which with French fry bar. You would think Lil’ Wayne was making an appearnace in front of the chicken and French fry bar from seeing how long the line was for it. High school differs from Elementary school because the students have a choice here. The Elementary students have to eat what is given to them because there is only one choice. Jamie’s goal here was to get the students to want to make the right choice. He wants to make people care about their health and what they are eating. Jamie then had students volunteer to help work in the kitchen and join his movement to try and make a difference and a change. He had 6 different students volunteer who really were passionate about making a difference. Some of them with past family members who have died from obesity, some who wanted to learn how to cook and would love to make a difference and lead healthy lifestyles, and the one girl Brittany who struggled with obesity her whole life and had tried everything in her power to lose weight. It was heartbreaking to see. I was sitting in front of my computer eating apples and raisins crying with her, more so than I did in the Notebook when Ally couldn’t remember who Noah was. It was so touching to see these students want to make a difference and knowing that there are so many girls like Brittany who struggle with obesity and the risk of losing their lives due to weight should be enough motivation for anyone to help in any way they can. The first day in cooking for the high school he had his team hand out samples. of a healthy chicken teriyaki noodle dish. This really is a great way to get students to try things because peers react to other peers and peer pressure. If students are handing out samples of food and walking around the cafeteria other students are definitely going to be willing to give it a try. One of the main problems for Jamie Oliver is that school didn’t have enough money to fund the program. This food revolution he was constructing required more help in the kitchens and more money. Jamie had a camp fire with his team of students and discussed that he usually cooks for the Senator and other officials every year after spending six or seven months working with his team. He told them they were going to be cooking a dinner for them in only two days. This gathering dinner was to help start a fundraiser to get the Senator to provide them with funds to help make a change. The entire restaurant was filled including all the students families. Jamie didn’t tell the people that the students were the ones cooking it until the end. It was amazing how these students came together and the amount of work and effort they put in. After chaos and commotion all the food went out smoothly. Jamie was so proud of his team. I was so proud of them I was cheering and rooting at my computer like I was at a Baseball game or something. After the dinner went out Jamie brought the team out and told everyone these kids cooked the food. Each team member gave a speech about why this food revolution is important to them and the changes that need to happen. If you ever wanted to take on a food revolution and make a difference but didn’t have the motivation, then watch this episode. It made me want to jump on top of the Rowan Cafeteria tables and my own version of Martin Luther Kings’ “ I had a dream” speech. In the end the senator agreed to supply the money and help them make a historical change!
Duffield’s Farm Questions
1) Do you sell products to any local organizations?
2) Do you sell to any local schools?
3) When the students come on education trips here do they bring their own lunch or do you provide lunches for them from your market?
4) Would you ever consider going to schools as a guest speaker to talk about the organic food you sell and what makes it so fresh and healthy?
5) Have you ever thought about selling to a local school? If a district was interested in working something out would you be willing? Do you grow enough products or would that not be feasible?
6) Have you ever thought of advertising through schools? School newsletters?
Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution Episode Four
Jamie Olivers’ Food Revolution Episode 4 starts off with him at the radio station talking to the Ron, the radio host, live. Ron is very skeptical of Jamie at first because he thinks Jamie is trying to do the impossible and taking things way to far. Ron said he was sick of all this health talk and no one wants to live off lettuce. You don’t have to live off lettuce to be healthy!! It drives me nuts when people think eating healthy is all about eating celery and carrot sticks. There are so many delicious healthy foods out there that taste amazing. According to Jamie and other health resources I have previously, healthy foods increase your mood,skin,eye sight, bones, hair, energy level,and even your sex life!
So Jamie bet Ron that if he can get 1000 people in the city of Huntington to cook and join him. Ron laughs and believes there is no way that that’s possible. The first day he advertised it no one came. Jamie then went to the high school and got a whole bunch of people and students to create a dance to do randomly in the middle of Huntington streets to get people to come to his kitchen and cook. The entire dance had to do with cooking and was unbelievable. It worked and got the towns attention. Within the next few days people were flocking to come help. Within the next few days he had up to 700 people. Jamie knew he needed more help and he wanted to show Ron the severity of not eating healthy and what obesity can do to people’s lives. He first took him to a funeral home. The two men in charge showed them the size of a normal casket and one of an obese person which was about 4 normal caskets put together. The funeral men then stated that one of the obesity caskets cannot fit in a regular car and there has to be a special van to place it in. Also, one has to reserve two spots in the cemetery for a casket that large. This is was the start of Ron’s transformation. He began to see this lifestyle people are living is much more severe than taken account for. After seeing that, Jamie’s anger, motivation, and desire to get these people to change was at its highest peak. He then took Ron to meet his team of students that help him cook. Marisa told the story of her father who she lost to obesity. Her story was devastating because not only did she lose her father figure but he was her best friend as well. She had a picture of him she showed Ron and he was a little over 400 pounds in the picture. Then another towns woman was there to guest speak to Ron about her son. She said her family has always lived the so called American life eating whatever they want including fast food never taking their healthy into consideration. She was also overweight but what made her realize the severity of this was when she took her 12 year old son to the doctors. The doctor said her son was at serious health risks being over 300 pounds. The mother was saying how guilty she felt because she took part in this. She let it get this far by not paying attention to health and the damage it really can do. She fought for Jamie’s side and said this revolution needs to happen. We need more people like Jamie. What really was match that lit the final stick of dynamite to change over to Jamies side, was when Brittany told her story. Brittany, being overweight, has struggled all her life with trying every diet in the book. Everytime she tells this story I cant help but tear up. Her emotions leech onto me and I can’t escape them. This girl is only in highschool and the doctor told her that there are spots on her liver and if she cant lose weight she will only have 5 to 7 years to live. Everytime Brittany tells this story she breaks down. I mean can you imagine what that must be like? Feeling so hopeless trying to lose weight and then having a doctor tell you, you may not even live until your 25 due to being overweight? Brittany expresses that Jamie has helped so much so far and has been such an inspiration. She said she is learning so much from him about eating healthy and how to make changes, and that without Jamie she would have never had this opportunity and motivation . Ron was instantly transformed after this. He wanted to help Jamie and the town of Huntington in a new way of living healthy. Jamie posted Ron as the 1000 picture during the big get together with the towns people.
The more I am watching this show, the more I am realizing how little people know about leading healthy life styles. I mean we live in a world where fast food exists on every other street corner. We live in a world where everyone lives from day to day like Nintendo Mario when he gets a star and receives lightening speed. Everyone is pressed for time. I truly understand that. Not everyone has the money to spend on high quality food. I also understand that. HOWEVER, you can live a healthy lifestyle by starting to care. You need to want to learn about how to eat healthy, what foods to get when your grocery shopping, what to make or get when your pressed for time. There are dishes you can make that will take faster to cook than the time it takes you to go to McDonalds’ and get Famystchockenous sandwhich. Yes, I said Famystchkenous on purpose and it was not a misspelling,. I decided to make my own word which is a combination of Fake and Mysterious put together. Revising the chicken to choken because it’s not real chicken. I use this word now whenever referring to fast food.
Famystbarfous -: any beef product
Famystfushous: any fish product
We need to get people to want to care about what they are putting into their bodies. The door to change is open all we have to do is get people to want to walk through. Each episode motivates me more and more. It makes me want to get involved in my town and see what I can do to make a difference. It doesn’t take superman or a magical creature to make change, all it takes to start is one human being to care.
Duffield’s Website Review
When entering Duffield's Farm into your search engine on your computure you are confronted with an extremely interactive and informative webpage. Duffield's homepage welcomes you with an array of unique and different options to click on and explore while visiting their site such as lessons, parties, hayrides, maket and many more. Each of these differet tabs offers you a variety of different information all gearing towards whatever fits your needs. They have rich informations concerning the production of their crops and the methods they use to harvest. Another great topic that is discussed on the webpage is about organic grown vegtables, it discusses the chemicals that are used and the different stipulations that require foods to be organic. Lastly but definately not least my favorite affordance about this site is that they offer lesson plans for teachers to use within their classrooms. This is great because they are allowing for teachers to incorperate the learning process of what goes along with growing vegtables and healthier ways of eatting. This is a great site for you to visit if you ever have some free time and are just browsing the web.
Local Matters
As a group we all looked at the website "Local Matters" and checked out the different aspects that go into schools and the local food organizations. Lindsey Finklestein, Tarrah Martinelli, and Nicole Flesch.
After looking at the link "Local Matters," our group doesn't think we could find anything more perfect to parallel with our project. The First Lady of Ohio, Karen Walbillig Kasich has made a $95,000 contribution to the Local Matters organization, which is working to curb childhood obesity. Local Matters has a program called Food Matters, which teaches children, parents, and teachers about nutrition, cooking, and gardening. They go to thirty-five classrooms each week. We think this is incredible. It is one thing to blindly change the lunch programs for children, but after this meal if students simply go back the same habits at home because of a lack of education, the change was not accomplished. Though we still definitely agree with changing the lunch programs, we think this next step is truly what the schools need.
The program is hoping to spread even further soon. They are also focusing on Ohio-Grown foods when discussing healthy options. The program institutes twenty-eight weeks of lessons for the children so they can understand where the food comes from and why it is important to know this. With the additional funds, the program hopes to expand and reach even more children in the schools. This is your new blog post. Click here and start typing, or drag in elements from the top bar.
The Truth About Food Inc.
Summary
In this video, the producer and director of Food Inc. Robert Kenner, and the author of Omnivore's Dilemma, Michael Pollan, get together for an interview for CBSNewsOnline. They discuss how "Our food has been fundamentally transformed," (Kenner). The nutritional value of our produce in a supermarket has been diminished due to the goal of making food as cheap and abundant as possible. Pollan discusses the historical aspects of how we have gotten to this point, where it started, and how fast food is driving our nation. Due to this, we have an issue with obesity and malnutrition in our nation. The workers and animals are "brutalized," which in turn is adding additional moral "costs" that we are not aware of (Pollan). Kenner goes on to discuss the hardships he faced trying to get these food organizations on camera. There is a lot of information that the corporations are trying to keep from us. Pollan discusses how we are subsidizing the wrong foods. We are making all of the unhealthy things cheaper rather than the healthy which is affecting our society. To sum things up, they both discuss how we are on the verge of a national movement. Ominvore's Dilemma and Food Inc. are meant to be a jump start to this movement.
Reflection
This video gives a great background to the driving purpose behind both Food Inc. and Omnivore's Dilemma. One of the most controversial points that they raised was how these major corporations are keeping from the public what is going on with our food. It is our right to know that we are not eating real tomatoes, carrots, etc. One of the most alarming facts was that not only do they make genetically modified food now, but they are literally cloning food as well. We have a right to know what we are putting into our bodies. The facts about how unhealthy food is made cheaper than healthy food which is part of the reason people don't buy it, is also alarming. Is this not the total opposite of how it should be? Overall, every point that they made should alarm the people of our nation. Our group clearly is, which is the driving force behind our project.
Collaborative Group Blog: Tarrah Martinelli, Chelsea Ernst, Nicole Flesch, Lindsey Finklestein
Children’s Choice
Throughout our research and interviews our group though it would be interesting to see what lunch option they would pick when given a choice. In Bells Elementary School, the students are given a choice of Six different options: Lunch of the Day, Hoagie, Hot dog, Salad, Smuckers PB & J, Cold Platter, or Chicken Patty. Also, they offer Vegetarian options such as: Meatless Chef Salad, Vegan Salad, and Fruit Salad. Our group was very impressed with the variety of choices the children were given. This is such an improvement even from when we were in Elementary School. I (Nicole),am currently observing in Mrs.Barca’s first grade classroom on Tuesdays. I took a tally of what the students got for lunch that day. Twelve students picked the Lunch of the Day which was chicken nugget and french fries. One student picked a hot dog, one student picked cold platter, and five students brought lunch from home.
Also, I paid close attention during snack time to what the students were eating. There were items such as Doritos, fruit roll ups, Fritos, Oreo Cakes, cookies, gummy fruit snacks, and gold fish. A few students did bring healthy snacks such as carrots, apples, raisins, and pretzels. Our group strongly believes that children will eat whatever their parents pack for them. When children are hungry they will eat anything. Parents’ are most responsible for what children eat.
Collaborative Blog: Tarrah Mart, Lindsay Finkelstein, Chelsea Ernst, Nicole Flesch
TECHNOLOGY
Haiku Poem
In class we were asked to create a Haiku based on one of our Micro-fictions. I chose to base if off "______ as we know it".
Mind, caught up, talking
Sit, Breathe, Connect, Nature, Write,
The Answer to Life
FOUND POEM
We were also asked to create a found poem based off our tweets on twitter.
Time is on speed
Running in multiple places
Would love to stop already
I learn to look
Surf the waves
I spring into Nature
So interesting
My new best friend
One precious mind
Pouring out
I stop. I write
Wow.
This poem was created from these 10 tweets.
ill your head with twenty regular and write! #twitterive #wrt1
tinybuddha on twitter is my new best friend thank you andrea #twitterive
a 2 and a half hour shakespeare class should not be allowed. granted i do have the cutest, most precious old man professor ever #twitterive
I wish i went to school to become a child psychologist. The mind is so interesting. #twitterive
"You can't stop the waves, but you can learn to surf." ~Jon Kabat-Zinn #twitterive #wrt1
WAWA- running over a muffler, gas pouring out into the wawa parking lot, 4 cops, and 3 firetrucks. <3 #twitterive #wrt1
one foot in multiple places #twitterive #wrt1
i would really love to go rollerblading right about now. can spring just come already #twitterive
Wow. Nature is really pretty when you actuallytake the time to Stop and look #twitterive #wrt1
speed up like broccoli and "floret". haha I'm just so funny. #twitterive
Twitterive Question
1) Who are the characters in your story?
Me, my friends
2) What connections do you feel to this place?
It is a strong mental connection that effects me and my everyday life.
3) When does this story take place?
2 years ago until present time.
4) Where?
It's a mental place I call the "Black Cloud" but the places where they actually occur are grounded.
5) Why?
Because I feel strongly connected to this place. It lives with me everyday and I am my own permanent bad luck charm so it had become comical to me.
6) Delivering?
Multi-Genre, rap, poem, pictures, video, song, recipe, narrative,
I think this was a helpful exercise. It helped show me how to deliver what I am trying to say more clearly and direct. I know what I wanted to say but wasn't quite saying it on paper so this helped me.
Twitterive Draft Review Questions
1)Were you able to connect right away?
2) Was it clear and easy to understand?
3) Did it flow from one story to the next?
4) What should I add or take away?
5) Was your interest kept the whole way through?
6) Any open suggestions?
Research Frustrations
Collaborative Blog: Tarrah Mart, Lindsay Finkelstein, Chelsea Ernst, Nicole Flesch Add Comment Research Frustrations 04/19/2011 0 Comments This is a collaborative blog done by: Tarrah Martinelli, Nicole Flesch, Chelsea Earnst, and Lindsay Finkelstein
Throughout this process, we have experienced a lot of difficulty going about our research the way we had planned. Our original goals were to interview people who directly effect the food that students are served for school lunches. Since we had direct contacts with personell in those positions, we thought we were set. We quickly realized that the nutritional values of school lunches is an extremely touchy subject. Many of our contacts would not even respond to our emails or phone calls. These were people that we talk to frequently, but apparently wanted no part in our research. One example was when Tarrah contacted the directer of food services from the school district that she not only attended but also worked for. She grew up playing softball with the woman's daughter, and frequently sees her and has to contact her for her job. After two emails and a phone call about the research, Tarrah had to once again email her about snacks for her after-school program. The snacks arrived two days later, without any email response. Nicole had a similar experience. She went to the high school that she attended and explained to the secretaries what our research was, and left a note for the principal. Surprise, surprise, they never contacted her.
Once we finally landed our interviews, we had difficulty being able to actually video the interviewee's and give their information. Two of them specifically chose to be left completely anonymous (Chelsea and Tarrah's interviews). They still answered all of our questions which we were grateful for, but it once again showed how unwilling people are to discuss this matter. Now we can understand a little bit why Jamie Oliver is experiencing so much resistance. The question that this raises for us is, why are people so hesitant to talk about it? What are they afraid of?
