Frames of Mind Mon-Wed

Message of Life

2006-04-26T07:44:00.000-07:00

Slowly running forward,
running from my past;
a past I can't escape,
to which I can't relate.

All the things in life have shown me
all I need to know,
Yet all it seems to ever do
is throw me to and fro.

The life I live is fraught
with anguish and with sorrow,
But the happiness that I bring forth
will ring on through the 'morrows.

A life of pain for me and my friends
not caused by us, but others,
Is a life of lies when compared to the eyes
of mine and my foolish brothers'.

Now, I am making a statement
by stating this statement,
But the statement I'm making
is not the statement I stated.

Later.

Size Matters

2006-04-18T11:39:00.000-07:00

“Our bodies reflect not only Darwinian forces which impel us to reproduce, but cultural ones, and social ones, and these are the most brilliantly displayed in fashion.” (204)

This presents Nancy Etcoff’s view on our society’s obsession with staying in shape. It is such a powerful entity because it defies the forces of our own biology. Males’ natural instincts should be to procreate and to have many offspring. This is in order to pass on genetic information necessary in maintaining the species. This is not seen in today’s female fashion and more so their body image that they are attempting to portray. The idea of females looking slim portrays a decreased level of fertility. It seems to be counterintuitive going against human instinct until Etcoff balances it with other influences. One factor that she brings up for the increase in eating disorders and for the slim ideal is that it extends the life of the female and can play a role in maintaining population levels with her fertility. I find it difficult to believe that in the subconscious mind this plays a large factor while Etcoff denies the media in playing a major role. What I do believe is the fact the modern fashion, both in clothing and body type, when linked to the media, provide a framework of attraction. Males are attracted, as earlier stated in the article, to large, defined breast, symmetry in the body characteristics, and tall bodies with distinct curvatures. The modern fashion is responsible for providing a canvas where all of these attraction traits are flaunted.

Requiescat in Pacem

2006-04-13T09:42:00.000-07:00

William Sloane Coffin was “the conscience of the country,” says Cora Weiss, peace activist. “He questioned authority before that phrase came into vogue.” In an interview with NPR in 1994, Rev. Coffin said,

Hope is a state of mind independent of the state of the world. If your heart is full of hope you can be persistent even if you are not optimistic. I keep the faith despite the evidence, knowing that only in so doing does the evidence have any chance of changing.

Rev. William Sloane Coffin, Jr., civil activist who opposed nuclear arms, poverty, anti-Semitism and championed civil rights, died on April 12, 2006 at age 81

Subjectivity

2006-04-12T07:54:00.000-07:00

Five. Whether I use it in word form, number form, 5, or numeral form, V, it is very difficult to misunderstand what it is that I am talking about. The idea, or concept, of five is concrete, unchangeable. Many other concepts, however, are much less concrete. Take for example the concept of Beauty. Beauty is an idea that is subject to thought and interpretation; so rather than being a concrete concept, it is subjective. The whole idea of subjectivity implies a loss in translation occurring; where when I say the term Beauty, meaning my concept of Beauty, it is received as your Beauty, meaning your concept of Beauty. And because of the subjective nature of the concept of Beauty, they are almost definitely different in meaning. Now, I'm not making subjectivity out to be a bad thing, because without subjectivity, there would be no place for two things I think the world today would crumble without; room for change, and questioning our beliefs. I am merely bringing the idea of subjectivity to your view as to spread awareness.
Later.

Appearance as Text

2006-04-12T06:34:00.000-07:00

When does size matter?

Appearance as Text

2006-04-12T06:32:00.000-07:00

What do we read in Cindy Jackson's images? Is that the same as or different from what she intends us to read?

Appearance as Text

2006-04-12T06:26:00.000-07:00

What do we read in Mr. Universe's text?

The Empire of Images in Our World of Bodies

2006-04-09T14:02:00.000-07:00

Susan Bordo’s essay employs ideas and details from a large spectrum of topics underlining body types through media on television and in print, surgery, clothing sales, and even a mention of toys. I particularly like her views on cosmetic surgery and Botox. She begins with questioning when the phrase ‘aging beautifully’ stopped meaning that the older you were the more you wore their years with pride and began to mean practically growing younger. Measurements of this beauty are now based on the amount of face-lifts, liposuction, and augmentations performed. She calls this trend to surgery as a transition from materiality to cultural plastic. The brief story of Greta Van Susteren is an example of Bordo’s dislike for the modern cosmetic society. Greta, a talented reported though average looking, had a facelift after years of being in the public’s eye. To Bordo this is another source of inspiration and hope biting the dust. The strive to perfection in body image is not applicable in the human form. Perfection can be achieved in the timeless beauty of art but not in the individual person.The essay continues with a humorous section on the popularity of botox. They advertise for signing up for Botox parties and push the product as a cosmetic much like blush or mascara. She includes a Times quote speaking these peoples inabilities to make normal expressions. I agree with Bordo in her views that these ploys for aesthetic youngness are unnatural and counterproductive in society.

Trivia

2006-04-04T06:28:00.000-07:00

On Wednesday (tomorrow) at two minutes and three seconds
after 1:00 in the morning, it will be
01:02:03 04-05-06.
This will never happen again in our lifetimes!

Poem for a Spring Friday

2006-04-02T10:09:00.000-07:00

English 112-55 Class Poem
03-31-06

The spirits of trees leap in green promise
yet the fright of being sky-high
impedes the kite’s flight. The sin of the unkept pledge
weighs down a soul like the burden of tiredness.
Seasick boats in the thunderous ocean,
our hearts beat in sympathy for the hurt
when some days, the dragon wins.
The written word holds feeling
despite my creativity’s fleeing.
In my neverending education,
prismlike, I redirect my light
till I am ready to give the world all of me.
sunbeams and the song of the robin
free my spirit. The clear air of my potential
lifts me in anticipation and I soar
expecting delight
and finding
spring.

2006-04-01T17:03:00.000-08:00

The Bridge of Sighs

"The Unsayable Said" and responses to poetry

2006-04-01T16:30:00.000-08:00

Donald Hall, in The Unsayable Said, says, "Poetry is not talk. It sounds like talk...but poetry is talk altered into art, speech slowed down and attended to, words arranged for the reader who contracts to read them for their whole heft of association and noise...Reading with care, so that a wholeness of language engages a wholeness of reading body and mind, we absorb poetry not with our eyes only nor with our ears at a reading. We read with our mouths that chew on vowel and consonant; we read with our limbed muscles that enact the dance of the poem's rhythm; we read alert to history and the context of words."
What images or lines in the poems we read in class support Hall's concept that poetry demands more of a response from us than merely mind or eyes can give?
ProfC

Orwell and Language

2006-04-01T16:28:00.000-08:00

"The writer either has a meaning and cannot express it, or he inadvertently says something else, or he is almost indifferent as to whether his words mean anything or not. This mixture of vagueness and sheer incompetence is the most marked characteristic of modern English prose...the concrete melts into the abstract and no one seems able to think of turns of speech that are not hackneyed: prose consists less and less of words chosen for the sake of their meaning, and more and more of phrases tacked together like the sections of a prefabricated henhouse."
George Orwell expressed these thoughts sixty years ago in "Politics and the English Language." To what extent do his words apply today? Also, in trying to avoid your own essays reading like his "prefabricated henhouse," how helpful do you find the questions he poses and the rules for writing he suggests in his essay?
ProfC

Poetry of Emotions

2006-04-01T07:08:00.000-08:00

The emotions that drive me wild are how helpless we are when we step foot on a plane. My heart ends up in my head, throbing away with every beat. This lack of control we have going up to speeds of 500 mph. We put all the control in the pilots hands. "Scribbling on the sky the message He Is Dead" gives me the perception that the plane will crash. Weather we are mediforically speaking or literally sadness emerges. So my emotinal state becomes one with harsh complexities. How families and friends take tragities such as do other pilots that are about to step on a plane themselves.

Poetry assignment from class

2006-03-31T07:31:00.000-08:00

Prof. Church asked us to post poetry as a homework assignment so this is mines. This is a peom that I wrote. I couldnt figure out how to post it as a file and its pretty long so here it goes...

Easy Access

I focus more on my relationship with God rather than religion
So I redirect my light like a prism
Because I know that the application of knowledge is wisdom
What’s the point of quoting the scriptures if you can’t live them?
Personally I’d rather be wise than smart
Because I know its God that opened my eyes from the start
And it’s the devil that tries to part
Me from the Lord but every step I move toward him
I am defying the mark
And I see sinners everyday
But in no way do they get judged from me
Because I am just like them in linger in their company
I sin but that don’t mean I can’t try to become one with G.O.D
Before the lord comes for me
I let His word direct me and let His love comfort me
I let His grace put a smile on my face
And His consistencies build me a mountain of faith
The devil been trying to get me since I was an infant
But Compared to God he’s impotent
I write God with a capital G
And devil with a lower case d
Which signify his insignificants
He’s no threat he’s more like a pest
And it’s not punishment it’s more like a test
Will your answer be yes?
When he asks, will you serve me when times are hard?
When the sky is gray will you confide in God?
Or will you turn away from him
And leave his family to become satin’s kin
Or better yet how about when life is good
And you feel like your finally living like you should
God answered thee financially
He has blessed you substantially
But when he asks, will you stand with me
What will your answer be?
I guess that’s a question you have to answer with action
The bible says if you want anything from Lord just ask him
And you shall receive
It also says no man will perish that just believes
So I’m at ease
Because I accepted Him as my lord and savior
Sometimes it’s hard to tell but I am saved
Despite my poor behavior
And I know I’m not perfect
God gave his only begotten son for me
So I know that I’m worth it
For me! Jesus passed up his life
It was no picnic either I know you seen The Passion’s of Christ
So you know that he went through exceptional pain
I can’t sit around and let his death be in vain
So I pray to Jesus Christ
That before I leave this life
I lead a life that’s righteous
And leads me to the light
And if I use His teaching right
As I read His chapters
I know that by following God I can lead the masses
Easy access

Connecting Poetry + meaning

2006-03-31T07:23:00.000-08:00

I think I am the second person to post but here is what i wrote in class today(3/31/06)... Donald writes bodily pleasure. In the poem VITAL the author demonstrates, metaphorically, how the body is pleasured or soothed by the subject in the poem. Which is actually poetry. it almost suggests that the writer's needs and indulgences are met at the same time. the writer is pleasured so much so that he/she seems addicted to this form of pleasure. Without it discomfert and disatisfaction arises in them. The writer enjoys this particular pleasure until he/she is fully satified...

Langer and You

2006-03-08T06:30:00.000-08:00

Please post a reflection on one way in which a concept in Suzanne Langer's "The Cultural Importance of Art" reflects, enlightens, or contradicts your own experience. Refer directly to the text, and use a specific reference to your life.

All but the first person to post should comment on one other student's post.

Have fun!
ProfC

Music Art as Thesis Idea

2006-03-03T06:36:00.000-08:00

I was listening to the radio on my way to work and thought of a decent thesis for those interested in using music. I'm a firm believer in what Frank Zappa thinks when he commented to congress in the 80's, "I wrote a song about dental floss but did anyone's teeth get cleaner?" If you don't feel this way, a good thesis would be on how the artistic differences of metal and hard rock can induce negative action. This can be explored through rhythms, subliminal messages, lyrics, and how each caused some effect in individuals. Just an idea.

FYI: links to "art-icles" and related sites

2006-03-02T17:40:00.000-08:00

http://www.alternativemuseum.org/
http://digitalgallery.nypl.org/nypldigital/index.cfm
http://www.southernct.edu/~hochman/Graffitilegend.htm
http://www.southernct.edu/~hochman/Prisongoodforwriting.htm
http://www.southernct.edu/~hochman/Videogamemusicians
http://www.southernct.edu/~hochman/WLAinterviewCHE
http://www.uh.edu/engines/epi1559.htm
http://www.uh.edu/engines/epi1841.htm
http://www.southernct.edu/~hochman/Powerofimagery.htm

The Art

2006-03-02T14:10:00.001-08:00

The Art of these stone sculptures gives the image of protection and has a calm appearance of love that allows the eyes to imagine this is family. I feel just because the art is holding one another does not nessarily mean that this is direct family. It seems at times it is easier to love those that are not directly related to us. But this is art and imagination is in the eye of the beholder.

Packet Response: Golding

2006-03-02T08:42:00.000-08:00

This was interesting for me. While reading this paper, and hearing the bustle of my family in the background, I came to believe in the capacity of grade-one thinking. As a philosophy major, I have come to find that thinking through the eyes of others is never a good thing (Grade-three). When you take others assumptions to be true, without analyzing them yourself, you are just blindly following a possibly destructive path. But just taking notice of this fault does not make you a genuine thinker; nor does showing it to other people in a hurtful and morally-depraving manner (Grade-two). Removing others incorrect followings only makes you grade-two, but it is an important step that has to come along in order to hit grade-one. A great thinker, or a grade-one thinker, is one that can show people that they are following a blind path just as a grade-two thinker would; but instead of just leaving the person out there, questioning everything they ever believed, you formulate what you consider to be an answer to the issue that may satisfy their despair. By thinking about these issues, and creating your own stance on these issues, supported by your devised thoughts, and backed by real world happenings and events, you can sway the masses one at a time to believe you. Not only must you believe that you are correct in your own thinking, but you have to believe that your thinking can be correct for others. That may be a little much, assuming that most people are different from one person to the next, but it is possible for each person to find a common ground in one way or another; and this is where the grade-one thinker makes his comparisons. I also liked the idea that he never tells how he came to the conclusion that he wasn’t thinking. He just left it open so we could figure our own fallacies out on our own. It’s important to know yourself, even more important than knowing other people.

Later.

2006-02-28T05:54:00.000-08:00

Vigeland Park, Oslo, Norway

Art

2006-02-26T14:39:00.000-08:00

Art takes me to another place then the one I stand in and allows me to appreciate the beuaty of each individual piece in it's own authentic way. You can figure the story or stories being told and connect your ideas to the realty in which we live. Art will affect everybody differently weather pscyologically, emotinally, or physically depending on that indivdiuals charteristics. It's all about the imagiation.

Ways of Thinking: Arts and Ideas

2006-02-25T08:35:00.000-08:00

Looking ahead at our next unit: what are the first things that come to your mind when you hear the word "Art" or the words "The Arts"?

Please write a brief paragraph expressing your thoughts, and enter into a dialogue with your classmates on the topic.

Come to class on Monday bristling with artistic ideas!
Cheers,
ProfC

Packet Response: Dewey

2006-02-21T08:05:00.000-08:00

In his pedagogic creed, Dewey has a lot to say on the purpose and meaning of effective education. He claims that education occurs in a social environment, and that any attempt to remove education from these surroundings is futile. Dewey also claims that an emphasis on learning social activities, we become aware of our consciousness. Much unlike Freire, who believed that our consciousness only became aware to us through the use of our own experiences, Dewey held that we are just social beings that learn from what is presented around us; to put it more simply, Dewey thinks that we live in our external conditions and learn from them without them learning from us, and Freire thinks that the growth is mutual between the two. Dewey thinks that by controlling our living conditions, the production of social beings can be increased. An emphasis on the "so-called expressive or constructive activities" (6) is what Dewey alleges will lead to the development of aware members of society. I do not necessarily agree with his thinking, mainly on the point of controlling people through their environment, but he does have some really good thinking on how people learn and are affected by their surroundings.

Later.

Questions from Class...Forgot the Abbreviation

2006-02-16T09:35:00.000-08:00

Well, I guess one of the main focuses of group workshops would be to show people where they are faulty in their writing; faulty in either grammar or in other aspects of writing such as clarity or consistency. It is important for people to recognize the points in which their writing is faulty so that they can make their writing better without the help of other people. Also, using workshops to analyze others papers changes our own views on the subject, allowing us to broaden our sense of the topic in question. Given different interpretation of what the assignment is will give us an important change in perspective of what we need to accomplish through our papers.
I'm sure there are ways to make workshop more effective. One would be to already proofread the papers on our own, so that when we are reading through it, we do not check for grammatical errors. We should not be focused on checking others grammar, but more focused the ideas of their paper and expanding on these ideas for the purpose of clarifying their opinion and message. I just think it is the idea that matters not the way it is conveyed.

Later.

Friere and Dewey

2006-02-11T15:04:00.000-08:00

Several of you posted excellent comments on Paolo Friere's "The Banking Concept of Education." For those who have not yet done so, here is a small section of John Dewey's "My Pedagogic Creed" (part of next week's reading).
"I believe that much of present education fails because it neglects this fundamental principle of the school as a form of community life. It conceives the school as a place where certain information is to be given, where certain lessons are to be ]earned, or where certain habits are to be formed. The value of these is conceived as lying largely in the remote future; the child must do these things for the sake of something else he is to do; they are mere preparation. As a result they do not become a part of the life experience of the child and so are not truly educative."
Imagine a conversation between Friere and Dewey. What points would they share; what would they dispute?
Have fun!
ProfC

Freire Response

2006-02-09T07:32:00.000-08:00

Freire is my kind of thinker. Being largely into philosophy, and the basic questions of life, Paolo really appeals to me more than most people would accept. His way of seeing the world, and his emphasis on the philosophy of education, had me very intrigued in the words of his essay. I loved reading how the world sees education as the autonomous process of creating responders rather than thinkers as being a sufficient way of educating. A person that comes out of schooling with the belief that they do not exist in the world, but merely imposes things on the world without the world imposing back, is a person filled with false beliefs. I like his emphasis on people asking the question, ‘Why?’ because it is important to understand not just what we do, but to understand how it applies to the rest of our lives. Overall, I think that he has the right idea about problem-posing education as an end to the liberation of people. A person needs to have challenges, and these challenges come from thinking, not memorizing facts. If we all were better thinkers, the world would be a much better place.

Later.

If Anyone Cares

2006-02-05T10:47:00.000-08:00

Update: Another post put up, so check it out

I'm not too consistent with the posting, but I do have a blog here that might be of interest to some of you. It's under my profile if you click on my name on the right. Take a look and join in on the ranting if you have a knack for comtemplating difficult subjects.

Later.

An interesting exercise...

2006-02-03T10:30:00.000-08:00

...type "Richard Rodriguez" (use the quotation marks) into the search space at the upper left corner of the main blog page, and click on "search all blogs." Other people are writing about him, too, from a number of persepectives.

Have a great weekend,
ProfC

Rodriguez question

2006-02-02T06:13:00.000-08:00

In case you haven't yet had time to post, the question follows. You can post your responses by clicking on comments at the bottom of this post.

How is Rodriguez’ experience of education and family similar to or different from your own? Write 200-300 words on this topic, supporting your assertion with a (properly-integrated) quote from Rodriguez.

just for fun

2006-02-01T18:52:00.000-08:00

Good job so far, students who have posted!
If anyone would like to look at a blog that's visual as well as verbal, here's my personal one:
http://wordtickets.blogspot.com/
Cheers,
ProfC

Achievement of Desire Questions

2006-01-31T09:35:00.000-08:00

1) In an environment where the parents encourage their children to learn and become educated, how do parents lack the understanding to see that space is needed when trying to comprehend information?

2) Is school taken more serious by people who have trouble affording their education, or does financial status not applicable in matters of schooling?

3) Is lineage the cause of intelligence, or is it rather a drive that people develop, based on their own understanding of who they are and what they want for themselves in the future?

Looking forward to some interesting conversation on these topics,
Later.

Possible Essay Topic

2006-01-31T08:57:00.000-08:00

Education is merely your collection of facts attained by other people, not the attaining of knowledge through your own thought. With this definition, I have come to the conclusion that being educated is mistaken for having knowledge; knowledge attained is not knowledge learned. Just an example of what I mean:

You are told facts in school. These facts are learned, not attained. Equipped with these facts learned, you go out into the world; and from these facts learned, you experience different events that create knowledge that only you have (because only you experience these events YOUR way). This is attained knowledge.

Having attained knowledge is much better than learned knowledge in that it is unique to you. So, education prepares you for ACTUAL learning after you have finished your schooling.

Frames of Mind Mon-Wed

2006-01-30T07:11:00.000-08:00

In response to my own question, since you guys are so interested in it,

I find that having the computer in front of me is the one thing that helps me to write. I know that it's not the best way to go about writing, or the most exact way to make sure that what I am saying is said correctly, but the ability to type my thoughts faster than I can write my thoughts is a great tool when it comes to drafting papers. Not being a fan of pre-writing, and knowing that it is an important step in the writing process, I want to draw on my ideas as fast as they come to my head; being experienced with a computer keyboard helps me to expel my thoughts straight from my mind to the screen, watching my ideas form themselves (at least in essence).

Keep up with the comments people, I'm likin what I hear,
Later.

p.s.Can you guys tell me what you think of computers and how they affect our lives day to day...it's not an assignment, just a request. Thanx a lot.

3 questions for 112-55

2006-01-29T15:33:00.000-08:00

I am not really sure if this is the spot where i am suposed to be entering my blog information, but my three questions for the first reading that we did are as follows

1. why did they put so much emphisas on proof reading when normally computers now have spell check built into them

2. Is the idea web a necessity when writing a paper

3. Are there guidlines as to when to use more research and less personal info

Welcome, students!

2006-01-22T11:04:00.000-08:00

Welcome to English 112-55 at Southern. This blog will be a space in which you can share your reflections on, and questions about, the assigned readings for our class. You'll also use this space to respond to your classmates' thoughts on the same readings.

Working as a team will help all of us use our skills and knowledge better. As Dr. Martin Luther King wrote from the Birmingham jail, "We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly."

I look forward to working together to extend the boundaries of our learning.

Cheers,
Prof. Church