I finally found a place that I like being at in Cleveland. I am at Common Grounds in Farview Park. In highschool, my friends and I used to come here because it was a chill place to smoke cigarettes. Last time I was here some guy (nerd) tried to get fresh with me by talking to me about Murakami. Then he started talking to me about Japanese (language). He obviously didn't know what he was talking about, but he continued to try to make an opinion up for himself. I found that to be one of the worst traits of a Literary Studies Major while I was at Beloit College. In fact, the interior of this place has changed suits many times. Holey and scrapped walls worse than a dorm room, then non - ghetto graffitti, and now...black walls, a door full of photographs at the bar, a few video-game like paintings, paintings of orbs, a head on some examination table, and of course the jukebox. The best part. If you don't pay to play, someone else will, and usually good music is played. 1/2 classic songs: Kurt Cobain, The Doors, No Doubt and half new songs; songs I haven't heard of before. There is a quote on the wall that says, "the radio plays my favorite song, but the feelings are all wrong." This quote comes from someone named Bill. It is Bill's poem, which is painted upon a board, that also has a tatoo like scull face. Oh hell, I am going to go ahead and record the poem here. it goes:
GONE SO LONG FEELS SO WRONG
Driving down
go
leaving a rusty
city behind me
the orange
Glow the skylines
on my eyes
And i'm Dreaming
of the Day we get
away
you Don't foget My name.
and the feelings are the
same
faces of my friends passing by
faDed like the colors of the sky
when it came down to
do or die
you left me high and dry
Street lights are now turning on
reminds me of just how far
that I've gone
The radio plays my favorite song
But the feelings are all wrong.
My first inclination is to say, shitty rhyme scheme...and so on, but I really like the way this guy just threw his poem up on the wall for all to see. And that last couplet: is awesome, I think.
Here comes a guy through here with army pants-he ain't no Chris-my CutiePIE
Monday, May 28, 2007
Thursday, March 22, 2007
the libation ceremony-
when I attended the Soul Food dinner- there was listed on
the program "libation ceremony."
I had only heard this word used in one other context, and
that was in an inviation to get drinks at the bar.
A ways into the evening, the libation ceremony began.
Phylis began by saying that the ceremony had African roots and was in remembrance of the past. During the ceremony, we were to recall the
when I attended the Soul Food dinner- there was listed on
the program "libation ceremony."
I had only heard this word used in one other context, and
that was in an inviation to get drinks at the bar.
A ways into the evening, the libation ceremony began.
Phylis began by saying that the ceremony had African roots and was in remembrance of the past. During the ceremony, we were to recall the
Monday, March 19, 2007
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
today i visited the theater arts dept and discovered that Mallats Pharmacy in Madison carries skin altering makeup- mehron and Ben Nye.
I will search for closer places- but these were reccommended to me.
I still haven't heard back form Jacki Ludlowese about booking the Halles Gallery for my project. As an alternative, I am looking at the Java joint or parts of the library as other possible locations. Perhaps the write but.... no one really goes over there.
I heard that Bills class had the halles during graduation- I am a littlwe bunbed- bu that just goes to show you that the early bird gets the worm.
Also ventured down to united first methodist church (VOTING site) to find out where they get their booths from. Apparently city hall drops them off to the voting station. Tomorrow I will call to inquire about the voting booths. I would like to use them fir the music part of my project.They were closed by the time I got to calling today.
I also need to look at buying the 2 Live crew album. I think that I will put out a campus email- maybe bill will send it out for me so I can locate these cds and not have to buy it- becauise I don not like the music anyway.
Thinking madonna for the comparison, but still keeping my options open-trying to explore more popular 90s music. also thinking Nirvan's "rape me" as a possible contender, but I know that that song received some criticsm and limited airplay.
I will search for closer places- but these were reccommended to me.
I still haven't heard back form Jacki Ludlowese about booking the Halles Gallery for my project. As an alternative, I am looking at the Java joint or parts of the library as other possible locations. Perhaps the write but.... no one really goes over there.
I heard that Bills class had the halles during graduation- I am a littlwe bunbed- bu that just goes to show you that the early bird gets the worm.
Also ventured down to united first methodist church (VOTING site) to find out where they get their booths from. Apparently city hall drops them off to the voting station. Tomorrow I will call to inquire about the voting booths. I would like to use them fir the music part of my project.They were closed by the time I got to calling today.
I also need to look at buying the 2 Live crew album. I think that I will put out a campus email- maybe bill will send it out for me so I can locate these cds and not have to buy it- becauise I don not like the music anyway.
Thinking madonna for the comparison, but still keeping my options open-trying to explore more popular 90s music. also thinking Nirvan's "rape me" as a possible contender, but I know that that song received some criticsm and limited airplay.
Wednesday, March 7, 2007
Sunday, March 4, 2007
"nigger" by randal kennedy
"Nigger"
along with
"why do black people use the n-word"
along with a few other "referencial" materials will be assembled between two wire book ends to create the effect of a library bookshelf. I want the piece to feel bookish.
Somethin I find interesting is when a black student told me that they didn;t like answering questions about being black.
I think that this phenomenon attests to two things-a lot of white people at Beloit didn;t go to school around black people, and people don;t like speaking as a race, so they wil refer to books instead. I was told that I should read more books - after asking questions rather frequently.
This interested me because i do not think that books are as authentic as people's read world experiences. With "Black Like Me" I felt that the book seemed too fictional to me, despite the fact that it was supposed to be a documentary. it seemed to dryly written to make the character's , scene's tensions, and life become vivid, and too personal to be a documentary. So I guess that that is the true fashion of a documentary. People believe they are true based on the style and not so much on the content. there is blair witch, and that other really bazar documentar, oh yeah, louis bunel.
It seems so strange to me to ask someone for their personal experience and then be refered to books. Maybe they do not understand that I want to educate myself by talking to others.
Some black students will say that books have failed then-because they are not represented in the Euro-centric literature. do they think that they are always represented how they would want to be in literature.
I think that I will ask to host a discussion at BSU about black people represented in Literature.
I will bring in my little borrowed library to show them.
along with
"why do black people use the n-word"
along with a few other "referencial" materials will be assembled between two wire book ends to create the effect of a library bookshelf. I want the piece to feel bookish.
Somethin I find interesting is when a black student told me that they didn;t like answering questions about being black.
I think that this phenomenon attests to two things-a lot of white people at Beloit didn;t go to school around black people, and people don;t like speaking as a race, so they wil refer to books instead. I was told that I should read more books - after asking questions rather frequently.
This interested me because i do not think that books are as authentic as people's read world experiences. With "Black Like Me" I felt that the book seemed too fictional to me, despite the fact that it was supposed to be a documentary. it seemed to dryly written to make the character's , scene's tensions, and life become vivid, and too personal to be a documentary. So I guess that that is the true fashion of a documentary. People believe they are true based on the style and not so much on the content. there is blair witch, and that other really bazar documentar, oh yeah, louis bunel.
It seems so strange to me to ask someone for their personal experience and then be refered to books. Maybe they do not understand that I want to educate myself by talking to others.
Some black students will say that books have failed then-because they are not represented in the Euro-centric literature. do they think that they are always represented how they would want to be in literature.
I think that I will ask to host a discussion at BSU about black people represented in Literature.
I will bring in my little borrowed library to show them.
afrocentric schooling
The recent talk by Raton was the second time I heard him speak.
What was most striking to me was his rhetoric. One of my friends called it nationalist.
he said that he found it hard to believe that it was an African identity Raton was selling because there are so many nations of Africa how can one have an identity that encompases all.
his school works, because students go- but I think that-after seeing him speak twice- his rhetoric is used to acculturate people into this very strick mind set.
In this video- I will have a loop that will play a portion of his speeh. certains words will be repeated and relooped subtly to draw attention to the repition and tone of his rhetoric and the effect it creates.
What was most striking to me was his rhetoric. One of my friends called it nationalist.
he said that he found it hard to believe that it was an African identity Raton was selling because there are so many nations of Africa how can one have an identity that encompases all.
his school works, because students go- but I think that-after seeing him speak twice- his rhetoric is used to acculturate people into this very strick mind set.
In this video- I will have a loop that will play a portion of his speeh. certains words will be repeated and relooped subtly to draw attention to the repition and tone of his rhetoric and the effect it creates.
drugs
Beloit and Beloit college
who are the criminals?
who are these individuals punished for their behavior: usage of drugs alcohol-violence-cheating-poor performance?
how to represent this one? I am not sure yet
who are the criminals?
who are these individuals punished for their behavior: usage of drugs alcohol-violence-cheating-poor performance?
how to represent this one? I am not sure yet
2 live crew
Need 2 live crew cd, maddonna cd from 1990 or about that time.
Need two walkmans with headphones
If you dont know about this trial you should find out. In 1990 2 live crew's album bad as they wanna be was banned in Florida. demographics of the city 80% white 20%-black. Henry Louis gates Junior argues essentially for a cultural difference between white and black music. signifyin(g).
Need two walkmans with headphones
If you dont know about this trial you should find out. In 1990 2 live crew's album bad as they wanna be was banned in Florida. demographics of the city 80% white 20%-black. Henry Louis gates Junior argues essentially for a cultural difference between white and black music. signifyin(g).
"Black LIke Me"
Read "Black Like Me"
after talking with my mom, it was decided that it would not be the best idea to travel to Mississippi and then New Orleans by my self. I wanted to visit some of the places that Griffin did in his journey through the South in 1954 as a dark skinned man. Ya see, griffin changed the color of his skin from light to dark with the help of medication. At any rate. For this represnetation, I would like to get a foam head that people can smear black paint onto . Or just some sort of large head or several heads of some sort.
I should do a symposium.I have been too much likewhats his name, that one that thinks too much and his dad was kind but then uncle steps in and he wasts too much time thinking about what he is going to do than actually doing it... this semester.
after talking with my mom, it was decided that it would not be the best idea to travel to Mississippi and then New Orleans by my self. I wanted to visit some of the places that Griffin did in his journey through the South in 1954 as a dark skinned man. Ya see, griffin changed the color of his skin from light to dark with the help of medication. At any rate. For this represnetation, I would like to get a foam head that people can smear black paint onto . Or just some sort of large head or several heads of some sort.
I should do a symposium.I have been too much likewhats his name, that one that thinks too much and his dad was kind but then uncle steps in and he wasts too much time thinking about what he is going to do than actually doing it... this semester.
Saturday, March 3, 2007
ClassroomExercises
as a follow up to this exhibit I hope to have a discussion with my students about racism. I mean, candice's bM students. I would like to have them draw out a picture of what racism is. The discussion will come first though.
Discussion:
Remember talking about Crooks in "Of Mice and Men?"
-he had the dictionary and 1916 law code
-he was a realistic man
-what was his job like (stable buck)
do you think that some characters were racist towards Crooks?
do you think that some characters were racist towards the other white characters?
do these things still happen today?
How so?
Call CAndace tomorrow and shoot for friday for this.
Get note cards. crayons
Call Mrs Zelner
cost: $6.00
Discussion:
Remember talking about Crooks in "Of Mice and Men?"
-he had the dictionary and 1916 law code
-he was a realistic man
-what was his job like (stable buck)
do you think that some characters were racist towards Crooks?
do you think that some characters were racist towards the other white characters?
do these things still happen today?
How so?
Call CAndace tomorrow and shoot for friday for this.
Get note cards. crayons
Call Mrs Zelner
cost: $6.00
Thursday, March 1, 2007
ok. i feel like i am done collecting research at this point.
The project I have decided to pursue is going to be called the "re-education" of Rachel Novak. It is going to be a Halles Gallery exhibit, which will contain several artifacts, at least 6, no more than 10 that represent my process of learning about blackness and whitness- in general-things that I really didnt learn about until I came to college.
Part personal part informational, each exhibit will be catalogued (that is where the 35 pages of writing come in).
The exhibit is going to be multimedia- I want to be able to run video, have free standing pictures or paintings, papers with music.
The ultimate point of the exhibit is to educate others, and to allow them to interact with the pieces. Perhaps there will be an opportunity to create ones own pieces to leave in the exhibit.
i do not know if hales gallery will be a big enough place for the exhibit. nor do I know how to go about finding a bunch of tvs that could stay in place for two or three days.
I am going to make the rounds today to talk with people at the wright museum of art, and also at pearsons to look at my options. I have an A.V appt at 1:00.
I realized this idea last night when I attended the word as performance event. the event was a hodgepodge of this classes experiences,or realizations about their roles in civil rights movements, or living in the south, or attending beloit memorial and coming to college as a person representing beloit. There were others, but the one about being from beloit struck a cord with me. the three individuals that gave the performance are all from beloit. Since teaching in the school, i feel that I have really gotten to know the community throught the students that i intercted with every day. they really taught me about beloit.
I hope to conduct some interviews at the highschool over break, since I will be free and here, and they will be in session too.
I will interview candace link based off of a sheet she filled out about beloit memorial highschool.
I would also like to have the students make some sort of thing that represents their feelings or thought about the city they live in. This is up to cadace though.
Right now, these are my ideas for exhibits.
@ 2 Live Crew Obsenity trial
@teaching in the community
@ some poetry I had written
@ word as performance
@presentation of certian books i have read
@interactions with student unions: BSU and another group that meets on fridays
@blyden delaney afro centric school
that is where I am at right now.
Favorably, i would like to have a gallery space in the wright. I held that art opening there, so maybe she will be up for this.
Today is the day I shall find out.
The project I have decided to pursue is going to be called the "re-education" of Rachel Novak. It is going to be a Halles Gallery exhibit, which will contain several artifacts, at least 6, no more than 10 that represent my process of learning about blackness and whitness- in general-things that I really didnt learn about until I came to college.
Part personal part informational, each exhibit will be catalogued (that is where the 35 pages of writing come in).
The exhibit is going to be multimedia- I want to be able to run video, have free standing pictures or paintings, papers with music.
The ultimate point of the exhibit is to educate others, and to allow them to interact with the pieces. Perhaps there will be an opportunity to create ones own pieces to leave in the exhibit.
i do not know if hales gallery will be a big enough place for the exhibit. nor do I know how to go about finding a bunch of tvs that could stay in place for two or three days.
I am going to make the rounds today to talk with people at the wright museum of art, and also at pearsons to look at my options. I have an A.V appt at 1:00.
I realized this idea last night when I attended the word as performance event. the event was a hodgepodge of this classes experiences,or realizations about their roles in civil rights movements, or living in the south, or attending beloit memorial and coming to college as a person representing beloit. There were others, but the one about being from beloit struck a cord with me. the three individuals that gave the performance are all from beloit. Since teaching in the school, i feel that I have really gotten to know the community throught the students that i intercted with every day. they really taught me about beloit.
I hope to conduct some interviews at the highschool over break, since I will be free and here, and they will be in session too.
I will interview candace link based off of a sheet she filled out about beloit memorial highschool.
I would also like to have the students make some sort of thing that represents their feelings or thought about the city they live in. This is up to cadace though.
Right now, these are my ideas for exhibits.
@ 2 Live Crew Obsenity trial
@teaching in the community
@ some poetry I had written
@ word as performance
@presentation of certian books i have read
@interactions with student unions: BSU and another group that meets on fridays
@blyden delaney afro centric school
that is where I am at right now.
Favorably, i would like to have a gallery space in the wright. I held that art opening there, so maybe she will be up for this.
Today is the day I shall find out.
Sunday, February 18, 2007
right now this blog should be called "thoughts of a stressed out scholar" I am about 76 pages in to the novel. Several of people I asked knew the novel, maybe 2.3 had read it. Still interested in doing the semi circle activity.
This activity
Reading "Black LIke Me". I got this book from Michael Merry, along with three others. This book is in a narrative form. Very gripping. John Howard Griffin has turned himself black for his novel.He experiences intense fear after his transformation, and also begins to feel as if he can not sit as an equal in another white person's presence. Likewise. He reveals his inital skin color to two other people, his friends at the shoe shine stand. I do not remember their names, which could be a sign of intital character underdevelopment. Griffin assures that ... This maybe be potential ...
I also ordered a book at the library called "Ten Little Niggers." By Agatha christie.
I wonder what part of me is really compelling this project. Realizing the suckiness of partitioning time.
Trying to make poems ryhme.
This activity
Reading "Black LIke Me". I got this book from Michael Merry, along with three others. This book is in a narrative form. Very gripping. John Howard Griffin has turned himself black for his novel.He experiences intense fear after his transformation, and also begins to feel as if he can not sit as an equal in another white person's presence. Likewise. He reveals his inital skin color to two other people, his friends at the shoe shine stand. I do not remember their names, which could be a sign of intital character underdevelopment. Griffin assures that ... This maybe be potential ...
I also ordered a book at the library called "Ten Little Niggers." By Agatha christie.
I wonder what part of me is really compelling this project. Realizing the suckiness of partitioning time.
Trying to make poems ryhme.
Thursday, February 8, 2007
http://www.channel3000.com/news/10132893/detail.html
Funeral Marks The End Of The Negative Word
POSTED: 7:51 pm CDT October 22, 2006
UPDATED: 8:08 pm CDT October 22, 2006
BELOIT, Wis. -- In a somber and meaningful ceremony on Saturday the N-word was laid to rest.
The word has been considered both derogatory and controversial over its lifetime. Which is why a Beloit group made a big statement about the word in a day-long funeral celebration.
It's a word that originated during times of slavery, meant by its creators to bring an entire race of people onto a level that justified them as servants to a higher class.
"We're really trying to say to young people this is not a term of endearment," said Wanda Sloan, Co-Chair of the Black Star Project in Beloit. The group developed the idea to literally bury the word and all the negativity that comes with it.
"We want to symbolize that whole history that we've gone through and to say, look where we are today and this is how we should think of ourselves," said Sloan. "On a much higher plan than as derogatory as not being able to use our God given names."
Supporters gathered at high noon, a time when many slaves historically were hung and heard the word as the last thing before their death, to discuss why it has persisted. Young people like some Madison East students in attendance said they know it's something their generation has embraced in things like rap music and hip-hop culture.
"There's so much negativity associated with the N-word, we just feel like it's time to make a change," said East junior Maya Williams. "It's been around for a while and we just want to set an example for our peers."
"Slaves have died for the word to stop it, and by us bringing it back up it's not doing anything," said junior Makayla Allen.
"The term is meaningless in reality, but it has become a useful word for those who help perpetrate the negative stereotypes of Africans worldwide," said Black Star Project member Tasha Bell.
While organizers of the rally and funeral know their efforts are only a small step, they hope it will make others think before using the word.
"The word is horrendous, this is something that's being done, so if anybody says something to you, at least you can look around and say you made a difference today," said Black Star Project member Emmett Riddle.
The word was actually laid to rest in East Lawn Cemetery in Beloit, with a casket containing a mirror, which organizers said was meant for all in attendance to reflect on the negativity inside them, as well as cards with words each person contributed.
taken form channel 3000 news
Funeral Marks The End Of The Negative Word
POSTED: 7:51 pm CDT October 22, 2006
UPDATED: 8:08 pm CDT October 22, 2006
BELOIT, Wis. -- In a somber and meaningful ceremony on Saturday the N-word was laid to rest.
The word has been considered both derogatory and controversial over its lifetime. Which is why a Beloit group made a big statement about the word in a day-long funeral celebration.
It's a word that originated during times of slavery, meant by its creators to bring an entire race of people onto a level that justified them as servants to a higher class.
"We're really trying to say to young people this is not a term of endearment," said Wanda Sloan, Co-Chair of the Black Star Project in Beloit. The group developed the idea to literally bury the word and all the negativity that comes with it.
"We want to symbolize that whole history that we've gone through and to say, look where we are today and this is how we should think of ourselves," said Sloan. "On a much higher plan than as derogatory as not being able to use our God given names."
Supporters gathered at high noon, a time when many slaves historically were hung and heard the word as the last thing before their death, to discuss why it has persisted. Young people like some Madison East students in attendance said they know it's something their generation has embraced in things like rap music and hip-hop culture.
"There's so much negativity associated with the N-word, we just feel like it's time to make a change," said East junior Maya Williams. "It's been around for a while and we just want to set an example for our peers."
"Slaves have died for the word to stop it, and by us bringing it back up it's not doing anything," said junior Makayla Allen.
"The term is meaningless in reality, but it has become a useful word for those who help perpetrate the negative stereotypes of Africans worldwide," said Black Star Project member Tasha Bell.
While organizers of the rally and funeral know their efforts are only a small step, they hope it will make others think before using the word.
"The word is horrendous, this is something that's being done, so if anybody says something to you, at least you can look around and say you made a difference today," said Black Star Project member Emmett Riddle.
The word was actually laid to rest in East Lawn Cemetery in Beloit, with a casket containing a mirror, which organizers said was meant for all in attendance to reflect on the negativity inside them, as well as cards with words each person contributed.
taken form channel 3000 news
My Big Projects: As apart of BHM and my senior thesis I am
researching the n-
word. I want to go to a BSU meeting and ask that we have a
discussion about this
topic. I asked Jasmine Nears to give me the contact info
for their advisor that
wrote the poem-"nigga" because she had mentioned that she
led a group of
highschoolers in a discussion of those words. So I will ask
her for assistance.
After I go to BSU with the discussion, I would like to
invite BSU to participate in a
larger fishbowl discussion with other students. I think
that the fishbowl technique
will be highly relevant because the word causes people to
react and act and
respond vividly. I think that the fishbowl will also allow
the observers to
demonstrate that the tensions or feelings behind this word
are palpable and visible
when being discussed. I think that this event will be an
important step in the
dialogue that William Berry spearheaded with his newspaper
article a semester ago.
I would want to have the fishbowl someplace that is intimate
and yet structured,
perhaps the MCC would be a good place. I also like the way
that it is on the res
side, which is closer to home life.
I would like to record the event; my professor is going to
let me borrow his video
camera...I am not sure if it will be uncomfortable for
people to hAVE T that playing,
or if they will be able to let it slide into the backgroud.
I would want to have the
discussion last for maybe 45 minutes, an hour, and then have
some time to
process over snacks. So I will need to go to belcon or
somewhere for money for
this event. I think that I should make people as
comfortable as possible in their
environment so that theyu can be more open.
I am waiting back on Jasmine at this point to get the ball
rolling.
researching the n-
word. I want to go to a BSU meeting and ask that we have a
discussion about this
topic. I asked Jasmine Nears to give me the contact info
for their advisor that
wrote the poem-"nigga" because she had mentioned that she
led a group of
highschoolers in a discussion of those words. So I will ask
her for assistance.
After I go to BSU with the discussion, I would like to
invite BSU to participate in a
larger fishbowl discussion with other students. I think
that the fishbowl technique
will be highly relevant because the word causes people to
react and act and
respond vividly. I think that the fishbowl will also allow
the observers to
demonstrate that the tensions or feelings behind this word
are palpable and visible
when being discussed. I think that this event will be an
important step in the
dialogue that William Berry spearheaded with his newspaper
article a semester ago.
I would want to have the fishbowl someplace that is intimate
and yet structured,
perhaps the MCC would be a good place. I also like the way
that it is on the res
side, which is closer to home life.
I would like to record the event; my professor is going to
let me borrow his video
camera...I am not sure if it will be uncomfortable for
people to hAVE T that playing,
or if they will be able to let it slide into the backgroud.
I would want to have the
discussion last for maybe 45 minutes, an hour, and then have
some time to
process over snacks. So I will need to go to belcon or
somewhere for money for
this event. I think that I should make people as
comfortable as possible in their
environment so that theyu can be more open.
I am waiting back on Jasmine at this point to get the ball
rolling.
Tuesday, January 30, 2007
began reading "Nigger" by Randall Kennedy
and tried out for "Angels in America"
it has been quite a day...
Today at lunch I started to use the word gay as a synonym for other words, like chair, or coffee, or other things.
Such as, "Wow! This gay that I'm sitting on is really comfortable, and also geeez, this gay is way to hot to drink now.
I used this tactic throughout a conversation that I had with my friend that constantly uses the word gay to mean to mean bad. At the end of the conversation I couldn't stop laughing because i was sounding so absurd to myself; my friend was very confused.
I noticed that Randall, though his book is titled "Nigger" and is supposed to be about the word, that he uses many synonyms for the word nigger, such as negro, black, and others. This is interesting to me because he seems to weave them in and out of the text so inconspicuously. He writes once, "a candid portrayal of the n-word..." and then in another passage, "for some observers, the only legitamate use of the word nigger (nigger being italicized but i couldnt figure out how to do that.)" He seems to shift the way her refers to his topic so gracefully and without a trace that it really seems to demonstrate the way the word has so many shades of meaning. He has also choosen to being the book with some case examples, and also some infromation on how the word nigger was used in politics, by politicians, in laws, and then how laws began to form up around these instances. I am really enjoying the way this book is organized. It is a very tough read, if I allow my heart to be in it. I try to take my heart and put it somewhere else why I am reading this book. But that is not always easy,
and tried out for "Angels in America"
it has been quite a day...
Today at lunch I started to use the word gay as a synonym for other words, like chair, or coffee, or other things.
Such as, "Wow! This gay that I'm sitting on is really comfortable, and also geeez, this gay is way to hot to drink now.
I used this tactic throughout a conversation that I had with my friend that constantly uses the word gay to mean to mean bad. At the end of the conversation I couldn't stop laughing because i was sounding so absurd to myself; my friend was very confused.
I noticed that Randall, though his book is titled "Nigger" and is supposed to be about the word, that he uses many synonyms for the word nigger, such as negro, black, and others. This is interesting to me because he seems to weave them in and out of the text so inconspicuously. He writes once, "a candid portrayal of the n-word..." and then in another passage, "for some observers, the only legitamate use of the word nigger (nigger being italicized but i couldnt figure out how to do that.)" He seems to shift the way her refers to his topic so gracefully and without a trace that it really seems to demonstrate the way the word has so many shades of meaning. He has also choosen to being the book with some case examples, and also some infromation on how the word nigger was used in politics, by politicians, in laws, and then how laws began to form up around these instances. I am really enjoying the way this book is organized. It is a very tough read, if I allow my heart to be in it. I try to take my heart and put it somewhere else why I am reading this book. But that is not always easy,
Sunday, January 28, 2007
today I found a facebook.com group about the use of the word "gay" as a synonym for stupid.
http://beloit.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2205049197&ref=mf
It is easy to feel the amount of frustration behind the creation of this site. The site contains two inital obligatory warnings:
"PLEASE NOTE: Topics posted on the discussion board that are intended to just tell us about how "effing gay" we are will be deleted as soon as possible. So don't waste your time and ours. In addition to your inane topic being deleted, you will be both banned and reported. You have been warned. Thanks."
"FOR THE HATERS: The Bible is not an end-all, be-all argument. If you have a genuine point to make, make it, but please don't simply write "This and that is a sin because Chapter Whatever Verse Blah Blah Blah says it is." Argue logically, not childishly."
I fel that these two warnings highlight the divergent group interpretations of this phenomenon: one group of jokers, and the other of those that truely have hate or disdain for gay people.
It seems that this group anticipates a large amount of resistance from these two groups. The way a person talks is apart of their identity. Therefore they feel that they are personally being criticiszed whenever someone challenges their use of this word. People also live by their beliefs, and perhaps find it necessary or fun to express them whenever they have the chance. The warning addressed to the"haters" is very interesting because it anticipates a biblical argument, which the moderator considers childish. I think that it is also notable that the moderator says to argue "logically, not childishly." The moderator is in this statement assuming that this word does not have as strong meaning for those groups that believe the religious argument, as it may those that are gay.
The moderator then presents a nice grammatical argument, which is as follows:
gay /geɪ/ adjective, -er, -est, noun, adverb
–adjective
1. having or showing a merry, lively mood: gay spirits; gay music.
2. bright or showy: gay colors; gay ornaments.
3. given to or abounding in social or other pleasures: a gay social season.
4. licentious; dissipated; wanton: The baron is a gay old rogue with an eye for the ladies.
5. homosexual.
6. of, indicating, or supporting homosexual interests or issues: a gay organization.
–noun
7. a homosexual person, esp. a male.
–adverb
8. in a gay manner.
Synonyms: alert, animate, animated, blithe, blithesome, bouncy, brash, carefree, cheerful, cheery, chipper*, chirpy, confident, convivial, devil-may-care*, festive, forward, frivolous, frolicsome, fun-loving, gamesome, glad, gleeful, hilarious, insouciant, jocund, jolly, jovial, joyful, joyous, keen, light-hearted, lively, merry, mirthful, playful, pleasure-seeking, presuming, pushy, rollicking, self-assertive, sparkling, spirited, sportive, sprightly, sunny, vivacious, wild, zippy
Every facebook group is allowed to upload a picture for its group. This group as uploaded a rainbow flag with the title "Hate Free Zone" on it. This moderator must believe that there is hate behind this new usage of the word "gay" as a synonym for stupid if they have uploaded the picture. However, their argument is based on grammatical evidence. Those that the moderator warns against probably believe that the word "gay" is signified to mean stupid only, and those that believe the religious argument probably believe that the word gay is meant to mean gay, as in a homosexual.
There are 16 group moderators in total, and one moderator that created the site. All of the moderators appear to be highschool students, which i think is really neat. None of their profiles are viewable to be because of privacy settings. I can only read their name, school, and year in school.
The site has another disclaimer that the discussion board has been shut down due to hateful posts. As a researcher, I wish that this wasn;t that case, and I wish that I could get a glimpse of thises hateful posts, but alas they have been deleted, or so the site claims.
There are about 397 topic discussions total, each with their own set of responses. I plan to slowly go through them.
Right now I am about to begin the book "nigger: the strange career of a troublesome word" by Randall Kennedy. I feel that these two sources will inform eachother nicely.
I am particularly interested in the ways that words get their meaning and shift meaning over time.
In the early 90's rap group 2 live crew's album "bad as they wanna be" was banned because of explicit lyrics. Supporters of the group made the distinction betwee the act of signifying and signifyin'. The first being refering to the mode of meaning giving practiced by the dominant group, and the later, the form of meaning giving practiced by black americans, which favors tropes, hyperbole, and loud talking. Thr group was supported heavily by Henry Louis Gates Jr- linguist, academic, professor, and criticised heavily by the 80% white population in florida at the time. Ultimately Gates was trying to say that which Wittgenstein said many years before, and that is that words get their meanings through use. family resemblance words: look the same, mean different things, are very common, especially between different cultural groups living within close proximity to one another....
(breakfast time..making pancakes...2BCont...)
http://beloit.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2205049197&ref=mf
It is easy to feel the amount of frustration behind the creation of this site. The site contains two inital obligatory warnings:
"PLEASE NOTE: Topics posted on the discussion board that are intended to just tell us about how "effing gay" we are will be deleted as soon as possible. So don't waste your time and ours. In addition to your inane topic being deleted, you will be both banned and reported. You have been warned. Thanks."
"FOR THE HATERS: The Bible is not an end-all, be-all argument. If you have a genuine point to make, make it, but please don't simply write "This and that is a sin because Chapter Whatever Verse Blah Blah Blah says it is." Argue logically, not childishly."
I fel that these two warnings highlight the divergent group interpretations of this phenomenon: one group of jokers, and the other of those that truely have hate or disdain for gay people.
It seems that this group anticipates a large amount of resistance from these two groups. The way a person talks is apart of their identity. Therefore they feel that they are personally being criticiszed whenever someone challenges their use of this word. People also live by their beliefs, and perhaps find it necessary or fun to express them whenever they have the chance. The warning addressed to the"haters" is very interesting because it anticipates a biblical argument, which the moderator considers childish. I think that it is also notable that the moderator says to argue "logically, not childishly." The moderator is in this statement assuming that this word does not have as strong meaning for those groups that believe the religious argument, as it may those that are gay.
The moderator then presents a nice grammatical argument, which is as follows:
gay /geɪ/ adjective, -er, -est, noun, adverb
–adjective
1. having or showing a merry, lively mood: gay spirits; gay music.
2. bright or showy: gay colors; gay ornaments.
3. given to or abounding in social or other pleasures: a gay social season.
4. licentious; dissipated; wanton: The baron is a gay old rogue with an eye for the ladies.
5. homosexual.
6. of, indicating, or supporting homosexual interests or issues: a gay organization.
–noun
7. a homosexual person, esp. a male.
–adverb
8. in a gay manner.
Synonyms: alert, animate, animated, blithe, blithesome, bouncy, brash, carefree, cheerful, cheery, chipper*, chirpy, confident, convivial, devil-may-care*, festive, forward, frivolous, frolicsome, fun-loving, gamesome, glad, gleeful, hilarious, insouciant, jocund, jolly, jovial, joyful, joyous, keen, light-hearted, lively, merry, mirthful, playful, pleasure-seeking, presuming, pushy, rollicking, self-assertive, sparkling, spirited, sportive, sprightly, sunny, vivacious, wild, zippy
Every facebook group is allowed to upload a picture for its group. This group as uploaded a rainbow flag with the title "Hate Free Zone" on it. This moderator must believe that there is hate behind this new usage of the word "gay" as a synonym for stupid if they have uploaded the picture. However, their argument is based on grammatical evidence. Those that the moderator warns against probably believe that the word "gay" is signified to mean stupid only, and those that believe the religious argument probably believe that the word gay is meant to mean gay, as in a homosexual.
There are 16 group moderators in total, and one moderator that created the site. All of the moderators appear to be highschool students, which i think is really neat. None of their profiles are viewable to be because of privacy settings. I can only read their name, school, and year in school.
The site has another disclaimer that the discussion board has been shut down due to hateful posts. As a researcher, I wish that this wasn;t that case, and I wish that I could get a glimpse of thises hateful posts, but alas they have been deleted, or so the site claims.
There are about 397 topic discussions total, each with their own set of responses. I plan to slowly go through them.
Right now I am about to begin the book "nigger: the strange career of a troublesome word" by Randall Kennedy. I feel that these two sources will inform eachother nicely.
I am particularly interested in the ways that words get their meaning and shift meaning over time.
In the early 90's rap group 2 live crew's album "bad as they wanna be" was banned because of explicit lyrics. Supporters of the group made the distinction betwee the act of signifying and signifyin'. The first being refering to the mode of meaning giving practiced by the dominant group, and the later, the form of meaning giving practiced by black americans, which favors tropes, hyperbole, and loud talking. Thr group was supported heavily by Henry Louis Gates Jr- linguist, academic, professor, and criticised heavily by the 80% white population in florida at the time. Ultimately Gates was trying to say that which Wittgenstein said many years before, and that is that words get their meanings through use. family resemblance words: look the same, mean different things, are very common, especially between different cultural groups living within close proximity to one another....
(breakfast time..making pancakes...2BCont...)
Saturday, January 27, 2007
have you ever thought about the difference between,
"that's gay" in response to something no sequitor in casual conversation
and "you're a fag" (as a synonym for you're silly)
or
"I hate homosexuals"
I have. I am becoming increasingly more aware of the way that hate words have been transformed to serve many different uses by many different groups. I noticed that one of my friends, who always uses the word "gay" to mean"stupid" or well you know...has spread the word to his immediate friend group. Now they are all saying it. Everything that is not good is now called gay. it sounds ridiculous hearing some of them say it. I believe that there isn;t any hate behind the use of this word. it seems to have taken on a new signified meaning in this group. Even some of my gay friends use this word to refer to something that is "dumb" or "stupid" is it being too p.c. to call people out for this use of the word? is there hate behind it?
What about the word...nigger?
"that's gay" in response to something no sequitor in casual conversation
and "you're a fag" (as a synonym for you're silly)
or
"I hate homosexuals"
I have. I am becoming increasingly more aware of the way that hate words have been transformed to serve many different uses by many different groups. I noticed that one of my friends, who always uses the word "gay" to mean"stupid" or well you know...has spread the word to his immediate friend group. Now they are all saying it. Everything that is not good is now called gay. it sounds ridiculous hearing some of them say it. I believe that there isn;t any hate behind the use of this word. it seems to have taken on a new signified meaning in this group. Even some of my gay friends use this word to refer to something that is "dumb" or "stupid" is it being too p.c. to call people out for this use of the word? is there hate behind it?
What about the word...nigger?
Friday, January 26, 2007
Thursday, January 25, 2007
bilingual brain
http://www.cnn.com/TECH/9801/23/t_t/bilingual.brain/
Wow! I learned something crazy today! So, at this website I listed above i read that children who learn a 2nd language at a young age use the same place in their brain to proccess both languages. However, for those that learned a 2nd language in high school, college, or later, two separate parts of the brain are used to proccess the language.
In developmental psychology I learned that different neural connections exist within an individual's brain during different developmental stages. There are in fact some connections that only exist before puberty, and then disappear.
Wow! I learned something crazy today! So, at this website I listed above i read that children who learn a 2nd language at a young age use the same place in their brain to proccess both languages. However, for those that learned a 2nd language in high school, college, or later, two separate parts of the brain are used to proccess the language.
In developmental psychology I learned that different neural connections exist within an individual's brain during different developmental stages. There are in fact some connections that only exist before puberty, and then disappear.
Notes
Some things to find out:
Language and the brain.
Teachers and t.a.s that will let me film or at least observe their class.
Language Field Notes-
Beloit College: English frequently spoken in the class. The teacher does not reprimand students for speaking English. Conversations don’t usually occur in the L2, but rather only drilling instead. I have personally had more success with immersion, but it was also a lot more painful.
CLS: Immersions style program. English is not encouraged; actually it is frowned upon.
Today I plan to reserve a camera and begin to approach some select teachers about filming language classes.
Also Reading:
Fieldwork Reading and Writing Research-Bonnie Stone Suntein and Elizabeth Chiseri-Strater Bedford/St.Martin : Boston 2002
Introducing Foreign Language Acquisition-Muriel Saville Troike Cambridge:Cambridge 2006
Help yourself field notes. Nathan J. Edwards.
Four tutors were there. One student, Christian appeared. She needed help with Algebra 2, though none of the tutors knew how to do it. Mary knew some math, and so she told Christian that she would take a look at the book. She fiddled around with it for a while, but still could not figure out the formulas. The student stayed for another 35 minutes trying to figure it out; she said that she would ultimately get help from her teacher again the next morning. Before Christian left, Mary asked her to come back Wednesday after the test and to also bring the formulas. Had I decided to interact more, I wonder if I could have worked with the student successfully. Though I didn’t know Math, but I felt that I had some experience drawing information out of people. Or helping them to put it all together through questioning.
I work for the tutoring program, though I decided to sort of hang back on my first day to develop a sense of what goes on. Of the five people that were in the room, not counting myself, only two interacted with the student. Mary looked at her homework, occasionally checked in with her progress, and so on. The supervisor seemed to have a personal relationship with the student, and as a matter of fact she offered to take her home after the session. I recall meeting the supervisor upon her first semester at Beloit, which couldn’t have been more than a semester of two ago. We talked about transportation for students. Apparently no busses run to and from either the middle or high schools; only available for the elementary schools. City busses stop running at about 6:00pm. This has been effective for the last 2-3 years. Students find it difficult to find rides home in order to stay after school and get help, which they need.
Nathan came in late, after everyone had left. He had been in a meeting. He seemed very grateful that I was volunteering for the position. He gave me a ew procedural notes and thanked me, a bunch more times. He said that he was very grateful to have someone with prior experience helping out. Mary seemed to really care, the other tutors seemed very aloof; I could see why he was happy.
Language and the brain.
Teachers and t.a.s that will let me film or at least observe their class.
Language Field Notes-
Beloit College: English frequently spoken in the class. The teacher does not reprimand students for speaking English. Conversations don’t usually occur in the L2, but rather only drilling instead. I have personally had more success with immersion, but it was also a lot more painful.
CLS: Immersions style program. English is not encouraged; actually it is frowned upon.
Today I plan to reserve a camera and begin to approach some select teachers about filming language classes.
Also Reading:
Fieldwork Reading and Writing Research-Bonnie Stone Suntein and Elizabeth Chiseri-Strater Bedford/St.Martin : Boston 2002
Introducing Foreign Language Acquisition-Muriel Saville Troike Cambridge:Cambridge 2006
Help yourself field notes. Nathan J. Edwards.
Four tutors were there. One student, Christian appeared. She needed help with Algebra 2, though none of the tutors knew how to do it. Mary knew some math, and so she told Christian that she would take a look at the book. She fiddled around with it for a while, but still could not figure out the formulas. The student stayed for another 35 minutes trying to figure it out; she said that she would ultimately get help from her teacher again the next morning. Before Christian left, Mary asked her to come back Wednesday after the test and to also bring the formulas. Had I decided to interact more, I wonder if I could have worked with the student successfully. Though I didn’t know Math, but I felt that I had some experience drawing information out of people. Or helping them to put it all together through questioning.
I work for the tutoring program, though I decided to sort of hang back on my first day to develop a sense of what goes on. Of the five people that were in the room, not counting myself, only two interacted with the student. Mary looked at her homework, occasionally checked in with her progress, and so on. The supervisor seemed to have a personal relationship with the student, and as a matter of fact she offered to take her home after the session. I recall meeting the supervisor upon her first semester at Beloit, which couldn’t have been more than a semester of two ago. We talked about transportation for students. Apparently no busses run to and from either the middle or high schools; only available for the elementary schools. City busses stop running at about 6:00pm. This has been effective for the last 2-3 years. Students find it difficult to find rides home in order to stay after school and get help, which they need.
Nathan came in late, after everyone had left. He had been in a meeting. He seemed very grateful that I was volunteering for the position. He gave me a ew procedural notes and thanked me, a bunch more times. He said that he was very grateful to have someone with prior experience helping out. Mary seemed to really care, the other tutors seemed very aloof; I could see why he was happy.
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