Elaine Fowler

english final

2005-05-10T13:52:00.000-07:00

it is a rough draft - forgive the mistakes i have yet to fix.

Live As a Person of Integrity
When writing a research paper, students need to consult credible resources. If the resources are not credible, the student can get into a lot of trouble for lying or misinforming his or her audience. People themselves need to be credible resources that others can trust as researchers trust their credible resources. Everyone has an audience and how an individual lives demonstrates if he or she is credible. A person should live a life full of integrity.
In its simplicity, integrity weaves three words together: honesty, respect and kindness. All three of these are required to live as a person of integrity. All three of these traits encompass a multitude of elements. Many of them have correlations with upbringing and culture. The complexity of each scares many away because it takes lifetimes for one to gain a close to accurate understanding and many times people do not reach this state of wisdom. It is a hard road to trek, but despite the difficulties, one must to live a full and true life.
A more comprehensible way to understand such a magnanimous state of being is best illustrated by examples. The reason why environment is important in discussing this issue is due to the role models and examples people have had along their journey of life. It is very difficult to begin to understand what a person of integrity is, without any example of any of the components it consists of.
Atticus Finch, a character in To Kill a Mockingbird, is a good example of a character that tries to live a life of integrity. Throughout the book, Atticus, lives according to the law, is honest, kind and respectful to everyone he encounters. He teaches his children what it is to be kind and respectful when Scout has trouble with classmates and their employer’s son. Atticus has his children watch the trial to show them that dishonesty is wrong and that one should be kind and respect all people regardless of their skin color. It is because of Atticus’s wise teachings that Scout matures and learns that gaining integrity is far more superior than fitting into the town’s standards. She lives this out with her relationship to Boo Radley and her love for those who are not white like she is.
Sometimes people get frustrated with fictitious characters that appear to have obtained an unachievable state during a real person’s lifetime. Regarding integrity, there have been real people who have lived as pillars of integrity. A real person who has accomplished this is Martin Luther King Jr. In his “Letter from a Birmingham Jail” he pleads for white people to live honestly, to be respectful and kind to all people including blacks. He points out the injustice done to black people in the United States and says that they cannot stay silent any longer. In his letter, he himself is respectful but calls out on the injustice done to himself, his family and his brothers in this struggle.
Martin Luther King Jr. had an audience that ranged from those who loved him, hated him, ignored him and listened to him. He spoke to those he knew his message would impact and this was the whole world. Everyone no matter how “insignificant” or how “important” has an audience. Many times the fact the each person has an audience is forgotten, but everyone has interactions with different people and anything done or said can impact those whom one has come into contact with in some shape or form. People need to know and be aware of the constant audience surrounding them and realize that their integrity or lack thereof affects these people in some fashion. As writer always takes into account his or her audience, so should a person always strive to be an individual who lives by rules of integrity.
It is interesting how technology has widened the range of audience an average person might have. The latest craze of Blogging has swept the internet away into the diaries and journals of millions that have countless amounts of readers. People do not even know how many readers they are not acquainted with the intricacies of their lives. This can be positive or negative. A person of integrity, no matter what will have a positive influence on those who he or she comes into contact with. If he or she had a larger audience, it could have the potential of helping more people understand what it means to be someone of integrity. Blogging is an excellent way to spread and promote integrity to people around the world. Bloggers write about a variety of things and integrity should be at the center.
Pop-culture does not seem to promote living a life of integrity by any means. The stars are always dishonest, TV characters and many singers are not very kind and respect is just a word people like to label themselves to symbolize the acquired power money can bring. Looking at pop-culture can be discouraging to those who find upholding integrity valuable, but society should not let pop-culture sweep nobility of integrity into a black hole. Bloggers who find this to be an important issue, should raise awareness in the virtual world that draws real people into its sources. Many college courses have found ways to promote values to young children by going to schools in the vicinity and tutoring.
Belmont University has done so, by sending students to Carter-Lawrence Elementary School. The college students had the opportunity to teach young children by example and by incorporating lessons into material they worked with. Children look up to cool college students, maybe even more than they do to pop-culture’s enticing stars. This is a good outlet and has shown to spread the idea that living as a person of integrity is noble and cherished.
“…Community singing is another sure-fire way to lift the spirits. Yarn spinning is also highly recommended…” is a phrase from To Kill A Mockingbird. It means that doing activities with the community and with other people by working together is a great way to get things done and have a positive influence on those whom one comes into contact with. This is the way to influence others and change what is going on. Martin Luther King Jr. worked with others and within his community to make a difference and this is what everybody should do.
It does not matter where a person is in life or in location that should restrain him or her from living the way he or she should. One of the fingers pointed for the cause of school shootings was directed at the alienation in the suburbs. This is no excuse for the students who shot classmates to have done what they did and to have lived without respecting and being kind to their classmates. It should not matter if a person is young or old, in a city or in a desert. Integrity should be upheld not matter what. Some circumstances might make it harder to live by, but life can be like that and part of integrity is doing what a person should no matter what the circumstance.
No matter what goes on in one’s life or how difficult life becomes, one should never give up on live the life of a person of integrity. In To Kill A Mockingbird, Tom Robinson is man of integrity. He lives honestly, is kind and respectful no matter what his circumstances are. He lives a difficult life as a black man and gets into even more hardships when he is accused of raping a woman. He was honest, kind and respectful no matter what his circumstance and remained so till the end, but his spirit gave up when he was accused due to the racism of the town. People of integrity should live their life full of kindness, honesty and respect, but should never give up even at the end of the rope.
One is able to understand what integrity is and how a person can try to live with it in a variety of situations and difficulties by the many examples of fictitious characters like Tom and Atticus as well as historical figures such as Martin Luther King Jr. Everybody has an audience he or she needs to live with integrity for no matter what the situation and pop-cultures rearing to the opposite direction. As a writer looks to credible resources, may others look to us as people of integrity.

May 1st!

2005-05-01T18:08:00.000-07:00

My sister came today and we moved into our new house. I'm really excited because now I have a home in the States, so now I truly live here. My friend from high school came and helped move some stuff. The only thing we couldn't get was my great grandmother's couch because it was so heavy and it was only him and us two girls. I felt kindof bad, because even though I've been lifting all year, I'm not that strong. My sister who's smaller than me can lift a whole lot (she also throws the javelin and wins every time). I'm just happy there's somewhere to be. My mom comes in for my sister's graduation the 15th, so I get to be with them for a couple days before I go study in Italy for a month. If anyone has nothing to do this summer, feel free to chill in Turkey, you definetly have a place to stay.

Answer to #2

2005-04-24T22:10:00.000-07:00

I'm not sure if I blogged about this before, but the divisions in churches is something that I have felt strongly about for a long time. I think divisions in churches begins with people's world views. One of the most impressive breakdown of worldview's I have ever read or studied were Sire's 7 questions that really help understand what - in the core, most simple breakdown - people differentiate on different issues. A person walking in a church many times chooses by the style of music whether they want to stay (not all, but most people I have encountered here do). I hate that, but I have to take into account that a person's worldview is what affects how people sing and worship - if people are not united on the core issues there's a problem. These problems and differences affect eveything in a person's life even down to the music. Though this is true, most people don't think of what htey truly believe themselves, so all they can rely on to find a church to go to are superficial things like a style of preaching or the volume or beat of the music. Church's are everywhere, this is because of differences, but because there are so many it promotes for there to be more division. If someone doesn't like something, there's always another church down the street (this might only be the case in Nashville - forgive me). Aren't we skepltical of those huge church's? DOn't we wonder if it's a huge scam before we think of how wonderful it is that so many people come together. Where I grew up there was only one church for protestants. No matter how much I hated some things said, I went and united with others that were very different. Church's here are more like giant cliques. I have been so negative about this division, that lately I have been trying to be more positive. There are positive things, but I hate seeing people that are all the same in one place (I feel way too many times that Belmont is like this - they are all the same - it's not true, but it seems like it many times) and I really hurt inside when I feel that people don't love others as much or aren't willing to learn more and integrate more than a nod walking by. It hurts to see that.

Morals in To Kill A Mockingbird

2005-04-19T12:16:00.000-07:00

The question of good and evil is a theme weaved throughout the book, to Kill A Mockingbird. Not judging someone by what others say, but rather for who they are and their morals is important and this is what Scout learns with her neighbors. Atticus being a lawyer is significant because he knows the law through and through. He is the one who is teaching the children what is right and wrong even if it is contrary to popular belief. Atticus has a responsability not only as a father but as someone who represents the law to teach and have his children be moral examples to others. Scout is a student in the process of learning morality by everyone around her whether it is to show her what she shouldn't do or what to do. She's not only a student, she teaches others by breakiong down some of their social norms that really aren't that moral or ethically correct. The only justification for her to do this is her innnocence and not really knowing if it is a social norm.

Celebrate the Sun

2005-04-12T18:13:00.000-07:00

I hope everyone has a wonderfull week. It can get pretty stressful at school, but don't forget to be with friends and spend quality time with other people. Doing this keeps a person healthy. Go outside and celebrate the sun!

honesty

2005-04-11T17:19:00.000-07:00

I am writing my paper on honesty. Specifically cheating in class. Have any of you ever cheated in class? How did you feel? My sister was once caught cheating. I don't know how my parents dealt with it. Obviously they were very private about it because I don't know how it ended. I never got caught. I cheated on a bible final. That was the last time I cheated. After that I stopped. The whole idea makes me sick. I think I might focus on how parents react to their kids when caught cheating or if they react when they know their kid is cheating but hasn't got caught. Any thoughts on cheating? If so please respond.

the best of the best

2005-04-11T17:04:00.000-07:00

I talked to many people about the "best of the best" that was held on Belmont's campus this past Saturday, April 9. I was personally not impressed at all with the winners of the writers showcase. I felt like they catered too much to the audience. It was as if the audience didn't have to interact with the music and the lyrics were such that no one had to really think. I was just dissapointed because the lyrics were shallow and the music was redundant. They all were tallented, had beautifull voices, but I felt that they didn't push themselves hard to look to challenge themselves or the audience. Hopefully the winners next year won't be full of cliches and there will be more interaction with thought.

cheating and morals in school

2005-04-05T18:33:00.000-07:00

Ethics in school

problem- kids cheat too much and part of it is because ethics and
morals aren't taught enough if at all in middle and high
schools in the US

solution- a possible solution is to really teach children why it's wrong to
cheat, teach the importance and value of morals in a corrupt
world

opposition- people say the problem ins't morals, even if morals are taught
kids will cheat because it's easy.

Some poetry I like

2005-04-02T18:19:00.000-08:00

To see the world in a grain of sand
And heaven in a wild flower
To hold infinity in the palm of your hand
And eternity in an hour

--Blake

There are Men Too Gentle to Live Among Wolves - by James Kavanaugh

There are men too gentle to live among wolves
Who prey upon them with IBM eyes
And sell their hearts and guts for martinis at noon.
There are men to gentle for a savage world
Who dream instead of snow and children and Halloween
And wonder if the leaves will change their color soon.

There are men to gentle to live among wolves
Who anoint them for burial with greedy claws
And murder them for a merchant's profit and gain.
There are men to gentle for a corporate world
Who dream instead of Easter eggs and fragrant grass
And pause to hear the distant whistle of a train.

There are men to gentle too live amount wolves
Who devour them with appetite and search
For other men to prey upon and such their childhood dry.
There are men to gentle for an accountant's world
Who dream instead of Easter eggs and fragrant grass
And search for beauty in the mystery of the sky.

There are men to gentle too live among wolves
Who toss them like a lost and wounded dove
Such gentle men are lonely in a merchant's world
Unless they have a gentle one to love.

Steve Lee

2005-03-28T18:38:00.000-08:00

For all of you who went home this easter break missed a great show. Friday night Steve played at Bongo Java. I think he understands what we've been talking about as a class. The songs he sings are songs that really help the community. If anyone grew up listening to that jamming canadian kids singer, Rafi, Steve Lee is the man for you. His songs emphasize sharing, anger managment, imagination, happiness... it was wonderful. Next time he plays make sure you go, it would be a good field trip for our class.

refugee service

2005-03-24T18:17:00.000-08:00

Guys! I just found out that there is a community service tyoe thing for refugees in the area. I think they meet at a library but am not quite sure. I found this out and got excited cause it sound like something fun to do next year. I know it's only February and it's a little far off, but think about it. They said that Belmont students came in to help and ended up being tutored in subjects like science and math, so it's a two way deal. I kindof want to learn arabic, but who knows.

group project Media's influence on growing up fast

2005-03-23T22:27:00.000-08:00

MY PROBLEM - kids try to grow up too fast and violence on TV promotes these ideas and it is not healthy

OTHER'S MIGHT SAY - it's not TV's fault, it's the parents, it wears off, it's a good outlet...

POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS - shows that promote a healthy lifestyle, friendly shows, less TV watching

School

2005-03-22T17:53:00.000-08:00

It's hard to focus on school sometimes... I really like to have times where I do nothing. Once I get to points like that, I can't handle it though - like when I was at my uncle's house. Focus is the key though. Rachael left for another school and so I only have one buddy. I'm kindof sad because I didn't know about it sooner to say goodbye. Well, one thing I've learned from moving around is that saying goodbyes can be an extra hassle and many times it's better not to say it at all.

Carter Lawrence

2005-03-21T12:55:00.000-08:00

Does anybody know who Carter Lawrence was? I've been wondering this and cannot find him on the internet. Is he a local hero?
Please respond if you have this information, because I feel it is my duty to know to be a better part of my community.

He leaves soon!

2005-03-18T18:50:00.000-08:00

What do I do? Allen leaves in a couple of days now. I don't know when I'll see him next. But, I'll live. His aunt and uncle came to visit. They will be here until Saturday. We went to a bookstore and then to Provence. Provence was impressive. I felt like I was in Europe for a little while. It is different, but it's close - the food is deffinetely better. If you have a chance, go check it out.

group papers

2005-03-16T18:30:00.000-08:00

problem- kids growing up too fast and are attracted to violence
because of mEDIA

Solution- pEOPLE should promote better shows that display affection,
friendship...they can have shows that show how some people
gangs want to get out and how others have... if there's
something violent, change parents need to the channel

OPposition - people tend to say it's the parents fault, they aren't
attentive - which can be true, but TV does have a
responsability

Sunday with the kids

2005-03-15T15:46:00.000-08:00

A couple days ago, me and Allen were with my cousins in Franklin. It was my little cousin, Mclean's birthday. It was a ton of fun. She had a tie die party. The invitations, cups, plates, cake.. were all tie die patterened. Allen played with the kids all day and I helped with the tie dying. I loved it, I've had 3-4 shirts I've been waiting to tie die since september!

Allen came yesterday!!!!!!!!!!

2005-03-12T20:52:00.000-08:00

Allen is my boyfriend. I had a crush on his friend Derek when I was 13, this was a major factor in me wanting to go to boarding school. When I got there I met Derek's friends, but didn't hang out with them much and had a fight with Derek - ending our friendship for a while. The next year, I somehow became really good friends with Allen and his friend, Efi one evening while our dorm was over at their dorm for pizza. We had a long philosophical conversation and were all 3 best friends ever since. Allen left the next year to pursue art and music in America. Efi stayed the next and then graduated a year earlier than I did. Well, to make a long sotry short, Efi fell in love with me and Allen never told me his feelings - I never had a crush on either of them untill this last summer and I didn't say anything for months... I went to visit ALlen in OCtober and we've been dating ever since. He lives in Boston. He goes to a music school - Berklee School of Music and is majoring in jazz composition. So, I'm really happy he's here to see me for 9 days! This will be the longest time we've spent together since I was a Sophmore in highschool.

Fishing!

2005-03-10T22:35:00.000-08:00

Well we left and went to a friends house to spend the night. We left Knoxville and on the way back called another friend in Cookville. We stayed there that night and this morning went fishing. We used some new technique and caught 5 small mouth bass. It was so sososososossoooo cold. At least none of us fell into the water. It was so much fun. I was nervous to go fishing because the last time I had gone, I was 6 years old. I threw the line back and when I tried to bring it forward, it wouldn't come and I heard my mom yelling. I looked back and the hook was caught in my little brother's knee cap. I felt to bad it was hard for me to go fishing again.

what do we do??????????

2005-03-08T13:30:00.000-08:00

Wow! We're stuck in this huge house with everything we could ask for. There's a movie theatre in the basement a huge bar full of candy bars and snacks... But we're bored out of our minds! What do people do when they live at home?me and Caylin are the types who like to go outside and do things all the time. This afternoon we'll go on a run and tonight we're eating out.... I think it's cause i usually get everything done in the morning. I 've read some, but I can't do that anymore. I'm reading the Ilyad in turkish, it's kindof hard and I haven't been able to get into it.

Spring break

2005-03-07T23:22:00.000-08:00

I am on a road trip with Caylin now. We drove to Nashville to see my mom's uncle. Boy, does he have stories to tell... He was on the US B-ball Olympic team who won gold and is all of these different hall of fames. His older brother was on the NBA when it first started and is considered to be in the top 10 bball players that ever lived (he was even asked if he wanted to be in motion pictures and has a whole set of childrens books with the character modelled after him - he didn;t know it at the time). It was really fun t olisten to all the stories, cause he has a room filled with trophies, memorabilia, pictures and he's friends with tons of famous people. It's fun, exept when he starts to talk about politics. He's someone who perfectly fits the older, conservative, republican box. Drives me nuts! But hey, I love him to death... it's just that I lean more socialist than his mold.

DO little kids understand racism?

2005-03-05T12:30:00.000-08:00

My little buddy and I have tons of fun everytime we have Fun Company. This last time we had a little boy join us because his buddy did not show up. He mentioned my buddy's last name, but she was embarassed because it is a foreign African name and she thinks it sounds funny. I told her she shouldn't because it's really neat and unique. The other buddy - let's call him #2 - agreed and mentioned his own which is South American.
Because of MArtin Luther King week the classes had been talking about slavery and racism. The problem, I believe for little kids is understanding linear history, because some don't get it. To my horror #2 asked her if her parents were slaves. He didn't mean it in a bad, condecending way at all, but her feelings were hurt. I told her he he didn't know it would hurt her feelings, he said sorry. This brings up many questions - to be asked and answered at another time

rules environment- animals happy?

2005-03-01T13:14:00.000-08:00

WHen Pi is on the boat he creates structure for himself. Does this make him happy? It certainly gives him some sort of purpose, but wouldn't he be better off in his natural environment? That's what I think of for the animals. We put them in zoos and claim that thier lives are just as structrured in the wild, but this is an instinctive reaction to live no matter how much you hate it. In the SHoah, the people who gave up with the structure died (unless killed), and if an animal didn't put rules and regulations on itself it would vannish.........

Life of Pi

2005-03-01T13:13:00.000-08:00

I don't know if I can completely agree with Pi about the zoo. He says that what we think of freedom isn't really what it is and in the context talks of how animals have their own territories in zoos and out. I agree with him that sometimes we don't understand what freedom is, but as he suggests - sometimes is true, sometimes not - true freedom cannot be handed over. Historically people have faught for different kinds of freedoms handed down to the next generations, but these fights never end. Each person has to fight for some sort of freedom to truly be a "free" person. Likewise, his analogy with the animals, yes- their territories in the wild were handed down but they had to fight for what they got, in the zoo it's implied that it's all handed to the animal. To me making their original "freedom" smaller can also be a crime, he says that territories are bigger due to necessity, but when food is handed a larger territory to roam in afterwards is even more necessary - or won't the animal get fat or starve itself like the people of today?
I liked what Hally said about handing a person a house with all that's needed but never letting the person leave the "handed territory"

Meet at Sewanee

2005-02-26T21:03:00.000-08:00

I just had a meet at Sewanee. It was so much fun. I got to meet some of my team-mate's family members and friends and I also met some people who went to school with some of my friends from high school, so I wrote some notes for them to bring back. I feel that people have a need to be a member somewhere. In sports, you're always practicing with the same people and together face the same types of obsticles. As a team we all talk about hte problems of our day, love trouble... we just vent and it's OK. Our track team in particular doesn't hang out that much outside of practice, I kindof like it that way and we all know how much we care about eachother without hafting to prove it all the time.

Chelsea and Rachael 2

2005-02-24T18:13:00.000-08:00

Well, today Rachael and Chelsea read some books and did homework. Math is a little harder for Rachael because she likes to concentrate and have the area be quiet. Chelsea... sometimes I wonder when exageration is too much. Maybe she doesn't exagerate or lie, but I wonder sometimes. She goes on and on about how her dad is a bazillionaire and how her buys her all the toys in the world. I don't really care, but i wonder if i should say something sometimes. I want to let her know I trust her so that she feels comfortable to talk. Oh well.

Columbine

2005-02-24T12:03:00.000-08:00

Darrell Scott views that the key thing that's missing causing all of these shootings is the absence of God. He said that NRA, media was not to blame, but then he wrote a poem condemning schools in general for “stripping away our heritage”, banning prayer… he also goes on to say that we do not need more religion. I agree with a lot of this. We don’t need more rules, religion, prayer shouldn’t be outlawed, but heritage is like religion. I almost see it as the same thing. It appealed to emotion, but was not strongly convincing.

To Jeff Stark I would ask him what it takes to change the world. We first need to change ourselves to be able to move onto something of a greater scale and at the same time be effective. He implies that one has to be “different” to not be dangerous???
But his main point is that there needs to be a center. This I can readily agree with. He also slightly shuns racism as the main reason for the killings, yes they were after the lone African-American, but he said that if it was a part of the motive it would be reassuring because that’s combatable. He admits it’s not understandable, this I can identify with, and he does not point fingers, which I appreciate. He didn’t try to put up a big elaborate argument, but wrote about his identification with the town, school, situation. I appreciated this the most.

White Denial- why are people still so prejudiced? I don’t think the police should necessarily have “profile killers”, anyone can commit atrocious things anytime for ununderstandable reasons. People do tend to think, I can’t understand why, that blacks are more dangerous. DO they really think that or do African-Americans as a whole think people think that? If the FBI did have a profile for blond outcast students won’t that just be another stereotype? I couldn’t relate very much with this, therefore could not understand it as much, because I never grew up with it.

interesting news

2005-02-22T12:06:00.000-08:00

PRAGUE, Czech Republic (AP) -- A 51-year-old woman has been hospitalized in the Czech Republic after eating a chicken her son seasoned with marijuana, the news agency CTK reported Monday.
Her 20 year old son might be charged with up to 5 years for illegal posession.

Also-
SOmeone in the states dug up and stole someones swimming pool with all its equipment recently

they might pass a law in Honolulu that bans eating dogs and cats.

Chelsea + Racheal

2005-02-17T17:08:00.000-08:00

today we drew pictures pf animals and made paper planes. We've done this everyday in fun company, but the kids never get tired of it. Racheal likes to brag a lot. I figure this is normal for kids that age. I'm sure she's been told not to, that it's not appropriate, because everytime she's about to, she starts "I don't mean to brag... but I'm the best reader in the school and am my teacher's assistant..." what she says is probably true, because Chealsea always agrees and tells me even more of Rachael's abilities. Why do we teach kids not to brag. Is it because we don't want other kids to have infiriority complex's? There is good pride and bad. I think it's bad when a person relies only on him or herself, but good when the person aknowledges hard work and others.

jefferson

2005-02-13T18:07:00.000-08:00

I never wrote this, but I thought i'd write my opinion on one of our first reading asignments. I liked Jeffersons essay on citizenship, because he thought it through very well and it must have taken him a long time to come up with a set list of achievements. I respect him, because he tried to live by these no matter how unattainable they seemed. We should all write lists every once in a while and stick to them, it might take us to unexpected places.

citizenship

2005-02-13T18:05:00.000-08:00

I was watching something on tv and it had to do with citizenship. It was an interview with Jamie Fox. He was talking about how he grew up and how he was poor but not really poor because everyone in the community looked out for eachother and made sure that each child got an education. That is a major part of citizenship, being a big family.

carter lawrence

2005-02-13T18:03:00.000-08:00

today, Rachael was sick. Chelsea and I made some valentines cards and drew some pictures i might use for my citizenship paper. We always have a ton of fun, because Chelsea is really energetic and every thursday we end up making paper airplanes that don't fly. What fun!

A class assignment

2005-02-08T12:36:00.000-08:00

“Thought is activism
Discussion is activism
Education is activism
Every bit as much as licking stamps is campaign headquarters”
The soul of a citizen

What is critical literacy?
Being able to read something and be literate by have meaningful, important thoughts on it. Able to critique, think deeply, question a piece of literature. It is important when people read a piece to engage with the piece, by questioning and thinking through the author’s message. Agreeing with Walt Whitman, zombie reading does not profit the reader as much as it would if the reader considered it an exercise. Each thing read, should provoke critical thought. When people start to dismiss critical thinking on simple things that are viewed and read, society loses educational, social wealth. Literature is something to be engaged with. If someone does not question that, there is nothing experienced and life becomes bland.
The last thing I read that I disagreed with was a book assigned by my art professor (Ways of Seeing). In it the author dismisses reproductions of art as works that do not profit anybody. I agree with him to an extent. After reproductions are made, the original is still a work of art, but the reproduction is not. It is not original; it is not the artist’s. In my class before this, I realized that even though some pieces are reproductions, a viewer may be able to extract a significant amount of meaning form it.

Why are you in college?
I want to help people. I was tempted to work with Mercy Ships in Africa, but realized that I would be of more help to people if I studied medicine. College was something always assumed in my family, it is important for everyone to get an education no matter what the cost. It is valued for the education, experience, security concerning jobs, sports. Personally, I want to be able to learn as much as I can about art (what I love to do the most) and about health and medicine (this way I can support myself and help others physically). I want to be able to go back to Africa and help the people by being a nurse.

Education is the practice of freedom? What do you see as the connection in between education and freedom?
Sometimes education is binding, but it brings freedom more than anything. It is more freeing getting a job. One can get a preferred job rather than something unenjoyable. Education is an opportunity for travel. People who have an education can teach other places, are more likely to be able to move from poorer countries to more prosperous ones. Education gives offspring the freedom to know that their education will be valued. It has to do mostly with economic, family, and personal freedom than other categories. Most countries that enjoy what westerners believe to be freedom are what westerners consider to be “highly educated”.

What is citizenship?
Citizenship is personal. It involves willingness to communicate with others, helping those around us, respecting other’s rights to live and caring for the environment surrounding us for our sake, the sake of those close to us and for the sake of future generations.

Has anyone read this book?

2005-02-02T18:15:00.000-08:00

If any of you get a chance read this book: "Celebrate the Sun"
I think it's written by James Kavanaugh. His poems are really good too. Make sure to read it, it might calm you down if you're stressed.

free writing

2005-02-01T13:16:00.000-08:00

Should we force respect? Or should we start from the root and teach respect as something that should be desired. Should people choose what they want to respect? Do I really hate Bush? I certainly don’t like him. He’s idiotic and has only lived to be president, like Patrick Barton. Are they redeemable? Idiots. Yes I agree with cartoonists, Bush is like a monkey. IN art we talked about countries remembering history, Bush ignores it in unhealthy pride. As a citizen I should respect. It’s hard. Do journalists want to find the truth? Do they try to make money; if they go “too far” is it the truth isn’t it good if it is? I want to know what goes on, when government censors they “rewrite” it and people are brainwashed. What would our country be? If that happened they’d probably take away our jury. People complain about seeing bad stuff. That's the truth, the world really isn't as great as what you have in your living room. DOes it make you feel bad that you have more? DO you feel guilty?

Elaine Fowler

2005-02-01T12:08:00.000-08:00

this is shorter.

Pot legalization

2005-02-01T10:29:00.000-08:00

WHat do you guys think about pot being illegal? IS it wierd to you?
You know, there's a magazine in the Netherlands that is trying to raise subscription levels and to do this, they gave away 2 free pot seeds per magazine. SOme stores have taken the seeds out before they sold them and some stores have removed the magazine from their stands. Do you believe that the stores had the right to do this? Would have been wrong if they didn't? Should people react? To stop drug abuse do people need to have laws or should the focus be more in informing of harm and letting people decide for theselves?
The Netherlands is notorious for their support for marijuana even though it is technically not legal to have in posession.
Any thoughts?

My sister, Sarah's dilemma

2005-02-01T09:59:00.000-08:00

What should I do? What can I do? My sister's heart is getting broken by those closest to her and I'm not there for her to cry on. There's not much I can do other than listen, which is good, but I'm a "do.er".
She never becomes interested and involved with guys unless they are really really worth it. She'll think about it a long time and then decide if it's healthy and good for her to like a fellow. She usually looks for specific qualities.
Well, there was a certain boy that she had seen from afar and really wanted to meet. She finally met him soon afterwards and had told her roommate about him and how much she liked him... He's a philosopher. This- she likes. Everyone in our family likes to go into philosphy and discuss intricate issues of life.
Well, her roommate made an effort to meet him also. Her roommate's name is Christina- she's beautiful, fun, has an awsome personality, plays v-ball with Sarah, grew up in Korea, taught with Sarah in Korea. They are both are best friends and we all happen to be distantly related.
She had been going out with this other guy very seriously for a year and a half and recently broke up with him.
When Sarah came down, I was in the midst of finishing my apple pie. SHe came up to me and said :
-Elaine, I'm so angry, I'm just so angry it's making me sick and don't know what to do.
I was surprised. Sarah, be angry? She told me the story of the guy and the difficulty with her roommate. I had never seen her so hurt before and if I have, it has been a while because I don't remember it. Christina's her best friend and she is trying to steal her man. He's not really Sarah's, but all Sarah wanted was a chance. Christina is a person who needs attention and flirts a lot. Who can resist someone who is really cool, is fun, interested and flirtatious? Sarah even told her she was angry, she has always shared everything with Christina and now all she asked for was a chance and told her that she would have given Christina a chance if she asked. CHristina's response:
- Sarah, you're just a nice person.
Translating: I'm not and I'm going to take him no matter what, even if it hurts you forever.
Sarah came down to see me, what does Christina do? SHe hangs out with him all weekend.
There was still more that Sarah said about her frustration and how she didn't and wouldn't ever want something like a boy to affect her friendship with Christina negatively. Christina doesn't seem to care. It just made me sad.
But if he really is that great of a guy, will he look past the flirtacious advances? Will he see Sarah's inner beauty and kindness and her desire to love and help others? I think so. I just hope he's that kind of a guy.

Swing dancing

2005-02-01T09:45:00.000-08:00

On Saturday, Charles, a guy who graduated from boarding school with my sister - he now goes to Tennessee Tech, came and took me to R.E.I. so that I could use my gift certificate. Poor guy. ALl these girls call him 24/7, they are so leachy and needy and just use him because he is so so nice and never wants to hurt them or make them feel bad. So, when they call him at 4am, he'll listen to all their stupid problems that really aren't real problems (the only problem is them - that's so cruel of me to say... but that's how it seems). To me, they are cruel because they make him think that he is important to them, but they would trash him in a second if they felt like it. Afterwards, I he dropped me off at my old RA's house. There, I made apple pie and waited for my sister to call me. She told me the night before that she'd drive down. She came and she took a nap, while me and Liz (my xRA) fixed dinner. WHen we were through, we went swing dancing with some more friends - most of them are Vanderbilt graduate students. It took a while to figure out where we were going, but we found the building downtown. It's a church. We paid $7 to get in. PArticipated in the intermediate class and at the end, everyone from the beginners to the harder classes went down to this big gym where there was a band playing and everyone of all ages danced together. I went daincing twice at the clubs and was sort of dissapointed. I like classy dancing (the 1st time I went was awsome, we had come back from the greek festival and went to the 2nd floor of Grand Central where there weren't many people and danced to old disco music). The 2nd time I went, it seemed like everyone was partipating in a very grossly displayed mating ritual - I know it's not like that all the time and it's a lot of fun sometimes, but depends on your mood and who you're with.
It was so much fun swing dancing, at first I was sort of self concious, because i was wearing really high heels, because i never went back to the dorm to change, but it was even more fun. We danced with a lot of older men that had come with their wives. i have to say, they knew a lot more of what they were doing than a lot of the younger guys. I think they have it everyother Saturday at 7:30 pm.

dreams

2005-01-26T21:03:00.000-08:00

What to people here, my age really think about dreams.
What do they mean? Where do they come from? Were many or all of Freud's assumptions right? Can you see the future? Do you? Do many have to do with solving problems currently being faced?

I personally think that a lot of what Freud said is a load of crap. I can say in all honesty, that I am not in love with my dad or mother and don't complex about it. I think Freud just thought everyone else faced the same problems he faced when he fell in love with his stepmom who was about his age - maybe even younger.
I have had dreams that I specifically remember having and they have come true. Is this coincidence? Were they a message? Were they significantly important? They weren't really important. One was of a championship volleyball game I was playing in my dream in a gym I had never seen, with odd people. I remembered it, cause I ran X-country that season in rebellion against what everyone expected me to do - which was to play vball. I remeber mentioning the dream to my sister wondering if i dreamt it in regret. The next year, I played that game, in that court, with the odd combination of people and - like in my dream - we won. Was it significant, I don't think so.
It's interesting though, cause a lot of wierd things I remember from my past, and I know it's not just me making them up afterwords or dejavu, I do have an extraordinary memory for things. Wierd huh? Maybe coincidence.

What do you guys think about dreams?

I thought to ask, cause I think dreams can mean things (I was surrounded by a superstitious culture growing up - though I am not - It makes a person think) but they also are affected by what you're thinking at the time... But please react to this question, I am curious.

ABout Our development and past

2005-01-26T20:00:00.000-08:00

In english class, some of the girls in my group were talking about Eva Hoffman's book and its pointlessness. I had only read the first 13 pages, so I couldn't really comment.
The reason why I am here at my computer typing about this seemingly sensless issue, is because I was reading my book and found I really enjoyed it. No one else I have talked to has expressed those feelings about it (and who knows, maybe when I read a couple more chapters I'll complain just as much-if not more). So, I tried to think of the reasons why I was interested in this womans story about the children of Halacaust victims, afterall, SHE wasn't the one who was in the Halacaust, SHE didn't see her loved ones being murdered and abused...
I began to think of how this book has to do with developmental psychology, a class I'm taking this semester. Everything in our past, how people treat us affect who we are, why we do what we do and why we think what we think. If a person is surrounded by people who have gone through all of this trauma, some of this and it's effects are evident in their behavior due to their assimilation and accomodation of the information they are constantly being given. The specific generation Hoffman writes about goes through their own troubles with not being able to relate to others what they have dealt with and why they act and react as they do.
I personally understand the need to explain my past sometimes so that others understand what I am thinking. Hoffman, I assume, has a connection with those who have grown up in homes where their parents have suffered through the Halacaust, that she will never have with people like me and you (unless you're in that group of people). My parents work overseas and when we visited the States growing up, we would move around like speeding nomads in order to visit family, churches and friends. I usually feel closer and can connect the most with people who have grown up in countries other than their own, but I biggest "connections" I feel are with other "TCK" s(third culture kid). If, for example I met a TCK for the first time, we would be able to talk of things that not many people could follow and understand if they were eavesdropping.
Poor Hoffman, has never has people study and analyze her "group", but I have. Many people, beginning around the mid 90's (maybe), found the study of "TCK"s qualities, attitudes and the hardships they face when returning to their passport nations to be intruiging. If I really felt out of touch, there are books that I can read, heck, I've gone to a couple lseminard about kids like me from the top researchers in that area (David Pollack- he explained it well when saying that "the sense ) of belonging is in relationship to others of similar background"this relates to anyone and shows the importnace of these studies).
People here, it seems to me,don't analyze their pasts very much to figure out why they think what they do, like who first introduced you to the notion of the existence or non existence of God or the idea that humans are basically walking chemicals - was it a teacher, TV, parents? I thought about this a lot, because I was paranoid on whether my thoughts and feelings were really my own. At my old high school, we had to write a paper on the history of our parents religous beliefs (just for research and for the benefit of understanding a little bit where ones parents are coming from..). Last year I had the oportunity to write a paper on what exactly I thought about life.kindof answering these 7 questions:
In you OWN opinion
what is prime reality?
what is the nature of external reality?
What is a human being?
What happens to a person at death?
Why is possible to know anything at all?
How do we know what is right and wrong?
What is the meaning of human history?

Not only were these questions REALLY hard to answer, in all naked honesty, but we had to say why we thought what we did and who introduced the thoughts to us and was it really our own.

Well this whole long train of thought is to say, that I think it's important that Hoffman wrote about the trials of her generation to help those who grew up as she did and to help those of us who didn't, understand the affects the Holacaust had on parents years later as they brought their own children up, and how those being brought up felt.
I believe it's importnat to go through and analyze our lives every once in a while to understand exactly what we're made of and why, so that we can communicate better with others and for personal satisfaction.

another improvement

2005-01-25T13:22:00.000-08:00

I think we need markets and bakeries at most street corners. Sort of incorporating places close to where we live, so that we walk more, and say hi to more people, create stronger relationships with those we live around AND americans need to be introduced to better bread!

5 things

2005-01-25T13:00:00.000-08:00

here are five things to improve the citizenship around our community:

1. Care for others by really meaning it when you ask "hey how's it going?" and really listen to the response
2. Sit and drink tea with a group of people while discussing solutions to different problems in society
3. Instead of going out to eat, give that money to local charity
4. Try connect with members of a different age group and generation
5. Take someone who normally wouldn't go to a museum or art exhibit to one

Elaine's blog

2005-01-24T20:44:00.000-08:00

This evening at dinner, I was about to die from cumpolsitory sneezing. I sneezed (it seemed to me) about a billion times. I tried to get my dinner in the caf without spilling all over the place (I was shaking, trying not to sneeze on food and people) my efforts for not spilling were almost semi succesful (there was only one very embarassing 2 seconds). I saw three of my absolute favorite guys on campus sitting at a large, rectangular table, so I huried over to sit next to them. They are my favorite guys on campus because I find that most of the other males wondering about are insecure, not the highest quality and sometimes feminine due to their unmanliness (I am NOT referring to tight jeans/european clothing styles, what I reffer to goes slightly deeper under the surface in referrence to confidence, initiative, worthiness of great respect...). I really noticed that a large number of guys here were insecure at the start of this semester. It was when, in each class, the professors would ask the students to to share their names, majors and an interesting fact about themselves. This is a summary of what most of the guys acted like:
"Um.... uh... (as their heads leaned slightly forward with their hair completely comering their faces) um... my name is ..mmm... Chris (or Matt or David or one of those other absurdly common names) ... I'm uh studying... like.. uh music/music business/ business... and uh... I can't really uh think about anything that interesting.... oh yeah... I have a dog."

It was sort of amusing, but sad to see all of this possible talent, this potential, the embodiments of the future crumble before my eyes in what appeared to be insecurity...

But enough of that. I had lovely conversation at the table with these guys.
One consisted of the important question : "is it worse for a girl to know that she's pretty/ beautiful or is it worse for a girl to know that she's ugly/disgusting?" the same question can go for a guy.

I then told them about my assumptions of the guys at this school, they agreed for the most part and asked what I thought of each of them. One was insecure a good amount of the time, one was rarely and the other I have rarely ever thought him to be - and according to them the one I had thought never was said he was (I don't think so- he just thinks of the human mind too much) the one in the middle agreed and the other one wasn't to happy at my conclusions, and i guess he is a little more confident than what I had said.

I then asked them what they thought about this odd situation. Hmmm... I think this needs to wait till next time. It's sort of long and needs a good amount of explanation.

dinner conversations

2005-01-24T20:27:00.000-08:00

citizenship

2005-01-24T20:26:00.000-08:00

To be a citizen makes a person feel secure to a certain extent. Those of us who have travelled all of our lives feel that we might have papers saying we belong to one area, but will remain homesick the rest of our lives, feeling restless and out of place wherever we go. I feel a slight disconnection as to what people in my classroom feel regarding citizenship. I somehow associate citizenship with patriotism and pride. Haven't these driven people to wars and created bitterness not only among neighbors but among nations seperated by oceans? Does citizenship bind or seperate people? Can people have totally different cultures and still truly have the same citizenship? Is it citizenship that forces those of us who want peace to become enemies with other people we would normally want to embrace or is it culture that makes us want to hate and oppose others when politically our citizenship would have upheald us to respect and treat the same people with utmost dignity? There is no universal definition for citizenship, all countries treat their citizens differently. If political citizenship was eliminated, would that make people care less for those around the world regarding aid? Would it neutralize the most wonderful, flavourfull aspect of the world, diffirent cultures, held together by cultural nationalism? Regarding America, I am grateful for my passport. Some people think that the people with the best sense of citizenship are those from democratic countries that are educated. What is education? People that weren't educated knew a lot more about the physiological effects of many herbs... Democracy? People ususally think of America, but when one really thinks to ones self it isn't a true real democracy. BUT before I forget, in reaction towards the US citizenship I hold, I am proud of the freedom the US provides and deeply appreciate it and am always ashamed at how much I critisize it, because life isn't about perfection and what is perfect in one's eyes - regardless to whether it's right or wrong - is not perfect in anothers.

shopping anyone?

2005-01-24T19:31:00.000-08:00

I need to go shopping sometime to R.E.I. and the greenhills mall and some other mall. If anyone happens to headover sometime let me know. I don't have a car. thanks

dinner conversations

2005-01-24T18:18:00.001-08:00

dinner conversations

2005-01-24T18:18:00.000-08:00

a citizen is

2005-01-24T17:29:00.001-08:00

a citizen is

2005-01-24T17:29:00.000-08:00