The Awakened Mind of a Village Girl

Are you still alive??

2006-06-05T20:19:00.000-07:00

Wow...I have not written in so long. Since the blog is no longer an assignment, I find myself constantly putting it off. And yet, I think about it often. Being an old fashioned paper and pen girl does not help my procrastinating tendencies.

Not much is new. No, I lie. My girls are in softball and we are at a game almost every night. I am about to shove a softball up someone's kazoo. I am the summer library coordinator for the greater west central library system. I really wanted to take the summer off, but that didn't happen. I cannot complain, the experience will be worth it. Wedding season is almost over for me. I was maid of honor for one and personal attendant for another. I was telling a friend of mine that it felt like Christmas let-down now that it is all over. What to do with myself?? (besides softball). I bitched and moaned throughout the whole process of wedding planning but now....I am bored. I may start soliciting others to tie the knot.

I am taking a summer journalism course...."Reviewing and Criticism: A Film Genre Approach"....lots of movies to watch on this one. Shouldn't be too bad.

That's enough for now. My new goal is to post at least once a month...Can I do it?

It's a New Year

2006-01-03T11:07:00.000-08:00

2006. Is it really? I can remember thinking that the nineties was so....final. As a high school student I could not imagine the year 2000 and yet here we are. Already six years into the new millenium. I am curious to know the term that refers to the sudden increase of time that most of us experience as we age. Time stood still when I was little and now I blink and I have aged a year. Every year I resolute to make it a better one. I have tried the "Lose 20 pounds, quit smoking, etc..." route and since it never works, my philosophy is to wake up every day with an attitude of improvement. So far it seems to be working just fine. I have been exercising steadily for over a year, I returned and am partly finished with college, I have painfully changed my bitchy attitude (ongoing), and tried to become a better mother. What I finally realized was that none of this is ever final. Life is everchanging and happiness can not be measured on attainment. I always thought that when I finally could afford such and such or when I was finally finished with school that then I would be happy. Bullshit! I am happy...NOW. It just took my stepping back and evaluating what I was missing as I strove for the ever better. I am content in school and while I am eager to attain my goal of a degree, I honestly know that I will never stop "learning", even if that means a major portion of my life is spent pursuing degrees. My attitude towards money (which I have never had a lot of) was more, more, more. I want a lucrative career but I find that money is just an energy burner. If you let it, it consumes your thoughts. I do not have a big screen or a Lexus but if I did I can imagine I would want something nicer or more expensive. Give me an inch and I want a mile. I own that, even if it does hurt. Well, to all of you out there....Happy 2006. I hope it proves to be everything you want.

SOS!

2005-12-03T17:44:00.000-08:00

I am starting to wonder if it is possible to complete all the homework, papers, and end of school requirements that I have due in a week?? I had planned on doing a significant amount today so I would not have to cram this week, however, we had hotdogs (yuk) and a few brown bananas for the dinner menu. I chose to get groceries, which took up my whole freakin day. Now, I have my 2 year old nephew and he is stark naked for some reason...hold on. Okay, unsure what that was. Anyway, I will not sleep until I get this rough draft from paper to online. Which means I will save my breath on my project subject for the Wiki.

I am glad to report that I am warm again. Upon my arrival home from school on Friday, my house was frigid. I really have no idea how to work our wood stove, so I proceeded to just fire up the gas one. PER-Clunk. didn't work. I put on 2 coats and awaited the arrival of my fiancee' (who believes himself to be the deer god and therefore stays out in this horrific weather in order to commune with them, or just kill them). Long story short, neither the gas nor the wood stove's were operable. I had a sleepover at my mother's instead.

By the way, did I tell you that I awoke on Friday morn to a flat tire...and I had school. Mom saved me on that one too. Geez, when it rains, it floods.

Here's to our last week of regular classes!!

Holiday Hiatus

2005-11-20T09:53:00.000-08:00

Hello All...I can imagine that very few of you will be visiting the blogs over this holiday week but I thought that maybe I would get one blog in (at least) before the madness of multiple family "quality" time starts. I read the New Media pieces and the Kairos (sp?) is really cool. I actually enjoyed interacting with it. It was taking too long to download some of the student project examples, so I think that I will take a look at those when school resumes. Beyond that, I was somewhat confused at the gist of New Media. New Media as compared to what, television? As Dilger puts it, I will have to bang my head against it some more. (I think that is how he says it).

I am going to attempt to shop on Black Friday. I have never done so before nor have I ever had the desire to. However, my stepmom says that it is a rush and that I can get some good deals, so we'll see. I imagine it is more of an eye-opener on the rudeness that permeates America than a rush but Hey, I can step on toes too -- if need be. Actually, I think I am going to try and go into this with a mentality of overt sweetness. Kill em with kindness and all. Maybe if I use this mindframe I will karmically get my hands on the last Baby Bratz for my daughter. More likely, I will find myself fighting with a 10 year old who has way too many Bratz already and she MUST have this one for her collection. If her parents aren't around, I may step on her toe. Just kidding, so don't call DCFS just yet. Anyway, how will you even know if noone is looking???

We are part of the ever growing new breed of families that have about 15 places to go on Thanksgiving and Christmas. We have cut down this year and are skipping a few just to save our sanity. Instead, I am having a Thanksgiving dinner on Wednesday night after I attend a dinner at my fathers in the day. On Thursday, I am going to my fiancee's house for dinner and then must escort my girls to their father's dinner party. We were invited to about 5 more places but lo and behold, a person can eat only so much turkey.

The tree goes up on Sunday (the 27th). Every year it seems like I want to wait a little longer. I can remember a time when I wanted to leave it up year round. "Hey Mom, it's July 4th, when are we putting up the tree? Can we at least put up the stockings?" I had a lot of christmas cheer. Now, while I still get that warm fuzzy feeling at sporadic moments, I am more like "Will someone lug this damn box down from the attic PLEASE??" I have to wonder as we get older if we all have a little inner scrooge? Do you think so? What is your favorite part of Christmas and what makes you say BAH, Humbug?

Happy Thanksgiving ALL!

Define Usability

2005-11-14T18:20:00.000-08:00

It seems we have another word that has various meanings. These are super common in our language, aren't they? Neilsen says that there is a duality to usability. He states that on one hand it is a way to gauge what works and what doesn't for the user and on the other hand it is a belief system that strives to "ensure human mastery of the constructed environment". I really liked the "right of people to be superior to technology" under the belief system category. I believe that Rachel commented on this....However, this cannot apply to the general public or to every facet of life. Not everyone works for NASA and therefore could not understand some of the technologies they use. This statement on the surface seems to imply that the technology would need to change in order for people to be superior to it. Most likely, the person would have to change (college, specialized training, etc) before the technology would. Maybe I am stretching this comment too far or maybe Neilsen is talking strictly about computers??

You know, when I think of usability for some reason I am reminded of the Christmas where I received a fairly elaborate entertainment center. There were pieces everywhere and the directions for setting it up may as well been written in Portugese. Once we had finally put the thing together, it was a mess...unstable, leaning, etc. So the usability of the directions affected the usability of my entertainment center. Hmmm?

Anyway, two more classes until Thanksgiving break...YEAH!!

Not much to say.

2005-11-08T07:07:00.000-08:00

I read the Design readings and A) I am either way off on my project or B) Design and Style have a lot in common. I realize that Design is more about the overall presentation of a website but it does seem to incorporate a bit of style guidelines in there too. Other than that, I thought that the Design readings were pretty straight forward. I will apply them to my webpage if I ever get it up and running. I am brain dead today so that is all.

Turkey Day is Coming...

2005-11-02T17:32:00.000-08:00

Pictures have no meaning

2005-11-02T17:00:00.000-08:00

Today's class surprised me. I missed the meaning of the Barthes article by a few feet. I did not realize that Barthe was saying that images have no meaning, that is, until we use our cultural background and programming. What a revelation! Without understanding, bias, influence, perspective, individual interpretation - an image is just that...an image. It has no intention, no hidden meaning, it just is. We define the image through the previously stated concepts. You know, that is pretty enlightening. I worked for a newspaper in advertising and we had to put together ads for local businesses. While I have some knowledge of the way ads "manipulate" this article helped me decipher the manipulation better. Of course, the newspaper does not want to explain to its rookie employee the subtleties in an ad that say BUY BUY BUY because I honestly think that I would have been like "This is Bullshit"!
I was a bit confused on where art (paintings, drawings, etc) fit in. Is it exempt? Why? Is it that much different than photos or images? They both invoke emotion, meaning, and connotation -- right? I have to keep reminding myself that the image is just an image...I am the one who brings meaning to it. For example, the Katrina victims and the blatant discrimination....OF COURSE there is meaning there...what fool can't see that? But actually, it is just a picture of a black person in the water with a trash bag and two white people in the water with a trash bag. Beyond that, my interpretation (with help from the captions).
My mind is still racing....

You got all that from a picture?

2005-11-01T12:50:00.000-08:00

Geez, I was lost by the second sentence in Barthes essay. I could not believe that the Panzani advertisement held so much meaning. I did get a few thoughts out of the article:

-There are various messages located within an image.

- The intrepretation of an image relies heavily on your culture. I would like to add that I think gender, knowledge, and financial status also contribute? Anyone agree?

- What is a non-coded iconic message?

- I really liked the denoted and connoted explanation. My understanding of this was "here is what you see" and "here is what you feel"

-Linguistic messages are abundant within our civilization. But haven't you ever seen a picture that spoke louder than any words could possibly hope to?

-Does a linguistic message present on an image lead a viewer to a different interpretation of the image?

-I have never thought of photographs in the way Barthes article does.

-What does all of this mean for computers and writing??

I am glad that I have gotten the article out of the way. I felt bad that I did not read it when I was supposed to. Not being a campus student really has it's downside sometimes. I hope that the complexity of the article will still allow us to have a decent class discussion. Ta-Ta.

Congratulations Professor Dilger!!!

2005-10-27T20:31:00.000-07:00

A baby will make love stronger, days shorter, nights longer, bankroll smaller, home happier, clothes shabbier, the past forgotten, and the future worth living for.

It's a Girl! Sugar and spice and everything nice!

Making the decision to have a child - it's momentous. It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body. --Elizabeth Stone

We never know the love of the parent until we become parents ourselves. --Henry Ward Beecher

So, do you wanna go like Interface, or what?

2005-10-26T13:53:00.000-07:00

When I think of Interface, I definitely think of a human interacting with an object. Driving a car, typing on the computer, making coffee, etc. By definition, it can also mean an interaction between humans. However, there are tons of other terms that sum up human interaction so I think that Interface more commonly deals with input and output between technology (if you will) and humans. Doesn't it seem that if we stretch any term to it's limits we can include definitions that usually do not pertain to the term. In a way it is comparable to the intrepretation of a text, you may see something within the text that others are- a) not aware or knowledgable of or b)they have a more solid interpretation of their own that hinders their ability to see your meaning. Interface, like many of our other keywords seems to encompass a ton of information. Dilger's pen today was a fantastic example of the huge concepts that exist in the interaction between human and pen. I think most of us just pick the darn thing up and write without consciously thinking of the Interface needed to do so. It reminds me of the "Pencils to Pixels" article we read when the author describes the huge amount of thought and skill required to produce a simple writing utensil that is now sold by the billions. We really take advantage of stuff, you know it?

My sanity has left.....permanently?

2005-10-25T18:45:00.000-07:00

I am serious. I do not even know if I can talk coherently on this blog, but I am going to give it a shot. I have children literally screaming and running in the background, my fiancee' is talking to me at the same time that I am typing this and I still have so much homework to do that I could stay up until 2:00 AM and not be done. I have always heard that a full life is a rewarding life but seriously how full can it get before it pops like a big fat overinflated red balloon?? The really upsetting thing to me is I feel that I am an extremely organized person. I have to do lists for everything and feel lost without solid tangible proof of the obligations that make up my life. I have systems, I have order, I have a place for everything and everything in its place and yet....it is all in vain. Loosen up, they tell me. Stop trying to control it all, they chide. I say sure, hell, I will let the dishes pile up tonight. And then tomorrow I have double the pile. Yeah, that works great. OK, enough venting. I have chosen this life and my moment of insanity will pass. Until then....I am going to respond to some of you more coherent folk.

Copyright Contemplation

2005-10-23T16:59:00.000-07:00

What is the most important issue regarding copyright and computers and writing?

Well, this one is pretty obvious. I surmise that it would be much harder to "protect" one's property if it is available on the internet. This is the sole reason that musicians are throwing a hissy...their music is floating around in cyberspace waiting for Billy Bob to download it. Likewise, the ease of burning a CD takes less effort than going to a store to buy it. I think that this pertains to anything posted online. I also think that open source may help to alleviate this problem but first people have to loosen their hold on the dollar $$$$.

What do you need or want to know about copyright?

I am still contemplating on the whole Kanye West statement and if putting it on a t-shirt is copyright violation.

I would like to know of some of the loopholes others have used to win legal suits regarding copyright, trademark, or patent infringements.

Is the alphabet public domain?

On a different note, I read the Interface readings for this week. It also seems like an interesting topic. I like (and need) down to earth examples to really get the gist of a topic and I think that this keyword will have plenty. Like Julie, I am not sure why changing an interface would be necessary unless it is not working. The Anti-Mac Interface article seemed to be talking with a future voice. As if changing these things were not necessary immediately, but later on. Did anyone else sense that? See you in class.

Halfway There...

2005-10-19T16:38:00.000-07:00

I am sure we have all realized that we are halfway through with this semester. I always find this (if I enjoy the classes, that is) bittersweet. I relish the completion of the semester and the break it offers. I also count down the semesters until I am deemed "degree" material. However, what is next? Do I really want to give up all that college demands of me? By this, I mean that due to the obligations of reading and assignments that I have to do in order to succeed, I have an "excuse" to learn. When you have children and all that it entails, it is easy to put yourself last and your interests on the sidelines. I enjoy learning new things...actually, I LOVE the pursuit of knowledge. It is just hard to justify the time spent on this (if you are doing it simply out of recreation) when so many other responsibilities are calling my name. I suppose the whole point of attaining a degree is so you land a career that stimulates and challenges you. I am not so sure that it works that way though.

We are still talking about trademarks and copyright in 480. The Freedom of Expression piece is very interesting. I found it to be an easy read, especially considering the complexity of the subject. Like Julie, I liked the Lars Ulrich example. He should have felt humbled and embarrassed that he was making such a stink. I can see the point when artists get upset over piracy because (and I am going to be brutally honest here) money is a primary concern that governs many people, including myself to some extent. If I created a song in a garage band and had a following of a few people, the fact that those few people enjoyed it would be inspiring. As soon as I had hit it big, those few people would not hold as much sway over me because now my inspiration is the bucks. Can anyone honestly say that money would not influence their actions in some form? Ultimately, I have no idea what I would do if I was in the position of an artist whose music was being passed around free of charge. What about you? I think that I am going to buy this book to read in its entirety.

One last thought...Virginia Woolf is difficult to read.

More thoughts about Style keyword for Project

2005-10-17T14:00:00.000-07:00

I have been researching my keyword for our online projects and have found a few interesting bits of information to contemplate.
- What is the Internet used for most? Entertainment, Business, Shopping, Etc? How does style affect each category of usage or does it?
- How creative can you be with style in a website without affecting the usability of the webpage?

Due to the Internet being a fairly recent frontier of exploration,(at least in terms of usage by everyday people) I have to wonder if this is the primary reason so many websites are not set up with effective style in mind? When something new comes along, people break out the creative juice and see how drunk they can get. When it is finally revealed that "hey, this website sucks", then change and some sort of standard are brought in to guide a designer on style elements.

I'll think of more later...

My copyrighted ramblings

2005-10-17T13:36:00.000-07:00

What a discussion today in class. I felt that everyone participated and asked some very insightful questions. I have to say that the topic of copyrights, patents, and trademarks seems like a very unstable forum. Maybe unstable is the wrong word, since the laws, while complex, do seem to have an impact on society. However, the recurring theme while discussing these concepts is lawsuits. The line is so vague on what one can do without overstepping that people either are unaware of what constitutes copyrights and such or they simply take advantage of the fact that everything is legit until contested. The vastness of the Internet can only compound this dilemma. Hard copy is a tangible item that you can control (to some level) the dispersement of. In a way, this form of copyrighted material is local. Even if you send it to a publisher and they publish it in a magazine, only the people who read the magazine are aware of its existence. Maybe I am just trying to say that there seems to be a better foundation for hard copy copyrights. Because how is it possible to "own" utterances on a global scale (internet) without someone using your material illegally? Most likely, you would never even know. I think this is why I like the idea of open source and creative commons licensing. If you face the problem of stealing material before it becomes a full blown epidemic by offering it for free (with certain stipulations) than you have successfully contributed to society.

Class Reunion Rant

2005-10-09T15:31:00.000-07:00

I admit it. I come from a small Redneck town. As if I needed any more proof, the class reunion was a shambled mess. It started out great. There were classmates there that I had not seen in a very long time and the place looked gorgeous (very upscale). I drank a bit, but I like to think of myself as a happy, if not somewhat dorky, drunk. I was skipping around if that tells you anything. Then, the alcohol started flowing, the dancing became dirty, and the mouths started shouting. Anyway, one minute every one was there and the next minute they were next door at the seedy local bar. Of course, our committee co-chairman was upset that everyone had left. The other chairman was still skipping around and shouting "I love this song!" A fist fight broke out in the parking lot, a yelling cat fight was taking place in the hall and the bathroom was set on fire. Literally, on fire. The damage has been estimated at around $1,000 (so far) and we are still unsure as to whether or not the committee has to fork over the cash for this !@#^@$%@& moron's stupidity. He was not even a class member but the boyfriend of one, who obviously thought the class reunion was a joke. Geez, ever heard of the complaint box??? NO, fire seems to get the point across better. I received a phone call the next day from a friend and she asked "So, when is the next one?" I laughed so hard that I quit breathing...the next one?? I don't think so.

Abstract for Online Writing Project

2005-10-09T15:18:00.000-07:00

I have picked the keyword "Style". I find it interesting that the internet and computers have introduced a whole new way to work with and think about language, as well as the way it is presented. Since we have been working on building our own web pages, I have realized the importance of web style and the difficulty in achieving a well-written page. In the past when I have come across a website that was poorly presented, I just hit the "back" button. Now I can pinpoint to some extent the reason that I find it unappealing.

Some of the questions I would like to research and expand on are:
- What allows for leniency in terms of "style" on the web?
- What are the differences in writing a hard copy and
writing for the web?
- Why are these guidelines different? Should they be?
- How effective is web style writing if done correctly?
- Who decides on these guidelines?
- What are some things to avoid in web writing?
- What can you do to improve the style of a website?
- Why is style even important?

These are just off the top of my head and I am sure I can think of others.

The deeper issue of accessibility

2005-10-03T14:41:00.000-07:00

Accessibility seems pretty cut and dried. I wonder then why it is not a mainstream practice? In the physical sense, there are still places that are inaccessible to people with disabilities. (Isn't it a law that people have to accommodate handicapped?) The Internet, or computers in general have tons to offer any human being, if they can access it. It seems quite crude that there are not more sites that cater to people with disabilities. Is it because making websites more accessible is harder work? Ignorance? Just not giving a damn? But then, I sit here writing all of this and reading everyone else's blogs and many say that we haven't thought of it in that way before. This appears to be a quite common attitude. If we are not staring "disabilities" in the face, as in having one ourselves or having a close relationship with someone who does; there appears to be little desire to instigate change. For example, people who have been affected by a disease rally together to make a change. People who have lost a loved one to preventable tragedy rush with strong determination to make a difference. In other words, difficulties are avoidable until they personally pull us in. Of course, there are those who altruistically pave the way of change for the sake of good. If only the world were made up of this type of person.

I guess that everything I just said can be countered with the fact that as students many of us do not have websites to alter for accessibility. Until this class, there may have been little need for us to contribute anything that would need accessibility taken into account. The question then is this; if we create something now, we will be concerned with how people dealing with disabilities will access it? If we are, is it just for the grade? The answer to that question can tell you a lot about why the Internet is not totally geared towards one with disabilities.

Keats and Wiki

2005-09-29T13:44:00.000-07:00

If I could use a wiki
to change a single ode
I'd edit out the big words
and keep the words I know'd.

I haven't been published yet, but I am sure it is coming...

It is almost Friday and for once I am not counting the minutes. I suppose it is because there is no hope for rest and relaxation. My class reunion is next week and since I was president of my senior class, I have been extremely busy trying to put the finishing touches on this unnecessary reminder of teenage angst. I also have a scholar dinner at WIU next week to go to. In other words, the next two weekends are full. To some the fulfillment of life comes through activities outside their everyday occurrences. While this somewhat true for me, my ultimate fulfillment would consist of a night at home, curled up in this drafty house with a killer book and some green tea. No homework, no cleaning, no obligations.

The group work in 480 is interesting. I have looked at what the others have been publishing (good job guys!) and I have done a bit of editing myself. There are alot of questions about standards that I do not feel sure enough to answer without research. I wonder if I confuse standards with laws? Are they laws? Codes of conduct? Are morals a type of standard? It seems to me that they would be. What do you think?

I'm Linked

2005-09-26T16:18:00.000-07:00

Woohoo...I know that the majority of you in this class have already put links for all the other classmates on your blog...but for the life of me, I could not figure it out. Then, I realized that I was using a template that did not have a link section and so I had to make one myself. I DID IT! This excites me. It is amazing that something that holds little initial interest to me because of its' complexity, once mastered becomes exciting. Unfortunately, the everchanging elusiveness of technology makes it near impossible for a amateur to ever "master".

I have been taking care of my two year old nephew. His mother (my sister) just turned eighteen and her only priority at this time is fun. It seems to be getting worse and I always have this baby. I love him like my own but he is such a handful. I am so frustrated and angry at my sister for being so irresponsible. Nothing anyone says or does gets through to her. This may sound harsh but if I could slap the crap out of her, I would.
*** Just a note Mr. Dilger ***
Keats takes on a whole different meaning when reading with a two year old screaming "chee-chee" (my name) in my ear. You learn to halfway block him out and his background rhythmic repetition plays nicely with the beat of the Odes.

The standard rant

2005-09-25T17:43:00.000-07:00

I just read 480's required readings that deal with the concept of standards. After thinking about "standards", I started to wonder if the people who do not follow standards are the ones labeled "creative" or "eccentric". Isn't breaking the standards equivalent to branching off in unforeseen directions? Or does it result in chaos? If everyone decided to not follow the standards of a given subject, then I can see how chaos could ensue. However, I think that people who do break off sometimes create unexpected avenues of exploration. But then if people catch on to the unstandard and start to use it, doesn't it become the standard? Oh God, I have got myself in too deep and cannot find a way out. I need to think some more.

To Dewey or Not To Dewey

2005-09-19T13:51:00.000-07:00

First off, I have to say that the Dewey Decimal system deserves some serious respect. It was created by Melvin Dewey in 1873 (I think) and is still used today (with much success, I may add). I am not sure how (minus electronic technology) one could devise such a system to allow for the timely acquisition of materials needed in a better manner. Maybe I am biased due to my pursuit of a master's degree in Library and Information Science....I have no beef with the Internet methods of organization, although trying to view the Internet in terms of being organized seems impossible. The Internet is a vast plethora of information...but most of the time you have to search through mazes of inconsequential info to get to the marrow of the bone. It almost seems to me that the Internet never had any intention of being an organized structure. Phrases such as "surfing the net" and "browsing" bring to mind a lenient way of conducting whatever online business you need to attend to. Maybe it is simply just that the "Internet" is not a tangible object to organize. You pick up a book, slap a label on it, and put it in it's respective place. You have proof that the book is where it needs to be. The Internet is nothing like that. For example, I go to a webpage, and unless I bookmark it or remember the exact URL of the site, it is conceivable that I may never find it again.
I may not be making much sense...but I am trying to talk out what I am thinking. Why do I prefer the structure and traditionalism of a concept like the Dewey Decimal System over the new and evolving Internet organization? In that case, why do I prefer pencil and paper over typing on the computer? There are a myriad of reasons:
-tangibility, I love the reality of an object.
-old-fashioned, for the same reason that I collect antiques, there is something to be said about the character of the past.
-ignorance, I am intimidated by what I do not understand. Goes hand in hand with..
-heirarchy of intelligence, I am one who needs to conquer a subject (Dewey Decimal) before continuing onto other means (Internet). I want to explore my options to the fullest.

Of course I could go on, but I think my other reasons just expand on the ones listed. I am excited/terrified about the options that technology is introducing to us, but until they do away with ol' Dewey I will continue to be a fan.
-

Back in the Groove, Almost?

2005-09-14T13:57:00.000-07:00

I missed school Monday. I hate the feeling of walking into a class that you have missed. I cannot help but feel that everyone in the room learned something crucial and that I will be left in the dark.
I read today in the school newspaper that Eric Schlosser is coming in November to Western. I loved his book and since I read it about 2.5 years ago, I think I will reread it. I have to try and attend this presentation. Now, if I can just find a willing friend to escort me....I can hear them now "Oh, Eric Schlosser? Is that the guy who invented sausage? No, that was Jimmy Dean. Who the hell is Eric Schlosser?" I am not making fun of my friends, not really. I just find that the difference in our environments lends to certain "relating" issues. I still have down-home country girl blood running through my veins (and no, I do not milk cows).

I am going to make an observation on ENG 480. Every time that I start to "get" a concept, it nips me in the butt. For example, I was working on CSS for my website and thought I had it down, only to have it not appear on the website. So, Jason helps me (I had to open a new Notepad screen for CSS?) and I think it is figured out and it still does not work. Then, it is time to go. To be honest, it is kind of terrifying not knowing what you are doing. Jason said today..."You cannot be scared of it". Right, but dear Jason, you seem like a natural at this. My mantra is "I WILL GET THIS!" At least my blog was easy.

Speedy Saturday

2005-09-10T15:10:00.000-07:00

It is Saturday and it is almost over. I have been doing homework for a couple of hours now. Just read the 480 pieces and all be damned, I actually understood them. They were actually pretty interesting and very straightforward. I printed most of them out because I know they will come in handy when designing our web pages. I awoke at 6:00 am to go to yard sales today. I am a junk junkie (hey, I like that.) I got a few cool things, tons of books. I have noticed over the past couple of years that the prices at some of these "sales" are going up. Who wants to pay $5.00 for a throw pillow when I KNOW that same one is at Wal-mart for $4.99. Please. I did bag a vintage smurf lullaby radio today for $1.00.

I have my nephew tonight and since he is barely 2, I figured I should get my blog in for the day. I really want to comment and respond to other classmates' blogs but so far time has won. I love reading what everyone has to say and sometimes, I even learn a thing or two. Someone needs to show me how to put all of 480's blog addresses on my blog (like one guy in class did.) Have a great weekend....what remains of it, anyway.

Get out of bed!

2005-09-08T09:19:00.000-07:00

I did not want to get up this morning. The alarm rang at 5:45, my usual time and I prayed that it would die. My girls had school pictures today, so I had to make sure that their outfits were picture presentable. They usually dress really well on their own, but my youngest loves to mismatch (on purpose) her socks. Uhhh? Whatever floats your boat honey. Like I have room to talk. I can remember tight rolling my jeans and having matching scrunchies for each outfit. Oh God, am I that old?

On a different note, I am in the process of a Powerpoint Presentation for my ENG 480 class. I am doing a Powerpoint on a Powerpoint article, kinda like Pirandello's play "Six characters in search of an author" which is about a play within a play. Or something of that nature. I cannot get past whether the stepdaughter and father had sex...Actually, the story introduced a concept that I really have never thought about much. It is about identity and how we are one way in a situation and completely another way in a different situation. How true is that! A perfect example is how I act at school, around other intellectuals and students, and how I act when I go out with friends (none have ever attended college). I do not want to seem ostentatious with people I grew up with nor can I imagine them wanting to discuss Pirandello. On the other hand, I feel more "myself" in school. Crazy.

Enough rambling. My goal is to get to the gym today. I have even gotten as far as dusting off my Nikes.

Best of Intentions

2005-09-06T08:59:00.000-07:00

I really had the best of intentions for this long weekend. Ah, but the road to hell is paved with the best intentions too. I anticipate time off from school and fill my head with plans of relaxation and enjoyment. Then when I do absolutely nothing that can be described as relaxing or fun, I want to kick my self in the a**. How is it that a little downtime can turn into a self-deprecating episode? It is so hard to find time to just be. Countless sinkfuls of dishes, kids chanting "what's for dinner", and the mopping of a floor covered in feathers (don't ask) does not leave room for much. But these things are ingrained, just like brushing your teeth. They must be done or the house will fall down around your head and the kids will be in line at the local food bank. Where did my relaxation and enjoyment go?? I think it was supposed to fall somewhere between the 7 hours of homework and getting gum out of the dog's hair. Nevertheless, it slipped by me. So, tomorrow it is back to school and back to the hurried pace that constitutes my existence. Please tell me we get a holiday for Halloween...

Stuck in a Tree

2005-08-31T17:28:00.000-07:00

Fair day at school today. I pretty much got the gist of all my classes, it is a good day when that happens. Sometimes I feel as if I am lost in a room full of intellectuals who know exactly what the professor is talking about. I chide myself for being such an oomph and then I catch a glimpse of the drooling boy who is trying unsuccessfully to appear awake and I realize that "Hey, I must know more than slobber over there". It always proves to lift my spirits. I watched the V-girls today after school. The V-girls are an 8 year old and a 5 year old that depart from their school bus at my house with my two daughters at precisely 3:25 PM. This moment is anticipated with sheer anxiety. I know what awaits me. This particular day, the four children decided to climb a tree. This tree is very young, barely 5 ft. off the ground. One of the V-girls scales it with the expertise of a mountain climber and within moments I hear frantic cries of "Help". Long story short, I run to rescue this child that is not mine from the perilous branch but I am too late. She falls. Actually, she steps down. A major tragedy narrowly avoided. Worse still, she recounts the story to her father when he comes to retrieve his offspring and he looks at me like "What kind of a babysitter are YOU?" I follow him out the door muttering, "I swear it was nothing more than a weed they were climbing." I am too old for this.

First Timer Post

2005-08-30T11:07:00.000-07:00

I must say that I am a bit apprehensive of recording my thoughts on a medium that can be viewed by many. I suppose I am of the old school of doodle-covered journals that can only be found in their elusive hiding spots by the very persistent and creative minded. A very interesting facet of this type of "journaling" is apparent right away. I find myself more concerned on the content of my journaling as well as on the grammatical appearance. Presuming that we are not to be graded on thoughts and (hopefully) not so much on grammar mechanics, I vow to stay true to the essence of what a journal entry is -- pure, unadulterated purging of the mind and soul. In other words, a place to vent and work out crazy thoughts that have been plaguing you. I have a nagging feeling that I will soon get the hang of this and maybe even forget where I put my diary (if only for awhile.)