Option #1 – “I Want a Wife”
· Imagine that you want to employ someone to do a specific job, divide the task into its duties and functions. Then, guided by your analysis, write an accurate job description in essay/paragraph format. (Possibilities: coach, rap artist, musician, actors, writers/novelists, teammate, friend, roommate, leader, etc.)
Option #2 – “Notes from the Hip-Hop Underground”
· Analyze another aspect of popular culture---another type of popular music, perhaps, or violent computer games or “reality” television programs or teen horror movies. Your subject may appeal to you personally, but be sure to expand your discussion to explain your subject’s broader appeal as well.
These are the traits I want in a musical artist. I want my favorite artist to become a legend. I want him to make amazing music and combinations of harmony. I want him not to write music for his ‘fans’ or the ‘public’ who think he should write their opinion of ‘awesome music’. I want him to write for himself and I want him to write what he feels. While he writes deep, thought-provoking music I want him to write music that will relate to my feelings and life at that given moment. While he is creating his image and musical footprint on society I do not want him to get lost in satisfying other people’s desires in music. If they want music so bad, they can write it themselves. I do not want him to listen to the producers when they say to change a song, but when he comes out with a song that is not truly him, I would like him to reproduce it. I want and artist to write for him and fate be quiet that he is writing for me. It is his duty to make music that speaks to my soul.
ReplyDelete“Oh my son knows better than to believe everything he sees…” Um, ok. Violence; it is found everywhere: in film, in games, in media, and all over. Producers love this new 3D stuff and enhanced graphics. It really brings fight scenes to life and makes the viewer feel a part of it all. Animation in games has greatly improved as well. Instead of a little pop and the “bang” flag coming out of the gun, we now have to deal with realistic images and sounds and blood. Now don’t tell me that all of this is normal and morally right. I feel that the more we “enhance” our love of violence, the more violence we will have in society. Some scientists, my mom has researched this, think that there is a direct relation between violence in teens/young adults and the media. By creating these horror films and war films, people gain an acceptance that violence is just a part of human nature and it is not necessarily wrong…until something happens to them. Sure I agree that certain things like war documentaries should be shown, because we can learn from them and they also provide a sort of memoriam for those lost in battle. However, the dramatized and dolled-up versions of wars and other violence like murder and rape and fights don’t provide anything except a sick enjoyment that some people get out of watching others get hurt. I see that some parents might not care if their kids watch this stuff or play the games. They might feel that it opens their eyes to the reality and danger of the world and what cruel things men are capable of. But really. Take the shootings at college campuses for example. Sure the guy probably was angry for some reason or maybe jealous or maybe just crazy, but where did he learn that from. I have an odd feeling that most likely his parents did not teach him to pick up a gun and shoot whenever he got angry or frustrated. No, I don’t think so. He learned it from the media; from the example set for him by crazy actors shooting at other actors when one steals the other's girlfriend; from the example set by the characters in video games where they are the “hero” yet kill all these people/characters mercilessly and rather realistically.
ReplyDeleteEvery busy chairman needs a secretary. A secretary is like a right arm of a chairman. A secretary is a close confident of a company leader. He or she is responsible for helping and keeping the company running along with the other employees. I am looking for an individual who will selflessly commit himself or herself to the wellbeing of the company. The individual will carry out the schedules meaning he or she will track of every appointment, meeting, and conference. The prospective secretary must be respectful, polite, quick, and obedient. The pace of the company is at the top speed so the future secretary must be ready at all times. The potential secretary must be very resourceful in regarding finding meeting spots and quality services requested by the company. As the director of the company travels almost every week, the secretary must be prepared to depart at any time. The secretary must be able to speak at least four languages because traveling is restricted to strictly outside of United States. Languages are very important for the future secretary because he or she may get the opportunity to negotiate with other secretaries and chairmen around the world. Idling and gossiping will not be tolerated. Pressure is an inevitable part of work. If the secretary is able to deal with pressure efficiently and professionally, he or she will be rewarded accordingly.
ReplyDeleteBeing different has become something quite normal. There is an obsession among teens to be set apart, to be individual and special. First glance would see this as a positive revolution, but try to see beyond the “first glance.”
ReplyDeleteWhat was previously “normal” has almost become ghastly in today’s society. Those who live by the original ideals, or follow that which is “traditionally” correct have become the “provincial” or “narrow minded”.
We have become so infatuated with being “politically correct” or open minded that we have actually become closed off. In reality we’re striving for individuality instead of just being ourselves. So the whole achievement of differentiation is really just hypocritical idealism.
Some people are different because that is who they are. Society has found itself drawn to these certain personalities. Now everyone is trying to become that person that society was previously drawn towards. It’s like we’re always trying to one up the “most original” person.
This becomes especially wrong when society begins to look down upon those who think in a “traditional” manner. In many cases this “traditional” person is automatically labeled as intolerant or prejudiced. See any irony/hypocrisy in that?
Ps- this is NOT aimed at anyone specifically.
“Reality” television shows illustrate the abnormal lives of the less than one percent of people that follow extravagant lifestyles. The public likes to get the inside view into these people’s lives because they do not have the means or the desire to live in that way. But how can one call these shows a “reality” when most Americans do not live this way? A real reality show would entail a working mom with three kids, trying to juggle work and raising children. The reality for a homeless man includes rummaging around in the trash to find sustenance. Normal middle class American families follow strict schedules of after-school practices for sports and having dinner at the table as a family. But who wants to watch the REAL realities of our society?
ReplyDeleteOne such “reality” television show that many of my friends watch habitually includes Jersey Shore. These so-called kids, aged between twenty-two and thirty, work in an ice cream store by day and party at the clubs by night, fist pumping it out with their fake baked bodies and sky high poufs. All they seem to care about is getting someone at the club to bring home and “smush.” It teaches the children of our society that respect for women, or men for that matter, is not necessary and that there is no need for responsibility in the world we live in. Morals and values are going down the drain in response to shows like these that teach our kids irresponsible and crazy ways of life that the networks deem a “reality.”
EXPERIENCED STUDENT NEEDED. The applicant must be intelligent, eager to learn, and attentive. The applicant must be willing to work long shifts. There is a morning/afternoon shift of 7:50 A.M. to 2:50 P.M. For this, the student must be able to stay awake in class, pay attention, and respond to teachers’ questions. A necessity in this student is test-taking skills. There is also an evening shift from 3:00 P.M. to 8:00 P.M., give or take a couple hours. Overtime may be required. For this portion of the job, the applicant must be able to diligently answer questions out of textbooks, write exemplary essays, read novels quickly, perform math computations, and study long hours. The applicant must be able to work weekends as well. Though the workload can vary for Saturday and Sunday, the student must be able to dedicate a couple hours each day toward the previously-discussed assignments, in addition to relatively comprehensive and hands-on projects. There will be few breaks. On the single days that are free, the student will receive the entire day to catch up on work. The only true breaks will be Christmas Break and Masters Break. Toward the spring of the year, the student must be able to study even longer and then take several AP exams, receiving a score of at least a 4. The applicant must have sufficient people and communication skills, as he/she will need to work with a variety of peers and teachers. The student will receive no monetary compensation, but rather must be content with the pleasure of self-satisfaction.
ReplyDeleteLakeside High School, of Evans, Georgia, is currently looking to employ a full-time teacher. First and foremost, teachers must be attendant to students needs. This means that if a student “needs” to text a friend in the middle of class, the teacher should see to it that this need is fulfilled. Homework and projects may be assigned at any point in time, and accepted in the same fashion. This may require the teacher to drop all plans upon request and grade a few papers. All grades given must be above a B, in order to avoid “groundage” and other such parentally-inflicted consequences. Any school, county, state or federal policies about any of the following must be ignored: tardiness, dress code, misconduct, drugs, alcohol, electronics, absences, and language. Even when all work is completed, teachers absolutely cannot leave their houses after school hours. Seeing a teacher outside of school is just weird. Essentially, we are looking for someone without a soul—someone who could not care less about children, education, or anyone’s future, really.
ReplyDelete*attentive
ReplyDeleteSorry!
Brother Wanted:
ReplyDeleteThe brother must have no extracurricular activities or friends: he must never need rides anywhere. He should always be willing to fetch things for the sister. He will make breakfast every morning and prepare the sister’s school lunches. He will eagerly complete the sister’s chores. Every day he will tidy the sister’s room, make her bed, attend to her laundry, and organize her closet. He will put down the seat after using the toilet, and he will keep the bathroom sparkling clean. He will not leave towels on the floor. The brother must use his own shampoo, soap, and toothpaste. The brother will accompany the sister on shopping trips and carry her purchases. During the summer, the brother will bring the sister cold drinks and fan her as she sits by the pool. He will be required to give the sister pedicures and manicures weekly. He will not complain about the sister’s “PMSing”. When it rains, the brother must carry the sister’s umbrella. The brother must never play loud music at night. He will always happily give the sister the television remote and allow her to choose what she wants to watch. The brother must never spit while in the presence of the sister. After physical activity, the brother must shower and wash his clothes immediately. The brother must be enthusiastic, pleased, and ready to attend to any and every whim of the sister.
Society today has become about how much you have; it is so focused on the material gain of each person that it forgets that money cannot necessarily buy happiness or satisfaction. We sometimes become so immersed in the STUFF that we do not have that we forget how truly blessed we are. Nobody has everything. First of all, that would just be impractical. Secondly, EVERYTHING does not make us happy. If we take a step backwards and really look at what we have, we would probably see that many of our possessions make us no happier than we would have been without them. What I'm trying to say is that when we buy things, we usually are buying them because we have seen other people with them, so we think we should have them too. But, are we happy being somebody that we are not? Maybe people are happy with living behind the mask of popular society in high school, but at some point, we have to pull off the mask and step out on stage as our own person, regardless of what others may think of us.
ReplyDeleteMaterial possessions often pull us in a different direction than the "right" path. If we live only to acquire more things, when will we have the time to enjoy the things we already have? Earlier in the modes section, we discussed death. Everybody has to die at some point; there is no way around that. So what is the point of building up material wealth if you never truly live to your potential? I think our society has become too attached to the things we CAN get rather than the things we ALREADY have. As a Christian, I am often told to not become attached to worldly possessions, and I think this can apply to anyone and everyone. If we try harder to be happy and satisfied with the blessings bestowed on us already, we may have a much better life than if we live only for our own physical gain.
Greed has become normal in popular society. When you can take it, go for it, right? Not always. Should we always be taking advantage of others to leap ahead ourselves? I think greed has become such a normal and accepted part of our society because humans are naturally greedy. We never want to be in an uncomfortable or painful situation. We do not like to be hungry or dirty or poor. We want more than those around us. But if we fight this natural inclination, we will have more than anything we could gain from greed; we could have fulfillment in life. I think that the most valuable part of life is love: love for my parents, friends, family, teachers, and eventually husband and family of my own. But can we have love and greed together? I think it is almost impossible to be greedy and to love at the same time. If you truly love someone, whether that person be you mom or your significant other, you will sacrifice your own happiness for that of the other person, therefore beating the natural inclination to be greedy.
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ReplyDelete(Ugh, I need to fix my display name. My silly email has taken its place for some odd reason)
ReplyDeleteCOREY BONSANT:
I want a best friend. I want my best friend to like everything I like. My best friend ought to laugh at all my jokes, and be my wingman when I'm talking to a pretty girl. I want my best friend to lend me money when I need it, but he can't be too demanding. My best friend should never talk about me behind my back, but he shouldn't get angry if I do the same. My best friend should be readily available whenever I need him to be, and must never reject an invitation to my house. My best friend should wait for me before entering the lunch line, and be within range of my locker in between classes if he's not talking to me. I want my best friend to be able to read my mind and know when he shouldn't talk to me because I'm in a bad mood. If he and I ever argue, my best friend will be the first and only to apologize. My best friend is not to be angry with me if I accidentally blow up on him. I want my best friend to listen to me when I know he's doing something wrong. It seems everyone wants a best friend--but it seems fewer are ready to be one. People should not have unrealistic expectations and think more often in other people's shoes. If more students did this, there would be less school drama.
Drifton, Joseph, and I were partnered together today. I am a Christian, have no political affiliations, possess a determined work ethic, enjoy; comic books, video games, sitcoms, animated series', movies, novels, and plays. I attend after school play rehearsals, am in Buddy Club, and aspire to be a successful lawyer when I leave college.
ReplyDeleteFeatures that Drifton, Joseph, and I had in common were: interests in games, strong work ethic, a habit of procrastination, open minded, we like to challenge ourselves, and adore sleep.
Our product is a Rubix cube. Rubix cubes can be very difficult to solve, and this represents our willingness to accept a challenge. The cubes are different colors, and this represents a sort of diversity we share. There is more than one side to a rubix cube, and we are not one sided either. The rubix cube is a game, and we love games. It takes time to complete a rubix cube, and this relates to our being patient. (one might call it a euphemism for procrastination...) When taking on the challenge of solving a Rubix cube, one might find it tempting to cheat by replacing the stickers. This resembles the opportunity to do wrong, but not going down that route reflects our responsibility. The rubix cube also changes, which relates to our being open minded and willing to change. Dedication is required to solve the Rubix cube, and when thinking of this our determined work ethic comes to mind.
I described myself as forgiving, kind, and hard-working. I worked with Elizabeth and Bayley today and we all share the common fact that we are all Christians. We decided upon the Christian fish as our object to represent us. However this represents much more than our religious life, it represents the reason for the way we live our earthly life and act the way we do. We believe in hard work, which means that we all believe strongly in the American Dream. However we are not opposed to lending a helping hand when someone needs it. We all are forgiving not because we are weak and let people take advantage of us, but because we believe in the "Golden Rule". The fish represents us all so easily because it is a representation of the Christian faith, which molds and shapes all of our character traits.
ReplyDeleteToday in class my group, consisting of Elizabeth, Sarah Beth, and I, chose the Jesus fish as our item to define us. We came to realize that most of our characteristics and traits stem from our faith. Elizabeth is honest, Sarah Beth is optimistic, and I am hard-working because of the way our beliefs shape us. We follow the Bible as the law of our lives, causing many of the decisions in the way we live to be chosen for us already. For example, we all seem to have conservative political views, we are pro-life, against sex before marriage, and we try to treat everyone as a child of God. We strive for humility and forgiveness, even though we may not achieve these traits all the time. We know that we are not perfect, and no Christian is because we all sin, but our standards and boundaries as a follower of Christ have been set out for us to live by.
ReplyDelete“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” -Galatians 5:22
The assignment today was a very interesting experience for me. I worked with Sydney and Caitlyn. Although I didn’t share the same political and religious views with my group members, I found we had more in common than I’d originally suspected. We are all accepting of other races and cultures, and we all like to be alone at times. We can all be sarcastic, and we all procrastinate. While Caitlyn and I are more reserved and guarded, Sydney is more social. I learned things about my group mates that I hadn’t known previous to this experience. I liked finding common threads in our personalities and lives that we could weave together to make a “product.”
ReplyDeleteToday in class, Mary, Katie, and I were in the same group. I suspected there would be conflicting views regarding politics or religion. I was pleasantly surprised to know that all of three of us are alike in a lot of ways. Our main word that describes us is open-minded. We are accepting of all races and viewpoints regarding religion. Katie and Mary can be put into the category in which they go with “the flow.” I am a bit different for I dislike being like everyone else. However, none of us was completely against certain activities done by people. I love the product with which we had come up with. The kaleidoscope is a wonderful representation of our creativity and diversity. I also agree that we all change and as Mrs. Field had mentioned to our group, it is part of growing up. This assignment allowed the three of us to find out more about each other and I realized how unique each person is.
ReplyDeleteWorking with Elina and Katie, I discovered that our differences give us one shared characteristic—our open-mindedness. I know that the three of us have led very different lives in some aspects, but I think that recognizing and demonstrating interest in each other gives us a type of connection that is much more valuable than sharing the same hobbies or experiences. Today our group spent some time discussing our personal fears, which was not required but is something I found very fascinating. Upon hearing Elina’s and Katie’s fears, I thought they were a little bit ridiculous. However, after learning the reasoning behind their fears, I think I was enlightened about some aspect of each person’s life that I did not previously know. Even though our fears originate from different places and experiences, we all have them. So, in a sense, I guess this somewhat off-topic discussion helped us create the object that represents our group: a kaleidoscope. The colors and shapes you see in a kaleidoscope are all different, but they come together to create a beautiful image. Additionally, kaleidoscope designs are ever-changing, but the shapes and colors can always “fit” with each other.
ReplyDeleteHusband wanted: He must know how to truly love his wife, and ONLY his wife. He must be honest, and be true to what he says he will do. He must provide for his wife and children, and be a hard worker. With that said, he must know when to draw the line between work and family time. He must spend time with his wife and children and always make them his first priority. Speaking of family time, he must know how to have a great time, and show everyone else to do the same. He must be there to listen and give his advice when someone has a problem. He must get along with his mother-in-law. Even if he doesn't agree with his wife's family members, he must learn to accept them for his wife's sake. He must stand beside his family, no matter what happens. He must remain true to his family. He must support his family in whatever they choose to do. He must unconditionally love his wife and children, and he must be a great Dad.
ReplyDeleteEven though I came in slightly late, working with Joseph and Roger I learned that all though we differ in the way we think about almost everything it's this diversity and will to learn that brings us together. We chose the item to describe us under the impression that despite the complexity that appears at first glance the simplicity of the situation is all to know to those who spend enough time with open eyes and ears. When we were simply brainstorming we more than often found subjects that we disagreed on and our similar stubbornness is what brought us into the discussion of what we had in common. Overall, I believe that it was an interesting learning experience to see how we were so different yet had some very important small things in common that shaped us as people and influenced our outlook on life.
ReplyDeleteI liked the comment that Caitlin made about that greed now has become a natural part of society today. When someone reaches a certain level of success in their life, people are so adamant to jealousy and get in their competitive nature instead of commemorating that person for a job well done. I also liked that some groups chose a religious symbol to define themselves by (i.e. the jesus fish symbol)because I think religion goes by a lot of why people act or behave today. People are more cautious to others when having a set religion in their life because it goes by that saying of having "compassion for others."
ReplyDeleteWorking with Mary and Elina provided for a thoroughly enjoyable class period and accompanying activity. Even though I have experienced scores of such “analyze yourself” projects throughout high school, I truly believe that this activity gave me a chance to see another layer, what with talking about fears and comparing myself to others. As Elina and Mary have already said, we decided that the most defining connection among us is a sense of open-mindedness, an ability to look at people and events without a prejudice, without a skewed view. For this reason, we chose the kaleidoscope, mainly in reference to the view through it. Like Mary said, the kaleidoscope is ever-changing to the point where, upon looking into the device, one never expects to see a certain design. It allows one to take the whole picture in stride. The change in the kaleidoscope also represents the changes in ourselves as we age and mature, just like we talked about with the descriptive stories of “Arm Wrestling with My Father” and “Shooting Dad.” The kaleidoscope is full of color and shapes, representing the wide spectrum of opinions, and the arrangements lend themselves to a certain creativity that we can relate to. I like the dissections of objects and people that have been our focus with the division/analysis mode – this division and analysis gives a new perspective on what the narrative and descriptive could only skim the surface.
ReplyDeleteAlthough I wasn't in class today due to an oh-so-wonderful choir concert, from all of my classmates' descriptions it sounded really fun. It seems like many of us feel we are different, but given the time to really analyze (get to know) another person there are lots of similarities both big and small. If I had to describe myself in a few words I would use optimistic, energetic (sometimes too much), and christian. It seems that most people in the class, including me, chose to use their religion to describe them. That says a lot about our community and our families. Still, religion may help provide common morals but it doesn't tell you how to think and act on other topics like political party, etc. We have so many different denominations and every church is different from the next.
ReplyDeleteI really like the products that Mary, Elina, and Katie used as well as the three boys. The boys' idea of a rubix cube not only fit because of the diversity and challange that they talked about, but it is also a game. Their love of games was one of the similarities they held. The girls' product, the kaleidoscope, fit them wonderfully. This fun toy, as they mentioned is ever changing. So are we, especially as young adults trying to determine who we are. They also remind me of stained-glass windows which are made of many tiny, precise pieces molded together to make a beautiful masterpiece. There is such diversity of life that also lends itself to a whole...the human race.
I worked with Bayley and Sara Beth today in class. I half expected the three of us to have very similar political and religious views. Our symbol was the “Jesus fish” because of exactly what each of my group members said before me; our faith guides the rest of our characteristics. The way I see it, I live my life in order to please the higher power that I believe in. This doesn’t mean that I’m a robot, or that I’m “typical”. My group members and I were actually different in ways, even though we shared the same ultimate beliefs. Sarah Beth’s optimism is not something that I have; I’m honestly more of a cynic than an optimist. Though I consider myself to have a good work ethic, I know Bayley pretty well and her work ethic is unbelievable. She is a DEDICATED worker, where I find myself more of a procrastinator.
ReplyDeleteWe each had characteristics that differed from each others, but we all shared the common belief in a higher calling and a common goal. This common goal is what causes each of us to behave the way we do. One thing we all defiantly agreed on was that we mess up a lot…
Today was really hard for me in class because I don't really like to talk about myself. I always feel like different people see different sides of me, and few people really know the whole story. It was interesting to hear people open up about who they thought they were. I find it intriguing to see how people describe themselves, because they often use adjectives that I would never place with their name. I worked with Sydney and Sonia today. We used a funfetti cupcake as our product. It is a bit complicated to explain, but basically, it has a reserved exterior and a colorful inside. It was fun to try to come up with all of the different parts of the cupcake that represented us as a group and individually. The most interesting ingredient we put in our cupcake (I thought) was lemon juice, which represented our sarcasm. It was a good project to learn about not only others but also yourself. We often think we know ourselves very well, but I think that there are things other people see about us that we do not see ourselves, and it takes a discussion like this to pull those things out.
ReplyDeleteI need a best friend. Someone who answers her phone every time I call her, no matter what time of the day (or night), and talks to me as long as I need her to. I need someone who is going to listen to me and not comment on what I have to say until I'm done talking. Then I need her to say exactly what I need to hear. And then I need her to keep her mouth shut and not tell anybody about my troubles. I need to be able to trust her of course, and she can't be blabbing about our phone conversations if that's going to happen. I also need her to make me laugh and be silly when I need her to be, but to recognize when I am in no mood for jokes and sympathize with my anger, sadness, or frustration. I need her to be able to drive me somewhere whenever I need a ride and of course to pick me up on the side of the road if I run out of gas. I need a friend who will be willing to be tardy to all of her classes so that she can finish listening to my story that I am telling her while we walk to my class. I also need her to laugh at my jokes and obviously, to ALWAYS be on my side when I am in an argument with my mother, father, boyfriend, or other girl who thinks she is my friend. I need someone who will wipe the tears from my eyes when they are flowing down my face and to just sit with me so that I can pour out my heart. I need a best friend who listens to the same kind of music as me and has the same taste in fashion. I need someone to help me with my homework and to do a few of my projects if I absolutely have too many things to do. I need a best friend who is always going to be there for me, but gives me my space when I don't feel like talking to anyone or just get sick of her for the time being. But then of course to be there as soon as I need her again. I need a best friend. Any takers?
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed today's activity even though I don't always like to talk about myself. Describing myself usually makes me feel as if I am bragging or being self-centered, but today I did not feel that way after we were done with the activity. Doing activities like these makes me realize things about myself that I may not have thought about myself before. And like Katie's group said during class, it is hard to describe ourselves because we are constantly changing as we mature and figure out who we are.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed learning about my two group members, Sonia and Caitlin. Like Sonia said, although we had religious and political differences, we were more similar than I assumed. We are all sarcastic, enjoy traveling, and are open to people of other interests. It was fun creating a funfetti cupcake that represented our group. It made me realize that although we are different in some aspects, we can be mixed together like a recipe to make something wonderful (not supposed to sound weird or anything).
Though I wasn't in class yesterday, I was here today to hear everyone explain the reasoning behind the object each group chose to define them. I placed myself in the group consisting of Bayley, Sarah Beth, and Elizabeth, and I am pleasantly suprised with the amout that the four of us have in common! We are all Christians with the same beliefs about parties, drugs, sex, behavior, and appropriate actions. I learned a lot about these girls today, and while I was already close with Sarah Beth, I realized that I could easily be just as close with Bayley and Elizabeth. It's always great to find out that you are not alone in your beliefs, and that I can always go to Sarah Beth, Bayley, and Elizabeth for advice if I need it!
ReplyDelete