Noe Article

We have to address an ANCIENT article about the similarities and differences in Rap and Country music.

 

Noe’s thesis is that Rap music and Country are similar in several aspects. Those aspects being women, law breaking and the American Dream. They both tell stories to convey these messages.

 

Noe comes to the conclusion that while both of these genres share many themes, it is in the way that they convey them that makes them different. The performers that convey them, more specifically the race of the performers, makes these songs come across differently to the mainstream public. While country can be seen as “red-neck” but mostly nonthreatening, rap can be in your face, and tell-it-like-it-is, even when what it is, is not what we want to hear.  

 

          One of Noe’s claims that I agree with is that crime does not pay. In “Mama Tried” by Merle Haggard, he sings about how his mother tried to keep him out of trouble, but he didn’t listen. In Ice-T’s “Drama” he raps about realizing that education was the way to a better life, not whatever landed him in jail, only to come to this realization too late. That has been a theme in many a song, across many genres. The opposite can be true as well.  

 

          Noe makes the claim that in Country music, hard work is all for not in the end. I disagree with this. I will use current music to make my point. There is a song by Eric Church, it is about a young man that rejects his life “on the farm” for city. He wears his pants sagged and his hat backwards. Not to read too much into this song, but it sounds to me like he has given up his country music for rap. His brother, the singer pleads for him to come “home boy”. He offers hard work, which will keep him “out of jail”. He also makes the case that one day he will regret not sitting on the tailgate of his truck with his “high school flame on one side, ice cold beer on the other”. He pleads for his brother to come “home boy” and make right with his parents, before they are called home, boy. The title is a play on words, as I am sure you can tell. This song, however, disproves many of the arguments that Noe makes. This song does not promote casual sex, rather, that this young man should come home to his high school flame, I read it to mean so that he can make a life with her. It offers this young man hard work versus jail and promotes family repair in this case.

 

          I know that this song is current, and Noe’s arguments are old (1995), but I would argue, that Noe’s choice of country music that she analyzed was old at the time. Merle Haggard’s “Mama Tried” is from 1968!

Imaginary Hamburgers

 

Imaginary Hamburgers

Fast food restaurants today have to be more cunning in the way that they advertise their goods to the public. In recent years these establishments have not gotten a good wrap. People want healthier choices. The two ads that I have chosen to analyze both represent the back bone of these establishments, the hamburger. The trick is that there is not an actual hamburger in either ad. The consumer is left to use their imagination to invasion what they will get when ordering at these establishments.

In the first ad, for McDonalds, there is a stack of books. All that you can see is the spines of the books. There is not much to look at, but so much to see. The bottom book is labeled The Very Best of Bread. There are many different kinds of bread in the picture on this spine. All are golden in color, and look appetizing and healthy. The second book in the stack is called Meat * New Edition. The meat on the spine of this book looks less like a hamburger and more like a steak with a nice big juicy piece cut out so that you can see the inside of this cut of meat. The third book is The Special Book of Cheese. This spine does not have much going on at first glance, but upon further investigation, at the top of the book you can see what looks like pieces of the cheese cut away haphazardly. This seems almost as if someone has been tearing pieces off to snack on because the cheese is so irresistible. The next book is just calledTomato. It has, as you would imagine, red, ripe tomatoes on the spine. They have the stem still on them, leading us to wonder if they were just freshly picked out of McDonald's organic backyard farm. The next book is titled The Encyclopedia of Salad. The spine has snippets of beautiful green heads of lettuce. The top book of the pile is calledBreads & Co. It has more breads on it like the bottom book, but they are different, though equally appealing in appearance.

This ad suggests to me that McDonald's is offering to us the idea that they have re-written the book on hamburgers. The book was obviously already written. Most of us have had a hamburger before, but this ad suggest that they have improved upon the process. Not only that, but they have gone about it in an almost academic, "foodie" manner. The bottom book with the breads on it gives us the idea that the bun, at least the bottom bun, is made from the "very best". The second is supposed to suggest that the meat used in the burgers not is not the "same old same old" that has been used by McDonald's, or even that which is used by the competitors. The third book in the book burger is the "special" book of presumably "special" cheese because, well, the cheese that McDonald's uses is no ordinary cheese. The next two books, the tomato and the lettuce look very fresh, as if they were just picked by someone's southern Grandmother from her very own garden, and then delivered right to McDonald's to put on my burger. The top book, again is the bread. Fresh, golden, healthy, unique, not at all the stale plain buns that we are used too.

This ad, while having no actual hamburger leaves the burger to the imagination. It lets us build up the anticipation about the hamburger that McDonald's would serve us should we walk into their facility right now. Or, if we drove up to their window, because some of us are already in our pajamas and just want a burger to enjoy in the privacy of our own home while we watch Doctor Who re-runs. I think that this ad is meant to build up this burger in our heads before we get the real thing, and possibly the letdown that comes with the real thing.

The second ad that I am analyzing does the same thing. It leaves the actual burger to our imagination. It is the Burger King ad with no burger. The ad has a bright yellow background, and the only thing, besides the Burger King logo, which is peeling up a bit at the edge, is a set of "hands". The only portion of the hands that are visible are a set of thumbs, and an oddly proportioned set of forefingers. The forefingers in the ad have an extra set of joints in them.

I think that the reason that the fingers in this ad are freakishly disproportionate is to lead you to believe that the burger they will serve you is so large, normal hands "need not apply". The coloring of the ad, the solid yellow background, is a color that is said to evoke hunger. It is a good thing that this color is supposed to make you hungry, the burger that Burger King is offering, seems to be so big that you will need to be famished in order to finish it!

                                         

These ads are tied together through the imagination. Both franchises let you know what is being offered without the exact details of what that is. Since most ads have pictures of fake "dressed" food, they have bypassed this step, and left it up to you, the consumer to envision the meal that you will get.

 

Restaurant Review

Nob Hill Bar and Grill

Nob Hill Bar and Grill is a favorite in the area; however that does not necessarily mean that it is worth your time. It is busy most week nights, and downright packed on weekend nights. There is no doubt that there is a strong, loyal customer base.  The service and food are not the best I have ever had, but they are by no means the worst. I do acknowledge that your reasons for dining anywhere would greatly affect your overall view of the experience. If you are going out for dinner out with friends just for the sake of dinning out, then this could be a good choice. Having a dinner with a significant other? This place would work, as long as the occasion was not something form. Going out for a casual work dinner, sure thing.

I expected from more menu choices from this restaurant. Though the menu is not as varied as I would have liked, it was very specialized. There were items that I found to be too specific and detailed; the devil is indeed in the details in all of these meals. I was happy to see fish and chips on the menu. The meals chosen by the rest of the members of my dinner party seemed to be equally appreciated. While not a wide variety, everyone found something to enjoy for dinner

I really wanted to enjoy this dining experience as much as I have enjoyed others with my co-workers. Nob Hill Bar and Grill was enjoyable, and perhaps I need to stop comparing it to the other places that we have dined and just enjoy the experience and meal on their own merits. Overall the meal was good, although the menu did not offer me personally many choices. The cornflake covered mozzarella sticks were very unusual, and I think that is what made them so good. The patronage was rather low the evening we dined there, but I attribute this to the fact that we dined there on one of the only days it ‘snowed’ so far this winter.

            The service was not bad, but I have had better. Our waitress was only serving our party of four and two other tables, yet she was infrequently around to wait on any of us. When she was waiting on us, she was totally engaged; again, it was just difficult to get her to wait on us. She was very friendly and knowledgeable about the menu; she was very helpful when it came to specific dietary needs and restrictions and what dishes they had to offer to that end. I think that overall she was a good waitress, if not always present.

The meal that I ordered was good, if not exactly what I expected. The fish and chips were actually fish and waffle fries. While this was not exactly what I had pictured, it was enjoyable. The fish was battered and deep fried and the waffle fries were moist inside and crispy outside. I must admit that while I enjoyed the fish, I was expecting more work on the part of the kitchen for this dish for the price; perhaps the fish could have been less greasy. I could have gotten nearly the same meal at Long John Silver’s and for half the price. Overall the meal was enjoyable.

The Nob Hill Bar and Grill is a “hip” restaurant in a “hip” area of town, and you have to realize that this is the biggest part of the draw.  There is a giant fish tank near the ceiling, a definite conversation starter. I have heard from many diners that they have enjoyed their meals and over all experiences here. This is one of my bosses’ favorites, which is why we were there for dinner. I can see the draw of this restaurant; it is kitschy and it fits well in this area of town.

 

Nob Hill Bar & Grill Review

Misty 

 

Jennifer

 

English 1101 126

 

1 February 2014

Nob Hill Bar and Grill

Nob Hill Bar and Grill is a Nob Hill favorite in the area; however that does not necessarily mean that it is worth your time. It is busy most week nights, and downright packed on weekend nights. There is no doubt that there is a strong, loyal customer base.  The service and food are not the best I have ever had, but they are by no means the worst. I do acknowledge that your reasons for dining anywhere would greatly affect your overall view of the experience. If you are going out for dinner out with friends just for the sake of dinning out, then yes. Having a dinner with a significant other? Sure, as long as the occasion was not something formal, a casual work dinner, sure thing.

What I expected from this eatery was more menu choices. Though the menu is not a varied as I would have liked, it was very specialized. There were items that I found to be too specific and detailed; the devil is indeed in the details in all of these meals. I was happy to see fish and chips on the menu. The meals chosen by the rest of the members of my dinner party seemed to be equally appreciated. While not a wide variety, everyone found something to enjoy for dinner

I really wanted to enjoy this dining experience as much as I have enjoyed others with my bosses. Nob Hill Bar and Grill was enjoyable, and perhaps I need to stop comparing it to the other places that we have dined and just enjoy the experience and meal on their own merits. Overall the meal was good, although the menu did not offer me personally many choices. The cornflake covered mozzarella sticks were very unusual, and I think that is what made them so good. The waitress was seldom around but made up for it when she was. The patronage was rather low, but I attribute this to the fact that we dined there during the winter, and one of the only days that it snowed all winter.

            The service was not bad, but I have had better. Our waitress was only serving our party of four and two other tables, yet she was infrequently around to serve any of us. When she was waiting on us, she was totally engaged; again, it was just difficult to get her to wait on us though. She was very friendly and knowledgeable about the menu; she was very helpful when it came to specific dietary needs and restrictions and what dishes they had to offer to that end. I think that overall she was a good waitress, if not always present.

The meal that I ordered was good, if not exactly what I expected. The fish and chips were actually fish and waffle fries. While this was not exactly what I had pictured, it was enjoyable. The fish was battered and deep fried and the waffle fries were moist inside and crispy outside. I must admit that while I enjoyed the fish, I was expecting more work on the part of the kitchen for this dish for the price; perhaps the fish could have been less greasy. I could have gotten nearly the same meal at Long John Silver's and for half the price. Overall the meal was enjoyable.

The Nob Hill Bar and Grill is a "hip" restaurant in a "hip" area of town, and you have to realize that this is the biggest part of the draw.  There is a giant fish tank near the ceiling. There all lend themself to casual, possibly intimate dinning. I have heard from many diners that they have enjoyed their meals and over all experiences here. This is one of my bosses' favorites, which is why we were there for dinner. I can see the draw of this restaurant; it is kitschy and it fits well in this area of town.

 

Tuesday February 18th, 2014

Had to give up the allergy meds until I find one that won't make me loopy. Really not happy about that at this moment. Getting ready to go to bed, so that is a good thing... 

Had an accidental adventure today. That is OK. I learned from it.

Tomorrow I stay late at work, good and bad.. Good because I wont have to stay as late on Friday, and I can study for my midterm in Sociology with out interruptions. Bad because I have to stay late... Oh well, always looking for the silver lining, right?

Blessed Be!

)O(

Misty

 

Review Review

·         Compare the two film reviews you read this week (the ones on Juno and The Help) and discuss at least 3 criteria (from each review) that each author uses to evaluate their respective films.

In the Juno review the dialogue is discussed more than once, that it is unreal and too good to do be true. This may be true, but that is the writer’s prerogative. It is, after all, for entertainment. Ali includes other people’s perspective, whereas Dana does not.

In the review of The Help, racial inequality is discussed over and over. It is almost as if Dana Stevens wants make us all feel as if we were there in the 60’s causing this injustice, the opposite of what she claims the movie does. I also feel as if Dana Stevens does not go into enough details about what the movie is actually about. Perhaps that is because Ali Heinekamp goes into so much detail.

In the Juno review it is less clear from the beginning how the reviewer felt about the movie. She did eventually bring it together, into what I saw as a recommendation FOR the movie. Not everyone saw it this way, so for that aspect her review was somewhat muddied. Dana Stevens however, held nothing back in her dislike of this movie.

·         Discuss which two of the six criteria you selected hold the most and least weight for YOU personally when you watch a film.

I feel that Ali Heinekamp was also more open about the movie. While she did ultimately, in my opinion, recommend the movie, she did tell us about its faults. I enjoyed Juno, I realize that the dialogue was not true to life, but it was still enjoyable. She had more of a discussion about the movie, than a laundry list of why or why not to see it. I appreciated this.

It seemed to me that Dana Stevens only expounded the negative about The Help. I understand that she was giving the movie a bad review, but I think that she missed the point, and the point is that this is ultimately a movie. It is entertainment, it is supposed to make you feel good. I enjoyed the movie for what it was.

·         Based off the criteria, which review do you believe is the most fair and balanced? And why?

I think that Ali Heinekamp’s review of Juno was the fairer of the two. She was not once sided about it. In her review she told us the good and the bad. She told us so much about the movie; we might not need to see the movie! Dana Stevens made me not want to believe her review because she was too serious about something that was not. A movie is for entertainment. I think that her review would have been better suited to a documentary, where the facts of the events and how we are supposed to feel in relation to them would make more sense. I have seen both movies. I enjoyed both movies. This may have something to do with my dislike or Dana Stevens review of The Help.   

Written for Week 5 Blog Discussion in English 1101-126

Addicted to Rubber Cement

Yet, I still ordered it from Staples yesterday... Self sabotage much?

 

Final Turn In

Dawn Winters

 

Edna Kraboble

 

Sociology 1101-111

 

4 February 2014

 

Folkway Paper

The clothes that we were say a lot about us weather we wish them to or not. If you dress professionally, people will see you that way. If you were sweats and a holey t-shirt, people will judge you based on that. For my Folkways paper, I choose to wear two different shoes and boxers shorts over my pants for an entire day. I rode the bus to work, was at work and went to school in this period. I am an executive assistant, and as such, I reflect my boss and everyone in our department. I chose this Folkway to break because while I knew that I would get reactions in my different cultures.

1. OBSERVATIONS & 2. SANCTION & 3.ANALYSIS

My observations, related sanctions and analysis from each interaction are listed below:

Morning Bus Ride

1.      People looked at me as I got on the bus. This is because I was new to the bus, this always seems to happen, and it is one of the norms of the bus ride.  

2.      There were not many measurable sanctions at this point, other than being "inspected" as the new person.

3.      I think that this is due to the fact that it was very early, and many people were not awake enough to care much about things going on outside of their own world.

 

1.      A lady on the bus in the back with me noticed my feet. She noticeably looked down at them a few times.

2.      She seemed to me to be holding back a laugh each time she looked over. She did not look me in the face.

3.      I do not think that her holding back her laughter was anything negative. I imagine that she felt it would be rude to do so, but I was funny looking, so the laugh was a natural reaction.

Once I Got To Work

1.      I think that the limp the two different shoes caused is the biggest reason that people in the halls looked at me.   

2.      People looked me over to see what was wrong with me. They would not look me in the face again in most cases.

3.      This seems to be a running theme. The sanction would be that I would not be given eye contact again. Basically dismissing me because they either thought me odd, or they felt bad to see someone in a "place" where they had to wear two different shoes. They could have been wondering if something was physically or even mentally wrong with me.  

 

1.      One Nurse Practitioner I work with just said outright while I was in the break room, "You have on two different shoes".

2.      I explained about the project, we discussed the places that it is seemingly more acceptable that people dress oddly. For example, at Wal-Mart there are often people shopping in their pajamas. However, at Target, you tend to see less of that.

3.      The sanction that I got from her could have been as a negative one, but when I explained the project and the discussion blossomed, it turned into a positive one.

 

1.      Another Nurse Practitioner that I work with asked if I had hurt my foot.

2.      Since I know her to be very empathetic I assumed that she would give this reaction.  I think that she did this because she was trying to figure out why I was wearing two shoes, not just assuming that I was odd.

3.      The sanction from this interaction was a positive one, because it demonstrated to me how quickly some people give you the benefit of the doubt, or act with Cultural Relativism. Cultural Relativism is taking into account differences across cultures without passing judgment or assigning value. (Conley pg. 85)

 

1.      Another admin assistant joked that I must have gotten dressed in the dark.

2.      I explained the project. She did not seem to care one way or the other.

3.      I felt that the sanction that I received was that she was rude and dismissive. I have always felt that she is somewhat stuck up because her title is rather prestigious.

At School

1.      On the way to class, there was a man standing close to the door to our class. He seemed to notice my feet from some distance.

2.      He looked me in the face the entire time I walked down the hall. I might have missed other reactions, but I wanted to see if it would escalate in any way as I got closer, so I did not look away. He did not look away, nor did he respond more than the look.

3.      Was only staring at me because I was staring at him? The sanction I got from this interaction was confusion.

 

1.      The girl sitting in the row in front of me in class noticed at one point during class.

2.      I am sure that she assumes this is for the project.

3.      The only real sanction that I got from her was that she noticed. It was neither negative nor positive.

On The Bus Home

*I rode a different, more crowded bus home to get another sampling of the community.*

1.      There was an older man across from me; I thought that he had noticed my shoes. I made it a point of making eye contact and smiling at as many people as I could. No matter how often or hard I tried to make eye contact, he just wouldn't do it. Towards the end of my ride, he finally made eye contact. He asked about the patch on my backpack (Walking Dead). I explained a little about the show. He continued to "chat me up", and after a few more minutes he moved to sit next to me, and this is when he said to me "Oh, you have on two different shoes." That confuses me because I was sure that he had noticed before.

2.      I surmise that he did indeed notice before, that he wanted to ask about the shoes, but he didn't know how to go about it. I explained the shoes were part of an experiment, and explained a little about what and why I was doing. He asked how it was going, I told him it the reactions were mixed.  He didn't have much to add after that and then I had to get off of the bus.

3.      I feel that the sanctions I received from him were mixed, and skewed because I do not feel he was honest about not noticing my shoes before he moved to sit next to me.

 

1.      There was a lady beside him, she looked at me and then down to my shoes and back up to look me in the face.

2.      She made a look that I can only describe as "well, okay?" She kept glancing down at my feet, but when I looked at her, she looked away.

3.      I strongly feel that she is an ethnocentric person, I do not sense that she tried to figure me out at all, rather seemed to pass judgment on my situation and moved on. Ethnocentrism is a term that encapsulates the sense of taken-for-granted superiority in the context of cultural practices and attitudes. (Conley pg. 78)

HOW I FELT

At first I felt nervous. I do not like drawing attention to myself around strangers. I was "scared" that someone would have negative comments to make, and actually say something rude to me. As I witnessed, people just like noticing the differences in each other not necessarily saying anything about it. Luckily, at least for me, it seems that people do not like confronting people they do not know. The only people that said anything to me while I did this experiment where people that know me, and one friendly gentleman on the bus.

When I was on the Central bus in the afternoon I felt out of my element, and for a while I regretted making this change. It had less to do with my shoes and boxers than just being out of my comfort zone. I was out of my comfort zone. The people on the Lomas bus have a certain Ideology that I am more familiar with. Conley talks about Ideology being a system of concepts and relationships, an understanding of cause and effect. (Conley pg. 83), I identify with this on "my" bus. The Central bus has an Ideology and a culture all its own. It is one that I am not entirely comfortable in.

 

Bibliography: Conley, Dalton (2012). You May Ask Yourself 3^rd Edition

 

 

Links to Video Documentation

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h7R-PMUw1TQ  Walking the Halls

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ll4L5Ef9NFA  Keri Notices

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=loAr7013YsY Getting On the Morning Bus

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t8JD46wqiWw Getting Breakfast

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=83K-LMMtTS4 Shoppette

 

 

 

Paper Version 3

Dawn Winters

 

Dr. Elizabeth Bennett

 

Sociology 1101-111

 

4 February 2014

 

Folkway Paper

The clothes that we were say a lot about us weather we wish them to or not. If you dress professionally, people will see you that way. If you were sweats and a holey t-shirt, people will judge you based on that. For my Folkways paper, I choose to wear two different shoes and boxers shorts over my pants for an entire day. I rode the bus to work, was at work and went to school in this period. I am an executive assistant, and as such, I reflect my boss and everyone in our department. I chose this Folkway to break because while I knew that I would get reactions in my different cultures.

1. OBSERVATIONS & 2. SANCTION & 3.ANALYSIS

My observations, related sanctions and analysis from each interaction are listed below:

Morning Bus Ride

1.      People looked at me as I got on the bus. This is because I was new to the bus, this always seems to happen, it is one of the norms of the bus ride.  

2.      There were not many measurable sanctions at this point, other than being "inspected" as the new person.

3.      I think that this is due to the fact that it was very early, and many people were not awake enough to care much about things going on outside of their own world.

 

1.      A lady on the bus in the back with me noticed my feet. She noticeably looked down at them a few times.

2.      She seemed to me to be holding back a laugh each time she looked over. She did not look me in the face.

3.      I do not think that her holding back her laughter was anything negative. I imagine that she felt it would be rude to do so, but I was funny looking, so the laugh was a natural reaction.

Once I Got To Work

1.      I think that the limp the two different shoes caused is the biggest reason that people in the halls looked at me.   

2.      People looked me over to see what was wrong with me. They would not look me in the face again in most cases.

3.      This seems to be a running theme. The sanction would be that I would not be given eye contact again. Basically dismissing me because they either thought me odd, or they felt bad to see someone in a "place" where they had to wear two different shoes. They could have been wondering if something was physically or even mentally wrong with me.  

 

1.      One Nurse Practitioner I work with just said outright while I was in the break room, "You have on two different shoes".

2.      I explained about the project, we discussed the places that it is seemingly more acceptable that people dress oddly. For example, at Wal-Mart there are often people shopping in their pajamas. However, at Target, you tend to see less of that.

3.      The sanction that I got from her could have been as a negative one, but when I explained the project and the discussion blossomed, it turned into a positive one.

 

1.      Another Nurse Practitioner that I work with asked if I had hurt my foot.

2.      Since I know her to be very empathetic I assumed that she would give this reaction.  I think that she did this because she was trying to figure out why I was wearing two shoes, not just assuming that I was odd.

3.      The sanction from this interaction was a positive one, because it demonstrated to me how quickly some people give you the benefit of the doubt, or act with Cultural Relativism. Cultural Relativism is taking into account differences across cultures without passing judgment or assigning value. (Conley pg. 85)

 

1.      Another admin assistant joked that I must have gotten dressed in the dark.

2.      I explained the project. She did not seem to care one way or the other.

3.      I felt that the sanction that I received was that she was rude and dismissive. I have always felt that she is somewhat stuck up because her title is rather prestigious.

At School

1.      On the way to class, there was a man standing close to the door to our class. He seemed to notice my feet from some distance.

2.      He looked me in the face the entire time I walked down the hall. I might have missed other reactions, but I wanted to see if it would escalate in any way as I got closer, so I did not look away. He did not look away, nor did he respond more than the look.

3.      Was only staring at me because I was staring at him? The sanction I got from this interaction was confusion.

 

1.      The girl sitting in the row in front of me in class noticed at one point during class.

2.      I am sure that she assumes this is for the project.

3.      The only real sanction that I got from her was that she noticed. It was neither negative nor positive.

On The Bus Home

*I rode a different, more crowded bus home to get another sampling of the community.*

1.      There was an older man across from me; I thought that he had noticed my shoes. I made it a point of making eye contact and smiling at as many people as I could. No matter how often or hard I tried to make eye contact, he just wouldn't do it. Towards the end of my ride, he finally made eye contact. He asked about the patch on my backpack (Walking Dead). I explained a little about the show. He continued to "chat me up", and after a few more minutes he moved to sit next to me, and this is when he said to me "Oh, you have on two different shoes." That confuses me because I was sure that he had noticed before.

2.      I surmise that he did indeed notice before, that he wanted to ask about the shoes, but he didn't know how to go about it. I explained the shoes were part of an experiment, and explained a little about what and why I was doing. He asked how it was going, I told him it the reactions were mixed.  He didn't have much to add after that and then I had to get off of the bus.

3.      I feel that the sanctions I received from him were mixed, and skewed because I do not feel he was honest about not noticing my shoes before he moved to sit next to me.

 

1.      There was a lady beside him, she looked at me and then down to my shoes and back up to look me in the face.

2.      She made a look that I can only describe as "well, okay?" She kept glancing down at my feet, but when I looked at her, she looked away.

3.      I strongly feel that she is an ethnocentric person, I do not sense that she tried to figure me out at all, rather seemed to pass judgment on my situation and moved on. Ethnocentrism is a term that encapsulates the sense of taken-for-granted superiority in the context of cultural practices and attitudes. (Conley pg. 78)

HOW I FELT

At first I felt nervous. I do not like drawing attention to myself around strangers. I was "scared" that someone would have negative comments to make, or actually say something rude to me. As I witnessed, people just like noticing the differences in each other not necessarily doing anything about it. Luckily, at least for me, it seems that people do not like confronting people they do not know. The only people that said anything to me while I did this experiment where people that know me, and one friendly gentleman on the bus.

When I was on the Central bus in the afternoon I felt out of my element, and for a while I regretted making this change. It had less to do with my shoes and boxers than just being out of my comfort zone. I was out of my norm, my norm being the Lomas bus. The people on the Lomas bus have a certain Ideology that I am more familiar with. Conley talks about Ideology being a system of concepts and relationships, an understanding of cause and effect. (Conley pg. 83), I identify with this on "my" bus. The Central bus has an Ideology and a culture all its own. It is one that I am not entirely comfortable in.

 

Bibliography: Conley, Dalton (2012). You May Ask Yourself 3^rd Edition

 

Paper Draft 2

 

THE NORM I AM BREAKING

For my Folkways paper, I choose to wear two different shoes and boxers shorts over my pants to work and school.  I chose this norm to break I am an executive assistant, and as such, I reflect my boss and our department, which is comprised of Nurse Practitioners and Physician Assistants. This is not how I should dress. I normally wear slacks and a nice top to work. On my own time I have more unique clothing choices, and I am ok with the staring that comes with those choices. I chose this Folkway to break because while I do not have an issue in my private life wearing what others might consider odd, I am much more conservative at work.

 

OBSERVATIONS

 

My observations from the day are listed below:

Moring Bus Ride:

·       People looked at me as I got on the bus, because I was new to the bus, and that always seems to happen, the new person has to be inspected.

·       One lady on the bus in the back with me noticed, her young son did not. She looked to me to be holding back a laugh each time she looked over. She did not look me in the face.

·       On my way to get breakfast, the cashier noticed, started to say something, but didn't follow through

·       5 separate people seemed to look at my feet, and then would not look me in the face again after that.

·       For the most part the bus ride was uneventful once I took my seat. I think that this is because I was seated, and no longer drawing attention.

Once I Got To Work

·       People in the halls looked at me because the different shoes made me limp. I think that they noticed me more because of the limp. They would look me over to see what was wrong with me, and then would not look me in the face again in most cases. This seems to be a running theme.

·       On my way to get breakfast, the cashier noticed, started to say something, but didn't follow through.

·       One Nurse that I work with said that I dress uniquely on a daily basis, so she just didn't notice. I don't understand that statement, because I think that I dress conservatively at work, but perhaps this is just in contrast to my private life?

·       One Nurse Practitioner I work with just said outright while I was washing my dishes in the break room, "You have on two different shoes". I explained about the project, and we discussed the places that it is seemingly more acceptable that people dress oddly. For example, at Wal-Mart there are often people in their pajamas shopping. However, at Target, you see less of that. It is, in my opinion, that Target is a little bit more hi-brow than Wal-Mart. I know when I go into Wal-Mart, I can "see my anger" That is another paper all on its own.

·       Another Nurse Practitioner that I work with, who I know to be a very empathetic person, asked if I had hurt my foot. This is the reaction that I would like to think that I would have if I saw someone in my state out and about.  I know her to be very empathetic, so I assumed that she would give this reaction.  I think that she did this because she was trying to figure out why I was wearing two shoes, not just assuming that I was odd.

·       The Staples delivery guy did not seem to notice at all. He was doing his job.

·       Another admin assistant joked that I must have gotten dressed in the dark. I explained the project. She did not seem to care one way or the other. I have always felt that she is somewhat stuck up. In my observations, it is because of whom she is assisting (The CNO and that is my bosses boss). She seems to think that because her boss is higher than my boss, she is higher than me. While on the chain of command she is, we basically do the same job, although I have more associated with my job, for less pay. Again, another paper

·       A gentleman in the hall looked me in the face, we exchanged smiles, and then he looked at my feet (presumably because of the limp) and did look me back in the face. I can only imagine that he "explained away my behavior"

On The Way to and At School

·       While I was waiting for my ride to school, there was a young man standing outside smoking. He kept sneaking glances at my feet. When I would look at him, he would look away quickly. I think that he continued to sneak peeks because he was not sure he was seeing what he was seeing. It could also be that he wanted to see if there was more to see, that perhaps I would act out to match my odd clothing choices.   

·       I did get a few glances while I was waiting for my ride, but mostly it was windy and cold, so I think that people were more wrapped up in their own concerns, namely getting inside where it was warm and not windy. People tend to be wrapped up in their own worlds more than not.

·       On the way to class, there was a man standing close to the door to our class. He noticed my feet from some distance. He looked me in the face the entire time I walked down the hall. I might have missed other reactions, but I wanted to see if he would say anything as I got closer, so I did not look away. He did not either, and he did not say anything to me. I wonder if he might have had a clue that it was time for "Folkway Norm Breaking Papers"

·       The girl sitting in the row in front of me in class noticed at one point during class. I am sure that she assumes this is for the project.

On The Bus Home

·       I rode the Central bus home instead of the Lomas. I made this decision because I ride the Lomas daily, so people on that bus know me, as well as strangers on the bus can know each other. If I do indeed, dress uniquely at work, then I might not get the desired reactions. I had hoped to get that back middle seat, so that more people would get the chance to see me when they boarded, but this did not happen. I did get to sit in the back, so more people saw me as I boarded.

·       There was an older man across from me, I thought that he had noticed my shoes. I made it a point of making eye contact and smiling at as many people as I could. No matter how often, or hard I tried to make eye contact, he just wouldn't do it. Towards the end of my ride, as I neared my stop, I took out my headphones, and then he made eye contact. He asked about the patch on my backpack (Walking Dead). I explained that it is a Zombie show. He and kept chatting me up. After a few more minutes he moved to sit next to me, and he said to me "Oh, I didn't even realize you have on two different shoes." That confuses me because I was sure that he had noticed before. I surmise that he did indeed notice before, that he wanted to ask about the shoes, only he didn't know how to go about it. I explained the shoes were part of an experiment, basically to see how others would react to it, he asked how it was going, I told him it was mixed.   He didn't have much to add after that before I had to get off of the bus.

·       There was a lady beside him, she looked at me, and she made a look that I can only describe as "well okay...." She kept glancing down at my feet, but when I look at her, she looked away. I strongly feel that she is one of those ethnocentric people.   

·       A lady on the lower set of seats made eye contact with me. Was I putting my feelings onto her, or did she look at me like she was disgusted by my mismatched shoes? Perhaps my feelings of being out of place were getting to me, but I do not think that was it. I was pretty much over feeling awkward at this point in the day.

·       The strongest reaction that did not involve actually speaking to someone was from a young lady, early 20s, I looked over to get reaction... She gave me a very dirty look as if I had offended her personally by wearing two different shoes.I attempted to look at her again, to see if I got the same reaction but she moved to a seat where I cannot see her face anymore.  I am very puzzled as to why she would give me the look that she did. If I were to see someone that was dressed like I was, I would try to figure out why they were like that. I would, perhaps, assume that they must have an injured foot, as my co-worker did.

·       A Packers fan was looking all around, he looked at my feet, but he seemed more interested in what the girl next to me is reading. Maybe he didn't notice, or maybe he just didn't care. He seemed to keep to himself the entire bus ride. If I had to rate his reactions to his surrounds on a hot to cold scale, he was absolutely an ice cold rider. 

That Night at Target

·       One lady with her two small children did notice me, and she gave me a sincere smile. At least that is how I felt it came across. I am curious as to why I cannot find a category to put her smile into. Some people gave me dirty looks. Some people gave me what I considered to be "Oh, look at the poor touched in the head lady" smiles. This lady's smile was just a pure genuine smile. That is one sanction that I cannot wrap my head around.

 

 

 

HOW I FELT

At first I felt nervous. I do not like drawing attention to myself around strangers. I was "scared" that someone would have negative comments to make, or actually say something rude to me. As I witnessed, people just like noticing the differences in each other. People especially do not like odd differences, when they notice them. Luckily, at least for me, it seems that they do not like confronting people they do not know. The only people that said anything to me where people that know me. Them, and one friendly gentleman on the bus.

When I was on the Central bus in the afternoon on the way home I felt so out of my element. For a while I was regretting taking a different bus. I like to think of myself as a flexible person, but that bus ride made me feel very much the opposite. I wanted to go back to my routine. It had less to do with my shoes and boxers than just being out of my comfort zone. I was out of my norm and I did not enjoy all of the trip.

I think that the reason that I am more conservative with my clothing choices at work is twofold. One, of course, is that I am bound by a dress code. The second, I only came to truly realize during this experiment, is that I want to be taken seriously at work. I want to be seen as on the same page with the snotty lady that works for my bosses boss (the job I hope to have someday).On a physical note, my back hurt and my knees were killing me because of the limp that the shoe difference caused. I have a new appreciation of people with actual limps.