A..A...A!

I deserve an A. Since the last two classworks were late, I am downgrading an A+ to an A. I have completed all the other assignments right on time and to the best of my ability. It was not hard to do because each assignment we did was interesting and meaningful. It is the first time I have actually had modern day subjects incorporated into the class. I loved how most of our work involved  technology which only made the class feel more modern and more "in 2010." The class was unique and it gave me a chance to see how useful blogging is. Although many of the things we learned in class were controversial, it was truly stimulating. I thoroughly enjoyed each day of class. (:

The Bank

9:00-10:20 am

Ethnographic Essay

I try so hard not to stare at the red pimple protruding from the bank teller’s face. She has black hair that looks really short in length because of her perm. She is rather young, possibly in her late twenties. As she handles money and deals with the customers she seems so kind and sweet. As if she really is happy to be here on the Friday after Thanksgiving, when she could really be at GSP shopping. She hides her disappointment well, but I see her frustration. In the minute right after she says “Thank you, have a nice day,” and right before her next customer, I see her shake her frozen posture up a bit as she reapplies the same fake smile.

I look at the other bank tellers.  Each has their own style of smile and posture, but they all have the same amount of fakeness. They cannot be blamed for not finding a reason to smile today. The intense lighting used to brighten one room hurts my eyes and prevents them from closing and the bland paint on the walls only seems to hurt my eyes more. The same plants I see in every bank are what are placed in every corner of the room. The chairs are lined up back to back in the middle of the room. We patiently await the time until the display by the bank tellers’ window light up and say “Next Customer.” I am nowhere near next and my patience is running out. I stand up and walk to get a cup of water. A short elderly man is also getting water. He smiles and moves aside, signaling for me to go right ahead. I shyly smile back and quickly pour my water and drink it in one gulp. I then turn around, smile back at the man and return to my seat. However, when I get to my seat, there is a woman sitting in my seat. She quickly half-gets up and apologizes. I smile back at her and tell her it is okay and move to another seat.

At the bank everyone is forcefully polite. No one wants to attract any attention to themselves but at the same time, they do not want to seem antisocial. People who came alone exchange small talk and slight smiles, while others who came with another family member quietly whisper to each other. They smile apologetically at people when they believe they are being too loud. I sit restlessly in my chair but I do not dare lean back or position myself to be comfortable because I do not want to make much noise or seem too relaxed. My parents and my sister hate waiting at the bank so once again I was sent in as they get to wait in the car. This time I do not have my i-pod so I am defenseless against strangers. I keep my head down but discretely watch people. My curiosity will not let me stop looking but I have to be careful not to make eye contact because it can spark a conversation. I look up at the curly haired-bank teller again and see the neon light flash up. I am next. I get up and briskly walk to her. She smiles at me, I smile back and hand her the money inside the envelope my mom entrusted to me. She takes it with two hands and enters it in a machine. I watch her hands and realize that she is looking at me with the same fake smile. When she is done, we smile at each other again and as I turn to leave, my smile quickly drops.

I do not know why people need to fake sincerity and kindness. Sure it makes people feel more comfortable, but it also makes people feel the opposite. They all feel a need to be something they are not. Being happy 24/7 is not a reality. I get back in the car and continue to conversation we were having before I left. I tell my mom that I want to be a wedding planner instead of a pharmacist. She raises her voice again and keeps nagging me about why pharmacy is the only option of major I should be focused on. I sigh and give up my argument. I think back to the bank and realize that many of them are not as happy and kind as they seemed. The frightful thing is that people can change to whatever they want to portray themselves to be. Its hard to trust anyone when what they show you on the outside is so different from what is on the inside. 

Beary

9:00-10:20 am
Analysis Essay

My most treasured inanimate object in this whole world is something I call Beary. She is twelve inches of soft snow-white adorable plush. Her beady eyes, pink heart shaped nose, and her permanent sitting position is the only familiar thing from my past that brings me comfort. 

I was five years old and my family and I went to a diner to eat one late night. As soon as I saw her in box of the claw game, I knew I wanted her. I put in twenty-five cents and led the gigantic metal claw right towards her. The claw wrapped around her perfectly and dropped her into the shoot. Soon she was cuddled in my arms. My brilliantly large vocabulary thought to name her Beary. Beary originally came with her arms attached to a red heart shaped pillow that bore the beautiful phrase "I Love You." My small fingers constantly squeezed the pillow whenever I was scared or nervous. She is the first and only thing that I ever won in a claw game. The precision and caution it took to win her could never be matched by any other five year old. As soon as she fell into my arms I jumped for joy and ran into my dad's arm. He lifted me up and patted my head. He chuckled and told me "good job." I giggled as I swung my new bear around and showed her off to my sister. It was one of my happiest days and one of my happiest childhood memories. Even today, Beary gets her own space on my desk, she has never seen the inside of a travel bag, she is forbidden from getting dusty, and she will never be thrown away. Beary has been there longer than anyone else and she brings me comfort in times of stress,

Living One Week Without Technology

These days in the dorms, I have found that I am engaging with less and less technology, but the two forms of technology that I do use are becoming more obsessively used and relied on. These days I only need my cell phone and laptop to get through the day. Half of the reason why I use my laptop so much is because I am required to for classes. Therefore if I had to go a week without it I believe I could easily survive. The more important electronic is my phone because it basically holds my life in its tiny frame. Its my access to my friends, family, internet, maps, etc. One night as I was going home, my phone suddenly turned off because it had no battery. I panicked and was seriously scared for my life. I realized that my phone makes me safe and confident. Living without my phone seems impossible.

Response to Article

The article that I chose to respond to was the second one. It talks about how media and advertising through social networks is affective because social networks are addictive to students. Many constantly check their twitter, facebook, etc at least a couple times a day, including when they wake up and go to sleep. The article suggests that it would be smart for the people in charge of the media companies to manipulate this knowledge to their advantage. I agree with the article. If people wanted to advertise their products on the media to teenagers, what better way but to show them constantly every day. It also seems to be supported by the network that they enjoy so they believe it is “cooler.” The only part that bothered me about the article was the statistics. I could not believe that the first thing so many people do when they wake up is check their social networks. It shows how, as a civilization, we are becoming more and more reliant on technology. Therefore, it would be a good idea to live for at least one week without any form of technology and see how life is easier or harder. I say one week and not one day because I once watched a program about four or five different people who were addicted to technology tried living without technology for a week. You need some time to get used to living without technology. Some people might experience something similar to withdrawal but after three or four days, you realize that life is much simpler, calmer, and enjoyably without constantly updating your facebook or tweeting about what you just did.

What We Don't Know About Our Food

Many factors beg us to stop eating fast food. The horrible consequences of health problems such as e.coli, obesity, etc that can result in death, the cruel methods of gathering the food from animals that were grown specifically for these purposes, the unfair treatment of its workers, and yet, people continue to purchase these foods.
TO BE CONTINUED!

500-600 words- reaction to this. How gender identity is shaped

Selena Lim
9:00 am class

What or who creates the definition of masculinity that separates it from femininity. The gender boxes that separate the two sexes have been passed down through family members, teachers, the government, but most importantly, the media. The media has the ability to manipulate ideas, opinions and thoughts; in this case, the opinion of what makes a man a man. Masculinity is not a trait that people are born with. It is an act that is influenced by what they are told, see, and hear. The video that we saw proved this by showing how action figures have transformed from the early 70s to current. Masculinity has become more defined by toughness and physical appearances, while women beauty is defined by small frames and quiet personalities. As we are continually shown this on a daily pattern, we start believing it more and more. Men who cry or perform acts that are known as parallels to femininity are teased with words such as girly, sissy, pussy, wimps, etc. If these actions are considered “feminine” and are excused as being wimpy, does that mean girls are considered weak and helpless? Moreover are men not allowed to show their emotions in fear of being called girls? I, and probably the majority of the female population take offense to our gender being used as insults. I take pride in the fact that females are considered more calm, open, and kind; however I believe that these are hidden characteristics of males too. Men are sensitive too, but because of the gender boxes that exist, they try not to let it show. Last year in psychology class we learned about how people can easily be manipulated. One case of a man claiming to be Jesus, who convinced his followers to commit suicide because he was almost arrested, was the most alarming story. The idea that one opinion can be as contagious as to get people to end their own life is a frightful reminder that people listen to what other people say. While some people may be more easily convinced than others, everyone has the part in them that forces them to listen to what other people tell them. For every leader, there are hundreds of followers. It is different with the media. The media has the advantage of distributing its opinions to a much larger group. The radio, television, computer, ads, billboards, commercials, etc spread to every part of the world at all times of the day. Whoever controls the media are the most powerful people in the world. Currently, four networks are the lead controlling groups of media. They have the ability to make their opinions be the only opinions. Therefore, we must stick to our own ideas and thoughts to defeat the dictator-like media. We can do this by not only adhering to what the media tells us is beautiful, which style is in, which electronics is best, what is masculinity, what love is, etc. We should just be ourselves and let our individuality shine.