Post information you have about organizations other students may be interested in. How can we help out in the quest to quell Africa's various conflicts?
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Charitable Information Here.
Post information you have about organizations other students may be interested in. How can we help out in the quest to quell Africa's various conflicts?
Monday, November 10, 2008
Intro Paragraphs, Suckas!
Yo yo yo, post your rough introductory paragraphs of your Issues paper here! Do it now.
Monday, November 3, 2008
Friday, October 31, 2008
Sub-topic ideas?
If you'd like to propose a specific sub-topic for this paper, do it here. I'll try to take your ideas into consideration.
Article Reviews Here.
Post one of your article reviews here. From the very beginning we want to create a bank of information and resources to make researching easier.
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Defend Your Topic
BONUS (a real bonus):
If you care about any particular topic or want to try and convince me to pick a certain one (even if it's not on the list), do it here! You can be persuasive and opinionated now.
Here's the list of topics we generated in class. X's denote my interest in a topic:
x China
adoption
standards of beauty
genocide
x violence in pop culture
x alternative fuels
teen pregnancy
cloning
youth psychological issues
x avatars
body art
gay rights
x conflicts in Africa
treatment of veterans
If you care about any particular topic or want to try and convince me to pick a certain one (even if it's not on the list), do it here! You can be persuasive and opinionated now.
Here's the list of topics we generated in class. X's denote my interest in a topic:
x China
adoption
standards of beauty
genocide
x violence in pop culture
x alternative fuels
teen pregnancy
cloning
youth psychological issues
x avatars
body art
gay rights
x conflicts in Africa
treatment of veterans
Political Non-Bias
Oh, politics enrages us,
makes foes of you and me,
but write about the campaign here,
without your biases.
Post an entry about the campaign in a totally balanced, issues paper-esque way. Also, note my mighty slant rhyme. Bonus points of you know what slant rhyme is.
makes foes of you and me,
but write about the campaign here,
without your biases.
Post an entry about the campaign in a totally balanced, issues paper-esque way. Also, note my mighty slant rhyme. Bonus points of you know what slant rhyme is.
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Conference Appointments
Virtual sign-up sheet.
This is where I'll put up what times people have requested to meet with me, just so the class knows what times are no longer available.
Note: you must email me to set a time, if you try to set an appointment by posting a time on here, I probably won't get it.
This is where I'll put up what times people have requested to meet with me, just so the class knows what times are no longer available.
Note: you must email me to set a time, if you try to set an appointment by posting a time on here, I probably won't get it.
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
BONUS
Write a short profile on Monday's sub, Martha Pitts. Be as vividly descriptive as possible. You didn't interview her (I don't think), so concentrate on describing her based on your observations.
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Profile of the Exquisite Corpse office
Paste your one-page profile of the office here. Make you writing as vivid and colorful as you can. Put us in that room.
Profile Mr. Brinson
Paste your profile of DeWitt into a comment post and let it fly! It won't be hard for me to check to make sure you have at least 250 words, so don't shirk.
Remember, you cannot use these words: extremely, really, somewhat, it, is, or was.
Good luck.
Remember, you cannot use these words: extremely, really, somewhat, it, is, or was.
Good luck.
Monday, October 6, 2008
Questions for DeWitt
Post your three questions for DeWitt. If someone already has posted a question you were going to ask, think of another one. You need to have at least two unique questions (questions that no one has posted).
Here's how the interview will work. 10 of you will interview DeWitt at a time (the other 10 will be with me). You need to have your notebook out, pen ready. Try to record his responses, yes, but also his body language, his voice inflections, his tone of voice. What he looks like. What you think is significant. Anyone can just rehash an interview. You guys should focus on really wringing the details out of your 20 minutes with DeWitt. Pick out every small, unique, and important detail that you can.
Chris, don't use your magic pen.
You guys are going to be writing mini-profiles for your homework assignment, so really focus on getting as much information as you can. Vivid details. You're just harvesting information at this point. You'll sort through it as you write your short profile of DeWitt.
Here's how the interview will work. 10 of you will interview DeWitt at a time (the other 10 will be with me). You need to have your notebook out, pen ready. Try to record his responses, yes, but also his body language, his voice inflections, his tone of voice. What he looks like. What you think is significant. Anyone can just rehash an interview. You guys should focus on really wringing the details out of your 20 minutes with DeWitt. Pick out every small, unique, and important detail that you can.
Chris, don't use your magic pen.
You guys are going to be writing mini-profiles for your homework assignment, so really focus on getting as much information as you can. Vivid details. You're just harvesting information at this point. You'll sort through it as you write your short profile of DeWitt.
Thursday, October 2, 2008
Blog Your Mini-Profile
Take what you wrote in class, and write a mini-profile of your classmate. Reach into the depths of their soul!
Friday, September 26, 2008
Mississippi State!
Exclamation marks are in vogue today! It's Friday!
Here's the deal. No one is really excited about Mississippi State. Sure, they lost a close game to Auburn 3-2. But honestly, that game seems more like an absolute fluke than anything.
Some thoughts:
LSU is beat up physically from Auburn.
Will there be a letdown against a "lesser" team? Or will they stay pumped up?
Jarret Lee? A strong finish?
Charles Scott, a beast? 200+ yards?
My prediction: LSU 31, Ole Miss 10.
Here's the deal. No one is really excited about Mississippi State. Sure, they lost a close game to Auburn 3-2. But honestly, that game seems more like an absolute fluke than anything.
Some thoughts:
LSU is beat up physically from Auburn.
Will there be a letdown against a "lesser" team? Or will they stay pumped up?
Jarret Lee? A strong finish?
Charles Scott, a beast? 200+ yards?
My prediction: LSU 31, Ole Miss 10.
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Profile Start!
We need to start brainstorming for our profiles, at least in general ways. List 3 people, places, people in places that you'd consider for your profile. Remember, it has to be someone you're unfamiliar with. No uncles, no best friends, no grandmothers, no boyfriends/lady friends.
What I'm considering (since I have to do this assignment as well):
Lolo Jones
Gamblers inside the riverboat casino at 4 am
The guy who feeds Mike the Tiger
Now, one of the best ways to start thinking about the profile is to think about what you're interested in or what you'd like to find out about. Try to stay within the Baton Rouge area. Try to pick the most interesting person or place you can think of.
From my list of 3, I'd probably lean towards the gamblers because it offers interesting people in an interesting setting--double whammy! Lolo Jones might be hard to wrangle an interview with. The guy who feeds Mike? Meh, I'm not too excited about that.
What I'm considering (since I have to do this assignment as well):
Lolo Jones
Gamblers inside the riverboat casino at 4 am
The guy who feeds Mike the Tiger
Now, one of the best ways to start thinking about the profile is to think about what you're interested in or what you'd like to find out about. Try to stay within the Baton Rouge area. Try to pick the most interesting person or place you can think of.
From my list of 3, I'd probably lean towards the gamblers because it offers interesting people in an interesting setting--double whammy! Lolo Jones might be hard to wrangle an interview with. The guy who feeds Mike? Meh, I'm not too excited about that.
Friday, September 19, 2008
AuBURN Baby Burn.
Last week Auburn beat Mississippi State by a phenomenal baseball score of 3-2. Last year we beat them on a big-time Les Miles gamble at the end of the game. Will there be fireworks this year, or a defensive slug-fest? Will Auburn's new, highly touted offensive coordinator bring his charged up spread offense up to speed finally? Will we see some Jordan Jefferson in this game? Will anyone risk physical harm and pick Auburn to win?
My score: LSU 17, Auburn 14.
My score: LSU 17, Auburn 14.
Friday, September 12, 2008
North Texas vs. LSU
Honestly, I know nothing about North Texas, and I'm not sure it matters much. They've been disrupted by Ike; I think they've been staying in New Orleans for the past few days.
Our players have missed what, one practice? Do you think they'll be ready to SMASH a weak team? I do.
Wait, I'm going to check on ESPN right now and see if I can dig some dirt on North Texas... Well, ESPN hasn't posted any news article about No. Tex. in over a year. That can't bode well, can it?
LSU 49, No. Texas 3
Our players have missed what, one practice? Do you think they'll be ready to SMASH a weak team? I do.
Wait, I'm going to check on ESPN right now and see if I can dig some dirt on North Texas... Well, ESPN hasn't posted any news article about No. Tex. in over a year. That can't bode well, can it?
LSU 49, No. Texas 3
Class Cancelled...Again
So here's the deal. This sets us back. Again. Now, since the University deems conditions unsafe enough to cancel classes this afternoon, I can't in good faith require you to drop off your journals and copies of my essay at my office. So we'll do that on Monday. Damn.
What we would've done in class is this:
Performed dialogues.
Watched different scenes from Bullitt, the classic Steve McQueen detective film.
Written scene cards based on the clips to record how Frank Bullitt is portrayed.
Written scene cards for real scenes from our memories about our person.
Tried to arrange them to create a possible portrait.
I want you to start thinking about your portrait in terms of scenes. What scenes can you create from your memory about your person to create a full and interesting portrait? You have to start thinking like a screenwriter except for a few differences. First, you have much less time and space to create your portrait, so you have no room for unnecessary details. Your portrait is a short film, at best. But, you don't have the limits that a screenwriter has. Where the screenwriter only can write playable action (what can be shown externally on the screen), you can include your own reflections, opinions, biases, internal debates, psychoanalyses, authorial voice...
But, for now, I want you to start thinking about choosing scenes and episodes to include in your portrait. I also want you to think about how and why you would choose one episode over another. Just as choosing a good subject for the portrait is incredibly important, so is choosing good scenes/episodes to create the structure of the portrait.
So you're going to create scene cards. Of course, first you're going to have choose what scenes you're going to use.
To make your scene cards you first need cards. Index cards work fine, or you can rip a piece of paper into quarters. Whichever. Each card needs to look like this before you start:
-----------------
Setting:
Action:
Characterization:
Specific Incidents/Recurring Activities:
Significance:
-----------------
I'm going to fill out a scene card for my essay right here as an example.
-----------------
Setting: Tram, charcoal chicken store, dorm
Action: We go purchase a charcoal chicken, return and eat it.
Characterization: Australian, male, student... (is that it? jeez)
Incidents/activities: paying for both, woodchipping of fries, restraint in not eating fries on ride home, not talking
Significance: Relentlessness? Compulsive? Single-minded? Insists on paying = control?
-----------------
This is, as I'm sure you know, the opening scene of my portrait. Now, I didn't do scene cards before writing it, which seems obvious now because the scene looks pretty weak. I mean, where is the characterization? In this opening episode Jarrod consists of a name, a mouth, and a hand. I couldn't get this image out of my head where I started to write, so I just started with it. As it is right now, I don't think the scene is working too well, as we'll discuss later. But I think I can get use what I see as the significance to connect this scene with other ones to create Jarrod as the relentless, compulsive guy I knew. It can still fit in somewhere. So I won't throw it away just yet.
But do you get the point of this? I want you to consider your portrait in scenes and plan out what each one would include. Just jot down enough so that YOU know what's happening in each scene. Most of the work in this exercise is going to be internal. Now you may have trouble identifying significance or recurring activities when you start out, and that's fine. Those are things you will probably have an easier time determining once you've got a half-dozen scene cards started.
Once I wrote the french fry scene I had no idea how it fit, but this is a rough draft, so I left it in. Now I can see how it'll work with some re-writing. I'm trying to sort out the pieces after I've written them. You guys are going to try to sort the pieces before you write them. That sounds easier in some ways, doesn't it? A stitch in time and all that jazz.
So, finally, here's the assignment:
Write at least 6 scene cards, based on your real-life experiences with the person. The more the better, obviously. Start looking for patterns in significance, in recurring activities, in possible narrative arcs, etc. You're making the bones of your portrait. Soon you'll assemble them into a skeleton. Then flesh it out.
Bring your 6+ scene cards to class on Monday.
Bring your notebook.
Bring your copy of my draft.
Guess the football score if you desire. Try to upset the champ so far: me.
What we would've done in class is this:
Performed dialogues.
Watched different scenes from Bullitt, the classic Steve McQueen detective film.
Written scene cards based on the clips to record how Frank Bullitt is portrayed.
Written scene cards for real scenes from our memories about our person.
Tried to arrange them to create a possible portrait.
I want you to start thinking about your portrait in terms of scenes. What scenes can you create from your memory about your person to create a full and interesting portrait? You have to start thinking like a screenwriter except for a few differences. First, you have much less time and space to create your portrait, so you have no room for unnecessary details. Your portrait is a short film, at best. But, you don't have the limits that a screenwriter has. Where the screenwriter only can write playable action (what can be shown externally on the screen), you can include your own reflections, opinions, biases, internal debates, psychoanalyses, authorial voice...
But, for now, I want you to start thinking about choosing scenes and episodes to include in your portrait. I also want you to think about how and why you would choose one episode over another. Just as choosing a good subject for the portrait is incredibly important, so is choosing good scenes/episodes to create the structure of the portrait.
So you're going to create scene cards. Of course, first you're going to have choose what scenes you're going to use.
To make your scene cards you first need cards. Index cards work fine, or you can rip a piece of paper into quarters. Whichever. Each card needs to look like this before you start:
-----------------
Setting:
Action:
Characterization:
Specific Incidents/Recurring Activities:
Significance:
-----------------
I'm going to fill out a scene card for my essay right here as an example.
-----------------
Setting: Tram, charcoal chicken store, dorm
Action: We go purchase a charcoal chicken, return and eat it.
Characterization: Australian, male, student... (is that it? jeez)
Incidents/activities: paying for both, woodchipping of fries, restraint in not eating fries on ride home, not talking
Significance: Relentlessness? Compulsive? Single-minded? Insists on paying = control?
-----------------
This is, as I'm sure you know, the opening scene of my portrait. Now, I didn't do scene cards before writing it, which seems obvious now because the scene looks pretty weak. I mean, where is the characterization? In this opening episode Jarrod consists of a name, a mouth, and a hand. I couldn't get this image out of my head where I started to write, so I just started with it. As it is right now, I don't think the scene is working too well, as we'll discuss later. But I think I can get use what I see as the significance to connect this scene with other ones to create Jarrod as the relentless, compulsive guy I knew. It can still fit in somewhere. So I won't throw it away just yet.
But do you get the point of this? I want you to consider your portrait in scenes and plan out what each one would include. Just jot down enough so that YOU know what's happening in each scene. Most of the work in this exercise is going to be internal. Now you may have trouble identifying significance or recurring activities when you start out, and that's fine. Those are things you will probably have an easier time determining once you've got a half-dozen scene cards started.
Once I wrote the french fry scene I had no idea how it fit, but this is a rough draft, so I left it in. Now I can see how it'll work with some re-writing. I'm trying to sort out the pieces after I've written them. You guys are going to try to sort the pieces before you write them. That sounds easier in some ways, doesn't it? A stitch in time and all that jazz.
So, finally, here's the assignment:
Write at least 6 scene cards, based on your real-life experiences with the person. The more the better, obviously. Start looking for patterns in significance, in recurring activities, in possible narrative arcs, etc. You're making the bones of your portrait. Soon you'll assemble them into a skeleton. Then flesh it out.
Bring your 6+ scene cards to class on Monday.
Bring your notebook.
Bring your copy of my draft.
Guess the football score if you desire. Try to upset the champ so far: me.
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Short and Sweet
For Friday, we have a short blog assignment...
And here it is:
Create a dialogue between you and your person in which each person says at least 7 things. The dialogue should be centered around a conflict you have with your person. I can't specify more than that since the conflicts will be varied. If you've chosen a person with whom you don't have any conflict, now might be the time to pick someone new.
If you want a line of dialogue delivered a certain way, add a parenthetical. E.g. Pete (angrily): You ate all my JuJu Fruits, you wanker!
The kicker is that you're going to perform these in class, so really try to capture your person's voice in their lines.
And here it is:
Create a dialogue between you and your person in which each person says at least 7 things. The dialogue should be centered around a conflict you have with your person. I can't specify more than that since the conflicts will be varied. If you've chosen a person with whom you don't have any conflict, now might be the time to pick someone new.
If you want a line of dialogue delivered a certain way, add a parenthetical. E.g. Pete (angrily): You ate all my JuJu Fruits, you wanker!
The kicker is that you're going to perform these in class, so really try to capture your person's voice in their lines.
Monday, September 8, 2008
Blog Assignment for 9-10
Write a visual portrait of your person. Imagine you're a painter and you're going to pose your person for a portrait. Where do you put them? What props, specific details are there? What are they wearing? Pose? Facial expression? What style is it painted in? Van Gogh? Rembrant? De Kooning? Bacon?
You really have to understand the subject to paint a good portrait. Do it with words, using only external description. Don't say she's sad, say she's looking down at her feet away from the viewer. Visual clues!
Here's the address of the hip-hop portraits we saw today: http://www.npg.si.edu/exhibit/recognize/paintings.html
You really have to understand the subject to paint a good portrait. Do it with words, using only external description. Don't say she's sad, say she's looking down at her feet away from the viewer. Visual clues!
Here's the address of the hip-hop portraits we saw today: http://www.npg.si.edu/exhibit/recognize/paintings.html
Catalyst is Catatonic
Class-
The Catalyst server has been wonky all day. Here's the homework assignment for Wednesday on this here blog.
Re-read (or read for the first time) the Mrs. Wanda essay. In addition to writing your general comments on it, you also need to answer the questions at the end of each mini-section in the eBook about the Central Features of the firsthand portrait: characterization, specific incidents/recurring activities, significance. Unfortunately I can't access the eBook right now to give you a more concrete location. But the section is toward the bottom of the chapter.
Also, make sure you have the blog entry that was due today done, along with the one I'm posting right now...
The Catalyst server has been wonky all day. Here's the homework assignment for Wednesday on this here blog.
Re-read (or read for the first time) the Mrs. Wanda essay. In addition to writing your general comments on it, you also need to answer the questions at the end of each mini-section in the eBook about the Central Features of the firsthand portrait: characterization, specific incidents/recurring activities, significance. Unfortunately I can't access the eBook right now to give you a more concrete location. But the section is toward the bottom of the chapter.
Also, make sure you have the blog entry that was due today done, along with the one I'm posting right now...
Sunday, September 7, 2008
For Monday 9-8
Class--
Hope you weathered the weather well. I'm not changing the assignments for our next class (tomorrow). Just do what I assigned last week (9 days ago) and we'll play it by ear in class. Undoubtedly we'll have to do some rearranging, but let's just get through this first class.
Hope all is well.
Hope you weathered the weather well. I'm not changing the assignments for our next class (tomorrow). Just do what I assigned last week (9 days ago) and we'll play it by ear in class. Undoubtedly we'll have to do some rearranging, but let's just get through this first class.
Hope all is well.
Friday, August 29, 2008
Assignment for Wednesday
Write a list of pros and cons for two possible choices for your firsthand portrait. Try to find some of the pitfalls we talked about. Sometimes you have to be cold and calculating. I know you love your best friend, but can you write a strong enough portrait on them to get an "A"?
Write 5 pros and 5 cons for each person.
Think about this from an outsider's point of view. If Bobby Jindal* was going to write a pro/con list for your person, what would he write?
Substitute any other person you don't know if you are political enough that imagining you are Bobby Jindal ruins the process.
Write 5 pros and 5 cons for each person.
Think about this from an outsider's point of view. If Bobby Jindal* was going to write a pro/con list for your person, what would he write?
Substitute any other person you don't know if you are political enough that imagining you are Bobby Jindal ruins the process.
Football Scores
The game is at 10am? Good lord. I hope that means tailgating goes all day then.
Appalachian State is the team that upset Michigan at the start of last season. They are a I-AA school (the same division as Southern, I believe). They have also won the I-AA national title something like 3 years in a row. They run a great spread offense and have a very talented quarterback in Armanti Edwards.
Predict a score for this contest!
Mine is LSU 41, App. St. 14.
P.S. I'm not going to pretend that many of you won't be drinking tomorrow. Make sure to stay hydrated. Drink a lot of water tonight, drink water tomorrow, eat food. Even if you're not going to drink, but are going to be out tailgating all day, drink a lot of water. The sun really zaps you. I don't want to get a notice saying you won't be in this class anymore because you fell out of the bleachers and broke your neck. I know all your names now.
Appalachian State is the team that upset Michigan at the start of last season. They are a I-AA school (the same division as Southern, I believe). They have also won the I-AA national title something like 3 years in a row. They run a great spread offense and have a very talented quarterback in Armanti Edwards.
Predict a score for this contest!
Mine is LSU 41, App. St. 14.
P.S. I'm not going to pretend that many of you won't be drinking tomorrow. Make sure to stay hydrated. Drink a lot of water tonight, drink water tomorrow, eat food. Even if you're not going to drink, but are going to be out tailgating all day, drink a lot of water. The sun really zaps you. I don't want to get a notice saying you won't be in this class anymore because you fell out of the bleachers and broke your neck. I know all your names now.
NOTE FOR PEOPLE HAVING TROUBLE WITH CATALYST
I think you have to log-in your section code exactly how it looks, capital letters and all. If you're still having problems, shoot me an email and I'll try to help the best I can. Or ask Emily. She knows now.
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Character Description
Here's the deal: I want you to make everyone want to read an essay you would write about this person.
I should back up first.
Pick a person from your lists that we generated in class on Wednesday and write a description of him/her. You know how a movie trailer (the good ones at least) hook you into a movie in a short amount of time? You should play to your person's most interesting traits, etc. You know how the trailer from WALLe showcases how visually dazzling the movie is while showing glimpses of humor and plotline? Or how the Dark Knight trailers tended to focus on Heath Ledger's mesmerizing performance? If your selected person is an astronaut, you probably don't need to let us know about the fact that their favorite breakfast cereal is Lucky Charms. If your person is a leprechaun and his favorite cereal is Lucky Charms, that's a different story*.
Charm your classmates with your description.
*You can't do "people" that don't exist Or people you don't know. Sadly, this means that I can't write about Turtle from Entourage.
**I think my fly was open most all of class today. I hope no one said anything because they didn't notice it and not because they were afraid to speak up. Or they thought it was funny. It is funny though.
I should back up first.
Pick a person from your lists that we generated in class on Wednesday and write a description of him/her. You know how a movie trailer (the good ones at least) hook you into a movie in a short amount of time? You should play to your person's most interesting traits, etc. You know how the trailer from WALLe showcases how visually dazzling the movie is while showing glimpses of humor and plotline? Or how the Dark Knight trailers tended to focus on Heath Ledger's mesmerizing performance? If your selected person is an astronaut, you probably don't need to let us know about the fact that their favorite breakfast cereal is Lucky Charms. If your person is a leprechaun and his favorite cereal is Lucky Charms, that's a different story*.
Charm your classmates with your description.
*You can't do "people" that don't exist Or people you don't know. Sadly, this means that I can't write about Turtle from Entourage.
**I think my fly was open most all of class today. I hope no one said anything because they didn't notice it and not because they were afraid to speak up. Or they thought it was funny. It is funny though.
Friday, August 22, 2008
Your Favorite Band Sucks.
Listen. You're embarrassing yourself. Pop your iPod ear buds out for a second. Dial the volume down.
Your favorite band is...terrible. Pure garbage.
They're worse than the smell that emanates from the Cane's dumpster on a hot day. Their sound can only be described as the melding of TV static on full blast and a constipated walrus's desperate bark.
They're lame.
Convince me that your favorite band (or singer or rapper, etc.) is awesome. Describe them (he/she/it)? Their look, their sound, when/where you listen to them. Then, if you haven't at that point, explain why I'm wrong and your favorite band is great.
P.S. Post your response in the comments section and make sure you write your name at the top of your response.
Your favorite band is...terrible. Pure garbage.
They're worse than the smell that emanates from the Cane's dumpster on a hot day. Their sound can only be described as the melding of TV static on full blast and a constipated walrus's desperate bark.
They're lame.
Convince me that your favorite band (or singer or rapper, etc.) is awesome. Describe them (he/she/it)? Their look, their sound, when/where you listen to them. Then, if you haven't at that point, explain why I'm wrong and your favorite band is great.
P.S. Post your response in the comments section and make sure you write your name at the top of your response.
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