I HAVE FREE TIME. For the first time in months, I have a few rehearsal-free days (minus a read-through) to just catch up and breathe for a second before delving into what I presume (hope) will be a deliciously busy spring. That said, I want to talk about a little special friend I have made over the past week. She's sleek, slim, saucy, and certainly part of my joy in typing this blog. Her name is Tandee, and she is an iPad.
I must admit, when I first heard my name, I was mostly scared. There were two reasons for this fear, the first being that I do not own many things that are... Considerably expensive or elite. I am relatively frugal. And the second being that, although I have no true understanding of this alliance, I am famously a PC person. I appreciated Macs from afar for what they had to offer, but I would not ever consider buying one. Even the iPod I own was bought off of a friend.
First, I would like to talk about the social aspect of this device on which I now type. My first thoughts in recording this was "when will this be appropriate to use?" there is a certain stigma associated with the device, as it is seen by many, including myself until this last week, as excessive and unnecessary. Needless to say, when I first pulled it out and started working in front of others, they did double takes. Some people judged me, making comments about wishing they had the money for the device. Overall, the reaction when I explained the circumstances under which I had received it, was disbelief and impressively inappropriate questions of the relationship between Dr. Lay and I. There were questions of legality. It got a little ridiculous, but I tried to deal with as many people at once as I could to get that out of the way. I have been reluctant to bring it out in classes, as there are so many electronic device, teachers might not really know what it is and feel uncomfortable. I plan to ask formally if teachers mind or not, I am looking forward to responses mainly from those that do not like the laptop screen barrier and therefore do not allow laptops. Will the flat-against-the-table design make it okay? We'll see.
Dealing with responses from others has been my biggest challenge so far, surprisingly. So many people have strong feelings about this beautiful thing. It's amusing to watch, however I think that if everyone was given the chance I am being given, there would be no reason to dislike the iPad and presumably, other tablets like it. I admit it, I am a convert. Cult of Apple, here I come.
Look back soon for updates on my Apple-venture as it unfolds. I will be discussing positives and drawbacks in functionally compared to my laptop which I have just about completely replace with Tandee, at least for portable use. will the novelty wear off? Will it prove distracting?
Signed,
Cassandra Rose Blaise DeMarco... And Tandee. :)
Monday, February 28, 2011
WE. WANT. ANSWERS. To a few reasonable questions.
1) Did you purposely choose to make some of your metaphors ridiculous?- courtesy of the irreplaceable DOC
I think that this was the point of the piece. The ridiculous nature of overly metaphoric poetry that clearly just strives to be poetic has been overlooked for too long. My main man Billy is making a satirical comment on this by not using just one obscure and open-ended metaphor as many writers will, but a litany of them, one after the other in succession, until it is abundantly clear that nothing is being said at all. The fact that so many of the questions our class asked were about what the poem meant and the relationship between Billy and the subject of the poem shows that if the poem is a success at all, his goal was to border on ridiculous and meaningless to prove his point. And if not, then perhaps he's just a terrible writer. Which I don't think is the case.
2) Do you actually love the woman in the poem? - brought to you with limited commercial interruption by Nel
Have you ever read Shakespeare's Sonnet 130? It's really well-known as a comment on romantic metaphor. Read below:
"My mistress' eyes are nothing like the sun;
Coral is far more red than her lips' red;
If snow be white, why then her breasts are dun;
If hairs be wires, black wires grow on her head.
I have seen roses damask'd, red and white,
But no such roses see I in her cheeks;
And in some perfumes is there more delight
Than in the breath that from my mistress reeks.
I love to hear her speak, yet well I know
That music hath a far more pleasing sound;
I grant I never saw a goddess go;
My mistress, when she walks, treads on the ground:
And yet, by heaven, I think my love as rare
As any she belied with false compare. "
Shakespeare, In this poem, is mocking another poem that compares all of the enclosed things with the writer's love, and Shakespeare, in writing it, shows that his love is "as rare / As any belied with false compare." While the metaphors of music, roses and perfume might sound pretty, Shakespeare is advocating a more realistic look at love. Even though he is mocking this romantic writing, he is in love with his mistress. I am drawing comparison between this instance and that of Billy Collins. While Billy is mocking the writing practice, I do believe that he is looking at it in the same vein as Billy Shakes. He's pointing out the silliness associated with "love" and how unnecessary it. Shakespeare admits at the end that while his lady is not any of the metaphors above, he loves her incredibly. While Billy Collins does not do so, I think it can definitely be assumed. Or, rather, maybe Billy isn't commenting on a particular woman at all but just using one for the sake of the poem. I don't think that bully's relationship is as important to look t as the original writer's. Just because he wrote a poem and took it seriously are we expected to believe the message? Are we expected to even understand it? Not every poem is written in truth, and this may well have been one for the sake of the writer, to display his incredible appetite for seemingly meaningless, yet pretty, word choice.
3) And introducing special guest, Breen, with the question--- In the last three stanzas, what motivated you to turn the speaker’s attention to him/herself?
I actually think that this was a comment on this type of writer's (not Billy, but the one whom he rewrites) self-involvement and obsession. This self-reference and aggrandizement is characteristic of the writer that creates elusive metaphor and vague illustration. It seems as thought Billy is saying, at the end, "now, let's remember, that I am also involved in this grand world of metaphor, let's talk about me". It's the most biting portion of this piece, because it is a direct attack on the writer as opposed to the style. Needless to say, I appreciated it thoroughly.
Well, that is our show. Tune in next week for... Well, we'll just have to wait and see, hmm?
Signed,
Cassandra Rose Blaise DeMarco
I think that this was the point of the piece. The ridiculous nature of overly metaphoric poetry that clearly just strives to be poetic has been overlooked for too long. My main man Billy is making a satirical comment on this by not using just one obscure and open-ended metaphor as many writers will, but a litany of them, one after the other in succession, until it is abundantly clear that nothing is being said at all. The fact that so many of the questions our class asked were about what the poem meant and the relationship between Billy and the subject of the poem shows that if the poem is a success at all, his goal was to border on ridiculous and meaningless to prove his point. And if not, then perhaps he's just a terrible writer. Which I don't think is the case.
2) Do you actually love the woman in the poem? - brought to you with limited commercial interruption by Nel
Have you ever read Shakespeare's Sonnet 130? It's really well-known as a comment on romantic metaphor. Read below:
"My mistress' eyes are nothing like the sun;
Coral is far more red than her lips' red;
If snow be white, why then her breasts are dun;
If hairs be wires, black wires grow on her head.
I have seen roses damask'd, red and white,
But no such roses see I in her cheeks;
And in some perfumes is there more delight
Than in the breath that from my mistress reeks.
I love to hear her speak, yet well I know
That music hath a far more pleasing sound;
I grant I never saw a goddess go;
My mistress, when she walks, treads on the ground:
And yet, by heaven, I think my love as rare
As any she belied with false compare. "
Shakespeare, In this poem, is mocking another poem that compares all of the enclosed things with the writer's love, and Shakespeare, in writing it, shows that his love is "as rare / As any belied with false compare." While the metaphors of music, roses and perfume might sound pretty, Shakespeare is advocating a more realistic look at love. Even though he is mocking this romantic writing, he is in love with his mistress. I am drawing comparison between this instance and that of Billy Collins. While Billy is mocking the writing practice, I do believe that he is looking at it in the same vein as Billy Shakes. He's pointing out the silliness associated with "love" and how unnecessary it. Shakespeare admits at the end that while his lady is not any of the metaphors above, he loves her incredibly. While Billy Collins does not do so, I think it can definitely be assumed. Or, rather, maybe Billy isn't commenting on a particular woman at all but just using one for the sake of the poem. I don't think that bully's relationship is as important to look t as the original writer's. Just because he wrote a poem and took it seriously are we expected to believe the message? Are we expected to even understand it? Not every poem is written in truth, and this may well have been one for the sake of the writer, to display his incredible appetite for seemingly meaningless, yet pretty, word choice.
3) And introducing special guest, Breen, with the question--- In the last three stanzas, what motivated you to turn the speaker’s attention to him/herself?
I actually think that this was a comment on this type of writer's (not Billy, but the one whom he rewrites) self-involvement and obsession. This self-reference and aggrandizement is characteristic of the writer that creates elusive metaphor and vague illustration. It seems as thought Billy is saying, at the end, "now, let's remember, that I am also involved in this grand world of metaphor, let's talk about me". It's the most biting portion of this piece, because it is a direct attack on the writer as opposed to the style. Needless to say, I appreciated it thoroughly.
Well, that is our show. Tune in next week for... Well, we'll just have to wait and see, hmm?
Signed,
Cassandra Rose Blaise DeMarco
Friday, February 25, 2011
Yes, I will take another.
Mmm more samples!
Sample H
Moving:
1) there is a lot of information
2) I mostly like the statistics in the intro.
3) the look into the herd mentality is clever.
Unmoving:
1) I don't like that the intro makes it seem as though the radio stations are nationwide. The "almost 15,000" statistic does not account for the obvious fact that the reason there are so many is because they are mostly local. It just makes it seem more dramatic than it needs to.
2) there isn't much humanity. To it in the way of what it says about Americans or quotes or anything.
3) why is the conclusion so long??
Signed,
Cassandra Rose Blaise DeMarco
Sample H
Moving:
1) there is a lot of information
2) I mostly like the statistics in the intro.
3) the look into the herd mentality is clever.
Unmoving:
1) I don't like that the intro makes it seem as though the radio stations are nationwide. The "almost 15,000" statistic does not account for the obvious fact that the reason there are so many is because they are mostly local. It just makes it seem more dramatic than it needs to.
2) there isn't much humanity. To it in the way of what it says about Americans or quotes or anything.
3) why is the conclusion so long??
Signed,
Cassandra Rose Blaise DeMarco
Free samples!!!
Mmm! I love free samples... Let's dive into is with a taste of sample... G!
Moving:
) the idea of looking into the bulls as symbolic of people's desire for strength/superhuman abilities is clever.
2)the look into instant gratification seemed off-topic at first but the last sentence of that paragraph showed what the point was. it's nice when an essay isn't just "TOPIC TOPIC TOPIC" and takes a break to make another point once in a while.
3) the "door close" analogy is incredible! It is so telling and SO true. I relate to that very strongly.
4) this writer did a lot of research for this paper and it shows. The "drank" portion especially shows how much thought was put into this argument. By answering the opposition, the
Ack of desire people have for calming down, the writer strengthens his/her point tenfold.
Unmoving:
1)THERE HAS TO BE ANOTHER WAY TO PHRASE "Contemporary American Society" THAT DOESN'T MAKE ME WANT TO SCRATCH MY EYES OUT. It is so cliche and the only reason it really bothers me is because I do it all the time, too. But starting an essay with those word just bores the life out of me, which sucks even more because I actually really love this essay, but I started a little biased against it.
2)the last body paragraph regarding health makes red bull seem like it might be considered a health drink. Red bull is not healthy in any capacity and many sports teams have rules against using it to boost performance because of several deaths involved in mixing heavy physical activity with the drinking of red bull. This is misleading to The reader and frustrating to me because I know it is a stretch to consider it indicative of a society trying to achieve health; it is closer indicative of a society that needs more sleep.
3)I don't know why exactly, and maybe it is a personal thing with me, but I feel like this essay glorifies red bull as our savior and It seems irrspomsible. The writer fails to snow the dangers that we overlook in order to receive the bemefits. It seems incredibly one sided. Especially when it ends "red bull will continue to contribute to our lifestyle and embody it's spirit." it read as an ad for the product at times.
Signed,
Cassandra Rose Blaise DeMarco
Moving:
) the idea of looking into the bulls as symbolic of people's desire for strength/superhuman abilities is clever.
2)the look into instant gratification seemed off-topic at first but the last sentence of that paragraph showed what the point was. it's nice when an essay isn't just "TOPIC TOPIC TOPIC" and takes a break to make another point once in a while.
3) the "door close" analogy is incredible! It is so telling and SO true. I relate to that very strongly.
4) this writer did a lot of research for this paper and it shows. The "drank" portion especially shows how much thought was put into this argument. By answering the opposition, the
Ack of desire people have for calming down, the writer strengthens his/her point tenfold.
Unmoving:
1)THERE HAS TO BE ANOTHER WAY TO PHRASE "Contemporary American Society" THAT DOESN'T MAKE ME WANT TO SCRATCH MY EYES OUT. It is so cliche and the only reason it really bothers me is because I do it all the time, too. But starting an essay with those word just bores the life out of me, which sucks even more because I actually really love this essay, but I started a little biased against it.
2)the last body paragraph regarding health makes red bull seem like it might be considered a health drink. Red bull is not healthy in any capacity and many sports teams have rules against using it to boost performance because of several deaths involved in mixing heavy physical activity with the drinking of red bull. This is misleading to The reader and frustrating to me because I know it is a stretch to consider it indicative of a society trying to achieve health; it is closer indicative of a society that needs more sleep.
3)I don't know why exactly, and maybe it is a personal thing with me, but I feel like this essay glorifies red bull as our savior and It seems irrspomsible. The writer fails to snow the dangers that we overlook in order to receive the bemefits. It seems incredibly one sided. Especially when it ends "red bull will continue to contribute to our lifestyle and embody it's spirit." it read as an ad for the product at times.
Signed,
Cassandra Rose Blaise DeMarco
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
I Have No Idea What Many Ideas You Try To Draw With This Detailed Idea. Any Idea?
Dear Whoever Wrote The Following Sentence,
I want to apologize in advance.
I want to apologize in advance.
Because I do not like it.
Sincerely, Cassie DeMarco
"In thinking about a certain idea, many sentences and ideas can be drawn by using detailed words within this idea."
The above is a lesson in "saying-nothing-in-as-many-words-as-possible 101". I am going to venture a guess and say that the writer cannot even tell us what (s)he was going for here. But, hey, you know what they say about assumptions. and if you don't:
Sincerely, Cassie DeMarco
"In thinking about a certain idea, many sentences and ideas can be drawn by using detailed words within this idea."
The above is a lesson in "saying-nothing-in-as-many-words-as-possible 101". I am going to venture a guess and say that the writer cannot even tell us what (s)he was going for here. But, hey, you know what they say about assumptions. and if you don't:
So, anyway, let's just say there was an intended meaning behind this, and try to analyze this babayyy. I'm going to start by breaking this down into several phrases and going from there.
"In thinking about a certain idea" Thinking about an idea is related to metacognition, or, thinking about thought. It is a process through which philosophy and religion are born in the mind of man and put forth into the world. Generally speaking, thinking about ideas is a good thing.
"many sentences and ideas can be drawn" I am interpreting "drawn" to mean pulled from or hatched. So far, we can simplify this to "Thinking about ideas produces sentences and other ideas" which still remarkably, means noting to me. maybe in the end it will all come together.
"by using detailed words within this idea" ... Wait, what is a detailed word? Let's interpret this as... a specific or a particularly descriptive word related to the aforementioned idea, thus simplifying this last bit to "by using carefully-chosen wording".
put it all together in the most suimple form and what do you get?
"Thinking about ideas produces sentences and other ideas by using carefully-chosen wording".
If we take out by using carefully-chosen wording, we are left with ""Thinking about ideas produces sentences and other ideas." If we choose not to repeat the word idea and can agree that sentences gets the point across well-enough, we are left with "Thinking about ideas produces sentences."
Ideas. Produce. Sentences.
Not only was this sentence intended to be read as a highly complex and sophisticated thought, the writer seemed to think that he or she was making a point nnever seen before, as opposed to one that is common grade-school knowledge. I would advise this sentence to be completely irradicated from the student's essay and never thought about again, because thinking produces ideas and many ideas and sentences..... yeah.
**Side note--- I am terrible at these diagnostic exams. I have a lot of trouble writing well or with any meaning under pressure of time. This sentence may just as well have been mine, and I don't blame the writer. However, it is a truly horrible, pointless sentence. and it should die. The End.
Signed,
Cassandra Rose Blaise DeMarco
"In thinking about a certain idea" Thinking about an idea is related to metacognition, or, thinking about thought. It is a process through which philosophy and religion are born in the mind of man and put forth into the world. Generally speaking, thinking about ideas is a good thing.
"many sentences and ideas can be drawn" I am interpreting "drawn" to mean pulled from or hatched. So far, we can simplify this to "Thinking about ideas produces sentences and other ideas" which still remarkably, means noting to me. maybe in the end it will all come together.
"by using detailed words within this idea" ... Wait, what is a detailed word? Let's interpret this as... a specific or a particularly descriptive word related to the aforementioned idea, thus simplifying this last bit to "by using carefully-chosen wording".
put it all together in the most suimple form and what do you get?
"Thinking about ideas produces sentences and other ideas by using carefully-chosen wording".
If we take out by using carefully-chosen wording, we are left with ""Thinking about ideas produces sentences and other ideas." If we choose not to repeat the word idea and can agree that sentences gets the point across well-enough, we are left with "Thinking about ideas produces sentences."
Ideas. Produce. Sentences.
Not only was this sentence intended to be read as a highly complex and sophisticated thought, the writer seemed to think that he or she was making a point nnever seen before, as opposed to one that is common grade-school knowledge. I would advise this sentence to be completely irradicated from the student's essay and never thought about again, because thinking produces ideas and many ideas and sentences..... yeah.
**Side note--- I am terrible at these diagnostic exams. I have a lot of trouble writing well or with any meaning under pressure of time. This sentence may just as well have been mine, and I don't blame the writer. However, it is a truly horrible, pointless sentence. and it should die. The End.
Signed,
Cassandra Rose Blaise DeMarco
Gonna Write an Essay... That's What I Say
I could not think of a clever title for this post, so I borrowed one of those classic Spongebob quotes.
Size- 8.5x 11. This is the most accessible paper size for essay writing in most contexts. having the same size paper across the board allows the recipient, Dr. Lay, to organize the pile and transport it with greater ease.
Orientation- Portrait. The look of chunkier, longer paragraphs that the portrait landscape affords is very visually pleasing to me, personally. It also allows for shorter lines and the ability to switch eye focus to a new line more often, which helps me stay focused.
Font- Times New Roman. This font is the most comfortable and the one with which I am most experienced. With a serious essay, I feel as though it helps me focus on the topic to go with my default font, Times New Roman. This helps me remain focused.
Color of page- white. I don't want my essay to be about the color of the paper used and the the emotions evoked through that, I would rather have the focus on my writing, also, the contrast of black and white makes this the most visible option across the board for readers.
Color of font- black. Black ink is the most conservative ink in terms of retaining focus as well as saving ink. When using public printers, it is common courtesy to use black ink for writing and colored ink sparingly. Again, this also provides the easiest reading against a white background.
Line spacing- Double. Double-Spacing allows the grader write notes in the margins and spaces in between. I was taught to use double-space as a courtesy to my teachers in high school, and have let that carry through my college years.
Paragraphing- indent a half-inch. This helps to establish a new paragrph without adding an extra line, making it blocky and choppy.
Heading- Italicized. It just looks classy.
Margins-1x1. Nice and even.
Single or double-sided printing- Single.
Visuals- Nope. This essay was all about the words for me.
Works cited- Standard Word 2007. Visually, I do not have much opinion on the Works Cited Page. It is purely for the sake of information to me and I... Honestly have no personal investment in what it looks like.
Signed,
Cassandra Rose Blaise DeMarco
Size- 8.5x 11. This is the most accessible paper size for essay writing in most contexts. having the same size paper across the board allows the recipient, Dr. Lay, to organize the pile and transport it with greater ease.
Orientation- Portrait. The look of chunkier, longer paragraphs that the portrait landscape affords is very visually pleasing to me, personally. It also allows for shorter lines and the ability to switch eye focus to a new line more often, which helps me stay focused.
Font- Times New Roman. This font is the most comfortable and the one with which I am most experienced. With a serious essay, I feel as though it helps me focus on the topic to go with my default font, Times New Roman. This helps me remain focused.
Color of page- white. I don't want my essay to be about the color of the paper used and the the emotions evoked through that, I would rather have the focus on my writing, also, the contrast of black and white makes this the most visible option across the board for readers.
Color of font- black. Black ink is the most conservative ink in terms of retaining focus as well as saving ink. When using public printers, it is common courtesy to use black ink for writing and colored ink sparingly. Again, this also provides the easiest reading against a white background.
Line spacing- Double. Double-Spacing allows the grader write notes in the margins and spaces in between. I was taught to use double-space as a courtesy to my teachers in high school, and have let that carry through my college years.
Paragraphing- indent a half-inch. This helps to establish a new paragrph without adding an extra line, making it blocky and choppy.
Heading- Italicized. It just looks classy.
Margins-1x1. Nice and even.
Single or double-sided printing- Single.
Visuals- Nope. This essay was all about the words for me.
Works cited- Standard Word 2007. Visually, I do not have much opinion on the Works Cited Page. It is purely for the sake of information to me and I... Honestly have no personal investment in what it looks like.
Signed,
Cassandra Rose Blaise DeMarco
Friday, February 18, 2011
Today it is 48 degrees and...
tomorrow will be some other temperature. the sun is 360 degrees in two directions, making it three dimensional like a golf ball and spherical like a golf ball and the shirt I am wearing is pink and light like ballet flats and I am not cold. I am not cold. I am not cold and the sun is 360 degrees around like a golf ball.
Today it is 48 degree and I am not cold.
Tomorrow it might be a different temperature, but I still hope,
that I am not cold
and that the sun
will remain
360
degrees
and exist in three dimensions.
like those golf balls the golfers hit into my backyard at home
and we put them in a dirty paint bucket and sell them a dollar each
little suns a dollar each in a dirty old primer paint bucket
hidden in the hand-made shed
which swells
when it is warm.
how warm?
at least warmer that
48 degrees.
It is today, today. And today, it is 48 degrees.
Signed,
Cassandra Rose Blaise DeMarco
Today it is 48 degree and I am not cold.
Tomorrow it might be a different temperature, but I still hope,
that I am not cold
and that the sun
will remain
360
degrees
and exist in three dimensions.
like those golf balls the golfers hit into my backyard at home
and we put them in a dirty paint bucket and sell them a dollar each
little suns a dollar each in a dirty old primer paint bucket
hidden in the hand-made shed
which swells
when it is warm.
how warm?
at least warmer that
48 degrees.
It is today, today. And today, it is 48 degrees.
Signed,
Cassandra Rose Blaise DeMarco
A Litany of questions for you, Billy Collins.
But don't worry, I'm not the bread and the knife.I LOVE THIS POEM
You are still the bread and the knife.You will always be the bread and the knife,not to mention the crystal goblet and--somehow--the wine
And of course I have some questions:
1) Why are you so deadpan, Billy Collins?
2) Do you have something against metaphor or simply the over-the-top or ludicrous metaphor?
3) If it is not raining on my roof, are you also silence?
4) Is it still imagery if you are discussing sounds?
5) Are the two of you all of these things all of the time, or do they switch depending on mood/environment?
6) Why can't we both be the bread and the knife?
Signed,
Cassandra Rose Blaise DeMarco
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Extra Foam, Please
A ten person line in Pura Vida is gathered at 9:20 on a usual Thursday morning. The line curves around the wall filled with eager students jonesing for their own personal taste of the morning. Figuring it is worth the wait, I park myself behind peers, and directly in front of an adult woman, probably in her late thirties. After sitting through complex and detailed orders (Mocha latte with extra foam, half-caff hazelnut iced coffee, and there was a fight about soy or skim between one customer and the worker) it is my turn and I am already noticing a strange pattern among those around me which I cannot quite pinpoint. I still persevere, however, and get my incredible, perfect, made-for-me drink: a medium soy chai latte with a double shot of espresso. This drink is delicious, warm, foamy and satisfying, while giving me that good-to-go jolt of caffeine.
Works Cited
While waiting for the complicated mixture, the women in back of me - seemingly bewildered at the sights she has just witnessed – simply states “ medium black coffee”, is quickly handed her drink, and leaves. The juxtaposition made me laugh audibly, as I walked away with what was to become a much rarer indulgence, my soy chai tea latte with a double shot of espresso (herein referred to as “the drink” for the sake of space and patience). While we all have some inkling of how ludicrous the concept is of these luxurious drinks, the waiting, the wasted money, and the sheer ridiculousness seem to have no effect.
So, what does this mean about our society? Several societal concepts of what we deserve and need as free and content Americans show through this phenomenon. Freedom in choice is something famously American, whether it be on the president or on the meals we eat, which has made the idea of individuality or “uniqueness” a common theme not only in politics but in business models. On a more serious note, addiction has been famously glorified and romanticized in our culture within the past few decades through popular lore and more recent rehabilitation shows highlighting not only the struggle but the expansion of what addiction can be.
In 2003, a Christian Science Moniter article ran a piece about the possibility of the city of Seattle instituting a 10 cent tax on designer coffee drinks, mainly anything containing espresso, and the tax being allocated to educational programs. Seattle, a decidedly caffeinated city was spit between those filled with horror and those with indifference. A resident named Ms. Balshor claims: "This is singling out one group - coffee drinkers - and making them pay. Why not tax chocolate-eaters?" She was among the several in this article with sensitivity against the tax. Another resident with the name Nombalais makes a decidedly more pointed comment, ringing with truth: "If you can afford $2.50 for a latte, you an afford 10 cents for kids." (Paton)
Maybe it is a bit harsh to stake the claim that the American consumer will support their coffee fueled happiness over the educational opportunities of the youth as a general rule, but questioning it for even a moment shows a strange allegiance to this luxury. This raises the important idea that we do not seem to be logical in choosing our indulgences. There is really no lifelong benefit to partaking, as in my particular drink where the price is a touchy subject at about $5.60. One per day will run over $2,000 wasted dollars per year. The drink which I so lovingly mentioned, with the official name of the Starbucks Tazo Chai latte, on average contains 240 calories and 41 grams of sugar. While normal coffee will run about $2.00 unless made at home and contains all of 5 calories per serving. (Starbucks)
We don’t let the logic deter us! We will have it our way! The people will have their sugary, creamy combos. But why is this necessary? There is a false sense of addiction associated with the drink. The same idea behind relying on food for comfort can be applied to the drink. It is there for comfort when you are stressed. The same woman who drinks three iced coffees with cream and sugar per day and considers herself a “coffeeholic” probably doesn’t have much of a tolerance or craving for the caffeine itself or even the coffee, but the sugar and fat that come with it. Television shows surrounding rehabilitating binge eaters, shopaholics, and sex addicts, as well as the traditional drug and alcohol abusers, have brought addiction to the forefront of our cultural mind in a way that is new and all-consuming. There are always trendy new words to describe the trendy new addiction, and to quote comedian Demetri Martin from his comedy act, Person: "Now I've met many chocoholics, but I ain't never seen no ' chocohol '”. (IMDB) The new view of addiction as an Americanized and basic human affliction is making meaning where there once never was. People use the same terminology in describing a drink “addiction” as they would, say, a cigarette habit: “I need my fix”, “I’m having withdrawal”, “I’ll quit when the price reaches…” and it is ridiculous. These items are intended to be luxuries, only experienced on occasions of celebration or as a special treat. As for the perceived need for “the drink” having a particular connotation related to 21st century American society, Drama/creative-writing major Erin Trout offers this insight: “it is a sad commentary on American failure to be happy with the simple things in life” (Trout) which she follows with a short giggle. This seemed to be the sentiments of many students asked about the lure of designer coffee drinks, however it was usually answered with a skim milk latte, extra foam, or its equivalent in hand, noting the irony. We are clearly in on the joke to which we may become penniless punch lines.
The need to be unique is a particularly strange desire that is not inherently in all people everywhere. Society shapes the values of uniqueness and conformity, and there are many people who are content to live their lives as they are expected to, with little deviance from that. In America, it is the norm to shun settling for cookie-cutter food, drink, and clothing. Advertisements show the horrors of not having it our own way, and many establishments of business, Subway, Burger King, and Build-a-Bear are examples, have a strong and narrow focus on the individual “you” as the most important entity, the center not only of their business model, but of the world. The inflated ego serves as incentive to partake in the product or service and to make it custom to your now-important desires. There was a day when coffee itself was the luxury, a treat, or a morning pick-me-up, or something to compliment dessert. Now it is not even considered a question and when people comment that they do not drink coffee in the morning it seems strange and senseless, or it is assumed there is a medical reason.
Of course, not everyone has a particular drink that they stick with morning after morning. The customization mentality also trails on the idea of collection. Many people enjoy collecting things, whether it be baseball cards or buttons, state coins or stamps, the idea of having adding something new to your possession and expanding the collection is a thrill for many people. Of course, many collectors do not collect tangible items. Collectors may try to ride every roller coaster of a sort or see every film by a certain actor or try every complex combination of liquids purveyed at café. There is a “try them all” mentality among consumers that advertisers will reach out to. Curiosity is sometimes the best marketing strategy. Attending to a curiosity is a natural satisfaction for people, which advertisers know, so offering options gives consumers incentive to try them. Think of that dear old adage, “curiosity killed the cat, but satisfaction brought him back”. This applies to marketing strategies in a big way, and personalized treats can satisfy to a large degree.
Not everyone partakes in the individualized indulgences of designer coffee drinks, but those who do are making a distinct choice as consumers to support this business of fluff and excess. Whether looking to express individuality, casually consider ourselves addicts, or just let our curiosity drive our purchases, the signature drink business will remain active long after this essay is written. The comments on the society’s taste for excess and lack of restraint when is comes to treating are as ingrained in us as possible, but there is always a market for this kind of wasteful indulgence. There is a magic in the cup. However, after such rational thought on the subject, the next time I find myself in Pura Vida, I hope to inspire these skeptical thoughts in someone else when I walk to the counter and I say, simply, “Medium coffee, black”.
Works Cited
IMDB. Demetri Martin, Person. (2007) (TV) Memorable quotes. 2007. 14 February 2011 <http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0954327/quotes>.
Paton, Dean. "Coffee Capital eyes tax on 'designer drinks'." The Christian Scinece Monitor 24 July 2003.
Starbucks. Tazo Chai Tea Latte. 2010. 14 February 2011 <http://www.starbucks.com/menu/drinks/tazo-tea/chai-latte>.
Trout, Erin. Interview. Cassandra DeMarco. 14 February 2011.
Monday, February 14, 2011
Well-a Everybody's Heard About the Bird
I love starting these posts with back story. It always just sort of ... "happens". There is always something about my life related to what I am about to write about and I think it's only fair to show you my perspective before I write. I'll keep this one short and sweet:
I DON'T LIKE BIRDS. bird stories. birds.
Now that that is out of the way...
Wow. These are some awesome birds. I am not easily impressed by the flighty fellows. I used to have some parakeets and while they were cute and the whole "these things fly" concept never stopped blowing my mind, the kuaka- the godwits- are superheroes of the bird world. Regarding the actual piece itself, it is about as well-written as an essay on birds can be. A reader has a job to know when they dislike a piece or they dislike a topic, not just call it "bad". but I think that Don Stap did a good thing with this nature piece, even though I don't particularly appreciate nature writing. Especially about birds...
My main issue with the essay as a piece of writing is a general distaste that I have developed for simile.I do not appreciate most simile in writing, and Don Stap likes to employ this particular literary device often. While this is more of a personal taste, it alway reads to me as forced and explanatory when writers say things like:
" I wave my arms about with each step, as if I’m on a tightrope"
"godwit’s heart beating like a trapped moth"
nothing says "I promise I am a writer" more than the simile "as if I'm on a tightrope".
Most of the work is used to speak on the danger that this species of birds find themselves in. Many paragraphs are dedicated to the facts about their habitats and practices. This is clearly necessary for the entire point of the article and Stap wrote on it in the only possible way. He kept the factual part relatively simple linguistically with the purpose of just getting the information out there after the attempt to initially rope us in with his descriptive scene setting. Afterward, he returns to his English professor roots with a closing scene of him looking toward the night sky.
Comparing this piece to the Lehrer piece yields results that I am surprised with. I prefer this writing. Social sciences, such as psychological and personality studies, are one of the things I am most interested in, while nature writing bores me. However, Stap got to the point. He told the story of these birds without much extra fluff. Lehrer dragged his essay at least a page longer than it needed to be with completely unrelated detours into the history of the story's characters. In the respect of the reader who may not have previous interest in the topic or time to spend with anything but the story and maybe one or two brief detours, Stap is able to get his words across. Lehrer assumes that he has the reader for as long as he is writing, and it hurts his effectiveness.
Signed,
Cassandra Rose Blaise DeMarco
I DON'T LIKE BIRDS. bird stories. birds.
Now that that is out of the way...
Wow. These are some awesome birds. I am not easily impressed by the flighty fellows. I used to have some parakeets and while they were cute and the whole "these things fly" concept never stopped blowing my mind, the kuaka- the godwits- are superheroes of the bird world. Regarding the actual piece itself, it is about as well-written as an essay on birds can be. A reader has a job to know when they dislike a piece or they dislike a topic, not just call it "bad". but I think that Don Stap did a good thing with this nature piece, even though I don't particularly appreciate nature writing. Especially about birds...
My main issue with the essay as a piece of writing is a general distaste that I have developed for simile.I do not appreciate most simile in writing, and Don Stap likes to employ this particular literary device often. While this is more of a personal taste, it alway reads to me as forced and explanatory when writers say things like:
" I wave my arms about with each step, as if I’m on a tightrope"
"godwit’s heart beating like a trapped moth"
nothing says "I promise I am a writer" more than the simile "as if I'm on a tightrope".
Most of the work is used to speak on the danger that this species of birds find themselves in. Many paragraphs are dedicated to the facts about their habitats and practices. This is clearly necessary for the entire point of the article and Stap wrote on it in the only possible way. He kept the factual part relatively simple linguistically with the purpose of just getting the information out there after the attempt to initially rope us in with his descriptive scene setting. Afterward, he returns to his English professor roots with a closing scene of him looking toward the night sky.
Comparing this piece to the Lehrer piece yields results that I am surprised with. I prefer this writing. Social sciences, such as psychological and personality studies, are one of the things I am most interested in, while nature writing bores me. However, Stap got to the point. He told the story of these birds without much extra fluff. Lehrer dragged his essay at least a page longer than it needed to be with completely unrelated detours into the history of the story's characters. In the respect of the reader who may not have previous interest in the topic or time to spend with anything but the story and maybe one or two brief detours, Stap is able to get his words across. Lehrer assumes that he has the reader for as long as he is writing, and it hurts his effectiveness.
Signed,
Cassandra Rose Blaise DeMarco
Friday, February 11, 2011
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Dialogue!!
2. Go through the text deliberately and highlight every instance of dialogue. What do you theorize its role in Lehrer’s argument?
(th)Ink Shedding
"'When you Grow up poor, you might not practice delay as much,' he says. 'And if you don't practice then you'll never figure out how to distract yourself.'" Well when you are poor or used to going without, when you do get something, you essentially pounce. Like a starving person would devour a meal once it was put in front of them.Therefore they do not know how to restrain themselves from their desire as well as those who always have what they need do. I think this is what he meant by that. Practicing delay might be something done by those more fortunate to practice obedience. Poverty can create a great desire for wanting and therefore would make practicing a delay almost unrealistic. Because there has never been a feeling of having, the moment something is theirs they will take the opportunity. People who already have what they want and need would not understand how it feels to not have at all. Putting people in that type of situation might help, because "you don't know what yo have until it's gone". Giving fortunate people the ability to be thankful for what they have compared to less fortunate people. though many times when the poor finally have something, they use it up like their supply is endless like antibacterial soap. they'll use maybe 2 maybe 3 pumps when it's practically full. As it decreases they may begin to delay gratification and use less and wash less.
Signed,
Cassandra Rose Blaise DeMarco
Signed,
Cassandra Rose Blaise DeMarco
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Will Power (Initial thoughts/notes)
- I remember learning about the marshmallow study in AP Psychology! It is quite a famous experiment showing the effects of having to abstain from a beloved item for a period of time.
- Why were they able to watch video from the experiments but not get the testing information? that's strange.
- I guess it's nice to know Mischel's back story. I just don't know why that is relevant to the experiment. As a tool for personalizing/novelizing it I suppose, but it just seems like it should maybe be a separate story. I am having trouble reconciling why I should care about the entire back story of this researcher.
- The correlation between academic/financial success and the test results is cool. how much is hereditary? Nature/nurture? evolutionary? economic? there are a lot of fun questions it brings up.
Friday, February 4, 2011
small object, LARGE SUBJECT
Can I confess something?
I drink Red Bull all the time. Almost everyday. Heck, if it wasn't so expensive I would have 3 square off-the-charts Red Bulls meals 7 days a week. Goodness, I enjoy that liquid.
I don't have work often, I have it three times over the whole week and I only work 12 hours. But those hours are 12-4 AM and 4-8 AM depending on the day. and the other hours of the day? Well, I'm blogging. Or doing homework. Or trying to stay/get healthy by trekking to the fitness center, or going to rehearsal, or drinking Red Bull and taping my eyes open, or, oh yeah class. Fact is, I don't get much sleep. It's the college kid life, and I am in no way complaining.
When I got here I heard something that several people have said to me since then. They say that you have three choices in college: sleep, studies, or a social life, and you can only pick two. Red Bull allows me to stick by my choice of studies and social life. Before college I had never actually tried Red Bull. I grew up around good coffee. A lot of coffee. Potentially radioactive amounts. I had an energy drink a couple of times and I liked the feeling but coffee was (still is, but he doesn't call me as much) my best friend.
There is no good coffee at Hofstra. I say that knowing that maybe I haven't tried every coffee, and maybe only basing it on the fact that I don't like Seattle's Best (it's WATER), especially on the 3AM shift of Dutch Treats where they figure that nobody will be drinking anything but decaf. So, I found Red Bull. Mostly through free Red Bull given at events the first few weeks of school (so there's proof that their advertising strategy worked) and have never looked back. Wow, I make it sound like I only drink red Bull. I suppose that is misleading. I drink about three medium coffees per day, or a chai tea with espresso shots. Then, if I need to be awake for long, I drink a Red Bull. At times, I've shamelessly double-fisted coffee and Red Bull to the horror of those around me. I guess I have a caffeine/taurine issue, but that is another point. What I'm trying to figure out now is: WHY DOES RED BULL EXIST? I wanted to give this back story though, to keep in mind that the following are the words of a very big fan.
I think that the sheer existence of a substance such as Red Bull is a signed of a deeply troubled society. Energy... in an 8.3 oz. can. The fact that people take it simply to perform the tasks the they are expected to and desire to is one of the single most Twilight Zone disturbing things about this crazy future that we live in. Also, it isn't as though the product is inexpensive and readily available. It costs 2.50-3.75 depending on where you get it around here. Truth is, if health and wellness were taught from early ages and enforced by positive examples in our adults, we wouldn't want to put this concoction into our bodies. And we wouldn't feel the need to. Personal fitness is the best energizer that we have, and it is constantly placed on the back burner to focus on work, play, and being a ready-to-go member of society.
**these are opening thoughts, to be continued.
Signed,
Cassandra Rose Blaise DeMarco
I drink Red Bull all the time. Almost everyday. Heck, if it wasn't so expensive I would have 3 square off-the-charts Red Bulls meals 7 days a week. Goodness, I enjoy that liquid.
I don't have work often, I have it three times over the whole week and I only work 12 hours. But those hours are 12-4 AM and 4-8 AM depending on the day. and the other hours of the day? Well, I'm blogging. Or doing homework. Or trying to stay/get healthy by trekking to the fitness center, or going to rehearsal, or drinking Red Bull and taping my eyes open, or, oh yeah class. Fact is, I don't get much sleep. It's the college kid life, and I am in no way complaining.
When I got here I heard something that several people have said to me since then. They say that you have three choices in college: sleep, studies, or a social life, and you can only pick two. Red Bull allows me to stick by my choice of studies and social life. Before college I had never actually tried Red Bull. I grew up around good coffee. A lot of coffee. Potentially radioactive amounts. I had an energy drink a couple of times and I liked the feeling but coffee was (still is, but he doesn't call me as much) my best friend.
There is no good coffee at Hofstra. I say that knowing that maybe I haven't tried every coffee, and maybe only basing it on the fact that I don't like Seattle's Best (it's WATER), especially on the 3AM shift of Dutch Treats where they figure that nobody will be drinking anything but decaf. So, I found Red Bull. Mostly through free Red Bull given at events the first few weeks of school (so there's proof that their advertising strategy worked) and have never looked back. Wow, I make it sound like I only drink red Bull. I suppose that is misleading. I drink about three medium coffees per day, or a chai tea with espresso shots. Then, if I need to be awake for long, I drink a Red Bull. At times, I've shamelessly double-fisted coffee and Red Bull to the horror of those around me. I guess I have a caffeine/taurine issue, but that is another point. What I'm trying to figure out now is: WHY DOES RED BULL EXIST? I wanted to give this back story though, to keep in mind that the following are the words of a very big fan.
I think that the sheer existence of a substance such as Red Bull is a signed of a deeply troubled society. Energy... in an 8.3 oz. can. The fact that people take it simply to perform the tasks the they are expected to and desire to is one of the single most Twilight Zone disturbing things about this crazy future that we live in. Also, it isn't as though the product is inexpensive and readily available. It costs 2.50-3.75 depending on where you get it around here. Truth is, if health and wellness were taught from early ages and enforced by positive examples in our adults, we wouldn't want to put this concoction into our bodies. And we wouldn't feel the need to. Personal fitness is the best energizer that we have, and it is constantly placed on the back burner to focus on work, play, and being a ready-to-go member of society.
**these are opening thoughts, to be continued.
Signed,
Cassandra Rose Blaise DeMarco
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Overcoming Ad-hair-sity.
Well. About that Pantene commercial...
Getting over my outraged consumer virtues and diving right into my post here... Let's see... Finding something not at all cliche or superfluous to discuss the deeper meanings of...
So, that butterfly, eh?
Wait, wait, wait. I know what you're thinking. "Butterflies? Lame!" "A third grader could get that symbolism" My pet goldfish could get that symbolism." "How much money did they spend between butterfly/hair CGI animation?" "Couldn't they have focused on ending animal testing in their facilities with the ridiculous amount of effort this commercial must have taken?!" Sorry, sorry, consumer outrage flaring up again. I really should get that checked... Back to the topic.
At the climax of Pantene's short film about a deaf violinist with incredible shine and luster, said deaf girl performs Pachabel's Canon at a Classical music competition. the performance is notably full of life and energy, with intense hair-flipping and images of various memories in her life as well as different images from nature. The particular one that I am interested in talking about is the butterfly coming out of it's chrysalis and flying away. This metaphorical imagery is on of much popularity in many cultures. The butterfly symbolizes transformation and growing up and breaking out of the shell of our former selves. While It has these obvious relartions to the story of the girl, it can also be an effective marketing strategy.
One thing that I thought might have been at work here was the idea of breaking out of a chrysalis being linked to trying new things, which in turn can be linked to trying new products, i.e., Pantene. The idea I am referring to is that if this girl did not venture out past the usual realm of deaf girls and strive for something beautiful, she would not have reached it. If the butterfly did not leave the safe chrysalis it was entombed in, it would never see the sun. If we do not leave our current hair products in favor of Pantene, we will never shine. In that sense, I can see the butterfly as a sort of advertising ploy in that relatively subliminal way. I mean, it isn't likely that we realize the tricks being played on us when we watch these commercials but they feed into our subconscious regardless.
On a final note, When Dr. Lay told us that the old Pantene logo was a butterfly, I was mostly just annoyed by the fact. But, thinking about it in relation to my above comments on trying new things to get new customers, displaying an image tied to the Pantene brand of old, the butterfly, can serve as a reminder to loyal customers of the brand. Our even to ones that used to use it and have veered a way. There is always a ping of nostalgia when we look at old labels of our favorite products from years ago. The memories involved in our use of them come back and it is just a nice feeling of sentimentality. With this, advertisement, Pantene is reaching out to customers old and new, and annoying me the whole time
Signed, Cassandra Rose Blaise DeMarco
Getting over my outraged consumer virtues and diving right into my post here... Let's see... Finding something not at all cliche or superfluous to discuss the deeper meanings of...
So, that butterfly, eh?
Wait, wait, wait. I know what you're thinking. "Butterflies? Lame!" "A third grader could get that symbolism" My pet goldfish could get that symbolism." "How much money did they spend between butterfly/hair CGI animation?" "Couldn't they have focused on ending animal testing in their facilities with the ridiculous amount of effort this commercial must have taken?!" Sorry, sorry, consumer outrage flaring up again. I really should get that checked... Back to the topic.
At the climax of Pantene's short film about a deaf violinist with incredible shine and luster, said deaf girl performs Pachabel's Canon at a Classical music competition. the performance is notably full of life and energy, with intense hair-flipping and images of various memories in her life as well as different images from nature. The particular one that I am interested in talking about is the butterfly coming out of it's chrysalis and flying away. This metaphorical imagery is on of much popularity in many cultures. The butterfly symbolizes transformation and growing up and breaking out of the shell of our former selves. While It has these obvious relartions to the story of the girl, it can also be an effective marketing strategy.
One thing that I thought might have been at work here was the idea of breaking out of a chrysalis being linked to trying new things, which in turn can be linked to trying new products, i.e., Pantene. The idea I am referring to is that if this girl did not venture out past the usual realm of deaf girls and strive for something beautiful, she would not have reached it. If the butterfly did not leave the safe chrysalis it was entombed in, it would never see the sun. If we do not leave our current hair products in favor of Pantene, we will never shine. In that sense, I can see the butterfly as a sort of advertising ploy in that relatively subliminal way. I mean, it isn't likely that we realize the tricks being played on us when we watch these commercials but they feed into our subconscious regardless.
On a final note, When Dr. Lay told us that the old Pantene logo was a butterfly, I was mostly just annoyed by the fact. But, thinking about it in relation to my above comments on trying new things to get new customers, displaying an image tied to the Pantene brand of old, the butterfly, can serve as a reminder to loyal customers of the brand. Our even to ones that used to use it and have veered a way. There is always a ping of nostalgia when we look at old labels of our favorite products from years ago. The memories involved in our use of them come back and it is just a nice feeling of sentimentality. With this, advertisement, Pantene is reaching out to customers old and new, and annoying me the whole time
Signed, Cassandra Rose Blaise DeMarco
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
about my last post...
Wow. That last post... was... long. I promise I won't do that again. For everyone's sake.
Have a hot potato kinda night, cool cats.
Have a hot potato kinda night, cool cats.
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