Monday, February 27, 2012

IP Ideas

1. Occupy Wall-Street Movement

  • What are the roots of the Occupy Wall-Street movement?
  • What are the long term consequences of this movement? Effect on future generations, if any?
2. Affirmative Action
  • What people are considered minorities and what makes them minorities?
  • What minority group is effected positively and negatively by affirmative action? 

3. Prices of College Education 
  • What makes getting an education in America so expensive?
  • What are the long-term effects on future generations? Our children, etc? 


Saturday, February 25, 2012

King Of Accordion


“Barry does not ask for much. He only wants to be known as the King of Accordion.” These are introductory lines of Brian Dubé’s blog post on Barry Hamdyk, a simple New Yorker who spends his days sharing a musical talent. Barry can be found playing the accordion in various parks of New York City. He seeks to entertain onlookers while not asking for money in return. Within his blog, Dubé brilliantly portrays the average Barry who is not known for much, while not expecting much in return.
Average Americans who are not recognized or well know, but have a love for expression is the theme of Dubés blog “New York Daily Photo.” Dubé seeks to make known these, as he puts it, “hidden gems” to the outsiders of New York City. Ultimately, through the design of his blog, personal photographs, and usage of links, Dubé successfully reveals expressionists like Barry and ultimately, allows readers to capture the essence of New York City and learn to appreciate its intriguing inhabitants.
Within Dubé’s blogs multiple strengths and rhetorical tools are used to his advantage. The first recognized tool is the actual design of his blog. The search box is found at the top corner making the rest of the blog accessible to readers. Furthermore, Dubé has included a right-hand tab with additional blog posts for bloggers to further enjoy and explore. Unlike other blogs, Dubé’s additional posts are not listed individually, but organized into categories, such as, “fashion” and “education.” Not only does the particular organization of his blog provide clarity for the reader, but overall, the organization provides attractiveness to the blog and interests. Readers are encouraged to fully understand Dubé’s cause and relate with his purpose. Ultimately, Dubé has a great design for his blog; allowing readers access to all aspects of his posts, while encouraging them to further discover and appreciate all his posts regarding unique New Yorkers.
Because of the easy-going format, I was quickly encouraged to explore other blog posts of Dubé’s. Each blog post is a very similar format, and he uses his own pictures for rhetoric. Using his personal photographs makes it seem very subjective to outside viewers. Even if you are not a frequent visitor of his blog, the reader notices that outside rhetoric is his own.  It is evident to viewers that Dubé appreciates his own blog posts and finds them of interest. Using his own rhetoric suggests that his theme and purpose of his blog is cohesive. Dubé’s clarity enlightens outsiders to the distinctive nature of his city that he clearly adores.
 In Barry’s case, seeing the Dubé had captured his own images, made me quickly realize that he was on a personal basis with Barry. That he had sat down and discussed his past experiences in an attempt to truly understand the man who asks for so little. Dubé does a wonderful job of setting up the scene for the reader.  The reader gains the opportunity to hear Barry’s life story and begin to understand Barry’s true nature. Dubé states that Barry has been playing the Accordion since he was five and thoroughly enjoys the opportunity to express his talent and “outlandish wardrobe.” Moreover, Dubé reveals that Barry has a “preferred repertoire [of] waltzes and rhumbas.” He even goes on to say that “at one time [Barry] played organ for roller skating rinks.” Dubé brilliantly portrays Barry as a unique civilian with in interesting past.  Through his interesting and intriguing facts, Dubé implants within readers a desire to further explore Barry’s life and begin to understand individuals different from themselves.
Above all, Dubé’s greatest strength in both this particular post and his blog as a whole is his usage of links. Within his post “King of Accordion” Dubé includes four additional links for readers to explore. The first is an “Occupy Wall Street” link in which he writes about his personal experience with this eccentric movement. He also provides a link on the phrase “this love that [Barry] endeavors to communicate” which takes readers to an addition post of Dubé’s where he recalls his own experiences with the Accordion. Other links follow such as the reference to “Mark Birnbaum” who has a “shared passion for music,” and lastly, a link to “flamboyant dress,” in which Dubé brilliantly links another individual who inhabits the parks of New York attempting to make a fashion statement; which is nonetheless, is a form of expression. Dubé through every aspect of his blog is consistent in his purpose. The reader can appreciate Dubé’s passion and his personal form of expression. He clearly has a love for New York and wants to make additional posts regarding his love accessible to readers. Both, his clarity and passion aid him in his blog’s purpose, while attracting readers of all kind.
In Barry’s blog post, Dubé reveals that his writing “has evolved from the fact-reporting style for the news journalists to one that is highly personal, waving in connections from [his] life experience.” This personal approach on his blog is strength of his. Dubé is clearly not afraid to express his feelings on a particular matter and share his love with outsiders. It is evident that Dubé eventually realized that even though unique individuals inhabit New York City, there is a universal principle acknowledged: all persons, world round, seek to be understood and appreciated and Dubé, in his blog, seeks to do just that. In his particular post on Barry, Dubé portrays Barry as a man of interest and discreetly encourages readers to recognize the beauty behind the rare King of Accordion.
It didn’t take me long to realize that Brian Dubé and I would get along. I believe we both have a desire to share and a love for different. Ultimately, through Dubé’s rhetorical tools and organization of his blog, he makes the simplistic life stories, like Barry’s; unique and intriguing to outside readers and in doing so, grasps the uniqueness of New York City. As Dubé so brilliantly introduces his blog, he simply exposes his ultimate purpose: to share his love for “the ordinary, the extraordinary, the classic, [and] the unexpected,” and moreover, Dubé has every reason to consider that mission accomplished. 

Friday, February 24, 2012

Reflect on THIS.

This, this right here, is my Rhetorical Analysis Reflection.

I can't deny that I didn't enjoy this paper as much as the OpEd.
This paper reminded me of the tedious AP LIT papers I used to write, but worse.

I don't like the strict format and requirement; it hardly encouraged creativity.
I felt like I had no opportunity to present new ideas or new observations to the table, because anyone who would have analyzed "King of Accordion" would have seen the exact same things.

BUT, I will end on a positive note: I throughly enjoyed the writing lab this time. My helper was a gem and I liked her quite a bit. She got the job done efficiently and gave me a lot of direction. She was golden.

Other than that, RA paper is a no go.

Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Peer Review Evaluation

To be honest, I thought both the OpEd and Rhetorical review were equally useful. They were different approaches, but the feedback I received was about the same.

If I had to choose the type of review for upcoming papers, I'd go OpEd. I thought that in that paper both my feedback and the feedback of my peer was more useful. It seemed more personal and I could actually get the opinion on not just my overall topic and tone, but look at my thesis and punctuation; really get into the deeper part of my essay, rather than the surface stuff.


PS: I'm taking a sleeping pill in 45 minutes and I plan on getting 12 hours of sleep.

CANT WAIT.

Friday, February 17, 2012

WARNING <--- Don't read this post.

I have little to nothing to write about.
Nothing funny.
Nothing cool.
Nothing interesting.

Right now I'm sitting on a couch. Real cool, I know. I may or may not be watching Anaconda the movie, but I feel no urge to disclose that information at this time. Don't ask questions.

My sister is with child. Yes, she is having a baby. Say it with me this time, BAY BE. 
My best friend Audrey is down from Utah State: we go hard.
Tomorrow I'll be hitting up the gym: I go hard.

OH MY. Tonight I went up to the canyon and dropped my cell phone; it was no where to be found. I searched and searched for a good half hour. Yes, I finally found it after digging a 2 foot hole? Like, what are the chances? How did it manage to get that deep? It shocked me. 

Did I tell you that I lose things often? And I may or may not have a curse on me. Like things break like no ones business around me. My parents don't let me into stores anymore: you break it, you buy it. That has never worked out well for me. I break, everything; therefore, I buy, EVERYTHING. 

I'm highly considering ADD medication. Any suggestions? Word in the hood is adderall does the job quite nicely. I've never wanted to be medicated for my dysfunctional brain, but at this point I'm highly considering it. Ever since college my brain has been a FAIL. Maybe its the testing center. That place is cursed as well. I'm convinced prayers are not answered past a certain point. I open up those doors, enter that large intimidating room, pick a seat, and ALL is forgotten. CURSED. 

Good crap. I'm so excited for the month of March. Do you know where I'm going? No? Yeah I thought so. Well, well, well, let me take this opportunity to tell you. I'm hittin up Cali for 11 days with my 5 gal friends. It's gonna be hoppin. We're bounding into the state and making an appearance at Sea World, Disneyland, Six Flags, THE OCEAN, and last, but certainty not least, The Price is freaking Right. Words can not describe how excited I am. Like, the Price is Right? Come on people. Winning millions will make my life. I can't wait to cross that sucker off my bucket list; it's been on there since I was 12. 

Hopefully this is what goes down,



My favorite movie is Emperor's New Groove. Give it a watch sometime: you'll laugh. 

So, not that this rambling is interesting and what not, but I best get back to my Anaconda movie. JLo just about lose a leg--too intense to handle. 

Dang straight weekend to all and to all a gooooodnight. 

Wednesday, February 15, 2012

Figurative Language

1. Alliteration
  • "misunderstood nor miscommunicated"

2. Satire
  • "Barry does not ask for much. He only wants to be known as the King of Accordion"
  • "His preferred repertoire are waltzes and rhumbas. At one time he played organ for roller skating rinks."
  • "Once a crown was added, response went through the royal roof."
  • "If you meet Barry in the parks of New York, say Hi and remember, he is the King of Accordion :)"

3. Allusions
  • "one may see Barry as someone akin to our friend Mark Birnbaum (with a shared passion for music), the motivations for the flamboyant dress are actually quite different, as are the men and their backgrounds."

uses links and phrases to allude to previous blog posts


Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Rhetorical Thesis

In Brian Dubé’s blog “New York Daily Photo,” he brilliantly reveals individuals like Barry that thankfully inhabit this Earth and in doing so, allows readers to truly capture the essence of New York and learn to appreciate it’s intriguing inhibitors.



Friday, February 3, 2012

These just might have potential.






The author of this blog quotes himself as "a long time resident who shares his love of New York City." He is addressing the modern, every day Americans who share his same love and passion for New York City: so essentially, people like me.


I found this blog and was quite ecstatic about it. The man is awesome and I'm convinced that we would be real good friends. His material is hilarious and very personal--I like it. Each of his blog posts evoke different emotions, but they are all similar in their sarcasm and appreciation for the regular person.


The first image, I'll Take The Beret, he's trying to address those interested in both Fashion and Classic French Culture. He is trying to evoke a sense of going back in time and acknowledging the past.


The second image, King of Accordion, is an awesome story about a homeless man who is very down to Earth. In fact, I want to be friends with him. Seriously look at that beard, it's practically irresistible. In this particular blog the author his trying to address those who have an appreciation for the lower class American citizens who, in my opinion, have actually lived. 


The third image, Garish Glory, is my next hot spot. Like seriously, a spandex shop, haha soHo Ha-mazing: I want to go there, now. I like how he takes a simple shop and creates a post about it. It's addressing both those who appreciate hilariousness, but also owners of weird businesses. A spandex shop can actually make it in the world, people: my life... is complete. 

Wednesday, February 1, 2012

Reflection Officially Reflected.

I will now reflect the following...
I thought I did well on my OpEd. I enjoyed the topic. I thought that I chose a fitting topic for both my style and tone of writing. It was very sarcastic which I enjoyed, but also instructive. I think I have finally discovered my voice in writing which is quite enjoyable if I do so say myself. I like the easy, nonchalant approach, where I am able to write how I would have told the story in real life. It felt personable and easy going.

I enjoyed this assignment a lot. It seemed like it was very beneficial in my finding a style of writing that I enjoyed and that came naturally.

I really liked how the OpEd topic was optional. For some reason in rush-writes, topic essays, etc. I always do better if I get to chose the topic myself. I find no difficulty in choosing an approach or finding an argument, because I get to decide rather than someone else making the decision for me.

I think that the peer-review was helpful and instructive, but also the one-on-one meeting with you Prof. Husberg helped quite a bit. It's always nice to know what the Instructor is both expecting and looking for in an assigned paper.

The writing center did not prove to be that helpful for me, but I am sure that was because of my topic choice and the little structure demanded in this particular assignment. I'm sure in a more demanding paper, such as an MLA formatted or APA paper, the writing center would have better aided the cause.

Well that is all: my reflection has officially been reflected.

Tata.