dad and mom
Sunday, March 26, 2006
Saturday, March 25, 2006
no one likes a bragger
on thursday i went to a law school sponsored speech that was given by the winning attorney of the roe v. wade case in 1973.
you're right. i'm not studying anything that has to do with law. i am, however, in a news writing class where we're required to write a story on 4 different speeches. so thursday was speech number one.
signing our apartment lease took a little longer than we expected so i was running 30 minutes late for the program...but it turns out that i was exactly on time. on time at least for the start of the woman's speech.
she was a short and plump woman, dressed in a bright purple blazer with a tie dye scarf that wrapped around her neck and draped over her left shoulder. her short gray hair was brushed back, revealing two giant golden orbs that dangled from her ears. she pushed up her square spectacles with her right index finger occasionally just as you would imagine a scholarly person doing. and all she did was toot her own horn. it was a shameless session of self-promotion in the guise of an inspirational speech on female leadership. if you can't tell, it annoyed me.
i wasn't there because this woman (who basically legalized the killing of millions of babies) is some sort of heroine to me. i was there to get some sort of information relevant to people so i could write a news story. i was not there to write a profile. but after an hour of sitting there, scribbling down quotes and points, a profile is pretty much all i got.
she said that women are born leaders...then she went into how she went against all odds to go to law school, how she was secretary of this organization and graduated such and such in her class. then she went into a narration of her appearance before the supreme court. how she got a white goose quill pen and an autographed picture of the '73 justices. her best job was working at the white house, where the "small things" were important to her...like weekends at camp david, flying on air force one, etc. of course, she didn't have to be a lawyer to do the things she has done (what??). all this took up about 85% of her lecture and then the inspirational stuff was sprinkled in to satisfy the purpose of the speech.
really her speech should have been titled: "i am a woman and i am a leader so look at me and admire me."
you're right. i'm not studying anything that has to do with law. i am, however, in a news writing class where we're required to write a story on 4 different speeches. so thursday was speech number one.
signing our apartment lease took a little longer than we expected so i was running 30 minutes late for the program...but it turns out that i was exactly on time. on time at least for the start of the woman's speech.
she was a short and plump woman, dressed in a bright purple blazer with a tie dye scarf that wrapped around her neck and draped over her left shoulder. her short gray hair was brushed back, revealing two giant golden orbs that dangled from her ears. she pushed up her square spectacles with her right index finger occasionally just as you would imagine a scholarly person doing. and all she did was toot her own horn. it was a shameless session of self-promotion in the guise of an inspirational speech on female leadership. if you can't tell, it annoyed me.
i wasn't there because this woman (who basically legalized the killing of millions of babies) is some sort of heroine to me. i was there to get some sort of information relevant to people so i could write a news story. i was not there to write a profile. but after an hour of sitting there, scribbling down quotes and points, a profile is pretty much all i got.
she said that women are born leaders...then she went into how she went against all odds to go to law school, how she was secretary of this organization and graduated such and such in her class. then she went into a narration of her appearance before the supreme court. how she got a white goose quill pen and an autographed picture of the '73 justices. her best job was working at the white house, where the "small things" were important to her...like weekends at camp david, flying on air force one, etc. of course, she didn't have to be a lawyer to do the things she has done (what??). all this took up about 85% of her lecture and then the inspirational stuff was sprinkled in to satisfy the purpose of the speech.
really her speech should have been titled: "i am a woman and i am a leader so look at me and admire me."
Thursday, March 23, 2006
the irony of it all
sometimes you get what you don't want.
at least, thats how things turned out for me. the friday before spring break, an extra credit assignment was due in my family and consumer economics class. the assignment was abstract...the professor basically gave us the problem and told us we can do anything. that meant that it could be a paper, a project, a board game, a powerpoint presentation, etc. it had no length requirement and no rubric. we were free to do whatever. i hate assignments like that.
this extra credit project was 30 automatic bonus points, as long as it was sufficient. so what is sufficient? no one really knows. the incentive to be really creative was extra bonus points and presenting your project to a 300 person class. that is, if you were one of the top six projects.
for me, the thought of having to present a project that had no structure did not want to make me try hard. let alone talking in front of 300 people. i have a hard enough time giving a five minute speech in front of my small public speaking class.
because of this, i decided to do a mediocre project. yes, i decided to be the person that would do just enough to get my 30 bonus points. that’s all i really wanted. and a mediocre project is what i turned in. i wasn't even sure if it was that.
then yesterday rolled around. i was avidly working on the r&b crossword puzzle of the day while the professor was making announcements. he got around to the projects and i was concentrating on the 20 across clue: "dissertation". my friend jenna nudged my left arm to draw my attention to the screen, where my last name was displayed in uppercase, bold font with five other names.
my jaw dropped. "you've got to be kidding me."
i can't imagine how bad the other 200 projects must have been for mine to be selected. if only i had left out one more clipart image...or left out that diagram of bird migration paths over north america.
so despite trying not to do a good project, i have been declared a "winner" and must present my project for 7-8 minutes in front of the entire class on monday so the class can vote.
oh. my. gosh. the irony of it all.
at least, thats how things turned out for me. the friday before spring break, an extra credit assignment was due in my family and consumer economics class. the assignment was abstract...the professor basically gave us the problem and told us we can do anything. that meant that it could be a paper, a project, a board game, a powerpoint presentation, etc. it had no length requirement and no rubric. we were free to do whatever. i hate assignments like that.
this extra credit project was 30 automatic bonus points, as long as it was sufficient. so what is sufficient? no one really knows. the incentive to be really creative was extra bonus points and presenting your project to a 300 person class. that is, if you were one of the top six projects.
for me, the thought of having to present a project that had no structure did not want to make me try hard. let alone talking in front of 300 people. i have a hard enough time giving a five minute speech in front of my small public speaking class.
because of this, i decided to do a mediocre project. yes, i decided to be the person that would do just enough to get my 30 bonus points. that’s all i really wanted. and a mediocre project is what i turned in. i wasn't even sure if it was that.
then yesterday rolled around. i was avidly working on the r&b crossword puzzle of the day while the professor was making announcements. he got around to the projects and i was concentrating on the 20 across clue: "dissertation". my friend jenna nudged my left arm to draw my attention to the screen, where my last name was displayed in uppercase, bold font with five other names.
my jaw dropped. "you've got to be kidding me."
i can't imagine how bad the other 200 projects must have been for mine to be selected. if only i had left out one more clipart image...or left out that diagram of bird migration paths over north america.
so despite trying not to do a good project, i have been declared a "winner" and must present my project for 7-8 minutes in front of the entire class on monday so the class can vote.
oh. my. gosh. the irony of it all.
acceptance
my complaint for the day: march isn't ending like its supposed to. i guess the weather hasn't gotten the note that its spring, for goodness sake, and has neglected to turn the temperature up 30 degrees or so.
so here it is, about a week left in the month, and i haven't posted anything at all since february. in regards to my last post, i found out today that i got into the interior design program, so the portfolio did its job! a quick pat on the back to me...i'm officially in the schools of my respective majors: magazines and interior design.
i'm going to have to play catch-up to update for the month.
so here it is, about a week left in the month, and i haven't posted anything at all since february. in regards to my last post, i found out today that i got into the interior design program, so the portfolio did its job! a quick pat on the back to me...i'm officially in the schools of my respective majors: magazines and interior design.
i'm going to have to play catch-up to update for the month.
Sunday, February 26, 2006
what to put in the portfolio...
so i'm applying to get into interior design on friday, which includes turning in a portfolio. i'm trying to decide what to put in my portfolio and am having a rather difficult time narrowing things down. i've decided to post the works i'm considering to see if anyone has any suggestions. i need to include about 8-10 strong pieces and am trying to make sure i have some variety. we can include photography, so i'm thinking about putting one of the following in. anyway, if anyone would like to give me advice on which ones to include, feel free to express them.
Wednesday, February 15, 2006
the valentine's day special
february 14th this year was a much different day than the february 14ths of years past. the day of pink hearts and red roses never really caused me to sulk over the fact that i was boyfriendless, as is customary for many people without a significant other. i was always aware that my day to be showered with kisses, love, and a dozen red roses would eventually make its debut. and yesterday was the day.
jonathan arrived at my door shortly after 1 p.m. with his right arm cradled around a red glass vase holding 12 beautiful red roses with a touch of baby's breath. we found a place on top of my dresser to put them where they can easily be admired. i put on my shoes, grabbed my coat, and we were out the door heading toward the mall and a light lunch at chick-fil-a. after lunch, we browsed a little through the mall and then made our way to target, where jonathan bought me a pair of brown heels that would go with my dress for the evening.
we parked at the deck to avoid the evil parking services tickets. jonathan had to grab some things he brought for me out of the trunk...including his guitar! i absolutely love when he plays his guitar for me and he knows it :). he played for me for about 20 minutes before i had to get ready for our early dinner so that we could beat the valentine's day dinner rush.
jonathan dropped me off at the last resort so we could get on the waiting list (they didn't take reservations) and i wouldn't have to walk uphill in my heels. just as jonathan made it inside, the host was leading us to our table for two. the tables were draped with white tablecloths and were set with tea light candles and a tiny vase with a small pink rose. the heat lights by the kitchen cast a red glow on our faces, but it went along with the valentines vibe.
it seemed odd to us, since they didn't take reservations, that the table next to us was perfectly set up for about 10 young women. it took me until the end of our delicious meal to realize that it was the gym dogs. of course, there are special exceptions to the "no reservation" policy. good for them.
jonathan and i went back to my dorm to exchange gifts, so i had him park in a general lot, assuming that it would be safe after 7 p.m. on valentine's day. after we finished opening gifts (jonathan got me two adorable skirts and a matching camisole), we headed to his car to go to a coffee place and found a special pink-enveloped valentine tucked under his windshield wiper from parking services with a $40 ticket enclosed. it had been left no more than 15 minutes after we had parked. that put a damper on things, but a warm hot chocolate cheered things up a bit.
since nothing was really out in theaters, jonathan and i decided to watch a dvd. i'd never seen signs, so that was the romantic movie of choice :). i got pathetically scared quite easily, but it turned out to be pretty good.
in summary, jonathan was the most wonderful first valentine's date i could have ever hoped for. he spent a whole afternoon and evening with me and went above and beyond every minute to make this valentine's day special.
jonathan, thank you for showering me with kisses, love, and a dozen red roses :).
jonathan arrived at my door shortly after 1 p.m. with his right arm cradled around a red glass vase holding 12 beautiful red roses with a touch of baby's breath. we found a place on top of my dresser to put them where they can easily be admired. i put on my shoes, grabbed my coat, and we were out the door heading toward the mall and a light lunch at chick-fil-a. after lunch, we browsed a little through the mall and then made our way to target, where jonathan bought me a pair of brown heels that would go with my dress for the evening.we parked at the deck to avoid the evil parking services tickets. jonathan had to grab some things he brought for me out of the trunk...including his guitar! i absolutely love when he plays his guitar for me and he knows it :). he played for me for about 20 minutes before i had to get ready for our early dinner so that we could beat the valentine's day dinner rush.
jonathan dropped me off at the last resort so we could get on the waiting list (they didn't take reservations) and i wouldn't have to walk uphill in my heels. just as jonathan made it inside, the host was leading us to our table for two. the tables were draped with white tablecloths and were set with tea light candles and a tiny vase with a small pink rose. the heat lights by the kitchen cast a red glow on our faces, but it went along with the valentines vibe.
it seemed odd to us, since they didn't take reservations, that the table next to us was perfectly set up for about 10 young women. it took me until the end of our delicious meal to realize that it was the gym dogs. of course, there are special exceptions to the "no reservation" policy. good for them.jonathan and i went back to my dorm to exchange gifts, so i had him park in a general lot, assuming that it would be safe after 7 p.m. on valentine's day. after we finished opening gifts (jonathan got me two adorable skirts and a matching camisole), we headed to his car to go to a coffee place and found a special pink-enveloped valentine tucked under his windshield wiper from parking services with a $40 ticket enclosed. it had been left no more than 15 minutes after we had parked. that put a damper on things, but a warm hot chocolate cheered things up a bit.
since nothing was really out in theaters, jonathan and i decided to watch a dvd. i'd never seen signs, so that was the romantic movie of choice :). i got pathetically scared quite easily, but it turned out to be pretty good.
in summary, jonathan was the most wonderful first valentine's date i could have ever hoped for. he spent a whole afternoon and evening with me and went above and beyond every minute to make this valentine's day special.
jonathan, thank you for showering me with kisses, love, and a dozen red roses :).
Monday, February 13, 2006
Tuesday, February 07, 2006
the first speech
i have to give a speech tomorrow.
i'm taking intro to public speaking this semester. yes, partly due to requirements, but i did have the option to chicken out and take a communications class that doesn't require you to stand in front of a class for 10 minutes trying to mumble out a coherent speech. i decided to take a speech class to help me overcome a fear (not necessarily my worst nightmare, but definitely a discomforting situation) of having all eyes on me as i awkwardly deliver a speech. i've never really been good at it so, being ambitious, i signed up for it.
well, tomorrow is the day of my first speech. for some reason, i selected the topic of the media and how it affects people's self-image. i've spent the past week researching stats and have come to the conclusion that it would be best if i tackled advertising, since the media is such a broad topic and i only have 4-6 minutes to fit everything in. this first speech is a non-biased general overview of the topic, so i will focus on the role advertising plays in the economy and how it affects our lives and culture.
some interesting stats i've found:
- The average person watches 4 hours of tv a day (2 months a year)
- until 1982, commercials were limited to 9.5 minutes every hour. today, there are 14-17 minutes of commercials every hour.
- there are 17-18 minutes of commercials on the radio each hour
- the average american sees 3,600 ads a day
its amazing how much we're exposed to the media and advertisements. ads are everywhere...tv, movies, internet, billboards, inside the bus, logos on drinks, clothes...it goes on. we don't even notice them most of the time. but the images of gorgeous people with perfect bodies that we see in magazines, movies, in clothing stores, etc., affect our self-image and set our standards and expectations of beauty in others. dove's "campaign for real beauty" is pretty much the only company breaking out of traditional media's glorification of the perfect model that doesn't exist. on their site, dove had some interesting facts:
- only 2 percent of thousands of women from 10 countries around the world consider themselves beautiful
- more than two-thirds (68%) of women strongly agree that “the media and advertising set an unrealistic standard of beauty that most women can't ever achieve."
- well over half of all women (57%) strongly agree that “the attributes of female beauty have become very narrowly defined in today's world.”
now that has to say something about how the media has affected us. i hope it goes well tomorrow.
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