ENG 001: Language & Writing

Sound track of my life

2007-12-10T12:06:00.000-06:00

Rodney Atkins, “Watching you”: Throughout the scenes of Rodney Atkins singing there are clips of interactions between him and his son. The clips all vary from each other but they all represent things that he and his son have in common and they also represent things that he has taught his boy. One clip in particular represents the way his boy dresses just like his father and how he wants to be just like him. Each has on their camouflage pants, cowboy boots and yellow shirts on. Matching perfectly. Growing up, I was very close to my father. I spent most of my time trying to be just like him. I can remember the feeling of how his boots fit over my shoes loosely making it nearly impossible to walk. But it was his bee veil that he wore every day that sagged over my eyes making it tough for me to see that really made me feel just like my father. I remember the smell of the smoker lingering in the fabric of the veil, the feeling of the straw hat scratching slightly at my scalp and the sticky strings that tied loosely around my waist. Dressing in his work cloths made it possible for me to feel like I was on top of the world, a man, just like my dad, strong enough to work in the bee yards. While wearing his boots, shirt, and vale I could fall away into my imagination, working hard in the backyard on my hollow hives. After viewing this video and listening to this song it becomes clear that the connection between my father and I is felt by many sons and their fathers. Thinking back on those days where I would dress like him and mimic his every move he performed in the bee yard, I hope that I can be as good a man that he is.

Alan Jackson, “Remember When”: While Alan Jackson plays his guitar and sings this song he is surrounded by pictures that go through his life. Pictures of himself and his wife when they were younger and all sorts of events up to where they are in their life right now. There is one clip that is shown in the video that is recognizable to anyone who has a relationship with their grandfather. The picture is of a grandson and his grandfather. Together they sit on an old wooden dock and fish the day away. As far back as I can remember I can picture fishing with my grandfather at the lake three miles outside of town. The old wooden dock that we sat on used to seem like it was miles long and reached into the middle of the lack. We would sit their together casting out into the lack and reeling in slowly, waiting for that slight tug on the other end. My grandfather would sit and teach me the tricks of the trade. “Reel it faster, O.K. now let it sink, now reel it in a little more, good, good, keep it up.” It always seemed that these fishing hints would turn into stories and I would learn something new about him that I never knew every time. Time seemed to slow down when we would sit there on the dock hanging out feet over the edge and fishing the entire day. It never got old and I would have done it every day of the year. I was lucky enough to be able to spend a lot of time with my grandfather on the lake and I was able to learn life lessons that I would have never gotten from anyone else.

Public Enemy, “He Got Game”: In the background of this entire video, made as the sound track for the movie He Got Game, clips of basketball players, basketball courts and hoops fade in and out. The ball faded out from overuse and the nets hanging from the rim barley holding on. The scenes of the basketball and the courts no doubt are recognizable anyone who spent time playing ball on the courts in their home town. When I was younger I spent countless hours, sometimes all day, outside playing basketball on my court in my back yard on a rim that could be lowered to about eight feet. That hoop allowed me and my best friends throughout the neighborhood to become the stars that played on T.V., we would lose track of time and play until we had no energy left to expand. When the sun went down and the rim and ball were no longer visible we would climb into the tree by the court and rig up the lights to shine over our court and extend our playing time. The game would last until my mom’s voice would cut through the air and end the game. From watching the video it became clear that basketball plays a big role in the lives of lots of kids not just for me and my friends. Basketball can unite friends and build memories.

Kenny Chesney, “No shoes, No Shirt, No problems”: In this music video Kenny Chesney preaches his motto no shoes, no shirt, no problems. The video is a combination of different scenes on an island where he has no worries and lets everything else go. He spends the day on boats and on the beach wearing no shoes and no shirt and having no worries. During the summer, before I got a job, I spent almost every day out on the lake or at the river riding on our boat and on our jet skies. The black an yellow paint blends together perfectly and glistens from the droplets of water that cleng on to the side of the Jet Ski. The seats leather becomes scorchingly hot, but never hot enough to keep me off. It always seemed like nothing else mattered but how long we could stretch the day out to be. The boats were like home for those long days in the sun, the water was the only thing that mattered. No worries about school or jobs just the water, friends and family. I would be found either out on the water or lying in the sand. I did not have any other things on my mind other than having fun in the sun. Those days seem to be far and in between now, but without them I would be missing many great memories that will be with me forever. Those are the good times that shape what kind of person you turn out to be. Without those good times and those times spent with family and friends I do not think my life would be as complete as it is today, making relationships that will last forever out there on the water and sitting on the beach.

Jason Aldean, “Amarillo Sky”: While the song Amarillo Sky plays throughout the entire video, Jason Aldean is shown singing in fields and playing his guitar. The majority of the video however is not the artist singing or dancing but young men my age and displaying their role on their family farms. The pictures and video of the young men are very recognizable to anyone that is from a rule, farming community. As I grew up I a rule community in small town Nebraska I spend endless amount of hours driving tractors across golden wheat fields, stirring up dust and taking on the hot, golden sun. The big green frame of the tractor pumping out a consistant loud roar from the engine. Its tires stand taller than I and the climb to the driver’s seat seems impossible the green ladder covered in mud and grime. But what I remember the most was the hard tractor seat, boucing up and down on its four worn out springs and how it was home for the summer. It is all that a majority of young men just like me and my friends know during the long summer days. I remember how the roar of the engine would fade away as the day went on and my mind would take over, I would look over the edge of the tractor, down at the dry land and the endless clouds of dust billow out from behind the tractor, hoping and praying for rain the next day. But always, no matter what, whether the rain came or the summer ground stayed cracked and dry I would turn the tractor around and make another round through the field. The music video from Jason Aldean and the song that he wrote connects to an enormous number of people throughout the mid west. I believe that this type of work and way of life has really shaped me into the person I am--someone who is not scared to work hard and be completely dedicated to something in life.

Poison, “Ride the Wind”: In this song by Poison the lead singer of the band begins the song by singing the words, “Hearts of fire, Streets of stone, Modern warriors, Saddle iron horses of chrome.” The song that he sings is about riding motorcycles and it connects with anyone who has owned a motorcycle and tasted the open road. The opening words that the lead singer sings makes my mind shoot back to summer days when I would spend long hours washing and shinning my motorcycle until it gleamed from front to back. The silver paint on the gas tank sparkled brightly as sunlight beamed down on it and every inch of the fifty cubic inch chrome motor shined perfectly, so perfectly that my reflection appeared almost flawless. Each of the chrome five spokes in the wheels shot rays of light in every direction. On each side of the bike ran a long, four inch, round exhaust pipe. Both cleaned to perfection and shinning just like the rest of the bike. No nicks or scratches were visible just smooth, shinny, sparkling chrome. The seats black leather would grow warmer each second it sat in the gleaming sun. Even the dark black leather saddle bags that sat near the back of the bike packed full of gear gleamed with perfection. I am sure that the singers of the song “Ride the Wind” have felt the same feeling I did when I stepped back and saw every gleaming, sparkling inch of the chrome horse. As I go back in time to those summer days in my mind I pray for summer to come fast and think about how much fun times I have had while being on my bike.

Kenny Chesney, “I Go Back”: Between clips of Kenny Chesney singing his song “I Go Back” on an old gym floor and hallways of a high school images from his past show up throughout the video. There are images of himself as a kid, himself in high school taking girls on dates and images of his family and him together. Throughout the video there is a specific style of photos that seem to be popping up frequently. It was those photos of him in his football uniform and his teammates from high school that really made a connection to me and I am sure connects to anyone else that played a sport in their years of high school. As I have graduated from high school now and moved on to college I find myself looking back at the times I had on Friday nights playing football with my best friends in my life. The red jersey with a white five posted on the front below the word PLAINVIEW and RUTLEDGE posted above the number five on the back fit tightly over the hard plastic shoulder pads. Scattered, different colored nicks and scars of other team’s helmets littered each shoulder of the jersey. I remember that feeling of the pads slipping over my head easily and the feeling of synching them up tight around my chest. My best friends beside me perform the same tasks, preparing for battle on the gridiron of high school football. It is obvious that Kenny Chesney still holds the memories of his teammates and football career tightly just like I do. Those are the memories that stick with me forever and memories that always make me smile.

Kenny Chesney, “There Goes My Life”: This video displays the life of two young high school kids and how much their lives can change. In the video the kids’ life changes from a simple life to one that will be filled with hardships because they are going to have a baby. At the beginning of the video the two kids are scared but as the video goes on the young kids turn into parents. By the time the video nears the end the baby girl is heading off to college and the mother and father are saying goodbye. I know that everyone in this class can connect very closely to this video. Each one of us can remember the day we left for college, the day we left our family, our homes, and headed off to pave a new path in our lives. I remember the day exactly. My red car was clean and shining brightly. The backseat was piled high with cloths and things to make my room feel more like home. There were many things in the trunk, making it hard to close and the front seat was filled with food from my mother (incase I got homesick). I looked back at my parents standing there watching me back out of the driveway, tears rolled down my mother’s face and my father was trying to stay strong. I was off, off to write a new chapter in my book of life. The first chapter of the new edition is coming close to the end, but I will never forget the feelings that I experienced with my parents on that specific day. It was these feelings that allow me to feel like I have support and will have the support forever. Nothing is more important than family, and I am glad I went through something like this to allow me to understand that.

First Video

2007-11-19T10:21:00.000-06:00

The Tootsie Roll song of 1994 was a hit. I can remember this being the first video I saw because I always thought it was the greatest. I had two older sisters and of course they thought it was cool, therefore I was forced to watch it. After seeing the video I of course was forced to perform the dance, “to the left, to the left, to right, to right…” Not one of my proudest moments by any means but at that time a definite step in the right direction toward coolness, I thought. I actually feel in love with the song at that young age of 6 or 7 and if I do say so myself I got pretty good at the dance. I remember being in the other room and hearing the song come on my sisters boom box or cd player and hurry to the that room to perform my dance skills.
As I look back on my time as a tootsie roll fanatic I wonder why anyone would let me do that kind of thing. The dance was an odd thing and the song a very different one. However, it is funny to look back on it now and remember that feeling that I felt when I finally learned the dance and the feeling of how old and cool I felt. It is fun to look back at that song and see how it was the craze of that time, the new hit dance of that ear and how it swept across the nation just like now a days with the Soulja Boy song and dance that made its way into the main stream. Maybe someday someone will be writing a paper about music videos from their child hood and they will be saying the same thing about the music and songs of today.

Worst Video

2007-11-14T12:59:00.000-06:00

The music video for the song Macarena is my least favorite music video. I have not been able to watch this video since the day it has come out. When the annoying sound of the song starts to play it immediately makes me feel an annoyed and crabby mood. It was bad enough to write a song like the Macarena and to actually play it on the radio for the public to hear but to make a video that is equally as bad was just plain sickening. It amazes me that the music video that displays one of the worst dances ever invented was actually a popular thing in our history. I am happy to say that I never feel into the trap of liking this song or ever taking part in the dance that corresponds with it.

There are many reasons why this video is my least favorite. I could sum it up by saying that I dislike the entire video as a whole, everything about it. However, there are specific things that I dislike more than I dislike others. First off I do not like the song that plays in the background of the entire video. The song is one of the worst in the history of music. Secondly, the dance that these females do in the video makes them look really dumb. I mean who would put themselves through that? Why would you want to make yourself look like this? The cloths that these girls wear make the entire video that much worse. To top the worst video I think to every hit the public market off is the two creepy guys that are just watching these girls perform this sickening dance while singing words that no one knows. Why are there two old men watching young girls dance? I am glad that this video has come and gone and that I no longer have to hear the music on a regular basis.

Smokers

2007-11-11T17:18:00.000-06:00

What ruins an evening as soon as you walk into a restaurant? It is something that you do not even have control over. Give up? It is when you and your family, sometimes young kids go to a restaurant to enjoy a nice meal with your loved ones and open up the door and are blasted in the face by a wall of smoke; that terrible smelling, poisonous smoke takes your breath away and makes the rest of the evening a flop. It was not your choice to poison your lungs and possibly spread disease, but since someone else chose that path, you have to put up with it. I mean all you have to do is ask for a non-smoking seat on the other side of the room; over there you will not get any effect of that smoke hanging in the air, right? Wrong! Thank goodness that this is no longer a problem for the residents of Lincoln. However, it was once a definite and real situation that many people had to deal with when they were going out for a nice evening meal with their family.

Today in Nebraska, people are not able to smoke in public places, such as restaurants, government buildings, or private work places. Also, Nebraska’s leaders have taken an important step toward protecting the state’s people from the terrible toll of tobacco by increasing the cigarette tax by 30 cents a pack for the next two years. By doing this, it will reduce smoking among both kids and adults, and save lives by reducing smoking-caused disease.

In this cartoon featured in the Lincoln Journal Star, it addresses the issues of the smoking in public and the taxes that will be induced by the state of Nebraska. Also it portrays the way some smokers view the way they are treated by these laws that are being enforced. In the cartoon it portrays smokers as people who believe that these laws and taxes are unfair and that they are persecuting them, as if what they are doing has no affect on anyone else. Some of them firmly believe that they are the ones being punished unfairly. Through the use of rhetorical strategies the artists conveys his feelings of a smoker in a society where smokers feel they are persecuted.
There are numerous rhetorical strategies within this cartoon. There could be a case developed for all types of rhetorical strategies used but the artist who developed this cartoon developed and used some more than the others. One of the most prevalent uses of rhetoric in this cartoon is the use of illustration. The entire image itself, the man sitting there, is an illustration. The way the artist drew the man in the picture makes it the focal point, he uses an exaggerated image, makes the image darker and bigger than everything else in the picture making the reader’s attention focus directly on the image the way he wanted them to. The entire illustration is a caricature that serves as a stereotype. It stereotypes blue collar smoking men. The image was made with specific details to send this message to the audience that all blue collar smokers feel a certain way. If the image is looked at closely you can tell that the man in the picture is an out of shape, large man of an older generation, he has white hair. He is not wearing a nice slick looking suit and standing by a nice new car but rather wearing a small tight t-shirt and an old ball cap while smoking two cigarettes. The way the image was created immediately sends the message of what type of person is being argued about in the picture. Not only do the cloths and appearance of the man send the message that he is a blue collar man but he is also sitting in a factory. All of these aspects combined portray the man in the picture to be a blue collar kind of man. The illustration creates a feeling that the older generations of blue collar smoking men are ignorant and self-absorbed. In the picture the blue collar smoker is oblivious to the facts that are stated in the surgeon general’s warning, which is located behind the figure; he is facing the other way, which allows the reader to make the assumption that the man is totally oblivious or totally unaware of the facts. Also adding to the fact that the man is self absorbed and ignorant is the way his body is drawn. It is clear by the weight of the man that he does not care about how healthy or unhealthy he is. Not only is the man in the picture faced the other way not paying attention to the warnings he is also reading a piece of paper that, by reading the text, we know is talking about enforcing cigarette taxes. It is the man’s quote at the end, “This is so unfair!!” that makes the entire point of the illustration. Everything in the picture was placed in a certain spot, and drawn a certain way to really prove the point of the artist. The way the artist used illustration and the way he chose to place things in the picture really made it an effective image.
The argument is made by using all different kinds of rhetoric strategies, and these strategies portray rhetoric appeals. One could make an argument for all three rhetorical appeals in any image or text, but in this particular argument the artist focused on two of the rhetorical appeals to convey his argument. The artist used the logos appeal or “the logical appeal” in his argument. He accomplished this by adding in the surgeon general’s warning. The warning contains logical facts. By using the logical appeal it enhances the argument and the image however the artist focused more on the appeal to emotions, pathos, because it was an efficient way to prove his point and to keep the audience interested in what he wanted to say. When everything in the picture comes together is when pathos is reached. The caricature of the man, the way he is facing, the surgeon general’s warning and the way the words are displayed all come together to appeal the readers emotions. The way the artist creates irony with the images and placement of everything in the picture also creates humor. Throughout the entire cartoon the sense of emotions is used. The man in the picture wants society to feel sorry for him which is a complete contrast to the way our society really feels, creating irony. The irony of the entire image is humors, creating an appeal to the reader’s emotions. The picture makes us laugh or smile and therefore makes us interested.
The use of the rhetorical strategies like narration, example, illustration, and cause and effect really does a good job of making it easy for the audience to be able to understand the argument that the artist is trying to prove. When these strategies are used effectively like they are in the cartoon is clears up any confusion about the argument and allows the artists views to be seen very clearly. In this particular cartoon it is not only what the artist feels but what society feels as well. By combining these effective strategies along with the appeal to the emotions of the audience makes a good and effective augment.

Music Video

2007-11-10T17:36:00.000-06:00

The choice of my favorite music video was a tough and time consuming decision. There are so many good videos and songs out there right now that it was tough to pick one. However, I finally decided on one so I could begin writing. I chose the video of Crank That by Soulja Boy. The video is for one of the newest songs. Also it is one of the most popular song and video made in the past few years.
The video is basically just an introduction of a dance which has become widely known. When the song comes on over the radio or someone plays it at a get together most of the room immediately heads to the dance floor to show off their dance skills. I have yet to see someone who can perform the dance as good as its creators but there are some people who know it very well. I am one of the guilty ones who did give in and learned the dance. The reason I like the video so much is because it is not like a most music videos because it does not tell an entire life story or time in someone’s life. Instead what it does is introduce the artist’s new dance to the public, and that is exactly what it accomplished. I guess you could say I have jumped on the bandwagon here by using this video as my favorite because I am sure that lots of other people would say the same. However, I really do like this video because the dance is awesome and the whole video is something that you could watch a lot. You can always find something new to add to your dance arsenal every time you watch the video. This awesome video combined with the hit song makes it my favorite and I am sure many others as well.

Sue Happy Society

2007-10-21T20:04:00.000-05:00

Once I had finished reading this article on how a family from Omaha is suing the city because of a death of a family member it got me thinking about how “sue happy” our society has become. In the article it explains that a man was seen getting out of his car on July 22, 2004, on a rain-flooded street. The man either fell or was swept off the road into a drain culvert in southwest Omaha. The city of Omaha has agreed to pay 207, 500 dollars to the family of the man who died. The family filed a wrongful-death lawsuit against the city, saying the city failed to mark the ditch or put up a barrier to protect passers-by. How can someone sue a city for a reason like this? Why did the guy even get out of his car in a situation like this? If there was sign marking the ditch or some kind of barrier do you really think that it would have stopped a person from floating off the road into the ditch. The family is receiving 207,500 dollars for their lost family member because of the lack of a sign. Does receiving a large amount of money bring back your family member? It is amazing to look at how many people sue after things that happen in today’s society. I have even heard of someone suing McDonalds because the coffee they purchased from them burned their mouth and the cup did not have a warning on the side. Not only did the family sue but they won. I do not understand how things like this can happen. I think that being able to sue for logical reasons is a great thing to have. It definitely makes people follow guidelines. However, now it is being abused. I think we have a serious problem on our hands as a society to stop this suing problem at hand and get it under control.

Halloween

2007-10-17T23:14:00.000-05:00

BOO, aww what a great noise to hear ringing throughout the house at this time of year. The leaves are starting to fall, and ghosts are starting to appear hanging from trees, spiders and witches begin to pop up on household in your neighborhoods, yes its Halloween.
Believe it or not Halloween is on my family’s favorite holidays. Everyone in my entire family gets dressed up and decorates the house, turning it into a scary, scary witches den. The witch of course being my mom. She loves to get her hat, big nose, and black long hair on every Halloween and wait for the little candy craving youngsters to stroll up to the door with their bags held open and yell, “trick or treat”, that saying is music to her ears. During Halloween every year my house is turned into an almost little haunted house. The excited, sometimes leery youngsters enter though the garage and make their way through a winding path with smoke rolling across they feet and scary, screechy, howling music plays in the background. When they get to the entrance of the house is where I come in. I sit in a chair as still as I can dressed like a scarecrow. The brave trick or treaters are not phased by the fake looking scarecrow (me) sitting by the door while the other leery ones stand and stand and stare. My technique for the most extreme terror is to let a few kids walk by and be as still as possible, making no noise and waiting for the best opportunity to present its self. When the time is right and the right kids are passing by I reach out and grab a youngster yelling “BOO!” and then letting them go and assuming my position once again. Once the kids make it past me and enter into the house they are greeted with more music and bowls of gumballs that look like eye balls other candy filled bowls all throughout the house. Before they get to leave the spooky trail through the house they must reach into the “bowl of brains”, which is actually jello in a bowl with paper over it and a slit in the top to let a hand of the brave trick or treaters reach inside. Inside the fish out a piece of candy and get to put it into their bag. At the end of the trail my mom stands with more bowls and candy and her witch outfit wishing everyone a happy Halloween.

Gangs in Lincoln

2007-10-14T19:18:00.000-05:00

When I was deciding where to attend college this past year I wasn’t sure where I would be headed. I was born and raised in town of just over one thousand people. A town where you know everyone and everyone knows you. I have relatives that lived in Lincoln and Omaha but I wasn’t sure if the city would be for me. When it came time to make a decision I choose Nebraska Wesleyan, but I was still a little leery about moving to the city. So far my time in Lincoln has been a lot of fun, however it’s when I can pick up the newspaper and read articles like the one I read today that makes me ask myself, “Do I really like it here”?
The article I chose to write about is one dealing with the issue of gangs in Lincoln. The article goes into detail with one family in particular, one daughter that had once taken ballet, jazz, and played soccer for ten years, that chose to live a life of crime. The twelve year old girl was recruited by gang members when she attended Lux Middle School in Lincoln, and then North Star High School. It is amazing to me to think that kids as young as twelve years old, in a city in Nebraska are being recruited into gangs. I know there is crime in every city and that for the most part most cities are safe to live in but it really hits home to see what is happening in the city where I live, it is a scary thought. My home town, only two hours from here, has never had a problem like this and the kids, like me, coming out of it are almost blind to the fact that this is a real danger. I think that all Lincoln schools and surrounding areas should educate their young kids about the reality that is taking place in Lincoln. The threat of gangs is present and real and the only way to stop is to have the cities eyes opened to the problem.

High School Days

2007-10-10T17:20:00.000-05:00

A few weekends ago I went back to my home town for homecoming and saw a lot of old classmates and friends. It was wired to go back and see everyone that I used to see every day for twelve years. It was a lot of fun to sit down and talk about high school, that time that seems so long ago. We all talked about the things we did during those years and how much fun we had. A common thread that was talked about was the great memories that were made playing sports on those awesome Friday nights. It seemed like we all had great memories of playing football on those cold fall nights and taking the basketball floor after a week’s long preparation.
It is definitely true for me that a lot of my great memories were made by being a part of teams and playing in high school sports. A lot of these memories flood back to me when I think about high school but I can pick out a few that really stick out in my mind. I loved heading into the locker room and strapping on my football pads next to my best friends that I had known since kindergarten. I can still remember the feelings that rushed over me when we made the walk to the football field to warm up. Walking out the door and seeing the fans already filling up the stands and the opposing players on the field already warming up. Thinking about that burst of energy I got when we rushed onto the field and the crowd went crazy still gives me goose bumps till this day. I remember every game I played in and the feelings I had every time but there was one game that had a more amazing feeling than any other. My team played in the state championship game at Memorial Stadium. When my teammates and I rushed onto the field in Memorial Stadium the feelings I had will stick with me for the rest of my life. The memories we made winning that state title for our town will be a lifelong memory my teammates and I will share.

Game Day

2007-10-07T23:41:00.000-05:00

If you have lived in Nebraska for long, chances are you love Saturday afternoons in Lincoln. For many people a like one of their favorite times in fall, is heading to Memorial Stadium to watch the Red and White take the field.
With a restless night of sleep behind me and an exciting day ahead, I get dressed in my red, planning to match the other excited fans in Lincoln doing the same thing. It is on this brisk, sunny Saturday afternoon I stand in line shoulder to shoulder with all different kinds of people. With a group of rowdy, foam finger toting college students, with their painted chests and faces. With the older men who are wearing their radio-headsets listening intently to the pregame show, and the women with overbearing perfume and stickers of the husker mascot on their cheeks. Although we don’t know one another we are forming into one unit. Our conversations all start to form into one, talking to anyone and everyone about the exciting event just inside the gates. “I am so excited; this is only my second game.”, “We need our defense to come around this game.” are just a few topics swirling around me. Then in a loud unison chant the group of students’ turns and yell at the top of their lungs “GOOOO BIIIIG REEED” and in unison right on cue the rest of us excited fans shout “GO BIG RED”. Everyone is standing, waiting anxiously at our chance to enter the gates the roar of the people inside is finding its way outside to where we stand making the hairs on my arms and neck stand on end. I’m eager to get inside the gates and become a part of the most amazing fans in college football, eager to become part of the “sea of red”. When I reach the front of the long red line the excitement builds up inside of me even more. I am met by a burst of welcoming smells, popcorn, hot dogs and Runza’s all inviting me to stop for a quick bite to eat, its then that I stop and realize that I have finally made it to yet another husker game.
When I make my walk up the ramp to the gleaming sunshine peering through at the top, I quicken my step hearing the consistent roar of the crowd build as I get closer. At the top of the ramp I step out into the sun light to finally lay my eyes on what I have been waiting for. The crowd is buzzing with excitement, chanting cheers and moving around, it is impossible to stand still. I make the walk up to my row and slide in front of other eager husker fans dressed in red high fiving every stranger as I go by. I don’t know anyone that I have passed but it dosent matter at this point. At that point I realize that we are a family, we are a close group will only one goal in mind. For the next four hours the only thing on our minds will be the football game about to kickoff. When I reach my seat I look down at the hard, cold bench that I know I won’t be sitting on for long. I take a quick look around I see numerous kinds of people. First the little boy who looks like he is attending his first game; standing on the bench holding his grandfathers hand and wearing his brand new bright red jersey with the number 5 on the back. I notice the permanent smile on his face and the looks of amazement he give his grandfather. Next his grandfather beside him who has been through many seasons, wearing a jacket which reads “Back to back Champions ’94-’95” and a hat covered with Nebraska ticket stubs and the words ’75 Champions embroidered on the front. Then there is the rowdy student fan already losing his voice, jumping up and down, high fiving everyone and acting as his job is to make the most noise in the stadium.
When it seems like I cannot wait any longer, and that the time would never come, the familiar sound of the “tunnel walk” begins to play and the noise in the stadium grows to an even louder roar. Again the chills flow throughout my body and I can’t help but let out a yell. “Let’s go red!” My eyes are glued to the jumbo screen in the far end zone, which is playing bone jarring hits and amazing plays of past and present. Tommy Frazier’s touchdown run against Florida, Eric Crouch’s catch against Oklahoma, and pictures of the national championship trophy help up by Tom Osborne and his players. The tunnel walk which starts with the same repeated energized sound builds into the crashing loud music, lighting a fire in everyone inside the stadium. No one around can hold in their yells and the crowd noise grows in volume. The jumbo screen shows the team making its way down the tunnel toward the field and finally the doors to the field come open and the scarlet and cream rush onto the field. The loud unison chant of “Go big red” takes over the stadium. Then the first eleven players take the field in front of the 286th consecutive sellout, the 86,000 fans all hoping for and wishing for the same result. The hype is at its peak and all of the waiting is over. The kicker approaches the ball and the game begins. Watching the game unfold, I and the others beside me do our part to help the huskers win. The game is a huge part of the lives of all the 86,000 screaming, crazy fans for the next four hours.
The sound of the harsh whistles cut through the roar of the crowd and my eyes move to the scoreboard, reading Huskers 10 and USC 7, Halftime. After peering at the score board for a short time trying to add a few more points to the Huskers side I glance at my watch. What seems like only a half an hour has become two hours and the game is half over. Everyone’s eyes are still peering toward the center of the massive structure as the figures on the field marching to forming a massive N across the field while plying sweet music to please the ears of all the fans. The tune of Mr. Touchdown and Football USA ring throughout the entire stadium. When I take a step back and look around at the neighboring fans, I can tell that although they seem entertained, tapping their feet to the beat and singing along with the band, I still catch them and myself glancing at the clock waiting until the game begins again.

When the band exits the field conversations start to arise all around me. The once strangers are now talking like they’ve known each other for years. Even some of the conversations shift away from football, to kids and family, but eventually all conversations end up back on the topic of the game at hand. After what seems like a lifetime the band clears and the players return to the field. Every moment speeds by and the clock seems to never stop running. Even when the tide turns into the other teams favor the crowd dose not budge. We all are still the “sea of red” and we still try and do our part in winning the game. But in the waning moments of the final quarter even the rowdy student fan cannot make the play on the field change. No matter how loud they get, or many chants they start the outcome is still the same. One of the worst sounds than screeches through every inch of the stadium it’s the final horn and my eyes move to the score board for the final time. Huskers 31 USC 49. For the last time I step back and take one final look around, the people around are no longer yelling and jumping but rather standing and staring at the field, wishing they could change the outcome. The walk out of the stadium is a slow, somber one and the excitement that once drew me into the stadium is long gone. There is no more high fives, no more chants of “Go Big Red”, just scattered conversations about the game linger in the air.
What an amazing feeling it is to be a part of such a close knit, passionate group of people. You may not know anyone sitting close to you in the sea of red but it still feels like a family get together. There are not too many other places where you can have such a fulfilling experience than at Memorial Stadium on a fall afternoon. Whether the Husker win or whether they lose the experience is one that will last a lifetime. It’s the passion of those sitting next to you and the tradition that hangs in the air of the stadium that really makes it an awe-ing experience. How amazing it is to think about how 86,000 people come together all for the same purpose and who all share the same passionate feelings toward something that they really don’t have control over. To be able to attend a game in Lincoln, and feel the amazing hype, passion and camaraderie so easily is a great asset for the people of Nebraska. The way the passion for Nebraska football is passed on keeps the tradition at such a high level. Once you experience a game in Memorial Stadium it will be a definite lifelong memory, one that all should experience.

2007-09-23T21:58:00.000-05:00

Searching You Tube for a video involving President Abraham Lincoln I found one recognizing his most famous speech—the Gettysburg Address. As I viewed it I couldn’t quite grasp how amazing of a speech this really was. At this time in history, November 19, 1863, this was the most influential speech ever given. As a sat watching this video I was blown away at the magnitude of President Lincoln’s speech. When I think about this address and the civil war itself I am truly amazed that our nation’s existence and our way of life came down to a war won by the “right” side. We sit today in a land or freedom, a land where there are no slaves and the thought of equality reigns supreme. President Lincoln’s address portrays the turning point of the civil war into the North’s favor. Where would we be toady if the south would have won the war? Would President Lincoln’s speech still be one of the most well known speeches in American history? Our lives would be totally different than the way we live them today. I still find it hard to comprehend that our way of life boiled down to one part of our country defeating the other.

I was lucky enough to visit the Gettysburg Cemetery where President Lincoln gave his famous Gettysburg Address. The experience of being able to stand where President Lincoln gave one of the most influential speeches in history will stick with me for the rest of my life. The entire time I was standing there the only thought I had racing through my mind was how unbelievable it was to think about my life today. I am able to live my life the way I do because of what happened in the fields I was looking over. As I stood there I tried to fully understand the magnitude of what happened there. But yet I am still in awe today.

Game Day

2007-09-19T21:00:00.000-05:00

On a brisk, sunny Saturday afternoon I stand in line shoulder to shoulder, waiting anxiously at my chance to enter the gates while the sound of thousands of screaming fans sends the chills up my spine. I’m eager to get inside the gates and become a part of the most amazing fans in college football, eager to become part of the “sea of red”. Finally I have made my way to the front of line, where the excitement builds up even more inside of me. The welcoming smell of popcorn, hot dogs and Runza’s invite me to stop for a quick bite to eat. I resist the temptation, too excited to stop.
When I make my walk toward the tunnel, I quicken my step hearing the roar of the crowd build as I get closer. At the top of the ramp I step out into the sun light to finally lay my eyes on what I have been waiting for. The crowd is buzzing with excitement as kickoff nears. I make the walk up to my row and slide in front of other eager husker fans dressed in red. Upon reaching my seat I look down at the hard, cold bench that I know I won’t be sitting on for long. When I look around I see every different kind of person. First the little boy who looks like he is attending his first game, the grandpa beside him who has been through many seasons and the rowdy student fan.
Finally, as if the time would never come, the familiar sound of the “tunnel walk” begins to play and the noise in the stadium grows to an amazingly loud roar. Chills flow throughout my body and I can’t help but let out a yell. My eyes are glued to the jumbo screen in the far end zone, which is playing past and current highlights. As the music climaxes and the crowd noise reaches its highest point, the scarlet and cream rush onto the field. The loud unison chant of “Go big red” takes over the stadium. I watch as eleven players take the field in front of the 86,000 fans. The hype is at its peak and all of the waiting is over. The kicker approaches the ball and the game begins…

Memorial Stadium

2007-09-16T12:35:00.000-05:00

Where is the greatest place to be on a Saturday afternoon…the home to the best fans in all of college football? Where can you find 86,000 people in red, hooping and hollering for the same purpose? Memorial Stadium. For most Nebraskans there is nowhere else they would rather be watching football than in that stadium. Being raised around Nebraska football for my entire life, it is an amazing feeling being able to attend games. There is such an amazing sense of tradition and pride inside of that stadium. That is why I think it is one of the best structures in all of Nebraska.
After reading the assignment for the first time I knew exactly where I was going to go. I attended Memorial Stadium to watch the number one USC Trojans battle our Nebraska cornhuskers. The atmosphere was amazing the entire day around Lincoln. The entire city was buzzing with the thought of the game that night. It is awesome to think that a structure like the football stadium can pull so many people together for the same purpose. Everyone should experience that feeling of walking into that stadium full of screaming fans. Not only is the stadium a top of the line stadium it is filled with the pride and history. While sitting at the game there were two people next to me who were there for the first time. While talking to them about the experience the man summed it up the best by saying, “There is no better place”. It is true that there is no better place to watch football or be with friends and family. Memorial stadium is a major part of Lincoln, brining in people from all over the state. The accessibility of the stadium and games is what makes this such a great place. We don’t just have to talk about Memorial stadium we can go and be a part of the tradition. I strongly encourage everyone to attend a game in memorial stadium because there is no way to explain the atmosphere, feelings, or intensity.

Plattsmouth man fights for life after teens attack him with baseball bats

2007-09-12T23:57:00.000-05:00

After reading this article about the Plattsmouth man I couldn’t believe how such a terrible thing could happen in a small town like Plattsmouth. Coming from a small town myself I find it hard to believe that teenagers would act like this toward others. I had spent my entire life up till now in a small town and I thought that it was an awesome advantage. To me it was great being able to be outside wherever in town after dark, out with friends at such a young age. However in the city the kids are so much more limited. But after reading this article I realized that not even small towns are safe from serious danger.
I am shocked that two groups of teenagers acted in such a manner as they did in this article. There were two groups of teens from neighboring towns who were engaged in a fight, which ended in a horrible fashion. Two teen boys waited outside of a home for another teen to come out. However, the father came out the door the two teens beat him with baseball bats leaving him in critical condition. I don’t think this is a common occurrence in bigger cities but to happen in a smaller town is really shocking. This article was a real eye opener for me. Even though you may be raised in a small town, bad judgments are still made and poor decisions will occur. It’s sad to see that young men will act this way and do such brutal things to one another. As much as I and some others want to believe small towns are not free from danger. There should be serious consequences for the teens involved in this unfortunate situation. I believe that this will affect both towns involved and hopefully raise the awareness of what is happening around their communities.

The Lincoln Zoo Response

2007-09-10T08:20:00.000-05:00

Entering the Lincoln Zoo this past Saturday was a fun and exciting experience. On the way to my destination I was trying to visualize what the zoo might be like. What kind of animals would be there, how big might this place be? I had a good idea of what I thought it was going to be like and my guess was pretty close.
The zoo has a very family oriented atmosphere, a good variety of animals and some fun exciting activities for young kids. I took my little cousin to the zoo with me and thank goodness I did because she was a zoo expert. Anything I wanted to know she could tell me. Our exploration first started by stopping by the petting portion of the zoo. There was a great selection of animals to feed and pet. There were goats, lamas, and even guinea pigs. Even I enjoyed this stop. Some of the more exotic animals were the camels, seals, baboons, and crocodiles. I enjoyed seeing the camels the most. I had never seen one before and to be able to touch such a large animal was a fun experience. The most information part for me was learning about the raindeer. I knew nothing about these awesome animals untill my stop at the Lincoln Zoo. The zoo offers a train ride though the entire park explaining details about each animal, which is a great learning tool for the young kids and even some parents. The variety of animals and fun activities offered at the Lincoln zoo makes it a definite stop for family fun.
The zoo is a great option here in Lincoln for family fun. Everywhere we looked there was a group of family members dashing across the path with kids smiling and parents explaining. It is great to have this option here in Lincoln because it doesn’t require an all day itinerary or weekend vacation. It is a fun and easy stop to spend time with your family members and see things that we don’t see every day.
After making a quick stop at every exhibition I formed a conclusion about the Lincoln zoo. This zoo is here for the families of Lincoln. It may not be the biggest zoo in this part of Nebraska but it is a great option to have at our hands in Lincoln.

Post I: Discourse Surrounding the Essay

2007-09-03T19:35:00.000-05:00

“In reading an essay, I want to feel that I’m communicating with a real person, and a person who cares about what he or she’s writing about. For me, the essay is not an assignment, to be dispatched efficiently and intelligently, but an exploration, a questioning, an introspection. I want to see a piece of the essayist. I want to see a mind at work, imagining, spinning, struggling to understand.” “When I’m reading a good essay, I feel like I’m going on a journey. The essayist is searching for something and taking me along. Facts are important but not enough. An essay, for me, must go past the facts, an essay for me must travel and move.”
- Alan Lightman

Alan Lightman’s point of view about the essay stuck with me though out the entire reading. His ideas and opinions matched with mine like none of the other writers. I have learned that an essay may not have an exact definition, or an exact style or exact form, but what it needs is something to make it the authors alone. I believe that all essays need what Alan Lightman has described—voice.
While writing plenty of essays throughout high school there were numerous writing tips that stuck out in my mind-- organization, sentence fluency, and word choice. Although all were great tips, one stood above the rest for me—voice. I believe that one of the most important objectives in writing is to use your voice in your writing. Just like Lightman says, you should be able to feel like your communicating with the writer (a real person) and using your voice allows this to happen. I can remember the countless times where a teacher would comment on mine and fellow classmate’s essays, “This is too generic. Where is your voice? Make this your own.” At the time it was just another revision but as my high school career went on it became clear that the writer’s voice completed the work. If the writer doesn’t use their voice in their writing than there own feelings are not portrayed. For the audience to be able to “see a piece of the essayist” we have to feel like we are not reading an “assignment” but rather a piece of the writer’s life, feelings, or experiences.
I agree completely with Lightmans thoughts on the “essay”. In my opinion the use of the writer’s voice completes the essay and allows you (the reader) to go on a “journey” in the essay. Using your voice to make the essay yours allows the audience to be drawn in and get lost in the communication between the writer and the reader.

Test Post

2007-08-31T14:30:00.000-05:00

First post for ENG 001, Section 7.