The busy woman's ad.......

After reading Nikevoulition I really saw things in a different light, Nike went through so much to because deeply embedded in the inner cities and it paid off big time! I found many ways that advertisements crawl into the heart and body of the people who look at them. The most compelling was a jewelry ad that shows a blond woman playing chess, the tag line: "pretty smart". At first I couldn't' even tell it was an ad for jewelry. Interesting, but obviously it is aimed at all those blond woman out there that walk around with a stigma that they are dumb until prove otherwise. The dumb blond jokes go on everyday. And of course with the jewelry she looks beautiful, and now she can play chess. That was so blatantly obvious to me.

The general ambiance I choose for this blog was appealing to the working woman. The woman of today is a woman who works full time and takes care of her family. I found 3 ads that would catch that type of woman's eye and giver her praise yet she can also relate to the ad because of her crazy life. Though there is no fear here every woman who lives this life fears she isn't doing a good enough job juggling everything, so praising this woman through advertisements is smart, catches her attention and makes her feel appreciated, in a world that ignores her struggles sometimes.
Ad #1 Blue Diamond Almonds, this shows a tri-picture:three pictures in one the top half of the woman has a construction hat on and a nice jacket, the middle part has casual clothes on with a toddler boy hugging her leg, and the bottom shows nice athletic legs with running shoes on. The tag line "More than a snack", then it goes on to say, "you are doing more these days, why not pick a snack that does more". This insinuates many things, first you are doing more these days, this is true through the decades a woman does so much more now, career, motherhood, and taking care of herself. The picture is laid over a blue print that says more than an engineer, another way to prove that woman are capable of anything these days. I guess fear could be interpreted if a woman wants to look and act this way she should eat these nuts as a snack.

Ad #2 Playtex tampons this ad shows a business dressed woman running from what looks like an office in the background. The tag line reads "Slow down on heavy days? Not anymore." This ad appeals to the working woman who cannot slow down just for their period. But so many times it is hard to deal with life when you are dealing with a heavy period and all of our responsibilities. Of course she is beautiful and young looking, and happy all the things that our periods seem to strip us of when we have them. But this ad pleads to the working woman who is constantly running from place to place trying to keep up with life, school, kids and everything else a working woman has to deal with. The last thing we want is to slow down for a heavy period.

Ad #3 Monistat Yeast Infection Medication this ad shows again a working woman in her home sipping coffee, reading a note as if she is ready to run out the door. The tag line reads "You do three things at once. Now we do too." Woman are busy, always, we are multitaskers men usually aren't and woman always want that recognition but rarely get it. Also woman HATE a yeast infection, and the side effects that come with it. The woman in the ad is dressed in a tight black skirt, something no woman with a yeast infection would or could wear, however this ad insinuates that if you use this cream your infection is cured faster even with the worst symptoms. So for a multi-tasking working woman, what a better medication but one that does the same. And we woman do this with success, so this medicine must too. That is the message I get, also that I will be cured from this horrible inconvenient infection quickly.

I really like the essay by Neil Postman also he brings up such great points. Many times in ads we are instilled with fear of our actions, and there usually is a solution. Most of the time we are given a way to be better and ultimately live our lives free of sin, I think that his points are true in many ads about relating things to religion. Even if you aren't a religious person most people don't want to sin or be looked at as a sinner, simply in the public eye. I guess you can tell the era in the ring around the collar example. Obviously the guy never did his own laundry, now a days the woman could look at the man and say, you don't like it do it yourself!

Historical Advertisements

The first one that caught my eye was the Marlboro Ad. "Come to Marlboro Country", I think the first obvious subliminal thing here is the man being so high up on the mountain. It directly relates to getting that high from smoking a cigarette, and feeling on top of the world. Of course it is a cowboy in the ad smoking a cigarette with his horse, possibly to instill the strong man figure that Marlboro always tried to portray.

There were several ads that took the humor route to draw people in. MasterCard uses their infamous list of normal purchases, then throws in one weird item that a boxer would never buy. There tag line priceless is well known for commercials, but the humor behind it is this strong, sexy, mean looking boxer buying boxing gloves, punching bag, then the weird one the pink pashminas??? Also the ad about the game Risk was very humorous shaping the globe like a human butt. The game is a strategic war game about defeating the other side, so the obvious humor catches ones eye easily. Another was using the Rubbermaid ad in a burnt garage, however the wedding dress survived the fire, good way to get the readers attention, but kind of humorous how she looks burnt with her hair sticking strait up.

A lot of the newer ads for alcoholic beverages (Bacardi Limon, and Captain Morgan) involved beautiful woman and they are outnumbering the man in the shot, insinuating if you drink their beverage the woman will flock to you. In the Bacardi Limon the hand is actually looking in the bottle and the woman is in the bottle, that is obviously there for that reason. In the older alcoholic beverage ads they show men sitting around drinking together all proper like and happy. The Hennessy ad shows these men sitting around a piano dressed in tuxedo's like it is a after dinner cognac.

On Ad Access I liked the ad for NBC where the whole family is watching the TV but it isn't even out of the cardboard box. Obviously it is around the time when TV's were new to the home. Also NBC is trying to get the point across that there is such good entertainment on their station, people won't even want to finish unpacking the box to start watching. That was a good ad also it is speaking to the fact that color TV is new, and the ad is in color.

Sex Symbols and Analyzing Signs Reading

While searching for an ad to critique I cam across a Calvin Klein perfume and cologne ad. Everyone is familar with the fact that Calvin Klein ads and usually commercials are very sexual in nature. But after reading Sex Symbols and Arthur Berger's checklist for viewing ads I saw a whole lot more.
The ad is definelty sexual in nature, also something unique to CK ads is that it is in Black and White, which I think ads some sexual ambience to the scene. The man in on the woman and they are staring each other deep into their eyes. You cannot really see that background however there is tall grass which leads me to believe they are in a field or in sand dunes, suggesting that they stopped where ever they were and HAD to embrace, by the looks on thier faces they see nothing else around them, this creates a very erotic scene.
They are the whole page, you cannot see anything else but thier bodies touching and them embracing. Again the black and white suggests simplicity, just like the design of the bottle for the fragrance, they are wearing white shirts to add to the simple nature. I think this simplicity helps to bring the attention to what they are doing.
The relationship is very close, it is as if they are about to have sex, they definelty are seconds away from kissing. They are both young, both have long beautiful hair, both very good looking, and completely embracing each other closely.
The bottom of the page reads, "ETERNITY" "Calvin Klein", then timeless frangraces for men and women. One symbolic thing I noticed is that the woman has a wedding ring on her wedding finger. At first glance I would have assumed that they were two young people wanting to have sex, and forced by the overpowering desire to grab each other and kiss. But when I saw the ring I began to think it may be more. The name Eternity, the word timeless, and the ring, makes me think maybe the underlined message is being in love, and finding the right person forever??? The ring I think adds innocense to the ad even though it is so erotic looking. Being that it is a fragrance I do think that the marketing behind it suggests that if you wear this fragrance you will fall eternally in love with your true love and live happily ever after, with passion.

There are a few blades of grass laying over their chests, and you can see the grass in the background. But I think that the close up picture is to have you focus on the passion involved and their beauty. The white shirts stand out in a black and white ad perfectly. He has dirty blonde hair and a sort of surfer hairdo, with the long blades of grass I picture this being at the ocean, and them embracing in the sand, which in itself is so romantic. The deep stare is the focal point however, that stare is so strong, most people particually woman want a man to look at them that way. And well if you buy Eternity it just might happen for you too!

Research Topic-Insulin Therapy for Children with type 1 Diabetes

I have chosen my own topic simply because I find it close to my heart with my son being a diabetic, and I know first hand how Insulin pump Therapy has changed our lives. I intend to prove to my audience that it is a proven better choice, especially for younger children on many levels,and how this technology has changed the lives of millions of children with diabetes. My sources are many but I have narrowed them down to 5 and need to still narrow them down further. They are as follows:

www.childrenwithdiabetes.com, Insulin Pump Therapy page questions and answers, published by Children with diabetes, Inc.

Diabetic Medicine, a journal compilation from the Journal of Diabetes, UK
published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc via intercience.wiley.com

Medtronic, Why Pump Therapy?
published by Medtronic MiniMed, Inc

Kids, Insulin Pumps & You..... A parents guide to Insulin Pump Therapy for Kids
published by Animas Corp.

New Pump, New Life
published by American Diabetes Association

What I found in my research is that the statistics prove that insulin pump therapy is responsible for not only helping children to live a more flexible life but the on an average it has lowered the average blood sugar ranges and decreased the amount of deadly low blood sugar episodes. I also learned that an insulin pump was used on a 12 day old baby that was born without a pancreas! This was huge because even 20 years ago that baby would have more than likely died but due to technology and insulin pumps this baby could be given minuet doses of insulin that a regular syringe isn't capable of delivering, thus allowing to manage such a tiny baby's sugar level, AMAZING. I also was touched by the numerous letters that children around the world have written thanking the pump companies for this device, and the parents as well are thankful for being able to live a less stressful life. I also learned that Insulin pump companies have already created a continuous glucose monitoring system that will read directly to a pump, which one day soon means NO MORE CHECKING blood sugars 8-10 times a day, this device will be implanted and automatically sense the level of sugar in the blood then read to the pump. This means basically an artificial pancreas! I learned lots of interesting things, much I didn't already know so it was a great research project, as far as technology goes, diabetes, and my school project.

The first Technological Revolution

This was a very interesting reading. If all that Peter Drucker is saying is true everything could have evolved in our world today as the irrigation civilization being the starting point. I really agree with what he says that technology needs to serve humans ends. I think that technology shouldn't only help aid us to be lazy but to help us bring that evolution to the next generation in a way that serves us as humans, positively, not just for fun.

This piece was so interesting how he talks about how the irrigation civilization sparked the start of the first government, and even seeing people as a citizen not in tribes and not individuals. That is huge, because if this never happened then we couldn't have moved on to such a democratic way of life at all.
His essay was also eye opening that because of the abundence of water and wealth there became theieves and dishonest people thus the creation of an army and the first war horse.

Then it seemed to just trickle down to creating social classes for purpose of work, then artistry such as poets and pottery makers, and then professionals. Interesting that the flow of such creations seems so obvious but I never saw it that way before.
Even the trading of goods from the surplus helped to create an economic system.
I see what he meant by saying that he suggests the irrigation civilization was "modern", the creation of all these different entities is the basis for our everyday life so I would definelty say they were very modern.
I agree with his opinion that one must not get ahead of themselves as far as technology goes. And that the innovations should be directly related as technology is presented. Unnecesary inventions that make us lazy or do not still challenge us to grow socially.

This was a great read it got me thinking about how difficult it would have been to create such a world we live in now, back then they knew nothing and still came up with such complex ideas. And although as Mr Drucker says it wasn't without imperfection, it gave us a base to grow and improve upon. I guess we could learn a lot from this type of society that created inventions to improve the soical and political way of life, not only to make lives easier and without any real responsibility or hard work.

America at Leisure and Disneyland Blog

Wow technology has come a long way! First the Disneyland video was so interesting, it is amazing how somethings look exactally the same. The experience of the tourists was absoulte fun, they were laughing and smiling most the time. I saw children dancing, there seemed to be a lot of tourist involvement in the street activity. The simularities I noticed were space mountain, The Princess castle, The Mark Twain ride is identical as today, some of the Pirates of the Caribiean, the park was well manicured as well and the large crowds. Some differences were the way people were dressed, the submarine ride (which I remember) has changed, way more characters were walking around and interacting with the tourists even riding rides with them, you don't see that now. The shows were different, older characters, and of course there is no California Park. I think there is more landscape than before and a lot more balloons for sale now. From the looks on the faces of the children and adults the fun is still the same as it is when I go, that will never change.

In watching the other shows on America at leisure I chose to look at the Clarmont Theatre in NY. I think the big simularity that we share with those of 1915 is the activity of going to a show for entertainment, and or to spend family time together. Social classes are mixed in and all ages both then and now attend. Going to the movies is fun for all ages and a great way to spend time together as a family, making memories. The obvious differences were the clothing, it seems that going in public in 1915 you dressed as though you were going to a wedding or church, nice hats included. It seems that the movies in that day also included seeing live shows, that is something you don't see now unless you pay more money to go to a play. I also saw a restaurant close by I assume that families would go there after, a common thing in this day and age.

I also choose to watch the College football game. First thing I noticed was a full stadium, much like you would see today. The game appeared to be played the same. Many differences here, uniforms, I couldn't see any helmets which surprised me. The barracades to the field were little to nothing, no security like now. No numbers on the field that shouts the yardage to fans. Again the clothing of the fans was top notch, including nice hats. No cheerleaders either. It was hard to make out the leisure meaning behind since you really couldn't see the fans all that well, I assume at a college game there were many college students much like there would be today.

Why we travel

This article was very deep. The author explains how traveling should be a much more profound and cultural experience than it is for most people. What I got from this writer is that when we travel we are not only supposed to indulge ourselves with the culture that we are traveling too, but to also bring our culture with us. It seems that the basic point of this writing is to get the reader to understand that sometimes going to less fortunate places and experiencing the unknown of cultures, it will only help us to become a better person. It was interesting how he compares traveling to being a child. It is true that when I travel I am much more open to change, and having a open mind lets me learn and experience more. Like a child does, I am open to the unknown and don't seem to really care. When I go to Mexico I always find myself wanting to learn the culture more and more, and not really caring that I do not understand the language all the time. I think if more people viewed traveling as a "love affair" as the author describes, we would probably get so much more out of our vacations. He obviously views traveling as a way to completely learn and feel the atomosphere of which you are in, to see everything even the bad and less fortunate things. This article I believe was more a reading about how to open up your mind and heart to the world around us. While he does speak of physical travel, I think he is more talking about a metephore of traveling outside our normal lives to experience more and help others to experience more as well.

He compares traveling to a love affair several times. Interesting comparison mostly because he is right that when we love good we are so open to learning everything we can about that person. We long to find more out, if we felt this way when we traveled we would see everything for what it is with emotion not just with our eyes. I think the writer wants us to use our felling more than our sight, he seems to think this is the only way to live your life, I think I agree.

The Tourist

In the Excerts for the Tourists by Dean MacCannell I really was able to relate to a lot of what he had to say. I completely agree that tourism has become increasingly materialized and all about making money. I truly feel that when you vacation to a special place it should be because you want to get something out of it. For me that means relaxing, but also it means that I am somehow getting in touch with the culture or history of where I am going. That is the beauty of visiting other locations, you can actually learn something new and add to your experience in life. MacCannell brings up a good point that some tourist attatractions popularity come in waves according to things that happen in society or from word of mouth. I also agree with him when he speaks about how things are so commercialized for instance McDonald's being all around the world. The amount of money that is spent on souvineirs and tours can get to be ridiculous. I was horrified at how often we had added charges, taxes, or just extra fee's when we traveled to Mexico last December. Having just been there 3 years ago I was surprised at home much more or a tourist attraction Mexico had become, and I later found that the prices in that area go up 30% simply because it is prime season when we were there. I think that is terrible, but once again you get out of your travels what you allow yourself to do. We found ways to see the beauty, experience the culture, and enjoy the weather without breaking our pocketbooks everytime we turned around.
I was very interested by his story of the African girl whom was taken back by vending machines in America and how they take the place of people standing there vending the product. Having her prospective can educate us on just how different things are in other places around the world. And how just by buying a soda we are taking for granted the technology we have at our fingertips. It must have been interesting to be there to experience that with her and to explain to her what it was, but also to get her feedback on it as well.
Although sometimes exploited I think tourism is a necessity in some areas. I just wish that sometimes it didn't take from the natural beauty of the locations, and history. Again I think that as a tourist you can get so much from visiting any locations, everywhere has history, culture, and interest in many ways. It is up to the individual themselves to learn from it and broaden your own mind. This essay helped again to see prospectives of others and to remember why we travel in the first place.

The Loss of the Creature

This essay was very interesting, particularly how Walker Percy chooses to show us a different side to how some people view things. I truly believe that you take from an experience or a viewing what you allow yourself. Although Percy brings up a valid point to the experience of discovering something. It is true that only Garcia Lopez de Cardenas, whom actually discovered the Grand Canyon, could truly take pride in the feeling of his discovery. However I do not feel that any other person cannot be breath taken by the beauty of the Grand Canyon. I think the experience is solely up to the person and how they choose to indulge themselves in it. True to what Percy says, one could become bored or feel that they didn't fully experience something. But isn't it true that this person would probably feel that way no matter what? Not because he didn't discover something knew or that the Grand Canyon didn't live up to the postcards he had seen. Most people that go to the Grand Canyon are going to see the immense beauty of it, and even be amazed. Even at age 12 I was breath-taken by it's beauty, and I had seen pictures a hundred times of the Grand Canyon. However I will say that I have a vivid memory of my visit on the second day because there was a rare lunar eclipse that happened before our very eyes. I remember how big of a deal it was, to this day that is my only experience of a lunar eclipse and it happened at the Grand Canyon. So I do understand Percy when he says that sometimes it takes a special experience or discovery to fully feel like you are fulfilled of an experience. However the Grand Canyon was equally as beautiful before and after that lunar eclipse, more memorable, but just as breath taking. I also share his opinion that you truly can be impacted by a place or experience if you whave a desire to share that with someone else. I have been to Mexico several times but have always longed to bring my family or friends there to share the experience with me. Last December my in laws traveled with my family and I to Puerta Vallarta. I enjoyed their happiness and excitement more than being there myself because they too now know the beauty my husband and I have known for years. This essay was very interesting, got me thinking in alternate ways about my experiences and what I took from them. I think this reading will help me to remember to look at things from many angles in order to take away the fullest. I found the ending very strange, not sure I fully understood the ending.

Track 3 #4 Personal Routine

I fully agree with David Greenburger in his radio broadcast about the personal routines of the elderly. Elderly people are extremely habitual, they require consistency, and I believe it helps them to feel safe. Just like when we are children and need a routine, and the comfort of knowing what to expect, we revert back to that same need as elder adults. Although routine is comfortable for people of all ages I have particularly noticed that some elderly people cannot function with out their normal routine. As for my generation of grandparents I think they need this routine because it is a duplication of the simple life they led. In this day and age our lives are far from simple, but my grandparents led simple lives, no computers, no cell phones, no crazy schedules and hectic lives. They worked, made money, and cared for their families. In my experience elderly people today need the simple things in life to be habitual or they feel lost, and confused at times scared. Putting an elderly person in a nursing home completely destroys everything they have grown to know and trust. Mr. Greenburger states that the experience of entering a nursing home is like being on a bus ride and never getting off, how true I believe this analogy to be. So many times these elderly people decline as soon as they enter, they don’t know how to deal with the change, as it is so different from the home they have always known.

Assisted Living Vs Nursing Homes

After reading this story about Doreen Sparks I realized a situation like this never even came to thought for me. How terrible to be living in a nice Assisted Living location then is told that you are being evicted due to your increasing medical problems. Having read these reading about nursing homes and the elderly it is so apparent that once being relocated to these places a serious loss of independence takes place. But in Doreen’s case you will have to experience this loss twice, and all the while taking steps down in the process. This seems like such a tough thing to have to do but it is inevitable, if there are standards and rules in Assisted Living places then it is bound to happen due to ageing and medical problems. I feel a huge deal of sadness for these people whom manage to finally make this place a home, only to eventually be uprooted due to medical issues. Again I feel class would play a huge role in this, without the proper money to pay for Assisted Living most elderly people aren’t even given the chance to experience this. However on the other hand if someone who is in a class that can afford such living how difficult it must be to go from your own home, to assisted living, and then to a nursing home all due to illness and aging. Just as the article states, dignity places a huge part in the struggle to accept their aging.

There must be a way to better transition these elderly people since we know this is a problem and bound to happen. The one thing that Assisted Living offers is a home like presence, this helps the transition for newly widowed, or newly ailing people that can no longer take care of themselves. Class or culture should never dictate how one spends the last years of there life. A home like setting should always be an option no matter if it needs to be a nursing home or assisted living. I don’t think that past generations had to make these decisions because today we live in a world of more greed and less empathy for those who need our help.

Nursing Homes Coming up Short

This article was extremely disturbing to me in the fact that nursing homes are lacking in so many areas. Not meeting state mandates, 93% turnover rate, 54% violating federal standards some of which including food preparation! The scary thing is that these are all based on Sonoma County nursing homes, the local places that house our elderly people. If this isn’t the exact opposite of the American Dream I don’t know what is. Once the hard decision is made to have to place your loved one here the last thing on one’s mind should be if they will be properly taken care of. Unfortunetly I think that class has a huge thing to do with this. If everyone could afford to put their loved ones in a beautiful assisted living facility with luxury accommodations they would. But the hard facts remain that when an elderly loved one is at a point where they need assistance there aren’t many choices if you are limited with funds. However this is no excuse for the basic necessities of these locations to not be meeting guidelines. This article states that the main reason for the problems is finding good quality nurses and keeping them employed there. I do not feel that we live in a society that gives enough thought to the elderly, nor do people want to take responsibility to make things better for them. I feel this attitude could be a reason for why it is difficult to keep these nurses around. On the other hand I would find it difficult to work in an environment that holds such low standards; it would be terrible to see that everyday.

This is such a terrible problem today; something must be done to raise the expectations, or the repercussions to these low ratings. Life is difficult enough when you must be forced into a place like this; it is unacceptable that these nursing homes here in California aren’t meeting even the lowest guidelines. With this as problem there is no conceivable way these nursing homes could ever be called anything close to home. I think as our economy has grown weaker we may have cut corners in these facilities, and just in the thought process of how to care for the elderly. We must create a culture that puts more pride into elderly care; it is our duty to make the last years of the elderly life the best it can be. After all we are all headed there, and we will all want that same respect when it comes time for us to experience this type of life.

"Quality of Life in Assisted Living Facilities: Viewpoints of Residents"

It is obvious that the meaning of “Home” in this day for the residents of nursing homes is very lacking. The majority of these elderly people do not consider these places a home, and how could they? In many cases it is much the opposite of home, although they tend to make the best of it, the sadness is very eminent. I think that the American Dream in connections with our homes pretty much dies when you enter a nursing home. It was very sad to me to hear that so many of these elderly people suffer from depression and anxiety, how terrible to live that last few years of your life this way, I think this is pretty much where the American Dream ends for most people. The loss of freedom, the ability to do all things for themselves, and just the sense of loneliness are just a few things that plague these elderly people. I did however find it interesting that the vast majority were all of Caucasian race, women and widowed. I have been told in the past that certain races refuse to put their loved ones in a nursing home. I wonder if culturally this is true. Having visited my grandmother in a nursing home last year I did notice the majority being woman, and white. I have a terrible vision of nursing homes because of those visits to my grandmother. After reading these evaluations, and the facts from the mouths of these elders it only confirms what I saw here in Sonoma County with my own eyes. I was however surprised to hear that when interviewed in the quality of life article 94% of residents were satisfied with the quality of care. However 54% suffered from depression, and in another question 44% were lonely. I think these statistics alone speak very loudly, if 94% of the residents are happy with the care they get but such high numbers still exist about being unhappy it is obvious this lifestyle and surroundings are the cause. Most of the people interviewed expressed happiness that they had private rooms. But again another problem expressed by residents was boredom. I think it would be very difficult as an elderly person to be uprooted, moved, and have your independence taken from you. I would think it would be impossible to call this life home. Although I think most of these people make the best of the situation, they still suffer, and in most cases it accelerates their time left alive. This was a very interesting read for me, I like that the author gave the residents a voice of how they feel about their living conditions. I find it a very sad subject when it comes to having to make the painful choice to put a loved one in a facility like these. I think that elderly people make the best of it by no means it is a place to truly call home, and it is a far cry for the “American Dream” of a white picket fence.

Todd Hido: House Hunting....

This interview seemed strange, just as Mr Hido's work. I do think however that in some of his pictures he captures absolutely beautiful work. The way the light and fog intertwine. And even how the light hits the houses in some of the pictures, it really is beautiful. However it is obvious that he is focusing on the depression of these homes. I think he purposely has chosen homes in run down areas, and homes that are older. His pictures as he describes are very mysterious, as well as what may go on within them. There wasn't much that I found positive with these pictures, strange, mysterious, even cool at times but not a happy atmosphere to me at all. Where as in the other two pieces we have read, Lahrmer's and Owens work, they differ very much to me. In Owens photography it was happy, interesting, and full of family values. Lahrmer's article spoke of a family enviornment, a loving, and comfortable neighborhood. I feel none of this from Todd's work, only depression, and a vision of the dark side of suburbia.

Even the comment they get from the gentleman about them blocking his driveway, the man was obviously grumpy, kind of fitting the style of houses he photographes, rough and scary. Yet I do think this gives us another example that not all suburban areas are full of soccer moms and girl scouts. And in the depths of the night even in suburbia people live in seperate rooms not interacting. It just brings us a dose of reality that not all suburbia life is pleasant.

I do find his photography interesting, and some beautiful. However I am much more attracted to the family pictures that Owens took, they all had great stories behind them. Owens work was more upbeat and realistic where Mr Hido kinds of leaves his work open ended to the imagination, and given the pictures nature the outcome would always be depressing to me.

Bill Owens and Patricia Lahrmer Response

As I read the Bill Owens interview and photography piece I felt he was very in touch with today's suburbia and the culture they develop. It is obvious that he could see that even the boring days that suburbia brings there is a very deep level of love, caring, family, and life within. I felt from him that he had a love for the family life that living in suburbia can produce. Owens seemed to have wanted everyone to understand that living in this environment wasn't some boring stigma that was a curse, but rather a sense of pride and feeling. The picture of the mother in the kitchen with the dishes, could have been seen in such a different context without his comment on the bottom. Here he again tries to get people to understand the family values and caring expressed in these communities. She wasn't at all concerned with the dishes but rather people dieing in another country. I think that toward the end of her article Patricia Lahrmer comes to terms with how deep that same feeling is, a feeling you get from living in a small suburban community. Unlike Owens she didn't at first see how living there created a feeling of comfort, security, and ownership. It took her some time and personal growth to break free from the stigma. However I think by the end of her article and after quite some time in the suburban neighborhood she saw the value in being a part of that type of life. While at first glance everything seems so boring, it is so much deeper than that. I think she began to feel pride because of the family values that surrounded her. Just as Owens shows in his photographs at times living in those neighborhoods it is like one big family all looking out for each other. Just like she felt a connection to that dog, because she learned to care deeply for the surroundings she once condemned.

I enjoyed both the article and learning about Bill Owens and his photographs. Although I do not feel that some suburban neighborhoods are diverse enough there is a sense of security to them. Though in this day and age you are not free from crime or worry suburbia is a wonderful place to raise children and instill family values, as shown in both pieces.

Criteria for Reading Landscape

In Criteria for a Healthy Landscape Paul Groth challenges us to study landscape in specific ways. He uses 7 guidelines for reading and understanding the landscape we live amongst. I found it easy to relate his criteria for a Healthy Landscape to one of my favorite places to go. Howarth Park has numerous attributes that have drawn me there for years. Now having used these criteria to study Howarth Park in a different way I see it from other angles that were always there just never noticed.

Howarth Park for me is a place to release tension and stress, a place to exercise, and a place to get fresh air. One of Paul Groths criteria is to realize the physical and physiological ways a landscape affects us. Howarth Park does this in many ways although the individual must be willing to engage this activity. Another way his criteria are spelled out is how we connect with social groups. I have been able to connect with friends, family, co-workers, and even strangers each time I visit Howarth Park. A long walk with my sisters talking about how to plan my wedding ceremony, or watching my children run around and play peek-a-boo in the play structure. Four years ago I met a stranger there, a mother of 4 children, 3 of them type one diabetics. She met me there as a newly diagnosed diabetic mother, why, to offer support, strength, advice and love all to someone she never met. We now have a loving friendship that all started at the playground of Howarth Park, and now my son has friends that he can share is experience of diabetes with. There is no social ladder to go there, there is no money required, just the yearning for fun, activity, and nature.

His third criterion for a healthy landscape involves removing yourself from chaos. I cannot think of a better place to do this exact thing. It can be quiet, serene, and peaceful, I can always count on the ability to walk around the lake and think, to me that is the ultimate. Paul Groth explains that a healthy landscape allows flexibility, spontaneity, and diversity. This was easy to relate, I rarely visit there without running into an old friend, past teacher, friends of my children, even family members! All types gravitate here especially during beautiful weather. Flexibility means it fits you, and this place offers so many different ways to make you happy.

I have connected to outsiders through the numerous fundraising events I attend every year here. The Heart walk, The Human Race, and many other social groups meet here, it is a sacred and serine place to share common goals. At least 90% of the people I see here smile and say hello, which is connecting with outsiders.

Nature must be healthy criteria; you cannot get closer to nature in any city than here. The birds, the water, the trees, it is beautiful and fresh every time I go. The fact that many people frequent this park simply shows their love for it. People thrive and allow themselves to enjoy this public space, I think it is a gift even now writing about it I realize how much it can offer.

In my own experience Paul’s criteria relates to my Kmart experience through his criteria #1. Kmart in my opinion allows those on a budget to afford means of survival. Food, clothing and other necessities are offered at Kmart at a discount, many people these days depend on this.

24 Hours at the Golden Apple

This broadcast opened the door for me to see how such different people can come to a common place and mix. I found this experiment to be particularly interesting since I have always considered myself a “people watcher”. What this broadcast helps us to understand is although people come from such different backgrounds, ages, interests, and careers they all come to this same place for comfort. I think these people are what shape this public space, with out the stories or personalities it would seem empty. It is the character and actions of these people that control the way a public space like this runs and moves from hour to hour. Donna for example has been working at this diner for 26 years, a beautiful mother of three works the night shift I believe for the specific reason of being around these people. Donna being a single mom needed to work the night shift but I think she finds comfort in helping to take care of these people. Bringing cookies for the homeless on Christmas Eve, going to local shows to watch patrons perform, helping a man to read his mail when he does not understand, this may be an extension of taking care of her kids at home, it is what she loves to do. In addition these same customers come to this quaint family restaurant in search of her. The find the same comfort in her that she searches for in them.

Even the young friends that come there to meet boys, they are adding a young, carefree feeling to this type of place. Eddy the harmonica player adds a small amount of happiness as he puts a smile on a face or two in the early morning hours. The older people who frequent the Golden Apple educate us about the changes over the decades, and they also remind us of how much society has changed. Kay the older woman lived here all her life, her story teaches us how much things have changed from the real estate to the changing views of gay people. She also reminds us that racial lines still exist, or at least in the minds of those around her, and quite possibly herself. All these situations add to the ambiance of a restaurant. Without the voices and stories it is just another place.


I do not think that Applebee’s or Chevy’s even remotely compare to the Golden Apple by far. It is very rare in this day and time to find that kind of personal treatment, and family feel. The strange thing is that the same people can frequent a place like Applebee’s but it isn’t the same as when you walk into a place like the Golden Apple. The Golden Apple is a place that makes people feel comfortable; I think it begins with the owner and the staff. Then I believe it trickles down and draws in the same good people. The fact that this restaurant has been there for so long and stays open all night serving all types of people, it attracts the same people too. It speaks very strong that in this broadcast we learn that ¾ of the customers are regular customers that some on a daily basis. They even come up to 2-3 times a day, and often times stay for hours. In the conversation with the cops they are even comparing the establishment to Mel’s Diner; I think it was a great comparison. I also found it interesting that one of the cops remembered all the names of the patrons, and the waitress, however got the name of the place wrong by calling it the "Golden Pancake". This proves, in my opinion, that most people come for the company and service. I really enjoyed listening to this broadcast and think it was such a great experiment. One could learn more about people from listening to that then studying people in books for years!

Kmart, Walmart, and Target, how different are they really?

I agree with some of what the writer has to say here. In reading this essay I really have some distinctive memories of walking into Kmart as a child, and hitting dead on to the popcorn counter. Always hoping my parents would buy some popcorn and a soda for us, the same feeling I would get at the local Sears. Walmart and Target are simple the Kmart of yesterday. The carry the same products, the prices are very equivalent and they have similar layouts. The only difference in my opinion is that Kmart is old, older buildings, and they have less money. I shop all three from time to time, usually which ever I am closer too. I have found all three to be dirty at times, unfriendly associates, and the same clientele. To label Kmart as the worst I disagree, however I will say that Target does keep a bit cleaner than the others. I think Kmart serves it's purpose, specifically those shopping on a budget. I am sure that Kmart will wither away and the other retail giants will take over, it is the nature of the beast. I do however think it is a stretch to claim that only yelling, spanking parents and bad children reside their shopping at Kmart, that you will find everywhere. Off the top of my head the one difference I notice in the three is that Target keeps a much cleaner bathroom, the other two are seriously lacking in that area. For their shopping purposes I find the products pretty comparable; however happen to live the closest to Kmart. I do wonder if I would ever step into a Kmart if I lived next to Walmart or Target. Perhaps Kmart still exists for those shoppers like me that like the convenience of Kmart being close to them. Either way a little good competition never hurt anyone, especially the retail world. In my opinion an ironing board is an ironing board when you buy it at these three places so it really doesn't matter.

"The Monument and the Bungalow" response

During the first 5 minutes of reading "The Monument and the Bungalow" I could not help but wonder how and when the title would introduce itself into the essay. In my opinion, the essay had a slow start. However I discovered later on, this beginning paved the way to my understanding of this complex yet interesting way of viewing what others, including myself, take for granted daily. Accorording to Lewis, although some do posses a natural talent, anyone can be given some proper education in order to open their eyes to read everyday landscape. While Pierce did give excellent pointers on how to better read landscape, truly reading landscape is so more detailed than I could ever have imagined.

It is true how Lewis explains that people at first glance see the memorial and show little to no interest in the historical value. “Just another war memorial, what’s the big deal?” (Pierce Lewis) I also found it interesting how he describes earlier in the essay that “Informal education, where most of our students get most of their ideas, says very clearly that looking at landscape isn’t something cool people normally do.” (Pierce Lewis) I agree that early on most young students will not have the same maturity as older students required to see history and natural beauty for what it is. Although I can look at a monument and understand it’s historical worth, I too needed his depiction to truly see how reading landscape properly can educate one to a point that I was intrigued.

Lewis seems to want to point out that using your eyes goes much deeper than looking. He also explains that we should trust our eyes and be non-judgmental. I have always been captivated by the beauty of nature, but I have never been able to see things to this depth. One can now see how many roles play into the creation of such a monument, history, politics, emotions, and even how an era molds the creation physically. Hopefully now I can take a second, closer look at life around me particularly the details that lie within what I see on the outside.

Me, Myself, and I!

Hello to all! I would like to introduce myself, my name is Kelly Henderson. I am a 33 year old working mother of three whom has decided to re-enter the college world in hopes of broadening my mind and career.



I am very excited to be back at SRJC and look forward to stimulating my eager mind. English was always a very fun subject to me; I look forward to getting back into writing and verbal expression. While juggling the crazy life of being a mom I also work part-time for Kaiser and plan to one day go to nursing school here at SRJC. While that is a bit in my future I plan to have fun in the meantime, and explore my career options through gaining my general education.



With the loving and endless support of my beautiful family, here I am. I have always viewed life as an opportunity to challenge myself, in all aspects. While I took some time off to raise my children I feel that it is never too late to learn and better myself, which in my belief will better my children as well! Since the diagnosis of my son's diabetes I have gained a special interest in childhood diabetes and hope to specialize in the field. Until then I hope to discover my hidden interests, and to accentuate those I already have. In addition, I look forward to the experience of taking this course online.

Kelly