Parable of the Ring Around the Collar

This commercial was a Lowes home improvement advertisement in which a couple went into Lowes for appliances for their patio and ended up getting more than they planned. They went to Lowes in order to buy light bulbs and a man working for customer service walks up to them and asks if they need anything to go along with their patio. The wife starts to say yes as her husband stands there confused at first and then abruptly changes his facial expression and agrees with the wife on purchasing a bbq and more. The man working for customer service was told by the couple that they were on a budget and he continues to show them seating and other outdoor appliances all labeled with an “everyday low price” tag on them. At the end of the commercial it shows the husband at the new bbq, and the wife sitting in a chair at her new table. The last 10 seconds of the commercial close with the wife explaining how it was all a great idea and how they love their new deck, including the light bulbs. The customers seem happy at the end of the commercial, and their deck looks nice, so the message sent by Lowes may inspire others to do the same.

Analyzing Advertisments

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jlXRengzZoc

This video add is exhilarating, moving, motivating and inspiring. Troy Polamalu and Ladanian Tomlinson make this add through flashbacks of their lives were they were involved in football every since birth. This is an advertisement for Nike, which targets athletes, more specifically football players. The film is of the two running through obstacles and the two are portrayed as very athletic throughout the commercial. It displays each of their journeys to the NFL and shows them playing in a game, where Tomlinson is tackled by Polamalu with the Nike symbol visible in the center of the screen to close out the add. The Nike symbol is world renown and an icon for all athletes. Nike has become so popular that it takes something as simple as an athlete to sell Nike products. The beat that is playing in the background is by none other than Jay-Z from his song Blueprint 2 that gives the commercial an inspiring and entertaining aspect. There are no words in this advertisement only the music playing in the background, the destructiveness of Troy Polamalu and the quickness of Ladanian Tomlinson.

Killing Us Softly 3

Crest toothpaste, Listerine, Nike, Jordan, Adidas, Vans, these are just a few of the brands that I use and wear daily that are found throughout my closet. There are other brands as well, such as a variety of dress shirts and pants by brands such as Ralph Lauren, Calvin Klein, and Alfani.
When I use these products I feel confident with myself. However if I did not use these products daily, I would still maintain a sense of self-confidence, but also would not feel presentable if I were in public, which I would be somewhat ashamed of. Therefore the necessity of using these products is a detrimental aspect of my everyday life and part of what makes me and how I carry myself.
There are messages in advertising that sometimes purpose a distorted view of what is normal in society. Beauty and athletic advertisements are notorious for this type of propaganda. The desire to be the best athlete or the most beautiful model is represented in commercials by professional athletes or celebrities. Which essentially makes people have concerns with themselves.
Advertiser’s responsibility to society is a great one non-the less, however it all depends on how you perceive these perfected images of advertising. If one sees the advertisements as something that sets the bar for society instead of seeing it for what it is, then one will become infatuated with the unreal world and perfections in advertising techniques.
I am honestly not sure of the ways the ideal image of beauty in advertisements benefits women. Society should be more concerned about the ways these advertisements destructively affect some women. Eating disorders are common amongst women primarily because of the fact that they want to look like the women on the covers of your common beauty magazines, and I quite frankly find it to be sad.
Jean Kilbourne asserts her opinion by saying that “women of color are disproportionately shown as animalistic and exotic”. To me models are all the same, it makes no difference weather or not they are black, white, or purple. However a common problem amongst all models haunts society when they see how the media portrays true beauty. Twenty years ago the average model was 5’4’’ and 140lbs. Today the average model is 5’11’’ and 117lbs. The changes in average height and weight of models over a period of twenty years is astonishing. To put it into perspective imagine a basketball player twenty years ago being 6’0’’ 200lbs, fast-forward twenty years, now basketball players are 6’11’’ and 167 lbs! It is common knowledge knowing that being this skinny and this tall is considered unhealthy so why would models risk their lives being this small in order to advertise clothing. The message that models send is horrendous in my opinion.

Independant Research Topic

4, April. "Cell Phone Society." Pew Research Center. Web. 01 May 2010. .

Cell phones benefit society and are potentially harmful in many ways for society as well. However the beneficial rolls that cell phones play in our lives outweigh the negative reasons why technology is corrupting society. This link above talks about the negative rolls of cell phone use such as how talking on the phone while driving increases the chance of an accident, as well as other facts about cell phones and how they corrupt society.

4, November. "Social Isolation and New Technology." Pew Research Center. Web. 02 May 2010. .

This link above questions the use of cell phones and technology rather than choosing a distinct side and speaks of the social networking aspect of technology. It talks about how individual's social networking groups in society have become more diverse due to websites such as Face-book and Twitter. The technological advancements in society make this social networking possible and allow us to communicate quicker and more often than we would if websites such as these were not in existence. This link talks about how there may be a correlation between social networking websites and the diversity of the group of friends one has. This information is helpful/interesting because of the data it provides that I believe will be helpful while writing my essay.

"Cell Phones Equal Possible Downfall of Society." AQsaint.com. Web. 02 May 2010. .

This link provides information about the certain aspects of cell phone use that could potentially corrupt the word because of a potential technological downfall. I found this information to be very interesting since I believe with most of what it states. I believe that the world has gained a dependence for the use of cell phones, which in some cases could be unhealthy. This link poses one of the many questions of which i plan to address in my essay, such as how have cell phones distanced us from some things in life and how they bring us closer and keep us better connected with the world.

Lenhart, By Amanda. "Teens, Cell Phones and Texting." Pew Research Center. Web. 01 May 2010. .

This last link has a copious amount of informational and interesting statistical data that will assist me in writing my essay. The link will send you to a website that takes into account the text messaging network amongst teens and how the attachment to their phones is "an area of conflict and regulation".

All of these sources will come in handy when I start my essay, especially this last link that talks about cell phones being a "mixed blessing", this website has a lot of data that will support my thesis and will provide me with statistical data in order to prove my thesis indefinitely.

The First Technology

Peter F. Drucker poses the question, "[d]oes the story of the irrigation civilization show man to be determined by his technical achievements, in thrall to them, coerced by them? Or does it show him capable of using technology to his own, to human ends, and of being the master of the tools of his own devising", in his writing in Technology and Culture. In today’s astonishing world of new technological advancement the cell phone has become a device that roughly 8 out of 10 people own in the U.S. today. In this case I believe that technological advances with cell phones aid greatly not only in the aspect of rapid communication, but also with the possibly ability to use the internet wherever you may be. This opens a wide window of possible knowledge to those who own cell phones that have the ability to connect to the Internet.
With new innovations to the cell phones we use on a daily basis, it is hard to keep up in a world of such technological intelligence. When you buy a phone for instance in January lets say, and use the phone for a year, you will most likely be surprised to find that your next cell phone will be extraordinarily better than the last. The innovations that are made to the cell phone each year make browsing the web faster, phone calls clearer and signal connection stronger. Society as a whole benefits from this device because of the ability of staying connected.
As we enter the second decade of the new millennium we are trapped in the idea of never ending innovations to technological devices, some of which benefit society and some that could potentially harm the World and existence of man. Cell phones are becoming more and more like a pocket computer each year. So to put it into perspective think of all the things that a computer allows us to do today, and then take into account all of those possibilities and put them into the palm of your hand and you will have the cell phones of tomorrow. The concept is exciting but if this advanced technology falls into the wrong hands it could potentially prove to be disastrous for the entire world, which is something that needs to be taken into account.

Favorite American Vacation Destinations

The American Leisure website has two videos that captured my interest. The one that I found most interesting was the Yale vs. Princeton football game where there were 50,000 people attending. The style of play displayed in the video seems abnormal compared to the more organized style of play today where a variety of different formations are used. In this aged video from the early 1900’s shows the football teams playing in a similar style as the sport of rugby. Which is in fact how the sport of football originated in 1879 with similar rules and regulations instituted by a man named Walter Camp, known as “the father of American football”, who was both a respectable player and coach at Yale University.
The second video that was of interest to me was titled “The Ball Game”, where two teams seemed to be scrimmaging but the video footage is not clear or specific because of old age. However the sport of baseball has not changed much and has remained part of “America’s Pastime” for centuries.
The tourists in the Disneyland video are venturing through the park exploring the different lands that create this “dreamland” in its entirety. They are busy fulfilling their exciting experiences while being entertained by the different musician groups parading up and down the streets.
I have only been to Disneyland a couple of times with my cousins who live in Southern California, and to them, it is just another walk in an entertaining festive park. To my cousins, this entire thrilling atmosphere is mundane. But to the new traveler who is an amateur to this paradise, such as my brother and I, every sight around every corner offers a new adventure.
Main Street in Disneyland is the entrance into this world where excitement and fun fill the mind and where the feeling of “being a kid again” is something everyone can feel as they venture down this historical route.
The history of Main Street at Disneyland is more than just a gateway to the world-renowned adventure land in Southern California. It holds the title as “The Happiest Place on Earth” and with all the people that come to visit for this reason in search of a leisurely family vacation, the reputation of Disneyland and every part about it, including Main Street, respectfully grows amongst the public.

Why We Travel

Many people travel for different reasons. Personal joyful travel, or travel for business, whatever the reason for travel, our experiences along the way can strengthen who we are as individuals, how we perceive ourselves and how we want others to perceive us. I travel in order to experience the world and different cultures. I find joy and excitement in this and love learning of new places and cultures, one of the most enjoyable things for me is trying to break the cultural barrier and communicate with some of the locals wherever I may be traveling. I do not feel shy while doing this because of my ambition for learning about the world around me and how my culture differentiates with the other cultures. My mother has had the opportunity to travel the Mediterranean and I have questioned her about her adventures. One of the places she said was most appealing to her in Italy was the Vatican, more specifically the Sistine Chapel. She said the artwork was phenomenal and the locals were open to discussion about where the “best place for a home cooked Italian meal” was and where the best wines could be tasted. This strengthens my desire to one day travel to Italy and experience all of this for myself so I can one day make my own interpretations of such a trip and inspire someone else to travel.
While traveling I have seen many amazing and astounding things that have had me at a loss for words. I can recall a trip with my family to Yosemite National Park where it was early dawn and I was awoken by a loud grumbling and a crash coming from a campsite that was approximately one city block away. As I emerged from my tent I could see my friends and family staring a monstrous bear tipping a dumpster over in order to get to her bear cub that was too small to get out by itself. I had never seen a bear in person before. This excitement captured my ardor for camping and fulfilled my camping trip experience.
In Pico Ayer’s article explaining his beliefs on “Why We Travel”, he states “Travel is the best way we have of rescuing the humanity of places, and saving them from abstraction and ideology”, which is not particularly true for myself. When I travel somewhere I do try to communicate with others and enjoy the different cultures however “saving them from abstraction and ideology” is something I do not stray into. For this could cause potential conflict if I try to inflict my westernized ways of living upon a different culture. Because of this, I would only share the array of different hobbies and possibly add in a few fixed intervals of business into the conversation.
I do consider anonymity to be an important part of the entire traveling experience because without it, personal encounters would not be as exciting. When I am traveling I do in fact imagine the place in my mind to the fullest extent. For example, when I go camping in a new location I imagine everything in detail. From what the lake will look like as the warm sun shines on the undulated murky water, to the granite mountains surrounding the lake announcing their decorum of beauty of the entirety of the place. Upon arrival I think of how my campsite will appear to me as well as how I would like it to be. As I drive through whatever environment I am venturing into I feel like a voyager who is merely out on a quest in search of relaxation. Once I arrive to the campsite, to my dismay it is not how I appeared it to be. However being and optimist and one who is open to newfangled ideas, I accept this newly found vacationland and rather than suffering from a slight case of neurosis from the entangled vision I once had of this place I on my quest in search of relaxing satisfaction.

Historical Travel Advertisments

Air travel:
This picture of the couple flying together with the flight attendant waiting on them is depicting the lavish hard working lifestyle of the two, and the comfort of good hospitality that is provided by the airline. Below is a link to YouTube that will send you to a video that relates health care systems to travel. I found it to be quite funny and I’m sure you will as well.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5J67xJKpB6c

Field of Dreams:
This travel brochure to The Field of Dreams movie cite is appealing to me because of my passion for the game of baseball. The Field of Dreams is an encouraging movie that inspired my love for this game. In the movie deceased players come back to play this historic game on this pristine field in Dyersville, Iowa. This field is depicted as a sacred place in the movie, “A place of fertile soil, traditional values and simple pleasure”. Although this field is not available to the public, in order to keep its imperishable value, I would love and appreciate it more than anything if I could ever have the chance to play on such a field.
The Bahamas Travel:
There is something about the Bahamas that fascinates me. I have never been but I do wish to one day to explore the world and travel to similar places in search of relaxation and the elevation of stress. There is something about the ocean that soothingly allows me to dispose of all my worries and troubles. I believe that the sheer beauty of the Bahamian waters only enhances this feeling and ambition of one day being able to afford this luxurious lifestyle of travel.

The Tourist

The Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco is one of the biggest tourist attractions on the west coast. Many tour to San Francisco merely to gaze at the enormous structure that we see commonly throughout our lives. I for one wish to travel to New York as well as many other places in the world in my life time simply because I am interested in different cultures and meeting new people. This fascination with the world around me is a moral feeling that many others, such as ones who visit places such as the Bay Area, share. It is in fact what inspires them to visit new places as well. The massive red towers of the Golden Gate that protrude from the crashing shark infested ocean against the rocks gives a certain feeling that only can be felt daily by the blessed bay area locals. When this image of the bridge is copied onto something such as a postcard, it reminds me of baseball games at AT&T Park and The City’s nightlife with a group of friends. The many tourists that visit, in this case, do not perceive the same atmosphere. However their perception of the city may be entirely different, it is most possibly more enjoyable because of the fact that they are "making the most of the trip". In essence, their senses are in fact stimulated greater by the amazing beauty of the Pacific North West and the Golden Gate. With all that this exciting city has to offer much of its economical growth comes solely from the expensive nights that are lived lavishly and in style. The continuous economical advances in San Francisco and other cities that have heavy tourist involvement benefit over time. With the growing population and the continuous desire to travel with the pursuit of happiness in life, which is in essence the growing moral thought of wanting to travel, the economic status in each town across the U.S. will continue to be supported by the major interest in tourism amongst the nation.

The Loss of the Creature

Peoples’ expectations of their ideal vacation place are fabricated in the mind and a specific picture of beauty and enthralled excitement fill the empty spaces of the perplexed mind to satisfy our desirable thoughts of travel. Prior to arrival to the Vacationland, there is a set image in the mind that keeps our desire to travel growing upon arrival. Once we have arrived, a feeling of slight disappointment percolates through the mind if the imagery we have conjured in our mind does not meet expectations to what is presented before us in reality.
Preconceived notions of a place and the cultures within them are what cause this tarnished view of the personal vacationland. The people surrounding the place and the social exchange make it difficult to see the vacationland in its entirety. In Walker Percy’s article, “The Loss of the Creature”, he goes about explaining the vacationland and how the full assimilation can only be “approached by the stratagems we have mentioned: the Inside Track, the Familiar Revisited, the Accidental Encounter”. Percy believes that in order to obtain this full sense of a place, one must encounter the vacationland through the eyes of one of the three approaches mentioned without the social and preconceived interference.
When I am traveling I do in fact imagine the place in my mind to the fullest extent. For example, when I go camping in a new location I imagine everything in detail. From what the lake will look like as the warm sun shines on the undulated murky water, to the granite mountains surrounding the lake announcing their decorum of beauty of the entirety of the place. Upon arrival I think of how my campsite will appear to me as well as how I would like it to be. As I drive through whatever environment I am venturing into I feel like a voyager who is merely out on a quest in search of relaxation. Once I arrive to the campsite, to my dismay it is not how I appeared it to be. However being and optimist and one who is open to newfangled ideas, I accept this newly found vacationland and rather than suffering from a slight case of neurosis from the entangled vision I once had of this place I on my quest in search of relaxing satisfaction.

The Functions of Home: Dining & Hospitality

People of gentry in the 18th century began recognizing one another through many different social and cultural aspects. Households having segregated spaces separating persons and activities replaced houses that promoted communal living. In the dinning room more specifically, everyone has their own space and the seats would be arranged according to status in the family.When my family comes together for dinner occasions we each have our own particular seating arrangement at the table, which is similar to the old traditions of the 18th century. My grandfather sits at the head of the table on one end and my father sits on the other end and the rest of the family sits in their own special spots on both sides of the table. Lately however my family has not been able to carry out these traditional dining experiences due to my busy baseball schedule. Instead for the past couple of years my family has all been so busy that sometimes we even come home and cook our individual meals. We eat while doing homework and talking to one another about our days. The Hospitality of different families ensures their guests that they are welcome in the visiting home. People such as Martha Stewart try to provide knowledge of how the simple act of hospitality is possible. Polite things such as offering different appetizers, cooking a fine meal and the quality of good conversation are all ways good hospitality is possible.

Cooking Trends

New technologies and changes in technology have Better kitchen appliances and the availability of more processed foods have cut the amount of time necessary to prepare food and helped make it possible for men and women to do more things outside the home such as extended work hours and more family time. Food preparation in 1900 was very time-consuming and didn’t apply much time for other activities. The coal and wood stoves commonly used were a big improvement over the open hearth cooking practiced by earlier Americans, but were labor intensive. Wood had to be cut and a fire had to be made until the entire stove became hot. Soot from the stoves is intensively annoying and complicated to clean. There were many factors that were time consuming in the 1900s that are no longer a worry today. Things such as indoor plumbing were not available to the public because that technology had not been discovered yet, therefore water for cooking and all other purposes had to be pumped and carried in from outside. Most food was still prepared from scratch so preparing a meal could take hours upon hours. The amount of time that it took to make a meal in the 1950s has been cut down due to the overwhelming amount of new technology and appliances that has made all of this possible. And because of this new technology, clean up time has also been cut down.
With the introduction of electric stoves and ovens, preparing meals was easier than ever and the inventions that once helped our family members are now being improved and redesigned for the better. There have been a number of new utensils that have been introduced such as specialized pots and pans, measuring cups and spoons, and a variety of useful gadgets, such as apple corers and mechanical beaters.
I believe that the quality of life has most definitely improved because of new inventions that have cut down the time it takes to do simple tasks. The new technology we continue to discover in the near future will constantly impact and improve our ways of doing things in the kitchen and in our homes. We have gained a variety of different appliances and processed foods that are “instant meals” or “instant desert”. On the other hand when we look at the negative side of the addition to these new technologies in the American kitchen, we can regretfully say that we have also lost a “good home cooked meal”.

A Christmas Memory

Capote describes a humble abode on a frigid November evening that makes me think of my own home and the similarities it has with Capotes home. The frost on all the windows in my house builds during the day until I arrive home dragging my feet through my heavy dark brown front door with the gold handle and lock, once saunter in the rich smell of mahogany and leather bound books fills my nostrils and I immediately think of all the homework that I need to finish as I look to my right and see my school supplies on my kitchen table. The windows are a misty white color around the edges of the clear glass, that give off an orange yellow glowing tint as the fire in my heavy black wood burning stove slowly burns. With the cracking of the wood and being able to see the mist of my breath as I breathe I think of the holidays and how my Christmas was this year. It was composed of not much time spent with my family because of my parents’ divorce that is in progress and our family’s fighting situation. Capotes feelings of home seem to be similar to mine in the sense that he has little money to spend during the holidays. Home is wherever my friends are for me because of my parent’s situation. The sense of home in Capote’s writing can easily be explained by the good relationships he feels with his family members during a winter holiday. Relationships that I can somewhat relate too but to an extent. Capote's family makes him feel "at home", but for me this is not possible because the close family situation in Capote's case does not apply for me.

House Hunting

Hido’s photographs make me think about the loan house in the middle of nowhere that you would typically see in most horror movies. The glowing light in all the houses gives of an eerie feeling that makes me feel a little uncomfortable and spooked. Hido’s photos are taken of more run down areas rather that Owens’ photographs of the upper-class homes in the suburbs. Hido’s photos, being night time exposures, give each house a creepy and dark feeling that Owens may not appreciate. Owens’ work seems to be more lively and spirituous than Hido’s photographs. A sense of community is involved in the main subject in Owens’ photos whereas the subjects in Hido’s photos seem to be just involving the private lives of those in the rooms with the single light on. I do not like this feeling I get when looking at Hido’s photographs because they all seem mundane and boring. The loneliness of Hido’s night time exposure photos of creepy houses give me a sense of loneliness when I look at them, therefore I have little interest for these photos. The majority of Hido's photographs give this lonely feeling when they are observed and i cannot come to find even the smallest amount of desire to continue looking at them because of the mundane subject matter.

Slowly Calling the Burbs Home/Suburbia

In Lahrmer’s essay she explains how life in general, living in the suburbs being surrounded by many different people and animals is appeasing. Living in a small community has its ups and downs but one thing remains constant throughout the year and that is the amiability of everyone in the community. Lahrmer's positive outlook on her community opposes Gates' beliefs of suburbs greatly. The two writers' opinions are completely opposite however Lahrmer's essay is more appeasing when she explains the typical suburb community simply because of the positive attitude and outlook she maintains in her writing. Lahrmer’s description of the suburbs seems more positive and lively, therefore it is easier to follow and understand rather than the jumbled assortment of paragraphs of Gates' writing.
The photo of the cul-de-sac community b.b.q., taken by Bill Owens, in the middle of the street displays happiness and joy of all in this small community. This is my favorite picture because of this simple reason as well as what it reminds me of the spring. In my small town after the cold dark winter weather has cleared and the sun is shining vibrantly on my back porch is when all of this occurs in my neighborhood, more specifically at the different baseball fields I play at. Lahrmer would love these photographs because they would support her positive reasoning for liking suburbs in her essay. Just as Bill Owens would appreciate the generous explanations of the common suburb that Lahrmer gives in her short essay. I admire both of these peoples' work because of their positive outlook on life and the way they both try to express the importance of a small community and the comradery amongst its inhabitants.

Criteria for Reading the Landscape

There is a place nestled in the hills of Sonoma where the cities of San Francisco, Oakland and Richmond are visible. Many people are unaware of this place because to get to it one must diverge off the normal hiking trails in the mountains of North West Sonoma. We call this place "The Plat". The view from this mountain top is breath taking to anyone who ventures up the hill. Many of our friends have gathered here for social gatherings on the weekends and others in the small town have similar ideas so it is a way of socializing with different types of people that you would not normally talk to. I enjoyed these gatherings at the Plat before the trail was blocked off by a barbed wire fence because of the different people i was able to interact with once we hiked up. My friends in particular loved this place because it was a great way to workout for athletics at our high school. We would start at the very bottom of the hill and run all the way up to the Plat. It would take a good 20 minutes with resting a few times but once the long uphill run through the alluvial hills was completed I would feel replenished and ready to compete. Almost every athlete that I am close friends with has made the run up to the Plat at some point in their high school career. What makes The Plat so special is the rich history it has held through decades. I was talking to one of my fathers close friends and he said he would hike to the Plat with his friends when he was in high school as well. Proving my point that the Plat is well known amongst nearly all people living in Sonoma, which makes it so notoriously historic.
When Paul Groth speaks of a healthy landscape that connects its participants to continuity and when the landscape connects its participants to important social groups is what I think best explains the qualities of both The Plat and K-Mart. K-Mart has to accept all types of people socially because they are a business, that seems almost like a given. However when different groups gather at the Plat there is not always a sense of friendliness unless an outgoing friend in one group tries to produce conversation. This simple friendly conversation connects the two groups and a healthy relationship is built so the next time two groups similar to these meet, there is no sense of hostility. In the case of K-Mart, the corporation had been in existence for decades because of its ability to put the consumer first in the line of business giving the customer a sense of superiority when shopping here. This is partly what makes some businesses so successful today. As long as companies in the future provide good continuous customer service and maintain this good reputation, as K-Mart did in the past, they shall be successful.

24 Hours at the Golden Apple

This old restaurant in Chicago, The Golden Apple, that is open 24 hours seems to have so much history in this windy city because of the array of people that go in. The different people that have been going to this restaurant for a while explain the rich history of this place and the neighborhood around it. This place seems to have become a historic restaurant in Chicago where people share their opinions and experiences with one another. For some people this restaurant is a meeting place for them and their children if they happen to ever be separated and are lost. One couple in fact in the radio broadcast on ThisAmericanLife.org said that they told their child that if he were ever lost to find a police officer and have the officer take him to The Golden Apple. This Golden Apple restaurant in Chicago reminds me a lot of two places in Sonoma, Pearls and The Sunflower Cafe. Both are old restaurants in Sonoma with history that extends back decades ago. My father would tell me stories of when he was in high school and him and his friends would go to Pearls every day for lunch to hang out and get something to eat. The other restaurant, The Sunflower Cafe, is a cafe that my mom and I try to go to every Sunday. We talk about whats going on with my baseball team and school and also listen in on other conversations around us and watch people pass by outside while sitting on the patio. The Golden Apple to these people speaking admiringly about the place is relatively how i feel about the two places that i just mentioned. If i were to recommend to anyone who was visiting Sonoma a nice place to eat with down to earth people I would say The Sunflower Cafe is the perfect place.

K'Mart has a loveable disorder

This essay wasn't of much interest to me however i can understand the relation between this essay and "The Monument and the Bungalow". The author, Hank Stuever, ideally suggests that K-Mart stores across the nation are historic in their own unique way. These stores that so many people used to shop at are being pushed to the side by stores such as Wall Mart and Target, essentially putting K-Mart out of business. Although this essay was not as intriguing as The Monument and the Bungalow the overall message was noticeable. In fact Pierce himself would agree that K-Mart is a part of history that shows some of our culture as citizens of this nation. The now empty parking lots of K-Mart stores will remain empty with nothing but the cracks in the cement that spider across the historic area, timelessly dating how old the company is by each crack similar to the rings on a tree stump. In my small town of Sonoma there is a place similar to K-Mart where friends go to hang out. This parking lot, behind the array of stores that line one of the main roads downtown, is hidden from the busy nightlife of tourists and provided a sanctuary for our friends during our high school days. We occasionally travel back there to hang out but know that our time has come to abandon our sanctuary in the event that younger students have discovered the night life in this parking lot and have taken it over. What makes this place interesting is that the local kids before me know exactly what this place is like, as do the kids before them. So as we get older and accept the fact that this place is no longer "ours" we realize that this place is a historic place for the youth of Sonoma. In essence this is one of the most popular and few hang out spots for the youth of Sonoma and it will remain this way for as long as this hidden parking lot is in existence.

The Monument and the Bungalow

What interests me most about this essay are the points that come across when Jackson speaks of an environment that is always changing through time. This to me seems true in the fact that the world around us, more specifically the landscape, changes every day. In other words, the landscape that our earth displayed yesterday will not be the same tomorrow unless documented through precise literature.
When i started reading this article i immediately thought of "Walden" and how Henry Thoreau describes every detail in the world around him. Thoreau paints a picture in the reader's mind by meticulously describing literally every aspect of nature and his writings will forever be seen as a historic record of Walden Pond near Concord, Massachusetts during the 19th Century. What made Thoreau such a successful writer was his ability to observe everything he saw in great detail and his ability to explain every color, animal, landscape and sound he encountered while isolated in his simple one-room hut near Walden Pond.
Thoreau valued nature and respected it for what it was and how everything in it seemed to have it's niche. Jackson has similar views and a similar respect for nature as Thoreau and myself.
When i was young i remember going camping with my family and gazing at the monumental granite cliffs of Cherry lake and the tall redwood trees that infested the upper terrain of the area outside Yosemite. I gained an appreciation for nature and its inhabitants as a young boy and still remember the images of the bald eagles soaring over our boat as i relaxed out on the lake. Gazing at the ripple effect of the murky lake water as i dragged my hand through it swimmingly while our boat glided across the glassy surface was the only thing keeping me busy while i waited to go wake boarding. My experiences when i was younger while camping have made me more aware of my surroundings and are also a big part who i am today and who i will be in the future.

My Introduction

My name is Kyle Clyde and I am a freshman in my second semester here at the SRJC. I currently live in Sonoma and commute to school every day. My heavy work load in my first semester was a little overwhelming and I'm hoping that this semester will be less stressful. I am looking forward to this online English class and everything it has to offer. Taking this class online is beneficial to me because i am on the baseball team and being able to complete the work at any time during the week is why i chose to take this class in the first place. I have high standards for my future and Acing this class is one of my goals for this semester.