Peer Review

I think that the class reviewing the four volunteer essays seemed to be really helpful. I enjoyed helping others with their essays because I would want honest feedback if it were me. I hope i actually helped you all with my comments. Also it was very brave to be the first four to do that! :)

An Email Conversation

This link, which details an email exchange between student and professor, has been making the rounds among teachers, but I wondered what students thought of it.

Both emails--the original and the response--are definitely arguments. Can we analyze them as such? Also think about audience, and whether the authors of each email thought about audience.

The email and response are in italics on the link. The stuff before it is commentary, so you may want to just skip that.

We'll probably discuss this in class next week, but in the meantime I welcome your comments here.

On Being a Photographer

Class,

We didn't discuss the final interview in the episode of This American Life that we watched on Monday, but it seems relevant to this class, and perhaps Project 2 in particular.

Photographers are often stuck in an awkward position--do they document or do they intervene? In the TED talk we watched earlier this semester, Rick Smolan told of photographers standing outside of the hotel, snapping photos of people jumping as the building burned. This doesn't just happen in Korea, the well-known "Falling Man" photographs of 9/11 are another example of this (Google it if you're unfamiliar).

Nora Ephron wrote an essay in the mid 1970's about a similar situation. The Boston Globe published a front page photograph of a woman and child falling from a burning building. The woman died, but the child lived, mainly because the woman broke her fall. Here's a link to Ephron's essay, which includes the photograph:

http://www.haverford.edu/writingprogram/development/Ephron.pdf

Many people were outraged that the sensational photograph was published, but the publication eventually led to the nationwide improvement of fire escapes. Ephron's essay questions the publication of the photograph, and she comes to an interesting conclusion (or maybe she cops out, I'm not sure I agree with her). Regardless of that, it's an interesting essay and worth the read. She also does an excellent job of incorporating multiple perspectives, something you all should be doing in Project 3.

I thought the letters everyone wrote me about my paper today were very helpful. Also the class discussion gave me a lot of good ideas for my paper. Thank you everyone for revising my paper and the letter you wrote me! it is really going to help with my final draft.

Assignment #2: Observing the Overlooked

On the fourth floor of the library you can sit in the cubbies and overlook the floors below without being noticed. While sitting in the cubby, one can feel a sense of power, almost as if you are observing your employees to make sure they are doing their job correctly. People are constantly coming in and out, whether they are just catching up on some reading or cramming for a big test. The smell of freshly brewed Starbucks coffee fills the air while everyone juices up on caffeine in order to stay awake. Along with the smell of coffee, you taste it as well. It’s almost as if it were a requirement for you to go next door to Starbucks to get inside of the library. Although it is common knowledge to be quiet in the library, there is always hushed conversations going on amongst the various study groups. Peers attempt to decode the array of scattered notes given by their foreign professor who is still trying to master his English accent. If you listen closely, you can always hear the vibration of a cell phone against the desks. I would like to point out that just because your phone is on silent does not mean it is no longer a nuisance. There is also the tiny annoying clicks of keys on a laptop being pressed. I don’t know if it is because I’m tired or not but there is A LOT of aggravating sounds in the supposed quiet library.

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Blog Assignment #2

If you decide to take a short cut to class, you might run through a spot that you normally don’t notice. When you walk through the intimidating black steel gates, you are engulfed by a smell that is particularly familiar to a greenhouse. The roses produce a smell that is unknown to any other flower. Then there comes the flowers best friend. It gracefully floats around until it finds a safe place to land. Bumblebees are abundant in this area. Once you get past the garden, you feel the rays beating down on you serving as a blanket in the blistering cold wind. You can feel the prestigious mansion letting you know it thanks you for all your hard work with a gesture of warming comfort. Next as you walk around the back door, you are forced to look inside hoping to get a quick glance of the man himself. Most of the time you aren’t lucky enough, but no matter how many times you fail to see him, you will still look each and every time you walk around the house.

Blog Assignment #2:Observing The Overlooked

For this assignment I chose to observe from the patio in between Dickey Hall and the Taylor Education Building. I feel since the smoking ban has been put into place this spot has definitely been over looked. I pass this spot going to class from my parking spot on Scott Street every day, and only on a rare occasion I will see somebody sitting out there.

The weather yesterday was nice so I decided to pick a place outside where I could just sit and type a little bit of my English paper. And while I was doing this I would observe the area around me and see what kind of environment people were missing by simply passing this up everyday. It is really a nice little area. While I was sitting there I watched the cars go by, saw a car get towed, listened to the birds, and almost saw a wreck. All while finishing up my project 2 paper.

This little patio used to be a place for people to take a little break from school and have a little smoke break. But now that smoking isn’t allowed, I feel that this place is definitely overlooked. That is why I chose to observe it for this blog assignment.

Blog #2

Observing the Overlooked:

On Saturday February 20th I sat down in the first floor boy’s dorm lobby. Pretending to read a book I sat in the dark corner and watched paid attention to my surroundings. I chose this spot because in order for me to go to the basement I take the stairwell traveling through entering the first floor. Not only do I travel here while going to the basement but I also walk past this particular lobby to my friend’s dorm room. Curious on the differences between living on the 3rd floor female lobby and what goes on the 1st floor male lobby sparked my interest to sit and notice for longer than 10 minutes. The first thing I noticed was the smell difference between floors. As the floor I live on smells of hairspray and perfume I noticed that the guy’s floor smelled of body odor and liquor. Not knowing if this was a typical smell I did notice there were different types of colorful boards on the walls. Not bright colors but different shades of red, green, blue, and orange were surrounding the hall. I was expecting a more lack of decoration for a male lobby but then I realized that the gay RA was in control of this area. Being a fairly clean space I then noticed I kept hearing several doors open and shut. In this time 4 people went to the bathroom, a group of people laughed loudly from their room, one person walked by in a towel, and two guys stumbled directly to a room. Quietly examining this, one of them seemed to bump into the wall. Still sitting on a lumpy, cushioned chair I waved at a tall guy with Mad Mush. This food then seemed to change the smell to body odor, liquor, and pizza.

Blog Project #2: Discovering the Unnoticed

The quad area on south campus is overlooked for the great potential it has to create a community with in the university. I walk through this area several times each day, although I find that it has become less noticeable to me as time has passed. When I first moved into my dorm this past fall I remember being so excited to go outside and kids would be out there hanging out playing pick-up soccer or flag football or possibly just laying in the grass reading or taking a nap. Although people never utilized the area and as fall came and winter cold set in this area was not going to be used for anything besides a passage.
I notice that people walk through the quad area with intention of getting to their destination as soon as possible trying to stay as warm as possible and I know I do the same in the midst of winter, but when I stop to look around the quad I notice that people should take advantage of the potential the space has to offer. I can smell commons as the door opens and closes every two minutes to allow hungry students into its heart attack. People with backpacks walk along the swirvy pathways to avoid the snow, bundled in hats, gloves and winter coats. I can hear people chatting about miscellaneous conversation regarding the weekend, a class their taking, where they are going that night and a lot of laughs. There is a lot of energy concentrated in the quad and it could be used to create a large community on south campus.
Different days and times give a new environment to the quad with the people that pass through and that makes it an exciting place to be, but people do not realize the importance it has to the south campus community and the potential it has to make it an even greater place.
I hope as the snow starts to melt, the days get longer and whether gets warmer that people would stop and see the potential for the quad. There is convenience and simplicity, but I have a vision that would fully utilize the area and I wish other people would not overlook the quad.

Blog Project 2

Blog Assignment #2 Observing the Overlooked

This is a place near the Young library. Trees and grasses account for most of the area on campus. However, we tend to overlook them, especially in winter when they are not green.
What I see is another kind of beauty. The tree seems to be dead . It has no leaves and remains dull woods. The snow covered the grass and the grass also held the snow well. The ground in my eyes is pure white. The ice is attached to the branches of tree. It's so transparent and I can see the refraction of the scene from the ice. The ice seems to give life to the dead tree or we can say the tree reshape the ice. That's a perfect combination and it looks like bunches of diamond necklace. Since it's sunny, I can see the sun, but it looks a little different. The sun seems to be not that dazzling and not that bright. That may be because of the foil the white ground.
What I hear is the shouting of wind. The wind is keeping shout loudly. It seems to voice its discontent .
I can't smell anything. We could smell the fragrant of flowers because there are insects delivering the pollen. But now in winter, there are no active plants or insects. So I can smell nothing.
What I feel is cold. The temperature is low . The wind blows off the snow on the surface of the grass. The flying snow can even hurt my face. The sun is still shining ,but I can't fell any warmness from it.
Actually many overlooked places like this could be beautiful and provide us a better location to feel the nature.

Observing the Overlooked

Kelsey Peters

Blog Project #2: Observing the Overlooked

People rush by me as I sit. They notice me, but they don’t care; they see this everyday. There is no constant smell of W.T. Young Library, but more a mix of smells. There are too many people of different places to pick just one scent. You have the overwhelming smell of grease coming from all the “Ovid’s Kids”, and then of course you have the smell of sweat from the “Johnson Center Kids”, and lastly you have the scent of outdoors as people have been walking to and from classes all day long. I see the same thing over and over: rain boots, tucked in pants, winter coat, and a backpack. People came to do serious work at the library. There seems to be a constant noise in the library. People must not understand the concept that you are supposed to be quiet in the library, and it is more of a hang out spot than anything. Being next to that picture puts me in a great mood. I think about when my mom and I came for orientation during the summer. We walked into the library and I was blown away by the immense amount of beauty it exerted. The library seems to fit this architectural design of pristine whiteness in the entire building, with wood furniture. But, on the lower lever, hangs a beautiful piece of art that shows the famous racehorse, “Storm Cat”. The library serves several purposes, but for me the beauty of the building, and the artwork on the lower level brings me peace and comfort. Although some people may associate it with a hectic 4-hour long paper writing session, I look at it as a nice building where I don’t mind spending my time.

Blog Assignment #2: Observing the Overlooked

This photo was taken on the side of Blanding student housing. I decided to take this photo in such a dark time period because it shows how others overlook this area and fail to use it to the best of their ability such as studying and hanging with friends. Instead, they use this area for smoking, drinking, and other thing that this area wasn’t created for. This area is located on the side area to the dormitory on south campus. When you look at the photo real close you’ll notice that this is a sitting area for others. The area consisted of four benches, which are fully refurbished and surrounded by plants and lighting.

While in this area I expected to smell the fresh scent of wild life but instead t reeked of trash and lit cigarettes. When in this area is didn’t have to worry about having thoughts about studying anymore such as: Should I study in my room or the library? Alone or with others? I helped me know how finding a good place to study is partly a matter of personal taste. More important than anything else, however, is whether the place you have selected enables you to work with the greatest amount of concentration and the fewest distractions. If people didn’t overlook this area so much they would be able to recognize this.

While in this area I felt very alone but in peace with myself because it gave me the feeling as if those outside would be unable to interfere with my thoughts. Despite the unpleasant scent I felt comfortable and I felt like I would be able to complete several task in this area such as homework and even studying.

Blog Assignment #2: Observing the Overlooked

I visited K Lair, which is located near the William T. Young Library. I have never eaten at K Lair. I have always heard it’s just a big grease fest. I try to eat healthy so I do not eat there. I chose this place because since I have heard that it is greasy food I do not notice it is even there. I live on South Campus. I have to walk to White Hall Classroom Building and other buildings on North Campus, which mean walking past K Lair. The fact that it is in the corner on the dead end road also doesn’t help me notice it.

As I stood outside of K Lair I did not notice a lot of people walking past. If people were walking past, they were taking the short cut between K Lair and the E parking structure. I heard people talking. There was the sound of screeching tires from the garage. I heard engines start up from cars leaving the garage. The wind was whistling through the trees. Boys were yelling from Haggin Hall. I think that K Lair does not have a good smell. It has the smell of Commons, which makes me gag a little. I only felt the wind blowing on my cheeks.

Blog Assignment #2: Observing the Overlooked

One place that I always overlook is one of the study rooms in Donovan hall. It is just a little room in the basement down a small hallway by the laundry room. I am forever passing it whenever I go to do laundry but I have never once gone in to sit down or even just look at it. When I first walked in I noticed all the different places you could choose to sit. There was a table with wooden chairs, a leather couch and four other arm chairs. I chose to sit in one of the arm chairs along the wall facing the windows. When I sat down even though they looked comfortable I was disappointed because the cushion was so thin and you might as well have been sitting on one of the wooden ones. While I sat there I heard so many noises. I could hear the washers and dryers, the front door opening and closing, the pop and candy machines humming, and people talking as they walked into the building. I didn't see much because the room is underground but the one thing I could see was the trees and the sun out the little window. The smell of the room was the smell of the laundry room and all the detergents used. Which smells pretty good. It was a good feeling to sit down there though. It was warm and you felt isolated from rest of the building. I feel like if you would close the door you wouldn't be able to hear anything and it would be a great place to go and study when you just could not concentrate so you needed some place to go. There is a TV in the room though so it might be hard for some people to not turn it on.

Blog Assignment 2: Obeserving the Overlooked

The pathway seen here is the same pathway that I walk to and from the main part of campus at least four to five days a week. At the beginning of the year, I was excited to walk to class and now I basically dread it. On this particular day however, the weather was great and I wasn’t walking to class. I was just outside taking a walk to stretch my legs. The nice weather made me realize how much I like to walk outside when it’s warm. Most days during the week I don’t realize notice much when I walk to class. Mostly because I am texting, talking, eating my breakfast, or practically running at a slight jog because I am late for class. I never noticed how clean the maintenance people keep our pathways and sidewalks. For the most part, considering our recent weather conditions the sidewalks are always clear and clean. If you live on south campus this is in main pathway you take to and from class. It’s also right next to the library so people¬ walking and bikes are very prevalent. It wasn’t very busy today though because it’s the weekend. I also took advantage of the fact that I spend most of my time on the “Cat’s Path.” For people that don’t know, the “Cat’s Path” is the walkways that are marked by the big blue paws. These paths are considered the safest on campus to walk on because they are the most well-light and are patrolled by UKPD at night. I think that a lot of people notice the paws, but overlook their significance.

Observing the Overlooked

The spot that I chose to do my observation was on a bench on the backside of the Engineering building on campus. This is a spot that I thought looked so welcoming and relaxing during the spring and summer because it seemed secluded even though tons of people were walking by. The bushes and small trees around it made it somewhat hidden. I pass it every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday walking to the Chem Phys Building for my oh-so-enjoyable calculus class (being completely sarcastic).

This past Friday I went to class a little early to do this observation. Luckily, it wasn’t blizzarding Friday and the weather was actually somewhat warm. As people walked by I just took mental notes of what was happening. It was mostly boring. Just the same old thing as the minutes passed by, people wearing at least five layers of clothing and huge puffy jackets. Lots of girls at UK wear ugg boots and I never knew they made grey ones until Friday (definitely buying a pair of the grey).

As far as what I heard, it wasn’t much of anything. Mostly little chatters as people passed. I was never really close enough to anyone to hear an actual conversation. Although, I did manage to overhear a guy leaving the Engineer building say that he had just bombed a test that may or may not have ruined his college career. I am hoping he was being dramatic but he did sound pretty upset when he was talking to his friend.

The main thing that I did notice while sitting there for the six minutes and 42 seconds (I had my timer sat on my phone for ten minutes but got really bored and was about late for math) was that the was a ton of public display of affection at our university. Maybe it was just because the month of February is a loved filled month since it contains Valentine’s Day, but I saw so much PDA it was ridiculous. I didn’t just see people holding hands or linking arms, even though there was a lot of that as well, but I saw one full on make out session at one point and couldn’t believe people do this on their way to class. It was on the corner of the building so it was somewhat private but sitting in the unnoticed spot I was in, it was seen clear as day. Also, as I was about to leave I saw a guy with his hand in a girl’s back pocket while they were walking. Not only does that seem awkward, but really uncomfortable as well. I pulled out my camera, zoomed in, and this is as good as I could get….