English 1020

The Brain in Love

2006-07-07T05:12:00.000-07:00

The Brain In Love

According to Carey’s essay, scientists have discovered that love is actually a biologically based drive, like hunger or sex (Carey, 341). To me this news is quite interesting. I sat reading this article with my boyfriend sitting near me and when interesting facts arose I would pipe up and throw them out to him. It was interesting to see his opinions on these new facts. After discussing the topic of love as a drug for quite a while we both concluded that it’s true; love is a drug. You crave love like you crave a drug, you rely on it, like you rely on your lover, at points you would do anything to get your next fix of your partner similar to how you would do anything to get your next fix from a drug. The essay says how romantic attraction activated those pockets of the brain with a high concentration of receptors for dopamine, the chemical messenger closely tied to states of euphoria, craving and addiction (Carey, 342). This right here explains why there are so many similarities between the high you get from love and the high from drugs. I have been in a very passionate relationship for over a year and I can highly relate to love as a drug. I’ve done stupid things just to see my boyfriend, like fly down to Texas after dating only a month. At times I crave him and need to see him or hear his voice. He says the same goes for him. He’d do anything to see me, like drive to Toronto every weekend or attend every one of my hockey games because it meant something to me. I found this article to be very interesting with the many different scientists views and discoveries that scientists have made. For me this was one of the best articles I’ve read yet because it allowed me to question different parts of my relationship and in my opinion confirm that the love I share with my boyfriend is real.

Tastefest Extra Credit

2006-07-07T04:49:00.000-07:00

Tastefest Extra Credit Laura Monk

This was the first time I ever attended this event and to be completely honest I was not impressed. As always in Detroit, the entertainment was good. The music was loud and pumping but wasn’t this supposed to be about food.
I must have missed something because I found it more about music. The food was no deal at all. First of all if you wanted a complete meal you needed to spend at least 12 tickets. The trick with this though is that you purchase tickets in batches of ten. So if you want a decent portion of anything you need to spend more money. I think the concept of this makes sense for the organizers but for the vendors it’s pointless. You want people to test your food, to like it and then eventually come to the restaurant. Well why on earth would I spend six dollars to taste five small coconut shrimp when I could go to a real restaurant and enjoy something much more. Maybe I’m just ranting because the six dollars that I spend went to a dried out flavorless shish kabob from Mario’s. I had heard such greats things about this restaurant, so I spent the six dollars to try something and was quite disappointed. I thought the smoothie booth was the best vendor there. At least their booth showed some creativity.
I love the island look and I love smoothies so I didn’t mind this booth but the others didn’t seem to do much with theirs to give you a feel of what their restaurant would be like.
One of the other things that I didn’t like about the tastefest is that they wouldn’t let us go into the festival on our rollerblades. My boyfriend and I rollerbladed down from our apartment and then had to lug our rollerblades around because they wouldn’t let us wear them. It wasn’t that big a deal but it was just another one of the reasons why it’s doubtful that I’ll return next year.
This final picture that I have included is of a little piggy from the animal farm. I’m an animal lover and thought this little guy was the cutest thing ever. The only thing I worried about was one of the booths coming over and taking him because they would want to cook him up.

Romance Assumptions

2006-06-27T12:33:00.000-07:00

Romance: Assumptions

I always enjoy reading the assumption that start of each subject in our book. When reading the assumption made about romance I couldn’t help but laugh. Our book lists four assumptions:

Love conquers all.
“Chemistry” = love
My true love will be my soul mate.
True love is forever.

I think that all of these points have some truth to them however, the media embellishes the idea of these assumptions. The media has created many perfect relationships in terms of movies and television shows however if you keep up with the celebrity gossip they end up contradicting themselves. One minute two stars will be on the cover of a magazine with “Soul Mates” written in big bold letters and then a month from then it’s trouble in paradise.

The majority of people that get caught up in the battle for love don’t realize that love isn’t easy and that prince charming is not going to come knocking at your door with a bouquet. A couple could meet and have great chemistry but if there’s nothing to back up the instant attraction then having a relationship is out of the question.

I don’t know how many times I have met great looking guys and as soon as they opened their mouth I just wish they hadn’t. Maybe it’s just me but if a guy can’t hold a conversation with me then it doesn’t matter how good looking he is I won’t date him.

I think that true love is something that can adapt to change. All of these assumptions could be correct to a certain extent if the two people in the relationship can learn to compromise.

My parents have been married for 27 years and I believe that their relationship does follow these assumptions to a certain point. They’ve had their ups and downs but they’ve fought through together. They have chemistry (even now). My dad after a few cocktails will tell me about how my mother is his true soul mate. And maybe it’s wishful thinking, but I truly believe that their love will last forever.

If I were to base my response on whether or not these assumptions are correct solely on my parents relationship then I would agree with all of them, however, I know that their relationship is very hard to find.

Tarnation

2006-06-20T17:11:00.000-07:00

I thought this film was really messed up. At times I found it very confusing but by the end of it I understood what he was talking about. The entire thing was how his life is so messed up. I felt bad for him, but why publish something that personal. To me it seemed like a cry for help. It was as if he was sitting on a therapist’s bed telling him everything that had ever gone wrong in his life and blaming it things that were out of his control. Renee’s shock therapy or her lithium overdose. Obviously Jonathan had talent. You could tell by his videos he made when we was eleven. The fact that this film was made using just his computer is impressive and then to have it produced by a well known producer is quite the accomplishment
I think I’ve become somewhat desensitized to things of this nature. Maybe I’ve watched a little too much Dr. Phil or something but to me it seems like many people have issues but it was like this kid fed off being screwed up and knew that it would make a good story to tell. There were certain aspects of his life that could not have been controlled and what ever damage he suffered from them was probably quite traumatizing however there came a point in the movie that I felt like I was saying to myself, “ok, what’s going to go wrong now.” I just was very frustrated with him because it seemed to me like he realized when he was young what his passion was and didn’t use his talent to help him out of the funk that he was in. Or maybe since he did make this film and had it produced he did use his talents. I’m not sure what to think.
I’ve known many people who have had similar issues come up in their lives and they’ve been able to rise above and allow themselves to break free from whatever held them back in the past. This kid seemed like he enjoyed going back to the craziness. As if since he grew up with it he somewhat depended on it.
I just don’t understand what he was so hung up on. The fact that he was abused, that his mother was screwed up, that he was gay. To me he just took the easy way out by blaming his life on things that happened in the past. Maybe it’s because I’m a firm believer that one person can make a difference. I guess that one person for him was his lover and yet he kept going back wanting to tell the story of why his life was screwed up.
I don’t think it was a big deal that he was gay. More and more people are coming out and it is becoming much more accepted throughout society. The fact that it was the only stable relationship that he had showed that it was who he was meant to be.
I dont' think that it was a big deal that he was abused or that his mother was screwed up. People move on from that. They move away and stay away. I just understand why he didn't do that.
Maybe I just didn’t understand the movie and that is why I’m rambling and going in circles. I’m not really sure. One part of me is saying feel bad for the guy, he had a rough life. The other is like, the guys life is what made it a production, maybe was it all a plan. Like he knew that he could one day sell this to someone and sort of played on the fact that many bad things happened to him. This probably sounds like a screwed up way of thinking but I’m just trying to look at it from different angles.
I'm still very confused about the movie. Maybe I didn't like it because I like more traditional movies, and I'm not really into the movies that try to get in your head. For instance I got in a fight over the movie Hostage ( I think that's what it's called), because I think that the people that come up with the ideas for these movies are screwed up in the head and the ones that go to watch it are even more screwed up ( I was forced to go see it). I just don't see why people would want to watch others being tortured. I guess that's what I kind of think about this movie to. I may sound really harsh but why do I want to hear about how bad your life was. The only thing I really got from this movie is that I respect him for making the movie using only a computer. Other then that I didn't get much from it. Hope I don't fail the class for saying that, but I'm just being honest

Photography

2006-06-20T13:26:00.000-07:00

Hello Everyone

Well since we're allowed to write about anything I thought I'd write up a free plug for my room mate Jessica. She played hockey with me for the last couple of years but her true passion has always been for photography. At times our apartment felt like an art gallery since there were photos framed and matted everywhere. They even had price tags on them so we'd have people coming in to look at her work any purchase photos.

Anyways, she's finally got together a website. It's http://www.freewebs.com/haydahlphoto/

She's from British Columbia, Canada so she has a lot of shots from out west. She's also getting into doing events. She specializes in black and white however she does do color as well.

I know she already has a couple of engagement photo shoots lined up for the summer and would love more work if it's available.

If you guys are interested check out her site.

My personal favourite is the black and white shot of Detroit. She's sold a lot of them and they make a nice gift for someone's office or even home.

See you in class.
Laura

Tradition: Richard Pillsbury, Thoroughly Modern Dining

2006-06-13T13:40:00.000-07:00

Richard Pillsbury, Thoroughly Modern Dining

I complete agree with what Pillsbury is saying. Growing up there was a high emphasis on eating together as a family. It is something that I have grown to value myself. I miss being away from home and not eating together. It was a time to catch up on each others days and see what was going on in each others lives. Pillsbury writes, “Many homemakers are not great cooks; nor do they care to be.”. Although in my opinion the taste of at home cooking is at stake Pillbury feels that it’s some the experience of spending time together in a family setting that is missing. When you eat at home you can focus on each other. There’s no screaming child at another table, or loud conversation going on behind you. It’s all about your family and your home. The fact that my mother is a fabulous cook I think is a large part of the reason why I’d prefer to eat at home then at a restaurant however the talks around the table are ones that I have learnt many lessons at. I have an extremely close relationship with my parents and I feel that it is in part thanks to the family meals that were insisted upon growing up.

In Class Assignment #2

2006-06-06T17:19:00.000-07:00

Network Connections: Mapping Your Social Identity

I think that because of my personality I have a very large social network. I do my best to keep touch with people that I have had relationships with, whether they be from school, work, home, vacations, etc. I feel that both due to the way that I was raised, and how I’ve matured as a young women have helped to make me into the person I am today.
I think that social networks play a large part as to show our identity is shaped. I am from a family that values time spent together. Growing up we would eat our meals as a family no matter how busy our lives got, and trust me, at times they were incredibly hectic. I value that today and such I am a huge family person and would put them before anything.
I’ve also grown up in the sports field. In high school I played everything from hockey, to basketball, to softball, even badminton. I grew up on sports and thus I have a greater appreciation for the dedication and commitment that is required of an athlete. From sports I’ve also taken away many things. I’ve learned to work as a team player and I’ve learned to compete. In today’s cutthroat world those quality’s can be of the utmost importance.
These two aspects of my life have been the two most important and that is reflected in any of the online networks that I am a part of. With many of these sites it asks for your interests of hobbies. My first two are always family, and sports. In my spare time, although lately that doesn’t consist of much, I might check out the website Facebook. I’ve actually found it to be quite useful with reconnecting with lost friendships. When I was single I’d check out profiles all the time to see if there were actually any decent men on campus. Although I laugh at what I did now, for many people that is how they meet their significant other. When referring to whether or not these networks shaped our identity, the biggest example of me would be when I would check out guys’ profiles. If they didn’t have “enjoys sports” somewhere in their profile I wouldn’t even consider talking to them
I visited my facebook profile today and saw that I have 116 friends and that makes me connected to a lot of people. Since, facebook is based on students who are or have attended a school in North America, that is the first thing that we all have in common. From there it’s mainly people that I have gone to school with, played hockey with, or against, guys that I thought were cute, guys that thought I was cute, family friends, people that I have met at parties, and some people I have no idea who they are. The biggest similarity that I have noticed amongst people is that they are somehow related to hockey. The fact that I have played hockey for 17 years and have played collegiate hockey at two different schools has allowed me to expand my network to people/ players all over the country.
I do not believe that looking at a map of your social connections is a useful way to think about my social identity. For me, it may say that I have blank number of friends connected to me through others however; I know that this number is simply a number. Nothing else. It may have the potential to one day find me a job but until that day comes I will stick to my belief that these website are for the most part entertainment and something fun to do when you are bored.

Week 5

2006-06-06T13:23:00.000-07:00

Andrew Leonard, You Are Who You Know

I really enjoyed this essay since it related to the theme of the class. It talks about online social networks such as Friendster, and Orkut and chatting and blogging are the new way of making friends. I think that a large portion of the population can admit to using one these websites at some point within the last few years. I know I’ve joined a few. The popular one right now amongst college students is facebook. This website is one that connects university students throughout North America.
One the larger points Leonard makes regarding social networks is that it “becomes your filter on the world, and the more carefully you cultivate and nurture that network, the better the filter becomes.” I think Leonard is quite accurate with this point. These websites allow you to decide who is and isn’t’ your friend and they have the ability to filter what pops up on your screen as to what your preferences are when you check those little boxes when you first signed up. I don’t think that it’s just the online communities that filter what you see. I think that any community has that ability. Your group of friends at school, away from school, at work, on your team. They all have the ability to influence you in a variety of ways from the type of closes you wear, to your views on a newly released movie. People are and always will be influenced by their surroundings.

Oops- Week 4

2006-06-06T13:22:00.000-07:00

So somehow my post did not manage to go on properly. Let's try this again.

Mim Udovitch, A Secret Society of the Starving
The pro-ana community is one that segregates itself from the rest of society. They feel as though they are making a life style choice and that they are not suffering from a disorder. The pro-ana community is one that is confused as to what real beauty is. They think that the skinnier they get the better looking they will become. It reminds me somewhat of a cult where the people in it follow the rules and agree with everything that is presented before them. The “Thin Commandments” and the “Ana Creed” are ridiculous. These girls have been brain washed to believe that beauty is defined by how you look and not what’s inside. Although it sounds very cliché, beauty is about what you have inside and not what you have inside. As time has passed throughout my life I am realizing more and more that a person gets better looking the more that you get to know them. That can also work in the reverse. A great looking person can become not as attractive because of how they act. The pro-ana community values being able to connect with others that share the same disease and segregating themselves from the real world. I think that there are other groups out there similar to pro-anas, however the majority of them do not promote the destruction of your body that way that pro-anas do.

In Class Assignment #1

2006-05-23T17:20:00.000-07:00

In-class Writing # 1
Fredrich Nietzsche states: "...ever since there have been human beings there have also been human herds (family groups, communities, tribes, nations, states, churches) and always very many who obey compared to the very small number who command - considering, that is to say, that hitherto nothing has been practised and cultivated among men better or longer than obedience, it is fair to suppose that as a rule a need for it is by now innate as a kind of formal conscience which commands: Thou shalt unconditionally do this, unconditionally do that, in short 'Thou shalt'. This need seeks to be satisfied and to fill out its forms with a content: in doing so it grasps about wildly, according to the degree of its strength, impatience and tension, with little discrimination, as a crude appetite, and accepts whatever any commander - parent, teacher, law, class, prejudice, public opinion - shouts in its ears." --- Genealogy of Morals (1887)

We have read a series of articles and essays about identity. What is Nietzsche saying about identity in this quote? How is his claim similar or different from the authors we've read so far? In our digital age, are the notions of leaders and followers complicated? If so, how? If not, why not?

From this quote I feel that Nietzsche is saying that everyone has their own identity, however each identity is somewhat shaped by how they abide to the rules of society. As Nietzsche states there are human herds that fill the earth and obey. Society is a large diverse place however much of it is run by individuals whose power somewhat over takes these groups. Similarly to how the “popular” group runs the cafeteria, a large portion of the “popular” group in society generates an idea of what is right or wrong. In my opinion, and I think many others would agree with me, that popular group is the media. The media is constantly filling our heads with ideas of what is the “in” thing and many of us become so bombarded with it that we just accept it as being right. I think many people are actually afraid of stepping up and challenging this out of fear of rejection.

From our text, the essay’s of Emily White and Firoozeh Dumas relate to what Nietzsche is saying about society’s concept of obedience. In the essay, High School’s Secret Life White talks about how “the popular kids are physically well proportioned”. Many kids strive to become part of this popular group and will do anything to get into it. If the most popular girl of a school says to do something, many will do it just so that they can have the recognition of being part of the popular group. In Dumas’s essay, The “F Word”, she goes as far as changing her name to conform to society, however she realizes that she was missing a part of her identity by doing this and therefore ended up changing her name back to her original name Firoozeh. She let the power of society impact her briefly and fell into the common trap of wanting to fit in.

In our society today I feel that the idea of what a leader is, is becoming more and more complicated. The only real physical evidence of what is right or wrong is the law and at times I would say that even that is questionable. I am a person who enjoys debates and talking about controversial issues so I feel that the possibilities of what a true leader or how a person should follow are endless depending on your situation. There will always be people who look to lead and there will always be people who look to follow. Whether or not the people who lead or the people who follow are doing the right thing; I think that is up to each and every individual.

Week 2

2006-05-22T20:02:00.000-07:00

Firoozeh Dumas, The “F Word”

I found this essay to really touch on society today. Dumas uses the analogy of the spice cabinet throughout her essay however never directly relates it to something specific. My opinion of the spice cabinet is that is the openness and acceptance that each of us has towards other cultures. A spice cabinet is filled with many difference spices, just like society is filled with many different ethnicities. Depending on the person one may prefer more of one spice over another, or they may be set on only one spice and that is the only one that they can use. Some people are racist and will not accept other peoples heritages however, if you’ve ever made a good spaghetti sauce you know that bunch of spices thrown together can make a masterpiece.

Week 1

2006-05-22T20:01:00.000-07:00

Emily White, High School’s Secret Life
Reading Emily White’s High School Secret Life made me laugh. The way she described students as groups of tribes was a perfect analysis. I only graduated from high school three years ago so the high school drama is still fresh in my mind. Not to mention I still get to hear the entertaining lunch room stories from my younger sister. The tribal feeling that you felt in the cafeteria was one that could be challenging at times. The popular kids at Calhoun desperately tried to sit by the windows; at my school it was the stage. I can remember watching kids that once had a spot on the stage being shot down weeks later because they were no longer in with the “popular” kids.White’s language choice and witty comparisons throughout her story were amazingly accurate descriptions of the events taking place. She describes the cafeteria as the school’s ground zero, the “natural helpers” as overgrown girl scouts, and the nachos being fluorescent orange. Her final paragraph about the natural helpers moving from table to table like messengers moving tribe to tribe brings us back to her idea that she initially began with the cafeteria in high school is somewhat of a proving ground.

Hello

2006-05-16T17:01:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone, I am just learning how to work this things so bare with me.