15

Throughout the semester we have definitely done a lot of writing. We have worked on many projects and papers and read through a lot of readings that were somewhat interesting and very boring. However, I believe I have come quite a ways this semester. Although my writing may have only improved slightly, I feel as though my appreciation for different styles of writing is what really advanced. Before coming to this class I hated all forms of research, research papers, and anything that involved facts. I just wasn't interested. My main interest of writing was creative writing. I enjoyed writing stories and things of that nature. Although, this semester I learned a lot about adding creativity and my own spin to the projects that involve the research I hate. I enjoyed learning about ways to put myself into the research. The subculture project as a whole really improved my outlook. I believe maybe in the future I will be able to use this on normal research papers and projects. As far as advice for future classes I can't say I have any. I feel like for this project and the subculture theme, the class was ran about as well as it could have been. It was easy to learn and figure out what was going on because of the website and its nice to have the schedule online because it is constantly updated.

Week 14

Over the last semester I gathered a lot of research and data from researching the subculture of college bands and marching bands. From everything I gathered the one that I enjoyed the most was the data I received from actually being inside of my field site. Obviously, the main reason this data is my favorite is because I am in general a fan of basketball, football, and pretty much all sports. It helped to be able to do research while attending something I love to watch. However, It was also a lot of fun to actually realize what was going on in that gym. Before this class, I would have never even considered the thought of subcultures all around me. I had no idea what a subculture even was. After learning about subcultures in general, I was able to point out the different subcultures that all gather in my field site. It was interesting to look at the athletes, the parents, and the student section and think about how these groups of people act all across the country. Not to mention the work I did in my field site actually gave me an appreciation for the band. All the book research I did was simply that, book research. Being able to see the band in person and watch how they bring energy to the entire site is amazing.

Week 13

I walked into the large gymnasium to hear the roar of the crowd, a basketball bounce, and shoes squeak. The environment was one that was loud and intense. Nothing I have ever seen is similar to that of what was happening in the gym. I was there to watch the band play and monitor them in their field site. I wanted to watch how the react to what happens around them and pay attention to things I'd never noticed. However, being a basketball fan, a got engulfed in the game and lost thought of why I was there. Then, during a time out, I heard the band begin to play unbelievably loud. That is when I noticed for the first time how much they bring to sporting events. I watched them play simultaneously and began to enjoy it as I saw everyone around me continue to wait for the game. This was the most significant experience I had when doing my research at the field site because it truly was the first time that I payed attention to the band. It was the first time I was able to focus on exactly what they were doing and how they were doing it. From there on out I spent more times at the games watching them and being capable of doing the research I needed to do. It was the moment that changed my entire mini-ethnography, along with my thought of the band.

Six Word Stories

My Life
Go to class? I'm in bed.

Subculture
Athletes play hard. Band plays loud.

Week 12

When I think of rhetoric I first think of the basics of rhetoric that I learned in my English 103 class. I look at is as a means of persuasion involving logos, ethos, and pathos. This would be both my understanding and my definition of the word. I believe everything we do involves rhetoric in some way. Although it may not be intentional, the clothes we wear, the way we talk, and the things we do are all persuasive to the people around us. Honestly, the only time I have heard the word rhetoric used in America is in my English classes. I'm probably just not reading enough or watching enough television to hear it but it isn't something commonly used from what I've heard. However, I do believe it is used mostly in advertising if anything. I believe it can be both positive and negative. It is always persuasive but depending on what is being persuaded effects what kind of rhetoric it is. Rhetoric could be a very useful thing when putting together my final mini-ethnography. I can use all aspects of it to persuade my viewers exactly what I want from them

Writing Quote

"Writing is hard, but it isn't until you read what you've written that it becomes truly difficult."

I said this because a lot of times a might struggle to write something, but it isn't until I start reading my paper over for mistakes that I realize how bad it might be. A lot of times I have to change a lot in my paper when I go back and read it.

Week 11

I feel as though in many ways my writing style has honestly not changed at all. I know that it is supposed to change and advance, but for the most part when in a class I just try to do what the teacher tells me because my main concern is the grade. Despite the fact that the way I organize papers has been different, my writing style itself has not changed. One assignment I ended up having a lot of trouble with was the annotated bibliography. It gave me trouble not only because of the organization, but I was confused as to what to write about my sources. I wouldn't say that any of the assignments came across as unexpectedly easy. Everything we have done has been for the most part very different than anything I've done before. I had trouble with a lot of the writing assignments mainly because of how different they were and how different the class itself is. As far as reasons I write, there is mainly one. I actually enjoy writing but basically in a creative way. I have always enjoyed creative writing but never wanted to be an English major only because I don't like writing anything else. It is very hard for me to get into anything but that. I do enjoy reading some random things but nothing in particular. For the rest of my life I could see me writing creative stories just for fun. It would be slim and few and far between but I would never write anything else. I am afraid to pursue a career or major in writing though because I don't want to lose the part of me that enjoys it.

Week 10

For my mini-ethnography I will be organizing my pages in a very common way. My beginning will be a normal introduction and probably include some general information about bands and marching bands. By this I mean describing things that most people would assume obvious such as exactly what the bands purpose at games is and distinguishing things between bands and marching bands. Although these are obvious I feel like you can not just assume the reader will know anything. I am then going to divide my pages in several ways. I'll probably move on in order starting with my place in the subculture. It seems like a good place to begin in order to state exactly where I started and how I moved along throughout the semester. The rest of the paper will probably be organized simply by the different aspects of the paper. Including different interviews, time spent in the subculture, history of the subculture, and several others. I will end the paper with a summary of the whole thing. This seems to me to be the best way to organize my paper because it keeps the areas of research with the other areas that are similar. With this included I will be able to transition between the different parts of the paper easily and let the reader know about everything I have done.

Progress So Far

The research process so far has been a slightly difficult but interesting one. One of the hardest things has been to find books on my topic. Although they are out there it is very slim and the internet has proven to be a much better source for my topic. The easiest thing has been exploring my field site. It is very easy to go to a basketball game and watch how the band behaves and acts. Since I normally go to a lot of athletic events anyway it is especially one of the easiest things to do. If I could start over I probably would have began looking for print sources much earlier. I think I procrastinated a little too long on searching for those types of sources and it might hurt me a little now. Also, I may have spent a little more time on figuring out my topic. It was kind of a struggle for me so I ended up with one that isn't one of my main interests. The blog has helped me by making me think about things I would not normally think about. It also forces me to stay in track with the class rather than just kind of forget about it and then show up every day. As far as helping me with the mini-ethnography, I believe I will be able to look back on blog postings and look at my thought process along the way. It will be interesting to see how my views and ideas about my topic have changed throughout the semester.

In-class questions

Why will my readers care about this issue?
-The world of bands and marching bands in college is one easily ignored. Their main venue is the typical athletic event in which the band is underplayed. My readers will care because they will finally realize the importance of the band being in these athletic venues.

What will my readers want or need to know about this issue?
-There is a lot my readers need to know. Some things may include the history of bands, the importance of bands, the reason bands play athletic events, or even why they choose the music they do.

What do my readers already know about this issue?
-My readers probably will not know much more than the fact that bands play at sporting events. After that they probably haven't even considered the details or anything else about the issue.

What do I want my readers to learn about the issue?
-I want my readers to learn more in-depth information about the issue. They will learn how to go to an athletic event and show support to not only the team, but the band as well.

If I am trying to persuade my readers of something, how easily will they be persuaded?
-It will probably be difficult to persuade my readers. Because many people have seen so many bands in events throughout highschool and college, they feel as though they already know about the issue. Most people do not like to be told about something they feel that they know about.

What will my readers use my writing for?
-When my final piece is together I feel as though it will be a good piece for research. There isn't a lot of sites that I could find that are putting everything about bands and marching bands into one site. It will be very helpful for anyone wanting a lot of information about a smaller subject

Week 8

The main theme I see through my research would have to be simply a love for music. Many of the people I have talked to enjoy many aspects of being in a college band. There are many things that go along with this. Many of the members of the band believe that they are in it for the people and the environment that comes along with it, but all of that circles around to a love for music. The people get along because they share it and the environment is something they fall in love with because they fill it with the music. This is how the love for music fills the field site completely. My place in the field site is probably exactly where it was eight weeks ago. Although I have learned a little more and have talked to members of the site, I have not moved up in the area at all. I believe in the field site, the closest I will be is a fan. Although I will still just be a fan of the athletic team, I have changed slightly as now I am also a fan of the band. I notice them playing more often during the games even if I am not there just to do research. My total outlook as completely changed in that sense and its definitely changed for the better.

Giving Back

My community is the college band. I have visited this a couple times this year aside from the many times I have spent at games in the passed without thinking about my site. When it comes down to the basics, it is interesting to think what can be given back from my standpoint in the band community. My original thought was involving the typical stereotype about band members being "band geeks" and how I could spread the word about how band members are very talented musicians. However, I realized through my research that band members do not care about this stereotype. They are happy being "band geeks" and could care less what others may say in that sense. So I had to move on to looking at giving back something else. I realized exactly what I can do to help out this community. A lot of people go to basketball games, but what I can do is gather more and bring them to games. Even more, I can point out to the people at the games exactly how hard the band is working. No one acknowledges this and what I can do is put together as many people and gather them to specifically pay attention to the band at games. That way they will receive what they deserve.

Survey

http://FreeOnlineSurveys.com/rendersurvey.asp?sid=dz4tih66zmad619550096

Another look at my subculture

One of my first impressions on my subculture, the band, was the typical reaction, band geeks, band nerds, and losers. I reacted in a way that pretty much anyone who was not in band reacted. I did not want to be involved with this. I did not want to be friends with these kids. I was too cool for the band world. I first started to change my mind when I really began to get in to music. I began playing guitar and took a guitar class throughout high school. This is where I met a whole new group of friends. Before this time, all my friends were the jocks and the athletes. I had never been friends with this completely different crowd of people before then. It was here that I met a lot of people who were in the band in high school. It was where I first began shaping a new opinion of the people I had judged and ridiculed before I even knew them. I became friends with some of these people and that is where my whole opinion changed. I know I am an outsider because I have never myself been in band or played any of the instruments generally associated with band. I would definitly not be allowed to sit in the middle of the band section during a basketball game or to march on the field with them during football games. Although I can watch from the side, that is all I can do. This is how I know I am an outsider.

Annotation

OSU Marching and Athletic Bands Online. 18 Feb. 2009 .

The website listed above is the home website for the college marching band at Ohio State University. Ohio State University is a much larger university than ours here at Ball State, therefor it will be a good thing to help me compare different college bands. The website provides a lot of information on the marching band at Ohio State. It gives me a schedule of events, things they have been recognized for, and much more. This site also provides me with a history of the band. It tells me who is currently in the band and also allows for me to apply if I were interested. One big help from the website is the information on instruments in the band. I found that to be quite interesting.

This site will help me in several ways. One of which is simply that it allows me to compare different sizes and types of college bands. By viewing this site I am capable of making a good comparison. Also it provides with a lot of good general information such as things like the instruments used in the band. One thing the website helped me to look at was it made me aware of a magazine called Halftime. This magazine appears to have a lot of information that can lead me to more bands and more information on the music they play.

Marching-Band.net. 18 Feb. 2009 .

The source listed above is a complete database of many schools with marching bands. It holds links to an unbelievable amount of not only college bands but also high school and elementary. It allows one to search for bands they might be looking for or even just browse through a large list of bands in order to pick one they might find interesting or that could be helpful to them.

This site could be very useful to me. As I mentioned that the Ohio State band website could do a lot for me, this could do almost twice as much. It allows me to look at the homepages of many large and small bands across the country. These are marching and college bands that fit the exact criteria of what I want to be looking at. After using this site I will not only have a great idea of what other schools' bands are like, but be able to almost directly compare them to our own band here at Ball State.

Focal Points

In my field site their are many focal points in which one could look at a college band. The particular field site I was looking at was their performance during a college Ball State basketball game. Some focal points would include my own, a typical fan, or even a player on the court during the game. The one I will talk about is the fan. From a fan's view the band appears to only be their in order to support the team. They are there because they add on to the amount of people cheering for a game and play music that can lead everyone towards more excitement. During timeouts, they can keep the crowd into the game by playing intense music. When it comes down to a close game, the band is always ready to play something real intense to make the moment that much bigger. To a typical fan, the band is simply an add on to the game. The fan's need the band in order to stay energized and stay on their feet. From this focal point, the band is an addition to the basketball game.

Finishing Touches

I am really coming along with my fieldwork now. I have spent a decent amount of time researching and looking up different types of musicians and it has forced me to make decisions and push aside different aspects of the paper. As of now, I feel like my focus will be mainly on college band musicians. I feel like this will be the most beneficial and the best for me to do fieldwork. I do need to spend more time in the field so I will probably be attending several sporting events in the next week in order to view and talk to some of these band members. As far as questions I believe I don't have any at this point. I know what is assigned and feel that I am getting close to having a good idea of what to write for our next paper. Once I have spent time in the field and probably a little more time in the library I will be ready to write again. I have already learned a lot and have just a little ways to go.

#15 Redone

My family room.

A small room in a place full of love and joy. The place where I grew up that has provided me with a lot of happy times. When sitting on a couch in this place, you can feel the warm hugs of family members and hear the laughter from each person. Christmas lights are bright and the scent of candles surrounds the atmosphere. When listening very closely, one can hear the tearing of wrapping paper as the first present is opened on Christmas day. If that isn't enough, maybe the smell of a homecooked meal while gathered around on the couches can bring you into the moment. The thought of someone getting up to get more to eat and asking if anyone else needs anything can bring one to imagine how lucky they are to be surrounded with caring people. It is just a room I grew up in, but it is a room I will never forget.

Box #15

One place that carries me to a world of thoughts and is full of sensory details is the family room in my house back at home. It is the house i grew up in. My family moved there when I was three years old and since then it has been full of unbelievable moments. One particular event I remember is opening Christmas presents in this room every single year for the last sixteen years of my life. It is something I will absolutely never forget. Not only did I receive countless gifts in those years but the time I was able to spend with my family during these moments was great. Watching the whole family open presents here is something that can never be forgotten. Also, this is the room where every one in my family would open birthday presents on their birthday. Even in some extended family we would bring them to our house for a party and make them open presents in the family room. It is just the way our family works and acts. Aside from the holidays, this is a place we would eat dinner in as a family on a very regular basis. The couches were comfortable and my dog Sammy never failed to beg for a bite from every single person. Of course their are other memories too. When I was little my friends and I would hang out in this room when they came over and as I got older I spent time here with girlfriends as well. This is easily one of the most important places in my life. It is something that means even more to me now, because my family has our house for sale. I will never forget the memories from that room no matter how long and how far gone I am from it.

Dogtown

The documentary about the Z-boys is one that is very interesting. I believe however it is one meant to educate and inform. Personally, I found the documentary very interesting and entertaining, but only because I have an interest in the topic. I believe with an interest it is entertaining but if not it is simply to inform. The interview subjects are the people who lived the moment. They are the skaters who were a part of the revolution. They move the story along by simply telling what happened to them. They describe each and every day just as it happened. They definitly lend a hand on the subculture as well. They provide backround on skaters and how skaters think, act, and live. The skater subculture is one that lives with no regrets. They are people who just want to skate and will do so despite the consequences. They go where they want and do what they want, when they want to. Life is all about where your going to skate next. The structure of the piece is also very helpful. It begins by showing the skaters, then moves on to the history of skateboarding in general, and follows up by getting into the Zepher skate team and more detailed information. Stereotypes of skaters usually includes things such as they don't care what is going on they just want to skate and do nothing else. This documentary did not change my opinion at all but I believe its probably because I knew a decent amount about the subject already. It is one that interests me and that I've learned about in the past so not a lot was new in the documentary. As far as ethos goes, I would say I trust the creator of the film. Although it could be biased as in it was made to show they were a good influence, you could probably create a film showing the bad they did by messing up people's pools and things like that. I however believe most of the information is factual. Emotional responses are just thinking this is pretty cool. It would have been fun to be there when all this was happening. It is amazing the impact they had on the sport and the ways the practiced and got better. The piece was constructed very well. It had history of not just Z-boys but also skating in general. There was many personal interviews to allow a deeper look on the subject and had many good facts and points.

General Conclusions

As far as general conclusions I can make there are quite a few. When looking in to the local rock bands performance, I believe that they will have a lot of energy. When performing, you will be able to tell if they are enjoying it or not. Also, the people there will be very in to the music. A lot of people generally enjoy seeing and supporting local artists. I feel as though for this subculture it will be close to the same everywhere. Unless you look at all musicians that is. Music styles differ all over the world. The way they are performed also differ very much. For example, in America there may be a broad range of types of music and concerts, but in some countries it is still custom to go sit in a theater and simply watch the show. Sure, we have these styles in America as well, but it is much more common in other parts of the world than ours. The preferred music is also very different. Music in Mexico is very different than the music in Alaska. A musician or a fan of a musician can be greatly changed by the climate and geography the live in. It is something that changes all across the world and everyone can easily be aware of. Although I can not travel to these countries to see in person what their music is like, I am capable of hearing and seeing video. I look forward to doing this and learning a lot more.

Privileges

I have many privileges in my life right now. Some of which I have earned and some I was simply lucky to receive. One of the ones I was lucky to receive was the fact that I was born in America. I feel like there are many countries that struggle and live a lot lesser lives and are worse off than myself. I am fortunate to have grown up in a nation so well off. Also, I feel fortunate to have been born in to the family that I was. My parents were not the richest of people but they did provide me with love and the things I need to grown into the person I am today. One privilege I feel as though I earned is the privilege of coming to college. I was not able to get any scholarships or things like that, but I am glad I was able to make it here. A lot of people do not have the grades to come to college. Because I worked hard to get here, I am able to continue my education and better myself.

The privileges I have will affect my research for my project slightly. I am lucky enough to have the capability to travel and go places where I can meet with the people who take place in my subculture. Another privilege I have helping me is that I am healthy. I am very fortunate to not be spending my time in a hospital which allows me to do this project at all. I was also lucky to be allowed to try a lot of different things while growing up. My parents not only let me play the sports I wanted but let me get an interest in music. This grew on me very quickly which is what allows me to study the musicians subculture.

Week 3. Cultural Beginning.

So far, I have not done much for my cultural project. Although I have not yet interviewed anyone, I know the types of people and a few exact people I can interview. I plan on asking them many questions. One very important question I will ask is what brought them into music. I feel as though this is probably one of the most important questions that can be asked for someone in this subculture. Another thing I might ask them is exactly what style of music they play and why they enjoy music as much as they do. Also, I have yet to visit a cultural site. I am excited to do so as I believe it will help my project a lot. I plan on visiting some sort of sporting event in order to see the Ball State Band perform and also I plan on attending some sort of rock show to see how the musicians react in different scenarios. So far, I have not done any academic research. I plan on reading and learning a lot about the subculture and believe that it the research itself will really help me to advance on this topic.

Areas to Examine

When I go out to examine certain areas of the college student I will see many things. The first place to start is the average dorm room. These normally include two beds, desks, and cabinets. They also include a small amount of closet space. Most dorms also have televisions and computers. Different dorms will also differ based in gender. Girls may have a lot of things guys do not and likewise. Also, in general girl's rooms might be cleaner. Another place to look at is the typical classroom style. Their are really two types of classes. There are large lectures and small classrooms. Both have advantages and disadvantages but in both you will find a wide variety of things. Most will have things such as books, desks, chalkboards, overhead projectors, professors, and much more. These are just several areas of the typical college student.

Something odd.

Every single day when I wake up I climb out of a bed lifted eight feet off the ground. I then walk in to a long hallway with many doors. As I make my way down the hall it is completely silent. Most people sleeping in these rooms don't wake up any time before myself. When I arrive to the bathroom, I walk up to a large white bowl attached to a wall. I begin by turning a shiny lever and the bowl which allows water to run into the bowl. I then reach for a long handle with several soft pieces on the end. I use this device to rub my teeth, getting all of the dirt and food off of them. I use the water to rinse out my mouth and then to clean my face. After doing this I return to my room. I find a different pair of pants and a different shirt than the ones a slept in. Once I have done all these things. I check a small device with several numbers on it that tells me the time of day. I use this to make sure I am not late for the things I have woken up for.

An Old Paper

One of the most important papers I've ever written was a paper I wrote in my English 103 class. The paper was about my grandmother who died of cancer when I was only eight years old. The paper meant the most to me and explained a lot to my classmates as I had to read it out loud in front of everyone. I did have music playing but I could not remember what it was because I always listen to music when working on any assignment. It helps me concentrate and keep outside noises out of my head. This keeps me from being distracted. Despite it being one of the most important papers I've ever written, I did indeed write it the night before. I generally do this with most assignments because I am a procrastinator. However, I believe there is nothing wrong with procrastinating if that is what works for you. I had a professor tell me this once and it is really true. As far as the type of paper, I would say it was an entertainment piece. It was completely factual but it was meant in a way to just talk about something personal to me. I suppose in some way that could be classified as entertainment. As far as editing and revising it seems to me that there is a big difference. Editing is more or less correcting grammar and spelling errors. It is the basics of the paper that need correction. Revising however is digging in to the actual words of the paper. It is the changing of sentence structures and phrases to make the paper sound more educated or fit just right.