Multi Genre Research Proposal

I'm still not 100% sure what I will be researching, but I am leaning towards civil disobedience. I would focus on the impacts civil disobedience has had on society throughout history, and whether or not it is justifiable to disobey the law for a cause. I have found several documentaries and books on the topic, and I could "interview" my 98 year old Great Grandma who has lived through some major societal changes in America.

I am also thinking about researching feminism (unexpected right?). I would want to focus on how feminism has changed in America and internationally, and where this movement is needed the most. I have also found several documentaries and books on this subject and my Great Grandma could provide very useful information once again.

Let me know what ya think homies!!!

Start Something That Matters

I loved Good Spread Peanut Butter, because it is so simple. They took a very popular kitchen item, and used it for a good cause. This program is also one that can exists without the direct involvement of the beneficiaries; peanut butter is extremely popular, so the customer is helping even if they aren't consciously trying to. It is a small impact, but it is a very effective one.

TechMama was a very, very interesting idea to me. TechMama plans to give used cell phones to traditional birth attendants, since it is very hard for them to reach emergency medical help. If the mother's were able to easily contact emergency help, there would be less death during traditional birth. This idea has the potential to save the lives of women and their children.

I also enjoyed Lamon Luther, because it does more than give the homeless money, it actually helps them get back on their feet. It rehabilitates homeless people back into the work force. This program has the potential to not only benefit the homeless, but also society by building new workers.


Answers to Mycoskie's Questions 

If you did not have to worry about money, what would you do with your time?
I would travel A LOT, and I would learn about many different cultures.

What kind of work would you want to do?
I would get involved with a big non-profit.

What cause would you serve?
I would help less fortunate people learn how to be successful despite negative circumstances.

Pecha Kucha Review

I watched the Pecha Kucha titled Superior Skydiving by Lyn Langlais. She was overall a good presenter. She had good voice inflection and her pictures were actually interesting. She didn't use a lot of filler words like um, and she spoke clearly. You could tell she was truly passionate about her topic, and she did a great job explaining how skydiving has influenced her life. The only flaw to her presentation, was that she got lost and had to stop or backup a few times. If Lyn would have just ran through her presentation a few times beforehand, I think this problem would have been fixed.

I think the Pecha Kucha presentation style has the potential to be very effective. With power points it is very easy for the audience to get caught up in the text and not listen to the additional information, which usually has more substance than the text on the slide. With a Pecha Kucha, the audience has no choice but to listen to what the presenter says, and they get to enjoy some swag pictures. I'll still probably use a power point when I have to present in the future, but I like Pecha Kucha.


Doug's quote of the day:
"We're all just naked bears tryna get our groove on"

Wedding Bells Are Ringing

In correspondence with Iris, my new best friend from China, I learned a lot about weddings in their culture. Iris told me a lot about her sister's recent wedding, and the various roles she played as the bride's sister. She explained to me that being the bridesmaid is a very busy job, since the traditional Chinese wedding is very complex. Each member of both family's departed three days before the wedding, to head to the wedding venue. By tradition, the wife's family has to take several items with them, like bamboo, red quilts, and a wooden axe. I was very surprised that they must take a wooden axe with them, so I asked Iris the significance of this item. She told me that the pronunciation of axe in Chinese is connected to good fortune, and that the axe is made out of peach wood because it is believed that peach wood can avoid evil and illness. She also told me that many people believe that an axe can withstand 100 disasters. Their superstitious beliefs reminded me of the superstitions surrounding weddings in the United States, like the throwing of the bouquet and carrying the bride over the threshold.

The biggest difference between American weddings and Chinese weddings, would have to be the role marriage plays. In America, marriage represents the unity of two people out of love and all that jazz, but in China, marriage represents the joining of two previously separated families. Since most families in China only have one child, the parents take more of an interest in who their child is marrying. In China, once the parents grow old, it is expected of the child to take care of them. Not the American idea of take care where we pay to put our parents in a nursing home, but to actually live with your parents and care for them. These cultural differences are what result in the divergent meanings of marriage.

Since I work at Men's Wearhouse as a tuxedo representative, and I have the very masculine job of setting up the attire for weddings, I found it very interesting to learn about the differences between weddings in our cultures. Overall, I noticed more similarities than differences. In America there are three parts to a wedding: the legalities, the ceremony, and a party. This is also true in China. Chinese citizens have to get their marriage authorized legally, there is a ceremony that is typically religious, and a huge party for all of the family and friends. Maybe we aren't so different after all *tear rolls down cheek*





Trundley, Alan P. "Chinese Marriage: Society, Customs and Ceremonies." N.p., n.d. Web.

Iris. "autobiography correspondence" 5 Nov. 2014. Email. 

Reading Response Numero Tres: Please Stop Helping Us

I decided to take a break from Swim the Fly, and spend my time reading a book with a little more substance. Please Stop Helping Us by Jason L. Riley, takes a look at the various ways the government has attempted to assist minorities, specifically African Americans, and how these attempts only set minorities back.

"What if there are limits to what governments can do beyond removing barriers to freedom? What if the best that we can hope for from our elected officials are policies that promote equal opportunity? What if public-policy makers risk creating more barriers to progress when the goal is the ever-elusive "equality as a result"? At what point does helping start hurting?"

Although the main idea of this book agrees with my opinion on government assistance, the book makes its arguments by being very anti-liberal. Jason L. Riley will make a great point using hard evidence and facts, and then throw in some liberal bashing. Instead of being against intrusive government assistance in general, the book makes sure that the reader knows that liberals are to blame. The sub title of the book is "How Liberals Make it Harder for Blacks to Succeed". After I get around the bias, I find that I am enjoying this book a lot; it really explains some troubles with modern day equality in an interesting way. This is a photo of Jason L. Riley on ABC, speaking on the events in Ferguson.

Reading Response Numero Dos

Swim The Fly is getting even more ridiculous. In the last segment I read, Matt Gratton and his two friends tried their first attempt at seeing a real live naked girl. Their plan: dress up like girls and sneak into the community center, so they can see Lindsey naked after her karate class; the result: total and complete  failure. The boys had pretty good girl costumes and made it into the community center, but unfortunately, Matt accidentally ate three scoops of laxatives right before he met with his buddies, because he thought it was protein powder, and he had to drop a load right as Lindsey walked into the girl's locker room at the community center. "I lock the door, lift my dress, and step out of my underpants before all is lost. I take a seat on the toilet and release the hell hounds. It's the worst case of the sputters I've ever had."

He flooded the whole bathroom and the gang fled the scene. The picture below shows the amount of water I imagined coming from the toilet.

I knew this book was going to be ridiculous when I started reading it, I mean, it's about prepubescent teenage boys. However, the book is very, very goofy and I think that's making me like it less, which is weird because I am very goofy. I will probably finish reading it, but the humor is getting kind of redundant. My long term prediction is that Matt will get Kelley and they will live happily ever after.

Reading Response Numero Uno

In the beginning of Swim the Fly, Matt Gratton, and his two best friends set off on a summer adventure. They always have a summer goal, whether it be to collect 5000 golf balls or learn karate, the goals must be met. Now that they are at the prime age of fifteen, they feel like they need to mature their goals, so the goal this summer is... to see a real live naked girl; no rules or stipulations of any kind.

At swim practice, Matt sees Kelly West, the new girl who he finds to be quite visually stimulating in a very positive manner. Matt, being the suave, sophisticated guy he is, says nothing to her and blushes anytime she looks at him. The swim coach, a terrible troll of a woman, asks anyone if they want to swim the butterfly at the district competition in a few weeks (The hardest stroke known to anyone ever) and in an effort to impress Kelly, Matt volunteers to swim the fly. The only problem is that Matt is a terrible swimmer and he will most definitely fail. The picture below is how I imagine Matt's goal; he wants to be a strong, majestic swimmer.

“Oh, by the way," Coop announces as he weaves his Death Bot ship through a barrage of space debris on his laptop screen." In case you didn't know. It's national 'That's What She Said' Day." This quote is a great example of the style of humor this book revolves around.  The book has a very crude, juvenile, and gross sense of humor, which I absolutely love. I can connect with the characters simply because every fifteen year old boy is obsessed with girls and would do almost anything to see one naked. This book is muy bueno so far.