IN CLASS: password

Every time i attempt to log in to blogger it never fails that i put the wrong password!!! ugh so annoying! sometimes i have to try two or three time but today because we have not blogged in awhile it took me 4 tries!
Who can keep track of all their passwords these days anyways!?
NOT ME.

So unit 3 is looking good for me group, we met Sunday to further discuss what needed to be done so we would be prepared to turn in our cover memos....i think we are ready.

I am producing an image via adobe photo shop which i am anxious about and want to get to working on it so peace.

To Conceal or NOT to Conceal

Well it’s about that time to choose our topic. Last week our group made the decision that we were going to argue against the bill that would allow students on public university campuses in Texas would carry handguns. Students would have to have their Concealed Handgun License and must be 21 years old. I think that this is a scary proposition. I also find this a little daunting because I would not like to be in a class with a student who receives an F on a test and has a Glock 9 mm in his backpack. I have always believed that one of the scariest situations in college would be someone with a gun on campus who is mowing down students in front of the library. Also, carrying a gun in a backpack would not be too different from the Plaxico Burress case when he was in a New York nightclub and he shot himself in the leg with the pistol that was in his pocket. You just never know when a gun may go off. For our visual argument we are planning on doing a series of signs that would be read as students walk. This message would be conveyed in five or six signs placed in a row that could reach a high amount of people because of the amount of activity that occurs on campus. Also, one argument that could really help us convey our message would be a list of student’s names that have been killed on college campuses. This could also be used in a paragraph form and may be more effective.

In Class: Unit 3

About the Viewers/Readers:
One of my group members brought in a cartoon that deals with our topic on the Concealed Handgun Bill which allows any 21 year old student to carry a gun on Texas campus'. The cartoon was probably found in the newspaper i imagine and if i was reading that particular paper the overall impression the visual text makes me feel a bit giggly and furious at the same time. The teacher in the cartoon is one of i would say a 5th grade class and is holding a gun and saying how it is important to use tactile objects when teaching to get your point across. I thing the first impression of this cartoon is humorous but as i being to think of my background and passion for kids a start to feel remorse for the kids who have suffered from shootings

Unit 3 Group

Chief communicator and leader: i will mainly be in charge of making sure we are getting stuff done. I will also be the one who emails deadlines and important information. I think my role will contribute to the group as a whole because everyone always needs a little guidance :-) any who my group members are Rachel, will and Erin.

In Class: Groups.....

oh lodry where to start, well hmmm the topic was world hunger and the group was made up of 3 girls two of which i thought i knew well. turns out i didn't know one of them well enough. she never went to meetings and would always claim she had some sort of hall meeting or something or another, but in the end when we presented she ended up looking alright and i did 90% of the research and she just took the slides and read them verbatim. Thank god for the other group member because she helped out alot and picked up any of my slack.
Being a senior and all has huge expectations of what one brings to a group. But that does not mean that the senior will do the work the other members dint do. for example my room mate has had a horrible experience when working in a group she is a senior and one was a freshman, and 2 sophomores. They treated her like a slave lady and she being the nice introverted lady she is she complied.

equal distribution of roles and tasks is my ultimate dream of the perfect group project. At the beginning everyone is assigned there part which is as equally as difficult as the others and we go from there and have meetings set and talk about our progress at each meeting and give each other constructive criticism and put the project together

Roles of a group,
well i think it might be a mistake to actually give a single person the role of the leader just because each person has to have a little bit of leader like qualities. but maybe roles such as well you know what I'm not sure i just like to talk between each other and each person picks what they would like to do so that would be there title name. for example if i picked the source 1, 2, and 3 ethos pathos and logos research that would be my title, if a fellow group member picked source 2 background research that would be there title...get my drift?

In Class: All the Words!

A picture of me and my dog, Obama, a school and a woman breastfeeding sums it all up for my writing career here in the argument chair. I like how most my goals that i stated back in my augusts intro post have stayed just about the same. The Obama picture was a blog about my personal options about the new president, i think and the school picture was for the unit one assignment which i have become more and more analytical each day when i arrive on that campus at 2 :30 to pick the girls up i find myself thinking about things i would have never imagined i would be 5 months ago. Any who the most resent unit has me wondering what my opinions really are. As you can tell i am a visual learner and writer. I like looking back at my work and seeing the progress i have made and knowledge i have gained.

Proposal

My topic of choice is "Breastfeeding in Public"
Not sure if this too broad of a topic, however I feel I’ill enjoy exploring primary sources which appeal to the argument. I intend on finding these pieces of work possibly via:
-Web sites for new mothers/parenting.
-Advocacy sites pro breast feeding or against it
-Family parenting newsletters, magazines, pamphlets…
-Web forums and blogs for families, mothers, physicians...
-Hospital--> Waiting rooms, web pages, pediatrics physicians
-Google--> Breastfeeding

With many options I don’t think I will have a problem getting my hands on three primary sources. This topic appeals to me because I know there are many opinions out there for new mothers and it will be interesting to pick apart each claim whether it’s a publication from companies or physicians or graphic images. Also considering my major is child psychology and sociology I think this assignment will challenge me to look at my two concentrations in a different light (Families and society).

In Class: Missed Class

I missed class last Thursday and i feel terribly left out. :-( i was sick and could not stop coughing, you would probably have kicked me out of my class for disturbances. I wish i could have enjoyed the field trip we took outside of winton scott, its a shame. Any who i think my topic is a good one and at the moment i am reading the chapters and learning more about rhetorical analysis. I think my classmates would argee that my topic is a challenging one and end the end worth all the research.

Outstandingly Healthy

An article posted in a magazine that reads "More women are breast feeding their toddlers." The picture is something that one would not imagine to see in a magazine. A mother sitting at a park bench leaning over to allow her what looks to be 4 or 5 year old daughter to feed from her right breast. I wouldn't say the picture is revealing more than it was disturbing to see a child who could stand on her own while holding a banana is still being breast feed. I think the main purpose of this picture is to point out that it is becoming more and more appropriate to breast feed at later and later ages. I feel the audience of the image is mainly mothers.

Logos – apparently the breast milk is healthy, which is what the text implies by “outstandingly healthy”. Ethos – The article comes from a credible magazine. And in the article it quotes credible professors form numerous colleges who support toddler breast feeding. Pathos- Our society had made breast so highly signalized that this is shocking. Also, the fact that the child also has a solid food in one hand also makes the argument controversial with many believing that the child is too old to breast feed if she can eat a banana

I feel if i were a mother and wanted the best for my child i would consider the length in with i breast feed her. The arguments looks successful but in the end to whom ever see it and are not mothers they become uncomfortable and find them selves against toddler breastfeeding.
This is also a large social issue because our society does not condone breastfeeding in public and much less breast feeding a child that could be enrolled in kindergarten. It makes people chose between what some mothers believe to be extremely healthy for their children and what society thinks is acceptable.

In class: Rhetorical Thinking

How is rhetorical thinking different than thinking in general?
Good question i think thinking in general is like thinking subjectively and not having to look or compare weather things are effective or not. Rhetorical thinking is a process of argument analysis. In order to analyze one must look out the outcome of each argument and see how or how it didn't work and then go about their own opinion on it. Of course going in to the analysis with some sort of a claim or hypothesis would help just to compare others with your own, and through the process it may develop in to something different. When thinking content and organization awareness is a must when thinking rhetorically.

Pethlogos

Pathos: After a few observations of my public place I've noticed a few pathos near the play ground area which make for good arguments. The first pathos appeal sends the message that this playground area is safe. Majority of the equipment is plastic, kid friendly and well maintained. The playground area is lined with mulch which provides a soft and mess free surface. Personally the fact that parents/caregivers observe their young ones interact and in simple terms "develop" is a pathos appeal. Weather they notice it or not they find contentment in watching these little guys find joy, interact and explore it's enduring.
Ethos: The idea of a perfect family has entered my mind a few times during observation. I can't help but to think of the families and the background of these children's lives. Weather or not they have siblings, if so how many, or weather they live with their grandparents or have step parents. All these factors effect the outcome of each child and their world around them. But as i sit and watch it's hard to distinguish the children who come from a nuclear family and those who do not. With that being said an ethos appeal would be the promotion of the "perfect family" where packed lunches, bedtime stories, extra curricular activities, car pulls, PTA meetings, soccer moms all fall in the same category as simply allowing your little one in the play ground. It's the ethical thing to do right? Being involved in the community you live in and the groups you and your family are apart of. Observing these things ideal illusions of the "perfect family" says a whole lot about the audience of this space.
Logos: It makes since to see two separate areas of the playground. The first for the older kids and the other for the younger ones. This tells the audience that ya OK my 4 year old will be safe exploring this area because he can play and interact with kids his age. Same with the older kids they are familiar with other kids their age and not feel "kiddish" playing with the "babies". This appeals to the logos because it logically makes since to both the audience and stakeholders. Also i noticed the numerous amounts of seating options in the area. These include picnic tables, benches and even rocks that resemble a place to take a load off. If i were a parent of a 5 year old child i would encourage independence and allow them to play with the other kids while i sat and read a book. With the unlimited options to sit it's functional to the adults wathcing as well as the children playing for long periods of time.

In Class: I am Loved

Today i brought my "I am Loved" pin to class to state that it is an ethical appeal. I feel that this pin represents me as the speaker best because i am a loving person who gives and receives love. Also, some people would read it and smile or laugh and find i brought them an ounce of joy in their life. I enjoy making people smile and have a good time so this pin does that. The presentation of my self in this one pin represents love and trustworthiness. Credibility in this appeal reveals that maybe i am easy going and that i am willing to share something with the audience. Everyone wants to be loved so why not publicly state that you are loved or appoint this pin to someone else showing your love for them. Visually this appeals to the audience because its red and red usually catches the readers eyes its also some what passionate and true. The white contrast represents a clear point.

Unit I: A life in the park...

Mentioned before in last weeks in class blog i have decided to do my Unit one project at the Overton park playground across the street from Tanglewood Elementary School.
What makes this space appealing?
Not only do i visit this space once a day every day at 2:30 i also enjoy observing children interact in a less formal way. I also enjoy seeing the many types of parenting and supervision.
Why did you choose it?
After learning more about arguments I choose this space because i thought it would be interesting finding many things i wouldn't months ago that may classify as a public or private argument.
What do you expect to find upon observation?
I expect to find many mothers, fathers, family members, and friends doing the routine of pick up their little ones. Hot, cold, icy, windy what ever the weather may be life goes on for these people.
Are you part of the target audience?
I do believe i am apart of the target audience. I find my self interacting with teachers, cross guards, students, and parents. Also the days i arrive early i observe and take part in many of the "clicks" that form and wait for the children to arrive.
What pre-conceived ideas may influence your objective observation?
My pre conceived ideas of this space driven by the common goal to arrive, and pick up your loved kid/s. I'm assuming everyone has that one thing in common. I am also assuming that pick up will be a happy and uplifting even and one that comes natural to many. I have officially observed this space one for 30 minutes and have found that many of the same people gather in the same area and talk with the same people. I think it might be hard for me to actually pick out arguments in this space but one day it will appear clear to me until then ill continue to observe and pick up my little ones.

In Class: Bench in the Park

Every day around 3pm I play mommy. Respectably, I am the nanny of 3 adorable little girls whom attend Tangle Wood Elementary School. I have been working with this family for about 1 year now and find it very rewarding. The first day i met the family and was informed of the "pick up routine" i was a bit overwhelmed. Where one must park, where one must drive to get to that certain area of allowable spots parallel on the street and how crazy one could imagine the "car pull" line must be. I have decided to take this public place of Overton Hill Park area near Tangle Wood as my place of observation to watch and record the history in the making of our future presidents, CEO, and multimillionaire bankers interact with teachers, peers, family members and strangers. I am excited about this assignment because some people who know me best say i am a professional at people watching.

In Class: Computers and Friends

Wow computers are so difficult. It seems to me my luck with computers have never really been anything spectacularly good. Any time i have an important papers or essays to write i swear to you 9 times out of ten my computer either freezes, dies, or does not save. For example last night i watch the inauguration and woke up this morning at 6am to be sure to post my blog by 8.... around 7:40 i was in the middle of spell checking my blog just when i notice my cursor froze. I panicked! I knew the program auto saved but wow i had written like 3 paragraphs and it was 20 minutes till the deadline and i still had spelling errors. any who turns out it saved and i ended up having to turn my computer off and back on thank god for AUTO SAVE!
This weekend i am going home, actually my flight is tonight at 7:55. My room mate is taking. However once i land in Albuquerque one of my best friends Tiffany is picking me up and i informed my father of that and well lets just say Tiff isn't the most reliable of friends. In the last 4 years she has lived in 5 different places employed in 10 different jobs and some how has managed to maintain the same boyfriend. Ha ha i love my her but her spontaneity is a bit hard to gauge. So in the end my father will probably be sitting by his phone when 9 oclock rolls around tonight waiting for me to say, "dad tiffa didn't show up". I hope you and many other people have a friends like these....God love em though

The 44th President

"Are you prepared to take the oath senator?"

"I am, I Barack Hussein Obama do solemnly swear that i will execute the office of President of the United States Faithfully and will do the best of my ability to, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States so help me God."

This oath in its self has full meaning. Obama swears to preserve, to keep the Constitution of the United States protected from anything that would cause its current quality or condition to change or deteriorate. He swore to protect, to prevent the Constitution of the United States from being harmed or damaged and to defend our Constitution of the United States.

From the second Barack Obama steeped foot on stage he was informing the public of his intentions and arguing that things will change. Informing the people of our situation and making his point. While watching the Inauguration I really didn't see many arguments. Rather the president making many points and informing the people that he will do his job. He says, "Our nation is at war, against a far reaching network of violence and hatred… homes have been lost, jobs shed, businesses shutter, health care too costly and schools fail too many… these are the indicators of crisis." Argument to convince the people that the challenges we face are real, serious and many they "will be met."

Emotional argument of the past includes Barack mentioning our founding fathers. "Snow stained with blood" and the hard work for the greatness of our country. “We are all equal and all are free” risk takers, the doers’ men and women worked till their hands were raw so we can live a better life. Logical argument was mentioned by Barack when he spoke about the doubters who don’t think the government can transform schools and colleges to meet a new age. People ask, are the systems big and strong enough to tolerate this many big plans? Barack argues by saying our government works and will better our people’s lives, the government will spend wisely and restore trust like it is historically known to.

In Class: Argument?

After reading chapter one I’m now well informed that maybe I’m an arguer to some point. One huge reason I really did not enjoy “argument” was because of the two sided factor “win/lose”, or “either/or”. I know that argument has a plethora of approaches and out comes. Rogerian argument is right up my alley. Growing up in the south west I feel my parents and family value others thoughts and treated all interpretation with respect. I believe that the Rogerian approach follows the guidelines in which my family does. It’s ok to have your own opinion as long as you don't disrespecting others and of course one needs to allow each person to represent their concept. Understanding others in our society is a very important skill to hone. Being a sociology minor I will encourage myself to pursue the Rogerian way.

Introduction to Shawna Kaye

Hello class, my name is Shawna Kaye Marcus. I'm from Albuquerque New Mexico. I'm a senior Child Development major and Sociology minor at Texas Christian University awaiting anxiously for the arrival of May! Aside from TCU I have attended two additional universities, New Mexico State University and University of West Florida. I enjoyed the years spent at those schools however I LOVE it here and finally found my home at TCU back in January of 2006 when i transferred in. Post graduation I'm looking forward to taking a semester off and working at a prenatal unit in New Mexico and in the summer working at Hope Connection Camp here at TCU. I'm fond of children of all ages and enjoy working with the at risk ppopulation. In January 2010 I would like to pursue my interests in touch therapy and will continue my studies at the Touch Therapy Institute in Miami Florida. I have a 2 year old chocolate lab named Lilly Maye she is the best! My hobbies include biking, working out, little ones, golfing, reading, sushi, rock climbing, camping, hiking, hunting/fishing, taking Lilly to the lake, and hanging out with the people who make me happy.

- Hiking the La Luz trail @ Sandia Mt. New Mexico

This course is required. With that being said I had no extraordinary expectations however after the first class I realized that if I apply my self I can gain a great deal out of this course. In my career field majority of the work we do is hands on and personal rarely communicating through writing. However the research aspect and client specific portfolios engage the writing process at times. Personally this is the first time i have ever blogged. Also argument is not my pot of tea but who knows maybe I'll learn more about my self and gain further knowledge. Also I have always been shy about my writing and knowing that students will be reading my work kind of scares me...not going to lie. I would like to become a better developed writer and confident. The progression of this course will force me to step outside my comfort zone, look the unknown in the eye and take a stab at the extraordinary.

My writing history…. I enjoy facebooking and myspacing but I force myself to limit usage to about 30 minutes each time I get on. As you may know networking systems similar to these are extremely addicting so I do what I need to do and log off. As for occasional emails to family and friends back home I rarely write. I am huge on text messaging but who isn’t in my generation? I would like to be more at ease when applying to grad schools and submitting writing samples and or statement of objectives. Regardless of specifics I would like to become a stronger writer and develop in a more formal manner.

I have read, understand, and agree to the terms of the course syllabus, which I see as a contract for our course.