Quote Integration

I'm not having too much trouble inegrating quotes in general, but I am ahving difficulty with one particular sequence: "In a recent article ran by The Mayo Clinic, the balancing act of life and work is analyzed. The article asserts that one way to deal with a stressful job (killing vampires, anyone?) is to “develop friendships both inside and outside the office”. Buffy does a superb job doing this, as she becomes best friends with Willow, an odd girl herself, whom has little trouble understanding the literally unbelievable responsibilities Buffy has. The article elaborates that positive friends are a key factor in one’s own happiness, and Willow is endlessly positive. " In the second refrence to the source, I feel like my idea isn't supported enough and that the source isn't used effectively. Any tips?

Paper Problem

So far the biggest issue I'm having with my paper is connecting my sources with my thesis and overall premise. For example, my source from Forbes.com highlights the attributes of a 'workaholic', and discusses its recent growth in our society. In my paper, I'm trying to connect this trend in our society to the way Buffy balances her work (vampire slaying) from her private life. I my paper, I connect these two thoughts by stating:

"While Buffy seems to stay cool under the pressure, she does have her moments of, as Robinson describes it, "not being there" when away from the job. Robinson warns that when one connects their personal life to their work, an unbalanced relationship likely exists. Buffy could be the poster girl for these symptoms, as she often relates her school life to slaying, and is notorious for dazing off and imagining things."

Although I think the source contributes to the paper, I sort of feel like it's not really connecting to my subject (Buffy) as well as it could. Any tips as to how I could relate these two concepts more seamlessly would be greatly appreciated!

WB Post #3

I decided to take a step back and reevaluate two of the sources I used for my research paper, hoping to gain a better understanding as to how each source presents their information effectively. The first source, an article from Forbes.com titled 'Workaholics Anonymous', analyzes the characteristics of a "workaholic". The article is successfully persuasive, primarily because it utilizes a wide array of persuasive techniques. For one, the article uses the findings of a psychotherapist, Dr. Bryan E. Robinson. Citing and quoting Robinson gives the article a sense of legitimacy that, without a doctor's opinion, could not be achieved. The author of this particular article, Scott Reeves, makes good use of Robinson's knowledge, too, as Robinson is often quoted directly after Reeves' arguments. This technique successfully supports Reeves' beliefs, and again, contributes to the entire article's relevance.

The Forbes article also uses metaphors and analogies to relate the story to the readers. For instance, when describing the physical attributes of "workaholics", Reeves likens them unto zombies. Reeves also relates the disorder to the readers, explaining that the difference between a workaholic and and hard worker is that "a hard worker sprints at the office, performing complicated tasks efficiently and well. Such people know how to enjoy life away from the office and share outside interests with family and friends" while a workaholic "constantly thinks and talks about work, even while at home or on the beach." Explicitly outlining the disorder like this is an effective way to help the audience understand the meaning of the disorder. When an audience understands what the author is comparing, the effectiveness of the article obviously increases.

The second source, 'Stress Management' from Mayoclinic.com, is quite a bit longer than the Forbes.com article. Thus, to compensate for this extra length, the article uses different tools to make its information more digestible. For example, a list of quick bites of information follows almost every significant paragraph. This is an effective way to speak to an audience, as it allows those who skim articles to understand the important points, while also offering greater detail for those who are more interested or have more time to read the article. Unlike the previous article, which uses analogies and metaphors to relay information, this article presents information without the fluff. Word choice is less interesting than the first article, but the straight-forward tone seems to contribute to the article's overall voice; a voice of confidence and reliability. Such a tone hearkens unto the logos-minded readers, as strict information dominates the bulk of the article.

Though these two sources utilize different techniques, they are both strong in their own right. One thing that the two articles surely have in common, however, is that they are written with the reader in mind. Far too often, writers neglect to be mindful of the way others would perceive their work. Effective articles are written to persuade; to dive into the minds of readers and change the way they think. Both of these articles do just that. While they may be different in style, but both of these articles were written to read, and more importantly, writtento be understood by readers.

The Beach Boys: "Wouldn't It Be Nice"

This has always been one of my favorite songs. I have a lot of memories of my dad driving me to get ice cream when I was a kid, and we'd always listen to The Beach Boys. Though I like all of their songs, this one is my favorite. I think it sort of epitomizes the feelings we have when we're growing up. One of the first lines of the song goes, "Wouldn't it be nice if we could wake up, in the morning, when the day is new? And after having spent the day together, hold each other close the whole night through." I think almost everyone has felt like that at some point. When I was growing up, crushes come and go, but it was tough to see that at the time. When you like someone as a kid, it seems like they're the only person you could ever be with. It's so stupid and naive, but I also think it's funny in a way. Kids don't really appreciate the lack of responsibility they have; they're always trying to complicate things with relationships. While on the other hand, sometimes adults have trouble appreciating the freedom they have; they spend too much time reminiscing about their youth to really enjoy the present. I think this song's great because it sort of pokes fun at the drama and intensity that is young love. Lines like, "We could be married--and then we'd be happy", really embodies the spouts of emotion we all felt when we were growing up and 'in love'.

Fear: The Princess Screamed Once

One subject that is covered in this chapter from Rhonda Wilcox's Why Buffy Matters is how the silence in 'Hush' altered the ways that the characters of Buffy interacted with each other. One example of this is the interaction between Buffy and her current love interest Riley. Before The Gentlemen stole the voices of everybody in the town, Buffy and Riley were on awkward terms, to say the least. The two were less than honest with each other and showed little sign of moving forward. However, once the two lost their voices, they were able to grow closer in an incredible short period of time. As Wilcox noted, Joss Whedon once said that a theme of 'Hush' is that "when we stop talking, we start communicating." (Wilcox 161) In the episode, Buffy and Riley communicate while fighting off the gentlemen; a fight that ultimately leads to the pair's first kiss. Sure enough though, when the town's voices are retrieved, Buffy and Riley are back to square one. The episode concludes with the two sitting apart from each other in silence, with Riley saying, "Well, I guess we have to talk." Wilcox observes that though the pair has their voices, "they are searching for words." (Wilox 161) The irony of Buffy and Riley's relationship during the episode was the fact that the two connected the most while they were unable to speak.

Is it Art?

I thought that article was interesting because it questioned the definition of art. As pointed out by Gary Moeller, the majority of us envision what is known has "High Art" when we think of the word 'art' (Moeller 104). However, Moeller observes that the most common type of art in our modern culture is "Pop Art"; which, ironically, is also one of the least recognized forms of art. (Moeller 104) Throughout the piece, Moeller questions the definition of art, and why we perceive some forms of entertainment as art, while we neglect to recognize others. While Buffy's title and general premise may seem cheesy or shallow, the show really couldn't be further from either of those two adjectives. As Moeller highlights, 'Hush' hearkens unto various religious and cultural events of the past; elements likely utilized by Joss Whedon to help connect Buffy's audience to the show's plot. For instance, Moeller theorizes that St. Francis (a Biblical character whose heart us pierced) is part of the chant at the beginning of the episode to connect The Gentlemen to St. Francis, and the history of the broken heart metaphor (Moeller 104) Elements like this support the notion that Buffy is a form of art in its own right.

Grimm Realities

I think that this article did a great job highlighting the history behind the plots of Buffy. While the author seems a little too excited by his ex-students brilliance, the points he makes are nonetheless impressive. I found it particularly interesting that Joss Whedon was often inspired by fairy tales and nursery rhymes while writing Buffy. For example, Elizabeth Bridges noted that the eerie hymn sang at the beginning of the episode 'Hush' was reminiscent of the popular nursery rhyme 'Ring Around the Rosie' (Bridges 102). Bridges continues, observing, "The tune, the rhyme and its meter, and the subject matter all cue memories of these disturbing children's rhymes common in the English-speaking countries" (Bridges 102). I found it interesting that these rhymes were being used to relate Buffy's modern plot to more traditional tales. I think that Whedon's decision to use such rhymes in Buffy only solidifies the depth and complexity of the show's plot.

Buffy: "Hush"

I feel kinda torn about this episode of Buffy. I think that this particular episode was directed superbly; you really felt like you were in Sunnydale, and as if you too had lost your voice. However, I felt like the silence became almost deafening by the end of the episode. I think it crossed the line where it wasn't intersting or entertaining anymore, but rather, it just frustrated the audiance. If this was the effect the director was going for, he or she hit a grandslam. But otherwise, I felt like the silent treatment was a bit much. As far as the characters, I was really interesting in Tara. Even from the beginning of the episode, when she was too shy to speak at the Wikken meeting, I was inexplicably intrigued by her. She sorta seemed like one of those people that knows something everyone else doesn't know. I do have my suspicions, however, because she seemed a little too fascinated by Willow at the end of the episode. Add to that her little jibe about her 'powerful' mother, who also happened to be a witch; very suspicious. Finally, it was kinda interesting to see what a prominent role sex played in the episode. I'm not sure if the writers were trying to target a certain audiance or what, but I felt like the innuendos got a little out of hand. To me, the sex didn't really contribute to the episode. It just made the show look a little desperate for attention. All in all though, I felt like it was a pretty good episode.

Free Writing: Work vs. Life (continued)

As our personal and professional lives become one in the same, our behavior and decision making in both venues changes drastically. For instance, the decisions that we make while fulfilling our professional responsibilities can reflect the choices we make in our personal life, and vice versa. This is evident in Buffy, as Buffy herself grows to accept the reality that her personal life and duties as the slayer are closely related. While Buffy seems to accept this lifestyle, according experts, the merging of one's personal life and professional life can be a sign of a serious disorder. In an April 2006 Forbes.com article, Dr. Bryan E. Robinson outlines a few key signs of an unhealthy relationship between one's work and private lives. The unofficial diagnosis of 'workaholic' is often used to describe this type of person. Dr. Robinson notes that key signs of this type of unhealthy balance include "sweating the little details" and being a "hard-lined perfectionist". Buffy exhibits similar characteristics throughout the series, reinforcing the idea that she's living an unbalanced lifestyle. The manner in which Buffy copes with this unbalance, or if she even recognizes it to begin with, will be interesting to see as the show develops. As of now, Buffy's personal life and duties as a vampire slayer are essentially one in the same.

Works Cited:

Reeves, Scott. "Workaholics Anonymous". Forbes. October 14, 2009 .

Free Writing: Work vs. Life

Our culture encourages young people to set goals, overcome adversity, and to realize their dreams. The key ingredient in actually accomplishing any of these virtues is work. Work is the essence of America, as it is not only encouraged, but celebrated in our everyday lives. Self-diagnosed 'workaholics' are a growing commonality, and the line that once separated our professional lives from our personal lives is becoming a thing of the past. This cultural trend is perfectly portrayed in the Buffy The Vampire Slayer series. Buffy, a young high school student, struggles to balance her duties as the Vampire Slayer with her personal life. Like many Americans, Buffy's work life is slowly becoming her personal life, and vice versa. This trend speaks largely of our society's general belief that one cannot possibly work too much. This notion is severely inaccurate, as made apparent by the turmoil people like Buffy experience when their work becomes their life. The assertion that there is no such thing as too much work is flat out stupid and contradictory. As I stated before, we work to achieve goals and realize our dreams. However, one can't reap these rewards if they don't make time for life.

Freshman Year So Far...

So far, I think I would describe my first year at Ohio State as a learning experience, in every sense possible. I came here to learn and grow academically, but I never realized how quickly living on my own would change the way I think about a lot of things. For one, I have a newfound respect for my parents. It turns out Mom and Dad knew what they were talking about most of the time. :) I also have a newly acquired appreciation for cooking! I was able to visit home for the first time this weekend, and being there made me realize how much I missed having access to fully stocked kitchen, 24/7. I woke up at one in the morning and made pancakes. You can't do that in a dorm! Finally, I sincerely feel blessed to be able to go to school. With all of the stress and business, it's easy to forget that going to school is simply not an option for the majority of the world. I was watching Family Guy with my little brother last night, and a commercial for a 60 Minutes special came on; the special was covering poverty in America. It's really amazing that all of us have an open door to do what we want with our lives. We have every possible resource available to us, and we have the opportunity to shape our own futures into what will make us most happy. That's a really powerful thing, and I guess that really hit me for the first time this weekend. Anyways, I love it here and I can't wait to see what the rest of the year has to offer! I already feel like a totally different person, and it's only been three weeks!

Ohio Stadium

Power, spirit, and tradition are words that come to mind when one steps into Ohio Stadium. The sheer size of the stadium is difficult to fathom. The complex seems to burst at the seams with seats and aisle-ways, and the entire premise reeks of bitter competition and 6$ hot dogs. Even so, the spirit that resides in the stadium represents everything that Ohio State strives to represent. Throughout the twentieth century, Ohio Stadium quickly evolved into an icon of both sportsmanship and competition. The stadium's classic exterior only begins to hearken unto it's eighty-seven year history. Built for the paltry cost of 1.2 million dollars in 1922, the Stadium was built to accommodate the rapidly growing crowds at Ohio Field. Though it's construction was shrouded in controversy and debate, Ohio Stadium quickly became the crown jewel of the nation's largest university. The likes of Woody Hayes, Archie Griffin, Howard 'Hopalong' Cassady, and countless other legends have called Ohio Stadium home. To millions of fans and alumni, The Shoe represents the very essence of The Ohio State University. Through bitter loses and memorable wins, lifelong friendships are forged in Ohio Stadium. Parts of the the stadium have changed: walls have been moved, seats have been added, and students have become alumni. But when all the dust settles, Ohio Stadium will always be the same. It will forever carry the same heritage of buckeye pride and community. As Ohio State's alma matter declares, "Time and change will surely show, how firm thy friendship, Ohio." Time has passed and our world has changed. But Ohio Stadium is, and will always be, home to every Buckeye. And that Team Up North's worst nightmare.

Primary Source 2: Our Mrs. Reynolds

Of all the different shows that I've watched for this class, this particular episode stood out to me. I feel like the element of sexuality is really interesting because it's still pretty taboo in 2009. When you think about it, sex is a subject that most people are afraid to 'analyze' if you will. Even while writing this very blog entry, I can't help but wonder things like, "are people gonna think I'm a freak for writing about this?" Or maybe, "am I gonna cross the line? I don't wanna cross the line. Oh God! What would happen if I accidently offend somebody!?!" Well you get the idea. Fundamentally, we live in a society that operates on sexuality. Sexuality seems to influence everything from clothing, advertising, television, music, and even the way we communicate. Though we're clearly surrounded by sexuality, it still manages to be the big elephant in the room. In Our Mrs. Reynolds, Inara and Saffron are the obvious examples of sexuality playing a role in the plot. But when you dig a little, you find that the actions of character's like Mal, Wash, and even Kaylee can be directly tied to this giant web of mess we refer to as sexuality.

But She Was Naked: Thoughts

It was pretty interesting to read about different forms of sexuality in Firefly. When you watch the show, sexuality seems to become one of those elements that is dumbed down by our own judgments and pre-conceived opinions. When a female character seduces a male character sexually, the first thought that comes to one's mind often lies along the lines of 'she is a slut'. But when you take the time to break characters' relationships down, as was done in the reading, you often learn a lot about why characters use their sexuality in different situations. For instance, in the most recent episode we watched, Saffron used her sexuality to weaken Mal and further her unknown agenda. Saffron used her innocent image to put Mal in a vulnerable position where he could easily be taken advantage of. After successfully seducing Mal, Saffron moved on to Wash. Her misleading demeanor worked yet again to her advantage, as she successfully flustered Wash before preying on his nervousness. Most interestingly though, Saffron's third and final attempt to use her charisma and sexuality to her advantage came to a screeching halt when she ran into Inara. Inara was able to see through Saffron's fake flattery, and consequently avoided the fate of both Mal and Wash. It is in an instant like this that the element of sexuality and manipulation directly relate to each character's individual personalities. So, while certain elements of a show are often dismissed as being literal (not just sexuality, but also manipulation, flattery, guilt, etc.), they can also be some of the most powerful evidence and insight into the minds of the different characters on the show. Firefly is clearly no exception.

Primary Source 1: Buffy The Vampire Slayer

I think I may start watching this show! For fun. In my free time. After watching the teaser for this series in class, I decided to watch the first episode in its entirety. I gotta be honest; just a short while ago, I wouldn't have watched this show if you paid me money to (just your typical teen girl with superpowers blah blah blah). But I took to heart some of the principles we discussed in class and decided to save my opinion until after I had officially watched the show. I'm really glad that I walked into the series with an open mind because I actually like this show! It's mastered that perfect balance of over-the-top goofiness and a thoughtfully written plot. I love the shows dark humor, and Buffy in particular has a very dry sense of humor. My favorite part of the first episode was when a popular girl from Buffy's new school tried to 'show her the ropes' and explain to her who was cool and who wasn't worth the light of day. Contrary to the snooty girl's advice, Buffy befriends one of the notoriously nerdy girls in the school. I felt that this was a pivotal moment of the episode because it showed Buffy's true colors and values. Anyways, I really look forward to watching more episodes! It's going to be interesting to see how Buffy develops as a character while undertaking her calling as the vampire slayer.