ENG 001: Language and Writing

Writing Assignment #3

2007-12-10T13:18:00.000-06:00

Canned Heat
Jamiroquai

Waiting patiently backstage, listening to the rhythm of this song playing, I stood, fourteen years old, watching my classmates dance around the stage. I was not on stage yet because I was chosen for a special part in the dance, a part I worked very hard for. Another girl and I were chose to do side leaps across the stage before falling in sync with the other dancers. When the time came, my partner and I would chasse onto the stage, putting one foot in front of the other almost like a gallop, only stepping with grace. After chasseing twice, we would firmly plant out left foot, point our left foot’s toes toward the audience. Bending our knee to gain strength while we pushed ourselves off the ground with our left legs, we would spring up in the air, leading with the right leg and having the left leg follow. In midair, we would shift our hips left to face the audience, executing a perfect side leap.
I took dance lessons from age six until age seventeen. Dancing was and still is a big part of my life and it is something I really enjoy to partake in. When I was fourteen, my dance class was beginning to prepare for our dance recital at the end of the year. My teacher had told us what song we would be performing to and what the dance would be like. She also announced that there would be two special parts for the girls that worked the hardest and showed the most improvement. I was very excited about this because at the same time I was preparing myself for high school dance team try outs. My teacher told us all to be working on our leaps, but I was already way ahead of the rest. My dream was to make my high school dance team, so I had been practicing leaps all year. When auditions for the leaps came, I was ready. My teachers was very impressed and all the girls were really happy for my because they knew how badly I wanted that part. It was a great feeling to prove to myself that I had come so far in my dancing and would be honored for that.

Konstantine
Something Corporate

The music coming from the piano is controlling the mood and tempo of the song. When the piano strikes harder, the words become deeper and more fierce. When the piano softens, the singers voice softens, as well. My appreciation and knowledge of music began at a young age, and has stuck with me ever since.
In fourth grade, at the age of ten, I began taking piano lessons from a teacher who lived down the street from my house. It was my desire to begin taking lessons and my parents were thrilled. They had tried to force my brothers to play, but never succeeded. When I began I truly loved practicing and playing. I had lessons once a week and really looked forward to them. When I began, my lessons were every Friday at four o’clock. For awhile, I did not mind that my lessons were on Fridays because I enjoyed going to them. After awhile, however, I grew tired of my lessons and enjoyed them less and less. When I began ignoring my duty to practice throughout the week, my teacher switched my lessons to Mondays instead. She did that because she wanted me to focus on my songs and have the whole weekend to practice. Her method worked for a few months, but soon I was back to my old habits of not practicing. Finally, in eighth grade, my mom allowed me to stop taking the lessons.
At the time, I could not have been happier, but a small part of me has always wished I could have stayed with it. My appreciation of music had grown so much in those four years and for that reason I am happy I learned to play the piano.

These Days
Rascal Flatts

Running down the stairs of the Qwest Center, competing to be the first one down on ground level and trying to keep up with my girlfriends is only one of many memories of my first concert. The moment this song began I felt a wave of adrenaline, mixed with excitement and happiness, run through my body. As I stared up at, who I thought at the time was the most gorgeous man alive, Joe Don Rooney from Rascal Flatts, my heart melted. I was as giddy as ever and never wanted this night to end.
As Rascal Flatts performed their songs, my friends and I made our way closer and closer to the stage. Before we knew it, we in the front row! Being the devoted fans we were, we screamed our hearts out and sang along to the songs. With outstanding effort put forth by my friends and I, we got the attention of the Joe. My friend, Megan, may have helped us out quite a bit by trying to climb on stage. It was right after she was restrained by the security guard that Joe spotted us in the crowd. As he played his guitar and sang his song, he pointed down to us from the stage and winked! That wink meant more to me than he will ever know. My friends and I did not stop smiling for the remainder of the evening. To this day, that was the best concert I have attended.

Hanging by a Moment
Lifehouse

Freshman year of high school is a time of change. A new school, new atmosphere, new friends and new teachers can be very overwhelming. I remember walking through the hallways, every face being new to me, being the smallest person in the crowd. Freshman year was intimidating, yet exciting. It was a time to experience many new aspects of life. “Hanging by a Moment” was, and still is, my favorite song all of freshman year. The music builds throughout the song, allowing me to sing at the top of my lungs while driving with or without my friends. The lyrics relate to me in a way where they describe what I started feeling my freshman year of high school. When the song says, “I'm running and not quite sure where to go” its almost as if the song writer took the words out of my mouth. With no precise direction, my life was moving forward. Midway through freshman year, I encountered another first; my first boyfriend. The song then gained more meaning to my life. It was not “our” song or anything, that’s not really my style, but I can’t help but think of him when I hear “Hanging by a Moment.”

Keep Holding On
Avril Lavigne

Weddings are a blast. They momentous occasions normally celebrated with friends and family. For me, it does not get any better than that. Seeing the my soon-to-be sister in law in her wedding dress and my oldest brother looking handsome in his tux brought tears to my eyes. My brother, Tyler, married his long-time girlfriend, Rachel, when I was a freshman in high school. They had dated since I was just a little girl, so she was already viewed as part of the family. Tyler and Rachel’s wedding day was the happiest day of my life, as well as theirs I’m sure. I was so honored when Rachel wanted me to be one of her bridesmaids. Standing up on the alter with them and my other brother, Evan, was one of the greatest moments of my life. I could not keep my composure, I was crying the entire time. It was quite embarrassing, but I was just so happy. I wasn’t sobbing or anything, just a quiet cry of joy. After the wedding, we proceeded onto the reception. Tyler and Rachel’s reception turned out to be one of the best nights of my life. It made me so excited for a wedding of my own. This video shows Avril Lavigne’s wedding and it immediately brought back the memories I have from Tyler and Rachel’s wedding.

One Thing
Finger Eleven

Softball and baseball have always been a big part of my life. I have been exposed to the game since I was six months old. I’ve had the honor of watching my brothers grow up and succeed playing the game of baseball. Watching my brothers gave me the desire to play softball. I also started playing at a young age, following in my brothers’ footsteps. By age nine I was playing on a select softball team and having the time of my life. I am so grateful my parents gave me the opportunity to play select softball because it was one of the best experiences of my life thus far. After seventh grade, I decided to stop playing competitive softball, partly because I’m not competitive and partly because my coach turned into a giant ____.
After not playing softball for several years, I was offered a position on my high school team during my sophomore year. Although hesitant at first, I took the opportunity offered. Every day before practice I listened to the same three songs (I only lived three song lengths from school). The first song I listened got me pumped up and excited to go play, but the second song, “One Thing,” made me focused and calmed my nerves. My team was made up of mostly seniors, so I would always be a bit nervous before a game or practice because I did not want to let them down. “If I traded it all, if I gave it all away for one thing, just for one thing” is the specific part of the song that means the most to me. Every time I heard this line I would ask myself if I was ready to give up softball again, like I had before. Throughout the season, the answer was always “no” because I enjoyed playing the game with my team. Ironically, after the season I decided to give it up because of one very unexpected thing.

Learning to Fly
Tom Petty

At some point in time, every one finds a song that seems to be “the story of their life.” During my sophomore year of high school I became a huge fan of Tom Petty. I was taken away by his songs and fell in love with them instantly. The words of nearly every song seemed as if they were speaking to me. The lyrics were so deep and meaningful, I couldn’t get myself to listen to anything else. Over the years, I have acquired many of his CD’s, but there is one CD containing a song that will always mean more to me than the rest. “Learning to Fly” is my favorite song by Tom Petty. It is made up of brilliant lyrics that have always helped me manage to get through the rough times of my life. Junior year of high school proved to be the hardest time of my life thus far, and this song, the lyrics, always helped me make it through. I couldn’t even count the number of times I listened to “Learning to Fly” in one day during that year. Luckily, while battling tough teenage years, I wasn’t alone. I had my best friend by my side the entire time, through the bad times and the good. After my accident, she and I would get in her car and drive for miles listening to Tom Petty blare out of the speakers. We sing along to the words, each knowing what lyrics meant most to each other. “Well some say life will beat you down, break your heart, steal your crown, so I started out for God knows where, but I guess I’ll know, when I get there.” Those are the lyrics that mean the most to me. The entire song relates to my life and gives me hope for direction, but as for now, I still am unsure of where I’ll end up.

Tears and Rain
James Blunt

High school is a time of growth emotionally, physically, and mentally. From experience, some growth is harder to handle than others. Maturity is a large part of high school. For the most part, students mature throughout the years and begin to ready themselves for life on their own. During high school, I encountered many immature girls and could not wait to be away from all the drama and scandals. In high school, and even still in college, girls seem to love hurting one another. I have never understood the reason why girls can be so conniving and mean toward one another. I had been hurt by many girls in high school (not physically, I would have won, of course) emotionally. For a while I always thought it was because of me and something I did, but finally I realized it had nothing to do with me. It was because the person I thought I could trust the most was in reality hurting me the most. I was being deceived all of high school and was too naïve to recognize it.
During the middle of my senior year, I went to a James Blunt concert with my best friend, Megan. We had great seats, right in the middle of the auditorium. I had been a fan of James Blunt’s music for awhile, but hearing the words come out of his mouth and sitting before him made me really hear and think about the words he was saying. A song that really stuck out in my mind after the concert was “Tears and Rain.” I had heard the song before while listening to his CD, but had never really made a connection between the words of the song and my life. The lyrics, “I've heard what they say, but I'm not here for trouble. It's more than just words: it's just tears and rain.” really relate to me. At the end of senior year I was finally able to rise above the immaturity of high school and understand the true meaning of others’ actions. As a sign of finality of moving on from high school to college, I made my those lyrics my senior quote and haven’t looked back yet.

The Worst Music Video

2007-11-14T16:51:00.000-06:00

Colbie Caillat Bubbly Music Video

Music Video Codes

This is one of the most boring music videos I have ever seen. When I first heard this song on the radio I immediately did not like it. I do not know why, but this song just annoys me. My friends always get mad because when this song comes on in the car I change it right away. I have nothing against Colbie Caillat or her style of music, so I feel bad about bashing her music. I never verbalize my dislike for this song, so this assignment is making me feel like a huge jerk.

When I first heard this song, I figured I would not judge it until I saw the music video. Usually if just the song does not win me over, the music video will alter my opinion. Not this time. She did not do anything in her video but walk around and sit in the grass. The video is terribly unexciting and could not wait to turn it off. The video was somewhat random, too, because one minute she would be at the ocean and the next she would be sitting in tall prairie grass. The ocean implies it is set on the coast somewhere, but the tall grass is most often seen in country videos that take place in small rural areas. The video does not compliment the song in any way, and it makes her look very uncreative and dull. Music videos should be a time to show an artist’s creative side and to compliment the song. Colbie’s video does nothing to promote her song and make it more likeable to me.

West Coast by Coconut Records

2007-11-11T22:40:00.001-06:00

I heard this song before I saw the video and I fell in love with it. I first discovered this song when I was at work during this past summer. I was working inside in a downtown office building on a beautiful summer day, so I was very depressed at the moment. As I was sitting there wishing I was at the lake with my friends, I was searching the internet for new music when I came upon this song. I listened to it over and over again, loving it more and more each time hearing it. After I was done with my work on the computer, I decided to watch the video. I was not expecting the video to be anything like it is. I was expecting the video to take place in California, or somewhere on the west coast, and on the beach. My first reaction to the video was disappointment, but after watching it a few more times, I started to grow fond of it. I now love the video because it is so unexpected and creative. The video takes place in Germany in one of the museums. I have taken four years of German and am planning on continuing my education of the language; eventually studying abroad in Germany. This video makes me want to visit Germany even more. I thought it would make me want to go to California and go to the beach, but it took me by surprise. The skateboarder is also very interesting and talented. I love how he starts off skating in the streets of Germany, but ends up skating in the museum. He turns his talents into a live display for museum goers to watch. The way he uses the space and carefully maneuvers around the other art displays is amazing. He uses the board in more ways than just the standard standing position. He sits and lies on the board to make his show a little more interesting. He is also not afraid to show that he falls off his board from time to time, which goes along with the song.

Abortion Billboard

2007-11-11T21:31:00.000-06:00

The First Amendment of the Constitution of the United States of America states that all humans shall not be denied their natural human rights. These rights consist of religious views, speech, right to petition and freedom of press. However, the list of freedoms is lacking a very important addition: freedom of choice. That is, every person should lay claim to personal decisions and have the right to make the most suitable decision for his or her situation. One of the most infamous examples of this struggle to practice freedom of choice is abortion. It seems half of America believes women should have the right to make the decision whether to have the child or not. The other half believe that life begins at conception and if a woman chooses to abort her child, the she is a murderer. With equal supporters for Pro-life and Pro-choice, the viewpoint of right and wrong pertaining to this subject will never be finalized; it is ever changing.
Pro-Life organizations use strategies and tactics to elevate this matter into the public eye. They put reminders all over our cities and towns so people will be influenced to join in the fight on the side of the pro-lifers. A few strategies used are commercials, radio advertisements, rallies, and billboards. When a person drives through town, s/he may see several billboards displaying advertisements.
One billboard displayed has a newborn infant being held in what is assumed his/her father’s hands. Above the child reads, “Thou shalt not kill.” The advertisement is aesthetically pleasing because it shows an adorable newborn, rather than a fetus in the first trimester. The organization, Billboards For Life, used that illustration for the very reason it touched my heart; most people cannot harm a small, innocent child. It is hard to comprehend a person harming a small child because the child has no way of defending itself. The designer of the billboard used pathos in such a way to create a sympathetic feeling for the child on the sign. A fetus in the first trimester does not look like a newborn child, therefore the sympathy felt toward it may not be as strong as the sympathy humans give toward helpless children. However, pro-life organizations believe that life begins at conception. If this belief is true, then abortion is harming a helpless, innocent child. Whether that belief is true or not, the pathos and logos used for the advertisement is meant to make a person believe it is. The billboard displays a beautiful child in the hands of a caring adult. The adult hands holding the child symbolizes acceptance and pride for the child. The picture can trigger the audiences’ memory of their children and their relationships with their parents. Since the logos is so well displayed, pathos is immediately triggered. Not only is sympathy felt because of the sign, but compassion and often times anger is a result. The audience is persuaded to feel compassion for the unborn child, and begins to feel anger toward the person responsible for such a harmful deed. The billboard is implying that the child is always innocent in an abortion case.
Pro-choice organizations can argue the billboard controversial because the child shown is representing an unborn child. The billboard can be seen as misrepresentation of the ultimate point both groups are trying to get across. Pro-choice does not believe a child’s life begins until it is born. The child on the billboard is a newborn, outside of a woman’s body. Pro-choice, nor will anyone else, argue that if the child in the picture were killed, it would undoubtedly be murder because it is alive and breathing on its own. With the use of logos, pro-choice is trying to get the point across to society that a child still inside of it’s mother, whom is not living or breathing on its own, is not yet a human being. Pro-lifers are trying to stress the fact that a child, whether in or out of it’s mother’s womb, is a human being from the moment it was conceived.
The billboard displays the words, “Thou Shalt not Kill.” Those words come from the Bible, the sacred text of Christianity. Also written in the Bible is the Creation Story explaining how God made the Earth, and how people came into existence. For the artist of the billboard to use a biblical reference, s/he is implying a “God-like” command. The passage is the use of ethos, making God the authority to the people. Since the Bible says God is the creator of the world and human existence, the bible passage above the child is in way, acting as the child’s protector. With that image in mind, the hands holding the child could also be God’s hands, raising him/her up and showing His pride in the child.
“Thou Shalt not Kill” is one of the Ten Commandments made by God. With God being the authority figure and making a set of laws, the command on the billboard is directed toward everyone. The words represent the rhetorical strategy of ethos because they have a strong background and are given in command form. The words can also create a new aspect of pathos: fear.
Since the sign is designed in such a simple, yet powerful way, the audience may feel obligated to follow the command; fearing the consequences of disobeying it. The billboard displays logos in many aesthetically pleasing ways such as the beautiful child, and the strong, caring hands. The sign arouses pathos in the forms of sympathy, fear, compassion and anger. The strategy of ethos was used to justify the emotions and feelings felt toward the billboard, making message believable. The artists’ use of all three rhetorical strategies come together to create a credible advertisement on the views of abortion.

New Stadium Proposal

2007-10-18T13:18:00.000-05:00

Word has been traveling fast around the Omaha area about a possible new addition to it’s downtown area. Mayor Mike Fahey has been expressing his desire to hopefully build a new stadium for the College World Series and several other uses. The idea came about at the end of the series this past summer. The reason for building a new stadium would be to fulfill the NCAA requirements of hosting the College World Series. The series has been held in Omaha for quite some time now, and Omaha is not ready to give it up. The contract ends in 2010, but Omaha is very hopefully the NCAA will want a renewal. By building, or renovating the current home of the College World Series, Rosenblatt Stadium, the chances of a renewal are bound to increase. One of the desired locations of the new stadium is Lot D, north of the Quest Center. However, there is dispute as to whether this area is open for taking. The people of the Quest claim that area is vital for extra parking for large events held at the arena. This opposition is causing the mayor to explore other locations where the stadium could be built. The mayor also wants this stadium to enhance Omaha’s credibility for hosting major events, such as the Olympic Swim Trials in 2008. Omaha has made a great name for itself over the years by being the gracious host of several different college baseball teams. For the entirety of the two weeks of which the College World Series are played, Omaha is extremely busy and overpopulated. The hotels are packed with the players, coaches, managers and diehard fans. The series is anticipated by Omaha for an entire year, and when it comes around for those thrilling two weeks, the people of Omaha work to make it the best experience possible. I hope a proposal is accepted for the building of a new stadium or renovation of Rosenblatt because I look forward to many wonderful summer college baseball games to come!

California

2007-10-16T13:22:00.000-05:00

Over fall break my family and I are vacationing in San Diego, CA. I am looking forward to seeing California because I have never been given the opportunity to go there. While we are there, we will be visiting many different attractions and places. My mom and I plan on going to Sea World and shopping while my brother and dad play golf. I am excited for Sea World because I have not been there since I was very young. It will be fun to see all the different sites and especially Shamu!
I cannot wait to see the Pacific Ocean since this is my first time visiting the west coast. I am looking forward to walking on the beach and putting my feet in the water. Just this past summer I visited Boston, Salem and Marblehead, MA where I relaxed on the beach and swam in the Atlantic Ocean. I think its awesome I am given the opportunity to see both coasts. I can image the sunsets are beautiful, so I cannot wait to take pictures!
One of the days we are going to drive up to Los Angeles. I am really excited for this because of all the shopping! It will be fun to browse in the boutiques, but if will be better if I can find the cheaper stores! Everyone in my family has been to L.A., so they know what it all about, but for me it will be a new experience. Seeing all the beach homes will make me want to move out there after college, I just know it. My dream school is San Diego State University, but unfortunately my parents and I couldn’t make it my reality. I am eager to visit the campus, but it will make me sad because I am not a student there. Since I can’t go to school out there, the next best thing is visiting. I’m a sucker for warm weather, palm trees and the beach so vacationing in California sounds like the perfect fall break.

Pine Ridge Indian Reservation

2007-10-09T15:51:00.000-05:00

The summer after my sophomore year, I traveled with a group of classmates to Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota. The reservation is home to the Oglala Lakota tribe and is also made of up of one of the poorest counties in the country. I was unsure of what to expect, or what service work was to be done, but I had never been more anxious. After our nine hour car ride, we reached the reservation, but in all honesty it was hardly a change of scenery from driving across Nebraska. For the most part, there were randomly placed houses with several cars out front. My service group met up with other groups from neighboring states and we stayed for a week in an elementary school on the reservation. The groups were split up and divided into new groups, combining the different school and church groups. Each group was assigned one of two service schedules for the week: half of the groups painted a house for the first two days and worked at the elementary summer camp for the last two, or visa versa. My group was assigned to paint a house for the first two days, and it turned out to be one of the most enjoyable activities of my life. The paint on the house was chipped, the wood was old, and yard was a mess. As we arrived, the family was outside to welcome us with smiles on their faces. They were so grateful for this privilege because we provided the paint, tools, ladders, and other tools necessary for fixing up the house. It took two days to remodel the house and by the time we finished, it looked like new. The family was thrilled and I had never felt more satisfaction. It felt so great to see my actions affect others in such a positive way. The last two days on the reservation were spent at the elementary school summer camp. There were many more children at the camp than I expected. Working the summer camp was a huge eye-opener for me. Our service groups were in charge of creating activities and keeping the children out of trouble and holding their attention for the day. I met three girls that instantly took to me and did not leave my side for the two days I worked the camp. I figured the girls did not have a steady female figure to look up to or play with at home, so I was more than happy to answer the many questions they asked. I also met a boy who had a tendency to be mischievous. He taunted other boys, and when the others retaliated, he began to cry and would not stop until the others were punished. After this incident, I took him aside to find out his motives behind his actions and he replied, “I get abused at home” and “my family hates me.” I was floored at his remark, but later found out he is a compulsive liar. After walking him home and seeing his dad firing a Beebe gun at the neighbor’s house while his toddler brother ran nude in the yard, I concluded he lied to get attention from his family. Never have I felt so helpless; I wish I could have turned life around for the tribe on the reservation. I took more away from the reservation than I feel I gave to it. I learned to appreciate everything I am blessed with and above all, take full advantage of the education I am able to receive.

Nancy Standley School of Dance

2007-10-04T16:17:00.000-05:00

Emotions are expressed in a copious amount of ways. Every individual has developed his/her own method of expressing each emotion. The way a person makes known an emotion or feeling, reflects upon the individual’s personality. Many times voice is included in showing emotion to help set the tone. Often, along with voice, comes some type of bodily movement, creating an action which displays an emotion. However, there are ways to express oneself by using merely body language. Dance is the unique art form allowing an individual to illustrate his/her personality and emotions by speaking with the body, rather than voice.
As I was sitting in the changing area, patiently anticipating the class to begin, I began to observe the dancers. I tried to get a feel for each girls’ personality, and what they were like. The girls were acting very similar, putting their ballet shoes on and preparing for class. When I met the teacher, she graciously greeted me and proceeded to introduce me to the dancers. She had already informed the girls I would be observing the class, and the girls welcomed me. The mood changed instantly when the teacher, Miss Nancy, introduced me to the girls. It was almost as if they were waiting for my approval by Miss Nancy.Nancy Standley School of Dance The room became livelier with the giggles of the five year olds. Miss Nancy led me into the dance studio which was absent of music and dancers. The walls were filled with a variety of dance posters, new and old. The floor was a light colored wood, and on the wood were apple shaped stickers, placed in seemingly random order. One wall was covered entirely with a mirror. A ballet bar ran along the complete width of two other walls. A cabinet containing the music player and countless CD’s, records, and tapes was placed in front of the fourth wall, near the door. The remaining area of a the fourth wall was decorated with pictures and awards the studio received over the years. As I entered the studio, I immediately felt familiarity and a sense of home. It resembled the studio I danced in for so many years of my life. I felt a sense of sadness and a strong desire to dance again. I sat down in a chair designated for me which was placed in the front corner of the room, near one of the doors. The girls walked past me, one by one, as they entered the room. With each girl came a personality and emotions. Some girls greeted me directly, others smiled shyly, and a few did not acknowledge me at all. One girl stood out immediately with her bubbly, outgoing personality and obvious enthusiastic emotions. With all the girls in, the room was bursting with energy. The happy, excited emotions clearly outweighed the calm and shy mood of a few dancers. The teacher instructed them to line up, side by side, and they did as they were told. For the most part, the girls were obedient and showed discipline. As Miss Nancy stood before them, I noticed the attire of the dancers and the teacher. Everyone was dressed traditionally, wearing black leotards, pink tights, a skirt, and pink tights. The dancers were given the privilege to wear their choice of color or design on their skirt.Dance Attire The girls were dressed alike, giving them an image of one, unity. In dance, the performers’ goal is to dance in perfect unison with each other, displaying the choreography as a whole, rather than each individual. A dancer stands out by facial expression and how much energy and style was put in to the choreography, not by clothing itself. However, as they stood in the line I noticed one blonde wearing a purple skirt among all brunettes wearing either pink or black skirts. The reason she stuck out so apparently is because there was no sense unification as they stood there; they were doing nothing more than following instructions.

The class began with the girls galloping around the room with colorful ribbons as a warm-up. The dancers proudly twirled the ribbons in the air. The girls moved gracefully and carefully, showing awareness of others around them. The mood was soft, stemmed by the light music and pastel colors of the ribbons. Everyone was smiling, showing the pleasure of the exercise. After warm-up, Miss Nancy quizzed the class on basic dance terminology. I was impressed with how many they knew, and how well they pronounced the words, many being French. Miss Nancy showed her satisfaction with the girls with complements and encouragement. Her positive attitude kept the class motivated and made them unafraid to make a mistake.When the vocabulary lesson was complete, Miss Nancy announced they would be dancing the Polka. One by one, Miss Nancy chose a girl to display the dance. The Polka music was upbeat, but with the amount of energy some dancers had, it was not fast enough. Many girls went too fast for the counts and were instructed to slow their pace to the rhythm of the music. This showed me they were excited to be dancing and enjoyed it. A dancer does not only show emotions through movements, but also in facial expression. Watching each individual girl, I was easily able to see their level of self-confidence and get a sense of what their personality is like. If a dancer kept her eyes down and never smiled, that signifies a lack of confidence. It is showing the audience, me, that the dancer is not proud of her talent and does not feel comfortable doing the movements. A dancer dancing with no confidence can be related to a baseball player at bat. A player is apparently lacking self-confidence when he/she is timid at the plate and rarely swings at a pitch; just as a dancer avoiding eye contact with the audience and showing no emotion in his/her face. In contrast, confidence is equally apparent when the dancer makes known her enjoyment and level of comfort.

Midway through class, the mood slowed, and the class took their places at the ballet bar. Once the music began, the girls grew serious, displaying concentration on their faces. Ballet is a beautiful style of dancing, which takes a considerable amount of musclediscipline to execute the moves correctly. By changing the style of dance, a change of
emotion occurred, as well. The music was soft, mostly piano, and set the tone. The energy level decreased, and the girls appeared calm. It was remarkable to see such a change in the class’ emotions by simply dancing in a different style.Dance Styles
As the hour was coming to an end, Miss Nancy instructed the girls to get into position for the recital dance. Once again, excitement filled the air and the energy level skyrocketed. The class’s reaction told me they enjoyed the routine, which caused me to focus my attention on the class. Miss Nancy began counting out the routine while the girls danced. Some remembered the moves better than others, but Miss Nancy made sure everyone felt comfortable before she began the music. When the music began, almost all the girls smiled with delight. As they performed the dance, although it was not flawless, I could see the confidence in their faces. Miss Nancy created a positive environment for the dancers, and it showed by their bravery to make mistakes. I felt this was a great way to end the class because the girls could take away a feeling a satisfaction and accomplishment. Before leaving the studio, each girl curtsied to Miss Nancy, showing respect and appreciation for all that she does. The class slowly deteriorated, one by one, much like how it began. As each girl left, she took away her influence of emotions, causing the room to grow increasingly lifeless. The dance studio is just like any other room. What makes it a dance studio is the accessories displayed and the people who occupy it. By looking around the dance studio, it is obvious the purpose of the room. The pictures, ballet bars, awards, and mirror are the personality and emotions of it, and the room does not need a voice to express that. Much like the studio, the people who make use of it, dancers, use an alternative to vocal expression. Dancers are able to show personality and emotion through body language and facial expressions. There is no right and wrong way to express an emotion, and every individual has one’s own method of doing so, based on his/her personality.

Jack's Mannequin in Lincoln, NE

2007-09-23T20:51:00.000-05:00

I chose this video because I absolutely love the song! This song makes me so happy and put me in a very good mood. I brings back so many wonderful memories for me, all involving my best friend Megan. My best friend Megan and I did almost everything together back in Omaha, and we always listened to this song. We would listen to this song for every mood; happy, sad, upset, or angry. When we were happy and getting ready for the evening, we would turn this song up really loud and sing with hair brushes, posing as microphones. That is one of my favorite memories for this song because it happened so many times, and every time was always more fun then the last. Whenever either of us were having a bad day, we would listen to this song and try to help each other cheer up. There were so many times when I would be having a bad day over a boy or something stupid, so I would go over to Megan's to talk with her and end up in tears listening to this song. Even though the song made me cry, it some how always ended up making me feel better...well the song and Megan both. I also listen to this song when I run. I like to run because it makes me feel good about myself, and it always puts me in a good mood. When I run, I listen to songs on my IPOD to held me stay motivated and energized. I choose certain songs to listen to when I'm tired or want to stop running before my workout is over. I choose "Dark Blue" to listen to when I'm ready to give up because it makes me feel good and gives me the last boost of energy I need. It puts me in a great mood because it makes me think about Megan and all the good times we've had together.

The Westfield-Gateway Mall

2007-09-19T18:08:00.000-05:00

The Westfield-Gateway Mall has a variety of sights and smells. The first sight I was interested in looking at for awhile was the Buckle clothing store. I explored around in the store for quite some time. I saw many different shirts, pants, sweatshirts, shoes, and accessories. Looking at all these items made me very excited and happy. I was overwhelmed by all the new merchandise they had received since my last visit. The store smelled very good, too, because it had their perfume and cologne fragrances available for testing. The Buckle is a very positive place for me to visit and always puts me in a wonderful mood.
American Eagle is another sight I chose to spend time at. I enjoyed looking at the selection of sweatshirts and shirts. The fall colors made me feel very relaxed and comfortable. They also reminded me of Halloween, which is my favorite holiday, and made me really look forward to it. American Eagle smelled wonderful because they have a variety of fragrances available for testing, as well.
There is a food court in the Westfield-Gateway Mall and it has many different places to choose from. The different fast food restaurants create a wonderful mixture of smells. All of the restaurants have menus with pictures to show their specialties. The pictures were bright and made to look very appetizing. With the picture and the smell of the restaurants’ food, it was hard for people to resist eating there. In the food court, there were many people. Some were standing in line, others sitting down to their meal. Most of the people looked very pleased, but others were trying desperately to watch after their children, making it hard for them to enjoy themselves.
The Westfield-Gateway Mall was a very enjoyable experience for me. It is a place I have been several times, but have never taken the time to notice the sights and smells around me. Now that I had made an effort to do so, I realized there is more to the mall than just shopping.

The Capital Building

2007-09-16T22:19:00.000-05:00

I chose to visit the Capital Building because I have been there before and really enjoyed it. I went there last year for a school field trip and found it to be very interesting. I was surprised by all the history inside, and the amazing artwork and design. The artwork was very beautiful and was everywhere throughout the building. The first design that caught my eye was the art on the ceiling. It was very creative and detailed; the thought behind it must have been grueling.
After looking at the artwork, I continued on to view the court rooms. The rooms are so old, and I think its awesome having so much history here. After looking at the rooms, I went up to the top of the building to the observation deck. That was the coolest part for me because I was able to look out over all of Lincoln. I could see everyone, but no one noticed me. It was very relaxing to stand up there and observe the city; I could have stayed there all day. I was happy I went back to the Capital Building because I almost forgot how beautiful it is.

Gunshots Fired Near 21st and Holdrege

2007-09-12T21:40:00.000-05:00

On late Monday, September 10, there were gunshots fired near 21st and Holdrege Gun Laws . I am really shaken up about this occurance because my best friend lives one block away from that location. He is really important to me and if anything happened to him I would be devastated. Also, my brother Evan lives right near there. If anything ever happened to those two boys I don't know if I would ever get over it.
Not only am I terrified for my best friend's life and my brother's life, I am also a little afraid for mine and my friends Scared Teens . I am scared because we hang out at both locations. I am not used to guns being fired around my home, and the news of that really shakes me up. I do not think that violence is the way to work out a problem. I am unsure of the circumstances that occurred that night, but I know they were not thinking about others around them.
My family and friends mean a lot to me and thought of them being hurt or injured by careless actions from others really scares me. I hope in the future that people learn to solve problems in other ways than in acts of violence.

The Lincoln Zoo, Sept. 9

2007-09-09T13:53:00.000-05:00

My experience at the zoo was exactly how I thought it was going to be. I have been to the Omaha Henry Doorly Zoo many times throughout my lifetime, and I have enjoyed it every time. However, this was my first visit to the Lincoln Zoo. I did not have a definite picture in my mind of what it would be like, but I was able to create a general idea. The zoo had a great atmosphere, great animals, and it was definitely full of surprises.
The first animal I saw was a reindeer. I was really excited to see the reindeer because it automatically made me think of Christmas, which is a very happy time of the year. After seeing the reindeer, goats, and sheep we moved on to the monkeys. I discovered there are 264 known species of monkey, but the zoo could only show a very small selection.
The monkeys were fun to watch because they were hyper and moving about their cage, unlike some other exhibits, whom were not very active Monkey. The next attraction we were interested in were the turtles. While viewing the turtles, we were given a free show, which left us all in shock because there were so many children around. Another animal, the baboon, gave us a rather disturbing show, and as I was walking away I had very mixed feelings. The baboon was very aggressive towards us as we observed them in their habitat. The male attacked the viewing window a few times and screamed at us. I do not know whether he was defending his home, or embarrassed at what we saw. One animal that I was looking forward to seeing, and hoped the zoo had, is the camel. I was very happy when saw them, and I was even more pleased when we discovered the zoo had two different types of camel. The zoo houses the two-hump camel, the Bactrian Camel, and the one-hump camel, the Arabian Camel. It was interesting to me to learn camels had different names, and not all camels have two humps. The camels were very friendly and allowed us to pet them. We were surprised to see that the camels fur was matted like carpet, which is not very soft Camel. After petting the camels, we moved onto the jaguar. The jaguar is a very beautiful animal, but also one of the meanest. It spent the time we were viewing it pacing back and forth in it’s home.
The Lincoln Zoo was a very good experience, and it also forced me to get off campus and explore something new. I am happy with my choice to visit the zoo because I was excited and interested in what I was doing. The animals were fun and, for the most part, active and lively. The other families at the zoo were pleasant and staff was helpful, as well. I defiantly saw a few things that I was not expecting, but overall I had a great time.

Test Post

2007-08-31T14:31:00.001-05:00

First post for ENG 001 Section 07.