Friday, December 16, 2011
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
Why New Orleans Matters #5
We are in the planning stages of our final projects!
Having discussed the bejesus out of this book, we are now oranizing our thoughts on paper and thinking up creative ways to jazz up the presentation. Snacks will be involved, as well as a pleasant soundtrack to enhance the ambiance. We haven't really discussed at length what we will have in our written portion, as we are all taking separate elements of the presentation, but rest assured, you will not be disappointed.
Having discussed the bejesus out of this book, we are now oranizing our thoughts on paper and thinking up creative ways to jazz up the presentation. Snacks will be involved, as well as a pleasant soundtrack to enhance the ambiance. We haven't really discussed at length what we will have in our written portion, as we are all taking separate elements of the presentation, but rest assured, you will not be disappointed.
Serving in Florida
Ahh, the absolute hell that is working in a restaurant; I know this game.
Barbara Eirenrich's study in lower-class people working minimum-wage jobs is intersting, true to life, and yet oddly as if the reader is a visitor at the zoo, peering in on some exotic creature from some far-away land. Maybe it's because I myself am not lower-class with a low-paying job, but I felt that her writing style made the reader feel too much like an outsider. Perhaps it's because she herself was an outsider while she was working undercover.
I myself have wroked in jobs with very low salaries, with lower-class co-workers, and I will say I was taken aback at times at their minimal ambitions and dead-end attitudes. But they are still people, and should probably be portrayed as such. I'm not trying to vindicate Eirenrich, but just saying that perhaps she should have spent more time on shaping the image of the people she worked with, rather than slander the jobs she was working, and therefore remind the reader that the person who serves them their fast food is indeed human too.
Otherwise, it was well-written and engaging, a good case of undercover journalism. Just maybe she should have spent less time making us laugh and more time on sticking to the realism of that which is life for many many ordinary people.
Barbara Eirenrich's study in lower-class people working minimum-wage jobs is intersting, true to life, and yet oddly as if the reader is a visitor at the zoo, peering in on some exotic creature from some far-away land. Maybe it's because I myself am not lower-class with a low-paying job, but I felt that her writing style made the reader feel too much like an outsider. Perhaps it's because she herself was an outsider while she was working undercover.
I myself have wroked in jobs with very low salaries, with lower-class co-workers, and I will say I was taken aback at times at their minimal ambitions and dead-end attitudes. But they are still people, and should probably be portrayed as such. I'm not trying to vindicate Eirenrich, but just saying that perhaps she should have spent more time on shaping the image of the people she worked with, rather than slander the jobs she was working, and therefore remind the reader that the person who serves them their fast food is indeed human too.
Otherwise, it was well-written and engaging, a good case of undercover journalism. Just maybe she should have spent less time making us laugh and more time on sticking to the realism of that which is life for many many ordinary people.
Sunday, November 20, 2011
Tent City 2011
So, Tent City -- that perplexing collection of mismatched tents that appears in the RCC Toilet Bowl every November, accompanied by young, often soggy students in various states of unwashedness and general misery. This phenomenon manifests itself on the BSU campus every year around this time, and is met with discontent, scorn, or admiration, depending on who you are. Designed to raise awareness of the plight of the homeless, it causes quite a stir on campus, and is subject to much scrutiny while it is in existence. We as a class got to chat with some of the participants, and got the inside scoop on their motives and goals for their curious doings.
Nikki Sauber, the co-president of BSU's Social Justice League, is Passionate with a capital P. She has spearheaded the Tent City event for five years now, and after a considerable amount of struggle, has finally managed to make it a (somewhat) reputable and successful endeavor. She and her cohorts in justice reserve the space, get all the necessary forms signed, organize services for those students participating, and invite speakers to present to the students about homeless and related issues in Massachusetts and the rest of the country. Nikki and her peers acknowledge the fact that by camping out for a week on a relatively well-off college campus, they cannot begin to know the struggle those without the comforts of four wall have to contend with, but their goal is ultimately to raise awareness of the plight.
We spoke to another student volunteer, Katrina, who touched on the some of the struggles the participants must deal with on a daily basis. They must use only public facilities for their personal needs, like showering, eating, and using the computer. Often, they get flack from non-participators who have nothing better to do with their time than to make life frustrating for others. There have been reports of tents damaged, events interrupted, and belongings stolen. Somehow, the message is lost on some thicker individuals.
Nikki had high hopes for this event when it was first conceived, but never imagined it would garner so much attention. She says that, through no effort of hers, word of BSU's Tent City has spread to other colleges, some as far away as Florida, and she now has supporters who would love to join her crusade in fostering awareness among well-off students on their priveleged campuses. Nikki and her cause set the bar high for the rest of us hoping to make a difference and open the minds of others to things much bigger than ourselves.
I, for one, would love to participate in Tent City, but my schedule and extra-curricular commitments dictate otherwise. There is always next year. I think it is a great thing these students are doing, raising awareness that there are issues out there a bit bigger than running out of dining dollars or being locked out of InfoBear. Hard as that is to believe.
Nikki Sauber, the co-president of BSU's Social Justice League, is Passionate with a capital P. She has spearheaded the Tent City event for five years now, and after a considerable amount of struggle, has finally managed to make it a (somewhat) reputable and successful endeavor. She and her cohorts in justice reserve the space, get all the necessary forms signed, organize services for those students participating, and invite speakers to present to the students about homeless and related issues in Massachusetts and the rest of the country. Nikki and her peers acknowledge the fact that by camping out for a week on a relatively well-off college campus, they cannot begin to know the struggle those without the comforts of four wall have to contend with, but their goal is ultimately to raise awareness of the plight.
We spoke to another student volunteer, Katrina, who touched on the some of the struggles the participants must deal with on a daily basis. They must use only public facilities for their personal needs, like showering, eating, and using the computer. Often, they get flack from non-participators who have nothing better to do with their time than to make life frustrating for others. There have been reports of tents damaged, events interrupted, and belongings stolen. Somehow, the message is lost on some thicker individuals.
Nikki had high hopes for this event when it was first conceived, but never imagined it would garner so much attention. She says that, through no effort of hers, word of BSU's Tent City has spread to other colleges, some as far away as Florida, and she now has supporters who would love to join her crusade in fostering awareness among well-off students on their priveleged campuses. Nikki and her cause set the bar high for the rest of us hoping to make a difference and open the minds of others to things much bigger than ourselves.
I, for one, would love to participate in Tent City, but my schedule and extra-curricular commitments dictate otherwise. There is always next year. I think it is a great thing these students are doing, raising awareness that there are issues out there a bit bigger than running out of dining dollars or being locked out of InfoBear. Hard as that is to believe.
Why New Orleans Matters #4
And so, it is finished. The end of Why New Orleans Matters sort of grinds to a halt with a sigh and a sputter, albeit a sparkly one (if that's even possible). I believe that Piazza means everything he says, but there's only so many times he can say it without sounding like a broken record submerged in swamp water. The ending was sweet, giving us one more resounding chorus of praise heaped upon the city of New Orleans, reasons upon reasons of why it needs to keep exisitng and what it will do for genreations to come. Needless to say, the conclusion dragged on for much too long, as my fellow book club members agree. We discussed it, and, as guilty as we felt, we all agreed that we are not confident that Piazza achieved what he wanted to in writing this book. We certainly know the names of a lot of restaurants we'd like to visit, and everyone now wants a New Orleans funeral after their demise, but we are not sure if we feel for the city. I suppose in order to feel what Piazza feels, one would have to be a denizen of the city itself, to be able to relate to what he talks about. For those of us who aren't it is a lovely book/travel guide, complete with some touching stories, which tells us just enough about the city to make us consider visiting someday to see what all the fuss is about.
Before reading this book, I myslef knew a bit about New Orleans culture and art, having grown up listening to creole and zydeco music, and famous artisits such as Dr. John and Muddy Water. So I know a bit about what New Orleans has to offer. But for those who are entirely unfamiliar, this book is merely a collection of pretty imagery and foreign-sounding names and words. Piazza presents a heartfelt snapshot of life, what it used to be, and what it could be again for him and his fellow New Orleanians. And us unfamiliar readers feel like guests at a party where the host has invited a close circle of friends and shares numerous inside jokes with them, so much so that we consider taking our seven-layer dip and eating on the porch by ourselves.
I sound like a bitch in this post. But I feel slightly comforted that my fellow book clubbers feel similarly. Nice book; weak statement.
Before reading this book, I myslef knew a bit about New Orleans culture and art, having grown up listening to creole and zydeco music, and famous artisits such as Dr. John and Muddy Water. So I know a bit about what New Orleans has to offer. But for those who are entirely unfamiliar, this book is merely a collection of pretty imagery and foreign-sounding names and words. Piazza presents a heartfelt snapshot of life, what it used to be, and what it could be again for him and his fellow New Orleanians. And us unfamiliar readers feel like guests at a party where the host has invited a close circle of friends and shares numerous inside jokes with them, so much so that we consider taking our seven-layer dip and eating on the porch by ourselves.
I sound like a bitch in this post. But I feel slightly comforted that my fellow book clubbers feel similarly. Nice book; weak statement.
Thursday, November 3, 2011
Why New Orleans Matter #3
This is the part of the book that, supposedly, is rumored to drag. I didn't necessarily think that, but I did get overwhlemed by the excessive and repetitive descriptions. Piazza needn't have beat the tableau of the New Orleanian family to death; as bad as it sounds, the picture of the stereotypical poor black family is a well-known one, and to put it on paper seems a bit too much. Especially more than once. Something in Piazza's despcriptions, perhaps in his repetition, brings me to believe that he dis not spend as much time with the underpriveleged black of New Orleans as he leads us to beleive, and that he makes up for this fact by over-describing them. Perhaps that is jsut my take on his writing, but it seems a tad pretentious, almost maudlin, to be entirely believable.
The description of he and his wife returning to their homes after the flood was highly effective; i felt nauseous reading it. This was one of the only parts of the book thus far that felt sincere. After all, these were his worldly possessions and his abode that were damaged, anyone would be upset. However, there is something missing in the setup of this scene, perhaps a snippet of personal narrative that was never mentioned, in order to make the pain real. What I mean is, up to this point Piazza has spent so much time writing a travel guide that it seems he himself does not have enough personal ties to it. It is his adopted city, but I would have liked something more of himself in the numerous descriptions of the place. Perhaps, is this book had been written by someone else who had been hit harder and lived there longer, it would have been that much more effective. But that's just me.
The description of he and his wife returning to their homes after the flood was highly effective; i felt nauseous reading it. This was one of the only parts of the book thus far that felt sincere. After all, these were his worldly possessions and his abode that were damaged, anyone would be upset. However, there is something missing in the setup of this scene, perhaps a snippet of personal narrative that was never mentioned, in order to make the pain real. What I mean is, up to this point Piazza has spent so much time writing a travel guide that it seems he himself does not have enough personal ties to it. It is his adopted city, but I would have liked something more of himself in the numerous descriptions of the place. Perhaps, is this book had been written by someone else who had been hit harder and lived there longer, it would have been that much more effective. But that's just me.
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
Why New Orleans Matters #2
In reading the first three chapters of this book, I feel as though I could list all of the best restaurants in (or that used to be in) New Orleans, and also the greastest jazz musicians the city has ever produced. Piazza obviously has a great love and passion for this city and its denizens, and is evidently so overcome by this passion, that all he can do is list over and over again its virtues. He is a good writer, but it almost seems as though his final product went largely unedited; paragraphs end in parenthetical phrases, he skips around between topics without much justification, and repeats himself an awful lot. I enjoy his writing, and I feel I am learning quite a bit, I only wish it were organized a bit better.
Having said that, I am getting a feel for what New Orleans was before the flood, and what its people hope it will become whenever the mess is finally cleaned up (literally and also in a spiritual sense, pertaining to the psychologial state of its inhabitants). Piazza gets very excited when talking about his adopted city, and you believe him when he says that if you talk to anyone else from New Orleans, they will share the same enthusiasm for the city. I am getting enthused myself, just reading it. I found myself gasping aloud and muttering "Oh wow" as I read his descriptions of the sights, sounds, and practices from around the city, at any given time of year. It makes me want to go there, maybe even live there as Piazza did. I am just looking forward to seeing how he will continue to strengthen his case for remembering and rebuilding New Orleans; surely an extended list of restaurants couldn't possibly fill five more chapters....or could it?
Having said that, I am getting a feel for what New Orleans was before the flood, and what its people hope it will become whenever the mess is finally cleaned up (literally and also in a spiritual sense, pertaining to the psychologial state of its inhabitants). Piazza gets very excited when talking about his adopted city, and you believe him when he says that if you talk to anyone else from New Orleans, they will share the same enthusiasm for the city. I am getting enthused myself, just reading it. I found myself gasping aloud and muttering "Oh wow" as I read his descriptions of the sights, sounds, and practices from around the city, at any given time of year. It makes me want to go there, maybe even live there as Piazza did. I am just looking forward to seeing how he will continue to strengthen his case for remembering and rebuilding New Orleans; surely an extended list of restaurants couldn't possibly fill five more chapters....or could it?
Thursday, September 29, 2011
Why New Orleans Matters #1
I perused this book a bit while the rest of our book club locates the book, and I was horrified at what I read in the Introduction. Granted, I wasn't all that involved in any relief efforts after the hurricane struck, but I expected to be informed a bit more about what exactly was going on in New Orleans and the surrounding areas. I knew of the evacuation to the Astrodome in Houston, but I had never heard of the horrifying events that occurred at evacuation site nearer to the city itself. I feel as though the country at large was woefully uninformed of the catastrophes within the catastrophe. Corpses rotting on the sidewalks? Young girls being raped? Doctors operating without electricity or sanitary conditions? I had no idea any of this happened. I feel horribly ignorant and small-minded to admit it, but it's true. Perhaps I was too young to understand, or too busy with navigating my own way through the floodwaters of my first year of high school to really comprehend the magnitude of the horror that was Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath. Natural disaster made an entire city go completely insane.
Granted, that is not really what this book is meant to be about; it is an examination of the loss and reconstruction of a culture, and the iconic characteristics of a city that were washed away in the blink of an eye. But the Introduction was useful in setting the scene for what monstrous force could actually make a people forget who they are and spiral down into the lowest incarnation of humanity. I look forward to reading more of Piazza's discussion of this phenomenon and its remedies. It looks to be promising, having read thus far.
Granted, that is not really what this book is meant to be about; it is an examination of the loss and reconstruction of a culture, and the iconic characteristics of a city that were washed away in the blink of an eye. But the Introduction was useful in setting the scene for what monstrous force could actually make a people forget who they are and spiral down into the lowest incarnation of humanity. I look forward to reading more of Piazza's discussion of this phenomenon and its remedies. It looks to be promising, having read thus far.
Monday, September 26, 2011
More questions....
What is your favorite thing to do outside of work?
Who has had the most influence on you at BSU? In your life?
How do you unwind after work?
What's your biggest achievement?
Who has had the most influence on you at BSU? In your life?
How do you unwind after work?
What's your biggest achievement?
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
Five Questions
Out of my three candidates, the one I have chosen is Randy the Janitor at the RCC. He is a really nice guy, but no one ever hears him say anything more than "Hello" and "How are you?" But I'm sure he has pleanty more to say about the school, its students, and the everyday goings-on in the RCC.
A list of possible questions I may ask, specific to him:
1. How did you come by this job?
2. What's the most outrageous thing that you have ever witness or have had happen to you in the RCC?
3. What's your opinion of the BSU student body overall?
4. What is one goal that you would like to accomplish this year, in terms of your job, and in terms of life in general?
5. What is your favorite time of year/place in the RCC?
A list of possible questions I may ask, specific to him:
1. How did you come by this job?
2. What's the most outrageous thing that you have ever witness or have had happen to you in the RCC?
3. What's your opinion of the BSU student body overall?
4. What is one goal that you would like to accomplish this year, in terms of your job, and in terms of life in general?
5. What is your favorite time of year/place in the RCC?
Monday, September 19, 2011
Profiles
My top three people I would like to do profiles on are:
Suzanne Ramczyk: Theatre professor at BSU, terrifying, fascinating, despicable, intriguing. Though she pontificates considerably, mainly about herself, not much is known about her personal life or what kind of a person she really is. It would be very interesting and beneficial to get to know her on a more human level.
Randy: Maintainer in the Rondileau Campus Center. Always says hello, aquainted with a majority of the theatre students, though not much is known about him. Janitors always have the most interesting things to say, about the buildings they maintain, the life that passes through them, or life in general.
Taras Leshischin: Voice teacher at BSU. Taras is extremely dedicated to his students, and when he doesn't get the recognition he deserves, he soldiers on anyway, for the sake of his students. It would be interesting to interview a person whose entire life revolves around their art; singing is the means whereby Taras pays the rent, puts food on the table, makes connections, and gets from place to place, so to speak. He has also led a fascinating life, which would make for a good profile.
Suzanne Ramczyk: Theatre professor at BSU, terrifying, fascinating, despicable, intriguing. Though she pontificates considerably, mainly about herself, not much is known about her personal life or what kind of a person she really is. It would be very interesting and beneficial to get to know her on a more human level.
Randy: Maintainer in the Rondileau Campus Center. Always says hello, aquainted with a majority of the theatre students, though not much is known about him. Janitors always have the most interesting things to say, about the buildings they maintain, the life that passes through them, or life in general.
Taras Leshischin: Voice teacher at BSU. Taras is extremely dedicated to his students, and when he doesn't get the recognition he deserves, he soldiers on anyway, for the sake of his students. It would be interesting to interview a person whose entire life revolves around their art; singing is the means whereby Taras pays the rent, puts food on the table, makes connections, and gets from place to place, so to speak. He has also led a fascinating life, which would make for a good profile.
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