In Class: Whatever

I had a really short thanksgiving break because I had to come back to Fort Worth Friday morning to work a closing shift on black Friday. That wasn't very fun. Surprisingly, the worst day over the weekend was Saturday. I didn't leave work until 12:30am and had been there since 3:00pm. Retail changes the way you view the Holidays. Trust me. Other than having to leave home early, my break was okay. I got to see my entire family so that was good. Plus, I even got to go to the old Dance hall out by my house. When I say Dance hall, I mean dance hall. The place has been around since the early 1900's and is connected an old inn.

Hopefully this week will remain easy, then next week will be easy as well. Finals week will be the tough one. After that, I will stay in Fort Worth for the majority of my break and work.

Unit 3 Proposal

1) Our Topic: Era of "the domestic housewife" is ending

2) What we want to say in this ongoing argument: We agree that this “era” is ending. We're trying to argue that It’s not a bad thing, it's become more of the norm especially during the recession. More men are staying at home because more women were able to keep their jobs. Ultimately, we are supporting this change in attitude.

3) Target audiences:
-Young men of marrying age (all races , middle/high class)
-Women of marrying age of (all races, middle/high class)
-Young/middle-aged married couples (all races, middle/high class)



4) Genres/mediums we plan on using for this argument:
- Facebook group- Targeting all three audiences
- Apron- Targeting men. We want to make it appealing to them so that they don’t feel emasculated by staying at home.
- Article- Targeting married couples in a men’s magazine…saying that it's okay to stay home and be, "Mr. Mom".

In Class: Reading 2

From last night's reading, I didn't learn anything because I didn't read. I cannot find my book. I think I left it at my home in Austin the last time I visited....bummer.

Unit 3 Blog

For the unit three group project, my group will include Rachel Boone and Karen Morles. My title for the group will be Presenter extraordinaire. I will focus on the presentation of the project and making sure everything involved will be excellent. As the Presenter extraordinaire, I will make sure that the presentation we make for out arguments meets all of the requirements as assigned. I will contribute in every way possible in order to make the creative arguments for our presentation.

Even though our group has assigned roles, we will be taking this project on as a group, putting forth equal amounts of effort throughout the assignment. We all agreed that the best groups are those when all members participate and encourage participation throughout the entire project. When people focus solely on a particular part of a project, it removes the group aspect and results in a less uniform product.

In Class: Group Work

An ideal group for me would be one that no one person thinks they are in charge. My biggest pet peeve is when someone in never satisfied with the work that anybody else does. I understand making small changes, but when someone feels the need to edit the entire thing all over again is when I get angry. A good group will have members that encourage people to speak up and state their opinions. Also, people will be open to meeting outside of class and will stay on topic while meeting as much as possible.

Unit 2 Proposal

For my Unit 2 proposal, I have decided to look at the arguments in response to the February 2010 decision by the FEI (International Equestrian Federation) to limit the use of a technique known as Rollkur in international Dressage Competitions. Rollkur (also known as Hyperflexion) is a training technique in which a horses head is carried behind the vertical. Many people find this technique to be unnatural and abusive to the horse, believing it contributes to severe neck bone and muscle injuries. The decision of the FEI was to ban Rollkur, which they defined as "flexion of the horse’s neck achieved through aggressive force, which is therefore unacceptable." However, they stated that the technique known as LDR (Low, Dreep and Round) was "Acceptable." This is interesting because LDR has the horses head in the same position as Rollkur, the only difference is the method used to achieve it - which is where the controversy starts. People weren't necessarily upset with the method used to achieve the positioning, it was the positioning itself that caused concern.

I intend to look for primary sources from Blogs and magazines. Mostly, I will use blogs created by horseback riders and those who enjoy following Dressage. Most individuals had something to say once the FEI's decision came out in February. Also, I have a Magazine called "Practical Horseman" that has a column from a highly respected U.S. horseman in direct response to the FEI's decision.

I chose this topic/event because it is one that I am truly interested in being an avid horseback rider. The people that are using Rollkur are not only casual riders that show at mid-level circuit, but also some of the most respected and accomplished riders in the world. You can click here to see a non-biased video that explains Rollkur/Hyperflexion and shows it being used in the training ring as well as the show ring.

In Class: First Paragraph

The Rangers Ballpark in Arlington is one of my favorite places to go. I love everything about it, the sights, the sounds, and even the smells. There's nothing like walking in from the center field gates, walking past the Nolan Ryan statue and just looking out over the ballpark. The grass is the greenest grass you will ever see and it is complimented by the 40,000 dark green seats that surround it. My favorite time to be there is during batting practice, before the game even starts. It's early, so there isn't many other people there. It's almost like I have the whole stadium to myself. I sit down and listen to the sounds of baseball. Bat and ball, ball and glove. It's actually quite relaxing.

In Class: Peer Workshops

I have had lots of experience with in class peer workshops. My very first semester at TCU, I took the Freshman English course and it was set up in almost the exact same format. We did peer workshops with our first drafts. At first I was a little hesitant about having people read my paper, but after a while I became comfortable with it and eventually grew to enjoy it and find it very helpful. I found the advice and suggestions were extremely helpful and actually did help in making my paper better. Sometimes though, I felt as if my peers didn't really care to read or help. Those were the ones that made peer review a little annoying. However, I think there were far more people interested in actually revising papers than those that weren't. Overall, I think peer review is a helpful tool in revising a paper.

In Class: Important Notes from my Notes

I need to clarify how I approximated the ratio of Ranger to Yankees fans. This seemed to be interesting to the people that read my paper.

I need to address the casual fan v.s serious fan. Discuss in detail, how I can tell them apart as well as make note of what may bring the casual fan to the ballpark. Obviously, we know why the serious fan goes to the game, but why does the casual fan go?

I also can discuss why the Yankees bring so much emotion to a baseball game and why they bring so many fans with them. I have learned from my notes that some people aren't familiar with the fact that the Yankees are one of the (if not the) most popular team in MLB. Being popular is what brings people to watch the Yankees, as there is no "Rivalry" between the Yankees and Rangers in particular. I need to note that the Yankees are a first place team right now, and that this game was more than just "another game". This series could be re-created in the post season, making it extremely important.

In Class: Observation process

The observation process was what I expected. I have been to so many baseball games and have been to the Rangers Ballpark in Arlington so many times that I have seen almost everything there is to see. As usual, the Yankees fans were extremely annoying and rude. Fights broke out, and people were getting tossed (not the players) out of the stadium left and right. However, this is typical anytime the Yankees (or even Boston) comes to town. Also, many of their fans were not from New York. They were the typical bandwagon fans that only pick up a Yankees hat when they come to Texas. All of the highlights from the game were typical for a baseball game. The only odd thing about the game was that it went into extra innings, and we had a walk-off win. It was great, but I experienced almost the same thing a few ago at a Boston game.

The ballpark was packed, as I suspected it would be. Even though the game went past midnight, I don't think more than 10 people had left. Where there is usually free, or discounted parking it was $10. Overall, I was able to make many observations.

Blog #4: Public Space Ethos, Pathos, and Logos

The Rangers Ballpark in Arlington has makes many arguments appealing to Ethos, Pathos, and Logos:

Ethos - Character, credibility
An appeal to Ethos is one of the most obvious arguments made at the ballpark. If you're not sitting on the first base side, you can easily spot three pennants displayed along a concrete wall. These pennants are from the years that the Rangers won the AL West division title - 1996, 1998, and 1999. These titles establish that the Rangers have had some success in past and establishes their credibility. However, many non-Rangers fans use these titles to make the exact opposite argument - That the Rangers aren't a very successful team, lowering their credibility as a ball club. Another Ethos argument in the constant presence of Nolan Ryan. For those who are not baseball fans, Nolan Ryan is one of the greatest pitchers in Major League Baseball. Video clips play during the game showing his 4,000th, 5,000th, and 5,714th career strikeouts - all in a Ranger Uniform. Having his presence at the Ballpark - historically and literally (he owns part of the Rangers and attends most games) significantly boosts the credibility of the Rangers.

Pathos - Emotion
If you are a hardcore baseball fan, it's hard not to experience emotion during a game, especially if it's extra innings at home against the New York Yankees. Since the game became tied in the bottom of the 8th, you could feel the tension in the air. Every single inning after that, it only grew. Every single time contact was made between bat and ball, there was a reaction, no matter if it was way foul or out to the warning track. However, the greatest emotion was felt when a Walk-off home run was hit in the bottom of the 13th by a Ranger Player. The excitement and energy felt was incredible. Every single Ranger fan walked away with a newfound sense of pride.

Logos - Logic
Baseball is a game of statistics. At all times, statistics for the game being played can be seen on the giant scoreboard above home run porch. These statistics can be obviously used to make arguments about a players performance during a game. With one quick glance, you would be able to tell that Elvis Andrus has gone 1-3 with a single to right field, two K's and a walk. While offensive statistics are usually reliable, pitching statistics can really mislead someone. For example: A pitcher can throw a no-hitter but get a loss at the same time. I could explain it, if you want!

In Class: Logos Item

For my logos item, I am using the box score from a recent baseball game. A box score contains all of the information in statistical form from a baseball game. If you understand baseball, you will be able to almost recreate the entire game based upon the numbers in the box score. All of the happenings are based upon the observations made during the game.

Blog Post #3

For my public space analysis paper, I have decided to observe The Rangers Ballpark in Arlington. I have chosen this place because I really enjoy going to the ballpark and think that it is a place that will have lots of things to observe. The wide variety of people that go to the ballpark alone makes it an appealing place to observe.

Upon observation, I expect to see a wide variety of people, ranging from families out for a night of fun to dedicated season ticket holders. I plan to go to one game against the Yankees and one game against the Detroit Tigers. It will be interesting to see the how the crowd differs for each game, especially considering that the Yankees tend to travel well.

I do not consider myself apart of the Target audience at Ballpark. I would go to a game rain or shine, win or loose. I don't have to been drawn in by a special giveaway or a popular opponent.

Unfortunately, because I have been to a lot of baseball games I already have an idea of what to expect. At the Yankees games, I expect lots of annoying Yankee "bandwagon" fans. During the Detroit games, there will probably be lots of casual fans, pretending to know a lot about the Rangers. I can hopefully overcome these obstacles by going to the ballpark with an open mind and by not making any judgments before the 5th inning.

In Class: Ethos object

To represent ethos, I have brought a stack of baseball tickets. Being a girl, if I tell people I'm a baseball fan, they automatically assume that I only like it to watch the players or that I know very little about it. They assume that I am a 'casual fan'. A casual fan is someone who goes to a few games a year, knows a little bit about the sport, and can only name the major players. However, I am a lot more than just a casual fan. So far, I have been to over 15 Ranger games this year (and counting). My stack of tickets makes an appeal to my authority on baseball, and proves that I am more than just a casual fan.

In Class: Understanding Pathos for Public Space

Being able to understand pathos will be helpful in writing my public space essay. Emotion is something that can be felt, although probably not the same to everyone, and analyzed. Being able to feel that emotion can help in trying to figure what is going on the space at that moment. It will help in being able to tell what the people of the space want and expect.

In Class: Pathos

For my pathos object, I have brought a bracelet made out of the stitching of a baseball. I enjoy baseball greatly because it is enjoyable to watch, however I also enjoy it because baseball is very popular with my family and was a favorite of my late Grandfather.. One of the last things we ever did together was watch a Rangers game on TV. I will never forget that game. It was the Rangers against the Angels. Emotions were running high that game. A Ranger pitcher threw a questionable pitch and the Angel batter went running straight towards the pitcher. I will never forget seeing all of the players out on the field, throwing punches and going crazy.

Blog Post #2

It is evident that BP is attempting to win over the residents affected by the Gulf oil spill using their ad "Making it Right: Communities". BP is doing this by using several different methods of argument that make the ad seem more sincere and thoughtful to the viewers.

One argument type, and possibly the most obvious, is the Rogerian Argument. A Rogerian argument is one that attempts to find common ground within opposing points of view. Within the first 20 seconds of the ad, the spokeswoman begins stating how it is "her job to listen to shrimpers, and fisherman, hotel and restaurant workers, and find ways to help." The fisherman, shrimpers, and workers are the ones who would have an opposite point of view of that of BP. Having someone in charge of listening to the people, helps in finding common ground with the two potentially opposing views which makes this a Rogerian Argument.

This ad also contains one of the more basic arguments, the Argument to Inform. An Argument to inform simply says or tells something, or creates awareness. In this ad, BP is creating awareness about their efforts to clean up and help the people affected by the spill. For example, they highlight their financial support by mentioning their "120,000 claims payments" as well as their "20 billion dollar claims fund" all designed to restore the economy in affected area.

An Argument about the Future, a debate about what will or should happen in the future, is also used in the BP ad. The entire theme of the ad is 'we will make it right', focusing on BP's efforts to restore the Gulf to what it used to be. In the ad, the spokeswoman states that "BP is going to be here [in the Gulf] until the oil is gone and the people and businesses are back to normal." BP is arguing that the future of the Gulf will be a positive one.

BP is also using an Argument to Convince. From the beginning it is quite obvious that BP is attempting to convince viewers that they have the Gulf situation under control. The very statement in the commercial states that "no oil has flowed into the Gulf for weeks", which helps convince viewers of BP's efforts.

A last argument used by BP is an Argument to Explore. Arguments to explore require exploration of some type, which is done by BP in their ad. They are exploring those affected by the oil and discovering what they can do to help recovery efforts. A quality of Arguments to Explore is that they can be personal. This ad attempts to reach the viewers on a personal level by having a woman from New Orleans be front and center of the ad. She has the ability to relate to the people of the Gulf on a personal level than that of a foreign BP executive.

Overall, the ad does a good job of using arguments to get their point across and to win the trust of the American people. If a viewer for to base their judgments on BP solely on this ad, then I believe they would be quite convinced of BP's efforts. However, the American media has played a large role in exposing many loop holes that BP has used throughout the entire Gulf Spill.

In Class: My Space

For essay one, I will hopefully be going to The Rangers Ballpark in Arlington. This space appealed to me because of how much I enjoy watching baseball. I have already been to the ballpark many times and know that is can offer a wide variety of observations. It will be interesting to go to there to observe people rather than the game. This space appealed to me because it is one of my favorite place to go and I think it will be an interesting public place to analyze.

In Class: The First Week of School

So far, my first week of school has been relatively normal. My classes are gradually getting more difficult as I prepare to enter the business school. This semester, my classes are particularly math-oriented so I can already tell I'm going to have a lot of homework. My professors all seem pretty cool, they are each really different though, especially when it comes to their teaching styles. One talks extremely fast, and is very hard to keep up with while others seems to drag on. I'm sure that's a pretty common thing though in college.

This is the first year that I have lived off campus, so driving to school every morning has been a little different, although I am not missing Bluu food at all. Also this week, my roommate and I have cooked out first meals. Although we are not too confident yet, I'm sure we'll get better as we go. We actually made Fettichini Alfredo for our very first meal and it tasted pretty good. Don't laugh, but we have yet to actually figure out to work our salt and pepper shakers.

Entry #1

My name is Holly and I am a Junior accounting major here at TCU. I am from a very small town just outside of Austin, Texas called Coupland. There, I live on a working 80+ acre farm. Each year, we plant, grow, and harvest corn, maze, and cotton. What makes home so special to me is that it has been in the family for five generations now. The soil we use today is the same soil my Great-Great Grandparents from Germany used to grow their crops. I really enjoy watching baseball. I'm a huge Rangers fan and usually go to more games than you can count on your hands and toes. I also really enjoy horseback riding when I have the time.

I have chosen to take this course because it is apart of the required core curriculum at TCU. From this class, I hope to become a better writer and most importantly, become more confident in my writing.

Currently, my writing is almost completely limited to what I write on social networking sites, such as Facebook, and texting. Overall, I feel as if my writing isn't as strong as it could be. Many times, I feel like I can think of something good to write, but have issues actually putting that thought onto paper. I believe this issue is the biggest challenge I face when trying to improve my writing.

This blog can be considered an informative argument because it can "inform members of an audience about something they didn't know." My entire introduction can be used to inform my classmates and my teacher about myself. Not only is my writing a way to inform people, but my background and the various gadgets on my blog can also be informative. My background is a bright pink, which could inform readers about my bubbly personality. The fish gadgets can argue that I'm a little silly, too. Hopefully the amount I have written, as well as the 'carefully planned layout' argues my active participation in the course, as well.

I have read, understand, and agree to the terms of the course syllabus.