For Monday, September 29

All:

Please read "Images of Main Street" from Writing and Place (WP), and try to have decided upon something (Newspaper or Magazine Article, Comedy Routine, TV Drama, Advertisement, Corporate Logo, etc etc etc...your choice) to use for your Rhetorical Analysis paper. If you are struggling to find something, perhaps keep in mind some questions: What is this claiming? What is the communicator trying to convey? How is he/she trying to reach me (what means? emotions? logic? authority?)? Are the arguments strong? Are there fallacies that I could highlight? What is the communicator perhaps not considering? What are the assumptions they want me to make? Am I their intended audience (and if not, to whom are they speaking)? What could have been done to make this more effective? And so on...If you choose a piece of writing or media that, when viewed by these questions, begins to generate responses that interest you, then you might be hitting on something that would be worth using. Also, maybe keep in mind some of the questions raised by the "Economic Citizenship and the Rhetoric of Gourmet Coffee" essay from WP. If you are truly struggling with coming up with a solid idea, then come talk to me.

Adios...have a good weekend and don't do anything I would do.

For Wednesday, September 10th

Please read the New Yorker article about suicide at the Golden Gate bridge. It has been sent to your Miami email account in a link, but if you encounter problems accessing the link, email me and I will send you a digital copy.

I wrote a caveat in the email that addresses the subject matter of the article--which is dark--and I don't want to force the reading on anyone who feels very strongly opposed for personal reasons. Talk to me and we can figure out where to go. Next class period we will discuss the readings and continue addressing concerns with the Ethnographic Essay.

At your service,

Joebacca

Ahoy thar...for Friday, September...um, i think 5th?

Hey class. Sorry that I have no concept of time--as in not knowing what day it is, ever, or how much time we have until class ends. I don't know how I can, but I'll work on this. Thanks for your patience.

I just wanted to be true to my word and try to write what is due for next class period. Make sure you read Jamaica Kincaid's "On Seeing England for the First Time." My guess is that this reading will spark some ideas in your hefty brains, so feel free to keep notes that we can use in class.

Also, keep working your ethnographic essays. A draft isn't due until Monday, of course, but we want to keep them in mind. Maybe look at your thick description page and think: how do I take this further? Remember to start to identify the cultural patterns of this place (who frequents it, what is their 'mark' or 'stamp' on this place, who doesn't frequent this place and why, what is this place's history, how has this place been "socially constructed through time," to quote Staheli...etc). We need to take the descriptions--which were great--and blend in the 'ethno' aspects. We can talk more about this if you like on Friday (time allowing). We can also always talk through email, so give me concerns, if you got 'em.

Friday, I might mention that we should feel free to bring breakfast. I will try to bring some bananas and juice and maybe bagels, but feel free to bring what you want. The first 15-20 minutes of class will be chill...perhaps even ill. See you there.