Reflecting on "Resolving Conflicts"

For the final assignment of English 103, students were asked to write a mediation paper. We were supposed to choose an issue that had two opposing points of view, two distinct sides, etc., and to “resolve the conflict.” The assignment asked us to cover both sides of the issue separately, preferably in an unbiased manner, and to bring the two issues together through mediation.

I struggled quite a bit in choosing a topic about which I felt comfortable enough to write. There are so many “conflicts” one could write about in today’s society, but I did not feel I could do any of them justice. With each topic, I was experiencing one of two problems: I had either already chosen a side on the issue and felt that I could not cover the opposing side on a matter of principle, or I was fearful of offending someone in the way in which I covered a specific subject. I had already written a paper earlier in the year on the smoking ban that had two fairly distinct sides. The thought occurred to me to possibly take that same issue and expound upon it, developing each viewpoint further and mediating between the two opposing sides. That seemed fairly safe, pretty tame, and rather reasonable. We were asked to choose a different topic from any previous papers we had written, however. Our instructors wanted us to "broaden our horizons," if you will. I knew that was going to be fun.

I finally settled on the controversial issue of abortion. I had considered this topic for my previous paper, but had decided against it because I did not feel that I could adequately cover the issue in the four to five page limit we were given. With this assignment, however, we were told to write a minimum of six pages. That number sounded feasible and more realistic. I was still very hesitant, however. Abortion is an issue I feel quite strongly about. It is an issue that I have discussed with friends, family, classmates, and coworkers. It is an issue that I have always wanted to write about, but I had never sat down and worked on formulating a strategic argument tailored to a specific audience. That was quite a challenge. It is easy to feel strongly about something. The problem is that you can feel strongly about an issue, and still do an insufficient job of creating a strong argument on paper.

Another problem is that while I knew the assignment asked for us to cover both sides of the issue, I had not given much thought to exactly how I was going to go about doing that. How do you write – in an unbiased manner – about an issue with which you are terribly biased? That is the question I had to answer for myself as I began the arduous task of researching for and planning a paper in which I had to argue not only for my side of an issue, but for the viewpoint that opposed my own, and then had to bring the two sides together. As I sat in the library, I had no trouble typing in the search keywords “Pro-Life” or “anti-abortion.” When it came to “Pro-Choice” or “supporting abortion,” however, I was having a little more trouble. I felt as though I was going against all that I stood for just to hit “enter.”

Writing the paper was not any easier. I zipped through the Pro-Life portion of my paper without any major dilemmas. I already knew all of the anti-abortion arguments by heart, and I only needed my resources as support for my “right” viewpoint. My sentences were well-informed, confident, and cohesive. As I began the “Pro-Choice” section, however, I stumbled. I found myself spilling over several documents presented by Pro-Choice America and reading through various testimonies and figures presented by numerous Pro-Choice supporters. I was trying to formulate an argument for a belief that I did not hold, and I could not read any supporting evidence without critiquing it, without immediately coming up with information to refute the claim I was reading. I also found that each sentence I wrote began with “they think,” “they believe,” “they argue.” While I was typing the quotes, my overall work was very biased and indicative of the side I supported. I knew the revision process was going to be difficult.

After completing my paper, I felt great relief at just being done; but I knew deep down that I was nowhere near being done. I knew that I was going to have to go through my paper and tie it together. As it was, it consisted of a strong, cohesive, and confident Pro-Life argument. The Pro-Choice section of my paper, however, was weak, timid, sporadic, and – if you can imagine this – as if I was be forced to write it. It sounded as if I was throwing it in there just to say it was there, and as if I was ashamed of it. After revisions, I would say that I did a fairly even job of covering both sides of the controversial debate surrounding abortion. I discussed merits and falsehoods in both cases, and I did my best not to favor one side over the other in the mediation portion of my paper. I am not claiming that my paper is anywhere near perfect. In fact, it is far from it. You can probably still read through it and tell that I am a Pro-Life supporter, but I will admit that this paper did “broaden my horizons.” In being forced to read Pro-Choice literature and the testimonies of women who have had abortions, I realized just how one-sided my thinking had become. I oppose abortion for several reasons, ranging from logical to emotional. It goes against my religious beliefs, and it bothers me personally.

After writing this paper, however, I realized how quick I was to vilify any woman who had aborted her child, how disappointed I was in people who supported abortion, and how quick I was to pass judgment. This paper helped show me the error of my ways. I feel that while I am still whole-heartedly Pro-Life, I am more sympathetic, more informed, and better equipped to have a little healthy debate and respectful conversation with a Pro-Choice supporter.

Barack Obama: A More Perfect Union

Barack Obama is a very skillful public orator. After being asked to watch his speech on Race and Politics in America and to read the transcript of the speech, I was only further impressed by Obama’s rhetoric skills.

There is so much to discuss about Obama’s speech without even approaching the political aspect of his words and ideas. To start, I found his attire strategic and worth mentioning. He is not sporting the red power tie, as most political public speakers do. Instead, he sports a medium blue tie with a plain black suit. His choice of blue, especially a medium blue is interesting, seeing as light blue is typically associated with healing, tranquility, understanding, and softness, while dark blue generally represents knowledge, integrity, and seriousness. These are all qualities that Obama seeks to encourage and promote in his speech, particularly this one. Without getting into any specifics about Obama’s politics, it is easy for one to pick up from this speech that Obama is sharing a message of reconciliation – not just of the races, but of himself with the American people following his former pastor’s controversial and “denigrating” remarks. His message, and even his tie, exudes understanding, a desire for tranquility, integrity, softness, and seriousness.

I must preface any discussion on the actual content of Obama’s speech with my personal feeling that his speech came too little too late. Thus far in his presidential campaign, I had never had any real qualms with Obama. I did, however, find it unnerving that it took him so long to share this message with the American public. I felt that, in terms of rhetoric, his ethos was reduced with this speech. I don’t find his “more perfect union” message as credible since he didn’t “apologize” for Reverend Wright's incendiary remarks until it became clear that his campaign could be damaged if he did not. I feel that his apology was an afterthought, a CYA attempt, if you will. That is neither here nor there, however.

Within the speech itself, I noticed several very carefully worded and structured points on Obama’s part. It is obvious that Obama’s overriding message is to unite the American people. He states his deeply-held belief that “we cannot solve the challenges of our time unless we solve them together.” This statement, along with many others in Obama’s speech, that repeatedly employ the “we” serve to connect Obama with his audience – the American people. He further connects, and even inspires patriotism and pride within his audience by stating:

“I have brothers, sisters, nieces, nephews, uncles and cousins, of every race and every hue, scattered across three continents, and for as long as I live, I will never forget that in no other country on Earth is my story even possible. It’s a story that hasn’t made me the most conventional candidate. But it is a story that has seared into my genetic makeup the idea that this nation is more than the sum of its parts – that out of many, we are truly one."

I really appreciated this passage. It brings to light the progress America has made in the last several decades and it speaks of the opportunities available to all Americans. It not only connects Obama with his audience, but it connects him and the American people to the international community. His statement that “[he] will never forget that in no other country on Earth is [his] story even possible” evokes a great deal of pride in those hearing his message.

I also appreciated Obama’s attempt to not necessarily defend his former pastor’s words and actions, but to defend him as an individual. Obama states that Wright “helped introduce [him] to [his] Christian faith,… served his country as a U.S. Marine, …and has led a church [for thirty years] that serves the community by doing God’s work here on Earth.” Personally, I feel that Obama’s willingness to speak kind words about a man who so many now despise speaks volumes about his character.

I respected Obama’s insistence on America dealing with its issues – now. He stated that “if we walk away now, if we simply retreat into our respective corners, we will never be able to come together and solve challenges like health care, or education, or the need to find good jobs for every American.” He then proceeded to briefly cover both the black and white American histories, noting that while most Americans today did not live during those turbulent years, the injustices and lingering resentments from those years “have [undeniably] helped shape the political landscape for at least a generation.” Obama spoke about the “larger aspirations of all Americans” and about everyone “taking full responsibility for their own lives.” I wholeheartedly agree with Obama’s feelings about how to deal with discrimination in today’s society. He stressed that while Americans “may face challenges and discrimination in their own lives, they must never succumb to despair or cynicism; they must always believe that they can write their own destiny.”

I feel that one of the most important observations made by Obama before the conclusion of his speech was that “America can change. This is the true genius of this nation. What we have already achieved gives us hope – the audacity to hope – for what we can and must achieve tomorrow.” I found this inspired, yet simple statement extremely empowering. I will close by saying that while I feel Barack Obama was late in delivering this much needed speech of unity and reconciliation following his former pastor’s remarks, I was not at all disappointed. I was very impressed by his appearance and the style and content of his speech. He is a very respectable and very well-spoken man, and I believe that he has a lot of offer our country.

"The Path Less Traveled" - Soundtrack of May 2007- March 2008

In Memory of My Grandfather,
Robert Leroy Stone
(June 1, 1937 – March 7, 2008)

Loving Husband, Father, Grandfather, and Great
Grandfather; Respected Marine, Talented Musician,
and Skilled Craftsman; Compassionate Teacher,
Faithful Leader, and Very Best Friend

“The Path Less Traveled” is a compilation of five songs that I carefully chose for the “soundtrack of my life.” Rather than attempting to cover all nineteen years of my life, however, I chose to focus specifically on this past year. So much has happened in the past twelve months that simply fitting it all into five songs and a CD cover turned out to be quite a task. I chose the title “The Path Less Traveled” because I feel that my life is significantly different from those of other young people in my situation. I have taken the high road in my travels, even though that has often meant taking the long road. I am at Clemson as a result of a merciful God, a loving mother, and a lot of hard work. Not to say that others have not worked hard to get here. That is not the case, at all. I do not wish to discount the efforts of others in the least. It is my only aim to make clear that my personal journey to this point in my life, especially in the last year, has been strenuous and, at many times, unfair. My path has definitely been one less traveled, and I am a stronger woman for it.


The cover of “The Path Less Traveled” was carefully put to together to highlight this past year. In the background, I chose a picture depicting powerful Clemson pride. The picture represents the happiness and pride I feel for having worked hard enough to be able to attend such a respected institution of higher learning. There are three additional pictures in the foreground. The bottom two pictures pay credit to some of the beautiful women that have helped to get me where I am today. On the left, I stand proudly at my high school graduation with my mom, my older sister, and my baby sister. On the right, I am seated with my very best girlfriends. As the picture depicts, they are my close and goofy support system. In the upper right-hand corner, I included a picture of me, as an infant, seated happily in the lap of a marvelous man. That man is my grandfather, who passed away just 18 days ago. His death was painful, unexpected, and crushing. I miss him every day, and I will always miss him. “The Path Less Traveled” is in memory of Robert Stone, my amazing grandfather.

As previously stated, the songs on “The Path Less Traveled” represent the last twelve months of my life. I will go into further detail as to why I chose each specific song shortly, but first, I will briefly explain the arrangement of the songs as they chronologically sequence this past year. The first song, “In This Diary” by the Ataris, represents the time from just before my high school graduation to shortly before moving to Clemson to begin my first year of college. The second song, “Changes” by 3 Doors Down, picks up where the first leaves off. It represents the time from shortly before moving to Clemson through the first few weeks of my Freshman fall semester. The third song, “Vienna” by Billy Joel, is a song my mom made me listen to several years ago. She told me it reminded her of me. I selected the song for this project and chose its exact placement on the CD because its message fits beautifully in my life near the end of my Freshman fall semester. It marks a turning point. The fourth song, “Getting Into You” by Relient K, represents the results of that turning point. It represents a number of new beginnings – the beginning of a new year, a new semester, a new major, and most importantly, a renewed and refreshed outlook on life and a turn back to the One from whom all blessings flow. The fifth and final song, “Hear You Me” by Jimmy Eat World, is an especially meaningful song. I placed it at the end of the CD because the event it represents is most the most recent of the events represented on the CD; the event was just 18 days ago. The song is dedicated to my grandfather.

In This Diary • The Ataris
As stated above, this song represents the time of my life from the very end of my senior year of high school through summer to just a few weeks before I moved to Clemson to begin my first year of college. The song itself is enthusiastic, fast-paced, and fun – just like my summer. The song begins as if I were actually the one writing it: “I write you visions of my summer. It was the best I ever had.” Aside from the chorus, the rest of the song simply lists off fun (and amusing) memories. Ironically, my friends and I shared most of the memories the Ataris included in their song. While the entire song represents that time of my life, it is the chorus that succeeds in hitting the nail on head for me, so to speak. In terms of stating how I felt last summer, I could not say it any simpler or any more profoundly than the Ataris: “Being grown up isn’t half as fun as growing up. These are the best days of our lives. The only thing that matters is just following your heart, and eventually you’ll finally get it right.” Last summer, my friends and I made our own unforgettable memories – late night talks, 80’s songs, movie quotes, “wreaking havoc on our world,” etc. Those memories “still bring a smile to my face.” As we all prepared to ship off to schools all across the southeast, however, the chorus of this song was a unanimous and powerful epiphany. As we looked at the years ahead – paying tens of thousands of dollars for school, leaving home, growing up, trying not to fail – we quickly realized that that summer would be the best of our lives and that being grown up isn’t nearly as fun as growing up.

Changes • 3 Doors Down
This song is so appropriate for my entry into college and the first few weeks of my Freshman fall semester. In most families, a child going off to college marks an important milestone, both in the life of the child and in those of the parents. My family is not part of that “most,” however. Unbeknownst to many, the time surrounding my college preparations, move-in day, and all of the days and weeks up to March 7, 2008 was filled with anger, resentment, turmoil, and bitterness. My parents divorced when I was very young, and my family has never been what one might call “normal.” To put it lightly, we put the “fun” in “dysfunctional.” On a more serious note, however, the better part of the last year and a half has been especially terrible. Due to legal matters surrounding child support, custody of my younger sister, and several other issues, my father and his family were not talking to me. I was essentially disowned. It was a terribly painful and frustrating time in my life. I needed my dad. I wanted him to be there for me, to help prepare me for Clemson, to see his little girl head off to college, to come to a football game. I wanted to call and tell him about school, about work, about friends, and about life, in general. I hadn’t done anything wrong, and it crushed me that I was no longer acknowledged as a member of the Stone family. I put up a front, though. Even though I was scared, confused, exhausted, frustrated, weak, weary, and feeling alone, suffocated, and as though the weight of the world was on my shoulders, I wore a smile on my face. I was mad and devastated that I had nobody to help get me through the huge changes I was experiencing in my life. My mom did the best she could to help me, but she was so financially strapped with court costs and attorneys’ fee from the legal matters with my dad. I felt beaten and unsure of whether I would be able to make it to graduation if my first semester was going that spectacularly. As the song puts it, I was “blind and shakin’, bound and breaking,” and hoping I would make it through all the changes.

Vienna • Billy Joel
I heard “Vienna” for the first time years and years ago, but often, a specific song doesn’t have that impact on you until you find yourself at that certain time and place in your life. Then, all of a sudden, you’re driving along one day and the lyrics of the song seem to jump right out of the radio and smack you across the face. That’s what happened for me, at least. I told my mom about the sudden impact “Vienna” had on me, and she pointed out the following lyrics: “Too bad, but it's the life you lead. You're so ahead of yourself that you forgot what you need. Though you can see when you're wrong, you know you can't always see when you're right.” She knew that all of the drama with my dad and his family were tearing me apart. She also knew that school was getting to me, along with roommate issues, and painful relationship troubles. She said that the song had always reminded her of me. She told me that she knows I put on a front for everyone. I was falling apart inside, but I continued to smile and tenaciously drive forward in my school work. My mom was worried about me. While my ambition and academic successes have always made her proud, she knew that life was catching up with me because I wasn’t really dealing with any of it. She pointed out that I was only kicking myself for things I felt I had done wrong with my dad, but never taking comfort in acknowledging things I had done right.

Over Thanksgiving break, my mom and I listened to this song a number of times. Each time I heard it, it seemed to push me. I know that sounds contradictory the song’s “slow down you crazy child. You’re so ambitious for a juvenile.” It pushed me to start to deal with things, however. I made myself slow down and take stock of what was happening around me. I forgave my dad and his family. I also changed my major. That must seem completely random, but I promise that there is a connection. I have two very strong passions in my life: to be an excellent wife and mother to a large family and to become a successful OB/GYN. Medical school intimidated me, however, and I had let comments made by dad’s mom get to me. “Very few women can be doctors and mothers. Not many can do both. Your children or your work will be neglected.” I was scared. I chose to major in Nursing because I felt it allowed me a career in medicine that would also be more conducive to family. “Vienna” empowered me. I changed my major to Biological Sciences shortly before Christmas break. My mom was never happier. I am now shooting for the white coat and stethoscope because I realize that I cannot let the negativity and underhanded comments of others keep me from realizing my dreams. I am capable of so much. I can be an excellent mother and physician – simultaneously – and I will be.

Getting Into You • Relient K
“Getting Into You” is a song about my return. I accepted Jesus Christ into my life as my Savior and my Lord when I was in seventh grade. My mom has always raised my sisters and me in a loving and God-fearing home. Between seventh grade and this last year, however, I became very spiritually dry. I didn’t know how to deal with all of the things that were happening to me. I didn’t know what to do with all of my hurt, my anger, my fear, and my frustration. I met two lovely young at the beginning of this semester that helped me change all of that, though. It is my belief that God knew what He was doing when He brought them into my life. He knew I was about to break, and that I needed to be reminded of His love for me, his perfect plan for my life, and that he feels all of the pain that I feel. The two women were going door to door in my dorm trying to recruit interested young women into joining a women’s Bible study in our hall. When I opened the door to them, I was opening so much more than just a physical door. The ladies are also members of the Clemson Navigators, a Christian organization on campus. I’ve gone several times, and I feel renewed. I was so hungry for Christian fellowship and God’s love. I was broken, and they helped get me back to where I needed to be. Well… God used them to help me…. I am spending more time in His Word, and I am so grateful for His bringing those ladies into my life. This song beautifully sums up that entire experience for me. “When I finally ironed out all of my priorities and asked God to remove the doubt that makes me so unsure of these. Things I ask myself, I ask myself, ‘Do you know what you are getting yourself into?’ I'm getting into you, because you got to me, in a way words can't describe. I'm getting into you, because I’ve got to be. You're essential to survive. I'm going to love you with my life.” I made up my mind, and my heart along with that, to live for God even though “I’ll never amount to the kind of person [He] deserves to worship [Him].” He will not dwell on what I did, though, but rather what I do, and He told me, “‘I love you,’ and that’s what you are getting yourself into.” I am back where I need to be. I know what I am getting into, and I am so grateful and exhilarated.

Hear You Me • Jimmy Eat World
“Hear You Me” is my song to my grandfather. He passed away very early in the morning Friday, March 7, 2008. I remember the moment I received the call Thursday in vivid detail. I was working on a Chemistry assignment. My dad was crying. I hadn’t heard from him in months, and now, all I heard was him struggling through near sobs to get out the words “You need to get here. It’s Grandpa. It’s serious.” I lost it. When I called my mom, she told me to hold tight and that she was getting in her car as we spoke. I live about three and a half hours from Clemson, and she was not about to let me drive home in the mess I was in. When we got to the hospital, I was led into my Grandpa. He had collapsed at a musical he was performing in for small children, The Wiz. My Grandpa had played violin since he was seven years old. He was incredibly talented, and he shared that God-given talent and music with everyone around him. After retiring from the Marine Corp, he became an orchestra teacher. He was also a member of the local symphony orchestra, and he never missed an opportunity to get children interested in music. My Grandpa died doing what he loved. He had been on life support for hours by the time I got to the hospital. He was there, but he was not there. His eyes were blank, his hands were cold, and machines were keeping him alive. I will always regret the months leading up to my Grandpa’s death. We hadn’t talked since a week or two after my graduation. I had so much to tell him. I hadn’t even told him that I had changed my major. He would have been so proud. My Grandpa was my best friend, my favorite, my support. He always listened to me and made me laugh. As the song puts it, “you gave us some place to go. I never said thank you for that; 'thought I might get one more chance. What would you think of me now? So lucky, so strong, so proud. I never said thank you for that. Now I'll never have a chance.”

I never told my Grandpa all that he meant to me, and he died before I had the chance to. If he “were with me tonight, I’d sing to [him] just one more time a song for a heart so big God couldn’t let it live.” I will always miss him. The only good that came out of my Grandpa’s passing is that it provided a cruel reality check for our family. My dad and I are now talking again, and my family is “on the road to recovery,” if you will. I know my Grandpa is behind that. It would make him so happy to see us all together again. I know that angels led him in.

Who Ever Said "Curiosity Killed the Cat"?

Curiosity and the Search for Knowledge at Clemson University - Both In and Out of the Classroom



One of the curious things about curiosity is its ineffability. What causes one to be curious? From where does curiosity come? How does it work? There are no set guidelines for curiosity, no rules to follow. You can be curious about anything anywhere. Curiosity is not confined to any science or art, nor to any other discipline. It is not limited to a classroom setting.

Curiosity often begins in the classroom.

Through exposure to a variety of ideas and disciplines in the classroom, students become hungry for more information, more understanding; they become more curious. That curiosity spreads outside of the classroom as students embark on the infamous and collegiate search for knowledge.

Curiosity leads to a continuous search for knowledge. The curiosity that drives one's search for knowledge only intensifies as more information and fresh findings create new questions... and new curiosities.







Numerous examples of curiosity and the search for knowledge outside of the classroom exist at Clemson University.





Study groups form all over the campus as friends and classmates seek the help of others in their search for knowledge.

Chemistry students conduct comprehensive and thorough research in Clemson's Hunter laboratories.

Plant Biology students actively and enthusiastically investigate the various structures and functions of bryophytes in the laboratories of Clemson's Jordan Hall.

Some students need only a quiet room and a comfortable futon, along with the Internet and Clemson's impressive online databases to conduct research of their own.







Clemson's amphitheater is always a great place to witness curiosity at work.






There, students can be found working in study groups, searching the Internet, or working on school assignments alone.










Often, students use the amphitheater as a relaxing place to work, read, and study.








The amphitheater is not the only popular reading and studying spot....




Many students take advantage of quiet benches around Clemson's beautiful campus on nice days to catch up on studying or some personal reading.




Clemson's Celebration of Curiosity - "The Friday Flyers"

Artist John Acorn's "Friday Flyers," the six aluminum paper airplane sculptures located sporadically around Clemson's campus, are shining examples of Clemson University's commitment to inspire curiosity within students.







Each “airplane is an icon for the potential of what can be explored if curiosity and enthusiasm are maintained…. The release of [each] plane and its subsequent course parallels academia in the function of sending out the seeds of an idea for others to discover and explore. Both actions require embracing curiosity, imagination, and courage. Both journeys [are] influenced by variables such as knowledge, history, and environment. The [planes] communicate a powerful connection between the simplicity of childhood curiosity and higher education in the pursuit of knowledge. [Most of all,] Friday Flyers encourage viewers to remember [their] original inquisitive nature [and their] desire to realize dreams.”

(http://www.clemson.edu/caah/leegallery/art_partnership/existing_projects/acorn.php).

Clemson University inspires curiosity both in and out of the classroom, and one can find evidence of students' enthusiastic search for knowledge all over Clemson's beautiful campus.

Powerful Visual Rhetoric

Find a piece of visual rhetoric online (an ad, a political cartoon, a remixed video, whatever…). Introduce it, reflect on it, and invite discussion from your group members on it. Post the picture/video within your blogpost and be sure to give full credit to its location/creator.

When we were asked to find and reflect on a piece of visual rhetoric, I found myself thinking “Could this prompt be any broader?” We were told that the visual rhetoric could be an ad, a political cartoon, a remixed video… whatever, just as long as we made sure to give full credit to the piece’s creator. As a starting off point, I got on Google and typed the keywords “visual rhetoric.” Let me tell you what a huge help that was…. I got everything from the lecture notes of an English professor in Indiana to the Wikipedia definition, none of which were all that helpful. I already knew what visual rhetoric was; I simply needed a specific example of it, an example that spoke to me, if you will, and made me want to “reflect and invite discussion.” After a few minutes of perusing useless Google results, I recalled a television commercial that I saw last year. I found the commercial on YouTube and included it above for you to check out. The commercial was created by Allstate, and it promotes the Allstate Parent-Teen Driving Contract.

When I think of advertisements, I generally think of flashy fonts, loud spiels, and corny gimmicks. This commercial is nothing like that. You simply watch teenagers drive away in a line of cars miles long. The scene is very mellow – a scenic country highway set in dark, almost melancholy lighting. The music that accompanies these images is the song “From Where You Are” by Lifehouse. The slow, tender song serves to emphasize the sadness of the images. Viewers don’t really understand why the scene and the music strike them as so sad until the very last few seconds of the commercial when the Allstate voice suddenly states, very solemnly, “Every year, nearly 6,000 teenagers go out for a drive… and never come back.” It is with that statement that viewers are suddenly impacted by the imagery and symbolism of the commercial – thousands of happy teenagers driving away… into the unknown… never to return. As the scene closes, you see nothing but tail lights driving away from you and a young teenage girl looking pensively out of a rear view window. The song lyrics playing at that exact moment are "I never thought that they'd mean everything to me. Yeah, I miss you." The only other spoken words in the commercial are “Just talking to them can change that.” The powerful commercial ends with simply the Allstate logo and the words “Parent-Teen Driving Contract.”

I was very moved by this commercial. As an example of visual rhetoric, I found it to be incredibly effective. The intended audience, American parents, and the message are both very clear. What I found most admirable and sincere about the commercial was that the message did not seem to advertise Allstate for business purposes, but to promote communication between parents and teens to make the roads safer for adult and teen drivers alike.

I appreciated this commercial and was very touched by its message. I’m curious what others think of the commercial, though. Do you think that the people at Allstate are genuine in their concern for teenagers on the road? Are they legitimately promoting a Parent-Teen Driving Contract and trying to reduce the number of teenage driving fatalities? Or have they just come up with a new and clever way to advertise their company? What do you feel is the true intent of this commercial? Did it affect you in anyway?

"Churches ad hoc"

Find a photo essay online – blog about it. Invite discussion.

I began my search for an online photo essay looking for some of those funny church road signs that one always sees collected in some cute coffee table book. Wouldn’t one of those little books be considered a photo essay in and of itself? And if so, wouldn’t you expect to be able to find some website that had collected and presented some of the best of those witty road signs into an online photo essay of sorts? Turns out… it is harder than you would think.

In the process of searching for that elusive site, however, I ran across another site hosting an “online photo essay” that tickled my fancy. You can access the photo essay of which I am speaking by simply clicking on the image included in this blog. The photo essay that piqued my interest was just one of many included on a website of “Photo Essays in Black and White” by photographer Herman Krieger. The essay that I enjoyed the most and chose to blog about was Krieger’s “Churches ad hoc.”

What I enjoyed most about “Churches ad hoc,” aside from the simple elegance of Krieger’s black and white motif, was Krieger’s clever use of captions. The pictures themselves depict all sorts of amusing and thought-provoking ironies, but Krieger enhances that quality by including beneath each photo a witty caption. The caption can be a single word or a short phrase – either way, one cannot help but chuckle. The caption beneath the image I included above was “Disestablishment.” I especially appreciated that the “One Way” sign is in alignment with “Church Street.”

In discussing photo essays in lab, we briefly touched on captions or accompanying text. Mr. Bevill stated that some pictures may have a single-word blurb beneath them, or they may be accompanied by as much as a short paragraph discussing the photo’s meaning and composition. Several of the photo essays I looked through online, such as many of those posted on the TIMES website, included short paragraphs with each photo. While that much text is useful in helping the individual viewing the photo(s) to fully understand the piece, I think that it can be somewhat distracting. I have a greater appreciation for the photos of which one can say “no words are necessary.” I am not discrediting the photos that are accompanied by a great deal of text. I am simply asserting my belief that a truly skilled artist and a genuinely impressive photo can communicate an idea to a viewer without words.

In Herman Krieger’s case, I found that he was more than capable of doing just that. His short captions only served to augment, or supplement, the humor and ideas captured in his photos. That should be the aim of every photo essayist – to attempt to fully and creatively communicate an idea without words. Trust your viewer’s ability to understand what you are saying through your photo. Trust your own ability to convey a given message through your photo. In my opinion, words serve ultimately to distract from the simple and creative art of photography and completely defeat the purpose of a photo essay.

I am curious if anyone else has any thoughts on the matter. Do you prefer photos unaccompanied by text? What about photos with short, possibly amusing captions – as with Krieger’s black and white photo essay? Are you distracted by text when viewing photos? Do you even care about anything but the photographs in a photo essay? What are your thoughts?

Comma Frustration

Describe something about grammar that confuses you – could be a rule, a question – whatever. Give an example.

Commas have always been a major source of frustration for me. The rules tie me up and confuse me to the point where I just end up putting in commas where I “feel” they belong. There is not necessarily any rhyme or reason to my comma placement. They say a comma goes “Wherever you hear a natural pause.” Well… I must pause more than the average speaker, because those are entirely too many commas. Then I remember that handy ol’ saying, “When in doubt, leave it out.” That trusty saying is equally problematic, however. Going with that strategy, I end up with almost no commas in my writing.

My general style of writing is rather conversational and very informal. I write like I speak. My written thoughts make perfect sense when spoken. Proper pauses and inflections keep things flowing. Translating the same ideas into written words can be tricky. A reader is likely to stumble when reading sentences where I have interjected quirky thoughts or appositives simply because I am unsure of comma placement. For example, take the previous sentence. Should a comma come before “simply because”? Or is the sentence fine as is? Oh, commas….

Curse Microsoft Word Grammar and Spell Check for making young people today so dependent on those red and green squiggles. Until I get a firmer handle on commas, I think I will continue resorting to the use of dashes. They seem less intimidating to me, I suppose.

Comma usage is a truly slippery slope, and I wonder if anyone will ever be able to reach the summit.

Here are a few helpful links:

http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/grammar/g_comma.html

Purdue has done it again! The above link provides some grade-A pointers on the many dos and don’ts of comma usage. It even goes so far as to give examples of correct and incorrect comma usage in many of those oh-so-tricky situations, acknowledging that “The rules provided [on the site] are those found in traditional handbooks; however, in certain rhetorical contexts and for specific purposes, [the] rules may be broken.” The site is easy to understand, and it includes (within the text) links to other potentially perplexing grammar issues.

http://iws.ccccd.edu/jmiller/A%20Brief_%20No-Nonsense%20Guide%20to%20Comma%20Usage.htm

This “Brief, No-Nonsense Guide to Comma Usage” lives up to its title. The site is organized into seven sections covering the “Seven Primary Uses of The Comma.” Each section is formatted to be easily understood and to maximize helpfulness. While this site is not as thorough as the site Purdue’s OWL offers on comma usage, it still offers several helpful tips in a humorous context.