It feels so nice to be done with this final paper. These blogs however are a different story. I am proud of the work I have done this semester and think that my final paper really shows that. This last paper was the one I spent the most time and work on (which was a bit of a shock to me because it was an accumulation of all my other papers and not one I had to write everything for the first time). I think I have sufficiently changed the other papers though in this final one to make them different and interesting to read. I used subheadings not only for the reader but also for myself. It was very tedious reading a 17 page paper over and over again. I was very happy to get my peer responses from group members though, they helped a lot. When I first started, I put my three papers together to see the length. Then I added an introduction and conclusion. After that, I read through it, added subheadings and making major adjustments to certain areas. These past few days though, I have just kept reading it and fixing any little thing I see and now it’s turned in and in Ms. Murray’s hands. Thanks all for a great semester!
-Julia St. John
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
page 448 of book (4/21/09)
1. Whose views of this culture am I representing – mine, my informants’, or background information?
I feel as though throughout most of my paper, I am telling the story as to what I have observed and found out about this subculture. While still adding what insiders think and feel, what the true history of Spectrum is, and fun facts about the subgroup, I feel as though my voice is the guiding source throughout the whole paper.
2. How do I organize data?
I am using subheadings. This not only helps my reader stay interested but also helps me think of things/events in terms of what, where, when, who etc. I include interviews to get insider’s views and I feel as though I do this in a sort of neutral manner (instead of taking sides).
3. How am I representing my informants?
I use a lot of information from the internet site that Spectrum actually made. This is because this site is the closest thing I have to being an insider. I have also put in other things from other sources but they are mostly to confirm credibility and site sources the Spectrum students also use.
4. What sense of place am I offering?
I talk about two places in my paper: the meeting place and the place for the drag show. I feel as though these are the two main locations for the group so I treated them as such.
5. What assumptions, positions, and tensions so I bring to my interpretations?
Mostly, these are from outsiders having assumptions, positions, and tensions with insiders of Spectrum. I try my best to again be neutral when relating this information but I admit that sometimes it is hard when it is the outsiders verbally and physically abusing insiders.
6. Would I offer my reader the same information if I presented it a different way?
I feel as though the same information would eventually get across but my reader would get more bored if I presented it in a different way. For example, if I did not use subheadings, I feel as though my reader would often daydream and not really follow what I was saying as well.
I feel as though throughout most of my paper, I am telling the story as to what I have observed and found out about this subculture. While still adding what insiders think and feel, what the true history of Spectrum is, and fun facts about the subgroup, I feel as though my voice is the guiding source throughout the whole paper.
2. How do I organize data?
I am using subheadings. This not only helps my reader stay interested but also helps me think of things/events in terms of what, where, when, who etc. I include interviews to get insider’s views and I feel as though I do this in a sort of neutral manner (instead of taking sides).
3. How am I representing my informants?
I use a lot of information from the internet site that Spectrum actually made. This is because this site is the closest thing I have to being an insider. I have also put in other things from other sources but they are mostly to confirm credibility and site sources the Spectrum students also use.
4. What sense of place am I offering?
I talk about two places in my paper: the meeting place and the place for the drag show. I feel as though these are the two main locations for the group so I treated them as such.
5. What assumptions, positions, and tensions so I bring to my interpretations?
Mostly, these are from outsiders having assumptions, positions, and tensions with insiders of Spectrum. I try my best to again be neutral when relating this information but I admit that sometimes it is hard when it is the outsiders verbally and physically abusing insiders.
6. Would I offer my reader the same information if I presented it a different way?
I feel as though the same information would eventually get across but my reader would get more bored if I presented it in a different way. For example, if I did not use subheadings, I feel as though my reader would often daydream and not really follow what I was saying as well.
-Julia St. John
Thursday, April 16, 2009
analyzing example (4/16/09)
We are group F, and here is what we typed up for Michelle Hanson's Playing in the MUD: A Newbie’s Experience with Online Gaming essay…
What do you think the thesis of the essay is?
As everyone can see, there is no clear thesis, but our group decided to put a few sentences from the last paragraph together to make one for the author…
I am attempting to compose a piece of substance that readers may enjoy—insiders and outsiders— recording the customs, rituals, language, and traditions of the MUDded society.
Which voices (colors) stood out in this essay? How did the author incorporate secondary sources? Where did they place them in the essay? In your opinion, does the author of this essay strike a good balance between all three? Do the voices of informants stand on their own, or are they overpowered?
We feel that the color green probably most stood out to us as outsiders of the group. Although the author did not exactly go out and find books, websites, and articles, she did include insider words, phrases, and jargon from the actual game and explained them quite nicely. We fell that for the most part the author strikes a good balance between all three but there are a lot of times when e find her to be rather redundant. Although there was really only one informant (besides the Osh guy who talked to her a few times), this boyfriend seems to add good input to the composition.
How is the essay organized? Did the author use a particular method to organize the essay? Is the organization reader friendly?
This essay is primarily organized with subcategories. We would say that this essay is reader friendly. The author uses sarcastic comments, well-informed conversations, and personal experiences to keep the reader’s attention and we would say it works!
In your group's opinion, what are the strengths and weaknesses of this essay?
Strengths: subheadings, sarcastic commentary, interviews,
Weaknesses: repetitive nature, conversations a little hard to follow, getting to personal (loosing style of paper) at the end
-Group F
What do you think the thesis of the essay is?
As everyone can see, there is no clear thesis, but our group decided to put a few sentences from the last paragraph together to make one for the author…
I am attempting to compose a piece of substance that readers may enjoy—insiders and outsiders— recording the customs, rituals, language, and traditions of the MUDded society.
Which voices (colors) stood out in this essay? How did the author incorporate secondary sources? Where did they place them in the essay? In your opinion, does the author of this essay strike a good balance between all three? Do the voices of informants stand on their own, or are they overpowered?
We feel that the color green probably most stood out to us as outsiders of the group. Although the author did not exactly go out and find books, websites, and articles, she did include insider words, phrases, and jargon from the actual game and explained them quite nicely. We fell that for the most part the author strikes a good balance between all three but there are a lot of times when e find her to be rather redundant. Although there was really only one informant (besides the Osh guy who talked to her a few times), this boyfriend seems to add good input to the composition.
How is the essay organized? Did the author use a particular method to organize the essay? Is the organization reader friendly?
This essay is primarily organized with subcategories. We would say that this essay is reader friendly. The author uses sarcastic comments, well-informed conversations, and personal experiences to keep the reader’s attention and we would say it works!
In your group's opinion, what are the strengths and weaknesses of this essay?
Strengths: subheadings, sarcastic commentary, interviews,
Weaknesses: repetitive nature, conversations a little hard to follow, getting to personal (loosing style of paper) at the end
-Group F
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
More Q & A (4/14/09)
1. What's going on here?
My key informants were the leaders of Spectrum. I figured these students would be more informed than other members might be because of the time they spent of the subculture. They not only want to be a part of it, but even on the days they might be tired, they still have to plan meetings, set up fund raisers, help other member with problems, etc. There are a lot of people in Spectrum and their meeting place is subject to change so I always had to be on my toes when setting up an interview or attending a meeting. I have been to two meetings throughout the semester and plan on attending another for this final paper. I have heard stories, seen some sources of aid these students can go to, and thought about how hard it must be to be harassed for just being you. I want to add all of this in my final report and more.
2. Where's the culture?
I have seen this group not only as a group but also as a subculture because of the bond each member has with one another. They talk about anything and everything and I feel they have reached a special bond with one another in order to be able to do that. The true history of this subculture can be found on their website but my library research definitely helped me see that history in a new light. These students are not alone in their struggle for acceptance and I’m glad I am a part of their fight for justice.
3. What's the story?
Outsiders may see Spectrum as just another Ball State group but insiders see Spectrum as a family. I saw this through research that I conducted through interviews, on-site observations, and library research.
-Julia St. John
textbook questions (4/14/09)
For this blog, I answered these questions in class about my subculture after reading about how some other people answered them in our textbook…
1. What surprised me?
I thought that because I knew so many homosexuals from various aspects of my life (theatre, choir, band, etc.) I would not find that this organization was more in depth than simply a lot of these people getting together to talk every week. Boy was I wrong. This group does a lot of good not only for its members but also for parents of the members and for others who are going through the same things members may be going through. They also raise money by doing charity work, putting on productions, and utilizing talents students may have within Spectrum.
2. What intrigued me?
I always find new people to be very intriguing but the students from this subculture particularly so. It was very nice to also find that they were all happy to talk to me as well. I was mostly intrigued to find out what each person thought Spectrum truly was. I was expecting to find answers like “it’s just a group I go to” or “I find dates here” but what I found was much deeper than that. All of its members talked about how Spectrum is a home with family members in it. They said that one can feel safe talking about any troubles, issues, or problems because the bond between the members was so strong.
3. What disturbed me?
While researching Spectrum, I found more about how most of these kids go through their young lives not wanting to tell people about their sexual identities because they are afraid of how others will take it. Researching this, I found that they have good reason to feel this way. Not only have I found stories about hazing in different communities but also surveys saying even though some people may not have hazed before, they might be willing to if a homosexual crossed their paths.
-Julia St. John
1. What surprised me?
I thought that because I knew so many homosexuals from various aspects of my life (theatre, choir, band, etc.) I would not find that this organization was more in depth than simply a lot of these people getting together to talk every week. Boy was I wrong. This group does a lot of good not only for its members but also for parents of the members and for others who are going through the same things members may be going through. They also raise money by doing charity work, putting on productions, and utilizing talents students may have within Spectrum.
2. What intrigued me?
I always find new people to be very intriguing but the students from this subculture particularly so. It was very nice to also find that they were all happy to talk to me as well. I was mostly intrigued to find out what each person thought Spectrum truly was. I was expecting to find answers like “it’s just a group I go to” or “I find dates here” but what I found was much deeper than that. All of its members talked about how Spectrum is a home with family members in it. They said that one can feel safe talking about any troubles, issues, or problems because the bond between the members was so strong.
3. What disturbed me?
While researching Spectrum, I found more about how most of these kids go through their young lives not wanting to tell people about their sexual identities because they are afraid of how others will take it. Researching this, I found that they have good reason to feel this way. Not only have I found stories about hazing in different communities but also surveys saying even though some people may not have hazed before, they might be willing to if a homosexual crossed their paths.
-Julia St. John
Monday, April 13, 2009
Searching for Sources (4/13/09)
For my fourth paper, this is both my starting and concluding paragraph. What do you think?...
One can spend a lifetime researching any topic they wish and still never come to the perfect conclusion. Studies can only go so far and even though today’s internet has definitely made investigating much easier, one still needs to delve to see which sources are relevant and which prove that anyone can post things online. Therefore, I have sought out what I feel are the best sources to describe, explain, and define Spectrum. “Spectrum exists to provide an anonymous, safe, and friendly place for gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender students and their allies to socialize and get information” (Spectrum) and these sources help tell more about that.
While I read the entries on my works cited page, I discovered that my mind raced to so many different questions. I do hope to translate my findings into questions for my final paper and also find myself wanting to learn even more about this subculture in a wider range. I might ask about what exactly has happened in the past to people being discriminated against. Or perhaps, how the sites I found helped. With this new bank of knowledge I have tapped into, I am even surer now than I ever was that Spectrum is doing the right thing trying to help homosexuals on campus. On paper, findings and statistics might tell audiences that change is upon us; but for the people who are going still going through that change, Spectrum is there to lend a helping hand as well.
-Julia St. John
One can spend a lifetime researching any topic they wish and still never come to the perfect conclusion. Studies can only go so far and even though today’s internet has definitely made investigating much easier, one still needs to delve to see which sources are relevant and which prove that anyone can post things online. Therefore, I have sought out what I feel are the best sources to describe, explain, and define Spectrum. “Spectrum exists to provide an anonymous, safe, and friendly place for gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender students and their allies to socialize and get information” (Spectrum) and these sources help tell more about that.
While I read the entries on my works cited page, I discovered that my mind raced to so many different questions. I do hope to translate my findings into questions for my final paper and also find myself wanting to learn even more about this subculture in a wider range. I might ask about what exactly has happened in the past to people being discriminated against. Or perhaps, how the sites I found helped. With this new bank of knowledge I have tapped into, I am even surer now than I ever was that Spectrum is doing the right thing trying to help homosexuals on campus. On paper, findings and statistics might tell audiences that change is upon us; but for the people who are going still going through that change, Spectrum is there to lend a helping hand as well.
-Julia St. John
mini report (4/13/09)
My fourth paper was my annotative bibliography but along with writing the paper, I also had to think about the mini presentation I had to present to my English class the day the paper was due. This is what I talked about for my presentation…
Spectrum’s website was the only source that I found that the subculture had actually written. On it they say that “Spectrum exists to provide an anonymous, safe, and friendly place for gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender students and their allies to socialize and get information.” So I tried to look for this when researching sources along with sources that were recent, relevant, and were about this particular location. My other web sources were all links to home pages off Spectrum’s site. The journal entries I found were, however, very different. The first was over the current blockbuster “Milk” and different people’s reactions to it. The second talked about gay rights in the US. The third took surveys in Florida that asked how people felt about gays getting married, joining the military, and having kids. The fourth took surveys to find out how homophobic different people were. The last talked about the consequences kids may face if they are raised by same-sex parents.
-Julia St. John
Spectrum’s website was the only source that I found that the subculture had actually written. On it they say that “Spectrum exists to provide an anonymous, safe, and friendly place for gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender students and their allies to socialize and get information.” So I tried to look for this when researching sources along with sources that were recent, relevant, and were about this particular location. My other web sources were all links to home pages off Spectrum’s site. The journal entries I found were, however, very different. The first was over the current blockbuster “Milk” and different people’s reactions to it. The second talked about gay rights in the US. The third took surveys in Florida that asked how people felt about gays getting married, joining the military, and having kids. The fourth took surveys to find out how homophobic different people were. The last talked about the consequences kids may face if they are raised by same-sex parents.
-Julia St. John
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
thoughts on final paper (4/7/09)
Ok, so now that we’re in class talking about this final paper, I’m trying to think of ways to organize it and what I want to include in it. 15-20 pages sounds like a lot to me, but our teacher says it shouldn’t be because we have already done that much and now simply have to combine them coherently. I have learned so much about this subculture from not only on-site observations but also through interviews and I most certainly want to include those. I would love to use sub-headings to organize this last paper but am not sure yet of what each one will be labeled or as to how much space (paragraphs or pages) I will allow each one to go on for. The reason I would like to separate my paper in this way (even though I have never used subheadings before) is because of its length. Whether one is writing or reading that long of an essay, it is easy to get bored. However, I find that is much easier to keep focused when there are tiny separations within the essay. Almost all of my text books have these and I have come to appreciate them very much now that I’m in college and the number of pictures in the books has greatly decreased. -Julia St. John
answers (4/7/09)
Here are answers to some of the questions we (in my English class) were asked to answer in our fourth paper (the annotative bibliography)...
Which sources were the most valuable or the most authoritative?
I feel like any source that was made/produced by the actual subculture I am trying to research would have to me the most valuable. Therefore, I feel that Spectrum’s website tells the most about them as they truly are. The other websites are attached to theirs by links and are places that students within the subculture can turn to for assistance.
If you found sources produced by members of your subculture, what do they reveal about your subculture? What insider information does the source have?
Spectrum’s website reveals a lot of information about them. It tells outsiders (and reminds insiders) of meeting times, people who are the leaders of this subculture, some of the activities they participate in, and more. Most of the insider information is readily accessible to outsiders but outsiders might not understand at first why this information is necessary. For example, the “resources” page might be looked at by outsiders as simply links to other GLBT sites. And even though this is somewhat true, the sites on there (as shown at the bottom of this post) are mostly used to help these students fit in and help their families understand what the students might be going through.
IYG, Indiana Youth Group
NOW, The National Organization for Women
Which sources were the most valuable or the most authoritative?
I feel like any source that was made/produced by the actual subculture I am trying to research would have to me the most valuable. Therefore, I feel that Spectrum’s website tells the most about them as they truly are. The other websites are attached to theirs by links and are places that students within the subculture can turn to for assistance.
If you found sources produced by members of your subculture, what do they reveal about your subculture? What insider information does the source have?
Spectrum’s website reveals a lot of information about them. It tells outsiders (and reminds insiders) of meeting times, people who are the leaders of this subculture, some of the activities they participate in, and more. Most of the insider information is readily accessible to outsiders but outsiders might not understand at first why this information is necessary. For example, the “resources” page might be looked at by outsiders as simply links to other GLBT sites. And even though this is somewhat true, the sites on there (as shown at the bottom of this post) are mostly used to help these students fit in and help their families understand what the students might be going through.
PFLAG, Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays
Human Rights Campaign
IYG, Indiana Youth Group
NOW, The National Organization for Women
INTRAA, The Indiana Transgender Rights Advocacy Alliance
-Julia St. John
Sunday, April 5, 2009
paper 4 (4/5/09)
I am now sitting down to write paper four, my annotated bibliography. It’s coming pretty slowly so I decided to write this short blog for a little while. MLA is a lot easier with our textbook by my side (even if most of my websites don’t have editors). I have all my websites and the library sources were found on Ball State’s “article’s and databases.” I am so happy to have these resources at my fingertips. I feel as though I have discovered a lot more about this group from reading articles about homosexuals around the globe. I have looked at the questions that we, in my English class, have to keep in mind for this paper and find that I feel most of the questions are asking us to combine most of the papers. I won’t start my mini-report until later. Well, actually, I never start them until after I am done with the entire paper.
-Julia St. John
-Julia St. John
a few entries (4/5/09)
Here is one of my entries in my works cited page for paper four (the annotative bibliography). When we were told the stipulations for this page, I knew that one of my required web entries would have to be Spectrum’s website. It is not very long and that makes me wonder if I should add some stuff. I would love to hear what you all think about that…
Spectrum.com. 31 Mar. 2009. < http://bsu.edu/web/spectrum/drag04.html>.
This is Spectrum’s main website. Their meetings are posted on here, contact information, and tons of other fun information about the group in general are up for everyone to see.
Here is the first entry in my works cited page, hope you all like it…
Brewer, Paul R.. “The Shifting Foundations of Public Opinion about Gay Rights.” The Journal of Politics 65.4 (2003): 1208-1220
This study is to test possible explanation for the recent fascination within America about gay rights. It talks about how, in the span from 1992-2000, people came increasingly more favorable towards gay rights. I see this article as showing a positive change towards one of Spectrum’s top goals: equality.
-Julia St. John
Spectrum.com. 31 Mar. 2009. < http://bsu.edu/web/spectrum/drag04.html>.
This is Spectrum’s main website. Their meetings are posted on here, contact information, and tons of other fun information about the group in general are up for everyone to see.
Here is the first entry in my works cited page, hope you all like it…
Brewer, Paul R.. “The Shifting Foundations of Public Opinion about Gay Rights.” The Journal of Politics 65.4 (2003): 1208-1220
This study is to test possible explanation for the recent fascination within America about gay rights. It talks about how, in the span from 1992-2000, people came increasingly more favorable towards gay rights. I see this article as showing a positive change towards one of Spectrum’s top goals: equality.
-Julia St. John
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Works Cited practice (3/31/09)
Here are the citations my group (group F) did in class for the following…
Article: http://www.jstor.org/stable/4239135
Book: http://books.google.com/books?id=tw90vBmNKhEC
Website: http://circlek.iweb.bsu.edu/
Fleming, Linda. “The American SF Subculture.” Science Fiction Studies 4.3 (1997): 263-271
Rahn, Janice. Painting Without Permission: Hip-Hop Graffiti Subculture. Westport, Connecticut: Bergin & Garbey, 2002.
Circle K International. 6 April 2007. Ball State University. 31 Mar. 2009. <http://circlek.iweb.bsu.edu/>.
-Julia St. John
Article: http://www.jstor.org/stable/4239135
Book: http://books.google.com/books?id=tw90vBmNKhEC
Website: http://circlek.iweb.bsu.edu/
Fleming, Linda. “The American SF Subculture.” Science Fiction Studies 4.3 (1997): 263-271
Rahn, Janice. Painting Without Permission: Hip-Hop Graffiti Subculture. Westport, Connecticut: Bergin & Garbey, 2002.
Circle K International. 6 April 2007. Ball State University. 31 Mar. 2009. <http://circlek.iweb.bsu.edu/>.
-Julia St. John
Monday, March 30, 2009
Acces World News (3/30/09)
After a while of searching through online resources, that Ball State’s Bracken Library offers, I finally found a few pieces that I will be reading and looking at for my fourth paper. One that stood out was a short newspaper essay about the relevance of the recent “Milk” movie. In Access World News, I found this essay because I was looking for a way to tie in the movie to my paper. It talks about people’s responses to the movie and how some older viewers thought gay rights issues were “over” but then their opinions were changed when they saw how many kids come out to see “Milk.” Gay rights is a rather large issue that the world faces today (their rights to get married, have kids, etc.) and I feel many kids in Spectrum are already facing the harsh reality of the lack of some of these so-called rights. That is why I want to talk not only about the movie but about this essay that shows a few reactions to it.
-Julia St. John
Here is a link to the "Milk" article.
-Julia St. John
Here is a link to the "Milk" article.
Monday, March 23, 2009
paper 4 (3/23/09)
I just finished my assigned reading from Fieldworking for tomorrow’s class and have to say that as far as this fourth paper goes, it did not help me that much. However, the two pages at the end did. In high school, I was assigned to try out annotative bibliographies but never really knew why they were used. The description on page 414 really helped me see why I would want to work with one especially for this upcoming paper that will have at least 10 sources. I have not yet started on my paper but have thought about possible events/people that might be influential to my Subgroup (Spectrum). There was an apparently very accurate movie recently made about Harvey Milk and I am interested to find out more about it and how the movie and the man influenced the gay community. I have also been interested in gay pride events across the world and in researching how different countries feel about issues gay’s bring to the table (such as gay marriage).
-Julia St. John
-Julia St. John
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
interview for paper 3 (3/17/09)
Here are the questions I asked in an e-mail interview with Spectrum's VP and her answers...
Define Spectrum in your own words…
It is a GLBTQSA organization where people can come together to have fun, become educated and be safe.
Who chose the site for this show and how long has it been put on there…
I'm not sure about this one...it has been around for a few years.
What was your favorite part of the show…
I liked the story line the MCs did.
Were there any set-backs with the show and putting it together...
There are many aspects to the show and it takes a couple months to put together. But there were no set backs.
What story or stories are associated with the show/location…
There is no story associated with the show that i know of.
What rules surround the show and putting it together…
There are rules for the performers and you can find those online...
http://www.bsu.edu/web/spectrum/Drag%20Show%20Contract.html. But there are no rules for putting on the show.
What significance or meaning does the show hold to individuals in Spectrum or Spectrum as a whole…
The Drag Show is the biggest event that Spectrum puts on. It is our chance to raise money and give back to the community. The last show we gave the proceeds to the Indiana Youth Group. It means a lot to everyone in spectrum...the whole group really comes together to make it possible.
What part do you (or someone in your exec position) usually play in putting this show on...
The Vice President is in charge of the Drag Show...last semester that was Damon and this semester it's me. We take care of everything all the details, and then the exec boards back us up when need be. This semester i am trying something new by having a planning committee.
-Julia St. John
Define Spectrum in your own words…
It is a GLBTQSA organization where people can come together to have fun, become educated and be safe.
Who chose the site for this show and how long has it been put on there…
I'm not sure about this one...it has been around for a few years.
What was your favorite part of the show…
I liked the story line the MCs did.
Were there any set-backs with the show and putting it together...
There are many aspects to the show and it takes a couple months to put together. But there were no set backs.
What story or stories are associated with the show/location…
There is no story associated with the show that i know of.
What rules surround the show and putting it together…
There are rules for the performers and you can find those online...
http://www.bsu.edu/web/spectrum/Drag%20Show%20Contract.html. But there are no rules for putting on the show.
What significance or meaning does the show hold to individuals in Spectrum or Spectrum as a whole…
The Drag Show is the biggest event that Spectrum puts on. It is our chance to raise money and give back to the community. The last show we gave the proceeds to the Indiana Youth Group. It means a lot to everyone in spectrum...the whole group really comes together to make it possible.
What part do you (or someone in your exec position) usually play in putting this show on...
The Vice President is in charge of the Drag Show...last semester that was Damon and this semester it's me. We take care of everything all the details, and then the exec boards back us up when need be. This semester i am trying something new by having a planning committee.
-Julia St. John
Monday, March 16, 2009
editing paper 3 (3/16/09)
Over spring break I looked over the first draft of my third paper quite a few times. However, I did leave the ending paragraph for this week (the first week back). This was mostly because I saw that it would need work all on its own after reading it (in the introduction and conclusion exercise we did on the Thursday before break) aloud to me group. I have just finished spending a few hours on it and minor corrections throughout the rest of my paper and can now say that my third paper, as a whole, is significantly better. The only other major change that was made, however, was the addition of an interview and a works cited. I was always planning on having these items in this third paper, but after I finished peer editing my group mate’s papers, I remembered that they were essential to this particular assignment. I conducted this interview through e-mail as I normally do because I find it is easier for the interviewee to have more time and be able to write out exactly what they would like to say.
-Julia St. John
-Julia St. John
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Interview question for paper 3 (3/4/09)
(For these questions, I asked the interviewee to think of the drag show that happened in the first Semester of this year)
Define Spectrum in your own words…
Who chose the site for this show and how long has it been there…
What was your favorite part of the show…
What story or stories are associated with the show/location…What rules surround the show and putting it together…
What significance or meaning does the show hold to individuals in Spectrum or Spectrum as a whole…
What part do you (or someone in your exec position) usually play in putting this show on...
What did the money from the raffle/performers go to…
-Julia St. John
Define Spectrum in your own words…
Who chose the site for this show and how long has it been there…
What was your favorite part of the show…
What story or stories are associated with the show/location…What rules surround the show and putting it together…
What significance or meaning does the show hold to individuals in Spectrum or Spectrum as a whole…
What part do you (or someone in your exec position) usually play in putting this show on...
What did the money from the raffle/performers go to…
-Julia St. John
1st paragraph to paper 3 (3/4/09)
It has been said that you make your own fun; that it shouldn’t depend on where you are. Although this is true for some, the members of Spectrum had to have the perfect location for their annual drag show to ensure fun for its audience. This group specially chose Ball Gymnasium to hold this event and much preparation went into making the sight, sounds, and textures just right. Another location that Spectrum sees as a sacred place is their meeting place. Although this location has changed in the past and is also not a set location, wherever this group meets is seen as a safe place every Thursday night. Their meeting place of choice is the Multipurpose Room in the Student Center. However, when I went to do an observation is when I found out that their room is subject to change. The room had been changed from the basement to the second floor in the Forum room. Although Spectrum has asked Ball State to give them a permanent meeting room, the board has not yet found a place this group can eternally call home. Therefore, every week, Spectrum’s executive board must try and sign up to use the Multipurpose Room. But if someone else has booked it, then they simply move to whatever room their assigned in the Student Center and inform the people who come to the meetings through signs by each entrance. Both locations, the meeting place and the annual drag show, are very important to Spectrum; places that any Ball State student should be able to come and feel welcomed.
-Julia St. John
-Julia St. John
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
location description (3/3/09)
Sight, sounds, smells, textures, and tastes. Not all of these things are ones that I observed at the location (Ball Gymnasium) that gave Spectrum a place to hold their annual drag show. I did, however, observe most. For example, there were many things to see even before the show started. The actual performance was held in the gym (as one might imagine) so when you first walk in you see four sections consisting of hundreds of brown chairs. Between these sections, there were aisles not only for spectators to find their seats but also (during the show) for the performers to walk down and interact with audience members. At the back of the auditorium, there was a raffle that held many prizes that were announced and given to the highest bidder after the show. And at the front, the black stage could be seen with one spot light in the upper left corner, flower pots lining the front of the stage (for people to put money in as different performers came up), and a sign in the middle of the curtain that is at the back of the stage. Seeing as I walked in toward the starting time, I came in to the sound of lots of excited people. Some catching up, some talking about the show, there were chairs moving and people asking us to take our seats.
What does all of this mean? It means that Spectrum obviously put a lot of time and energy into this show. To get a raffle started (from donated things from different places), set up all the chairs/stage, and just generally organize this event took a lot of pre-planning. This event means a lot to this subgroup and they took the time to ensure others would enjoy it too.
-Julia St. John
What does all of this mean? It means that Spectrum obviously put a lot of time and energy into this show. To get a raffle started (from donated things from different places), set up all the chairs/stage, and just generally organize this event took a lot of pre-planning. This event means a lot to this subgroup and they took the time to ensure others would enjoy it too.
-Julia St. John
Sunday, March 1, 2009
location of paper 3 (3/1/09)
I have not yet decided which Spectrum location I will write on yet. I know that I have to soon, but I have been e-mailing Ms. Murray back and forth and am now only waiting on her reply to let me use Spectrum’s drag show in Ball Gym as the topic for my third paper. Although this show was at the beginning of the year I can still vividly remember it (to describe it), there are pictures on Spectrum’s website of the event, and this show means a lot more to the subculture than either room in the Student Center. Spectrum is hoping that sometime next year they will get a room of their own to decorate and do with as they please for their meetings but for right now, they have to deal with the changing schedule of the multipurpose room. The drag show involved not only members of Spectrum but also a few professional queens. At the actual location there was a stage, hundreds of chairs, drawings for different prizes, and much more.
-Julia St. John
-Julia St. John
Thursday, February 26, 2009
My feelings about going to Spectrum’s location (2/26/09)
What location(s) are you planning to observe?
I am planning to observe the normal meeting place for Spectrum (the Student Center Multipurpose Room).
What are your assumptions about the location?
I have already visited this location once before so my ideas about the meeting place were mostly set.
What do you think you will see?
Some of my original assumptions about Spectrum’s spot were that it would have drawn pictures and pictures of drag shows on the walls. However, when I got there I found that this was (as the title of the room suggests) a multipurpose room. It is used by many other groups of people so there is one large table with many chairs in the room. There is a place to put computerized things (like power point) on a screen and this was most definitely utilized by the group.
Who do you think you will encounter and be able to talk to while observing?
I think I will see many people who are members of the group although I do not think each one will be there because I am attending a random meeting and students often have other meetings or things that prevent them from coming. I think that most (if not all) the officers of Spectrum will be there. I also think that anyone who is part of the group is willing to talk about it (even if they might not be so comfortable with me putting their information in a paper).
What do you think insiders already know about the space?
I feel that insiders find this place to be fun and not only a place to meet new friends but also a place to connect with family.
What may outsiders need to learn about the space in order to better understand the subculture?
I’m not sure if there is much to learn about this particular place because it is shared by so many people. However, Spectrum is working on getting a room of their own.
Do you think you need to be careful about colonization as you do your research and write your paper?
Yes! I feel I do because it is easier to take an outsiders view of a culture like this.
What can you do to prevent colonization from occurring in your paper?
I will try my hardest to always keep colonization in mind while writing this paper. However, whenever I get peer responses, I will ask them to pay close attention as to whether or not I do this.
-Julia St. John
I am planning to observe the normal meeting place for Spectrum (the Student Center Multipurpose Room).
What are your assumptions about the location?
I have already visited this location once before so my ideas about the meeting place were mostly set.
What do you think you will see?
Some of my original assumptions about Spectrum’s spot were that it would have drawn pictures and pictures of drag shows on the walls. However, when I got there I found that this was (as the title of the room suggests) a multipurpose room. It is used by many other groups of people so there is one large table with many chairs in the room. There is a place to put computerized things (like power point) on a screen and this was most definitely utilized by the group.
Who do you think you will encounter and be able to talk to while observing?
I think I will see many people who are members of the group although I do not think each one will be there because I am attending a random meeting and students often have other meetings or things that prevent them from coming. I think that most (if not all) the officers of Spectrum will be there. I also think that anyone who is part of the group is willing to talk about it (even if they might not be so comfortable with me putting their information in a paper).
What do you think insiders already know about the space?
I feel that insiders find this place to be fun and not only a place to meet new friends but also a place to connect with family.
What may outsiders need to learn about the space in order to better understand the subculture?
I’m not sure if there is much to learn about this particular place because it is shared by so many people. However, Spectrum is working on getting a room of their own.
Do you think you need to be careful about colonization as you do your research and write your paper?
Yes! I feel I do because it is easier to take an outsiders view of a culture like this.
What can you do to prevent colonization from occurring in your paper?
I will try my hardest to always keep colonization in mind while writing this paper. However, whenever I get peer responses, I will ask them to pay close attention as to whether or not I do this.
-Julia St. John
Sense of Place (2/26/09)
For years before my family moved into our brand new house, my parents used to complain every season about having to go in the attic to get down decorations. The three girls in my family (including myself) did the same. This was mainly due to the fact that my father, sisters, and I were the ones who actually had to go in the attic to get the boxes down and put them back up. My mom’s job was to take everything out of the boxes, out it up for the season, and the pack it back up so we could put them lovingly back into the attic. This job was mostly complained about because the attic was cold above our garage with no heating or air-conditioning. This meant that no matter whether we were getting Christmas decorations down or summer wreaths, our body temperatures were always at one extreme when we ventured up there. In order to get into our old attic, both cars had to be removed from the garage and a rope from the center of the ceiling had to be pulled for the unstable wooden ladder to come down. The first person to climb the ladder had to turn on the solitary light by pulling a string at the top of the ladder. Once one succeeded in the ladder climb, danger was not over. With low ceilings and nails sticking out from those ceilings, if you were not constantly on your guard, you were sure to get hurt. There was one small window in the attic but it brought in little to no light (especially seeing as most of our adventures up there were at night). The floor of the attic had been covered in boards because if it hadn’t been, we would have fallen through to the garage below. Boxes were always piled everywhere and it didn’t help that the season we wanted was usually in the back because the boxes hadn’t been touched for an entire year. There were, of course, other things in the attic besides boxes: an old rocking horse, lots of dust, a red metal shelving unit, the occasional dead mouse, etc. I remember complaining about these escapades to the attic, but looking back on it, it was part of where we lived and the decorations have come with us to our new house and even though we no longer have an above-garage attic, they, just like the memories of the old attic, will stay with us forever.
-Julia St. John
-Julia St. John
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Final touches on paper 2 (2/22/09)
I have sent an e-mail to a few Spectrum members seeing if they have the time to set up an interview with me but as the due-date for this paper is drawing near, I am losing faith on whether or not I will be able to put the words of an insider in this paper. I have, however, completed many other corrections that were suggested in my Thursday meeting with Miss Murray. Another thing that helped with small, grammatical errors was the peer edit assignment that was due for Thursday. Although there were not many, I have about five words that were either the wrong word for the sentence (it’s unfortunate Word doesn’t catch those kinds of mistakes) or making works plural when they should be singular. I have also edited my works cited page to hold the correct information and correctly cited our textbook in my paper as well. The only thing I feel I need to do now is work on my two to three minute presentation for Tuesday’s class.
-Julia St. John
-Julia St. John
Saturday, February 21, 2009
Editing Spectrum artifact paper (2/21/09)
The other day, I had my very first meeting with Ms. Murray and found that what I thought to be an alright paper was missing quite a few details. One simply fixed “error” was that my paper had no pictures in it. I had not given much thought to this before seeing as the paper already more than met the page requirements and because I was looking at what their page looked like all the time so it didn’t occur to me to let others actually see samples of it. The next thing we talked about was that although my paper had a page-of-a-paragraph (something that will need to be cut a few times) of description on the artifact, there was no analysis. Along with adding that, I will also need to think of a better thesis statement that encompasses the whole of my paper. I asked about my works cited page and found that although I was not quoting Spectrum’s website verbatim, it still needed to be cited. Some other things that were suggested were to add an interview and avoid contractions. All-in-all, I most definitely think this short meeting was very beneficial and will help my paper immensely.
-Julia St. John
-Julia St. John
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
family story (2/17/09)
There are many stories that my family is, rather embarrassingly, more than willing to tell. Most of the ones that automatically pop into my head are about me because I not only hear them but was there when they happened so can recall the emotions and factual happenings clearly. However, going further back in my family, there is a story that my father tells when someone asks him a good way of revenge. His story begins one summer when he was in his twenties at a summer theatre camp. At the camp, not only work for the end-of-the-summer performance was done, but there was also lots of free time as well. During this free time, there was one guy (as my father tells it) who used to take extreme joy in hiding it unexpected places and scaring the women of the came when they happened to walk by. At first, the women were mildly amused but after a while asked my dad to think of a way to get back at this guy for constantly frightening them. That night, my dad and a friend hid under the man’s bed before he went to sleep. Of course, the man’s wife was lovingly in on the plan so she more than happily stepped out of the room for a moment when someone asked her to. As my dad and his friend patiently waited under the bed, the man got ready, turned off the light and unknowingly hopped under the covers. After a few minutes in total darkness my dad and his friend started to take slow, deep, loud breaths. My dad recalls how he could hear the man above him shift uncomfortably lower under the covers. Then, all-of-a-sudden, my dad and his friend took their hands, reached around, and whapped the bed (and consequently the man) above them. He screamed and sat straight up while the entire theatre troop came in laughing. My dad said it took a few minutes for the man to regain color in his face and start talking normally again but he never scared anyone else for the rest of the summer. I’m not quite sure what this story tells about me or my family. But I do know it is a fun one to tell and if I were in the same situation, I might have to use it on a mischievous guy. I believe the story not only helps people figure out ways of revenge but also tells people not to scare others in the first place. I think this story accurately tells how my family is fun-loving and willing to help people in need.
-Julia St. John
-Julia St. John
Monday, February 16, 2009
start of artifact paper... (2/16/09)
There are not many objects that the Ball State’s gay community uses specifically for meeting. There are perhaps places to hang out, parties to attend, speakers to hear, but as far as physical objects go, I can think of exactly zero special to this group of individuals. Then I found out that artifacts are not necessarily items that one can hold but are generally “material objects that represent the culture of that site” (_143 book_). So then I started thinking about what members of Spectrum used on a daily or weekly basis. Their website was the first thing I thought of because it was the first thing I looked at when initially starting my research on the subculture. It helped me, an outsider, to learn both general and specific knowledge about the subculture, find out about meetings I could attend, and learn a little more about possible candidates for interviews later on. The site is very helpful and creative; it is obvious that Spectrum has put a lot of time and energy in making it what it is today.
-Julia St. John
-Julia St. John
Thursday, February 12, 2009
In Class Interview (2/12/09)
The following is me interviewing Brad and his answers…
What is your name?
“Brad Maushart”
Where are you from?
“Guilford, IN”
What grade are you in here at Ball State?
“I’m a freshman”
What do you like to do in your spare time?
“I hang with friends. I like going to parties and late night, that’s a good time. I play basketball and volleyball. I go to the sporting stuff. Homework takes up a lot of time. And, pull pranks on other people in my dorm building, all the time.”
Do you collect anything?
“I love hats. I guess I collect hats…ish. Not serious about it. Not more than that really.”
How much time do you spend doing things that are not school affiliated?
“Seeing as I don’t spend enough time on my school work as I should, other than sleeping, I’d say about 75% or 80% of my time is spent doing other stuff.”
What does your typical weekend consist of?
“Typical weekend? Let’s see. Weekend starts Friday night. Friday, I usually hang out a little with friends then go to a movie or a party. Then Saturday, I wake up late/sleep in, go out to eat for lunch (sometimes we go out for food but usually to the Atrium or WW), then we usually either go to a sporting thing like a basketball thing or something, then we usually go to late night then a party. Sunday consists of sleeping in, again. And then lunch, maybe, sometimes we have a basketball game, sometimes we don’t. And then homework.”
When do you usually leave campus and for how long?
“Usually don’t go home at all unless it’s like a big holiday thing. Sometimes I go home for a wedding or special occasion.”
Do you often go home on the weekends?
“Negative.”
What kind of music do you listen to?
“Anything but country”
I thought Brad was an excellent interviewer. He had plenty of questions prepared before hand and sometimes, when the occasion would arise, he would ask questions that were not on his sheet because of the answers I would give.
What is your name?
“Brad Maushart”
Where are you from?
“Guilford, IN”
What grade are you in here at Ball State?
“I’m a freshman”
What do you like to do in your spare time?
“I hang with friends. I like going to parties and late night, that’s a good time. I play basketball and volleyball. I go to the sporting stuff. Homework takes up a lot of time. And, pull pranks on other people in my dorm building, all the time.”
Do you collect anything?
“I love hats. I guess I collect hats…ish. Not serious about it. Not more than that really.”
How much time do you spend doing things that are not school affiliated?
“Seeing as I don’t spend enough time on my school work as I should, other than sleeping, I’d say about 75% or 80% of my time is spent doing other stuff.”
What does your typical weekend consist of?
“Typical weekend? Let’s see. Weekend starts Friday night. Friday, I usually hang out a little with friends then go to a movie or a party. Then Saturday, I wake up late/sleep in, go out to eat for lunch (sometimes we go out for food but usually to the Atrium or WW), then we usually either go to a sporting thing like a basketball thing or something, then we usually go to late night then a party. Sunday consists of sleeping in, again. And then lunch, maybe, sometimes we have a basketball game, sometimes we don’t. And then homework.”
When do you usually leave campus and for how long?
“Usually don’t go home at all unless it’s like a big holiday thing. Sometimes I go home for a wedding or special occasion.”
Do you often go home on the weekends?
“Negative.”
What kind of music do you listen to?
“Anything but country”
I thought Brad was an excellent interviewer. He had plenty of questions prepared before hand and sometimes, when the occasion would arise, he would ask questions that were not on his sheet because of the answers I would give.
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Observational notes (2/22/09)
There are seven links (home, about, images, events, exec, resources, and contact us) on the Spectrum website that one can click on to get to a different page. The links are either in pink or yellow bubble letters. The “home” page tells about the meetings each week and gives the Spectrum weekly newsletter. The “about” page gives information to outsiders as to what Spectrum is, its history, the constitution, their bylaws, and how their speaker panels work. The “images” page gives links to pages with images which are separated into categories/groups; Homecoming 2008, Fall 2007, Spring 2007, etc. The “events” page displays a colorful calendar for the current school year and the major events Spectrum will hold during it. The “exec” page shows pictures of the 2009 Spectrum Executive Board along with links one can click on to contact each one. The “resources” page suggests places and people to contact to the members of Spectrum to use if they are feeling down. The final “contact us” page gives more information about how to contact the executive board and how to contact anonymously to a general Spectrum person.
-Julia St. John
-Julia St. John
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Megan's artifact (2/10/09)
Observational Notes…
Megan Stephens’ phone is black with some silver parts to it. On the outside, there are ten buttons and does not flip open. Also on the outside, there printed the words; “Verizon,” “LG,” “Schneider,” and “Kreuznach” to help others know who the artifact was made by. On the front of Megan’s cell phone there is a touch screen that is activated by pressing any button. On the back, there is a camera for taking pictures and 16 holes to hear out of if Megan wishes to set her phone on speaker. At the top of the artifact, there is a small hole with a picture beside it telling its user that headphones can be put in the whole.
Personal Notes…
This artifact reminds me of the fact that new technology is constantly being made for consumers to buy. I know a few things about this artifact mostly because I have one of my own. Of course, mine is a different kind, with a different name, and different personal settings but the basic principles are still the same. Each phone can connect to the internet, send text messages, receive phone calls, etc. I don’t really have any assumptions about this artifact other than I assume that it goes to long without being recharged, the battery will die.
Interview…
What is your artifact?...”my cell phone”
Why is this artifact important to you?... “Because it connects me with all of my friends and keeps me away from boredom”
What do you use this artifact for?... “Text friends, call my family, take pictures, check my e-mail”
Do you use the artifact every day?... “Yes, all day every day”
Did you purchase your artifact?... “yes I did”
What kind of materials are in/on your artifact?... “Battery, stickers, finger prints, plastic, technical shit”
Do you enjoy your artifact?... “Yes, I get a lot of joy out of it”
Will you ever part with your artifact?... “No, unless I get a new version of it”
Where do you usually keep your artifact?... “Any pocket”
How often to you use your artifact?... “Pretty much all day texting”
Theorize…
Metaphor: This cell phone is a string that connects people to their peers/family.
If I wanted to learn more about this artifact then I would probably go online to the Verizon store. I would either type the name of this specific phone into their search engine or e-mail a professional with any questions I might have.
-Julia St. John
Megan Stephens’ phone is black with some silver parts to it. On the outside, there are ten buttons and does not flip open. Also on the outside, there printed the words; “Verizon,” “LG,” “Schneider,” and “Kreuznach” to help others know who the artifact was made by. On the front of Megan’s cell phone there is a touch screen that is activated by pressing any button. On the back, there is a camera for taking pictures and 16 holes to hear out of if Megan wishes to set her phone on speaker. At the top of the artifact, there is a small hole with a picture beside it telling its user that headphones can be put in the whole.
Personal Notes…
This artifact reminds me of the fact that new technology is constantly being made for consumers to buy. I know a few things about this artifact mostly because I have one of my own. Of course, mine is a different kind, with a different name, and different personal settings but the basic principles are still the same. Each phone can connect to the internet, send text messages, receive phone calls, etc. I don’t really have any assumptions about this artifact other than I assume that it goes to long without being recharged, the battery will die.
Interview…
What is your artifact?...”my cell phone”
Why is this artifact important to you?... “Because it connects me with all of my friends and keeps me away from boredom”
What do you use this artifact for?... “Text friends, call my family, take pictures, check my e-mail”
Do you use the artifact every day?... “Yes, all day every day”
Did you purchase your artifact?... “yes I did”
What kind of materials are in/on your artifact?... “Battery, stickers, finger prints, plastic, technical shit”
Do you enjoy your artifact?... “Yes, I get a lot of joy out of it”
Will you ever part with your artifact?... “No, unless I get a new version of it”
Where do you usually keep your artifact?... “Any pocket”
How often to you use your artifact?... “Pretty much all day texting”
Theorize…
Metaphor: This cell phone is a string that connects people to their peers/family.
If I wanted to learn more about this artifact then I would probably go online to the Verizon store. I would either type the name of this specific phone into their search engine or e-mail a professional with any questions I might have.
-Julia St. John
Practice Observation (2/10/09)
The object that I randomly put on my desk was a hair tie that I usually put around my right wrist. It is black and smaller than most hair ties normally are. There are a few parts on it where one can see that the object is fraying from abundant use but it still serves its purpose. There is one part on my hair tie that holds the two edges of the circular band together with some sort of adhesive that looks like dried glue. I wear this object around my right wrist because I feel odd without something there. (If I am going to a formal place, I will most likely take the hair tie off and replace it with a bracelet.) Hair ties are normally used to hold a female’s hair back but I rarely actually do this. If I recall correctly, this particular hair tie was purchased at Target in a package of about ten.
-Julia St. John
-Julia St. John
Monday, February 9, 2009
Artifacts! (2/9/09)
Artifacts are hard to find! However, I believe that I will use Spectrum’s website as the one I use for this assignment. It is a place that every member can use/look at to find out information about the subculture. Every week, the topic of the next meeting is posted, who (if anyone) will be speaking at it, and what they will be speaking about. There are also useful pieces of information about the subculture on there. For example, places kids in the group can go to get help with any issues are posted, kids who hold office in the group are posted, and general information about the group is also posted. At first, I didn’t think the site could be a true artifact because I thought they all had to be something one could physically hold in their hands. However, after talking it over with my group (and Ms. Murray), we decided that it will work for the work I need to get done on the next paper.
-Julia St. John
-Julia St. John
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Answers for Spectrum (1/3/09)
Here are the answers for the questions I asked/posted...
Define Spectrum in your own words…
We are a family. We support each other in every aspect. Spectrum serves as safe environment for students to explore their sexuality/sexual identity/gender identity and just be themselves.
What prior assumptions/biases do you feel people have about this group?...
I think that many people who don't attend Spectrum believe that every person who attends the group is GLBT (which is not true, we have many straight allies). Also, some people think that Spectrum is a group for hook-ups/dating site, but this couldn't be further from the truth. We do many educational/informative activities during our meetings and we try to reach out to the BSU/Muncie community to educate them about GLBT issues.
Why did you decide to become such an influential part of this group?...
I fell in love with the organization my Freshman year, met a lot of great people and wanted to become more involved.
What do you think is the main reason for people ridiculing people from Spectrum?...
I think a lot of people just don't know much about the community and don't care to know much and therefore won't take the time to get to know someone from the community. If people get to know someone who is GLBT they are much more likely to be accepting and tolerant.
What are some major issues/concerns you’d like to see fixed with Spectrum?...
I would just like to see the misconceptions dispelled.
-Julia St. John
Define Spectrum in your own words…
We are a family. We support each other in every aspect. Spectrum serves as safe environment for students to explore their sexuality/sexual identity/gender identity and just be themselves.
What prior assumptions/biases do you feel people have about this group?...
I think that many people who don't attend Spectrum believe that every person who attends the group is GLBT (which is not true, we have many straight allies). Also, some people think that Spectrum is a group for hook-ups/dating site, but this couldn't be further from the truth. We do many educational/informative activities during our meetings and we try to reach out to the BSU/Muncie community to educate them about GLBT issues.
Why did you decide to become such an influential part of this group?...
I fell in love with the organization my Freshman year, met a lot of great people and wanted to become more involved.
What do you think is the main reason for people ridiculing people from Spectrum?...
I think a lot of people just don't know much about the community and don't care to know much and therefore won't take the time to get to know someone from the community. If people get to know someone who is GLBT they are much more likely to be accepting and tolerant.
What are some major issues/concerns you’d like to see fixed with Spectrum?...
I would just like to see the misconceptions dispelled.
-Julia St. John
Miley World...
Let the record show that although Julia suggested a Disney site, Daniel picked this online subculture!
This is a Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus website
You have to pay to be a member of this site (a holiday special is now in place for $30)
Upon paying you get membership for a year, and an “official fan club Miley world fan club card”
Rituals: going on the site, listening to her music, watching her TV show
Members: most members are pre-teen females who admire Miley
We would definitely classify this group as a subculture because: you have to pay to get in (so only the people who really want to be there will be), the site has chat boards, you can upload your own videos/pictures, there are uploaded news images of Miley to tell you more about the site and what’s happening in her actual life
-Julia St. John
-Daniel Potash
-Holly Oehme
This is a Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus website
You have to pay to be a member of this site (a holiday special is now in place for $30)
Upon paying you get membership for a year, and an “official fan club Miley world fan club card”
Rituals: going on the site, listening to her music, watching her TV show
Members: most members are pre-teen females who admire Miley
We would definitely classify this group as a subculture because: you have to pay to get in (so only the people who really want to be there will be), the site has chat boards, you can upload your own videos/pictures, there are uploaded news images of Miley to tell you more about the site and what’s happening in her actual life
-Julia St. John
-Daniel Potash
-Holly Oehme
Monday, February 2, 2009
My message to interview (1/2/09)
Here is a copy of the message I sent to the president of Spectrum asking questions for an interview. I will prob post the answers he gave in another post another time...
Hey, in my English class, we had to pick a Ball State group for the semester to write a few different papers about. I choose Spectrum and for the first paper, am required to interview someone. I know you are the president of the organization and therefore I’d be very grateful if you would answer a few questions and allow me to use your answers in my paper. I have tried to talk to you for the past few days, but seem to always come at bad times when you’re not in your room so I have posted to questions below. If you’d rather not answer them, that is definitely alright, but if so, then it would be wonderful if you could get back to me before Wednesday night (the peer response draft is due Thursday). Thanks again.
-Julia St. John
Define Spectrum in your own words…
What prior assumptions/biases do you feel people have about this group?...
Why did you decide to become such an influential part of this group?...
What do you think is the main reason for people ridiculing people from Spectrum?...
What are some major issues/concerns you’d like to see fixed with Spectrum?...
Hey, in my English class, we had to pick a Ball State group for the semester to write a few different papers about. I choose Spectrum and for the first paper, am required to interview someone. I know you are the president of the organization and therefore I’d be very grateful if you would answer a few questions and allow me to use your answers in my paper. I have tried to talk to you for the past few days, but seem to always come at bad times when you’re not in your room so I have posted to questions below. If you’d rather not answer them, that is definitely alright, but if so, then it would be wonderful if you could get back to me before Wednesday night (the peer response draft is due Thursday). Thanks again.
-Julia St. John
Define Spectrum in your own words…
What prior assumptions/biases do you feel people have about this group?...
Why did you decide to become such an influential part of this group?...
What do you think is the main reason for people ridiculing people from Spectrum?...
What are some major issues/concerns you’d like to see fixed with Spectrum?...
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
shitty first draft post (1/27/09)
Ok, shitty first draft, here I come. I have started my paper but have only written about what I know/expect the group to be like. I have not yet conducted any interview(s) but have gone to one Spectrum meeting. I plan to interview the president of the organization not only because I feel that he will be the most knowledgeable about it but also because he lives in my dorm on the floor above me (so I won’t have to walk out in the freezing cold and more than I have to). I’m not exactly sure what I was expecting from the meetings but when I went it was less of an informational session and more of a fun place for the people in the subculture to go on Thursdays. It was interesting because even though I was “the new kid” I felt free to ask questions and talk about any topic I wanted. There were, of course, guided decisions and the topic of the night was safe sex. Although I do not have homosexual tendencies, I felt welcomed to participate in games and things and not have to just sit and observe in a corner.
-Julia St. John
-Julia St. John
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Beginning paper 1 (1/21/09)
According to the detailed website Spectrum has up, it “exists to provide an anonymous, safe, and friendly place for gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender students...provides social support to create a comfortable, confidential, and accepting atmosphere…[and] sponsors Spring Week in April and P.R.O.U.D. Month October, in addition to organizing speaker panels to raise awareness on campus and in the community.” I want to study this particular subgroup for many reasons: I have lots of gay friends, I want to know more about the group in general, I’m interested to hear what the people in this subgroup have to say about their sexuality, etc. Really, my only prior knowledge of this subculture would be my interactions with friends who chose a homosexual lifestyle. I have no real assumptions/biases for the people in this subculture other than the fact that I hate it when outsiders look down on these people without getting to know them. One issue that I have with this subculture (a minor one, but still an issue) is that they only meet on Thursdays and I’m not sure how many meetings I will be able to attend. I usually don’t have things on these days though so I should be alright.
-Julia St. John
-Julia St. John
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Responding to two ethnographic essays (1/20/09)
-- What kinds of evidence or data did the authors use?
“Friday Night at Iowa 80” – This author uses a lot of interviewing
“House for the Homeless: A Place to Hang Your Hat” – This essay draws in a lot of personal experiences
-- What kinds of research did the authors do?
“Friday Night at Iowa 80” – Again, Rick conducted a lot of interviews for research but the essay also says he read some books about his topic.
“House for the Homeless: A Place to Hang Your Hat” – There is one rather informal interview in this essay but it mostly consists of small amounts of personal observation
-- Why is each group a subculture? Does the author convince you that they are each subcultures?
“Friday Night at Iowa 80” – In this essay, I believe that the particular subculture(s) Rick is talking about are truckers. I think these people make up their own subculture because they most definitely have a “ritual” that they do on a regular basis (driving long distances).
“House for the Homeless: A Place to Hang Your Hat” – This subculture consists of homeless people and people who are having a hard time “making it” in the world. I’m defiantly convinced that these people form a subculture because of the hardships and things they have to go through on a daily basis.
-- After reading the essay, do you understand what it would be like to be a member of this subculture?
“Friday Night at Iowa 80” – Yes, because Rick goes into so much detail not only about the people in this subculture but also about the places they go and the things they do.
“House for the Homeless: A Place to Hang Your Hat” – I’m not sure I exactly “understand” simply because my life is so different from the lives of the people in the essay. However, the essay does do an excellent job of description and explanation of the subculture.
-- What are the strengths and weaknesses of the essays?
“Friday Night at Iowa 80” – I think a major strength of this essay is its clarity and separation of subtopics with the headers in bold. It is hard to find a weakness in this work, but I am not particularly interested in this topic so would say that it would sometimes talk about a story or subtopic for longer than help my interest.
“House for the Homeless: A Place to Hang Your Hat” – I feel that the main strength and weakness I have for this essay are the same; personal stories. I believe that it is always good to use a lot of “I” statements but at the same time, I think this author used to many and not enough of what she researched/studied.
-- After reading both examples, what ideas or questions do you have about completing your own ethnographic research project?
Well, both of these papers have subtopics (as shown by their bold headings) and I have never written any kind of paper/essay where these were needed so one question I would have would be about the outline of the paper itself? Another question I need to ask myself is how I am going to separate my paper into these subtopic? Or, if I chose to only divide them by paragraph, then what are my main points?
-Julia St. John
“Friday Night at Iowa 80” – This author uses a lot of interviewing
“House for the Homeless: A Place to Hang Your Hat” – This essay draws in a lot of personal experiences
-- What kinds of research did the authors do?
“Friday Night at Iowa 80” – Again, Rick conducted a lot of interviews for research but the essay also says he read some books about his topic.
“House for the Homeless: A Place to Hang Your Hat” – There is one rather informal interview in this essay but it mostly consists of small amounts of personal observation
-- Why is each group a subculture? Does the author convince you that they are each subcultures?
“Friday Night at Iowa 80” – In this essay, I believe that the particular subculture(s) Rick is talking about are truckers. I think these people make up their own subculture because they most definitely have a “ritual” that they do on a regular basis (driving long distances).
“House for the Homeless: A Place to Hang Your Hat” – This subculture consists of homeless people and people who are having a hard time “making it” in the world. I’m defiantly convinced that these people form a subculture because of the hardships and things they have to go through on a daily basis.
-- After reading the essay, do you understand what it would be like to be a member of this subculture?
“Friday Night at Iowa 80” – Yes, because Rick goes into so much detail not only about the people in this subculture but also about the places they go and the things they do.
“House for the Homeless: A Place to Hang Your Hat” – I’m not sure I exactly “understand” simply because my life is so different from the lives of the people in the essay. However, the essay does do an excellent job of description and explanation of the subculture.
-- What are the strengths and weaknesses of the essays?
“Friday Night at Iowa 80” – I think a major strength of this essay is its clarity and separation of subtopics with the headers in bold. It is hard to find a weakness in this work, but I am not particularly interested in this topic so would say that it would sometimes talk about a story or subtopic for longer than help my interest.
“House for the Homeless: A Place to Hang Your Hat” – I feel that the main strength and weakness I have for this essay are the same; personal stories. I believe that it is always good to use a lot of “I” statements but at the same time, I think this author used to many and not enough of what she researched/studied.
-- After reading both examples, what ideas or questions do you have about completing your own ethnographic research project?
Well, both of these papers have subtopics (as shown by their bold headings) and I have never written any kind of paper/essay where these were needed so one question I would have would be about the outline of the paper itself? Another question I need to ask myself is how I am going to separate my paper into these subtopic? Or, if I chose to only divide them by paragraph, then what are my main points?
-Julia St. John
Monday, January 19, 2009
Paragraph (1/19/09)
As I have previously stated, I have chosen the subculture of Spectrum at Ball State. I chose to study this subculture because it is all about helping kids at Ball State fit in. Although I am not gay, a lesbian, bisexual, or a transgender student here, I know what it feels like to not fit in at school. I used to be extremely overweight when I was younger and kids would make fun of me constantly. The kids in this subculture are just like you and me but some people chose to put them down for their sexual preference. I hope to discover many things when studying this subculture. For example, I want to find out what some of these kids have been through and how they overcame these obstacles. I also would like to other people (ones who might not ever consider going to this group) to understand that these kids are no different because of who they are and who they chose to have relationships with.
-Julia St. John
-Julia St. John
Friday, January 16, 2009
My Subculture (1/16/09)
Alright, if you’ve read my last blog entry you’ll know that towards the end I stated how “I’m glad that in this class we are allowed to pick what we research instead of being given topics or even guidelines.” However, looking farther into the assignments we will have to complete for this semester I see that MAJOR restrictions have been placed upon us in choosing a subculture. The largest of these limitations is that the subculture we select has to be one on Ball State University’s campus. There are, of course, many reasons for this but I will most likely delve into them in later blog posts. For now, I would simply like to tell you my subculture and a little about why I prefer it over others. I selected “Spectrum” as my subculture. It is not dangerous, it is legal, they hold free weekly meetings that I can attend, and I’m interested in the people who are part of this group.
-Julia St. John
-Julia St. John
Thursday, January 15, 2009
First blog! (1/15/09)
Subcultures and interviewing/studying people are not exactly things that pop into my mind when I think of a typical English class. However, now that the assignment has been given, and will stick for an entire semester, I am rather excited to get started. I am personally interested in music. I love to perform, going to see concerts, and even taking music classes here at Ball State. Music, however, is too broad to be a subculture so I have tried to narrow it down in many ways. I could research a particular interment. I could also research a particular time period (such as the Romantic era). Thinking more along today’s lines (and not the history of music) I could write about music classes, concerts, or current performers. I am also interested in finding two different subcultures of music that have some connection and trying to compare and contrast them. No matter what I end up doing, I’m glad that in this class we are allowed to pick what we research instead of being given topics or even guidelines.
-Julia St. John
-Julia St. John
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