1. What difference did you notice in your choice of topics in the first part of the class versus the topics found in the texts My California and Train Go Sorry?
I noticed that we looked at broad, impersonal topics at the beginning, such as looking at different cities, museums, etc. Our later assignments touched on the human element behind those things and places we had looked at. My California, for example, had stories in it relating to many areas of California we had been introduced to in earlier assignments.
2. What difference did you notice when you read your classmates work regarding the same topics versus your own opinions? Did their works make you think of something different?
Everyone in the class has a different background they come from, as as a result, even when I agreed with someone and held the same view as them, there was always a slightly different slant on what they were saying. I found many times that people brought up points about things that I had not initially thought of, which in turn allowed me to come to other conclusions and look at subjects in a new way.
3. How would Freire and the idea of dialogue and scaffolding play into your answers?
Freire believed that students should be active learners, rather than passive ones; this can be achieved through dialogue. Through our blogs, we have been creating dialogue about our topics, and have learned from each other, through a process called scaffolding. All these things have played into my answers; I have been reading other people's knowledge and points of view on multiple topics since the begining of the semester, and have learned from them. What I learn from other's influences my points of view as well, and influences the way I think about topics and how I respond to them.
4. What was your overall experience with these topics?
I enjoyed reading about our state and other people's experiences. I learned a lot about cities I already knew of (but didn't really know anything about). I also thought it was really interesting to read other people's responses to the assignments. It showed me what other people think; it's refreshing to hear other people's point of view, even if you don't necessarily agree. It allows you to understand other people better, which I think is really important, especially in a world that has such a large population. We all have to live together, and understanding is key to cooperation and harmony.
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Saturday, May 2, 2009
5B Train Go Sorry Reflection
Choose any 3 classmates of project 5a. Read each of these 3 essays. Create a blog post with the classmates names as references. Tell us one thing you learned from each classmate.
1. I learned from Cathy that technology is giving deaf people greater accesability to information, education and resourses. I hadn't really thought about it a whole lot, but the internet has probably been extremely helpful for the deaf community, as it allows for non-verbal communication easily.
2. From Frank, I learned bacterial meningitis is the most common cause of deafness in children.
3. From Elisabeth I learned that if the cochlear implant isn't implanted right, then it will cause permemnant loss of any hearing that person might have.
1. I learned from Cathy that technology is giving deaf people greater accesability to information, education and resourses. I hadn't really thought about it a whole lot, but the internet has probably been extremely helpful for the deaf community, as it allows for non-verbal communication easily.
2. From Frank, I learned bacterial meningitis is the most common cause of deafness in children.
3. From Elisabeth I learned that if the cochlear implant isn't implanted right, then it will cause permemnant loss of any hearing that person might have.
Monday, April 27, 2009
5A Train Go Sorry
"I am a hearing student (or deaf student) assigned the book Train Go Sorry in my Introduction to Humanities Class. Other readings assigned in this class include several essays from the book My California. In both books, we examined the cultures of California that form a microcosm of the U.S. In this essay, I will incorporate 4 required questions."
What does Train Go Sorry mean? Train Go Sorry means a missed connection or "missed the boat". In the book, this phrase refers to James, a deaf student who goes to visit his brother in prison, and his missed connection with his brother. Has he been able to hear, he may have called his brother ahead of time to make sure he would be able to see him when he went to visit. Instead, James was shuffled around between guards and forced to wait a long time, only to find out that his brother wasn’t around- he was in court that day. If the prison had someone versed in ASL, they could have let James know this information much sooner, instead of keeping him waiting so long. James also feels this term applies to himself because he almost "missed the boat" on life. He came to school being a trouble maker and poor student, and was eventually able to turn his life around and become a honor roll student. He attributed his deafness to being a reason why he wasn't in prison like his brother.
What pair of 'shoes' do you think the main person in the book is walking in and what did she learn? In other words, who or what culture does she want to belong to and why? The main person in the book is the author/narrator Leah Hager Cohen. She is a hearing person who grew up in the world of the deaf; her parents taught at a school for deaf children, and both her grandparents were deaf. Cohen always wanted to be part of the deaf culture, in part because she had been around it since she’d been born. She often felt isolated when she was growing up, as she noticed the rapport the Deaf culture brought deaf people. Cohen wanted to fit in; she also viewed the deaf experience as a shared one, rather than the isolated world of the hearing. She enjoyed the closeness of the school and the students, the physical intimacy of sign language.
What is one image you won't ever forget? Draw us a picture in words to explain this. What chapter is it in? One image I won’t forget is in Chapter 5. Cohen’s grandfather, Sam, collapses and is taken to the hospital. Cohen’s father rushed to the hospital to explain that Sam was deaf, and that he would like to serve as an interpreter. The hospital refused, saying they already had an ASL interpreter, and he was sent away. All attempts to check on Sam’s condition were met with a lack of concern or consideration from the hospital staff. When Cohen’s grandmother went to visit and check on Sam, she was told that he had died of cardiac arrest. This was unforgettable to me because it’s truly shocking that there would be such a lack of concern for Sam on the part of the hospital; it’s very sad and unfair. Had Sam been a patient who could hear, would he have received better care? Would he have lived? It was amazing to me that a hospital wouldn’t have anyone available who could communicate with the deaf.
What are 5 facts about ASL or Deaf culture you think everyone should know after your reading of this book? Of the 2 million Americans who are hearing impaired, only about 200,000 of them are culturally Deaf. American Sign Language was created in 1817, however it wasn’t considered an actual language until the 1950s. For about 100 years, doctors didn’t want deaf children to be taught ASL because they felt it prevented them from being able to master English. They believed knowing English would allow them to live in the hearing world rather than apart from it. 90% of deaf children come from hearing families, so schools are central to Deaf culture. Deaf people, as opposed to other groups with disabilities, have a unique and rich culture, with their own language, social clubs, athletic groups, theater companies, schools and media.
What does Train Go Sorry mean? Train Go Sorry means a missed connection or "missed the boat". In the book, this phrase refers to James, a deaf student who goes to visit his brother in prison, and his missed connection with his brother. Has he been able to hear, he may have called his brother ahead of time to make sure he would be able to see him when he went to visit. Instead, James was shuffled around between guards and forced to wait a long time, only to find out that his brother wasn’t around- he was in court that day. If the prison had someone versed in ASL, they could have let James know this information much sooner, instead of keeping him waiting so long. James also feels this term applies to himself because he almost "missed the boat" on life. He came to school being a trouble maker and poor student, and was eventually able to turn his life around and become a honor roll student. He attributed his deafness to being a reason why he wasn't in prison like his brother.
What pair of 'shoes' do you think the main person in the book is walking in and what did she learn? In other words, who or what culture does she want to belong to and why? The main person in the book is the author/narrator Leah Hager Cohen. She is a hearing person who grew up in the world of the deaf; her parents taught at a school for deaf children, and both her grandparents were deaf. Cohen always wanted to be part of the deaf culture, in part because she had been around it since she’d been born. She often felt isolated when she was growing up, as she noticed the rapport the Deaf culture brought deaf people. Cohen wanted to fit in; she also viewed the deaf experience as a shared one, rather than the isolated world of the hearing. She enjoyed the closeness of the school and the students, the physical intimacy of sign language.
What is one image you won't ever forget? Draw us a picture in words to explain this. What chapter is it in? One image I won’t forget is in Chapter 5. Cohen’s grandfather, Sam, collapses and is taken to the hospital. Cohen’s father rushed to the hospital to explain that Sam was deaf, and that he would like to serve as an interpreter. The hospital refused, saying they already had an ASL interpreter, and he was sent away. All attempts to check on Sam’s condition were met with a lack of concern or consideration from the hospital staff. When Cohen’s grandmother went to visit and check on Sam, she was told that he had died of cardiac arrest. This was unforgettable to me because it’s truly shocking that there would be such a lack of concern for Sam on the part of the hospital; it’s very sad and unfair. Had Sam been a patient who could hear, would he have received better care? Would he have lived? It was amazing to me that a hospital wouldn’t have anyone available who could communicate with the deaf.
What are 5 facts about ASL or Deaf culture you think everyone should know after your reading of this book? Of the 2 million Americans who are hearing impaired, only about 200,000 of them are culturally Deaf. American Sign Language was created in 1817, however it wasn’t considered an actual language until the 1950s. For about 100 years, doctors didn’t want deaf children to be taught ASL because they felt it prevented them from being able to master English. They believed knowing English would allow them to live in the hearing world rather than apart from it. 90% of deaf children come from hearing families, so schools are central to Deaf culture. Deaf people, as opposed to other groups with disabilities, have a unique and rich culture, with their own language, social clubs, athletic groups, theater companies, schools and media.
Saturday, April 18, 2009
4C
1. Who is your classmate, what is the component category, what is the name of the choice?
I chose Lindsey, and looked at 3A World Cities, San Fransisco
2. What is something similar this classmate said about the choice?
We both mentioned the same stereotypes about the city; that it's associated with the gay community and liberal politics.
3. What is something different this classmate said about the choice?
Lindsey mentioned that San Fransisco is a port city, something I didn't really think about, but something which greatly influences it. Being a port means that there is a large influx of people coming and going, which adds to the diversity of an area greatly. It also makes an area more important to the nearby cities, as a port recieves all kinds of shipments and goods, which many nearby cities rely on.
4. How would you relate this to Freire's ideas regarding dialogue? For example, you went in thinking one idea, your classmate had a different idea. What new idea emerged from this process?
I had focused on the news of San Fransisco for 3A, and so was looking at the interests of the area based on that. Linsdsey focused more on history and demographic information. Together, they give a more well-rounded view of the culture of the area. The history and geography of and area often gives rise to the interests of a population, as does the level of diversity. Everything about a place (it's history, demographics, ect) plays a part in it's culture, which continues to evolve as the area and it's resisdents change and grow over time.
I chose Lindsey, and looked at 3A World Cities, San Fransisco
2. What is something similar this classmate said about the choice?
We both mentioned the same stereotypes about the city; that it's associated with the gay community and liberal politics.
3. What is something different this classmate said about the choice?
Lindsey mentioned that San Fransisco is a port city, something I didn't really think about, but something which greatly influences it. Being a port means that there is a large influx of people coming and going, which adds to the diversity of an area greatly. It also makes an area more important to the nearby cities, as a port recieves all kinds of shipments and goods, which many nearby cities rely on.
4. How would you relate this to Freire's ideas regarding dialogue? For example, you went in thinking one idea, your classmate had a different idea. What new idea emerged from this process?
I had focused on the news of San Fransisco for 3A, and so was looking at the interests of the area based on that. Linsdsey focused more on history and demographic information. Together, they give a more well-rounded view of the culture of the area. The history and geography of and area often gives rise to the interests of a population, as does the level of diversity. Everything about a place (it's history, demographics, ect) plays a part in it's culture, which continues to evolve as the area and it's resisdents change and grow over time.
Monday, April 13, 2009
4B Reflections on My California
1. Choose any 1 classmate that wrote about your same essays and briefly compare/contrast their choices and ideas versus what you said.
I read Kendra's blog, and found that she and I felt very similarly about the readings. She mentions how we take freeway travel for granted (Ode to Caltrans), seeing it as a necessity rather than a conveniance. I agree with this completely- I recently moved to Santa Rosa from Windsor, because I was communting to Santa Rosa almost daily. When living in Windsor, I always travelled by the freeway, despite the fact that driving on the freeway has always made me extremely nervous. I never really considered leaving earlier and travelling by backroads- I always felt like I had to go by the freeway to save time; a conveniance, but one I tended to take for granted and never think about. I also agreed with her about Montalvo, Myths, and Dreams of Home. I too feel like even though I love this state and find it beautiful, I often take it for granted. An interesting point Kendra made that I hadn't really thought of was how she said an area can be treasured by some, while unthought-of by others. This is so true! I think in many ways Californians (in general) forget exactly how desirable of an area we live in, and pay it less thought than people who may dream of living here. Like Kendra, I didn't know much about the location of Seal Beach besides it being located in Southern California (The Last Little Beach Town). She noted how it's hidden location keeps it almost scret to people who are local to the area, and I think that's an important point about Seal Beach. Because it's not well known, it's been able to maintain the small town feel much longer than it's other Orange County beach town counterparts. With Surfacing, Kendra mentioned being familiar with Maverick's and hearing about the surfing contests there. This is one thing I did not share with her- I had never heard of Maverick's or even known that surfing was popular there, until reading Surfacing. I've never known very much at all about surfing, despite it being a popular sport along the coast.
2. Choose any 1 classmate that wrote about a different set of essays and tell us one thing you learned per author presented.
I read Monica's blog (group 1). I learned from her about The Big Valley essay, and how Fresno has strong roots with agriculture, and how there is the biggest farm equipment show in the world about an hour south of Fresno. I also learned that the land outside of the city of Fresno is flat agricultural land, bu that occasionally farmers have to sell some of it off to developers if they've had financial difficulty that year. The second essay she read was called Transients in Paradise, and from her summary I learned that desire and fear are two emotions that prey upon the millionaire residents in Beverly Hills. I also learned that Beverly Hills has no hospital, and most of it's residents weren't born there, and probably won't die there either. In the summary of Showing Off The Owens, I learned that there is a river called the Owens River that is really good for fly fishing. For some reason, I didn't really realize there were any places to fly fish in California. I've always pitured it being something that is done only back east, and I have a specific image of Montana as being a place where it would be popular. In the summary of The Distant Cataract About Which We Do Not Speak, I learned some people in Sacramento actually kyack to work! I think that is so awesome, and seems like a fun healthy way to get to work, although I imagine it could have it's downsides as well.
3. Like number 2, choose any 1 classmate that wrote about a set of essays that you didn't read.
I read Jennifer's blog (group 3). I learned from her summary of Bienvenidos a Newport Beach a little more about homeowner's associations. I realized that they had certain standards, such as how the front yard must look, the color of the house, etc, but I didn't realize that some of them provide private community pools every few blocks. I also didn't know that Newport Beach was such a well-to-do community. In her summary of Cotton Candy Mirrors, I learned how some kids spent their summer at Playland in the Fun House. This was much different than any summer vacation time I ever had- as a kid I never really went anywhere or did uch during summer vacation other than read incessantly. It made me realize that some kids actually spent their summer vacations acting like kids! In her summary of Berkley, I learned that the residents of Berkley realy value the diversity of their city. In the summary of California Honky-tonk, I learned that the band El Rancho Motel named their band that because ‘third rate romance, low-rent rendezvous' fit their image. I always think it's interesting to learn how bands get their names, because in many ways, the name of a band contributes to the image they want to portray.
I read Kendra's blog, and found that she and I felt very similarly about the readings. She mentions how we take freeway travel for granted (Ode to Caltrans), seeing it as a necessity rather than a conveniance. I agree with this completely- I recently moved to Santa Rosa from Windsor, because I was communting to Santa Rosa almost daily. When living in Windsor, I always travelled by the freeway, despite the fact that driving on the freeway has always made me extremely nervous. I never really considered leaving earlier and travelling by backroads- I always felt like I had to go by the freeway to save time; a conveniance, but one I tended to take for granted and never think about. I also agreed with her about Montalvo, Myths, and Dreams of Home. I too feel like even though I love this state and find it beautiful, I often take it for granted. An interesting point Kendra made that I hadn't really thought of was how she said an area can be treasured by some, while unthought-of by others. This is so true! I think in many ways Californians (in general) forget exactly how desirable of an area we live in, and pay it less thought than people who may dream of living here. Like Kendra, I didn't know much about the location of Seal Beach besides it being located in Southern California (The Last Little Beach Town). She noted how it's hidden location keeps it almost scret to people who are local to the area, and I think that's an important point about Seal Beach. Because it's not well known, it's been able to maintain the small town feel much longer than it's other Orange County beach town counterparts. With Surfacing, Kendra mentioned being familiar with Maverick's and hearing about the surfing contests there. This is one thing I did not share with her- I had never heard of Maverick's or even known that surfing was popular there, until reading Surfacing. I've never known very much at all about surfing, despite it being a popular sport along the coast.
2. Choose any 1 classmate that wrote about a different set of essays and tell us one thing you learned per author presented.
I read Monica's blog (group 1). I learned from her about The Big Valley essay, and how Fresno has strong roots with agriculture, and how there is the biggest farm equipment show in the world about an hour south of Fresno. I also learned that the land outside of the city of Fresno is flat agricultural land, bu that occasionally farmers have to sell some of it off to developers if they've had financial difficulty that year. The second essay she read was called Transients in Paradise, and from her summary I learned that desire and fear are two emotions that prey upon the millionaire residents in Beverly Hills. I also learned that Beverly Hills has no hospital, and most of it's residents weren't born there, and probably won't die there either. In the summary of Showing Off The Owens, I learned that there is a river called the Owens River that is really good for fly fishing. For some reason, I didn't really realize there were any places to fly fish in California. I've always pitured it being something that is done only back east, and I have a specific image of Montana as being a place where it would be popular. In the summary of The Distant Cataract About Which We Do Not Speak, I learned some people in Sacramento actually kyack to work! I think that is so awesome, and seems like a fun healthy way to get to work, although I imagine it could have it's downsides as well.
3. Like number 2, choose any 1 classmate that wrote about a set of essays that you didn't read.
I read Jennifer's blog (group 3). I learned from her summary of Bienvenidos a Newport Beach a little more about homeowner's associations. I realized that they had certain standards, such as how the front yard must look, the color of the house, etc, but I didn't realize that some of them provide private community pools every few blocks. I also didn't know that Newport Beach was such a well-to-do community. In her summary of Cotton Candy Mirrors, I learned how some kids spent their summer at Playland in the Fun House. This was much different than any summer vacation time I ever had- as a kid I never really went anywhere or did uch during summer vacation other than read incessantly. It made me realize that some kids actually spent their summer vacations acting like kids! In her summary of Berkley, I learned that the residents of Berkley realy value the diversity of their city. In the summary of California Honky-tonk, I learned that the band El Rancho Motel named their band that because ‘third rate romance, low-rent rendezvous' fit their image. I always think it's interesting to learn how bands get their names, because in many ways, the name of a band contributes to the image they want to portray.
Saturday, April 4, 2009
4A Group #2
Essay 1
1. Write the story title and author name.
Ode to CalTrans by Hector Tobar
2. Summarize the reading in one brief paragraph.
Tobar writes about how the Los Angeles freeway has affected him throughout his life, giving him different perspectives on things as he grew older. When he was a child, the freeway was a way to go home, and had almost magical properties of transportation. As he grew older, Tobar began to see it as a “place of pollution and peril.” (pg 57) He mentions that when his wife was pregnant, he refused to take the freeways, because of the danger he saw there, mentioning the accidents he had seen. He also talks about how he had seen the area grow bigger and more developed and congested over the years. Despite the negative aspects of it, Tobar conveys a respect and snese of nostalgia about the freeway and the impact it had on his life and many others.
3. Which was your favorite sentence or paragraph.
“I was, then, just becoming aware of the cycles of life and death, and how the flow of traffic sometimes guides us against our will onto the cloverleaf exchanges between our earthly selves and the great highways of the beyond.” pg. 54
4. What did the reading make you think of?
The reading made me think of how I have seen Santa Rosa grow and become more congested in the 18 years I’ve lived here. When I was a kid, Hwy 101 didn’t really have bad traffic, and two lanes were enough for all the residents in the area. In the past ten or so years though, it seems like the population has grown exponentially, and I find myself missing the way things were. The reading also made me think about CalTrans, and how we take for granted the people who maintain our freeways so that we can get to where we need to go.
5. What is one thing you did not know before you started the reading that you now know.
I learned more about traffic in other countries, and how it’s very different than in America. Tobar says “cars and pedestrians live incestuously” (pg 52) and gives the example of Montevideo, Uruguay, where you can drive really fast on freeway-like conditions and still have to dodge pedestrians. It sounds very stressful!
Essay 2
1. Write the story title and author name.
Montalvo, Myths and Dreams of Home by Thomas Steinbeck
2. Summarize the reading in one brief paragraph.
Steinbeck says “California has always been all things to all people”. The “myth” of California is always reinventing itself, and has been shaped by people’s needs and desires, making the state unique. Steinbeck believes Big Sur to be the epitome of a mystical, magical place, and feels it’s representative of the beauty and power of California. He explains how the Spanish Renaissance movement indirectly affected the naming of California; an author named Montalvo named his fictional utopian island California, and when Cortez and his men found Baja California in 1533, they felt inspired to name the place after Montalvo’s creation because of it’s beauty.
3. Which was your favorite sentence or paragraph.
“There is nothing I know that compares with the magnificence of a sunset seen from high in The Big Sur, and nothing as mysterious and enchanting as riding through the fingerlings of fog as they trace through the scrub oak up the canyons.” (pg 67)
4. What did the reading make you think of?
The quote I picked specifically made me thing about Armstrong Woods, located in Guernville. It’s a redwood forest that is absolutely beautiful, and since it’s located close to the coast, there are days when it stays foggy until midday, when the fog finally burns off. I was hiking there one time on such a day, when the fog started to burn off, and through the trees you could see wisps off fog riding on the sunlight. The whole experience- the incredibly ancient, tall, aromatic trees; the shimmer of fog carried on the rays of sun leaking down between the branches- was filled with the majesty Steinbeck mentioned, and I can see why our state was named after a beautiful utopia.
5. What is one thing you did not know before you started the reading that you now know?
I learned that there have been Sasquatch sightings in the area of Big Sur, and that there are local legends of beings called “Dark Watchers,” who sound a lot like brownies or fairies. They are little beings who are hard to spot, and will take offerings of food, leaving behind small gifts of thanks such as a pretty sea shell.
Essay 3
1. Write the story title and author name.
The Last Little Beach Town by Edward Humes
2. Summarize the reading in one brief paragraph.
Since the 1960s, Seal Beach had remained virtually the same size, and despite being located in Orange County, retained much of it’s old time “Beach Town” charm. Most of the businesses have been locally owned, and there is a relaxed feel to the town versus the hustle-bustle of Los Angeles and other SoCal towns. It continues to be a very family oriented town, and there is a sense of trust among the citizens not found in big cities. Today the city is in need of money, and has started to open up areas for development, which is slowly impeding on the small town feeling.
3. Which was your favorite sentence or paragraph?
“The water becomes monochromatic in this light, a pattern of grey and white circlets, moving sinuously, like scales on a reptile’s skin, rippling and sparkling in the sunlight, the waves so close together it’s impossible to differentiate them, their sounds merging into one sustained hiss, the reptile’s mesmerizing sigh.” Pg 74.
4. What did the reading make you think of?
The description of Seal Beach’s tourist based past reminds me of what I think of when I think of Santa Cruz, and the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. I think of a beautiful beach town that’s sunny, with lots of shopping, rides, beach related recreation, and a long pier.
5. What is one thing you did not know before you started the reading that you now know?
I learned that Seal Beach went in reverse of a lot of beach side towns/cities in California. It started out being a place for tourists and recreation, and later ended being a quiet town comprised mostly of it’s residents, without attempts to pull in tourism.
Essay 4
1. Write the story title and author name.
Surfacing by Matt Warshaw
2. Summarize the reading in one brief paragraph.
Warshaw talks about Half Moon Bay and how it has a small but dedicated surfing crowd, despite not being known as a surfing town. He weaves in half Moon Bay history, how it had been a whaling point and resulted in carcasses of ships being scattered in spots, about bootleggers during Prohibition sneaking their contraband in small custom boats. He focuses on a sixteen year old surfer named Jay Moriarity, who attempts to surf a treacherous wave at a place called Maverick’s Point in Half Moon Bay. At first he is unsuccessful and gets dragged down under water, fighting to resurface. His board gets broken in two. After a rest, he takes a replacement board out to reattempt the wave, and this time he is successful; he rides wave after wave and manages to stay on the board and above the water.
3. Which was your favorite sentence or paragraph?
“In the late eighties, a surf magazine writer theorized that the essential requirement for big wave riding is not courage, or daring, or fitness, but a placid imagination.” Pg 87
4. What did the reading make you think of?
The reading made me think of the movie Surf’s Up, which is an animated movie about a young penguin surfer who enters a surfing championship, in part because of his surfing idol and his reverence for the sport. The penguin reminds me of Jay Moriarity, and how he kept persevering to try to achieve his goal to surf the wave at Maverick’s Point.
5. What is one thing you did not know before you started the reading that you now know?
I learned that the first surfing in America took place in Santa Cruz in 1885. I had no idea that it had been around so long!
1. Write the story title and author name.
Ode to CalTrans by Hector Tobar
2. Summarize the reading in one brief paragraph.
Tobar writes about how the Los Angeles freeway has affected him throughout his life, giving him different perspectives on things as he grew older. When he was a child, the freeway was a way to go home, and had almost magical properties of transportation. As he grew older, Tobar began to see it as a “place of pollution and peril.” (pg 57) He mentions that when his wife was pregnant, he refused to take the freeways, because of the danger he saw there, mentioning the accidents he had seen. He also talks about how he had seen the area grow bigger and more developed and congested over the years. Despite the negative aspects of it, Tobar conveys a respect and snese of nostalgia about the freeway and the impact it had on his life and many others.
3. Which was your favorite sentence or paragraph.
“I was, then, just becoming aware of the cycles of life and death, and how the flow of traffic sometimes guides us against our will onto the cloverleaf exchanges between our earthly selves and the great highways of the beyond.” pg. 54
4. What did the reading make you think of?
The reading made me think of how I have seen Santa Rosa grow and become more congested in the 18 years I’ve lived here. When I was a kid, Hwy 101 didn’t really have bad traffic, and two lanes were enough for all the residents in the area. In the past ten or so years though, it seems like the population has grown exponentially, and I find myself missing the way things were. The reading also made me think about CalTrans, and how we take for granted the people who maintain our freeways so that we can get to where we need to go.
5. What is one thing you did not know before you started the reading that you now know.
I learned more about traffic in other countries, and how it’s very different than in America. Tobar says “cars and pedestrians live incestuously” (pg 52) and gives the example of Montevideo, Uruguay, where you can drive really fast on freeway-like conditions and still have to dodge pedestrians. It sounds very stressful!
Essay 2
1. Write the story title and author name.
Montalvo, Myths and Dreams of Home by Thomas Steinbeck
2. Summarize the reading in one brief paragraph.
Steinbeck says “California has always been all things to all people”. The “myth” of California is always reinventing itself, and has been shaped by people’s needs and desires, making the state unique. Steinbeck believes Big Sur to be the epitome of a mystical, magical place, and feels it’s representative of the beauty and power of California. He explains how the Spanish Renaissance movement indirectly affected the naming of California; an author named Montalvo named his fictional utopian island California, and when Cortez and his men found Baja California in 1533, they felt inspired to name the place after Montalvo’s creation because of it’s beauty.
3. Which was your favorite sentence or paragraph.
“There is nothing I know that compares with the magnificence of a sunset seen from high in The Big Sur, and nothing as mysterious and enchanting as riding through the fingerlings of fog as they trace through the scrub oak up the canyons.” (pg 67)
4. What did the reading make you think of?
The quote I picked specifically made me thing about Armstrong Woods, located in Guernville. It’s a redwood forest that is absolutely beautiful, and since it’s located close to the coast, there are days when it stays foggy until midday, when the fog finally burns off. I was hiking there one time on such a day, when the fog started to burn off, and through the trees you could see wisps off fog riding on the sunlight. The whole experience- the incredibly ancient, tall, aromatic trees; the shimmer of fog carried on the rays of sun leaking down between the branches- was filled with the majesty Steinbeck mentioned, and I can see why our state was named after a beautiful utopia.
5. What is one thing you did not know before you started the reading that you now know?
I learned that there have been Sasquatch sightings in the area of Big Sur, and that there are local legends of beings called “Dark Watchers,” who sound a lot like brownies or fairies. They are little beings who are hard to spot, and will take offerings of food, leaving behind small gifts of thanks such as a pretty sea shell.
Essay 3
1. Write the story title and author name.
The Last Little Beach Town by Edward Humes
2. Summarize the reading in one brief paragraph.
Since the 1960s, Seal Beach had remained virtually the same size, and despite being located in Orange County, retained much of it’s old time “Beach Town” charm. Most of the businesses have been locally owned, and there is a relaxed feel to the town versus the hustle-bustle of Los Angeles and other SoCal towns. It continues to be a very family oriented town, and there is a sense of trust among the citizens not found in big cities. Today the city is in need of money, and has started to open up areas for development, which is slowly impeding on the small town feeling.
3. Which was your favorite sentence or paragraph?
“The water becomes monochromatic in this light, a pattern of grey and white circlets, moving sinuously, like scales on a reptile’s skin, rippling and sparkling in the sunlight, the waves so close together it’s impossible to differentiate them, their sounds merging into one sustained hiss, the reptile’s mesmerizing sigh.” Pg 74.
4. What did the reading make you think of?
The description of Seal Beach’s tourist based past reminds me of what I think of when I think of Santa Cruz, and the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. I think of a beautiful beach town that’s sunny, with lots of shopping, rides, beach related recreation, and a long pier.
5. What is one thing you did not know before you started the reading that you now know?
I learned that Seal Beach went in reverse of a lot of beach side towns/cities in California. It started out being a place for tourists and recreation, and later ended being a quiet town comprised mostly of it’s residents, without attempts to pull in tourism.
Essay 4
1. Write the story title and author name.
Surfacing by Matt Warshaw
2. Summarize the reading in one brief paragraph.
Warshaw talks about Half Moon Bay and how it has a small but dedicated surfing crowd, despite not being known as a surfing town. He weaves in half Moon Bay history, how it had been a whaling point and resulted in carcasses of ships being scattered in spots, about bootleggers during Prohibition sneaking their contraband in small custom boats. He focuses on a sixteen year old surfer named Jay Moriarity, who attempts to surf a treacherous wave at a place called Maverick’s Point in Half Moon Bay. At first he is unsuccessful and gets dragged down under water, fighting to resurface. His board gets broken in two. After a rest, he takes a replacement board out to reattempt the wave, and this time he is successful; he rides wave after wave and manages to stay on the board and above the water.
3. Which was your favorite sentence or paragraph?
“In the late eighties, a surf magazine writer theorized that the essential requirement for big wave riding is not courage, or daring, or fitness, but a placid imagination.” Pg 87
4. What did the reading make you think of?
The reading made me think of the movie Surf’s Up, which is an animated movie about a young penguin surfer who enters a surfing championship, in part because of his surfing idol and his reverence for the sport. The penguin reminds me of Jay Moriarity, and how he kept persevering to try to achieve his goal to surf the wave at Maverick’s Point.
5. What is one thing you did not know before you started the reading that you now know?
I learned that the first surfing in America took place in Santa Cruz in 1885. I had no idea that it had been around so long!
Monday, March 30, 2009
3C Inland Areas
Sacramento and Bakersfield
Sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sacramento
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bakersfield,_California#Geography_and_climate
http://www.bakersfieldcity.us/Baklife_as/baklifeaswebpics/Picture5.jpg
http://www.wirelesstechchat.com/wp-content/uploads/sacramento_550_050917.jpg
How it connects to my study of humanities:
In assignment 3b we looked at coastal areas. This assignment looks at inland areas, which tend to be quite different demographically in comparison. This assignment will give us a broader view of how different areas of California can be diverse, as well as increasing our knowledge of California.
What are some assumptions/stereotypes you think people have of each location:
Sacramento has a lot of things to do and is a large college town. Bakersfield makes me think of smog and pollution.
List 3 things that make each location similar:
- Both are large inland cities
- Both are listed as top growing cities in California
- Both were areas people migrated to during the gold rush
- Sacramento is mostly liberal, while Bakersfield is mostly conservative politically
- Sacramento is located in central California, while Bakersfield is located in Southern California.
- Sacramento has a Medeteranian climate, (cool, wet winters and hot, dry summers) while Bakersfiled has a semi-arid, dry steppe climate (long, hot and dry summers and a short, cool winter)
Questioning: What else would you like to know about these places?
I know that Sacramento is named one of the most racial/ethnically diverse cities in the US, and has a notable lack of racial disharmony, giving it the title "Most racial/ethnically integrated city". I'm wondering why there is more harmony there than in other racially diverse places, and how they could help influence other places to be the same. I know Bakersfield is notably conservative in an area that is mostly liberal; I'm curious if there is a reason why (certain industries, etc)
Using your classmates work from last week, tell us one thing you learned from 1 student. Is this one thing some common experience you share or some experience that is completely different than what you experienced? Is this one thing related to our class theoretical foundation and if so, how? Is that one thing related to historical or cultural context of this country or a different one? Link that persons blog to this entry.I learned from Elizabeth that Bodega Bay runs parallel to the San Andreas faultline. I was aware that the San Andreas ran thoughout this whole area, but didn't realize it was parallel to Bodega Bay. This in some ways could be related to our states history, because the San Andreas faultline has been the cause of some major damge and rebuiding throughout our state, such as in the 1980s earthquake.
Elizabeth's Blog
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