Final Project Draft

Yes, this is lacking detail. I forgot all my research in my dorm room, and i wont be back there till sunday. :-(

Final Project, Rough Draft #1
Nico Rose – ENC1101-92
Body language is the process of communicating nonverbally through conscious or unconscious gestures and movements. These physical motions and gestures create a work of art that has the ability to convey emotion, thoughts, and come together in a synergistic interaction to compose a powerful story. The “story” generated by simple things such as gestures and positioning is a powerful story – partly because it leaves the reader to fill in spaces of ambiguity and is able to convey messages that are difficult to express with the use of words. To illustrate this idea, below are some types of body language associated with the language of boredom, as compiled by changingminds.org
Distraction
A bored person looks anywhere but at the person who is talking to them. They find other things to do, from doodling to talking with others to staring around the room. They may also keep looking at their watch or a wall clock.
Repetition
Bored people often repeat actions such as tapping toes, swinging feet or drumming fingers. The repetition may escalate as they try to signal their boredom.
Tiredness
A person who feels that they are unable to act to relieve their boredom may show signs of tiredness. They may yawn and their whole body may sag as they slouch down in their seat, lean against a wall or just sag where they are standing. Their face may also show a distinct lack of interest and appear blank.
Clearly, the idea that the audience is bored with the speakers actions is adequately expressed with non-scripted & non-verbal actions. With body language being such an arid form of communication, what do you categorize it as? Clearly, this medium is just as powerful as scripted or verbal communication, but does that entitle it to be a text? Does body language have the power to create a rhetorical situation? Moreover, is body language a composition? Personally, I feel it is one of the most important texts ever derived; furthermore, the application of this “text” creates a composition.
Body Paragraph One
• What are some comparisons of body language and scribed text?
o How are the components related?
o Do they share common entities?
Body Paragraph Two
• What are the components of a text?
o Tone, rhetorical strategies, mood, purpose
o Text does not necessarily have to be ink, as seen with the visual texts explored in this class.
o As defined in the New Oxford American Dictionary, a text is 1) a piece of written or printed material regarded as conveying the authentic or primary form of a particular work & 2) a subject or theme for a discussion or exposition. There are many denotations for the word “text,” but I feel the two most important are the ones above. If a work or piece of art meets any of the requirements above, it qualifies as a text.
Body Paragraph Three
How is body language related to the word “composition”
• As defined in the New Oxford American Dictionary, a composition is a work of music, literature, or art.
o Specifically, a composition is the action or art of producing such types of work. (New Oxford American Dictionary)
• Body Language is a visual story of emotion, thought, self representation – a narrative
• The gestures, motions, and presentation of your physical staff creates a story that your telling to everyone around you.
• The act of creating this “story” qualifies the action of body language as a composition.
• The overall mental thought process that is associated with producing the physical language in conjunction with the actual creation of body language is the composition of body language
• The application of the “text” creates the composition.
The word “text” has many denotations. In addition, each of the denotations has connotative derivates. The rhetorical elements that are present in many traditional “texts,” such as mood, tone, purpose, and style are also shared by this paralanguage. In my opinion, the only prerequisite for something to be a text is that it has to conveys a message or tells a story – and body language does both of these clearly and powerfully. Continuing, the application of this text for the purpose of communication creates a composition; however, the composition could not exist without the paralanguagal text created by body language.

Journal 8

In your journal reflect on the three readings. Include at least one quote from the Hall piece. Also, consider the following: What do you think about Haas and Raschke? Do you agree or disagree with them? Do you think our use of computers in this class has influenced what you think, how you think, or how you write? Have they hindered or enhanced your learning?

"Though the game allows players to defy reality, what actually ends up happening in-world really is no different than what happens in the real world." Where do draw the line between perception and reality? The Hall selection really scares me. It really makes me question whether society is shaping computer software, or if computer software is now shaping society. How can you be certain as to which way the situation is moving? With the online "life", how do you control WHO plays the game? You can easily just say you are of age and enter the site. The graphic detail associated with the bars and strip clubs in this online world is quite revealing. The fact that all of this exists in the real world and is exploited in this online world concerns me – it may symbolize a further transition towards less morals.
I think that the digital world explored in the Hall selection is extremely unhealthy to the people who are “living” in it. It gives a false sense of reality to those people, and crushes their physical well being since all they are doing is sitting in front of a computer. They’re physical communication skills crash – equate it to being lonely in a crowded room.

Hass mentions how the technological ongoing is changing culture as a whole rather than just the way of writing. I agree and support this statement very much. Culture is the way of life of a group of persons, and since we have so much new technology and new systems of doing things, peoples way of life is changing as well. It is more than just using a computer to type an essay rather than hand write it out. The computer allows for spell check and grammar check, which is something that you can not do with pen and paper. You are putting a whole new dependence on this technology, and thus, you are having a slightly different way of life.
With regards to Rashke, I feel that a transition to complete digital education would be an atrocity. I do not understand what people who have been taught to rely on computers are going to do in the event of a complete technological failure. Although it is not likely, the fact that is possible should be enough to stand in the way of completely digitizing modern education. Students need to be able to use a pen and paper and be able to scribe their own writing, memorize the grammar rules, and be able to write efficiently.

Journal 7

Before responding to this journal read "Theme for English B" in On Writing (page 65). Read the poem a few times and write a short story that goes along with it. Your story can be about anything that relates to the poem. Then, include one or more pictures or photographs that enhance the meaning of your story. In a brief paragraph at the end tell me how the images enhance your story. You may want to compose this in word and then copy and past into the blog space.

As a child, I always remember things being separate. I was never allowed to do the same things that everyone else was allowed to do. My mom would always tell me someday things would be different, but they never changed. Although we are all able to things now together, I still find myself alone in public spaces. Odd indeed, but you know it is true. The feeling when you enter a room and everyone moves away from you, as if you are carrying some contagious disease. Everyone flees, as if a hurricane is approaching. How does everyone else think I feel?
I am sometimes looked down upon, based solely on my appearance. Clearly, it is unfair, but what am I to do? I worry about how my kids will be treated in the future, and wonder if things are going to change for them. They will not deserve to be treated like this. How can we be certain change will take place?
We all have things to learn from other people, so why cant people learn from us? I dont understand. It does not make sense to me and change is needed. Regardless of the color of my skin, I am an American.
I demand change. I am tired of being alone in a crowed room.
- An American Citizen.



The image amplifies the meaning of the text because the image portrays the emotional feelings of the author. The image creates a scene that juxtaposes the crowded room concept with being alone at the same time. Furthermore, the desolate and cold scene establishes the tone of the work.

J6

ow do you want to present your work to readers? How do you achieve this goal textually and visually on your websites? How is having your portfolio online different than merely having a paper folder with three papers in it at the end of the semester? What are the implications of this difference for both you and your audience?

Based on the guidelines posted in the New Handbook, I would have to rank my website at only a fair standing for a portfolio. Starting with my homepage, problems can already be spotted. According to the book, this should be my table of contents, but rather my homepage is more of a welcome mat to the viewer. Although I have the contents of the website placed in the navigation bar on the top of the page, I feel this might not be enough. To modify this, I should add some text to my homepage that talks about me. This text would make the webpage a bit more personal and the viewer would have some background knowledge about me. Perhaps a blurb of two about where I am from, what I am majoring in, and a bit of history about me would spice it up. This changes should raise the bar on the overall homepage.
Continung, another abnormality I noticed with regards to my page was the presentation of my product. Rather than professional cut and clean pages, my site is more upbeat, fun, and spunky. I think that my site should be left like this because you can hear my voice in the work, rather than just looking. To me, it seems more personal and like im talking to the viewer. Fonts in my webpages are all legible and apporpriate, but I chose to deviate from the standard fonts outlined in the book. Delicious fonts go beautify with my vibrant website. I want to present my work as more of a form of art rather than conventional text. I plan to achieve this goal by using the "fun" layout I have selected, vibrant colors, and pictures to pull everything together. Have my portfolio online is different than just three papers because it is MY voice in my own world, rather than just by work. The digital portfolio is more personal. Finally, the audience of the digital portfolio may find the work less formal since the websites are more personal. This is, however, my goal of the website - to make it as if I was physically with the reader.

J5

Before responding to this journal read "Basic Design Principles" found in the course library on BlackBoard. Summarize the entire reading in two paragraphs. Be sure to answer the following two questions within your journal posting: What are the four basic principles of design that are highlighted in this excerpt? Explain each principle. How does color affect page design?
Now, use this reading to critique your homepage and your narrative page. What changes should you make given what has been discussed in the reading?

After reading "Basic Design Principles" I have recalled reading this once before. I think we read this before we did our websites. Nonetheless, the crux of the matter is that we all should now be professional web designers. The selection outlines the basic principles that come together to create a powerful, professional, and credible website. The reading is very easy to follow, and the visuals make understanding the concepts basically idiot proof. Furthermore, the application of all these formating technics is not difficult at all.
The four basic design principles, which not only are bold, but also have circles around them, are alignment, proximity, repetition, and contrast. Alignment, as stated in the reading, simply means everything on the page is lined up. The important application of this concept is to choose just ONE alignment for the entire page. Proximity is the relationship that develops when items are in relation to each other. The important concept with this idea is that when things are close together, they have a relationship with each other. Repetition ties everything together. It creates a notable motif throughout the webwork. Contract essentially created a roadmap of where to look on the page. Key points contract with their surroundings so they stand out. Color affects page design by establishing credibility. For example, news sites never use flashy bright, obscene colors to convey their news. The New York Times, for example, uses the delicious simplicity of black and white.
Applying these tactics to my webpage, there are only a few places where I would modify structure. My alignment is all centered and continuous throughout, so thats not an important. Proximity is sufficient for the layout, and everything seems interrelated, and respective keys are close together. The overall theme of the page is continuous with every sub-page, so repetition is a-o-k. Color contrasting is moderate. I could do a bit better job with intermixing the hues together so there is more juxtaposition between the colors. Other than that, everything is sufficient. I am very impressed with the structure of my webpage, and I do not intend to change much.

Journal 3

Knier Selection:

Identified Audience: General Audience
Tone:Conversational, informal
Commentary: The Knier selection takes a less formal approach than the Trask work. Knier's informal approach through he use of slag words such as "loooooved" and "woo" clearly establish the younger-aged audience. Knier's use of diction and structure is perfect for his essay - the wording parallels the structure, and his voice comes out clear in the part. I feel like I am having a friendly conversation with the author, and it is an enjoyable experience. As a younger reader, I feel more connected with this work, and I liked it.

Trask Selection:

Identified Audience: Specialist Group
Tone:Didactic
Commentary: This essay was of no interest to me, reading it was not an enjoyable experience, and I found myself loosing track of what I was reading. Trask is clearly not righting to the general audience, for you really have to think about what he is saying, try to understand the rhetorical, and decode what the heck he is saying. Words such as "cultural prostitution," "outmigration," and "OHA" clearly indicate Trask is writing to a target group, and his use of diction is trying to establish credibility. The writing is very structured, and does not seem to flow as freely as Knier's work did. It was impossible for me to draw a relation to his work, and I would not read something like it again if I had the option to read something else. The bubbly "discover the magic" also has a very femine appeal.

Bride & Prejudice:

Intended Audience: Young, Femine Viewers
Tone: Romanic Comedy
Commentary: This trailer clearly is trying to capture the women views. The appeal to romance and the mother aspect of the family obviously signals this is a chick flick. the use of the glitzy colors on the clothing, fruity bubble text, and "girly" music make the audience of this movie clear. Furthermore, attention is put into dress heavily on this movie, and that is something that a masculine audience would not look for.

Pride & Prejudice:

Intended Audience: Mature, Broad Audience
Tone: Serious, Formal, Romantic
Commentary: This trailer is much more mature than the previous. The transitions between the clips are much more formal, the text presented is very formal and clean, and the overall feel of the movie is much more mature than the previous one. The formal, elegant, dress of the characters creates a much more mature feel to the film. I would much rather watch this film than the first!

YAY i did it!

Journal 3

In the comic strip, many visual elements come together with the text to create a complete story. First, the shading of the jews in the comic strip establishes the differential between the power of authority (non-shaded nazi leaders) and the helpless (the jewish people). As the reader, I do NOT like the use of a comic strip for this type of situation because it seems as if Spiegalman is treating this situation as a joking matter. Utilizing a comic strip to tell of what happened in WWII is not a good idea in my opinion. He uses a graphical form of a novel to try to belittle the severity of the situation that occurred, but I do not agree with his choice of media. This influences my perception of credibility on the author. The last line, “to go, it was no good. But not to go – it was also no good” is the line I remember most. The father is talking at this point, and it is back in the present. This is established by the use of “was” in the sentence. One benefit of using graphical writing is that it is easier to differentiate between who is talking and what time period your talking in. If there were no visuals here, I think the effect might be a little more dramatic. For me, I always seem to understand the severity of events more reading text and visualizing pictures in my head. These images interact with the text by graphically narrating what the father is saying. The purpose of these images to give a visual of what happen to the jews. An uneasy tone is established throughout the comic – the author seems unsure how to handle conveying the situation, and the reading even seems a tad bit detached.

Journal 2

The image above is from a travel booklet for Fort Lauderdale Beach, provided on behalf of the Broward.org visitors office.

This image appeals to me because the beach is somewhere that I have always been as long as I can remember. From as far back as I can remember, I recall weekends at the beach and snorkeling in the nearshore waters and reefs. The beach has become part of me; thus, I feel a natural connection to the picture.

Having said that, it is a bit awkward to see pictures like this on the internet and in travel brochure since I am native to the surroundings. If I had not had this "connection" with the beach, the effect of the picture would have been much more different. Perhaps I would feel more "attracted" to the picture for its beauty, rather than the memories it brings to me. Perhaps if I didn't live in Florida, I would not be familiar with the picture and it would not be interesting to me at all.

What if you could see the remainder of the beach? The trash on the sand is obviously omitted from the picture, but what if it was shown? What about people who are wearing clothes are too small? Would the people look past that?

The formatting of this picture follows that of a stereotypical travel ad - appealing to those who desire a traditional beach vacation. The image makes Fort Lauderdale look a lot better than it really is. The sailboats in the background are usually never as numerous on the oceanside as depicted in the picture. Furthermore, the beach looks A LOT cleaner than it is in person.

Journal One =]

This picture portrays the two things I love most; the ocean and the sun. This image was taken by myself on Hollywood Beach, located in southern Florida as the sun was rising. Because of the vast color contrast between the warm highlights and dark shades, this photograph ranks among my top personal favorites. When viewing this picture, the sun seems to be main focal point of the image. Nonetheless, the black sea and sky also are important points of interest in this picture. Symbolically, the black sea and black sky are devoid of color, paralleling  how we are essentially devoid of true understanding of the depths of the ocean and the boundaries of space. The photograph gives off warmth. Which is lovely since my dorm is 67 degrees right now. This image represents me because I love everything about it: the beach, the sun, warm colors, and taking pictures :-).

The image enhances the meaning of my perception with respect to what the image represents because viewers can visually follow the textual representation of what I feel the picture says. The picture is centered on the page to maintain a sense of balance, and signify that the picture is the crux of the blog entry. Since the picture is positioned above anything else, it is natural to analyze the picture first, and then go about reading the text.