home

playing basketball at night with my mom, my brother, and his friends
trying to rollerblade down my driveway
going to national club conventions and telling everyone about Tennessee and my town
going on adventures in the woods with my big brother
making a giant snow man the one time it snowed all winter long

In the summer my brother and I used to go into the woods and follow the creek by our house like we were on an adventure. We would stay gone all day just walking around until we heard my mom call for us because she didn't know where we had gone. We never told her where we were going, I guess she assumed we were all right. Once, we found what called a cave. It was really just where the ground had fallen in underneath a tree so the roots hung down, and it was always went like a cave from the creek. We used to go everyday to see if we could farther than the day before. In actuality, I think we'd only traveled about 3 or 4 acres.

jokes

To understand how the skit is funny, you'd have to understand the elections going on right now and know who each lady is. You'd have to know that Hillary didn't make it and that everyone thinks she's an emotionless, hard woman. Most people think that Palin is a youthful, beautiful lady so you'd have to know how the media portrays her. It's funny because it pokes fun at Hillary for being a ball busting candidate that didn't make it but wanted it really bad. It is also funny because it dumbs down the candidates like they aren't as smart as they want to be seen.

If I were a boy...

If I could be a boy for a day, I would walk around everywhere with my shirt of especially if it were a hot day. I'd still go shopping because that's always fun whether you're a girl or guy. I'd take my car to the shop so I could get it fixed without getting screwed royally by the mechanics. I'd probably get drunk just to see how much more alcohol I could consume. I'd hang out with other boys to see how they think and what they really talk about. I'd probably just spend my day hanging out and doing what boys do all day. And I would beat up all my ex boyfriends.

Organ Donor?

Observations:
It's blue and white. It' s a bumper sticker. It has the North Star in the sky. It speaks of Heaven. It gives a spiritual message.

Inferences:
It's saying that you should be an organ donor. It says Heaven will understand if you don't go to Heaven with all your organs. It's sending a message that donating your organs is a vital and much needed thing.

This bumper sticker is focused more towards Christians and people that would likely donate their organs. It kind of makes you feel guilty if you don't donate your organs. It makes it seem like you might be a selfish person. If you do donate them though then it makes you feel like God or Heaven will understand because you did it for others. It has a very uplifting tone. It makes you want to help people. It has strong pathos appeals and maybe ethos when it talks about Heaven. It would be a very effective text to motivate someone to become an organ donor since it's whole purpose to inspire more people to be organ donors.

your brain on drugs

1st video
Observations:
stern voice
hot skillet
egg frying
message that your brain will fry like the egg if you take drugs
old video
short and to the point
older father figure voice

Inferences:
The video was made quite a while ago. The father figure voice evokes the feeling of being told something by your parents so you should listen. Obviously it is saying drugs are not good for the brain because it used the metaphor of an egg frying to show the effects of drugs on the brain. It's a short video which says that that is all you need to know--that it's bad and you shouldn't do it.

2nd video
Observations:
celebrity
destruction
smashes an egg then the rest of the kitchen
tells the effects drugs will have on other things besides your body
shows a lot of attitude
dark setting

Inferences:
To understand the video you'd have to know what heroine is. She smashes the kitchen to show how your life will become smashed and caotic if you choose to do drugs. Rachel Leigh Cook is a celebrity, but not everyone will know that. She has a stern look on her face like she's not kidding and wants to be taken seriously. The dark mood of the short video is kind of saying beware of drugs.

Both videos have the same basic statement: don't do drugs because they are harmful. The first video is real quick and appeals mostly to pathos or your emotions because no one wants their brain to fry like an egg. The second video says a little bit more about what happens to other people in your life. Both videos end with the question "Any questions?" which is kind of sending the message that it's a "duh" situation like do you really think you need to ask for more of a reason. Both videos have credibility because the last thing you see is their logo for a drug free America so you know that it's a real video. The newest video with Rachel Leigh Cook would probably appeal more to a younger teenage auidence since she's a celebrity, but that means that teens or anyone else would have to know who she is for that method to be effective. I would say the second and newest video is more appealing and startling which is what they want.

Large and in Charge...the Soldier

Observations:
military figure
fireworks
outside the bird's nest
standing at attention
soldier looks big and intimidating
dark background
soldier is centered

Inferences:
the soldiers guarding something
fireworks signify the end of the olympics
the angle of the shot makes the soldier appear larger to intimidate


I think China is trying to show its power above all else. The picture of the soldier and the way it's actually been taken make him look powerful and intimidating. It's odd that such a peaceful event would need a soldier standing at attention the way this one appears. It shows China feels it needs to exert its authority at all times like they're trying to be "top dog." I think most of all this picture reflects bad upon China and puts a sour note to the end of the olympics.

My Pencil

Observations:
plastic
purple
cheap
0.5 lead
new eraser
several pieces of lead
mechanical

Inferences:
I prefer quantity over quality when it comes to pencils.
I like the color purple.
I prefer to use 0.5 lead opposed to all others.
I don't erase much.
I haven't had it very long according to the amount of lead it is holding.
I like plastic pencils better than wooden pencils.
Mechanical pencils work better than wooden pencils.