Rhetorical Analysis

I chose this video by the Gorillaz to do my rhetorical analysis on. I just wanted to share it. Embedding is disabled, so just follow the link.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c6Np4yq0VJs

This rain is killing me

This morning I had to walk to class in the downpour. I was soaked by the time I got to physical conditioning and miserable throughout the rest of my classes. I guess I should really invest in an umbrella.

I'm still trying to find something to use for my rhetorical analysis. I'm not sure exactly what to look for. I have a few ideas but I can't seem to find any way to find a deeper meaning than the obvious in the examples that I'm thinking of. Oh well, I'm sure I'll figure something out.

Class Log

Tuesday 9-8-09

On Tuesday, Professor McArdle explained how the intensive review system works and selected six people to have their essays intensively reviewed by the entire class. The chosen six were to have their papers online by five o’clock that evening. The class then proceeded to the LaFollette lobby and split into designated groups to give critical reviews of their peers’ papers. The students helped their each other to uncover new ideas and writing styles for the essays.

Thursday 9-10-09

On Thursday, the class was supposed to listen to and review the six essays chosen on Tuesday. However there was not enough time during the class period and only two students were able to have their papers undergo the intensive review process. Amanda Lum and Jacob Amstutz read their “This I Believe” essays. The two writers then received suggestions from their peers who all had something to say. Luckily the schedule is not concrete and can be rearranged to accommodate the four essays that have yet to be reviewed.

Drills and Lock-outs

Well today was interesting. I got to experience my first college dorm fire drill. So much more sophisticated than those lousy high school fire drills. Actually it was even less organized. We weren't even told of a plan. Everyone just kind of walked down the stairs and outside. Apparently we were supposed to separate by floors, but it was pretty unregulated.

I also got to experience my first college dorm lockout. I went downstairs to the study lobby to work on my essay (believe it or not) and when I came back upstairs to my room, I found that my roommate had left and locked the door. I didn't know he was planning on leaving and I wasn't going far so I left my key in the room. A very stupid move. Luckily I was able to get help at the front desk and get my room unlocked. This one was free, but every lock-out after this will cost me five bucks. A fair trade I suppose, but I've learned my lesson.

Great. Now I'm even forgetting my own birthday.

Well, today is my birthday. Ironically, as my mom pointed out, it's also Labor Day. My mom also pointed out that they had not gotten around to buying me a gift yet, which surprised me, because that's not normally what you want to tell someone your going to give a gift to. What surprised me even more is that it didn't really matter to me. I had always lived with this notion that people get upset when your family forgets to get you a present, but frankly, I could have cared less if they got me a present or not.

Heck, I didn't even realize that my birthday was coming up until Friday night. I remember when I used to count down the days on the calendar with baited breath for my birthday. Now I can barely remember when it is. I guess it's true what they say. As you get older, birthdays get less and less important. It just feels like another regular day, except people greet me with happy birthday.

Visiting Home?

It still feels strange to be visiting the place where I grew up. Nothing much has changed. Well, I suppose my mom did take the liberty of rearranging my room, but the rest of it is exactly the same. I guess I couldn't expect much in two weeks. It's almost surreal though. Right now college feels like a summer camp or something that I just came home from. I know it's not true, and that I'll be heading back after the weekend. However, I'm still feeling half and half about where I truly live.

Visiting home also brings up another situation. I don't even have a car. Luckily, this weekend one of my friends who lives close to me was willing to give me a ride. I appreciate her generosity, but I don't want to rely upon her for every trip home. I hate the thought of becoming too much of a burden, but I guess I will have to depend on her until I actually get my own car.

Disappointments

Was it just me, or was the first home football a huge let down. I'll admit that I didn't stay for the entire game. The first half alone was enough to bore even an avid football fan. I heard after I got back to my dorm that Ball State had lost. I still don't know how badly. Now I'm not a huge fan of sports, but I was looking forward to this game. And I was severely let down after loosely following last year's football team.

Anyways, the first draft of my I Believe paper is finished. I encountered some severe writers block halfway through the second page. Luckily, however, I took the field guide's advice and walked away from it until today. I'm still not all the way there though, and am still unsatisfied with it, but I guess that's why it's the first draft. Hopefully I'll get the help of my review group to finish up the paper.