Guy With the Cowboy Hat

Here's a fun one!

2005-04-28T11:55:00.000-07:00

Check this out guys,

What about Ghost stories as oral traditions?

Why not, we all remember sitting around a fire and telling ghost stories. The best thing is, they are like majorly involved in the oral tradition. Think about it, all the stories have a specific model they follow. The absolute classic is a guy and a girl making out in their car at a deserted spot. If someone starts this story, you know damn well there is going to be a noise outside the car, a scratching noise. Then somebody is going to check it out and get killed by a guy that has a hook. It always goes this way. If you make up your own ghost story, 10 to one you will start with one of the following:

A long time ago on a night just like tonight...
It was a rainy night...
This is a story about something that happened not too far from this very spot...

Ghost stories break down into specific parts, we all know what will happen. That is why a person can be elected to tell a ghost story and accomplish the task. They work like the Odyssey, Perry said that it has specific parts and breaks down into specific rules. The same with Ghost stories.

Ghost stories work like oral traditions. The best thing about them is that we can relate them back to Yeats. Why do we all remember the same ghost story. The answer is because they deal with the grotesque. Also, the teller of the story has an important role: scare the shit out of the campers. This shows how the teller of the story is very important.(ONG) And why we remember them. (Yates)

What do you guys think about this? Wanna have some s'mores.

Now I remember! This is great!

2005-04-28T11:34:00.000-07:00

Ok listen up!
I wrote in a previous journal that I wasn't so sure if I agreed with the point that Joyce made when he implied we are most awake when we are asleep. Man, I'm questioning myself now! Darn you Dr. Sexson, if you make me more curious about the Wake I may have to read it, and I wouldn't want to do that.
Anyways, i was arguing that when you sleep, your dreams are really messed up. And I also said that it would be a really strange world if your dreams were reality. I argued that you never remember what you dream, so what good is that.
The other night I had a dream and things became very clear for me. I love the book All the Pretty Horses by Cormac McCarthy. In that book a boy goes and stays on a ranch in South America. The ranch had the coolest name I've heard, but it was a long name and it is in spanish. When my mom wanted to name our ranch, I told her she should name it a spanish name because they sound so good. All I got was a joke from her and when I drove up to the property there was a cheap wooden sign that read, El Guapo Rancherro with a picture of a damn donkey bucking. She was basing this name on the antagonist, el Guapo, in the rediculous movie, The Three Amigos. Anyways, I am digressing. I always loved the name of the ranch in the book but could never recall it from memory. In fact, I cant think of it now. But it was long and complicated, and in Spanish. When I dreamed the other night, I dreamed I bought a ranch and was going to name it. In the dream, I remembered the ranch from the book! It was amazing, it was clear as day to me, and I had it right. When I woke, I could almost remember it but not quite.
That is amazing to me because it is a difficult name I thought I had just forgotten. But it was in my brain, the right synapses just had to be opened. It is in there, if I could only master how to grab it again it would be great. I couldn't believe how this worked. I feel different about Finnegan now, please disregard what I said earlier.

Ballads, and Jeremiah Beasley as Johnny Cash

2005-04-28T11:14:00.000-07:00

Hey guys,
As you allknow I sang in class on Tuesday. I sang for something that Dustin was going to memorize but changed in the last minute. What a sang is considered a ballad. I kind of wanted to find out what, if anything this has to do with oral traditions.
Well, ballads have a lot to do with oral traditions. Ballads were originally songs that were passed down by word of mouth! Many of the songs were sung to a popular tune, but I guess the words were different than the original song. Whenever words were written down, they became known as broadsides. But even these just had some of the words of the original, and a description of the tune it was supposed to be in.
This is all very intersting me because I sing some ballads in my band. I have noticed that with a lot of ballads, the words are spoken and not sung. If there is some singing, it is minimal. Another thing I've noticed about ballads is that they tell a story...duh! But anyways, there are no chorus' to ballads in general, the story just goes on. However, there are some elements of oral characteristics within the ballad. For example, there are repititious phrases and epithets. For a specific example of a somewhat modern ballad entitiled, "The Ballad of Curtis Lowe," Curtis Lowe is known as the finest picker to ever play the blues. This ballad is done by Lynyrd Skynyrd. I suggest listenint to it if you haven't, it is Balladalicious. It Rocks.
So, when I sang in class on Tuesday and did Boy Named Sue, it was like a traditional ballad. I did have the words in front of me, but it was my first time doing it, and I made up a chord progression and messed up the words a bit. This is probably how a lot of ballads went back in the original days. Here's a site to a ballads page if you would like to know more about their history:http://www.contemplator.com/history/broadside.html
I wanted to give you guys some lyrics to some of my favorite ballads:

A Boy named sue:
My daddy left home when I was three,And he didn't leave much to Ma and me...Just this old guitar and an empty bottle of booze.Now, I don't blame him cause he run and hid,But the meanest thing that he ever didWas before he left, he went and named me 'Sue'.
Well, he must o' thought that is was quite a joke,And it got a lot of laughs from a' lots of folk.It seems I had to fight my whole life through.Some gal would giggle and I'd get red,And some guy'd laugh and I'd bust his head.I tell ya, life ain't easy for a boy named 'Sue'.
Well, I grew up quick and I grew up mean,My fist got hard and my wits got keen.I'd roam from town to town to hide my shame.But I made me a vow to the moon and starsThat I'd search the honky-tonks and bars,And kill that man that give me that awful name.
Well, it was Gatlinburg in mid-JulyAnd I just hit town, and my throat was dry.I thought I'd stop and have myself a brew.At an old saloon on a street of mud,There at a table, dealing stud,Sat the dirty, mangy dog that named me 'Sue'.
Well, I knew that snake was my own sweet dadFrom a worn-out picture that my mother'd had,And I knew that scar on his cheek and his evil eye.He was big and bent and gray and old,And I looked at him and my blood ran cold,And I said: "My name is 'Sue!' How do you do! Now you gonna die!"
Well, I hit him hard right between the eyes,And he went down, but, to my surprise,He come up with a knife and cut off a piece of my ear.But I busted a chair right across his teethAnd we crashed through the wall and into the streetKicking and a' gouging in the mud and the blood and the beer.
I tell ya, I've fought tougher men,But I really can't remember when,He kicked like a mule and he bit like a crocodile.I heard him laugh and then I heard him cuss,He went for his gun and I pulled mine first,He stood there lookin' at me and I saw him smile.
And he said: "Son, this world is rough,And if a man's gonna make it, he's gotta be tough,And I know I wouldn't be there to help ya along.So I give ya that name and I said good-bye.I knew you'd have to get tough or die,And it's that name that helped to make you strong."
He said: "Now you just fought one hell of a fight,And I know you hate me, and you got the rightTo kill me now, and I wouldn't blame you if you do.But ya ought to thank me, before I die,For the gravel in ya guts and the spit in ya eyeCause I'm the son-of-a-bitch that named you 'Sue'."
I got all choked up and I threw down my gunAnd I called him my pa, and he called me his son,And I come away with a different point of view.And I think about him, now and then,Every time I try and every time I win,And if I ever have a son, I think I'm gonna name himBill or George! Anything but sue! I still hate that name!

Curtis Lowe:
well I used to wake the mornin befor the rooster crowed searchin for soda bottles to get my self some doughbrought em down to the cornerdown to the country store cash em in and give my money to a man named Curtis Lowe old Curt was a black man with white curly hair when he had a fifth of wine he didnot have a care he used to own and old dobro used to play across his kneeI'd give old Curt my money he play all day for me(chours) play me a song Curtis Lowe Curtis Lowe well I got your drinkin money tune up your dobro people said he was useless them people all were fools cuz Curtis Lowe was the finest picker to ever play the blueshe looked to be 60 maybe I was 10 momma used to whoop me but I'd go see him again I'd clap my hands, stomp my feet tryin to keep in time well he'd play me a song or 2 then take another drink of wine (chours)play me a song Curtis Lowe Curtis Lowewell I got your drinkin money tune up your dobropeople said he was useless but them people all were fools cuz Curtis Lowe was the finest picker to ever play the blues on the day old Curtis died nobody came to pray old preacher said some wordsthey chucked him in the clay well he lived a lifetime playin the black mans blues and on the day he lost his life thats all he had to lose (chours)play me a song Curtie Lowe Curtis LoweI wish that you was here so everyone would knowpeople said he was useless but them people all were fools cuz Curtis your finest picker to ever play the blues

Ira Hayes

Ira Hayes, Ira Hayes
CHORUS:Call him drunken Ira HayesHe won't answer anymoreNot the whiskey drinkin' Indian Nor the Marine that went to warGather round me people there's a story I would tellAbout a brave young Indian you should remember wellFrom the land of the Pima Indian A proud and noble bandWho farmed the Phoenix valley in Arizona landDown the ditches for a thousand years The water grew Ira's peoples' crops'Till the white man stole the water rights And the sparklin' water stoppedNow Ira's folks were hungry And their land grew crops of weedsWhen war came, Ira volunteered And forgot the white man's greed
CHORUS:Call him drunken Ira HayesHe won't answer anymoreNot the whiskey drinkin' Indian Nor the Marine that went to war
There they battled up Iwo Jima's hill, Two hundred and fifty menBut only twenty-seven lived to walk back down againAnd when the fight was over And when Old Glory raisedAmong the men who held it high Was the Indian, Ira Hayes
CHORUS:Call him drunken Ira HayesHe won't answer anymoreNot the whiskey drinkin' Indian Nor the Marine that went to war
Ira returned a hero Celebrated through the landHe was wined and speeched and honored; Everybody shook his handBut he was just a Pima IndianNo water, no crops, no chanceAt home nobody cared what Ira'd done And when did the Indians dance
CHORUS:Call him drunken Ira HayesHe won't answer anymoreNot the whiskey drinkin' Indian Nor the Marine that went to war
Then Ira started drinkin' hard;Jail was often his homeThey'd let him raise the flag and lower itlike you'd throw a dog a bone!He died drunk one mornin' Alone in the land he fought to saveTwo inches of water in a lonely ditch Was a grave for Ira Hayes
CHORUS:Call him drunken Ira HayesHe won't answer anymoreNot the whiskey drinkin' Indian Nor the Marine that went to war
Yeah, call him drunken Ira Hayes But his land is just as dryAnd his ghost is lyin' thirsty In the ditch where Ira died

I hope you guys enjoyed this, and check out some of these tunes. Great stuff!

My Presentation on Joel Chandler Harris

2005-04-23T19:08:00.000-07:00

Hey gang,
As you all know, I did my presentation on Joel Chandler Harris and disected one of his great stories into a map of all the contents an epic poem should have. I couldn't believe it when I asked the class if they have heard of Uncle Remus or Joel Chandler Harris and hardly anyone raised their hand. "I am mortified and Stupified," as Jackie Childs would say on Seinfeld. Perhaps it is because Joel Chandler Harris is more of a Soputhern tradition. But you guys should have heard of some of his stories. Uncle Remus, I believe, was in the Disney production Song of the South. Remember the big black man with the birds that came and landed on him and he was singing "Zip-a-dee-do-dah." Yeah, that was based on Harris' stories. I don't think you can get that movie anymore because it was considered racist or something. I personally don't feel it is racist. Harris, by writing down the stories as Uncle Remus, was trying to preserve African-American oral traditions. Dr. Sexson should include some of his stuff in his lectures. I've been to Harris' house, it's in Georgia where I'm from. He is very interesting and I hope that you guys will take it up on your own accord to study more about him by looking at the website I've posted. Especially if you're English majors. You need to know about this guy.
Here's the site:http://xroads.virginia.edu/~UG97/remus/bio.html
If you scroll down on this site go to the table of contents hypertext. From there you can read more, and even check out a few of the works by Joel Chandler Harris.

Sherman Alexie

2005-04-23T18:54:00.000-07:00

Hey guys,
As you know, Sherman Alexie came and talked at the sub last Thursday. I went and was very impressed. I had not read too much by him, but I think I will now. His talk was awesome. For a while I was scared that it might bore me, but it seriously was funny as hell. In fact, the whole thing was like going to a stand up comic. He made jokes all night long! It wasn't cheap comedy either. It was very intellectual and Sherman was trying to make a point. I won't try to go through and remember all the jokes, I'd probably mess them up! I will try to tell you what his main point was.
Sherman is known for offending people. He spent the night making funny jokes about everyone he could think of. There was probably not one person in that room that wasn't slightly offended by what he said. He poked fun at himself, Indians, liberals, conservatives, all religions, all area of politics, straight people, gay people, vegetarians, meat-eaters, and all races. He presented everything in a way that though it might be offensive, it was still funny. The best part about everything was the fact that he had a reason for doing all this. For at the end of his two-hour stand-up speech he made the point that when a person thinks he/she is right on a certain topic, that they couldn't possibly have the wrong opinion, that person should ask themselves, "What if I'm wrong." It was a great point. If people asked themselves this question, it would lead to their having a more open mind. It would eliminate intolerance. It would eliminate hate. It's a great concept that I will try to follow. It's a concept that everyone should make a part of their everyday lives. Think about it, you all have that friend that is annoying as hell because he/she refuses to accept others opinions and they have a shallow mind.
For anyone that is interested in persuing more on Sherman Alexie I have included a great website that has a lot of his works on it, and a biography. It has everything! Check it out.

Here's the sight:http://www.fallsapart.com/

Seeing or Hearing

2005-04-21T18:38:00.000-07:00

Well,
I have to say that everyone's presentations went extremely well!
One group wanted us to answer the question whether or not we remember better what is seen or heard. It was the group that did the project when we had to blindfold ourselves and listen to their presentation. That was a great idea. I suppose I can remember a lot from that presentation because it was so different. I liked the sound effects and especially liked how different smells passed through the room. The pipe smoke was the best. These elements made everything seem real, therfore they are memorable.
In direct response to the question at hand, I would have to say that personally I think I can remember things that are seen. It's a weird question because usually you are seeing someone and listening to them. It's not like I close my eyes when people are talking to me. But, as it has been read in Yates, many people feel that things are going to be remembered when they are associated with the grotesque. I think this works on many levels. Everybody that you talk to isn't a grotesque person. But many different things about the situation that you are in with that person will be remembered. I think remembering is much easier when there is a face involved. The topic of conversation also adds to what will be remembered. Small talk will not be so memorable. However, I can remember what I said exactly in bad situations. For instance, I've broken up with a few girlfriends and remember all that was said on both parts. I think this is where that "grotesque" thing comes into play. You should have seen some of my girlfriends.
We're talking Coyote ugly! Just kidding, that was mean.
Lord forgive me for that last comment and be with the starving people in New Guinea.
Ok, back to what I was saying, the grotesque thing can be associated not only with looks, but topics of conversation. And in answer to the question at hand, I would have to say that sight plays a huge role in the remembrance of things. I think the real person that we should ask this question to is a blind man!
Lord forgive me for that.

Congratulations

2005-04-20T18:51:00.000-07:00

Hey y'all
Well, as you know I created an oral map. No one could believe that I actually hid something at the end of the map, but I did. I just wanted to say congratulations to Josh because he is the one who went and found the bottle of wine I hid. He drank it and thanked me because he hadn't been drunk in a while. He will also recieve extra credit from Dr. Sexson.

Where was the bottle you might ask?
The bottle was hidden under a bridge (where land meets water) on little bear creek.

Kabbalah

2005-04-15T10:59:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone,
I noticed many people talking about the Kabbalah in class and I wanted to research it further because I wasn't too sure what it was or what it was about. I'm also going to give a link to the site I used.
It seems that Kabbalah, also spelled many other ways, comes from the root of a Hebrew word that means, "To recieve, to accept." Iguess that when in the Bible Moses recieved the Ten Commandments from God, he also gave moses some oral laws that were not written down. This oral law was supposed to be passed from generation to generation thus making it an Oral tradition.
The Torah, or the first five books of the old testament: Genesis Exodus Leviticus Numbers and Deuteronomy, are believed to be divine, yet they are written down. It is believed that by studying this oral tradition along with the Torah, that one can unlock the secrets to creation.
Thgis is very interesting to know while reading Yeats because in a lot of the memory theatres created by the people Yates discussed, some people thought of them to have magical elements and branded them as bad. I was wondering why they would consider these theatres magical. Well, if someone was going to find a way to unlock and know in their minds the secrets of God's creation, I can see that as magical. On the site provided it gives some examples of memory theatres associated with Kabbalah and Hermetic Kabbalah (non-Jewish studiers of Kabbalah.).
It's all very interesting, if you would like to look at the site, its address is:
http://www.digital-brilliance.com/kab/theatre/theatre.htm
I hope you enjoy.

Journals for all (your classmate's journals)

2005-04-11T14:33:00.000-07:00

Here are some journals from your peers. I'll list a bunch, but Kelly Stoll's is the best by far!

Here they are!

Kelly Stoll:www.originaldrivel.blogspot.com

J Newman:http://oraltraditionsnotes.blogspot.com/

Nikole Didier:

Upcoming Group Project

2005-04-11T13:32:00.000-07:00

Hi all,
I guess you realize that we have a project coming up real fast. My group consisting of Heather, Faith, and Tracy, will be presenting on the subject of Maps. Maps in oral cultures had different values than maps of today. They were used to show not only directions, but relationships among individuals, ecological realationships, and so on. By listening to oral maps a person could gain great insight as to how nature worked and about their ancestry. Also by listening to oral maps today, a person can find great reward.
That's right. My part in the project is to make a Oral map and present it to the class. I created a fun little story with real directions. The directions on a oral map are not the same as they are on something like an atlas. You must listen closely to the directions and remember it. I've included elements in this map that are similar to those of old oral maps. For example, as I'm giving directions I will head off on a tangent and tell another story. That will help you remember what I say.
The best part is that my map will serve as a scavenger hunt. If you can find where I'm talking about, I hid a bottle of wine at that spot and its all yours if you get there first. If the wine is corked, I'll by you a new bottle. If you get the wine first, and you are a girl, and it is corked, I'll take you out for a free drink. No guys though please(that means you Warwood!)
Well, I hope you guys' projects are going good. I hope you like my oral map.....and good luck!

Secondary Orality

2005-04-04T14:24:00.000-07:00

Hey guys,
I was cruising around the net looking for articles to publish on my journal. Here is a real good one:http://homepages.bw.edu/~rfowler/pubs/secondoral/introduction.html#anchor50277

This guy is speaking of none other than Ong himself. He makes the argument that hypertext is the main source of secondary orality and that it may enhance our understanding of primary orality. He gives great details about hypertext. It's all very interesting when looked at in light of the Finnegans Wake article. Tell me what you think.

My Epic Country Song

2005-03-28T14:10:00.000-08:00

Here you go,
I was asked to record the words of my country epic. They are as follows:

Well I walked into the bar the other night
and I saw that there had been a fight
so I asked the barkeep, "son what's goin' on?"
He said, "You see that green-eyed blonde over there?
Her name's Nicole Lynn Didier,
and she's the reason this big ol' fight begun."

Nicole moved up from Wyoming
to scape her crazy family
her car dealin' dad
watched too much
blue collar comedy
now she's out on the town
cause she wants to
have a little fun
I think I even heard her say
"Let's Git R Done"

Now its true that she hates football
and she even has a cat
but theres one thing that makes the boys not
care about that

CHORUS: Green-eyed blonde hair Nicole
She's a girl you want to know
you can see her by the river with her fishin pole
cause when she's not readin books she likes to fish
Don't know what she gonna do when she get out of school
but one things for sure she's a fishin fool
and thats what makes Nicole every guys wish.

The thing that makes Nicole a hero
is she's a damn, workin fool
she works two jobs to pay the rent and
put herself through school

Now Nicole is gonna go big time
She's gonna get real rich
She likes to read, she likes to write
she's already been published

Now wake up all you sleepy men!
I'm gonna get to the good part of the song again
about why Nicole might be the girl for you.
She likes to ski! She likes to fish!
she works two jobs and she doesn't even bitch
now if you feel the mood just sing along!

CHORUS

BRIDGE

Green-eyed blonde hair Nicole
in the back of class
she's a little shy but she's got a nice
Bass on her line
she's lookin fine
and that'll make her name stand the test of time
she'll be hero til the day she dies
I said she'll be a hero til the day she dies.

This will really piss off Dr. Sexson.

2005-03-27T14:46:00.000-08:00

FINNEGAN'S WAKE

Great Job All

2005-03-18T14:07:00.000-08:00

Hey everyone,
Good job on your epic poems! I loved listening to those in class. There was some damn funny stuff in there. Even though it was hard to compete with my line about Nicole having a nice "bass" on her line, I was thoroughly surprised. I liked the one about, "Wayne the Brain." That was funny. It was also funny how Cristie recited it like the scene in So I Married an Axe Murderer.
I'm trying to think of my favorite poem. I think it would have to be the one done by Valerie about Wylie. The fact that she created a poem about being a good fisherman was awesome. "It was this big," was the kicker. That was funny, I don't care who you are. The best thing was that the fish actually wasn't that big at all. Wylie may think he is the fish king, but I'm the fish God. I'll take you on man. You, Me, Gallatin River 4:00.
I was just kidding. Not really.
No, I think my absolute favorite oral poem was by Kelly Stoll. It was awesome. So awesome that I can't even remember what it was about. Maybe that's because it was so long! Just kidding Kelly. You're allright in my book.

Oral Poems

2005-03-15T16:33:00.000-08:00

Getting Excited
Our oral poems are coming up soon. I can't wait to hear what people come up with. I myself am going to write a country song about Nicole.
Remember in your poem to include elements such as: Repetiton, epithets, rhythm, invocation of the muse, a story, birthplace of person, and a major achievement. I think that incorporating these elements in your poem will make for a great achievement. I only hope I can fit them all into my song. I bet I will figure it out.

These are the elements that Sexson wants in the poem. Best of luck to you all. Don't get nervous.

Re-membering Finnegan

2005-03-11T13:40:00.000-08:00

Here I go again,
Although I have not personally read Finnegans Wake, I really enjoyed Sexson's article, Re-membering Finnegan.
I hate to sound pessimistic, but I do feel as if I have heard enough of the Wake, or as I like to call, The F-Word, by listening to recitations in class. (Good job Warwood and Kelly). Within the article it was discussed that the Greeks had a theory that we had fallen into "amathia," the ignorance that stems from the forgetfulness of everything important. As Sexson said, "In the Wake Joyce exults in the irony that we are most asleep when we are awake and only in sleep do we begin to awaken all we have forgotten. This is why we can sum up the Wake with the word, "remember."
I find this to be a very interesting concept. I understand that our minds are awakened to past occurences in our sleep. I love it when I have a dream and something that I had indeed forgotten comes up. I have even had dreams where I compose things in my head whether concepts or songs that are, in the dream, really good. The problem is that I can't remember them when I wake up. This point right here is proof of Joyce's concepts.
This way of remembering things in dreams is why I think Joyce wrote in a sort of outdated hyper-text. Different things come to mind as you read. You go off on many tangents and the book can be interpreted a number of ways, just as dreams.
That is my two cents on the subject. I do however have some questions. Are nightmares included? Nightmares are a sort of fantasy unlike anything a person has ever experienced(unless of course they are re-curring and have to do with past trauma) Some dreams are so fantastical that I have no doubt they are made up and are not related to my past. What does a person do with these sorts of dreams? For if I were said to be most awake during some of my dreams, I would be a perverted, crazy, psychopath. I'm interested to see how these dreams can be said to be most real to the human being.

Mac vs. PC Debate

2005-03-04T13:21:00.000-08:00

Here is some stuff that Umberto had to say on the subject:

..."Insufficient consideration has been given to the new underground religious war which is modifying the modern world. It's an old idea of mine, but I find that whenever I tell people about it they immediately agree with me.

"The fact is that the world is divided between users of the Macintosh computer and users of MS-DOS compatible computers. I am firmly of the opinion that the Macintosh is Catholic and that DOS is Protestant. Indeed, the Macintosh is counter-reformist and has been influenced by the 'ratio studiorum' of the Jesuits. It is cheerful, friendly, conciliatory, it tells the faithful how they must proceed step by step to reach--if not the Kingdom of Heaven--the moment in which their document is printed. It is catechistic: the essence of revelation is dealt with via simple formulae and sumptuous icons. Everyone has a right to salvation.

"DOS is Protestant, or even Calvinistic. It allows free interpretation of scripture, demands difficult personal decisions, imposes a subtle hermeneutics upon the user, and takes for granted the idea that not all can reach salvation. To make the system work you need to interpret the program yourself: a long way from the baroque community of revellers, the user is closed within the loneliness of his own inner torment.

I took this information from: http://www.jlittlewood.com/tech/eco.htm

Wow, this guy has a lot of time on his hands. I see where he is coming from though. I am not a very big fan of computers unless they are used for games, music, or porn. Just kidding about that porn thing, I saw Warwood looking at porn during class on his laptop so I thought I would throw it in ;) I myself am a Southern Baptist. I don't know where that would put me in the whole debate. I guess I prefer PC's that's all I ever owned. However, I remember that in gradeshool we had a computer lab and all we had were MACs. They do seem a bit more difficult to me. That seems to be surprising because according to the debate I should probably like MACs because I am a creative person, and I like pictures. I especially liked in the debate how MACs are Catholic. The Catholics have all those crucifixes and are very iconistic. I like how he said that PC's are protestant and open to interpretation. I'm gonna stick to my religious roots and give my credit to PC's. I guess if we want an answer to this article, we need to figure out what kind of computer the pope uses.

Testimony?

2005-02-21T13:42:00.000-08:00

Alright,
I may or may not have a bone to pick with professor Sexson. My Dad came to visit me this weekend from Atlanta. He brought his stepdaughter and her husband. Along with them, a couple friends joined us at the Mint Cafe in Belgrade. During pre-dinner cocktails, I, trying to sound like a smartass college kid, brought up the professor's most recent comment on the origin of the word testimony. I said that it had to do with the fact that in Bible times a man put his hand under another's thigh(close to the testicles) and swore an oath. My Dad, a very smart man, began to laugh it up and make fun of me. He also inspired the rest of the table to join in the laughter. I was the laughing stock of the Mint until I said, "I bet you 400 dollars I'm right." Well, Dad took my bet. I just have to prove I'm right. I want you to know Sexson, that I was taking a metaphorical bullet for you that night and I hope you are correct. Otherwise we will have some words, and I'll need 400 dollars, cause I ain't got it. But I trust in all my wisdom that you would not spread lies in your class.
I have now done some research. If one goes to: http://www.wordwizard.com they can type a word and find its origin. The page is actually a sort of comment page for smart people. But here is what is said of the word testimony. In the Bible, Abraham calls his servant and says, "Put, I pray Thee, thy hand under my thigh." He was making his servant give an oath. This type of oath was the most solemn of the Hebrews. It appears to be a winning argument on my part. You guys should look it up and see what you think. I need to beet my dad on this cause then I can buy a new Telecaster guitar.

Let's Work on That Memorization

2005-02-19T13:21:00.000-08:00

Howdy Pards,
Today I want to talk about memorization and memorization techniques in regards to the assignment in which we have to memorize 100 book titles in order. I have talked to quite a few people about this assignment, and some seem about as frustrated as a harelip in a steakhouse trying to order Worcestershire sauce. I'll admit, to an untrained mind it seems like a hard task. I on the other hand am not very worried. You see, I have gone to private schools from pre-first to 12th grade. Memorization has seemed to be one of the main subjects taught in these institutions. I remember from the very start having to memorize Bible verses and books of the Bible in order. In first grade I could have recited the old and new testament books in order. In second grade I could have recited all the ten commandments in perfect NIV wording. For those that don't know, that is a big section of memory for a second grader. What I'm really trying to get at though is that memory is something that has to be taught. You can in fact train yourself to memorize. I never worried about the book assignment because I know I can have it done very easily. In fact, I didn't even start the assignment till right before it was due.
I found it interesting in Yates book that some people refuted the memory system. They said that they need not create one because they had trained their mind to memorize great quantities. I kind of agree with this. If you can memorize well already, why create a world or images that only require the use of more memory? Does anyone agree with me here. While I have found that certain techniques work, I just don't see why everyone would have to envisage a whole new world to help with memory.
Here are some techniques I have found that help me with memorizing. Order is important. Take the MSU list and divide it into sections of ten. Just concentrate on one section at a time. Once you memorize that section, move to the next, but be sure that as you are memorizing it to go back to the previous section. You'll be amazed at how fast you can learn. By repetition, you are imprinting the books on your mind.
I have also found that associating faces with names works very well. As you are memorizing, have a friend read you the next three books you need to know. Do it again with another friend. You will associate the indicated book with that friend. You will also have ten books memorized very quickly.
I am very interested to hear how others memorize. Please get back to me if you have the answers. I would also like to know others comments on the memory palace. Is it something great, or just more dang work?

Ol' Jer's Journal number 4

2005-02-03T15:46:00.000-08:00

Ok Listen,
I am going to write this journal without any guidance from anyone. Yesterday, I was frightened by the fact that I thought about a subject that had to do with class all on my on. Seriously. I was watching a movie. Now I'm not gay, (Not that there is anything wrong with that!)but I was watching Out of Africa, a movie based on the book by Isak Dinesen. Why was I watching this? My mom was visiting and she wanted me to watch it. Plus, I was going to ask her for bar money so I figured it was a nice gesture. "Oh yeah Mom! I'd love to watch that chik flik and watch you ogle over Robert Redford. Anyways, In this film the main character moves to Africa and starts a coffee farm. In the mean time she tries to open up a school but has a problem getting permission from the chief to let the kids attend. You see, the chief didn't want his tribes children to learn to read and write. One of his reasons was that he didn't want them to be smarter than he was. I thought this was very peculiar in light of what we have been studying in class. It was the Brits' idea (in the movie) that an educated person must learn to read and write. I figure that this was probably the main reason they looked down on Africans. If they can't read and write, then they must be stupid. But the paradox is that Africans didn't need to know that. They knew how to survive. Put one of those smart Brits in the way of a hungry male African lion and just see what those book smarts do for them. At the most it would give them something interesting to say right before they are mauled and eaten alive. Now, my sarcasm got involved a little, but I do want to point out that this debate between Orality and Literacy can be seen very easily. It was just a small part of the movie, but it could make for some interesting conversation. Thank you for your time.

Hold On To Your Horses: It's Journal Three

2005-02-03T15:33:00.000-08:00

Geez, Don't you guys have anything better to do?
All right, I'm not really sure what to write about in this journal, so I'll wing it. Actually I know exactly what I'll talk about. I'll talk about what I underlined in Ong. On page 22-23, Ong talks about a study done by Parry in which they broke down the works of Homer into pre-fabricated plots. The book said that this idea was threatening to "far-gone" literates. Now, I don't claim to be a "far-gone" literate, but I found this to be very interesting. It seems as if they are discrediting Homer, and making him into an average Joe. Could this be? The book says, in regards to the Iliad and Odyssey, that only a tiny fraction of the words were not part of formulas, and to a degree devastatingly predictable formulas(Ong 23). Now I can understand that there may have been formulas, but it seems that you could say anything has a formula. I'd like to see this study by Parry. Maybe I'll look it up and get back to you on that, but the Asteroids game is calling my name from the gameroom. Just kidding. I would like to know you guys' opinions on this subject. If we do agree that it's formulaic, so what. You must not undermine creative genius if it is there. Is it? Let me know.
PS. I'll get back to you on that Parry thing one of these days.

Journal 2: Web Stuff (Orality and Literacy)

2005-02-03T14:55:00.000-08:00

Hey guys,
I believe I was supposed to find some links to sites about orality and literacy. I use the word "believe" because this journal entry is way past due and I'm just now getting to it. How's that for honesty? Anyways, I did some looking around the web and found some good sites. I had to look up just orality, otherwise I got a bunch of papers written by students who are probably much smarter than we are. Because they made me feel stupid, I chose not to include them on this entry. Besides, they probably can't sing Neon Moon as good as I can. Anyways, the first sight I found seems to be written either about Ong or by Ong, I'm not sure. It comes from the University of Georgia, and Georgia has some good things to offer....ughmm, like myself! Well this sight speaks of Ong and is entitled Orality and Literacy: The Technologizing of the World. It has to do with how writing came and in some people's opinion, i.e. Plato, brought a horrible death with it. I might agree with Plato. I liked it much better in a time when writing wasn't around. We were forced to memorize everything. Now that writing has come around, we are much more detached from our original works (that last statement was on the webpage). But back to my argument, if we did not have writing, we would have to remember everything, thus exercising our minds to their fullest extent. If you couldn't memorize very well, and were a stupid person, you could just pretend to be listening to people and act smart. Be the strong silent type.
Here's the address for that site: http://www.coe.uga.edu/reading/faculty/dreinking/ONG.html

Another site I looked at that may be useful is one that is a review of Orality and Literacy. This is the book we're looking at in class. It's pretty interesting, and you might find it helpful that it has a summary of the chapters in the book. These summaries point out the main points in the chapter. I am, however, not condoning the reading of the chapter summary as a legitimate review of the chapter.
Here's the address: http://www.engl.niu.edu/wac/ong_rvw.html
Well, I think that's it today. Let me know if you agree with me and Plato.

Oh boy! Journal One

2005-02-03T14:40:00.000-08:00

Hey guys what's happenin?
This is my first journal entry for oral traditions class. I hope I'm doing everything right. It seems to me that I am supposed to write about the time when I was not literate. I like to think that I have a good memory, but it is really hard to remember that far back. I can't recall every detail, and I don't think that life was hell because I didn't know how to write. It's not like I had to fill out applications or was interested in reading War and Peace in my leisure time. I think at those times I was more concerned with scoring a cool new toy or who was going to give me a bath that night. But I am off subject. As I said my memory isn't good enough to recall my younger years, but I do recall one instance in which I was learning to write. I think the fist word I learned to write was my name. One thing that is interesting about this is that non-other than pictures were used to help me accomplish this. I find this to be interesting after having learned how important the visual image is to memory. I specifically remember trying to write the letter "M." My mom would say, "That's the letter that looks like two mountains." I also remember that "J" looked like a fish hook. I find it interesting that graphics are used to help move someone to a stage where graphics are no longer needed. That's about the best I can do for this journal entry. I apologize for my lack of recollection.