The Things They Carried

Summary:
In Tim O'Brien's plethora of stories, the first story The Things They Carried is the one that sets the scene for the following stories. The story starts out introducing Lieutenant Jimmy Cross and how he carried many things of his love Martha, a woman he met in his college in New Jersey. He carried things such as, letters, photographs of her, and her good-luck pebble in his mouth. He wasn't the only one who carried items with them, so did Henry Dobbins, Ted Lavender, Kiowa, and Rat Kiley. Henry Dobbins carried rations and his girlfriends pantyhose around his neck. Ted Lavender carried marijuana and tranquilizers because he was always so nervous and he needed something to calm him down. Kiowa was the religious one and he carried an illustrated New Testament that was given to him by his father. Lastly, Rat Kiley was the medic so he carried morphine, malaria tablets, and extra needed supplies. Each of the men carried items that were either necessary or had sentimental value that reminded them of their life back home.

Response:
Reading this story and finding out what each men brought interested me. I would never think about what people brought when they were out in war grounds besides their artillery. I could see why they carry the stuff that they do, because I am sure they miss their life back home. Most importantly, I am sure they miss the people in their life back home. There is not much that they can do, but keep items that remind them of their loved ones, and some as a good-luck charm like Lieutenant Cross. For some, they connect with their loved ones vicariously through those specific items, just like how Henry Dobbins put his girlfriends pantyhose around his neck. I admire their sentimental connection to their items, but some carry things to get them through the day like Ted Lavender and his marijuana.

"As a Result"

Summary:
This week we had to read Part III of They Say I Say and in chapter 8 they discussed connecting the parts. In most cases, we all type our essays listening to the little voice in our head talking and transferring it onto our essay and it may make sense to us, but no to the reader. When we do not implement words that connect two sentences it prevents the reader from understanding what the point of your sentence was. Doing so, it would make the reader have to go back and reread the sentence they just previously read. To prevent that, it is our job as the writer to make it easier on the reader by using connecting words/phrases. There are different categories for connecting words/phrases such as: addition, example, elaboration, comparison, contrast, cause and effect, concession, and conclusion. Making these slight connections results in a much more elaborate and fluid essay.

Response:
As I was reading this chapter, it opened my eyes to see that I do not connect my sentences often because I type what the little voice in my head says. In most cases, I just think of a concept and let my mind lead the way, but one thing I tend to forget is that what I am thinking and saying might not connect in the readers head like it does for me. Now being well informed, it allows me to take a step back and edit parts of my essay to further elaborate so that the reader will understand my point. It almost comes natural to us to listen to that voice, because it is easier to write with that kind of strategy, but since we are writing to a audience it made me realize that I need to gather my essay together in a way that any reader will fully comprehend.

Brian Williams "Enough About You"

Summary:
In Brian William's "Enough About You" he speaks about how our society now is so self-absorbed. He focuses on the idea that if it has to do with you then it has to be shared with others. Before we used to never be consumed in the idea of feeling such importance about ourselves. Ever since the advance in the social media networking world it has made all of us feel that what we have to say is significant to others, when in reality many will most likely feel indifferent. The issue has gotten worse because it makes us feel that we are better than others like we deserve to be heard by everyone. He also mentions how there will be no more actual conversation between people because we will be too mesmerized by typing out our thoughts about ourselves.

Reponse:
Reading his essay, as sad as it is we have become this self-absorbed generation. For example, we tend to tweet content that we feel is important to us, but really not everyone feels the same way. We are using the social networking sites as a way to show off our assets and our opinions on certain matters. Here we are posting "selfies" because we want to show something about ourselves, and for some one selfie isn't enough. I can't lie, I have my fair shares of selfies on my Instagram, but I wouldn't let it get out of hand to where I'm going to make myself appear conceited. I just feel that we have forgotten the main idea of communication with the whole social networking world.

"You-Topian Dreams: Semiotics and the New Media" (All Media, All the Time)

Summary:
In All Media, All the Time of "You-Topian Dreams: Semiotics and the New Media", it is discussed that our daily lives are being taken over because we are so consumed in this black hole we call "social media." It is almost natural to have our phone in our hands at all times and to constantly check it every chance we get. Social media is creating a barrier for proper communication, in other words, old-fashion communication. Old-fashion communication where we would talk to our peers face to face or via mail. They mention that we now enjoy the simultaneous sending and receiving of messages even when we are in the presence of our peers. Everyone is our society has grown so attached to our communication devices that being without such objects we feel the withdrawals that someone with a drug addiction would feel. The underlying cause of why we are so addicted to our communication devices is because we enjoy the ongoing 24/7 communication between our peers and it produces a spark of happiness each moment we receive or send out a message. Another cause would be that, everyone has some type of social media account and it is inevitable that those who do not will create one. Since about almost everyone has a social media account, it provides a platform for each person to have control over who they choose to befriend on said social media site. Such power only enforces the addiction to social media and an addiction that becomes worse.

Response:
This particular essay caught my eye because everything that was said in the essay was true. Unfortunately, we are caught up in the social media world that communicating with someone face to face is an option that people choose to not gravitate towards. Of course, I love using my phone and going on Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, etc. and I have my phone on me at all times. Sadly enough, when I do not have my phone on me I feel incomplete. It is strange to how we can become so addicted to a material item without even noticing it in the process. Unlocking our phones and checking our text messages and social media sites the moment we wake up comes natural to us and we have not even gotten out of bed yet. No one ever goes out for a walk anymore or rides their bike, we are too absorbed in the social media world that we do not even notice what a beautiful day we have out and cherish the little things in life. Rather, we are worrying about the latest Twitter notifications, the amount of Instagram likes we received, and updated Snapchat stories. In retrospect, all of what is happening on the social media sites is not going to matter at the end of the day.

Steve Craig's "Men's Men Women's Women" (Women's Women)

Summary:
In Women's Women of Steve Craig's Men's Men and Women's Women, the commercial for Weight Watchers is presented to give an idea of women's women. The commercial describes a woman who is clearly overweight and is looking for the best way to shed the weight off. She turns to a quick solution joining Weight Watchers because she "hates""starving herself" and finds that joining this program she will not have to because it is "fast and flexible." The way the woman promotes this weight loss program, she portrays the concept as being able to live her life and have fun while losing weight without any worries. She is depicted as the modern day woman with her husband, children, and her humble abode. A couple shots were taken with her poolside and bits and pieces of her husband and children accompanying her. The overall notion that Weight Watchers is trying to sell, is that their program is going to lessen the pain of dieting that way women can "still have fun" and lose weight simultaneously.

Response:
While reading this certain essay I had a general idea of what was going to be talked about. I am familiar with such Weight Watchers commercials and it just all seems unrealistic, but it makes sense from an advertising stand point. Yes, they are trying to sell their product, but if one was to think about it realistically, the only way someone could lose weight is by eating healthy, drinking copious amounts of water, getting good sleep, and exercising. It is not an easy process, but that is the reality of it all, not some diet program that has many claims with no proven results. In the commercial, the woman shows that she truly hates her body, but what should be focused on is that everyone should embrace their curves and all. Cheesy as it sounds, we are all unique and our flaws is what makes us our own individual. Media has a way of manipulating the minds of women thinking they are not good enough in the skin they are in when they should push forward into promoting loving oneself just the way they are. Empowering all women around us.. Now that is beauty.