Blog #5

Happiness

Wayne Coyne - Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

As heard on NPR’s Morning Edition, February 26, 2007    http://thisibelieve.org/essay/24791/

 

You can read the essay below or listen to the essay by clicking on the link above.

 Wayne Coyne is a singer and guitarist for The Flaming Lips, an indie-rock band he founded. Coyne believes happiness isn’t a cosmic coincidence, but something we have the power to make within ourselves.

Creating Our Own Happiness

I was sitting in my car at a stoplight intersection listening to the radio. I was, I guess, lost in the moment, thinking how happy I was to be inside my nice warm car. It was cold and windy outside, and I thought, “Life is good.”

Now this was a long light. As I waited, I noticed two people huddled together at the bus stop. To my eyes, they looked uncomfortable; they looked cold and they looked poor. Their coats looked like they came from a thrift store. They weren’t wearing stuff from The Gap. I knew it because I’d been there.

This couple seemed to be doing their best to keep warm. They were huddled together and I thought to myself, “Oh, those poor people in that punishing wind.”

But then I saw their faces. Yes, they were huddling, but they were also laughing. They looked to be sharing a good joke, and, suddenly, instead of pitying them, I envied them. I thought, “Huh, what’s so funny?” They didn’t seem to notice the wind. They weren’t worried about their clothes. They weren’t looking at my car thinking, “I wish I had that.”

You know how a single moment can feel like an hour? Well, in that moment, I realized I had assumed this couple needed my pity, but they didn’t. I assumed things were all bad for them, but they weren’t and I understood we all have the power to make moments of happiness happen.

Now maybe that’s easy for me to say. I feel lucky to have fans around the world, a house with a roof, and a wife who puts up with me. But I must say I felt this way even when I was working at Long John Silver’s. I worked there for eleven years as a fry cook. When you work at a place that long, you see teenagers coming in on their first dates; then they’re married; then they’re bringing in their kids. You witness whole sections of people’s lives.

In the beginning it seemed like a dead-end job. But at least I had a job. And frankly, it was easy. After two weeks, I knew all I needed to know, and it freed my mind. The job allowed me to dream about what my life could become. The first year I worked there, we got robbed. I lay on the floor; I thought I was going to die. I didn’t think I stood a chance. But everything turned out all right. A lot of people look at life as a series of miserable tasks but after that, I didn’t.

I believe this is something all of us can do: Try to be happy within the context of the life we’re actually living. Happiness is not a situation to be longed for, or a convergence of lucky happenstance. Through the power of our own minds, we can help ourselves. This I believe.

Wayne Coyne is singer and guitarist for the Grammy Award-winning rock band, The Flaming Lips. He wrote and directed “Christmas on Mars," a science-fiction film featuring the group. Coyne and his wife, Michelle, a photographer, live in Oklahoma City.

Now read this next essay from This I Believe website and be thinking about what the two essays have in common or how they are different in terms of happiness.

http://thisibelieve.org/essay/8865/   (There is no audio for this essay)

By Aaron - Huntington, West Virginia   (high school author)

Entered on December 2, 2005

                                       Happiness is a Choice

When we are young children, one of the first lessons we are taught is to “play fair”. We are taught to share and treat others as we would like to be treated, “The Golden Rule”. We then expect that if we treat others fairly, we will be treated fairly. As we mature we discover that regardless how fair we treat people, life is not fair. As we confront issues in our lives and realize things are not always just, it is important to have a positive attitude and choose to be happy. While social unjust should not be endured, physical impairments must be accepted to be overcome.

In some way I feel that life has been rather unfair to me from the beginning. I was born with an extreme visually impairment. I use a long cane to travel and read Braille as my preferred school medium. The print textbook for my math class is only one book, while the Braille version is fifty-one bulky volumes. I learned early in my education that I might have to work harder than the other students in certain areas. I tend to have more homework, so when other students are playing video games and watching television, I am doing homework. For years I would complain, “It’s not fair!” to my mother to which she would reply, “Well Aaron–.Life isn’t fair”. Throughout my life I have found this to be true at times, and have accepted it as a fact and moved past it.

I have made the choice to be happy in my life. Although I have much school work to complete, I am able to go to school with my friends and live at home instead of being sent to a school for the blind eight hours away. Instead of looking at the things in my life that get me down, I try to focus on the blessings God has given me. I have been blessed with an excellent memory ability which has aided me in remembering vast amounts of information for my school work. Support from my immediate and extended family as well as friends, teachers, and organizations have been more than one can fathom.

I believe that being happy is a choice you make. I was on the wrestling team at my middle school for three years. Instead of focusing on the fact that I never won a match for the first two years, I enjoyed being part of the team and participating in a sport like the other students. Currently I’m on my high school swim team and perform with the High School Jazz band.

Everyone has times in their lives that are not fair. A broken family, an ill parent, or too little money may make life seem unfair. Having a positive attitude and being thankful for the blessings you are given is the key to being happy. Life is not perfect for anyone. It is only in dealing with the “unfairness” of our lives that enriches the life we live. Sometimes we are the bug, something we are the windshield. Life cannot be perfect. If it were perfect, there would be nothing to live for.

 Respond by Sunday, Sept. 4th. to me where you compare and/or contrast the two essays above IN PARAGRAPH FORMAT.  Then in another paragraph, state your beliefs about happiness. 

1.) Make sure to include at least one direct quote. 

2.) Make sure to reference both of the authors by name when you discuss their views.

Please note that your first paragraph response is not if you agree or disagree with either author.  Your response is to find those things that are similar or different between the two essays.  After you compare the two authors, then you can discuss your feelings on the topic of happiness in a separate paragraph.

This response should be two very well developed paragraphs.  Remember to use transition words and to lead in before you write a direct quote.  Never start a sentence with a direct quote.

This time you do not need to respond to two classmates:>)

Blog #4

http://www.ted.com/talks/sarah_kay_if_i_should_have_a_daughter.html

Sarah Kay is the 22 year-old founder of Project V.O.I.C.E.(Vocal Outreach Into Creative Expression).  Click on the link above and listen and watch her inspirational Spoken Word poem and message.  The video is 18 minutes long; but it may be the best 18 minutes of your entire week.

Comment about something specifically that Sarah highlights--something that struck a chord with you--something that you can really relate to--and share it in the comment section.

Your response to me is due by Friday, August 26th.
Your response to two other classmates is due by August 28th.

Blog #3

Following in Beyoncé's 'Single Ladies' Footsteps Strips 7-year-olds of Innocence

By Sarah Kaufman

Washington Post Staff Writer
Saturday, May 15, 2010

Watch The Commentary from The Early Show on ABC by Clicking on the Link below.

http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=6483349n
Next Read the Aritcle Below.

Following in Beyoncé's 'Single Ladies' Footsteps Strips 7-year-olds of Innocence

Network News XProf

By Sarah Kaufman

Washington Post Staff Writer
Saturday, May 15, 2010

The signs are all there: The hip-grinding come-ons. Legs kicked up to the ear. Skin-baring lingerie.

This particular video remake of Beyoncé's hit "Single Ladies" follows a rubric of raunchy moves straight out of the pole-dance manual.

But the performers, according to published reports, are 7-year-olds.

Their satin-and-lace hooker look screams Lolita. The whole two-minute display seems one crotch-shot short of illegal.

And with nearly 2 million hits, the clip of five enthusiastically gyrating grade-schoolers (dubbed "Little Girls Going Hard on Single Ladies") taped at the World of Dance competition in Pomona, Calif., last month has gone viral.

We could get child psychologists on the phone to opine about what a bad thing this is, to shed light on the vulnerable 7-year-old psyche and the crucial development of a girl's sense of self at that age. But we know what they would say: That global girldom needs more emphasis on intellect and independence, not less. That being cheered on for dressing and moving like strippers teaches girls a disturbing, belittling lesson. And that's what's so bewildering about this video: We know it's wrong. Didn't their parents know it was wrong?

It isn't prudish to think 7-year-olds ought to look like 7-year-olds. It's prudent. Twisted minds are surely drooling over the exhibitionism of the Beyoncé bunch. Pedophiles don't need more kindling on their deranged fires, but displays like this one shovel it on. And put other little girls at risk.

What's troubling here is more than just the moves these kids are making -- it's the element of adult manipulation behind them. Sexy children, pushy parents: Think back on JonBenet Ramsey, the rouged and blow-dried beauty pageant princess, dead at 6. The irony is that kiddie pageants back then -- she was killed in 1996 -- were undoubtedly tamer than some of them are nowadays, with skimpy attire and dirty dancing all the rage. (Look at the one depicted in the 2006 film "Little Miss Sunshine," in which Abigail Breslin's young character performs a striptease.) Same thing on certain dance competition circuits -- like the one that launched this video.

I watch this bunch of energetic 7-year-olds and wish that, with those kicks and their apparent athleticism, they were outside on a soccer field, enjoying a sport that focuses on play -- and not so much on the body.

I have a 7-year-old daughter, and her passion at the moment is turning perfect cartwheels, playing baseball and inventing dramatic scenarios for her collection of tiny plastic animals. Peer pressure doesn't seem to be an issue yet, but then again, most of her friends are into the same things -- gymnastics, storytelling, inventive play. Happily, my daughter seems to have a view of herself that has nothing to do with starlet underdressing, sexuality beyond her years or the latest trend in music videos.

Will this always be the case? I can only say I hope so -- and I know for sure that one way to grow a head case with low self-esteem and a body-image problem is to plunk her in front of music videos that hype sex appeal and tell girls their greatest asset is that thing they're sitting on.

Of course, the Beyoncé Five have gone a whole lot of steps beyond just watching the grown-up moves. I'm impressed by their flexibility and clean execution. But at the same time I wonder, what kind of dance teachers (paid by the parents) drilled them for hours and hours in the chilly perfection of a routine that feels so exploitative of their energy, innocence and charm? Soon enough, these girls, like girls everywhere, will have to navigate tricky adolescent waters, learning to dodge what's unsafe and unwise, and finding out what true power, self-respect and individuality look like.

This performance gives them a big shove in the wrong direction.

Want to see the entire dance routine?  Then view the video below.

Response Directions:

1.) Discuss your first reaction to the dancers.

2.) Then discuss your reaction to the opinions from the commentators from The Early Show on ABC and/or the commentary from the article above by weaving in citations from either source.  A good way to do this is to think about something they said that you either agree with or disagree with and then use their quote as a springboard.  After you agree or disagree with something they've said, then explain why.  Be mindful to choose quotes that support your reaction to the video so that your response will represent one unit of interrelated ideas that form a well-bodied paragraph.  Remember, if you introduce a new idea into your response, then you need to create a new paragraph. 

To receive credit for this assignment you must cite something, either directly or by summarizing or by paraphrasing. 

MLA Citation Guidlines:
You must show proper citations by placing direct quotes within quotation marks followed by a parenthesis indicating the source of the quote.  If you are summarizing or paraphrasing, then you must follow the last word of your summary or paraphrase with a parenthesis that has the name of the television show or the name of the author who wrote the article above..  Then close the parenthesis followed by a period.

Examples:
I.Cite The Early Show commentators by doing this:

While some claim that: “ . . . . . . . . . …ya-ta-dah, ya ta dah . . . . . .” (The Early Show).

II.

I have a hard time agreeing with the concept that,"  . . . . . . .ya-ta-dah, ya-ta-dah . . . . "(Kaufman).

III.Show a summary or citation like this:

In fact, one of the news commentators compares the dance routine to cheerleading (The Early Show).

Please pay attention to where you place the period after a citation.  In short quotes, summaries, or paraphrases, it always comes after the clsoing parenthesis.

Your response to me is due by Friday, August 19^th.  You must include a citation in order to receive

credit.

Your response to two of your classmates is due by Sunday, August 21^st.

Blog #2

It is an old saying that actions speak louder than words.  The attached video starring Danny Glover is nothing more than actions.  Your task is to give words to the meaning of the actions by answering the following questions.

1.) What message is the film maker trying to convey?

2.) Why do you think the homeless man follows the business woman at the end of the video?

3.) What, if any, is the significance of the red kite?

**By Friday, August 12th, respond to the above questions and direct your response to me.  Make sure to use an appropriate greeting and closing.

**By Sunday, August 14th, respond to what two of your classmates had to say about the video.  Make sure that you also use the appropriate greeting and closing to your post.

If you have problems viewing the video, you may need to download a media format such as Real Player.  Just click on the link and select Free Download. http://www.real.com/realplayer/search