AmandaNichols http://blogs.setonhill.edu/AmandaNichols/ 2006-05-01T22:15:25-05:00 Wit 2 http://blogs.setonhill.edu/AmandaNichols/2006/05/wit-2.html Edson, Wit -- Jerz: Intro to Literary Study (EL150)

]]> AmandaNichols 2006-05-01T22:15:25-05:00 Wit 1 http://blogs.setonhill.edu/AmandaNichols/2006/05/wit-1.html Edson, Wit -- Jerz: Intro to Literary Study (EL150)

I'm really enjoying this play so far. I absolutely love the character of Vivian. The audience learns very early on just how strong she is.


"Eight cycles of chemotherapy. Give me the full dose, the full does every time."

I really admire this character for being so strong after learning she has stage four of ovarian cancer. I cannot even imagine how devastated I would be if I were in her position, but Vivian is so strong about it and changes negative into positive.

One thing can be said for an eight-month course of cancer treatment: it is highly educational. I am learning to suffer."

Wow. That line really blew me away. Vivian knows there's nothing she can do about the cancer but bite the bullet and deal with it the best she can. Not once does she ever reveal any type of depressed or angry emotion towards the cancer that has taken over her body and I respect that so much. I was a bit curious about why she does not have any family visting or calling. I definitely think this is going to resurface later on during the second half of the play and I really am excited to learn why this is. Are they all dead (besides her parents) or does she simply not communicate with any of them. Also, I was wondering if she didn't have family, why doesn't she at least have friends that would care about her health? It seems like she is a very respectable professor and I can't imagine why she doesn't have any visitors.

I definitely laughed a lot during the pelvic exam part. I like Vivian's humor in this play and she really makes the situation real, and I cringed a few times thinking of what she is going through. I think I am enjoying this so much because Edson is taking an extremely serious and sad issue of cancer, and making it humorous. Vivian reminds me so much of my aunt who has had reoccurrring cancer for several years now. Like Vivian, she always seems to be smiling and laughing no matter how sick she is.

I'm curious to see how this ends.

]]> AmandaNichols 2006-05-01T21:41:50-05:00 Sonnet http://blogs.setonhill.edu/AmandaNichols/2006/04/sonnet.html

Youth

The icy chill of winter slowly fades
On Primavera’s lilac-perfumed breath
Through fields of bright chrysanthemums she wades
Her gentle touch brings life to bitter death.

The Earth beneath her beckons Spring’s embrace
Then hugs the balmy river bend and smiles
The cherry blossoms wink at Queen Anne’s lace
As youth drifts infinitely on for miles.

And children scamper through the budding fields
Of endless bright blue chrysanthemum bliss
Where laughter echoes, growing up yields
To grass-stain’d knees and dandelion kiss.

Their tiny bodies roll about the bend
So unaware their youth will someday end.

]]> AmandaNichols 2006-04-30T17:42:37-05:00 Media Fasting Reflection http://blogs.setonhill.edu/AmandaNichols/2006/04/media-fasting-r.html Amanda Nichols
Dr. Jerz
EL150 Intro. To Literary Study
3 May 2006

The Sound of Settling

Unlocking my dorm in Brownlee Hall for the thousandth time this year, I step inside, pausing in the doorway to gaze at the unkempt single room. It is during times like these, as my first and last year at Seton Hill University comes to a bittersweet ending, that I cherish something so routine. I smile at the floor littered with boxes, papers, and food that should have been thrown away weeks ago. Plopping myself on my unmade bed, I look at the pictures of my friends, old and new, peeling with time off the concrete wall. “Media Fasting Week,” I suddenly remember, has ended today, and I am surprised at myself for not being excited to fill the room with white noise.

I think back on the week I forced myself to be cut off from things I enjoy: television before bedtime, iPod while running at the gym, and lots of loud music blaring from my laptop speakers. Not only has it been a much quieter week, but I have felt myself change as well. Without the constant music filling my room I felt more relaxed. All this time I thought I could write better with background noise; however, this week has taught me that I actually get my work done more quickly and efficiently without rowdy music disturbing me. I found I was never really interrupted (besides the occasional friend knocking to chat, which I really don’t mind) from my work because I did not have to constantly change the song to fit my mood in iTunes.

In addition, I feel I slept much better. Sure, I missed the comical voices of Drew Carey, Colin Mochrie, Wayne Brady, and Ryan Stiles singing me to sleep at night, but I definitely slept more soundly. Without having to constantly peek over the covers to see what was happening on Whose Line Is It Anyway? I fell asleep sooner and woke up less tired. Surprisingly, I managed to avoid all television. Well, almost. There was one exception, which certainly made me wonder about Seton Hill University. One night at dinner at the very beginning of the “TV Turn Off Week” they have been promoting, “Mean Girls” was loudly airing on a screen near the soup stand. No, I did not watch it, but it certainly gave my friends and I a good laugh.

I knew not listening to my beloved iPod was going to be extremely hard because the precious pink gadget literally goes everywhere with me. Hidden in a drawer to reduce temptation for a full seven days was definitely torturous; however, I only found it difficult for the first three days or so. As the week went on, I began to adjust not having the headphones in my ears on my way to and from classes. Instead, I tried to always find someone to walk with, and when I couldn’t, I used that time to think about all the assignments I have due in the upcoming days before finals.

Walking to and from classes was one thing, but running without music was more difficult and harder to adjust to. My daily trips to the McKenna Center have always included my iPod and the first four days were difficult. The time went by more slowly and it actually seemed quite tortuous. Then, a brilliant idea occurred to me: Run outside with friends. Yes, I know, it was an amazing discovery. So, by the end of the week I found someone to run with. The beautiful weather motivated me and running with friends made it go by much faster. Twin Lakes Park has a beautiful three mile trail and I enjoyed saving a part of my day for that.

Ironically, I think I became quite accustomed to running without music, getting homework done without background noise, and sleeping to nothing but the crickets outside just in time for “Media Fasting Week” to be over. As the days wind down, I cherish time spent with the Brownlee Buddies (as we call ourselves) over Drew Carey or blaring music any day. “Media Fasting Week” has probably affected me more personally than others, and more so than I thought it ever would. The experience of simply turning off the iPod and turning up socializing has made me realize how much media can easily take over our lives, even to someone like me who really isn’t that addicted. This has taught me to run outside when it’s nice out and limit my Whose Line nights to few and far between. So when the Comcast guy comes tomorrow to collect the overpriced cable I’ve been paying for all semester, I will gladly hand it over to him.

]]> AmandaNichols 2006-04-30T16:05:47-05:00 Blogging Portfolio 2 http://blogs.setonhill.edu/AmandaNichols/2006/04/blogging-portfo-4.html I'm not going to lie, I despised blogging in my early days during the fall semester. As I look back on my first year of college, however, I am so glad I had the opportunity to do this. I think blogging a day before the assignment is due to be read helps class discussion tremendously. The following links are to various entries I have compiled in EL150 since February 2006.


Coverage/Timeliness
Eats, Shoots, & Leaves 1
Do apostophres have feelings, too?!

Eats, Shoots, & Leaves 2
I didn't know there was so much history behind commas and punctuation!

Eats, Shoots, & Leaves 3
The Comma Family Tree - Semicolons!

Bowers Article
Antony & Cleo are more competitors than lovers.

Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time 1
The Father of the Year Award goes to...Christopher's patient father.

Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time 2
Christopher's uniqueness is very evident in this last half of the novel.

Resurrection Blues 1
The prologue really captured my interest here...

Resurrection Blues 2
...This play just keeps getting better! Charley's "disappearing act" really made me wonder...

Resurrection Blues 3
The ending confusd me a bit, but the conversations between Henri & Stanley kept me reading!

Foster (21 & 25)
Although much of the information is obvious, it is important not to be looked over without consideration.

Cutting a Dash -
I usually laugh at what Truss is saying, and always learn something new!

Diamond Age
Eeek! This was definitely a challenging book!

Hayles, "Is Utopia Obsolete?"
Hayles presents a very informative article that really helped me with understanding Diamond Age better.

Edson, "Wit" 1
Vivian's strong character is evident early on in the play.

Edson, "Wit" 2
As the play continues, however, Vivian's helplessness and lonlieness really show.

Depth
Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time 1
Media Fasting Reflection
Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time 2


Xenoblogging
Comment to Erin
Comment to Mike
Comment to Elyse & Erin
Comment to Elyse
Comment to Erin & Mike
Comment to Andy
Comment to Andy
Comment to Andy
Comment to Mike
Comment to Kevin


Wildcard
Media Fasting Reflection
Sonnet

]]> AmandaNichols 2006-04-26T11:26:10-05:00 Resurrection Blues 3 http://blogs.setonhill.edu/AmandaNichols/2006/04/resurrection-bl-2.html Resurrection Blues 3 -- Jerz: Intro to Literary Study (EL150)

]]> AmandaNichols 2006-04-23T20:19:07-05:00 Resurrection Blues 2 http://blogs.setonhill.edu/AmandaNichols/2006/04/resurrection-bl-1.html Miller, Resurrection Blues 2 -- Jerz: Intro to Literary Study (EL150)

]]> AmandaNichols 2006-04-23T19:49:53-05:00 Hayles, "Is Utopia Obsolete?" http://blogs.setonhill.edu/AmandaNichols/2006/04/hayles-is-utopi.html Hayles, ''Is Utopia Obsolete?'' (Online) -- Jerz: Intro to Literary Study (EL150)

]]> AmandaNichols 2006-04-18T13:44:14-05:00 Diamond Age 1 http://blogs.setonhill.edu/AmandaNichols/2006/04/diamond-age-1.html Stephenson, Diamond Age 1 (rescheduled from 14 Apr) -- Jerz: Intro to Literary Study (EL150)

]]> AmandaNichols 2006-04-11T21:29:26-05:00 Cutting a Dash http://blogs.setonhill.edu/AmandaNichols/2006/04/cutting-a-dash-1.html Truss 4 & 5 -- Jerz: Intro to Literary Study (EL150)

]]> AmandaNichols 2006-04-09T21:19:13-05:00 Cutting a Dash -- http://blogs.setonhill.edu/AmandaNichols/2006/04/cutting-a-dash.html Discuss Readings -- Jerz: Intro to Literary Study (EL150)

]]> AmandaNichols 2006-04-09T14:41:45-05:00 Foster (21 & 25) http://blogs.setonhill.edu/AmandaNichols/2006/04/foster-21-25.html Foster (selections) -- Jerz: Intro to Literary Study (EL150)

]]> AmandaNichols 2006-04-08T20:41:33-05:00 Resurrection Blues 1 http://blogs.setonhill.edu/AmandaNichols/2006/04/resurrection-bl.html Miller, Resurrection Blues 1 -- Jerz: Intro to Literary Study (EL150)

]]> AmandaNichols 2006-04-07T09:22:54-05:00 Haddon, second half http://blogs.setonhill.edu/AmandaNichols/2006/04/haddon-second-h.html Haddon, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time 2 -- Jerz: Intro to Literary Study (EL150)

]]> AmandaNichols 2006-04-05T08:02:27-05:00 Haddon, first half http://blogs.setonhill.edu/AmandaNichols/2006/04/haddon-first-ha.html Haddon, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time 1 -- Jerz: Intro to Literary Study (EL150)

]]> AmandaNichols 2006-04-02T19:25:35-05:00