October 2010 Archives

Well, it is again time for another Blog Portfolio to show you all what I new things I have learned in the weeks that have passed since my last Portfolio. So here goes...

One of the bigger projects that we worked on in the last few weeks was the Remix where I learned how to take work created by others and put it together to create something new of my own. To do this, we had to learn about copyright licenses and we used Creative Commons to find a lot of the pieces used in our Remixes. I also learned how to choose a Creative Commons License for my own Remix project so someday someone could use my material! In class we also talked a lot about ethos and how to convey emotion in our writing which turned out to be a little more difficult than I thought! We even Twittered and tried to get other classmates to guess what emotion we were expressing through words and pictures, which was a great activity in my opinion.

Interaction

I know that my personal softball stories are more for myself than anyone else, so I tried to write about some topics that were still softball related but that also gathered some interest from other classmates. When I talked about the stereotypes of my sport, I had a discussion with 2 of my classmates who had never commented before, which I thought was a great step for my blog. Even though it was complete for my last portfolio, I also got a comment more recently about the future of softball. My remix project got a comment as well.

Depth

In my last portfolio I had a lot of longer narrative entries, so in the past few weeks I tried to switch it up a little. But my entry on one of the worst practice experiences of my life took up a good bit of space.

Discussion

I talked to one classmate about his poetry, another concerning moments that we wish we could've captured, yet another about Penguins hockey memories, and one about not taking fall for granted.

Outside Material

In my entry about softball stereotypes, I linked to an ESPN article that discussed the same issue.

Ethos

I had a little trouble with this one when creating my last portfolio, so I tried to create a clearer ethos with my stereotype entry along with my entry called A Total Mind Game.

Convention

Creative Titles: Run Until You Puke, Pass Out, or Die, A Total Mind Game

Use of 140 Characters on Twitter: Friendly Ethos, Emotion-Soothing, Drawing Emotion-Soothing, Thought- Provoking Question

So we're all aware of the stereotypical softball player right?

When I think of the sterotypical softball player, I think of adjectives such as athletic, hard-working, agile, and intelligent.

But I also realize that when most of you think of a softball player, you think GAY. Why? Why is it that I work so hard to play a sport that I love, when that often is wasted on a sterotype that really doesn't even have any support? It's extremely frustrating when someone asks me what sport I play and when I say softball, I get that look. It's that look where if they don't question my own sexuality, they look at me as if they are so sorry that I have to deal with so many lesbians. Personally, I feel like that is a horrible generalization of my sport.

I will be the first one to admit that I am not the most liberal person out there in the world, but this conversation has nothing to do with being liberal or conservative. It has to do with the reputation of softball and why girls' talent is overlooked because some people are more concerned with a stereotype than with taking us seriously.

It shouldn't matter whether a person is straight or gay. Can they play the game? Can they play the game well? Those are the attributes that should be paid attention. If a softball has talent, then that is what matters.

Graham Hays of ESPN wrote a great article about Lauren Lappin, a true softball star who just happens to be gay. It was about her ability to play the game at a high level and how her sexual orientation has nothing to do with that. I may not personally agree with her lifestyle choice, but that doesn't mean that I can't praise her for her incredible talent. Nothing should take that away from any athlete.

When a coach says that they want to push you until you feel like you have to quit, that's kind of difficult to comprehend as a player. Typically you think that a coach would want their players to succeed rather than give up.

Being pushed to my most extreme limits is not something that I truly enjoy. In fact, every day I dread the moment when Coach tells us to drop our gloves and get on the line. I hate running that much. Last year, we would finish drills or sprints and I wouldn't feel like it was worth it. I didn't feel like I was making progress or bettering myself in anyway. It was pointless. But this year, I've learned a little bit about pushing myself. For me, it really has nothing to do with improving endurance or strength. Those of course are benefits, but not why we're doing it. And this year, even after pouring every ounce of energy into a workout, while I'm dripping in sweat and exhaustion, I know that it wasn't for nothing.

Was it extremely difficult? Yes.

Did I want to give up? Yes.

Did I give up? No. And I hope that I never do.

Maybe I didn't improve my physical abilities at all. More often than not I don't, but I still feel accomplished every single time that I walk off of the field or out of the gym. I know I am a better person for enduring. I can't count the times that I have literally had to talk myself out of giving up. We'll be sprinting and I hear those little, yet powerful, negative thoughts enter my mind and I have to shut myself up. It sounds crazy, but I tell myself to stop complaining and move past it. Because finishing is possible. Yes it's hard, but I can do it. Softball (and any other sport for that matter) is a complete mind game. Half the time I am battling myself rather than the opposing team. It's all about wanting it bad enough and knowing that you are capable of anything that you give 100% effort to.

It's crazy that it took me so many years of softball to realize this, but I guess better late than never.

And there's still so much more to learn...It's all in your head.