The Power in Tasting Something

https://app.emaze.com/@ALOICWIZ/the-power-in-tasting-something-different

Being Caught Fangirling

Senior Research Paper: It wasn’t completely awful!

So my paper was on double standards in our society, and the strong connection this social phenomenon has with sexism. So I decided to research the topic of double standards in society today and the history of why we as humanity decided to embrace this way of thinking into the cultural norm.

I learned a lot about the history of feminism through my research. I learned that the 1920’s were a very critical time for the movement for women. At this time, while men were working, women took up a larger role in the social scene without the permission of men. This change of behavior and dress revolutionized the woman in society. Then, during World War 11, women took over the men’s jobs while they went away and grew a greater sense of responsibility. It was men who capitalized on this new found sense of self discovered amoungst women. During this type, make up was invented, and advertising for women to consider their appearance critically was in full swing. Plus, men taking their jobs back from war felt uncomfortable with the feminine presence in the work force. This in addition to birth control becoming increasingly available for women made a shift in culture that caused modern sexism and the ability for double standards to creep into our everyday speech and thought processes.

I loved the topic of my paper. I was energized about the issue and eager to learn more about double standards every time I was writing or researching. The hardest parts were transforming this passion into academic writing with control and grace. At times, I just wanted to rant about my own opinions, but I knew that it wassupposed to sound intelligent. If this paper was a blog post, I could have had it done in a night. But the process of making this into a piece of work I’d want academics to read was very stressful for me.

My favorite sources were the ones I found in a database. While they were so much more difficult to get through, I knew that these were the sources with the most concise facts about the history. The easiest ones to find were the personal accounts of people and their experiences with sexism. These added the emotional appeal I was looking for, and made the paper accessible and real. In the future, I’d use more diverse sources, like possibly a documentary. It’d be great to get a longer source that I could use and draw conclusions from. My interview was a great source, so collections of these type stories would be an excellent resource for similar future papers.

 

A Proposal on Double Standards; Why they exist and how do they relate to feminism.

Double standards, which are principles that are unfairly applied in different ways to different people/groups, deeply divide the word into two very separate categories: men and women. These two labels, which were originally used to separate the two sexes, now carry much more complex connotations that just a way to organize humanity. While masculinity is looked upon as a strong, valuable trait, women everywhere fight the societal unacceptance of femininity and overall existence as a woman to be looked upon as lower and more fragile. These double standards concerning appearance, professional prowess, and sexual behavior often work against women and the practice of feminism.

As a woman, I have grown up in a world that I have always felt was pitted against me. I loved things that were considered “girly”, like dresses and the color pink and flowers. But the older I got, the more I realized “girly” had become a synonym for weak. Since when was being a girl considered an insult? Just being a woman, I feel, has set me back financially and socially in matters that I take very seriously. I feel the pressure to look like the photo shopped models on magazines because that is the standard I am set to. I feel embarrassed for expressing myself in a blunt manner in my work, even though if a man acts this way it is normal. Therefore, I refuse to accept there is no reason for this, as this issue affects too many people to just be an arbitrary “that’s just how it is” type of problem.

In this paper I will argue that there is a harmful double standard between men and women that leaves women under the shadow of men. While men are free to succeed professionally and live under less social constraints, women are continuously ridiculed for trying to live in the same independent way as men. I will focus on the double standards of credibility in the workplace, sexual activity, and physical presentation. I will use history and facts incorporated with personal accounts of this experience I do not want to wade into the depths of feminism, but rather use it as an umbrella to decode the history and logic behind these double standards, with these three subtopics as examples.

Everyone is affected by these double standards, even though it may not seem supremely apparent. Obviously women are affected, but growing children, business leaders, and product marketers are all affected by the double standards set in our society. I will explore how business associates use the oppression of women through makeup and physical appearance to increase the sale of cosmetic items. They use the fear in girls that they won’t be able to meet societal standards. Also men are affected by this because they are allowed to get away with things that they shouldn’t be able to because they are given some of the experiences that they don’t have to fight for against girls.

My sources vary in type and perspective. I am using the speech by Emma Watson about men joining women to fight this idea of double standards. This will gain perspective from the male audience, as it promotes their viewpoint instead of blaming them and letting them get defensive against the issue. I also have New York Times articles pertaining to the difference in pay between men and women in the workplace. The most important aspect of this type of source is that it gives possible reasons to why things are how they are, not just scraping the surface. These reasons range from historical instances of women attempting to gain power from men to the fact that hundreds of years ago in ancient Rome we trained men and women alike to look to the authoritative men for guidance. I also have more personal accounts that relate to the sexual behavior part and the physical appearance part. I will look for sources that account for men being held to a double standard, which will balance out my paper and reduce the aggressive nature towards men in my paper. But I have an article that shows how business leaders use the anxiety from women to sell more products and make more money. Most of my sources agree, but my favorite art of these articles is that they show different sides of the double standard, including some most don’t think about. I also want to use a digital survey to get real life answers from my peers on their accounts with the issue of double standards. This will give me the real world application that I need for my paper to be relatable.

 

 

Sushi Ya – Or Nah?

So the other day I made a trip to Sushi Ya, which is an Asian cuisine and sushi bar located at 2721 Jefferson Street in Joliet. The restaurant was in the middle of a strip mall, which didn’t seem too appetizing, but I figured I could get over the lack of curb appeal for some good sushi. Other reviewers, such as Michael S. from Chicago had raved about its quality, especially in the suburbs. While good sushi is hard to find outside of the city, Michael was impressed with the food and décor. He complained about the service but I figured that was enough motivation for me to go myself. I went with my friends Lauren and Stacey for dinner, and I made a comprehensive list of some of the qualities of the establishment.

Service   6/10

First off, it took a while to be seated, not because there was a line of people to be seated, but rather no servers were near the entrance when we came in. However, our waitress for most of the night was really helpful. She  made a genuine effort to make sure to always refill our drink as soon as they got low, and constantly came back to check on us to see how we were doing and if we wanted to order more. However, whenever another server came to our table, they were outright rude and had no sense of congeniality. They seemed uptight and were not pleasant at all. I feel bad, as our waitress seemed really nice, but I just couldn’t get over how slow the overall process was and how rude some of the other servers were. Therefore, I give the service a rating of 6/10.

Bathrooms    4/10

I could not believe how awful the bathrooms were! There was a huge gaping hole in between the stalls, so you could completely see other people in their stalls while you were using yours! It was completely ridiculous! I’ve never been in a restaurant where that was an issue before. It was this small little space with hardly any room, and since I went at the dinner time rush, it was very crowded and very awkward. Because of this terrible experience, I will generously give the bathrooms a rating of 4/10.

Food Quality     9/10

The sushi was very well prepared. The fish and the vegetables tasted very fresh, and the rice was the perfect consistency. There was so much to pick from their all you can eat menu too, everything from nigiri (raw fish over vinegared rice) to udon (thick wheat flour noodles) to appetizers to special rolls. My favorite rolls were the Spicy 2 in 1 and the dragon roll, which both had spicy mayonnaise on top and were topped in raw fish. The differences in texture were what really put this sushi on the map. There was a little too much rice on each piece, but it didn’t completely suffocate the taste of the fish, so I still very much enjoyed all the food. I also had pieces of eel nigiri, which were covered in an absolutely delectable sauce that complimented the fish very nicely. We also shared some fried scallops with homemade seafood sauce (which was amazing) and gyoza dumplings which we just as quickly devoured. Because of the freshness, diverse menu, and overall quality of each dish, I’m giving the food a rating of 9/10.

Décor   7/10

Despite being between a bar and a hair salon in the middle of a strip mall, we were pleasantly surprised at the interior decor. It turns out that the place was in the finishing stages of a renovation, and it made the place seem much more sophisticated than it had appeared. The inside revealed decorative privacy walls between the dining room and the waiting lobby, modern lighting, and textured walls. However, since the place was in the middle of a renovation, the booths stood out as an eyesore. They were a tacky, sea foam green seashell pattern which really distracted from the other beauty in the restaurant. It was really disappointing, seeing as I absolutely adored all of the furnishings, but those awful booths keep the decor rating at a 7/10.

Price    10/10

The real kicker here- you can have all you can eat dinner for only $19.99. That is simply unheard of for sushi. Each special roll on the all you can eat menu is typically fifteen dollars per plate, and I had two special rolls, nigiri, gyoza, and tempura scallops for only twenty dollars. That is an amazing deal. For that, I give Sushi Ya a 10/10.

So overall, Sushi Ya earns an average rating of 7/10. While it wasn’t the absolute best restaurant on the planet, its affordability and diverse menu will have me coming back again.

What makes a TV sitcom so great?

In this article titled “How The Office became one of the greatest televisions series about the American dream”, the A.V. Club makes a good point when it suggests that the best TV sitcoms stem from satire. But the type of satire that really put The Office on the map was the self deprecating conflict between our reality and our dreams. In this post by the A.V. Club, author Todd VanDerWerff argues that there are certain criteria that a show must meet in order to obtain status of a truly amazing TV sitcom.

1.) Progression of Narration

The show doesn’t start with some kick start journey to professional achievement, but rather, the pace is slow. The Office explored every dream of each character, and stuck around long enough for this dream to slightly be shifted in priorities. The cruel reality of this sits on the viewers in a good way. This core ideal, says VanDerWerff, existed for the entire run time of the show, therefore keeping the show from “running off the rails.” There wasn’t a destination for this show. The journey became the point, and that made the show so good.

2.) Setting

VanDerWerff suggests that the best settings are not the ones that contain the most exciting moments of our lives, but they are the places where characters are brought together. This is why, he argues, family rooms and offices are commonly successful in TV situations. I agree with this point, even to where I feel like shows that show any more extreme settings are edging on the point of ridiculousness. The point is that the more real the setting, the more real the satire can be, which instills a connection between the series and the audience.

3.) Reality

The real kicker here is that everything that happened on The Office was so relate-able. You can see yourself in the show and in the characters. While they have these comedic lines that have you cracking up that you may not have every day of your life, you recognize the situations, which makes the show even funnier, and therefore better. VanDerWerff suggests that since the show takes place in such a dull setting, the characters are allowed to be shown more. The relationships are better developed because the dialogue is more organic, and show the more plain parts of love just as equally as the romantic parts.

4.) Tension

Most importantly, the show constantly shows the struggle of personal fulfillment versus professional advancement. In The Office, Jan fumbles in the workplace because of Micheal, and then uses him as a resource to try and (unsuccessfully) get her job back. Micheal wants to be everyone’s friend but can’t get a more professional title due to his work style. Pam wants to pursue her art career, but it would take her away from the people she loves. Jim wants a more ambitious job, but he has created a family in that town. All this tension draws the audience in because it is real. Even though everyone in the show is somewhat content, the question is always present “But what if something else would be better?”

Reeeeeeemix!

So my remix for my final exam grade is an essay remixed to go from a paper about diversity of people to an info graphic about the numbers and facts about the people’s climate march. My favorite part of this remix was designing the template and incorporating pictures from the actual event to make the paper more of a tangible idea than just ideas about the populace of the march. I feel that some of the information could be organized in a more precise manner, but I’m proud of the content. I first started this project by doing research for some numbers about the place, content, and attendees of the march. I used Easel.ly to formulate this information into a readable format with bright colors, pictures, and easy to read graphics. Next time, I might need more experience formatting the information in to a more original design, seeing as I started with a template that gave me a few problems along the way. The project completely changed the genre by transforming the paper about emotion and diversity in to an info graphic about the facts of the march. The purpose is more factual, and I completely transformed my long drawn out ideas from the paper in to small blurbs in a picture.
easel.ly

 

Works Cited

Maida, Stephanie. “Instagram Round Up: The Best Snaps From The People’s Climate March.” Guest of a Guest. N.p., 22 Sept. 2014. Web. 15 Dec. 2014.

“People’s Climate March.” People’s Climate March. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Dec. 2014.

“The Racial Gap On Global Warming.” DataLab. N.p., 23 Sept. 2014. Web. 15 Dec. 2014.

Final Argument

This paper commented on the social issue of “catcalling”, due to a recent viral video detailing the all too real behaviors of such conduct. I used the New York Times Room for Debate section, using sources from different experts in the field to draw up a final argument against catcalling. I used templates provided in class to organize the paper, and I felt like this helped immensely.  I feel like I could have organized my own thoughts better, but I felt confident in the way I organized and synthesized the other authors’ points. I mostly used the author and context parts of the rhetorical situation, but I feel like next time I should use the audience more to try and connect to the reader in a more approachable way.

Literary Analysis

My literary analysis paper was centered on “The Persistence of Desire” by John Updike. I took a feminist lens to the piece and dissected its implications through the characters in the story and their relationships. I feel very good about this paper, as I took many notes so that I was well prepared in what I would say before I even started the paper. By taking notes, my thoughts in this paper were well thought out and I was proud of the structural organization of the essay. I was most concerned with the text in this situation, but I also incorporated the audience to make the purpose of this essay really shine through.

Rhetorical Analysis

This essay, my rhetorical analysis paper, is actually my favorite out of all of the papers I’ve written this semester. I found an article that inspired me, and from there I just got carried away with the topic and found the paper so easy to write due to my passion on the issue. I used the author and text the most in this paper. Next time, I might want to try connecting to the reader more. But overall, I was very proud of this paper.