After my heart-warming holiday tale, I bid you farewell from COMM 301 blog-land--double credit for this last posting: Pick a cultural practice important to you this time of year (could be ethnic/could be spiritual/could be familial in nature) and tell us about it in a couple sentences...then relate it to the concept of audience analysis--perhaps the most important skill you will take away from this class--considering and adapting as sensitively as possible to your listeners and making it clear that we are all very different, but if we want to have important, difficult and eye-opening discussions, we can find common ground and convey mutual respect--REMEMBER: reasonable people can and often do differ in opinions but most of us want the overall big picture goals in life: Happiness, stability, love and connections. Your mastery of persuasion along with our thrilling political debate next week between Ryan and Brad are grounded in these closing ideas of the fall 2009 semester! See you at Coffee Garden on Franklin this Wed Dec 2nd at 8pm, I will bring the final details, you bring cofee $$ and your textbook/paper and pen and your "sacred writng log" or journal or stack of messy crumpled papers--call 799-7930 if you get lost--Smiles and Hope--Your proud teacher!
Every year around this time, maybe a little later, I like to put up a tree in my home. Then I decorate the tree with lights and ornaments. I gather around it with anyone near and sit and stare at it. This being said, I know not everyone puts up a tree around this time of year for many different reasons. Many people have different things that they do around this time of year instead. To some people it is just another season, and that is perfectly fine. However that is just one thing that I enjoy doing every year about this time. The fourth, fifth and sixth sentences were my attempt at keeping the audience in mind, thus showing that I have analzyed my audience.
ReplyDeleteEvery year around this time, my family puts together a feast for my deceased grandparents. We like to make sure that they are well fed, even in the after-life. I know that a majority of people do not put food out for the dead, but may be they heard of other cultures doing something similar. I think that in explaining the fact that we like to pay respect and make sure that our deceased grandparents are well fed in the next life, shows audience analysis. I'm making sure to explain things/concepts to the audience so as to get them interested. I hope I am doing this assignment correctly.
ReplyDelete-Kim T
Also, when is our final? I hope it's not on Dec 15th, because I just figured out that I have 3 finals on that day...
ReplyDeleteDuring the holiday season i go to loave and fishes to assist with feeding the hungury and homeless. It is a humbeling experince. This year my two girls and i decided to do the run for the hungry at Sac State that too felt good to do something for the less fortuate. The most important skill i will take from this class is as long as you are prepared you will do well. The outline was a great way to put things in order for me, so that the information that you are providing to the audience is complete. That skill i will carry with me.
ReplyDeleteKatrina H
Every year around this time in Colombia, Catholics celebrate "candels' day" in spanish (dia de las velitas)which it is celebration to pray to Holly Mary. In general, my family goes to my grandparents house and we pray together. My little cousins enjoy a lot this day because they have the honor to keep on all candals until its burn up all the way.
ReplyDeleteJuliana Diaz
So interesting gang! Thanks--Kim--the final is take home,assigned tonight and due next week, so chill! Dang--3 finals?????
ReplyDeleteEvery year around this time, I go visit my great aunts grave. Though my mother and grandmother usually like to go with me to visit her, I always try to find a day when I can go there alone.
ReplyDeleteNow, I know this sounds really depressing. Sometimes it can be. But when I think of what I'm thankful for, there will always be a spot in the back of my mind that remembers my aunt. As her caregiver, I did alot for her- cooking, cleaning, helping her out of bed, and taking her to doctors appointments. But as my aunt, she did more for me then words will ever express. She really helped me grow up and the knowledge and love that I found for her will stay with me forever. I truly believe that throughout a lifetime, everyone will meet atleast one person that they can honestly say has changed their life for the better. It may be a spouse, a relative, a friend, a teacher; whoever it may be, it's seasons like these that remind us to be grateful for them. It's times like these that make me miss her most, but make me remember how much better of a person I am now to have known her.
awww warm fuzzies. haha see you guys at coffee garden!
When I was younger and we lived in the Bay Area, my family used to get together. We haven't done so in a few years, but it seems we have started a new tradition at my brother's house in Oakland. Despite having to show my dad how to use his new bought deep fryer to fry the turkey. I did the 10k Run to Feed the Hungry for the first time, which was fun...it helps to get there on time though.
ReplyDeleteRyan Takao
For the past few year around this time, I am working... Holiday become my working season, I am just too tire after work to do anything est. Thankgiving day, We go out eat and no tree for holiday... Good side is: money is good.
ReplyDeleteJohnny Z
This time of year is crucial for me because it always brings me back to a simpler time in life, before you pick up all the baggage you have as an adult. So every year when I go home for the holidays I allocate special time to hang with my younger brothr and just play old video games and geek out. When we were kids the best gift was always the newest game, so we run through the games we've gotten for christmas over the years. It's a blast, and a chance to forget that I'm supposed to be twenty three and and an adult.
ReplyDeleteStories like this are always good for connecting with the audience. Everybody has family and everyone was a kid at some point so this hopefully connects with everybody out there, giving me an edge in making my speech touching and memorable.
I love this time of year, because it practically forces family to be together. My family can be very distant at times and so it's good to be able to all sit down at the table for a thanksgiving dinner and remember we're family. My brother's girlfriend's dad is kind of an attention hog, and although a very good story-teller, he can be politically incorrect sometimes, so it was interesting to analyze him as an audience member. Oh and my mom and I started a new tradition this year, "Run to feed the hungry". Everyone should if they haven't already participate next year!
ReplyDelete-Heather B.
I have many different traditions and special practices that I've shared with my family. But a tradition I'd like to share with you is one I used to have with my roommates in college.
ReplyDeleteFor four years, on a weekend usually before finals, but sometimes in between, my three roommies and I would have a celebration at our apt inviting all our friends. It was our Non-Demoninational Holiday Party complete w/ our decorated Non-Demoninational Holiday Ficus. You see, one of my roommates is Wiccan (although initially raised by a Southern Baptist mother), another is Jewish, and my other roomie and I are Catholic. Every year, we found a way to celebrate the spirit of the Holidays w/ open arms. It didn't matter what you believed. It was simply a time of joy, peace, sharing, etc. Together with friends of different cultures and beliefs, we sang Christmas carols, we played Dreidel, we shared stories, ate lots of good food. The Holidays aren't just about the Birth of Christ, or the coming of Santa Claus. Underneath all of the different traditions, it's a general time of good will and good cheer. So this holiday season, set aside your differences and celebrate the season!
I think this shows audience analysis because I'm appealing to the different cultures and beliefs that the audience may have. I'm showing that no matter how you celebrate the holidays, the important thing is that you celebrate with friends. It's the season of giving and sharing - so share your mirth w/ others, share your traditions with others. Whatever the differences people may have, they can set it aside at least during this time of the year. And who knows, maybe it'll last longer than that.
<--- super jealous that I didnt do run to feed the hungry this year!
ReplyDeleteAnd Katrina, your holiday sounds like SO much fun! I say you should continue the tradition. I'll bring a string bean casserole and my families tradition: Catch Phrase.
ReplyDeleteEvery year around this time, December 12, our family celebrates "La Virgen de Guadalupe" attending mass at 5AM and singing "Las Mananitas" (similar to Happy Birthday)A mexican tradition both religious and cultural and gaining popularity around the world.
ReplyDeleteWe all then get together at my parent's home for a big breakfast along with the traditional hot chocolate and pan dulce. The celabration continues with some relatives playing music and some years we have had a Mariachi. Its a time that we get together with friends and family and share, have good food and a good time. There are Catholic churches that hold this celebatory mass. If you are curious I invite you to attend, Our Lady of Guadalupe Church by South Side Park holds such a mass. You will see the same thing we all do when we get together, good food & good cheer.
Joel L.
Every year around this time, when we were young, my dad would try putting up the xmas lights outside, while the kids and mom would decorate the tree inside. Now, this hasn’t happened for the last four-years. Because all of us has grown and moved out of state or elsewhere in state and have families of their own. However, my family and I try to get together once every holiday and this year it so happened to be thanksgiving. So this Christmas we won’t all be together. I’ll be out of state this x-mas but my other sister will try to get together w/ my parents for Christmas. As a family we pick a holiday every year that we can all come together and feast…
ReplyDeleteThe only tradition my family has each year is getting together for the holidays and having a large dinner. One thing that we did differently this year was a candle vigilance for my grandpa who has lung cancer right now and was unable to make it due to his weak immune system.
ReplyDeleteWe all lit a candle and said what we were thankful for along with a small prayer for my grandpa. Not everyone in my family participated because it was a bit too serious for some of the little kids and some of my aunts and uncles (not kids of my grandpa) felt it was for immediate family only. So, even though our little vigilance did not include everyone, we made it clear that anyone could join and we just wanted to take the moment and celebrate someones life. Also, you didn't have to say something about grandpa if you did not know him, you could have just said something you were thankful for so that everyone feels more comfortable in participating.
these are sweet and unique--i sure will miss you all and i am so PROUD of all of you for working so hard!!!!!
ReplyDeleteSara it was fun to see you at work!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteI'm probably boring compare to everyone else but every year around this time I like to go back home and visit the family. This year should be great since I'll get to meet my twin nieces for the first time. I'm excited about that. Other then visiting the family I like to go to the mountain. I probably sime 80% of my time there since at this time I don't have to worry about school for awhile. I'm able to escape the city and go somewhere peaceful. Can't wait to hit the slopes this year! Happy Holiday's to all and a good night! =D
ReplyDeleteThis is pretty much my favorite time of year and im happy to be here because i have been in san diego the last three. but this year were doing things a little diffrent due to the fact evceryone and there mom is poor, also we have about 40 yes 40 family members that attend x mas together so this year we are playing white elephant like we always do but the catch we have to get one thing and it has to be from the dollar store, fun right i wanted a nice baseball cap or something but no. anyway i went there the other day and guess what i got for a dollor a box of crunch berry captian crunch awesome, it is a great ceral i can only hope i get something as awesome
ReplyDeletealex drumheller