The Curtain Call

 So, this is my final post (at least for this semester, anyway).  Today, I met Joe at Union Grounds at approximately 1:30 pm.  While I would like to say we had the most entertaining conversation ever, we mostly just made small talk and filled each other in on our lives.

            This was my seventh time meeting with a conversation partner, and my fourth time meeting with Joe.  Although I do not think that asking students to meet with their conversation partners eight times is unreasonable, I found that Joe and I ran out of things to talk about.  I noticed that we talked about some of the same things we had discussed in previous conversations.  For instance, we talked about the weather, basketball, schoolwork, and food.  We also talked about our summer plans-he is staying here, and so am I- and how we are both more than ready for finals week to be over with.

            Unlike our other conversations, however, I had my computer with me this time (I was working on homework while I was waiting for him to arrive at Union Grounds).  The reason I think this is important is because I was able to give Joe visual aids in regards to subjects we were talking about.  For example, I told him about the event that is going on in the Commons today, Frog Stock.  I told him to check it out because there will be music, food, and other activities there.  He inquired further about Frog Stock, and I pulled up the event information on Facebook.  I also showed him images of Woodstock from 1969 so he could see what the event is based on.  Furthermore, at this Frog Stock, people are going to be tie-dying shirts.  Joe did not know the meaning of “tie-dye”, so I showed him images of tie-dyed T-shirts, too.  He said that tie-dying is, “Cool.”

            In addition, I was able to use my laptop to show Joe images of popsicles.  There was a fiesta celebration in Market Square earlier today, and the staff was giving out popsicles to students.  Because Joe met me right after he had eaten lunch there, I asked him if he had eaten a popsicle.  He did not know what a popsicle was, so, once again, I opened my laptop to show him images of popsicles.

            As a result, I would definitely recommend encouraging students to use their laptops during their conversations.  They are wonderful tools, and I think they will help the conversation partners to better visualize and understand certain things that are unfamiliar to them.

            All in all, this was a great time to reflect upon my experiences with two ESL students, Keith and Joe.  I learned many things about China that I did not know beforehand, such as their lack of a drinking age, social norms in regards to dating, and the typical Chinese diet.  Most importantly, I was able to get an inside look into the experience of an international student.  Not only did it make me appreciate all of the opportunities that I have here, but it also made me grateful for all of the places I have yet to explore.  And of course, I used what I have learned in this class, as we were able to laugh together.

           

I Cannot Believe that Just Happened…

Earlier this morning, I witnessed one of the most dramatic events at TCU.  It involved a girl, her water bottle, and a campus recreation center.

I was stretching my leg along the railing at the rec center whilst enjoying the breathtaking view of gym equipment and sweaty people. As I moved my leg to regain my footing, I accidentally nudged my precious Frogs First water bottle, which was perched atop this wretched railing. I reached out to save it from a doomed fate of toppling to the first floor, but alas, I was too late. I painfully watched my purple chunk of plastic fall to its death when, by the grace of God, it hit a cushioned chair, thus breaking its fall. Although my water bottle was projected another 10 feet from the chair, I had faith in its ability to still be able to quench my thirst. I ran down the stairs, picked up my beloved water bottle, and rejoiced.

Now, after reading this, many of you may think it is not funny at all; you’re saying to yourself, “Mackie is so weird,” but let me explain.  One of the reasons that I found this event to be so comical is because of its application to the Relief Theory.  This past week, I have been stressed out of my mind, and I have felt as if I am carrying the weight of the world.  Furthermore, I have been nitpicking every little detail that goes wrong in my life rather than just letting them go.  However, when my water bottle plummeted to the to the first floor, I could not help but to laugh.  It was something so insignificant and so silly, but it made me laugh because I had so many pent up emotions inside myself.  I needed to laugh to calm down and to recollect thoughts.  This moment provided me a quick break from reality; it was like a ten-second vacation.

Furthermore, in relation to humor possessing a social function, I agree with the humorists that think something is only funny when it is experienced by a group (but only in this specific situation).  While I laughed out of relief and partly out of embarrassment, I think the entire situation would have been funnier if there were witnesses to this event and if they had laughed, too.

When it comes down to it, though, I have a bizarre sense of humor.  Moreover, it is important to note that I think virtually everything is funny, so it does not take much to make me to laugh.  This relates to one of the main lessons I learned in class: humor is relative.  Each person has his/her own perspective; what may be funny to one person may be highly offensive to another.  While I realize that not all humorous stories, jokes, or cartoons hold the same meaning for everyone, I also acknowledge that humor makes the world a happier place.  After all, who doesn’t like to laugh (that’s a rhetorical question)?

Marky Mark and the Funky Quotes

           The Wit and Wisdom of Mark Twain, edited by Alex Ayres, is unlike any book I have ever read, unless you count the dictionary (but I don’t!).  Before I opened the book, I thought it would be a biography about Mark Twain, incorporating pieces of his work here and there.  However, the book is actually a dictionary of quotes, starting with “Adam” and ending at “Youth”.

            The style of the book reminded me of The Tales of Juha, so I assumed that the content would be much similar.  Yet again, I was wrong.

            I was excited to read this book, but I honestly am not too fond of it.  I think, as I mentioned in other posts regarding various texts we have read in this class, some of the content is hard for me to relate to because Twain lived nearly one hundred years before my time.  While I will concede to humor in many of his jokes, such as, “I would rather have my ignorance than another man’s knowledge, because I have got so much more of it,” (p. 113), I find myself somewhat bored while reading.  It is as if I have become immune to cognitive shifts.

            My boredom may come from the book being quite long or the fact that I am stressed beyond all get out, but I have yet to lose myself in this book.  In addition, I think that I had incredibly high expectations for this text, and because they were not met, I read it with a little aversion. 

            Nevertheless, the importance of this post is to relate this book to what I have learned and continue to learn about in class.  As I have wrote in nearly every single one of my posts, cognitive shifts are widespread throughout the text.  I think he is going to finish the quotation with one thing, but then he finishes it with another.  For example, he writes, “both marriage and death ought to be welcome: the one promises happiness, doubtless the other assures it,” (p. 147).  This quote definitely made me laugh.  It also reveals social commentary that Twain displays throughout his works.  Furthermore, you can apply any of the theories, like the Incongruity Theory, the Relief Theory, or the Superiority, to an array of quotations.

            I will admit, though, that I feel like I know what kind of person Mark Twain was through reading his work.  He sounds like a fascinating person (which may be another reason why I was upset that this is not a biography), and I think he brings a lot of value and humor to what he speaks and writes about.

            Lastly, I want to point out that this is not a bad book; I have just been in a bad mood.  I am tired, stressed, and drained.  On a more positive note, I bet Twain will have some advice for me.

A Classic

As I have been reading The Wit and Wisdom of Mark Twain, edited by Alex Ayres, I found a variety of surprising yet intriguing quotes by this great American author.  In fact, I found myself reading the text in an old Southern accent in my head (but that might be irrelevant).  Regardless, I feel like I have a better understanding of the type of person Samuel Clemens was with each page I turn.  

Thus far in the book, one of my favorite quotes has been, "A classic is something that everybody wants to have read and nobody wants to read," (p. 43).  This quote comes from Twain's 1900 speech,"The Disappearance of Literature".

One reason that I like this quote so much is because I find it to be completely accurate.  While I have enjoyed reading some of the classics, there are many that I did not find joy in and utterly despised - to be blunt.  Furthermore, saying that you have read classics makes you - in my opinion - appear more educated.  I think this is due in part to the fact that the classics are not the easiest books to read; it takes effort.

In addition, I like how Twain can make fun of something that is part of his profession; he is a writer, after all.  Moreover, though he did not know it at the time, he wrote classics.  It makes me wonder if he would still agree with his own statement today.

Haircuts, How I Met Your Mother, Las Vegas, and Alarms

             Today was my third time meeting Joe.  I met him at the tables in front of 1873, just as we did the first time.  We were both happy to see each other again, but – I’m not going to lie – I was feeling a little stressed and exhausted (which was fitting, considered my professor talked about burnout in one of my classes this morning).  I started off by asking him how he had been.  In response, he told me that I asked that question a lot, and he did not understand exactly what I meant when I used the word.  He elucidated by grabbing his bangs, and said (in an accent), “Ben.”  Oh, I get it now.  I then corrected him, and told him that the word I was using was actually, “been”, which he pronounces as “bin”.  It’s all a little confusing, right?

            His mentioning of bangs, though, provoked me to ask him if he had his haircut recently, which – to my relief – he said he did.  He continued by asking for my recommendations of hair salons.   Before I did so, I warned him that I usually get my haircut at home, so my advice might not be all that helpful.  However, I started naming some places that I knew of.  I told him about Sports Clips off University (for males…to my dismay), Great Clips off Hulen, and the salon in University Park Plaza (at least I think there is a salon there…).  He knows where all of those places are, and he told me that he needed to find a new salon because he normally gets his haircut in Dallas.  Yes, Dallas.  Holy cow! No wonder he wanted to find a new hair salon!  Furthermore, he likes the nice salons (there goes Sports Clips and Great Clips).  I proceeded to tell him that I might not be the best person to ask; I told him to try seeking the advice of a male, a male who gets his hair cut at nice salons.

            We continued to discuss more topics (i.e. plans for this weekend), when Joe started talking about the CBS series How I Met Your Mother (which I will abbreviate as HIMYM).  Now, I do not exactly remember what led up to this moment, but I WAS SO EXCITED WHEN HE MENTIONED IT (side note: being a busy college student, I rarely have time to watch TV.  In fact, I do not even have a TV in my room.  However, I WILL make time to watch this show!)!  We both agreed that the sitcom is hysterical, and the anticipation of finding out the identity of the “mother” is absolutely killing us!  I asked him if the show helps him learn English, and he told me that it does.  He says that it is a useful tool, and he can watch the same episode multiple times and still laugh.  I agree that every time I watch a show, it is still funny.  Even though most of the cognitive shifts are eliminated upon the second viewing, I think knowing that something funny is about to happen is what makes us – or at least me - laugh.  Also, he told me that this week’s episode of HIMYM is Legen-WAIT FOR IT-Dary (this is a show reference, so I apologize to any readers that are confused)!

            As the conversation progressed, Joe and I started talking about traveling.  We both agreed that it is important for him (and any international student) to explore the United States as much as they can.  He proceeded to tell me of his plans to go to Las Vegas over Thanksgiving break with one of his friends.  He wants to go during this time because virtually no one will be on campus and because his friend will be 21.  I told him that Las Vegas is an absolute blast, and the culture there is quite different from that of Texas.  His mentioning of him and his friend both being 21 and able to drink in Las Vegas prompted me to ask him what the drinking age is in China.  To my surprise, he told me that there is no drinking age; I couldn’t believe it!  I thought it might be younger than in the United States, like 16 or 18, but I was so wrong!  This truly baffled me, and I asked him if it was difficult for his friend to come to the U.S. and to not be able to drink (Joe is already 21, so the law does not affect him as much).  He told me that it is weird for his friend, especially since he was able to drink at home.  Joe cautioned me, though, that his friend does not have a fake ID because he does not want to get in trouble – thank goodness.

            As we were nearing the end of our conversation, Joe and I were talking about our plans for the rest of the day.  We both had work to do (how shocking…).  I told him that I needed to take a nap, so he told me to set an alarm.  However, Joe had difficulty in pronouncing this word.  He had to use other words to explain what he was trying to say.  At first, I thought he said “airplane,” but –trust me – he did not.  When he started talking about a clock, I understood what he meant.  We then sat at the table for a few minutes, and I had him practice saying, “alarm.”  He told me that pronunciation is difficult because one pronounces things here differently than he/she would in China.  He was getting better with his pronunciation, though, and I continued to encourage him.

            In summation, I think my third meeting with Joe went well.  I learned some things about him and about Chinese culture, and he learned some things about me and about English – a fair trade in my book.  While Keith was an excellent conversation partner, I think Joe is getting more out of our conversations, which make me happy.  As we said goodbye, Joe told me that I am a great conversation partner (how kind!), and I told him that he is, too!

Baptism, Cake, Jesus, and Ariel

Brittany with her baptismal cake!

            This past Sunday was my friend’s baptism.  Brittany (my friend) is an incredible human being and a Godly woman.  I am honored that I was able to witness her baptism at Christ Chapel last Sunday.  Now, I know what you’re thinking: How on Earth is a baptism funny?  Just trust me on this one.

            To understand why I thought Brittany’s baptism were funny I think it’s important to know a little bit about Brittany.  Brittany is a junior Fashion Design and Merchandising major with a Spanish minor from Cornado, California.  I first met Brittany when she was an Orientation Student Assistant the summer going into my freshmen year.  Since then, Brittany and I have become extremely close, especially since we are both resident assistants in Colby Hall.  Furthermore, Brittany has a fantastic sense of humor.  That girl can find the humor in anything, and she always does.

            To bring you up to current speed, though, the reason that I thought her baptism was funny was because of her baptismal cake.  First and foremost, I did not know that people celebrated baptisms with cake – talk about a cognitive shift!  However, it was what was on the cake that really made me laugh.

            Perched upon a square vanilla cake with white icing were a doll of Jesus (that’s fitting) and a doll of Ariel (from The Little Mermaid).  And, if that is not a cognitive shift, then I seriously don’t know what is!  I’d like to disclose that Brittany loves mermaids, and she loves Ariel.  This is in part due to her vibrant red hair and her love of the ocean.  In fact, she wears jewelry with starfish and seashells to make her appear more like a mermaid, but that’s beside the point.

            I think the placement of Jesus and Ariel is a great example of the Incongruity Theory. Let’s be honest; that’s not something that you would normally expect on cake…at church...for a baptism....  On the left side of the cake, you have this holy and worldly figure, but as you glance over to your right, you see a famous Disney princess.  Nevertheless, upon seeing this extraordinary cake, I laughed (and I took a picture…I could not miss out on that opportunity!).

            Another aspect of this situation that facilitated humor was that the laughter was social and collective.  I was able to experience this with a lot of friends.  Their laughter, in turn, made me laugh even more.  I will admit, however, that I still would have laughed at this image even if I was by myself.

            Moreover, I think the cake also demonstrates part of the Relief Theory.  A baptism – for most – is quite a serious thing.  Hearing her testimony, singing worship songs, and then actually witnessing the baptism were all powerful and touching.  By having a Jesus and Ariel cake to top it all off (pun intended), it put more people at ease, and we were able to celebrate, which – of course – was fun!

            All in all, witnessing Brittany get baptized was a great experience.  I know this is an event that she will never forget, and neither will I.  The best part about it was how real and true to Brittany the entire process was.  The Jesus and Ariel cake made the atmosphere more humorous and light-hearted.  Not to mention, most everyone there got quite a few laughs in.  Well done, Brittany (and Jesus and Ariel), well done.

A Pleasant Surprise

On Friday afternoon, at around 1:00 pm, I strolled into Market Square to eat lunch.  I looked around hopefully to see if any of my friends where there, but – sadly – there were not.  I admitted defeat, and as I turned to walk outside to the balcony (to eat by myself), my conversation partner, Joe, called my name.

We said hello to each other, and then he asked me how I was doing.  I was happy I got to see him, and then he surprised me by asking me to join him and his friends for lunch.  What a kind gesture! Of course, I said yes!  I put my stuff down and made my way to the salad bar to finally eat some food (I was pretty hungry at this point in the day).

Once I sat down, we started talking about the differences in our meal selection: Joe was eating a burger and spaghetti with meatballs, and I was eating a small bowl of salad.   He gave me the strangest look (because he knows I like food), so then I explained to him that I was not feeling very well (hence the small amount of food).  This answer satisfied him, and as I was barely finishing my tiny salad, he stood up to get more spaghetti.

When he got back from his second round, our conversation took an interesting turn.  He asked me what I was doing this weekend, and I told him that I was going to San Antonio for my boyfriend’s fraternity’s formal – that’s a mouthful.  This evolved into us talking about dating and the differences between the U.S. and China.  Although he was surprised that this is my first boyfriend, he explained himself by saying that many people start dating one another in high school (like in the U.S.), and this kind of dating is “practice” for “real” relationships.  He said that at that age, people are not truly in love.  While I think there are people who fall in love in high school, I do agree that most people do not end up marrying their high school sweethearts because people change.

He used one of his friends, a former TCU student, as an example.  He told me that she is returning to China because her parents are worried about her.  His friend is 26, and she has yet to date someone.  Joe said that if she had already been in a relationship, her parents would not be as concerned.  However, most people in China get married at this age.  In the friend’s case, she still needs to find someone, date him, and then marry him.  This, in turn, could take a long time.

As Joe was telling me this, I felt sorry for his friend.  Nevertheless, I realized how similar the culture in China is to that of the U.S.  Society frowns upon not dating someone in high school, and people will especially think someone is strange if he/she has not dated another by the age of 26.  After all, women’s biological clocks are ticking, and they only have so much time to find a man, get married, and have children (with other circumstances pending, of course).

This prompted me to ask Joe about his past relationships.  He said that he dated a girl in high school for a couple of years, but they are no longer together.  I think she still lives in China.  He also told me that they talk to each other, but only occasionally.

Joe and I talked about a few more random things (to be honest, I do not remember all of them at the moment), and I am so glad we did.  I had a wonderful time talking to him, and thank goodness he noticed me in the BLUU!  As we parted ways, Joe told me that he enjoyed our conversation and that he hoped we could meet up again sometime soon.  I gave him the only possible answer: I would love to!

Dr. Flores for the Win

        My Spanish professor, Dr. Flores, is a wonderful teacher and a charismatic person.  As many know who have ever taken a language course, the professor needs to be animated and expressive, as it helps students to understand the words that he/she is saying.  While Dr. Flores’s hand motions and facial expressions are quite comical, it is his voice crack that gets me every darn time.

            For example, Dr. Flores’s voice cracked today, thus causing the class to burst into an uproar of laughter.  As he has done multiple times before, he was speaking, when his pitch suddenly changed into that of a six-year-old girl.  He was quick to correct himself by clearing his throat and repeating what he said in a much deeper – I mean, much, much deeper – than normal voice.

            This minor incident was (and still is) funny for multiple reasons.  Like I have discussed many times in various posts, a cognitive shift occurred which caused us all, everyone in the class, to laugh.  You do not expect a man, especially one who is in his sixties, to have a voice crack.  Now, if he was a thirteen-year-old boy, that would be a different story, but he obviously is not.  This shift occurred because we did not expect an elderly man to experience something that usually characterizes adolescent males in puberty.

            In correlation with this cognitive shift, the Superiority Theory came into play.  We were laughing because we were glad that our voices did not crack (which is important for a language class, especially one called “Oral Communication in Spanish”).  Moreover, I think the men in the class experienced the Superiority Theory on a higher level than the women, as they have been – most likely – in Dr. Flores’s situation before. They were particularly happy that it was Dr. Flores’s voice that cracked and – thank heavens – not their own.

           

            In addition to the Superiority Theory, I think the Release Theory is exemplified in Dr. Flores’s voice crack.  Many times (but not all the time), students get bored in class.  They may even get antsy and/or tired.  They have all of this energy built up inside of them, so when something like this happens, that energy is released through laughter.  This, in turn, is good for the class because it refreshes them and usually causes them to be more attentive.

            Another aspect of his voice cracking that is important to point out is that it was definitely a social experience.  As I stated earlier, the whole class, including Dr. Flores, laughed.  Hearing each other laugh inspired more laughter.  Although I think that laughter is not always social, it was in this case.  Seeing my other friends laugh facilitated more laughter from myself.

            In summation, I am lucky enough to experience humorous moments everyday.  Knowing that Dr. Flores’s voice might and most likely will crack in class is just one example of a funny situation.  Because it happens so frequently, I am starting to think that he does this on purpose.  Even if he does, though, I don’t mind a little laughter in my life.

My New Friend Joe

          Yesterday, I met my new conversation partner, Joe.  Like Keith, my former conversation partner, Joe is from China.  Although we had a shaky start to our meeting, we ended up enjoying one another’s company.  This is what happened:

           

            I arrived in front of the tables outside of 1873, where I saw a young man sitting by himself.  As I approached him, he looked at me, and he held my gaze as if he already knew who I was.  I asked him if he was Joe, and – to my relief – he replied that he was.  No more than a minute into our conversation did Joe’s friend, Rain, arrive.  I thought I’d be getting a double dose of conversation, but Rain quickly left after his short introduction.  Suddenly, it was just Joe and I.

            I opened my mouth to learn more about Joe when he told me that he did not want to talk about the “boring stuff”, such as his major, his hometown, et cetera.  This kind of surprised me, but I was not about to start this conversation off on the wrong foot, so I simply nodded my head.

            He told me about Keith, and how the two of them are friends.  In fact, he accompanied Keith on some of the adventures that I had previously talked to Keith about.  Like Keith, Joe loves food – something that I love, too!  He told me about his love for seafood; he likes the restaurant Pappadeux’s.  He then went on to explain how important fish is in one’s diet because of all the nutrients it has.  This impressed me, yet I felt a little ashamed, as I am not a fish fanatic.  Moreover, Joe told me that he is what the Chinese would call a “food man” (he told me the Chinese version of this, but I do not remember what he said/I would completely butcher the spelling of the word). He said that he is called this because he can eat a lot of food, which I completely respect.  He

            Another thing that was so wonderful about meeting Joe was how complimentary he was towards me.  He noticed that I said hello to a lot of people that walked by our table outside, and he said that he was impressed.  He told me that I have a lot of friends, and he admired that because he wants to make friends here.  I told him he’s already got at least one friend – me (well two because he is friends with Rain).  In addition, he told me that I am a “social flower”, which is what we would call a “social butterfly”.  I thought it was interesting how similar yet different these two sayings are.  He expanded upon this by saying that social flowers are successful because they are friendly and easy to talk to.  Joe told me that I would be successful one day in whatever I do. Awe…thanks, Joe.

            Now, remember how I mentioned Joe not wanting to cover some of the basic questions that are customary when you meet someone?  Well, we did…eventually.  He told me that he plans on studying Business.  In fact, he got his acceptance into TCU (meaning he passed his English test) yesterday in the mail; I am so proud of him!  Moreover, he told me how he plans on living off campus next year with some of his friends, including Rain.  He is excited about this because he will be able to cook his own food (he’s not the biggest fan of Market Square), and he will have a pool in his backyard!  He also invited me to his house-warming party next year, which I will be more than happy to attend.

          In summation, I had a wonderful time talking with Joe.  He told me that I am a great conversation partner, and I can easily say the same thing about him.  I am excited for the conversations that await us!

Awkward.

Well, I tried to complete the assignment of listening to someone else's conversation. It was - as you guessed it - awkward. I was by myself in the BLUU (unfortunately), and as I was eating my bland salad, I was intently listening to two girls' conversation.

They were eating their food and talking, and I was stoked! I figured they would talk about something funny, which would then give me material to write about. Boy, was I wrong. :(

No more than one minute into my eavesdropping did they stop talking. Now, it wasn't because they were aware of my listening; it was because they were both on their phones! It made me so sad! Here are two friends taking time out of their day to eat lunch with one another, and all they can do is text (or Facebook or Twitter...I mean, the possibilities are endless)?!

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, they started talking to each other again. I heard something about the Indy 500, but I couldn't catch all of what one of the girls was saying.  More small talk went on, and I was about to give up when I saw a smile spread across one of the girls' faces.

She started to laugh a little at herself as she explained to her other friend how there was kale (maybe?) in her smoothie rather than spinach. At this point, I was praying for the other girl to start laughing. And what did she do...SHE CONTINUED TO PLAY WITH HER PHONE!!!

I mean, COME ON! At this point, I admitted defeat. Tragically, I did so as some of the Market Square workers were laughing in the back (but I neither knew what they were laughing about nor why). 

Looking at my watch, I left the BLUU to write this post before today's class. 

Defeat? Check.

Awkward? You betcha.

How to Make Sense of Life?

Consider the following passage:

“She never did decide (on joining a church).  She did develop a terrific hankering for a crucifix, though.  And she bought one from a Santa Fe gift shop during a trip the little family made out West during the Great Depression.  Like so many Americans, she was trying to construct a life that made sense from things she found in gift shops.”  Slaughterhouse-Five, pg. 49

The image above is an ornament that I bought to hang on my family Christmas tree back home in California.  Now, I admit to buying items in a gift shop, but I do so to add meaning to my life, not to construct it.  For me, souvenirs are tangible representations of memories.  When I go to a gift shop, I buy a small trinket to remind me of where I have been and what I have done.

The Horned Frog ornament is not just a reminder; I already know that I go to TCU.  It adds meaning to my life because my family has a tradition of decorating our tree with ornaments that represent places we have been and/or significant moments in our lives.  For example, we have ornaments from the Bahamas, Hawaii, and Canada.  We also have an ornament that my parents received for their one-year anniversary.  Ornaments are much more than pretty objects on a Christmas tree; they are lovely reminders of things to be grateful for in a blessed life.

Also, don’t forget to check out my other group members’ blogs!

Katie Baxter: http://katiebaxter.blogspot.com/

Kristin Faciane: http://kfaciane.blogspot.com/

April Fool's!

Well, tomorrow shall be interesting. Tomorrow is one of the weirdest "holidays" invented: April Fool's Day.  While some argue that April 1st is not a holiday at all, I completely disagree. Although April Fool's Day is not my favorite holiday, I love the fact that it makes people laugh. Furthermore, it brings people together...most of the time...

This video is an example of a light-hearted April Fool's Day prank.  If you haven't watched it yet, do it now because I do not want to spoil the cognitive shift for you.

Did you watch it? Good. What makes this video funny is how gullible the anchorwoman is. She believes her co-host when he tells her that iPads and iPhones are now able to emit tastes and smells to stimulate one's senses.

Although she questions the validity of this new application, she ends up licking the iPad, which, in turn makes us laugh. We laugh because it is absurd and because of the Superiority Theory; it's funny because it's not us. I think this coincides with the viewer's idea that if he/she was the anchorwoman, they would have the sense to not fall for the trick.

At first, I thought that there would be no way that someone could pull that one over me.  However, the more I thought about it, the more I realized I would totally fall for it. What can I say? I'm gullible.

All in all, I like this April Fool's Day prank because it is funny and harmless (as long as the iPad didn't have a ton of bacteria on it...). Tomorrow will be a day of trickery and deceitfulness, but it will also be a day of smiles and laughter. And who can complain about that?

Thoughts on Slaughterhouse-Five, Chapters 1-3

            In high school, I remember many of my friends complaining about their reading assignments.  One book that many of them had to read was Slaughterhouse-Five.  Although I was never assigned this text, the title of the book intrigued me.  So, when I reviewed this course’s syllabus, I was delighted to find this book on the agenda.

            I began my reading a few days ago, and I was surprised by how quick of a read it is.  However, this also bothers me because I am worried that I am not understanding everything.  Now, I am not going to lie, after I read the first three chapters, I looked to SparkNotes for the chapter summaries.  I could not help it; I was confused.  The jumping back and forth in time really messed with my head.  As soon as I am began to understand what was going on, Vonnegut switched to another time period – my poor little brain could not handle it! 

            Nevertheless, this course is about humor, and I did my best to look for examples of things that I thought were funny.  I will add in my own caveat, though.  I think that humor is situational.  Because of this, it was sometimes difficult for me to recognize the humor in Vonnegut’s style of writing, as well as in the incidents he wrote about.

            The first incident of humor that I truly laughed at was when Vonnegut, or the narrator, described himself as an, “old fart,” (p. 2).  I specifically remember writing “haha” next to this line of text.  What made this funny was that Vonnegut could make fun of himself.  Furthermore, this was relatable because many people (myself occasionally included) dismiss something that someone elderly says because he or she is an “old fart”; I liked how Vonnegut pointed this out.

            Another phrase that I highlighted occured in the text when Billy is described his daughter, Barbara.  He called her a, “bitchy flibbertigibbet,” (p. 29).  I think that one reason that this description was funny was because of schadenfreude; it is funny because it was not us (or at least he was not describing us as this).  Moreover, Billy describing his own daughter as this made it even more comical; it may have even added more truth to this statement.  Also, “flibbertigibbet” is a funny word (I will admit; I did have to look up its definition).

            A reoccurring example of humor in this novel was the character of Roland Weary.  Again, the concept of schadenfreude applied here; we were glad that the things happening to him were not happening to us.  All of Robert’s gadgets were comical, as he was not a good soldier.  It was as if he thought his wartime accessories would make him a better fighter.  Moreover, I think it was funny (and somewhat pathetic) that he called himself and the scouts “The Three Musketeers,” (p. 42).  I also found this ironic because earlier in the book, one of the reporters was eating a Three Musketeers candy bar when she was talking to Vonnegut about a veteran’s corpse.

            One final thing that I found humorous was Billy’s imagination in recounting his stories of Tralfamadore and the aliens.  His creativity was impressive, but I also found it a bit pitiful.  I felt bad for him, especially considering all that he has been through (being a POW, his wife’s death, etc.).

            In thinking about the first three chapters, I am still forming my opinion in regards to how I feel towards this book.  While I like reading it more than I like reading Morreall, I am still trying to warm up to it.  In comparison to stories we read from The Greatest American Writers of All-Time, I find this book to be less humorous.  As of right now, I am keeping an open mind, but this book is not as funny as I hoped it would be.

The Charming 3rd Time

Yesterday, I met up with Keith for our third conversation of the semester.  He met me at Union Grounds…ice cream cone in hand.

Now, I remember Keith telling me that he liked ice cream, but I also remember telling me that he does not like to eat at Market Square.  However, he decided to venture onto the second floor of the BLUU to enjoy one of his favorite treats before meeting me.

When Keith sat down, I noticed that he was wearing a Houston Rockets shirt.  He then informed me that a couple of weekends ago, we went with some of his friends to Houston for the NBA All-Star game festivities.  Although they watched a minor league game (the actual All-Star game was extremely pricey), he ended up seeing Kobe Bryant, who he casually showed me a picture of on his iPhone.  Respect, Keith.  Major respect.

Talking about the All-Star game, led to talking about sports in general, which led to talking about TCU sports, which led to talking about TCU football.  Keith said that one of his favorite things about being in America is the feeling he gets from the crowd at a football game.  He feeds off the crowd’s energy, and – to him – there is nothing quite like it.  This made me incredibly happy and proud (I’ll throw in a shameless, “Go Frogs!”).

As our conversation progressed, I started asking him about Chinese humor and its comparison to American humor.  He said that in China, innuendos are very popular.  Moreover, the idea of schadenfreude is popular; he brought this up as we were watching the TV show Wipeout.  Although he did not give me many examples, I think the most interesting part of our conversation was hearing about his perceptions toward American humor.

First, Keith told me that Americans tend to laugh out loud at a lot of things when they are watching a movie.  Keith conceded that although certain parts of a movie are funny, they usually are not funny enough to make someone burst into hysterics.  Secondly, he acknowledged the fact that we have a lot of “stupid” humor; we laugh at dumb things. 

Nevertheless, one thing that both of our cultures have in common is that it is funny to make people uncomfortable/put them in awkward situations.  For instance, Keith and I were talking about Valentine’s Day, and he was telling me about his roommate.  He said that his roommate has been hanging out with a girl lately.  His roommate, who is outgoing with his friends, is normally shy around others, especially those he does not know well.  Keith said that one day, when his roommate’s “friend” came over, Keith and his friends began telling her how he writes love songs about her (which is NOT true)…GOODNESS, KEITH!  Not sly at all!  Although his roommate was slightly embarrassed, he said they all laughed.

In continuing to talk about Valentine’s Day, Keith told me about how he gave a friend of his a basket filled with a teddy bear, chocolates, and a card.  Unfortunately, according to Keith, it did not turn out so well; they are “just friends”.   He then asked if I had a boyfriend, to which I replied, “Yes.”

This was another answer that Keith did not want to hear.

He shook his head, put his hands in the air, and asked me, “How will I ever find a girl?!”

I awkwardly replied with a laugh – typical Mackie.  I then reassured him that all will be well; he will find the right girl I due time.

The last thing we talked about was his upcoming ESL test.  He told me that he took a practice test, and he did poorly because he did not follow instructions…whoops.  However, he said that his test is tomorrow, and he plans on studying tonight.  Keith gets the results back Monday, and boy, do I hope he passes!  

“Vacation ‘58” by John Hughes: Quite Possibly the Worst Vacation…Ever

When I first picked up The 50 Funniest American Writers by Andy Borowitz, I was expecting to shake with laughter at the turn of each page.  However, when I read the stories by Thurber and Henry, this was not the case. While these accounts were somewhat comical, I found them minimally entertaining, and I felt as if reading this book would be similar to reading Morreall’s book; it would be dull, and it would go over my head.

To my surprise, each story I have read thereafter has given me appreciation for the book and for its authors.  I think one of the reasons that I am starting to like this collection is because the stories are more relatable to my life.  While Morreall gave some applicable examples in his book, the various authors in Borowitz’s book use humor to highlight certain humor experiences that I can relate to in one way or another.

For instance, I just read “Vacation ‘58” by John Hughes.  This story is about a boy and his family and their cross-country journey to Disneyland.  First, I am from California, and I live about 30 minutes away from Disneyland, so I understand their excitement over wanting to experience the magic that is Disneyland.  Second, my family and I have spent countless (and I think that’s a good thing) hours in the car together – many of those during our family vacations.  Most importantly, something – whether big or small – goes wrong on our vacations together… Every.  Single.  Time.  Although my vacations were never as tragic as the Griswold’s vacation was, I empathize with their feelings of failure.

We’ve talked about the concept of a cognitive shift many times in class, and I want to bring it up again.  Hughes presents many cognitive shifts in his story.  His first line reflects his unconventional narrative and how the actions of his characters are not something that the reader would normally expect.

An example of this is how the father acts during the high-speed pursuit.  Hughes depicts Clark Griswold as a careful and reserved family man at the beginning of the story.  However, Clark’s character begins to break down as the car and as the vacation do; Hughes does a great job of juxtaposing these concepts.  Clark started off as a man who freaked out over a small scratch to an animal who blatantly breaks the law.  As the story progresses, so does Clark’s condition.  This is evident in his insensitivity and apathy towards the death of Aunt Edythe…and for this, I am at a loss of words (I am too repulsed).

Another thing that strikes me as comical is that just when you think it can’t get any worse, it does!  This poor, poor family!  I think one reason people can enjoy this is through the idea of humor as making one feel superior; it’s funny because it’s not them.  Nevertheless, each successive event made me feel more and more uncomfortable.  Honestly, there were points in the story that I started getting anxiety because I kept thinking, What if that happened to me?!

In contrast, I think it is important to note, though, that because the trip becomes more ridiculous with each passing minute, it may be easier for the reader to detach himself/herself from the situation.  Obviously, my dad would never buy a revolver and shoot Walt Disney in the thigh (I mean, he’s already dead…).  Furthermore, he would never run from the law, especially in this day in age (I kept waiting for the Griswolds to get caught!).  Lastly, if my dad were to be charged with multiple offences, I would NOT take a flight home with my family and forget about my dear ‘ole dad!

This story taken as a whole is one giant cognitive shift.  It starts off with a content, peaceful family getting ready for their vacation to the “Happiest Place on Earth”, and it ends in complete and utter disaster.

That One Time We Met in Market Square

Today was Keith's first time at Market Square this semester...HIS. FIRST. TIME.  

He has a meal plan, but he told me that he wants to experience all of the restaurants off campus. I was talking to Keith more about his wanting to try different places, and this is something that I've learned to appreciate about him. I like how he is taking advantage of all of his experiences in the United States. While I don't think I could afford to go to Texas de Brazil multiple times (and pay for my friends’ meals), it makes me happy that Keith is trying to make the most of his time here.

Another topic that we talked about in Market Square was Mardi Gras. I told him how he definitely should have come to Market Square yesterday because it was OFF THE CHAIN (shout out to TCU Dining Services!!!)! He said that he didn't know what Mardi Gras is. Naturally, I explained it to him and pulled out my handy dandy iPhone to show him some pictures of the French Quarter during a Mardi Gras celebration.  Furthermore, I explained to him what Ash Wednesday is (and thus why many people have blots of ash on their foreheads). 

For me, the most important topic we covered was him wanting to pass the English test (I forget the name of it) that enables him to take classes at TCU and thus for his Business major. He says that he is nervous for it, especially because he dislikes studying, as well as taking tests; that's somewhat problematic. However, he has been working hard, and he has taken the test before, so he knows what to expect in regards to the testing format. In addition, he is aware that he needs to focus on his writing, as he does well with his speaking skills. 

This part of our conversation eventually led to talking about the differences in education in China and in the U.S. He told me how much more rigorous the schooling is in China.  He said that many students will spend their entire day doing some sort of schoolwork, leaving only three hours to sleep. That’s right. Three. Hours. In addition, he said that high school is extremely difficult.  The Chinese students work exceptionally hard during this time so that they can make high enough grades to go to an accredited four-year university in the United States, England, or Australia. I found this interesting because I thought that upper level education in China would be harder.  Also, it surprised me when he said that Australia is a popular option among students; I guess I had never considered going to school in Australia. 

Going along with the education theme, my favorite part of our session was that Keith taught me some Chinese phrases! He taught me how to say, “Hello”, “How are you?”, and “Goodbye”.  I am so stoked! Although I completely forgot to say goodbye (c’mon, Mackie), I will integrate these new terms into my vocabulary next time I see Keith.

Overall, our second meeting went well, and I’m excited for our third!

Meet Keith

Today was the first time that I met with my ESL conversation partner, Keith Glory.

Upon walking into Union Grounds, I was slightly apprehensive.  What if he doesn’t like me?  What if he can’t understand me?  What if I can’t understand him?  These thoughts plagued my mind with each step I took.

I walked around the counter, towards the tables and chairs, only to find Keith on his phone, about to respond to my text.

Once we exchanged simple “Hello’s” and the normal “Hi, my name is…” I felt at ease with Keith.  I could tell that I was lucky to have him as a conversation partner.

After our introductions, I began to ask Keith about his background.  He is from a city near Shanghai, China.  He is 19 years old, and this is his second semester at TCU.  He wants to study Business and be a businessman like his father.  His mom is a stay at home mom, who – according to Keith – plays with her friends (he said that his mom and her girlfriends like to play card games).  Although he is an only child, he had a pet dog.  In fact, he told me that most Chinese families have a dog.

Furthermore, Keith likes to play videogames and go out to eat with his friends.  He enjoys swimming, as well as playing and watching basketball.  One of his hobbies is playing the trumpet.  Unfortunately, Keith does not have a trumpet with him at school.  I’m hoping I can help him find someway to be able to play again – even if it’s just for 15 minutes.

He chose to attend TCU because he thought (and still thinks) the campus is beautiful.  In addition, he knew that not many Chinese students go here, which intrigued him.  He lives in Clark Hall with another international student who is from Kenya.  Next year, Keith would like to live off campus with some of his friends from China.  He concedes that this may not be best for practicing his English, though.

I then asked Keith what his favorite thing about the United States is.  He told me that he loves the environment.  In China, buildings are built upward (I pictured New York City) because space is limited.  He likes it here because there is so much land, and he doesn’t feel constricted.

Before we ended our first conversation together, I asked Keith what he wanted to get out of our sessions together.  He told me that he just wanted a friend.  This  simply Melted. My. Heart.

I loved meeting with Keith because he reminded me of the important things in life that I sometimes take for granted.  On multiple occasions, I get so consumed in my schoolwork, my jobs, and my other extra-curriculars that I forget to appreciate some of the things that matter most in my life, like my relationships with others.

When I said goodbye to Keith, I told him that I was so happy to have met him.  I reassured him that he was my friend and that I look forward to our next conversation.

I feel so blessed to have had the opportunity to meet Keith.

Sprint NBA "Pajamas" Commercial with Kevin Durant

When I first saw this commercial, I simply laughed...and then I laughed some more...and then I kept laughing.  In this video, a man walks into his kitchen only to look exactly like NBA player Kevin Durant (Spoiler Alert: it IS Kevin Durant!).  His son, obviously surprised, says his father looks the way he does because he stayed up late the previous night "watching NBA" on his [Sprint] phone (the advertisement in this commercial).  I thought this was somewhat funny, but it gets funnier! His wife, remarks that Daddy "looks fine," (this is when I really started to laugh).

She then suggests her son go play because, "'Mommy has some things for Daddy to do,'" which (I guess for my immature mind) suggests something sexual.  This relates to earlier chapters in Comic Relief, as this type of humor is inappropriate.  However, the cognitive shift occurs in the next scene, which shows Kevin Durant picking leaves out of the gutter.  Now, I know we all thought that they were going to do something else, but what is funny is that she is just using him for his height (the shift!).

Watch the video, and you cannot help but to laugh.

In Response to "From Lucy to 'I Love Lucy': The Evolution of Humor"

After reading Chapter 3 of Morreall's Comic Relief, I must say that I am beginning to warm up to his writing style.  Although he still suggests ideas that I do not always agree with, the text is becoming easier to read (especially in comparison to that of Chapter 1...not my favorite).

Morreall begins by explaining how human laughter came about through evolution; we inherited it from apes.  He elucidates by writing that it is a "play signal".  While I agree that laughter can be seen as a play signal, I also think that it is an innate response.  In contrast to his argument that amusement is not a normal emotion, I think laughter is a normal reaction for humans, and what provokes us is subjective to the person, as well as the situation.

In addition, Morreall comments on the importance of language in humor.  I agree with him in some regards, but I also think that nonverbal communication is just as important.  A perfect example is in children's cartoons.  While some of the characters may talk, I know that I laugh because of their actions, not their words.

One thing that we have discussed in class and that I agree with is the concept of a "cognitive shift". I can apply this to simple jokes; I think the joke is going in one direction, when - WHAM! - there is the punchline, and thus the shift occurs that makes something funny.  Moreover, everyone knows that a joke is not as funny the second time around. It is because the element of surprise is gone, and you know what is going to happen; there is no shift.

Another idea that Morreall presents is that laughter is a social experience.  Again, we have discussed this in class, and I disagree. While others' laughter can facilitate more laughter in a social setting, it is not solely a social experience.  In fact, it is pathetic how many times a day I laugh to myself.  I will be sitting at my desk, doing homework when a thought pops into my head, and I just laugh. Is anyone around me? No. Granted, there have been many occasions when others' laughter makes me laugh even harder.  However, I do not need to be around people to laugh.

My last criticism of Morreall is somewhat childish yet valid. Like the title of the chapter suggests, he discusses Lucy, whose skeletal body provides a link to humans and their ancestors.  My question is, though, WHY DIDN'T HE TALK ABOUT LUCILLE BALL?! I mean, come on! I really do love Lucy, and I was hoping for at least a small example from the sitcom! One can only imagine my disappointment as I finished the chapter with Lucy out of sight yet in mind.