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.