Week 15

I've really improved on my writing in general. I've recently been writing without having to add alot of fluff to made a word count or a page count. I had really big problems with that before and I still do because I run out of thing to say about a subject or I don't have anything else to add. I still struggle on trying to get things done before they are due. This whole semester I've done things the day before they were due because I couldn't find the motivation to do them before. I've always been able to concentrate on homework but this year it seems a little different. I think having papaers pertaining to the same thing all semester shouldn't be done. I know I've lost my will to write about my subject because I'm burnt out on it. By adding something fresh, you brining the students mind off the subject for a week or two and letting them try something new. I think I could have done really good for more conferences with drafts and final papers. That way you can see how to improve on your next paper.

Week 10

I'm going to start by giving the reader some insight on the culture and my background. I want them to understand why I chose to do such a new culture. I may be a outsider but I'm trying to understand everything I can about the culture. I'll tell people in the paper how it has changed even though people's views about it hasn't. I plan on using header for everything because it will be easier. Usuallu, I'm good with transitions but this paper doesn't seem to want to work well. I think it will be more effective if I use headings. The information includes everything and yet had nothing in common. It will be easier for me to do this paper in the end with headers to give the readers some idea what the sections is about. I'll finish the paper in a way that will give the culture a hopefully outlook and have others see that perhaps they were judging and are interested in seeing how Wicca will emerge and become one of Amerca's top religions.

Week 14

My best peiece of work if the paper I just did. The research proposal was something that I actually understood because I was use to doing a lot of research on the subject. It seemed to be a good way for me to just let everyone know why I was doing it and how I was going about of writing with twelve page enthography. I enjoyed talking about how I would work with it. This culture is something that will be useful for any future stories and the research proposal helped me realize that. At the beginning I was just wanting to do something off the wall and strange because I didn't want to do what others were doing. In the end it paid off. I'm a little burned out on the subject but I've recently found some more infor that has sparked it and I hope I can put it into my research.

Blog Cut Ups

I'm standing in a shop that has some new age stuff, because it was my sister's freshman year. But in contrast, I was nervous that I would say something wrong or I am able to converse and observe other employees and customers. The incenses may not have been lighted but I asked a member of CRU her opinion on people partying. I could sense that she enjoyed our conversation because she started focusing her attention more on my sister was a strong asset to the team and everyone had high hopes for her. Soon more people come in looking at the shirts that it is very laid back. My family was on the edge of there seat and I would always in return disappoint them no matter what my excuse.

Mini-Ethnography Titles

1. Wicca: A Emerging Religion


2. Stepping Out into the World


3. Understanding a new Culture


4. Do you Believe in Magic?


5. Choice of Religion: Wicca


6. Becoming One of America's Major Religions

~~~~~Draft Section Titles~~~~~~

• What makes them draw my eye?
• Differences between black, white, and red
• Stepping away from fear
• Coming out of the Closet
• Personal Stories
• Language Among them
• Rippling out
• Finding Magic

Week 13

I'm standing in a shop that has some new age stuff. Slowly, I walk around looking at everything. Not many people came in here but I know people come here to get incenses for rituals and other things that they can get. Their scent fills the air around them and I smile because I recognize a few from the scents I have at my house. Fascination is written over my face as I look around. I don't know the person who works here. It a different person every time I come in. This time its a girl with blond hair who is working. It seems like she's busy with the magazine in her hand. When she notices me just walking around, she comes up and asks if I need help finding anything. I knew I wasn't going to buy anything but I still liked being in there. I respond and just tell her no and that I'm just looking around. The place is dim lighted and instrumental music is playing from the intercom. The incenses may not have been lighted but it was easy to tell when you were near them. Her voice is polite and yet somewhat eager to help share the knowledge that she has. Smiling, she goes back to the magazine she is reading as if I'll leave anytime soon. Soon more people come in looking at the shirts that they sell and the girl is busy helping them. She was enthusiastic about telling them about the store and how much she enjoyed working there.

6 Words

"A bittersweet journey with good friends."

"Believe in magic, don't fear it."

Week 12

I often get it confused with common sense questions that leave a person asking ''Is that a rhetorical question?" I'm not very use to hearing and using this word outside of English class. Rhetoric means to basically persuade someone; try to get them to come to your side of thinking. Rhetoric can be used as anything: our actions, dress, words, and what we do. It can all be used to persuade someone to think like us or doing what we think is right. I hear it more commonly in English unless its the word rhetorical. When someone uses this term, they are usually trying to teach something so it's positive for us who are learning what it means. It is probably used in my culture as means to help people understand that Wicca is not out there to hurt others. I can use the fact that many people practicing it do not want to hurt others in my portfolio and mini-ethnography.

Writing Quote(s)

"Writing is the window to the mind of the writer."

"Writing is like the seasons. As each season changes, the writing changes throughout the years."
ex. From old english to modern english...elementary writing to highschool to college wiritng

Week 11

My writing hasn't really changed all that much since starting this class. I have been incorporating bigger and more intellectual words in my essays and in real life. It has changed when I am writing stories as well. The annotated biblography gave me a lot of trouble. I did not really understand how to relate how I was using the sources in my paper. I just usually looked at all my sources and tied them in after I knew how I wanted the paper to flow. I thought the blogs were going to be harder but I guees not. I really enjoy doing them because it's easy points that I know I can do really good on. Why do I write? I write because it's a way to relay what is on my mind to people. Mainly I write fantasy stories that everyone who reads them enjoys reading. Writing will be big in my future considering I want to become a writer as well as a web designer.

My Dad

Everytime I go to a family outing or even to a friend's house, I'm constantly asked about my father's health. Even though he's at the same place, they'll ask me because they haven't spoken to him yet. He has quite a few medical issues as does my mother but his is more dire. They want know what is wrong and how he's holding up. Everyone is worried about him since he was a enlarged heart, pacemaker/defibulator, and diabetes. Is hard on him because he's a gotta get it done person and isn't use to having to take time out for him to rest. They also worry about him because of the stress my mom puts on him. Its hard for him to deal with both things at once. My family knows all about my mother's problems and realize that its hard for dad to put up with her but he loves her and hoped that everything would go by. Years later, it hasn't so he's taking everyone's advice and divorcing. For the last few years, my father had been brought up in many discussions with family members. They want to know what he's up too and how he is holding up. Sometimes I talk to them more then he does and other times he'll talk to the more. Many people love my dad because he's so easy to get along and talk to. He doesn't judge anyone until he gets to know them more. He's always joking around and having a good time despite his medical condition. Its one of the reasons everyone loves him. he helps out at the school a lot during marching band and winter percussion. Kids and parents alike enjoyed being around him. But even though they like him, they didn't at the beginning. My dad loves riding Harleys and wears Harley-Davidson clothing a lot. Many people didn't like him because he rodes bikes. They thought him as a regular biker. Many bikers are nothing but big teddy bears. The people at school soon came to realize that when dad started helping out around there.

Glossary

Wicca- religion involving rituals and herbs. Often known as witch craft

Paga- another word for Wicca

Cauldron- iron pot used in rituals

Incense- very fragrant. sometimes used for meditation and/or religious rituals. light the end and it slowly smoulders to the bottom leaving the room smelling of whatever you just burnt.

Adept- Someone experienced in magick. A person who has studied and worked hard enough to be proficient in a particular magickal system.

Arcane- Refers to any secret and occult knowledge.

Aura- The energy field that surrounds every object in the universe

Beltane- {bee-yel-TUNE-ah} One of the Four Greater Sabbats of Witchcraft. It was originally dedicated to the Celtic God Bel or Belinus, but now a fertility festival that celebrates the coming of Summer, the union of the God and Goddess and rampant sexuality. Generally, it is celebrated with Bonfire jumping, Maypole dances and Love chases.

Book of Shadows- (Gardnerian) THE Sacred Book of Witchcraft. Within its pages are kept the rituals, laws, spells and any other information that is used by the Witch or Coven. It is traditionally hand-copied by each Witch and so each Witch will have a slightly different version.

Coven- The church, school and extended family of the Wicca. This is where the Witch studies the religion, performs the rites and spells and goes to for suppport. As Covens vary in belief, structure and attitude, it becomes important to choose the right one for you to join. Careful examination of the locals is useful.

DEJA VU- From the French word 'already seen', this is the idea or feeling that you have experienceed this situation before.

Sabbat- The major religious festivals of Wicca which celebrate the major actions of the year. There are eight of them: 31 Oct., 21 Dec, 31 Jan., 21 Mar, 30 Apr., 21 Jun, 31 Jul. and 21 Sep. They are generally dedicated to the Horned God/Sun and are primarily celebratory.

Samhain- In most Wiccan Traditions, THE most important day of the year. It celebrates the New Year, those who have died and the end of Summer . It is pronounced "SOW-wen" and bigoted fundamentalist christians constantly invent lies about the 'great god sam' myth as a means of attacking the Craft. Samhain means literally 'summers end' (Gaelic) as anyone who calls up a Scot or Irishman can tell (unless you want to look in a good Gaelic-English dictionary). It is also called Hallows, All Hallows Eve, Halloween, Hallowmas, Feast of the Dead and the Feast of Apples

Language

I would probably put more of the different accents into the show. They talk about the major ones but not the ones that you may not here often. Also the accents have changed since the time this film was made. No you have asian accent and gangster talk. It all depends on where you go but at the same time you can find a multitude of languages in one area.

The are a few flaws as in grouping together people who talk a certain way. Like the state of Ohio. The people on there have different regional accents but no one would have know of one of the guys interveiwed hadn't said it. The smaller groups were'tn represented as well as the larger and more well-known groups. They could have evened it out a little more. I would have had more words in there for people to interpert.

Where a person lives or their heritage can be discerned by the way they speak. They grew up knowing what they had was a accent and reveled in it. Language is very important because without it, we wouldn't be able to communicate.

3 Questions

I'm standing in a shop that has some new age stuff. Slowly, I walk around looking at everything. Not many people came in here but I know people come here to get incenses for rituals and other things that they can get. Fascination is written over my face as I look around. I don't know the person who works here. It a different person every time I come in. This time is a girl with blond hair. It seems like she's busy with the magazine in her hand.
When she notices me just walking around, she comes up and asks if I need help finding anything. I knew I wasn't going to buy anything but I still liked being in there. I respond and just tell her no and that I'm just looking around. The place is dim lighted and weird music is playing. The incenses may not have been lighted but it was easy to tell when you were near them.
Her voice is polite and yet somewhat eager to help share the knowledge that she has. Smiling, she goes back to the magazine she is reading as if I'll leave anytime soon. Soon more people come in looking at the shirts that they sell and the girl is busy helping them. She was enthusiastic about telling them about the store and how much she enjoyed working there.

Week 9

Gathering information about Wicca was easy. Everyone is willing to share and let them know what they are doing is not bad. They also want to connect with others aorund the globe and talk about the religion they practice. The hardest would to find someone to interview. I've been having a hard time finding someone to interview because everyone is still cautious about what they believe in. they don't want to be hurt anymore or even possibly killed. If I started over, I would probably find some other researching ways to learn about this subject other then get on a computer and go. I dont have many books in my research. By keeping a blog as I research, I've learned to keep my mind focused of the research topic and not let it wonder because I have a tendacy to do that. I could probably use some of the things that I've wrote on my blog or that others have wrote to help expand on what I'm taling about when writing my mini-ethnography.

Audience Questions

1. Readers may be interested in the topic I’m doing. Not too many people understand the religion know as Wicca. They should learn not to judge what they don't know.
2. They will need to know that the religion isn't worshipping the devil and that the people who practice it do not mean harm to anyone. It's one of the first things you learn when beginning to immerse one's self in paganism.
3. Most people don't know much besides what they have read or seen on TV or in books. Those are just stereotypes that people have created to interest people. Witches have been looked down upon since the Salem Witch Trials.
4. I want them to learn not to fear the wiccans. They mean no harm and only want to do what they love to do.
5. The reader will be persuaded only as much as they want to believe. You can give facts and everything to a person but if they are unwilling to change or even believe in the things someone tells them, then there's no way to persuade the person.
6. I don't know what the readers will use my writing for. Perhaps to spread it around or to shun me because they don't have a open mind. Which ever it is, I'm not going to complain. I have done my work to my fullest and will be happy with what I've done. If the readers are unhappy about it, well that don't have to read it a second time.

Week 8

This whole project is still in the makings. I haven't really found a theme other them mystery and magic. Then again that may be the complete theme when it comes to Wicca. Both things seem to coincide with everything related to this religion. No many know about it. Things related to the fieldsite almost hold a magical feeling in the air even though I've only read about it. I think my position is still the same. I've learned more about it but I'm not a complete insider just yet. I haven't worshipped the gods and goddesses nor have I gone through the rituals. I'm more understanding of the religion and more interested. I'm having a lot of fun doing this project.

Week 7

By writing this paper, I'll be able to help people understand Wicca. I'll give a calm to the culture so they can let everyone know they are Wiccan which out worrying about getting attacked. I think my culture just needs someone to help people understand that they are not worshipping the devil but instead the gods and goddesses that represent faces of One God. By learning about this, I'm learning ways to enhance my creative imagination and further my creative writing. I'm also learning how to dig deeper then just the things I read in books or watch on movies.

Wicca Survery

Your opinion on Wicca

Week 6

Magic Spells tell everything about Wicca. Herbs, rituals, and holidays are described in detail. The site also incorporates federal documents pertaining to Wicca. While is explains what it is, the site also explains why people are afraid to reveal theirselves. In some places, the are killed due to the religion they practice. Magic Spells also gives a background to how the modern practices came about.

Wicca. 2006. Magic Spells. Feburary 18, 2009. <http://magicspells.in>


Wicca Spirituality gives the reader a taste and idea of what Wicca is about. This person even has a link to her own blog. The site tells about rituals and herbal remedies. How the religion can be passed down. The website talks about the lighter side of the religion instead of focusing on everybody's stereotypes. The author brings out the good of the craft in hopes of making understand what they are really doing.

Wicca Spirituality. 2009. Erin Dragonsong. Feburary 18, 2009. <http://www.wicca-spirituality.com>

I'll use these because it gives good detail and insight of the religion. A government document is even used in the first source. While these have been checked out, something come from personal experience as well. I may not be able to do a lot of interviews but at least I'll have sone personal insight on the religion. One is all about the technical part. The other one is a personal site.

Box 18

A small store tucked between two larger ones. Very few people go in there because of the rumor about magic that floats around the place. Walking into the store, there are charms hanging everywhere. Stones and crystals are in baskets on the floor. Herbs are placed against the wall along with their seeds. Cauldrons sit on the oppisite wall with tea sets. The room gives off a hint of mystery as the owner sits behind the desk. The whole room is inticing and mystical. It comforts some but others fear it and run away. Not too many enjoy being in a Wicca Shop.

Week 5

I plan on research different rituals that they may do differently throughout the world. Over time some of the Wicca may have become modernized, but there may still be those who do it the old way, believing that its better. Other then that, i just have to research my culture in general. I have notes here and there but some places that I could use but I haven't had time to go through and make out the outline of what I really want. I plan on spending more time researching since I don't have many to interview or places to go for a fieldsite. I plan on hopefully finding what I need in the personal websites of Wiccas, who are willing to share their beliefs with others. At the moment I don't have any questions, but maybe soon I will.

Trampoline

Summer is always a fun time, especially with friends. For years, my friends have came over and we've played on our trampoline. It was a blast. We felt the sun beating down on us, and the wind through our hair, while hearing the creak of the springs. When it was raining, we'd feel the small sting of the water droplets hitting us as we jumped.

Sometimes we'd just lay on the tarp, warm from the sun and watch the clouds go by. The birds would be chirping, and the dogs would be barking. It was always nice to be up higher then the dogs so they didn't get in your face or try to lay on us. With the weather being nice, we also seem to get sunburns and they do sting when you fall down from jumping.

When laying alone, you find that the nature wraps around and calms you. Being in that place brings back a lot of memories. Some good and some bad, but thats the same with just about every special place. I know I've gone to the trampoline when I needed to cool down or think about something.

Dogtown

I think it is both because some people enjoy watching skate boarding or surfing. It really depends on who is doing the research. Skaters and surfers are are cultures to be studied.

The people who were interviewed were the zephyrs. They were really good at both skating and surfing. They let people know what it was like and what they did for fun. They even talked about the rules for the areas they were skating. The moved the story along and made it interesting.

They didn't like outsiders. If you were a outsider, you had to find ways for them to let you in to skate of surf. The zephyrs kept to themselves. A lot of them came from broken homes but they came together to form a home they really liked. Their attitudes were really cocky. They were going to do what they wanted to whether a person liked it or not. They even had their own types of skate boards and surf boards.

The pieces started with surfing which is what everyone had started with. Zephyrs had surfed before they could skateboard, but when they did skateboard they added the skills from surfing to it. The organization helps me understand it more because I know how they got the skills to skateboard from.

I've always believed that skaters didn't always welcome those who didn't skate board. You had to show that you can skate with them before they'll let you in. They had their own slang for everything that they only know. I think those thoughts still stay with me when it comes to now a days. Skaters pretty much stay with skaters and they don't really hang out with other because they are still looked down upon.

I trust the director, even if he was one of them. They were bringing a culture to a light and letting people know what they were about and how they acted and why.

Week 4

There are not many conclusions I can make currently. I'm still trying to find more about the culture and how they all act. Every person worships this religion differently. Some are more open then others. Those who are comfortable share what they know and are willing to let people know about what they do. Location may be a factor in how open or how a person worships Wicca. Over sees, many people are open to the fact that out of the ordinary is possible. Mytholigical creatures fill the worlds legends. Witches are in there as well. As far as humans know, there has been no witch trials in other parts of the world but America. History doesn't cover everything in every country so it is possible that people hunted witches in other countries. A person who practices a religion that is looked down upon sometimes doesn't want to risk everything they have to spread their religion. They'll share it with those who are interested in hopes of spreading it. Everywhere is different so I'm not sure how the people will act in different countries.

My Privileges

• College Student with high school diploma
  
• Living in dorm
  
• Making own choices
  
• Females aren’t suppressed anymore.
  
• I’m a white Christian
  
• Beliefs aren’t pressed on me
  
• I’m free to chose what I believe in
  
• Able to date who I want
  
• Steady SS from my father
  
• I can go wherever as long as my parents know where I’m at
  
• Able to be who I am and speak my mind
  
• I can chose who I hang out with and who I don’t
  
• Going to a bigger school
  
• Choosing my jobs
  

None of this will be helpful in my subculture. I’m free to believe so I’m also free to change my beliefs. Nothing is ever set in stone like it use to be in the old days. In the old days, people frowned on Wicca and thought it was the work of the devil. Now people are more accepting but not fully. The people who are in this subculture could have the same privileges as me. Any one can do the things I do. The may feel opressed so they may not speak their minds but some who truly believe will stand up and speak their mind. Their religion doesn't always rule everyone's life. The people who practice Wicca can do these things.

Week 3

I've done a little bit of research for my culture, considering I've come to a conclusion on which culture I'm doing for sure. Since I'm doing the Wicca culture, I must find people who practice the religion. My topic was for sure until I start browsing the internet for my other topic, Legends. Upon finding Wicca I figured, it would more in depth if I did it. At this time I have not spoken to interviewers. I have a few in mind. I'll have to contact them via email to find a time. I'll probably ask them how they go into it and if they enjoy it. Not everyone is born into Wicca. Some stumble across it and find that they like it more then anything else they've tried. I haven't visited my cultural site because it's a Wicca altar that people can set up in their house. They don't have churches like Christians do. That's probably a question I would ask; why do they not have churches? In doing research I haven't found any Wicca churches. I've done research here and there but I haven't gone to the library. I have a feeling most of my research will be from the internet.

I think there is a difference between academic and non-academic research. Academic research means you're looking into things for school to do a project or a paper. Some even write books and share their knowledge for the world to know; like archaeologists. Research that is non-academic is the research people do to help themselves or find out more about something they like. I feel like academic is more for school while non-academic is researching just because you like it. No book or paper or conference meeting is going to come out of it. A person is simply going to learn it and remember it because he wants to.

Week 2

I like to write fictional books, so I chose to learn about the cultures that created the legends that many stories have. Hopefully I'll learn more about the creatures I love to write about. The fields I could look into is actually going into the towns or village of the people but since that it hard for me to do, I'll stick around the campus and ask people what they know of the legends. Another fielsite would be the internet. It is littered with information about the legends as is the library. All would be good places for gathering information. I really want to learn whatever I can so it can help further me in my writing.

*Note: The culture is not completely decided on yet. I may do something else that is close but not a legend.

Culture- Subjective/Fixed

I haven't pinpointed a clear culture yet but I'm hoping to do one on cultures that have legends. I enjoy writing ficitonal stories in my free time. The stories are fantasy based which is a main interest of mine. By looking into the cultures that created a legend, I'm learning more about the legend and the people who believe in it. I don't have any fixed positions beyond what I know of the specific legend, if I know anything at all. I enjoy keeping my mind open and seeing the good and bad. Subjective postions may be more. I didn't live in the culture or the area. I didn't grow up hearing the legends, so to me they may seem fake and dumb, while the people see them as true. If I were to go into the culture to study them, they would see me as a outsider and it would be hard for me to understand more about them and their legend. I don't look like them and have not given them a reason to trust me. Not being able to speak their language is another reason it would be hard. I probably won't have any interviews in my paper because most of it would be document based.

Bed Time Rituals!!

Going to bed is a lot of fun. Well, if you make it a adventure. When I get dressed I have to locate my clothes which are usually sitting somewhere on my loft. Being too short to see completely I have to get up there and find them. Usually I'm up there because I like curling up in my blankets. It gets cold in my room and I like curling up to stay warm. After getting dressed I brush out my hair and crawl back in bed. I take my glasses off and pull the covers over my head. While listening to the fan, I drift off to sleep, where I don't remember the dreams I dreamt.

Frankenstein Essay

I enjoy writing stories and reading books. Frankenstein was a good book but it was one that didn’t catch my attention right away. Only certain parts did so when I had to write a paper on it I had to basically reread it and find out what I wanted to base my paper on. The paper was about archetypal literature and how things could mean something else. When I first started learning about this type of literature it was hard for me to understand and figure out what my teacher was actually asking. As I started the paper, I just started writing about random things that I thought fit together. During the first draft was when I actually figured out what archetypal literature really was. I was enthusiastic about learning to compare two things that no one would ever really see until they looked deeper. I’ve used this technique in my 103 class and was proud of the results. Not many people could see the strive for love and acceptance that Mary Shelly, who was the author, and Frankenstein’s monster wanted. Many readers just saw that the monster got made at Frankenstein and killed his wife. Frankenstein then went on the journey to find his monster and kill him. In the end, both creatures die. But in that time, the monster found peace as did Shelly. I enjoyed looking further into the book and finding other ideas and meanings behind the text on a page. I do it with movies and books every so often.