Journalism 330: Assignment 4 (Scene Setters)

For this assignment, I had to pick 2 historic locations in Oxford and talk about them. Here we are: Rowan Oak and the Confederate Cemetary.

Eyewear: Stylish, Cheap, and Durable.

I just ordered some wayfarer-style sunglasses from Knockaround. The company is a San Diego-based startup that appears to be doing well for itself. According to its about page, Adam Moyer started making eyewear that catered to classic design, featuring a wide color spectrum, at a low price.

I was delighted by the large selection.

These are wayfarers, make no mistake about it, but they are unique. Every pair comes with the Knockaround logo on the outer frame with the company mantra, "Ace On Base," on the inside. The original $14 line, called the Premiums, are available in 24 colors, and the color selection is increased every few months. Simplistic designs are offered at $7 for a quick and cheap selection.

Seasonal offerings are also available, as well as models made from material that is 53% plant-based. At $16, these are slightly more expensive. The limited edition models, ranging from $28–$35, usually feature more exotic color combinations. I was even tempted to shell out for some aviator-style models.

The $25 Fort Knocks style (which I ordered), are inspired by the US Gold Bullion Depository in the great state of Kentucky. They feature gold bar accents on the face of the frame, a subtle yet distinctive addition. Because I'm such a fan of black and blue, I ordered these.

For the daringly creative, Knockaround even offers a Custom option. Here, you can go all out. Want a translucent grey face, blue left arm, green right arm, and orange lenses? Go right ahead. For $35, you can hack together the most outlandish pair of sunglasses at your heart's desire.

I will update this post when my new eyewear arrives. These.

Journalism 330: Assignment 3 (Or, Ruben Teaches Me How to Dance)

I told Ruben that I needed his help. First, I needed to do this assignment; learning more dance moves couldn't hurt, either. I promise, I'm really not that stiff as a dancer...

Sunlight.

As the sunlight draws you back to consciousness, causing you to resurface from the sea of dreams, it streams memories to you.

This bright light illuminates the darkness in you, allowing you to clearly visualize your immediate past in holistic detail.

You look, and you perceive, and you can see, by the beaming light, the faults in you. The faults, like cracks in a mirror, that don't let you see things as they should be, but as they are. Reality is reflected in a form of twisted honesty, and the illusion you perpetuated is exposed for the farce it is.

The sun, ever-present and unchanging, hands down upon the earth the same light. At times, the sun is welcomed as an illuminating and warming agent. At others, it is cursed as a tortuous, unrelenting force.

But it is constant.

Examining one fault closely, man can see what his actions have brought him. He believes he is doing good for himself, but sharply realizes that all he does is only bringing him strife. Yet he persists, thinking he will be rewarded; doing the same thing and expecting different results is, of course, insanity. This revelation is also cast upon him.

This shattered visage also reveals to him that, while he may believe—rightly or not—that he caused himself such agony, he is not to blame.

Perhaps he perceives this glass wrong. Perhaps there is some detail that he has overlooked. But maybe, just maybe, this broken view isn't even helpful to have in front of him. Acting on this, he removes the pane—his pain follows—and gets to see the sun, feel the sun, without the unhelpful barrier that has occluded its gaze.

He refuses to continue in futility, he refuses to pity himself, and he refuses to slow down. He would much rather push forward, even stronger than yesterday, and take everything that actually was meant for him, and not torture himself over what just may not be for him.

And yet, there is that small hope, rooted so gently, which suggests that he not leave behind this damaged view, and suggests the possibility of repairing it.

He does not violently uproot it, however, but he leaves it in the sun. The celestial object will turn its eye upon the plant and either nurture it or destroy it permanently.

He finds solace in the sun, as the solstice has given him his answer.

#TSUN and #MSU (Or: Why I Don't Unilaterally Hate All Mississippi State Fans)

At last nights disheartening loss to the Dogs in Starkville, there were at least 90 Rebels at The Hump, with about 60 of us concentrated exactly opposite from the student section. Of course we, being Rebels, were more than happy to raise merry hell in Starkvegas, screaming out the Hotty Toddy cheer every time it was quiet enough inside to hear us.

Understandably, every "Are You Ready" was immediately met with the roaring, hatred-laced disapproval of every State fan within earshot. We expected and welcomed this, because we know that every time we set foot in Starkpatch, there's a high chance of drawing the ire of every Bulldog in sight (except the mascot, who decided to grace us with his presence—no idea why).

We enjoy the rivalry, of course. It is clearly a time-honored tradition that Bulldogs and Rebels never get along. I shared a laugh with an elderly State fan who, following our Hotty Toddy cheers, would retort with "Flim Flam, Bim Bam, who the hell gives a damn!?" But it's all in the sport of competition.

This clearly drunk couple, however, made the experience slightly unbearable (but a whole lot more fun to watch).

We'll start in on the woman.

1: That haircut (as one of my female friends so eloquently explained to me) would only be requested by someone who is currently drunk. Ouch.

2: Classless. Sure, we trailed the entire game. Sure, we didn't play so well. It isn't necessary, however, to turn around after every play, call us bears (we're still Rebels, ma'am), and flip us off.

2 (continued): At one point, this woman screamed:

"I make more money than you!"

Ma'am, you are clearly approaching your forties, so it is expected that you generate an income that is substantially larger than a college student in their early 20s. And she seemed so proud of herself while hugging up on her man (seen to her right), whose hair could truthfully be violently detonated with the obscene amount of ozone-layer-destroying product he had slopped into it.

Speaking of this man:

1: He's too old to be irresponsibly hammered at a sporting event. Yes, this opinion comes from students at a school where, stereotypically, drinking heavily for sporting events is expected (read: required).

2: He was looking for a fight. His unstable feet struggled to turn him around every time he wanted to jeer at the "basketbears," in our faces. He wanted a fight with nearly 60 young, sprightly bodies. I have no idea why.

3: Seriously, in a blackout, light this man's hair. If you searched anywhere in Starkghanistan for hair product, you won't find any. Because of this man.

4: The high point of this man was him screaming:

"Go to hell, Ole Miss!"

Still in our faces, mind you. We "politely" reminded him that, "sir, this is Starkhole. We are, in fact, in hell. Unlike you, sir, we're just visitng."

Interestingly enough, after the game, we shared a laugh with the other State fans who apologized for the behavior of their drunken compatriots.

So, while still paying no mind to "The School Beneath Us," I can confidently say that we have a begrudged human respect for each other.

Journalism 330 Assignment 2-2 (Or, why Former Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour's pardons are insane)

Mississippi Haley Barbour made an altogether confusing move when, near the end of his term as Governor, pardoned nearly 200 people; ten of whom were still in prison.

Because of the relatively vast amount of pardons, Barbour raised a number of eyebrows, questioning whether or not his move was valid. Barbour said the pardons are based on his Christian faith and the principle of giving second chances.

Most of these pardons were given to people who committed relatively minor crimes and have already served their sentences. What has the public frightened, however, is that Barbour has released 8 convicted murderers, and one who had just been charged with a DUI.

The principle of giving second chances is a pillar to live by. However, there are consequences for our actions, and these should not be ignored. We do deserve second chances for our mistakes, but we also should learn from them.

If we don’t study for an exam, we fail it. If we come unprepared to give a speech, it will show. These are natural consequences that we must learn from. We get our second chance with the next exam or the next speech.

Regardless of Barbour’s intentions, good or bad, it is an irresponsible move to let people off the hook for committing crimes that are considered dangerous to society. Aside from the questionable morality of doing so, there is a stigma attached to convicted felons, and they only worsen when the convicted are arbitrarily set free.

Journalism 330: Assignment 2

This is assignment two. The goal is to persuade a high school senior to come to Ole Miss. Simple, right?

Journalism 330 Introduction

For a while, this blog will be performing double-duty. It's 1) my personal venting ground and 2) used in conjunction with a journalism class I'm taking. This here is assignment 1.

Assignment one was to talk about myself. I am able to talk about pretty much anything, but I have the most trouble talking about myself. Call it leftover shyness, extreme modesty...

Creation.

The ultimate show human expression is creation. For us to give a part of our soul and transliterate it into something that can be experienced by human senses is to show our absolute nature. The written word gives sufficient description which, while comprehensible, is also limited by literacy. Visual artistry renders perception which, more often than not, is skewed and influenced by ideas planted in the mind of the creator or that of the viewer.

Music, however, is universal. Rhythm is an innate form of order most easily recognized by the human body. The heartbeat is rhythmic. Walking and breathing have their own cadences. The eyes blink in time with each other. Speech is rendered in it's own timing. Everything is in synchrony.

Melodies are created in sequences, much like human DNA. Like the body has systems that work complementary to each other, basslines, percussion, and harmonies back each other.

In short, I've revived (again) my musical creations.