These are pictures of Luke Bryan! The New Artist of the Year!
ACM Awards!
Ok.. even if you don’t know anything about country music the one thing you should know is that George Strait is a living legend and you should vote for him for entertainer of the year!!! AND if you are watching you will get to see Brooks and Dunn’s last live performance, which is a big deal! They are the best country duo ever.. they are who they made the “duo of the year” award for originally! :D
ACM Awards!
So I am most likely the only who is pretty excited about the ACM or Academy of Country Music awards tonight at 8 pm on CBS, but I just wanted to let ya’ll in on it. For some, it might be a cultural experience if you have the time to watch it!!
Disney Princesses: The Wrong Role Models
Almost every little girl has been exposed to so sort of Disney princess movie within her lifetime, usually starting at a very young age. The most popular of these tend to be, Cinderella, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Sleeping Beauty, Beauty and the Beast, and Pocahontas. The one thing that all of these movies have in common is that there is a princess and a prince that rescues her from some sort of situation. The situation could be slavery by an evil stepmother and stepsisters, being threatened, or even “put into a deep sleep” by the works of an evil witch, or the stress of a family in general. I have to admit that I was, and still am a one hundred percent Disney princess fan. Unfortunately, I see the flaws and dangers of an unstable, little girl watching and becoming attached to these characters’ enchanted stories.
Lets start with my personal favorite Cinderella. Cinderella is a young woman who is basically worked to death by her evil stepmother and stepsisters. At one point in the movie she is even locked up! As sad as it is, there are some real life situations that can easily parallel to this sad situation, but that is a different paper for a different time. In the movie she is told she cannot go to the big ball to meet the prince who is basically, testing out every young maiden in the land to see if he falls in love with her at first sight; that in it self is a false action that tricks the minds of little girls. It is very rare that a man will actually fall in love with you at first sighting of you; take you home and “play” that is probably a little more likely, but obviously not what you want your daughter to do either.
Cinderella, as most everyone knows, ends up getting this beautiful dress, glass slippers, a horse drawn carriage, and the opportunity to go to the ball. This little scenario is a little more realistic. It does happen that girls who are less fortunate than others get their dream dress, shoes, and a ride to things like prom because of family members, or now days reality T.V. shows. The false reality comes when the prince sees Cinderella in the hallway and goes after her. They lock eyes, start to twirl on the dance floor, and head out to the garden. There she realizes it is almost midnight, when her fairytale, will come to an end, and she runs away. This too might be a reality for some girls; the boy sees them, dances the night away with them, then she leaves in a hurry without leaving him with a number or anything. The difference between the reality and Cinderella is that in reality, the guy would probably just forget about her and move on to the next girl, but in Cinderella’s case the prince goes to the extremes to find her.
The prince, who by the way his name is Prince Charming (talk about arrogant), calls for all the Duke to go to every house in the land and allow for every “eligible maiden” to try on the famous glass slipper that Cinderella lost on her rush out of the castle. My first problem with this is, if the prince really loved Cinderella, why wouldn’t he be able to recognize her for her instead of if the shoe fit? That doesn’t help my argument any, other than the fact that a girl shouldn’t be smitten with a boy who can’t even tell her apart from all the other girls. The fact that no guy would send a search party to every house in the “kingdom” for a girl whom he doesn’t even know her name does help my argument. This is setting girls up for heartache. They meet a boy, and remember what their favorite Disney princess did, left without giving them any information, and then they wonder why they haven’t heard anything from the boy in days, weeks, etc.
After Cinderella’s mice friends help her escape the dusty room her evil stepmother locks her up in, and the Duke realizes that Cinderella is the perfect fit for the glass slipper, the movie cuts to the wedding of Mr. Prince Charming and Cinderella. So, Prince Charming falls in love with her at first sight, doesn’t remember what she looks like and sends the Duke to go fit her with her shoe, then marries her. How could he marry someone who he didn’t even know what she looked like from all the other girls in the kingdom? I’m sorry girls, but this doesn’t happen in real life, and if a guy were to ask you to marry you after having circumstances like this, don’t do it, he doesn’t know you well enough to marry you.
Another princess that has an unusual and unreal love life is Sleeping Beauty. She is born as a princess to the King and Queen, but the evil witch casts a spell on her at her birth. The King and Queen are afraid so they send her to grow up with the fairies; until her twenty-first birthday, when she is sent to go get berries so the fairies can plan for her surprise party. While she is out she comes across a man’s outfit. The animals of the forest dress up like the man and start to dance around with her while she sings. This is the first thing that grabs me about this movie. If you are out in the woods and come across a pile of clothes that belongs to a man, do not dance around with them. This could mean, as in this case that the man is still close by, but unlike this movie he is probably up to no good.
As the princess is dancing around and singing, the prince hears her singing and is captivated. Yes, this could happen, you may be a really good singer, and catch the ear of a man. Whether or not he is a prince that is a different story. The prince hears Sleeping Beauty singing and cuts in to dance with her, taking her away from her animal friends. They spend the afternoon dancing and singing through the forest and of course fall in love after one afternoon. She rushes home to the fairies and he rushes home to his dad to tell the great story of love. Once again, how is it possible to fall in love with someone you just met and danced with? I suppose it is possible, but a little girl shouldn’t think that this is how it happens everyday.
While the prince is professing his new found love to his father, the princess is captivated by the evil queen and led to the top of the tower where she is tricked into pricking her finger on the evil spinning wheel, and falls into a deep sleep; what is assumed to be a modern day coma. Somehow, still with no contact information, the prince figures out the evil plan of the witch. He rides off on his noble steed, fights the evil witch in the form of a dragon, kills her and runs to rescue his love. When he gets to her, even though he has only spend one day with her frolicking in the woods, he kisses her and she magically awakens and they get married. Now, ladies, usually a man will not figure out there is something wrong if you don’t answer his first few phone calls; he will assume that you are just not interested. So, if you are captured and put to sleep by an evil witch, sorry but the man you just met, most likely isn’t going to come save you.
As I said in the beginning of my paper, I am a huge Disney princess fan, but I do think that they can send false messages to young girls who do not have a stable home life. These girls can find parallels to these princesses in the fact that they come from rough homes, or have been abandoned by their parents and forced to live with other relatives, or anything. These girls find the similarities and think that if Cinderella can get out of enslavement and be with her prince, my prince will come too. Yes, I believe every little girl has a prince out there somewhere, but I do not think that he is going to come rushing in on a white horse, or send his Duke after you looking to see if your foot fits in a glass slipper. I think that you will meet him casually, and get to know him over a course of several dates, and then maybe after about six months or more get married and live a life that is going to have struggles. Even when you meet your prince you will not live happily ever after with not a care in the world, life is going to be hard and have struggles like how you will pay your bills, or whose in laws you are spending Christmas with. Whatever they may be, they will be there. So, I am not bashing the Disney stories. I am just trying to say to be careful, and make sure your little girls know that they are fairytales, and that life is different; it’s reality.
An Innocent Criminal?
Why would an author choose to write a book of sonnets about prisoners who have been put to death? This seems to be the question on everyone’s mind. What if she was trying to bring justice to the people who are accused unfairly, and to give the accused an innocent reputation? What if she is trying to get people to remember them in a more positive way?
Nicola Sacco was put to death on August 23, 1927 for the murder and robbery of two shoe factory workers. The eyewitnesses described the murders as being Italian looking; Sacco said he was in Boston taking a family portrait: he produced the photo at the trial. A known murderer confessed to the authorities that he was the man that killed the two factory workers, but they refused to investigate. Everything added up that Sacco, and his partner Vanzetti, were innocent, yet they were killed anyway. The sonnet dedicated to Nicola Sacco, arguably compares him to Jesus Christ who too, was crucified by the authorities who refused to believe Him.
“Killed/ by Judges, Scholars, Governors,”(12-13) are the people who are responsible for the death of Sacco, but this higher class of people is the same type of higher class that executed Jesus. Pilot was the governor; the Pharisees were considered teachers, or scholars, and the Jewish people served as the judge in the prosecution of Jesus.
Sacco is described as a “working” (11) man and a dreamer. Him, being an immigrant, assumedly dreamed about a better life for himself and his family. He also worked hard to provide for them in the shoe factory he worked for. As an anarchist, he also worked hard for what he believed in, even if most people didn’t believe the same thing. Jesus was also a hard worker. He worked as a carpenter doing hard labor work. He was born into a poor family, who couldn’t afford an inn and stayed in a barn in order for Jesus to be born, which means that He probably worked hard to provide for His family the same as Sacco did. After being baptized, Jesus then began the hard of spreading the Good News. The Good News also happened to be what He believed very strongly in. Not only did people not believe the same thing, but He was also criticized and persecuted for it. It is believed that through the trial, the fact that Sacco was an antarchist kept being used against him. Even though it can’t be proven that that is the reason he was executed, it can easily be a presumed deciding factor for his death, much like Jesus’ beliefs eventually led to Him being executed.
In the sonnet, Sacco is said to have written to his children, “Be strong, dear Dante. Comfort your mother. Or/ Ines, in every angle, this sad walled cell/ and everywhere my gaze rests, I love you/ much, then so much.” (4-7). It is believed that Jesus wrote and told His followers, also referred to as His children, what to do after He was crucified. Sacco wrote to tell his children to look after their mother, that he loved them, and that he was always watching over them. Jesus commands his followers to do similar tasks, such as loving one another as they would love themselves, and He told them He would always be with them in the form of the Holy Spirit.
Sacco “will/ be remembered in gratitude and tears,” (10-11) is what the sonnet says was found in a magazine after he was put to death. “Gratitude” refers to thankfulness, so Sacco will be remembered with the heart of gratitude, people will be thankful for what he did: died for something he shouldn’t have. Jesus is also remembered with great thankfulness. He died for the sin of the world, so sinners would not have to die for their own sins. Most people have a thankfulness, or gratitude for Him in their hearts. Sacco was also remembered with “tears” in the hearts of the people. It was sad for a lot of people: his family, friends, co-workers, and other Italian immigrants, when he was put to death for something he didn’t deserve. The day Jesus was crucified, the Bible says that not very many people cried, but think about today, almost two thousand years later, and how many cry when they hear a preacher speak a message about that day and what it meant. This is significance that people remember Him with tears, but they are also filled with gratitude for why He died. Sacco may not have died to save the world, but he was still remembered by people who had gratitude in the hearts and tears in their eyes.
It is often sung in praise songs, “Exalted is the King of Kings!” and it is often said, “Exalted is the Lord Jesus.” “Exalted” is a word that is used to describe Jesus everyday. It represents his awesomeness and majesty. Sacco is said to be one of the “exalted”(11) working me and dreamer in the sonnet. He is being described with the same word that people use to describe Jesus, the Savior of the Universe. This is not say that Sacco is being described as being equal to Jesus, but that maybe his purpose for dying has an impact on peoples lives, as does the death of Jesus to the world. Sacco’s death represents an immigrant being executed for being an immigrant, someone working hard to make it in America, to build a life, and provide for his family. Jesus’ death represents a man dying for the sins of the world, to provide for His family in Christ and build a path for them to get to the Father in Heaven. “Exalted/ shall be these working me,”(11-12).
Trying to come up with an answer to why someone would write a book of poems about executed criminals is not the easiest task, but when you dig deeper, it’s easier to see that not all the criminals are as evil as they appear; in many cases they not even be criminals at all.
Cultural Event #1 - Gamma Sigma Not For Me…
jlhughe190: I know exactly how you feel about the whole sorority thing. I never actually rushed but I had friends who did, and I witnessed all of their stress. I think sororities are great from some people, but it’s just not for me.
Cultural: of or pertaining to culture
Culture: (n) The predominating attitudes and behavior that characterize the functioning of a group or organization
I chose the definition of culture as seen above after attending my first sorority rush at Clemson University. I have always known that I am not cut out to be the “typical” sorority girl, always peppy and happy, always made-up, always in a dress and looking sweet, and most importantly, friends with all their “sisters”. These people have a “predominating attitude or behaviour” that allows them to function within the group that is known as a sorority.
Gamma Sigma Sigma, a sorority about community service and serving the greater good of the community surrounding, seemed like a perfect avenue for me because of how passionate I am about community service and giving back. However, I walked into a situation I was not ready or prepared for. First of all, who knew that joining a sorority would cost upwards of $130 dollars a semester, not including all the dresses, events and lettered shirts that one must wear to be “accepted” in that community. That was the first shock of the night, as I sat against the wall hoping that someone would come and talk to me. The second shock came when I noticed that all the girls in the room were not dressed up, but in t-shirts and jeans and I was the odd ball. I thought surely I would have to look nice to be accepted during a sorority function. So, I took hours to dry my hair, to put on make-up and to pick out the perfectly coordinated outfit and shoes. Complete with bright coloured accessories. Those bright coloured accessories made me stick out like a sore thumb, and I knew it.
Regardless of how I was feeling, the meeting and the night went on. Everyone around me was mingling, giggling, talking, eating the food that was brought by the “sisters” and seemed relatively comfortable in the crowded and busy environment. We were all sitting in the David Peebles Room at Hendrix, not a very big room, with no furniture, so naturally most girls lined up against the walls before their friends came to meet with them and then there were up and eating at the food tables. In entered the sisters of Gamma Sig, eager to make friends with the new recruits. They were all so excited, but I was too tired and worn out from the seven hours of classes that day to really care. Before I knew it, I was part of a never-ending process of “ice breakers”.
The games included finding your pair (if I were Minnie, you were Mickey, if I were Jersey Shore, you were “The Situation”), talking points based on coloured Skittles and “speed dating” activities. I met so many people and had to be so interested in all their babble, I could not tell you who I actually met or what they were actually saying to me. Overall, the experience was overwhelming and it took me a whole five minutes to realize I was not cut out for anything “sorority”, even if it was a far cry from the social sororities found on campus.
Needless to say, I found out a lot about myself during that hour that seemed to last for days, and decided once and for all that I will stick to my Civics and Service House community and away from sororities in general.
Cultural Event #1 - Gamma Sigma Not For Me…
Cultural: of or pertaining to culture
Culture: (n) The predominating attitudes and behavior that characterize the functioning of a group or organization
I chose the definition of culture as seen above after attending my first sorority rush at Clemson University. I have always known that I am not cut out to be the “typical” sorority girl, always peppy and happy, always made-up, always in a dress and looking sweet, and most importantly, friends with all their “sisters”. These people have a “predominating attitude or behaviour” that allows them to function within the group that is known as a sorority.
Gamma Sigma Sigma, a sorority about community service and serving the greater good of the community surrounding, seemed like a perfect avenue for me because of how passionate I am about community service and giving back. However, I walked into a situation I was not ready or prepared for. First of all, who knew that joining a sorority would cost upwards of $130 dollars a semester, not including all the dresses, events and lettered shirts that one must wear to be “accepted” in that community. That was the first shock of the night, as I sat against the wall hoping that someone would come and talk to me. The second shock came when I noticed that all the girls in the room were not dressed up, but in t-shirts and jeans and I was the odd ball. I thought surely I would have to look nice to be accepted during a sorority function. So, I took hours to dry my hair, to put on make-up and to pick out the perfectly coordinated outfit and shoes. Complete with bright coloured accessories. Those bright coloured accessories made me stick out like a sore thumb, and I knew it.
Regardless of how I was feeling, the meeting and the night went on. Everyone around me was mingling, giggling, talking, eating the food that was brought by the “sisters” and seemed relatively comfortable in the crowded and busy environment. We were all sitting in the David Peebles Room at Hendrix, not a very big room, with no furniture, so naturally most girls lined up against the walls before their friends came to meet with them and then there were up and eating at the food tables. In entered the sisters of Gamma Sig, eager to make friends with the new recruits. They were all so excited, but I was too tired and worn out from the seven hours of classes that day to really care. Before I knew it, I was part of a never-ending process of “ice breakers”.
The games included finding your pair (if I were Minnie, you were Mickey, if I were Jersey Shore, you were “The Situation”), talking points based on coloured Skittles and “speed dating” activities. I met so many people and had to be so interested in all their babble, I could not tell you who I actually met or what they were actually saying to me. Overall, the experience was overwhelming and it took me a whole five minutes to realize I was not cut out for anything “sorority”, even if it was a far cry from the social sororities found on campus.
Needless to say, I found out a lot about myself during that hour that seemed to last for days, and decided once and for all that I will stick to my Civics and Service House community and away from sororities in general.
I know how you feel about the whole sorority experience. I never actually rushed, but from what I heard from friends and witnessed as they all stressed out for a whole week, I decided I didn’t want to be apart of if either. I’m really involved with Campus Crusade that meets on Tuesday nights at 7:45 in Tillman auditorium if you ever want to come!
Swing Dancing.. and I don’t mean Western Swing…
I’m sure many of you don’t know very well, but if we ever get the chance to know each other, you find out that I am a country girl, who happens to enjoy English. I know that I shouldn’t be acceptable to stereotypes, but there is no avoiding being pinned with the country girl title for me. That’s me, I live to ride and take care of my horses, I love rodeos, and western films. One of the highlights of my life is going western line dancing on the weekends. I know it’s not the “typical” college weekend lifestyle, but again, it’s me.
So, with knowing a little more about what my life is like, I wonder if you can imagine the look on my face when my roommate, from the big city of Atlanta, asked me to go with her to swing dancing at 356 in downtown Clemson. Now, I love to dance, I actually took many, many dance classes when I was growing up, a whole sixteen years worth actually, but never had I even attempted such a thing as swing dancing. My first thought was, “Sure! This sounds like it could be fun!” then my second thought was, “who the heck am I going to trust to swing me in the air?!?!” My idea of swing dancing was what I had seen in the movies and on Dancing with the Stars.
Well, the time finally came and we were off to downtown to go swing dancing. I was really excited and nervous at the same time. As we are walking up to 356, I can hear the music coming from the door. It was what one would think as far as swing music, I guess you would call it Big Band. It wasn’t too bad, but you have to remember I am used to listening to country music, so it took some getting used to at first. The first thing I saw when I walked in were lots of couples on the floor swinging each other around. Immediately, I rethought my decision to come, who was I going to dance with, not to mention I had no idea what I was doing. Monica was seemed right at home there, we walked in and stood to the side, and it was maybe five minutes before a guy asked her to dance. I watched, all smiles, at how well they danced together. It seemed to just flow. I asked her after if she knew him, and she said that it was the first time they ever met. I was floored, and even more nervous. It seemed to happen so fast, I turned my head and there was this guy standing in front of me, looking at me like I was supposed to read his mind. So naturally, I just smiled and stared back; talk about an awkward two seconds. Finally, he smiled and asked me if I would like to dance. I immediately turned to Monica and said, talking to him, “I don’t know what to do.” Monica was all smiles as she pushed me out on the floor, and he was really nice and took my hand and taught me the basic steps.
Thankfully my dance experience kicked in, and I was able to pick up on it pretty quick, nothing fancy though, just the basics. After that, the night was so much fun! We danced all night, with different people and to different songs. The whole car ride back to our apartment I talked about how I can’t believe I want to go back. So there you have it, a country girl stepping into a new environment and loving it! I recommend swing dancing at 356 on Monday nights to everyone!
Introduction Post!!
Name: Sommer Kitts
Major: Secondary Education English
Hometown: Simpsonville, SC
Favorite Book: Just about anything from Nicholas Sparks
Favorite Movie: Three way tie between Cinderella, Forest Gump, and 8 Seconds
Favorite Band: Probably Loretta Lynne
