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Journal #12: Pathos Appeals

 The ad definitely aims to evoke a melancholic feeling during the opening shot of the Native American man alone on the pond. It feels as though we are witnessing the aftermath of a long, stressful journey. The instrumental sounds almost like a horror movie-esque Jaws type of theme with the foreboding tone, but it gradually becomes louder and harsh as the man approaches the shore, leaning into that idea. After the man reaches the shore (accompanies by some shots of pollution), the tone shifts slightly to make the audience feel disgust at pollution and the people who carelessly destroy the natural world. The deep-voiced narrator offers some transition into this idea, but the shot of the person throwing litter out of the window and the subsequent shot panning up the Indian man as it falls by his feet are intended to make us feel both spite and sadness.  The way in which this ad attempts to provoke empathy in viewers is by taking something universally known- a Native American man-...
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Journal #10: Nonverbal Behaviors

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        Although all three prompts interested me, I chose the first since I have less to say about it and I feel really terrible for subjecting you to last week's long chunk of text.  In terms of how I present myself physically, it definitely differs depending on who I am interacting with.  Normally, I'll wear black pants that are a tad too big, a plain shirt, and a sweatshirt, often also oversized. Even though I do not intend it as such, it implies to the people around me that I prioritize comfort over style and am not very particular about my clothing. I tend to re-wear outfits frequently, even in the same week, which does not help that assumption.     In reality, I am actually very particular when it comes to my clothes. I have certain combinations that I really enjoy, hence why I wear them frequently. My clothes are not oversized for comfort, but rather because I despise the feeling of skin-tight clothing. I always wear black pants because the...
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Journal #9: Reappropriation of Language

 For this assignment, I chose the term "nerd" partially because I have been called one a number of times and secondly, because I feel I am not the most comfortable speaking and using a lot of the other reappropriated terms that came up in my searches. WARNING: lots of yapping ahead. This prompt really got me thinking, and when I think, I ramble. You might want to start putting maximums on these journals just for my sake, haha. According to an npr.org article, the exact origins of the word is unknown, but one of the most popular theories is that it began as either a nonsensical word from a children's book or evolved from a similar term, "nert", which was a synonym of fool. Eventually, the term came to be associated with people who were awkward but excelled academically. Pop culture referenced nerds, boosting the term's popularity and giving them the iconic thick-glasses andbook smart traits that we recognize as part of the archetype today.  "'Nerd...
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Journal #8: Listening Self-Assessment

 When it comes to listening, I'm a mixed bag. I wouldn't consider myself a super effective listener, but I'd also struggle to say I'm an insufficient listener. When speaking one-on-one with another person, I feel as though I actually listen less intently than if I were sitting down and writing notes for a presentation.  Listening to an instructor or presenter is easier for me because I am not "on the spot" as much as when I am talking with just one person. I feel a lot less pressure on me when sitting down and not actively engaging in a conversation, which makes it easier for me to pay attention to what someone is saying. There is less pressure to look enthused in what they are saying because they have such a large audience that one person makes no difference to them. On the other hand, when it comes to speaking with just one person and listening to what they are saying, I find that I focus less on what they are saying because I have a tendency to get stuck in...
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Journal #7: Self-Evaluation

     To put it lightly, my speech was a catastrophe.      I joined a Zoom call with some classmates as discussed in the audience-gathering discussion post, and we knocked out our speeches one by one. During my first attempt, I was about partway through until I realized I had forgot to hit screen record on my phone. Embarrassing, and it definitely made me feel a little extra anxiety, but I took a few breaths (and held my dog in my lap for a while) and I was prepared for my second attempt. I believe it went well, if not for a few hiccups and awkward pauses where I forgot what my next talking point was.     Flash forward to 10/1, the day in which I am writing this, and I realized I made another error: I recorded the speech, but I hit the "record media" button rather than "record microphone", meaning that you cannot hear me in that recording and I thus have to do it again. I will get it done, even though it will be last minute, but in terms of prepare...
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Journal #6: Self-Concept

 From my list, I have chosen a couple of examples from each of the 6 examples provided, which I shall now list out. Physically, I'd consider wearing glasses to be pretty distinct, as I've worn them since age 3, and for the second is my flexibility in general, which works as a great party trick. Social trait-wise, I am definitely awkward, and I have a tendency to mumble. When it comes to roles, I am not completely sure what that refers to, but I suppose I'm a decent listener? I have plenty of defining interests (dogs, my slightly unorthodox music taste, etc), and I am unsure of talents I possess. Memory, maybe? And, finally, as far as belief systems go, I don't subscribe to any religion. All of that being said, I have always perceived myself as fairly average, if not a bit on the introverted side. I am by no means fantastic at speaking, and when it comes to actually presenting or giving my thoughts, I usually stumble over my words and start shaking like my best friend...
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Journal #5: My Speaking Inspiration

     To be completely honest, I hardly know any celebrities or public speakers. I have never been engaged in that sort of thing (after all, isn't it a little odd how these peoples' lives are put on a pedestal just because they're super dramatic or controversial or entertaining, meanwhile normal people, many of whom are just as interesting, fade into obscurity 10 times as fast once they die? Maybe I'm just cynical, but it irks me).         That being said, I do know a lot of fantastic public speakers in real life, so I'll instead be showcasing them rather than some random celebrity. Namely, my high school Rhetoric teacher Mr. Adam Depew. What a legend, that fellow. Although the class was primarily for writing essays and analyzing literature, what times he did give a lecture were always so engaging.          Usually, he'd give lectures after an essay when introducing our next topic, or as we were reading The Sea-Wolf, our no...
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