Here it is. Tell me what you think please.
Is there a safe haven
Anywhere? Anyone?
What’s so wrong with being
Different?
Is that the right word?
Am I
Different?
Or am I myself?
I’m not really sure anymore
Everywhere I turn
Everywhere I listen
I hear that being gay means I’m
Different?
Hold on a second!
What if I’m normal
And everyone else is
Different?
I’m not really sure anymore
Everywhere I turn
Everywhere I listen
Hello?
Anyone out there listening?
Thanks,
Douglas Robert
Here are some lines I just added to my paper from former Republican candidate for the pres. nomination.
“I feel homosexuality is an aberrant, unnatural, and sinful lifestyle, and we now know it can pose a dangerous public health risk.”
“If the federal government is truly serious about doing something with the AIDS virus, we need to take steps that would isolate the carriers of this plague…. It is difficult to understand the public policy towards AIDS. It is the first time in the history of civilization in which the carriers of a genuine plague have not been isolated from the general population, and in which this deadly disease for which there is no cure is being treated as a civil rights issue instead of the true health crisis it represents.”
Wow, I can’t believe people like this get elected…
Doug.
Some additions to my multi-genre piece:
The Interview:
-In three words, how would your friends describe you?
-What is your biggest downfall?
-Why do you want to become a night clerk?
-What do you think that the importance of being a night clerk is?
-How do you react in times of crisis or high pressure?
-How would you control a large number or rowdy people?
-What would you do if a large male was being extremely disruptive and disrespectful to you?
-Are you available for up to 15 hours a week including the weekend?
The Warning:
Email from: Jake Minahan
Head of Night Clerks
Tompkins Hall
Night Clerks,
It has recently come to my attention that some of you have prior obligations and wish to alter the schedule for the month of February 2008. Again, if you are not present at the scheduling meeting, YOU WILL BE ASSIGNED to work days. If you at the meeting. Have a list of available days prepared to show me. Those who are present and prepared at the meeting will have first choice.
Thanks,
Jake
Stacia
The Billboard
Brooklyn, New York Vs. Cortland, New York
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If you are interested in…
($13 just for ONE ticket to a movie)
Brooklyn is the place for you!
|
If you prefer…
($9 for ONE ticket at Carousel Mall)
Central New York is your destination!
|
“The steps In-Between”
“Mom, I’m going to go spend the night with Clare in Cortland. She lives on campus and the school is providing tours.”
“Okay. I hope it’s worth spending more time on the bus than you do on the campus.”
“Could you be positive or excited for me for even just one minute? Is that too much to ask?”
“You’ll never get the education at Cortland that you would have received from Saint Joseph’s.”
“Watch me.”
The front door slams.
If only she knew…
SUNY Cortland Saint Joseph’s
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A few thoughts for those “Friends”
Three years have passed and amazing things have happened.
I have grown, changed, matured, and created a life that you would be jealous of.
You tried to belittle me, but you did not succeed. For just one moment recall those comments you made to me. Can you believe those words came out of your mouths? And you called yourselves my friends?!
You got defensive of my decision because you were mad you didn’t have the courage to do it yourself. But next time you are shallow enough to try to drag someone down, just make sure they aren’t stronger than you are.
I would do it all over again if I could. Deleting all of you out of my life was not a difficult task. You sure didn’t provide much of anything worth holding onto.
I have real friends now; friends who are supporting, encouraging, and dependable.
“They” say you should learn from your mistakes and luckily I did. I learned from you.
Kristin
This article surprised me and forced me to look at my own multi-genre paper with new eyes. I thought it was interesting how the female author “define[d] herself through others” (55). I am interested to look over my piece and see if I do this as well. The male papers “demonstrate the individual’s (male) search for identity…the male students’ understandings of gender reveal an awareness and rejection of gendered societal expectation” (55). This reminds me of the gendered language study we have been discussing in ENG 407. In that class, we have been learning about how women are expected to be more passive while men are more aggressive. It seems that this can be related to the article because women define themselves through others while men are more straight-forward. I was not entirely convinced that all of these differences occur in the language of males and females, but this article was really convincing.
This article just emphasized to me how great multi-genre papers are for students because, as the article points out, “when students are no longer limited by the number of paragraphs, citation formats, or singleness of form, students are no longer constrained by singularity of idea” (56). This statement would mean that are students are experiencing multiple ideas which embody critical thinking. By looking at a topic in a variety of ways, students can write in order to discover ideas that they did not have previously. I know that my multi-genre paper has allowed me to view night clerking from many different angles.
Stacia
CUTTING
A new phenomenon among desperate teens overwhelmed
by emotions which they can’t express, self-injury is becoming
an increasingly popular and dangerous form of self-expression.
“Hey! What’s wrong babe?”
“Nothing, just nothing”
Looking down at her wrists.
“Come on, you know you can’t hide anything from me. I’m your best friend, what’s wrong?”
“I’m just not myself lately, don’t worry about me, there is nothing wrong!”
Continuing to look down.
“Are you sure? You know you can talk to me.”
“I guess….”
Thought no one really cares about me, I’m on my own.
“Okay, whatevs, what are you doing tonight?”
“I have a busy night ahead of me of stuff to do.”
By myself like always…
I’m watching you disappear
But you were never really there
It’s only my shadow
You’re only my shadow
How can I control myself?
When there is nothing there
All I want is to see your face
Yet its not truly you
It’s black, I can’t see me anymore
Losing myself is hard
A rush comes over me
No control until I look down
The deed is done
The pain is away
I don’t want this to leave
I don’t want just a memory
I want more than just my shadow
Why can’t I be me?
CUTTING
Is a form of self injury where the person makes small cuts on their body,
Usually arms and legs,
It may resemble a suicide attempt but it is really a cry for help.
No one sees me for who I am
A girl wishing for the world
But how is someone else suppose to care
When I don’t even care about myself
I walk through school
Where no one sees me
I’m surrounded by “friends”
None of which who really care
The long pants and sleeves I wear
On those hot days
Not a single “friend” questions why?
I’m anorexic. No
I’m pist at the world. No
I’m always cold. NO
But no one sees the real problem
I just want to be heard
I want to be able to accept myself
I can’t
And no one wants to see the truth
My hidden truth
CONVERSATION BETWEEN PARENTS IS MISSING!
Dear Journal
I hate my life! I heard my mom and dad watching television earlier today and there was a report on what they are now calling “cutting”. Yea, I guess you can call my escape from pain “cutting” it is what I do. I call it my savior, my only way to feel control. I feel like that is my only way to escape from my sucky life. Carving into my skin of my crushes initials is my escape. My parents don’t understand this new concept of “cutting”, they argue about how bad it is and that thank god it isn’t affecting any of their children. I think my parents are blind to me. I put up such a high wall to fool my parents that I’m happy. I wonder what they would say if they knew what I’m doing or that I spend every night crying. Their perfect baby girl cuts herself, what would they do? I don’t even want them to find out anymore because they will most likely just yell at me! How would that help? Oh, it wouldn’t! Seeing them watch tv and yell about it, I know I have no safe haven to tell thee truth. Too bad, another day goes by wasted with no one caring. I guess its about that time again…
- Halie
MEDICAL DESPCRIPTION MISSING
The age of the teens is expanding,
It use to be around age 14 now it is as low as 9.
An estimated 2 to 3 million Americans are affected by
CUTTING
Cry for Help
“Halie, what is wrong with you?”
“What do you mean?
“It’s 85 degrees outside, why are you wearing a sweatshirt?”
“Because, mom”
“Halie, why are you wearing that sweatshirt? It’s so hot!”
“I’m comfy, why do you care?”
“I don’t know”
“Yea, that’s what I thought.”
It really is a hot day today, Slides sleeves up arm revealing scars from past and present cutting sessions. No one is around, right? WRONG!
“What happened to your arms?”
“I don’t know I must have scratched myself.”
“On what?”
“We haven’t done anything so that would happen.”
Oh shit, now even my best friend is against me- Just lie for me please.
“I’ve been worried about you”
“Why?”
“You haven’t been yourself lately, don’t think I don’t hear you cry at night. Honey, what’s wrong?”
“Nothing”
“Now that you mentioned it, you are a little different, what’s up?”
“I’m just depressed!” Crying sobs begin and tears roll down her face.
“So, your willing to hurt yourself?”
“Who said anything about hurting myself?” Not like my arms don’t say enough.
“Just look at yourself, what can we do to help?”
“Nothing” Looking down at her arms “It’s my way to escape”
“Escape what?”
“Everything alright…. School, home, decisions, relationships, stress, dance work… Everything. I don’t know what is wrong with me; I’m jut not happy. This is a way for me to feel like I’m in control of my life when I don’t normally feel that way.” In between sobs.
Holding her tightly “I Love you!”
Rubbing her back “ I do too!
I have finally reached my breaking point…
Here is my newest addition to my multi-genre piece, a list of things to bring when night clerking!
PACKING LIST
- 2 long sleeve shirts and 1 sweat shirt
- 1 pair of bright fuzzy slippers
- 1 fleece blanket
- 1 laptop
- 3 books and 4 binders of homework (You might not get to these…)
- 3 packs of gum (varying flavors)
- Food for yourself: 1 container of cheerios
1 package of pop tarts
2 snack size bags of chips
1 orange (it takes up time to peel it!)
At least 2 water bottles
- Food for the drunks: 1 box of week-old Peeps (they don’t notice the hardness!)
½ of a pizza (your leftovers from last night)
1 liter of flat soda
- 1 deck of Uno cards (those games can be endless!)
- 2 Advil
Some think I’m a camper, some think I am just a pig, but no, I’m the night clerk.
Let me know what you think or if there is anything I could add!
Stacia
I’ve been introduced to a lot of pastiche work this year, and having little knowledge about them I decided to look them up to find out more about them. I thought about maybe doing one for my mutli genre paper, but I’m not really sure how I would do it. If anyone would like to explore with them here is a website I found.
http://www.bewilderingstories.com/issue197/cc_pastiche.html
Hope it’s helpful for some of you!
-Aut
I am excited! I just wrote another piece that I think I will include in my Night Clerking Multi-Genre piece. This piece is from my point of view, but I plan on presenting other voices as it continues.
Rule # 1: Be at least 5 minutes early in order to get set up by 11pm.
I yawn and stretch as my eyes unwillingly glance at the bright red numbers radiating from the clock by my bed.
10:45, it screams at me in silent insistence.
“Ugh,” I groan as I blink my eyes awake.
I glance over at my roommate who is also waking. In synchronicity, we sit up, push off our matching comforters and pack our backpacks with homework that we were hoping to resist facing until Sunday. But, sadly, our Friday night will consist of checking endless IDs, signing in guests, chatting with the pizza guy, rationalizing with people who can hardly stand, and trying to squeeze in some homework amongst the chaos.
“Ready?” I ask as I pull my extra large staff shirt over my many layers of bulky clothing. I know the bitter wind will be nipping at our limbs more and more with each frostbitten arrival.
“Yes,” she responds as she tosses one strap of her overstuffed bag onto her shoulder.
Together, we begin on our short walk to the remodeled lobby of our hall. She hangs up the colorful and glittery “Night Clerk on Duty” signs while I retrieve the neon green guest registration binder. We sign in, set up, sit back, and try to enjoy the silence before our fun-loving peers come in from the perpetual dark of the night.
Let me know what you think!
Stacia
For those of you that don’t know, I have decided to change my multi-genre topic back to night clerking! It just seemed more fun with more creative opportunities. Here is a little funny poem I wrote:
You see our red shirts
you run
you hide.
Behind your closed doors you think you’re safe
But you were safe outside.
I laugh at your stupor
your paranoia,
your fright.
Because only we know our lack of authority.
Get the RA?
I just might.
This is just a starting point. I am struggling a little with how my piece will have a beginning, middle, and end. Do you think that I should do it like the beginning, middle, and end of my night clerking shift??
Stacia
