Proposal

As I said in class I am thinking about using Victoria's Secret as my public space and I actually went this weekend to check it out again.  I find this space appealing mainly because I find the store unlike any other store.  It promotes sexuality to all ages in many different ways.  I also find the Victoria's Secret Company as a whole a very interesting one.  Their magazine is seen by the majority of Americans, along with phenomenal runway shows which can now be seen 24/7 on VS TV.  I also choose it because if you have ever been in there and watch the people shop around in there it can be very interesting, especially when someone brings there husband/boyfriend in there.  Men's reactions to all the bras and panties everywhere is priceless!

I hope that I can find all sorts of people walking in, especially since Valentine's day is just around the corner.  I think it is so interesting that VS puts their P!NK line at the front of the store.  VS P!NK line is a line of lingerie directed towards teenage girls including things like sweatshirts and sweatpants to cute underwear and bras.  Another thing I find interesting is VS is a company that says they are looking for a "fuller" model but I don't know about you but I still think they are pretty little! VS carries a workout clothing line as well and I find it very interesting that it is placed next to the dressing room.  It's almost like its saying "Hey, didn't like what you saw in the mirror well here we carry everything you need to get in shape, including cute clothing."

I am part of the target audience, I'm a female that loves to have girly things and all that can be found in VS.  I think VS tries to get as many people in as possible as well.  When I went this past weekend I noticed that they are now promoting a Vintage Victoria targeted to the older women with more coverage and not as BRIGHT PINK anymore. 

I think I have just stated many of my pre-conceived ideas and hope that many of them will either stay or be changed just by spending time there.  I had an education class last year that I had to write observation papers for every week and I really learned to not pre-judge and to really write what I was seeing.  I look forward to working on this project...but if you feel other wise let me know!

In class: Ideas for 1st assignment

Have been thinking about this as I have been going around town. I first thought of the TCU rec mainly because I do spend a ton of time there (at different times everyday) but then I got to thinking that it might be pretty popular and I don't really want to do the same as half the class.
I starting thinking about places I shop and the first one that came to mind was Victoria Secert. They just released their annual swim catalog that I'm pretty sure is one of the most popular magazines because it gets sent to just about every home in America! The store is rather interesting to me mainly because the front of the store is laid out in all their Pink stuff which clearly attracts the younger girls and then the back (where you have to check out) is full of the more "sophisticated" wear. The store also cares all sorts of fragrances and lotions along with work-out wear, which is oddly placed closer to the dressing room, almost saying if you don't like how you looked in the mirror here's some work-out gear that might just help you get that look you want aka the huge poster girl we have hanging behind our check out counter.

In Class: Morning Parking Mess

So this year is my last year and for the first time I have given up on the parking situation! I have been parking in the sandage lot (which I think is a pretty weird name) and then a little bus takes you over here the only thing is if you ( like I did today) get there right when a bus is just leaving you are going to have to wait close to 10 mins and most likely be a little late. Meaning I got to school today at 9:15 parked and ready for class and since I just missed the bus, like it was leaving when I was getting out of my car, I was a few mins late to class! I hate being late to class, it gets me rushed, it makes me feel like the rest of the class I will be a little behind. I like getting to class getting my thing situated and then doing, check my e-mail, whatever I need to be ready! Sorry I'm a OCD.
Well the parking at TCU I don't think will ever get any better because the city of Fort Worth doesn't not want huge parking buildings because they think it will make their city look worse? Have they ever been to Baylor or SMU their parking garages look better than some of their buildings! Its just so fustrating that if you want a parking spot you have to be here on campus at least 30-40 mins before your class starts, and I don't know about you but that means I would have to wake up a ton earlier and that's just not going to happen. This is college and my last year to get to sleep till 9:00 because here soon I will have to be at work at 8!!! Hope all is well!!

THE Inauguration Under the Argument Microscope

The Inauguration of Barak Obama was eye opening to the world of argument.  It was also a historical event that will never be forgotten, and one that was seen by more than 1.4 million people live at National Mall in D.C. 

Let's start with the simple visuals at the inauguration. Something I noticed right off the bat was Michelle Obama's lime green outfit, along with the two daughters, one in a purple/blue outfit and the other in orange. What you choose to wear, as we have said, is very argumentative.  As they have said First Lady Michelle choose an American designer to design her outfit for the formal inauguration and the ball gown in order to promote American fashion.  The two girls outfits came from J.Crew, another American line.  I just wonder if that was the only thing she was promoting...couldn't you also say those colors were ones not usually seen on the first lady at past inaugurations, implementing the notion of CHANGE? I loved it!

Barak Obama's speech was exactly what America needed to hear and with saying that involved heaps of past, present, and future argument.  To start with the past, Obama says, "Forty-four Americans have now taken the presidential oath.  The words have been spoken during rising tides of prosperity and the still waters of peace.  Yet, every so often the oath is taken amidst gathering clouds and raging storms."  He bluntly stating an argument of past.  Many people very involved in the economic downfall right now probably feel that no president has said those words and the economy be as atrocious as it is now (especially since you would almost be 80 if you were born on Black Tuesday).  

One present argument he makes is, "Our economy is badly weakened, a consequence of greed and irresponsibility on the part of some, but also our collective failure to make hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age."  Not all would agree that this is a consequence of greed, in fact many don't.  

He states an argument of future as well, "They will not be met easily or in a short span of time. But know this, America-they will be met."  We all hope they will be met, but there is no way to say 100% that they will.  I would say the speech Barak Obama was not sugarcoated and something I feel our country needed to hear.  One that informed us all of how he wants to see things ran.

In Class:Reading

After reading the first chapter Everything's an Argument, I really got a little more excited about taking this class. To me everything is an argument and I really saw that before I read the chapter. If we all agreed on everything wouldn't we all be settling on life. For example: I had a professor last semester that gave me a 75 on my first speech, her commits were great job, great information, nicely out-lined and then at the very top I had gone over the time by a min. So when I got my grade back I was shocked to see a 75, this was not my first speech class and in my major (which is mainly speeches-communication) I have a 3.78 gpa so I think I'm pretty good at it. If I would have just settled with the grade and not gone and talked to her about it I probably would have never recovered from the grade could have maybe got a B in the class. But if you know me, you know I went and talked to her about it.

The book gives some great examples as to how everything is an argument from the way something is laid out on a web site to simple street signs. I completely agree with Andrea Lunsford. I'm not a rebel per-say but I do enjoy controversy.

Hi! My name is Ashley Thomas and I'm a senior here at TCU and will graduate this May! (I'm not that excited about it though) I'm a communications major and RTVF minor. I'm from Kerrville, TX which is about 45 mins. outside of San Antonio. I'm very close to my family even though they are 4 hours away.

As far as writing goes, formal writing usually stresses me out, but I love communicating through technology like texting, facebook chat, IM. I feel like now days you have to be able to write because some people forget that you can actually use your cell phone to TALK on the phone. When I was younger I always tried to keep a diary but it never worked so now I use my agenda planner to keep up with what I do (sounds stupid I know) but literally I put everything in it (even if its already happened).

I do believe everything is an argument and I really took this class not just because its required but because I enjoy arguments sometimes, especially if I win. Without an argument we are all just settling on what we think. There is no way we all thing the same about everything. I'm really looking forward to the discussions we will have in this class!

And just a warning this is my first time ever to do a blog of any sort but I'm looking forward to the experience especially since I'm going to London in June and I think this will be a good way to keep all my friends and family up to date with what's going on! I agree to the terms of the course syllabus.