Extra Credit

Vindicated by Dashboard Confessional

Hope dangles on a string
Like slow-spinning redemption
Winding in and winding out
The shine of it has caught my eye
And roped me in 
So mesmerizing so hypnotizing
I am captivated
I am 

Vindicated
I am selfish 
I am wrong 
I am right, I swear I'm right
Swear I knew it all along and
I am flawed
But I am cleaning up so well
I am seeing in me now the things you swore you saw yourself

So clear like the diamond in your ring
Cut to mirror your intention
Over-sized and overwhelmed
The shine of which has caught my eye
And rendered me so isolated
So motivated
I am certain now that 
I am 

Vindicated
I am selfish I am wrong
I am right, I swear I'm right
Swear I knew it all along and
I am flawed 
But I am cleaning up so well
I am seeing in me now the things you swore you saw yourself

So turn up the corners of your lips
Part them and feel my fingertips
Trace the moment, fall forever
Defense is paper thin
Just one touch and I'd be in too deep now
To ever swim against the current
So let me slip away 
So let me slip away
So let me slip away
So let me slip against the current
So let me slip away (4x)

Vindicated
I am selfish I am wrong
I am right, I swear I'm right
Swear I knew it all along
And I am flawed, but I am cleaing up so well
I am seeing in me now the things you swore you saw yourself

Slight hope 
It dangles on a string
Like slow spinning redemption

I feel this song is about a guy or girl who is in fact confused over his or her feelings and reactions towards a likely failed relationship. This is evident in many of the contradictory statements made in parts of the song. e.g. 'hopes: winding in, winding out' 'feelings: so isolated, so motivated'.

However, because the song is specially titled 'vindicated', the author must have felt vindictive towards something. This I presume is that although (likely) the reason for breakup is that he is selfish thus wrong, he was right because the girl actually cheated on him, and thus vindicated of that blame for breakup.

For example, if a guy likes a girl, but was being too possessive, thus making selfish demands like 'I don't want you to meet that guy'. He was wrong in the sense that he was in fact being too possessive. But however, he was right (vindicated) because the girl did intend to cheat and thus he is not to be blamed for the failed relationship. This is clearly written in this paragraph of that song

'So clear Like the diamond in your ring, Cut to mirror your intention, Oversized and overwhelmed the shine of which has caught my eye, And rendered me so Isolated so Motivated, I am Certain now that I am Vindicated'

Her intentions, shining like a diamond brightly in his face (caught his eye). Caused him to feel so isolated (lonely sadness because he is cheated and alone), so motivated because he is sure he is right about his own actions.

What is consistent is that the author of the song actually wants to get back into the relationship because he or she loves the other party so much, and at the same time fear hurt because the other party obviously doesn't care. This can be picked up at certain parts of the song in which he or she clearly stated in the intro that he has hopes for reviving the relationship but its dangling on a string and winding in and out(fearing infidelity). But he is weak on that stand because his defense is thin and one touch could land him up into the relationship again, rendering him no choice because of his deep love for her.

Lastly he is very much disturbed by these thoughts that came to his mind. Like a recurring dream or nightmare he is thinking of this predicament every moment. The author portrays this through the repeat of the first verse at the last that he is thinking of harboring hopes for the relationship.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            

Blog #14

I listened and read the audio and transcripts for the articles "Clinton Reveals Blueprint For An 'AIDS-Free Generation'" and "College Football: Pro and Con(servative) Views" on NPR radio. One story was more in the news and politics genre, while the other was in sports. since these are two very different topics, I examined the transcripts and how each one flowed.

In the politics genre, the transcript about Hillary Clinton explained Clinton's plan to wipe out AIDS in today's generation. The entire transcript was developed with interviews and comments from the hosts, byline, and Mrs.Clinton herself. This is completely different to how my own transcript is written. My interviews are not continuous, and each interviewee not only answered once, but they all gave input to a different question. I also noticed that compared to this essay transcript, mine went on and on in the introduction and between interviews. 

"Last year, 1.7 million people around the world died of AIDS. The U.S. government wants to make that number zero. Today, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton unveiled what she calls a blueprint for achieving a generation free of AIDS. But as NPR's Richard Knox reports, the plan leaves a lot of big questions unanswered." (Introduction to Clinton Reveals Blueprint For An 'AIDS-Free Generation') The content was different overall in regards to information and written style.

NPR radio's "College Football: Pro and Con(servative) Views" transcript was much more similar to my own than the last. The major similarity is the way it was written, not a lot of interview mentions, unlike the transcript for Hillary Clinton's that was almost entirely dialogue. 
There are some minor differences, but are acceptable. Our topics are distinct and the perspective is more of a first-person kind in their transcript, like an editorial. For example this line:

"Yes, yes - I know college games can be entertaining, and there's loyalty and tailgating, but wherever fans are, give them a choice, they'll gravitate toward the best."(College Football: Pro and Con(servatove) Views, stanza 9)

After comparing my draft to the published NPR radio articles, I understand how transcripts can vary from genre to genre depending on how important opinions and what the discussion is focused on. When it comes to public figures like Hillary Clinton, interviewing them is a huge plus, and therefore, more dialogue. In terms of sports, adding public input is more of a choice, even though it adds credibility to your issue. Engaging with people holds onto the interest of the audience in both transcripts. I want to ask my interviewees more about their opinions and experiences, fix unnecessarily long paragraphs and rewrite my introduction to hook the audience a bit more.

WP#3: Transcript Draft

The Freshman Year Experience, living on campus or living at home?

*School bell ringing*

College is the stepping stone from High School to the real world. College is intended not only to teach us knowledge, but also to prepare us for the next part of life. That being said, incoming freshmen always have to make the decision of moving out on campus or living off campus when attending ASU. Everyone has their own opinion about this controversy, whether it is influenced by experience or not. There are several pros and cons to living in the school dorms, and one of the most popular intrigues is the independence.

M.B: "It's no secret that what us kids fresh out of high school want is independence. I know that's the first thing I thought about once I graduated."

Students who evidently do end up living on campus argue that those who do not are not being fully prepared for the real world that awaits post college graduation at Arizona State.

V.W: "I feel like the kids that live at home and commute to school every day are the same students that miss out on the entire college culture. Living on campus your first year, at the least, is the whole purpose of the 'the freshman year experience'."

The freshman experience is traditionally described as living on campus and getting used to new customs from eating to socializing. The social scene seems to be influenced a lot by living in the residence halls and getting to know your roommate, suite-mates  floor mates, etc. Attending school events such as the ones during homecoming, sporting events and other activities are also seen as more convenient when living nearby.

Of course, the factor of financial status can be a disadvantage to some pupils. Not everyone can afford the room and board expenses and come up short in scholarships and coverage. The cost of living on campus can be up to thirty-five percent more than living off campus. Living on campus is one set price per semester. The cost of living on campus is added to the already expensive tuition. This can be a road block to many incoming students. Some kids will even find it easier to invest in a car to get to class every day rather than pay to live in the dorms. Other students find the difference in the costs of residential halls and simply renting an apartment close to campus.

J.A: “Me, I rent an apartment really close to campus and split the bills with my roommate. It's almost like living on campus because I’m close to my classes, but not really. I have to buy my own food, there’s no pre-paid meal plan or anything. I have to pay the monthly rent so I work part time because my scholarships aren’t going to cover off campus living, right? It’s a lot different. Some kids think it’s just cheaper than living in the dorms but there’s more to it. Living on campus might be a little more expensive but I realized in the long run, paying everything up front would’ve been easier.”

Living in the residential halls seems to be supported, but there are cons that some students bring forth after some personal experience.

M.B: “A few downsides to living in the dorms exist actually. There are regulations to follow, like in any building at ASU. Quiet hours, rules regarding safety and courtesy. I understand all that I just don’t get why I can’t toss a sponge ball down the hall sometimes without getting yelled at. That’s annoying.”
V.W: "Independence can definitely become your worst enemy, if you abuse it. If you're too busy socializing and going out with your new friends you'll start to slack academically and no one will be there to tell you to do your homework and go to bed. Trust me."

*Transition sound for conclusion*

As you can see, there are many aspects to making the final decision. Students should make the decision based on what is best for them without being too influenced by the preferences of their peers. However, if the expenses can be covered, why not see what the first year experience is all about?

Blog #11: WP2 Reflection

Writing Project #2 was easier to complete than the first project, although it required more special circumstances such as creating links within links in order to blog it. We had the opportunity in Writing Project #2 to select the locations we would evaluate for the overall project. I feel like giving the students a bit of freedom in choosing their topics motivates them and allows them to sit down and make an effort in writing a paper about it. In Writing Project #2 in specific, we were able to select four locations on campus that provided goods or services, useful or not. I then had to explain in what ways these locations were good or in what ways they are terrible. The evaluations for each location became an annotation, of which we end up having four in our paper.

My four pin pointed places were four of the school's book stores and shops, convenient for ASU affiliated merchandise. The Sun Devil Campus Bookstore, the College Store, Campus Corner and the Student Book Center. These are the best locations to purchase ASU apparel for game day, or just to stock up and stay spirited. The key to choosing the best overall shop is to evaluate each store's quality of product, variety, and affordability. These were essential to my evaluations since I was supposed to present the reader with the best four locations regarding my topic.

Although Writing Project #2 seemed to be an easy break from essays such as our first project in class, it proved to be otherwise as the deadline was approached.  I felt as if I spent more time than necessary trying to figure out the tactics of blogging my essay correctly and making sure I had everything from the Google map to the hyperlinks in place. Perhaps the thing I had the most trouble with was reaching 100-800 words in just an introduction without repeating myself. This is definitely not your typical hand-in-your-printed-essay English class, but projects like these challenge me to think outside the standard college essay.

Blog #9: WP2 Draft

Introduction:

            School pride is rooted to something specific, donning colors, logos and jersey numbers. The availability of such apparel is not hard to find, especially for such a large and popular university as ASU. Four of the most well-known places to stop by and shop for that sporting event or Maroon and Gold spirit are the on-campus Sun Devil Store, the College Store, Campus Corner, and the Student Book Center. Since demand for collegiate products are unlikely to ever decrease, these stores are visited often. This being said, they should each be doing their best satisfy elements such as variety, affordability, and quality. “We already know that absolute monopoly and perfect competition type of markets are not that pervasive, yet businesses try to avoid perfect competition and strive to go for absolute monopoly so they can enjoy no competition and exploit the customer sentiments for buying.” (http://www.blurtit.com/q466164.html) I hope to establish a clear difference in the atmosphere in all four of these locations, regarding elements such as the one I have mentioned.

Annotation #1: Sun Devil Campus Store

Located in the center of campus, the Sun Devil Campus Store offers a vast amount of Arizona State’s official collegiate products and merchandise. Because it’s considered the primary source of ASU’s books and apparel, it is slightly more costly than the other three shops located outside of the campus. Despite that detail, the store offers a very welcoming atmosphere and a terrific first taste to the college environment.

1.)What type of ASU affiliated clothing does the store carry?

·         -Carries brands like Nike, Adidas, Reebok and overall the most well-known brands to carry collegiate merchandise.

       -Apparel: T-shirts, jerseys (football, basketball, baseball, etc), caps, snapbacks, sweaters, hoodies, pullovers, sweatpants, tanks, socks and much more!

       -Accessories: Washable team tattoos, spirit beads, team plush toys, mugs, banners, flags, jewelry, etc

2.)How affordable are the items?

       -The Sun Devil Campus Store is definitely not the most affordable shop on the list, but the prices are nothing you wouldn’t expect. $50-$80+ for jerseys, $15-$30 T-Shirts, $15-$20 caps.

       -20% off clothing or gift items coupons are scattered across campus in the Student Handbooks and Student Insiders.

3.)What kind of events or occasions is the store good for?

       -Sporting events: football, basketball, baseball, etc

       -School spirit: Fridays on campus

       -Gifts: ASU fanatics and alumni

4.)Customer Reviews

         -http://www.yelp.com/biz/sun-devil-campus-stores-tempe

Annotation #2: The College Store

The College Store is most famous for its location on the far east side of campus on Rural Road. It is not nearly as popular as the other three shops, due to the site being much further away than the rest and has a much smaller variety than that of the Sun Devil Campus Store. However, it is very popular in its affordability. The College Store offers some of the lowest prices on ASU affiliated apparel.

1.) What kind of ASU affiliated clothing does the store carry?

The store carries many of the basics, caps, shirts, throwback jerseys. They offer some similar Nike products to the ones of the other three stores, therefore those specific items cost the same

2.) How affordable are the items?

The College Store is one of the few shops to actually have decent $9.95 ASU shirts. Regular shirts range between $10 to $20.

3.) What kind of events and occasions is the store good for?

-Sporting events: football, basketball, baseball, etc

-School spirit: Fridays on campus

-Gifts: ASU fanatics and alumni

4.) Customer Reviews

       -http://linktown.azfamily.com/biz/college-store/tempe/az/85281/290883

Annotation #3: Campus Corner

1.) What kind of ASU affiliated clothing does the store carry?

2.) How affordable are the items?

3.) What kind of events and occasions is the store good for?

  -Sporting events: football, basketball, baseball, etc

  -School spirit: Fridays on campus

  -Gifts: ASU fanatics and alumni

4.) Customer Reviews

         http://linktown.azfamily.com/biz/student-book-center/tempe/az/85281/290006?sl=21144458&so=0

Annotation #4: Student Book Center

1.) What kind of ASU affiliated clothing does the store carry?

2.) How affordable are the items?

3.) What kind of events and occasions is the store good for?

-Sporting events: football, basketball, baseball, etc

-School spirit: Fridays on campus

-Gifts: ASU fanatics and alumni

4.) Customer Reviews

       http://linktown.azfamily.com/biz/campus-corner/tempe/az/85281/290008?sl=21144126&so=0

Blog #8

1.   Topic: Where to Get Your ASU Gear

a.   Places: Sun Devil Bookstores/Campus Stores, College Store, Student Book Center, Campus Corner

2.   Evaluative Criteria and Research Ideas

a. What type of ASU affiliated clothing does the store carry?

-Sun Devil Bookstores/Campus Stores: 

http://www.bkstr.com/Home/10001-196905-1?cm_mmc=iCrossing-_-PaidSearch-_-SchoolSpecific_-Google

-College Store: https://foursquare.com/v/the-college-store/4cd0a97a7f56a14314b9cfa6

-Student Book Center: http://www.studentbookcenter.com/home.aspx

-Campus Corner: https://plus.google.com/108934269478991287689/about?hl=en

b. How affordable are the items?

- Sun Devil Campus Store is the most expensive of the four shops, selling all collegiate licensed products at its original price under expensive brands like Nike.

- The College Store is definitely cheaper than the Sun Devil Campus Store, but has a much smaller variety.

- The Student Book Center seems to be the most preferable by public opinion, it offers variety (although it is still not as big as the Sun Devil Campus Store), quality, and affordable prices.

- The Campus Corner offers the smallest variety of all four shops, mainly because they split their merchandise between apparel and food. However, they remain fairly affordable.

c. What kind of events or occasions are the stores good for?

-Sporting events

-Spirit events, homecoming week, gold Fridays, etc

- Arizona State Fanatics

-Gifts

d. Customer Reviews

-Sun Devil Campus Store: 

http://www.yelp.com/biz/sun-devil-campus-stores-tempe

-College Store: 

http://linktown.azfamily.com/biz/college-store/tempe/az/85281/290883

-Student Book Center: 

http://linktown.azfamily.com/biz/student-book-center/tempe/az/85281/290006?sl=21144458&so=0

-Campus Corner: 

http://linktown.azfamily.com/biz/campus-corner/tempe/az/85281/290008?sl=21144126&so=0

Blog #7

Before people visit shopping centers, restaurants, and other businesses new to them, they are likely to look them up online to find out more about the location and service before taking the time to drive there. Consumers want to know details from price range, service, convenience and vibe. To get a god feel of all this prior to making their trip, they read reviews. Yelp.com is an incredibly vast website that allows customers of all types of businesses to submit their personal reviews of the location.  The site covers everything from local shops to restaurants on the opposite coast, making it accessible to everyone everywhere. The reviews are majorly based on quality of service, with an interest in price range. A common review is influenced by a single personal experience at any business, restaurant or industry.  People describe their chain of events leading up to their “1 star” review for poor service or the amazing time they had at a restaurant with “5 stars” quality food. For example, Micah T from Phoenix sums up her 4-star rating with a quick review, “I love Zipps! I have been going to Zipps for years mainly to watch sports on one of the many televisions they have playing or for their amazing wings and Happy Hour. The wings are better grilled too so try them that way!”

Although our writing project will be more of researched and backed-up evaluations compared to that of the reviewers on Yelp.com, the reviews help to acknowledge and discover things I should perhaps try and avoid in my draft. For example, a personal touch might be okay, it might even make it more interesting. However, making it clear that your opinion of a certain place is strongly influenced from a one-time experience, or just experience overall, should be avoided. That is definitely not using research and facts to meet the idea behind the writing project. Using trusted sources for this research is also essential to making “evidence” and facts credible and creating a more balanced evaluation on my chosen locations.