Thursday, December 17, 2009

SUPERPOST

I'm not sure this post is going to be especially spectacular, but it is the post-domini, so it needs umph, I suppose.

This has been a tremendous learning experience, the entire process of this project.

From the earliest stages of planning to these last few weeks of crunch time, I have observed every step from my own perspective and and watched myself grow simultaneously in response to difficulties I faced in making decisions and planning.

Nah, this isn't going to be my last blog. It is enough of my product that I'm going to keep updating it until presentation day, hopefully more frequently than I have been able to recently.

THIS WEEK:
1. I won't have steady internet, but I will be able to get online, so I need to make sure I get my second draft finished and sent to Mr. Schade [before] Christmas.
2. Reflection/ Research: Omnivore's dilemma??
3. Refer to various rubrics throughout drafting and research process this week.
4. time now for the thoroughest reflection.

Friday, December 11, 2009

paper genesis

As time goes on, I discover new parallels to the evolution of the project... In science, we're covering early life on earth, and its evolution into more complex organisms over time. These days I have really been feeling like the archetype of an Ross student who appreciates the integration of studies and subjects, but I don't know whether I'm just predisposed to noticing the correlation between my own experiences historical or scientific phenomena as a kind of microcosm/macrocosm relationship.
And I am rethinking things I had assumed were pretty valid when I first thought of them...

For example: the idea of shedding excess stuff as the month progressed, with the analogy of the hiker carrying loads of fancy equipment.
Contrary to my previous argument, I am now relating that analogy back to present day, where people born into lives full of stuff have a harder time moving towards a simpler life. The idea of a possession-free world will only phase those who must then give up their own possessions.

What we MIGHT have done is start with very, very minimal materials (stuff), and then, mimicking the process of natural selection, acquire only those things that benefit us, analyzing the benefit/detriment balance to progress to a more advanced state. HOWEVER, in kind with the process of natural selection, this would take long periods of time. Within the time frame we allotted for ourselves, perhaps the appropriate system was to understand what we really fundamentally needed before adding life-complicating technology to assist.


Anyway- fresh material is always helpful.
THIS WEEKEND--> NEXT WEEK:
1. Go through corrections.
2. Continue: add third and last segments; figure out citations and spacing for them.
3. Get outside consultant input when draft is more developed.

Friday, December 4, 2009


According to the contract, I have completed the outline for the first draft of my paper, which is like this...
I. Context
II. Fieldwork
III. Analysis
IV. Conclusion

I am using my college essay as an (abridged) outline for the fieldwork portion of the paper, but only as an outline. I will need to be much more specific and episodic in my paper, drawing from my blog posts from August. Now comes the first draft, which is due this Monday, so I will need to do a substantial amount of writing this weekend.

(The third faculty member to grade my project will be Ms. Costello)

I have to focus on synthesis now...