Hw 59

Prom night was absoulutly amazing. I never imagined that I could have so much fun in one night. Everyone looked gorgous, except for the teachers they could have definitly looked a little better. The food wasn't that good but the beautiful view made up for it. I danced from 8 till 12 nonstop in 4 inch heels. Personally I am very proud of myself, seeing how that was the first time I wore heels. Everyone danced with eachother there was no drama and I smiled till I got home.

Prom was movie perfect I got a kiss at 12 on the dot, I danced with my prom date, everyone was shocked by how some people looked, but there were two things that weren't movie perfect. First there was no prom king and queen ceremony, and second there was no slow dancing. The music was upbeat the whole night. It was nice to see the shy kids in the grade dancing and contributing instead of sitting on the side lonely. I don't think the dance floor was ever empty except for when people took a break to eat, which didn't last very long.

After prom was definitly over played, some people did drink to much but for the most part everyone was pretty sober and there wasn't very much hooking up inloved. I expected myself to stay out till the sun rised but by the time it hit 3 30 all I wanted to was go home and sleep. After prom was stil lfun there was great music and I enjoyed the time I spent with the people that I care the most about. I couldn't have asked for a better night. Prom was amazing and I will remember that night for many years to come.

HW 58 Interviews

Age: 17

Are you looking forward to prom?

No, Just the after party.

Why?

Its a big party were everyone can drink and just have a good time.

Well isn't that just like any other party during the year?

Yes but Its special knowing it's prom, and everyone is dressed a lot nicer.

Do you agree that after prom is an excuse for people to hook up and just blame it on the alcohol?

Yes but regardless people will do that.

Are your thoughts about pro and the after party based off of movies?

Yes I find it quite pathetic that in order to experience something we base it off of movies or things celebrity's do.

Age: 18

Was prom everything you wanted it to be?

Yes I loved dancing with my teachers and everyone was extremely happy and there was no drama. That was the first time all year everyone got along.

Why do you think that was?

The enviorment was just happy and I think people realized that this would be one of the last times we all got to be together.

How was the after party?

We went to an expensive club that was not worth it. I wish we did something else, I barley danced and the people at the club were boring.

What would you change about prom?

The amount of time it took for me to get ready. Being a girl the day of prom is one of the hardest experience's. If one thing goes wrong you think your world has ended.

Age: 55

What was your prom like?

To be honest I don't even remember.

Was it that horrible? Or just to long ago?

It was a while ago (chuckles) and it was just a normal night, we didn't do all the crazy dresses and hair doo's. It was about drinking punch and dancing to music.

Did you have an after party?

I think my after party was going to my best friends house and watching movies, but I don't exactly remember.

I found it amazing that the oldest person I asked didn't even remember details from her prom and it didn't bother her one bit. I feel like prom is played out to be this amazing event when in reality it will be slowly forgotten as years go by. It was also interesting ho where after party was just a simple get together watching movies, now a days people would be considered "lame" or "uncool" if they did that after prom. Like most high schoolers the after party is what juniors and seniors look forward too. But what if your after party isn't everything you wanted it to be? Would your whole experience be ruined? It's sad that movies are what teenagers base their experiences off of. The first person I interviewed admitted that she finds it pathetic that her thoughts on prom are based off of movies. I agree that basing our personal experiences off of something that is scripted should not be how we decided to live life, but then again everything we do is scripted such as going to school and following rules.

Hw 57

When entering 9Th grade it is brought to your attention that as a senior you will attend this big party called prom. As 10Th and 11Th grade goes by its not really talked about, as senior year starts prom is the topic that you never stop hearing about. Girls cry if they don't have a date, boys could are less they just want to remember after prom. There is a saying it doesn't matter who you show up with, it matters who you leave with. Now a days that means who ever you leave prom with or end up with will be the person you end up having sex with or hooking up with. This year more kids are looking forward to the after party then the actual prom it's self.

I think prom holds many social norms that should be changed. I believe females should be able to go alone without being looked at differently. Parents shouldn't be awkward towards their daughter or son's date, and last but not least I believe after prom shouldn't be looked forward to just for sex and alcohol. After prom should be about savoring the last good times with your friends, not about who gets the drunkest first.

Questions:

Why must guys ask the girls?

Where was the first prom held?

What are the differences between suburban and rural proms?

XC COTD1

These two cemetery's are in Pennsylvania an are very old. The tombstones were dated back to the 1800's an even earlier. I felt very uncomfortable walking around the cemetery because I didn't know were the coffins were and if there were still bodies under there (obviously not because it was so long ). When walking around these cemetery's my mom said the saddest ones are the children, I didn't understand what she meant until I found a tombstone that dated 1801- 1803. I was suddenly over whelmed with sadness and just wanted to hug my mother. I tried imaging what the coffin/ casket might look like under the ground so small and lifeless but I just couldn't picture it. I wanted to dig until I hit a coffin but that is disrespectful and inappropriate, plus its illegal and I am now 18.

I noticed that there were some head stones that were tall, wide, short, small, what ever the tombstone was it meant there was a lifeless casket underneath it. It was the weirdest feeling knowing hundreds of people were buried under a ground but yet after a certain amount of time the body disappears and the thought of the person slowly disappears like the words on their tombstone. I wish I had went to a more recent cemetery so I could compare recent tombstones to old tombstones (besides the obvious). It would have been the coolest thing if a ghost took over my body or I felt something brush my hand but instead I felt completely alone and everything seemed quite. There was no wind, no birds chirping, no cars driving past, nothing, just the thought that some one who once was breath was now gone and only remembered by the words on a stone. Which by the way were grey and dull, there were no flowers anywhere. the only not so dull thing was the freshly cut grass.

I am now positive that I do not want to be buried in a cemetery because after a while my tombstone will get dull and I don't want people trotting all over me. Cemetery's are scary, not because they are surrounded by dead people but because they are the most quit and lonely place I've been. Visiting the cemetery's made me appreciate the small things in life such as sound, and the hugs of my loved ones. I hate the feeling of being alone so being able to tell my family that once I die I do not want to be buried in a cemetery is a load off of my shoulders.

HW 56

David: Your elevator speech made me very interested in home births in new york city. It was very interesting to see that you home births are allowed in New York as long as a funeral director is in the home, that defeats the whole purpose of a personal home birth but this is better then nothing in my opinion. It was nice seeing the links at the bottom of your post, great work!

http://ineedablogforandysclass.blogspot.com/

Jessica: It was interesting to hear about your grandmothers encounters putting make up on the dead and the fact that your mother started at a young age was quite shocking. Would you ever consider following in their footsteps? You could have taken your project a couple of steps further by possibly bringing pictures in of your grandmother an mothers work, or making a video clip of them talking about there experiences. I really enjoyed hearing your elevator speech keep up the great work.

*There was no blog post for Jessica's project so I can not post the link.

Kristen: Your pamphlet was amazing, not only the visuals, but the material inside. It was nice to read about the alternatives and not only have a price range for each alternative but also a number we could call for extra help/ resources. It would have been interesting to read why you chose to pick those alternative choices to talk about instead of the others that might be available but other then that I thought your project was amazing and really helpful for when I think about my further plans when planning the way I want to be handled after my death.

http://khriisthebest.blogspot.com/

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Comments to me:

From Raven: I think your video was very creative and interesting and I was also interested in the different perspectives about what people believe happens after death. I think people don't think about death very often and that is why they are sometimes surprised when asked questions about death.

From Ally: I liked christina's and Salathen's views on death, you wont know what hurts or whats being done with your body cause your dead and wont feel it. I think that puts ease to my mind (and possibly others) when I think about death. I like how you question your own actions when it comes to drawing a cross on your chest and kissing your hand to the sky. I also wondered why people did this and will probably ask or do some research on it. Your video was nicely put together and was interesting to watch.

HW 55

Video link: http://vimeo.com/23832333

I was surprised when Christina and Salathen said they didn't really care about what happens to them because they will be dead and won't know either way. Christina goes to church every Sunday so I figured she would have a more in depth thought about the plans she has for her body after death. I never thought about death as something i wouldn't have a part in once I'm dead, so hearing Christina and Salathen say they didn't care makes perfect sense now. It was nice how Yarelyn said she would let her mother decide were to throw her ashes and then did the gesture the sun the god and the holy spirit and looked up to towards the sky. I found this very interesting because she did it as a gesture of luck/ protection that her mom will still be here once it is Yarelyn's time to go. I tend to do that when I pass cemetery's and churches. I personally don't know why I do it, it became a random habit after seeing my grandmother doing it.

HW 54

I am not very religious but I was raised a Christian. After doing some research it was very clear that the social norms of common day society is what Christian's follow. In many articles passages from John were brought up, Christian's look at there life as a gift from God and passing away is just part of there journey for God. There is an order in which things are to be done when one is passing or passed away. First a priest must read the person their last rights so their transition is easy and blessed, secondly there is a vigil wake, where the loved ones can say their last good byes and prayers, thirdly there is a requiem mass were non Catholic visitors are welcomed to say their last good byes. During the mass the head of the person must be facing towards the priest. Last but not least there is the burial or cremation.

I decided to go to a church that I went to as a child and talk to one of the priest. I felt very uncomfortable randomly talking to a priest for many reasons. Two main reasons were one the fact that I am gay and that's a sin and two I haven't been to a full mass in over 7 years. So I took a seat in the one of the benches and prayed, not for anything in peculiar just random prayers.