there there

This is a weird music video. It really is. The way it is shot, the action that takes place, the special effects, pretty much everything. I first heard of Radiohead from my brother. When I was freshman in high school, he would drive us to school, and because he was the one driving, he was the one who chose the music we listened to. I hated that. He would pick “weird” music, and I would complain and nag that I hated it and so on. There was even a point where I just brought along my c.d. player to listen to so I wouldn’t be forced to listen to the stuff he was playing.
That was a long time ago it seems. I now have a great appreciation for his music, even to the degree that I now name many of the artists and songs he played as some of my favorite bands and songs. The transition was slow, but sure. I remember when I first saw this music video. We were at his friends house after school one day, and I was dragged along because he was my ride, so where he went, I had to go also. We were going to stay for just a “minute”, but that soon changed into two hours. When he showed me this music video, I was just humoring him so that we could hopefully leave soon. Now that I look at it again four years later, my opinion has completely changed. Not only do I like the music, but I guess I even have a fondness for it. It brings back so many memories. It brings back memories of that really awkward first year of high school. It brings back memories of driving that half hour to school at 7:30 in the morning. It was a simple time. Who would have guessed that a music video that I once despised now brings back to mind such great times and fond memories.

25 cents..

When you think of commemorative coins, you might think of a late-night infomercial about some gold-plated silver dollar stamped with the seal of the United States, which can be yours for only 3 payments of $9.99 plus shipping and handling. Sometimes, these coins are collected and even handed down through generations. You don’t buy anything with these coins. However, there are some commemorative coins that you use all the time. These are the state commemorative quarters. These quarters first showed up in 1997, and every year for ten years, the government would mint five new quarters that would somehow represent each state. The process of choosing a design for the commemorative quarter started with several residents of the state submitting their designs for the quarter, and then the state government would vote on the final design.

Some states depicted scenes from history such as Washington crossing the Delaware, or the first flight at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. Other quarters depicted various objects that the particular state was known for, for example, the Tennessee quarter depicts several musical instruments to symbolize the state’s musical heritage, and the Wisconsin quarter is illustrated with various dairy products. Each different quarter is in itself an argument that announces to the rest of the United States what defines that particular state. Because of the limited space, the argument has to be simple and to the point. Chimney Rock has long been a symbol of Nebraska, and by depicting the iconic images of the famous, natural landmark along with a wagon of passing pioneers and the rising sun, the quarter then displays a myriad of meanings and values which represent the state of Nebraska.

The image itself employs mainly one rhetorical strategy, which is illustration. The landmark of Chimney Rock itself takes up a great portion of the quarter. This image is even inscribed with the name of the landmark at its base. Chimney Rock was used as a sort of a guidepost to pioneers making their way out west. Because of its significant height and its abnormal shape, it was a very recognizable landmark in a land that was for the most part very flat, which was called by most “The Great American Desert”. The importance of it seems a little obscure. It just was a tall rock formation. To the pioneers, though, it meant that they were nearing their destination. To the pioneers, it represented hope, and it signified that they were making progress.

As stated above, the images depicted on the quarter are “representative” of many ideals and principles that Nebraska as a state would want to be represented by. Therefore, the argument of this image is for the most part based on the ethos of the image. Logos is presented, such as the obvious use of a well-known landmark of the state and depicting the pioneers that first populated the state. Through the use of the logos, however, the ethos of the image comes through even clearer.

The images of Chimney Rock, the pioneers, and the rising sun are iconic images that have attached to them numerous and deep meanings. Chimney Rock represents a guidepost, an image that the pioneers would recognize as symbolic of their approach toward home. The pioneers are symbolic of the ideals of bravery through hardship, venturing into the unknown, and forging a new path. The rising sun depicted has often been representative of a new beginning and a new start.

The coin could have depicted Chimney Rock alone, but the artist decided to include the pioneers on their journey west as well, which by doing so, narrates a short and simple story. This addition adds a lot to the image. The pioneers are very important to the history of Nebraska. They were the ones who for the most part founded the state. What is more important, though, is that inclusion of the pioneers also gives a reminder of not only the literal pioneers themselves, but also the pioneer spirit that categorized them. They were going to a place they knew little about, and they still went forward despite the many dangers and hardships that they faced. This image conveys that spirit of bravery and determination, which Nebraska as a state often likes to associate itself with.

There is another part of the image, which could be overlooked, as it does not at first glance seem to bear much significance. That element is the sky, or more specifically, the sun. The artist could have depicted the scene differently, but for some reason, the sky takes up a great part of the scene, and in the sky near the horizon is the sun. The next question to answer is, is the sun setting or rising? Because the sun is situated behind the pioneers who are headed west, the answer must be that the sun is rising. Did the artist mean to have a rising sun? I have no idea. Does it have some significance? I would say yes. The rising sun in art often symbolizes a new beginning or a fresh start, a new day. By depicting the pioneers marching westward under a rising sun, this gives the picture an almost encouraging and bright feeling, a feeling of looking forward optimistically.


This commemorative coin shows a simple image of a famous Nebraskan landmark. However, the image conveys something much more than that. This image is quintessentially Nebraskan. It conveys in a small and confined space most of the values and ideals that Nebraska as a state wants to be known for. Like the raised torch of the Statue of Liberty was for dispossessed immigrants, the lone peak of Chimney Rock stands as a beacon of home and a new beginning, a sign for a better life. The artist is trying to convey the spirit of Nebraska through depicting something iconically Nebraskan. It’s simple, but the argument that the image is getting across is much deeper. It depicts a heroic resolve that is optimistic about its outcome, even in the face of the unknown.

Apparently, Jesse James spent a lot of time in Nebraska. The famous outlaw evidently had many connections with the state. He traveled through Nebraska on several occasions, he had friends here, he even had family here, and even wanted to move to Nebraska when he had enough money to buy the land. I remember first hearing about this interesting fact when I was on vacation in Missouri with my family. One of the things we did on this particular family vacation is visit Jesse James’ childhood home. Really, it was nothing more than a log cabin with a few rooms. In the information building that was a short walk from the house itself, there was a display that housed various artifacts, pictures, and personal documents and letters. One of the letters was a letter that was sent by Jesse James to the Journal Star inquiring about buying several acres of land.
What I find interesting in all this is that for some reason we almost glorify this man who was basically nothing more than a regional outlaw who robbed banks and trains. So why is someone like this so popular and almost even looked up to? It seems that part of the reason is that he has become somewhat of a Robin Hood type figure, being a poor man who is revolting against his oppressors. For some reason, our society likes this type of image. Another popular image in recent years that seems to be akin is the image of the pirate. Because of such popular movies as “The Pirates of the Caribbean”, we have this romanticized version of people who in actual history were people who would be in jail today. Its an interesting irony that infamous people, such as Jesse James, are elevated to a legendary status when if we could evaluate them without the romanticized baggage that these characters often come with, we would probably be shocked to find normal, everyday burglars and bandits.

I remember when I was little I had a toy cell phone. It was one of those now ancient looking machines that looked like something out of a sci-fi movie rather than something a person in normal society would use. Then my parents got their cell phones. These were not the gigantic phones like the toy, but they were still much bigger than what you want as a cell phone today. As the years progressed, they traded their phones in for the newer and better versions. When my older sister began driving my brother and me to school, she received her very own cell phone, and in the following years my brother received his and I received my very own cell phone. Like my own family, everyone around us seemed to have cell phones. Parents buy the newest and smallest cell phones for their thirteen year olds, and other men and women save up for the newest cell phone such as the new iPhone.
With everyone using cell phones, the normal land line phones are fading into antiquity it seems. Some families have given up entirely on their landlines in favor of just solely using cell phones as their means of communication to the outside world. It seems odd at first to think of giving up the normal phone system for the other, but it does make sense. The cell phone is quite practical and useful. You can have it anywhere. You can contact anyone at anytime of day. There’s no more need for searching for change to pay the charge to use a pay phone. These things that seemed to be almost timeless seem to be quickly fading into history. It seemed that something as simple as a normal telephone would be always here, a constant such as books and television. However, with the creation of new technologies these constants seem to be on shaky ground, and will probably soon just be example of past innovations that only belong in a museum.

Procrastinating....again

I’ve been sitting at my computer for a couple of hours now. I’ve been putting off this essay, telling myself that I’ll start on it in a few minutes, but, as always, things keep getting in the way. This should be easy, right? So, I keep putting it off, but I might take a step or two toward completing this essay, but the steps are small and unnoticeable such as opening a blank Word document. I’ve always been a pretty bad procrastinator. When I was in junior high, I can remember several times when I was up until two in the morning working on a school project. I would just keep putting off, telling myself I had plenty of time, but, of course, the due date would approach very quickly and then I finally realize that the project is due the next day.
I figured, like all those many projects and papers, that this wouldn’t take that much time, and that I could easily hammer it out within an hour if not less. However, I find myself distracted by certain things: the TV, or a friend on IM who wants to talk, or the Internet itself. Meanwhile, I’m telling myself that I should really start this essay, that I should just get it done. I should do the smart thing and just shut the TV off and put off all distractions and just sit down and write. Things like that are great thoughts, but for some reason everything against me works against what I need to do. I tell myself that I’ll start right after this show, right after this conversation, I’ll quit in five minutes. But, I don’t start right after the show is done or after the conversation, and the five minutes soon turns in to 55 minutes and nothing is accomplished.