Final Blog!

My first thoughts when I think about this class is coming to an end is yay and I can’t believe I actually made it! Don’t get me wrong I really enjoyed this class and I have learned so much, but I am so happy for it over. No more stressing about getting all of my assignments in on time and no more staying up until almost 3 in the morning because between my son, my job, taking care of the house and all the other responsibilities I have, night time was the only time I had enough alone time during the day to actually sit down and concentrate on all of my school work. No matter how frustrated I got or how often I procrastinated, I never once even considered dropping this class which is something I am very proud of! I started college right after high school but I honestly just didn’t care about it, back then I would have dropped this class in a heartbeat as soon as I felt overwhelmed. I am so happy that I took some time off and have grown up since then and am really set on finishing school.

One of the things I really enjoyed about this class was that we didn’t have a normal text book. I loved that the curriculum was based on Music and Culture and They Say I Say. I learned a lot about English and writing from both books, but I have to say how much I learned from music and culture about music. When it comes to music I kind of stick to the same thing and don’t really venture that far out of what I am comfortable with. Music and Culture made me step outside my comfort zone and discover music that I actually really like. It has even changed my mind about certain genres and even artists that I thought I didn’t like…except hip-hop and “Gangsta Rap” I still don’t like that and never will ha-ha. It was a nice and unexpected surprise to not have to do all of the boring English assignments that you would expect from an English class.

I think that my least favorite thing about this class has to be the group assignments. It was just so difficult for everyone to get to do their fair share of work because everyone has such different schedules and a lot of people (myself included) are procrastinators. The two combined just make for a miserable time trying to accomplish a group project. The people who aren’t procrastinators or who don’t have as busy schedules or the same kind of responsibilities as others feel like they’re doing all the work and it is unfair which it kind of is. I enjoyed doing the actually projects themselves it was just the process of everything that made it so unattractive. Group projects for an online class are just a disaster waiting to happen in my opinion.

As stressful as it all was I’m so glad I took this class and it really seemed like these past 16 weeks flew by.  Good job for everyone who stuck with it and good luck with everything else!!:)  

How My Writing Has Changed

When I first started this class I was not very confident about my writing abilities at all. I felt like I didn’t know what I was doing and like whatever I did do was all wrong. I was actually terrified of writing, especially essays. When we all started this class and I was learning about the assignments and found out that we had to write a weekly blog for the entire class and possibly even world to see I totally freaked out. I’m really self conscience about other people reading what I have written. I guess I’ve just never been confident about it.  Then I read that our blogs had to be a minimum of 500 words and I thought that was so long. I remember in week 1 writing my first blog, it seriously took me like an hour and a half. Now fifteen weeks later I can write a blog in about 20 to 30 minutes depending on the topic. If it is something I really and enjoy and feel passionate about I can write it in even a shorter time. I know some of you probably think that is still a long time to write only 500 words but that is major progress for me, believe me! I think I am also a lot more confident about my writing because of the blogs. I am not so self conscience about other people reading my work and even thoughts for that matter, and I am also a lot more open to critique. I actually went in looking for help on something  I wrote which is something I would have never done before, no matter if it could have helped my grade or not.
Another thing that I think has opened me up to letting other people read my work is the PDRs. I was also terrified of this LOL. The thought of other people reading my stuff to try to tell me what I did wrong about it made me REALLY nervous, even if it is people I will probably never meet in person. I was just as nervous as doing a PDR for someone else as I was someone doing one for me. At first I didn’t feel like I knew enough myself to try to tell someone else what they did wrong and what they should fix. But after doing and receiving a couple of times I realized that it was a good thing and that everybody else wasn’t out to get me or make me feel bad. It really helps to have other people look at your paper because they usually catch something you didn’t and have very useful and helpful advice.
As for writing essays…well it still isn’t my most favorite thing to do and probably never will be. I am a lot more confident about it. I don’t think I’ve ever put as much effort and time into any essays I have wrote in the past as I have done for this class. I have learned so much and am really thankful I took this class as one of my firsts. I think it has given me tools that will help me throughout the rest of my education.

Paper or Plastic?

First of all I think any band or musician who sing, perform, play, dance or whatever it is that they do is creative in some way. There may be different levels of creativity in different artists, but in order to be successful in some way, the artist or band has to have some creative aspect about them. If they didn’t no one would be able to determine whether they thought they were plastic or original because they would have never got the kind of exposure needed to become known in the first place.

That being said, I think there are some artists that are more creative than others. Some artists create and write their own music, have their own style, and refuse to be something that they are not. Then there are the artists who tries to be what they think society wants them to be, wear clothes someone else has picked out for them, and does whatever their “people” think is best. They sing songs that other people have written, but only if the label give it the ok. I’m not saying that I have anything against artist who doesn’t write their own music, I’m just saying that it does put them in a position for people to think they are plastic.

When I think of an artist who in my opinion is plastic, contrived, and formulaic the first person that comes to my mind is Britney Spears when she first started out. She was a sweet innocent little girl with a cookie cutter image, but it worked for her, her young fans and the parents of her young fans. Everything about her was plastic, contrived, and formulaic right down to the way she talked and laughed. Her songs from her first album “Baby One More Time” talk about relationships, and falling in love for the first time. Her outfits were always conservative and she had a girl next door type of persona. If you watch a video of Britney being interviewed during that time they way she spoke just sounds so fake, like she is trying way too hard to be cute and innocent.  When she started growing up a little bit and wanted to try new things people started freaking out. No one can forget her performance at the 2000 MTV music video awards when she started out in a pant suit and in the middle of her performance she ripped it off and had a beige rhinestone two piece underneath it. That was one of the first times that she stepped outside her bubblegum, cookie cutter image, and into a new sexier version.

When I think of an artist who is innovative, creative, and original I think of Jack Johnson. I’m not too sure if a lot of people know who jack Johnson is, but if you don’t you should go look him up and listen to some of his songs. He is known in the acoustic and soft rock genres. He writes all of his own music and plays the guitar and Ukulele. All if his songs are about his life and his opinions on life. He never has any technical machines in his music, it is all just has a pure natural sound and feel to it. When he plays at concerts it isn’t a huge production with fancy lights and sparklers in the back ground. It is always just him with his guitar, wearing everyday clothes, singing his music. Jack Johnson’s music is like a breath of fresh air, it is great when you just want to relax and escape from the reality of everyday life or when you need a break from the plasticsJ.

Research paper

For my research paper I chose the topic of the history of the PMRC. I chose this topic because when I was going through the choices it was the only one that struck my attention and interest.  I’m going to focus on the lawsuits filed by the PMRC against artists and their songs and their reasons for filing. My research so far has been ok. I haven’t been able to go to the library for actual books yet so I’m limited to what I can find on the internet. I know you can find books and articles online but I would really like to have actual paper to read instead of just getting it all online. I’ve tried looking searching on EBSCOHost but quite frankly I don’t really understand how it works although we did an entire assignment on it. Maybe I should go back and do that assignment again.

I haven’t actually started writing my paper yet since I don’t have all the research that I feel I need. This makes me super nervous. Is anyone else still gathering research and hasn’t actually started writing it out?? I am terrified of writing papers, I feel like I wasn’t taught how to do it right while I was in high school. Well it could be that I didn’t pay enough attention or even go to high school that much, but either way I feel like I’m not as knowledgeable as I should be. I think we only have one draft of this paper too, which is slightly terrifying to me because getting the feedback from peers and the teacher really helped me.

I live in Tehachapi and I am only taking online classes this semester so I am never on campus which is a problem because I really want to gather some research from the library on campus. I am making a trip down there next week so I can go to the library on campus and finish up my research. I feel once I have everything I need I will feel a lot more confident about everything but as of right now it is all up in the air. I think one of the things I have the most trouble with is taking all my research and figuring out a nice, organized way to put it all in writing and make it come together. I seem to have a problem with organizing my papers. Without any paper being well organized it is pretty much doomed. No one wants to try to read a paper that is confusing and unorganized. I really need to focus on this part and put a lot of time into how I want all of my research to come out in my paper because I would really love to not sound like an idiotJ Ugh did I mention I am NOT a fan of writing??? I guess it is a good thing I didn’t want to be an English major! See I’m already running out of things to vent about...

Internet Piracy

An official definition of internet piracy is Copyright infringement (or copyright violation) of unauthorized or prohibited use of works covered by copyright law, in a way that violates one of the copyright owner's exclusive rights, such as the right to reproduce or perform the copyrighted work, or to make derivative works. In other words Internet piracy refers to the use of the Internet for illegally copying or distributing unauthorized software. The offenders may use the Internet for all or some of their operations including the advertising, offering, acquiring, or distribution of pirated software.

In today’s day and age people use the internet to illegally download anything that you can possibly think of; music, movies, T.V. shows, music videos, games, and even papers used for academic purposes. In my opinion it is getting pretty ridiculous. When internet piracy first started becoming really popular it wasn’t nearly as extreme as it is today. It was usually only a song here and there that people were downloading. Now, not only can people download entire albums, but you can get the artwork from the album and a copy of all the lyrics in the same download. If you go to the right site, you can download movies that are still in theaters and the quality of the movie usually isn’t that bad. Personally the first internet piracy website I can remember is Napster. To my knowledge this was the first web site of its kind and anyone and everyone who had a computer and internet could download it then start downloading music.  Napster was developed by a 19 year old college student named Sean Fanning. He saw a need for space on the internet where people could search and share files. He knew that most people had lots of files on their computer’s hard drives that were going unused. Why not share these files with other users who might enjoy them or otherwise find some use for them?  A few years later, and with the help of his uncle, Napster was created. When the music industry started to catch on to people sharing these music files people started to get concerned. Several high profile music artists, including the band Metallica filed law suits against Napster for copy right infringement, forever ending the legal glory days of free music downloading. Napster still exists today you just have to pay a monthly fee.

No matter how hard the high profile people of whatever try to stop internet piracy it will always be there. Sites like Lime wire, pirate bay, and Music Oasis are out there where you can search and download all kinds of files illegally but free. However, a few months ago Lime Wire did receive a court order to shut down although I’m not sure what happened with it or if it is still working. I think that no matter what they do there is always going to be another way or another site to download stuff off the internet. Not only is there the fear of getting caught and fined for downloading stuff off the internet, but you never know what you are about to put in your computer when you download a file that you have no idea what is in it. It could be some kind of virus or something else that will do bad things to your computer. At first I thought the artist of the music were the ones to lose from internet piracy. But after reading the assignment from Music and Culture I think the people of the music industry are the ones that lose because they have the most to lose. If anything I think it gives the artists more exposure because people who can’t afford to go out and buy their cds can listen to their music from the internet.

American Idol or American Dream?

The American Dream can be described as a belief in freedom that allows all citizens and residents of the United States of America to achieve their goals in life through hard work. Today, in America it generally refers to the idea that one's prosperity depends upon one's own abilities and hard work, not on a rigid class structure, though the meaning of the phrase has changed over America's history. For some, it is the opportunity to achieve more prosperity than they could in their countries of origin; for others, it is the opportunity for their children to grow up with an education and career opportunities; for others, it is the opportunity to be an individual without the constraints imposed by class, caste, race, or ethnicity.
I think the show American Idol exploits the concept of the American Dream. American Idol is a reality show where ordinary every day people can be given the chance to show off their talent, and work towards achieving their goals and making a name for themselves in the music industry. American Idol does change people’s lives but it is a million and one chance. Thousands of hopefuls try out in different cities for the one chance of a dream career and life. Contestants have to audition to audition, meaning that they have to first audition for the show’s producers. This is where the controversy of whether or not American Idol exploits the “American Dream” or not comes in. The producers turn down many talented singers that are serious about the entire thing for people who dress up in stupid costumes, who know they can’t sing worth crap. These people are just trying to get their 15 minutes of fame, but honestly that is why a lot of people watch this show and the producers need to please their audience to keep it going.
American Idol isn’t the traditional or ethical way of achieving the American dream but it does happen. Take Carrie Underwood for instants. Before American Idol she was just a sweet innocent country girl from Oklahoma that was raised on a farm. When Carrie’s audition aired, they played a video of her background and it was her feeding her cows. When she made it to Hollywood they showed footage of her out seeing the town and Ryan Seacrest asked her if she had seen any stars yet and she very seriously looked up at the sky and said “um no it’s been pretty cloudy though”. He was referring to celebrities but her mind didn’t even work like that at the time. You can’t fake that kind of innocence. She obviously went on to win and now she is one of the most successful country artists of all time. People accepted her in spite of her none traditional way of getting there.
I think people don’t consider things like American Idol to be a way of people achieving the true American Dream because it is so different. It is a reality show and it is true that some people can and do abuse it just to try to get on T.V. Those people don’t work hard they just act stupid and it ruins the original purpose. But there is living proof that American Idol can be the gateway to someone’s American Dream no matter what race, gender, sexuality, or whatever you are.

Snoop Doggy Dogg

 When asked to write about any musician who I would classify as a “gangsta rap” artist, the first person who comes to mind is Snoop Dogg. I think Snoop Dogg is one of the most famous gangsta rap artists. Unlike other rappers who would be classified as gangsta rap artist, Snoop is not only successful in the music industry but he has also done film as well. He has surprisingly been in 15 movies, including Half Baked, Old School, and Malibu’s Most Wanted just to name a few. I think these movies have helped add to his persona of being a “gangsta”.
 In Nelson George’s essay Gangsters—Real and Unreal, he defines gangsta rap as a celebration of gatts, hoes, gleeful nihilism, and crack as the center of their economic universe. I agree with his definition and Snoop Dogg is a prime example of this. His music is about these sorts of things, he doesn’t rap about anything real or serious. For example, in Snoop Dogg’s song “For All My Niggaz and Bitches” he says “So all my bitches and my niggaz and my niggaz and my bitches wave your motherfuckin hands in the air and if you don't give a shit like we don't give a shit wave your motherfuckin fingers in the air.” Really? Stuff like this has no real meaning or purpose, I absolutely don’t understand it. I personally don’t have anything against rappers like this; it just isn’t my cup of tea. There are a few of Snoops songs that aren’t meant to be disrespectful and crude like his tribute to his mother called “I love my momma”. He talks about how much he loves his mother and how much he appreciates her and is thankfully for everything she has done for him throughout his life. Like I said, he has a few songs that are sweet and sentimental, but for the most part they are about the typically “Gangsta” things. In another one of Snoop Dogg’s songs called “break a Bitch Till I Die” he says…
Now don't get mad when you see me wit ya girlfriend
She ridin shot gun, smokin the damn thang again
Now say it ain't true...
Baby you gank em and play em it ain't no ring on you
That ain't what I do, just because I spend time wit you
Don't really mean i'm lyin to you
You got to understand what this young pimp will say
Cause right about now, it ain't no time for play
Now watch me slap ya ass wit dicks, bitch
You was stricly dickly, why you turn clitly
Thats even better, now both of you bitches lick me
Then I sit back and watch y'all eat pussy
Kick off my feet and count my cheese
Snoop this ain't the XLF, this the P-I-M-P
Look, she think she burned out
Wait until I put her on the fast track and have her turned out
P.I!
 Songs like this is why parents don’t want their kids listening to any kind of rap music. It sends horrible messages and promotes this kind of lifestyle. To be completely honest I wouldn’t want my son listening to anything like this. I don’t want anyone or anything telling him that it is “cool” to disrespect woman in any shape or form. Finally I don’t think Snoop Dogg would resist the “gangsta rap” label. In fact he glorifies and prides himself on it.

The Reality of the Lyrics

Eminem is a very controversial artist and subject. People either like him or hate him, there isn’t really a gray area in between. I have talked about Eminem in my blogs several times before this.  I am actually a fan of Eminem even though I don’t agree with everything he raps about, some of the things he says even scares me a little bit. Of course I do not personally know him so I don’t really know what his life was like as a child or even now, but I do believe that it was not easy.

In the essay “The Angry Appeal of Eminem Is Cutting Across Racial Lines” of our Music and Culture reading, it is mentioned that some teenagers who grew up with single mothers say they find it unfathomable that a mother would treat a child anything like Eminem would describe in his song “Cleaning out the Closet.”Personally I was fortunate enough to grow up in a very loving household with a mother and a father who worked hard to support our family and, gave us all the love and support in the world and continue to do so to this day. Unfortunately not everybody has that same luxury.  I have personally seen mothers who just don’t care about anything in the world including their own children. My mother grew up in a household with a father that was emotionally and physically abusive. It is very sad but it does happen so I do think that Eminem is telling the truth about his childhood and is “keeping it real.” The truth isn’t always pretty and what people want to hear. I think by him being so honest and real is why so many people do respect Eminem.

He also talks about real issues other than his personal problems, for example, the song “Stan.” As I’ve said before I think Stan is a horrible song for young impressionable teenagers who are just listening to music like this to rebel against their parents or whoever. But Eminem brings up real issues in this song that most people wouldn’t because they would be worried it would give them a bad name. Eminem talks about things like this to get the message across to people and I think to freak people out a little bit. Either way he does keep it real. He doesn’t rap about Bentleys and money and all the other materialistic things most rappers rap about. It is always real issues about life with Eminem.

I think lyrics that are reality based have so much more meaning, not only to the artist but to the listener as well. Every now and then people like to listen to music to escape from their own reality and that’s when music that is fantasy based come in handy. But mostly people listen to music to have something to relate to and the average Joe can’t relate to flying to Paris on their private jet to go shopping. Just saying.  

Just Dance

One of the few things that the entire world has in common is dance. From folkloric to crumping, every culture has its own style of dance.  Dance is a form of communication; it brings people together and has for centuries. Back during the medieval times people would come together to dance and socialize at what they would call a “ball”.  In today’s day and age, the most common way for people to get together and dance is at a night club. Clubs bring all different walks of life together to enjoy the same thing.
 I think dance brings out the best in people. Someone can be the shyest person in the world but as soon as they hit the dance floor it is like they turn into a different person. People coming together to dance whether it be at a club or somewhere else, are a lot less judgmental than they would be on the street on any normal given day. When you are out dancing just enjoying the freedom and music you don’t really care who comes up to you to join in or not.  If you were on the street and some random person just came up to you and started trying to have a conversation with you, you would most likely be a little skeptical and most definitely not as inviting. Not on the dance floor, most people welcomes all that are willing to join in and enjoy the music, movements and moment.
I am around dance all day and have been for my entire life. I used to be a performer for the Disney Corporation. I have seen how dance and music can bring sheer enjoyment not only to adults, but to kids and everyone else in between.  Dance gets people excited and brings them together. Now I am a dance instructor for a local studio and I get to teach what I know and what I have learned to kids and teenagers. It isn’t just about the technique and chorography; there is a certain level of integrity and confidence that come with dance as well. I have seen kids who would never dare pretend like they know each other, much less talk to each other at school because one was the “popular” one and the other was the “geek”, come together over dance and overcome the stupid clicks at school. This might not sound like a big deal to some people but don’t you remember what it was like in junior high and high school? Kids can be so mean and really can hate you for talking to someone who they don’t consider to be cool enough.
Like I said before dance brings out confidence in people that they don’t have on a normal day. I had this young student who was about 13 years old. I think she was the shyest person I have ever met in my life and even though she was talented she was not confident at all. When she first started coming to my class she would get so nervous before class even started that she would start shaking, crying and sometimes she would even throw up. By the end of the season this same girl was able to perform at one of the biggest competitions in the dance world in front of thousands of people.  Today she has this confidence about her that most people envy, and I think dance did that.

The negative portrayal of music

It is hard to choose just one artist from any genre of music that has been portrayed negatively. I think in every genre there is always an artist that is portrayed negatively by the press. Sometimes the press over exaggerates a message an artist is trying to delivery and take is completely out of context. The press can either hurt an artist or help them succeed in an industry that is nearly impossible to succeed in.

Since I cannot choose just one artist or genre, I’m going to pick an artist from a couple of different genres.  Let’s start with hip-hop which in my opinion is the style of music that is negatively portrayed the most. A hip hop artist that is portrayed very negatively is Eminem.  I actually do not think I have ever heard anything good about Eminem. His lyrics are very crud and in my opinion disturbing. I think the most disturbing song by Eminem is “Stan”. It is about a guy who is obsessed with Eminem who writes him letters telling him how much they are alike and that he is his biggest fan. In his letters he tells him about he wants to be together but his girlfriend is pregnant. He has serious issues and it really scary. The song goes on and Stan keeps writing to Eminem and doesn’t get a response. Finally at the end Stan is recording his voice while he’s driving a car drunk 90 miles an hour in a rain storm with his pregnant girlfriend locked in the trunk. He is blaming Eminem for his problems and telling him all he wanted was a letter.  He ends up running off of a bridge into a lake and killing himself and his pregnant girlfriend. People argue that artists’ messages get misinterpreted but I can’t see a way that anybody can listen to this song or watch this video and come up with a way that this would be sending a good message to anyone. I’m not saying that all hip hop or rap songs are like this, there are actually quite a few hip hop artists that only have good messages to spread. But songs like “Stan” are why hip hop has such a bad rep and is instantly frowned upon.

Let’s move on to pop. Pop music is much more accepted by the world than hip hop, but why? Yes, pop music doesn’t have as much violence as hip hop but it is mostly about sex. The messages are just as bad, but when some people hear the word pop music they instantly think oh there is nothing wrong with that it’s just teeny bopper stuff, but it definitely is not.  Artist’s like Lady Gaga are horrible influences. I know this blog is supposed to be about music or artists that are portrayed negatively and think pop music is to a certain extent, but not nearly as much as it should be. All Lady Gaga talks about in her songs is sex; she just uses weird metaphors to do so. I think artists and music like that deserve to have just as much negative attention as hip hop does. Society is so contradictive about things like this, they can look at one thing and talk about how negative it is but overlook something that is just as bad because it simply just doesn’t seem like it should be.

Parental Advisories for music

I feel that for the most part record companies should and do have a certain responsibility to provide the listeners with a description of what they are about to listen to but I am not sure that putting a parental advisory label on the music is the best way to do so. How often are the parents usually with their children when they are purchasing music anyway? I bet most of the time they are not. These kids are most likely purchasing music while they are at the mall with their friends or at a record store. One of the most common ways to buy music today is through something like iTunes on the internet. I highly doubt that parents are going to be sitting over their children’s shoulder monitoring every single thing they are doing or purchasing on the computer.      

            As a mother myself I do worry about the type of music my son is going to listen to in the future. I realize by the time he is old enough to want to listen to music of his own choosing that I may not be as up to date as I once was. I will want to know about the artists he likes and what kind of messages and morals they are sending out before purchasing their music for my son or letting him purchase it. It is a mother’s and father’s job to protect and shelter their children as much as possible and it is also the music, television, game, movie and all other entertainment industries job to help protect and warn as well.

 That being said I do not think that putting parental advisories on the music is the most effective way to let the parents know the content of the music their children are listening to is. Most of the parental advisories are little labels in the bottom corner of the CDs in small print. Most parents don’t even pay attention to the cover of the CDs. How do we expect them to really pay attention to these warnings? CDs are almost obsolete nowadays anyway. Like I mentioned before the most common way to purchase music is through something like iTunes. I realize that iTunes has an explicit lyrics warning label next to the song but most of the time the kids are purchasing the music without their parents around. People can argue that kids can’t buy music without their parent’s permission but things like iTunes gift cards give kids full access to whatever kind of music they want to purchase at anytime.

I feel that the record companies can come up with more effective ways to warn parent’s about the content of their children’s favorite music than a little label or warning.  Maybe they can do something like have a required age limit in order to purchases the music with these types of warnings. When purchasing in person at a music store they should have to show a picture I.D. that shows their age. When purchasing music through the internet they should require you to do something like type in your driver’s license number to make sure that you are of age. I feel like they have the right idea by putting parental advisories on music but they need more effective ways to get the point across.

             

Music and it's negative influences

As I’ve stated before I personally think music is a wonderful thing. For myself, music does not influence any negativity towards my life or my moods and state of mind, I don’t let it. I also believe that music doesn’t influence many young kids in a negative way, that they use it as a scapegoat, a way to express themselves and just for the sheer joy of it.  That being said I think there are exceptions.  Some young people do let music alter their behavior and moods in a bad way.  I don’t think that the music it’s self inspires some of our youth to act out, I think that they are already in that frame of mind and the music adds fuel to their fire. There are all different types of music to fit every mood, feeling, and desire, and it is up to the listener to determine how they will be affected by it. For example, a young teenage girl, who has low self esteem about herself and her body, can listen to a song about the pressure of being thin and beautiful and let it even lower her self esteem and image, or worse make her develop something like an eating disorder. An angry misfit can listen to heavy metal and it will make him in the mood to go mash mailboxes or start a fight with someone. It all just depends on the music and kids.

Certain types of music have different types of influences on different kids. I think rap has the worst reputation and is the most influential in a negative way. In my opinion rap sends out the most negative messages about morality and produces a negative outlook on humanity. Some rap music tells kids that it is cool to become a “thug”.  It perpetuates racial differences and is constantly promoting disrespect to women. They glorify sex and drug in their music. I think certain rap music can influence a young kid from a bad neighborhood to join a gang, because they think that is who they are and it is the only thing they will be able to do with their life and this music is encouraging it. I’m not saying all rap music is like this there are some artists that promote the exact opposite but for the most part this is how it is.

I also believe that the youth in general are very impressionable.  That as kids are growing up and they are constantly looking for things that will help them feel more like they belong.  Music is always the first thing that society blames for ruining our youth.  Even though I do agree that music can have a negative influence on our youth I don’t think that it is the only thing that can have that type of influence.  Kids can be influenced by their friends, T.V., video games, and many other things. I don’t really understand why everyone’s first assumption is the music but that is just how our society is.

Young People and Music

When Bloom writes about young people and music, that “it is their passion: nothing else excites them as it does; they cannot take seriously anything alien to music”, he is bringing up two points. The first is that young people are passionate about music, and the other that they are incapable of taking anything else seriously. With these two points I agree with one and disagree with the other.

I agree that young people find passion in music, not only when playing or listening to music, but also when it comes to activities, such as dance and sports. Many young people find comfort and a form of release when it comes to music. It is a way to express one’s self in a manner that is easy to convey to other people. It offers a way to release emotions that are hard to explain and can sometimes only be felt while playing or listening to music. Music also plays a vital role in activities that are not directly related to music. Dance has a strong connection with music, as it can be seen as a physical manifestation of the song. Even sports have a connection to music, music is pumped through stadiums to get the crowd excited and motivate the team. Most of these things are activities done by young people, and therefore they have a passion for it.

But the second point to Bloom’s statement I disagree with. I do not think that they are incapable of taking anything other than music seriously. Many young people are very capable of taking things other than music seriously. Many young people have a serious outlook on things such as school, jobs, and family. These are things that are not closely connected with music, and can be very important to young people. Many young people have an intense focus on school, and the need to enter a good four year institution. Because of this drive, it can be shown that they have the ability to take other aspects of their lives seriously, beyond the scope of music. This is also true when it comes to jobs and family. Many young people do not have the luxury of having the only thing they need to take seriously be music, but are forced to focus on jobs and family and have that be the most important thing in their lives.

Overall, I feel as though Bloom had many good points about young people and their passion for music. It is obvious by the way it is such a crucial cornerstone in so many of the activities that are enjoyed by and participated in by young people. I also feel like it may have been a severe over generalization because of the fact that I know many people personally who simply listen to music in their car, or watch an occasional music video. This leads me to believe that to some young people music is their entire life, their passion and the only thing they take seriously, but from personal experience I know there are always the exceptions to the rule.

Communicating without words

My mom and I have always had a very close relationship. I’ve always felt I can talk to her about anything.  When I was younger if I was doing something bad my mom wouldn’t have to yell at me or even say anything to me for that matter, she would just give me this look like I gave you life I can take it too. As I got older and matured we could always tell what the other was thinking in certain situations. If we are in public and something happened that we wanted to talk about but couldn’t at that time we just look at each other and know we are thinking the same thing.

                My dad has always been a part of my life. My mom and dad have been married for 38 years and have always lived together. Even though my dad was there as much as my mom was, my dad and I aren’t as close. My dad always felt like as long as he was the provider and made sure we had everything we needed that was good enough. Don’t get me wrong I love my dad; he was always there for me when I needed anything. He was always at my dance competitions, or school functions. Even now I could call him and tell him I needed something and he would be there at the drop of a hat.  We just never bonded as much as my mom and I. We don’t have that close relationship where we can look at each other and know what the other is thinking without saying anything at all. I wish we had that kind of relationship, but I don’t blame him for anything. He did everything in his power to make sure I had a happy healthy childhood and live, and I do.

                I have had the same four best friends since elementary school. We have grown up together and over the years formed very tight bonds. We can all communicate in different ways without using words. We have silly inside jokes where all we have to do it is make a certain gesture and we know what they’re doing and exactly what it means. We also have the “look” we give each other. Kind of the same thing my mom and I do but with my friends the meanings and expressions are so different.

                These are just some of the personal ways I communicate with the people in my life without using words. I think there are all kinds of ways that people communicate without actually speaking like, for instants, sex. Sex is definitely a way of showing a loved one love and passion without actually speaking. Body language is also a huge way of communicating. People communicate everyday with complete strangers using body language.  The way you portray yourself with your body language can have a huge impact on someone. You can make someone think you are interested in them, or you can make someone think you are interested in them at all. I think there are all different ways people around the world communicate without words, you just have to open up and watch and learn.    

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My Taste of Music

I tend to get bored rather easily so I have a wide spectrum of music in my musical library. It varies from: pop, hip-hop, R&B, rock, kid’s music, country, classic rock, musical theater, and reggae. This goes to show that I am open to pretty much anything and will give an artist or song I have never heard before a chance before I decide if I like it or not. My job also opens me to a different kind of music I wouldn’t personally listen to. I have to find music appropriate for kids that I actually enjoy enough to create a dance to, and that the kids will enjoy as well.

Over the years my taste and opinion in music has changed.  When I was younger, around the Jr. High age, I only listened to what was “in” at the time. Looking back I can remember liking the music but I’m not sure if I only liked it because I thought it was cool and that’s what I was supposed to do, or if I truly enjoyed it.  As I got older and gained some life experience I really started to appreciate the meaning of the songs and was able to somehow make a personal connection to what the artists were saying. Around the end of high school is when I started to open myself up to different genres of music. I was meeting new people who weren’t like me, that had a different taste and style of music that wasn’t typical for the people I had always surrounded myself with. These new friends and their music really helped me learn a lot, not only about myself, but about different cultures, likes, dislikes, and different lifestyles. I became not so narrow minded.

Now I listen to everything. I still have all of my music from all of my different stages in life. Music is like my own personal time machine. Whenever I hear a song it takes me back to a certain time in my life. It’s like I can close my eyes and remember every detail of that time, who I was with, how I felt, where I was, even the mentality of my age at the time.  Sometimes when all of the responsibilities of being an adult and mom, with a full time job and school become a little too overwhelming I can put on my headphones, take a me moment, and travel back to a time when life was much simpler. I also use music as therapy. When I’m feeling sad I can listen to something that I know is going to put me into a better mood, like Jack Johnson.  Then I feel the need to travel to Hawaii. Hmm I wish.:)

I don’t think I have a certain pattern in my musical style. During my personal time I listen to whatever type of style I am in the mood for.  If I’m in the mood for something sweet and romantic I’ll usually put on country. If I’m in the mood to just relax I’ll put on reggae. When I’m working and choreographing dances I’ll usually put on musical theater or pop. It all just depends on my mood so my patterns vary.

Blog entry 1 - Music

Music has always been a big part of my life. I have been constantly around music since I was a baby. My mom owns a dance studio, and I was always with her, in fact when my parents brought me home from the hospital I went to the dance studio before I made it home. I began learning to dance as soon as I could walk. Obviously music is a big part of dance, but it is more than just hearing a song, learning the chorography, and performing. You have to listen to very beat and rhythm and move to it. Dance has made me appreciate music in a way that I don’t think I would if I was not a dancer.

To me music is a way to express myself. I’m not always good with talking about how I feel about something and I’m definitely not good with writing about it. When you hear a certain song that nails exactly how you’re feeling, but you can’t put it into your own words it’s like a therapy session. My personal way to use music to express how I feel about something or what the song means to me is to dance it out. You tell stories through music and dance.

Over the last four years music has played an even greater role in my life than it has before. After I graduated from high school I started teaching dance at my families dance studio. I had to start thinking about my students and choosing the right songs for them. I had to figure out how I could make all of these different age groups and personalities come together and appreciate the music, really feel what the song was about, and tell the story through their dance. This isn’t the easiest task when you are working with pre-teens and teenagers that seem more interested in dancing to the latest pop song rather than a song with actual meaning. It all came together and it showed me how much music can be a universal language.

  In my community, different groups and organizations put together events that showcase all kinds of local talent that involve music. Whether it be local bands, dance teams, singers, or instrument players. These events bring the people of all ages, gender, race, and beliefs of my small and conservative community together. The music brings all of these different walks of life together where they can all agree and enjoy the same thing in the same place. That doesn’t happen very often.

Music is and will continue to be a great influence on the world. It has been around for thousands of years. Music appeals to everyone. When was the last time you heard someone say “I hate all music?”  My guess is that you have not. Music can inspire people to do many things whether it is how to dress, or wear your hair and make-up, to inspiring someone to compose great works of art, for example Beethoven’s nine symphonies. It is one of the only things that are shared in every culture all around this world.

I expect the theme of music to alter my understanding and appreciation of music by giving me a greater incite to whatever message the artist is trying to get across, and help me understand people in a different way.