Redneck Chic
Rachel Schank
Blame it on the Farmers We are Everywhere 2013
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Inside Letter from the Editor … … … … ..3 Blame it on the Farmers… … … … 5 woMEN… … … … … … … … … 9 The Coffee Club… … … … … … .12 Troubled Utopia… … … … … … .13 Lady Gaga Lives for the Applause ..14 Blue Seal… … … … … … … ……15 !2
Letter from the Editor Dear Reader,
for the genre change so I will be completely re-
When I begin an project, or am thinking
was rethought and changed as well to a new
of some sort of idea for an essay or a proposal
product. I believe that my ability to look at a
my idea often times comes to me before I even
topic and realize that it is going nowhere is key
walk out of the class. As soon at the boundaries
to my future success in writing and hope to
are given for a certain project my mind starts to
continue to grow as a writer and critical thinker
wander and I normally come up with the
every day I can.
answer to the response or question as soon as it
is given. For some reason though, I also know
little rough from writing and it shows. The
that almost all of my ideas will chafe in some
entire paper was a random mess of information
way from start to finish. Not a single essay or
that had nothing to do with my mediocre thesis
assignment has remained the same topic from
statement. With the substantial review I took the
beginning to end. I began my Ethnography as a
information in my paper and saw that the entire
study on a group of men that met for coffee
time I wrote the original paper I was referring to
every morning, but they ended up not giving me
technology and jobs, not on a generational
what I was looking for so I looked at a different
difference but a technological difference. This
topic. I began my rhetorical analysis about Lady
led to more interviews and questions as well as a
Gaga’s song “Applause” but switched to her
completely new essay written from scratch. I
song “Bad Romance” as I felt it fit the criteria
tried to keep a little of the old paper by selecting
for the paper. Even my Op-Ed has been selected
good parts of the original that would fit into the
thinking and re-writing that essay. My ad-pitch
When it came to the Ethnography I was a
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the new substantial change.
After writing my first rough draft of any
When picking the topics for my original papers I looked close to home. For the
paper I always go through the paper and fix
Ethnography I was homesick and looking
sentence and edit things to make more sense.
forward to returning home for the weekends. I
Then I go through and add or remove excess
always thought Randolph was a unique town,
information. After that I will go through and
and proved to be quite interesting. For my genre
edit the grammar and sentence structure of the
change I picked a television show that I knew
paper. I will repeat the process until the time
like the back of my hand. I don’t have a
aloud for the essay has run out.
television here, and I knew every episode from
N.C.I.S. from start to finish. I had seen every
For my genre change I knew I wanted to
write a creative short story. This was
episode with my mother, and knew I could write
challenging, yet easy at the same time.
a lot on this topic. Both the OP-ED and the
Everything was fictional, but yet realistic, and
genre change aloud me to think about the
that was one of my main goals. i wanted to use
television show like I had never seen it before. !
my OP-ED because I can understand the
personalities of the people in the show to write
and analyzation. I learned how to think more
things how they would say and what they would
critically about the things I loved, and analyze
say. Using my OP-Ed and the topic of sexism
things in a new way. This has taught me how to
with underlaying womanly masculinity I decided
write again after a long break in writing and has
to write the story from the perspective of a
shed light on some bad habits that I have picked
female officer under attack. I changed the type
up, and some good ones too. In high school I
of work that the characters were involved in and
tended to write a rough draft and never glance
gave a twisting plot to draw the reader in. Even
at the paper again. This was due to the amount
before I knew the exact plot of my story I knew
of writing that we were constantly having to
that I wanted my reader slightly confused with
due. I have over come this and learned that not
unanswered questions until the last possible
everything you think about has to go into the
moment, and even after the story ended. I
paper. I found that I am able to narrow my focus
wanted to leave the ending open for imagination
and choose the things I want to include in the
and wonder. I wrote this as if I really was Ziva
paper. Writing is forever changing and we have
David a strong female character in the television
to learn to be flexible within our writing if we
show N.C.I.S..
want to continue to grow and get better.
This class introduced my brain to writing
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Blame it on the Farmers !
Growing up near a small farm town has
less jobs for those that are now graduating from high school, which is indirectly forcing people
been a quiet easy upbringing, there is lots
out of town, to look for a job or further their
freedom and not a worry in the world. When
education. In order to prepare young adults with
you were in Randolph it was like going back in
the necessary knowledge to succeed in life, our
time. Amish driving horse and buggy, cute small
education system had to invest in smart boards
shops line the main street, and all houses have an
and other forms of new interactive technology.
elegant old charm that makes you feel at home.
Through the new advances in many fields such
There is a positive and sometimes smelly vibe
as farming, jobs are on the decline for those with
that comes from everyone you pass by. Most days
and without a college education.
your nose can smell Randolph before your eyes
can actually see it. Over the years it has become
educationally smart town. According Facebook,
quiet the farming village, with over five family
in Randolph most adults thirty or older have not
owned farms in the surrounding area. In the last
obtained any schooling pasted high school, they
twenty years farming has had many
entered the work force after high school. Many
technological advances to allow farms to achieve
people hold jobs in the local and surrounding
more with less. There are machines that milk
stores, including farm jobs, and factory jobs.
cows, plow fields, and do other tasks to make the
Those who were not in the farm business,
work load lighter. The only problem with making
worked in the factories, the second most popular
less work is that in return there are less workers
place to work. Outsourcing has put an end to
Randolph is a very skilled town, but not an
needed. This domino effect means that there are
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simple factory life, and a serious dent in
and past down from generation to generation
the amount of jobs available to those with
of that single family. There is a certain pride
labor skills. The ALCOA factory in the heart
to uphold by keeping a farm within the family,
of Randolph is an excellent example of this.
but even within the immediate family there
The closing of ALCOA has left many citizen
are too many people to all run the farm. The
unable to support their family. The Oyer
Morrison family has nine children, not
Family was willing to talk to me about their
including cousins and other relatives. In order
jobs and income. Chris Oyer worked at
to prove their ability, and wanting to inherit
ALCOA until it closed, and then relied on his
that farm, one son from each of the farm
wife’s job until he obtained a job driving
families is attending college to study
trucks around the country. His wife
agriculture or crop management and learn
Ginger job also
about
requires her to
farming
travel, but on a
technologies.
smaller scale.
Brady Morrison
They both said
is studying
that everything
agriculture at
with the factory
Alfred State
closing and this
University.
new job has put
When I chatted
a strain on their
with Brady he
family’s relationship and caused them to make
told me about his education and family. They
decisions financially that they never wanted to
are all really close, the family gets together all
make. Although they didn’t tell me specifically
the time and is very supportive of his
about any debt or money issues, I was able to
education. When Brady and his other
conclude there was a small debt accumulating
brothers sat down and decided who was going
after talking with them.
to inherit the farm he didn’t think he would
“Farming mean Family,” is a message
be the one. There was his older brothers and
that the farmers of Randolph have taught me.
sisters that he figured would take this
Local farms are only run by family members,
opportunity.
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achievement Josh looks to his high school
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education as a guidance into college as do
He also told me about what he is studying at
beyond this sheltered town. One could never
Alfred. The idea of agriculture, I thought,
leave Randolph if they didn’t want to, and
was a learned skilled that was passed down,
often times this was the case for many older
Brady told me other wise. he was learning
generations. Shelly Swan a teacher in the high
about new planting techniques, how to run
school offered me insight about a few
the latest equipment to get the most out of
shocking stories. One student didn’t leave
crops and animals as well as mechanical
Randolph for the first time until they were
engineering to fix problems with the
seventeen years old. She explained how we
machines. farmers son by the name Joshua
are a perfectly isolated town that is self
Draves is another excellent example of
sufficient. She also agreed that there is false
agricultural education. Joshua is attending
information about life that has been relayed
Cobleskill college near Albany, NY, where he
by our educators almost to scare people from
is learning about crop management. Change
leaving, but with less and less jobs, reality is
is inevitable, there will always be changes with
turning tables. She believes that this is
equipment and this is a degree that will allow
because the people that are educating a
Joshua to look beyond the family farm into a
majority of students here are shallow and
larger world of farming. Josh is hoping to
narrow minded due to growing up in
someday manage a farm that is larger than
Randolph. When I brought up technology she
the small town farm his family has owned for
referred me to the information technology
generations. Josh said that his goal is to
department in the high school.
most students. But what happens when high school doesn’t prepare you for college, and it just sets you up for failure? Randolph has always been quick to pick up technological advances with farming, but the educational program has been slow on the update and preparing students for the world
manage a large plantation. For this
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Mike Frame, who is in charge of this
Technology is also a big part of the lack of
department, informed me that they plan on
jobs, there are more jobs for machines but less
installing apple TV’s in all classrooms to
and less jobs for people. Steve Lohr explains
supplement the teacher and student iPads and
this in one of his articles for NYTimes with a
the interactive boards. We need to catch up to
reference to the faulty economy and how that
the rest of the country. We are becoming a
is to blame. However, the crumbling economy
paperless society, and we might be resorting to
is from the lack of jobs for people because
testing online, like many other schools.
robots are set up to do the work of many.
Everything is being done online now. Grades
Randolph may be behind with its rise of
are not sent home, they can be found online,
technology, but it is still suffering from the
along with any form that one might possibly
same problems of the rest of the country.
need. Mike Frame said that our only hope is
Farmers are not blame for the lack of jobs, its
for the continued communication face to face,
the machinery.
parent to student, and parent to teacher to
Notes:
assure that the children are staying caught up
Google images
in their work. After talking with a district
Lohr, Steve. "Economist See More Jobs
teacher from the city Salamanca, about a half
for Machines, Not People." The New York Times
hour away from Randolph, teachers at
23 Oct. 2011: n. pag. NYTimes.com. Web. 18
randolph are lucky to have a family that cares
Nov. 2013.
about their children's education. Many city schools are finding with new technology there is less caring about the children, and more care about the technology behind the education. There is a lack of jobs anywhere you look, that is why there is such a big push for young adults to go to college. The degree that you are awarded with can often times be a deciding factor between getting a job and not.
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woMEN “
Miss David, what happened yesterday”?
It was an awful day, I’ve tried to block it
she got the key we were putting the picture
from my memory as if it never happened. I knew
back when we heard gun shots. All that was
to stay tough in my response, be short. “It was a
there was a ruffled carpet and jenny’s glasses.” I
tuesday. Just an ordinary tuesday. And just like any
did not want to mention the amount of fear we
other tuesday we were on our way to the gym,”
had, because that was unprofessional and we
Jenny, Kate, and I went to the gym to keep our
would have been looked at as weak and
agility high, “we arrived at seven, just as we were told. We walked into the building,” our secret service was hidden behind an antique shop, and every thing I walked past I felt had secrets too.
“Okay then what happened”?
there but a small medallion that looked like a necklace my grandmother would wear. “After
womanly. My mind began to wander back on that day to think if anyone was following me or us, but his loud abrupt voice jolted me awake. “Did you go to the gym then”
“Well, I decided that we should head to the
gym to see if there was anyone else here.” It
which is in a classified area of building that you
was still and room had an erie feel without the bubbling faces of the shop workers. “In order
“Yes, Kate and I opened the elevator door,
sir don’t have clearance for. We dropped to the
to get to the agency you have to use a picture in
basement, the doors opened, and there they
the shop,” we went over to a picture on the wall
were. All of them, dead.” I did not say how
and Jenny moved it aside. There was nothing
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Kate and I balled, I kept a straight face, It was
everything about them except if they have
no big deal. I am a killer, I am trained to kill,
brain. Tim is better than Tony, but he’s too
yet this time is was different. I went on to
lame to get laid. I have better chance of get a
explain what I saw, “gruesome is an
woman before him. Anyways Gibbs and I
understatement to describe what I saw. They
have alway had a strange relation. Since I
never had a chance, and I knew we were
began working for Jenny after moving from
next.” Every other officer was executed
Israel, Gibbs has always respected me more
including our boss. I began to shake in
than the other woman I worked with.
remembrance of the awful images that are
stuck in my head, it was like a scene out of a
when all the lights went dark. I felt strong
movie, not real life. I kept telling myself, “do
hands grab my wrists, and the-
We were just about wrapping things up,
not cry, do not show emotion, he is not
…
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superior to you.”
“I’m sorry for your losses, do you think
you can continue”?
“Absolutely” I continued to tell Gibbs all
about that awful day. I told him about how Jenny was sick with cancer, and it was probably better that she went that way instead of being bald in a hospital bed. She was
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happier this way
I knew that he was really upset to see her
It is so dark, I wonder how long I’ve
go, but I had to stay strong. If Kate was alive
been out. my head hurts so bad, but I manage
she probably would have lost it by now. She
to come to and see my surroundings. It is
was weak emotionally, she let things get to her
damp and cold and I can barley move my
and Gibbs could read that. He was good at
wrists. Whoever grabbed my wrists back in
his job, It’s no wonder the CIA calls him their
the interrogation room wanted to make sure I
best investigator. His goons on the other hand
couldn’t use them if I wanted too. With hazy
are two typical guys. Tony loves women
vision I see heavy chains around my wrists and ankles.
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I think I’m beginning to hear things, but it is
but I wait until the timing is right and I grab a
just another person in the room, I
hold of it and rip it off. He looks over and
immediately think of Gibbs, where is he, is he
gives me a half scared, half Gibbs smile. I
okay. As soon as these thoughts crossed my
mouth the words, “close your eyes,” as we are
mind a dark mass appeared on the other side
thrown into a room. I squint to see a control
of the door. We were in some type of holding
panel on a desk with a large chair in front of
center.
it. This all was very familiar. I can remember
being here, but I can not put my finger on it. I
“WHO ARE YOU”? I scream, “WHAT
DO YOU WANT WITH ME”? I shout
continue to think about it, staring at the
choking on tears of fury and anticipation.
bottom of a large brown chair that brings me
The dark figure does not speak as it opens the
so many memories. All the sudden I see two
doors and enters the room. It brings with it
large feet in front of me, but before I even
two large men that even I can not take down.
look up I know who it is. I am trying to wrap
One walks into the darkness of the room and
my head around this, I am speechless, I am
the other comes towards me. A burlap sack in
starting to get dazed and light headed again
hand. I close my eyes as the burlap sac is
this is all too much for me, I can not handle
placed on my head so I can not see where I
this.
am being lead. I count fifty three steps before
being thrust to the right and then thirty seven
a gun and points it towards my head.
“Hello Ziva,” my father says as he raises
more in that direction before being thrown over my kidnappers shoulders for the remainder of the trip. It feels like hours that we are walking, my head is starting to feel light due to the flow of blood that had gone to it. I manage to look over and see Gibbs’ being held by the other massive man. My hood had fallen off and I look up to see a strangely familiar building. Gibbs’ hood is still on him,
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The Coffee Club Back in my little hometown there is only one place open at
to know these people. Where I live everyone who grew up
6:30 in the morning, The R&M Restaurant. I have worked
here, and stayed here for the rest of their lives. All the older
there over a year, and continue to work there on breaks. We
gentlemen are part of the town board, and the secret to life
technically are not open at 6:30 in the morning, but that
here is about who you know. Our town has it’s cliques, and
doesn’t seem to stop a group of men that barge through the
that’s what we’re good at . So I naturally assumed these men
door and sit around a giant oval table with large coffee cups
grew up here, went to school here, and were just following
in the center. Some of the cups are their own that they have
the path of many others that have gone before them.
brought from home, others are from people who enjoy
However, this was not what I found when talking to them.
seeing these men every morning.
that everyone from a small town stayed in a small town. I was
Being their waitress, I have never had time to sit down
I was going to form my hypothesis around the idea
and talk to them, except to ask, “Would you like more
also thinking about forming a hypothesis based on the fact
coffee?” It always puzzled me why these men would want to
that most of these older gentlemen were Conservative
meet here every morning. Finally after two years of serving
Republicans, and that the younger men were more Liberal
them I was able to joined them, and the other coffee club this
Democrats, but I personally find politics unimaginative, and
past Saturday.
felt that I could not write a paper solely on this. I believe that
my hypothesis will be about how you think you know people
These are the most personal, inviting people you will
ever meet; they had no problem letting me in on some of
by what you see, but there is much more to these people than
their secrets, and reasons behind coming here every day. My
just coffee going around that table.
first impression of these groups was far from true when I got
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Troubled Utopia After reading “The Ones Who Walk Away From the
and stare at it and even the mops on the other side of
Omelas,” by Ursula Le Guin, I can understand why
the room. It is referred to as “it” because the sex and
one would walk away from the Omelas. At first sight it
age of the child are as unseen as the nonexistent
looks like the setting is a sort of utopic society, but after
muscles on its disfigured body. It’s belly protrudes due
a careful examination you begin to learn about
to malnourishment in its unbalanced diet, and It sits
sacrificial child that is locked away in a closet.
naked in the grimy basement only to have developed
sores on its body that are in constant contact with the
“In a basement...own excrement continually.”
This paragraph is a close examination of the helpless
ground. I envision a commercial for Save the Children in
child that is kept hidden from society. The basement the
Africa or some other foreign third world country. To top
child is kept in is described first in the paragraph as
off the horrific conditions of the child, not only does it
being damp and dirty, like most basements are, with a
have sores that are suppurating on its bottom and calfs,
small mop closet. After being informed of all the
it also is reduced to sitting in it’s own excrement. To me
positive aspects of the Omelas you do not expect to
this isn’t even how animals are treated. This is horrific
hear what comes next,. The mop closet is described as
and disgusting in the way that this child is being left
being small, “3 paces long, two wide,” with sour
there to suffer so that others can be without pain.
smelling mops. We are then introduced to an invalid of
a child that is kept in the closet, to keep society happy
From the Omelas” there is one part in the short story at
and untroubled. Athough it remembers a time of being
the end where certain people are so affected by the sight
in the light, it has been confined to this area so long,
of this poor helpless creature, that they walk away from
that it’s becoming less and less human. It’s cries in the
the Omelas. It is no longer beautiful and carefree like it
night have turned into noise similar to animals, and it’s
seemed in the beginning. There are hidden secrets that
food and water dishes are refilled like a beast less than
make it ugly and worse than a normal society of today’s
animal. It is afraid of everything, the people that come
standards.
In the short story “The Ones Who Walk Away
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Lady Gaga Lives for the Applause Lady Gaga’s new single, “Applause” has been
argument. I know the blog I plan on using is a
looked at from opposing view points, but
reliable source because it is a well known and
never combined in one review, or essay. Some
established site that is properly maintained
suggest that her song is merely her cry for
and updated. I will be discussing in depth the
fame and her “obsession” with being a
symbolism behind the shallow chorus of the
celebrity, but my opinion is that Lady Gaga
song, as well as the vibrant verses and Gaga’s
wrote this song because she lives through her
strange word choice. It will be like decoding a
fans, and always seeks their approval through
different language, the language of ARTPOP.
all she does.
will not come across in my essay as I plan to
I plan on making different points about
My personal connection with the song
the song. I will introduce the opposing view
keep it professional. After falling off the face
point and then prove why it is wrong, or why
of Hollywood and pop music, this was Lady
I am disagreeing with it. I will justify my
Gaga’s come back, celebratory song, about
statements using reliable information from,
being back on the stage again, and seeing her
televised interviews, fan blogs, and even Lady
fans clap for her.
Gaga’s official twitter, to exploit the facts and “haters.” A lot of my own knowledge will deepen my view points and strengthen my
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Blue Seal
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