I don't think i like the freedom...

So, I have been debating for days on what to write my essay over and I just realized it is due in a few days which probably isn't a very good thing on my part considering I still have not figured out what it is going to be over. I mean, Melanie said it could be over literally whatever we wanted, but I ask myself, "Can it really?" See, I don't see it like that, somehow it has to be tied into one of the things we have discussed and why shouldn't it be. Obviously we can stretch it a lot like for instance writing about ball park corny dogs, but then again, it is food. I sat down and watched the Food Network in my spare time (which was slim) and tried to see if any ideas would arise. I had different things going back and forth, such as, writing a letter to Giada De Laurentiis with suggestions of different ways to say MMMMM, but then I was like, "can i really write five pages on that? I think not" Then I started to think about the five pages and what I could honestly write about that would be interesting and possibly funny (because being humorous is my favorite form of writing) and still be able to receive a good grade. Then I started thinking about all my grades and how I am this close to either passing or failing Biology. Then I thought about my mom and how disappointed she would be (and lets face it, PISSED) and how I would never again be allowed to see daylight. Then it made me extremely nervous and I went and scrounged for some food, which reminded me, Hey I have to come up with a topic to write about. And the cycle continued.

I'm kinda at a crossroad and it feels as if both roads lead to a dead end.

but the man who is going to help me through the week is:

The sexy man of the week/blog---Alex O'Loughlin from Moonlight. Just becuase he is sexy, Australian, has beautiful hair, and plays a vampire.

Decisions, Decisions...

So, while being one awesome judge, along with my other equally fantastic panel, our decision for the best restaurant arose a thought out of me later this weekend.
Now clearly we chose the "Out of this World" (or whatever their restaurant name was) because they presented a place to eat that we could visualize that we found exciting. Sure, the other two groups had decent ideas and there food actually sounded pretty good. My favorite type of food happens to be Mexican food actually, which is what the first group was serving. But again, the third group caught our attention, made it fun, had a story, basically made us WANT to go there. They used attractive words, maintained eye contact and painted us a picture. They made their rhetoric words visual for us, I think that is what won it for them. Anyway, I am still a little upset it doesn't exist and I truly felt like it would be opening soon and we would all take a trip there.
The other part of this point that is taking me so long to make is I want GOOD food; somewhere that tastes great and make me want to keep going back. One of my favorite places happens to be a little old, looks like crap, home owned restaurant out in the middle of a, what I believe is a neighborhood I would not want to walk alone in at night (well, I still probably wouldn't even with friends and a gun for that matter), but anyway, it certainly doesn't look appealing, but the food is the best Mexican food I have ever tasted. Now, the food that was talked about for the three restaurants in class, if you think about it, the last group probably would end up having the least best tasting food out of all of them. Sure they had some smart and cute names for the meals, but finally to my question...when do you draw the line or make the decision of what you choose over? Quality of food or an exciting atmosphere?

It would be exciting to eat at a place with a whole space theme and clever names with possible "decent" food, but it is also great to stuff yourself with the best tasting food in a not so attractive place.
How do you decide? Does it always have to depend on your mood? your needs? what you are looking for in the night?

Probably a stupid thought, but I just always have wondered if quality of food was more important over quality of entertainment...

Ok, my sexy man of the week/blog is Mr. Butler...Gerard Butler that is. I always thought he was a looker, but he really grabbed my attention in P.S. I Love You, which was the best movie of the year and critics are stupid. However, Jeffrey Dean Morgan was the best one in that movie.

A Political Meal

First off, looking at that magazine image of Giesel and Lebron James was quite interesting. My first initial thoughts was, "Oh, cool, Lebron James, I love that guy and his brand of gum." Then after looking at the article that the person took it as racism, like King Kong capturing the white women. I don't analyze things like that. Sure, if we were asked to specifically analyze it, I might have come to that conclusion, however I feel like people OVER analyze everything. Personally, I find a lot of analyzing b.s. because sure, you can make anything something that is might not intend to be if you back it up with enough thoughts and opinions. We constantly have to analyze everything in my RTF class and it just upsets me and angers me a lot. If people would just stop reading into things so much, the world might not be as violent and racist. Why can't things just be an 'image'? Something to enjoy and look at? Sorry, I think I am just extremely sick of my RTF class which constantly informs us that white people suck.

Food Wars video, I thought, was incredible! How each country was represented with their general type of food was clever and made it easy to figure out what war or battle was being interpreted. And how the director used it in a humorous, entertaining way, maybe it tolerable for people who might find the discussion of specific battles difficult. I, myself might have been a tad upset regarding the Septemeber 11th attack, if it weren't for the pure entertainment value. I did not feel offended or extremely saddened by the visual of pieces of food slamming into the towers of hamburgers. It made me remember about it and think about the wave of grief that came over our country during the time, but it was only for a split second, because the food had moved on to a new war and it was just interesting to watch. It was however depressing that America was represented by hamburgers and french fries and ridiculous, fatty foods such as that. We don't really have our OWN type of food. We have stolen them from other countries and just Americanized it. Oh well, food is food and I LIKE IT!

Ok, sexy man of the week/blog is the one and only George Clooney who I am surprised has not appeared yet in one of thy blogs. Not much to say about this hunk of a man, his looks and personality explains it enough. Basically...I LOVE HIM.

After watching Thin and then looking over those website regarding "ana's" and "mias" was difficult. I didn't know if I could truly sympathize with them. Sure, I know it is a "disease", but part of me knows that it was a disease until they chose for it to be a disease. I think it depends on what side you are looking at, are you the patient or the viewer. It was tough reading their blogs though. They constantly counted their calories (if any at all) and got upset over a few pieces of cracker. All the discussion boards I have been on before were constant talk back and forth between the community. It didn't seem like they really spoke much or encouraged themselves only bitched about their day. But again, I suppose I can't chime in considering I don't know what they are going through, but it was like a place for them to talk about how they hated themselves or ways to lose an extra 5 lbs rather than somewhere they could talk about how they could fight this disease.

It really bothered me at the end of Thin to find out that almost all of the patients didn't recover. They were given an opprotunity and their families spent good money on them for quality help. Sure they were treated like children, but maybe that is how they should be treated. Then you see that one military chick throwing up the day she gets back with her kids in the other room. It is hard for me to sympathize for people like that. I sympathize for her children. If they grow up seeing that their mom (the person they look up to) is extremely self conscience about her weight all their lives, how do you think they will look at their weight and image? They probably will grow up thinking a healthy weight is bad and to be skinny is best, or still not good enough. I think the people who struggle the most our their family members because it seems like the purgers have already given up.

Even though this is a disgusting and unsettling topic and not a way to swing into the sexy man of the week/blog...it has to be done.

The heartthrob is Mr. Jeffrey Dean Morgan...a.k.a. Denny Duquette from Grey's Anatomy. However I only call him by JDM now, so he gets his name out there and not just "denny". He deserves more credit and should be a household name!

he has really cute smiley pictures but I just love a man in a suit so i picked this one...

Think THIN, Don't be THIN...

So that movie THIN we are watching in class is extremely difficult to take in. Sadly, it was easier for me to watch the doctors remove that tube from the girls stomach than to see their backbones crying for help. I didn't know what to feel. Part of me felt sick from eating so much at breakfast those two mornings before the screenings, but the other part of me felt great for feeling so full.

It is hard to see the world judging the "larger/obese", when those people could very well be happy with themselves and are enjoying their lives, and then when you see people (like in the film) with a eating disorder, not happy. Yet, society sees being "thin" as good and accepted.

On page 371 in Everything's An Argument, it shows us three images of how people are dressed nd we are asked to describe their style. Then, it reminded me of THIN, and how that one girl stood in front of the mirror and tried on at least 8 different outfits before picking one. She looked disgusted with herself, and I don't know whether it was because she thought she looked to fat in a few of those choices or if she was trying to pick a baggy outfit to appear as if she gained some weight. It is upsetting how we look at ourselves, unpleased and disappointed. The girl even said she joined the army to lose weight! To lose weight!!! She wasn't worried about getting shot, leaving family, or even the fact that she could die, but because she knew she wouldn't gain any extra weight. So when you see her looking at herself trying on clothes in the mirror, we have no clue what she is thinking. We don't know how she works, whats on her mind. I think it is hard enough for people to judge you, let alone to judge yourself.

This all really makes you think. For the first part of the semester i was all about getting fit and losing some weight, now while watching this film, I felt like i should eat more. Now, I know I would NEVER be caught up in an eating disorder because for one I love food and two I have been throw up free since 93 (thankfully), but seriously there is like no winning in this class. Sometimes I feel like I should be eating more for those bone girls while other times I think I should be cutting down.

Ok, after all that depressing-ness...sexy man of the week/blog! Ok, no judging me, but this is my FAVORITE all-time player on Survivor, he was on during the Cook Island season, and then came back for Fans vs. Favs...until his unfortunate early exit because an infection grew in his knee from a STUPID puncture wound...he was forced to leave, despite seeing the light at the end...he sooooo was set in the perfect position to win, and i am pissed! Now, Survivor is boring as hell and I don't have my sexy blue-eyed man to stare at anymore.

Oh, plus, he is an Actor/Writer!!! He has been in several movies (my fav being The Last Supper), nominated for an Oscar on a film he wrote AND has been on shows like Seinfeld, CSI, and Arrested Development.

The one and only...JONATHAN PENNER!!!

Food + Flat Screen = Unhealthy Me

The title is the epitome of my life. Our in class discussions and part of chapter 10 talks about why people are considered obese and how people describe what "being obese" truly is. I thought the day when we labeled words we associate with "obesity, epidemic, body, and perfection" was a brilliant and slef evaluating moment. I personally thought a few of the words my classmates provided were a bit harsh, however it is nice to know what others think. Then after having been shown the pictures with the people labeled as either "skinny, average, fat, obese, etc." it helped us reconsider. What really is obese? I would have never labeled most of those people fat or obese. Most of those were extremely ridiculous because I don't think height and muscle mass was even considered for those people. It is strange how people are labeled like that without even knowing their possible family medical history, lifestyle, etc. We just look at someone and judge them.
I don't think just what we put, or don't put, in our bodies should be the only thing to determine whether or not we are obese or not. Personally, I have always eaten crappy foods and healthy foods; it was a nice balance, but I never technically had to watch what I ate or count things. Now, I find myself attempting to eat better and in smaller portions and I will admit, I suck at doing that. I know that it is a issue now because I am not involved in sports like I was seven times a week, every week. I could eat junk and be somewhat toned because I was constantly on the go. Now, I play maybe one intermural sport a semester and stayed hyped up in my room studying, or having girl night. Besides I'm an RTF student so tv and movies are my life, so I spend most of my time persuing the brilliance that is the big screen. I do not receive near as much exercise as I should be getting, but at least I am aware of that, and I am okay with it.
What is ridiculous is people don't realize that when they try a new diet, they have to do more than that. Sure it is great internally for you body to eat better foods, but that isn't just the only thing you must do. When you see those television adds that says "take this tablet once a day and you will shed pounds" people tend to not listen to the rest of the ad. Every single one of those ads I have seen also say or read "...along with eating healthy, water, and daily exercise". Well duh! If you ate healthy, drank water, and exercised daily, of course you are going to loss weight. The tablet isn't what is working, it is the other stuff that you should be doing along with that stupid tablet. I understand it is difficult for most people to do all of that with our busy schedules, lack of money, and just will power. Lets face it, I have been saying I am going to eat better and exercise for weeks now and I just enjoyed a yummy slice of pizza about an hour ago...it was delish!
Also, when we discussed that that ridiculous lady said fat people aren't happy, are you kidding me? I know plently of people that are a tad over weight and several who could be considered obese, but they are some of the happiest and funniest people I know. I think it is how you handler yourself and what you make out of your life. If you are happy with yourself then who cares what others think. I enjoy food and food makes me happy, I just try to stay active. And if it works for me, obviously it works for other people as well.

and for my sexy man of the week/blog....Greg Grunberg....better know as Officer Matt Parkman on Heroes, plus I found out he is one of the male representatives of Weight Watchers...besides i think he is sexy, sexy...i love the big boys

Animal, Vegetable, Miracle...Oh My

In chapter 8 of Everything's An Argument, I focused primarily on the part about looking at the images and analizing what you see. Obviously, Animal, Vegetable, Miracle is all about the "eating healthy" and "providing one's own food", as well as understanding the value of it all. I find it quite relating and smart how the book itself, physically fits with the meaning of the novel. The papers inside the book was the first thing I noticed about the book actually when I purchased it weeks back and I assumed that I was getting myself into a very earthy, love, peace, and happiness book. I honestly find it extremely necessary that the book should be made out of the recycled paper that it is because, in a way, that is the whole idea of the book. Recycling is a huge part of the general idea of the novel and eating right and understading the values of growing your own food. It could just be me, but I seem to think it goes hand in hand.
I was slightly confused, well rather, curious about the inside of the cover that isn't shown because it is fairly glossy and I just wonder if it contains any form of corn to give it that shiny glow! :) I just found it funny I suppose.
But continuing, the book's outside appearance is what I would have expected, in an earthy green tone with a texturized covering that works. It is kind of like, what you see outside is what you get inside, only with more jokes and recipes on the pages.

The layout of the book was decent. It did however bother me in Kingsolver's decision to put her husband's, Steven, input smack in the middle of the text. I didn't know when I should read it and I even actually woke up once in the middle of the night because it randomly dawned on me that I forgot to go back to one of his sections. However, I must admit it occasionally worked out for me because I tend to forget I am reading and then I am suddenly at the bottom of the page and can't remember what the hell I just read, so when Steven jumped on in there it was like a pinch to start focusing.

All in all, it was an enjoyable reading and I am glad I read more about other crops than just corn. Plus, I am really looking forward to trying some of the recipes! :)

ok, sexy man of the week/blog that keeps me eating good and attempting to stay in shape is the one and only...

Mr. Patrick Dempsey! a.k.a. DR. McDREAMY...of course!



mmm mmm mmm...i wish my doctor looked like this...i'd probably go for a weekly check-up if that were the case

Queen Corn

I am still fascinated by how involved corn is in just about EVERYTHING! It is a pity too because now I actually find myself turning over food items and looking at the ingredient label, and sure enough corn is always in it. What I found interesting during the movie is when they mentioned that only specific corn can be sprayed with a specific pesticide. I never thought of that before and it was just funny to me how they were like "...blah, blah, blah...we have to make sure the corn comes from (like a certain 'blood line')...or it will kill the entire crop." It was like over the years that specific 'crop line' became immune from that pestide and that tey know what type of corn they are working with. I also thought about how corn, in a way, is taking over the world and can kind of "kill" which led me to think of the movie Witness with Harrison Ford and how one of the bad guys gets killed by corn. He is trapped in the shaft where they drop the corn and he can't open the door and just the weight and abundant amount of the corn suffocates him. I just find it ironic and slightly funny now that I know all about corn.

Like I wrote in our homework paper last week, I also found it very ironic that in the last scene they were playing America's Game (baseball) while surrounded by practically America's Food Product (corn.) GOOD STUFF

Another discussion in class was regarding Pollan's argument about the over populated corn industry and whether or not people should be informed about what goes on. The more I think about it, at first I was positive I did not want to be informed anymore regarding those matters because I don't want any more of the food that I take so much delight in to be ruined. However, I would actually consider knowing more about what I eat, sure it might be hard to take, but being well informed is kind of nice and it might possibly lead to me eating better. I will say though, that I will NEVER stop eating bacon and a nice medium rare steak every once in a while! :)

I drew this during the movie (while paying attention of course :) ) I find myself drawing corn a lot now...


and once again my sexy man of the week/blog is Mr. Ford himself from Witness

Grass, Grass, and more Grass (do not smoke)

Claim- All flesh is grass. In other words grass is a primary producer and it is , or at least should be, the main food source for most of the animals we consume today. So in one way or another, even though we maybe eating chicken, we are still eating grass.

Grounds- Pollan talks about the different food sources these farm animals have. He talks about the process chickens go about in eating. First they “… [nibble] on the short cattle-clipped grasses they like best, [then] the chickens [apply] a few thousand pounds of nitrogen to pasture- and produce several thousand uncommonly rich and tasty eggs.”

Basically, it is amazing to find out how involved grass truly is. Sure it is where we plant the food and thus beginning the whole cycle, but to really break it down and understand the importance on it can really mess up a person's mind.

And once again, the guy of the week for thy blog that makes me continue to eat healthy incase I were to bump into him one day is....

the badass, yet loveable Josh Holloway...a.k.a. Sawyer from LOST!

Whole Foods

So firstly, I was not looking forward to traveling far to Whole Foods because I am dreadfully awful when it comes to directions and attempting to figure out the bus system. Rightly so, with my negative thinking, I suppose I managed to get on the wrong bus and had to walk about nine blocks.
Then, HEAVEN! It was so welcoming, especially after sweating and discovering I am extremely out of shape during my walking journey. The first thing I noticed was the air pressure walking in through the slide doors, brilliant and refreshing; it was like "Welcome, please venture in our air conditioning and relax in the world that is know as the magical world of Whole Foods." I swear that is what it said to me as I entered! :)
What caught my attention most through my adventurous escapade was how shapely the store was presented. I do not recall many straight angles, but instead smooth curves. It was like the curves of someone's body; it is okay to have curves, they can be beautiful. It was very inviting and appeared to be the food place to be. Going into the store I had pictured a place such as only healthy food wapped up tightly in straight isle, but no, no, no. You could order food, eat food, watch the cooks make food, get drinks, kick back, pull up a stool, enjoy the pleasantries of fruitful eating. Even walking throughout Whole Foods I noticed how the music changed apon entering a "new" section. At the front near all the cheeses, breads, sandwich fixen, etc., it was more of an updated alternative mix at the perfect volume illuminating the area, while further towards the back near the what I labeled as the "Sushi Villa" was merely soft instrumental notes. I found it classy. The rest of the layout was amazing, everything neatly categorized, in a way, to where it would be easy to find something. However, I don't think anyone would mind getting lost for a while.
There were brands I had never seen before, but it shouted out the word "Healthy!" to me. Even though, most of the servings there were meant to be healthy, interesting, and somewhat different I would have had no problem at all find food for myself for weeks. I only wish I lived closer.
I even noticed that the carts used were tiner than most all supermarkets, possibly to self-consciously inform you to not get crap, but buy the essentials. Plus, they were really light weight and float around the crisp, shiny floors, much like the ones at Ikea.
I also noticed at the front of the store that they even provided different types of magazines from the usual, PEOPLE, SPORTS ILLUSTRATED, etc., but rather health food magazines, recycling, spiritual, earthy magazines; which I felt went well with the whole theme.
I didn't bring my camera which I am still bummed about, however I did purchase two waters I found interesting that certainly quinched my parched body, so I took a picture of them when I returned to my dorm. And let me say, I felt the electrolytes fill my body. :)
The bus ride was more entertaining on the way back because I felt rejuvinated from just having been a part of the Whole Foods life, with the families and friends shopping and eating. Plus, our bus driver was talking about how he would rather get a part time job as a pimp.





oh, and this is random, but i like to post stupid things so i thought i might do this at the end of each of my blogs for now on...every week, i like to name someone new for why i am going to eat better that week, incase i were to meet them, i must look my best...lol, its a stupid thing, but it gets me thinking...my healthy eating victim of choice is...



TB NFL COACH- JON GRUDEN a.k.a Chuckie...my fav. coach

Chapter 1: Everything is an Argument

When I first read the title of Lunsford and Ruszkiewicz book, Everythings an Argument, I found it nearly impossible that everything infact was an argument. There has to be something that wouldn't be considered an argument. After having read chapter one I realized that it very well is possible. I have never read a book for a class where I wasn't like "yadda, yadda, yadda, I already know that, this is bogus," but surprisingly with this book, I was interested and felt as if I was learning new information, yet I completely understood what was being read and actual could relate. "Thus an argument can be any text- whether written, spoken,or visual- that expresses a point of view." (pg. 4) It occured to me that this is completely true. Everthing is an argument; it may not have to be defined as raising a voice and being violent, but just people having opinions.
The other thing I found interesting was the topic about the "distinction between argument and persuasion." On page 8 it mentioned that:

"Argument (discover a truth) ------->conviction"
"Persuasion (know a truth) ------>action"

I had never looked at it this way. In a way, it kind of reminds me of junior high grammar, where you have to break down words.

Same goes for the categories regarding whether arguments are about either the future or the past, and how one another can affect each other.

Basically, arguments can be anything, from a person's statement regarding politics, sports, food, etc., a person favorite color, a painting, to even the type of ice cream someone likes. Sometimes it is extremely important, life changing, and might effect others such as the story about the egg donor on page 14, or how people interpret the word "cowboy" on page 24. Personally, the first thing I think is the Dallas Cowboys, but lets face it, I'm a fanatic fan, despite the pitiful lose on Sunday during the playoffs, which I have still not gotten over yet. I give myself a year or two. Let's just say, I have plenty to argue about regarding that game!

-Stone