Current Readings update 2/19

This week's prompt: What role do madness and obsession play in the The River Why? (Note: someone asked me if you could also discuss "Angler Girl" in this prompt, and yes, you may.)

Next week's reading: Prairyerth, to page 130.

I smell spring in the air!

1302 Homework

Alright Gang,

Here are the coordinates that you must find and document.

1. N 33 37’ 56.6”
W 101 53’ 10.3”

Where are you at?
At this spot please shoot bearings to the three nearest kiosks. Record these bearings.
How many paces will it take you to get to the nearest kiosk?
Field tests your measurement and record number of paces.
Any signs (evidences) of animals in this area? Document as you see fit

2. N 33 38’ 08.4”
W 101 53’ 48.2”

You should find yourself at a human made object.
Collect field notes of this object? What are its dimensions? What is it made of?
Research this object from the notes you made in the field.

Please plan ahead when doing this field exercise. Check the weather for the best day.
Their hours are as follows:
Tuesdays through Saturdays 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. , Sundays 1 p.m. - 5 p.m., Closed Mondays

You can do a little of the work before you go to Museum. It will require at least two hours of work while on site and some research upon your return.

Also, I will not be in the office on Friday, Saturday or Sunday. If you need help make an appointment by Thursday.

Cheers
Jordan

Trianglation help

Here are some steps to help you locate the Kiosk and restroom on your map.
Here is a website that outlines triangulation.

http://www.ussartf.org/compass_basics.htm

Landscapes update:

Eek! Where are your helmets?

For next week: we will be meeting in the classroom to watch "The Last Picture Show" and begin our discussion of regional "sense of place."

Homework: Ride around McDougalville taking notes and making sketches of the elements that reference "Main Street." Why are they representative of that idea? Do these elements work? Why or why not? Reference Stilgoe's and Oldenburg's essays to support your arguments.

Every landscape has a history. Research the history of North Overton and the McDougal development in the Lubbock Avalanche Journal Archives, then tell me about the story you find.

Midterm: Design your own coffee house. What features of the built landscape would you include in your coffeehouse? What are you looking to accomplish with them and why do they work? Remember to include elements like location, lighting, colors, furniture arrangements, etc., and explain why they work in your space. Tell us which of those elements are part of the historical coffeehouse tradition, and whether it is English or Viennese. Reference Oldenburg's essay.


And now, off we go, into the land of the big sky, searching for the elusive Main Street. Is it an idea? Is it a place? Or is it...?

Fieldcraft update 2/12

It was a cold and breezy day out at Lubbock Lake Landmark. Here we are having our first lesson from Jordan in the art of orienteering.

Next week we'll meet again at LLL for more work on bird identification and observation. Bring your bins and art kits. I'll bring your journals.


For those of you also reading The River Why in "Current Readings," here are our "twins."

Landscapes update 2/11

Meet outside the Honors college tomorrow with your bikes. We'll go looking for Main Street.


Here is the quote from Recbecca Solnit: "Some things we have only as long as they remain lost, some things are not lost only so long as they are distant."

Current Readings update for 2/11

Flycasting lessons: Saturday, February 21, 9 Am, Tech Terrace Park. Please bring fly rods if you have them. I'll provide the "flies."

Fly-tying lesson and pizza: Sunday, February 22, 6 PM, Honors College Forum. Please bring vises if you have them. I'll provide the materials.

Assignment of next week: Is "Ma" a cartoon character? Why or why not?

Er, I can't remember the second prompt--someone leave a comment and tell me what it is, please!

UPDATE ON THE UPDATE: Eileen filled in the blanks on the second part of the prompt: Is it important to the rest of story how the characters of Ma, H20, and Bill Bob are drawn?

There was a third part, too, about whether the book has made you curious about fly-fishing, but I think the first two are sufficient.

Reading: Finish The River Why, and read "Angler Girl." The author of "Angler Girl" will be in class on Wednesday to answer any questions you might have about crafting the essay. She will also bring early drafts so that you can see how stinky they were. She will decline to sign autographs.

Finally, Sarah Vowell is coming to TTU on March 3. Check out this link: http://www.depts.ttu.edu/cvpa/college/president/

Free to the public, but reservations are required. I'll be there with Walu.

Remind me to talk about this (and why you should go hear her) in class next week...

Current Readings update 2/9

Hi all,

We are reading all the River Why for Wednesday's class. Please let me know if you have been unable to secure a copy.

Fieldcraft update 2/5

Meet at Lubbock Lake Landmark on Tuesday. I will bring your journals.

directions to the Landmark can be found on their website: LLL

Current Readings update 2/5

For your final response to Solnit: Write a two page paper about a specific theme, passage, chapter, etc. that held particular resonance for you.

Fieldcraft update 2/2

Hi everyone--meet on Tuesday at Urbanovsky Park. Bring your art kits.

See you there!

Landscapes update 2/2

It looks like tomorrow will be a pretty day, so let's meet at the English/Philosophy courtyard for some lessons in perspective drawing. We'll discuss the "Main Street" essay on Thursday.

Current Readings update 1/29

Questions for the 2nd Solnit annotation:

On craft:
1. How do the first and last lines of each essay relate to the body of that essay?
2. Describe ways each of the essays relate to each other. That is, what are unifying/common themes?

Thought prompt:
3. There are two possible questions, one of which came up in Wednesday night's tutorial group, so it is slightly different than one we came up with in class. You may answer one or both:

How is decay necessary for transformation?

Can there be transformation without decay?


Page length and references: you know the drill.

Read the rest of the book for discussion next week.

Fieldcraft update 1/29

Kudos to all you brave souls that stuck around in the freezing outdoor weather on Tuesday, even though the University had canceled class! Simply. Amazing.

Homework: I can't remember what I said. Three to five pages of trees? Somebody help me out here...

I'm going to work on some simple sketch examples (e.g. "tree doodles") over the weekend and post them for your viewing pleasure. Look for them around Monday or so.

Landscapes update for 1/29

Meet today at J&B Coffee. I'll have your journals.

For next week's discussion, read the essay on "Main Street" in your course packets.

Homework: visit three more coffee shops and journal about them. Use these prompts as guidelines:

1. Describe the atmosphere and clientele
2. How much does the physical layout/landscape influence these two categories? (i.e. Location? Colors? Furniture? Background music?)
3. Sketch two or three things at each coffee house that are emblematic for the location's "character."
4. Is the coffeehouse that you describe a successful "thrid place?" Why or why not?

Fieldcraft for 1/27

Meet at the OPC tomorrow. Bundle up! It will be cold and we will be walking outside! Brrrrrrr!

Bring your binoculars, field guides, and art kits.

Landscapes update 1/22

Draw 3-5 trees in your journal. Take your time and fill the page. Pay attention to basic shapes, how the tree grows, and line quality. And sharpen those pencils!

Current Readings update 1/21

For your annoted response to the first two chapters of Solnit's book:

Solnit ends the second chapter with the following statement:

"Some things we have only as long as they remain lost, some things are not lost only so long as they are distant."

1) What did she mean by this? Cite specific examples from the book to support your thinking.

2) How does Solnit use the language and ideas in her essay as both map and destination? That is, was she headed toward this statement all along as she wrote? Cite specific examples from the text to support your argument.

3) Can you think of something from your own experience that supports this claim? (that is, does this sentence resonate in some way with you? Is there synchronicity between this statement and other things you are experiencing/learning/reading right now?)

Expected length 2-3 pages, double spaced, excluding list of references (inlcude references on a separate sheet).

For next week: Read pages 45-152 for discussion.

Expected learning outcomes: Students will be able to think and write critically about current ideas in the genre of nature writing