1-28-09 Space Proposal

I plan to analyze the TCU Rec Center as my space. I chose this because it is one of my favorite places on campus and I feel that it is a good representation of what life at TCU is like. I often go there to workout and play basketball, as well as work there. I plan to observe the Rec tomorrow morning from 545-9 am and Friday afternoon from 3-6 because I work at these times. I also plan on going during the weekend sometime to play basketball so I will make observations then as well. I feel that I know a lot about the Rec Center already because I have worked there for two years, but I think that if I pay close attention to what goes on I will gather more information about the everyday atmosphere of the place. I will definitely have plenty of time to gather information because I will be there for at least six hours in the next couple days, and there is not much else to do while working besides making observations of what goes on in the Rec.

1/26/09

I consider myself a member of two local communities: Tampa, FL and Fort Worth, TX. I have been going to TCU for four years now for school and the place that I am most familiar with is the Rec Center. I am most familiar with the Rec Center because I have worked there for two years now at member services, and I also love to play basketball whenever I get the chance. The Rec Center is a great place to check out if you were to visit TCU and get the feel for the campus because it is only 5 or 6 years old, and it has two great pools, basketball courts, and a large weight-room for the school's size. I like going to the Rec Center to work, as well as exercise and I consider it one of my favorite spaces in Fort Worth.
When I go home every summer and break, I go to Tampa, Florida. I love going home every time I can because I get to see friends that I have not seen in months or years. When I go home, my friends and I always meet at a place called MacDintons. It is an Irish Pub and Restaurant that anyone from the Tampa area surely knows about. It has a great atmosphere as it has an outdoor bar that is fun to sit at when the weather is nice, as well as a great indoor area that has Karaoke at night when the place turns into a full bar. It is definitely a place that I know well and love going to when I go home and visit with old friends.

Sample Argument

I chose the topic of Mario Lemieux and why he is one the the best hockey players ever for my example of pathos, ethos, and logos. Within the article that I read, the author places Mario Lemieux at an almost divine level as he explains that Mario scored his first goal on his very first shift on his very first shot. He mentions that when Mario joined the Pittsburgh Penguins in 1984 they were the worst team in hockey, and within seven years Mario had them win two Stanley Cups. This argument is supposed to appeal to logos as Mario made a team that was terrible into a champion. The author also appeals to pathos because Mario had many terrible injuries throughout his career that shortened it. In 1989 he had a herniated disk removed from his back, as well as another back surgery in 1993. In 1993 he was also diagnosed with Hodgkins Disease and he was able to overcome this as well. Also appealing to pathos is the fact that on the day he completed radiation treatment, Lemieux returned to the team and still won the NHL scoring title despite missing two months of the season. All of these injuries occurred during the prime of his career, and he still put up incredible numbers by overcoming unbelievable hurdles. He retired in 1997 because of injuries and being tired of playing, but in 1999 he bought the Pittsburgh Penguins whom he loved and saved them as a franchise because they were going bankrupt. This is where the author talks about his character and his image of greatness as an appeal to ethos. The article ends with Mario coming out of retirement again in 2000 and becoming a force once again in the NHL. However, he still had more injuries and an irregular heartbeat forced him to retire for good in 2005. Overall, this article appeals to pathos a great deal because of all the obstacles that Lemieux overcame, ethos for his honest and credible identity which everyone recognizes him as being a great human being as well as a representative for the NHL, and logos because despite missing so many games and years because of injury, he still has some of the best hockey statistics of all time!


http://proicehockey.about.com/od/history/p/mario_lemieux.htm

Chapter 1

Chapter 1 was an interesting introduction to Everything's an Argument. I found it interesting that everything can be an argument, even you as an individual. This is evident through our blogs because our blogs make an argument about us individuals. The chapter also discussed arguments and their purposes. Arguments can often be used to try to persuade or just inform. An example that I found interesting was that of propaganda which is a form of argument that argues at all costs to try and persuade an individual into believing what the writer or propagandist intends for the reader or viewer to believe. I found it interesting that arguing encompasses a wide range of things that I usually would not associate with the word "argument".

One thing that I was not quite so sure was an argument was that of visual arguments to inform.. When I think of street signs or warning labels I do not really think of them as making an argument, rather I think of them as informative tools. According to this book however, everything is making an argument and these signs are part of an "argument to inform", but I do not really consider them to be arguments.

Matt Palombo

Hello-

My name is Matt Palombo and I am from Tampa, Florida. I am currently a Senior here at TCU and a Criminal Justice Major, History Minor, as well as a participant in the Honors Program. Being from Florida, I consider myself a Floridian much more than a Texan. Even though I have been in Texas for four years now, I am still trying to get used to it. I miss living close to the beach, fishing, and the weather being warm all the time in Florida, but Texas is growing on me more and more each semester that I am here.

I am taking this class because I have not taken it earlier in my college career like I should have, however I am also interested in learning how to advance my argument and writing skills because I am planning on going to Law School when I graduate. I felt that this English class out of all of the choices seemed the most interesting because of this. I have written many papers and arguments for my classes throughout my four years at TCU, especially within my History Minor, and I feel pretty confident with my writing abilities. I also frequently write emails and messages to friends online through facebook. I also text message constantly, but I will be sure not to do so during this class because it is a pet peeve and is rude :).

I consider myself part of the TCU community here at school in Texas, but I do not quite feel like a Texan yet. I was born in New York City, but I consider myself a Floridian the most as I had lived there for all of High School before going to college and it is where my family still lives. I was born in New York and lived there for 2 years, then Pennsylvania for 5, Connecticut for 8, Florida for 4, and now Texas for 4. Even though I only really lived in Florida for 4 years, I say "I am from Florida" and this shows that I identify myself with that state the most out of all of the places that I have lived. Within TCU, I consider myself part of the Honors Community, Criminal Justice Community, Rec Center Community where I work, and the Study Abroad Community as I went to Florence, Italy last spring.

After reading the first chapter of Everything's an Argument, I have come to realize that my blog is indeed making an argument. I feel that by writing my blog and starting it with a "Hello", I am inviting people to come read about me, and the argument that is being made is that my blog deserves to be read. In a not so persuasive way I am also making an argument about who I am and where I am from. My argument is not to convince anyone of anything significant, rather I am just giving a brief background of myself.

I have read, understand, and agree to the terms of the course syllabus.