Assignment #4: Project Implicit

I know that I skipped Assignment #3, it is 1/2 done in my draft entries, so I am going to complete it later. This week's assignment sounded like fun, however, so I am going to do it first: "Go to the Project Implicit site and choose one of the demonstration tests there. Before beginning the test do a bit of writing about your opinion on the subject of the test you have chosen. Now take the test. What are your results? Is this what you expected? Why or why not? Do you have an urge to retake the test? What do you think that might mean?"

I chose to take the "Sexuality IAT" as this is a pressing issue in society. I am frustrated by those who choose to fear or hate something they do not know such as a person's sexuality. In generalizing that homosexuality is wrong or bad, people show their ignorance about homosexuality. In stating that it is incorrect by the bible, people are incorrect as the bible also describes how one man shall not judge another as God will be the judge. I believe that homosexuality is not a choice nor a lifestyle, but an inherent part of someone. Similar to my blonde hair, my attached earlobes, and whatever else is written in my DNA. Therefore, as this test claims to judge my subconscious, it will be interesting to see how it turns out.

After taking the test, my results are: "Your data suggest a strong automatic preference for Gay People compared to Straight People."

I am actually unsure what that means. I have a strong automatic preference for Gay People. I guess it must mean that I don't like Straight People as much. This result is what I expected, I do not have any adversity to Gay or Straight people, therefore the test results show this. My question becomes, how accurate is this test? I was interrupted while taking it, as I am currently in my office, and I did have to restart from an early point as I was called away. Did this effect my scores? I don't believe it did, as the test was different the second time. It seems to be a random grouping of the same words in order to keep you thinking subconsciously. However, how much of a role does your subconscious play when you are typing quickly? The rules were to push the left or right button as quickly as possible, so that is what I did. I have no idea whether I subconsciously thought about the picture of two brides together and considered at all before I clicked the button for "Gay." Or if I categorized good and bad with Gay and straight as they did in both orders.

I can say I do not have any urge to retake the test. This would mean that I am satisfied with my results. It is interesting, and I believe if my result would have been against gays, my conscience mind would have overridden and wanted to retake.

Assignment #2: The history of weblogs

"Your 2nd assigned blog entry begins by reading the essay on the history of “weblogs”/“blogs” at http://www.mikeanderson.biz/docs/blog.history.htm. How does what Ozawa says about the kind of commentary found in weblogs relate to anything you have ever written before?"

Ozwa's article informs the reader of the history of weblogs. Weblogs have been around since the founding of the internet, they are not a recent addition. Ozawa cites a definition of a weblog by Jorn Barger, Weblog Guru, "A weblog. . . is a webpage where a weblogger. . . 'logs' all the other webpages she finds interesting." This is not what I have traditionally found on "Blogger" sites. More commonly found are what Ozawa refers to as Web Journals, an online, public diary, such as this blog entitled "Hi! It's me!". The author utilizes this format to update the reader (whoever it may be) on the comings and goings of her life. This webjournal, not blog by Jorn Barger's definition, does not contain any links to websites that the author felt a desire to share or comment about. There are other sites that specifically host webjournals, such as Live Journal. This site invites the author to post a journal of their daily comings and goings without incorrectly utilizing the term "weblog" or "blog." I regularly read my friends webjournal entries in order to keep up on the comings and goings of those friends I may have otherwise lost contact with by now. An additional type of "blog," utilizing the term loosely, exists with the author utilizing the blog as a method of artistic expression. One specific example is PostSecret. This blog is an ongoing collection of postcards that have been sent anonymously with people's deepest secret written on them. The blog creator scans the postcards and places them as images on this site. This is not a blog in the sense of a log of websites, nor is it a web journal where the author tracks their day to day happenings. Whether you call it a weblog or webjournal, the use of these online postings show the desire people have to utilize the internet in order to share their thoughts, opinions, or daily life with whoever is willing to listen.

Assignment #1: A mini essay on me

Assignment #1: "Your first weblog posting should tell us something about you. Give us some background on your skills as a writer or a reader. Tell us what you like or dislike. Tell us about your college career, or what you'd wish you'd known before the semester started. Whatever you want to say is fine, but be sure to make it a cohesive whole--a nice "mini"-essay."

To tell about me is a story in and of itself. I am no longer in college, but am swimming in what we call the sea of life. I currently am working on many different projects, the most fun being with a business development team in e-commerce. Currently, the trends in the United States as well as around the world are toward shopping on-line, mainly for convenience. I currently do 90% of my own shopping on-line and love it!

Other interesting things about me include my domestic hobbies, I am currently crocheting a blanket for a friend of mine about to have a baby, embroidering pillows for the baby my brother is about to have, and hand stitching a quilt. These projects and regular baking are the "around the house" types of things I enjoy doing. It sounds as though I will make a wonderful grandmother some day.

I currently enjoy reading; I am in the middle of reading a book called "Destination Success." It is written by a gentleman who works as a Life Coach. I find it interesting to read books that encourage me to take stock of myself, my life, and my career. These types of books allow me to step out of my life, and look it over. They create questions in my mind of where I am in relation to where I would like to be. I have recently laid out goals for myself in the next 5 years and longer, and doing this has caused me to be more focused in my day to day activities.

And there you are -- me in a nutshell. As Austin Powers once said, "No, this is me in a nutshell... Help, I'm in a nutshell! How did I get into this really big nutshell? What kind of nut comes in a shell this size?"

My mother, the teacher

My mother is an english professor at the University of Akron. She utilizes blogging for her students to work on their writing and analytical thinking, and I actually wish that was an assignment in my english classes. Some students do not seem to be interested in the project, however. To test out her assignments, I am going to do them. One at a time, week by week, just like her students... Feel free to comment away!

My new assignment page: http://www3.uakron.edu/english/russ/weblog.html