So sorry this post is a little bit later than everyone else's!
But this has overall been a pretty good week! In com 320 it was interesting to have to "rate" my group members- it was cool to see what we honestly think about each other! On Friday, I really enjoyed the discussion on culture and how different cultures affect how people interact with each other. I feel like it is important to know and understand other people's cultures to know where they are coming from and how to communicate with them better. That's why I am so excited about our proposed event with ISS. I have contact and am friends with international students and it is really interesting to learn about their perceptions of American culture.
I guess an interesting cultural fact about me is that my dad is from Ghana, which is in West Africa. He's pretty American-ized (if that makes sense), he has lived here in America longer than he has in Ghana. One difference that I've learned about my dad's culture and the contrast from the American culture I've been brought up in is that he has somewhat of a collectivistic perspective on family than the typical American family does. He has always wanted my sisters and I to get along and help each other out, which always wasn't the case, let me tell you!! We were pretty selfish, and still are to some extent. But I'll admit it, in my mind it was always "all about me" as a teenager. I often considered the needs of my sisters, the ones that I was either best friends with or shouting with, less. Now as the three of us girls are older and wiser (hopefully) we get along pretty well. It was so nice to hear from both of them today, just talking to them and growing up with them was pretty awesome, and an unique experience.
I am glad for my dad's persistence in keeping us close together. It's nice to see that we all still have each other's back with out selfish, individualistic motives. And we as Americans are pretty individualistic. It's just cool to see how my dad's upbringing with his brothers and sisters, just how they were really close and depended strongly upon each other is still so different with how I acted with my sisters. WIth my sisters, I am used to not depending on them as much and am used to having my own stuff and space.
It's cool to see the connections I can make from learning about culture and being able to compare and contrast the two cultures in which I was raised in. :D And I am thankful for that contrast!!
~Dayna Appiah
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Crying out for Consistency
One of my biggest pet peeves is inconsistency. whether it be a form of technology, or sports, or even someone driving in front of me; I long for consistency. I am very passionate about Purdue sports, mainly basketball. One of the most annoying things that I've noticed especially this year, is the inconsistency with the referees. I'm not an irate fan ranting on how refs are making us lose games, we're still winning games. But this year there have some extremely poor officiating going on during games, mostly against Purdue. If Jared Sullinger from Ohio State gets the ball in the post, and gets bumped while shooting he gets a foul called and goes to the line, however of JaJuan Johnson gets the ball in the post and has his arm grabbed and ripped away from the ball while shooting, the refs seem to swallow their whistles.
Inconsistency between teams isn't the only thing I have noticed. There's even inconsistency between the halves of games. During the first half of a big ten game, people will be bumped and pushed and on the floor and nothing is called, but the very second the teams come out after half time, you look at the person with the ball the wrong way and you get called for a blocking foul. This isn't just my opinion, today while watching the Purdue Michigan State game the announcers made the very same comment about more fouls being called in the second half. so Please stay consistent!
-Jason Miller
Inconsistency between teams isn't the only thing I have noticed. There's even inconsistency between the halves of games. During the first half of a big ten game, people will be bumped and pushed and on the floor and nothing is called, but the very second the teams come out after half time, you look at the person with the ball the wrong way and you get called for a blocking foul. This isn't just my opinion, today while watching the Purdue Michigan State game the announcers made the very same comment about more fouls being called in the second half. so Please stay consistent!
-Jason Miller
Saturday, February 26, 2011
How quickly we work!
This week was definitely an interested one for Com 320, between the videos and presentation on Friday and our group meeting earlier today I had fun. Friday actually confirmed a lot of things that I have been told by my international friends in the past. A few extra bits and pieces that I have heard from my Chinese friend is that bouncing your legs when sitting down to a meeting is disrespectful. Also, it is very common to drink moderately or even heavily during important business meetings. I'll be honest, I am not entirely sure that these are true but after seeing all of the other bits of knowledge confirmed from a second source on Friday I am a bit more of a believer.
Beyond just Friday’s class though, our group meeting today blew me away with how quickly we got the work we needed done. We all got there intending to stay a two full hours in order to get our service learning idea confirmed and put together but I think we only stayed about 45 minutes. We lined up our ideas, and one by one we narrowed it down until we found what we liked. After that we went over what sort of events we could do, just throwing out random ideas until someone started to build off of another’s idea and we magically had a full blown event laying out for us. Once, that was decided on we looked at what issues we would have, and no matter what we ran across it seems like someone is always able to come up with an idea.
I’m really happy with the progress we made today, both on our project and as a group.
-John Heritage
Beyond just Friday’s class though, our group meeting today blew me away with how quickly we got the work we needed done. We all got there intending to stay a two full hours in order to get our service learning idea confirmed and put together but I think we only stayed about 45 minutes. We lined up our ideas, and one by one we narrowed it down until we found what we liked. After that we went over what sort of events we could do, just throwing out random ideas until someone started to build off of another’s idea and we magically had a full blown event laying out for us. Once, that was decided on we looked at what issues we would have, and no matter what we ran across it seems like someone is always able to come up with an idea.
I’m really happy with the progress we made today, both on our project and as a group.
-John Heritage
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Oddly Aged Semesters
Hey there anyone who might be reading this! Wow where do I start. Well, I guess I will begin with the fact that since I have recently changed majors from Accounting to CNIT I am taking a rather diverse mix of classes. Last semester was especially odd, in my classes I was either with all seniors or all freshman, no exceptions. Luckily this semester it seems to be a bit more mixed around with a variety of ages in my classes but I am still in the process of taking the core classes on CNIT so not all of them are a mix of ages.
I feel as though this class will definitely help with the difficulties I may come across in trying to work with underclassmen that seem to have a different idea in how groups should work together. I have already noticed within the presentations given that the inner-workings of a group are not so simple, as I first believed, and that group communication can be very tricky to understand at times.
In reference to Jason’s blog post, not sure if I’m allowed to reference someone else’s but oh well, I have long ago learned not to trust the post office. They have on two separate occasions claimed to have attempted a delivery at my apartment when I was relaxing, watching T.V. not 15 feet away from the door in plain sight. I have also had other delivery company’s drop off our mail and I have never missed a package with the exception of the post office.
John Heritage
I feel as though this class will definitely help with the difficulties I may come across in trying to work with underclassmen that seem to have a different idea in how groups should work together. I have already noticed within the presentations given that the inner-workings of a group are not so simple, as I first believed, and that group communication can be very tricky to understand at times.
In reference to Jason’s blog post, not sure if I’m allowed to reference someone else’s but oh well, I have long ago learned not to trust the post office. They have on two separate occasions claimed to have attempted a delivery at my apartment when I was relaxing, watching T.V. not 15 feet away from the door in plain sight. I have also had other delivery company’s drop off our mail and I have never missed a package with the exception of the post office.
John Heritage
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
The Semester of Groups
Hey there! So I'll admit, at first I wasn't too sure if I would like this class at all, I also wasn't sure if I would enjoy blogging either, but turns out both are growing on me! Well, I like blogging mainly because I like to talk and having an awesome group has helped me to enjoy Com 320 more! I really enjoy getting to know people- and I am sure that I will get to know the guys better as the semester goes on. But it seems to me that this semester I have a lot of group interactions in my classes- and taking 18 credit hours, all of the outside class time is starting to add up! But I find that as long as the people that you are working with aren't cranky, are somewhat entertaining and are hard working- it isn't so bad.
Speaking of groups I am also apart of one more, in Com 303 which is Intercultural Communicaton for you non-com majors. My professor in that class is making us go out to dinner to a restaurant outside of our culture to "bond". Which is cool- I mean I enjoy eating. So my group and I decided to go to El Rodeo- Mexican :). So thats a different perspective, having to spend outside social time with people I don't know may seem intimidating but I think it will be a cool way to get to know them and I believe that the more that people know about each other the better they work together.
I think that this class will definitely prepare me for the struggles and successes that can come from working in a group setting. It has already taught me different ways people lead, what distance to stand from people I don't know well, and how to delegate responsibility. It also helps me to see that it isn't all about me, I have to be willing to listen to different people's perspective.
Also in my Theater 133 and French 102 class, we have to work in partners all of the time, so as much work as this semester will bring, there is no way that I will be able to be unsocial- my professors won't let me!!! - and I think that that's a good thing!
Well it's 11:22pm and I want to get in an episode of Friends before I go to bed! Night!
Dayna Appiah
Speaking of groups I am also apart of one more, in Com 303 which is Intercultural Communicaton for you non-com majors. My professor in that class is making us go out to dinner to a restaurant outside of our culture to "bond". Which is cool- I mean I enjoy eating. So my group and I decided to go to El Rodeo- Mexican :). So thats a different perspective, having to spend outside social time with people I don't know may seem intimidating but I think it will be a cool way to get to know them and I believe that the more that people know about each other the better they work together.
I think that this class will definitely prepare me for the struggles and successes that can come from working in a group setting. It has already taught me different ways people lead, what distance to stand from people I don't know well, and how to delegate responsibility. It also helps me to see that it isn't all about me, I have to be willing to listen to different people's perspective.
Also in my Theater 133 and French 102 class, we have to work in partners all of the time, so as much work as this semester will bring, there is no way that I will be able to be unsocial- my professors won't let me!!! - and I think that that's a good thing!
Well it's 11:22pm and I want to get in an episode of Friends before I go to bed! Night!
Dayna Appiah
Don't trust the mail
What have I learned this past week? Well, considering I am currently getting an education at one of the best universities in the world: not much. However one thing I have learned in the past week is to not count on deliveries being made correctly through the mail.
About two weeks ago I interviewed for a student web developer position at Yong Hall. After a week of waiting to hear back I finally received and email saying that they would be offering me the job. All I needed to to before I could start was to come in with either my social security card, birth certificate, or passport; and it had to be the originals. I have no need for those items here at Purdue, so they are all at home. Friday afternoon my mom over-night mailed my birth certificate to me. She was told that anyone could sign for it. At 2:27 the mail was delivered, and there was a group of guys from my house on the front porch. However, instead of my birth certificate being in my mailbox, there was a card saying that I was not available and it will be re-delivered.
Yesterday being presidents' day, there was no mail, but it was supposed to be delivered again today before 3:00. Long story short it was still not delivered today. So I have a job; I just can't go to it yet.
Jason Miller
About two weeks ago I interviewed for a student web developer position at Yong Hall. After a week of waiting to hear back I finally received and email saying that they would be offering me the job. All I needed to to before I could start was to come in with either my social security card, birth certificate, or passport; and it had to be the originals. I have no need for those items here at Purdue, so they are all at home. Friday afternoon my mom over-night mailed my birth certificate to me. She was told that anyone could sign for it. At 2:27 the mail was delivered, and there was a group of guys from my house on the front porch. However, instead of my birth certificate being in my mailbox, there was a card saying that I was not available and it will be re-delivered.
Yesterday being presidents' day, there was no mail, but it was supposed to be delivered again today before 3:00. Long story short it was still not delivered today. So I have a job; I just can't go to it yet.
Jason Miller
A look forward
Here I am, getting excited to see and experience what will come of this group. I've already witnessed our productivity and cohesiveness as a group with the first project... but I feel that is only a trailer for what's to come, only a glimpse of the awesomeness that is "The Faithful Hodgepodge."
As I've been interacting with my group members, I've realized it's not so much WHAT we do as a group but rather WHO we are as a team. If we identify ourselves as a solid team and work as a unit, the WHAT takes care of itself. Therefore, we are in the process of building trust and respect for each other, so that when we identify the WHO, we recognize a well-knit group that efficiently gets stuff done and has a good time doing it.
There we have it: that's my positive outlook. We definitely have the potential and now we have to act upon it. I'm not kidding, everyone seems committed to not just to getting work done but committed to each other. That's definitely not as typical in most groups. I've had great work in a group but the whole process felt cold and impersonal. I'm excited to see us bond as team members and in effect, see continued outstanding results.
I personally know I need to take my responsibility: I can't sit back and hope it unfolds nicely. I'm wholly part of the process. So on my part, I'm going to make an effort to get to know the members more and look for ways to bring their best strengths forward. This will be a great team, I know it!
Joyfully,
Andrew Battiato
As I've been interacting with my group members, I've realized it's not so much WHAT we do as a group but rather WHO we are as a team. If we identify ourselves as a solid team and work as a unit, the WHAT takes care of itself. Therefore, we are in the process of building trust and respect for each other, so that when we identify the WHO, we recognize a well-knit group that efficiently gets stuff done and has a good time doing it.
There we have it: that's my positive outlook. We definitely have the potential and now we have to act upon it. I'm not kidding, everyone seems committed to not just to getting work done but committed to each other. That's definitely not as typical in most groups. I've had great work in a group but the whole process felt cold and impersonal. I'm excited to see us bond as team members and in effect, see continued outstanding results.
I personally know I need to take my responsibility: I can't sit back and hope it unfolds nicely. I'm wholly part of the process. So on my part, I'm going to make an effort to get to know the members more and look for ways to bring their best strengths forward. This will be a great team, I know it!
Joyfully,
Andrew Battiato
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
The Faithful Hodgepodge
Mission Statement:
We the members of The Faithful Hodgepodge aim to better ourselves in group communication, make lafayette a better place through our service learning project, and combine the contributions of each individual member to create an outcome greater than the sum of the individual efforts.
Group Contract:
- Put forth your best effort for the sake of the group
- Show up and be on time to all scheduled group meetings
- Actively participate in group discussion
- Complete all assigned tasks
- Be respectful to your group members
- Have fun with whatever you are doing
- All members should demonstrate a strong sense of work ethic
- Be faithful
A Video Resume of Each Group Member:
We the members of The Faithful Hodgepodge aim to better ourselves in group communication, make lafayette a better place through our service learning project, and combine the contributions of each individual member to create an outcome greater than the sum of the individual efforts.
Group Contract:
- Put forth your best effort for the sake of the group
- Show up and be on time to all scheduled group meetings
- Actively participate in group discussion
- Complete all assigned tasks
- Be respectful to your group members
- Have fun with whatever you are doing
- All members should demonstrate a strong sense of work ethic
- Be faithful
A Video Resume of Each Group Member:
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