Ethnography

 I have been part of the subculture of Planet Fitness gym for two months. I have learned so many things from them since I have been there. We train together from 8:00 to 10:00pm. As a subculture we have some common attitudes, behaviors, and languages. I am part of the Planet Fitness gym, and I have been looking at these subculture patterns for a long period.

Planet Fitness in Taunton, M.A is located in front of the YMCA, close to the City Hall. The logo is purple with a yellow hand and the thumb finger up doing the signal of good. When you come into the gym you will appreciate that the walls are purple or yellow. Right inside you will see in your left hand the counter with the Planet Fitness staff. You go there to give your costumer number or pin number to go in. The counter is black, and at the top is a candy basket, a notebook where your guest’s sign up to come in, and the soft drinks menu. A few steps away you will see the cardiovascular area, where the running machines, bicycles, and other cardiovascular machines are. This area is quiet, and while you are doing your work out you can see the televisions which are hooked in the top in the front of the cardiovascular area. There is a wall which separates the cardiovascular area from the weight machines area which is black with a poster of the logo, and a small poster which says “Proud sponsor of the Biggest Loser”. The light is very bright and the air is heavy because of little ventilation. After finishing in the cardiovascular area you can go to the 30 minutes workout area which is located a few steps in front of it. This area has the walls in black and has a big clock at the end. It also have a traffic light, which indicates to you when you workout is done. When it is green it means you can go forward and when is red it means stop. There are just ten different machines for different muscles, and all them are yellow and black. Walking to the front you will see the last section of the gym, where all the weight machines are, including the free weights. There are two of each type of machine, so the members can be available to use one when the other is unavailable. These machines are purple and yellow and all of them have the logo on it. In the free weight area the floor have a rubber which protects the weights may fall to avoid breaking. This area is hotter than the cardiovascular area because of its excess of people. In the front of where the free weights are you can see mirrors glued to the wall, so the clients can see themselves while they are doing their exercises.


 This subculture has specifics behaviors, and other characteristics that separate them from others. As being part of them for two months I have learned the differences between us from others. During doing my workout I have seen that there are some calm, quiet, nice people. Nevertheless, there are some who are scandalous, annoying and disrespectful. While I am in the cardiovascular area I feel comfortable because in this area the people are nice, and calm because they are focused in their workout. This people are always with their IPod on or watching TV, so they are always quiet. Also, most of them don’t talk with one another. The only noise you can hear is the machines or the radio station that the gym plays, but other than that is a very quiet, calm area. In the other hand, the weight machines area and free weight area is very annoying. The people in this area, many of them men, are always talking, laughing laugh, or screaming because of the force that they do to lift the weights. As in many cases most of them are always looking their bodies in the mirror seeing how their muscles are swollen because of the exercise. Not all of them go to the gym to do workout, but also there are some who come to hang out and spend time joking with their friends. Some values objects that you will see in the gym are the protein shake, the towel, Gatorade, or the water.  They wear sport clothes, with sneakers. Nike, Rebook, Addida, or other labels are very popular in the gym. One hour before the gym close most of the people leave letting about 50 people inside it. When we are inside we help each other, we counsel ourselves, and we recommend some diets to each other. These people are always teaching the beginner people to do the exercise correctly.  This subculture has a strange language that you will become familiar as soon as you start to interact with them. They talked about muscles or GNC products, so you will feel lost because you probably have never heard of these products before. These people are very discipline and responsible. They do their workout every day. They have their routines for all of the seven days of the week. Something that I really appreciate of them is that they are always learning about the human body, so sometimes you will see then reading some health magazines.

  It is good to be part of this subculture and see their characteristics by observing them. This subculture values the exercises. They are willing to go to the gym instead of staying at their home doing nothing. This subculture has the great opportunity of have a great health. In conclusion, this subculture has some good qualities that I never notice. However, because of the observations I made I saw their difference from the others and their good qualities.

Reading Journal 2

Lebron's Band of Brothers

Why is Lebron James named in the article? Well, I would like to add some details about who is Dru Joyce and what is the relationship between Lebron and Dru. Dru Joyce like is mentioned is a professional coach in the NBA. In this article they summary the history about what he was doing before he become a coach. I didn’t know that Dru graduated from Ohio University, so it was very interesting to know that. The relation between Dru and James is that Coach Dru was Lebron James coach when he was playing in the Cleveland. Also, his child Dru III was Lebrond James teammate in high school and his best friend. I didn’t like the writer style because I felt that this paragraph was unclear. Also, I was confused about who coach Dru was, so I did some researches about him. I think that the topic must be related with the paragraph, and he didn’t do that because he never explain what was the relationship between Lebron and Dru.

Memoir

Winning a championship is something that all athletes would like to obtain. It is a very difficult goal, but not impossible. Winning a championship helps the athletes in diverse ways. In my case, winning my first volleyball championship has made me more self-confident. 
 

  I had many obstacles to overcome to turn myself into a good volleyball player. I never had parental support because my parents didn’t like sports, and they though that sports were a distraction. Another obstacle was the money. I dint have a job and the only way I was receiving money was by playing, but it was a very small amount of money. Even though I had those obstacles I knew I could achieve my goal. I worked hard to become a good player. I started with a high protein, low calories, and low fat diet that a nutritionist recommended to me. Before and after classes, I worked out at a gym to maintain my strong and healthy body. Becoming a good player is not only just having skills, but also getting the most out of these skills to become an extraordinary player. Winning a championship is important for the team and the city (Isabela, P.R) because if you win a championship, the government gives the team money for the following year. Also, this championship was important for me too because there were recruiters from others teams and Universities that were interested in hiring volleyball players.

  The day of my championship I was nervous and uncertain. That day I was playing with the best team of the country for the past five years.  That team has the biggest and best players in the country, so I was nervous because I knew it would be a hard game. That day the court was full of people. There was the mayor, the owners of the teams, the President of the League, the news media and representatives of the Universities. When I looked at all that people in the court, I was excited. I felt my heart beating a thousand beats per minutes. I was happy because we managed to enter the championship, but when we started to play I was feeling uncertain. I was not believing in myself because in many cases I heard people saying that I wasn’t good enough. The game was very close. Sometimes my team was up by two points, and then down by three points. Close to the final point, my coach called a “time out” and told me to finish the game with the final point, the 25. I was hesitant if I could make that point, but I said to myself “if the coach is ordering me to do the final point, is because he knows I am good enough to finish the game”. The coach set up a play and after my teammate passed me the ball I spiked it over the net. Finally, I finished and won the game. I felt exhilarated. Tears of happiness fell down my face. All the people were shouting for joy including myself.

  My championship changed me in a positive way. Now, I feel more confident. I always do my best because at the end I will probably be successful. I understand that I can achieve my goal because I had the amazing experience with my championship. I worked hard to become a good player and I made it. Now, I clearly know that I can achieve my goal if I work hard.  I consider myself a wrestler in life. Even though many people said I wasn’t good enough, I proved I was.  I learned that I can’t let anyone tell me I can’t achieve my goals. This game has affected me a lot in my life. Today, I look forward to become a professional, not only in volleyball, but also in my career. I didn’t have an innate talent, so I worked step by step to become a good player. Now, I am doing exactly the same by learning a new language and preparing myself for my career.

 Now, I look forward to challenges in life. Even though I might win a championship again, my first championship will be the best because I learned from it. I have more self-confidence thanks to a wonderful event, my first volleyball championship.

Reading Journal

Dwyane Wade: Of the Holy Trinity, which One Is He?

This article is about how Dwayne Wade deals with the situation of being criticized by the news media because of having Lebron James in his team. It reveals some of the personal issues of his life like how he has to deal with his situation of being fame. Wade explains how Shaq (professional basketball player) helped him to growth in the court. It surprised me that he got married in an early age, and that he was academically ineligible to play in the college team. Also, he didn’t pass his ACT. Another thing it surprised me is that he didn’t smoke, drink, and doesn’t have tattoos. One sentence I admire is “you’ve got to take the arrows that come with it and just try to be the best person you can be”. I like the writer style because he focused in what the athletes would like to know about Dwayne Wade.

Retorical analysis

This product is purchased by basketball players who want to become a great player like the superstar Darell Yell. The target audience takes the decision of buying the product because of the player's testimony. However, they think that when they buy the product they will become like Darell Yell. Thanks to the testimony of the player this product will be sold more. This advertisement uses famous people and startle the virtues of the product for convince of the buyer.
 
The advertisements send messages to the audience via writing in the ad or the photo projection. In this case the designer took the decision of use the testimony of the player Darell Yell, and a photo of him doing his amazing dunk. The focus of the camera is on him and the background is dark, so highlight the player. The advertisement has words said by the player " I can be my best with Double Dunk basketballs. Be your best".
 
The words and pictures in the advertisement work positively together because the picture shows the article while the words claim how good it is. However, the picture allows you to observe the product, so you can see it's qualities. The words let you analyze if what you are looking is how the advertisement is saying. The advertisement is trying to say that if you buy this basketball you must be a good player. The audience of this advertisement are the basketball players because the product is sold specially for this type of sport. Therefore, I founded this advertisement in the sport section in google. 
 
This advertisement is effective to the audience because it is selling the principal product of this sport. The advertisements use the fact and logic well. In this case the fact is the player and the logic used by a professional to make the advertisement effective.
 
In conclusion, this advertisement will be effective because of its good use of the text, imagination, image, and logic.

Themes!

 Themes:

           I chose the topic of sports for my memoir because sports have been part of my life since the age of 8. I had the privilege to learn how to play volleyball, basketball, baseball, track and field, and others more. Most of my family does sports. Therefore, I decided to follow them. For my ethnography I will interview and profile Magaly Lopez.  I had played volleyball and basketball professionally and I founded many benefits in sports. For example, college scholarships and monetary aid. Not only because I play sports I chose this topic but also because play sports it is healthy, and I am a lover of health. This helps us to burn calories, and at the same time have a good circulatory system. The most that interests me about sports is their discipline. Sports teach you to be responsible and organized. To be successful in sports, you must have these two qualities. An argument that I will use is that some people think that sports is a waste of time. Today, I owe my health and my good qualities to the sport. I wish that all people have the privilege of knowing the benefits that sports offers. 

For the photo essay I would like to develop a PowerPoint to explain the benefits of sports.

Two alternate choices:

Food: How Puertorican foods are different from Americans.

•             Species we use as opposed to Americans

•             Difference in how people cook the same food.(before and now)

•             Which of the two meals (Americans or Puertorican) is more healthy

•             Typical dishes from both countries

 Family: How big families were in Puerto Rico.

•             How many children my grandfather had.

•             Why he had so many children

•             Why people don’t like big families (now)

•             Articles of my ancestors which can support my thesis. (family photos)

I chose to talk about these three themes and include my culture because my culture is a very broad topic for me. I hope you guys learn a little about me and my culture, and at the same time let me know about yours. I have been here for 1 year and I have a little knowledge about the cultures of this country. Be free to comment!

I consider myself a very descriptive writer. I like to give details of what I write, so I can let the reader imagine and live every part of my writing. I write for different reasons. I use script to express myself through letters to my friends, to communicate on my web sites, and to do my undergraduate works. Therefore, writing is something that does not lack in my daily living. I love to write, but because I am a Hispanic girl English is not my first language, so it is difficult for me to write in English. Fortunately, Bristol Community College has a program for students from other countries to learn English, so I took the opportunity to learn a new language. My weaknesses in writing are spelling and grammar, and my strengths are vocabulary and organization. I would like to improve my spelling and grammar during this semester, so I can share my writing skills with my American friends. My influential writing teacher is Ms. Manson from the (ESL) English as a second Language program. She taught me many strategies for learning new vocabulary words and grammar, and thanks to her my writing is more understandable. As I said I am a detailed writer, and I hope to accomplish my goal this semester.