I have been marked, and I have accepted it.

        An identity marker is an appearance, ethnicity, sexual orientation, height, weight, smarts etc. It is what someone is represented by and what they are ultimately judged by. It can either be positive or negative in nature or dependent on how you receive the mark. An Asian girl, can be marked as a smart math student (positive) and a horrible driver (negative). We don't get to choose what our identity marker will be, since it's seen through the eyes of those around us. We can only be ourselves and hope to be determined in the best light possible.

       With Anzaldua, the identity marker was based on her language. "I will no longer be made to feel ashamed of existing. I will have my voice: Indian, Spanish, white. I will have my serpent's tongue --- my woman's voice, my sexual voice, my poet's voice. I will overcome the tradition of silence." What I believe she is saying, is that she will no longer be kept silent, being that it is what someone should do if different. She will be who she is and be proud and carry on. She doesn't want to accommodate to others and their idea of how she should be. Her identity marker will not dictate her life.

        Grealy's identity marker was her cancer that labeled her as "ugly". It wasn't something she could help, but it was what she was marked with. It was a very negative marker and one she couldn't change and obviously wasn't proud of. "I felt wonderful. It was only as the night wore on and the moon came out and the older kids, the big kids, went on their rounds that I began to realize why I felt so good. No one could see me clearly. No one could see my face." Grealy was speaking of her Halloween experience in which she was void of an identity marker. Nobody knew who she was and she felt great joy and acceptance by that.

       Queen Latifa's essay was about being a queen. It speaks to women everywhere. Though she is aiming it more towards African American women struggling, being that she was one, it speaks to all women. You don't have to be any particular race or live in a specific type of neighborhood to overcome adversity and see your true queen come out. “Well first of all, each of us has a queen inside.  She was placed there before we were even formed, in the womb. It’s just a matter of bringing her out. Being a woman puts you halfway there. But there’s so much more. It starts inside by feeling good about yourself. A queen has high self-esteem. She is proud of who she is, whether she is a corporate executive or a cleaning lady, whether she’s an athlete or a housewife. A queen, a woman with self-esteem, handles adversity with grace. Even when her world is crumbling around her, she never lets her crown fall. Life will put you through plenty of tests and throw many obstacles your way, but it’s how you overcome those obstacles, that distinguishes you as a queen.” What I see her message being is, be strong and be yourself. Don't let anyone tell you who you are or call you out of your name. With Queens definition of an identity marker, she's saying no matter what your circumstance, you determine your own identity marker by being confident and strong.
        I remember in school, my identity marker would be the Asian girl. There weren't many Asian students and being one of them, I stuck out like a sore thumb. I would get the common snide remarks and judgments, but I let them roll off my back and held my head high. Now that I live in Washington where there are many Asian people of different Asian countries, I don't get so much attention about it. However, it has changed from being Asian, to the focus of being a woman. So not only am I labeled a smart Math student and a bad driver, but also emotional and hysterical. I'm looked at as less than a man, and some may see my strong will and outspoken nature as being a "bitch". Identity markers or not, I know who and what I am and I know what I'm not. Nobody will ever alter my perspective...at least never again.

Introduction to Writer's choice

       For my writer's choice piece, I found I quite enjoyed reading my Identity DB 2 piece most. I think it shows my writing and thought process the best. This may not be one of my later posts throughout the class, but it's definitely my strongest I think. I think it shows my ability to analyze a quote or topic and make it my own and relate it to every day life. (At least my own.) A particular excerpt I'm proud of is "With Anzaldua, the identity marker was based on her language. "I will no longer be made to feel ashamed of existing. I will have my voice: Indian, Spanish, white. I will have my serpent's tongue --- my woman's voice, my sexual voice, my poet's voice. I will overcome the tradition of silence." What I believe she is saying, is that she will no longer be kept silent, being that it is what someone should do if different. She will be who she is and be proud and carry on. She doesn't want to accommodate to others and their idea of how she should be. Her identity marker will not dictate her life." Not only do I enjoy the quote, but I think I got a good grasp of what she was trying to say.

A Need of Belonging

           No matter who you are, or where you're from, you need to feel a sense of belonging. Even the oxymoron's "Organization of Anarchists" and "group of "non-conformists", they have the common ground of needing to feel they belong. People are naturally drawn to anything they agree with, so when they meet peoplewith the same ideals, they want to join. Religion, politics, hobbies, ethnic pride and even what kind of music people like will create a community.
          It's not a bad thing to want to belong. It gives us comfort and a feeling of support. However, sometimes we lose ourselves in this community and do things for the sake of staying in the community. Our opinions are changed and we form a bias. In a clear state of mind, we could be completely in disagreement of what the group believes, but wanting to belong, one will over look their better judgement. In David Berreby's essay, he writes a quote from Robert M. Sapolsky "...human nature: People need to belong, to feel a part of "us". Yet a sense of "us" brings with it a sense of "them". With that, he's saying being in a group you are a part of something, which then sets you apart from others. Especially a rival. If you're a part of a certain school, or religious belief, they become your enemies. It could be in all clean fun, however, it can also become dangerous.
         In Washington state, there is a great rivalry between the "Cougs" and the "Huskies". Students from both colleges become die hard fans and supporters of their school's team, simply because they attend that college. Say they were switched and instead of being a Coug, you were a Huskie and vice versa. They would still be die hard supporters of whatever school they ended up in just because of the community in which they belong. "We identify with the groups in which we are accidentally placed." Berreby is saying that whereever we end up, that's where our loyalty is. We associate with the group we belong to and even if it's by chance, we will stay true to that community.

Introduction to Awareness of audience and voice piece

For my awareness of audience and voice piece I decided on Community DB 2 post called "A need of Belonging". I think this write showed a true and honest voice of my own and let me explore my opinion. One part I found particular that showed my voice as well as a challenge for others to question was "It's not a bad thing to want to belong. It gives us comfort and a feeling of support. However, sometimes we lose ourselves in this community and do things for the sake of staying in the community. Our opinions are changed and we form a bias. In a clear state of mind, we could be completely in disagreement of what the group believes, but wanting to belong, one will over look their better judgment." I'm sure this opinion can be challenged by saying that communities accept whatever opinion one decides to make regardless of disagreement. Or that they would find support through their community even if it's in disagreement. I believe however, that my excerpt shows a true understanding of the topic and allowed me to voice what I thought.

Popular culture challenges traditions

        I think that pop culture not only influences those that pay attention, but is also influenced by the newer generations breaking in. For instance, in the 1950's you would NEVER EVER even imagine to see two women kiss at an awards show like Britney Spears and Madonna did at the MTV movie awards or a show about 4 women and their quest to find love through many sexual partners in New York City. We are all becoming more and more accepting of the lifestyles and choices people make because "Pop culture" is getting us to open our minds and lower our expectations of how things should be rather than how they could be. In the essay by Samuel L. Jackson, he describes how we are allowing different races play different parts without the obvious stereotype tied to the actor by their ethnicity. "When the studio heads look at a script now, they can see their friend Juan or they can see their friend Kwong or they can see their friend Rashan. So all of a sudden you see a different look in the movies, as they reflect the way this younger generation producers and studio executives live their lives." (Jackson 455) Popular Culture is challenging the traditional view different races by having them play an everyday person. Not just what their origin would stereotype them as.
         For years, we've slowly but surely allowed more and more challenges to tradition. From the most minor, to the most off the wall. Challenging the topic doesn't always come across in the best way, and though the media tries to put different races into different parts other than the stereotypical, we will still see others in the "typical" form they are viewed as. I think it's a good thing that we are able to have shows that show people of different views and lifestyles and have them be more and more accepted into society. However, no matter how many shows or movies are put out there to sway the world into acceptance, there is always going to be that underlying stereotype and subliminal message. For example, the show "Queer eye for the Straight guy" is about a bunch of homosexual men giving fashion and interior design advice to hopelessly unfashionable straight men. Though the acceptance of the show is for the homosexual men and putting them in the light of the guiding savior, they are still looked at as the stereotypical gay man. All about fashion and flamboyancy, which is not how ALL of them are. Regardless of the stereotypes, pop culture will continue to challenge and slowly adjust the old traditions to get people to learn to either accept or live with the changing times.

Introduction to Revision piece

       This was the hardest piece to choose. Not because I didn't have so many pieces that needed revision, but because I just didn't know how I should revise a piece I chose. So if this one I chose isn't what the assignment asked for, I apologize. Moving on...I decided to use my Tradition DB 2. I have made some revisions to it and hope that it flows a little better.

Survival of the fittest...or rather the most popular or accepted...

       In the two essays by authors White and Grealy, they have similarities. One example would be the groups, White calling them "Tribes" and Grealy calling them "Cliques". These are specific gatherings of kids that form together and are identified through either their actions or the way they dressed. In Whites essay, this could be determined by her use of saying what the "popular kids" wore. The abercrombie and Fitch type kids, and the actions of one group called the "natural healers" being that they were involved in helping out a cause. Other common ground both authors had were speaking about lunchtime and the loneliness felt during it. With White, she was writing as a spectator speaking of the overweight girl, eating alone and trying to ignore the teasing from the boys. Whereas Grealy wrote about her own experience of being teased by the group of boys until ultimately having lunch by herself in her couselors office. The thesis of Grealy, I want to say is about people not understanding one anothers point of view. She speaks about hearing others complain about their misfortune or dispair, however, she thinks they have nothing to complain about being that they are in good health and a normal face. With White, I believe her thesis is of how the many tribes segragate themselves from others. Only interacting when they are teasing others. Once the "natural healers" come to collect pennies for the penny wars, they are all bewildered by it. Not too sure on how to react.
        For me, school was not so much a joy. I never truly got the hang of being "cool". I wasn't socially awkward, but I wasn't the most sought after person to hang out with. From my previous writing, I am a mixed race with a weird last name so that didn't always give me points either. Only when I hit highschool did I finally come into my own. I didn't care so much about what others thought and had my own style. I just saw everyday as getting closer to the end of the popularity contest. I wasn't a geek or an outcast, but I wasn't in the most desireable group either. For the most part, people knew my name and I had a lot of friends. I never joined any type of sport but was really athletic. I had two "tribes" of friends for lunch. I call them tribes rather than cliques because they both didn't fit into any specific label of group. Even though I had those two groups and many other friends, I chose to sit in the library to read books. I found that a book of fiction was much more interesting than gossip about who's dating who, or who was pregnant now. Looking back on it now, it all seemed so silly. Growing up shows you what truly matters to others. If I only knew then, what I know now, my adolescence would have been so much easier. I guess, you live and you learn.

Introduction to Critical thinking piece

I picked my Identity DB posting "Survival of the fittest...or rather the most popular or accepted..." for my critical thinking piece because I think it really showed a connection between two writers, even though they were writing in completely different perspectives. My Example of this is "..both authors had were speaking about lunchtime and the loneliness felt during it. With White, she was writing as a spectator speaking of the overweight girl, eating alone and trying to ignore the teasing from the boys. Whereas Grealy wrote about her own experience of being teased by the group of boys until ultimately having lunch by herself in her counselors office." I think I was able to show analysis (See in detail and connect it with other things). This is one of my first posts, so it doesn't show the growth of my writing, but I feel it was a great start.

Reflection Letter

        My name is Crystal Yingling, I am 23 years old and proudly half white and half Korean. I grew up in California until 4 days after my high school graduation when my parents decided to move to Washington. Up until Winter quarter of 2010, I had been working many awful, dead end jobs and felt that it was time to get my education and start a career. I am pursuing a Nursing degree and hope to one day work in pediatric oncology. I love children and know that this is the right path for me. Going back to school was the best decision I could have made and even though it's been tough, I know I can get through it. Everyday I think I can't take anymore, I think about what I could be doing in 3 more years and I see the light at the end of the tunnel.
         Throughout this class, I've gotten eye opening assignments that got me thinking about other lifestyles and backgrounds altogether. It's not everyday that we're able to dig into the ideas of Identity, Community and Tradition, so I'm glad I got to take a second look at the world through these assignments. Though I struggled with many of the papers, I feel I did well in speaking my mind on the discussion boards and getting ideas and new perspectives with interacting with classmates. The Community assignments got me to look at people's "hobbies" a little differently. Though the hobby seems like something people just do collectively, seeing it as a community shows that the hobby is what brought everyone together. Then once they are all together, it's almost like a separate family. It was nice to see others perspectives on what was considered a community as well. Tradition got me thinking about family and friends. However, it also opened my eyes to how tradition is challenged and questioned and sometimes, ultimately changed. Instead of reading a book, we have Kindle. No need for records when you have a portable iPod. Even this class challenges the traditional way students would normally take an English class!
          In my collection of writing pieces, I chose the four I feel strongly about. Both in my writing and in my "voice". For my critical thinking piece, I chose my DB 1 post called "Survival of the Fittest....or rather the Most Popular or Accepted...". For my Revision piece, I decided on my Tradition DB 2.  With my illustrating awareness of audience and voice, I've decided on my community DB 2 post called "A Need of Belonging", I believe it got the readers to think. Finally, I chose my Identity DB 2 for my "writers choice" piece. I think it shows how I am as a writer and as a person.
          This class has gotten me to really try to focus on my thesis for papers and try to stay on topic. However, as much as I try to go down this steady path, I am unable to deny that windy road and make it harder for me to come back to the original path again. I feel I've gotten a better idea of how to use tunnel vision on my papers, with just a little detour, I will find my way back and finish the journey.