Poor Forrest

I have a Saturday class and the exam was today. I finished this exam fairly quickly and decided to wait for a classmate that I had "un-officially" tutored through the semester. I walked over to Office Depot to buy some candy, (needed a gummie-bear fix) and with some time on hand strolled around the building. Adjacent to Office Depot is a UT building or at least it looks like the buildings across the street. It has elaborate brick work and great stone facades around the doors and window. At the end of this alley, hanging from the south entrance is an elaborate street sign marked 822 Beale Street. (there's absolutely no street there today) I peeked in as many windows as possible, peeling plaster, debris and yard equipment is all I could see. BUT....when I looked north, Forrest was starring right at me. Mounted on his majestic horse, guarding the resting place of he and his bride, a symbol of southern history is now looking directly at an old alley surrounded by chain-linked fences hooded with barb-wire starring at the ass-end of a Motel 6. As a rule, I do not like change. Personally, I believe the UT/Southwest area needs a green space, even if no one uses it. I was against moving Forrest for this simple reason. Today, I changed my mind, even Forrest doesn't deserve this. Poor city planning has left an important part of Memphis/Southern history out of the loop with little respect. After our visit to Elmwood Cemetery this past semester, I have a greater appreciation for the people who died for "their-cause." Forrest should be with them, people who gain any or all of their knowledge about this time in American history should experience Forrest too. He's sorely overlooked on Union Avenue, and that's not fair!

Honored to Know You

The inquiry experience has been wonderful. It has been a treat to get to spend time with all of you and to learn so much about the city we live in. Before this class, I had been to Beale St., Main St., and East Memphis. Now, I have been all over the city of Memphis. Seeing all the ins and outs of this town has given me a greater appreciation of Memphis as a whole. I enjoyed learning about the history and the people. I have a deeper understanding of her inner workings and how Memphis came to be the way she is today.

The presentations on Monday and Tuesday were wonderful. I am going to read the book Lindsey is saving! I wish Irene all the best on the pet cooperative and hope Aaron and his little have more great times to share. It was interesting seeing all the Honors II presentations also. I have to admit that I am glad that they are over and I can go another few months before presenting again.

As the school year draws to a close, I looked back over the adventures this year has brought. I started in August with my illness, and was not quite sure I was going to be able to maintain a full time schedule. I managed to struggle through and get all the way to May. I have had wonderful adventures, seen amazing theater, music and art performances, attended two Honors Conferences, and made new and lasting friends. Being in the Honors Academy and taking this class has given me new insight into myself, my interests, and my friendships. I have truly been honored to know all of you and hope that we all stay in close contact for a good, long time.

A Strange Change

As I was getting ready for Tuesday's presentation, I was ironing a dress and all I could see was the "IRON CROTCH" from Willie Cole's exhibit. (warrior-like man covered in iron stencil with one big iron forming the crotch) That day at the Brooks is a fond memory. I was remembering the great food, Doug's friends, and Naoimi, our guide for the Old Forrest Trail. Next time any of you venture to Overton Park, please stop at the Golf House. It is charming and must have been the "IT" in its day, maybe one day we can gather and shoot nine, or simply ride around on the golf carts.

What a wonderful semester. I was glad to read Aaron's entry about the Macon Road presentations. Erin did terrifically Tuesday. I, on the other hand, had a "melt-down!" My presentation was pitiful. I beat myself up for two days...I did the second part first, the first part second, and completely forgot the introduction, the thesis, the premise for the whole damn project! My husband and I practiced, he timed me, I knew the opening line.....I blew-it!!! What's sad about the whole mess is that I knew this stuff hands-down.

What keeps me in this place of personal panic? Some of it is each of you; you're all incredibly bright and well-rounded, kind and funny...the kind of company I like to keep! I am sitting at my desk with the working minutes from the city council meeting, a fund-raising invitation for Janis Fullilove, which incidently came the very next day after the council meeting, the Street Dog rescue stuff from our trek on Main St., Sandra's poetry book and the Elmwood "grave-explain" signs. I have much to say about all of these, but my thoughts simply sit as drafts! I am a poor writer in comparison to each of you and I've found it intimidating. I've had these same poor skills for thirty years. I was afraid of writing then and I'm still as flustered with the process today. BUT, I am going to get better. (hard to get worse) My mechanics are terrible, and I've spent a lifetime avoiding improving. Today, I finally want to improve. Strange isn't it that simply being around each of your talented souls has sparked this women to finally step-up and learn some structure and grammar. Thanks.

I want to be able to go to a conference and present something. I have some very strong interests that I'd like to explore and share; granted they are more on the scientific side but neat stuff none-the-less. This class has inspired me. I'll need your help as to not hide from the work, which I do so effortlessly!

I can't wait to read Lakota Women and view Lyndsey's video. I want to hear more about both Aaron's and Erin's volunteer efforts. There's a great opportunity at the Commercial Appeal for citizen editorial writers that I want to share with you. All of you would be great. You sit on the editorial board for four months, and get to help write about Memphis and her issues. I'm with Aaron, let's continue to post and share here. And with a little effort and help, my babbling just might turn into writing.

Keep in touch.

Follow-up on Fellows

I really enjoyed the presentations that were given on Monday at the Macon campus. Unfortunately I did not make the other presentations on Tuesday. It would be nice to know how the other students did and how Erin’s other presentations were. I enjoyed talking about the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Memphis, but I really wanted to present on St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. While I was hoping to have completed some volunteering at St. Jude by now, I did go to my first volunteer orientation last week and will be posting my insights on my volunteering blog next week. So, keep your eyes peeled for weekly posts starting next Tuesday.

As for as the other presentations, I found the one Lyndsey Roland did on Lakota Woman by Mary Crow Dog fascinating. I had no idea that the Native Americans had their own Civil Rights movement. I did know, however, that some Native Americans took over the island of Alcatraz after it had been abandoned. I got that information while in San Francisco. I will be reading Lakota Woman along with the novel from Lyndsey’s other presentation, Bastard Out of Carolina by Dorothy Allison. Lyndsey won first place in the Honors English Comp. II presentations (to preserve her book from the clutches of the evil empire that has damned all books to extinction in the year 2211.)

Lyndsey’s other presentation was of recorded footage of her trek through Memphis and her reflections. I would love to get a copy of it. Erin on the other hand did a presentation much like mine. Her class project was entitled “Volunteering Memphis.” She discussed her volunteering and interviews though Volunteer Mid-South, and I really think that it is a great way to get involved in the community if you do not know what you want to do or how to do volunteering. Another bonus is it does not require a long-term commitment, which is good for busy people that still want to stay involved and lend a helping hand.

The presentations were a great way to end the semester and a great way to finish the blog for this school year. But I for one will not be ending my input here. I am hoping that we can still record our insights and experiences on this blog throughout our careers at Southwest. I know that I will continue reading the blogs left and leaving comments for you all as well as the new students that will be taking inquiry next spring.

Have a great summer everyone. And for anyone graduating that is reading our blog, CONGRATULATIONS!!!

Well Done!!!!!!!!

I just wanted to put a quick note on the blog and say that everyone did awesome yesterday on their Honors Inquiry presentations! I really enjoyed them.

Trek and Treat

Today was our final trek in honors inquiry. We enjoyed a hot and humid tour of Elmwood Cemetery. It was ironic that the final place that we visited in our class is the final place we all end up in life. It was a beautiful day at the cemetery and our tour was enjoyable except for the fact that I was having allergy issues and I was wearing tight blue jeans in the steamy 90 degree heat. But our trek today is not what I want to focus on, I want to talk about how much I enjoyed this class. I would not have gotten into the class in time if it were not for Doug going with me up to the admissions office on the second week of classes. That is really where my relationship with Doug began. Sure, I met him before through Professor Thad Cockrill during a group photo of the Saluqi bicycle club (which is really an amazing thing if you are into cycling. We usually ride through Shelby Farms) and at Doug’s Winter Solstice “Holidayapalooza.” But I really didn’t start to get to know Doug until we walked to and from the office. Doug, like honors inquiry, goes above and beyond expectations and continues to keep going. (Kind of like the walking today.)

I appreciate the opportunity to take inquiry this semester and get to know not only Doug, but the class. Before I took inquiry, I was obsessed with hating Memphis. I wanted to move from here in the worst way. I wanted to go back to where I belonged, to “Yankeesburg, Northsoftucky.” But after reading Wanda Rushing’s Memphis and the Paradox of Place, and the trips to all the places that the book describes and that we discussed in class-and the Peabody Ducks-I do not want to leave Memphis. I changed my hometown from Beaver, Pennsylvania to Memphis, Tennessee on my Facebook page. Why? Because when I talk to people from there I cannot relate to anything that they are talking about anymore. Now that I have been away from things, my mindset is different. I told Doug during our South Main Trolley night tour, that I was tacky in a lot of ways before I met Sarah and we moved to Memphis. I think what I was trying to say was that I was not cultured in any way. Thanks to the inquiry class and the hard work and effort that Doug puts into it, I have realized how much I do love Memphis. I am happy to be living in and hopefully will remain here long enough that I can say that I am from Memphis, Tennessee, and not think of my true roots so immediately. Thank you Doug for all the great tours this semester. I look forward to a lifelong friendship with you and the Honors Academy. Cheers to you, Doug!

Stax, Some Sun and Fun

It's been a bit since our trip to the Staxx Museum and Sun Studio, but I do have some thoughts. I enjoyed Staxx a bit more than Sun Studio, possibly because it is much more of a "walk-down-memory lane," for me. I'd been to Sun Studio a dozen or so times in the past with my favorite nephew, and just possibly it has grown familiar! Although, the guide was engaging and interesting....and I liked being in 'his' crowd, it was fun. (he needs to work at Staxx)

The learning curve between museums was a bit disappointing for me. I do like pagentry, statues and all that. (parades too) Old Forrest Park, with its lone pair of graves and a bronze soldier on a horse, doesn't quite cut it! The oddity and weirdness of the whole area is: it is the only green space for blocks, settled between two fairly large post-ed schools......yet, there were no students, no staff, no readers, runners, lovers!!! (and it was a sunny day) There was a man, obviously visiting Memphis, who was still sporting his Dixon admission sticker on his chest, who oddly enough was from my old county in Pennsylvania. This man literally lives 20 minutes from my old driveway. He knew everything about old Forrest. He had Confederate family...and was proud; it was 'cute' to listen to him! I wondered if any Memphians, short of the history-world, knew as much. He very much was a walking history lesson with all his biases woven in. I found him charming. I think old Forrest and his bride should stay put. He needs to keep "look-in" south, the park needs to stay, and Memphis needs to come outside and play!
I enjoyed this day and the dinner that followed. This is a special class.

Why Can't We All Just Get Along?

This was a sentiment that we discussed Tuesday night during our class time. The sentiment came out after reading "A Friend and Protector" and "Merry-Go-Sorry." Both stories showed a bit of this feeling. In the first, it was dealing with an African American in the South in the era of rampant racism. The second was showing it through the atypical "trailer trash" and the regular citizens of a small town. Both showed feelings of disdain toward the unaccepted members of society.

As for why we can't all just get along in today's society, there are myriad reasons: ignorance, mistrust passed down through generations, generalizations based on social classes as a whole, and just plain unwillingness to accept your fellow man. I try very hard to base my friendships and relationships on the person and not the outer shell. A friend of mine commented once that "you get along with everyone unless they treat you like crap." Thanks to my mom, I hope that statement is true. I don't care what you wear, look like, who you love, or how you live as long as you respect me for my choices. Each person in this world is unique and if you look hard enough, you can find something good in most of them. If you want my respect and friendship, then I truly believe in the Golden Rule - treat others as you would be treated yourself. If you act like I'm trailer trash or uppity, then I'm going to move on and let you be judgemental. I do admit that I have judged people at first glance, but it was usually based on the situation. If I'm in a seedy part of town (any town) and you look like you mean to harm me, I'm going to move in the other direction. However, I try not to let this run my opinions.

I truly believe that we will never all just get along. There are generations of hate and generalizations that would have to be disproved. I do believe that you can't judge a race of people based on the acts of one, but until the world feels this way, I think we will continue to not get along.

It's Hard Out Here for Everyone

I missed the blog post last week, so this week you get two. First off the movie "Hustle and Flow." I had seen all the reviews of this movie and heard all the accolades, since I am an Oscar buff. When the movie first came out, it didn't look like something that would interest me. I'm not a big fan of rap music in general and wasn't impressed with the content of the songs. The tune is catchy and now, having seen the movie, I get why it was lauded. Terrence Howard played the role of DJay with amazing accuracy. He was able to convey the struggle of a "working" man who wants better for his life. Although he was a pimp, he seemed to genuinely care about his girls (except the idiot who treated him like crap.) All he was doing throughout the movie was trying to improve his life. I can understand why he snapped in the bar at the end, to have your hopes and dreams squashed in an instant is a horrific experience. It can drive the most well-adjusted person to acts of violence. The end was bittersweet in a bizarre way. He finally "made it," only to be incarcerated for murder. When he turns to the guard and repeats the dream line, it seemed to me that he was going to punish the guard for the perceived mistreatment that he had been dealt. He conveyed his bitterness toward no one helping him onto someone else. Some people are able to learn and move forward to help others, some just wallow in their own misery. I realized the movie conveyed a deeper message than I ever gave it credit for. I don't think it was demoralizing to Memphis in any way, I think Memphis was just the setting for this tragic story. There are areas like those in every city and if it had been filmed in NY, Chicago, Detroit, or some other large city, the effect would have been the same. It was nice to see locals like Isaac Hayes in the film and to watch the "props" that Memphis got during the filming and after. The movie was very good and I'm sorry that I dismissed it when it was released.

Family

Last night we had an interesting evening discussing Peter Taylor’s “A Friend and Protector” and Cary Holladay’s “Merry-Go-Sorry.” Our discussion touched on the topic of racial tension. Maybe I still do not totally understand it, being from a town that we all-black and white-hung out together, stayed at each other’s homes overnight, and many of us dated each other’s sisters or brothers. The only uproar was coming from our grandparents and we all just figured it was their old-fashioned style.

Although many grandparents shunned the thought of interracial relationships, my grandmother recently held her great-great grandson who is of part black and part white. Because of a situation that occurred about fifteen years ago, I did not know what to expect from my grandmother when my cousin’s son introduced his son to her. My sister dated a young man during her junior year in high school that caused some family controversy. The young man is African American, but that was not the issue. The issue was that his older half-brother had issues with the law. And when my sister had to testify against him in court because he tried to make her an accomplice in his stealing of money orders, that is when my family and his began to feud.

When things from the case all settled down, I had seen the ugly side of people. Race had become the issue instead of the criminal mistakes of one man. My mother had asked me once, what I thought about the whole situation. I replied, “If two people love each other, it should not matter who they are. She [my sister] is not dating the brother. Her boyfriend is a gentleman from what I know of him.” I still do not understand why I was asked about it because a 19-year-old’s opinion doesn’t amount to much in the eyes of a parent.

Ten years later my family flew in from all over America for a reunion. I think that it was the first time since that incident that the whole family had gotten together. So like I said before, I did not know what to expect when my grandmother was introduced to her great-great grandson. When my grandmother held the precious child to her face and kissed him, I found peace in my grandmother’s acceptance. She held the baby for a long time and posed proudly for pictures with the newest addition to her family.

Whoop That Pimp

A.O. Scott of the New York Times calls the character of DJay incoherent in a review of the movie Hustle & Flow. The character may be complex, but not incoherent. DJay is a backstreet pimp with dreams, feelings, love, and every other emotion that comes with being a human. All because he is making his money the easy way doesn’t make him un-human or subhuman. Instead of working hard, he is trying to make it rich quick by pimping hookers and rapping music.

DJay tries to act tough, but he is really a soft hearted pimp. Pimps are not easy on women. It is a life of “make it or break it” for a hooker. If Lexus (the stripper with the loud mouth and attitude) would have talked to another pimp the way she talked to DJay, she would not have been leaving the house on her two feet but on a stretcher or in a body-bag. Perhaps DJay’s character is too gentle or perhaps not. This may be why he wants out of the game. Many rap artists use the line, “Pimpin’ ain’t easy, but it sure is fun;” maybe DJay isn’t having fun with pimping. Maybe he is tired of it. Or maybe he never liked doing it in the first place. DJay, like everyone else in the world, is just trying to get by.

Though DJay is a rude, egocentric pimp, he does seem a little out of place for being from a rough part of town. He is too polite for a ghetto pimp from the outskirts of Memphis. He never slaps his hoes, or talks down to them. Actually, after watching the film one can tell that he cared about his women. Even when he puts Lexus out on the street, he hesitates and thought about it before doing so. He was gentle and fatherly to her son and even tried to reason with her when she took him away from DJay and the keyboard.

DJay is caught in a place that he wants to get out of. At the end of the film DJay and Key, DJay’s old buddy and partner in the rap business, talk in the prison visiting center about the 11 months that DJay has left to serve and how he is all over the radio thanks to Nola, the skinny white hooker and now DJay’s agent. If the movie would have ended with DJay leaving prison and moving to California, it seems that he would have taken all of his women along with him, excluding Lexus. He may have gone back for her son though.

Stealin and Rhymin: "It's Hard Out Here For a Student" (Parody of "Hard Out Here For a Pimp" by Three 6 Mafia)

I could not sleep last night. Perhaps I had too much Coca-Cola and too many cookies, but it may have fueled my strange inspiration to re-write the song. I hope it inspires you all in your next blog entries. Enjoy!

[Chorus]
You know it's hard out here for a student (you ain't knowin)
When he tryin to get this grade for Doug Branch (you ain't knowin)
For the Enrollment and class money spent (you ain't knowin)
Because a whole lot of students talkin it (you ain't knowin)

You know it's hard out here for a student (you ain't knowin)
When he tryin to get this grade for Doug Branch (you ain't knowin)
For the Enrollment and class money spent (you ain't knowin)
Will have a whole lot of students jumpin ship (you ain't knowin)

[Verse 1]
In my eyes I done studied some crazy thangs in the class
Gotta couple papers in works on the changes ta pass
But I gotta keep my brain prepared like Einstein on MC^2
Students cheatin on a test don't know no better, I know they ain't scared
Done seen students expelled, done seen students fail
Done seen some students workin on their coffins with the nails
School n studyins how I live, but that's just how it is
It might be new to you, but that's every freshman year
It's blood sweat and tears when it come down to the grade
I'm tryin to get rich, so I can pay financial aid
I'm tryin to keep the A's, but it's hard fo' a student
But I'm prayin and I'm hopin to God grades don't slip, yeah
[Chorus]

[Verse 2]
Man it seems like I'm writin for Doug Branch everyday
Students hatin on me cause I down with PTK
But I gotta keep up grades, gotta stay above water
If I don't keep up with my A's, that's when school gets harder
Southwest where I'm from, I'm graduation bound
Where people all the time successful in the jobs they done found
Man Honors Academy think we prove thangs, leave a big head
We cold workin every night, so our grades don't end up bein dead
Wait I taken inquiry, and honors English comp II
I bust out the work for the papers that are due
That's the way ta keep 4.0's, gotta keep em strictly A's
Gotta keep my pencil tight, makin no changes to these grades, yeah
[Chorus]

Urban Pioneers

Little by little this new place, this residence, is resembling a home. I will never forget the first time I met each of you, that fret-filled Tuesday night.....the evening of "MOVE DAY." I had only one continuing-ed class at the Macon Road campus, had no idea where the class was located (never saw the new building before), and worse, had no idea what this class was about!

Over the Christmas holiday, my children had a blast teasing me about once again becoming a college student. They were filled with opinions, challenges and your every-day ribbing exercises. One thing they said in unison was, "You made us do it...you have to do it...it's not fair!" You see, I strongly encouraged all my kids, my three and the niece who lives with us, to participate in their schools' honor programs. In fact, I pretty much insisted on it. So, on a fate-filled night I signed up for the only honors course I could find.

It is two months later, I fought the urge to 'drop' and am still struggling with the fact that my writing skills are poor. BUT...I am enjoying this! I enjoy all of you!

We now live in a gentrifying neighborhood in Cooper-Young. We moved from a street directly across from Overton Park, a beautiful 6500 square foot gem to 1700 square feet of ugly and old. The first order of business was to install the security system and the wireless shebang-stuff that allows us to have television, telephone and internet. Now all of this is fairly common in normal houses, but this old gal had 'knob&tube' electrical wiring. A relic system that my husband thought could be replaced in a week. WRONG! As I watched the electricians work, I was mostly amazed that they were fascinated with this old stuff. They worked patiently side-by-side with the contractors that were moving walls, securing molding, closing windows and opening new doorways. She is still ugly and we have stuff everywhere, but I've come to appreciate this new side of midtown. I have wonderful neighbors, interesting people not very different from my old neighbors. In fact my old neighbors are new neighbors here in this new part of town! Instead of only running through Overton Park, our group now runs south at least one day a week with this new house being a pit-stop, we've picked up two new joggers who live in Central Gardens, and now have a group of fifteen or so on each run.
We've found newspapers dated 1927, hand-made baby toys, an inscribed headstone from 1932 (no body yet), that makes me wonder about the family that last made this a real home. As fascinated as I am at times it never lasts long. When I step onto the porch and look towards the west, I see ghetto. I know this ghetto has been bought by a reputable developer, but it is still ghetto today. This in its own right makes me feel bad, that less that one mile from my old house, folks were/are living this way, and there's no reason for it. (that's another note)
I keep telling myself, this is a great move for us. We have two children completely off the payroll, one graduating this spring from the University of Virginia taking a job in D.C., and a junior at UT Knox. I keep telling myself I'd be dancing a 'jig' if this space were in New York City. We have retired from the bizarre property taxes of Memphis and have an opportunity to put some seriously needed retirement cash aside! I have a new kitchen, small, unfinished, but new. We have a yard and garage. We are living this adventure one day at a time and it's all good!

Reworking the American Poet

For some reason, the title of my post sounds familiar to me. I can't place it, but I like it and it's relevant so I will use it. Last week I had the opportunity to attend a workshop with a visiting poet and former professor of Doug Branch, Ann Fisher-Wirth. I was a little disappointed at the showing for the workshop. Only three students were in attendance. However, what I learned from Fisher-Wirth was well worth missing my Honors Psychology class that day! Stylistically, she and I differ a great deal. She prefers to write a poem, point out the strongest lines that deliver the hardest punch, and then cut out all of the rest as senseless fodder. I, personally, like this fodder and the stream of consciousness it creates within a poem. But I played along for the workshop and the poem that I submitted was reduced from 3 pages double spaced to 10 lines. I must say that this was a very shocking experience for me. There were some points that I felt Fisher-Wirth made that are worth noting here since I know that a few of us are creatively inclined. One important point to consider before you actually begin writing is that your poem must have a speaker. However, it must not be an inanimate object. It must make literal sense. For instance, a chair will not talk to you or life as an entity will not actually talk to you. Therefore, a helpful tool before writing is to create an imaginary character that will act as your speaker. Fisher-Wirth also advised us to watch for modifying phrase placement and voice changes throughout the poem. Fisher-Wirth also suggested some readings for us from another writer named Patricia Smith who had mastered the art of the "imaginary character." Though an African-American woman, Smith has written such works as "In the Voice of A Skinhead" and Blood Dazzler. If any of you have read some of her writing, perhaps you can comment and tell us how effective her style is. I have also included a link to one of Fisher-Wirth's works. http://100dayspoems.blogspot.com/2009/03/day-48-ann-fisher-wirth.html

SRHC or Shrek as the DuckMaster referred to us

This weekend I was able to attend the Southern Regional Honor's Council Conference at the Peabody Hotel in Little Rock. There were five students and Doug on this trip. We arrived on Thursday and checked-in, then went and enjoyed lunch at Wasabi's Bar and Grill. Most of the group had sushi and I enjoyed a burger. We then went to the first of the sessions. I attended a session on horticulture therapy and gardening in art. It was interesting to see other presentations and get insight into what interests other Honors students. In the next set of sessions, I attended one by Tracie Burke, the director of Honors at CBU here in Memphis. They gave their students an opportunity for public service. They allowed them to pick the project and then gave them a monetary stipend to help the project move forward. It was very informative and I was the only student at the session. I opted out of the 4:30 session and went and watched the ducks walk on their red carpet to the elevator. I was able to chat with the DuckMaster for a few minutes and got a great story about the Dallas Cowboys trip they took (I will share if you would like to hear it.) From here we attended the President's Reception with food and drink. Heifer International sponsored a "dance" for us with three local rock bands. The music was not my favorite and I was back up in the room around 10 pm.

The next morning we were up bright and early for breakfast at 7. I gave my presentation at 8 am and the technology worked! I was well within my time limit, and I got a compliment from a woman who advises seniors on their thesis projects. She said my video clips were picked well and exactly the right amount of time. That made me feel very proud. I then attended a session about Honors students and Student Government. It was interesting how they use the two to get more policies passed at their college. They pointed out that administration tends to respect members of Honors a little more and tends to listen to their ideas. I then went to the poster presentation in the foyer. These reminded me of a science fair kind of setup, but some of the topics were very intriguing. There was everything from Freedom isn't Free to Dopamine Neuron Activity in the Dorsal Pre-frontal Cortex of Rats. We then attended lunch, where we all met up again. The keynote speaker was Skip Rutheford and he told some great stories about the Presidents and the new Clinton School of Public Service. After lunch, we again went our separate ways. I attended a seminar entitled Honors and Adult Students. Once again I was the only student. This was more about separating the adult Honors and the traditional Honors. I was able to give my input as an adult student and learned some interesting facts about the differences.

At 6, we were supposed to have a reception and tours of the Clinton Library. We boarded the buses and arrived to find that the power grid was out and they could only do the reception. We left around 7 and decided to return to the library on our way home to do the tour. We spent approximately 2 hours in the museum on Saturday morning, went to the gift shop (off site,) and had lunch at the Flying Fish. We then headed back to Memphis. We were all a little tired, but it was a wonderful trip. I got to know 4 of my fellow students better (including Absalom,) and learned a lot. We also met quite a few students from other schools. The only major downside to the weekend for me, was having the three hot guys from the Citadel ask me where I teach...LOL.

Stepping Back in Time: A Sun Studio Trek

Standing close to the "X" that marks the spot where Elvis Presley stood when he first recorded for Sam Phillips, it hit me. I was standing on a piece of history, a moment of time that will forever remain on that same spot whether the old Sun Studio building remains or it becomes a WalMart. It is encapsulated in the threads that bind Memphians to this city. It spreads throughout the world with every tourist that comes in search of the home and history of the King of Rock n' Roll. That "X" is part of who we are. It was then that I made a real connection to my semester project. Trying to force yourself to experience a spiritual awakening by following Marc Cohn's "Walking in Memphis" is daunting. You wait for it happen, and it scares you when it doesn't. However, when it rains, it pours. Yet if you don't have a course in place for the ensuing avalanche, it is very easy to get lost in the flood. This trip to Sun Studios provided me with the direction I needed. After finding myself saying a couple of times that I had never been or even heard of the places we were visiting, I realized that a huge part of my disconnect from the city of Memphis was my own fear to explore its history. So wrapped up in the stereotypes and presumptions that I was raised with, I could not break myself away. I thought that perhaps I am not the only Memphian who has struggled with this, and that now that my binds are broken, my semester project might be a great vehicle to dispell this. The focus of my semester project has changed. While I am still following Marc Cohn's "Walking in Memphis," I am no longer attempting a spiritual awakening. It has already happened. I am instead using this project as a way to combine new footage of places described in the lyrics with historical pictures into a montage that will meld the old with the new. My ultimate message of my semester project will be one of hope. I am genuinely excited about how it is forming.