Ethnopoetics

So using our transcripts from our interview, we had to create a poem using our participant's words in a way to sum up the theme of the interview. We flip through the pages and take down lines, in order, that reflect the theme. So here are two I created:

I just love something about the snowy forest

there's something there

Whoa!

Magical world

Mystical fantasy realm

And I'll take a moment

to stand there

In nature honestly

I like being alone

Reflection

Solitude

I like it

I value it 

Reflection

Alone with your mind

Reflecting on Interview

     I had interviewed a friend for my field work research. Looking back at it I would say it went well and it was a great conversation between the both of us. I met Cam outside of the Adams Library here at RIC, considering we both attend the college and are in the same writing class. I figured it would be no trouble meeting here because we both will be here at the college. When our meeting time approached I began to get nervous because I never interviewed someone before. Do you know that commercial about that kid that Google's what is glossophobia on his tablet. Well I have that same fear and before the interview I was scared and had really bad anxiety because it was going to be recorded and I would have the file for as long as it was needed for the class. So I told him before hand and he said,"Well you know how to talk and have a conversation. So all this is, a conversation." That actually made me feel a lot better and little more confident. Also considering that we already know each other because we have several classes together and have worked together there was no feeling of being uncomfortable. We agreed on having the interview outside because it was a nice day and we both enjoy the outdoors. As the interview began I noticed that I was taking a long time to get my question out or i just couldn't find the right words for it. I was........kinda doing........ something like this......sentence for the first few questions. I was still nervous and I wasn't sure if he pick up on that. But as the conversation went on it got better and I was more clear and strait forward when I asked a question.
     Cam is a 19 year old Caucasian male that grew up in Barrington, RI. And to be completely honest, none of this affected how I approached him because we are friends and we already know each other so it just made the interviewing process easier. Also I am the type of person that gets to know someone before I judge them a or make any inferences on their personality or character so nothing affected the interview I saw.
     As I mentioned before we both share a common interest, the love of the outdoors. So even though I haven't done all the extreme and cool things that he has,I know about the activities and have considered trying them in the future. Also like I mentioned the the first paragraph the only thing that really changed was me getting conferrable with asking questions and being able to say a full sentence with out any pauses. I laughed throughout the interview because as he is telling me the story its playing in my head. The main thing i gathered from Cam is that he isn't a religious person but, spiritual. he enjoys being in isolation because he sees it as a way to be alone with your mind and a way to self reflect.

Mind Mapping

Mind mapping is the best way to explore new ideas. Placing the topic of interest in the center and having words or pictures branching off the topic. So I gave it a try.  I noticed throughout my writing an emerging theme correlated with being outside. It also occurred on my mind map and it will be one of the two topics I want to further investigate. One is the psychological effects of being in green space. I noticed within myself, my friends, and some research that being outside in nature changes mood and has several other effects on the brain, which is the reason why green spaces are in urban settings. My other topic is conservation of green spaces. Conserving nature is one of the many problems we face today. With so many people and so little space already developed to expand we are claiming more and more land for ourselves leaving little for people to enjoy. Conserving green spaces saves habitats for the animals we push away and creates spaces where we can be one with nature. That's why we have national parks across the country, its out  attempt to save land that once use to stretch across the country. Sorry for the small picture but click it to enlarge it. 

Questioning Fieldnotes pt2

When I was younger I saw Slater Park just as a park; a place where I can run free, climb trees, and fish. Now I see that is serves for a much greater purpose. Green space is beneficial to our mind and overall health. Green space is created so we have that option to escape cities and relax. That's the reason why parks are built in urban areas.

What surprised me? I was actually surprised at the fact that on such a cold and windy day there were a fair amount of people still using the space. I started at the lake and there were 11 cars so there has to be at least  11 people here besides me. It was 46 degrees outside but sitting by water and with a strong wind it felt like it was 30. Also I am interested to see how the weather and the winter season will effect the overall use of the park. The number of people that were there just two weeks ago drastically changed. Usually when its freezing outside people tend to stay inside all bundled up and warm. So as the season goes on I want to monitor those changes.

What intrigued me?  I have noticed that people respect and care for this park for the simple fact that there is no graffiti in the park. Usually in urban settings the small parks and playground areas are covered by tags, most of them not even appealing to the eye. I can go to the other near by playgrounds in Pawtucket and Central Falls and the place is tagged in every spot possible. Considering that I draw and paint, if your going to tag a space at least make it visually appealing, that's just my opinion. But I've never seen graffiti in Slater. I'm thinking that because some of the places are "hidden" in the woods and there is no direct site from the street it wouldn't make a great tag spot to begin with. The other parks there are direct lines of sight from multiple streets so its seen everywhere and by everyone. Having places out in the open is the best was to display work.

What disturbed me? Nothing really at the park disturbed me but a thought I had in class did. When I was younger I was told to go outside, get dirty, and don't come home until dinner or until a parent called out for me. Sometimes I would just be outside just to not be confined by four walls. Now people are to into their electronics, cell phones, laptops, and video game consuls to even want to go outside. Sometimes I am guilty of doing the same but I still managed at least taking a walk a couple times a week. I'm thinking in the long term there could or will be less and less people enjoying the outdoors.
 

Digital Landscape

We live in a time where if we need information we have easy access 24/7. Using computers, laptops and cell phones we can stay connected with each other and instantly search for information. Either voice control or our fingers running across a keyboard we type in a word or phrase in search engines like Google, Bing, Yahoo and several others and begin our search. The task at hand is to find a digital representation of Slater Park so those who can't visit it can see it.

I begin my search on Bing just typing in Slater Park. The majority of the sites I found give small blurbs about what's inside the park or several activities they host. Several other websites actually rated the park and gave reviews based on the personal experience. One of these sites is tripadvisor.com where 22 people reviewed the park and gave their feed back to the community. Just the titles alone; "Nice way to spend an afternoon", "Just about the nicest park equipment", "Great family fun" gives a sense of the space that children and adults can enjoy. Also half of those who posted a review are not even from this state. Several people actually came from Mass and Conn. Surprisingly a few other posts came from Florida, Texas, New York and the UK. The person from Conn commented, "Nice Park, considering the location in Pawtucket." It was interesting to see how people viewed the area, considering the bad rep Pawtucket receives, especially from those who are out of state. I didn't actually expect half of those who commented to be out of state. But the search must go on.

Experience Pawtucket was another website I stumbled across. I found it to be better than the other sites I searched. Again there are small blurbs about the park and activities but they are divided into tabs by key locations and buildings of the park. There’s Recreational, Daggett Farm, Dog Park, Looff Carousel, RI Watercolor Society, Scenic Vistas and Swan Boats. Recreational lists the athletic courts and fields it provides for local sports and for public use. Daggett Farm houses the petting zoo, picnic grounds and hosts seasonal activities for their patrons. Now there’s a new space where you can let your dog roam free and meet other dogs at the dog park, which I didn't even know it existed until I visited this site. Looff Carousel is the oldest “looff stander carousel” in the world, built in 1895 and installed at the park in 1910. It even tells the readers how many seats are available to ride and dogs being rare on a carousel. The RI Watercolor Society was founded in 1896 and is the oldest Watercolor Society in America. I plan on investigation more into this society later but they meet in the boathouse where the casino use to be. Now it houses an art gallery, a library, and art studio space. Scenic Vista tab is just a reminder of the beauty of the park and around every corner there’s an opportunity for beautiful photos. The Swan boats is another feature that returned last year. They plan on bring them back early next year along with dragon boats. This site was useful because it gave the reader information about several points in the park involving either history of that area or operating hours and fees of activities.

I continued my search with little luck. Any other site just gave the address, a Google Maps view of the park or the same information I have already provided form these sites or from my past blog posts. Content with my search I will leave you the links to both websites so you can see them for yourself and get a sense of the community.

Tripadvisor.com :

http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g54103-d531796-r163476872-Slater_Memorial_Park-Pawtucket_Rhode_Island.html#REVIEWS

Experience Pawtucket

http://experiencepawtucket.org/bLivebPawtucket/Recreation/SlaterMemorialPark/tabid/210/Default.aspx

Questioning Fieldnotes (What S.I.D?)

When I was younger I always looked forward to the weekend at my grandmothers house. I get to see my cousins, Anthony and Robby, and we get to do something for the day while we were there. Our favorite destination, Slater Park. We had the entire day to do what ever we want, visit and feed the animals, run through the strip of woods that separate the parking lot from the road to play football, or to run free in the playground. Also our favorite time to go to Slater was for the holidays like Halloween and Christmas because there were even more activities. Now a days the park has become a sanctuary for me because it brings me peace and claims me. There's something about being surrounded by trees and nature that is therapeutic and eases the mind, especially with the changing of the seasons the park is as colorful as ever. Also it became a hang out spot for my friends and I by accident. We just began walking around and talking one night and we continue to do so.
     What surprised me? There were actually a lot of people there that warm autumn day. There had to be about 35 plus cars in the playground parking lot with at least a mother and or father to each vehicle and about two children each. It was around four on a weekday usually when parents are at work as well so I saw it strange considering that I grew up in daycare centers and after school programs. Also I noticed by the playground area that there were more fathers or male adult figures at the park than females. Usually we imagine that the mother stays home and raises the kids while fathers bring home the check. Now the roles have switched, there are more stay at home dads than moms and to provide evidence for my claim there is a new show called Modern Dads on TLC I believe and its about a group of fathers that raise their children while the wives work.
     What intrigued me? Was the simple fact that just 10 years ago I use to regularly attend the park every other weekend to run wild and how it still plays a role in my life. In the six years I have been living in Pawtucket, about a five minute drive to the park, my sister and I would ride our bikes to Slater and ride around, sometimes we would attempt to play tennis. I would frequently visit the area to clear my mind when ever I was stressed out or just to go for a stroll. Now I still visit the area to hang out with friends or to relieve stress. Sometimes its strange to see how little life has changed when you get older. The park serves as different uses for me now than it has in the past but it is still part of my life.
     What disturbed me? There were only one thing that not really disturbed me but that I questioned afterwards. There was and older woman just outside the playground area and she was smoking a cigarette. Now it clearly says no smoking, in large white letters on the sign just inches above her head but did she pay any attention to it? No. The main reasons it bothered me was because she was in an area surrounded by young children who don't need to breath that toxic cloud in their lungs and I have asthma and the smoke was blowing in my face because of the wind. I was getting annoyed because she was oblivious of her actions and me almost dying while taking field notes. Its just not right.

View Point pt 2

Now I understand that because I spent my childhood here and my fond memories of the park I could be bias against other people and their views. Due to my history with Slater Park I view the area as a positive space whereas some people see it as a negative area because of their experiences. Because I am a naturalist and my connection to the park could “color” my perception of other people’s stories. I can understand and respect the fact that some people won’t agree with my claim because we all have our own experiences and our own views. I can understand that some people see parks as a waste of tax payers’ dollars because the majority of the time their used is spring through the fall and sometimes it seems vacant. Teens are known to use parks to host their mischievous activities like drinking or smoking. I know because several of my friends have told me they do and when we walked the trail at 11 pm there was a party going on in the woods.  Or even that it is a dangerous environment. Every day we live in a world that when we step outside our house we are putting our lives at risk; driving, flying, even walking down the street. I am a very open-minded person and I have no problems with people who hate bugs or don’t go outside. People have preferences; I prefer chocolate ice-cream over vanilla while my sister prefers vanilla over chocolate. Just because we don’t agree on a topic doesn't me I will not listen to your story or respect your view. If everyone was the same and had the same preferences then the world would be a boring place.