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.

View Points

  Hello, I'm Venetcia Ortiz. I am a 19 year old Puerto Rican, Italian female that grew up in the Central Fall, Pawtucket area. The first 12 years of my life I was in CF and Pawtucket attending CF schools then left to West Warwick for two tears then returned home in Pawtucket, where I currently reside and continued to attend CF school until I graduated. Now I am a freshman at RIC, but my major is still undeclared because I am unsure of what I want to do for the rest of my life. I'm interested in the sciences, I love art and I'm a naturalist but having all of these interests just make my decision harder. Both my parents were born in Mass. and raised in Central Falls or in the surrounding cities. I grew up playing outside, watching educational television like Discovery Channel and reading non-fiction books on topics of interest to me.

  My blog, as you are well aware, is focused on Slater Park, who uses it, what recreational activities are available, and how it creates a sense of community for those that visit the park. My subjects are park goers, moms with children that are full of energy, joggers that run the trail with friends and pets, and teens that need a hangout spot. Through the years I have visited the park I’ve noticed the park community is diverse, Latinos, Hispanics, blacks, white; you name it. Considering that parks are public green areas, it wouldn’t be out of the ordinary to see people of all ages to roam the park on a warm autumn day so I would fit in perfectly. Also I tend to be shy around people I first meet so it will take some time to uncover the whole story. For a site like this it would be easier to seek insider information from friends and family to get their perspective of the park. Considering that many of my cousins and siblings grew up together and are very close to one another, we were all exposed to the same things and grew up similarly. We attended the Haunted Tunnel and Pumpkin Carving during the fall and Christmas at the park in the winter while in spring and summer we visited Daggit Farm and played in the park. I still remember when Slater Park use to have wood and metal for the playgroung set up. The majority of us played and owned video game consoles; we loved rough housing with one another, having adventures outside and grew up with various types of family pets. They are part of this culture as am I because this was a place of our childhood. Slater Park played different roles in my life from when I was a child to today and I want to see if others have the  same experience as me.

Proposal

   I am interested in studying the community of Pawtucket through the people’s use of their parks.  I want to know the recreational uses for the park.  What activities or events the park hosts to bring the community together.   I chose Slater Park as a field-site because I spent the majority of my childhood at this park attending their seasonal events and running through the woods.  People who usually visit parks are outdoorsmen and naturalists; they enjoy nature and being surrounded by it. It’s not only exclusive to them, joggers and pet owners use the trails for exercise, and parents use the space to let their kids expend their energy. Basically, I want to see how the people use the park and how the parks create a sense of community considering how technology has altered social interactions between teenagers.  The basis of my interests in the field site and subculture is because I am a naturalist; I am passionate about animals. Walking outside I can name several species and know everything about them from birds to mammals and insects. Family members call me and ask me what it is that their staring at.  Usually through a description or a picture I can tell them what it is and if I can’t then I do some research myself and inform them.  Also I am an artist. Pawtucket hosts the annual Art Festival between August and September which Slater Park takes part in. Also several of the events they host involves local artists displaying their work.

   Slater Park and its subcultures are significant because it is a place where you can escape the city and enjoy nature. This place was built for everyone to appreciate and be able to use for any activity. I feel that due to technology people are not outside as much as they use to be. It seems like there is less and less people each time I visit. This study maybe important to others because I hope to influence people that being the woods or a park is beneficial to their health and mind.  I want them to see that they don’t need to travel far to get a sense of peace. My work about the outdoorsmen will give insight as to why people visit these locations and what keeps them outside rather than at home. I hope to shed more light on the outdoors subculture because this generation is only concerned about their electronics and when the new version is coming out, knowing less and less about their surroundings and their benefits.

   

Intro to Me

Intro to Me

This a 30 sec clip that explains who i am with pictures and the song selection, it is free to create an account and it it a great media tool for displaying photos. The photos in this clip show the location of my childhood, family, and the different aspects of my life.
Click link to watch

http://animoto.com/play/qm3wxZ4m3Sd782jmRx8N1g