The end

Well, the end of the project is coming near for our informants. My informants don't seem to care as none of them really got "attached" to me at all. One of them pretty much dropped out of the project but never truly told me. I am unsure what his exact stance is on it. The other night I went to a concert with 3/4 and had a good time. The boys are starting to talk more about the near future, like driving and going out more often, because they all passed their drivers permit written test. It was interesting to see how quickly their focus changed.

I feel pretty good about the end of this semester. I think I have some good information.
I was not in class on Thursday because I had to drive my boyfriend to the DR- He just had back surgery about 10 days ago.

OH! yeah I am also very excited to collect the journal books from all the boys, I think I will get some good stuff out of them. I plan on doing that in about one week so I have time to compile everything while doing other class assignments/finals, Ugh!

Drama

So the boys have been going through a strange period... Both Kyle's apparently skate new school while Paul and Steve skate old school. Now that the new weather is coming around they are fighting and unsure of who to hang out with.... It's definitely weird because the entire winter they were all connected at the hip!!

I can sense the boys disconnecting more from me now that the initial excitement is over with the project. I need to keep them on task and give out a few more questions for them to write about in their journals. I am hoping I will get some good information out of the journals... and if not, I can write about that, too.

I am excited to review all of my information and write up the sections. The only thing I do not like is that I have four boys- a lot of information... I might write about the boys in two sets because I am seeing Paul and Steve are more alike than the other two... We'll see...

I was not in class today because I was sleeping. I worked 10.5 hours yesterday and felt like I got hit by a truck! I hope I did not miss much...

Some recent pictures:

Steve is in all three... the first one shows Kyle S, then Paul M, and finally Kyle M... I am seeing that Steve is the most talkative, (possibly the most passionate), and is kind of the leader... I am wondering if it has anything to do with how he looks older than all three boys. When you see them together in person, Steve is quite small but his face is older than the others. Just something I noticed...

Final section thoughts

I've been thinking about the final sections. Today in class I was just scribbling some ideas down and I decided that I should write them in the blog...

Section 1 - life histories etc
Thinking about some topics covering heroes, family relationships, hobbies, and a bit about girls. Also description of their appearance and demeanor.

Section 2- Rebellion/Breaking the rules/Questioning Authority

I wanted to talk about the allure of the punk rock life. Steve and Kyle S have talked various times about how its the lifestyle they need to have.

Then some various topics I wrote down include:
Music- the messages within, sound, going to concerts
Fashion
Cops/Government
Parents
School Rules
Societies Expectations
How they want others to view them
Beliefs/values/morals

Striving to be 'Punk'- the "calling"
How 'punks' view drinking/parties/drugs- who fits in and who doesn't
Different punks- Posers
Brotherhood/Unity factor
-------------> where does it lead? Are they considering the future at all, jobs? what happens after highschool? Punk lifestyle= what to them?

I tried to text Kyle Mccormick but he was feeling sick... Steve is never online and Paul is online for about 3 minutes. It's hard to talk to them. My brother is giving me the most information. Because I have opened up with him, more than just a sister, he is giving me a lot of different insights.

Steve broke up with his girlfriend and has a new one, Kyle sent me her picture and I said

no values82: http://a153.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/31/l_6abdd5c4c2738fd3c2f293f80be1e728.jpg
parabolove: what is she like?
no values82: bleach hair
no values82: shes cool
no values82: reminds me of u
parabolove: ohh wow... i guess that is cool then- haha
no values82: yeh
no values82: she just reminds me of u

Too funny.
I guess that's about it. Tomorrow I hope everything goes well and I can see all of their rooms... I am going to post a video now, I happen to love this band. They put on an amazing show at the Trocadero last year... full of energy and crazy costumes. Anyway, the lyrics remind me of being younger and breaking up with boyfriends... It also kind of reminds me of how Professor R is forever emotionally wounded from his first girlfriend haha... and I guess we probably all are still somewhat impacted by our firsts....

Of Montreal - Requiem for O.M.M.2

[via FoxyTunes / of Montreal]

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Now playing: Pierre Henry - Psyche Rock
via FoxyTunes

Still trying...

My informants are really moody. One minute they seem to be excited about the project and the next I don't get responses back at all. I guess it goes along with the territory. I have set up a time for this Friday to get over to each of the boys houses to explore their rooms. I feel like I keep having to be apologetic about my needs to see and talk to them, i.e. "yeah i mean I know you're busy but it's just a half hour" I mean, come on!
Here's a few excerpts from some of the boys I thought were interesting:

An original song by Kyle:
no values82: see the ash falling from the clouds and everyone crowds.
my lifes work is too much tension and you just pay no attetion.
but if this is the best america can do then fuck you,i dont wanna be apart of it,i dont care,i dont care that you stare but you better not talk and just walk.no,i dont care i dont care about it.bush keeps takin lives while u sit and pay with your dimes.the death tole is high and u sit and cry gas prices go up while soldiers go down.no i dont care i dont care that u stare,you better keep quiet or theres gonna be a riot we the poeple are sick of the lies were sick of you.
no values82: idk i was bord in school and i was wrtiein how i felt and stuff

There was a problem with my one informant Paul, who supposedly has written nothing in the journal books I gave them and was feeling uncomfortable about the room investigation, but I talked to him on Aim and got this:
Volcomskater124: haha
Volcomskater124: its fine
Volcomskater124: my walls have nothing i would feel uncomfortable with
Volcomskater124: just a bunch of flyer and posters

I don't know. I hope things pick up. I really want to use the recorder more. I am finding that the scheduling is super hard, especially because of my stuff going on with school and work. We still have some time so it should be okay.

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Now playing: Beatles - Girl
via FoxyTunes

Ouch

Unfortunately I was not in class today. I had a dr appt because I got bit by a spider, on my ass. Damn thing swelled up like an orange... scary stuff.. I think I'm okay now ha...

Well yesterday I did end up going home and hanging out with the boys. I only got one consent form back, the other boys "totally forgot" so we'll work on that. I just sat on the floor for about an hour and 10 minutes and they went through various topics. I helped them along sometimes, prompting with questions. For the most part it was good. My brother was the one who tried to make it weird. If there was a split second of silence he'd get nervous and go "okayWELL whatever!" there was no need for that haha. I told them next time if they wanted to we could go somewhere, so they are thinking about that. Was such a nice day yesterday I wanted to go walk through the marshlands in tuckerton to see the old lenape shell mound haha, but I didn't think they would be interested. However, maybe they would be? haha I'll have to check.

I am finding it hard to completely document everything. It was so informal yesterday I would have ruined the mood by whipping out my notebook ya know? I don't know exactly how to go about that... I also wasn't sure if it was Okay to secretly turn on the tape recorder haha....
That's about it for now...

Camera Obscura - If Looks Could Kill

[via FoxyTunes / Camera Obscura]

:D

Gah!

Teenagers are frustrating... I am not sure if my brother really understands the importance of this project but on Friday he blew me off. He texted me early in the AM and asked me if I was stilling driving up. And I said, I wasn't sure because of the snow but most likely later. He replied with "uGH! Marelen wants to come over" And he asked me if I could possibly reschedule my hang out time, then he went on to tell me that Paul couldn't get a ride and Steve was busy. So I wasn't going to MAKE THEM hang out with me, so I let it go. I asked if Monday would be good and Kyle Mccormick agreed but the others are MIA. As a matter of fact, Saturday night I chatted with Kyle Mccormick on AIM for almost 2 hours. It's interesting because Kyle Mccormick was in all the same basic skills, learning strategies, and resource room classes as my brother but Mccormick uses little internet lingo and even uses periods and commas sometimes. Maybe I am just used to talking to my brother where it is very difficult to read what he is writing. Also, Mccormicks ideas are more mature than the other kids...

I was thinking about the time I went to the show with the boys and they were all cracking jokes about Mccormick saying hes slow and doesn't get jokes. But I think it's because Mccormick doesn't think anything the other boys do is funny. I never knew this about him at all. He doesn't drink or smoke, either. He tries to get people to stop ... I was very impressed with our conversation... I'll post a little:

parabolove (11:28:51 PM): yeah i mean, so many people, especially college level focus their lives on partying... how is it in highschool, people do it a lot?
mobgrip 98 (11:29:45 PM): ya
mobgrip 98 (11:30:15 PM): like im there but not drinking i no, when im older im ganna be the kid whos driving them home, bc ill be sobor

mobgrip 98 (11:36:11 PM): i think people act likethey do to be cool, idk y lol, i feel cool 4 not drinking or doing drugs honestly haha

So I've been thinking more and more about what I am going to focus the sections on and it's still tough to decide because I don't have too much to go on right now. But I think something with rebellion, the kids lifestyles and stuff... ehhh, it's still hard to decides. Whether I meet with the boys tonight or not I am going to distribute some questions to make sure they are doing something in those journals...

...

I love Lata : )

Ajeeb Dastan hai - Indian Bollywood Song English Translation

[via FoxyTunes / Lata Mangeshkar]

Most suiting....

Nada Surf - Popular (Video)

[via FoxyTunes / Nada Surf]

I was driving home the other night and heard this on the radio haha
Well, this Friday I scheduled my first real hang out with the informants. I am not sure what we will do but I think I'll gather up some questions in my mind so I am prepared in case there's some down time. Otherwise I just want to listen. Maybe we will go out for pizza... mmmm I am hungry...

YESSS

My brother, 2/15 @ 8:24

no values82: steve said that he is exctied to do this for you
no values82: bc he said finally some 1 isnt pointin the finger at us and sayin ur wrong ur wrong and some 1 actually wants to know why we think that and stuff

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Now playing: belle and sebastian - song for sunshine
via FoxyTunes


check out that internet lingo/type/language : )

Class 2/14

Class was entertaining today... I also wonder why everyone decided to not show up- do people seriously celebrate V-day to the extent that they need to skip class? hah...
Well...

It's virtually impossible to decide on which youtube videos I feel like posting, but for everyone's listening pleasure (or just mine):

Charlie Parker All Stars ' My little suede shoes'

[via FoxyTunes / Charlie Parker]

I want foxy tunes...

so, i got them... : ) look - the beatles yeeahh

So I tried to meet with my informants today and everyone was "busy" apparently two of them have karate practice- who knew? We'll see how this Saturday goes though...

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Now playing: The Beatles - Long, Long, Long
via FoxyTunes

Oh!

Also I was wondering if anyone had any suggestions for tape/digital voice recorders... I am living off loans basically so nothing too pricey, but just something that will work (what else could I ask for?ha).... Let me know if anyone has suggestions...

Ideas

So I've been sitting around this week thinking about how exactly I am going to get this field work started. My brother and his friends are all game for it but I didn't want to just show up randomly without a plan. So, as luck would have it, my brother wants to see a show in Manchester along with his buddies. I am going to meet up with his friends at the show and probably just observe. I am familiar with these settings and have attended some with my brother, but never focused directly on what HE and his friends are doing, saying, feeling, you know what core values really lie beneath these shows (brotherhood, unity, etc) Plus I like two of the bands... : )

I am driving them home and plan on discussing the details further- then giving them all a consent form to read over and sign. I am going to encourage them to talk about it with their parents.

I am also developing various ways for me to get what I want out these boys who are so dang rebellious, and most likely not going to share inner secrets with me. (although it's a possibility, eh) I was thinking about distributing journals to them. I am DEFINITELY not going to call them journals but rather "A Day in the Life of..." And I haven't exactly fine tuned it, but was considering asking them to write at least twice a week about their daily events or just how their week is going- school, girls, etc. Anything extra crappy or really great happening?
Then once a week I was thinking about either e-mailing them or giving them a sheet of paper with one to three questions on it, obviously each week getting more into personal details, so they have a guideline to go on for that week.

In theory this sounds, to me, pretty damn good. My brother will do it but I don't want to impose or give these boys "homework".

I also was considering having them each update the myspace every other week.

And I think that is about it...

Also, to Professor R- the adolescent world paper that I handed in did not have separate paragraphs because my google docs kept messing it up, I forgot to note that on the paper- But I do know how to indent! Haha

Personal details

Today's class, from what I could observe after unfortunately coming in late, offered a very insightful view of fellow classmates. Things I never would have guessed about these people. Most if not all, that I can remember, appear to be such happy caring and warm people- experiences such as those really do make a person stronger. I never like to tell other people, let alone an entire class and a professor, about my personal problems/issues/bad memories... I don't even know how people can feel comfortable doing that!
It was also interesting to hear Jasmina speak- it brought back some painful memories for me. I dated a boy, who was born in India, for nearly 3 years. We had to hide our relationship from his parents because they hated the idea of a white daughter in law, they tried to keep my ex boyfriend under their control at all times, and surprisingly enough they allowed the younger sister more freedom. It ended disastrously, but I am in a much better time in my life currently. Hearing Jasmina talk about her father and mother was just too much a reminder of such a long drawn out, emotional time in my life... And that's about as personal as I will get.

As far as informants and things of that nature goes- my brother tried to get me to buy him and his buddies 4 tickets to see "Anti-Flag" because it would be "really coool and you could like document what we say and how we dance. O U could even tape us???" My brother and his friends are excited... But I will not be shelling out over 100 dollars for that!

Consent

I don't think I am going to have any problems with consent and for that reason I don't even know if I will give a form to the parents. The kids are 16 and do whatever they want to begin with. I will definitely tell my informants to tell their parents- if they want to, considering they don't talk to their parents that much anyway, but if the parents want more information I will absolutely provide them with a run down.

Yesterday I walked into my brother's room and the gang was hanging out. I just said a quick hello and asked them if they were ready for the "fun" to begin... Then I realized I sounded like an old fart and tried to sound a little more cool. I can't believe how time is going by so quick. Twenty one is extremely young and I am aware of this but I have a feeling that studying 16 year olds, especially ones who were similar to my friends at that age, is going to really let me know those years are done! ha! I am already imagining myself being a teacher in a few years, standing in front of a classroom making a joke referring to popular culture of the 1980s, the blank stares I am going to receive is really going to age me...

Speaking of which I was doing a little preparation the other day. I went back to my old town where I grew up and visited some of the old places I used to hang out. I listened to cds that I used to adore. AND I even chatted with a few old friends from back in the day. I am just trying to rev up some old feelings of rebellion and teenage angst so I don't feel so removed from my brother and his friends. I think it's working and it's making me also analyze how my life is going presently- which is pretty well :D

That's all for now.

Ecstatic

It's been just short of a year since I have been feeling fully motivated and captivated by anthropology. Let me tell you, it feels good. This project is the first 'real', although I suppose not really 'real' (professional), field work I will be doing. I always have felt that I do my own unofficial field work just by observing certain people in work, school, or various other places. But now, I actually have informants and a Professor who wants to see results. I would love if this was my only class so I could put forth all of my effort and time into it.

When the topic was assigned, immediately my brain started going through the networking Rolodex in my mind. Who can I observe? Who do I know? How old are they? Are they reliable? At first I wanted to pick my younger sister. She is 12 years old, as of yesterday, and pretty introverted. She just started making friends and I think it would quite interesting to compare her with another girl who is more extroverted. But I find this to be too hard and awkward due to the fact that she is even shy around me. I don't think I would be able to get good results from her. I honestly cannot see her opening up to me at all, which is quite sad. I do try anyway though :(

Then I realized, Wow! My brother and his pod of friends would be absolutely perfect. Just recently, about 8-10 months ago he started becoming fully involved in the "Punk Rock Scene." His friends are all good kids at heart, but trouble makers. Another good thing about picking my brother is that because I have moved out recently we have started a new relationship; a much closer relationship. Probably that of more adult like communications where he has told me "You're my sister, ya know, I tell you shit and you tell me shit, I trust ya." Never heard that from him before! He is realizing I am more than just the "Big Sister" but definitely someone he can confide in.

As I said in class today, I was fully blown away by the words said by my brother's friend Steve "Wow someone cares about me." Which has motivated me even more to pick these 'outcast' kids who are screaming to be noticed and yet reject any kind of adult interest in them. I look forward, and truly can't wait, for this to begin!

testing

testing, testing... one two three