fall 15 blogs - The Publication of Self in Everyday Life

Process Post 1

In the first week of class, I was asked a very deep question. “Who are you online?”. This was an…

In the first week of class, I was asked a very deep question. “Who are you online?”. This was an interesting question that got me thinking as I subconsciously know who I am online, but to say it in words to a stranger was very thought-provoking. As I reflected on it, I realized that my online identity is a curated representation of my interests, experiences, and aspirations. It’s a digital persona shaped by the content I share, the communities I engage with, and the way I present myself to the virtual world. But it’s also a reminder that the online version of ourselves is just a facet of who we are, and it’s essential to strike a balance between our online and offline identities to maintain authenticity and integrity in both realms.

While reading Hamblin, James. 2016. “How to Talk to Strangers.”, I came across some interesting terms like civil inattention, social rules, and the varying definitions of “normal” and “okay”. The article started off by asking us to stand facing the back wall of an elevator. When a stranger enters the elevator, let them ask you if you are “okay“. Give them a witty answer and spark the conversation asking, “What is the definition of okay?”

The article went on by telling us about Goffman’s civil inattention. It’s not a rule to stand in any particular way in an elevator or to nod at someone who comes in an elevator. It is just what society has deemed as “social rules”. It is polite to greet people, not yell in enclosed spaces, and not block people’s way. This is the norm of a civilized society.

I attempted to talk to two strangers in my class for an activity and we were asked to go through their online presence and compare it to my own. At the end of this activity, I noticed that there was a pattern in how much people wanted to share online and the weariness of leaving a digital footprint.

Along with this, we were asked to make a visual board on our topic for the website. I put down everything that came to my mind and it surprised me how ideas started to pop up once I started drawing. Here’s mine:

After a long first week of school, I am excited to know more about publishing, about my classmates and to make my own website.

Hello dearest readers!

Welcome to ‘SabiWrites’ your cozy corner of web net where books take a center stage and reading secrets are shared.

Week 1 – Process Post – Conversation With a Stranger

abstract graphic of a man sitting on a gym machine — _{Note. Image generated using the prompt “A man working out on a hammer strength high row machine in an infographic style of Saul Bass –ar 16:9” by Midjourney, 2023}

This week I initiated a conversation with a stranger at the gym while using the high row machine. There was an another man sitting across from me on the leg extension, who I’ve see regularly. This is an older man who’s walking around with solid mass and a well-rounded physique; someone who you could tell has dedicated themselves to the gym decades ago and has kept themselves consistent. While doing my exercise, I noticed a few glances from the man and decided to strike up a conversation between sets. Once I had finished my set, I got up, gave him a greeting and asked if he could critique my form – to which he agreed. The man watched me throughout my next set and pointed out the I’m turning my head to look into the mirror to the left. He further explained that I should avoid doing so and look head-on to avoid any strains or injuries. Once the set was over he further commented that my form was correct and that I’m doing my reps with full range of motion, adding in some words of encouragement. I thanked him for the advice and continued our conversation. From here we introduced each ourselves and made small talk, conversating about how long he’s been working out and such, then went our separate ways to continue out routines.

The interaction was pleasant and felt incredibly genuine. It was apparent that the man was passionate about bodybuilding and was excited to share his knowledge. Throughout the brief conversation you could really get a sense of his personality and I appreciated the constructive criticism. Compared to online interactions, it definitely felt like I was making a genuine connection with random individual; while through social media and video games random interactions feel surface level. Of course context matters; in a multiplayer video game you’re not trying to get to know your teammates, rather you’re attempting to effectively communicate and coordinate – or banter. Being that these interactions are anonymous, there’s less of the genuineness and connection yet they tend to be more direct. To contrast this, often times I find myself playing cooperative games with friends, using Discord to communicate. In these situations, I would argue that these online interactions don’t differ from face-to-face ones as we’re all close friends and the conversations are no different than those we have when we’re all getting together.

Week 2

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The in class activity with Venn diagrams helped me a lot with rethinking my website’s nature. As it took me quite a while to figure out what my blog will be about, I liked the exercise that made me work it through one more time and see what I might have missed. Which (spoiler alert) did not happen, turned out that I’m on the right path, but it might have as even after I already started creating content for my website I was still doubting the topic. I just had so much stuff to talk about I wanted to include it all.

Alright now back to the point with the Venn diagram. Here again, it took me a good 5 (maybe more) minutes to actually start working on it. When I did though, I carefully analyzed the components of my project before creating the diagram itself, starting by writing down important elements related to my interests. By combining and organizing these components into separate circles, I was able to see where they overlapped and where they stood out. This technique not only made the connections between various components clear, but it also gave me an organized foundation to use when I built my website. When I was done I was pleased to find out that the books, reading, and creative writing is the sphere of expertise that I would generate a lot of quality content at.

All the Flowers in Paris

Get ready for an emotional journey as I begin a review of one of my favorite books, a gripping tale that has been with me ever since. I’m excited to offer my viewpoints and heartily suggest it to anyone looking for an engaging and compelling read. I read this novel around 5, maybe 6 years …

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Sarah Jio’s “All the Flowers in Paris” is a gripping historical fiction book that unfolds within dual timelines. The story follows two women, Caroline in the present and Celine during World War II, against the backdrop of Nazi-occupied Paris. The novel explores themes of love, sorrow, and resiliency as their lives collide as a result of a common tie. Jio creates a narrative that is both heartbreaking and heartwarming with vivid prose and a wonderful balance of historical depth and romance, making it an engaging read for those who enjoy emotionally charged stories.

Jio’s use of a dual point of view gives the story more variety and depth. The reader is seamlessly taken between the gloomy past and the upbeat present thanks to the viewpoints of Caroline and Celine. I found the dual timeline technique to be captivating and intriguing because it made it possible to comprehend the individuals and the historical setting more thoroughly.

“All the Flowers in Paris” has an evident emotional impact. Jio’s vivid style effectively conveys the core of faith, sacrifice, and the unbreakable human spirit. I became really absorbed in the characters’ experiences as a reader, feeling everything from hope to heartbreak. It’s uncommon for a book to provoke such a strong emotional reaction, yet it did so effortlessly.

Sara Jio has created an appealing option for readers who like historical fiction with a strong emotional core. It’s a novel that goes beyond its category and provides a story that is both tragic and inspiring.

All the Flowers in Paris

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Week 1

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Being a naturally shy and introverted person, stepping out of my comfort zone has been a difficult thing for me to do, particularly as an international student in Canada. So luckily for our “Talking to a Stranger” activity I got a chance to have something to talk about for this week’s process post, thanks to an invitation to a friend’s book club. Even though the prospect of entering a room full of strangers made my introverted self a little nervous, the shared love for reading acted as a common ground, like a bridge that made my second thoughts more manageable.

During our literary discussions, I found myself engaged in a conversation with a girl named Dahlia. The initial small talk about our favorite genres and authors quickly transcended into a more personal realm. To my delight, beyond the world of books, we discovered a shared passion for horse riding and cooking. As we exchanged stories about our experiences the conversation flowed effortlessly and I actually made a new friend out of this activity.

After this unexpected experience, I have learned that sometimes the most profound connections can emerge from seemingly ordinary circumstances. The book club, initially a source of anxiety, became a source for a new friendship. The shared love for literature acted as a sort of “entres” to discovering shared interests beyond the pages of a book. It was a reminder for me that stepping out of a comfort zone, even in small doses, can lead to unexpectedly beautiful connections.

Week 1

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process post 1 | talking to strangers

For the last 4 years talking to strangers in real life wasn’t an issue for me. I believe it’s mainly due to my experience as an international student. When I first came to Canada, I was a bit shy and insecure about my accent. However, I had to push myself out of my comfort zone. Talking to unfamiliar people became an essential skill, which was needed in various situations: from asking for time or directions – to building a social circle. I also once worked as a barista in a pop-up coffee shop, where I had to greet passers-by and ask if they would like a cup of coffee. It was a pleasant experience, seeing some positive responses from people and engaging with them in small talk.

This time I decided to start a conversation with a girl, who was sitting next to me in a lecture hall. I opened a pack of candies and offered one to her. I was glad that she accepted it because I was a bit worried about her reaction. If she had declined and ignored me, I would probably feel a little upset. I guess I was lucky, as I´ve met people that don´t want to socialize before.

In his article How to Talk to Strangers, James Hamblin refers to the act of talking to strangers as “breaking the rule”. He states that “It’s up to us to know when and how to break those rules in ways that don’t unduly offend or put other people out”. For me, social context is a huge factor that defines how likely I would initiate a conversation with a person and the way I would approach them. It wasn´t hard to engage in a dialogue with that girl, considering that we’re both students, who are taking the same course. Although, I still tried to be careful with the words and pay attention to nonverbal cues.

References

Hamblin, J. (2016, August 25). How to talk to strangers IRL. The Atlantic. https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2016/08/civil-inattention/497183/

Process post week 1

In my stranger encounter, I did not stand in an elevator with my head facing to the wall, nor did I make a joke, as James Hamblin otherwise suggested one could do. I practice civil inattention a lot throughout the day. I do it in the bus, in the elevator and in the dinning hall. Whenever I talk to someone, it usually involves phrases like “sorry” or “no worries”, and it is often said when someone being in each other’s way.

Based on this consideration, I wanted to talk to someone on the bus, on my way home from school. But I must admit, it felt too overwhelming… Instead, I chose to talk to someone from school. So, the other day when I entered my planning class, I went over and sat next to a stranger. I introduced myself, and we engaged in small talked about school, daily life and my exchange experience. After this, the person no longer felt like a stranger to me.

Thinking about it, I do not think the ‘talking to a stranger’ in real life differed that much from my online interactions. I do not follow- or get in contact with strangers online, unless it is with a specific purpose – with that, a professional. I did get the person from my class’s Instagram. Based on our first lecture in PUB 101, I did the analysis of her real life presence vs. online. It was fun and interesting to get a further impression of her as a person from her Instagram, but nonetheless did she not surprise me very much on her social media compared to her in real life.

Stranger Encounters

Stranger Encounters: An Uncanny Coincidence Striking up conversations with strangers has never been my strong suit. As an introverted university student, my natural habitat has always been staying at home. Practicing for my badminton tournament, I was playing in many different places to maximize my preparation. On this particular day, I decided to play with …

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Stranger Encounters: An Uncanny Coincidence

Striking up conversations with strangers has never been my strong suit. As an introverted university student, my natural habitat has always been staying at home.

Practicing for my badminton tournament, I was playing in many different places to maximize my preparation. On this particular day, I decided to play with different players in a new recreation center I was visiting. For context, most of these players were of Indian ethnicity as they can also be clearly heard speaking to each other in an Indian language. Fast forward to the end of the session, I decided to take off my jacket (that I’ve been playing with to stay warm) revealing my Philippine-flagged t-shirt. One of them, whose name he later revealed to be “Gagan”, immediately said, “Pilipinas” (instead of Philippines) which is the fluent pronunciation of that word. To both our surprise, he asked if my brother and I were both Filipino to which I said yes. He then started to speak fluent Tagalog and shared where he was from. “Antipolo, Isabella, Makati City…” were some of the names he mentioned which shocked me even more- because that is literally the primary place where I’ve lived when I used to live there.

Overall, it was such a pleasant and interesting experience how cultural similarities immediately opened up the conversation to so much more. He talked about how he prepared “Chicken Adobo” (a staple Filipino dish) and how he would eat some for later that night. While our conversation was short, I realized that in-person interactions allow for a depth of connection that is hard to replicate online. They reveal subtle cues like body language and facial expressions that add layers to communication. These cues help in understanding others better and building a stronger connection.