My Record Player

I choke out a few short, rough coughs. The smell of stale cigarette smoke, burns the back of my throat as one the club patrons near me lights-up the last cigarette in his pack, slowly burning it down until its ready to be crumpled into the ash tray with the rest of its old friends. My eyes fixed on the stage while I soak in the sounds of John Coltrane, Miles Davis, Thelonious Monk, Herby Hancock, Art Blakely, Buddy Rich, and Django Rinehardt. Songs like “Monk’s Dream,” “Take Five,” and “A Night in Tunisia,” drift around the room. But this venue doesn’t only provide a stage for jazz greats. As soon as Blakely and his “Jazz Messsengers” finish their last song, Eric Clapton, The Yardbirds, Led Zepplin, The Who, The Beatles, and a string of others line up to take the stage. Song after song, band after band, I take it all in. Some of it I love. Some of it I hate. I close my eyes for just a second… “Screech!” I look up to see my dad moving the arm of my record player off to the side. “Food’s getting cold,” he says. I stand up and walk over to the player, drop the Donovan record in its sleeve, and put it on the shelf right between Danzig and Bob Dylan. “Joe. Dinner. Now,” I hear my dad say from the kitchen.  “Yeah, I’m coming…”

Sarah's special thing

Focus, flash red, refocus, process, flash yellow, refocus, flash, click! Capture a memory. Capture a first kiss; capture a friendship, a love, a hate, a sadness, an intensity. Capture a joy, a hardship, a silence, a laughter. Capture a lifetime of thoughts, feelings, and words.

What can allow one to revisit so many things with the click of a button or the scroll of a mouse?  A journal, yes, a tabloid, sure.  Those thoughts provoke images, but with a camera, the images provoke thoughts.  In my opinion, they allow thoughts to go deeper with the detail of each shot.

You forgot that guy was at that party, didn't you?  You just realized she was the one you saw at the supermarket yesterday-- the one who didn't say a word at the affair, but had an awesome outfit.  Remember that one vase on the third table in that you loved, but couldn't picture in your mind what it looked like?

How else would you remember these people and things?  I love to enlist the help of a non-thinking, non-speaking, totally neutral object called a camera.  Think about it, though.  Is the focus and refocus the camera thinking? Is the red flash the camera saying, "I'm trying!," the yellow saying, "Hey, over here!," and the final white flash saying, "You can breathe easy now, memory saved."

(non)-living things

Its black innocent eyes are staring at me. Its mouth is wide open with its red tongue sticking out and two white teeth showing. It has a black neck tie and a white collar but has no shirt to go with these. It stands on two feet and has two "hands". Most of its body is blue. The front part is white. Its tail is black. This is Buyrldorgierg, my awned thing1. Buyrldorgierg or Ult, for short, is my bulldog doll.

Since the first day I got it as a gift from my mom, my sisters and I argue if Ult is a dog or is a bear. They keep on insisting that it is a bear. They also keep on laughing at it, claiming that it is the ugliest doll they have ever seen. I, as Ult’s awnerk2, believe that I have the responsibility to protect my pet from any form of harm. Insulting it is harming it. I hug Ult. I cried to Ult. I talk to Ult. We’ll fight. It triggered my sisters to insult and to laugh at Ult more. Alright, I thought, fighting fire with fire doesn’t always work. I tried another method. I tried to show them I’m not affected. Later, “Ult and Friends” was formed – the group of my doll and my sisters’ dolls (a rabbit, a turtle, two dolphins, and an elephant). This group has a language of their own. This group has a candy shop which travels all over the world and sells candies to famous people. They are a happy bunch. They all live in harmony. Their awnerks2 are closer than ever.

Faded blue and yellow are its colors. Its pink tongue is sticking out. Its two yellow teeth are showing. One of its arms and its tail has been sown crookedly. Its tummy is slashed and has cotton coming out from it. This is Ult now. Eight years ago, this doll is undefined, has no purpose, and has no importance.

_____________
1 owned thing
2 owner (singular), owners (plural)

Bryan's Info

The last thing I wrote were 'thankyou' letters for my birthday. The last full-length book I read was Fast Food Nation. I have never attended an event on this campus. I spend about an hour and a half each day in my car. My goal for English 102 is to expand my use of the english language, aka enhance my verbosity.

1. The last thing I wrote was an essay about psychological disorders.
2. The last book I read was Girl Interrypted by Susanna Kaysen
3. I only spend time on this campus when I have class
4.I spend 2-3hrs a day in my car
5. My goal for 102 is to extend my essays beyond 4 pages

Bill Doetzer's Biography

I was born on June 19, 1985. I spent my earliest years in a small row house in Highlandtown which is a blue collar neighborhood in South East Baltimore. In 1994, my parents moved us out of the city and into a house in Timonium. From 1994 until 2003 I lived in the suburbs. I went to Timonium Elementary, Ridgley Middle, and Towson Catholic High. Throughout highschool I thought about my future and what I should do after I graduated. After a lot of thinking I decided to enlist in the United States Coast Guard. I spent a little over five years in the Coast Guard, and had many valuabe experiences. I traveled extensivly, and learned a lot of life lessons. While deployed in Iraq last year I decided that I would like to come back home and go to school. I had several different reasons for leaving active duty but the main reason was that I felt that an investmeant in my education was the best investment I could make for my future. I began taking classes at essex in August and I offically left active duty and became a reservist in October of 2008.

1. Last thing you wrote: I had to write about why the printing press was the most important invention prior to the 20th century for my western civ class last week.

2. Last full-length book you read: "The War Magician". It's a book about an illusionist who used his skills to win decisicve battles in North Africa during WW II.

3. Last event you attended on campus and date: I have never have attended any campus event.

4. How much time you spend in your car: I probably spend 45 min traveling in my car on an average school day...give or take a few.

5. Your goal in 102 other than an A grade: My goal is to listen to the other students and learn as much as I can from them.

Joe 's Bio

Hey! My name is Joseph Wilson. Most people call me Joe or Joey. I'm a full time student here at CCBC Essex. I have no idea what I would like to major in. I love music, playing it and listening to it. I teach drum lessons and play drums/percussion with my brother and some friends in an indie rock band. The last thing I wrote was the words to the bridge of one of my bands songs. I dont do much writing outside of contributing lyrics to my band. The last thing I read was "Do The Right Thing" by Mike Huckabee. I have not attended an event on campus. I spend about an hour in the car every day. Some days if I have I have a lot to do I might be in the car for 2.5 hours. But I like talk radio so i don't get bored. After the first class today I'm pretty excited for English 102. I would really like to make my writing less predictable, I don't want my reader to be able to guess what the whole piece will sound like because the first sentence. I guess thats all i really have to say! Thanks for reading!