First Reading Assignment

May 23, 2015

Once I got passed the font size in the text, which I would NOT recommend anyone taking this book on BART as my tendency to get cross-eyed and rereading everything over was my lesson learned. Especially if you get the BART operator that does the "quick-brake-start-hesitate" type stops.

I was very impressed with flow of the opening of the book. Sometimes, I have found history books or any other social implied text to be written by someone who communicates in a "word-salad" format. Meaning that I had to look up words on every other line for the definition. Thankfully, I have discovered Mr. Strayer writes in a format that is easy for the ready to decipher and understand what it is he is saying.

I have just finished the prologue and learned a lot in these few pages. I say few as this first reading assignment is close to 120+ pages in a 2 font. All jokes aside, the meanings I got was in some ways a let down. When I took history classes in my youth and in college years ago, dates and timelines were of the essence. If anyone has seen the movie "Dead Poet's Society" or "The Omen" and in some ways, "Finding Forrester," committing to memory authors and dates were the foundation of the courses. That is where I am let down. The prologue shared three concepts which is new for me. They are:

1. Change
2. Comparison
3. Connection

Once you read this part of the assignment, I hope you will share my surprise on the new direction in how history is taught. My formalist and reader response found not only did the author get the points out in a simple way to better understand, he provoked thinking within myself to question and be ok with questioning history. I am looking forward to getting to know the author and the format knowing that I will need to modify the way I think about history and upgrade my belief system to match the modern world view.

05/24/15

I read up until page 22 and again, I am quite surprised from how history is being delivered now. There are words and phrases such as "experts disagree" and "it's not proven." I am slowly adjusting to this style of delivery.

I did enjoy about the part of the description related to the Paleolithic period and how the society existed. I did like Richard Lee's comment of "relative equality between the sexes with no-one having the upper hand." I also was surprised about the relationship of the men and women within the group. I am a little confused why it was written as gatherers and hunters instead of what I have grown up to know in reverse. I am excited to see what happens as now, there are Europeans living among this group and it appears the in-fighting is starting from unknown events.

05/25/15

I finished up with chapter one. I am somewhat getting a little blinded with keeping up with what occurred so long ago. Perhaps it's the way the author places strategically the dates and then opens up dialogue.

Here is a what I learned from the remaining part of chapter one. Too bad Monsanto changed the way agriculture is harvested today. I feel our past kinship would totally disagree with how food they ate is manufactured today.

1. I see a correlation between kinship and ecology manifesting a competition between the people in order to acquire resources.
2. Agriculture began with the "New Stone Age" - Neolithic period (PG. 26)
3. Domestication became the way of life during this period (PG. 27)
4. Intensification was getting more for less when related to agriculture (PG. 27)
5. I enjoyed reading about corn and cows and how that changed the kinship between human and animal.
6. The agriculture revolution appeared to have started around the end of an ice age at that time. (PG. 28)
7. The food crises is when the people experiment with other foods in order for it go farther.
8. Stick and hoe were the common tools for this period. (PG. 30)
9. Only 14 species of large animals were able to be domesticated (PG. 31)
10. The "fertile crescent" is a part of modern day Norther Iraq where an abundance of grains were grown and eaten.
11. The "Common Era" served as the downfall for the hunter gatherer. (PG. 35)

This was a short list of the foot notes I took related to the chapter. I didn't find it surprising about the story related to Ishi. Human kinship with one another is so often racked with suspicion and thinking that the present form of "us" is more superior.

This is a lot to read given the font as I have said. It's not so good on the eyes so I suggest anyone to have a good light or I have found that sun light is best through a window. Now I will progress to chapter two and journal about it.

05/26/15

Chapter two was filled with a lot of information I found interested. Not only is term "civilization" is described in a meaningful light, the part related to patriarchy and the "subordination" of women was great. The author is very gentle on the ears and how he convey's his information. See everyone in class on Wednesday.

Newby Introduction

Hello Class,

This is my first time to blog and use social media on a personal scale. I enjoy being anonymous and stay away from the narcissistic way of how the internet is used.

It was nice to meet everyone last night at the reading under the tree which by the way, a fellow classmate of ours reminded me of who the tree was named in honor of. The back story is sad but the mission she was on, was mindful and she focused on the kinship of environment associated with the community.

I am going to post what I have now and get to the reading that was assigned.

lakemerritt

Newby Introduction

Hello Class,

This is my first time to blog and use social media on a personal scale. I enjoy being anonymous and stay away from the narcissistic way of how the internet is used.

It was nice to meet everyone last night at the reading under the tree which by the way, a fellow classmate of ours reminded me of who the tree was named in honor of. The back story is sad but the mission she was on, was mindful and she focused on the kinship of environment associated with the community.

I am going to post what I have now and get to the reading that was assigned.

lakemerritt