Multi-genre Literacy #3

References & Resources are only a push button away.

As a young girl of only 7 or 8 I was fascinated by the grocery clerk.  She sat on a high stool, sliding groceries along side her with one hand and with the other hand she would push a series of buttons and then pull a lever.  I thought, "that is so cool!  I want to push buttons too!"  Little did I know what an impact buttons would play in my life.

I literally make a living pushing buttons, one keystroke at a time. 

I have always loved libraries and books.  I could spend hours lost in the stacks of the local library and even today, I browse without using the catalog, just to experience the stacks.  It is a great way to learn about the world.

As a recent college graduate I have spent hundreds of hours pushing buttons, wandering stacks, and expanding my horizons.  One experience of my college career that has had a profound impact upon me was my study of the Monongah mine disaster of 1907.  I have read hundreds of pages, interviewed community members, researched and reviewed photographs and original documents, and spent many hours reviewing hundreds of maps from the turn of the century. 

In his book, Monongah: The Tragic Story of the 1907 Monongah Mine Disaster, the Worst Industrial Accident in US History Davitt McAteer explores the beginnings of the community and the events of December 6, 1907 that changed history forever. 

"At about 10:30 on the morning of Dec. 6, 1907, J.H. Leonard watched as 14 loaded coal cars rose out of the No. 6 Mine in Monongah.

Leonard's main job was to keep the mine's 9-by-11-foot ventilation fan lubricated. Using large oilcans with long spouts, Leonard oiled the motor and wheels hourly and tightened the fan belt frequently to keep it from slipping. Both jobs were vital to keeping fresh air flowing into the underground workings."  Monongah, McAteer, Davitt

It was these words that helped to capture my attention and stir my desire to learn more about Monongah and the events of that fateful day.  I spent hundreds of hours over two years traveling around West Virginia, immersing myself in libraries across the state, and writing, reviewing, and proofing countless papers, reviews, and ramblings about a date that had no direct impact upon my life.  At least not until I picked up the book.

Multi-genre literacy #2

One day while talking with my mother, she asked me what my earliest memory was.  We had been looking at old family photos and sharing stories.  My brothers (all older than me) had shared stories that I did not remember.  Without hesitation, I replied,  "One small step for man!"  I then gave a very clear description of the living room where we watched the moon landing, when I was only four years old!  I had often wondered if I had remembered it from within the recesses of my mind, or if it was a recreated memory from the images that life has thrown at me.  My mother assures me, that my description of the living room, right down to the color of the furniture was VERY accurate.  After all, our family photos of that time were in black & white!  So for this image above, to be truly accurate, it would need to be gray scaled, after all TV wasn't in color then either.

Image from:  Tierra Unica Blogspot, accessed May 21, 2012.  http://www.tierraunica.com/tierra_unica/july-20-1969/

Multi-genre literacy #1

"Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference." I was 16 years old the first time I heard this poem.  Little did I know then how closely it would relate to my life and the choices I would make.  It would be 30 years before I would analyse, study, and reflect upon this poem.  Even with careful consideration of the words and the intent of the author, it was not until I listened to the poem, in the authors own voice, that I truly felt the full impact of the verse.

The right warp thread makes all the difference!

I've never really contemplated the definition for literacy and what it means to me.  Reading the assignment the first thing that comes to mind is being competent in.......  That is competent in whatever the applicable field may be.  I've often described myself as being computer literate, I can find my way around a computer (although the older I get the more challenging it gets!).  As I reviewed the literacy links on youtube I was struck by the different perceptions, but this one, seemed to strike a chord with me. 

Not only was it beautfully done, but it seemed to apply in the most generic, all encompassing way.  I believe that literacy is so much more than just being able to read and write.  It is about communicating effectively for the time and place.   A traditional ivy league professor would not necessarilly be considered literate, in a redneck bar in the back country of Lewis County, WV.  Being able to communicate appropriately for a particular situation is a difficult skill to master and requires an awareness of time, place, surroundings, and a perception of people. 

I don't think I'll be able to keep up the weaving metaphors for the entire duration of the class, but in this instance it will work nicely.  When creating cloth the first item selected in the fiber that makes up the warp thread.  This is the long thread, or the length of material.  Without the right understanding of the purpose of the finished product it is impossible to select the appropriate warp thread.  If a weaver is not knowledgable of the characteristics and tendencies of a fiber they can end up with a disaster on their hands.  An overall general knowledge of a situation is imperative.

Introduction to my crazy life

I am in the process of doing what every new college graduate does...... moving out and getting my own place!  I'm just doing it 30 years later than most.  I am living on my own for the first time in 30 years and its a little strange.  There are no other human sounds in the house and I'm not sure that I totally like it....yet.

My children are grown and I'm loving the 2 grandsons.  I don't like living an hour away from them, but my 2 jobs in Marion County made the move to Fairmont necessary.  I go back to Weston to visit them as often as I possibly can.

I've been working at the Frank & Jane Gabor WV Folklife Center on the campus of Fairmont State University and Pierpont Community & Technical College for the past three years.  I will continue my employment there as a Graduate Assistant (or at least I'm hoping to, still awaiting on the "official word").  I am also working part time at the Marion County Historical Society as Museum Administrator.  The two jobs combined will keep me busy for about 50 hours a week.  As I am working in historical preservation and education in both jobs I'm really excited. 

I am pursuing a Masters in Education with the specialization of Digital Media, New Literacies, and Learning.  I find this program exciting in its potential for application in historical and cultural context.  Museums and other community & cultural programs need to be on top of the learning curve in implementing technology.  In this industry we are usually so concerned with what has been that we fail to look to the future to see where we are going.  I believe this course will open new possibilities in an old field.