Summer 2019
COMM 103
“How-To” Speech
Good Morning, if you would please, close your eyes. Breathing through your nose, inhale; as the air fills your lungs, feel your physical body. Align anything that feels uncomfortable, a sleeping limb, a pinched nerve, stretch slightly. Feel your physical body. Today, we will learn about meditation. First, different forms of meditation. Second, creating the mindset for meditation; and third, creating the space for meditation.
First, we will discuss different forms of meditation.
There are many forms of meditation; mantras, concentration, breathing, sound, visualization, awareness, guided meditations, solo, group, and so on. With no defining “right way” to experience any of them. Due to time restraints we will be covering three simple forms that require little training or experience to begin. Loving-Kindness meditation, body scanning, and mindfulness meditation. After completing a 5-year study of the loving-kindness meditation, examining its impact on well-being, happiness, & the brain; Emma Seppala, author of the book The Happiness Track, states:
“Loving-Kindness is good for you: it makes you feel happy, less focused on yourself, more connected to others, and all of those things are good for your psychological & physical health.”
Another form of meditation is body scanning, or progressive relaxation. It can be associated with mindfulness meditation. However, this practice is about becoming aware of tensions in the body & consciously, slowly relaxing these locations. This is a great practice before bed!
Which leads to the third form of mediation we will discuss, mindfulness mediation. Some form of this is found within all other meditations, it depends on the specific practice itself, and how mindfulness is utilized. For the purposes of this “How-To”, we are meaning mindfulness meditation in the form of present moment awareness. Rather than hashing the past & fearing the future, or reliving the past & dreaming the future away, become fully aware of the present moment. As many times as the personal practice allows.
Next, we will discuss creating the mindset for meditation.
Tris Thorp, in an article for TheChopraCenter.com, “Meditation Mindset: 7 Steps To Set Yourself Up For Success,” put it quite simply.
Ground Your Practice Physically
Show Up & Stay Committed
Have Intention & Purpose
Sit Still, Be Still
Practice Acceptance & Surrender
Feel Into Your Emotions
Create Your Goal
All of these steps have depth of course & require practice to fully implement into the experience.
And finally, creating the space for meditation.
This practice may become a meditation in & of itself. A comfortable space for beginning meditation practice is one with few distractions from the world around us & our day-to-day lives. This may entail, cleaning out an old office, or guest room from any physical distractions. (i.e. work papers, bills, family photos, over all clutter, etc.) The next step is creating the space within the schedule is important, even if it’s 15 minutes, tell any loved ones they will have to survive without you for that long. They can practice their meditating while cooking your next meal or finishing a household task. The final phase before meditation is turning off or putting our cell phone on silent. Shutting down the computer, and television. All technological devices should be made inaccessible to the best of personal ability. You focus on you, for 15 minutes.
Today we learned about meditation. First, we learned three forms of the many practices of meditation. Second, creating the mindset for meditation, and third creating the space for meditation.
Remember, meditation is a practice of many forms. One of which being life itself.
Persuasive Speech
You are on a trail. Having crossed the frontier in an oxen propulsion cart… or “wagon,” on an established trading route to the west, you are ready to lay your weary head. Reaching the final border needing to be crossed; knowing that a few years prior, two of Americas most well-known pioneers of exploration had laid claim to its discovery, you will begin the journey of developing the land. Alis Volat Propriis: “She flies with her own wings.”
Welcome to Oregon! Home of the filbert, known to you newcomers as a hazelnut, we are the only state with an official state nut. Speaking of, Oregon has more than enough to offer to make your family or personal adventure, well… nuts in the 21st century! Here at A&W Travel Brokers we specialize in all things wild, for your next adventure! We begin our travels with a three-day, historic tour, of three monuments dedicated to the Corps of Discovery Expedition. Ending the historic tour in Seaside, Oregon; we will then spend two nights in Astoria with a daytrip of the locations utilized for the filming of “The Goonies.” To complete the journey, no adventure is complete without a treasure hunt, and we will join the Lincoln City locals in there 20-year tradition called “Finders Keepers.
To begin our three-day, historic tour, of three monuments dedicated to the Corps of Discovery, we find our self in the state’s capitol, Salem. Here we find the Lewis and Clark Expedition of 1804-1806 Memorial. It is installed outside the Oregon State Capitol building. It is a high-relief carving depicting Lewis & Clark on horseback, being led by Sacajawea. Then we head north west by charter bus to Cannon Beach, Oregon. Although it is known as one of America’s top art towns, the galleries are not all that is represented. There are many public art installations throughout this quaint beach town. We will make our way down to the beach itself and find a piece of work that has no recorded origin. It is a wireframe statue of Sacajawea, along with Lewis & Clark and a Corps of Discovery party member, built into the sandy grass itself. From there, we will head north to The Turnaround at Seaside, Oregon; which according to lewisandclarktrail.com is “designed as the official end of the Lewis and Clark Trail.” They explain further, “In 1990, a bronze statue of Meriwether Lewis, William Clark and Seaman [their dog], was installed facing the ocean at the west end of Broadway at the Turnaround on the center of the Prom. The monument commemorates the 18-month, 4,000 [mile] journey from Saint Louis to the Oregon Coast (by sculptor Stanley Wanlass).”
We will then spend two nights in Astoria with a day-trip of the locations utilized for the filming of “The Goonies.” First thing in the morning we will go by “The Stop-n-Snack,” which is featured briefly in the bike-ride and car chase scenes, to get a cup of joe. As things so often do, “The Stop-n-Snack” has evolved and is now a coffee roastery; therefore, the building stands, it simply has a few cosmetic modifications. We then make our way outside town a few minutes to where Mikey Walsh, the stories main character, lived next to his friend Data. Both homes were owned by The Fuller Family until the parents passed away, and the children divided the estate. Now only one home is in The Fuller Family name and two of the siblings share ownership. Mike Walsh’s house was bought by Sandi Preston in 2010, who prayed for four years before getting her wish. Now, for a special offer, Sandi has offered to open the home to us to get a look inside. This is truly a treat, as they normally only open the home every ten years, to indulge The Goonies cult following. And finally, we will go to Lower Columbia Bowl, where Chunk so famously destroys his strawberry shake and slice of pizza, to enjoy a strawberry shake and slice of pizza in his wake.
To complete the journey, no adventure is complete without a treasure hunt, and we will join the Lincoln City locals in there 20-year tradition called “Finders Keepers.” According to portlandmonthly.com in an article titled “20 Years of Treasured Hunting in Lincoln City”, “This real-world treasure hunt began in 1999 as a way to celebrate the new millennium and as a nod to days past, when Japanese fishing floats would wash up on the beaches. The original blue and green floats were used to keep fishing nets aloft and could be two inches to two feet in size, and while rare, they can still be found to this day.” This tradition does not exclude any from its ranks. All visitors to Lincoln City are encouraged to go hunting for floats. There are a few general rules of thumb: 1. Floats are placed on the beach during daylight hours only; 2. Floats are hidden throughout the day, not just at one time; 3. Floats are out there every day, rain or shine. As portlandmonthly.com says, “Comb one, comb all. Find a float. Collect a memory.”
Today you booked adventure plans to go to Oregon! We begin our travels with a three-day, historic tour, of three monuments dedicated to the Corps of Discovery Expedition. Ending the historic tour in Seaside, Oregon; we will then spend two nights in Astoria with a day-trip of the locations utilized for the filming of “The Goonies.” To complete the journey, no adventure is complete without a treasure hunt, and we will join the Lincoln City locals in there 20-year tradition called “Finders Keepers.”
Although we may not be the first to claim the discovery of Oregon, we can become the next to discover its many adventures, Alis Volat Propriis!
Speech Analysis Critique
Bill Clinton was the 42nd US President, from 1993-2001. He graduated from Georgetown in 1968 with a BS in Foreign Service, and from Yale Law School in 1973 earning a Juris Doctor degree. This is a prime-time address speech given 17AUG1998 in regard to his presidential impeachment scandal.
The main points of this address to the nation include; displaying the facts of the case, from a political and personal perspective. His personal motivations & responsibility for why he acted certain ways. Finally, a call to action to the people of The United State to take personal responsibility.
His use of voice creates many inferences, simply depending on how the viewer feels previously about the circumstances. His volume is level and practiced, as is his rate & pace. His tone is relaxed and almost solemn. There were a few purposeful pauses, one even began the speech itself, and within 10 seconds of speaking he stumbled & cleared his throat. For the rest of the speech however he was smooth, and his memorization paid off. I could not find a single filler word, not one. His vocal variety is very slight. He uses inflection in some instances, although, not enough. He feels robotic, until he speaks of his wife, and family; this is the only time emotion can be felt throughout. The overall situation is captivating, and with his monotone vocal variety he is able to conceal his emotions. I would say he sounds more simple than dull.
His use of body is very miniscule. His eye contact is steadfast. He has no need to scan the room, as this is a television address. He seems to not blink, and just look through the lens into each individual viewer. His posture in his chair is square, and inviting, but strong. He is still, and upright throughout the speech. He has very little movement overall; that which he does have is mostly in his facial expressions, and head movement. His solemn tone along with his few gestures enhance the purpose of getting his call to action out. Within this address he removes the spectacle and comes to the population as a man. Wearing a suit & tie with a clean-cut head, his appearance is appropriate for the occasion.
From as objective a viewpoint as a subjective answer can contain, I believe Bill Clinton held himself very well for this speech, especially due to the nature of the content. Although, I did find some subjectively ineffective, as well as effective things about this presentation. The most ineffective thing, I would say, was that his tone was rather off putting due to the position he was in. I feel he could have been a little softer with his delivery, and really pull the forgiving heart strings of the audience. Rather, he chooses to just lay out the facts, and bull doze over them with a call to action. However, in choosing to play this role, I believe he did a stellar job, by subtly calling the nation on its “love for scandal”. He basically tells us that he made a mistake, and now, as it always has been; it will be our duty to correct the issues of the nation.
