Writing Assignment I

A "meme" (in internet speech) is a joke or link or YouTube video that people send to each other over email or through blog links. It can also refer to a list of questions that you ask and answer and then "tag" other people to answer either over email or on their blogs.

So, here are a list of questions I am asking you about your place in the world (and therefore the communities and sub-cultures you belong to). I will first ask them so you can cut and paste the questions on to your blog AND THEN ANSWER THEM, then I will answer them myself, so that it's a legitimate meme. It wouldn't be good "netiquette" for me to ask them of you, requiring an answer, but not answer them myself.

Feel free to give short (that is, one or two words) or longer (explanations, justifications) answers.

1. Where have you lived (cities, countries) during your life?
2. What is your ethnic background? That is, what is your racial identity and/or what countries does your family come from?
3. Do you feel strongly about religion, politics, social issues, environmental issues? Which ones in particular? (That is, don't just say "environmental issues" or "social issues." Say "Polar bear extinction" or "Equal marriage rights and the military's Don't Ask Don't Tell policy.) Why do you feel so strongly about them?
   
4. What are your obsessions and/or hobbies and why? This could be from popular culture or an activity you are involved in or something that fascinates you that you know a lot about.
   
5. Do you have any other affiliations that you feel strongly about? Sports teams? Schools? Identities?
6. Does anything from this list stand out as something you'd be interested in writing about for the rest of the semester?

The answers to these questions should start you thinking about the community/sub-culture you want to discuss during the semester.

My answers:

1. Where have you lived (cities, countries) during your life? I was born in Johannesburg, South Africa. I lived in England for 16 months when I was 7. I moved to NJ when I was 14, lived there for 8 years, then to Ann Arbor, MI for 8 years, then to Fayetteville, NC for the last 5 years.
   
2. What is your ethnic background? That is, what is your racial identity and/or what countries does your family come from? I was born in South Africa, but my family is pure British English. Both my parents were born in England and I'm very definitely white, although I like to say that I'm African-American, because it's technically true, just to get people thinking about what that actually means.
   
3. Do you feel strongly about religion, politics, social issues, environmental issues? Which ones in particular? Why do you feel so strongly about them? I believe very strongly in equal rights for GLBTQ people, especially equal marriage rights and the right to serve openly in the military, because I have so many friends that these issues affect. I am also a very strong Democrat and was a Precinct Captain for the Obama campaign in October-November 2008. I believe in environmental issues, but they're not what really get me excited or mad. I am not religious.
   
4. What are your obsessions and/or hobbies and why? This could be from popular culture or an activity you are involved in or something that fascinates you that you know a lot about. I love romance novels, Jane Austen, tattoos, something called Silk Ribbon Embroidery, and being a mother.
   
5. Do you have any other affiliations that you feel strongly about? Sports teams? Schools? Identities? I like the Patriots, Michigan football, South African rugby (sort of), the Carolina Panthers. I feel very strongly about being a tattooed, yet professional woman. I'm a Chemical Officer in the NC Army National Guard.
   
6. Does anything from this list stand out as something you'd be interested in writing about for the rest of the semester? If I were a student in this class and not the professor, I'd be interested in writing about romance novels, about gay rights, or about being a tattooed professional.