"K'Mart Has a Loveable Disorder"

I thought that the article by Hank Stuever, "K'mart Has a Loveable Disorder," was accurate and hilarious. Stuever described Kmart perfectly: "It has lipstick on its teeth and those days where it feels, you know, not-so-fresh?". I think that it's great that you can walk into Kmart without feeling the paradigms of social class. It is a place where you can go and shop without the crowded aisles like a Walmart or the uppity formality of a Target. I don't shop there often, but it's a good option when I need to jump out of bed first thing in the morning, wearing my PJs, to pick up a pack of diapers and not have to feel self-conscious.

I could imagine myself on one of Pierce Lewis' field trips, standing in an abandoned Kmart parking lot. Using his cultural landscape teachings, I would come to the conclusion that Kmart was a company that started in the 1970's and failed to meet the needs of today’s typical social demographics. Then if we were to analyze an open Kmart from the parking lot I would see that the parking lot is barely filled with ten-year old cars, seniors, and single mothers with at least three kids in tow.

People want to get good deals while shopping at one location. Kmart has a good deals, but not throughout the store. You may be able to get good deals in the food and clothing section, but the electronics are poor quality and priced the same as better quality items at Walmart or Target. So in the end I’m going to shop at a place where I can get all the items that meet my expectations.

'The Monument and the Bungalow'

I have always loved looking at older architecture and thinking about when it was built, why, and by who? I will always stop to look at the black and white blown up photos hung on walls of banks, grocery stores, city halls, and newly renovated buildings. It is interesting to see what has change over the years and what has stayed the same.

I think that the most important point made in this short essay by Pierce Lewis was that “students need to develop and cultivate the habit of using their eyes and asking nonjudgmental questions about familiar, commonplace things.” For myself, the concept of asking nonjudgmental questions really strikes me as important. Being judgmental is like building a ten foot wall that disables a person from seeing anything above and beyond their original judgments. In today’s world where everything is about aesthetics, the old architecture is sadly too often overlooked. One should look at their surroundings with the appreciation of what it meant for the people of that era.

If you truly want to be connected to your community then it is important to look from the foundations and upward, to better grasp the true history of your community.

A little bit about me...

Hi! My name is Danielle and I am 26. I grew up in Livermore and I am still trying to adjust to life here in Sonoma County. This is my last semester at SRJC and I am currently enrolled in 12 units. I will be graduating with an AS in Environmental Horticulture: Nursery Management. I work on campus at the Lark Hall Greenhouse and Nursery. Not only am I busy with work and school, but I have two daughters who are three- and one-years-old. I love being a mom and they love keeping me incredibly busy. I love spending my free time learning about and working with plants. I am obsessed with plants! They are taking over my house and my family has recently asked me to stop bringing them home!

English is not my best subject, but I do enjoy a challenge. The five unit topics sound interesting and I think that this will be a great course.