life in the fast lane...

jessica has been really testing her mom a lot lately...since she has only had certain freedoms for a few months, you would think she would start out slow before trying to get the world! she has been "disappearing" for hours and talking on the phone constantly to the point where no one can call the house---she wont answer the other line if she is talking to the boyfriend...what drama!

there's a method to my madness...

in doing my field research i attempted to utilize a wide variety of mediums. i watched from the outside looking in whenever it was feasible, i "stalked" their myspace pages, i conversed in person, i surveyed them online, i used polls to see where they stood on certain issues (i.e. what do they see as important issues in the world), i participated in certain "rituals" and activities, i talked to their friends and family members, and last, but certainly not least, i peeked into where they spent their time...their significant spaces. i made mistakes...like when i had a conversation with ashley about her boyfriend and told her how i felt instead of hanging back and getting at what she felt at that moment...and when i gave jessica a lecture on respecting her mom...lol. i think though that all in all i learned a lot from these girls about how to really see someone...not just who they want the world to see...but that secret person inside that they hide to avoid being hurt sometimes.

i hope that i can operationalize all of the things i learned from all of my classmates as well...you guys are just about brilliant in how you can incorporate yourselves into the role of anthropologist with some of these kids...it was amazing to read about how effortless some of your interactions were with these kids.

i hope that i can put down in words what i feel i have learned...and let others see these young women as i have begun to really see them. i think that must be what the true lesson to be learned has become for me...the art of not only being there myself...but being able to evoke that same feeling in someone else who reads my research...

drama for jessica...

jessica has decided to pursue a power play with her mother...she is definitely testing her new freedoms and limits...at some point the line will finally get drawn on this one...hopefully i am there to see it!

the morning after...

ashley gave birth to a new baby boy...lucas james came into the world at 11:44 pm last night weighing in at 8lbs 2 oz and 20" long...both baby and momma are doing fine...here is a picture of the new family...

one year later...

as i watched both immersed in the "ritual" and off to one side as an observer...ashley displayed her pride at th marking of her son's first birthday. i saw his tentative steps as he walked shakily around the room...and felt the trepidation of the young mother as she talked about what next year would be like a her soon-to-be-born son lucas would celebrate this same milestone. she took pictures of everyone in the room...including the sorry looking "honey bear" that was supposed to look like pooh...

as the world turns..

i have been trying to get my thoughts together for the final two sections...and it isn't easy to see how it will all come together, but come together it must. I have seen a new side to these two young girls this semester as i worked with them on this project. i have had to try and both take myself out of the equation, and understand y place in the process at the same time. I hope that i have accomplished that goal. -

in the pink (or should i say green?)

ashley is waiting on the baby's birth...and the birth of her new nbaby brother since her mom is due the week after she is...and jessy is battling the teenage demons...it seems that an ex-boyfriend has stolen her password and hacked into her myspace site. she had to go through a lot to get the myspace fixed! that's about it for now!

ritual in action...

spent the afternoon at ashley's baby shower...saw how everyone around her acted and just hung back and watched...i needed to see her in a way i wasn't used to...to look at her from the outside objectively and not like family...i took notes after and took lots of pictures during...

lunch with ashley

ashley stopped by to talk to me on her lunch break on saturday. we talked about her pregnancy, her boyfiend and his lack of job, her job, and her lack of personal space at home. she is having a hard time picturing squeezing the new baby into her room at her dad's place, so she is talking about getting a place of her own. she both wants and needs a little privacy. her other younger brother is moving back home in april, and with the already crowded conditions she is worried about how they will all avoid bumping into each other constantly. her lack of a place is her issue. her baby is due in about 35 days...excitement mounts at the prospect of going into labor for the second time. her mother passed out at the birth of her other son due to stress last year...so we were joking about that as well...as she pulled out ofmy driveway in her turquoise pontiac sunfire i couldn't help but worry about her and her future...

a night out with Jessy

i went to see jessy and we toured her room. we talked about her things...and then jessy and i went out to eat and then shopping. we talked casually about boys and relationships...her first kiss...and her first real kiss. she talked about her last boyfriend...and sex...and talked about her family...and how she moved out for two days last weekend to be with her real father after a fight. we talked...laughed...and shared stories about high school dating and friends, it was an extremely productive evening.

and away we go...

a lot of interaction has been going on...i have been interviewing friends and family of both girls and getting a lot of insight into their lives. i have been using their myspace pages and email to keep conversations going when we can't get together...ashley has even started a blog to talk about how she spends her days since she can't use myspace at work. jessy has been opening up...i had a great weekend with them both. i think i may try to focus on image...not just body image but their image of themselves...the cool girl, the gangster chick, the hot chick, the nerd, the emo...who knows how hey see each other? I think i can find out if i look deep enough...

small progress

the girls are utilizing their myspace pages...surveys...and hanging out to let me see who they are...i am fortunate to be able to catch a glimpse into their world...

my answers to gina's questions...

60 Things About Me*
1. What is in the back seat of your car right now? my grandson's booster seat, a pair of gloves, and an ice scraper
2. When was the last time you threw up? can't remember
3. What's your favorite curse word? damn it
4. Name 3 people who made you smile today? greg, eddie, angelo
5. What were you doing at 8 am this morning? drinking my third cup of coffee
6. What were you doing 30 minutes ago? taking a shower
7. What will you be doing 3 hours from now? homework (research)
8. Have you ever been to a strip club? yes....
9. What is the last thing you said aloud? i sang "you are my sunshine" to one of my cats
10. What is the best ice cream flavor? chunky monkey!!!!!
11. What was the last thing you had to drink? coffee
12. What are you wearing right now? jeans and a sweatshirt my son left here
13. What was the last thing you ate? chocolate chip cookie
14. Have you bought any new clothing items this week? no
15. When was the last time you ran? lat month in hawaii on the beach
16. What's the last sporting event you watched? probably a wrestling match
18. Who is the last person you emailed? my greg
19. Ever go camping? oh yeah!!!!!
20. Do you have a tan? Yes a small one left-over from hawaii!
24. Do you drink your soda from a straw? if it is in a paper cup
25. What did your last IM say? don't im
26.. Are you someone's best friend? yes.
27. What are you doing tomorrow? school
28. Where is your mom right now? her body cemetary down the road...her spirit with me always
29. Look to your left, what do you see? ainting on the wall
30. What color is your watch? i have 3...1 pin, 1 black, 1 silver
31. What do you think of when you think of Australia ? sydney opera house
32. Would you consider plastic surgery? Oh, yes, and i have had plastic surgery..
33. What is your birthstone? peridot
34. Do you go in at a fast food place or just hit the drive thru? Drive through
35.How many kids do you want? i have 4
36. Do you have a dog? no--4 cats
37. Last person you talked to on the phone? My daughter
38. Have you met anyone famous? yes many famous people
39. Any plans today? no
40. How many states have you lived in? Two - NJ and PA
41. Ever go to college? Yes
42. Where are you right now? living room
43. Biggest annoyance in your life right now? my brother
44. Last song listened to? lol...barbie girl
46. Are you allergic to anything? yes, percocet and , wait for it.... cats!
47. Favorite pair of shoes you wear all the time? hikers
48. Are you jealous of anyone? no
50. Is anyone jealous of you? yes---
51. What time is it? 10 am
52. Do any of your friends have children? Yes
53. Do you eat healthy? I try
54. What do you usually do during the day? school
55. Do you hate anyone right now? no
56. Do you use the word 'hello' daily? Yes, I do
58. How old will you be turning on your next birthday? 21 with a ton of experience!
59. Have you ever been to Six Flags? Yes
60. How did you get one of your scars? fell out of a tree at Sally STar's house onto a piece of glass

*So, it's not really 60 things, but I can't figure out where the missing questions went. Oh well!

introducing the stars of our show...

ashley is 18, a mom of a 10 month old son, and pregnant with another son due in april. she works full-time, lives with her dad and stepmom and her little stepbrother in a small 3 bedroom apartment. her boyfriend stays with her most nights in the room she shares with her son. she has given me permission to use her picture and first name in any way i would like...


jessica is 16 today, lives with her mom and stepdad in a 3 bedroom home. they raise yellow labs and go on vacations a couple times a year. she is a 10th grader at the local public school and loves photography...and boys...her and her mom are allowing me to use her first name and picture any way i would like...

a step along the path

i am having a lot of fun talking to my informants, and I hope to get them to tell me a lot more detail about their lives...i cannot wait to see the world through their eyes...to see their world. i am going to see if i can stop over the older girls house tonight to check out her personal space...lol.

on being thirteen...

the movie was hard to watch...even though i had seen it several times before, it still was very powerful to watch the total downward spiral that can occur when you give up your identity to "be" someone else. the easiest time for this to happen is during adolescence when the pull to fit in and the power of hormones is so strong...i am so glad to be past that juncture in my own life...being a teenager is far from a carefree existence.

taking a peek...or two...

i feel like a voyeur checking out their myspace pages, but i think i am learning a lot about them. i know that a lot of what they put on their myspace pages is for "other people" and not who they really are per se...i can't wait to see how they evolve now that they know i am watching...lol.

a moment in time...

i think that my prior experience as a teen mom will give me a little bit of an understanding of what my one informant is going through--and has gone through. when you make an error in judgement like that it tends to have a ripple effect...and this i think happens with more than the big whoopses in life...i think that a lot of adults forget that what they do has an impact on others, so it isn't surprising that as a young person the thought wouldn't occur to you.

another aspect of my past experience, is that i can see the before and after effect of rash decisions...and the difference in what was important as to what becomes important. i hope that i can use my past (and these girls are both aware of it) to aid in getting them to open up completely about their feelings on such important topics as boys, love, sex, family dynamics, friendships, and the larger world around them...until next time...

road trip to the past...

Thursday, February 21, 2008 at 5:00 PM
Alan Shapiro, Johns Hopkins University (Thompson Lecture)
The Athenian Akropolis: A Vase-Painter's Perspective
Where: Cohen Lounge, Dickson Hall, Montclair State University

I will be attending this lecture, and anyone who wants to come with me is more than welcome to come. I belong to the Archaeology Institute of America, and they have several lectures a year -- in March there will be another one:

Tuesday, March 25, 2008 at 6:30 PM
John Russell, Massachusetts College of Art (Wilkie Lecture)
Preserving Iraq's Past: Perils and Prospects
Where: Penn Museum (Rainey Auditorium)

me being simple...

FIELD METHODS CLASS PROJECT SPRING 2008
THE RICHARD STOCKTON COLLEGE OF NEW JERSEY
INTERVIEWER: Antoinette L. Collins
FACULTY CONTACT: Dr. Joe Rubenstein


For Children/Minors (persons under 19 years of age) participating in this project, the term You addresses both the participant ("you") and the parent or legally authorized representative.

Explanation of Procedures
We are asking you to take part in a classroom project. This classroom project will hopefully allow for a better understanding of contemporary adolescent culture. The project will take place over approximately a 10 week period between early February and early May 2008.

Confidentiality
Information obtained about you for this project will be kept private to the extent allowed by law. However, the following groups will be able to view your records and have access to private information that identifies you by name: the interviewer; students involved in the Anthropological Field Methods Class at Stockton; the professor of the class; and possibly other professors in the department. Parents and guardians will not be allowed to view or have any access to any information, video, tapes, or private conversations with you without your express permission.

Refusal or Withdrawal without Penalty
Your taking part in this project is your choice. There will be no penalty if you decide not to be in the project. You are free to withdraw from this classroom project at any time. Your choice to leave the project will not affect your relationship with the interviewer.
Questions
If you have any questions, concerns, or complaints about the project or a project- related problem, please contact Dr. Joe Rubenstein at The Richard Stockton College of New Jersey. He will be glad to answer any of your questions. Dr. Rubenstein’s email is joe.rubenstein@stockton.edu.
Legal Rights
You are not waiving any of your legal rights by signing this informed consent document.

Signatures
Your signature below indicates that you agree to participate in this project. You will receive a copy of this signed document.

You are making a decision whether or not to have your child participate in this project. Your signature indicates that you have read (or been read) the information provided above and decided to allow your child to participate.
You will receive a copy of this signed informed consent document.

Signature Of Parent
Or Legally Authorized Representative___________________________________DATE

Signature of Investigator__________________________________________________DATE

Signature of Witness_______________________________________________DATE

Assent of Child

_______(name of child/minor) has agreed to participate in the field methods classroom project on adolescent culture.

Signature of Child _________________________________________________DATE

we have lift off...

after talking to the teens and their parents, it was decided between all of us that I would utilize the myspace pages the teens already had in order to fulfill that requirement...keeping up two myspace accounts each is made difficult by the need to have separate email addresses for each.

so today (or should i say late tonight) i explored both myspace pages looked at comments, pictures, music, layout, background, etc. it was pretty cool to see the things that were alike as well as the differences. the girls have a similiar habit as one of mine...their pages are never static...layout, background, etc is always in a state of fluid movement...this aspect will be a great way to monitor emotions and style...as well as interests of the girls.

first contact...

i have made contact with two young girls...one just turned 18, is pregnant, and has a 10 month old son at home...she quit high school in 12th grade and has a full-time job in an office. she lives with her dad and his girlfriend in a small apartment. the other is 16 and is in the 10th grade living at home with her mom and stepdad and they raise yellow labs. they own their home and go on regular vacations yearly. two girls, near in age, but far apart in lifestyles. they both love the idea...especially the myspace component. it should be really interesting--and fun. can't wait!

in the beginning...

i walked into this class not knowing what to expect, and i guess, i still don't really know for sure. how do i choose my informants? how do i go about bringing up the subject of "using" them to their parents? what do i ask? when do i ask? i guess i will learn as i go along...and hope that at some point i get it right...