Ramble: Rhetoric, Writing & Reaching to the Heavens...

8.8.08 -- What a date for a wedding!  I'm hitting the road to attend  a wedding in a shopping center church on eight-o-eight-o-eight.  Church architecture is changing, have you noticed?  My father-in-law helped build a church that had, as its most significant architectural feature, a window that opened to the Sandia Mountains.  God is in nature, he said.

The media shows bias in depicting the photos of the candidates (see the post Winners and Losers).  Since then, a media study finds that the Washington Post showed bias in favor of Obama for photos of the two presidential candidates. Ed Thiede, assistant managing editor for Washington Post's news desk, said that (the study) is "eye-opening. We should be more cognizant."  Visual rhetoric has more power, perhaps more, I would contend, than the written word.

Up for study in polictical communications: the iterations of ideas, like how McCain's use of Paris Hilton celebrity status in an Obama attack ad caused Paris Hilton to do her own iteration, which is attracting more attention than the original iteration and in the process, the original meaning/referent is lost and no longer relevant.  Hilton's video, in full, made Fox News.

Thoughtful commentary: I was recently honored by University of South Florida professor T.E. Roberts who listed one of my posts, Rhetoric: From Aristotle to Obama,  under Thoughful Commentary readings on his Professional Writing Course syllabus this fall. He has some interesting political rhetoric links on the candidates and I've enjoyed reading through his syllabus links.  He has links for writing effectively and professional writing tips and samples.

Do overs?  For writing, I'd not write under the MotherPie blog name.  Hindsight, hindsight.  Perhaps that is why, as my children are now out of the house, I'm struggling with relevance here.

Enjoy my photo of the church in Galisteo that I snapped on my way to eat at the old old Galisteo Inn with our dinner group which is named Mucho Gusto.  Church architecture and its symbolism of reaching towards the heavens holds much interest for me.  Here in New Mexico the New Mexico Historic Churches remaining from the days of the Spanish Mission period hold special appeal.  They've always been the subject of my lense. This week Bishop Lamy's famous St. Francis Cathedral in Santa Fe continues it's updating with painting in New Mexico's style, around the stained-glass windows. You can't get married in the cathedral if you aren't a member.  That's why brides choose the famous Loretto Chapel here, now a museum instead of a Catholic church.

I'll be w/ my daughter and her new husband to celebrate their one year anniversary.

Heavenly wedding cheers...

Comments

[anthony]

Paris should be honored. McCain called her a "celebrity"!

[joared]

Congrats on your writing skill recognition by Prof. Roberts. I've enjoyed for some time what you say and how you say it.

Interesting about your "second thoughts" because I've wondered if your blog's name creates enough curiosity to cause potential new readers to visit. Certainly your writing "pie" includes many topics including mother matters, likely now to include occasional references to young adult children. I continue to appreciate your commentary whatever the blog title.

[anthony]

Paris' celebrity blinded me so, I completely forgot to say that Dr. Roberts is surely a smart Professor to require his writing students to read your blog. Kudos.

[allison]

Mothers are always mothers and always relevant, even as children move out of the house. We enter a different phase, but every bit as important.

Smart man, Professor Roberts, to bring attention to great writing. Congratulations!

[Janet]

I would agree with Allison - and I read another blogger whose daughter is getting married on 08-08-08. (Keith's Ramblings)