Just bloggin'

Well I'm so happy this is the final paper, and I am glad its only two pages long. It was pretty easy for me for the most part. I could not tell you how happy I am that this will be a short week, I really need it to help catch up on a few things for the final paper. I need to find a few more sources I believe and my biggest challenge will be the glossary, or terms of my group. This will be hard for me because I was unable to sit in on actual meetings, and through my interviews and experiences I haven't heard many terms that stick out as "different" from anything we use in everyday conversation. So this is my biggest obstacle as of right now. I hope everyone else's projects are ready to be wrapped up. I'm sure you are relieved as well that this semester is soon to be over!! Other than that everything else has been going good, hope you all have a Happy Thanksgiving!

Almost finished!

So as they days go by the semester is reaching to the end, which means this project is nearly over! THANK GOODNESS. Not like I haven't enjoyed it or anything, I am just truly ready to wrap it up and turn this paper in. I have held plenty of interviews and my fieldwork has been a success but I'm starting to realize some more questions I need to ask. For example: some of the questions that were put on the board some of my fellow classmates wanted to know. I should look into and ask more about this lodge's history. I have sort of been basing a lot of the information I have gathered in the present. So this is for sure something I will be working on. Other than that I am actually very confident about this paper, and putting it all together. There is so much more information from my experiences I need to inform you all on. So you can only imagine how ready I am to get this over with. Please, if there is anything about my group the Independent Order of the Odd Fellows lodge 27, that you may want to know just post on my blog!

blog time

The paper we have due this week, to me, has been the most difficult yet. My reason is because my group really only has one location, so I haven't been able to write about much more. I decided to go into more detail and with my next visit to the lodge, this friday, I will be taking pictures. This way there will be visuals while reading my paper, and it will help make it more interesting! I'm so ready to wrap this project up and put it all together, but I'm also nervous at the same time! I feel as though all my fieldworking experiences will come together not only to meet the criteria of this paper but also to help everyone understand my subculture I've chosen as well. This is a very interesting and helping group. They have been extremely cooperative in helping me with any and all questions and information I have asked. As of right now, I really have no other updates until after friday which will be the next time I meet with my group.

Currently.....

Thankfully we’ve been working on citations lately, because I for one will admit that I suck at them. To me they are probably one of the hardest things that go along with essays. I just have never been good at them. So I’m taking full advantage of the time we spend in class doing them, and I am making sure I understand them before moving on to something else. I wish I would have gotten the writer’s resource book though. Maybe I’ll pick it up. I’m sort of getting the hang out them now, with help.  I still need to go over the criteria for the citation requirements for our paper. Like how many we need and what kind of resources we need etc. I would like to get a jump start on this since I know this will be one of my weak spots in this paper. I have used citation machine, and so far it has been to my advantage. I was able to use it for my interview as well as my internet citations. This website has helped about me A LOT!! Hopefully I’m able to continue my use of this website throughout my paper.

hmm.

Well here I am blogging again for this week. I haven't accomplished too much since the last time I've blogged, other than researching on my own. I had a pretty busy/hectic weekend, filled with good times and bad news. But all should be well soon hopefully. Hopefully I am able to accomplish more throughout this week, I know there will be a meeting for the Odd Fellows this friday, but I won't be attending because I have to work. I'll most likely do some interviews over the phone though. Or at least I hope to do so. My father and best friends birthday is saturday so I won't be doing anything then either. So I hope I catch up soon, and am able to tie this all together!!

My FIRST Odd Fellows experience!

Well I had my first experience with the Odd Fellows this past Friday, October 1^st. I attended their “before meeting get together.” I arrived to the hall at 6 pm, the meeting started around 7:30 pm. As I walked up to the building, many of the members were hanging around out back socializing and enjoying themselves. I was warmly welcomed. I was then brought into their building through the back. (I’ll be posting pictures of their hall and gatherings) Their building has two stories; the lower level is where the group holds their meetings and gatherings. The upper level is rented out to the Waterloo Theater. When entering their hall, I was introduced to many different members as well as the committee board. I was then showed around the hall. It’s all just really open, except for the kitchen and the meeting room. Everyone was super nice. The group cooks or orders food every meeting and drinks are provided. It was a total social hour I experienced. I was offered food and drinks. They barbequed and it smelled so good, there was so no way I could turn it down. So I made myself a plate as I observed. I was able to hold a few interviews with some members, as well as the a couple trustees on the committee. I found out a lot of information I never knew about the Odd Fellows and I was told to come back next meeting. I enjoyed the time I spent there and I felt good about my project as I left.

What I have been working on currently..

So what I have been doing lately is getting together information I have been gathering about the different ranks and committee positions in the Odd Fellows. From my research I have learned that most lodges have a Noble Grand, Vice-Grand, Recording Secretary, Financial Secretary, and Treasurer. There have been endless amounts of other positions I have found on the internet. I will be taking note of them and during my experience with the IOOF lodge in Waterloo, see what positions are on their committee. I have also been retrieving lots of information off of the Grand Lodge of Illinois IOFF website. Where you can see all the different lodges throughout Illinois, also the motto, creed, and objective of IOOF are specified. The website is actually pretty interesting; I will put the URL at the end of my blog if anyone is interested in checking it out. Another thing I have been doing is getting my interview questions together. I have been looking into what I want to observe and what I actually expect to leave with. The more things we are doing with subcultures during class help me out a lot. The readings and movie we started to watch make me understand this project as a whole a lot better. Before reading the essay on Ralph’s Sports Bar I didn’t even think to study the different types of people within the IOOF, and if I could categorize them. This got me thinking a lot, and its making me understand and analyzing what I need to be doing.

URL to Grand Lodge of Illinois- IOOF website

http://www.ioof-il.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=blogcategory&id=14&Itemid=34

Odd Fellows, first experience !

I had my first experience with the Odd Fellows this past Friday evening. After I got off work I went to the gathering of the group before the meeting proportion of the night was held. I talked to the board and a couple members I plan to interview. Everyone was so nice, making me feel so welcome and comfortable. They were all very excited to hear about the project and what I will be doing with the group, most of them said they have never had an opportunity this like. So that made me feel very good. Everyone was quick to volunteer to be interviewed, which was really nice because I was unsure of the reactions I would get. I think the members were more excited than I was. I explained the project and what I would be looking to hear and ask during interviews as well as observations. Unfortunately the board confirmed with me that I would be unable to attend any meetings, just as I suspected though. Only member who have been initiated and who have gone through all the obstacles are allowed to participate in meetings. So that was a bummer but they assured me that they would help out in all ways possible, and that I would be given plenty of information. I was given a fax number of the chairman so I can fax my letter, maybe he can approve of my attendance at a meetings when he sees why I will be doing this project. I am hoping that will be the case, but if not that’s okay. The next meeting will be the first Friday of October, which plan on starting my interviews with two members that I was introduced too. I’m looking forward to it. Stay tuned with updates on research of history and additional information I will be doing over the Odd Fellows organization.  

PROJECT LETTER!

To my audience:


I would like to ask your permission to explore, research and interview a well known world wide organization. The name of the organization is, Independent Order of the Odd Fellows. If my idea is approved I will be able to give as much background information of the organization as possible. I will also hold interviews with local members of the Monroe County Odd Fellows organization. Unfortunately I will not be able to attend any of the actual meetings. I am able to be there before and after meetings though. The organization is very private. You have to be invited to join, and before you can be concerned a member you have to be sworn in. My goal is to explain to my audience what the Independent Order of the Odd Fellows is. Possibly some specific language and behaviors all the members have in common. If I am able to do my project on the Odd Fellows, I plan on going into as much detail as I possibly can.


If approved I plan on doing the following; I want to interview the oldest member of the Monroe County Independent Order of the Odd Fellows, with permission I would like to shadow an event of the group, hold as many interviews with other members, possibly ask for records of meetings, and gather any information the counsel and/or Monroe County Library and possibly City Hall can give me.


I believe it’ll be very accessible for me, although I will be limited on how much I am able to know about what goes on during the meetings. I believe I will still be able to gather enough information about what goes on within the organization and their goals. I am not all that familiar with the group, but I was awarded a scholarship from the organization. So I do know that they are very giving to their community. I believe they will help me out in everyway possible, without breaking their Odd Fellow codes. I know a few of the Monroe County Odd Fellow members personally, so I will have access to meeting dates, times and with permission; numbers to reach other members at. It will be very safe as well as legal. Most of the members I know are highly respectable members of my community. So I have no doubt in my mind that at any point will I feel uncomfortable with this topic.


Overall I believe that this will be very awarding to me personally and educationally, because I’ve always wanted to know a little more about the organization. It’ll be nice for an outsider to get a sneak peak at what goes on in this organization. I look forward to all the work I’ll be putting into this project, as well as the outcome.

My first blog...EVER!

My name is Kayla, welcome to my blog. I’m guessing if you’re on my page you want to know a little bit about me. Well for starters I’ve never blogged before, this is my first time. I’m anxious to see how well this will turn out for me. I am currently a student at Southwestern Illinois College. Right now I am working towards my associate’s degree in science. I love sports and being outdoors. I enjoy watching Cardinal baseball and going to as many games as I can. I do not have a favorite player, I love them all. I enjoy playing soccer, basketball and golf. I try to stay active as much as I can. Spending time with people I care about is something I love to do. I’m a nice person; I enjoy meeting new people and making friends. I am a fairly organized person. I am also a big time animal lover. I am hoping my blogging skills improve over the semester. Like I said I am new to the blogging world and am also very curious to see how well of a blogger I will turn out to be.  Keep looking at my page for new blogs of mine, and comments are welcome! :)