The Eighth Meeting with Hashim

I was a little worried Hashim wouldn’t remember that we agreed to meet today. For the first meetings, we met on Fridays at 2 but I asked him to meet me today at 2. Well, consider him thrown off. I texted him a little after two letting him know where I was sitting and I called my sister while I waited. Ten minutes later, Hashim runs up, keys in hand. Apparently he felt he forgot something but couldn’t remember what until he received my text. I’ve definitely had those days so I hold nothing against him.

I remembered from last time that Hashim was supposed to get his test results in today (for graduating the IEP program). When I asked him, he laughed and told me that he skipped school today and was enjoying a relaxing day. I guess his group of friends just bought a new video game this weekend and stayed up until 3 last night playing. These boys are quickly becoming typical college students. Either way, Hashim is fairly confident that he passed the program. If so, he’ll be a student at TCU next semester! I’m jealous that IEP doesn’t have to take finals. Instead, Hashim asked about the finals I will be taking. He was also curious how I prepare for finals. I told him about dead days and my schedule for finals. He then shared that when he was younger his mom made him study two weeks in advance for finals! I understand preparation but that sounded like overkill for a middle school student. Apparently in high school, his dad told his mom that Hashim needed to learn responsibility on his own. So it came down to Hashim preparing for finals four days in advance. Apparently this was a close call for Hashim – he said his grades started to slip in high school. Well, that is until his father gave him a talk about studying. Things have obviously turned around because Hashim was able to come to America to study.

Speaking of studying abroad, his sister is going to the English program at the University of Texas. Hashim’s grandparents are coming down with his sister and will be staying with her. Hashim is rather thankful that his grandparents will be visiting for a few days then going to Austin. While he loves his family and sister, his grandparents would check on him too much. He also is glad they will be there to support his sister. The culture in America is extremely different than in Saudi Arabia. In Saudi Arabia, women cannot drive and never just go talk to men. Hashim understands his sister has a lot to get used to and hopes she will adapt quickly. We talked about these cultural differences and how Hashim adapted. It seems like the change was relatively easy for him. He says his sister is smart enough and she will adjust. I think she will be able to find plenty of people, especially at a large school like UT.

Hashim and I talked about a few other things. It is amazing to see where we came from and how we have moved forward as friends. We are able to laugh together and share stories of our different experiences. I’m glad I was able to have this experience and I hope Hashim got something out of it too.

7th Meeting With Hashim!

Hashim and I met at Union Grounds as always. I don’t know if anyone else noticed, but there was a marketplace going on the first floor of the BLUU. Small businesses set up booths and sell small gift. Hashim immediately asked what was going on upon his arrival. He seemed really surprised that there would be a marketplace inside the BLUU. We didn’t talk much more about the marketplace but know he knows more about what TCU puts on.

Moving on from that, we talked about our weekend plans. Hashim planned to take one of his friends to the airport. After that, they planned on keeping busy in Dallas. They must love Dallas and Arlington because I swear he talks about going to Dallas and Arlington every time! They go to Dallas for shopping and activities while Arlington for food and cheap movie tickets. As always, he plans on seeing some movie this weekend with his friends. He wasn’t particularly excited about this one – he only knew Brad Pitt would be starring. I told him the last football game would be tomorrow and that he should try to make it. Hashim was originally planning on going until I told him kick off time – 11 AM. Hashim groaned about waking up early because that is not what weekends are for. He claims to never get up early on the weekends. My sister is exactly the same way – she cannot wake up for an early class or wake up early in general. So, I’ll find out Monday if Hashim ended up at the game.

We also talked about plans for next year. The IEP students took a standardized test to assess their knowledge of the English language. This test is what the students have been working towards and need to pass to complete the program. The results should be in Monday so Hashim will know if he can begin his undergrad at TCU! Hashim is trying to decide between mechanical engineering and chemistry. I told him about the classes I’ve taken and the engineering program. I didn’t have much information about chemistry besides that I did not like it. On the other hand, Hashim likes it because it is “a very logical subject.”  I’m curious to see where Hashim ends up going between these degrees. 

Sixth Meeting With Hashim

Finally, I was able to meet with Hashim again. Despite taking a few efforts to meet him, I received a text back that he would be available to meet. I was worried it was going to be awkward due to the somewhat forced circumstances to meet. Luckily, it wasn’t awkward at all.

Hashim opened the conversation by asking me about Thanksgiving Break. Being from Saudi Arabia, this is a holiday he didn’t celebrate or know much about. He asked a couple questions about what I did for the break. He was really surprised that I even went home for the break. I told him about my break and the time spent with my family. My mom starts to preparing the dishes on Wednesday and my sisters and I help cook the food Thursday morning. My grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins come over and bring different dishes for a late lunch. Hashim didn’t realize that Thanksgiving is a large family gathering. He expected that only immediate family gathered so he was amazed that my extended family came. He started laughing when I told him that even more family comes over for dessert. I’m not sure if it was the amount of family or the fact that they came over during dessert. Either way, I was glad to give him more information about Thanksgiving and how my family celebrates it. Then, Hashim told me how the IEP program put on a lunch for the students. The IEP program put on a traditional Thanksgiving meal for the IEP students in one of the BLUU ballrooms. I think Hashim enjoyed seeing the traditional Thanksgiving spread, but I don’t know if it is anything he is interested in doing again. Also, one of his teachers said that for Thanksgiving, everyone goes home happy and leaves angry. I was a little taken back by the teacher saying this. I understand family events can always bring up past turmoil and drama but I didn’t realize their teacher would share that about Thanksgiving.

Talking about Thanksgiving led us to talking about Black Friday. Hashim wanted me to explain what Black Friday was and if I went. I told him all I could about it (decent deals, lots of people, long lines). His group of friends decided that Black Friday was worth checking out. I’m not sure where all they went but they started out at Walmart. He couldn’t believe how long the lines were and how many there were. He definitely thought it was an experience. But, Hashim seemed to look down on Walmart. He said Target was much more organized and better in general. I agreed because I love Target and can spend hours in that store.

We talked more about the break and caught up in general. I was glad Hashim could meet again and we set up the next meeting to make sure I could get all eight in!

The Wit and Wisdom of Mark Twain

I can’t say I know Mark Twain’s typical humor. In the past, I have read The Adventures of Tom Sawyer for class and seen a local rendition of the play in Zilker Park. Despite this, I can’t nail down his humor and pretend I truly know what his humor is. But, reading The Wit and Wisdom of Mark Twain has given me a new appreciation. I really enjoyed skimming through the sections of the book. It was also interesting to see the variety of lengths under the sections. For example, “Liberty” only had one quip, while “Lies” right below, listed six quotes. Also, there are quotes from a range of topics on Twain. I think it is amazing how much he has been quoted throughout his life in letters, books, lectures, and stories. Naturally, everyone talks about multitudes of things over a lifetime. But, it really shows Twain through the range of quotes that have been deemed wit and wisdom.

I found an endless amount of quotes I liked. I picked a few for class, but there were many others I found to be funny, classic wit, or pieces of wisdom. There is a single quote listed under “Golf” – Golf is a good walk spoiled. I have always heard a variety of golf jokes and always found them funny. My immediate family grew up playing tennis, never golf. My grandfather’s on both sides played golf. My uncles play golf. My cousins can golf. Despite this, like Twain, I never had an appreciation of golf. Until recently, I still didn’t understand where the fun came in. My best friend golfed throughout high school so I shared the bit of wisdom. He laughed and somewhat agreed—walking 18 holes really isn’t that fun though.

Another thing I noticed throughout reading was the variety of sources. The editor, Alex Ayres, compiled from multiple sources and repeated several. I noted several times that I bookmarked quotes from “Notebook.” I listed some that I liked or connected with.  

“If you tell the truth you don’t have to remember anything.”

                “There are many scapegoats for our sins, but the most popular is Providence.”

                “Whenever you find you are on the side of the majority, it is time to pause and reflect.”

                “When you fish for love, bait with your heart, not your brain.”

Like I said, reading through the book has given me a refreshed appreciation for Twain. I might not agree with every piece of wit or wisdom, but overall, I was able to draw insight from them. Along with Tales of Juha, I have really enjoyed our last readings. I plan on keeping both of these books to look back to later. 

Finishing Tales of Juha

Truthfully, I did not laugh while reading the last sections of Tales of Juha as much as I did during the previous sections. The final selections spanned the following chapters: Juha the Butt, Boastfulness and False Pride, A Witty Rogue, Cowardice, Justice and Generosity, and Critic of Despotism. I enjoyed the reading and found several of the anecdotes to be funny but very few to be laugh out loud funny. I’m always a little disappointed in the readings if I am not laughing out loud. While this entirely restricts many types of humor, I just want to laugh! So instead of bearing down on the ones I didn’t laugh at, I wanted to point out a couple that I did.

                One of the first stories involved Juha visiting a village where he had heard the people are very miserly. To his great joy, a man gives him a bowl of milk. Juha warmly thanks the man for the milk. But in return, the man begins to point out the flaws in his happiness. To begin, he says he only gave it to Juha because a rat fell in it. Juha grew angry and threw down the bowl. The man yells to be careful—his daughter uses it to “piddle in.” I didn’t find the rat particularly funny, but I couldn’t help but laugh out loud at the phrasing “piddle in” and the fact she uses the same bowl he drank out of to “piddle in.” When I read this part out to a friend, he didn’t start laughing until the end either. I think the cognitive shift (the unexpected word phrasing) and the schadenfreude (thank goodness that wasn’t me!) pulls this joke together.

                Another laugh out loud anecdote comes from the Cowardice section. Here, Juha’s neighbor comments on hearing a quarrel from Juha’s house. Juha assured him that he did hear a fight between him and his wife. His wife hit his cloak which then tumbled down the stairs. His neighbor, still confused, asks how a cloak could make so much noise. On the sassy side, Juha tells his neighbor not to be so fussy about the details-- he was inside the cloak! I liked Juha’s feisty response to a simple question. Even though this section was deemed “Cowardice,” Juha made light of the situation. The joke creates a humorous visual of the neighbor’s first interpretations to what actually occurred. To clarify, I don’t find abuse funny or as something that should happen. I laughed because of the surface content of the joke.

                Overall, I enjoyed the Tales of Juha. I was surprised at how many of the types of jokes in Classic Arab folk humor translate to our generation, especially as Americans. The book exceeded my expectations and has been one of my favorites that we have covered this semester. 

Tales of Juha - Part Two

As we continue reading Tales of Juha, this book has become one of my favorite books we have read. This time we read “Social Satire,” “Cunning and Resource,” and “Naïveté and Stupidity.” I enjoyed each of the sections but my favorite would be the last section, “Naïveté and Stupidity.” In this section, Juha is portrayed as someone who is naïve and not on the bright side. While he is not the butt of the jokes, he provides someone to laugh at. His thoughts are silly, adolescent, and laughable. He seems very sincere in some of the anecdotes. I think this section is in great contrast with the first section of “Wit and Wisdom.” The difference portrays the essence of Juha. He is a diverse character who represents a range of stereotypes.

                A few common ideas/themes appeared in several anecdotes. For example, one of my favorite stories from last time involved the “Race Winner.” In the anecdote, Juha and his wife have been married for three months. At this point, his wife is ready to give birth to a baby. In the first section (“Wit and Wisdom”), Juha is on the snarky side. He plainly lies out that something isn’t right. The baby did what most babies do in nine months in three months. Juha jokingly wants to name the baby “Race Winner.” But, a different picture is painted in the section “Naïveté and Stupidity.” Here, Juha is puzzled at the situation. He asks “what is going on here?” He knows that women carry a child for nine months. But, when he begins to question his wife, he falls into the not as brilliant stereotype. Contrary to the previous Juha, Juha is easily influenced by his wife. Instead of being witty and turning the table, the table is turned on him. Somehow, Juha is convinced three months to each the mother, father, and baby totals to nine months. I thought the stories alone were funny, but the way they compared added to the humor. I experienced a cognitive shift during the second one because I expected it to follow the same line. I experienced the same thing with another story involving donkeys. Juha is riding on a donkey along with a number of other donkeys. He counts the donkeys but always forgets the one he is. Continuously causing conflicts with himself, he gets on and off the donkeys. I thought it was interesting to see the straight comparison between two folk tales. The anecdotes had the basic theme but a different way of telling the story. I’m curious to see if there will be more similarities like these throughout the book. Also, I’ll be able to share some more stories with Hashim!

Fifth Meeting with Hashim

Keeping with tradition, Hashim and I met at Union Grounds. He warned me that he might be a little late because he was coming back from a field trip. Hashim showed up only five minutes after I did. But he was definitely worn down. I asked him about his field trip and he did not hold back his frustration. Friday, the IEP students went into Dallas. They were given two options: visit the aquarium, or visit museums. To his dismay, one of his good friends wanted to go to the museums instead. So, Hashim went with him and had a few up and downs. They waited in line at the first museum but before getting in, one of the teachers told the students they didn’t have time for this museum. Hashim was a little agitated for waiting and moved onto the next museum. He shared a few other funny incidents that happened during the trip. Looking back on his storytelling, I could see how animated he was. Hashim paused at all the right points, added animation, and talked with his hands. It is impressive that he is able to do so in a second language.

Another point of discussion was the infamous statue. While we were sitting, Hashim pointed out the statue and asked me how much I thought it cost. I was surprised that he had heard about the statue cost! We talked about the controversy surrounding the statue. Hashim hadn’t actually heard anything about the statue besides the cost. I told him what we had talked about in class. As we joked about the statue, several adults took pictures with the statue. Most were touring the school with high schoolers and I’m assuming others were alumni. Both of us were unaware that people liked the statue! Before we wore the subject out, a certain SGA President brought a small group of people to the statue. I pointed out to this certain person and explained who he was. I wanted to quiet down but Hashim mocked the statue as the certain person passed! Retelling it now is funny, but I was embarrassed when it happened! To change the subject, I brought up the reading. I explained that we have been examining humor from a few cultures and just started a book on Arab culture. I could tell Hashim was immediately stunned that we were beginning Arab humor. When I told him the book focused on Juha, his astonishment turned to enthusiasm.  He had no clue that there were translated versions of Juha. He started to explain just as the introduction to the book. He told me that there are so many stories of Juha. Juha is sometimes poor, wealthy, idiotic, genius, and everything in between. He asked me what stories we had read and the format of the book. I told him we had started on “Wit and Wisdom” and shared a few that I could remember. He laughed along as I retold them. He then told me that he didn’t care for reading when he was younger. He never read or focused on books. But, holding his hands about 5 or 6 inches apart, he demonstrated the size of the one book he did read. This one book held stories of Juha. He said he would thumb through it and read the short stories. The tales of Juha held a great impact on his childhood. He was eager to share information about Juha and how it really is a staple in his culture.

I was glad to meet with Hashim again. Each time we meet, conversation flows easier. We are always able to find something to talk about. Again, I’m glad I am able to teach him about our culture just as he teaches me. I’m curious to keep reading Tales of Juha so I have more things to share with Hashim.

Tales of Juha: Wit and Wisdom

            I wanted to go ahead and start Tales of Juha before I meet with Hashim tomorrow. Because the book is a look into classic Arab folk humor, I’m hoping Hashim has more insight to the Juha stereotype. After reading the introduction, it seems there is no stereotype for Juha. In the Arab culture, Juha stands for a variety of people, thoughts, morals and social standing. I wasn’t quite sure what to expect after reading this introduction. From conversations with Hashim, his sense of humor isn’t out of the ordinary – ordinary being my idea of humor, in this case. All in all, I was curious to get into the book and see what “classic” Arab humor is.

            I enjoyed the reading from the beginning. In general, I appreciate “Wit and Wisdom” humor. At first, I started writing down the page numbers of the quips I really enjoyed. After a while, I had too many pages written down. To begin, I laughed at the tale with two thieves. Juha convinced the two that only one would win his money. In the end, he has successfully convinced the two to beat each other up and allowed himself the chance to escape. I think I enjoyed this story because I’ve heard several variations before. So, the familiarity added to the humor. Later on in the reading, I came upon another story I had heard before: Juha and his two wives. Juha gifted both a necklace and asked the woman to remain silent. When the quarreling woman approached Juha about his love, he replied he gave the woman he loves more a necklace. Both women leave happy. Generally I don’t find deceiving your wife (wives in this case) funny or humorous, but I laughed at the women in the end. I enjoyed the surface humor: the simple idea of completely deceiving two people by referring back to a seemingly sweet gesture. Several other stories included the idea of deceit or outwitting another. I think this is a common thread in every type of humor.

My favorite pieces from the “Wit and Wisdom” section were the short quips.  The first one cast Juha as a thief. He stole a donkey to sell and in turn lost it to another thief. When asked, Juha says he sold “at cost.” Some may deem this as simple humor, but I love it. I couldn’t help but laugh aloud. On the other side of humor, I enjoyed the wisdom too. I especially liked Juha’s reply when asked about medicine. He answered, “ the great secret is to keep your feet warm, expose your head to the air and to the sun, be careful what you eat and don’t overeat, and don’t dwell on your worries and griefs.” Like other pieces of wisdom in the section, I have heard variations. I don’t know if the source of the advice is “Juha.” Either way, I think it amplifies the connection of cultures. So, while cultures are unique, there are always stories of wisdom and wit. Furthermore, the common connection adds to the idea that humor is shared across the board.  

So Long Hokum

           The multitude of short stories and excerpts was an unexpected change. The six texts varied over content and time. The first, Book of Harlem by Zora Neale Hurston, dated circa 1921 and the last, The Mulatto Millenium by Danzy  Senna dated 1998. Each story approached race differently with unique intent and delivery. I found three stories in particular where I at least laughed once: Dirty Deceivers, The Wig, and The Mulatto Millenium.   

            Dirty Deceivers explored the relationship between two secretive lovers: Ferdinand Cortes and Lupe Rentera. Despite having a stable family, education, and job, Clefus left New York City to become a deck hand. Through a whirlwind life, Clefus became Ferdinand and became an interpreter on Ellis Island. I thought it was ironic and funny that Ferdinand was eager to leave America, and now he is the first stop for immigrants. I also found humor in the effort that Ferdinand and Lupe went to in covering up true identities. While I don’t think it is necessary to go to lengths to hide your true identity, or try to hide it in the first place, I found humor in the situation. A married couple hid the same thing from each other in fear of the other. Weekly, Ferdinand and Lupe traveled to Harlem, got a haircut, and explored the city. Neither ran into the other or had suspicions. Yet, when Lupe saw a letter his coat pocket, she couldn’t help read the letter. She was so happy at the discovery, she woke him. To top everything off, they are from the same town and are distantly related. I was not expecting them to be related so I found the whole exchange to be humorous. But, soon after the happy exchange, the couple begins to grow apart. Both became angry with the other for lying about his or her background. I loved the ending quote – “In fact, they got so mad at each other they quit speaking and are now suing for divorce on the grounds of false pretenses.’ I laughed out loud at this part; I loved the clever ending and thought it made the story more humorous.

            The excerpt from The Wig by Charles Wright was also funny. While I wasn’t laughing throughout the story, I thought there was situational humor. The excerpt begins with a large rat walking around Nonnie Swift’s living room. Nonnie was frightened and called Lester to help her. Lester begins to fight the giant, stubborn rat. I appreciated Nonnie’s piece of advice, “Call him Rasputin. They love that.” I found it to be unexpected and laughed when it actually worked for Les. After killing the first rat, Les tempts the other rats out of the walls. When they come, he battles them. I didn’t realize that Les wanted to save the rat pelt at first. I was surprised that this was prided upon. I was also surprised to find out that Nonnie and Les were not in a relationship. The tables quickly turned after Mrs. Tucker, the neighbor, came to congratulate Les on his kills. Nonnie says she is going to report Les for not having a license. As it turns out, rat killing is a manly sport. The whole cognitive shift of Nonnie turning, rat killing being a sport, and Les ignoring her was humorous. I enjoyed the change from the expected ending. Additionally, I was shocked at the ending paragraph. That was a whole other cognitive shift. I was not expecting Les to be dreaming about another woman so intensely. Despite the ending, I liked this excerpt.

            Overall, I enjoyed the reading selection this time. I haven’t found the majority of our readings from Hokum funny. I appreciated the change and the humor I was able to find for the final readings of Hokum. 

The Lesson

Well, I thought I had missed the lesson. Immediately after opening to the short story The Lesson, I recognized the story. At some point during high school, I had read the short by Toni Bambara. I couldn’t tell you what I thought of it then, but I remember thinking I had missed the lesson. I can’t recall analyzing the story and definitely cannot recall the symbolism.  Additionally, I couldn’t remember it being particularly funny. Thinking that I would “get it” this time, I read the story again. While I got more out of the story, I did not find myself laughing through it. I continually questioned which parts were meant to be humorous. In my eyes, Sylvia is a tough, young girl from a tough neighborhood. She lives in close quarters with her extended family in neighboring apartments. The apartments are described in bad condition with drunks roaming the hallways. I wasn’t sure where the humor was coming into play. Was I meant to find the living conditions funny? Because I didn’t; I felt bad for the children living there. They had to live with filth and play around it. The kids were taught by another woman because Aunt Gretchen wasn’t bright enough to teach. The parents were thankful to have someone else around to teach the children. Ms. Moore, a college educated woman, took on the role of teaching several of the neighborhood boys and girls. But, Sylvia doesn’t care much for her teacher. In fact, she calls her teacher a range of names I can’t imagine saying at that age. Sylvia even said we "laughed at her, laughed the way we did at the junk man who went about his business like he was some big-time president and his sorry-ass horse his secretary." Was this meant to be funny? Was I supposed to be laughing at her judgment? I wasn’t laughing. Later, Miss Moore takes the kids to F.A.O. Schwartz. With each toy the children look at, Miss Moore asks a question. It seemed like she was pushing their education, asking questions to encourage thought. Although, by showing the students expensive toys, Miss Moore was able to direct the kids to question a society that provides expensive toys to the more fortunate. She also caused Sylvia to feel ashamed. I don’t think her goal was to shame Sylvia, but I don’t know if she felt badly. I felt she was trying to show a side of society she didn’t agree with. She doesn’t think the kids should be ashamed and she doesn’t agree with the distribution of wealth. But, when Miss Moore is trying to drive her point home, Sylvia just turns away. She walks away and Sugar runs to catch up with her. At this point, my questioning comes full circle. Did I “get” the story? I thought I had until Sylvia ran away. Sylvia concludes by saying, “ain’t nobody gonna beat me at nuthin.” I feel like I missed the point. I am not sure if she meant Miss Moore, life, money, hardship, or something else. I really don’t know if I understood Bambara’s lesson, but either way, I was not laughing my way through.  

Fourth Meeting With Hashim

     Keeping things consistent, Hashim and I met outside Union Grounds on Friday. If you don’t remember, Friday was a Texas version of freezing. Hashim definitely felt as I did! While winters are getting colder in Saudi Arabia, he said Friday was colder than he would like. To get the conversation going, I asked him how the parade was last week (this is why he couldn’t meet). He was so excited over the parade. Hashim thought it was a great way to celebrate homecoming. We both loved the firework show at the end of the night. I was surprised to hear that he stayed around campus for all the events considering he lives off campus. Inversely, he was surprised that I had only watched the fireworks from my dorm window. Hashim also didn’t know that homecoming was an annual event. I am assuming they don’t have an equivalent in Saudi. We talked a little about the game. Hashim and his friends left 5 minutes before the last quarter ended and heard screaming after they left the stadium. I couldn’t believe he had left before the game ended. But then again, soccer is the popular sport in his country. Although he follows soccer, Hashim is getting more into football. We ended up talking about Pachall. Hashim is still surprised that Patterson took him out of the football program. Furthermore, Hashim was surprised we are having a freshman, Boykin, play quarterback; he thought there would’ve been older players to choose from. Our opinions differed on who should be playing but we're both are impressed and proud of Patterson’s decision to remove Pachall for Pachall’s best interest.

     Moving away from that conversation, Hashim brought up that Friday was a holiday for him. IEP gave the students a day off in respect for the Islamic students. For Friday and a few days prior, a pilgrimage known as the “Hajj” took place. The fifth pillar of Islam says everyone must go on a pilgrimage, a duty that must be carried out once in his or her lifetime. Hashim’s sister had sent him a picture of the large crowd gathering at Mecca. When he first showed me, he only explained that it was a pilgrimage. When I asked him the name of the pilgrimage in Arabic and he told me, I told him that I had learned about it in school. Hashim was shocked that I had been taught about the Hajj. He was especially surprised that I knew it as Hajj, not just a pilgrimage. I am glad I was able to share that with Hashim because it widens his opinion on our education system. After more talking, we started talking about a book his class is reading, The Life of Pi. It was a day for surprising Hashim. He was amazed that I have read the book, not only once but twice. The first time I read the book was with my grandfather when I visited in middle school. The second time was in high school, in the same class I had learned about the Hajj. While I agree that the United States does not have the best education system, I am glad Hashim was happy to hear that I have learned about Islam in school and read The Life of Pi. I hope Hashim and I can continue to teach each other about our cultures and gain respect for the other’s. 

Third Meeting with Hashim

This afternoon Hashim and I met again by Union Grounds. I feel like I'm really getting to know Hashim based on our conversations. We were able to sit on the couches and talk for an hour without any lulls in conversation. We covered a range of topics from fall break to the elections. Hashim stayed in Fort Worth for the break because going home is a little out of the question. He shared the story of his failed attempt at going to the football game. Hashim and his friends had to park far away from the stadium and trudge through the cold to the gate. At this point, Hashim realized he forgot his ID. Instead of going to get it, they all gave up and went to do something else. The subject of football led us to Casey Pachall. Hashim was surprised by the degree of reprimand. To him, it wasn’t a big deal that Pachall was caught behind the wheel. I’m not sure if it is a personal opinion or cultural difference, but we had a difference of opinion on the punishment. Talking about our football team led to sports in general. While we both played soccer in the past, Hashim is an avid fan and player of many sports. On the weekends, a group of the IEP students play soccer and volleyball. Hashim also played handball back home. He quickly explained the game and his ability. Apparently, Hashim was a top player in his country when he was in middle school. Athleticism runs in the family, the large family! In Saudi Arabia, Hashim’s family gathers together every weekend at his grandfather’s. His mother is one of seven children and the only girl. Hashim grew up with family around all the time and remains close to them.  We ended up talking about the difference in families. Most other cultures place importance family. While family is important to me and many others, I couldn't honestly say I am close to all of my cousins, aunts and uncles. Hashim on the other hand considers his uncles like brothers. Differences like this amaze me. I would love if I was closer to my extended family but the dynamic is so different than that with my siblings.

We also hit one of our favorite topics – movies. Hashim had excitedly told me about the new movie Looper. In our previous meetings, he had talked about how great the movie was meant to be. He planned on going with some friends after our last meeting. When I asked him about the movie, he could hide his disappointment. The movie didn't stand Hashim’s high expectations. After admitting it was good, not as good as he hoped, he pointed out some of the flaws in the film. The minor flaws won't keep me from seeing the film at some point. So, if you are thinking of seeing Looper, it is a do! I decided to tell Hashim about the movie I’m planning on seeing tomorrow, Pitch Perfect. Before I told him, I was a little embarrassed to tell him because I felt the movie wasn't of the caliber he likes. But he was so excited when I told him! Turns out, Hashim went with his friends over fall break. He gushed about the movie and how funny it was. This just showed me the concept of universal humor. Hashim enjoyed and laughed at a feel-good movie. When I go see it tomorrow, I'll be wondering what Hashim found funny.

The Second Time Around

Conversation Partner Meeting (2)

Scheduling a meeting with my partner was much easier this week! We picked our usual, if you can call two meetings usual, meeting spot, Union Grounds.  We’re still getting to know each other so I keep learning new things about him. For example, he lives with his cousin who is the same age and is also in the program. Along with several other students in the program, they explore the DFW area.  He has so much to say about the places he has been around here and his idea of the best restaurants. For those of you who are curious, Arlington is the place to go for Saudi Arabian cuisine. But, I did learn that they go out to eat often because he cannot cook – he leaves it all up to his cousin. But, when his cousin cooks, he Skypes his mom and follows her directions! I thought this was so funny and relatable. While he quickly explained it is because in his culture women do not work, I found it funny for different reasons. I know that when my brother goes to college he will be helpless. My mom still makes her eighteen-year-old son snacks!

If there is one thing about my conversation partner it is his love for movies. He is a huge movie buff and appreciates quality directors, actors, and producers. Christopher Nolan (Dark Night) is among his favorites. We usually spend the majority of our meetings talking about movies – he knows so many! He doesn’t waste time on movies that have below a 7/10 on IMDB. So while some of my favorite movies are your typical romantic comedies with the predictable ending, these movies will never meet his list.  At the same time, we do share some favorites. Either way, I’ve left the meetings with movies that I would like to see. Movie conversations led us to celebrities. Somehow crazy celebrity children names came up. We’ve all heard the crazy ones that come from American celebrities (Apple, Blue Ivy, Pilot Inspektor, Buddy Bear). But, my parent shared with me that this is prevalent in his culture too. He found the celebrity baby name of Banana (but in Arabic) hilarious. I think it is so interesting to see the similarities and differences in our humor, movie preferences, and family relations. 

Later Reflections on '50 Funniest'

               Reading Andy Borowitz’s idea of the fifty funniest American writers causes me to question my own idea of funny stories. While I have laughed at several of the stories, the majority did not have me laughing throughout. Before class even started, I could hear people discussing the readings and the humor they found in it. Did I miss something insanely humorous?! Yes, some of the stories are interesting and have funny parts, but there have only been a select few that I really enjoyed.

                For example, I enjoyed the first reading for today – “A Few Words about Breasts” by Nora Ephron. Her reflections on a mainstream insecurity for the middle school girl and the women in her situation were hysterical. Her story was entirely relatable for me. The best way to put it is that I grew up with two older sisters who are much more developed than me. My sisters and mother teased me to the same extent that Nora’s mother did, maybe even further. I think the fact that I could relate to parts of Nora’s insecurity made the story funny. Also, I can always find humor in awkward situations (when it’s not happening to me, which is often). Nora experienced so many of these situations with her giant insecurity. I especially enjoyed all her attempts to ‘develop’ – Mark Eden Bust Developer, slept on her back for four years, splashed cold water on them, and the ever popular padded bra. Nora kept me laughing and I appreciate that.

                The other humorous reading for today’s class would be Donald Barthelme’s “In the Morning Post.” I loved his added commentary and thoughts on his drinking habits. Donald was funny from start to finish in this short piece. He happily notes he is promoted to “Top Writer” then is shocked that Writer’s Digest labeled him as a drinker. Just the way he phrases things had me laughing. A couple of my favorites are listed below:

• “But how the devil did Writer’s Digest discover this?’
• “List of my vodka-soaked work”
• "Light is sissy and Heavy doesn’t go down so well with Deans...”
•  “Also, in bed, sobbing lightly.”
•    “Thought to be sober as white bread”

Donald’s story was just what I needed to read before the last two – “Tough as Bob War and Other Stuff,” and “Gothic Baseball.” While I enjoyed parts of these stories, I didn’t find the story as a whole humorous. I was able to find certain parts funny but I feel like that can be done in most stories. I don’t know if it is the selections we are reading or the overall book I’m not finding extremely humorous.

So, I am a little disappointed, Andy Borowitz. We have different humor and while I appreciate some of your choices, I don’t agree with all. 

Take Away The Comic Relief

   John Morreall offers a “comprehensive philosophy of humor.” While the reading might not have been extremely interesting, there were some things to take away from the reading.

   The greatest thing worth remembering is to laugh. Laughter itself provides so many benefits, whether that be physical or emotional.  According to Morreall, “comedy fosters a more rational, crucial, creative attitude that is more adaptive.” It is important to remember that there are health benefits to laughter. After laughter, “the stress chemicals epinephrine, norepinephrine, cortisol, and DOPAC are reduced, along with muscle tension, blood pressure, and heart rate” (Morreall 81). Additionally, laughter reduces “heart rate, blood pressure, muscle tension, and stress chemicals” (Morreall 66). Humor can also be used in conflict. It helps reduce “defensiveness but diffuses conflict” (Morreall 117). From personal experience, moments of tension can be broken from laughter. Sometimes, we let ourselves become carried away in tense moments and laughter can snap you back to reality.  If laughing can provide all of these benefits, I think it important to remember to laugh and laugh often.

   Another important thing to remember is the negative ethics of humor. I think it is so important to realize that while humor has many benefits it has negative effects. While Morreall points out the eight traditional negative ethics in Chapter Five, there are certain ones that stand out to me. Morreall’s first point, ‘humor is insincere,’ is so prevalent in today’s society. Many times I have heard outlandish comments with a “just kidding” tacked on the end. There are times when people genuinely are kidding, but there are times when they are not. Either way, these comments come off as insincere and hurt other people. The other harmful effect that stands out to me is the way humor “disengages us cogniftively from the object of amusement.”  Morreall shares different views “that the tellers of sexist and racist jokes promote prejudice”(Morreall 105). While I do not agree with Morreall on all points, I agree that sexist and racist jokes will always hurts someone. But, I believe that almost any joke can hurt someone. Any laughter done out of spite is damaging. So, while laughing is beneficial, you must know its limits.

  The last important thing I pulled from Comic Relief was the comic wisdom pulled from the last chapter. Morreall breaks down his comic wisdom in ten points. Below I listed the ones I find most meaningful.

1.       Don’t be like these comic butts. Instead, be honest about your strengths and weaknesses, and show integrity in how you talk and act.

3.       Be wary of people trying to persuade you to think or act in a way that will benefit them.

4.       When you face a problem avoid anger, resentment, and self-pity. Keep your cool and think.

6.       Each person counts for one. Everybody has a perspective, a story to tell, a contribution to make.

I feel like this are important reminders that I could use in my daily life. It is easy to get caught up in life and the moment but taking a step back and remembering these things could diffuse conflicts. I'm taking away these three main ideas from Comic Relief as things to remember. 

Off To An Embarrassing Start

     As you all know, we are scheduled to meet with conversation partners.Given a name, e-mail, and phone number, I was prepared to make the first step in contacting Hashim. I sent him a quick e-mail telling him who I was and trying to schedule days. I waited a few days and sent him a quick text, once again letting him know who I was and trying to figure out days. But how long do you wait for someone to text you?! I ended up waiting 12 hours (receiving a response at 12:30 AM!) before receiving the simple text 'You have the wrong number, sorry. I am not hashim.' Certainly an embarrassing moment for me. I had already e-mailed the coordinator saying I was having trouble contacting Hashim and here I am texting the wrong number! And to top it all off, Hashim e-mailed the following morning with a quick note and apologizing for the late reply. After all this mess on my part, Hashim and I e-mailed about where we were to meet up (I wasn't going to deal with texting yet).

The Meet Up

    We had decided to meet up at Union Grounds after class. I wanted our first meeting to be a general get-to-know you meeting. While waiting for him, I started to worry that we wouldn't be able to recognize each other. My worries disappeared when Hashim walked up and we made direct eye contact. We started talking and sharing the basics-name, age, hometown, siblings, and of course, why TCU. Hashim is from Saudi Arabia with two younger siblings at home. He first learned about TCU from his uncle and cousin, they both came from Saudi Arabia to go to school here.  I was genuinely surprised at how well the conversation flowed and how much we have in common. We share the same age, movie interests, and major (after he completes the English program). Hashim spoke about the program he is in and his future plans. I was surprised at how rigorous the program seemed--they have so many presentations! Hashim is nearing the end of the program and will be complete once he scores a little higher on speaking. We talked for about an hour before I needed to leave. I'm curious to talk again with Hashim and see what more I can learn about him, his culture, and his lifestyle

What is Funny?

A Harder Question Than You Expect

I never realized that the question of "What is funny?" would be difficult. It is easy to laugh with friends, share jokes or funny events, and to talk about funny things. But when you flat out ask what is funny, the responses can be interesting.

Girl 1

 “Uh..(laughs)..I don’t know. Funny people, jokes. It depends on so many things. You never know if something will make you laugh. I never know until I hear it or see it. There could be so many things.”

Girl 2

“What makes me laugh…it’s the misfortunes of other people…of myself and friends. Jokes make me laugh. Embarrassing stories make me laugh. Funny TV shows, movies, and some music.”

Boy 1

“In general? I think dry humor is pretty funny. Pretty much anything makes me laugh. I think harsh jokes are funny. I think drunk people are funny. I think Modern Family and Parks and Rec are funny shows. My little nephew makes me laugh.”

Boy 2

“What makes me laugh? I don’t know. Is this a joke? Oh…what makes me laugh. This is a hard question. So much stuff makes me laugh. I don’t know if what makes me laugh is appropriate. Um…what makes me laugh?  I’m stumped. Can it be a TV show? Family Guy makes me laugh, pretty funny. I can’t think of anything, that is a hard question.”