Blog Post #6

When we think about Las Vegas, underground storm tunnels don’t necessarily come to mind. What comes to mind is the flashiness and social aspect of the nightclubs, casinos, restaurants and more that Las Vegas tends to be known for. The speaker, Burke, follows a man named Matt Obrien who gives us an insight into this uncharted, underground world of Las Vegas that he has an obvious passion for. The tunnels create a different atmosphere from the hustle and bustle on ground level. A whole society exists within these storm drains. Obrien even tells us of a time he came across children’s toys leading him to believe that even families with small children find themselves amongst this world. Obrien visits these tunnels frequently, even after the publication of his book about this unexpected society, and touches the lives of the people who live in them through donations of food, clothing, and even a simple conversation to better their day. Obrien’s discoveries draws to our attention the idea that there exits more than what we can see on the surface.

Burke notices the tunnels hold a great importance in the eyes of Obrien and makes the remark that “the tunnels have become a sort of refuge for him too, from the city.” (Burke) This idea of the tunnels feeling as an escape from the large city of Las Vegas truly caught my attention. It is true that everyone deserves an escape from the chaotic lives we live. For Obrien, being among the people and the atmosphere the storm tunnels nurture is this place of escape. The insight we are given into Obrien’s passions for this society creates a deepened perspective of the world around us. Though our education on this unexpected culture we wouldn’t typically consider we are able to take a step back from the pace of life we are unfortunately entwined in. We are able to slow down and appreciate the lives of those who live differently then we do and as a result our respect for different societies of people is broadened.

Blog Post #5

What I believe I did well in my speech was efficiently communicate this unique culture that I found within army ROTC. I felt as thought the organization of my piece was thoughtful in order to aid and enhance my underlying theme of emotion and relationships I discovered. I did find myself getting choked up on my words occasionally but I feel the audience could also tell that I came prepared. There were parts within my speech that made it apparent I knew what I was talking about; however, there were also a couple of transition areas I struggled on. I need to make sure that I practice transitioning my ideas smoothly and confidently. I also should have used more eye contact. In watching myself, I found I was looking at the PowerPoint frequently or hiding my nose in my notecards. I thought I did very well with my tone and volume; however, I could have slowed down my pace at times to add stress to the main parts of my argument. In order to improve for further speeches I need to concentrate on keeping my head up and making sure I am looking at the audience more. I need to avoid looking back at my PowerPoint too many times. Another improvement I need to make for the future could be to incorporate more movement as I am speaking. In watching myself I noticed that I remained stationary throughout the whole speech when I could have displayed a more confident image through moving through the room. Lastly, I could improve my PowerPoint in a way that requires less use of the clicker so I don’t find myself paranoid that slide will not be on the correct point or bullet. In total the speech truly wasn’t as scary as we all thought it would be and despite all of the improvements I need to make I am happy with how it went.