UTEP Student Veterans Writing Program

This program serves as a supplement for veterans returning to school after their service. It aims to assist those in First Year Composition, but may help veterans in all their writing life stages. 

Veteran students are encouraged to participate as their schedule allows.

This program seeks to reach to veterans specifically now, but hope to allow all military affiliated students in the future.

Availability limited to the first 30 students. 

Fall Semester Schedule
Wednesdays

1:30 PM to 2:30 PM.

RSVP at MSSC@utep.edu

University Writing Center
http://uwc.utep.edu/

Military Student Success Center

https://www.utep.edu/student-affairs/mssc/

Not all who wander are lost: The Value of Genealogy

Ethnography meets Autoethnography

Met two women for coffee this morning. Having traveled from diverse parts of California, and here to conduct genealogical research, they are part of an old El Paso family. They will visit the main public library downtown, UTEP special collections, and their family's graves at Mt Sinai Cemetery, which is adjacent to Concordia. I believe it is the only cemetery I've not visited or captured headstone images. So, I've posted a couple of images from my local cemetery flickr album. 

Percy Frank Thomas, Concordia Cemetery
and the L&J Cafe in the background.

Before my dad died, I researched their family as dad had been a childhood friend of their relative, the youngest son of a large and vibrant family. To help answer my dad's questions, I created a public Ancestry tree containing his friend's parents, siblings aunts and uncles data, then triangulated information using newspapers dot com, city directories, and US census data. It is the only public tree i have let loose. I did this for dad (and me, too) because of dad's funny stories about their brief friendship and how he wondered what had happened to his younger friend. I think they were about 2-3 years apart in age. Dad always marveled at how smart his friend was. Evidently, he had skipped two grades, and I found he attended University of Colorado and majored in engineering. I found pages of his college yearbook and learned what fraternity he joined. Eventually, Dad's friend worked as a satellite engineer in Arizona, and was a university professor. Newspapers dot com helped me view and save newspaper articles about his projects.

After dad and his friend moved apart from their houses on North Florence near El Paso High School, his friend's father died, and this part becomes more interesting from a feminist standpoint. Although the family was involved in retailing, his mother became an immigration counselor for people seeking asylum here before the US entered WWII. She set up an immigration information center on Olive street where a housing development now stands.

It is interesting because the family originally fled the pogroms in eastern Europe and somehow landed here by way of Mexico, as have many other families who settled here. I found articles in the El Paso Herald-Post about his mother, who spoke to women's groups about her work and how those seeking asylum were needing assistance.

She was very instrumental in helping people enter the states because of Hitler's rise.

As the children grew, his sisters remained here, became teachers, and his brothers served in the military. And now, they are almost all gone from El Paso. It is amazing to me how many different souls from various parts of the world have passed this way, stayed a while, and then moved to other parts of this country.

"Immigrants, we get the job done."

Campus: Cotton Memorial and Old Main by T.A.Jackson

The black and white image below was captured at the former Texas Western College of Mines campus (now University of Texas El Paso) with a medium format Kodak Medallist. The other digital images shown here were taken with an Apple iPhone.

Standing in front of Hudspeth Memorial building (was a dorm and now houses English) with Cotton Memorial on the left and Old Main in center rear, dad's image reminds of what a radical change this is compared with today's center of campus, especially since the Centennial Plaza project is complete. What a change!  

Compared with his image from the mid-40s, the grade in front of Cotton now runs several feet below the entrance to Cotton (which now has several sets of steps), and the Union has not been built in addition to the Main Library and the Liberal Arts buildings. Usually, such images can be dated by vehicles, so I'm going to ask my resident authority what year the cars are in this picture. I'm guessing my dad took this picture before his trip to the Western National Parks (pre 1950).

Today, the campus has a wonderful greenscape with water features now encompassing an area previously taken up by the Geology Building (was main library), and an older knoll that fell away from the entrance to the Union Theatre. That knoll is now a confabulation of boulders tumbling down to the green pitch. A knoll where I once sat upon its green, played my guitar, and sang the songs of Joni Mitchell.

My father went on in-town photographic journeys with a friend named Mr. Miller. Miller worked at the El Paso Herald Post and was a bit older than dad. After Mr. Miller died, I accompanied dad to visit his widow, so dad could help her value her husband's photographic equipment collection. The Millers lived in a big house on North Loop, near Farmer's Dairies, and they had two dalmatian dogs. I think I was 7 or 8 at the time. 

Today, I have dad's two Medallist cameras, which unfortunately use Kodak's proprietary 620 film and not the more readily available 120. He also left a nice Leica R4, which he traded for using a Leica M2. Towards the end of his life, we both agreed it would have been better to have held onto the M2. But, no matter. All are beautiful pieces of the mechanical reproductive arts. 

Before my father passed away, I gave him the Medallist to hold and examine. The medium format camera is heavy and I cannot imagine hauling it around today. 

At right, dad is carries his Medallist and Leica at Fort Bliss National Cemetery to visit the grave of his brother, Clinton Wesley Jackson (1927-2006). At the time dad was 80, and later died in February 2015.

Snow day

Snow day
Originally uploaded by chacal la chaise.

Snow came and claimed its spot on the radar of all in town and beyond. The schools had to give it its due, even if this is the last week of regular classes. Schools, including UTEP, opened at 10:00 AM. At 10, the mountains were completely shrouded in a misty fog and rain mixed with snow continued until 1:00 or so.

Taking a break around 3:00, I drove up to the foothills to snag a few shots before running back home to work on a paper due tomorrow. (Like I should be writing this now, right?) No matter, I love the mountains and the time away from the screen was good for the soul and eyes.

Neon study hall at Kinley's House Coffee & Teas

Neon studyhall
Originally uploaded by chacal la chaise.

Although I took this image a couple of weeks ago, I thought I would post it to signal the start of finals week at UTEP. Kinley's Coffee Shop, a favorite with the medical, business, and student communities, and of course, coffee and tea drinkers, and hungry people everywhere, provides free Wi-Fi for its customers, along with a wide screen TV that seems to shows either Mexican and other Latin American team soccer matches, or CNN. Thank goodness not the usual alternative, which I must endure at my pharmacy or doctor’s office.

The evening I took this picture was a particularly slow quiet evening; the afternoon rush having long since departed, and I was catching up on my reading grids for Composition Studies and about ready to leave for my 6:00 P.M. Visual Rhetoric class.

Sometimes it takes writing a blog entry to discover that one of your favorite local businesses has a...(cue Wall-E's little voice)

TA DA!...A web site. Kinley's House Coffee & Teas

As far as their coffees, sandwiches, and frozen yogurt, Kinley's is the best. Usually, I must get an extra shot of espresso for Starbuck lattes, but at Kinley's they are just fine. My favorite "George's Turkey" sandwich is absolutely fresh and tasty, and their yogurt is actually tart and not overly sweet. It tastes like yogurt because it is!

While parking is tricky (the Newman Center next door will tow--how Chris....oh, well never mind,) you can always use the drive-through, which when I last looked, that merited at 20% discount. Then you can away your lunch and have a picnic at Kern Place's Madeline Park.

RIP Coach Haskins

RIP Coach Haskins
Originally uploaded by chacal la chaise.

Today, we received sad news. Don Haskins, NCAA Basketball championship coach of the 1966 TWC Miner team, died today. He was 78.

According to an early AP report on the New York Times website, "Haskins was an old-time coach who believed in hard work and was known for his gruff demeanor. That attitude was portrayed in the 2006 movie ''Glory Road,'' the Disney film that chronicled Haskins' improbable rise to national fame in the 1966 championship game against Kentucky. The movie, which was preceded by a book of the same title, also sparked renewed interest in Haskins' career."

The photograph posted here was one I took while at UTEP when I happened to wander into the bookstore, looking for a composition notebook. It was there that I (and many other students) saw Coach Haskins being interviewed by long-time sports journalist Ray Salazar. The interview was taped for television and broadcast live for radio and occurred close to the premier of the film, "Glory Road," a fictionalized account Haskins and his early tenure as coach of the Texas Western College basketball team. According to the AP report, Haskins led the "Miners" to the "1966 NCAA championship game, then making the controversial decision to start five blacks against all-white, heavily favored Kentucky, coached by Adolph Rupp. The Miners won, and shortly after that many schools began recruiting black players."

I know I write for those from and living in El Paso by saying that he will be greatly missed. He loved TWC (UTEP), its athletes, El Paso and its citizens, and in turn, we loved him back.

A flag for the Fourth

A lot my flag images were usually captured at the Fort Bliss National Cemetery on Memorial Day. However, there are a couple of flags I discovered while driving around or walking in the Sunset Heights neighborhood near UTEP. I first found this window covering over ten years ago when I used to volunteer for the El Paso County Historical Society. Walking around the multi-layered yard, I finally made it to the back rock wall and peered over to see this flag. On this day I had my Holga and quickly snapped the picture. I'm glad I did because the next time I looked over the fence, it was gone. Perhaps patriotic window coverings last as long as like a sun shower in this town. Or maybe the owner found a better crib.

Serenity resides inside a fuzzy mauvy box with door

This week the Writing Center Assistant Director provided me with a carrel near the center entrance. There are three carrels in a row: my director’s, mine in the middle, and another to the right that I think is empty. When I arrived the next day, I immediately noticed her assistant had made a nice label with my name and the title Webmaster for the door. Very sweet—I must take a picture of that side of the door too.

Besides being next to the UWC, we are also inside what was the old tutoring and learning center, inside the 3rd floor, inside the larger library building space, inside the UTEP campus, inside the city limits of El Paso.... Basically, i am at the center of a very large matryoshka or Russian nesting doll.

Speaking to another PhD student who is now a candidate (he also has a carrel), I said I was not going to put anything on the walls. But since then, I have reconsidered because there are four walls. I could put things on the sides and nothing on the wall I face. If so, I think I will resurrect my old cube posters from my corporate worker bee days. All meant and specifically selected to mock a fledgling corporate culture stillborn.

There is a Rage Against the Machine circa 1999-2000 poster based on an old Marxist worker design, an Emigre Not Caslon poster (the company's "official" font was Caslon), and a few more things that could brighten the place. I also need my halogen lamp; the fluorescent buzzing above my head give me a headache and the light is very dim.

Yesterday, as I emerged from that womblike space, I decompressed. I believe everyone initially comes out looking like a mole, squinting and stretching, reacting and acclimating to the larger outside space within a space. Overall, I experienced a trancelike feeling as if I were working inside a cave; but a square cave with mauvy-tan fuzzy walls, a door with a little window, a bit of headroom, and a little bit more light than one would presumably receive inside a "regular" rock cave.

It is a serene place, when I'm inside my cave with my screen glowing and pink Skullcandy headphones that help silence the voices outside these walls.

However, there might be an added benefit. I might just relearn pre-calculus and algebra because there is a whiteboard on the opposite side of the wall I face. Everyday young men gather to deconstruct various equations and theorems. They pound on the board with their dry-erase markers, laughing. They discuss their numbers and signs and symbols, while sitting at a large table. They speak an intense combination of English and Spanish. Overall, they sound as if they are having a good time learning math. Now who’d thought that was possible!

In other news...surplus auction

"Robotic arm"? cool...
even if one isn't interested in such stuff, it might make for an interesting photo shoot.

UTEP SURPLUS AUCTION || SATURDAY JULY 28TH 10 A.M.|| 3105 SUN BOWL DRIVE

2000 Ford Crown Victoria, 1985 Ford F-150 4x4 with Lift Gate, 2-1992 Ford Ranger Pickups,1980, 86, 88 Chevy S-10 Pickups, 1985 Toyota Pickup, 16 Roland practice Pianos, TV's, Projectors, Laptop Cases,Doors, Chalkboards, Camcorders, Projection Screens, Typewriters, Calculators, Lab Equipment, Desks, File Cabinets, Chairs, Bookcases, Brake Machine, 2 Robotic Arms, Tailgates, Step Bumpers, & many more small items.

Gates Open at 9 A.M. for Viewing

Transitions to future tech

Obey Obey: with Franklin MountainsOriginally uploaded by chacal la chaise.

The following is a post I wrote for my Computers and Writing course. In the course, we utilize a program called WebCt.

1. Do you think f2f communication important to a healthy society? If we communicate primarily through email, internet and such, how will this effect the growth of the society of tomorrow?

To begin I'll say I believe we as a species are very adaptive and adoptive.

Those who are exposed to tech can and do adapt to electronic processes involving information, communication, and interaction, although my 18 year old does not like reading online, while I do. But she is a wizard when text messaging. At the other end of the spectrum, my 81 year old father is very intrigued by all things tech--he was always an early adopter--cameras, recording equipment, any number of electronic devices. He told me he believes he was born 50 years too early; he would like a computer and a digital camera. At the moment, he is considering various cameras that will create images and prints without the need for a computer. Every once in a while I text message his cell phone just so he can figure out how to read it, and text me back. On the other hand, the most tech my mom uses is the telephone and the television.As far as effecting growth of society, I see this already. I interact and comment (nay even dis) those who give my older daughter a hard time when she posts entries to her blog. Here is a good example, where we pseudonymously post. Later, as a follow-up, I discussed my process with my daughter on our landline.

• First read blog entry, downloaded mp3 offerings, then read the first and only comment at the time.


• Thought about the commentator, and smiled wryly while thinking about an appropriate response.


• Thought how comment effected daughter, then decided to wait until others commented positively to her writing style. 24 hours later, spent too much time to compose an appropriate response.


• Discussed event five hours later with daughter; recapped one another's reaction and others' responses to the original post and first comment; laughed, and finally, caught up other's events for the week..


• Finally, located exact URL for WebCT entry, noted there are now 9 comments.
  

Now I know most people to not behave as we do. I didn't even relate how I had to trouble shoot an old .asp file I'd written for my husband's website that was now failing because of server changes implemented by the host. I mean really, how many mother/daughter combinations used to post to AOL, original designs created for a mah jong game? How many wives have played Doom on a WAN with their husband and his business partners on a Friday night? (Man, I used to get vertigo from playing only 20 minutes.) How many mother's have a MySpace and (new today) Facebook page? (When I complain I can't find an appropriate alumnae page for my high school, The Judge (younger daughter) reminds me to remember there aren't very many parent's like me. (!!!!) Although, I am now part of El Paso, El Paso Flood, UTEP, and "You know you are from El Paso because" groups.

Obey Obey
Originally uploaded by chacal la chaise.

Overall, I think I am behind with tech, and yet I communicate with people all over the world through Flickr and the two blogs I maintain. In fact, Vox.com blogs are good for this. Their interface is socially orientated, much like LiveJournal. In general, it seems all new business apps strive for social interconnectivity and networking. Librarything.com is designed to interact with others of similar tastes, while Amazon.com has a huge community of reviewers. This is the future of tech and human interaction through them.However, I must talk with friends via phone or F2F. I call my parents everyday, but feel guilt if I do not visit F2F every other week. How will this how will this effect society's growth in the future? To me, the future is the past plus the present. This means that we will continue until hitting a tipping point. At that point wlll all have cell phones that will conduct business/banking transactions, unlock car doors/homes via the internet, and receive images from fathers who are out taking pictures with their new digital cameras.

MSU :: Hubbard South at twilight

MSU :: Hubbard South at twilight
Originally uploaded by chacal la chaise.

Yes, yes I know. Where have all the blog posts gone, long time passing (sorry about that Pete, I could not resist).

Well let's see, there was a death in the family in late June (and I promised myself I would write about its impact, but haven't yet, which must mean something). Then July was uneventful, although the Judge, MJ, and I spent a lot of time getting ready for the August trip to Michigan, which arrived much too fast because…all of a sudden, August was here, and we were gone to take the Judge to college.

While there, I shot many film and digital photos to document her move-in/transition to college life. Along the way, while holed up in a way too small Red Roof Inn, a Starbucks, and the Judge's dormroom. I uploaded the images. Now they are in a set on Flickr. Before we knew it, we were saying goodbyes,and then MJ and I returned home--just the two of us. Que muzak and fade out.

But wait! Immediately upon our return, I began graduate school (albeit a week late) and since then, it's been one long state of panic and terror. No, not really. The terror and panic come on Tuesdays and Thursdays between the hours of 10:30 AM and 5:50 PM. In contrast, I can’t sleep Monday and Wednesday nights in anticipation of the following days' terror- and panic-filled hours. Although, Thursday night is best because I have Friday all to myself.

While this is a bit of a histrionic and stratospheric POV, I wouldn't have done it any different—except I'd try to be more organized. And write more blog posts so that I don't have to sound like I'm apologizing for something. And read my journal articles before class begins. And get out and take more pictures downtown like my friend Mondo Loco. And, and, and...