Video Essay "My Life"

Watching You
“Watching You,” by Rodney Atkins. Ever since the first time I put on my cowboy boots and buttoned up my little flannel shirt I can remember one thing that stayed true all throughout my childhood and that is how hard I tried to be just like my dad. The song “Watching You” by Rodney Atkins mirrors my never-ending want to be a walking replica of my dad. As I pulled on those size five, brown leather cowboy boots and buttoned up my red flannel shirt I always knew it was time to head out and see how I could learn from my dad and shadow him all through the day. In the song it talks about how the little boy followed the example set by his dad both good and bad without knowing the difference. For me as a child I looked up to my dad in such a way that no matter what he did or said it had to be right, if only because he said it. My dad was my greatest role model and I wouldn’t trade a day spent with him for anything in the world. I learned so much from him and we learned many things together as well. I watched his every move and grew into the person that I am today because I was able to look up to someone and turn to someone whenever I needed advice or help. This song portrays the relationship between a father and son and shows how that tie offers so many things; from lessons learned, memories shared, and hardships conquered. I will never forget the times I spent learning from my dad and every time this song plays it takes me back to the time of those little old cowboy boots and my worn out shirt chasing my dad every where he went as we built a relationship that will last a lifetime.


A Good Man
“A Good Man,” by Emerson Drive. After realizing how much I had to be grateful for in my life and didn’t take anything for granted anymore I began to think about the kind of person I wanted to be seen as. As I went through high school I changed in many ways but the one thing that I believe stayed the same was my want to be “A Good Man.” As I listen to this song it just fuels the desire that I have inside to be happy with what I have been given and accomplished. I don’t waste my time with all the small troubles in life and remember always trying to be happy with whatever life threw at me. High school is kind of a blur looking back now but the experiences I had will shape continue to shape my life and direct me in the direction I want to go. From the clubs that I joined to better my transcripts to the sports I played to stay in shape and satisfy my competitive side. High school was a time when I found out who I was and I began to uncover what life had in store for me. The friends I made and the jobs I worked put everything into perspective and I realized through my experiences, that no matter what happens in life, nothing matters as long as you have the ones you love close to you. When the song says, “I don’t need a whole lot of money,” It makes me understand the feeling I had found that family and friends are priceless things in life that no amount of money in the world can buy.


If You’re Going Through Hell
“If You’re Going Through Hell,” by Rodney Atkins. Life throws all sorts of unexpected things at you both good and bad but it wasn’t until my sophomore year of high school that I realized that you get through anything if you just keep at it. The song “If You’re Going Through Hell,” by Rodney Atkins sums this lesson up in a few lyrics. The song says, “If you’re going through hell keep on going…you might get out before the devil even knows you’re there.” All throughout my life I was the type of person who would let little things bother me and when things weren’t going just like I had planned I felt disappointed and let down. However I always had my friends and family there to help me through. Just like the people that help him out in the video I had relationships in my life that could help me through. Anyone who knew me knew that family always comes first. The relationship that I have with my family is something that I will always treasure. When we are out on a sunny day working in the yard or out to brunch on Sunday afternoon, anyone can see the laughter and joy that we bring each other. My sisters and I would joke and tease as we raked the leaves that had fallen off the aspens in the front yard and my mom and dad would laugh at the site of us throwing leaves and rolling around the yard. We were always there for each other after a rough day at work or school and these kind of ties are what kept us going strong no matter what life threw our way.


Never Wanted Nothing More
“Never Wanted Nothing More,” by Kenny Chesney. Ever since I was very young I have wanted a truck that I could take hunting and ride around town in, finally when the summer of my 17th birthday came, I bought that truck. I convinced my parents to let me sell my first car and buy my truck that I could work on and restore until it reflected the truck I always wanted. This song by Kenny Chesney talks about working hard and earning what you want, until you are happy and satisfied to the point that you couldn’t want anything more. When I bought my truck it didn’t run and needed a lot of work but after hours and hours of stripping and tearing in my garage I built my own truck and was able to drive it off to school knowing that I couldn’t ask for anything more.
My truck was nothing but a broken down rust bucket when I got it but now it is a dark charcoal grey with new BF Goodrich All/Terrain Tires and a Kenwood Stereo that plays all my music loud and clear through my Pioneer door speakers. The bed is lined in a black rhino lining that I rolled on myself and the cab is upholstered in new seat covers and matching carpet. With a five speed transmission and nearly all new mechanical parts, I rebuilt my truck into my off road dream and when I hear the song play, “it was mine all mine and I never wanted nothing more,” I know that I created a lifelong dream and wouldn’t trade a moment of that hard work in for anything.


Remember The Name
“Remember the Name,” by Fort Minor. My size 10, black with red stripes, Adidas Predator soccer cleats, not only molded to my feet as I took the field day in and day out but these boots became a part of me, and my feet just aren’t comfortable in any other shoes. My soccer boots are light as a feather and fit my feet like a favorite pair of socks and I wouldn’t trade them for any other shoe in the world. Each time I laced up those studs my easy laid back personality changed to a competitive put it all on the line type of attitude and this song is always playing in my mind when I step out onto that pitch. “Ten percent luck, twenty percent skill, fifteen percent concentrated power of will, five percent pleasure, fifty percent pain and one hundred percent reason to remember the name.” This bit from the song not only explains the feeling of lacing up my boots but it gets my adrenaline flowing every time and takes me back to the atmosphere of the game.
As I slide into a tackle or line up to send the ball across the field my spikes grip the loose ground under me and hold true every time I need to plant on them. Playing soccer has always been a part of my life and I take great pride in my reputation on the field. My soccer cleats display this through their shiny yet used and broken in appearance that they get from countless hours of use and irreplaceable care that I put into polishing them before every game. Seeing these boots in my closet keeps me going back for more every time and the song “Remember the Name” by Fort Minor fuels my desire to head out and play another match every time I hear it.


Free and Easy Down the Road I Go
“Free and Easy Down the Road I Go,” by Dierks Bentley. The song “Free and Easy Down the Road I Go” is a song that will always take me back to my trip from Denver Colorado to Lincoln Nebraska to start my college life. It was just me, my pick up, and the open road. As I left Denver and headed into the flat land of eastern Colorado and western Nebraska the scenery changed from rolling hills and high altitude, to flat lands, river bottoms and cornfields. The sun was shining and the sky was clear. I rolled the windows down and cranked up the music and the first song I played was this song. As I heard the words “a pair of boots and a sack of clothes, free and easy down the road I go,” I got my first taste of being out on my own.
With cornfields as far as I could see I drove into my new home with the windows down and the wind whipping through the cab of my truck I could smell the scent of fresh cow manure and sweet country breeze. I saw irrigation systems all throughout the fields and the rows of corn looked as though they would never end. The river bottom ran along the north side of the interstate and the sounds of geese honking as they flew over head set the tone for my new home. I knew this wasn’t where I wanted to stay forever but for now it is what I call home. As the song went on to say, “some day I know its going to take me home,” I knew that even though the interstate blew by as I headed east, this road would always be there to take me home again when I decided that my time here in Lincoln was up.


I Am Number One
“I Am Number One,” by Nelly. High school soccer is different for every school but at Northglenn High School the tradition of soccer ran deep through the school and being a part of the team was like having another family. Competitive and hardheaded on the field, we were always hard on each other, but off the field we were all just a bunch of brothers living together. We lived and died as a team, every time one fell the team flinched in pain and when one was cut we all bled. Having this type of bond is what makes a team successful and when the song asks the question, “What does it take to be number one?” I know that having that tight team bond is what it takes to win. During season we lived not as individuals but as pieces of the whole and everything we did was for the better of the team. Everyone knew when we were around because of the laughing and joking that always rang out from our crowd. We ate together, studied together, practiced together, and played through everything together. This team was my family outside of home and being able to be a part of it would make anyone a better person. Being number one and winning is important in any sport but if you don’t have the right team to share it with you really haven’t succeeded. When I listen to this song I see flash backs of tackles and goals scored on the field but more importantly I see the good times and relationships that I built on the team and even if we hadn’t won the league championship the season still would have been a success.


You Make Me Want To
“You Make Me Want To,” by Luke Bryan. Life can be good and bad at times but unless you have someone to share it with none of it really matters. This song says, “I don’t know if I can ever change, but you make me want to,” and having that feeling to want to be everything you can to make someone happy is an irreplaceable feeling. When I decided to try the long distance relationship situation I was skeptical but when times got hard and I bailed out I never quit regretting it. One day this song came on and I realized how much she meant to me and I worked and worked to get her back until she finally came back to me. I was in a can’t sleep, can’t eat, lost in life state without her and this song shows the never ending want to change anything necessary to keep her happy. I realized I really didn’t have to change at all but that sensation of willingness to do anything to make it work and eventually making it work so well that nothing can come between us is something that anyone can see I am happy with. When I went through life in that state of wondering and waiting it changed me into a; don’t take anything for granted, live like you were dying kind of person that I am right now. That is where is stand in life’s journey as of this moment and I don’t want to change anything about that or ever risk losing this feeling again. So I live day to day and take in every experience like it could be my last because you never know when it might all come crashing down so why hold anything back.

First Video

I never really watched music videos as a child and I’m sure that I saw several videos before this one but I really can’t recall any of them. However the first time I saw this video it stuck with me and I haven’t forgot how I felt to this day. The first time I saw the video “Watching You” by Rodney Atkins I felt a feeling that I had never felt before. It made me realize how special a relationship between a father and his son truly is. I began to notice the things I did to be just like my dad and how much I looked up to him as a role model. When I saw this video I was already in high school and well past the times that this video shows. But I realized how much I still strive to be just like my dad in every way I can.

I think that a father is the one person that a son looks up to most and no matter how aware of it either of them are growing up and building a strong relationship is the most important thing that a kid can have. It is also equally important for a dad to have this bond with his kid and thrives off of it just as much as the child does. It is an irreplaceable feeling and no one who hasn’t experienced it can ever feel the same bond shared between a father and son. From sharing laughs and creating memories to getting through the tough times together a father and son should have a tie that can’t be altered by any obstacle face in life. This video shows how a son looks up to his dad in every way and will do anything to be just like him.

Least Favorite Video

The song “Alyssa Lies” by Jason Michael Carol is a very good song that brings to surface a very serious issue that needs to be addressed. However the music video is my least favorite thing to watch. Not because it is poorly made but because of the pain it can cause just watching the video. Though I don’t want to simply ignore the issue, it is far too hard to watch this video and think about the things that these children have to face day in and day out without any support to get them through. I know that I could never survive in their situation and if that was the environment that I was brought up in I know that I wouldn’t be the same person that I am today.

The video itself shows several children who have been beaten both mentally and physically and it is nearly impossible to watch the entire video without feeling sick to my stomach. The images on this video are so intense that you feel like you know what these children are going through but in reality you don’t even begin to get a taste of the things that they go through. By creating this video the artist was hoping to raise awareness and prevention towards this issue. Hopefully he did just that but I cannot sit and watch this video knowing that there is so little I can do to help these kids with their situation. I will get involved in any way I can to stop this epidemic but watching the video does nothing but make me sick. This issue is something that needs to be addressed and hopefully stopped altogether because these kids are the future of America and by raising them in these environments there is little to no hope of a full recovery.

A Good Man

A Good Man

The music video “A Good Man” is my favorite music video for several reasons but mainly because I think it shows who I really am and will always be. The most important things to me in life are the relationships you create and memories made with the people who are closest to you. Without friends and family to share your life with you don’t have anything because it represents who you are and what is important to you. I am the kind of person who gets along with everyone and will go the extra mile to help someone out. But when it comes to my family and friends there is nothing I wouldn’t do to help them out and show them how much I care about them. Family and friends are what I live for and having people to share your life with makes the world go round.
This video is of a family who may not have all the amenities and extras that some choose to splurge in, but they have each other and can live and be happy and grateful for what they have. In the video it shows how they care for each other and love to be in the presence of one another no matter what the situation. They have each other to get through the hard times and to share the good times with. That is all that is important to me and I will be happy if I continue to have that for the rest of my life no matter where I end up or what my situation is.
The song goes on to talk about sharing your life with the one you love and creating a family to love and live for no matter the circumstances. In my opinion you don’t have enough if you don’t have someone to love and share your life with. Having a family is a necessity in life and being alone just can’t compare to the life of those with a loving family. You can have everything money can buy but without someone to share it with it is simply a lost cause. That is why I think you have to be grateful for what you have and treasure the life you are given. Make the best of every situation and love like there is no tomorrow because when it is gone you will realize how much it meant to you.

Ethanol Cartoon

Visual argumentation is one of the most common techniques when it comes to arguing a point or opinion. The cartoon here on ethanol fuel is no different and it uses several different forms of argument when pointing out the benefits of ethanol fuel through visualization. Through the argument several forms of persuasion can be detected and play key roles in the presentation of the image. By utilizing rhetorical appeals such as pathos, ethos, and logos, the artist can argue the argument without the use of any words. The author also uses argument techniques such as analogy, cause and effect, classification, and visual styles such as examples and illustration. All of which comes together to present the argument that ethanol fuel will help to solve several of our nations problems.

Being economically independent has been one of our nations goals for years and many argue that ethanol fuel is the answer. Arguments have been presented to support why this technological breakthrough can and will push the nation to a whole new level of independence as well as how it will help with the growing problem related to global warming and pollution. This cartoon is a perfect example of each of these elements being argued in a single image. When observed on different levels one can see all the positive sides of switching to ethanol. For example the economic benefit that the corn producers will gain, the possible happiness of being independent, the result of cleaner air, as well as the lack of reliance on oil. On top of that one can see the respect that the idea will get from the progress that it provides the country.

The cartoon itself is very appealing to the eye at first glance and after picking out smaller details. The super corn and the lady supporting the corn are what first catches my eye. The fact that the corn has been given the title of superman is huge in giving the rest of the cartoon a base to support the argument. The corn and the lady clearly play the main role in the argument possessing several details that help to strengthen the purpose of the image. After getting past that there are several minor details that positively support the use of ethanol. For example there is a farm and lush green fields surrounding the main characters. The farm is very clean and picture perfect in its presentation. The sky is another appealing part of this image with its clean, white, puffy clouds and brilliant blue color. Below the sky there are trees growing tall and more fields spread across the horizon all appearing to be growing to their full potential. Lastly, atop the horizon is a small town functioning in the distance. The specific details of the town are hard to make out but its sole existence argues several points that become very useful in the overall purpose of the cartoon. All of these details effectively argue the good to come in the future of ethanol.

As a result of this argument being a cartoon the visual aspects of argumentation stand out the most and all of the methods used are based around that. The picture gives several examples how ethanol fuel can improve the lives of everyone and the economies that rely on it. First the corn itself is used as to as a tool to build rhetorical appeal off of. The characters in the foreground possess characteristics that were stolen from the widely known duo, Lois Lane and Clark Kent. The artist uses the analogy of comparing superman to the corn and by giving the superman emblem to the corn ethanol fuel steals all of the characteristics that superman was given over an extended period of time. After pinning the superman emblem on the corn through the use of ethos appeal the ethanol fuel immediately gains the respect of the public. The goal of the author by doing this is to have the fuel tap into the good emotions and positive outlooks of the people and utilize the pathos appeal of rhetoric to lock the viewers in on the idea that ethanol results in only positive occurrences.

The main use of ethos detected in this visual argument is the author use of the nationally renowned symbol of superman to give the fuel a heroic image. By doing this the author lets the audience feel that this product will help to solve our problems and save us from situations such as that of being dependent on other resources. The superman emblem is commonly associated with a figure that saves the day and does only good things helping to persuade the viewer that ethanol will do the same. The argumentation technique of classification is also used here when the image helps the audience relate super hero characteristics to that of the possible characteristics of ethanol fuel. The fact that the Lois Lane character standing next to the corn is tipping her hat to it and embracing it in a positive way also presents the audience with more ties to its heroic traits and loveable offerings.

The author utilizes the cause effect relationship with his drawing as well. It argues that by using ethanol only positive results, also known as the effects will come of it. By switching reliance from gasoline to ethanol fuel our nation will become both energy independent and environmentally safe. The author uses the clear blue sky in the background to leave its audience with the impression that cleaner more breathable air will result. The idea of being independent comes with background knowledge on the topic, and the author supports the benefits of that by showing the girls excitement. The fact that they are standing in the middle of a cornfield with a farmhouse in the background shows that we can produce the fuel ourselves without any need to call upon the resources of another country. This form of argument touches on the rhetoric appeal of pathos. The idea of being happy as well as energy independent brings only positive thoughts and emotions to the audience. However the main use of pathos is in the type of twisted humor present when using the 50’s cartoon characters to relate to ethanol. By including this the author expands his audience and entertains while arguing his point.

The artist has included a town on the horizon of the cartoon representing industrialization co-existing with the fuel. With this, the picture argues that the fuel can continue to run our nation and provide service for all of those needs we once used gasoline for. By including this aspect the artist not only emphasizes the fact that the ethanol fuel can accomplish everything that gasoline can. But also that ethanol can do it while maintaining the clear blue sky, happy users and a generous availability. The setting of the cartoon is out in the country and by including the town near by the audience gets the feeling that the fuel will be distributed as needed all across the nation and not just in the big city. By doing this, the author is again able to utilize the rhetorical appeal of ethos to bring hope and good intentions to the product.


The last rhetorical appeal used in this cartoon is logos. The author uses all of the other techniques to create a sense of credibility for the fuel and continuously tries to peak the viewer’s interest with pleasing images and thoughts. By using icons such as the superman emblem and feel good details the author can make the audience not only like the idea of ethanol but gain confidence in its success. The good details referred to here are the excitement and positive embracement shown by the girl and the clear blue skies suggesting a cleaner healthier environment. The image also shows the possible economic success that the agriculture industry could experience. But the main reason the fuel can obtain these traits through the cartoon is by proudly wearing the superman emblem on its chest. Overall the author successfully uses a number of persuasion techniques to get the point across that ethanol fuel, can and if given the chance, will succeed in gaining the U.S. energy independence and adopting a more efficient and cleaner fuel to drive this nation forward into the future.