Research Dogpile. From Mike Lohre

Students, please use the Comments section to share what you learned from your research.  Hopefully this will give us a better understanding and appreciation of the profiles and history in Holding On.




I explored the question: Does the Hobo Convention still exist, and what is its purpose?

Hobo King and Queen annual Hobo Convention, Britt, Iowa

Steam Train in one of the last pictures before he passed away in 2006.

Links about hobo culture and Steam Train

http://www.vice.com/read/death-of-the-american-hobo-0012987-v19n10

Journal Two from Shel Collum

Hi there! My name is Shel Collum and I'm in my Sophomore year of school. I graduated from North Union High School where I played football and baseball. I attended Ohio Dominican University on a baseball scholarship for the first semester and left because I wanted to be a buckeye. I'm 20 years old and I'm a very passionate fan of Ohio State sports, mainly football and basketball. I'm a Business Administration major and plan on either going into accounting, real estate or just general management once I get to Columbus. An interesting fact about me is that I was once stung by a jellyfish on vacation. It sucked, but it happened.

I found the profile of "Steam Train" Maury Graham to be the most interesting and meaningful to me. This man was so intriguing to me because he was proud of who he was and the life he had, even though many people frowned down and didn't care for hobos like Maury. Right away, he informed readers that there was a difference between hobos and bums. Many people, including myself, associated the two together like they were the same people. Maury stated "you go in those bum camps and might not come out". Compared to a hobo camp where Maury said "
. . . they'll look out for you and they'll treat you nice". I found the writing at the end to be very powerful because this is where Maury stated that his time of being a hobo is over because he is "old and crippled". He said that it was "hard to leave", referring to his life as a hobo but why would anyone want to live that life? I believe it was hard for Maury to leave the life behind because he left home as a child and his entire life, up until 79 years old, he traveled around the United Sates going from camp to camp. It's hard to give up something that someone has been doing their entire life.

Journal 2

Hey guys! My name is Chelsey Brown. I'm a sophomore this year at OSUM, and my major is English Law. I also graduated high school a year early. I love to travel and experience new cultures. I'm a dog lover, I have a giant yellow lab and a fat pug! I'm originally from Columbus but now live in Delaware. I work at Chipotle in Delaware, and have been for 2 years now. I also just recently got promoted to a management position. In my free time I love to watch Netflix and hang with friends!











In the book Holding On by David Isay, the profile that meant the most to me was the very first one called "Steam Train" Maury Graham. I was really interested in this profile because I could connect it to the real world and life experiences. In this profile, Graham speaks about the difference between a bum, and a hobo. In the profile he says " A bum is someone who wants something from nothing". I really connected to this in the real world because there are so many people who are homeless or claim to be that beg for money, but don't want to work for it by getting a real job. I also connected to his definition of a bum, because I know a lot of people who try to live off the government so they don't have to work for anything( they want something from nothing). When he speaks about a hobo, he says "I'm a class a little higher than that". Have you got any work I can do?" (Isay, 20). This was interesting to me because in today's society its not common to come across a homeless person that is not a bum, according to Graham's definitions. Recently I went to New York and saw many homeless people, which none of were looking for work, they were all begging for money. So when reading this it made me think, do they consider themselves a bum, or a hobo? If there is a difference in today's society. I loved this profile, it was so interesting and fun to read.

Journal 2 from Cieria

Hello, my name is Cieria.  This is my fourth, but not last year at OSUM.  I will hopefully get my BSBA spring 2018.  This is my only class this semester where I meet in person with a professor (all of my other classes are distance learning business classes).  I currently live in between Waldo and Marion with my husband and two dogs, but hope to move out of state after I graduate.  A fun fact about me is that I have two TVs in my living room so that my husband and I can play Xbox together.

Me and my husband, Tony at the zoo lights (sorry, I haven't taken many pictures recently)

The profile about Robert Shields meant the most to me.  (He was the person with the diary of every minute if you do not recall).  Even though his story was written in 1993 (before most of us were born, I would assume), I found it quite refreshing.  Some may see what he did as a weird compulsion, but I like to see him as a man who did something that gave his life meaning every day.  Nobody made him write his diary. He did it because he wanted to, without caring what a single person person thought of it.  I find that pretty inspiration, even if it isn't the most exciting person to read about.  I also relate to this profile because I often do things that most people would consider unnecessary, or a waste of time because it lowers my high anxiety (without the side affects of medication).   I do not have OCD or absolutely HAVE to do certain things, but it helps me feel more relaxed and able to live my daily life.

Journal Two from Betsy Lyons

Hi! My name is Elizabeth Lyons but everyone calls me Betsy. I am a sophomore and my major is business. I am originally from Grand Rapids, Michigan but moved to Marion last year when I started at the Ohio State University. My parents live in South Carolina. I have one brother and one sister. I am the youngest sibling. I own a Jack Russel-Beagle mix dog named Charlie. I work at Bob Evans and have been for the past three years as a grill cook. I love to go running and watch Netflix in my free time. My favorite show on Netflix is "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia." One interesting fact about me is that I am looking to join the Peace Corp for two years after I get my Bachelors degree.

My best friend Lilly (right side) and I (left side)

In Holding On, the profile that stood out the most for me was the second one. Lawrence W. "Happy" Davis is a retired Pullman Porter. As an African-American, he provided for himself and his family from 1925 to the day he retired, which I believe to be remarkable. The separation between whites and colors was still going on back in the 1930s. The fact that Happy was able to get a job and keep the job at the same company, really is an inspiration. He did what he had to do in order to provide for his family which is admirable. Most people nowadays have lost that drive and determination to get a job and keep it for as long as he did. People now switch from job to job simply because they are bored or just do not want to work. This story stood out to me because I got a job at the age of sixteen in order to help my family and I still work at the same place. I can relate to this story because I have the motivation and the drive to become independent and work just like Happy did.

Journal Two Tiffney

     My name is Tiffney Shepherd and I am from Marion, Ohio. I have a younger sister that goes to Ohio State University Marion Campus. My major is Sociology. The show Criminal Minds is what got me interested in sociology.The reason I got into sociology is to understand on how the world works and to understand patterns of human behavior. The most interesting fun fact about myself is, that I love to travel and go on cruise ship. I just recently go back from a 7 night Western Caribbean Disney Cruise. The nice about traveling is learning about the different cultures.

 
     As you have seen I like to travel mostly on the Disney Cruise Lines. I like the way their porters roll your bedding down and leave a figures on the bed made of towels, plus a piece of chocolate on the pillow. While watching WOSU on television, I saw a documentary about the Brotherhood of Pullman Porters, how they got started serving people on trains. The ones that interested me the most was Lawrence W. "Happy" Davis. How he helped younger porters learn their jobs from 1865 until 1925 when he retired.You can watch this on channel 34.1 and 34.3 to see what I'm talking about. The introductory material was well written and to the main point. I like how the stories are broken down to each individual and the stories do not go on forever. I can see the time and effort it took to gather all the information and put it in one book.

Journal 2 from Shelby Weber

Hello. My name is Shelby Weber. I am from Centerburg, Ohio and am 21 years old. I am currently a senior and am planning to graduate in December if all goes well. I work at Cracker Barrel in Sunbury, Ohio. I have worked there since I was 16. I got married last August to my best friend, Rusty. We have been together for eight years now. I love to bake and cook when I get free time.

I found the interview with "Steam Train" Maury Graham the most interesting. A lot of information he shared was new for me. I never knew the difference between bums and hobos. He really loved life and enjoyed was he did. He seemed to have a content feeling with how he was living. I thought the writing was straight to the point and did not have a lot of "fluff". The author did a great job setting up the character of "Steam Train".

Journal Two Jessica Onate

Hi. My name is Jessica Onate and I am a sophomore. I lived in Marion for about 10 years, then moved to Indiana when I was 14. I moved back to Marion last year and transferred to OSU Marion. I am a Political Science major, and hope to go to law school to become a lawyer. I have two brothers, no pets, and I am a part time waitress at El Campesino. I've always wanted a puppy, and when I do get one I will name him George. An interesting fact about me is that I travel to Mexico almost every summer. Fitness and nutrition include some of my biggest interests. My boyfriend and I like working out and cooking from time to time. 
In Holding On, what most stood out to me was the introductory material. I think it is really neat that someone took the time to learn about people's life stories. I also like the author's discussion about creativity. It is our experiences that shape who we are, and creativity helps play a large role in it. When we are creative we explore new things, finding our interests and passions. This is important simply to not get caught up in the routine. 

Journal Two: Andrew Joseph

This is long, and I'm sorry. I just don't stop talking...

My name is Andrew Joseph, I spend most of my time wasting it. Binge watching Law and Order, American Horror Story, Supernatural, How to Get Away With Murder and other family friendly television programs like Game of Thrones. That should have been read with the utmost sarcasm. I work at Kohl's just across the street, Kohl's is not directly across the street but it is on the other side of the street down-a-ways. I was born in 1995 which statistically speaking I should be 20 about to turn 21. But I feel as though I was born an old soul. I wish I could've went to Woodstock to hear Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young. I wish I could've spent my days driving along a coast line somewhere and listening to the newest Fleetwood Mac song. But... I wasn't so I now have to pretend. I collect vinyl records, I have a little over 250 of them. I was the one in class that said I lived in Japan for two years as my interesting fact. My ultimate goal for myself is to be an actor in a movie standing next to someone who I admire like Jared Leto, Jennifer Lawrence, Brad Pitt, Leonardo DiCaprio, Emma Stone or Jack Nicholson. Ultimate goal above all is to marry Ariana Grande (Pray for me, I need that to happen.). I find peace in writing, so while maintaining my main dream I am going to school for journalism, even if acting doesn't work out like I hope it will. I will have the education to be a writer for some type of distinguished magazine or paper. I have pretty much said everything that has been written on the board and on the paper to share with you so I will leave you with something that I like that creeps most people out. I like cemeteries, not because of a weird death like reason but because I find them peaceful and respectable. Both things I feel has been lost sometimes in society. It's something that will always stay the same while cemeteries are a place to go or be. (I'm really a cool person, lord willing,  I hope that didn't trip anyone out).

This is my best friend Nicole and I, after we ate. (I'm on the left).

I generally liked the profiles, I thought it was cool. Although, the diary obsessed man stuck with me. I like to write but I also like to do nothing as well, he literally doing something all the time. I can't imagine hurrying around to get back home because I have to write about the things I'm taking notes on now. I can't help but wonder what his family thought, my assumption would be a silent resentment. I would hate to be silently resented by my wife and children because I had this incessant compulsion to write down my every movement, of every minute, of everyday. He never comes out and says that he was resented by his family for his obsession but I can't imagine they were "okay" with it. He even said that he had never asked what his family had thought about it. After the first two profiles I felt anxious to read his profile. The previous two where about their experiences in the world, while interacting with others, essentially giving off the sense of adventure and a fulfilled life. The final one we had to read was about one mans life in a log of every minute from when he decided to start it. In just the excerpts of his diary that were given in the profile It has me wondering if his family were even in it. I personally, don't think a life is worth living if you don't have someone with you to enjoy it. Whether that someone is one of your parents, a sibling, a best friend, a significant other or any other person I forgot to mention. I can't imagine writing down my every move and constantly asking myself "Why am I doing this?" and not being able to come up with an answer and not being able to stop. That's when I'd check myself into a psych ward. My final thought about the diary man was something I thought of after I finished his profile. I hope that when I'm on my death bed, I know i did what I wanted to do with my time on earth not wasting doing nothing. He has spent a great portion of his life "chained to his typewrite".  If this is in fact what gave him a sense of obligation or purpose, when he dies it wont be finished,It will just stop randomly. I think that is why his profile was the one that jumped out to me. His life that's been logged for the past so many years in a way won't be finished, or fulfilled, when he is no longer able to write. Seems awful, all that time wasted for an unfinished product. I personally hope that his family will finish it for him. Making his life complete by someone that was there every step of the way, even if they did resent the time the typewriter took away from them.

If that depressed you or made you feel sad, I advise laughing for no reason in a dumb voice. Once you start you cant stop no matter how serious you try to be. Well, at least I can't. I'm done now.

(:

Journal Two-Sam Young (I adore bubblegum)

     Hello my dear, sweet classmates! My name is Sam. This is my fourth year at the great ol' OSUM where I have been pursuing an English major and Professional Writing minor. I truly love studying English; I love reading and talking about reading with other people who enjoy it as much as I do. I also love my cats.

This is my oldest cat, Jacquelyn. I have another, younger, cat named Myrra.

     While I enjoyed all of the profiles, I especially enjoyed the Foreward by Henry Roth. I thought that this was  the most passionately written part I've read so far, and it was so powerful. Roth discusses the electric shock-like effect of one's creativity. Yet, he also touches upon the duty that one has to fulfill that creativity, both to oneself and to humanity, and that is what struck me the most. He speaks with such an urgency, and reminds us that our time is so limited:

     "Our eyes will close forever soon enough. And even if you don't believe in a hereafter, you don't believe a thing, don't close them while they're still open, while you can still see. Don't let the high voltage kill you if you can still convert it into a conduit for communication with your fellow humans."

It was his emotion that struck me. He is clearly a man who has felt deeply that high voltage, and is trying to help his fellow humans to harness it as well.

Journal Two, Katie Wagoner

      Hello, my name is Katie Wagoner. I'm 20 years old, going to be 21 in September the 18th. I still live with my parents and my two brothers. I am the oldest sibling. My brother, Kyle, is 13 years old, and my other brother, Kevin, is 9 years old. I have no pets, but I wish I did, especially a cat. I have been attending Ohio State University- Marion Campus since autumn semester of 2013. I started off studying for a bachelor's in psychology, but I switched to social work after my second semester. I currently have completed all my major courses and my field practicum. And lastly, my fun fact is that this semester will be my last semester before I graduate with my bachelor's degree in social work! I am very excited to finally graduate!

        After reading the first three profiles in Holding On, I am torn between "Steam Train" Maury Graham and Robert Shields. I found both these profiles equally meaningful to read. Maury Graham's story was meaningful to me because it showed a different way of living. His story explained the culture of being a hobo. I found it inspiring to hear Maury explain his life in a way that made his life sound more dignified than expected. Most would believe that a life of a hobo would feel undignified, but Maury made it sound like the life of a hobo is dignified because of the hard work and honesty they live by. Robert Shields' story was meaningful and inspiring to me because even though writing his journal took time away from his day and people found it strange, Robert still continued to write in his journal because it was his passion.

Journal Two: Kristen Orewiler

This is a picture with my two best friends (Chelsey-left & Sarah-right) 

     Hey Guys! My name is Kristen Orewiler and I'm in my third year here at Ohio State and I'm majoring in Strategic Communications.  I work at Baker's Pizza in Bucyrus which is where I call home. I live with my parents and little sister Shay and I'm very family oriented. I love to travel and have been to many different places and plan on expanding that list as much as I can. I love to spend most of my free time with my two best friends Sarah and Chelsey. I am a sports fanatic. I actually coach basketball and was the head coach for an AAU team in my area and last year I also coached the 6th grade team at Bucyrus Middle School. I'm super excited for the OSU football games because this year I bought the Big Ten package so I'm looking forward to going to all of those games. An interesting fact about me is I have family in Pensacola, Florida which I visit every year and last year when I went my cousin Roger took me shark fishing and it was the absolute coolest thing I've ever done!
     When I was reading Holding On, I thought the best story was "Steam Train" Maury Graham. I got a lot out of this short reading simply because it was FILLED with great information about what it means to actually be a Hobo. I thought it was very interesting how they got their name. Who knew it would have came from an adult man and the word "hello" combined. I think it is really interesting because in today's society I think it's common just to assume people are either bums or homeless. I honestly didn't really know what a "hobo" meant... I thought it was just a word to make fun on homeless people or so called "bums". I love that it actually has a meaning and they want to work for food. I also love that they marked telephone posts or fences to tell other hobos if it was a good spot to stay in or not. I love the phrase about the hobos drawling a picture of Lincoln's top hat! That goes to show that they had a lot of respect for Lincoln. This was definitely an interesting read and I'm excited to read future stories in this book.

Journal 2: Alexis Hensel

     Hello everyone! My name is Alexis Hensel. I am currently a sophomore at The Ohio State University Marion, pursuing a degree in Business. I am originally from Marion, Ohio, and graduated from Ridgedale High School in 2015. I have worked at Bath and Body Works in the Marion Southland Mall for one year. A fun fact about me is that I have a twin brother, and am the only person in my entire family that has red hair.

     In the first three excerpts of Holding On, I found the story on Robert Shields to be the most thought provoking. Learning about a man that documents his every move and encounter for the past twenty years seemed odd, yet admiring the more I thought about it. Because he feels the need, and is driven to keeping a journal filled with the various things that occupy his days shows determination, and acknowledgement that each day is a gift. Spending each day doing what you find to be fulfilling is a day to be thankful for.

Journal Two: Katie Shower

     Hello fellow bloggers! My name is Katie Shower. I'm a sophomore here at OSUM and I plan to continue majoring in Nursing. Although, Nursing is very competitive at Ohio State I might have a difficult time getting into the program. I live in Delaware, Ohio where I'm originally from. I went to North Union High School in Richwood, Ohio and graduated in 2015. A fun fact about me would be that I work at a newly opened sports bar in Delaware called Scoreboard Pub and Grill. It's often comparable to Buffalo Wild Wings because there's televisions everywhere and we center the place mostly around sports in general. We sell pizza, wings and sandwiches; along with many different kinds of alcohol.

     In Holding On, "Steam Train" Maury Graham stood out to me for many reasons. The idea that was brought to my attention first was that he clearly stated the difference between hoboes and bums. He basically says bums are shady and hoboes look rough but have a good heart. I find this interesting because I never really thought there was a difference between the two.
      But, in contrast, I think Lawrence W. "Happy" Davis's story touched me the most. Becoming a nurse is such a rewarding career and will be a huge accomplishment but it scares me. The thought of having too work so much and have little time to build a family, build a home, do things that people my age will be doing. "Happy" retired at such a young age and didn't really like working at where he worked so that made me think a bit "am I doing the right thing?"

LAST FUN FACT: I have a passport and I've been out of the country to Canada, St. Thomas, Bahamas and Tortola (British Virgin Island)

Journal 2, Jordyn

     My name is Jordyn Jackson and this is my first semester at OSU-Marion. I recently moved to the Marion area from Ashland, Ohio. I am in school for engineering. I enjoy working out, eating, hanging out, playing video games, and eating. I actually don't like working out, but do it in order to balance out the pizza and tacos. An interesting fact about me is that when I lived in Texas, I used to box fairly well I would say, and would be called in to spar with professional boxers like Errol Spence and Leo Santa Cruz. Also, I can eat an entire large pizza in one sitting if I put my mind to it.

Jordyn not tool

     In the introductory material, an overall theme of passion for what you do stood out to me. The writer David Isay seemed very passionate about people using their respective creative outlets. Of the three profiles, Robert Shields stood out to me the most. He was clearly very passionate about the diary that he kept. This interested me the most just for the sheer dedication that he put in to maintaining the journal. The effort that Shields had to use in order to keep the journal on track and accurate was very intriguing to me. I personally do not see why someone would choose to do this willingly as hobby without pay, but it is still a cool thing from a relative point of view. The only question I would have for Robert Shields would be why, which they already asked.

This is my second year attending the Ohio State University of Marion for my Veterinarian Technician degree. Ever since I can remember I have always had a love for all animals and wanted to do what I can in order to help any animal that I come across. My parents and my boyfriend, Brian Manson, have always been my biggest supporters and they where always happy to help, even when I would bring them more animals that needed a loving home. In high school I attended Tri-Rivers Career Center taking Veterinary Science to help me start my career path. While taking Veterinary Science, I worked at S&G Stables and Big Walnut Animal Care Center, which was a big help because I learned new things from all three places. I grew up in a small town called Marengo which is located in Morrow County. When I started college my Brian and I decided it would be easier if we lived closer, so we are now living in Marion. Living in Marion is a big change for the both of us, once living in the country and now living in the city. I have two more years to complete for me to have my Veterinary Technician licence which is my lifetime goal and has never changed since I was younger.



While reading Holding On, the profile that was the most interesting to me was the author of the worlds longest diary, Robert Shields. It was the most interesting to me I feel because of how he was happy and content being at home and actually hated to leave his house, so he just never left. I am the exact opposite, I hate being at home for a long period of time and I have to get out and go do anything. I cant even be home for a whole day without having to get out. The whole book so far seems to be well written. I have never enjoyed reading or looked forward to reading, but this book is different, I am excited to see and read about all the other people that were interviewed and put into this book.

Wil's Journal 2

     My name is William Ivers Lathrop but I go by Wil.  I'm an engineering student who has technically been going to OSU for 4 years, but I only take about 2-3 classes a semester so I'm not too far into my major.  One fact about me is that I mostly spend my free time with my 2 year old bernese mountain dog Kaisar who weighs 3 pounds less than me. Another is that there are only 4 photos of me on my phone to choose from.
     The first story "Steam Train" Maury Graham stood out to me.  It seemed like a history lesson as well as a story about Maury.  The story's main theme to me was pride and how they believe in helping one another.  There are differences between a Hobo and a Bum which to most people wouldn't really matter, but to Maury and other Hoboes it means a lot.  Their pride as Hoboes is that they are kind people who help each other as a community or "clan"  Even the name Hobo is a form of pride since it started as the term "hoe-boy" but that name implied that they were still children so they changed it.

Jounral 2 Carli Swisher

Hi my name is Carli I am a second year student here. My major is Early childhood education. I am engaged but not getting married until after I finish school. I have a dog and my fiance and I raise deer. We have about 16 deer and are still growing. I really enjoy being outside and being with my family doing whatever.

Me holding a Fawn 

When I first started reading the introductions to the book I thought it would be about people who had , had a hard life but found a way to make their life better. The first profile of  Steam Train Maury Graham stood out to me the most for different reasons. I really liked the way the writer really made you understand the hoboes and how they came about. I thought the most interesting part was when he stated that hoboes wrote little letters to each other saying this spot was a good spot to rest or get work , and they would put them on telephone poles or fence post.

Journal Two by Ben

 

    To introduce myself my name is Ben and I this is my second year here at OSUM, and I like to read. Most of the time I would rather be spending time being alone reading a good book rather than being around people, and talking about myself is certainly not one of my strengths. I do not have a favorite book but I like to read science fiction books. An interesting fact is that I also read very fast. 

     The profile that meant the most to me was Lawrence W. Davis, the man who worked as a Pullman Porter. The reason that it meant the most to me was that his occupation was to serve people, he was paid to help people enjoy their travels on Pullman trains. However even when he was only there to help people not everyone could share the same decency to him as Pullman Porters often had to contend with ungrateful passengers who thought ill of them even when they were there to serve. The sad part is that some people are still like that today, people can be unbelievably rude to the people who's job is to serve you, to bring you your food at a restaurant or something similar. We at least owe them the decency to treat them as human beings as well, and to be understanding and not blame them if something goes wrong.  

Journal 2 by Seth W.

     Hello, I'm Seth Wicker. I was born in Bradenton, Florida but I was raised in Columbus since I was 2 months old after my family of six moved here for my father's job. I am studying Industrial Design here at THE Ohio State University, this is my second year in Marion and I will be switching to main campus in spring. Outside of school I work at Costco Wholesale and enjoy photography and drawing.

My Bitmoji is my best friend.

     As I read the three profiles in Holding On the story that stood out the most to me was the second story about Lawrence "Happy" Davis the Pullman Porter. The reason this story stood out to me was because Mr. Davis didn't focus on the work that he had to do as a pullman, but he looked at the opportunities it created in his life. Instead of focusing on the less glamorous aspects of his job Davis found joy in the fact that he was able to explore the United States, an opportunity that wasn't typically available to individuals in his social and economic class. He saw his job as an opportunity rather than a chore which is an inspiring attribute that I believe should be recognized.

Journal Two by Kenzie

My name is Kenzie and I am a senior here at OSU and my major is Operations Management. I live in Delaware, but am from the small town of Bucyrus. I work at Starbucks in Sunbury, so I drink way too much caffeine on a regular basis. I really enjoy traveling and would love to see more outside of the U.S.

This is "my" (actually my parents') dog and I! I love taking her on walks when I visit my parents!

So far, I have really enjoyed reading "Holding On". I like to read these stories about people who may not live your "average Joe" type of life. The profile that stuck out to me the most was Robert Shields. He was the one that keeps a diary that accounts for every minute of his life, and he's been keeping it for the last 20 years! This story stuck out to me because I couldn't imagine spending all of my free time keeping record of what I've done so far that day. I was surprised when I read that he was a retired secondary school teacher because it seems like he lives a relatively normal life, but in the background he is basically controlled (even though he says he doesn't feel like it controls him) by this compulsion to record everything. He even said he won't leave town, because he will get too behind on his diary. It seems like he is missing out on a lot of fun life experiences just so he can keep up with his diary. That is how I see it from my perspective, but to him it is what gives his life purpose.

Journal 2 by Matt Elwer

My name is Matt Elwer and I am eighteen years old. I am striving to be a mathematics professor. Some of my hobbies include card games, writing poetry, videos games, and origami. One interesting thing about me is that I went on a one week cruise last December that departed from New Orleans. It stopped at Jamaica, Mexico, and the Grand Cayman Islands.

Matt Elwer

Out of the three profiles the one about the hobo stood out the most to me. It sends a message that even if you are struggling there is always people that have it worse. The message I believe this book is trying to send is to love what you have and strive to become a better person.

One interesting fact about myself is that I will graduate one year early because I earn forty college credits over that course of my high school career.

Welcome to the Blog. by Mike Lohre

Good afternoon, students, and glad you have made it to our blog.

Please follow your instructions and the tips on the handout carefully.  Reading closely will save you a lot of trouble, and you should definitely save that handout in your Handouts folder and refer back to it as needed.

Today our goal is to get everyone on the blog, and to write a paragraph of introduction about yourself, and a paragraph or so about our reading.  We also want to upload a picture and use that feature of the blog.

Let me know if you have any questions, and I will be glad to help. 

A short introduction about me is that I have taught at OSU for 20 years, but originally did an M.F.A. in poetry and fiction.  I’m married to my best friend, Irene, who works at Willow Brook which is an assisted living facility south of Delaware.  We also run a small farm together and we raise ducks, turkeys, chickens and pigs, using all older, heritage breeds of animals. I love to read, to work outside and farm, to be in nature and around animals, to play music and to travel.  I look forward to getting to know each and every one of you.

My wife Irene and I in Florida near the Everglades. Yes, we saw alligators there.