14th Street. Ship Bottom, NJ

I snapped this self portrait of myself sitting on the hand-rail overlooking the 14th street beach in Ship Bottom, NJ. It was during a late October flat spell in 2001. I was still living at the "Summer Place" on the island year round and attending education classes at Stockton State college in Pomona. The deck on 14th street represents more than just a platform of wood on which to gaze out at the ocean, to me and most of the other locals who live on 14th street it holds more of a sentimental meaning representing a special place in time where we gather in the morning to check the surf, drink a coffee, and bullshit about great days surfing our break.

We treat the platform as a pedestal, which holds more History upon its planks than what the average beach comber could ever imagine. This History is special for those of us who consider the place their backyard, playground and proving ground. A place where most of us slipped in to our first winter suit, waxed a board, learned about the sandbar shifts, the current and rip. A place we gathered at night with friends and drank our first beer or slept till sunrise. Most importantly, this place represents the close bond we all share as wave riders. I like to come here alone and sit, watch the ocean and contemplate life for awhile. The solitude of the atmosphere surrounding the platform is more than just a muse, a canvass of creative motivation or scenic orgasm. The platform is the gateway to my church, my love, if you will. The electricity in the air and the closeness to something larger than life itself courses through my body and makes the hairs on my arms stand erect, chills my bones, and brightens my eyes. I stood on the summit of many mountains, carved through waist deep powder, driven the parkway at 110 mph, and nothing can ever compare. The feeling is pure love.

On this particular day I was thinking about all the people who had lost their lives on September 11th. Only a few weeks before I snapped this photograph one of our own wave riders was in the Trade Center as the planes crashed that day. I haven’t seen Dominick in years and last I heard he was in the secret service and stationed in New York City, his office was in the World Trade Center. He was hanging at this spot before I could even appreciate what it represented. I thought about him and the horror he experienced that day. What he had to do to survive. Did he jump? Did he burn? Did he make it out? I wished he could have been there with me that day looking at the ocean, surfing the shore break with our eyes, talking shit about all the big hurricane swells we rode together. It was weeks after the tragedy and still no word on his whereabouts. I just sat there for hours wishing the waves would bump up so that I could paddle out and be closer to that feeling, closer to something larger than life.

Just as I decided to leave the platform to go home I felt that electricity, that vibe in the onshore wind. I heard a familiar voice behind me. “Billy Boooy!” I turned and there was Dominick walking up the boards to the platform. I was taken back like I just witnessed the dead walking. He was alive. He was on LBI. He was home. We hugged and smiled wide eyed and laughing. He said that he had been on the floor below where the 1st plane had hit the tower. He nearly escaped and in the process he saved 11 people including 3 children from the food court below. I never had been so happy to see him. It was like sitting in the lineup of a huge swell by myself and seeing a familiar face paddling out from the inside section, a feeling of safety and comfort knowing that if I went down hard someone would be there to pull me up for air.

He was a hero to me growing up as a grom. He surfed like a cat on acid, dropping in on 10’ closeouts that everyone else would back off from. He charged on big days and it all makes sense to me now that 14th street shaped him to be that courageous in other situations. The platform, the entrance to the ocean, the one spot that holds so much meaning to the few of us who love it so much, has a mysterious gravitational pull that keeps us all coming back for more no matter where we end up in the world. Dominick is stationed in Iraq today and will forever be a hero in the the eyes of the 15stwr.

Reflection Lake: After hiking through the Kearsarge Pass

After 25 miles of traversing through winding trails covered with shoulder sized boulders and unforgiving terrain that ascends to 12,000' above sea level and then back down to 10,000', bloodied feet, scarred hands and wind burn you find something to make it all worth the pain and suffering. First camp. We named this spot, "Reflection Lake". This photo was taken through my tent door. Sitting in my tent, I watched the beautiful transformation of the scenery  until the sky turned a pitch black and all that remained were the mountain high stars and my thoughts.

The Romantics: A Valentine’s Tale Written and Directed by: Bill Rowe

ACT ONE. SCENE ONE
The Valentine’s dinner.

FADE. IN

EXT. BYRON’S HOME, NEWSTEAD ABBEY.
It is February 14th, Valentine’s Day and the weather is bitter and cold. We see the cars of
Wordsworth, Coleridge, Keats and Shelley sitting in the driveway. The house is aglow with lit window lights, rustling leaves twirl on the porch and smoke escapes the chimney.

CUT.TO

INT. BYRON’S HOME, NEWSTEAD ABBEY – MINUTES LATER
Inside the forayer we can hear chatting coming from the dining room. As we get closer a hearty laugh, a belch, and maybe a few wine glasses as they oxygenate the red in circular motions on the wooden table can be heard from the hallway.

CUT.TO


INT. BYRON’S HOME, DINING ROOM– MINUTES LATER
We enter the dining room as our group of poets and their significant others are finishing Valentine’s Day dinner. They are conversing about designing the perfect Valentine as a group but soon realize it would be more entertaining to have a contest and design their own.


BYRON (to the guests)

I hope everyone has enjoyed the pheasant. Even if we can not agree on one lousy Valentine, I just hope that the pheasant was satisfactory.

WORDSWORTH (mouth full of food)

Yes, indeed……. The bird was quiet delicious. As for the Valentine, maybe we should forget about it altogether.

BYRON (determined)

Nonsense! I say we have a contest to see who can design the best Valentine here.

COLERIDGE (raising his glass in approval)

Sounds like a splendid idea ol’ chap. What do you propose we do?




BYRON

After dinner we separate and design our Valentines wherever we wish throughout the house. We will reconvene in the study in one hour to display our work. The ladies will judge the finished products and decide which one is the best.

BEAT

After they clean the dishes of course.

CUT.TO

INT. KITCHEN – SECONDS LATER
Annabella Milbank makes a face in response to what Byron just said about the ladies washing the dishes.

ANNABELLA (pissed off)

Clean your own bloody dishes, you drunken jackass!


CUT.TO

INT. DINING ROOM – SECONDS LATER
Keats is confused about what is going on with the contest and wants a better explanation.

KEATS (confused)

Could you repeat that?


ANNABELLA (OC)

I Said, Clean your own bloody dishes, you drunken jackass!


KEATS (laughing)

No. Not you Annabella.
BEAT (laughing to Byron)


Byron, could you repeat the rules please?



BYRON (slurring his words)

CONTEST! VALENTINE! The winner will receive a bottle of my best brandy. Let’s get started, shall we.


KEATS

Whatever you say. I’m in.


SHELLEY (disappointed)

I’m not finished my pheasant yet.

BYRON (hands raised in the air)

We have one hour before we reconvene in the study. Good luck to you all!


BEAT

Take the friggin’ pheasant with you Shelley.


ACT ONE.SCENE TWO
The contest begins.

CUT.TO

EXT. BYRON’S HOME, NEWSTEAD ABBEY.
We hear the poets rushing around trying to find a room in which to write and design their Valentine in. An instrumental is being played as the camera pans the front yard, finally focusing in on a bedroom window, third floor.
CUT.TO

INT. 3rd FLOOR BEDROOM – MINUTES LATER
We find Shelley trying to compose his Valentine and eating pheasant at the same time.


SHELLEY (eating and talking to himself)

Mmmm. What shall I write about for this Valentine? Maybe I can write a prose poem or a sonnet, or a naturalistic monologue confessing my love but not fully committing to the idea of such an overrated holiday. I MUST WIN THAT BOTTLE OF BRANDY! This pheasant is so good! Maybe I could devote my Valentine to the bird and how tasty it was. I wonder how Keats is coming along.





CUT.TO

INT. 2nd FLOOR BEDROOM
Keats is preparing his Valentine and seems to be doing quite well at composing it thus far. He is writing a poem to Fanny Brawne, his fiancée and hoping that she chooses his as the winner.

KEATS (reading his poem to himself)

This holiday that surrounds us is tormented and sad.
The slightest infraction of light could easily penetrate
The flesh and like small axe bring the heart falling
To earth without a sound
Lost in innocence

Lost in the forest of velvet wings and blossoms
Which sleep in our mind as we move in rhythm dancing
With pre-determination guided by the shaman into
What we call Love
Lost names and faces

We wear white sheets reminding us that like Zen
We are a flowing creature moving with the spirits
Through any hole we can find like dead poet rodents
Hard with shell exterior
Inside delicate structure

Innocent until life begins
I roam in the shade of light
Always searching
Always determined.
And then I found you.

Happy Valentine’s Day

-John


KEATS (looking in the mirror. Laughing)

What RUBBISH! You have this thing in the bag.





CUT.TO

EXT. UPSTAIRS BATHROOM DOOR
We hear Coleridge in the bathroom trying to compose his Valentine. He decided to write it to an ambiguous figure. We are not sure if he wrote this to Sarah C. or Sarah H. Maybe he intends to give them each a copy.


COLERIDGE (speaking to himself)

I wonder how John and the rest of the boys are making out. I need to write a lyrical poem with nice end rhyme so that it will resonate a warm feeling when I read it to the judges.

Eyes alive with visions of you,
dancing within my mind, the view.
Feelings in this garden, as roses grow.
So beautiful, soft, driven slow.

Breathing the rain, the love you supply.
My garden, my love, my roses stay alive.
Visions of you alive if it seems,
away in the night, silent dreams.

Upon me, crashing in so unreal,
feelings for you, feelings I feel.
My feelings, myself, my love, the world,
all I want, such a beautiful girl.

Alive within me, within me so much
gentle kisses, feathered touch.
Deeply moved from your gazing eyes,
warm sensations, between the thighs.

Holding back mixed pleasures and pain.
Feeling sensual, can't reach to gain.
Wanting to feel you all inside.
Wanting to feel you, urges that hide.

Kissing you all over, from head to toe,
horizontal movement, soft and slow.
Electric vibrations, pleasures within,
descending, holding you, let this begin.


COLERIDGE (speaking to himself. laughing)

That should win me the bottle of brandy and quiet possibly a good shagging.


CUT.TO

INT. BASEMENT
The basement is partially outside in the back yard. An uncovered portion of the floor extends to the garden, near a giant willow tree. Hear we find Wordsworth using this scenery as a muse to compose his Valentine.


WORDSWORTH (speaking to himself)

Ahhhh! The scenery is just wonderful from the basement view. What an architectural breakthrough in designing this amazing structure, allowing such beauty to be observed in such a picturesque way. Well, I must use this to my advantage and compose a Valentine God would accept as his own. A masterpiece, worthy of the name Lucy, which will win me the finest brandy and a few nods from my fellow poets, not to mention a good night with Dorothy or Mary, perhaps both.

Under the same sun, the same stars, the same sky,
alone under the moon wondering why?
Visions of you fall asleep with me.
All that I feel, all that I see.

Kissing your lips, caressing your thighs,
lusciously sweet, intoxicating eyes.
Alone in the night thinking of you.
Love growing stronger
admiring the view.

The only heart I love, your possession.
Wanting you and waiting for the session.
Together united we will soon be.
With love on our side
confide within me.

Away in the night, sleeping tight,
My Valentine dream sweet dreams tonight.

-William





CUT.TO

INT. 3rd FLOOR BEDROOM
We visit Percy as he is desperately trying to compose a Valentine for the contest. He has finished his pheasant and has been drinking steadily trying to break this writing block and eventually makes some strides in getting some ink on the paper. We witness his first attempt at the Valentine.


SHELLEY (brainstorming and getting drunk)

I must come up with something brilliant and more satisfying than that damn nightingale. I have to move my Mary’s soul, make her skin flush with the melody of my poetic verse. Most importantly, I must win that bottle of brandy.

CUT.TO

EXT. 3rd FLOOR BEDROOM DOOR
We see a hand knocking on the door. It is Lord Byron coming to check on Percy.


BYRON (knocking)

Nightingale, Nightingale….are you in there Nightingale?

SHELLEY (OC)

YES! I am trying to create in this tiny bedroom with only one window for the creative energy I crave to be my muse.

BYRON (serious)

Oh yeah. You are in the tiniest room in the house. You should have plenty of inspiration in the walls alone, I wrote Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage in that room.

CUT.TO

INT. 3rd FLOOR BEDROOM
We see Percy turning red due to Lord Byron’s cockiness.

SHELLEY (sternly)

Rubbish mate! For I am almost finished this Valentine and I guarantee I will be victorious in this contest.


SHELLEY (sliding it under the door)

Just look at some of these lines I have scribbled down for everyone to admire.

CLOSE.UP

PARCHMENT PAPER
Reads: Love is pure, tantalizing images flow through, Beautiful private picture show, Releasing intimate bliss for the senses from transparent galaxies, drifting under grey masses, blue space, white clouds swept behind my eyes kissing optic nerve, beautiful iris.

CUT.TO


EXT. 3rd FLOOR BEDROOM DOOR
We see Byron reading this nonsense and getting a good laugh at the same time.

BYRON (laughing and walking away)

Hey Shelley, what the hell is a picture show?

BEAT (under his breath)

Quack….

CAMERA POV

INT. BYRON WALKING DOWN THE HALLWAY
Byron is searching for the perfect place to write his Valentine. He seems determined to win and not give away a bottle of his best brandy. He almost feels that he may have sparked a fire in Shelley, surely a disadvantage for him. We follow Byron downstairs to the billiard room.


CUT.TO

INT. BILLIARD ROOM
We find all the ladies enjoying a game of billiards. Shooting pool and drinking absinthe on the rocks from small tumblers. Byron immediately clears the room when he suggests an orgy while the others are working. He’s laughing and making gestures at the women, almost seeming devilish in his mannerisms. The ladies take him for an idiot and leave the premises, reminding him that there’s not much time left before the judging begins.



CLOSE.UP

LORD BYRON
Looking around the room for the tiniest bit of inspiration.


BYRON (thinking out loud)

The glorious time has come to put my friends to shame.

Dear Valentine,

So deeply in love my mind has fallen.
Holding in these feelings of mine.
My heart is hurting, my eyes are swollen
Feelings I found within lost time.

To gain time lost I must be without silence.
Express my feelings of my hearts desire.
Holding on to this love with all confidence.
Letting out from within my hearts raging fire.

Within my heart I embrace my love.
If love would fall unto me I would give my all.
A wish I threw over an ocean sky amongst the stars above.
Waiting under an ocean sky for my wish, the one I love.

A wish I kissed under an ocean sky.
A fallen star has landed within my eyes.

Happy Valentine’s Day

-Lord Byron


BYRON (thinking out loud)

Ahhhh. Maybe I should steal some of Shelley’s work, he’d never know.



CUT.TO


INT.3rd FLOOR BEDROOM
The camera pans the room showing detailed images of the art on the wall, the grandfather clock, and Shelley sitting there at this wooden desk with his hand on his head, tapping away at the ink-well. We get the sense of urgency as the sound of the ticking clock becomes louder and louder. The tapping at the ink-well becomes louder and louder. Shelley is slouched with poor posture and only sits up straight when he takes a sip of his drink.

CLOSE.UP

PIECE OF PAPER
Shelley has been scribbling and jotting down line after line of poetry and little pictures to accompany them. The camera stops and focuses on a particular line, which says, “CREATE!”, and the picture next to the line is of a face, the face of a gruesome monster looking chap. The camera holds on this image for a brief second.

Shelley’s image of Frankenstein


FADE.OUT

FADE.IN

SHELLEY WRITING
He finally begins drafting something.


SHELLEY (writing and speaking to himself)

I have the strangest feeling that I just had a premonition, a glance into the future. I, I, Oh never mind that, I must get this Valentine finished. “A poet is a nightingale, who sits in darkness and sings to cheer its own solitude with sweet sound; his auditors are as men entranced by the melody of an unseen musician who feel that they are moved and softened, yet know not whence and why”, if only I could translate my works into some sort of Valentine I’d be sure to win. Let’s see here.



To my sweet Mary.

I visited the bathroom as I do every morning
To drain myself from the previous night’s libations
I was shocked when I reached down to hold myself
my penis was gone nothing but a hole remained
I thought to myself where did it fall off this time

I felt like a female what a way to go out I thought
Then I remembered that I have a detachable penis
I must have left it in bed under my pillow
Or left it hanging next to my neck-ties in the closet

I hoped my wife didn’t have it
She steals it often and doesn’t call me for weeks
The last time I suspected her was a real horror-show
I found space man lover in the litter box all beat up

I called up my wife and begged her please
Help me find my space man lover
That’s the name she gave it I don’t know why
I wanted to call it worm, bean, or Frankenstein

She persisted to call it space man lover
She says she sees stars when I’m inside her
Whatever it’s just sex I said nothing astronomical
I know I’m good but it’s just a little of the ol’ in and out

I know she has space man lover lately she’s been sitting funny
I know that it’s stuffed way inside her panty drawer
or in the secret pocket of her purse placed between lipsticks
I know she has it she’s never been so happy.

Happy Valentine’s Day Mary

Love,

-Percy

SHELLEY (stressed out)

Not good, not good at all. The first thing they will ask is, “who and what a Frankenstein is”, and so I must give this another try, a college try, if you will.


ACT ONE. SCENE THREE
The meeting of the minds.



CUT.TO

EXT. BYRON’S HOME, NEWSTEAD ABBEY.
The time is winding down and the poets will soon reconvene in the study to have their Valentine’s judged by their loved ones. As the camera pans the front side of the house we hear the same instrumental playing. The candle light in the windows is casting our contestants’ shadows walking around, eventually making their way down stairs to the study. The camera slowly zooms in on one window, the window to the study, and the presentations are about to take place.




CUT.TO

INT.THE STUDY
The poets have reconvened in the study with their Valentine poems. They all look as if they all have the winner in their hand as they stride in confidence through the room. The ladies are present and seem to be a little drunk from the absinthe they have been drinking earlier. Wordsworth and Coleridge take a seat by the book shelve, each with a broad smile on their faces as if they both had already won the brandy. John takes a seat on the smoking chair by the window and lights up a fag rolled with the best clove mix. Percy moves to the other side of the room and takes a seat next to Mary showing her his work. Lord Byron decides to hold court and begins placing tumblers filled with brandy on the wooden table in the center of the room. The judging is about to begin.


BYRON (begins to speak)

Well my chaps, the time has come to present the Valentines to be judged and the best one shall be framed and hung on my wall of art, which makes this study the most inspirational room in the house. Please take a brandy and let us toast to this most joyous gathering of friends.



INT.THE STUDY – SAME
The poets and their loved ones each take a brandy and take part in a toast.



EVERYONE (raising glasses)

CHEERS! Here’s to the best of the romantics. CHEERS!





INT.THE STUDY – SAME
After the toast the women ask that all the Valentines be put into a basket and that the men adjourn to the billiard room so that they can preview the poems and pick the best one. The men agree and as they leave they take a bottle of brandy and some cigars with them. All the men are gone and the women start spreading the Valentines out on the table. Mary Shelley has volunteered to read them aloud to the rest of the girls. The ladies take a seat as Mary begins with Coleridge’s Valentine.


MARY (eyes wide and mouth agape)

Well, it rhymes but there is no title or signature, or even a closing acknowledging that this person loves someone in this room. What do you think ladies?

CUT.TO

SARAH COLRIDGE
Sarah has no idea who wrote this and seems disgusted by the undertones of some erotic sexual lusting.


SARAH (critically speaking)

I agree. The rhyme is nice but this person clearly has one thing on his mind, SEX!
Samuel would never write this rubbish to me in a Valentine. I think I will pass this one up.
BEAT

Sounds like Byron if you ask me.

ANNABELLA (disagreeing)

Honey, Byron might seem devilish at times but his eroticism is more weighted on the masculine side, besides, he drinks too much brandy to be able to even think of such sensual behavior.


CUT.TO

INT.THE STUDY –SAME – MARY
Mary begins reading another Valentine, belonging to John.



MARY (delighted but confused)

It seems that John has written something quite different and not to the standard of his particular stanza form. Although, it has nice imagery and boasts the creative side of the poet John has become. I think I will put this one aside. It has potential.


FANNY (delighted)

It was beautiful! Ladies, this is why I am marrying this man. He has such insight when it comes to writing and a tender heart that compliments his soul ever so nicely. “And then I found you”, how romantic.

DOROTHY (drunken slur)

La-d-da honey. I’ll give you transcendence.

MARY (directed towards Dorothy)

All right, let’s settle down ladies. Keep it up Dorothy and I’ll have to ask for my clothes back. OK. Let’s get into another Valentine, shall we?



INT.THE STUDY –SAME
Mary puts John’s Valentine aside to be judged again. She goes into the basket to get another and pulls out Dorothy’s brothers, William’s Valentine.

MARY (excited and anxious)

Well, well, well. Interesting, it looks like we are about to hear about a brother’s love for his sister, maybe. I would hope not. The rhyme is brilliant, the stanzas are tight and well constructed and it appears that he has written in the style we are all accustomed to hearing from William. The floor is open.

DOROTHY (irritated but secretly delighted)

How do we know that was written for me? I am his sister after all. We share the same blood not the same bed.

AUGUSTA (sarcastically)

I would hope not.



DOROTHY (giving it right back)

Oh, look who’s talking! Half-sister or half lover!


AUGUSTA (astonished)

I beg your pardon! What goes on in my bedroom is none of your business.


DOROTHY (retaliates)

How does Annabella feel about your bedroom business?

ANNABELLA (carefree)

Let’s have another drink, shall we?

MARY (saving the conversation)

I have a better idea. Let’s put this Valentine aside and read another. The men are waiting on us.

CUT.TO

INT.BILLIARD ROOM
The men are engaging in homosexual behavior. Byron and Wordsworth, Keats and Shelley and Coleridge are playing strip billiards. Boys will be boys.

CUT.TO


INT.THE STUDY –MINUTES LATER
Mary pulls another Valentine from the basket. She pulls Byron’s out and begins to read it to the women.

MARY (joyfully but getting tired)

Huh. I like it. It has a fluid rhyme scheme and speaks ever so gently to his loved one, whoever that could be.

ANNABELLA (jokingly)

It deserves to be placed in the fire.


DOROTHY (agreeing)

Yes. After his rude suggestion of an orgy earlier in the evening, it should find its way to Hades by means of burning amongst the logs.

AUGUSTA (trying to save it from the flame)

If we do such a thing we will be playing into his little mind game. I believe that he is expecting us to toss it in the flames. I say we hide it in the desk drawer and say that we burnt it to get a reaction.


EVERYONE (agreeing)

And so be it. Good idea Augusta.


MARY (sighing knowing that it is Shelley’s)

Ok. The last one happens to be Percy’s. However, I will show no favoritism what so ever knowing that it is his and that it is about me. Here it goes.


INT.THE STUDY –SECONDS LATER
Mary begins reading Percy’s Valentine silently to herself before reading it aloud. It starts off really good but she’s confused because it doesn’t rhyme and the subject matter is not of Percy’s usual poetic form. She finishes and has not read it aloud yet.

MARY (speechless)

I don’t know what to say about this except that it is witty and it has an unusual subject matter.


BEAT
I, um, I don’t know how to say this.


ANNABELLA (determined to know)

Just tell us what it says. Read it aloud!





EVERYONE (simultaneously)

Come on! What does it say?


MARY (confused)

Well, he’s hung over and goes to the bathroom to pee.


BEAT

Then he, he realizes that his, his penis is gone. And doesn’t remember where he lost it.


EVERYONE (giving total attention to Mary)


Go on. His penis is gone?


MARY (stuttering)

Yes. It, it seems that he has lost his penis from the beginning and that he blames me for stealing it when it’s not hanging in the closet next to his neck-ties.

BEAT

He says that I, oh God! He says that I call it Space Man Lover.

BEAT (starting to laugh)

And that he wanted to call it Bean, Worm or Frankenstein. Whatever that means.


EVERYONE (laughing)

Frankenstein! What the hell is that?


MARY (Hysterical)

I have no idea but it has an alluring sound to it.



BEAT (hysterically laughing)

He even drew a picture of this Frankenstein and it looks nothing like his penis.


INT.THE STUDY –SAME
The ladies, all now laughing hysterically, move in towards Mary to get a glimpse of this image. They seem to enjoy Percy’s Valentine the most and after just seconds from hearing it, they declare it the winner. They all agree that it was the most creative and entertaining Valentine they have ever seen. They begin to frame it and hang it on the wall before calling the gentlemen back to the study.


ACT ONE. SCENE FOUR
The winner is….
CUT.TO

INT. BILLIARD ROOM
The men are now relaxing, tired from their horse play, each with a cigar and a glass of the finest brandy in the house. We hear Mary calling for the men to come back to the study.


MARY (OC)

Come on! We have declared a winner!

INT. BILLIARD ROOM – SAME
The guys look at each other and decide they shall take their brandy and cigars into the study to find out who has won this fiasco.

CUT.TO

INT.THE STUDY –MINUTE LATER
We see the men walk in with their cigars and tumblers full of brandy. They look exhausted, drunk and not to mention fulfilled. The women are all seated behind the wooden table in the center of the room. Behind the women is the wall of art and hanging in the middle is a framed Valentine covered with a cloth to hide its identity. The unveiling is about to begin. Mary stands up to speak.


MARY (pleased with the decision)

Gentlemen, please be seated. Behind me, hanging on the wall is the winning entry. We had read some really good, traditional Valentines and it was a hard decision to determine who won. Just remember, you are all winners in the hearts of all of us women.




BYRON (OC)

Spare us the theatrics and tell us who won already!


ALL THE MEN (anxiously waiting)

Yeah, on with it already!

MARY (feeling unappreciated)

Very well then, the winner is.

BEAT

Space Man Lover!


INT.THE STUDY –SECONDS LATER
Everyone but Percy is pissed off and confused because no body knows what the hell Space Man Lover is except Percy. While the men are talking amongst themselves and trying to figure out who had won Percy makes eye contact with Mary and smiles widely.
Mary walks over and takes Percy by the hand, stands him up and gives him a hug and a warming heart-felt kiss upon the lips. The camera follows Mary over to the framed Valentine hanging on the wall.

MARY (excited to reveal the Valentine)

Gentlemen, without further ado, I give you Space Man Lover, by Percy Shelley.


INT.THE STUDY –SECONDS LATER
Mary pulls the cloth off of the frame and reveals Percy’s Valentine to his distinguished fellow writers. The cloth comes down and everybody looks in awe at the artistic rendering of such a fine piece of work. Percy smiles and nods his head.


BYRON (to Percy and all)

Well, it has been an adventurous and interesting night to say the least. I just want to congratulate everyone for their fine effort and hard work. Most importantly, I want to thank you all for being here and sharing something we all hold close to our hearts, writing and friendship.


WORDSWORTH (interrupting the speech)

The brandy! Bring out the brandy for our winner.


BYRON (retorting)

Ah, yes. The brandy!


INT.THE STUDY –SECONDS LATER
Byron walks over to his brandy vault and unlocks the gold pad lock with a key, which he has draped around his neck attached to a silver necklace. He reaches in and pulls out the finest Northern European brandewijn, (burnt wine) and holds it up for all to see. The brandy is a Pomace Brandy. Brandy made from the pressed grape pulp, skins, and stems that remain after the grapes are crushed and pressed to extract most of the juice for wine. Pomace Brandies, which are usually minimally aged and seldom see wood, are an acquired taste. They often tend to be rather raw, although they can offer a fresh, fruity aroma of the type of grape used a characteristic that is lost in regular oak-aged Brandy. To say the least, this brandy is rare and expensive to acquire. He hands the brandy over to Percy.

BYRON (handing over the brandy)

Congratulations Percy for a job well done. How ‘bout a speech and an explanation of the Valentine you submitted.

PERCY (laughing and smiling)

Thank you. I enjoyed this contest all too much. I am pleased to have been in the company of such fine writers and to have my Valentine chosen by such beautiful women to be hung on your wall. The Valentine was supposed to humorous, a stretch from the ordinary Shelley but heart-felt nonetheless. The motivation behind this was fueled by the brandy and my muse, as always, my beautiful wife, Mary.

BYRON (curiously)

Could you explain the drawing of this Frankenstein?

PERCY (engaging)

Sure. Well, you see, I simply needed something that would rhyme with brandewijn and considering the subject matter of losing my penis and or Frank, for a proper slang word. I decided to use Frankenstein.


BEAT (closing)

The drawing was inspired of the way I sometimes feel when I am hung over, so I just simply drew what I probably looked like after a night of hard drinking. Pause and admire.


EVERYONE (cheerful)

Here, here! Here, here!


INT.THE STUDY –SECONDS LATER
Everyone gathered around the baby grand and sang songs to celebrate Percy’s futuristic styling of his Space Man Lover. They celebrated well into the morning hours with bottles of the brandewijn reading all the other Valentines and having a good laugh at their achievements. The night began to fade and the poets and their lovers began to retire to their chambers to fall into slumber and dream of many things to come.

FADE.OUT



INT.THE STUDY – LATER
The study is dark. The party has retired and gone to sleep. We see the door of the study creek open. The light shines in and cascades across the wooden floor. It widens as the door reveals a figure entering the room. A match is lit and we get a glimpse of Mary’s face as she puts the flame to a candle. The glow illuminates her torso all the way to her face, which is framed by her golden hair, resembling hay in the candle light. She walks over to the wall of art where Percy’s winning Valentine hangs in the glow of the candle. She stares at it, wide eyed and dreamy. Staring like she has seen the future.

FADE.TO.BLACK



FIN

HEAVEN

A room with blue tones and silver trim

Miles Davis and Coltrane  swim fish swim

Behind the wall Tracy Chapman dancing

Marley chanting   Ginsberg throwing voice

Peter Tosh burning the drug of choice

Jim Carrol with life-spent readings

Blake’s sick rose is bleeding

Two bass hit    Balzary and the gimp

Subgum shrimp   alice with chains

The elephant man’s remains

Bubbling water around the room

Bent on the ceiling   Frank Dweezel and Moon

Jaweh and Allah dancing the jig

eating figs    a roller coaster ride

Hourly showings of Cobain’s suicide

Alex and his droogs real horrorshow

Burgess giving out synthemesc moloko

Unlimited domestic and micro beers

The cast of cheers  Burger king’s whoppers

Fuzzy lifting drinks   everlasting gob stoppers

Horns blasting from Dowd and Moore

Ottis shoulder spinning on the floor

Garret known as love with James Brown

sliding down   Castles made of sand

Hendrix and his all-white band

A stationary wave six to eight feet

a quiver of vehicles without any leash

The top sixteen of the ASP tour

beach whores   The lighthouse keeper

Remote control to make the wave steeper

B-real from the hill of cypress

Beats and rhymes   tribe called quest

Grandmaster Flash Duke Boote and Melle Mell

rock the bells  The beastie boy anthem

May allah bless us - As Salaam-u-Alaikum

The Pietasters Toasters Bim skala Bim

Glow skulls Operation Ivy Skankin thin

Forty ounces to freedom  Jazz ensamble

fish that rumble  Grassroots with bongs

Fugazi and the unforgettable thirteen songs

Getting stoned with an umpa loompa

eating grandma’s tomato pasta soupa

laughing with my girlfriend (insert) my bell  

and Sadie the moo moo cow

heaven to me baby  and thats all for now.

Integrating Multimedia Technology in the Curriculum to Enhance the Academic Achievement of Alternative High School Students in Language Arts Skills

Abstract



            This study investigates the integration of multimedia technology in the curriculum and the possibility that with proper implementation the technology will enhance the academic achievement of students at an alternative high school in the Language Arts. The study will be conducted at the A+ at Westmeade Alternative High School, which is part of the Philadelphia Academy Services Charter Schools. An English class of 4 students will participate in this study, which will take place over ten class periods per two school weeks. During the first week the students will be given the short story, The Tell-Tale Heart, by Edgar Allan Poe and the lyrics to “Time” by Pink Floyd. The students will be asked to write a 4 paragraph summary of the short story, which will include the literary terms used in class, such as, internal rhyme, alliteration, and extended metaphor. The students will be asked to relate the short story to the lyrics of “Time” in the writing assignment. During the second week of the research the students will be introduced to the multimedia technology and the results are expected to show a dramatic increase in the students' Language Arts skills.











Literature Review

            There exist many research articles about integrating technology into the curriculum with consideration to the language arts. Daniels (2004) investigated the effects of computer technology on writing instruction and performance in 5th graders, which indicated an increase in motivation and writing regarding integrating technology in the classroom. Moreover, this literature review is more concerned with technology that will help motivate students make academic gains in the writing process.

However, as we transition into the 21st century, research continues to better understand the processes involved while implementing new technologies in the classroom. Charlene Van Leeuwen and Martha A. Gabriel emphasized the important emergence which educators have responded to regarding the integration of communication technologies in the classroom. Furthermore, Van Leeuwen et al. states that the continuous search for communication technologies to enhance effective teaching and learning strategies to meet the demanding needs of the 21st century learner is an ongoing and strenuous process. (2007)

            Integrating technology in the classroom is an ongoing process that requires patience as well as the ability to comprehend demonstrate and utilize certain technologies which are in great demand today. Furthermore, educators and administrators must collaborate upon implementing such technologies regarding a well rounded curriculum that not only challenges the student body but also enhances the learning experience.

Constructing web-based activities for the alternative classroom; implementing learning objects and 21st century skills; adopting curriculum based, technology enhanced field experiences for teacher candidates in the field of education; engaging students with multimedia projects and instilling a constructivist learning mind set; integrating literacy activities using new technology; and adapting to the radical changes in technology, are all connected to the definition of what a curriculum that integrates technology should be. Curriculum simply is the integration of learning objectives, practices, assessments, and scope and sequence of an entire academic program to meet a mission or belief and in this research the belief that multimedia technology can enhance student achievement in the content areas is the purpose.

Twyman and Tindal (2006) concluded that computer adaptive technology is an effective learning supplement for students with disabilities in content classrooms. Their study used a conceptually framed, computer-adapted text in a self contained Social Studies classroom, which measured comprehension, and problem- solving performance during the reading and writing process. Although the research proved positive for students with learning disabilities (LD) using technology in the classroom, the research had many limitations regarding a small sample size of students with LD. Furthermore, Daniels stated that teacher training in the technology implemented needs to be addressed more aggressively before the integration can take place. Moreover, the study of Van Leeuwen et al. emphasized the use of word processors in the classroom to support the writing process of students. In addition, the research recognized and acknowledged the sociocultural theory of literacy as well as the experience and skill set of the student.

I found this to be very helpful to my research considering the technology implemented into the curriculum on the grounds that pedagogy and instruction regarding new technologies in the classroom will result in a collaborative approach and influence positive outcomes in the future. The implementation of word processors improved student motivation during the writing process with emphasis on drafting, editing and tailoring the finished product with a personal touch, which researchers found to be a positive outcome. However, the data collected during this research evolved from observations and interviews from teachers and students at various schools and during different times, which could have caused some limitations due to a small sample size.

As a final result the researchers have indicated that the teachers involved recognized significant gains in primary skills regarding the use of the new technology. In another study, Common Ground in Cyberspace: Constructing Web-Based Literacy Activities in Teacher Education, by Paula Boxie, (2006)  innovative ways were observed on how to implement technology in the classroom by discussing four common elements, which surfaced as teacher candidates constructed a web-based literary activity. The researcher finds this article relevant to his research because the first step in implementing technology in the curriculum and or classroom is to make sure the teacher using the technology is trained to do so effectively.

Furthermore, according to Boxie the research was a national study conducted by the National Center for Education Statistics, which determined how technology was integrated into classroom lessons but before it can be integrated in the classroom it must first be designed in the curriculum and the sequence of the academic program. The collaborative activities included reading comprehension, the writing process, and research skills, which were designed for the second grade, eighth grade, and an alternative high school. The data collected raised questions about how technology training in teacher education still needed attention and the reform should begin in the Universities before changes in the curriculum could take place. However, the research focused on the curriculum activities and assessed the range of commitment each teacher had while implementing the technology, which I found very insightful considering my research herein. The researcher feels that a teacher must make a full commitment when integrating technology in the classroom, which should entail the theory of, what is taught, is what is learned.

 In addition, the research of Shelley B. Wepner, Kathleen A. Bowes, and Rita S. Serotkin reveals that technology integrated into the classroom is not only a learning process but an ongoing commitment which should begin with preservice training considering future teachers. (2007)  Furthermore, attitudes towards technology in the classroom needed to change and that the adjustments would take time and commitment considering all facets of the implementation process. Considering curriculum, Cramer (2007) emphasized the importance of implementing learning objects as instructional technology, which will prepare students for the twenty-first century skills necessary for success during the transition into the work force. Furthermore, the article states supporting evidence on important components, which design curriculum around technology by answering the following question: Does technology increase student learning?

Moreover, the article reported mixed findings on integrating technology in the classroom considering student learning and concluded that there are two types of instructional technology: learning from technology and learning with technology.

Cramer (2007) suggests that learning with technology is very beneficial and introduces three phases of technology use when considering the restructuring of curriculum, such as, print automation, expansion of learning opportunities and data-driven virtual learning. In short, Cramer concludes that technology does in fact increase student learning and can change the nature of the curriculum. (2007)

Educators have the opportunity to use technology to increase the efficiency of the educational process. When integrated into well-designed and meaningful instructional activities, technology promotes learning for students with and without disabilities according to Margaret E. King-Sears and Anna S. Evmenova. (2007)  I agree. If the lesson is not well thought out and prepared with the instructional technology in mind it is a waste of time and energy. The students will not benefit from an activity that has not been planned accordingly with the technology being implemented.

Relevant to the article of King-Sears et al. and significant to the research conducted is the study from Mai (2007), which demonstrates the integration of technology into the curriculum based on the structure of the constructivist learning approach, which not only enhances instruction but provides enriched lessons in a more engaging curriculum for the student. The research was based and structured around a multimedia project to be designed with new technology using the multimedia development process. (MDP) The research concluded that multimedia projects that are student driven were beneficial to the learning process regarding personal experience and knowledge, which students gathered from many sources. According to the study of Shannon M. Carlin-Menter and Thomas J. Shuell (2003) regarding writing strategies, the possibility that multimedia authorship may help students become more proficient writers is represented in the results. Furthermore, the participants were to develop a non-linear presentation using Hyper Studio technology. The students wrote an essay, which dealt with an assigned topic both before and after the multimedia project. The research proved significant increases in the students' scores on the organizational quality of the essays from the pre-test to the post-test.

The question is answered again. Technology increases the learning of the student. Moreover, Menter et al. mentions that the study was to investigate the possibility that multimedia technology can increase the proficiency of student writing. In addition, Menter et al. emphasizes that the main concern of the study was whether teaching students about multimedia design and having them develop their own multimedia project will enable them to better organize their ideas in a more traditional writing method using a writing instrument instead of a word processor (2003).The results proved positive. According to Saddler and Asaro (2007) supplemental writing instruction increases the writing quality of students with disabilities through planning and revising.

The students used a self-regulated strategy development approach when it came time to plan and revise their stories. The research didn't involve technology but was mostly student driven regarding the processing, planning, problem solving, and revising of the written work. In a study related to that of Saddler et al., which implemented technology in the English classroom was conducted by McGrail (2003), which emphasized a school wide lap top initiative and the perspectives of secondary English teachers. According to McGrail (2003) schools across the United States have committed themselves to lap top technology programs as a way to encourage information processing, problem solving, and student centered learning, and critical thinking in collaborative classrooms. Furthermore, McGrail (2003) suggests that computers in the classroom are not the only answer for a positive experience with technology in the classroom. Computers are only a minor element in the technological change in the classroom, McGrail (2003) emphasizes that the key element to this change is the teacher. In short, it seems like every educator has the same theory, “that the important component in a change process is not the technology that is being implemented but the beliefs and practices of the people who are affected by it”, (McGrail pg.1057).

In response to the research study conducted by McGrail (2003), I believe that everyone is affected by new technologies being implemented in the classroom. Moreover, the literature review suggests many different technologies and implementation practices, from redesigning curriculum to simple word processing activities. Furthermore, the review also implies the integration of instructional technology and assistive technology implemented in the classroom to enhance the academic performance of students. The current study examines the use of multimedia technology and investigates that with proper implementation the technology will enhance student academic achievement in the Language Arts.

Method

Research Design

The researcher will demonstrate a quantitative research method using an ABAB design while conducting the study. A multiple-baseline-across conditions design will be used considering multiple probes during baseline to measure pre-instruction and post-instruction. The researcher also incorporated an experimental comparative research method examining the organizational writing skills demonstrated between four students from an English class at the A+ at Westmeade Alternative School who display various behavior and learning disabilities.

The researcher will proceed to implement analytical research methods by analyzing student tests, assignments and past performance of a pre-test considering organizational writing skill. The pre-test was administered before the intervention of multimedia technology and will demonstrate the researcher's reliability of the intervention. This study will investigate the integration of multimedia technology in the classroom and the possibility that with proper implementation the technology will help students enhance academic achievement in the Language Arts, more specifically, writing organization and comprehension skills.

Procedure

An English class of 4 students will participate in this study, which will take place over ten class periods per two school weeks. During the first week the students will be given the short story, The Tell-Tale Heart, by Edgar Allan Poe and the lyrics to “Time” by Pink Floyd. The students will be asked to write a 4 paragraph summary that includes the literary terms used in class, such as, internal rhyme, alliteration, extended metaphor and carpe diem. The students will complete 3 tasks while developing their paragraphs. 1. Recognize and discuss the Carpe Diem theme. 2. Make connections between the song and his/her own life using the poetic devices of internal rhyme, alliteration and extended metaphor. 3. Recognize the connection between the Carpe Diem theme of the song and the work of literature.  In the conclusion of the first week the students will hand in their writing assignments to be graded. The papers will be filed in individual student work folders as baseline data to be compared later. The researcher expects to see an increase from baseline data after the completion of the second week.

During the second week (intervention phase) the students will be introduced to the technology of the experiment. The song, “Time”, by Pink Floyd, will be introduced which illustrates the Carpe Diem theme and can be used as a companion piece to the literary work by Edgar Allan Poe. The selection introduces various poetic devices and significant sound effects which enhance the meaning of Carpe Diem. The students will be introduced to a power point presentation including: fractal images, album cover art and the song, which will be played throughout the presentation. The students will be asked to rewrite their summaries and to address the same tasks in their papers as in the first week of the study. The students will also be given access to an Edgar Allan Poe Myspace page that contains historical information, a web-quest, a short film of The Tell-Tale Heart and a multimedia tour of the Poe house in Philadelphia. During the first week of the study the students will be without technology and during the second week they will be using technology as they re-write their paragraphs. The results of the intervention will be collected during the ten day period and are expected to be dramatically different with an increase of the Language Arts skills of reading, writing organization and comprehension.

Results

Based on the students' work during the first week, the researcher's assumptions of organizational errors and comprehension being approximately on a grading scale of 60% to 75% were accurate, which were visually demonstrated using a likert scale. All four participants failed to develop structured paragraphs while attempting to execute the three tasks of, 1. Recognize and discuss the Carpe Diem theme. 2. Make connections between the song and his/her own life using the poetic devices of internal rhyme, alliteration and extended metaphor. 3. Recognize the connection between the Carpe Diem theme of the song and the work of literature. .If the intervention phase of implementing technology is successful, the researcher can expect the grading scale to increase above the baseline grading scale of 60% to 75% in all five participants. During the intervention phase the researcher has reported that the students were more involved in the writing process and the interest levels in all four students increased due to the fact that there was more interaction considering the use of various technologies. In the conclusion of the second week the researcher is pleased to report that the collection of the data during the intervention phase has significantly increased above baseline to approximately 80% to 95% on the grading scale. The dependent variable is the behavior being targeted for change and in this study that behavior is poor writing skills. The independent variable is the intervention being implemented to change the poor writing skills and in this study the independent variable is multimedia technologies. The results of the intervention can be ..seen on the following graph (A).

 Baseline = Pre-writing, Intervention = Post-writing



The researcher feels that by implementing various technologies in the classroom and giving students with learning disabilities the opportunity to experience a constructivist approach to learning Language Arts skills was a success during the two week study. The researcher is confidant in answering the question: Does technology improve student learning?

Discussion

           

The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of implementing technology in the special education classroom in hopes to increase student learning in Language Arts skills. The participants of the study all display various learning disabilities and emotional pitfalls in the educational setting. The research has shown that with proper implementation of the technologies baseline scores have increased and students with multiple disabilities improved their academic achievement in the Language Arts, considering reading, writing organization and comprehension skills.

The limitations of this research are the disabilities each student possesses. If the students can achieve progress in their language arts abilities in just two weeks with the implementation of multimedia and word processors the possibilities of increasing the whole student body's language arts skills is not too far behind. The researcher agrees with the McGrail study stating, “That the important component in a change process is not the technology that is being implemented but the beliefs and practices of the people who are affected by it”, (McGrail 2006). If we can instill this belief system in the students and other teachers that technology can increase student learning, positive change for special education students with multiple disabilities can happen anywhere. Further research might examine the professional development of special educators and or teacher candidates in the area of implementing technology into the curriculum. The results of this study should support the hypothesis that implementing technology can increase student learning for students with behavioral and learning disabilities. Furthermore, with a time-sensitive training procedure and a constructivist learning approach, instructional technology can improve students' academic achievements in both general and special education.

The Evolution of Language Embedded in the Surf Sub-Culture:

  Communication at best is the approximation of meaning and how the sender and the receiver interact with the exchange of messages within different conventions of style, such as, oral, written and nonverbal communication. However, as creatures of habit, human beings are mostly lazy and are always looking for the shortcut or the fastest solution to almost anything, even communication, which can result in turning verbal expression into something personalized and processed within the social contours of our existence. Communication is a universal influence with a purpose for all human life, it defines us as individuals. The groups we work, live and play in somehow form our language into words, phrases and even sentence structures, which are, in ways, common with those people around us. We use a form of communication on a daily basis without thinking about how informal the process actually may seem or sound to others; do we really care? No.

   The discourse in which we communicate with on a daily basis, our own ritualized jargon and or slang, if you will, is a developed characteristic of our psyche and a language footprint of our social surroundings.  Moreover, the language or dialect in which we choose to speak within our social network is a personalized interpretation of who we are and who we want to be associated with. An example of a social group who defines a whole sub-culture on a global platform and who have developed their own language within their social realm is surfers. Surfers are a very territorial breed of agro water enthusiasts who, over the last 50+ years, have developed their own lexicon in the United States influenced by the sport they love so much, which is deeply embedded into the fabric of their cultural quilt, surfing; the sport of kings.

 Surfing was originated in the Polynesian islands, with much speculation, and soon crossed over like a tsunami washing up on the beaches of the Hawaiian Islands. Anthropologists can only guess at the origin and evolution of wave-riding and surfboard construction in Polynesian culture, since there's no certainty about the timeline and movements of the Polynesians. Around 2000 B.C., the migration of humans out of Asia and into the eastern Pacific began, and Polynesians established themselves within a large triangle, with Aotearoa (New Zealand) at the south point, Tonga and Samoa along the western boundary and Tahiti and the Marquesas to the east. Forced to migrate into the vast region by the push of population and the pull of the horizon, the first Polynesians arrived in the Hawaiian Islands in the fourth century A.D.

  The Polynesians who made the arduous journey from Tahiti and the Marquesas to Hawaii were exceptional watermen and women who brought a deep love and knowledge of the ocean with them. More importantly, they brought Tahitic language along with them. Tahitian language is one of two languages spoken in the Society Islands which include Tahiti. The language is closely related to that of the ‘Olelo Hawai'i, (Hawaiian language). This migration not only saturated the land with another cultural identity but also allowed a full pollination of language in the Hawaiian culture, which gave birth to a pidgin language. Pidgin is a language that develops between two cultures who do not share a common knowledge of one particular language as a means of communicating and this occurred when Polynesians came to the islands, merging two verbal languages (Hawaiian and Polynesian) with a soulful, non-verbal language, such as, surfing.

  Furthermore, pidgin in Hawaii is not the native speech but a second language which is still used in the 21st century. Within this pidgin language there is jargon, which is associated with and related to the specific activity of professional surfing. Jargon, much like slang developed as a quick response to our laziness as human beings and our verbal shorthand of communicating within a particular social (professional) group, in this case, surfers. Surf jargon developed over 100 years ago on the Hawaiian Islands and then spread with the traveling surfer to remote corners of the globe, such as, Polynesia, South Africa, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Ireland, France, Bali, Costa Rica, Panama, Jakarta (Indonesia), California, Florida and up the entire Eastern Seaboard continuing up through Canada and Nova Scotia. In short, wherever there were waves to ride the language evolved.

   The surfing communities around the world were involved in a growing phenomenon which resulted in a sub-culture that adopted a new language derived from each individualized lexicon, dialect and socio-economic background, which spawned from the Hawaiian Pidgin languages of the islands which can be traced all the way back to Polynesian natives who eventually flooded the Hawaiian Islands in the fourth century A.D. Acknowledging the mass immigration into the Hawaiian Islands is a historical tattoo, which can define a sub-culture's beginnings and true roots. The language brought forth by this merge was no surprise and more of a natural process, which can be seen in the evolution of the English language from the beginning of the study of linguistics from Old English to Modern English. The point is it doesn't matter who is accredited with this merging of the language, it happened naturally.

  Surfing jargon continuouslymerged and spread all throughout the world with no signs of slowing down, in short, the beast has been given birth. The phenomena of this growing language which is deeply rooted in the depths of the sport of surfing has grown tremendously over the years in which case it has an evolving lexicon of slang/jargon embedded into American culture as an American sub-culture. To better understand this new beginning of a language, which is rooted in the cultural fibers of the sport of surfing is to understand another American sub-culture, who also incorporated their own language to express themselves. The beat Generation not only changed American Literature with written language but gained the status of an American sub-culture that incorporated an entire lexicon of beat jargon and slang.

  The beat movement in America arose from the conservative post World War II culture of the United States, introducing a new form of consciousness to the American literature genre of the time. Introduced by a handful of young ambitious writers who considered themselves to be beat, meaning “down and out” and or “tired” the beats single-handedly turned the term beat into something of a more spiritual definition meaning beatific and holy, which is represented in the writings of these authors. The beat movement eventually caught up with the surfers mixing into the California surfing culture in San Francisco, which spread across the United States like wild-fire. I am merely suggesting a parallelism between the Beat Generation, which made great contributions to the cannon of American Literature using a specific language and the surfing culture, which continues to affect language in the 21st century.

  Furthermore, the subject matter of which they wrote about seemed to go against the grain of societal norms and leaned towards a more liberal way of thinking in terms of being an American of that time period. Analyzing this theory, I inject that surfers are more liberal in terms of their thinking and are known to go against the grain of societal norms in the 21st century. Moreover, the beats introduced cultures from around the world by means of: experimental drug use, alcohol, homosexuality, lesbianism, spiritual entities and Eastern philosophies, such as Buddhism and Taoism, the beat writers created a sub-culture within the existing conservative culture that was America at the time. At the same time surfing introduced new cultures and new languages to the world by evolving as a sport, showing evidence of this movement when the French Polynesians flooded the Hawaiian Islands. 

This new culture defined as the surf culture formulated a new way of speaking to express and to render thoughts through writing, speaking and surfing, which greatly represents the communication model of written, verbal and nonverbal language.

   Surfing is one of the fastest growing sports of the 21st century and with it, the surfer lexicon is exploding upon the masses in all facets of media and environments such as, print, commercial, radio, classrooms, theater, and even fine arts; especially the arts. On determining if the language associated with surfing is a slang or jargon, we must first recognize what slang is and how it differs from jargon. Slang, although informal, are expressions used to describe a condition and or an object. If a surfer describes a wave as, “that was full-on”, it would be considered slang.

            If a surfer had to describe the particulars of surfboard dimension to a surfboard shaper, for instance, “I need a low-entry rocker on the nose and high carved rails that will add a double reverse concave throughout the bottom leading to a thumb tail which will allow more maneuverability in the tube”, would be considered jargon; speaking about the profession of surfing. To further my understanding of slang I read Krassimira Charkova's research study, A Language Without Borders: English Slang and Bulgarian Learners of English. According to Charkova's study on English slang, the most frequently mentioned functions of slang include the following: “slang is often used as a replacement of conventional terms in order to create a more vivid or original effect”, “ slang often includes taboo and vulgar words and expressions, and for this reason, it is unlikely to be used in high-status contexts”, furthermore, the research stated that, “slang significantly reduces the dignity of formal speech or writing” and “speaking a particular slang is governed by an individual's desire to identify with a specific speech community or a fashionable trend in society” (Charkova, 2007).

             Acknowledging the research and Charkova's definitions of English slang I believe that only a surfer would recognize the fine line between the vocabularies used to replace conventional language (slang) and the more technical vocabulary used when speaking as part of a profession (jargon), which is most definitely the case with most human beings and their chosen lexicons considering their socio-economic background and other factors, such as education and the natural environment of development. Charkova explains that the understanding of slang usage comes from a variety of sources and cultures alike.

            She states that, “because of its informal status and unstable nature, changeable according to age, gender, social class, geographic location, time, and so forth, slang is usually not taught”, moreover, “Slang acquisition happens naturally, governed by various motives of sociopsychological nature such as a person's desire to identify with a particular group of people or a faddish trend or to express oneself in a less conventional way”. (Charkova, 2007) Knowing this, I think about how the transition from the Society Islands to Hawaii was natural for the Polynesian peoples and how, when they arrived, a pidgin was formed, which brought forth a whole lexicon of slang words. I can see the evolution of this language element and have been affected personally because I have been part of many different social groups where the language changes.

           

            More specifically, I have been surfing since I was five years old and as I grew up I witnessed the evolution of the surfer slang and how it was embedded into my life. The most interesting aspect about the surf slang/jargon is that it changes from country to country, from state to state and city to city, from town to town, and from beach to beach no matter where you live. Moreover, being a New Jersey native I have experienced this transition in surfer slang/jargon from beach town to beach town, which sometimes is only 25 minutes away from the island where I live. The difference in dialect and pronunciation effects the language in different areas but the meaning is usually the same, semantically as a whole, we can understand each other no matter where we are in the world. If you are part of the global tribe of surfers, the surfing lexicon is a universal communication in both slang and jargon.

            In conclusion, language has developed many interesting realms of all communication styles and the most interesting, in my opinion, is the origins of slang and how it is used to mainstream language for a better semantic understanding within a culture or social group. The group I am interested in and have been apart of since the age of five is the sub-culture of surfers in the United States as well as, globally. We are a tight knit group who all have one thing in common, the love of the ocean and a passion for riding waves. Furthermore, our language, even though it may come in different dialects considering geographical location, plays an important role in the universal understanding of this passion for riding waves. I have learned a great deal while researching the surfer slang/jargon and realized that when it comes to social groups, I wouldn't want to change my lexicon for the better or worse because I love where I come from and what my language represents.

Salt

She was watching tv

sitting at the window

as I walked in the door

I couldn’t miss her

Not the way her eyes 
focused In and out

During the commercials

she applied lip gloss

and ate popcorn

The commercials ended        

and once again  

she’s focused

Standing by the window
hoping to find comfort     

In the warmth of her breath.

Pomona NJ

This old wood that surrounds us

                      is tormented and sad

the slightest infraction of light 

                      could easily penetrate

the soft flesh and like small ax 

                       bring the tops falling

to earth without a sound  
    
                        lost in innocence.

“Buddha died leaving behind a great emptiness”

                                       Allen Ginsberg-

Your skin.........

Like crushed flowers
perfumed with summer sun
and brilliant while dancing

Saturated in sweat when punctured
like clouds heavy with rain
dripping in endless shafts of light

Enveloped in cotton
the sweet smell of you
on my lips.

After GLove show @ the Tide

She

Blind eyes with a smile.
A stare without an object.
Feelings shielded by ignorance.
Waiting without presence.

She
Standing before me here.
Uncomfortable departure.
Words will not penetrate.
Words may shape the fate.

She
Dancing in my eyes.
Swaying hair hidden.
Closeness with a distance.
Acquainted without existence.

She

Without her.
A stare without an object.
Ignorant eyes blinded.

She

Would She have minded?

Adjusted

Your tongue has moved ill
killing tulips in my eyes

My heart cuts itself out         fears the ground
cold and surrounded with feet
will you not hold it?

I’m adjusted you say     all the sudden
you have these words
fast and accurate           without notice

Words seem more important
without my poison tongue around you
Uncorked         clean and wood-like
they fall from your mouth      into my ear

with my heart on the floor
at the mercy of your feet.