You are expected to conduct at least one digitally recorded interview. After conducting an interview with a person at your field site location, you should transcribe the interview and post your transcription here. Of course, you will not be able to just slap this transcript into your ethnography paper, but you might be able to pick and choose portions of the interview for select parts of the paper.
Consider your interview transcript as either a repository of evidence to help you make a claim, as a moment to help you develop a scene, or as content for expository writing.
Me: Okay well to start Im Anna Parry and Im writing my paper on Northview Area Council. So first question whats your name?
ReplyDeleteGuest:Stephana Reid
Me: And when did you join Area Council?
Stephana:This year, its a new council since Northview was just built.
Me:What is your position in Area Council?
Stephana: Im the amazing Vice President. But I got to be Present for a few weeks after the current one resigned.
Me: Why did you decide to join?
Stephana:I like to join things *chuckle* I thought it sounded cool setting up events. I figured I had just as much chance as anyone else so why not?
Me:What are the responsibilities of Northview?
Stephana:We plan events for the residents and make decisions on things like where the trash goes and if we should add something like a basketball court and other things that would help the residents live happier.
Me:Have you made any of those decisions this year?
Stephana: We currently are trying to put a basketball court on the roof but there have been a lot of problems with people not throwing their trash away in the trash shoot so we have been more focused on solving that problem.
Me: How long are you planning on staying with Area Council?
Stephana:I think after this year Im going to be done. I love it and all but it's too much pressure. People ask too much of me and I need to focus on my school work.
Me: Understandable. Well I think thats all the questions I have thank you for your time.
Stephana: Anytime.
Me: Hi my name is Wrenz Ronas and im doing an ethnography paper on hip hop culture.
ReplyDeleteGuest: awesome im here to help
Me: lets start, whats your name?
Guest: Jan Robert
Me: when did you start dancing?
Jan: i started dancing at the age of 7 i think.
Me: What influenced you to dance?
Jan: My parents and my love for music are the main. my parents enrolled me to this dance studio (Pulse Studio) because i begged them every week when i first saw ABDC (America's Best Dance Crew)
Me: Why do you dance?
Jan: My body just wants to move to the beat of the music. It is also a stress reliever especially when the load of school and life becomes too heavy.
Me: Will you ever stop dancing?
Jan: i dont think so unless i get injured or something. but even if i lose this legs i wouldnt find a way to dance
Me: final question, in one word what would you describe your dance style? and why?
Jan: Drop....cause your jaws will drop!!!
(laughter in the background from his fellow dancers)
Me: Thank you
Jan: No problem bro. see you next week
Me: Hey Abby, as you know, I'm doing an ethnography paper on the College Republicans Club.
ReplyDeleteAbby: Yep, that's great. I'm a pretty active member.
Me: What do you do for the club?
Abby: I was recently elected Secretary for the club last tuesday. I also went with the club on a trip to Washington, DC a few weeks ago.
Me: What did you do in DC?
Abby: I listened to Congressmen and Senators speak, a few debates, and I got to meet Mike Huckabee.
Me: That sounds like a great experience. When does your club meet?
Abby: Every Tuesday at 7pm in the student union.
Me: How long are the meetings?
Abby: Usually around an hour. We just discuss current events and how we can help out in the community.
Me: What do you do in the community?
Abby: We help campaign for the Republican candidates, as well as fundraise for our trips to DC and to improve the community.
Me: How many club members do you have?
Abby: We have around 120 dues paying members, but roughly 40 of them attend each week.
Me: How much are dues?
Abby: $20 a year.
Me: Are there a lot of your sorority sisters in this club? How did you get involved?
Abby: Actually, I am the only greek member of the club. I got involved because I love politics, the Republican Party, and I wanted to be involved with something other than my sorority. I didn't want to become one sided.
Me: Well, I think that wraps it up for today. I'll see you tuesday for your next meeting, and congratulations on winning your elections.
Abby: Thanks Mark, I'll see you then.
Introduction: Hi, I’m Whitney Barnes and I’m doing ethnography on African American hair salons and their impact on Black culture. Could I ask you a few questions?
ReplyDeleteInterviewee: Wow of course that sounds really interesting may I ask what school you go to?
Me: Thank you so much and UCF, I’m going to start by first asking you your name.
Interviewee: Neil Anderson.
Me: Okay, lets begin.
1) How would you define black hair?
Answer: Diverse, melting pot, *long pause* it's a bit of everything involving hair, I would consider it a jambalaya
2) What inspired you to start doing homework?
Answer: I was just naturally talented, decided to make something of it at a young age, went to school for 1200 hours, took me a little over a year to finish
3) How long have you been a barber?
Answer: 9 years, I do not other styles of hair … just barbering
4) What does it take to do black hair?
Answer: Takes style, lots of culture, personal taste while remaining open about different ideas depending on the client
5) Upcoming trends in hair
Answer: Different materials within hair no limitation from clothe, rope, cardboard, wiring, there is an increase in the popularity for extreme hair. People are begging to be different; everyone is trying to out with not only their clothes but, there hair. Style is a way of expression.
Me: Thank you so much for participating.
Neil: No problem, what class is this for?
Me: It’s for my ENC 1101 class it’s our last paper.
*small talk*
Me: All right so…I guess uh say your name first.
ReplyDeleteKenneth: My name is Kenneth Ingraham, I am the director of the iTeam and the president of Interactor Simulation Systems.
Me: Now what does it mean to be the president of Interactor Simulation Systems?
Kenneth: Well it's a private company and I am the one, the founder of that company.
Me: Umm. So how did you get to where you are now?
Kenneth: Well, huh, back in 2004, huh, I was pursuing my undergraduate here at UCF, and there was a teacher named Jeff Wirth who was running, huh, an informal lab, called the interactive performance lab. He was also a teacher in a class that I took, and he invited me to see, umm, that iteration of the iTeam, umm, do its work within the lab, and I became intrigued and so I started working more and more with Jeff and with other members of the iTeam, eventually became a member of the iTeam myself. By the time I graduated, umm and had pursued these projects I realized this was what I wanted to do for a living. So.
Me: I suppose, how did the iTeam get started?
Kenneth: The iTeam was huh again Jeff’s huh creation, he, he gathered, umm, performer, or performance students, huh, and put together this, this team. And that’s what I saw when I first, umm, visited uh were these undergraduate students who were, umm, creating interactive story but also functioning as a cohesive, umm, unit that could assemble the story box, the original story box, not the one we use now. That was part of what intrigued me about it, it was the way they worked together in a healthy and supportive way, but also in a, umm, very focused and impressive high level of technical skill. It spoke to, to the part of me that appreciated, umm, you know, highly trained teams and how they work. So that was what I originally saw and, umm, there have been various iterations of the iTeam since then, none of the people who were on the iTeam when I first saw it are currently on the iTeam now. Umm, this is, what I would call the, fourth iteration of the iTeam.
Me: Is this all based off of improv acting?
Kenneth: No, improv acting is a big part of it, umm, but we like to think of there being five pillars to the training that goes into being an interactor. Improvisation is one, Acting is another, and we make the distinction between the two, Social Phycology, Story, and Technology.
Me: So did you formulate those yourself?
Kenneth: No those were already you know sort of instantiated by the original team and by Jeff.
Part 2 of Interview:
DeleteMe: How would you describe being an interactor?
Kenneth: Huh, being an interactor is, in some ways, like having a little bit of a superpower, I’ve always kind of thought. The process of becoming an interactor and learning the tools, techniques, and concepts, umm, makes you such that you are a little more sensitive than the average person to human behavior. So, you pick up on things that the vast majority of people don’t see. It also allows you to, umm, use these techniques to, umm, to create things that might seem magical, umm, it makes you a better communicator, umm, just outside of any fictional context, and it also make you ideally a more effective human being. That sound very grand and, umm, monolithic and I mean it to be, because a lot of what we’re touching upon actually is basic primate behavior, its protohuman, and what’s interesting is that now as the fully evolved humans that we are, or the degree to which we are evolved at this point, we have the intellectual capacity to become aware of those behaviors and actually manipulate those, umm, make those, those behaviors and intentional act as opposed to something you are responding to as pure stimuli in an instinctive way. So, umm, when an interactor walks into a room, umm, their probably picking up on subtle signals about the power structure within the people they are seeing. They are picking up on vocal tendencies and vocal behaviors both overt and subliminal. They are picking up on the, there’s a discipline called transactional analysis which are, umm, often referred to as the game people play verbally, and interactors are capable of seeing that and breaking it down and understanding why people are talking to each other the way they are. And that’s all, all the things I’ve just listed are behavioral patterns that interactors are attuned to, umm, but interactors are also active agents, they can ideally make it so that the other people around them, the non interactors, can have a fuller experience of the day. If the idea is to create, if people are sitting around a conceptual meeting trying to solve a problem or come up with a new idea, an interactor can make the process by which that product or concept comes about, a healthier one because of being able to read these signals and also impact the discussion and the behavior around them such that people are more open, perhaps emotionally more available, perhaps thinking in ways they haven’t thought of before. All of this requires the interactor to be…
Me: For the iTeam, where would you describe, say it’s heading towards? Like a certain objective or goal you have for it?
Kenneth: Well, for the form it’s exploratory. In the art form you want it to be more than just story box. And it has grown to those other things like Simulife, like the virtual reality mix simulators that we talked about like Teachlive and Dramarama. But for the individuals, the ideas is that everyone who is part of iTeam gains useful knowledge and greater understanding of themselves and their abilities by being a part of iTeam. So, whatever they end up doing, their better because of iTeam in doing that. If their career and life choices take them into management, for example, I would hope that they become better managers because they have grown with these interactive skills. Basically, if they interact with human beings in any way for the rest of their life, I hope that they can take some good from what they have learned here an apply that.
Me: Rollins baseball field, March 30th, Interview with Peter Nicoletto. Okay, So Peter, how did you get into baseball and when did you first start playing?
ReplyDeletePeter: Well, my dad signed me up when I was probably around 5 or 6 and I started out with T-ball and I have just been playing ever since.
Me: Okay cool so you started super young. Well what do you think is the most exciting part of baseball?
Peter: I think that just the whole team aspect of the game and going really far into the playoffs, theres nothing better than that.
Me: So the team aspect has a huge influence on how fun the game?
Peter: Ya definitely. Its just a good, close group of guys who want to have the same goal.
Me: And if the team chemistry isn't there its just...
Peter: Right, ya if the team chemistry isn't there you don't want to play at all.
Me: So do you think that the fans contribute to the enjoyment of the game as well?
Peter: For sure, when a bunch of fans show up it creates a whole different atmosphere and really changes the game.
Me: Does the crowd have an effect on the mood of the players?
Peter: Ya, depending on whether you're away or home, the away crowd definitely...
Me: That effects you more than the home crowd?
Peter: Ya I would definitely say so cus its more of a negative way
Me: Okay I never thought of it like that I thought it would be the opposite.
Peter: Ya cus when i am here and up to bat you just hear the crowd like chirping at you trying to cheer you on.
Me: Does that help? When you hear in the background the crowd say like "go Peter" or whatever.
Peter: For sure. I can hear it until I step in the box and then I just block everything out.
Me: Okay so the crowd really can make a difference in a game.
Peter: Ya for sure.
Me: So what are some unique characteristics of baseball that you notice? Like how people talk, like behavior and stuff like that?
Peter: Ya theres a much different behavior with baseball than any other sport, it's hard to really explain why it is that way it's just completely different the way people talk in baseball than in any other sport.
Me: Ya like one thing ive noticed is that the fans and players sometimes mesh words together. Like "come on now" becomes "hun now hun now" and instead of saying the numbers like "fifteen" they'll say "one five."
Peter: It's just the lingo the baseball players use and the fans watch the games and grow up around the baseball talk and end up using it too, it catches on.
Me: Right, so does your behavior differ on the baseball field than off it?
Peter: Oh ya I think so, like, not when i'm off the field with baseball players but when i'm not with them I tend to be more proper like I don't act or talk the way I do when I am with my teammates.
Me: Okay so last one, what are some physical aspects of the ball park that you admire, like that makes it so unique?
Peter: I think that having the ballpark really nice before the game so when you step on the field its just all perfect.
Me: Ya also like when you go to other sports like soccer, lacrosse or football, its all rectangular fields and this is so unique with the diamond.
Peter: Ya theres just no other sport like it and when you just step between those lines theres just a felling that you can't explain that happens.
Me: Right ya totally, well thank you I really appreciate it. End of recording.
Me: Hey Mike, I know you heard me talking to Steve about the paper I'm doing, so I'm not going to talk your ear off and explain the whole thing. Do you mind answering some questions for me?
ReplyDeleteMike: Not at all! Take as much time as you need.
Me: Okay, if you need to go to finish up the tattoo you're doing, feel free, we can finish another time.
Mike: Nah don't worry about it, he needed a break so he's out smoking for a bit.
Me: Okay, so how did you get this job? Tattooing? Not necessarily at this particular shop, but just tattooing in the first place.
Mike: Well, I got really lucky and my friends parents owned a tattoo shop, so I got an apprenticeship and started working there pretty quickly.
Me: Have you always wanted to do this?
Mike: No, it definitely wasn't in my plans, I was in school for graphic design. I have always been really artistic. That's what this is, the whole thing, it's an art. Anyway, I realized how much I liked this by hanging out with my friend and thought it would be a cool job.
Me: Do you think you'll do this for the rest of your life?
Mike: Yes. I love my job and it really suits my lifestyle. I will do it as long as I can.
Me: How many tattoos do you have?
Mike: It's hard to tell, it's easier to put it like, I have 95 hours of work on my body.
Me: That's interesting, I haven't heard it like that. Do you do your own tattoos?
Mike: I have done 8 of my own, but I trust the guys I work with to do them for me.
Me: Is there a particular crazy tattoo you remember doing? Like crazier than the rest?
Mike: Nah, I don't like to do crazy tattoos. Tattoos are a way to express yourself, I don't try to put crazy things on peoples' bodies. I try to talk them out of it actually. I don't want to do something they might regret. That's not the job.
Me: It's really cool how into your job you are. You are really talented and it's cool to find someone who takes advantage of that talent for a job. Thank you for answering some questions, I'll probably have more next time I come.
Mike: No problem, Amy. We are all here to help, just let any of us know if you need anything else.
Me: Hey Cherry, can i ask you a couple of questions for this report i have to do?
ReplyDeleteAlex (RagingCherry) Chiricosta: Yeah, sure man.
Me: So what do you think of people saying that videogames can alter the way gamers behave?
Alex: Honestly i think that is complete bullshit! It's just like saying that soccer changes the way soccer players act or baseball changes the way baseball players act on a daily basis.
Me: I couldn't have agreed with you even more. Can you tell us from personal experience what its like to be an e-sports athlete and a wrestler?
Alex: Yeah, I train everyday for both sports. I have to put in the same amount of hours for both sports in order to stay in the competition with other athletes. People think that most e-sports athletes are just fat and lazy nerds and they couldn't be more wrong. I'm not saying their aren't any fat and lazy nerds in e-sports because there are but not all of us are.
Me: right
Alex: Like we train day in and day out to make a living as a sports athlete but no one considers us a sport because it involves no physical strain. I'll tell you one thing, e-sports provides one of the most mental strain there is out there.
Me: Yeah there is no doubt about that.
Alex: Ugh It just makes me mad sometimes because people insult and undermine gamers everyday for no reason. Hey Blake, i actually got to go. so i'll catch you later man.
Me: Alright see ya.
Me: Hi my name is Grant and I am writing a paper on 3 vs 3 IM Basketball. Do you care if I ask you a few questions?
ReplyDeleteInterviewee: Sure, ask away.
Me: What is your name?
Interviewee: Jordan.
Me: How do all of your teammates know each other?
Jordan: We all lived in the same town and played in local leagues.
Me: What makes you want to play IM 3 vs 3 Basketball?
Jordan: My friends and I decided to create a team to have fun and play together to try and win some games like we used to in our local town.
Me: What are some of the struggles that your team goes through while playing?
Jordan: Our enjoy team is under 6 foot so we have a really hard time adjusting to playing bigger and better players.
Me: Have you guys improved as the season went on?
Jordan: Our first game we were able to identify with some problems and we adjusted accordingly. Through the rest of the season we worked on rebounding, defense, and playing with each other since we haven’t all played together.
Me: Are you happy with the current 3 vs 3 format?
Jordan: I liked last semester’s format much better. It was 5 vs 5 and we had a really good team last semester until we had a couple of injuries that caused us to lose in the playoffs.
Me: I would like to thank you for conducting this interview with me and I hope you guys the best of luck with the rest of the season.
Jordan: You’re welcome and thank you hopefully we can do well in the playoffs.
Me: Hey, Kelly as you know I’m here because I’m doing an ethnography paper on the preschool community, an I have you here today because I would like to interview you about some questions I have regarding the preschool.
ReplyDeleteKelly: Not a problem, as you know I have been in the preschool community for many years and would be honored to help you answer all your questions.
Me: thank you, so lets begin. What is your position in the preschool and what are your responsibilities holding that position?
Kelly: I am the director of the preschool and my job while doing so is to make sure that teachers are doing there job correctly, the children are eating and napping, but most of all my job is to make sure that these kids feel comfortable in this environment and that they feel loved.
Me: What approaches do you take when trying to ensure that the children here are comfortable and loved?
Kelly: well, it starts off with hiring the right people. I look for very happy go lucky people that have experience with children. Being that these children will be with their teacher for at least a year its vital that every person hired has a bright spirit and can make a good connection with each and everyone of their students. Another thing that we do to make sure that every child feels welcomed is introducing them to all of the students in their classroom.
Me: What would you say would be the most difficult time a child may face while in this environment?
Kelly: The first day of school of every child would be the most difficult. Being that they’re so young and shy making friends seems hard for them. Along with separation anxiety from not being around there parents as much.
Me: Are there any words used within the preschool community that somebody foreign to the environment might not understand?
Kelly: Yes, in a way I suppose. In preschool we use words such as “inside voices”, “circle time”, “Bubbles”, “walking feet”, and other words like that, which are mainly self-explanatory.
Me: when children come to school everyday are they following a specific routine or are new things introduced to them each day?
Kelly: Well, each week we set up a topic, weather it be Ocean life week, or jungle week, etc. Then each day the children do projects or activities that pertain to each weekly category. They do things like finger painting a forest, or drawing a shark and having colored Gold Fish for snack.
Me: well looks like were all done here. Thanks again for letting me interview you.
Kelly: Not a problem it was my pleasure. I hope to see you soon.
Me: hey Olivia , can i ask your a couple questions about your rowing team.
ReplyDeleteOlivia: yeah of course.
Me: Do you like your coaches?
Olivia: Yeah, they're really nice. I am very close to them.
Me: What position are you in rowing? are they called positions?
Olivia : (chuckle) I get what you are saying. I am the coxswain . There are like 7 of us on the team.
Me: nice, what do you do at that position?
Olivia: i sit at the front of the boat and tell the girls how fast and when they should be rowing and just keeping a good pace. I also make sure nobody is slowing the boat down , and if they are they get sent to a boat that's not as fast.
Me: Nice, that has to be hard mentally.
Olivia: yeah, it is but I am used to it now, i have been doing it for five years now.
Me: What part of your body do you use the most in rowing?
Olivia: take a guess!
Me: I am going to guess your arms?
Olivia: nope, Your legs why do you think rowers have such strong legs? they have bigger legs because its mostly what you use.
Me: When are your practices? and on what days?
Olivia: we practice every day of the week except Sunday. We get up around 5:30 every single morning and go to practice from 6:30 am to 8:45 am. it's horrible waking up that early but after a while you just get used to it.
Me: i could not do that everyday. How many people are on your team?
Olivia: There are 40 rowers on our team
Me: That's insane, do you know and talk to every single one of them?
Olivia: i know all of them but i don't talk to all of them. It's hard to have a good relationship with everyone because there are so many of us.
Me: where do all the rowers live?
Olivia: most of the girls live in tower 4, some in tower 1, some off the walk-ons live at nike and others live off campus.
Me: Are you guys good?
Olivia: were not bad and were not great. The team is young so we will get better sooner or later.
Me: that's good, When your main season? and who do you races against?
Olivia: the main season is during the spring and we race teams like Texas, and northwestern all the time.
Me: very cool! thanks for answering my questions.
Olivia: no problem.
Me: Hey Jeff, so as you already know I have that ethnography project for English and I was wondering if you'd mind answering some quick questions for me?
ReplyDeleteJeff: Go for it.
Me: How long have you been in band?
Jeff: Since the 4th grade, my dad had been in band when he was in high school, so he signed me up as soon as possible.
Me: So it wasn't exactly your choice?
Jeff: Not quite.
Me: But obviously being a senior now, you've kept with it.
Jeff: Well, yeah. I've always loved being in band. It's something I'm proud of.
Me: Do you see yourself continuing on in band after high school?
Jeff: Yeah, I'm actually gonna do Marching Knights for UCF next fall.
Me: That's definitely a nice choice. Now I know you do a lot of activities outside of band, do you mind naming a few for me?
Jeff: Alright. I'm the captain of the boys varsity water polo team, I'm president of the Young Democrats club, as well as in a couple of other clubs that would definitely look good on college applications.
Me: Wow, that's a lot to handle.
Jeff: I mean, yeah, it's a lot but I wanted to make sure I could experience everything high school had to offer me.
Me: How do you feel about the "band geek" stereotype?
Jeff: In all honesty, I think it's bull. Yes, on average kids in band tend to have higher GPA's than their peers, but that doesn't mean you're a geek. It just means that we've been instilled with a better work ethic than some others. Most kids in band are in other activities around the school, from football to drama, softball to Spanish Honors Society. There's so much more to us than just a couple of "band geeks" walking around in funny outfits.
Me: I had a feeling you'd say something like that. Well the bell's about to ring and I don't want to make you late for class, thanks a lot for helping me out.
Jeff: Anytime, see you soon.
Interview with Hannah White
ReplyDeleteFreshmen at Paul Mitchell Beauty School
Me: What is your name?
Guest: Hannah White
Me: How old are you?
Guest: 19
Me: When did you start going to Paul Mitchell?
Guest: I started in the fall, this is my first year as a freshmen
Me: How do you like it so far
Guest: Honestly I love it, it’s a lot of hard work but it is something I really enjoy. It takes a like certain type of person to enjoy this school and I believe its honestly the perfect match for me
Me: What do you like so much about it?
Guest: I like that it is different. It’s not the normal type of school and I love that about it. It’s easier to express yourself and do something that you actually enjoy. I try to imagine myself going to an actual university and taking the typical classes like English and Math and I cant picture myself doing that at all
Me: Do you have friends that go to this school?
Guest: When I started I didn’t know a single person but since I have gone here I have made a few friends. I feel like if I went to a normal school I would have more friends because its harder to make them at a school like this but I have a few, *she laughs but at least I have a few
Me: What do you plan to do after this school
Guest: It’s a big dream but I plan on moving out to California and opening up my own salon. I want to work on famous people. I know, I know it’s a long stretch but I just think that would be the coolest job! I really do believe I have the potential to do it also.
Me: Have you ever met Paul Mitchell?
Guest: I have not actually met him but I have been in a lecture hall where he was speaking to us. It was really cool to see him in person; he is someone I look up to a lot.
Me: Is this a hard school to get into
Guest: I wouldn’t say it is easy but I also would say it is too difficult; in order to go here you have to have dedication and be really involved. The classes are long and a lot of work so you really need to be focused. To be honest a lot of people end up dropping out because the workload is really demanding. A lot of people come here and take night classes also so that could make it extra hard on someone.
Me: Why does night classes make it harder?
Guest: Usually people who take night classes either have a real job during the day or go to a community college during the day also. So I would just assume that they have a lot going on and just that would make it harder.
Me: Do you think the school is preparing you for what you want to do after you graduate?
Guest: Yes. 100 percent
Me: Why do you say that?
Guest: Because I have improved so much at my skills and I have only been going here for a year so I can’t imagine what I will become when I graduate.
Me: That’s awesome to hear! What are the teachers like?
Guest: They are honestly so chill. They really care about teaching us the material. They act more like our friends then like our teachers.
Me: Would you recommend this school to other people?
Guest: Yes but no at the same time. I would tell them that if they are dedicated and hardworking and can handle a challenge that then yeah this is a good school for them, but if not then I would have to say no for them.
Me: Thanks for your time but these are all the questions I have for you.
Guest: Anytime! *small talk continues
Mario Mathis
ReplyDeleteENC 1101=0M06
MW 3:30 - 4:20
Interview Questions
Me:Alright, Mr. Fletcher, what do you do?
DFF:My name is David Fletcher, and I am the owner of DF Fletcher Construction and I build houses.
Me:Could I ask you some questions?
DFF:Sure.
Me;How long have you been in/around construction job sites?
DFF;For about 34 years
ME:How have you seen your job change since you began?
DFF:When I began I was in high school and I was working a summer job and I basically did everything. I was a laborer and I kind of worked my way up from there, and uh, as I got older I got my degree in architecture and I started my own company and I have been doing that for over 20 years. Now owning my own company my job has changed that I now have more responsibility and bigger jobs and it is just my company.
ME:When did you know you wanted to make it your career?
DFF:I wonder sometimes still if I do want to make that my career. But I probably knew early on, probably like my third year in college. I figured out I wanted to do something in construction and it has just kind of evolved into what I do now.
ME:Is there any training or certification required?
DFF:Not really to DO construction, you can work for someone without any training or certification, but uh, but as i have gotten older and my job has expanded, my job has required certification in Georgia. I am now state licensed; so I had to do a state licensing test through the board. And I am also licensed in Florida now, and I had to do the same thing there. I had to take a test to become a contractor.
ME:If so, how time consuming is that?
DFF:How time consuming is the certification?
ME:Yes.
DFF:Just to prepare for the exam and to take the test took about three to four months for each exam.
ME:If so, does the training need to be repeated or renewed?
ME:Yeah, I have to do continuing education every year, and uh, in Georgia I believe DFF:it’s eight hours a year, and in Florida I believe it’s twelve hours a year.
(MARIO CONTINUED)
ReplyDeleteME:How is the construction site environment different from an office environment?
DFF:I can’t really speak for an office environment cause I’ve never really worked in an office, but bet the biggest thing is I work out of my truck all of the time. For me, personally, alot of my business is done over the phone, and uh, person to person meetings on the job site, and alot of my office type stuff, like looking at plans and stuff, is done on the tailgate of my truck, and I’m sure that’s different than an office
ME:How is it the same?
DFF:The same as an office?
ME:Yes.
DFF:I don’t think it is the same in any way. I mean, even the way you dress. Including me. I mean wearing boots, and getting into the mud and sawdust, and uh, and I would think in an office you don’t have that. And on the job site you are dealing with the elements; the rain, and the cold and the heat, and different things like that, so I’m sure in that way it’s definitely different. And I’m sure that the communication is probably different. And the types of people that work on a job site is probably different, versus the kinds of people that work in an office.
ME:How are all construction sites the same?
DFF:I would think that all construction sites are the same in the way that there are all different kinds of people that come to the construction site, and all different kinds of people that work on the construction site. They are all kind of a work in progress. They all have a lot of stuff going on.
ME:How are they different?
DFF:Different construction sites are probably different based on mainly the size of the project being done. The bigger the project, the more people that are there. Also different projects, based on who’s job it is there will be different types of employees they have. The scope of the work; the amount of equipment on the site. Some sites are very dirty, like trash all around. And some job sites are very well taken care of. I’m sure it just depends on the company.
ME: What makes your construction site/crew different from others?
DFF:I like to keep my job site cleaner than most sites. I like to keep it cleaned up and stuff organized and my employees are probably different from most because the all have driver’s licenses, and usually the guys I keep around are family guys and I try to maintain that with alot of my employees.
ME:Tell me how each of your employees came to work for you? (Did they apply? Did you seek them out?)
DFF:None of them applied because I didn’t actually have openings per se; ;it’s just that if I needed some help then through word of mouth or through friends of friends, or maybe I’ve seen them on another job site, or maybe they have helped me out temporarily in the past. One of my employees helped me out temporarily and was actually in business for himself, and I hired him. And then two of my employees they were actually contractors themselves and after being on their own I was able to hire them to come to work for me. And then my other two employees, they are just friends of friends that came to work for me.
ME:How do you decide each person’s responsibilities on your crew?
DFF:Usually based on their ability. If they, uh, show a knack for being able to handle more and more responsibility then I will give them more and more responsibility, but that’s based on what they have shown they can do individually.
ME:Who trains the employees on the use of the power tools?
DFF:I do. My work force right now is not that big. Right now I have five that are working for me, but I pretty much train all my employees on the use of the power tools. And like I said a while ago, it’s definitely based on what they can handle. They start out with minor responsibilities and as they grow to show competence using certain tools, then their responsibilities may grow.
MARIO CONTINUED
ReplyDeleteME:I notice that you and your crew stay together all day - breaks, lunch, etc. Why do you do this?
DFF:One, because of convenience. Because the job site is not always right by where we live and we all go to the same job site - it’s a work site. And another, we may be ten miles from town, or eight miles from town, so we may all ride together back to go eat lunch and uh, that’s normally why. It just pretty much lends itself for us to be together all of the day.
ME:You seem very familiar with your employees, and they with each other. Is this because of the job? Or were you friends before?
DFF:Probably comes from being in a small town. One of my employees was actually a classmate of mine, and another employee married a classmate of mine, and another employee is a brother in law of the first classmate I spoke of, and uh, another one is actually a friend of one I coached baseball with for eight years. So its kind of a result of networking and the small town that I live in.
ME:Conflict doesn’t seem very common on your site. Although when other crews are around, they seem to have conflict. Why do you think this is?
DFF:Probably because the guys I hire, they have more of a calm spirit. I try not to just hire just anybody. The employees that end up with are the ones that it seems to be more stable, and seem to be, uh, maybe not be your normal construction people. Maybe more people that have a lot more responsibility and have a lot more settled lives.
ME:How do you determine if you had a good day on the job site?
DFF:Uh, if nothing breaks, if nothing goes wrong, if what we do actually accomplishes a task, and not something that we have to redo.
MARIO CONTINUED
ReplyDeleteME:Other than spoken, what is the most common form of communication between:
you/employees?
DFF:I do a lot of texting with my employees. Simply because we can give each other instructions. Like when I am on a different job site I can tell them without taking them away from the task that they are on. So we use a lot of text message.
ME:you/customers?
ME:you/other vendors?
DFF:With my subcontractors and my suppliers, I might use more email communication. Same with my customers. Simply because there is a form of record there and a way to track what’s been said.
ME:What is your most important tool of communicating with your customers?
DFF:Personal communication. I do talk with them on the phone more than anything else. But actually I like to have a lot of my meetings face to face like at the job site or at a neutral location.
ME:What is your most important tool in communicating with your employees?
DFF:Word of mouth and text message.
ME:What sort of written communication do you do with your customers?
DFF:Uh, I normally do all of my quotes and I type those out and meet with them in person and give them to them. But weekly draws and changes, I will type those out as invoices and email them to them.
ME:What sort of written communication do you do with your employees?
DFF:Very little written communication. Alot of it is personal. Cause we are on the job site together mostly. But when I do have written, it is mostly text message.
ME:Okay, that is it for today, Mr. Fletcher. Thank you.
DFF:You’re welcome.
Me: Hi, Alex.
ReplyDeleteAlex: Hi Ashley.
Me: So, tell me about yourself.
Alex: You already know me.
Me: I know but I need it for my interview. Just start by saying who you are and a little about KYX.
Alex: Okay. Hi, I’m Alex Marpole and I am External Vice President of Kappa Upsilon Chi Christian Fraternity at UCF. We are the only Christian fraternity currently on campus.
Me: Cool. You said External Vice President. What does “External” mean? And what Do you do as External Vice President?
Alex: Well, there are two VPs: internal and external. The external Vice President deals with matters outside of KYX. So I organize events that involve other organizations other than KYX such as joint events with Phi Lamb and Theta Alpha or tailgates and socials. The internal VP deals with things within KYX like organizing initiation and things. We both mainly plan events such as socials and rush. That’s pretty much my job.
Me: That’s cool. Is it stressful? Is it easier with another VP helping you?
Alex: I’m sure it is easier to have someone helping me. I’ve never had to do it by myself so I wouldn’t know. There have always been two VPs. It’s still a very stressful job. I’m currently in grad school and working so balancing all of those things can get pretty stressful. The worst part is once one event is finally over, there is another on right behind it that you have to organize and start planning right away. You never really get a break.
Me: Yeah I understand. But do you like being VP?
Alex: Oh yeah. I love it. I complain a lot but I really do like it. I want to do it again next year.
Me: Cool. So tell me more about KYX.
Alex: Like what?
Me: What is the brotherhood like? Like, are y’all close?
Alex: Well, yes and no. There are only 20 of us so it’s easy to know everyone and hang out with each other. I would say we’re pretty close. We’re brothers. I know I can go to anyone of them for anything. But there are still groups. I mean I don’t always hang out with every single one of them all the time. I have my own little group of people I always hang out with. But I do have to say when we all get together, we’re close.
Me: That’s cool. Well, thank you for letting me interview you!
Alex: No problem. Let me know if you need anything else for the paper.
Me: Okay thanks.
Joe Amico
ReplyDeleteENC 1101 -0M06
Interview with Taylor Gallard (UCF Volleyball)
Me: Hi Taylor, do you mind if I interview breefly about Volleyball
Taylor: Yea that's find, no problem
Me: How long have you been playing volleyball here at UCF?
Taylor: This is my first year, so I am a freshman
Me: How do you like it so far?
Taylor: I love it, I've worked so hard to get here
Me: How long have you played volleyball?
Taylor: 12 years
Me: Do you consider yourself a beast?
Taylor: (chuckles) Idk, you've been to the games! You tell me!
Me: But i want you to tell me!
Taylor: *sighs* Ok yes. I am a beast
Me: Thereeeee we go!
Me: What was the hardest transition about college volleyball?
Taylor: Probably the strength of the girls hitting the ball, seems like everyone hits so much harder
Me: Yea, some of you girls scare me
Taylor: (laughs)
Me: How you like your teammates?
Taylor: Great! These girls have all became my best friends and sisters. We do everything together, and I love everything about them!
Taylor: Probably the same as your team right?
Me: Exactly
Me: How do you get along with your coach?
Taylor: Ummm. Good. He's a tough love type of man, so at first I was intimidated. But now I realize that hes only trying to make me better, and we get along well.
Me: Do the other girls feel the same?
Taylor: I would say so, i mean we all feel about the same.
Me: Is there any tension between you and or any of your other teammates?
Taylor: I think we have regular disagreements and arguments, as any teammates would. Espicially since we're girls too, you know how that goes. (chuckles)
Me: Yeaaa, I definitelyyyy know! (laughs)
Me: Do you enjoy spending so much time around the same people?
Taylor: I love it! Makes me feel like I have another family away from home! Makes my parents feel better too (laughs)
Me: And where is home for you?
Taylor: Pennslyvania
Me: Very cool!
Me: Who would you consider the best on the team?
Taylor: Definitely have to say Delana! I mean, you've seen her, shes sick!
Me: She really is though! She's reallyyyyyy good!
Me: Well, thats about it for now! Thank You for your time Taylor!
Taylor: No problem! Hope you get an A!
Me: Hey Sammy, I’m writing a paper for English class, would you mind if I interview you?
ReplyDeleteSammy: No problem, I would love to.
Me: How did it feel to become president?
Sammy: "Becoming president was the best day of my life. After putting in years into the organization, I feel like my hard work finally paid off."
Me: What is your favorite part of this organization?
Sammy: "Camp Jenny is most definitely my favorite part. Between all of our fundraising efforts and then the actual camp, it's the best feeling to see the smiles on the children's faces."
Me: How do you make members feel welcome to your organization?
Sammy: "When members are new to our organization we try to make an active effort in order for our members to feel welcomed in. I personally outreach to everyone myself as an older member. Making people feel involved and a part if a larger community is important to inviting the members in and keeping them a part of us."
Me: Do you identify KAFTY and NFTY as their own subcultures?
Sammy: "Haha. Well I mean we're all average teenagers in our own respects. We have our own separate lives at different schools with different groups of friends. But, when we meet, all together, our unity creates a strong bond and creates lasting friendships. I love these people. I love what they do. I love giving back to my Jewish community and none of that would be possible without this organization. So yeah. We have our own weird sayings and lingos, we make weird foods, we sing songs, and we celebrate our heritage.... I guess we are our own subculture."
Me: What do you think is the most important value to your group?
Sammy: "I can't speak for everyone. But, I do think many people would agree that we all value a sense of community. There is no better feeling than going to the meetings and seeing the same smiling faces looking at me, it's a sense of comfort and family."
Me: Do you believe you will stay connected with these people in the long term?
Sammy: I don't see how I couldn't stay in touch with these people. They are my family and my greatest support group.
Me: What is something that is unique to KAFTY?
Sammy: Well, ahem, my chapter does have a special dance that we do. It started off mainly with the older board members but now we have everyone doing it, even the adults. It's called the Wing-Wang and it involves doing a chicken-type dance but it's also kind of hip-hop-y. It's super embarrassing and I'll never do it in front of any of my school friends. But I don't care how ridiculous I am in front of these people.
Christopher Parker
ReplyDeleteMe: Hey there, could I ask you a couple of questions for a paper I'm writing?
Interviewee: Sure I guess...
Me: Excellent. What's your name?
Interviewee: Louis.
Me: Okay Louis, so what made you want to join the Gaming Knights?
Louis: Well...I like playing video games, so I figured what better way to meet like-minded people than to join a club that's about video games.
Me: That makes sense, what do you enjoy about the club?
Louis: I like how everyone is friendly and everyone can just talk. It doesn't matter who they are. Plus its nice to see all the games people play and I can get a look at what's good if I don't already have it.
Me: It sounds good that everyone gets along, none of the "gaming banter" goes on?
Louis: Of course it does, but it's all in good fun...I haven't seen anyone that was actually upset.
Me: That's good to hear...I know that these LAN events go on throughout the entire day, do you or a lot of people stay for the whole thing?
Louis: I stay here for awhile...not the whole time, but some people stay for the whole thing like this guy over here (he points at one of his friends).
Me: Yeah, that's a long time to be sitting here...I'll keep this pretty short so you can get back to your game. How would you classify a gamer?
Louis: Classify a gamer? I don't know, maybe just as somebody who games. I don't think it has to be anything too specific. Anybody can be a gamer really.
Me: I think so too. Well, thank you Louis for your time, you enjoy your gaming.
Louis: Alright, no problem man.
Me: Hey Tiffany, I was wondering if I could interview you about your involvement in CKI, for a paper that I writing in my English class.
ReplyDeleteTiffany: Yeah! Of course you can!
Me: Great! So my first question for you is, how did you first become involved with CKI?
Tiffany: Well, before I became involved with CKI at UCF I was a member of my high school’s Key club. So as a freshman I became involved with CKI through Alana Knowles (a current member of CKI).
Me: Okay cool, so what is Key club?
Tiffany: Key club and Circle K International are both branches of a larger organization, Kiwanis International. Key club is for high school students and focuses on service and fundraising.
Me: Oh, okay. I’ve been noticing something about the members of CKI, that everyone is very close, it’s as if you are all a family. Is that observation correct?
Tiffany: (She laughs) Yes, a lot of us have become really close. It’s because we all hang out outside of these meetings. We also have fun doing things like community service, whether that service involves spending time with terminally ill kids or picking garbage off the road.
Me: Hmm, okay. So what do you all think of new comers, like me?
Tiffany: Even though we’re all really close we like new members. We try to make everyone feel welcomed, like they have a place where they can feel at home. We want you all to feel like you friends that you can talk to. Fellowship is one of the cornerstones for CKI, so we all try to embody that as best as we can.
Me: From what I’ve seen and felt, I can say that everyone has really made me feel welcomed. Well I think that’s all the questions I have for now.
Tiffany: Okay, well just let me know if you have any more questions and I’ll be glad to answer them for you.
Me: Thanks Tiffany!
“Hi I’m shelly and I’m working on this project for my English class over at UCF and if it’s okay with you I would like to see if I could interview you and ask you a couple of questions about this place (H&M Restaurant)”
ReplyDeleteRick- “Oh yea of course. That’s not a problem. I’m happy to help out anyone in any way I can.”
Me-“Thanks! I really appreciate your time. So for starters may I have your name?”
Rick- “Rick.”
Me- “Great Rick. So how long have you been coming here or known about this diner?”
Rick- “I’ve actually only recently discovered this place but I love it! I was passing by one morning and I always see a lot of cars around here so it made me wonder if this place was any good so I decided to give it a try and now I come here almost every day. I know that the owner has had this place for like 8 years and I’m surprised I didn’t know about it sooner.”
Me- “Awesome. Do you know owner well now or is it just like an acquaintance?”
Rick- “Well since I come here a lot, I’ve come to be one of the regulars (laughs). They know what I like and as soon as I sit down, they get me unsweetened iced tea and put my order in without me having to ask. It’s pretty nice actually and occasionally on the days I know I’m going to come in for lunch, I just pay for breakfast when I come back in for lunch. I like that they trust that I’m going to come back in and pay for my meal. You won’t find a lot of places that do that. But yeah, the owner is really friendly and I would say that we are more of friendly acquaintances’.”
Me- “Wow…yeah I don’t think I’ve ever heard of people doing that in a diner. That’s really interesting. Are there interesting facts you can tell me that you’ve discovered from coming here so often?”
Rick- “Yea there are actually a lot of interesting facts about this place. I know that it is a family diner and the owner works together with her husband and children to run this restaurant. To be honest, they all work really well together and when they work, their service is much better than when the other employees work.”
Me- “Why do you think that?”
Rick- “I think it’s probably because since they’re already so used to each other, they are comfortable with telling each other what to do without getting offended or hurt by someone yelling at them for getting something wrong.”
Me- “Yea you’re probably right. Well that’s awesome that you can see a difference between employees working and the family working. So do you think there are more people like you who come in a lot or more people who are new to the place?”
Rick- “There are definitely more regulars in here than newbies. Every time I come in here, they already know what I like and get me my drink by the time I sit down. I’ve seen them do this for other people than just me and it’s actually really nice to not have to repeat what I want all the time. They call other people by their names (the regulars) and I like that about this place. It makes it feel more welcoming and warm. They take it to a more personalized level.”
Me- “So what about for people who have never been here before? Do you think they would feel just as welcomed as the regulars or feel more like outsiders?”
Rick- “Oh no don’t get me wrong! They make their new customers feel just as welcomed because they try to learn their names just in case they come back for more. All the workers are very nice and welcoming.”
Me- “That’s fantastic! Well I sort of ran out of questions but thank you for taking the time to answer the questions I did have.”
Rick- “Not a problem. Have a good one and good luck with that paper.”