Entry 1 - MoMo

Examining Other Points of Views
Petrusich indicates the protagonist as someone who has a different view on traveling, "Although it might seem obvious or naive, the easiest roads for me to romanticize - to love, to return to - are still the smaller, lesser-known passages. They are scrappy underdogs: dirt roads, country roads, unmarked roads" (Petrusich 20). I, on the other hand, like to travel through paved, organized, and accessible highways that can simply take me from point A to point B. However, after recognizing the protagonist's point of view, I see why one may want to travel through the tougher roads, "I am entranced by America's scrawniest streets, admiring their postcard-pretty backdrops and unexpected quietude, pulling the car over to snap photographs and dip my toes in tiny, gurgling creeks' (Petrusich 20). Some people enjoy the adventures and find satisfaction that comes with the "off-trail" passages rather than a waste of time.

Reflecting on Observations
Petrusich mentions Sam Phillips, an interesting, well-known man that recorded musicians and was greatly influenced by the music he loved. What I really find interesting about Phillips is that he sought artists that played music with passion, “Most of the artists Phillips championed didn’t write their own material, but for Phillips, the stamp of authenticity was earned only via passionate performance” (Petrusich 35). Phillips didn’t seem to care if he offended anyone by recording songs from artists that were actually written by someone else. Phillips wanted to do something with the music he loved, and along with achieving his goal, his music was widely distributed throughout America to other audiences besides the “black man”.


Engaging with Ideas
The relation Petrusich makes between people and highways helped me realize a connection I would not have thought of until I read this chapter. The protagonist describes the highway as a way to unite all Americans, “Everyday, America’s populace segregates and defines, marking neighborhoods and claiming territory, but our highways remain inherently shared experiences, both in memory and in present tense, all tax dollars and s**t-spitting potholes” (Petrusich 17). It amazing how true this is, no matter how different and far apart we are, we are all united by highways. Highways that are made from our money, highways that uses one language, highways that unknowingly force us to spend our time with other Americans for hours and hours.


MK
2:00-3:15 TR