HW # 27 Informal Research - Interviews and Surveys

My mom was pacing back and forth, hand to chin obviously thinking, so I went up to her and asked " Mom, what seems to be the bother?" "Well," my mom responded, "I was thinking about whether we really have to have turkey this Thanksgiving. I actually think we should have some filet mignon. The pieces of meat will be really tender, but small, and that will be healthier for everyone. We'll begin with a lot of cajun shrimp that people can peel themselves." Our immediate family loved the idea because we aren't great turkey fans. It was clear that the guests were initially surprised. No whopping plates of turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes and gravy in sight. In fact, after the shrimp course was cleared, the plates had a small round filet mignon with mushrooms, asparagus, and salad. You could actually see a lot of plate. For dessert there were two big homemade blueberry and raspberry tarts and some small lemon tarts. My uncle said, "This is a very cool Thanksgiving dinner." This was just the opening I needed to ask all the guests about their idea of cool. So here are some of their comments:

Being cool is like this dinner. It has style and it's not copying anybody else.

Being cool is having the confidence not to worry about what others are thinking.

Being cool is not submitting to peer pressure.

Being cool means having a natural swagger without being arrogant.

Being cool means having a style unique to you, not a copy of someone else's.

Being cool means being consistently cool -- not depressed one minute, hyper the next.

People notice really cool people who aren't trying to be noticed.

Cool people develop talents that make them cool.

Cool people are likeable and people are drawn to them.

Cool people don't talk too much about religion. If they have it, they mostly keep it to themselves.

Cool people don't make themselves feel better by making fun of others.

Lupe Fiasco is a cool guy with a quit confidence, unusual for a rapper. His lyrics make you think.

Will Smith is always cool. Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and Men in Black.

Steve McQueen was definitely a cool guy in The Great Escape. A comic rebel among Nazis has to be cool. Also, he never gave up trying to escape the prison camp. Cool guys have to be consistent and are not be intimidated.

Humpfrey Bogart was very cool. He stood up to Nazis too in Casablanca and he gave up the woman he loved because she was married to a war hero. Beyond cool.

The mention of Humpfrey Bogart made one guest talk about how cool Humpfrey Bogart looked.
She thought he especially looked cool when he was smoking. She said Albert Camus, the writer, also looked cool especially when smoking. My dad said that he thought he used to look cool when he smoked. He thinks there are a lot fewer cooler people now that fewer people smoke. Not than smoking is a cool thing to do. It is a cool thing to look doing.