Interview Reflections

James (Dad) Bachant

My father’s story inspired my research. There are obvious advantages to interviewing a close family member, such as the elimination of the awkward getting-to-know-you stage. Discussions of interviewing techniques stressed the value of trust, which came naturally in this interview. My father was happy to help and flattered that I found his hobby interesting enough to write about. His story answered many of my initial questions, but also conjured up many more.

Establishing a comfort level is only half the battle. The other half is keeping the interviewee focused. My dad was excited to talk about cycling, especially his first marathon. The friends he had made, certain obstacles and other things brought on long tangents. It was difficult to control at times.

Janet Karanevich-Dono

A large part of my article will focus on the body’s reaction to intense exercise. Cycling has become popular largely for its health benefits, many of which are addressed in my interview with Janet. A friend of a friend, we hadn’t met prior to the interview and actually still haven’t! This interview was conducted entirely through e-mails. My blog helped explain my research initiatives, so that I didn’t have to.

Time is a potential problem with this interview technique. Luckily, Janet recognized that I was operating within time constraints. The next day, I had detailed answers to all of my open-ended questions, prompting several parts to each answer.  Would another interviewee have responded so quickly and appropriately to my questions? Not sure, but this particular interview couldn’t have gone smoother!

Nick Hortovanyi

Twitter helped me discover Nick Hortovanyi and a community of cyclists in Adelaide, Australia. A Google notification alerted Nick to the appearance of his name in my blog post about Twitter searches. He commented and welcomed a conversation about cycling. His daily post-ride tweets and a few mentions of marathons spurred the development of many questions for Nick. We exchanged a few introductory “tweets” before agreeing upon an e-mailed interview. Initially, I wanted to use Twitter for the interview. We quickly found that the 140-character limit made open-ended answers very difficult.

I am happy with the results of this interview. Nick was very comfortable and even suggested a few other people I might contact for more stories and information.

Mark McFadden

Mark McFadden is a cyclist, sponsor and organizer for NJ’s annual May bicycle race for Multiple Sclerosis. Knowing that it would be difficult to coordinate both of our schedules to meet in person, we decided on a phone interview. Unfortunately, Mark and I have been playing phone tag. We’re yet to have the open conversation I had hoped for. With the race rapidly approaching (about five weeks away now), I may settle for another e-mail interview.

Artist’s depiction of the Core2s10 duck…

Angela Speakman’s duck:

Discussions of ecology and composition in Core2s10 led to the creation and reused example of an author telling the story of a duck. Funny as it was, the simple example actually helped us discover many more ecological factors influencing our own writing.

The author created a yellow duck. Why yellow? Ducklings, ducks in their infant stage, are yellow. Are fully grown ducks yellow? American kids are raised with the rubber ducky in the bath tub – a yellow one. Coloring books and toddler-age reading teach our children colors. There’s often a duck, if not already yellow, prompting the child to color it yellow. Our culture accepts the yellow duck and so, Angela Speakman’s duck is yellow.

This duck stands in the water and watches Angela Speakman’s car whiz by. The duck stands because every duck that Angela grew up watching and loving – Donald, Ducky, Plucky, Daffy – have stood.

Someone from Australia might tell the story of a duck looking a little more like this, as this is what an Australian would define as a “duck:”

Australian Wood Duck

My Object Analysis

Give me some feedback before I hand it in, please!

aileen’s doc analysis

Click on the link above for the full-sized document.

Object analysis and other research

This week’s research schedule:

Wednesday – Look into some of Nick Hortovanyi’s suggestions. I may have a few more interviews to schedule!

Thursday – Finish object analysis. Here’s what I’ve done so far:Feel free to weigh in, everyone!

Sunday – interview my father. This one’s really important, as his story will probably become an anecdotal lead. Also, I plan to break my bike out of my parents’ shed on Sunday. I hope to get on it a few times next week.

Second interview

My second interview is with Nick Hortovanyi, an Australian cyclist who’s fairly new to the sport. His Twitter profile picture – helmet and active wear adorn – screamed “serious cyclist” and worth following to ask a few questions. His dedication to self-improvement and new challenges is evident, but you’d never know he just started four years ago without asking! Nick’s been open and very helpful, offering the names of a couple other cyclists I may also want to question.

The interview (e-mail):

(Q)Why cycling? I know you had said once before that you were looking for a way to become more active. Why cycling and not running, tennis, swimming, etc? Did the region affect your choice?
…

(A) I enjoyed cycling a lot when I was a younger, as well as swimming.  Running didn’t really interest me and I had never really been any good at tennis etc. I just decided to do cycling, as there was a combined pedestrian/cycling track nearby to home that followed the river all the way to the beach and back. I could go whenever I wanted to, and wasn’t reliant on organising a time to do so with others. Cycling is also something that can be done here all year round. Most open air public pools close for winter.

…

(Q) I looked up your new bike purchase online. Very nice – and also very expensive! How long did it take you to become serious enough about cycling to consider an investment in a better performing bike? Did it take you very long to become comfortable with long-distance rides?

…

(A) Was riding for about three years before I purchased the Felt AR4 2010. It was either I spend a bit on my old bike to replace the groupset, (wheels etc) or invest in a new one. Who doesn’t want a Carbon Bike to compete against others (as well as to beat previous PBs [Personal Best])? So, if you think of the life of the bicycle as three years and work out a weekly price, it’s not that much. I’m probably spending more per week on energy bars, gels, tires etc. The cost of cycling starts to add up if you put in a lot of KMs per week.

…

(Q) Just from reading a “tweet” here and there, I can see that you are not only dedicated to the sport, but also using your performance to help others. Charity races and marathons are HUGE right now in the U.S., specifically the east coast. Do you see these races and marathons simply as new ways to continue challenging yourself, or is there something more you’d like to share?
…

(A) There is a lot of cycling happening in Australia, as well as marathons etc. In Adelaide, I think we attract a little more attention around cycling than the other cities with the Tour Down Under being held here. Over the last while that you have been following me on twitter, I’ve crossed off a number of items on my list. Including doing my first >200 KM cycle in one day.

I am always looking for a new challenge and look every now and then to beat my previous PBs (better to be competing against myself than others).

An important part though, outside of those challenges, is that cycling has become the new golf. Sunday group rides [are] a great way to get to know persons and to build friendships that you might not otherwise have…

…

(Q) Muscle development and apparent fat loss aside, do you feel that you are a healthier person? Do you maintain a balanced diet? Do you limit consumption of saturated fats and empty carbs? Do you sleep enough hours to feel well-rested and refreshed in the morning? Do you think cycling has helped to regulate your lifestyle and daily routines?

…

(A) I eat healthier now and do enjoy some carbs (that maybe I shouldn’t be eating) after a nice long ride. In general, [I] have a preference for low fat foods. The lighter you are as a cyclist, the quicker you climb hills.

We are coming out of summer here, with DST [Daylight Savings Time] just about to finish. Over summer, I was leaving home between 6 am to 7 am to go cycling, so [I] was going to bed at a reasonable hour to get plenty of rest. As it’s now starting to get cooler in the morning, I’m certain I’ll sleep in a bit more and ride more in the afternoons. Sunburn isn’t as big an issue here in winter. All the riding I’ve done over the last four or so months has made me a lot fitter, dropped my blood pressure and given me a new set of clothes (burnt heaps of weight off)!!

…

(Q) Do you have any advice for beginners and previously unathletic people that are newly motivated? How about someone like me? I try to do some form of cardio (running, swimming), as well as strength training with weights and a pilates ball three times/week, but it’s been quite some time since I’ve been on a bike. Is the advice different for me? As I mentioned in a blog post, I hope to get back on a bike this weekend. What should I expect?

…

(A) If you’re finding it difficult to get on the bike, find someone else to go riding with. If you know you need to be at a certain place at a certain time, you’ll make it there. It’s even more enjoyable if you are riding with someone who you enjoy talking to that is of the same fitness level… You can challenge each other a little, then discuss how [it] went over coffee at the end of the ride.

We are a little spoiled here with the Adelaide Hills right next door. Within 40 minutes, I’m in the countryside, or if I head the other direction, at the beach. So, find nice places to ride. It’s always a good incentive to get outdoors!

Follow Nick Hortovanyi on Twitter: Hortovanyi

-or-

Check out Nick Hortovanyi’s blog on technology and social media:

http://blogs.toasttechnology.com.au/roller/hortovanyi/

E-mailed interview

I’ve been exploring the benefits of exercise, specifically cycling, for those that picked up the hobby later in the game. Most of the people I’m speaking to were previously inactive or unathletic adults that began to ride as a way to slowly get in shape. Reading and research has also led to my exploration of theories on exercise aiding in the recovery and strengthening of cancer patients coping with the effects of chemotherapy. I hope to acquire answers to the following questions and find a correlation between those who exercise routinely and those that recover from disease.

These are my general research questions:
Aside from the obvious strengthening of the heart, does cardiovascular activity help fight disease? Does it increase the function of any key muscles or organs needed to fight diseases? Does cycling, in general, better equip those prone to (or already suffering from) cancers and other diseases for a fight?

Questions for Janet Karanevich-Dono:

How long have you been practicing as an APN?

I am a newly licensed APN. I received my degree in August 2008 and my license in September 2009.

Can you explain why you had back surgery, how long the recovery process was, and what types of exercises you routinely performed as a means of physical therapy?

I had back surgery to correct a condition called spondylolithesis and spinal stenosis. I was in constant pain and had reticulopathy, which can result in permanent loss of function and muscle weakness to my lower extremities. The recovery process was long. The first four months is when the fusion process takes place.

The full recovery happens in about one year. I began my exercise routine with walking – beginning two weeks post-op. I began with about 1/4 mile walking daily. NO bending, twisting or lifting was recommended for the first three months. I was not allowed to have physical therapy until after the three-month mark. At about the eighth week, I began gentle cycling on the stationary (not spin) bikes at the gym. I felt this improved my mood, and aided in circulating the necessary immune cells to aid in my recovery. It also aided in improving my muscle strength, which was somewhat decreased from the lengthy operative time (The surgery was approximately six – seven hours long, requiring a lot of anesthesia). I also used small hand weights to improve the tone of my upper body. I felt I needed to do all of this to aide in my recovery and to not lose all that I accomplished over the years.

Why do you continue to exercise routinely?

I continue to exercise routinely because it makes me feel good. I feel strong; it gives me energy. I feel a sense of belonging to a group and I enjoy the health benefits of not being ill often. My back also feels better after exercise.

Why is cycling your preferred choice of exercise?

Cycling is my choice of exercise because you get a tremendous workout without too much exertion. I feel it does not put strain or pressure on my back and it has many cardiovascular benefits, as well. I feel it is a safe way of exercising.

As an APN, would you recommend cycling as a means for exercise for the out-of-shape adult? Why or why not?

I think cycling can benefit those that are out of shape tremendously. I would recommend it as a means of exercising. It can be modified to meet the needs of anyone looking to begin an exercise program. As with beginning any exercise program, one must be seen by a physician first. The benefits to cycling for the out of shape adult are an increase in strength, endurance, socialization and mood improvement.

Do you think cycling could be prescribed as way for patients suffering from other diseases to achieve a better quality of life or faster recovery process? If so, can you name any specific diseases that would seem obvious to you as an APN?

I think cycling can have many benefits to most diseases. I think it can be suggested, over prescribed or recommended into a physical therapy program. Any autoimmune disorder would benefit from cycling because cycling improves circulation, which improves the circulation of immune responses. The immune system circulates by muscle contractions so you have dual benefits from cycling. Muscle contractions from the actual spinning activity stimulate an increase in contractions. This can apply to cancer patients, who need a healthy, well-boosted immune system.

What are the benefits of cycling? (ie; muscle development and strengthening)Can any of these benefits help fight disease or help those already suffering recover from disease?

The benefits of cycling are numerous: increased muscle development and strengthening, improved immune response, improved healing ability – related to improvement in immune response, increased metabolism, increased mood, and increased balance from core strengthening on the bike.

Janet Karanevich-Dono is an Advanced Practice Nurse [APN] working for the Woodbridge Township School District. Janet has an M.S. in Nursing and general knowledge of human anatomy and normal muscle function. Her own experiences with physical therapy and exercise treatment have proved invaluable to my research. She exercised diligently prior to back surgery, after which she worked toward building upon her original exercise routines during physical therapy. Janet remains focused on physical fitness and nutrition.

Thought collectives

“…we define ‘thought collective’ as a community of persons mutually exchanging ideas or maintaining intellectual interaction, we will find by implication that it also provides the special ‘carrier’ for the historical development of any field of thought, as well as for the given stock of knowledge and level of culture. This we have designated thought style” (Fleck 39).

In response to Ludwik Fleck’s “Genesis and Development of Scientific Fact,” here are different “thought collectives,” influenced by “thought styles” produced by the development of science and culture.

1) CO2 is causing global warming, apparent by our planet’s climate changes – collective held by many scientists and supported by National Geographic. The following information appears on NationalGeographic.com:

Average temperatures around the world are 1.4 degrees Fahrenheit (0.8 degree Celsius) higher than in 1880, increasing at a faster rate in more recent decades according to NASA’s Goddard Institute for Space Studies. In fact, the last two decades were the hottest in 400 years according to climate studies.

Most of the effects can be seen in the Arctic, though average temperatures in Alaska, western Canada, and eastern Russia have also risen at twice the global average, according to a 2000-2004 multinational Arctic Climate Impact Assessment report. Arctic ice is melting at such rate that the region may have an ice-free summer earlier than 2040. Mountain snow and glaciers are melting at astonishing speeds. Montana’s Glacier National Park boasted 150 glaciers in 1910, but is now down to 27. In Northern Hemisphere, spring comes a week earlier and the first freeze, a week later.

Coral reefs are very sensitive to changes in water temperature. In 1998, some areas saw 70 percent death rates. In the next 50 years, scientists predict an increase in death rate frequency and intensity as sea temperatures continue to rise.

Lastly, an increase in extreme weather, such as wildfires, heatwaves and tropical storms is likely due to climate change, according to “some expert.” (National Geographic).

2. …The opposing argument – not only is Global Warming a hoax, but a politically motivated one. Watch this YouTube video. CO2, a natural gas produced and consumed by our planet’s living things, is falsely labeled a pollutant, it claims. It claims that even if CO2 were the cause of the rising temperatures, which the video also seeks to debunk in its play-time, man-made things and factories do not produce even a fraction of what is naturally produced.

So which thought collective is “fact”? Do the social and political states around the world determine what is determined “fact”? Are some “facts” more true than others? Are we missing BIG pieces to the puzzle?

Interview schedule

Though research will help with understanding exactly how and why exercise strengthens muscle and organ health, interviews will be responsible for most of the information and explanations in my final article. I hope to make this piece more feature-like with personal accounts and suggestions from active cyclists, predicted to be far more interesting to readers than the supporting, scientific and medical information. I hope to explore the learning process for amateur cyclists and the exercise routines themselves. A separate interview will explore the organization and planning of marathons, as well as motivational factors for the participating riders. Advice from a professional in the field of health and exercise science should balance the piece, offering both explanations of impact on cardiovascular health and metabolic rates, as well opinions as to whether or not exercise does help patients recover from/fight diseases.

1) James Bachant

- The first interviewee is my father.

- His story spurred my interest in this topic. I think it’s important to start with his experiences as an amateur cyclist, then explore the stories of others.

- My father definitely offers examples of health benefits, how to train and who to contact about the organization of races and marathons. His contribution will show the positive results of cycling over time: weight loss, heart health, alertness and energy.

- Location: Woodbridge, New Jersey. Weather and health pending, I hope to to sit down with my father AND then go for a bike ride before Easter, April 4.

2) Janet Karanevich-Dono

- Janet, a friend of a family member, is an Advanced Practice Nurse [APN] working for the Woodbridge Township School District.

- Not only does Janet have an M.S. in Nursing and expert knowledge of human anatomy, Janet’s own experience with physical therapy and exercise treatment will be invaluable to my research. After having back surgery, Janet’s own fitness and recovery plan became habitual activity. Long after rehabilitation, she remains focused on physical fitness and proper nutrition.

- Janet will not only tell her own story, but also offer her opinion on an exercise plan for other recovering from operations and diseases. Spinning [use of a stationary bike at constantly changing speeds and levels of resistance] happens to be one of Janet’s routine ways of exercising. This indoor cycling alternative simulates the challenges of hills and steep terrain that a dedicated cyclist would search for.

- Close with her spinning instructor, Janet may be able to arrange for an in-gym interview, in addition to our on-line, e-mailed conversation. I will be e-mailing her questions this weekend.

3) Mark McFadden

- A friend and cycling buddy of my father

- Mark is a cyclist and a sponsor. He helps organize an annual charity bicycle race for Multiple Sclerosis from Monmouth to Cape May, NJ.

- His company, Foodtown, donates food to the participating cyclists. I hope to discover his motivating factors in this interview. I’d love for him to share his own experiences, the physical stamina it takes to finish a race.

- We’ll be conducting this interview over the phone sometime this week/next week.

4) Nick Hortovanyi

- Met on Twitter through a keyword search for “cyclists” and “cycling.” I mentioned his name in a previous blog post discussing my navigation of social media to find possible interviewees. With a Google Alert set up to notify him of mention of his own name, Nick found my blog and commented.

-  Through a few introductory tweets, I discovered that Nick, like my father, was looking to change his lifestyle and saw cycling as a promising way to do so. With opposite seasons and fair weather, Nick has been doing 400+ KM/week since November. He’s been cycling for about 4 yrs now and doesn’t seem to be slowing down.

- I hope Nick can contribute much of the same information that I’ll pull from my father. Nick seems to be very passionate about cycling, having bought a new bike – a Felt AR4 – for the Australian terrain. On the other side of the world, but riding for the same reasons – that’s what I’m hoping to find!

- He’s already agreed to answer a few questions. I’m attempting to continue our conversation from halfway around the world and through exchange of 140-character answers. That’s right: a Twitter-view!

Photos that talk – and move

Conversations in class about Things That Talk spurred Angela Speakman to pose a few questions about the objects that will – or won’t – speak to us in the future. Can photos speak to us from the computer screen? I think so. I think the photographer with a digital camera may have even more power in adjusting light, angles, depth and color to have an audience see what he or she sees or hopes the audience will see. The text discusses whether or not photographs can be used as reliable forms of evidence in court (p.216-217). Lawyers argue for and against the use of photos, explaining both their value in identifying witnesses and suspects, but also their ability to deceive the viewer of the exact location, time and condition of a scene.

In court, the following two photos could definitely be used to determine the location and objects captured, though there are a few distorted elements. But what about the video? The new, digital age has allowed even the amateur photographer to create not only deceiving images, but also videos. Take a look:

There are definitely two horses grazing in this field, but depth of the photo forces us to ask the question: "How big is the closer one's head?!"

Recognize the architecture? The location? You do? Great! Now, how did the builder get the blocks to bend like that?

Now, watch this YouTube video for a Dove campaign for the power of digital photo and video editing programs, such as Photoshop:

Thoughts on interviewing

Gubrium’s Postmodern Interviewing is thought provoking. The different ways an interview can be administered, used and interpreted challenge the question, what is an interview? The interview is not simply a research technique, but rather a tool with cultural, social, institutional and representational contours (29).

While the structure and form of the interview itself may change, three  conditions remain constant:

1 – Subjects of the interview should be informed.

2 – There is an information-gathering apparatus.

3 – There is readily available mass technology.

These conditions are required by “interview society” (28).

It seems that many research efforts and techniques of Core2s10′s students will actually find the “information-gathering apparatus” to be a form of mass technology. The results are published on a mass level for all to view as the work is done, but some of interviews may actually be done using forms of mass technology.

Twitter is being used to gather and question possible interviewees. By “following” these people, we, the researchers, can discover others to connect with in the same field or with the same common interests. I’m currently doing a little of this myself, as passionate cyclists tend to “follow” other serious cyclists to learn more about the sport.

Blogging can also be seen as both the publishing and gathering method. Everything blogged is instantly published online for the entire cyber community to see. By writing about our research ideas in our blogs, our class welcomes outside comments and answers from subjects in the field or category of interest.