Diving Bell 2

1. What do you think of Bauby's line in Bathtime when he states, "But I see in the clothing a symbol of continuing life. And proof that I still want to be myself. If I must drool, I may as well drool on cashmere."
I think that Bauby is trying to have something in his life that feels normal. Obvioiusly since his condition developed he has been in a hospital, around different people, doing differnet things, a completly different enviorment. And to make it even harder on him he can not communicate with the outside well or even to some people at all. Before being the co-Editor of the French Elle hewould be in constant communication with other people, and be in constant motion, from all of the work that comes with being an editor. The cashmere would give him something that is bringing him back to the old realty that he used to have. Also it is a way to express himself since so many ways of human expression have been shut down to him.
2. Considering how Bauby wrote the book, does it matter that he happened to speak French? How would have the writing of the book been different if he spoke Japanese or Chinese?
It does matter that Bauby spoke french and not any other language like Chinese or Japanese. If he was to speak one of those two languages it would take his system of communication a lot longer to happen, and because it would have taken longer, he may have ended up leaving out stuff that didn't seem important at the time but in the end helped to tell his story and experience better.
3. Why does Bauby find his appearance humorous?
Bauby finds his appearance humorous because he sees that not only is "exiled, paralyzed, mute, half deaf, deprived of all pleasures, and reduced to the existence of jellyfish" but that he is ugly to look out because of the newly formed deformities on his face. All of these piled up on each other and the realisation of them left him to have no other way to react to it but laugh. A "nervous laughter-when, after a final blow from fate, we decide to treat it all as a joke."
4. After reading the Chapter, Cinecitta, think of a place where, if given one last opportunity, you could spend an afternoon. Why did you choose this place? Please describe it in detail.
If i could spend one afternoon anywhere by me self it would have to be at the barn with my horse. Even though it is somewhere i go frequently it would be nice to just have the barn to myself, because it is normally quite busy there. (not that i don't like these people, we all get along very well). When there isn't to many people there it is a very quite and relaxing place where the stress of 'the real world' does not seem to enter. Horses are very needy and in need of constant care. My horse seems to absolutely adore me and when i walk over he perks up his ears and whinnies. Just being with my horse and at the barn doing anything, taking care of him, taking him out for a walk on a trail, or training for show season, seems to take all of my attention off anything else on my mind. Its almost like its own world. Its great.
5. After reading Tourists, please think of why we don't make more of an effort to connect with those that might look or act different than us.
I think we don't make more of an effort to connect with those who are different from us out of fear of leaving our comfort zones. If we interact with someone who looks or acts different it the interaction will be a different from what we are used to. Some people do not know how to act so end up acting pitying, or letting off an awkward vibe. They do not want this to happen however so people end up avoiding these situations. Like in the book, when the 'tourists' were staring at Bauby, and looked away when he looked up. They were unsure of how to deal with his situation because it is different from what they are used to, so they avoided potentially awkward situation or pitying situation and looks away.
6. Read Sausage and then consider the following: if you couldn't eat again, what meal would you miss the most?
If i knew i was never going to be abel to eat again the meal that i would miss the most is pizza, with sour cream and chedar ruffels chips, and root beer.