Looking back on this semester, I feel more confident in my writing abilities. I also forgot how much I used to enjoy journaling, and have picked that back up a bit. I did realize that although I feel I have grown as a student, I still have a long road ahead of me. I still feel I need to find that "happy-medium" between balancing work and school. I still find myself struggling to find the hours to devote to both. I know that sometime I am going to find that balance, I just know it is going to be a process.
I think this semester has really opened my eyes to the fact that certain parts of my life need to be tweaked in order to be successful.
I also feel really lucky to feel that I have found the path that I am supposed to be on. I feel that a lot of the things in my life that are making it difficult for me to succeed have come to light and I am in the process of addressing them. I feel like all in all, I am headed in the direction of being in a better place than where I was when I started this term.
I feel that life is about the experiences and what we take from them. I think that all the experiences that we have lead us to where we are going, and I am excited to see where that is.
I am thankful that this class pushed me to write about things that I never intended to write about, because it made me think about things I probably never would have thought about. I also learned that I can do things, even if I don't see how they might be relevant in my life in the present, because they might end up being incredibly relevant in the future.
WC -476
Friday, April 27, 2012
Jobs (23)
Waitress at Bed And Breakfast
-interacting with a variety of people
-multi-tasking
Cashier/Dishwasher
-multi-tasking
-working well with others
-working in a "behind the scenes" setting
- establishing an eye for detail
Cashier/Clothing Inspector
-working at an accelerated pace
-time-management
-keeping a positive attitude
-customer service
Music Missionary
-working as a team
-adapting to new environments
-recognizing a need
-listening to people's problems
-improving communication
-creativity
-humor
-patience
Manager
-problem solving
-not sweating the small stuff
-marketing strategies
-improving morale
-creating a positive work environment
-organization
-efficency
-interacting with a variety of people
-multi-tasking
Cashier/Dishwasher
-multi-tasking
-working well with others
-working in a "behind the scenes" setting
- establishing an eye for detail
Cashier/Clothing Inspector
-working at an accelerated pace
-time-management
-keeping a positive attitude
-customer service
Music Missionary
-working as a team
-adapting to new environments
-recognizing a need
-listening to people's problems
-improving communication
-creativity
-humor
-patience
Manager
-problem solving
-not sweating the small stuff
-marketing strategies
-improving morale
-creating a positive work environment
-organization
-efficency
I Wish It Were A Joke (21)
I am never someone who catches on right away when April Fools Day rolls around. If anyone is going to be fooled, it's going to be me. So this year, I was determined to be prepared. I prepared myself not to believe what people told me, and anything out of the ordinary would be scrutinized to the max.
So when I got a phone call from my Aunt saying that my Grandmother had collapsed in church, I refused to believe her. Yet, my aunt persisted. My Aunt had been visiting my Grandmother, and was scheduled to return home, and she needed someone to come and take care of my Grandmother. Nope. I still refused to be fooled. Finally I agreed to go up and see for myself what had happened, and sure enough, my Grandmother was laying on the couch, obviously not well. I felt terrible. I once again had been the fool, but this time, I had done so to myself.
I spent the rest of the day monitoring my Grandmother's blood sugar levels, making sure that she ate on a regular basis, and that she didn't try and overexhert herself. Finally I got in touch with my parents and they were able to make travel arrangements to return home from their vacation.
I have never been a fan of April Fools Day, and this year was no expection. I might not have had anyone play any pranks on me, but I had myself so worked up that I essentially played a cruel prank on myself. I spent so much time not wanting to be fooled that I fooled myself.
WC - 323
So when I got a phone call from my Aunt saying that my Grandmother had collapsed in church, I refused to believe her. Yet, my aunt persisted. My Aunt had been visiting my Grandmother, and was scheduled to return home, and she needed someone to come and take care of my Grandmother. Nope. I still refused to be fooled. Finally I agreed to go up and see for myself what had happened, and sure enough, my Grandmother was laying on the couch, obviously not well. I felt terrible. I once again had been the fool, but this time, I had done so to myself.
I spent the rest of the day monitoring my Grandmother's blood sugar levels, making sure that she ate on a regular basis, and that she didn't try and overexhert herself. Finally I got in touch with my parents and they were able to make travel arrangements to return home from their vacation.
I have never been a fan of April Fools Day, and this year was no expection. I might not have had anyone play any pranks on me, but I had myself so worked up that I essentially played a cruel prank on myself. I spent so much time not wanting to be fooled that I fooled myself.
WC - 323
Letting My Voice Be Heard (20)
I have never been one to really embrace the idea of "public speaking". I am not sure if it because I am as introverted as they come, or simply because I haven't found something I am passionate about to speak freely about. During high school, I would do anything I could to get out of speaking in front of my class. I would honestly have rather done a major research paper, than get up and have to talk in front of people, even if just for a couple minutes. With all that in mind, my decision to go on the road for a year was shocking, to say the least. I would be talking, very publicly, for an entire year, and I volunteered to do it! That was so unlike me. But after getting my feet wet in the public speaking world, I realized it wasn't as bad as I had made it out to be. I still didn't love it, but everytime, I survived, and I was just that much more confident in my abilites. I also realized that it was much easier for me to speak in front of a crowd of people that I didn't know. The second you threw someone into the crowd that I was familiar with, I would go back to my shy self.
I realize I may never be very confident in my abilities to be a public speaker, but I do realize that I am getting better. I also realize that I will never be a professional public speaker, so I am okay with the fact that I might not have mastered this particular art quite yet.
I always think it is important to have a goal, so I will continue to work on my public speaking skills, and it is my hope that maybe someday I will be stronger in the field.
WC - 311
I realize I may never be very confident in my abilities to be a public speaker, but I do realize that I am getting better. I also realize that I will never be a professional public speaker, so I am okay with the fact that I might not have mastered this particular art quite yet.
I always think it is important to have a goal, so I will continue to work on my public speaking skills, and it is my hope that maybe someday I will be stronger in the field.
WC - 311
Friday, March 30, 2012
Someone to be admired (19)
When I was younger, I was a hard-core basketball player. I lived basketball, I breathed basketball. It was my life. Every day after school, I went to practice, and almost every weekend there was a tournament to play in. During the summer, I went to basketball camps. It wasn't just a hobby, it was a passion. I was a part of a traveling team in the state. An elite team that you didn't try out for, but rather that you were recruited for. It was an honor to be a part of the team. Not because of the accomplishment that it was, but rather because it was the significant thing that shaped who I grew up to be. That had a large part to do with my coach. I started playing for the team when I was in fifth grade. There were only a few of us fifth graders. The league went all the way up to eighth grade. So from the fifth grade, all the way to the eighth grade, I was fortunate enough to have the same coach. I know that many people can write essays upon essays about why they admire their coaches, but in my case, the situation is different. The thing about my coach was that he was almost entirely paralyzed. He had a little bit of movement in his arms, but most certainly wheel-chair bound. Now, coaching basketball is an incredibly difficult feat for someone who does not have the luxury of conventional mobility. However, there wasn't another coach in the world that I would have rather had.
Many of the coaches that we went up against taught their players that the key to happiness was winning and that you must win at ANY cost necessary. My coach took the road less traveled. He taught us that basketball wasn't the only way to happiness, in fact, he taught us that to truly appreciate the game, we had to have our priorities straight. He told us every day that he didn't care if we won the first place trophy. He cared that we won the sportsmanship trophy. He had high expectations of how we worked as a team. Rather than scoring the point, we had to make sure that everyone from our team on the floor was passed the ball first. We weren't allowed to play dirty. It wasn't tolorated. But it was mandetory that win or lose, we talked with the other team at the end of the game, and found something to compliment them on. On my basketball team, we had a mandetory hour-long study hall before practice. We were expected to be on time and we weren't able to let our grades drop if we were hoping to start in the next game.
Now, you might be wondering if we were a team worth mentioning. We won tournaments, we even placed at state. I cherish those memories, but even more so, I cherish the life lessons that I learned from my coach. I cherish the fact that at the end of every practice, our entire team sat in a semi circle around our coach's wheel chair and talked about our highs and lows of the day. I admire my coach for taking the road less traveled, and I hope that when it is my turn to pass along wisdom, I remember the core truths that he lived by. That everyone can cross the finish line. Some people are first, and they might seem important, but it is the ones who help their fellow runner across the line that are remembered.
WC- 598
Many of the coaches that we went up against taught their players that the key to happiness was winning and that you must win at ANY cost necessary. My coach took the road less traveled. He taught us that basketball wasn't the only way to happiness, in fact, he taught us that to truly appreciate the game, we had to have our priorities straight. He told us every day that he didn't care if we won the first place trophy. He cared that we won the sportsmanship trophy. He had high expectations of how we worked as a team. Rather than scoring the point, we had to make sure that everyone from our team on the floor was passed the ball first. We weren't allowed to play dirty. It wasn't tolorated. But it was mandetory that win or lose, we talked with the other team at the end of the game, and found something to compliment them on. On my basketball team, we had a mandetory hour-long study hall before practice. We were expected to be on time and we weren't able to let our grades drop if we were hoping to start in the next game.
Now, you might be wondering if we were a team worth mentioning. We won tournaments, we even placed at state. I cherish those memories, but even more so, I cherish the life lessons that I learned from my coach. I cherish the fact that at the end of every practice, our entire team sat in a semi circle around our coach's wheel chair and talked about our highs and lows of the day. I admire my coach for taking the road less traveled, and I hope that when it is my turn to pass along wisdom, I remember the core truths that he lived by. That everyone can cross the finish line. Some people are first, and they might seem important, but it is the ones who help their fellow runner across the line that are remembered.
WC- 598
My Breath of Fresh Air (18)
One of my hobbies is hiking. I love escaping into the wilderness and embarking on an adventure. I love escaping the mass-hysteria of constant movement in the city and finding myself enjoying the moment of a close group of fellow hikers. All of us, experiencing a new perspective in a monotonous world.
The anticipation of accomplishment from completing a hike or the moment of relaxation when resting at the top of a mountain top. There is no greater way to spend a day. What's more, I am a poor college student, and I can spend a day completely happy, without spending a dime. I can walk out of my house and find myself on a hike in a matter of minutes.
The beauty of a hike is that no two hikes will ever be the same. I have hiked the same trails multiple times, and each time there is something new to see. Nature doesn't stay the same. Seasons change and aspects of nature come and go. You learn to appreciate them in that moment, but not expect them in the future.
WC - 317
Sterotypes (16)
The way that I look at sterotypes has changed drastically over the past five years. I have come to realize, almost instantaneous, when I sterotype people, whereas, years ago, I didn't always notice. It all started when I was on the road. We traveled on average to six new cities every week. With those new cities, came a wide variety of new people. At first, I didn't always see the "wide-variety". I saw the jock, the brain, the princess...heck I saw the whole Breakfast Club. I saw people how I thought I was supposed to see them. It wasn't until I spent time with people that I considered to be so "alike" because of how they looked or how they carried themselves that I realized just how different they actually were. That is the only reason that I could assume that sterotypes exist. The reason being that certain individuals register as the same because of similar surface characteristics. The SURFACE. What we see. Not what we experience from being around the individuals. To prove a point, I would like to share an encounter I had with two girls, twins actually. From the outside, they didn't look like they cared about besides what people wore or who they were friends with. In Hollywood, these girls would have been written into the story as the sterotypical "dumb blonds". You know, the ones who twirl their hair and who don't speak with words, but simply with letters, like OMG or BRB. In fact, that is what I expected from these girls. The set of them. Suprisingly enough, this couldn't be further from the truth. These two girls couldn't be more different. And even more suprisingly, they couldn't be more different from one another. One was deeply philosophical and one was obsessed with sports. The girls I ended up meeting were polar opposite to what I had expected. It was in that moment, that I realized I needed to meet people before I presumed to know them. I needed to have a conversation with them and allow them to be who they were and not who I expected them to be. After all, that is what I would hope people who do for me. This has significantly changed the people and the blessings that have walked into my life, and that is why I am so thankful for being so painfully aware of sterotypes.
WC - 401
WC - 401
Thursday, March 1, 2012
It's a Mystery! (Blog #12)
I have always been a big fan of mystery novels. More specifically, I love the whodunit novels. I have been told that I have a very peculiar taste in literature. One of my all time favorite authors is Agatha Christie. Not many people my age even know who Agatha Christie is, but I could spend countless hours reading her stories. In fact, I have. My mom was a librarian when I was growing up, so she was always pushing us to discover authors that we didn't know anything about, and one day, I stumbled upon Agatha. I was in the fifth grade when I first picked up one of her books. Agatha Christie is not typically on a fifth grader's reading list, but after the first novel, I was hooked.
It is said that some tastes are acquired, and this was the case with this particular author. Her books have never been ones that grab me right from the start. In fact, it took quite a bit of time to really get into the first story. But by the end, I was engrossed in the scandals, mystery and suspense that was an Agatha Christie story. I have noticed that there are hardly any hardcore Agatha Christie fans out there, but I believe that there should be many, many more. Many of her works have been made into movies, but very few people realize that these movies are based off of books.
If I had to recommend just one of Agatha Christie's books, I would have to recommend And Then There Were None. It is by far one of her better known pieces, and a good first taste of who Agatha Christie is as a writer. There is plenty of mystery and intrigue and even more so, there are so many twists and turns, and once the murderer is announced, you will be shocked that you didn't see it coming.
WC- 319
It is said that some tastes are acquired, and this was the case with this particular author. Her books have never been ones that grab me right from the start. In fact, it took quite a bit of time to really get into the first story. But by the end, I was engrossed in the scandals, mystery and suspense that was an Agatha Christie story. I have noticed that there are hardly any hardcore Agatha Christie fans out there, but I believe that there should be many, many more. Many of her works have been made into movies, but very few people realize that these movies are based off of books.
If I had to recommend just one of Agatha Christie's books, I would have to recommend And Then There Were None. It is by far one of her better known pieces, and a good first taste of who Agatha Christie is as a writer. There is plenty of mystery and intrigue and even more so, there are so many twists and turns, and once the murderer is announced, you will be shocked that you didn't see it coming.
WC- 319
Boarderline Obsessive (Blog # 10)
I work in a clothing store, so I am very particular with my closet. This may sound shallow, or pointless to some, but to me it is a boarderline compulsion. I am a stickler to my laundry guidelines, not because I take any pride in my wardrobe, but because it is as if someone was ringing a bell, and I was Pavlov's dog. I spend a majority of my day working with clothing, and one thing I do is color coordinate and straighten the store, so that it looks its best. With this said, I have an incredibly hard time doing laundry in the normal sense. In general, I don't consider myself obsessively neat, but when it comes to my closet, it is as if I am a completely different person. My obsessiveness starts after the articles of clothing have been smothered in soap, drowned in water, and tumbled in the dryer.
First, I have to take the items out of the dryer, and seperate them by category. The five categories that I really pay attention to are the categories that I hang in my closet. These are long sleeved tops, short sleeved tops, dresses, dress pants, and finally skirts. The categories are in order of the frequency I wear them. Dresses are farthest back. I have never been much of a girlie-girl, and on most days would rather pretend that they don't exist, but I am aware of the fact that every once in awhile, dresses are required, so I have a few for such emergencies. After dresses, skirts follow close behind. I think if told I had to chose dresses or skirts, I think I would pick skirts. I don't really know why, but for some reason, they seem less threatening. Dress pants follow skirts, mostly because I have very few occasions that I really need to wear them. Since it is winter weather still, I have less demand for short sleeved tops, so I tuck those in after dress pants. Lastly, I have my stock of long sleeved tops at the very beginning of my closet.
Now I wouldn't feel quite so rediculous if it stopped there, but oh no. My compulsion goes much, much further. Every hanger in my closet, all my hangers are white. It has been engrained into me that hangers must compliment the article of clothing it carries. Through all my years of experience, the one thing I have picked up on is that a white hanger goes with just about anything, and it has become my go-to hanger by default.
After I have finished inspecting my hangers, I must make sure that each category of clothing is color coordinated. Where one category finishes, another category picks up on the same color, so it is a continual flow of color. Once the wave of color has been complete, my last task is to make sure that all buttons are buttoned and all zippers are zipped.
Everytime I do laundry, it seems to become quite the production, and I am sad to say that I may never get over this compulsion. Retail has ruined my abilities to be lazy....at least with my closet anyways...
WC- 531
First, I have to take the items out of the dryer, and seperate them by category. The five categories that I really pay attention to are the categories that I hang in my closet. These are long sleeved tops, short sleeved tops, dresses, dress pants, and finally skirts. The categories are in order of the frequency I wear them. Dresses are farthest back. I have never been much of a girlie-girl, and on most days would rather pretend that they don't exist, but I am aware of the fact that every once in awhile, dresses are required, so I have a few for such emergencies. After dresses, skirts follow close behind. I think if told I had to chose dresses or skirts, I think I would pick skirts. I don't really know why, but for some reason, they seem less threatening. Dress pants follow skirts, mostly because I have very few occasions that I really need to wear them. Since it is winter weather still, I have less demand for short sleeved tops, so I tuck those in after dress pants. Lastly, I have my stock of long sleeved tops at the very beginning of my closet.
Now I wouldn't feel quite so rediculous if it stopped there, but oh no. My compulsion goes much, much further. Every hanger in my closet, all my hangers are white. It has been engrained into me that hangers must compliment the article of clothing it carries. Through all my years of experience, the one thing I have picked up on is that a white hanger goes with just about anything, and it has become my go-to hanger by default.
After I have finished inspecting my hangers, I must make sure that each category of clothing is color coordinated. Where one category finishes, another category picks up on the same color, so it is a continual flow of color. Once the wave of color has been complete, my last task is to make sure that all buttons are buttoned and all zippers are zipped.
Everytime I do laundry, it seems to become quite the production, and I am sad to say that I may never get over this compulsion. Retail has ruined my abilities to be lazy....at least with my closet anyways...
WC- 531
Thursday, February 23, 2012
On Second Thought....
1) Silent as (the grave)
Silent as the streets in a North Dakota town during a snowstorm.
2. Clean as (a whistle)
Clean as a surgon before a surgery.
3. Hungry as (a wolf)
Hungry as fasting man before a medical exam.
4. Pretty as (a picture)
Pretty as a sunset from a mountain top on a summer evening.
5. Fit as (a fiddle)
Fit as a fitness instructor.
6. Easy as (pie)
Easy as an open-booked take-home exam.
7. Cold as (ice)
Cold as a cactus at the North Pole.
8. Smooth as (silk)
Smooth as slow churned ice-cream.
9. Blind as (a bat)
Blind as my grandmother when she can't find her glasses.
10. Strong as (an ox)
Strong as titanium surgical screws.
Word Count - 115
Silent as the streets in a North Dakota town during a snowstorm.
2. Clean as (a whistle)
Clean as a surgon before a surgery.
3. Hungry as (a wolf)
Hungry as fasting man before a medical exam.
4. Pretty as (a picture)
Pretty as a sunset from a mountain top on a summer evening.
5. Fit as (a fiddle)
Fit as a fitness instructor.
6. Easy as (pie)
Easy as an open-booked take-home exam.
7. Cold as (ice)
Cold as a cactus at the North Pole.
8. Smooth as (silk)
Smooth as slow churned ice-cream.
9. Blind as (a bat)
Blind as my grandmother when she can't find her glasses.
10. Strong as (an ox)
Strong as titanium surgical screws.
Word Count - 115
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
Voices
Assignment: Answer what am I going to do this weekend in five different voices.
A five year old child -
This weekend my mom and dad promised we could go up to the mountain and go sledding! Today, we went to the store and bought sleds. I got the blue one and my brother got a green one. Mine's so much cooler though, because it has a BIG Superman decal on it! When we get back from sledding, my mom said we might get to go out to eat! I think I want a hamburger!
A Swashbuckling Pirate -
Ahoy! This weekend I be sailing out on the open seas. I hear there be long lost treasure and I be looking for it. When me crew finds the loot, we be celebrating over our plunder. There be lots and lots of rum! Yo ho ho!
A pessimist-
I haven't really thought about what I am going to do for the weekend. I mean, it's not like I know that I am gonna make that long. But on the highly unlikely event of the weekend coming around, I guess my plans would depend on if any of my friends wanted to do something...which they probably don't. So, I doubt I will be doing anything this weekend.
A 13 year old girl -
Oh. My. Gosh! I am SO excited for this weekend! I am so going to the mall with my friends! Last week, I bought THE cutest top, but the other day at school, I saw another girl wearing the same shirt, so now I am going to have to talk my parents into buying me something else, that's even cuter! And maybe, my friends and I are going to go see a movie. I hear the new Reese Witherspoon movie is coming out.
Myself -
This weekend, I am going to be doing lots and lots of homework! I spend the beginning of the week working and the second half of the week going to school. Depending on the weather, I might take my dog on a long walk, but that is more of an excuse to take a break from studying!
Word Count - 349
A five year old child -
This weekend my mom and dad promised we could go up to the mountain and go sledding! Today, we went to the store and bought sleds. I got the blue one and my brother got a green one. Mine's so much cooler though, because it has a BIG Superman decal on it! When we get back from sledding, my mom said we might get to go out to eat! I think I want a hamburger!
A Swashbuckling Pirate -
Ahoy! This weekend I be sailing out on the open seas. I hear there be long lost treasure and I be looking for it. When me crew finds the loot, we be celebrating over our plunder. There be lots and lots of rum! Yo ho ho!
A pessimist-
I haven't really thought about what I am going to do for the weekend. I mean, it's not like I know that I am gonna make that long. But on the highly unlikely event of the weekend coming around, I guess my plans would depend on if any of my friends wanted to do something...which they probably don't. So, I doubt I will be doing anything this weekend.
A 13 year old girl -
Oh. My. Gosh! I am SO excited for this weekend! I am so going to the mall with my friends! Last week, I bought THE cutest top, but the other day at school, I saw another girl wearing the same shirt, so now I am going to have to talk my parents into buying me something else, that's even cuter! And maybe, my friends and I are going to go see a movie. I hear the new Reese Witherspoon movie is coming out.
Myself -
This weekend, I am going to be doing lots and lots of homework! I spend the beginning of the week working and the second half of the week going to school. Depending on the weather, I might take my dog on a long walk, but that is more of an excuse to take a break from studying!
Word Count - 349
Thursday, February 2, 2012
Freewriting...
This assignment is about freewriting on the topic of "what I was like as a child". I am going to freewrite for five minutes.
When I was little, I was, to put it nicely, awkward. I was the worlds biggest Tom-boy. I had two older brother figures that I looked up to and their hobbies were sports, cars, video games, tools, and anything involving mud. I am thinking about different memories I have. I am trying to decide which stories to tell about growing up as a Tom-boy. We used to hang out at each others' houses because our parents were best friends growing up. We spent half our time at my house and half the time at their house. They were always helping their dad restore cars, and in turn, I always wanted to tag along and help. They had an older sister, and I had an older sister who were friends, and they always thought I would fit in better with them. I never wanted to though. I always wanted to be their shadow. I looked up to them a lot. This made things difficult in elementary school, because I wouldn't be caught dead doing anything girly. My two best friends were both boys and I would be incredibly insulted if I wasn't picked right away for the sports pick up games on the playground. I am checking the time, and I have less than a minute, so I am trying to think of the important things I need to say, but I can't think of anything. Oh well, time's up.
Word Count : 239
My reaction to freewriting:
I love freewriting. I enjoy having no sort of agenda and seeing where my thoughts end up taking me. I had a hard time keeping it at just five minutes. I could have probably continued to write, because it was bringing up all these old memories, that I hadn't thought about in years. Looking back over what I wrote, I would have liked to clarify certain points or re-word certain things so that I could convey my thoughts just a little better. I think this is a great brainstorming technique, but I don't really like turning this in as a final project.
When I was little, I was, to put it nicely, awkward. I was the worlds biggest Tom-boy. I had two older brother figures that I looked up to and their hobbies were sports, cars, video games, tools, and anything involving mud. I am thinking about different memories I have. I am trying to decide which stories to tell about growing up as a Tom-boy. We used to hang out at each others' houses because our parents were best friends growing up. We spent half our time at my house and half the time at their house. They were always helping their dad restore cars, and in turn, I always wanted to tag along and help. They had an older sister, and I had an older sister who were friends, and they always thought I would fit in better with them. I never wanted to though. I always wanted to be their shadow. I looked up to them a lot. This made things difficult in elementary school, because I wouldn't be caught dead doing anything girly. My two best friends were both boys and I would be incredibly insulted if I wasn't picked right away for the sports pick up games on the playground. I am checking the time, and I have less than a minute, so I am trying to think of the important things I need to say, but I can't think of anything. Oh well, time's up.
Word Count : 239
My reaction to freewriting:
I love freewriting. I enjoy having no sort of agenda and seeing where my thoughts end up taking me. I had a hard time keeping it at just five minutes. I could have probably continued to write, because it was bringing up all these old memories, that I hadn't thought about in years. Looking back over what I wrote, I would have liked to clarify certain points or re-word certain things so that I could convey my thoughts just a little better. I think this is a great brainstorming technique, but I don't really like turning this in as a final project.
Monday, January 30, 2012
My Least Favorite Sound
BEEP. BEEP. BEEP. Piercing noises wake me violently as my dreams are shattered. BEEP. BEEP. BEEP. It shriekingly floods my unconcious until I can no longer ignore it. This wretched sound screams, longing to be noticed. Finally I hit the snooze button. Ten minutes of glorious silence. The reminder of the alarm has shattered any hopes of returning to the peaceful haven of my dreams, but rather keeps me on guard, waiting for the next round of this loud monotone declaration. This would probably be one of my least favorite sounds in the world! This sound reperesents the realization that my adventurous dreams are being called to an end and that my day, full of work, school and other monotonous daily activities, is only just beginning.
BEEP. BEEP. BEEP. There it is again. If only my alarm clock knew I wasn't ready to give up my warm comfortable, especially to hit the cold, hard ground running! No thank you! I think I would much rather stay in bed.
BEEP. BEEP. BEEP. That is the sound of my alarm clock disagreeing with me. I know I am fighting an uphill battle, but I hit the snooze button yet again. Maybe I can catch just one more glance at the dream world I don't want to leave behind. I grasp for the pleasant memories I had just given up minutes ago, but I can't find them. I now know the meaning of a race against the clock. I stuggle to find them before my alarm goes off again. Maybe I think that if I can make it back to my dream world, I can stay there, even if my alarm clock doesn't think it is the best idea. I start to remember the dreams I had just given up. I am just barely being swept back into the warm, welcoming dreamland, when I hear it echoing deep in my being...BEEP. BEEP. BEEP. It sounds like nails scratching on a chalkboard. I snap back to reality and realize I can't hide from it. I roll over, turn on the lights and turn my alarm clock off. I must face it. I am awake. No thanks to my alarm clock!
Word Count - 367
BEEP. BEEP. BEEP. There it is again. If only my alarm clock knew I wasn't ready to give up my warm comfortable, especially to hit the cold, hard ground running! No thank you! I think I would much rather stay in bed.
BEEP. BEEP. BEEP. That is the sound of my alarm clock disagreeing with me. I know I am fighting an uphill battle, but I hit the snooze button yet again. Maybe I can catch just one more glance at the dream world I don't want to leave behind. I grasp for the pleasant memories I had just given up minutes ago, but I can't find them. I now know the meaning of a race against the clock. I stuggle to find them before my alarm goes off again. Maybe I think that if I can make it back to my dream world, I can stay there, even if my alarm clock doesn't think it is the best idea. I start to remember the dreams I had just given up. I am just barely being swept back into the warm, welcoming dreamland, when I hear it echoing deep in my being...BEEP. BEEP. BEEP. It sounds like nails scratching on a chalkboard. I snap back to reality and realize I can't hide from it. I roll over, turn on the lights and turn my alarm clock off. I must face it. I am awake. No thanks to my alarm clock!
Word Count - 367
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
My First Car
When I was sixteen, I could not wait to drive! Many of my friends had cars. Some were what you would expect for someone who was only beginning to drive, maybe a little beat up or possibly a bit older in style. Some were cars that I could only envy, convertibles and classics. I honestly didn't have a clue what I would be driving. I spent my days dreaming of what most sixteen years olds dream of...shopping for thecar they would come to cherish. It was, after all, a right of passage. When the time came for me to actually get a car, my parents and I searched for just the right fit. Little did I know, my parents and I didn't exactly have the same idea of the "perfect fit". I was thinking small, compact, possibly even practical. I never was someone who wanted to drive a fancy car. As it turns out, my parents were not thinking in terms of small. They were not thinking in terms of compact. And if you ask me, they certainly weren't thinking in terms of "practical". As it turned out, I really didn't have much say in the matter of my "dream car", because right before my very eyes, and certainly beyond my control, I because the not-so-proud driver of a 1990's Ford Aerostar Van.
The van and I mixed just about as well as oil and water. I am just barely over five feet tall, and it was almost comical watching me try to maneuver this bright teal monstrosity. I would park multiple blocks away from my school so that I didn't have to park in the school's tiny parking lot, and probably to avoid being seen. I don't think it ever occurred to me that this walking a couple blocks to school in and of itself defeated the purpose of having a car. To make matters worse, shortly after the van came into my possession, the sliding back door broke, and I had to drive around with bungee cords wrapped tightly around the passenger side doors in order to ensure they would stay in place. Hardly any of my friends dared to ride along as my passenger, and I can't say that I blamed them.
While at the time, I found it mortifying, I can look back now and realize that I am incredibly lucky to have had a car to drive. I can even realize that I now have a few incredibly funny stories stemming from driving such an interesting vehicle for so long.
Word Count - 426
The van and I mixed just about as well as oil and water. I am just barely over five feet tall, and it was almost comical watching me try to maneuver this bright teal monstrosity. I would park multiple blocks away from my school so that I didn't have to park in the school's tiny parking lot, and probably to avoid being seen. I don't think it ever occurred to me that this walking a couple blocks to school in and of itself defeated the purpose of having a car. To make matters worse, shortly after the van came into my possession, the sliding back door broke, and I had to drive around with bungee cords wrapped tightly around the passenger side doors in order to ensure they would stay in place. Hardly any of my friends dared to ride along as my passenger, and I can't say that I blamed them.
While at the time, I found it mortifying, I can look back now and realize that I am incredibly lucky to have had a car to drive. I can even realize that I now have a few incredibly funny stories stemming from driving such an interesting vehicle for so long.
Word Count - 426
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
What I Wish I Knew Before....
During high school, even though I don't think I was even aware of it, I think that I spent far too much of my time trying to fit in. If you want to know which crowd I was trying to fit into, I honestly couldn't tell you. But looking back, I can tell you that I rarely felt like the things I did were because I wanted to do them, but because I felt that I needed to do them in order to live up to some sort of standard that somehow seemed to have been set for me. After graduating, I set out on one of the biggest adventures of my life. I don't think I could have ever comprehended how drastically this experience was going to alter my life, but it did.
When I first went on the road, (or on "Team" as we called it) I had originally been called as a vocalist for the group, but through a series of unfortunate events, our soundtech had to return home indefinitely. This left an immediate need for a soundtech. On my team, I was the only person that didn't play an instrument, and by process of elimination, I became the chosen candidate to become the not only the vocalist but the soundtech as well. I knew NOTHING about sound technology, and here I was about to venture out on a year's adventure doing something that I was clueless about. I am the kind of person who likes to do my best in what I am doing, and I just didn't see how I could achieve that when I didn't understand my job! In fact, at that point, I knew I just could not do it. I set myself up to expect failure.
The organization that I worked for had a really wonderful program set up, so that experts in the field of sound technology actually trained us in our daily tasks. The only problem was that I had missed a majority of that training by coming in late, and had a very short amount of time to catch up before heading out on my own.
Before team, I was by no means a "technologically savvy person"...in fact, I was quite the opposite. I think that if I even looked at any kind of electronic, I could probably break it, and here I was about to accept responsibility for thousand of dollars of equiptment. I just kept thinking, "I can't. I can't. I can't."
I had three amazing soundtechs working with me to catch me up, and one day after a near-melt down on my part, one of these soundtechs took me aside and said, "You know, you are capable of doing anything, you just have to allow yourself to do it."
This stopped me in my tracks. How did I decide I was not capable of being a sound tech? How did I decide I was not capable of so many other things that had come my way? Right then and there I learned probably one of the most important things in my life. I am my biggest obstacle. I decide what I let myself believe I can do. I wish I had realized this before, because I think I might have had the courage to explore many new things so much earlier!
I did go on to be the soundtech for my team, and yes, I even broke a few things. But by the end of the year, I was able to do the unthinkable...I could fix what I broke! And I wouldn't have been able to, if I hadn't stopped holding myself back.
Word Count - 609
When I first went on the road, (or on "Team" as we called it) I had originally been called as a vocalist for the group, but through a series of unfortunate events, our soundtech had to return home indefinitely. This left an immediate need for a soundtech. On my team, I was the only person that didn't play an instrument, and by process of elimination, I became the chosen candidate to become the not only the vocalist but the soundtech as well. I knew NOTHING about sound technology, and here I was about to venture out on a year's adventure doing something that I was clueless about. I am the kind of person who likes to do my best in what I am doing, and I just didn't see how I could achieve that when I didn't understand my job! In fact, at that point, I knew I just could not do it. I set myself up to expect failure.
The organization that I worked for had a really wonderful program set up, so that experts in the field of sound technology actually trained us in our daily tasks. The only problem was that I had missed a majority of that training by coming in late, and had a very short amount of time to catch up before heading out on my own.
Before team, I was by no means a "technologically savvy person"...in fact, I was quite the opposite. I think that if I even looked at any kind of electronic, I could probably break it, and here I was about to accept responsibility for thousand of dollars of equiptment. I just kept thinking, "I can't. I can't. I can't."
I had three amazing soundtechs working with me to catch me up, and one day after a near-melt down on my part, one of these soundtechs took me aside and said, "You know, you are capable of doing anything, you just have to allow yourself to do it."
This stopped me in my tracks. How did I decide I was not capable of being a sound tech? How did I decide I was not capable of so many other things that had come my way? Right then and there I learned probably one of the most important things in my life. I am my biggest obstacle. I decide what I let myself believe I can do. I wish I had realized this before, because I think I might have had the courage to explore many new things so much earlier!
I did go on to be the soundtech for my team, and yes, I even broke a few things. But by the end of the year, I was able to do the unthinkable...I could fix what I broke! And I wouldn't have been able to, if I hadn't stopped holding myself back.
Word Count - 609
Friday, January 20, 2012
The Problem of Evil In Fiction
The two types of truth that Card describes are the illusion of truth and the substance of truth. The illusion of truth is the idea that the reader can relate to truths the author presents because it is a truth that the reader has had some sort of experience with. These are experiences that we can't deny to be a part of our lives. These are facts that we know that no matter reality or fantasy, they will always be the case. The substance of truth is the author's idea of what is true. Regardless of whether it holds truth elsewhere, what is important is that the author believes it to be true. As Card mentions, "what seems evil to one person may seem right and just to another." (pg 227). This means that an author can not tell you, in a believable manner, that something is right when if fact, the author isn't a personal believer in the statement.
I agree with Card's claim that it "is impossible for a writer to convincingly violate his own conscience in his fiction". I think that if an author writes with only a partial conviction of the substance of truth, the reader will lose interest. I think that it is within the writer's responsibility to have a sense of conviction when they are writing, and it is hard to write in conviction about something that you have doubts about. It's like a professor asking a student to believe in a concept that they, themselves, don't personally find to be true. I think that not only is it impossible, but it doesn't do the story any justice to not have conviction behind it. Why would the reader believe part of the story if there are other parts that seem to be unbelievable? Why would the reader want to take the time to read something they didn't trust? The main objective as a writer should be writing in truth so that the reader can follow the story in the integrity that they need.
Word Count : 338
I agree with Card's claim that it "is impossible for a writer to convincingly violate his own conscience in his fiction". I think that if an author writes with only a partial conviction of the substance of truth, the reader will lose interest. I think that it is within the writer's responsibility to have a sense of conviction when they are writing, and it is hard to write in conviction about something that you have doubts about. It's like a professor asking a student to believe in a concept that they, themselves, don't personally find to be true. I think that not only is it impossible, but it doesn't do the story any justice to not have conviction behind it. Why would the reader believe part of the story if there are other parts that seem to be unbelievable? Why would the reader want to take the time to read something they didn't trust? The main objective as a writer should be writing in truth so that the reader can follow the story in the integrity that they need.
Word Count : 338
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
Fears as a writer
When I am writing, one of my biggest fears is probably one of the more common fears....dreaded writer's block. I think this is mostly because a majority of my writing experience is made up of school writing assignments, all topics that have been chosen for me. What happens if I can't think of something worthy to say? What if the things I have to say don't accurately represent my feelings? What if I don't fully understand all the information? It gets to a point where I spend more time over-analyzing then forming relevant thoughts for whatever writing project I am working on. I think that the more I worry about not having the relevant facts I need, the more I stray away from the ultimate goal of having a well-thought out project. I don't usually feel that when I am journaling. I think this is because I usually journal free-thought style, and I don't have to follow any particular guildlines. What I write when I am journaling is un-edited, unprocessed thoughts. They are true to what I am feeling at any given moment. In contrast, writing projects for school must meet certain criteria and I fear that those guildlines turn out to be more of an restraint to my writing than an asset. When I feel constrained in the way that I write, whether it is with criteria or for some other problem, I feel I struggle the most to find inspiration.
I think if I learned anything from previous experience, it would be that the more I struggle to make something work, the less likely I am to find inspiration. If I didn't panic about writing a well-written paper, and just wrote what I knew, then I would probably fare much better. Instead I hit a mode of panic when it comes to "crunch time" and I still don't have the paper written, or even worse, it isn't written in a way that I am happy with. Eventually, I hope I will learn, and maybe ease my dreaded writer's block.
Word Count : 342
I think if I learned anything from previous experience, it would be that the more I struggle to make something work, the less likely I am to find inspiration. If I didn't panic about writing a well-written paper, and just wrote what I knew, then I would probably fare much better. Instead I hit a mode of panic when it comes to "crunch time" and I still don't have the paper written, or even worse, it isn't written in a way that I am happy with. Eventually, I hope I will learn, and maybe ease my dreaded writer's block.
Word Count : 342
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
My Relationship With Reading
I have had quite the rollercoaster relationship with reading. When I was growing up, my mother worked as a librarian, so while other kids watched television, my mother always favoured reading books. While some kids went to parks to play, we found our adventures within the covers of a book, hiding within the library. It wasn't uncommon for my siblings and I to spend our days searching the shelves of the library for the treasures we planned to take home. I enjoyed the freedom to read about worlds that I had the freedom to create within my imagination. I just couldn't seem to get enough!
When I got into middle school and high school, my relationship with reading took a drastic turn. Before, I had always chosen the books that had seemed to call my name, and intrigued me. But now, I was being assigned what to read, and at times, I found I had absolutely no desire to explore the worlds that were being thrust upon me. My interest in my assigned reading depleated and soon enough, my world seemed to revolve around other things like sports, music and my friends. My relationship with reading had become so strained that I would rather read the Sparknotes version of the book, than dive into the contents of the book itself.
After high-school, I took a job with a traveling music ministry team. We spent hours upon hours traveling to our various bookings and without realizing it, I found myself returning back to my love of reading. With very little else to do, I found myself drawn back to the written word. Not only that, but I realized how much I missed reading. It also seemed to be my only reliable source of entertainment. We were never guarenteed internet or television, but I could always count on having a book to occupy my time. I also realized that my tastes in reading had changed. I was quite more adventurous in exploring new genres. I found myself enjoying mystery books, biographies, and even the occasional reference book. I even opened myself up to reading a few of the books I had dreaded in school, and I must admit, they weren't half bad. Some, in fact, have become personal favorites of mine.
As I mentioned before, my relationship with reading has been a rollercoaster to say the least. There have been good times, but there have been strained times. All in all I am glad for both, because I can look back fondly on the memories I had as a child, but also appreciate what a joy it is to discover a love for reading again.
Word Count: 443
When I got into middle school and high school, my relationship with reading took a drastic turn. Before, I had always chosen the books that had seemed to call my name, and intrigued me. But now, I was being assigned what to read, and at times, I found I had absolutely no desire to explore the worlds that were being thrust upon me. My interest in my assigned reading depleated and soon enough, my world seemed to revolve around other things like sports, music and my friends. My relationship with reading had become so strained that I would rather read the Sparknotes version of the book, than dive into the contents of the book itself.
After high-school, I took a job with a traveling music ministry team. We spent hours upon hours traveling to our various bookings and without realizing it, I found myself returning back to my love of reading. With very little else to do, I found myself drawn back to the written word. Not only that, but I realized how much I missed reading. It also seemed to be my only reliable source of entertainment. We were never guarenteed internet or television, but I could always count on having a book to occupy my time. I also realized that my tastes in reading had changed. I was quite more adventurous in exploring new genres. I found myself enjoying mystery books, biographies, and even the occasional reference book. I even opened myself up to reading a few of the books I had dreaded in school, and I must admit, they weren't half bad. Some, in fact, have become personal favorites of mine.
As I mentioned before, my relationship with reading has been a rollercoaster to say the least. There have been good times, but there have been strained times. All in all I am glad for both, because I can look back fondly on the memories I had as a child, but also appreciate what a joy it is to discover a love for reading again.
Word Count: 443
Monday, January 9, 2012
And so the story begins...
Hello folks! My name is Courtney and I am a sophomore. Right now, I am working towards a degree in Communication Disorders. When I was in high school, I did a career profile on Speech Pathology, and at the time it was somewhat interesting to me, but nothing that I really felt lead to pursue.
After high-school, I didn't really know what it was that I wanted to do with my life, or where I wanted to go. Instead I took quite a different path. I applied for a traveling music missionary position. By far, it was one of the best experiences of my life. Everyday was a new city, a new host-family, and whole new walk of life. I enjoyed every bit of my job. I loved that at the end of the night, I felt truly fulfilled. I learned that I loved being able to make a positive impact on a person's life. I knew I wanted to make a difference in whatever it was that I decided to do with my life.
After traveling, I went back home and applied at the local university in my town. Still, I did not really know what I wanted to do. I tried a variety of general courses to try and pin-point what major was cut out for me.
After awhile, I still didn't find that "perfect fit" and so I left school, to save money and try and narrow down what I wanted to study. I started volunteering at different places. Eventually, I stumbled upon a speech pathologist willing to let me observe her classroom. It only took a couple minutes for me to realize that it was the fit I have been looking for all along. I loved witnessing children work at overcoming the obstacles that were in their way. The joy and excitement they had every time they surpassed their own expectations brightened my day considerably.
At last, I finally had what I considered to be my calling!
Since I am working full-time, I decided my best option would be to go to school online.
Word Count - 348
After high-school, I didn't really know what it was that I wanted to do with my life, or where I wanted to go. Instead I took quite a different path. I applied for a traveling music missionary position. By far, it was one of the best experiences of my life. Everyday was a new city, a new host-family, and whole new walk of life. I enjoyed every bit of my job. I loved that at the end of the night, I felt truly fulfilled. I learned that I loved being able to make a positive impact on a person's life. I knew I wanted to make a difference in whatever it was that I decided to do with my life.
After traveling, I went back home and applied at the local university in my town. Still, I did not really know what I wanted to do. I tried a variety of general courses to try and pin-point what major was cut out for me.
After awhile, I still didn't find that "perfect fit" and so I left school, to save money and try and narrow down what I wanted to study. I started volunteering at different places. Eventually, I stumbled upon a speech pathologist willing to let me observe her classroom. It only took a couple minutes for me to realize that it was the fit I have been looking for all along. I loved witnessing children work at overcoming the obstacles that were in their way. The joy and excitement they had every time they surpassed their own expectations brightened my day considerably.
At last, I finally had what I considered to be my calling!
Since I am working full-time, I decided my best option would be to go to school online.
Word Count - 348
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)