Reflection on "No Keyboard? And You Call This a Blackberry?

The new Blackberry Storm

This evaluation criticizes the new Blackberry known as the Storm. I personally have never had a blackberry so I did not experience the problems first hand. However, I have a couple friends who have complained about this new phone, which in my opinion should have never reached the market. My friends say that it’s extremely hard to text on this new phone. This is one of the points David Pogue makes in his evaluation. The buttons and screen are very touch sensitive. This makes it hard to send an e-mail or even a text message. My friends also told me that there is a delayed reaction when you turn the phone sideways for access to the keyboard. Also, the Storm’s commands are too close together, which increases room for error. This is not a practical phone because it creates problems rather than fixes problems. This phone does not compare or match up to other phones on the market and it’s just a matter of time until it is taken off. I believe a lot of people will be returning their Blackberry Storms in exchange for a new phone.  

Here is the website with the article I read:

No Keyboard? And You Call This a Blackberry? by David Pogue

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/27/technology/personaltech/27pogue.html

   

            

Questions for a Reviewer Regarding a Portfolio

There are several questions I have for my reviewer regarding portfolio. It’s important that I know what is required for this project because it is my final grade in the class besides the final. It will have all of my work in the class in this one folder. The first question I have is, “Does the extra credit need to be labeled in the portfolio, so that’s it’s separate from the other projects?” In this class I have done several extra credit projects and I want to make sure I will receive credit for each one of them. Also, I understand that we have the opportunity to correct one project for a new grade. I want to know if she wants the old copy along with the new copy and if she wants us to label the project we corrected. I also want to know if we will receive our portfolio grades before we take the final, so that we know what we need to get on the final in order to receive the grade we our striving for. The last question I have is, “Does she want all of our notes and rough drafts we have used for each project in the portfolio?” I know in the past professors have wanted everything their students have worked on to see the effort their students have put in over the course of the class.  

My Writing Process Now In College

My writing process now as greatly advanced since high school. I have developed better sentence fluency and my vocabulary has expanded greatly now that I’m in college. Developing a better vocabulary has allowed me to write formal essays in the correct style. One thing that has been extremely helpful in writing essays is learning how to properly quote sentences in every situation. This includes from a book, website, public speaker, and a book. In high school I learned how to do cite quotes, but I did not know all the specific rules for citing. In the past my quotes have been run-ons or that didn’t have the correct structure, but now I know how to do it correctly. Also, in the past I did not do any prewriting for an essay. Now that I’m in college I have learned that prewriting is very helpful, especially for lengthy papers. There are a number of different prewriting styles, so it’s easy to find one that works for you. It helps organize the essay and it takes less time to actually write the essay. 

Reflection on "Caught in the Ayatollah's Web"

Prison of Evin

This evaluation was hard for me to read because I know thousands of innocent people are in prisons around the world who are treated inhumanly and tortured. I think that it is very sad that people are accused of going against the government and are put into Evin. Here in America part of our Bill of Rights is to be able to speak our mind about our government and our president. However, this is not the case for other countries around the world. This makes me grateful for being born in the America and it makes me realize how lucky I really am. It makes me sick to my stomach to read about the women and men who are tortured in the Evin prison because they are innocent and even if they weren’t the torture in inhumane. No person should ever have to endure what these people have gone through. I could not imagine one of my family members friends, or even myself going through the same experience. This would be a complete nightmare. I wish there was something I could do to help these people, but I know the situation is out of my hands. 

Here is the website that I read the article on:

Caught in the Ayatollah's Web by Sarah Wildman

http://www.scarsdaleschools.k12.ny.us/202020915213924340/lib/202020915213924340/_files/Caught_in_the_Ayatollahs_Web.pdf

Reflection on "Don't Make English Official - Ban It Instead"

This proposal made question the author’s reason for banning the English language instead of making it the official language in America. Many people in America want English to be the official language that everyone should speak. I don’t agree with this because I think it would be too difficult for everyone to follow this request. Also, many people learn two different languages, which ultimately increases their knowledge. The author’s point in his last paragraph is that if we were to make English the official language then people would rebel and would most likely refuse to learn the language if they hadn’t already. If we were to ban the English language then people would be more eager to learn it because people want what they can’t have. This was an interesting perspective on the topic, which I happen to agree with. It is a negative philosophy that I believe would work in the long run. If we were to ban the English language then I think in time there would actually be increase in English speaking people. 


Here is the proposal I read:
Don't Make English Official - Ban It Instead by Dennis Baron

My Writing Process Before College

My writing process before college was decent for a high school student. I knew the basic requirements of a formal essay. This includes the proper MLA format for an essay such as, a heading, the header/footer, works cited page, the margins, and the proper spacing. I knew the parts to the introduction, starting with an attention getter and ending with the thesis statement. Once I learned the proper structure of the thesis I then learned how to refer back to the thesis throughout my essay. This helped make my essay clear and straight to the point. Also, I learned that it’s important to have transitions at the end of the paragraphs and before a new one started to make the essay flow. I learned how to properly cite sources in the correct format. Finally, I knew that it was very important to proof read my essay to correct any grammatical errors. Overall, before college I knew the basic structure and process of a good essay. 

My Personal Career Goal

My career goal is to become a registered pharmacist. In order to do so I need to get a degree in applied sciences in four to five years. After that I will hopefully get accepted into pharmacy school for another two years. I understand that pharmacy is a good field to go into because there are always career openings. A pharmacist could work in several facilities. Many pharmacists work in a hospital or in a drug store such as, Walgreens. My goal is to work at a drug store that is convenient to my house. Maybe down the road I might work in a hospital and work at the pharmacy there. I am passionate about this career choice because I find it extremely interesting how different medicines react in the body. I know it will be difficult to get to where I want to be, but if I put in the time and effort I believe it will happen in the future. 

Reflection on "Our Mother's Face"

This memoir was touching to me because I understand how the children must have felt before and after their mother died. When I was thirteen my mother also passed away and my sister and I took care of her right before she passed. I remember holding her hand the day she died. It is not easy to cope with all of the emotions that come with a death of a parent at such a young age. In the memoir one of the daughters coped with the death of their mother with anger. I can relate to this because I remember feeling some anger as well because I couldn’t believe something like this could happen to her and my family. I think of my mother as an angle as well that is looking over me at all times. This was mentioned in the memoir as well. At the end of the story the two daughters believe they have seen their mother’s face in each other’s the night their mother died. I personally have not experienced anything like this, but it would be nice to see my mother’s face again.


The memoir I read is:  
Our Mother's Face by Valerie Seiker 

Experience of Writing a Resume & Application Letter

Writing a Resume/Application Letter

It was a good experience for me to develop a resume and application letter because they will come in handy when go for a job interview. Also, I will be able to revise the resume and application letter every year using the same format. This will save me time and effort throughout the years if my schedule becomes busy. By writing my resume and application letter at a relatively young age it has given me a good understanding of what I have accomplished over the years and what else I need to achieve in the years to come. This includes my previous work experience, awards I have received, and clubs and organizations that I have participated in. I realized that I am a well rounded individual considering my age. However, there is definitely room to grow and I will add to my resume and application letter when I do so. I think that it is important for everyone my age to develop a resume and application letter to see the skills they have developed over time and the accomplishments they have made throughout the years.  

 Here are some tips on how to write a resume and application letter:

http://www.how-to-write-a-resume.org/resume_writing_tips.htm - Resume

http://www.writeexpress.com/application.htm - Application Letter

Reflection on "Theme for English B"

This poem was interesting to me because the author does a good job expressing how he feels in only a page of writing. I thought the author pulled the interest of his audience into the poem by starting off explaining the assignment he was doing for his class while staying in the right stanza. He then led into the actual poem he was writing for his class all in one poem. I thought the author made several good points in his poem even though it was very short. Sometimes just a few words can make a bigger impact on an individual than a novel can. The author didn’t know what exactly he was going to write about, so he decided to free write instead. In my opinion this is one of the best ways to write something meaningful because you are expressing yourself in that moment. I think this can be therapeutic for an individual because they often write about their feelings that they didn’t even know they felt. The author’s poem first started with basic facts about his childhood. This included where he grew up, his age, and what he likes to do on his free time. The poem then led into the color of his skin and how it has affected him. He probably did not know he felt this way until he wrote this on paper. He expressed himself in a healthy way. 


Here is the website for the poem:
Theme for English B by Langston Hughes
http://www.eecs.harvard.edu/~keith/poems/English_B.html 

How to Revise a Draft

Revising a draft should be done in an organized manner. The first thing I will do to revise my draft is read over all the suggestions and corrections that were made on my essay by the professor and classmate. This will give me an idea of how much revising needs to be done. I then will go through my essay and fix any grammatical errors such as, any missed spelled words or fragment sentences. After this I will take out any unnecessary information to make sure that I am focusing on a particular scene. This includes summary information that does not belong in the essay. I will then move around information in the essay to make sure the sequence is in the right order. This will help make the essay understandable and less confusing.  After that I will continue to watch the scene in the film and see what I can add to the essay. I will further my understanding of the scene and develop well thought ideas of what the filmmaker is trying to get across. Once I have a clear idea of what the essay’s main focus is, then I will revise my thesis. Once my thesis is written and revised I will then write my introduction. Now that I have a good understanding of the entire scene I will be able to write a well developed introduction. The final step will be to revise the conclusion and take into consideration the revisions that were made on it.  

Here are some additional strategies that may be useful: 

http://www.unc.edu/depts/wcweb/handouts/revision.html

Reflection on "The First Book"

This poem was very short and took less than a minute to read. However, it was very interesting and made me think about the true meaning the poet is trying to get across to her reader. It is often hard for a person who doesn’t normally read to start reading chapter book for the first time. The point the poet is trying to make is that a person will never know if they like the book they are reading if they stop after the first couple of pages. The person needs to jump into the reading and get lost in the words. A good book has the power to allow an individual to forget about their own life temporarily and lose their self in the world inside the book. This can be a way to relieve some stress in an individual’s life and be a type of therapy for some. The poet makes a point that it takes time to like reading, but the only way to do so is to start and she expresses this when she says, “Sure, it’s hard to get started; remember learning to use a knife and fork? Dig in; You’ll never reach the bottom” (Rita Dove). She is also making the point that once you are lost in a good book it will make you want to continue reading others and you will never run out of books to read, there is no bottom. I liked this poem because it goes to show that a short poem such as this one can have so much meaning.


Here is a website where you can view the poem:
The First Book by Rita Book 
http://thechocolatechipwaffle.blogspot.com/2009/02/poem-first-book-by-rita-dove.html

Questions for an Essay Conference

I have several questions for my professor regarding the film analysis essay. The first question I am going to ask is, “How do I cite my quotes in my essay?” This was confusing to me because I have never cited quotes from a film before. The next question I am going to ask is, “Does my thesis need to be clearer?” The thesis is a key part of the essay and I need to know if it should be changed to make the essay easier to understand. Another question I will ask is, “Is the essay easy to understand?” Sometimes an essay will make sense to the author, but be confusing to its audience. Another important questions to ask is, “Did I summarize the essay rather than analyze it?” I remember my professor saying that it’s important to not summarize the scene and to mostly analyze in the essay. If I over summarized then I will remove unnecessary explanations and replace it with analyzing the scene. The last questions I will ask my professor is, “What did I do well in my essay and what do I need to work on?” This will let me know what I need to focus on to improve my essay. All of these questions will be useful when I begin revising my essay. 

Reflection on "Just Be Nice"

I agree with the argument Stephen L. Carter is making in this essay. I agree that children are not taught manners like they used to. I’m not sure what the true reason is for that. It could be that parents are not teaching their children manners or not enforcing them like they should be. Also, it could be that schools are not teaching manners like they used to back in the 1960’s because they don’t want to handle the complaints that may arise from the parents. Now a day’s parents think their children can do no wrong and they think the school system is wrong rather than their child. Manners are important to learn at a young age because it will be helpful as an adult. Having manners makes an individual professional and put together. Without manners a child may turn towards inappropriate language because they were never taught what is appropriate and what is not. I thought it was interesting when that the author wrote, “My point is not to tell us how to speak. My point is to argue that how we speak is simply one point on a continuum of right and wrong ways to treat one another. And how we treat one another is what civility is about” (Carter). These final sentences made me think about the argument he was trying to make. I understand now that he is saying that without some type of civil communication are world could eventually come to an end.   

Here is the website for the essay:

Stephen L. Carter: Just Be Nice

http://www.yalealumnimagazine.com/issues/98_05/Stephen_Carter.html 

Reflection on "Anti-Intellectualism"

I agree with the argument Grant Penrod is making in his essay, Anti-Intellectualism: Why We Hate the Smart Kids. In my opinion I think children in schools are not always acknowledged for their academic achievements the way athletes are. This is very unfortunate because these students put in hard work and they are not getting the acknowledgement they should be given, which can be very discouraging. I think it’s true that children are afraid to be labeled as the “geek” or the “nerd” because of the bad rap they get in popular movies. Children often place these people in stereotypes and they are not treated like they should be. They are afraid of being ostracized by their peers. I thought Grant Penrod made a valid point when he mentioned that several famous celebrities have not graduated high school, but ironically these celebrities are role models for children. This sends the wrong message to children because they may think education is not as important as becoming a famous movie star or an athlete due to the acknowledgement they receive.  This is very unfortunate because I believe education is extremely important and often time children are given the wrong message that education is not a necessity. All in all, I enjoyed this essay and it made me interested on the topic.

Here is the website for the article:

Grant Penrod: Anti-Intellectualism: Why We Hate the Smart Kids

http://docs.google.com/viewer?

Questions for a Reviewer

There are several questions that I have for the reviewer of my film analysis draft. The questions developed while I was writing my essay and to help remember them I wrote them down on a piece of paper. This makes sure I won’t forget or miss any questions I have. It will be helpful when I revise my essay. The first question I have for me reviewer is, “Is the essay easy to follow and understand?” This is a good question to ask because sometimes an essay can be hard to understand to others who read it. Another question I have is, “Did my essay stay on topic and is it focused?” If the essay is not focused then I would ask, “What suggestions do you have to make it focused?” I would take note of these suggestions and refer to them when I begin to revise my essay. I would also ask, “Is there enough information in my essay or should I go more in depth?” The last question I would ask is, “What did you like about the essay?” Knowing what my reviewer liked about my essay will tell me what I need to continue doing. All of these questions will be helpful because it’s good to get another person’s perspective on the essay.

Film Analysis Prewriting

Organizer for Film Proposal: Listing

v  Film: How the Grinch Stole Christmas

v  Approach: Shame theory

v  Scene: When the Grinch is a child in school

v  Impact of shame when a child becomes and adolescent: The Grinch has a shameful experiences when he is growing up, which has a big impact on him when he is an adult.

v  A major shame event involves exposure: The Grinch’s shameful experience was in front of his entire class.

v  Shame is a survival trait: The Grinch has the shameful experience when he tries to conform to society.

v  Shame is the head of family emotions: The Grinch feels guilt, humiliation, embarrassment, mortification

v  The Grinch used the script attack other when he takes his anger out on his classmates when he is made fun of.

v  The Grinch also used the withdrawal script because he isolates himself from the rest of his town because he was embarrassed as a child.

Items in order:

 Approach: Shame theory

ü  Film: How the Grinch Stole Christmas

ü  Scene: When the Grinch is a child in school

ü  A major shame event involves exposure: The Grinch’s shameful experience was in front of his entire class.

ü  Shame is a survival trait: The Grinch has the shameful experience when he tries to conform to society.

ü  Shame is the head of family emotions: The Grinch feels guilt, humiliation, embarrassment, mortification

ü  Impact of shame when a child becomes and adolescent: The Grinch has a shameful experiences when he is growing up, which has a big impact on him when he is an adult.

ü  The Grinch used the script attack other when he takes his anger out on his classmates when he is made fun of.

ü  The Grinch also used the withdrawal script because he isolates himself from the rest of his town because he was embarrassed as a child.

Reflection on "What’s the Matter with Kids Today?"

The argument written by Amy Goldwasser kept my 
attention the entire time while reading it. I related to the article because I am part of the age group the article is about. I agree that children between the ages of 13-17 are consumed with technology such as, e-mailing, blogging, IM’ing, and texting. I think it was interesting how Amy Goldwasser explained how teenagers used these resources to document their own life experiences and are essentially reporters in their own homes. But often times adults disapprove of the amount of hours their children spend on the computer and their phones because they ultimately do not like the fact their children may know more than they do. I thought this was an interesting perspective on the topic because it didn’t occur to me that teenagers were responsible for every consumer phenomenon. I was surprised to learn that teenagers essentially made MySpace worth $580 million and Juno as Oscar winner. I agree that people need to stop looking at the internet and technology as a negative resource for teenagers because in reality there are more positive than negative outcomes that come from it. Someday teenagers today will become the voice of America. 


Here is the website for the article:
What's the Matter with Kids Today?: Amy Goldwasser
http://www.salon.com/life/feature/2008/03/14/kids_and_internet/index.html 

Proposal Example of Film Analysis

The Grinch from Ron Howard's film,
 How the Grinch Stole Christmas 

The film How the Grinch Stole Christmas inspires me the most to write my film analysis on. There are several scenes that I have looked at for the shame theory, but there is one scene in particular that stands out. It’s the scene where the Grinch is a child and he is in class with other students his age. The Grinch knows he is different than the rest of the children due to his appearance. This causes him to be guarded and defensive in nature. When the Grinch lets his guard down for the first time in his life it back fires and is his left with immense shame. It starts when he wants to impress his female friend that he is developing feelings for. He gets in the Christmas spirit and makes her a gift that he hand crafts himself. The same night he looks in the mirror and feels self-conscious about his appearance because he remembers one of the rude comments his classmate made while at school. His classmate made a comment about his beard, which is uncommon for a child of only eight years old. The Grinch’s inner, critical voice judges himself making him feel worthless and inferior due to being ostracized by his classmates. He feels immense embarrassment when he remembers this memory because all of the children laughed at him including his female friend he has a crush on. He is extremely overwhelmed by this memory that he decides to take action and shave off his beard.  This action to avoid shame leaves marks all over his face and actually heightens his feelings of humiliation. The next day at school the Grinch tries to hide his face, but evidently the other children saw what he had done. He is now feeling flawed and exposed, which are common feelings of shame. The Grinch reacts to his insecurities and unconsciously takes his anger out on the other children. He uses the script attack-other as a defense mechanism because the shame he experiences is thrown upon his classmates. He does this by creating fear in his classmates when he throws the Christmas tree across the room. This is his attempt to soothe the pain of humiliation, embarrassment, and mortification he is experiencing. He follows the withdrawal-script when he isolates himself from the rest of the town in hopes of avoiding another shameful experience like he had as a child.             

Reflection on "First U.S. Count Finds 1 in 200 Kids Are Vegetarian"

This essay gave me incite on the reasons why children become vegetarians and who they were influenced by. I found it very surprising to learn that a great number of children become vegetarians at a young age. Most children become vegetarians because they understand the severity of animal cruelty that takes place in the United States and they couldn’t imagine that happening to a pet of theirs. I respect the fact that children all around the world are standing up for what they believe is wrong and taking actions to reverse it. However, my concern is that I don’t think all the children are getting the protein they need knowing that meat has large amounts of protein in each serving. The protein is essential for growth and development that is important for young children. Also this essay diminished the stereotype I had for vegetarians. Before reading this article I automatically thought that if you are a vegetarian then you eat mostly healthy foods such as fruit and vegetables. However, this is not the case because many vegetarians are substituting the meat with unhealthy foods such as junk food. All in all I did enjoy this essay and it inspired me to do some more research on the topic.      

Here is the website for the article: 

First U.S. Count Finds 1 in 200 Kids Are Vegetarians: Mike Stobbe 

http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2009-01-11-vegetarian-kids_N.htm 

Reflection on "Lurid Numbers on Glossy Pages!"

I found this textual analysis very interesting and it gave me some insight on the world of publishing magazines.

I’ve come to the conclusion that the numbers that are placed on magazines are not always accurate and are

used to get the attention of consumers. Often times these numbers are made up and are usually odd numbers
to seem more accurate to the daily public. After reading the textual analyses I went through all my old

magazines to see if this technique was really used. On almost every magazine I own there were large numbers

placed on the front page of each magazine. On a Seventeen magazine it said there were 659 new ways to

look cute on the front cover, which often lures in the young population. The additional magazines I own also

had numbers for ways to lose weight, make-up and clothing tips, and entertaining things to do in the summer. This is a strategy used by many publishers to sell the most copies of their magazines and I agree that this is an effective way to do so. However, I would like the numbers to be more accurate and realistic.  

Here the website for the article:

Katharine Q. Seelye: Lurid Numbers on Glossy Pages!  

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/02/10/business/media/10numbers.html

Critical Approaches for Film Analysis

I found all of the critical approaches interesting and made me want to further research each topic. However, the critical approach I found most intriguing was the shame theory due to the fact that it is present in numerous films. The first film that came to mind to write my film analysis on was the Harry Potter movies. I can think of several scenes where the same theory is present in just the first film of the sequence. The shame theory is interesting to me because it is a survival trait used to enforce social conformity. It can cause many physiological phenomena that are often used in various films. Also, many films use the shame theory when a child becomes an adolescent; this is true for the first Harry Potter film. Harry feels ashamed of his life because of how he is treated by his aunt, uncle, and cousin. They make him feel inferior and worth nothing, which is part of the shame theory. It isn’t until Harry learns about his other life at Hogwarts when he begins to flourish as an outstanding wizard. I’ve come to the conclusion that the shame theory has the most options to write on that I can expand on.

Reading Complex Material

When reading complex material it’s important to use strategies and techniques to better your understanding of the material. Before reading I first research any background information regarding the topic. This helps me correlate what I’ve learned through my research to the text. Once I begin reading I underline any words or phrases that I don’t know and then look them up in a dictionary. I apply the information I get to the text and the material becomes clearer. Also, when I’m reading complex material I make sure I take my time and not skim through the text. Skimming through the text or rushing through the material will create confusion and it will make it hard to fully comprehend the information. It’s important to read complex material in a secluded area with no distractions so that you can fully commit your time to reading the material. After reading I then write down any questions that may have and I look them up on the internet or I ask my professor.

Reflection on Victory Speech: James Wood

Barack Obama

After reading this article it made me think about all the influential speeches that have been given by the influential speakers of the Unites States of America. It made me want to research speeches given by Martain Luther King and President Lincoln. There is a lot of time and effort that go into these speeches and they should be remembered and appreciated decades down the road. It made me realize history is being made every time President Obama gives a speech. Obama’s election speech was extremely influential to me because he incorporated bits and pieces of famous speeches that have been given by previous presidents and other inspiring speakers. I find this very respectful because it shows the passion and commitment Obama has for this country and he will do everything in his power to make the right decisions. Speeches can made an enormous impact on people and President Obama’s speech made an impact on me and thousands of people around the world. 
Here is a website of the article I read:
Victory Speech by James Wood
http://www.newyorker.com/talk/2008/11/17/081117ta_talk_wood

Revision Process for Profiles

I took full advantage of the opportunity to revise my drafts for both essays of project two. The first step I took was to read the peer revisions we had done in class. It was beneficial to see another person’s point of view of my both essays. The first revision I made was correcting the MLA format. The headings did not need to be double spaced and I needed to fix the header at the top of each page. In the peer revision it said that my thesis sentences were a little confusing and needed to be revised. For both essays I revised the thesis sentences to make it correlate with the rest of the essay. Also, the introduction and conclusion paragraphs needed to be connected to each other and I repeated my thesis sentence in a different way in the conclusions. Next, I corrected any spelling or grammatical errors I saw and omitted unnecessary words. In the magazine essay I flip flopped two paragraphs to make it more organized and easier to understand. Also, my quotes were not properly integrated and needed additional revising. After completing these revisions I switch around sentences and added in details to make it easier to read. Finally I read each of the essays out loud to myself to hear if there were any further corrections that needed to be made.   

 Here is a website for revision strategies:

http://www.unc.edu/depts/wcweb/handouts/revision.html

Reflection on "Se Habla Espanol"

The narrative Se Habla Espanol by Tanya Barrientos showed me that no matter what race or ethnicity one is there is always going to be that struggle of fitting in. It seemed to me that Tanya Barrientos went through an identity crisis because she didn’t know if she wanted to be the all American girl or stay true to her Spanish heritage. Barrientos wanted to fit in at school and in society, which is something I can relate to. During my early teen years I wanted to fit in at school. I did this by wearing certain clothes and talking and acting a certain way. I conformed to the rest of society. It wasn’t till I got older when I began to see myself as a unique person and came out of my shell. I am continuing to find myself and only time will allow this to happen. Tanya Barrientos began to break out of her shell when she wanted to go back to her Spanish roots. She did this by taking a Spanish class and hiring tutors. She is still uncertain about who she was meant to be, but time will also help her see this.

Here is a website with a recoring of the narrative:

http://mainehumanities.org/podcast/archives/tag/tanya-maria-barrientos

Thesis Possiblities For Profiles

There are several thesis sentences that I have considered for my two profile essays. For the first essay on career goals I want to express the importance of having career goals and include the dedication that comes along with it. The first thesis I have created is as follows, “Lucia  is a student at a local Community College who has a prominent plan to graduate college at the top of her class in hopes of having a successful career that she is inspired by.”  Another quote I have considered is, “For one to accomplish their career goals it takes a drive within to overcome any obstacles that may arise.”  For the second essay I wanted to describe Lucia as an interesting person and I have also written two thesis sentences for this essay. The first one I wrote was, “Lucia is a positive young woman that has hopes, dreams, ambitions that she wants to overcome and is consistently working in the right direction to overcome the odds.” The second one I wrote for the magazine essay is as follows, “Lucia is a creative, hard working individual who has many hopes and dreams she is striving to accomplish.” The following options are clear thesis sentences for both essays.

Reflection on "Marching 100"

Marching Band 100

After reading the article about Ben Brock I now have an appreciation for all the hard work members of the summer band camp operated by the Marching 100 put in to create a masterpiece. The members of the band are extremely dedicated because they with stand difficult working conditions such as, gnats, heat, and long hours. But they put these negatives aside and focus on the positives. This was encouraging for me to change how I look at situations because sometimes I tend to focus on the negatives rather than the positives. The band members dream is to succeed as a musical artist and they do whatever it takes to do so. It made me realize that if an individual is passionate about something they often will go to great lengths to achieve their hopes and dreams. Also, I was surprised to learn the amount of people involved in the band and that they come from all over the world to be a part of this once in a lifetime opportunity. Reading this article makes me want to take a chance and go outside of my comfort zone to become a part of something I love as well.

Here is a youtube video of one performance operated by the Marching 100:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0LED-yVtDLo

Here is the website for the article:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/23/us/23bandcamp.html