Unhealthy Reality

I often like to look at the Forbes lists of...whatever and see what ranks where on certain lists. One list that I saw was the list of the top 20 most obese cities in America. Not only is it sad that there has to be a list like this, but where Memphis ranks an the list. Number One. Memphis is high on too many lists that aren't positive. I thought about this and realized how easy this is to believe. We as a city are known for our bbq, southern hospitality, and fellowships that are centered around food. i mean, think about it. How often does an event happen that we celebrate by eating food. And a lot of it. We also have ridiculously large portions. Too much basically. WE EAT TOO DAMN MUCH! that's funny. No but seriously, this is going to be a serious health problem. Well, it already is but it's going to get worse and worse over the years. Second on the list was Birmingham. This did not surprise me either because basically it is on the list for the same reasons as Memphis. Southern people eating southern fried foods. The next city, San Antonio TX surprised me because I did not think it would be on there. i guess I expected it to be ... I dont know. I just didnt expect Texas because it isnt know to be as "country" as the other states. Instead, its Tex'Mex culture proved to be fattening. then came the cities Riverside, San Bernadino Ca, Detroit, Jacksonville,Fl, Nashville, TN, and Oklahoma City. It's kind of a relief to know that all of the olaces aren't in the South. Even though most of them are. The rest of the list includes Kansas City, San Diego, Cincinnatti, Indianapolis, Baltimore, New Orleans, Virginia Beach, Atlanta, Milwaukee, Richmond, Austin, and Las Vegas. This wasnt a surprise considering all the buffets there! I dont know how the country plans to fix this problem, but obviously somethinghas to be done!!!!! Ok, Im being a little dramatic, i know. But i really was interested in reading the list and finding out why the cities were on there. Maybe people dont realize it...or something.

The "write a word and fold the paper" assignment thingy

Ok. I thought my story was really dumb, but my group members thought mine was the best...or did they just want to make me write mine..Hmmmmmm....Either way, I am going to share it. Keep in mind, this made no sense to me.

The little boy fell asleep-- bottle in hand, milk still dripping. He tried his best to stay up so he could play with his new puppy. He just couldn't stop his eyes from getting heavy. He fell into a deep sleep and he bagan to dream. All of his pets filled his mind. His cute little parrot turned into a big mean bird. The ostentatious bird ran the repulsive puppy right out of the house. He prayed the pretty dog would saunter the pretty mile, all the way to grandma's house where he knew he would be safe. Then something else strange happened. The whole kitchen came to life! The cat's litter box obliterated the bloody frog, which used to be a glass figurine by the sink for decoration. The black kettle sitting in the stove tried desperately to escape the litterbox. He jumped down and tried to slide out of the door. It was too late. The evil parrot had turned into a dark falcon and slid onto the prestigious kettle , scooping it into its claws and carrying it out the window. The little boy woke up screaming. He glanced over and saw the puppy and the bird asleep. He then heard the whistle of the kettle. It was morning and his mom was making tea.

Day after thanksgiving?????

WHAT IS THE BIG DEAL OF GOING SHOPPING THE DAY AFTER THANKSGIVING???!!!! I dont get it. For some reason everybody feels that they have to go shopping at 4 in the morning to buy stuff that...basically doesnt matter. Someone who doesnt need anything in the WORLD will go buy 7 laptops, 12 printers, and 6 plasma tv's just because they're 30% off. People, save your money! My sister, bless her heart, asked me to babysit at 4 in the morning so she can go stand in line at best buy for 3 hours. What kind of sense does that make?! I couldn't figure it out, so I respectfully declined and stayed in bed. She later told me she stood in line, got in, and was disappointed when she found out that they only had 12 of the cheap laptops she wanted in stock, and the people who had spent the night in tents in the cold outside of the store had beaten her. This is the DUMBEST thing I have ever heard in my life! AND as if that isnt bad enough, I unfortunately had to go to the mall to buy a birthday gift for a thirteen year old girl. Aeropostale is the way to go. Unfortunately, everyone thinks so. It was SO crowded! It made mad! I tried to hurry but I had to take my BAD niece and nephew who are 5 and 7. It was horrible. I realized how important birth control is after that experience. THEN i had to take them to see Bee Movie. That was SO STUPID!!!!! I was so upset. Not to mention she lost her ticket, so i had to but a new one. THEN they were hungry but of course had no money. Had to but that too. THEN one didnt say they wanted fries and the other one did, do i had to deal with crying. THEN i had a candy bar in my purse. Gave it ti the one who said they were hungry. Of course the other one wanted one but i didnt have one so i had to deal with more tears. Horrible. lets just say I dropped them off at home after that.

"A" is like "B"

"Good relationships" is like "Anger"

I believe that good relationships can very easily be like anger. A good relationship can evict really strong emotion, and anger is a really strong emotion. They both cause a person to feel a certain way. Also, when you are in a good relationship, that obviously means you care about that person strongly. When you care about someone, just as strongly as you can love them, you can get angry with them. The only people that should truly be able to make you med are the people you care about. Other people shouldn't matter.

Interpret column "

Column A clearly reflects a girl. Some of the things listed shows an interest in appearance and material things to make her happy. It also shows an importance of God and family and friends. Not only do the words show something about me, but the order of the words as well. God and family come at the very beginning of the list and the things like money and purses are more towards the end. Shows I'm not that materialistic! Things like God and relationships came to my mind first.

"Bad smells" causes "stupidity"

Bad smells can cause stupidity by distracting people and confusing them. Bad smells can also cause stupidity by offending people and making them upset. If someone smells bad, the people around him or or her that has to smell it may get offended and say certain remarks to that person. That person may then defend the reason they smell bad and no matter what the reason, it may cause a confrontation. That can very easily lead to people acting stupid.

Another example is homeless people. No offense, but homeless people usually smell bad but it's not their fault.And some stupid people may actually believe that it is and talk about the homeless person. More stupidity.

Power naps!!!

FINALLY!!!! ITS BEEN PROVEN WHAT I'VE BEEN THINKING FOR YEARS! POWER NAPS ARE BENEFICIAL TO YOUR HEALTH!!!! I WAS READING THIS LITTLE NEWS POST THINGY OR WHATEVER ON THE YAHOO HOMEPAGE AND IT TOLD HOW POWER NAPS IMPROVE LONGEVITY. IT SAYS IT CAN HELP YOU LIVE TO A HUNDRED AND ALL THAT STUFF BUT THEY WERE EXAGGERATING. I THINK IT TAKES A LITTLE MORE THAN THAT TO HELP SOMEONE LIVE TO BE A HUNDRED BUT YOU GET THE POINT. NOW IT DID CONTRIDICT MY DEFINITION OF A POWER NAP. WHEN I GET OUT OF CLASS, I USUALLY GO TO SLEEP FOR LIKE...2 OR 3 HOURS. THE THING I READ SAID A POWER NAP WAS 10 TO 30 MINUTES! WHAT THE HELL IS THAT GOING TO DO?! THEY SAID IT'S PROVEN TO HELP THE REST OF THE DAY GO BY, CAN DECREASE THE CHANCES OF HEART DISEASE BY LOWERING THE STRESS ON THE HEART. SOMETHING ABOUT THE HEART PUMPING REGULARLY WHILE YOU ARE SLEEPING. IT WOULD MAKE MORE SENSE TO ME TO LET IT PUMP AT A REGULAR PACE FOR 2 HOURS RATHER THAN 10 MINUTES BUT HEY, IM NO EXPERT! IM JUST GOING TO CONTINUE WHAT I'VE BEEN DOING. I HAVE TO GET SLEEP WHENEVER I CAN. BECAUSE AT NIGHT, I USUALLY DONT GET TO GO TO SLEEP UNTIL SOME TIME AFTER ONE. AND THEN HAVE TO GET UP AT 8 OR 8:30. I DONT THINK I'VE HAD ANY REAL SLEEP FOR LIKE, A MONTH. WHICH IS TERRIBLE! SO I TRY TO SLEEP WHENEVER I CAN. I THOUGHT ABOUT IT. IF TEN MINUTES OF SLEEP HELPS YOU SLEEP YOU SLEEP TO A HUNDRED, THEN I GUESS IM TRYING T LIVE A REALLY REALLY LONG TIME! BUT I CANT HELP IT! I GET EXTREMELY MEAN AND CRANKY WHEN IM SLEEPY AND/ OR HUNGRY.

TISL

This weekend I went to Nashville, TN to the capitol with SGA for TISL. TISL stands for the Tennessee Intercollegiate State Legislature. It was great! I'm a member of frosh council so I got to atttend with some members of SGA. It was about 22 of us. The University of Memphis had the largest delegation there and several won the offices of Governor, Speaker Pro-Tem of the House, Attornet General, and something in the Senate, I cant remember the name of it. But I really had a great time and I learned a lot. We went up there and had to pack 4 business outfits and the whole process was very formal. Before I went up there, I HATED politics. It was all just a stupid proceess and full of corrupt people who lie and make laws. (just to sum it all up) But between the time I got there (thursday) and the time I got back (Sunday) all of that changed. I have a GREATER appreciation for the whole process(even though i still believe a lot of the people are corrupt).

So basically this is what we did. Each day, we went to Capitol hill and went into the chamber where the TN representatives go. It was like, this big podium thing(the "well") and thats where the Speaker of the House sat. The judge guy with the gavel is what i called him. The rest of us (house member#.....is what he called us) sat at these podiums and passed and failed bills. It was like that stuff I used to watch on TV. Well, not watch. More like, pass by on TV when I was looking for a good movie. And some of those people were hilarious. The bills were very ...debatable. They ranged from gay marriage to bringing firearms on college campuses to smoking by college buildings doors. Some passed and some failed. But I met a lot of people and learned parliamentary procedure. I really want to go back next year. It was nice because it was business during the day( from like 9 to 7!) but fun at night! we went bowling, and to the arcade thing or whatever it was, and to hooters and a bunch of stuff i dont feel like mentioning. And even better. The school paid for everything.

My Dream Job

Every time someone asks me what I want to do as a career, they always laugh at my answer. Not a laugh like, "You're stupid" kind of laugh, but a "Wow" kind of laugh. I dont know whats so funny! My dream job is to work for DISNEY! To me, that seems like it would be the best job ever. I mean, it;s one of the biggest and most profitable companies in the whole entire world. Who wouldn't want to work for them?! That job would be amazing for me. Im usually a happy person and Im sure I would enjoy my job. My brother told me, "Make sure that whatever you choose to do, you would do it for free." I would definitely work for disney for free. Dont get me wrong. Im not here going to college to put on a Tigger costume and prance around Walt Disney World Resort. I want to be behind the scenes. Working for the business side of Disney. My major is markewting management. think about all the the cartoon stuff by Disney. Think about how often you see it. Think about where you see it. Its EVERYWHERE! Who do you think gets that stuff out there!!!! I think I would have the best freakin job in the world! Dont get me wrong, i dont think Im gooing to be playing around and goofing off all day, but I know I would kove my job. Who doesnt love DISNEY!!! And I like the competitive side of markeeting. It would be like a DISNEY VS NICKELODEON war. ok, Im goofy. but you have to admit, that's funny. I plan to go to Florida to participate in the Disney College Program. i would have done it in the spring, but i wanted to finish my freshman year here. Gert into the "groove" of college before i just suddenly leave. I have it all planned out. I'm going to get my dream job by any means necessary! Think about Wayne Brady. He started out as Goofy walking aroungd the theme park(yes, I've done research. Well, actually he was interviewed on the Tyra Show but still!) Look at him now! He's like, in every show and on every channel! Disney is the greatest thing since sliced bread! Like, I dont even know which came first!!! Tehehe

*FeArS*

I was looking at the weather forcast online the other day because the weather has been so retarded I have to check ever night to know what to wear in the morning, and I saw a story about a man who died from falling down an elevator shaft. That terrified me! Like, no really it did. For some reason, I have this crazy idea that one day I'm either going to A. get stuck on the elevator or even worse B. have it crash down to the bottom while I'm on it! That may seem crazy and wierd and all that stuff but I am SO serious. And it made me think about all of the other things I'm afraid of. All of the concrete things are obvious: SPIDERS, rats & mice, snakes(well, not really unless they're coming after me or something), and serial killers and rapists and all that good stuff. But that's normal stuff for girls to be afraid of. So I'm going to talk about the things I'm afraid of the most. Thunderstorms, darkness, and failure.





Thunderstorms


It seems so juvenile for a college student to be afraid of thunderstorms but I truly am scared! Go ahead and laugh! It's sad, I know! But something about the combination of lightening, thunder, and the possibility of tornadoes freaks me out. I just sit in one room and look at tv, flipping channels between a sitcom and the news until its over. I really do believe something happened in my shildhood that has me this way. Probably a book I read or a movie I watched or something. Seriously.





Darkness


Yes, Im afraid of the dark. Not the " you turn off the lights and I scream" kind of scared. But I can't walk into dark rooms. I cant get out of bed at night unless i turn on a light. I can't walk around a dark house. It freaks me out. I think someone waiting one me or something. I'm strange like that. For some reason, a lot of people think this is strange. I disagree.



Failure



This isn't like the other two. This is like, the most important of all. The one thing that motivates me in school and basically everything else I do id my fear of failing in...basically, life. I dont want to be a college dropout who can't get a job. I consider that failure. I dont like failing tests. Or classes period. i feel like its all going to lead up to me failing in life. I haven't the slightest idea where that came from, but it sort of...developed the past few years. I've never had this fear before until then. I just make sure i try really hard in school to make sure this doean't happen. I want to get a good job and all that good stuff.

THE RAKE: Scenes- Throwing the rake at his sister

I think the scene when he threw the rake and hit his sister was one of the most important scenes in the story. the brother, obviously did not have intentions on hurting his sister, but it was done out of frustration. I feel like the sister knew this because she did not tell on her brother. They both remained silent and knew he was sorry. The thing I noticed most from this was the brother-sister relationship because my brother and I are very close. The brother and sister in the story were both in the abusive situation so they were more than likely understanding of each others feelings.m i do not think the brother actually thought about throwing the rake and hurting her before he did it, but many times in life, your feelings get the best of you. You do things before you can even realize you've done them. By that time, it is too late, and the damage has already been done. The only thing you can do apologize and mean it.

My brother and I have done evil things to each other MANY times, but we still remain very close. When we were small, we woiuld always get into trouble together, nut when my mom asked, he would always sayu it was just him; he would never tell on me. Yet, when she asked me, I would never tell on myself! i always put the blame on him. And it has, been that way ever since. he has me spoiled rotten and I will tell him things I dont even tell my mom. As a matter of fact, we have SO many inside things between us, my mom gets mad because we don't tell her. She once said, "Man, yall ALWAYS keep stuff from me. Yall have done that since yall were little!" and put her sad face on. We just laughed at her. Its only my brother and I and i'm glad. I feel like I always have someone there to protect me and a best friend to talk to. I also remember how when we were younger, he beat up guys that picked on me! Now that I think about it, its kind of funny. But my mom has always told him, "never let anyone pick on your sister. Yall gotta stick together". And that's exactly what we do. I didnt let the stupid girls my brother dated talk bad about him when they felt like he messed up. " Accept the fact that he doesn't like you!" that was my motto. he's also the reason I like football and video games!

THE RAKE: What is it about?- Perception

I think that perception has a lpt to do with the essay. The author viewed things differently now that he is an adult than when he was a child. For example, he saw his mother and sister get abused as a child, but did not attribute this abuse to his grandfather abusing his mother until later on in his life. Also, as a child, he stated that they would laugh at the "car joke" when his parents polayed it with him. As an adult, this is recognizable as a sign of abuse.

When one grows up from a child to an adult, perception changes. One begins to see that things are not wheat they seemed as a child, and one begins to notice things not noticed before. i have noticed that as I get older, I begin to look for the meaning behind certain things more and question why certain things happen. I did not do this as a child. i have also learned to appreciate many simple things in life more, than when I did when I was younger. In the story, the author says how, as a child, his home and nature could have been beautiful, but it was not. His perception changed as he grew from a child to a man. He notices how he could have enjoyed the cornfields and the "pleasures" that were present, but he did not, because of the situation he was in.

I notice some things I think differently about as well. It's obvious i'm not as old as the author, but I can recognize a few differences. As a child, I thought the world was perfect. Even though my mother warned me to stay away from strangers and all of the other pre-school warnings, I never had to deal with any crime. no one ever tried to snatch me, lure me with candy, or ask me have I seen their lost puppy dog. I was not aware of bad things that happened. My attention was kept by the good things.

I also thought my mom was perfect. LIE!!!!! Well, she's not bad or anything, but she makes her mistakes like any other human being. I thought she knew the answer to every question. She doesn't. I thought she didn't cry. She does. I also thought her name was "mama". Its Sharon, believe it or not! I had this same opinion about the friends I had. Everyone was my best friend, bad things would never ever happen, and we would stay friends for ever and ever. I dont even know where those people are.

THE RAKE: Concrete object- cornfield

When I read the part of the children walking past the cornfield with the developing homes on one side and the cornfield on the other, it made me think of isolation, Their homw was isolated because it was a "model home" in an area all by itself, while the others were being built. the school was isolated-- it was being built in the middle of nowhere a mile away from their home. The children were also isolated bacause they suffered abuse and there was no one there to help them.

Cornfields can also seem kind of eerie. It reminds me of a horror movie. In the scenes, there is always someone running through a cornfield being by chased by someone or something out to harm them. The cornfield sort of represents this same theory. The eerie feeling comes in because the parents do not have the children's best interest at heart and put them through constant abuse, therefore being the person chasing them. Yet they can not get away. They have no where to go. Isolation.

The cornfield represented isolation to me because I was able to relate it to something else. Being alone and having nowhere to go. A cornfield is viewed as big empty space. That's how people feel when they are alone. They are in a space all by themselves and have no where to turn to. Cornfields are also sometimes turned in to mazes. I sometimes feel this way when people do not understand me and I feel as if I have nowhere else to turn to. I never associated this to a cronfield until I read this story.

In Response to the comments...

O.k. people..... In response to the comments on my blog, I appreciated them. all of them. but I don't think everyone understood what I was trying to say. I do not expect everyone to feel the same about the death of someone they dont know. No I did not expect everyone to break down and cry. No i dont expect yall to be as angry and/ or upset as others. I cried in class because I was angry to hear such harsh opinions about such a tragic subject. I did not know Taylor as well as many others. i had just met him when I came to school. But I would NEVER say those things about someone who dies. If it was someeone close to yall, no I probably would not cry, but I would NOT say to you, "it doesnt matter to me". Death always matters. And when it happens to a fellow classmate, it matters because it was close to you. We are all apart of one school. So dont think I was crying because no one was crying with me. I didnt expect you to. When I heard about it, i didnt cry. That was my first time. It was just very upsetting to see that people actually have such cold hearts. My sympathy goes to ANY and EVERY one who has to experience a death. It's called compassion. So instead of saying it doesnt affect you, how about saying, It was a sad experience. I would give you the same respect.

Hashish......

Strangely enough I understood this article better than the other one. I had to look up the word Hashish first though. I found it was:
"Hashish (more commonly called hash) is a potent form of cannabis produced by collecting and processing the most potent material that female marijuana plants naturally generate as part of their growth cycle. "
www.a1b2c3.com/drugs/hash013 (yeah i had to look it up! So!)

So basically, the dude was high?! Is that what this was about?! It was interesting to read about his appetite too. Reminds me of some people I know! But the end was extremely interesting, yet somewhat puzzling. He compared hash to being in love. I understood some of it. The comparison of both things as a "power". They both posess the ability to have control of a person and opens that persons eyes to new things. They also can change a persons thinking, and perspective. So that was a very valid point. I would have never thought to compare these two things. he also related both things to nature. Hash is naturally from the earth. It is a part of nature. So is love. It is something that no one can control. It just happens.

He lso said how when we are in love, our existence slips. I guess in a way, i can easilty see how this is true. People can so easily get caught up in love, and it can end up to them being in a distorted world--and everything is connected to the person they are in love with. He desribes how we get caught up in this exixtence and everything seems so perfect. Then we are flung into existence without warnig. that piece of shit boyfriend proves what he is, or that girl turned out to be a slut after all. either way, its over. We are back in the real world. He compared that to coming off of his high I guess. THAT'S FUNNY! And its true i guess. I've never been high before, but I know people who have and they always complain about people messing up their high. So i guess it feels the same. You're on cloud nine, then you plummet back to earth. Ouch!

Street Haunting??

Ok.......so....um....yeah--that was rather...pointless maybe?? I was lost throughout the ENTIRE essay(well except for when I got the end) So I will really try to tell what I got from it.

The only part of it that I understood was at the end when it says,"to escape is the greatest of pleasure". That is actually true. It's always nice to escape every once in a while. I really appreciate the time I get to spend away from the busy things that go on throughout the day. and in the essay I guess this is what he was refering to when he uses the term "Street Haunting". But.....What was it about? Like, was the author trying to explain how people need to take time out sometimes to "step outside of ourselves". By this I mean, taking time away from our typical busy schedules of school, work, practice, social life, etc. to take a good look in on ourselves. If you are caught up in the actions of what you are doing on a day to day basis, it's clear to see how you could not see when you are stuck living in a really busy state of mind, rather than enjoying life.

A major thing the author focused on in the essay was the pencil. I do not think I really understood the full concept of this, other than he said it was used to give him an excuse to go out into the world.

But one scene stood out in particular to me. It was the scene when the dwarf tried on all the shoes and then went back out into the street and everyone joined in "the hobble and tap of the dwarf's dance." This scene was very random( like all the others if I may add) but for some reason, it was my favorite. It kind of reminded me of a circus. All of the people the author described for some reason described the characters in a freak circus. The two bearded men resting their head on a small boy was too close to "the bearded lady", or the really "tall man" in a circus. Using the little boy as his crutch I guess. Then the stout lady swathed tight in seal skin reminded me of the seal with the beach ball on top of his nose. There was also the old man on the doorstep seemed like the typical really old person in a freak circus.

But what does all this really mean???

"The Walk" Essay~Revised

As I walk, find myself stopping around the scent of coffee. For some reason, it makes me …..”comfortable”. I look outside, and I see a dark, gloomy place. Yet, I am inside in my bright, warm environment. I am not a fan of the rain at all, but I know there is nothing I can do about it. For some reason it puts me in a sad, depressing mood. The skies are dark, and therefore makes me feel dark inside.

I can compare this to where I am in my life right now. I am in my warm comfort zone. I am pursuing my education, having the time of my life. I can honestly say I am proud of myself for making in to college with good grades and happy that I decided to come to the University of Memphis. I realize more and more every day how much I have to be thankful for. I have met wonderful people and eagerly embracing new experiences. Sitting here reminds me of the times spent with my friends in high school. We were all very close and I really miss them. They all went to University of Tennessee at Chattanooga I absolutely refuse to go there, but I am glad to know that they are doing well.

Outside of where I am right now, is the “real world”. A shadowy place that I am happy I am not in right now. If I was not in school, that is where I feel like I would be. I would have to get a real job and deal with real world issues. If I was not in school, this is where I feel like I would be right now. Just in a dim world not knowing what to do or where to go. So for right now, I am happy where I am. Sitting on a bench at school. Surrounded by fellow students, faculty, and the scent of coffee. Periodically I glance outside and smile. I know there are some people my age out there, but I’m glad I’m not one of them.

~A Reflection~

This tragic experience with Taylor Bradford was a real eye opener. It really made me realize how short life can be, and how wretchedly it can be taken away. This was a terrible event that happened here at the University of Memphis and from it I have taken a greater appreciation for life and what it is worth. We should all be grateful for the people who touch our lives on a daily basis, no matter how big or small the scale. This young man, like many other young people whose lives are tragically cut short, did not deserve such a terrible thing to happen to him. I also pray that at some point in his life, he was able to see how many people loved him and the number of lives he affected.

Although I am a freshman, and therefore did not get the pleasure of knowing Taylor on a personal level, I could honestly feel the effect of this event. He and my brother were friends on Samford University’s football team before he transferred here to the University of Memphis. He was also close to the friends I had here before I came. So being a witness to their pain touched me also. It is a very painful thing to watch people grieve.

Not only is the fact that a fellow student is gone a sorrowful reality, but the way his life was taken is equally devastating. Good people do not deserve to die so horribly. The amount of crime in this city has put Memphis in a desperate state. A state that begs for immediate attention. Drastic measures need to be taken to prevent senseless events from happening. It is really sad when people begin to become immune to crime because it happens so often. It also puts the city that we call home in a state of shame. We as students at the University of Memphis, and on a greater scale, the citizens of Memphis can not and should not continue to allow things like this to happen, especially at our school. I love this university and it should not be allowed to be sucked into the ugliness of the rest of this city. Instead, the city should rise up to our status -- a place of development and growth that provides opportunity for a better life. It should be a place where people can nurture their families and be comfortable knowing that they are safe.

If you get offended by this, you probably should because it's more likely than not directed towards you

Ok. i just got out of one of the worst classes I've been in in a long time. I have never been around such rude and insensitive people at one time. How dare you say you do not care that an actual person that goes to YOUR school got shot and killed. You don't have to know him. He was a person. A GOOD person. Contrary to what you may believe, he wasn't one of those people who got what he deserved. He wasn't a "thug" or "gangster". He was an educated young man who was striving for a better life JUST LIKE YOU. As a matter of fact, he may have been BETTER than you because he actually cared about people. He was involved in church groups, his fraternity Kappa Alpha Psi Inc., and he was a hard working student athlete.( And NO he wasn't from Orange Mound) A couple days before he died, he made a $40 dollar donation to a student organization here on YOUR campus to get his car washed. Have you ever paid $40 dollars to get your car washed? You dont even have to answer. HELL NO! So do not sit up here and say that that shit doesnt matter because it does. And if you think it doesnt, you need to check yourself. Because this shit is REAL. Let it be someone close to YOUR heart (if you can find one) and see how you react. I think you would care just a little. imagine one of YOUR friends being shot and killed. How do you feel? Imagine how his parents felt having to drive from Nashville to Memphis knowing their son has been killed in this fucked up city. To the guys, since you're so damn manly that you dont have feelings or emotions, do you think you are "manly" enough to be strong for your wife and deal with your son's death, and make a 3 hour drive at the same time? I kow I probably would have ended up in a ditch just trying to get here. Don't make dumb ass comments like that. Honestly that was the dumbest shit i ever heard. Some people really made themselves look like idiots. If you think I'm talking to you, you're probably right. And quite frankly, at this point I really dont care. Because the same thing could happen to you one day.Then you'll see. And PLEASE don't sit up there and think that it couldnt. Because you never know. Just like he didn't. And it doesnt have to be someone targeting you. Ever heard of crossfire? Ever heard of innocent people getting hit? You go to this school just like he did. He didn't know when his last day was. And you don't either. This should teach you to appreciate your own life! And the people in it. It never seems as real until it happens close to you. Don't say it doesn't matter. If it was your friend, would it matter then? Hell yeah. And if it doesn't, you dont need any fucking friends. You need to be a hermit, sit in your dorm room, dont go outside for fear of getting shot, and rot your life away. I dont think yall understand how many chairs I wanted to throw at people today. But I decided to shut up. I get mad when I have to argue stupidity. I probably would have cussed somebody out and walking out of class. But for future references, think about what you say before you say it. Because that mess was stupid. I don't care how you may try to defend it or cover it up, in the end, I'm still going to think it was dumb. Bottom Line.

"The Walk" Essay

As I walk, for some reason I find myself stopping around the scent of coffee. For some reason, it makes me...comfortable. I look outside, and i see a dark, gloomy world. Yet, I'm inside in my bright, warm environment.

I can compare this to where I am in my lfe right now. I am in my warm comfort zone. I am pursuing my education, having the time of my life. I realize realize everyday how much I have to be thankful for. My friends, family, and new experiences are what keep me content. Sitting here reminds me of the times I spent with my friends before we all went our seperate ways. I miss them, but I am happy to know they are doing well.

Outside of where I am right now, is the real world. A dark, shadowy place I am glad i'm not in right now. If I wsn't in school, that's where I would feel like I would be. Not knowing what to do or where to go. I am enjoying my college life.

My process for writing

When I first began writing my paper, I thought It was going to be a tought thing to do. For some reason, i did not know exactly how many pages 2000 were going to be, so i just wrote 3. I did word count and realized i had written HALF a paper! So I had to add 3 pages. Instead of adding 3 more pages to the end of my paper, I decided to add more informatiion INTO it. Thats when it got interesting. I was able to elaborate more on my thoughts and in the process, able to discover how deeply i felt about the issue. Thats when I began discovering things about myself.

As a writer I was able to get more comfortable with exppressing my feelings and thoughts on paper. The assignment was to DIG DEEP in the paper and discover the meaning, not just the actual essay alone. I enjoyed this aspect of the assignment. I also loved how we were told to put ourselves in the essay. It made it more comfortable and actually made the essay more enjoyable to write. I was not restricted as in the past from stating my personal opinions, beliefs, and feelings on the subject. I really enjoy this tyle of writing better than the expected "norm".

Aa a reader, I know that this assignment enhanced my abiltiy to analyze writing better and allowed me to see that authors just dont write to be writing. They write to express feelings and to prove a point. Their works always have a message, and if one would only actually take the time to READ them, instead of just looking at the words, one would get a better understanding of the actual message. I took the points that meant the most to me and elaborated on them. regardless of who felt I went off subject, i really felt i was right on point. I wrote about what I got out of the essay, So I felt i fulfilled the assignment. i would not change anything I wrote about it. I feel like everyone takes out certain things when they read, so that is what I got out of it. I really enjoyed reading the essay and it really meant a lot to me to be able to write my fersonal feelings about it. THANKS WENDY!

As a person, I felt good about myself writing this. It reminds me of what Wendy said in the very first class. I DO have a voice. i enjoyed using that voice on paper and writing how I felt. Students are not given that opportunity iften and I really appreciated that.

A far as what i would do differently next time...realize 2000 words isn't 3 pages!!!

revised "4th of july"

“The Fourth of July” was my favorite essay out of the three. I felt I was able to relate to it better not only because I am an African American, but I also liked the way the author, Audre Lorde, related her topic in her writing. Her themes stood out clearly and expressed valuable points that were not only very relevant back then, but still have significance in today’s society. She associated many things to color in her essay, which I found to be very interesting. Even with her title, “Fourth of July“, she introduces the theme of color and independence.

In America, the Fourth of July represents freedom. It was the day the Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence. The political philosophy enunciated in this document had a “continuing influence on political development for many years.” It declared our nations sovereignty and released us from British rule. We as a nation became free and independent. It also brings to mind the thought of celebrating with fireworks. It is a well established American tradition. People all over the nation fill the sky with many different colors to celebrate the country’s independence and freedom. In addition to this, fireworks were used to commemorate events before the Fourth of July was established as a national holiday. Fireworks were used to celebrate the inauguration of President George Washington in 1789. This alone demonstrates how long we Americans have expressed, through the use of color, our appreciation for our independence and equality. The title by itself appealed to me because it represents, in a very veiled way, two very important themes in her essay. The significance of color in the world we live in, and our strive for true liberty. We chose all the colors of the rainbow to celebrate our success as a nation, yet limit that success to the certain colors of people who live in the same nation.

Her childhood experience represents just this. It is simply because of her family’s color that she is not able experience something as normal as sitting down for ice cream. I believe that she is trying to bring to the readers attention the specific issues of color in a country that claims to be so free. True American freedom is for all, not just some. Yet she was denied this freedom. Even in today’s society, it seems to be a stress on color when in should not be. I feel that if we are able to celebrate with colorful fireworks, why are we not able to embrace the different colors of people in our country. Like the author, I am disgusted with the problems associated with color. Even in two thousand and seven, racial tensions still exist-- especially in the South. Events such as the Jena 6 in Louisiana prove this. Six African American teenagers were accused of beating a white teenager and charged with attempted murder. This is a ridiculous and extremely exaggerated charge for a school fight. Furthermore, in New Orleans “ The FBI is reviewing a white supremacist website that purports to list the addresses of five of the six black teenagers accused of beating a white student in Jena and “essentially called for lynching”.” It seems as if history is trying to repeat itself. It just so happens that the fiftieth anniversary of the Little Rock Nine is occurring simultaneously. In 1957 in Little Rock, Arkansas five hundred and seventeen African American students were eligible to attend Central High School. Only nine students made it through the process for integration. Federal troops were brought in to escort the students into public school because of their race. A simple example of this type of injustice on a smaller scale was in the essay when Audre’s sister was not allowed to go on a class fieldtrip. Racial injustices in public schools have been occurring for decades and it seems like the closer we as a people get to progress, there are those who try to bring us all back. This type of history should not be repeating itself. In order for a nation to be successful in civil advancement, we all must be on one accord. Everyone must agree that the biases we hold against one another should be eliminated. People must come to the realization that we are all part of the human race and no one is superior to his or her brethren.

I have also realized how colors go beyond black skin versus white skin. In Lorde’s essay she related many things to color. I believe this was done to bring the readers focus to her theme. Growing up, I have noticed that among Caucasians, females tan to have darker skin. Also, attention is given to those with lighter, blonde hair. Among African Americans, males generally have a preference for females with lighter complexions than to those with darker skin tones. Also, both races use dye to color their hair and contacts to change the color of their eyes. I believe this is a huge example of conformity. It makes me question why people really do this. It seems as if Americans have gradually adapted to what we believe is “acceptable” and “non-acceptable” in our own culture. When in actuality, it should be we the people who define what the culture is, not the commonality that conforms the people. Why is there a preference of one color over another? It is as if it is no longer considered beautiful nor acceptable to look like the person God made one to be. Among African Americans, relaxers are used to straighten “nappy” hair in order to fit into a “straight-haired” society. Is it no longer attractive to express African heritage? Pride can be as harmful or helpful as one makes it. An extreme would be to be so proud of one’s own heritage and background that one can not recognize and appreciate another’s. Yet, one can have too little pride and not hold him or herself in high esteem, and therefore unconsciously hide and suppress who they are. It’s as if American people, who put so much emphasis on independence and celebrate with vibrant colors, place invisible restrictions on themselves. We unintentionally tell one another what we should wear, how pale or dark our skin should be, how we must feel about certain issues, and in a sense who we should be.
In the time period that the story took place, segregation was in effect. Blacks and whites were, by law, forced to be separated in public places. African Americans had to wait in separate waiting rooms, use separate public restrooms, and eat in separate restaurants. All of this has been legally abolished. Yet, in a country so free and independent, we willingly separate ourselves from one another. We chose to sit in separate places in school dining areas. We prefer to spend our time with people of our own color, as if our color reflects our ability to understand one another. It is not our color, but our backgrounds and ability to respect what is different, that build understanding among people. This mutual understanding should then develop and mature into a dynamic respect and admiration for one another as human beings. In the story, she stated that her mother had a bright complexion and her father a dark complexion, Different colors, yet same understanding. So who is to say that people of all races, colors, and creeds can not share this understanding? During the Civil Rights movement, there were blacks as well as whites all fighting for a common cause. The cause was equality amongst people. Perfect example of different colors of people sharing the same understanding.

I believe that the author was also trying to speak out against silence. By this, I mean she is recognizing how, in spite of injustice, people remain quiet. As Americans we tend to loudly celebrate the good and proper and silently ignore the bad and improper. In the essay, they took her to Washington D.C. to view monuments such as the Lincoln Memorial. Symbols which boldly and openly show America’s pride in itself. However, when it came to things such as the signs that said “colored” they refused to buy her sunglasses so she could not see them, nor let her know why they had to bring their own food. Her parents did not see anything wrong with their daughter not being able to take the class field trip, neither did they resist when they were refused service at the counter. They silently walked away as if nothing happened. The only one who protested was little Audre. I feel as if the author purposely brought this to her readers attention. Encouraging us to not sit back and accept what we know is wrong. We were given rights in this great and powerful nation, but sit back quietly and chose not to take advantage of them when necessary.

Something else I noticed in the essay was little Audre as an individual. Not only does the simple term “Fourth of July” represent independence, but she does as well. Growing up at home, her family tried to shelter her and hide the injustices present in the society she lived in. They knew they were present, but tried to prevent her from learning. At the lunch counter, she learned. At that moment, she became an individual; separate from her family. She was not fearful or ashamed to question what happened to her. She refused to remain silent. Unlike them, she did not want to accept what was obviously wrong. She openly declared, “But we hadn’t done anything!” She was independent in her protest, while the rest of her family remained silent. Alone she became angry, while her family passively accepted things as they were.
I hear the author calling out to those of us living in this so-called independent nation to become individuals and speak out against what we feel is wrong, even if we must stand alone. We must take advantage of our freedoms and insist on the things we know are right. We can not be afraid to protest and fight for what we believe. Loud expressions should not only be heard in times of celebration, but in times of unfairness and injustice as well. There is nothing wrong with exercising our rights. It is also our duty to, as Audre Lorde, discover the problems that exist in our society. It is nobody’s job but our own to inform ourselves of the problems that exist, for if we decide to depend on others to present them to us, we may be left uninformed. Thereby, squinting our eyes in a sense, on the things others prefer us not to see.

Fourth of July

“The Fourth of July” was my favorite essay out of the three. I felt I was able to relate to it better not only because I am an African American, but I also liked the way the author, Audre Lorde, related her topic in her writing. Her themes stood out clearly and expressed valuable points that are were not only very relevant back then, but still have significance in today’s society. She associated many things to color in her essay, which I found to be very interesting. Even with her title, “Fourth of July“, she introduces the theme of color and independence.
In America, the Fourth of July represents freedom. It was the day the Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence. The political philosophy enunciated in this document had a “continuing influence on political development for many years.” It declared our nations sovereignty and released us from British rule. We as a nation became free and independent. It also brings to mind the thought of celebrating with fireworks. It is a well established American tradition. People all over the nation fill the sky with many different colors to celebrate the country’s independence and freedom. In addition to this, fireworks were used to commemorate events before the Fourth of July was established as a national holiday. Fireworks were used to celebrate the inauguration of President George Washington in 1789. This alone demonstrates how long we Americans have expressed, through the use of color, our appreciation for our independence and equality. The title by itself appealed to me because it represents, in a very veiled way, two very important themes in her essay. The significance of color in the world we live in, and our strive for true liberty. We chose all the colors of the rainbow to celebrate our success as a nation, yet limit that success to the certain colors of people who live in the same nation.
Her childhood experience represents just this. It is simply because of her family’s color that she is not able experience something as normal as sitting down for ice cream. I believe that she is trying to bring to the readers attention the specific issues of color in a country that claims to be so free. True American freedom is for all, not just some. Yet she was denied this freedom. Even in today’s society, it seems to be a stress on color when in should not be. I feel that if we are able to celebrate with colorful fireworks, why are we not able to embrace the different colors of people in our country. Like the author, I am disgusted with the problems associated with color. Even in two thousand and seven, racial tensions still exist-- especially in the South. Events such as the Jena 6 in Louisiana prove this. Six African American teenagers were accused of beating a white teenager and charged with attempted murder. This is a ridiculous and extremely exaggerated charge for a school fight. Furthermore, in New Orleans “ The FBI is reviewing a white supremacist website that purports to list the addresses of five of the six black teenagers accused of beating a white student in Jena and “essentially called for lynching”.” It seems as if history is trying to repeat itself. It just so happens that the fiftieth anniversary of the Little Rock Nine is occurring simultaneously. In 1957 in Little Rock, Arkansas five hundred and seventeen African American students were eligible to attend Central High School. Only nine students made it through the process for integration. Federal troops were brought in to escort the students into public school because of their race. A simple example of this type of injustice on a smaller scale was in the essay when Audre’s sister was not allowed to go on a class fieldtrip. Racial injustices in public schools have been occurring for decades and it seems like the closer we as a people get to progress, there are those who try to bring us all back. This type of history should not be repeating itself. In order for a nation to be successful in civil advancement, we all must be on one accord. Everyone must agree that the biases we hold against one another should be eliminated. People must come to the realization that we are all part of the human race and no one is superior to his or her brethren.
I have also realized how colors go beyond black skin versus white skin. Growing up, I have noticed that among Caucasians, females tan to have darker skin. Also, attention is given to those with lighter, blonde hair. Among African Americans, males generally have a preference for females with lighter complexions than to those with darker skin tones. Also, both races use dye to color their hair and contacts to change the color of their eyes. I believe this is a huge example of conformity. It makes me question why people really do this. It seems as if Americans have gradually adapted to what we believe is “acceptable” and “non-acceptable” in our own culture. When in actuality, it should be we the people who define what the culture is, not the commonality that conforms the people. Why is there a preference of one color over another? It is as if it is no longer considered beautiful nor acceptable to look like the person God made one to be. Among African Americans, relaxers are used to straighten “nappy” hair in order to fit into a “straight-haired” society. Is it no longer attractive to express African heritage? Pride can be as harmful or helpful as one makes it. An extreme would be to be so proud of one’s own heritage and background that one can not recognize and appreciate another’s. Yet, one can have too little pride and not hold him or herself in high esteem, and therefore unconsciously hide and suppress who they are. It’s as if American people, who put so much emphasis on independence and celebrate with vibrant colors, place invisible restrictions on themselves. We unintentionally tell one another what we should wear, how pale or dark our skin should be, how we must feel about certain issues, and in a sense who we should be.
In the time period that the story took place, segregation was in effect. Blacks and whites were, by law, forced to be separated in public places. African Americans had to wait in separate waiting rooms, use separate public restrooms, and eat in separate restaurants. All of this has been legally abolished. Yet, in a country so free and independent, we willingly separate ourselves from one another. We chose to sit in separate places in school dining areas. We prefer to spend out time with people of our own color, as if our color reflects our ability to understand one another. It is not our color, but our backgrounds and ability to respect what is different, that build understanding among people. This mutual understanding should then develop and mature into a dynamic respect and admiration for one another as human beings. In the story, she stated that her mother had a bright complexion and her father a dark complexion, Different colors, yet same understanding. So who is to say that people of all races, colors, and creeds can not share this understanding? During the Civil Rights movement, there were blacks as well as whites all fighting for a common cause. The cause was equality amongst people. Perfect example of different colors of people sharing the same understanding.
I believe that the author was also trying to speak out against silence. By this, I mean she is recognizing how, in spite of injustice, people remain quiet. As Americans we tend to loudly celebrate the good and proper and silently ignore the bad and improper. In the essay, they took her to Washington D.C. to view monuments such as the Lincoln Memorial. Symbols which boldly and openly show America’s pride in itself. However, when it came to things such as the signs that said “colored” they refused to buy her sunglasses so she could not see them, nor let her know why they had to bring their own food. Her parents did not see anything wrong with their daughter not being able to take the class field trip, neither did they resist when they were refused service at the counter. I feel as if the author purposely brought this to her readers attention. Encouraging us to not sit back and accept what we know is wrong. We were given rights in this great and powerful nation, but sit back quietly and chose not to take advantage of them when necessary.
Something else I noticed in the essay was little Andre as an individual. Not only does the simple term “Fourth of July” represent independence, but she does as well. Growing up at home, her family tried to shelter her and hide the injustices present in the society she lived in. They knew they were present, but tried to prevent her from learning. At the lunch counter, she learned. At that moment, she became an individual; separate from her family. Unlike them, she did not want to accept what was obviously wrong. She openly declared, “But we hadn’t done anything!” She was independent in her protest, while the rest of her family remained silent. Alone she became angry, while her family passively accepted things as they were.
I hear the author calling out to those of us living in this so-called independent nation to become individuals and speak out against what we feel is wrong, even if we must stand alone. We must take advantage of our freedoms and insist on the things we know are right. We can not be afraid to protest and fight for what we believe. Loud expressions should not only be heard in times of celebration, but in times of unfairness and injustice as well. There is nothing wrong with exercising our rights. It is also our duty to, as Audre Lorde, discover the problems that exist in our society. It is nobody’s job but our own to inform ourselves of the problems that exist, for if we decide to depend on others to present them to us, we may be left uninformed. Thereby, squinting our eyes in a sense, on the things others prefer us not to see.

Going To Japan

I enjoyed reading the essay going to Japan. It really showed cultural differences and how Americans have a different state of mind that the Japanese. It make me realize we are more aggressive people and instead of embracing forgiveness, instead we push for confrontation. The things she did in Japan are everyday practices for us. The essay made me think of everyday things that i experience and how....mean we are! Driving, walking down the street, or basically being in a crowded place often leads to aggressive situations in America.

A major point that stuck out to me in the essay was the stress on respect. We as Americans need to learn how to respect differnces among people and to accept things we do not understand instead of rejecting them and automatically labeling them as wrong. When looking at the essay, not only was I reading, but comparing as well. A few lines stuck out to me." Sensitive topics i may not understand." In America, there are So many different people, cultures, races, ethnicities, rituals, habits, languages, lifestyles, and other expressions that people do not even attempt to understand. Instead, we reject the unfamiliar. We are harsh people who do not have compassion and respect for others. I agree with having American pride, but we should still understand that others are not inferior, just different. Its sad when we take a step back and realize how harsh we can be.

Another line that stuck out was "understanding imperfection". The only thing i have to day about this is that no one is perfect. Thats probably the only way that all cultures are the same.

Prime Directive

While reading the essay, I found it to be very interesting, yet I did not quite understand it. Initially I thought it was because i was not a viewer of Star Trek but after I finished reading the essay I did some research and looked up the things I did not understand on Wikipedia. After that, I found the essay to be extremely interesting! It also raises many questions and brings a lot to our attention.

The three things I looked up were Charles Grainer, Abu Ghraib, and the Prime Directive. I found out Charles Grainer is a former Army member charged by the Army in the Abu Ghraib scandal(a prison located in the city of Abu Ghraib, west of Baghdad. It was where Saddam Hussain tortured and killed people who opposed him. The prison was later renamed when "U.S. forces expelled the former Iraqi government". It was called the Baghdad Central Confinement Facility and changed to Camp redemption in 2004) . He and others of the U.S. army were "accussed of being a torturer, sadist, and war criminal." They " inflicted sexual, physical, and psycological" abuse of Iraqi prisoners of war(P.O.W.s) in Abu Ghraib. He was found guilty of all charges in january 2004 on conspiracy to "maltreat detainees, failing to protect detainees, failing to protect detainees from abuse, cruelty, and maltreatment", as well as assault, indecency, adultery, and obstruction of justice. He was sentenced to ten years in military prison the next day.

After learning about the events in the story, i was left wondering what the title of the essay meant. Prime Directive. I looked it up and understood the essay immediately. The Prime Directive is the number one law in the Star Trek world. It says that there should be no interference with the internal affairs of other civilizations. Correlation SO obvious! Whoever wrote this was a genius. HELLO!!??!! Other civilizations= Iraq. Break it down, every civilization(country) should mind their own damn business( therefore, NOT Iraq's!). Loves it. And I totally agree. America has enough power as a country alone. Why should we tell another country how it should be organized. Is that really our job? NO! I mean yes "we should fight evil and stuff" but I liked how the situation was compared to the Prime Directive.
Something i found...puzzling... in the essay was the way the gut at the end dressed as Charles Garner for Halloween. this really made me think a lot( I would write EVERYTHING but Im tired as hell). First off, he dressed as an US army officer for HALLOWEEN. The holiday where people chose to be scary, threatening, frightening, monsters that people are afraid of. This should not be two things that can be related. I should not find ther people responsible to protect the country that I live in to be frightening and threatening. They should nit be looked upon as monsters, yet the events that took place justify such a costume in a way. he was found guilty of pathetic crimes. But honestly, as Americans do we REALLY look down upon the officers as if we would if it were Iraqi soldiers who did this to American a P.O.W.s??? I honestly dont think so. Im not afraid to admit that I am guilty of ethnocentrism myself. Nothing ever hurts as much as when it is close to home. Naturally we would have been furious and defensive if it were "THEM" torturing "US". And I would even go as far as to some some Americans may have felt an erie pride to find that "the enemy" has suffered under the hand of one of us. That sense of payback in some way. Human nature is a strange thing. We all know whats right. And we also all know we dont always do right. Nor do we feel the way we "should" feel. We SHOULD all be ashamed, disgusted, apalled, embarrassed, etc. of a soldier who would do such a thing. But are we really? The essay presents an interesting POV. How many of us would have actually posed in that picture? How many of us would have thought "its about time they suffer to" instead of feeling immediate compassion for those who are "the enemy". Pride AND compassion are both natural feelings. So is revenge. But when they all come together, its confusing as hell. And we somewhat feel guilty.

I Heart Football

Many people find it odd to find out that my favorite sport is football. For those that have known me for a while, it is not hard to figure out why. I have been around football forever. My brother played football and my mom and I went to EVERY SINGLE GAME he ever played. So not it is just ssomething that's...in me I guess. I understand the plays and everything, and love confusing my friends when they attempt to watch a football game. At the same time, I impress guys with what i know because they never expect a girl like me to know anything about sports! Since I've been here, I've gone to both games. The first was a disappointment, true, but they redeemed themselves in the Jacksonville State game(even though one of my friends got hurt and will be out for 5 weeks! ;-(...) . My family is also a family that throws the huge Super Bowl party that ends with half of us upset and the other half with so much pride as if we were the people actually running the ball out there! That leads to the screaming, yelling, and excitement that I LOVE. I even have the Monday Night football ringtone!

group paper

Pets can be a huge part of our lives, we wish for them, pick them out, train them, and care for them. At first, this idea of longing for and loving an animal seems completely normal, but when you really think about it, what makes us care so much about an animal? Of course, our pets are cute and cuddly, but there has got to be a better reason to devote so much of our lives to our pets.
We think that our pets are so important to us because they love us unconditionally. Its very appealing to know that your dog is never going to be mad at you or that you don¢t have to convince your puppy to like you. Another reason why an animal companion is so desirable is because they rely on us completely. There are so many things that we have no control over and its nice to think that we can at least control our pets or know that they see us as authority figures. Especially when you are young, the idea of a pet is enticing because you have someone to take care of and boss around while everyone else is telling you what to do all the time. In a world where so many things are changing and uncertain, our pets provide stability and something that we can dictate.
We each have specific memories of longing for and loving pets, specifically dogs. After thinking about why we feel this way, we realized that we craved the unconditional love and simplicity that dogs provide. Though we each recollect different instances that make us think about our love for our pets, we all felt the same way about why our dogs are so important to us. These stories show how much we care about our dogs, the different stages we go through in loving them, and how important they are to us.

I always dreamed of having my own dog ever since I was a little girl. I wanted a dog that would sleep in a beautiful dog house in the backyard. I imagined a small fluffy dog with long white hair that I could brush and braid and wash as often as I wanted to. My dog would be fun, hyper, and always excited to play. She would have a pink leash with a rhinestone handle and a fuzzy pink color that jingled when she walked. Most importantly, I wanted a dog that I could take care of all by myself. When I turned four and still no dog showed up I decided to take matters into my own hands. Even though I had asked for my own dog at Christmas and my birthday it didn¢t seem like my parents were ever going to do anything about it. I looked around the house and realized that I had a few things that were very similar to a dog. First of all I had lots of stuffed animals that certainly looked like the dog that I envisioned but I decided that those wouldn¢t really work because they couldn¢t walk or fetch things very well. Then I saw some squirrels in our backyard and thought that one of them might make a very good dog but after trying to catch one I decided that they wouldn¢t really work either. Finally I looked at my baby brother, Timothy, and knew that I had found my dog. Timothy crawled around like a dog and even held things like balls or sticks in his mouth just like a dog. He was a much better choice than my stuffed animals because they couldn¢t play with me and he was a lot easier to catch than the squirrels so I knew that he would work perfectly. After making my decision I knew that there was a lot of work to do. I have always been kind of crafty so I set right to work making all sorts of doggy supplies. I made a leash and collar for Timothy out of his bib and a piece of ribbon (don¢t worry I didn¢t choke him or anything, I just tied it onto his bib not his neck.) I collected some squeaky toys from around the house to play with and then got some sticks from the backyard so we could play fetch. My final project was a dog house that I made out of a cardboard box. I set the dog house out in the backyard and put a big pillow inside so that Timothy would be very comfy. All that was left to do was to tell Timothy about the new arrangements and pitch the idea to my parents. Timothy seemed to be very happy about being my new dog and played with the toys that I had collected for him, but, needless to say, my parents were not pleased with the situation. I tried to explain that this way we could all share Timothy and that if he slept out in the backyard then maybe he wouldn¢t wake us up when he cried in the middle of the night. I showed them the toys and sticks I had gathered and even the dog house I had made but they weren¢t very supportive. My parents explained to me that even though Timothy acted like a dog sometimes, he was a boy and wouldn¢t be able to sleep outside or crawl forever. They told me that soon I would have a walking little brother to play with instead of a dog. They were right, but I still fervently wished for a dog. I had to wait a while but, finally, when I was six I got my own dog.


I was so excited to find out I was getting a dog. I had been waiting for so long and was happy that the moment was finally there. My mom had found a breeder in Mississippi who had brand new Shih-Tsu pupppies. The kind she wanted. So that afternoon we got in the car and took a two hour drive. When we arrived at the breeder, we got to choose from a big selection of puppies. She had all kinds from white dogs with black spots to black with white to brown with white to black with brown...... get the piture?! So we started looking around and came across a pretty all black puppy with curly fur. We tried to play with her, but she just laid there. We came to the conclusion that that wasn't the dog for us. We wanted a fun, upbeat, friendly dog that we could have fun with. So we kept looking. the breeder let out a few dogs at a time and told us to try to get one to come to us. She did that and we began whistling, clapping and doing other things to get the dogs attention. Immediately we were rushed by a gorgeous tan dog with a black face and white stomach. She was so friendly and hyper we just immediately fell in love with her. She jumped all over us, nibbled on our fingers, and tried to lick our faces. She was perfect. We paid a grip for her (totally worth it!) and brought her to the car. She sat in my lab the whole way home and played with me. She was so small I was afraid I would smush her!
When we got home, we let her explore the house at her own pace. She went into of our rooms and explored everything, She decided my room was her favorite and started sleeping under my bed, even though she had a cute little dog house. We eventually decided to name her Pebbles (from the Flinstones) and said if we were to get another, we would name him BamBam. we never did. Pebbles is a handful!


My dog immediately took to us, and expressed a love that was truly unconditional. The human condition is so messed up in general; I think it's safe to say that a great deal of "love" is artificial. People often act nice only for personal gain, but dogs seem to express a very authentic love towards their owners. We fed her, played with her, picked up after her, and gave her a place she could call home, and that was it; what more does a simplistic animal need in life than the fulfillment of these very basic desires ? We tried to teach her tricks, but to no avail. She was too hyper and stubborn, or perhaps she realized somehow in her tiny dog brain that she was being degraded to some sort of object of amusement.We eventually quit trying , and no longer did we seek entertainment through the frivolous obediance of a pet. Besides, how would humans feel if they were forced to perform tricks for somebody? We let our dog do as she pleased, as long as it brought no harm to any of us. Her sweet and innocent face somehow managed to charm and delight even the most cold-hearted people. It is humorous to point out the fact that the single greatest thrill in her life was her daily stroll around the neighborhood. It shows how little it takes to satisfy a dog, and how spoiled humans are for requiring such large doses of mass media and extravagant forms of entertainment to keep themselves happy. She was an integral part of the family, and her passing away left a large hole in our hearts for many weeks. We eventually got over it though. We smiled and knew that we had given her the best life a dog could ever have.

As you can see, we each remember how important our dogs are to us because of different things, but the reason we care about them is the same. In every stage we go through with our pets, whether its wanting them, bringing them home, or simply living with them, we love them because they are always there loving and adoring us.

Calculus is dumb. Period.

Today I took my first test. I have to admit, I almost panicked. I made myself have a study session. After my group got together yesterday, i went straight to my room (after getting something to eat) and hit the books. The test was in Calculus so I decided to get all of the other ssubjects out of the way first. Then I started going over my Calculus notes and discovered something very important. Taking notes in a math class is pointless for me! I just got the book and started reading. And when my head started hurting about 3 hours later I stopped. I almost fell asleep so I grabbed a redbull and started again. Keep in mind I had had a cafe latte just hours earlier. I managed to finish my history paper thats due on Friday and finish studying. When my headache didnt go away I decided it was time to stop. The class started at 9 :10 the next morning so I set my alarm for 7. I got up at 7:30 and looked at my book more. I went to class...cool, calm, and collected. Well, not really. I took the test and actually think I did well. I don't think anyone HATES math as much as i do. Like....WHO in the hell discovered all that crap? And that leads to my next question. WHY?? Somebody had too much time on their hands to think of all that mess. Seriously. WHY would you do that!!!! Im really angry right now. Isn't addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division enough!?!

Corker+Ford= really dumb stuff on YouTube!

Politics kill me. The ads are completely ridiculous. Is it really necessary to attack your opponent to build yourself up? What ever happened to quality and respect? And to actually have a KKK clip?! Are they kidding me?!! That was very STUPID. No other word for it. It just shows how ignorant people are. Even greasy old men who want control of a whole damn population. That made me want to throw up. Why would you do that? It sucks how people make issues a "black or white" thing when they don't have to be. But what sucks even more is when things really ARE about black or white. Im not one to say the past is the past, so leave it there because racial tension STILL does exist. And I will argue my ass off with anyone who disagrees. But I feel that as Americans, this whole "all men are created equal and One nation under God thing"( all the stuff they MAKE us recite in school) should be something we should actually live up to. Competition is the American way! So don't make things so damn personal! It is actually possible to win an election without offending people you morons! Stuff like "pick the white person"...what the HELL is that suppose to mean? Im not even white, and that offended me! So Im sure it offended some white people! And having a girl pose as a porn star in an ad?! Come on now dude, YOU"RE A GROWN ASS MAN!! And that's the best you could come up with?( then they picked a girl who would never make it in the front lawn of Playboy so it wasn't even believable!......but thats beside the point. Sorry!)

Here, Doggie!

I was so excited to find out I was getting a dog. I had been waiting for so long and was happy that the moment was finally there. My mom had found a breeder in Mississippi who had brand new Shih-Tsu pupppies. The kind she wanted. So that afternoon we got in the car and took a two hour drive. When we arrived at the breeder, we got to choose from a big selection of puppies. She had all kinds from white dogs with black spots to black with white to brown with white to black with brown...... get the piture?! So we started looking around and came across a pretty all black puppy with curly fur. We tried to play with her, but she just laid there. We came to the conclusion that that wasn't the dog for us. We wanted a fun, upbeat, friendly dog that we could have fun with. So we kept looking. the breeder let out a few dogs at a time and told us to try to get one to come to us. She did that and we began whistling, clapping and doing other things to get the dogs attention. Immediately we were rushed by a gorgeous tan dog with a black face and white stomach. She was so friendly and hyper we just immediately fell in love with her. She jumped all over us, nibbled on our fingers, and tried to lick our faces. She was perfect. We paid a grip for her (totally worth it!) and brought her to the car. She sat in my lab the whole way home and played with me. She was so small I was afraid I would smush her!

When we got home, we let her explore the house at her own pace. She went into of our rooms and explored everything, She decided my room was her favorite and started sleeping under my bed, even though she had a cute little dog house. We eventually decided to name her Pebbles (from the Flinstones) and said if we were to get another, we would name him BamBam. we never did. Pebbles is a handful!

Abercrombie & Bitch.....I mean, Fitch

Ok, after reading a few people's blogs, I kind of picked up the feel for this thing. Write about however you feel!! got it! So I'm going to write about my work experience at the most corrupt, and most profitable if I may add, retail business in America.
I got hired at abercombie in October 2006. And believe me, it was NOT because I earned it. I walked in the store with one of my friends who worked there and they asked ME did I want a job. I said yes. This happened on a Friday. They told me to show up at orientation that Sunday. Orientatiion???? What happened to the application? Or even the interview? Basically, I was hired off of my looks. And I'm not saying that to be concieted or anything, so before the idea forms that Im a stuck up, self centered bitch, let me explain. At Abercrombie, there are two teams you can apply for. Model or Impact. A models job is to look cute, have the "abercrombie" style (tight ass pants if you're a guy with a small tee, or short micro mini skirts and thin spaghetti strap shirts that are cut low in the front if you're a girl), and assist customers in the most friendly way as possible. Models also run the register and keep the store neat and perfect. The EASIEST job in the WORLD! I was a model. Impact on the other hand, was hectic and crazy! They had to maintain the stockroom and a whole bunch of other shit that I never learned because i didn't go back there. But I know it was hard. And basically they stayed in the back, away from the customers all day. So this is what I noticed. Pretty people got hired on the spot. With no regard to the thousands of applications they get from qualified people who have excellent work experience and references. I had neither!!! All I had walking in there was a mini skirt, silky hair, and a girly pink sweater. Should that be enough to get a job? Hell no. but at the time I was broke, so I took what I could get. So basically, I learned the system. See someone with style walking aroungd the mall, hire them. When you get desperate and need people to maintain and clean up your stockroom, THEN you pull up your never ending list of online applications and hire someone who probably knew how to deal with customers a thousand times better than I did when I first started. Especially considering how I opened the the fitting room door on 3 people when I first started. They also pay the least amount of money EVER. But charge a arm and a leg for their clothes that get holes after a couple of washings. That's why its the richest business in retail. And they scam people because they try to make it seem as if they are in competition with stores like Hollister, but they are both owned by the same people! They just have slighty different styles so people will pick a favorite, but in the end, the money goes to the same person. So basically the business is corrupt and evil...So why do i like their clothes so much?!

Blogging

Ok, so I have to admit, it is going to take some getting used to to remember to blog everyday. I get sort of caught up in my day to day activities to remember to write down my thoughts on the computer. I guess when I get into the routine of it all, then it will become second nature. Since I've been doing it these past few days, I've realized that it isn't really all that bad like I thought it was going to be. It's also really easy to do. Just sign on and write! Kind of like I'm doing now. I'm sure I will begin of thinking of more interesting topics pretty soon. I just have to get used to it. Then I'm sure I'll have everyone just DYING to read my blogs and post comments! Ok, maybe not, but I'm sure they'll be more interesting than this! I'm almost positive. How could they possibly be any worse? Believe it or not, I am usually a pretty good writer, it's just that I'm not used to blogging or keeping a journal or diary. As I think about, I usually don't even express my thoughts at all. If I get mad at someone I usually say how I feel, but as far as writing my daily thoughts down, I felt it didnt work. I guess I was never the type of girl to hide her diary under her bed under lock and key and burst into tears when her brother stole it and told his friend she has a "major crush on him"! I'd rather say a few words and get it over with. Less time, less writing. However, I'm going to work on this blogging thing. I may discover something about myself!

Group topis list: Pets

• When we bought her from Mississippi
• Naming her
• When she was learning to jump on the couch
• When she learned how to jump in our beds
• She ate a balloon
• Chases big dogs
• Barks at birds
• Chases flies
• Chases her tail
• likes peanut butter
• hates Doritoes/ likes popcorn
• takes showers

Confused

Well, I have titled my blog confused for one simple reason. I'm so confused about what I am souppose to be writing about. I was really tring to figure it out in class, but obviously I did not get it. So I chose to write about my confusion. All I know is that we are suppose to blog everyday and I did not want to skip a day because I did not have a topic. So if anyone is reading this I urge you to feel free to help me out! It would be greatly appreciated! I just need to know what we are suppose to do exactly. I mean, do we just write about anything? If so, then its simple. It seems too simple to be correct. which is probably why I am so confused!

Articles and tools of writing

The topic of my article was somewhat interesting, but as I read it, it started to bore me. It was about Walt Disney, who is suppose to be the most facinating man in America, right?! But the author was writing a criticism of a book about him, and i didn't realize it until I got to the middle of it! The author kind of took a neutral standpoint, so he would not come scross as having an opinion about "Mr. Disney". He did, however give what I felt to be his opinion of the greatest Disney movies of all time. BAMBI?!! Is he serious??! So I guess The Little Mermaid and 101 Dalmations doesn't count?!! I know I'm sort of "old" but I mean, those are classics! Other than that, I couldn't really find much of his criticism very interesting at all. He was comparing Walt Disney's work before WWII and post-war. Who does that??? I've always felt Disney should be a...."happy experience". I've never felt the need to dissect his work.