I Just Wanna Be Average

                                                          I Just want to be Average

First off I want to say I enjoyed this piece a lot more than I thought I was going to. The title gave me the idea that I was going to like it. I strive for better than average. I strive for top tier so the title gave me a sour taste. That being said, I liked it!! Author Mike Rose informs the reader that he carried around the grades he earned from Jack MacFarland's class "like a club emblem". The main reason he is doing this is because he is proud of his work. He was in the vocational track prior. He had minimal if any guidance from his teachers. He now has someone he looks up to, someone that has stoked that cerebral fire, he is finally interested in a subject, and he is doing well. The grades that he receives are his visual evidence that his hard work is paying off. Rose is so proud that he wants to show them off as if they were a "club emblem".

I have had a few Jack Macfarland's in my day. In grade school it was Mrs. Tuller, in high school Ms. Roach, the first time through college Dr. Petrova, and most recently and possibly the best Professor Gregoire. Rose writes "but I worked very hard, For MacFarland had hooked me" This is 100% the truth when it comes to professor Gregoire. Her Anatomy and Physiology class is difficult. There is a lot of information and what seems like not enough time before the next time, whether that be Lab or Lecture. But there is something about the way that she presents the information to you. She makes the material fun. She can almost read the students mind when things are becoming convoluted and confusing; you can undoubablty count on her to notice that and make one of the corniest a and p jokes to lighten the mood. The material captivated me, but it was the teacher that projected it to me in the correct way to make me love it. The first semester I did just alright in my book. This drove me even more to do well in her class. I would find myself in open lab for 3 hours at a time if not more. I would then go home and read through the text book. I enjoyed the class so much that I wanted to further my knowledge on it so I decided to TA the class. I still read the text book refreshing my mind on the material that as already been presented to me. Its a great class that is true. But without her presence the class would have been just that, only as class.

Upilamba

                                                            Upilamba

In Azar Nafisi's piece Uplimba she writes "the most central [question] was how these great works of imagination could help us in our present trapped situation as women. In this selection she is writing about a small group of women who meet to discuss literary works that have been banned for study in public university by the Iranian government. The trapped situation she speaks of does not only relate to the works of art being banned but that of being a woman in Iran. As many you may know the Iranian government favors men. Women are actually looked at as half of a man. For example, if a man testifies in court it would take the testimony of 2 women to equal that. Another example can be seen in inheritances; A man's sone inherits twice as much as his daughter.(1) So these women are using these literary pieces to escape that situation if even only for a hour.
I will not claim to be a regular active reader. I do enjoy readying when I finally take time to let myself get lost in a book. I have used literary works to escape hard situations in the past, and present. Last semester I had a huge test coming up that would determine my grade in the class. I strive for A's and am very disappointed when I miss that mark. This test was becoming a a source of stress for me, every time I tried to study I would feel overwhelmed. At the same time in a different class we had a optional reading of the book Hot Zone. This text had a lot of medical vocabulary and references to Human Anatomy (which is what the test was in). What I ended up doing was studying for an hour or a two at a time and then escaping into the Ebola type outbreak that was described in Hot Zone. This was an escape it helped me to not stress and still keep me somewhat on track with the use of words I was actually studying.
When it comes to how strategies of escaping into a book or literary art could be helpful when you are in a scary situation if feel like that is evident. You escape, you are in another persons that toughts, you become emotionally attached to the lead character, His/her problems/successes become your problems
or successes, you forget. Sometimes being able to forget that you are in a scary situation is all that you need to be able to make it through it.


Reference
(1) http://www.today.com/news/beyond-veil-lives-women-iran-2D80555320

Making for stronger writing

Making for stronger writing

 

I really enjoyed Roberts’s piece. It made me think a lot about my writing and I can defiantly relate to it on many fronts. I really enjoyed the section Slip Out of Abstraction. I myself try to do this a lot. Helping the reader to visual your argument is very beneficial. It helps to really hit home your point.  As Roberts says “generality, the abstract statement to concrete example, the facts and figures”. If you write without supporting your argument it is going to fall on deaf ears. As I am strong in some areas I am weak in others. The next part of this piece I was able to relate to Call A Fool A Fool. In this response to Robert’s piece I have found myself erasing “I feel like” at least 3 times.  This is just as bad as “in-my-opinion”. These statements really make the paper or article weaker. It states that there are conflicting views. Beware or the Pat Expression. I have inserted on in my response.  I wrote “fall on deaf ears” without even thinking about it. A sentence or two went by and I noticed it. I fall victim to this all the time. I could have said the argument will not be as strong, therefore the reader will not identify with it. But stating it fall on deaf ears was easier. Obviously is not always better.  Lastly I was able to relate too Colorful words. I try to use as many colorful words in my creative writing. It somewhat relates to slipping out of the abstract for me. If I am able to really see in my mind what the author is saying I am able to relate to this or her position much better. For that reason I try to give my reader that ability. Overall I thought it was a great piece and if I actively practice what I read it will make me a much stronger writer.

Bodily-Kinesthetic Intelligence The Skiing Effect

                                                Fast Learner on The Slopes

When I was in second grade was the first time I fashioned a pair of skis to my feet and tried to make my way down Whiteface Mountain. My step-father decided it would be a good way for us to bond. To get me familiar with the basics of skiing a half day ski lesson was afforded to me. It was a nice way to be broken in, but my ski instructor quickly moved me into the advanced group as I had superior skills to the other new learners. The half day ski lesson was over and it was time to show my step dad the new skills I had developed. Much to his surprise I was already able to quickly navigate some of the lower mountain trails (with a few falls here and there). For the next 2 hours we mastered the entire lower mountain. I was able to ski some of the Blue (more difficult) trails with easy. I begged and pleaded to go to the top of the mountain. After numerous whines and nagging my wish was granted. The first run down was spectacular, a few pizza wedges to slow myself down, but I was a real natural. This run made me think I was Bode Miller. The second run I was a little more aggressive. Maximum speeds, a jump, and a new skier as of that day..... this culminated with a minor concussion. 

Although the ending of the story does not give the supporting evidence for having the Bodily-Kinesthetic intelligence the rest of it does. When I got on to the slopes the place felt like home. I instantly knew or had a very good idea of how to operate the skis. Since that day I have become an excellent skier. I have skied some of the most difficult terrain in the east as well as the west. 20-30 ft cliffs which seem to drive others out of the mind are not even a thought now. During this part of the chapter the Anderson says " Body Movement undergoes a clearly defined development schedule in children. And there is little question of its universality across cultures. Thus it appears that bodily-kinesthetic "knowledge" satisfies many of the criteria for an intelligence," I believe this can be seen with my adaptation and advancement with my skiing ability.