4/15 - 45 min., 4/16 - 45 min., 4/17 - 45 min., 4/18 - 45 min., 4/19 - 45min.
Total - 225 min., pp. 143 - 238 (The Adventures of Tom Sawyer), (Portfolio work)
Sunday, April 21, 2013
Saturday, April 13, 2013
Goals and Obstacles
Er... This question really works my gears and makes me think. There are many, many things I want in life. I suppose I really just want to be happy. However, that's not to say that I am not; I just mean for the future. Some people, though they seem successful, may not be satisfied. For example, greed takes possession of many. It's only normal to want more than what you have: to go beyond necessity. I, for one, always want new toys or gadgets, despite the fact I have fully functional devices already. One of my life goals is to suppress this unsatisfactory emotion and become content with what I already have.
So then I'm asked: "What would [I] be willing to do to get it?" Like the question earlier, I find this to have a very vague answer, partially because my goal is very... unpredictable as well. From my view, I don't really have much say in it; my actions probably won't affect it much. I think it relies on me as a person and my development morally. Of course, there are several factors that affect my morals. For example, episcopal is one. Another example are donations. When I have my own career, I'll have to pay 2.5% of my annual income. Donating will not only make me feel comfortable losing money, but also break bonds I could develop with money.
This relationship between goals and sacrifices is visible in many stories we have read so far this year. In Nervous Conditions, Tambu is desperate for an education. When she is given the opportunity, she leaves her mother in a dying state (sacrifice). In Lord of the Flies, Jack strives for dominance and power over the other boys. He resorts to violence to communicate his superiority.
4/08 - 45min., 4/09 - 60min., 4/11 - 15min., 4/12 - 60min., 4/13 - 45min.
Total - 225min., pp. 1-143 (The Adventures of Tom Sawyer), (Cancer Research Paper)
Poem: Place
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I gaze across the vast land
The grass danced to the strong winds
And reflected light with each turn in the sun
Twisting, turning
It became a dance floor
Flashing lights blind my eyes
The loud music bangs on my eardrum
A mass of bodies springing like trout in a river
The thick humidity of body heat makes me sick.
Seasick.
Moaning and turning of the boat disrupts my stomach
The old wooden boards creak with every weight
Weary sailors drag themselves to their destination
Like the water's current burdens them
At last! Land!
I gaze across the vast land...
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This poem has several techniques. There are many shifts in setting (stanza divisions). There is personification (line 2). There are similes (line 8, 14). I use punctuation to emphasize certain areas (line 4,9,10,15,16)
I gaze across the vast land
The grass danced to the strong winds
And reflected light with each turn in the sun
Twisting, turning
It became a dance floor
Flashing lights blind my eyes
The loud music bangs on my eardrum
A mass of bodies springing like trout in a river
The thick humidity of body heat makes me sick.
Seasick.
Moaning and turning of the boat disrupts my stomach
The old wooden boards creak with every weight
Weary sailors drag themselves to their destination
Like the water's current burdens them
At last! Land!
I gaze across the vast land...
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This poem has several techniques. There are many shifts in setting (stanza divisions). There is personification (line 2). There are similes (line 8, 14). I use punctuation to emphasize certain areas (line 4,9,10,15,16)
Friday, April 5, 2013
Reading Response: Moribito
I hadn't read Moribito in a while (with the interruption of Nervous Conditions) so I took time to skim the first part of the book and gather my thoughts. With preparation, I started on part two, and found it much easier to read. I jumped back into the book feeling lost - not because I didn't know part one clearly, but because there was a vague outline of the future. I knew the demon (Rarunga) was going to come after Chagum (the prince holding the sacred egg), but before that, there was plenty of time for anything. I was curious to see what would happen.In the end, nothing crazy happened. The plot progressed along smoothly; there were no dramatic changes or crazy ideas introduced.
After I had finished the book, I was very disappointed. This book to me seemed very bland, very cliche. I'm sure I had seen very similar plots in many different places. I felt as though I spent a significant amount of my time reading irrelevant dialogue. I'm sure I read like three chapters about the "star readers" (similar to scholars) and what they did for the main characters. Yeah, they deciphered a tablet which taught them about the egg, but the Balsa and Chagum journeyed along without the information completely fine. This made the book seem very slow and bored me.
3/26 - 30min. (Moribito), 3/27 - 30min. (Moribito), 3/28 - 30min. (Moribito), 3/29 - 30min. (Moribito), 3/31 - 30min. (Moribito), 4/02 - 30min. (Moribito), 4/04 - 45min. (Cancer Research - Read 4 articles)
Total - 225 min., pp.143 - 248 (Moribito), (Cancer Research - Read 4 articles
Song Analysis
Song: Scatman (Ski-Ba-Bop-Ba-Dop-Bop)
Author: Scatman John
Lyrics: http://artists.letssingit.com/scatman-john-lyrics-scatman-fnmhfpw#axzz2PbXTrlnm
After reading the blog assignment, a strong feeling of dread came over me. I thought there was so much to write, too much especially for a vacation. To liven the mood and writing process, I picked an ... enjoyable song? I found its upbeat rhythm, fast pace, and of course, lyrics, create this poppy sound to his style of music. In addition to its poppy, motivating music, I really liked the Scatman's story. Apparently, he had a condition that MADE him stutter ("Scat" as it's called in the song). He took one of his problems and turned it around. Anyway, enough of his background story; here's the analysis:
_________________________________________________________________________________
Throughout the song lyrics I found many lines that had assonance, mainly found in his "scatting." An assonance is the repetition of the sound of vowels in words whereas alliteration is the repetition of sounds or letters in the beginning of a word. Because of the vowels and location within the word, the entire phrase rhymed with itself. In one of his lines, he creates a smooth, yet unsophisticated mood through the composition of vowels (-oo) and wording a child may use.
"It's a scoobie oobie doobie scoobie doobie melody"
Also, Scatman John used breaks in his lyrics to emphasize certain ideas in his song. He defends his condition by stating that everybody has some bit of it; it doesn't make him unique or special. The break also separates the independent clauses in the first quote. In the second and third line of the second quote it separates them too.
"Everybody stutters one way or the other
So check out my message to you."
...
"Well I'm the professor and all I can tell you is
While you're still sleepin' the saints are still weepin' cause
Things you call dead haven't yet had the chance to be born."
Lastly, I think there is some hidden idea (symbolism) in the quote above. I believe when he refers to the "things you call dead haven't yet had the chance to be born" he means that many people think that conditions are always bad. People may dismiss the idea that one's condition is a fault, however, it could very well be beneficial, like John's here.
Author: Scatman John
Lyrics: http://artists.letssingit.com/scatman-john-lyrics-scatman-fnmhfpw#axzz2PbXTrlnm
After reading the blog assignment, a strong feeling of dread came over me. I thought there was so much to write, too much especially for a vacation. To liven the mood and writing process, I picked an ... enjoyable song? I found its upbeat rhythm, fast pace, and of course, lyrics, create this poppy sound to his style of music. In addition to its poppy, motivating music, I really liked the Scatman's story. Apparently, he had a condition that MADE him stutter ("Scat" as it's called in the song). He took one of his problems and turned it around. Anyway, enough of his background story; here's the analysis:
_________________________________________________________________________________
Throughout the song lyrics I found many lines that had assonance, mainly found in his "scatting." An assonance is the repetition of the sound of vowels in words whereas alliteration is the repetition of sounds or letters in the beginning of a word. Because of the vowels and location within the word, the entire phrase rhymed with itself. In one of his lines, he creates a smooth, yet unsophisticated mood through the composition of vowels (-oo) and wording a child may use.
"It's a scoobie oobie doobie scoobie doobie melody"
Also, Scatman John used breaks in his lyrics to emphasize certain ideas in his song. He defends his condition by stating that everybody has some bit of it; it doesn't make him unique or special. The break also separates the independent clauses in the first quote. In the second and third line of the second quote it separates them too.
"Everybody stutters one way or the other
So check out my message to you."
...
"Well I'm the professor and all I can tell you is
While you're still sleepin' the saints are still weepin' cause
Things you call dead haven't yet had the chance to be born."
Lastly, I think there is some hidden idea (symbolism) in the quote above. I believe when he refers to the "things you call dead haven't yet had the chance to be born" he means that many people think that conditions are always bad. People may dismiss the idea that one's condition is a fault, however, it could very well be beneficial, like John's here.
Sunday, March 24, 2013
Jane Goodall's Plagarism
Jane Goodall has infringed an important part of plagiarism which in turn impacts her reputation as an author. The significance of her plagiarism occurs in one commonly known circumstance. She made the obvious mistake and used another author's words. Even alone, this act is severe and has many terrifying consequences for students, workers, and especially authors. In addition to her plagiarized work, she failed to cite sources under a bibliography or works cited page, worsening the effect. The article "Jane Goodall's 'Seeds of Hope' book contains borrowed passages without attribution" by Steven Levingston points out numerous sections poisoned by plagiarism.
After Goodall discovered her work infringed laws of plagiarism, she sent an e-mail consisting of apologies and reasons for her ignorance. I think she has done well to explain her mistakes, but believe she can do more. I think Goodall, her co-author, and the publishers should work together to develop a proper edition of the book, devoid of any plagiarism. It would replace the old 'Seeds of Hope' and clarify any questions regarding her honesty. This would further rebuild her reputation as an author. Jane Goodall's single mistake has sent her spiraling down back to the start alongside other writers who have been accused of plagiarism.
After Goodall discovered her work infringed laws of plagiarism, she sent an e-mail consisting of apologies and reasons for her ignorance. I think she has done well to explain her mistakes, but believe she can do more. I think Goodall, her co-author, and the publishers should work together to develop a proper edition of the book, devoid of any plagiarism. It would replace the old 'Seeds of Hope' and clarify any questions regarding her honesty. This would further rebuild her reputation as an author. Jane Goodall's single mistake has sent her spiraling down back to the start alongside other writers who have been accused of plagiarism.
Paper Revision
For this assignment, I decided to revise my literary analysis paper. I was truly proud of the work I had created. After a quick look-over, I noticed several features of it that made me come to this conclusion:
1) Before this piece, my writing had been characterized by a few elements which clearly distinguished my paper from others. It was concise and strongly-worded. However, when I was assigned the analysis, I took a different approach. I had planned to develop a longer paper, with good wording spread across it fairly. Personally, I think this idea was the proper approach to a paper -- it emphasizes the saying: "quantity is a quality in itself." My literary analysis introduced me to another style of writing which was met with good feedback, so I'll be striving to use it in the future.
2) The simplicity of all of my errors presented in the paper frustrates me and creates a goal to perfect this paper, ridding it of these silly flaws. These mistakes can be corrected with the stroke of a few keys, nothing major. Problems associated with my paper are nothing severe, such as ideas or organization, but elementary errors.
Despite the reasons I wanted to use this paper, it has numerous faults, as indicated above. These errors fall under the categories sentence fluency, conventions, and formatting.
1) Right off the bat, Dr. deGravelles pointed out flaws involving my formatting. Both my heading and my page number had the incorrect font, which hurt the quality of my paper.
2) I had two issues involving the introduction of quotations. Instead of using a colon, I used a semicolon in two different situations. Keep in mind, this was before we learned about methods in which a writer introduces quotations and examples of what to stay away from (Dating Spider man, etc.)
3) In my introduction paragraph, there were two problems, one about tense shifting and another was just repetition. My first error jumped from Thiong'o uses (present tense) to Thiong'o developed (past tense). This is very easily solved by replacing the "ed" of developed with an "s." My second fault was in the sentence: "With a few exceptions, development of Kamau's emotions follow Freytag's pyramid, with a few exceptions." After seeing this in my paper, I facepalmed.
3/18 - 30min., 3/19 - 30min., 3/20 - 30min., 3/22 - 30min., 3/23 - 45min.
Total - 165 min., Moribito (pp 145 - ~215)
1) Before this piece, my writing had been characterized by a few elements which clearly distinguished my paper from others. It was concise and strongly-worded. However, when I was assigned the analysis, I took a different approach. I had planned to develop a longer paper, with good wording spread across it fairly. Personally, I think this idea was the proper approach to a paper -- it emphasizes the saying: "quantity is a quality in itself." My literary analysis introduced me to another style of writing which was met with good feedback, so I'll be striving to use it in the future.
2) The simplicity of all of my errors presented in the paper frustrates me and creates a goal to perfect this paper, ridding it of these silly flaws. These mistakes can be corrected with the stroke of a few keys, nothing major. Problems associated with my paper are nothing severe, such as ideas or organization, but elementary errors.
Despite the reasons I wanted to use this paper, it has numerous faults, as indicated above. These errors fall under the categories sentence fluency, conventions, and formatting.
1) Right off the bat, Dr. deGravelles pointed out flaws involving my formatting. Both my heading and my page number had the incorrect font, which hurt the quality of my paper.
2) I had two issues involving the introduction of quotations. Instead of using a colon, I used a semicolon in two different situations. Keep in mind, this was before we learned about methods in which a writer introduces quotations and examples of what to stay away from (Dating Spider man, etc.)
3) In my introduction paragraph, there were two problems, one about tense shifting and another was just repetition. My first error jumped from Thiong'o uses (present tense) to Thiong'o developed (past tense). This is very easily solved by replacing the "ed" of developed with an "s." My second fault was in the sentence: "With a few exceptions, development of Kamau's emotions follow Freytag's pyramid, with a few exceptions." After seeing this in my paper, I facepalmed.
3/18 - 30min., 3/19 - 30min., 3/20 - 30min., 3/22 - 30min., 3/23 - 45min.
Total - 165 min., Moribito (pp 145 - ~215)
Sunday, March 17, 2013
Syllabus: Nervous Conditions?
I agree, Nervous Conditions should be consolidated into our syllabus. Nervous Conditions proves itself extremely useful teaching the many aspects of reading, analyzing, and comprehending literature:
The answer to our overall course question is reinforced through the numerous themes and events presented in Nervous Conditions. The collision between culture and community obviously show tangible effects as exemplified by Tambu and Nyasha's family. This book will be very significant portion of my essay during the exam; the examples that support the course question are clearly displayed and might as well be highlighted.
Of course, there are several other reasons. The text Tsitsi Dangarembga uses in her book uses relatively simple terminology, all the while maintaining a sophisticated voice. Her method of writing portrays a literal meaning, but a closer insight reveals a deeper meaning which frequently involves eminent themes; this style forces readers to pinpoint and analyze specific events. Through discovering these themes, the reader gains a sense of awareness to similar moments in the text. It helps readers become accustomed to uncovering essential text.
Nervous Conditions also provides a situation readers can learn from. It explores a unique culture which differs greatly from ours in America. Before this book, students knew life in Africa was tough, but throughout the discussions and evaluations of this book, we have discovered moments that illustrate many obstacles Africa has to overcome. Through the exposure of another culture, we as students have learned to accept other ethnic groups and realize troubles they experience. Personally, I have become more grateful for what I have been given and feel sorrow for those who are locked into a harder lifestyle solely based on their location.
Despite the flame and hate against Nervous Conditions, I believe Nervous Conditions should be included in our syllabus. It offers support to our course question, practice interpreting literature, and an open mind to other cultures. I recommend "To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee. It takes place after the civil war of the United States, during a period in which tensions between whites and blacks were high. Rather than two different cultures, two ethnic groups are caught in an argument over equality and superiority.
3/13 - 45 min., 3/14 - 45min., 3/15 - 45min., 3/16 - 30min., 3/16 - 45min.
Total - 210min., (B Layer), (A Layer)
Nervous Conditions also provides a situation readers can learn from. It explores a unique culture which differs greatly from ours in America. Before this book, students knew life in Africa was tough, but throughout the discussions and evaluations of this book, we have discovered moments that illustrate many obstacles Africa has to overcome. Through the exposure of another culture, we as students have learned to accept other ethnic groups and realize troubles they experience. Personally, I have become more grateful for what I have been given and feel sorrow for those who are locked into a harder lifestyle solely based on their location.
Despite the flame and hate against Nervous Conditions, I believe Nervous Conditions should be included in our syllabus. It offers support to our course question, practice interpreting literature, and an open mind to other cultures. I recommend "To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee. It takes place after the civil war of the United States, during a period in which tensions between whites and blacks were high. Rather than two different cultures, two ethnic groups are caught in an argument over equality and superiority.
3/13 - 45 min., 3/14 - 45min., 3/15 - 45min., 3/16 - 30min., 3/16 - 45min.
Total - 210min., (B Layer), (A Layer)
Monday, March 11, 2013
Nervous Conditions: Chapter Responses (6 - 10)
Chapter Six:
In this chapter, numerous events occur but most importantly, Nyasha gets herself into a heated argument with her father. I think this part fully establishes a defined relationship between Babamukuru and Nyasha. It completely cleared up Nyasha's personality for me. At first, she was a mess. Polite at certain times whereas she'd be disrespectful at others. For example, she greeted Tambu enthusiastically, but failed to spend time with her. The dispute in this chapter really emphasized and highlighted her character.
"'Thanks, Tambu. You saved my life'" (121).
This quote seemed very confusing at first glance. However, after looking into it, I can assume that Tambu considered suicide. During the argument, one might say that Babamukuru threatened to kill her and Tambu saved her from that situation. But that statement clearly neglects the fact that Tambu didn't interfere with Nyasha or Babamukuru at the time, so there was no possible way she could've "saved" Nyasha...
Chapter Seven:
Many, many things happened in chapter seven. What I noticed the most was separation between women and men. This relates to not only labor, but to also privileges. Many of the duties a woman had were listed in pages 136, 137, and 138. In terms of privileges, men all stayed in a single room discussing conflicts whereas all of the women stayed in a different room.
"'You think I am dirt now, me, your mother'" (143).
Ma' Shingayi tells off Tambu, accusing her of looking down to her own mother. Ma' Shingayi's rant highlights a major theme of the story, education. She claims that Maiguru attained power alongside her education and has stolen Tambu away from her with her money "and her white ways" (143). So as we can clearly see, there are links connecting education, money, and power.
Chapter Eight:
In this chapter, I was surprised to see a change in character relationship. This change was between Tambu and Babamukuru. For the first time yet, Tambu is reprimanded for being disobedient, which is against what we've seen of her already. I'm curious to know how she feels about Babamukuru now. At first, she had praised him for his gifts and knowledge; but now, I have no idea if she thinks his anger was understandable or not.
In addition to the argument, Maiguru defends Tambu. This leads into another fight between Maiguru and Babamukuru, and resulted in Maiguru leaving the house. After this scene, my views on Babamukuru changed drastically. He has been in three arguments already, two involving violence. Chapter eight left me questionning Babamukuru as a father and educator.
Chapter Nine:
Two significant events happens in chapter nine; Tambu earns a scholarship to a school far away and we learn about Nyasha as a character. There is a discussion back at Tambu's house involving the scholarship. Once she is accepted, Ma' Shingayi's condition worsens. Tambu's dedication to education compensates for the lack of dedication to her family -- knowing her mother's condition and future, she still continues forth along her path of education. Keep in mind, this has already happened once before, during her trip to the mission.
"I could hear her gagging and choking" (193).
Right after being forced to eat her dinner, Nyasha escapes to the bathroom where she throws up the food she had just eaten. Nyasha talks to Tambu, telling her she didn't know why she did it. This can very well lead to the conclusion that Nyasha has a condition (anorexia). It has been three times already she has excused herself from dinner prematurely.
Chapter Ten:
I enjoyed the final chapter of Nervous Conditions. At first glance, it seemed very out of place for me. To end the book with another sojourn of education seemed out of place and left me hanging. However, the quiz question today really helped me understand chapter ten's real purpose. It wrapped up multiple aspects of the book, either by recurring or building upon them. I found it very interesting that Dangarembga included these details so close together without disrupting the flow of the book (they are three completely different subjects).
"...but about my escape and Lucia's; about my mother's and Maiguru's entrapment; and about Nyasha's rebellion..." (1).
Let's evaluate this early quote at the end of the book. First, I think Lucia and Tambu's escape is their escape from a poorer, less educated life to a richer, educated life. They both eventually take academic classes and leave the homestead. In this chapter, we learn that Tambu is driven to Sacred Heart and Lucia passes her form one. Secondly, Ma' Shingayi and Maiguru's entrapment is about duties. Even as an educated woman, Maiguru still takes care of a family as a poor one would, like Ma' Shingayi. In chapter ten, she prepares lunch and shops for Tambu. Lastly, Nyasha continues rebelling by disobeying her father and refusing to eat food, when her condition is then revealed to them all.
In this chapter, numerous events occur but most importantly, Nyasha gets herself into a heated argument with her father. I think this part fully establishes a defined relationship between Babamukuru and Nyasha. It completely cleared up Nyasha's personality for me. At first, she was a mess. Polite at certain times whereas she'd be disrespectful at others. For example, she greeted Tambu enthusiastically, but failed to spend time with her. The dispute in this chapter really emphasized and highlighted her character.
"'Thanks, Tambu. You saved my life'" (121).
This quote seemed very confusing at first glance. However, after looking into it, I can assume that Tambu considered suicide. During the argument, one might say that Babamukuru threatened to kill her and Tambu saved her from that situation. But that statement clearly neglects the fact that Tambu didn't interfere with Nyasha or Babamukuru at the time, so there was no possible way she could've "saved" Nyasha...
Chapter Seven:
Many, many things happened in chapter seven. What I noticed the most was separation between women and men. This relates to not only labor, but to also privileges. Many of the duties a woman had were listed in pages 136, 137, and 138. In terms of privileges, men all stayed in a single room discussing conflicts whereas all of the women stayed in a different room.
"'You think I am dirt now, me, your mother'" (143).
Ma' Shingayi tells off Tambu, accusing her of looking down to her own mother. Ma' Shingayi's rant highlights a major theme of the story, education. She claims that Maiguru attained power alongside her education and has stolen Tambu away from her with her money "and her white ways" (143). So as we can clearly see, there are links connecting education, money, and power.
Chapter Eight:
In this chapter, I was surprised to see a change in character relationship. This change was between Tambu and Babamukuru. For the first time yet, Tambu is reprimanded for being disobedient, which is against what we've seen of her already. I'm curious to know how she feels about Babamukuru now. At first, she had praised him for his gifts and knowledge; but now, I have no idea if she thinks his anger was understandable or not.
In addition to the argument, Maiguru defends Tambu. This leads into another fight between Maiguru and Babamukuru, and resulted in Maiguru leaving the house. After this scene, my views on Babamukuru changed drastically. He has been in three arguments already, two involving violence. Chapter eight left me questionning Babamukuru as a father and educator.
Chapter Nine:
Two significant events happens in chapter nine; Tambu earns a scholarship to a school far away and we learn about Nyasha as a character. There is a discussion back at Tambu's house involving the scholarship. Once she is accepted, Ma' Shingayi's condition worsens. Tambu's dedication to education compensates for the lack of dedication to her family -- knowing her mother's condition and future, she still continues forth along her path of education. Keep in mind, this has already happened once before, during her trip to the mission.
"I could hear her gagging and choking" (193).
Right after being forced to eat her dinner, Nyasha escapes to the bathroom where she throws up the food she had just eaten. Nyasha talks to Tambu, telling her she didn't know why she did it. This can very well lead to the conclusion that Nyasha has a condition (anorexia). It has been three times already she has excused herself from dinner prematurely.
Chapter Ten:
I enjoyed the final chapter of Nervous Conditions. At first glance, it seemed very out of place for me. To end the book with another sojourn of education seemed out of place and left me hanging. However, the quiz question today really helped me understand chapter ten's real purpose. It wrapped up multiple aspects of the book, either by recurring or building upon them. I found it very interesting that Dangarembga included these details so close together without disrupting the flow of the book (they are three completely different subjects).
"...but about my escape and Lucia's; about my mother's and Maiguru's entrapment; and about Nyasha's rebellion..." (1).
Let's evaluate this early quote at the end of the book. First, I think Lucia and Tambu's escape is their escape from a poorer, less educated life to a richer, educated life. They both eventually take academic classes and leave the homestead. In this chapter, we learn that Tambu is driven to Sacred Heart and Lucia passes her form one. Secondly, Ma' Shingayi and Maiguru's entrapment is about duties. Even as an educated woman, Maiguru still takes care of a family as a poor one would, like Ma' Shingayi. In chapter ten, she prepares lunch and shops for Tambu. Lastly, Nyasha continues rebelling by disobeying her father and refusing to eat food, when her condition is then revealed to them all.
Sunday, March 10, 2013
Expectations and Locations
School: Like Tambu, I feel as though it is my duty to fulfill its purpose and receive an education. I prioritize my academics because my actions here affect my actions tomorrow. In lower school, my parents expected high scores and encouraged a proper demeanor, to both fellow students and faculty. However, nowadays I am no longer pushed as much I used to be. Thankfully, I was raised understanding the importance of education. I am expected to push myself through the thick and thin and make my own future.
On the soccer field: As a soccer player, I think I should play with effort. Contrarily (and unfortunately), my coaches expect me to play with skill. To a certain extent, these are two very similar characteristics of my actions. If you play with effort, chances are you will play your best; if you play well, you are probably playing with effort. During games, I play with my all and hope for the best.
On the soccer field (as a referee): I'm sure many of you doubt this but I am truly a Louisiana certified soccer referee. In this position, I have two expectations coming from three different sources. The coordinators and administration expect me to be very objective during my work. I have to make proper decisions and stand my ground against the screaming soccer moms. I also believe in this expectation. I try to live up to standards, but in all honesty, I occasionally slack off and blame the sun for giving me a headache. My mother (specifically) expects me to accept games and stick to my word; it's her way of teaching me to be responsible and committed.
The Virtual World: Hah! For those people who know me well, I love my computers, so of course I couldn't let this one slip my mind. When I mention computers, I mean everything: the games, the internet, and the peoples inside of it. But all hobbies aside, I have to talk about expectations, so let's take a look at the community (which can't be done). You can't base assumptions on billions of people by a small set of people that vary. Different locations among the internet have different people who behave differently and expect differently. For example, league of legends (an RTS), has a ruthless community. The people who play this game will criticize your skills and do everything within their power to ruin your day (exaggeration). The picture of these gamers has led me to expect slim to nothing. When playing alongside fellow teammates, I don't expect them to be happy or be very good at the game. However, games like Mount&Blade: Warband have some really nice players. Because the game style is so involved in teamwork and has no permanent recordings, users tend to enjoy the game much more. I expect a lot from these people; they are nice people and have a great taste in games.
3/04 - 30min., 3/05 - 30min., 3/06 - 60min., 3/07 30min., 3/09 - 30min.
Total - 180min., Nervous Conditions (read 5 chapters and annotated 4)
On the soccer field: As a soccer player, I think I should play with effort. Contrarily (and unfortunately), my coaches expect me to play with skill. To a certain extent, these are two very similar characteristics of my actions. If you play with effort, chances are you will play your best; if you play well, you are probably playing with effort. During games, I play with my all and hope for the best.
On the soccer field (as a referee): I'm sure many of you doubt this but I am truly a Louisiana certified soccer referee. In this position, I have two expectations coming from three different sources. The coordinators and administration expect me to be very objective during my work. I have to make proper decisions and stand my ground against the screaming soccer moms. I also believe in this expectation. I try to live up to standards, but in all honesty, I occasionally slack off and blame the sun for giving me a headache. My mother (specifically) expects me to accept games and stick to my word; it's her way of teaching me to be responsible and committed.
The Virtual World: Hah! For those people who know me well, I love my computers, so of course I couldn't let this one slip my mind. When I mention computers, I mean everything: the games, the internet, and the peoples inside of it. But all hobbies aside, I have to talk about expectations, so let's take a look at the community (which can't be done). You can't base assumptions on billions of people by a small set of people that vary. Different locations among the internet have different people who behave differently and expect differently. For example, league of legends (an RTS), has a ruthless community. The people who play this game will criticize your skills and do everything within their power to ruin your day (exaggeration). The picture of these gamers has led me to expect slim to nothing. When playing alongside fellow teammates, I don't expect them to be happy or be very good at the game. However, games like Mount&Blade: Warband have some really nice players. Because the game style is so involved in teamwork and has no permanent recordings, users tend to enjoy the game much more. I expect a lot from these people; they are nice people and have a great taste in games.
3/04 - 30min., 3/05 - 30min., 3/06 - 60min., 3/07 30min., 3/09 - 30min.
Total - 180min., Nervous Conditions (read 5 chapters and annotated 4)
Sunday, March 3, 2013
Tambu's Trip
Feb 29:
Babamukuru just came home with some fantastic news: my brother died! Both my siblings and parents took it pretty badly. My dad (Jeremiah) was sad, but didn't take the blow as hard as my mother did. My mom bawled and mourned, all the while accusing Babamukuru of killing her son. Netsai cried too and Rambanai whimpered. It was a depressing moment. Despite the atmosphere, I was feeling great. Nhamo's death meant my education, and immediately opened up several doors for me. My mother claimed she would die from anxiety if I left; she didn't want me dying as well. But I decided to ignore her. I couldn't pass up an opportunity like this.
Feb 30:
I just arrived at Babamukuru's house, and I'm amazed. At first, the small building I first assumed was his house disappointed me, but I was wrong. It was his garage! His real house was a big and colorless, just like the white people had. When I entered the house, I was really surprised. I was exposed to new luxuries I haven't ever seen before. The house was clean and nice. However, there were some changes I noticed with the people at his house. Nyasha had become more disrespectful than she had used to be. Maiguru blames the trip to England for her demeanor. Anna has also changed. Her talkative attitude disappeared soon after my arrival to Babamukuru's house. Her tone became more objective and monotonous. She seemed to have lost her enthusiasm. Besides Nyasha and Anna's changes, I look forward to my education. I'm still very excited and prepared for this experience.
Babamukuru just came home with some fantastic news: my brother died! Both my siblings and parents took it pretty badly. My dad (Jeremiah) was sad, but didn't take the blow as hard as my mother did. My mom bawled and mourned, all the while accusing Babamukuru of killing her son. Netsai cried too and Rambanai whimpered. It was a depressing moment. Despite the atmosphere, I was feeling great. Nhamo's death meant my education, and immediately opened up several doors for me. My mother claimed she would die from anxiety if I left; she didn't want me dying as well. But I decided to ignore her. I couldn't pass up an opportunity like this.
Feb 30:
I just arrived at Babamukuru's house, and I'm amazed. At first, the small building I first assumed was his house disappointed me, but I was wrong. It was his garage! His real house was a big and colorless, just like the white people had. When I entered the house, I was really surprised. I was exposed to new luxuries I haven't ever seen before. The house was clean and nice. However, there were some changes I noticed with the people at his house. Nyasha had become more disrespectful than she had used to be. Maiguru blames the trip to England for her demeanor. Anna has also changed. Her talkative attitude disappeared soon after my arrival to Babamukuru's house. Her tone became more objective and monotonous. She seemed to have lost her enthusiasm. Besides Nyasha and Anna's changes, I look forward to my education. I'm still very excited and prepared for this experience.
C1 Layer Reflection
Yes, we've finally made it through one segment of our massive book project. For me, the C1 Layer was easy. I had picked the menu (10 points), 5 reading guides (50 points), and annotations (25 points) for a total of 85 points which capped at 79. I found the menu to be extremely simple and an easy 10 points. It took me around 5 minutes because I had already had a basic idea of what I wanted to do. On the other hand, the reading guides' questions at first proved a more challenging assignment. However, they did help me understand the book more thoroughly. They pinpointed important dialogue and events in the story and is definitely a strong study tool. Reading guides were satisfying to complete and useful to me.
Annotations were not as useful, but still worked towards the same idea. Reading guides emphasized significant events whereas annotations helped me develop critical thinking abilities which find important parts in the text. But annotations irritated the life out of me. They magnify my reading times; one chapter can easily become an hour. Yes, I understand I picked my poison, but I do have my reasons. Like I said before, it does help me comprehend the story. I can distinguish influential moments that highlight themes or dramatically affect the story. Secondly, I feel as though I can connect with the book. My predictions, questions, credit, and inferences can all be laid out on paper.
For the C2 Layer, I can't really have a change in plan. All I will have to do is adapt to the new assignments. In the second layer, I will have the NC test (20 points), 5 blogs (50 points), and annotations (25 points). The test as well as the blogs take me in a completely new direction, so I can't really adjust according to my C1 Layer. However, for my annotations I want to make more inferences, predictions, and questions. But for now, we can all enjoy next week, devoid of any Nervous Conditions assignments, and pat ourselves on the back for a successful (hopefully) C1 Layer.
2/25 - 30 min., 2/26 - 30 min., 2/26 - 40 min., 2/27 - 30 min., 2/28 - 40 min., 3/01 - 30 min.
Total - 200 min., Nervous Conditions (Ch. 4 - 7)
Annotations were not as useful, but still worked towards the same idea. Reading guides emphasized significant events whereas annotations helped me develop critical thinking abilities which find important parts in the text. But annotations irritated the life out of me. They magnify my reading times; one chapter can easily become an hour. Yes, I understand I picked my poison, but I do have my reasons. Like I said before, it does help me comprehend the story. I can distinguish influential moments that highlight themes or dramatically affect the story. Secondly, I feel as though I can connect with the book. My predictions, questions, credit, and inferences can all be laid out on paper.
For the C2 Layer, I can't really have a change in plan. All I will have to do is adapt to the new assignments. In the second layer, I will have the NC test (20 points), 5 blogs (50 points), and annotations (25 points). The test as well as the blogs take me in a completely new direction, so I can't really adjust according to my C1 Layer. However, for my annotations I want to make more inferences, predictions, and questions. But for now, we can all enjoy next week, devoid of any Nervous Conditions assignments, and pat ourselves on the back for a successful (hopefully) C1 Layer.
2/25 - 30 min., 2/26 - 30 min., 2/26 - 40 min., 2/27 - 30 min., 2/28 - 40 min., 3/01 - 30 min.
Total - 200 min., Nervous Conditions (Ch. 4 - 7)
Sunday, February 24, 2013
Paper Reflection
1. My writing process followed the assignments we were given: write rough draft, edit rough draft, and complete rough draft. The most difficult part of this procedure was probably editing. After looking over Dr. deGravelles' comments, I realized there were quite a large amounts of errors in my paper. In the next few days I had to work hard to compensate for my mistakes. Though it was a difficult process, it still proved the most useful and productive part. However, the transition from edited draft to complete wasn't useful to me. I had cleaned up a lot of the problems during the editing process. The main two corrections I made in this part were connecting the paragraphs smoothly and creating a strong conclusion. Lastly, I think you've done fine in preparing students for this assignment. The due dates are nicely spread out with understandable amounts of homework to fill.
2. I received a fair amount of good, informational feedback. My fellow peers helped strengthen my paper in terms of word choice and sentence fluency. Matthew Garrett specifically pointed out I was missing a source (Thanks!). Both Dr. deGravelles and my classmates played a big role in my editing process; I used their advice in my paper.
3. I believe it is safe to say the word choice in my paper is strong. Ever since I was young, I loved using big, sophisticated words. But at those ages, I tended to use them incorrectly and ruin the sentence fluency. However, I am not so confident in my ideas. After talking about the disadvantages of social media, I began talking about the advantages. During this process, I started losing ideas. I felt as though I needed the amount of disadvantages to be equivalent to the amount of advantages. For this reason, I could have put in some useless filler unknowingly.
4. Nope, nothing much to say here.
2/18 - 60min., 2/19 - 60min., 2/20 - 30min., 2/21 - 60min., 2/22 - 45min.
Total - 255min., pp. 1 - 57 (Nervous Conditions), (Paper)
2. I received a fair amount of good, informational feedback. My fellow peers helped strengthen my paper in terms of word choice and sentence fluency. Matthew Garrett specifically pointed out I was missing a source (Thanks!). Both Dr. deGravelles and my classmates played a big role in my editing process; I used their advice in my paper.
3. I believe it is safe to say the word choice in my paper is strong. Ever since I was young, I loved using big, sophisticated words. But at those ages, I tended to use them incorrectly and ruin the sentence fluency. However, I am not so confident in my ideas. After talking about the disadvantages of social media, I began talking about the advantages. During this process, I started losing ideas. I felt as though I needed the amount of disadvantages to be equivalent to the amount of advantages. For this reason, I could have put in some useless filler unknowingly.
4. Nope, nothing much to say here.
2/18 - 60min., 2/19 - 60min., 2/20 - 30min., 2/21 - 60min., 2/22 - 45min.
Total - 255min., pp. 1 - 57 (Nervous Conditions), (Paper)
Sunday, February 17, 2013
Reading Times
2/09 - 30min., 2/10 - 30min., 2/12 - 60min., 2/17 - 60min.,
Total - 180min., pp. 1 - 34 (read and annotated Nervous Conditions), (worked on paper)
Sunday, February 3, 2013
Reading Times
1/28 - 30min., 1/29 - 50min., 1/30 - 20min., 1/31 - 30min., 2/3 - 20min.
Total - pp. 174 - 230 (Moribito), (science notes)
Total - pp. 174 - 230 (Moribito), (science notes)
Sunday, January 27, 2013
Research Topic
Here are two explanations of my research topic from two perspectives, informal and formal:
Informal: I love technology. Not only does it make life easier, I use it daily and frequently, which is why my topic is technology and youth. I always really wanted to know "how technology affects the younger community socially". So far in my research, I have learned that social networks like twitter and facebook have really moved younger children, in good and bad ways. For example, these networks allow people to reconnect and communicate easily. However, there are many dangers like cyber bullying.
Formal: Every day, everywhere, people are mesmerized by the new, advanced technology that runs our society. This inescapable force influences our culture greatly, and my topic explores the effect on today's youth. I myself am a victim of this digital world; it only makes sense to evaluate the consequences of electronics. However, I plan to investigate the social effect, whether it be good or bad. So then the question arose, "how has technology affected the younger community socially?" I've done a fair amount of basic research, and I have come across a few answers. Technology such as social media networks have benefits, such as faster communication and connection between friends and family. However, one of the biggest risks of these networks include cyber bullying or harassment.
1/21 - 30min., 1/23 - 10min., 1/24 - 60min., 1/25 - 30min., 1/26 - 30min.,
Total - 150min., pp. 148 - 174 (Moribito), (found, read, and annotated 5 sources), ( read an article for world history about Great Zimbabwe), (read an article about Mount and Blade: Warband)
Informal: I love technology. Not only does it make life easier, I use it daily and frequently, which is why my topic is technology and youth. I always really wanted to know "how technology affects the younger community socially". So far in my research, I have learned that social networks like twitter and facebook have really moved younger children, in good and bad ways. For example, these networks allow people to reconnect and communicate easily. However, there are many dangers like cyber bullying.
Formal: Every day, everywhere, people are mesmerized by the new, advanced technology that runs our society. This inescapable force influences our culture greatly, and my topic explores the effect on today's youth. I myself am a victim of this digital world; it only makes sense to evaluate the consequences of electronics. However, I plan to investigate the social effect, whether it be good or bad. So then the question arose, "how has technology affected the younger community socially?" I've done a fair amount of basic research, and I have come across a few answers. Technology such as social media networks have benefits, such as faster communication and connection between friends and family. However, one of the biggest risks of these networks include cyber bullying or harassment.
1/21 - 30min., 1/23 - 10min., 1/24 - 60min., 1/25 - 30min., 1/26 - 30min.,
Total - 150min., pp. 148 - 174 (Moribito), (found, read, and annotated 5 sources), ( read an article for world history about Great Zimbabwe), (read an article about Mount and Blade: Warband)
Monday, January 21, 2013
Free Post: Reading Summarization (With Vocab)
Balsa was an adroit prodigy, even from the start. But as she grew up, her avocation of martial arts slowly developed into a job. All went fairly smoothly, until she rescued the second prince, Chagum. The second queen then requested a bodyguard for him, and to help him escape the murderers. It was then and there that the second prince became a protege of Balsa, the spear-wielder. The queen requested Balsa save him, because he was the bearer of an egg from the spiritual world, which needed special protection. Both Balsa and Chagum arrived at the palace with honor, but left it as basically pariahs, disguised and running. They began their crusade.
Soon enough, they were ambushed by elite assassins out to kill Chagum. Balsa managed to fight back three of them and escape with Chagum. They went to Balsa's friend's (Tanda's) house. After the fight, Balsa's demeanor had changed dramatically, now aware of the dangers. The erudite spear-wielder did not hesitate to teach the young Chagum basic karate. They were now on their toes, militant as ever. This stay at Tanda's was only a minor lapse in their journey, so they continue forward. The first tacit Chagum had become more raucous, feeling much more relaxed in the presence of Balsa.
Well, I was completely out of ideas for the free post; I figured I can do a reading response, but substitute the response for a summarization (I was 99% sure it was a "defined topic"). Well, I have to leave for Louisiana soon so I'm pressed for time. See ya'll later!
1/14 - 40min., 1/15 - 40min., 1/16 - 30min., 1/17 - 20min., 1/20 - 20min.
Total - 180 min., pp. 78 - 148 (Moribito), (read, found, annotated 5 sources)
Sunday, January 20, 2013
Research Update
Researching has always been strangely fun for me. I enjoyed learning about topics I care about in great detail, as well as explore others' opinions. In terms of information, I have plenty of primary sources, or what I believe to be primary sources. However, I have very few secondary sources and hope to find more. They're an essential element to the annotated bibliography and can't be ignored.
Besides the sources, my project is moving along smoothly. The groups we were assigned helped me and my sources. Not only did they correct any annotations on my paper, I also found another source. The annotations, however, need to be changed. For some unknown reason, I decided to alternate which questions to use in my annotations (the questions on the back differed from the ones in the front). This has created a major problem and I'm happy I recognized this.
Overall, I started out smoothly, finding plenty of sources with valuable information. On the other hand, I accidently ignored which types of sources they were and made a silly mistake. Hopefully in the next few days I can recover from these errors and progress through the project.
Besides the sources, my project is moving along smoothly. The groups we were assigned helped me and my sources. Not only did they correct any annotations on my paper, I also found another source. The annotations, however, need to be changed. For some unknown reason, I decided to alternate which questions to use in my annotations (the questions on the back differed from the ones in the front). This has created a major problem and I'm happy I recognized this.
Overall, I started out smoothly, finding plenty of sources with valuable information. On the other hand, I accidently ignored which types of sources they were and made a silly mistake. Hopefully in the next few days I can recover from these errors and progress through the project.
Sunday, January 13, 2013
Free Post: Favorite Hobby
I love video games. Ever since I was 5, playing video games has always been one of my favorite hobbies. I started with simple SEGA games like Aladdin (platformer) and Super Bomber man (strategy and action). My gaming habits slowly developed over time, switching games because they had been worn out. I looked into Runescape (medieval role playing game) and played it for months upon months with my brothers. Soon enough, I found another game....And another....And another....The chain continued and still continues today.
So a big question pops up - what makes gaming fun? In my opinion, there is no right answer. Looking at video games as a whole, the internet has plenty to offer. There are thousands of games accessible all the time. In addition to the mass of games, different styles of games offer even more variety. But when looking at individual games, players may be interested in the competition, action, or community.
If you haven't actually played many video games before, I recommend you consider playing some. There is a wide variety of games and I'm sure at least one game will appeal to you. Lastly, feel free to post in the comments your favorite hobby and give a bit of background information.
So a big question pops up - what makes gaming fun? In my opinion, there is no right answer. Looking at video games as a whole, the internet has plenty to offer. There are thousands of games accessible all the time. In addition to the mass of games, different styles of games offer even more variety. But when looking at individual games, players may be interested in the competition, action, or community.
If you haven't actually played many video games before, I recommend you consider playing some. There is a wide variety of games and I'm sure at least one game will appeal to you. Lastly, feel free to post in the comments your favorite hobby and give a bit of background information.
Reading Response: Moribito
As the first semester came to an end, I decided to pick up a different book. Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? left me bored. I was about 80 pages in and felt as though nothing had happened. After a quick browse through our bookshelf, I saw a book called Moribito. Right off the bat the book looked interesting. My brother told me he read it after watching the anime. He recommended it to me.
In the beginning of the book, you are thrown into a situation; a young prince on his carriage gets thrown off into a river. His servants fail to save him and drown, but a spear-wielder named Balsa shortly succeeds after. She is invited to the palace only to be confronted with a request. The queen asks her to protect her prince as a bodyguard.
I started liking Moribito right from the start. I was thrown into the rising action, with the exposition hidden throughout the text. These introductions always appeal to me, however, I'm not too sure why. It could be that slow starts bore me, and because they are the opposite, the opposite effect occurs. As of now, I like the beginning of the book, but I have no idea about the rest.
Just to touch up on my reading habits this week, I didn't do so well. Next week, I plan to improve my reading by going to more calm places. Once or twice I went to foster to try and read; that didn't work out... It seems as though upstairs in the back corner of the library is my best shot at reading.
01/07 - 30min., 01/08 - 30min., 01/09 - 60min., 01/13 - 30min.
Total - 150min., pp.1 - 78
In the beginning of the book, you are thrown into a situation; a young prince on his carriage gets thrown off into a river. His servants fail to save him and drown, but a spear-wielder named Balsa shortly succeeds after. She is invited to the palace only to be confronted with a request. The queen asks her to protect her prince as a bodyguard.
I started liking Moribito right from the start. I was thrown into the rising action, with the exposition hidden throughout the text. These introductions always appeal to me, however, I'm not too sure why. It could be that slow starts bore me, and because they are the opposite, the opposite effect occurs. As of now, I like the beginning of the book, but I have no idea about the rest.
Just to touch up on my reading habits this week, I didn't do so well. Next week, I plan to improve my reading by going to more calm places. Once or twice I went to foster to try and read; that didn't work out... It seems as though upstairs in the back corner of the library is my best shot at reading.
01/07 - 30min., 01/08 - 30min., 01/09 - 60min., 01/13 - 30min.
Total - 150min., pp.1 - 78
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