In Praise of the F Word

I agree with Sherry's point that if students do not have "a healthy fear of failure," they will not be motivated to work. When I was growing up, I had that fear of failure instilled within me by my parents. My parents would set up educational guidelines that we had to meet in order to please them. If they weren't met, then failure required punishment, and punishment helped with the process of working hard in school. No one wants to be grounded over a weekend because of grades or being unsuccessful in class. I believe this is a healthy fear of failure because a good kid doesn't want to disappoint their parents in anyway. Kids try hard to please their parents so that they have more privileges in the long run. Having a fear of failure can be bad and unhealthy as well, because to please someone when you don't understand a certain situation can cause you to cheat and squeeze by each class. I did this in a few of my classes throughout high school, and at the time it seemed like the only option I could take because of how strict my parents were on my grades. Today I am in college and I have the fear of failure, but I think it's the healthiest fear it has ever been because it is me who will be disappointed if things don't work out as planned. I don't like letting myself down so I am doing the best I can to push myself and learn everything without feeling like I have to cheat to make it through. To have both healthy and unhealthy types of fear of failure helped me to realize that learning is necessary and my hard work will show in the end.

Write First CH 34

When I think of ideal affordable housing, I hope for a kid friendly neighborhood that looks livable from the outside. A housing structure that doesn't look appealing on the outside screams "Creepy" to me! I would hate to have to live in an area that looked haunted like the picture at the top of this chapter. It isn't easy to feel good about being in the lower income families. I understand that low income means that you aren't going to get everything you have ever dreamt of, but if the outside looks descent then it helps build every one's opinions of your house as well as your own. I know some low income families that have more in their lives than a full time, hard working individual. It blows my mind knowing that some reasons for having more are that the low income people get everything paid for them. No wonder families aren't trying to get out of the lower income bracket, it keeps them from having to pay for things themselves. I feel like water, sewer, and garbage could be paid for completely without harming or spoiling the lower income people. I don't think the accessories should be paid for by the states, this includes telephone, cable, etc. Those are extra amenities that are not necessary to have to live. I would hope for an appealing neighborhood that shows everyone that good people live in the area and not to be afraid to come over and visit.

The Seat Not Taken

The seat not taken has made me agree with Wideman's analysis of the situation that took place on the bus. Having an empty seat majority of my bus rides would cause me to rule out certain instances on why someone wouldn't chose to sit next to me which would then lean toward the fact of skin color. Although I am white, I have black friends and I have no reason to not sit next to a colored person on a bus. There are racist people in this world that would judge a colored person enough to chose a different place to sit, but I would not use that against anyone. For Wideman, he just ruled out all the possibilities and reasons why someone wouldn't sit next to him and it turned into there was no other reason other than his skin color in his mind. He has the right to believe or not believe that his color is the problem for others.

If I were to ride a bus daily to and from work or even on a short trip through town, I would sit by almost anyone. Although there are people I'd prefer not to sit by, if there was only one seat left, I would chose to sit there no matter how uncomfortable it would make me. I am the type of person that is too nice to really speak my mind and will worry of what someone will think just like Wideman did. If I were to chose to stand instead of taking the last seat available I would feel just as terrible as I would if I chose to sit at the last available seat.

"GOONIES NEVER SAY DIE!"

At the beginning of this assignment, I had a hard time figuring out what my favorite movie was. I kept thinking about movies I had recently watched and realized that all I had watched lately were kid movies. I couldn’t really come up with any ideas until I started thinking about what the best movie was during my childhood. That is when I realized that my all time favorite movie is “The Goonies,” hands down. This movie is about Oregonian kids who adventure out to seek One-Eyed Willie’s treasure in hopes to stop their homes from demolition. The cast of this movie includes, Corey Feldman as Mouth, Jeff B. Cohen as Chunk, Sean Astin as Mikey, Kerri Green as Andy, Jonathan Ke Quan as Data, Martha Plimpton as Stef, Josh Brolin as Brand, and John Matuszak as Sloth.

At age 10, I watched this movie for the first time and I fell deeply in love with Mikey. For some reason that kid had a way of being the group leader and I thought he was super good looking as a kid. Although I had a massive crush on Mikey, my favorite scene from the movie is when Chunk spills his guts about everything but what the Fratellis wanted to hear like what he had done in the movie theatre with the fake puke he made to play a joke on everybody. That kid was probably the funniest character of the whole movie. He did many things to make his audience laugh. At the beginning of the movie, he is watching the cop chase and squeezes his milkshake cup and it goes all over his face, Mouth made him do the “truffle shuffle” just to get in the gate at Mikey’s house, he breaks Mikey’s moms statue in the most delicate spot, he thinks he’s talking to the cops when he finds the Fratellis’ hideout, and many more. The Goonies are famous for their saying “GOONIES NEVER SAY DIE,” which is said by Mikey towards the end when Andy is saying that things could go terribly wrong and every one of them have a chance of dying if they continue until the end. Andy becomes a part of The Goonies shortly after Mikey’s speech which convinces everyone to finish their adventure. This movie was made in Astoria Oregon and being able to say I know where that is and have been there before makes for another reason big enough to claim that The Goonies is my favorite movie of all time. 

Chapter 20 Write First

Cigarette companies are required to print labels on the sides of the packs to warn consumers of the possible health issues one may face if used over a long period of time. I believe by printing this on every pack sold has developed the tobacco companies a way to get away with slowly killing individuals. Its funny that I even speak of this like its something so terrible, because I am a smoker. The point is that it is done to save the companies behinds if and when there is an event where someone wants to sue for being ill or close to death. This reminds me of instances where people I know have gone out and done things they know is either illegal or dangerous, and when he/she gets hurt it becomes the products fault. Everyone loves to blame other people or things for what happened to them but in all actuality it is all because of their wrong doings. That is why things like warning labels are written all over the many dangerous things that most people continue to use. So when I think of another law that should be passed and used in most states, if not all, I think of a no tolerance law for drunk driving. Today the laws are getting stricter on what your blood alcohol level can be while driving, but why not just cut to the chase and set it to no tolerance. I feel that this wouldn't stop everyone from driving drunk, but those that do have some common sense to abide by the law would most likely take it serious. This could help tremendously with the death rate of drunk drivers. Most bar owners are probably worried that their business will fail due to a law such as this one being passed. I would propose that much like Las Vegas, cheaper alternative transportation such as a bus system could be set up for those that are drinking and don't have other transportation home.

How Facebook is Making Friending Obsolete

My social media experience started with MySpace, where opinion sharing was typically between family and friends. When everything changed to Facebook, I felt as though the ability for privacy had changed drastically. Within time my personal Facebook, without realizing, turned into a friend count of over 400 people. This is when I began to realize that what I said on my Facebook statuses were being shared with many people rather than just my close friends and family. The people I had been talking to in my mind were my close friends, but actually had turned into acquaintances. We all know our most intimate friends don’t tend to be a number higher than ten or twenty if you are lucky. So once you have a higher count of people on your “friends” list, you are allowing your personal life to be broadcasted to the world.

I agree with the writers point about Facebook. Obviously, I use Facebook. My reasons have changed overtime to be honest. To begin with, it was to stay in touch with family and friends from either high school or those that lived a good distance from me. Now, it’s almost as though I can post something of significance or even insignificance and still get a response from someone. Facebook has turned into a social media site for the people whom aren’t famous! It is almost like when a famous person gets attention by random strangers that claim to be their idols. Facebook is just another way for a mediocre individual to get noticed by anyone on their friends list or publicly. It would be silly to not think that Facebook is making friends obsolete. I continue to use it much like many others and that is to get the satisfaction that someone will respond to my statuses. It is no longer for the satisfaction of having a conversation with the ones you are closest to. 

Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus

First off, I really enjoyed reading this essay because of the unique way Gray talked about women being Venusians and men being Martians. Gray signaled the movement from the first subject to the second subject by transition words. For example, when he is talking in paragraph 19 he mentions how communication is of primary importance to women. In paragraph 20, he mentions how men get their satisfaction when achieving goals. To transition between those 2 paragraphs to the next subject he uses the sentence, “Instead of being goal oriented, women…” This is a perfect transition into the next subject, because he restated that women aren’t like men and then goes on to his next subject of women being relationship oriented. I believe that the subject by subject comparison is much more affective in this aspect because it keeps the reader intrigued. If Gray was to do this essay point by point, there would be less opportunity of getting the real life instances that kept me reading. I felt like it was an argument at some points of the essay just by the way he transitioned back and forth. It related to me and my past relationships to where I felt I had to keep reading!

If I were to add a fully developed conclusion to sum up Grays selection points, I would choose to summarize in a few sentences how men and women aren’t alike. I would also include a sentence or two that explains if women and men knew how each of us felt about things, there would be a possibility of a better life especially being in a relationship. At the same time I feel like this type of selection really doesn’t need such a conclusion. I was pleased with it as a reader because of the comparisons of both women and men. 

Write First Ch. 18

If I had the option to trade anyone places, I would have to choose Jennie Finch. She is definitely the most famous softball player of all times in my eyes. What appeals to me about Jennie is her outstanding ability to play my favorite sport. Growing up, I always thought about how awesome it would be to become a professional softball player. Since Jennie has been a three time All-American pitcher and first baseman, I have been jealous of her. Everyone seems to rather trade places with someone whom has tons of money, but for me it is not about the amount of money, it is simply for the experience to do what I love most. To be able to be the highlight of the game, the one whom the crowd cheers for and loves to watch, the one that can throw that ball so fast to strike most every batter out would be the best feeling in the world! Money doesn’t buy happiness, but doing something you love and having the ability to be good at what you do can become the greatest feeling there is in life. Jennie’s fame has turned into a great future for herself as well. She married the Minnesota Twins pitcher Casey Daigle in the year 2005 and a little over a year later they had a son. I would say she has had some really good experiences and it would be great to say that I was her for those reasons. Along with both of their great talents, they come with great looks and I’m sure you all have someone that you would rather look like. Jennie Finch is my idol for looks and talent which helped with getting her where she is today. There are some great opportunities to being known for what you do in this world and Jennie Finch has lived that dream.

What I learned from Essay #1

When I started to research about the game of softball and baseball, I found quite a bit of things that were interesting. I had realized I hadn't known near as much as I thought I did. Although it has been a few years since I have played the sport, I did forget a few simple things. For example, the distance between the mound and home plate for both had slipt my mind. I also had never looked into figuring out what each ball was made up of. I was shocked to learn that the baseball was made up of over a mile in length of string. When I was younger, I did cut into the outter layer of a baseball to find string, but it never really accured to me that the string was all it was made up of. I have learned quite a bit from my fellow classmates as well and really enjoyed reading each and every essay that I came across. I feel like everyone is doing a wonderful job in progressing in the class and learning how to write structured sentences as well as great paragraphs that flow from one to the other.

Two Sources

Softball is a type of baseball that consists of nine players. There are a few differences, as well as similarities, when comparing baseball to softball. One difference is the distance between the pitcher’s mounds to home plate. Another is the size of the ball being thrown and what it has within it. A softball has a diameter of 4 ½ inches, and is made with a center of cork and rubber. The size of the ball has a pretty significant difference than a baseball, but the way that it is thrown has a tremendously modified. The softball is pitched underhand either slow pitch or fast pitch, while the baseball is thrown overhand. With the size difference of the baseball and softball, it makes things more sensible to through it under rather than over.  Even though there are those few differences, there are many similarities as well. Most of the equipment used in baseball is used while playing softball. For example, cleats; a projecting piece of metal or hard rubber attached to the underside of a shoe to provide traction. Bats, gloves, and protective gear, such as helmets or sliding gear are worn by both.

The team’s main goal is to score more runs than the opposing team. With a total of seven innings, each team participates in batting and fielding with each inning. This exchange of positions occur when a teach reaches three outs while at bat. To receive an out is to get 3 strikes, being tagged with the ball in glove when running the bases, or having your ball caught before it hits the ground.

I found these sources through the Google search engine by typing in, “softball rules” and “softball information.” I find this information helpful and well written. It is a short version of what the rules are, but it gives the main idea of the sport as a whole. It could help me when writing my paper, because it is a clear cut way of explaining the game to someone whom has never played or watched the sport before.

My sources are:

Women’s Sport Information, Softball. http://www.womenssportsinformation.com/softball.html, May 1, 2013.

Sports Information, Softball. http://www.sports-information.org/softball.htm, 2007-2010. May 1, 2013.

Library Source

Citation Information:

Softball. Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6Th Edition [serial on the Internet]. (2013, Feb), [cited April 30, 2013]; 1. Available from: Academic Search Premier.

When I looked at the Academic Search Premier database for Lane Community College, I realized that it was much more accurate as to what I was requesting. It was straight to the Encyclopedia and other sources that were more likely true information than random websites that people have on the internet. While using the internet in particular, I received the information I needed, but it was time consuming to find it. There are many different articles of personal experiences or information that are more on the topic of personal beliefs of the sport. Since it is my choice on where I get my information, I would decide to use the library databases first before I turned to the internet sources. 

My Favorite Pizza

Most individuals that indulge in pizza tend to choose more than one hot delicious topping to cover the golden brown crust in which the pizza sauce lightly lays. I choose to have the only item that makes a pizza so satisfying. Cheese is my favorite kind of pizza, and I am sure a lot of people tend to think when I order this plain no meat pizza, "is this woman feeding a group of kids?" Although I do have little rascals, I make this decision on my own. There is something about the soft, greasy, melted cheese that covers that crispy crust in such a manner that it can melt in anybody's mouth! I can't help but think about how people tend to forget to appreciate the taste of cheese on its own. It is the first topping and the only topping that makes the pizza superb.

SOFTBALL

Sports have always been a part of me, but softball has been my number one heart and soul of all the possible sports available. While growing up I watched my brother enjoy all kinds of sports, which in turn made my love for them grow fonder. I spent a fair amount of time at the ball parks, basketball courts, and football fields cheering for him and his teammates. I was 9 years old when I got the nerve to ask my parents to play sports. Within my mind, I felt as though sports were for boys and that the girls were supposed to sit back and watch. I decided I was not going to be the girl that I had stereotyped myself as, and so I told my parents I wanted to try out for softball. My parents were very supportive with most of my decisions at this young age only because they trusted I knew when to speak up if it wasn't something I really enjoyed participating in. Since I had chosen for myself to play softball, they wanted to keep my spirits up and cheer me on just as much as they did my brother. I began to practice hard and even read about the sport to get all the rules memorized. I was determined to get the attention from my parents, as well as the crowd for being the best player on my team. Now that I am an adult with 2 beautiful children, it makes having time for fun next to impossible. I would like to find out more about co-ed softball teams that could possibly be offered at the times I am available for fun.  

"Read and Respond #1"

When I was in elementary school, I remember feeling like it was the most important place that I needed to be. My parents always kept my enthusiasm up when it came to how necessary school is to become successful in the future. They were always able to explain to me that I would go further in life if I continue to work hard and learn a lot. Since I had the reassuring type of parents, going to school was a sanctuary in my eyes.

I would have days when I felt that school was boring or wasn’t doing anything to help me. My parents would tell me over and over again that learning wasn’t always going to be fun, but within time I would realize that without school I wouldn’t have any idea how to live as an adult. As a kid, all I wanted in life was to be “bigger” and have more responsibilities, so those things that were said to me really kept me intrigued. I remember waking up every morning to get dressed for school, knowing that I was just one day closer to becoming the adult I dreamt to be.

School was my sanctuary in elementary school and to this day I teach my children that learning is the most important aspect of life. I try to set the same example for them as my parents did for me in hopes to teach them that school is necessary to achieve dreams.

"First Graded Paragraph"

When I first started this first paragraph, I could not figure out what I wanted to write about. I looked at my options within the list of things I could chose from and decided on an event that changed my life. I started to free write about my initial idea of becoming a single mom. I finished writing and then re-read the paragraph multiple times. I realized that I actually had been describing how great my parents were to me while I dealt with the process of becoming a single mom. I started to rearrange my sentences and made it more about how this event in my life had made me realize my parents are my heroes. The peer editing helped me understand that I had a few things incorrect, such as; my formatting and a few grammatical errors with my commas and semi-colons. It has helped me make the revisions that I didn't catch on my own, which will hopefully turn into a great grade for this first paragraph assignment. 

"ZUMBA"

About a week ago, I decided to start a healthier lifestyle. When I began to think of what I could do to help myself change physically, Zumba came to my mind. I had heard before that it is a great way to burn calories, and I figured that the challenge of dancing would keep me interested. I set my mind to finding a workout partner, and found one for every day of the week after my classes. Anna and I have one another to keep our motivation. At times we laugh at each other, but that is what helps me keep the workout interesting. If there is never a dull moment together as workout partners, then we are more likely to stick to our original plan; to become healthier. Within a week, I have lost 7lbs and quite a few inches off of my body. Zumba is one of the greatest workouts for me and has improved my body, and mind. I am a very dedicated woman and I know I’m on the fast track to a healthier, happier me!

"Kinesthetic Learner"

Kinesthetic learners are people who would rather be active in their learning experiences. I agree with my assessment of being a kinesthetic learner because of three specific reasons. First, within the summary of this type of learning, it states that, being hands on and staying actively involved in what is being learned will be preferred by those whom are kinesthetic learners. For example, if you put me on a softball field for the first time and have me play the game with everyone, I can guarantee that I will have more knowledge of the game rather than if I were to sit and watch it from the bleachers. When I stay active, it helps me express myself.  Secondly, it says that when coming into a classroom, it is more likely to learn if the instructor demonstrates real life examples within his/her lecture. Therefore, if the instructor shows me through writing on the whiteboard as to what information I need to focus in on, then I tend to learn much faster than if I were being read to directly from a textbook. Finally, it says that sitting close to the front of the classroom and taking notes help keep from being distracted and can help with focusing on what is being discussed. I am the type of person you will see sit really close to the front of the room and will be taking notes the majority of the class period. To stay intrigued by the information being thrown at me, I have to be active.  Being hands on while learning is the best way for me to remember what is needed in the future.

"Write First"

Chapter 1:

When I write on a daily basis, it usually involves a Facebook post or text message. I am mostly speaking to people I know very well, or I post status updates about random ideas. Most of this writing is for entertainment purposes, and tend to have multiple fragments or abbreviations. I would say my daily writing is very casual. 

After reading chapter one, I have learned that there are many different kinds of writing. The analysis of my "Write First" portion of this assignment has explained more of an informal way of writing from day to day rather than what is expected in a college setting. Formal ways of writing are used when reports, essays, paragraphs, and short answers are assigned by an instructor or boss, therefore; grammar, punctuation, and spelling is essential. I will soon be learning these things throughout the course and other courses that follow.