9/28/10

In class yesterday we had a peer review on our proposal essays. I looked over Andrew's paper. It was about the issue of building the mosque by where the world trade centers were. I haven't given the issue much thought until now, and for the most part I'm against it mostly because I think they just need to be more sensitive about it. I know if I was part of that group and we wanted to put a mosque there I would probably tell them that maybe it's not the best idea. I totally understand that not everyone from the Muslim religion was involved or for the 9/11 attacks, so they shouldn't be punished or hindered because of it. But, they still need to have a little more compassion and sensitivity towards those effected on that day.

Proposal Essay

Using a cell phone while driving should be illegal in all 50 states because it's dangerous and irresponsible, it distracts drivers from the road, and it puts not only the driver, but everyone around them in danger.

From personal experience I can say that no text is important or urgent enough to be worth causing an accident. It's dangerous to not have your full attention on driving and the road ahead, because if you're not paying attention you could cause an accident and could harm someone.  

100 People Screwing up America

I enjoyed reading this. I didn't know what to expect, I thought there were a lot of good points in it. Some of the stuff the celebrities say is unreal! Seriously! I was actually surprised by some of it, I think that a lot of what they said was rude and inappropriate. Yes, we do have freedom of speech, but people need to still be respectful/have some sort of manners.The story about the mother who wouldn't let her daughter fly a flag unless she bought it and it stayed in her room was ridiculous. If people think it's such a terrible place then they should go live somewhere else. Every country has made bad choices at some point in history, so they'll have a hard time finding a place that they can't criticize. Another thing I liked was the story about Barbara Walters. I agree with that 100%. That the news shouldn't be all about celebrities, they're people so what? There are wars going on, starving people, and homeless children, and she's talking about Mel Gibson's 35th DUI (that's an exaggeration). I don't need to know about that, and I don't care. It's sick the emphasis put on knowing what's going on in celebrities lives, when we should be talking and hearing about current events that actually matter.

Peer Editing

In class on Thursday we had a peer review. Personally I don't like peer reviews, I understand that they're helpful, but I don't like my writing, and so I'm embarrassed   to show others. I like to read other people's writing though, so that part is ok, except I'm one of the people who thinks that everything is good and the paper is perfect, so I'm no help at all really. I don't like critiquing something that I don't know very much about and am not very good at myself.

What I want to accomplish in life

This is take 2. I wrote one, read it, and realized that what I wrote was exactly what we're supposed to write. "I want to find a job I love and be successful blah blah blah." Well the truth is I have no idea what I want to accomplish. I don't know what I want to be, I don't know where I want to be, and I don't know what I want to accomplish. So what do I know? I know that when I've been on mission trips I've been the happiest I've ever been, and that playing and loving the little kids was one of the best things I've ever done. I also know that later in life I would like to adopt and/or foster children. I think it's terrible that a child should go through their life without a stable family, and maybe thinking that they weren't loved. Opening a children's home for lots of kids would be amazing, although I have no idea how to go about that at all. But, I know it's something I care a lot about. So maybe I do know what I want to accomplish? I don't know. I think that at this point in my life I'm just trying to figure out who I am, and what I'm about. 

Boys vs Girls

In class we had a discussion about sexism, and had to go through and list the qualities of boys and the qualities of girls. The guys went with the usual, "needy, whiny, dramatic, annoying, emotional, jealous, etc, etc." We, the girls, described the guys with things like, "inconsiderate, arrogant, cocky, smelly, overprotective, gross, etc." When I look at the lists that we made and thought about it for a while, I realized that while I do know some guys that are just those things, I know others that are sweet, sensitive, and caring. Also there are women who don't think hygiene is the most important thing, and are sloppy.  So as a class I think we all just listed the "bad" girl and boy qualities, and left out the good ones, which are the ones we actually should talk about. Some guys ARE good listeners, and the funniest person I know is a boy. Some important qualities the guys left out about girls is that we're independent, smart, and mostly laid back. So, I guess what I'm saying is it's important that we don't stereotype or assume things about anyone. It's best to get to know someone instead of just thinking that they're a certain way.

The Notebook

When I saw this on the list of stories we were going to read I got super excited. I love love love The Notebook. My favorite quote out of the section we read is this, "I am a common man with common thoughts, and I've led a common life. There are no monuments dedicated to me and my name will soon be forgotten, but I've loved another with all my heart and soul, and to me, this has always been enough." I just can't help but smile when I read that. I'm pretty sure the world would be a better place if this is how everyone thought. That just loving someone with all their heart and soul is enough, and that it doesn't matter that he's not rich or famous, because he has someone to love and that is all he needs. I have read the book twice, and have seen the movie too many times to count, and I still cry like a baby. Every time I find something new to love. Nicholas Sparks makes people fall in love with his characters. Well I know I do anyway. This may be off subject, but I've always wondered if Nicholas is as romantic in real life as he makes everyone else be in his books. I don't know how I'll ever get the answer to that, but it's just a thought. Well that's all for now. Bye!

 

Medical Literacy

When I was 6 or so I asked my brother, even though he's a year older and a lot bigger than I, if he wanted to wrestle. He said yes, pushed me down, and I broke my collar bone (we didn't know that yet though). So I was sitting on the ground crying, as my dad was telling me I was fine and it didn't hurt. Like he knew?! When the crying didn't stop mom decided they should take me to the doctor. Once we got there they took me to get an x-ray. The whole time the nurses and doctor were using words and phrases I has never heard before, and it was pretty scary, but ever since then I've been interested in going into the medical field and learning what all of the words, phrases, and other things mean, and helping other people and patients understand what they mean too.