C.S. Lewis makes such a valid point. There are so many unspoken heirarchies in our society. They aren't always talked about and not everyone is aware of their existence. I think that a good example of a modern, easy to understand inner ring is cliques. That group of girls that everyone knows ABOUT, but they don't really know them. You have to be invited to do things with the group. Once they decide they like you, you're in, but getting in is not always easy. It's like the movie Mean Girls. Regina, Gretchen and Karen make up the "inner ring" that is The Plastics. They decide they like Cady, so they invite her into their circle. Since she's new though, Cady is still not treated like an equal. She has to spend a little bit of time on the outskirts. With The Plastics, Regina is clearly the leader, and she makes the rules for the entire group and sometimes the entire school. She carries alot of influence with her peers. This is an example of an inner circle that is clearly defined but there are also the ones that go unnoticed as well like secret societies. While I have never encountered a secret society, you hear about them on t.v. and I'm sure they really exist. An inner ring like this would be one you're not aware of until you're in.
While I know what Lewis is referring to when he talks about inner rings, I'm not exactly sure what he means by good and evil ones. I guess an example of an evil inner ring could be the Ku Klux Klan. There's a heirarchy within it and at least they think they make the rules of society. They live by their own laws. Obviously the KKK's beliefs and their violent practices of hate and discrimination don't make them a good group to be associated with...so that leaves evil? I'm not sure if that was his meaning of evil...
The students that Lewis was addressing were probably interested in what he was saying because most people have had run ins with inner rings of some kind. This speech wouldn't be a completely foreign topic that they have to try and grasp. Lewis is just expanding on something that the students are will aware of. He presents the information in a candid and entertaining way so that the audience can get something out of his speech and not tune him out within the first five minutes out of boredom.
Friday, December 17, 2010
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
PROcrastination
I'm a pro at procrastination. Oddly, not something I'm pround of... and I'm definitely not the only one. Everyone procrastinates, which sucks. Basically I'm procrastinating right now. I should be reading "The Inner Ring." At least blogging, something that's semi related to school is better than what I was doing two minutes ago. Can you guess what it was? Yep. I was on facebook--the major contributing factor when it comes to my procrastination. I tell myself I'm just going to log on for a second to check things or tell my friend something and then and hour later I look at the clock and think, oh wait, I still haven't done my math homework...or my U.S. History reading....or my AP comp homework. My procrastination then leads to stress because I was on facebook while I should have been studying or working on a project, causing me to cram the night before a test and rush through a project (which I've become good at because I seem to work well under pressure--not a good thing because I use this to justify my procrastinating habits). So pretty much the point of this was to waste time. Which I think I sufficiently did. Maybe I'll finally move on to something productive. Or not...
Monday, December 13, 2010
Miracle pre-game speech (Coach Brooks)
This link is to a video clip from the movie Miracle. Coach Brooks is inspiring team USA to play the greatest game they've ever had because it wasn't just about hockey. It was about the entire country and the Cold War with the Soviet union. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vwpTj_Z9v-c&feature=related
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Synonyms for Argue
Argue- verb
Definition: verbally fight; try to convince; present support; give reasons or cite evidence in support of an idea, action, or theory, typically with the aim of persuading others to share one's view
Etimology: from Old French arguer and from latin argutari, "to prattle"
Examples: She was too tired to argue the point.
I tried to argue him out of it.
Don't argue with me.
1. Fight- verb
Definition: verbally fight; try to convince; present support; give reasons or cite evidence in support of an idea, action, or theory, typically with the aim of persuading others to share one's view
Etimology: from Old French arguer and from latin argutari, "to prattle"
Examples: She was too tired to argue the point.
I tried to argue him out of it.
Don't argue with me.
1. Fight- verb
Definition: take part in a violent struggle involving the exchange of physical blows or the use of weapons
Examples: The men were fighting.
They fight with other children.
There was another war to fight.
noun
Definition:
a violent confrontation or struggle (Ex: we'll get into a fight and wind up with bloody noses)
a boxing match.
a battle or war (Ex: the country was not eager for a fight with the US)
a vigorous struggle or campaign for or against something (Ex: a long fight against cancer).
an argument or quarrel (Ex: she had a fight with her husband)
the inclination or ability to fight or struggle (Ex: Ginny felt the fight trickle out of her)
Etimology: Old English feohtan (verb), feoht(e), gefeoht (noun); related to Dutch vechten, gevecht and German fechten, Gefecht
2. Debate- noun
Definition: a formal discussion on a particular topic in a public meeting or legislative assembly, in which opposing arguments are put forward; an argument about a particular subject, especially one in which many people are involved (Ex: the national debate on abortion.
There has been much debate about prices)
verb
Definition: argue about (a subject), especially in a formal manner (Ex: the board debated his proposal.
The date when people first entered America is hotly debated)
- consider a possible course of action in one's mind before reaching a decision (Ex: he debated whether he should leave the matter alone or speak to her)
Etymology: Middle English: via Old French from Latin dis- (expressing reversal) + battere 'to
3. Quarrel- noun
Definition: an angry argument or disagreement, typically between people who are usually on good terms; An angry dispute; an altercation (Ex: The teacher didn't want to get involved in the two friends' quarrel.
The quarrel caused a fall out between the girls of the group.)
Verb
Definition: Have an angry argument or disagreement (Ex: The lunchroom was disrupted as the group in the corner quarreled.)
Etymology: from Old french querele, from Latin querella "complaint," from queri "to complain, lament."
4. Squabble- noun
Definition: a noisy quarrel about something petty or trivial (Ex: family squabbles)
verb
Definition: quarrel noisily over a trivial matter; To engage in a disagreeable argument, usually over a trivial matter; wrangle. (Ex: the boys were squabbling over a ball)
Etymology: early 17th century: probably imitative; compare with Swedish dialect skvabbel 'a dispute.
5. Bicker- verb
Definition: argue about petty and trivial matters; to engage in petulant or peevish argument; wrangle (Ex: whenever the phone rings, they bicker over who must answer it.
The constant bickering between Edgar and his mother annoys the rest of the family)
Etymology: from middle dutch word bicken, "to attack; again and again"
6. Altercate- verb
Definition: dispute or argue noisily and publicly; to argue, especially heatedly; dispute
(Ex: this discussion is so silly we might as well altercate on how many angels can dance on the point of a needle).
Etymology: from Latin altercārī to quarrel with another, from alter other
7. Battle- noun
Definition: a sustained fight between large, organized armed forces (Ex: the Battle of Shiloh.
He died in battle.)
-a lengthy and difficult conflict or struggle (Ex. the battle over the future shape of Europethe battle against aging).
verb
Definition: fight or struggle tenaciously to achieve or resist something (Ex. he has been battling against the illness.
Representatives from eight countries are battling for the title.)
-engage in a fight or struggle against (Ex. firefighters battled a 9,800-acre brush fire).
Etymology: Middle English: from Old French bataille (noun), bataillier (verb), based on late Latin battualia 'military or gladiatorial exercises, from Latin battuere "to beat"
8. Feud- noun
Definition: a state of prolonged mutual hostility, typically between two families or communities, characterized by violent assaults in revenge for previous injuries (Ex: the long-standing feud between two noble families. Shakespeare artfully depicts the feud between the Capulets and the Montegues in Romeo and Juliet)
-a prolonged and bitter quarrel or dispute (Ex: one of the most volatile feuds that currently rock the scientific community).
verb
Definition: in a prolonged quarrel or conflict (Ex: these two families have been feuding since the Civil War. and Hoover feuded with the CIA for decades).
Etymology: Middle English fede 'hostility, ill will', from Old French feide, from Middle Dutch, Middle Low German vēde; related to foe
9. Dispute- noun
Definition: a disagreement, argument, or debate (Ex: a territorial dispute between the two countries. The question in dispute is altogether insignificant).
-a disagreement between management and employees that leads to an action of protest by the employees (Ex. if this dispute cannot be resolved quickly, a formal strike is inevitable).
verb
Definition: argue about (something); discuss heatedly (Ex: I disputed the charge on the bill. He taught and disputed with local poets).
-question whether (a statement or alleged fact) is true or valid (Ex: the accusations are not disputed. The estate disputes that it is responsible for the embankment).
-to compete for; strive to win (Ex: the two drivers crashed while disputing the lead)
- archaic resist (a landing or advance) (Ex: I formed my line and prepared to dispute the advance of the foe).
9. Dispute- noun
Definition: a disagreement, argument, or debate (Ex: a territorial dispute between the two countries. The question in dispute is altogether insignificant).
-a disagreement between management and employees that leads to an action of protest by the employees (Ex. if this dispute cannot be resolved quickly, a formal strike is inevitable).
verb
Definition: argue about (something); discuss heatedly (Ex: I disputed the charge on the bill. He taught and disputed with local poets).
-question whether (a statement or alleged fact) is true or valid (Ex: the accusations are not disputed. The estate disputes that it is responsible for the embankment).
-to compete for; strive to win (Ex: the two drivers crashed while disputing the lead)
- archaic resist (a landing or advance) (Ex: I formed my line and prepared to dispute the advance of the foe).
Etymology: Middle English: via Old French from Latin disputare 'to estimate' (in late Latin 'to dispute'), from dis- 'apart' + putare "reckon"
10. Contend- verb
Definition: (contend with/against) struggle to surmount (a difficulty or danger) (Ex: she had to contend with his uncertain temper)
-(contend for) engage in a competition or campaign in order to win or achieve (something) (Ex: the local team should contend for a division championship (as adjectivecontending) disputes continued between the contending parties).
- assert something as a position in an argument (Ex: he contends that the judge was wrong).
Etymology: late Middle English (in the sense 'compete for (something)'): from Old French contendre or Latin contendere, from con-'with' + tendere 'stretch, strive'
Sunday, December 5, 2010
STRESS at WHS
(sorry mrs. cardona! literally woke up 2 seconds ago....)
No one can deny that stress levels at Wayzata high school are astronomical. This is a topic that has come up several times already since the beginning of the term in Psycology class. What I want to know is, why? Mr. Johnson has been implying that the stress is higher than many surrounding schools. Do we put the pressure on ourselves as students? Or is it the overall expectations of the school? I personally think it's a mixture of both. Everyone knows that Wayzata is one of the best public schools around and therefore wants to succeed. The teachers and administrators also want to maintain our good reputation. Wayzata has been stereotyped as being snobby and stuck up--our stress situation has not helped to break this perception of our school. While we're striving to be the best in everything that we do, Wayzata kids no doubt come across as snobs. I personally, don't want to be viewed this way, but i know that there are times when I am. While not all students put the academic pressure on themselves, I am definitely one that does. I want to succeed. It's as simple as that. I feel like if I don't recieve that stellar GPA I will have let myself down. Because of this, I freak out about failing a reading quiz in AP Comp and getting my first grade lower than an A last term in this class....Why am I doing this to myself? It's called AP for a reason and colleges will recognize that when viewing my transcript, but the stress is still there. I can't help it. At my old school in small town, Ohio, the academic expectations and standards aren't there. I can't help but believe I wouldn't be this worried about my grades and getting into a good college if I still lived there. The stress just comes with the prestige of attending a top school. It can't really be avoided...and don't even get me started on the athletic pressure......
No one can deny that stress levels at Wayzata high school are astronomical. This is a topic that has come up several times already since the beginning of the term in Psycology class. What I want to know is, why? Mr. Johnson has been implying that the stress is higher than many surrounding schools. Do we put the pressure on ourselves as students? Or is it the overall expectations of the school? I personally think it's a mixture of both. Everyone knows that Wayzata is one of the best public schools around and therefore wants to succeed. The teachers and administrators also want to maintain our good reputation. Wayzata has been stereotyped as being snobby and stuck up--our stress situation has not helped to break this perception of our school. While we're striving to be the best in everything that we do, Wayzata kids no doubt come across as snobs. I personally, don't want to be viewed this way, but i know that there are times when I am. While not all students put the academic pressure on themselves, I am definitely one that does. I want to succeed. It's as simple as that. I feel like if I don't recieve that stellar GPA I will have let myself down. Because of this, I freak out about failing a reading quiz in AP Comp and getting my first grade lower than an A last term in this class....Why am I doing this to myself? It's called AP for a reason and colleges will recognize that when viewing my transcript, but the stress is still there. I can't help it. At my old school in small town, Ohio, the academic expectations and standards aren't there. I can't help but believe I wouldn't be this worried about my grades and getting into a good college if I still lived there. The stress just comes with the prestige of attending a top school. It can't really be avoided...and don't even get me started on the athletic pressure......
Monday, November 15, 2010
2 million minutes
The video...woah. Though I had seen it before, I wasn't thinking about it in the same way this time. The bias presented in the documentary was extremely powerful. American students were made out to be kids who don't even try, yet succeed in our world, and students in China and India, who study non stop and have ridiculous expectations put on them by their parents and selves fail to get ahead. This opinion was portrayed throughout the entire video. The American students were rarely shown in a classroom setting, and when they were, it was informal and unorganized. They were primarily shown in social situations that made them appear lazy when it comes to school. On the other side of things, the Chinese and Indian students were shown in disciplined, and organized learning environments and rarely having fun. There is no way that these two extreme situations occur all the time. The middle ground and "average" students and situations were not given a place in the documentary. This definitely affects people's opinions and sheds negative light on the American education system. I'm not saying that the entire video was wrong and American schooling is flawless. Reform is definitely needed, but the video makes it seem so extreme based on the situations it shows, and the ones it doesn't. While we do need some regulation here in America due to the unbalanced system, where minorities and the lower class fall through the cracks, many students are still successful. In addition to academic success, American students are well rounded. They focus their attention on other things and basically have lives outside of school. As an American student I like to think of myself as well rounded. I like to socialize and don't devote every minute of my spare time to studying, but I would be offended if someone told me that I didn't take school seriously, was lazy and didn't try. I work hard to earn the grades that I do, and I think it's unfair to compare two completely different cultures based on the experiences and opinions of six students.
Overall, I don't think the techniques used in the video were very effective. Yes, I was a little taken aback and thought "wow, they're really smart and our schools should try to be more like that if we want to succeed", but the bias to the extreme that it was was offputting. It became annoying, because the kids in India have no idea what it's like to live in America and the pressures that are put on us as well, just like we have no idea what it's like to be a student in India. While the creators of the video do make some valid points, the way they went about making them was not effective, at least for me and was seriously annoying.
Overall, I don't think the techniques used in the video were very effective. Yes, I was a little taken aback and thought "wow, they're really smart and our schools should try to be more like that if we want to succeed", but the bias to the extreme that it was was offputting. It became annoying, because the kids in India have no idea what it's like to live in America and the pressures that are put on us as well, just like we have no idea what it's like to be a student in India. While the creators of the video do make some valid points, the way they went about making them was not effective, at least for me and was seriously annoying.
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Modes of truth
Definition
Truth is telling things how they are. Not being deceptive and hiding your feelings. Truth is letting your true emotions show and telling people how you feel. Truth is the absence of lies. It plays a role in all healthy relationships. It can keep you out of trouble or cause trouble if the truth is harmful. Truth builds trust or destroys it. Many things in our society are based upon lies that sometimes the lines between truth and lies become blurred. People will believe what they want, so sometimes truth is irrelevant.
Classification
When many people think of truth, they think of the opposite of a little white lie. However, there are different forms of truth. It can be the opposite of a lie, but truth can also be your feelings. Telling the truth can mean enlightening someone or changing their opinion. You can even change your own opinion by opening yourself up to the truth and coming out of denial. Truth can be telling someone what they don't want to hear or what they do. Truth can be good and make relationships stronger. It builds trust. Truth can also destroy trust if it come after lies.
Division of Analysis
Truth comes in many different forms and can involve many different things. Truth can be logical, ethical, even emotional. Sometimes telling the truth makes sense and it is necessary for the situation. Lies would just confuse people and make a mess of things. Other times, telling the truth is the right thing to do. It's immoral and in bad character to tell a lie or keep a secret. Emotional truth is often the hardest. It's hard to face reality and share your true feelings with other people or even acknowledge them yourself. The truth comes in varying degrees of importance and severity. It all depends on the people involved and the nature of the statements that must be made.
Example
My little cousins think that the truth is telling their mom when they spilled something on the carpet or broke a glass. They have to face the facts and risk getting in trouble because of the guilt that would follow after telling a lie. To adults who have experienced much greater forms of truth, a spot of grape juice and a few shards of glass seem insignificant, but this is the way truth starts. As children we view truth as the opposite of a lie and we tell the truth to escape guilt. As we get older, we do the same thing--tell the truth to escape guilt, but truth doesn't always come as the opposite of a lie. It gets much more complex as we experience much more complex problems.
Compare/contrast
Usually, the difference between truth and lies is extremely clear, you can't tell a truthful lie. However, there are exceptions when the lines become blurred and it's not so easy to tell the difference. I often wonder, is it a lie if you just don't share the truth? If you're not telling a blatant lie, does it count? Whether it is lying or it isn't, I think it's clear that not sharing everything you know is not the truth. Really, it is up to the people involved in the situation to decide. Truth builds trust and lies destroy it, but if the lie has already been told, sometimes it's hard to know if it's worth telling the truth or not. Sometimes truth and lies are antonyms. Other times, they go hand in hand.
cause and effect
Telling the truth can have many different effects depending on the situation. Truth is the causation of trust. It can build it or destroy it based on the context of the statements made, how the truth is found out and what the truth is. If two people are truthful from the beginning of a relationship they'll most likely be successful, therefore, by causing trust, another effect of truth is stable, lasting relationships and mutual feelings of happiness between friends, family and people in general. On the other side, truth is caused by a few different things, may it be guilt, strong morals and values and the overall feeling of wanting to do the right thing.
Narrative
Telling the truth seems to be a problem for many children, but it was especially hard for me. When I was in first grade I had one of my most memorable troubles with the truth. My class was working on the computers for reading. I was sitting next to a boy named Josh. Josh was having trouble getting on his computer and kept tapping me on the shoulder annoyingly to help him. Not wanting to get in trouble for talking, I politely ignored him and continued working on my assignment. Josh persisted with the shoulder tapping and I got very angry. I slowly looked around, made sure the teacher wasn't looking, reached over and gave Josh a huge pinch right on the back. Causing him to cry and tell on me. When our teacher, Mrs. Reineke asked for my side of the story, I told her that I never touched Josh and he had been bothering me since the beginning of reading. Not believing me, Mrs. Reineke asked Josh to lift up the back of his shirt, and sure enough, there was a bright red mark in the middle of his back. I got sent to the pricipal's office for hurting another student and lying about it. If I had chosen to tell the truth in that situation, the amount of trouble I got into probably would have been less severe and they wouldn't have called my parents.
Process analysis
Something has happened that you're not quite proud of. You know that if people find out about it, their opinions would change or you may be in trouble. You know that owning up to whatever you did is the right thing to do and people would at least respect you for admitting it, despite the action. Without the truth, trust will be destroyed and your relationships you've worked so hard to build won't be the same. Finding the courage to tell the truth is an internal struggle that we all go through, even though we know that it needs to be done and nothing good comes from lies. The truth may not be a nice thing to hear and it may not protect your feelings, but it is necessary. If you end up doing the right thing and owning up to the truth, that respect will be there and the impact of the truth may not be as significant because it was told right away and is therefore less harmful. However, if the truth is something that should have been told long ago, that respect and trust cannot always be salvaged.
Argumentative/persuasive
What's the opposite of truth? Lies. Our society has a lot of these and I don't like that. One of the things we do in American culture is lie to our children at a young age. Santa Clause for example. Why is it necessary to have kids thinking that there is an obese man, dressed in a red suit with white hair that delivers presents via flying deer on Christmas? What parents should be doing is telling their children the truth from the beginning. If much of what a child believes is based on lies, they are going to grow up thinking it's ok to ignore the truth; that it's not necessary. Santa Clause is not the only example. What about the Easter Bunny? The stork? Kids are smarter than that and should be enlightened with the actaulity of situations and the real meaning behind holidays. Starting children out with truthfulness as one of their main values and ideals will create a better, trustworthy and safe environment for everyone. The presence of truth can only help our society grow as a whole. We can do many things to insert truth into our lives, but the most significant way we can do so is stop lying to children about things that seem harmless and fun. It's where it all begins.
description
Sally didn't know what to do. She immediately got that sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach when she heard the initial crash as the vase hit the floor and then the scattering of glass as it shattered into thousands of tiny pieces. Once the shock of what had happened sunk in, she dashed to the kitchen and grabbed the broom. Sally frantically swept up the shards of destroyed glass and deposited them into a garbage bag, which she stashed in the garage. As her mom came home she sensed something was out of place. Mom said "Sally do you know what happened to my vase?" Sally was at a crossroads. She could lie and say she didn't know anything, but the guilt would be torture. Sally's moral instincts kicked in and she calmy explained what happened to her mother. The truth felt much better than trying to cover up what happened, and it turns out it wasn't as big of a deal as Sally thought. She would have been in much bigger trouble for lying about the vase. In the end, the truth is always the better option.
Truth is telling things how they are. Not being deceptive and hiding your feelings. Truth is letting your true emotions show and telling people how you feel. Truth is the absence of lies. It plays a role in all healthy relationships. It can keep you out of trouble or cause trouble if the truth is harmful. Truth builds trust or destroys it. Many things in our society are based upon lies that sometimes the lines between truth and lies become blurred. People will believe what they want, so sometimes truth is irrelevant.
Classification
When many people think of truth, they think of the opposite of a little white lie. However, there are different forms of truth. It can be the opposite of a lie, but truth can also be your feelings. Telling the truth can mean enlightening someone or changing their opinion. You can even change your own opinion by opening yourself up to the truth and coming out of denial. Truth can be telling someone what they don't want to hear or what they do. Truth can be good and make relationships stronger. It builds trust. Truth can also destroy trust if it come after lies.
Division of Analysis
Truth comes in many different forms and can involve many different things. Truth can be logical, ethical, even emotional. Sometimes telling the truth makes sense and it is necessary for the situation. Lies would just confuse people and make a mess of things. Other times, telling the truth is the right thing to do. It's immoral and in bad character to tell a lie or keep a secret. Emotional truth is often the hardest. It's hard to face reality and share your true feelings with other people or even acknowledge them yourself. The truth comes in varying degrees of importance and severity. It all depends on the people involved and the nature of the statements that must be made.
Example
My little cousins think that the truth is telling their mom when they spilled something on the carpet or broke a glass. They have to face the facts and risk getting in trouble because of the guilt that would follow after telling a lie. To adults who have experienced much greater forms of truth, a spot of grape juice and a few shards of glass seem insignificant, but this is the way truth starts. As children we view truth as the opposite of a lie and we tell the truth to escape guilt. As we get older, we do the same thing--tell the truth to escape guilt, but truth doesn't always come as the opposite of a lie. It gets much more complex as we experience much more complex problems.
Compare/contrast
Usually, the difference between truth and lies is extremely clear, you can't tell a truthful lie. However, there are exceptions when the lines become blurred and it's not so easy to tell the difference. I often wonder, is it a lie if you just don't share the truth? If you're not telling a blatant lie, does it count? Whether it is lying or it isn't, I think it's clear that not sharing everything you know is not the truth. Really, it is up to the people involved in the situation to decide. Truth builds trust and lies destroy it, but if the lie has already been told, sometimes it's hard to know if it's worth telling the truth or not. Sometimes truth and lies are antonyms. Other times, they go hand in hand.
cause and effect
Telling the truth can have many different effects depending on the situation. Truth is the causation of trust. It can build it or destroy it based on the context of the statements made, how the truth is found out and what the truth is. If two people are truthful from the beginning of a relationship they'll most likely be successful, therefore, by causing trust, another effect of truth is stable, lasting relationships and mutual feelings of happiness between friends, family and people in general. On the other side, truth is caused by a few different things, may it be guilt, strong morals and values and the overall feeling of wanting to do the right thing.
Narrative
Telling the truth seems to be a problem for many children, but it was especially hard for me. When I was in first grade I had one of my most memorable troubles with the truth. My class was working on the computers for reading. I was sitting next to a boy named Josh. Josh was having trouble getting on his computer and kept tapping me on the shoulder annoyingly to help him. Not wanting to get in trouble for talking, I politely ignored him and continued working on my assignment. Josh persisted with the shoulder tapping and I got very angry. I slowly looked around, made sure the teacher wasn't looking, reached over and gave Josh a huge pinch right on the back. Causing him to cry and tell on me. When our teacher, Mrs. Reineke asked for my side of the story, I told her that I never touched Josh and he had been bothering me since the beginning of reading. Not believing me, Mrs. Reineke asked Josh to lift up the back of his shirt, and sure enough, there was a bright red mark in the middle of his back. I got sent to the pricipal's office for hurting another student and lying about it. If I had chosen to tell the truth in that situation, the amount of trouble I got into probably would have been less severe and they wouldn't have called my parents.
Process analysis
Something has happened that you're not quite proud of. You know that if people find out about it, their opinions would change or you may be in trouble. You know that owning up to whatever you did is the right thing to do and people would at least respect you for admitting it, despite the action. Without the truth, trust will be destroyed and your relationships you've worked so hard to build won't be the same. Finding the courage to tell the truth is an internal struggle that we all go through, even though we know that it needs to be done and nothing good comes from lies. The truth may not be a nice thing to hear and it may not protect your feelings, but it is necessary. If you end up doing the right thing and owning up to the truth, that respect will be there and the impact of the truth may not be as significant because it was told right away and is therefore less harmful. However, if the truth is something that should have been told long ago, that respect and trust cannot always be salvaged.
Argumentative/persuasive
What's the opposite of truth? Lies. Our society has a lot of these and I don't like that. One of the things we do in American culture is lie to our children at a young age. Santa Clause for example. Why is it necessary to have kids thinking that there is an obese man, dressed in a red suit with white hair that delivers presents via flying deer on Christmas? What parents should be doing is telling their children the truth from the beginning. If much of what a child believes is based on lies, they are going to grow up thinking it's ok to ignore the truth; that it's not necessary. Santa Clause is not the only example. What about the Easter Bunny? The stork? Kids are smarter than that and should be enlightened with the actaulity of situations and the real meaning behind holidays. Starting children out with truthfulness as one of their main values and ideals will create a better, trustworthy and safe environment for everyone. The presence of truth can only help our society grow as a whole. We can do many things to insert truth into our lives, but the most significant way we can do so is stop lying to children about things that seem harmless and fun. It's where it all begins.
description
Sally didn't know what to do. She immediately got that sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach when she heard the initial crash as the vase hit the floor and then the scattering of glass as it shattered into thousands of tiny pieces. Once the shock of what had happened sunk in, she dashed to the kitchen and grabbed the broom. Sally frantically swept up the shards of destroyed glass and deposited them into a garbage bag, which she stashed in the garage. As her mom came home she sensed something was out of place. Mom said "Sally do you know what happened to my vase?" Sally was at a crossroads. She could lie and say she didn't know anything, but the guilt would be torture. Sally's moral instincts kicked in and she calmy explained what happened to her mother. The truth felt much better than trying to cover up what happened, and it turns out it wasn't as big of a deal as Sally thought. She would have been in much bigger trouble for lying about the vase. In the end, the truth is always the better option.
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Griping...things that bother me.
When I'm told to think of one thing that just drives me crazy, stupid drivers pop right into my mind. If they want to go under the speed limit, fine. That's their choice, but if you're seriously going 45 in a 60, you can not get mad at someone for passing you. So maybe 45 was a little exaggerated since I tend to drive a little on the fast side (shh don't tell my mom). But the speed limit is there for a reason and some people want to drive at least that fast.
Last week, I was driving on 694 at about 9:00pm and there wasn't very much traffic. I came up behind a lady who was going about 55mph so I got in the left lane to pass her. When I went by her car, I looked over and she gave me the scariest glare in the entire world. Once I had passed her, she sped up and passed me...THEN SLOWED DOWN AGAIN. I seriously wanted to scream at her! Who does that? Normal people pass other cars because they're going to slow, not just to make them angry...She was making me soooooo mad. By this point I was actually talking as if she could hear me, saying "get away from me! what the (fill in appropriate word here) are you doing?!" Maybe she was having a bad day and me passing her made her feel bad... who knows, but really lady, your temper issues are not my problem. Go at least the speed limit, or people WILL pass you! They'll probably still pass you if you're going the speed limit. GET OVER IT.
Another thing that bothers me about drivers is when they don't blinker to change lanes, especially on the freeway. This has happened in front of me so many times, usually when there's traffic so I have to slam on the breaks. They give no warning and usually don't move over slowly. They just swerve over into your lane. IT BOTHERS ME SO MUCH.
Yet another thing that annoys me is people that tailgate, especially when there's traffic and you can't do anything about it. It's like seriously if you want to get in an accident sure, stay there and when I have to break and you hit me, you can pay for my car. Whatever you want.
The last thing (even though there are plenty more I could write about) that bothers me is when people won't let you in when you have to move over. There's one spot, I think right where 35 connects with 394, where if you're coming from 35, immediately after the two freeways combine, you have to move left two lanes or you'll be forced to exit. I was driving this stretch one time and a guy who had already been on 394 was next to me and he would not let me in. I tried to slow down, but there were other cars behind him and when I sped up so did he, so I was forced to exit into this random sketchy neighborhood in the city. Seriously what did that guy gain by not letting me in? That bothers me so much! It's not like I waited until the last minute to move over. I tried at the first opportunity and didn't have much time before the exit. I seriously wanted to punch that guy in the head.
When reading this, keep in mind that I've had my licence for 2 months now. There must be a lot of stupid drivers out there if they can annoy me this much in 2 months. Granted, I don't have much patience and maybe a touch of road rage... but seriously, drivers of Minnesota: learn how to drive.
Last week, I was driving on 694 at about 9:00pm and there wasn't very much traffic. I came up behind a lady who was going about 55mph so I got in the left lane to pass her. When I went by her car, I looked over and she gave me the scariest glare in the entire world. Once I had passed her, she sped up and passed me...THEN SLOWED DOWN AGAIN. I seriously wanted to scream at her! Who does that? Normal people pass other cars because they're going to slow, not just to make them angry...She was making me soooooo mad. By this point I was actually talking as if she could hear me, saying "get away from me! what the (fill in appropriate word here) are you doing?!" Maybe she was having a bad day and me passing her made her feel bad... who knows, but really lady, your temper issues are not my problem. Go at least the speed limit, or people WILL pass you! They'll probably still pass you if you're going the speed limit. GET OVER IT.
Another thing that bothers me about drivers is when they don't blinker to change lanes, especially on the freeway. This has happened in front of me so many times, usually when there's traffic so I have to slam on the breaks. They give no warning and usually don't move over slowly. They just swerve over into your lane. IT BOTHERS ME SO MUCH.
Yet another thing that annoys me is people that tailgate, especially when there's traffic and you can't do anything about it. It's like seriously if you want to get in an accident sure, stay there and when I have to break and you hit me, you can pay for my car. Whatever you want.
The last thing (even though there are plenty more I could write about) that bothers me is when people won't let you in when you have to move over. There's one spot, I think right where 35 connects with 394, where if you're coming from 35, immediately after the two freeways combine, you have to move left two lanes or you'll be forced to exit. I was driving this stretch one time and a guy who had already been on 394 was next to me and he would not let me in. I tried to slow down, but there were other cars behind him and when I sped up so did he, so I was forced to exit into this random sketchy neighborhood in the city. Seriously what did that guy gain by not letting me in? That bothers me so much! It's not like I waited until the last minute to move over. I tried at the first opportunity and didn't have much time before the exit. I seriously wanted to punch that guy in the head.
When reading this, keep in mind that I've had my licence for 2 months now. There must be a lot of stupid drivers out there if they can annoy me this much in 2 months. Granted, I don't have much patience and maybe a touch of road rage... but seriously, drivers of Minnesota: learn how to drive.
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Manufacturing Consent
I'm not going to lie, the majority of this documentary was hard to understand and went right over my head. The part of the documentary that I do understand though is Noam Chomsky's views on corporations controlling the media. There are just a handful of large corporations out there that basically have a monopoly of the media in our country. This makes it difficult for americans to develop their own opinions on any world issues because of all the bias put into our news stories. As viewers, we can't find an objective viewpoint, because it's already been found for us. This makes me really angry because there is a concentration of power in the large companies of our world that basically control our minds. They decide not only what information can be shared in the media but the way it's shared. They pick the point of view that the stories come from and how in depth the information is. Take what they were saying about East Timor and Cambodia for example. Though the U.S. had much more involvement in East Timor, no one heard about it because it would have a shed a negative light on the U.S. for playing a role in the Indonesian invasion. I believe that even though some citizens would have been angry at the government for our involvement, as Americans, the people had a right to be informed about the things that our government, the people we elect to represent our best interest, are doing in the rest of the world.
http://www.globalissues.org/article/159/media-conglomerates-mergers-concentration-of-ownership
This link tells about how some countries have the power to control the media, as do some large corporations. This is definitely the case in the United States. This site also says that it's crucial for citizens to be able to control thier own minds and make informed decisions to have a functioning democracy. It's hard to make informed decisions with all of the bias present in our media today. All we get is the opinions of the large companies that control the news. We only hear what they want us to hear.
This post is probably rambly (is that a word?) and redundant but that's just because I'm so annoyed! The media is supposed to keep us up to date and informed on the things that are happening in our world but it's hard to get the facts if all we hear is opinions and major bias coming from large corporations that by controlling our minds, basically control the world.
Even though I didn't understand half of what he said, Noam Chomsky's a pretty cool dude. He makes a lot of sense with his views on the media. Hopefully the corporate monopoly will be broken up at some point and we will start hearing the raw facts with no bias (not likely). I want to hear about the East Timor's of our time and be aware of what our country is doing in other parts of the world.
http://www.globalissues.org/article/159/media-conglomerates-mergers-concentration-of-ownership
This link tells about how some countries have the power to control the media, as do some large corporations. This is definitely the case in the United States. This site also says that it's crucial for citizens to be able to control thier own minds and make informed decisions to have a functioning democracy. It's hard to make informed decisions with all of the bias present in our media today. All we get is the opinions of the large companies that control the news. We only hear what they want us to hear.
This post is probably rambly (is that a word?) and redundant but that's just because I'm so annoyed! The media is supposed to keep us up to date and informed on the things that are happening in our world but it's hard to get the facts if all we hear is opinions and major bias coming from large corporations that by controlling our minds, basically control the world.
Even though I didn't understand half of what he said, Noam Chomsky's a pretty cool dude. He makes a lot of sense with his views on the media. Hopefully the corporate monopoly will be broken up at some point and we will start hearing the raw facts with no bias (not likely). I want to hear about the East Timor's of our time and be aware of what our country is doing in other parts of the world.
Thursday, October 7, 2010
Open response? oh great...
Here we go again. Me blogging and nothing to write about. When Mrs. Smith told us that we had a blogging assignment and it was an open topic i believe i actually cringed. I feel like blogging is just something that doesn't suit me. Sure i do just fine when we have a set topic that we have to write about, but when we're just told to WRITE...i draw a blank. Write about what? I'm trying to do the whole freewrite thing and just not stop typing, but then i get posts like this one that just rambles on and on with no real content. I seriously have no idea what to write about. i wonder if Mrs. Cardona is having fun in China. i wonder if she's even going to read this post. Freewriting is weird when you're on a computer because i know i'm not supposed to edit my thoughts but i find myself hitting the backspace key out of habit. Seriously. Every two seconds i backspace. I just did it again because i spelled backspace wrong. Then again, then i spelled wrong wrong. Wow i am really not good at typing. i just backspaced again. I feel like this is not the type of post that i was supposed to write. OH MY i just remembered that the twins lost tonight AGAIN. wow. it was soooooo bad. Ron Gardy getting thrown out was a highlight though. i love that man. such a good manager. I really do not like the yankees. They did a good job tonight though and the twins were just off.
Before i got home and watched the twins i had YES fourth block. i'm really starting to enjoy it. I'm building friendships with all of the kids in Mrs. Cohen's class and it's really fun to spend time with all of them and be in second grade again. We got to go to gym class today. fun stuff. Then after school i volunteered in the homebase program and played with some kindergarteners and preschoolers. They're so adorable. When i asked one little boy his name he was shy and said "I don't know" and so for the rest of the time i was there i called him i don't know and he thought it was the most hilarious thing in the entire world. i still don't know his name though....oh well. It was really fun to volunteer though. we built things with blocks and colored. i love being a child. it's so effortless. not like high school. Well even though this post has been super productive and meaningful....i think i'll end it here.
Before i got home and watched the twins i had YES fourth block. i'm really starting to enjoy it. I'm building friendships with all of the kids in Mrs. Cohen's class and it's really fun to spend time with all of them and be in second grade again. We got to go to gym class today. fun stuff. Then after school i volunteered in the homebase program and played with some kindergarteners and preschoolers. They're so adorable. When i asked one little boy his name he was shy and said "I don't know" and so for the rest of the time i was there i called him i don't know and he thought it was the most hilarious thing in the entire world. i still don't know his name though....oh well. It was really fun to volunteer though. we built things with blocks and colored. i love being a child. it's so effortless. not like high school. Well even though this post has been super productive and meaningful....i think i'll end it here.
Sunday, September 19, 2010
Power Writing: The Influence of a Great Teacher
There have been many people that have influenced me throughout my life, but if I had to choose the most significant, I would pick Suzanne Graft. I believe Mrs. Graft influenced me the most because of her relationship she had with me, her relationship with people in general and her attitude and experiences at the end of her life.
I first met Mrs. Graft in the fall of 2004. I had just moved to Minnesota from a small town in Ohio and was not adjusting very well. Mr. Graft was my fifth grade teacher; my first teacher in the Wayzata School District. More than anyone, Mrs. Graft helped me make the transition from a small school to Wayzata; the big time. She made me feel as though I was no different than the rest of the kids in the class and had known each of them since kindergarten. She introduced me to my first friends; friends I still have today. Mrs. Graft also influenced my academic success. She helped me through the gaps between Ohio and Minnesota curriculum and soon enough I was at the top of the class. She had a way of making me feel like I was her best friend and that she would always be there for me. Even when I moved on to middle school, she continued to stand by me. When I moved here, I was sure I was going to hate it, but Mrs. Graft changed that.
Side from Mrs. Graft's relationship with me, her relationship with other students, parents and other people in general was also inspiring. I'm sure she had the same affect on the rest of the school that she did on me. Even kids who weren't in her class found themselves opening up to Mrs. Graft. Her quirky personality made her easy to relate to and her fun, hip style drew kids in. In Mrs. Graft's eyes, no student was better than another. She made us all feel special and like we had her full attention at all times. Toward the end of fifth grade and on through middle school, I realized that Mrs. Graft was exactly the kind of person that I wanted to be. Open, honest, and caring towards everyone; impossible not to love.
In October of 2009, I was heartbroken to find out that Mrs. Graft had been diagnosed with terminal colon cancer. She lived for three months after her diagnosis. During these months, her outlook on life never changed. She was the same old Suzanne that everyone knew and loved. She continued to inspire me and everyone else around her. In January, she wrote me a note, just like the ones she gave me in fifth grade, that made me remember why she was so special to me in the place. When her time was up, hundreds of past students and their families gathered to support the Graft family. She meant a lot to many people and at the funeral, we all came to realize that she had the same affect on all of us. Mrs. Graft made us feel loved and special. She made us believe that anything was possible if you put forth a little effort. Overall, Mrs. Graft made life fun. She was such a giving person. It was hard to see her go at such a young age, but she lived her life to the fullest and she had said, she was ready to go.
"She was ready to go." This statement is what inspired me the most. Mrs. Graft lived her life to the fullest every day. She was surrounded by people she loved and who loved her back. She achieved her life goals and ambitions. Because of this, a long life wasn't necessary. She had served her purpose. As one elementary student said after Mrs. Graft passed away, "The kids in heaven must have needed a really good teacher." Her influence on me was profound and I strive every day to live life to the fullest, spend time with the people I love, and live like Mrs. Graft.
I first met Mrs. Graft in the fall of 2004. I had just moved to Minnesota from a small town in Ohio and was not adjusting very well. Mr. Graft was my fifth grade teacher; my first teacher in the Wayzata School District. More than anyone, Mrs. Graft helped me make the transition from a small school to Wayzata; the big time. She made me feel as though I was no different than the rest of the kids in the class and had known each of them since kindergarten. She introduced me to my first friends; friends I still have today. Mrs. Graft also influenced my academic success. She helped me through the gaps between Ohio and Minnesota curriculum and soon enough I was at the top of the class. She had a way of making me feel like I was her best friend and that she would always be there for me. Even when I moved on to middle school, she continued to stand by me. When I moved here, I was sure I was going to hate it, but Mrs. Graft changed that.
Side from Mrs. Graft's relationship with me, her relationship with other students, parents and other people in general was also inspiring. I'm sure she had the same affect on the rest of the school that she did on me. Even kids who weren't in her class found themselves opening up to Mrs. Graft. Her quirky personality made her easy to relate to and her fun, hip style drew kids in. In Mrs. Graft's eyes, no student was better than another. She made us all feel special and like we had her full attention at all times. Toward the end of fifth grade and on through middle school, I realized that Mrs. Graft was exactly the kind of person that I wanted to be. Open, honest, and caring towards everyone; impossible not to love.
In October of 2009, I was heartbroken to find out that Mrs. Graft had been diagnosed with terminal colon cancer. She lived for three months after her diagnosis. During these months, her outlook on life never changed. She was the same old Suzanne that everyone knew and loved. She continued to inspire me and everyone else around her. In January, she wrote me a note, just like the ones she gave me in fifth grade, that made me remember why she was so special to me in the place. When her time was up, hundreds of past students and their families gathered to support the Graft family. She meant a lot to many people and at the funeral, we all came to realize that she had the same affect on all of us. Mrs. Graft made us feel loved and special. She made us believe that anything was possible if you put forth a little effort. Overall, Mrs. Graft made life fun. She was such a giving person. It was hard to see her go at such a young age, but she lived her life to the fullest and she had said, she was ready to go.
"She was ready to go." This statement is what inspired me the most. Mrs. Graft lived her life to the fullest every day. She was surrounded by people she loved and who loved her back. She achieved her life goals and ambitions. Because of this, a long life wasn't necessary. She had served her purpose. As one elementary student said after Mrs. Graft passed away, "The kids in heaven must have needed a really good teacher." Her influence on me was profound and I strive every day to live life to the fullest, spend time with the people I love, and live like Mrs. Graft.
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Why I write
Writing. Why do I write? I honestly have no idea. I write because I want to. Because I have to (I mean seriously, I'm in high school). I write because I'm feeling overwhelmed and don't trust anyone but the paper to listen to me.
Journaling is something that I've been trying to pick up for a long time. It never goes as planned. I decide to do it, get a cute little journal and for the first few days I'm so excited to put my thoughts into it. To unload my feelings that I don't want anyone to know about. Then I get to the point where I'm thinking "Well i really don't WANT to write right now." "My day was boring, why write it down?" and then it gets to the point where I forget I have a journal. If I don't get this point within 3 weeks, I start to get paranoid and wonder if my family members are reading my journal. Because of this I start to sensor my thoughts and hide the journal where sometimes even I can't find it. Lets just say that journals don't work out for me.
I think that if I had to choose between Didion and Orwell and say which one I connected to the most, I would have to say Didion, because I admit, when I write, it doesnt' always make sense. She said in her essay that "I write entirely to find out what I'm thinking, what I'm looking at, what I see and what it means. What I want and what I fear." I think this is very true for me as well. Sometimes when I'm confused about my thoughts or what's going on in my life, writing it down can help me think it through and organize my thoughts. Help me put my thoughts into a logical sequence so they finally make sense to me.
The main reason that I don't feel like I identify with George Orwell is becaue of his motives for writing. I don't really think that I posses all of these these motives. Of course I posses egosim to an extent. Of course I want to be talked about and remembered. Yes i have Aesthetic enthusiasm. I love sharing my experiences and learnings with other people. But when it comes to Historical impulse...I'd rather focus on the future and not dwell on the past. Lastly, Political purpose. I am not even remotely politically aware, therefore I feel like a political purpose is not something that I have.
Even after writing this and getting all of these thoughts out, I still don't have specific reasons for why I write. Sometimes it just isn't clear. There's just a need to put things on paper.
Journaling is something that I've been trying to pick up for a long time. It never goes as planned. I decide to do it, get a cute little journal and for the first few days I'm so excited to put my thoughts into it. To unload my feelings that I don't want anyone to know about. Then I get to the point where I'm thinking "Well i really don't WANT to write right now." "My day was boring, why write it down?" and then it gets to the point where I forget I have a journal. If I don't get this point within 3 weeks, I start to get paranoid and wonder if my family members are reading my journal. Because of this I start to sensor my thoughts and hide the journal where sometimes even I can't find it. Lets just say that journals don't work out for me.
I think that if I had to choose between Didion and Orwell and say which one I connected to the most, I would have to say Didion, because I admit, when I write, it doesnt' always make sense. She said in her essay that "I write entirely to find out what I'm thinking, what I'm looking at, what I see and what it means. What I want and what I fear." I think this is very true for me as well. Sometimes when I'm confused about my thoughts or what's going on in my life, writing it down can help me think it through and organize my thoughts. Help me put my thoughts into a logical sequence so they finally make sense to me.
The main reason that I don't feel like I identify with George Orwell is becaue of his motives for writing. I don't really think that I posses all of these these motives. Of course I posses egosim to an extent. Of course I want to be talked about and remembered. Yes i have Aesthetic enthusiasm. I love sharing my experiences and learnings with other people. But when it comes to Historical impulse...I'd rather focus on the future and not dwell on the past. Lastly, Political purpose. I am not even remotely politically aware, therefore I feel like a political purpose is not something that I have.
Even after writing this and getting all of these thoughts out, I still don't have specific reasons for why I write. Sometimes it just isn't clear. There's just a need to put things on paper.
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
THE INAUGURAL POST!
Hello everyone. This is Elizabeth! This is my first blog and I'm really confused about what to write about....so i guess I'll just ramble. School starting yesterday was basically the worst thing that's ever happened. i'm already behind on sleep and anxious for our first break!
I suppose the only thing semi interesting that I can think to write about is my summer. In the beginning of July I went with my church on a mission trip to Jesse. A small coal mining town in Southern West Virginia, with a population of less than 500. West Virginia is one of the most impoverished areas in the United States. The people live up in the mountains, isolated from the rest of the country. We had gone last summer as well and it was really fun to go back and reunite with all of our friends there. We split up into five different work groups and on monday set out to change some lives. My group and I found ourselves weeding, scraping and painting a shed, building stairs, repairing plumbing and laying tile. We worked on this for a while and felt good about helping someone less fortunate. However, near the end of the week, it became very clear that we were not just helping the West Virginians, but they were helping us as well. During that 10 days, I felt myself opening up to people that I barely knew and building stronger relationships than I ever imagined. Relationships weren't just built between West Virginians and Minnesotans, but between the kids in my youth group. I learned about my peers' lives and struggles. Things that I never even imagined were going on with them. It really taught me not to judge others without knowing their whole story. You never know what they're dealing with.
If you've never had the chance to go on a mission trip, DO IT! You get the amazing feeling of helping others and may just learn a lesson or two and find out about yourself along the way!
I suppose the only thing semi interesting that I can think to write about is my summer. In the beginning of July I went with my church on a mission trip to Jesse. A small coal mining town in Southern West Virginia, with a population of less than 500. West Virginia is one of the most impoverished areas in the United States. The people live up in the mountains, isolated from the rest of the country. We had gone last summer as well and it was really fun to go back and reunite with all of our friends there. We split up into five different work groups and on monday set out to change some lives. My group and I found ourselves weeding, scraping and painting a shed, building stairs, repairing plumbing and laying tile. We worked on this for a while and felt good about helping someone less fortunate. However, near the end of the week, it became very clear that we were not just helping the West Virginians, but they were helping us as well. During that 10 days, I felt myself opening up to people that I barely knew and building stronger relationships than I ever imagined. Relationships weren't just built between West Virginians and Minnesotans, but between the kids in my youth group. I learned about my peers' lives and struggles. Things that I never even imagined were going on with them. It really taught me not to judge others without knowing their whole story. You never know what they're dealing with.
If you've never had the chance to go on a mission trip, DO IT! You get the amazing feeling of helping others and may just learn a lesson or two and find out about yourself along the way!
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