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.
Thursday, October 21, 2010
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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