Final blog, well what can I say? Let me just start by saying that this semester was one for the books; and, I know that sounds so cliché, but it is true. Plus, this class really kicked my butt. I do not think it was hard, but when you are a full time student, part-time employee, family babysitter, and traveler, yeah, you have to rearrange some priorities. However, despite this tragic ending I am glad to have made some Facebook friends through this class.
I thought that coming into this online class would have been a cinch, considering that I have taken online classes before. Yet, I did not realize the work load would be so much. Even so, I really liked this class; it taught me a lot. It was like a journey not only scholastically but mentally and spiritually. Yeah, I know this is sounding like a diary entry right now, but it is also all very true. I do however, wish that I would have taken the class in an actual classroom rather than virtual. I have come to the conclusion that I benefit better through face-to-face interaction instead of none.
What I will dearly miss is staying up very late and working on my assignments on my own time listening to my iTunes playlist and typing my answers on my laptop. I discovered a new sense of freedom from the class as well as responsibility. But, like I said, I feel like I would have benefited more from this class if I had physically taken it on campus. I do not regret taking this class online though, I never regret my choices. I took this class for a reason and I am happy that I did; especially because I was able to communicate with my classmates and learn from them as well.
I do not think I have gained more insight from other classmates than I have from you ladies and gentlemen. Some of us are closer than others and some I never had the pleasure of really communicating with. I hope that this semester has treated you better than it has me, and that your future endeavors are filled with success and happiness. I am sure that you all will strive for the best and prove to everyone that you have become critical thinkers in a society where thinking is merely what someone wants to put as a status update or tweeting their most recent encounter at Starbucks. Hey, I am guilty of doing those things, but let me just say, that after taking this class seriously, I am able to think through a more open mind.
I know I said this semester was an extreme one, but that does not mean that I do not embrace all the mistakes, laughs, successes, and failures that I have made. Christmas and the New Year are fast approaching and I want to tell everyone from the bottom of my heart that I wish everyone a very merry Christmas and an exciting New Year. May your life be an adventure and never be boring. And on that final note, thank you professor and fellow classmates for a memorable online semester.
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
Friday, November 12, 2010
It's all fun and games, until someone gets compared to a chimp.
I am fairly tolerant when it comes to humor; but, when that humor becomes racist, I do not find it amusing anymore. I am not politically savvy, however, that does not mean that I do not brush up on some information when I need to. What I do know is that when a political cartoonist includes politics and racism in the same little drawing window, nothing good can come from that.
I came across a political cartoon a while back, and it was implanted in my brain because of the gravity behind it. It did not even take me more than five minutes to find the same cartoon I was thinking about when I “Googled” for it. The cartoonist goes by the name Sean Delonas and his cartoon came out in the New York Post after President Obama wrote the stimulus bill last year. In the cartoon, two police officers, who seem to be either dim-witted or surprised, point their gun to a dead chimpanzee – which appears to be their doing – on the ground in a residential neighborhood.
At first glance, I did not think that this cartoon was anything out of the ordinary but when I read the caption that came with it, I realized at that moment that that was the most offensive political cartoon I had ever seen. The caption read, “They’ll have to find someone else to write the next stimulus bill.” I understand that the nature of political cartoons are to be humorous and in most cases, politically satirical, but the fact that such a heavy undertone of racism was included in that cartoon makes me feel uncomfortable. Like I said, I can take humor but there are times when crossing the line becomes too much.
I needed to look at this picture several times to really grasp what I was staring at. I just do not take racism lightly, and for someone to be able to publish that on paper and have it encouraged by others is plainly infuriating. In case you are still wondering why I was in such a state of shock, let me tell you why I was offended. The chimpanzee was supposed to represent President Obama. This was obvious because the stimulus bill had been written by Obama just a couple of days earlier and then, this cartoon was published. I later read that the New York Post claimed that the monkey was in reference to the attack of a woman by a chimp. However, the synonymy between the chimpanzee and President Obama that the cartoonist seems to show is too close; and yet, the editors to actually say that these are two entirely different things. I mean, Delonas should have just refrained from expressing this cartoon at all.
If the cartoonist wanted to depict something against the president without causing such an upheaval then, he should have just used the internet. There are too many people who can get offended with something that has such a hard racist connotation that maybe it would have been better to post it in an unsupervised arena. I am in no way condoning such drawings, but I do also understand that everyone is entitled to an opinion. Sometimes I just think that people should have blogs instead of having access to print. I am all for freedom of speech, but when is too much? It is sad to know that the people who published this cartoon took such a light position on it and did not print a retraction.
***Photo courtesy of www.HuffingtonePost.com***
Friday, November 5, 2010
Improved writing..I think not.
I have always been a poor writer and to this day, I still think I am. I just am not able to express myself in a consistent matter. I do try and I do wish that my writing has improved from other people’s point of view, but in all sincerity I feel I lack the great writing ability.
It is not that I cannot write; it is more that I cannot follow rules or English guidelines. I try my best to have consistency and flow but for some reason my brain will not let me. When I get a graded assignment back with annotations I feel somewhat saddened because I always do my best to write a paper. I write out my thoughts and place them on paper or in these cases, on screen; however, many of the notes that I receive is due to my lack of arrangement on my essays.
When I read my essays aloud I find them to make sense and even when I revise them I feel that my writing is good. But that is not the case. I love to read and I even felt that reading may have had a positive effect on my writing, yet, I do not see it immediately. I may be underestimating myself or I might be spot-on, but the fact is that I personally feel my writing still has much improving to do. I do write in my spare time in my journals at home, but that is just personal feeling and is not really graded or judged by other people.
When I write, that is what I do. I just write. I tend to write out whatever is on my mind, comment on whatever I just read, or respond right away. It is only later that I check what I write. I think my problem is that after I have written what I wanted to write it makes sense to me because I already thought about it and when I check my essays I overlook important things that I should be catching automatically. I know I am sounding like a total downer, but I just do not see any improvement; and that is not a comment about the reading material or assignments in this class, I just have never been able to see my writing habits unfold to new heights. It may an insecurity issue, it may be because my sign is a Cancer, or I just do not understand or want to grasp the writing rules.
All I know is that I do love to write, and I do love the reading and assignments in this class. I just have not been able to fully express myself in a formal fashion through words. I know I have spent many years now writing to teachers, friends, myself (my audience), but the truth is that I still have a long way to go in order for me to actually see that I have made an improvement in my writing.
It is not that I cannot write; it is more that I cannot follow rules or English guidelines. I try my best to have consistency and flow but for some reason my brain will not let me. When I get a graded assignment back with annotations I feel somewhat saddened because I always do my best to write a paper. I write out my thoughts and place them on paper or in these cases, on screen; however, many of the notes that I receive is due to my lack of arrangement on my essays.
When I read my essays aloud I find them to make sense and even when I revise them I feel that my writing is good. But that is not the case. I love to read and I even felt that reading may have had a positive effect on my writing, yet, I do not see it immediately. I may be underestimating myself or I might be spot-on, but the fact is that I personally feel my writing still has much improving to do. I do write in my spare time in my journals at home, but that is just personal feeling and is not really graded or judged by other people.
When I write, that is what I do. I just write. I tend to write out whatever is on my mind, comment on whatever I just read, or respond right away. It is only later that I check what I write. I think my problem is that after I have written what I wanted to write it makes sense to me because I already thought about it and when I check my essays I overlook important things that I should be catching automatically. I know I am sounding like a total downer, but I just do not see any improvement; and that is not a comment about the reading material or assignments in this class, I just have never been able to see my writing habits unfold to new heights. It may an insecurity issue, it may be because my sign is a Cancer, or I just do not understand or want to grasp the writing rules.
All I know is that I do love to write, and I do love the reading and assignments in this class. I just have not been able to fully express myself in a formal fashion through words. I know I have spent many years now writing to teachers, friends, myself (my audience), but the truth is that I still have a long way to go in order for me to actually see that I have made an improvement in my writing.
Friday, October 29, 2010
This message is not brought to you by the FCC
Language values are consistently changing as weather fluctuates during the seasons. It’s inevitable and sometimes those values may stick around longer than other values, but the point is, we’re not in Kansas anymore. Trying to censor language is not a way to keep protect children or keep them from learning bad habits, they have their peers for that.
I remember watching an episode of Family Guy called PTV and it is during this episode that the Federal Communications Commission invades Peter’s home and censors him in his own home. This invasion prompts Peter to sing a song about his opinion of the FCC along with his dog Brian, and son Stewie (which I found courtesy of YouTube and Hulu.com, you can see it below). However, if the FCC does not do this type of thing in real life, then why should they censor things on television? Okay I understand that some language is just too racy, but that is why ratings are put in place.
Obviously, Barney and Friends is not rated TV-MA, meaning the show is for mature audiences only, nor is True Blood rated TV-Y for all children. I am simply making a point because everyone knows that Barney is kid friendly and True Blood, well not so much. I am not in favor of some of the things the FCC has done, but the ratings are the only thing they've done right. If so many people worry about television hurting their children they should probably worry more about what they learn in school, who their friends are, and what music they listen to. The subjects in school are more important than what they watch in a thirty minute episode on TV considering a child is in school longer. When it comes to friends a child will copy not what they watch on TV but what their friends consider cool. And music, well, that is a little more delicate.
Music is a good and bad thing for kids. For example, classical music will have a different effect on children than punk music. But the fact is that whatever music, people will almost always try to sing along; and even if those lyrics are vulgar or pleasant, choruses are made to be catchy. Even if a child does not realize what the words mean, merely repeating them can be a negative influence. Let’s say a child sings a song with vulgar lyrics and repeats the song’s lyrics, that child is not understanding the words but still repeats them and if they were to repeat those words in the wrong place, serious consequences could result. Like I said, parents should worry more about other things than TV.
Television is just a form of escapism and most of what they show is not even relatable to real life due to the censorship of the FCC! Nothing is going to stop the language from developing, so why is the FCC trying to do so through television? Times are changing and we can either go with it or stay stuck in the past like those good ol’ folks over at the FCC. Let’s hope my blog is still up the next time I write something and not censored like everything on TV.
I remember watching an episode of Family Guy called PTV and it is during this episode that the Federal Communications Commission invades Peter’s home and censors him in his own home. This invasion prompts Peter to sing a song about his opinion of the FCC along with his dog Brian, and son Stewie (which I found courtesy of YouTube and Hulu.com, you can see it below). However, if the FCC does not do this type of thing in real life, then why should they censor things on television? Okay I understand that some language is just too racy, but that is why ratings are put in place.
Obviously, Barney and Friends is not rated TV-MA, meaning the show is for mature audiences only, nor is True Blood rated TV-Y for all children. I am simply making a point because everyone knows that Barney is kid friendly and True Blood, well not so much. I am not in favor of some of the things the FCC has done, but the ratings are the only thing they've done right. If so many people worry about television hurting their children they should probably worry more about what they learn in school, who their friends are, and what music they listen to. The subjects in school are more important than what they watch in a thirty minute episode on TV considering a child is in school longer. When it comes to friends a child will copy not what they watch on TV but what their friends consider cool. And music, well, that is a little more delicate.
Music is a good and bad thing for kids. For example, classical music will have a different effect on children than punk music. But the fact is that whatever music, people will almost always try to sing along; and even if those lyrics are vulgar or pleasant, choruses are made to be catchy. Even if a child does not realize what the words mean, merely repeating them can be a negative influence. Let’s say a child sings a song with vulgar lyrics and repeats the song’s lyrics, that child is not understanding the words but still repeats them and if they were to repeat those words in the wrong place, serious consequences could result. Like I said, parents should worry more about other things than TV.
Television is just a form of escapism and most of what they show is not even relatable to real life due to the censorship of the FCC! Nothing is going to stop the language from developing, so why is the FCC trying to do so through television? Times are changing and we can either go with it or stay stuck in the past like those good ol’ folks over at the FCC. Let’s hope my blog is still up the next time I write something and not censored like everything on TV.
Friday, October 22, 2010
It's not polite to stare and neither is saying mean things.
Of course everyone has been insulted, and I do not just think that it is solely ethnic, sexist or racial insults that are thrown at people. But I do agree that everyone gets insulted even, the most powerful people, especially those. Don’t agree with me? Okay well let’s take for example President Obama. I do not even think that I have to go into it with this man. Just by simply mentioning his name, everyone can think of a racial slur that has been directed to the president either by a personally thinking it or a friend saying it. Still don’t believe me? Hmm, what about Bill Gates? Of course this man is a generous being, always giving to the less fortunate but I can remember several instances where people someone insulted Bill Gates because he was a “rich white geek.” Like I said, insults are not just expressed to ethnicities or race but even intelligence.
The reason why insults can be described on a broad scale is because the media has made it okay for people to insult each other. Right now, the movie Jackass in 3D is a great example of how the media has allowed people to be offensive. The Jackass show and movies have shown that it is socially acceptable to make fun of friends for being Black, practicing their religion or being whatever gender they are. However, this should not be the case. In fact, in cases like this, censorship should be incorporated. This is the one instance that I agree with censorship because it is insults that force people to hurt themselves, have no confidence, and in some cases even commit suicide.
Just because a person starts insulting another on an episode of Gray’s Anatomy, or two people get into a fight because of ethnicity in a movie, this does not mean that it is okay to do so in real life. However, media serves as a form of escapism for many and some do not recognize the difference between reality and fantasy. Thus, those people assume that just because their favorite actor or actress did something to insult another then it is acceptable to do so with others. Now, that’s just movies and television, but these are not the only forms that add to the growth of prejudicial language. Music plays a bigger part in these forms of offenses.
The reason I say music plays a bigger role is because the words are more direct than just implied like those in visual media. A rapper can rap using very explicit lyrics, and in those lyrics direct prejudicial language to people; and very easily can someone take that song and dedicate it to another person. By doing so not only does the receiver listen to the song but now they think how the song is directed to them.
The fact is that sooner or later everyone will be insulted through prejudicial language and it can be because of one’s weight, race, creed, or sex, but it can easily be seen that the reason for this is due to the ever growing media industry that permits such type of behavior. Eventually the media listeners, viewers and readers will bring those behaviors to real life causing someone pain and suffering. The only thing to do to avoid such type of behavior is by not taking part in the prejudicial language but listening to that old maxim: “If you don’t have anything nice to say then, don’t say anything at all.”
The reason why insults can be described on a broad scale is because the media has made it okay for people to insult each other. Right now, the movie Jackass in 3D is a great example of how the media has allowed people to be offensive. The Jackass show and movies have shown that it is socially acceptable to make fun of friends for being Black, practicing their religion or being whatever gender they are. However, this should not be the case. In fact, in cases like this, censorship should be incorporated. This is the one instance that I agree with censorship because it is insults that force people to hurt themselves, have no confidence, and in some cases even commit suicide.
Just because a person starts insulting another on an episode of Gray’s Anatomy, or two people get into a fight because of ethnicity in a movie, this does not mean that it is okay to do so in real life. However, media serves as a form of escapism for many and some do not recognize the difference between reality and fantasy. Thus, those people assume that just because their favorite actor or actress did something to insult another then it is acceptable to do so with others. Now, that’s just movies and television, but these are not the only forms that add to the growth of prejudicial language. Music plays a bigger part in these forms of offenses.
The reason I say music plays a bigger role is because the words are more direct than just implied like those in visual media. A rapper can rap using very explicit lyrics, and in those lyrics direct prejudicial language to people; and very easily can someone take that song and dedicate it to another person. By doing so not only does the receiver listen to the song but now they think how the song is directed to them.
The fact is that sooner or later everyone will be insulted through prejudicial language and it can be because of one’s weight, race, creed, or sex, but it can easily be seen that the reason for this is due to the ever growing media industry that permits such type of behavior. Eventually the media listeners, viewers and readers will bring those behaviors to real life causing someone pain and suffering. The only thing to do to avoid such type of behavior is by not taking part in the prejudicial language but listening to that old maxim: “If you don’t have anything nice to say then, don’t say anything at all.”
Friday, October 15, 2010
Happy, Happy, Joy, Joy!
Happiness is not free yet the feeling you get when you attain it is priceless. I would choose happiness over self-respect any day. I know it may sound weird but we humans forget that we are selfish. Everyone knows it, but many do not acknowledge this fact. By nature, I am a selfish human and I would choose to be happy rather than have self-respect because I think that when you are happy you eventually get the respect, but moreover you live a better life.
Currently, this world is full of despair and people literally do not stop to smell the roses. Smell the roses people! It will make you happier. The different scents can increase serotonin levels, and maybe even boost your endorphins. Happiness is something I highly value and I love to be able to just smile and be content. People do not take advantage of happiness and others are not granted the opportunity. Sure, gaining self-respect comes with a sense of pride but I also think that it is very egoistical. I know I was talking about selfishness, but there is a difference between being selfish for me and prideful/egoistic against others.
Here’s my thing; I don’t want to grow old and bitter. Life is finite and there are so many things on my bucket list and if eventually I decide to go streaking in the middle of a football (soccer) game and that will make me happy then I will do it. Otherwise, if I live with pure self-respect, what’s the fun in that? I am not saying that I will degrade myself, but just the term self-respect seems so prudish. Oh no, I do not mean people who have self-respect are uptight, it’s just that that self-respect comes with high morals, and I just cannot live up to some of those morals, so I would rather be happy and live life to the fullest.
For me, happiness doesn’t necessarily mean deviance; it just means that I will do what I want, when I want, how I want, because I want to. There are so many restrictions because of the laws put in place and I feel the self-respect also comes with unspoken laws that you can’t break. Again, I feel like I am speaking against self-respect, but the truth is that no one got anywhere on plain self-respect. You need happiness too. I am not qualifying this journal; because I choose happiness, but if I were to choose self-respect, then I would have to qualify by saying that in order to live a self-respectful life, I would need happiness to balance out things. Okay, granted by having self-respect you get the respect of others as well and you can live a respectable life, but why do I care what others have to think or say about me. I am not here to please other people; I am here to live a happy life.
I honestly can’t see myself choosing the self-respect path over happiness, because so far in my life, I am happy and I have never regretted anything for being happy. By being happy I know I will look back at my life later and be even happier that I chose a better path for me.
Currently, this world is full of despair and people literally do not stop to smell the roses. Smell the roses people! It will make you happier. The different scents can increase serotonin levels, and maybe even boost your endorphins. Happiness is something I highly value and I love to be able to just smile and be content. People do not take advantage of happiness and others are not granted the opportunity. Sure, gaining self-respect comes with a sense of pride but I also think that it is very egoistical. I know I was talking about selfishness, but there is a difference between being selfish for me and prideful/egoistic against others.
Here’s my thing; I don’t want to grow old and bitter. Life is finite and there are so many things on my bucket list and if eventually I decide to go streaking in the middle of a football (soccer) game and that will make me happy then I will do it. Otherwise, if I live with pure self-respect, what’s the fun in that? I am not saying that I will degrade myself, but just the term self-respect seems so prudish. Oh no, I do not mean people who have self-respect are uptight, it’s just that that self-respect comes with high morals, and I just cannot live up to some of those morals, so I would rather be happy and live life to the fullest.
For me, happiness doesn’t necessarily mean deviance; it just means that I will do what I want, when I want, how I want, because I want to. There are so many restrictions because of the laws put in place and I feel the self-respect also comes with unspoken laws that you can’t break. Again, I feel like I am speaking against self-respect, but the truth is that no one got anywhere on plain self-respect. You need happiness too. I am not qualifying this journal; because I choose happiness, but if I were to choose self-respect, then I would have to qualify by saying that in order to live a self-respectful life, I would need happiness to balance out things. Okay, granted by having self-respect you get the respect of others as well and you can live a respectable life, but why do I care what others have to think or say about me. I am not here to please other people; I am here to live a happy life.
I honestly can’t see myself choosing the self-respect path over happiness, because so far in my life, I am happy and I have never regretted anything for being happy. By being happy I know I will look back at my life later and be even happier that I chose a better path for me.
Friday, October 8, 2010
Less Goth, More Smiles
I wasn’t always confident, and actually I still think I am not all that confident as I say I am. Growing up I would always walk with my head down and rushing to my destination. Aside from the weird walk I used to do, I tend to have a very concentrated face, so what seems to be me “mad-dogging” someone, is actually me trying to focus on where I am going. If that isn’t enough I would dress very dark. It’s not like I was into gothic fashion, I just didn’t like people to notice me. But despite all this, mentally, I was and am a very happy and colorful person; I just needed to break out of my shell.
I broke out of my shell when I got into high school, don’t most people? Anyway, I broke away from the dark cloud type girl and started to walk a little more securely but I still tend to keep my head down at times; not because I am not confident, but because one of my fears is tripping and looking like a fool in front of everyone. Okay so maybe I still need to work on my confidence in that area. But the thing is that now I smile at people more and I think that is inviting be whenever someone smiles at me I automatically feel happier. As for my face, yeah, that’s a little harder for me to the break from the habit. I really do try to look more inviting when I stare out into the distance but for the life of me, it’s one of the hardest things I have ever had to do. My mom has taken pictures of me when I have my so-called concentrated face and let me tell you, I do not look like the nicest person in the world; and that is what kills me because I love people and the last thing I want for them to think is that I cannot be approached.
However, I am sure that my weird face is made up by the way I dress. I don’t dress grungy and neither do I dress very haughty. I dress comfortable because that is how I want people to feel around me. I know that whenever I sit next to someone in class that’s very grungy or super clean cut I don’t feel comfortable. I am not judging what they wear but I feel like I can’t approach them. I want people to know that they can turn around in class and ask me a question about what the professor said or if I understood the homework. There are times where I feel I can’t do that with my classmates not because of what they wear but because of the vibes they send out. I try my best to be a positive person and I have a deep belief in Karma, and that is why I try my best to be a happy go-lucky type of girl.
I know today’s blog may seem like I am trying to satisfy the people around me but that’s not it at all. I just want to be me and I want to be happy. What makes me happy is the ability to have people approach me and not be scared to talk. I know how intimidating I can be by the way I stare but I don’t bite and I don’t growl. Part of the reason why I changed my dark clothing and the way I walk is because I realized the few friends I had due to this demeanor; but now I am happy to be surrounded by people who are just like me: happy and confident.
I broke out of my shell when I got into high school, don’t most people? Anyway, I broke away from the dark cloud type girl and started to walk a little more securely but I still tend to keep my head down at times; not because I am not confident, but because one of my fears is tripping and looking like a fool in front of everyone. Okay so maybe I still need to work on my confidence in that area. But the thing is that now I smile at people more and I think that is inviting be whenever someone smiles at me I automatically feel happier. As for my face, yeah, that’s a little harder for me to the break from the habit. I really do try to look more inviting when I stare out into the distance but for the life of me, it’s one of the hardest things I have ever had to do. My mom has taken pictures of me when I have my so-called concentrated face and let me tell you, I do not look like the nicest person in the world; and that is what kills me because I love people and the last thing I want for them to think is that I cannot be approached.
However, I am sure that my weird face is made up by the way I dress. I don’t dress grungy and neither do I dress very haughty. I dress comfortable because that is how I want people to feel around me. I know that whenever I sit next to someone in class that’s very grungy or super clean cut I don’t feel comfortable. I am not judging what they wear but I feel like I can’t approach them. I want people to know that they can turn around in class and ask me a question about what the professor said or if I understood the homework. There are times where I feel I can’t do that with my classmates not because of what they wear but because of the vibes they send out. I try my best to be a positive person and I have a deep belief in Karma, and that is why I try my best to be a happy go-lucky type of girl.
I know today’s blog may seem like I am trying to satisfy the people around me but that’s not it at all. I just want to be me and I want to be happy. What makes me happy is the ability to have people approach me and not be scared to talk. I know how intimidating I can be by the way I stare but I don’t bite and I don’t growl. Part of the reason why I changed my dark clothing and the way I walk is because I realized the few friends I had due to this demeanor; but now I am happy to be surrounded by people who are just like me: happy and confident.
Friday, October 1, 2010
Communication: The Proper Way
It’s hard to express myself and even harder when the person you are talking to has no idea what you are talking about. In my generation it is pretty obvious that there are so many slang terms and the older generation is not up to date with this lingo. This is no different than when I speak to my grandmother in Spanish.
When I speak to my grandma, I always have to remember to change my “ghetto” lingo into appropriate Spanish. My grandmother was born in the 1930s so when I say something to her without changing the words she usually looks at me with confusion and goes on to tell me that my generation has gone to –pardon the word- shit. I think she says this because it is different in the Hispanic culture where there is a lot more respect seen by the youth given to their elders than there is in the United States. So when I speak to her in anything other than a formal way she gets uncomfortable. For as much as I tell her that things are different in the United States, she just prefers that I always speak to her in a formal way.
When we do speak, we try to speak of not just how my schooling is going but how the world is deteriorating due to the carelessness of people. Yet I find this somewhat out of place because of my grandmother’s background; she stopped going to school at 13 years old and began helping her parents provide for her 8 younger siblings. She had to learn how to grow up faster than anyone and accept the fact she would not get a proper education. I feel that because of this, my grandma grew up with strict traditional values that would have originally lost their importance over generations. When I speak to her, I try to accommodate to her standards only because I know what she has gone through to get where she is now.
I look up to her and if I were to decide to speak to her in my slang terminology I sort of feel like I am disrespecting her. I have noticed that whenever I am around her I tend to use more intelligent words rather than made up words from the street. Whenever I end my visit with her I notice that I almost always leave with a greater sense of meaning than when I first arrive. I do not try to be some ghetto speaking girl but at the same time I am a firm believer that friends are one of the biggest influences in my life; therefore, I usually tend to start absorbing the lingo that my friends use. I try not to get influenced but I mean let’s face it- I still have teenage tendencies and psychologically speaking I will most definitely get influenced my peers.
The fact is however that despite getting influenced by my peers, I am able to communicate with my grandmother the way she expects without there having to be any room for confusion. I still forget to speak to my grandmother the way she expects whenever I visit her, but it’s not long until she straightens out the bad communication and turning it onto an intelligent conversation.
When I speak to my grandma, I always have to remember to change my “ghetto” lingo into appropriate Spanish. My grandmother was born in the 1930s so when I say something to her without changing the words she usually looks at me with confusion and goes on to tell me that my generation has gone to –pardon the word- shit. I think she says this because it is different in the Hispanic culture where there is a lot more respect seen by the youth given to their elders than there is in the United States. So when I speak to her in anything other than a formal way she gets uncomfortable. For as much as I tell her that things are different in the United States, she just prefers that I always speak to her in a formal way.
When we do speak, we try to speak of not just how my schooling is going but how the world is deteriorating due to the carelessness of people. Yet I find this somewhat out of place because of my grandmother’s background; she stopped going to school at 13 years old and began helping her parents provide for her 8 younger siblings. She had to learn how to grow up faster than anyone and accept the fact she would not get a proper education. I feel that because of this, my grandma grew up with strict traditional values that would have originally lost their importance over generations. When I speak to her, I try to accommodate to her standards only because I know what she has gone through to get where she is now.
I look up to her and if I were to decide to speak to her in my slang terminology I sort of feel like I am disrespecting her. I have noticed that whenever I am around her I tend to use more intelligent words rather than made up words from the street. Whenever I end my visit with her I notice that I almost always leave with a greater sense of meaning than when I first arrive. I do not try to be some ghetto speaking girl but at the same time I am a firm believer that friends are one of the biggest influences in my life; therefore, I usually tend to start absorbing the lingo that my friends use. I try not to get influenced but I mean let’s face it- I still have teenage tendencies and psychologically speaking I will most definitely get influenced my peers.
The fact is however that despite getting influenced by my peers, I am able to communicate with my grandmother the way she expects without there having to be any room for confusion. I still forget to speak to my grandmother the way she expects whenever I visit her, but it’s not long until she straightens out the bad communication and turning it onto an intelligent conversation.
Friday, September 24, 2010
Foreign Language, Lengua Extranjera, e Lingua Straniera
Let me just start by saying that our country is a melting pot. In this melting pot, there’s no doubt that due to language barriers, we are not able to fully understand one another. If we don’t expose ourselves to other languages how is it that we can communicate with other people who don’t speak English? Nowadays, children are not exposed to English as their first language anymore, but whatever their ancestral language is.
For example, I was born in the 90s and even then, California, especially Los Angeles was a melting pot, so when I first started to speak, my first word was not in English but Spanish. I have three older brothers who were born in Los Angeles, and my parents were born in Mexico. You would think that with three older brothers and parents that had been living in the United States for more than fifteen years, my primal language would be English, but because my parents were still very fond of their mother country, they made it a point to maintain a certain level of culture in our family. If my family did this, then I am sure that there are other families who had this type of mentality as well.
It’s not a bad thing for people to know more than one language. I remember when I was a child one of the biggest rumors was if you were bilingual, you would get paid more at whatever job you would get. Apparently that rumor was true to some extent. So what’s the harm of knowing or at least getting a taste of another language through a foreign language course? Nothing! It’s a benefit to the person learning the language. Despite knowing Spanish, I took three years of it in high school and when I first started college I took a semester of Italian. These were two of the best choices I have made educationally. If students are able to speak or even slightly grasp an understanding of another language, then it will be easier to communicate not just in the local melting pot, but when traveling.
There’s something great when you encounter someone who doesn’t speak your language but are able to communicate efficiently because you took a semester or two of that language in school. If people can understand each other through language then they can understand each other on a deeper level as well. Being bilingual, even trilingual has its advantages and no real disadvantages. If colleges were to make foreign languages a requirement, students are not losing out on anything or even made to do something unthinkable. Colleges should make foreign language a requirement because in our ever growing society, it is evident that there are more and more people who speak a different language before they even start attending grade school. If colleges do not make foreign languages a requirement then it will be harder for students to communicate with other people who are fluent in their ancestral tongue.
I am not saying that English is not important; I am far from that; however, it would be beneficial for a college student to learn a language other than their mother tongue. Most college students in other parts of the world are fluent in up to three languages. Why is it that Americans are not usually first in climbing this educational ladder? It is time that we change that and teach our collegiate students that there is more to the world than just completing a foreign language requirement; but, learning to be a part of the world in a bigger manner by understanding through communication.
For example, I was born in the 90s and even then, California, especially Los Angeles was a melting pot, so when I first started to speak, my first word was not in English but Spanish. I have three older brothers who were born in Los Angeles, and my parents were born in Mexico. You would think that with three older brothers and parents that had been living in the United States for more than fifteen years, my primal language would be English, but because my parents were still very fond of their mother country, they made it a point to maintain a certain level of culture in our family. If my family did this, then I am sure that there are other families who had this type of mentality as well.
It’s not a bad thing for people to know more than one language. I remember when I was a child one of the biggest rumors was if you were bilingual, you would get paid more at whatever job you would get. Apparently that rumor was true to some extent. So what’s the harm of knowing or at least getting a taste of another language through a foreign language course? Nothing! It’s a benefit to the person learning the language. Despite knowing Spanish, I took three years of it in high school and when I first started college I took a semester of Italian. These were two of the best choices I have made educationally. If students are able to speak or even slightly grasp an understanding of another language, then it will be easier to communicate not just in the local melting pot, but when traveling.
There’s something great when you encounter someone who doesn’t speak your language but are able to communicate efficiently because you took a semester or two of that language in school. If people can understand each other through language then they can understand each other on a deeper level as well. Being bilingual, even trilingual has its advantages and no real disadvantages. If colleges were to make foreign languages a requirement, students are not losing out on anything or even made to do something unthinkable. Colleges should make foreign language a requirement because in our ever growing society, it is evident that there are more and more people who speak a different language before they even start attending grade school. If colleges do not make foreign languages a requirement then it will be harder for students to communicate with other people who are fluent in their ancestral tongue.
I am not saying that English is not important; I am far from that; however, it would be beneficial for a college student to learn a language other than their mother tongue. Most college students in other parts of the world are fluent in up to three languages. Why is it that Americans are not usually first in climbing this educational ladder? It is time that we change that and teach our collegiate students that there is more to the world than just completing a foreign language requirement; but, learning to be a part of the world in a bigger manner by understanding through communication.
Friday, September 17, 2010
They're just shorts...that happen to have holes.
How can I make this as objective as possible? Well, right now I am wearing jean shorts, a purple tube top, white flats and my hair is up. But, an artist, a tailor and a nudist may just see it differently.
Now mind you, I am not being conceited; rather I am thinking as an artist. I think that an artist’s point of view from what I am wearing would be an inviting canvas. My jean shorts have their own personality – with a hole on the left side and jewel studded buttons. My tube top is not just a cotton top but a very classy blouse that can be used with jean shorts or even dress pants. If an artist saw me walking down the sidewalk with my white flats and my summer outfit, I can surely say that it’s a vision of refreshment. I think that they way my hair is up with a fake hibiscus flower would make anyone want to just go to the beach and get inspired. White flats are just a clean canvas for any possibility and the rest of my outfit complements each other. It’s not that hard to be carefree, and to be wearing a tube top, shorts and flats walking down Hollywood Blvd lets artists know that inspiration does not only have be found in nature and technology, but rather in people and their clothing personalities.
Unlike an artist who may see me as a vision of summer fun, a tailor may see me as a complete mess. From what I am wearing, what can this person work with? My shorts have holes in them, my tube top is a lack of material and my flats are cotton covered. How is it that I even walked out of the house without looking into a mirror and realizing that I need something more complementing to my physique? A tailor expects a woman to walk out with a flowing dress, some sort of heels and neat hair right? I mean, think about it. Tailors rarely work with ‘jeans and a tee shirt’ type of people. Instead it’s all about formal clothing and dresses. My outfit is just too casual for the tailor to think anything nicer than a girl just trying to be in ‘comfy’ clothing.
Now, the nudist on the other hand would think that I am getting closer to comfort; almost non –existent shorts, a piece of cloth covering my chest and midriff area, and a pair of shoes that would resemble walking barefoot. I have holes on my shorts, they rise about six and a half inches from my knee, my shirt is missing sleeves, and my hair is up with a part of nature (my flower) showing my back and collarbone. If anything, the nudist is getting ready to take me to the nudist camp to get initiated. Now of course this is far from what I was expecting when I got dressed this morning, however, the way I present myself is just that- preparing for the nudist colony.
Yet when I look into the mirror, I see someone who is happy and ready to have fun with friends. The clothing I am wearing is comfortable and I am able to be active. Yet, despite what I think of myself it is apparent everyone who looks at me will judge me for what I am wearing, if one person sees me as a walking canvas, a mess or a possible nudist companion, I am okay with that because as long as I am happy with whom I am on the inside, that is all that matters.
Now mind you, I am not being conceited; rather I am thinking as an artist. I think that an artist’s point of view from what I am wearing would be an inviting canvas. My jean shorts have their own personality – with a hole on the left side and jewel studded buttons. My tube top is not just a cotton top but a very classy blouse that can be used with jean shorts or even dress pants. If an artist saw me walking down the sidewalk with my white flats and my summer outfit, I can surely say that it’s a vision of refreshment. I think that they way my hair is up with a fake hibiscus flower would make anyone want to just go to the beach and get inspired. White flats are just a clean canvas for any possibility and the rest of my outfit complements each other. It’s not that hard to be carefree, and to be wearing a tube top, shorts and flats walking down Hollywood Blvd lets artists know that inspiration does not only have be found in nature and technology, but rather in people and their clothing personalities.
Unlike an artist who may see me as a vision of summer fun, a tailor may see me as a complete mess. From what I am wearing, what can this person work with? My shorts have holes in them, my tube top is a lack of material and my flats are cotton covered. How is it that I even walked out of the house without looking into a mirror and realizing that I need something more complementing to my physique? A tailor expects a woman to walk out with a flowing dress, some sort of heels and neat hair right? I mean, think about it. Tailors rarely work with ‘jeans and a tee shirt’ type of people. Instead it’s all about formal clothing and dresses. My outfit is just too casual for the tailor to think anything nicer than a girl just trying to be in ‘comfy’ clothing.
Now, the nudist on the other hand would think that I am getting closer to comfort; almost non –existent shorts, a piece of cloth covering my chest and midriff area, and a pair of shoes that would resemble walking barefoot. I have holes on my shorts, they rise about six and a half inches from my knee, my shirt is missing sleeves, and my hair is up with a part of nature (my flower) showing my back and collarbone. If anything, the nudist is getting ready to take me to the nudist camp to get initiated. Now of course this is far from what I was expecting when I got dressed this morning, however, the way I present myself is just that- preparing for the nudist colony.
Yet when I look into the mirror, I see someone who is happy and ready to have fun with friends. The clothing I am wearing is comfortable and I am able to be active. Yet, despite what I think of myself it is apparent everyone who looks at me will judge me for what I am wearing, if one person sees me as a walking canvas, a mess or a possible nudist companion, I am okay with that because as long as I am happy with whom I am on the inside, that is all that matters.
Friday, September 10, 2010
Hope
Yes, I’ve mentioned before that I am not a political buff, yet I think everyone knows that Obama’s campaign was one for the books. However, this isn’t about politics or the campaign; rather, it’s about a poster and the man. I think it’s fair to say that everyone, if not most people in America, has seen the iconic red, white, and blue tinged Hope poster with Barack Obama’s face. Not only is it great art, but this poster, in my opinion is one that challenged the status quo and did much more.
It was about time that someone other than a white, 35 year-old, American native was running for president of the United States. However, I do think that the 2008 primary election was a coincidence where the status quo was challenged; there was a black man, a Hispanic, and a woman all running for the same office. But it was Obama who rose above the rest and continued to challenge the status quo.
I believe that the Obama Hope poster represents a great example of the status quo challenge. The artist who created it, Shepard Fairey, probably had a different meaning for the piece of work; however from my standpoint, it goes to show that a black man can run for president. A black man can be patriotic. A black man can lead a nation. A black man can succeed. A black man can. It’s as simple as that. I think the poster shows that although Obama was a minority he can just be seen as a man. The colors of the poster don’t show a white man or a black man, but a man willing to lead a nation as president.
I remember when the 2008 election came rolling around and everyone had mixed feelings about Barack Obama running for such an esteemed position. I for one supported him because it was not the same type of person running for the position, but someone who was a minority. I believe that the Hope poster can compare to the selected readings in the textbook because many are about, I guess you can say “sticking it to the man” in a respectful manner. Also, with the speeches included from the text, I would say that the speech givers are asking the next generation for help to make the world a better place and I think that the Hope poster does that too. I mean what better word than “hope” for a slogan to encourage people. The fact that Obama had the courage to break the norm and run for president goes to show that anyone can be capable of doing anything.
Although the campaign is over, I still see many with the poster on their cars, shirts, windows, and binders. I don’t think it’s just about Obama anymore, but the fact that a black man gave a nation hope in a time of crises. The Hope poster even hangs by my desk to be honest. I don’t put it up to look up to a politician but I look up to the man in the poster because that man overcame the obstacles, he silenced the haters, encourages the younger generations and challenged the status quo, all through the power of a picture.
***Photo provided by http://www.obeygiant.com/***
Saturday, September 4, 2010
What, me illiterate?
Wow, to think of myself as an illiterate, I think that is very hard. I have always loved words and the stories they create. But if I was illiterate I think the hardest thing obstacle would be school and the confidence I had in myself. But I think one of the reasons why I think this prompt is tough is because how would I have become illiterate in the first place?
Well here it goes, I am illiterate probably because my parents did not care for my well-being, I refused to learn, or I was a mute, and the list could go on. Okay, the point here is that I am illiterate. The hardest part would be going to school- that is, if I wanted to go due to my illiteracy. Learning to do anything in school would be tough. I would not be able to check out a book because I would not even know the Dewey decimal system; well not really, it’s because I cannot read! Another thing that would be hard would be writing a paper. Oh man, those long hours in front of a computer, brainstorming, and trying to beat a deadline. It’s definitely tough writing a paper; okay, I’m just kidding, I can’t even write! What is going on here? I can’t read and I can’t write- well at least I can talk.
But wait, the longest word I know is elastic; my vocabulary has been stunted due to my illiteracy. Wow, I just realized that the rest of my life is going to go further downhill if I never learn to read or write. Well this new revelation is not doing anything good to my confidence.
Knowing that I can’t read or write; I will definitely keep my opinions to myself if all those around are asking complex questions and the others responding with well-thought out answers. I don’t think I have anything great to offer if I can’t even hold a conversation longer than a normal literate person can. Granted illiterate people know how to communicate, but come on, don’t you think it’s embarrassing for me when someone asks me “what was the latest book you read?” and I respond with, “I don’t read.” By receiving pity glances I worry that maybe I should have learned how to read and write as a child.
No one should be denied the ability to learn- especially that of reading and writing. A student who can’t read is already bad enough, and to have one that can’t write to save their life, now that is ultimately life scarring. To know that while you struggle to learn everyone else advances makes life all that much harder than it already is. As life progresses, everyone will encounter life-altering scenarios, epiphanies and inevitably death; but, lack of an education should not be part of life’s cruel penalties to a person. If anything, being able to read and write is a right and a gift in which everyone should be able to relish.
Well here it goes, I am illiterate probably because my parents did not care for my well-being, I refused to learn, or I was a mute, and the list could go on. Okay, the point here is that I am illiterate. The hardest part would be going to school- that is, if I wanted to go due to my illiteracy. Learning to do anything in school would be tough. I would not be able to check out a book because I would not even know the Dewey decimal system; well not really, it’s because I cannot read! Another thing that would be hard would be writing a paper. Oh man, those long hours in front of a computer, brainstorming, and trying to beat a deadline. It’s definitely tough writing a paper; okay, I’m just kidding, I can’t even write! What is going on here? I can’t read and I can’t write- well at least I can talk.
But wait, the longest word I know is elastic; my vocabulary has been stunted due to my illiteracy. Wow, I just realized that the rest of my life is going to go further downhill if I never learn to read or write. Well this new revelation is not doing anything good to my confidence.
Knowing that I can’t read or write; I will definitely keep my opinions to myself if all those around are asking complex questions and the others responding with well-thought out answers. I don’t think I have anything great to offer if I can’t even hold a conversation longer than a normal literate person can. Granted illiterate people know how to communicate, but come on, don’t you think it’s embarrassing for me when someone asks me “what was the latest book you read?” and I respond with, “I don’t read.” By receiving pity glances I worry that maybe I should have learned how to read and write as a child.
No one should be denied the ability to learn- especially that of reading and writing. A student who can’t read is already bad enough, and to have one that can’t write to save their life, now that is ultimately life scarring. To know that while you struggle to learn everyone else advances makes life all that much harder than it already is. As life progresses, everyone will encounter life-altering scenarios, epiphanies and inevitably death; but, lack of an education should not be part of life’s cruel penalties to a person. If anything, being able to read and write is a right and a gift in which everyone should be able to relish.
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Thinking Critically
What does critical thinking mean to me? This is the question I am to answer. However, with that question I am also asking myself “how can I answer that?” Well, according to Merriam-Webster, the word critical in correlation with the phrase critical thinking means, “exercising or involving careful judgment or judicious evaluation.” I guess it can’t get any clearer than that. But I’m still not answering the question; what does it mean to me? When I think about this I can only say that critical thinking is the ability to understand what you are reading while you are reading: making inferences about the text, questioning what you are reading and challenging the points that are being presented. Maybe I am way off with this but, then again it is my opinion and so far it’s treated me well.
I taking reading serious but when it’s assigned to me I tend to take it a little lighter. I still believe the reading is important but I guess I have a problem with authority. When I do read though I keep an open mind and tend to judge the text. This could be a bad thing because I can be reading something that is true but I always have my doubts. I don’t have greatest critical thinking skills, but I know they are there somewhere; it just takes me a while to get them going. I prefer to read for leisure first then really analyze the text. For example, when I first read the Harry Potter books I didn’t really catch on the Dumbledore was gay but after really reading between the lines I caught the innuendos. Yes, I know some of you may say, “You only know that because J.K. Rowling announced it.” But truthfully, I already knew. It’s not hard to comprehend after you really immerse yourself into the text and take note of the implications.
Not only do I try to apply my critical thinking to Harry Potter books, but I try my best to critically think in all aspects of my life. No, it’s not very cliché to say this because it’s very true in my situation. I think that this class will really help to hone in on my critical thinking skills. Everyone has the ability to think critically it’s just that some are better at it than others, and that’s how I feel right now: that my critical thinking skills are at an all time low. I believe that this class will help me to understand complex thoughts more effortlessly and have a clear understanding of what it means to analyze things intelligently.
Maybe at the end of the semester this English class will teach me to view the world with an open mind and more questions to consider. The world is filled with all kinds of questionable theories, people and animals. I’m confident that finishing this class will allow me to considerably think about and see the world in a more mature way as well as question what should be questioned. I know I won’t be the next Immanuel Kant, but maybe after writing some thorough research papers and learning to be a better critical thinker in this class I will be able to become some level of a philosopher.
I taking reading serious but when it’s assigned to me I tend to take it a little lighter. I still believe the reading is important but I guess I have a problem with authority. When I do read though I keep an open mind and tend to judge the text. This could be a bad thing because I can be reading something that is true but I always have my doubts. I don’t have greatest critical thinking skills, but I know they are there somewhere; it just takes me a while to get them going. I prefer to read for leisure first then really analyze the text. For example, when I first read the Harry Potter books I didn’t really catch on the Dumbledore was gay but after really reading between the lines I caught the innuendos. Yes, I know some of you may say, “You only know that because J.K. Rowling announced it.” But truthfully, I already knew. It’s not hard to comprehend after you really immerse yourself into the text and take note of the implications.
Not only do I try to apply my critical thinking to Harry Potter books, but I try my best to critically think in all aspects of my life. No, it’s not very cliché to say this because it’s very true in my situation. I think that this class will really help to hone in on my critical thinking skills. Everyone has the ability to think critically it’s just that some are better at it than others, and that’s how I feel right now: that my critical thinking skills are at an all time low. I believe that this class will help me to understand complex thoughts more effortlessly and have a clear understanding of what it means to analyze things intelligently.
Maybe at the end of the semester this English class will teach me to view the world with an open mind and more questions to consider. The world is filled with all kinds of questionable theories, people and animals. I’m confident that finishing this class will allow me to considerably think about and see the world in a more mature way as well as question what should be questioned. I know I won’t be the next Immanuel Kant, but maybe after writing some thorough research papers and learning to be a better critical thinker in this class I will be able to become some level of a philosopher.
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