Writing Doesn't Even Begin to Explain It #graded

Although I love to write a little part of me dies when a teacher announces that we will be writing a paper. Why? Because I know the tedious process that is to come. How deceptive the word "writing" is; it makes the assignment seem like a simple little task when it is really a monstrous process. Writing a paper means going through the complex and confusing process of filtering ideas. Brutally constructing a first draft at the pace of a snail. Destroying that draft with an editing process, and then destroying that draft, and then that draft, and then... you get the picture. It means picking through a dictionary for 5 minutes to find the right word and then changing it back to the original word later on. But most importantly it means going through that intensive night-before feeling of deadline dread and stress as you work off of adrenaline alone to perfect the beast during the last few hours you have with it before its judgement day. And then comes the pride.

That's how I feel when I write an assigned paper. I think everyone goes through a similar process. What makes everyone different is how we write. When I write, everything needs to be prepared before I dive in. My workplace, which is my basement, must be remotely tidy; there should be a cup of coffee or water by my side, depending on the season, and I have to be a comfortable temperature. Since the basement is not well insulated this usually means that I have on sweats, a pair of thick wool socks, and my zebra-print snuggie (which is so dumb because I usually end up wearing it like a robe anyway). If I want to get work done my phone has to be far, far away and I have to nuke all of my social networking on Stay Focused. Once I am finally ready to work I avoid my laptop like the plague. I think I was born in the wrong century or something, because I simply CANNOT draft my ideas on a Word document, which is probably because I was that kid who barely passed her typing test due to the slowness of her WPM. I need to write them out, preferably with a pen. I need to scribble out the bad ideas, draw arrows that connect, and pour out my ideas; I need to make my roadmap. Then I will type. Once I have my first draft I will go through editing, again with the pen on the paper, because any editing on the computer just confuses my already confused mine. Oh, and music? I love it, but its not allowed until at least the third draft because I need to work out my ideas. And when I do listen to music I only do classical. If its anything with lyrics I guarantee you that the lyrics will end up in my work.

Yes, I can write at school, the library, or even on the airplane (like I did just a few days ago when I came home from Orlando) and still produce good work. The difference will be the fact that I will not be nearly as productive when I am outside of my comfortable work space in my basement; my writing "bubble."

Is this what its like to be nerdy? #thisisodd

So my goal for this afternoon was going to quickly finish up a ton of random assignments so I wouldn't have to worry about them all weekend. I'm so early the weekend assignment isn't even on Cardona's blog yet. Man, I feel like an overachiever right now. But while I'm blogging I may as well toss in my latest obsession.
the Freelance Whales.
Fall is the season for indie music, so if you like indie music you must go listen to them right now. and if you don't like indie, you should still go check them out. NOW.
[[ If you need a starting point, First Floor Generator and Second Floor Generator are the classics.]]

Things I want but can't have #opentopic #graded

So that saying about how you always want what you can't have? I'm just going to state the obvious here, its 100% true. Heres to linking practice and a list of some of my dreams.

1. Long, straight hair that I can brush while its dry... without getting a huge afro of frizz.
2. Glasses. like these. I feel like bad eyesight is a horrible wish, but they're just so cool.
3. An Up house so that I can travel anywhere and everywhere.
4. Time. For living life outside of homework. But then again, there are those weeks were time doesn't go fast enough.
5. A pet emu. Seriously, this thing is so ugly its cute.
6. Natural guitar-playing talent. Like Gungor. The beatboxing could be an added plus too.
7. This truck. or this car. or this Nimbus 3000. What classy ways to get around.
8. High School Musical as my real life. Really, who doesn't want a continuous, cheesy musical happening at all hours of the day?
9. Healthy but delicious school lunches. Like veggie burgers (YUM-O).
10. Discipline from all procrastination devices like Facebook, Twitter, and Spotify. I had Stay Focused (for Google Chrome) but then I stealthily figured out how to disable it, so it is now useless. Wonderful.

Alright, well there you have it. A little glimpse of me in a nutshell. If I'm ever in a complaining mood around you I'll probably be complaining about one of these. Except for the emu and HSM ones. For some odd reason they strike me as unreachable dreams. But maybe someday.

Things that really annoy me or get me heated.

People who think they have the right to talk smack about anything and everything and then do nothing at all to help the problem.

Cliques, and the fact that lunch time can be the best part of the day for some people but the worst part of the day for others.

Stereotyping, judging, excluding etc. I know I'm guilty of doing these too, but they still annoy me.

People who completely disrespect teachers. Especially substitutes.

The fact that Autotune > actual voices in music. I have no problem with top 40s music, but it the fact that most high schoolers have such a narrow opinion on what good music is really annoys me.

When teachers play favorites.

Homework assignments that are due during the weekend. Also, when teachers don't check an assignment that you spent time doing the night before.

5th graders having a Facebook and a smart phone.

How society shuns the sharing of religion.

To steal one from Jessica, when people say "No offense but..." really? Because I'm taking offense.

The fact that relationships are built off of texting and internet chatting conversations. If you can't have that same conversation with someone in person then you probably aren't friends in real life.

Political parties. Have some nationalism for Pete's sake and work together.

Two Million Minutes: Too Much Fun, Too Much Stress #graded

I'm just going to start off by saying this: last night I dreamed about writing this post. And it was not a pleasant dream. I dreamed about being shunned via Blogger for not doing a good enough essay and for turning it in late because I was too busy having fun yesterday. Having fun. Yes, I was doing it. If you were Hu Xiaoyuang from China, you may be gasping in horror, and continue on to say that all Americans do is "Live the dream," and don't spend nearly enough time studying.

I am an American student, and my life is not a dream. 

In the documentary "2 Million Minutes" Robert Compton displays the argument that America is being to lackadaisical with its high school education system; that students aren't working hard enough, which results in a decline in global status. Compton uses the comparison of students (two of them) from the countries of the United States, India, and China to show just how differently the United States focuses on education. Yes, through the use of logos appeals-- showing statistics on the number of American students who take rigorous science classes, and displaying the fact that both China and India spend more time studying than Americans-- the argument really does make perfect sense. Unfortunately for Compton,  "2 Million Minutes" is obviously skewed. 

Hello logical fallacy. Within "2 Million Minutes" there is the logical fallacy of hasty generalization (educate yourself here). Americans, Neil and Brittany are NOT a good representation of the entire population of students in the United States. How many students live in a privileged environment, one privileged enough to have a sunglasses hutch in the entryway of one's house (like Brittany did)? How many students can not study for the PSAT and become a national merit scholar, like Neil did? In comparison to ALL of the classrooms around the country, how many teachers tell their students that a multiple choice problem on a test has 3 correct answers, like Brittany's teacher did? The list goes on, but even from these few statements above it is clear to see that the American students weren't good representations of the entire population, and I'm sure this hasty generalization was present on the Indian and Chinese side of this documentary too, although I'm not an expert on their culture, so I wouldn't know. Actually, I don't think it's at all possible to sum up a nation's diverse body of students with just two select students. By dramatizing the differences between the "typical" Americans and the "typical" Chinese and Indians Compton is not only playing the pathos of American views, making them feel grossly lazy and selfish, but also destroying his ethos, for viewers know of this dramatization and take in his argument with caution. 

The underlying question here is, what are we, as Americans, going to do to improve our number of math and science graduates, so that we can compete with the world once again? By the way this argument is displayed, we assume that the only way to reaching success is through a cultural shift; we need to become more like the Indians and Chinese. However, one of the speakers in the documentary, a graduate from Harvard, said something worth mentioning. He pointed out that it is not how MANY graduates in science in math we have but how many GOOD science and math graduates we, as a country have. Its not about shoveling in information and doing work 24/7 just to graduate and have a career, for those graduates are acquisitive, only aiming at getting the job done for money. In his essay "I Don't Wanna Be Average" Mike Rose talks about how one's actions in life change based on their attitudes. Taking the student mentioned above, this student would have the attitude that the only way to success is through graduating in science, and so he would spend all of his time doing the necessary work needed to gain this success; his whole life would revolve around finishing the necessary homework, and doing the right extracurricular activities. But what if us students took on the attitude of passion; finding that one subject to study that makes the student feel excited and leaves him hungry for more information, eager for development so that he can continue to expand his knowledge. If the United States had more students with lives revolving around the attitude of passion, not completion of school for a successful job, then we as a country would have more quality graduates, which would help us to compete. 

To all of those who think we are "Living the dream" here in America, I would just like to say that I am an American student and my life is not a dream. I spend my nights doing homework; I face competition with my peers; and sometimes I get test scores that don't seem to reflect the amount of effort I put into studying. But maybe I do seem like I am "Living the dream," for I am not running the race of monetary or competitive success, I'm not trying to please anyone other than myself; I have a passion, and someday, when I'm doing a job that I love to do, then I will feel complete satisfaction-- true success. 

I'm a Smelly-Footed, Camp Obsessed Girl #opentopic #graded

I was absolutely thrilled about having to write a blog this week. Especially because I'm working at a retreat at Camp Shamineau. Ok, the part about being thrilled was a lie, I'm currently sitting all sketchy-like in the dining hall, secretly doing this blog post when I should be helping referee a volleyball championship, which is so funny because the church leaders get SUPER heated.
I work at camp during some weekends of the year and I spend 7 weeks here during the summer so you could say I absolutely love it. I love teaching kids about God; I love wearing no makeup; I love working with my best friends; AND even having smelly feet due to the fact that my Toms are so ripped up and worn. I normally hate having smelly feet, because come on, who doesn't. But at camp everyone just goes with the flow and they love you-- even if your feet smell. And trust me, I'm pretty sure I'm not the ONLY one who has smelly feet, and I DEFINITELY don't have the worst smelling ones.
Well, I would love to stay and write my heart out about camp, but I have games to ref, kids to make Shrink-e-Dinks with, chickens to chase down and hold, and delicious campfire donuts to eat ( to quote Rachel Ray, "Yum-O!"). Most importantly,  I have to go back to my wonderful camp bubble, a place where school is not talked about, and technology (shouldn't) exist.

If you have time, familiarize yourself with the goofiness of camp. It'll give you a smile or two (oh, its difficult to resist using an emoticon here). http://shamineau.org/CampShamineau/VideoGallery.html

Obama has got to be a good dad #graded

The biggest component of Obama's educational speech (given September 28th, 2011) that really jumped out at me was his warm, understanding tone that he set. The very first thing he says is, "Hey!" and he delivers it with a smile. This type of normal diction continued throughout his speech, making it easy for all to understand what he was saying. He then went on to recognized the principle, mayor of Washington D.C., and the secretary of education. This appeal to ethos sets up a humbling character- he IS the president of the Untied States after all, he could have basked in the hoots, hollers, and cheers that welcomed him to the podium but instead he quieted them down and acknowledged others. His confident posture only made the warm welcome and establishment of character more believable and made the audience (or at least me) more willing to listen to what he had to say. After only a few minutes I felt like I was having a conversation with my uncle, not listening to a speech presented by my nation's president.


Next he goes on to the most important part of a speech. He recognized his audience, students, and their struggles in life, like grades, friend groups, sports, marching band, and even the economy. These are all stressful  additions in a students life and to make the speech less serious he throws in some humor with the mention of drama on Twitter (a pause before saying "Twitter" gave the humor more effect). He even goes on to display ethos with a personal story about finding school boring at times during his teen years- showing that he connects with his audience. He had bonded with his audience. He had achieved the most important step.


He then (finally) proceeds on to his argument: American students are the future, they need to set their standards high and find interest in always continuing their education so that they can aid our country. A combination of logic and emotionally loaded wording (paired with heightened intonation) develops this argument. Logical appeals such as the statement that 60% of jobs will need more than a high school degree,and examples of successful teenagers show that education IS needed and will help to develop and better our nations. He involves patriotism when he says that America has dropped to 16th in the world (in the case of having the most college graduates) and that action is needed NOW to bring our country back to number one. Students need to "color outside of the lines" to develop new discoveries, they need to "perservere" because they have the chance to let America, "fall behind or race ahead" in education. Throughout the speech "now"  is frequently used, and usually accompanied by a finger point and a raised, clear voice, which adds emphasis to his argument that we (the students) cannot just sit around, we need to take action. Finally, he adds another personal experience of parenting in towards the end of his speech, which develops his character, making him more believable because he is a parent and sees students from a parents perspective. 


I feel the need to note some additional presentation strategies that Obama uses, since he uses many. He is frequently gesturing, which adds emphasis on the main point of a phrase. In addition, he uses syntax to his advantage, always tossing in short sentences such as, "I dont like being 16th. I like being number one. Thats not good enough." and these sentences not only catch the audiences attention but they pack a punch- they challenge the audience to carry out what he is asking America to do. He also uses intonation to his advantage, making phrases like "Not done [learning]" clear, bold and loud so that the audience pays attention. Also, the minimal use of reading his transcript subliminally builds his ethos, for it makes the audience feel like his speech is coming from his core values and beliefs, not some speech writer's values that hes reciting. 


All in all, I felt encouraged by this speech. I felt like I was having a friendly conversation, and that I wanted to carry out Obama's challenge to "Set my standards high" because he had convinced me; he had made it seem appealing. Not because he was forcing it on me with fancy language and charts, graphs, and statistics. I felt like he actually cared about my education, as much as he cared about his own daughters. 


To our perseverance:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Lvn__6VIJ4&feature=fvst