Tuesday, December 4, 2007

The thing that I am most afraid of are rabbits. Why rabbits? Because as a child in elementary. I witness my first rabbit. The eyes were so scary and it’s vibe made me feel so uncomfortable. The way rabbits have silent movement creeps me out; only because it seem as if they’re always watching you. I guess, sooner or later I will adapt to liking rabbits.
The second most exhiliterating thing I’m afraid of is big busy streets. When I am near street I get nausous. The speeding cars make me faint. I believe I have an street phobia. When I first found out about this ordeal is when I was walking to the store and I was kind of toward the edge of the side walk and I became dizzy. So big busy street are scary, and I hate to encounter them walking.
Thirdly, I don’t like to sleep at night. Because I’m afraid I will never wake to see morning. And sleepin is hard because I have so much on my mind, where I can’t even thing of closing my eyes. So much happen when your not looking and another reason why I don’t like sleep.
Last but not leat; being lost. I have been lost so much I used to be afraid of it but now I not as much. When I was out of town I was lost for hours at a time, so that’s scary. I was afraid that we were never going to make it home. The state of being lost is a whole big experience because if you’re not, well, you don’t want to be. But rabbits, streets, sleep and being lost are the things I am afraid of.

Reflective paper

Kameshia Williams
December 4, 2007
Reflective paper



In my English 1010 class, when I first attended class it was fun and I though it was going to be like my other English class. Toward the middle of the semester, it had become one of those training for professional writers. The college-level readings and the writing skills. With me already taking an English 1020, some of the material was already familiar to me. One down fall I still lack is too many grammatical errors, but I feel I have improved a lot from last year. Therefore, that prepared me for academic grammar and the usage of appropriate writing style.

Wendy as a person is so wonderful. I just love her because she was so full of energy and understanding. Wendy-Summer Winters, her name explains everything because she is so seasonal and all around. She relates to everybody problems, she makes sure everybody is comfortable and knows what’s going on. Her energy just made me feel more engaged in the writings and reading that she prepared me for. When I got there I though she was going to be one of those off and on teacher but she proved me wrong.

The readings I read in Wendy’s class were so easy and had a flow. I could relate to all the reading to some part of my life. We didn’t do too many readings from the Language Awareness book. Wendy pulled a lot of online text for us to engage in. I read essays like “Street Haunting” by Virginia Woolf, which was complicated. Another reading that was complicated was “Hashish in Marseilles” by Walter Benjamin. Also “Going to Japan” one of the text from the Language Awareness book by Barbara Kingsolver.
The essays which were easy to me was “The Rake”, “Under the Influence”, “ In the Woods”, “So Long Ago”, and others which I could relate to. From family problems, drinking, and beating and memories all concluded the reading I mentioned earlier. Other ways Wendy helped me as a student were the blogs we were to do once a week. Which were basically free writes and some of the essays I did in class. I liked the blogs personally because it helped me mentally to have an open-mind.

The process which I must have to go though for a well written paper is not that long anymore. The authors made my writings more simple and effective for me. When I write now the reader can get a clear understanding, and the number of steps in a first draft paper. By reading the real world situated papers I can tell each author’s detailed and know what they were trying to get across to the readers. All the authors have their own techniques and points of views. Each essay were appropriate, so I was able to relate to the authors to master what message they were sending me as a reader.

The writing I did in class helped me as student to develop the ability to write different style I was taught in writing a essay. While writing these essays made me feel as if I was repeating my whole writing process over. While writing these essays I learned to combine my ideas with my readings in the text, so I can recognize the appropriate writing style. While writing, I learned to document my writing; that way I would not be borrowing authors’ words. I know I learned this process while in high school and also from my teacher from last semester stress this issue so strongly because its like stealing. Using quotations taught me the importance of using (MLA) format properly. After writing so many essays, the teacher brought in the processes that go along with writing my essays. I organize my essays by putting my ideas on paper, to create a draft which I can revise my work.

Peer review was used to share my ideas, and let others help me see some of my mistakes I made on my paper. Peer review, which was the best way to seek advice. To comprehend the writng process, I had to demonstrate quality for an academic college-level paper. As of now, I have gotten to the point were all of this is a refreshment and I’m pretty such it meet the requirement of an academic paper to get an A. I learned the flexibility of knowing what each type of essay meant. In the beginning I did not, but now after learning the next step in the essay process, it is not all that complicated. I discovered in writing all essays are not alike and I failed to realize that fact to now.

Each essay has a theme. To understand the theme, I must analyxe each type of essay. For instance, when quotations are used an author’s words are taken from an essay and put in my paper. The usuage of summary is when the author’s ideas and words are direct, but my opionion does not belong on the paper. When I paraphrase I must take direct words and put them in my own words. Parphrasing is summing up what I read. Synthesis, I learned that I must be able to tell what the authors are saying and compare and contrast the relationship of a group of essays. When using all the writing strategies in my paper, I have recognized and identified each standard academic grammar way of writing for a satisfactory grade. I have come to realize some factors that I am using to complete the requirements for being a successful writer.

Looking back from when I took my English 1020 class I thought I would never finish Wendy’s English class. I have done atleast five different types of essays, but all of them I have particully passed. I have a clear understanding of each essay, so I think if I could go back and do this class over and redo each essay I will succeed at a actual college level. Me knowing that I improved and knowing what I know now, I would get all A’s on my papers for my up coming 1020 class that I have to take over next semester. I have engaged in developing college-level papers and know what to expect so I am ready for what the road have in front of me, and I will continue to know so from now on and through out for any class that consist of writing.

Wednesday, November 14, 2007

Likes And Dislikes

List A
1) My two friends
2) Truth
3) Respect
4) Talking
5) Driving
6) Helping people in Need
7) Money
8) Giving Props
9) Kids
10) Pictures
11) Old Navy
12) IN Love with Massachusetts
13) Music
14) Clubbing


List B
1) Murders
2) Nasty attitudes
3) Rabbits
4) Paying for Internet
5) My small vocabulary
6) Blue
7) Small dogs
8) Someone who repeat themselves
9) Soapz
10) Pork
11) Basketball
12) Leather couches



A-11 like B-8

My number 11, which is Old Navy, and number 8 which is someone who repeat themselves over and over. A is like B because when you shop at Old Navy the people on the intercom repeat themselves for the ads of the week and personally it gives me a headache. Old Navy is an advertisements are place so its repeated in sales papers, on TV, radio, and by communication of person constantly. Like when you enter the store there is always the same greeting to everyone and it makes me mad because it sounds so fake. Then there is when I’m just looking at some of everything a sales associate comes behind me and ask me if I need some help and I say No! and another come over and ask the same thing so again my answer is No! then I hate myself because by now I am fired up from repeating myself.

A-4 not like B-5

Talking which is my 4 and driving which is my 5 are not alike because people don’t have to concentrate to talk. Talking come from a smooth skill of flow and basic communication. Driving on the other hand is a steady systematic process. With driving there is harsh communication and talking, you must properly speak with manners. Truth is because everyone has a few nasty words for the world of drivers. Talking is not like driving because first impressions are everything far as talking and when impressions go as in driving you get so many that people don’t care. True enough both are actions but differently they are physical and mentally done.


A-5 like B-7

Five is like seven because dogs don’t have and vocabulary so they are alike because small dogs do the same bark all the time and I use my all time favorite words like all the time. Mainly they are alike because they are small. They are greatly alike because a small dog can’t mingle with the big dogs unless he got the masculine bark and the same with me I wouldn’t dare single myself out because I have a small vocabulary just to talk to the brainy kids and adults. The perception of both is they are not broad enough to make it in the real world to severe.




In my short essays, I tend to use the words such as: same as, pretty much, is like, and because. Those are the words or phrases that I choose for preparing how I feel or what I think. Just by reading them, I can tell that I am a picky person and I would prefer perfect but I know there is no such thing. A person can read my essays and find some of the same ways I feel. Sometime my thoughts or what I try to say is not always clear. Writing sometime I don’t prepare my brain to expand a broad thinking process so when you read my writing it sound simply wrong and with no sense. By doing these type of writing it help a person think farther than what they see in front of them. Saying this because who would ever know that when you take something you like and something you dislike and make them relate to one another.
List A
1) My two friends
2) Truth
3) Respect
4) Talking
5) Driving
6) Helping people in Need
7) Money
8) Giving Props
9) Kids
10) Pictures
11) Old Navy
12) IN Love with Massachusetts
13) Music
14) Clubbing


List B
1) Murders
2) Nasty attitudes
3) Rabbits
4) Paying for Internet
5) My small vocabulary
6) Blue
7) Small dogs
8) Someone who repeat themselves
9) Soapz
10) Pork
11) Basketball
12) Leather couches



A-11 like B-8

My number 11, which is Old Navy, and number 8 which is someone who repeat themselves over and over. A is like B because when you shop at Old Navy the people on the intercom repeat themselves for the ads of the week and personally it gives me a headache. Old Navy is an advertisements are place so its repeated in sales papers, on TV, radio, and by communication of person constantly. Like when you enter the store there is always the same greeting to everyone and it makes me mad because it sounds so fake. Then there is when I’m just looking at some of everything a sales associate comes behind me and ask me if I need some help and I say No! and another come over and ask the same thing so again my answer is No! then I hate myself because by now I am fired up from repeating myself.

A-4 not like B-5

Talking which is my 4 and driving which is my 5 are not alike because people don’t have to concentrate to talk. Talking come from a smooth skill of flow and basic communication. Driving on the other hand is a steady systematic process. With driving there is harsh communication and talking, you must properly speak with manners. Truth is because everyone has a few nasty words for the world of drivers. Talking is not like driving because first impressions are everything far as talking and when impressions go as in driving you get so many that people don’t care. True enough both are actions but differently they are physical and mentally done.


A-5 like B-7

Five is like seven because dogs don’t have and vocabulary so they are alike because small dogs do the same bark all the time and I use my all time favorite words like all the time. Mainly they are alike because they are small. They are greatly alike because a small dog can’t mingle with the big dogs unless he got the masculine bark and the same with me I wouldn’t dare single myself out because I have a small vocabulary just to talk to the brainy kids and adults. The perception of both is they are not broad enough to make it in the real world to severe.




In my short essays, I tend to use the words such as: same as, pretty much, is like, and because. Those are the words or phrases that I choose for preparing how I feel or what I think. Just by reading them, I can tell that I am a picky person and I would prefer perfect but I know there is no such thing. A person can read my essays and find some of the same ways I feel. Sometime my thoughts or what I try to say is not always clear. Writing sometime I don’t prepare my brain to expand a broad thinking process so when you read my writing it sound simply wrong and with no sense. By doing these type of writing it help a person think farther than what they see in front of them. Saying this because who would ever know that when you take something you like and something you dislike and make them relate to one another.

Tuesday, November 13, 2007

First Memory

Thursday, November 1, 2007

When I lost my fist tooth is the memory of my choice. It is the oldest vive memory because I was about six or younger even. This memory is a little painful to me only because getting your first tooth pulled is a scary experience. I have probably lost about four teeth. I can’t recall my front teeth ever being missing. There is one thing I can reassure you about and its called the ‘trick’. The trick that was played on me is most likely played on every young child. The teeth trick goes like this: “let me see your teeth, I’m not going to touch it”. But you repeatedly say no and the person that’s looking in your mouth is still proceeding to say, “let me see it, I’m just going to touch it and see how loose it is”. Oh, no! they just snatch that loose tooth on out your mouth. You don’t feel it until you see its our you mouth and the blood. Then tears develop and you begin to cry for nothing.My memory of that scene in my life was shocking to me. Then after, I wasn’t scared to lose a tooth after the first time process. It started out me in my room playing with my little brothers and we were jumping around playing. My brother makes a mistakes and brows me in my face and I’m like ouch! My tooth was already somewhat loose anyways, but we proceeded to play. So my mom had made us some candy apples and I was eating one, when I felt a sort of crack and I felt a breeze like extra space. So I touched my teeth it was sore; of course and I started to wiggle it. I told my mom and she wanted to see it, and me being a child I was like No! She said, “let me look at it, I’m not gon’ touch it”, and I let her.In addition, she did the opposite of what she said she wasn’t going to do. When she tried to pull it I yanked back and ran. While I was running she said, “let me look at it”, and I was constantly saying you said you wasn’t going to touch it. I looked in the mirror to see if it was still there and it was. It was the teeth next to the big front teeth next to that tooth. I’m guessing the third tooth from the left were the big one is located. I kept wiggling it all night, thinking its just going to fall out by itself. The next day we go over to my grandmother house and my mom tells my grandmother and aunt about it. I heard her saying it and when outside and played. Then my aunt Brinda came up to me and said, “your tooth loose”; and I said, “Yeah”. She goes to say let me see how loose it is. My answer was the same as usual but she kept asking so I ran outside and start back playing.My grandmother gets my momma to come get me and I came in the house and my grandmamma says, “let me look at the at teeth girl”, and I kind of gave her that look like no, but I can’t tell my grandma NO! I looked at my mom, she yelled at me, and said girl let her see that so and so teeth. I open my mouth very fast and closed it. Did it again and I almost bit her and she put her hand on my tooth and tried to pull it and I start crying. I said, “Grandma don’t pull it you said you wasn’t and I was holding her hands really tight. Then she said, “Look, look at that”, and I started to turn and before I knew it she had yanked my tooth on out my mouth and told me here, here go your teeth. I looked at her and cried like a big baby. After that my grandma pulled the same trick on every one else. It got to the point we start bringing each other to her and telling of a lose tooth. I was pretty much use to it and let my grandma do it from then on. It was no problem because I already knew what was going to happen.

Tragic Moments

Wednesday, October 3, 2007

The Tragic Moments (Memphis!)
The unsolved murder of Taylor Bradford was a shocking wake-up call. When I first heard the deaf of his murder on campus it stunned me because Sunday night I rode through I seen camera crews packing up about 1:30 a.m. Not thinking the unexpected of a murder just thinking the University of Memphis was just having an activity I didn’t know of. For me being a student I feel my life is at jeopardy because I feel if I’m staying on campus my life should be half-way protected by the law. I feel if we are harassed by police and watched all day then police should do the same to those who look up to no good.For some strange reason in my eyes, it seems as if every Sunday an athlete from the University of Memphis gets killed. Besides all of this I feel like being at home with nothing to do. With the murdering, the robbing, and assault happening up here on campus only makes it harder for me to stay on campus. This is something that I really want to do and my mother and grandmother is not going to recommend me to be up here if tragic moment like Sunday keep going on. I feel that the safety we as a whole paid for is not going as planned. The police that be on duty don’t be around to see crime. When I see our on-campus police I see atleast two of them; one closest by the railroad tracks and the other closest by Vernans and Desoto. So to keep random killings like these down.I feel that the police that are hired for the school should actually walk around so some of the crimes can be prevented from happening. Its hurts me to hear that someone has lost a loved one while trying to make something of himself. I think that is a big lost because knowing now parents see that school really isn’t a safe place. It’s even worst when a person is trying to make something of themselves and someone that isn’t half of what they see come and take it all away all out of being jealous. Which is hateful when I feel they can do the same and leave peoples’ lives out of it. It affect me highly that now the public and, now the school systems see how us teenager live when we are forced to go to school. And they think a place like school will keep us out of trouble it won’t. Whether the city of Memphis know it or not it only makes it worst because we be around our real enemies everyday and it only put all the students as a whole in danger.Personally, there is nothing I feel I can do about anything that goes on in the city of Memphis. If the governors and mayors aren’t in control there is not way the people in it can make it any better. The only way is to connect as a whole and put effort in to stopping crime and trying to get people to stay away from violence ways. Another way is to talk to the mayor that is being elected and see what possible solutions he or she has to suggest. And try to convince more safety patrol around the city of Memphis and make a stretch into an 24/7 watch service

Stepfather!

Wednesday, October 10, 2007

Stepfather! ******The Present Body*******
Stepfathers can be a pain, but mostly they are fun.When having a stepfather it makes you feel you have someone else besides your real father to talk to. In a sense a second opinion, but you can always look up to a stepfather. One advantage in having a stepfather is that you gave someone else father and the best part is you really don't have to listen to him. Unless you have respect for him. I have respect for my stepfather, but I'm not going to let him ru n over me. Reason is because I really dont listen tomy real father so why would i treat annother man with more diginity tha my father.One disadvantage is a father figure that's not your real father is always there. That can make you mad in the beginning if you're use to your biological father being present. I love my stepdad.Him and me bonded as a daughter/stepfather thing when I was about thirteen. It's been over ten years being around this funny, energetic, generous tall slim fellow. Having a stepfather is always like a backwards end story. Saying this because you build up from when you are older and it will make you dwell on the past. It's like it's funny how you grow old with a person and yu can love the stuffing out of them but can't stand their attitude. Ther were plenty of things that my stepfather taught me as I progress and growed up. I knowledged more work skills which I picked up from him. I was taught to fish, re-light a pilot, fix house appliances, and lots of other real life problems.Seeing the in the story Mamet and his sister had a hard time with their stepfather. Thats one other thing I would never let a person nor my stepfather put his hands on me withour doing something about it. Random abuse that Mamet sister was getting was unnessary. Because if it was me, my brothers and I would have took care of that problem before it escalated to a point wher any thing could get broken on my body. I dont think my stepfather would put his hand on me like their stepfather did in the story, unless we are playing. We play with each other a lot; like play fighting, making threatening joke towards one anothr and hitting each other and runnign. It never get serious where I develop wounds and injuries.
Posted by Kameshia Williams at 7:13 AM 0 comments
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)

Textual Analysis

Monday, September 24, 2007

Textual Analysis
In the essay "Going to Japan" by Barbara Kingsolver the author was trying to convey the idea of how different each country's way of language is. She also learns that body language was an important key in communication. Kingsolver learns from her mistakes feeling as if she was without any intelligences or any idea of what's going on around her. The essay prove a pint that by going to an different country isn't always fun, and you should learn a country's important aspects before going if you have a sense of respect for ones' country.The memorial that Kingsolver went to see was the last of what she went to research in Japan. She learned many of significant view points in her visit to Japan. Kingsolver was convinced that she had the feeling she didn't do anything correct, her friend told her that by her asking for forgiveness she would make the Japanese people happy. Kingsolver took it in consideration that forgiveness was something that made a major difference and to Japan society it was the highest gratitude a person can put forward. As her trip continues she learns to use the facts that her friend enlighten her with, and used it toward an airline official. By doing so she tell the airline official that she forgive the airport for the inconvenience they brought upon the passengers and she felt by doing so this showed a demonstration of respect by showing the airline official forgiveness.I felt that Barbara Kingsolver was trying to declare that by applying different cultural backgrounds you will become aware of the mistakes people make everyday are probably a bit more important in another part of the world. Every country have their own degrees in which what is expected from one another. Also how one present themselves in the presences of another. In the essay Kingsolver demonstrate how my statement I made earlier is partially true. "I crossed my arms when I listened, which turns out to be, in Japanese body language, the sign for indicating brazenly that one is borded(574)." Like I mentioned body language is another way of communication describe in this essay. Each country has it's own cultural behaviors.Also in the essay "Going to Japan" the author feels she lacks self knowledge as her trip becomes more difficult for her to keep from making simple minded mistakes. Kingsolver said, "I couldn't remember everything, could not even recite the proper alphabet. So I gave myself away instead, evidently as a kind of public service. I prepared to return home feeling empty-handed(575)." By saying this she felt that she went on the trip to research and with her making senseless acts, she felt those mistakes were more important than what she went to Japan for.In conclusion to all this, when traveling their is always one thing to keep in mind. That is to always recognize the significances of others and by doing so you wouldn't have to feel like you fell an indicated task. The key element is to focus on normal communication skills and proper gestures.

Essay in class

Thursday, October 11, 2007

In the essay Hashish in Marseilles the authors words are very complicated. It’s hard to get a real meaning out of what the author’s purpose is but I can tell what is going on in the essay. To get a clear understanding I must engage in the adventure that the author is putting in reader’s view. My reaction to this essay was a dull kind of confused type of mind-set. But far as I can tell is that the author is trying to convey a highly-influence writer is trying to put together a book while observing the people around him.Shockingly the writer is not at his normal self. Apparently say he is high while gathering up small situations and making them into one big large story. To react on this I see a person can think their best when they are not in their correct mind but it can also be harmful in the long-run. St first he starts off by being just a typical writer just exploring the city just to seek dimension of what he is trying to compose. Then as the drug kick in I learn that he more aware of what is going on and become more indefinite of images of what’s is expected from all the different people he sees. He felt like he was lonely in the world and needed no one else to communicate with but he felt like he was alienated.In this sense I feel that he was surfacing the stage of positioning his self in silence and place his self outside the observation of everything. When he was in Basso’s ready to order he starts off with aware instincts but at the time he was complaining trying his hardest not to attack the waitress with ugly words but kept his cool in doing so. In a sigh of relief I though he was going to be pressured to alter a confrontation among them both. Afterward as he leaves he see a bottle of Cassis and decides that he was going to drink it but reconsider because of him being in the state he’s in, he felt it would be compatible with the drug that he was on.At this point I see that the drug is taking over his body making him irresponsible to his task that I intended to accomplish. Reluctant enough he falls back into the stage being alone so he illumination of his own companionship which he feels that under the influence of drugs he thinks better and does better work. When I started to hear and see more stuff I feel that he is imagining things but the way he describe them is sound as its real and not the drug seeing what is wanted to be seen.As a whole the essay gives out of a vibe of an everyday writer/composer that experience full intensity of being full time committed author. But I see it’s hard trying to do writing and being effected by drugs.

Family Traditons

Wednesday, September 12, 2007

Family Traditions!!!
Family reunions are when each side of your family gets together and have valuable time. At family reunion your relative show you love and support you through difficult situations. The most important part is the you get to see long Lot relatives that you were dying to see. Most family reunions stitch up break-ups between one another and the can prevent separation time. Reunions keep down the drama from each household. Many times when families plan them it shows that the members of your family have a positive outlook on life, like sticking together at all times. When people attend family reunions' emotions flow throughout the whole day till everyone is gone their separate ways. If a family reunion is something new to you:you will really enjoy moments like those of a family reunion.Reunions are based n a family's communication among each grandparent, sister, brother, and cousins. These people are the unity of everyone. Then location is the biggest part because everyone needs a nice convenient place that tis reasonable for everyone. Out-of-town trips are fun for an family reunion but not fun like being at hone giving your family coming to you. Money is a big component that is involve in being a family. If u know it or not their are dues to be paid. Dues should be no more than twenty-dollars. When you can't pay dues your other fellow family members that happily love you will come out their pockets and make sure you com out to attend this gathering.My family reunions are always fun. I just attended an family reunion Saturday the 8th at tan clubhouse. It was exciting, especially for me because I'm like the star of the family. People actually jump up running to me to give me hugs and to speak. All my baby cousin run all around me as a whole and they swam me. Always there is little kids all around me. Yes, I just love the attention because it makes me feel special. When I arrive I feel the vibe of an good time with my family. My family consist off plenty of characters so i never know who I'm going to run into.The food is always good so if you have good cooks there should not be a problem with nasty food. We had dishes from green beans which I hat spaghetti, ham (to let yo in on a secret i don't eat pork). We had plenty of chicken and hamburgers. Lots of cakes and drinks, most people thinks that's the best part of getting together with family is "the food", which is kind of true, but it not important.The music is always selected by an older person from the family because if someone young picked the music the elders would be upset. The music that is played is good enough to make both parties satisfied. When i go to my reunions i always like to bring my boyfriend at the time to show him off, but i also bring friends of mines too. When all these fun things end it just spoil your night but there is always next year. The next year probably would be more exciting than he previous time.

The "Rake"

Wednesday, October 17, 2007

In the essay the “The Rake” the author is illustrated how family lifestyle are different. David Mamet shows how conflicts affect every member of a family. Reading this essay makes me feels emotionally struck. From my observation I can tell this family is a low-income middle class family. The family is most likely doesn’t have any set morals or values. The only rule I can se was that thy all sat and ate dinner together at the round table n the nook. I guess they were more family-oriented far as dinner go than beliefs and religions. I can tell from just reading that the children had no say so in most situations.The author attacks the point that the children are dealing with their family abusive ways. While Mamet was telling of the abusive ways he never mentioned that they had other family members beside the mother, stepfather, sister, and grandfather; so that tells me that they were t themselves. And they had a small family. This essay affects me in many ways. Reason for saying this is because I am highly affectionate to my family. I love being around family all the time, but if I had to deal with problem that Mamet and his sister witness I wouldn’t be able to get use too that.The outcome to the behavior of the family was inappropriate. Fairly because Mamet and his sister didn’t get much attention, and the way the sister was treated could have been escalated to way worst problem; like death. There were many scenes from the essay which had a significant call for attention. Like the scene of which Mamet sister play was premiering that night at school and she could not attend because she didn’t finish her dinner. As I mentioned earlier in my essay the only set rules that this family had was sitting together to have dinner and she for once was to excited to eat because her leading role. This situation support the reason for me saying that the children had no say-so for anything. Another scene that affected me was when the stepfather hits the sister in the face for no apparent reason and from then on he continues to beat on her. This makes me feel like there is no self control and that the violent ways trigger a emotion of mine that would only makes situations like those more violent.The imagery that the author conveys in the essay show low authority figures in the family. To support this fact the mother in the essays goes to say, “that until one or the other answered, we could not go to the hospital,” (Memoir 72) this is when Mamet hits his sister in the face with the rake. The mother shows no remorse to her daughter and knowing that the rest of the family was sitting at the table made it seen that the family had no authority in the family to speak up and haste fully take care of the incident by cleaning up the blood and making sure she was okay, but I see their was none of that sort.Another reason for me finding myself to say the family didn’t care for one another emotionally is when Mamet went away his sister told him that, “on the weekends when I was gone my stepfather ended every Sunday evening by hitting or beating her for some reason or other” (Memoir 71). Which I think was unnecessary because anger shouldn’t push a person to that limit.As a whole “The Rake” plays an shattering violent past that no one had control over. The author symbolizes the title ‘the rake’ revolves around claws of the rake that damages and shows violents. And at the same time ‘the rake’ can be used as a clean up tool which the family still play the role as a whole not separating, letting nothing come between them form beginning to end which explains the subtitle ‘A few scenes from my childhood’.

Traditions

Traditions
We would like to start out by saying this will not be a standard paper. This will be a paper in which three different people lives are compared and come together under one unified theme. Our theme is family traditions which consis of Jacob Connell's beach trips, Christians DeFilippo's Christmas parties, and Kameshia Williams' family reunions. As you can see from our personal expriences family tradition and get togethers make up who we really are. All these events show closeness, love, happiness and great times with our families.My name is Jacob and my most favorite time of the summer and the year, besides football season, is the week or two I get to spend at the beach with my family. Not only is it just my Dad, Mom, and sisters but my grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins are all at the beach together. I have 3 sisters, so I am the only boy and I get stuck not being able to do guy things a lot so when I go to the beach I meet up with my cousins (three boys) and have a great time. The cousin closest to me is Caleb, he is the same age as me and if you didn't know us, you would think we were brothers, not because of our appearance but because of how we act just a like. We both love sports to death and we are both very athletic and active. Most of our trips to the beach are very similar. The past 3 years we have stayed in a large beach house in Fort Morgan, Alabama but before that we always stayed in condos in Gulf Shores, Alabama. My family likes the beach house because the beach is never crowded and we are pretty much by ourselves, but Caleb and I of course would much rather be in a place where there are a lot of people and there for more girls, but besides the lack of girls on the beach everything is perfect.The typical beach trip with my family starts with everyone meeting down on the coast (we don't all live around here so we just meet down there) and checking out the nice house that we get to stay in for the next week or two. The week we go is always during the TSSAA dead week for high school sports because we all play sports and that's the only time we get off. The days at the beach always start late for me because I sleep till Caleb gets tired of being up by himself and finally decides to wake me up. We always start our day by going down to the beach and riding the waves for a couple of hours or if the jellyfish are bad till we get fed up with getting stung. After we are all tired of the ocean beating us into the sand we go up and eat lunch, normally sandwiches, and rest a little bit. After eating lunch Caleb and I normally decided to take a walk on the beach to see if we can meet any girls, but where we are at we both know our odds are not very good. Since we will probably not see a single girl our age we take a football or frisbee and have fun throwing it up and down the beach as we keep an eye out for the girls that is never there. Once we have walked for five mile we both decided there are no girls our age anywhere in the state of Alabama we decide to walk back. It is now late afternoon and we are all somewhat burnt from being out in the sun all day. Around this time Caleb and me grab our skim boards, which we have mastered with years and years of experience, and find a perfect spot to skim until the sun goes down. Even though I said we master it will still find our selves bleeding at the knees and elbows and washing sand out of our pants from busting and rolling across the beach. Once day light is gone we decide to go up and eat dinner. Now dinner on our family vacations is something you do not want to miss. I am talking steak, boiled shrimp, barbecued shrimp, tilapia, huge baked potatoes, and amazing sides that are better than any restaurant I have ever been to. And then there is sweet tea and you can’t beat good sweet tea. Once our bellies are full Caleb and me normally take my younger cousin out to hunt for grabs. Because there are not that many people around where we stay at the crabs are everywhere and that makes a lot of fun while hunting them. Just a little side note we even got to see a giant sea turtle coming up on the beach to lay its eggs this past year. After we are done with our hunt Caleb and me normally go and relax in the hot tub before hitting the sack and starting the cycle all over again.The beach trip wouldn't be half as fun as it is without my cousin and family there and they are why I have such a great time every year we go.As you go from the first story to the next you will start to see the similarities between us. You will see how we love our families and how we interact with one another.I will start by saying I have a big, wonderful, funny, and loving family. We love to get together and have a great time. This is my story of our yearly get together at Christmas.When I first get there I feel excited and happy. I feel nervous and jumpy almost at the sight of seeing people I do not get to see a lot. The atmosphere is great. We are all happy to see each other and it is really like a homecoming, because everyone is together for the only time that year. All the little kids are excited and wanting to open their presents, the big kids too, but not as much.The next scenes are interacting and mingling before dinner is ready. Everyone is running around and talking. We are all laughing and having a good time. We are all getting caught up about everyone’s business. This is a fun time because we are all just sitting around, helping Ma, and having a great time.Dinner is served. Boy, are we all ready to eat by then. Ma and Pa always make the same thing too. Spaghetti and Lasagna with salad and rolls is the standard. Yum Yum. Of course there are deserts too. And there is always my favorite desert, Strawberry Truffle. :) Thanks to my Aunt Leah.Presents are next. Now who doesn't like presents?? Nobody I know. Anyway, we all assemble in the den and Pa hands out all the gifts. The excitement is in the air. "What did we get?" that is all we can think about. The little ones especially you want to watch. They are so funny. This is also picture time. We all get together and pose with each other and our gifts. It's great.Afterwards everyone sits around chatting and us older ones are making plans about what or where to go next. Usually one of us girls always spends the night with one of the other ones, so we have to decide on that matter too. We always have so much fun at the party. We all look forward to this one event every year. We never get to see everybody together at the same time and this is our only time. My Uncle Chuck lives in Ohio so they only get to come down once a year and that is at Christmas. We all look forward to getting to know one another again and just taking time to talk and laugh. Because when everything is said and done our heart is in our family.Family reunions are when each side of your family gets together and have valuable time. At family reunion your relative show you love and support you through difficult situations. The most important part is the you get to see long Lot relatives that you were dying to see. Most family reunions stitch up break-ups between one another and the can prevent separation time. Reunions keep down the drama from each household. Many times when families plan them it shows that the members of your family have a positive outlook on life, like sticking together at all times. When people attend family reunions' emotions flow throughout the whole day till everyone is gone their separate ways. If a family reunion is something new to you:you will really enjoy moments like those of a family reunion.Reunions are based n a family's communication among each grandparent, sister, brother, and cousins. These people are the unity of everyone. Then location is the biggest part because everyone needs a nice convenient place that tis reasonable for everyone. Out-of-town trips are fun for an family reunion but not fun like being at hone giving your family coming to you. Money is a big component that is involve in being a family. If u know it or not their are dues to be paid. Dues should be no more than twenty-dollars. When you can't pay dues your other fellow family members that happily love you will come out their pockets and make sure you com out to attend this gathering.My family reunions are always fun. I just attended an family reunion Saturday the 8th at tan clubhouse. It was exciting, especially for me because I'm like the star of the family. People actually jump up running to me to give me hugs and to speak. All my baby cousin run all around me as a whole and they swam me. Always there is little kids all around me. Yes, I just love the attention because it makes me feel special. When I arrive I feel the vibe of an good time with my family. My family consist off plenty of characters so i never know who I'm going to run into.The food is always good so if you have good cooks there should not be a problem with nasty food. We had dishes from green beans which I hat spaghetti, ham (to let yo in on a secret i don't eat pork). We had plenty of chicken and hamburgers. Lots of cakes and drinks, most people thinks that's the best part of getting together with family is "the food", which is kind of true, but it not important.The music is always selected by an older person from the family because if someone young picked the music the elders would be upset. The music that is played is good enough to make both parties satisfied. When i go to my reunions i always like to bring my boyfriend at the time to show him off, but i also bring friends of mines too. When all these fun things end it just spoil your night but there is always next year. The next year probably would be more exciting than he previous time.At first glance we appeared to be very different people, but as you can see from our personal family time, we share similar qualities and values. We hope that you can take away from our experiences the love and joy that we receive from our families and apply them to your own family lives.

Family Rituals

One family ritual that I do every year is putting up the Christmas tree. We always put the tree up the next weekend after Thanksgiving. So that means I will be preparing for that soon because that’s our next break coming up this school year. My sister, my little cousin and I always over to y grandma house and out up her two trees. My little sister Shany and Farad my little cousin and I are always at my grandma Clara’s house during the holidays. My grandma makes sure of it to buy a new Christmas tree every year. My grandma goes to the storage and pulls out her trees. Then she always pre-warm up her bases that go to her Christmas tree that reflect light off the bottom, which gives the trees a colorful sparkle. Then my sister and me take all the parts from the box and separate the stems from the upward position from being packed in the box.YEAH, yeah, yeah my grandma buys artificial trees but they are very expensive. She is willing to pay up to two hundred dollars just for a Christmas tree. An I always criticize her about that, but hey if you want the best you have no choice but to buy it. After we put he tree up in the front room, which is always sitting in a corner beside the front window. We let my little cousin Farad decorate that one with peppermints and let him have the honors of plugging it up to see what it look like.Then for the second tree in the back part of the house my sister and I take care of that one. Where its positioned in front of a window (the window is in the backyard) for the back of the house can shine with Christmas lighting. But me and my sister slowly assemble the tree and it takes us up to three hours just to do this. Because we like it to be perfect well, atleast I do. After we get the tree up we make sure the tree looks full and then we decorate the tree. After the decorations are put on the tree my grandma put the few gifts that she already have bought under the tree. One other thing we add lights to this particular tree to double up the lights on the tree.By time we’re done with both trees its near dark so we cut off all the lights in the house and sit and watch the trees sparkle. Sometimes, we fall asleep on the couch while doing this and sometime we sat up and listen to my grandma tell stories of when she was a young girl around this time. Just to get in the Christmas spirit we listen to her stories. About twelve, we go off to bed to leave some of that Christmas spirit for later the following month December.

Thursday, October 25, 2007

This blog is going to generally be about people who play (do not act their age, does not stand an upright position of intelligence, unfocused individuals, or maybe I say an ignorant human being) too damn much. When people can’t function and make these characteristics possible are most likely the type of people I hate being around. Being playful is cool, but when you proceed to be unbearable. I let my ignorance out also with other individuals. Communication is a big part of human existence and when a person just makes it so that they have lack a big hole in that department; is the ugliest personally ever. Being playful can escalate in so many ways its point to be that way. Like in relationships.

Life in relationships, couples often have to learn that in a relationship is half in half, 50/50, a team as some would say. Some people are too playful to take something serious like this in consideration. Arguments where meant for a most relationships, me asking older people why would people who say they love each other act as if they are ready to kill one another? To take a guess at it I would say because a person can get some use to the partner silly playful ways, then when its time to get serious there is no act right among them. Getting people to act more mature, it probably would ‘irons out wrinkles’. The reason I mentioned that quoted opinion was because if people learn to act more civilize then, there wouldn’t be a problem with this issue of mine.

In conclusion don’t be so easy minded and make others unhappy!! Basically saying ; be yourself and make mature choices as in the way you perform and present yourself. I know I can be playful at times but never too playful were someone hates me. Only because I can control myself.