Cowobys

In Ehrlich's passage, she goes on to explain her unique view on cowboys. She brings our attention to how they are seen as these tough guys, inside and out yet on the inside they almost have this innocent child like personality. She also describes how they are somewhat anti social because they spend long hours dealing with animals and working outdoors. She shows her readers an intricate, detailed perspective of cowboys who seem to be dear to her.

Nobodiness

The meaning of nobody is different to everybody. Nobody could be someone who lacks the material things, the physical, or other things that are important to many of us. Nobody has that negative connotation which suggest unimportant or not worthy. Not being apart of something, or being put down causes some to feel like nobody.

Metacognition Questions

Culminating Writers Profile
1. From the beginning of the year, my writing expectations have increased. The more resources i am available to through out the year, the better i expect my writing to get.
2. The strongest part of my writing would be my intro and i think i have reinforced it by making sure its not to long and that i have a clear thesis.
3. The conclusion is the weakest aspect of my writing and to strengthen it, i remember that the conclusion isn't necessarily a summary, but needs to tie/ wrap up the essay.(with out sounding like its just tacked on)
Evaluating you writing process
1. To improve my essay, i would make my conclusion stronger and make the thesis and body paragraph more specific.
2.
3. It was hard to find an alternative way to say certain things so that more than just me understood what i was trying to stay.
Evaluating Your Successes
Being Honest with Self
1.The most intimidating  part of this essay was just putting into words that everyone would understand. (the definition)
2. The Definition Essay examples were really helpful in addition to the brainstorm activity.

Ethics and Personal Values

Ethics and personal values are things that all people should have. It's traditionally something learned from the home, but if not, some would have the aspirations to teach themselves. The teaching of ethics and personal values in public school would greatly assist those who didn't receive it form an influential person at home. Things like respect for everyone, no matter the age, common courtesy, honesty, and integrity would help create "good citizens" if taught in the public school system. The disadvantage to this  is the fact that some parents/guardians might not agree with the ethics the child is being taught in school. Things related to or similar to religion should be offered but not required because not all believe in the same religion. Categories could be split into citizenship and maybe something like common sense. Common sense including please and thank you kind of stuff and citizenship could include courtesy and respect.

"What Secrets Tell"

In "What Secrets Tell" by Luc Sante, he breaks down the truth about secrecy. Using the Soviet Union, Internet and American culture/media, Sante describes the secrecy in all of them.

When secrets were revealed in the Soviet Empire, lead lined rooms, dead bodies, and info abut spy's and abuse were soon discovered. "...the serial release of K.G.B. documents over the past decade has solved whole shelves worth of longstanding mysteries...", Sante claims.

Then Sante uses the Internet to support what secrets tell. He goes on to explain how the Internet has turned out to be the,"nemesis to secrecy...". The readers soon understand that nothing can stay hidden online. We don't realize how many people can see a post on the Internet, yet Sante brings it to our attention. Lastly, American culture/media, is used as an example. Sante describes it as, "the urge to confess one's hidden transgressions before an audience of strangers,...". This shows how non-personal our lives have become. This publicity of, "psychotherapy and its many cousins,..." has become normal and will continue to get more and more open. "...the measure of normality is subject to continual revision..." I would agree withe all of these things, but especially with the Internet and media part. It's interesting how we want to keep secrets, yet half of our life is displayed on facebook, myspace, and eharmony. also, the fact that we are so into everyone else's lives through media. Trials on the news, and celebrity stories on E!. Secrets aren't secrets anymore.

Tuesdays with Morrie

Not only did Mitch learn something from Morrie, every person that reads this book has learned what life is really about and what we should value in life. This is almost like a reality check to the reader, because by the end of the book, we want to live life just like Morrie and die happy and at peace. Yet it is also a reminder, to find value in family and friends and not the material things or things that are accepted by society but have no real value.

Everything is an Argument

What is F. Scott Fitzgerald really trying to say? Reading the story, "The Great Gatsby", you wouldn't think the author would be presenting an argument in the traditional sense.  With close attention to the story, a few things stand out that show the authors opinion or argument. First, how the book is written and how he sets up the scene in the beginning and then one by one he releases several conclusions. I say several because every character is involved in a different situation and the conclusion of each situation is revealed at a different time. This brings me to believe that the author is indirectly stating his argument. The argument being that people can be misunderstood and can be different then they portray themselves to be.

Connotation

When you look around, what do you see? Does our world seem to be becoming more diverse or our we growing the same? Ipods, Vans, skinny jeans, cell phones, and other items seem to clump us all together. Take these things away and some would be destroyed. Seeing someone with all of there things has a very strong suggestion compared to those who don"t. Society encourages many to have a positive attitude towards material things, which is ok to an extent. Good because alot of new designs and devices appear to be assisting us in some way. We soon discover that these things are not helping us but stealing from us the things that should really matter. Our dependence on material things has grown over the years and those who have not conformed to society, are lucky. They will have a higher measure of self satisfaction and in the end will have all they need within themselves.

Where can you find solitude?

"The Box Man" gives us examples of where to find peace and solitude, and it's within ourselves but how many of us actually find it in ourselves? Having material things, in our society now a days, suggests happiness and i believe that it is a false suggestion. Many people that have less and value the real things that should be valued, are most likely to have the self satisfaction others lack. Many of us think to be happy we have to fit in and have what everyone else has. I don't know why many of us live by this concept because its like saying i rather be sad and rich than happy and poor. In the end when all the material things are gone, those rich people will definaltly be in for a surprise. We should all strive to live like the box man and value the things that really matter.

Box Man

"The Box Man", written by Barbara Lazear Ascher compares the lives of several people. She shows us how you cant judge someone by what they have or what they look like. Using a homeless man and 2 women she paints the picture of being alone vs. being lonely. The box man seems to have all that he needs and is satisfied with his life. He finds such joy and satisfaction in things that we would take for granted. The older women have homes and all the material things but are not happy. This raises the question,: why is the homeless man, who has nothing, happier than the women, who have things? Ascher wants to bring to our attention that material things can not make us happy. "She drags it out as long as possible, breaking the crackers into smaller and smaller pieces, first in halves and then halves of halves and so on until the last pieces burst into salty splinters and fall from dry fingers onto the soup's shimmering surface." The connotation of the woman eating her soup is very negative. It suggests such loneliness and depression, but the box man is described differently. "The Box Man knows that loneliness chosen loses its sting and claims no victims." The fact that the box man chose to be alone kept him from being lonely, unlike the women who are not satisfied with themselves and are victims of loneliness. The Box Man shows us how to find peace and a friend inside ourselves.

All about The Kite Runner

The words of Khaled Hosseini are raw, real, and will keep your eyes on every word on every page. "The Kite Runner" tells the story of a family who endures many challenges through out their lives, yet the love they have keeps them glued together until some things start to change. You will always want to know whats in the next sentence, the next page, the next chapter. This powerful book is the one you want to read.

All But My Life

Sure i've read more non-fiction the only one i recall is "All but my Life". The author Gerda Weissman Klein writes of all the struggles she encounters while moving from camp to camp. She seems to become more and more alone as the story goes on. She pushes through her struggles, showing how strong she is becoming. This kind of story enpowers and ecourages the reader to aspire to have characteristics similiar to a character in the book. This shows that if she can push through the tradgedies and pain, than we can conquer the minor things we encounter in our daily life.

Hi i'm Bri!

Hello everyone! For those of you who don't know me, my name is Brianna Wilson. Just so you know a little bit about me, i've chosen a few words that come to mind when i think about a few aspects of my life. First, volleyball: hustle, passion, and sacrafice. Second, academics: focus, organization, and...focus. Third, family: giving, funny, and relaxed. Although these are only a few aspects, these are things i focus on alot and I feel as if all of these things fit together. Balancing school and volleyball can be a challenge sometimes, but when there's a family who wants the absolute best for you behind you, you feel as if you can withstand anything.

~Bri