Internet Affairs

Since the discussion on the article relating to internet dating, my perspective has been slightly swayed. The website ashleymadison.com, IN MY OPINION, was repulsive. I can answer the question. Divorce is not an option when you are not married. Otherwise, divorce is an option it just depends on if one possesses the courage to act upon it. After pondering the debate, I have realized that Professor Sherrick is correct. The commercial advertisement for site is free speech. In my essay I argued that it should not have been aired, but I have changed my mind. If anyone out there is heartless enough to cheat on their spouse using an internet source, then by all means proceed. I still perceive infidelity as sinful and morally wrong. Advertising such a deceitful website can pass as free speech, but utilizing the site will never be considered an acceptable and dignified way to “avoid” divorce.

Death Penalty

After the discussions that we had in class, I have decided to write about the death penalty. There are so many aspects to this topic. I am still unsure how I feel about this issue, so I hope that completing this paper will allow me to pick a side or come to some sort of a conclusion. I hope to tackle this assignment by researching some cases and getting in touch with my own morals. I will take some of the viewpoints of my peers into consideration, but eventually I’ll come to my own conclusion.

Assumptions

Assumptions happen every day. I assume things about people that I do not even know based on what clothes they wear and their appearance in general. The girl who wears the dorky glasses and never fixes her hair must be the biggest nerd in the world. The guy who wears DC shoes and rides a skateboard to class must not be too smart. Although sometimes these assumptions prove to be correct, most of the time one cannot pinpoint another’s personality based on them. Yesterday I went to the mall with a male friend to help him pick out a tux for prom in his home town. As we were discussing the options with the employee she made the assumption that I was going with him. When I chuckled and said quickly that I wasn’t his date she seemed embarrassed. Her assumption was legit, but it was definitely wrong. I am positive that I would have thought the same thing if I was in her shoes. This mistake was hilarious to my friend and me, but she didn’t feel the same emotions. Assumptions are not always the best way to handle situations because as the saying goes, “Assuming makes an ass out of you and me.”

UNCW- Football Program

The University of North Carolina Wilmington is an outstanding academic institution, and does not need to invest in a football program. The costs of a football team would be enormous. Funding would heavily depend on donations and tuition. During this economic crisis, an investment in a football program would not be a wise decision. Not only would millions of dollars be required to establish a team, but clearing a space for a stadium would also add up. Basketball and baseball at UNCW allows students to display school spirit while having a fantastic experience. Another sport is not a necessity when it comes to UNCW. Also because of UNCW’s high academic standards, many talented football players would not be able to succeed outside of the field. UNCW offers many unique qualities already, and does not need to support a football program.

VCC Champions!

It was my senior year, and I had finally earned the dignified title of cheerleading captain. The pressure was all one me to be the best captain, and a supportive friend to an extraordinary team. I loved the girls dearly, and I was willing to do whatever it took to win the Championship. After a couple of my fellow teammates declined the offer to compete at Nationals, my disappointment level increased dramatically. In my opinioin, such an opportunity should not have been wasted, but without two girls we didn't stand a chance against other teams. Practice for conference was held everyday for hours taht seemed to stretch for eternity. Our lives revolved around the sport; there was no time for anything else. Although frustration and anxiety rose whitin the girls, I pushed them to the limit. I was positive that they flet hatred, but I could not let it phase me. The day of the VCC Championship Competition sprang upon us like the days before had vanished. My coach demanded that the girls remain in the locker room while the other teams practiced on the mat. The loud booms of the music sent a chill down my spine, and I prayed that I worked my team hard enough to be prepared for this. In the short seconds before our music blasted from the speakers, I caught my sister's eye. Her foot was in my sweaty hand, and the pressure of her weight pushed on my shoulder. No sound came to my ears, but I saw her quietly whisper, "You are the best captain. We got this!" The Fuqua Varsity Cheerleaders took the Championship title that day. It was the first time in twelve years that the cheerleading team was capable of putting a banner on our gym wall. Throughout the process, I had unwavering dedication. Althought the practices were grueling, the girls were thankful in the end. That was the happiest day of my life. What more could a senior captain ask for?

Staying Real

Last March I participated in a photo shoot for a dress company in my home town. First of all, I was never the little girl who wanted to be a model, instead I dreamed of being a farmer or a veterinarian. I believe that childhood aspiration set me apart from 90% of the female population. When I arrived at the shoot the other three girls were already there. Their hair was in perfect curls and fake lashes were glued to their eyelids. I admit that the girls intimidated me, but I knew that I could not show my discomfort. The girls quickly told me that they had all been in pageants since they could remember, and completed numerous photo shoots before this one. I responded with honesty saying that this was my first time, and I had never entered a pageant for lack of interest. Astounded by this, they asked what I had been doing for the past 18 years of my life. Once again, I answered in an honest fashion: I have been on a tractor. Their repulsive curiosity increased from the words coming out of my mouth. By the end of the day all three of the girls were more than interested in my farm life. They continued to ask thousands of questions, and I politely answered. At the beginning of the day I felt uncomfortable around the girls because I knew that I came from a different background, but as I shared my rare history they became more and more curious. Just becasue one feels awkward around other people does not mean that they should hide who they are. You never know, it might work to your advantage.

Candy's Sugarman Outline

Title: Candy’s Sugarman

I. Introduction

II.Contrast

A. Movie vs. Song
i. Visual, Auditory

B. Movie intertwines love and drugs more than the song
i. The characters love only survived because of the drugs

C. Song discusses more drugs
i. Describes the wonderful feelings that come from drugs
ii. Explained the anxious feeling one has when waiting for drugs

III. Compare

A.Describe same concept
i. Drugs send people on magical trips, so does love

B. Love
i. The characters love was enhanced when the used heroin

C. Necessity
i. They needed to be in love with each other to survive
ii. They also needed the drugs to survive

IV. Conclusion

Joy's School of Dance

The passion of dance has consumed my life for 17 years. I have enjoyed the inspiration and physical wellness that comes from the art of dance, so naturally when I moved to Wilmington I vigorously searched for a dance studio. Each one either didn’t offer difficult classes or ones to college students. I took this information hard, and was seriously upset when I discovered that I wouldn’t be able to dance in a studio. I decided a while ago that I wanted to try-out for UNCW’s dance team, and I needed difficult training before pursuing a membership with the dance team. I eventually accepted the fact that I would not be able to train in a nearby studio, so I gave up. Just as soon as I had given up, my hometown dance studio sent me a message asking if I could be in a performance in May. Although I could never dance with that studio again, I felt a sudden rush of excitement to at least perform again. Joy’s School of Dance is a tiny studio in a tiny town, yet it has proven to be the best studio I have ever attended. Apparently, it’s also better than any studio in the semi-large town of Wilmington. That studio in little Amelia, Virginia will always be my diamond in the rough.

Nightmare Cure

Lately, my roommate and I have been having strange dreams that affect our daily lives. We have been discussing these terrifying nightmares with one another since last week. As we were trying to rack our brains for a cure, I remembered something that I had heard about bed directions a long time ago. I could not recall the exact details of this saying so we decided to look it up. What we found was incredibly interesting and actually seemed to be correct. Our beds currently face the north, and apparently that is the worst direction. The hypothesis states that earth’s energy comes from the north to the south and the east to the west. Ideally one’s feet should point toward either the south or west. The energy from the earth should enter your head and travel to your feet. Another aspect of a good night sleep is Ch’I which is a form of feng shui. This energy comes through a door, veers to the left, and circles the room. This energy, unlike earth’s energy, should enter from your feet. If one’s head is pointing towards the door then it is said that they will toss and turn during the night. Electrical devices also affect people’s sleep. If phones or iPods are close to your head then it will interfere with your brain waves. Certain signs are more sensitive than others including Gemini, Aires, and Aquarius. This information startled my roommate and me because first of all, we face the north when sleeping. Secondly, my head is pointed toward the door every night, and my roommate sleeps with her phone beside her. We realized that this might be a myth, but we have decided to investigate. Next week, we plan to point our beds toward the south and west, and move them away from the door entrance. Hopefully this will put an end to our horrifying nightmares.

"Candy" and "Sugarman"

“Candy” is a movie that supplies a view into two people’s unconditional love for one another. Their strong feelings revolve around their use of heroin. The young artistic girl (Abbie Cornish) falls quickly for a daring addict (Heath Ledger). As their relationship progresses so does their drug use. Eventually they are only completely happy when they are under the influence of heroin. The urgency for the drug forces them to put their lives and reputations at risk. The song “Sugarman” by Rodriguez also relays the need to have a drug. He describes the same emotions that the couple is experiencing, but through music instead of a movie. The song and movie tie hand in hand because they both relate to the necessity of drugs in one’s life. The high that people receive from drugs is shown visually in “Candy” whereas the auditory description is in “Sugarman.” The need for drugs consumes people’s lives, and eventually they feel as though they cannot survive without a fix.

Conformity

My mother always told me that I needed to make the right decisions. She informed me that some would be extremely difficult while others would be clear as day, but what does that really mean? In the overall scheme of life, do we really have the option to make our own choices? Sure, I can decide if I want to attend English class on Friday or where I live, but will that make a difference in the big picture? Humans like to believe that we have choices, but in reality we all follow a certain pattern: complete high school, graduate from college, find a job, buy a house, have a family, and eventually die. This is the template that everyone strives to complete. The minute decisions and choices that we make really don’t affect the pattern of conformity. Certainly there are exceptions to this guide of life. These people are the ones that drop out of high school, flunk out of college, and other deviations from this perfect pattern. Society labels these people as “losers” and “failures.” A simple slip in the ways of our society gives them foul reputations. A relative of mine dropped out of school after his sophomore year in high school and now is worth millions. Once again this is a rare exception from our planned out life, but no one looks down upon him because of one thing, money. Our lives revolve around it. People strive for money, not for love or an amazing job. Conformity rules our lives because we hope that it will lead us to our biggest desire, wealth.

"Son's Gonna Rise" by Citizen Cope

Citizen Cope’s song Son’s Gonna Rise has been one of my favorite tunes since I heard the band play at Hampden-Sydney College. After I heard them play at the college I realized how many movies their music appeared in including “Alpha Dog” and “Ghost Town.” Their music is upbeat, yet relaxing. I have been unable to categorize their sound into one specific category. This particular song describes a young man driving his wife to the hospital in order to give birth to their son. He says “the son will rise in a mile” in regards to the baby being born, but if one does not listen to the song closely, then one would think that he is talking about the sun in the sky. He also references the son being out of the dark. I like how he uses this clever metaphor to relate the birth of his son to the sun in the sky. The song makes sense to the observer if they decide to really listen to the lyrics. The entire song feels rapid and rushed which allows the listener to feel the urgency. Citizen Cope not only produced a catchy song, but one that revolves around comparing two things that seem different, but with the use of words is, in fact, similar.

"What the Bleep Do We Know?"

In the documentary, “What the Bleep Do We Know?” fascinating topics regarding life are discussed. One topic that really caught my attention dealt with water. A scientist put words on water bottles, and then studied the shapes and characteristics that the water formed. When no words were on the bottle, no shapes appeared, but when caring words were put on the bottle the water formed shapes similar to the commercial snowflake. A phrase regarding murder was placed on one bottle, and the water revealed a horrific shape with a deep yellow color. The question was raised in the documentary asking if words could do that to water then what could our thoughts do to our bodies. Another issue was raised about our sight. The eyes are simply lenses that take in large amounts of information to our brain, but the only objects that we actually envision are the ones that our brain can process. For example, when Columbus’ ships embarked on their long journey to America the Indians could not see their ships on the horizon. This was because they did not know that ships existed so their brain could not process the objects. One member of the tribe noticed the ripples on the water, and questioned why they were created. After days upon days of staring at the water, he finally saw the ships because he had conditioned himself. Whether these theories are the truth still remains a mystery. Many other questions involving Quantum Physics were discussed. I highly recommend that everyone watch this documentary!

Descriptive Essays

In class on Monday I read over Aaron and Steve’s papers. I realized how different they were from mine which discussed a secretive location on the UNCW campus. Steve chose a mountainous range while Aaron chose the Wildlife Reserve on the UNCW campus. I thoroughly enjoyed reading both essays even though they were completely different writing styles. Aaron’s descriptive essay gave me second thoughts about my own essay. The way that he described the setting and the emotions that were derived from the place was simply eloquent. Steve’s essay was pertaining to snow skiing. I could relate more to that essay because I have experienced the sport. The descriptions that he gave reminded me of Massanutten, a ski resort in Virginia. Since I have been unable to attend my family’s vacation time there, it was nice to have the imagery refreshed in my mind. I would really love to read everyone’s paper because I received so much enjoyment out of Aaron’s and Steve’s.

Environmentally Friendly

http://http://www.epa.gov/

This environment focused website allows easy access to information about the environment, as well as tips to keep families from all different areas out of harm’s way. The United States Environmental Protection Agency supplies details on current issues, science, technology, laws, and regulations. Another great utility are the tips that this site provides on overcoming winter storms. For example, no one should keep their grill or generator in their home for heat because it creates carbon monoxide. In my Environmental Issues 205 class we are constantly discussing the dangers of carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide in our atmosphere. This site proves that the dangers are real, plus it supplies helpful hints to diminish our use of harmful greenhouse gasses. The site does not only address the idea of greenhouse gasses, but also the topics of water pollution, air pollution, oil spills, and other global crises that are occurring every single day. Countless articles are posted on this website that deal with every type of environmental problem occurring in our world. I strongly recommend everyone at least take a quick glance at this article to further understand the trauma that our globe is experiencing because of humans’ poor choices.

Common Words

Habits control our lives. Habits are apparent in the way we walk, eat, and even talk. Our language develops from the people that we have come in contact with over the years. The words that commonly escape from my mouth have been picked up from various people that have influenced me. Awesome is a popular word used by the young American generation of today. My habit of saying this word has come from our culture and newly developed slang. I took the words rare (weird) and frothin (guy really likes a girl or vice versa) from the Australian slang. I spent most of my senior year with a good friend from Australia, so his terminology wore off on me. One of my dearest cousins always uses the word quality to describe something that is high class. This catchy word easily molded right in to my vocabulary. The most recent word that I have picked up is killer. When an object is killer cool it means that it is extremely cool. This term has traveled from the north with a girl that I just met and made its way into my terminology. The habit of saying certain words can be damaging to the way others view you or it could define an aspect of your personality.

"The Way to Rainy Mountain"

In the introduction of “The Way to Rainy Mountain” N. Scott Momaday portrays a sense of isolation. He describes the Kiowas’ land as if it is a dreadful place where harsh blizzards and hot winds consume the area. The author explains Rainy Mountain exactly as it appears to the naked eye. In the first paragraph Momaday’s description consists only of physical qualities, not the emotional ties that he has to the land. I believe he did this in order to simply set the scene for the reader. With this technique, he did not persuade the reader to feel how he feels about the land, instead he provided an explanation of its’ physical attributes. As a result, the reader expects the author to perceive the land in a negative light, but that is not the case.

Technology

Technology is progressing exponentially. Since the 1970s, and even before that point, the globe has experienced leaps and bounds in technology. We can verbally communicate with others across the globe through telephones. We can send mass e-mails to countless individuals with the click of a mouse. We can surf the web and gather ideas for a paper without even cracking a book. Without a doubt, technology has vastly improved our way of living, but what will be next? The latest invention for young minds is the Wii. This entertainment device has broken the mold of all Playstation and Nintendo before it. The Wii remotes can channel movements of the human body into a video game. With this kind of new era entertainment, I cannot guess what scientists have in store for the government and education purposes. Technology has not only benefitted communication and entertainment, but every other aspect of our culture: from travel to health. A video on youtube.com (attached Hyperlink) explicitly outlines the predictions of technology for the future. One section claims that a computer is to be built that surpasses the human brain in intelligence. This hypothesis irks me. I cannot possibly fathom a computer that possesses more intelligence than a human. Hopefully, in the future, the human race will continue to use technology in a positive manner. http://http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ljbI-363A2Q

Historical Sites

America has grown rapidly over the past 100 years. The system of values that revolve around our culture require for expansion of technology. Along with this expansion has come destruction of some historical sites. Although archaeologists hypothesize that only a portion of the historical sites have been damaged, the evidence that could have been studied is gone forever. Americans in the past and even today have proven to be curious about historical sites. The carelessness of a lot of people has ruined parts of history and destroyed valuable evidence. If the American culture continues to neglect historical sites, all of the remaining evidence from the past will be destroyed.

Birthdays

Birthdays are an extremely odd occurrence in my mind. When people are young birthdays are like another Christmas. You can’t go to sleep because of the excitement and adrenaline coursing through your veins. Young children imagine opening those wrapped boxes anxious to see what is hidden inside. Teens already know the content of those wrapped boxes, but they don’t care. The excitement of taking that gift into possession at last is enough for them. Young adults lose that exhilaration to discover the mystery enclosed in a wrapped box. They are now beginning to open just cards with money, not for recreational purposes, but (if they are smart) to pay their expenses. Then somewhere along the timeline that we call life, the enthusiasm and joy that once consumed the birthday has vanished into thin air. All of a sudden, birthdays are a dreaded event that comes to haunt you. With every year something in your head says, “Oh no, we’re getting really old here.” Why did the magic go? Is it because of the redundancy of birthdays? No, other holidays posses the same quality, but never get tiring.
Considering I am freshly nineteen, I can only predict the true reason why that delightful day suddenly transformed into a nightmare: age. It is funny how birthdays come full circle. At fifteen years old, you CANNOT wait for your sixteenth birthday because of what it represented. It meant a driver’s license! At twenty years old, you CANNOT wait for your twenty-first birthday. You can now legally purchase alcohol! The anxiety of being too young takes hold. You wish your life away and before you know it you are celebrating your thirty-fifth birthday. But then I suppose that’s when the magic gets sucked out of the birthday fiasco: when one looks back and says, “Where did thirty-five years go?”
We have invented all sorts of little phrases to make people feel better about their ever increasing age. “You’re only as young as you feel,” or “Age ain’t nothing but a number.” There is truth in these sayings that most people don’t really believe. My parents are in their fifties, but they might as well be thirty. My mother can wear my clothes (and look great), while my dad can still outrun me. Age is a label, a counting system that we apply to people to keep everything organized. Being over fifty has meant nothing to my parents physically or mentally, it’s just another year on this planet.
I have wished my life away. I have been insanely excited for my birthday. I have even started receiving money for my birthday. I also have come to the decision that I do not want to grow up. In reality, I will accumulate years, and the magic will quickly escape from my birthday, but why not have as many birthdays as possible? Someday when there are no more left, I’ll be more thankful to have had ninety-five than only nineteen.

Zen Habit Blogs: Review

The blogs that are posted on the site zenhabits.net convey tips that are unconventional, but still lead to success. Some of these tips include the advantages of being lazy and having an unbalanced schedule. The idea that being lazy can help one to achieve goals is an uncommon philosophy considering students have been trained to perceive laziness as a poor quality. Although anti-laziness is permanently in my head, the points addressed in this blog make perfect sense. My favorite tip relates laziness to inventions. Inventions were created to make our lives as easy as possible. There was a reference to a car- humans are lazy so they drive instead of walking. The second blog was in relation to an unbalanced schedule. Focusing on one area can lead to success in that one area. With an unbalanced itinerary, there is room for other activities in one’s life. With laziness comes rest and relaxation along with the inventions that we all use every day. Without these new machines our lives would be tedious and difficult. With unbalancing comes an opportunity for people to succeed in more than just one topic. After reading these blogs, I have challenged myself to open my eyes to new ways of thinking.