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Friday, June 5, 2009
Table of Contents
"Pieces of Me"
Not lost but hidden are the items in the Coach Purse belonging to a woman named Heidi. The ID is a Texas Drivers License, which means she just recently moved to Washington State or she is visiting family here. She is detailed and organized based on appointments logged in her planner. From the receipts piled up in a separate pocket, she definitely enjoys her White Chocolate Mocha from Starbucks daily. This one is a bargain shopper by the multitude of coupons she carries around. She drives an Audi, shops at QFC, rents movies from Blockbuster and must have a pet based on the key chain with tabs. No credit cards in sight only necessary items. There are four pictures of children which say’s she either has a family of her own or she is close with her brother’s and sister’s. The blue wallet and brown purse says she likes earthy tones. She is wishful of a good fortune to come true, based on carrying a couple fortune cookie paper fortunes tucked in her wallet. With no make-up in sight only lip gloss says she likes to be natural rather than over done. The Carmel smelling lotion shows she still likes to smell good and keep her skin moist. She has enough hair to warrant the use of ponytails. Heidi desires to be simple but lives a complex life.
Intro to writer's choice "Pieces of Me"
Last but not least I chose my Identity – Blog Assignment “Pieces of Me” for Writers Choice. In the beginning this assignment was a major challenge for me. I had a hard time figuring out how to link the items in my purse to myself in a descriptive but flowing way. The end result shows I met that challenge head on and was able to produce a piece I am very proud of because of my accomplishment of completion. The first sentence is a perfect picture of how I feel sometimes, “Not lost but hidden”.
"Study Buddies"
Studying for Chemistry is a community of its own. A shared interest to prepare, be prepared and understand the material for an exam or lab is what makes this a community. An increase in knowledge, understanding and grade percentage is what holds the group together. Shared interests would be striving to do well in chemistry and knowing group study has benefits for students. A need is present to discuss material in great depth outside of class. Self values of wanting to be successful and determination are shared among the group.
I am almost a full-time study partner in my Chemistry community. I am an employee of a bank that does not allow much flexibility with employees work schedules, which limits my group study time. My study group knows I am a member and accepts that I will be late to some weekly group sessions. My study group is very supportive to my strict work schedule and even allows me to participate via my cell phone. Knowing that the payoff will be a good grade is what keeps me committed to my study group. Even being strapped with my considered extra time, I devote what I can to being part of my Chemistry community.
Intro to voice and audience piece "Study Buddies"
My Community Blog Assignment “Study Buddies” is the writing assignment I have chosen for Voice and Audience writing skills sample. With this piece I wrote about College study buddy groups. My Community Blog “Study Buddies” has a direct audience to today’s working, while attending college individuals try to maximize his or her time of a study groups. I believe this piece is an excellent example of direction to a specific audience because it shows how study groups form and have committed insiders.
"The Museum of Me"
In reading and interpreting Ullman’s essay “The Museum of Me”, I believe Ullman’s concerns of disconnected communities and more individual’s keeping isolated are valid. Internet does promote the “glorification of the self, at home, alone” (Ullman 639). On the other hand, I also believe that disabled people have benefited from the internet in being able to be self sufficient. The internet allows a disabled person the ability to accomplish necessary tasks to live by his or her self alone. Technology is definitely two sided and affects each person differently.
I see the isolation with teens today. With My Space, Twitter, Face book and IM a teen is about to connect virtually with multiple friends at one time. Because of this he or she distant themselves from the walking, breathing human’s that surround him or her in their own home. This is an example of how an individual allows technology to own him or her. “The web did not cause disintermediation, but it is what we call “enabling technology”: a technical breakthrough that takes a difficult task and makes it suddenly doable, easy; it opens the door to change, which then comes in an unconsidered, breathless rush” (Ullman 642). This can also be a positive implementation for an elderly person or a disabled person. A person who has never been able to be on his or her own can now accomplish simple tasks to a fully functional human being by a click of a button. He or she is able to order grocery’s, take out, clothes while also interacting with others through technology. Though technology can shut a person in, it can also allow a person out.
As long as a person is aware of the positives and negatives of using the internet and does not isolate his or her self from face to face interaction, the internet can be very useful. On the other hand the internet can also trap a person in and not let him or her out for hours. The internet has an overloaded amount of knowledge and sites that make time seem to kick in to full gear while surfing on-line. Being able to step away is important to being an internet user.
Intro to revision piece "The Museum of Me"
An assignment I am determined to show I can improve would be DB3 “The Museum of Me”. I remember that this assignment was a challenge for me because I had a hard time understanding the essay to complete the required task. I now feel I have grown in my abilities and will be able to complete the required assignment. This assignment allows me to show my growth in understanding the assignment, interpreting the essay and growth in my writing skills.
"Akeelah and the Bee"
In the movie "Akeelah and the Bee" the filmmaker established how in one situation a person can be the insider but in another situation he or she may be the outsider. Visual effects were used to show a person’s community and how that would define him or her as an insider or an outsider. The images displayed were windows with bars, walls with graffiti, dirty and aged homes for Akeelah’s neighborhood. On the other hand images displayed for Javier and Dylan’s neighborhood, were luxury items such as; big houses, money and expensive cars. Even though Akeelah and Javier came from two different communities where each would be an outsider in one another’s community, Akeelah and Javier created their own community through the same desired goal of becoming the spelling bee champion. Throughout the move the insiders and outsiders adjusted depending on the situation.
In "Akeelah and the Bee", Akeelah had been invited to Javier’s birthday party located in the Woodland Hills area. Akeelah invited her best friend, Georgia to come with her. When they arrived at Javier’s house, Georgia changed her mind about attending and went shopping at the mall with Akeelah’s sister instead of attending the birthday party with Akeelah.
The filmmaker shot a close caption on Georgia’s face to capture her expression of being overwhelmed by Javier’s huge house. Akeelah’s sister even commented on how mad their mother would be if she knew the reason for borrowing the car. There were lots of “rich white” kids with presents in tow attending the party. Georgia had changed her mind about attending the party and said she would go to the mall instead. Akeelah asked Georgia multiple times to make sure Georgia was sure of her decision to not attend the party. With every answer Georgia gave I could sense her uneasiness in her voice as she said “no”. Akeelah had built up her confidence through her experience of being one of the outsiders competing in the spelling bee competitions. As for Georgia this was untouched territory and she was lacking confidence. Only a child who feels like an outsider would miss a huge birthday party like Javier’s.
In "Akeelah and the Bee", Akeelah had been invited to Javier’s birthday party located in the Woodland Hills area. Akeelah invited her best friend, Georgia to come with her. When they arrived at Javier’s house, Georgia changed her mind about attending and went shopping at the mall with Akeelah’s sister instead of attending the birthday party with Akeelah.
The filmmaker shot a close caption on Georgia’s face to capture her expression of being overwhelmed by Javier’s huge house. Akeelah’s sister even commented on how mad their mother would be if she knew the reason for borrowing the car. There were lots of “rich white” kids with presents in tow attending the party. Georgia had changed her mind about attending the party and said she would go to the mall instead. Akeelah asked Georgia multiple times to make sure Georgia was sure of her decision to not attend the party. With every answer Georgia gave I could sense her uneasiness in her voice as she said “no”. Akeelah had built up her confidence through her experience of being one of the outsiders competing in the spelling bee competitions. As for Georgia this was untouched territory and she was lacking confidence. Only a child who feels like an outsider would miss a huge birthday party like Javier’s.
Intro to critical thinking skills piece "Akeelah and the Bee"
I have chosen Intermission One Movie Talk, “Akeelah and the Bee” for My Critical thinking writing skills sample. This assignment challenged me to view “Akeelah and the Bee” movie through two different set of eyes. First, by watching and keying in on how the film producer uses settings, sounds and camera directions to show community, culture and identity. Secondly, how specific characters were deemed outsiders or insiders. “Akeelah and the Bee” helped me understand how an outsider’s and insider’s view can change depending on the situation. I also learned that a person can and will choose to be the outsider if he or she is in unfamiliar territory.
Dear Reader
My name is Heidi Underwood and I began my college debut in 1999. I am a mother, full-time employee and student, wife to a loving husband who grew up in foster homes. I am a person who has experienced multiple American Cultures but never adopted one to be my own. I have traveled a long road with many road blocks and U-turns to get me to where I am today. Here I stand to finish what I once started, but this time I know what I am here to achieve. I will be a Registered Nurse at the end of the road I am traveling with Everett Community College.
I enjoy school but have always struggled with English classes. With English and Writing a person must first have interest and basic knowledge of the subject he or she is writing about. Being that I have belonged to many families, but always as an outsider, it has been extremely difficult to write about the required subjects of culture, community and tradition. Secondly, a person must be able to communicate openly with other classmates. This is also a task for me as I generally choose to keep to myself. One benefit I had was being able to be masked by the computer because this was an on-line class. I feel that I could open up more with an on-line class; where as I would probable keep quiet in a face to face class.
English 101 D has helped me grow in the ability to read, write and analysis what culture, communities and traditions are and how they develop and change. English 101 D has allowed me the opportunity to interact with other classmates and understand different types of cultures, communities and traditions across the world. This class has also inspired me to create my own community with other classmates for study groups and set my own family traditions. Using the group sessions we were able to open each other’s eyes using our own perception on the require topics. All in all this was an eye opening learning experience for me and my classmates were, in a way, my teacher’s.
To show my growth and achievement I have included some of my writing assignments. My Critical thinking analytically writing piece would be Intermission One Movie Talk, “Akeelah and the Bee“. I was able to determine how an insider and outsider's view can change depending on the situation. An assignment I am determined to show I can improve would be DB3 “The Museum of Me”. This was a midway assignment and looking back on the task I feel I now have a better understand of the expectation. My Community Blog Assignment “Study Buddies” shows my ability to use direction in capturing my audience. For Writer’s choice I felt my samples would not be complete without my Identity blog “Pieces of Me”. Overall these writing pieces represent my achievement of understanding culture, community and tradition.
I enjoy school but have always struggled with English classes. With English and Writing a person must first have interest and basic knowledge of the subject he or she is writing about. Being that I have belonged to many families, but always as an outsider, it has been extremely difficult to write about the required subjects of culture, community and tradition. Secondly, a person must be able to communicate openly with other classmates. This is also a task for me as I generally choose to keep to myself. One benefit I had was being able to be masked by the computer because this was an on-line class. I feel that I could open up more with an on-line class; where as I would probable keep quiet in a face to face class.
English 101 D has helped me grow in the ability to read, write and analysis what culture, communities and traditions are and how they develop and change. English 101 D has allowed me the opportunity to interact with other classmates and understand different types of cultures, communities and traditions across the world. This class has also inspired me to create my own community with other classmates for study groups and set my own family traditions. Using the group sessions we were able to open each other’s eyes using our own perception on the require topics. All in all this was an eye opening learning experience for me and my classmates were, in a way, my teacher’s.
To show my growth and achievement I have included some of my writing assignments. My Critical thinking analytically writing piece would be Intermission One Movie Talk, “Akeelah and the Bee“. I was able to determine how an insider and outsider's view can change depending on the situation. An assignment I am determined to show I can improve would be DB3 “The Museum of Me”. This was a midway assignment and looking back on the task I feel I now have a better understand of the expectation. My Community Blog Assignment “Study Buddies” shows my ability to use direction in capturing my audience. For Writer’s choice I felt my samples would not be complete without my Identity blog “Pieces of Me”. Overall these writing pieces represent my achievement of understanding culture, community and tradition.
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