YAHOO!!!

English 2010 is over! I can now use my blog for much more fabulous things such as telling the world about my riveting and intense life. I think I finished my class strong, now I just have to get through a weekend of working, pack, work, move, work....and finally relax! Life is a little crazy right now to be honest but I am going to get used to the schedule one of these days and actually get some sleep.

America the Beautiful: What We're Fighting For

D'Souza wrote a very patriotic piece about how the United States is perceived by other people and how we really are in "America the Beautiful: What We're Fighting For." I had a hard time getting into the piece, in the beginning I felt like the author was throwing a lot of facts at me about other cultures. I really enjoyed the ending. I felt that D'Souza made a good point that forced virtue only gives the outward appearance of someone being virtuous.
I also connected well with the part about 9/11. The author mentioned that even American's were surprised by how well the country came together in the aftermath of this tragedy. I had those same feelings. As I watched the news in the days following the attack, I often found myself getting chills at the things people were doing for others. I had similar feelings after Hurricane Katrina. Our country is tremendously strong because we have a desire for the greater good.

Comparison/Contrast Mode

In comparison and contrast mode, the writer will compare, contrast, or both, two separate topics. This is easily confused with classification mode that discussses two parts of a single topic.
The author should hold off their argument until the end of the essay in order to give accurate representation to the topic. The subjects should also be kept in separate paragraphs to avoid confusion and give fair representation to both.
The main body may be divided subject by subject or standard by standard. With subject by subject, the writer includes all that they know about one subject before moving to the next. With standard by standard, the author moves point by point discussing each subject in a paragraph before continuing on to the next topic.
Info may be found at

Research Paper Intro

In 2005, a local court ruled in favor the removal of Terri Schiavo’s feeding tube; leading to her death thirteen days later. Autopsy determined dehydration as the cause of death. The ruling also prohibited Terri’s parents from providing comfort measures such as oral care in the final days of Terri’s life. Doctor Kevorkian inspired euthanasia to relieve suffering of the terminally-ill; however, ethical dilemmas arise as the requests for euthanasia increase. Active euthanasia holds no place in medicine, while passive euthanasia may be beneficial; examples of Terri Schiavo, Karen Quinlan and Doctor Kevorkian set standards for the use of euthanasia.

Apostophes and Acronyms

I am never sure if I should put "s" or "'s" following an acronym. It has become my habit to add an apostrophe before my s, such as ABC's, CD's, CNA's, etc. I would guess that many of you may have the same question.
I would love to be able to answer your question but it seems that the jury is out across the board. WSU it was suggested that it is acceptable to use an apostrophe; however, Rutgers suggested that the apostrophe should be avoided.
Answer: find out your professor's preference. As for me, I am going to begin to leave off the apostrophe because it is really not necessary to have it there.

I'm Black, You're White, Who's Innocent?

Shelby Steele wrote an interesting piece on race. He elaborates on the white and black perspective of race and "seeing for innocence." He gives many interesting examples of this through the Bill Cosby Show, Louis Armstrong, and more.
It was a difficult read for me, some of the sentences didn't flow that well for me and some of the words used, I didn't know the meanings of. It is a narrative piece, yet I find it hard to believe that he used the term heretofore frequently in conversation.
The ideas presented were intriguing. I think it may limit the piece slightly that he only speaks about whites and blacks when there were other ethnic groups struggling to find their place in our culture just as much. I feel that we have come a long way as a society since this time. The idea of the Huxtable family is now easily a reality, you can see that as you walk the halls of our hospital. It was a very interesting piece though.

Breather Assignment Rough Draft

I am not entirely comfortable with the description of this assignment so I hope I'm doing this right but here's what I have so far.

According to the Center for Disease Control, in 2009 approximately 2.1 million women between the ages of 15 and 44 were infertile. “Baby Mama” is a film about a single woman, Kate Holbrook, who made several attempts to conceive, finally resorting to surrogacy after being informed she had a one-in-one million chance to get pregnant. Infertility is an increasing problem in the United States as more women are waiting until their thirties and forties to conceive their first child; “Baby Mama” addresses the issue of infertility fairly adequately; however, giving a false illusion of the process to diagnose.

Doctors consider infertility to be described as unsuccessfully conceiving after one full year of trying (primary) or having a first child followed by multiple miscarriages (secondary). Kate is told that she is infertile due to a T-shaped uterus after nine attempts to conceive, a timeline is not given. Physical abnormalities of the uterus, endometriosis, pelvic inflammatory disease, and most commonly problems with ovulation cause infertility in women. Many things such as smoking, toxin exposure, age, stress, obesity, and sexually transmitted infections increase the risk.

Kate is a 37 year old business woman, who set her career before having a family; as age increases, the fertility rate decreases due to various physiological changes. The National Women’s Health Information Center provides information about infertility in women of advanced maternal age stating, “about one third of couples in which the woman is over 35 have fertility problems,” due to ovarian and egg changes (Infertility, 2006). It is becoming increasingly more common for women to wait until their thirties or forties to have their first child, making conception more difficult and increasingly less likely.

“Baby Mama” creates a false illusion that doctors are quick to declare that a woman is infertile; Kate is only shown going to the fertility specialist once, at which point he tells her she has a one-in-one million chance of pregnancy…….

Who vs Whom

I can't say that I ever use the word whom, and I am pretty sure that I should be. So when should I be using it?
I went to Grammar Girl to teach me the trick!

• Who is used for the subject

Ex: Who went outside?

• Whom is used for the object

Ex: Whom did you ride home with?

If that is still confusing, ask yourself if he or him is the answer to the question. If it is him, you will use whom; likewise, if the answer is he, you will use who.

• Who went outside? He went outside.

• Whom did you ride home with? I rode home with him.

http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/who-versus-whom.aspx

Two Ways a Woman Can Get Hurt...

Jean Kilbourne wrote a very alarming piece about the use of sex and violence in ads. She didn't stop there, but addressed child exposure and sexual violence in our society. Quite honestly I was appalled as I read this piece.
The images were pornographic in nature, and left me feeling shocked. I had never seen these ads before but in thinking about it, there are many ads around us that exploit women and sex. "Sex sells" being a common philosophy among journalists, marketers, and businesses. It is terrifying to think that so much is accepted by our society.
I was deeply disgusted by the story of the Canadian judge ruling that a 3-year old girl was "sexually agressive," how could that be?! Beyond that, what are we teaching our children when a 5th grader goes to school and gropes a classmate while telling her crude things. It is disgraceful quite honestly.
I have also had the opportunity to spend a little time with battered women at the Dove Center and have seen the effect those acts have had on their lives. The children are different than normal children, they are either scared or more mature than they should be. The statistics given about women with addictions and psychological problems are startling and undoubted true, as I have also spent some time on the behavioral medicine unit. It is unfortunate to think that the media may have played such a large part in all this. When did sex and violence become so acceptable?

Killer Culture

David Kupelian uses experience and research in "Killer Culture," suggesting that teens are falling captive to the propaganda of the media. He sites specific examples of "body art," dress, sexuality, and more which have become more lax with time. The piece is concluded with the solution that we must create a subculture to escape our current culture and ultimately form a new.
Much of the information given was easily related to. I found myself thinking of specific individuals that I am friends with, have seen, or met that fit many of the trends he referred to. He mentioned the lack of courting in society today, which is getting progressively less frequent. I have experienced that on occasion; boys, because I certainly would not consider them men, that feel it is not necessary to go on dates, simply spend time at home doing inappropriate things. I often think of my grandparents and how men seemed so much more sophisticated then.
I was slightly thrown off by limiting it to an "MTV generation," as many other channels promote equal, if not worse material than MTV; however, it was effective in making me question the material I choose to view. I had not considered how much of the media was in fact advertising for something until this class. It has been quite an eye opener.
An additional flaw that I found was the solution given. It was made to seem simple and a hasty generalization was made in assuming that all families are capable of homeschooling their children or that being best for all families. In a perfect world, that may be true; however, the point of this essay was to point out the flaws in our world so she fell a little short on that for me.

Framing Class

"Framing Class, Vicarious Living, and Conspicuous Consumption" by Diana Kendall was an interesting piece on her views of the power of the media in determining the classes, which she backed up with various statistics and examples. She began with very specific examples of television shows that portray the upper class's lifestyle as desirable and, ultimately, the best way.
I thought it was interesting that she brought up Extreme Home Makeover as trying to make "ordinary" people "improve" their lifestyles. Why is that lifestyle not acceptable, they really do make the families happy though. It was interesting to see the many ways that the media has ultimately defined us across the classes.
Overall the piece was kind of angry, but I did like that she gave an attempt at a solution. It is a good idea to discuss issues with people in an informal setting in order to form opinions that are not as tainted by the media. Overall, this was a difficult read for me; I had a hard time connecting to it.

Who's Who?!

Who is a word that breaks all the rules! Typically, the possessive form of a word is written with an apostrophe before the s; however, the possessive form of who is written as whose.

Ex: I don't know whose pen this is.

The word who's is used as a contraction for who is an occasionally who has

Ex: Who's going to Arizona with you?

It seems easy, yet I always find myself questioning it. So there it is, clear up some confusion!

Serving in Florida

Barbara Ehrenreich created an intriguing narrative piece, "Serving in Florida." I enjoyed reading this piece as she described her experience in the working world, more specifically the world of serving. She struggles as she tries to make her way through these tedious, minimum wage jobs.
I feel like a broken record at this point saying how I can relate to the pieces we are reading but that is the only way I can get into them. I think that we can all relate to some of her managers that she described: ie B.J. the B*****. I know there have been times that I wanted to give some supervisors similar nicknames. I was blessed to never work at a restaurant or fast food (not that it is bad, just not for me), but I am a people watcher and have often observed the waitresses frantically trying to please all their tables, often recieving less than a thank you. She does a very good job allowing you into the mind of a server.
She is just my kind of lady, I would also be the person to befriend the Czech dishboy. It made me think about if I would have the courage to go to bats for that person when their integrity was called into question though. Very good piece, I enjoyed the story.

Grammar Post: Using Colons

I am familiar with the use of colons, but I sometimes forget about them. That being said, I just wanted to brush up on the appropriate times to use them.

Colons are used before a list

Members of the health care group:

• Heidi
• Mike
• Rose
• Melinda
  

or explanation following an independent clause

I enjoy reading a good book: the Twilight novels are among my favorite.

Also, before a quotation

I often find motivation in the quotation: "Life is a journey and only you hold the map."

One site encouraged you look at colons like a gate inviting you to go on.
http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/marks/colon.htm

I Just Wanna be Average

"I Just Wanna be Average" by Mike Rose was an interesting read about his adventure through school. At a time when vocational education was accepted, he struggled through his classes that encouraged mediocrity. Finally, he was able to reconnect with his potential with the help of Jack MacFarland.
I think we can all relate to what he is saying in some ways. There are those classes that make you want to bang your head against the wall and make you really good at appearing to pay attention. I am just grateful that the age of vocational education has passed. I don't think that I would have been one to be put on that track, but who knows!
I think it is great when you encounter one of those teachers that have passion and want you to succeed, beyond that, they want you to excel! MacFarland defies what Gatto implied about teachers being bored. I hope that everyone has had an experience with a teacher similar to MacFarland. I know I had a few, the first being my French teacher in Jr High. She never settled for average students and would not give up until we were all doing well.
I think I have slipped up a little more in college, I am in my program and well on my way. I have caught myself saying "All I need is a C, I just have to stay in the program." That attitude is disappointing to me, this essay really made me think about that. I am certainly going to try a little harder.

Against School

The name of this essay describes the content precisely; "Against School" by John Taylor Gatto rips apart the school system in the United States. He discusses bored teachers and the problems with the "twelve-year compulsory school programs" that encourage boredom. These programs being set up to create mindless drones to enter society.
I was not so fond of this essay. I feel that the accusation that all teachers are bored is false. I have had many teachers that truly loved their job and you could tell by the way they conducted their classrooms. To say that a grumbling teacher is simply bored is a terrible assumption. Everyone has a bad day, anyone that says otherwise is a liar...sometimes you just need a break and to vent a little.
I also have taken many classes about child development, to deprive a kid of their childhood would be detrimental to their development. Gatto states, "Don't let your own have their childhoods extended, not even for a day." As someone who has been in education for 30 years, he should have a better understanding of the developmental process of children. He encourages your child to have a great deal of solitary time, at no point does he say when that should be. It is also important to spend time with your children to foster the bond so they are not too detached. This essay was not one I enjoyed, but just as he pointed out, we do live in the land of the free and entitled to our own opinions.

Idiot Nation

Michael Moore discusses the root of educational shortcomings of the United States in "Idiot Nation". He elaborates on the lack of government support and funds, respect for educators, and ability for students to express themselves. He also touches on schools accepting funds from corporations in exchange for marketing their product.
I was worried as I began reading this article, but I quickly found myself engaged in the text as he shared his experiences with school in his youth. I think we all can remember a student in school, possibly ourselves, that "exercised their rights" and tried to pushed the limits. Some were successful and others not so much. I found myself laughing at his story as I sometimes felt the same way about the ABC song. I then began to relate on other matters.
My sister is a third grade teacher and countless times she has come home from work frustrated. She began her schooling excited to help the youth of America become productive members of society; yet there are so many hurdles she has faced since she began. There are not enough funds to do the activities that would most benefit the students, often parents have confronted her that their child's problems are her fault, and of course there is always the salary issue. I felt a connection with the things he was saying and found this piece an easy read for me.

Harmony at Home

Stephanie Coontz analyzes the nostalgia of the 1950s in her essay "What We Really Miss About the 1950s." Throughout the essay she discusses that we often associate things with the 1950s that actually occurred in the 60s, 70s and 80s. She elaborates on the difficulty of the 50s and in the end states that it was a time when things were no longer getting worse, so it is often associated with a time of great progress.
I think it is quite interesting that so many look back on the shows of that time such as Leave It to Beaver and Father Knows Best with such nostalgia, although they do not accurately represent families during that time. Things were not always so simple and perfect. Times were especially difficult for minorites, women, and often children. I asked my gradma which era she preferred and she too chose the 50s. For her, it was a time of growth in her personal life as she was married and starting her family. She also had nostalgia and did not remember the hard times associated with that era, but the happiness of her own situation.
After reading this, I realize that I couldn't hack it in the 50s. I value my opportunity to get an education and have a career if I chose. Plus, I am not such a good cook and my sewing skills struggle...no way I could be the perfect wife!

In "Changing American Families," Judy Roote Aulette breaks down the social classes. Not only does she explain the ideals of each social class; she expands on classes within race and how they all interact. Judy explains gender roles along with each social class.
I was always happy growing up. My parents worked hard for what we had and gave us a good life. We always knew the value of hard work and that it would get us wherever we needed to be. It wasn't until later in school that I realized we weren't "upper class" as new homes were built in my neighborhood.
This essay brought to light that my family would be considered working-class by most. We bond as a family, all working together for individual success. My grandparents are a great example of this, as they cared for us so my parents could work. In return, my parents would help my grandparents around the house, in the yard, and finincially at times. Family time was just that, family time. My parents never brought work home with them or put projects above family activities. I enjoyed reading this piece because it made me take a deeper look at my family.

Grammar Post: Affect vs Effect

I have been taught time and time again the appropriate situations for the use of the words affect and effect, yet each time I come across them in my writing, I get confused. One sentence I read shed some light on the problem, "When you affect a situation, you have an effect on it." Affect, as a verb, means to influence. Effect, as a verb, means to create or bring about and may also be used as a noun meaning result.
www.wsu.edu/~brians/errors/affect.html

Here's a little added help!




http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/affect-versus-effect.aspx

A little about me!

My name is Melinda. I have been at Dixie for three years now. I am in the nursing program with Heidi, from our class. We are in our third semester and set to graduate in December. I love hiking, biking, swimming, strolling, just about all those fabulous things that are done outside. That is one of the main things that brought me to St. George! I have some pretty amazing friends and family that are basically my life. That pretty much sums me up!