I have a fear of disappointment. I'm not worried about being disappointed; its more that I am worried about disappointing others. It seems like every assignment I turn in isn't good enough no matter what grade I receive. I am constantly thinking over how to handle situations so that I won't upset anyone or change their opinion of me. I think this bothers me because I view disappointment as a form of failure on my part.
I didn't obtain this fear from any situations with family members. My parents and sisters have always been super supportive of me and are always sure to tell me how proud they are. I have this fear because of standards I set up for myself. I have to do everything perfect or its not good enough and I view myself as a disappointment. I also end up for apologising for a lot of things that are either out of my control or not a big deal. If I could stop worrying about disappointing people -- friends, teachers, myself -- I would probably be a much more relaxed person.
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Monday, December 5, 2011
Writing is a Dance
Learning how to write is very similar to learning how to dance. One common dream held by 3-year-old little girls is the dream of becoming a Prima Ballerina. They rush to the store to buy their first pair of ballet slippers and a brand new fluffy tutu. When they arrive in class for the first time they start small: pointing their foot and turning in place, but soon they will be doing grandiose leaps and turns across the floor. As little girls they learn basic terms such as “point” and “turn.” Later, they will learn that the real terms are “tendu” and “pirouette.” With enough time and practice, the will move up from the Ballet Corp to Prima Ballerina.
Writing isn’t very much different from learning to dance. We show up at school with our new notebooks and pencils all ready to learn. We start out small – learning that a subject and a verb make a sentence. Then we are ready to form paragraphs and maybe even put those together into an essay. As we advance in our learning experience we memorize an advanced vocabulary that we will almost never use because the average human doesn’t understand them. While some of us will be satisfied with our basic ability to write, others of us will move on to write novels and become the next big writer…or Prima Ballerina.
Monday, September 5, 2011
Some Light Nonfiction Reading
For my summer book I chose to read Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim by David Sedaris. All of Sedaris's books were recommended to me by a friend last school year so I decided this summer would be a great time to test them out. Also, many of his recollections are from trips he took in Europe and seeing as I traveled there this summer it was a perfect fit.
This may be a challenge to blog about due to the fact that the book I chose to read was a collection of autobiographical stories from multiple times in Sedaris's life. The short stories don't follow any sort of timeline to outline his life, they are simple anecdotes from his past that would seem boring if written by anyone else, but his writing style really turned normal daily events into an entertaining read.
I absolutely fell in love with Sedaris's writing style from page one. You wouldn't think that playing with your sisters in the snow would be something you needed to stick into your autobiography, but one of the things Sedaris has down to a science is pointing out the little absurd parts of life that make little puppies cock their head to the side as if to say, "huh?" There is humor with every page turn and the fact that he is a homosexual gives him a free pass to make his little cracks about that as well. If you are the type of person who hates being that person on the bus snickering to himself because of the book he is reading, then this is not the book for you.
My personal favorite is the short story "Six to Eight Black Men" where he discusses the different legends that children of different countries have concerning Christmas. The main focus is the Dutch Christmas. Without giving too much away, I can tell you that Sedaris finds quite a bit of humor in the fact that their St. Nicholas resides in Spain, travels with six to eight black men (no one really knows how many), and if the child was naughty he would be kicked (although now they just "pretend" to kick you).
I would absolutely recommend this book to anyone who is apprehensive about reading nonfiction. It honestly felt like I was reading fiction except that everything I was reading was entirely true.
This may be a challenge to blog about due to the fact that the book I chose to read was a collection of autobiographical stories from multiple times in Sedaris's life. The short stories don't follow any sort of timeline to outline his life, they are simple anecdotes from his past that would seem boring if written by anyone else, but his writing style really turned normal daily events into an entertaining read.
I absolutely fell in love with Sedaris's writing style from page one. You wouldn't think that playing with your sisters in the snow would be something you needed to stick into your autobiography, but one of the things Sedaris has down to a science is pointing out the little absurd parts of life that make little puppies cock their head to the side as if to say, "huh?" There is humor with every page turn and the fact that he is a homosexual gives him a free pass to make his little cracks about that as well. If you are the type of person who hates being that person on the bus snickering to himself because of the book he is reading, then this is not the book for you.
My personal favorite is the short story "Six to Eight Black Men" where he discusses the different legends that children of different countries have concerning Christmas. The main focus is the Dutch Christmas. Without giving too much away, I can tell you that Sedaris finds quite a bit of humor in the fact that their St. Nicholas resides in Spain, travels with six to eight black men (no one really knows how many), and if the child was naughty he would be kicked (although now they just "pretend" to kick you).
I would absolutely recommend this book to anyone who is apprehensive about reading nonfiction. It honestly felt like I was reading fiction except that everything I was reading was entirely true.
A Vindication of the Rights of Women
I have to be completely honest. I feel as though this article went right over my head. Its not that women's rights are too difficult for me to understand or anything like that. I really struggled with Wollstonecraft's writing style and word choice. Its the same reason I have never finished a Jane Austen novel even though I love what I have heard about the story lines. For this reason, it will be extremely difficult for me to blog about this essay, so I thought I would share my opinion on womens rights.
While I admire the struggles that women went through to earn things such as the right to vote, I feel as though some people take advantage of the Women's Rights movement. Yes, I understand that even today women are not equal to men, but some of the efforts we make to make ourselves equal are a bit of a stretch. For example, a women will never ever play on a professional men's football team. I don't doubt that they might make a women's version of football but let's be completely honest. The game wouldn't be the same if there were women in the mix and suddenly there would be arguments about the ratio of men to women that make the teams.
Every human being, no matter what gender should be allowed the same basic rights as far as the law is concerned. Women should not get special treatment when getting a job, complaining about making a sports team, or applying to a college. Sure women are capable of doing anything a man can do but that doesnt always mean they should.
While I admire the struggles that women went through to earn things such as the right to vote, I feel as though some people take advantage of the Women's Rights movement. Yes, I understand that even today women are not equal to men, but some of the efforts we make to make ourselves equal are a bit of a stretch. For example, a women will never ever play on a professional men's football team. I don't doubt that they might make a women's version of football but let's be completely honest. The game wouldn't be the same if there were women in the mix and suddenly there would be arguments about the ratio of men to women that make the teams.
Every human being, no matter what gender should be allowed the same basic rights as far as the law is concerned. Women should not get special treatment when getting a job, complaining about making a sports team, or applying to a college. Sure women are capable of doing anything a man can do but that doesnt always mean they should.
Is Google Making Us Stupid?
I was hooked on this article after reading the second sentence, "My mind isn't going -- so far as I can tell -- but it's changing. I'm not thinking the way I used to think." After reading why Carr felt that way, I realized, I feel the exact same way. reading is not as easy as it used to be. I used to read entire books in one night and I practically lived at the library. Now, I only read when I have to and it seems as though I have the attention span of a three year old. I simply cannot focus on reading in-depth. I can't even read the lengthy emails my mother sends me! I think it makes complete sense that the short bursts of info we read to finish our English papers is altering the way we think. Our minds are becoming more fact-oriented and we are avoiding the upper levels of thinking and analyzing material. Its like when you take an AP class and your teacher tells you that they will no longer "spoon feed" the material to you. Well they no longer have to because the Internet does it for us, or the program on our calculator does the math problem for us. We aren't getting dumber per say, but I would agree that our thought patterns are changing.
(I also found it ironic that Carr ranted for 6.5 pages on how people no longer read long articles.)
(I also found it ironic that Carr ranted for 6.5 pages on how people no longer read long articles.)
Skunk Dreams
At the start of this article I honestly thought it would be thought provoking and interesting; however, I soon became very confused and began to wonder what in the world the skunk had to do with anything the writer was talking about. Her thoughts about dreams in general really got me thinking about dreaming, and even though I know that dreaming is really just the random firing of neural impulses, I still find it intriguing. Its like The Matrix. We don't really know what the reality of it is until we push its boundaries. To humans, our dreams will always seem like science fiction: unreal yet not unrealistic.
Once Erdrich began describing her dream about the elk walking along the fence, things started making more sense. Its almost eerie that she had that dream before she even moved into the area that was "protected hunting land." I completely agree with the comment she made towards the end of the article, "There is something in me that resists the notion of fair use of this land if the only alternative is to have it cut up, sold off in lots, condominiumized. Yet the dumb fervor of the place depresses me -- the wilderness locked up and managed but not for its sake; the animals imported and cultivated to give pleasure through their deaths." It really is a shame that the animals were being hunted, but then again, it is becoming more and more important for us to preserve wildlife areas and prevent the cutting down of trees. It was this point in the article where the whole skunk thing began to make more sense to me.
The skunks lived on this protected land in absolutely no danger of being hunted. While Erdrich was contemplating how she felt about this fenced in area, the skunks came and when as they pleased, eating the free food that was provided and living without fear of being hunted. Erdrich envied the skunk and I would have to agree. Life must be real easy if you can eat whatever you want and you have nothing to fear because no one can stand the smell of you.
Once Erdrich began describing her dream about the elk walking along the fence, things started making more sense. Its almost eerie that she had that dream before she even moved into the area that was "protected hunting land." I completely agree with the comment she made towards the end of the article, "There is something in me that resists the notion of fair use of this land if the only alternative is to have it cut up, sold off in lots, condominiumized. Yet the dumb fervor of the place depresses me -- the wilderness locked up and managed but not for its sake; the animals imported and cultivated to give pleasure through their deaths." It really is a shame that the animals were being hunted, but then again, it is becoming more and more important for us to preserve wildlife areas and prevent the cutting down of trees. It was this point in the article where the whole skunk thing began to make more sense to me.
The skunks lived on this protected land in absolutely no danger of being hunted. While Erdrich was contemplating how she felt about this fenced in area, the skunks came and when as they pleased, eating the free food that was provided and living without fear of being hunted. Erdrich envied the skunk and I would have to agree. Life must be real easy if you can eat whatever you want and you have nothing to fear because no one can stand the smell of you.
Friday, August 5, 2011
Talk of the Town
My personal experience with the events that occurred on 9/11 is extremely brief. The only thing I can actually remember from that day, is my sister announcing on the way home from school that an airplane accidentally hit a building. Although I didn't witness the event firsthand, I do still carry an opinion on the topic, which, conveniently enough, fits right in with the essays written by John Updike and Susan Sontag. Mr. Updike uses his eyewitness account of the event to create descriptive phrases and metaphors which help those of us who didn't see it happen picture the event in our minds. Miss Sontag, on the other hand, expresses her opinion of the reaction our media and government had to the events of 9/11.
John Updike's first reaction to the destruction of the twin towers was that of an actor playing out a horror movie. He compared the surreal experience to watching a television show, it couldn't possibly be real. He witnessed the event with his wife, and as they both stood there, they realized how much was changing in those quick moments of destruction: thousands of people lost their lives, no one in his or her right mind was going to board a plane, and planes full of innocent people were turned into a weapon that would terrorize an entire country. "This is a country worth fighting for." stated Updike, and when he got up the next morning, he saw New York rising from the ashes of the previous days events.
Susan Sontag took a much less optimistic view of what had occurred, possibly because of how obviously disappointed she was in how our government chose to handle the terrorist attack. She begins her essay by pointing out that while America is a victim, we were not the only victim. As a world super-power, we posed a threat to Iraq, and this was their form of retaliation; however, many Americans were kept unaware of previous American activities in Iraq. In fact, according to Sontag, citizens of America were blissfully unaware of the reality of the situation. Politicians simply stated that everything was OK and America still stands tall. Sontag declares later in her essay, "The politics of a democracy, [have] been replaced by psychotherapy." Meaning that politicians simply stand there to reassure us that everything will be OK, even when we are going to war.
After reading Updike's take on 9/11, I felt as though I had a better picture in my mind of what had happened; although, after reading Sontag's essay, I felt as though my opinion on the topic has shifted slightly. I wouldn't say I agree with her statements wholeheartedly, but I do feel as though she made some good points. I feel as though our government waits to inform us of what is really going on until a time that is most convenient for them; however, this might also be a good way for them to prevent mass panic and chaos. In the end, I am still formulating my official opinion on the topic.
John Updike's first reaction to the destruction of the twin towers was that of an actor playing out a horror movie. He compared the surreal experience to watching a television show, it couldn't possibly be real. He witnessed the event with his wife, and as they both stood there, they realized how much was changing in those quick moments of destruction: thousands of people lost their lives, no one in his or her right mind was going to board a plane, and planes full of innocent people were turned into a weapon that would terrorize an entire country. "This is a country worth fighting for." stated Updike, and when he got up the next morning, he saw New York rising from the ashes of the previous days events.
Susan Sontag took a much less optimistic view of what had occurred, possibly because of how obviously disappointed she was in how our government chose to handle the terrorist attack. She begins her essay by pointing out that while America is a victim, we were not the only victim. As a world super-power, we posed a threat to Iraq, and this was their form of retaliation; however, many Americans were kept unaware of previous American activities in Iraq. In fact, according to Sontag, citizens of America were blissfully unaware of the reality of the situation. Politicians simply stated that everything was OK and America still stands tall. Sontag declares later in her essay, "The politics of a democracy, [have] been replaced by psychotherapy." Meaning that politicians simply stand there to reassure us that everything will be OK, even when we are going to war.
After reading Updike's take on 9/11, I felt as though I had a better picture in my mind of what had happened; although, after reading Sontag's essay, I felt as though my opinion on the topic has shifted slightly. I wouldn't say I agree with her statements wholeheartedly, but I do feel as though she made some good points. I feel as though our government waits to inform us of what is really going on until a time that is most convenient for them; however, this might also be a good way for them to prevent mass panic and chaos. In the end, I am still formulating my official opinion on the topic.
Friday, June 24, 2011
Introducing Myself
"Who am I?" The question of the century. My name is Emily Grassl, but who am I? I am a teenager finishing out my high school career. Adolescence, my current stage of development, is a search for identity; keeping that in mind, I will attempt to describe who I am at this point in my life -- my personality, role in life, and other interests.
A first impression might lead someone to believe that I'm quiet, shy, and a little awkward when in fact, my personality, aside from the awkward part, is much more complex. True, I'm shy when I meet people for the first time, but once I get to know you, quiet and shy don't fit in anywhere in my personality. Around my friends I am a little obnoxious, and I have been known to laugh at even the simplest jokes. Some people may find this annoying, but your personality can be influenced by your environment, and I grew up with two younger sisters.
Alexandra and Isabelle, my younger sisters, may be annoying most of the time, but we also have some pretty spectacular times together. My role as their big sister requires me to be both a mentor and a confidant. In other words, a know-it-all and a secret keeper. We are like our own mini society within our family. Each one of the three of us has a secret we wish to keep hidden from our parents, and as sisters we keep them safe from discovery. My parents are great, but what they don't know won't hurt them. My dad is extremely intelligent and now runs his own business; on the other hand, my mom is my best friend, and I can't help but get jealous when she forms special bonds with the autistic children she works with during the school year. As their daughter, I hope that one day I will be as successful as they are, and maybe one day become a parent myself. Having said this, my family isn't my only interest.
Music is a big part of my life. The radio is always turned up all the way in my car, my iPod is always in, and who doesn't sing in the shower? Also, I was a dancer up until a year ago; that wouldn't have been possible without music. When I'm not listening to music, I am probably either reading, hanging out with friends, or playing with my puppy Sherman. Unfortunately, I would never be able to do those three things at once; I would need to ignore my friends to read, and Sherman would probably eat my book. For this reason, I keep my favorite activities separate.
It appears as though at this point in my life, I am an obnoxious, family-oriented, busy-yet-organized teenage girl still on a journey towards finding myself. I know that eventually I would like to be a psychologist, but until then, I will embrace my adolescence and take my time discovering the type of person I want to be when and if I grow up.
A first impression might lead someone to believe that I'm quiet, shy, and a little awkward when in fact, my personality, aside from the awkward part, is much more complex. True, I'm shy when I meet people for the first time, but once I get to know you, quiet and shy don't fit in anywhere in my personality. Around my friends I am a little obnoxious, and I have been known to laugh at even the simplest jokes. Some people may find this annoying, but your personality can be influenced by your environment, and I grew up with two younger sisters.
Alexandra and Isabelle, my younger sisters, may be annoying most of the time, but we also have some pretty spectacular times together. My role as their big sister requires me to be both a mentor and a confidant. In other words, a know-it-all and a secret keeper. We are like our own mini society within our family. Each one of the three of us has a secret we wish to keep hidden from our parents, and as sisters we keep them safe from discovery. My parents are great, but what they don't know won't hurt them. My dad is extremely intelligent and now runs his own business; on the other hand, my mom is my best friend, and I can't help but get jealous when she forms special bonds with the autistic children she works with during the school year. As their daughter, I hope that one day I will be as successful as they are, and maybe one day become a parent myself. Having said this, my family isn't my only interest.
Music is a big part of my life. The radio is always turned up all the way in my car, my iPod is always in, and who doesn't sing in the shower? Also, I was a dancer up until a year ago; that wouldn't have been possible without music. When I'm not listening to music, I am probably either reading, hanging out with friends, or playing with my puppy Sherman. Unfortunately, I would never be able to do those three things at once; I would need to ignore my friends to read, and Sherman would probably eat my book. For this reason, I keep my favorite activities separate.
It appears as though at this point in my life, I am an obnoxious, family-oriented, busy-yet-organized teenage girl still on a journey towards finding myself. I know that eventually I would like to be a psychologist, but until then, I will embrace my adolescence and take my time discovering the type of person I want to be when and if I grow up.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)