BLOGS!!!

My last blog . . . it's bitter sweet. I definitely enjoyed the online blog more than I could have ever enjoyed a written journal. However, there were times it was inconvenient. One specific incident was over Thanksgiving break. The internet was down and I had just remembered that a blog was due so I had to drive around town looking for a wifi spot in Sioux Falls. It wasn't hard to do, just inconvenient. Another thing I enjoyed about these blogs were the ones in which we were given more freedom to blog about whatever we want. The subject specific ones were hit or miss with me. In the future I would recommend a mandatory interaction between the class. Over the semester I posted on a few other peers blogs but a conversation never developed. I would like to see this class concept developed much more. It would improve class participation and also help students with developing deeper thoughts in their post. Overall, the online journal was fun and educational. Great idea Lindsay!

Reviews

Overall, I thought the reviews were not much more helpful then the other styles of peer review we've used. They were different, but the people that review either are afraid to lay out what is wrong with the paper or don't know how to improve it. I believe it is that people are afraid to point out mistakes, or in other words, they don't want to hurt anyones feelings. Myself, I try to find errors and make a point to point them out, but when I'm not getting any feedback it's hard to want to give any advice. Perhaps in the upper English classes the students will be more willing to give helpful peer reviews, but this is not the case in our class. I'm unsure how to fix this problem. The peer reviews aren't working because the students are not committing to the exercise and this might be a problem that teachers cannot change. I would rather have essays reviewed by the writing center or the teacher from the get-go. 

Holidays

I have not always been a fan of the holidays. There is often a hysterical notion that envelops people around this time of the year and to counteract it I have often played the grinch. However, this year I am going to change that. Instead of being grumpy for the season I am going to do my best to show some holiday cheer. This is a time to see family and eat good food. It's a time for celebration and reflection. With that in mind there is no real reason for me to play the antagonist.


Reflecting on this last year I believe there are many moments I can be proud of. For one, going to college is an extremely proud moment in my life. Neither of my parents ever attended and my older sister dropped out after her junior year. Looking to the future, this is also something that will be a milestone in my life. I can also be thankful for all the support I've had in my life this last year. From getting discharged from the military, a bad ending with my ex-fiancée, and trying to figure out what to do from there I have had friends and family helping guide me. Yes, I have much to be grateful for.


With all of this, I am happy to end this semester on a high note and look forward to embarking on the journey of next semesters classes. I have been a little nervous concerning school this semester but I've decided that I will do well. All it takes is a choice to change the current situation of things. I truly believe I've made that choice.
-Casey

Reflection of Class

I believe I speak for the whole class when I say thank you to our teacher Lindsey. The notecards, while rather tedious, helped greatly in the research process and the detailed outline she made is greatly appreciated. One of my biggest set backs in composing an essay is getting the organization down; I know what I want to say it's just difficult to put it on paper. Today in class I used the outline provided to collect my thoughts and with Lindsey's feedback I feel more prepared to write this paper than any other one before this. Hopefully this does not come off as a suck up post because I don't do that. In fact, I almost didn't come to class today but I'm sure glad I did. In the future I plan to use these two prewriting techniques and I know they will help greatly. I wish I would have taken the notecard technique more seriously with my RBAA paper. 

TH3SIS

Charlotte Perkins Gilman's story "The Yellow Wallpaper" shows how a woman's mental condition deteriorates along with the yellow wallpaper. 


or


As the wallpaper is deteriorating in Charlotte Perkins Gilman's story "The Yellow Wallpaper" so also is the narrators mental state. 

What does it mean?

The ability to read critically is parallel to understanding what you read. In every piece of literature there is a theme that goes beyond the surface of the authors text. This does not mean that every reader will catch it though. Personally, I read critically half of the time. Now that I'm in college I'm forced to read and when I have to read something by a deadline I tend to do it with haste. While I quickly skim the sentences of a story I inevitably miss the deeper meaning and ideas the author is trying to convey.  However, when I read for leisure I always take my time and absorb the words. It is in this art of 'slow reading' that I ponder the significance of a philosopher's  question, or a novelists metaphor. 


I would like to mention our class discussions over the short stories we are reading. Lindsey asks us to read critically and decipher the symbols, theme, and such of these stories. Personally, I am enjoying these group think sessions.  It amazes me how the class finds so many different things from the same story. These varied thoughts and insights into the short stories can only be found through critical writing. 

The White Heron/The Yellow Wallpaper

Between these two stories there are many symbols and in some instances those symbols are parallel. The way in which men and women interact are very similar in these two stories. These interactions are symbolic of man's superiority of that time. In the "Yellow Wallpaper" the husband (who may be only a doctor?) has the final say-so in all of the ladies decisions. Also in support of this is the man expecting the old lady to take him in for the night. Women during this portrayed time had very little power. A few more symbols are obviously the wallpaper, the secluded house in both stories, the white heron, and the cow. To explain the wallpaper, it is apparent that this wallpaper can symbolize the women's deteriorating mind. Throughout the story the wallpaper is torn and by the end of the story it is in pieces across the floor. Much like that wallpaper is the ladies mind. While at the start she is 'sick' and at the end she is crawling around the perimeter of the room, lost in her insanity. The secluded houses show that these stories portray events outside of society. One house lost in the wilderness, another is away from the road and hidden. The characters in these stories are not 'normal' and the events that unravel are not everyday occurrences. The White Heron is symbolic of innocence. The cow is symbolic of the two ladies survival.  Both the grandma and the child have to chase it, or find it, but they need the milk to live. As I have stated, these short stories are full of symbols and I'm excited to see what others will find within these tales. 

Women in the 1900's?

Today I'm being told that I need to write about 'the condition of women in the 1900's'. Yay!


Well my first point is this, I don't care. Although, this point will not be sufficient enough for this blog so I will continue. My thoughts are this, women in the 1900's are much like women today . . . some of them are at home nagging to their husbands about everything under the sun, another percentage of women are pursuing women's rights and leading 'successful' lives, and of course there is those few women (haha, a few) who are going around like scorpion-women stealing the souls of helpless men and all of their property as well. We men have names for these women, 'gypsy' 'smarmy-sea-pirate' 'gold-digger' and 'B****' I truly do not mean for this blog to offend anyone, however, since I am an American male and I have the right to voice my opinion I choose to do so. 


On a more serious note, in the 1900's women were fighting for rights in a mans world. To this day they are still fighting the very same struggle, however, there have been many improvements as to the condition of women. Just recently I read in my history book about the rise of factories throughout the NorthEast of the U.S. Women would leave their homes and live in these compounds working long hours for lower wages and have grueling work conditions. With that, they were considered inferior to men, had lost their brief right to vote in some states (late 1800's) and they were fighting to gain those rights back. Women were not sociably allowed to travel alone and 'depended' upon men for most things in life. If a women was a widow or single mother then they had to rely on the church. In fact, many of these types of women were sent to South Dakota were the Lutheran Church had provided for them. 


Well, this is all I have to say about this topic. 

It Never Ends

The depths of humans imagination will never end. This short story is not one unfamiliar to me, but I did enjoy reading it again. The most dangerous game? We as humans would be egotistical enough to proclaim this. Throughout this story I felt a sense of amusement and astonishment. First, it is a rather interesting thought to hunt another human being. I've hunted pheasants and deer, but the diference is that humans can put fort opposition whereas animals can only run and evade. Secondly, it is rather immorale, or at least against social etiquette, to 'hunt' another human. Sure, murders occur daily, but that is very different from hunting. To hunt is to stalk, close with, and destroy a prey. As far as my knowledge extends only serial killers come close to that description. Although, even a serial killers prey doesn't know it's being hunted. The thought of private hunting reserves for the human hunt will always boggle my mind.

An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge

This story took me by surprise. By the end of it I was honestly hoping Farquhar had made it home to his family. In my mind, he was doing what was necessary and important for the perseverance of his livelihood and country. Farquhar stepped out into a vulnerable position; into which others would not travel. I find that his actions are patriotic and should not be in vain. Farquhar stood for something more than himself, in fact, he stood for the very idea of heroism and virtue. With the knowledge of facing a force greater than himself he stood for a idea greater than himself. The fact that he died in attempt of his deed does not make him less of man, or a revolutionist. To stand before an enemy whose strength greatly outmans your own is all the more honorable. America is founded on the ideal of patriotism and this story adds to our great heritage. Be it misplaced or not that is but an opinion. Through the eloquent words of this story I believe everyone can draw a sense belief and higher purpose. I applaud Farquhar and his courage.

The Pain of a Child

I actually missed class due to a fall time bug that has been passed around, but from reading my classmates blogs I think I understand the story. A town's happiness is dependent on the mistreatment of a child. This is disgusting... on many levels. For one, a child cannot defend itself. For a whole town to mistreat one innocent adolescent is beyond me. Another thought to dwell upon; does not our misery make us human? It has been said that the gods are jealous of us because our existence is temporary and due to that fact we get to experience life in a much larger sense. How does one know what happiness is without misery to contradict it? This story seems far-fetched and illogical. From a moral standpoint the people in the town are wrong and from a philosophical standpoint it is against nature to not feel misery. Although this sort of thought is a testament to peoples greed and willingness to harm others for their own self fulfillment.

RBAA Process

I had the amazing idea to do the research early and wait until the night before to write the paper. While doing the research beforehand made this process easier, procrastinating the actual writing was not a good idea. My paper is about the negative effects of standardized testing and how it restricts teachers. I'm going to school for second education so this topic interests me and doing research on it was intriguing. That's about all I have to say on this topic... I know it isn't much but writing a paper doesn't involve much more than some time and concentration. 

Evaluating this English class is tricky. I think that our participation in the mornings could be better but at the same time I'm right there with everyone; it's early and stuff just isn't clicking yet. On the bright side, we work really well in our group projects and as a whole I feel the class is  becoming better. Now as for our teacher... I have to give her props. I'm sure teaching an age group close her own has to be difficult and brings forward its own challenges. Lindsey does  well by keeping a straight line between being professional and relating with our class. Sometimes it feels as though she assigns extra homework just to watch us squirm, but in honesty I can see that she wants to push us to succeed. Another positive that I would give our teacher is concerning her emphasis towards writing. Never before has an English teacher concentrated on just the writing as much as Lindsey and I feel this is helping us all grow into better scholars. If I had to give her any constructive criticism then it would be this; remember that we are freshmen students and from time to time we will make those seemingly "dumb" mistakes. This isn't a huge issue by any means, but from time to time our teacher can perhaps set the bar too high? 

All in all, I truly enjoy our English class. If it could be moved to say 9:00am that would be more preferable!  

Not Another Test

A. B. C. or D.? Standardized testing limits a teachers ability to educate students specific to their needs. I've had this view towards standardized testing since it first came into my life and I think writing my RBAA paper on this topic will help me understand more on the subject. Some opinions I hold right now are the fact that students in different geological areas require diverse education, every teacher has their own way of teaching, and the fact that by standardizing tests we are lowering the bar. While these points are just opinion at the moment I'm looking forward to finding the evidence to support my thoughts. However, I'm not hoping to only feel justified. Through this assignment I know there will be evidence in support of standardized testing and gaining some broader knowledge as to why will be very helpful. I'm a second education major and doing this research will be very helpful in my upcoming career. 

"Work it, make it, do it, makes us Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger," Kanye West

This is the phrase I need right now. I've noticed that these last two weeks I've been procrastinating more and more, which is very problematic. Sometimes we get caught up in the strides of life and forget to appreciate where we are at. I caught myself doing this just the other day; I was sitting at the kitchen table looking out the window thinking of the future. Sometimes I just want to get done with this part of life and move on to the wife and kids, house and vacations part. But wait! I'm young and in college. At this time in my life I have the least amount of responsibility I will ever have. So why am I being so lazy and day dreaming of the future? I guess it's easy to get complacent. When the road becomes challenging it's easy to slow down the pace. Is that the right thing to do though? No. Right now is when we get to lay our foundations. Within these next few years I will be building my groundworks for a career, discovering who I am, and building friendships that can last forever. So in the words of Mr. West, "Now that that dont kill me can only make me stronger." It's time to do the work, put in the time and effort. The more I can do today the better tomorrow will be. That is all.

Group Hug

I really enjoyed working as a group for the revision strategies. For one thing, getting to know my class mates was a fun experience and for another, going through that boring book was much easier this way. I feel as though I retained more through this exercise concerning the revision strategies than I would have if I read it on my own. Everyone did a great job presenting their topics and there wasn't any one group that stood out above the rest. I feel as though we all put in a good amount of work and wanted to help each other understand the different strategies. My group had an awesome powerpoint put together so not having the projector running was definitely a bummer. One last thing I want to mention was how convenient the handouts were. I actually went back and used though while I was revising my proposal document. So, here's a high five to our class for rocking out the presentations and having fun while doing it!

Tuesdays are just like MONDAYS!

I was ready for bed when I showed up for class Tuesday. Just saying, it is D'Days. Ryan did a good job filling in and I feel as though the class enjoyed his style of teaching. As far as peer reviews go... they weren't very helpful. However I am excited to do the presentation and get to know some of my peers better. All in all, Tuesday wasn't all that bad. Go Yotes!

My thesis:

Video games adversely affect student's study habits and steal time away from the lives of young minds. 

I've been doing homework for about thirty minutes and decide it's time for a study break. Falling into those comfy couch cushions I grab my sticks and start playing some Call of Duty online... three hours later I've realized that none of my homework is done and it's midnight. Oops. 

When first assigned this essay I had many topic ideas but was having trouble singling one out. Then we did our class exercise and I knew I had found the right one! My paper would be over the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy of the military. I started my research and had everything organized and then... refer to the above paragraph. Yep, I decided I should change my topic. You see, the whole military policy doesn't affect me and so I don't feel it's a strong subject for me. On the other hand, video games do distract me quite often. This paper is going to talk about some of the ways in which video games are a rising problem and hopefully some viable solutions to the said problems. Other than that... 

...sorry I was in an intense game.

It Is What It Is?

I personally didn't enjoy reading this piece, 100 People Who Are Screwing Up America. Bernard Goldberg  seems to be just as opinionated as the people he refers to in his work. Through my eyes this seemed like the age old conflict between Conservative Republicans and Liberal Democrats. While some people might enjoy this topic,  I do not. In my opinion, the conflict between political parties, outside of specific platforms, becomes misconstrued and overridden with personal objectives and biased beliefs. This excerpt we have read for class is a perfect example. 


Apart from my opinion... This book did have some funny pieces in it. It was also interesting to view some of Bernards opinions of people (the man seems to have a knack for finding the worse in people). All in all, I think Bernard is a good writer who voices his opinion strongly. Perhaps reading this book in full would shed more light on the matter, but from the pages I've read thus far I'm not interested in pursuing the rest. 

Eh

Peer Editing/Review... yep.

I enjoyed reading the two papers I was privileged to and the feedback I received was helpful.

Now that the class assignment is done I'm going to blog about what I want, bwahahaha

Why did we come to college?

I came here to pursue an education and transform myself into something greater. There are so many distractions along the way though... Between greek life, intramural sports, late night movie marathons and  everything else I began to wonder if I was pursuing my main goal. After some thought I've decided that I am. Education is defined in wikipedia as any act or experience that has a formative effect on the mind, character or physical ability of an individual. Read that definition again and you might understand my perspective. While ultimately it's the degree, and the knowledge, that I'm seeking I am beginning to see my experiences in college are going to shape me even more. So here's a salute to college, homework, and everything else in college that isn't homework.

Tomorrow? Maybe not...

I was asked today, "If you were gone tomorrow, how would the world change and who would notice you're gone?" How does one answer this question? It's times in life like these that require a deep reflection on who you are, what you've done, and how other's perceive you.


For the majority of my life I have been a very selfish, arrogant, and ignorant man. These words are harsh and cut to the bone, but it was after some trying times and the facing of some harsh realities that I was able to face these difficult truths. Identifying what needed to change in my life was only half the battle; proceeding with those changes was the uphill part. However, it was through the battle, an inner battle which others can't see, that I was able to find out what I'm made of and who I would become. The transformation from an immature boy into a more well rounded and caring man is irreversible. 


While my accomplishments are small compared to those of men like our founding fathers, the vetrans of WWII, and the participants of the civil rights movement I do feel as though I've impacted this world. There was a time when I would volunteer my summers to mission work on reservations, youth camps, humanitarian work in Mexico, and recovery aid for disaster areas. These habits developed in my youth carried over to my service in the Marines. As a firefighter I would work for four days and then have three days off; during my time off I volunteered in the local events as an ambassador for the Marines. I was able to help in local concerts, the annual stock show and rodeo, at a boys and girls club, and many other various events. The point is, I have had an impact on peoples lives and I believe that impact has been for the better. There are people throughout this world that will miss me when I'm gone. 


I wish I could say everyones perception of me was a good one. Like I mentioned earlier, there was a time in my life when I was a douche bag. Unfortunately, my interactions with certain people in my past has led to burnt bridges. There are also people who have great opinions of me. All in all I can't speak for others but I'd say there is a wide spectrum of how people see me. To reference a Proverb from the Bible: Let others lift your name and let not your own lips sing your praise. 


To conclude this lengthy blog, I'm positive I would be missed should I not exist tomorrow. For how long, that will be determined by the magnitude of my deeds... which I will not judge. In the end, I am but shadow and dust.


"You will never do anything in this world without courage. It is the greatest quality of the mind next to honor." -Aristotle

Freedom?

Since today we have received the 'freedom' to blog about whatever we want I figure I'll talk about freedom in general. First of all what exactly is freedom?


I believe that seven letter word is very relative and changeable from person to person. As Walt Whitman would define it, "Freedom- to walk free and own no superior." That is a broad description but a very accurate one nonetheless... perhaps as a teenager I would have described my liberty through more lenient rules... a later curfew and the choice of when to do my chores. The diference between the two ideas of freedom are based on the individuals experience and understanding of the world and therefore freedom is whatever you believe it is. 


What are the costs of freedom?


"Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn't pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same." -Ronald Reagan


The above statement makes me ponder on how I've fought for freedom in my lifetime. Serving in the military is definitely one form in which I have protected freedom but I think it is the more subtle ways in which we need to serve liberty. In order to accomplish actual liberty we as a nation need to truly understand what it is... therein lies a problem. Is the general idea of freedom today that which we see everywhere; security procedures, 'big brother' scanning our conversations, rules as to what we can and cannot say and read in school, burning the flag as a 'symbolic' act, allowing illegal (extra emphasis on the illegal) immigration to overrun our country... Regardless of personal opinion I feel it's fair enough to say our 'freedom' in America is being trimmed by the government more and more every year. So what is the cost of freedom? Maybe all of the rules and protocol, standards of society are the costs. Or maybe... just maybe, the cost is going to be stepping out into the unknown. Perhaps this world needs to be reshaped and it is time for some radical changes to our complacent society.  Did the patriots of the late 1700's foresee today's America? More importantly, is the majority of America satisfied with the freedoms we have today? 


These are just some things I've pondered over the last few years and I don't pretend to understand all of the different aspects of freedom in today's world. I do feel like my freedom is threatened by people I've never met before and taxes I never agreed to. Personally, I want to decide, or at least have a more crucial part in deciding, what taxes to pay and what laws should apply to my life. All in all I believe in smaller government control and less federal intervention. And with that I must say that America is nonetheless a great country and my love for her is unending.

“Freedom and love go together. Love is not a reaction. If I love you because you love me, that is mere trade, a thing to be bought in the market; it is not love. To love is not to ask anything in return, not even to feel that you are giving something- and it is only such love that can know freedom.” -Jiddu Krishnamurti (Indian philosopher)

When to quit?

"It's the possibility that keeps me going..."

The short segment of the Notebook we have read stirs up painful memories for many a person, including myself. There have been a few people in my life which have dealt with the sinister disease of Alzheimers and it is never easy for all who are involved. Between the crying, as mentioned in this story, rage as result of the confusion, and complete emptiness that spreads over the afflicted  the aforementioned disease is quite evil in my opinion. Luckily, love conquers evil and it lends strength for those of us who refuse to quit.

T@kiNg iT f0r Gr@nTed

I have just read through an english assignment about Frederick Douglass and his experiences learning to read and write. First of all, I want to start off by saying wow. To think that I have many a time procrastinated and complained about reading assignments and writing assignments when this man, Mr. Douglass, had to 'dodge the bullets' just to catch a couple of minutes of reading. I honestly feel a bit ashamed of myself and hope to treat these gifts of literacy with a little more respect in the future.


Living in todays world reading and writing seem natural to me. Personally, I know that I've taken for granted many things that seem common place today. Normally I would not have read the writings of Frederick Douglass and that's one reason why I am learning to appreciate the college experience more. Unlike Mr. Douglass, my life has been fairly easy and simple which in turn has made me complacent. Coming to USD is definitely stretching me and also making me look much further than my own norm. This  piece of literature and also the piece "When Mr. Pirzada Came to Dine" have made 'homework' much more exciting for me. Learning the different cultures of the world and getting these brief looks into history is something not to be taken for granted and I'm going to hold myself to a higher level of appreciation.

War is Peace?

I'd really like to know your thoughts on living through a war. How much did it impact your life? How aware of the war have you been the past seven years? Did you agree/disagree with it? Were you even old enough to understand what it was about?


Growing up I have had friends whose dads left for months on end and sometimes they never returned. Much of my generation has felt the impact of this ongoing war. Between the tightened security procedures throughout the country and the mass media coverage I think it is impossible to be unaware of this global war on terror. As for me personally, I do feel it is America's responsibility to be the worlds 'big brother'. There isn't a more noble purpose for our people than to try and restrain the evils that plague this world and to give help to those who can't help themselves. While all aspects of the war I will not agree with I do say that as a whole I believe the American people have made the right choice in this conquest. 

ENG101-Who am I?

I walk into the class room and sit down... these kids seem so young. No one is talking for about the first five minutes. A few stragglers mosey on in with looks of anticipation marking their face. It's been so long since I've been in this type of environment and I'm feeling my stomach sink a bit. Come on Casey, you've fought fires and have saved peoples lives, don't let these new surrounding get you nervous...




Here's my story; I'm 22 years old, from the great state of South Dakota, and I have just recently returned for college. The last few years of my life have been spent playing superman as a United States Marine Firefighter. Unfortunately for me, I've learned that kryptonite is not my only weakness. During combat training I managed to sprain my ankle, which turned into a break later, and after nine grueling months of working on an injured leg I needed surgery. Some might ask why I waited for so long to seek the medical help I needed but if you have ever experienced a true bond of 'brotherhood' you will understand that I could not leave my friends for any reason. Uncle Sam had a different idea though, a week before my unit was to deploy for Iraq I was pulled out and received surgery. To make a long story short, here I am. That chapter of my life is closed and now I'm a twenty two year old freshmen going through college just like everybody else.