Thursday, January 28, 2010

Ap comp...so sad it's over! I feel like I have grown so much as a person and a writer this semester. I look forward to using my new rhetoric techniques in future classes! Now time to move onto to not so betterthings...such as chem:(

Monday, January 18, 2010

MODE #1
To leave is to be tortured. Especially on a Monday morning, when leaving means going to school at 7 am, half asleep with not nearly enough coffee in hand. If you think about it, you have so many things you have to leave on Monday mornings. You leave your eventful (or in some cases not so eventful) weekend behind. You leave your cozy bed the second your noisy alarm clock buzzes in your ear--off to the shower. You let the warm water trickle onto your head, off your back and down the drain over and over again-until its time to leave the shower to get dressed. You leave the warmth and the comfort of it all behind, including your fuzzy robe that Grandma gave you for Christmas. You eat breakfast and drink your orange juice, leaving only crumbs for your mother to pick up later on. You leave your house, and chills are instantly sent down your spine as the frigid Minnesota weather eats away your warmth. You leave your neighborhood.
Then, you are at school, where once again you leave the comfort of your car to scamper into first block; where continuously throughout the day you will leave place after place and one thing after another. It is a never ending circle of reality. Leaving is a factor of life.

MODE #2
To leave is also to arrive. It is a critical thing in order to succeed. Sometimes, leaving is the best thing to do. You can not get anywhere without leaving something behind, whether that be your weekend comfort on a Monday morning as you leave for school, or your stressful schoolwork as you leave to go back home.
Leaving one thing will cause the arrival of a next, a new step in your day or your life. It is important to not always think of "leaving" as being so negative. It can cause very positive outcomes. It brings upon the arrival of something new, and yet another opportunity for leaving. It creates almost a never ending cycle: leave, arrive, leave, arrive, leave, arrive, etc.
You will never completely leave, or completly arrive, until the day you die--which at the time will both happen at once. You will leave the lives of your loved ones, but arrive at a better place.

Saturday, January 16, 2010

Success: Answer Key

1. description
2. compare/contrast
3. classification
4. cause and effect
5. narration
6. defenition
7. example
8. process analysis
9. division analysis
9. argumentative/persuasive

Thursday, January 14, 2010

Modes of Discourse: Success

1.) A man sat in his office, wearing a suit and bearing an ear piece. The phone rang off the hook in the room across the hall as his personal assistant answered to all the needs. Offer after offer and deal after deal, the man made more green. After work, his car would be personally brought to the edge of the parking ramp, where he would drive away in his brand new car to go home to his elegant house and lovely family. He need not worry about his bills, or create a budget. All he had to do was spend time with his family and relax for the night. This was all a result of his hard work-his success.

2.) The difference between success and failure are pretty clear. Success is accomplishment, while failure is lack of doing so. HOwever, failure may take place in order to achieve success.

3.) When we think of success, we often think of billion dollar homes, fancy cars, straight A student and outstanding athletes. In reality, success is much more than just luxury items. It can come from almost anything and turn into almost everything.

4.) Success is the result of staying up late to finish your project. It is the result of your 12 years of schooling. Success is the result of your many hours of practice, or your first place award. It is the result of all you ever work towards. What is this result? Satisfaction.

5.) When I was 11, I had success. The beginning to my long lasting journey of dance had begun. This is the year I became involved with the Performing Dance Line. I worked so hard the previous year, putting in hours of dedication to get what I wanted. I had so much motivation to be a part of the team. Looking back on it now, it was a decision that has changed my life. I have had some ups and downs, but the lessons that dance has taught me brings so much success. I am capable to be the best that I can be and put my mind to anything I want due to the lessons that I have learned from dance. I consider this a huge amount of success.

6.)Success can come in so many different shapes, forms and sizes. In literal terms, it is the result of an action taken place(to achieve a common goal.) It leads our lifes in the direction we choose.

7.) Success is what we work for our entire lives. It is the result of the everyday things that we do and encounter. Success is the motivation of every action that takes place. Without it, life would be simple and there would be nothing to work towards.

8.) In order to be successful, one needs motivation. Along with motivation will be work ethic. These two things combined are the results of actions taken to achieve a goal or overcome an obstacle. With these ingredients, success is bound to happen.

9.) In order to be successful, one will need a few different components. It is not just a word, but a destination. A destination in which a journey must be taken to reach. It involves your heart, body, mind and self-motivation. It also involves reaching for the stars and, at times, going with your gut.

10.) Turn your failure into success. Work hard at something before giving up-practice makes perfect. Put in time and effort to what you want to accomplishment. Have self-motivation; encourage yourself. Be who you want to be and do what you want to do. Do not let others get in the way of your future or your values. Afterall, success is not just an accomplishment, its most often a memory as well. So, make memories and be enthusiatic towards your postions in life.

Tuesday, December 22, 2009

My Gift: I am a Dancer

Here are a few ways in which you could say I am a dancer.

I devote my life to practice over 20 hours a week.
I wear tutus and glitter.
I sacrifice my feet and sanity for the team.
I wear fake eyelashes and ruby red lipstick.
I count out my routine in math class.
I pull muscles I never knew I had; daily.
I own my own ballet bar.
I treat my dance shoes as if they were my children.
I expect my talent to be noticed.
I have the strength to improve my skills.

“Dancers are the athletes of God,” Albert Einstein once said. For as long as I can remember, I have been proud to be part of this title. Some may classify dancers as annoying or embarrassing, but that doesn’t bring us down. Going to dance releases emotions and energy that you never knew you even had. Plus, I have made life lasting friends from being part of the dance team.
It is important for people to realize that dancer’s, just like other athletes, work hard and are devoted. Some think that just because it seems like a girly activity, it’s easy. That would be a false accusation. First of all, some of the best dancers are male. Secondly, we work day and night to perfect our skills and clean our routine, which in return, we expect to be noticed.
We wear sparkly costumes and too much makeup. Does this seem overrated? Maybe, but it helps us get better scores and show off our technique. It is not regularly or by choice that we would wear this. We do it simply for the score sheet, kind of like one would do with a job. Businessmen do not want to wear a suit and tie everyday, but it gets them somewhere. That is the same with dance costumes. As overrated as it may be, it’s necessary.
What also is the truth is that I strive for perfection. I strive to be the best I can be and to improve on all that I can. With that being said, dance is the perfect thing for me. It is a sport where perfection is mandatory. Working hard and doing your best is mandatory. There have been many ups and downs in my personal experiences with dance, but they have all made me a better person. Plus, it makes me work ten times harder to achieve perfection. I consider my talent a gift.
I am an athlete. A perfectionist. A girly-girl. I am a hard worker. I try my best. I never give up. I reach for the stars. I am a dancer.

Here

So, apparently I’ve skipped a generation or something. Last time I checked it wasn’t cool to shave your head; especially if you were a girl. You know what else wasn’t so cool? Stuffing your face with over processed grease at the nearest fast food restaurant. Welcome to America.
It is here that people consider a $100 pair of shoes a deal. Do not forget that these shoes are nothing other than a piece of fabric with a rubber sole that, quite frankly, I could sew together myself. It is here that $20 worth of food at McDonalds (all of which is from the dollar menu) is considered to be reasonable and maybe even healthy. I am sure then that a $100,000 medical bill for clogged arteries caused from fast food would be acceptable too? Just a guess.
It is here that a citizen will cross the ocean to fight for democracy, but will barely cross the street to vote in a national election.
It is here that a Dad will cradle the television set, as if it were their 3rd child, every Sunday afternoon. So much for family time. But, when they see something they don’t like, beware. Their mood for the rest of the day will depend on the score board.
It is here that people will be seen, alone in their cars, belting out the lyrics to their favorite song. They assume that no one can see them, or in some cases hear them. Or how about this; the yelling driver cursing at the vehicle that just cut them off. I hope they do not think that the vehicle can hear them, or really even cares.
It is here that having a 30 year old mom is acceptable…when you are 16. It here that being offered drugs on the corner of most streets is common. It makes you fell like you are walking on clouds; you should really buy some and help support those who need money…sound familiar?
This one is my favorite. It is here where we drive around to four different gas stations, trying to find the cheapest price. Well, going to the nearest one probably would have been a good idea, seeing that one now spent more money and time driving around.
It is here where people will do anything for publicity, even if that means telling the world their little boy drifted off into space in a hot air balloon. Sounds real convincing, right?
It is here where naming your baby boy Apple is perfectly normal. Or your baby girl Sunday. Very cute.
It is here where using the rearview mirror as your beauty salon is acceptable. Don't poke your eye out. Here is where it is ok to put false eyelashes on three year old girls and send them on stage to “compete for the crown.”
It is here where we think we know so much. Where we think we are being so politically, economically and socially correct. It is here that we quite often make absolutely no sense.
Welcome to America.

Sunday, December 20, 2009

Inner Ring Response

I really enjoyed reading "The Inner Ring." It was inspirational and nice to hear someone vent about what most people feel they can't. Also, I agree with every word of it. ALtering your self to fit the "persona" needed to fit in with a group is ridiculous. I have seen it first hand, and it never turns out well. If you be yourself, you will find your way, and your place. In fact, you'll be better off. Its an analogy like this: If you are a rose, you are going to feel awkard and out of place in a field of daisys. Find other roses, ones that complement your personality and taste. You'll look, fell and be able to be yourself and let your individual beauty shine through. :)