Reyes, Dalila

Instr. Gross

English 103

May 31, 2011

Blog 16

            Looking back on this experience, I can best describe it as a very long and crazy roller coaster ride, one with very many unexpected loops and turns.  I had never taken an online course that was an essential core academic class.  Throwing my self into this class was not by choice, as my decision to take it or not to take it was time sensitive.  I needed to complete this course to satisfy the requirement for my nursing courses, and not being able to offered another semester’s delay, I convinced my self to except the challenge.  Like I had described in the beginning of the semester, writing was always a nail biting situation.  Yet if I were to choose between English or Math, I would choose English hands down.  The first two weeks were a bit in tense, as I didn’t not know what to expect.  It took me a while to get use to blogs, as I was unaware they did not have to be so formal.  Blogs allowed me to practice on my writing each day without having to feel the pressure of being graded solely on big papers.  As we progressed into the class, it became very interesting to finally have the opportunity to began to interact with my peers, although I began to feel very overwhelmed at times with the due dates.   In order for me to achieve most points possible during group assignment’s, my post had to be up by a certain date and time.  For some crazy reason, I was never on time to do that, life always intervened. 

            One thing that I have enjoyed throughout the semester is the different topics that we have ventured through.  The most memorable writing topic, and I must say a somewhat emotional one, was from one of my blogs in which the topic was to discuss a scenario where a social network or media has been a main source of information.  As I described in that particular blog, I was up late night writing an Essay as the terrible Tsunami hit the coast of Japan.  It was a bit surreal to realize the events that were taking place and that people were already very informed through Facebook despite it being so close to midnight.  It was as if I was destined to take this class in order for  me to have the opportunity to share my feelings to the world.  A bit crazy I know, but with two kids, I feel as if they never listen to me.  They are great at tuning people out.  That night I felt as if I was writing for a purpose, the same effect this class had to have at the end of the semester.  I believe all the writing exercises where intended to make students feel more comfortable with their writing abilities and to correct any writing issues one may have.  Overall this class has been very useful, as it has been a long time in which I felt personally challenged to develop my skills and accomplish a demanding online course this semester.  

All through high school and into my adult age, English has been my preferred subject when it comes to core academic class. Writing is not my favorite thing to due, as it takes me a very long time to figure out what thoughts I would like to put on paper. Structuring has always been a huge problem for me as well. Enrolling in this English class, I knew that there would be a lot of writing involved, therefore I mentally prepared my self for the challenge. The beginning of the semester was a bit difficult for me as I was not use to writing every night of the week. Although I am glad to say that the writing became flowing a bit easier due to the constant repetition. I was very glad that this course was composed of weekly blogs, as it was good to have assignments that weren’t as mandatory in structure. Certain blog assignments where easier than others as they were topics that I could relate to a bit more. I began to notice the effect that the blogs where having upon my writing. I began organizing my thoughts in an effective matter and was able to articulate my self with more success.

Another struggle that I have always had is providing feedback to others in regards to their writing. My thought behind it was that everyone has different writing styles and it became very difficult for me to criticize anyone for their style. With this class however, it was okay to provide constructive criticism to other’s writing. Making each individual response worth assignment points, made me inclined to be very truthful with that feedback as it depended on my grade. It is also pretty good to know that your feedback will help another student, that is going through the same struggles as I am, achieve a higher score in their writing. As far a the group projects, I believe the hardest assignment I had, yet the one I most enjoyed was the discussion between religion and the opinion in which is correct. As I had read the story about the Muslim religion, I found it very interesting to understand the true meaning of what others considered terrorist or suicide bombers. Aside from reading it from the text, I enjoyed having to type of my interpretation of the story and reading others alike.

Overall, I feel as if this course has allowed me to explore different styles of writing. The actual conception of a topic is still very hard for me to formulate, as it takes me hours to type something and actually like it. The only difference is that I have become use to having to type for an extensive period of time. Writing assignments no longer scare me after the large amount of writing that was required for this class.

Reyes, Dalila

Instr. Gross

English 103

May 20, 2011

Research Papers…

            At the beginning of this course, we were asked what our experience was with writing and how well be adapted to assignments that are assigned.  My response, if I could remember correctly was that I was very difficult for me to think and develop what I want to physically write.  With this research paper, the felling is the same.  I took me a very long time to decide which one of the prompts I wanted to do.  I choose to go with The Great Gastby because I remembering reading it in high school, and from I can recall I didn’t hate the book.  As I finished the book, the prompt kept ringing in my head.  I kept thinking how was I going to relate this book to Reading Lolita.  I became very overwhelmed with the prompt alone.  I began researching topics using Google Scholar, yet one of my biggest frustrations is that many of the pages that I open up are very limited with information, as it requires to actually pay for a book in order to have access to it.  Very frustrating.  At times, some of the information sounds very interesting, yet the ticket price for a book is about thirty dollars.  I unfortunately do not have that type of money to be spending with two kids.  Therefore I thought about taking my research to the library.  Yet I realize that there aren’t enough hours in the day for me to physically do that.  In between shuttling my kids around, from basketball practice, girl scouts, track and art class, there is not time for me to stop and visit the library.  Weekends are out of the question.  I have thus continued my search through the internet, but I do realized I will have to make time to stop by and spend ample time in the library.  One of my other frustrations is that I keep forgetting to write down the URL for all the sites that I am visiting.  I becomes very frustrating as I then have to revisit everything again  just to find the site I was previously in.  Overall, I has been a bit frustrating, yet I keep reminding my self that I can do it.  I haven’t failed yet.  

Research Papers…

At the beginning of this course, we were asked what our experience was with writing and how well be adapted to assignments that are assigned. My response, if I could remember correctly was that I was very difficult for me to think and develop what I want to physically write. With this research paper, the felling is the same. I took me a very long time to decide which one of the prompts I wanted to do. I choose to go with The Great Gastby because I remembering reading it in high school, and from I can recall I didn’t hate the book. As I finished the book, the prompt kept ringing in my head. I kept thinking how was I going to relate this book to Reading Lolita. I became very overwhelmed with the prompt alone. I began researching topics using Google Scholar, yet one of my biggest frustrations is that many of the pages that I open up are very limited with information, as it requires to actually pay for a book in order to have access to it. Very frustrating. At times, some of the information sounds very interesting, yet the ticket price for a book is about thirty dollars. I unfortunately do not have that type of money to be spending with two kids. Therefore I thought about taking my research to the library. Yet I realize that there aren’t enough hours in the day for me to physically do that. In between shuttling my kids around, from basketball practice, girl scouts, track and art class, there is not time for me to stop and visit the library. Weekends are out of the question. I have thus continued my search through the internet, but I do realized I will have to make time to stop by and spend ample time in the library. One of my other frustrations is that I keep forgetting to write down the URL for all the sites that I am visiting. I becomes very frustrating as I then have to revisit everything again just to find the site I was previously in. Overall, I has been a bit frustrating, yet I keep reminding my self that I can do it. I haven’t failed yet.

Reyes, Dalila

Instr. Gross

English 103

May 13, 2011

The Take Over of Social Media

          “Is this another one of your life stories?” is what I hear every time I begin a conversation with my friend and until recently found out the reasoning behind it.  I was rudely informed that my small comments, ornate least what I think are small comments, always turn into large anecdotes.  It has become so  bad that at times he prefers to not even know the information even if it is in regards to him.  I was very upset when this “life story” comment began, but I have learned to understand and realize that I indeed make everything into the longest story possible.  There are many times in which I will speak to a friend in regards to certain issue and let that very same person relay the same message to someone else.  My reasoning behind it is knowing that the first person will shorten the information to only the most essential points.  The comment goes from being three minutes long, to shortened in a matter of seconds.  Another fact that makes this attribute terrible is that my job consists of a lot or re-iterating of information.  As a watch my coworkers relay the same information, I take note that their sixty second check-ins take sixty seconds unlike my three to five minute speech.  I am a very complex person that does not leave to leave out a single detail or information, therefore, I am no different when I comes to most social medias. 

          With the rapid advance of technology, there are many ways in which to communicate.  It is no longer dependent upon hand writing or phone.  Through text message, I am not as detailed at times as I normally would like to be.  Reason being is that typing with my two thumbs is not the most comfortable thing to do.  I understand that phones, just like mine, have been enhanced with an actual key board, yet this technology doesn’t really reduce the amount of thumb usage one has to make.  Therefore my messages stay short and very limited in detail.  If detail is crucial to the comprehension of the sentence,  I will begin abbreviating and omitting  words throughout the sentence.  On the other hand, social media through the computer produce’s another type of communication style within me.  For example, if I was writing to a friend on Facebook, I would not hesitate to include every single detail within my story.  The device in which I use to communicate through Facebook is my laptop and comparing those keys to a cell phones keys, a laptop is much easier to type with.  Not to mention I have had years of practice.  I believe it is easier to express my self through a computer due to the typing skill I have acquired over the years.  The differences in styles are time dependent as I consider texting to be more time consuming.  One might comment that texting and how fast one can text, has become a skill as not many have the same ability.  Yet this society continues to become more and more dependent of technology of small devices, that perhaps the question: How many words per minute can you text?, might be found on a job application in the future.  

Reyes, Dalila

Instr. Gross

English 103

May 6, 2011

                       That man for president 2008

            Editorial cartoons are created to call attention to certain issues, ideas or topics.  They can be filled with humor, shocking at first glance or intended to for controversy.  Unfortunately, there is no consistent editorial cartoonist that I follow or who’s work I am informed or aware of.  I have always enjoyed, however, political cartoons as they are very interesting to observe.  Cartoons which express political candidates are comical in the sense that the cartoonist over exaggerate facial features and make elaborate on the truth of any politician.  These political cartoons also address the political issues within their cartoons, at times not illustrating politicians themselves, but using the key figures of their political parties, the elephant and the donkey.  While researching this prompt, I took a look at the different types of cartoons that highlight presidential nomination topics.   A cartoonist by the name of Jack Higgins, drew my attention with his cartoon titled “Batman,” which appeared in the Sun-Times on September 26, 2008.  In the height of the 2008 elections, the cartoon pictures President Obama on the podium stating: Change We Need.  On the opposite side of the then presidential candidate, stood Batman, seen running toward the city stating: Gotta Run, My Country Needs Me.  On the capped crusaders podium reads the sign: Change of Costume. I consider this cartoon to have different meanings.   Higgins makes the two correlation between both candidates by attracting the readers eye to the slogan that are stated.  He depicts President Obama’s change sloggan next to change of costume.  In presidential elections, candidates make many promises that they will achieve if chosen to take the presidential seat.  Many of those promises that are delivered to the country are never met.  Can one consider this as a change of costume?  Having a politician make a promise, then when they achieve their goal they do a complete turn around and become someone one else, a different politician with different intentions and leave the citizens to pay the price of deception.  Another, thought that I had when looking at the this cartoon is the irony behind who really helps our country or its citizens when there is a calling.  In the background lies the Batman signal and pictures Batman rushing to help.  In 2008, fresh from a president that was citified for his delayed reaction to disaster of Hurricane Katrina, one can’t help but to think of other presidents would be just as slow to react to a state in peril.  Which brings the relation to Batman or any caped crusader that essentially changes costumes, the comic heroes do anything to save the public and even risk their very own lives doing it.  Which posses the question, if Batman ran for president, with the public already knowing that he has a 100% success rate, would be likely to win the election

Reyes, Dalila

Instr. Gross

English 103

April 26, 2011

Revoking Public Pensions

            As public servants enter the workforce each day, both city and state levels guarantee pensions after a certain amount of years of employment.  Public pensions are funded through state funds and tax paying dollars, but with the state in a budget deficit, officials speculate that pensions must be eliminated.  Legally, many argue, pensions cannot be revoked without violating exciting contracts in which benefits are guaranteed for the services rendered.  Mayors throughout states like California are looking for legal loopholes that will allow states to cut pensions from their public servants.  Due to the states financial struggles, many facilities have had to cut back on their payroll and involuntary terminate employees, in order to  continue paying the high cost pensions.  With this political debate, many of the actual city and government employees do not agree with the proposed measurements the state is considering.  Many people believe that it is morally and legally incorrect to strip pensions off of an employee after many years of dedication and loyalty.  Police officers and fire fighters whom dedicate and scarifies their lives for the public deserve to retain those benefits but it would be at the cost of other public services.  Although many argue that it is those same benefits and pensions that attract people to continue that line of profession.  Considering states are not expecting a decrease in demand for these professions, states must determine different measures that will help control and decrease the budget deficit. 

             Like many political issues, the public becomes informed through the media’s reports and articles.  Regardless of the informative content such as this as topic conducted by the New York Times, many of the authors express their political opinion within the editorial.  Biased opinions, doublespeak and inflated language are all tools in which people such as authors and political speakers use to convey their message across to the reader or audience.  This article entitled, Public Pensions, Once off Limits, Face Budget Cuts,  appeal to readers by highlighting both pros and cons of the issue.  First, the article address the issue of the massive budget deficits many states around the country face.  This appeals to each American, as we are affected by the funding or lack of funding in public resources such as law enforcement or fire departments.  It address the issue of the need of severe reduction of speeding in order to relieve the financial mess our country is in.  Secondly, the article appeals to the countless of individuals which would be affected by the removal of their pensions.  Not only affecting the working class, but also affecting the income of retired citizens who’s lives depend on the yearly pensions.   The rhetorical effectiveness of an article allows the readers to form opinioned ideas and thought in regards political debates that occur within the country.  Due to the strong influence media and written publications, it can become very difficult for measures or decisions to be made as the public scrutiny can either provide huge support for a topic or kill an idea dead in its tracks.  

Reyes, Dalila

Instr. Gross

English 103

April 12, 2011

Blog 10

            It was late night March 10^th, as I was writing my blog for this English class, when I briefly checked Facebook for the newest social updates.  I saw the usual updates from friends who are always up around that hour, but a different post caught my attention that read “earthquake in Japan.”  Realizing I was approaching midnight and began feeling very tiered, I didn’t pay much attention to it and continued writing my paper.  As I checked Facebook minutes later, the next post I read was “earthquake in Japan, keep them in your prayers.”  It was not till then that I became very curious to what people were referring to.  I reached for the television control and immediately changed it to CNN.  CNN has always been a reliable source and I knew they would be covering any type of breaking news.  I was shocked to see the aerial views streaming straight from Japan as the terrible catastrophe presented its self. I watched as a tsunami swallowed up acres of farmland in a matter of seconds.   I was no longer able to focus on my paper, as I was consumed by emotion about the current events. 

            Like the devastating tsunami,  the attacks on the World Trade Centers were unforgettable events that have received massive media attention.  It was a ninth grade morning when I was doing my usual routine: got ready for work and walked to my friends house.  When I arrived at her house she mentioned to me that an airplane had just crashed into a building.  Thinking the incident was minor, I headed to school without thinking much about it and at that age what fourteen year old would?  I was terribly wrong, my friend failed to mention that it was a commercial air plane filled with passengers that had crashed into that building.  Throughout the day I continued to hear about the “plane crash” but it wasn’t until I was in my 6^th period class that I realized how devastating the situation was.  The attacks against the World Trade Centers would be one of the worst attacks committed on the United States.   

            With both and many other horrific events, the mass media and technology efforts have allowed the information to stream out moments after they occur.  Local and world news allows for information to enter our household throughout the day.  CNN has been a leader in world news for many years and always provides on scene reports form those affected areas.  With the advance of technology, people around the world have access to post the latest news, current events and devastations that occur.  Unlike news reports that often can take days for a news anchor to be present on foreign countries, these individuals can post information in a matter of seconds.  Social cites such as Facebook, Twitter, Skipe allow friends and family members to stay connected despite time laps or location difference.  Like the events of Japan’s tsunami, Facebook was my primary source of information.  Through everyone’s notifications and the assistance of the mass media, the entire world, even those affected became informed of the devastating events. 

Reyes, Dalila

Instr. Gross

English 103

April 12, 2011

The Awareness in Biased Language

            The power of language can be a strong influence within the meaning and interpretation of words.  Susanne Langer describes language as a “symbol” because it causes a person to think about what is being symbolized.  Rosalie Maggio’s  argument relates biased language as being a form of a symbol as the meaning interprets different information.  One of the example’s that Maggio uses is the word manmade.  The words, she argues, does reveal much information.  “Does it mean artificial? Handmade? Synthetic? Fabricated? Machine made? Custom-made? Simulated? Plastic? Imitation? Contrived?”  The true meaning of the word manmade is an object that is made by human being, not artificially made.  The word can be misinterpreted as to refer that any object is made only by the male sex.  Her example of biased language is very accurate in regards to “manmade.”  It is a word that I do not pay much attention to because the meaning of the word has been engraved in my head.  The affect of the word would be different to a person who is not familiar with the language.  At first sound it would be presumed that an object was made by a man.  This is how the perception of language can influence a person and language itself. 

            Langer writes, “the essence of language is symbolic,”  and provides a good example of a child playing with a toy, which is always referred to as horsey.  The child’s repeated use of horsey allows for the fixed conception of the meaning to be created.   With every repetition, the name and meaning become engraved in the young minds head.  The name, describes Langer, “Names are the essence of language; for the name is what abstracts the conception of the horse form the horse itself, and lets the mere idea recur at the speaking of the name.”   Although, not all names completely describe the correct meaning or conception.  Several names that have been created and given within society are very derogatory and/or biased.  Words that Maggio describes such as gay, bum, fishermen, office girl.  Words such as these have been created but describe a very biased meaning.  These words are often used in mainstream society and media.  For a person who is unaware of their derogatory meaning or chooses to be ignorant to it,  influences others conception of the name. 

            I am guilty of using such words at times and as I read Maggio’s article, it is unbelievable the amount of biased language that is used.  It is engraved in everyday literature and heavily used in media and marketing elements.  Reading several examples of this bias, it emphasize the large amount of influence words can have upon a person.  It ranges from the car commercials advertising only for the male audience or the packaging labels that emphasize how easy the use of the product will be for all mom.  It is almost a form of brainwashing manufactures and companies are constantly labeling the “norm,” that car belong to men and the rearing of children only belongs to women.  It is language that at times I use in my regular language, language that has been engraved in my head since I was young. 

Reyes, Dalila

Instr. Gross

English 103

April 1, 2011

Happiness Through Self Worth

            Growing up, my mother would always tell me, “do whatever makes you happy.”   Yet what happens when that happiness conflicts with others physically or emotionally?  Happiness isn’t always the correct choice when it affects other people or one’s personal safety.  Actions such as theft, murder and lies can never be dismissed or justified if the reason for those actions were that it made an individual happy.   Agreeing with one’s choices and having the integrity and self respect is the best decision one can make when achieving true happiness.  Through personal experience, retail is a very competitive environment as management positions within the company that I work for are scarcely  available.  When a pricing position opened up with our store, management collectively decided that the position would be filled by promoting within the store.  There were two associates that expressed interest within the position.  The first associate was twenty-seven years old, had been with the company for three years, energetic and assertive in demeanor.  The second associate was twenty years old, had been with the company for four years, very quite and shy in demeanor.  When the interview process had arrived, both candidates were given ample time to describe what they felt were their personal achievements and successes within their time with the company.  Within the interviews, it was reveled that one of the associates had lied about a previous job performance and was ultimately terminated.  I  was eventually offered and then excepted the pricing position.  I felt very thankful that my four years within the company had finally paid off.  I was relived and proud that I had achieved the position with my self respect intact.  It is accomplishments such as these, that allow one to be pleased with ones self and not be haunted with shame or regret of previous bad judgments.  My mother would have been terribly wrong to advise me to do what ever makes me happy, if that happiness meant stealing company money such as that terminated employee did.

             Scenarios such as these, solidify the need for honesty and integrity, not just the need to feel emotionally happy.  It is also a matter of having a clean or guilty conscience.  I don’t believe that any good hearted individual could live with their conscience if a choice was not made with good intensions in mind.  Having a guilty conscience, would rip a person apart sooner or later, regret and sorrow would then become apart of a person’s life.  Religion can also be a large factor between a persons pursuit of happiness or self respect.  Many choices that are made are positive choices that would provided happiness or pleasure. It is very difficult to say that an individual would choose anything for the total opposite, yet there are always exceptions.  Personally, self respect is the ultimate satisfaction.  If I died tomorrow, I would be very satisfied to know that all my accomplishments, as great or little as they maybe, were achieved with self respect and hard earned dedication. 

Reyes, Dalila
Instr. Gross
English 103
April 1, 2011

Happiness Through Self Worth

Growing up, my mother would always tell me, “do whatever makes you happy.” Yet what happens when that happiness conflicts with others physically or emotionally? Happiness isn’t always the correct choice when it affects other people or one’s personal safety. Actions such as theft, murder and lies can never be dismissed or justified if the reason for those actions were that it made an individual happy. Agreeing with one’s choices and having the integrity and self respect is the best decision one can make when achieving true happiness. Through personal experience, retail is a very competitive environment as management positions within the company that I work for are scarcely available. When a pricing position opened up with our store, management collectively decided that the position would be filled by promoting within the store. There were two associates that expressed interest within the position. The first associate was twenty-seven years old, had been with the company for three years, energetic and assertive in demeanor. The second associate was twenty years old, had been with the company for four years, very quite and shy in demeanor. When the interview process had arrived, both candidates were given ample time to describe what they felt were their personal achievements and successes within their time with the company. Within the interviews, it was reveled that one of the associates had lied about a previous job performance and was ultimately terminated. I was eventually offered and then excepted the pricing position. I felt very thankful that my four years within the company had finally paid off. I was relived and proud that I had achieved the position with my self respect intact. It is accomplishments such as these, that allow one to be pleased with ones self and not be haunted with shame or regret of previous bad judgments. My mother would have been terribly wrong to advise me to do what ever makes me happy, if that happiness meant stealing company money such as that terminated employee did.

Scenarios such as these, solidify the need for honesty and integrity, not just the need to feel emotionally happy. It is also a matter of having a clean or guilty conscience. I don’t believe that any good hearted individual could live with their conscience if a choice was not made with good intensions in mind. Having a guilty conscience, would rip a person apart sooner or later, regret and sorrow would then become apart of a person’s life. Religion can also be a large factor between a persons pursuit of happiness or self respect. Many choices that are made are positive choices that would provided happiness or pleasure. It is very difficult to say that an individual would choose anything for the total opposite, yet there are always exceptions. Personally, self respect is the ultimate satisfaction. If I died tomorrow, I would be very satisfied to know that all my accomplishments, as great or little as they maybe, were achieved with self respect and hard earned dedication.

Reyes, Dalila
Instr. Gross
English 103
March 24, 2011
At What Age Should One Baptize?
Baptism is a religious sacrament that uses the symbolism of water to erase original sin and it is also recognized as the acceptance of God. Raised in a Catholic family and having been baptized my self, I was expected to do the same for my children. Many years ago before I had my children, I had a conversation with my boyfriend and he challenged my religion’s practice of baptizing children at a small age. He asked me what the point was of baptizing a child upon birth if the child is to small to comprehend the responsibly and meaning of the sacrament. I was a bit surprised that he was interested and yet challenging my religion. He was brought up in a Christian religion, in which baptisms are performed once an adult is able to make the conscious choice and is able to understand the commitment one is making with God. Once I shared with him my religions information, the topic soon lead to a hypothetical question, if we one day conceived a child, what religion would that child be baptized under? This topic struck a very delicate conversation. We were both avoiding harsh words that would bring insult or hurt to each others families and religious beliefs. As in any discussion, I am very opened to ideas or suggestions, so I tried very hard to remain unbiased and hear him out. He stated that he would disagree with my decision of baptizing his children at such a young age. He didn’t not agree with a religion baptizing at an early age and he made it very clear that no child of his would be baptized in a Catholic church. I didn’t not fully agree with his view and began feeling very angered that he would not understand or have any consideration or respect for my religion. If baptism at an early age held no meaning for him what difference does a sprinkling of water at an early age make?
As I continued to ponder on the subject, I began to realize that we would both need to compromise if that day ever arrived. I evaluated my own personal reasons of wanting to baptize: I was not and still am not religious; was there really such thing as natural sin? Yet the only reason that I could rationalize is that my mother would like to see my children baptized one day. Holding off on baptism was not an option for me. A couple of years later, after I had my children, the subject reared its ugly head once again. I explain to the father, that baptizing was not an option. Although I am not an active member of the church, I would follow through with the sacrament. Once the children are older, they would be free to choose which ever religious path of their liking. His parent, the religious grandparents, would be free to teach our children about the Christian faith, and would be more than welcomed to take the children to mass. Compromise was not as simple for me but I realized that it must be done in difficult scenarios whether or not it’s to our liking.

Reyes, Dalila

Instr. Gross

English 103

March 17, 2011

Nonverbal Behavior

            In retail, nonverbal cues are very important, as it can make a huge difference when providing service to a customer.  I am trained to read cues such as a customer restlessly looking thorough a stack of shirts or a customer with a bag at hand looking hurriedly around the store.  All these nonverbal cues are signs of customers in need of a size or searching for the check out, and without these cues, associates such as myself, would not know when a customer is in need of assistance.  Although technology is advancing everyday, we still live in a predominantly personnel society.  The DMV, post office, banks, including retail stores are all social ran facilities in which verbal cues come into play.   Due to all the different personal interactions, it can become very easy to be influenced by them.  The slightest nonverbal cue can be perceived as a positive or a negative.  Depending on the perceptions, a negative one can be the beginning of personal discomfort or the start of an argument.

            Nonverbal cues can be heavily influenced by the media.  The advance of technology has allowed quicker and easier access to music videos and television shows.  With teenagers and young adults having access to this media at their palm of their hands, many feed off of the actions or “fashion” trends many of these celebrity figures do or say.  For example, the hand “shake” that many young men use, is very different than a normal hand shake a fifty year old man would use.  The hand “shake” means hello, a sign of respect and acknowledgement for one another. If a young man would use such gesture with a much older man, the gesture would be meaning less.  The younger generation has been influenced by mass media and has essentially created new meaning to gestures and nonverbal cues. 

            We all rely on nonverbal cues when communicating with one another.  The cues can be universal such as a hand wave which means hello, a smile which indicates happiness or satisfaction, or a frown to indicate sadness or disappointment.  Working in retail for many years, I have become accustomed to the many facial expressions that can be portrayed by a customer.  One customer alone can express happy, excited, relieved, perplexed and angered expressions within a thirty minute shopping experience.  The expressions can be limitless.  At times the tone of voice can indicate the mood of person.  When interacting with a customer, the first statement that I make is “Hello, How are you today?”  The most common answer is “good. “ The responses can be very genuine at times, as the tone can be very pleasant and happy.  There are occasions in which the answer is “good,” although that good can be very contradicting as the tone of voice is harsh, unpleasant, irritated and annoyed.  In those types of cases, the actual words are meaningless as the tone conveys the real truth.  The nonverbal cue that can be understood is that the customers do not want to be bothered as they are having a bad day.  Working in retail strengths the idea that nonverbal cues are just as important as verbal cues

Reyes, Dalila

Instr. Gross

English 103

March 11, 2011

The Study of Foreign Languages

            Is the need of learning more than on language necessary for such a dominant and influential country such as the United States? I believe the answer is yes, as it is imperative for our country to remain economically and socially superior in technology and education.  The originating language of our country is English, it is the language in which we do domestic and international business, trade and investment.  As our country moves into a higher advance in technology and education, other countries are adapting and emphasizing the need to learn the language of such as superior country.  Yet, the United States falls short when compared to other countries such as China or Russia, but as a country we do little to encourage the necessity to learn the different languages that also influence the world.  Emphasis needs to be applied within the education system to offer courses in the study of different languages and accountably in both college and university levels to see that every student is successfully completing and moderately mastering a language course.  This is beneficial in insuring long term success not only for a student, but as for the country as well.  As a country with so many resources at hand, each American should be bilingual in more than two languages. The diversity of cultures and influences are limitless, therefore it is important for the young American population to be able to compete in this high demand  world.  Career advancement and success in our country greatly depends on the schooling one has received.  Many employers look to the skills and bilingual attributes one posses.   For example, the high immigration rate that is occurring in our country is creating a higher population that is unable to understand and speak the English language.  As our neighboring country, south of the boarder, is a Spanish speaking country, the demand of bilingual speakers is on the rise.  When hiring a position in a city level government such as Los Angeles, a predominantly Spanish speaking city, an employer will review many applications before hiring for the position.  When two applicants contain the same amount of schooling and major, the difference between being passed up or hired could fall on the bilingual background that one applicant may have.  Thus giving that applicant the upper hand and the higher potential of being hired.  If all education systems required the learning of a second language, an employer will not be given the opportunity to solely base his or her decision on the ability to speak a second language.  Higher emphasis would be placed on the higher experience level and previous job experience.  A dual language provides the opportunity for higher success in this competitive market. 

            As for a the benefits for the country as a whole, the United States can lead the way with its high education levels and proficiency in language.  Our country is considered a melting pot, in which there are many different cultures, religions, ethnicities.  Why not take advantage of the multicultural languages and opportunities that exist right here in our very own country?  The opportunity is now, so that we can become a better tomorrow. 

Reyes, Dalila

Instr. Gross

English 103

March 3, 2011

Charged Language

            The use of charged language becomes a daily influence in the way we speak and think.  The notion that “without charged language, life would be but a half life,” describes a hypothetical idea that everyday language would be without emphasis or meaning.  Charged language is described as slanting facts, words and emphasis.  It also affects feelings and judgment towards a subject.  In my opinion, this type of language is derived from emotion, differences in understanding, agreement or debate.  A person lacking or restraint from this language can be described to be living a half life, as there is no emotion or passion to everyday thoughts or ideas.  Charged language can be used as a method to influence or persuade an individual to side with a certain idea or position.  This type of language has different affects from person to person.  It can differ between experiences or beliefs.  It is a strong and highly emphasized way to express powerfully charged words that can cause “misunderstandings and misinterpretations” on subjects.  Charged language can be used with very little effort in ones part, or can be extensively studied and constructed to created a stronger meaning. 

            We are all human beings, with different thoughts, feelings and perspectives in life.  As humans, we yearn to communicate and share our perspectives on different subjects with other human beings.  As interaction occurs, charged language creates positive and negative experiences.  It can change our attitudes and actions without conscious knowledge.  Charged language is also used in the political level.  Speakers can emphasis positive and/or negative information to help persuade a person to agree with a certain topic.  It can be used as propaganda, with the use of emphasized words to convey meaning.  At times, charged language is what capturers our attentions.  In the commercial advertising world it takes words such as value, speed, luxury to catch and retain our attention towards a certain subject.  It does this by relating to our lives through our wallets, expectations and personal style.  Life would be a half life it words did not relate to our everyday living.  It is very interesting to analyze when charged language comes into play.  It is a part of speech that can be masked very well but can also produce many different results.  Reading this piece and the uses of slanting and charged language helped me realize how it is a huge part of everyday life.  The lack of usage is impossible as it is grounded in everything we read, hear and watch.  It is mixed with politics, advertising and our own thoughts and ideas.  Without the use of charged language, would we still be considered strong human intellects that can decipher own thoughts and judgments? The possibility would be very slim.

Reyes, Delilah

Instr. Gross

English 103

February 25, 2011

The Power of Speech- I Have A Dream

            Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s speech is well know and has been a symbolism of freedom for many years.  The power of language against injustice captivated many people to take action and regain their natural rights.  His speech is hopeful, inspiring, assertive, and very repetitive, which allowed him to use his language in a very powerful way.  “I Have a Dream” was delivered in the Lincoln Memorial which was dedicated after President Abraham Lincoln.  President Lincoln was most memorable for the Civil War and the Emancipation Proclamation which abolished slavery in all the southern states.  The Lincoln memorial was created to commemorate his achievements and stands in Washington D.C. as a symbol of freedom.  Dr. King’s speech was delivered in a very appropriate place, as the monument stands tall with symbolism of the hard work and dedication president Lincoln did.  The strong message perhaps would not have been as memorable or impact if it would have been delivered in New York City, a free state, or in California’s vast plains.  The speech had to be delivered in the most memorable and significant place, The Lincoln Memorial.  Dr. King’s speech makes his audience relate emotionally.  He reminds the audience that although they are “free,” how free were they when they were being persecuted segregated and treated under very shameful conditions?  He stresses the fact that the Constitution and Declaration of Independence, written by our forefathers, gave them the right of being free men.  It also guaranteed the “unalienable Rights” of “Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”  He uses an analogy of a check as being a promise that these rights would be guaranteed to every man and women in the country.  Since African Americans have not been given privilege to exercise those rights, they have traveled to the nation’s capital to cash their checks.  His speech highlighted the little to no change that had occurred since the Civil War and Lincoln’s Proclamation which had occurred more than one hundred years ago.  He was proposing change, the end to violence form both regular citizens and law enforcement.  The use of repetition of “I have a dream,” imbedded his view of an equal society, one which everyone, black or white, could live together and prosper.  He urged people not to be satisfied with the minor accomplishments they had reached and only to be satisfied when they had truly reached racial justice.  His memorable speech made a strong footprint in the fight for equality, an excelled the passage of the Civil Rights Act.  The Civil Rights Act prohibited discrimination in public places, integrated schools, public places and made employment discrimination illegal.  Dr. King’s efforts had made a huge impact in the fight for civil rights, but unfortunately there was huge opposition to the Civil Rights Act.  Violence against African American’s could still be seen in many parts of the South.  Dr. King’s speech will continue to inspire change against injustice and promote tolerance amongst others, regardless of race or gender.   

English as a second language

Reyes, Dalia

Instr. Gross

English 103

February 15, 2011

English as a Second Language

            It was third grade when I first realized that I had a huge disadvantage in the language known as English.  Coming from a Spanish speaking household, reading, writing and speech were my weakest areas.  I was no ordinary child, the daughter of a single mother, my younger sister’s role model, and with no other family to depend on, asking for help and receiving that help was never easy.  My mother worked a full time job and would normally arrive around six or seven a clock at night.  We would have dinner and then I would work on any remaining homework I had not yet completed.  It was very difficult for my mother to provide any assistance with school, although she would always do her best to help with whatever little she could.  She attempted to help me with math, but unfortunately reading and writing was always left for me to do on my own since we were both facing a language barrier.  Regrettably there were no cousins, uncles, or a father for that matter that could be of any assistance.  I faced a learning barrier, one which I would have to overcome all by my self.  With the help of the education system, I knew that I had to continue to give school my best effort, as it was my only survival method.  Shortly after I was placed in ESL classes, which helped simplify and allow me to understand the material that was being taught in class.  Looking back now, it is no surprise that as an elementary student, I would completely forget all the information and instructions given to me in order to complete a homework assignment.  School was not a big interest.

            I disliked going to school everyday, due to the fact that I was unable to complete all my homework because of lack of understanding or fear of not being able to accomplish what was asked of me.  I was never successful with any writing assignment given in class.  My grammar was horrible and the shame of receiving a bleeding red ink paper was unbearable, as it was a reoccurring matter.  One of the things that I am truly grateful for, is my mother’s efforts to help improve my grammar.  She would take all the misspelled words and have me write each word a minimum of ten times.  Homework, including the extra work that I would receive from my mother was awful.  I became very jealous of my younger sister's freedom and care free life.  I became very shy when chosen to share my written work with the class.  My pronunciation was terrible, writing skill was very minimal and I became discouraged as my writing assignments were never on the excellence boards.  I can relate to the short story by Leonard Michaels, My Yiddish, because of the struggle the character faces in school with English being his second language.  Originally, his mother was unable to help him with his schooling due to the language barrier.  Living the similar situation with my mother, it brings vivid memories of long and endless nights sitting at the kitchen table attempting to accomplish homework.  It is also very relatable in the sense that English later became his primary language and Yiddish becoming his second, began diminishing.  By the fifth grade, the ESL classes no longer needed, Spanish had also become my second language as I began to show great improvement in my reading and writing skills.      

Reyes, Dalia

Instr. Gross

English 103

February 11, 2010

Analytical Thinking

            The long and thoughtful process in which the brain is acquiring, sorting and determining meaning and comprehension is my definition of critical thinking.  Thinking out side the box, listing facts and comparing and contrasting are also helpful in developing concrete ideas.  Depending on the subject matter, such as medical health, I can easily dive in and read any type of relating material.  There are other subjects on the other hand, such as history that I absolutely can not read through.  When situations such as these occur, I am overwhelmed with procrastination and laziness.  After over coming those feelings I begin the aching process of dissecting the material and retrieving vital information.  A subject matter, such as history, that is not appealing goes hand in hand with a trip to the dentist.  It is always put of until the last minute and becomes that most excruciating task on hand.  Although, there are other scenarios in which a non-appealing subject must be dealt with in a timely manner, such as work.  Seeing that I am not self employed, I depend on my job for a monthly income.   Therefore like or dislike I must accomplish any task at hand with 100 percent accuracy.  In my future nursing career, there is minimal reading to be done.  With an average of thirty patients coming in each day, critical thinking is the key since I am responsible for administering the proper dosages to each patient.  Improper dosages can further complicate existing health problems, cause serious bodily injury or even death.  I also research broader subjects that not only concern me, but the whole country as a whole.  The economic recession is very alarming, as the national defies continues to grow.  The state of California is finding that necessary cuts and adjustments must be made too many state programs due to the economic state. Seeing first hand how it is affecting retailers and every other profession and business alike reinforces that fact that I must continue saving money, as my job is not guaranteed.  Daily monitoring of sale trends and brainstorming on how to increase traffic is needed to ensure budget sales are being met.  The decline in sales affects staffing hours, which has many, including my self, worried seeing that the number of Americans loosing their homes continues to rise.  Thus, I continue motivating my self to finish my schooling and achieve a higher demand career such as a registered nurse. 

            This class will hopefully improve my critical thinking skills and provide me with a different way of analyzing information and improving my research.  One thing that I do look to change this semester is the environment in which I do my reading and brainstorming.  My home is a loud environment, with two children; I am never alone with my thoughts.  I aim to reserve specified time to ensure I am reading, comprehending and enjoying any type of material I may be reading at the time. I will also continue to reinforce the way I view the world, to question everyday events and to never become content with the knowledge I hold.