Final Blog Post

I grew up in the suburbs of Cleveland more specifically in a small township known as Hinckley, Ohio. 

 I have two older brothers, a mom, a dad, and a dog. We live in an ordinary neighborhood in a normal house. However, our house has one room that is extraordinary to me, which is the family room. The walls are painted gold and burgundy, and it has two big olive green couches, an overstuffed chair that sits next to the television in the corner, and soft beige carpet. There is a sliding glass door that leads to the deck and offers a view of our back yard. On the back wall there is a mantel as well as a big brick fireplace. Our school pictures are always displayed on top of the mantel and family pictures hang on all the walls. The room is always adorned with decorations for every season from our lighted Christmas tree in December to our Halloween window decals in October. Finding the perfect placement for every decal was always my job as a child. Of course we have a TV, a coffee table, and other basic accessories in there as well. There is never a shortage of soft cuddly fleece blankets in the family room, which are all homemade. It is right next to the kitchen, and the only separation between the two rooms is a wooden banister. The space is very open and inviting.

The layout of our kitchen and family room allowed for my brothers and I to build obstacle courses out of pillows and cushions for my old dog Barkley. He was a Scottish deerhound and could jump nearly anything. If Barkley didn’t want to play then my brothers and I would transform the room into a fort using blankets, couch cushions and pillows. The forts stretched from our stereo speakers near the mantel across the room to the banister. We would come up with endless games, scenarios, and rules for our games. We would play all day while my mom would work in the kitchen, and only stopped to eat bologna and Kraft American cheese sandwiches for lunch. Then, our mom would start dinner and we would continue our games. Finally, it would be around 4:00 and my dad would come home from work, which was my favorite part of the day. He would help us clean up the fort we had constructed and it would be time to set the table and have a family dinner. After dinner we would all sit in the family room and watch TV together. In the winter my dad would start a fire and my brothers and I would warm our feet by lying on our backs and resting our feet on our brick fireplace. If it was close to Christmas time we would all sit back and watch Home Alone 2: Lost in New York. The family room was easily our favorite and most widely used room in the house, and it still is.

 It was everyone’s favorite movie. Then it would be our bedtime, and of course we would wake up and do it all again.

As we grew up, and got busy with our own commitments we had less time for each other and things changed. It seemed like when I was getting home, someone was leaving, and it was hard to spend time together. My brothers and I no longer had time to build forts or make up games together or even to talk sometimes. However, as we continue to change and grow, some things will always remain. The family room is full of habits and traditions that will never be broken or forgotten. For example, anytime I was sick I could just curl up on the couch in there and watch movies all day, and my mom could keep an eye on me while she was in the kitchen or around the house.

Every year on Christmas morning we make our way downstairs to the comfort of the family room, and open all of our presents. Everyday after coming home from school I would drop my bag by the front door, and grab a snack, then make my way to the family room. Whether I had homework to do, needed to unwind after a stressful day, or was ready to relax the family room was always my top choice. Even our extended family loves that room. Every year we have Christmas Eve and Thanksgiving at our house. We all eat in the dining room then we head into the family to relax and enjoy each other’s company. We laugh and tell jokes, and pass the time together. Everyone feels at home, and no one wants to leave when the day is over. Although I have been away at school I know I will go home and the room will still be the same. We will all eat dinner then at least one person in my family will make their way into the family room to cuddle up on the couch. The family room is always waiting for us to come and relax. It is a room for bonding, relaxing, and letting go. It is calm and warm and welcoming. It offers stability and comfort for me. When I went home this quarter, the first place I went was to my corner of my big green comfy couch. I sat there for hours with my parents just relaxing and talking.

Many people find comfort in being alone in their own rooms. I must admit that it is nice at times to lie in my own bed without any distractions or stress, but overall nothing compares to the comfort of my family room. I really can’t put into words the feeling it gives me. I never really thought about it much until I sat down to revise this essay for my blog. We were supposed to convey a thought or feeling rather than put it into words, which I thought would be impossible. However, after I began to write I realized I couldn’t explain my feelings or memories just in words. I had to just do my best to make you all feel what I felt, and I hope I succeeded in explaining about a room that is near and dear to my heart.

Intro, thesis, outline

How many students enter college in September and return home for winter break carrying a little extra weight? Commonly referred to as the freshmen fifteen, this initial weight gain is often an expected and accepted characteristic of college life. People simply brush it off and attribute weight gain to increased drinking, stress, and snacking. While these factors may all have some effect on weight gain, the food served in the dining halls also has an effect. Initially, students may walk into the dining halls and be in a food heaven. There are often different stations of food, and one swipe entitles a student to all he or she can eat. However, after a few months, one begins to realize how unhealthy the cafeteria food is, and in reality how little variety there is. The markets too lack variety and nutrition in the products sold.

College food is both easily accessible and tasteful, but it is also full of preservatives. This alters both the taste, and nutritional value of the food. The salad bar seems to be free of preservatives, and but even those ingredients lack in nutrition. In the markets most of the food is packaged or frozen, and is full of preservatives to extend shelf life. In addition to the quality of the food, there is little variety in the options offered. There may be many stations in the dining halls, but they often serve the same thing over and over again. Therefore, college students deserve not only a broader range of options, but overall healthier food as well.

Outline

I. Introduction

II. Thesis Paragraph

III. Forecasting and explanation of terms

IV. Dining Halls

            A. Lack of nutrition

                        1. Organic

                        2. Preservatives/sodium content

                        3. Calories

            B. Lack of options

                        1. How often is a different meal served?

                        2. Which stations change the food offered daily?

V. Markets

            A. Frozen foods

            B. Packaged foods

VI. Effects

            A. Short term

                        1. Weight gain

                        2. Amount of energy

            B. Long term

                        1. Heart problems

                        2. Health issues

VII. Present Opposing Points

            A. Exercise

            B. Portion sizes

            C. Cost

VIII. Refute and Concede

VIII. Conclusion

Cleveland air pollution

According to the Environmental Health Watch, the Medical Center Company (MCC) in cuyahoga county has applied to renew a permit that will enable them to operate two coal and five natural gas-fired boilers and five cooling towers. This company sells heating and cooling units to huge companies located in University Circle, which is a huge portion of downtown Cleveland. University Circle is in downtown Cleveland, and encompasses Little Italy, Case Western Reserve University, University Hospitals and much much more. These are just a few of the things in University Circle. MCC is emitting a great amount of pollution into the air by burning coal. This pollution is then traveling through the air and affecting the health of many people who live and work in Cleveland. Currently the Ohio EPA has given MCC a temporary permit, and if a permanent permit is granted then MCC will continue to burn coal. This is detrimental to the health of people in cuyahoga county as well as people in surrounding areas, because the air and pollution will travel. People may begin to have heart and lung problems if the air becomes too polluted. Then, they will have to go to a hospital such as UH, which is one company that is increasing the problem by buying from MCC. It's ironic that a hospital which is supposed to help people is only helping increase the pollution which will make people sicker. Another problem is people will not want to be anywhere near University Circle if the air is dirty and full of smog. University Circle is one area in Cleveland that is still fun, safe, and full of life, but this will quickly change the air becomes dirty and gross. I love going to Little Italy in University Circle, but if I have to breathe in dirty air I won't be going there anymore. I'm sure other people will feel the same way which means Cleveland will continue to lose more money and just get more depressed. I really hope MCC does not attain the permanent permit or else we will all suffer negative effects.

Extra Credit

The straw man fallacy involves misrepresenting your opponent's position. No valid points are proven, but because you  disprove your opponent's side, you have essentially won. An excellent example of this fallacy is in the movie Thank You For Smoking, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DrnZdFFovBE.

Technology

I think technology is awesome. I don't know a lot about computers or anything but I can normally figure out how to get things set up and I know how to operate my computer and phone so that's all that matters. I use my computer and phone all the time to talk, text, do research, homework, shop, and just browse the web. For example over the weekend my parents were here and we were going to dinner. We didn't now exactly where the restaurant was so I looked it up on my phone and found directions. Technology is a major convenience for me. I could not imagine not having my phone or computer or all of the other advantages of technology such as electricity, washers, dryers, and microwaves just to name a few. All of those appliances are things I use at least once a week. I love having all of those forms of technology at my fingertips, but I know too much energy is being used. People including myself are taking advantage of all of our resources, and before we know it those resources will be gone. We need to be more conscientious and energy efficient in everything we do.I don't think we need to give up technology or stop making advancements, but we definitely need to be more conservative. If everyone would minimize their individual use of technology we could really make a difference. Hopefully, we all realize that and put it into action before it's too late.

Why I Am Not Going To Buy A Computer

Wendell Berry had some good points in his essay. We all depend on technology much more than necessary. Also, technology is constantly being improved so it's hard to own the best or newest technology for long. However, I didn't agree with everything he said. He told readers he would lose his best proof reader, his wife, if he got a computer. I use a computer and still have people proof read my papers because the computer doesn't catch everything. I like having both resources because most of the time one resource is not enough. Also, technology is not always bad. In hospitals technology can save lives and give really important information regarding peoples' vital signs and so on. Technology is also a huge part of going to college. I have needed a computer for almost all of my classes so even if I didn't own one I would still have to find one to use. With the world today depending so much on technology, it is not realistic for most people to not own a computer. It may work for some people's lifestyles such as Berry's, but for many others it would not. As a whole we need to be more energy efficient and conscious but cutting out computers is simply not a reasonable solution.

"Inconvenient Truth"

I don't really like the topic of global warming because I don't know enough about it to have an opinion on it. However, I did like this reading because the author seemed to present basic facts that I could understand. He also wasn't too one-sided. He would offer Gore's claims followed by a scientists beliefs. I thought that was interesting, and he did it in a respectful way which I liked. Overall the reading was informative without being too long, boring or one-sided.

Seeing

I thought this reading was very confusing. Although I found it interesting and I liked hearing all about the nature I also got bored. I thought it was too long and I'm sure that has to be some hidden meaning but I couldn't see it because it just went on and on. She lost my attention quickly and I found it repetitive. I definitely think she was a nature writer because that was clearly her main focus and everything revolved around nature. She used vivid images to create pretty pictures which I enjoyed but it also got a little complicated. Overall it was interesting but much too long and redundant.

There Is No Unmarked Woman

Deborah Tannen is a Doctor of Linguistics and currently teaches at Georgetown University. She has written a few books which all deal with conversation and its effects. This essay, "There Is No Unmarked Woman" is an excerpt from one of her books and it focuses on the fact that men can be "unmarked", yet women always seem to be "marked" or labeled. She bases this upon her own thoughts of her colleagues, both men and women.

Tannen explains that she was at a conference with four women and eight men. She was only their for a few days, but by the final day she was able to categorize or mark all three of the women simply based on the women's hairstyles, makeup, clothing and accessories. One woman was classy and sophisticated while a little plain. The next was a little older, but very dignified and confident. Finally, the third woman was glitzy glamorous and sexy. Tannen had been able to label each woman just by looking at her. Once Tannen realized this she asked herself why she was only studying the women, and then came up with the answer, "The men's styles were unmarked" (Tannen 141). Tannen referred to the men as unmarked because they all wore similar suit pants and dress shirts. They all had similar shoes and hair cuts with the exception of a man who was balding. None of the men stood out or seemed extraordinary. She could not deduce things about the men or their personalities simply based on physical characteristics like she could with the women.  She continues supporting her thesis throughout the essay. For example, she discusses how on forms women must choose a prefix which marks them as married or unmarried, but the male prefix is the same regardless of his marital status. In the end of the essay Tennan talks about her feelings towards marking and says she feels sad because, "Some days you just want to get dressed and go about your business. But if you're a woman, you can't, because there is no unmarked woman" (Tannen 145).

Elie Wiesel

Elie Wiesel's speech was very touching and eye opening. When he spoke of the victims saying "They were dead and did not know it" (Wiesel 216). That line was so depressing and eye opening. I cannot imagine having to live like that. It makes me sad and disappointed to know that we turned away a ship of refugees. We could have saved those peoples' lives and instead we sent them to their deaths. I have so much respect for Wiesel. If I were him I would be bitter and angry towards the United States, but he wasn't at all. Instead he seems hopeful and even thankful. He must be a very strong man. His speech was full of passion and understanding. He wasn't trying to blame us, but really trying to call people's attention to how dangerous indifference can be. It was a very powerful speech and it really made me think. I loved reading it and I have a great deal of respect and admiration for Wiesel.

Braindead Megaphone

          This article was very interesting. He had some good points in that many stories are silly and trivial on the news. We rely on the media to give us accurate information so we can make informed decisions and opinions. However, everything said on the media must be "politically correct". Often newscasters sugar coat stories or only show some parts of the story. This leads to us being uninformed and mislead.
        I thought the author was too harsh and rude. He gave a one-sided argument, and made it seem like he thought everyone in the world except himself is stupid. I definitely agree that the media can give invalid information, but it also gives us some credible information. He made it seem like we are all brainwashed when in reality we have a free will. People often choose to support the media because it's easy and requires no research, but that doesn't mean that everyone does this. There are informed educated people out there as well as uninformed stupid people.
         The author definitely caught my attention with this essay. I realized that I may be hearing one-sided arguments or opinions from the media. He reminded me that it is imperative to do my own research for topics, and to consult more than one source to avoid hearing a biased opinion. It is my responsibility to educate myself not the media's. I can choose to be totally informed or totally ignorant, but either way it's my choice. Also, I need to really try to see through all the propaganda presented to me. Stories will be shown in the way that makes the most money, not the way that will keep us properly informed.

Course Theme

People today are too wasteful. Things are used too excessively and often the long term effects are forgotten. Already we have cities with air that is black from pollution. Some bodies of water are so polluted that all the animals and organisms living in it are dying. Forests are being destroyed, and more and more species of animals are becoming endangered. We need to be more conscientious and keep in mind that we do today affects what happens tomorrow and so on. Some people are doing their part and trying to raise awareness, but more people need to follow in their foot steps in order for a real change to be made. Some people are already using their power against land and animals by destroying environments and ruining habitats. Others have tried and failed to control other people. This has led to genocides and wars. Thankfully more and more leaders are communicating peacefully. Hopefully most others will follow suit so war and violence will become a last resort.