Freestyle Week #3

I went to visit my dad and step mom this weekend. They don’t live far, but I’ve been so busy that I haven’t been able to spend too much time with them. While I was there, my grandmother came over to visit and gave us an update on my uncle. My uncle has lived with cerebral palsy all his life. Unfortunately not too long ago the doctors found that the artery that flows blood to the legs and feet is clogged. They are performing surgery on him to remove his feet. Even though he has always been confined to a wheelchair, it is still awful to think that he is going to lose his feet. I’m very bothered by all of this, because his health is failing severely and he is such a sweet man. He has never lived a perfect life. He has smoke and drank, but his only wish was to live independently in his apartment and pass away in his apartment. He now is moving in with another one of my uncles and his family and home care will be assisting him. He feels as though he is a burden to the family, but all we want is for him to be comfortable for however long he has with us.

Isearch Worksheet

What is an I-search?
An Isearch is a research paper that asks a question. It does not simply gather information for its own sake. It asks a question, and then you hunt for information that answers the question.

It is a question whose answer matters to your life in some way. It is a question you really do not know the answer to, but you would like to. It is a question which you can realistically pursue in the course of a single semester. It is a question with more legs, depth, angles, and nuance than a simple yes/no answer.

It is a research paper that puts "I"--you--at the center of things.

What do you want to write about? Becoming a Certified Public Account
What do you want to find out about your topic? What services do they provide

What are your questions about the topic?
1. What does becoming a CPA entitle?
2. How do you get your CPA?
3. What sort of guidelines, if any, are to be followed when becoming a CPA
How does it connect to your life?
I want to become a CPA

Give three reasons you like the topic
1. I enjoy/love accounting but I don’t know a lot about taxes
2. I want to help other people
3. I want to know more about being a CPA and different avenues I can take in the field.
Give three ways your life might change if you answer your questions
1. It may clinch my feelings for wanting to become a CPA
2. I may decide not to be come a CPA
3. It will help me better prepare my future in school and life.
Do you already know the answer to your question? NO If the answer is sitting in a single book somewhere or if all you need do to find the answer is make some simple decision or ask one person one question, it isn't going to work out for a research paper becuase there isn't much you can research. Is it that kind of question and answer? If it is, please redo the worksheet.

Object Graf #7

My blanket. I’ve had that blanket since I was six years old. A friend of my mother’s made it for me for Christmas. I will never forget how excited I was to open my blanket. To think I had a blanket all my own to wrap up in and watch movies or to just take a nap on those cold winter days! Although time has worn my blanket thin, it has holes and rips but to me it just adds more personality. Even though I have grown, my blanket still gives me great joy. It has seen lots of tears and laughs. And every now and then I steal a moment just my blanket and me and cuddle on the couch.

Unique Graf #6

I am daddy’s little girl who enjoys living in Maine, surrounded by my family and friends. I love to get my hair and nails done. I love to snowmobile, go camping, and go four wheeling. I work hard, pay my bills on time, and I try to be a good citizen. I feel I am a very balanced person. I analyze every situation to the fullest to make sure that the decision made is the right one. Some people say when they first meet me they think I am a snob but once they get to know me they realize I am just shy. For the most part, people who know me love me. Of course no one is perfect, we are all human and I do have a few people out there that don’t particularly care for me and what I have done with my life, but that is why I am unique.

Inventory Graf #5

The employee who works in this office space is a neat freak. Everything has its own place, everything is labeled and alphabetized and there is nothing out of order. It makes me wonder if she has a minor case of OCD. I must admit though from what I can gather from her work space, her work is thorough, she is efficient and reliable. I wish I had 100 more employees just like her.

Inventory list Graf #4

This list describes my office space at work. It’s a cubicle that is about 6’x6’ with a wraparound desk and it has cabinets above the workspace to hold additional items.

• 10 binders in alphabetic order holding W-9 information (these are in the cabinets)
• One bulletin board hanging on the wall
• A company directory
• One three tier basket hanging on the wall containing, an inbox, outbox, and filing
• Two filing cabinets below the desk holding invoices already entered into the computer system that are arranged in alphabetical order that need to be paid and additional items such as calculator tape, pens, pencils, staples, eye glass cleaner, and post it notes.
• Clorox cleaning wipes
• A can of compressed gas duster
• A basket holding paper clips
• A calendar
• A calculator
• An electric stapler
• A hand stapler
• A tape dispenser
• A 34 oz water bottle
• A clear desk mat with family photos below
• One 17" flat computer screen
• A keyboard
• A mouse
• One pen and one pencil
• 2 stackable trays: One holds invoices in alphabetical order to be entered so they can be inter-filed and paid with the ones that are in the filing cabinet below the desk. The other tray holds 2 voided checks and a statement needing verification

Freestyle week #2

It’s Saturday afternoon and I’m sitting on the bleachers at a local high school gym watching a wrestling meet. There are four schools attending the match today and I’m here cheering for my friend’s nephew. If he were to win all three of his matches today he would receive his 100th win. I don’t know a lot about wrestling however I do know that is a great accomplishment.

He began the day with a pin, meaning one win down and two to go. Unfortunately, on his second match of the day, he tore a muscle in his shoulder. Although he didn’t get pinned, he lost the match by one point. You could certainly tell that he was in pain during the match. With his mom, dad, sister, aunt, uncle, cousin, grandparents, and friends looking on from the stands, a look of disappointment came over his face. Knowing what the 100th win means to him, we were all feeling his pain. My heart went out for him as I looked across the gym, and saw him with the trainer. After his father came back and told us that he wouldn’t be wrestling for the rest of the day, we decided to leave. He has worked so hard over the years, and it would be a shame if he ended his career just two wins short of the 100th. Not knowing the severity of the injury, my mind went back to last year. He was wrestling in the regional competition, one step from the states, and had an arm injury which put him out of the running for states. After a few days rest, his arm seems to be better.

We are back on for Wednesday night, and hopefully he will get the two wins needed to accomplish his goal. He is a very dedicated athlete and hopefully things will work out for him. We will all be there cheering him on.

Graf #3

"Blog Hunting"

Did you know that there are thousands and thousands of blogs out there? I’ve seen blogs regarding, art, politics, sex, religion, music, and discrimination. The list just keeps growing as I keep scrolling. I’m completely amazed at what I have found, I had no idea that all of these blogs existed. Although most of the blogs I have read seem disturbing to me, there was one that caught my eye. It’s called “This Circus I Call My Life”.

So, I entered the site with the thoughts that the person who has created this blog has a hectic life, or maybe it is a teenager going through his/her high school years and trying to find themselves or just maybe it is someone who really works in the circus, go figure. Instead, I get this guy who is roughly 20 years old and has posted bashings against Maine, Florida, and Britney Spears.

Thank goodness at the beginning he states “enjoy your stay and laugh because none of this is serious”; otherwise I may have considered posting an anonymous comment that said “I think you’re a jerk who needs a psychiatric evaluation”.

My conclusion to all of this blogging; freedom of speech is a wonderful thing.

Graf #2

As I sit here reminiscing about the teachers I had through elementary, junior high, and high school, I can't honestly think of one that was bad. Yes, I had the teachers who would give the occasional pop quiz, but looking back on that now, I realize they were teaching their students to be prepared for anything life may throw their way.

I remember my third grade teacher, Mrs. Ford, would always dump out her students desk if they couldn't find their homework assignment or a particular book. But looking back on that now makes me realize that she was teaching her students how to be organized with any situation in life.

What I have found while I've been sitting here reminiscing is that there may have been some teachers that had an aggressive style of teaching opposed to others that were more passive, but in the end they were all trying to teaching the same thing. They were all trying to prepare us for life.

Freestyle Week #1

Dear Erin~
I can't believe it has been 21 years since I've seen you or talked to you. Do you remember how we used to play school for hours and hours, taking turns on who got to be the teacher? Oh and how could I forget that great big gumball machine you had. That very next Christmas I asked Santa for a big gumball machine so no matter who's house you and I ended up in we would always have gumballs!
Every year I see your parents post a memorial in the local newspaper and every year I have the same thought, I miss you. I think of you often and wonder if you were sent to Heaven to be my guardian angel, to watch over me, to guide me through life and keep me out of harm's way.
For now, please know that you are in my thoughts and prayers and until we meet again...take care.
Love,
Mandy

Graf #1

Blackberry, wine, raspberry, candy apple red, there must be a thousand colors to choose from, and yet every other Saturday I stand in front of the same case with the same decision to make. Which color will look best on my nails? I admit it is a very expensive habit to have but what girl doesn't love to have beautiful nails. The color seems to distract others from seeing the shortness and skinniness of your fingers and the bump that has created on the middle finger on your right hand from pressing to hard with the pencil. But remember this, for I have learned the hard way, pick the right color the first time or else you are stuck with it for two weeks unless of course you want to pay another $10 on top of the $20 you have already spent and have the color changed.

Hot to Trot

Here I am, 25 years old, and have never heard of a "blog". So, you can just imagine the thoughts running through my mind as I read an email from Professor Goldfine, explaining to us how to go about setting up this "blog".

Well, here it is. The first posting on my blog. I have to admit it wasn't all that painful. Good luck to everyone on posting their blogs. I look forward to the semester and what it has to offer!