Process Essay #4

Have you ever sat back and wondered what makes you have a good day or bad day whether you are at work, school, or home? Well, I’ve been giving it a great deal of thought lately, as I have observed some negative and positive behavior from myself and from my colleagues at work and school. I believe the difference between a good day and a bad day stems from having a positive attitude and to eliminate any bad thoughts. At least that is how the process works for me.

When I awake in the morning, I stretch and I thank God that He has blessed me with another day. I always make sure to tell myself “it’s a great day to be alive”. Most of my thinking whether good or bad comes first thing in the morning while I’m exercising and then when I’m taking a shower. I’m always sure to put my life into perspective, to focus on the positive in my life and to be thankful. I fight any negative thoughts and try not to dwell on the bad. Although at times this can be very difficult it seems to work well for me.

At work, my position in accounting can be very stressful at times, especially at end of month. It seems like no one is in a good mood from all the dead lines we face. At times like these I try to make sure everyone including myself tries to stay up beat and enthusiastic. I smile a lot, more than normal, hoping it will rub off. I try to be perky and optimistic and help in any way I can to those that may be more apt to dwell in the negativity of thinking “this place is the pits”. Anytime I feel like I am headed down the road of negativity I sing myself a happy tune and think the obstacles I face are just stepping-stones to my future in accounting and life.

School is a new concept to me. Although I enjoy my classes, I can still feel the stress from time to time from deadlines of homework. Working full time has a big part of that stress factor. If I only had known what I know now I would have definitely gone to college directly after graduating from high school. Then I could have switched the roles; gone to school full-time and worked part-time. In order to stay up beat and positive I do not dwell in the past I focus on my future and the goals I have set for myself. I believe having goals for myself has given me a sense of personal power that in itself has given me strength and great positive energy that I will continue to gain from for years to come.

Life isn’t perfect for me or for anyone so when things look grim for me I have a success file that I pull out and praise myself to try and better my spirits. I also listen to my body. If I’m feeling stress from the pressure of work, school or personal issues, I take time out for myself. I take a long walk outside or if it’s in the dead of winter I take a nice hot bath to ease my mind. I also believe that making the right decisions in what I eat and drink to keep my mind and body healthy has a strong role in keeping a positive attitude. Although I must say having a big 22 oz. beer and bowl of popcorn usually cures any ailments I may be having. If all else fails I go to bed, tomorrow will be a better day.

Freestyle Week #10

Have you ever noticed that there isn’t enough time in the day to get everything accomplished you wish you could? My grandmother once told me when I was young to enjoy life because the older you get the faster life seems to go. She wasn’t kidding. I feel like the last few months have been a complete whirlwind and everything I wish I had time for I don’t. And at this point I have no idea even what I would like to do even if I did have time. I guess I’m just in a weird mood today. Maybe I need a vacation. It has been seven months since I’ve had any significant time off. Or maybe I just need to vent. It is a busy time at work, a girl is getting ready to have a baby and I will be filling in for her while she is out along with keeping my position so I will have my hands full in a few weeks so I’m a little nervous because I want to do a good job. I’m nervous about finals coming up…I know I know I shouldn’t even think about them right now, but I just really want to do a good job in school because I have certainly enjoyed myself thus far. I must say I’m very glad to have taken those “few” years off before going to college, I feel like I have more appreciation for it…or maybe it’s because I’m paying for it all myself. And then the wedding. That’s a whole other story in itself. I’ll give you a little bit of a hint as to how that’s going – we have printed the invitations twice – did I mention that there is over 200 guests and its only 3 ½ months away. This is my life in a nutshell.

Contrast Essay #3

It is amazing to me how two people who love each other so much, enjoys each other’s company, and can’t imagine life without one another could be so different. As I peek through the window I see my father and grandfather sitting in the garage talking about who knows what. As I watch them drink their coffee, laughing and puffing away on cigarettes, I think about how much I love the two of them and how they have always been there for me. I find it hard to believe that two men with the same genes can be so different when it comes to their likes of women, their personalities and their attitudes.

My father has a controlling type of manner. He likes to take charge of any situation he is in. Whether it’s a project around the house, at work, or if someone needs a lending hand. Maybe his aggressive attitude comes from working for the State for the last 18 years and having to deal with the public calling in and griping that their road isn’t plowed good enough or the potholes are damaging their $100,000 vehicle. When it comes to my grandfather, he has a very mild tempo about him. Maybe because he is 72 years old and has lived a life of working hard as a truck driver so he appreciates someone else stepping in and taking charge while he sits back and observes. And if need be he is more than willing to jump in and help.

Both my grandfather and father enjoy telling stories especially around the campfire. My father however, tends to need to be the center of attention when there is a crowd of people. If he feels he isn’t being heard, he will end up in your face or giving you a poke to make sure you are paying attention to him. My grandfather on the other hand enjoys being heard but if no one is listening he will just keep on talking and not give a rip. He figures at some point someone will stop and give him a few minutes of their time. As long as you keep the fire going and the packs of smokes beside him he’s happier than a pig in shit.

My grandfather likes a woman who takes charge, who takes care of him, and most importantly feeds him. Maybe that’s the reason he has been married to my grandmother for 50 years. She cooks, cleans, and takes care of everything. He only has to be concerned with taking his naps and watching his favorite history channel shows. Then there’s dad. My father used to think he needed a woman who was passive, who wouldn’t care if he was out in the garage for hours and who would put up with his controlling manner. When you meet my step mom she comes across as being a shy, quiet woman that would put up with being told what to do. She has a heart of gold and anyone who meets her falls in love with her. My father quickly found out that she has her own ideas and opinions and she has given my dad a run for his money but he can’t imagine his life without her. He has figured out that a relationship is about two people and he can no longer be selfish.

As I get ready to go through the garage door to visit with my grandfather and my father, I thank God that they are in my life. They may be as different as night and day but I have a little piece of both of them in me and for that I’m grateful. They are both wonderful men with two different views in life, which has given me a life full of diversity and love. Without them, without their thoughts, feelings, advice and love, I would be nothing.

Freestyle Week #9

I took your advice and clicked on the website http://www.hep.uiuc.edu/home/g-gollin/diploma_mills.pdf. WOW, is all I can say. I guess I never thought about people designing “fake” websites. The information provided about these so-called websites I found to be very interesting. I can’t believe they didn’t think they would get caught. Using information provided by other “real” colleges is surely one way of getting caught but then to use the same people, same graphics, and even the one that used the same President….HELLO?!?! Anyone home? I have to admit that their plan was ingenious and quite honestly who wouldn’t want to just click a button and have their PhD or Bachelor’s in Accounting! I certainly would love to but then what if you did do that then you wouldn’t be able to look back and have a clear conscience. Well, at least I couldn’t. I also wouldn’t be able to look back and know that I put hard work and dedication into my degree if I were to just click a button and have it within 10 days.

Intro Contrast Essay #2

As I peek through the window, I see two men drinking their coffee, smoking cigarettes, who love each other unconditionally, spend hours together every day talking about anything, they are made of the same genes yet so different. I often dread the day that something happens to either one of them. They both are my rock in life. That’s why it amazes me that my father and my grandfather are poles apart when it comes their likes of women, their personalities and their attitudes.

Intro Contrast Essay #1

It’s amazing how two people who love each other so much, enjoys each other’s company, and can’t imagine life without one another could be so different. My father and my grandfather can spend hours a day sitting in the garage talking about anything, drinking their coffee, and both puffing away on cigarettes but when it comes to their likes of women, their personalities and their attitudes they couldn’t be any further apart.

Freestyle Week #8

When I went to high school they required you to take at least three years worth of math in order to graduate. They didn’t indicate that if someday you were planning on going to college that you should take algebra, because most colleges require you to have at least algebra 1 under your belt when entering. So, I decided to take the easy way out and took classes I was interested in….accounting classes. Well, here I am seven years later going back to college and they have you take an entrance exam to see where you should be placed. Yeah, that was interesting. There I was just staring at the darn computer for what felt like hours, looking at these math equations like: 2(x-y)+(3x+y). Right, like I’m going to know what the heck that’s supposed to mean. That doesn’t look like a credit or debit to me. So needless to say, I flunked the math portion. Now here I am and in order to graduate with a business management degree I need to take and pass intermediate algebra but before I can take that class I have to go through pre-algebra and algebra 1. But since the college is so gracious they offer a program called “plato.” Plato helps you learn pre-algebra and algebra 1. And the best part, it is FREE! So, off I go…three months later I finished the “plato” course and now its time to test to see if I can enter intermediate algebra. Which brings me up to yesterday. Monday. I went for my algebra test at 830am. I had worked so hard and I was feeling semi-confident for being completely self-taught. All I kept telling myself was I needed at least a 65 in order to get into intermediate algebra. I got a 63. What a kicker. After all the hard work I had put in to learning and being confident went down the drain. I was so upset when I had to go to the teacher and tell her I failed. On the brighter side; she could see how hard I had been working and she knew that I had already learned so much and I had the concept, she felt I would be just fine moving into intermediate algebra so she put a note on test sheet that gets sent to enrollment that said for me to be allowed to enter intermediate algebra. I thought that was awesome. I am so happy. I’ve already talked to my advisor and I will be taking intermediate algebra this summer!

Contrast Essay Reaction Graf #14

After reading the essays that have been submitted by other students it makes me wonder who I will write about. I liked that one wrote about the differences between her dad and brother and another wrote about the differences between the two mothers that have impacted his life in some capacity. Although I can not relate to the father and brother story, I have only a sister, I can however relate to the story with having two mothers. I enjoyed reading all of them. I think to some degree I have this inner desire to be a psychologist or sociologist maybe that’s why I enjoy reading about people and their life. Then I get to thinking about all the crazy people out there and decide an accounting degree is the way to go!

Personal Research Graf #13

Toyota. Chevrolet. Ford. Hyundai. Honda. So many makes, so many models. Where to begin? Do I choose automatic or standard? What color? Does it have air conditioning, a sunroof, automatic power locks and power windows? However, the most important questions of all are which one gets the best gas mileage and bang for my buck? All of these questions were what I was asking myself a year ago. I had a Jeep Liberty that was a nice sporty SUV that had all the bells and whistles anyone could ask for but the gas mileage was atrocious and was sucking my wallet dry. Jeeps are known for their awful gas mileage. I should have never bought it but I was young and stupid and you weren’t going to tell me any different. After researching on the Internet and driving through car lots, I had it narrowed down to a Toyota Corolla and Chevrolet Cobalt. I know what you are thinking, its quite the step down from the Jeep Liberty but Toyotas and Chevrolets are known for their excellent gas mileage and their vehicles reputation for being long-lasting and dependable are quite an attraction to someone like me who works full-time and is going to school. I need a vehicle that is reliable. After visiting a few dealerships in the surrounding areas to take these two particular vehicles for a test drive the only thing left to do was to see what each dealership would offer for my trade-in and see what kind of a deal they were going to give me on the new vehicle. They both rode identical; they were automatics, they included a sunroof, spoiler, air conditioning, power locks and power windows so it really came down to which dealership was willing to work with me. When the decision was made the Toyota Corolla won. It certainly isn’t my dream car that’s for sure but they were willing to work with me, they gave me what I wanted for my trade and gave me a great deal on the new car. Of course, I’d rather have a big ol’ truck but while I’m in school and trying to keep up on the bills and life in general this car fits the bill. And as far as Toyota’s dependability and gas mileage is concerned, so far so good.

Classification Essay #2

Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, devoted to school, work, getting lunches packed, dinner ready and before I know it Saturday has arrived. As I sit listening to the morning news, having a cup of coffee, and reading the local weekend newspaper, it hits me. Just because it is Saturday there is no time to rest, the house has been neglected from being on the go all week long. Dusting, vacuuming, laundry, all those wonderful household chores, I think to myself what can I put off for another week, for a month and what could I put off forever?

For the obsessive-compulsive side of me I feel as though no household chore can go undone. Dishes need to be done every day, maybe even multiple times a day, vacuuming and laundry is on the list for every week, as is dusting and cleaning the bathroom. Now, I do realize that people aren’t going to think I live like a pig just because there might be a glass, a fork, and a plate in the sink, or a piece of lint on the floor, or having a towel in the laundry basket, but to me its like looking at a sink full of dishes or a mound of dirt on the floor. It’s like a girl who is a size 2 looking in the mirror and seeing a girl who is a size 12. After looking down through the household chores I have decided dishes will stay on the every day to do list. Laundry will always be every week. What if I need that favorite top to wear with those shoes? Vacuuming could be put off for another week. There are only two of us living in this house so the floors really aren’t that bad, plus we rarely have company anyways. But the cleaning of the bathroom will stay on the every week list. Do you even realize how many germs are in a bathroom?!

Since there are no children, no pets, and I have baseboard heat the dust particles don’t accumulate too quickly in the house. People have told me for years that I worry about the small stuff in life. No one is going to come over to the house with a white glove and run it along the top frame of the door just to see if I forgot to wipe that when I dusted. I blame my freakish-behavior on not wanting to get sick from germs, not from being obsessive-compulsive. Do you know that most dust-particles are made from dead skin? YUCK! As I take a gander throughout the house and since I just dusted last week, I don’t think a few more weeks will hurt if I move that down the list of things to do. But of course, it will be checked weekly just to make sure it isn’t getting out of control. If so, out comes the rag and polish!

After contemplating about what I could put off for household chores forever I have come to the realization that it’s impossible. I can’t get away with not dusting or vacuuming or cleaning the floors or bathroom. Just think of the dust, mud, grime, mildew, and germs that would accumulate from not cleaning. Laundry is certainly a must. I can’t afford to wear a new outfit everyday. The only way I can figure that I can get away with not doing another household chore for the rest of my life is by playing the lottery and winning the millions in order to hire a maid.

I wish that my obsessive-compulsive behavior would allow me not to be concerned with every dust particle that may be lying under every piece of furniture I own but I also don’t want to be classified as living in a pig sty. I realize that this is going to take years to overcome, but now that I have distinguished what I might be able to put off for a week, a month, or forever. I realize that my friends and family aren’t going to judge me for the way the house is or isn’t in order. I feel as though a huge weight has been lifted off my shoulders. So for all the women and men out there who feel like me with the household chores looming over their heads; put away those mops, dust rags, and brooms and get out there and enjoy life. Life is so short you have to take it all in while you still can otherwise before you know it; it will be over.

Outro - Classification Essay

I wish that my obsessive-compulsive behavior would allow me not to be concerned with every dust particle that may be lying under every piece of furniture I own but I also don’t want to be classified as living in a pig sty. I realize that this is going to take years to overcome, but now that I have distinguished what I might be able to put off for a week, a month, or forever. I realize that my friends and family aren’t going to judge me for the way the house is or isn’t in order. I feel as though a huge weight has been lifted off my shoulders. So for all the women and men out there who feel like me with the household chores looming over their heads; put away those mops, dust rags, and brooms and get out there and enjoy life. Life is so short you have to take it all in while you still can otherwise before you know it; it will be over.

Reaction to Classification Essays Graf #12

Boys, dirt roads, bugs, fish, quite the assortment of stories I must say. A few were attention grabbing and others I skimmed; they didn’t catch my complete attention because I’m not interested in bugs, fish, or boy-bashing girls. We all have faults and I don’t care to read about them. I did however get a few ideas but only after I took your advice and googled. I guess you really can google anything your heart desires. And I have a feeling that google and I are going to best friends by the time this English class is finished and now that I have found google I intend to use it for years to come. I believe it will be a great benefit for me while I attend college and beyond.

Intro Classification Essay #2

School, work, homework, spending time with family, and watching my favorite television shows. Now does that sound like a schedule that has time for those dreaded household chores? I certainly don’t have the money to hire a maid, although I wish I did. Life could be so much easier. The dusting, the vacuuming, the laundry, the ironing, the dishes, clean the floors and bathroom. Does it ever end? I often wonder what chores I could put off for a week, for a month and what I could put off forever.

Intro Classification Essay #1

Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, devoted to school, work, getting lunches packed, dinner ready and before I know it Saturday has arrived. As I sit listening to the morning news, having a cup of coffee, and reading the local weekend newspaper, it hits me. Just because it is Saturday there is no time to rest, the house has been neglected from being on the go all week long. Dusting, vacuuming, laundry, all those wonderful household chores, I think to myself what can I put off for a week, for a month and what could I put off forever?

Freestyle Week #7

This past summer there was talk of my dad marrying his long-time girlfriend of 13 years. I’ve always said my dad and step mom when referring to them so my first thought “was it is about time, dad”. A few weeks ago I had stayed at their house for a sleepover. I do that from time to time to reconnect with them ‘cause life can get so hectic at times. When I was getting ready for work that morning, Ellen, my step mom, was sitting on the edge of my bed and she said that she wanted to talk to me. So, I paused to look at her and asked her what was on her mind. She then asked me to be her maid of honor. I was absolutely delighted to think that out of all of her friends and the enormous family we have, she picked me! Of course, I immediately said yes. Then she started telling me what her and dad had been talking about. They are getting married June 23rd….of this year. Well that put me in a complete tailspin. We have to reserve the Church, the hall for the reception, the guest list, mail invitations, bridal shower, the list just keeps going….and then it came to me the best part of all…she will finally be my step mom officially! I am very happy for my dad and step mom. It has been a long time coming and my dad couldn’t ask for a better woman. She has to be in order to have put up with my dad and I for this long. I love them both with all my heart! Congratulations!

Meta Graf #11

I feel like I have been sitting in this chair for days. My butt is so numb that the feeling has trickled into my legs. I haven’t moved for hours. I can’t even begin to tell you the thoughts that have been running through my mind because my mind feels blank. Quite frankly I don’t think I have thought of one thing I could write about. My mind feels empty. No thoughts. No mojo. No nothing. What the heck am I going to do? I’m frazzled. I can’t believe I can’t think of one thing to write about. His lecture says, “just start writing”. Write about WHAT?? What happens when you have fried your brain from thinking to hard? He says “just starting jotting down ideas, no matter what they are”. Yeah, ok, easy for him to say. He isn’t the one sitting here for hours on end contemplating on what to write about or what not to write about. And then finally, what has seemed to be eternity, I have thought of a topic. Thank goodness! Hooray for me! Life is good….One paper down, three more to go!

Essay #1

Oh it can’t be…it is. My alarm is buzzing. That means its 5 o’clock in the morning. As I lay in bed, the thought of my feet hitting the floor and getting on to that treadmill for a twenty minute high-paced, get my blood pumping, heart racing, walk/jog makes me want to roll over, pull the covers over my head and stay where its nice, comfy, warm and relaxing. But, I know that exercising is essential to my body in order for me to stay in shape and to avoid any of the heart conditions heredity in my family. Exercising is also a part of my daily routine, a routine that if out of cycle could ruin any chance of me having a “normal” day.

After exercising its time for me to pick out an outfit. Now depending on the day, the weather, and how I feel all play a factor on what I chose. The positive is that where I work they have a casual dress code so as long as it is appropriate attire it will be okay and the only rule is no jeans unless it is Friday. So the decision is pretty much wide open, which for me, who is the obsessive-compulsive type can be almost depressing. What color pants, what type of shirt, long sleeve, short sleeve, turtleneck….oh the agonizing pain of it all. Sometimes I wish that I worked where we had to wear a uniform so the decision would all ready be made for me. My thought process of what I want to wear usually starts the night before and by the time I have finished exercising in the morning, I know what I want to wear and it is time to iron before jumping into the shower.

Like the majority of women, after showering I have the make-up and hair to complete before heading out the door to begin my day. But for me, the process is so much more. The make-up is always first to be applied, and when applied, there is a method to my madness. Foundation is applied first, a light bronzer second with a soft glowing blush to try and hide how pale I really am. Then the eye shadow; I try to stick with natural colors so I don’t look like bozo the clown. After the eye shadow I apply my black-brown mascara. I have been told that black-brown mascara brings out the brightness of blue eyes. Anything is worth a shot to avoid people looking at my nose that is outsized for my round face. Then the final touch of a light colored lip-gloss. As I stare at myself in the mirror my main objection was too hide my freckles for another day – mission accomplished. Moving right along…time is ticking away…

Hair. What is the purpose? I have worn my hair long, short, medium and nothing seems to make me happy. I always thought shaving it would be a fantastic idea, until I saw what Britney looked liked. I guess hair isn’t so bad after all. So with my new attitude towards hair, I reach into the cupboard under the sink and get out the good ol’ faithful hairdryer. Last week I certainly learned my lesson about putting the hairdryer away; I had left it on the corner of the sink and my roommate came into the bathroom and knocked it into the toilet with her elbow by accident. It certainly gave us a good morning laugh; thank goodness we had a spare. Since my hair is short, blow-drying takes but only a minute just enough to get the dampness out of it and then I reach for the styling wax. It’s an invention that has been out for a few years now and my personal opinion is that this wax is the greatest thing since sliced bread. You can spike your hair, you can have it slicked right to the side of your head, or if you have a hairstyle similar to mine you put the wax in your hair and fluff with your fingers just enough to give it a little body so it doesn’t look completely lifeless. Once I have messed around putting the strands that wanted to be out of place in place and I feel somewhat satisfied that it’s a good as it is going to get since my hair is naturally curly and does whatever it darn well pleases its time for the finisher – the maximum hold hairspray. I think if we had 50 mph wind gusts hair wouldn’t budge with this stuff. In my book its definitely high on the list for the best things ever created!

By the time I have finished my routine in the morning, I have spent an hour and a half of my day. Which makes me wonder. If you times that by five days a week, times that by 52 weeks a year, times the last four years I have been employed with this company, divided by 24 hours in a day, leaves me with the number of 65. 65 days out of the last four years has been dedicated to exercise and fixing my hair and makeup. That makes me believe that society today is so dependent on how people look physically that they miss what is really important; the personality, the brain, the uniqueness of the individual. Maybe tomorrow when I get ready for the day I’ll skip applying make-up, but don’t hold your breath, I don’t deal with change very well.

Outro - Cause Essay

By the time I have finished my routine in the morning, I have spent an hour and a half of my day. Which makes me wonder. If you times that by five days a week, times that by 52 weeks a year, times the last four years I have been employed with this company, divided by 24 hours in a day, leaves me with the number of 65. 65 days out of the last four years has been dedicated to exercise and fixing my hair and makeup. That makes me believe that society today is so dependent on how people look physically that they miss what is really important; the personality, the brain, the uniqueness of the individual. Maybe tomorrow when I get ready for the day I’ll skip applying make-up, but don’t hold your breath, I don’t deal with change very well.

Freestyle Week #6

I knew this day was coming. I had tried my best to prepare myself, but how do you prepare yourself for your mom moving two thousand miles away? I admit my mother and I aren’t the “picture perfect” mother/daughter relationship, we have certainly had our tribulations, but I still hated to see her go. I know that she is doing this for herself and for her soon to be husband, they are trying to better their life. He accepted a dean position at a college in Texas and she was offered a position as a case manager at a hospital in the same area. After we said goodbye, I got in my car and cried. I cried like a baby. I couldn’t even see the road, I was crying so hard. I had to pull over. It has been five days since she left and as I sit here typing this, I could cry. I feel like I’ve lost her. I can’t stop wondering when I will see her again, hug her again, and spend time with her again. I’m not sure how long I will feel like this, quite honestly, I don’t think I will ever accept her being gone. I know that there is email, the telephone, and I could even write a letter, but it just isn’t the same. I used to be able to get in my car and be at her house in five minutes. Now, the quickest way to see her is in an airplane – nine hours away. And don’t even get me started on my fear of airplanes.

Intro #2 Cause Essay

Oh it can’t be…it is. My alarm is buzzing. That means its 5 o’clock in the morning. As I lay in bed, the thought of my feet hitting the floor and getting on to that treadmill for a twenty minute high-paced, get my blood pumping, heart racing, walk/jog makes me want to roll over, pull the covers over my head and stay where its nice, comfy, warm and relaxing. But, I know that exercising is essential to my body in order for me to stay in shape and to avoid any of the heart conditions heredity in my family. Exercising is also a part of my daily routine, a routine that if out of cycle could ruin any chance of me having a “normal” day.

Intro 1 - Cause Essay

Beep….Beep….Beep….BeepBeepBeep….Beep. Bang! Stupid alarm…I was just getting to the good part of my dream. Why must it remind me every morning at 5am that its time to get up and get ready for work? I wish I could win the lottery but it won’t be today so with that my feet hit the floor and I’m on autopilot until I find that first cup of coffee. Every morning is such a process for a woman to get ready in order for her to feel good about herself. Well, at least that is how it works for me. The hair, the makeup, the perfect outfit. If all goes well, than it will be a good day, if one thing is in disarray – watch out. It is going be a bad, bad day.

Freestyle Week #5

A lesson I learned this weekend. Don’t go to Grammie’s house while trying to diet. Between the pretzels, popcorn, soda, homemade pumpkin bread, and chicken casserole, I think I packed on any weight I might have lost within the last few weeks. I know what you are thinking, just say no. What you don’t know is that my Grammie is all by herself, my Grampie past away four months ago and everyday is a struggle for her, no one to get up with in the morning and have a cup of coffee, no one to go for walks with, no one to talk to, no one to watch tv with and no one to cook for. So for me, knowing that it is giving her joy to have someone to talk to, to cook for, to spend time with, means more to me than a few extra calories that I can worry about on the treadmill next week when I return to reality.

Graf #10 - Reaction cause essays

I have to be honest. I didn’t like any of the essays, other than the chicken story. Maybe because I once was a dancer, no ballerina by any means, but at least I wasn’t a couch potato eating bon-bons, watching soap operas all afternoon. As far as the other stories are concerned, the world is already gloomy so its unfortunate people fall out of love, I thought her story was good, just depressing. Baseball, I can take it or leave it so there was no interest sparked within me when reading his story. Molly, on the other hand, I think he should have asked her on a date if he was that infatuated with her. He should have done something about his feelings; life is too short to hold back. So all in all, I understand they were all writing about something that had occurred in their life so I commend them for that, they just weren’t stories that peaked my curiosity, but I thought they were grafted well.

Brainstorm

What I would like to know about CPA’s
What kind of services do they provide? For example I know they service the public by doing personal and business taxes and they do audits. But what do they look for when they audit. Do they do any other services for other than taxes? I know sometimes a CPA can be a CFO….What do they do for a business and are there different steps as far as schooling is concerned if you wanted to be a CFO rather than a CPA? When becoming a CPA – I know you need to pass a board test in order to get your license – once you are finished school of course – but are there any other steps? When you are a CPA and you are helping other people do you have to report anything to the federal or state governments on each person? Does the federal or state government audit you yourself? What if you go through school enjoy all the accounting side of life but don’t want to become a CPA…what are the options? What avenues could I take? Is there a high demand for CPAs? Since so much is dependent on the computer and the Internet these days are CPAs days numbered? What is the future in this field? What kind of an effect does this have on my life? What are my thoughts on all of this that I have researched?

People Graf #9

When people meet him for the first time, they either like him or he drives them nuts. He could careless what anyone thinks of him, anyone that is except for his family. For my dad, family means everything to him.

My dad has taught me about the value of life, love and happiness. He is strong man, hard-worker, do anything for anyone kind of a guy, but don’t ever lie to him. He hates a liar. He told me when I was young, “Punk, (short for punkin, one of his many nicknames for me), I don’t mind you going to friend’s house, going to parties, going out on a date, but don’t you ever let me catch somewhere you didn’t tell me you were going to be. Once you cross me, I’ll never let you go anywhere again unless it is to work or school while you live under this roof…understood?” I can sit here and honestly tell you, I never crossed that man. Not because I was scared of testing the waters or to see how far I could test his patience, but because I never wanted him to be disappointed in me.

When people meet him, they don’t know that he was a single dad raising me during those “hard” teenage years and that him and I are and always will be the best of friends. They don’t realize that his rough around the edges attitude and looks comes from years of hard work to support him and I. But once they give him a chance they realize he is just a great, hard-working, dedicated, loving man.

Freestyle Week #4

Update on Freestyle week #2
102 wins! Eastern Maine State Champion for weight class 171! What an accomplishment for such a dedicated kid. It couldn’t have been a more perfect day; we were all in the stands on Saturday watching Eric, my friend’s nephew, while he won all three of his matches and made his dreams come true.

We left the house on Saturday morning around 6:30 am to head towards Medomak Valley High. The meet didn’t start until 9:00 am, but the roads were a little slick and we didn’t want to take the chance on missing a thing; since his first match was going to be his 100th win. The day was full of events. Eric’s first match he pinned his opponent in 11 seconds and in his second match he pinned his opponent in under a minute. When it came to the third and final match we all had anxiety. His opponent had been running his mouth all day about how he was going to whoop him and all the stuff that young punk kids have to say in order to make themselves feel better. Since they had never wrestled we were all a little anxious and nervous; we were unsure of this kid’s ability against Eric since he had one all his matches as well.

They went through the first and second periods battling it out but Eric had the obvious advantage, but still you never count your chickens before they hatch. In the third and final period with a minute remaining Eric pinned him!!!! We all jumped up screaming and yelling….it was absolutely awesome! We were and still are so happy for him. All of his hard work finally paid off!

Sample Isearches Graf #8

When I first scrolled through the course assignments and saw “I search paper”, I thought it would be about the teacher having us pick from a list of topics and researching on the Internet. But when I read it was about what “I” was interested in and what I wanted to know more about, I thought “what a great idea”. Until I sat one afternoon thinking about what I wanted to write about; I wouldn’t be surprised if people could see the steam coming out of the house from me thinking so hard. I kept jotting down ideas until something inside of me said “Duh, how about your career path, since you know a little but there is so much more to learn”. When the week came for our assignment to read other isearches, I realized that everyone wrote something about their life at that particular time they needed to know more about. As I read through the wedding cake, choosing the right dog, genealogy, biliary atresia, and ortohotics and prosthetics, I couldn’t help but wonder once mine is completed will others find mine interesting or will it benefit others that might have the same questions, thoughts and feelings. I am excited and nervous at the same time about writing this I search paper. It has certainly sparked an interest in me and I think it’s a wonderful idea instead of the old, boring research paper about a topic I could careless about.

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.