In week fifth teen we are asked to compose a final reflection for our time in English. In my final reflection I will be writing about my final option of the course and what I think has went well and not so well. You can look at my Midterm Reflection Vlog for similarities and differences. Thankyou for reading. Please leave any comments because the all help me improve my writing.
During my time in English 112 I have learned a lot. When I started the course I was not expecting much. I though it was just a regular English class and I was going to be bored. During the first week of class I found out this English class was not going to be the same as the others. I enjoyed the type of content from the first time we started. The website is a unique and smart way to post homework. I liked posting blogs because it was easy and other classmates could respond to my post. This helped my writing because I could read and change my writings for the better. One skill that I have learned not in English class but in other things is the Rose, Bud and Thorn practice. For rose you would talk about something you like. For the bud you talk about something that needs work and for the thorn you would talk about something that you think is bad. So my thorn of this English class is the Vlog. I did not like the Vlog because it was new to me, but I do understand the reasons for the vlog. My bud for the class is the group events. I enjoyed working with a group, but I thought I did not work enough if a group. I understand that there were not many opportunities to do group events. My rose for the class is the website and the process of doing homework. In many classes I have I do not like homework but in this class I enjoyed the freedom of writing and how easy it was to turn in homework. Over all I enjoyed this class and I am confident in saying this was my favorite English class.
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This is the week twelve blog where we were asked to work more on the Research Project. I decided to add below the intro to my Research Project. This into is not a finished copy and I will work on it further. Please leave any comments to help me add more content to my intro.
The “three good things” process was created by Dr. Seligman and the purpose of this process is to find three events on every day that positively affect your life. In theory the “three good things” process should make you happier and will improve your wellbeing. I used the “three good things” process for an entire week and I found that positive events are different for most people. For example a positive event that I found throughout the week was on a Saturday night my dad and I sat and played a card game. The same one we played every weekend. For many years I would sit and play only winning a handful of times. We would sit and talk about anything that came to the topic. The game was almost over and the game was becoming intense. The last hand was dealt and again like most of the other days I lost. This is a happy event that I remember from the past week because it is one of the only times that I get to do something with my dad because I’m busy during the week. Even though I lost this night my perspective of happiness is not about winning. Even if things did not turn out your way there is still a good factor in each event. The “three good things” process does affect your overall happiness and wellbeing. In week eleven we were assigned to find different research for out Research Project. In this we I decided to post a letter that I could have written to Dr. Seligman who is know as the father of positive psychology. This note is on my thoughts and reaction to one of his practices of finding three positive things a day for an entire week.
Dear Dr. Seligman Your process of creating or finding three positive events throw out your week has improved my happiness and wellbeing, This helped me think more about each topic or event and look at it in a different way. When I thought I saw a negative event I could always see a positive too. Even though the negative events would proudly out weigh the positives this does not mean the positive event does not exist. When I was trying to think about the positive events that happen to me that day I would think about positive events that had very to little no negativity in it. Later in the week I looked for more not so positive events but I would still see some of the positives in it. Doing this process helped me look at negative events differently. I sagest this process to everyone so they will become more grateful and worry less about the negative events that happen to them. This process helped me see the negative events differently and helped me put a positive event to every negative event. This is just a note that I would sent to Dr. Seligman but I did not actually send to him. Please leave any comments. In week ten we were instructed to keep track of one week of positive events. We kept track of three events for each day of the week with a total of twenty one events. After reading What is Positive Pyschology & Why Is it Important? (Positive Psychology Program) this helped me pick the topics for my positive events. Also Greater Good in Action: Science-Based Practices for a Meaningful Life (UC Berkeley's Project Home Page), and Three Good Things (Greater Good in Action) helped me put a name and write down my feelings towards those events. Thankyou for reading and please leave any comments.
Tuesday Oct 30 Made money: When I trade stocks I am not promised to make money every day buy today I made more money then I usually would. This was a good start to the day. Finished homework: I finished my homework early today so I had more time to myself to relax and study. Kung Fu: On every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday I have kung fu classes where I go to train and learn new things and practice old things about the martial art. Wednesday Oct 31 Dressed up for Halloween: Today was Halloween so I went to a Halloween party after college and hung out with my friends. Later that night I got a $4 burrito from chipotle for dressing in a costume. Got to see my girlfriend: My girlfriend wanted to come home today from her college to see the kids that her mom watches for daycare, so after school I got to see my girlfriend a little earlier then I usually would. Handed out candy: Later that night I gave candy out to all of the little kids that walked around on Halloween night. This was just fun seeing all of the different costumes. Thursday Nov 1 Did not have math class: My math class was canceled today because of a test we are having next class. This gave me enough time to get ready for my next class of the day. Went home from college early: In my last class of the day my professor called the class early. I had no other class that day so I went home early and happy. This also helped me beat traffic coming out of the campus. Kung Fu: I have kung fu again today but it was someone’s birthday today so instead of training we went out to celebrate the birthday. Friday Nov 2 Baby sit with my girlfriend: My girlfriend’s mom could not watch the kids she watch over at daycare today so after college I went over my girlfriend’s house to help her babysit and watch the kids. Watching the kids is entertaining because they are funny and do goofy things. Went to dinner: Later that night I took my girlfriend out to eat at smash burger near the marple 10 movie theater. This was a good place to go because the food is quick and it taste good Went to the movies: After dinner my girlfriend and I went to see bohemian rhapsody in the movie theater. The movie was good and better than I expected. Saturday Nov 3 Kung Fu: Today I had kung fu in the morning ad not at night we just trained today and learned a few new things. Party: At about 4 pm I went to my girlfriends next store neighbor’s house for a birthday party. The party was fun and had food. Played cards: I like to play cards with my family and my girlfriend. Today I played rummy 500 and my dad won again. I beat him sometimes but most of the time he wins. It is always a fun convocation when we play. Sunday Nov 4 Park: My girlfriend and I went to the part today and went on a little hike in the woods. This helps us clear our minds and it is fun to take pictures of nature. Cooked: After we got home we decided to make homemade French fries. Cooking is always fun and I was surprised on how well the French fries came out on out first try. Drove my girlfriend back to school: At night I drove my girlfriend back to school and it takes about a half hour so we get to have a nice convocation to ourselves and we have time to say our goodbyes for the next week. Monday Nov 5 No business class: today I did not have my business class because my professor gives us a day off before a case study is due. This gave me time to get done some homework for my economic class Passed a quiz: in my accounting class today I passed a quiz. I don’t know what I got exactly but I knew everything on the test Made money: I again made money today after the worst week in my stock trading life. It’s good to start to make gains again today. In week nine I was instructed to respond to questions in a vlog format about my second draft for my narrative project. I the second draft we I had to take my original story and write about an alternative outcome. This style was similar to a style called fanfiction. More information about fanfiction can be found here What is Fan Fiction -- and why is it making people nervous? (Stephen Downes). The rewriting process was a little more difficult because the first draft was in first person point of view. After listening to Rewinding and Rewriting: The Alternate Universes in Our Head (Hidden Brain Podcast) this helped me write my third person point of view second draft. This vlog is my second ever vlog but I believe it was better than my first. Thank you for any comments that you leave. Every comment helps. The vlog will be down below.
In Week 8 of I was assigned to create a vlog post talking about my progression from week one to week 8. Making this video was a little difficult because it was my first time on camera and I did not feel as comfortable as I did when I write. IN the vlog I have mentioned blog post Composing a Present Scene, Composing Action into Scenes, and Composing a Past Scene. Thankyou for reading the video is down below. I cant wait to read the comments.
This is the blog post for week seven and this week I found a founded poem within my first draft of my narrative project. This poem is some inside of my feelings of my convocation with my mother when I had to tell her about what happened that school that day. I used a free form excerpting and remixing style most in my poem because it helped me to add and take away small details that I did not need to make my poem the way it is. I also found it the easiest to use. Thank you for reading.
The Feelings With In She looks with a death stare I began reading her anger I thought about the trouble I was in Why would I throw a snowball at the principle Her anger is like chaos now I do not even know what to say This fight is now serious My mind starts to go into a cold and slushy feeling You do not get into trouble I told myself I start to be more and more nervous by the second Then all of a sudden I begin to think to myself I do not feel mad or nervous I feel better I feel happy · Do you think the narrative provides enough descriptive language to create a compelling found poem? I found that I did put enough description in my narrative project but I defiantly need to add more because creating the poem was a difficult task. · Do you think the descriptive language more so creates a setting or delivers the subtext of a theme? The description I used in my narrative project was used more for the setting and not the theme · In revision, will you focus on using description to develop more of the setting or more of a theme? I will focus on adding more description to both the setting and theme because both have room to work on In week six this blog is constructed to make edits to my first past scene blog. I have edited the detail I have put into the scene and have added some background info. I have also added a "telling section" after my blog for further background information regarding people in the scene.
I look at the clock reading 2:25. Only 15 more minutes until we get out of school, I thought in my head. The time keeps ticking and as every second goes by I getting more and more happy. Only one minute to go now and everyone starts putting their books away. The bell rings so all of my classmates and I race to the door to go outside into the cold crisp snow. I run down the middle school stairs and take position next to my friends. We squat down and wait for the perfect time. Then all of a sudden I throw a snowball and everyone joins. We start a massive snowball fight right in front of the school. Snow is going everywhere and everyone is getting hit. We throw snowball after snowball and the chaos went on for five minutes. The administration quickly rush out of the school and down the slippery stairs to stop the fight and I grab a hand full of snow and throw it right at the principal. “Splash” The snowball nails him right in the chest. I start to run for my life as fast as I could run. I look behind me and the principal is right on my heels. Then I feel a tug on my jacket and a security guard grabbed me and gave me to the principal. At this moment I knew I was in trouble. The principle brought me back into the school and a feeling of anger was going through my head as I hear the sound of my wet shoes slapping against the tile floor. The principal then pushed me into his office and sat me down where my friend Jordan was already sitting. The principal then sat down at his desk and went to his computer. “Yo what’s up Jordan” I said puzzled on why he was in the office too. “What’s up man he responded” looking back at me with a frightened look on his face. “Why are you here?” I said to him as we sat there in front of the principal “I got caught throwing a snowball, how about you?” he said “ Me too” I responded now feeling a little better about myself knowing I was not the only one who was caught. As we sit there waiting for instructions a teacher of mine then walked in to talk to the principle and said to me “Your mom is not going to like this Ryan” I looked at him and said back “Why don’t you mind your own damn business”. The principle then told him to leave the office. As I sit here I feel a nervous feeling and do not know what is going to happen next. The principle then tells us “you both are giving a one day suspension for the fight you have started”. The feeling instantly increased because I knew my parents would be mad at me for getting suspended. As I walk home in the slushy ice I finally reach my house. I say to my mom “hey I got suspended on school today.” Then she replies “for what?” in a playful manner because I have never been suspended before and she did not believe me. “For throwing a snowball at the principal” I replied without even having to think about what to say. She looks at me and says “are you serious?” as she begins to believe what I’m saying. In this scene I am in middle school and I had the great idea that my friends and I should have a snowball fight after school even though we knew it was against school policy. I end up throwing a snowball at the principal because I thought it would be funny (and it was) then I ended up getting caught by a security guard and was basically pulled to the principal’s office. Later in the story a teacher of mine that I didn’t really have any problems with came into the office and said something to me. I don’t know if he was trying to be funny or something but I didn’t like what he said so I told him to mind his own damn business. I went home later and told my mom. In blog 5 I will be composing an alternate screen that was not actually in Charlotte Perkins Stetson’s The Yellow Wall-Paper. I will also be creating a creative nonfiction scene about a time when I chose a decision to create a negative outcome in my life. Although my negative outcome is not too serious it is a funny choice I made that had consequences.
“At first he meant to repaper the room, but afterwards he said that I was letting it get the better of me, and that nothing was worse for a nervous patient than to give way to such fancies. He said that after the wall-paper was changed it would be the heavy bedstead, and then the barred windows, and then that gate at the head of the stairs, and so on. "You know the place is doing you good," he said, "and really, dear, I don't care to renovate the house just for a three months' rental." "Then do let us go downstairs," I said, "there are such pretty rooms there." Then he took me in his arms and called me a blessed little goose, and said he would go down cellar, if I wished, and have it whitewashed into the bargain.” He then leaves the room shutting the door behind himself. Without letting him realize I placed a folded piece of my writing in the lock of the door just as he closes it leaving the door unlocked. I take a big breath hoping he does not turn around and exhale as I hear him walking down the hallway. Now that he is gone I can get myself together. I think in my head again and again is the escape even worth it or should I stay with the man I believe loves me. I come to my senescence and begin to walk to the door. I try to not make a sound as the creaky door inches open and I begin to see the white hallway walls. I creep my head out and look to the left, then to the right. I see nobody. I step out into the hallway and begin to walk down. The hallway is lined with doors and room numbers. As I walk the room numbers begin to count down, 110, 108, 106, 104. I’m getting closer to the last room. I continue to walk and I see a double door with a big red exit sign on top of it. I see nobody at the desk so I run for the door and push them open. When I get outside I feel the cold wet rain on my head since I have come here. Then I think to myself about the sunny beautiful environment outside of my window. I stand in the wet rain and think to myself “Was the beautiful garden actually there or was it just another piece of wall paper?” The Yellow Wall-Paper I look at the clock reading 2:25. Only 15 more minutes until we get out of school, I thought in my head. The time keeps ticking and as every second goes by I getting more and more happy. Only one minute to go now and everyone starts putting their books away. The bell rings so me and all of my class mates race to the door to go outside into the cold snow. I run down the middle school stairs and take position next to my friends. We squat down and wait for the perfect time. Then all of a sudden I throw a snowball and everyone joins. We start a massive snowball fight right in front of the school. Snow is going everywhere and everyone is getting hit. The administration rush out of the school to stop the fight and I grab a hand full of snow and throw it right at the principal. The snow ball nails him right in the chest. I start to run for my life as fast as I could run. I look behind me and the principal is right on my heels. Then I feel a tug on my jacket and a security guard grabbed me and gave me to the principal. At this moment I knew I was in trouble. The principle brought me back in to the school and sat me down in his office where my friend Jordan was already sitting. A teacher of mine then walked in to talk to the principle and said to me “Your mom is not going to like this Ryan” I looked at him and said back “Why don’t you mind your own damn business”. The principle then told him to leave the office. As I sit here I feel a nerves feeling and do not know what is going to happen next. The principle then tells us “you both are giving a one day suspension for the fight you have started”. The feeling instantly increased because I knew my parents would be mad at me for getting suspended. As I walk home in the slushy ice I finally reach my house. I say to my mom “hi I got suspended at school today” then she replies “for what”. I then tell her the story. This week we were instructed to look at Tobias Wolff’s “bullet in the brain” and come up with another outcome or detail that could have changes the writing as a whole. I will also compose an action into a scene of a recent event. The event I will be writing about is my adventure to long wood gardens with my girlfriend.
“Two men wearing black ski masks and blue business suits were standing to the side of the door. One of them had a pistol pressed against the guard's neck. The guard's eyes were closed, and his lips were moving. The other man had a sawed-off shotgun. "Keep your big mouth shut!" the man with the pistol said, though no one had spoken a word. "One of you tellers hits the alarm, you're all dead meat. Got it?" The tellers nodded.” Everyone was frozen until the leader of the robbers gave them all directions to “Shut up and sit down”. At this point everyone was so shocked none of the citizens in the bank moved. So the leader yells again. “Everyone sit the hell down”! Quickly this time everyone reacted and dropped. Anders went from out spoken to as quiet as a mouse as soon as the leader opened his mouth. Slowly Anders eyes started to water. He thought to himself “what’s going on”? “Why am I crying”? “Is it because I am scared, Is it because I am afraid to die”? Anders sat the almost like he was dead, trying to think to himself what was wrong. “I don’t feel afraid. I don’t fear the death of me. I must be crying for another reason.” Anders silently looks up and complies with the criminals. The robbery passes and miraculously nobody is hurt and the robbers storm out of the bank. As Anders stands up he looks around at all of the other people crying and still sitting on the ground. He realizes they are cringing for another reason though. Anders starts to walk away and says to himself “thank god, finally some fun’. Bullet in the Brain (Tobias Wolff) I come to my senses slowly as I comprehend my girlfriend telling me to wake up as she shakes my shoulder. “I’m still tired, let me sleep.” I tell her as I am dazed. “No Ryan get up we have stuff to do today.” She says then continuing to shake me. “Ok I’m getting up, I’m getting up.” She quickly runs out of the room and tells me “I’m making me something to eat.” I sit up and get dressed to go out to Long Wood Gardens. I put on a soft blue shirt and some cargo shorts and walk down stairs. When I walk through the living room I say “hi” to my mom and dad then they great me back. I walk to the kitchen and see my girlfriend standing there holding a plate with food on it. She says exactly “I made this for you.” I say “thank you” and ask her “are you going to eat with me.” She replies “yes” and we sit down to eat. She tells me to “eat quickly so we could spend the day out at the garden.” So I hurry up and eat then I get in the car with her and drive to Long Wood. We walk to the gate and walk into the park. Everywhere we look we see bright flowers and different exhibits waiting to be seen. We slow walk alongside the lakes full of fish and turtles. We walk past treehouses and fountains. I tell my girlfriends how beautiful everything is and we stand there taking in the view of all of the sights. We continue to walk and we enter the garden. We sit down and enjoy the flowers. We sit there and just look. After about twenty minutes we get up and start to walk to another exhibit. We get to the entrance of the conservation and enter the building. As soon as I walk in I see nothing but flowers at every angle. Bright flowers, dark flowers, trees and every plant that I could think of. We come to one room and it is unique. It had small bonsai trees. Simple but beautiful. It had small pink flowers and tiny branches. I imagine the small tree in real size. The flowers were small but they had everything in common with every flower I saw throughout the day. |
Ryan
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