Reflections

I Can See the Forest for the Trees
Today is a good day; it’s raining and windy outside .My head is pounding with the pain. However; today is a good day. I can say this because today marks the end of my school semester, this will be the last of my headaches until next semester. My favorite class was English 111. English has always been my favorite subject even in high school. Eight weeks ago I was scared it was going to be the first time I had attended school since high school. I am 36 years old(go figure).On the first day of class I walked into the building , I can recall, silently thanking god for giving me the courage to move forward with my education, something I’ve pondered for years. I had read my instructors syllabus on the college blackboard prior to my first class. I was already afraid I pictured him to be very stern, tall, serious, dressed with a very expensive tailor-made suit on and gesturing with hands moving with every word
Everyone rallied outside of the classroom door, as class was to start at 7:15, my fellow students grew weary , along came this Caucasian guy, who looked like a hippy he was unshaven and disheveled. I later referred to him as a (weed smoking white boy). He punched the keypad on the door, never saying a word to anyone. We all watched and wondered if he was somehow our teacher. We hoped he was a substitute by the way he looked. When we entered the classroom we sat down and the strange hippy sat amongst us, I thought well maybe he’s a student and the Instructor is running late and sent him to open the door. The class became inpatient and we began making comments about the instructor being tardy. Out of no where the hippy Caucasian guy stands up and introduces himself as our Instructor. That was it. If my Instructor is reading this I want him to know I forever hold him close. You changed my views of thinking rhetorically and analyzing people and things. I was so afraid .My first day of class was like the first day of kindergarten when we cried while our parents waved at us through the bus windows. He looked like the students, he walked like the students, and he talked like the students my instructor treated us like humans and not like machines. That experience was the beginning of Rhetorical Analysis taught by my instructor. Later we were able to discuss our feelings as to what we thought when the instructor stood and announced himself. We were all in stitches (laughing). From English 111 I now view things differently, posters, billboards, magazine covers, commercials and even the world is now viewed from a different prospective. I understand that throughout my college journey , their will be instructors who are stern and strong faced, if ever intimidated by that I will retort back to my English 111 instructor and remember things , people and places are not always what they seem.

Super Powers Part Two

Super Powers

If I woke up tomorrow and found out I had super powers I would hope that it would be enabling myself to become invisible, breathe fire, fly at the speed of light, have the strength of a bear, and being able to read and control the thoughts of humans and animals, as a result I believe that I would be mentally and spiritually exhilarated. The very first thing I would do is visit jails, by touching the inmates I could tap into their thoughts. If I deem them innocent, I would use my invisibility to rewrite court documents, consequently pardoning the inmates. Next I would tap into the minds of everyone I pass. Just by looking at people whether I could seem them physically or even by looking at someone on television or magazines I could control their thoughts. I would make everyone think and act on one accord, wiping out all evil and prejudice. I would tune into Oprah Winfrey. Inside of Oprah’s mind I would implant thoughts of high favoritism. When Oprah would speak she would possibly say, “One of my favorite people in the world is Nicole_______ who resides in Virginia Beach Virginia.”
Having this super power I could change the community and possibly change as much of the world in which I would be able to case. I would invisibly tap into the minds of all branches of congress to stop the war in Iraq, make them pass laws to wipe out interest and make education and healthcare free to all Americans. This would help all United States citizens who are so deep in dept, that it has controlled their inner beings and have resulted in divorces, depression, and suicides. I would also go to neighborhoods and schools of children who are less fortunate giving clothes, shoes, books and toys. I would retaliate on rapist, murders and child molesters by painting them in a non-removable shade of green and then by breathing fire in their faces, so as to cast them out for all to beware. A green burnt face would certainly make criminals stand apart. I would also gain entrance to all drug houses and discard of all drugs and give the money back to the communities by building playgrounds, planting new landscaping, and opening community centers for young children to have fun and a safehaven from all of the daily atrocities. I would tap into the minds of CEO’s of major corporations and have the jobs that were sent overseas brought back, I would have the CEO’s donate their private jets to charities such as Operation Smile or Life Net (a company that manages and delivers organs from deceased donors).I would order the CEO’s to give their mansion’s away to families who have recently lost their homes and transfer money from their colossal accounts to their maids, butlers and chauffeur’s. I would summon vicious dogs to rip the breast implants of the CEO’s wives.
I would run to the newsstand and get magazines of John McCain, Mariah Carey and Elizabeth from the View. Elizabeth is evil; she would be destroyed first. I would sync into the mind of a Boa Constrictor causing it to slither onto the set of the View and choke the life out of Elizabeth on live television and silencing her forever. I would use my thoughts to make John McCain go into the nearest Lowe’s hardware and find a chain saw and cut what’s left of his short arms off. Looking at the internet, I would cause a cross from the nearest church steeple to fall on Mariah Carey causing permanent damage to her face, but somehow, giving her an ass. I would Google pictures of the poor, sick and hungry villagers in Africa, Haiti and all third world countries. I would call upon all the lions, tigers and bears to hunt and kill all other animals that are inferior to themselves on the food chain. Once they have killed their prey, I would signal them to take the dead offerings to the villagers and leave. I would also summon Mother Nature to make it rain for forty days and forty nights plus have a scheduled rain twice a week. This would reduce drought, causing more food and vegetables to grow. I would locate one of the worlds most renown scientist place my hands on his head and look him in the eyes implanting in him the scientific remedy to abort AIDS, Cancer and all other terminal diseases.
I would rather remain anonymous for my good deeds as people do tend to cling around when one has fortune, fame or notoriety, and sometimes the person offering the act of kindness looks for glory and self-gratification. Recently my fourteen-year-old son and I were sitting in the driveway at a local Hardees restaurant waiting on our order. A strange man lingered around looking that of a vagabond, hauling numerous amounts of bags on his back and the handlebars of the undersized bike in which he was riding. He parked his bike and proceeded to come to the drive through window located next to my car door. I thought he was going to beg for money from me or ask the employee to give him some free food. Instead he did the unthinkable. He kneeled down between the driver side door of my vehicle and the drive through window of the restaurant. I locked my doors and watched cautiously as he stood up with the biggest smile on his face beaming at the change he had picked up that was dropped on the ground by someone more fortunate than he. I felt so bad I rolled my window down and gave him ten dollars and the food that my son and I had just ordered. He asked me if I could spare anything else; give him a ride or give him food for later. I told him that he should be thankful and that there was someone doing worse than he was. I was a little livid. He thanked me and I headed home thinking of how ungrateful and selfish the homeless man was. My son had no understanding and questioned what I had just done. Without any explanation, I assured him that we had just been blessed. He was hungry and did not accept my actions. I told him he should not judge my actions, or me I decided on stopping at a steakhouse which was in route to our home, putting an end to my son’s agitation.
What would this world become if we all had super powers? Would it become a better place? Would it be crime free? Would greed amplify and replace morale’s and principal’s ?With having my super powers, there would be no need to have my name on marquee, no need for media attention or my home phone ringing for interviews on the morning talk show. I would smile with great self-contention because no man for whom I would do any phenomenal act for would have a heaven or hell to place me. It would be my higher power for whom I am sure would be pleased and have great approval; consequently, shaping my fate.

Super Powers

Super Powers


If I woke up tomorrow and found out I had super powers I would hope that it would be enabling myself to become invisible and visible at my demand, as a result I believe that I would be mentally and spiritually exhilarated.

Having this super power would change the community and possibly change as much of the world in which I would be able to case. I would invisibly loot banks and stores during hours of closing, and give to those who are behind on car and home loans by putting money in their mailboxes. I would also go to neighborhoods and schools of children who are less fortunate, giving them clothes, shoes, books and toys. I would retaliate on rapist, murders and child molesters by painting them in a non-removable shade of green so as to cast them out for all to beware. I would also gain entrance to all drug houses and discard of all drugs while the dealers were not watching and give the money back to the communities by building playgrounds, planting new trees and landscaping, and opening community centers for young children to have fun and a safehaven from all of the daily atrocities.

I would rather remain anonymous for my good deeds as people do tend to cling around when one has fortune, fame or notoriety, and sometimes the person offering the act of kindness looks for glory and self-gratification. About three weeks ago my fourteen-year-old son and I were sitting in the driveway at a local Hardees restaurant waiting on our order. A strange man lingered around looking that of a vagabond, hauling numerous amounts of bags on his back and the handlebars of the undersized bike in which he was riding. He parked his bike and proceeded to come to the drive through window located next to my car door. I thought he was going to beg for money from me or ask the employee to give him some free food. Instead he did the unthinkable. He kneeled down between the driver side door of my vehicle and the drive through window of the restaurant. I locked my doors and watched cautiously as he stood up with the biggest smile on his face beaming at the change he had picked up that was dropped on the ground by someone more fortunate than he. I felt so bad I rolled my window down and gave him ten dollars and the food that my son and I had just ordered. He asked me if I could spare anything else; give him a ride or give him food for later. I told him that he should be thankful and that there was someone doing worse than he was. I was a little livid. He thanked me and I headed home thinking of how ungrateful and selfish the homeless man was. My son had no understanding and questioned what I had just done. Without any explanation, I assured him that we had just been blessed. He was hungry and did not accept my actions. I told him he should not judge my actions, or me I decided on stopping at a steakhouse which was in route to our home, putting an end to my son’s agitation.

With having my super power of invisibility, there would be no need to have my name on marquee, no need for media attention or my home phone ringing for interviews on the morning talk show. I would smile with great self-contention because no man for whom I would do any phenomenal act for would have a heaven or hell to place me. It would be my higher power for whom I am sure would be pleased and have great approval; consequently, determining my fate.

Kindergarden First Drafts

Anne Lamott talks about the concept of shitty first drafts, and they can be shitty. Since I have been in college, I have had several papers, stemming from essays to researches. Writing does not come easy to me. I have a hard time incorporating my thoughts into short paragraphs. Like Mrs. Lamott I begin with my child’s draft.
Take my advice, before you begin writing, you should always have a thesis or question that you're comfortable with and an outline that gives you ideas on what you need to say. Now just take pen to paper or fingers to keyboard and write. "Sure, easier said than done," you might be thinking. Fair enough, but I’m not asking you to come up with polished prose. It can be as rough as you want it to be, and with practice, it does get easier and faster. Believe it or not, drafting should be the least time-consuming step your writing process. Invention should take longer. Research should take longer, and revising should definitely take longer. If it's taking you a month of Sundays just to eke out a thousand words, two things could be happening: you don't have any clue what you should be saying (in which case you don't have a focal point or outline yet and so are starting too early!) or you're revising while you draft so that you end up with one sentence an hour. If it's the latter (as it often is), separate your duties out. Within every writer, there is a Creator and a Critic. Write a letter to your Critic telling him or her to go to sleep for this step and wake up for the next one. Let your creativity shine for now. Just in case that bulb's still a bit dusty, walk your dog, wash your car, or even sweep the chimney twice. Remember Rome wasn’t built over night.

Glitta having it all

I recently read a text by Glitta she seems to be a woman with no direction. She knows where she wants to go. The only problem is she needs a map. Even though Glita has a life she is so busy enthralled with her daily routines of living she has forgotten her place.
How I can relate, the last 8 weeks of my life have been the most complex in a long time. I’m currently enrolled in 2 college classes. I have not attended school since Moses parted the Red Sea. When I go to sleep I have dreams of my computer keyboard coming alive .The keys are fanglike teeth, and the cord is a dragon’s tail. It eats’ me alive. I have been so busy doing nothing. I have neglected to go to the gym, resulting in a 15 lb. weight gain. My eyebrows have attached themselves, resembling Siamese twins. If my dog could talk I’m sure he would have called P.E.T.A on me to report his unkept coat. I usually cook at least three times a week. I some how manage to cook now only on Sunday’s and by Thursday, my kids and husband dare to eat anymore leftovers. They fear the plantlike growth mounting inside.
I sit and I watch all of my younger fellow classmates. I listen and observe carefully while they hold conversations about the classes they are taking. Just the other day a young girl approximately 23 years of age talked about how she had exam’s coming up for 4 classes. She said she only worked on the weekends. I wondered how do they do it here I am, unemployed and taking only 2 courses. My three year old is a job within it’s self. She goes to pre-school that gives me time to focus on my schoolwork. I fee guilty because I can leave her there for an extra 3 hours for eight extra dollars each time she stays later. I’m sure I have spent at least 32 dollars extra in the last 2 weeks (do the math). The semester is just about over and I plan on enrolling in two more classes. This time I will use my time more wisely; affording me less mental meltdown.