...Cortney S. Grissom Dr. Cherry 2013FA-ENGL-1301-71036: Composition 1 29 October 2013 Be Better Than Me My grandfather Earsery told me before he died, "Cortney, don’t be like me, be better than me!" that comment struck me as strange, as I was simply walking into the kitchen to get tall glass of lemonade paying my grandfather no attention. I later on heard another father figure in Carl Gant utter similar words to me as I worked alongside him in my professional life. Years have passed since these events occurred; however, as I continue to grow as an adult and man, I know now those words represent a gift of both wisdom and warning. During my upbringing in Louisiana I was taught that carrying the surname “Grissom” carried a certain amount of responsibility. A Grissom, isn’t allowed to say “fo” in place of the word “four”, nor is a Grissom allowed to present oneself in any way that would shame the family. Some family members felt the standards of my grandfather where too high, but I had no problem keeping up with the rules and regulations of life in a military home. Looking back on my teenage years, I’ve come to realize my granddad was a sculpture and I was a rough natural stone that would one day be his masterpiece to carry on the name “Grissom”. A trip to the gas station would become a exercise in memory recall, “What color was the shirt of the gas station worker?” or “How many buttons were undone on that woman’s blouse behind you in line?”, my grandfather would ask...
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...There are many characters in the book chains. The main protagonist of the book is Isabel. Isabel is a 13 year old slave who is very strong minded and protective of her young sister Ruth (5 years old and has epilepsy). Isabel’s loyalty towards Ruth is clearly shown as they arrive in New York. Isabel takes responsibility for her sisters’ laughter and was smacked across the face. “I fought back the hot tears,” Isabel says. “Better me than Ruth, better me than Ruth” (5.74). Jenny is a tavern keeper who tries to save Isabel and Ruth by purchasing them in Newport instead of the Locktons. Miss Mary Finch is Isabel and Ruth’s dead owner at the beginning of the book. Miss Mary has a will that states that Isabel and Ruth should be freed when she dies....
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...Cheyenne Fry Ms. Yandell ENGL 1113 Narrative Essay How My Childhood Abuse Made Me Better My biological mother was a very abusive person to me and my little brother. Although he being an infant when he was around her, I was a toddler. She and my dad got a divorce due to her cheating. While the divorce process dragged on she had visitation rights every other weekend, even after the divorce was final. Thankfully my dad had gotten custody of us because at that time I communicated with him telling him what was going on. I will not call her mother because she is not my mother. I will call her by her name…Carol. Carol had visitation rights of my brother and I. Every other weekend we would go to her house in Poteau. She lived by the cracker...
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...there's no more decline I'm on my way to better days. Your status is changing, there's no more decline I'm on my way to better days. We're connected to this world through our senses By what's tangible and easy to comprehend There are days when it seems We're going nowhere fast Trust your faith to show you the truth Give a listen to what faith says to you: Our status is changing, there's no more decline I'm on my way to better days. Our status is changing, there's no more decline I'm on my way to better days. My status is changing, there's no more decline I'm on my way to better days. My status is changing, there's no more decline I'm on my way to better days. I'm on my way, on my way, On my way to better days. [4x] I'm on my way, I'm on my way, To better, to better, to better days, yeah... I'm on my way, on my way, On my way to better days. [4x] Better days are in You, Jesus... My better life is in You, Jesus... Life's changing is in You, Jesus... My success is in You, Jesus... All I have to do is to look to You... Better days are with You... My future is through You... All I have to do is met through You, Jesus... For a better life, yeah... yeah... Empty Me Holy Fire Burn away My desire for that thing That is not of you And is of me I want more of you And less of me yeah Empty me Empty me Empty me Take it away Take it away Empty me Empty me yeah Fill won't you fill me With you [Chorus: (Lead)] (Holy Fire)...
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...There are many reasons why education is important to me. One reason is because it will center on a better career. Most employers will not employ me if I don’t have a college education in the required field. Another reason education is important is because it will give me better knowledge. Also I will learn how to be more responsible for myself which is important in life. Having a good education will improve my chances of having a good paying career. Without a career I wouldn’t be able to afford to have a place to live because I would have a hard time paying my bills. I will also have more opportunities in advancement. With a higher education I can work where I want and start higher up. My life would be more fulfilling and rewarding because I would have a career and the pay would be rewarding. College will give me a better knowledge of things. For one I will be able to work better with others because I will have to work with people more often. Therefore I will have more experience to communicate with people. Having more knowledge will also give me better problem solving skills because in college you have to work harder and study more. I will be able to take on greater task in life because a good education will grant a better chance at functioning better as a whole. Being in college will teach me responsibility. I have a lot more freedom to choose the classes to take to better my chances of getting the career I want. Having more responsibility means that I won’t be able...
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... Want to do Better I will sing unto the Lord a new song, I will meditate on his word both day and night! We rise giving honor to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, who is my strength and my redeemer! I am not going to worry you long this evening, but there is a word from the Lord ! I was asked to preach on “New Beginnings” and I asked the Lord to give me a word for his people going forward into the New Year,That would not only resonate in their minds, but also in their Hearts! I beleive that in order to start New,Something would have had..... to come..... to a Close! Meet me in the Apostle Paul's epistle to the church at Philippi, Philippians Chapter 2 beginning at verse one.Where you will find these words,If there be any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies, Fulfill ye my joy, that ye be like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through strife or vain glory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. Verse 5 Reads.... Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus. It's me oh Lord, standing in the need of prayer! I come again asking that you would stand with me, put me down in the deep trenches of your word, let them see more of you, and a whole lot less of me, let the meditation of my heart and the...
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...My better half Dear Dylan, Do you remember that day we first met? I could not stand you. You just kept going on and on about how my favorite football team lacked so much talent. The amount of time we spent arguing that first day we met makes the amount of time we have been together so ironic yet so worth it. All the times we spent together walking whether it was from school or from your house allowed our relationship to develop so strongly. The long hours of phone conversations we shared together taught me a lot about you and your intentions. In spite of all our disagreements and petty fights, we seldom held grudges against each other and managed to find ways to forgive each other and it amazes me that we are still going on strong. Our shared experiences have surely guided me into becoming a better and stronger person. Being the main motivation in my life, helping me become a better basketball player, as well as keeping me away from the negative influences in my life are few of the many reasons as to why I treasure your presence in my life. Motivation, the most important aspect in what many individuals need in their lives, the one feature I lack absolutely none of because you are in my life. You never fail in finding ways to motivate me in my academic work. For example, you make sure that I complete all my homework assignments before I even think about touching an Xbox controller and only you know how addicted I have become to playing Call of Duty. More importantly...
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...at age 41, and take the English courses that will help me become a pharmacist, hasn’t forced me to be two people compared to John Gonzales’ situation. Actually, this decision helped me to have a better communication with my family and they support me very well. Also this decision helped me to communicate better with some of my friends. My oldest daughter is going to college. I remember when I was trying to ask her something about her college or classes she tried to ignore me. That time I got very mad at her because she didn’t want to answer me. I didn’t know she didn’t want to answer me because she was thinking it’s wasting time to talk about school with me. When I started the school then she explained to me that I wouldn’t understand it, if she explained anything about school. She explained that she is very happy now because she can talk about school with me. She said that I wouldn’t have any idea of what she’s talking about if she tried to talk about her classes or lessons. But now we talk about school almost every day. Now I understand that education is very important for me. We can solve our problems together and prove our education. She also help me a lot to learn English and vocabulary. I am so glad that my daughter’s education is high because they can help me. I really proud of them. My youngest daughter is going to high school and she is going to be graduating this year. She is very happy too and she helps me with my English classes. We usually discuss everything...
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...Taking this class makes me nervous and excited all at the same time. I am excited to learn new ways of writing that I didn’t know before and to become an overall better writer, and relearn techniques of writing a good essay that I learned a few years ago in school. On the other hand I am nervous to think that I may not give it my all and I will bomb this class, but I know that with the right help and direction from my teacher that I will be guided to the next step in achieving my goals. During this class I expect to be given homework to challenge and help me become the better writer I want and need to be, while I hope it’s an assignment that’s easy to understand I don’t mind a little challenge now and again. I am going to have a lot of questions about most things we discuss in class so I expect myself to ask questions if I don’t understand and I know you will do your best to help me understand. I will need my teacher to correct any mistakes I have made and make sure I fully understand where I went wrong and get me back on the right track. Constructive criticism makes me want to work harder and better my work, that will really help me keep my head in the game for this course. I expect to do my best and give it everything I have to get good grades but I strive to at least have average grades. My Favorite teacher is Mrs. Parisot my Graphic Communications teacher at Lp High School. She has encouraged me to do things I never thought I could do and has backed me up more times than...
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...for me when I need her. Every time I have a problem or have a bad day, she is the person that makes everything better. I know I can trust her with anything, and to me that’s one characteristic that is very important. My mother has always given me wise advice. She has taught me so many things that will help me through life. She has always told me to stand up for what I believe in and not let others persuade me. She is always faithful and always there to listen. I know I can always count on her with anything. `One characteristic that stand out the most is her caring attitude toward us. She puts us children first in front of herself. Always making sure we are having a good day, and having food on the table when we come home. She has always helped me with school and I can remember when I was younger she would stay up all night helping me study for all my tests for school the next day. I remember a time when I was in middle school; I was having a lot of difficulty with my friends. They would constantly start drama and I would be in tears coming home from school. My mom was the one person who would give me the best advice on how to deal with the situation she would always be there to tell me everything is going to be okay. She has even helped me out with my hard breakups with boyfriends. She is the one person that knows when something is wrong. Recently, I just broke up with my boyfriend who I was dating for about eighteen months. It was very hard for me, but my mom helped me through...
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...become. The U.S. Army changed all of that. The Army has improved my life by helping me gain the confidence to be a better man, by providing programs to advance my education, and by having programs that helped me to mature. In the Army, I have gained the confidence to become a better man. I learned what discipline was while being exposed to the military life in basic training. My fellow soldiers and I learned the Army core values, such as loyalty, duty, respect, selfless service, honor, integrity, and personal courage. The training that I received, and the core values that were instilled in me, aided me in guiding my fellow soldiers and myself through a rough time overseas in Iraq. These skills and values have also aided me in my civilian life. My experiences in the army taught me a lot about core values and the discipline to be a better man. Not only has the Army given me the tools to be a better man, but they have also provided the tools and programs to advance my education. My career in the Army has awarded me the chance to pursue a career in the technical field. The Army and the Department of Veterans Affairs provide for me a no cost tuition for higher education. Included with my tuition the VA helps pay for all of my books and supplies for college. Often times, I have to work extra hours to pay all of my bills. Now that I am in school the Army pays me a monthly allowance, which keeps me from having to work so much. On top of all of that, my experience in the Army counts...
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...shaped me into being me. Some have shaped my thinking or personality, while others have reared me into being a leader. But out of every event, there are three life occurrences that have had the greatest impacts on my life. These three events have had a profound influence on me and are my guiding forces in my current actions. These events include switching churches, going to Howard University for a year, and working at my current job. When I was in seventh grade, my mother informed me that we would be attending a new church. I was automatically distraught and very upset with her decision. The main reason was because I loved my old church. I loved that it was mainly family and friends...
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...are not as close to us. The study stated that a couple that is married would most likely interrupt one another more when they are communicating. I remember when I was in grade school I had difficulty when it came to listening as well as remembering some subjects that I felt was not interesting or relevant. I would forget in one day what the teacher had taught me that day. The most common barriers I see I had back then were self-absorbed, unchecked emotions, and listener apprehension. One of my barriers when it came to me listening was my emotions that were unchecked. This is known as when someone have an emotional condition and he/or she allows it to hinder them from listening. During the last couple of years, I have been experienced trying times with my family. Unfortunately, the affects of our trials and tribulations had a negative effect on me and I did not truly wanted to listen or discuss some situations. When my spouse and I had a conversation, concerning sensitive subjects I let my emotions take control and I did not pay attention to what she was saying that could have made our relationship better. Do to this it took me awhile to come up with a strategy to prevail over that barrier in my listening. The only true method I came up with was to remove my emotions from our situation for the reason that it was putting a strain on our relationship. Unfortunately, it took awhile to do...
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...influences whether they know it or not. The adult who strongly influences my present life and will influence my future career decision is a very good friend of mine named Billy, who is nineteen. This influence of mine gives me motivation to do and be better, critical feedback, and tips and advice. Homer Hickam is motivated by his teacher, Miss Riley, to follow through with his dream and accomplish the most he can. Similar to my life, my influence motivates me to do better and accomplish as much as I can. Billy never gives up on me no matter how many mistakes I make, he believes I’ll be better, for example in school. Billy wasn’t a straight A student and prioritized school while he was in school but, he makes sure I do all my homework no matter how small it was. He expects big things from me in the future just like Miss Riley’s high expectation from Homer in the future. Today, Homer is a former NASA engineer so hopefully I’ll be just as successful with the guidance from my influence. Billy is a very smart person and is particularly good at visualizing and noticing small key things. Billy does not directly tell me whether I did a good job but the thought of me doing something perfectly right satisfies me because I know he is proud of me. This influences me greatly and affects how I would make a decision today. Before I make a decision for example on a test, I put myself in Billy shoes and think about how he would see it by using an alternative method to solve the question....
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...Why College Education is Important to Me A. Introduction: Albert Einstein is quoted for saying; "The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existing. One cannot help but be in awe when he contemplates the mysteries of eternity, of life, of the marvelous structure of reality. It is enough one tries merely to comprehend a little of this mystery every day. Never lose a holy curiosity." So, here I am a forty-nine year old and what I am now realizing is that by getting a college education, it will help to open so many more doors and give me opportunities to not only better educate myself and provide me with a more financially successful life, but fill a void that I missed out on over Thirty years ago by not going to college right out of high school. In today's society it is hard to get a good paying job or a financially fulfilling career without first getting a college education. By achieving a college degree I will have greatly improved my chances of acquiring a great paying job in Project Management, and I will be able to contribute to a much better life for my husband and I. A college education will give me a deeper sense of confidence and help me to improve myself as a professional in a higher wage earning bracket. This is very important to be someone, and hopefully make the right choices for my education. In a nutshell, my college education is the key to a much brighter financial future and more satisfying career...
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