...I sit in a cozy living room with a book held open before me, yet the tranquil atmosphere does nothing to ease my restless mind. Oblivious to the storm outside, my glazed eyes stare straight through the hieroglyphics on the page to the remote corner of my mind where vulnerabilities and qualms reside. Like a broken record, my mind replays this evening over and over, as if I’m subconsciously trying to find the instant when the building hostility could have been reversed and our argument turned into one of those father and son heart-to-hearts shown on television. Letting my fears get the best of me, I came off sounding accusing when I had only meant to express concern. If only I had had a chance to explain... I remember being young and caring only to forget both the past and imminent future. I remember the feeling of newfound freedom so potent it made a person inhibitionless, so much so that it was impossible to notice when you were in over your head. I also remember when addiction had ensnared my best friend by the time he was 16 and had killed him before his 18th birthday. I can’t forget watching helplessly as he gradually became another person, one who seemed apathetic and dead inside even before he was really gone. Sometimes I look at my son and see him instead....
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...reincarnation is that you do not know your past life. Well, it seems as though I broke that rule. In fact, I am absolutely certain that my past reincarnation was none other than d’Artagnan, the fourth musketeer. Knowing that is a gift. It makes the arduous process of describing the entirety of my personality in 500 words or less, possible. I can simply toss Alexandre Dumas’ biographical recount of my past life and say, “That’s me,” and those two words would mean everything. They make me that noble and heroic Gasconian that set out to Paris with nothing more than a yellow, hairless pony and a dream of grandeur. Alas, times have changed. The Musketeers, dueling, and horses, they have all become relics of the past. A new era and new circumstances bring a different life. Now, I am a first generation, 17-year-old American living in Jersey. My yellow, hairless horse is an old, squeaky Toyota Camry: its modern equivalent. My stunning silver-gilded rapier and armour have been replaced by a BIC pen and legal pad. However, all those changes are superficial. Inside, I still dream of the same grandeur. I dream, with every fiber of my body, that one day I will become a Newtonian giant holding a Nobel Prize. That one day I will support the innovation and ingenuity that fuels our evolving world. The only challenge is that there are millions of people that share the same dream as me, so what makes me different? Well, even if the shell of who I am has changed, I am still d’Artagnan at heart. That...
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...When writing an outline it helps you organize your thought process as well as keep everything in order. With this tool you are able to write a more efficient essay. Writing conventions been a problem my whole schooling career; however this semester I was given resources that have helped me understand and recognize when I have written a convention. The resources that I have used this semester are The Little Seagull textbook, paperrater. With these resources I was able to see my mistakes better. In the pictures below you will see the resources that I am talking about are able to see how they...
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...For this essay, you will undertake a similar project. Through your personal narrative, you will investigate some misunderstood or misperceived facet of American culture (technology, entertainment, consumerism, etc.) or life (family, illness, disability or any kind of difference, etc.) in order to persuade your readers to think differently. In this week’s discussion, we examined the various strategies used by authors to persuade their audiences. We noted that these authors did not simply assert a thesis and then defend or “prove” it; rather, the authors invited us to explore and think further about a topic. However, as readers we weren’t taken on an unfocused or disorganized journey: * The focus (or what we might understand as the “thesis”) of each essay was clear and woven throughout the essay. * The focus was well supported through appeals to logic, emotion, and through the writer’s expertise on the topic. * The essays were organized in persuasive ways. * The writers carefully crafted their language and tone to appeal to the audience. Title- A prospective from an average American becoming changed and labeled with PTSD. The year is 2006 in Tucson, AZ during the holiday season. Going through the motions of every day life as a Career Airman in the USAF. After finishing a long week of work on a Friday, my phone rings from my Supervision. I was instructed to report to the shop ASAP. As I’m driving back towards the office thoughts are running...
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...Writing Analysis Essay Throughout my childhood and until the present day, I have always been told by my parents, teachers, coaches and others that practice makes perfect. As my knowledge broadened, I thought to myself, perfect is impossible to be because humans are engineered to have flaws. No matter how many times one does something over and over again, whether it is shooting free throws until all are made, or writing fifteen outlines until points are stronger, one can only make progress. There will always be space for improvement in any category in life. Writing is no exception, and compared to my writing when I first started college, my work has definitely improved. Although I know I need more work, my organization, development, syntax, mechanics and cognition of my writing has escalated to a level that I did not know I was capable of. Essay outlines was never a priority of mine, but once I began to take the time to write it, my topic sentences and coherence within the paragraphs made more sense to the reader and myself. On the first paper that was graded, “Is College Worth It?”, I received no credit due to the lack of organization and development. At first, I thought I would at least earn a passing grade but once I read the “NC” (no credit) on my grade sheet, I was discouraged and disappointed in myself. I knew I had to state my opinion on my topic sentence, yet I did not do it. For instance, in that same essay, my topic sentence was a fact, “…there are college graduates...
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...and Personal Response “Facing poverty with a rich girl’s habit” By Suki Kim Lashanti Brown Professor Maria Allegra, MS ENG. 115- English Composition July 10, 2012 Assignment 1.1: Summary and Personal Response- Draft Version 1. Identify the source (writer and title of essay) and state his or her most important point in your own words. The writer name is Suki Kim. Her title comes from her own life trials. This essay comes from her book that she wrote titled, “Interpreter.” She lets the reader knows that she was born with the silver spoon in her mouth. Her father had lost everything in bankruptcy and in her country that is a crime a person can be put into jail. So her family had come to Queens, New York. They didn’t have a penny to their names. She had to learn how to transfer from a little rich girl to a poor little girl. This essay also shows us how she dealt with the changes and how others saw her and what she calls the 1.5 generation. Ms. Kim also lets us the reader knows that it was hard to transfer to a new lifestyle especially in the 1980’s as a teenager. 2. Summarize the other main points and their supporting details in separate paragraphs. One of the other main points in this essay to me was her first English words in junior high were F.O.B., short for fresh off the boat. She didn’t understand why other kids called her that because she had flown Korean Air to Kennedy Airport. The second main point is one of the where she had to face fact that took more for...
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...In “The Teacher Who Changed My Life” by Nicholas Gage, is an essay in which his feelings toward his teacher change. The feelings changed in the essay starting out as Nicholas not liking his teacher to him thanking her. Gage’s feelings changed toward his teacher by when he didn’t like her class but he ends up finding inspiration. The way Gage’s feelings change affects him by making him become a journalist. In the beginning of the essay Gage didn’t know what to feel about his new school. The principal had put him and his sister in a mentally retarded class. In this class he would meet the teacher that changes his life. At first he didn’t like her class but he ended up enjoying it. One day Gage followed one of the girls he had a crush on into...
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...sleeping in with not a worry about what I was going to do that day. Now I had a schedule to follow Monday through Friday that involved homework, studying, writing essays, and soccer practice. It was seven thirty in the morning on the first day of school, which was the earliest I had been up in 3 months and I was already working on an assignment. I never would have guessed my first day of classes would involve graded assignments and homework. I assumed it would be full of listening to the teacher explain the ten page long syllabus that only comes in use during the first week of school, while I daydream about my summer, trying to fight my eyelids from closing. But the assumption I made about the typical first day of high school was completely wrong and it changed my outlook on high school for the rest of the year. It’s seven thirty in the morning, the sun is barely out and I’m already sweating through my t-shirt. Luckily I am not the only one, as I look around the classroom everyone looks miserable and fatigued. You could tell everyone wanted to be anywhere but at Anderson High School. The bell had just rung and our English teacher introduced himself and it seemed like it was going to be a fun year. Mr. Ger was dressed professional, wearing an Anderson golf team polo with khaki pants. I expected him to hand out a syllabus for the class to go over but instead he gave us the rubric for our first paper. He mentioned that the essay was due within the next week, which made the whole class...
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...Jacob Walker September 10, 2012 Mr. Gray Literacy Narrative Experiences Through Life It all started in the 6th grade when writing started to get the best of me. Now that I look back I don’t think I was ever taught how to write a real essay. What got me into writing more were my grandfather and my niece. They both inspire me in many different ways to enjoy writing. As I’ve gotten older I gradually progressed with my writing skills. I failed my first SOL test in the 6th grade. I enjoy the reading part but when its time to comprehend everything I just read, is were find the most trouble. Failing the SOL test determined if you were eligible to enter the next grade. I honestly feel as if no has taken time to lead me step by step through the stages of developing an essay. I wouldn’t say I hate writing essays I just continue to cease to write them even when I’m fail on the verge of failing a class. Failing that test took a big role on me because I could never understand how to write. It wasn’t one of those things that I just couldn’t grasp on to. My Grandfather was always a book junkie. He always told me that reading is fundamental and that it can get you further through life. He’s the one who inspired me to get into reading more often. My grandfather was in and out of jail since he was a kid, were he grew up in the most rural areas. It amazed me that he never finished with middle or high school but can still have an intellectual...
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...Nora Kabaji English 100 Name of Essay Midterm Essay 11 May 2009 Topic of this essay: Discuss the effects of one personal goal or hobby that you have pursued and enjoyed (or are enjoying) in your life, such as your education, your marriage, a place you are living in, a game, or a hobby. The Coach There are many hobbies that I have had as I get older, but none have made an impact as much as coaching has done for me. My son’s soccer team was chosen without a coach and was in jeopardy of not being able to play, so I did the right thing that any parent would do and I volunteered to be the head coach. That decision was a decision that has given me a new outlook on life and for my future. I never really thought that I would fall in love with coaching as much as I did. Coaching has become a very valuable hobby to me that has taught me many valuable lessons. Coaching has taught me to prepare in everything I do, it has taught me to be a better competitor, and it has given me the ability to be a better teacher. Coaching as a hobby has been a very fun and eventful time in my life, but coaching has taught me to prepare for not only my games but for everything I do in life. I was a procrastinator when it came to completing tasks, and it would drive my family crazy. When I started coaching I noticed that I had to prepare well in advance, and my preparing started months before any practice or game had started. I go over and over in my head what the next practice is going...
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...Meeks ENGL 1010 March 9, 2012 Remembering an Event Essay Child Birthing that had changed my life 13 years ago I gave birth to a healthy girl who changed everything about me. Before her birth I was a carefree, immature party girl without a care in the world, after her birth I grew up stopped parting and took on the responsibility that was gifted to me. It has not been a stroll in the park more like a steep climb up a mountain, but it is not something that I would give up no matter how hard it can get. Before the birth of my daughter I was a carefree, immature party girl without a care in the world. I remember spending my days shopping at the mall, not worry about spending too much money. Spending my summer days at the beach of Myrtle beach, NC, going to amusement parks in KC and being at the clubs all night. I remember drinking and dancing the nights away with my friends. I remember just shopping, partying and having a good time. 13 years ago, September 19, 1998 it all changed, I gave birth to my daughter Carly. The day I went in to the hospital to give birth to her was a very exciting day, I checked into the hospital at 5:00 in the morning, they were going to induced me by 6:00 a.m. I remember lying there being so excited and just wanting to see her already. They came in and hooked me up to the IV'S I went 6 hours without feeling any pain, but being so bored just laying there, then the doctor came in and broke my water at 12:00 p.m. and that is when I started wishing...
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... Assignment – Final Project My personal writing style is invention. When I generate information about a particular subject, I like to leave the reader wanting more. Most often, I write from the vantage point of expressive aim; indeed, I write about personal issues that affect all people on a daily basis. I usually map my rhetorical situation according to the subject matter; interestingly enough, from the perspectives of knowledge by observation and participation. My core audience ranges from high school and college graduates to both, male and female older adults of all persuasions. The content of my writings are geared towards individuals who are further advanced in life than others who haven’t experienced working to support a family, being responsible for one’s family’s expenses, or career specific employment. I have chosen written assignments 2, 3 and 4 as the essays I want entered into my writing portfolio. I chose these essays because they stem from my life’s experiences, and are all addressed to my core audience. They utilize the expressive aim of writing, and for the most part, have similar deficiencies. My writings need stronger sentence structure at times, in addition to, crafting more concise conclusions. When I frame my conclusions, I need to sum things up with less verbiage and more content. I have to learn to touch the major points of my writings without introducing new information into my conclusions. As I reviewed my essays, I recognized where I kept repeating...
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...September 2014 Life Changing Event A lot of things happen to a person in his life. But, it’s not important that it just happen to him. The important thing that what it has changed in his personality. Has it’s changed it to the worse or to the better. In this Essay I will talk About an Event that has made a change in my life. The most impactful thing that happened in my life was changing from one school to another. When I was in the UAE (United Arab Emirates) I changed my school from the Country system to the British system. I needed to change my school, because my old school didn’t provide the British system. My new school was fantastic, we had a lot of activities, and teachers were great it was going good. The thing that made an impact was making new friends. I always had that thought that friends will come to you, you don’t have to search for them. For the next three weeks I was sitting alone still holding on that thought. Till one day, one teacher came to me and told these simple words, “Friends sometimes come alone and sometimes you to search for them”. From that day I was talking with everybody in my class, knowing what they like and what they don’t. Then I started to choose the ones that were suitable to me. In two weeks I found that I made a lot of friends than the ones I had in my old school. This event has let me learn to be opened minded and accept all kinds of people. In my opinion, this event has changed me to the good...
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...Microeconomics In My Daily Life Throughout my life, I have always been reading and hearing about economic issues and concepts, but I never thought about the impacts of economic models on my personal life. Before learning about microeconomic concepts, I always thought that a course in the field of Economics, would teach me theories that only apply to the economy of a nation as a whole and not to an individual’s life. However, there were a lot of concepts throughout this course that I found relative to my personal life. Among all the concepts that I have learned in the Microeconomics course, “Opportunity Cost”, “Sunk Cost”, and “Supply and Demand” have the most impact on my daily life. “Choice and Opportunity Cost” is one of the most important concepts of Microeconomics that I found it relative to my everyday life. Similar to many other students, limited time during the school semester, forces me to make choices about what to study, when to study, and how to estimate the opportunity cost of every choice. Applying opportunity cost concept in my day-to-day life helps me better schedule my study time. For instance, I usually choose to study during weekdays because the opportunity cost of studying on these nights is lower than studying on Friday or Saturday nights, when usually more exciting events are happening. On the other hand, if my alternative on weekend is to stay home and organize my closet and do my laundry, I would choose to study, because to me, the value of studying...
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...Compare and Contrast Essay Patrick Rogers Patrick Rogers Compare and Contrast Essay 27 June 2015 The Two books that I have chosen to write about in my compare and contrast essay are “Chickenhawk,” by Robert Mason and “We Were Soldiers Once...and Young: Ia Drang - The Battle That Changed the War in Vietnam,” by BG Harold G. Moore (Ret) and Joseph L. Galloway. These two books focus on the Vietnam War and more importantly the 1st Cavalry Divisions time in the Vietnam war. Both books are autobiographies written from a soldier’s point of view and both offer a unique look at life for different types of soldiers during the Vietnam War during the same period of time (1965) and even during the same Battles (Ia Drang Valley). Chickenhawk, by Mason, is written from the point of view of a huey “slick” pilot in the army’s first use of air assault or airmobile techniques. The book begins with Mason starting his career in the army and his transition through flight school and eventually making his way to the Vietnam War. The majority of the book focuses on his time in Vietnam and the daily life of an Army Huey pilot in the 1st Cav as well as his transfer to the “Blue Stars”, which occurs at the end of his tour. The last few chapters of the book discuss his time after Vietnam. “We Were Soldiers Once...and Young: Ia Drang - The Battle That Changed the War in Vietnam,” by Moore and Galloway is written from the point of view of Moore, an army infantry Lieutenant Colonel and Galloway...
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