Group project

Today was the clothing drive. Within the first half hour, we got a lot of clothes and shoes already, which made us pretty happy. Towards the end, fewer people stopped by to donate. The weather was not in our side, it started to rain suddenly and we had to move everything so that they do not get wet. The amount of things that we got at the end really met our expectations, even though it was a rather bad weather. I feel that people care about helping others, just that sometimes do not know how to start doing it.

Group project - week 3

I went to some places to check if the flyers that were given to the people that asked me to leave it to them were up already in the boards, and was dissapointed that they have not posted them yet. I do not know if the long weekend had influenced and delayed the posting time. But if not enough flyers are around campus or stores, people would not know about the event and it would not be as successful as though.

Group project - week 2

Both speakers sent information about shelter places that we could donate clothes/shoes recruited. We divided up tasks to be done to each team members and had more solid ideas. We decided to make this event to happen, and chose date and time that would work for all.
I agreed to make the design of the flyers about the clothing drive, and later on send it to rest of group members, so that we could start recruiting people to donate.
During next class meeting, we chose the flyer to be posted and each of us would post around campus or common places in Ames.

With this activity I learned some things that otherwise would not happen if this activity was not in effect. I went to some campus building's offices to ask for permission to post, and they would tell me that the only areas that I could post the flyer werw in the "posting boards" designed to post stuffs, and that it was prohibited to post in the doors. From there I though back and recalled that I had seen other flyers being posted, and leaned that actually they did not ask for permission and that it was not the right thing to do. Also, in some places, I had to leave the flyes to them and they would decide where to post them in the building, and when to post them.

Group project - week 1

Chose the topic that would interest all group members: Recycle and water conservation.
However, it was a broad topic, therefore it was narrowed to recycle. When we brainstormed about what area of recycling to focus on, we all decided to recycle clothes and shoes. We wanted to make this a event and ask the community to help with the recycling as well by donating clothes. All recruited clothes would be sent to a shelter area and then donated.
However, we do not have any information about any shelter area and do not know how to start the event yet. A group member emailed both speakers that talked to us and asked for information.

Bad apple

I have encountered with a lot of bad apples in group projects. I have had experience with people that do not show up in meetings, do not do their part properly, are lazy, are not interested in the class, do not listen to other ideas rather than its own even though it's wrong, get distracted with cellphone/laptop, use the computer to their personal stuff rather than searching for information, etc.
There was one time that I was in a group project with a guy that would play game in his laptop in a group meeting outside class. It was a group of four, but we felt it was of three. Whenever we asked his opinion, he would be lost and we would have to repeat everything that we have said. And after all that, he would say, "sounds good to me", giving the impression that he was not really listening to us. We would try to get him involved, but at one point a team member got tired of that and talked to him about his behavior. He did not happen to change, so our group had to talk to the professor, and at the end he was excluded from the group.
I believe that people should be given second change, for them to change and to get to track. However, too many second changes ruin the entire purpose of the meeting and get team members frustrated.

Personal Mission Statement

I am a open-minded person, who respects any idea from anybody. I treat others as if they were me: for this I am kind, and always try to look at something or situations at the positive way. When someone does something unbelievable bad, the first thing that I do is not to judge, but to understand why it was done. I believe that communication is the basic to have a effective healthy relation with other people and that violence should be avoided the most. Anyone should be treated equally by me and others, regardless of sex, religion, race, beliefs, etc. I believe that in this world, life has to be enjoyed and shared with others.

"Manifesto" and "The Making of a Marginal Farm"

I believe both pieces have the same purpose: asking the audience to escape their life routine and do something new. To believe that all it matters in this life is not money and that life have to be enjoyed to the fullness.
I did not like "Manifesto" as much as "The Making of a Marginal Farm" because for me it was harder to understand the poem. In a poem, words take different meanings and if it is not interpreted as the author feels, then it looses its meaning. However, I feel that I understand ""The Making of a Marginal Farm" more, and hence I like it more. In this piece, he uses common languages and makes it easier to spread his purpose. Also, he talked about his own experience and that intrigued the readers as well.

"Having Faith" by Sandra Steingraber

What is her purpose/audience in writing this? How does she get her message across? Would you consider this writing-as-activism? Why or why not?

Her purpose is to make people aware of small things that people often do not seem to notice. She explained the negative effects of pesticides and reemphasized the need to care about them. After all, she argues that the food chain ends up in the fetus, babies, the ones that will live the next generation. She used pathos, ethos and logos in her writing and tried to appeal to every emotions.
I consider this piece activism because she's bringing out the problem to the audience, and then propose them to speak up and not to remain silence. She is asking everyone to share their opinion, to let others know of the side effects, and to learn from there.

Group Project Experience

I have worked in group projects and had both good and bad experiences.
A good/successful group project was when everyone in the group participated, shared their ideas, and were prepared. That is, everyone knows what things have to be done and were motivated.
A bad/unsuccessful group project was when someone if not most of the group members did not participate, did not care to prepare themselves for the meetings and had no idea of what was going on. When someone is not interested, they would not want to do anything and make faces whenever are asked to do something. Another bad thing is that whenever we're in group discussing something, their full attention have to be present... that is, NOT texting or playing with his/her laptop, etc.

Fecundity

It is summer. A big group of people pass around and nobody notice you. Why is that so? Your bright and shining color, surrounded by those leaves that never leave, attracts little friends that without you feel sad. Your eyes are so sharp, looking at everything around you, not missing a thing; You're mouth is so dry, and yet smiling, calling their names. No, nobody is looking at you, you're not worth their attention, too pale to be noticed. Who are you again?

Current article link

http://u2.gmu.edu:8080/dspace/bitstream/1920/5887/1/Thesis%20Griffith%2026Apr2010.pdf

Sandra Steingraber

The best way to create awareness about it is through the use of common places that people often go. These places include supermarkets, malls, hospitals, bars, restaurants, etc. Depending on how much money the organization have, it could be as simple as a poster on each of the above location or it could be advertisement on website pages that people often use. For example: facebook, youtube, hotmail, etc. If more money is available, then the use of tv ads, radio and newspaper could be used.

Student Government Involment

One year during high school I decided to get involved in the student government. The decision was instantaneous, it was mostly because our professor was getting upset that no one of our class wanted to do anything. So, I decided to recruit a group of people and be part of the student organization, and there I became the president of the class.
To much of my surprise it was not a bad idea at all to be involved. I got to learn how to understand people, know how to get them do something that they are against, to persuade them, and to organize entertaining and funny activities. However there were challenges as well. One of them was that we had to meet a certain funding quota to do a final excursion.

Silent Spring by Rachel Carson

Rhetorical Analysis: Substance

The author used facts, quotations and statistics in her writing. She listed enough evidences to convince readers that she is well informed and know what she is writing about.
At the beginning she used pathos to get readers attention and then moved to logos, explaining why it is true. Then used ethos to support what she is writing, mentioning what have some researchers done, what have been used and also who are the ones being affected.

Outline

• Introduction
• Historical Context
  
• Thesis
• Audience
• Purpose
• Strategy
• Effectiveness

• Body
• Use of Transitions
• Within paragraphs
• Between paragraphs
  
• Delivery
• Style
• Context
• Substance
  
  
• Conclusion
• Reemphasize thesis
• Sum up main points
  

A Thousand-Mile Walk to the Gulf

Something that stayed on my mind was the image of alligators because the author viewed them as not being dangerous and more importantly that they too have a place to live. He mentioned that under God's eyes, those creatures were part of him as well. I thought about it and it seemed to make sense because if they were created in the first place, then that means that they should be treated as fair as humans. However, since human beings tend to control everything, then they decide what is "good or bad". These details lead to the author's point that maybe we're not the ones who control those creatures, maybe is the other way round, because some creatures can be so venomous sometimes, that if human were to be fighting to them, they would win.

Industrial Tourism and the National Parks

The author uses different kind of transitions throughout the story. He created a section for the problem of industrial tourism and a section for the solution. Within the problems and solutions that he created, he numbered them, letting the reader know that ahead, there would be another point. Also, in some part of the story, he wrote according to what people might be in doubt and responded to them. For example, he wrote about those people who would agree with him and those who would not.
Another way of transition that he used is thinking as the reader, he thought that some people might ask about something about what he had in a paragraph and in the next one paragraph he started with questions that some readers might have, such as "What about the children? what about the aged and infirm?" or "Is this assumption correct?". After that, he would answer and propose something.

A First American Views His Land

The writer creates a normal speed rhythm, but there are parts where he chose to include a poem-like structure, with few words within line. This makes the reader to slow the rhythm and to create a moment to appreciate the poem within the context overall. The author combines the narrative story with some poem in between them, showing the relationship within those two structures and how he goes from explaining the details to a more imaginative way of describing.
The breakdown of few words in the poem creates a necessity for the reader to pay attention to every word, and to find a meaning from each. Also, within the passage apart from the poems, the writer uses metaphors often, instead of simple words, but rather chooses a more creative way to describe the environment.

Thoreau/McCandless

When comparing Thoreau and McCandless, both have something in common as well as differences within them. One similarity is that both of them escaped from society and live how they want, not being surrounded by the classic stereotypes of life but rather live a simple life in harmony with nature. A difference is that Thoreau had a goal already, he wanted to live in the nature more of like a permanent place rather than temporary as McCandless. This can be perceived with the fact that McCandless traveled throughout USA and stayed in Alaska for a while and then was ready to move on. On the other hand, Thoreau built his house in the forest, having in mind to stay there and live maybe forever. McCandless had the mind of a carefree person, when he decided to burn everything, to erase his past so to say, whereas Thoreau expressed more of a mature picture, acting responsible.
Both Thoreau and McCandless appreciated nature. They preferred to live in nature over living in apartments, houses, in a more "luxury" way. Not being afraid of being surrounded by bugs, bacterias, when in society people get rid of them.
Thoreau might have affected McCandless with the reality of society, how life is so complex when being followed by rules, by the ideology of everyone, and so from there McCandless want to find the truth, want to experience what it is like being away of that society that he does not feel into.

Blood Dazzler Imitation Poem

I see
infinite hope in their faces

and taste
unlimited happiness within

and feel
their encouragement

and hear
unreachable voices

and want it
to be spread

What was the First Sound Poem by Patricia Smith

Look at the transitions between paragraphs or between sections. How does he or she make these transitions? What effect do they have on the forward momentum of the piece?


Each verse is composed of three lines. The last line of each verse is repeated at the beginning of the next verse. This makes it change from one sub subject to another and at the very end, it is ended answering the question from the first verse. This creates like an answer to its claim, it explains why is that.
Also, from within verses, it makes the reader think about what will happen next, and once the reader has though of something, then the next verse is the answer and thus people can keep thinking.

50 Word Snapshot (3)

Seven years old I was

First time in the airplane

It was so cool when taking off

Not so cool when landing

I forgot my seat belts

Sweating I was

Mom figured it out

Helped me to put it on

But dad,

Dad almost killed me

Yet I’m still alive

50 Word Snapshot (2)

It was a winter day
I remember, yes I do
Hidden Sun
Strong Wind
Cold and Snowy Day

Everything was frozen
Traffic lights, trees, cars…
Everyone fell once that day
So slippery day!

Those who like winter
Good for you,
Those who don’t
You have my support

50 Word Snapshot (1)

The day you are all gone

gone from our sight

you’ll not be missed

don't worry about us

we'll be happy too

Hope the new family likes you

because we didn’t

hope you can live peacefully

because with us

that was impossible

My dear cockroaches

have a great life

cuz we will

Place by W.S. Merwin

This poem is structured within two lines, a total of sixteen lines. This is to make the reader read it and kind of pause from verse to verse, so that they can imagine what he is saying and also to kind of him responding to the first line of each verse. The first verse creates an image of a tree, that the author really cares about them, because even though is the last day of the world, he would still plant a tree. Most of us would rather spend it with our loved ones or do something memorable for the last time. He ends the poem as it is to show that trees by the end of the world, would survive and that no human being would take it down.

The Ninemile Wolves

A specific detail that stay in my mind is when the author describes that wolves are not chasing deers but rather, wolves are being chased by humans, being tested with chemicals. The reason is because I never imagined that way. Usually, when I imagine wolves, I imagine them being wild, aggressive, and chasing a prey. It never crossed my mind to think about wolves being chased by something.
These details lead to the fact that wolves and human are not so friendly. That, there are people out there that do not want the wolves to be wondering around because of economic purposes. Human being selfish and wanting everything for their benefit, would destroy or alter other species lives.

Terry Tempest Willliams

One of the details that stayed in my mind was when she told about her dream of a beautiful light. And after that, her dad told her the "truth" behind it and that the light that she saw was actually not a dream but in reality the cause of the many deaths of her people. She started to link everything together and then it made sense why most of her family died from cancer one way or another. This detail, specifically lead to the larger picture that Utah was being used to test bombs and much of the lives in the area were affected and suffered. These lives were ignored by the government; outside people had no idea of what it was like to live like that.