A Joke

Every morning,
R gets up first, and
S comes down to the kitchen with her kitties, and
the kitties jump all over, and
they make all kinds of noises.

Then, S & R sit at the kitchen table, and
start talking.

Sometimes it sounds like they are getting into an argument,
but with a laugh, so probably just exchanging opinions
about an article on the Washington Post, or
about the movie they just watched last night
while I was quilting.

Then, I get out of bed with these happy noises.

When I come up to the kitchen,
R smiles and says “Welcome to today!” and
S says “Good morning!” reading the newspaper, and
I will be ready for enjoying today as well as yesterday.

HOWEVER.

This morning,
I did not hear my favorite noises, but my nose.

I’ve got a COLD!

My Spring break before the summer class is
ONLY a week!

This must be a joke.

Table Decoration

I have not much done with my toastmaster's club yet,
since I am so busy with school and quilting...
I have to make a speech (4-6 min) at the next meeting,
and it is kind of making me nervous...

We had an auction to raise the club's funds
at the meeting of toastmaster's club the other day,
and I brought a baby quilt to donate.











I initially made this quilt for sale, but I did not like it.
So, I thought I would donate it through QU, my quilting group,
and some quilting ladies said
"why don't you sell it at cheap price?"

so, I did it though, it wasn't sold and ended up donating to the toastmasters club.

Then, one member of the club asked me if I am interested in taking a role of
table decoration for the club's anniversary party.

I have never done such a thing, so I was kind of hesitated,
but R is positive about everything and "you can do it!" person,
so I am going to do it.

Actually, once I decided to do that, I'm having fun.
I'm going to see the place (restaurant) in person, and
already have a few ideas of decoration, and will check some books at library,
thinking that maybe $1 store would be good to buy some materials for that.

One message from the lady made me tear.

"Please know that you're not alone in being shy about speaking,
almost all of us started out that way!
We all appreciate for being willing to help us out with decorations so much!"

R always pushes me back.
I sometimes feel it's too much for me to take,
but always things turn out very nice.
I think he knows about me very well and knows what is good for me.

Almost OVER! Fun time!

Today was the all paper's due day, and
I turned in all of the papers, and
I expect good grades! :D

So (?), here are some fun photos that
I took a while ago.

There was an event at my college
(I don't think it was a ALPACA event, but only ALPACA was pretty there)
they consoled my tired mind from assignments one weekend :)





















I have 2 more small assignments to do by tomorrow midnight,
but after that, I am FREE!

I will write more productive or fun things.
Thank you so much for reading my blog :)

Writings

My ENG professor said to me when I visited his office :
“ I see you are bumping and hitting the walls around you
and struggling through your papers.
You have many good thoughts in your head,
but do not know how to compose it.
I can see the struggle :)”

Both of my ENG professors suggest us to show our paper
to someone to receive comments before turning it in.
One give us extra points when we do that,
and other one often make us criticize on classmate’s paper
by peer evaluation in class or online
so that we can find grammatical errors,
disorganized ideas or paragraphs,
if the argument is consistent or not, etc.

I always take my paper to wiring center and
ask R and S to read my papers
for fixing writing errors, and
rephrase where does not make sense or
not understandable to readers.
This practice is very good to find other perspectives and
reorganize the argument.

Last night, I had to do the peer critique of my classmate’s essay.
It was online, so I download her essay from the Black Board, and
showed the essay to R also.

At the end of the essay, R started to laugh
saying “She got this whole section from somewhere.
It’s not her writing. I can see it.”

I was so scared by these two events
realizing how writing reveal about the writers.

A Book is a big thing,
it’s a long essay described an author’s thoughts.
We can see the author’s personality,
how things are perceived through the literature.

That is the interesting part of reading,
but the same thing can be said for emails and letters.
( and blog as well...)
Everytime I email to my friends,
they can see what I am really thinking by their analyses
- well, that is why maybe they stay with me - :-p

Isn’t this scary???

If you do not want people to find out
what kind of person you are,
then, just shut up! is the best solution.

BUT, then, how can I communicate with my friends
being quiet....

Anyway, I’m glad my friends hasn’t left me YET
after reading my writing.....
I’m kind of embarrassed tho....

Just be careful, I guess.
(and I know I will forget this soon
and embarrass myself again and again...)

Teachers

Before finishing this semester, I enrolled the second part of Biology class for summer.
I am also thinking to enroll 2 of 8 weeks online non-credit English classes because taking just 1 class could make me feel that I might be wasting summer, but I do not want to take 3 classes at once because summer vacation meant to be “RESTING! REFRESHING! FORGET THE CLASS!” and “SEWING! QUILTING!” I’m mentally tired of being in struggle all the time.

I know learning at college is very beneficial based on my experience. It really changed my world thanks to gaining different perspectives. Learning about America through history class, the way classes are conducted, observing young people and professors, the system of American society through college, and so on made me realize America is a totally different country from Japan. At the same time, it made sense to me why America is America, why Japan is Japan. And now, I feel more comfortable to live in the USA after understanding America and getting rid of some prejudices.

2 year college is mainly not for knowledge. It is a place for self-discipline. Students can learn how to manage life problems for the future by going through the classes, which usually generates a positive and effective attitude towards life. It is also a place to learn about self. We can discover the direction of life which way you want to go by finding what we like, what we do not like, what is good at, what is not good at through the college activities and socializing others. Most importantly, some can find they have a problem, which I think those will be successful in the future. Unfortunately most do not see the problems they have. Finally when we go to 4 year university, specific knowledge to learn comes in.

Masters and Ph.D people are respected because they founded the disciplined mind plus accumulated knowledge. It’s not easy. - I really think education can make you rational and objective which makes your life very easier. Emotion does not solve problems.

However, 18-20 years old kids do not understand those. How come most of them are so stupid? How come they do not care about wasting time and money by not doing homework, not attending class, some drop a class a week before the final. They just do not appreciate education AT ALL. I was not this bad when I was 18 - and the society was more strict, and I was in Japan where is more traditional than here. I cannot believe they do not stop using their cell phones during class, or keep eating snacks making noises. They just do not listen to teachers - teachers should be much more strict and controlling! As long as teachers do not stand up for this, kids will never learn - I do not understand they do not have a part of brain for thinking about respecting others, but being occupied with the selfish idea. I believe their parents must teach these basic manners in society. They are monsters to me.

I really appreciate professors - some are bad though - for their patience. I cannot imagine how hard and difficult to deal with these bunch of monsters. They are Masters or Ph.Ds who have professional knowledge of the subject they teach, PATIENCE, and teaching skills. I do not understand why they do not make a great money. They should be more admired, honored, and respected.

OK.
Now, I’m going back to my final drafts of my essay since I wrote whatever I want in the way I want.
On Friday next week, this semester will be officially OVER! OVER! OVER! OVER! OVER! (endless)...

Blog Writing

I love this blog because I do not need to seriously think of :

Thesis statement
Topic sentences
Works Cited
Annotated Bibliography
Citation - as long as I don’t use someone’s phrase
Transitional sentence
Transitional phrase
Limited page numbers
Grammar
Outline
Grade
Format
Introduction paragraph
Body paragraph
Supporting ideas
Evidence
Conclusion
Restating your thesis
…. etceteras

The English classes made me appreciate for writing my blog.
Another benefit, I think.

Langston Hughes and Walt Whitman

The two English classes I am taking in this semester
really changed my world.

They taught me how to read and enjoy literature.

Many people do not like to read, and I am one of them, because
it requires thinking ability.

Because we are so lazy and do not like to use our brain
and visualized images such as DVD, TV programs, and movie spoil us
and take our thinking ability away,
we prefer them than books.

When we read a book, we are required to make visual images in our brain.
The images are based on our understanding from reading,
it naturally requires ability of thinking and knowledge we have,
no one can help us.

Reading good literature is the same as
meeting intelligent people
because it is the same as understanding the authors' thoughts.

It's a challenge.
It's learning.

I like to learn history because it is the same as learning people.
I heard the name of Langston Hughes in American history class,
and his name came up in English class also
- he is best know African-American writer during Harlem Renaissance.

I picked him for the topic of my research paper for English class
and learned he loved Walt Whitman - I love his energetic poems also -.

So, I had a little research on Whitman as well, and learned
he was a great man, just like a typical hero.

I want to know more about the world - intelligent people -,
they move the world, it's very interesting.

I said that to R, and he said,
"It's too interesting. That's why I can't stop studying."

To me, R is one of those intelligent people, though.

College Students.

18 years old kids often scare me off.

They talk confidently on what they do not know, and do not realize at all that they are missing the point.

They are talented to create“Bullshit.”

One girl in my class complained about a professor,
“I hate she sometimes goes out to get a drink during the class!”
(But, the professor always goes out during we are writing a short essay though.)
“It just irritates me!!”
(You better do your homework first before complaining about the professor's attitude. I did not say that though.)

One professor said to me,
“No one can win 18 years old kids!
They know nothing, but they think they know everything!!”

I cannot believe there was a time when I was 18.
Was I like that?
Probably... because I was also 18.