Research Paper

I am enjoying writing my research paper.  I was really dreading it at first, but it is actually really interesting all the things I am finding.  I have always supported pro-life, but now I know so much more about it and I can actually provide several reasons why I am on the pro-life side of the debate.  Some of my sources were really difficult to find and it took a long time to get all my sources together, but they are really useful and a crucial part of my paper.  I am really proud of the work I have done on this project so far. 

Writing

I feel like since this class has started, I have become a better writer.  I am a pretty good writer, but I had only written high school level papers.  We have written three essays this semester already, and now we are working on a research project.  I have learned so many techniques and grammar tools to help me develop a well written essay.  I do not enjoy writing, but at least I know that I am pretty good at doing it when I need to.  I am proud of the scores I have received on the writing assignments we have completed in this class, except for my reader response essay. 

Opposition Paper

I actually enjoyed writing my opposition paper.  It was really very interesting to research and understand the other side of the abortion debate.  I am pro-life so I had to research and write about pro-choice.  My research did not sway my beliefs or stance, but it was still interesting to read the facts.  I had no idea about some of the stuff women did just to get rid of an unwanted pregnancy.  I was not happy about writing this piece, it made no sense to me.  However, I do find that it is helping me write my real research paper.  There are solid arguments for both sides, but I will always support pro-life.

Midterm

I did so well on my midterm!  I received a 98% on my midterm and I am so proud of my work.  The topic was super simple since it was about my own experience.  I timed it perfectly and I fit in each aspect of writing an essay.  I developed a detailed outline first, wrote the essay, and had plenty of time to revise it when I was done.  It was the perfect amount of time to complete it.  I enjoyed writing it, too because I wrote it on the best job I ever had.  It was about an internship I had at my church last summer, which was the best summer of my life.  I am very pleased with my work and my score!

FFF: The Doctor

This story is sad.  I know how she is feeling.  She is holding a grudge because of the loss of a loved one.  Even though she knows it is not the doctor's fault, she has to blame somebody.  The author wrote that she knew the doctor was right, and that her father did not have much of a chance of survival.  I think it makes her feel better that she has someone to blame, even if it may not be correct.  It is also interesting to me that they fell in love with each other.  She does not want to be in love with the man that she is blaming for the death of her father.  I think in a couple more months she will come around and things would work between her and the doctor. 

Reader Response Essay

I did not get the grade I had hoped for on my reader response essay.  I thought I did really well on this essay, but I did it completely wrong.  I guess I just did not fully understand all aspects of what was expected.  This was my first analysis paper.  I had never written an analysis paper prior to this one.  It was a good experience because now I know what to expect for my next analysis paper.  There is an ad analysis paper coming up so hopefully I will use the comments from this essay to do better on that one.

FFF: The Peterson Fire

I have a hard time following along with this story.  The story line is so confusing.  I think Bud Peterson started the fire.  It is so convenient that he is the only one that got out alive and that the fire started where everyone else in the house was sleeping except him.  The author states that he was a kid who did not ever stand out.  Maybe he was a little crazy like kids you see in T.V. shows and criminal shows.  The quiet ones are always the ones that end up bringing a gun to school.  I do not understand at the end when he says he remembers the name of the dog.  What does that have to do with anything?

FFF: All Girl Band

This story is very simple, but confusing at the same time.  The all girl band is going to jail, but for what?  The story never tells you what they are going to jail for.  I found the name of their band really interesting: The Four Whores of the Apocalypse.  Why would anyone want to name their band that?  It is interesting that they are all turning themselves in for whatever they did.  They do not seem that scared or nervous about going to jail since they sing along to their CD all the way there. 

FFF: My Date with Neanderthal Woman

My first thought is why would anyone in their right mind want to go on a date with a neanderthal woman?  This story is so weird but so interesting at the same time.  This man, Robert, is tired of all the girls of his society so he decides to date a neanderthal woman.  It has to make me think of what has happened in his past dating experiences that made him have to go out with a neanderthal woman.  I think it is so weird though that he refers to her as sexy because she likes to eat.  It is kind of cute though that he sees so much in a woman that is so different than him, and he does not even care.  The difference do not keep him away from her.

FFF: Bullhead

I really liked this story.  It was interesting that this story was told from the son or daughter's point of view about their mother.  I am wondering how old the mother is in the story though because her and the boy next door made love the night before they left.  She could not have been too young, but she still lived at home so it is hard to tell.  This is a great example of when people say you never get over your first love.  She made love to this boy so long ago but she still gets sad when she thinks about him. 

FFF: The Voices in My Head

I thought this story was really funny.  I connected with it because sometimes I have voices similar to that.  The voices are obviously his conscience, or his own thoughts.  It is like he is talking to himself in his head, which is very common.  However, he is letting it control his life.  I liked when it said sometimes they tell him crazy things like to go get a job.  This guy seems very lazy and it is because he is letting these "voices" control him.  I liked this story because it made me laugh and it is super relate able.

FFF: Level

This guy, Dion, is obsessed with making things level.  It is insane to me that he bought a one hundred dollar level when you can get them for maybe twenty dollars realistically.  The author states that when the wife is going pee, the floor is slanted toward the bathtub.  Does this mean their house is slanted, because everything needs to be leveled out?  I like the ending though.  The level shows that with her pregnant belly and his knees, it is level.  It maybe symbolizes them.  They level each other out. 

FFF: Things You Should Know

I do not understand this story at all.  I am so confused as to what the list really is.  This little boy missed a day of school when his teacher handed out a sheet of "Things to Know".  It seems like this sheet of paper, if it even really exists, has manipulated everyone's mind, or this little boy is just crazy.  Why did he have to go to a psychiatrist?  Also, how did so many people get this "list" if the teacher just passed it out in her classroom.  I do not like this story because it makes absolutely no sense.

FFF: The Jalapeño Contest

My first thought when reading this story is why the first thing the brothers did after not seeing each other for a while is sit down and have a jalapeño eating contest.  This contest seems very serious to the brothers.  The story says they laughed it off when they were younger but now it seems as if this contest is more of a pride contest, like whom is manlier.  They are starting to see things around each other and now I'm forced to wonder if the jalapeños are really jalapeños or if they are drugs or something of the sort.  It is like they are hallucinating.  I did not really like this story, it was weird. 

FFF: How to Set a House on Fire

This story in very interesting.  I wonder if this is someone telling someone else what to do or if it is just written in that kind of style.  It sounds almost like they are holding a grudge against the house for whatever reason.  It is being foreclosed and it has been in the family for the past four generations.  Maybe he has harsh feelings towards his family or the foreclosure.  It is interesting though the process and technique he is using to light it on fire.  One thing I am confused about is why he would call the fire department if he is the one that intentionally set it on fire?  That reminds me of criminal minds episodes when the criminal calls the police as a tease before he commits the crime.

FFF: Sleeping

My first thought is why would a couple get a babysitter who has never held a baby before to watch their baby?  The whole scenario is very strange.  The babysitter has no tasks at all except to be in the house.  Also, they had never talked to Harriet before asking her to babysit for them.  I would never leave my baby with someone I did not know very well beforehand. I was confused by the ending before reading it a couple more times.  However, I think the baby might have died and the mother is crazy because of it and is pretending like the baby is still alive and her husband is just playing along. 

FFF: Baker's Helper

This story is a little confusing.  It is hard to tell how old the girl is, but as the story continues it sounds like maybe she is the guys age who works at Jimmy's.  It also sounds like maybe the girl is poor and can not eat which is why she is getting thinner and thinner each day she comes back.  I think the guy has developed a sense of needing to help her and is infatuated with the idea of helping her, but that is a little weird.  It would be better if the author told the audience how old the girl was.

FFF: Before the Bath

I am really caught off guard by this story.  The story says he was in a tent in the army for a long period of time, nothing unusual.  He is getting in the tub when his face cuts into his neck.  I'm confused on why the scene is replayed, in a sense, several times.  Why does the wife want to kill him?  I do not particularly like this story.  I wish there was more information to provide reason behind everything. 

FFF - Jumper Down

This short story is about a paramedic who was famous for talking people out of jumping to their death.  It's his last day on the job and he goes out to talk to one last jumper, but the guy jumps anyway.  I found it interesting that there was a paramedic that excelled in an area like that.  I would not want to be the one responsible for talking someone out of jumping to their death.  Also, the author stated that the jumper looked relaxed sitting up on the bridge.  I immediately came to the conclusion that he was going to jump because if he was debating it, he wouldn't have been relaxed.  I was surprised at Henry's reaction when the guy jumped, but it was also such a good ending to the short story.  I really enjoyed reading this story.

FFF - The Memory Priest of the Creech People

I was not a big fan of this reading.  I did not completely understand the story until I read it a few times.  A question I had while I was reading was what if the person chosen to be the memory priest can not memorize everything?  What happens if he is not capable enough to do his job?  Also, it says one person of the Creech people is chosen at birth to be the memory priest, but the author states that Creech people are untruthful and unreliable.  Does that mean that the memory priest could be deceiving everyone and giving them false history?  When I think about the memory priest, I think about a filing cabinet in a police station.  The priest is just like that in that he knows everyone's "cases" and all the details of everything in history.