Reflection

Whenever I am asked to explain who I am, for some reason I freeze up and go blank.  I never know what to say, it should not be that hard I know who I am, first and foremost I am a mother of 2 beautiful children and foster mother of 2 adorable girls.  I am a wife with the most awesome husband. If it were not for my husband I would not be in school today, I would not have gone to PIMA and graduated as a Medial Assistant. He is my source of strength and the one who encourages me to stick with it when times get tough in school.  I am a licensed insurance agent and Certified Medical Assistant, and I hope to become a nurse over the course of the next few years.

I was pretty apprehensive about returning to school again and having to take an English class, I have never been good with nouns, pronouns, prepositions and all that stuff. When I started I was not sure what to expect especially with this being an online class.  Everyone I had talked to told me that online classes are really hard and you have to have a lot of self-discipline to succeed, I knew that part would be easy as I just finished 9 months of working full time and attending classes at night to get my Medical Assistant certificate.

I had a slight hiccup and almost was not able to be in this class However Lolly graciously accepted me back, and what I found was a very welcoming group of people and extremely supportive instructors which has made it a lot less stressful, that combined with really fun assignment’s has made this the best English class I have ever been in.

My Traditions paper “Where Has the Love Gone” is by far the strongest essay I wrote in this class. Strong points of analysis is “You would take time writing, check your spelling before writing the words and when you were done you would place your letter in a pretty envelope and put a stamp on the front so it could be sent out in the mail. You put your time and energy into the letter, this experience has been left behind by many.  If I were reading this I might ask the writer to look from the other side and ask what has improved about the process

For one of the papers we wrote the original assignment here was to draw from specific readings in Remix as well as an interview we did of another person and help the group understand why communities are important in our culture.   This paper gave me the opportunity to explore a bit with different types of communities and question just what really a community is.

The next piece of my E-portfolio is my blog post “You are what you eat” This gives you a window into my home as a child around the holidays.  It took me back and reminded me of this that I miss from that time in my life, mainly memories of my dad who passed away several years ago. It was a nice trip down memory lane.

Lastly the piece I selected for writers choice is my blog posting “Foster Parenting Is a Community” This is a strong piece as it is something that I am very passionate about. I was able to open up in this paper and share my true feelings on this topic.  I have been involved with the Foster care community for a little over 2 years. We have been fortunate to have 2 incredible little girls in our home for the last year. My favorite quote from this paper is “Thru all the trials and tribulations we face, battles won or battles lost, I really enjoy being part of this community. Having the opportunity to help children in need whether that is for a day or a few years is a great feeling. Knowing that you have been there for

I have learned a lot about myself thru this process and look forward to finishing up this course strong.

Introduction: Electronic Communication where Has the Love Gone

I feel that at long last I finally learned the difference between Analysis and opinion. My view of an analysis is being able to sit back and look at a piece of writing and take it apart to get to the main point.  My Traditions paper “Where Has the Love Gone” is by far the strongest essay I wrote in this class. Strong points of analysis is “You would take time writing, check your spelling before writing the words and when you were done you would place your letter in a pretty envelope and put a stamp on the front so it could be sent out in the mail. You put your time and energy into the letter, this experience has been left behind by many.
If I were reading this I might ask the writer to look from the other side and ask what has improved about the process.

Electronic Communication where has the Love Gone

Now more than ever, we are using electronic communication to send messages. There was a time when it would take several days to relay a message because we would hand write a letter and send it via the mail. Since the introduction of computers and then email anyone can send messages back and forth in the blink of an eye. Because of this we now want instant gratification when it comes to communicating with one another. The use of electronic communication has diminished the meaning behind the traditional way of hand written communication.

Hand written communication in schools used to be practiced widely.  In elementary school we spent a large part of time practicing writing, we had pen pals that we wrote letters to and it was more than just learning how to write the letters it was time spent perfecting printing, trying to get it as neat and legible as possible. Today in elementary school, writing is still present but now takes place in the computer lab. Many of the assignments the students do now are on the computer. While this would make it easier from the teacher’s perspective for grading, the kids are missing out on the value of learning hand writing.

We used to go to the store and pick out stationary, envelopes, and sometimes a pen with a special color ink just for the letter we were about to write. You would take time writing, check your spelling before writing the words and when you were done you would place the letter in the pretty envelope and put a stamp on the front so it could be sent out in the mail. You put your time and energy into the letter and it was an experience that many have left behind. Most kids today have never had to mail a letter they just shoot messages back for forth via text or on social networking sites like Facebook. 

Social networking sites like Facebook and twitter give the user the ability to send e-vites for parties and send wishes of congratulations or happy birthday,  but it is much more meaningful to get a card or invitation that was hand written specially with  the recipient in mind.  My daughter recently received a birthday party invitation; it was not store bought or sent via Facebook, what was special about this one was how it was made.  The birthday girl herself made all of the invitations by hand, with just paper and some crayons.  She wrote all the information on them and decorated them all on her own. It showed use of imagination and creativity, she included her love and care into each one, this is just not seen anymore and it was so wonderfully refreshing.

Electronic communication has changed the ways we communicate there are some positive benefits.  It takes just a few moments to get a message to another person. You can talk to anyone, no matter where they are in the world day or night. It is certainly easier for people to read typed papers as you do not have to try and decipher someone’s chicken scratch. It is less costly no paper, envelopes or stamps to buy, it is not all bad.

Because of the way of the world we live in, electronic communication is the preferred method.  What happens when the lines are cut and you cannot reach out over the electronic communication waves? According to an article in The Onion “MySpace Outage Leave Millions Friendless” which parody’s what would happen if MySpace went down for an extended period of time, we see people feeling cut off from the world and all alone without status updates and click of the button connection. “In Chicago alone an estimated 50,000 people remain trapped in their apartment’s, with no way of contacting the outside world about new bands, Adult Swim cartoons, or the latest video game” (158-159).  If these people had only learned how to write letters with paper and pen they could communicate with the outside world and still talk to their friends.

Sometimes if you need to say something really quick but do not necessarily need to have a conversation with another person a quick message via email or text is appropriate such as, “Hey dear I am going to be running a few moments late, love you.” Other times this is not the best form of communication. This was very obvious in the essay “Let Me Find My Own Husband” by Sarita James. James fiancée had to return home to India for a while and promised to call her when he got there, weeks went by and she did not hear from him.  James eventually received an email from her fiancée. “Dear Sarita, I am so sorry for what happened. I wish I had gotten married to you. Matters were taken out of my control. I want to apologize profusely both to you and your family. Unfortunately, I can never explain what happened” (381). The e-mail shows he was in a hurry he said his piece and was on his way.  The tone indicated that he did not want to get a response back and had nothing more to talk about.  It was very short and vague and left James feeling stunned with no an opportunity to get closure in the situation.  A hand written letter in this situation would have at least shown that that this boy, whom she thought was her mate for life, cared enough about her to sit down and write out a letter, sending an e-mail feels like, Oh I have a moment to spare, let me just sent this off it’s no big deal. The message received by the recipient is very different than the intention of the sender.

By sending communications over email, text message, twitter or whatever
electronic means you use, there are things that are missed out on and we have lost the personal touches that gave extra meaning to the recipient of our messages.




Works cited
The onion “MySpace Outage Leaves Millions Friendless (158-160)
Sarita James “Let Me Fine My Own Husband (379-382 

Introduction: Communities are Necessary for Survival

The original assignment here was to draw from specific readings in Remix as well as an interview we did of another person and help the group understand why communities are important in our culture. 

In my original draft I had a tendency to go off topic and not connect to my thesis. There were many times that I used quotes and failed to follow them with examples that showed how they were relevant. My thesis is Communities exist to offer support and a means of connection with others in our lives and here I went off topic and started a paragraph with A basic need of life is having a connection with another person, at the time I wrote this I thought it fit but can now see that it does not.

My revision has some added examples and I have removed things that were not thesis connected.  I made sure not to leave hanging quotes and followed them up with additional information.  I am happier with my revision.

Communities are Necessary for Survival

This is my revision piece first you will see my original paper followed by my revised version in blue.

Communities are necessary for Survival

When individuals join a community, we are looking to fill a hole in our life. We could be looking for Social interaction, competition with others, a source of stability or possibly a family connection.  Most people are looking for a place where they feel wanted and needed. Others may be looking for answer to questions about their past, their families and where they came from.  Communities exist to offer support and a means of connection with others in our lives. As humans we desire to be told where we belong and what we are supposed to be doing, we tend to look for groups where the rules are laid out in front of us. 

Communities give us access to a variety of resources and whether we choose to accept them or rebel against them is up to each individual.  While we tend to seek out these groups to enrich our lives, the experiences we encounter are not always positive, but being able to handle what comes our way is a vital part of survival.

We want someone who shares our likes and dislikes, a friend who we can turn to in times of need and also share the joys in life with. Ultimately we want someone in this life that will accept us for who we are, this is one thing we are looking for when we reach out to communities. 

Often the first introduction we have to community is through our own family. For many celebrating your familial background is very important, while others do not even know what their background is. In the essay “My Filipino Roots” Alex Espinoza talks about her family’s heritage which consist of Mexican, Italian and Filipino.  Espinoza can connect with her Mexican and Italian roots however when it comes to the Filipino roots there is a missing link as she was never introduced this culture. “I think that growing up in such a homogenized community like mine, where at least 80 percent of the population is white, didn’t really allow me to delve into my cultural identity because people don’t celebrate their backgrounds” (131).  

This is true for many people we, grow up knowing only bits and pieces about where our family came from and use that to build our community. I interviewed a close friend, and asked her if she knew what her cultural background is and if it was celebrated when she was growing up with any special traditions or holidays. She responded “I am a mixed breed, a little this and a little of that.  It was not something we specifically celebrated or talked about growing up”.  My family was identified as being Christian and we were a part of that community from day one. 

An abundant source of social interaction comes from taking part in worship or fellowship.  When one joins a church we enter communities of people who are all there for a common purpose.  There are many activities and opportunities to celebrate gain connections with others, from joining the choir, Sunday school classes, bible study, picnics and holiday celebrations. Having access to so many things can really fulfill the human need to be wanted and needed. Every person has the right to believe in who and what they choose.  For some not following the teachings of the “leader” is unacceptable and can cause communities to separate.

Life style choices can lead us to seek out communities that will fill a need in our life. In the essay “A Secret Society of the Starving” Mim Udovitch takes into the world of eating disorders and we see how they draw someone in and fill the needs to be connected and with others who are just like us.  “When young women get into the grips of this disease, their thoughts become very distorted, and part of it is they believe they’re unique and special” (152).  If you are part of something that makes you feel that way you will continue with the action that gives the response you are seeking.  “Women in eating disorders really thrive in a lot of ways on being very disconnected.  At the same time, of course, they have a yearning to be connected”(Udovitch 152).

The communities we seek do not always have a positive benefit. While we believe that we will be accepted for who we are, it is not always the case. If the community is convincing in making us feel welcomed, we can be blinded to the damage we are actually inflicting on ourselves.  In the essay “A Secret Society of the Starving” Mim Udovitch takes us into the world of eating disorders and we see how one is drawn in and there needs to be connected with others like them are filled, and the effects it has on a person.  “When a young woman gets into the grips of this disease, their thoughts become distorted, and part of it is they believe they’re unique and special” (152). When someone is anorexic, there is certainly a self-esteem issue present, when someone suffering from negative self-esteem finds something that makes them happy, perhaps brings on feelings that they are unique and special, one would want to repeat whatever behaviors brought on the euphoric feelings, even if the actions are causing untold damage to our bodies.

There are all kinds of communities out there. These groups provide vast opportunities for social interaction, finding friends and building relationships to places for us to learn about whom we are and where we came from. Communities are there for support in good times and bad you just have to reach out and explore them to find the one that gives you what you need.

(Revision)

                                            Communities are Necessary for Survival

When we join a community, we are looking to fill a hole in our life. One could be looking for social interaction, competition with others, a source of stability or possibly a family connection.  Most people are looking for a place where they feel wanted and needed. Others may be looking for answer to questions about their past, their families and where they came from.  As humans we desire to be told where we belong and what we are supposed to be doing, we tend to look for groups where the rules are laid out in front of us.  Communities exist to offer support and a means of connection with others in our lives.

For many celebrating familial background is very important, while others do not even know what their background is. In the essay “My Filipino Roots” Alex Espinoza talks about her family’s heritage which consist of Mexican, Italian and Filipino.  Espinoza can connect with her Mexican and Italian roots however when it comes to the Filipino roots there is a missing link as she was never introduced this culture. “I think that growing up in such a homogenized community like mine, where at least 80 percent of the population is white, didn’t really allow me to delve into my cultural identity because people don’t celebrate their backgrounds” (131).  This is true for many people we, grow up knowing only bits and pieces about where our family came from and use that to build our community. I interviewed a close friend, and asked her if she knew what her cultural background is and if it was celebrated when she was growing up with any special traditions or holidays. She responded “I am a mixed breed, a little this and a little of that.  It was not something we specifically celebrated or talked about growing up”.  My family was identified as being Christian and we were a part of that community from day one. 

While we tend to seek out groups to enrich our lives, the experiences we encounter are not always positive.  Life style choices can lead us to seek out communities that will fill a hole in our life. In the essay “A Secret Society of the Starving” Mim Udovitch takes us into the world of eating disorders and we see how they draw someone in and fill the needs to be connected and with others who are just like us.  “Women in eating disorders really thrive in a lot of ways on being very disconnected.  At the same time, of course, they have a yearning to be connected” (Udovitch 152) No one wants to be seen in a negative light but there is still a desire to be a part of the group.  I had a friend in high school that battled anorexic. I remember going out to dinner with her and she would order a bowl of plain white rice and a diet coke. Every time her drink would come she would always smell it then ask one of us to taste it to ensure it was diet. She mainly lived off of carrots, diet coke and sticks of gum.  My friend did not want to miss out on the time with her friends so she did what she could to be with us while at the same time controlling what she put in her body, filling her need to be with friends and at the same time answering to the pulls of her anorexic community ties.

There are all kinds of communities out there. These groups provide vast opportunities for social interaction, finding friends and building relationships to places for us to learn about whom we are and where we came from. Communities are there for support in good times and bad you just have to reach out and explore them to find the one that gives you what you need.

Works Cited

Espinoza, Alex. “My Filipino Roots” 130-132

Udovitch, Mim “A Secret Society of the Starving” 149-157

Catherine Burchard “Interview subject”

Introduction: You are what you Eat

For this I selected my blog post “You are what you eat” This gives you a window into my home as a child around the holidays. It is like you are standing outside the window watching the action from the outside. You see a family coming together and being centrally located in the kitchen or at the table.  You see a mom who gets her child involved in cooking the meals and one who really loves to cook. You can smell the various scents wafting thru the kitchen window as you stand and watch. Finally you see a family spending time together and perhaps you are reminded of our own home around the holidays or you are left wondering what it would be like to be on the inside of that home.

You are what you Eat

When I think back on family traditions that center around food I am reminded of holidays growing up.  Thanksgiving and Christmas were big food holidays in my home.  I remember my mom being up at the crack of dawn starting to prepare the stuffing for the turkey, it seemed to take hours to prepare as she made it from scratch.  I loved to help make the stuffing as I got to mix with my hands,  it was warm from the sautéed onions and celery, yet the hard bread chunks hurt my hands a bit, I can still smell the aroma mmm, yum.  My mom would be in the kitchen all day cooking, baking, and cleaning.

When it was time to eat the various bowls and trays of stuffing, cranberry sauce, potatoes, gravy, devilled eggs and my favorites the chocolate pudding pie and éclairs, were carted out to the table, and then it was devoured in mere moments and we were left with full bellies and yet another mess to clean up.

The week that followed consisted of turkey sandwiches and reheated potatoes and such for dinner; she always made enough to feed the army even when it was just the 3 of us.

For most of November and December my mother spent her time baking and making holiday treats.  She made cookies, fudge, chocolate covered pretzels as well as peanut butter and coconut balls dipped in chocolate.  There was always some kind of treat around to nibble on.  It was quite the ordeal to help with this and at times felt more like a chore than a pleasurable experience.

Now that I have my own family we have traditions that we have made.  We have ham instead of turkey and the preparation takes just a few hours not the whole day. I make the traditional éclair’s as they are my husband’s favorite desert and from time to time I make the holiday treats that were around growing up.

One tradition that I really love is weekends in my house.  Most Saturday or Sunday mornings you will find my husband in the kitchen busy preparing a breakfast feast, consisting of Potatoes, bacon, sausage, eggs and because he is the best daddy, chocolate chip pancakes too.  These family breakfasts are something the whole family looks forward to and we would rather have this meal than a breakfast out any day!

I think the best part about any of these traditions is that it brings the family together.  You are all in one place together and having good times creating memories that will last a life time.

Introduction: Foster Parenting is a Community

The piece I selected for writers choice is my blog posting “Foster Parenting Is a Community”
This is a strong piece as it is something that I am very passionate about. I was able to open up in this paper and share my true feelings on this topic.  I have been involved with the Foster care community for a little over 2 years. We have been fortunate to have 2 incredible little girls in our home for the last year. My favorite quote from this paper is “Thru all the trials and tribulations we face, battles won or battles lost, I really enjoy being part of this community. Having the opportunity to help children in need whether that is for a day or a few years is a great feeling. Knowing that you have been there for someone in their time of darkness and hopefully allowed them to see there is a light at the end of the tunnel is a wonderful feeling and I hope to remain a member of this community for many years to come”.  I hope that when someone who is not a foster parent reads it they can see the true value in what we provide, comfort, warmth, safety and love.

Foster parenting is a community

My husband and I have belonged to this community for almost 3 yrs now and while at times it is very challenging, complicated, saddening and hurtful, it can also be joyful, loving and fulfilling.  I am very happy that we are a part of this community.

We have gained many friends, who have become an extended family thru this community. The community that we belong to is a very special one, we consist of a small group of families working together, inside the larger population of foster care. 

We come together to meet the needs of children whose life’s have been disrupted most often times by outside forces they have no control over. We all have a common bond that we want to see these children succeed in life and find a place where they feel that they belong and are loved.

For a lot of these kids, we provide the only source of stability and consistency in their life’s, and we all work together to maintain that for them.

What holds us together is the support we give each other daily. Regardless if it is a message on face book, a phone call or even just a thought about one another, we know that in our small community group we can always count on one another.  I can pick up the phone a reach out to any of the other parents in my group day or night and they are there for me, as I am for them.

We are challenged all the time by the same outside forces that put these children in our care to begin with. We encounter challenges from the biological parents who have lost the ability to parent their child and no longer provide the daily care and may not agree with the rules in our homes.  We face battles with the courts to do what is in the best interest of the children we care for. We struggle to care for the kids and hold the group together while the state continues to cut our funding year after year. 

Thru all the trials tribulations we face, battles won or battles lost, I really enjoy being a part of this Community.  Having the opportunity to help children in need whether that is for a day or a few years is a great feeling. Knowing that you have been there for someone in their time of darkness and hopefully allowed them to see there is light at the end of the tunnel is a wonderful feeling and I hope to remain a member of this community for many years to come.