Grammar #13

The Numbers' Rule!

The rules of numbers in English can be very confusing. Presonally, I was not even aware that these rules were established. Some rules and exmaples are as follows:

Spell out numbers from 1 to 9, and write out numerically all numbers 10 and above.
"There were nine chickens, but only one rooster."
"There are a total of 10 birds in the yard."

Do not start a sentence with a numeral, unless it is a year.
"1984 was the year I was born."
"Twenty fish were in the pond."

Always use numerals with a percent, but write out the word "percent". Only use the percent symbol, "%", when using graphs, charts, etc.
"97 percent of the time I am right. I'm only wrong the other 4 percent."

http://www.cmu.edu/styleguide/dates_numbers.html

The Crucible

"Hurry up or we'll be late," Erin said to me as I gave myself one last look in the mirror. With tickets in-hand we were on our way to "The Crucible"; a play where we attended school at Dixie State College. The theatre air was warm, and our spirits were excited. Having no trouble finding our seats in such an intimate and small set-up, we prepared ourselves for a night of being taken away to another time. Opening with "Come Thou Fount Of Every Blessing", an old hymn, a few actors slowly walked on stage. We felt peace settle in around us. Suddenly, the lights turned blood red, and screaming and drums were heard all around us. Just as suddenly as it had come, it stopped. Then a man carrying a young women in his arms came on stage, and gently placed her on a prop bed. Captivated, we watched the story unfold.
I felt this play is a very well-presented form of expressing the tragedies that befell Salem, Pennsylvania in the early days of our country. But being shown in its conventional, noisy atmosphere, I found it hard to concentrate on their interpretation of the play. Eighty percent of the actors that came on stage shouted, screamed, or yelled their lines to the point of incoherence. Already being in tightly-nit spacing, we could hear a pin drop. Adding such a strong volume of voice, only amplified the noise. I understand this seems to be the gerenal interpretation of this play, but there are borders not to cross. I would recommend the experience of this play to anyone I know, purely for educational pruposes, but not this particular showing of it. The actors had talent. They just had to squeeze it out until they screamed.

Venice

The oil painting "Venice" by Leslie Twiggs drew me in the moment I saw it. Its oils present a warm and silky texture. The color scheme moves from a mysteriously dark sky, to a lamp-lite canal, and then down to a murky, dark-blue water. Its theme is set in a water canal in Venice, Italy. Only occupied by a few boats, the city's canal is ominously empty. Using darker colors along the outsides of the painting, the artist is able to draw attention towards the canal's center, where the night lamps have been lite. These colors in the center are brightly shown. In hues of red and yellow the lamps' reflection in the water helps to widen your view of the city's canal.
This painting speaks peacefully of a clam summer night in a distant land.

Captain's Log - Psychology - Day 1

Today we met as a group in the library at 11:30 to discuss our game plan for our final project. We've decided to talk about the schizophrenia side of pyschology. This is both a blessing and a challenge, since it is such a broad topic. We're asking what the different types of schizophrenia are, and what are their affects on the human. So we've decided to bring in many different cases of the several different types of schizophrenia, and discuss each as a group. Plus we'll have video clips of each of these things. To open into this, we'll have a game with the class using inkblots. As part of the power points presentation we'll have inkblots projected onto the screen, and have each of the students take the inkblot test. This test is used as part of a diagnosis of the mind.
For our individual research we are going after the different types of schizophrenia, so we can then compare our notes. This will be a fun little project that, with proper participation on all parts, will be both rewarding and fun.

Grammar #12

Run-on sentences and comma splices.

These are two of the most common grammatical errors in writing. I know this because my Microsoft Word always points mine out to me. A run-on sentence is a sentence with two different independent clauses that aren't conjoined by the proper conjunction, or aren't separated with the proper punctuation. Similarly, a comma splice is a basically a run-on sentence that was attempted to be conjoined by a comma, but failed. The best way to fix either is to either separate the run-on sentence with a period, or add the appropriate conjunction; but, or, nor, for, and, yet, so. A comma splice can be fixed similarly, or can be fixed by adding a semicolon.
Adding things like adverbs and adjectives to try and fix a run-on sentence or comma splice do nothing to fix it. Only the approriate words, punctuations, and conjuntions can fix them.

Here are a few examples.

Run-un sentence.
Incorrect: I study hard, I like to study up to eight hours a day.
Correct: I study hard. I like to study either hours a day. (Seperated with a period)

Comma splice.
Incorrect: I study hard, I like to study up to eight hours a day.
Correct: I study hard; I like to study up to eight hours a day.

This website gave me great, and yet, simple insight into the use of these two very complex grammatical tools.

http://www.yourdictionary.com/grammar-rules/5-most-common.html

Psychology

There are many different aspects of psychology. They span in many different directions, and can be divided into many different fields. So in brainstorming for this assignment I have formulated a few questions to help shed some light on this intense and curious subject.
What would drive someone to go into the field of Psychology, and what makes them decide which branch of it to study?
What are some of the most common challenges of a pyschologist both academically and in the field? How many new studies in psychology are done each year? Who are the most common patients for a pyschologist? When do pyschologists retire? Where do most of a pyschologists studies occur?
These are but a few of the many questions about pyschology. I'd like to try and identify one of these and work with it

A Night At Cambridge

Settling myself on the hard benches at the Tabernacle, I prepared myself for a dull evening of tuning myself out. A professor from University of Cambridge, England was making a special appearance to speak to the community, and any college or staff members from Dixie State College. Imagining a boring lecture, from a dried-up old prune, I was expecting the worst. I was pleasantly surprised when one of our English professors started to host the Event. He was so entertainingly scatter-brained, that it set the humour for the whole evening. Expecting a much more serious and uptight event, it was a nice surprise to see laughter in the audience. The first part, and my favorite part, was a back to back recital by two professors of music. One, a master of the violin, and the other, a master of the piano, two of my favorite instruments. Introducing a piece from Beethoven, I was able to close my eyes and picture myself at 18th centuary orchestra. The music was amazing.
We had a beauiful look through a slideshow of the Enlgish country surrounding Cambridge. Marvelous shades of green, and hues of different flowers amazed me. Followed by a humurous presentation by the main event Professor from Cambridge. Quirky and funny, he displayed a cast amount of knowledge, coupled with an English accent that only augmented his intellect and mystery. It was a fun night for many of all ages. I won't forgt this night ever, and the University of Cambridge is looking a lot more interseting.

Grammar #11

Allusion vs. Illusion.

I never understood what an allusion could mean, so I have not ever used in English, or in any of my writings. I know an Illusion can be thought of as misleading, false, or more commonly understood to me, as a magic trick. An allusion, on the other hand, is a hint or a reference to something.

Illusion: "He though he saw an oasis in the distance, but mirages are only illusions."

Allusion: "Speaking about hunger, and non-violent protest, the news anchor made an allusion to Ghandi."

This site helped me understand more about what the difference between the two is.

http://grammar.about.com/od/ab/g/allusionterm.htm

Remember, "an allusion which is explained no longer has the charm of allusion. . . . In divulging the mystery, you withdraw its virtue."(Jean Paulhan)

Grammar #10

Commas are an essential tool for any writer. They are both useful in the flow, and help to show the bodies of a sentence. Use commas to separate independent clauses when they are joined by any of these conjunctions: but, or, nor, for, and, yet, so. I like to think of them in this order as saying "bonfires". Also, use commas after an introductory phrase or clause.
Clause: "While I was studying, someone knocked on my door."
A good way to help remember when to use a comma after a clause, is looking for their common starter words; after, although, as, because, if, since, when, while.
Introductory phrase: "Having finished eating, I got up and left."
There are also a list of common starter words. To name a few; although, well, however.
The use of commas is essential in English, as well as Latin based languages.

This site was fun and easy to understand, and really helped me to understand a lot about how a comma works

http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/grammar/g_comma.html

Complications: Part I

A stunning insight to a medical surgeon's profession. This book has provided insight into the world of medicine that wasn't previously understood by people not in a medical field. It has been interesting to read a surgeon's opinion on many of the ups and downs of being a doctor. The field of medicine seems to be evermore tricky when viewed in such a way. Atul Gawande has made many complex, and otherwise confusing procedures, simplified and understandable. He has exposed in his novel, the dark and light side of practicing medicine. His style of writing is very captivating. Each story of trauma patients, or simple surgeries gone wrong, hold you until the very end. His narrative voice keeps you guessing the outcome. Not a typical writing style you might expect from an expert surgeon. I have learned many of the complications that come from being in such a sensitive field. Not only in the OR itself, but in all aspects. From schooling and universities, to malpractice suits, to the complete unknown with certain cases. It is almost like watching the Fox network's "House". Any who ready this will find new appreciation for good doctor, and more precaution with others. I have already recommend this book to many I know, and recommend it to you as well. Though I have yet to finish it, I will continue to enjoy every page.

Grammar #9

When I first heard Nonrestrictive clauses i wasn't quiet sure what it was. After doing some research I found that is was a group of words, set off by commas, that provides extra or nonessential information and could be eliminated without changing the meaning of the noun or pronoun it modifies. Although it is esay to add them into the middle of your sentence, nonrestrictive clauses can be found at the end as well. If the sentcence is complete and you add on information that explains more but doesn't change the meaning, then the extra information is the nonrestrictive clause. For example: We all stood, anxious and prepared for what he was about to say.
If you took out what is in the commas in these sentences the meaning would still be the same.
My brother, Taylor, clean the bathroom.
Sally, who used to work for the president, can ride a horse.
Get more help at this website.

110 Degrees In The Shade

Under the bright stage lights the song ended, and another scene changed. Sitting in the comfortable seats in the back row gave us a bird's eye view of the stage. "110 Degrees in the shade" had begun. The story is set in the mid-western United States, in a small town of farmers and cattle herders. The main character Lizzie is trying to find love, even if she seems to deny it at times. Her interest for the local sheriff is anything but new. He, a divorced man in denial, convinces everyone that he is a widower. The towns game in the beginning is to set these two up. But their love games are only complicated as the character Starbuck enters. The small town is gripped in drought, and on the brink of death. Starbuck professes to be a rainmaker and convinces the town to pay him to make it rain. Being somewhat of an outlaw, Starbuck makes the situation escalate, adding more mayhem to the love triangle between the sheriff and Ms. Lizzie. A fun film for anyone in the family. All ages can enjoy such a well told classic love story.

A Night of Culture

Entering the semi-large auditorium we took our seats. The clamor of those already seated around us had a sense of excitement about it. A feeling of something unexpected, or at least not fully understood. Our night with David Lee was began. As his introduction finished, my opinion of him still unformulated. Being uncertain what this graying man was like, I watched patiently. Seemingly a hardened gentlemen, his first few moments were in silence. As he opened his mouth, I expected chilling words. What came out was, "boy am I nervous". Immediately I knew this night held more to it than what was on the surface.
Closing my eyes as he read, carried me away with his words. Imagining myself in his desert storm, let me picture the coming rainbows. Resembling the poetry of Robert Frost he captivated his audience, and left us expecting more. The treat of spending a night with a poet master was awe inspiring. All who left, felt a little more cultured and intellectual.

Grammer #8

Etc.

Commonly used in many forms of writing, although, commonly misspelled as well. To understand its spelling, it is best to understand its origin. The phrase etc. comes from the Latin words "et cetera" which means "and other things". So when saying this abbreviation in speech, you literally say "et cetera". I learned that this should never be preceded by "and", either in writing or speech, and that it is commonly misspelled as "ect." To help protect against misspelling just remember what the words mean, "et cetera".

Example: When you go camping it is good to be prepared with lots of supplies. Like a tent, sleeping bag, food, water, a first aid kit, etc.

Here's a website that helped me with its .

http://www.english-test.net/toeic/vocabulary/meanings/019/toeic-words.php

Art Gallery

The "Commandores of the Prairie Sea" by Kay Homan is captivating. Its attention to color makes you take a second. It has a unique contrast of colors, starting from the dark, earthy colors at the top, down to the bright, cutting shades, of the wild flowers at the bottom.
Set upon a hilltop of the golden plains in autumn, stand two bison, in shades of brown. surrounding them from above is a blackened, cloudy sky; an ominous sign of what is to come. Not alone, they are accompanied by brightly colored wildflowers, hidden in the golden plains. Visible only by their pink and red hues.
This majestic piece offers a sense of strength and certainty in an uncertain world. It would be a stunning display in any home.

Grammer Post #7

Effect Vs. Affect.

I Had always wondered the usage differences between these two. Once I took the time to look it made a lot of sense. Effect, is the result of something. Affect, is to influence something. Examples of the two are as follows.
The citizens of New Orleans were greatly affected by Hurricane Katrina.
Scientists studied the effect of Hurricane Katrina passing in New Orleans

This site helped me to understand a little bit more about each.
http://www.noslang.com/spelling.php

Like we talked a little bit about in class, the movie I picked is "The Dark Knight". The actors with their skills alone deserve an award. The way they portrayed their characters was phenomenal. They were easily able to pull their audience into the story. Each character was defined by the actor playing them, in their role and purpose. Like in the scene where the Joker first proposes disposing of Batman to the gang leaders, you can feel how psychotic his intentions were. My favorite was the "Joker". Heath Ledger played the Joker like no one has before him. Each scene with his character became an unpredictable enjoyment.

The story itself was very well-written. With so many twists and turns in it. An example of this is when two of their characters are rigged to bombs in separate warehouses, and Batman is given the choice of whom to save. The unpredictability of the movie always kept the next scene interesting.

The sets built only added to the overall dark, mysterious feeling of the movie. The Batman cave alone, left you with chills. The filming done in different degrees of shadow helped fuel the dark ominous feeling emanated from the movie. I would recommend this movie to anyone, fan of comics or not.

i.e. vs e.g.

I have always avoided the use of the two abbreviations, i.e. and e.g. I wasn't ever sure what they stood for. Now I learned these are from Latin based words. the Latin i.e. is from the phrase "id est" means “that is", or to say it as "in other words". The Latin e.g. is "exempli gratia" which is meant to be followed by an example. It helps to understand their meaning to be able to use them correctly. For example: I can use the abbreviation "e.g." as an example, e.g. like in this sentence. I can also state that; anyone can learn how to use English grammar correctly, i.e. even you.

This website gave me the helpful background on the origin of these two unique abbreviations, and they even have some better examples of how to use them.

http://www.copyblogger.com/grammar-writing-mistakes/

Track #3 (Reprised)

With my car window down, the blowing wind awakened new life within me. The cool air rushed in, to fill anything undisturbed. It was a late, cool, fall morning, and I had just finished my last college class for the day. All the schedules, and hurrying to be somewhere, doing something, was behind me. As I pressed play, I could feel the anticipation growing in my stomach. “2 + 2 = 5”, my new favorite song by Radiohead, greeted me, filling my ears with any noise the wind had not yet found. With my classes ended, the song congratulated me for another day done. All that was ahead of me was open road. Even with challenges yet to come, I was free. Allowance brought by this song. Since then, I knew it could be there for me. Bringing me my own set of wings. Even for just a moment.

Semicolons and Colons: Nature's Mysteries

I’ve always had a huge problem with semicolons and colons. The first problem is what their definitions are. The second problem is when to use them. My exposure to them hasn’t been that great, because I haven’t seen them too much in any books or writing material that I’ve read. One rule I do know about semicolons, is that they are used to separate two clauses. Here’s an example. People who overeat don’t exercise; people who eat healthy exercise. This website I found also has lots of helpful information.

http://grammar.about.com/od/punctuationandmechanics/a/semicolondash.htm

Motion Picture Soundtrack

Pearl Jam – “Black”
I’m not sure why this one stuck in my head. Soon after high school I moved to Rexburg, Idaho to live with my cousins. My aunt gave me free room and board, but everything else was left up to me. Nearing winter, at the end of an incredibly fun summer, finances became tight. I started to have to scrounge for anything other than food. Things such as gas and warmer clothes were accessories I couldn’t afford. So one night my friend Jake told me that his step dad had a few tractors with big gas tanks on the side. “These gas tanks don’t have pipes that feed into the tanks”, he told me. “Anyone can take what they need”. His step dad’s house was on a hill, at the edge of town. Under the cover of darkness we made our way to there. As I sat, parked in my car, waiting for him to return with a 5-gallon tank of freedom, I listened to this song off of Pearl Jam’s album entitled “Ten”. Scattered below me were the lights of the city, like a blanket of fireflies hidden safe in an abyss. Peace, freedom, millions of emotions filled my soul. I leaned the seat back, and closed my eyes, awaiting the return of fuel for the next adventure.

Third Eye Blind – “Burning Man”
“We’re here”, my brother said, as we pulled up to a set of yellow stucco condos. We had just finished a cross-country move from St. George, UT to Ft. Lauderdale, FL, in a Budget truck. My brother and I had moved him all that way so he could go to dental school at NOVA Southeastern. As I exited the truck, a warm wave of humidity hit me in the face, and enveloped my whole body. Immediately I began to sweat. After we unloaded the truck, I set up my room where I would sleep for the next 4 weeks. My days were spent at the beach, and on the boardwalks around it. I couldn’t get enough of the sand between my toes, the salty air, and warm water. I felt a refreshment of life with every breath. My nights were spent falling asleep to the song “Burning Man”, and every other one on Third Eye Blind’s self-titled album. This song in particular speaks of independence, and living life to the fullest. As I would lie on a lone mattress in the corner of the small spare room, I would listen to this whole album. According to the lyrics, and mood, I would envision music videos to each song. Every song had me in it. My actions were played out, by the lyrics of each song. At peace, I spent 4 weeks of soul searching with “Burning Man”.

Although I stuggle with English grammer as a whole, general rules, terminology, and such, I have choosen to start attacking a small part of this beast. Quotation marks, and underlinings. There are many other things that I struggle with in English, which you can plainly see, but I choose to start with this. You see, I have either never learned, or can never remember, which kind of works receive quotation marks, how to quote someone's work/words, and which get underlined. Titles of movies, books, short works, music, etc,. I want to respect the great efforts these men and women went to, by giving them proper credit, but alas, it is a "kryptonite" of mine. One rule I do know of is, that quotations are used to show direct speech. Here's an example: She said, "the cinders are falling like snow". I'm sure if we talked about it for 5 minutes, it would all be cleared up. Here is a link that has helped me a little.

http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/577/01/

Detachment Finalized

I'll never forgot, that for most of my life I always went about my day according to the struture others had set for me. From teachers at our local schools, to my parents, to any authority, self-proclaimed or otherwise. I always wondered what it was like not to have to put on a show anywhere, or for anyone. Then came the summer of my graduation. My ticket to a more open road.

My grandparents owned a small farm in mid-Eastern Idaho. Every summer for as long as I can remember, we would visit it. There, we had no limitations. Under the aid of endless hay fields, green to your waist, we could dissapear for days without too many questions being raised. It was magic there. As if all cares and responsibility seemed to melt away, like snow retreating from the coming spring.

I was 18, and an "adult" in my eyes. Ready to do things my way. I had recently received an invitation that would soon change my life. My cousin, a year older than me, was to be wed. She lived just a stone's throw away from my grandparents house. Knowing of the freedom that place held for me, I thought it a perfect start to my new beginning. So being my own man, I decided to make the long treck up to support her. So I was off, in my 1995 red, Jeep Grand Cherokee.
The wedding passed so beautifully in the backyard of my cousin's house. Banding together with my 2 cousins, both older than me by 3 and 6 years, we cheered on my cousin in her grand day.

That night, after all the guests had left, and all the chairs and party favors had been cleared, my cousins and I gathered together to "celebrate". Under the light of scattered torches, we sat on the yard's soft grass. Feeling the cool blades between my fingers, I could feel strees and tension release, as if the grass was sucking something heavy from off me. Healed, we sat under the night sky, the air was warm and smooth like a blanket. Seemingly silky, and restoring with every cool breath. It was then that something changed within me. I finally let go of everything I had been holding back. The magic of that night, that place, allowed a release I had only begun to imagine. Something that now, as more of an adult, I long to feel again.

I spent 3 months there, among family, and friends. Everyday became an adventure of what I wanted to do. No authority to step in and take charge, or bail out. When I messed up, or needed a hand up, I was able to make my own way out. Working through a winter of 12 degrees below zero, with nothing but jeans, a hoody, and tennis shoes I realize I really didn't have much, but what I had was mine. Looking back now, I can see how limited I really was. Although it was short lived, that time allowed me to find a piece of myself that could not have been obtained otherwise. I would not trade it for anything.

Recalling Childhood

I recently finished two wonderful short stories by brilliant authors. The first, entitled "An American Child", by Annie Dillard, is a very descriptive autobiography of the author's early childhood. In it she describes a few of the many different, and interesting characters that played a part in raising her. In the story, on a brisk wintry morning, Annie and some of the neighboring boys get into some mischief that causes a grown man to chase them clear across town. It's a fun read for anyone.
Reflecting on the story from a literal level shows how typical and simple most American's childhoods are. Taking pride in some of the simpler things in life, like a perfect ice ball, or getting into trouble just for the fun of it. These are some of the many memories that a lot of us share.
In the second story, author Jean Brandt tells the story of her brush with the law as a young girl in, "Calling Home". In it, Jean, as a 13 year old girl, is caught shop lifting during Christmas by mall security, and has to take a trip with police to the police station. There she finds some interesting things about herself, and her parents, when she has to make the call to tell them where she is. Young readers could benefit greatly from reading such a well told story, of how everyone makes mistakes, and everyone has regrets.
As in the first story, the author of this piece has a knack for detail of an event so many years past. Jean Brandt has a way of captivating, and thrilling her audience with just how she could get in and out of such a predicament. She was able to portray her feelings as a young, scared girl, in such a way that one can't help but read on.

One thing that particularly applied to me when reading "An American Childhood", is the writing strategy" framing. As I neared the end of the story, and Annie Dillard summarized her feelings of the whole ordeal, I couldn't help but wonder myself about the man's car. Then as if anticipating my thoughts, she answered the question by reminding the readers that the man had left his car. This, I feel, helps bring the story a feeling of completeness, and an ending. Recalling our attention to an event in the early part of the story, that might not have been otherwise noticed. It put a smile on my face.

First Steps

I wasn't there the first day for class to discuss the highlights of "The Arrowmaker", so I'm going to try and respond to the rest of the post as best as I can.
I think that you put yourself at risk for ridicule, anytime you write something where others can see. A blog is just that. A way to inform and critique anyone who posts online.
I think the convenience, and the accessibility anywhere, are reasons why any form of online communication are used by virtually everyone across the globe.
The downside to all of this though, is an ever decreasing use of proper English. More convenient words like "u", and "l8er" are becoming increasingly popular. I feel that with time, it will be more of a second nature to type this way. People in general will begin to question themselves on what is the proper way to spell a word.