Saturday, March 14, 2009

Table of Contents

Table of Contents


Dear Reader


Intro to Writer's Choice Piece


Writer's Choice Piece


Intro to Critical Analysis Piece


Critical Analysis Piece


Intro to "Effective Sentences Piece"


Effective Sentences Piece


Intro to "MWA piece"


"MWA Piece"


Dear Reader

Dear Reader,

Hello my name is Amanda Louis-Kuhnert (what a name, huh) as you can see my name is a little unconventional, and it is evidence of an unusual childhood. I adapted my father’s name, Kuhnert, after he died when I was 18. I was really close to my father, and education was number one on his list. As a child, I suffered from dyslexia, so bad I would shut down and blank out to avoid the stress. Dyslexia has been haunting me for my whole life, and as of spring of last year, I said I was done running. I felt I had to bless my fathers dream that one day; his daughters would go to college, not to mention I want to be the best role model for my children by showing them that it is possible to get over those bumps in life. Like I said before dyslexia has been haunting me, but slow and steady is how the turtle won his race.
Even though all of my MWA’s are a little rough, I felt that my compare and contrast essay was the one that best shows my abilities of grasping the concepts. Because at first I did not narrow, my other subjects down I found myself lost with my research and struggling to support my argument and definition paper. A piece of effective writing would be my summary on “Celebrating Nerdiness” by Tom Rogers; I think that I had come along way from the first summary. Wow--- what a trip it was comparing my first summaries to the last summaries. I will be choosing my serious three blogs for my analytical thinking with the connection of our class book, TCT. Along with the serious, I feel my e-portfolio would not be complete with out my “Inventory of Being” so this is my writer’s choice.
The first time our class was asked to post the papers topic ideas, I started to get nervous. All these years and I was always afraid of having my classmates see what a bad writer I actually was. Instead, I broke through that and I learned steps to becoming a better writer. All three of my major writing assignments (MWA’s) were so “underdone”; I was surprised I did not come down with a fatal illness. However, by the time the papers were graded and returned, the professor’s comment is when the light bulb above my head came surged on. The feedback was so nice; it really pulled me through the class.
This was my second time repeating English 98 course. I was so sad, when I was told that I should to repeat the course, and my first thoughts were failure. If only I had the courage, when I was younger to admit that I needed help. I guess my reasons on how I view life have changed. I love the class, so much, I could honestly say in my entire life I never learned so much about writing, reading, and in the end speaking. I still struggle with comprehensive reading and keeping up with the class; it is all about the pace for me. I never in my life have been able to get through a book and to my amazement talk about it. The book, Three cups of Tea, really meant a lot for me. I really enjoy reading everyone’s posts; it has helped me learn to write by examples, think thoroughly, and be constant. I found that the class was very efficient, inspiring, and easy to follow. Everyone was so respectful to other thoughts it made it really feel that there were people out there that think on the same page as me.
It was difficult getting started with the service learning, for a stay at home mom, going to school, it was hard to find a place with such hours. I have had the chance to sit and help with school age kids in the MAP (Minority Achievers Program) offered through the YMCA. The kids are really great and fun to be around. I was so nervous to start but they were so accepting, much more than I imaged them to be. I looked at one of the girls I was helping and told her I was sorry for not understanding her homework. She looked back at me and said “its all right I no you’re just trying to help”; her response was so impressive it almost put tears in my eyes, but I had to suck that one up real quick. We sat there together for another 15 min and worked out her homework. Perseverance is a solid reflection that I hope to shine on another.
Well, it has been nice to have some one to write to, thanks for listening.
Sincerely your caring friend,
Amanda Louis-Kuhnert

Writer's Choice Piece

I am a drifter deposited into a sea of adventure.
At times I rage like a river, and others times, I am as calm, as a lake, in the springtime.
My love is committed to my husband, and my three adoring boys.
I am a perfectionist with a zealous urge to pile all the issues onto one plate.
I am bound by nature, in love with the simple things in life.
Once a pre-adult-know-it-all, now I learning that the more I know, shows how little I really do.
It is just a notion, but by chance, my spilt development, has left me a shipwreck.
I am now left only pieces of that wreckage to battle the mighty Pacific.
Somewhere in my fairy tail escape, I got lost in translation.
Normality is no man's land for me.
I hold firm to ride the wave of life, closing off from an idled mind.
With all aspect combined the good and the very bad has yet to change my mind, for in the end I have found in order to love another, I have to start with learning to love myself.
Inventory of me,
I am a daughter of one mother, and one father.
A sister, of a sister, and she used to call me sissy.
Time has passed…
Rest in peace daddy: a fisherman for life, a hunter with a cause, and a “free bird” in his grace.
My little sister, she lost just like me.
But my urge, the one to get it right, has brought me here today it is because of their three little lives that are so sweat to me--- their innocents, fragile little the strings that hold me firmly place.
I cannot stand waste, so, I slowly learn to change.
My goal in life is to teach children of the connection, of our surroundings, and our impact we have on the earth.
I very compassionate about art, and spend most of my free time working on one peace, or another.
Experiments and discovery, has left me truly involved, with the sciences of the earth, and all its wonderments.
And, even with the rainstorm over head, and by natural law, I know that the rain will always fall.
My name is Amanda Louis, and this my new chapter, of my inventory of being.

Intro to Writer's Choice Piece

For my writer choice, I felt my e-portfolio would not be complete with out my “Inventory on Being”. I really enjoyed composing this piece. I liked how we were able to go back and give are pieces a second polish to are undone work. Even though we did not study poetry, I found myself my more fluent just rereading and catching what I would not have seen before.

Critical Analysis Piece

Definition words:
Mosque is a Muslims place of worship.
Insolvency is unable to pay debts, bankrupt.

Mortenson wrapped up the evening by paraphrasing one of his favorite quotations fro Mother Teresa. “What we are trying to do may be just a drop in the ocean,” Mortenson said, smiling warmly at his audience of three, “But the ocean would be less because of that missing drop”. (p.227)
This quote really made me think, about how true life is. How wonderful people really are. Every day I wake up, start my day out giving my boys breakfast, and continue with the daily task. I feel terrible about not being able to contribute 100 percent of my help. However, I realize that it is not about how much I can give out, it is about how much I try. Since reading this book, my conscience has been wearing on me. Smiling more than usual, greeting friends with a hug instead of hello, helping when I can, counseling my children at eye level, and using manners I since forgot I had. My subtle quite nature is being formed into a respectful adult. I cannot but help crying every turn of the page. This book has some much compassion and self-sacrifice.

“When my father put me in the water I couldn’t control myself and I cried. He was a strong man, and proud, but as I floated away down the Shyok, I saw he had tears in his eyes, too.” (p.204)

I do not know how his father was feeling, but I would imagine it was painful, letting his son go like that. The boy’s journey was amazing to me; could you imagine doing anything like that being a child?

Asmina grabbed Ftima’s hand, and together, they joined the stampede of panicked villagers, running as fast as their legs could take them. Bull all too slowly all the same, toward caves where they could escape the sky. (p.211)

Still this seams to be unbelievable to me; at first I was in disbelief as if, I was watching a movie. It is hard to realize what they are going through, because we only witness these types of events watching television. I have tried not watching the news really because of all the violence. Before this book, I have to admit, I had a hard time understanding what the cause was for all the fights. I am starting to get an understanding. Conversely, I really wanted to bring this up because of the “MSMBC” clip that Professor Shen had linked. I would like to hear about how people had come to there understanding of what the war was like over there and when. I do not know for me, I feel a little selfish, now, for turning off the T.V. My father grew up in the military, and his choice was to stray a way from the sort of life, so I am somewhat naïve, when I comes to any type of violence or politics.
Something that I noticed in the book is that they quit talking about so much tea; its kind similar to how Mortenson life was changing. I like how Mortenson does what he wants; possessive of his passions and no one dares to stand in his way.

Intro to Critical Analysis Piece

“Cerebrating Nerdiness” by Tom Rogers is about a nerdy family being proud of how they are. Tom is a nerd; raising children that are nerds also. He defines nerds as being people that are typically more fixated on things of special interest. Early on in high school is when Tom had found himself as an official nerd. Tom being very interested in education was misunderstood and felt shut out from the social-norm. As an adult, Tom embraced himself with the nerd life style. Tom had become a teacher, wanting to set examples on the way others views nerds, but his message frustratingly went unheard from his students. However, the reality is that not many people have high opinions of nerds because of the stereotype that leaves them permanently labeled. Tom illustrates the truth behind what it means to be a nerd and why they are the way, they are. Giving examples of what his sons went through in school, from teachers judging and peers totally misunderstanding. Regardless of all the ordeals at school, his sons carry on being loyal and upstanding nerds.

Effective Sentences Piece

“Cerebrating Nerdiness” by Tom Rogers is about a nerdy family being proud of how they are. Tom is a nerd; raising children that are nerds also. He defines nerds as being people that are typically more fixated on things of special interest. Early on in high school is when Tom had found himself as an official nerd. Tom being very interested in education was misunderstood and felt shut out from the social-norm. As an adult, Tom embraced himself with the nerd life style. Tom had become a teacher, wanting to set examples on the way others views nerds, but his message frustratingly went unheard from his students. However, the reality is that not many people have high opinions of nerds because of the stereotype that leaves them permanently labeled. Tom illustrates the truth behind what it means to be a nerd and why they are the way, they are. Giving examples of what his sons went through in school, from teachers judging and peers totally misunderstanding. Regardless of all the ordeals at school, his sons carry on being loyal and upstanding nerds.

Intro to "Effective Sentences Piece"

I think that I have come along way from the first summary that we covered in the class to really grasping what it means to summarize and paraphrase pieces. Wow--- what a trip it was comparing my first summaries to the last summaries.

"MWA Piece"

Shopping at Fred Myer

When shopping one expects to be served with a smile, and get quality items for a good price, but some times those needs are hard to meet. I lived in Monroe for over five years and I have shopped at all three major grocers, Albertson, Safeway, and Fred Myers. However, with all attributes combined neither Albertson nor Safeway can provide a shopping atmosphere like Fred Myers. For great costumer service, good prices, and bonus incentives makes Fred Myers the best place to ‘one stop shop’ in the town of Monroe, Washington.
The initial thing I look for, in a choice store is the quality and price value. Comparatively both Fred Myers and Albertsons run close for the cost of food products. However, when comparing Albertson’s prices for all others products, it is no wonder why their food is so inexpensive. Albertson make the bill up in laundry soap, hair supplies, and dog food. Safeway generic brands are good if not better than some ‘brand names’, but Safeway cost of food could not compete with a side by side comparison to Fred Myers prices because in recent years the quality of Fred Myers generic brands has gone up tremendously. Therefore, buy choosing to shop at Safeway does not mean “the saving is in the bag” because the generic brands at either Fred Myers or Safeway measure up to each other in quality. To get the fullest saving and quality ‘the price is right’ at Fred Myers; some saving are up to 15 cents to the dollar on the exact same merchandise. If one was to take a yearly comparison, on each bill at the end of the year the saving is huge.
The importance of pricing is a personal preference, but what might be more convincing is comparing costumer service. Fred Myers customer service, is not only good, it’s great. Fred Myers employees display a great deal of professionalism from their mangers to the clerks. When comparing Albertsons the checkers are 90-percent are unhappy looking, in the over cramped check stands. In addition, the rarity of catching a manger not looking disgruntled, is few, far, and between. While a crossed the street, in the newly remolded Safeway, the drab interior design is dim and cold, has got the entire staff looking depressed, while forcing a smile. When at Fred Myers one should always know that they will be greeted with a sincere smile. The staff at Fred Myers is ready to assist anyone in need of a hand or not!
Talk about the incentives. Motivation is the key to having successful sales, and Fred Myers has its list of large incentives. Not only does Fred Myers sale groceries, but also they have large clothing, home, and garden departments naming Fred Myers as the one-stop-shop-store. Neither Albertson nor Safeway has either of these departments.
Membership cards are a huge attraction to the consumers because of the savings. Fred Myers offers the ‘Reward’ points. Rewards point work like this; every dollar one spent, is one cent tallied. Then every three months or, so, the member receives a total rebate, to be used at Fred Myers stores like cash (taxes not included). If not convinced yet, let us add the savings of commodities on top of the refund, and a member is looking a quite a large deal. Of course, incentives are made to have a costume come back to the store. In order for the ‘Reward’ program to work, it would take a member to focus their busy at Fred Myers to accumulate an amount of points worth receiving a rebate. Membership saving at Safeway includes gas points, air mile, and occasionally little miscellaneous items such as a free loaf of bread. However, if ones not planning on flying or driving a car, it is as if the members money is not good enough for their ‘snuffed up air’. In addition, when it comes to being a member at Albertsons, the incentives are a slim a slice of bread, literately a free loaf of bread.
Overall, there are the rare moments that catch us by surprise. Shopping is not very important to me but, one thing that is well worth pointing out. The staff at Fred Myers is well trained and well liked. Every shopping trip I will run into someone familiar from staff, to locals that I have the chance to get to, in our neighborhood Fred Myers. It is just nice to see people in a good mood from the atmospheres at Fred Myers. As for the Albertson and Safeway, seem to be losing at old fashion friendly store feeling. If the price is right, I would shop at Safeway or Albertsons, because the truth is a coupon is a coupon, and as a mom every penny saved is a penny earned. But, it’s nice to have the bonuses that Fred Myers provides.

Intro to "MWA piece"

I chose my compare and contrast essay to use a in my e-portfolio because I had worked had on using the formula. By the time I was done, I had felt confident that I would be able use this from of writing in the future more efficiently. I really appreciated how thorough Professor Shen was in her feedback. (I feel it was beyond expatiations, and what I would call what it means to be a truly great teacher---thanks a million, Phebe.) I really liked how we were able to post drafts and receive a number of eyes proofing and commenting. Furthermore, posting are drafts had not only built up my weak points but also pointed me in direction to come up with larger and expanded ideas.