NonFiction Essay

I have chosen to write my response to a nonfiction essay about Animal Research. I will be referring to the essay titled: "Animal Research Saves Human Lives" by Helosia Sabin. I am planning on doing some light research on the Polio disease. Not only will I pull evidence from Sabin's husband's involvement with the disease and the oral vaccination that he found but also from evidence from the Internet. One of the main pieces of evidence that I will use in my paper is: "without animal research, this Polio vaccination could not have been discovered." Another important piece of evidence that I plan to use in my paper is about how more recent generations "only know Polio as a word, and do not have to experience it as a reality." Animal research as a whole only produces a good outcome, and without it where would we be in the medical world? Agreeing with animal research to look for cures of lethal diseases, I plan to frown down upon using animals for cosmetology purposes.

For UNCW Football Team

In my opinion, UNCW should most definitely have a football team. School spirit would increase dramatically! Having school spirit makes Universities successful. Having this athletic sport would give students another way to become more involved and connected to campus. This would encourage the students who live off campus in the town of Wilmington to go to games and help support their school. Students would not have to go to other North Carolina Universities just to experience events such as "tailgating." Also, the acceptance rate would be much more competitive because of all the athletes that would want to attend. Another important reason for UNCW to have a football team would be the income. This sport is capable of bringing in thousands, if not millions of dollars. When the economy is in the horrible shape that it's currently in, all Universities are required to make budget cuts for "unnecessary" things. The extra money that football would make could easily support UNCW academically. Money could pay for extra resources to make this school a better place. Having a football team could only help in a positive fashion.

Weekend Extravaganza

So this weekend I am going to Chapel Hill to visit some friends...hopefully, it will turn out better than the last time I was up there. I am so ready for classes to be over and to get on the road.

Thursdays mean..work alllll day. So that's what I am doing, after my lunch break. I work at State Employees Credit Union. I have been there for about 3 years now and I love it. Even though I am the youngest one there, I love my co-workers. I am currently debating on whether or not to take Summer school which would mean that I would have absolutely no time at all to work during the session...this also means no money :-/ I really don't want to take classes during the Summer because I think that it is a time for relaxing and catching up with friends...but what teenager doesn't think like this?

I also have a lotttt of homework that needs to get completed during this weekend, including my final draft of the compare and contrast paper. Looks like it will all have to wait until Sunday when I get back home. Let's just say I am not looking forward to that...

ADD

I am beginning to think that I have ADD because I cannot focus on ANYthing...Sunday night I told myself that I was going to be productive this week and get ahead on all of my work so the work that I will have to do over Spring Break will be limited. I have already had a test this week and I have another one on Friday in Calculus. I think I did okay on the first one, but we will see.

All I can think about is Spring Break and all my friends that are coming home. I am not going anywhere exciting but this doesn't really bother me because my best friend will be here. Thus meaning, I will have plenty of things to do. Not complaining but I find it weird that almost all the major colleges in NC have the same Spring Break as UNCW. UNC, Appalachian, ECU and maybe even more will all be on SB as well. :-)

I do not want to do extra work on top of the regular weekly work that I have to do. This is probably going to bite me in the butt later..but oh well. Another thing that I am excited for is the upcoming warm weather that we have in store for Wilmington. All next week it is supposed to be low to mid 70's. I HATE COLD WEATHER! I just wish that it would stay at a constant temperature instead of teasing us when its warm, and then the next day it is literally freezing.

Advertisement Outline

I. Picture Ad
A. Describe picture
1. Assumed beach setting
2. Hidden meaning of products motto
-Forget about your troubles; Have fun
B. Sexuality between characters
1. Positioning of two models
2. Facial expressions
3. Beach attire
II. Commercial Ad
A. Describe events
1. Meeting the parents
-A stressful situation
2. Effects from using product
- Makes parents happy and welcoming
- Helps with relaxation & nervous jitters
III. Comparison (How Commercial is better)
A. Inferences
1. Clear Messages (Picture- must assume that two are dating; Commercial- you can be sure that they are dating because of dialogue)
B. Capable of telling a more detailed story
1. Moving pictures (Commercial shows outcome of product)
2. Conversation
3. Body Language (Commercial- product expresses urge that the boyfriend feels uncomfortable; product is an "escape")
C. Impulse Buying
1. Seeing product used in a more real and more explained scenario

Advertising

I chose to write my paper on an advertisement for the famous liquor, Jose Cuervo. There is no particular reason for this, I just thought it would be interesting to compare how I believe that in this case, a commercial for alcohol sells better compared to just a picture ad for alcohol.

My reasoning behind the commercial selling this particular product more efficiently is because this moving picture has the ability to better explain a story, whereas one frame of an ad does not have this advantage. I think there is a more obvious message in the commercial. In the commercial I chose, it is apparent that the boyfriend is very nervous to meet the parents of his significant other. With the help of the product, the parents welcome and invite the boy inside. This commercial is very clear and concise with the main point; it can help calm your nerves in a special, yet stressful situation in life.

I will also discuss impulse buying in my paper and how it may influence those who see these ads to go out and buy the product, possibly regretting this decision later. Another point that I will mention in my paper, especially when discussing the picture, will be the impact of "sex selling." One can make inferences about the picture that the two subjects may be dating or possibly even married. Advertising has a way with leaving the viewer with many ideas. A negative aspect of the picture ad is determining whether or not these ideas are what the producer wanted to create.

Friends

We were told to watch television as we write our blog...It is about 510 in the afternoon and of course I turn on the Fox channel because Friends is on. I have probably seen just about every episode of this series imaginable, but I love every single one of them equally.

This particular one is about Rachel dating and how Ross' jealousy increases as he watches the love of his life move on with her romantic life. Also Phoebe and Monica are bickering over who has the right to date an attractive man in a coma that is laying on his bed in the hospital. He finally wakes up and neither of them are impressed, go figure.

Lets just say I hate commercials but I understand the point of them. In the short time that I have been watching this show, there has been two previews foreshadowing what the nightly news at 10 will be discussing and also a number of other advertisements for either products that are currently supporting the show I am watching. Boo for interruptions.

Song

Although I like a wide variety of music, I chose to write about the country artist Taylor Swift. Her most recent album, "Fearless" came out in November of last year. I bought this c.d. and love everything about it! This particular teen artist writes almost all of her songs based upon her life experiences. Being that she is a young female close to the same age as me, I find it very easy to relate or connect to the tracks on her album.

Even though it is hard to narrow it down to just one, my favorite song would probably be "Love Story." It has a very catchy beat and strong, meaningful verses in my opinion. I first heard this song when I was with three of my best girlfriends as we were riding in the car laughing and cutting up. Having such a fond memory while this song was on in the past, definitely has a major impact on the reasons that I like it as much as I do. This reminiscence also leads to the happy mood I get in whenever this song is playing.

"Love Story" describes a relationship and all the obstacles a couple must overcome. With references to the Shakespearean play Romeo and Juliet, Taylor reassures everyone listening that there will always be a positive outcome, no matter the things that may get in the way.

Adventure

This past weekend I went up to UNC again to visit people. I listened to my best friend who happens to attend the school and parked in an unmarked spot. I thought that it would be okay to do this because another car had done it as well, and I knew I wouldn't be parked there for very long. I simply drove in behind the car and went inside my friends room. Another reason that this sounded like a good idea was because usually from Friday to Sunday there are no parking rules enforced. As it turns out, I actually parked in a fire lane zone. Worst idea ever!. This will cost me $250 unless my friend can get it appealed. Hopefully the charges will be dropped and I can save this money for something that I want to spend it on. You can imagine how angry this made me. My birthday is this Sunday, so hopefully things will go a lot better than this past weekend. I am going to try to be optimistic.

Our rough draft was due Monday. I think I did a good job. After going to the conference I realized that there are a few things that need to be fixed and a few things that I need to add in my paper. Nothing major.

The Duke vs. Carolina game is tonight! I cannot wait to see the outcome, although everyone knows who is going to win...UNC! I currently have plans to get together tonight with some friends to watch the game. I know Carolina won't let me down.

Words

Thinking about the words that I say most often is actually a difficult task to do. Whenever I am texting on my phone, I know I say the phase "haha" a lot, but that is not technically a word. I say "like" a lot whenever I am put on the spot, such as when I am asked a question in class. This may be because I get nervous very easily. I was blessed with a shy personality and that often reflects on my speech when I am not in a completely comfortable setting. Whenever I do say this word I don’t notice it; however, if someone else says it a lot it really annoys me. I also say "whatever" a lot, mostly when I am conversing to one of my friends. This ambiguous word can be taken several different ways. Usually when I say it I do not mean it to be rude in any way. These are the only ones that I have observed or paid close attention to this week; however, I am sure that I use several other words a lot without realizing it.

E.P.A. Evaluation

After viewing the Environmental Protection Agency home web page, one can easily see the points the creator is trying to get across. Near the top part of the site there are several different links one can click on to find out easy ways to get involved in all types of settings. Saving energy, reducing air pollution and greenhouse gases, using water only when needed and recycling are just a few of the things you will learn about from these links.

One thing that I found interesting in particular was the interactive polls that were available to all users. The multiple choice question that I answered was about annual lung cancer deaths caused by radon exposure. The correct answer was twenty thousand, which I found very hard to believe. After you answer, the agency then further explains some important facts related to the question. This was very helpful, whereas I had no idea radon was such a major harmful killer.

This website also reaches out to all ages. Whether it is elementary, middle, or high school kids everyone is invited to help out the earth. I think that this is on the main page because of the whole idea of change starting with the younger generations. These links are very helpful and comprehensible for the younger mind.

There are also laws and regulations that anyone involved in the EPA must abide by. One act that I found interesting was the Endangered Species Act. This act protects all plants and animals where someone has previously argued that a threatened species should be on a special list. I found it helpful that anyone is allowed to argue for any species that they believe should be protected.

Overall, I thought that the Environmental Protection Agency did a great job of getting their goals of preserving wildlife and making the world around us a better place. This website is not only easily accessible and informative, but it also reaches out to all age groups. This allows and encourages everyone that is interested to get involved.

Super Sunday

I just got home from the beach. Of course it was gorgeous down there. It was almost sixty degrees and sunny..in February! Gotta love that Wilmington weather! I took a lot of notes, in my opinion that will hopefully be enough information to help me with my descriptive essay for English class. Now I just have to figure out how to put together an outline to organize all of my thoughts.

Later today, I am going to a Superbowl party and I cannot waitttt! Honestly I could care less who wins, although I do think Larry Fitzgerald is an awesome wide receiver. I guess it would be rather exciting for the Arizona Cardinals to win since it is there first time being in a Superbowl, EVER. So maybe I will root for them, but who knows? I am kind of looking forward to all the great Superbowl snacks that will be at this party. Since I still live at home with my family, I still get to eat a lot of homemade meals...such as my dad's chilly that he is making for tonight. I don't have to eat in the Hawks Nest or at Wagoner Hall everyday, and I am so appreciative for this. What could be better on a lazy Sunday afternoon?..football and food, perfect.

Rainy Mountain

What is the method of development in the first paragraph? How does the introduction, with its focus on Rainy Mountain, serve as a vehicle for the central meanings in the essay?

After reading the very first paragraph, the reader can vividly see how Rainy Mountain may appear to an outsider; although, there is much more to it than that. The descriptive examples Momaday uses such as "...grass turns brittle and brown..groves of hickory and pecan, willow...green and yellow grasshoppers are everywhere.." profoundly give the reader a distinct physical picture of the Kiowas and where this nomadic tribe lived during their time in Oklahoma.

The opening paragraph also gives off a major sense of solitude and loneliness. Momaday has returned to Rainy Mountain to pay his respect and to say his goodbyes to his dead grandmother. The reader can easily feel how much he appreciated her as a person and also as a Kiowa Indian by the way he talks about her accomplishments during her lifetime. The author explains a few of the historical events this tribe had to go through in order to obtain there land. Whether it was various tribes pushing the Kiowas further from their previous settlements through an act of war or the deteriorating buffalo (a major food source for this particular tribe) they experienced it all. His grandmother was along for this intense journey of survival. Another example of how this essay represents loneliness is near the closing of the story. Momaday recalls visiting his grandmother when he was young. Now looking back after the funeral, and cherishing distant memories, he is hit hard with reality. He learns that there is no going back and life will go on no matter what.

Numero Tres

Throughout my lifetime I have vividly seen how the earth and all its offerings are often taken advantage of. It saddens me when I think about how my future generations will not have some of the valuable resources that we currently have and are taking for granted. Resources such as the water we drink, the trees that manufacture numerous items in our everyday lives, and even the air we breathe, will soon vanish. Historical sites that teach us about our ancestors such as the "Red Man" (also known as Indians) are also quickly disappearing. Man is often taking over the land in order to build a new shopping mall without even hesitating. If this continues to go on, what will our future behold? There will be no other way to learn about one's culture unless it is done through a textbook. I do appreciate how some landmarks around the world are being preserved for this very reason; however, many such as the Battleship in Wilmington are often overlooked due to our weak American system of values. Although this one in particular is very accessible and nearby, there are many natives that have never actually visited this historical site. One of our main goals should be to express the importance of these historical sights and structures in order to carry our countries past into the future.

Car Trouble

So this weekend was a success for the most part...I made it to Chapel Hill on Friday night! I got to spend time with my best friend Kelsey, as well as some other people that are very close to me. I thought that it was cold here in Wilmington but after being up there for the long weekend, I realize that I should not complain at all. My boyfriend also goes to the University North Carolina at Chapel Hill so I got to meet a lot of his school friends, which was also very exciting.

I came home around four o'clock Monday afternoon. There was absolutely no traffic, which was amazing. As soon as I entered the Wilmington area, I decided to make a pit stop at the grocery store. After I finished my errand and got back into my car to start the ignition, it wouldn't start...you can imagine how upset I was. The only good thing from this experience was that I was able to make it back home safely. Hopefully nothing major is wrong with my car...but we will have to see.

After hearing the news of a possible snowstorm I was very happy! I always get my hopes up though because whenever the weatherman says there is a chance of snow, it almost never happens here in town. That is one of the faults of living in Wilmington because you never know what the weather will actually be like on a daily basis. This time they were correct; I woke up around ten this morning and sure enough there was white everywhere! My friend Anna and I went down to Wrightsville Beach around noon today to check out the scenery. Unbelievably, there were a handful of surfers out in the water acting as if they didn't know how cold it was. We both found this quite ridiculous.

A Little Bit About Me

I was born and raised in Wilmington, North Carolina my entire life. I believe there is no place like home; although it is occasionally nice to get away and travel. I love warm weather and relaxing at the beach all day. This largely contributes to the reasons why I love this town so much. I am about to turn 19 years old in February and I cannot wait! I am currently still living at home with my family. Having two younger brothers that drive me up the wall the majority of the time is very difficult at my age. I often wonder how nice it will be to have a place of my own and live that new adventure of freedom. My best friend in the entire world goes to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. We have been close ever since we were in the eighth grade together. I am actually going to visit her this weekend (as well as some other close friends) since we have an exceptionally long weekend due to Martin Luther King Day. I am so ready for classes to be over tomorrow so that I can just get on the road!

Blog Evaluation

I have wanted to become a nurse for about three years now. I cannot see myself doing anything other than providing care for others who greatly require or seek medical attention. When we were given the assignment to search for a blog that interests you, of course I immediately began looking for one that would relate to my future. I found a great blog that can be found at this website address: http://www.codeblog.com/.

This particular blog was written by a nurse involved with the CCU (Critical Care Unit). She has been a nurse for eleven years, and just wanted an easily accessible way to share some of her experiences she has come across. This nurse discusses everything from her difficulties to the rewards such a job as nursing provides. Whether she is learning about new medications that come into the hospital on a regular basis or she is focusing on her multiple patients around the clock, there is always something that needs to be done.

This blog really helped me to further visualize how this career might take a tole on me when I am in her position. I know that I will have to dedicate my life to this profession; however, I believe with the appropriate time in school, I will be completely prepared. This blog also had several links that took the viewer to see further conversations about relating topics. I found this very helpful, for it answered a few more of my questions, and cleared up some of my curiosity.