Composition II (Unit 10)

It feels so right to type "Unit 10" in the Title.

I should have done this with many more of these blogs, as it would have helped me to come up with a topic. For the Final blog, I'm going to use the pre-determined questions and just answer them.

• What areas do you feel you strengthened in the past 10 weeks?

The one thing that sticks out to me from this course are the different writing techniques. I had a paper that was due in another class and I used the "listing technique" to write it. I just listed the thesis statement for each paragraph and just went from there. It was so much easier to complete the paper than if I would have just sat down and typed like I normally do.

• What areas do you feel still need improvement in regards to writing?

I know I will always need improvement when it comes to writing. Getting used to the APA format is something that I will continue to improve on - especially if I still need to write papers throughout my educational career. I would like to get comfortable with the different writing techniques as well.

• Any final thoughts or statements to make before we wrap up?

If I had to recommend anything to an incoming student, I would suggest not procrastinating. I dreaded this blog each week and it was always the 11th hour before I finally got something posted. I should have just knocked it out on the day it was assigned. As a result, I didn't even blog for one week because I forgot completely about it.

Composition II (Unit 9)

Back from Unit 8 - I honestly forgot to post on this thing. I had a busy week with a few projects due and I completely forgot I had this blog.

I'm really glad the end of this quarter is here. I'm all ready for my next classes to begin - which I'm pretty sure makes my 5th term? I'm coming up on one year in Kaplan University and I'll have 85 credits after this quarter ends towards a Health Sciences degree. Originally I wanted to go to Physical Therapy school, but finding an internship and volunteer hours that works with the University is proving hard to come by.

I've found that I have some options to work with upon earning a Health Sciences degree. I might go into dietetics or nutrition. I've always been interested in staying in shape, exercising, and proper diet. Maybe I can take that into a career. My first priority is Physical Therapy school but we'll see how far that can go.

Composition II (Unit 7)

Another Tuesday and I'm back on this blog -

There is a debate going on this week about a Mosque being built at Ground Zero. A lot of people believe this is a slap in the face to the victims and families who were involved in 9/11, but I have to disagree. This country was founded on freedom of religion; and what better way to show the world that all Muslims aren't like the extremists that caused all this pain and suffering than to be a positive influence in that community?

Keith Olbermann pointed out something in an episode last week, and as an Iraq veteran, I thought it was a great point: "We sacrificed 4,415 of our military personnel in Iraq to save Muslims, and there are thousands still there tonight to protect Muslims, but we don't want Muslims to open a combination culinary school and prayer space in Manhattan?"

Also worth pointing out: The "Mosque" is not at Ground Zero - it's blocks away. Also, it's a community building with thirteen stories; it's to include a basketball court and a culinary school. The top two stores are reserved for prayer areas.

In conclusion, it's 2010 and we still want to segregate people because we are confused about what is "different."

Composition II (Unit 6)

I am always having a rough time with these!

Last week, it was about three hours later than it is right now when I posted this blog, so at least I'm a little earlier this week... Even if it is by a few hours. Honestly, I have no excuse why - it's just hard to come up with anything that even sounds interesting. I just finished submitting my rough draft for Unit 6 about homeless veterans. I'm having a rough time with the conclusion-paragraph, but I think it will all come together by the time the final draft is complete.

My other two classes we're going over the cardiovascular system. More specifically the heart, and even more specifically: "myocardial infarction." <-- fancy way of saying "heart attack." In one way, it's kind of nice that I can write about anything I want in this blog, but I hate that I have nothing to write about without direction. I think this blog made me realize that I do not have what it takes to be a writer.

There might be one small thing: I'm curious why people in this country complain so much about moving forward. Healthcare and tolerance are a few examples - and it just made the fat people dress like Paul Revere and "tea-bag" their way to a fold-out chair to picket. Nothing is ever going to be perfect but we will always be striving to be better than what we are now. Maybe someone on the other side of this issue can help answer this for me.

Composition II (Unit 5)

Another boring week In West Virginia...

It seems to always be the 11th hour that I am finally logging onto this thing and writing some arbitrary article about what is going on in my life. I am terrible at these things... I feel like it's almost like reality TV. I mean, who cares about what happens in my life!?

I have many interests I could blog about, but I know they would start arguments and I don't feel like adding more to my plate as far as school is concerned. I have enough to do. For example, I am a huge liberal. I could blog about politics and opinions, but I don't want to get people too fired up. Another example: I'm not very religious. I could blog about religion and my feelings; however, same thing.

I thought about making up things too. Making up an exciting life about skydiving, dame-rescuing, fast car driving, super-agent stuff... you know, just to be fun. Not sure how that has anything to do with the healthcare profession, but then again, neither does this. Maybe next week....

So here it is, another look into my life. Right now I'm just trying to focus on work and school until I graduate. Then I'll make my life a little more exciting. Right now I'm taking full advantage of how non-exciting my life is so I can actually get some work done.


Have a great week everyone.. or more realistically Nikke, the only one reading this... =)

Composition II (Unit 4)

I always have a rough time with these things... my life is so boring I can't imagine anyone wanting to read about what I have going on!

At the suggestion of a classmate, I chose to write about my Lhasa Apso Hillary. She's named after Sir Edmond Hillary, not the Clinton - not that I have anything against the Clinton, I'm a democrat =).

Ok anyway - recently I had to put my little dog to sleep. She was 14 years old, I am 28 - doing the math, I've had her half of my life. But, she was old, blind, and she had no control over her bowels. It had to be done.

I was surprised about how quick the procedure took. They shaved some hair off of her front leg and inserted the medication into her vein. Before the needle was out, she had passed on. It was sad, but the whole family was there - That helped.. we were all there when we picked her out together, and 14-years later, we were all there for her final moments.

She was buried at my parents house, where she enjoyed her youth running around the yard and playing...

I'm going to miss that little dog. It's weird, the house feels alone without her here. I know that she was just a dog, but she really was part of the family - and she was a decent little roommate.

Composition II (Unit 3)

At first I was going to go with the suggested topics since I am no fun, however I found something I might be able to write about that could be half-way interesting.

A day in the life at Victoria's Secret.

I will start off by saying, and some of you already know this, that I am the only guy working at a Victoria's Secret with 40+ girls. There are all sorts of stories and exciting things that happen throughout most business days. This particular day was just yesterday, July 26.

The man that came into the store was visibly out of his element. He was wandering around aimlessly with 3 kids in tow before on of the girls asked if she could be of assistance. I was asked to assist the female associate that was helping him - not sure why, maybe because I had that "male point of view." Anyway, the gentleman was looking for lingerie for his fiance and wasn't sure of her cup-size. He began to explain that it was, "a handful," while holding up his fingers-stretched and slightly cupped, as if he was grabbing something. When the female associate said that she would not be able to get an accurate measurement from his hand, he pulled out his phone and began searching through the pictures. The man then showed an adult picture of his fiance to me and the other girl, hoping we could get a good measurement of her cup-size from the photo. Floored, I said, "Sir, I think you'll just have to find out her cup size or just bring her in."

Still recovering from what had happened earlier in my shift, I was near the dressing room placing bras in the drawer-sets on the floor. A woman peered her head around the corner and said, "Sir, do you think this looks sexy?" It would have been much sexier if she was 100lbs lighter and 20 years younger, but I told her that the bra she was wearing complimented her, and I would get another associate for assistance. I then ran off before she had a chance to respond.

Two years ago I was getting out of the military. I had no idea any of this would be in my future...

Composition II

I had to set this blog up for my Composition II class, and I figured I would use this opportunity to tell a little about myself.

I'm 28 years old and I reside in Parkersburg, West Virginia. I've mentioned this before but I'll say it again; contrary to popular belief, WV is it's own state. It seems like everytime I go on vacation there is someone who tells me once they have found out where I am from that they have a cousin in Richmond. This is not relevant to me.

I have never been married and I don't have any children. I love playing basketball, and I try to play with my younger brother any and every chance I get. I have a part time job at Victoria's Secret in our local mall, and I love it. I am the only guy working along 40+ beautiful girls. I get a discount for my mother and she enjoys that as well.

I spent 8 years in the Army Reserve where I did a tour in Iraq. I was a crane operator and my primary job was to set the force-protection concrete barriers at the polling sites all over the country. Although I believe we have no purpose being in Iraq, I was proud to serve and do my job. I met many of my lifelong friends while I was there.

I look forward to getting to know people via this blog - and I look forward to "following" everyone else!