Reflection #5

"The MOTS"

 As my roommates and myself would say, because we like to shorten EVERYTHING "The MOTS" really means "The Motivation". Which sadly I do not have at this point of the semester. I never knew how bad and surreal the lack of sleep could affect a person, until about late September where it all started to now which is October 13th; with that said I am officially *drum roll*  two weeks behind on sleep, Yay Me!! I have never felt more like a Zombie ever in my whole 18 years of life. This is definitely something i wouldn't wish on anyone. My lack of sleep is so bad that it has caused me to have no MOTS at all whatsoever.  Not only that but these past weeks I have been a surly, snarky little witch, and I feel so terrible for anyone who's around me. I have no idea who iv'e become but thankfully I know how to get myself out of this pickle of Sleep Deprivation and that's for me at least going to church and hearing the beautiful word. Overall I think the problem has been, that I have had no time for anything including church.  I'm putting way to much on my plate and being a horrible procrastinator doesn't help either. So NEW PLAN! I'm now going to have a whole day to sleep on Saturday, catch up on all my amazing work I need to do, and go to church. I need to get myself motivated and healthy again so I can finish this semester the way I started it. I mean after all this whole situation came completely by happenstance, I never thought I would get or at least feel as if I was "past the point of no return." It's tough but i have to say these have been the best months that I'll remember forever, so i know better to make the most out of everything.

To Do List

Must Do:

• Study for "The things they carried" test.
• Bible Study
• Buy Broadway Con tickets.

Should Do:

• Wash laundry
• Call Home 
• Call in for an interview with "Dream Job"

Could Do:

• Get a full 8 hours to SLEEP
• Have me time
• Go running

Blog #3

   Looking into the past many lessons were learned and memories made. If I could sum up my whole past week into one word it would be "procrastination". If there's one thing I learned and one memory I created they would both revolve around my horrible habit of procrastinating. All week I've been busy with school and work but still have had the opportunity to do my "Must Do"
On my To Do list. Which usually consist of my homework, but because of this horrible habit of mine I kept pushing and pushing everything back thinking it would be more helpful. Of course it only made everything more stressful at the end of the week. Not only has my procrastinating affect my school life but my outside of school life has been affected as well. For example I've had the most amazing opportunity to see Idina Menzel who's an incredible Broadway singer but of course before the show I decided I had all the time in the world to get ready. While we were stuck in the five o'clock traffic I realized this habit of mine needs to be worked on. So what I'm looking forward to accomplishing this coming up week is improvement on my procrastinating. I'm not expecting to break this habit of mine in a week but taking the step to improve will surely make a difference. Learning and making memories goes a long ways, it all depends on a person's view point. I tend to look at the positives always. You live and you learn, it's what makes us who we are.

Vocabulary #3

1. Pious  (pg.43) adjective 

• "...the merchants and farmers, the pious churchgoers, the chatty housewives, the PTA and the lions club... " (Paragraph 1)

         

• The image shows a man giving a religious devotion to a king.
• The pious man bowed down to his King.

   2.   Vigil (pg.53) noun

• "... To guide me across the river and to take me to the edge and to stand to a kind vigil as I choose a life for myself."  

           

• This image shows people gathering together during the normal time of sleep in honor of someone.
• Every January 1st at dawn most people gather together for a vigil.

   3.  Censure (pg.42) noun

• "I feared ridicule and censure."

         

• In this picture a man is being disapproved or shamed by many.
• The student will receive a censure for disrupting the class.

To Do List

                                                        Must Do: 

*Homework

  *Clean House

    *Get Groceries 

                                                        Should Do:

     *Bible Study 

*Workout

 *Decorate

                                                        Could Do:

                                                                          *Nails

        *Go to movies

                        *Hangout with my sister

Vocabulary #2

1.Tedious (pg.39) ­adj. 

            ○ "Nothing radical, no hothead stuff, just ringing a few doorbells for Gene

McCarthy, composing a few tedious, uninspired editorials for the campus

newspaper." (paragraph 2) 

            ○ Example: "Nothing radical, no hothead stuff" 

            ○ Explain: because being tedious is usually long and boring so by not being radical

it must not be interesting. 

            ○ My math teacher was very tedious with his lecture.

2. Smug (pg.39) ­adj. 

            ○ "Stupidly, with a kind of smug removal that I can't fathom, I assumed that the

problems of killing and dying did not fall within my special province." (Paragraph 2) 

           ○ Example: "removal that I can't fathom" ○ Explain: some people's pride can be annoying and he can't fathom it" 

           ○ After my mom was honored for her hard work during an event she was feeling of

smug. 

3. Vigil (pg.53) ­noun

           ○ "...to guide me across the river and to take me to the edge and to stand a kind of vigil as I chose a life for myself." (Paragraph 3)

           ○ Example: "stand a kind" 

           ○ Explain: because vigil means to be awake during a time of sleep most people

can't sleep standing so by him standing he wouldn't be able to sleep."

           ○ In order to see the meteor shower we had to keep a vigil.

Reflection #2

When I was a child I loved to sit and watch people.  I have always had a knack for watching others, laugh, tell stories and just enjoy life.  Sometimes my grandma would always tell me stories about her life growing up. One of the stories she told me was about a mouse, but as she would say "This wasn't an ordinary mouse."  The story of the mouse was a metaphor of a lesson she learned in her younger years.  The mouse was different.  It could smell things that none of the other mice could.   Although his uniqueness was a gift, the little mouse saw it as a curse.  One day, the mouse pleaded for his gift to be taken away because it caused him to smell things he didn't want to.  But he was created this way for a reason.  He had to learn to enjoy his gift and use it for the better.  He in turn used his scent ability to protect his family from poison.  This kind of goes with a scripture I enjoy: What the devil meant for evil, God turns to good.  My grandma would tell me to put aside the things that bother me, because the overall picture of life is bigger. 

I would tell people to enjoy what they have been given and use it for the better.  You can always change something from bad to good.  I hold this story dear to me because a persons character, and what you make out of situations, reflects who you are as a person.  I hope to reflect the type a woman my grandma was, a woman of God.

                                         TO DO LIST

                Must Do: 
                                     *Homework
                                     *Make Dinner
                                     *Clean
                       Should Do:
                                     *Workout
                                     *Pack lunch for tomorrow
                                     *Bible Study
                       Could Do:
                                     *Wash Clothes 
                                     *Coconut Oil treatment
                                     *Paint Nails

In My Backpack

I carry Strength. A constant saying I tell myself is "Everything is going to be okay, just have faith." This world is cruel and not a day goes by without some kind of obstacle waiting for you. You cant make it through life without being strong. Having strength is the key and thankfully that's something I feel I carry.
As a child I spent many summers at my abuelita's house playing under the shade of the fruit trees, taking in the warm air and sweet smell of citrus. The house was always full of laughter and wonderful conversation. As the grandchildren played outside, my abuelita, my mother and her sisters would work together in the kitchen, cutting up fruit from the fruit trees and making sweet melon juice.
One summer afternoon my abuelita asked me, "If you could pick one word to describe yourself, what would it be?" Earlier that morning I decided to brave the unknown and climb up the grand oak tree in the front yard. To no surprise, one wrong step and I toppled out of the tree and recieved my first deep wound on my right leg. To my rescue my mother ran to my aid, smiling from ear to ear, she had a bag of Marshmallows in her hand! My love she said, "Hurry! Eat a Mallow so your cut will stop hurting!" She nursed my wound and asked if I was okay. With a mouthful of mallows all the worries and pain had vanished and I smiled as my mother kissed my forehead, held me close and said, "OH what a strong girl you are." I ran inside to show off my battle scars to my abuelita and thats when she asked me. Strong is my mother not showing the fear in her eyes when she saw her daughter laying hurt underneath the tree, strong is my grandmother, having worked all her life to support her family. So I answered I am strong abuelita. She pushed the hair out of my eyes and said, that's right mija, thats right.

Vocabulary

1. Profound   (pg.12) adj. 

• “The guy's dead, he kept saying, which seemed profound- the guy's dead. I mean really” (paragraph 2)
• Example: “He kept saying”
• Explain: Because of the repeating that the guy's dead, but its not processing well to everyone.
• When a child goes through a parent's divorce it's a profound experience.

2. Poise (pg.18) noun

• “For the most part they carried themselves with poise, a kind of dignity.” (paragraph 2)
• Example: “they carried themselves”
• Explain: Because i think of them walking in a uniform way. Holding it together and being brave.
• The ballerina performed with great poise.

3. Resignation (pg.19) noun

• “Some carried themselves with a sort of resignation, others with pride or stiff soldierly discipline or good humor or macho zeal.”
• Example: “Others with pride or stiff soldierly discipline”
• Explain: Because it's showing that resignation must be the complete opposite.
• After the top student in math failed his final he showed resignation to the next one in line.