Essay 1 Idea post

Killer Whales
My topic would be Killer Whales.  I saw my first Killer Whale at Sea World in San Diego, CA.

I really wanted to learn more about them, after seeing Keiko, when he was still alive. I noticed that he would come up to the window to see the visitors.

I would like to know more about the Killer Whale, because they fascinate me with their loyalty to family, and their trek up and down the coast of the United States.

I wonder what they think of us.  I also have wondered why, some of the Killer Whales seem to be ok to train, but others attack.  I have often wondered how they protect their young from their enemies.

I am not sure why I want other people to know about the Killer Whale.
I only know that they fascinate me.

Read and Respond #2,

My Memories of My Favorite Seafood

Growing up my parents always treated any visiting relative to a wonderful seafood meal that my Dad caught and prepared for them. It was so awesome to our senses, and we could not wait to sit down with our North Carolina relatives to enjoy the sea's bounty.
       Dad would get up early a couple days in a row, while the relatives were visiting to collect the bounty. On the second evening he would start preparing the clams, oysters, salmon, smelt, and of course my favorite,crab.
        He would season the various waters to prepare for the shellfish to be boiled in, and then slather the salmon with softened real butter and his special blend of seasons.  The smelt was usually deep fried after it was put into egg and drug through flour. While he prepared the ocean food, my Mother would make cole slaw, and potato salad, and for the finishing touch she would make corn meal pancakes, which were made with corn meal brought to my Mother from North Carolina.
        We had been brought up on seafood, so we were use to the smell that comes along with the fantastic taste at the end of preparation. Our relatives nose would scrunch up because their noses could not handle the fishy smell.
         When the food was ready, Dad would cover the table with newspaper and put a roll of paper towels and all the tools we used to get meat out of the shells, in the middle of the table. With our paper plates in front of us, every one dug into the food.  I laughed until I cried when one of my cousins tried to bite into the shell of a crab.  He did not realize that there are special instruments for cracking the shell open. He crunched loudly and then spit the broken shell onto his plate. His face was priceless, and we all laughed at him. He was showed how to get to the good stuff, but he was not happy that he had to work hard to get to the yummy meat inside.
          The seafood was warm, aromatic, soft and tender with the flavor of butter thrown into the mixture that went over the tongue.  I can almost taste the crab's flavor that I love so much. I wish that everyone could enjoy the flavor of my Dad's seafood, I know we did.

Reflection Narrative Paragraph

My Reflections

My reflection on the Narrative Paragraph that I just wrote is that it was nice to think about that trip again. We have gone back again about 5 years ago, and Mr. Clinton was not there. The whole place was very quiet, as the trip was the last week of August vacations. I also enjoyed seeing Old Faithful proceed to blow water to the height of about fifteen feet. The anticipation is so interesting as you watch and watch, and then the water begins to trickle out and gradually it is blowing hot water up very high. Awesome!

As far as the the writing side of the Narrative Paragraph, it was hard for me to even come up with a Title and a subject matter. I found that the process was not coming together at first. Went to the Tutor center and Shawn helped to figure out the topic. I now see, that once I get started I am fine with the rest of the process of the narrative paragraph.

The Sanctuary of School

      My thoughts on "The Sanctuary of School," is that the author is describing the actual situation that so many school children are dealing with today.  It breaks my heart that she was not missed and that she knew that she was not missed.  The parents had forgotten that their little girl was important, too. The life in her home must of been full of tension, hurt and self pity. Barry was so mixed up that she got up early. Most children would not get out of bed to go to school so that early. The panic that she was feeling must of pushed her to the place that she felt safe and secure to be in.  The school offered her a safe haven, with people who saw her potential, and not just another mouth to feed.  Mrs. LeSane took an interest in a student, and encouraged her, and then provided the materials for Barry to express her mixed feelings. The school did not harbor the tension, nor did it make Barry feel like she was not wanted or needed. I really appreciate the staff's willingness to take their time to be there for Barry.  Our schools need to regroup and go back in time to learn that children have hearts, minds, and most importantly they have feelings that some adults have stomped on until the child is broken into several pieces. I really appreciated the school having the children to say the "Pledge of Allegiance."

The Accident That Changed My Life (Cause and Effect Paragraph)

Mary Jo Jensen

J. Kepka

Cause and Effect Paragraph

April 23, 2013

The Car Accident That Changed My Life

      In 1959, when I was seven years old, my eighteen month old sister was hit by a car, and I was changed forever. She followed me to a market that was less than fifty feet from our home.  The driver of the car had just filled his tank at the market and was looking behind him for cars. My sister was directly in front of his vehicle, and he did not see her.  I was yelling at my sister to go home, and to let the driver know he was going to hit her.  He did hit her, and I saw the accident, I ran over and rolled her over to see the wounds that he inflicted on her.  She spent the next year in Dornbecker hospital being treated for the skull and facial wounds that had occurred.  Because I saw that accident, I feel that it has made me very weary of children or toddlers around cars.  As a result, I cringe with pain when I see parents that take their eyes off their children when there are vehicles around.  I felt for a long time that my sister getting hit by the car was my fault, and for many years I struggled with her scars that she now has because of the accident.  After many years of struggling with my guilt, eventually I had to go to my sister and ask her forgiveness, but I did not get the reaction that I thought I would.  My sister only said she had never blamed me for the accident. Children getting hit by cars still upset me to this very day.                                  

When We Get To Yes Where

    
   In 2003, on a trip from Springfield to Beaverton, Oregon. My then three year old grandson, became very hungry and kept asking his parents to stop so he could have something to eat.  His Mom turned around and said, "Son, we are out in the middle of no where, and there are no McDonald's or Burger King's out here.  It is several miles of fields of grass and animals, so please just sit there, and be a big boy." Well, my grandson thought for a few minutes, then replied, "Mom, when we get to the middle of  "Yes Where," can I have something to eat?" Like Art Linkletter use to say, "Kids say the darndest things."

Second Blog Assignment: React! (Visual Leaner)

The Online Student Profile was correct in explaining what kind of a learner I am, which is a visual learner.  I like it when my math instructor sits at her desk and shows us how to work out the solution out of the book, giving me the visual instructions that help me to see how to calculate the solution.

I thought that the results on my Personality Traits was basically right, the statement that says I get bored quickly is wrong.  I tend to work so hard at things, that I work on whatever task I take on until I get it completed and right no matter how long it takes. At times, I work too long on something, but I do not get bored with the subject or activity.










http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visual_learning

Hybrid class

Hi Classmates,

     The type of writing that I use frequently is conversation style. It makes it easier to keep in touch with my east coast relatives. I write to inform the relatives of the east coast what the relatives on the west coast are doing.   Writing helps me to let them know that I am thinking about them, even though we are thousands of miles apart. I use writing to make entries into my journal.  I would call that history writing, so I can look back to see what happened a year ago. Since September 2013 I have used Moodle to write to the instructor, and write some messages to classmates about homework.  I have several friends in the south that I constantly write to.

     When I start writing for this Hybrid class I will write using the thesis-and support essay style.  I know that each writing needs to be thoroughly

Best wishes,

Mary Jo Jensen