Spring Awakening

Spring Awakening is everything you Grandmother would not want watch with you, but is everything that should be watched by your Grandmother.
Spring Awakening is one of my favorite all time musicals! I like this show because it is controversial and its very different when it comes from a performance stand point. It touches on subjects that most musicals do not just shout out!
Because its so controversial people tend to view it as filth. The musical addresses many topics such as sex, rape, insets, masturbation and homosexuality. The musical talks about how people now and in the Victorian age did not talk to their children about sex, and the effects it has on teens as they grow into adulthood. I think Spring Awaken makes a good point as when they sing about raunchy topics! I think this musical should be seen by audiences of all ages that can comprehend what sex is. Some people think that this show is dirty, but I think people should see this show so that they can become comfortable with talking about such delicate subjects.
The music to this show absolutely is awesome. I like the fact that they made this show from the book Spring Awakening by Steven Sater. They take his words and express it so uniquely in the show. I also like the music in the play. Because its rock music, it separates itself from the stereotypical musical genre of show tune mu

The Giving Tree

One of my favorite poems of all time is Shel Silverstein's "The Giving Tree." Besides that fact that I loved Silverstein when I was growing up, and that I think he does an amazing job teaching kids about rhythm and movement of words, I think it is a timeless piece.
For some reason it's just something so childlike and simple that it really fills me with a lot of emotion. I think it is beautiful.
The poem addresses so many themes that people face throughout their lifetime, and this is why I think it is so relevant to our society today and in the future. It addresses the ideas of growing old, greed, sacrifice, friendship, and love. Although Silverstein made this story for children, I think adults can take just as much, if not more from it. We have all faced loss and pain as the tree does, and we have all been the boy too. Because it is stated in such simple words, the poem is not pretentious or self promoting. It is something anyone can understand, open to the world, and thus a perfect piece of art.
Here are the last pages of the poem:

And after a very long time
the boy came back again.
"I am sorry, Boy,"
said the tree," but I have nothing
left to give you -
My apples are gone."
"My teeth are too weakf
or apples," said the boy.
"My branches are gone,"said the tree. " You
cannot swing on them - "
"I am too old to swing
on branches," said the boy.
"My trunk is gone, " said the tree.
"You cannot climb - "
"I am too tired to climb" said the boy.
"I am sorry," sighed the tree.
"I wish that I could give you something....
but I have nothing left.
I am just an old stump.
I am sorry...."
"I don't need very much now," said the boy.
"just a quiet place to sit and rest.
I am very tired."
"Well," said the tree, straightening
herself up as much as she could,
"Well, an old stump is good for sitting and resting
Come, Boy, sit down. Sit down and rest."
And the boy did.
And the tree was happy.

Blog Post 7

Blog Post #7

The Pursuit Of Happiness

I believe that the movie “The Pursuit of Happiness” starring Will Smith is one of the greatest pieces of art I’ve ever discovered. The movie has Will Smith working an independent job with barely enough money to provide for his wife and kid. Given that his job wasn’t going anywhere, his wife left him. All he had was his son who he wanted to provide for, but his job wouldn’t let him. He decides that he wants to be an investment banker, but to do this, he needed a degree in investment banking. Will didn’t have a degree. So Will Smith does nothing but beg and beg and beg to an investment bank board of members for the smallest thing like an internship. Him and his son move from one shelter home to another day by day in search of food for his son. Will does nothing but study for his exams, and get coffee for those above him in the internship. He believed that the suffering would soon end, and that he was on the road to the pursuit of happiness. After going through nothing but hardships, after hard work and dedication, Will is given the opportunity to work as an investment banker. He achieved his dream of providing for his kid, and more. He reached the pinnacle of happiness, and owed it all to determination, motivation, and relentless hard work.

It is innovative, because the movie is based on a real story. The fact that it’s based on a real story makes it more motivating for watchers because it makes anything that seems impossible, possible. It will stand the test of time, because no matter how many years go by, the only way to get somewhere significant in life, is by putting forth extremely hard work.

The piece of art I think that everybody should look up and listen to is redemption song by Bob Marley (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OFGgbT_Vasl). Just listening to this song brings back so many happy memories for me. I can remember me and my dad singing this song together when I was only a girl. I had to be no older than five years old but then it was just something that I did with my father but now that I am a woman I realize the meaning of this song and the impact this song had on the world. Some of these lyrics in the some derived from a speech given by the orator Marcus Garvey. He really painted a picture with his choice of words and the dynamics in this song are incredible. It’s so smooth but it still has a passion and purpose behind it and when he really wants you to listen to what he is saying he makes it really clear. The part of this song that strikes me the most is:

Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery;
None but ourselves can free our minds.
Have no fear for atomic energy,
cause none of them can stop the time.
How long shall they kill our prophets,
While we stand aside and look? ooh!
Some say its just a part of it:
We’ve got to fulfill de book.

This is so powerful!! See the song wasn’t just something appeasing to the ears but also stimulated the mind and effected your emotions too.

A piece of art that i really enjoy and respect is a song by Grand Funk Railroad. The song is Im Your Captain from the album Closer To Home. I first discovered the song in about the 8th grade while riding in my dads truck. I actually remember the 1st time i heard it. I could remember thinking about what the meaning of it was and i was very impressed with the bass and drum riffs. The song was the ending song on there 1970 album release. It has to movement the first is im your captain and the second closer to home. I think what made it incredible is that the whole song is escalating the whole time, till finally it explodes at the end. The whole song is a build up. It uses mellow tomes and slow rock as well as straight ahead in your face rock. The words have meaning and you can feel it in the singer (Mark Farner's) voice. It has a sense of urgency as it sounds like he's pleading with the listener. It sounds as though he is singing the sound for you, or wrote it for you. I identify with it in different ways but it is said to originally have been written about the Vietnam war. I have played this song with my band and i have actually gotten goose bumps from hearing it, playing it, and singing along with it. Its amazing that a 10 minutes song can stir my emotions like that. Something else that makes the song original was the incorporation of an orchestra in the background with the band. It was amazing to here a rock band playing with an orchestra. The song and even album is a classic and will be played for as long as music is. It had the epicness to last forever and will still relate to people who are missing there home and are in a moment of desperation. It was one of the bands greatest hits and one of my favorite songs of all time.

"Kiss" by Susan Marshall

The very first time I watch this piece, I got goose bumps. A surge of electricity was sent through my body as I sat there watching in awe. Flashes of memories, plots of books and movies came to mind. “Kiss” choreographed by Susan Marshall is like no other dance that I have ever seen before. What first grabbed my attention to the dance was how the dancers are suspended in the air, yet they are still able to make a connection with the ground. Susan Marshall was able to create the emotion of a kiss and its effects on a person, which is what it is like to be in love. As the viewer, you are still able to determine what that emotion means to yourself. The movements and the music work well together. Most of the time, dancers will move to the rhythm of the dances, but in this particular dance, it is as if the movement of the dancers is defining the music. (They are composing the music which each step.) You can feel the passion between the dancers and their addiction towards one another. To the dance community, this piece is very innovative. Though it uses a common theme, it brings creativity of moment to a new level. It is a new approach towards modern dance. Will more dances start to be suspended in the air? This piece is fairly new so it is now facing the test of time. I believe that years from now, people will still be enchanted with the beauty of this dance.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oyx8efetvIY

the piece

So to be perfectly honest,i have just spent the last half an hour thinking of pieces that I have seen and music that I have heard and it is so difficult for me to pick something that tops them all. I have had so many influences throughout my life of people, places, and things that have made me want to dance. As I start to look back on these influences one person in particular comes to mind. When I started dancing at the age of 7 she was probably 17 or 18 years old, her name was Charlene Hoffman and my goal in life was pretty much to be her. She was the star of my studio and everyone looked up to her. At the time she was the most beautiful dancer I had ever seen. She could do it all, ballet, jazz, contemporary, even tap. My teachers just loved her and talked about her often. She even choreographed her own piece in the end of the year recital. After she left my studio she was cast in as company in Los Angeles, California. All I remember thinking was that she had the life, the life that I wanted. I think that every artist has a person like this who they aspire to be.

Over my last few years of high school and coming into college I have found myself becoming my own version of Charlene. During the past year at my studio I was there pretty much everyday. I taught classes and worked hard on my own dances and developing my choreography. Little did I know, I became that girl that everyone looks up to.

100 Campbell's Soup Cans

I first came upon Andy Warhol’s art in Santa Fe, at the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum. I had been looking at the most realistic paintings of flowers I had ever seen and suddenly I walked into room full of paintings and prints that looked like cartoons. It was brilliant. I was in love with Andy Warhol’s modern art. After that experience, I looked more into his work and that’s when I found the 100 Campbell’s Soup Cans.

It is extremely repetitive, as it is only a print of a painting of one can, but to this day, that print stands out to me as being one of best pieces of art of all time. It makes the observer question it. Why? Why 100 soup cans? That’s exactly the point, why did Andy Warhol turn his one soup can into 100 soup cans? It was innovative, imaginative, and absolutely ingenious. It’s not a print that demonstrates talent; it’s a print that shows the creative thinking of an intellectual and daring artist. Warhol took an object from everyday life, and turned it into something interesting to look at.

Andy Warhol has taken his soup can and worked it in all kinds of different ways. Sometimes it stands alone, sometimes the label is peeling off, sometimes it is a different color, and sometimes there are 32 cans, instead of 100. This new approach to art made Warhol a pioneer in the pop art movement, why shouldn’t this piece of art stand out among all others? It became famous worldwide after it was released. Not because people loved it suddenly. Some people may have hated it, others may have loved it. Regardless, people notice it when they walk by. It sparks a curiosity in people and they wonder to themselves, what this piece of art means and why did the artist create it.

Blog Post #7

For this post I want you to argue for a piece of art. Tell us why a certain painting, movie, play, song, tight rope walk, etc... is the greatest piece of art you've ever discovered. Be specific, what about this piece of art works? Don't just say it's amazing; it blows my socks off; it makes me want to create. Tell us what specifically is different about this piece than other pieces of the same genre. What makes it innovative? Why do you think it will stand the test of time?

Do this in 250 words or more. Also post a picture, you tube video, etc... of that piece.

Plus, I want you to make at least one comment on one of your classmate's posts. You must do this to receive full credit!

Jessica

Jessica has a secret. She’s a kleptomaniac. It all started when she accidentally stole a ring from a clothing store. She had tried it on and forgot to take it off before she left, and when she got home she realized what she had done. At first she felt extremely guilty, she had never done anything like this before, but as she looked at the silver band in her hand, she was filled with a twinge of excitement. Jessica had never done anything so wild in her life, and she liked it. After all she hadn’t hurt anyone had she? And 45 dollars for a cheap accessory is a bit overpriced, so why should she feel bad at all?
So she went back to the store, this time slipping a bracelet over her wrist, and making sure to carefully tear the price tag off of it. As she walked past the high security doors, she was filled with an adrenaline rush, knowing now that she was stealing for the first time intentionally. And she felt even more excited than before.
Jessica has the best wardrobe and accessories of all her friends. Sometimes they wonder how she manages to pay for college and shop at all the name brand boutiques, but she just tells them she has a very rich aunt. Standing on the El she grips tightly to her bag, because god knows it would be terrible if someone stole from her.

Oliver and his Dad

I sitting on the subway recently and a man and his sons boarded. The son was maybe 8 years old and his father told him to take a seat in the empty one next to me. As he did, I exchanged glances with the man and smiled at him, giving my approval for the son to sit there. At first was put off by the man. He seemed stern. He must’ve had a long day at work. As the train sped off through the dark tunnels he started talking to his son. The boy was thirsty, but he was going to get water soon, the man told him. Then they began to joke. The dad told the boy that he was going to give his son a glass of sand. The boy thought that was funny. He turned around and said that he had eaten grass before. There conversation continued until they reached their stop. “Ver this is our stop,” he said, “Oliver this is our stop.” “I heard you,” Oliver responded. Then they got up and left the train, but not before the dad had a chance to mouth thank you to me.

I’ve though a lot about these two characters from the train, especially the boy. What are there stories?

It was about 6:00 when I ran into them. The dad had just finished work and picked-up his son Oliver from care-after-school. Since the mother is no longer in this story, Oliver’s dad has to work extra hard. His wife died a year ago leaving her husband alone with his son. Because of this, Oliver is very close to his father. Oliver is an only child, so he spends a lot of time with his dad. They are best friends. Oliver is a responsible kid and he respects his dad. This family of two lives in the city, so Oliver has never experienced neighbor kid-play. But that’s okay. He enjoys his friends at school, but usually doesn’t see them away from school. He likes it that way…he’s an introvert. He would rather we hanging out with his dad, and their dog Roger. Oliver likes to go to park and run around. The fall is the best, because you can jump in the leaves. Sometimes Roger even jumps in the leaves with him. Oliver also enjoys getting ice cream at the little shop down the street. This only happens on special occasions. He loves it there, because the lady behind the counter always knows what he wants. Sometimes his dad is busy though, and Oliver seeks entertainment in his small, but friendly room. He builds forts, works of crafts, and writes. Oliver and his dad are happy people. Through the sadness of the mother’s death they have found joy in each other and are living a good life.

Jonathan Johnson

Standing 6 foot 1 Jonathan Johnson was a dream. Perfect caramel complexion, and dark brown heart piercing eyes. In addition to that he had a smile that could melt your heart, among other things. He was a well spoken young man. I could tell he was well educated probably an upper classmen or a fresh gradate. When he spoke the words melodically flowed from his mouth. He was a music major his hands gave him away. Not rough like working hands but they had softness to them. Like he played the piano for years. I asked in my curiosity and I was right, the way his eyes lighted up when he spoke about music was something breath taking. It wasn’t what he was saying it was the passion behind it, the love. I could listen to him talk for hours about anything but before I knew it his stop was up and off he went. Only leaving his unforgiveable scent to intoxicate us all. Leaving us begging for more.

Its almost too wonderful to be Jane...

Jane is 32 years old. Today I saw her getting off a coach bus in front of the Hilton Chicago Hotel. She is on a conference with her future film development company. Her company is looking for the next best children cartoon and they have five cartoons to review, all of the artist are Columbia students. Not only is Jane reviewing the artist she has a bit of a crush on the intern Roger! Everyone knows that there is a tension between Roger and Jane but says nothing, because if anything were to happen the boss Big Ricky will, well for lighter terms say he'll put an anchor to his face and by anchor I mean his fist.
Jane tries to stay fathful to her husband and rekendal their romance by talking a romantic walk in grant park. Jane and Ricky met there when they attended Columbia. The love life is fix whenever Jane realizes that Roger is a young hansom boy and that every girl on Columbia's campus wants him too.
Jane and Ricky go back home to their home in Boston and live happily ever after collecting stamps and adopting multiracial children.

Rupert

Meet Rupert. Rupert is the 6’ 5” man wearing the dark blue, floor length trench coat and a green hat with a feather. He is a 47 year old man from a small suburb about 40 miles southwest of London. The girl on his left is Rupert’s daughter who is a freshman in college. Looking at this man you may think that he is a loving father here for a short visit. But what his daughter and everyone else don’t know is that Rupert is not just the friendly car salesman they all believe him to be; he is a secret assassin. Many people wander where Rupert gets all his money. (Coming from a small town, there isn’t that much business.) When they ask him how he acquired all his money, he responds by telling them it was an inheritance from his parents. The truth is Rupert’s parents were poor farmers. When Rupert was about 16 years old, he left his parents were murdered by a greedy businessmen that wanted to buy their land. From that day forward, Rupert promised to seek his revenge for his parents. Days later, he got his revenge. A man in an expensive suite approached Rupert, explaining to him that he could use his “talents.” The rest of story is history and leads Rupert to become the assassin he is today. Over the years, Rupert has gained a trademark. A single feather he leaves at the scene of each crime. I feel sorry for the guy who dares to break his daughter’s heart.

Danny

Danny is a woman on the bus. She is siting elevated on the back row of bus seats. Her hat is lowered on her head and she is wearing a big black jacket. She has her juicy purse on the seat next to her. She was wearing blue jeans and uggs. He shirt is covered by her jacket and she is wearing little jewelry. She has a wedding ring on and a bracelet.

Danny is a woman who works at an office in down town chicago. She is originally from Texas and moved to california when she was little. She works as a receptionist in a big office in downtown chicago, and loves her job. There isnt alot of stress and theres no take home work. She goes to work and comes home. She has weekends off and is not consumed with her job. She has a husband named Kevin who works at a car shop. He owns his own place so when ever she gets a chance she goes and helps him. She and her husband are best friends and spend alot of time together. They love each other and there house in the suburbs near the shop. He parents live close by in Indiana and her and Kevin visit almost 4 times a month. ! She works hard on a daily basis but is living comfterably with he husband and never really worries about money. They are plaining on haveing kids soon but are enjoying being married for the time being. She is probably on her way home from work at this time and like every other tuesday will go home meet her husband and go to a play.

Blog Post 6

Creating a Life


The person I am going to describe is sitting on the right side of the train aisle. He has a white cap, black hair, glasses, a green north face jacket, regular blue jeans, and white tennis shoes. He appears to just be gazing at the window of the train looking out at something.

This person’s name is Jim. Jim works at a law firm with his father as his boss. He works out in the city, but lives out in the suburbs of Chicago with his fiancée Stephanie. He works a normal 9-5 job, but being that his father is his boss, Jim gets Friday’s through Sunday’s off. During the weekend, Jim likes to go out with his friends, watch the Chicago Bears games, and if the chance comes, spend some extra time with Stephanie. His father is a season ticket holder for the Chicago Bears, but Jim’s dad usually can never make it due to work. So on Sunday’s, Jim usually goes with one of his friends, depending on who he is in the mood for.

Jim’s jacket shows that he can hold his own, being that a north face jacket is very expensive. His father pays him well, so that he is able to provide for his future wife and kids down the road. In this picture, you can see that it is the weekend because Jim isn’t wearing a suit. Jim is actually headed back home from the city because he had to run some errands. He is on his way to spend some time with Stephanie by asking her to come with him to the Chicago Bears game. He is hoping she would say yes, and not make him go shopping with her. Otherwise, it is just another Sunday for Jim, trying to relax as much as he can before he goes to work tomorrow morning.

-Soheil Tayebi

Sightings

A couple days ago my friend and I were sitting by the window at Epic Burger. Were sat there talking about our friends and what was going on in each others lives. Soon after we found ourselves looking out the window at the people passing by. We looked at what they were wearing and what they were doing. We could point out all the kids who went to Columbia, Depaul and Roosevelt. We were looking at the new kids and the students who we could tell where upperclassmen. We saw the business people who work in the high rise buildings. And the nannies trying to take care of their children. Although we only saw these people passing by for a few seconds, we could see how they fit into different categories and stereotypes. Although each of these people were different some of them shared a common story.

Blog Post #6

For this post I want you to create a life! Observe someone on the train or bus and create a back story for the person. Describe them to us in detail and then tell us about them! What do they do for a living? Are they married? Single? Do they have kids? What are their hobbies? Did they go to college? What was their major? Describe them fully. Make us feel like we know this person better than their best friend. Go wild.

All your base r belong to us

Being raised on the internet age, I've become quite familiar with the use of words that has come to be termed 'leetspeak'. It is a use of broken english used primarily on the internet, but has crept it's way into use in real life. Terms like 'teh' (meaning 'the') and 'n00b' (term for 'newbie') originated here. More famously, it has been used in picture of animals as an interpretation of what they are thinking, such as 'lolcats' ('lol' meaning 'laugh out loud') and the Orly Owl ('orly' means 'Oh, really?'). Many also originates from broken english used in video game, such as the famous line from the video game Zero Wing, 'all your base are belong to us'. I was a member of various internet forums for the last 6 years or so, and though not as much as others, I enjoyed reading and using the terms both on the computer and in real life. Of course, I know they're improper and never use them for anything beyond a comedic effect, so when writing and reading something serious, I'm not going to use it. It's just a fun, lazy way to get a language across on a site like Facebook or Twitter, more than anything else.

...I r internet nerd, lol.

Grammer

i would say i have a couple of mistakes that i make often. I use txting lingo instead of proper english. i would say. hey meet me here @ 2 n im cookin dnnr. I have to catch myself using this when i have to write correctly. The biggest mistake i always make is using the wrong word. If i say mean right, i may type right or write and not notice. Spell check doesnt catch it cuz its a real word. This is a common mistake that alot of people make. I find myself having to read things that i write over and over again, because i've become use to it. When i read over the word i just don't recognize that its the right sounding word but wrong word. I do it a lot when it comes to There, Their, and They're. I find it hard ti distinguish the difference sometimes. Maybe its because i never really learned the difference and i use which ever one comes out first.

i know the only way to fix it is to actually learn witch word goes where. I have to look up where and how to use words that are similar.

grammar

I think probably my biggest fault in grammar is in text citations. I get really confused about what to put in my papers because there are so many ways to do an in text citation and sometimes different teachers have different preferences as to what they want you to do. There are specific rules for how to site a quotation, or even paraphrasing. Here are some ideas to help problems with in text citation:

Single Author

“she believed that her theory reflected the pull within all of us as human beings--between our need for security and our urge to risk the unknown.” (Jowitt 151)

Corporate Author

“she believed that her theory reflected the pull within all of us as human beings--between our need for security and our urge to risk the unknown.” (Nat Archive Publishing 151)

Works with no Author

“she believed that her theory reflected the pull within all of us as human beings--between our need for security and our urge to risk the unknown.”("Time and the Dancing Image"

151)

In most other cases just page numbers are sufficient.

Does This Make Sense?

The biggest problem that I have with my writing is the overall structure of my sentences. I always struggle to write something that would make sense to the reader. I also struggle with how I get my point across. One of the things I noticed that affects my clarity is I forget/ leave out words. When I forget certain words, the whole meaning of my sentence will be wrong. To improve and correct my grammar problems, I need to be in the habit of re-reading my work out loud to hear the mistakes.

Examples:

a.) The sunset orange, pink and yellow.
b.) The sunset was orange, pink and yellow.

a.) Mary Wigman used masks as a decoration, but as a component of expression.
b.) Mary Wigman used masks not as a decoration, but as a component of expression.

They're, Their and There

A common error that people make is the difference between "They're, Their, and There" because they all sound alike. Here is how to fix it:

They're: means they are.
Examples of correct usage: They're going to miss the movie.
They're not going to win the contest.
Examples of incorrect usage: Did you hear they're music?
Put the cake right they're.

Their: Often means that there is more than one person involved.
Examples of correct usage: Lets go to their house after class.
She always braids their her so nicely.
Examples of incorrect usage: Lets meet their after midnight.
Their lies the longest snake in the world.

There: References to a place.
Examples of correct usage: There are too many people in this elevator.
Ill see you there after the play.
Examples of incorrect usage: There meeting us for dinner on Tuesday.
Lets see there new movie, it comes out Friday.

his/her NOT their

I believe that the worst grammar problem that I, or anyone else, has dealt with, is the use of “their” or “they” in place of “his/her” or “he/she”. We have to be careful of this when talking in the singular. The most common mistake is using these words in sentences that could refer to either gender, masculine or feminine.

This grammar error often slips by during the editing process. We read incorrect sentences as being correct because we are so used to seeing it in the wrong way. Usually this error occurs when there is no gender difference in the subject and “their” is used as the pronoun. This makes no logical sense, though it sounds correct.

The best way to fix this is to just pay more attention to how you are using the words “they” and “their.” Ask yourself if it is referring to one person or multiple people. Many people forget or don’t even know that they are making this error and so they cannot fix it. Once your paper is finished, read through it, and pause every time to come across the word, to make sure it is being used correctly.

Incorrect Examples:

- A person is entitled to their own opinions.
- Last year my friend hosted a party at their house.

In these examples, the subject is singular yet the pronoun is plural.

Correctly they would read: A person is entitled to his/her own opinions and Last year my friend hosted a party at his/her house.

Correct Examples:

- The people in the band all had their own instruments.
- Several of my friends went home to their houses over break.

In these examples the subject and pronoun are plural.

Blog Post # 5. Grammar Problem

My Grammar Problem

A grammar problem that I’ve always had since I can’t even remember, were comma slices. My teachers in the past have always told me to work on making my sentences sound more complete.

A comma slice occurs when a comma is in between two different independent clauses without an appropriate conjunction. For example, sometimes I find myself typing things like “Sharks swim in shallow waters, they hunt to find small fish to eat.” In this sentence there are two independent clauses, but there is no conjunction in between the two. The correct sentence for this would be, “Sharks swim in shallow waters, and then they hunt to find small fish to eat.” The addition of “and then they” fills in as the appropriate conjunction for this sentence, and makes the sentence complete and correct.

Another comma slice that I have done countless times since I’ve been here was having the comma and transitional expression in my sentence, join two independent clauses. For example, I would say, “Some librarians work part-time, however, many of them work full time.” In this sentence, one independent clause ends to the beginning of the transitional expression which initiates the second independent clause. The first independent clause should have a type of break, before the second independent clause is displayed. So the correct version of this sentence would be, “Some librarians work part-time; however, many of them work full time.” Now there is a break in between the two independent clauses, which makes the sentence correct.

-Soheil Tayebi

What is your grammar problem?

For this post I want each of you to teach us how to deal with a grammar problem. Think of a problem that you have had in the past and do a little research online or in The Writer's Resource, then describe the problem you have and how to fix it. Be comprehensive in your explanation.

I then want you to show two incorrect examples and two correct examples. Make sure everything you write comes from you! Do not copy and paste from the internet!

There is no set word requirement other than writing enough words to truly teach us how to find and correct the problem.

i believe that there is hope 4 young inner city men

Now before I start I just want to make it clear that I am not talking about all inner city men because there are some that are doing the right things but this is for the ones that aren’t. I believe that there is hope for young inner city men.

I believe that they live as if they will never die and die as if they have never lived. They don’t realize how their actions affect others. Ear Piercing screams come from the mother in the front row of the church, as they close the casket on her child. With that said, I believe no mother should have to bury her child. I believe that Derrion Albert’s death won’t be forgotten. Just like Emmet till and the civil rights movement, I believe that it is the beginning of the fight against gang violence. They have to learn that two people see the same thing totally different. In addition to that, they also have to learn that violence is never the answer. I believe that they can be fathers to their children and make better choices than some of their fathers. I believe that they can learn from their mistakes and become better men. There are so many possibilities for them as a whole they just got to take advantage of it. I believe they can be more than just a product of their environment but they can be honest, respectable members of society and not the drug dealer, gang banger from down the street. I believe they can be positive role models to younger generations. So instead of living by the knife, they should live by doing what’s right. History repeats its self and if you put out a positive then you will receive it.

Blog Post # 4 "This I Believe"

Everything Happens For A Reason

I believe that everything happens for a reason. I believe that we all subconsciously find ourselves in front of things that were supposed to come across. I think that my love for music brought me to Columbia, despite going through four years of high school. My high school would feed the students different influences, and make you believe that mathematics and science was the only way to make a living. Thus the majority of the students in my high school have majors in mathematics or science in their universities or colleges. However, I stayed strong in my own beliefs since I was in middle school, and continued to pursue my interests in music.

In the beginning, I ran into someone who played the drums, and met two other musicians along the way. One thing led to another, and before I knew it I was performing in different venues. As the performances went by, my love for musical performance began to escalate more and more. People started hearing our band more, and more offers came on the table. The more the offers came, the more dedication we all had to have. Dedication eventually led to consumptions of amplifiers, microphones, and other band equipments. By the end of high school, we all had purchased up to twenty thousand dollars of equipment in total. Due to college, the band had to split into two directions. I am currently with my drummer, and the bassist and guitarist are in the Berklee School of Music in Boston. All of these instances led me to pursue a career and music. As these four years go by, I seek to come across new things that will mold my career together over time.

-Soheil Tayebi

I Believe in Traveling

I believe in traveling the world and exploring what it has to offer. I myself have traveled to three different countries and each one was like going to a different world. In order to travel, it’s a must to always fly business and avoid economy at all cost. When traveling to a different country, you go with a hungry and empty stomach. You must never be too full to stop for gelato at every corner in Italy. You must always go with a camera armed with plenty of memory cards to document every moment. I believe that in traveling the world you learn what makes up our history. You learn the cultures that influence us and that we (America) influence. In Thailand, they might not like the U.S. Government, but they worship American people. Especially, cultural icons like Britney Spears, who some children claimed I was. Meanwhile in Italy, if you’re American, you go to the back of the line and expect to wait a long time to be served! When you travel abroad, you learn how to communicate with the world. There is nothing better (or funnier) than to sit and wait for your mom while she speaks Spanish to an Italian throughout the whole trip. With many places and many faces, you learn where you fit in. You gain insight to why you’re here and how you can make a difference. I believe from traveling you learn how that we all can take care of one another. That no matter how rich or poor, we are created equally and beautifully.

I believe in passion. When it comes to anything in life passion is one thing that gets me through life. I have a passion Drums and music. For cars and for family. I would say that growing up i knew what i wanted to do with my life. From the 7th grade i knew i wanted to be a musician. It was my passion that not matter what was happening in my life kept me going. through the rough times and the happy times it was there. I believe that passion keeps people focused. I know from personal experience that its keep me away from bad things. I am satisfied working on my car of playing drums. I don't have to worry about anything else. Passion is what makes the world go round. Some have a passion for money, some have a passion for art. What ever it is it defines a person. I wish that more people in the world would have a greater passion for what there doing, or want to do! Passion is what i believe in!

I Believe

I believe in love, I believe its something strong and meaningful. I believe it goes beyond limits, I believe true love has no boundaries, you can do whatever; it has endless possibilities. If you don't understand love, you've never experienced it. Being loved is like having a life coach. Someone that's willing to take time with you. I believe that person should want to know more about you and understand feelings whether good or postive. I believe love is unclear. I believe people don't know how to love, let alone love themselves first. You can't possibly love someone without being heavily hearted about yourself. I believe love is hard to find. I believe it can just find you, and it can treat you so much better than hatred. I believe that all people should learn to love one another because it's nothing without the sensual, caring feelings of a close one. I believe love is what I want to understand and share with a certain person that has shown me nothing but true love and knew what it really meant.

This I Believe

I believe that people should take time everyday to slow down. Our lives are full of busy schedules and fast faced days and most people never take any time to stop and filter our their minds from all that hustle and bustle. It is so important to give your body a rest and your mind time to think. These breaks can't just be your lunch break, or your commute to and from work. They must be an important ritual of your day. They do not have to be long, only 20 min or so. Just take a break to focus on your breathing, clear your mind, and forget about all the stress that may be building up. If you listen to nature sounds or soothing music every time, your body will begin to automatically relax when those sounds begin.

By incorporating this kind of relaxation into your everyday routine, you are reducing the tension and stress that accompany you everywhere you go. You are helping to minimize the build-up of things that eventually fall apart in a breakdown. You are allowing yourself to become more in touch with your body. And, you are a leading a healthier life style for your mind and body…this, I believe.

I believe

I believe that anyone can sing and dance. Shyness tends to overcome people. I think that there is a common fear in all of us. This is the fear of failure and judgement. As soon as we can overcome that fear is when we become more open and don't care what people think. You are much more free to be yourself and express what you are really feeling. I dance everywhere I go. I dance in the grocery store or at a store in the mall. I sing at the top of my lungs in my car with the windows rolled down. I cant help it, when music comes on it is a natural impulse. People stare, they sometimes even laugh, but I could care less. Because everyone does the same thing. I believe that singing and dancing are really common forms of expression.

I believe that singing and dancing can brighten anyone's day. I have a pretty bad temper. Whenever I'm angry or upset about something when I'm dancing those feelings automatically go away. I can let my anger out through my movement with my dancing. I believe that we all need some form of release. If we don't have something to let all of our angry, upset, and nervous energy out on we bottle it up and it can destroy us. Dancing is my way of detoxifying my mind of everything that troubles me.

I believe that singing and dancing is universal. I think it is something that no matter how much people say they cant do it, they can if they really want to.

I believe in...chance

It's an almost karmic feeling, you could say, but the last week of my life has really shown me that things really will happen (for good or bad) out of seemingly nowhere. Last thursday, a friend and I got onto a bus to see a movie and ran into a group of zombie dressed civilians. They were going to the 'Zombiewalk' for the premiere of the film 'Zombieland'. My and the friend I was with ended up hooking up with them, we went on the walk, and ended up seeing the movie for free. It was completely out of nowhere and I never would have counted on it.!

Just earlier that day, I had hung out with a with a guy who I had just been running into at random times, since coming to school here, five weeks ago. I told him how I didn't have a roommate and he wasn't happy with his roommate situation, so he said he may just talk to Resident Life about moving into my room. The next day, he tells me he's sorted it all out and moves in the next afternoon. The feeling was just like 'Holy CRAP'.

These chance encounters also made me believe in good coming out of bad. Wednesday morning, I was sick in bed, missed class, my old roommate officially moved out, got the rest of his stuff, and I still had a night class and an audition to do all in one day! But, it's if I hadn't gotten sick, I wouldn't have gone to the food court when I did and I wouldn't have run into some of my friends who invited me to one of their birthday parties that night.

I went to that after my audition and night class, which both went great. I never got a callback for the audition, but I had a good feeling the auditioners really liked it, so I was perfectly content with myself and had a great night at a small party.

On top of that, it's like if I did make my callback, I would never have gotten that chance to see a free movie. Or, if my roommate hadn't moved out when he did, I may never have gotten the new one that I did. I went to talk about my adviser about it on Friday and I think he put it best 'good things happen to good people'. So, I believe in chance!

I believe in Rainstorms...

I believe in rain storms, I believe the little drops of heaven are angels tears. Tears of joy, like a mothers happiness when she gets to hug her son for the first time, when he comes home from a war.

I believe the tears are mixed with tears of despair as well. Tears of hopelessness of mankind. Like when the war was started in the first place. I believe rainstorms cleanse the sorrow from sadden souls of the hopeless.

I believe that when the clouds gather it represents all the lovers out there. I believe that when the clouds touch, it is so powerful on an emotional level that they produce what we call rain.

I believe in laughing, in the rain, because it was so cold and wet and miserable, there was nothing else better to do. I believe in dancing in the rain, because singing in the rain seems impossible or slightly uncomfortable. I believe there were a lot of times in band when there was a rainstorm and I complained. I believe those were the best days of my life.

I believe that we humans are oblivious to the real meaning of rain storms. They are not what should be considered dangerous I believe that we are dangerous beings, and if it wasn't for rain, we wouldn't be reminded that we do not have control over the world and that there is something out in the world bigger than us.

I believe God is in the rain.

This I Believe

I believe in my mother’s homemade pasta sauce.

I believe in walking through the door of my house and smelling fresh basil and earthy tomatoes. I believe in slyly stealing pieces of pepperoni off the cutting board when my mother’s not looking. I believe in my sister Anne always getting the Basil leaf in her sauce, and never being jealous of her as a child, because that’s just tradition. It’s a rule. I believe that it’ll taste delicious every time; that it will fill your body with warmth and comfort.

I believe in dragging a heavy wooden chair from the dining room into the kitchen and climbing up on top of it, just so I could dip a small spoon in for a taste. I believe in watching the red lava simmer and stir in a massive pot on the stove. I believe that tripping, and spilling a bowl of spaghetti onto the white carpet is such a disappointing image, that your mom doesn’t even get mad at you. I believe in empathy and understanding when this happens.

I believe that the only way to eat red sauce is with a big glass of 2% and garlic bread on the side. Serve it on spaghetti, penne, bowtie, in lasagna, over linguini, or by itself in a bowl- I believe it is the star of the show. It is magic. I believe it is medicine that will cure any ailment, from a broken bone to a broken heart. I believe that it is glue that can hold any family together. Homemade pasta sauce is there when you fall off your bike. Homemade pasta sauce is there when you make your mother proud.

I believe in my mother working over it all day long and making gallons of it to freeze and heat up on another cold evening. I believe that one day I’ll do the same. I’ll toil over a sauce that will be equally delicious because it’s made with love for my own children. I believe in love and family, because I believe in homemade pasta sauce.

Blog Post #4

For our next blog post I want you to write a This I Believe essay. Here are some examples. Here are some tips for writing. 250 words due before class Wednesday.

Please comment on at least one post. And remember to add a recognizable photo to your profile.

And here is my take on the assignment.


I believe in coyote.

I was raised outside of Wichita, Kansas. Coyotes were just another part of the landscape in my childhood. At dawn, from my front porch, I could hear the yips and yaps of coyotes calling to each other. Throughout my life coyotes have been there and I believe have helped guide me.

When I got to high school I started withdrawing to the small elm and cottonwood lot behind our house. School was a social animal that I would never tame, but the animals outside my door were much easier to understand. I spent hours learning the birds and lizards and snakes I encountered. I would see coyotes off in the milo stubble often, but they were weary unlike the birds I could get close to with my binoculars. One morning a storm had brought a large amount of migrating birds into our back lot. I had gotten up for school and heard the chips and zeets of warblers outside my window. I ran out to the trees to see what I could find. It was still raining lightly, but there were birds everywhere. I found a place to sit and watch. I was completely still with my binoculars at my eyes. They were coming so close I didn’t want to move. I had sat for so long my leg had started cramping. I started to shift when I noticed, not 10 feet away, a coyote. We looked directly into each others eyes. My heart was off the charts. What to do? I just sat there completely confused, but in awe.

When I’m driving and see a coyote, I pull over, get out, and belt out a few yips and yaps. I’m not sure why I do this. They usually take off in that lazy loping way, but sometimes they just stare, probably thinking, “what is that crazy fleshy pink thing up to?” I suppose that morning I encountered the coyote I bewildered him as well. I think about that morning often.

Now that I’m in Chicago I still see coyotes. Once along the lakefront while I was out birding I saw one on the ice. I also have a friend who ran into a family, pups and all, in a cemetery on the north side. I saw one cross the road late at night.

Coyotes still have bounties on them in some western states. They’ve been persecuted by the government and livestock men as long as there have been those kinds of things. And still they persist.

I believe that their survival means our survival, that trying to learn what that mystery between us is, will help us live and I believe that I am following in coyote’s footsteps, that we are brethren, and will continue to learn and live together. And that if I could I would follow them completely, but I can’t and that is sad to me, that they are “the other” and I am “the other.” But that morning, when I was cold and wet and immersed in birds, I felt something that can’t be quantified, that can’t be caught, and that is what I believe in.