Wittig Quote

Megan Lee

9:00 Class

Life as a Story

I agree with Susan Wittig Albert’s quote in that our life is like our own story. As we grow and develop throughout life, our story also expands and matures. One way to tell and express our story is through writing. Writing allows people to reminisce about events, explore ideas, understand life, and respond to every thing they have encountered. Depending on what we have to write about and the assignment at hand, different aspects or “versions of ourselves” are created to accompany the task. For example, I focused on putting more description, imagery, and similes into the assignment because the objective was to do so. I wrote about my life, trying to tell and illustrate a story. The memories and experiences are like the chapters in my life. Most of my writing reflects my life and does reflect my beliefs. My writing is straightforward and clear-cut implying that I am pretty much a simple minded and a straightforward person. I usually tell the story as it is, but I do try and show more in my writing now. My writings are generally about important things that I feel are close to my life like my family, friends, and also shows my interests and hobbies.

Milestones in Future

In the future, I see myself accomplishing all of the milestones of education, independence, financially stable, marriage, and children. I plan on graduating in six years and get my pharmacy degree. I hope to get a job after I graduate college in the pharmacy area. I will then become financially stable from the job and maybe buy an apartment or a house. I also plan on getting married some time after college and having children after I get married when my job and home are stable.

Descriptive Detail

Megan Lee

9:00 Class

Candy Land

This was every child’s dream. This was a world made of sweet treats and goodies, desert heaven. I have never seen anything like it. The lemon drop sun was shining bright with a clear frosty sky. The clouds were like fluffy cotton candy. There was a chocolate waterfall, ice cream snow, gummy pathways, and licorice trees. The light sound of popcorn was popping in the background. There was a long, twisty, winding trail intertwining with itself. Everything was edible and unbelievable.

There is no such thing as a junk food fantasy. The world of sweets was actually my favorite childhood game, Candy Land. I think it was the first game that I ever played. It was a simple game where you didn’t need to know much. It wasn’t like Trivia Pursuit where you need to know random, useless facts. All you needed to play the game was to know colors. There is no strategy or manipulation; you just draw cards and play. Every day I would want to play with just about anybody. Even the cover of the box was fun. There was candy cane lettering and every kind of candy on the front. The vibrant colors made the game seem to come to life. The game put you in the middle of a Willy Wonka movie. Who knew a board game could be so fun. The goal of the game was to race to the candy castle. There were red, yellow, blue, green, purple, and orange cards that corresponded to the spaces on the board. I was pretty good at the game. I would win most of the time against my family. Every player started their gingerbread man piece on the entrance of the magical road of colors. On the way, we would pass by the Chunky Chocolate Mountains, Cupcake Commons, Ginger Bread Houses, Candy Cane Forest and Gum Drop Mountain. The giant swirly lollipops, sprinkle frosted cupcakes surrounded the playing board. The characters in the game also resembled sweets. There were King Kandy, Mr. Mint, Gramma Nutt, and others. Chocolate and ice cream cones threw themselves at us every time we turned a corner.

I would be looking forward to the game at the beginning of every week. Every Sunday night, my family and I would play the game. It was routine; I would set up the game after dinner. We would sit, crossing our legs, on the soft, carpet floor surrounding the table. My younger brother would sit next to me with my parents sitting across from me. The sounds of Tom and Jerry or Bugs Bunny’s voice from the Looney Tunes would be on in the background. I remember hearing “Be vewwy vewwy quiet. I’m hunting wrabbits.” My brother would say the phrase over and over again while we play the game.

I loved Candy Land when I was little. Some times, I still play Candy Land with the kids that I babysit with telling them it was my first game. Candy Land was my favorite game because the game is simple and I have a simple, straightforward mind. I also love the savory taste of sweet things. Candy Land now reminds me of the simple times, when I was young and didn’t have to worry about anything. Playing the game allows people to escape reality and return to their childhood.

Free Write

Write About Anything Free Write

I don't really know what to write about. I am not really thinking about anything since it is Monday morning. All I know is that right now, I am kind of tired and hungry. I did eat some breakfast this morning, but I am still hungry. I had a banana and Honey Nut Cheerios. I am happy though because this is my only class today. After this class, I can go eat something in the dining hall and maybe take a nap. Tomorrow I have to wake up earlier than today though for a seven thirty class. I have three classes tomorrow in a row, so I am not happy about that. I still have homework to do for those classes too. I also have to write up my lab report and read a couple of pages of philosophy, which I don't understand at all, for saturday.

Writing Profile

Megan Lee

9:00 Class

Writing Profile

Coming from a traditional Asian family, Megan Lee is expected to perform academically and to be hardworking in life. She has a desire to make her parents proud of what she does and to live up to their standards. She is small in stature, but big inside. She is quiet, but confident. Her dad describes her in one word, diligent. She tries to live up to her dad’s word in everything she does.

Megan is CPR and First aid certified. She was trained to be a lifeguard. People wouldn’t know it by looking at her. To obtain her certification, she had to go through a series of test. The written part was pretty easy, but the physical test was not. It was in the middle of May so it wasn’t hot yet, but it wasn’t in freezing temperatures. It was around fifty degrees. They had to swim fifteen laps in the frigid water. To pass the test, she had to save a three hundred pound man from the bottom of the twelve feet pool. She was doubtful at first, but was determined and did not want to give up. How could Megan, a hundred pounds, a little over five feet girl, rescue and bring a six feet three hundred pound man out of the water. It was like a mouse pulling a lion out of the water. To every body’s surprise and hers, she was able to save the instructor. She passed the test and earned her certification.

She does not like being a lifeguard though. It is not all fun in the sun and sitting poolside. She basically yelled at kids, “No running. No hanging on the the diving board.” She cares for people and hates yelling at people, especially little children. Being a lifeguard was a good experience though, being her first official job. Megan got to meet people, and gain connections. She is still certified currently and might lifeguard again in the summer.

Megan also has her black belt in karate. She only took the class because her brother took it. They passed the tests and got their black belts together. They grew and bonded through the time. They trained and practiced together. They broke boards, learned techniques, and won some awards. They leaned how to defend themselves and how to fight. They learned self discipline and many skills.

One of the things Megan loves doing is playing volleyball. She became passionate of volleyball through playing it. She started freshman year of high school. She met some of her closest friends through volleyball. The sport is competitive, a team sport, and overall fun. She gets underestimated a lot on the court though. People see her and think nothing of her ability. A couple of teams have said to pick on the little Asian girl. Little did they know though, she was pretty good. Once she served the ball at the other team, they quickly knew that she was good. Hearing that motivated her to push harder and to play harder. She would always give a hundred percent during practice to be better than the next person. She has to work twice as hard as the other people to make up for her size.

She is not the most interesting person, but she does try to live life to the fullest. She tries to live up to her family’s standards and make them proud of her accomplishments. Getting her black belt allowed her to spend time with her brother. She overcame doubts in being a lifeguard and overcame stereotypes in playing volleyball. She is small, but she can compete and keep up with everybody else. Megan Lee’s traits of diligence, hard working attitude, and discipline have been acquired from her family, friends, and accomplishments in life. Megan Lee will continue to make her family proud and be diligent.

Show Don't Tell

Megan Lee
9:00 Class
Thing 1, 2, and 3

This picture brings back a lot of memories. It reminds me of friends, volleyball, and all the good times we had together. It was a bittersweet day. I never thought the day would come when my high school volleyball career would end. It was senior night, the last game the seniors would play volleyball as a team on the home court. There were six seniors awaiting our last game together. It was sad and exciting. The thing we love to do was coming to an end. There was no more waking up really early in the morning for practices and no more grueling exercises. I was excited though, looking forward to senior day ever since freshman year. I couldn’t believe four years had passed by already. I was about to step on to the court for the last time with my teammates/ friends. I was anxious and nervous.

We won the game making the day even more special. After the game, we went back to our team room to celebrate. It smelled of hot pizza, and freshly, baked chocolate chip cookies. There were gold and black (our school colors) balloons floating every where. Decorative colors covered the cafeteria lunch tables. There was a lot of food and drinks. Pictures of the team were lined up on the table. There was a blown up picture of the seniors holding our tournament winning trophy posted on the wall. Each senior had one or two underclassman that were under them. The underclassman bought the seniors gifts. My teammates handed me a gift bag, standing next to me. I scuffled through the bag wondering what they got me. I reached into the bag, tissue paper crackling, and felt something soft like cotton. I knew it was some kind of clothing. I took the shirt out of the bag. The bright red shirt unfolded itself. I looked down and saw Thing 1 in black lettering in the middle of a white circle positioned on the middle of the shirt. My two friends standing next to me were no longer near me. I heard giggling and the flashes on the camera. At first, I had no idea what was going on. Then I turned around and saw my two friends with Thing 2 and 3 shirts on too. They had painted the words Thing 1, 2, and 3, on the shirts by hand. For Halloween we jokingly agreed to go trick or treating dressed as Thing 1, Thing 2, and Thing 3. We never had a chance to do it though. It turned out to be our team’s inside joke.

The picture was taken in the team/ senior room located next to the cafeteria in my high school. We had just finished playing an intense game. We still had our jerseys, spandex, volleyball pads, and long socks on. The picture was taken when the three of us put our Thing shirts over our jerseys. Even though the three of us are not all looking in the same direction and it is not the greatest picture in the world, I still like the photo. The photo triggers memories of happiness, laughter, and exuberance. It reminds me of the great times we had and how we became close friends throughout the season. The three of would always be hanging out on and off the court. They became some of my best friends still to this day. We are in different schools now, but every time I look at the picture I remember the fun times we had together.

Frida Kahlo "Roots"

Frida Kahlo is illustrated as being part of a root like a vegetable or some kind of plant. She is orange like a carrot. Her face and arms are a lighter shade of orange than the rest of the body. She is lying down implying that she is in a relaxed position. The stomach area looks see through, where you can see the background. There is a white frilly hem surrounding her feet area. She is lying next to bunch of rocks. She is positioned in the middle of what looks like a desert. There are dark cracks on the ground she is on.

Because of her posture and position, she looks troubled and pained. She is in a painful, awkward, and uncomfortable position lying on one arm. Her facial expression is blank though. She hides her feelings inside. She had a hard past. There was problems and dissension in her family. Her grandpa is rich and her relatives were fighting over his money. They fought and argued so much that cracks grew between them. The family eventually split. There are green leaves and roots protruding out of her stomach and chest area. Her roots have caused her pain in which she can not forget. She believes in her roots deeply though and cares for her family.

Mustard Tiger

If calling someone a mustard tiger was an offense to the highest degree, it would be defined as someone doing something really stupid. They are adventurous, stupidly brave, and arrogant. A mustard tiger would accept any dare no matter how dumb or serious. They would dive straight into a situation even though they never did it before.

Cheeseburger locker describes someone who likes cheese a lot. They are obsessed with cheese and barbecue food. They put cheese on everything. They even store cheese in their bags when they leave the house in case they get a craving for cheese. They are usually fat and unhealthy. They love fast food places and the dollar menus.

Gender Expectations

Megan Lee

Gender Expectations

9:00 Class

Growing up, I remembered that my great grandpa always wanted a great grandson. My relatives kept having girls though. My great grandpa was happy that he was there to welcome a new member of the family, but deep down inside he wanted a boy. Eventually though, my great grandpa got his wish when my uncle had a baby boy. My great grandpa was ecstatic. His traditions and beliefs date back to his parents and then to his grandparents. He had a large ego, but had a lot of pride in the family. My great grandpa wanted his name to live on forever. Because of that, when I was little, I thought boys were more wanted than girls. In the present, I know that my parents love my brother and I equally, (at least I am pretty sure) but my parents do favor my brother more. He gets to pick which restaurant we go to, which car we get, which phones we get, and a lot more things. It might be because my brother is younger, but my parents do coddle him more than me.

In my family, I also got the idea that the boys were more favored towards than the girls. My great grandpa gave my uncles his land and property in China and did not give my aunts anything. I thought boys were more special than girls. I do not believe that anymore, but the idea of men supporting the family was passed down from generation to generation. There needs to be a man in the household to take charge, provide financially, and protect the family. The wife would be expected to clean the house, take care of the children, and cook meals. I think that the roles are now shared by all members of the household, but males, because of their identity with masculinity, feel they need to and have to take on the whole burden.

From example and observation, a family is consisted of a husband, wife, and children. In my family, both of my parents take care of my brother and me. We support and love each other. Each member contributes to the family in their own way. Both my parents work and provide financially. My mom does do most of the household chores and cooking, but my dad does chip in. He cleans the outside of the house, takes care of the landscape (with my brother), and barbecues food. The expected roles of women and men are no longer in use. The roles are shared at least in my family.

Group Discussion Gender Norms

GENDER NORMS- learned from society, culture and generations

Expectations of

MASCULINITY

Competitive, High ego, support family financially, eat meat, sleep, drink, some dependent, support women, hiding emotions, providers, tough, dominance, muscles, tall

physical dominance, power, authority, success

fighters; war

sports/ athletics

suppose to like women

ties, suits,

men more limited than women

FEMININITY

motherhood, serve men, cook, household chores, housewife, work butt off, support the family, today transgressing from norm, independent, looked down upon, emotional, sensitive,

make up, long hair, curves, fashion, smaller than men, petite

WHAT DEFIES THE NORMS?

Sexuality, factions, culture, actions, society

CONSEQUENCES

Division in society, accepting of transgression of norms,

TEACHES NORMS

media, parents, society, church

Femininity and Masculinity

I think that the idea of femininity and masculinity have decreased over time. It used to be thought that males were more superior than females. Males would have jobs, do work, and bring home the money. Females would have done housework and take care of children. Now the whole idea has changed. Women have passed men in education and in society. Women have become more independent. They say that both women and men have the same opportunities in life. But I think that it is still a male dominated society. Males still get paid more. Some males still believe they are better than females.

What defines femininity is independence, responsibility,

Times Article Response

Megan Lee

Times Article Response

9:00 Class

To answer the article’s question, people in their twenties are taking so long to grow up because of many factors like the economy, their financial situation, family, and their own personal beliefs. The traditional definition of reaching adulthood of completing school, leaving home, becoming financially independent, marrying and having children is not right. They can’t define what adulthood is by stating specific milestones. Everybody has their own idea on what adulthood means. Some people reach it faster than others, but people try to learn and grow.

Parents want their children to succeed and because of that, they help them in any way possible. Kids moving in after college is one of those ways. It’s not wrong to live with parents. In order to start a family, people usually want to be financially stable. It has become hard to be stable with the increase of mortgages, expensive college debt, the increase in unemployment, and the high cost of life in general. People are trying to become independent and survive. No one wants to depend on their parents financially or live with them throughout their twenties. It is embarrassing and is a blow to their self esteem. Some people live at home to save money on food, laundry, and rent. It is kind of smart financially speaking.

Everyone who is not married, has no children, is unemployed, and is in debt doesn’t make them less of an adult. People struggle throughout their lives. The article criticizes and generalizes the generation of twenty year olds as being lazy and being unsuccessful because they have not exactly become the definition of an adult. Becoming an adult is a gradual process. Different experiences and events contribute to the transition of becoming an adult. To be a true adult is to be responsible, sensible, emotionally mature, and have self determination. People don’t need milestones to define them as adults.