reader response to Walljasper

Len Lai

Prof. Laura Sheehan

ESOL 0360

April 11, 2015

Reader- Response to Walljaper

In the essay, “Our Schedules, Our Selves” by Jay Walljasper explains how we manage to become slaves of our schedules, and the way we think about our schedules. Walljasper says, “We are not leading our lives, but merely following a dizzying timetable of duties, commitments, demands, and options” (260). This essay was first published in 2003. The author develops his thesis by explaining the reasons and giving the solutions.

The problem that is more common now than it was in 2003 is “Our own human desire for more choices new experiences” (261). Nowadays, the technology is growing very fast such as cell phone people want to have more time to explore something new than the past. For example, Walljasper writes, “An expanding choice of cultural offerings over recent decades and the liberating sense that each of us can fully play a number of different social roles (worker, citizen, lover, parent, artist, etc.) has opened up enriching and exciting opportunities” (261).

The solution that Walljasper discusses which is unrealistic is “time can make a big difference in how you feel about your life, as other articles in this cover section illustrate” (262). Making our schedules or plans helps us to manage our time to have organized lives, but time cannot make a big difference in our lives.

Lost and Pound

" I believe I can fly
I believe I can touch the sky
I think about it every night and day
Spread my wings and fly away
I believe I can soar
I see me running through that open door
I believe I can fly
I believe I can fly
I believe I can fly." by R. Kelly. As the lyrics, I started to plan my dream in the US when I heard that song named " I believe I can fly" two years ago. Because I was born in a small town of South Vietnam, I had very narrow view, and I could not image my life in the future. I had a hard time to make a decision for studying aboard because I had nothing such as English or education. However, I tried to keep my plan in the right track day by day. Ultimately, I come to the US with all my passion and my goals. However, as Tang says in the essay "Polite but Thirsty," (p.39) "Life is never smooth sailing. It requires a continual series of adaptions to new environments." yes, it is. Being a newcomer in another country is very hard, and usually face with many undesirable things. For example, Tang has experience on being direct, calling name, or tipping; however, I find my perspective has broadened by being strong, solving  problems, and communicating with people.
   
     I see myself becoming more stronger. Before I came to the US, I used to afraid of everything. For example, I could not ride a bike, but my friend could do it very well. I did not like to speak up in class because I thought my classmates were laughing on me. Moreover, I also have not had my own opinion because my parents took care me everything. I could image myself such as a doll with nothing special. Coming to a new country which is growing very fast, I have to change myself to adapt with this new environment. Sometimes I get stuck, and fight with different opinions because no one can help me out; therefore, I must be strong to face with everything. I feel unadaptable in the beginning, but I become more comfortable now.
   I have learned how to solve the problems by myself. I solve the problems by facing with them. Sometimes I think I cannot do my best, and I will need some help from family or friend; however, I can achieve by my own. Because I am growth, I am independence person, so I need to have the goals for myself. Day by day, I am proud about myself because I can solve my problems than before.
    Being a foreigner student, I need to communicate with people. In Vietnam, communicating is kind of unusual class, and it provides for college student because that course helps them how to communicate with each other effectively.
  

Argumentative essay

I have no idea about writing an argumentative essay because it contains a huge knowledge. For example, eating fast food should be avoided. Of course, we have enough information to talk about that topic, and we can control the whole essay. However, if we don't know in general, we will not discuss in the good way as we thought. I have a trouble with any kind of essays because i am cramming myself with the topic and the vocabulary because I have lack of words in English to explain; moreover, I am afraid of teacher who read my essay. I try to improve in writing so much, but sometimes I get a good grade and some are not. I am really upsetting about myself. Tomorrow I will take an exam, and it is not easy. Otherwise, I will do my best.

I wish

    I wish today is not Friday. I wish that yesterday is not Thursday. I wish my summer class is not over. I don't want to leave my classmate and my great teachers because we are all together. But I cannot change anything unless I have a magic. If I can do a magic, I will stop the time right now. After that, I will turn back the time to great time with my class. Then, I will write a letter to each person in class for saying that we should keep this time together in our mind. Then, we will take a lot of pictures. But it is just a wish, I cannot do anything. Moreover, I wish we will have a great great class in the future, and nobody will forget it.
  Ps: I don't know why we don't make a time to go out such as ice skating.??

The differences Between Mason's Biological Father and His Stepfathers

    Mason was born in a family with the divorced parents. When Mason's mom moves to Houston, Mason's Dad find himself alone in Alaska. His boyhood doesn't look like anyone because he does not have enough emotional from his parents. By the time, his mother get married with a professor, and he is going to be Mason's stepfather. However, the purpose of this essay is to contrast the differences between Mason's biological father and his stepfathers. And we will look at the characteristics, the emotional, and raising children.
  At first Mason's biological father, he has an active characteristic of good father. For example, he spends time with his children through goes out, plays bowling, eats and talks with them. He always gives an advice to kids what is right and wrong. Moreover, he listens the feedback from his children. On the other hand, Mason's stepfather doesn't particularly like that because his stepfather becomes drinking and arguing more frequently. He doesn't care about Mason and his children. For example, he sends a barber to cut his children hair, but he doesn't ask about what styles are Mason like the most. Then, he just lets the barber cutting without thinking. After that, he laughs and feels happy.
   Another different between Mason's biological father and his stepfather is the emotional. Mason always feels very comfortable when he stays with his original father. Mason shares the things, and talks about his classmate or his daily life even dream in the future, and the feedback from his original father is very nice to them. He explains the point by point until they understood. In contrast to Mason's stepfather is the opposite way. Because of the feeling, Mason is usually afraid of his stepfather when he got drinking. For example, when Mason tells something or gives the opinions then he looks at his stepfather for asking a permission. In this case, Mason cannot tell his mom about his problems because he doesn't want his mom to be worried. And Mason's stepfather is also a violent person; as a result, Mason and his mom are usually beaten by Mason's stepfather.
  The final difference is raising children. Mason's stepfather doesn't know how to raise kids and how to teach them either, but Mason's biological father does. He teaches his children how to be a good person, and how to be responsibility with the things they do. He also explains why he and his wife are separate. Moreover, he teaches his children how to do when they have a boyfriend or a girlfriend also.  And he also gives the opinions about the future to raise his children to a right tract or to help their dream come true.
  In conclusion, here you have these differences to think about having another father. Although, in some case, two dad might be better than one dad, and it depends on what you think about. In children side, they want only one parent, but being a single mom or dad is also difficult for parent too. I hope through my contrast essay, you will know a little bit more about the difference between biological father and stepfather in Boyhood movie, the childhood life of Mason.

What Effects Have Hitler's Beliefs Brought to the World ?

     Adolf Hitler was born on April 20, 1889 in Australia. He was a powerful man in 20th century, and he also controlled the political of government in Germany. Hitler's dream was owning all countries, and he wanted to be a leader of all nationalities. Because of his dream, Hitler made wars happen around the world from the biggest countries such as Australia, Canada, France, China, and Germany to the smallest countries like Japan, Thailand, or Cambodia. As a result, millions in millions people were killed by fighting in World War II. Moreover, Hitler controlled cultural, political, and economy; therefore, the economy of many countries were decreasing in that time. Because of these reasons, people lived a terrible life, and poverty appeared everywhere. Due to this fact, there are three main effects of Hitler's destruction including change in people's lives, destruction of many countries, and the death of a lot people.
   First of all, people's lives were changed. After World War II the economy of most countries were destining. There were not exchanging the products, foods, and materials to countries like before, so there were not enough foods for people to consume. Consequently, people's lives were terrible and appeared social problems such as people stealing things or foods to survive. Furthermore, people did not having home anymore, and they became homeless. For example, before the war affluent people had everything like a royal family, they turned homeless because of the war in just one day. In some cases, people did not adapt with this situations, and they did not want to live in a horrible country, so they decided to move to different places with better lives. As a result, they were foreigners in new countries, and they adapted in new environment.
    Second, many countries were destroyed. By the end of World War II, much of Europe, A sea, and parts of Africa were destroyed by the war. Because of boom and shooting, all cities, towns, bridges, railways were destroyed. Today, when you go to the history museum such as Holocaust museum, you will see a lot of pictures that describe the destruction from the war. In addition, after the war big countries were going to join with small countries, there ere many countries were disappeared forever. For example, over 70 countries were gone after the war. 
   The last effect is that a lot of people died. The amount of dead people were up to 60-90 millions people. Most people died on battlefield when they were fighting; on the other hand, a lot of people died from boomings or killed by shootings. When people were fighting, they didn't care about anyone because the truth here was that if you survived then I died and that all. In addition, not many surviving people had a full family even one or two members in family after the war, and that was painted for them for a long time, and they felt alone forever. 
   Overall, World War II are a night mare for past generations, and nobody wants to repeat that again. And there are three main effects of Hitler's destruction including change in people's lives, destruction of many countries, and the death a lot of people. 

Classification Essay: Teachers

    "To the world you are just a normal person, but to your students you are a hero". Being a hero is doing good things, helping people, and making something difference. By the day, not many people want to become a teacher because there are many choices of career such as doctors, pharmacists, chemical engineers, or sales people. However, most people will turn to be a teacher if they cannot find their dream job in that time, and they start to think that teachers are the second jobs. But the purpose of teachers are giving the information and teach students understanding the things. And teacher can be classified into three types: friendly teachers, funny teachers, and strict teachers.
    First, a friendly teacher is just like a friend. Does everyone has as least one friend? Having a friend is like to own a story book because we can share many things we want. And a friend is a place to get an advise when we fell down or make a decision. Therefore, a friendly teacher is exactly like that. In school, you are a teacher with the purpose is teaching the students, and give them the information. Outside of school, you can be a friend with them, talk to them, and share feeling with them. In addition, a teacher need to adapt to any environment and student, so being friendly with students is easier for teaching. For example, teachers and students can go to the Gym, go shopping, and drink coffee together. As a result, a friendly teacher makes the class more comfortable.
     Second type is a funny teacher. Everyday, most students want to hear difference stories or topics, so teacher also need to prepare some activities that can make students laugh. The purpose of this point is to catch students attention because of that teaching is more successful. Moreover, students always want their teacher join together with them, so they feel happy and want to study than ever. For example, I would like to study with a funny teacher than a strict teacher because I don't want to be rigid with homework or rules.
    A strict teacher is the last type. Having a time management is a good way to strict students. A strict teacher is following the rules, but he still gets the point from his students by controlling them. But a strict teacher is not mean working hard with students. For example, if she is late on class about minutes, teacher doesn't need to count she absent if she has a good excursion. Punishment for cheating in class is required for a strict teacher. In my option, I don't like cheating in class because itdoes not  fair.
   In conclusion, three types of teachers-friendly-funny-and strict teacher are combined together to be a good teacher. The main purpose of these types is helping teachers do a great job in the future.