Week 8 and 9 blogs, spring 2008

English 500
Patterson
Spring 08’ Week 8
Blog Assignments
1. In regards to the different spelling of the word “women” that is used not including the word “men.” I do not believe that this practice is right but on the other hand this is not a big issue. If women feel that they need to change the way the word is spelled then all power to them. If there are people out there that are offended by this practice then they really have a big problem. To me there are more important things to worry about than the spelling of the word “women.”
2. Attending graduate school has affected me in different ways. I regret not going to graduate school earlier because at this stage in my life it almost feels like a burden sometimes. Although I know that I have to do it with all the responsibilities that I now have it is much different. Graduate school has showed me how important it is for a person to further their education because in the end you will be benefitting from it the most. It has also taught me how to be a student again after being out of school for 7 years.
3. The way we dress is so important because society really places judgment on you just by your dress alone. I remember when friends and I decided to conduct our own research to see how people would perceive us for a day so we all put suits on went into the city. People were staring at us and wondering look at all these black men dressed up in their suits they must be very successful. We were given VIP passes to different events taking place that weekend and every high end store gave us the royal treatment. Even in the restaurant that we ate in that day we were given the best table in the house. So the way we dress does affect how people will perceive you.
4. Some of the long term effects of childhood experiences are: Whenever someone has doubted my abilities I have overcome them and proven those individuals wrong. As a child my mother always told me to tell the truth even if it may hurt others and I continue to exercise this practice today because being honest is the best policy in everything that we do not just in our personal lives but also on the job. Another one would be that my father was athletic so he would always have me playing sports with him all the time and this is something that I still do today.
5. Physical attractiveness should not be such an important issue just because a person is attractive does not mean that he/she are good. Society places a huge emphasis on physical attraction which causes people to do things to their bodies just because society says so. In the long run people end up destroying their lives because of trying to make themselves attractive and some of them even die as a result. As individuals we should not place so much attention on peoples’ looks but on the person on a whole. If society does did this we would be in better shape.


Week 9
Patterson
Spring 08’
1. Life is all about taking risks because this is the only way that a person is going to get anyway in life. Throughout my life I have experienced the results of taking risks whether the outcome has been good or bad. When my parents decided to migrate to Canada from Europe not knowing exactly how things would play out they took that risk and it paid off because as a result my siblings and I have turned out very well along with parents also being successful. When I decided to go back to grad school it was a risk because I have been out of school for a long time. I was going to leave a good job to pursue my master’s degree and so far that risk is also paying off.
2. If I was given the opportunity to speak to a group of high school seniors from my alma mater I would tell them that college life is what you make it. There is good and bad associated with college life but if they take the initiative to chose the good they will be successful. I would tell them that they have to manage their time wisely because although it may seem as though you have a lot of time you really don’t. Eventually your last year will arrive and you are not able to graduate because of your procrastination. A finally follow your handbook and course curriculum so that you are able to graduate on time having everything complete.
3. When looking at progress and what people may have to give up in the name of progress it is a big price. There are times when individuals have to put their own pride aside and give up things that they never thought they would have in order to progress in life. Sometimes it even goes as far as families being torn apart just for progress. One may ask them self, is it worth it all? Our forefathers made up in their minds that they were going to make progress if it meant them losing their lives. So we do pay a big price for progress I believe whenever it is for good it is worth it.
4. Some advice that I would share about the interview process are: Make sure that you do research on the company that you having the interview with. This will always benefit you because this shows how interested you are in working for the company. Dress for success and by this I mean that one should wear formal attire. When you are in the interview focus on the individual who is interviewing you using eye contact. Sometimes people can get intimidated by the eye conduct so you can also focus on the person’s nose which may seem weird but it works. At the end of interview ask the interviewer questions relevant to the job.
5. In society when we look at a person automatically we assume that this person must be making a lot of money and they are successful because they are wearing a suit and tie. If you are working in the corporate or medical arena you are considered successful. We place labels on certain jobs which then gives individuals status. Throughout the different generations this has always taken place where you have people. If you are working in a field that is not deemed desirable even though you may make a lot of money you job is not considered valuable. Society dictates exactly what is valuable and what is not and that goes for everything else. As long as society sees things in a positive light even though it may not be we just accept it.