Last Blog

I can’t believe that the semester is almost over. I’ve been waiting for this moment to arrive and now that it’s here I wish that I could have some extra time, and not because I love school, but because of all the homework and studying that I have to do. There never seems to be enough time in the day, but oh well. Looking back on my blogs I think, or at least I’m hopping, that my writing has improved. I’m not sure if my writing style has changed much, but I may have a biased opinion.

With only a few more days of classes I can hardly comprehend how fast this semester has gone. With that said, I want to wish everyone well for their semester exams. Good luck!  

Surrounded

With this last semester I am severely displeased with myself. I normally read multiple books in that amount of time, however going to school and working full time I have had little to no time to read.  The one and only novel that I did read this semester was “The Surrounded” by D’arcy McNickle. I only read this book because it was a required reading for a class I’m taking, and I’m glad it was, this book enlightening and captivating. The book is about a young Indian boy from the Salish Indian Reservation who, after being away from home returns to his dysfunctional family. The family is based on distrust and secrets. The plot of the book was based here in the Missoula Valley and so it was easy to envision where everything was taking place. The Surrounded talks about the native culture and how the “old ways” are dying and a new way is being born, for better or for worse. This book showed light on the Indian perspective of Indian Policy, something that is normally taught with a non-native standpoint. I highly recommend this book for any reader interested in a good plot with an unforeseen yet predictable ending.  

Thanksgiving!

Every Thanksgiving my siblings all come home to celebrate. This Thanksgiving was no different. My brothers and sisters were all here in Montana, waiting to taste my mom’s homemade apple pie. One thing was different this past Thanksgiving, and that was one of my sisters moved out of state less than a week before. I helped her move, and then helped my mom prepare the house for company and make all the food for the dinner. Needless to say, this was a very busy week for my family. After we had Thanksgiving dinner, my brothers and I decided to use the snow to our advantage and go sledding with the four-wheeler. This was a lot of fun, but I do have several nasty bruises from being tipped in the toboggan while being pulled by the four-wheeler. Other than a few bumps and bruises this Thanksgiving was very relaxing, and I can’t wait for the next break!   

Got Milk

                The snow was falling fast. Driving, even less than twenty miles an hour, the snow was zooming past me, giving the illusion that stars are rushing past like it does on Star Wars. The weather man on channel three called this the “worst blizzard in fifty years.” He seemed so excited as he said this, as if he thought the snow would end world hunger. 

                I didn’t understand why milk was so important, so crucial, for morning, I don’t see why he couldn’t go one morning without his blasted cheerios, and we had plenty of other breakfast items. Nonetheless I was still driving in the worst road conditions known to man.

                The car in front of me was slowing, I gingerly tapped my break, trying to not fishtail and lose control of the car. The other car then slowly, painfully slow, turned. I was then alone on the road. Well, for as far as I could tell.

                In normal weather, it would only take me fifteen minutes to reach the store and then back. I had been gone for over forty minutes and still hadn’t reached the store. I debated whether to turn back and brave the roads on the return, but I was so close. If I turned back now, the snowy road would win. I couldn’t let this happen.  I gently pressed harder on the accelerator determined to reach the store faster. I had to hurry, there little time to spare. As the needle climbed higher on the speedometer, reaching thirty, the snow came at me faster. I could hardly look out the window without a glaring headache pulsing through my temples.

                The road I was traveling usually had many cars scurrying about trying to get from A to B as quickly as possible. I found it strange that I was the only one on it tonight. Maybe I was only person who was crazy enough to travel in this weather.

                The phone on the passenger seat started to ring. I quickly glanced at it and then back at the road. Did I dare answer it? Whoever was calling would understand why I couldn’t answer. What if it was… I peeled my eyes form the wind shield and found the phone and grabbed for it. I clicked that answer button and pulled it to my ear.  

                I lost control, and I didn’t know why. The air bags deployed and hit my chest as my car continued to spin on the road. When the car stopped I was breathless. I couldn’t tell it I could move yet, so I sat, breathing hard, trying to comprehend what had occurred.  

             Carefully, I climbed out to check the damage. The front of my car was dented; I couldn’t see the extent of the damage because of the darkness. How could this happen? How could I let this happen? What had happened? The light from the head-lights shone across the road and rested on a deer, laying in an unnatural way.

             What the crap was a deer doing out in this kind of weather walking across the road?

 Probably the same thing I was doing, getting milk. 

I read A&P by John Updike and The Red Dress by Kevin Canty. I don't think that the either of the stories influenced me, but who knows. This story came from, literally, out of nowhere. The snowy roads though are probably the product of the fluffy white stuff out my window however. I hope that anyone reading enjoyed it!  

Cathedral

                In Cathedral, by Raymond Carver, the main character showed his jealousy throughout the majority of the story. When the story first begins the narrator, the husband, tells us that his wife’s blind friend is coming to visit. The narrator doesn’t sound pleased that the blind friend is coming to stay because he goes on to describe how his wife is in constant communication with the Robert, the blind man.  The narrator, to me sounds as if he’s very insecure about who he is and where he stands in life. Even after he shows he’s jealous of Richard’s arrival, the narrator talks about his wife’s ex-husband. The ex-husband is an officer and seems to have made himself into something. Though it doesn’t say what the narrator’s job is, it is very evident that the he’s jealous of the ex-husband job as well as the attention that his wife gave to him.  He wants desperately to be to be recognized by his wife and given attention that he hates that he’s not even being mentioned when Richard and his wife are talking after dinner.

                I think that the metaphor with the blind man’s disabilities and the narrator is that Richard tried to educate himself about what was in the world so he could envision it. While the narrator was blind due to not caring about any object.

                Carver’s writing style was hard to read when I first started. After a while it became easy and I could envision the scene taking place. His writing style left room for the imagination to create.  Even though I did come to appreciate Carver’s writing style, I prefer to read a complete sentence any day.

Some Writing Tips that may be Helpful!

Proof Read!

After writing a long paper I have a hard time going back and re-reading it, but I do it anyway for the sake of a well written essay. Even then I always miss some grammatical errors or spelling mistakes. So my solution is (Drum roll please) to have my amazingly smart sister read my papers and tell me what she thinks, and fix whatever mistakes she sees. Now I know that most people are running a tad bit short on the “smart sister” supply, so I guess the next best thing is for someone they deem as “smart” to take a look at their piece.

Just write, don’t stare blindly at the computer screen until 2 a.m.

 For me getting started on an essay is the hardest part of writing. I can hardly count the number of times where I have just stared blindly at my computer or out my window, waiting for some inspiration to just appear by flying space craft or Devine intervention, and it never happens. I think this statement is worth saying twice. IT NEVER HAPPENS. What I’ve found helpful is to just write about anything, even if it has nothing to do that pertains to the topic. True, I have had to delete many an unfinished essay because it was awful, but it did start the “creative juices” to flow.

 Don’t depend on just Microsoft Word to catch all of the mistakes

Microsoft Word can be a very good friend, but through personal experience it has proven to be my worst enemy. Let me explain, I’m the worst at spelling, so when I write I just tend to write and make spelling mistakes planning to go back and fix them. Microsoft Word has a different plan. This program thinks that it should fix these mistakes for me, instead of waiting patiently like a good computer should do. The program then takes the words and turns them into words that I didn’t want and often enough don’t make sense with what I’m writing. Sometimes I catch Microsoft in the act, most the time I don’t.

Procrastination is our enemy

 Many times I find myself waiting until the last possible second to write a paper, or do any homework for that fact. It’s human nature to want to put off those horrible assignments that ruin our nights and weekends. This is still one of the hardest things for me to do, to just do my homework in the very beginning so that I can have a free weekend and not have to worry. If I do the assignments right away then they would be even better because I’d had more time to go over and correct them, and I would have much more free time on my hands as a result.

Have fun

If the paper I’m writing is boring and I hate writing it, I know that whoever is going to read it is going to hate it just has much as I do because it shows through my writing how much I didn’t care about the subject. Plus, the teacher is stuck reading whatever I turn in, and they don’t want to be stuck reading some idiotic essay that’s as dry as sand. So take some pride, make it interesting, have some fun, and show them what you’ve got. Just remember these few simple words: If you can’t stand writing it, they’ll hate reading it.

Can I tell Two Truths to Get across One Lie?

1)      I have always been known as the accident prone one. However, throughout my entire life I have never broken a bone, much to my satisfaction. Uh oh, know I think I might have to knock on wood now!

2)      I have a very large family. I would tell you the number of family members that I have (which would include first cousins) but I have no idea the number due to the fact that my family is so huge it would take forever to count. Plus, it would be slightly embarrassing to say the number.

3)      If anyone has noticed in class, my hair color is blonde, but my natural color isn’t. I was cursed from birth to have an ugly color of red hair. It isn't fair because my sisters have beautifully colored hair. I guess I drew the short end of the stick when it comes to genes.  

The Office Anyone?

The Office, a hilariously funny, creatively amusing, and shockingly addictive, is my favorite TV show that I watch. What the Office is about is a paper company where a certain branch is located in Scranton, Pennsylvania; the show is a “docu-reality” where it exposes the 9-5 office jobs of modern day America. The manager of this particular branch is Michael Scott, who is played by my favorite comedian Steve Carell. Michael Scott is a middle aged man who has a huge ego and very much needs to be liked by everybody. The cast has a very nice blend of actors and actresses that portray a wide verity of personalities that can be found in just about any office across America: from Dwight, the obnoxious Assistant Regional Manager, to Jim, the practical joker, and everything in between. Having worked in office settings before, I truly appreciate the humor. However, one doesn’t need to have worked in an office to find the show hilarious. The Office is by far one of the best TV shows to watch when looking for a quick, whole hearted laugh.     

Democrats or Republicans: Choose Your Poison

The first article I read was Trifecta of Torment, by Nicholas D Kristof. Kristof discussed the much debated topic that has plagued our country since its infancy, which political party is better suited to run the country. The author used what I’ll call the “gaming” style when talking about the subject (meaning he talked about the Democrats and Republicans as if they were ball game and could be given points to see who the winner is). Kristof also used many fallacies in my opinion: hasty generalization, post hoc, and either/or fallacy, while his argument appeal of choice was pathos. I came into this article with an open mind, and as I read the article I found myself agreeing with the author as he stated the facts plainly, but as Kristof started to build the foundation of his argument I disagreed with him completely. When he stated his facts, the sources he got them from all seemed to be coming from the same places and lack verity. He also only used the facts that suited his argument. His use of Pathos wasn’t well executed because he tired to appeal to the unemployed as well as the tax payers in a way that was condescending in my eyes.

The second article I read was Obama’s Lock in 2012 by Peter Beinart. He talked about how President Obama basically has secured his office for the next presidential campaign. He used false analogy and logos for his argumentative appeals. Beinart used past presidents as examples of how everyone, save four, had gotten their party’s nomination as well as winning their second term election. I thought that the arguments that were made were very valid and made sense. He used logos in a very thoughtful and logical way. The author presented his facts with solid examples which aren’t controversial like the facts that Kristof used when he wrote his article.

The third article I read was Connecticut on the Ropes by Gail Collins. Connecticut in this midterm election is where the Republicans are looking to see if they can secure the Senate seat. Collins argues that the voters aren’t worried about who the candidates are, meaning the candidates are all people who the author thinks shouldn’t be people running for the Senate seat because of their odd personalities as well as business choices. The argument tools that were used by Collins in this article was, appeal to popularity with logos and pathos combined to present her opinion. I thought that the author did a very good job because of the points she made, she talked about how the candidates that are running are all very…colorful people (to put it politely). The part that I thought Collins could have done better to present her opinion was if she showed that the Democrats had more “normal” people running for the Senate seat.    

Multiple Personality Disorder?

When I took the enneagram test this weekend, it basically told me what I already knew from the beginning, that I have more than just one personality. My top scores were 8, 1, 2, and 5. 8 being the top score was Aggressiveness, with my second place being three personality types: perfectionist, helpfulness, and detachment.

 So basically, if anyone is unsure what a type 8 is I’ll sum it up for you. I am what one calls a control freak. If I see something that can be done better, I will take charge. Also I like people being straightforward with me, because I’m straightforward with them. In turn type 1 goes hand-in-hand with type 8. I love being organized and I can easily see how things can be done in a more efficient manor. Personality types 2 and 5 are what I’ll call my less domineering side. I tend to look at the world more objectively, and can see when others need my help, and I am usually able to help them. 

As I mentioned before, when I took this test I wasn’t surprised that I had more than just one personality. The test results showed that my top scores were only separated by a single point. Why aggressiveness scored higher by one point? I have no idea. Maybe it’s the mood I was in while I took the test, or maybe aggressiveness is my “true” personality. Who knows? Whatever the reason, I thought that this test was fairly accurate.  

Going Mongo

                Driving down the street of a residential area, I see it all the time, people putting their unwanted things, usually furniture, on the curb. I also see the “free” signs that are carefully placed on top of couches, chairs, and many other items for others to others to take notice. But I had never heard the term mongo until I read the article on trash. Robin Nagel (click here) described the term as “people who take things from the trash to keep.”

                Okay, I know that we are all familiar with the term mongo after reading the article, but until I read about it, I had no idea there even was a name for taking someone else garbage and reusing it for one's self. I myself have never participated in either end of mongoing, but I have seen others take ugly discarded objects and turn art works out of the garbage. Which is why, when I read further in the article and Nagel stated that she wanted a museum with a “mongo collection, “it reminded me of the artists I have seen taking part of the mongo movement. It amazes me what people can see in meaningless waste and turn it into something useful again, or something spectacular. I, on the other hand, lack the eye to see something amazing that’s wet and dirty with a “for free” sign sitting on the curb, so I marvel at those who do have the talent and act upon the opportunity.        

Research Topic

For my research paper I’m interested in looking into logging and forests. The reason being that I have lived up in the mountains most of my life, and have almost had my house burned down by a fire or two that have been known to plague Western Montana. As a result my question(s) would be: what would be best for the environment with the preservation of trees, and is it better to let nature take its course? However, I’m still not entirely sure how to go about this and it’s still very likely that I will have more questions, but at this moment in time I’m drawing a blank for the issue.

The same as Sandwich

For over a year and a half I worked in a high end gourmet restaurant. And through that time I worked my way up the food chain to become what was called in the kitchen a “make shift food prep cook.” I learned how to chop, sauté, bake, you name it I probably cooked it. I cooked anything from pasta’s to deliciously baked breads. One of the requirements of the kitchen was that, when it’s time for lunch, make it yourself. So there I was on my first day and had thousands of ingredients at my disposal to make whatever I wanted, and with so many possibilities the choice was impossible to make; one of my co-workers was making a ham and cheese sandwich, so I decided to make one for myself. But here’s a little bit of truth for you, until then I had never eaten a ham and cheese in my life, so when I first ate it I was surprised I liked it so much because I’m not a huge ham fan. And with that first bite of the ham and cheese I was hooked.


Why such the long story, about a sandwich and for most people would make the list of “the best food they’ve ever eaten.” I think that the sandwich is way underrated. I don’t know any student that doesn’t live off the sandwich in one form or another, from eating Hot Pockets, to buying a readymade sandwich at the market.

But who was the first to make the sandwich, the main source of substance that feeds most college students? Well his name was Rabbi Hillel the Elder (see here for more). Rabbi Hillel lived in the first century B.C. and started mixing chopped nuts, apples, spices and wine between two slices of unleaded bread that are eaten over pass over called the matzos, and so we can concluded that the first recorded sandwich was made. But it wouldn’t be tell John Montagu, the Fourth Earl of Sandwich, ordered the first sandwich at a restaurant, that we would get the name (see here for more). And yes, this is the same guy who sailed with Captain Cook, who named the Hawaiian Islands the Sandwich Islands after Montagu. Apparently the legend has it that John Montagu, the Earl of Sandwich, was an addicted gambler. One night Montagu was at the gambling table all night and too absorbed in gambling that he didn’t pay attention to his stomach, until finally he ordered his valet to bring him salted meat, cheese, bread, and some liquor. He then stuck the meat and cheese between two slices of bread, so he could continue to play with one hand. The other men at the gambling table began to order “the same as Sandwich.”

What I love about the Sandwich is that we can make it as healthy or as fattening as we want. It’s all up to the mood we're in while making or ordering one. 

A Good Read for the Indecisive Person

My name is Connie, and I’m from a small town that’s about forty miles south of Missoula. I am currently undecided on the major but I am interested in Elementary education. I don’t know really what to say of myself other than, I’m a very undecided-decisive person (if that makes sense to anyone, and I know it doesn’t).


But if someone really wants to get to know me they have to know that my reading habits are currently non-existent. I use to read more back in the beginning of high school because I had time to read, but as of right now I, unfortunately, have no time to read. However, when I do read, I read from just about any genre. But I can’t seem to say what a good read might be, or what book to recommend because well…I am a very harsh book critic. I don’t like most books because the books are usually too predictable for my liking. But I have to say that the classics are easily the best: such as Dickens, Jane Austen, and Hans Christian Anderson. But I know that the assignment is to recommend a book so I guess I’d say that if anyone has to read a book go with one of Jane Austen’s books just for the fact that she was an amazing author who shined in a field where being a female author was just about unheard in that era  as well as she set an incredible example for further generations to follow. Nonetheless, I normally don’t have such a strong opinion on what a good read is, so when asked by anyone to give an opinion on what my favorite book might be to recommend my usual response is “I have no idea.”