Andrew Braaksma/ Appreciate What You Have-

Andrew Braaksma’s time working at the assembly line taught him some pretty important lessons. Braaksma was attending college and working at the same time which made him actually work harder. One of the most important lessons learned was to appreciate what you have, along with others like how easy it is to loose work once you have it. 

One day, my friend’s mom decided it would be a good idea for us to volunteer at a soup kitchen type of thing, it wasn’t exactly a soup kitchen for the homeless but for those who didn’t have as much money as the rest, though the homeless were more than welcome to attend. My friend, her sister and I all worked as waiter types to bring food and drinks to some of the tables. As I took a gander around the room, I saw how many people needed to come here to eat just because they didn’t have enough money on there own to buy there own food and feed there own families. Volunteering at this place wasn’t what changed my point of view, but what I saw around the room. I take to appreciate everything I own, the food I get to eat and the house I get to live in because I know that many of other people cant come close to afford the big and expensive things that others can.

Langston Hughes/ Giving In to Peer Pressure-

Langston Hughes writes about how he was pressured as a boy to believe in a religion he was not so sure about. I have given in to pier pressure but not exactly the names of religion. After the experience, I did not learn anything only because I already know wright from wrong, and I probably would have still done it if I could go back in time. One cold and gloomy night, probably considered morning since it was about 3am, my friends and I decided that it would be a good idea to walk to our local Safeway which so happens to be open 24/7. We did not have very much money, I recall not having any money at all actually. Circling the store for quite a bit we stopped by the sushi department. The people I was with wanted to take some, as I mentioned before, they did not have any money nor did they have thick clothes on-I was the only one that had a hoodie. They asked me to hide the sushi container under my clothes and just walk out. I just kept on replying with “why don't you do it?!” they again replied with them not having anything on to cover it. I finally gave in and hesitated as I lifted up my sweatshirt and stuck the container inside. After a few more minutes of roaming the store, we fled the scene. If I hadn't of stolen that sushi I probably would have felt kind of bad because my friend who wanted me to take it has stolen me hair spray once, or twice, maybe three times. I do know it's bad and that is why I choose not to steel anymore, no matter what anyone says.

Charles Fisher/ Cell Phone Usage-

Some people get really frustrated while others use cell phones in public. In “Cell Phones and Social Graces,” Charles Fisher talks about how he despises cell phones, and the ways other people tend to use them. He describes how disrespectful some people could get and how they may even take over some peoples lives. I personally never realized how somebody could hate cell phones so much. I some what agree with some of Fishers arguments such as when he talks about how people can not wait to use them. People talk on their phones while doing certain activities that they really could wait on, like while in church or on a carousel ride, as Fisher explains. Can they not wait two minutes at the most to return somebody's phone call? The situation gets worse, not only because they are being discourteous and answering a call at an inappropriate timing, but because of how they are handling the phone call. I do not think that a lot of people know the difference between their indoor and outdoor voices. I once was at a local Borders Book Store and some lady's phone happened to ring. She answered it and was talking into it as if she was in a crowd. I don't think she cared about what the people around her thought. Some people just don't get it.

Harold Krents/ Disabilities-

Harold’s purpose on writing Darkness at Noon was probably to tell that people with disabilities can work and do the same things that people without disabilities can. I mostly agree with his view point only because maybe some certain jobs would be harder to accomplish for people with certain disabilities.

Sometimes jobs would probably be harder to do if the person had certain disabilities, I would think that it would be harder if they were blind or deaf or something like that. But I guess who ever hired them, if they gave them a couple days or weeks to get used to everything they would probably do just as a good job or maybe even better than a person without disabilities. In the end, I guess it really doesn’t matter what kind of disabilities your have, it just depends on the person, their personality and how they would do things.

Lisa Wilson/ Respecting Nature-

Lisa Milson's purpose in writing “So What's So Bad About Being So-So” I think was to tell people hat you could really learn something about nature and to respect and take care of it if you go on nature trips like river rafting. Lisa makes a lot of great points but I am not quite convinced due to experience.

My aunt once took me on a “white water” rafting trip with a big group of people. I was not really concerned about the nature around me, but more of me getting hurt, or dying; It was really scary. When the group was not water rafting and was on the camping spot, I did not really see a lot of people respecting the grounds as well as they should. Like Lisa said, the nature around you should make you want to appreciate and respect it. Wasn't the case here. I personally don't litter, and when some one else does, I go pick it up and throw it away, but I wasn't about to do that for everyone else. Also, when I go camping, its obviously in the nature areas and I still see people not respecting the nature and just throwing wrappers on the floor and not caring about their surroundings. I still think that Lisa made some good points though, and might have convinced a lot of people.

Anna Quindlen/ Appreciate More-

Anna’s purpose was to tell that people spend to much money on things they don’t even need rather than spending on necessities they actually need in life. People today rely on things that they don’t really need to make them happy. She states that people with less actually appreciate what they have more, and I agree with this statement. Anna thought it would be a better idea to spend money on things that we need rather than things that we want. I think people should appreciate what they have more.

I hate when people have something like an iPod or a laptop or a phone and they just throw it or not take care of it as they should. I ask, “why did you just throw that, can you just set it down?“ they respond with something like, “who cares, I’ll just get another one.” that really makes me mad sometimes because first of all, why would u even do that? do they not care about all the extra money there parents have to spend on buying you another one when that money can be used to pay bills or what not? And second, they should think about other people who cant even afford to buy the first iPod and appreciate what they have.

This is just my opinion on things. People should appreciate what they have more, and feel grateful that they have all these things that other people don’t or cant afford to get.

Amy Tan/ How I Felt Out Of Place-

Amy Tan felt ashamed of her culture and background when she did not fit in with the rest. She tells what her experience was when she felt out of place for being Chinese and not White.  When the whole experience was over, she learned that she should not be ashamed of her nationality just because she does not fit in. I personally understand how Tan feels to be out of place not by nationality but by no one really liking me.

Sometimes I feel out of place not because of my nationality but because I feel un liked. I don’t feel un liked, I am un liked. I go with my step dad sometimes to the Bay Area to visit his side of the family. The only reason I go is because I like to visit two of my cousins which are like two of my best friends. When ever I go, the family treats me kind of mean and bad. They don’t like me because I’m my moms son and not really related to my step dad in any way. They never liked my mom either. When ever we go it’s just me, my step dad and my brother.  At first, I just sit on the couch and not really talk to anyone and I’m just all embarrassed because I really feel like I do not belong.  When I am there long enough, I just think in my mind “”EF” this, I hate every single one of them anyway. They’re ugly, and I don’t even care what they think of me” and just go on with my day and do what ever I want, not caring what they think.

What I learn every time I go visit is who cares what they think of me. Ill be proud of who I am. They may make me feel bad for a little but they cant put me down for ever, so I continue my day not caring what they think of me.