Lego construction

Due to my participation in the Galileo theme housing program I am required to committee to six hours of community service as an assignment. I decided to register and complete my service hours for the First Lego League competition. This competition is set up to encourage young students to become engineers by letting them experience some basic computer and robotic programming. The object of the competition I s to complete a series of tasks with a programmed mind-storm Lego robot using simple software that comes with the robot set. I volunteered to work for the competition set up and to help build some of the Lego obstacles that had to be maneuvered around to or moved around. I was primarily interested with working with this project because when I was younger I loved playing with Legos, for nearly five years I requested a Lego set for either my birthday or Christmas when I was still a small kid. To be able to get my hands on some Legos again was so stress reliving. I spent nearly four hours working with about eight other students to construct a single Lego set. Each set include about 10 individual Lego sets that had to be constructed that together made up the obstacle course and assignment that the robot has to complete for the competition.

From the time I got to the room where the assembly was taking place till nearly several hours after I left I couldn’t help but keep a smile on my face. Even though I was doing something as simple as following directions from a colored block diagram I was so excited to have some Legos in my hand again. It was the best possible way to relieve some stress while enjoying myself in being a kid again. For the four hours that I spent that Sunday afternoon I got so much more out of it for myself than I would have sitting in my room getting my work finished for various classes. In the end I nearly got to put together one of each different set and at least worked on one of all the sets that I really wanted to make. Even with all the people that were there and the time we all spent there we still didn’t complete all the assembling so I might have another opportunity to work with some Legos again and even though I already worked all the parts I wanted it just feels good to act like a kid again while in college.

morw quotes

“Suburbia is where the developer bulldozes out the trees, then names the streets after them.”

- Bill Vaughan

Saw this on a webpage and thought it was slightly unsettling in a true way.

"It's kind of fun to do the impossible"

- Walt Disney

Isn’t it true even to think of trying to do the difficult or challenging is so much more exciting than think of the mundane we do every day.

"Poets are always taking the weather so personally"
-J.D. Salinger

A quote I saw on a friend’s facebook thought it was funny.

Response to Genre Feedback

Responses to various comments given on genre writing assignment

Comment 1: It is a good question to raise this issue when thinking about the audience. For professional scientist their reports will be read by other professionals in their field who will likely already know enough about the question trying to be answered or the experiment being conducted to not need a deep discussion of what is being done. Few people just pick up a lab report to see what conclusion was recorded by scientist concerning the affect of magnetism on electric current in computer circuitry. Throughout school lab reports are read and graded by people that are familiar with lab reports and therefore are also familiar with the assignment. For the expected audience of a lab report a lengthy review of the purpose.

Comment 2: Wasn’t sure if you could completely evaluate if my report for accuracy since you are an English teacher, but though you could still conclude if the writing was clear enough to go with the information being presented. Enjoyed writing something that I believe will actually benefit me in the future opposed to the rest of the writing we have done in class.

Comment 3: Used an experiment conducted in the Chemistry 1036 lab course. Received data from my roommate and discussed what they were to do. Looked through the lab manual and examples to determine how to set up report

Comment 4: The area of “discussion of experimental Uncertainty” is set in place for the experimenter to into a discussion of where he or she might have had error in the experiment and how it could have affected the results; whether there was random uncertainty or systematic uncertainty and if it would have produced results that might be to large or too small. If the experimenter is performing an experiment to reconfirmed a know result this section would include the percent error calculated from the experiment compared to the accepted value and where the experimenter might have gone wrong to get this difference.

self recognition school trends

Reading the piece by Christina Hoff Sommers I realized to an extent how true the data she used as a source seemed. Through high school in my advanced math and science courses the girls often seemed to generally perform better than most of the guys. While the guys general were less attentive in class the girls came prepared and ready to engage with the instructor. In my senior year I took AP courses and looking back this realization becomes even clearer. There were more female students in both my AP calculus and chemistry class than male and in both cases then included mostly junior level students opposed to seniors. Some of these girls were two years ahead with their math courses. Though there were some guys in the same league as these girls they were a small portion of the ratio. Also thinking back to all the school organizations and clubs they were all nearly headed by girls if not completely. It’s interesting to think that now in the government men hold most positions but if the trend with girls’ increased action in academics and extracurricular activities continues it is easy to speculate that females may soon hold a major portion or even a majority of government positions. Though in the upper level courses the two genders are equally competitive with grades if it were up to numbers the girls would nearly always win. It’s interesting to think of why this trend is occurring. What has driven so many female students to start to perform at such high levels and way are so few male students matching the girls’ achievements. As the future comes it will be exciting to see if male students catch back up with the female students or if the girls move on even further ahead of their male peers.

Where do boys fit in

Christina Hoff Sommers uses plenty of statistical data in her paper to approach the issue that boys are recently falling behind girls in the areas of academics. She looks at various studies performed that show that girls are outperforming most guys in most school courses and that girls are becoming increasingly more active and engaged in school. The writer is using information to bring attention to an issue that some people easily disregard because of common beliefs. Christina Hoff Sommers even mentions that some teachers that witness this continuing trend don’t take the proof that girls are surpassing boys in a serious manner, but as the trend persists more people are coming to the realization that girls are indeed rising above boys. The writer quotes the president of the Board of Education of Atlanta as saying that girls are doing better than boys in nearly all areas of school. Through her writing the author clearly develops this idea that the concern for girls being “shortchanged” needs to come to a stop as it is now the boys that are falling behind of the girls. The writer’s objection to this idea that women are still in need of “indemnifying consideration” represents her courage to speak out against an issue that many still consider to be true.

As much as facts and figures can help to answer a question, it becomes nearly impossible to apply some to such an area as religious beliefs. There is no data on how to gain faith or where to find and strengthen it. Personal experiences are the defining aspect in religious education or growth. Though I cannot use statistical data as Christina Hoff Sommers did, but I can use quotes from individuals to describe what they have seen and experienced in the same way that Christina Hoff Sommers used quotes to show how certain individuals agreed with her concern. Though after each section of data that Christina Hoff Sommers represents she goes into the condition these facts represent and that is a well structured method of representing her view on each part of the issue that would be good to follow.

Haiku set 1

As I continue to try to put in more of the recommended in my writing journal I’m going to try my hand at some of the simplest poetry styles I can think of, the Haiku.

Along the street sides
Leaves dance within the gusts
As winter comes near

Brand new music plays
A surge of bass and beats
Gives reasons to rock

Sleeping in warm sheets
With no ambition to rise
But classes do call

Song Verse

“We are all here for a reason on a particular path
You don't need a curriculum to know that you are part of the math
Cats think I'm delirious, but I'm so damn serious
That's why I expose my soul to the globe, the world
I'm trying to make it better for these little boys and girls
I'm not just another individual, my spirit is a part of this
That's why I get spiritual, but I get my hymns from Him
So it's not me, it's He that's lyrical
I'm not a miracle, I'm a heaven-sent instrument
My rhythmatic regimen navigates melodic notes for your soul and your mental
That's why I'm instrumental
Vibrations is what I'm into
Yeah, I need my loot by rent day
But that is not what gives me the heart of Kunte Kinte
I'm tryina give us "us free" like Cinque
I can't stop, that's why I'm hot
Determination, dedication, motivation
I'm talking to you, my many inspirations
When I say I can't, let you or self down
If I were of the highest cliff, on the highest riff
And you slipped off the side and clinched on to your life in my grip
I would never, ever let you down
And when these words are found
Let it been known that God's penmanship has been signed with a language called love
That's why my breath is felt by the deaf
And why my words are heard and confined to the ears of the blind
I, too, dream in color and in rhyme
So I guess I'm one of a kind in a full house
Cuz whenever I open my heart, my soul, or my mouth
A touch of God reigns out”

Verse from a CD by Kanye West.

This verse seems to incorporate so much that is no expected to be in song from a rap artist. The idea of the artist praising God about his gift to be able to perform sends out such a strong message that more can come out or rap than violence and sex. From the first time I heard this song through I was caught off guard by the potency of its lyrics. Though I wasn’t paying full attention to the song I could discern the voice and the tone of the song. I briefly stopped what I was doing at the time to listen more closely to the lyrics and knew I would have to listen to it again later in a clearer mind set. When I listened to the verse through in its entirety it instant became something I felt proud to like. Even through reading the verse I appreciate what is being said and can almost hear it as it is recited in song in my head. Whenever I listen to the song containing this verse I make sure I listen closely because even though I’ve heard it so many times now it still instills sense of virtue in me.

Quotes 1

“By replacing the missing we’re missing the replacement”

A quote I myself develop believing it to be rather clever in its meaning.

“A good chef makes good food but good company makes a great meal”

A comment I heard once at lunch with a friend of my mom. I couldn’t agree more with his statement.

Ravi Zacharias

Last Thursday after my bible study meeting my Bible study group had decided to attend the speech that was being given by Ravi Zacharias. From what various people had told me about him, he was a rather well-known and acclaimed Christian philosopher. When I had first seen the flyer for his appearance at Virginia Tech I wanted to attend because I had heard of how great a speaker he was, but didn’t expect to go because I just won’t have the time or the ambition to make it over there at the time. I was first invited to go by my girlfriend to whom I of course said I would go. Knowing that I would be there with someone gave me the motivation to make sure I attended the event. The night that my Bible study met they informed me that they planned on attending the event with Ravi Zacharias that night. At the time I didn’t realize it but had I not been pre-invited by my girlfriend I would still have attended the event with my Bible study group. During Ravi Zacharias’s speech I was compelled to listen. What I had heard about him was true but certainly understated his effects and presence. I sat and listen with great attention as he talked about the evil in life and the ways we can come to accept them in our lives and move forward.

A particular moment that stuck out to me was his expansion on Matthew 22:15-22 the story where the Pharisees tried to trick Jesus by asking if it was right to pay taxes to Caesar. Jesus asks whose image is on the coin and the Pharisees reply “Caesar” to which Jesus replies “Render therefore unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's; and unto God the things that are God's”. Ravi Zacharias went on to say there was another question to be asked after this “What belongs to God?” to which Jesus who have said “Whose image lies on you.” This hit me in particularly deep way realizing that humans were created in the image of god that his image lies on us and within us, it is right to offer ourselves to God and do as he teaches. After I left the event this thought was remained in my mind and was for me a powerful message of Christian responsibility.

Its Time To Grow Up - Later

In the piece “It’s Time to grow Up-Later” the writer is writing about how the trend of young adults to achieve what is considered to be adulthood is now taking longer than it did for this generation’s parents. Using data from 1960 and 2000 the writer clearly demonstrates the decline that has occurred in the amount of thirty year odds reaching a level of independent maturity by the age of thirty. The writer seeks to prove that a new part of life is emerging between teenage youth and adulthood termed “youthhood.” This time is becoming an increasing period in the lives of the current generation. The major factor observed in the extra length necessary for people to reach adulthood involves their learning stage. In the article the writer says, “In 1970, a bachelor’s degree could launch a career and support a family” but then goes on to say this isn’t sufficient enough for today’s world. Graduate school has become almost mandatory for most technical fields and many others which add considerable more time till an individual can enter into the work force. Once they leave school they must compete in an aggressive job market while trying to negotiate the tight financial situation graduate school on top of a previous four years of college has put them in. This situation motivates many students to return to their parent’s home to scrap up some money before they try to move out and become their independent selves.

Another factor that reduces the trend in the new generations in reaching adulthood is that many couples are waiting longer to get married and have children. The writer suggests that this current generation has witnessed its parents make mistakes in getting married to young and they don’t wish to follow in those footsteps. This generation wants to take their time and perform their goals right.

It seems reasonable now days for an individual to want to take their time before they become an adult. Since youth, adulthood never seems as attractive a life as the one a child or teenager lives in and most people are not too excited to get into it when they learn what it entails. College is certainly a great part of one’s life and by going through graduate school it is a chance for some to continue with that experience while receiving a higher level of education so that they will seem more competitive when they go job seeking. Also now that many students are pushed to obtain internships and co-ops during college it takes some student over four years to obtain their bachelor’s degree but the benefits of the work experience far out way the extended period of a year. The period of time that this current generation is using to shift in to adulthood may prove as a benefit if people are use as time to consider what they want to do with the adult period of their life. One member of the older generation in the piece is quotes as saying “We were in a hurry to graduate, get out, get a job, get married. I didn’t know there was anything else you could do.” This behavior of rushing into something you may not know is not the best approach especially if in the end you realize you don’t like it and decide you want to change. It may be better if the younger generations approach adulthood with a plan and execute it through time in a way that it provides them with a suitable adult life.

visual rhetoric

Designed the title to include the information of who was involved in the experiment and when it was completed. Used bold writing to indicate where the various sections were that together composed the structure of the lab report. Used common style and size font to answer questions and to for general writing purpose in the report. Use of tables neatly organizes and displays the data. I aligned the data tables to be in the same marginal sets so to have a clean transition down the page. In the sample calculation section I gave the quantity that was being determined and gave its full mathematical expression. Then I substituted in the values and showed how the answer was calculated. Wrote out all the equations so that a reader could easily follow along with my thought process for the calculations and easily be able to reference to an example to see how a value was determined. For the discussion I put in indentions to separate where answers were being given to the lab report problems.

To make my writing clearer instead of using only indentions to specify where questions are being answered for a part in the result and conclusions sections I plan to bullet the each answer as part A. B. or C. for question 1.

spring semester

As I sit in front of my laptop staring down the six tabs I have open trying to construct the perfect schedule for next semester while cross examining the professors and TA’s with their ratings on koofers.com I hope that some amazing opportunity will jump out at me. The one think I know is that I will get Chang as my Physics professor. Since the step program I have repeatedly heard his name mention as the physics teacher to have if you wish to understand the subject. As an intended engineering major I know I need a thorough understanding of physics so I will get the professor that will give me that teaching. Setting up two different starting schedules using the various times of Chang’s physics lectures as the class the adjust my courses around I try to fill in my schedule packing in my mornings so to have my afternoons off. Listening to some other recommendations for some teachers that are really easy or know for the expertise in the material I soon find myself in a predicament with a flood of potential schedule conflicts. I realize I will have to give in some areas and accept the fact that I could never negotiate the schedule I desire. The idea also looms that the schedule I set up may not even become a reality so all the time I spend trying to set up something I would actually like could be completely trashed by the time I get a schedule after I put in my request. Even though this thought remains evident while I search for courses I can’t help but be excited by setting a schedule that I believe would work well for me. Along with trying to form a schedule I like, I want to try and schedule some courses with some friends but that again brings in some more scheduling challenges.

Once I got all my classes set for my engineering pathway I realized I needed to add in an elective course which threw everything I had worked for into a mess again. I would never have expected such a simple task to take so many twists and turns, especially for something that isn’t even definite. Well all I can hope for now is that my time paid off and I am lucky enough to get the classes I want or I can get them through the drop/add period that comes in November.

Colin and his tea

Everyone’s lives consist of stories and some of the best occur during college. Through experiences with friends we gather some of the most usual and unexpected stories but often they are funny to think back to and tell.

From my view some of the most interesting stories are just what happens around the dorms and hanging around my friends.

Ice-Tea + Colin

“I only just drank a half gallon in the last hour and a half. I’m serious,” said Colin Lorenz as Bob jokes him for his excessive intake of ice-tea.

“O man you’re gonna get some of the worst kidney stones of your life with all that tea your drinking,” Bob continues by telling a story where his high school CAD teacher, who drank ice-tea at a consumption rate almost equal to that of Colin’s, called his doctor during class to say a kidney stone had just passed. Colin simple shrugs it off saying, “I like my ice-tea.” As I sat in the room thinking of all the remarks and conversations this topic has gone through I can’t help but assume they will all be repeated in the next couple of days as Colin blows through another week’s worth of ice-tea that might last a small family a couple of weeks

“You know there always something someone really likes that someone could get on you for. Like you Bob and your cinnamon bread,” I said.

“OMG cinnamon bread is amazing,” Bob exclaims.

“See, Colin could think it’s ridiculous you went through your whole loft in three days.”

“Yeah but it’s not a constant for me I had it once since I’ve been here at Tech Colin’s has tea every day.”

“Hey, when I have tea is my business,” Colin interjects as he pulls out a plastic container full of what appears to be ice-tea.

“Where did you get that?” Bob asks.

“I made it I just found the mixture in my closet yesterday,” Colin replies.

“See what I mean he even makes his own stuff,” Bob said.

“Come on there is no reason to start acting like this is some drug it’s just tea,” I reply.

“The way he goes through it you’d think he has an addiction. Colin what would you do if I took your tea from you?” Bob asks.

“Hunt you down and take it back with all the force necessary,” Colin says with a hint of sarcasm.

“See that Sebastian he’s clearly addicted,” Bob continues into a small rant acting concerned about Colin’s safety and future welfare.

“Gheez, Colin wasn’t that thing full when you pulled it out you know Bob might be on to something alright.” I commented as I saw that Colin had nearly depleted his self made container of ice-tea.

“Dude! It’s just been like fifteen minutes how does your body handle that?” Bob is impressed and shocked by Colin’s behavior.

“What,” Colin starts, “I mean I started at 2 quarts and know I only at a third of a quart”

“Colin that’s nearly a half gallon you just consumed in less than twenty minutes you need to relax,” Bob said.

“You know what we can’t stop him Bob he’s going to continue on this path till something goes horrible wrong or he realizes he has problem and agrees to admit he has an addiction and asks for help.” As I entertain the idea of Colin going to a ice-tea anonymous meeting Colin simply shrugs his shoulders and continues to finish off his ice-tea.

“You know there are much worse things I could be addicted to, ice-tea doesn’t take away from who I am and certainly does screw me over,” Colin said.

“I think that is yet to be seen,” Bob replies.

“That’s a true point Colin and Bob serves as a witness. World of Warcraft can become highly addictive he used to play a lot,” I alleged.

“O yeah. Those were bad times and there were people worse than me. Thank goodness I got out of that before I really started to get serious,” Bob seems almost relived to say it.

“Well seeing how it’s getting dark ya’ll want to go get dinner?” I asked.

“Yeah I think it will give chance for Colin to be deprived of his ice tea for a while,” Bob said.

“Hey do you think we can stop by 7-11after dinner so I can grab a can of the Arizona,” Colin asks as Bob and I start up again with our fake concerns.

“Alright if you insist,” we both give in to his desire.

As I sat here writing this just a few moments ago Colin walked in holding a full gallon container of Turkey Hill Ice tea. Already a quarter of it had gone missing and he took several chugs straight from the container while still in the room needless to say Bob and I were quick to exclaim our astonishment and sarcastic concern. Colin is truly a character that has to be met with a source of ice-tea in hand to appreciate.

nature

Nature the truest and most simple beauty earth has to offer mankind. Often nature is only marveled at in the most scenic of landscapes, where snowcapped mountains peaks meets purple skies and perfect evergreens line the landscape. These types of scenery are extremely impressive but sometimes the simple fields and common forests can hold me as captivated as what can only appear on a postcard. Often during my high school cross-country days my team would practice at a local park running through the trails. Though it was hardly anything to be impressed by, it certainly lifted my sprits to being running through the park trails than around a concrete track surround by metal bleachers. The race course though even more plain than the park trials was beautiful to me because a forest of trees lined the edge of the path and as I ran towards it seeing the forest rise from seemingly nothing to becoming a fully develop forest seemed impressive in its own light. Living by the ocean I think has done much to spur my interest in nature. Being at the ocean and witnessing nature shift the sands and move the ocean waves is a calming sight especially when no one else is there.

Another sight that appears amazing to me is to view a small piece of the modern world placed among nature and seeing its integration work flawlessly. Such a simple street sign such as a deer crossing sign creates such a remarkable contrast to an uncommon road lined with trees on both sides. This breaking up of the natural colors of the foliage and tree bark by the high gloss yellow of the warning sign is done in such a balance it would seem awkward if there wasn’t anything there.

Nature is a remarkable part of earth and its beauty can be seen nearly every where we look even the Virginia Tech campus is a beautiful home with an amazing set of stone builds that seem to match perfectly with the campus environment and I simply can’t wait to see it covered with a sheet of fresh white snow. Nature is always there and when viewed without expectations can always lead to wonderment and excitement.

injustice letter reponse

Rereading my injustice letter it does seem that I spit out the facts and figures of the minimum wage to the audience. This is certainly not a good method to use especially if I am trying to introduce change to the injustice. A more respective and polite manner ought to be used to bring up the information in a way that serves as a reminder of the laws to the audience.

In my audience analysis paper I introduced the idea of using some emotion appeal to try to soften up the rigid minds of the government officials to whom I am writing. Using some emotion appeal couldn’t hurt and it would provide a good break from all the facts presented throughout my letter. More time in the letter should be spent speaking to the audience about the issue opposed to telling them about the issue.

I’m not sure whether our letter was supposed to be in actual business letter format including the heading address and all those parts of the letter. I thought I was to focus on what would be the body of the letter and not worry about the other parts of the letter. If I was to contain all the other factors that make up business format I would understand how to format the letter correctly but if not I am sure what conventions I am to follow.

Red Sky in the Morning

Everyone has stories that they could tell in their lives, ranging from the boring schedule we completed at work or school to the exciting adventure we went on during vacation. It doesn’t take much to tell the story to someone else but to truly relate to an audience all the events and timings of a story are beyond words and it is this point that Patricia Hampl is getting at in Red Sky in the Morning. The woman who gets on the bus and sits next to the author tells her “Oh, I could tell you stories.” This statement is the authors point. The woman could easily tell the author stories and facts about her relationship with her husband but to tell the story in a way that it matches the original happening is impossible. Often when someone tries to tell the story of a humorous situation to someone who missed a party or event it can be seen how difficult it is get the message across as best as possible. For those that witnessed the event the happening would have been hilarious because of the events that lead up to the climax and the environment in which they were. When you try to explain what was so funny to someone who wasn’t there all the minuscule details that were so essential to the overall situation they can’t be described specifically enough to expose an outsider to the humor of the missed incident. As Patricia Hampl later realizes in the story that this is what the woman meant when said “Oh, I could tell you stories.” Patricia Hampl sees this phrase as meaning “It betrays not loneliness for someone who will listen but hopelessness about language itself and a sad recognition of its limitations.” The woman did not believe what she could be communicated in a way she saw would be acceptable with. The story the woman wants to tell would be more of a memoir focusing on a specific time and event and trying to describe it in its entirety to get the listener to feel what she felt when she personally experienced it. A memoir focuses on using the first person but unlike an autobiography which looks at an individual’s whole life a memoir can have a much more focused and specific time period. Even with such literature genres it is still past the extent of any language to fully bring someone into a past event and have them recognize it as it happened through literature.