Posts:
Only Daughter is a short narrative by Sandra Cisneros and is about the impact her family had on her writing career. Throughout the narrative, the author describes what it was like to feel alienated in a family of nine with 6 boys and her being the only daughter. She says “…that lonelieness, was good for a would-be writer–it allowed me to think and think, to imagine, to read and prepare myself.” Her father played a great role in her childhood as he would just think of his daughter as being simple. She wanted her father to understand her as being more than just a writer or professor. She says “In a senes, everything I have ever written has been for him, to win his approval,” but her father can’t read English so most of the work he sees her do is two dimensional. It was only until one of her stories were translated into Spanish, that he got to see her in 3D and appreciated the work that she was doing. The author was finally happy that her dad really noticed her and says that it was the most wonderful feeling.
To me, I understand how the author feels, when you want someone to see a message that you have written for them. And you have to keep constantly writing it over and over, but they can’t truly see it, whther it may be because it’s in another language, or they don’t appreciate it enough for what it is.
The New York Times article “Quit Social Media: Your Career may Depend on it” by Cal Newport is an excellent artivle that does to show how modern social platforms are stunting our ability to gain proffesional success. It’s interesting that this article was published five years ago. Since then, social media use has increased exponentially attracting more and more younger users. We tend to give away much of our time and existence to our computers we use for social media. Yes, social activity is important for humans however, the article mentions that, “The more you use social media in the way it’s designed to be used — persistently throughout your waking hours — the more your brain learns to crave a quick hit of stimulus at the slightest hint of boredom.”
For us to really hone our skills and become succesful individuals we need to fight through those quick stimuli of dopamine we get from social media whenever we’re bored. The work needs to get done, and you’re only slowing yourself down by distracting yourself. Generally, a man with no purpose has distractions that control him and dictate his life choices. We’re better than these faint desires.
This piece of literature from the Washington Post by Sarah Kaplan is an interesting work. Sarah Kaplan is a science reporter and in this article, she goes into detail about aquatic life. Specifically the Cambrian Explosion and its jumble of 510 million year old rocks that are called the Burgess Shale. The Burgess Shale is a very interesting and important fossil site. The site represents our planet’s history and according to Kaplan, “seems to bear at least a fragment of an ancient animal.” Due to their extinction being climate change, Kaplan believes that we as humans are faced with the issue of climate change and have the power to alter the planet.
I find the article to be intriguing, but somewhat repetitive. These articles reiterate the same familiar themes and dire warnings regarding climate change, which can become somewhat tiresome. It’s very annoying encountering the same persistent message crying, “Our Planet Is Dying!” or constantly saying how the planet is doomed. It’s similar to someone repeatedly warning a football player of getting an injury with every ball they touch. I’m really tired from hearing the same content repeatedly. The acknowledgment of our planet’s state is already known to so many people and at this point it’s boring to read. Considering the people in positions of power, I don’t think this planet will change. I really agree with most of the messages that are given in these articles, but it has evolved into a bittersweet relationship for me. I can’t read this no more.
Journals:
Journal #1
Observation: Using your eyes to look at a specific person, place, thing, or idea. Generating thoughts based on what you see.
Idea: A thought in your brain about a certain subject.
Emotion: The way you behave to things you see, hear, or do.
Belief: Wholeheartedly trusting an idea and feeling a level of certainty with your thoughts on a subject.
Fact: Statements which describe something in a truthful manner
Truth: A subject that can be proven logically through obeservation
Journal #2
My experience walking was definetly a wild experience. The first thing that I saw was a homeless man, praying on his jacket in the subway. I saw the way how he prayed and noticed that he was a muslim like me, so I greeted him and wished that there was more I could do for him. But the best thing that I could’ve done was just give him a smile, in Islam, a smile is also considered a form of charity. I kept walking around the city and remebered someone saying how Manhattan is different when you really just go out and walk around in it. And that’s true. I felt the breeze of the night, saw all the night lights and contemplated about my college experience so far. I met another homeless man who wanted some money. I tol him how the plight of being a college student prevents me from performing such tasks. He asked if I could buy him vodka, instead of telling him that I was 18, I told him that I can’t because of my religion. I told him I was muslim and he said he was as well. I told him that the best thing I could do for him was to pray for him and he said that he’d actually like that. I kept walking and walking and reached the grand central terminal. It wasn’t that I was tired from the walk, or stressed because I missed my train, I just felt so icky. I wanted to get home back to Yonkers and take the most cleanest, hot shower and cleanse my body as much as possible. I definetly have a night to remember now.
12/18 11:42
Coming back to this, I just heard how the most person who is in need is one who doesn’t even have the courage to ask people for food or water. While I pray for the two homeless men, the difference between the two was very telling and it’s crazy how I thought back to this moment two months later.
Journal #3
Sitting in a Baruch library definetly will make you hear the strangest things ever. Sometimes I heard someone describing the most outlandish kind of situations that shocked the heck out of me. Other times I would hear girl talk and friends telling each other about their boyfriends, ex, or whatever kind of situation they’re in. It’s not that people speak in full sentences but that a lot of times people don’t think before they speak. People just be speaking a lot of times. Body language was always the biggest speaker though inevery single kind of conversation. It’s inevitable to avoid thinking about how someone’s body responds to another and how your body responds to another. Thinking about it, I can’t believe my teacher just made me eavesdrop and made me kind of enjoy it, lol.
Journal #5
We have twenty-four hours a day to complete all our tasks, spend time on the things we enjoy and with the people we love. Our time is limited. Write a list of your values, core beliefs, people, activities, hobbies, worthy of your time. Then write out your daily or weekly schedule. Submit a reflection of how your values fit into your schedule.
Core values include: My religion, prayer, being around people, strength training, eating, laughing, recording and editing videos, walking around.
Wakeup 5-6 AM; perform Fajr Salat (prayer) 1/5 daily prayer; average time ~4 minutes
After Fajr read Quran for five minutes
6-7 AM; Get Prepared for Gym; Brush my teeth and take a rinse in the shower; dress in workout attire; eat a light snack; Fill my backpack up and head out
7:30-9:30: Arrive at gym; Choose a workout; Average workout time ~1 hour and 10 minutes; Head back home
10 AM; Come home; brush teeth again and take a longer shower; dress myself up for the day; eat a protein-filled breakfast; open social media; prepare to head out for school
11:30-12:10; Board MetroNorth train to Grand Central; take the city bus to school; average time ~45 minutes
12:40; perform Dhur Salat at Baruch MSA 2/5 daily prayer; average time ~5 Minutes
12:50-2:00 PM; Head to class
2:00-2:40 PM; Head back to Baruch MSA; hangout with the brothers there; Head back to class
2:55-4:35 PM; In class
4:35 PM; perform Asr Salat at Baruch MSA 3/5 daily prayer; average time ~5 minutes
5:00-5:15 PM; hangout with the brothers at Baruch MSA
5:15-6:15; Work on school assignments
6:15; perfrom Maghrib Salat 4/5 daily prayer; average time ~3 minutes
10:20-11:00 PM; Board MetroNorth train to Croton-Harmon; head home; rinse
11:20 perform Isha Salat 5/5 daily prayer; average time ~4 minutes
11:50 Winding Down; Sleep
