Writing Territories

Getting Beat

2008-05-28T07:33:00.000-07:00

There is nothing worse than getting beat in a game. I suppose the only thing worse than that would be getting embarrassed in a game. That's exactly what happened to me and my team this weekend in the Memorial Day Invitational. We had won our first game in a tight battle, so my team and I were feeling pretty good when we stepped onto the field for our second game. We had heard that the opponents were pretty good, but we had no idea. We got the kickoff, and the ball was played back to me. Immediately their forward was on me, fighting for the ball, and I was just barely able to kick the ball away. That was the beginning of a very long night. To make a long story short, the game ended in an 8-0 trouncing of the home team, us. I had been battered and bruised, had been independently responsible for at least two goals, I had dislocated thumb, and worst of all, I had let my team down. But I got to thinking, maybe we need beatings like these to realize what our flaws are, and what we need to work on more. We won the rest of our games, and I know that I worked especially hard to make up for my errors in that second game. I hope that I will become a better player from this game, and I am sure that the rest of my team will too.

Discussion Question #5

2008-05-28T07:25:00.000-07:00

Having a wife with bound feet was a status symbol for men, and, consequently, having bound feet increased a woman's chances of marriage into a wealthier household. Women took great pride in their feet, which were considered not only beautiful but also their best and most important feature. As a child, would you have fought against having your feet bound, as Third Sister did, knowing that you would be consigned to the life of a servant or a "little daughter-in-law"? As a mother, would you have chosen to bind your daughters feet?

If I was a child in the days of ancient China, I would fight with every fiber in my body to stop my mother from binding my feet. I don't think that I would last during the constant pain that coursed through my feet and up into my legs. I wouldn't be able to continue walking after continually having my toes broken one by one, and my feet cracked in half until there was a deep crevice in the middle of my foot. Currently I don't think that I would make my daughters have their feet bound, although if I had lived in ancient China I'm sure that my opinion would be much different. This is the way that everyone was raised, and such a break in tradition would mean the exile of your entire family. I believe that everyone would say that they would not have their daughters go through foot-binding, but if they lived in the same time period as Beautiful Moon, Lily, and Snow Flower, their outlook on this subject would be quite different.

Discussion Question #4

2008-05-27T17:44:00.000-07:00

Madame Wang, the matchmaker, is a foot-bound woman and yet she does business with men. How is she different from the other women in the story? Do you think that she is considered a woman of status of is she merely a necessary evil?

I believe that in this story the matchmaker Madame Wang in both a woman of status as well as a necessary evil. On one hand, she is a very powerful woman, in charge of making all of the matches between men and women of different villages. With out her the village in which Lily and her family live, and all the other villages that Madame Wang works with would be left in disarray, with no one to carry on the tradition. On the other hand, she is just a woman, in the eyes of the men in the village, and in fact, the country, believe that she is a worthless branch of her family tree unless she can marry into a rich family. This is a repeated theme throughout the book. Through the eyes of the people who lived in ancient China, woman were good for nothing.

Discussion Question #3

2008-05-27T14:35:00.000-07:00

Because of its phonetic nature, nu shu could easily be taken out of context and be misunderstood. Today, many of us communicate through e-mail of instant messaging. Have you ever had an experience where one of you messages was misunderstood because of lack of context, facial or body gestures, and tone of voice? Or have you ever received a message that you misinterpreted and had your feelings hurt?

I know there are many instances throughout my day in which I use instant messaging, e-mail, and text messaging, and I know that the lack of body language and tone of voice can definitely be a major factor when reading a message such as the ones above. I know that I personally try not to use sarcasm in my messages because although I use it quite often at school, it can be easily misinterpreted as something mean. Tone of voice also plays in to the sarcasm. Sarcasm is often made by the tone of voice in which it is said. With text messages or e-mails it is impossible to bridge the gap that is what I like to call a "body language barrier".

Discussion Question #2

2008-05-27T14:26:00.000-07:00

The story takes place in the nineteenth century, and seems very far removed from our lives - for instance, we don't have our feet bound, and we're free and mobile. Do you think we're still bound up in other ways: by career, by family obligations, by conventions of feminine beauty, or even events beyond our control (war, the economy, and natural disasters)?

I do believe that many women in this country are bound by many things, although their feet may not be bound like in ancient China. I think that many modern day women are restricted in very small ways such as spending more time in the morning to get ready, because it is considered socially acceptable to be pretty. I believe that the happier people in life are the ones who do not care what other people think of their outfit, how pretty they are, or how they look when they walk out the door. The happier people in life are the ones who wear what is comfortable, they are at peace with who they are as a person, and are unbound by social stigmas.

Discussion Question #1

2008-05-27T14:10:00.000-07:00

The Chinese character for "mother love" consists of two parts: one meaning "pain" and the other meaning "love". In your own experience, from the perspective of a mother or daughter, is there an element of truth to this description of "mother love"?

I believe that there is a very strong and prominent element of truth in the Chinese character for "mother love". The common term that we use today is also called "tough love". This means that a mother, while it may be painful for both the mother and the daughter, is hard on her daughter for her own good, and to teach her a lesson about life. A mother may be tough on her daughter so that later in her life she is that tough on her children. This line continues because, while that daughters may say to themselves, "I will never be like that to my children", they will realize that it is in the best interest of their children for them not to be babied through their childhood. This is exemplified in Snow Flower and the Secret Fan, when most all of the mothers in all of China put their young daughters through foot-binding. As much as it may have hurt them and their daughters, they knew that it was for the best, and for them to be married into a good family and be worth something to the family, they must have beautiful golden lilies.

Nike Air Tiempo

2008-05-21T07:40:00.000-07:00

As ridiculous as it may sound, this post will be about how amazing my soccer cleats are. I first got them a week or so in to the spring soccer season. At the store where I got them, I had an internal battle as to what shoe I should get. The Nike Total 90 Lasers were also a great shoe, with premium grip on the instep and great power control for shots. They are built for power, and overall mostly a shooting shoe. My cleats, the Nike Air Tiempos, have a completely different style, material, and overall feel to them. First off, they are a lot lighter than the Lasers, which is always going to factor into the decision. The Tiempos also have great grip all around, whereas the Lasers only have the gripping material on the instep. The Nike Airs are built mostly for a great touch on the ball, aided greatly by the kangaroo leather that the shoe is made up of. The major deciding factor for me was the fact that not only do my shoes have superior touch, but their shooting aid technology is on par, if not superior to the Laser's. Another thing that makes the Nike Air Tiempos a better buy in comparison to the Lasers is the price. With the Tiempos the price will range anywhere from about $110 - $125. When considering the Lasers for your next boot, you are probably looking at price anywhere from $175 to upwards of $200 dollars. My shoes are also more sustainable. I have a pair of the Lasers for my indoor soccer shoes and I have found that when they are worn excessively they become flimsy and your foot support goes down exponentially. My shoes have been in use for near two months, and I have done more running in these, and they are still going strong. Please consider these things before buying your next futbol boot. I know you'll make the right decision. Or else...

Fort Wayne Soccer Tournament

2008-05-19T07:33:00.000-07:00

This past weekend I traveled to New Haven, Indiana for the State Cup soccer tournament. It was a fun drive down, because I watched Walk Hard, The Dewey Cox Story. Anyways, when we got there we had about twenty minutes two stretch and put our equipment on before we had to start warming up with the team. I have been battling several injuries during this soccer season, including pulled and aggravated tendons in my foot, a pulled butt muscle, and sore legs because of the amount of team I have spent running for the soccer season. I spend at least twenty minutes before each game stretching these particular muscles and dressing my wounds meticulously. The first game was a fairly easy one, against the host of the tournament, Fort Wayne Citadel. We won the game 5-0, with some spectacular goals from Christian Ibarra, Brandon Speedy, and others. The second game was against one of our arch rivals, the Millennium Soccer Association. To put things lightly, we came out slow and two goals were scored on us in the first ten minutes. Approximately five minutes later there came another, presumably the final nail in the coffin. But we rebounded spectacularly in the second half, scoring two goals in the first five minutes, and the equalizer in the final three minutes. The final score was 3-3, but it was a victory in our book. Our third game was against a team who had lost both previous games by a score of at least 5-0. It was a cakewalk, and we won 5-0. Since the Millennium team had won their first game 5-0 and so did we, it was down to goal differential to see who would move on to the semi-state round two weeks from now. The final score of their last game was 4-0! We had advanced! Since we had scored tied against Millennium, that was not a deciding factor. We scored 13 goals overall in the tournament and they had only scored 12. It was certainly a very close call.

10% of Our Brains

2008-04-28T17:46:00.000-07:00

While watching the movie "Wedding Crashers" this weekend, I heard a quote that god me thinking. Owen Wilson said, "We only use ten percent of our brains". How is this possible. I know that our brain is a very complex thing, and that there are many different dimensions to it, but it doesn't seem possible that we are only using one tenth of it. Then I began brainstorming. What if we were able to maximize that capacity of our brains? How much smarter would even the smartest man in the world become if he was able to use the other nine tenths of his brain? It doesn't seem possible that we could survive in the world with this handicap, but yet humans are "the smartest organisms on the planet". How easily would we be able to solve even the most confusing problems in the world if we were able to use our brains more fully? Could we find cures for cancer, all types of the common cold, AIDS/HIV? I also find it amazing that there hasn't been extensive research conducted on this subject. How can anyone stand having such great knowledge at their disposal but not be able to use it? How much information is stored up there that we can't access. How do we know that there isn't millions of years of history encrypted within the crevices of our cranium? Perhaps it would be worth becoming a brain surgeon to find out. Chalk that one up for possible future occupations.

The Obama Rally

2008-04-13T16:46:00.000-07:00

Me and my friend Kyle Oppman volunteered at and attended the Barack Obama rally at Washington High School this past Wednesday. It was amazing to meet the candidate that I had supported for so long. Hearing him speak in person with thousands of people in attendance is a lot different than listening to him speak in a debate against Hillary Clinton. His charisma flowed through the room as he talked passionately about helping the working class, the middle class, and impoverished families that continue to get taxed heavily. He talked about "the fierce urgency of now", while explaining why he had decided to run for president now instead of in four or eight years. He explained that if he thought that the American people could withstand another one or two terms of this current administration, then he would delay his canidacy. But since he felt that if his other two competitors (McCain and Clinton) could not provide the change that the American people needed, he felt he owed it to the citizens of the United States of America to create change within our government. He was a truly great speaker, and I was glad that I was able to be there. His speaking also convinced Kyle to support him, a great achievment considering Kyle's pickiness when it comes to politics. I look forward to the Indiana primary on May 6, and the general elections that Senator Obama will hopefully be participating in on November 4.

2008-02-19T16:52:00.000-08:00

I'm sorry to admit that this blog has become more about my pursuit of beating the laziness and procrastination bug than anything else. But I believe that this is a good thing. I would much rather get my work done on time and talk about it for a little while on this page than to not get my work done and fume about how it was other people's faults besides my own. I feel myself realizing more and more how important the grade I get now are going to be in the long run.

I am sometimes frustrated with my parents, because I don't think they can tell that I'm take a turn for the better, that I'm working harder. I just wish they would commend me more for the things I have done rather than my imperfections. Today was great example of this. I told my dad that I got an A+ on an English quiz. He didn't look up from his book and just said "nice job". But when I told him that I forgot my jacket in my math class, he went on a ten minute long lecture about how I always forget things. But I'm happy with myself for now. I pat myself on the back and say "nice job, Sean".

2008-02-18T18:53:00.000-08:00

I think today I am suffering from severe writer's block. Anything that I use to be able to write for ages about has gone away. The imagination well has dried up. I am officially mentally retarded when it comes to writing. I think I need to find a more steady work and study habit. Here are the goals.
- Find a constant place to do homework
- Write everything down in my agenda
- Take advantage of the weekend to get ahead
- Do the homework the night it is assigned

Procrastination

2008-02-13T15:37:00.000-08:00

In order to silence my critics who believe I write too little, I'm going to write about something that genuinely interests me. Procrastination has always been my worst habit. Ever since the sixth grade I have put off large projects and essays until the very last day, hoping with every fiber in my body that I do well on it or the due date is extended. And even when the due date is extended, I always seem to be hunched over this keyboard at ten o'clock at night, once again hoping that the latest project would not be due. What is it about me that causes me to put off this important work? Why don't I see the error of my ways the first time and move on from their? Perhaps it is that I don't see the importance of hard work, or that I underestimate the amount of work it will take. As soon as I get projects assigned, I gauge how long it will take, or how long I can put it off before I hit last minute panic mode.

I believe this horrid habit has a direct correlation with me just being plain lazy. Although I work very hard on concentrating on the task at hand, I always seem to get bored. I make that excuse many times, saying that it is uninteresting. What I need to start reminding myself is that I don't have a choice about what I study, I just need to do it. I need to realize that if I work hard now, in the long run it will pay off tremendously. One of my new personal favorite quotes, one I will add onto my quotes list is:

HARD WORK OFTEN PAYS OFF AFTER TIME,
BUT LAZINESS ALWAYS PAYS OFF NOW

I think that I need to keep my goals in sight, keep my eye on the prize, and just continue to remind myself that one day all the hard work that I do now will soon pay off. From here on out, I will make sure that I am a beacon of hard work and justice (I only said justice because it sounded dramatic). From now on I will no longer procrastinate, or make the "uninteresting" excuse to myself. This blog post will be a record of this promise I have made to myself at 6:49 on February 13 of 2008. I will not let myself down.

West Side Story vs. Romeo and Juliet

2008-02-04T17:31:00.000-08:00

There were several very prominent similarties between the video West Side Story and Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet". To start, they both have two separate groups. In Romeo and Juliet it was the Capulets and the Montagues battling. In West Side Story it was the two playground gangs, the Jets and the Sharks. They both are declared arch enemies, although in West Side Story, the Sharks are a new nemesis for the fabled Jets of the west side neighborhoods of Manhattan. The similarities do not stop at the characters either. There are also several comparisons to be made about the layout of the story. Both of the stories began with the introduction of the two rivals, and the interaction between the two escalates into a fight, although one is larger than the other. In "Romeo and Juliet" people are killed and the fighting is at swordpoint to the death. In West Side Story it meerly becomes a small scuffle. It may have grew into something larger but the policeman and investigator broke it up.

Ten Years From Now

2008-01-29T17:23:00.001-08:00

Ten years from now I see myself in many possible places, and with many different jobs. When it comes to places, there are only a couple of different settings that I can see myself in. I would love to live in Boston, where all of my Dad's family lives, where the city is never too far away and neither is the country. I can also see myself in New York, a location I fell in love with the moment I set foot in its streets. I love the bustling streets, lots of people, and most of all, my favorite baseball team, the New York Yankees. But the most probable place I could see myself is not too far from here at Notre Dame. It has long been, and still is, my aspiration to attend this hallowed university. I am only three years from going to college there, but I could live there forever. The great atmosphere on football days, the calm that settles during the afterwards, the basilica, all of the dorms, which seem to have their own personality seeping from them, the library, and most importantly, not too far from my family.

I can also see myself working in many different professions. I have dreamed ever since my fence ordeal (see personal narrative) of being a doctor. However this dream may not be very realistic, seeing as how I have never had a very strong liking for science. Although this could change, I am not going to limit myself to this one job. I could also see myself being a lawyer. I love the show Law & Order, and although this may not be an accurate depiction of how the justice system works, I am very intrigued by everything that a lawyer has to do. I have recently become active in debate, and when I debate, I imagine that I am a lawyer, fighting for rights, defending, and so on and so forth. My involvement in debate leads me to my next, and last possible profession, which is a politician. I have just recently become interested in politics, and I love it. I love the debates between the candidates on issues such as foreign policies, health care plans, and the ever-present problem of the U.S. economy and the inflation of the U.S. dollar. I have my own opinions on these topics, and when I voice them, my parents often grow weary of my talking. The popular phrase seems to be "monopolizing the conversation". But whatever I do, I intend on succeeding.

Peter Pan

2008-01-29T17:12:00.000-08:00

Peter Pan has been been my idol, and dream job, ever since I saw the wonderful movie in my early adolescent years. I envied him as he soared around in the air, carrying the small dagger that he wielded to perfection in the defeat of Captian Hook, and many other foes. I was also dumbfounded at the ease with which he picked up the ladies (Wendy), with just a wink of his twinkling blue eyes. Not just that, but he also never grew up, a trait that is underappreciated in this day in age. Every day he would wake and not have to worry about the ravages of time, like puberty, high school, and life afterwards. Think of how many old people envy Peter Pan for his eternal youth! I am not the only one who looks up to Peter either. In the popular story he is the leader of the notorious group known as "The Lost Boys". For all of these reasons, it is obvious to see that Peter Pan truly has what every one wants.

The Not-So-Popular Friend

2008-01-29T14:37:00.000-08:00

I have had several friends that my parents did not approve of. One of the more pronounced grudges my parents have held against my peers would have to be Kyle Oppman. Kyle has been my best friend since the fourth grade, and together we have always seemed to find good ways to get into trouble. Although Kyle was caught a majority of the time, and I almost never, Kyle and I always found some sticky situations that we couldn't quite worm our way out of. My parents obviously did not appreciate the constant trouble I had been getting in, and my parents had a very stern talk with me about picking my friends wisely. I did not end my friendship with Kyle, but I did explain to him that we should probably make some smarter decisions from now on. The change was evident to my parents and my teachers, and since then we have a a great friendship, and most importantly, one that my parents approve of.

The Adventures of Catman and Jumping Joe (Part One)

2008-01-29T14:17:00.000-08:00

The Most Dangerous Break
This past winter break was perhaps the most exciting and dangerous of my young life. Me (Catman) and Jumping Joe were in the depths of the cat cave, me sipping on warm milk and Joe on ground up Mexican jumping beans, when suddenly there was a loud THUD from just outside our stone walls. We quickly changed into our costumes, and were out the door before you could say "kitty litter". We ran to the cat mobile and I gunned the engine as we sped out of the driveway. Catman used his keen eyesight to look miles ahead of the automobile to see what could be happening. He saw a large disturbance at town square and dropped his foot on the gas pedal.

When Catman and Jumping Joe arrived at city hall only to find the place completely deserted. Catman dropped to all fours, sensing that his cat reflexes would be needed. Joe leaped onto the top of the structure and looked around, wondering where the perpetrators could have gone. No sooner had Jumping Joe got to the top, when the very ground beneath them started to shake. They looked around and there he was! The Sandman had been the fiend who interrupted their afternoon drink.

He blasted sand out of his mouth and hands, yelling something incoherent that sounded vaguely like the language spoken in Lebanon.
"Youyuasdisakj;sdgoingtja;lsitoasdk;fjbeklj;dafsddead!", roared the monster, shaking its sandy head in anger. Jumping Joe plunged down upon the monster, burying himself within the sandy depths. Moments later he reappeared, gasping for breath.
"There's nothing but sand!", he yelled to Catman.
Catman, knowing that he would have to join the fight, grabbed a can of tuna from his utility belt and charged at the beast. He opened the top and released its stench into the air. The Sandman howled in pain as the smell reached his nostrils. Catman began to see the effects of his work, and after several minutes of howling, on the ground lay Chris Azzi.