Strength Finder Reflection

My five key strengths are consistency, significance, competition, harmony, and futuristic. Having consistency as a strength means that I want to treat everyone equally. What stands out from the insight for consistency is that I want to treat everyone the same, that way I will never be accused of treating others differently or giving someone an advantage. Significance means that I value the projects that I think I would help make a big impact. Something that stands out from significance is that I take charge of my future and sometimes want to shape it into what I want. Competition means that I enjoy to compete with others and perhaps I like to strive for first place. I will devote my time and efforts to make sure that I will do an amazing job in project or competition. Being harmonic means that I dislike arguments and that everyone can come to an agreement that benefits everyone. Even though I’m competitive, I still listen to the ideas and opinions of others. Futuristic means that I think about the future the most and that my decisions are based on what I envision for myself in the future. What stands out from being futuristic is that I am able to talk about what I envision for myself in the future with great details, which is true. 

For capstone group, I think it would be good to have a couple of people that have the same strengths as you but also have a couple of people who’s top two strengths are my last two strengths. As a leader, I think it’s important to treat and value everyone in my group the same and to be able to hear everyone’s opinions and ideas. I would also keep my capstone group in harmony because it will be important since it will be a group of eight to twelve people. Since I am both competitive and find projects or groups significant, I think I will value my capstone group and will give it my full attention and making sure my group efforts succeed. As a leader, I will always motivate my capstone group to give their best efforts to create a good capstone. As a teammate I will be using consistency between what I have promised and what I will deliver to my capstone group. Being part of a significant group will bring the best in me. Being competitive will bring out the best in me and will give all of my efforts. Being harmonic in groups will help us stay harmonic because everyone has a different view or opinion about a problem. Since my last strength is futuristic, I will be able to motivate my team so that we can achieve our goals. 

A strength that I mostly want to apply during capstone is competition because I think it’s a good way to help motivate your capstone group. I know that throughout the capstone journey, my group will slack off and I think that making them feel competitive will make them finish their tasks or jobs. I want my capstone group to depend on my first strength which is consistency, whenever my group needs to divide tasks, they will ask me to do it because I will be fair and equal. A strength that surprised me was being harmonic and I want to capitalize it during my capstone group because I think it’s not my best strength.

College Essay

I am a Mexican-American. I have embraced both backgrounds, and I believe that has made me a great latina. This has made me strong and confident, because coming from two different backgrounds is complicated. Deciding what to embrace and what to change has been a difficult process that has helped shaped who I am.

Both of my parents come from a small town Temascalsingo Estado de Mexico, they grew with the same traditions and with the same cultural ideas. My parents migrated to the United States to fulfill the famous American Dream, they saw an amazing opportunity and they took it. Leaving behind the land in which they grew up, but they took the most precious thing with them, their culture.

Unfortunately, there are a couple of stereotypes that I have found difficult to embrace. It’s very likely that I will never take in machismo. I vaguely remember when my parents lived together, my mother worked hard and I would love to wash the dishes but in reality I would be wasting the dish soap and creating a huge pile of bubbles. My dad would allowed me to make this mess, and he allowed it because he thought I was following my domestic duties and roles as a women. Then my mother would come home from work as watch in horror the disaster I had created, I never understood why she was so frustrated if I was helping her out. Becoming a young adult has helped me understand why she was so angry, it was because my father wasn’t going to clean after me, it was my mother who had to fulfill her domestic duties and she wasn’t allowed to correct her children because we were just kids.

I always ask myself if my parents are giving me all the household chores because I am their eldest or because I am their only daughter. Instead of doing school work and having a small break from stress, I am doing all the chores. I can ask nicely for my brothers’ help but it usually takes about four times, and I’m not even allowed to yell at them. It’s frustrating to clean after a mess that you didn’t do. It’s worse when my father visits us, asking me where the food is but remembers that I don’t know how to cook and decides to argue, because my future husband and children will starve. Women need to know how to cook. They need to have the house clean everyday. They need to make sure the laundry and dishes are clean. They need to take care of their children and husband. Overall, they need to know their place.

Being an american has also helped shape who I am today. When I first learned about feminism, I thought women were crazy and rebellious. I soon realized that I was one of those rebellious women, breaking the stereotypes that were forced upon me. During the United States history class, I imagined the Seneca Falls Convention and the National American Woman Suffrage Association. I know that if I was alive in those times, I would be part of these amazing events, advocating in favor of women’s suffrage. I believe that I can do more, I can be the one providing for my family and the one who pays the bills and works.

Being Mexican-American is what I identify as. I am able to embrace both of my cultures even though it is difficult at times. If it wasn’t for my Mexican background, I wouldn’t have mastered Spanish. I wouldn’t have been tied to family values that are important to me. If it wasn’t for my American background, I wouldn’t have learned English. I wouldn’t have amazing opportunity to become successful in life. I find both extremely  important, being a minority has helped me create a thicker skin to face any challenge that is thrown at me.

Relationships in Between Jazz

I choose you. Never mind, I choose you. Actually, I think I choose you. In the beginning of Jazz, we are greeted by violence, from Violet stabbing Dorcas’ dead body and from Joe becoming depressed for murdering his lover. From Bloom’s Literary Themes: Exploration and Colonization, “Making choices is a motif the novel returns to again and again: Violet chooses Joe (23), although Joe didn’t choose Violet (30); Joe chooses Dorcas (135), although when Acton chooses her (216), she dumps Joe.” (109)” Written by Toni Morrison, Jazz revolves around the relationships between Joe, Violet and Dorcas and how the love triangles affected their relationships.

Furthermore, the relationship between Joe and Dorcas was an affair that ended bad. Joe murder Dorcas to “keep the feeling going” since Dorcas had lost interest in her relationship with Joe, she started seeing Acton. From Multifaceted Love as Reflected in Toni Morrison’s Love and Jazz, “Joe’s love for Dorcas become horrific, when Dorcas gets bored of an aged old man, Joe. Instead Dorcas prefers a young and good looking man named Acton.” Joe was following Dorcas and found out about Dorcas relationship with Action, this drove Joe mad and caused him to shoot his lover.

Afterwards, Violet develops an obsession for Dorcas, resulting in a relationship with a dead girl. In Jazz, “Violet agrees that it must be so; not only is she losing Joe to a dead girl, but she wonders if she isn’t falling in love with her too.” (15) Soon after Violet finds out Joe’s secret affair, she attends Dorcas’ funeral to attack her dead body. Violet becomes obsessed with Dorcas and asks around her neighborhood about her. “One particular thing the aunt showed her, and eventually let Violet keep for weeks, was a picture of the girl’s face.” (6) Violet meets Alice, Dorcas’ aunt, and they talk about Dorcas and shows Violet all of her things. Violet tries to find a connection with Dorcas and wonders what Joe saw in Dorcas that Violet didn’t have.

In addition, Violet and Joe’s relationship has been through hell and back. Violet has always choose Joe, but Joe found himself lonely because Violet wasn’t as attentive, making an opportunity for an affair. From Figuring In and Figuring Out, “The form this takes in the plot is a turnabout that undermines the grander narrative of the novel: Violet and Joe’s reconciliation following the murder of Dorcas…” After Dorcas’ death, Violet and Joe try to fall in love once again but realize that there was never a love to begin with. They realize that they are both old and have made mistakes, so they decide to work things out between each other. Nobody wants to die alone.

In conclusion, the love triangle becomes the main focus of Jazz because it complicates the relationships between each character. Joe actually loved Dorcas but after finding her with Acton, his anger drove him to kill her. Joe wanted to keep Dorcas’ love forever. Violet developed a relationship with Dorcas, although she was dead, Violet tried to understand her. Most importantly, Joe and Violet were able to fix their wrongs and stick together after everything.

A Narcissist Tom from The Great Gatsby

 

A narcissist have a sense of entitlement, requires excessive admiration, grandiosity and lacks empathy. Fitzgerald creates a world that is a playground for a narcissist, since social status and money are involved in the lives of the characters. Even though The Great Gatsby was focused on Jay Gatsby, Tom would’ve preferred it to be all about him. In The Great Gatsby by Fitzgerald, Tom is a narcissist because he has power, status, money, and thinks he is able to do as he pleases by controlling and manipulating the people around him.

In the beginning, through Nick Carraways’ eyes, Tom’s physical appearance is described and shows how there is narcissist vibes coming from Tom. This important because it shows how he carries himself, Tom’s physical traits are described as “arrogant,” “established dominance,” and “aggressively.” “Two shining arrogant eyes had established dominance over his face and gave him the appearance of always leaning aggressively forward.” (7) Even his body portraits Tom as a narcissist, his “enormous power” can’t even be contained. During the 1920s, the white race was still considered the superior race, and since Tom was also a man, he had more opportunities. “This fellow has worked out the whole thing. It’s up to us, who are the dominant race, to watch out or these other races will have control of things.” (13) Tom has read a book called The Rise of of the Colored Empires by Goddard, and believes that if the white race doesn’t look out for themselves that other races will try to take control. He also believes that the white race is is the “dominant race” and that only whites can produce great quality of art, science, culture.

Soon afterwards, Tom presents his mistress named Myrtle Wilson who is also married. The fact that he disrespects his wife by having a relationship with another man’s wife is morally wrong and shows how he doesn’t think about the consequences and only thinks about his pleasures. “Making a short deft movement, Tom Buchanan broke her nose with his open hand. Then there were bloody towels upon the bathroom floor, and women’s voices scolding, and high over the confusion a long wail of pain.” (37) During the small gathering, Tom and Myrtle are arguing if Myrtle has the right to say Daisy’s name, Tom loses his temper and breaks Myrtle’s nose. He lacks empathy and as far as the reader knows, Tom never apologized for hurting and breaking Myrtle’s nose. Unfortunately, Myrtle dies because Daisy ran over her and Tom finds out because he stopped to snoop around the crime scene. “Then Tom shut the door on them and came down the single step, his eyes avoiding the table. As he passed close to me he whispered: “Let’s get out.’” (141) Maybe Tom was in shock, but he was thinking about himself, he realized that he was connected in a way to Myrtle’s death since he was previously driving the car that ran her over. At this moment, Tom lacks empathy towards his mistress, because she was only a pleasure moment. Myrtle also gave her full attention to him, specially because he could offer her a better lifestyle since Tom was filthy rich. Tom being a narcissist, he loves the attention and being the main focus, and felt little empathy towards this accident.

Furthermore, Tom also managed to brainwash Daisy Buchanans into becoming one. Tom also managed to keep Daisy, she was almost decided to be with Jay Gatsby but it didn’t happen. “She’s not leaving me!” Tom’s words suddenly leaned down over Gatsby. “Certainly not for a common swindler who’d have to steal the ring he put on her finger.” (133) Daisy was always admiring and giving her attention to her husband and when Tom realized she was leaving him for Gatsby, he did everything in his power to keep her because he always controlled, dominated, and manipulated her. “They were careless people, Tom and Daisy–they smashed up things and creatures and then retreated back into their money or their vast careless, or whatever it was that kept them together, and let other people clean up the mess they had made…” (179) After Gatsby’s death, Daisy and Tom fled because Daisy was responsible for Myrtle’s death and Gatsby had taken the blame for it. Tom also had a reason to be blamed for Gatsby’s death because he told Wilson that Jay Gatsby was responsible for the death of Myrtle.

In conclusion, Tom Buchanan is a narcissist, who only thinks about himself. Tom loves being the center of attention and he requires excessive admiration which he gets from Daisy and his many mistresses. Not only does he believe that being Caucasian and wealthy means that he is automatically the superior race, but he carries and presents himself that way. Begin a narcissist also has an impact on people, for example, Daisy is his wife and she was almost becoming the spitting image of Tom Buchanans. It is sad that Tom lacked empathy towards the people that surrounded him, Myrtle might have believed it was love but it was just a narcissist looking for someone to supply his need of pleasure and admiration. In The Great Gatsby by Fitzgerald, Tom is a narcissist because he has the power, status, money, and manages to control and manipulate the people around him.

Assertion of “Why Read the Classics?”

What exactly are the “classics”? Calvino writes fourteen definitions of a classic, a guide to understand what the classics are. Italo Calvino explains that a classic is basically a reader’s favorite book, that the reader discovers something new every time the book is reread throughout the years of maturity. To be more clear, Italo Calvino explains how the level of maturity is a big role in transitioning a book into a classic. “3) The classics are books that exert a peculiar influence, both when they refuse to be eradicated from the mind and when they conceal themselves in the folds of memory, camouflaging themselves as the collective or individual unconscious.” (2) At first, the reader wouldn’t know that the book they are holding will turn into one of their classics. After reading the book it will become a favorite and will be revisited throughout the years. Soon that favorite book will become a classic because it will bring forgotten knowledge. Furthermore, a classic will have certain quotes, thoughts, even life lessons that the reader has simply known all along but just needed a reminder. “8) A classic does not necessarily teach us anything we did not know before. In a classic we sometimes discover something we have always known (or thought we knew), but without knowing that this author said it first, or at least is associated with it in a special way.” (3) That as a reader grows in maturity and revisits a classic, the reader will discover something that they already know because they have experience. If it were read at a younger age, the reader would just read through the words but it will leave a seed. That seed left will lead to the reader revisiting a classic and will not just read through the words but understand what they mean.

Global Warming: The Impact of Ocean Acidification on Shellfish

Ocean acidification throughout the years has impacted ocean life and continues to impact many oyster farms. If we don’t do anything to stop ocean acidification or decrease the rate, there will be a decline of shellfishes. There has already been changes seen in the Pacific Coast of the United States due to the high ocean acidification. The shellfish species have started to developed differently by creating a weaker outer shell. Ocean acidification is also creating consequences for over $111 million dollar oyster industries in the West Coast and oyster farmers. Unfortunately, shell growth will decrease as ocean acidification increases in the Pacific Coast, and oyster companies will be economically unstable in the future.

 

As ocean acidification rises and more oceans become acidic there will be complications with shellfish like urchins, starfish, mussels, and clams to grow their shell which is a useful tool for them to help them survive. These types of shellfish are going to grow less shell by 10 to 25 percent by the end of this century. Making it harder for these type of organisms to survive and easier to go extinct if ocean acidification keeps getting worse throughout the century. Unless you are an oyster farmer or an oyster industry owner you wouldn’t care about this species, but oysters actually make up more than 80 percent of the Pacific Ocean. This will have a big impact and change the food chain since shellfish are a source of food for many animals.

 

The cause of ocean acidification is the amount of carbon being released from multiple actions that cause global warming in general. The release of carbon dioxide is leading to ocean acidification because the oceans also absorb most of the carbon dioxide that is released into the atmosphere. Oceans also helped reduce the impact of humans causing carbon dioxide but it has surpassed the amount that an ocean can absorb, which is making the oceans more acidic. We are able to see ocean acidification levels because it shows on pH meters, since acidity is measured on pH scales, as pH decreases it shows that the oceans have become more acidity.

 

Data from pH levels collected from oceans, are a great tool to show how bad an ocean has become acidic. There will be a change in pH levels and it will mostly likely decrease showing signs of ocean acidification. Throughout the last two centuries, oceans’ pH levels have dropped from 30 percent globally, and they will continue to drop throughout the century. The pH levels range from 1 to 14,  the pH levels have dropped from 8.2 to 8.1 and this is actually a big change since it is logarithmic and is able to cause change. There is a safe level of carbon dioxide which is 350 parts per million, in 1988 we passed that safe level. From 2013 the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere had passed 400 parts per millions. Humans have produced this amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere by our actions of pollution and causing global warming. Our actions have consequences, and has ended up with too much carbon dioxide being released into the atmosphere which has made oceans increase in acidity.

 

Fixing ocean acidification is not easy and this process takes time to restore oceans globally and to stabilized. There is multiple ways to help reduce ocean acidification by reducing our actions of burning fossil fuels and releasing a great amount of carbon dioxide. Helping regrowing blue carbon which is an important role to reduce excess carbon from the atmosphere. For example regrowth of marshes, mangroves and seagrass beds are part of the blue carbon. I say that anybody and everyone can start by simply talking about ocean acidification and spreading it with friends, family, and strangers to educate ourselves about this global warming problem that our society has caused. Many ways for one person to reduce their release of carbon dioxide, by turning unused lights off, recycling anything that you can, supporting or using clean energy, or simply by walking instead of driving. In the future there will also be technology made by geoengineering to help this process of reducing ocean acidification faster and easier. Even though, the process to reduce ocean acidification would take decades and possibly centuries, the human race shares the same planet and should help this situation for future generations.

 

Resources

Grossman, Elizabeth. “Northwest Oyster Die-offs Show Ocean Acidification Has Arrived.” Yale Environment 360, 21 Nov. 2011, e360.yale.edu/features/northwest_oyster_die-offs_show_ocean_acidification_has_arrived.

Harrould-Kolieb, Ellycia, et al. Ocean Acidification The Untold Stories. Nov. 2010,

oceana.org/sites/default/files/reports/Ocean_Acidification_The_Untold_Stories.pdf.

Ocean Acidification. Apr. 2018, ocean.si.edu/ocean-life/invertebrates/ocean-acidification.

Stereotypes of a Gender – Memoir Lap 3

It has been a real pain in the ass to grow up in a family that has one point of view about women. Women are supposed to be a housewife, to take care of their husband and children. A woman should know how to cook, they should have the house clean everyday, making sure the laundry and dishes are clean. Growing up and seeing commercials and shows that portrayed women as trophy wives gave me no hope.

My mother has a different point of view from my father’s, one in which I don’t just have to be a housewife. She thinks that a woman can be both, that they can work and take care of her home. Unfortunately, my mother was working that sunny Saturday and I was home with my two younger brothers. Before I had left for marching band practice that morning, they were already awake updating their Fortnite to get the new season which they had already talked about. It was afternoon now, Luis and Brandon were still in the same spot they were since the morning. If it wasn’t for the disaster on the table of pepperoni pizza, plates and Coca-Cola cans along with spills, I would have believed that they hadn’t moved all morning except their small thumbs.

Clearing a small space on the table, I could finally see the dark brown surface and my reflection. As I was eating leftovers of the pizza that my brothers ordered, I was scrolling through my Instagram feed. Scrolling through picture and selfies of people, I saw how the media still portrays females. They way people would shame woman’s photos for being in a bikini or for being really successful in life. There is still small commercials before a YouTube video or on television that show what people think women should dedicate their life too.

I clean up after myself and even though I hate washing dishes I still manage to wash my own. I lay down on my green bed sheets and start doing homework that is due on Monday. Just as I start writing my name on a paper assignment, I hear the dogs barking loud as they echo through the small apartment with thin walls. I knew it wasn’t my mother since she was at work, so it had to be my father. It had to be him since he is the only one with a key even though he doesn’t live with us and he always tells the dogs “shhhh!”

I can smell his sweat from the bedroom door as he stands there with his black Venom motorcycle helmet and his fake sleeve tattoos. I expected a normal side hug and a pat in the back but instead he greeted my brothers and asked me, “why is the dinning table a disaster and why are the dishes still there from yesterday?” I could have talked back and started another argument in which it ends with getting grounded or I could have ignored it.

“I don’t know what you mean, I already cleaned up after myself,” responding with confusion showing in my face and filling my head. “No, the living room and table are a mess, and the dishes aren’t washed.” I felt my breath starting to shift and becoming uncontrollable. I think it’s crap when he walks into the apartment acting like he owns and lives here, of course I could never ask him why he does that.

My brain wanders to the kitchen, to the fridge, wondering if my mother left any type of food in case he asks why there is no food made or why haven’t I learned to cook and that I am already sixteen years old and there is no excuses left.  “Well, that’s the boys’ mess and I am doing my homework right now,” explaining myself before he grounds me. I shouldn’t have said that because I knew very well that my brother’s were boys and that they don’t belong in the kitchen or with a broom in their hand according to my father.

“You can start by sweeping and mopping the floor.” How come my brothers get to sit around and play Fortnite all day, and I need to clean up their mess and wash their dirty disgusting dishes. “I haven’t finished my homework, why can’t Luis and Brandon do it.” I felt my face getting warmer and warmer, which meant that my face was getting red. Males can do exactly what a female does and females can do exactly what a male does. “I’m telling you to do it, they are boys not girls.”

 

No Gender – Scene Lap 2

It was a Saturday afternoon and I started another homework assignment in my bed. My brothers were still in the same place since the morning playing Fortnite and screaming at each other. Dog barks filled the apartment as the entrance door was opening, I knew it was my dad because he wasn’t working and he had a key. He walks into the bedroom, holding his Venom motorcycle helmet. He greets my brothers and looks at me to ask me why hadn’t I clean up the house. I think to myself if my father is being serious right now. I don’t understand why he walks in the apartment acting like he lives here, when he doesn’t. “I don’t know what you mean, I already cleaned up after myself,” responding with confusion showing in my face and filling my head. “No, the living room and table are a mess, and the dishes aren’t washed.” At least, he didn’t ask why there isn’t any food or why I haven’t learned how to cook already. “Well, that’s the boys’ mess and I am doing my homework right now,” explaining myself before he grounds me. “You can start by sweeping and mopping the floor.” How come my brothers get to sit around and play Fortnite all day, and I need to clean up their mess and wash their dirty disgusting dishes. “I haven’t finished my homework, why can’t Luis and Brandon do it.” My gender does not come with specific rules or instructions. Males can do exactly what a female does and females can do exactly what a male does. “I’m telling you to do it, they are boys not girls.” I will always think that just because I’m a girl does not mean I have to do the cleaning, dishes, or cook the food. I think I can do more than that, I can be the one providing for my family and the one who pays the bills and works. Both genders need to be seen equally and be treated the same.

Not an American – 100 Words Lap 1

“We don’t see much Americans around here.”

“Technically, I’m an American too, I was born here.”

“You’re not an American, you’re not white.”  

An American is seen in the color white, not another color, and not brown. I find it difficult and frustrating to be labeled as two countries. I felt so ashamed for even mentioning that I’m American because I was born in the United States. As the words came out of her mouth, I froze wondering what I was before legally becoming a Mexican-American. I wasn’t an American, because I didn’t wear the same skin an American wears.

Assertion 1 of This is Water

This commencement speech is for graduating seniors. Most importantly for those who are transitioning into adult hood. David Foster Wallace’s speech has an important message for all of those older teenagers going into young adult hood, it is for them to learn the reality of adult hood and to learn how to succeed in being an adult. To be more clear, it is to be aware of the water; to be attentive to our surroundings and to consider people’s current situations. “It means being conscious and aware enough to choose how you construct meaning from experience.” (3) This quotation from David Foster Wallace’s speech supports the assertion that he is making. If a young adult doesn’t pay attention to their surroundings and what other people are going through then they will most likely only pay attention to what’s in their mind and to what they are currently feeling. If young adults start doing this in the beginning of their transition then it will become a routine or an everyday life thing. “Thinking this way is my automatic default-setting. It’s the automatic, unconscious way that I experience of the boring, frustrating, crowded parts of adult life when I’m operating on the automatic, unconscious belief that I am the center of the world and that my immediate needs and feelings are what should determine the world’s priorities.” (5) When young adults start thinking only about themselves and what is going on inside their head and only caring about their feelings, it can lead to a miserable adult life. David Foster Wallace says that thinking negative about something or anything can lead to a less joyful and fun life. Unfortunately, most people have fallen into this trick, it has become a routine that most adults and teenagers do without noticing. Having a horrible attitude towards anything that we don’t like is called automatic default-setting, which can lead to a boring and annoying adult hood. To avoid falling into this routine, we have to be aware of the water around us and we have to think about the situations another person might be going through. Our life cannot just be about us, we are not the center of the universe, we have to think about the reality of being an adult.