The END. A Reflection.

A blog is nothing more or less than emotions and opinions. I have loved being able to expand on whatever issue or opinion is one my mind. While I did enjoy voicing my opinions and processing various things through the blog, it was also a lot more difficult then I expected it to be. This blog was hard for me because of my schedule. The way that I had to write up my assignments for a majority of the time was in chunks. As I would go through my week I would only get a couple nights off and those were my homework nights. That being said, there were several nights that I would start typing up a blog post after my ten+ hour work day, and wouldn't be able to finish it because of my extreme tiredness. I loved the freedom that I was able to exhibit while writing, but the hard part for me was the consistency. Being able to set aside time during the day to write up a blog post was a challenge, that I feel I lost track of a couple times throughout the class' session. I enjoyed the blog, and I am understanding how helpful it can be in everyday life. I am excited to start writing down what I am thinking, however I do not think I am ready to share all of my thoughts with the world. At this point I think I will go back to a journal, but I have loved being able to share with everyone in the class. Thank you all for listening to my rants about various issues, and sympathizing with my large amounts of "interesting" stories. I can only hope that you all have at least considered living a life full of kindness, because I know that I sure am trying...and trying...and trying.

Practice makes perfect...or does it?

Practice, practice, sleep. and more practice. That is the life of a music major summed up in six words.

The need to practice always seems come up at a time that it is the last thing you want to do. To every single musician it is a necessary evil. Growing up my mother always said that the success of a musician is based ten percent on talent, and ninety percent on practice. Practicing is something that can be so hard to do, but needed in order to get the results that are required to be a successful musician. When I was younger I used to dread my practice sessions. Having been through a year as a music major, the practice rooms have become my go to place on campus. Instead of being dreadful and boring, practice has become my time of absolute freedom. I have spent periods of time laying on the floor, jumping up and down, and creating stories that are wrapped around specific songs. While I love both my voice teacher, coach, I have found that not having the structure that they place on my vocalization, has allowed me to truly blossom as an artist. 

Being diligent in my practicing is something that I am still working on becoming. I am realizing that the consistency  I have found is starting to flood into other areas of my life. The lessons and principles I have learned as a music major, are not strictly aimed at music. This realization has taught me to start looking for lessons that could be learned from all of my studies. I hope that as time goes on my passion for music will continue to grow, and that my hate of practicing will continue to diminish. Then I will truly be able to embrace the freedom that practicing provides, and also have learned the lessons I needed to learn. 

Assignment 7.3

Eng101 Topic Exploration Research Question Name: Charissa Paschke

Research Question -How is the value of nonverbal communication within music weighed against the value of verbal?

Answer each question carefully using complete sentences (grammar counts).  Be specific in your reasoning and explanations.

1. Does the question deal with a topic or issue that interests me enough to spark my own thoughts and opinions? Explain. Yes it does. Music is my passion. It is the most important thing I have the ability to produce, and at this point in my life I can honestly say that without music I wouldn't be the same person I am today. 
2. Is the question easily and fully researchable? Back up your answer. 
• Yes I believe the question is easy to understand and very easy to research. Once a general knowledge base has been built, the ability to identify the various types of verbal and nonverbal communication will become easier. 
3. What type of information do I need to answer the research question?
• The definition of both verbal and nonverbal communication.
• A general knowledge of both music and communications. 
• The opinions and knowledge of the performing arts
4. Is the scope of this information reasonable? (e.g., can I really research 30 on-line writing programs developed over a span of 10 years?) Explain.
• Yes you can research music and the amount of verbal and nonverbal communication within. By researching the topic, I believe that the answer becomes very clear.
5. Given the type and scope of the information that I need, is my question too broad, too narrow, or okay? Explain.
• I believe that it is a bit too broad. There are several different types of music that I could be talking about. I needed to specify instrumental or vocal. Because when you are dealing with instrumental the amount of verbal communication plummets
6. What sources will have the type of information that I need to answer the research question (journals, books, internet resources, government documents, people, rock concerts, ethnography)? Be specific.
• Academic Journals will be the best way to find information that is supported and not just an opinion. There are several music and communication opinion based websites but those once again those are all going to be based on opinions, and in order to get credible material, it has to be supported by someone.
7. Can I access these sources? Explain.
• Yes you can access these sources. As an OTC student you thane the ability to access all of the academic journals you could ever need access to on the Otc Library page.
8. Given my answers to the above questions, do I have a good quality research question that I actually will be able to answer by doing research? Explain why you think this way.
• Yes I do believe that I have a good question because it is a bit broad but still allows for creativity in the interpretation of the question. I have shown ways that the question can be answered and various ways to find the research.

Sarcastic in Nature

This week I have really been struggling with something that is so very common in society, and even recently has been directed at me.This thing causes people to question people’s motives, wonder what is really meant by their words, and even has gone as far as to ruin relationships. Sarcasm has been causing unneeded strife for century’s. While in past years it might have been directly categorized as snark or straight up rude. It is no longer considered culturally unacceptable. This type of speech has infiltrated every area of our speech. It is used in the social world as excessively as saturated fat in a KFC meal. Sarcasm plainly put is a facade for an insecure person to hide behind. While it might enable a person to get out what they have been meaning to say in a “joking” way, it also causes the object of the joke to wonder the sincerity of what was said.
 When I was younger I would often makes statements that were painfully true, and follow them with a jokingly put,”Just kidding.” It wasn't until my mother confronted me after a simply put joke, that I realized what I was doing would cause people to not want to be around me. She always said, “There is a little bit of truth in everything you say.” From that point on her words finally stuck to me and have been with me since that day. 
Already being a sophomore in college, it has been interesting to see just how similar college kids are to high school kids, in their lack of sincerity and excessive use of sarcasm. Last night I had a couple jokes aimed thoughtlessly at me, and while I know they might not have meant to hurt me, in the end the remarks caused me to reconsider the way I conduct myself. This can be a bad thing, and while my friends would say they were “just joking” and tell me not think anything of it, i cant help but remember something I was confronted on a couple years ago. When they stated their jokes, while all in good fun, they didn't realize that I have been struggling with that specific quality for years. While sarcasm (most of the time) is meant as a joke, it can reflect what someone truly means. 

Delegation is KEY.

As I grow older and work with more people, I am realizing just how much of an impact my years in Student Council had on me. If there was one thing I learned from the time I spent in Student Council it would have to be the development of my delegation abilities. As the head of the decorations committee for three years in high school, it was very difficult to delegate those responsibilities to the younger students. 
Wanting everything to be perfect and set up correctly is something that comes naturally to me. I learned the first year that I cannot take control and watch every little thing be done(because I physically get overwhelmed). While I did get better at this as time went on, it wasn't until my Senior year that I had learned why delegation was so important. While it is important to delegate for your own(the leaders) sanity, it is also am opportunity to pass on what you know to others below you. If I hadn't been delegated to during my freshman, I wouldn't ever have gained the experience and confidence I needed. As a leader I had learned the importance of delegation for my own sanity's sake, I really feel like it was an awesome gift to be able to give the younger less-experienced students the opportunity to lead. 
While I had to accept that I couldn't do everything on my own, I also needed the people below me to be trained by the time I left the council so the excellence level wouldn't fade. In order to accept that you can’t handle everything on your own, it asking the leader to admit that they can not do everything on their own. If the leaders of a specific group do not allow  anyone else to try and have a go at leading, younger members will become uninterested and in the end this will result in the club’s demise. 

An Ethical Point of View

Ethics are an important thing to me and as I continue to write out my struggles I am learning that I do have strong opinions. Since I have always been a follower of Christ and held to the truth that is in the bible and the rules stated, I think that there is absolute truth. And I know that in my own life, while I may not always do the right thing, I know what the right thing is, or can figure out what it is. Because of this I have never thought that morals change, or that someone can change their opinion on morals. Like I have said before, I am always interested to hear about everyone and their varying opinions on specific issues.
Throughout my life I have been able to talk to people about their personal beliefs and thoughts on various topics. It is interesting to hear all of the varying thoughts and opinions that people have.  There have been times where I feel like I am being singled out on my beliefs because I hold so strongly to what I believe. 
That being said, while I am firm on what I believe, that doesn't mean that I am not willing to take something from what other people say. Some of the best conversations I have ever had have been with people who are completely opposite of me. One thing that I have found as I meet and have conversations with people of different backgrounds, and belief systems, is that people can be very closed minded to another way of thinking that is not their own. There is such a hostility over beliefs and how “right or wrong” other people’s opinions are. It is okay to have a different opinion because through those varying opinions we are able to talk out why we believe certain things. It is however very sad to realize how rare it is becoming to find people who have just thought and spent time figuring out and questioning what they believe. I know that when I was younger I went through a period of questioning my own beliefs and figured out why I believe what I believe. People often say and judge me because of what I believe and I get the opportunity to break the stereotype that is so commonly placed on Christians. By shutting down other people because they don’t hold the beliefs that I do, I am not only hurting them, I am not hurting the ability I have to represent Christ’s love to them. Getting the opportunity to speak up about my beliefs on Thursday was awesome, and even though I stuck out a bit, it was nice to be able to state my opinions. I cannot live in fear to state my opinions or beliefs, but I also have to make sure to not be judgmental when people do not hold to my standards of living. 

Sass.

People are an interesting bunch.  While sometimes we would like to think that the most disgusting person we know isn't related or connected to us in any way, they are. While you may vary in many ways, we all as humans have one verity specific thing in common; The fact that we are all humans. When I picked up the job that I work now, I wasn't expecting to deal with sassy people, but little did I know, I do...all the time. As I sit here and type this up, I am still in my business clothes, trying to not get worked by thinking about the sass that I encountered while on shift. Looking back on the day, it wasn't necessarily the amount of sassy or rude people I encountered, rather the severity of the few. 

It blows me away when I think about the disrespect that I and others have encountered, but then I think back to my own actions. 

When I was younger, all the way through my teenage years, my mother would constantly be reminding me to "watch my attitude." To this day I have a tendency to get worked up about various mistakes, or things that I could have done better. I am a perfectionist, and with that perfection comes a whole lot of stress. The moments when I am stressed, I am distracted by the stress, and do not realize just how sassy I am being. Sometimes I like to give everyone else the benefit of the doubt that maybe they are just stressed out as well. It is a sad realization when the person you hoped was just stressed, is in fact just an incredibly rude person. 

Taking this class, on top of having two jobs, was one of the most challenging things I have done in  a long time. While there hasn't been an unbearable work load, it has caused a bit of stress. When I am stressed, I am learning that it is an okay thing to feel, but not a valid reason to treat others like they are any less important then they are. We are all humans, we all live on this earth, so I say let's stop treating each other like we are the most important and start extending grace. 

Special Place

I love being outside. Whenever I have the opportunity to go outside I take full advantage of it. Walking, running, biking, hiking, climbing, and camping are my favorite things to do. Having the opportunity to be outside is a huge blessing. When I think about all of the people who aren't able to do all of the things that I take for granted, and those activities become that much more important to me.

Everyone has a favorite place. To each person that place is somewhere different and unique. My favorite place is always changing. As I go through life and am challenged by different experiences, my place of solace could be in a different place then it was the day before. There have been points in my life that a specific beach, hidden path in a forest, or even the middle of a field have all taken the "special place" title captive. While my favorite place has varied in location, It has not ever been inside.  This fact directly correlates to my passion for the outdoors, and the release I experience while outside. 

Not everyone has a favorite place, and some, like myself, can not narrow down there's to just one location. When it comes to your favorite place it just has to be a place that helps you relax and find whatever peace of mind you are trying to find. 

The variety of people that are in this English class all, obviously speaking, have varying interests. These interests play into the locations that are selected. I have loved being able to learn about people and their lives through all of the discussions and blog posts. It has also helped me to form theories about specific students and where their favorite places would be. 

More Than A Drink

Coffee is something we get with friends. It is something that is drank at the best and worst of times. In the last year I have, cried, laughed, stressed, relaxed, watched, and studied all with coffee in my hands. I love coffee. As I write this I am drinking...wait for it...COFFEE. The more I think about coffee the more I realize that it is a lot more than just a beverage.
Three years ago if you asked me if I liked coffee I would say "yes," but at that point I had no idea just how intense my passion would become in the future.
In the summer of 2011 I went on a trip to Israel and Italy. During the two months that I was gone, I came to the realization that the cultural coffee obsession isn't just in The United States, it is all over the world. In Jerusalem there are tiny coffee shops hidden within the walls of the Old City, and within those shops I had the opportunity to create friendships that will last a lifetime. When I got on the plane leaving Israel heading to Rome, I didn't know what to expect. The espresso bar in the McDonald's in the airport gave me a small taste of the culture that I had just stepped into. In Rome I learned the cultural significance of a good cappuccino, and the importance of the tiny spoon. I learned that it is okay to stop what you are doing, walk up to a coffee bar, drink some coffee, and keep on with what you were doing. Sitting down for just five minutes enjoying a conversation with the man next to you is completely normal, and the thought behind coffee shops.
When they were first coming into existence coffee shops brought separate classes together. They broke down walls and allowed people of separate backgrounds to communicate without the barriers that society had placed on them.
Coffee is so much more then a drink. It is a way of life. If we can all learn to look past how people appear, we will all be better off. The next time you are at a coffee shop working on homework, or even reading a book, take of your headphones, turn to the person next to you and converse. Who knows what you will learn. Happy drinking, and don't forget to enjoy the coffee.

Know your audience: 4:4

Knowing your demographic is a necessary part of any writing assignment. If you don't know who you  are writing for then there is no structure to what you are saying. If I didn't know that I was writing for My English teacher and fellow students, I wouldn't be talking about writing, or even discussing this. Knowing who you are talking of the highest importance second only to the topic you are talking about. 

When I wrote my question asking the class where they all wished they had been born, I wasn't very surprised with the answers. More then half of the class said that they would stay where they are, and that they are glad that they were born and grew up right here in MO. This didn't surprise me because from what I have read, almost everyone is here to either fulfill their home university's gen-ed requirement, or like most, returning back to school. This also didn't surprise me because that is normally what Community Colleges are for. There is convenience in taking an online class, and it sounds like almost everyone works either a full-time job, or is a full-time parent. 

I was surprised by the amount of passion that everyone has for this class. I love learning, but I have found that my passion for learning is rare. Because of this, I was surprised to hear how excited everyone was about this specific class, or just college in general. 

On a different note, I was also surprised to hear that so many people love winter and fall. I will never truly be able to understand a love for the cold weather, and I am sure all of you snow lovers could say the same thing about me. This just goes to show how very different we are, but how much we can appreciate our varying views.

Individual Impact

Every single person has a unique story to tell. One thing that I am really enjoying about this class is the opportunity that I have to get to learn about people in the varying stages of life. Throughout my life I have always had a large variety of people that were invested in me. Some of the best memories I have were made while having insightful conversations. I love to talk, and anyone that knows me is able to vouch for that. My love for a good conversation has brought me many lovely chats, and even some incredibly transparent ones. I love hearing about people and their stories. I believe that every person is alive for a reason, and that something can be learned from everyone. While it is not so easy to say that about the horrible people in this world, but even they have an impact on people. I have seen the worst situations turned into something beautiful because of the heart of the impacted. Since every person has a different story there should always be something to talk about. So you know that awkward silence on a date? Shouldn't be a thing. There are so many things to hear about that if the conversation dies, you just aren't asking the correct questions. Asking good questions is almost harder then answering them. That being said it is important to remember to respond in a way that is conducive to conversation. Turning the conversation to your interests the entire time is also not a good thing to do. The whole point of having conversations is to be able to communicate your opinions and ideas as well as learn something about the other person. Conversations are not an easy thing to keep going, but once they are mastered and the focus is put on the other person, you just have to let yourself listen to their story.

Work-consumption.

If you really think about it, time is simply amazing. It is something that can go by quickly, but yet so slow. Time is something that everyone needs, and at the end of our lives we all wish for more of it. One month in and I feel as if my summer is flying by. By picking up a second job, I went from having one part-time job, to having over the hours of a full-time position. While it is a blessing to be able to work and save up money, it is also exhausting. Not having the time to plan what I want to do with my time, and only really having time to work is showing me just how much I love living on my own time. Last Sunday I had the day off from both of my jobs, and was able to escape to Sam's Throne down in Arkansas. Spending the day doing whatever I wanted was freeing. Being able to choose what I was going to do, where I was going to hike, and what I was going to climb, reminded me that I am in control of how I use my time. Work is a blessing, but sometimes a break is needed, Having the ability to step away from work and truly relax isn't as easy as it first sounds. I have the tendency to want to work as much as I can, and this can cause me to live in an exhausted state.  It is okay to work, and money isn't a bad thing, but when it gets in the way of your quality of life, it has become too important. When work consumes every area of your life, it is probably not a good thing. Yesterday I worked a thirteen hour day and by the end of it I was exhausted. being consumed by anything is easy and when what you are consumed with gets you something, it is that much easier to give it more time and control within your life. So I am challenging myself and any other workaholic, to stop letting work consume your life and start enjoying the freedom that is available.

First Impressions - Credo

I believe that people are more than their first impression. Growing up the value of a good first impression was expressed to me. I was told that a bad first impression could knock me out of a job, acceptance into college, or even a career path. So much of our opportunities and life experiences are based on the first impressions we have in interviews and everyday life. Being a nice happy person with a warm charming personality will get you far. That being said, I believe that people are more then their appearance, and that their opportunities shouldn't be based on them. I have challenged myself to look beyond my first perception of a person, and take the time to hear about them, their experiences, and their lives. When I was younger I fell prey to the judging mindset that permeates our culture. I lost out on getting to know people that could have become some of my best friends. Once I opened up my mind, and gave everyone I came in contact an opportunity to get to know me, I was pleasantly surprised. The world and the people are much greater then they first seem, you just have to give them a chance.

Being kind to the rude.

Why is it so hard to be kind to rude people? It amazes me how big of an influence one person can have on a person's life. Sometimes it takes the words of someone else to push us to do something we need to do. However, words can also push us to do things we never thought we would feel the need to do. They can be positive and yet so harmful.
In the last couple weeks I picked up a job and have dealt with a large amount of people. While I am no stranger to customer service, I am not used to being in a trainee situation. With every new  customer I am becoming more and more secure about my tasks and the codes needed to complete the tasks. While it is hard to be the person that is in training, it is even harder the week after training is over. This is why my patience is being tested. At this particular establishment there are several regulars, and they assume that you will move the world for them. The only problem is, that I can't give them special access just because they are "regulars" and still need them to identify themselves. I go on to explain that I am new, and am sorry I don't know their names well enough to identify them. Usually their response will be a nice comforting response, and their demeanor will completely change. These recurring situations have helped me to realize just how much control circumstances
have on a person's attitude and its direct effect.
The customers are willing to treat me in a very rude way, but the second that they realize that I am new to the job, they are aware of how rude they were to me. It takes me nicely explaining that I am new, for them to give me grace and be kind. Given not all of our customers are like this, there is a large amount of these situations.
It would be so much easier for me to be sassy, and have even seen bits of it disrespect come out of my coworkers mouths. I feel called to be above the rudeness and respond with kindness. While it is what I am instructed to do, this option can often be the most difficult.  It is hard to be nice to rude people, But I am nice because who doesn't like a nice person?

I Believe: Reflection

Innocence is often thought of as being a bad thing. When you don't understand a joke, or catch on to something, you are the victim. But is this really the way it should be? I believe that innocence shouldn't be thought of as a bad thing. When people are at a certain age, there is a list of things that society has decided they need to know. 

Have we stopped to consider for a second that not everyone is the same. Not everyone has the ability or the means to understand and be on the same level. That is what makes us unique. We are all different for a reason. I believe that it isn't society's responsibility to deem what is okay, and isn't, but rather the responsibility of the person, or guardian of that child. Too often do the "suggested ages"  of specific activities determine if a child is ready for something or not. Children are often forced into situations that they aren't truly ready for. If it takes children different periods of time to learn to read, then why wouldn't it be varying periods of time before they were ready for specific things. We, as a culture, need to respect each child's ability or inability, to handle certain topics. Innocence shouldn't be thought of as a bad thing. Each person has had different life experiences and has matured at a different rate. We don't force kids to learn at the same rate, so it is time to stop expecting that they mature at the same rate. I believe that it isn't bad to be innocent. 

WC:270

I Believe...

1. I believe that I am smart. 
2. I believe that the world is full of wonderful things.
3. I believe that music is an incredible language.
4. I believe that God is great.
5. I believe that I am blessed with the best parents.
6. I believe that my boyfriend loves me.
7. I believe the world is beautiful.
8. I believe that I could travel more.
9. I believe that writing can be repetitive. 
10. I believe that going on a run can relieve stress.
11. I believe that playing a violin is incredibly hard.
12. I believe that music heals.
13. I believe that Jesus saves.
14. I believe that people all have a different story to tell.
15. I believe that we are all born imperfect.
16. I believe that without Jesus we wouldn't have a reason to live. 
17. I believe that college is overwhelming.
18. I believe that free time is a blessing.
19. I believe that we are all too busy.
20. I believe that being outside is better then being inside.
21. I believe that we are all blessed more than we realize.
22. I believe that I don't deserve any of the things I have. 
23. I believe that sometimes I limit myself because of fear.
24. I believe that I can call myself hurtful names.
25. I believe that I understand myself more then I truly do.
26. I believe that God knows me and my habits better then I do.
27. I believe that I want to have kids someday.
28. I believe that I love having a night off. 
29. I believe that money isn't all it is cracked up to be.
30. I believe that this exercise is helping me learn about myself. 
31. I believe that loving everyone is hard. 
32. I believe that dogs are the best at being forgiving.
33. I believe that baby's are the cutest of all humans. 
34. I believe that innocence isn't ignorance, rather beauty. 
35. I believe that I am treated 100 times better then I deserve. 
36. I believe that rainbows show us incredible things about the power of God. 
37. I believe that friends are little signs from God that he loves us. 
38. I believe that having a boyfriend stretches your patience and shows you that it is possible to love someone selflessly.
39. I believe that this has helped me process a ton of things. 

Perceptions. -Jung Typology Test

Growing up I was one hundred percent sure that I knew what I was going to be; a veterinarian. When asked about my dream job, thoughts of helping cute puppies popped into my head. It wasn't until I watched a television show that explained the horrors of veterinary clinics, that I realized  being a vet wasn't all playing with puppies.

As I grew up, I assigned myself different professions. After realizing that I no longer wanted to be a vet, I bounced many ideas around. As I got closer and closer to senior year, I began to visualize professions I could see myself doing as a career.
Similar to my unrealisitc view of veterinarians, I often have specific idea's about myself that aren't completely accurate. Taking the Jung Typology test has given me a better understanding of the type of person I am. While I have always known that I am an outgoing and sensitive person, I hadn't thought about my strong sense of judgment being an asset. I had a picture in my mind of what was good and bad and had limited myself to those parameters. As humans we put limits on ourselves based on our perceptions of what the outcome needs to be. By doing this we are limiting ourselves from even trying. Being aware of who we are, and the personality types we hold is incredibly important. Being reassured of my outgoing, compassionate, and intuitive ways wasn't useful information, but having my eyes opened about judgement will help me throughout the english course I am taking.
Much like my kid self, I had put myself in a box. I decided what was good and bad based on my prior opinions of positive and negative traits. This box limited my ability as a writer, and I didn't know it. Going through the rest of my education with an open mind is something that the test challenged me to do. Being open minded and ready to learn is going to benefit me now and in years to come.