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.