I don't use persuasion much, therefore I am HORRIBLE at trying to persuade others or maybe I am horrible at persuading and therefore I refuse to try. What came first: The chicken or the egg? Sometimes, if I'm lucky, I can persuade my parents to let me go somewhere. So, persuasion isn't huge in my book.
Will persuasion ever be a skill I try to master? Probably not.
I see companies trying to persuade to use their product everywhere, especially on television. Call America stubborn, but a lot of us are just annoyed.
That's what persuasion is for a lot of people: annoying someone or tempting someone until the moment they break and do whatever the persuader was persuading them to do. Others, are actually worth listening to. Very few people can convince me to do something I wouldn't do already.
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
What It Means to be a Winner
(Writer's Notebook)
Naturally, people want to be better than someone at something. It's called being competitive. Winning doesn't always prove that you're better than someone else at whatever it is you're competing at, just as losing doesn't mean you're not as good as others at whatever it is you're competing at. Remember: We all have are bad days and good days.
Winning is just a good feeling for most. The prize doesn't have to be tangible, it could be pride itself. Too much pride, however, causes someone to be an egomaniac. That type of a person is never fun to be around. I admit, sometimes I sometimes get a bit cocky when I compete in chair tests, but I never let it go to my head.
I've "won" spots in all-region and all-state and first chair in our little school band back in my junior high days. I felt accomplished, because I felt as if I deserved it.
Winning could either mean being lucky or very determined.
I guess you can pick up vibes that I have REALLY mixed feelings on the topic.
Naturally, people want to be better than someone at something. It's called being competitive. Winning doesn't always prove that you're better than someone else at whatever it is you're competing at, just as losing doesn't mean you're not as good as others at whatever it is you're competing at. Remember: We all have are bad days and good days.
Winning is just a good feeling for most. The prize doesn't have to be tangible, it could be pride itself. Too much pride, however, causes someone to be an egomaniac. That type of a person is never fun to be around. I admit, sometimes I sometimes get a bit cocky when I compete in chair tests, but I never let it go to my head.
I've "won" spots in all-region and all-state and first chair in our little school band back in my junior high days. I felt accomplished, because I felt as if I deserved it.
Winning could either mean being lucky or very determined.
I guess you can pick up vibes that I have REALLY mixed feelings on the topic.
Monday, February 15, 2010
Olympic Athletes vs. Every Day People
Olympic athletes get credited for their hard work and determination when competing in the Olympics. Some athletes' multiple hours of practice pay of when they get the honor and glory of being a medalist. They give athletes someone to look up to and aspire to be like.
Maybe everyone sees people with the determination and commitment of an Olympic athlete every day without knowing it. People who aspire to work in the medical field must have a load of determination to get astounding grades to get into good universities and excel there to go to medical school and do well there to be a trusted surgeon.
That doesn't apply to doctors only. It applies to everyone with dreams. I dream to keep music in my life and have the honor of teaching other minds about music or at least be a pro musician and play in random symphonies.
I have been "training" since 6th grade to reach that goal. I think it's going well, because I've been honored with making all-state band. Okay...so it was a low chair in, but still an accomplishment! I want to do better, though. Not to be able say that I'm better than a lot of clarinet players, but to reach this mental goal I have: do well at what I love doing.
Maybe everyone sees people with the determination and commitment of an Olympic athlete every day without knowing it. People who aspire to work in the medical field must have a load of determination to get astounding grades to get into good universities and excel there to go to medical school and do well there to be a trusted surgeon.
That doesn't apply to doctors only. It applies to everyone with dreams. I dream to keep music in my life and have the honor of teaching other minds about music or at least be a pro musician and play in random symphonies.
I have been "training" since 6th grade to reach that goal. I think it's going well, because I've been honored with making all-state band. Okay...so it was a low chair in, but still an accomplishment! I want to do better, though. Not to be able say that I'm better than a lot of clarinet players, but to reach this mental goal I have: do well at what I love doing.
Thursday, January 14, 2010
I'm Not Sure How A Cat Standing Up Is Going to Inspire Me, but...
(Writer's Notebook)
We were shown an adorable picture of a cat standing on its tiptoes, and I suppose it's supposed to inspire us on something in our world we want to take a stand on. I'm not sure how the to connect, besides the whole "stand" thing.
Anyways, something that I want to take a stand on --besides vegetarianism-- is abortion, one of those issues I have a more conservative view on. (Side note: I really hope I'm interpreting this assignment correctly)
In my eyes, everyone has the natural right to be born. It disgusts me that people abort babies just because they're not ready to be a parent. Here's a thought: If you're not able to support a child, you're not ready to have sex. Even with protected sex, there's always a small chance of pregnancy. That may sound super crazy to some of you.
I understand that the pro choice view is that people should have the choice whether to keep the baby or not and not just pro abortion. The thing is: that is the equivalent to deciding who's going to live and who's going to die and no one deserves that right (Another side note: I'm not big on capital punishment either). Not to mention that the methods of abortion are brutally cruel.
Anyway. I hope I responded correctly. If not, well... at least my view on abortion is out there.
We were shown an adorable picture of a cat standing on its tiptoes, and I suppose it's supposed to inspire us on something in our world we want to take a stand on. I'm not sure how the to connect, besides the whole "stand" thing.
Anyways, something that I want to take a stand on --besides vegetarianism-- is abortion, one of those issues I have a more conservative view on. (Side note: I really hope I'm interpreting this assignment correctly)
In my eyes, everyone has the natural right to be born. It disgusts me that people abort babies just because they're not ready to be a parent. Here's a thought: If you're not able to support a child, you're not ready to have sex. Even with protected sex, there's always a small chance of pregnancy. That may sound super crazy to some of you.
I understand that the pro choice view is that people should have the choice whether to keep the baby or not and not just pro abortion. The thing is: that is the equivalent to deciding who's going to live and who's going to die and no one deserves that right (Another side note: I'm not big on capital punishment either). Not to mention that the methods of abortion are brutally cruel.
Anyway. I hope I responded correctly. If not, well... at least my view on abortion is out there.
Thursday, January 7, 2010
Welcome to Victoria's San Francisco
(Writer's Notebook Topic)
Resting in her soft and cozy home/nest, Victoria is situated on the very top of the Golden Gate Bridge and is gazing upon the midnight lights of San Francisco. A few cars are still coasting along the crime-diseased roads and many buildings still lit up. It's as though while the good people drift away into a deep slumber, the city rats wake up and begin the terrorizing. If only this city could just go to sleep, Victoria thought,Oh well, as long as I can manage to squeeze some hours of sleep in, I guess I'll be alright.
The golden sunrise over San Francisco Bay greeted Victoria and awakened her softly with its sweet-tasting mist.
Resting in her soft and cozy home/nest, Victoria is situated on the very top of the Golden Gate Bridge and is gazing upon the midnight lights of San Francisco. A few cars are still coasting along the crime-diseased roads and many buildings still lit up. It's as though while the good people drift away into a deep slumber, the city rats wake up and begin the terrorizing. If only this city could just go to sleep, Victoria thought,Oh well, as long as I can manage to squeeze some hours of sleep in, I guess I'll be alright.
The golden sunrise over San Francisco Bay greeted Victoria and awakened her softly with its sweet-tasting mist.
Now It's My Turn to Take a Stand
I'm sure I cannot make near as much as an impact as great leaders through out history (I recall writing a blog on my favorite leaders) at this moment. Who would listen to a young girl from a small town in a small state? I do not really aspire to be one of those leaders anyway. I refuse to keep quiet about my beliefs, though.
Story time!
My father is a very conservative republican. I won't judge him by his political views, but I will say that his are much different than mine. I am independent when it comes to politics; I just refer to what I believe is constitutional/fair, sometimes that means I lean towards the conservative side, sometimes liberal. One liberal view of mine is on same-sex marriage; I am for it being legalized. My dad feels VERY differently about that.
One night, as I was on my way to the kitchen to grab a cold cup of apple juice, my dad asked in a casual, yet random way, "What are your view on gay marriage?" Oh no. This was the subject I never wanted him to ask me about. I could have given him the answer about how God made Adam and Eve and not Adam and Steve that he was looking for, but why should I hide my views from my own parents? I told him "I think that they have every right to be married, though it goes against other people's morals." That set him off. He said that because it was immoral and against God, it should be illegal. I rebutted with, "Alcohol is against many people's morals, yet it's legal. Pornography is against many people's morals, yet it's legal. Cheating on a partner is legal, but very immoral. Deciding to worship Satan is against God, but very legal." We debated for a good 45 minutes, which involved Dad showing me verses in the Bible and whatnot. I feel as if I won that debate, because he didn't say a lot after I brought up that laws are meant to keep us safe and that gay marriage will not harm anyone.
Please don't misinterpret me. I am a Christian and I love Jesus with all of my heart, but as far as I know, we have a separation of church and state and a nice assortment of natural laws.
Story time!
My father is a very conservative republican. I won't judge him by his political views, but I will say that his are much different than mine. I am independent when it comes to politics; I just refer to what I believe is constitutional/fair, sometimes that means I lean towards the conservative side, sometimes liberal. One liberal view of mine is on same-sex marriage; I am for it being legalized. My dad feels VERY differently about that.
One night, as I was on my way to the kitchen to grab a cold cup of apple juice, my dad asked in a casual, yet random way, "What are your view on gay marriage?" Oh no. This was the subject I never wanted him to ask me about. I could have given him the answer about how God made Adam and Eve and not Adam and Steve that he was looking for, but why should I hide my views from my own parents? I told him "I think that they have every right to be married, though it goes against other people's morals." That set him off. He said that because it was immoral and against God, it should be illegal. I rebutted with, "Alcohol is against many people's morals, yet it's legal. Pornography is against many people's morals, yet it's legal. Cheating on a partner is legal, but very immoral. Deciding to worship Satan is against God, but very legal." We debated for a good 45 minutes, which involved Dad showing me verses in the Bible and whatnot. I feel as if I won that debate, because he didn't say a lot after I brought up that laws are meant to keep us safe and that gay marriage will not harm anyone.
Please don't misinterpret me. I am a Christian and I love Jesus with all of my heart, but as far as I know, we have a separation of church and state and a nice assortment of natural laws.
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Bob Barker Stands Up!
[TAKING A STAND PART BLOG 1]
Guess who I found out was a vegetarian? Bob Barker. I suppose that could be one of the reason for his long life. For those of you who haven't watched The Price Is Right before Drew Carey took over, Bob Barker was the host of that show from 1972-2007.
I wanted to look into Bob Barker's vegetarian profile a little more, so I did some research. Barker became a vegetarian over 30 years ago, back in 1979, because he learned about animal rights from his wife. Shortly after, he began promoting animal rights himself.
Unfortunately, his wife passed away in 1981, leading Barker to becoming an animal rights activist. The stand he took that stood out in my eyes occured in 1987, requesting the removal of animal fur prize in Miss USA/Universe beauty pageants. The people in charge of the pageant refused his request, so Bob Barker refused to host the pageant. This may not sound like a big deal if this was one of Barker's first Miss USA pageants to host, but he the pageants from 1967 until that year, because the animals experience high degrees of torture , which was highly against his morals.
Barker refused to stop there. He started taking small stands on The Price is Right by ending every show with, "Help control the pet population. Have your pets spayed or neutered." He also took a stand against animals used in the entertainment industry, especially circuses.
Guess who I found out was a vegetarian? Bob Barker. I suppose that could be one of the reason for his long life. For those of you who haven't watched The Price Is Right before Drew Carey took over, Bob Barker was the host of that show from 1972-2007.
I wanted to look into Bob Barker's vegetarian profile a little more, so I did some research. Barker became a vegetarian over 30 years ago, back in 1979, because he learned about animal rights from his wife. Shortly after, he began promoting animal rights himself.
Unfortunately, his wife passed away in 1981, leading Barker to becoming an animal rights activist. The stand he took that stood out in my eyes occured in 1987, requesting the removal of animal fur prize in Miss USA/Universe beauty pageants. The people in charge of the pageant refused his request, so Bob Barker refused to host the pageant. This may not sound like a big deal if this was one of Barker's first Miss USA pageants to host, but he the pageants from 1967 until that year, because the animals experience high degrees of torture , which was highly against his morals.
Barker refused to stop there. He started taking small stands on The Price is Right by ending every show with, "Help control the pet population. Have your pets spayed or neutered." He also took a stand against animals used in the entertainment industry, especially circuses.
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