Right To Your Opinion

This fictional graph is entitled:
Will Martians Attack?
57% of America say yes
39% say no
and only 4% have no idea
Well the truth is, none of them can possible know if Martians will attack. What this shows you is that people will give you a strong opinion even if they don't have any evidence to back themselves up. Everyone is so desperate to have an opinion and desperate to believe that it counts. I think it's a sign of insecurity. People think they have nothing else to hold onto so they hold onto their opinions for dear life. I do that, for example with my opinion that Loki is better than Thor. Better??? What does that even entail? Most of the time when I argue about this I argue just for the fun of yelling and professing my love for Tom Hiddleston, but really there is no truth to the situation. I come from a different back round than the opposite person I'm talking to obviously we'll have different opinions, but really both of them don't matter because there isn't a right or wrong answer. There is only a perceived correct resolution.

Now with matters of actual fact like don't drive at a red light, there needs to be a truthful resolution and consequence it you don't go with the system. You drive through a red like, people die. If someone has a truth in their brain that tells them it's ok to go through a red light, then they are putting themselves and others in danger. In this case... Banishment! Oh ok fine, just jail. Jeez you people are dull. I don't have a fully formed idea on this intricate system of thinking, but if anyone wants to comment, then pssshhhhh go right ahead. Go! Carry the torch! Fly with the bird in your beak! Am I talking to myself? This is why I don't like blogs, I have to talk to myself.
Who me?
Ya you.
Couldn't be!
oooo my guinness. gag me with a spoon before I loose my marbles...

Decision-Making Fatigue

1. Based on your personal experience, these readings and our in-class study, do you think decision fatigue is a self-fulfilling prophecy (i.e., an outcome created by an expectation of the outcome) or a physiological condition? Is technology enabling you to achieve your goals or just distracting you from them? Make sure to support your ideas with reasons/evidence (one point from each article, and at least one point from your own experience.

I think that it is a physiological condition because even today, before i read this article I began to take short cuts in school. Then, when I got off my bus (which drops me off halfway across town from my house) I was so tired that I subconsciously decided to take the shorter way home, even though I knew it had the potential for danger, hobos, drugs, that sort of thing, I chose it because this path is faster and my feet hurt so much with a 20 pound back pack that I chose the easy route. Like the article says, we are not consciously aware of being tired, but we're low on energy. My point is that I was thinking straight and when I got home, I unloaded, sat down, and then thought to myself, "that was stupid of you!" This can also relate to my time spent on the computer. I think it's a good idea to play WoW for 5 hours straight and then when I log-off or my computer crashes I look up and say to myself, "Why the bloody hell did you just waste all that time on a virtual life?!?!" Technology really isn't helping me achieve my goals at all, if anything, it's hindering my ability to make good decisions. When I don't want to choose between making doing my homework or doing the laundry, well it's Facebook time! They both need to get done, the problem is I can't do them because all I wanna do is be on the computer! I REALLY would like to learn how to use my computer as a tool and not just a force of entertainment.

2. On a scale from 1-10 (1 being least able and 10 being most able), how able are you to concentrate for long periods of time on tasks you don't really want to do in the first place?

It's quite hard for me to do that. I have to give myself brakes in between. However, for long periods of time I say a 4.
 

3. Are you prepared for the possibility that you may be able to concentrate much more effectively than you previously believed?

I'd say yes, but I'd be lying. The fact that I spend sooooo much time on my laptop doing stupid things that will never amount to any good, means that as much as parts of me don't like it when i do that, other parts are equally enthused about escaping from reality. And I'm not saying this in an "I will never change" way. I want to, but before I do, I'll need to get rid of some old habits. Before I can concentrate more effectively I'll need to learn how to use the inter-webs as tool.

4. How can you use what you've learned to increase your capacity for concentrating over an extended period of time?

This might be a stupid answer, but I seriously think I need to take more naps. If we make more lax decisions when we're tired, then I need to take a rest or a 9 minute break and compose meself.

Sarah's English Poem Recital

The Laughing Heart by Charles Bukowski

As I Walked Out One Evening...

Ya... I'm excited for the literature :).

Reflections on Week One

 Are there any factors that you think are going to affect your participation or experience in this class? (Access to a computer, cell phone, transportation? Family that can help or hassle? Friends that can help or hassle? Scheduling factors that can help or hassle?) 

~Transportation will be a big trouble for me. I don't even have my permit yet. This might hinder my ability to get around when we do projects.

Think of an awesome (or the best ever) learning experience (or an experience where you changed) What was it you learned? [call it X] Where were you? What happened? Who else was there? Did it teach you anything about how you learn (or pay attention... or ?) How did you know what was happening? 

~My best learning experience memory was just last year in Anatomy. Mrs. Van Patten brought in a fetal pig. We dissected it and learned all about how everything connects and works. I could see the kidneys, I could feel the small and large intestines and having the pig opened up like that on a lab table was just incredible for me. I could see and feel everything we were learning about. It was right in front of me! Then, when I didn't know what something was or how it worked I could just ask Mrs. VP and she'd tell me! Not in a, "Oh my gosh stop asking so many friggin' question you bloody dinglewad," but instead she'd tell me what I wanted to know through showing. Each answer came with a smile and the joy to be sharing her knowledge with me. Ever since that class I have wanted to be a nurse.

What are you most [excited/concerned] about in this class? What do you look forward to in learning?  How do you think it can/will make a practical difference in your life? 

~I am concerned about the technology, fist off because as youth in the 2000s, everyone already assumes that I am a computer whiz. Well, I'm not. Never really have been except when it comes to the basics... like typing emails, sending emails, receiving emails... deleting emails, using that thing they named after a rodent. Mwahaha, just joshing ya, I'm not that bad. I never could figure out Twitter though :/. Anyway, I think I've answered this question about three times now, ehem, I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THE LITERATURE. That's ok though we're all still settling into the school year. Right, Doc? Right. The Technology will help me get ready for the real world.

Montaigne vs. Austen Essay

I was writing so fast this morning that I have forgotten most of what I wrote about, but I remember walking out of the classroom and not feeling distressed. I said everything I wanted to say it's just that my mind was so hurried that I didn't write the way I wanted to. It was all just jumbled up and I scratched out many words and phrases. I didn't finish my essay, but the two body paragraphs should be nearly done. I was going to put one more sentence at the end of the 3 paragraph, just to round things off and get ready for the conclusion.

An Open Letter to Students Returning to School

I love the vlogbrothers and this video made me excited to be going back to school!