Blog 092614 - What are you? (Does race matter?)

I have been asked the question "What are you?" before, plenty of times. In fact a lot more times than I can understand why. Before I moved to Minnesota, I was asked "What are you?" almost often. And they were asking what ethnicity I am. I think it's because some people can't tell that I'm Asian...which confuses me. I have had people think I'm Latino (Mexican, every time), black, mixed, or white. But usually people know I'm Asian. When I am asked "What are you?" I always replied, "I'm Asian. I'm from Malaysia." I was born in Malaysia and my parents are from there. "I'm Asian. I'm from Malaysia" is what I would say if a stranger asked me that right now. I have been asked "What are you?" after I moved to Minnesota, and every time I have been asked that here, people were asking what grade I'm in. :) So far, all I've had to say is, "I'm a sophomore."
I DO NOT THINK RACE SHOULD MATTER. Not at all. I don't think race should matter when it comes to anything! Seriously! Why do people have to talk about it so much? It gets on my nerves. Everyone should be treated equally...so why do we have to talk about race so much? Why is almost every single book I've ever read for English class been a book about race, poor people, or people who were being oppressed? I feel like there are so many books that would be better to read for school that do not have anything to do with race, poverty, or being oppressed. I don't think discussions about race are necessary and I think people talk about it more than is needed. Race doesn't matter. It is only on the surface! I really don't like how some people are referred to as African-American or Asian-American...WE'RE ALL JUST AMERICANS, OKAY? Many black people here have never been to Africa or have any relations to Africa. I don't like how people are called that. Why can't we all just call ourselves Americans? I feel like having people a certain race makes the country more divided up.
While I was reading the article, something really bothered me...actually all of the article did, but this part in particular:
Along those lines, it is telling that the rates of intermarriage are lowest between blacks and whites, indicative of the enduring economic and social distance between them.
No no no no! People marry who they fall in love with! It doesn't have so much to do with race!
Ugh!
And I also thought the article was really stupid to suggest considering biracial people as a new race. How on earth would that make sense? That's so stupid. How could Black-Latino people be in the same racial group as White-Asian people or something? I also don't get why there's a Multiracial and Biracial Student Association. That's so messed up.

1. Do you think society makes mixed race people “pick a side”?
Yes, I think society does make mixed race people pick a side. Many people who are mixed white and black, like Obama, who are equal parts white and black or even MORE WHITE than black have been considered as only black and people tend to think of them as just black. I think society does not acknowledge enough that some people are two races, not just one race.
2. Connect to Girl Who Fell: Is Rachel forced to “pick a side” when it comes to her racial identity? Do people view her as biracial? Or do they view her as either white OR black? Explain and give examples. Yes, Rachel is very much forced to pick a side when it comes to her racial identity. After moving to the US, she had to cope with people viewing her as a black girl. I feel like she wanted to deny it at first. Everyone told her she's black though. She learned to think of herself as black. I don't think that many people viewed her as biracial. Many other people viewed her as light-skinned. Jesse viewed with her as biracial, and he liked her because she's biracial. And this book is based off of the author's experiences, and it really sucks because the author looks white to me. I would never have thought of Heidi W. Durrow as black. She really does look white, especially her facial features. I think if she dyed her hair lighter, people would think she is white.
3. What parts of the article and video reminded you most of Girl Who Fell? Why? How? (Text-to-text connection)

When Laura Wood said that she had always thought of herself as white and that she was shocked when people told her she's black, it reminded me a lot of Rachel's very similar experiences. I think that is exactly how it was like for Rachel too. In the video and the article when Laura Wood said that the Multiracial and Biracial Student Association is trying to change society to view biracial people as two races, perhaps both white and black instead of only black, and when Laura Wood said whenever someone commented she's black she would say "Yes — and white", reminded me of The Girl Who Fell From the Sky and its author Heidi W. Durrow. Rachel wishes that people would see her as black and white, and not tell her she's a black girl. Heidi W. Durrow said in the interview that whenever people comment that she's black, she points out that she is both black and Danish-American.

1. Based on the interview you just watched, what would Heidi Durrow think of the University of Maryland’s Multiracial and Biracial Student Association? Explain your answer and include either a direct quotation or paraphrase from the Durrow interview that supports your stance.
I think that Heidi W. Durrow would support the University of Maryland’s Multiracial and Biracial Student Association and their cause because she had to deal with being a biracial person in a society that forces people to pick a side. Heidi W. Durrow said that when people say she's black, she says "'I am Danish-American and black.' People thought by saying that I was tyring to up my whiteness, but that's not at all what I meant. I identify with both sides of me equally." This is just like what the Multiracial and Biracial Student Association is doing. They are showing people and the world that people can identify as two races equally.
2. What does Durrow say her favorite answer to the question “What are you?” is? Connect her answer to the following quotation from the NYT article: “I was always having to explain where my parents are from because just saying ‘I’m from Takoma Park, Maryland,’ was not enough,” she said. “Saying ‘I’m an American’ wasn’t enough."
Heidi Durrow always pointed out both pf her races, saying she is Danish-American and black. She also had to face a lot of questions about her eye color, like Rachel, because people would be jealous or not understand where her blue irises came from. Rachel would say her grandfather had the same color eyes.

Blog 092514 - What is beauty?

1. How do you define beauty? 
I define beauty as how pleasing someone or something is to look at. I know that's not that good of a definition. I think beauty is mostly how you look, but not just that. Beauty can be how you feel too. Beauty can be how you treat others and how you see the world too. But generally, beauty is what someone can see that looks good. Beautiful people are usually ideal-looking people. I think what is beautiful on a person is being smart, looking attractive, having a nice body, dressing well, looking youthful, having a great smile, looking happy and confident, and looking unique.
2. How do we decide what is beautiful? 
I'm sure people naturally gravitate to what is attractive and beautiful. I think some people are certainly and definitely more beautiful than other people and that's just how it is, but I hope that everybody has someone who thinks they are very beautiful. Beauty is quite subjective. Of course, much of what we perceive as beautiful is due to what society has constructed. Society plays a HUGE role in what people consider beautiful. There are many many many types of beauty, but society only promotes a few types. I think it's true that things society associates as beautiful for women (e.g. being thin, long hair (not explicitly), being tall (not explicitly), symmetry, full lips, dressing well and being fashionable, looking youthful, long legs, shiny hair, upturned nose, being fit, looking glamorous and wears makeup, looking graceful) are in fact qualities of beauty. They're just very exclusive qualities of beauty. There are way more qualities of beauty than that stuff. Things that people decide as beautiful make you attractive and good-looking.
3. Do you think of yourself as beautiful? Why or why not? 
I don't think of myself as beautiful. I never have thought of myself as a beautiful person. I'm not an ideal-looking person. I don't have a nice, toned body or perfect facial features. I'm not skinny. I don't think I have enough qualities of beauty to be considered beautiful.
4. Many people find the previous question difficult and even painful. Why do you think that is? Was it for you? Should it be? 
Yes that was a very difficult and painful question for me to answer. I think it is difficult and painful to answer because it's hard to compare yourself to the people in magazines perceived as beautiful and think about if you are like them or not. I think many people also tend to be very critical of themselves. If it should be difficult or painful to answer...I don't know. It depends on the person a lot. I don't even know if I'm supposed to think of myself as beautiful or not.
5. Is beauty in American culture more of a positive or negative thing? Explain. 
Hmm well of course beauty is a good thing. But in American culture, this idealized type of beauty can be a negative thing. Many people, especially girls, are self-conscious and worry all the time about whether their pretty or not or if they look good.
6. Do men and women experience / think about beauty differently? Why? Should they think of it differently or similarly?
I think men and women do experience and think about beauty differently. I think all this fuss about beauty is more of a female thing. Women sometimes feel their worth is dependent on how they look and not other factors, like how successful they are. Everything about beauty is mostly associated with females. I mean when people talk about or have discussions about beauty, they unconsciously talk about how women are affected. Being beautiful is such a big deal to women. I feel like men don't worry about it as much. But I think males and females worry about how attractive they are about the same amount. I think worrying about attractiveness depends more on the individual. I think it would be cool if men and women thought of beauty similarly. But it's obvious why women think of beauty differently. It's always mattered more when it comes to women if they are beautiful.
7. How important is beauty? How important should it be? 
Beauty is very important. And it's important for a reason...it's how you look! People take one look at you and their first impression will be influenced by how beautiful you are. Beauty will always be important. Everyone wants to be beautiful. There are other things that are very important too and matter just as much, like intelligence, success, kindness, and talent. I think beauty should be as important as it is, but I think we should always look at how a person is like on the inside.

Rachel's Diary Entry:
In this video, the model talked about how she "won a lottery" to become a model and have those looks. She talked about how people think white skin is beautiful. She talked about how image isn't everything because it's only on the surface. I really agree with this. I am black on the surface. Race is only on the outside. People judge me because of how I look. The model admits that she and other models are insecure because people are always paying attention to how they look. I would not be insecure if I looked like that model.
In the movie trailer, I understand why black women's hair are not considered beautiful. People don't want to have hair like that. My hair was nappy, and I am happy now that it's straight and look's like Mor's. Straight, long hair is beautiful. Not short, nappy hair that black girls want to get replaced.
"I want to be as beautiful as Aunt Loretta. She smiles all the time even when she looks at the picture of Uncle Nathan. . . She shows her teeth when she smiles. I have a cover-up-my-teeth smile." (Durrow, 2010, pp. 6, 7)

I think the videos I saw and the diary entry I wrote reinforces my earlier thought that people should be viewed on how they are like on the inside and outside and that beauty is very important. Cameron Russell got many free things in her life and was treated very well because she is beautiful. Black women will do anything to change their hair to be beautiful. If I could influence the way beauty is perceived and/or valued in our culture, I would change how magazines portray people and I would make beauty less of a big deal. I still want beauty to be valued though.

Blog 092414 - Post-Writing Conference Reflection

I found the writing conference with Mr. Cheng to be very helpful. He showed me how I can improve the essay and what I should go into depth about. Mr. Cheng wrote some helpful notes on my essay that will guide me in the right direction while I am revising the essay. The writing conference was satisfying and helpful. In the next draft of my essay, I will explain why my chosen topic is important. My topic is that both Michele Norris and Rachel Morse had parents (and other relatives) that kept secrets from them. I will explain how this affected the main character and why it is a big role in the book. I will explain the effect of the secrets and how it is similar and different in both books.

Blog 092314 - Weekend roundup text-to-self

I did two, and the first one is the better one.
1. http://www.foxnews.com/health/2014/09/23/atlanta-woman-embraces-competitive-swimming-at-97/ This article really interested me. I was a competitive swimmer for seven years, and I will always love the sport and be intensely passionate about it. I think it is incredible that this woman, Anne, is competitively swimming at such an old age. She is an inspiration to everyone. She joined U.S. Master's Swimming, which I am familiar with. In Nashville at my old swim team, the mom of one of my friends was in Master's Swimming. And before my morning practice at 5:00am, there was always a Masters practice. So early in the morning! I think there was a later practice for them at 8am or something on Saturday. But people at any age can do competitive swimming through US Master's Swimming. Anne started swimming at a young age. This reminds me of myself because I started competitively swimming at seven years old. I grew up competitively swimming. Swimming was my life! It was everything! I felt like everything, except I guess school, revolved around swimming. I love competitive swimming for the same reason that Anne does...I love being competitive. I love racing against other teams, my friends, and just trying to beat my old time. Racing against the clock. It was so fun. It says in the article that swimming has helped Anne overcome some things about her age and that she broke her hip. This really made me think of how swimming has helped me after an injury. I broke my kneecap and had to get surgery when I was 11. It was rough. I had to be in a wheelchair and crutches for a while. But I continued swimming, which I am so glad I did. Swimming really helped me recover! It helped me bring my life back to how it was before my injury. Swimming has changed my life so much! I hope I will swim for the rest of my life like Anne! Swimming is one of the best thing ever and it would be so awesome to do competitive swimming throughout my life.
2. http://www.gizmag.com/squid-inspired-color-changing-display/33894/
This article interests me because I love both animals and technology. This article caught me eye. I am mystified by squids and their ability to change color. I've always loved learning more about interesting facts about animals. And this time, technology can benefit. Scientists are working on improving LCD displays. I think this is really cool. I'm always interested in how people are improving technology. They are using rods that are one fortieth the size of rods used in conventional LCD displays, and they are arranged very precisely. Squids have the ability to sense the color of their surroundings, and then immediately change their skin color to blend in. Researchers are developing the display to change their own color to the color of their surroundings. I am really interested in technology and light and color are very important components of the advancement of technology. I can't wait for this new improvement to be in the technology we use everyday. It's so amazing that we can study and observe and research animals to use them for our advancements in technology. Animals have evolved for millions of years, so it is certainly worthwhile to look at how they can help technology. Squids have evolved to change their skin color to blend in with their surroundings for camouflage and survival. I think animals can be used in research to advance scientific understanding. This new display is hopefully going to be able to change color on demand and be a more advanced LCD display. This color changing reminds of how I really wanted a pet chameleon after we moved to Minnesota, but my parents didn’t let me get one. But I think it would have been really cool to have a pet chameleon. I don’t know anybody who has one. I think they look cool and I think I would enjoy having one and taking care of him.

Blog 091714 - Text connections

Text-to-Text
Passage from page 112: Grandma doesn't watch me close anymore or put the cornstarch-looking powder in my underwear drawer. She talks about getting over or through, like there's nothing much else to do but see whether or not a next day comes. So when Drew comes up the porch today and gives Grandma flowers that she sets in the middle of the table, there is nothing better. Because Grandma looks something like happy and maybe she'll really rub Drew's feet today—just to have some fun. (Durrow, 2010, p. 112)
After Aunt Loretta died, Grandma stopped caring about Rachel as much. She was no longer enthusiastic about life or outgoing. She must have felt like she didn't have a reason to live. This is just like in The Hunger Games, after Katniss and Prim's father dies, their mother stops taking care of them and they almost starve to death.
Text-to-World
Passage from page 115: I wish I could say: Just like me, but taller. Like a grown-up me. If I describe what Mor really looks like it will make her seem plain: long blond hair, white skin; she had an accent (and that's important even though it's not something you could tell by looking at her. If I describe her to Lakeisha, it will make Mor seem like any other white person you'd see. (Durrow, 2010, p. 115)
I don't think that description of Mor should sound plain at all. I think Mor sounds like an interesting person from that description. There is nothing plain about that description. I do not think Mor sounds "like any other white person you'd see" from that description. This passage makes me think about how racist some people are in the world that they think "long blond hair, white skin" describes any other white person. This passage relates to the real world because some people are racist like that.
Text-to-Self
Passage from pages 111-112: Grandma is wearing a good dress with an apron. She wipes her hands on the inside of the apron pockets as she cooks. She has made her spicy beans and a roast with gravy and real potatoes, not the ones that are flakes in a white box that says mashed potatoes. For dessert, there's peach cobbler cooling on the stovetop. This is the first day in a long time Grandma's seemed anything like happy. She wants me right up under her, watching how she does the cooking so I can feed my future husband a healthy meal. She shows me how to cut the onions, the carrots, and stir the gravy brown. When she lets me taste the cobbler, she feeds it to me from her hand that still has a salty onion taste. (Durrow, 2010, pp. 111, 112)
Grandma made peach cobbler for dessert when Drew and Lakeisha came over. This reminds me of when I ate peach cobbler with my best friend Lauren. Also, Lauren made that peach cobbler with her Grandma. It was the best peach cobbler I've ever had in my life. It was so amazing. It was the last time I saw Lauren before I moved to Minnesota.

Blog 091514 - Practice Making Textual Connections

http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/who-kira-kazantsev-meet-new-miss-america-1465544
Text-to-text connection This article interested me because in The Girl Who Fell from the Sky, Rachel cuts her hair after a black woman becomes Miss America for the first time. This article is about the 2015 Miss America. This new Miss America is not black though. Kira Kazanstev advocates against domestic violence. This reminds me of the domestic violence in The Girl Who Fell from the Sky.
Text-to-world connection This article makes me think about how the Miss America is a role model for many girls in America. Kira Kazanstev is a first-generation American, and her parents are from Russia. That makes me think about how there is a lot of diversity in America, and there are people from all around the world who are Americans.
Text-to-self connection The new Miss America took the crown in a pageant in Atlantic City's Boardwalk Hall, which makes me think about the time I visited Atlantic City with my family.

Blog 090414 - Passion Project topic brainstorming

1. EDM is awesome and its culture shouldn't be looked down upon EDM deserves a lot more respect than most people pay it. Some people think that EDM is bad and drug-promoting. This topic really interests me because I listen to a lot of electronic dance music. I've always loved EDM and I am very passionate about it. I think I would like doing the passion project on this topic. Also, people shouldn't dislike EDM because they think the music requires little talent to make...that is not true at all. Just because familiar or traditional instruments may not be used, doesn't mean it's not real music. EDM artists have to be talented to do what they do, like all other artists. http://nyulocal.com/entertainment/2014/09/03/edm-is-not-evil-in-defense-of-trap-beats-and-bass-drops/
2. Affirmative action is harmful and doesn't help Affirmative action doesn't improve education or help anyone. It has been observed that affirmative action has little to no effect on the quality of education. If the faculty believed that diversity was important, they would seek an intellectually diverse faculty. http://sks.sirs.com/cgi-bin/hst-article-display?id=S534283-0-2427&artno=0000356900&type=ART
3. Churches should not have tax exemption This topic interests me because I don't believe that churches, synagogues, mosques, etc should be tax exempt. Churches save billions of dollars by not paying taxes. Churches don't need tax exemption to survive or prosper. Because churches don't pay tax, the taxes of people who may not be religious or oppose religion have to make up for it. http://sks.sirs.com/cgi-bin/hst-article-display?id=S534283-0-2427&artno=0000359626&type=ART
4. Gun rights Tighter regulations interfere with an individual right to bear arms. I believe that the second amendment is the most important amendment. We have the right to bear arms and protect ourselves. Tighter regulations do not lessen violence. http://sks.sirs.com/cgi-bin/hst-article-display?id=S534283-0-2427&artno=0000349172&type=ART
5. Zoos help endangered species I really think that zoos have a good cause. I believe they are good for animals. They help us study, learn more, and research animals. Zoos help educate guests about animals. Animals feel at home at zoos. I think zoos are important for endangered species. Zoos help decrease their chances of extinction. http://sks.sirs.com/cgi-bin/hst-article-display?id=S534283-0-2427&artno=0000342390&type=ART
6. Professional sport leagues should not be non-profit I don't think pro sport leagues should get tax breaks. Pro sport leagues shouldn't be registered as non-profit. The NFL's revenues for 2012 were estimated to be $9.5 billion. That's so much money. I don't think pro sport leagues have a reason to be non-profit and tax exempt. http://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2014/09/03/should-pro-sport-leagues-get-tax-breaks?action=click&pgtype=Homepage&version=Moth-Visible&module=inside-nyt-region&region=inside-nyt-region&WT.nav=inside-nyt-region