Friday, March 23, 2012

Your Commentaries on "Home" videos

Quick update Mon. 4/9: you should post your responses to each video on the same page as the video itself: you will notice a white box beneath the video that says, "Enter your comment. . . " so go ahead and post the comments there.  Remember to add your name to the bottom of the comment, since some people have signed on to the blog with a different name.

You will notice that all the Photo / Video Essays on "Home" are now posted in the new column to the right.  In most cases, your PowerPoint photo essays were converted to a very brief movie and then uploaded to YouTube.  For each video, I used the following settings:
  • Unlisted (not public, but available to anyone with the link)
  • Comments option:  off
  • Ratings option:  off
  • Embedding option:  on
I identified each video by the student's first name and last initial.  If any of those YouTube settings need to be fixed, if I didn't list your name correctly, or if you're listed with the wrong Discussion Group, just email me at jgarrett1@une.edu to let me know.  Also, if you added a soundtrack to your essay that somehow did not "translate" when it was converted the video, I'm afraid I don't know how to fix that.  If you would simply like to create a new version of your video, upload to YouTube, and then send me the new link, I'll embed the updated video. 

Here are the guidelines for your responses to the videos (posted earlier on the original assignment page).  Please post your response by Mon. April 9:

  • once all the photo and video essays are up, all students will write a two-paragraph formal response to (at least) one of the other visual essays; begin this response by trying to describe the location and images depicted in the visual essay; then analyze those images by responding to a few of the questions below:
    • compare and contrast this photo/video essay to your own idea of “home,”
    • what kinds of figures populate this representation of home (if any)? why do you think the student sequences the images in this way?
    • what do these images tell you about the notion of belonging and not belonging?
    • how do ideas about gender roles relate to these images?
    • has this person’s home shifted places, and if so, what does that mean?
    • how does this person’s idea of home compare and contrast with stereotypical mainstream images of the ideal “American” home?
    • how does the idea of home contrast with the public sphere / public spaces?
    • is home a safe space?  or a dangerous space?
    • how has this visual essay transformed your own sense of what “home” means?
    • complete your response by offering a question or two that the visual essay raises for you 
    • then "sign" your response with your name at the bottom (first and/or last)
  • when you write your first response commentary to be counted for this assignment, you need to choose a visual essay that does not have any responses yet
  • remember that these are very personal portraits that other students are offering, so your comments should be thoughtful and constructive in tone.   
  • if your group members would like to contribute additional commentary and discussion after that first round, that would be great but is not required; the original producers of each video are welcome to respond to any of the commentaries and questions posted about their videos at any point in the discussion
  • once you've completed your "2-paragraph formal response" to one of the videos, you can of course comment or respond to the other videos more informally if you like!

Wednesday, March 14, 2012

I Hotel: Romance

    It never occurred to me the unnatural pairing of Benny and Olivia that it just doesn't quite seem to fit and Benny wants to ignore that fact. Benny has been in constant pursuit of Olivia, when she will not give him the time of day. He noticed her when he first saw her hair and heard her speak at a rally, but when he actually met her she snubbed him and walked away. Ben represents people trying to fight for a cause even though they are border-line lay people with little knowledge they receive through reading. Olivia represents the government they try to change but takes a not of work and navigation through many battlefields to accomplish. Ben has a lighter-hearted spirit than Olivia but also a child-like curiosity, whereas Olivia is forceful, unmovable, defiant and authoritative. These to fight for the same causes but really are not meant to be together and as it was pointed out in the beginning serious life events like wars, political rights movements, and death can bring two people together. Wars tend to create marriages and baby booms, rights movements bring marriages and alliances, same with death. The author compares the matching of Olivia and Ben to Dante and Beatrice, Orpheus and Eurydice even Ferdinand Marcos and Imelda. The marriage between Ferdinand and Imelda was brought about because  of politics. The pursuit of one person to another, Ben to Olivia, Dante to Beatrice, when successful offer more than just companionship, it stands for something more important. Dante was politically exiled so he wrote Dante's Inferno as commentary on the matter where he is trying to reach Heaven with the guidance of his muse Beatrice. Ben and Olivia were both radicals the join forces but to what cost? Olivia had not shown Ben kindness and Ben began to shift towards reflecting such meanness. Imelda says "It becomes a romance not only to a president and a husband but a romance of principles and commitment. A romance for humanity "(356). The intentions of this marriage could be for the sake of the "cause", for the union of two different races, a political stand point showing they cannot be denied or divided or as an example for others. 

Tuesday, March 13, 2012

I-Hotel: Economic & Social Theories in Practice

     In the second section of reading, the union of two people from very different cultural worlds is depicted as well a the societal implications and ramifications of such a marriage. Upon reading the different social theories discussed in this portion of the text, I found one quote to be particularly interesting when looking back to the other texts. On page 351, Imelda Marcos says, "My economic theory is that money was made to go round. Money was made to encircle man so that he would blossom with many flowers. The whole trouble is, the center is money. All the heads of people thinking about money. All the hands of people reaching out for money. All their poor little bodies working for money. The are running in all directions for money." Now, most of the works we have discussed do not focus specifically on class or economic status as much as they do defining one's cultural identity; which is where I feel this quote is applicable. Marcos is saying that the world would be a different place if the one thing that was supposed to help society was surrounding and supporting us --- not controlling and blindly manipulating us into harm's way.
     In turn, the works that we looked at all explore the ways in which a persons differences and cultural disparity became the center of their lives, rather than an all-encompassing part of how they lived. By letting one's differences become the isolated focus of their identity, individuals start "running in all directions" to escape or further publicize their differences rather than working with them to become a part of their identity. Just as money has become the stereotypical root to all evil, society's emphasis on differences and not meeting the white All American prototype forces other cultures to be shunned or segregated from society. Whereas diversity should serve a purpose of unifying us as a society in order for us to thrive as a team of people, we dissect these differences nothing is left but shame. Just like in Citizen 13660 and When the Emperor Was Divine, secluding a group of ethnically diverse individuals from the rest of society isn't going to make them any less important or powerful in society; it will only demean them into a revolution. Had Americans focused more on unifying the cultures and focusing on harmony instead of segregation, perhaps that stain wouldn't be left on our history in much the same way this economic crisis is.

I Hotel: Freedom & Identity

      In the first section of readings, I found a quote by Malcolm X that I found connected with nearly every text we've explored thus far. On page 312, Malcolm X says, "You can't separate peace from freedom because no one can be at peace unless he has his freedom..." which I believe is true for nearly every one of these identity-themed pieces we have examined. What Malcolm X means here is that the want and need to be free, both in a society and within oneself, is an ever-connected, innate piece to one's identity. If we cannot be free we can not find peace with others or ourselves and therefore cannot be the truest versions of ourselves.
     While this idea is rather pretty and poetic, it is applicable and generalizable to a vast array of genres and narrative-types. In particular, I felt that this quote connected, most effectively, with the texts, Breath, Eyes, Memory; Lakota Woman, and the works discussing the Japanese internment camp experience (i.e. Citizen 13660 and When the Emperor Was Divine) because each of these stories deals with a young woman fighting for freedom from the side of oppression. For Danticat's novel, the protagonist, Sophie, is fighting against society and her mother to find herself; as she is passed off among guardians and countries, I think it makes it hard for Sophie to ever define her identity because she isn't allowed to have one. In much the same way, Mary Crow Dog's memoir offers another look into a young woman fighting to be culturally free in society and with her family. Lakota Woman, as we all know, highlights the struggle of keeping a culture in tact and the oppression surrounding one's choice to walk a different path is often stifled, forcing Mary Crow Dog and her peers to be unwillingly held captive by the government. Finally, Citizen 13660 and When the Emperor Was Divine probably have the most literal translation in terms of wanting to be free and the journey to one's own freedom. Clearly the main characters of these works were held against their will, and it wasn't until they were able (if ever) to separate who they were from their contrived internment camp identity, that they were truly able to thrive in a society where they were not wanted. In the novel, this experience was not as powerful because even after having been freed, the mother continued to feel imprisoned by her ethnicity and never was able to fully reach a peaceful state of acceptance. Not ever story deals directly with freedom, but, in broader terms, deals with an issue standing in the way of their freedom and how overcoming that will allow the character to reach a true identity narrative between cultures.

Monday, March 12, 2012

I Hotel : the balance of power

           While on the road Olivia and Ben are taught many things about politics and the way in which revolutions occur.  During one of these lessons, there is a quote by Karl Marx: "Political power, properly so called, is merely the organized power of one class for oppressing another" (327).  This quote goes with the idea that  a slave master is controlled as much by the slave as the slave is controlled by the master.  The idea that one cannot be a master without someone below them following orders.  The day that slaves refuse and rebel, the power has shifted.
         This is a very interesting idea that can apply to other books we have read.  In every book, every story, there is someone who is being oppressed by another.  In Bone, sweat shop owners keep their employees beneath them.  In both novels about the Japanese containment camps, americans were oppressing the Japanese.  All the books share a theme of trying to make it in America and struggling to get by.  This struggle is due to a careful balancing act of power.  Those with money, education, and citizenship are on top.  But they would be nowhere if the people below them refused to work for them, all refused to follow their rules, refused to leave the country.  It is this idea that, once spread, causes a revolution to occur and the flip of power.
        The idea that so much power and what we base our entire political system off of can be flipped so easily is a scary one.  Knowledge is a powerful tool, that in the hands of certain people can cause drastic change.  This idea is one that could change the outcome of every single book we have read.

I Hotel: Rita and the Cause

        The second reading had a quote by Malcolm X saying, "The thing that I would like to impress upon every African American leader is that no kind of action in this country is ever going to bear fruit unless that action is tied in with the overall international struggle" (306). I have interpreted this as someone who is trying to help out multiple causes will only wear themselves thin and stretch out to so many things "causes". It will be become overwhelming to try and support every cause and right every injustice like, women's right, African America struggles, Native America movements because all of them had been enough of an uphill battle on their own. Malcolm X is probably speaking about the nations of Africa or the different African American rallies to through support behind but this will quickly become quicksand. Although there have been individuals in history like Fredrick Douglas who supports African American and women's suffrage, it is nearly impossible to "conquer the world" at this macro-level. Benny and Olivia travel around the country to help out in movements like African American and Asian American equality protests. Rita does a similar fight but at a much more micro-level.
      Rita does participate in the Indian movement and occupation of Alcatraz as well as attempt to join Asian American equality meetings but at the micro-level of trying to "conquer the world" was through her failed business venture. Rita wore herself too thin by managing designs, teaching business lessons, teach American lessons, and working herself 16 hours a day just on sewing. Because her attention was placed in so many different areas she could not control the whole picture of the business itself, eventually it just tanked. Her action had only been fruitless after all of the time she spent for it. It is too daunting to try and support and work at so many causes but it is also difficult to pick which one is the most vital because all of them need attention and progress. Malcolm and Rita need to understand that they are mere human beings with many limitations and only so much brain power to work for everything they believe in. Although it will be "fruitless" to solely focus on one project there needs to be a hierarchy of priorities in order to move forward.   

Wednesday, March 7, 2012

I- Hotel: Community Ties

      In the second half of the reading Wayne meets more individuals that come from multiple walks of life, including a young Indian and Japanese woman with strong political views, a generous older woman with plenty of open minded wisdom, and his estranged tenured father. First Wayne and his father recount the story of his Uncle John who had willing gone to jail in Arizona but found his own transportation there, dislocating himself, whereas he could have easily ran away. His Uncle John defied the racial prejudice of the Japanese curfew and sought out the consequences unafraid (403). Wayne's father likes to recall his brother as something like a hero and tries to find his brother in himself through reflections probably hoping he is making some changes and creating a ripple in the society through teaching as well (402). All three of these men try not to let their race bound them or profile them. They have all tried to make a change and inspire the minds around them make changes where they see injustice. 
    When Wayne meets the women he learns of the connections different cultures can have as well as the different cultures that can exist within one person. With Roshni, the young multi-racial student, being predominately Indian, he first gets to see the commitment she is makes for fighting the case of friendly bombing. She not only thinks it is wrong to engage in such activities of suggest carefree bombing but also has some ties to the countries in which it is happening, like India. Wayne also experiences with Roshni's storytelling of her globe trotting being "transported" with her through the stories (407). Although Roshni has a strong tie to that community it isn't her only reason for fighting the cause. To strengthen the community between her and Wayne she gives him a significant bracelet the bonds them as brother and sister, Wayne does not take off the bracelet until he meets Alma. Alma is an older woman with worldly knowledge that believes in the community between all groups whether they are cultural, racial and religious. Alma made sure to make her Japanese neighbors feel welcome and wanted when they had returned from the interment camp by being seen in public with them to show others they were still the same people they were before the war and before they had to leave (411).  Alma went to Quaker meetings and loved to create groups of people of all races, Caucasian, Japanese, Chinese and African American (412). These characters cross racial and cultural boundaries to join forces and be the change they feel is worth fighting for.  

Tuesday, March 6, 2012

I-Hotel: Storytelling


The section begins with the characters together trying to make their way to Alcatraz Island so they occupy it in political protest for the unequal treatment of Native Americas as well as other minorities like Asian Americans.  The way the story is set up begins with the characters together helping a man named Jack Turtle launch his boat into the water to get himself across, Ria, Stony and Wayne have all come for the protest and wind up helping Jack. This is how all the characters initially meet and get acquainted. They make it to the island while Jack is storytelling the tale of Captain Jack (378). Ria is skeptical of the story, suggesting she does not believe in myths and beliefs giving her the appearance of being a realist (379). The purpose of the storytelling here is foreshadowing of the events that will take place later on such as the unsuccessful occupation, (Captain Jack was hanged after unsuccessful relations with the 'white man'), the injury Jack Turtle receives in the head and neck area, and lastly the escaping of a few of Captain Jack's followers and the protesters on the island (who, according to Jack Turtle, is the reason he is there today).  
    The next section moves forward to what Ria does while she is a student sewing and dress making. This moment is included in the novel to exhibit the strength of the characters and personal struggles for survival, particularly with Ria, "killing herself" with work (338). Ria must kill herself sewing clothes in order to survive and have money to feed herself, she is also trying to better herself by teaching others about business and running one. "It's funny how these things happen, how suddenly one collar leads to the sleeves and to the pockets, a range of sizes- small, medium, large, and extra large, plus fabric choices and slight stylistic changes," (385), this explains how beginning a project can quickly give a head under water effect when being stretched out in too many directions. The business must produce new designs and clothing, deal with a union and low wages, Ria educating her coworkers on the history of the U.S. as well as business all become extremely taxing on her. Her business fails but she moves onto her next project or possibly returns to school, she dealt with the hardship unable to stop because her ethnicity  and young age are working against her. 
    Chapter Three follows the path of Stony, a younger wander of sorts, and Jack but only long enough for Stony to leave Jack and sell his car. Stony saves Jack when he finds him on the ground bleeding from his head, and takes him to the hospital. When Jack wakes he gives Stony the task of selling his car and offers to let Stony keep half. Stony seems hesitant about his new responsibility because he has a youthful and aimless personality. Once Stony completes the task for Jack, Jack tells Stony about a dream he had about Stony that included a certain "fate" of being in Japan as well as a broken head (394). Stony does travel to Japan as predicted by Jack's dream and we assume his head breaks when he travels to his late father's village to discover his father's wife before his own mother and a half sister (398). Stony probably did not expect this at all when he went to the village partly to his immature mind and the lack of knowledge of his family's history. This is Stony's age working against him as he struggles with his multi-cultural ethnicity.  

Monday, March 5, 2012

I Hotel: Ria vs. Mary Crow Dog

     In the "Crane" section of I Hotel I found a lot of Ria's experiences to be similar to Mary in Lakota Woman. General similarities included those of discussing the young women's experiences with education as well as organizing a group of individuals to work together for a common goal: freedom. However, the piece that I found to draw a deeper connection was found on page 384, when Ria says "if you didn't speak English, what were your choices?" In Crow Dog's memoir, the discussion of cultural disparity is discussed in great detail, particularly in relation to hanging on to one's original culture and not being forced to follow another. However, in Yamashita's novel, this idea is opened up even further by showing the emphasis society has placed on "Americans" and the English language, even though other languages are just as important; if not more so. The piece that I found most closely related was the pieces of Crow Dog's memoir when she talked about the language barrier in the boarding schools and how it prevented these two groups of people from connecting and understanding one another. This idea is mirrored in the novel, because it emphasized that by not having learned English, one's options and choices in America were limited that much further. Even though the U.S. is the land of choice and opportunity, by not speaking the "universal" language not everyone has equal opportunity to make choices about their lives; just as Crow Dog and her peers had no choice in becoming de-Indianized.

Ria vs. Bone

            One of the stories was about Ria and her experience trying to make it in China town (383).  This section reminded me of the mother in Bones.  Ria talks about working at a sweat shop sewing for little money and in poor conditions.  A similar tale is told in Bones.  These two stories have different endings, however.  Ria ventures off and begins a sewing workshop of her own make designer clothing and trying her hand at playing the market, getting rid of the middle man, and making a living.  She works herself down to the bone, much like you see in Bone, but evidentially this business endeavor fails.  Here is where there is another connection. While it was a laundry mat they tired to start in Bone, it was yet another failed business scheme.  Both characters are trying to make a life for themselves, be in charge of their own future.  This is much easier said than done.  America is promised to be this land of great opportunity so people assume it will be easy to create their own business and make something of their life.  Yet, like so many other things, this promise is not held once in America.

Thursday, March 1, 2012

Responding to "Home" photo essays

Hi everyone -- it is going to take another week or so to get all the Photo Essays posted (and remember to email your file or link to jgarrett1@une.edu, rather than posting it here).

When all the videos are up and ready for viewing and comments, we will let you know.

Thanks!
Julia Garrett

Tuesday, February 21, 2012

RE: Reading Book

     Reading Book, my life is almost the reverse of yours except my family has been in this country for many generations and I am Italian and French Canadian. What I mean by our lives being opposite is that my parents divorced when I was very young, around the age of 4. I did well in school getting decent grades but I did not actually start trying my best until my sophomore year of high school. 
     I have identified with your post because living with a broken up family with siblings involved is not an experience or feeling that can be described or felt by others that have parents still married. I did not even understand the meaning of divorce until I was in my later elementary schooling. My parents divorced because my father was in the military, we had moved our family 4 or 5 times before I was the age of 4, this instability and long work hours of my dad took a toll on my mother, so they called it quits. It took me a very long time to accept that my family was separated, a long time to understand this was the best option for everyone. My younger brother is still trying to grasp this, so I remain strong for him and patiently wait for him to understand as well.
      School, when I was younger, was either a struggle or felt too simple, causing me to not take it seriously out of boredom. It was not until high school did I realize that I actually loved learning and sort of craved it. I craved having information gaining knowledge. My parents too would always tell me, "it is not a matter of if you are going to college, it is the matter of where you are going to college." They both took a difficult route for their college education and I am the first in my family to be actually attending a university. Now that I am here I attend all of my classes and enjoy learning things designed for me based on my major. They always pushed the importance of getting an education through subtle ways or made it sound like my only job was to get an education for a life long career. Although I don't see my dad at least once every year or speak with him that often I know both of my parents are proud of me and more importantly I am proud of myself. I had a part in getting myself here as well. 

Re: Lena


     I think your story is one that can touch a lot of people without them really knowing it. I've never had to experience living with a physical or mental "disability," but I've known many people who have. Like your teacher, I learned a lot from these individuals and it has shaped my career path toward one in the medical field helping people live freely when things like the loss of an arm could hold them back. Even as a young child you were able to see that it is not what stands in your way that prevents you from achieving your goals; it's how you react to it. Your teacher didn't let the difficulties in his life prevent him from educating young children; in fact, he probably did it in a better way than most of your teachers. And, I'm sure you don't remember this teacher purely because he was lacking one limb; you probably remembered him because his attitude toward overcoming an obstacle was infectious. I think your message is important when we think about who we are and what we need to overcome; and often the places in which we find those answers are where we least expected them.

Re: The Girl with the White Name Re: The Girl with the White Name Re: The Girl with the White Name

     I'm from a small town in a rural part of the Northeast where diversity is less than existent. Nearly the entire population in both my hometown and throughout my state is white, so saying that I "understand where you are coming from" would be somewhat of a lie. However, I think your story is not only really relevant to the course objectives in this class, but also speaks volumes to where one is "supposed to" fit in. Even though my middle school was not ethnically or racially diverse, the disparity between groups was prevalent; just as it is during any pre-pubescent hell. There were kids that walked the walk and talked the talk, and then there were those that didn't. Guess where I fit in? I, too, had to choose a path to follow; to define myself when I barely knew who I was or wanted to be. I experienced that self-hatred and built up negative emotions because I wasn't who all the other kids wanted me to be, and while I was definitely not threatened, I wasn't exactly welcomed with open arms for being different. Like the heroines and female protagonists in the texts we've covered thus far in class, we've all had to make a choice at some point surrounding the path in which we will follow. Finding the balance between what the world sees and who we are is a tough one, but I think your story proves that it can be done even when peer pressure tries to tell you otherwise. 

Sunday, February 12, 2012

RE: Lena

              I have an adopted cousin from Korea, his name is Christopher and he was born with only half of his left arm, about to the elbow.  As a child we all though his family was being too hard on him, making him do everything himself and his siblings, being typical siblings, would even make fun of him for his lack of an arm.  It all seemed very cruel to look upon at the time.  But now Christopher is in high school.  He his smart, has friends, a drivers license, and loves to fish.  He can do everything a person with two arms can.  I think he turned out so great because he was treated like a normal part of the family growing up.  He never got special treatment, was never pitied, and his siblings were never extra careful to not hurt his feelings.  He is living a life where he isn't judged or treated differently because of this "disability".  He isn't sensitive about, its just a part of his life.  Christopher has really taught my whole family (and I have a very large family) not to judge anyone.  People can really accomplish anything they want and it makes it easier when you accept them for who they are and to not sugar code things.  Christopher is an inspiration to all of us much like your teacher became an inspiration to you.  Its really a great thing to learn and try to spread the knowledge because thats the best way to stop those naive people who look upon such "disabilities" with nervous side glances and judgement in their eyes.

Irene Bloomer

Friday, February 10, 2012

RE:Sunflower



Dear Sunflower, 
I had a similar experience. Although I was born in the U.S.A my parents decided that me, my brother and them should move to Mexico. Instead of staying in the U.S we backtracked and moved to "the homeland". I was ten years old back then and hated the idea that I had to leave everything for something unknown. I did not know how to speak spanish properly, so I was very insecure. Although my classmates treated me nice they never wanted to learn about me instead they were more itrested in knowing what it was like to be in the U.S (I even had a nickname; San Francisco). It was very annoying after a year of living there we moved back to the U.S because we ran out of money. To this day I still do not know why we left in the first place, but I got a taste of what it is like to live in a different society. Plus I improved my spanish. :D

-Jennifer Rivera

RE:Arisu


Dear Arisu, 

I remember being asked the same question, so I can relate to your story. You are right the most logical answer would seem to pick your parents. I know I always ended up saying my hero was my mom. Even though your hero changed my mine remained the same. I'm glad to hear that your heros are ARASHI I too enjoy their music I stumbled across them while I was looking for new japaneses musicto add to my ipod. While your favorite song is "Hero" mine is "How to fly". I had the same response to their music it hit me harder than I expected and continue to enjoy them. I'm glad ARASHI helped you become the person you are now.

-Jennifer Rivera

Thursday, February 9, 2012

Re: Homesick




I enjoyed reading your identity narrative, because it was interesting, and I thought you did a great job of letting the readers know the reason for you being homesick.  I can relate to how you felt at the time because I too am also homesick.  Although the content was good, I had trouble due to minor grammar problems. There were a few run-on sentences, parts where punctuation were needed and too many short sentences. I was able to understand your content because it had a personal touch to it; I saw it more as a conversation than a piece of writing. 
-Monique Nguyen

RE: Sticky Rice



Your topic seems very interesting and how it is meaningful to you, but your narrative was confusing to understand.  The sentences within the paragraphs in your narrative didn’t seem to flow, because you went from talking about sticky rice, then you went on to talk about shoes, then back to sticky rice, and  how your parents didn’t need to worry about you cause the area you lived in was small. In the following paragraphs you mentioned about how your parents met and how u were born, moving to America which doesn’t have sticky rice. You conclusion was very well because it connected back to your main topic.
-Monique Nguyen 

Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Re: Sticky Rice


Sticky Rice,

I think that often times Americans forget the struggles and hardships that families make all the time in order to come to this country. Or any country for that matter. There is so much pain, regret, and tough decisions involved in uprooting an entire family to seek a better life or situation. The thought that homesickness can be as simple as a craving for a specific food made me think hard about how different things can vary depending on your location.

One day I hope to travel abroad, and it makes me wonder what I will miss the most about my home...

I thought your narrative was flowing, with the exception of the shoes.. I was slightly confused about the relevance, however I did get that you were conveying the financial problems your family was experiencing.

Teresa

Re: Megan


Megan,

The question of, “What's wrong with me?” often permeates the mind of every single person out there when they are passed up in favor of someone else. Even for small, menial reasons, an entire case of insecurities and questions can erupt in your mind. I went through a stage of total and utter paranoia in freshman year of high school, and it made my days extremely stressful and miserable. I even got to the point where I would not even trust my closest friends with any sort of close and personal details, and would always hesitate to ask for opinions because I feared their responses.

Your narrative was very earnest and I like your writing style. It was like reading a short story, and made it enjoyable.
Teresa

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