Graf #9

Meta Graf on Cause Essay

As I was re-writing my Cause Essay my head was spinning. I have such a
headache from being up half the night doing my school work. I'm afraid
my writing isn't as good as it can be. I'm tired and have so much left to
do in all my classes. My topic really hits home at the moment because
my time with my family has been extremely limited lately. When I'm
overtired, I tend to over think, and that's usually when I write poorly.
Now I'm thinking, oh stop your whining and get to it. Suck it up and
get to work. So, back to work I go!

I-Search Brainstorm #1

What I know about my topic of nutrition and the affects of
depression is what I've observed and what little bit I have
studied about nutrition. People connected
to me and even myself seem to have different moods
according to the choices of foods eaten. I watch certain
people in my life who make really poor eating choices.
They complain about not liking they way they feel or look, but
do nothing to improve their well-being. They ask for my
help, but when I give advice they have an excuse to everything
I say. Always having a reason not to try.

In particularly, what I want to find out is how certain foods
affect a person's thinking process, mood, depressive state,
negativity, etc. What foods contribute to the opposite?
It will be a challenge to not take this subject to a broad
range of questions and answers.

I plan to interview and follow individuals diets and physical
activity levels not only in people who are negative, but
also positive to see the differences, if any. I will also
research professional sources to help gather information
regarding this subject. In the end I hope to have some
answers to ways of helping people change, even if only
a little bit, in a better direction with their lives.

I have much to think about and much to do, but this is
the top layer of what I'm hoping to accomplish.

Cause Essay/Take two!

I was sitting at my computer for an hour not coming up with
anything for a topic. All that kept running through my head
was how much I have failed my children lately. I don't want
to be one of those parents who gets too wrapped up in their
own lives and lets their children slide through life on their
own without guidance or someone who cares what the hell is
going on. Right now my concern is how my crazy life is affecting
my family. I do my best to help with homework but haven't been
on top of it like I should be. I barely have time to clean or cook
meals anymore. I can't remember the last time I went to the grocery
store. My poor husband has been completely neglected, but will
survive. I need to weed out the non-important responsibilities
that I have taken on. Lately all I have thought about is how
I don't like the direction my life is headed. The only way to fix
it is to reflect on what is really important to me and make
the changes necessary in order to achieve my goals.

The first change that needs to be made is how many hours a
week I put into a job. I have decided that if I find something
for 20 hours a week instead of 50-55, it will free up a lot of time
that I could give to my family.

The second change I need to make is learning how to say no.
My husband and I belong to too many groups and
organizations. We're the ones everyone turns to several times
a week to volunteer our time. We hardly ever say no. On
average we give between 5-10 hours a week of our time. We
love to volunteer, but need to shorten the time we give.

The third change I feel I need to make, is taking on too many
classes each semester. I'm anxious to get through college, but
need to realize that a couple classes at a time would be more
realistic with the responsibilities that I have. This was a
tough decision for me to make. Selfishly I want to put all
the time I can into my education, but in fairness to my
family I need to do it at a slower pace.

So now that I have reflected on changes that need to be made
I need to make sure these changes are put into action. I feel
these changes are very important in order for me to be the
kind of Mom and Wife I know I can be.

Cause Essay #1

What do grades really say about a person. We all get so hooked
on what letter or number we receive from our work. When it is
a low number it chips away at our self-esteem. When you start
to think your not smart enough, you start to do even worse. This
is what I've seen happen to my nephew. He began High School
barely getting by. By this point in his life he was labeled as just
being a lazy boy. The teachers offered no guidance and even
more, neither did his parents. The teachers blamed his parents
and his parents blamed the teachers. It wasn't either one's
responsibility. No one took the time to figure out a way to help
him. Who failed whom? Now my son brings home his progress
report this weekend and how is he doing? He is barely getting
by. I'm not going to stand by and just let him struggle on his
own. I'm not going to let him develop an attitude that he doesn't
care as long as he can slip through by barely passing. And I'm
certainly not going to let him have the attitude that he gave
last night. As long as he is passing five or more classes it's okay
because he is still on the football team! I know it's not the end of the
world, but as parents and teachers we need to stop it before it
gets any worse. I blame only myself for not paying more
attention to what has been going on with his life. I've bitten off
more than I can chew. My number one priority is being a good
Mom. So I've decided to take some steps to change in order to
help my children when needed. Are my 3 jobs really worth
keeping? I think not. I need to make some changes.

My Real Estate job is something I don't do much of due to
lack of time and not much ambition to sell houses.
I went for my license when I worked as the office manager
in a Real Estate Agency because it was necessary to have.
I worked very hard to get my license, so when I left as
their Office Manager I stayed with them as a part-time
Sales Agent. Time to move on.

My full-time "job" is just that, a job. Not a career
that feeds any passion. I work because I have to, or do I?
They won't even let me take time off when my children
are sick. And when I do, the phone at home does not
stop all day long. That's certainly not fair to my children.
Which brings me to why I went back to school. Change #3.

My third job is not really a job, but more of a hobby, or you could
say "my passion". I teach fitness, strength training and nutrition
at a certificate level. I can't imagine actually making a living out
of doing something I love to do. What a concept. One concept
that I should have figured out a long time ago. This will be
a change that will take hard work and dedication. I want
to take my hobby to the next level. I want to finish school with a
Kinesiology and/or Nutrition degree.

I want to help others become strong and feel good about themselves.
But the best that will come from this is the flexibility I will have
with my schedule. I will be able to structure my schedule around
my children's needs. I want to be able to sit down at night with
them and work on their studies. I want to be home when they're
sick and nurture them. I don't want to miss any games. I want
to know what's going on in their lives. I want to be a role model
that they can be proud of. I want them to succeed and find what
fills their soul with happiness. My son's progress report really
isn't who he is and shouldn't be his label for the next four years.
But it certainly is a wake-up call for me to start paying attention.
Falling through the cracks is something I won't let happen. It's my responsibility to straighten out my life and hectic schedule in order
to be the parent I want to be.

Outro Cause Essay

Children have it harder today then in the past. School is
stepping up the standards. Pressure from peers is greater
than ever. School work, extra curricular activities, friends,
girlfriends/boyfriends are only a few things kids face in
their busy schedules. Strength from family, support and open
communication are very important in today's society.
Parents need to care what is happening with their
children. It takes a lot of time and effort to keep
track your children's lives, but if you don't who will be there
to guide them in the right direction. Who will give them
the little nudge they need when they'd rather hang out
with friends and focus on playing sports than putting
any effort into school work. The parents, that's who.

Graf #8

Reaction to Cause Essay

Some of the cause essay examples were quite helpful in
putting all the instructional information together. It
gave me ideas of how to structure my essay and also
ways not to.

I particularly liked the essay about the lady giving her
husband a massage....I wish my husband were awake .
I could sure use the benefits of a massage right
about now.

Intro 2 Cause Essay

Watching my oldest child becoming a young man is an
exciting and very scary time. He began High School this
fall and has taken on a quite hectic schedule. We have
talked about the importance of keeping up with his work
and asking for help if he struggles with any of it. When
asking him for the past four weeks how he is doing, he
just responds with "Fine". Progress reports came home
yesterday, and according to his, he is not doing "Fine".

Intro 1 Cause Essay

My son is starting a new journey this fall. High school years are suppose
to be the best of his life. We keep communication open with our children
and offer our time whenever they need it. So why didn't he tell us he isn't
doing so well in a few of his classes. He keeps telling us he is doing fine.
But the progress report I found crumpled on his floor says otherwise.

Graf #7

My Person

Twenty years ago, he scared me to death. He was stern,
didn't speak much and hardly ever smiled. I was quiet and shy
and worried about him accepting me. Would I ever be
comfortable going to his house? Would we ever have the
chance to really get to know each other? I had hoped so,
for some day I was to marry his son.

My father-in-law is not as complicated as people make him
out to be. When I first met him I learned in his house, things
are his way... Accept this concept, and life is good. He was
teaching us respect. He had order to all of his tools. His garage
was neat and organized. If you borrowed something, it better
be put back exactly how you found it. His respect had to be
earned. Once you earned it, you never had such a good friend.
He owned his own Body Shop business and is now retired.
I loved to watch him work. He was so meticulous with
everything he fixed. If it wasn't good enough, he started again.
His painting was more like a form of artwork. His attention to
detail was amazing. Still is with everything he does.

My father-in-law fascinates me. He is so full of knowledge,
has a passion for life and a soft-sentimental side that not
many know about. He and I share a love for piano music.
He goes four-wheeling with my husband, me and our 3 kids.
We watch sunsets together out at his camp on the lake and
toast marshmallows and hot dogs by the fire. I love to give
him hugs and tell him I love him...he always says he loves
me back. We cherish every minute we have with my in-laws.

I watched my father-in-law drive up to the football field
in the rain today. He came to watch my youngest play. He
walked to the field with a limp because of a bad knee that
gives him great pain. He shared his umbrella with me and
refused to take a seat. He watched with pride, in the rain,
in pain, because he loves his family more than anyone
could imagine. I only hope he knows how much he means
to me, after twenty years of really getting to know how
special he is.

Never judge a book by it's cover! You'll be amazed
to find what might be inside.....

Graf #6

Isearch Reaction

Some of the examples caught my eye some were hard to read and stay
focused. I hope my paper in the long run is the one that catches the
reader's attention. The wedding cake idea was quite unique!

I am enjoying each step of this class. I can hear in my head, John G.
saying, "You're thinking too much....start writing". So that's what I'm
trying to do. Then I had to stop and think of a topic...not an easy task.
But thanks to the instructions, I think I came up with something that
holds meaning to me and something I would really like to find answers
to.

Graf #5

THINGS:

I'm sitting here trying to think of something that holds
great meaning in my life. Most things are just material
belongings that come and go. They don't hold much
value. They may seem to be very important to you at
a particular time in your life, but eventually things
just fade as a memory or even a lost memory. However,
you may have a "thing" that triggers a memory each
and every time you see it because the memory holds
great meaning in your life. I know I do.

My memory trigger is a book I made when I was 4 or 5
years old in Sunday school class. I had forgotten all
about the book for a long time. It was just one of those
paper books all kids make. Nothing special really. Until
one day when it came back into my life several years
later. I made this book and gave it to my Grandma who
died a few years later. My Grandma meant the world
to me. I had no idea that the book meant so much to her,
that she kept it tucked away in her keepsake box. When
she passed away, her belongings were divided amongst
her three children (my Mom being one of them). For
years I had know idea that this memory was kept.

I was sitting in the middle of a crowd at my first-born's
baby shower opening gifts from family and friends. When
I thought I was done, my Mom said there was one more
for me to open. I opened this wrapped book with a note
from my Mom that said how much this book meant to my
Grandma and to my Mom and so it was kept to pass along
to my children.

I still have the book and take it out of a box every now and
then, just sitting and remembering the wonderful
times we shared at my Grandparent' house.

The bond of family lives on forever.

Graf #4

Unique

I am a 5'4" blonde with blue eyes. I'm 36 years old, married woman of 17 years and have 3 children. I've worked since I can remember, and have this past summer began to chase a dream of a college degree. I seem to do things backwards according to society standards. I got married a year out of high school, worked my way up to a management position in the dental field, had 3 children, quit my management position to be a secretary closer to home and now am back in school. I hold certifications in medical terminology/medical transcription, fitness training and am a Realtor. And that's who I am (and what I do) on the outside....

On the inside I am a christian, wife, daughter, mother, sister and friend. I am gentle and loving. I am strong and stern. I love to dress up...I love to dress down. My emotions are strong and full of passion. I love life and strive to be a positive person. Studying fitness, good nutrition and spiritual inner peace became a hobby of mine 6 or 7 years ago...now it's a part of who I am. I love to pass on the knowledge to others. Feeling good mentally and physically is what most strive to find throughout their lifetime. I want to keep learning so someday I can learn how to teach others to find this peace and enjoy their life as a whole.

Graf #3

List

Inventory of the trunk of my car:

Spare tire covered by flooring
sneakers
clean socks
umbrella
several sets of weights
blanket
towel
50 oz bottle of water
digital scale
CD Player
4 exercise mats

1 tote bag filled with:
binder with student information
(Personal data, health history, weight, measurements)
binder with several class routines
attendance folder
variety of CDs

tote bag #2 filled with:
6 resistance bands
8 jump ropes
3 yoga bands
wipes
tissues
gum
inhaler
pack of peanuts
anti-bacteria gel
first-aid box (filled with supplies)
key attached to boxing glove key chain

If I didn't know her any better, I'd say she is obsessed
with exercise, by my observation of her trunk. Who carries
these kinds of things in their trunk? Oh, of course.
Someone who teaches fitness classes would. Still a little
bizarre, though. There isn't any room left for groceries
or anything else she may need to put there. It's packed
quite full of all of these things. She must have it there for
a reason. I wonder....

Graf #2

Worst Teacher

I was fortunate enough to go through school having
very good teachers. I was the quiet one who didn't
speak up much, but rather paid attention and took
in whatever they were teaching. So teachers either
hardly new I existed or liked me because I didn't
cause any trouble....Until one day in High School.

It was a day that I will never forget. The quiet girl
who caused trouble at school. I didn't realize I was
doing anything really wrong. I guess I did know it
was sneaky, but illegal is what the Principal
told me it was. I guess I was just tired of no one
listening to what the students were telling them, so
I took matters into my own hands.

I was a Junior that year. Our history teacher was
a very stern man. Right from the beginning of the
year, he scared me. As the year went on, he got worse.
He yelled a lot and swore constantly. It always
seemed to be directed towards the boys. It didn't
seem to bother the boys, of course. They just became
more defiant. As the months went on, he started
telling stories of war. He seemed to be going through
flash-backs of some sort. When he had these
spells, he became violent. Desks and chairs would fly
across the room. Boys were pinned against the wall. He
seemed to be getting worse. Kids kept warning other
teachers and the Principal of this man's behavior, but
only to be dismissed as overly dramatic teenagers.

Then I decided to prove that what the kids were telling
them was the truth. I figured the only way for them
to believe us, was to hear it for themselves. So I
brought a recorder to school and taped his class!
Yes, without permission. It didn't matter that on
the recorder was the teacher becoming violent.
Their only focus was that I taped the class. I found
myself in the Principal's office with the Principal
and the Assistant Principal threatening me. They
hovered over me like I was a hardened criminal. They
said they should call the police and have me arrested,
but didn't. I was yelled at for what seemed to be hours.
Whenever I tried to express my concern for what was
happening in that classroom I was told to not talk about
it. I was the only one who had done wrong. I was now
labeled. I was no longer the quiet girl who never caused
trouble. I was the girl who spoke up and shouldn't have.
I was told to never speak of this again, and they wouldn't
punish me. They wouldn't even call my parents. I was
so relieved to be "let go" I promised to never bring it up
again.

The following school year we came back to school to
discover that this teacher was not returning. It turned
out that he had an undetected tumor on his brain, that
was the cause of his flash-backs of his time in the
Vietnam War. He died that summer from the tumor.

Had someone listened to us that year, maybe things
would have turned out differently for that teacher.