I was in class yesterday when I received a call from one of my managers at work. I work at T J Maxx (at least for now). Patty called me to tell me that they were having to cut labor for the week and that my shift for Wednesday was cut. This perplexes me just a little bit since there are employees that were hired long after I was and most of their hours are still intact. Now, normally I am not one to complain about such things, however, I only had three shifts to start with for this week and now one of them has been axed. I think the universe is trying to tell me something but I am uncertain what that something is. Maybe the universe is trying to whisper delicately in my ear that I should look for another job. I am hoping that this lull in business is very temporary and that things will get back to normal real soon. If this doesn't happen, I will be forced to look for another job and I find the whole process of having to submit applications and resumes truly unsettling.
The endless stream of rejections, not because I am a bad candidate, but because the company is just not hiring or they are amassing potential candidates for employment four to six months down the road. Great for them, however, I am looking for more stable employment NOW. Oh well, I refuse to worry my pretty little head over this at this moment in time. I have to concentrate on my classes which take up a great deal of my time as it is. I do believe that I am going to enjoy my English 1020, College Algebra, and Psychology classes. All three of my instructors are fun and exciting. Where the hell were they at last semester?! To her credit, Heather Seratt was a really interesting English teacher, and she helped me out a great deal. Now, I have Wendy. Just Wendy (since she has this "thing" about being called Mrs. Sumner-Winter or Ms. Wendy, lol). She is a hoot. She will be very instrumental in my becoming a better writer.
I love to write actually. I love to brianstorm and find the perfect way to start a paper or story. I received all As on my papers in my English 1010 class and I hope to do equally well in the 1020 class. I really like the way Wendy teaches her class. This is creative and it helps students be themselves rather than an emotionless college student doomed to have to do an assignment. Her style of openness and honesty will inspire students to openly write a paper, submit a blog, and do any other assignment without any fear that they can not be themselves. I think your best writing comes from the ability to write true. When creativity is stiffled, the work suffers and, consequently, so does the grade.
For the assignment in which we are to select a topic, find a book and locate a website or brocheur to analyze, I have chosen healthcare. I am somewhat passionate about this topic. My passion stems from my not being able to understand how the United States of America is the richest nation on the planet and yet we have an alarmingly high number of people that have absolutely no form of healthcare. It is distasteful to me how we lay claims to being the most advanced and powerful country in the world and we can't look past our own greed and love of capitalism to do something so basic as provide free healthcare to our own people. Damn, it's not like we have to extend it to people that aren't U.S. citizens, but at least offer it to own people. As Wendy said in class Tuesday, 1-21-08, "A healthy worker is a much more valuable worker." Not only that, but it is just the humane thing to do. France and Canada both have accomplished this goal and its citizens love their country even more for doing it. Sure, these countries raised taxes, but it was a very small price to pay for having the luxury of going to the doctor ANYTIME you feel sick. Come on America, get your head out of your ass and get with the program.
I believe that once the United States finally gives in and creates a broadbased free healthcare system, the people will look more favorably at its country and other nations will think higher of us as well.
Until Later, Peace Out :)
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Sunday, January 20, 2008
Mikey's Manifesto
Michael Parker
English 1020 (046)
Wendy Sumner-Winter
750 Word Manifesto
My Very Own Manifesto
From The Oxford American Desk Dictionary and Thesaurus, a manifesto is a public declaration of policy and aims, esp. political or social. History is chock full of these types of public declarations. From the Communist Manifesto, written by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels in 1848; and the October Manifesto, issued by emperor Nicholas II in 1905 that ended unlimited autocracy in Russia and began a constitutional monarchy, all the way to our beginnings as a country that started with our very own Declaration of Independence drafted in 1776 and our Constitution of the United States in 1787. Manifestos have been a source of initiating change in power or policy throughout history.
I have never considered drafting my very own manifesto. I have always seen what I needed to do (or not do), change (or not change) and I have tried to act accordingly.
In writing my manifesto, I suppose I should first consider what I need to change or start doing that I am not doing. I am afraid that up to this point I have been somewhat of a procrastinator. Not dangerously procrastinating, just enough to be annoying to myself. I tend to put things off, as most procrastinators do, always thinking that there is enough time to get all things accomplished. So far, I have managed to finish all tasks on time, but not without some last minute, late night computer lab sessions which have compromised quite a bit of sleep. I suppose this activity should be changed to better help me become a more successful college student, not to mention when I begin my career as an advertising executive.
So, here goes nothing. I, Michael Parker, being of sound mind and bo…no wait . Wrong declaration. For continued success at The University of Memphis, I, Michael Parker do hereby formally declare that I will begin putting an end to procrastinating and free up more time to lounge around and do nothing, or at least work on other assignments for class. The following are some detailed steps on how I plan to accomplish this goal.
Step One: If a reading assignment is given for an essay or other assignment to be done on it, I will immediately read the assigned pages, providing I do not miss another class or this reading will make me late for work. Immediately following the end of my school day and if I do not have to be at work, I will complete the assigned readings and begin on the associated assignment immediately. Once I leave work for the day or evening, I will begin working on the assignment immediately.
Step Two: If possible, I will coordinate my school and work schedules and schedule time off from work in order to work more on projects and assignments that are due. Realizing that sometimes this may not be possible unless I want to become homeless as a result of having no money, I will only do it when time and finances permit.
Step Three: In the event that I have worked exceptionally hard on the project and find myself needing additional time to make it better, I will contact the instructor and ask for an extension on the assignment, if possible, providing that such a request does not conflict with the class policies set forth by the instructor. In the event of an emergency that could arise, I would also request an extension from the instructor based on the emergency.
Step Four: I should limit my amount of time spent frivolously looking at the Internet and watching television. If I am to accomplish this task, in terms of watching TV, I will have to rely heavily on my digital video recorder. To lower the amount of time spent surfing the Internet, I should wait until all assignments are done or at least allot a specific amount of time to surf and then make myself stop when that time expires.
Step Five: Ask for assistance or pair up with a classmate, if possible to gain a new perspective or to work together on a project or assignment. Sometimes, two heads are better than one.
Having looked at all possible contingencies, I believe these steps should be more than adequate to assist me in reducing the amount of procrastination that I have exhibited in the past. When all else fails, ask my wise English 1020 instructor what else she thinks would be appropriate. I believe she would be able to provide insight that I had not previously considered.
English 1020 (046)
Wendy Sumner-Winter
750 Word Manifesto
My Very Own Manifesto
From The Oxford American Desk Dictionary and Thesaurus, a manifesto is a public declaration of policy and aims, esp. political or social. History is chock full of these types of public declarations. From the Communist Manifesto, written by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels in 1848; and the October Manifesto, issued by emperor Nicholas II in 1905 that ended unlimited autocracy in Russia and began a constitutional monarchy, all the way to our beginnings as a country that started with our very own Declaration of Independence drafted in 1776 and our Constitution of the United States in 1787. Manifestos have been a source of initiating change in power or policy throughout history.
I have never considered drafting my very own manifesto. I have always seen what I needed to do (or not do), change (or not change) and I have tried to act accordingly.
In writing my manifesto, I suppose I should first consider what I need to change or start doing that I am not doing. I am afraid that up to this point I have been somewhat of a procrastinator. Not dangerously procrastinating, just enough to be annoying to myself. I tend to put things off, as most procrastinators do, always thinking that there is enough time to get all things accomplished. So far, I have managed to finish all tasks on time, but not without some last minute, late night computer lab sessions which have compromised quite a bit of sleep. I suppose this activity should be changed to better help me become a more successful college student, not to mention when I begin my career as an advertising executive.
So, here goes nothing. I, Michael Parker, being of sound mind and bo…no wait . Wrong declaration. For continued success at The University of Memphis, I, Michael Parker do hereby formally declare that I will begin putting an end to procrastinating and free up more time to lounge around and do nothing, or at least work on other assignments for class. The following are some detailed steps on how I plan to accomplish this goal.
Step One: If a reading assignment is given for an essay or other assignment to be done on it, I will immediately read the assigned pages, providing I do not miss another class or this reading will make me late for work. Immediately following the end of my school day and if I do not have to be at work, I will complete the assigned readings and begin on the associated assignment immediately. Once I leave work for the day or evening, I will begin working on the assignment immediately.
Step Two: If possible, I will coordinate my school and work schedules and schedule time off from work in order to work more on projects and assignments that are due. Realizing that sometimes this may not be possible unless I want to become homeless as a result of having no money, I will only do it when time and finances permit.
Step Three: In the event that I have worked exceptionally hard on the project and find myself needing additional time to make it better, I will contact the instructor and ask for an extension on the assignment, if possible, providing that such a request does not conflict with the class policies set forth by the instructor. In the event of an emergency that could arise, I would also request an extension from the instructor based on the emergency.
Step Four: I should limit my amount of time spent frivolously looking at the Internet and watching television. If I am to accomplish this task, in terms of watching TV, I will have to rely heavily on my digital video recorder. To lower the amount of time spent surfing the Internet, I should wait until all assignments are done or at least allot a specific amount of time to surf and then make myself stop when that time expires.
Step Five: Ask for assistance or pair up with a classmate, if possible to gain a new perspective or to work together on a project or assignment. Sometimes, two heads are better than one.
Having looked at all possible contingencies, I believe these steps should be more than adequate to assist me in reducing the amount of procrastination that I have exhibited in the past. When all else fails, ask my wise English 1020 instructor what else she thinks would be appropriate. I believe she would be able to provide insight that I had not previously considered.
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