Darkness

Some people are afraid of the dark. They find it creepy, believing that anything could hide in the shadows. They shiver at each loud noise that rings through the blackness, and jump at every slight breeze. They turn on all of the lights and close the blinds so the outside darkness doesn't creep in. Other people aren't afraid of the dark. They don't mind being sent to the basement to retrieve something in the dark. They can walk during the night without being on edge. In fact, they might even enjoy night walks, looking up at the stars. The last group of people is composed of those who are both or indifferent. This is the category I usually fall into. I say usually because after watching a horror movie, I am definitely scared of the dark. I recently watched a scary movie, and I was surprised to find my throat going dry as I had to walk a short distance in the night. I was tense and if someone had startled me, I'm sure I would have screamed. I fumbled with my car keys and suddenly, turning on the lights in my van seemed like the most important mission of my life. I practically threw myself into the car and immediately snapped the lights on. But usually, I don't mind the dark too much.

Asthma Attacks

Asthma attacks are, first of all, pretty freaky. Your throat tightens as if a hand has curled around your windpipe. The frantic breath you try to take in is stopped instantly. It is as if your lungs simply do not have enough room to allow more air inside. You lift a hand to your neck, as if doing so will somehow fix everything. The fingers you press against your trachea change nothing. Your inhales still are forced to an abrupt stop at the back of your throat. You finally get a breath in, but the oxygen flows down to your lungs too suddenly and too thickly, sending you into a spasm of coughing. Choking on the air you had, just seconds ago, begged for, you struggle to regain control of yourself. Hacking and focusing on simply GETTING IN A BREATH, you scrabble for your inhaler and spray it down your throat. Eventually, you can reign in a controlled breath. The attack has left you weary and has scraped your throat raw. Clutching the inhaler, you swear to never take breathing for granted again. Of course, you forget about that vow soon after. That is, until the next asthma attack.

Cast

My brother broke his arm last week. He was riding a scooter and fell. At first, we all assumed that he was fine. But it soon became clear that he was not. He went pale and began to sweat, even though he was shivering. My dad gave him some ice and I wrapped him in a blanket. My mom came home and took him to the hospital. I stayed up late doing homework, and got the news at just past midnight that he had broken his arm. A hairline fracture. He needed a cast, and was not happy about it. This meant he had to miss the tennis championships in gym, and maybe even part of the Nordic Skiing season. The blue cast was much harder than I had expected. It was stiff and uncompromising, refusing to respond to even the hardest amount of pressure. Within a day, it was filled with black signatures. Many of which belonged to sympathetic girls. My brother gave me a smug smile as I read off all their names. I could tell what he was thinking. Maybe the cast wasn't so bad after all...

Drama

The Drama Team from my church performed this morning at Delano Evangelical Free Church. It was an awesome experience! First, my boyfriend and another drama member performed a skit that made us all laugh so hard we cried. Then, two of my other friends acted out a scenario that helped all of the audience see how we can be blind to what is right in front of us. After that, my friend gave her testimony. She was nervous; I could tell. But she nailed it! Our next performance was a human video, which is like a skit without words. This particular human video is incredibly powerful. It takes a lot out of everyone who performs in it, but it is all worth it! At the end, where some of the actors are thrown to the ground, I flew into the stage, landed on my friend's leg, and proceeded to have a small asthma attack. But we weren't supposed to move. So I stayed where I was, frantically picturing my inhaler. It was downstairs in my purse. If I could just slip out and grab it...I didn't move. Well, not on purpose anyways! I was shaking like a leaf! Luckily, I was able to catch my breath before the next skit, which I performed with two other members. The day was amazing! The people there were all welcoming and kind, and they seemed very excited to have us. I couldn't tell them enough that it was US who should be thankful. They had given us the opportunity to perform, and that opportunity had become a great experience!

Interviewing

As my friend and I prepare to begin our interviews for our ethnography, we exchange a nervous glance. Neither one of us is very outgoing, and to make matters more difficult, we aren't even sure if the people we are planning on interviewing speak English. I glance back down at my red jot book and grip my pencil tightly. It's now or never. We both give shaky laughs, spring up from our seats, and resolve to dive into an interview before we chicken out. We approach our first victim, a teenage customer. She smiles and seems very willing to participate in our interview. After a few questions, I feel a bit of tension ease. That wasn't so bad! Our next interview goes by just as smoothly, and I begin feel slightly embarrassed for having ever been nervous in the first place. Finally, we have completed our last interview. Each person we approached was kind and politely participated, answering all of our English questions easily. Why was I ever even the slightest bit tense? I had underestimated the willingness of these people to help us. We ease back into our seats. I shake my head at myself, laughing at myself. What had I been expecting?

Halloween

Little ghost, goblins, and ghouls pound up to the door, their costumes illuminated in the single glowing streetlight. Pumpkins line the streets, flickering candles shining through the holes of their eyes. Candy is poured into huge bowls and then scooped into waiting bags. "Trick or Treat!" Some neighbors eye the children outside of their door suspiciously- they could have sworn they had seen these same kids earlier that night... Decorations hang from trees and swivel in the breeze, casting strange shadows. Black cats and flapping bats adorn the windows of many homes. Some children screech as each small sound in the night startles them. Other children just roll their eyes and plunge on to the next house for more candy. Their bags are weighed down with chocolate and pixie stix. But its a burden they are more than willing to carry. Doorbells ring incessantly and expectant faces wait for the handful of candy they know is soon to come. Usually, the cold bites through even the thickest of costumes. After all, we do live in Minnesota. And it isn't too terribly unusual to have a Halloween with snow.

Trend Paper Practice

Jorge slid his drivers license back into his leather wallet, frowning as he did so. This had been the third time this month that he had been pulled over and asked for proof of citizenship. Jorge had been born in Arizona and had lived there all of his life, and was a completely legal American citizen. However, his clearly evident Mexican heritage had caused people to look at him with suspicion for many years. Many Americans are beginning to become increasingly negative towards the Mexican American population. This negative attitude affects not only the Mexican Americans, but also American as a whole. America is-and always has been-a mixture of different cultures and ethnicities blended together. In fact, our country is often called 'The Melting Pot' in reference to these different groups. Yet some people are not exactly always proud of this title. They are disillusioned with the high amounts of immigrants that flood into America each year. What is the cause of this disillusionment? Many different things. Mainly, the media. As the news shows reports of the rising costs of immigration, how immigrants are stealing the jobs of American citizens, and illegal immigrants, many people begin to develop a bias against immigration. They are swayed by the media, and they let it shape their beliefs, causing Mexican Americans and our country to suffer.