20. Journal: Black Men and Public Spaces - Staples

Write about a time when you feel like you altered public space - in other words, you changed people's attitudes or behaviors just by being in a place or entering a situation.

I can't remember a time when I felt like I changed public space. However, I can remember a time, many times actually, when I have experience other people change a public space. This is the mot evident in our school hallways and cafeteria. Many students in our school speak chinese even though we are not supposed to. Therefore, whenever a teacher or principal walks by, I see people nudging their friends. The next second, everyone on the hallways change the language they converse in. This is probably an example of someone altering space (hopefully) without even noticing. 

19. Journal: Celebrating the Pity of Brotherly Love - Krull

Describe life with your siblings.

I get along pretty nicely with my sister. We get into arguments sometimes but never fights, partly because neither of us are prone to violence. I'd say that we're pretty close. We've been sisters for fifteen years. I really can't remember life without her. When I was young, I use to hate having a younger sister. I wanted to either be a single child or the younger sibling. There was also a time period when I thought she was very annoying, the time when she followed everything I did. Now that I think of it, its actually pretty funny. Now that we've both grown, I don't think the age really matters anymore. We just act like friends most of the time. We share many things and know each other really really well. Our characters are not exactly alike, but because we've been together for so long, we get pretty use to it.

18. Alternative Late Policy

I do not believe we should lock students out of classes or the school because it takes away the chance for us to learn, which opposes what the rules intend to solve. The rule tries to instill fear upon students. However, this might not work for some people who just simply don’t care. If this is the case, the policy would only punish the parents, because students would just use t rules to find an excuse to not go to school.

I think an alternative for the school late policy is for students clean up lunch tables and floors if they fail to go to class on time for the first three times of every month. This way, teachers don’t have to spend anytime afterschool like they would have to do for detention. After the third time, however, parents should be contacted to notify them of the trend. However, in the case of being late to school, I think it is much more complicated with many more variables involved. Students should still be punished, but I would give them five chances until parents are contacted. 

17. Controversial Symbol: Pro Life Ribbon

Should we allow baby-killing? Is a fetus a form of life? Can he/she/it feel anything? Does removal of  fetus mean killing a life? What about the women that were sexually harassed? Are they allowed to abort? What about teenage mothers? Is abortion ethical?

These are just a few questions that surrounds the issue of abortion. Groups have been debating on this issue since the technology made it possible. Some believe that the fetus is indeed a form of life, which makes abortion unethical and similar to murder. Others, however, see the teenage mother and women and think that those people should have a chance to choose their future. Still, there is a group that believes fetuses do not have feelings, therefore, abortion is acceptable. Government and political parties of different countries take different sides on this issue, so countries differ in the policy of abortion.

The Pro Life Ribbon is a symbol for the group that disapproves of abortion. Its little white feet, baby blue color and baby pink color all signifies the baby. "Choose life" and "Let there be life" urges people to let the baby live on. This symbol is controversial because of its link to abortion.

16. Journal Writing: Araby - Joyce

What do you remember about your first love? What was special about the person you were attracted to?

I proof of my first love is the hearts scratched on a name beside my phonebook since kindergarten. Even though I now save phone numbers in my cell phone, I still use my Mickey Mouse phonebook to record down all the important people and phone number in my life since kindergarten. On the forth page of the phone book, after my family members and my best friend in kindergarten was a boy’s name: Keven. Even though the name was spelled incorrectly and the 2s looked more like ‘S’s, there are two lopsided hearts written in crayons beside his name.

I don’t remember much of him. In fact, I can’t even recall his face. All I remember is that we were close friends. We carpooled together along with my best friend Ingrid. Every morning, I was excited to see my two best friends before school even started. I thought he was the funniest guy in school and giggled at all of his jokes.

I never told anyone about my secret crush, not even my mom. It was a secret between my phonebook and me.

15. Journal Writing: My Face - Benchley

How do you think other people see you? Consider not just your outward appearance but also your personality.

I think most people would describe me as a small, cheerful and energetic. I am indeed petite both in height and in weight. As long as I could remember, I have always been one of the shortest in my class. My relatively “youthful” facial features did not really help in defining my age. Often, store owners or distant relatives would ask if I was in middle school when in fact I am already a senior in high school. Once, my mother’s friend even asked if I was a fifth or a sixth grader.

I think I am described as cheerful and energetic because I tend to laugh pretty often.  I find many things funny and would laugh hysterically to things that most people find not especially amusing. I smile a lot when people are around, sometimes excessively. However, I think I am better characterized as emotional because I have me downs as well, I just don’t tend to show them. However, at home, I could get grumpy at times when the day just isn’t right. Even though I guess most people wouldn’t know about this, I cry easily too. It is one way in which I relieve my pressure. When too many things are going badly, I would cry my heart out.    

14. Journal Writing: Orange Crush - Li

What food or drink hold a special place in your childhood memories? 

I could still remember vividly the time my cousins introduced the chewing gum lollipop to me. They had brought it back from the United States and the two of them, my sister, and I ate it on the car ride home. We each ate a different flavor of lollipop. We opened up the wrapper so that our lollipops looked like superman, each with a different color head. Then, each lollipop super man was labeled with a certain sickness or injury. The red cherry had a bloody head; the green apply was carsick and about to throw up; the blackish-purple one was bruised, and my pink watermelon one was scratched on the face. When we reached the center of the lollipop, there was a chewing gum in the middle. It was a combination of my two favorite types of candy and I instantly fell in love with the sweet tangy flavor. Ever since, I would buy a bag of chewing gum lollipop and store it at home. I would eat it whenever I feel low. Because there was such a limited supply of it, I considered it my sacred mood candy and would only dare each them when I really had to or couldn't resist the temptation.

13. Journal Writing: Shooting Dad - Vowell

To me, the father in “Shooting Dad” sounds pretty immature. What kind of dads would call up their daughter just to tell them he had canceled out her vote on Election Day? I can relate to the author because I feel like my relationship with my father is similar the one described by Vowell. Although we can agree on certain things, I feel like our logic and thinking pattern just doesn’t seem very compatible. While I tend to do things more slowly, one step at a time, he finishes things fast and hates waiting for others. Take eating for example. I probably take half and hour or more to eat a proper meal, but my dad could finish his food in ten minutes. Very often, when we eat in a restaurant, my dad would jus walk out after he is done, leaving the rest of the family to finish by ourselves. He says the room is too stuffy and he can’t stay for long. When he does that, I feel a pressure to finish my lunch because someone if waiting outside. These differences sometimes get me really frustrated like Vowell does with her father.

12. Journal Writing: Arm Wresting with My Father - Manning

The conflicting emotions that Manning experience are a mix of competitions and love. When he was young, he didn’t feel much of the love. He only felt the competition and the bitterness of always loosing to his father. Although his father spent time with him as a boy and a teenager, he never thought that his father’s actions came out of love, he only saw his father as an obstacle that he wants to win over.

From what I learned in psychology, most males tend to find it hard to express feelings through words or tender actions like hugs. However, this does not mean that they do not feel. Most of their feelings are hidden behind what seemed to be rough interactions. As Manning grew older, though, he realized at the same time as his father, that the arm wrestling was actually a way they communicated their love: tough way to express love, but an expression nonetheless. Also as he grew older, he began to learn to express love through more affectionate ways.

11. Journal Writing: The Lottery - Shirley Jackson

Think about rituals in which you participate, such as those involving holidays, meals, religious observances, family vacations, sporting events - anything that is repeated and traditional. List some of those in your journal and write about their significance.


Even though we are not told to do so in the journal prompt, I would like to comment about the story itself before I start the prompt. Though a little confused with the numerous names, the short story was an interesting read with a surprising ending. Because of what lotteries are like in my context (usually drawing for a gift of some sort), I was expecting the lottery to be something nice. However, as I read on, there was an uneasy feeling that told me that this wasn't the usual lottery. The last few lines were utterly horrifying, as I finally knew what the whole process was about.
Now onto the journal prompt: 
On the times when we go back to Ping Doing for Chinese New Year, the family would go to the temple for worship. When I was younger, the whole family of my grandparents, my uncle and aunt, cousins, parents and my sister would walk together, each carrying something to put on the worship table. Three things that would always be on the list were fruits, a kind of new year cake, and a whole chicken. I've always flinched with the sight of the chicken. Even though I see it every year, I still feel uneasy seeing a whole chicken with its feathers plucked tied together on a tray. When we get to the temple, we would all get incense to worship. This year would be my last year spending Chinese New Year in Taiwan for at least four years. I hope to keep all of these rituals locked up in my memory.

10. Journal Writing: The Market of a Yale Woman's Eggs - Jessica Cohen

Would you consider offering your eggs to a person or a couple who could not have a biological chid? What conditions and relationship do you have to have with the child?

Considering what I learned from the essay: the troublesome and onerous tasks involved with donating an egg, I would not want to donate an egg unless absolutely necessary. There are also certain risks behind it that puts off the notion. Even though the chances are extremely low, there is still a possibility that one might get terribly hurt or even die form the process. I would definitely not want to go through that process and potentially hurt myself.

However, if hypothetically I was to donate my eggs, I would prefer to donate it to a couple that I am at least acquainted with, preferably a couple that I am close with. I would actually want to be part of the child’s life and watch the child grow seeing that the child is very much genetically connected with me. However, it doesn’t matter as much weather the child knows that I am his or her biological mother. I think I will leave that to the decision of the parents. They might be uncomfortable explaining the whole complicated process. I am content to just know the child (as a godmother or just a family friend) and secretly know that I have a special connection with the child.

9. Ivy League Admissions

Response to "Getting In" by Malcolm Gladwell.


After reading the article, the gist I got from it was that Ivy League tries to maintain their reputation by deliberating choosing people of not only better academic abilities but also personalities and even physical appearance, race and athletics. I thought academics and personalities are fairly reasonable. But appearances? These are not what a student can control! This makes the modeling agencies reference seem even more applicable.
Another very astonishing piece of information I found was the they the Ivy Leagues started the personality side of their evaluation because they did not want too many Jews in their university. They want to choose a group of people that, after they graduate, would further promote or maintain the name of the school.
In my several attendances to college fairs, I heard the word "fit" used pretty often in describing how the colleges choose their students, especially in the more prestige schools. The college admission counselors would say something like "we want to find students that fit the personality of our college". This is where the line between accepted and rejected become vague. What are the exact characteristics they want? They never pinpoint it. From this article, I figured one of the reason they never do is because it will make their selection process sound extremely unfair. 

8. Journal Writing: Finding Prosperity by Feeding Money - Harold Taw

Many people have unique traditions, like Taw's tradition of feeding monkeys every year on his birthday. List some traditions tat are unique to your family, to another you you belong to, or to you alone.


I do not think my family as any unique traditions (or not any that I can think of). My family is not one that is big on traditions. I use to care a lot about holiday traditions and would feel dejected whenever I fail to carry out a holiday tradition. My mom, however, is the spontaneous one and would only follow the tradition when she feels like doing so.
I will, however, elaborate on my family's story of the tooth fairy. I didn't get it for my very first tooth. I never heard about the story when my first tooth fell off. Neither did my parents. It was only until my kindergarten teacher read a story to us about tooth fairy that I finally learn about this new way of getting money. However, when I tried putting my tooth under the pillow, nothing happened. I asked my mother and had to tell her the story of the tooth fairy to finally got a 100NT under my pillow the next time, so I knew early on that the tooth fairy was not real. My sister, however, was lucky enough to get a 100NT bill the first time she put her fallen tooth under her pillow. She truly believed in the tooth fairy and the Santa Clause up until third grade. Before that, I had to help my parent keep the secret from my sister. The whole situation is pretty funny now that I think back to it, but at the time, I was really jealous that my sister got to live in the fantasy of Santa Clause and Tooth Fairies when I was deprived early on from those 'traditions'.

7. Journal Writing: The Chase - Anne Dillard

Why do you suppose Dillard remembers in such vivid detail the rather insignificant even she describes? What incidents from your childhood seem momentous even now?

Even though the event may not be an important one, the driver’s determination to chase down the kids to lecture them created a rather big impression on the author. It was not the event itself that was significant, but rather the ideas behind it. Who would go to such lengths as to run miles just to chase down kids and to lecture them on such a harmless event as throwing snowballs of passing cars? Most adults wouldn’t waste their time on such trivial childish games. The emotional ties behind the event are what caused the author to remember the event in such detail even until she was an adult. The sensation and pressure of being hunted after was intense. The author even described the driver as glorious for his actions because he out so much strength into getting his goal.

These memories of seemingly trivial events can be magnified by the emotions attached to it. I can still remember clearly the time when my sister locked me out in the gardens of our house because we had a fight. I can still remember the expression she had on her face, sneering at me through the windows, and the panic I felt. I can still recall banging on all the windows and doors trying to get people in the house to hear me. Unfortunately, it was a windy day, so the howling wind drowned by shouts behind locked windows and doors. I was let in after the maid heard my screams and hysterical crying. Till this day, the images and feelings are clearing imprinted in my mind.

6. What Shapes Me?

Define a key characteristic that shaped you as a person.


One thing that shaped me as a person is being educated under an American system in Taiwan. Living in such a peculiar lifestyle has caused me to develop some pretty ironic ways. If asked, I would undoubtedly say that my English writing skills are much better than my Chinese. However, in terms of culture and speech, I would identify myself more towards the Taiwanese. I sometimes feel like I am living in this cultural mixture and it can sometimes be pretty confusing. When I am at school, it feels like I am live on a small island of American culture (with Taiwanese influence). However when I leave school, I return to the “reality” of the Taiwanese culture. In terms of the food and housing, my family is pretty Taiwanese. However, my shelf is covered with English books and I seldom even write a single word of Chinese. At home, I am pushed to study like other Taiwanese students. At school, we are encouraged to pursue our leadership and interests. I feel like I am part of both cultures, but cannot fully grasp the whole ideal of either.

5. Educate OUT of Creativity

Response to Sir Ken Robinson's video on education. What do you value in education?


In the RSA Animation video on changing education paradigms, one thing that strikes me is how almost ALL children in kindergarten start off with genius levels for divergent thinking. (Up to 98%) However, as we get older and receive more education, most people’s divergent thinking skills drop. This caused me to raise questions about our current education system. Does this mean that we are educated in the wrong direction? Are we getting dumber? What measures intelligence? One thing I had to consider is that if we raised children so that their divergent thinking do not drop, then would this effect their abilities in math and reading, which seems to be the determining factor in today’s definition of intelligence? In the current system, we teach facts and skills, but what about ways to think critically and divergently? If we taught children to think divergently, it is likely that conformity would decrease. Instead of the 10 to 15 ways to use a paper clip, now each person would be able to think up 200 ways, and those 200 are likely to differ greatly! After watching the video, I am filled with questions. However, one thing I do know is that if we want to change our education system to increase divergent thinking, it would be a revolution to the current idea of intelligence and education.

4. "Disability" by Nancy Mairs: Purpose

What is the purpose of Disability by Nancy Mairs?

Writers write for a purpose, especially those that write to persuade. It is apparent that Nancy Mairs is writing for purpose in “Disability”, in fact, she is for several purposes. First of all, she is dissatisfied with the way the media portray disabled people. She uses herself as an example and tells what it is like to disabled. She wants to show all the able-bodied people that being disabled “doesn’t devour one wholly”. She wants her readers to understand that disabled people do much of the same things that normal people do, and they do not like being treated a different type of person. They can also be independent persons. They also do not being underrepresented in the media, because this makes them feel shameful and unusual. In the end, she writes about her hopes that disabled people will be included, because one day (when we get old) we would be disabled too.

3. “Disability” by Nancy Mairs: Tone

What is the tone of Disability by Nancy Mars?


The tone of an essay gives personality to a piece of writing. It also shows the writer’s attitude toward the subject. In Nancy Mair’s “Disability”, she takes up a conversational yet sophisticated and serious tone. This encourages the readers to read on, but at the same time acknowledge that the subject at hand is not facetious, which is exactly what Mairs seeks to achieve. In the passage, she narrates on some of her personal experiences, adding direct remarks and personal ideas to them. She also writes as if she is talking directly to the reader. (“So when I tell you I haven’t noticed any woman like me on television, you can believe me.”) However, it is apparent that Mairs is writing for the educated mind. Here and there in the essay, she uses big words like “blandishment” and “effacement”. Also, the subject matter she presents and argues about is not something light and funny. 

2. FREEDOM!!

Define freedom.


To me, freedom is the power to do anything of one's will, but not at the expense of another person's power to do the same. Hurting people, for example, would not be a freedom. However, that is a pretty formal and stiff definition of freedom. I'd like to focus more on my understanding and emotions towards the word. When I think about freedom, the first feeling that comes to mind is happiness. The scene I picture would be a bunch of friends dancing and running on grass on a warm sunny day. To me, the sense I get from freedom is to be able to embrace what people love, so clearly I would agree that every person would have a different scene in their mind when they think of the word freedom. 
I feel like wether a person has freedom depend greatly on the situation they live in: the country they live in, the family they live with, and the economic condition they live under. For me, I feel that I am blessed to live in a pretty free world. The conditions I live in has given me chances to a taste of freedom and I am surely thankful of it.

1. Tiger Mother Response

Response to Amy Chua's article.

After reading Amy Chua’s article on Tiger mothers, I feel like I can definitely comprehend the difference between Western and Eastern education. Studying in an American school in Taiwan, I feel like I live in the clash of the high expectations from Chinese mother and the freedom to pursue my interests. I believe that the foundation of a Tiger’s mother’s belief is actually a good way to push and discipline their children to strive toward the best; however, I think Amy Chua has taken it to an extreme. She says that Chinese parents would insult their children by calling them “garbage” or “fatty”. I feel like launching verbal attacks on children does not benefit them, but would only worsen the relationship between parents and heir children. However, the Chinese mothers’ belief that their children can always do better is better than the Western parents’ constant encouragement and reassurance. Because of this belief, the Chinese mothers are able to push their children to strive to work at the best of their potentials.