Annotated Source List

“Girls Gotta Move,” Health Magazine

http://www.health.com/health/wp/0,23487,1600996,00.html

I heard about this site through an article in my Health Magazine. This is a great site, that talks about everything from getting fit, running your first race, forming a club, etc.


Sub 5 Track Club

http://www.sub5.com/

A friend of mine at work told me about this site. It has information on some local races and how to register for them.


Cool Running

http://www.coolrunning.com/

This is a great site with a lot of valuable information. Some of the information was stuff I already knew, but there is a lot of specific training information.

Process Essay

Football, who doesn’t love it? September through December my favorite pastime is watching the New England Patriots play. Their games are one big event for me and I think about it and plan for it all week long. The questions are always the same…The questions that come to mind every week are: Where am I going to watch the game; What will we have for snacks and drinks; and lastly, what outfit am I going to wear? It’s the answers that are sometimes different depending on when the game is and how big of a game it is?

The first question is basically the first step in my planning process, Where am I going to watch the game? If it is a regular game and it is on during the day on Sunday, I will usually watch the game at my mother’s on her 56” T.V. If the game is on in the evening, then I will most likely watch it at home because almost always I have to work the next day. If the game is a “big game” (i.e. playoff, division rivalry), I want to watch it with a bunch of people and get caught up in the excitement. For me my favorite place to do this is the Ground Round. So whether I will be at my mom’s, home or the Ground Round, football will be on and I will be watching it.

The second question is the second step in my planning process, What will we have for snacks and drinks? If we are going to watch the game at my mom’s, it will usually be sandwiches and salads with chips and dip. This works really well, because no one has to be doing the cooking and you can eat whenever you are hungry. For drinks it is usually beer unless one of my relatives is whipping up some fancy concoction. If I am home, it will usually be popcorn and beer. I need to keep it simple, because I will be the one doing it all. If the choice is the Ground Round, it will always be appetizers. During Patriots games they have half price appetizers, so we usually consume our fair share of Buffalo Wings (cooked crispy and hot). The drink of choice for me will always be a tall Miller Lite. So where ever I am watching the game, the food and drinks will always be good and I half to exercise extra hard during the week to work it all off.

The third question is the last in final step in my planning process, What am I going to wear? Being the Patriot fanatic that I am, I have shirts in every color…pink, blue, white, and red. I have long-sleeved, three-quarter sleeved, short-sleeved and tank tops. I also have several jerseys, my favorite being my red, throwback Tedy Bruschi jersey. My decision is usually based upon the season and the weather. If it is hot, I will wear one of my short-sleeved shirts…probably my red 54 autographed shirt. As the weather turns colder, I may start out with a short-sleeved shirt and bring one of my Patriots sweatshirts with me to put on when I get cold. But I will always wrap the season up with a white, long-sleeved shirt underneath my Tedy Bruschi jersey. No matter which shirt I choose, I will always have my Patriots earrings, socks and sneakers on to complete my ensemble.

No matter what my choices are for the given week, I know that come Sunday (or maybe Monday) I will be watching the New England Patriots play, I will be eating good food and I will be the best-dressed Patriots fan out there! I know these are not the normal thoughts for most girls and I have on occasion been told I am worse than some guys, but this is what I live for…Football!

Contrast Essay

Living in a town that does not have its own high school gives my son the opportunity to choose which high school he would like to attend. Over the past month this has been quite the process for both him and I. Basically, he can go to any high school he wants but the town of Orrington will only provide transportation to Brewer High School and John Bapst. So for us the choice came down to these two schools and we have spent the last month visiting them and going through the application process. So the question was, “Where does my son want to spend the next 4 years getting an education?” The decision process came down to several things that ultimately helped him make his choice.

One important factor in making this decision was the size of the school. John Bapst has a student body of approximately 480 students. A smaller school makes for a closer community among fellow students and teachers. Students seem to get more individualized attention from their teachers; some classes only have 10 students in them. At the John Bapst parent orientation night, we were told that studies have shown kids who attend smaller schools outperform kids from larger schools and the kids who attend smaller schools are more likely to attend college. Where Brewer High School’s student body has close to 1,000 students and the classes are much larger; some with as many as 25 students.

Another factor was that John Bapst is a college-preparatory high school. The John Bapst website states “It is cool to study at John Bapst and cool to do well academically.” Of the graduating class in 2007 at Bapst, only two students did not go on to college in the fall. You get the feeling that kids who attend John Bapst, attend with plans of going on to college. Brewer High School does offer Advanced Placement/Honors classes, but it is not their only curriculum. Therefore, not everyone at Brewer will be looking ahead to college.

For my son, he was instantly drawn to the character of John Bapst. He loves the history associated with the school. He stated that it would be like going to school at Hogwarts (from the famous Harry Potter books). There are a lot of rumors surrounding John Bapst…a pool on the roof, a hidden classroom called the “Purple Dragon Room,” a nun died there, etc. and he finds this all very interesting. When he visited Brewer High School, he said it was boring…just long, straight hallways – nothing exciting.

So my son has made his choice, which was John Bapst. He completed his application and his essay and turned it in before the deadline. Now we wait, until the first week of April to hear whether or not he has been accepted. We are in hopes that he will spend his next 4 years as a John Bapst Crusader.

I-Search What Revised

Let’s see, there are a variety of things I already know but quite a bit that I do not.

What are the steps in preparing for a 10k race?
I know that you should start out small and build up endurance, but I am not sure if there is a recommended way to prepare. I do think I will be more prepared if I run a few 5k races first. This will help me understand the racing side of things. I am not sure what foods you should eat before, during and after a race, but I’m sure carbs are involved at some point.

Is there special equipment/gear that I should have?
I have been told to invest in a really nice pair of sneakers because in the long run it will be money well invested. I am sure that some type of moisture-wicking clothing would be best, but not sure if I should have particular clothing (i.e. pants, jacket). I am not sure if people carry their own water or if water is provided at the race

In regards to the actual races, I really have no idea what the process is or how to go about all those things: registering, fundraising, and what races are out there.

A lot of people set out to try and achieve this goal and may along the way fail for a variety of reasons. I know that training will not be easy and that you should be an experienced runner before trying to compete in a race. I know that some runners are plagued with pre-disposing injuries that can make the training process more difficult, if not impossible. This particular knowledge worries me for the simple fact that I am currently dealing with some left knee pain.

The main thing I know is that this is not going to be an easy thing to do, but I hope in the long run it is something I will accomplish.

I-Search What

What I Know
I know that a lot of people set out to try and achieve this goal and may along the way fail for a variety of reasons. I know that training will not be easy and that you should be an experienced runner before trying to compete in a race. I know that some runners are plagued with pre-disposing injuries that can make the training process more difficult, if not impossible. This particular knowledge worries me for the simple fact that I am currently dealing with some left knee pain.

What I Don’t Know
I don’t know if my left knee pain will prevent me from achieving this goal. I suspect that in the long run, it will not prevent me from achieving my goal. After all, athletes have extensive knee injuries and surgeries and once rehabilitated, come back to their respective sport.

The main thing I know is that this is not going to be an easy thing to do, but I hope in the long run it is something I will accomplish.

I-Search Why

The reasons why I am writing about this topic are simple. I know that by learning how to prepare for a race and complete in races, that I will be healthier and more physically fit. I also feel that it is important to set goals and do your best to accomplish them and this is a goal I feel I can achieve. I also want to be able to give others advice on how to prepare for a race so they will be able to achieve their goals as well.

The questions I need to answer in order to achieve this goal are:

What are the steps in preparing for a 10k race?
Is there a recommended training process?
How long is the training process?
Should I run a 5k first?
Do I need to have a special diet before/after a race?

Is there special equipment/gear that I should have?
Do I need a certain kind of sneaker?
Should I wear special clothes?
Do I need to be able to carry my own water? If so, what kind of container
should I have?

The actual race…
What are some of the more popular races in this area?
How do you register?
Is there a fee?
Do I need to raise money or can I just give a donation?

It is my hope that by writing this I-Search and answering these questions, I will be able to achieve my goal of competing in a 10k race.

Contrast Intro #2

Where do I want to go to high school and spend the next 4 years getting an education? This question has been on my son’s mind for the last month and has kept us quite busy. Because we live in a town that does not have a high school, my son gets to choose where to attend high school. He can choose any high school but the only schools our town will provide transportation to are John Bapst and Brewer High School. So for us the choice came down to these two schools. The process was both fun and stressful at times and several factors ultimately helped him make his decision.

Contrast Intro #1

Living in a town that does not have its own high school gives my son the opportunity to choose which high school he would like to attend. Over the past month this has been quite the process for both him and I. Basically, he can go to any high school he wants but the town of Orrington will only provide transportation to Brewer High School and John Bapst. So for us the choice came down to these two schools and we have spent the last month visiting them and going through the application process. So the question was, “Where does my son want to spend the next 4 years getting an education?” The decision process came down to several things that ultimately helped him make his choice.

I-Search Background

For as long as I can remember, I have always wondered about those people I would pass running on the side of the road. I would think to myself, “How do they do that?” and “Why do they do that?”

In the last couple of years I have become healthier and have incorporated more exercise into my life. I have taken up hiking, joined a gym, bought a bike, and in general become more conscious about my health and well-being. In doing all this, I realized that exercise could be fun and it was something I really enjoyed. When I went to the gym, I loved getting on the treadmill. I especially liked doing interval training. Interval training is when you walk for 5 minutes, run for 5 minutes, and keep doing those intervals for the time set on the treadmill.

Then last summer I was having a hard time trying to get to the gym and I hated not exercising. So I decided that I was going to set the alarm 45 minutes earlier in the mornings and do the interval training outside, right on my road. So the mornings came, the alarm went off and I dragged myself out of bed. Well, after a few mornings I realized that I liked having my exercise out of the way early and I also had much more energy throughout the day when I exercised in the morning. It didn’t take long for me to build up my stamina and soon I was running 3 ½ miles several mornings a week. On the days I couldn’t run, because of weather or an early meeting at work, I found that I really missed it and I realized I had become addicted to running.

Last summer and fall I also participated in a couple of the fundraising walks. I loved participating in these walks and raising money for charity. At these events I met some people that also participated in some local 5k and 10k races. They told me that they really enjoyed running in these races and how much fun they were. Well I thought to myself, I could run in one of those events and what an accomplishment that would be. I guess I had become one of those people running on the side of the road. Now I want to become one of those people that run in races.

Classification Essay

Pizza, who doesn’t love pizza? I love pizza. There is nothing like pizza, especially at 1:00 a.m. after a night out on the town. But, how is one to choose what pizza and where to get it? There are so many different pizza varieties and pizza shops out there, you have to know what you like. For my family it is all about the crust...I like it thin, my son likes it thick and my boyfriend prefers deep-dish. So a typical pizza night in my house usually turns into a battle, each of us with our own argument on where to go and what kind to get.

My argument for thin crust usually plays out something like this…Let’s get a Thin and Crispy Pizza from UNOs. I know it isn’t your favorite, but thin crust pizza is crispier and you can taste the toppings better. It is healthier for us because it has less calories and less fat than the other pizzas. Plus, with thin crust pizza you can eat more because you won’t get as full as fast and who doesn’t want to eat more pizza? Then I usually end my argument on the begging side of things with, "C’mon please, we got your favorite last time and now it is my turn."

My 14 year-old son, who thinks he knows everything because he is 14, thinks the only kind of pizza out there is thick crust pizza and nothing else compares. He usually wants to go to Pizza Hut and get one of those thick crust, stuffed with something, kind of pizzas. His argument usually goes like this…Well I think we should get a stuffed- crust pizza from Pizza Hut. Thin crust pizza has no flavor and pizza should have that doughy texture like the thick crust pizza at Pizza Hut. Plus, we can get it stuffed with cheese. I don't want deep-dish, because that is more like a pie than pizza and you have to use a fork to eat it. Pizza is meant to be eaten with your hands, you shouldn’t have to use a fork. He will usually end his argument on the guilt side of things with somthing like, "Why can’t we are get what we want? You have the money, just write a check or use a credit card. Never mind, we never do what I want anyways."

My boyfriend, who is Italian, prefers the deep-dish pizza from UNOs. His argument for deep-dish usually is something like this…Let’s get deep-dish pizza from UNOs, they have the best crust around. One of the best things about it, is you get full faster and won’t eat as much, then we will have leftovers for lunch tomorrow. Pizza two days in a row, how great is that? If we get thin crust, I eat too much and there are no leftovers and I don’t like thick crust because when you pick it up too eat it all the toppings slide off. Plus the best part of pizza is the crust and UNOs deep-dish pizza is fabulous. He usually ends his argument on the practical side of things with a comment like, "Let’s get deep-dish this time and then we will start taking turns, next time thick crust and then thin. C’mon, what do ya say?"

All this talk about pizza has me thinking I want pizza for supper. Now I must prepare for the "battle." Hopefully, my argument will prevail and we will end up ordering my favorite, plus I think it is my turn anyways. But if not, that is okay because what makes pizza so great is you can have it several times a week, make it different every time and no matter what, it is always yummy!

Classification Outro Revised

All this talk about pizza has me thinking I want pizza for supper. Now I must prepare for the "battle." Hopefully, my argument will prevail and we will end up ordering my favorite. But if not, that is okay because what makes pizza so great is you can have it several times a week, make it different every time and no matter what, it is always yummy!

Classification Intro Revised

Pizza, who doesn’t love pizza? I love pizza. There is nothing like pizza, especially at 1:00 a.m. after a night out on the town. But, how is one to choose what pizza and where to get it? There are so many different pizza varieties and pizza shops out there, you have to know what you like. For my family it is all about the crust...I like it thin, my son likes it thick and my boyfriend prefers deep-dish. So a typical pizza night in my house ususally turns into a battle, each of us with our own argument on where to go and what kind to get.

Classification Outro

All this talk about pizza has me thinking I want pizza for supper. Now in my family, the battle will begin over where to order, because we all like something different. I like it thin, my son likes it thick and my boyfriend likes deep-dish. That is what makes pizza so great…you could have it several times a week and make it different every time. Yummy!

Classification Intro #2

It is a 30 billion dollar per year industry. Americans consume 3 billion per year. It is America’s favorite food. What am I talking about, you ask? I am talking about pizza. Almost everyone loves pizza and when someone says they don’t like pizza, you look at them like they have 3 heads. But with so many different pizza varieties and pizza shops out there, how is one to choose? For me, it is all about the crust. There is the thin crust pizza, the thick crust pizza and the popular deep-dish. All have their own great qualities and most people have a favorite.

Classification Intro #1

Pizza, who doesn’t love pizza? I love pizza. There is nothing like pizza, especially at 1:00 a.m. after a night out on the town. But, how is one to choose what pizza and where to get it? There are so many different pizza varieties and pizza shops out there, you have to know what you like. When I choose what I want for pizza, it is all about the crust. There is thin crust, thick crust and the deep-dish…all with their own uniqueness and great qualities.

Graf #9

As I wrote this piece, all I can think about is Courtney. Courtney is my boyfriend’s niece who died in a car accident in December of 2006. I just loved Courtney, she was so full of life and down to earth and I am so glad she climbed with me that beautiful day in August. I remember going to her wake and her mom and dad had put up all these pictures of our climb up Mt. Katahdin and they told me that she loved climbing with me that day and had mentioned it on several occasions. Truth be known, as I sit here crying, this is probably another reason for my addiction to Mt. Katahdin because every time I climb or think about that mountain, I think about Courtney.

Rest in peace Courtney, you were taking from us way too soon and thank you for being with me that day and making me feel good by saying your body hurt as much as mine. Even though there was no way your 13 year old body felt the way my 36 year old body did. I love you!

Essay #1

There it is when you drive to Millinocket, straight ahead in all its glory. It is big and majestic and it makes most people stop and take pictures. I am talking about Mt. Katahdin, Maine’s highest peak and the end of the Appalachian Trail (or start depending which way you go). I just love driving into town and seeing the Mountain, it takes my breath away. It was August of 2005 that I had my first climb up that beautiful mountain and I experienced several things that day… physical exhaustion to the point that it hurt just to get out of bed and go down a flight of stairs without wincing; being so in-tune with nature and the company that I was with, I didn’t want it to end; and an enormous amount of pride in accomplishing something I didn’t think I could do. It is because of these things that I have become addicted to climbing Mt. Katahdin.

One reason for my addiction is there is nothing comparable to what you body goes through when climbing Mt. Katahdin. Climbing and especially descending the mountain will make your body hurt in places you didn’t even know existed. Believe it or not, this feeling of pain is addicting to me. I love feeling that I have pushed my body to its greatest limits and for about a week after climbing, every step I take makes me wince but I know what caused the pain and it makes it all worth it.

Another reason for my addiction is the actual feeling you get from being outside in the middle of nowhere with people you truly enjoy. My first climb up was with my boyfriend Tony, his brother-in-law, Corey, and his niece, Courtney. Both Tony and Corey had climbed the mountain more times than they can remember, but it was mine and Courtney’s first time. It was wonderful being with someone that was experiencing the same things I was for the first time. The conversations, experiences and things you see are different every time. I have since climbed with my son, my mom and other friends and each time brings a unique bonding experience that can not be matched.

The last reason for my addiction is the sense of pride you feel when your climb is complete. I remember being on a jet ski in the middle of Smith Pond with Courtney two days after our climb and looking up at the mountain and both of us thinking we did that and as sore as we both were, we knew it was all worth it. We accomplished something that most people won’t even think of doing.

So, as spring nears, I am already thinking about my next climb up Mt. Katahdin this summer. I will be looking to feel that pain when I go down a flight of stairs, feeling that the real world is a million miles away and the sense of pride in climbing it all over again. Because no matter how many times I climb it, I always experience those same thrills I felt on that first climb in August of 2005 when my addiction to Mt. Katahdin started. And every time I drive into Millinocket and I see that mountain straight ahead, I think to myself, “I did that!”

Outro

So, as spring nears, I am already thinking about my next climb up Mt. Katahdin this summer. I will be looking to feel that pain when I go down a flight of stairs, feeling that the real world is a million miles away and the sense of pride in climbing it all over again. Because no matter how many times I climb it, I always experience those same thrills I felt on that first climb in August of 2005 when my addiction to Mt. Katahdin started. And every time I drive into Millinocket and I see that mountain straight ahead, I think to myself, “I did that!”

Revised Intro

There it is when you drive to Millinocket, straight ahead in all its glory. It is big and majestic and it makes most people stop and take pictures. I am talking about Mt. Katahdin, Maine’s highest peak and the end of the Appalachian Trail (or start depending which way you go). I just love driving into town and seeing the Mountain, it takes my breath away. It was August of 2005 that I had my first climb up that beautiful mountain and I experienced several things that day… physical exhaustion to the point that it hurt just to get out of bed or to go down a flight of stairs without wincing; being so in-tune with nature and the company that I was with, I didn’t want it to end; and an enormous amount of pride in accomplishing something I didn’t think I could do. It is because of these things that I have become addicted to climbing Mt. Katahdin.

Graf #8

I read the "Falling in Love" essay. I guess it caught my eye, being that it is almost Valentine's day and I am a sucker for love (who isn't). I thought the essay was well written and hit on all three points of why people fall out of love. Although I think it could have been more appropriately described as "three ways to destroy a relationship."

I was actually feeling her pain until she got to the selflishness part and then all my motherly instincts took over and I thought how could someone compete with a 6 year old, what is wrong with them, but then I realize that is something that comes with maturity and being a parent.

Overall I thought it was a good essay and I hope she finds love and learns from her mistakes.

Intro #2

Have you ever experienced physical exhaustion to the point that it hurt just to get out of bed or to go down a flight of stairs without wincing? Have you ever felt so in-tune with nature and the company that you are with, that you didn’t want it to end. Have you ever felt pride in accomplishing something that you never thought you could do? Well I experienced all of those things on my first climb up Mt. Katahdin and I am going to tell you all about that wonderful trip in August of 2005.

Intro #1

There it is when you drive to Millinocket, straight ahead in all its glory. It is big and majestic and it makes most people stop and take pictures. I am talking about Mt. Katahdin, Maine’s highest peak and the end of the Appalachian Trail (or start depending which way you go). I just love driving into town and seeing the Mountain, it kind of takes my breath away. It was 2 ½ years ago that I decided to climb it for the first time. I was nervous because I had never done anything like that before and I was also a little scared about whether or not I could do it. Well I did it and there were several things I learned about myself on that first climb up Katahdin.

I-Search Brainstorm

Preparing for a 10K Race…

I just started running last summer, can I even do it?
Should I start smaller, maybe run a 5K first…is that what most people do?
What are the steps in preparing?
Should I have new sneakers, is something recommended?
What type of clothing is best?
When do people typically start training?
Do you run more and more each day?
Is it time based…do I need to run at a certain pace?
Are there running groups in the area that help with this sort of training?
Where to start…should I get a book, surf the internet, find someone who has raced?
What are the registration deadlines?
How do you register for a race?
Do you have to raise money?
How do other people feel after they have finished a race for the first time?
How will I feel after my first race?
Will I look like a fool?
Will people be able to tell I have never done this before?
What if I have to walk some of it?

I love running, it is so addicting and I bet I am going to get a rush when I participate in my first race.

Graf #7 - Rewrite

We all know them, the half-empty, nothing ever goes right, poor me person. These people are hard to be around and they have a way of draining the life out of even the most positive of people. Well I hate to admit it, but my Mom is one of these people. I love my mom dearly but over the last several years she just seems to be getting more and more negative. She always assumes the worst and never sees the bright side to anything. The scary part for me is lately there are times I just don’t want to be around her…my own mom.

To look at my mom, you would think she had it all, but she is a negativist – negative about everything. I very rarely see my mom happy over anything and wonder if she might have some type of depression. She hates her job, hates her family (on most days), hates Maine, hates the cold, etc. Nothing is ever good enough, no matter how hard you try there is just no pleasing her. It seems like every time I talk to her she is always saying how she hates something or is mad at someone.

I finally told her that she has got to find something in life to make her happy or find out what about her life is making her so miserable and change it. Because pretty soon no one is going to want to be around her and that is very sad!

Graf #7

We all know them, the half-empty, nothing ever goes right, poor me person. These people are hard to be around and they have a way of draining the life out of even the most positive of people. Well I hate to admit it, but my Mom is one of these people. I love my mom dearly but over the last several years she just seems to be getting more and more negative. She always assumes the worst and never sees the bright side to anything. The scary part for me is lately there are times I just don’t want to be around her…my own mom.

To look at my mom, you would think she had it all. She has a wonderful husband of 30 years, a beautiful home, a healthy daughter and grandson, family and great friends. But, she is a negativist – negative about everything. Lately, I very rarely see my mom happy over anything and wonder if she might have some type of depression. She hates her job, hates her family (on most days), hates Maine, hates the cold, etc. Nothing is ever good enough, no matter how hard you try there is just no pleasing her. I wonder where did all this negativity come from and is the reason why I always try and be so positive. Whenever she gets in a really “negative” funk, I always try and point out the bright side. For example, recently she said, “I hate my job!” I responded by saying, “Hate your job, you work 3 days a week from 7am – 3pm; no weekends; if it is snowing, they don’t make you come in; they let you take weeks off at a time…what is to hate?” And she said, “Oh I don’t know Trisha, the people.”

I finally told her that she has got to find something in life to make her happy or find out what about her life is making her so miserable and change it. Because pretty soon no one is going to want to be around her and that is very sad!

Graf #6

The I-Search that stuck out to me the most was the one on weight loss. After reading the paper, I felt sorry for her. I’m not sure she went anywhere with the “weight loss” topic other than to say “weight loss” didn’t happen for her. I’m don’t think she learned anything that she didn’t already know…diet and exercise and the weight will come off eventually. I think she answered her questions on “Why I am writing,” but I don't think she found any real answers will help her with her goals. She is right, there is a mountain of information out there and not every “diet” will work for everyone. If I could tell her one thing, it would be that she didn’t put the weight on overnight and it is not going to come off overnight – find a program that works and fits her lifestyle and take it one day at a time.

Graf #5

An object that is important to me…that is a tough one. I have several people that are important to me (my son, my boyfriend, my mom, etc.), but objects, now that is tough. The one thing that I really love right now is my new coffeemaker. I’m not sure that I would normally classify it as important to me, but then I think about how I would feel if it broke and there was no coffee first thing in the morning…I’m sure I would think it was damn important then. First let me tell you that I am almost 40 and I never even had a cup of coffee until I was 33. So a lot of people find my coffee addiction a little weird. Now back to my wonderful coffeemaker. My boyfriend bought it for me in October, because he knew how badly I wanted one. It is a Keurig coffeemaker and it brews one cup of coffee at a time – the perfect cup of coffee every time! It takes “K-Cups.” K-cups are these little cup things (kind of looks like a dixie cup) and has coffee and a filter inside it. The maker has a water reservoir on the side (so it is always ready to go) and will make 3 different sizes of coffee, tea, cocoa (depending what K-Cup you put in). It is really simple to use, you open the top, put a K-Cup in and close the lid. The maker punches a hole in the top and bottom of the K-Cup. You press a button for which size and your coffee drips right into your cup. The best part is you can get coffee in every flavor imaginable: French Vanilla, Gingerbread, French Toast, Mocha Nut Fudge, German Chocolate Cake, Regular, Teas, etc. So my biggest decision in the morning is “Which flavor today?” I just love my coffeemaker and would be devastated if it broke, so I guess it is important!

Graf #4

I am a young 39 year-old mother of a 13 year-old son named Christopher. I am divorced and I have a wonderful boyfriend (seems kind of weird saying boyfriend at my age) named Tony. I have one cat named Pretty. I was born in Pasadena, California but have lived in Maine since I was six months old. Because of the fact that I wasn’t born here, my son and boyfriend insist that I am not a true Mainer. I completely disagree. I am a lifetime member with Weight Watchers – I lost over 50 pounds and have maintained my weight for over a year. I love LOUD rock music – all those classic rock and hair bands from the 80s… get me alone in my Jeep and my music is cranked. I love to travel – I have been to Scotland, Ireland, three cruises, and several places in the United States. My favorite place to go is somewhere warm and sunny or to a football stadium to see the Pats play. I am a huge New England Patriots fan and I love football. Sunday is my day to sit back and watch football and have a few beers (Miller Lite is my favorite). I love to shop and hang out with my girlfriends. I am extremely positive and will always try and find the bright side to things. One of my little quirks is that I get very excited, about what some may think are the littlest or silliest of things, like a new flavor of coffee, a new coffeemaker (by the way I LOVE my new coffeemaker…it is awesome), a new snack, or even a new ice cream, and when I get excited, I want to share my excitement over these little things with my friends and family - IMMEDIATELY.

Graf #3

My 13 Year Old Son's Bedroom Walls

Sitting on his bed and working from left to right...

• Beatles poster (displaying all their album covers)
• Mesh basketball hoop - currently holding two stuffed monkeys
• Def Leppard, Styx and Foreigner concert poster from last August
• A plastic bag from the same concert
• A New England Patriots pennant
• Simpson's poster
• (2) The Who framed posters detailing concerts from the early 1970s
• Clock (above the closet)
• M & M Racing Team Hat
• Coolidge Dogs poster (dogs playing poker)
• Tedy Bruschi poster - keychain hanging off tack of us on a roller coaster at Busch Gardens
• Abbey Road street sign above bedroom door
• Combination cork board/white board currently home to the following items:
  School letter with 3 Track and Field pins and 1 Cross Country pin
  $10.00 gift certificate to Hoyt’s Movie Theatre
  Christmas card from a friend
  A “Get Well” card
  A Halloween card
  Honors Festival Ribbon
  Don Fendler’s autograph
  Band/Chorus concert program from Spring 2007
  Starbase name tag (Rusty)
  Envelope of pictures taken during the Cross Country season
  Two dollar bill
  2007 Certificate for Cross Country
  5 dry erase markers
  13 Ribbons – (1) Cross Country; (6) Track for discus; and (6) Track for shot put
• 10 necklaces hanging from a tack
• Brewer Youth Football certificate
• Beatles Abbey Road Poster
• Framed needlepoint that hung in my bedroom when I was growing up, that reads:
  Sleep my child
  And peace
  Attend thee
  All through
  The Night

And on his windowsill sits:

• An ALF stuffed animal
• Baseball from the Portland Seadogs autographed by John Baldacci
• Autographed Foreigner CD
• Sunglasses
• Framed picture of the two of us

Wow...this is one weird teenager, where did he come from the sixties. What is up with all the Beatles stuff? And who ever heard of a 13 year old in this day and age idolizing The Who. Aren't kids these days into those other one namers, like Fergie and Usher. A Def Leppard concert - don't kids these days want to go see bands like Nickelback. ALF - how many people even remember that show from the 80s and where did he hear about it (he also has all 4 seasons of this show on DVD in his room). As retro as he is with his music and TV shows, he does seem to have some current interests in football and Nascar and he seems to like sports (and must be good) with all those ribbons hanging. He also seems a little sentimental - keeping old cards hanging on his wall, a picture of him and his mom and an old wall hanging. He sure does sound like quite the teenager!!

Graf #2

My Worst Teacher

The worst teacher I have ever had was actually last semester. Since I am an adult learner and doing the "college" thing much later in life than most people, I have a much different opinion of what a teacher needs to be and do than I did 25 years ago.

My thoughts on teaching...

First, I think a teacher should TEACH! When I am investing the time to come to class, do assignments, and leave work early to attend, I think they should at least try and teach me something. This teacher, who will remain anonymous beacuse the class was here at EMCC, never gave one lecture the whole semester. All she would do is have us read our textbooks and work in groups.

Second, I think anything that is done in class needs to be done for a purpose. Over eight classes were spent watching movies. Not educational shows, but actual movies and never once did she discuss with the class the purpose for watching them or what we were supposed to learn from watching them. I felt this was an absolute waste of my time! I can watch movies at home.

Third, I think the teacher should be knowledgeable about what they are teaching. There were several instances during a quiz when she would give a wrong answer. When it was pointed out that it was wrong by referring to actual information in the book, she would ask how many people got it wrong and then use the majority for her answer.

This class/teacher was very frustrating for me. I wanted to learn! I was excited to learn! I went to class 3 hours a week for 16 weeks and sadly I did not learn anything about the course I had signed up for. That is why she is the worst teacher I ever had...She didn't TEACH me anything. I am sure some of my classmates really enjoyed this class, there was no accountability to come to class (she never took attendance), you didn't have to complete assignments on the syllabus, you got to correct your own quizzes (which I know several people did the quiz while correcting it), and you got to watch movies. The only thing missing from this class was the popcorn.

In case you are wondering, I did receive an A for the class but I'm sure everyone did.