Define Patriotism

Patriotism is very difficult to give only one definition because it has so many. When looking up definitions of patriotism I found a quote from Socrates, "patriotism does not require one to agree with everything that his country does and would actually promote analytical questioning in a quest to make the country the best it possibly can be." Along with this definition, I found a more contemporary meaning that came about it the 19th century, being patriotic was now linked to nationalism. Nationalism is defined as, "and ideology, a sentiment , a form of culture , or a social movement that focuses on the nation." There is no one definition for patriotism, every person has a different definition for it that personally relates to themselves.

Free Write | 9/29/08

I have this friend, his name is Brent. He is my friend, though I don't really know why he is. Brent has the characteristics that most people would typically steer-clear of, myself included. He is full of arrogance! He thinks he is the most smooth talker on this earth and only speaks about himself. Just writing about Brent brings up feelings of sadness. I don't want to be speaking badly about him behind his back, but this is the personality of Brent. I guess it is my own fault for having a friend that portrays a less than satisfactory persona; but deep down I know that his narcissism is a big front he puts up. I guess that's why we're still friends, I've seen him cry once, so I know he's not always the tough guy. I think that Brent and I will be friends for a very long time, maybe he will grow out of this stage evemtually.

How to Eat an Orange

In order to eat an orange, you must first remove the peel. You can do this a number of ways, you can use a knife to score the peel; or you can dig your fingernail into it. Once you score the peel you can slip your fingers underneath to begin pulling it away from the fruit. Discard the peel. After the fruit is exposed, you can pull the orange apart in perfectly bite-sized sections and enjoy.

Operating Systems

I personally have not hopped onto the Mac bandwagon yet, I use windows. I have always used Windows and rarely messed around on a Mac until this year. I like sticking with what I know, that is why I use Windows. Although, I do want to learn Mac OS as well as I know my Windows.

Free Write 9/17/08

My brother has an odd sense of humor. In fact, it is gross what he finds funny. He likes to tell stories in great detail about subjects that are a little inappropriate. I don't know if they are necessarily inappropriate but they are topics that people don't casually discuss. The worst part is, when he is telling these stories, or jokes, he laughs histerically throughout his dialogue. When trying to hear what he is saying over all of his laughter I cannot ever keep up with what he is trying to convey. Every time he tries to be funny, he is the only one laughing, while leaving every one else with a massive headache.

WSUV Events

There are many events held at WSUV, but many of them are during classes. It seems every time that I look at the upcoming events and find some that I would like to attend; I am unable to go due to the scheduling. I'm sure that I am not the only student who feels this way, something has to be done. I understand that they try to fit in with everyone's schedule; for me it is a different situation, being that I live in Portland. Due to my commute, it is very difficult for me to make it out to campus and finding time between, before, and after my classes. I hope that others are in the same position as myself, maybe there will be a change in scheduling with the voices of others heard.

9/15/08 Free Write

I have had many memorable meals in my day, but one particular meal I had last March was especially wonderful. I was on a road trip through California with my boyfriend, who is from San Jose. We had made reservations to eat at this restaurant where he had used to work. It was a very nice restaurant and very spendy. Joe, my boyfriend, didn't think anyone working there would remember him; but they did. We enjoyed one of the best meals I have ever eaten, and expecting to pay a lot for it. After we were finished eating the waiter brings the check over, it was only $20!!! We couldn't believe it, the waiter had discounted over $50 for us! We were so thankful for such a good meal that didn't break the bank; this was a very memorable night because I know that I will probably never get that lucky at a restaurant again. :)

9/10 Free Write

I was thinking about humans and how our brains work. I have been curious to find out if dogs' brains work similarly to humans by means of the equalibrium? I am not scientist, but I would like to conduct some tests to find out. I had my dog, Snickers, perform some simple tests to see how similar they are to humans. I played with him for awhile and then took the ball we were playing fetch with away, in order to see his emotion. I found nothing. He did want the ball, but when I began to pet him it seemed as though he didn't even remember us playing fetch; he was perfectly content. It seems that without the ball he was fine, just as long as he was getting a little attention he didn't mind one bit. My results concluded that as long as love and attention is given, dogs and humans are content.

Free Write 9/8/08

When I was 15 my dad decided to take my mom, sister and I on a month long vacation. This seemed fun, until I found out that the purpose of the trip was to see every National Park in the West. It seemed as though it was the longest and slowest trip of my life, because at the time I wasn't old enough to respect the scenery and the point of the trip. Now, as I look back on the trip as an adult I realize the importance of that family vacation. I only wish that my parents had waited a few years to take us on this trip, so we could've respected and admired the beautiful scenery all around us. Now, I would really like to go back to Yellowstone, see the Red Woods and Sequoias and Glacier National Park. I would love for my parents and sister to be there with me. Family vacations are so important, but it's funny that you don't realize the importance of the trip until after it is over with.

Introduction

My name is Christie Hougham, I am currently a senior at WSUV majoring in DTC, though I love areas of Fine Arts (especially painting). As far as my writing history, it has been a bumpy road. English has always been a difficult area of study for me. I have always had issues with grammar. I am excited for this class because I am not used to writing short and concise works. I think that this class will be very beneficial in improving my writing skills because I can concentrate on a smaller amount of text, rather than a large essay.