Final Class Blog

The advice I would give someone in writing their first scientific paper is to gain an understanding what a scientific paper consist of. Listen and follow directions closely. I would also tell them to get a better understanding on what type of paper they are writing(informative, persuasive). I would tell them to listen to their peers and take their advice on what needs to be changed in their paper. I can't think of any improvements that I need towards my writing, but I know I do need some improvements. I have trouble getting started when I have to write something; but when I get started I am alright. I also think I procrastinate a lot when it comes to me writing a paper. I think If I get over those thing I will be alright. I think writing in the discussion weekly helps me with improving my writing skills. I have enjoyed this class and my classmates and I wish everyone good luck in future classes. I also wish everyone good luck with their careers.

Feelings About Writing

When I first took an Composition class at Louisiana Tech University, I hated it. We had to turn in a paper every class meeting. I did not like writing because I thought the professors was so hard on us. One of my professors had an doctorate in English, everything had to be perfect. After taking the class and learning what I was doing wrong in writing my papers, I began to like it. I used to be so nervous when I had a paper to do. When I took the Composition I and realized I had some writing to to those same feelings came over me again. I was so nervous and stressed out. On everything I turned in, I received good grades and compliments on them. Coming into composition II I already knew I had some writing to do. It was overwhelming at first, because I can never get over being nervous about writing. I think what was overwhelming was trying to put the paper together; but after I got started I was less stressed. After finishing the paper I feel accomplished. I don't feel so terrible about writing now that I learned many different things from Louisiana Tech and Kaplan. In Composition I, I wrote a paper on Childhood Obesity, I wish I could write an persuasive paper on the subject.

Writing

The only issue I have with writing is coming up with something to write, or how to start my paper. I have always had this problem. I diagnosed myself with writer's block. I also think I procrastinate when I am supposed to be writing. As far as the peer responses, I like them. I am willing to accept any advice and help I can get to create a good paper. I have no problem with whatever response I receive; if they do not like what I wrote, I will not get mad. I know that they are only trying to help me create a better paper. I appreciate any type of feedback on anything I am working on. So far as continuing the blog after I finish the class, I think I will. I enjoy the blog; I find it relaxing and I can be myself.

Under the weather

I have been sick with a head cold all week. I feel real terrible. My nose is stopped up throat and head is hurting, can't smell or taste anything. I have still been going to work all week, and doing all of my other daily activities such as house work, dealing with kids and school. I just saw my cardiologist last Wednesday, I had to wear a holter moniter. They are trying to see why I am having palpatations and why I having abnormal heart arrithmyas. It has been worse since I have been sick with this cold. My head is killing me. After I finish work and whatever else I have to do I go to bed. The reason I am up know is because I have slept half of the day. I an feeling bad again so I am going to take something and go back to bed. I need to call by doctor and let him prescribe me something instead of taking over the counter medication. For some reason, I think that this over the counter medication is causing me to have more palpatations. I may be wrong, but it bettter to be safe than sorry.

Stressed

The last six weeks I have been dealing with trying to get my kids situated for school. They start school August 20 ( I can't wait). My son is in the 12th grade (Thank You God), and my daughter is in the 4th grade. They need so much for school, so I have to start early. My son registered for school Monday, he had to have his $15 school fee then. He also had an doctor's appoint Monday. We went to the school at 8:30a.m. so he can register, well he never turned in his math book; so we had to go all the way back home to get it. On top of that he had to pay a late fee. When I took him to his doctor's appointment, he and the doctor was whispering about something and neither one would tell me what they was talking about. I believe they was talking about the S word. I have to take my daughter to the dentist next Monday to get fillings. We went two weeks ago to get them cleaned and she had a loose tooth that was hanging on by piece of her gum; and she threw a fit and wouldn't let the dentist pull it. The dentist was concerned that her gum would get infected. She let my dad pull it last weekend. For school I have to buy uniforms(shirts and pants) for both of them. They need shoes,socks, underwear, t-shirts, school supplies. The supply list is ridiculous for my daughter. There is about 20 items on the list and they need 2 or 3 of each item. I have most of the supplies except the lysol and things like that. I have all of their uniforms except shirts for my son. My daughter have shoes, and I just ordered my son some today. My son is 17 years old, 6ft 3inches and wears a size 14 shoe. Well he was wearing a size 14 last year; hope the shoes I ordered fit; because we haven't measured his foot. I do not receive any child support, so I am purchasing all of this myself. It is hard but I manage to do it. Now I am waiting on school to start to see what supplies my son will need. He is taking Agriculture, and wood shop classes. He have 4 classes like that and he will need a lot of supplies other than pen and paper. He has taken some classes like this before that is the reason I know. The other thing I know is that there is a $25 fee for each of those 4 classes like that. Then there's a $5 fee for the other 2 classes. That is the other thing He only have 6 classes this school year ( there is 7 periods). How in the world is he going to get home everyday if he gets out of school early? He have his license, we went to get those last week. Now he is going to want to use my car daily to go to school. He needs a car and I need a million dollars. I believe after school starts for them my stress level will go down. After all of that I have to find time to do my school work, cook, and clean. I was supposed to go see my cardiologist last week to let them put a Holster belt on me. I didn't make that appointment. I will go next week after completing unit 6 project.

Education

I think getting my education have a huge impact on my life. I am 35 years old and still trying to get an education. The reason I am in school at this age is to create a better life for my children and myself. I have been in school for a while now. I graduated in 1993, and had a baby 3 moths after graduation; so I started school later. I first enrolled in school in 1994. It was a huge challenge for me trying to go to school and raise a baby. I didn't have a car and I had to walk my son to daycare and then I walked to school. I was having so many problems it was difficult for me to concentrate on my work. My grades was slipping so I just decided to sit out. I went back to school in 2005. I was doing great; my grades was good. Then I ran into problems with trying to pay for my education. At the school I exceeded the amount of hours for financial aid. I just started taking in class per quarter so I can afford to pay for it. I was doing good for a while until I had to unexpectedly move out of the home i was renting. I paid rent faithfully every month and the land lord wasn't paying note on the house. She lost the house so I had to move. We lived from house to house for about 3 weeks. I finally moved into an extremely expensive apartment. I couldn't afford to pay for school; so I had to sit out of school again. Now I am here at Kaplan and I an getting financial aid and student loans. I also have time to work and go to school. I am doing ok now, but with an education I can do better. I enjoy my job but I don't make enough.

Plagiarism

Plagiarism is really serious. I wonder if it is considered plagiarism when a elementary student copy something from a book word from word. My daughter was in the third grade last year and she had to do an social studies project. She copied the information from the book word from word, and I fussed at her for doing it and told her it was plagiarism. She looked at me and asked 'What is that?" That's when I realized that she didn't know anything about it nor the teacher never explained to them what plagiarism is. In my opinion, they shouldn't be held accountable for something that they have no knowledge of: especially if it is not taught to them yet. I wasn't sure if they would get in trouble for writing it word for word, so I had her to write it over. The instructions for the social studies project didn't say anything about not copying the information from word to word.

Change of topic

Hello
I just decided to change my topic to asthma in children. I was struggling with the other two topics that I previously chose, but this topic just hit me all of a sudden. My other two topic s was preventing teen pregnancy and fetal alcohol syndrome. Asthma in children hit close to home too, my daughter has asthma. You talk about scary it is real scary. Her asthma is controlled now. She takes so much medicine to keep it under control. She takes less now than she used to. Most of the medicine has steroids in it. She was a tiny baby, and all of a sudden she just blew up; now she's over weight. I think the steroids in the medicine has caused a lot of the weight gain, and the rest is her appetite. She's had the flu twice in her life and you talk about scary. She had it once when she was 1 year old and again last year at the age of 9. Last year was really scary for me because the doctor told me it was the swine flu. I never left her side. She has never had pneumonia thank God. She had the pneumonia vaccine. She had flu and the swine flu vaccine earlier this year. She seems to be doing fine, she is getting burned out on taking the medication everyday. I tell her it is a necessity not a choice.