WHO LET THE PITS OUT?

It has been a few weeks since I took my pit bull Ahkela to the park. So, I ended up going to McLaren Park with a couple of my friends. It was funny to realize what a diverse group we were, three male men, two chihuahuas, and two pit bulls. Ahkela would bully the chihuahuas and the older pit bull would bully my dog. Once the older pit put mine in its place, she would continue to bully the chihuahuas all for herself. I thought it was entertaining to watch how dogs try to be the most dominant out of the pack. Overall, the mission of traveling through the park was to tire out our energetic companions. The mission was completed.

INTERNSHIP READINESS

Someone who is internship ready shows up on time unless there is an emergency. When you show up be open and ready to learn new things. Internship ready means you are aware of your surroundings and also yourself. Be prepared to make mistakes, but the important thing is how you take the feedback and the steps to fix it. It’s also important to stand out with your ideas and contributions in a group setting to show your enthusiasm for the work you’re producing.

During Module 3, I intend to demonstrate internship readiness by having no absences or being tardy. I’ll do my best not to second guess myself before I raise my hand to speak or while I’m raising my hand in class. I wish to contribute more during Friday feedback and volunteer more for public speaking activities.

To project internship readiness I’m going to change my routine and increase my energy. In the morning, I will set my alarm clock 20 minutes before I normally wake up to avoid getting a late start for work. This will also leave me more time to eat breakfast, which should increase my energy that I need for the day.

BAD JOB, GOOD JOB, IT'S ALL WORK.

The first time I put on a McDonald’s uniform I knew I was going to hate working for the company. Maybe it was because I knew the neighborhood it was in made me feel real uncomfortable. 16^th and Mission at the time was known for their gangs, drug dealers, and drug addicts. Knowing that I was surrounded by that type of environment, I guessed I would have to deal with them as the constituency. I was a Cashier Clerk so any problem would reach me first. This McDonald’s was full of drama when it came to the customers and the employees. The customers always had a complaint in an attempt to get free food or money back for food they have already eaten. The employees were always irritated because they felt they weren’t being treated fairly by our insensitive manager. I hated it so much because I was a sophomore in high school and this responsibility was taking up my whole weekend. It was mandatory though, for my parents weren’t trying to pay my way anymore. Five dollars a day wasn’t cutting it for me anyway. Although, you could say I gained valuable experience from all the negative things I saw and came across. I learned how to be unbelievably patient, deliver adequate customer service, and keep busy at all times.

Before I worked at McDonald’s I was part of a non-profit organization that tutored students who spoke English as a second language. It was a temporary job, but I enjoyed it. Since I’m a Spanish speaker I worked with Latin Americans who were new to the United Stated and were looking for new opportunities. I was amazed to find out some of these teenagers my age were starting a new life all on their own. They had crazy, personal stories that they shared with me and made me appreciate my own life more. Through these students I learned about different cultural backgrounds and different slang that is used in particular parts of Latin America. Surprisingly, I noticed the students learning from me too. There was definitely some progress in their understanding of English from the first day I met them through the first month of tutoring. It was a rewarding experience because I was connecting with them and they were learning with my help. Tutoring helped me to appreciate the people I work with, be on time, and be organized.

RIVERA'S TIME IS OUR TIME

Diego Rivera's Frozen Assets painting reminds of the phrase "the rich stay rich and the poor stay poor". For me, the top section showing the skyscrapers, represented a land of opportunity where supposedly anyone can make something out of nothing. The middle section with the guard watching over the sleeping people gave me a sense of overpowering control. The guard is acting as the government making sure the people who struggle are kept comfortable enough so they won't have the desire to climb the social ladder. The bottom section emulates the same government protecting the rich by securing their position on the social ladder through banks which protect their money. Even though the painting refers to the Great Depression during the 1930’s, I think it still applies in 2011. This Rivera painting relates to events currently running around the world, for example the Occupy Movement. Even though our time isn’t in as bad of shape like the 1930’s, there is still social inequality occurring. Do not forget the Oscar Grant case in which his murderer, a police department official, only got a maximum of three years and was out in one and a half, after shooting and killing a handcuffed, defenseless, urban male. Michael Vick, an NFL football player, got the same sentence for dog fighting. If that isn’t recognized as social inequality then I don’t know what is. These kind of situations take place right in our face but are inevitable because a position of power and money control all.

What Inspires?

I gain most inspiration from older people that tell me their personal experiences. So personal that the only reason they tell me is to specifically teach me a life lesson. This way I have the option to learn the easy way or the hard way.  Some stories I heard have ended with a righteous path to success and others, unfortunately, have been cut short with continuous trips to prison or death. The message I receive from all these experiences is to have a focus on what my heart really wants in life, pursue it and achieve it. I also have to clearly realize the road to my success will be a row full of obstacles to overcome. The most inspiring auto biography I heard so far came from an older man, about 35, named Kuma. He shared with me that he had been in and out of incarceration since the age of 11. It took him until the age of 30 to realize it was finally time to straighten out his life. After his last stay in San Quentin Penitentiary, which lasted 5 years, he got his first job working for Goodwill Industries. Kuma expressed to me how blessed he felt to have the chance to start over the right way after everything he has done to himself. The one thing he wanted me to understand was that there was nothing better than freedom and I should do my best not to lose it. I captured that point and noticed the incredible drive Kuma obviously has, to be able to pick himself up when he reached rock bottom. In my life, I try to incorporate consistency and quality for a better outcome, when trying to reach my goals. I feel fortunate when I understand the perspective of a more mature person because it is similar to predicting and controlling the future for my own choices.  

Community Essay Pre-Writing Prompt

I can strongly say I'm familiar with the dog park community. The members of the community involve a diverse group of people and dogs. I have a one year and eight month old, female pit bull, named Ahkela, and training her to be friendly in public is vital when interacting with these diverse groups. If my dog were to approach another one aggressively, then a fight could break out between the two animals. That would also leave a bad impression between owners. Other than a situation like that occurring, most owners I have encountered seem open minded and show care for their pet. Even if you don't have a dog you are welcome at the dog park. Sometimes, I see couples asking about the different breeds or just petting the different kinds they're attracted to. There are Pit Bulls, Dobermans, Huskies, Bulldogs, Poodles, Beagles, Rottweilers, Golden Retrievers, and it keeps going. My favorite thing to notice out of the various types is their attitude, it's funny how dogs carry themselves, almost like humans. 

Personal Reflection During Module 1

PLUS:

- I turned in all homework assignments.

- Until now, I have been getting along with the staff and my colleagues.

- I earned an award for my Business Communications class.

- I earned first place for the Elevator Pitch assignment in Business Communications class.

- I earned a decent grade for my Tech mid term.

- I have become more comfortable speaking in front of a group.

DELTA:

- I earned an infraction for being late once.

- I need to maintain better health.

- I need to complete all homework the night before school.

- I need to get the required hours of sleep every night.

- I should read an assigned chapter, more than once.

- I should take the practice quizzes, more than once.

- I must practice the art of small talk.

- I need to be better prepared before a presentation.

What neighborhood are you from?

The neighborhood you are raised in can definitely influence you if you let it. It is easy to get influenced because many argue that their neighborhood is all they know, this could influence you in a negative or positive way. For me, I directed towards a positive manner. I grew up in the Fillmore District between the ages of six and twenty-one, so I witnessed how raw it was before it's gentrification occurred. If you were to walk on Divisadero and Grove Street today you would never guess all of the illegal activity that use to take place. I witnessed robberies, people getting jumped, drive bys in parking lots, and narcotics being sold daily. If you weren’t from the neighborhood and you walked through, you were going to get harassed about it. Now it looks like the club scene with people out wining and dining. There are so many police cars patrolling the area that make me feel like I'm the suspicious looking character in my own neighborhood. I believe the openings of new businesses, especially clubs, caused gentrification. The rent started to increase rapidly moving out all of my long time neighbors and even my own family. When the changes first started to take place it frustrated some residents and they reacted violently. Suddenly I started noticing flyers informing residents of the area that there have been vicious attacks and robberies taking place at night and to be aware. I knew that meant some long time residents were releasing all their frustration on the new, wealthier, residents. Even though gentrification isn’t fair to me, it appears as an example of life, sometimes you just have to accept it and move on. I believe I am who I am because of my neighborhood. The nature of my neighborhood taught me to move on my toes and always be aware of my surroundings.

I BLAME YOU

It seems companies are exacerbating the opportunity divide by giving people in debt a small window to crawl through, so to speak. These companies tell you there is a way out of debt without the customer realizing how much you will end up paying. Most people experiencing poverty don't notice how much income they will spend getting out of debt due to the interest percentage. Another way customers are getting victimized is by having to pay a higher interest rate than someone who is not in poverty.

I understand that these companies are taking advantage of people in poverty, but I also understand these companies didn't place you in debt to begin with. I believe it is the individuals responsibility to foresee the consequences of their financial spending. Perhaps, spending more time in cogitation would help to create a broader picture for any situation. The reason I stand behind this opinion is my family went through poverty for most of my life and never got into debt. It was four of us living in an apartment studio with my parents earning minimum wage. The key to avoid debt is to cut out any unnecessary expenses. I know this could be hard for mothers especially because they have a harder time saying no to their children, when it comes to purchasing items. If my family could get through it any family can.

Now, there are a lot of free resources I have discovered including food pantries, free furniture give aways, food stamps, government money, and various programs that help you find free schooling or work. With all these connections, there is almost no excuse not to pull yourself out of a slump. I know pride may be an issue, but you have to realize what is more important.

BIOGRAPHY

My full name is Henry Albert Acevedo; I was born in the year 1989 becoming an original of San Francisco. Sometimes when people first meet me they say I don’t look like a Henry. I always thought that was odd but I have experienced it more than once. I’m the type to observe before I move and think before I speak. Being raised in my Salvadorian home meant that there was almost no room for error in what ever you were trying to accomplish. This tough love lead me down a rocky road at first, then I started to find motivation through appreciating lessons learned from other peoples’ experiences. Of course I have my own; even so, engaging in a conversation with people in unique situations or with interesting pasts opens your eyes and sharpens your peripherals. This is the type of community I love to be a part of, a large group of people that stay in touch and really concern themselves with everyone else around them. With great support, you can let your passion lead you in to a successful career for the future. Mine would include computer hardware simply for the fact that it urges me to learn more about it. I want to become computer savvy to benefit myself and the people close to me. As I mature I want to become more approachable, engaging, understanding, and patient. My motto in life is “Live and Let Live”, which for me translates to mind your business and everyone else will mind theirs.

Irish vs. British

During 1972 a bloody massacre occurred in Northern Ireland by British troops towards civilians. They opened fire during a Catholic civil rights march murdering a total of fourteen people. Decades passed on and none of the affected families had received compensation. The lawyers representing these families are demanding compensation. Now the British Ministry of Defense has replied agreeing to resolve the compensation problem. The issue is not all families want compensation. They would rather have justice implying the soldiers that commited the murders to be prosecuted. “Bloody Sunday” another phrase for the 1972 massacre, is known to be the fuel for the 30 years of violence between Irish and British forces. Even the name of where the incident occurred is being disputed. Irish nationalist call it Derry whereas British unionist call it Londonderry. The three- decade period after the 1972 massacre claimed over 3,000 lives.

I agree with these victims' families. If the British soldiers responsible for this are still breathing they should be prosecuted. Not only that, I believe the victims' families should also get compensation. There isn't any manner of bringing a deceased loved one back, so British government should do all in their power instead of attempting to buy an exit out of this issue. This article indicates the British government had no sympathy or remorse for this massacre, by not taking a plan of resolution in 1972. My reaction to this effect would be to create my own justice. It seems that there is no government like the U.S. government. Being part of any other government would probably turn me in to a guerilla rebel. Acknowledging history like this has me appreciating the freedom, opportunities, and justice the United States delivers. Even though I feel there should be more justice in America.

This is the article about the Irish marchers massacred by the British troops and now the families are trying to reach justice still after 30 years.

(http://www.cnn.com/2011/09/22/world/europe/ireland-uk-compensation/index.html?hpt=wo_c2)

G-HOUSE

I went to Galileo Academy of Science and Technology in San Francisco. The school is located by the pier and I am glad it is over. I felt the teachers there were just trying to get through their day making learning for us dull. I believe I lost interest after sophomore year because I honestly didn't have to put in much effort to gain high scores. You could say public schools in San Francisco are not very well maintained or thought of. The only good thing I have to say is that all my friends I had met growing up were attending the school. That was luck because this city does not place you by neighborhood but by high scores and random selection almost. My first two years I gave it my best although I can't say the same for my last two years. Bored and tired of school I began cutting classes causing me to fall behind in credits. Forcefully I started attending night school twice a week to get back on track. In the end I still graduated on time so I must admit it was all worth it.

Where's your English From?

I would have to say that my english comes from my culture growing up, my friends, parents, teachers and co-workers in the work place. My friends, and culture growing up, I think, mostly influenced the way I speak out of a professional setting. When I was about 5 or 6 my parents were already letting me go outside on my own to play with the other children, my age, that lived in the neighborhood. So that allowed us kids at a young age to develop our own lingo in which we did things and communicated with each other. Plus my parents speak very little english so I never had anyone in the home correcting mine. I admit I was saying cuss words at a young age because I had no barrier for the same reason that my parents weren't aware what they were in english, at first. Teachers helped me clear that up real quick though when i started getting disciplined for my bad mouth. With my friends I developed a lingo gathered from local neighborhood slang and inside jokes from situations occured. Instead of "you feel me?'' we say "ya feh meh?" or "you know what im saying?" is "yadada?". Yes, I still use that term with certain company. I still have to watch what i say though in a professional setting because the slang could slip out of me.

Thankfully I realized how to speak proper english by paying attention to essay writing. The format I learned was very broken down and to keep the reader interested I tried to use many adjectives and variety of words to explain certain things so it wouldn't feel like repetitive reading. Now I know how to input two ways of speaking english in the proper setting.