In the fall of 1998 I started my freshman year at Winnsboro High. Not only was it my first day as a freshman, it was my first time to set foot in a public school. I had every emotion racing through my body as I walked through the front doors. Having been forewarned by my friends of all the negative aspects of public school, I started the year with a pessimistic attitude.
I battled my way through the crowded halls to get from one class to the next. At the beginning of every class it never failed that someone would ask me, "Where did you used to go to school?" I would quietly reply, so others would not hear, "I have been home schooled and privet schooled all of my life."
Overhearing my conversation about my previous schooling, a girl in the back of my algebra class said aloud, "How can you get from home school to high school without going to some type of extra summer school? She also said I couldn’t possibly know the same material as she. Before I could defend myself, she told me I would never be able to keep up with the class, and I would not maintain the good grades as she did.
From then on I studied day and night to keep my grades good. No longer was an 87 good enough for me. I needed to prove, not only to my classmates, but also to myself that I was capable of doing well in school. I compared my grades to hers. If I were to slip as far as five points behind her on a grade, I considered myself failing. I worked hard for my grades, though it seemed to come with ease for the others.
I later learned that I enjoyed school. The grades were not as important as having the opportunity to go to public school, something the other students had taken for granted. My grades were high and I did not have to struggle to maintain them. I looked forward to every day at school, and every night at school activities.
By my sophomore year I learned that I had done so much work, that I only lacked 7 credits in order for me to graduate as a senior the following year. I was then asked if I would like to be a three-year graduate.
Through the guidance of a counselor, I went to Northeast Texas Community College to take my needed 7 credits that summer. On the time I had turned in the certificates of completion of my 7 needed credits, I learned one had slipped through the files leaving me short one credit to becoming a senior. Although there was a glitch in the information the counselor gave me, I was still able to be a three-year graduate.
I graduated that year classified as a junior and because of that I was not recognized as one of the top in my class. A week after graduation we were asked to give a short speech to thank anyone who has been a part of our success. The graduates first thought of only thinking their parents and families for support.
As I began my speech, I first thought of only one person, which was my best friend Bethany Spencer. She made me want to try harder. She would always make me feel like I could improve on something. I thanked her for standing up in the back of my algebra class that one morning and saying what she had.
I wrote this January 31, 2002, It is a true story- I later became good friends with the girl but I changed her name in my paper.
Monday, March 12, 2012
The Reality of A dream
Feb 12, 2002
The Reality of A Dream
Every young child holds some kind of dream in their pocket. Whether they dream of becoming a super hero, an astronaut, or a millionaire, their dreams are what they live for. As a young boy, Earl Robinson had a dream. Like many others, his dream was to become a millionaire. This seemed likely to be a pretty elusive dream and one not apt to become a reality for a poor farm boy. Many times throughout the years, Earl was told that he would never amount to anything. His life became a struggle to reach his dream and to prove to himself and others that he could achieve what he wanted.
Earl lived with his mother and stepfather on a sharecropper farm in a small Mississippi town. He ran way from home by the age of 14 and left school before he could complete the seventh grade. He found work on a nearby farm for fifty cents a day plus room and board. Knowing where he was and that he was okay, his mother did not attempt to bring him back home. He and his stepfather did not get along, and his mother had younger children to raise.
Earl lied about his age to enlist in the Navy during World War II. He served in the Navy for almost three years as a welder. When discharged, he and a thousand others went to the Houston, Texas shipyards in search of a welding career. Because of the tremendous number of young men looking for welding jobs, available jobs were swept up rapidly, and most of the recently released naval men found themselves standing in the unemployment lines wondering where and if they would find work.
Earl later said in an interview for a Lewisville newspaper, “ It was obvious I could have starved while waiting for a job as a welder.” He soon found a job cutting window screens for sixty-six cents an hour. He knew he could have gotten more money from unemployment than with his screen job, but by getting a job, Earl was on the road to the realization of his dream.
Shortly after he started working for the screen business, a friend asked Earl how much money it would take to start up a screen business of his own. Earl thought two thousand dollars would be enough; so his friend loaned him the money. The company did well, and Earl was able to repay his friend the original loan plus an additional eight hundred dollars within only a few months. His screen business grew rapidly, and Earl made the choice to sell it and move his family to San Antonio where he felt a better opportunity was available for him.
San Antonio turned out to be simply a stepping stone in Earl's career. He and his family spent only one year there. During that time, Earl met and quickly became friends with Joe Fotasjek of Skotty Aluminum Products in Irving, Texas. In 1960, Earl moved his family to Irving and worked with Joe for a few years. However, even though their companies were basically rivals, Earl and Joe remained good friends until Earl's death.
In 1964, Earl opened another aluminum window and screen business in Lewisville, Texas. His business, known as Krestmark Industries, was opened with a silent partner. Roger Laubach was supportive of the business with money, but he left all business decisions strictly in Earl's hands. The two partners had an agreement that if either of them wanted to sell their share of the business, the other partner would have first chance to make the purchase.
Krestmark started out small like the first screen business in Houston had, but it grew rapidly over the passing years. Because of Krestmark's success, its partners were approached by Michigan General Corporation to purchase the business. Earl was not interested in selling the business, but the money offered by Michigan General was too tempting for Roger, and he sold them his half of Krestmark. Due to the partners' previous agreement, Earl took the matter to court where he won the right to have the entire business.
Michigan General Corporation still wanted to own Krestmark. Earl made the decision to sell Krestmark with the agreement that he be allowed total control running the business as its President, and he would receive a hefty salary plus business expenses. The Board of Directors of Michigan General Corporation was not pleased about the agreement, but it was their only way of acquiring Krestmark. It was a purchase they were anxious to make, and as it turned out, it was a good decision on their part since Krestmark's growth and stability provided them with a strong corporation even though many of their other companies were not making money.
Personally, Earl purchased ten acres of land across the street from the overly crowded Krestmark building and built a new building on it that took up five of the ten acres. As President of Krestmark, he moved the business into his building and charged Krestmark approximately $36,000 rent per month. Krestmark was also responsible for maintenance and all property taxes on the building.
Earl also owned his own airplane and rented it to Krestmark to be used to transport him on business trips. As the company continued to expand, his original plane was sold and a larger one purchased. His last plane required a more experienced pilot than Earl; so Krestmark hired one, but the plane continued to be used exclusively by Earl.
Planning to retire in the future, Earl purchased a nine thousand acre ranch in Brackettville, Texas. He enjoyed entertaining business associates there and was able to bill Krestmark for the cost of his entertaining. At this point in his life, Earl was living his dream of being a millionaire, and he had assets in the multimillion-dollar range.
Earl helped Michigan General Corporation out financially in a personal way also. When the corporation needed a bank loan, the board of directors approached the bank that Earl had been using for years but were denied the loan they applied for. The bank agreed to the huge loan amount only if Earl was willing to cosign as a guarantee that the bank would be repaid. Although the loan was accepted on the bank's terms, the college educated men who made up the board of directors were highly offended that an uneducated man such as Earl could get a loan easier than any of them could.
Prior to his death in October of 1978, Earl re-negotiated his contract with Michigan General Corporation. In his last contract with them, it was agreed that they would continue to pay him for advice about running the company even after he retired. This once poor farm boy had never quit dreaming. He constantly looked toward the future and kept dreaming. He was able to live his life in a way that he saw the reality of his dream to become a millionaire. His tombstone reads, "He loved doing what others said he couldn't."
This Man is My Grandfather.
The Reality of A Dream
Every young child holds some kind of dream in their pocket. Whether they dream of becoming a super hero, an astronaut, or a millionaire, their dreams are what they live for. As a young boy, Earl Robinson had a dream. Like many others, his dream was to become a millionaire. This seemed likely to be a pretty elusive dream and one not apt to become a reality for a poor farm boy. Many times throughout the years, Earl was told that he would never amount to anything. His life became a struggle to reach his dream and to prove to himself and others that he could achieve what he wanted.
Earl lived with his mother and stepfather on a sharecropper farm in a small Mississippi town. He ran way from home by the age of 14 and left school before he could complete the seventh grade. He found work on a nearby farm for fifty cents a day plus room and board. Knowing where he was and that he was okay, his mother did not attempt to bring him back home. He and his stepfather did not get along, and his mother had younger children to raise.
Earl lied about his age to enlist in the Navy during World War II. He served in the Navy for almost three years as a welder. When discharged, he and a thousand others went to the Houston, Texas shipyards in search of a welding career. Because of the tremendous number of young men looking for welding jobs, available jobs were swept up rapidly, and most of the recently released naval men found themselves standing in the unemployment lines wondering where and if they would find work.
Earl later said in an interview for a Lewisville newspaper, “ It was obvious I could have starved while waiting for a job as a welder.” He soon found a job cutting window screens for sixty-six cents an hour. He knew he could have gotten more money from unemployment than with his screen job, but by getting a job, Earl was on the road to the realization of his dream.
Shortly after he started working for the screen business, a friend asked Earl how much money it would take to start up a screen business of his own. Earl thought two thousand dollars would be enough; so his friend loaned him the money. The company did well, and Earl was able to repay his friend the original loan plus an additional eight hundred dollars within only a few months. His screen business grew rapidly, and Earl made the choice to sell it and move his family to San Antonio where he felt a better opportunity was available for him.
San Antonio turned out to be simply a stepping stone in Earl's career. He and his family spent only one year there. During that time, Earl met and quickly became friends with Joe Fotasjek of Skotty Aluminum Products in Irving, Texas. In 1960, Earl moved his family to Irving and worked with Joe for a few years. However, even though their companies were basically rivals, Earl and Joe remained good friends until Earl's death.
In 1964, Earl opened another aluminum window and screen business in Lewisville, Texas. His business, known as Krestmark Industries, was opened with a silent partner. Roger Laubach was supportive of the business with money, but he left all business decisions strictly in Earl's hands. The two partners had an agreement that if either of them wanted to sell their share of the business, the other partner would have first chance to make the purchase.
Krestmark started out small like the first screen business in Houston had, but it grew rapidly over the passing years. Because of Krestmark's success, its partners were approached by Michigan General Corporation to purchase the business. Earl was not interested in selling the business, but the money offered by Michigan General was too tempting for Roger, and he sold them his half of Krestmark. Due to the partners' previous agreement, Earl took the matter to court where he won the right to have the entire business.
Michigan General Corporation still wanted to own Krestmark. Earl made the decision to sell Krestmark with the agreement that he be allowed total control running the business as its President, and he would receive a hefty salary plus business expenses. The Board of Directors of Michigan General Corporation was not pleased about the agreement, but it was their only way of acquiring Krestmark. It was a purchase they were anxious to make, and as it turned out, it was a good decision on their part since Krestmark's growth and stability provided them with a strong corporation even though many of their other companies were not making money.
Personally, Earl purchased ten acres of land across the street from the overly crowded Krestmark building and built a new building on it that took up five of the ten acres. As President of Krestmark, he moved the business into his building and charged Krestmark approximately $36,000 rent per month. Krestmark was also responsible for maintenance and all property taxes on the building.
Earl also owned his own airplane and rented it to Krestmark to be used to transport him on business trips. As the company continued to expand, his original plane was sold and a larger one purchased. His last plane required a more experienced pilot than Earl; so Krestmark hired one, but the plane continued to be used exclusively by Earl.
Planning to retire in the future, Earl purchased a nine thousand acre ranch in Brackettville, Texas. He enjoyed entertaining business associates there and was able to bill Krestmark for the cost of his entertaining. At this point in his life, Earl was living his dream of being a millionaire, and he had assets in the multimillion-dollar range.
Earl helped Michigan General Corporation out financially in a personal way also. When the corporation needed a bank loan, the board of directors approached the bank that Earl had been using for years but were denied the loan they applied for. The bank agreed to the huge loan amount only if Earl was willing to cosign as a guarantee that the bank would be repaid. Although the loan was accepted on the bank's terms, the college educated men who made up the board of directors were highly offended that an uneducated man such as Earl could get a loan easier than any of them could.
Prior to his death in October of 1978, Earl re-negotiated his contract with Michigan General Corporation. In his last contract with them, it was agreed that they would continue to pay him for advice about running the company even after he retired. This once poor farm boy had never quit dreaming. He constantly looked toward the future and kept dreaming. He was able to live his life in a way that he saw the reality of his dream to become a millionaire. His tombstone reads, "He loved doing what others said he couldn't."
This Man is My Grandfather.
“What We Talk About When We Talk About Love”
Sept 31, 2002
Love should have one strong definition. When we think about defining love by using words, we all tend the think everyone will say the same thing about love as we do but that is wrong. Love has many different definitions because many people see love differently. In the short story, “What We Talk About When We Talk About Love”, the author, Raymond Carver uses characters to show the theme that everyone has their own view of what love means to them.
Terri is the first strong character Carver uses to define love. Terri talked about an ex-husband named Ed, who beat her. Terri knew Ed loved her because he merely said he did. Terri seemed to be a character that feels it is was more important to know that some one said they loved her than to actually feel the love from that person. In the following passage, Terri is talking with her new husband, about Ed’s love towards her, “He did love me though, Mel. Grant me that, that’s all I’m asking. He didn’t love me the way you love me. I'm not saying that. But he loved me. You can grant me that, cant you?”(p357) Ed was abusive to Terri and so she thought that with love there has to be pain. (p356) Terri believed he was abusive to her because he loved her so much that he caused pain not only to her but also to himself. Terri says, “Sure, it was abnormal in most people’s eyes. But he was willing to die for it. He did die for it.”(p358)
Mel, however, expresses his thoughts on love, which proves to be very different from Terri’s view of love. Mel thinks Terri is crazy for even saying Ed loved her. He said, “If you call that love, you can have it.” (p358) Mel gives an example of what love is to him, by telling a story about an elderly couple in a car accident. Carver uses this character of the elderly man to help Mel define his views of what true love means. Mel talks of love that was so strong that it was painful, but not in the same case as Terri. The elderly man, while in the hospital, was in a body cast, which did not allow much movement. Mel explained that the man was very depressed. (p362) When Mel asked the man what was wrong, he was emotionally touched by his response. Mel explained, “The man’s heart was breaking because he couldn't turn his head and see his wife.”(p362) The elderly man was depressed simply because he could not turn his head to see his wife whom he loved. Mel believed that to be the exact definition of true love.
Nevertheless, as the story came to a close, the author, Raymond Carver leaves the definition of love unsolved. This provides the reader to understand that there is no absolute answer when it comes to providing a definition of love. As long as there are people who live differently, there will be people who love differently.
Love should have one strong definition. When we think about defining love by using words, we all tend the think everyone will say the same thing about love as we do but that is wrong. Love has many different definitions because many people see love differently. In the short story, “What We Talk About When We Talk About Love”, the author, Raymond Carver uses characters to show the theme that everyone has their own view of what love means to them.
Terri is the first strong character Carver uses to define love. Terri talked about an ex-husband named Ed, who beat her. Terri knew Ed loved her because he merely said he did. Terri seemed to be a character that feels it is was more important to know that some one said they loved her than to actually feel the love from that person. In the following passage, Terri is talking with her new husband, about Ed’s love towards her, “He did love me though, Mel. Grant me that, that’s all I’m asking. He didn’t love me the way you love me. I'm not saying that. But he loved me. You can grant me that, cant you?”(p357) Ed was abusive to Terri and so she thought that with love there has to be pain. (p356) Terri believed he was abusive to her because he loved her so much that he caused pain not only to her but also to himself. Terri says, “Sure, it was abnormal in most people’s eyes. But he was willing to die for it. He did die for it.”(p358)
Mel, however, expresses his thoughts on love, which proves to be very different from Terri’s view of love. Mel thinks Terri is crazy for even saying Ed loved her. He said, “If you call that love, you can have it.” (p358) Mel gives an example of what love is to him, by telling a story about an elderly couple in a car accident. Carver uses this character of the elderly man to help Mel define his views of what true love means. Mel talks of love that was so strong that it was painful, but not in the same case as Terri. The elderly man, while in the hospital, was in a body cast, which did not allow much movement. Mel explained that the man was very depressed. (p362) When Mel asked the man what was wrong, he was emotionally touched by his response. Mel explained, “The man’s heart was breaking because he couldn't turn his head and see his wife.”(p362) The elderly man was depressed simply because he could not turn his head to see his wife whom he loved. Mel believed that to be the exact definition of true love.
Nevertheless, as the story came to a close, the author, Raymond Carver leaves the definition of love unsolved. This provides the reader to understand that there is no absolute answer when it comes to providing a definition of love. As long as there are people who live differently, there will be people who love differently.
Dont bother reading this...I just posted it so I can transfer it from a disc.
Joyce Barrett
Mr. Parrish
11-27-02
English essay 3
Thesis: Tennessee Williams, the author of the play, “The Glass Menagerie”, uses the strengths and weaknesses of the character, Tom, to evoke both pity and empathy from his audience.
Tom is one of five characters in the play, “The Glass Menagerie” by Tennessee Williams. In the book titled, Masterplots, the editor states,
“Tom, the frustrated son, is the least successful of all the characters for he is the familiar type of the young man with literary ambitions imprisoned in the deathly monotony of a job in a warehouse…We can feel desperately sorry for him, because he is burdened with the care of a nagging mother and a crippled sister” (2271).
Tom also acts as the narrator of the play who is telling the story from his own memory. He is the son of the character, Amanda, and the brother of the character, Laura. Working in a shoemaker factory for the measly sum of $65.00 a month, Tom is the sole support of his mother and crippled sister. His life is monotonous and without adventure. His only means of escape from his miserable life is by drinking and attending the movies. Tennessee Williams uses the strengths and weaknesses of the character, Tom, to evoke both pity and empathy from his audience.
Tom is kind of a pathetic character who likes to write poetry and wishes to have adventure in his life. His poetry is actually a weakness of his, because he uses it as a means to help him escape the reality of his own life instead of facing his life as it is and making changes to it. In a Critical Commentary statement, the editor states, “Because of his sensitive nature and his desire to become a writer, Tom feels imprisoned from the adventures of the rest of the world” (Jackson, 66). Tom is somewhat of a closet poet who often goes off alone to a cabinet of the washroom during slow times at the shoemaker warehouse in order to write his poetry. His co-worker, Jim, who was the only one at the warehouse with whom Tom was on friendly terms, called him Shakespeare. Gradually Jim’s attitude affected the other co-workers, and according to Tom, “their hostility wore off and they also began to smile at me as people smile at an oddly fashioned dog who trots across their path at some distance” (Williams, 676).
To further escape his boring life and to immerse himself into the fantasies and adventures created by the movie screen, Tom leaves his home each evening to attend the movies. He finally begins to build up resentment towards the movies and their adventurous characters, and at one point, he states,
“All of those glamorous people ---having adventures---hogging it all, gobbling the whole thing up!...Hollywood characters are supposed to have all the adventures for everybody in America, while everybody in America sits in a dark room and watches them have them!...I’m tired of the movies and I am about to move!” (Williams 680).
Tom expresses his interest in finding his own adventures in life and leaving the life which includes the responsibility of caring for his mother and sister.
Tom’s weakness for alcohol is also a way for him to escape into a fantasy world full of adventure in which there are no responsibilities. When asked at different times by both his mother and sister where he is every night until late, Tom simply replies, “I have been at the movies” (Williams, 665). During one argument with Tom, his mother states, “Nobody in their right mind goes to the movies as often as you pretend to. People don’t go to the movies at nearly midnight, and movies don’t let out at two A.M. Come in stumbling. Muttering to yourself like a maniac!” (Williams, 664). During Scene IV, Tom returns home at 5:00 in the morning, and his sister, Laura, is awake and asks where he has been all this time. He gives her his usual response of having been at the movies, but at her questioning, he goes on to elaborate and tell her that it was a long movie with a big stage show where a magician turned wine into beer and then into whiskey. Tom stated, “I know it was whiskey it finally turned to because he needed somebody to come up out of the audience to help him, and I came up-both shows! It was Kentucky Straight Bourbon. A very generous fellow, he gave souvenirs” (Williams, 665).
According to the editor of Critical Commentary, “At times, Tom becomes angry and impatient with his mother, because he sees her as a foolish and embarrassing old woman, whose main intention in life seems to be to force him into a position of responsibility which he is not willing to accept.” (Jackson, 66) Tom’s mother has given him the impression that he is solely responsible for the care and welfare of her and her daughter since his father is not around. She expects Tom to supply them with money to make the house payments and pay the bills, and she also expects him to help to find a suitable gentleman caller for Laura. During one argument with his mother, Tom lets her know just how angry he is about spending his time working at the shoemaker factory by stating, ““House, house! Who pays rent on it, who makes a slave of himself to ---“ Later on, he tells his mother, “You think I’m in love with the Continental Shoemakers? Look, I’d rather somebody picked up a crowbar and battered out my brains --- than go back mornings! For sixty-fie dollars a month I give up all that I dream of doing and being ever!” (Williams, 663).
Because of Tom’s weakness for excessive drinking and fantasizing, he is becoming more irresponsible toward his family. During a conversation with Jim, Tom explains how angry he is becoming and how he is ready to change his life. He goes on to show Jim a piece of paper which is from the Union of Merchant Seamen. Tom states, “I paid my dues this month, instead of the light bill” (Williams, 680). When Jim responds that Tom will regret his decision when the lights get turned off, Tom tells Jim that he will not be there when that happens and that he is like his father who has been gone for sixteen years. During Scene VII, the lights go out right after the family has finished dinner with Jim, and Amanda realizes that Tom did not pay the bill. She states, “I might have known better than to trust him with it! There is such a high price for negligence in this world” (Williams, 683).
Joyce Barrett
Mr. Parrish
12-5-02
English essay 4
Tom is one of five characters in the play, “The Glass Menagerie” by Tennessee Williams. In the book titled, Masterplots, the editor states,
“Tom, the frustrated son, is the least successful of all the characters for he is the familiar type of the young man with literary ambitions imprisoned in the deathly monotony of a job in a warehouse…We can feel desperately sorry for him, because he is burdened with the care of a nagging mother and a crippled sister.” (2271)
Tom also acts as the narrator of the play who is telling the story from his own memory. He is the son of the character, Amanda, and the brother of the character, Laura. Working in a shoemaker factory for the measly sum of $65.00 a month, Tom is the sole support of his mother and crippled sister. His life is monotonous and without adventure. His only means of escape from his miserable life is by drinking, poetry and attending the movies. In “The Glass Menagerie”, Tennessee Williams uses the weaknesses of the character, Tom, to evoke both pity and empathy from his audience.
Tom is kind of a pathetic character who likes to write poetry and wishes to have adventure in his life. His poetry is actually a weakness of his, because he uses it as a means to help him escape the reality of his own life instead of facing his life as it is and making changes to it. In a Critical Commentary statement, the states, “Because of his sensitive nature and his desire to become a writer, Tom feels imprisoned from the adventures of the rest of the world” (66). Tom is somewhat of a closet poet who often goes off alone to a cabinet of the washroom during slow times at the shoemaker warehouse in order to write his poetry. His co-worker, Jim, who was the only one at the warehouse with whom Tom was on friendly terms, called him Shakespeare. Gradually Jim’s attitude affected the other co-workers, and according to Tom, “their hostility wore off and they also began to smile at me as people smile at an oddly fashioned dog who trots across their path at some distance” (Williams, 676).
To further escape his boring life and to immerse himself into the fantasies and adventures created by the movie screen, Tom leaves his home each evening to attend the movies. He finally begins to build up resentment towards the movies and their adventurous characters, and at one point, he states,
“All of those glamorous people ---having adventures---hogging it all, gobbling the whole thing up!...Hollywood characters are supposed to have all the adventures for everybody in America, while everybody in America sits in a dark room and watches them have them!...I’m tired of the movies and I am about to move!” (680).
Tom expresses his interest in finding his own adventures and leaving his life, which includes the responsibility of caring for his mother and sister.
Tom’s weakness for alcohol is also a way for him to escape into a fantasy world full of adventure in which there are no responsibilities. When asked at different times by both his mother and sister where he is every night until late, Tom simply replies, “I have been at the movies” (Williams, 665). During one argument with Tom, his mother states, “Nobody in their right mind goes to the movies as often as you pretend to. People do not go to the movies at nearly midnight, and movies do not let out at two A.M. Come in stumbling. Muttering to yourself like a maniac!” (664). During Scene IV, Tom returns home at 5:00 in the morning, and his sister, Laura, is awake and asks where he has been all this time. He gives her his usual response of having been at the movies, but at her questioning, he goes on to elaborate and tell her that it was a long movie with a big stage show where a magician turned wine into beer and then into whiskey. Tom stated, “I know it was whiskey it finally turned to because he needed somebody to come up out of the audience to help him, and I came up-both shows! It was Kentucky Straight Bourbon. A very generous fellow, he gave souvenirs” (665).
Another weakness of Tom is his ability to handle responsibility. According to the following statement in the Critical Commentary, Tom is weak when it comes to his ability to control his anger. “At times, Tom becomes angry and impatient with his mother, because he sees her as a foolish and embarrassing old woman, whose main intention in life seems to be to force him into a position of responsibility which he is not willing to accept.” (66) Tom’s mother has given him the impression that he is solely responsible for the care and welfare of her and her daughter since his father is not around. She expects Tom to supply them with money to make the house payments and pay the bills, and she expects him to help to find a suitable gentleman caller for Laura. During one argument with his mother, Tom lets her know just how angry he is about spending his time working at the shoemaker factory by stating, “House, house! Who pays rent on it, who makes a slave of himself to ---,” and later, in the play, Tom sticking statement to his mother, “You think I’m in love with the Continental Shoemakers? Look, I’d rather somebody picked up a crowbar and battered out my brains --- than go back mornings! For sixty-fie dollars a month I give up all that I dream of doing and being ever!” (663), shows how much he hates responsibility.
Because of Tom’s weakness for excessive drinking and fantasizing, he is becoming more irresponsible toward his family. During a conversation with Jim, Tom explains how angry he is becoming and how he is ready to change his life. He goes on to show Jim a piece of paper, which is from the Union of Merchant Seamen. Tom states, “I paid my dues this month, instead of the light bill” (680). When Jim responds that Tom will regret his decision when the lights get turned off, Tom tells Jim that he will not be there when that happens and that he is like his father who has been gone for sixteen years. At dinner time with the gentleman caller, Jim, the lights go out and Amanda realizes that Tom did not pay the bill. She states, “I might have known better than to trust him with it! There is such a high price for negligence in this world” (683).
Furthermore, as Tennessee Williams brings out the weaknesses of Tom, the audience begins to feel Tom’s frustrations in his life. The audience can feel the emotions from Tom as he struggles with his weaknesses. He receives both pity and empathy from his audience, as the play ends. Because of his weaknesses as a character, it is understandable why Tom leaves his family in search for his own life en the end of the play.
Work Cited
1) Masterplots. 4th vol. Englewood Cliffs: Salem Press, 1976.
2) Rathbun, Gibert L. “The Glass Menagerie” A critical Commentary. New York: Monarch Press, 1965
3) Shaw-Z., et al. Critical Survey of Drama, English Language Series. 5 vol. Englewood cliffs: Salem Press, 1985.
4) Williams, Tennessee. The Glass Menagerie. Literature and the Writing Process. Elizabeth McMahan, Susan X Day, and Robert Frank. 6th ed. Upper Saddle River: Prentice, 2002.
Mr. Parrish
11-27-02
English essay 3
Thesis: Tennessee Williams, the author of the play, “The Glass Menagerie”, uses the strengths and weaknesses of the character, Tom, to evoke both pity and empathy from his audience.
Tom is one of five characters in the play, “The Glass Menagerie” by Tennessee Williams. In the book titled, Masterplots, the editor states,
“Tom, the frustrated son, is the least successful of all the characters for he is the familiar type of the young man with literary ambitions imprisoned in the deathly monotony of a job in a warehouse…We can feel desperately sorry for him, because he is burdened with the care of a nagging mother and a crippled sister” (2271).
Tom also acts as the narrator of the play who is telling the story from his own memory. He is the son of the character, Amanda, and the brother of the character, Laura. Working in a shoemaker factory for the measly sum of $65.00 a month, Tom is the sole support of his mother and crippled sister. His life is monotonous and without adventure. His only means of escape from his miserable life is by drinking and attending the movies. Tennessee Williams uses the strengths and weaknesses of the character, Tom, to evoke both pity and empathy from his audience.
Tom is kind of a pathetic character who likes to write poetry and wishes to have adventure in his life. His poetry is actually a weakness of his, because he uses it as a means to help him escape the reality of his own life instead of facing his life as it is and making changes to it. In a Critical Commentary statement, the editor states, “Because of his sensitive nature and his desire to become a writer, Tom feels imprisoned from the adventures of the rest of the world” (Jackson, 66). Tom is somewhat of a closet poet who often goes off alone to a cabinet of the washroom during slow times at the shoemaker warehouse in order to write his poetry. His co-worker, Jim, who was the only one at the warehouse with whom Tom was on friendly terms, called him Shakespeare. Gradually Jim’s attitude affected the other co-workers, and according to Tom, “their hostility wore off and they also began to smile at me as people smile at an oddly fashioned dog who trots across their path at some distance” (Williams, 676).
To further escape his boring life and to immerse himself into the fantasies and adventures created by the movie screen, Tom leaves his home each evening to attend the movies. He finally begins to build up resentment towards the movies and their adventurous characters, and at one point, he states,
“All of those glamorous people ---having adventures---hogging it all, gobbling the whole thing up!...Hollywood characters are supposed to have all the adventures for everybody in America, while everybody in America sits in a dark room and watches them have them!...I’m tired of the movies and I am about to move!” (Williams 680).
Tom expresses his interest in finding his own adventures in life and leaving the life which includes the responsibility of caring for his mother and sister.
Tom’s weakness for alcohol is also a way for him to escape into a fantasy world full of adventure in which there are no responsibilities. When asked at different times by both his mother and sister where he is every night until late, Tom simply replies, “I have been at the movies” (Williams, 665). During one argument with Tom, his mother states, “Nobody in their right mind goes to the movies as often as you pretend to. People don’t go to the movies at nearly midnight, and movies don’t let out at two A.M. Come in stumbling. Muttering to yourself like a maniac!” (Williams, 664). During Scene IV, Tom returns home at 5:00 in the morning, and his sister, Laura, is awake and asks where he has been all this time. He gives her his usual response of having been at the movies, but at her questioning, he goes on to elaborate and tell her that it was a long movie with a big stage show where a magician turned wine into beer and then into whiskey. Tom stated, “I know it was whiskey it finally turned to because he needed somebody to come up out of the audience to help him, and I came up-both shows! It was Kentucky Straight Bourbon. A very generous fellow, he gave souvenirs” (Williams, 665).
According to the editor of Critical Commentary, “At times, Tom becomes angry and impatient with his mother, because he sees her as a foolish and embarrassing old woman, whose main intention in life seems to be to force him into a position of responsibility which he is not willing to accept.” (Jackson, 66) Tom’s mother has given him the impression that he is solely responsible for the care and welfare of her and her daughter since his father is not around. She expects Tom to supply them with money to make the house payments and pay the bills, and she also expects him to help to find a suitable gentleman caller for Laura. During one argument with his mother, Tom lets her know just how angry he is about spending his time working at the shoemaker factory by stating, ““House, house! Who pays rent on it, who makes a slave of himself to ---“ Later on, he tells his mother, “You think I’m in love with the Continental Shoemakers? Look, I’d rather somebody picked up a crowbar and battered out my brains --- than go back mornings! For sixty-fie dollars a month I give up all that I dream of doing and being ever!” (Williams, 663).
Because of Tom’s weakness for excessive drinking and fantasizing, he is becoming more irresponsible toward his family. During a conversation with Jim, Tom explains how angry he is becoming and how he is ready to change his life. He goes on to show Jim a piece of paper which is from the Union of Merchant Seamen. Tom states, “I paid my dues this month, instead of the light bill” (Williams, 680). When Jim responds that Tom will regret his decision when the lights get turned off, Tom tells Jim that he will not be there when that happens and that he is like his father who has been gone for sixteen years. During Scene VII, the lights go out right after the family has finished dinner with Jim, and Amanda realizes that Tom did not pay the bill. She states, “I might have known better than to trust him with it! There is such a high price for negligence in this world” (Williams, 683).
Joyce Barrett
Mr. Parrish
12-5-02
English essay 4
Tom is one of five characters in the play, “The Glass Menagerie” by Tennessee Williams. In the book titled, Masterplots, the editor states,
“Tom, the frustrated son, is the least successful of all the characters for he is the familiar type of the young man with literary ambitions imprisoned in the deathly monotony of a job in a warehouse…We can feel desperately sorry for him, because he is burdened with the care of a nagging mother and a crippled sister.” (2271)
Tom also acts as the narrator of the play who is telling the story from his own memory. He is the son of the character, Amanda, and the brother of the character, Laura. Working in a shoemaker factory for the measly sum of $65.00 a month, Tom is the sole support of his mother and crippled sister. His life is monotonous and without adventure. His only means of escape from his miserable life is by drinking, poetry and attending the movies. In “The Glass Menagerie”, Tennessee Williams uses the weaknesses of the character, Tom, to evoke both pity and empathy from his audience.
Tom is kind of a pathetic character who likes to write poetry and wishes to have adventure in his life. His poetry is actually a weakness of his, because he uses it as a means to help him escape the reality of his own life instead of facing his life as it is and making changes to it. In a Critical Commentary statement, the states, “Because of his sensitive nature and his desire to become a writer, Tom feels imprisoned from the adventures of the rest of the world” (66). Tom is somewhat of a closet poet who often goes off alone to a cabinet of the washroom during slow times at the shoemaker warehouse in order to write his poetry. His co-worker, Jim, who was the only one at the warehouse with whom Tom was on friendly terms, called him Shakespeare. Gradually Jim’s attitude affected the other co-workers, and according to Tom, “their hostility wore off and they also began to smile at me as people smile at an oddly fashioned dog who trots across their path at some distance” (Williams, 676).
To further escape his boring life and to immerse himself into the fantasies and adventures created by the movie screen, Tom leaves his home each evening to attend the movies. He finally begins to build up resentment towards the movies and their adventurous characters, and at one point, he states,
“All of those glamorous people ---having adventures---hogging it all, gobbling the whole thing up!...Hollywood characters are supposed to have all the adventures for everybody in America, while everybody in America sits in a dark room and watches them have them!...I’m tired of the movies and I am about to move!” (680).
Tom expresses his interest in finding his own adventures and leaving his life, which includes the responsibility of caring for his mother and sister.
Tom’s weakness for alcohol is also a way for him to escape into a fantasy world full of adventure in which there are no responsibilities. When asked at different times by both his mother and sister where he is every night until late, Tom simply replies, “I have been at the movies” (Williams, 665). During one argument with Tom, his mother states, “Nobody in their right mind goes to the movies as often as you pretend to. People do not go to the movies at nearly midnight, and movies do not let out at two A.M. Come in stumbling. Muttering to yourself like a maniac!” (664). During Scene IV, Tom returns home at 5:00 in the morning, and his sister, Laura, is awake and asks where he has been all this time. He gives her his usual response of having been at the movies, but at her questioning, he goes on to elaborate and tell her that it was a long movie with a big stage show where a magician turned wine into beer and then into whiskey. Tom stated, “I know it was whiskey it finally turned to because he needed somebody to come up out of the audience to help him, and I came up-both shows! It was Kentucky Straight Bourbon. A very generous fellow, he gave souvenirs” (665).
Another weakness of Tom is his ability to handle responsibility. According to the following statement in the Critical Commentary, Tom is weak when it comes to his ability to control his anger. “At times, Tom becomes angry and impatient with his mother, because he sees her as a foolish and embarrassing old woman, whose main intention in life seems to be to force him into a position of responsibility which he is not willing to accept.” (66) Tom’s mother has given him the impression that he is solely responsible for the care and welfare of her and her daughter since his father is not around. She expects Tom to supply them with money to make the house payments and pay the bills, and she expects him to help to find a suitable gentleman caller for Laura. During one argument with his mother, Tom lets her know just how angry he is about spending his time working at the shoemaker factory by stating, “House, house! Who pays rent on it, who makes a slave of himself to ---,” and later, in the play, Tom sticking statement to his mother, “You think I’m in love with the Continental Shoemakers? Look, I’d rather somebody picked up a crowbar and battered out my brains --- than go back mornings! For sixty-fie dollars a month I give up all that I dream of doing and being ever!” (663), shows how much he hates responsibility.
Because of Tom’s weakness for excessive drinking and fantasizing, he is becoming more irresponsible toward his family. During a conversation with Jim, Tom explains how angry he is becoming and how he is ready to change his life. He goes on to show Jim a piece of paper, which is from the Union of Merchant Seamen. Tom states, “I paid my dues this month, instead of the light bill” (680). When Jim responds that Tom will regret his decision when the lights get turned off, Tom tells Jim that he will not be there when that happens and that he is like his father who has been gone for sixteen years. At dinner time with the gentleman caller, Jim, the lights go out and Amanda realizes that Tom did not pay the bill. She states, “I might have known better than to trust him with it! There is such a high price for negligence in this world” (683).
Furthermore, as Tennessee Williams brings out the weaknesses of Tom, the audience begins to feel Tom’s frustrations in his life. The audience can feel the emotions from Tom as he struggles with his weaknesses. He receives both pity and empathy from his audience, as the play ends. Because of his weaknesses as a character, it is understandable why Tom leaves his family in search for his own life en the end of the play.
Work Cited
1) Masterplots. 4th vol. Englewood Cliffs: Salem Press, 1976.
2) Rathbun, Gibert L. “The Glass Menagerie” A critical Commentary. New York: Monarch Press, 1965
3) Shaw-Z., et al. Critical Survey of Drama, English Language Series. 5 vol. Englewood cliffs: Salem Press, 1985.
4) Williams, Tennessee. The Glass Menagerie. Literature and the Writing Process. Elizabeth McMahan, Susan X Day, and Robert Frank. 6th ed. Upper Saddle River: Prentice, 2002.
Phrenology
you know when you re-read something you wrote a long time ago- how Stupid you sound to yourself, LOL yeah...But this paper makes me Laugh, --side Note--I LOVE Random Facts.. I kinda am a walking newspaper in some ways.
Joyce Barrett
Psych
9-12-02
Review: Website on Phrenology
Upon searching the Internet for a website on phrenology, I found a web page that can be located at http://www.bc.edu/bc_org/avp/cas/fnart/phrenology/. This web page was helpful to me, because it explained phrenology and the process to examining a person’s mind with the help of pictures. I liked this website more than the others I had looked at, because it not only provided other interesting links to phrenology, but it also gave several visual aids as well. In this web page, Samuel R. Wells had provided a picture of a head which mapped out where each phrenological organ on the head is easily located and what each means and represents. Wells gave a short description of what it means to have an excess bump or a deficiency on the head.
Phrenology is described as the study of the head or mind. The early phrenologist believed the process of examining the mind was “the only true study of the mind”. By examining the shapes and unevenness of a head, they believed that they could discover the development of the particular cerebral “organs” responsible for different intelligence and character traits. The web page names a few people of history and defines their personalities. I think it is way too easy to look at a man’s life (after the fact that he has lived it) and blame a few bumps on his head for the reasons why he had certain skills and did certain things in life.
After reading up on phrenology, I wanted to see for myself if I would use the process, find my bumps on my head, and see if they hold any meaning. Because I have a lot of thick hair, it was difficult to slide my fingertips over my head to find many bumps to examine. I decided to examine my father’s head rather than my own. Being that my father is already bald, it made it an easier task to locate more bumps on his head than it had been to locate any on mine. I am not a phrenologist, but with the help of the pictures, I did manage to use the information on the web page to explain various bumps on my father’s head. I found a few bumps and marked them down using Samuel Wells’ theory. After taking note of each bump, I went back to look at the long list of descriptions for them.
The results that I found were extremely funny according to what phrenologist’s would say they knew, and what I actually know about my father. Some of the bumps on my father’s head were correct, but as for the others, they were not in the least bit correct. For example, my father has worked as a carpenter for many years doing many jobs using several different tools to complete his tasks. He has gone from building a house to fixing a sink. I had found the largest bump on his head co insides surprisingly with Wells definition which means he has mechanical ingenuity, ability to invent, use of tools, and the ability to construct. On the other hand, I found another bump that indicated that he had the ability to distinguish colors, shades, and tints in objects. Also, it said that he likes to dress in a variety of colors. This was far from the truth as it could get. My father is colorblind, and he can only tell the difference between shades if one color is light blue and the other is navy blue. Many times, he has picked pink socks to wear thinking they were white. Another thing is that my father has been rarely seen wearing anything but blue, so the statement that said he likes a variety is false also.
With the thought that phrenology could have been the only true way to study the brain, how do you know what bumps are, by nature, truly original? For example, I have a bump on my forehead in a place which, according to Wells, means I have a good memory of events, love of history, and facts. It explained that I am a kind of walking newspaper for people. The truth about the bump on my forehead is that I was hit in the head by a horse as a young child. The horse tried to jump over me and busted my head with his shoe. As a result, of this accident, I have a bump in an area which would lead a phrenologist to believe I have a good memory and a love for history. This would be completely wrong. In fact, I hate history. I hate having to remember dates and facts, because I have a horrible time with that process.
I am sure that I am not the only person who has a bump on there head from some accident in life. With this in mind, how can someone even believe phrenology to be completely accurate? Although this website was, to me, a little crazy but interesting, I can’t say I believe phrenology to be the best choice for studying the mind.
Joyce Barrett
Psych
9-12-02
Review: Website on Phrenology
Upon searching the Internet for a website on phrenology, I found a web page that can be located at http://www.bc.edu/bc_org/avp/cas/fnart/phrenology/. This web page was helpful to me, because it explained phrenology and the process to examining a person’s mind with the help of pictures. I liked this website more than the others I had looked at, because it not only provided other interesting links to phrenology, but it also gave several visual aids as well. In this web page, Samuel R. Wells had provided a picture of a head which mapped out where each phrenological organ on the head is easily located and what each means and represents. Wells gave a short description of what it means to have an excess bump or a deficiency on the head.
Phrenology is described as the study of the head or mind. The early phrenologist believed the process of examining the mind was “the only true study of the mind”. By examining the shapes and unevenness of a head, they believed that they could discover the development of the particular cerebral “organs” responsible for different intelligence and character traits. The web page names a few people of history and defines their personalities. I think it is way too easy to look at a man’s life (after the fact that he has lived it) and blame a few bumps on his head for the reasons why he had certain skills and did certain things in life.
After reading up on phrenology, I wanted to see for myself if I would use the process, find my bumps on my head, and see if they hold any meaning. Because I have a lot of thick hair, it was difficult to slide my fingertips over my head to find many bumps to examine. I decided to examine my father’s head rather than my own. Being that my father is already bald, it made it an easier task to locate more bumps on his head than it had been to locate any on mine. I am not a phrenologist, but with the help of the pictures, I did manage to use the information on the web page to explain various bumps on my father’s head. I found a few bumps and marked them down using Samuel Wells’ theory. After taking note of each bump, I went back to look at the long list of descriptions for them.
The results that I found were extremely funny according to what phrenologist’s would say they knew, and what I actually know about my father. Some of the bumps on my father’s head were correct, but as for the others, they were not in the least bit correct. For example, my father has worked as a carpenter for many years doing many jobs using several different tools to complete his tasks. He has gone from building a house to fixing a sink. I had found the largest bump on his head co insides surprisingly with Wells definition which means he has mechanical ingenuity, ability to invent, use of tools, and the ability to construct. On the other hand, I found another bump that indicated that he had the ability to distinguish colors, shades, and tints in objects. Also, it said that he likes to dress in a variety of colors. This was far from the truth as it could get. My father is colorblind, and he can only tell the difference between shades if one color is light blue and the other is navy blue. Many times, he has picked pink socks to wear thinking they were white. Another thing is that my father has been rarely seen wearing anything but blue, so the statement that said he likes a variety is false also.
With the thought that phrenology could have been the only true way to study the brain, how do you know what bumps are, by nature, truly original? For example, I have a bump on my forehead in a place which, according to Wells, means I have a good memory of events, love of history, and facts. It explained that I am a kind of walking newspaper for people. The truth about the bump on my forehead is that I was hit in the head by a horse as a young child. The horse tried to jump over me and busted my head with his shoe. As a result, of this accident, I have a bump in an area which would lead a phrenologist to believe I have a good memory and a love for history. This would be completely wrong. In fact, I hate history. I hate having to remember dates and facts, because I have a horrible time with that process.
I am sure that I am not the only person who has a bump on there head from some accident in life. With this in mind, how can someone even believe phrenology to be completely accurate? Although this website was, to me, a little crazy but interesting, I can’t say I believe phrenology to be the best choice for studying the mind.
Old School paper
This is just an old paper I wrote real quick in school a long time ago, just reading it makes me remember that class so well, I loved it, but hated it all at the same time..It may not be interesting to you, and I was not the best at avoiding rambling. Still not..ha
Joyce Barrett
Psych2301
Tues, Thurs 10:15am
October 3, 2002
Personal Experiences on chapter Six
After reading chapter six in my textbook, I can say it was the most interesting chapter that we have covered in class so far. One thing I found interesting was that I have never realized how much I do have selective attention until I learned more about it in the book. I have become aware of what selective attention actually is, and I now notice that it happens more than I thought.
Another thing I liked in chapter six was the section on daydreaming. I have a big difficulty trying to stay focused on things a lot of time. Not that I have a small interest in a subject at school, or a project I am doing, but just that my mind seems to wonder from me. For example, I could be working on a painting, in which I have great interest in, and I may come to a point where I need to paint something such as an open door. This door would then pull me into a memory of a friend in high school when he had walked in to door, in which he had busted his nose. This would cause a domino effect and it could take me as far as a Christmas present 5 years ago and how I wish id gotten something better. This daydream can cause me to have wasted most of my time that I wanted to spend on painting. I do not daydream because I am simply bored, or I do not like what I am doing, but only because something may remind me of something else and from that memory I begin to daydream. I wonder if I should go as far as saying, I have a fantasy-prone personality, though I can distinguish the difference between both worlds, but fantasy prone people have hard times deciphering between reality and a dream.
Another point in the textbook that was interesting is the mention of dreams, sleepwalking and night terrors. It stated that people might say they hardly ever dream but in fact, everyone dreams all the time, they just might not remember their dreams when they wake. As a young child, I could remember every dream I had. Eventually I did not think I had as many dreams as I used to. I could not remember most of my dreams if I had any, but my parents would always tell me about how I would wake up crying about something. The next morning I would have no idea what they were talking about, and in some cases, I would think they had made the whole thing up, because I would not believe I did anything in my sleep. I read that you will forget anything that happens during the five minutes just before you fall asleep, so this explains why it was hard for me to believe someone if hey say I had woken up from a dream and told them about it then fell back to sleep.
Just for the entertainment, I had looked on the internet for Freud’s book, The Interpretation of Dreams. I had only skimmed through to see if anything caught my eye. As I looked through the chapter headings, I noticed a chapter on why we forget dreams. In that chapter I read that, most people do not pay much attention to there dreams and that is one reason why they can be easily forgotten. Freud said that unless you spend time analyzing dreams or your attention is suddenly directed to dreams, you would not notice, and remember if you even had a dream. This may not be related to Freud’s statement, but in the past 2 months, I cannot say I even remember having a dream. Within the few days we have talked about dreams, fantasies, night terrors, and daydreaming, in this chapter I have had a couple of dreams, and are able to remember them.
Joyce Barrett
Psych2301
Tues, Thurs 10:15am
October 3, 2002
Personal Experiences on chapter Six
After reading chapter six in my textbook, I can say it was the most interesting chapter that we have covered in class so far. One thing I found interesting was that I have never realized how much I do have selective attention until I learned more about it in the book. I have become aware of what selective attention actually is, and I now notice that it happens more than I thought.
Another thing I liked in chapter six was the section on daydreaming. I have a big difficulty trying to stay focused on things a lot of time. Not that I have a small interest in a subject at school, or a project I am doing, but just that my mind seems to wonder from me. For example, I could be working on a painting, in which I have great interest in, and I may come to a point where I need to paint something such as an open door. This door would then pull me into a memory of a friend in high school when he had walked in to door, in which he had busted his nose. This would cause a domino effect and it could take me as far as a Christmas present 5 years ago and how I wish id gotten something better. This daydream can cause me to have wasted most of my time that I wanted to spend on painting. I do not daydream because I am simply bored, or I do not like what I am doing, but only because something may remind me of something else and from that memory I begin to daydream. I wonder if I should go as far as saying, I have a fantasy-prone personality, though I can distinguish the difference between both worlds, but fantasy prone people have hard times deciphering between reality and a dream.
Another point in the textbook that was interesting is the mention of dreams, sleepwalking and night terrors. It stated that people might say they hardly ever dream but in fact, everyone dreams all the time, they just might not remember their dreams when they wake. As a young child, I could remember every dream I had. Eventually I did not think I had as many dreams as I used to. I could not remember most of my dreams if I had any, but my parents would always tell me about how I would wake up crying about something. The next morning I would have no idea what they were talking about, and in some cases, I would think they had made the whole thing up, because I would not believe I did anything in my sleep. I read that you will forget anything that happens during the five minutes just before you fall asleep, so this explains why it was hard for me to believe someone if hey say I had woken up from a dream and told them about it then fell back to sleep.
Just for the entertainment, I had looked on the internet for Freud’s book, The Interpretation of Dreams. I had only skimmed through to see if anything caught my eye. As I looked through the chapter headings, I noticed a chapter on why we forget dreams. In that chapter I read that, most people do not pay much attention to there dreams and that is one reason why they can be easily forgotten. Freud said that unless you spend time analyzing dreams or your attention is suddenly directed to dreams, you would not notice, and remember if you even had a dream. This may not be related to Freud’s statement, but in the past 2 months, I cannot say I even remember having a dream. Within the few days we have talked about dreams, fantasies, night terrors, and daydreaming, in this chapter I have had a couple of dreams, and are able to remember them.
Saturday, August 20, 2011
Spinach.......Yuk.... well maybe i should at least try it once..
So this is what I did... stuffed tortellini pasta.Spinach, red onion, roma tomatoes, garlic, balsamic vinegar, and cheese... yummmmm.
Let me just tell you, I cried so much when I was making this, i had to stop and walk away for a few minutes.,,,,,but thats just cause chopping the red onion was so strong, lol.. but anyways, I cut the onion into like one inch thin slices and sauteed them, threw a few little spoon fulls of minced garlic and some tomatoes into the onions to cook for just a few minutes right before I took the onions out,,, SO let me just say..I got a whole bag of fresh Spinach to saute it,, but ONCE its cooked, it was like a only a Cup of spinach,,,, I guess I didnt realize that would happen, but makes sense now..lol...
WARNING,,, The following statement may gross you out,, or may not,,depends on how you see it...
so after I sauteed everything in the pan, used that SAME DIRTY PAN,, yes I know thats kinda gross.. but i just cooked onion and garlic and tomato in that pan, and so its already flavored yummy like,,,,
Anyways, To cook the Tortellini, I had to Boil some water so I just used the same pan, and boiled them, strained the pasta. PLUS,, the boiling water totally helped clean all the burned stuff off the bottom so that its easier to wash the pot Later,,,Totally killing 2 birds with one stone,, Not to mention.. Lets pots dirty,,Oh yeah.. but anyhow,, after the pasta was boiled , I tossed everything into a bowl, and sprinkled just a dash of balsamic vinegar onto it all and stirred it all up...
Yumm ,, it was good,,
Let me just tell you, I cried so much when I was making this, i had to stop and walk away for a few minutes.,,,,,but thats just cause chopping the red onion was so strong, lol.. but anyways, I cut the onion into like one inch thin slices and sauteed them, threw a few little spoon fulls of minced garlic and some tomatoes into the onions to cook for just a few minutes right before I took the onions out,,, SO let me just say..I got a whole bag of fresh Spinach to saute it,, but ONCE its cooked, it was like a only a Cup of spinach,,,, I guess I didnt realize that would happen, but makes sense now..lol...
WARNING,,, The following statement may gross you out,, or may not,,depends on how you see it...
so after I sauteed everything in the pan, used that SAME DIRTY PAN,, yes I know thats kinda gross.. but i just cooked onion and garlic and tomato in that pan, and so its already flavored yummy like,,,,
Anyways, To cook the Tortellini, I had to Boil some water so I just used the same pan, and boiled them, strained the pasta. PLUS,, the boiling water totally helped clean all the burned stuff off the bottom so that its easier to wash the pot Later,,,Totally killing 2 birds with one stone,, Not to mention.. Lets pots dirty,,Oh yeah.. but anyhow,, after the pasta was boiled , I tossed everything into a bowl, and sprinkled just a dash of balsamic vinegar onto it all and stirred it all up...
Yumm ,, it was good,,
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