Lee McKinnis (57)
Kristina Marynczak (37)
Killian Noonan (36)
Melissa Castillo (32)
NikoVelazquez (27)
Shannon Ratzel (23)
Michelle Reyes (22)
Kyle Barczak (21)
Maura Bilek (21)
Susan Bayaa (21)
Beginning and End
Beginning
I work hard. I educate myself. I love my family. I chill with friends. I hate my job. I’d die for those shoes. I’d kill for a million dollars. There is nothing in the fridge. I’m bored. I’m sure that sounds a bit familiar, at least one statement. We say these things without thinking. Some of us have the privilege to buy new sneakers when we feel like it. Or go out to eat because nothing in the fridge looks appetizing. And I think that is perfectly normal in the world we live in. Why not? I just stated I work hard. I deserve what I like and want and need. But the issue here is we don’t think sometimes before we say or act. Would I really die for shoes or would you really kill for a million dollars. If you answered yes, I hope you were only joking with yourself.
There are very important issues surround us. One of the most significant is helping one another and figuring out what is important in our lives. Not the shoes, or money or the cars. Think of what is truly important to you. What if it was taken away? All of it! Even the food in your refrigerator! What would you do? Would you want help? What if no one wanted to help? You’d be screwed if no one cared for you, shared their time and items and gave their attention and love. I think a lot of that is missing in the world today. We need to find the value of what it means to help one another. We as human beings all have one common goal and that is to survive. We want to be loved and cared for. When it comes down to it, what else could be more important than giving a helping hand to one another. We need to wake up and ask ourselves a couple questions. What do you live for? What would you die for? And what would you kill for? I have answered these questions and they were not as easy as one may think. But they have helped down the journey I have accomplished.
End
I walked away with memories of my accomplishment but most importantly I found more of myself. I realized what is important in my life and its significance. I could not possibly be or think the way I do with out being born into the life I was born into. I made the choices to stand up and believe in the things I do such as legalizing medical marijuana for cancer, MS and other chronic pain patients because I have seen my grandfather suffer and decided to educated myself and learned that legalizing medical marijuana is very important to many patients. If I didn’t speak out then I am one less person in this world who cares and I don’t want to be that one. Volunteering at organizations allowed me to see the world in a realistic way. But having the opportunity to help and make a difference is all the difference in caring, sharing and loving. This is what truly makes the world go around. We need to reevaluate the way we think and treat each other. One day the tables may turn and that privilege of owning shoes or food on the table may suddenly disappear. One day you will need help be it small or major. We as people are here not only for ourselves but also for human kind. I don’t believe the world would survive if no cared. So lets start with those little steps to making a difference and helping others. It is an amazing feeling to have a smile on your face so why not pass it on by something as just giving a couple hours out of the day to volunteer. Trust me when I say you will walk out feeling wonderful knowing you have turned some ones day around by allowing them to eat or saved their lives.
It takes one person to begin to make a difference, just like Lee Ravenscroft. He didn’t start with a team he began with a thought and people began to follow because it was good and sincere. He and many others I have met and learned about during this journey have inspired me to believe in myself, to not be afraid to step out of my comfort zone. Most importantly to stay true to what I believe in and that I can make a very big difference in the world as long as I work hard and stay dedicated.
Updates from Justyna Matyjaszczyk RSS Toggle Comment Threads | Keyboard Shortcuts
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Justyna Matyjaszczyk
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Justyna Matyjaszczyk
I would like to write about the fair we had Tuesday. Initially I was a little nervous because our board was not complete and we were having a difficult time completing it. I was also nervous because I wanted to impress the person who was coming out form our organization, working bikes. When I arrived with the board and began speaking to her she mentioned she liked it and I could relax. The fair was a great idea and it went very smoothly. But it was unfortunate one of the speakers, Mona Purdy from Share Your Souls, did not make it to the first session. We were fortunate enough to have a women speaker from the Sertoma Club. She spoke about the organization and what they do and why it was important to volunteer. It is important not only for oneself and helping those in need but most importantly we need volunteers to keep organizations open and running so they may do what needs to be done. That is making sure all the need items or helping hands are used properly, to help others. Our table was doing well, I thought. A good few students and adults were interested in working bikes and I truly believe we got a least a couple of them who will donate their bikes. It was a great feeling to be able to help this organization and make others aware. I wish it was a better turn out of guests but I think the word will spread from the mouths of those who attended.
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Justyna Matyjaszczyk
For todays journal I like to write about a short clip shown in class called “Totally Like Whatever, You Know” with Taylor Mali. Taylor is a comedian and he talks about how people use their words and many add, what some would call “fillers”. I define fillers as words people add to their sentences to fluff up their writing or their sentences when speaking with others. Words such as, like, totally, you know what I mean, whatever. I have heard many use these words and phases daily and I am also guilty of using these fillers. Fillers can be used properly but I think what Taylor is saying is, it is used more widely and without care. We add them at the end of a sentence for no reason. It doesn’t belong there. It makes it seem like we don’t have clear statements. By adding such words it can have a completely different meaning to a phrase or sentence. For example, “The Blackhawks are going to win the Stanley Cup, you know what I’m saying? Or, the Blackhawks are going to win the Stanley Cup. These sentences can mean the same thing when said to someone, and then again they could be different. The first could be a question or asking for confirmation from another person. The second is a clear statement. This video and our class discussion makes lot of sense, because how we use words is very critical to understanding what someone is telling another. When we use fillers it causes misunderstanding and confusion. I think it leaves people guessing and the person who uses sentences with the fillers stated above seems likes they are unsure of what the information given out.
Mali, Taylor. “Totally Like Whatever, You Know.” YouTube. 4 Dec. 2007. Web. 17 Apr. 2012. -
Justyna Matyjaszczyk
For todays journal I like to write about a short clip shown in class called “Totally Like Whatever, You Know” with Taylor Mali. Taylor is a comedian and he talks about how people use their words and many add, what some would call “fillers”. I define fillers as words people add to their sentences to fluff up their writing or their sentences when speaking with others. Words such as, like, totally, you know what I mean, whatever. I have heard many use these words and phases daily and I am also guilty of using these fillers. Fillers can be used properly but I think what Taylor is saying is, it is used more widely and without care. We add them at the end of a sentence for no reason. It doesn’t belong there. It makes it seem like we don’t have clear statements. By adding such words it can have a completely different meaning to a phrase or sentence. For example, “The Blackhawks are going to win the Stanley Cup, you know what I’m saying? Or, the Blackhawks are going to win the Stanley Cup. These sentences can mean the same thing when said to someone, and then again they could be different. The first could be a question or asking for confirmation from another person. The second is a clear statement. This video and our class discussion makes lot of sense, because how we use words is very critical to understanding what someone is telling another. When we use fillers it causes misunderstanding and confusion. I think it leaves people guessing and the person who uses sentences with the fillers stated above seems likes they are unsure of what the information given out.
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Justyna Matyjaszczyk
For todays journal I like to write about a short clip shown in class called “Totally Like Whatever, You Know” with Taylor Mali. Taylor is a comedian and he talks about how people use their words and many add, what some would call “fillers”. I define fillers as words people add to their sentences to fluff up their writing or their sentences when speaking with others. Words such as, like, totally, you know what I mean, whatever. I have heard many use these words and phases daily and I am also guilty of using these fillers. Fillers can be used properly but I think what Taylor is saying is, it is used more widely and without care. We add them at the end of a sentence for no reason. It doesn’t belong there. It makes it seem like we don’t have clear statements. By adding such words it can have a completely different meaning to a phrase or sentence. For example, “The Blackhawks are going to win the Stanley Cup, you know what I’m saying? Or, the Blackhawks are going to win the Stanley Cup. These sentences can mean the same thing when said to someone, and then again they could be different. The first could be a question or asking for confirmation from another person. The second is a clear statement. This video and our class discussion makes lot of sense, because how we use words is very critical to understanding what someone is telling another. When we use fillers it causes misunderstanding and confusion. I think it leaves people guessing and the person who uses sentences with the fillers stated above seems likes they are unsure of what the information given out.
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Justyna Matyjaszczyk
Action Project #5: A Story of Service
There are many issues and concerns in the world and they need to be announced to others because people need help. This is what this project is all about. We begin by getting into teams followed by choosing an organization, which deals with a cause we are all interested or have concern over. My team and I chose to cover alcoholism but narrowed it down to underage drinking. Since we are all young enough to relate to the subject and issue we thought it would be a great idea to spread awareness.
The reason we chose this topic is because my team and I can relate to the issue. Three of the four-team members are under the age of 21. I think this project for them is like dealing with the issue first hand. I think it is a wonderful opportunity for my fellow classmates to educate themselves and spread the word on underage drinking, educate fellow youth and prevent alcohol abuse in minors. As for me, I can say this is also a unique experience. Although I am of the legal drinking age, I have had my own experiences with alcohol throughout my youth. There are a few things I wish could have been different or done better when I was underage in order to prevent or educate my peers and myself. This opportunity will allow me to share my stories and ideas to the team. With us being the age that we are I think we can accomplish a great deal and get the word out to a ton of people. All they have to do is listen and I think it is much easier to listen to your peers rather than an adult because you don’t feel as if they are being authorities and telling them what to do. Also, I think it is less stressful to express and share stories with other youths because they understand each other. They too may be going through the same challenges or having the same thoughts. So our goal is to make sure we get the word out to educate the youth on the dangers of consuming alcohol. The effects it has on the young body and mind. The dangers of drinking and driving and the long-term life consequences it may hold for many if not taken the right steps and given the proper information to prevent tragic out comes through out their lives.As a team we immediately arranged our first meeting to cover the basic information and tasks for the project. Each teammate was to find at least three organizations dealing with alcohol abuse and underage drinking. A few very informative websites we found were the DARE.com, NIAA.NIH.gov, Stopalcoholabuse.gov, MADD.com and Drawtheline.com. Although these were all very informative websites we ran into a major problem. As we searched the websites for volunteer oprotunities with them we hit a brick wall. Unfortunately, we were unable to help service these organizations because either we had to be certified in a specific field to have hands on experiences, take a TB and drug test, which would take at least a couple to a few weeks for the results or we did not receive a response after many phone calls with them. I began to think smaller so I contacted a couple local police officers and a high school teacher. I asked them if the city had any local organizations dealing directly with underage drinking and alcohol abuse. I received a print out of several pages with all sorts of different organizations from the YMCA to family help lines. Yet we are not able to volunteer at any place. I did not realize this would be such a challenge. I honestly thought there would be a mass amount of organization we would be able to volunteer with who dealt with underage drinking since it is a pretty common issue here in the United States.
Now as our time is coming to a close I am beginning to stress out and panic because we have yet to volunteer and collect all the necessary information we need for the fair, which is April 30, 2012. I want to be prepared and have as much valuable information as I can possible gather including my own experience through volunteering for those who will be attending the fair. This helps me to be able to give clear information to those who have an interest in the issue. I want people to be interested, informed and leave with a feeling of excitment and a want to help and hopefully become a part of the volunteer world.
To keep things moving I asked the team to come up with at least two other organizations besides drinking underage. Because if all else fails with the first project we have back up plans. The following class period we spent our time talking about the problems we ran into and how to resolve them. The team and I spoke with the Professor after class because we were in desperate need of help. How can we move forward? Is there something we did wrong or missed? Are there any new ideas we have not came up with? Is there an alternative to volunteering with an organization that will allow us to continue with the topic of underage drinking? Or should we move forward with something new and fresh? Well the team and I decided it would be smart to move on to one of the other organizations. For our second choice we really liked the idea of helping the United States Veterans. We got a hold of the VA Hospital in Hines, Illinois. I called the organization and spoke with a woman named Kim. She was very pleasant over the phone and gave me high hopes of being able to work with them. When I received my call back from Kim she explained to me she was very excited and appreciative that we were interested and wanting to volunteer but she had bad news for me. In order for us to volunteer at Hines Hospital through the VA we would have to take a TB test and have a background check done on each of the team members. This is not the issue of getting these types of test done. We are willing to go to any lengths to get something going but time is not on our side. If we were to take these tests, I was told the results would not be in for at least a couple months.
Our team has been working fairly hard to find a good organization we can work with, but the challenges we have faced have lead us back to the starting line. Now we are to the point of trying to find more organizations that are easier to work with and can fit us into their schedule as soon as possible. Once again I asked the team member to contact any organization that interested them and be prepared Monday with all the necessary information to schedule an appointment with them. We have two so far and they are Feed My Starving Children (FMSC) and Share Your Souls. Professor McGuire found these two places in the fist semester of our class. We were encouraged to attend any of these and one of my teammates attended Share Your Souls and I have attended FMSC. I think this gives us a hand up this time because we have a knowledge and experience with these organizations. Also, they are flexible with their time and most importantly do a great deal of work to help those in need. I plan on having a date set with either of these organizations by Tuesday morning and be ready to volunteer and interview the place so we can get into our project and be ready to rock on the day of the fair. This is very important to me because I want those who will be attending the fair to have faith in our information and knowledge and I would love for the founders or employees of the organization who we will be working with to attend the fair.
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Justyna Matyjaszczyk
This weeks Journal involves the team project we are involved with. The team and I chose to work on educating and preventing underage drinking. I was looking over MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Drivers) and found an interesting piece of information. MADD is not only an organization that educates and tries to prevent drunk driving and underage drinking. They also help the victims of accidents cause by drunk driving. MADD has saved about 300,000 lives since 1980, when they first began their mission. The website has a lot of great information including underage drinking. This section helps youths and parents on the topic of drinking under the age of 21. One of the cool things they have are downloadable pamphlets for parents on how to begin conversations with their children about consuming alcohol, driving under the influence and the effects it has on the young body and mind. Right below it there is another pamphlet but for young adults to download on how to start conversations with parents. Another cool thing MADD offers through their site is a pledge youths can sign that states they will not drink under the age of 21 and will not get into a car with someone who is under the influence of alcohol. After signing the pledge the youths receive cool MADD props and gear from the NFL. I think that is super cool because they not only involving parents, which can turn youths away because it may seem like an adult thing. The more youth you get involved in educating and preventing an important cause the better the response, I believe.
MADD.org. 2011. Web. 10 April. 2012 -
Justyna Matyjaszczyk
Years ago the FDA approved a drug named Marinol. People are prescribed Marinol for the same reasons people use medical marijuana. But there is a big difference between Marinol and medical marijuana. Marinol has synthetic THC and what that means is it is not as strong as one would use marijuana for medication. Some patients use marinol and are satisfied with the pill but many prefer pure marijuana to marinol because the pill is does not have certain componanats such as antinausea, anti-rheumatoid arthritic, analgesic and antispasmodic properties, to name a few. Marinol also takes longer to become active in the body. Because it is in pill form it must first be swallowed then pass through the small intestine and eventually into the stomach. Because of this it takes time for Marinol to kick in and begin working unlike the direct use of inhaling marijuana. Also unlike natural marijuana, Marinol is more psychoactive. What this means is the side effects are different and have caused depression, irritability, change in mood, anxiety, confusion and dizziness. I believe if Marinol works for some patients then those patients should continue its use. But also, if Marinol is legal and prescribed to patients and is proven to work with synthetic THC then most definetly should patients who have clear benefits from using natural marijuana have the right and freedom to use it. This to me makes no sense. The proof, research and evidence are out there. Why is this a hard decision to legalize medical marijuana? The DEA and government really need to rethink and make smarter decisions.
Armentano, Paul. “Marinol vs. Natural Plant.” Norml.org. 11 Aug. 2005. Web. 3 April. 2012. -
Justyna Matyjaszczyk
Years ago the FDA approved a drug named Marinol. People are prescribed Marinol for the same reasons people use medical marijuana. But there is a big difference between Marinol and medical marijuana. Marinol has synthetic THC and what that means is it is not as strong as one would use marijuana for medication. Some patients use marinol and are satisfied with the pill but many prefer pure marijuana to marinol because the pill is does not have certain componanats such as antinausea, anti-rheumatoid arthritic, analgesic and antispasmodic properties, to name a few. Marinol also takes longer to become active in the body. Because it is in pill form it must first be swallowed then pass through the small intestine and eventually into the stomach. Because of this it takes time for Marinol to kick in and begin working unlike the direct use of inhaling marijuana. Also unlike natural marijuana, Marinol is more psychoactive. What this means is the side effects are different and have caused depression, irritability, change in mood, anxiety, confusion and dizziness. I believe if Marinol works for some patients then those patients should continue its use. But also, if Marinol is legal and prescribed to patients and is proven to work with synthetic THC then most definetly should patients who have clear benefits from using natural marijuana have the right and freedom to use it. This to me makes no sense. The proof, research and evidence are out there. Why is this a hard decision to legalize medical marijuana? The DEA and government really need to rethink and make smarter decisions.
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Justyna Matyjaszczyk
The Cycle of Socialization was a fascinating read for myself and I believe everyone should read it. It is straight forward and to the point. This read tells all about how we treat and think and judge others because of the society, community and people we are surrounded by. We are judged by our race, religion, age, gender, sexual orientation, first language and ethnicity. We are either a target or an agent. Bobby Harro wrote that we do not have the ability or choice to decided how and to whom we will be born. And if people would just take out some time to get to know each other we can make a change how we view and think of others and even ourselves. He is very honest in his writing and I think the same. And people have thought this way for hundreds and hundred of years. I think it is time for a change for the better good of human. I believe we need to learn about each other and our differences. By doing so we will realize we have more in common than we expected. We all want to be happy and be loved. We have had struggles and pain in our lives. We are all humans with feelings and emotions. I believe a change in how our society is broken up into groups of higher class, race, religion and different view is a super cool thing but we need to learn to respect each other and accept or just agree to disagree.
Harro, Bobbi. “The Cycle Of Socialization.” 2012. 15-21. Splatter: The Messy Art of Writing. Web. 28 Mar. 2012 -
Justyna Matyjaszczyk
In Montana 20 month old Cash was diagnosed with a brain tumor. After the first round of chemotherapy Cash would not eat and the cancer was taking over him. He was sent to Primary Children’s Hospital in Salt Lake City, Utah, he was diagnosed with a primitive neuroectodermal tumor (PNET); it is a malignant tumor of the central nervous system. It is common in children and young adults and spreads quickly. Oncologist recommended the parents that Cash get three rounds of chemotherapy and then another more intensive high-dose chemo with stem rescue. Cash ended up being so sick he was no longer taking food in through his G-tube because the chemo had fried the area up. After doctors telling the parents there was nothing else that can be done the parents took matters into their own hands. They slowly took him off the nausea medication prescribed by doctors that was not helping. After doing intensive research the father went to get Cash a medical marijuana card. Although it was illegal in Utah, he snuck around and gave his son 3 milligrams of marijuana oil through his feeding tube. Cash began to eat, sit up and laugh. The doctors were shocked at the turn around. After an up and down battle of more hospital visits and elapses Cash has made it to 3 years old and is a fun, loving and playful little boy. The cancer has not returned. This story touched my heart. So now why is this still illegal?
Pouliot,Karlie. “Dad Claims Marijuana Helped 3-Year-Old Son Beat Cancer.” Foxnews.com. Foxnews. 05, May 2011. Web. 21, March 2012. -
Justyna Matyjaszczyk
Hi all, can anyone tell me how to post a video on Splatter? I current found one i would love to share with everyone. Hope someone can help, Thanks.
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Lee McKinnis
copy video url, post in text box.
OR
copy url from YT, open the ‘full option’ while editing w/e page to embad the video, done
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Justyna Matyjaszczyk
FEED MY STARVING CHILDREN REFLECTION
FEED MY STARVING CHILDREN: REFLECTION
Through out my life I have attended fundraisers, made contributions at charity events, donated money or imperishable food items, clothes, toys and collected cell phones for soldiers to support and help causes. In my communications class we are required to volunteer our time twice during the semester. I thought it was pretty cool because I enjoy helping others who are in need but I have never had a hands-on volunteering experience. I was a little skeptical at first of the organization, as I am with most well established charity organization because it seems you hear a lot about the money or products not actually going to those in need. Fortunately, as the professor was giving us a short detailed description of FMSC, he mentioned what I was praying to hear. Ninety-three percent, that is 93, in case you missed that high number, of the donations go directly to towards the food program. I was nearly blown off my chair. I was like music to my ears. I was definetly-taking advantage of this opportunity.
That day I signed up for the cause, excited that I’d finally found a charity that was doing what they promised to do, feed the starving children. As the day drew closer, I became more excited about my first chance to actually have a hands on opportunity to help those in need. On the day of the service, I wasn’t sure what to expect. I knew I would have the chance to help feed starving children, but the feelings of “volunteerism” hadn’t quit caught up with me to that point. I was lead into a room with other volunteers who gathered around to watch a movie about what Feed My Starving Children does as well as the nutritional needs of the children we were trying to help. I learned that the food we were packaging that day would save the lives of thousands of starving children. As the orientation began to wind down, pictures of small children began to flash on the screen as their names where counted off by the female narrator, and that’s when it hit me. I instantly felt a connection to these children and knew I wanted to do everything I could to help them.
As I entered the packaging center, I was introduced to my team and given instructions on how to properly work the stations. Staff members allowed each individual to choose which station and job they wanted to do. I decided to work the weighing station. My job was to ensure all of the food packages were within a certain weight, for both the nutritional needs of the children as well as the shipping requirements to make sure all the boxes could be safely shipped. The entire process was made into a gigantic competition, which spurred the two teams into working extremely hard at filling up as many boxes at as they could, yet remaining fun and inspirational. The day flew by, and before I knew it they were leading everyone into the shipping bay to observe all the boxes we filled up that day. I was so proud of what we had all accomplished, we packed 32 boxes, containing 692 meals, which would end up feeding 19 children for under $2000. I was amazed at what a few volunteers could achieve in such a short period of time, and I wondered what could be done if more people know how important and easy it was to make such a huge difference to so many people. As an added bonus, the staff provided us with a sample of the food we packaged, and I’d have to say it wasn’t that bad considering the nutritional requirements of the children receiving the food. Staff members advised us many of the children were not able to consume normal food such as whole fruits and vegetables due to the severity of their malnutrition.
Overall I was extremely satisfied with the organization and how well it was organized. The staff was very knowledgeable and went out of their way to ensure I enjoyed my experience and did a fantastic job of spreading awareness about world hunger. I would definitely go back to help with this charity and it changed my view on what a charity can do when it is ran properly. I also made it a point to tell my friends and family about my experience, and encourage them to get out and join similar causes that were important to them. Most importantly, it made me realize how fortunate I am, and how many of us take for granted the food that is so easily available for many Americans.
My goal is to take these experiences and build on them. I would like to continue my research on world hunger, as well as continue to volunteer my time to charities that are willing to support such an important cause. Feed My Starving Children and many others like it survive solely on the help and donations from volunteers and communities and those resources are always in high demand. The Feed My Starving Children charity alone is committed to distributing food to over seventy countries that are or have been affected my natural disasters and economic despair. The food must then be distributed to clinics, schools, refugee camps, orphanages and malnourishment clinics far from city centers and reliable transportation. The cost in dollars and manpower to deliver these emergency food storages are under constant pressure, and it is time I do my part to make a difference by volunteering and raising awareness.
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John Dougherty
Justyna’s paper is about the time that she volunteered at the Feed My Starving Children event. I didn’t know anything about this place or event until after I read this paper, and now I consider myself pretty informed. I really liked your introduction paragraph. You introduced why you would be participating in this event and how you felt about it. You mentioned that you were skeptical about organized charity events because you were afraid that the money does actually go to the cause. When I was thinking about what to do for my service event, that’s all I thought about. I was hesitant to select which one I wanted to go to because I was afraid they weren’t legit. But like you said, the ones that Professor McGuire put together were all very good foundations. In the next paragraph of your paper you explained how you were excited to volunteer, but you had no idea what to expect. I know that I felt like that, as did many of the other people whom I volunteered with. At the beginning of the Feed My Starving Children event you mentioned that they showed a video that really caught your attention. I think that the videos in all of the service events I have read about have been very effective. The foundations did a very good job of making the volunteers feel for the cause to motivate them. That is a real important part of the events. It’s interesting to see how different the service events are. I attended the SYS event and we worked on tons of different things rather than one job. I like how they made it into a competition. It makes people want to work harder and do more for a great cause. Also, it makes the experience fun and the time fly by as you said. I can definitely see how you were affected by volunteering in this event. You did a good job of displaying your emotions in your writing. All of that work you got done and all of the kids you saved by feeding them would make anyone feel like they did something awesome. It’s good that the Feed My Starving Children event had an effect on you and that it makes you want to take your experiences and build on them as you said. That is what the project was designed to do. Your closing paragraphs really summed up how you felt about the experience and it was a good way to end the paper. Overall, I think you had a really good paper. It gave me the knowledge on what this organization is all about and how it helps out all of these children. Your reflection was good and you gave plenty of detail on how it made you feel.
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James Jeszke
Feed My Starving Children is a renound name in the fight against starvation, poverty, and homelessness. This paper explained everything that I looked at before I read it. I am the same way as you are when it comes to giving to charities. Its enough to give to charities but to actually know where and what the money is used for, makes giving so much easier. I can understand if they would tell you specifically where your donations are going, but organizations rarely ever do so. When I chose where I would do service for this class it had to have 2 criteria, 1. Be a place where I would actually enjoy going to and learn something from it and 2. Interaction with the actual source of the root cause. So after those facts, I chose that I would be going to Sunrise Senior Living to speak with a man that actually taught me the value of life and showed me that life is short so make it worth your while. Picking a place where you can reflect on what you were doing is very important. You had ease on reflecting on the topic because it clearly had some impact on how you look at giving back to starving individuals. This paper showed that you enjoyed what you were doing and definitely gave the reflection it deserved throughout this entire piece. The video you mentioned in the paper is a very good way to portray the means on why and what made you do this whole thing. It made you think about all the things you wanted to do for the people suffering. It always take clarification on what exactly your doing, who, and what your doing service for.
All in all, your paper was very well written. I like the intro because it gave an immediate fact on donations and charities that pertain to FMSC. 93% is a HUGE number that many cannot comprehend. That is a ton of donations and a whole lot of giving back to the communities sums it up very well. This paper, I think, has good structure and flows farely well paragraph to paragraph. It can be hard to keep flow going but you did well explaining in different steps what happened during your trip to your detailed reflection about the whole thing. You show emotion throughout this whole paper and I also like to add how I feel throughout mine as well. Your final paragraph was very good and gave this paper a concrete standpoint on what happened to you at FMSC and explaining what happens there as well.
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Justyna Matyjaszczyk
THIS IS OUTRAGEOUS! To stay connected and informed on my activism project I joined the NORML cause via Facebook. As I was browsing through my emails today NORML’s email grabbed my full attention like no other. The title “BUTTE, CA. SNATCHES CHILDREN FROM MARIJUANA PATIENTS.” In September of 2011 the Butte Interagency Narcotic Task Force (BINTF) along with Child Protective Services, barged into the home of Daisy Bram and Jayme Walsh. The couple was arrested by BINTF, their children; a 3 week old and 15 month old ripped from their arms and placed into a stranger’s home by Child Protective Services. The couple was charged with class A felonies, two charges of child abuse and six relating to cannabis. Two of the charges, one for child abuse, children returned home after four months, and the other relating to cannabis were dropped. Unfortunately, the courts decided to re-file. Jayme and Daisy have been legally prescribed marijuana and are able to grow it in accordance to state law. Months before the arrests the BINTF trespassed onto their private road and land and made it seem as if they were only there to make sure everything was in accordance. When I read this story I was absolutely disgusted. Major changes need to be made to help protect the patients and their families. I find it ridiculous to take such drastic and dramatic procedures when these people are obeying the state law. This is one of the main reasons we need your help to vote and speak out so marijuana can be reclassified into a lower Schedule. PLEASE TAKE ACTION TOMORROW AND VOTE. THESE PEOPLE ARE IN DESPERATE NEED OF HELP. THANK YOU.
Fendrick, Sabrina. “Butte, Ca. Snatches Children From Marijuana Patients.” Blog.normal.org. NORML.org, 16 Mar. 2012. Web. 19 Mar. 2012.-
Lee McKinnis
NORML? FUCK YEAH!
Oh, I like your subject and I knew of NORML for a while. Tis cool.
LEGALIZE IT!
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Justyna Matyjaszczyk
Today’s journal is from a reading in chapter 7, “7.1 GIVE CREDIT BUT TAKE OWNERSHIP.” Chapter 7 covers plagirisim and 7.1 is about using sources and owing what is used. The most important thing about this is to make sure to give credit where credit is due. I like the examples the txt used. One was a story about a kid writing a song then I would go off and play the song someplace else to claim and state it was my song. That is a horrible feeling to have when you hear someone else taking credit for your hard work. I guess we really don’t think too much about anyone’s feelings getting hurt or being offened when we use resources from books or the Internet because we don’t have a personal connection to them. But I think we should be more curtious because I am sure no of us want someone to take credit for the long nights of research and typing we did on our projects. I know I would be ticked off. So I think taking ownership means to take ownership of what you have read and the work you did. To take ownership of how you mixed and matched all the research and readings into your own ideas and points. I think when people read we all analyze and understand it differently. We have our own thoughts and questions. Even though we come to the same conclusion on one specific topic, we all got there a little differently then the person next to us.
DeVillez, Eric R, Michael McGuire, Thomas P. Dow, Troy A. Swanson. “Why White Rice? Thinking Through Writing”. Kendall Hunt. 2010. p. 164-167. Print. -
Justyna Matyjaszczyk
Elevated Speech Outline
Legalizing Medical Marijuana
I. Classified by the DEA as a Schedule I drug
• High potential for abuse
• Not accepted as medical treatment
• Not safe to use
• Same category as LSD, Heroin and Ecstasy
II. Reclassify medical marijuana to a Schedule III
• Protect patients and physicians from arrest and prosecution
• Two past petitions for Rescheduling. First, NORML and second John Gettman and the High Times.
• Both not taken into consideration
III. Background
• Scientist and physicians collected studies to prove the safety and effectiveness of its use
• Found to be a legite source of medication for patients suffering from chronic pain and terminal illnesses.
• MS, cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy, HIV/AIDS, pain from nerve damage and glaucoma.
• Scientist currently researching are suggesting that possibility marijuana may even protect against some forms of cancers
IV. Facts
• More than 60 U.S and International health organizations support the use of medical marijuana under supervision of a physician
• Survey by researchers at Providence Rhode Island Hospital, more than half of the physicians support medical marijuana
• 2010 study in Germany: 37 controlled trials: 2563 subjects exposed to the natural form marijuana prove its safe to use and its effectiveness.
• NORML found 20,000 papers published on its effectiveness
• Studies far surpassed the required criteria of the FDA for drug approval
• FDA’s most recent researched has concluded and clearly stated, medical marijuana should be the first line of treatment for some diseases.
V. Get Involved
• Educate yourself and others
• Speak out to elected officials
• Support and Vote for the candidates who are pro medical marijuana
• NORML.org
• GovTrack.org
• Both provide clear and simply ways to get involved and support the use of medical marijuana and the rescheduling of the drug
• Both sites provide ready made letters for elected officials in all states -
Justyna Matyjaszczyk
Letter to The Editor
To, Donald Hayner
The Editor in Chief,
Chicago Sun Times,
Chicago Sun-Times
350 N. Orleans St., 10th Floor
Chicago, IL 60654
312-321-3000Subject: Spreading Awareness About H.R. 1983: States’ Medical Marijuana Patient Protection Act.
I would like to express my support for a pending bill for the States’ Medical Marijuana Patient Protection Act – HR1983. This bill, if passed, will provide for the reclassification of medical marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III, which will allow marijuana to be prescribed by a physician in accordance with the laws of the various states that currently legalize its use.
It is widely recognized that medical marijuana does not only relieve the symptoms of patients who suffer from chronic pain and other debilitating illnesses but can possibly treat the actual disease itself. Current data has suggested medical marijuana can reduce the spread of some forms of cancer, making the deregulation of medical marijuana that much more imperative for treatment and research. Recent studies by the FDA using their own criteria concluded that medical marijuana should be the first line of treatment for patients suffering from chronic pain and other serious illnesses. FDA studies consistently found medical marijuana was as good or better than currently prescribed medications.
We as Americans need to recognize the benefits of medical marijuana and reeducate ourselves by researching the facts and testimonials of patients who benefit from its use. By supporting the bill for the States’ Medical Marijuana Patient Protection Act, we are in fact supporting the people who can only find relief from the use of medicinal marijuana. There are an abundance of resources for people to get involved to support the legal use of medical marijuana such as NORML.org and Govtrack.org.
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James Jeszke
I agree with this 100%. It seems like the older generation wants to ban medicinal marijuana because they see it as such a terrible thing. It baffles me why some could possibly consider a drug that grows from our own soil and does nothing but good for illnesses, a terrible thing. Its illegal for what reason though? I think you should argue one of the reasons why it is illegal. I am not sure why it is either but if you research a little about it, it can make your argument a whole lot stronger. I like this letter alot because the story is really compelling. Not only because it deals with medicinal marijuana, but because of the patients that are prescribed marijuana and their illnesses. I think the example of the States’s Medical Marijuana Patient Protection Act was very strong because it is a major part of the fact of making medicinal marijuana legal in certain states. Putting a standpoint between the reason why and how it can be legalized was very well made but I believe this letter can be stronger if you tell why its illegal and arguing its pros. Also, give some examples of some illnesses that medicinal marijuana would be used for. Not a big deal but knowing some minor parts of this topic can go a long way for the editor to consider this story and spreading the news. What exactly is the Schedule III? I thought that physicians already prescribe it but I might be wrong.
California and Colorado are two of the states with the most medicinal marijuana patients. There is a new tv show called ‘American Weed.’ Which is about a few medicinal marijuana dispensaries near Boulder, CO. The show shows how protestors in the city are against the dispensaries. They raise money and have fundraisers to continue on serving the community with people with illnesses and the protestors obviously try to shut them down. There was one story on the show about a man with kidney cancer who was prescribed marijuana to help with pain and sleeping at night. He was talking about how he tried taking other medicines to ease the pain but nothing else helped but the medicinal marijuana. For one, cancer is no joke. For a man to be able to say that medicinal marijuana was the only medicine to help ease the pain makes a big impact on people supporting the use of it.
All in all this letter is very good with minor things to touch up on. The letter is straight forward and to the point. I think that medicinal marijuana can go a long way for people with illnesses. A lot of people don’t know the true effects of marijuana if they have never used it. They think that more bad stuff stuff will come of it than goods. And that is just not true at all. Think of the pros; ease of pain, better night of sleep, and for some illnesses, marijuana actually helps cure it. I’d like to see the legalization of this, but without a strong backing and good points made about the drug, it will remain illegal.
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Justyna Matyjaszczyk
I’m going to write about this word “Engfish” that is introduced in chapter two of Why White Rice? A student, in a class taught by the writing instructor Ken Macroire, coined the term “Engfish”. Engfish was made up to describe writing by students who did not or do not “own it” as described in the book. Also, there are two types of engfish writings. The first is fluffy and phony. Writing in order to fill up the paper and try to give the professors what they want. Essays are filled with general fillers and redundancies. The second type of engfish is a basic type of writing that holds no interest for the students reading it or the teachers. Writing with out any meaning or emotion. No personal connections to the writer, reader or even the world and is easily forgotten. Holding no ownership in writing. In the past I have chosen not to add too much personal emotion or stories into my writing because I did not think it was acceptable in college writing. And I was one of the many students who would write or at least try to write what the instructor expected. Well I thought I knew what they expected. After reading this part of chapter two, IT ALL MAKES SENSE. It instantly made me think, well duh, why do we love certain songs? Why do we choose to read “this” book and not “that” book? Why do have specific shows we watch? They speak to us. We can on some level relate emotionally to the things we like. That is why we like them and enjoy it. We end up owning it. If there is an emotional connection to something it catches our interest. I don’t think it has to be exactly what we personally experienced but at least something that tugs at our sleeves. What I mean by that is, we are human beings and our lives are surrounded by feelings and emotions. This is how we live. With out these feelings and emotions toward things and people what would be the purpose of living? There would be no purpose for writing!! We relate to others through stories, music, relationships, tragedies and successes. If we can bring that out in our writing I think our paper would have no room for this term “Engfish”. At the end of 2.2 on page 36 we are left with a quote, I really like quotes if it is not obvious enough, they make me think and remember information. Here it is, “Write hard and clear about what hurts” – Hemingway. This quote sticks out to me because we are afraid to not only write but to express our pain and hurt to others, let alone the world of splatter. But if we give it a try I’m sure we will receive positive feedback and people who can and do relate to what you have expressed. We can open doors for each other and help one another to express ourselves. And by doing so we come to realize we all have something in common. We are not alone. So express away as I will do my best to do so also.
DeVillez, Eric R, Michael McGuire, Thomas P. Dow, Troy A. Swanson. “Why White Rice? Thinking Through Writing”. Kendall Hunt. 2010. 34-36. Print. -
Justyna Matyjaszczyk
As I was reading chapter 2 in WWR I came across a short essay by Anthony Stafford called “Make Love to Your Writing.” This short story began talking about staying out to late and having to read and study a physiology textbook, which is described to be written by computers in Fort Knox with the rest of the textbooks professors make us read just to torment college students. I thought that part was pretty funny because I’m sure many of us have felt that way about most of our textbooks though out our school years, from K-12 and college. But then he began to dig a bit deeper. He compares writing to sex and making love. Stating that all animals, including humans, have sex, but love is something different. In order to love you must have a strong bond, a connection, and emotional attachment and feelings. Overall, what he is trying to get across is we can all write. We were taught to write even before we began pre-school or kindergarten. But to take a step higher we need to write with love. Allow the emotions to shine through. To let our guards down and not be afraid of expressing ourselves through writing. Writing should let our love show through. I completely believe what is has written. I find some of my work to be bland and I not liking it at all. And some work I have confidence in and want everyone to read it and give me all the feedback I can get. And the difference between those two is, exactly what Stafford wrote about. My best work comes from the topics I love, care and have an emotional connection to. I really enjoyed the quote he ended his essay with. “…everything in life is writable about if you have the outgoing guts to do it, and the imagination to improvise. The worst enemy to creativity is self-doubt.” –Sylvia Path. I can relate to this quote because I often find myself second-guessing my writing. When I write an essay it is very hard for me to move on to the next paragraph or subject without double or even triple checking what I have written. I get stuck on the choice of words or even spelling. I’ll even start the entire essay over because all of a sudden I found it to be stupid or ridiculous. I need to learn to just keep writing and moving forward. And when the essay is done then read it through and make corrections on the bad. I’m going to make a copy of this quote and post it on my laptop so that next time I need inspiration I can refer to it.
DeVillez, Eric R, Michael McGuire, Thomas P. Dow, Troy A. Swanson. “Why White Rice? Thinking Through Writing”. Kendall Hunt. 2010. p.43-45. Print. -
Justyna Matyjaszczyk
Why is Marijuana not used for Medical Treatment?
Marijuana, also referred to as cannabis or canabanoid, has been used as medicine by various cultures dating back thousands of years to include the United States until the late 1930’s. In 1937 the federal government enacted the Marijuana Tax Act. Although it still allowed for the use of medical marijuana it taxed manufactures and medical users and required them to comply with intensive registrations and procedures. Many did not bother to protest the act because at the time, cannabis was not widely used in the United States but in a few cities by people who were experimenting with it and was limited to Mexico. The American Medical Association (AMA) stepped in when the federal government levied a tax on the use of marijuana. The AMA intervened to say there was not enough scientific information to prove that marijuana was harmful and would only hinder future researchers of the drug for medical purposes. In 1970 the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Office of Diversion Control listed marijuana as a Schedule I controlled substance. A Schedule I controlled substance is defined as,
“Substances in this schedule have a high potential for abuse, have no currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United States, and there is a lack of accepted safety for use of the drug or other substance under medical supervision.”[1].What this means is marijuana is listed in the same category as more dangerous and chemically altered drugs such as LSD, ecstasy and heroin. Yet, more dependent drugs like methamphetamine and cocaine are put in a less restricted Schedule II category. These laws limits the legalization of medical marijuana so it restricts its use for medicinal and research purposes.
To this day the AMA’s policy on Medical Marijuana, states, “Our AMA urges the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to implement administrative procedures to facilitate grant applications and the conduct of well-designed clinical research into the medical utility of marijuana. This effort should include: a) disseminating specific information for researchers on the development of safeguards for marijuana clinical research protocols and the development of a model informed consent on marijuana for institutional review board evaluation; b) sufficient funding to support such clinical research and access for qualified investigators to adequate supplies of marijuana for clinical research purposes; c) confirming that marijuana of various and consistent strengths and/or placebo will be supplied by the National Institute on Drug Abuse to investigators registered with the Drug Enforcement Agency who are conducting bona fide clinical research studies that receive Food and Drug Administration approval, regardless of whether or not the NIH is the primary source of grant support.” [2].
There have been two petitions thus far and one currently in process to reclassify cannabis from a Schedule I drug. The first petition was filed in 1972 by National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana (NORML). NORML battled the government for 22 years, until the petition was finally dismissed in 1994. The second petition was filed in 1995 by Jon Gettman and High Times and was denied by the DEA. Further attempts to address the issue through the legal process failed. The courts decided Gettman and High Times has no standing to file a lawsuit against the DEA or the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Although Gettman gave all the necessary information required by the Controlled Substances Act (CSA), the dependency of the drug, addiction potential and safety, to the DEA and HHS, either of the agencies took medical marijuana into consideration. The most current petition to reclassify marijuana from a Schedule I began in 2002 and currently underway.
Over the years there has been an ongoing controversy between the government and supporters of legalizing medical marijuana. Doctors, physicians and scientist have collected research over several years to prove medical marijuana to be a legitimate form of medicine for many types of chronic pain and terminal illnesses in patients. Since 1996 sixteen states including the District of Colombia are, by state laws, legally able to use medical marijuana but it is still a federal offense.
The most frequent studies, a series of randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trials on medical marijuana, in inhaled form, performed at the University of California Center for Medicinal Cannabis Research, have come to conclude,“The studies, which utilized the so-called ‘gold standard’ FDA clinical trial design, concluded that marijuana ought to be a “first line treatment” for patients with neuropathy and other serious illnesses. Each of the trials found that cannabis consistently reduced patients’ pain levels to a degree that was as good or better than currently available medications, ‘smoked cannabis was superior to placebo in reducing spasticity and pain in patients with MS, and provided some benefit beyond currently prescribed treatments.” [3]
Today scientist around the world have conducted research and controlled trials on human subjects. As recent as 2010 researchers in Germany reported that there have been 37 controlled trials studying the safe use and effects of medical marijuana. The trials exposed 2,563 subjects to the naturally occurring compounds of marijuana and found that the testing far surpassed the requirements expected by the FDA for drug approval. Recently studies and trials have surged, and it’s estimated there are over 20,000 papers published on the effectiveness of medical marijuana and it’s ability to fight disease. It is widely recognized that medical marijuana does not only relieve the symptoms of some diseases, but can possibly treat the actual disease itself. Current data has suggested cannabinoids can reduce the spread of some forms of cancer, making the deregulation of medical marijuana that much more imperative for treatment and research.
As the evidence mounts, lawmakers have recently introduced legislation to protect the rights of patients. In May of 2011, Congressman Barney Frank (D-MA) along with Pete Stark (D-CA), and Rep. Ron Paul (R-TX) and nineteen other members of Congress introduced HR 1983, the State’s Medical Marijuana Protection Act of 2011. The bill protects current patience that use doctor prescribed medical marijuana from federal prosecution, as well as rescheduling medical marijuana under the Controlled Substance Act. On June 3rd of 2011, the bill was referred from the House Committee of Energy and Commerce to the Subcommittee on Health for consideration. It will be up to them to view the bill favorably and refer it to the Senate for their consideration.
There are an abundance of resources for people to get involved to support the legal use of medical marijuana for users who suffer from chronic pain and other debilitating illnesses. Organizations such as NORML and ProCon provides hundreds of pages of information to educate the public on current studies, trials, legislative proceedings, and other supporters of the legalization of medical marijuana. By educating yourself, you will be a spokesman for not only your family and friends, but through causal conversation with total strangers. Awareness and education is the first step in being involved with rescheduling medical marijuana. The next step, and equally important, is the education of your elected officials. Through phone calls, letter writing campaigns and petitions, constituents must make their voices heard to their state and federal legislators. Supporters must get out and vote for petitions, propositions, and support candidates who support the legal use of medical marijuana and research.
Organizations who promote the use of medical marijuana provide valuable resources for getting involved in the process. NORML provides supporters with a form letter, which makes the unpleasantness of writing your senator or congressman a thing of the past. After filling in your name, email address and elected official, NORML’s website sends off the `readymade letter within thirty seconds. NORML’s prefabbed letter states, “I urge you to oppose the Obama administration’s war on medical marijuana patients. More than 70 percent of Americans are in favor of legal medical marijuana. 16 states and the District of Columbia have passed medical marijuana legislation. At least four governors are petitioning the DEA to reclassify marijuana based on overwhelming evidence that it has medicinal value. While this reclassification is pending, the Obama Administration should respect — not attack –state medical marijuana laws that provide patients with safe and reliable access to this medicine. Given the fiscal crisis our country finds itself in, it doesn’t make sense to waste federal tax dollars and law enforcement resources interfering with state medical marijuana laws. Please stand up for our country’s patients and tell Obama to stop interfering in state medical marijuana programs.” [4]
NORML’s proactive approach has made it easy for a sometimes reluctant society to get involved in the political process and to let there elected representatives know where they stand on the issue of free access to medical marijuana. It also provides links to current legal actions throughout the United States, which provides quick access to current legal action for each state.
Here are a few links to sources for further learning and taking action.
1. “Reforming Marijuana Laws.” Drugpoicy.org. Drug Policy Alliance. 2011. Web. 20 Feb. 2012.
Drugpolicy.org gives information on the current issues on regulating and legalizing medical marijuana and provides facts and reports on uses of medical marijuana. I enjoyed the site and the testimonials by patients who depend on the benefits of medical marijuana as well as the issues they face in their attempts to acquire medical marijuana through legal means. This site also encourages community-based activism in order to bring the issues of legalizing and rescheduling medical marijuana to their elected officials. Throughout the pages of Drugpolicy.org, you’ll find many resources to get people involved in the process by providing activist toolkits and letter writing campaigns. I found many resources that affirm the research I’ve been looking though the past week and would recommend the website to anyone else interested in learning about the pitfalls of legalizing medical marijuana.2. Center for Medicinal Cannabis Research. University of California, 2010. Web. 19 Feb. 2012.
The Center of Medicinal Cannabis Research (CMCR), located at the University of California, was authorized by the state of California to conduct research on the effects of marijuana, and its suitability as useful medicinal alternative. The Center is in charge of medical experiments throughout the state and is responsible for the research required to continue funding. The CMCR has directed scientist to study the effects of marijuana on patients who suffer from severe appetite suppression, weight loss, and cachexia due to HIV infection. They have so been tasked with studying its effect on cancer patients who suffer from nausea and chronic pain. The CMCR website provides a comprehensive library of active and completed studies, that anyone interested in the effects of medical marijuana of patience would find this website useful.3. MedicaCannabis.com. Patients Out of Time, 2010. Web. 19 Feb. 2012.
The Patients Out of Time website is a clearinghouse of medical patients who are petitioning local, state and federal governments for the right to access medical marijuana to treat their individual illnesses. The website highlights groups, like the Veterans for Medical Cannabis Access who are fighting for the right to use marijuana to treat the effects of PTSD. The website also offers testimonials from physicians, nurses, caregivers and family members who support terminally ill patients in their final days as they fight debilitating diseases. This website puts a human with the suffering, as well as provides hundreds of pages of research material, clinical trials, and public policy.Works Cited:
1. “List of Controlled Substances Disclaimer.” Deadiversion.usdoj.gov. U.S. Department of Justice. Web. n.d. 19 Feb. 2012
3. “Recent Research on Medical Marijuana.” NORML.org. National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana. 2011. Web. 18 Feb. 2012.
2. “Should Marijuana be a Medical Option.” ProCon.org. ProCon. n.d. Web. 18 Feb. 2012.
4. “Urge Your Elected Officials to Oppose the Obama Administration’s War on Cannabis Patients.” NORML.org. Organization for the Reform of Marijuana. 2011. Web. 18 Feb. 2012.
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John Dougherty
Justyna’s title “Why is Marijuana not used for Medical Treatment?” instantly caught me. Good titles to a paper always want to make me read it. The first paragraph gives a strong but brief history on how marijuana was used as medicine around the world and in the United States. It was used in many different ways for thousands of years. She explains how the government regulated the drugs and all of the taxes put on marijuana. I found it interesting that the Drug Enforcement Administration classified marijuana as a Schedule 1 substance putting it in a category with other drugs that are a lot worse. Marijuana definitely has medical purposes and when it comes down to it, it doesn’t even compare to the nasty affects that drugs like LSD can do. The paragraph where you have the American Medical Association’s policy really has no explanation or elaboration. The policy is a real good piece of information to put into your paper but if you explained it would be more affective. It is hard as a reader to know exactly what all of that means without some detail from a person that has researched it. The next paragraph talks about petitions being filed to reclassify marijuana to benefit its medical purposes. All of the petitions have been shot down but different agencies and people are still trying to reclassify it. She then goes on to introduce the controversy people debate when it comes to legalizing medical marijuana. Obviously there is a huge controversy when it comes to marijuana, in your paper you only described the side that benefits from medical marijuana. If you could give more detail on that and the other side of the controversy you could make your argument stronger. By showing the other side of it, you can shoot that argument down by disapproving it. I think that you used your sources really good. You put quotes in the right places and it really helped out your ability to persuade the reader. You used a few statistics in your paragraphs. As a reader, I really like seeing numbers because it shows me where the problem is and how it could be fixed or further affected. You clearly out-weigh the negative effects of legalizing medical marijuana with the positives. Marijuana may seem like a bad thing, but when it comes to medical purposes, it could help people deal with stress, and do other things to benefit their problems. The draft gave good sources and people to get connected to in order to raise awareness and give help. The sources also had a description of who they were and what they do, which helps someone find something specific they want to get involved with. Overall, I think your paper was very good and persuasive. Marijuana should be legalized for medical purposes everywhere across the country. You did a very good job of giving an explanation of your topic, and then showing the problem, solution, and how people can help.
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James Jeszke
Good papers consist of plentiful information. This is a very well rounded paper with a ton of useful info. I like the fact that this paper is one of the few papers I’ve read that doesn’t beat around the bush. It points the reader in the direction that this papers purpose is for; legalizing medicinal marijuana. I think the reason that marijuana is not used for medicinal purposes is because it slows down memory and that is about all it does. I think that because marijuana is classified with other harsher drugs like LSD is the reason why it is so hard to get to legalize. Yeah, it can be treated for patients and people with diseases, but the down side to that is what if the people that use it get better and they have slower reaction time and its harder for them to concentrate? Many people see that as such a terrible thing for people but to me, they’re still alive right? They’re stress levels are skyrocketing and they can sleep better at night because they have a prescription to a strong drug that does make worries and some pains go way right? It baffles me on how lawmakers make something a law without knowing that this can save a life.
The fact that you put up to date examples in the paper on how marijuana is far from bad for humans is a very good thing too. The paragraph in which you told me about the research done in Germany in 2010, i think gave the paper its groundwork; stating that marijuana does no harm to humans, it can relieve the pains of some diseases, and can even cure some diseases. I heard that many cancer patients get prescribed medicinal marijuana to forget about the stresses of chemo and to relax. I think that the fact that cancer is a major disease to hit many individuals and families, it can be added to your paper and give it that extra “umph” to why the legalization of marijuana holds so strong to you.
To me, every state should do this, not just select few. I don’t believe it’s right to segregate which states get to prescribed medicinal marijuana because people with high levels of stress, cancer patients, and people with anxiety riddle across the entire United States.
I agree with John’s comment on how you talk alot about the benefits of marijuana and not so much of the down-side. Your argument is well thought out throughout this paper I will give you that, but adding a little more about the negatives can prove your point that much better. It can be difficult to do because your points are already valid in your paper but with a little bit more research and time, this paper will move up from the A that it is now to an A+ I can promise you that.
Give some thought to making your argument a little more stronger if you don’t i don’t see why this paper won’t receive nothing less than an A. The resources you gave were very helpful to people that would want to participate in petitioning for the legalization of marijuana. Your paper showed all positive recognition and the reasoning behind was well thought out and researched. It proves a point that marijuana should be legalized.
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Justyna Matyjaszczyk
I chose to read Dave Eggers, “Your Mother and I” for the second time. The first time I read it I kind of gave up on it because I was more intrigued by Dave Eggers “What it Means When a Crowd in a Far Away Nation takes a Soldier Representing Your Own Nation, Shoots Him, Drags Him from His Vehicle and Then Mutilates Him in The Dust”. But after our discussion in class about the two core readings I could not help but to give it another try. To my surprise I really enjoyed reading it. It amazed me how two people were involved in some many life changing things from as serious as politics, finding a cure for Parkinson’s disease to windmills for electricity and breeding millions of llamas just because they loved how they looked. I also like , I’m assuming the father was the narrator, was telling the stories to the child. It made it more personal and gave it a little bit of hope for the future generation. It gave me the feeling of anything is possible if you put your mind to and if you want something bad enough you have to get out there and make it happen. This couple fell in love making a change in the world and got addicted to helping and making things change. They were activists in my eyes. As they went through their lives making changes I think it made their bond stronger. Their share of passion became a passion for each other. I regret not giving this piece a second read earlier but I am very happy I did now. I could not take my eyes off it, I was amazed at all they have accomplished as only two unity individuals. I am going to share this story with some friends.
-Eggers, Dave. “Your Mother and I.” How We Are Hungry. McSweeney’s 2002. pgs. 115-123. “Splatter. The Messy Art of Writing.” Web. 16, February. 2012 -
Justyna Matyjaszczyk
Activism and service is what we learned about in our last class. Activism and service are both forms of volunteering and helping a cause to benefit an organization. Activism is to find an issue in the world and begin to make others aware and make things happen in order to solve the problem. Service is to help an active group who has already found the problem and need extra hands to help solve it. For example, the story of Rajeev. He went to a village in India and recognized there was no main source of water in the village. Villagers had walk 2 hours through rocky mountains only to bring back a couple jugs of water. Because of this some students missed school in order to fetch water for the day. Rajeev became aware of this and began networking with other people and came up with a plan to solve it by building a water pump. The only way for Rajeev to make this possible is through people who are willing to take out the time and work very hard through out the day and night. He needed volunteers. All in all we need activism to point out world issues and we need people to service these project in order to make a difference.
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Justyna Matyjaszczyk
I went to volunteer at Feed My Starving Children (FMSC) on Tuesday February 7, 2012 with a few of my classmates and other volunteers. This was my first time volunteering for a professional charitable organization and I was pleasantly surprised. FMSC runs solely on donations and volunteers and, if I recall correctly, about ninety-two percent of the donations actually are used to help feed children! Knowing this fact made me feel good about volunteering there. The staff volunteers were a good bunch to work with and were very professional and passionate about their work. On my way to FMSC I thought it would be awesome to give back to the world and help others. I did not realize I would walk out with an emotional reaction as strong as I did. I have always felt saddened by the commercials on television of how children are starving and need our help, or any one in distress where it was life treating because of lack of natural resources for bare minimal survival. Before we went into the room to make food packages we watched a short film introducing Feed My Starving Children. There was one part in the film that really struck me hard and made this experience a lot more meaningful than I thought it would. As I was watching, a section of the film showed pictures of children and adding names to their faces. One by one, as their names were called out I felt like a piece of my heart was being ripped out. Putting a name to a face is what did it for me. Volunteering made me realize I should really look at myself and take notice to the way I have been taking full advantage of a lot of things in my life, food being one. There are millions of children starving all over the world and this truly breaks my heart. I definitely did not think it would have a huge impact on me but I am glad it did. It comforted my heart being able to help feed children and even possibly save a child’s life. I am glad Professor McGuire introduced me to this organization and I will be back with friends and family to volunteer. I am also exited about future service-learing opportunities and the chance to give back to our communities and people all over the world. I think everyone should take advantage of as many opportunities as they can through this class because it costs us nothing but our time at the most to volunteer. But by us doing so it can save a life and even potentially change the world for the better.
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Kristina Marynczak
This is so glad to hear! I hope I feel the same when I do to volunteer for the session I signed up for. I’m also glad mr. Mcguire’s hopes for us to be involved and take ACTION is going into effect
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Justyna Matyjaszczyk
“Who will survive”
When I first began this activity my initial thought was to save all the women and children because it was simply the right thing to do. But then I thought to myself, what if there are no other people outside of the bunker. What if these are the only 11 people who survived on the entire planet. Only then did my decision become clear to chose the people who will be beneficial to survival and reproduction. I chose the 7 of 11 based on their skills/trades and ability to reproduce. I’ll begin with the 4 I chose to sacrifice and my reasons.
Mrs. Lang: I think she is limited in skill set and others are way better qualified. She is educated but only in a specific area and Dr. Lang covers a wide range of education and teaching. Following Mrs. Lang was her son, Bobby Lang. Unfortunately, in this situation Bobby is not a productive member to society because of his health, lack of higher education and the high demand of medical and one on one care he needs. I had to let go of Jean Hernandaz, the three week old baby, for almost the same reasons as Bobby. There are not enough resources to take care of a mentally challenged and three week old children. And the last decision was between Mr. Newton, the medical student, and Dr. Garcia, it was difficult between the two. Dr. Garcia has better experience in the medical field but his health records made me very nervous. He had two heart attacks in five years and is 66 years old. One more heart attack and that could be the end of him. So for those reasons I had to eliminate Dr. Garcia.
Then there are the 7 I saved, Dr. Lang, Mr. Newton, Mrs. Clark, Mr. Young and Father Philip. The five of these people all have a common factor, they all have a skill that will contribute to surviving more so than the ones I had to sacrifice and can reproduce when the time comes. There is a teacher with a Ph. D. Mr. Lang. He can teach, has a potential for leadership and can reproduce. A medical student, Mr. Newton even though he was starting his last year of medical school, I think he has enough knowledge to be able preform basic procedures. Because we are limited to resources he is only able to do bare minimum without medication and medical supplies anyway. He is also younger and is in good health which means he has more time to teach others. an engineer, a handy man and a civil rights activist who is also a spiritual leader. Although I am catholic I did not base my decision on religion by choosing Father Philip. I like spirituality in my life so if there was another religion or any other form of spiritual teacher, as long as the teachings are positive I would have chose them also. I feel there is a need for some sort of spirituality in people lives because I believe it keeps us grounded. The last two are Mrs. Hernandaz and 8 year old Mary White. Mrs. Hernandez is young enough to have and raise children with her good health and she can also be taught a skill or trade. Same with Mary White, although she can not bare children because she herself is a child at the moment she will be able to have babies further down the line. Mary is also at the best age to be educated and taught skills and has the energy to out last some adults.
Overall, I chose these seven people because they had what I think are the basic needs, education, skills and trades to survive and begin rebuilding a new life. Although, some of these people, because of my decision, have lost family members I do believe they will be able to survive and contribute. Humans are very strong and are capable of great things and i believe sacrificing to survive is one of those miraculous capabilities. This activity was a challenge and in some ways uncomfortable because I was put in a seat to decide who lives and who dies. I did not want to sacrifice any people because I do believe they all have something to live for and many things to contribute.
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Justyna Matyjaszczyk
“WHAT IT MEANS WHEN A CROWD IN A FAR AWAY NATION TAKES A SOLDIER REPRESENTING YOUR OWN NATION SHOOTS HIM, DRAGS HIM FROM HIS VEHICLE AND THEN MUTILATES HIM IN THE DUST”. After I read this core reading the first time I did not have a complete understanding of what I read. I was not sure if I did not pay enough attention or was the author all over the place. I couldn’t help but to read it again and again and it hit me. I think this man is a soldier who served in the war and he is going through PTSD ( Post Tramatic Stress Disorder). I am not a doctor nor a physicatrist but I have seen a couple documentories and have done a little personal research on PTSD, I also have friends who have served in the war in Iraq, one currently suffering with PTSD, who is now a civilian. A lot of the feelings and actions described in the reading do relate to the symptoms of PTSD, such as lack of sleep, guilt, anxiety and uneaseness. He feels useless and guilty for being back home because he needs to be fighting the war along side the men and women there as they did when he served. He has an emotional connection with the solider in the newspaper and believes if the soldiers are still fighting and dying there he should be there with them. He feels as if he doesn’t deserve to be home because he has unfinished business. This was a hard read but it was interesting and definitely an eye opener. I would like to read the complete story.
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Justyna Matyjaszczyk
Live? Die? Kill?
To live is to exist; be alive. Everyone exists in this world with a purpose whether they realize, appreciate or stumble upon it.No matter if one is living for someone or something, there is a purpose for their existence, you mean something to someone, so do your actions which are contributions to our world. I see living life in two ways: you can be living life or doing the bare minimum with what I like to call the redundant9 to 5 routine. These 9 to 5erswake in the morning, go to work, go home, eat dinner and or stop at their local pub for a few night caps, not in that exact order. They have zero interest in venturing out of their element or comfort zone, anddon’t care to explore the world anditswonders. Then there are those who live to be alive, the adventure seekers and travelers, the free spirits. These are thepeople who believe there is always something more to hear, see, and learn. They go with the flow, take chances, and conquer new adventures, whetherit be continuing theireducation or walking on the moon. These people involve themselves in their communities and reach out to one another. They enjoy change and spontaneity of what the world has to offer. I think these types of people live to be alive. Whatever path you choose, life has a reaction to your actions here on earth and possibly beyond our existence here and everything relates, helps, teaches and contributes to the lives of others and other living things.
What is important to me? What is important to me is to live to be alive. I yearn to see the world and all of the beauties and flaws it has to offer. I love traveling and I’m intrigued by the many different cultures. I seek adventure and adrenaline like skydiving, zip lining and one day shooting down a mountain top on a snowboard. I enjoy teaching, learning, helping and protecting. I also live for my family, which includes a few close friends. Without my family, I wouldn’teven exist nor be the person I have grown to be because they hold a purpose to my life. My family will always be in my life to love, help, support, and teach me though out my life and for that I love them and that is the reason why I need them. I live my life by trying to conquer my fears and accomplishing my dreams and goals. You and I only have one opportunity with an unknown time frame to exist; be alive. It is very important for me to be able to take full advantage of what the world has to offer. I can only grow and learn from these experiences and therefore pass on my knowledge and adventures in hopes of possibly inspiring and motivating others.I will not allow myself to only one purpose in life. There are too many wonderful things to live for in this world and I will not allow myself to be limited to only one.
“He who has nothing to die for has nothing to live for” -Moroccan Proverb. I came across this quote about 4 years ago, I liked it so much because it made me think about my life and where it was headed so decided to get it inscribed on a bracelet for inspiration. I was getting into my mid-twenties, working at alocal pub with little chance of promotion, and no insurance and zero dollars going towards my social security. I was living paycheck to paycheck while in and out of college with no major in mind. I didn’t know where my life was headed and didn’t feel good about it, my life was pretty meaningless.I did not contribute to society let alone myself or better yet the purpose for my existence. What I mean is, Ibartended because it was fun and fast cash. It heldno real meaning in my life, it was just a job to pay bills and survive. I began to question myself, am I okaywith being a bartender for the rest of my working life? Am I satisfied with my education? Am I truly happy with the road I have chosen? Are my parents proud of my accomplishments? And the answers were all ‘No”. I had to figure out what it is I would die for if only for one day. I have to say I would die to protect and help others, especially my family and friends. We all know life can be challenging and I believe I can make a difference by sharing my experiences from the pathI have chosen and walls I slammed into. I believe each person in the world has the right and freedom to enjoy and live life to the fullest without a threat of terror. I am the type of person to contribute to their dream of living for their purpose as others have contributed to my life. I know I am not a super hero and can’t change the world alone, but I can commit to protecting what I love and what is good. The things I love are my family, friends and the freedom to be alive and do the thingsI love. For those things I am willing to fight, and if dying is an end result, so be it, becausewithout the love of life I have nothing to live for.
I have been raised in a Catholic home taught to live by the Ten Commandments. One of those commandments is the sixth, “thou shalt not kill”. This is a controversial topic and these are my thoughts and feelings. I agree people should not kill one another. I believe it is not up to a human to decide when and how someone will die, butI also believe killing can be justified when my life or those of innocents are being threatened. There are thousands of soldiers currently serving overseas in the War on Terror. These brave and selfless men and women take matters into their own hands when duty calls. They are not only fighting for our freedom but fighting for their own survival. They take the lives of others in order to stay alive themselves. So I ask; is there a time when it is acceptable to kill? Is the acceptable time when your own life or the life of loved ones is being threatened by death or serious bodily harm?Whether it is wrong or right,I believe I have the right to protect myself, family and friends. If there I am left with no other option to protect my life and the people I love, I do believe I have theability and the right to kill in order to protect them from harm and to preserve our way of life.As I have stated before, I would die to protect my family, friends and the things I love, so why would I not kill for their safety if there was no other option.I believe each individual has the right to protect what is most precious to them, and when it comes down to it, when all options have run out, I will do everything in my power to save the people I love. You never know what you are capable of until your survival or the wellbeing of your loved ones is threatened.
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Lee McKinnis
Remember this: the “terrorists” who are fighting the war also deserve respect under the same logic, arguably they deserve more respect as they are a non-state actor (volunteers) who came from other countries to fight the imperialists who are attacking their country/religion/whatever. Having no formal organization or state to fight under with limited legal protection, with no air support and relying on assymetric warfare is more “heroic” then having the support of a major country, with air support, naval covering, drones, massed artillery, high technology and a logistic network which is massive + plenty of allies to help you. Especially given how nasty some insurgencies can become (i.e. Home Army/Armia Krajowa in Poland)
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Jenna McGill
I really enjoyed reading your piece. I as well am a free spirited person who loves life, friends, family, and I also want to see the world. Your example of the two types of people made me think about which one I live. I absolutely loved the Morracan Proverb. That quote describes the way i feel about life and I’ve never seen that quote before. We have similar ideas about life. I would also do what I have to do to protect my family and friends because they’re what keep me going. Your essay in my opinion was well written, it kept my attention, and really made me think of how i want to live my life and choose a good path to go down.
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John Dougherty
When I first began to read your paper I was very confused. I wasn’t clear on what you were writing about until I read it a few times. It was interesting though. You started it off with what seemed to be a definition which was kind of unique. If you kept the same style, but added the questions it would be more effective. Also, I think that some type of conclusion paragraph would help you as well. It gives you a chance to sum all of your points and information up and make a last punch.
Aside from that, your paper is very good. I think the points you present in your paper are very well thought out and you have some good detail. You explained a lot about your thoughts and that is important in a paper. I like that you have a sense of adventure and you also care about your family. It seems as if your religion and other freedoms mean a lot to you as well. These are values plenty of people share. The quote was a really good addition to your essay. It helped get your point across really well. -
James Jeszke
I began to read your paper and started to think about myself. It has alot of interesting points that were made like people that ‘live to be alive’ all the way to being raised in a catholic family. It relates to me very well because i am a person that lives for the moment and loves to go out and do things everyday. I hate being cooped up at home and knowing there is so much to do in the world and dying to have the life of freedom and to do whatever you want is a huge thing in my life as well.
Although your points are very good and i can relate to them well, your writing style is a little hard to follow. It is not bad but could use some work in the sense of making sure one sentence relates to the sentence before that and so on. All in all, i enjoyed reading the paper. -
Jessica Cortez
The beginning of your paper is a great start. i like how you start off with what it mean to live. Living to be alive, thats a really catchy statement. i think being alive means really living our lives and working to do our best in life. i agree with what you said we live our lives to conquer our fears and accomplishing our dreams and goals. reaching our dreams and goals really gives us happiness and satisfaction in life. The biggest part of our lives is our family. being able to share our accomplishments with our families really gives us more of a reason to succeed in what we set our minds to. the question of what would we kill for is very debatable but really like how you ended the paper with the questions about is killing for something acceptable.
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Justyna Matyjaszczyk
I think ecological literacy means to have understanding and awareness of our ecosystem. The ecosystem includes the environment of animals, plants and microorganisms, also our human environment. I believe someone can become ecologically literate by doing personal research, joining environmental groups or charities and even doing the everyday things like recycling and carpooling. All of these acts are positive actions which in turn benefit the health our earth and living organisms including, us, human beings. As for myself, I would say I am somewhat ecologically literate. I know the definition of ecology, which is the study of how living organisms interact in a natural or developed environment. So if I add negative or positive things to the environment there will be a reaction for my action. For example, as I have mentioned earlier, if I recycle and carpool it will help by taking away the amount of pollution admitted into the air. I don’t think I am of a ton of help to the ecosystem but I can definitely be more of a contribution to the environment and my community by further educating myself on the matter. There is a balance in the ecosystem and I think to find that balance we have to become more ecologically literate within our world and communities.
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Justyna Matyjaszczyk
I very much like the grading contract. It’s to the point, simple and refreshing. Do your best and you will succeed. Two Thumbs up Prof McGuire!
James Jeszke, and 
John Dougherty are discussing. 
Lee McKinnis is discussing. 
Kristina Marynczak is discussing. 
Jessica Cortez, 
John Dougherty 11:57 pm on April 23, 2012 Permalink | Log in to Reply
The beginning of this piece of writing is well written and thought out. In the introduction paragraph, you gave a solid explanation of what you and your group was doing and how the project came along. Your group decided to pick a topic involving something to do with alcohol. This is a very broad topic so your group decided to narrow it down to underage drinking. Since you and your group members can all relate to this topic, I think it was a good idea to pick it. By knowing your topic, you will be a lot more educated when you get into the field. The personal connection you share in the first paragraph shows a lot of determination to get the volunteering and work you need done. By giving a personal connection to a specific topic you are concerned with really gives the reader and idea of why the service you are doing is so important to you. Being able to relate to a topic you will be spending a lot of time with is crucial because you will be more willing to change. Raising awareness is also very important with something like drinking, as it is for any other topic as well. I think it is one of the main goals of this project.
Unfortunately, your group wasn’t able to find and volunteer work within this topic to fit into the small window of time we have. Like my group, you struggled to find a place to volunteer right away so you had to consider changing your topic. At first, my group wanted to work with animals because it was something all of us could relate to. But when we reached out to something else because it was just too difficult to find work without being certified, it opened our eyes to many other things we all had in common, including people with mental disabilities.
In your writing, you make it clear that your group is working very hard to find something to do. You and your group seem determined to get this done with all of the research and contact you have engaged in. It is good that you are working with the professor to get something done. FMSC and Share your soles are both wonderful organizations to work with. I hope you can be successful in finding volunteer opportunities. Whatever it is you decide to do, I think that the way you opened this paper was very effective. The way you described how the project came along, how your group was doing, the relationship with the topic, and your personal experience works very good with capturing the reader’s attention.
James Jeszke 7:24 pm on April 24, 2012 Permalink | Log in to Reply
The opening paragraph is very thorough and explains a detailed account of your youth. Your very real, up close and personal, experience with underage drinking set this paper off to a great start because it helps set the stage for what you and your group are doing. I also think it was a great idea that you and your group had this in common and were able to come to a conclusion on doing this topic. Being able to raise awareness about this is huge because it effects many families and individuals around the world. When I was in high school, alcoholism was a topic that came up in one of my classes. We learned that it can be genetic if it is overdone before the age of 21. That is why the legal age is 21. I think that there is a huge issue that deals with alcoholism.
Your group was unable to find work that dealt with this topic. My group came across the same problems too because many places are booked months in advance. It definitely would make a difference for this draft if the service was done. But your information and details definitely makes up for it, I think. My group came across the issue of homelessness and wanted to attend a soup kitchen or a food pantry. We got in touch with a couple places and most were completely stocked up with volunteers for the next month which obviously is too long for this project. Then, we found a place that had openings within the next week so we got onto that and are attending this week. A lot of work is in store for us. But through your writing all that is needed is a small paragraph about your experiences and your done. I think your writing style is great. Most of your papers have good flow, grammar, and details.
I like that it seems like your group is determined to get push this project forward. The couple of places you talk about are great and they really are great to work with. The way you opened this paper is great and stands out because you add so much information behind it. Keep up with the detailed accounts throughout the rest of this paper and you will be just fine. One more thing is that by adding personal experiences works with every piece of writing. It grabs the attention of almost every reader and you grasp the fact of that very well.