Khin+Fabrizi

I have always been good at spelling, and I think I've always been a pretty good writer too. In elementary school I got an A in every spelling bee. That made my writing better as well. In high school I wrote two research papers, one in eleventh grade, and one senior year for the senior project requirement at my high school. I learned a lot through my first research paper and that made me a much stronger writer. In this class, I hope to become a better writer, learn how to write effectively, and learn time management as well. I think my biggest problem with college writing will be writer's block, but that isn't even that big of a problem for me. I would like to write about my interests and passion, music, my past experiences (like the high schools I went to), and what I want to be when I get older. I am very confident I can do well in this class, and become a better writer by the end of it. I am already a strong writer to begin with, so I shouldn't have any big problems.


 * Activity 16**

1. I could tell I was coming down with the flu. a. I was feeling dizzy and light-headed b. I had a sore throat c. I was feeling tired and weak d. My whole body ached e. I was coughing a lot

2. The food at the cafeteria was terrible yesterday a. The pizza was soggy b. The french fries were stale c. There were no hamburgers left

3. I had car problems recently a. I had a flat tire b. There was a leak in the back window c. My car wouldn't start

4. When your money gets tight, there are several ways to economize a. Don't eat out, make your dinner at home b. Turn the lights off when you're not using them c. Buy things that are on sale

5. Some people have dangerous driving habits a. They tailgate other drivers b. They text while driving c. They don't use their blinkers when they're supposed to


 * Assignment #1 (p.80)**

__My Case of the Flu__

Around mid-February I could tell I was coming down with the flu. First of all, I was feeling tired and weak. My muscles ached, and I was light-headed. I also had a slight fever. The weather didn't help either. It was a cold, dark, wintery spell in February. I was traveling to school and was exposed to the cold air when I was walking up the hill to my classes. Also, I was around others who were sick, like me. Second, I had a sore throat. It started as a slight allergy throat to a full sore throat in just a day. I stayed home and couldn't go to school. I was very tired and felt weak. I hardly got out of bed. Finally, my whole body ached. All I could do was to lay in bed. I missed from a couple of days of school to a whole week. It was miserable. I was coughing and sneezing a lot. I missed a lot of school because of the flu. My early symptoms made it clear that I was getting the flu. Being sick with the flu is no fun at all.


 * Assignment #3** **(p.82)**

__Dealing With Stress__

Stress in my life takes many forms, and is present everywhere. First of all, there is a lot of stress at school. Two years ago when I was a senior in high school, I had to do senior project, which was a graduation requirement. There were many steps to the project. I ended up falling behind on some of the steps. I also changed my topic twice. I struggled to get things done on time. Finding a mentor was also difficult. I had to make calls and emails, all on my own. Along with senior project, which was an added graduation requirement on top of everything else seniors had on their plates, I had to make up several credits which I needed in order to graduate. I was taking two math classes, and had to do tutoring for biology and freshman english so I could graduate. There was a lot that I needed to complete. Also, last spring at CCRI I got sick for a whole week and fell behind on work. There was already a lot of work I needed to catch up on, so I ended up taking incompletes for all my classes. Second, there is stress at home as well. Finding a mentor for my senior project was very hard. It had to be done at home, on my own time. I procrastinated a lot and needed help from my Mom. This put added stress on her, since she helped me to find a mentor and get me to and from my fieldwork site. I had to do fieldwork too, most of which was done at the last minute, along with my research paper, which was on me at that point. In addition to my senior project, there were also chores that needed to be done, and tons of homework. I had a lot on my plate. Finally, there is much stress at work. when I was a junior in high school, I had a summer job in the Cranston Highway Division. Long days, working the heat of July were exhausting. I also had a job in a music store in tenth grade. That was very demanding. I had to work in the stockroom, fix guitars and deal with customers. Stress is present everywhere - at school, at home, and at work, and is something I have had to deal with.


 * Writing assignment 1 (p.183)**

__A selfish person__

My husband Roger is the most selfish person I know. For one thing, he refuses to move out of the city, even though it is a bad place to raise the children. We inherited some money when my parents died, and it might be enough for a down payment on a small house in a nearby town. But Roger says he would miss his buddies in the neighborhood. Also, when we go on vacation, we always go where Roger wants to go. For example, he wanted to take a two week vacation to go golfing in Florida last May. The rest of us wanted to go to Disneyland, but Roger got his way instead. Another time, we took a week long vacation in June to go scuba diving in the Bahamas. We could have gone hiking in the Appalachian Trail. And when we wanted to take a cruise in the Caribbean, we ended up going ice fishing in Canada for a week in January. Another example of Roger's selfishness is that he always spends any budget money that is left over. Once, he came home with lots of cds. I told him he doesn't need any more cds, he already has hundreds. Then a week later he bought several golf clubs so he could go golfing. He also bought a shaving kit. The thing that made me really mad though, was when he bought a small motorcycle for himself to take weekend trips. And on top of that, he also bought a brand new Roland electric piano just for himself to play and not the children. Finally, Roger never cares for the children, and just leaves that to me. For exampe, he has never made dinner for them. Whenever they need help with their homework, Roger leaves that to me. He doesn't even want to help them with their homework. Last of all, he has never taken them out to a movie or done anything fun with them. For these reasons, my husband Roger is a very selfish person.


 * Writing assignment 2 (p. 185)**

__My Independent Brother__

My brother Cristiano is a very independent person in many ways. First of all, he is independent about his health. For example, he often makes his own meals. He always makes himself coffee and toast for breakfast in the morning. He doesn't even ask my Mom to make breakfast for him. Also, he decided to become a vegetarian, all on his own. He is very careful about what he eats, and always has something different to eat than the rest of us. My brother usually eats on his own. He loves fruits and vegetables, unlike many people his age. Second, he is very independent about his social life. For one thing, he has so many friends that it is hard to remember all their names. He has more friends than anyone I know. There is always someone different who calls the house, and it is usually always for him. My brother seems to instant message and talk on the phone almost nonstop. He has more friends than he can handle. He also goes out with friends often. Every Friday, he goes to the mall with one of his friends, to meet more friends at the mall. On the weekends he seems to hang out with always someone different, going to their house and staying there for the whole day, not coming home until late at night. Finally, my brother is really independent about music. He goes out to shows and concerts with his friends at least a few times a month. He often asks my Mom if he can go out to a concert with his friends. He also plays in two different bands, playing different types of music. There is always a band practicing in our basement. This drives my Mom crazy, but she still allows all these bands to play at our house. Lastly, my brother has a variety of musical tastes. He listens to a lot of different music, going through phases of listening to different bands. When I ask what his favorite band is, his response is usually always different. He has a huge knowledge and wide understanding of many different bands, especially punk bands. It is hard to say what his favorite type of music is, because he is always listening to something different. My brother is very open-minded about music. For all these reasons, my brother Cristiano is a very independent person.


 * Writing assignment 3 (p. 189)**

__Wasted electricity__

Wasted electricity is all around us. First of all, coffee makers often waste electricity. My brother often makes coffee, and leaves the coffee machine on, forgetting to turn it off. Even though this keeps the coffee warm, it doesn't make any more coffee and it consumes electricity. Another example is leaving the television on when noone is watching it. Often we will be watching tv and then go and do something else, forgetting to turn it off. For example, we will use a laptop while watching tv, or turning the volume down but still keeping it on. Another big waste of electricity are air conditioners. While we use them to keep cool in the summer, we usually keep them on even though the room is already cool. Also, computers that are left on all the time are a huge waste of electricity. My brother usually leaves the computer on for long periods of time, even overnight. He uses the computer a lot, and doesn't bother to turn it off. One other example are computers at school that stay on all the time. Computer labs and classrooms usually keep the computers on even when noone is on them. Finally, perhaps the biggest waste of electricity are lights that are on when not in use. People often forget to turn lights off when they're not using them. Lamps will get left on when we aren't home, wasting electricity. Electricity gets wasted a lot, and is all around us.


 * Writing assignment 2 (p. 250) Definition**

A slob is a person who doesn't care about manners, cleanliness, or order. First of all, a slob has bad manners. A slob will eat at the dinner table with elbows on the table, or eat with their mouth open. They will also eat fast and talk while they're eating. In contrast, a clean person has good manners. They know enough to use all utensils and won't talk with their mouths open. A clean person will also cough or sneeze into their arms, not their hands. Second, a slob has a dirty appearance. They will wear dirty clothes, and not take a shower regularly. Also, they won't comb or brush their hair, or brush their teeth. Unlike a slob, a clean person has a clean appearance. A clean person will wear clean clothes, and take a shower regularly. They will comb their hair and brush their teeth often. Lastly, a slob has messy habits. A slob doesn't clean their room at all. They will let others clean their room for them. A slob will leave their bed unmade and throw their clothes on the floor, and not do the laundry. A slob will also leave their shoes or backpacks by the front door so people can trip on them. A clean person, however, cares about order and has neat habits. They will have a clean room, and will keep it clean on their own. They will make their bed and do their own laundry. Additionally, a clean person won't leave shoes or backpacks by the door for people to trip on. A slob is someone who doesn't care about manners, hygiene, or good habits.


 * Writing assignment 3 (p. 252) Definition**

Depression is the condition of feeling sad, tired, and hopeless. I learned about depression the hard way last spring, when I went to the hospital and did inpatient for a little over two months. It all started after Christmas. Everything seemed to go downhill. First of all, there were a few triggers that led me into depression. There was a loss in the family, of my Uncle Peter, which made me very sad. That and the cold, dark February weather as well as lack of sleep, didn't help at all. In addition, I got sick for a week in February and fell behind in school. I ended up having to get incompletes for almost all of my classes and withdrawing from two of them. I needed time to rest, and heal. I decided for myself that I would go into Butler Hospital and do inpatient. At this point I had been having trouble in school, academically and musically. I had trouble concentrating almost all the time, and felt that I had no confidence in my music, and academics. Two weeks in the hospital and I felt hopeless, like everyone at school had forgotten about me. I was tired all the time, and my body ached all over. I was a wreck, and felt like a failure. Despite all this I wrote in my journal every day and documented everything. I went to all the therapy groups, and talked to my doctors every day. People came to visit me in the hospital, and I no longer felt so alone. I was with people in the hospital that were going through the same thing I was going through, and knew that I wasn't alone. I spent a total of two months in the hospital, in and out, doing both inpatient and outpatient (Partial Hospital Program) therapy groups. When I was in the hospital, I was put on many medications. Once I got out of the hospital I had been on medications for so long that I felt numb. I was still exhausted, and slept a lot. The summer came, and I slowly started to heal. I had suffered enough in the spring, and told myself that I would get better. The depression stayed with me for many months, and it took a long time for me to regain my strength again. Slowly, my confidence came back, and I began to feel better. Things changed, and I was a different person from what I had gone through in the spring. Last spring was the most difficult time for me, and I learned what depression can do to you. I went through a lot last spring, and am a changed person because of it. I am stronger and wiser now than I was then. Depression will affect everyone at some time in their life. I now know that I am not alone. Depression is a condition that can make you feel sadness, exhaustion, and hopelessness.


 * Writing assignment 1 (p. 275) Description**

I could tell by looking at the room that a slob lived there. First of all, I have trouble getting into the room. The doorknob is stuck, and I'm locked out of the room. My brother has to open it from the inside. From the loud punk rock music coming from his room it is hard to hear anything else. As I step into the room I become increasingly aware of the strong odor of sweat that pervades his lair. To the right is a white clothes hamper filled with dirty clothes and more clothes on top of it. On the floor there are several pairs of shoes and heaps of dark clothes and dirty socks. The computer is in the corner, and there are many papers scattered around the computer desk. On the computer desk there are glasses of lemonade or water, empty soda cans, and bags of chips. To the left is the bed, messy and unmade, with smelly clothes on it. Right above the bed is a window, which has crooked red curtains, and another window next to the end of the bed with crooked red curtains as well. Next to the end of the bed is a small bedside table, with a small basket underneath it. The basket is filled with apple cores and crumpled tissues. On the opposite side of the room there is a closet, with dirty towels hanging on the closet door. Right next to the closet is a dresser with old cds, pens and pencils, weights, books and random electronics. In front of the dresser and against the wall is a guitar stand with an acoustic guitar with a broken string, and two skateboards. I long to clean his room for him, but instead I don't touch anything. My brother's room is a mess, and you can tell by looking at his room that a slob lives there.


 * Writing assignment 2 (p. 278) Description**

Noone else I know has the qualities of a great teacher like my bass teacher, Mr. Pratt. First of all, he is an excellent musician and a great bassist. He can play pretty much anything on the upright bass. His sound when he plays the bass is warm, rich, and full. I strive to sound like him, but it is very hard to get as great a tone as he does. He is very knowledgable about music, and jazz history in particular. I took his jazz history class my first semester and learned a lot about the history of jazz from him. He is also very disciplined. He always approaches pieces of music in every possible way; backwards,slow, quiet, loud, one measure at a time. There are thousands of cds and many books in his practice room. Whenever I go for my lesson I am amazed at how many cds he has on his walls, in stacks. Second, he is a very tough teacher. Whenever I'm late for a lesson he notices. He is brutally honest when I'm not doing my best and knows when I havn't practiced, so I can't fool him. He always gives me constructive criticism, and he doesn't waste time. Over and over he tells me how valuable time is, and not to waste it. He sets high standards for me, to strive to be excellent. Finally, he is also a great mentor to me. He is patient, always hearing me play. He is encouraging too; he lets me know for example, if I should buy a certain bass. Constantly, he works on perfection. He says, "Any Joe schmo can just schlop through this piece, but you're better than that. Don't be satisfied with just playing through it." He also has a good sense of humor. I have learned and gained a lot from being his student for the last five years. My bass teacher Mr. Pratt is a great teacher, and a wise mentor.


 * Writing assignment 3 (p.281) Description**

There is a funny scene inside a pet store. A man with short brown hair and a gray jacket has come in the pet store to see some animals. He comes to a fish tank to look at some clown fish. The fish tank is in front of the store window, so you can see outside. The fish tank is full, and there is a small green plant and a rock inside it, with yellowish sand. Also inside the tank are four small clown fish, that are orange with white stripes. The fish tank is three dollars. There is a can of fish food right next to the tank, and the man takes it. He tries to feed the clown fish, but one of the fish comes to the surface of the tank and suddenly sprays a jet of water at the man's face. The man looks shocked and surprised, and the other three clown fish seem to be smiling and thinking, "Ha, ha, he got sprayed with water." The scene is a funny scene, and shows that these clownfish are clowns.


 * Writing assignment 4 (p. 282) Description**

My friend Wendy's therapy dog named Aby is very intelligent and she has a lot of agility. Aby is possibly the cutest dog I've ever seen. I like to say, "That's one cute canine!" I've known Aby for about a year. My Auntie Janet found Aby for me. One day last spring she showed up on my doorstep, which just happened to be her 13th birthday, June 16th, 2009. Ever since then Aby has helped me with my depression, and has made me very happy. She has helped me to heal from my difficult time last spring, when I was in the hospital. Her soft, thick black coat, with a white shawl-like marking called a cowl, is wonderful to pet. She has small ears, and a wet black nose that actually moves when she smells something. Her eyes are a soft chocolate brown. She always appears to be smiling. When I took her for a walk around the cemetary once, she lay down on the cool grass and put her paws out like a sphinx, and her eyelids were fluttering in the wind. Her eyes were sparkling in the sun. I love to pet her, and massage her breast bone. She loves that. Aby is a medium dog, a Border Collie, and so she is very smart. She shows remarkable intelligence. She always wanders to the kitchen when she visits me, expecting food. I like to feed her carrots, avocado, and ice cubes. I always fill up a bowl of water for her. However, ever since an infamous "avocado incident", she has refused to eat avocado. The incident goes like this: one day, when she came to visit, my Mom had cut up some avocado for her. The avocado had some brown spots, but otherwise perfectly fine. When she tried to feed Aby some, she sniffed it a little, and then all of a sudden turned her head up and to the side and made the most disgusted face. I imitate that face every now and then and my Mom cracks up. Its so cute, in a way. Aby is like a princess among dogs. She lives in a mansion, and lives the high life. She's fed blueberries, sweet potatoes, and yogurt, among many other things. She's got it made. Aby also has amazing agility. She still competes in trials, and is the 6th dog in the nation! Often when she visits me she is very tired and worn out. Nonetheless she helps me to be happy, and be more positive. In the time that I've known Aby, I have never heard her bark, not once. She communicates with me, telepathically, somehow. She is a very wise dog. She wouldn't harm a fly, and I don't think she's ever been bad. Aby is a truly wonderful dog, and the cutest canine I've ever met. She has helped me so much, and I am grateful to have her in my life. Aby is the cutest, most intelligent dog I've ever known, and she will always be with me.


 * Writing assignment 3 (p. 294) Narration**

A time when I did the right thing was when I decided to leave The Met School and go to Cranston East. First, I had been wanting to learn something and wasn't learning anything at The Met. At The Met there weren't any classes or grades. There was just an advisory, and you had an advisor, no teachers. My passion is music, and there was no music program at The Met. There was no school band, and because I wanted to be part of a band, I decided to leave The Met. Leaving The Met wasn't easy. I had a lot of work that I needed to finish in order to pass tenth grade. I was having trouble at The Met, academically and socially. I only made one good friend, Graham. The Met just wasn't for me, is what it came down to. So, in the spring I decided to leave The Met and go to Cranston East. After my decision to leave The Met, I went to visit Cranston East for a day, with my friend. I knew it wouldn't be easy, but it was what I wanted. I wanted a traditional education, not an experimental one. I ended up having to complete a project during the summer. I rode my bike to summer school every day and slowly finished the project. I had to present it, and bring my bass in for the second part of the project. Near the end of the summer I got a call from my advisor saying I had passed, but not with flying colors. Nonetheless, I was very relieved to have finally finished the project. I was glad to be leaving The Met, and it was the best decision I could've made. In the fall I went to Cranston East, and I was much happier. It was like a new beginning for me. I made a few friends that year, and did very well academically. I transitioned very well from a small school with no classes or grades to a very big school with classes and grades. My decision to leave The Met and go to Cranston East was hard, but it was a time when I did the right thing.