Dystonia

Dystonia is a rare neurological disorder.

On the news recently, I saw a story on this woman named Desiree Jennings who was a Redskins cheerleader. She went in for a seasonal flu shot and 10 days later, she came down with the flu. She started passing out and had to go to the hospital twice. Then she began to experience seizures and muscle spasm. Now, she he cannot walk without her muscles jerking and twitching. She can walk backwards normally, but she has tremendous difficulty walking forward. Her neck and tongue are paralyzed so she has a slurred speech. Although, when she runs forward, she has no muscle spasms or slurred speech.

This story made me so sad because the woman had so much going for her. It was very shocking because flu shots are supposed to better your health, but it just goes to show how anything could happen.

Brother

For the past 9 months, my brother has not been home. He went away to military school. I have to say that it was the most despairing time of my life.

My brother and I are best friends. I love him more than anything. Being only 1 year older, we have experienced everything together. We have the same friends, like the same music, hangout at the same places. With him gone, it was like my life was turned completely upside down.

While he was gone, I went through a phase were I did not want to do anything. I would not go out with my friends or anything. I felt bad having fun when I knew he wasn't. We only got to talk to him once a month, but for the first 3 months, we did not get to talk to him at all.

The experience itself made me realize how much my brother means to me. He has come back a completely changed person. Now that he is back, I try to spend every free second with him.

I never thought I could miss him as much as I did, but it just went to show that I could not live without him.

Homework #2

High school obviously differs a lot from college. Although, in high school I took a few classes that were very advanced. I took Honors Composition and I think this class was the most helpful writing class I have taken. My teacher taught very well. Everyday. she instilled in our heads the importance of "show, not tell" in writing. She also taught us the importance of giving evidence and supporting the statements you make because otherwise, they are irrelevant. This class promoted the skills and dispositions that Lazere talks about in the book. I think that my Composition class in high school was very beneficial as far as gaining useful knowledge in writing.

Homework

Before, they were just seen as innocent people. Practicing religion, and being faithful to their God. Since when did the hajb become a site for hidden weapons? Is it a site for hidden weapons? Are all Muslims terrorists?

Pre-9/11, Muslims were merely a group of people representing the diverse population of the United States.

Post-9/11, they are terrorists, bombers, criminals.

Is this accurate?

After 9/11, Muslims have suffered from public hatred through speech and media. They have been discriminated against, through the "random" searches at the airport, to the name calling on television.

I think that as Americans, our biggest problem is generalizing people. Just because of the crude attacks by a certain group of people, it does not mean that everyone else is the same. The judgements made on innocent people is inhumane. I am Muslim. I have never thought of bombing anything, or killing anyone. As a matter of fact, no one in my family even owns a gun. Would I still be a terrorist? Possibly, because every Muslim is, right?

Reunited at Last

I was up really late doing homework and studying on thursday night. I signed in on my Facebook page to check it really quick. I had an unread message in my inbox. I went opened it, and the person who sent it did not have a picture. When I read the name of the sender, I was shocked.

When I used to waitress at my previous restaurant, I had these regular costumers that would come every saturday. They would sit in the smoking section and eat their ham and cheese omelettes and drink their coffee. I would sit and talk to them for hours and hours. I told them a lot of personal things, and they always seemed to know what to say to help me out. EVERY single saturday they would come in. I loved seeing them. I always talked about how much I love apples to them, so on my birthday, they brought me a basket of about 30 Macintosh apples (which I LOVE) and a teddy bear. I think I cried for about an hour because of how thoughtful they were.

It was a Friday night, and my boss brought together all the employees and told us that he was closing the restaurant, he was going to move back to his country and he did not have anyone to sell it to. I was not as upset about losing my job, as I was about not seeing Cat and Shawn the next day.

Hours became days, days became weeks, weeks became months until I heard from my friends again. It had been 1 year exactly when in my Facebook inbox, I received a long desired hello from my friends.

Through emails, we talked about where I was working now and how school was going. I was VERY happy to have had the luck to talk to them again.

The next day, I had to work from 3-10...it was 9 o'clock when the door opened as I was doing the night clean ups...in walked a face I had been desiring to see. As she walked towards me, I began to cry. It was sooooo nice seeing someone who knew everything that I was going through. Someone I could talk to about everything. I was glad to have her and her husband back in my life. We talked about school, and her son and how her brother recently committed suicide. I was devastated. I could feel her hurt.

She had her hands behind her back, and when we finished hugging before she left, she pulled out a bag, inside, about 5 Macintosh apples. I could not believe it, this woman was the most thoughtful person I have ever met in my life. I started crying again, happy tears, that once again, I was reunited with my friends <3

Mentoring Program

Today I have an interview for the HOPE Mentoring Program at school. It is a program designed to help to help 9th grade girls in Southwestern High School in Detroit. I am very excited, yet very nervous. I want to be a part of the program very badly. I have always had a passion for helping people. I love to give advice and offer my insight in situations.

Growing up in a country where it was difficult for girls to seek out a life of their own, I think I could give girls a lot of help. I think I am really good at motivating people to do things because I always help them to look at their situation from different perspectives.

I really hope that I am a part of this wonderful Program. I really want to change someones life, and I think by doing this, I might become a step closer.

There is no place like home!

I was born in a place called Albania. It is located in Eastern Europe. When I was 7 my family decided to move to America. Everyday, at least one person asks me what I like more, America or Albania...my response is always, 'There is no place like home.'

Having spent 7 years of my life there makes it really hard from me to forget the memories. Alb

ania, in my opinion, is one of the most

beautiful places in the world! It is equipped tall mountains, sky blue beaches, thousands of stores, and wonderful artistic architecture! The views are just simply breathtaking. I have visited 3 times since I have come to America. With each visit, it gets harder to leave.

While I am there, nothing in the world could explain how much fun I have. Spending time with my family there is amazing. The respect that the natives show for one another, and outsiders, is fabulous. There is always something to do, no matter how old you are. The events and festivals are very extravagant. The weddings are my favorite events! A wedding celebration goes on for a week, the nights are spent dancing and singing, while during the day we eat, drink and dance. The teenagers go to clubs and cafes in the downtown areas to hang out. Usually, they play soccer during the day or go to one of the many beaches. The adults also go out to cafes and bars to spend time with friends.

Having lived in America, everyone looks at you different. They are always curious about how America is like. I LOVE sharing my stories and memories of America with them. It is so awesome to teach my cousins English. One time when I was there, my cousin took me to school with her. She had an English class. When the students and teacher found out that I was American, they were electrified to have finally met one. I taught the lesson for the day and I had a great time!

I LOVE going to Albania. I have such a great time catching up with my family who lives there. I miss Albania VERY much. My memories there will always stay in my heart. I cannot wait until the next time I go again!!

Justice

"Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere."- Martin Luther King, Jr., "Letter from Birmingham Jail"

When America was founded, it was done so to provide "Justice, Liberty, and Equality for all." Justice is the key to a civil society. It provides for equal treatment of all. Without justice, many of the crimes today would remain unsolved. Justice is essential to provide for human safety

Equal treatment is valued among many. Like MLK said, when a person is not treated fairly or reasonably, it disrupts the justice of the overall "system" because someone, somewhere else is being affected. Sometimes that we do not realize that one single act of injustice can cause a "domino effect" and can rapidly reach many people. Acts of injustice throughout history have come to show how much it can tear up societies, like the Holocaust and slavery. They are prime examples on why it is wrong to discriminate.

Although it is reasonable to say that justice is impossible to be served at all times and places, it is a goal we should strive to achieve. As a nation founded on the concept, it is practical to say that we should set the example for other countries on what it takes to provide justice for all at our highest potential. Realizing that we could make a change in our society by small acts of justice could help make one great movement to spread justice all over the world.