Describe Your Most Memorable Experience this Semester

My math teacher Sonjay was pretty cool. He made teaching fun because he has a sense of humor. He takes his job seriously and that is respectable. He travels all over the world and has a good perspective on life. He made the material to be learned easy to understand. I'm glad I got the oppertunity to meet him.

How would you like to be remembered?

I would like to be remembered as a good mother someone who raised up good children, helped people in need, was a good friend, there when needed, listened without judging, main priority was church, and did a lot in her community.

I would like to travel the world and help people in need. To be selfless not worry about money and possessions.

"Superstitions"

One superstition I used to believe was that if you whistled at night it would bring evil spirits, so I would never whistle at night for a long time. Another one is if you see a white owl that means someone was dead or going to die. The first superstition I heard from my mom, and she heard it from her mom which probably was told to her by an older brother or someone trying to scare her, I don't know. The second superstition was supposed to be what some natives believe, and I believed it too for a while because the night my cousin died my brother said he had seen a white owl that night. I know now that those were exactly what they were "SUPERSTITIONS'.

Dream Vacation

I would love to visit the Holy Lands. I would like to see the places where Jesus walked. To see the places would help me put a picture to the stories I know are true. Maybe not now but when my kids are grown, so they can share the experience with me.

There are a lot of interesting and beautiful places in the world it would be hard to choose just one, so I hope to travel some before I get old.

"The War Within"

I started drinking when I was about thirteen. I would drink and smoke weed and cigarettes when ever I could. I was placed on probation for stealing and been in and out of Juvenile Hall all the way up till the age of eighteen.

I remember looking around at all my family drinking and partying thinking, there is no way out, this is all my life is ever going to be. It wasn't until I was twenty-one when I finally got clean. I wanted to do good and be sober but their was always that little reservation in the back of my head saying "One day I'll use again."

The realization hit me one day when I was walking home from an A.A. meeting, that I was never going to drink or use drugs again;This time it was real . I remember feeling sad like my heart was broken;Like I was loosing a good thing. I walked home slow that day kinda depressed. When I think about ending that relationship I can't believe that I was actually sad about saying goodbye to something that only brought me trouble.

SUMMER PLANS

This summer I plan to take the next english class Lead 219. I hope I will be able to pass that course because I have a lot of english I have to learn before I can start my pre-requisites for nursing. After summer school I will sleep in and enjoy the rest of summer with my kids. My son wants to play soccer;therefore, I will have to put aside some money for that. I don't know what we will be doing for the fourth of July, but I'm sure it will be spent with family and having fun.
Each year for about five years now my kids' grandma puts on an event in Oroville that lasts two days. The first day is the giveaway she buys clothes, shoes, school supplies, and food. The block is blocked off in front of her house for people to come and get what they need. A stage is rented for all the christian singers and preachers to come and bring the word to whoever is there. While the giveaway is going on, she also has a Bar-B-Q. This year I think I will actually get to set and listen to the word since by daughter is old enough to go and play with her cousins.
The second day is the "Praise in the Park" at "Martin Luther King Park" in South Side Oroville; similarly, there is more preaching and singing. While the Word is getting preached, and the music is playing under the anointing of God, the kids are busy bouncing in the bounce house; playing in the park; or getting there face painted. It is pretty awesome to witness and be apart of something that has true purpose and is also fun.

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. Colossians 3:16,17

A DIFFICULT DECISION

It had been a while since I had gone out to party. I was eighteen, and I just had my son. The electricity was out at my house, so my mom took my baby over to her boy friends house to stay with her for the night. My cousins were all going to a friends house to drink; undoubtedly, I went with them, for I didn't want to stay home alone. I thought I could drink like I used to ; however, I blanked out and during this time I ended up with a D.U.I, Evading, and Carjacking. After a week in jail, my grandmother bailed me out. A year later after court dates and being on the run a warrant was issued for my arrest, and the bail bonds-men were looking for me. I was staying with my cousin at the time because I had no income, and my mom had lost her job, so we no longer had a house. I remember my cousin telling me that my grandma was going to get into trouble if I didn't turn myself in; therefore, I was faced with the difficult decision of possibly going to prison and leaving my son.
I see now through this difficult time in my life God was beginning a change in me. Throughout my life I would never turn myself in but for some reason I had an unexplainable peace; as a result, that day I kissed my son goodbye and went to the jail to do my time. Although I was incarcerated for a time, I am thankful that through the trials and hardships God has used them to bring me closer to him, and that I would be saved.

Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character, and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us. Romans 5:3-5

FEAR

When I was little, I would play without hardly a care in the world, oblivious to the fact of life which is death. I remember feeling safe until I fell out of a tree; strong until I got hurt; and immortal until I saw my grandpa die. Everyday I would play outside with all my cousins, and I would watch as different family members would come and visit the back room where my grandpa lay dying from cancer. To see my grandpa in pain was sad, but to see him dead was confusing. At that moment fear overtook me, and there where questions that needed answers. I began to question my mother with what, why, and where is he now; undoubtedly, the answer was heaven. From that day on life wasn't the same; in fact, it was hopeless, scary and unknowing. Not to say that there wasn't good times, there were, but not as good.

A couple of years later my dad's mother died, and I still remember how sad and depressed he was, so when I learned at Sunday school that my grandma wasn't really dead she was just resting until Jesus came I was anxious to tell my dad the good news. I believed and was excited about what the Sunday school teacher had taught me, but my dad on the other hand was not.

During times when life wasn't busy and there weren't any distractions- usually when I was in Juvenile Hall- I would sit and think about life and its meaning, wondering if there was a purpose for it. Reading the Bible would give me little glimpses of hope, joy, and peace like little rays of light shining in the darkness but never the full understanding; indeed, my youthful lusts still desired what the world had to offer. It wasn't until I had cried many more tears, felt the pain of hopelessness, and was familiar with loneliness, that I was finally ready to accept Jesus as my savior whole-heartily. I was forgiven of my sins; moreover, I felt brand new. At that moment I wasn't afraid to die, deep within me I knew everything was going to be alright.

19 "For I know that through your prayers and the help given by the Spirit of Jesus Christ, what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance."
21 "For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain." Philippians 1:19,21

"PROCESS"

"I'm not good enough," "Everything I do fails," and "Why bother" are all types of "self-defeatist thinking." Joseph T. Martorano, and John P. Kildahl authors of a book called "Beyond Negative Thinking" knew that the negative messages we sent ourselves had a powerful effect on our lives and in more ways than not directed our paths. They stated that, "Such inner speech shapes your life more than any other single force." I like how they called this negative thinking the " silent broadcast" tearing people down rather than building them up.

Joseph and John believed that a person could overcome this negative thinking by tuning into ones thoughts, becoming aware of self criticism, isolating destructive words and phrases, stopping the thought simply by telling yourself "No" or "Stop", accentuating the positive, and finally reorienting yourself changing the direction of your thoughts and thinking of what is lovely and good.

DESERTED ISELAND

IF I WAS ON A DESSERTED ISLAND, I PROBABLY WOULD HAVE BEEN CRUISING THE OCEAN IN A YACHT. THERE POSSIBLY WOULD HAVE BEEN A STORM , OR MAYBE I JUST RAN OUT OF GAS BUT EITHER WAY I WOULD HAVE BEEN ON A BOAT WITH EVERYTHING I NEEDED. I WOULDN'T BE ALONE BECAUSE MY FAMILY WOULD HAVE BEEN ON THE YACHT, CRUISING WITH ME. WE WOULD JUST BE CHILLIN ON THE BEAUTIFUL ISLAND ENJOYING THE TIME SPENT WITH EACH OTHER. WE WOULD BE AROUND A FIRE AT NIGHT LISTENING TO THE OCEAN AND REMINISCING ABOUT THE OLD DAYS. THE KIDS WOULD BE PLAYING ON THE BEACH, COLLECTING SEA SHELLS OR PLAYING TAG WITH THE WAVES. DURING THE DAY WE WOULD EXPLORE THE ISELAND AND LOOK FOR A BEAUTIFULL OASIS DEEP WITHIN THE ISELAND. IT WOULD BE AN AWESOME AND UNFORGETTABLE EXPERIANCE.

HOW WILL LIFE BE TWENTY YEARS FROM NOW?

TWENTY YEARS FROM NOW I WILL BE A REGISTERED NURSE LIVING IN SACRAMENTO MAYBE. MY SON WILL BE TWENTY SIX AND MY DAUGHTER WILL BE TWENTY THREE. MY SON WILL PROBALLY BE DONE WITH COLLEGE DEPENDING ON WHAT HE WANTS TO BE. MY DAUGHTER WILL BE GOING TO COLLEGE STILL. I DON'T KNOW IF SHE WILL STILL BE LIVING AT HOME, ATTENDING COLLEG BUT THAT'S FINE BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW IF I'LL HAVE OTHER KIDS IN THE HOME. I'LL BE WELL OFF FINANCIALLY SO ALL MY TIME WILL BE DEVOTED TO GOD, FAMILY, AND WORK

IF YOU HAD THE POWER TO CHANGE THE LAW, WHAT LAW(S) WOULD YOU CHANGE ? WHY?

I'M NOT SURE IF THIS IS AN ACTUAL LAW BUT I HEARD THAT EVERY INMATE WITH AN "L" AT THE END OF THEIR SENTENCE IS NOT GETTING OUT. MY DAD GOT A SENTENCE OF FIFTEEN TO LIFE. HE HAS ALREADY SERVED HIS FIFTEEN BUT IS BEING DENIED PAROLE. I BELEIVE THAT IF HE WAS TO GET OUT HE WOULD NOT MESS UP. I BELIEVE HE IS A DIFFERENT PERSON. I WOULD CHANGE THE LAW TO IF YOU SERVED ALL YOUR TIME AND HAVN'T GOTTEN IN ANY TROUBLE, AND YOU ARE A TRULY DIFFERENT PERSON THAN YOU SHOULD GET A SECOND CHANCE.

"WHEN WORDS GET IN THE WAY"

LIVING IN AMERICA CLARK FEELS AS IF HE IS "LOOKING IN A MIRROR WHERE EVERYTHING APPEARS THE SAME, EXCEPT IT'S REVERSED." CLARK FEELS THIS WAY BECAUSE "BACK HOME ON THE ISELAND, GREETINGS ARE USUALLY INFORMALL AND TAKEN AT FACE VALUE." HE GAVE AN EXAMPLE OF HIS NEIGHBOR MR.GABINSKY, OF HOW HE GREETED HIM. HE REFERED TO HIM AS "BOY" WHICH DID NOT BOTHER CLARK BECAUSE BACK HOME IT WAS ORDINARY FOR ELDER PEOPLE TO REFER TO YOUNG ADULTS AS "BOY" OR "GIRL". BUT ANOTHER NEIGHBOR AL WHO IS AFRICAN AMERICAN INFORMED CLARK THAT MR. GABINSKY WAS "DISRESPECTING HIM IN A BIG WAY." AL EXPLAINED THAT IT WAS DIFFERENT HERE IN AMERICA, THAT THE "B" WORD WAS WHAT THE WHITES REFERRED TO THE SLAVE BY AND WAS TO BE DEEMED DEGRADING. CLARK LEARNED THAT EVEN THOUGH WE SPEAK THE SAME LANGUAGE THEY MAY HAVE DIFFERENT MEANING FOR EACH OF US.

Grandma and Grandpa's House

I remember always wanting to go to grandma and grandpas. I grew up in Quincy a little town in the mountains. We lived in town and my grandparents lived on the outskirts of town. After school me and my little brother would go to my grandparents house to play They owned a couple acres so we would spend hours outside playing in the hills. My cousins lived with my grandparents so we would always have kids to play with, sometimes for holidays our other cousins would come up so there would be a lot of kids.We would build forts in the mountains, go sledding on the hill with an old tin from the hen house roof and have pine cone wars with the boys. It was always boys vs girls when we would play baseball, kickball, vollyball even though we didn't have a net we would use the wire that the dog was chained up to as a divider, you just had to be carefull that you didn't get tackled by the dog. I remember my grandma had a goose and we would see who can get the closest without getting bit. We would hate it when my uncle would let fat albert( his dog) off his chain you would see kids running toward the house and if you couldn't make it you would climb a tree and stay untill you found an oppertunity to make a dash for the house. We would spend hours in the hills playin Indians trying to imagine how it was back in the days. We would go exploring in the mountains our favorite spot was "crystal mountain" that was a spot on the mountain where we would get our crystals we would be in compatition to see who could find the best crystal, we would let grandma be the judge and of course she liked them all. It was always a race when we would hear someone call time for dinner, you would see kids coming from every direction trying to get in line for dinner. We would wash our hands and line up so grandma could check to see if we used soap, once you got the ok you would get your food and find a spot to eat the best spot was in front of the tv. I remember in august we would post up on the hill and watch the rides go by. We would ask grandpa if he had any work to do around the house so we could go to the fair. There would be leaves to rake for days. So I guess you could say that my whole memories of being at grandma and grandpas was good.

"The Perfect Day"

The perfect day for me would be a rainy day inside with my kids. A day where I can just relax. It probally would be on a weekend. I would normally be doing laundry but since it's raining outside me and my kids would build a fort and play what ever they could imagine. My son is five years old and he loves dinosours,warriors, and swords, so we would probally play some kind of fighting game. It's cool to pretend and make believe, especially when your thoughts are on serious matters all the time. Sometimes it's hard to think like a little kid, but when I do get down on my kids level I always have fun. We would play board games like candy land and the ice cream truck. My daughter got a paint set awhile ago and she always wants to paint, but I always tell her later because it's too much mess or I have other things to do, so we would paint and have fun no matter how messy.(well not too messy) We would bake cookies; I would let them help mix and add the chocolate chips. After we would settle down, snuggle up on the couch, and watch a movie.

Reading Reaction "One Man's Kids."

Daniel Meir loves his job not so much for the intellectual aspect, but more for the emotional aspect. In one paragraph he say's that "The day is really won through matters of the heart." He states that in teaching the inner rewards come from without. His energy is spent in encouraging, supporting, counseling, and praising his children. He seems to enjoy the benefits of his job.

What is the difinition of love?

Love is unconditional, not self centered. Love is sacrafice. It is to care for someone with out a pay off. Love is hard sometimes, but worth it. Love conquors all. Love is never rude but always kind. Love is forgiving, and understanding. Love is appreciated. Love is respect. Love is good.

Describe Someone Close To You. What Do You Admire Most About This Person?

I admire people who know what they want out of life,Know who they are and want to become. What is admirable about these kinds of people, is that they speak their mind without offending anybody,have respect for self as well as others, and know where their boundaries lie. The person that has modeled this in my life is Susan a counselor here at the Esplanade House.

Describe Your Dream Job

My dream job would be to become a Registered Nurse. I would like to help people, and be able to learn something that would be usefull where ever I go. The pay is good so I will be able to support my family. I would prefer to become a Pediatric Nurse, because I would like to work with children.

What can you do to get the most out of your time at Butte College?

To get the most out of my time here at Butte College, I plan to enjoy the classes that I have choosen. Most of my classes are pre-requesets to my goal of becoming a Registered Nurse. Other classes I chose because I need them to receive full credit towards my financial aid. So I will get all that I can from each class weather important or just for fun.