I normally don’t feel any sort of public pressure at all, but in this one instance, I found myself being pressured by complete strangers to step in and do something about a certain situation. About a year ago, I was heading to Hollywood to meet a few friends. When I arrived I decided to park in a parking garage. As I got out of my car and started to walk towards the elevator, I saw a group of women standing in front of me looking concerned and nervous. Ofcourse I’m going to ask them if they were alright. They responded by saying they heared a girl crying and scuffling noises around the corner a few seconds ago. I look towards that direction but I can’t see or hear anything, as it had less light in that direction and the noise from car tires squealing in the parking garage.
The first thought that came into my head was that they were either hearing things or they were lying. So I could have just brushed it off and continued on my way to meet up with my friends down the street. But the group of girls insisted that I go check it out and they were really starting to look concerned. I decided to go look because I felt pressured to help. I started to walk around the corner where they heard the crying. As I came closer to seeing around the corner I heard noises as if people were struggling. Right then I started thinking "what have I gotten myself into?” I decided to press forward and as I turned the corner, I seen a man and a women on the ground. They were engaging in sexual acts. I didn’t know what to think and I was trying to process if this was consensual or a crime, because this was happening in a dirty parking garage in the open behind a wall. The women seen me and asked me a provocative question and then I knew it was consensual. I turned away and started to walk back towards the elevators and the group of girls.
I told them what was going on and I could see they felt relieved. We ended up all going out afterwards and ended up having a great night. But this is a case where I was publicly pressured into doing something I would have normally not have done. This situation could have ended up way different if something else was going on. And I could have put myself in harm’s way because nobody was around to help me if I needed help. I usually don’t put myself in dire situations but this one instance, I felt pressured to do something right away. Overall I’m glad I checked the situation out because of the possibility of something bad was happening, but I’m lucky nothing serious was going on.
Friday, February 26, 2010
Friday, February 19, 2010
Changes and Responses
As I stated in my last blog, I'm not to familiar with literature making me have any responses or change my life of any sort. Only one book I have read sort of changed my social views. I have to go by others perceptions and "responses" that they get from literary works. When I read a good book or novel I tend to feel like I'm glad I read this, and I feel sort of relieved that I didn’t waste my time reading a bad book or novel. But sometimes you do read a bad one or a not so interesting novel. Usually I read bad books and novels when they are required in school or in an English class. Aren’t these books your reading in school or class supposed to have some sort of meaning to it that everyone reading it could get out of it? If not why are we reading it and writing about it for a reading and writing class?
I have to admit; last semester I read a pretty good book in my English 101 class. In the beginning I thought it was going to be another dreary boring English book like my other experiences. For example Hamlet, To kill a mocking Bird, and Edgar Allen Poe readings were all not interesting to me when I had to read these for an assignment. I know some people are Shakespeare fans and love all his work, also at the same time I know people that loved To Kill a Mocking Bird. But these types of books or novels are not for me. When I had to read those books I didn’t like being in the class that much because I wasn’t into it. I also didn’t receive any responses from these books, nor did they change my life of any sort. I just wanted to get them over with and turn in my assignments. I read other people reviews of these and similar books as I was reading the books and I could not see how they had certain responses, even when I read the book or chapter twice. I guess certain literature affects everyone differently.
Last semester though I enjoyed being in my English 101 class when we were discussing the book we were reading. I was into my papers and I felt like I knew everything to know about the book. The book was called the Tortilla Curtain, it’s not a book I would have picked up if it wasn’t assigned, but I'm glad I read it. This book sort of changed my ways of thinking and put a different outlook on my social views. Tortilla Curtain put a little more thought into my head and made me reconsider what people go through when they come into this country illegally. This is the only book that I’ve read that I can think of that made me respond to and sort of changed my views. The ending of this book could of been more descriptive or longer, it just ended without me knowing what fully happened. But I was also fond of the book because I liked the way it was set up. The author told two separate stories at the same time with two different families. But both stories were also interconnected with each other, it made the reading more interesting.
I have to admit; last semester I read a pretty good book in my English 101 class. In the beginning I thought it was going to be another dreary boring English book like my other experiences. For example Hamlet, To kill a mocking Bird, and Edgar Allen Poe readings were all not interesting to me when I had to read these for an assignment. I know some people are Shakespeare fans and love all his work, also at the same time I know people that loved To Kill a Mocking Bird. But these types of books or novels are not for me. When I had to read those books I didn’t like being in the class that much because I wasn’t into it. I also didn’t receive any responses from these books, nor did they change my life of any sort. I just wanted to get them over with and turn in my assignments. I read other people reviews of these and similar books as I was reading the books and I could not see how they had certain responses, even when I read the book or chapter twice. I guess certain literature affects everyone differently.
Last semester though I enjoyed being in my English 101 class when we were discussing the book we were reading. I was into my papers and I felt like I knew everything to know about the book. The book was called the Tortilla Curtain, it’s not a book I would have picked up if it wasn’t assigned, but I'm glad I read it. This book sort of changed my ways of thinking and put a different outlook on my social views. Tortilla Curtain put a little more thought into my head and made me reconsider what people go through when they come into this country illegally. This is the only book that I’ve read that I can think of that made me respond to and sort of changed my views. The ending of this book could of been more descriptive or longer, it just ended without me knowing what fully happened. But I was also fond of the book because I liked the way it was set up. The author told two separate stories at the same time with two different families. But both stories were also interconnected with each other, it made the reading more interesting.
Sunday, February 14, 2010
Literature to me
I have never been the type of person to read and write blogs for no reason, except for when it is required for a course. I hardly even know where to begin a essay or a post, even when I’m writing about something I enjoy. Literature to me is something to read and learn while taking a class or to study for an upcoming test. I don’t really think about literature just being there to read, enjoy, and learn for fun.
Maybe because I haven’t read anything that arouses my interest or maybe I just don’t give it a chance. By that I mean, maybe I don’t fully pay attention to the readings and meanings. This semester, I’m going to try to understand the literature and all its meaning. I’m hoping it changes my current thoughts and perceptions about it.
Certain literature can inform on environmental issues, social issues, and other important issues. Literature can be a tool to learn and be informed on a wide variety of topics. It can change your views on certain issues and topics after you have read the work, and sometimes it can even be life changing. Some of the best literary work from way back is still referenced today, and also has a big impact on today’s issues. I have not yet read any literature that changed my way of thinking or informed me on new or interesting topics. I’m hoping this will change while I’m taking this class.
To me, people take literature to seriously and give it to much credit for things. I know everyone’s different and like different things. But I expect to have my perceptions changed about literature, also I want to learn and hear about other people’s perceptions and thoughts about this topic, for I could understand more and different views about literature. I am expecting my views to change since I have little experience and I’m not to familiar with this topic. Maybe I will even take extra English and literature classes after this required course, who knows?
Maybe because I haven’t read anything that arouses my interest or maybe I just don’t give it a chance. By that I mean, maybe I don’t fully pay attention to the readings and meanings. This semester, I’m going to try to understand the literature and all its meaning. I’m hoping it changes my current thoughts and perceptions about it.
Certain literature can inform on environmental issues, social issues, and other important issues. Literature can be a tool to learn and be informed on a wide variety of topics. It can change your views on certain issues and topics after you have read the work, and sometimes it can even be life changing. Some of the best literary work from way back is still referenced today, and also has a big impact on today’s issues. I have not yet read any literature that changed my way of thinking or informed me on new or interesting topics. I’m hoping this will change while I’m taking this class.
To me, people take literature to seriously and give it to much credit for things. I know everyone’s different and like different things. But I expect to have my perceptions changed about literature, also I want to learn and hear about other people’s perceptions and thoughts about this topic, for I could understand more and different views about literature. I am expecting my views to change since I have little experience and I’m not to familiar with this topic. Maybe I will even take extra English and literature classes after this required course, who knows?
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