JoannMin

ChrisHamborsky
IdeaoftheLiberalArts102H
Aug.31,2015
Ihateolives.Theytaste...funky.Theresreallynootherwayofdescribingthem.
Butwait,letstakeamomenttoreflectonwhatIjustsaid.Ihateolives.InoticedthatI
usehate,andthatisaverystrongword.Letmerephraseit.Idontlikeolives.ThenI
goontoexplainthattheytastefunkyratherthandisgustingorunpalatable.Well
funkyisaword,auniqueandultimatelypositiveword,Iwouldusetodescribemyself.
Soitleadsmetowonder,howoftenhaveIusedaphraseoranexpressiontoostrongfor
thesituationthatIamtryingtodescribe?BeingthefunkylittleoddballIam,mytrainof
thoughtflowsveryeasily.Whichiswhymyrhetoricalquestionaboveleadsmetothink
ofDr.Carverexplaininghowdifferenteverythingcanbecomewiththeslightchangein
wordchoiceorposition.Itsthisflowinmythoughtprocessthatexcitesme.Thoughitis
indeedquitenormalformoststudentstohaveanopenmindthatdirectlyrelatesone
thoughttoanother,itpersonallyhelpsmetobebetter.Iliketothinkofitasthesolid
foundationformydreamsandaspirations.
Isupposeitsabitdifficulttounderstandsohere,letmeexplain.Thinkingabout
olivesdidinfactleadmetothinkaboutthewordfunky.Whichinturntookmeallthe
waytounderstandingthewisewordsofDr.CarverslecturefromyesterdaysLAH102H
class.Butthenmybrainlikestojumpbacktotheoriginofmythoughts.Inthiscase,
olives.Asdifficultasfollowingmythoughtprocessesmaybe,Itakethemasasourceof
inspiration.ThethoughtsIhave,albeitsometimesjustdaydreamsandothertimes
philosophicaldilemmas,drivemetolearnandtorememberthethingsthatIhavebeen
taught.WhenIsaythatIhateolives,Imnotjustthinkingaboutthelittleblackorgreen
circularpiecesoffoodthatdonttasteappetizingtome.Rather,inamatterofminutes,

ImthinkingaboutworldhungerrealizinghowselfishIamforpickingandchoosingthe
foodsIwanttoeatwhilesomanypeopleinoursocietyworryabouttheirnextmeal.Its
thesethoughtsthatinspiremetobecomeapersonwhocantackletheseproblemsand
makemypositiveimpactontheworld.
Enoughaboutmythoughtsthough.Why?Becauseforme,itsevenmore
importantthatIconveymytrainofthoughtwellinwritingandnotinsomeincoherent
blob.InsomecasesIfindmyselframblinginmyworks,aweaknessIwouldliketobe
ridofbytheendofthissemester.Othertimes,Itendtousetoomanywords.My
sentencesbecomelong,eventiring.IoftentimesblamemyneedtoexpresseveryideaI
haveontopaper,leavingnoroomforbreathorsimplicity.Forsuchissues,peereditsand
stayingawareofmyramblingswerewhatbesthelpedmetocorrectthem,inturn
enhancingmywriting.YetasmuchasIfindthefaultsinmywriting,Ialsoseevarious
strengthsthroughoutmypapersaswell.Takethefollowingexcerptasanexample:
Growingup,Iwaspersistentlyshoweredwiththe
sentimentsoffellowKoreansthattheJapanesewerenever
tobeliked,nevertobeforgivenfortheanguishandperil
theybroughtuponmyancestors.Withthisseedplanted,I
begantodigthroughhistory,wateringthelittlespeckof
prejudicethatwouldsoongrowtobecomeastalkingplant.

Thoughperhapsmywritingsarenothingincomparisontothosearoundme,Iwouldlike
tothinkthatmyuseofmetaphorsandimageryisastrength.Withthisinmind,mygoal
forthissemesteristobeabletomakemywritingbeautiful.Idontmeanfluffingitupor
makingitseempretty.Butrathertobeabletoconveymymessagesinawaythatinspires
thosewhoreadit.Imayhateolives,butiftheymotivatemetowriteapaperthatcan
changetheworld,IthinkIllbeabletotoleratethemforawhile.
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