Review on: "Afternoon of an American Boy" & "The Drama Bug"

I found both of these essays to be really interesting. They inspire me in a way to write about my personal life that I am most comfortable with to give a vivid reflective essay portraying the meaning I am trying to get across. Reading both stories, I learn different aspects of writing that I need to improve on, to better, or that I unconsciously use.

E.B. White's "Afternoon of an American Boy" gives me an idea of how descriptions of character or appearances really affect the story as a whole. Without the detailed description of Elwyn's shyness toward girls, I wouldn't understand why he couldn't approach Eileen or what could have possibly went wrong on the afternoon he took her out. I like how White writes about himself subjectively. He gives me a detailed description of what he thought was bad about him. He hated the fact that he was shy, and he told me what he meant by describing a situation rather than just saying he couldn't approach girls. With this type of writing, I have learned how to approach my future writing that begs for detail.

I believe David Sedaris' "The Drama Bug" is so honest and entertaining. Sedaris really gives a great portrayal of his early childhood. It seems like he really isn't keeping anything back, even though he might possibly be holding many things back, but it is just the way that he opens up and becomes quite frank with the audience. I think it is all about his style of writing. He smoothly says something and smoothly transitions into something else while still keeping the reader's attention and at the same time, he doesn't drift off from the main topic at all. I like his essay because of those main reasons. I would definitely use his style of writing as a way of approaching my writing.

Overall, both stories were great. I have learned so much from just analyzing White and Sedaris' writing style.

So, it came in 3's...

I watched the sky for a very long time from the time it was blue until it finally turned black with shiny stars. I was wasting time laying down on the swing instead of reading "Crime and Punishment" for my World Literature course. Many thoughts came to mind and I argued with myself about a few other. I wondered what I would do after graduation, when my sister will finally move here, when my boyfriend will graduate, when he will ask me to marry him, and what my wedding or my future life would be like. I held the book and finally opened it to the first chapter, but then I wondered what I would name my kids.

Mom always thought I was the smartest in the family. I would laugh whenever she would say that. I hated the fact that she would praise me in front of people. I would blush as soon as my name would come up and walk away as fast as I can. I am the first one to graduate from a university in the family. So what? Mom and Dad take too much pride in it. It's okay. I will let them do as they please.

Eva finally got married to Tony, her true love. She always wanted to get married and leave the house so she can finally move on with her life. To me, she seemed like she was rushing, but hey, it's working fine for her. I always wished she would finish college, but she gave up too quick. She only had a few more classes, then, she would be making thousands of dollars just helping companies with websites rather than being a personal banker. She would have been the first to graduate college in my family.

Cellphone Stories...

Insurance
Let's just say I am so glad I have insurance on my Dare phone because if it is one thing I do best, it's dropping my phone a couple of times during a week. I tried the plastic cover for a few months when it was still new, but it just made my phone too bulky so out it went. And boy, was that a mistake! One day, I was planning to do some warming up on the mat at the gym, so, I purposely threw my phone on the mat to free my hands. The camera lens landed right on top of the pearl chain I had attached to my phone and broke the lens. Then, of course, that was followed by a few more concrete slams that miraculously did not do any large damage. My insurance will cover the harm done to the camera lens and the body. I knew paying extra $5 a month would pay off in the end...

Saita's Cellphone
So, my youngest sister finally got a cellphone not too long ago. She turned 18, and mom finally thought she should get a cell after Saita's many failed attempts. Two months and two billing statements later, Mom wants to cancel her phone. Apparently, my sister does not understand that she has only a few minutes to share with Mom, and she needs to be careful about going over because every minute over costs money. After a few more complaints from Mom, Saita's cellphone will be confiscated until further notice.

Stupid iPhones
Those cellphones make me so mad! My boyfriend and a few of my close friends own one. I just don't understand why you can't send a picture to an iPhone, yet it does the most coolest things. Or how come this cellphone does not have a forwarding message ability. It is jam packed with creative technological abilities such as playing air hockey or has the best navigation system, yet some of the most important features are not included. Give me a break!

High Above

Struggling to clear my mind from all the matters of life, I could not enjoy the nature of the huge green trees and the clear blue sky in the first two minutes. After forcing myself, I looked at the trees and realized how I take the beautiful nature for granted. I always try to find ways to clear up my mind or stop stressing about a particular thing, but I just realized that the best way is to simply look outside my bedroom window that peers over my backyard. As simple as that, a backyard view is the cure.

The big trees in my neighbor's yard across ours are so enormous, they hide the entire two-story house. The trees' beautiful green leaves flourish over the brick wall separating us. I remember how those trees turned brown and all the leaves fell just a few months ago; I was able to see the neighbor's windows and the house in its entirety. Three months later, the trees grew back to their original condition. This is a reminder of how we, as a people, can survive the ups and downs of life. We may feel down, but we eventually get back to our normal selves. Us and nature are connected in simple ways that we do not take the time to think about.

To the left side of our backyard, I was able to see my neighbor's yard. I hope Gloria fully recovered breast cancer. I have not seen her in a while. The way she takes care of her garden reminds me of how mom takes great care of her fruit trees and the flower trees surrounding the Virgin Mary sculpture.

High above the trees and the houses and the roses, there is something greater. A clear, blue sky covering billions of people and connecting us all together in nature's own beautiful way. Looking above, I realized how small problems are in comparison to the enormous beauty of nature.

Priceless Time

The stupid alarm on my nightstand didn't ring this morning. Better yet, the time has frozen at 7 PM. It's going back to Walmart tomorrow, and I'm getting my $10 back! I jumped out of bed and ran straight to the bathroom to wash my face and do a speedy teeth brushing. To think that this piece of tiny junk was reliable upset me. There I was standing in the stationary aisle at Walmart finally investing in an alarm clock. I scanned every type of alarm clock sitting on the shelves. The different types of cool colors made the decision even harder, so I started thinking...

Which one should I get? The very-thin-red-cellphone-looking-one-easy-for-travel that flips open/close or the gray one? Well, my room furniture is oak and my desk, chair, and bookshelf are black. So, I should go with the black, traditional alarm clocks. Wait, this one uses electricity. The others use batteries. That will save up some electricity. But what if the battery dies on a very important day, and I won't wake up? Ehh.. what's the worse that can happen? I am going to go with the black Timex made thin and easy for travel. Final decision! Hmm.. actually, let me look at the one in the far back.

"Are you done?" my sister approached me.
"Not yet."
She stood behind me tapping her gym shoes on the waxed floor. "Come on, I am tired."
I looked at her, and she reminded me of me. It's like looking in the mirror. Both of our curly hair was frizzy and pulled back. Our sweatpants, tank top, and gym shoes would have tricked anyone into believing that we're health maniacs who work out everyday. We were both exhausted, and anyone could have seen it through our eyes. Our small feet were getting ready to give out.
"I am tired from working out too, but help me choose an alarm clock."
"Go with whatever."
I triumphantly took my Timex and walked to the register...

My alarm clock put me to shame. On the other hand, my backup alarm, my cell, must have rang three times. I wouldn't know for sure because I didn't hear it. If I had heard it, I wouldn't have woke up seven minutes before I was supposed to be heading out to work. But let's just say my cell is not going back to the Verizon store. I'll try sleeping early tonight.