So far, in my experience since becoming a KU student, extreme troubles and trials come during this unit.
Semester 1 involved a family emergency trip.
Semester 2's unit 6 started right after the earthquake and tsunami in Samoa and American Samoa, and my time and efforts went towards reassuring family and friends of my parents' safety, and relief projects.
Semester 3 was better handled, thankfully, but trials were present nonetheless.
This time, it was my health. Given, over the years, February is the month I get sick with some kind of bug - not the flu - and have to stay in bed for a few days. This had not happened for several years, so I was unprepared for it.
But this time, my baby sister in law school spoiled me - bringing me water; asking what I wanted to eat and making it, within reason of cravings; doing her law school homework within hearing range in case I needed something; driving me to my errands that could not be put off; staying home with me over the weekend; rearranging things to ensure my comfort....
She took such good care of me. Whatever other Unit 6 disasters await, and despite all the work I now need to catch up with, my renewed health and ability to continue life is attributed to my Heavenly Father, my family's prayers, and this time, especially my baby sister.
Monday, February 22, 2010
Monday, February 8, 2010
When I am 94 years old...
My maternal grandmother is 94 years old today!!
9 out of 10 of her children are in attendance, including my parents, besides numerous grandchildren, all the down to a couple of great-great-grandchildren. The celebration is at #6's home in the family village of Taputimu in American Samoa. This is the first birthday celebration I have missed in many years.
So it got me wondering if school is really worth missing out on this momentous occasion.
Tonight, as I think of the close fellowship with our matriarch, dedicatory worship and prayer, shared testimonies, practice for special items, flashes from over 20 cameras, new outfits or uniforms, heaps of food, tons of people, the cooling heat of twilight and the close of the summer season, the beauty of sunset by the sea visible through the den windows (if you're facing that way), waves crashing on the rocky shore (where most of us stand & slide backwards as the waves gently push without felling us), I would say no. It was not worth missing.
And then my siblings and cousins who were also unable to attend remind me, even now, that it was not an issue of finance that kept me from attending. It was education, and that, for the moment, is the greater good. No questions. And yes, I do have science classes with labs I am taking from the community college besides online school.
So of course my heart yearns for my grandmother and parents and hugs and family and food and the ocean and the island life that would have come with a trip to the South Pacific (recently termed the football island during a 60 minutes episode). To keep busy, my assignments are getting completed. My diet was especially healthy today. My journal of goals and to-dos got more ticks in the past few days than ever before. All in the hopes that if and when I am 94 years old, I will be as healthy, happy, missed, admired, loved, accomplished, and close to my heavenly Father as my grandmother - Fueainaula Lam Yuen - is today on her birthday.
Manuia lou aso fanau, Granny!! Alofa tele atu :)
9 out of 10 of her children are in attendance, including my parents, besides numerous grandchildren, all the down to a couple of great-great-grandchildren. The celebration is at #6's home in the family village of Taputimu in American Samoa. This is the first birthday celebration I have missed in many years.
So it got me wondering if school is really worth missing out on this momentous occasion.
Tonight, as I think of the close fellowship with our matriarch, dedicatory worship and prayer, shared testimonies, practice for special items, flashes from over 20 cameras, new outfits or uniforms, heaps of food, tons of people, the cooling heat of twilight and the close of the summer season, the beauty of sunset by the sea visible through the den windows (if you're facing that way), waves crashing on the rocky shore (where most of us stand & slide backwards as the waves gently push without felling us), I would say no. It was not worth missing.
And then my siblings and cousins who were also unable to attend remind me, even now, that it was not an issue of finance that kept me from attending. It was education, and that, for the moment, is the greater good. No questions. And yes, I do have science classes with labs I am taking from the community college besides online school.
So of course my heart yearns for my grandmother and parents and hugs and family and food and the ocean and the island life that would have come with a trip to the South Pacific (recently termed the football island during a 60 minutes episode). To keep busy, my assignments are getting completed. My diet was especially healthy today. My journal of goals and to-dos got more ticks in the past few days than ever before. All in the hopes that if and when I am 94 years old, I will be as healthy, happy, missed, admired, loved, accomplished, and close to my heavenly Father as my grandmother - Fueainaula Lam Yuen - is today on her birthday.
Manuia lou aso fanau, Granny!! Alofa tele atu :)
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Plagiarisms
There are several works that can be plagiarized. Some are more obvious than others.
The obvious ones include published written works. Books. Articles. Journals.
Less obvious and blurred are individual quotes. Works of art or music. Internet posts of various file types. This goes into creative interpretation, and who had the original thought or idea.
This week, Unit 4, I also found that time can be plagiarized. My time, for example. Given, I did not contest not being credited for my time spent otherwise. But because the issue would be considered personal and not business or academic, my academic requirements suffered. My business duties did not suffer; however, some explanation needed to be made as to my "disappearance." For this purpose, what does constitute a family emergency? Says who? Would an explanation result in a lecture on time management?
It would seem then that sometimes, plagiarism measurement comes down to what the personal relationship with whoever the author or composer of the idea or thought is. In the case of written works used for research papers, in most cases, sources were gathered off databases, and so plagiarism would be considered because of the general nature of the published works. In music, some time is dedicated to the study of the history and biography of the composer, and new styles that evolve are appreciated, admired, and recorded. But in personal situations, tempers could rise, or love and courtesy could abound.
Well, this issue comes full circle, so in general? Cite, cite cite. No matter what.
The obvious ones include published written works. Books. Articles. Journals.
Less obvious and blurred are individual quotes. Works of art or music. Internet posts of various file types. This goes into creative interpretation, and who had the original thought or idea.
This week, Unit 4, I also found that time can be plagiarized. My time, for example. Given, I did not contest not being credited for my time spent otherwise. But because the issue would be considered personal and not business or academic, my academic requirements suffered. My business duties did not suffer; however, some explanation needed to be made as to my "disappearance." For this purpose, what does constitute a family emergency? Says who? Would an explanation result in a lecture on time management?
It would seem then that sometimes, plagiarism measurement comes down to what the personal relationship with whoever the author or composer of the idea or thought is. In the case of written works used for research papers, in most cases, sources were gathered off databases, and so plagiarism would be considered because of the general nature of the published works. In music, some time is dedicated to the study of the history and biography of the composer, and new styles that evolve are appreciated, admired, and recorded. But in personal situations, tempers could rise, or love and courtesy could abound.
Well, this issue comes full circle, so in general? Cite, cite cite. No matter what.
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