It is amazing how any one thing that a person says, even without giving it any thought, can plant a seed in your mind that can grow and ultimately change your entire way of thinking. It can be nothing more than a fragment of a sentence, or part of an overheard conversation. It can be a quote on a bumper sticker or a headline in a newspaper. Or, it may even be something you heard on television while you were rummaging through your fridge looking for a midnight snack.
It was a night like any other. I was watching TV with my mother and my sister. That night we happened to be watching “Lost,” a sci-fi television series. I got a little hungry, so I went into the kitchen and opened the fridge, leaning my head in so I could see what we had. As I was deciding between yogurt and string cheese, something that I heard one of the characters say struck me. It was something like “It always happens that you’re in a room with a person. All of those rooms add up to your life.”
I didn’t particularly stop to ponder this. It was not a sudden realization that I had, or an epiphany. It was just something that stuck with me; it gave me something to think about.
As time when on, I began to realize that I could not shake this idea. I thought about it more and more. It forced me to think about my own life and face the very obvious reality that had always been so easy to ignore. I wasn’t really living. I was just trying to get by, day by day, living as little as possible. I hated waking up at seven o’clock every morning and getting out of bed and feeling my bare feet touch the cold floor and knowing that I had the whole day ahead of me. I hated going to school and seeing all those familiar faces of people that I’ve known since kindergarten and I hated having to talk to them. I would avoid people and situations as much as possible. I just didn’t trust myself and I didn’t trust other people.
Every time something I meant to say came out wrong or I found myself avoiding a confrontation, I would excuse it by thinking or saying that it just wasn’t my day, or that I didn’t feel like dealing with it at the moment, or I just didn’t care. I would spend zero time thinking about my present life. I would only think about what my life would be like later, in the future, or I would think about things that I’ve done in the past. I would worry all the time and wonder why I couldn’t have the things that other people had.
This idea flourished in my mind, and I eventually came to realize that the future is not the only important thing, and things that I’ve done in the past do not define me. I realized that I was avoiding all these “rooms” instead of embracing them and making the best of them. I understood that I was not living fully and that although the future is important, life is too short to waste all your time thinking about it and not spending any time actually living in the present. The journey from now to the future is just as important as the future itself. Everything really does add up. I could not continue to spend my life avoiding situations and thinking that “it just wasn’t my day,” because I then I would look back years from now and be very disappointed. Because of my present, my future would suffer.
I now have a completely different outlook on life. I see the world so differently. I find that I actually enjoy talking to people and taking part in a situation. I don’t see the bad in everything like I used to. I look for opportunities to connect with people, and opportunities to feel as alive and as much in the present as possible. In attempting to make the best of the world I live in, I am a much happier person. I want to live and make my mark on the world. I don’t want to just float by like an invisible ghost.
writing aoj
Overview
The discussion is designed to assist you learn concepts in the class and to collaborate with classmates in this learning process.. Remember, we are using the PowerUps to help guide our discussion. We are focusing on quality content. Use the rubric and provided instructions to help you contribute to this discussion. To earn full credit, your interactions must be on-going and occur over the course of the discussion period. Checking in one-time to complete all of the “requirements” will not earn full-credit. You must stay active in the discussion over time.
Your post should have factual information and YOU MUST INCLUDE YOUR PERSONAL THOUGHTS and OPINIONS on the topic as well.
Discussion Specifics
Watch
The short clip from Investigation Discovery about the “West Memphis Three” and also conduct independent research from reliable resources about the case.
Discuss
Before watching this film, what were your thoughts about criminal investigations in general?
Your thoughts on this case and the investigation.
In your opinion, what are the top three factors for successfully solving a criminal investigation.
In your opinion, what are the top three traits of a criminal investigator?
Instructions
REMEMBER
Be sure to use the PowerUp formatting for this discussion. Your discussions must incorporate at least three PowerUps. Please review the rubric for grading details.
You are not sending out a text message or tweet, so when writing your post, use proper English, grammar and writing mechanics. Make sure you include what you think about the respective section you are discussing.
Please use a question, then answer approach. Copy the prompts being asked in the discussion into your reply and respond directly to the prompts. This will help us to better understand what you are replying to.
Use the “Reply” icon to start your discussion. Once you type and spell-check your thread, use the “Post Reply” icon to submit your thoughts. Use can also review the Canvas video Links to an external site.on posting discussions.
Participants must create a thread in order to view other threads in this forum.
DIALOGUE
Using PowerUps as a guide, you will start by adding an initial response. The initial response is your initial thoughts to the prompts being asked so you can continue a conversation with your classmates. This has a different due date than the “overall” due date for the discussion. See the Canvas Calendar for specifics about the initial response due date and time.
For the initial response, you will contribute to the discussion by providing some background information followed up by your thoughts and opinions on the respective topic. It must be substantive and thoughtful dialogue. Use outside sources such as the news, Internet, popular media, your textbook, journal articles, etc to assist you here. Make sure to use proper APA formatting to cite your work if applicable.
Next, you will engage in dialogue with at least two classmate’s by asking questions, challenging ideas, and/or supporting his/her argument with material from the reading. Two responses is the minimum. You should engage in an on-going dialogue, even if it takes more than two responses. If a classmate or I ask you a question or challenge an idea, you need to respond. This is how we have a conversation and learn with each other.
There is not a minimum word count, however, you will need to add at least 3 – 5 sentences per PowerUp to adequately contribute to the dialogue. The on-going dialogue with classmates should, in theory, be able to continue a dialogue or conversation. Superficial dialogue such as “Good post” or “I like what you said” is not going to be appropriate for our dialogue. You must contribute much more to this discussion to earn full-credit.
What is a PowerUp
Remember: List or restate something you just read; then, add an opinion in your response. Use #remember
Understand: Ask a question that will help you understand what you read. Allow a peer to respond to your question. Use #understand
Apply: Organize what you read into something new. Include a poem, chart, timeline, diagram, or model in your response. Use #apply
Analyze: Examine a quote you read, and then compare it to a different text. Explain why you think they’re related. Use #analyze
Evaluate: Critique something that you read in a respectful manner. Cite text-based evidence in your response. Use #evaluate
Create: Develop a novel response based on what you read using text, video or other supplies to innovate. Use #create
Connect: Connect to an issue outside of your school. Think globally, and share how collaborated in your response (this requires actual action on your part). Use #connect
Resources
Resources for the Discussion
Canvas Guide How do I reply to a discussion as a student? (Links to an external site.)
Canvas Guide How do I view assignment comments from my instructor? (Links to an external site.)
Canvas Guide How do I view rubric results for my assignment? (Links to an external site.)
Canvas Guide How do I view the rubric for my graded discussion? (Links to an external site.)
Canvas Guide How do I view the rubric for my assignment? (Links to an external site.)
Canvas Guide How do I view rubric results for my assignment? (Links to an external site.)
APA and Research Resources to assist with this submission
APA and Research Resources