My Memory

Everyone has memories, however some may be bad ones and others may be good. It all depends on the person and how they interpret that memory. Memories can change a person's life, for better or for worse, and they can also change the person. A memory that has changed me and my life, is the one of my parents getting a divorce when I was about seven years old. I was a child who did not really understand what was going on accept the fact that my dad was not going to be living in the same house as my mother and I. Even though I was not at an age where I could fully comprehend the severity of the situation, I was still affected by it. I remember it like it was yesterday, coming home and seeing all of my dad's belongings gone, and feeling like a part of me was taken away. At that moment I was confused and in shock, and had no idea of what was taking place. When I finally new and understood what was happening, I was devastated, sad, and felt a sense of fear. For many years I slept with a shirt, that my dad had accidentally left behind, I would hold it in my arms, and from the smell of the shirt I would slowly cry myself to sleep. Even though this may seem a bit on the sad side, there is a happy ending to all of it. My mom and dad, are at speaking terms, they are civil with one another, and they both care for me more than anyone else in the world. Unlike many divorced couples with a child they did not let their differences, and divorce get in the way of their love and care for me. They both remarried and have children of their own, which are now my brother and sisters, whom I love very much. This experience/memory has changed my life for the better, my parents had many differences and their divorce has made me and them more happy. Obviously, I would have loved to have my parents together, but this has been better for everyone, and it has given me siblings which I did not have before. It has also made me a stronger person, more mature, I had to grow up faster than usual because it was only my mother and I, and it has given me thicker skin for my own protection. Memories do change a person and their life but it does not always have to be a type of memory that you wish to forget, it can be one that you look back on and remember and thank god that he gave you that experience.

"Inmate Shot and Killed at High Desert State Prison" by Hailey Branson-Potts

In the Los Angeles Times, Hailey Branson-Potts wrote an article about an inmate who was shot and killed at High Desert State Prison. According to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, guards shot and killed the twenty three year old inmate during his attack on another inmate. The fight occurred between three men, two inmates including the one who was killed, attacked another inmate in the maximum-security yard. The two knocked the other to the ground and began kicking his head and stabbing him with a weapon they had made themselves. As the attacking was going on, an officer shot one of the attackers with a state issued Mini -14 rifle, and the attacker was pronounced dead, at 11:17 a.m. Friday. The attacker that died had been serving a 82 years-to life sentence, for first degree murder. The victim that as being attacked was twenty nine years old, and is being treated for stab and slash wounds and injuries to the head. The other inmate, twenty nine, that was helping with the attack was not injured, and is serving a life sentence without parole for first degree murder. Authorities are holding the names of the inmates, and are doing further investigation. "The Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation and other authorities are investigating the use of deadly force."(LA Times) Last month, another incident like this happened, a man was shot and wounded for an attack on another inmate. On October 31, a 36 year old man was shot in the right hip. He and two others were beating up another inmate, and the guard ordered them to stop, but as they continued the guard fired two shots. Many incidents liked his happen in jail, maybe there needs to be more supervision for the inmates, especially in the yard, where many arguments can start.

Blog #19

     In many ways perfecting yourself is a hard task, however Benjamin Franklin attempted to do so. Even though he failed, he succeeded in the fact that he tried and applied these thirteen ways to perfect one's self in trying to perfect himself. Moral perfection takes strength, will power, and determination. I believe no one is perfect and it is difficult to try to be perfect and in many ways impossible. However, it does not hurt to try, it is only harmful to one's self if you do not try and be the best that you can be. I tried to morally perfect myself, and from the thirteen I chose these three, Temperance, Order, and Cleanliness.

     Temperance is a hard virtue to master, in the fact that sometimes in the everyday life you may not be able to control yourself in eating or drinking. On Thursday I went to Panda Inn with my family, and it was very difficult for me to not eat excessively, considering Chinese is my favorite food. However I tried my best not to over eat, and I succeeded. When I felt that it was going to be excessive I stopped myself and I accomplished that moral perfection for the day.

     For some order may be very difficult, because some are just very messy, disorganized, and simply do not have order in their everyday lives. I, on the other hand, am very organized, and some even say I have OCD. Everything in my life has its place and purpose, and if one thing is moved I will be able to tell and it does bug me, it is my pet peeve. Because it is so easy for me to be organized and have order, this moral perfection was a piece of cake, and I succeeded.

     Cleanliness and order go together, because of their similarities, nut I used them in two different ways. Cleanliness can be considered being clean hygiene wise, or having a clean room. For Saturday I used cleanliness, for the clean room aspect. My room is usually not messy because of the moral perfection order I have mastered. However I felt it did need some touching up, so I made my bed in the morning, dusted my room, and put everything in its place. This moral perfection like order was a piece of cake, not difficult for me at all.

     All three moral perfections in and of itself are difficult to perfect in one's self. I tried my best to succeed which I think I did. I'm very proud of myself and feel as though one trying to perfect one's self is a very honorable thing. Benjamin Franklin trying to attempt perfecting all thirteen virtues is a wonderful and honorable thing.