My Four Top Journal Entries Q4 Benchmark Portfolio

My environment is pretty much were I live. Its all around me and around everyone else. It develops our personality, what we look like, our influences, everything. For example someone who lives in an indigenous tribe in the Amazons will be different from someone who lives in New York City. The person in the Amazon uses basic tools and materials to help him with his everyday life but he uses man power instead of coal or gas. A person in New York City or modern society has a computer, a TV, lives in a tall apartment building, fridge, microwave, a living room things in that nature. Another example would be music. You can compare American Rap with Spanish Bachata you can see a tremendous difference. Rap is like a long poem in song form and Bachata is has different instruments like guitar and trumpets. It just depends what your introduced to and what your willing to accept in your life.

How did you feel when you encountered the word “nigger” in kindred? What are your thoughts on the word in general?                  3/18/11

When I encountered that word I didn’t really react to it at all. It’s come back in modern language as a cool word that only African-Americans are able to use. But it’s been extended to be used to all the major “minorities.” This includes African-Americans, Hispanics, and Asians. Also to me it’s just a word, no word can be used to offend me. I see words as informative, all words, no matter what the word is. In general, it’s just a word. No one takes it offensive to it anymore. Even though it was created and designed to insult the African-American race. It seems it’s only offensive if a person of the White race or “majority” race uses it. I think the only reason it is offensive in that context is that Whites are the originators of the word and it seems to be a way to get back at the White man. A word everyone is aloud to use except for White people. Seems like revenge to me.

What do you think is going to happen to Kevin if he’s left in 1819?    3/24/11

I think it can go in two different ways with Kevin. He will either be questioned by all the white people and beaten and would go back to 1976 just like kindred does when she gets into trouble. Or he could act dumb and play it out and people would trust him and he would be safe in 1819. I believe they both have the distinct ability to travel through time when in the face of danger. 

What are some of the expectations put up on you by others? What are your own expectations of yourself? Are these expectations different? How? 4/5/11

People expect me to be a good person in general. They expect me to be knowledgeable and to be a good student in school. People in general especially my family have high expectations for me. I have high expectations for myself. But I try my best only to help others. When I’m older I want to help people who are less fortunate and need my knowledge to help them. I expect myself to be a diligent worker in school and outside the school environment. I only pay attention in school to help others around me, my family and loved ones. For it is my knowledge the world will feed off of and depend on. Everyone in this room is the future and it is for this reason I have these high expectations.