We get used to the chains we wear, and we miss them when removed.

We get used to the chains we wear, and we miss them when removed.
-John Dewey, The Child and The Curriculum

This quote is self explanatory. It is trying to explain that when we get used to certain situations in life which we are accustomed to and when we change we tend to miss the old stuff.
An example of this from my own life is when I first got my phone my mother used to call me all the time, she wanted to know my every move and wanted to make sure I was okay. But now she barely calls. At the time it bothered me when she called me so much because I felt as if she was trying to find out where I was at all times but now that she doesn’t call I feel weird and I actually miss her calls. This shows me that when my mother constantly bothered me and gave me all those lectures I never realized why she was doing that and it became annoying. But once they limit there calls and don’t bother too much then we realize that we actually miss it.

Reading and Writing

I never looked at reading as “medicine for the eye” as the French monk Hugh of St. Victor stated. My own translation to his look on reading is that when you read, your brain is being fed all this knowledge that you are receiving from reading a book. You are learning new things each time you read anything. It could be a quote, a book, poem, essay or even a billboard.

I have always known that writing is an essential part of our lives but I never put to much thought into how much we actually write in our daily lives. This essay made me realize that most of what we do or how we communicate is through writing. It could be taking notes in class, text messaging or instant messaging a friend or even writing a letter to a loved one. These are things that we do almost daily. Writing is one of the main sources of communication with others, besides speaking.

Writing

Writing is a way of expression. It could be used in formal ways and informal ways. Writing to me is like giving a child a blank piece of paper and a crayon and telling them do what you want with it. Its a free way to express yourself and your beliefs. Writing is a source of communication. It enhances your skills to express yourself not just for your own good but to be able to express yourself to others. Such as in writing a letter to someone important to you or writing a report or essay for a class. Writing has so many definitions and can be interpreted in many ways.

Starbucks

On one of my many explorations on MySpace I came across an icon. This icon said "Starbucks coffee: Might as well call it crack." I could not help but laugh. Then I thought to myself that this is a fact. Why is it that there are so many Starbucks in the city? I must say that in Chelsea there must be one on each block or on every other block. Then I started thinking it must be because coffee gives most people a boost of energy for work or school every morning. I personally am not a fan of coffee so I can't agree but I can certainly agree that it could be true to many others.

Question to expand on

Do you belong, or have you ever belonged, to any clubs, gangs, or social/political organizations?

I belong to a Church Youth Group in St. Elizabeth's Church. I have been attending this group for the past 7 months. This group is a place for us young people to come together and be able to talk about God, our feelings and make long lasting friendships. We get together once a week and we talk about things happening in our lives and how God reflects in everything that we do. This group is a total blessing in my life.

What's your name?

My name is Vanessa Altagracia Toribio. My mother wanted to name me Melissa but my father wanted to name me Vanessa. Since I was his first and only girl my mother decided to let him pick. I was given this middle name because it is my grandmother's name. Most of the girls in my mother's side of the family have it too. If you try to translate it in english it would be High Grace. As for my last name, I don't know where it came from. But I hate when people try to pronounce it because they always come up with the wierdest translations of their own. When telemarketers call they always say Torbio or some other wierd way. They mix up the letters and pronounce it all wrong.

Hey!

Hi, my name is Vanessa. I am currently a student at St. John's University. I love to dance, listen to music and watch movies. I am the youngest of 4 and I have 3 older brothers.
I am not such a great writer and I am new to this blog thing. I am hoping to improve my writing skills with this new way of writing.