-Nagasaki (2 days before Atomic Bomb)

-Nagasaki (3 days after Atomic Bomb)

-Nagasaki Resident/Atomic Bomb Victim

A2:

A2:

I am excited to experience a “real” college English class, because I feel as though my education in that department has been somewhat lacking in my academic past.  English classes at the elementary level often consisted of weekly vocabulary tests and the occasional perusing of a corny short story designed to teach us morals and important life skills.  As I entered high school, I was exposed to a considerable amount of respected literature and am quite grateful for the novels and poems that most of my high school English teachers selected for their curriculum.  However, I felt as though my writing skills actually steadily declined as I continued on in my later high school years, and I’m not sure exactly why that is.  My most valuable English experience certainly came last year, my senior year in high school, in my AP English class where I was blessed with an exceptional teacher who appropriately prepared me for the higher education that lay ahead of me, and I enjoyed this class more than any my senior year.   We covered everything from extracting from poetry to writing background papers on world-renowned novelists.   

            When it comes to my writing process, as I mentioned earlier, I feel as though my writing ability has diminished from what it was when I was in junior high or a freshman in high school.  I used to write so freely, with so much energy, and my thoughts and ideas flowed easily from my mind to the paper, with the pen as a highly cooperative middleman.  Though lately I find writing to be somewhat of a burden and I seem to wait to the last possible minute to complete my writing assignments, eagerly awaiting my arrival at the minimum word or page requirement.  I would like to regain my love for writing and my ability to write without any sort of mental agony. 

            When it comes to technology, I have experienced a long and interesting journey throughout my short lifetime.  My elementary school was the first public school in my county to install a fully functioning “computer lab.”  I can still remember when my family bought our first computer (a Compaq) n 1996, and I found myself explaining most of the basic operations to my excited parents whom I could tell appreciated the machine much more than I ever would.  The house computer was used strictly for homework, until we first subscribed to America Online and my middle school friends introduced me to “Instant Messaging.”  In school we were taught typing and how to use such applications as Powerpoint and Word.  Though this year, because Clemson required that I own a laptop as a freshmen student, I have found myself almost frighteningly dependent on the computer.  I am constantly checking my e-mail or facebook or the latest sports score.  Any time my friends and I are curious as to how something works or the actor’s name in the movie we’re watching, it’s straight to google.com and we have our answer in seconds.  In a way I think it has hindered our critical thinking skills, and many of the basic human traits normally strengthened in a time like college, where we attempt to isolate somewhat from our comfort zones and discover who we are.  The computer, to me represents the ultimate comfort zone, where everything makes sense, and patience is irrelevant.  In that sense, I am actually scared by the vast, incendiary progression of technology, because where do we go from here?

A1:

A1:

T.J. : How was my grammar and vocabulary as a child?  Did you have to correct me often?

Mom : You spoke very well for your age.  You were always conscious of getting things right.  Of course you made common mistakes such as saying “buyed” instead of “bought” however you were always trying to make the adjustment when I corrected you, and get it right the next time. 

 

T.J. :  When did I first learn to read? Was I a fast learner or did I struggle?

Mom: You learned to read in the beginning of kindergarten.  You were one of the first in your class to learn how to read.  You read all of you birthday cards for your 6^th birthday on your own.  You picked it up pretty quickly. 

 

T.J. : Did I ever complain to you about having to go to school or did I enjoy it for the most part?

Mom: No I never heard that complaint come from you.  You loved school, especially when you were younger. 

 

T.J.: What were my study habits like?  Did I procrastinate?  Did I need certain situations to maximize my studying efficiency?

Mom: Early on, you did your best when you would do your homework directly after school.  However, as you got older and learned to manage your time better you liked to do your work after dinnertime.  You did not begin to procrastinate until you were older, and I think you actually enjoyed the pressure, which is why you did it.  You seemed to be most efficient when I left you to do it on your own time and didn’t push you.  You would also like us to quiz you using flash cards or asking you questions from the textbook to help you review what you had just studied. 

 

T.J: What career field do you see me involved with in the future?

Mom: I could see you involved with something with athletics.  Anywhere from high school to college or even higher, I see you being there.  Whether it be as a coach or an ad or being part of an organization.  Although I could also see you being happy working in some type of community setting. 

 

T.J.:  In what ways did I progress as you would have expected? In what ways did I surprise you?

Mom: You always got good grades and worked hard.  You always surprised me with your ability to take on so many different activities and still manage your time and get things done at the quality level that you did. 

 

T.J.: Thanks Mom, Love You.

Mom: Your Welcome, Love You Too.