Gendered Spaces

So the Oscars are on right now meaning this blog is going to take a while to write, but here we go.

So we were given two options about what to blog about, and I decided to choose gendered spaces in our community. What first came to mind was the thought of mostly women in a grocery store, shopping for food that they will put together to feed their families. Now days however, there are many more male figures in the housewife field, making food and going out to get groceries for the home. This change that is starting to become a norm can be led back to the fact that there is more opportunity for women to work and be able support the household by themselves. With many fights and movements for women work equality, there are slowly an increasing number of jobs for these women and more and more are becoming leaders and entrepreneurs of larger and new companies. After countless hours of hard work, these women get to come home to their spouse and have a meal ready for them. This is all due to the work and care done by the man. So for those thinking that only females are allowed to be in a grocery store and in the kitchen, it is time to rethink and see what is going on around you.

Marrying Logical

Even though the following viewpoint is not very reasonable in my opinion, I thought that I might write in it as to see how I could fair when writing for an opposing viewpoint.

Most people think of Las Vegas as a place to have a time of their lives and do crazy things while having no subsequent regrets. This is idea is often thought of when the phrase "what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas" is spoken. However, this idea of a place with "no 'time' ... no past and no future" (Didion) does not come to mind when thinking about Las Vegas. To some of these people, Las Vegas is a place of happiness and a sign of true love. I'm talking about the people who get married in Las Vegas. To others, performing such a task is absurd and unthinkable, how someone would even consider doing so. Although to the people themselves, these marriages are "as nice, as [they] hoped and dreamed it [to] be." (Didion) Everyone always loathes and despises these people, only because they themselves are outsiders looking in. If they were to truly experience the unbreakable bond of love between some of the people who are there, then they too would want to get married in Las Vegas. When it comes down to it the only thing that is really important to the people getting married, is being in the presence of each other. All the other materialistic things that go along with typical marriages might seem important and essential to a wedding, but to the marriages that are comprised of true love, these things are irrelevant in the end.

The Experience of Another

I have always thought of America as my home, considering I was born and raised up here my whole life. However, to others this might not hold as true. I am talking about my parents. They were both born and brought up in India till my dad came here to get his master's degree. Once my dad was out of college he got an apartment and his wife, my mom, came to live with him. Both my parents always found the American culture as not only fascinating due to new experience, but also very open and accepting. By dad never ran into any troubles or hardships, relating to his origins, when he was in college and neither did my mom. My dad once told me that in fact he was able to "grow socially and economically" in this American culture. He was able to meet all sorts of new friends and even have a better lifestyle all due to this culture that was so new to him. One example that stood out to me was one that my mom told me about her endeavors. She had a bachelor's degree in graphics design and so as an artist, she was always looking for an opportunity to create and express herself. One day, my mom found a job for this old white woman who was super nice. She let my mom paint her door, and even payed my mom extra for doing so well. My mom tells me that she can remember those moments very well because they showed how nice and kind people can truly be. 

Paternal Love

This week in English was interesting because we read a passage called "Arm Wrestling with My Father" which I was able to really connect to, and I failed my first AP English test.

"Arm Wrestling with My Father," by Brad Manning, was about Manning and how his relationship with his father is seen in a new light as Manning starts to grow up. I can kind of relate to him, as my father acts in similar ways. For example, when the father "would take [Manning] outside and show [him] a new move for [his] game" (Manning 145), I can connect with that. When I used to play soccer, after every game my dad would talk to me on how I could improve. Every single game that he could be at, he was there watching and taking mental notes. Whenever he wasn't traveling, he would always be helping me at home with my soccer skills. Even if he was out of town, he would call me up and ask me how my game was. My dad never really shows love in a physical way, as my mom would with a hug or kiss. However, I will always know that he has his own way of expressing his emotions towards me-through his passion. Whatever he does that involves me of some kind, he will go 110% to make sure I get the best of what I can. He will never back down on a way to teach me or make me a better person. Just how Manning is able to exemplify his father's love, I too can represent all of my father's actions as actions of love.