Downtown San Antonio always has "Christmas Under the Bridge", it is a local charity event to provide homeless and poor families with extra presents and supplies for the Christmas. This year I volunteered to help out. It was a true blessing to be there. The Red Cross gave out wool-like blankets and extra supplies to the homeless. There was a huge supply of food and hundreds of presents for the small children. There were also other people there willing to lend helping hands. Some came from Medicaid, Shelters, all of which were just there to help the people get back on their feet so that maybe this time next year they won't be in the same situation. It is hard to understand why so many people don't try and get the free help that is offered to them, it is actually heart breaking. This was my first year to volunteer, and I'll never forget the little boys face that I handed a jump rope to. A simple rope with handles, and it seemed like I gave him a bag of golden bricks. Something we take for granted so many things in life, and he was greatful for a dollar rope and little attention. I enjoyed showing all the children time and attention.It was amazing! Priceless! I now want to do this every year, the feelings are so rewarding and unexplainable. I encourage everyone to go and volunteer, you won't regret it. It is fun and it helps people, what more could you ask for?
Word Count-251
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
Extra Credit #1
Joan FabianI admire Joan Fabian because she is truly in touch with who she is and where she's going. It's is very obvious that she is comfortable with herself, and doesn't mind anyone passing judgment on her because she knows her identity. She is a very confident person and seems like she enjoys looking outside the box. Her love for art is mesmerizing, when she talks about it her face lights up and it is enjoyable to witness. It is not very often that a person follows their dream and is successful with it. All of her paintings mean something symbolic to her, and to the viewers themselves. As a person new to the whole art lover's world, I try to dissect the artist's mind and think of what they were thinking about when they constructed this particular piece. She talked a lot about Pakistan. She learned numerous life lessons over there and that experience has changed who she is today. She engulfed the culture and now uses her knowledge of her journey over seas to influence her art works. She explained that a lot of it is patterns and she has a long process that she has to go through before her work is complete. She has to do wood cut outs, sand those, paint them, put them together, it seems like a tedious task. She was very enjoyable to listen too, and seems like a really sweet hearted lady. She is a well respected role model and inspiration.
Word count-253
Word count-253
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
Mall Shopping
Everyone is affected by the society in which we live. Mankind has molded the world to cater to society’s wants and needs. As a result, the business industry has to make accommodations to fulfill those desires. One major focus, in San Antonio, is the malls. There is a variety of malls and shopping centers throughout the city. The Shops of La Cantera, The Quarry Market, Rivercenter Mall, North Star Mall, South Park Mall, Ingram Mall, The Forum, & Rolling Oaks Mall are the main shopping centers in San Antonio. All of them cater to the shoppers in their specific demographic area. They do this by providing a certain arrangement of stores to the public, and stores that fit the income of their shoppers.The Shops of La Cantera is located on the north side of San Antonio right nextFiesta Texas, which is an enormous tourist attraction, making it very accessible andconvenient to shop there. The Shoppes of La Cantera has highly priced stores such as:Niemen Marcus, Nordstrom’s, Ann Taylor Loft, Anthropologie, Apple, Bandolino,Burberry, Club Libby Lu, La Coste, PJ Madison’s, Sole Mio, and Rexi Lio. Thestores that are in this shopping center cater to a more high income family. However, they do have a variety of stores that are offered at other shopping centers, but stand alone when it comes to the cliental stores previously mentioned. When I spoke with Harry Bingleton, manager at La Coste, he was very descriptive on the type of shoppers that he interacts with on a daily basis. “The majority of the shoppers that enter this particular store are between the ages of 20-35, and are mostly of the Anglo race.” (Bingleton) He also stated that the customers who do shop there spend at least three hundred dollars in one visit.Rivercenter Mall is located right in the heart of San Antonio, downtown, adjacent to the Marriot Hotel. This mall contains stores that are targeted to the tourist population. The majority of the stores that are in this mall consist of stands full of Spurs novelties, Dallas Cowboys, Texas Theme, and many restaurants and clubs. This mall is famous for the river walk, a strip engulfed with restaurants, bars, and shops. Locals do not really go shopping at this mall for the everyday necessities and desires. Due to the high volume of tourists, many of the stores and restaurants are severely over priced. “I just come here for the cultural experience.” (Maria Ramos, shopper) A plethora of people enjoy going on the famous boat ride, offered at River Center Mall; a very enticing experience. The community always enjoys the San Antonio Spurs Parade! When the Spurs when the team floats on the boat while all the fans pour in around, it is really cultural and is exciting to witness. Rivercenter mall is the perfect choice for a dynamic cultural experience. North Star Mall and The Quarry Market are located on the same side of town. The only difference between the two is that one, The Quarry Market, is an outdoor mall. These two, target the same group of people. Many of their shoppers come from the Alamo Heights area and the territory near Incarnate Word University and High School. San Antonio is known for having four regions of social status, all of which are stereotyped. The north side is known for having a more wealthy population, the west side, south side, and east side are more of the low class population. North Star Mall offers many of the higher stature stores, including but not limited to, Banana Republic, Saks Fifth Avenue, The Cheesecake Factory, and Build-A-Bear Workshop. These two are very common shopping centers in the San Antonio area. People enjoy shopping at these two malls because The Quarry Market is located next to a golf course and numerous restaurants. North Star Mall has a large variety of stores that meet the communities wants and needs. It offers a little bit of everything and is more simple than La Cantera and not as far.
The Forum and Rolling Oaks Mall are not the most popular in San Antonio. The two shopping centers are really just offering stores for the community for the shoppers who don't want to go to the busier malls. These two centers are the more convenient option for the shoppers located in that particular area or region.
South Park Mall is very popular to everyone living in the small surrounding towns surrounding San Antonio, such as Pleasanton, Jourdanton, Floresville, Campbellton, Tilden, Charlotte, and Poteet, not to mention the people living on or by Military Drive. This mall is well liked now that it has an American Eagle and Old Navy, two stores that are very popular to the young population. "A lot of our shoppers are young teens and they love this store because we offer fashionable clothing at a reasonable price, and the store is bigger than most in the mall. We are also the only mall that is close that offers an Old Navy, if they don't shop here they will have to drive to The Quarry Market, which is a huge inconvenience to the locals."(Lopez, Shyanne Old Nay Employee)
Ingram Mall is the favorite, not only of mine, but the people of San Antonio as well. This mall has all the basic stores for the middle class shoppers, it is not super fancy, and very laid back. This mall has stores like James Avery, Journeys, The Dallas Cowboys Shop, Yankee Candle Co., and many more. This is the mall if you want a selection without dealing with super large crowds and still manage to get a bargain here and there.
Overall, all the malls are great in their own way. They all offer different stores and have their own advantages. The malls are not the only thing that San Antonio has to offer, but if you love to shop or just love a great cultural experience then you should really visit all the different malls and shopping centers and pick your favorite.
Word Count-1011
The Forum and Rolling Oaks Mall are not the most popular in San Antonio. The two shopping centers are really just offering stores for the community for the shoppers who don't want to go to the busier malls. These two centers are the more convenient option for the shoppers located in that particular area or region.
South Park Mall is very popular to everyone living in the small surrounding towns surrounding San Antonio, such as Pleasanton, Jourdanton, Floresville, Campbellton, Tilden, Charlotte, and Poteet, not to mention the people living on or by Military Drive. This mall is well liked now that it has an American Eagle and Old Navy, two stores that are very popular to the young population. "A lot of our shoppers are young teens and they love this store because we offer fashionable clothing at a reasonable price, and the store is bigger than most in the mall. We are also the only mall that is close that offers an Old Navy, if they don't shop here they will have to drive to The Quarry Market, which is a huge inconvenience to the locals."(Lopez, Shyanne Old Nay Employee)
Ingram Mall is the favorite, not only of mine, but the people of San Antonio as well. This mall has all the basic stores for the middle class shoppers, it is not super fancy, and very laid back. This mall has stores like James Avery, Journeys, The Dallas Cowboys Shop, Yankee Candle Co., and many more. This is the mall if you want a selection without dealing with super large crowds and still manage to get a bargain here and there.
Overall, all the malls are great in their own way. They all offer different stores and have their own advantages. The malls are not the only thing that San Antonio has to offer, but if you love to shop or just love a great cultural experience then you should really visit all the different malls and shopping centers and pick your favorite.
Word Count-1011
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
Music, Don't Abusic
Music is an important aspect in a person’s life. People revolve their lives around music and the happiness that it brings to them, whether it is the lyrics, the melody, or the beat, music connects with people on a plethora of levels. With all the hardships that I have endured throughout the years music has always been there to comfort and help me through the tunnel of destruction. In humanities the class was instructed to view a film regarding tejano and conjunto music, both which are distinguished in the Hispanic culture. Lydia Mendoza was an inspiration and icon to the Latino society. She is a well established artist/musician. Mendoza is very talented in her work and very creative which is possibly why she is known as the “Queen” of tejano music today. Some say that it is hard for a woman to rise in the music industry, yet alone, tejano. Mendoza has persevered and has made a name for herself. Personally, my mother is a huge fan of hers, so when I saw her on the video, I knew a bit about her. My mother has raised me and my siblings to understand, comprehend, and appreciate all the various types of music, tejano being her focus. I can honestly say that I appreciated the video because I have an understanding and knowledge about the history of the music. Needless to say, music is a silent tactic which plays in the shadows of our lives, helping us through our hardest times.
Word Count 250
Word Count 250
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
My Hood in the Woods
My Hood in the Woods
I live in what is classified as Bexar county, but is actually located between Pleasanton and San Antonio. My neighborhood is on the outskirts of a small town called Leming. Once you cross over a very narrow, yellow bridge you are on Old Pleasanton Rd. This road has a bad reputation for drugs and crime. Rumor has it that police officers won’t travel out here alone, there has to be at least two officers to a patrol car. Honestly, I’ve never seen a patrol vehicle at all. I live on a dirt road that branches off of Old Pleasanton Rd. (or O. P. for the locals). About three miles down a miserable road and a left down my five mile driveway you can spot my house. If you are familiar with my road then you know it by these directions: Past the crazy guy with the gun at the end of the road, continue past the yellow house, watch out for Buster’s tractor, swerve around Ms. Ally’s cows, avoid all the potholes, go past the weirdo with the cats, and for about three miles of loneliness you encounter my drive on the right hand side with the pipe fence.
Once you pass ghetto lane you are now on my parents fifty acre ranch. The land is vegetated with oak and mesquite trees. There are three man made tanks, one with a pier and stocked with catfish. The other tanks have canoes docked. There is a barn in the back full of horses, cows, chickens, basically all the farm animals. My house was built in the early nineties. It is a large two-story home with a wrap around porch and full balcony on the second floor. It reminds me of Forrest Gump’s house, but not quite as big. In my childhood room there is a huge oak tree sitting outside my balcony. As a child I used to wish I had somewhere to sneak off to, but nothing was nearby. The tree is perfect for climbing down. I just never had anywhere to climb. Now I have turned our pool house into my very own apartment, and I love it. We are secluded from our neighbors and from the description you might be able to understand why.
I like to think that we do not have neighbors, and technically where our home is located we don’t have any at all. When you get back on that long road that is where the “neighbors” live. One man was just admitted to the psychiatric ward for some problem. There is one family who is well put together and extremely nice. She is a school teacher and he is business man. They have two girls and two boys. I feel bad for them because they are located next to some bad people. Buster is the man with the tractor and since our road is a private road he paves it for free. My father owns a car dealership and my mother is a stay at home mom. They also have a kennel business on the side, breeding Miniature Schnauzers and English Bulldogs.
My father is Irish and my mother is Hispanic. My grandparents are Irish and live on the other end of the property in a cozy little cabin, built especially for them. We call it the “love shack”. Many of the people out here are Hispanic. I believe one family is white. Most of the families surrounding our ranch are hard workers, blue collar workers. Don’t get me wrong there are some of them who work really hard for what they have. I really don’t ;like my neighborhood, but I love our home and the serenity of our estate. Overall, it is a pretty decent place to live. There are a few run-down trailers on Old Pleasanton with trash in the yards and broken cars in the drive ways. Six miles down from our road there is a tiny over priced gas station. This is a two pump gas station, with milk for four dollars and ninety nine cents. Everyone goes to that particular gas station because the nearest grocery store is twenty minutes away.
My neighborhood may not be the prettiest scene in the world, but it is my neighborhood. Over the years I have found great appreciation for the things that I have in life. It has been a tremendous blessing. Our ranch is the one thing that holds our family together and brings peace to our lifestyles. The world is a chaotic place and it is important to have an escape, mine is my family’s ranch.
Word Count: 775
I live in what is classified as Bexar county, but is actually located between Pleasanton and San Antonio. My neighborhood is on the outskirts of a small town called Leming. Once you cross over a very narrow, yellow bridge you are on Old Pleasanton Rd. This road has a bad reputation for drugs and crime. Rumor has it that police officers won’t travel out here alone, there has to be at least two officers to a patrol car. Honestly, I’ve never seen a patrol vehicle at all. I live on a dirt road that branches off of Old Pleasanton Rd. (or O. P. for the locals). About three miles down a miserable road and a left down my five mile driveway you can spot my house. If you are familiar with my road then you know it by these directions: Past the crazy guy with the gun at the end of the road, continue past the yellow house, watch out for Buster’s tractor, swerve around Ms. Ally’s cows, avoid all the potholes, go past the weirdo with the cats, and for about three miles of loneliness you encounter my drive on the right hand side with the pipe fence.
Once you pass ghetto lane you are now on my parents fifty acre ranch. The land is vegetated with oak and mesquite trees. There are three man made tanks, one with a pier and stocked with catfish. The other tanks have canoes docked. There is a barn in the back full of horses, cows, chickens, basically all the farm animals. My house was built in the early nineties. It is a large two-story home with a wrap around porch and full balcony on the second floor. It reminds me of Forrest Gump’s house, but not quite as big. In my childhood room there is a huge oak tree sitting outside my balcony. As a child I used to wish I had somewhere to sneak off to, but nothing was nearby. The tree is perfect for climbing down. I just never had anywhere to climb. Now I have turned our pool house into my very own apartment, and I love it. We are secluded from our neighbors and from the description you might be able to understand why.
I like to think that we do not have neighbors, and technically where our home is located we don’t have any at all. When you get back on that long road that is where the “neighbors” live. One man was just admitted to the psychiatric ward for some problem. There is one family who is well put together and extremely nice. She is a school teacher and he is business man. They have two girls and two boys. I feel bad for them because they are located next to some bad people. Buster is the man with the tractor and since our road is a private road he paves it for free. My father owns a car dealership and my mother is a stay at home mom. They also have a kennel business on the side, breeding Miniature Schnauzers and English Bulldogs.
My father is Irish and my mother is Hispanic. My grandparents are Irish and live on the other end of the property in a cozy little cabin, built especially for them. We call it the “love shack”. Many of the people out here are Hispanic. I believe one family is white. Most of the families surrounding our ranch are hard workers, blue collar workers. Don’t get me wrong there are some of them who work really hard for what they have. I really don’t ;like my neighborhood, but I love our home and the serenity of our estate. Overall, it is a pretty decent place to live. There are a few run-down trailers on Old Pleasanton with trash in the yards and broken cars in the drive ways. Six miles down from our road there is a tiny over priced gas station. This is a two pump gas station, with milk for four dollars and ninety nine cents. Everyone goes to that particular gas station because the nearest grocery store is twenty minutes away.
My neighborhood may not be the prettiest scene in the world, but it is my neighborhood. Over the years I have found great appreciation for the things that I have in life. It has been a tremendous blessing. Our ranch is the one thing that holds our family together and brings peace to our lifestyles. The world is a chaotic place and it is important to have an escape, mine is my family’s ranch.
Word Count: 775
My Hood in the Woods
My Hood in the Woods
I live in what is classified as Bexar county, but is actually located between Pleasanton and San Antonio. My neighborhood is on the outskirts of a small town called Leming. Once you cross over a very narrow, yellow bridge you are on Old Pleasanton Rd. This road has a bad reputation for drugs and crime. Rumor has it that police officers won’t travel out here alone, there has to be at least two officers to a patrol car. Honestly, I’ve never seen a patrol vehicle at all. I live on a dirt road that branches off of Old Pleasanton Rd. (or OLD P. for the locals). About three miles down a miserable road and a left down my five mile driveway you can spot my house. If you are familiar with my road then you know it by these directions: Past the crazy guy with the gun at the end of the road, continue past the yellow house, watch out for Buster’s tractor, swerve around Ms. Ally’s cows, avoid all the potholes, go past the weirdo with the cats, and for about three miles of loneliness you encounter my drive on the right hand side with the pipe fence.
Once you pass ghetto lane you are now on my parents fifty acre ranch. The land is vegetated with oak and mesquite trees. There are three man made tanks, one with a pier and stocked with catfish. The other tanks have canoes docked. There is a barn in the back full of horses, cows, chickens, basically all the farm animals. My house was built in the early nineties. It is a large two-story home with a wrap around porch and full balcony on the second floor. It reminds me of Forrest Gump’s house, but not quite as big. We are secluded from our neighbors and from the description you might be able to understand why.
I like to think that we do not have neighbors, and technically where our home is located we don’t have any at all. When you get back on that long road that is where the “neighbors” live. One man was just admitted to the psychiatric ward for some problem. There is one family who is well put together and extremely nice. She is a school teacher and he is business man. They have two girls and two boys. I feel bad for them because they are located next to some bad people. Buster is the man with the tractor and since our road is a private road he paves it for free.
My father is white and my mother is Hispanic. Many of the people out here are Hispanic. I believe one family is white. Most of the families surrounding our ranch are hard workers, blue collar workers. Don’t get me wrong there are some of them who work really hard for what they have. I really don’t ;like my neighborhood, but I love our home and the serenity of our estate. Overall, it is a pretty decent place to live.
Word Count: 512
I live in what is classified as Bexar county, but is actually located between Pleasanton and San Antonio. My neighborhood is on the outskirts of a small town called Leming. Once you cross over a very narrow, yellow bridge you are on Old Pleasanton Rd. This road has a bad reputation for drugs and crime. Rumor has it that police officers won’t travel out here alone, there has to be at least two officers to a patrol car. Honestly, I’ve never seen a patrol vehicle at all. I live on a dirt road that branches off of Old Pleasanton Rd. (or OLD P. for the locals). About three miles down a miserable road and a left down my five mile driveway you can spot my house. If you are familiar with my road then you know it by these directions: Past the crazy guy with the gun at the end of the road, continue past the yellow house, watch out for Buster’s tractor, swerve around Ms. Ally’s cows, avoid all the potholes, go past the weirdo with the cats, and for about three miles of loneliness you encounter my drive on the right hand side with the pipe fence.
Once you pass ghetto lane you are now on my parents fifty acre ranch. The land is vegetated with oak and mesquite trees. There are three man made tanks, one with a pier and stocked with catfish. The other tanks have canoes docked. There is a barn in the back full of horses, cows, chickens, basically all the farm animals. My house was built in the early nineties. It is a large two-story home with a wrap around porch and full balcony on the second floor. It reminds me of Forrest Gump’s house, but not quite as big. We are secluded from our neighbors and from the description you might be able to understand why.
I like to think that we do not have neighbors, and technically where our home is located we don’t have any at all. When you get back on that long road that is where the “neighbors” live. One man was just admitted to the psychiatric ward for some problem. There is one family who is well put together and extremely nice. She is a school teacher and he is business man. They have two girls and two boys. I feel bad for them because they are located next to some bad people. Buster is the man with the tractor and since our road is a private road he paves it for free.
My father is white and my mother is Hispanic. Many of the people out here are Hispanic. I believe one family is white. Most of the families surrounding our ranch are hard workers, blue collar workers. Don’t get me wrong there are some of them who work really hard for what they have. I really don’t ;like my neighborhood, but I love our home and the serenity of our estate. Overall, it is a pretty decent place to live.
Word Count: 512
Tuesday, October 2, 2007
Alamo Fraud
We want to “Remember the Alamo”, however, wrong information has polluted our imagination into believing false facts or inaccurate perceptions. History is affected by biased people. Many historians have their own ideas about the Alamo and have a difficult time staying neutral while relaying these events. For example, in the movie “The Alamo”(starring, produced, and directed by John Wayne) there is a plethora of inaccuracies regarding the Alamo. History isn’t perfect; however, the public deserves to know both sides of a story, good or bad. It isn’t the historian’s job to conceal information to make a certain party appear more favorable. It is their obligation to relay as much of the truth as possible. I don’t think that the entertainment industry did the Alamo justice.
Primarily, the Alamo wasn’t an isolated structure in the middle of nowhere. It was the heart of the town and community it surrounded. The Alamo did stand as protection and shelter for hundreds of settlers. There are only names like Jim Bowie, Davy Crockett, Jose Navarro, Stephen F. Austin, and Sam Houston that people remember. Despite the fact, there were numerous men who fought and lost their lives but are merely remembered as “the dead” not “the heroes”. The film portrays the good people versus the bad people, the Anglos versus the Mexicans. This is a horrible approach at portraying history. It enables people with the idea that all people of a targeted race are affiliated with the notorious people of that era.
John Wayne does not do the Alamo justice. There is erroneous information in the film. It is possible that Wayne did not have access to the history literature and historians that we have today. However, being a San Antonio native, it is hard to believe how so much information can be so far fetched. Wayne did do a good job at putting feelings and heart into the production. He does show the viewer how hard it was on families and relationships. Love is something that relates to every generation, young, old, any race or culture. Love is a universal feeling. I do feel like he expressed that vividly to the viewers of the film.
Like most, I personally visited the Alamo. In its presence I felt at a loss for words. I hadn’t anticipated on so much emotion while entering the Alamo. After minor research on Wayne it was apparent that he had intense feelings regarding the Alamo. He wanted people to be able to comprehend the events that took place at the Alamo. He achieved this by taking a personal approach while directing this film. He is a mastermind, a real genius of his day. Overall, he did a fabulous job on producing, directing, and starring in the film “The Alamo”. It takes talent and devotion to pull off a production that could engulf people the way this film has overtaken me. The Alamo is a symbolic structure that holds many years of pain and triumph and deserves to be shared and acknowledged for its passion.
Word Count-505
Primarily, the Alamo wasn’t an isolated structure in the middle of nowhere. It was the heart of the town and community it surrounded. The Alamo did stand as protection and shelter for hundreds of settlers. There are only names like Jim Bowie, Davy Crockett, Jose Navarro, Stephen F. Austin, and Sam Houston that people remember. Despite the fact, there were numerous men who fought and lost their lives but are merely remembered as “the dead” not “the heroes”. The film portrays the good people versus the bad people, the Anglos versus the Mexicans. This is a horrible approach at portraying history. It enables people with the idea that all people of a targeted race are affiliated with the notorious people of that era.
John Wayne does not do the Alamo justice. There is erroneous information in the film. It is possible that Wayne did not have access to the history literature and historians that we have today. However, being a San Antonio native, it is hard to believe how so much information can be so far fetched. Wayne did do a good job at putting feelings and heart into the production. He does show the viewer how hard it was on families and relationships. Love is something that relates to every generation, young, old, any race or culture. Love is a universal feeling. I do feel like he expressed that vividly to the viewers of the film.
Like most, I personally visited the Alamo. In its presence I felt at a loss for words. I hadn’t anticipated on so much emotion while entering the Alamo. After minor research on Wayne it was apparent that he had intense feelings regarding the Alamo. He wanted people to be able to comprehend the events that took place at the Alamo. He achieved this by taking a personal approach while directing this film. He is a mastermind, a real genius of his day. Overall, he did a fabulous job on producing, directing, and starring in the film “The Alamo”. It takes talent and devotion to pull off a production that could engulf people the way this film has overtaken me. The Alamo is a symbolic structure that holds many years of pain and triumph and deserves to be shared and acknowledged for its passion.
Word Count-505
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