Journal 17

TJ Montgomery
Stephanie Gai
English 100
21 April 2009

A review of a business presentaion I witnessed

Corey Fenton, Soleil Deknatel, and Luis Mejia gave an exceptional presentation on estate planning. With a loud, strong voice, Corey introduced their topic with a brief definition of estate planning and the process in which it is created. He then explained why it is more valuable for a business owner to consider estate planning. In Corey’s own words, “most of your personal wealth will be tied up in the business,” and therefore, more valuable. After Corey went over the difficulty of transferring businesses through estate planning, Luis brought probate to the class’ attention.

Luis appeared to be nervous, but managed to deliver the information in an audible manner. He started with a brief but suitable definition. He defined probate as, “a court supervised procedure used to distribute assets to beneficiaries after death.” Luis gave a few reasons as to why probate is useful and useless. While probate is indeed organized, it is also time consuming and expensive. Luis recommends using probate only when necessary. One way to avoid probate as suggested by Luis, is to jointly own your business. This way, in the event that the death of a partner occurs, the business can still operate. Three examples later, Soleil explained trusts.

Soleil appears to be the most knowledgeable of the group. Although using note cards, Soleil was able to maintain appropriate eye contact as she was not reading her notes, but explaining them. She explained that in addition to the options given by Luis, trusts are also great ways to avoid probate as they are easy to create. In order to create a trust: it must be written, witnessed, and notarized. As well as funded to work. She explained the differences between two types of trusts, revocable and irrevocable. She recommends revocable trusts because they are more flexible and can include sub-trusts. A few advantages of having a trust are that it provides liquidity for a family or business when needed. It may be combined with another trust or with other estate tools in the planning toolbox. And among many other advantages, it has “tax saving potential.” Corey returned to speak after Soleil went over gifts as a means of avoiding taxes.

Corey educated the class of the in-and-outs of a power of attorney, buy-sell agreements, entity purchase agreements, cross-purchase agreements, force out provisions, and right of refusal of provisions; all of which, are designed to help the business continue operation after a partner has been removed due to retirement, divorce, disability or death. Luis concluded the group’s presentation with a quick review advising the class to: plan ahead, use attorneys only when necessary, and give gifts. All will help to ease the process of leaving things behind to loved ones.

Journal 16

TJ Montgomery
Stephanie Gai
English 100
21 April 21, 2009

• What have you done well?
• What needs attention?
• What score do you think your portfolio as a whole will achieve?

In this class, English 100, I feel that I have accomplished many things. I have successfully written four essays that have been assigned to me in a timely manner. And within those four essays I have composed well informed introductive paragraphs and emotionally moving conclusions. Also amongst my accomplishments, are my successful uses of that cool dash thingy I that appear in fashion magazines. I have always wondered when those were necessary. And lastly, I must say that I am quite proud of acceptance of criticism. Two years ago I would not have been so pleased to know that my writing was mediocre. But I have grown and I understand that the suggestions given to me by my peers and my instructor, are only meant to help me to improve my writing abilities.

When it comes to writing and everything else in the world, nothing is perfect. This is especially true with my writing. I have always had trouble with grammar, and punctuation and even after this class, I still do. Rather than follow the rules of composition, I use tools like: commas, semicolons, and colons whenever I feel it is necessary. It’s not that I don’t respect the rules of the trade, I just don’t understand them. Another issue I have with writing is with too much emotion. While many forms of writing welcome emotion, most prompts assigned to me do not. I don’t know why but I just can’t seem to take me and how I feel out of the explicit equation. I haven’t figured out how to say “I believe” without using the words “I” and “believe.”

As far as my portfolio score, I have so much revising to do that I cannot even guess at what I might receive. But I sure am hoping for something better than a ten!

Journal 14

TJ Montgomery
Stephanie Gai
English 100
04 April 2009

Questioning the text: Scenes from the Exhibitionists

Kay S. Hymowitz suggests that the celebrities who expose themselves too much are naïve about the effects that too much revelation will have. I believe this to be true. I don’t think half of the celebs know just how damaging one photo can be. Sure many celebs know what it’s like to be the latest joke or the number one search inquiry on Google, but do they know how their family feels? Do they know if their parents are ashamed of them? Do they know who their real friends are? Maybe they do, but it seems as though, through their actions, they do not. Being naïve isn’t harmful within itself; it’s being naïve around people that know you are naïve and looking to benefit from your lack of wisdom.

She doesn’t mention the non-famous as much the famous, however, I feel that for this situation it is ok to single out one class over another. The reason being this, the not all women are exhibitionists, not even in their own minds. Using average women as examples may have hindered her ability to gain the reader’s attention. Many women, who do not identify as open or comfortable sexual beings, may feel that they do not understand or connect or relate to the subject and become uninterested. But using popular figures with familiar faces will allow the average citizen to feel they, in some way, identify with the topic. It’s not always about the what; who may be just as important.

I do believe that a lack of discretion threatens the identities of average citizens. Maybe, not in the same as others, but I do. Too much information can be damaging to anyone in any situation. Opening a window can let air in and out. The average citizen can be greatly influenced by those under the spotlight. When Paris, Brittney and Lindsay indulge in their naïve shenanigans, they let information flow out of the window and right into some young teens gaping window. If the average citizen were to start committing the same open acts, they run the risk of being shamed by their friends and loved ones. Their sales won’t increase. They won’t get a huge signing bonus. They won’t be rewarded with front cover ads. They only thing come to them is shame and disgust.

On the other hand, not all individuals are susceptible to the behavior showed in the media. I have faith in the common. They are common because they don’t step out of the ordinary are make daring attempts to be the hot new thing. People that are satisfied in their safe bubbles are not facing any major issues by lack of discretion made by others. And I doubt that they themselves will be flashing anybody’s camera.

Journal 13

TJ Montgomery
Stephanie Gai
English 100
03 April 2009

Song analysis of "In the Midst of It All"

In Yolanda Adam’s song, “In the Midst of It All,” she points out that Jesus will always be there when times are good and bad. This song expresses why Adams chooses to believe that Jesus is always watching over her. It mainly emphasizes that no matter what trials or tribulations a person is going through, He will always love and protect them. This idea is one of the main beliefs in the Christian religion and is central to the faith of those who practice that religion. Yolanda Adam’s song “In the Mist of it All,” encourages people to believe that anything is possible, to never give up hope, and when it comes to Jesus Christ himself, always remember that you can make it through.

Many people in our society today are crying about all their painful times and how they believed there was no way out until God came along. Adams says in her lyrics, “Through the pain and all of my sorrows, through the tears and all of my fears. The Lord was there to keep me, for he’s kept me in the midst of it all.” Going deep into depth this powerful woman of God believes that no matter what obstacles may come her way, the Lord will be there to help her to overcome them. When hearing those words one must think and wonder how it is possible for Jesus to help you throughout your problems when you feel like there is no way. She perceives Jesus to be the one person to do all things for you when you are in the time of need or in a troublesome situation, and all you must do is call upon his name.

There may even be times where the devil will try to garnish the things you love away from you and make your life appear to be upside down. In Adam’s song, her lyrics elaborate how there will be times where the devil will try distract and reposition you. She says, “Satan tried to stop me and to place my feet in sinking sand, (personally I would have eliminated this last part of the lyrics, as they are unnecessary) but Jesus loves me so dearly.” In these words Adams proclaims that the devil will try to stop you from loving Jesus even if that means by risking your very life. Adams cannot stress enough through the words in her lyrics how much you should have more faith in Jesus, regardless of what the odds are against you. She never stated at any point how she would give up and let the devil win control over her life. She was single-minded when it came to believing and trusting in Jesus Christ.

Jesus doesn’t just love you because you do good things. He loves the faith that people display on a daily basis throughout their lives. “Not because I’ve been so faithful. Not because I’ve always obeyed.” Here, Adams is implying that Jesus will still be there even if people didn’t obey his commandments, but that he loves you just because He chooses to. She concludes that even if you don’t believe and you don’t have faith in God, He will still be there for you in the “midst of it all.” This is what makes Jesus Christ’s love so powerful.

The overall theme of the song, is having faith in the Lord. Yolanda Adams expresses her own life testimony on how Jesus has kept her spirit strong throughout the trials and tribulations of her life. By doing so, she realized how Jesus uplifted her and the major impact that his presence has imposed. Jesus was the source that Yolanda Adams looked to in the time of need and in the time of comfort. He was truly that one person that she could turn to in the midst of it all.

Journal 12

Journal 12 is the second half of Journal 09. You gave me permission to split Journal 09 in two when I accidently read and wrote about both instead of just one.

Journal 11

Journal 10

TJ Montgomery & Jeffrey Day
Stephanie Gai
English 100
28 February 2009

Benefits of Using Data Entry


Most business type computers today rely on the internet for most of its data entry; therefore, it is vital for the end user using such technology, to have sufficient computer literacy. Data entry can be a lot of hard work and very time consuming, and having exceptional computer skills can dramatically speed up the tedious process. In business, companies use data entry software that helps their productivity become more efficient; the faster and more accurate the system, the better. When a company’s data team does a system information update, they generally try to keep track of their competitors’ status as well. Having the most updated data is of the utmost importance. Without it, it is almost impossible to stay ahead of the game.


When data entry is done correctly there can be great rewards for the entity that is dependent on that system. The customers of the TELUS energy sector have experienced firsthand, the benefits of adequate data entry. Due to a recent agreement between Cortex Business Solutions Inc. and TELUS, customers, along with suppliers, can expect a cut in costs to them. The union of services between these two companies will broaden the capabilities of each company. Cortex is an eCommerce service provider with an eProcurement network that has proven to cut costs and increase productivity through effective data entry. Now that TELUS has access to this network, they can, "enable energy sector companies to exchange procurement and accounts payable information electronically with their customers and suppliers, regardless of which accounting software they use; this in turn, “will reduce administration costs, improve validation and accuracy of invoicing and deliver visible cost benefits to procurement processing” (Cortex Business Solutions Inc.).

Everyone in the business world needs to have up-to-date data entry at all times. Especially today, the pace that business is running at requires a superior method of data entry. As you were recently made aware, data entry can be very helpful with your customers and clients, also where they live and the overall market itself. Being able to process orders quickly will produce satisfied customers. Having satisfied patrons will encourage them to continue purchasing your services as well as refer friends and family to do the same. This is what the market likes to call good customer service. Data entry just doesn’t secure you to have good customer service and a well ran business, it allows you to integrate and maybe even develop new technological ways that may help your business keep up with the fast moving corporate America.


Data entry is designed to manage commercial financial exchanges in a way that will enable the most complicated of procedures into simple courses of action that make the biggest of differences. It lowers the routine stresses of workplace ergonomics on system users due to the decreased amount of time it takes to perform systematic tasks. Simplicity is symbiotic. Workers need to be able to perform the tasks that their job descriptions entail. The system of data entry needs to invite a symbiosis of mutual benefit to both the worker and company. Consequently, workers will be more likely to build confidence in their performance if they are comfortable with the work they produce and the way in which they produce it. (Kumar)


In Corporate America, you must learn every aspect of using data entry to be highly successful. If you are not willing to use data entry then your whole business runs the risk of falling behind while competing businesses flourish in the technological advances. The economical society is changing every day and people of all professional fields must stay current with software updates that can help their investments profit. This class of aid is not limited to data entry software, but it is a key piece to successful managerial duties. If computers and technology are our future, we have much to gain.




Works Cited
Cortex Business Solutions Inc. Paperless Supply Chain Management. 15 October 2008. 27 February 2009 .

Kumar, Aravind. Data Entry Service. 15 November 2006. 2009 28 2009 .

Journal 09

TJ Montgomery
Stephanie Gai
English 100
28 February 2009

Questioning the Text:

In, “In Praise of Chain Stores,” Virginia Postrel appeals to the values of cultural distinction. She conceives the idea that it is weather, geography, history, along with uniqueness that gives towns their identities and not the shopping opportunities made available. In her own words, “Stores don’t give places their character. Terrain and weather and culture do.” She clearly states that towns like Chandler, Arizona should rely on their natural differences to separate themselves from the rest of the nation.

When building a life, Postrel suggests that memories and sentimental value are what is important to consider. She gives an example of a family sharing a meal at a mall food court being just as precious and fulfilling as those of a family of an older generation at local diners of Route 66.

Jonah Goldberg’s “Global Cooling Costs Too Much,” reveals his style of delivery of information. Goldberg’s use of both scientific and statistical evidence proves to be persuasive. I found myself oddly impressed with the unusual theory of cause and effect between the Earth’s increasing temperature with an increased Gross Domestic Product. His use of evidence on the Kyoto Protocol leads me to believe that the inhabitants of Earth might as well the rewards of the increased GDP, since all of what we know about reducing mankind’s influence on wear and tear of the Earth isn’t proven to make any immediate significant changes.

As far as Goldberg giving me the impression that he has no idea of what he is writing, is non-existent. I’m pretty sure that have purchased every piece of evidence he was peddling. While I do trust his statistics, I do have to wonder if they are relevant to each other. Even more so, does one affect another? Because of the style the evidence had been presented in, I believed it. But I can’t but wonder that if I had been given all of the facts without any influence on what is to be paralleled. Would I have come to the same conclusions?

Journal 08

TJ Montgomery
Stephanie Gai
English 100
23 February 2009

Questioning the Text:
Michael Pollan An Animal's Place

Informatively intriguing! Reading this article has allowed me to feel that I know more about what logic falls behind the "animal people's" claims that treating animals inhumanely is wrong. I can't say that I agree with everything that was said, but I did understand it all.

I would have never thought, even for one second, that the justification of animal cruelty could be directly paralleled to the justification of slavery. When I read this analogy it completely blew my mind. On top of that, I agreed. This has to be deserving of the comments by John J. Ruszkiewicz. I was convinced that killing animals was wrong if slavery is wrong. It takes skill to convince anyone of something like this. Michael Pollan proves his genius consistently without fail. Pollan’s insight on animal rights, equality, life privileges, content, and degree of respect was essential to the effectiveness of his words. He gives logical examples and lists activists that support and defenders that justify.

Ruszkiewicz has my full support in his claim that this piece of writing is "powerful." Pollan explains the logic behind the theories of animal "rights" and admits that he has defenses for human behaviors, including his own, he can't back up. (This is simply the way most of the world handles an argument, and I appreciate him for admitting that.) He unveils the real issue keeping vegetarians on the grass. Pollan proclaims the real question isn't about whether we eat or do not eat the meat, but how the meat was treated before it became just a piece of meat... Animal cruelty!

I was so relieved when I read this. I love meat and being told that that isn't the issue was good news for me, and my belly. I do however have to admit I didn't finish the article feeling guilt free. I do purchase food from processing plants that do in fact treat animals in the most barbaric ways, in which case I am only encouraging this sort of behavior.

I didn't know the exact focus of this article at first glance. In fact, I didn't find it until I got to the seventh page. There it was in the 33rd paragraph, clear as day; "Whether our interest in eating animals outweighs their interests in not being eaten... turns on the vexed question of animal suffering." Why Pollan chose to place his thesis so far from the introduction, I do not know, but one might guess that he felt a brief description of what lead to his discovery of the real issue was necessary to the mind of the reader. I appreciated the examples of other writings and explanations and found them to be of great help to my understanding once I was exposed to the main concern.

Journal 07

TJ Montgomery
Stephanie Gai
English 100
16 Februaury 2009


If I could Change One Thing In History...


I believe that it is just as important to pay attention to the smallest of details as it is to the greatest. It is no secret that Hitler has a great liking for the arts; however many would be surprised to find that he had great hopes to be a magnificent artist. If I could change any world event before the year 2000, I would have Adolf Hitler achieve his greatest failure; I would go back to 1907 and grant him admission into the prestigious Vienna Academy of Fine Arts.

Throughout high school, Hitler found himself quite annoyed by his instructors and felt no need to yield to their commands. He was a very lazy and uncooperative student, who essentially flunked out. Hitler began to feel like a failure and was absolutely repulsed by the thought of working as an underclass citizen. To avoid this harsh unappealing reality Hitler put all his hope into the dream of achieving greatness, not as a ruthless tyrant but as an artist. After dropping out of high school in 1905, Adolf Hitler spent the next few years in ominous redundancy. His mother urged him to learn some sort of trade and get a job, but the obstinate Hitler found the idea of daily work with its necessary submission to authority to be revolting.

In the spring of 1906, seventeen year old Hitler took his first trip to Vienna, one of the worlds most important centers of music and art. With the intent of seeing world class operas and galleries, he was quite surprised to find himself captivated by the empire’s bravura architecture. Using his natural ability to draw, he compiled drawings of detailed images of buildings he had only seen once. As a young boy he developed a natural talent for drawing, and his trip to Vienna only heightened his adoration for the art.

In January of 1907, his mother was now dying of breast cancer, despite her operation. But an aspiring Hitler chose to withdraw his inheritance and relocate to Vienna to study the arts. He decided he would attend the Vienna Academy of Fine Arts. He took the two day entrance exam with high hopes, but was only devastated to hear the school did not believe him to be satisfactory. Hitler was badly shaken by this rejection.

It is my firm conviction that had Hitler been admitted and given the opportunity to go after his dream, he would not have been so angry with the world, and set out on the quest to control it. There are over 6,000,000 Jews that I am sure would have liked to have been able to go after their dreams as well. Had Hitler been able to express himself through his art, his pain wouldn’t have built up inside of him like a raging volcano, but it would have poured through his art like a free flowing river. Would this event really have made a difference? Not sure, but it would be worth the try.



Works Cited
Stokes, Phil. Adolf Hitler Biography. 2009. 16 February 2009 .


PHOTO BY ADOLF HITLER
Franziskanerplatz Wien, 1912.

Journal 06

TJ Montgomery
Stephanie Gai
English 100
12 February 2009


Entrepreneur Workshops:
How to Start Your Own Business

BizNet, a program of the North Coast Small Business Resource Center (NCSBRC) conducted a small workshop, instructing students on how to start a business. The workshop was open to any Humboldt State University student that was interested, but was targeting business majors. Most of the students that were there, had heard of the workshop through the business FIG. Thus, the majority of participants were freshmen. Surprisingly, almost all knew what type of business they wanted to create, and where.

The seminar opened with an introduction explaining that the starting of a business is a process, and that it is very important to take your time when planning. Over 80% of all businesses that failed in the first year did not have a business plan. Over 80% of business still operating after for years started with a written plan. Having a business plan will help you to organize your goals and updating it will allow you to see where your company is and how far you will be able to go on that level.

Many of the participants were concerned about permits and licenses. The lecturer disclosed all types of helpful information. He was careful to explain that not all rules apply to all states, counties, and cities. We were all given a number of handouts ranging from readiness assessment tools, to finding good advice.

We were well informed of how to obtain honest, constructive, feedback on business proposals. He suggested that we turn to family, friends and local business owners. He recommends this because they are all potential customers, plus if they screw you over, you’ll know where to find them. (That last part was my own interpretation.)

It’s good to know what your strength and weaknesses are. With the use of some type of questionnaire to identify your strong and weak areas, you can decide whether or not your business will be more productive with outside help. If you find that you are lacking knowledge in very important areas like financing or customer service, it may not be a bad idea to consider having a partnership with someone that is strong in your weak areas.

Businesses, both big and small, are built and demolished frequently. Knowing what options you have and how to attain more can help prevent you from cracking under pressure and allow you to think reasonably when setting goals that you can accomplish, mutually in the long and short run.

Journal 05

TJ Montgomery
Stephanie Gai
English 100
10 February 2009


My response to: James Surowiecki, Don't Do the Math


Talk about an eye opener! James Surowiecki’s display of the “blockbuster” awards given to plaintiffs of lawsuits really showed me something I had always seen but never sought to see more of. Juries do seem to have the tendency to hand out ridiculous amounts of money in cases involving large companies. I never realized that these lawsuits damaged companies to the point of bankruptcy. They are after all rich. If I knew that a jury would award me 100 million dollars in a lawsuit, I would sue somebody! 100 million dollars is a lot of shoes; I like shoes.

According to Merriam-Webster, a jury is “a body of persons sworn to give a verdict on some matter submitted to them; especially: a body of persons legally selected and sworn to inquire into any matter of fact and to give their verdict according to the evidence (Merriam-Webster, 2009).” But are these verdicts appropriate?

Companies are being drug through the mud by angry consumers just because they can (appear to) afford to get dirty. But can they afford to get clean? Cases not involving death or extreme permanent damage should not be awarded these outrageous fortunes; especially when the risk-benefit analysis has been used. All businesses don’t look out for the consumer at all times, but those that do shouldn’t be treated as those that don’t.

It’s almost impossible to tell whether a plaintiff is sincere in their claims and deserving; and it’s just as hard to tell whether a company is sincere in their performance and quality that is due to its consumer population. Juries have a difficult task, and it seems as though they find it easier to benefit the underdog. I’m not saying that juries aren’t considering both parties but that the damages paid appear to be more punitive than compensatory. The jury should be helping the plaintiff recover rather than setting them up for the rest of their lives.

Works Cited

Merriam-Webster. (2009). Merriam-Webster Online . Retrieved February 10, 2009, from Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary: http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/jury

Journal 04

TJ Montgomery
Stephanie Gai
English 100
4 February 2009

My response to: Robert D. King, Should English Be the Law?

I was very impressed with the amount of information in this essay. However, I found it to be too informative for my tastes. I did manage to grasp the focus of the text. Should English be the law? You mean it isn’t the law already?

I am sure that I am not the only uninformed American that was surprised by the argument. If asked me what the official language of the United States is, I would say English without even thinking. “94 percent of American residents speak English” (King, 2008)(1990). Sure 94 is a big number, but what about the other 6 percent? 6 percent of two hundred forty-eight million, seven hundred nine thousand, eight hundred seventy-three is also a big number (Bureau, 1990).

What would change if there were English Only laws? Will non- English speaking voters be able to read the ballots? Will non- English speaking parents be able to sign school documents? Will non- English speaking employees be hired? If the answer to these questions is no, then I say no. English should not be the law.

King states that “Language does not threaten American unity” (King, 2008). Bull! If people are forced to learn and use English only, our nation will be deprived of the very thing it is unique for; Individuality. The culture, history, values, and tradition of a people all have correlation with their language. Conforming them to another is a key threat; and should not be overlooked.

I see a major problem with the idea of “English Only.” Personally, I would prefer “English Mostly.” I do agree that most people believe that English has already been established as the nation’s official language. I also believe that if things (the implementation of English Only) were to drastically change the flow of communication between societies, the American people would rather leave things the way they are.




Works Cited
Bureau, U. C. (1990, April 1). 1990 Census. Retrieved February 4, 2009, from U.S. Census Bureau: http://www.census.gov/main/www/cen1990.html

King, R. D. (2008). Should English Be the Law? In A. A. Lunsford, & J. J. Ruszkiewicz, The Presence of Others: Voices and Images That Call for Response (p. 701). Boston: Bedford St. Martins.

Journal 03

TJ Montgomery
Stephanie Gai
English 100
01 February 2009


The Legacy


Being involved extracurricular activities has always been the highlight of my busy life. All through grade school I found that participating in fun, interactivities made school much more pleasant. Teachers, homework and quizzes are great when working on developing your mental capacity; however, when it comes to the social side of school, clubs are a necessity.


Here on the HSU campus I am involved in quite a few clubs that promote civil services and positive change. One of them, The Legacy, is an all female organization for minorities that upholds the most significant standards of community involvement. It takes money to help the community and the first HSU home football game of the season was going to help us do that.


The Legacy is always having some type of fundraising event to finance a community service project. This Thanksgiving The Legacy would like to purchase enough groceries for four needy families to have a bountiful holiday. We raised part of the funds at the game selling fresh fruit parfaits.
Syrupy strawberries, tart blueberries, juicy mandarin oranges, sweet honey dew melon, plump peaches, three different delicious kinds of yogurts and crunchy granola littered our table. People were flocking from areas of the field and bleachers to inquire about our tasty treats. Surprisingly enough, the crowd was more interested in the cold hot dogs and stale nachos being sold six yards away.


I just don’t get it. It’s Humboldt! Everybody here, okay not everybody, but a lot of people here are quite serious about eating natural, healthy food and yet we didn’t meet our minimal goal; which was to only break even. We stayed for the entire game and watched our team give their best efforts. We didn’t win our first game, nor did we raise all the funds needed but I still had fun. I enjoyed being outside interacting with others and experiencing my first college football game ever.

Journal 02

TJ Montgomery
English 100
Stephanie Gai
29 January 2009

Free Choice

Have you ever needed help? Have you ever wished that someone was willing to help you with your troubles? Have you ever cried because you thought you had to do it all alone? Have you ever done any of these things for anyone else?

So many people feel like the world should stop and cater to their every need, and yet they refuse to try and do just that for someone else. I love helping others and being here at Humboldt State University, allows me to do just that. Here through the HSU Campus, the National Day of Caring has been a tradition for the past 15 years. This year I became a part of it.

World Shelters is a non-profit California based manufacturer and volunteer organization. Their innovative structures apply proven technologies to create temporary and transitional shelters for humanitarian relief. Their work is supported by private donations, sponsors, grants and purchases of their shelters. I am enrolled in a Freshmen Interest Group also known as FIG. This FIG has participated in the HSU Day of Caring with World Shelters, this year was no different.

I arrived with my fellow students at World Shelters at 9am sharp. Well more like dull (we had some difficulty finding the place). We signed in and had a quick bite to eat and went straight to work. Ellen Searle LeBel, Secretary, welcomed us and gave a brief history on the organization’s community efforts (very impressive). We were given basic instructions from Production Manager, Rick Bend. He instructed us on the proper procedure for using the “clips”. It took me a while but I finally got the hang of it. We separated into groups and began putting the pieces together. Some people were cutting tarp, some were preparing blueprints (marking), and others, including me, were placing clips.

The whole process was quite simple. There were no difficult, hard-to-read directions. Only symbols. These shelters are you used all over the world, like in Mozambique, Guam, Serbia, San Salvador, Sri Lanka, Uganda, Jordan, Mexico City, Germany, and Hawaii. All of these places have different tribes or communities of people that speak all kinds of different languages or variations of the same language making scripted directions practically impossible. The team uses symbols to communicate the directions. I know it sounds crazy, but it works.

It took less than three hours to assemble three Q-Shelters to be used at the Humboldt All-Faith Partnership night shelter. At the end of the day, which was only 12pm, we had done something that a lot of people in need would benefit from. And really that’s what it’s all about, helping other people.

Journal 01

TJ Montgomery
English 100
Stephanie Gai
25 January 2009

Maxine Hong Kingston's "No Name Woman"

The narrator rewrites her mother’s “talk- story” to understand its significance and Chinese culture. When first told the story of her aunt, the narrator isn’t given all the details, many, but not all. Assuming her mother does not know, nor would disclose the untold details, the narrator comes up with her own ideas of what might have happened. Whenever people are presented with situations they do not understand, they often times try to rationalize them within their own theories. This is exactly what Kingston does to better understand her mother’s reasoning for telling her the story. “Now that you have started to menstruate, what happened to her could happen to you. Don’t humiliate us. . . . The villagers are watchful.”
It is apparent that her mother was telling of the particular even to keep her daughter, Kingston, from partaking in premarital sex. She was hopeful that the fear of being forgotten by those she loved would keep her daughter free from plight. In the “talk-story” told by the mother, aunt “no name” was forced into suicide after a mob attack on the family home by the villagers and her exile from the family’s home, name, and memory. This was all a reaction to the aunt’s pregnancy from adultery.

Kingston, being Chinese- American, did not understand why such a severe punishment was given to such a moderate crime. “Adultery, perhaps only a mistake during good times, became a crime when the village needed food.” Kingston wonders if the village had been in good condition, with flowing crops and plenty of resources would her aunt still have received such cruelty. “If my aunt had betrayed the family at a time of large grain yields and peace, when many boys were born, and wings were being built on many houses, perhaps she might have escaped such severe punishment.”

Her audience at one point is the Chinese- American population. She asks to them, “Chinese-Americans, when you try to understand what things in you are Chinese, how do you separate what is peculiar to childhood, to poverty, insanities, one family, your mother who marked your growing with stories, from what is Chinese?” during other parts of the story her audience appears to be the reader and herself, recalling this event.

Mostly likely the version in which the aunt is in love with her fellow sinner is to be true. It would explain why she didn’t give up his name throughout the entire ordeal. It also justifies her reason for which she found love in another man. Her husband was in a distant land and she could barely remember what he had looked like.