Practical Writing Friday: Recipe
Semi-Homemade Tacos:
Ingredients:
1 Rotisserie Chicken
2 Avocados
1 tablespoon of Lime Juice
1 Can of Refried Beans
Cheddar Cheese
Sour cream
Your choice of hard or soft Tacos
Ingredients for Salsa:
2 teaspoons of extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 Cups of diced yellow onion
2 large tomatoes (diced)
1 clove of garlic (finely chopped)
Salt
Pepper
1 eight ounce can of tomato sauce
Cilantro
Procedure:
Place medium-sized pot over medium heat on the stove. Next, pour in the olive oil in the pot and wait until it gets warm. When slight bubbling begins, add in the onions, tomatoes, garlic, salt, and pepper and mix it all together. Lower the heat, and cover the pot for approximately 15 min or until onions and tomatoes are visibly cooked. Uncover the pot and add in the tomato sauce and mix all ingredients together. It should look something like this:
After incorporating the tomato sauce, add in the cilantro. Cover the pot and lower the heat.
Next, take the rotisserie chicken and shred all the parts of the chicken so that it looks like this in the end:
Next, take the can of Refried beans. Open it, heat the beans on the stove for about 12-13 min on medium heat, and stir occasionally. Once they are hot, they are ready to be served.
For the Guacamole, take the 2 avocados and simply take a spoon, and scoop out the fruit. Mash it all together and finally, add the lime juice and a little bit of salt to the avocados.
Finally prepare your tacos as you like.
Enjoy!
Practical Writing Wednesday: 3 Instagram Captions (pictures included)
My home for the past 2 weeks! #sonyopentennis #keybiscayne #bestplaceever
I don’t ever want to leave. #thebeautyoflivinginMiami #miamibeach
Bright City Lights in beautiful Miami! #downtown
Practical Writing Wednesday: Customer Service Complaint Letter
Dear Publix Customer Service,
I recently went to your Publix store on Bird Rd, and am very upset about an issue that occurred. I initially went to the store only to buy some cookies for my family, however while I was there, I remembered that I also had to buy milk. I purchased my items with ease and I got home with no problem. However, when I finally opened the milk carton, a horrible stench entered my home and when I attempted to pour the milk out of the carton lumps of cream came out. The milk was spoiled rotten and I was disgusted. I am very upset and disappointed because of this issue and it seems as though I will never return to Publix again. It is just not acceptable.
Sincerely,
Sarah VanRoy
Practical Writing Monday: Defending My Opinion on a Message Board
Thank you for voicing your opinion, however, I personally disagree with your statement that “ball people are a bother to professional tennis players and matches.” Even though ball people are sometimes slow when picking up a ball, and although they may get in the way of some photographers snapshots, ball people (apart from the players) play the most important role in a professional tennis match. Without ball people, tennis matches would become longer, more tiring, and would not run smoothly. Ball people have a great responsibility during each tennis match. Ball people must always pay close attention to the score of the match and they must always know when to switch the balls to the other player’s side. Because of ball people, tennis athletes have the commodity of being able to obtain objects, food, and drinks with ease. When a player wants his or her towel, the towel is brought to him or her quickly by a ball person. If a player desires to drink Gatorade or water, the ball person willingly brings the drinks to that player. Although it seems like an easy job, it is not and although the ball people are not “the show” they are a main part of “the show”. Therefore, in a tennis match, ball people are not a bother but a benefit.
Practical Writing Monday: Micro-Blogging
1. My sister is sitting across from me in my room and she’s texting me. #communicationiskey
2. Whatever you do, do it willingly, as if it’s for the Lord and not for people – Colossians 3:23 #workhardfortheLord
3. “Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I’m not sure about the universe.”
― Albert Einstein #preachitEinstein
4. People need to learn how to listen before they speak instead of speaking and never listening.
5. Experience is a brutal teacher, but you have to admit, you do learn.
Practical Writing Monday: Email to Boss
Greetings Mr. Adler,
I know that you have had a very busy and stressful week because of the Sony Open tennis tournament and I would like to commend on your amazing leadership skills and all the hard work you have put into the tournament so far. Although I am writing to you on a short notice, I wanted to request that I may switch my shift from Wednesday 3/19 A.M. to Wednesday 3/19 P.M. I would really appreciate if this change could be made. Forgive me for being late in notifying you of this change request.
Thank you,
-Sarah VanRoy
Why I Chose My Research Paper Topic
Coming up with a topic to write about is usually an extremely difficult task for an indecisive person like me. However, when I was instructed to write a research paper about a piece of technology that I like best, I did not take long to make my decision. It became clear to me that the camera would be the ideal topic for me to choose. Even though I use the camera daily, it is a technology that never seizes to amaze me. I have always been intrigued by the camera and by all of its functions. With my cellphone now having a built-in camera, I am able to capture enjoyable moments that would have otherwise been only a memory. With my digital camera and video camera, I have the ability to be entertained and perceive every moment with perfect, clear images. The tremendous advancements and the endless capabilities that the technology of the camera displays are the reasons as to why I chose the camera as my research paper topic.
Although the camera is valuable in my personal life, it is also very significant in society today. From social media, to filming beneath the ocean, to medical procedures, the camera is a device that has been extremely valuable in today’s society. With advancements in modern cameras, it is now possible to capture photos and videos while being submerged in water. Without the use of cameras it would be impossible for people to witness what is below the surface of the ocean. Moreover, humanity today is very involved in social media. The want to share photos and videos is more popular than ever before. Cameras have benefited people who love sharing special moments with others. Due to the fact that modern cameras now are sold with built-in internet, it is now very simple to share photos and videos with others. Furthermore, modern cameras have also been helpful in the area of medicine. Cameras are now being used in surgical procedures. Laparoscopic surgery describes the performance of surgical procedures with the assistance of a video camera. During the procedure, small incisions are made in the patient and the camera is introduced through ports which allow access inside the patient. Without cameras, this procedure would be more difficult to perform and would also be more detrimental. Therefore, the camera’s recent advancement and the major impact that it has given modern society, lead me to believe that the camera is the most valuable technology of them all.
Blog 8: Ted Talk
The future as we know it is very unpredictable. When discussing topics, one might say technology is the most unpredictable. In the past few years, technology has advanced at an incredibly fast rate and continues to progress day by day. Goals which seemed to be impossible to achieve are now accomplished with ease, and what many people only dreamed of, is now a reality. Technology is reaching a stage where all human activity revolves around it, and will therefore hinder the human race.
Advanced technology will first hinder society by completely replacing human beings. Kevin Kelly hints at this in his “Ted Talk” presentation when he says “Technology today comes in contact with other machines as it is created and rarely sees human life” (Kelly). If technology continues to expand at such a fast rate, people will begin to be replaced by massive technological machines which perform the same tasks just as well, or possibly better than humans can. As technology continues to progress, human beings will soon become a second option for company employers and technology will be what takes over.
Technology will not only replace human beings but it will also take over peoples bodies. In his “Ted Talk” presentation, Ian Goldin explains, “Technology will create invisible capacities in our bodies, in our brains and in the air” (Goldin). In today’s world there is already technology that can be attached to the eyes and to the ears. One such technology is Google’s eye glasses, Google Glass. Technologies such as Google Glass will soon become more advanced and lead to technologies that will fit into humans brains. This will result in loss of humanity. Humans will not be able to think for themselves. The computer inside their brains will give them any information they desire to know. There will be no need for education, since the technology inside the body is “smarter” than any textbook ever written.
Finally, technology will affect society in the area of biological engineering. In Juan Enriquez’s “Ted Talk” presentation, he presents instances in which technology gives humans the ability to regain certain senses. One sense which technology will help is that of hearing. “Now we have cochlear implants that go into people’s heads and allow the deaf to hear” (Enriquez ). Another sense that technology will be able to aid is that of eye sight, “A group in Germany is beginning to engineer eyes so that people who are blind can begin to see light and dark”(Enriquez ). Although this technology is wonderful and very helpful to those who are in need, it is not all for the better. Modern technology can be helpful, but what will occur when this technology reaches the wrong type of people? In his “Ted Talk”, Martin Rees explains how psychopaths now have the ability to destroy the earth due to immense advancements in technology (Rees). If people with mental problems or criminals gain the knowledge on how to use the advanced technology, life as we know it will never be the same.
As is presented by scientific examples and professionals, it is important to be aware of burgeoning technology in today’s society. It is observed through examples of technology replacing humans, technology becoming part of a person’s body, and technology in the hands of the wrong type of person. When all this is taken into account, it is visible that technology will not have the best influence on years to come.
10 Things I Want To Do Before I Die
Before I die, I want to…
- Become a national tennis champion
- Spend my birthday in London
- Sky dive in the Bahamas
- Hug a Panda
- Visit the Galapagos Islands
- Comfort people who are suffering
- Be wise
- Free myself from all my worries
- Not be afraid
- Be completely myself
Predictions From Our Past
Many science fiction predictions from the past are now a reality. In his article “10 Great Technologies We Got From Science Fiction”, Nathan Barry describes and illustrates how advancements in electronics had been predicted by science fiction books and films before the modern technology actually existed. From tablets to wrist radios, and from bluetooth devices to holograms, much of today’s technology does exist due to the foresight of the sci-fi writers and directors from the past.
Of the many predictions made about future electronic devices, Nathan Barry gives Apple’s iPad as an example; “would it be here without Star Trek’s PADD? The Personal Access Display Device was first introduced to us by Captain James T. Kirk”(Barry par. 3). If it had not been for the prediction made in that sci-fi series, the iPad would possibly be very different from what it is now, or maybe not even have been invented. Another example of sci-fi writers’ predictions displayed in Barry’s article, is the invention of the world wide web; “In 1990, David Brin Published a book called ‘Earth’, in which he predicted a whole manner of things, not least of which was The World Wide Web… when you consider that at the time, the internet was still just 10 servers and a hub between Universities” (Barry par. 17). Taking into account that the book “Earth” was written several years before computers were capable of surfing the web, David Brin’s predictions are incomprehensible. In conclusion, “10 Great Technologies We Got From Science Fiction”, illustrates these and many other examples of sci-fi writers’ predictions and certainly is entertaining as well as informative.
Sarah VanRoy 