10th Anniversary, Please?

10 years ago I wrote a paper on New Zealand, and fell in love.
I want to go there for my 10th Anniversary of marriage :P

2003

      Have you ever heard of New Zealand before?  Although it is off the beaten path, New Zealand is a charming place to visit.  Located about 1,100 miles southeast of Australia, New Zealand has a mild and rainy climate.  Many natural wonders appear within its 103,738 square miles of land.  Over three and one-half million New Zealanders, live on North Island where their capital city of Wellington is located.

 

     New Zealand’s land consists of mountains, valleys, and volcanic landscapes.

In certain parks and other regions, you can experience volcanoes, explore

volcanic terraces, see mud boils, hot springs, and geysers.    There are also

lush rainforests, incredible fjords, impressive craters, large plains, and huge

waterfalls.  On the southern island, you may see low tablelands as well.   

     Throughout the countryside are large farms.  Farmers grow a variety of

things.  Many grow apples and kiwifruit, especially in Kerikeri, New Zealand’s

largest kiwifruit producer.  Farmers also produce fodder, trees for timber, and

silage.

     In the cities, factories manufacture food, aluminum, wood, paper and paper

products, and textiles.  These products are then exported to other countries.

     Although tourism is not a very big business, there are a number of amazing

places to visit.  For example, Fjordland National Park located in the Southland

region is a wonderful place to visit.  Besides the park’s steep mountains, lush

rainforests, and excellent examples of fjords, Fjordland National Park contains

some of the highest waterfalls in the world.  Milford Track, a well-known attraction located in the park, has been billed as the finest walk in the world. In addition to this, Fjordland may be one of the wettest places in the world, but it is the water itself that shapes the land to make it so beautiful.

     Another great place to visit is Queenstown, the busiest and fastest growing

city in New Zealand.  Maybe you are wondering why Queenstown grows so

quickly when all its neighbors do not.  The key is tourist based activities.  First of all, it is the home of bungee jumping and jet boating.  Another big activity is white water rafting down the roaring rivers.  Queenstown has a few good places to go snow skiing.  For the sightseers, there are breathtaking mountain views.  These activities create jobs for New Zealanders and bring people to the area that would  not have discovered otherwise that they want to live here. 

     Since few waterways are used in New Zealand, New Zealanders use railways, highways, and airplanes for transportation.  Of the one hundred eleven airports, only forty-four have paved runways.  This means most of New Zealand’s airplanes are small. 

     Have you ever eaten titi, mutton bird?  Or how about rewena, a bread similar to fried doughnuts?  How about kina, sea egg?  These and other foods like shellfish, eel, dried shark, and fermented corn are a few of the traditional Maori foods. 

     As in England, some favorite New Zealand pastimes are rugby and cricket.  Hockey is played as well.  In the mountains, snow skiing is a popular sport.  New Zealand is also a wonderful place to go hiking, and because of this there are many trails to explore. 

     Almost all of the people of New Zealand consider themselves Christians; 81% to be more precise.  To me, this means that more people say they accept Christ as the Son of God, than have asked Him to forgive them for their sins and have become born again Christians.  Only 18% claim to have no religion, or do not specify an affiliation.  Only 1% claim to be Hindu, Confucian, or other. 

     Among New Zealand’s most famous modern writers is Janet Frame.  Presently, she is a novelist for the magazine Landfall.  She has written three autobiographies so far.  The names of these books are To the Island, An Angel at My Table, and The Envoy from Mirror City.

     Some of New Zealand’s painters and sculptors are quite interesting.  One man, Colin McCahon, is perhaps the most contentious painter in New Zealand.  Some people think of his paintings as gods and seem to worship them. 

     Len Lye is a kinetic sculptor.  He is known internationally as a pioneer of direct film techniques.  That is, he scratches images directly onto celluloid, or photographic film.  

    There are many Maori woman painters in New Zealand.  Robyn Kahukiwa, Kura Te Waru Rewiri, and Shona Rapira Davies show through their paintings a concern for land, whanau or family, anti-sexism, and anti-racism.  They also reflect Maori pride and values. 

     New Zealand has had a very exciting history.  Captain James Cook, the first white explorer to claim the land, discovered New Zealand in 1769 for England.  In a skirmish with the locals of Kealakekua Bay, Hawaii, Cook was killed, only nine years after his discovery.       

     It was the Maori who settled New Zealand first.  They arrived from Polynesia in the ninth century and have lived there ever since.  Today, only about nine percent of New Zealand’s population is Maori.  

     In 1814, the first British missionaries arrived and the Treaty of Waitangi, in 1840, recognized Queen Victoria as the protector head of New Zealand.  By 1841, New Zealand was a full-fledged colony.  Bloody wars between the Maori and the English resulted in the loss of lands for the Maori people in the year 1870. 

     Of the many reasons to visit New Zealand, there are some that really stand out.  Besides the already mentioned items about Queenstown, there is a vintage vehicle museum, a kiwi and birdlife park, and a spectacular underwater world.  There are also two radio stations just for tourists.  

     An amazing mountain located in Fjordland National Park, is Mitre Peak which stands one mile high straight out of the water.  Fjordland has lots of record-breaking sights, and the park itself is one of the largest in the world. 

     Rotorua and the volcanic plates which are located just south of the Bay of Plenty on North Island are perfect places to study volcanic activity.  Rotorua is very famous for its volcanic sites, geysers, boiling pools, hot springs, boiling mud, volcanic terraces, and craters.  Pohuto, or splashing, is a geyser located on Geyser Flat.  It shoots over one hundred feet into the air.  If you think Pohuto looks like soap suds, you are right.  Soap is added to the water through an underwater process to make it more spectacular. 

     At Rainbow and Fairy Springs, you can handfeed deer, rainbow trout, brown trout, and brook trout, besides many native birds, and Captain Cooker wild pigs. These pigs are named after the man who introduced them to New Zealand, Captain James Cook. 

     Bay of Islands has over one hundred fifty islands to explore.  Marine life is very abundant here.  For all the golfers, you have just found an excellent place to go golfing.  Many visitors enjoy playing this sport in the sunny, warm, climate. 

     Mount Cook National Park has the word’s largest ski park.  It is another place full of records; Mount Cook is New Zealand’s biggest mountain. 

     New Zealand has many historical places.  The National Museum and Art Gallery, which is just full of history, collects everything from Maori artifacts to items from Captain Cook.  Along with them are objects from colonial life. 

     Dunedin is not only New Zealand’s Scottish city, but it is also its Victorian city.  Dunedin contains Saint Paul’s Cathedral, a church with gothic pillars.  The church owns an impressive organ that has three thousand, five hundred pipes. 

     Dunedin Railway Station is perhaps the finest stone structure in the country.  Three huge clock faces stare at the people under the covered carriageway.  Many had admired the original floor, which had 725,760 half-inch Royal Dalton porcelain squares on its surface. 

     As you can probably tell by now, Rotorua, Queenstown, Fjordland National Park, and New Zealand as a whole, contains incredible sights, thrilling activities, and memorable experiences to enjoy. There seems to be something to interest about anyone.  If you are planning take a vacation to another country, New Zealand is a great place to go!         

Worse than eggshells

Many people do not like addressing mental health issues. Despite the fact that so many people either have a mental health issue, or are affected by a person dealing with such an issue, people remain scared of talking about it, un-educated, and believe they are doomed to isolation about their realities.

I like the way this the NMHA puts it: people spend much time "denying the warning signs, worrying what other people will think because of the stigma, or wondering what caused your loved one to become ill." http://www.nmha.org/go/information/get-info/mi-and-the-family/recognizing-warning-signs-and-how-to-cope

Denial
Denial doesn't help anything. You can seriously mess yourself up to where you doubt reality, and what's actually going on, and struggle more because of unvalidated feelings. It's better to address what happened, and not pretend you're not really hurt by what happened, angered, disappointed, or even scared - at least to yourself and trusted people. Probably best to not discuss these things with the mentally ill person - if they are the type to use your being scared, angry, or hurt against you.

Worrying about what other people think
Most people won't understand what you're going through. Most people won't have anything relevant or nice to say. But your closest friends or select people can at least hear you out and keep you focused on things outside of the issues that may seem to take up your whole life. If you worry what other people think too much, you'll end up isolated. You'll end up spending a ton of energy hiding the reality you live in, instead of being supported. It's better to have a shorter answer for people who obviously aren't going to be close confidants - "So and so has a lot of personal challenges." What kind? "They are quite personal, but I appreciate your concern and friendship."

Wondering what caused this
Even if you decide you know the source - genetics, drug abuse, etc. - one can often wonder, "if I had just done x, y, and z, would this have not come about?" Especially in a particular situation, "If I hadn't mentioned going to the store earlier, would there have been a fight?" this constant second guessing or endless attempts of personal behavior modifications of the healthy members' to try to avoid incidents / episodes with the  mentally ill person - end up being a burden and don't usually solve much.

Not denying the warning signs, seeking support, overcoming the fear of what others think, and taking the pressure and blame off of yourself are ways to cope with situations involving mentally ill family members.

Assimilation paper 2007

Written Fall 2007. If I were grading this now - I'd take off points for using too long of quotes, repeating the word assimilation too much, and for citing the source after the period in one case. Guess I've come a long way. I remember thinking all the books I had access to on the subject were way too old... and I had to delete a sentence I no longer agreed with. Any thoughts on assimilation?

Assimilation

When in Rome, do as the Romans do, people say. If the situation is not so simple as a vacation or visit to a country, but a more permanent situation as in a lifelong stay, there are two options. One can seek to stay closely associated with one’s “homeland,” which may impede the sense of security and unity one could attain by embracing one’s new world, or one can assimilate. Assimilation is adaptation to a new culture. Individuals who find themselves living in a culture that is not their own should strive to become fully active members of their new culture for their benefit as much as others.

Relating to economics, assimilation holds many benefits.  Business people, especially those who choose to pursue higher ranks in the career world, must learn to communicate their intentions clearly and provide their company’s services in a non-offensive way. What may be permissible gestures and speech in one context may be unacceptable in another. Author Craig Storti puts it this way: “We have to adjust or get used to behavior on the part of the local people which annoys, confuses, or otherwise unsettles us; and we have to adjust our own behavior so that it does not annoy, confuse, or otherwise unsettle the local people.” (Storti 15)

The learning that takes place is mostly firsthand and through observance, and therefore nothing that could be learned from just written material. “A child may, on first sight, be able to identify a tiger from a picture, but he cannot learn from the picture whether to pat the tiger on the head or climb a tree. The immigrant is in much the same predicament with reference to many things in our life…he must come to know it first-hand before he learns how to conduct himself.” (Americans in the Making, 87) For example, in one culture, before even borrowing a stapler from a fellow co-worker’s office, one must first ask how the family is and if the little one’s birthday went well, etc. In contrast, countries where quantity of production is the bottom line, this chit-chat may be taken as a waste of time. When such mannerisms are heeded, the employee is seen as respectful and productive, increasing the probability of advancement.

Another benefit to the economy is the newly assimilated workers who may bring new skills. “By bringing new workers into the economy, immigration allows existing U.S. capitol, land, and technology to be used more efficiently.” (Hanson)

Assimilation brings social benefits. One such way is that assimilation allows one to feel unity with the new land. In the Christian Bible the topic of displaced people brings forth the concept that a new land brings new experiences for personal growth and life enrichment. While the book of Hebrews in chapter eleven speaks of people looking for a heavenly country, the same principle applies in earth’s context. “And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth. People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own.” (Hebrews 11:13b-14)

When a family moves they are likely to tell you that they were looking for a better life, more opportunities both for jobs and education, and sometimes just a new cultural enlightenment.

“If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. Instead, they were longing for a better country.” (Hebrews 11:15-16) If they were still longing for the “Old Country” in a very strong manner, they could not function, much less prosper, in the country in which they now reside. While it’s natural for people to desire to fit into their new society, it isn’t easy, (Storti i-xiv) yet perseverance in assimilating builds a strong sense of unity. We work hard for the things we want most.

Assimilation can better the community socially. “It is the immigrants who have maintained in this country their simple village religious and mutual aid organizations who have been most able to withstand the shock of the new environment.” (Americans in the Making 83)

When people support worthy programs, and seek to play an active role within their community, they generally are looked upon as representing the views of many, and being part of the whole.

In addition, assimilation provides educational benefits. One advantage educationally is that assimilation can broaden one's thoughts. Assimilation can bring forth “Knowledge, attitudes, and skills which presumably lead to a better educated citizenry and ultimately to improved international relations and global understanding.” (Students Abroad 57)

Also, assimilation can strengthen one's identity and advance one personally. On the scale of temporary visits it is noted that people are set free to view, whether to criticize, or hold high, their normal ways and beliefs in a new light. (Students Abroad 92) This new perspective is essential for strengthening convictions about what is right and wrong, which is the basis for everything we do. To put it another way, Storti writes, adaptation: “helps to keep our trials in perspective and not take them too seriously…Some of our trials are new, the result of our changed environment and circumstances, and may require original solutions. But many others are simply old trials turning up in new places.” The result of controlled and supported assimilation is personal confidence and a new skill for being able to relate to people who are different with ease. (Students Abroad 93)

Because of the benefits of assimilation for the community as a whole and the individuals as well, new members of a society should assimilate into their surrounding culture. So when in Rome, do as the Romans do.

GGFG used in school papers

January 2008

This was definitely for a class... probably speech class, where I met Makenly Bennett, and we endured the old, deaf, South African "pastor" who was an absolute nut... So, how many hits does your blog / website get? We topped off at 150 hits a day for GGFG last year. Would love to get back to that with the new site!

This past October Yahoo’s network of websites was estimated as having over 3.4 million hits a day. A hit registers anytime a user arrives at a page of a website. A few large personal websites discussing very controversial issues or extremely popular topics may receive as many as 100,000 hits a day. As a small personal website, my own website, Godly Girls For God, has about 30,000 hits a year, or roughly 85 a day. Still, literally millions of personal sites obtain less than 3 hits within their first month, and so are usually abandoned.  In order to get a personal website notice, it’s necessary to list with directories and engines, keep a professional tone, and offer just enough features to keep guests coming back without overwhelming them.

First of all, you can list with directories and search engines. One widely used directory is Dmoz. If you submit a sufficient amount of info you should see your link added within a couple days. Also, sites that host personal websites, such as Freewebs, often have their own directory, so it would be wise to check your host and get listed if possible; that is an easy way to connect with other like-minded people. Then you will need to set your key words and phrases to match commonly run searches for your type of site. For example, I experimented and found I received many hits from people searching the words, “devotionals for girls” “inspiring stories” and “godly girls”. So I added those to my list of key words  to be associated with my website. When I registered with search engines such as Google, I used this list of key words to ensure my website was among the top results for these searches.

Who names a play that poorly?

I wanted to go to hear a reading for theater class on a Tuesday night; I believe it was a WWII play or something. But for whatever reason, my parents picked to take me on a Thursday night. I objected loudly even at the title, and it was absolutely terrible... and lo and behold, who did I see there? Dave and Whitney!
 

Hillary Beth Miller

Theater 101

Nancy Halverson

12-1-2008

(527 words)

Bastard Dynasty

The reading of Bastard Dynasty represented a play in which the acting did not move the plot along properly. The constant conflictive style, the ineffective humor, and the unclear message were brought about by the way the characters were portrayed. Although the play had some potential in delivering a not often heard message, many elements in the acting prevented this from taking place.
     First, this play consisted of one argument after another, from the beginning and all the way through. These arguments would start with Ben (the grandfather), and mostly go between Billy (the son) and Ben for quite a length, before Temple (the grandson) would speak up. Just when one argument was over, another was started, with very little if any dialogue in between. Some compression would have been beneficial to carrying the plot forward; the audience has grasped the point made by the arguing quite early into the first act, yet it is continued exactly in the following acts. This circular pattern could get very frustrating to the audience; had the tone changed at some point, perhaps all of this would have been worth the back-and-forth. Instead, the tone remained constant with very few surprises. Had the actors changed their voices’ harshness here and there, this would not have been such a hardship to endure listening to.
      Another aspect that interfered with the play was the use of humor. The jokes told were overly contrite. Some jokes, being more familiar to, and therefore naturally more funny to, the older generation, made a few people laugh, but it wasn’t a universally laughable kind of joke. Instead of providing a catharsis, the humor in this play gave an awkward sense to the audience, and while there was the occasional chuckle, it felt more like a requirement than a laugh of true enjoyment or release. The actors could have delivered some of these lines differently (assuming the director would allow so) and they would have been much funnier, evoking a proper release from the tension built by the arguing family onstage.
     In addition, the message was not conveyed strongly enough. From watching the play, one might derive that the message was about family disputes, or about generational relations, or something similar, but just watching did not give one anything to take away and apply. The actors, well into their time period by their 18^th century accents and postures, seemed a little too distant to relate to the audience before them.  They failed to draw in the audience to their world, or at least show them some universal truth. There is not much pertinence as it is currently delivered.
     The acting in Bastard Dynasty interfered with moving the plot along in the unchanging tones, in the outdated humor, and the distance that kept the message from being conveyed to the audience. Variation in the tone would have kept the audience’s attention better, some changes to the jokes would have brought about the needed catharsis once in a while, and spanning the distance to relate to the modern audience would have helped in the celebration of the message better.