Write 300-350 words (minimum) on one of the following:
- Story from childhood (at least two sources)
- Perception of others (at least two sources)
- Faults (at least two sources)
- Past and current relationships (at least two sources)
- Physical description
- Living space
- Personal object
Due Thursday (9/20) before the start of class.
Standing 6 foot 2 in one corner is punk-rock musician and sponsored skateboarder Caleb Kaiser. He has worn hands that are tattooed with scars fresh and new. These hands the ones that play bass guitar upside down and support him as he falls down from performing tricks are as much representation of the man as is his crooked smile. He lingers around the coffee stand holding in one hand a fresh cup of pumpkin spice loaded with as much creamer and sugar the 12 ounce cup can possibly hold and in the other hand a beaten up board with the graphics torn apart. "This board is two weeks old; I don't get a lot of use out of them, even though i use them to their breaking point". The words sprayed on his right arm sprout the words, 'Stay gold', which is a reference to one of his many favorite books by author S.E. Hinton. As he smiles and blushes away at his dissatisfaction for preserving material objects, Caleb lets out a chuckle. In his green eyes hidden by the motion of a grin, Caleb wipes his face on his shirt, rubbing off the day’s dirt and debris he peers his head from under the awing to check if it is raining. "I don't really consider myself either a skateboarder or a musician; it was never really about what i was giving up as much as it was what i gained from everything i do". Following Caleb down a set of stairs he darts in between traffic without looking either way. His lankiness works in his advantage, providing wider strides, always moving.
ReplyDelete(I’d like to start this profile piece with a diary entry, but I haven’t found one that I like enough.)
ReplyDeleteThe door slams and in she stomps; she is always seen before she is heard. We roll our eyes at the dining room table as our night was just given a shove into dysfunctional. She huffs her way in like a bat out of hell and starts the rapid-fire questioning. Her Brooklyn Jewish accent is not nasal at all, rather, a husky, demanding tenor. We just stare, not even bothering to answer. Standing five feet, six inches off the ground, her salt-and-pepper hair and wrinkles make her look beyond her not even 60 years. Often clad in a clunky sweater, leggings and boots, her style reeks of the glory days. She wasn’t always this high-strung, not that I would know. I guess time and stress made her this way. Eccentric isn’t the word. Caricature-like. Something out of a sitcom, too dramatic and magnified to be real. But she was real. She was real, is real, and is my mother. It seems strange, taking a step back and looking at her like a real person, but she is. We’ve all forgotten that. Through all she’s done and continues to do, through all the fights and the seething words thrown across a moldy, one-bedroom apartment, I somehow forgot that she was her own person. This is my tribute to that person, whoever she is. I must admit, I use so much energy despising my mother, I barely have any left to know her. -Suzy Berkowitz
At first glance, Richard De Gaetano looks like a member of Hell’s Angels or some fierce motorcycle group. His handle bar mustache resembles that of Paulie Senior’s, the chopper builder from the reality show “American Choppers.” The piercing he gave his left ear in the 80’s is still present and holds a small, gold hooped earring. Whatever hair is left, Richard keeps in a small, neat ponytail, giving himself the illusion of an 80’s rock star. His curly, blond and luscious hair that once sat on top of his head during his teen years has been replaced with a large, distinct scar down the middle of his skull. The scars are older than his oldest daughter: 27 years the marks have commanded the skin on top of his head. His blue eyes bulge out of his large head, but dark sunglasses usually rest over his nose and cover them. Leaving his home or work without a pair of glasses can determine how comfortable his day will be. Without them, he is surely to get an unwanted headache, which he considers a nuisance anyway. To those who don’t know Richard, they may be a little frightened to approach him under the impression that he is a tough guy. His large frame and muscular arms might intimidate people, but if that doesn’t, his firm serious grin will. When asked why he looks angry, Richard says one of the following, “I just look this way,” or “Because I was born mad.” In reality, he is a softy at heart and enjoys chatting with people. Richard is a people person by nature. He smiles at and greets everyone he passes, especially at work, where he says he has the least amount of face time with people. He reminisces his earlier days at the cafeteria located inside a Times Square Post Office, where he knew everyone by name and was able to have conversations with most of his customers, something he always held to be so valuable.
ReplyDeleteYouko Yamamoto is a poised and petit japanese woman. Her soft eyes show both confidence and kindness. Her thin black hair is pulled back and held neatly in place. She always seems to be planning ahead, like a chess player. She is constantly speed walking, but her steps are in perfect rhythm so as not to upset her customers.
ReplyDeleteGomen Kudesai is her restaurant, with an ironic japanese double meaning. She serves traditional japanese dishes and never strays from her passion for japanese culture. She is so strict to her culture that she refuses to stock American sodas or beer. Japanese ginger ale and Sapporo are two of the beverages found on the menu. To the side of the restaurant, japanese products sit on shelves, waiting to be bought. Pocky, melon chews, small wooden bowls and chopsticks are just some of the items that could be purchased.
Every night that her employees work, they receive a “family meal” where everyone sits down together and eats. She greets every customer that walks in the door with a grin that says, “welcome, please come in.” Yamamoto flits around her noodle shop like a small eager bird, asking how everyone’s meal is and making small talk whenever she can.
Small strangely unique sculptures decorate the walls. Her husband Kazuma, is a skilled sculptor who works with wood and metal. One of his works is a small copper dancing man with a blue painted shirt and a hat. He sticks out of the top of a box. Inside is a gear system that bounces him spastically up and down.
The art in Gomen Kudesai is constantly changing. At one point they had about twenty one different clocks on the walls. Each one had a different style and different colors. Youko let the artist display them in her shop and customers would purchase them.
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ReplyDeleteFor me personally as a senior in college and thinking of all my friends that are seniors now also, I had a lot of interest in how the transition from being a "kid" to an "adult",would affect me upon my graduation in May. I mean how much does it suck going right from having an amazing time in college, right to having a career? Whether it's something you love to do or not, how is leaving college fun? It is almost a predetermined thing for most people, you go to elementary school, middle school, high school, college, job for the rest of your life. How are you suppose to definitely pick and be absolutely sure of what you want to be in your sophomore year in college and hope it's the right thing for you, for the rest of your life?
ReplyDeleteInstead of waking up every morning, twenty minutes before the start of his first class, throwing on a pair of sweat pants and T-Shirt , Sean Murphy is now waking up about an hour and a half before he goes to his job, that he just earned after graduating from Siena College. Instead of getting to wear his comfortable normal attire to classes, such as sweats, a hoodie, T-Shirt, or shorts, he now has to dress up everyday in dress pants, dress shirt, tie, and suit jacket to look good and presentable to future clients. Sean is an insurance salesman for New York Life, located in New Windsor New York, about an hour and twenty minutes away from his party town up in Loudonville, New York. One can almost assume how much of a culture shock this must have been for him; going from a Thursday night, after a long week of grueling and tough classes, in his town house pre-gaming with his roommates and friends, then eventually heading out to a party; if him and his roommates weren't having one in their town house. Then after the party going to a local bar nearby having fun, dancing, drinking, and living the life of a normal college student. After closing down the bar him and his friends head off to get some food after a long and tiring night. All of a sudden after a quick four years he is now sitting at a desk making calls to future clients, setting up times to meet with them to talk about why they should buy his insurance, asking himself in his head; where did the time go and how did I get to this point in my life so quickly? From being on fire on the beer pong table and going undefeated on that Thursday night, that seems so long ago, he is now sitting at his desk on a Thursday afternoon, knowing that his week isn't over yet.
"It was sophomore year, it was probably the best college party I've been to, it was pretty reckless, people were putting holes in the wall and everyone was being absolutely crazy, it's something I'll never forget." It was a cool fall and still evening outside, but Sean's rugby team had just won their first match of the year and inside the town house was anything but still and quiet. After the game the captains had a party at their town house where over one hundred people were packed in it. It was the first time Sean had met his future girlfriend, Teresa, were they would spend most of the night dancing together. The sight was about 25 Irish rugby players singing and dancing along to the popular songs at the time, while holding their drinks in the air, yelling gibberish and huddling around hugging and dancing with each other as if they had just won a national championship.
With his mind in a frenzy because it's unbelievable to him that he is at this stage in his life, when it seems like yesterday his mom and dad were dropping him off at his dorm room. With his mother looking upset after her second little boy was heading off for college, while his dad looked on with amazement how his son grew up so fast; Sean looked like he was ready for this, while inside feeling a little nervous and anticipated to have his parents leave to start life on his own.
Büth recalled one of his first memories of speaking English. On a family vacation to London when he was only 11 he was given a crossword book. Finding himself without a pencil he looked around and spotted a nearby shop. His parents asked if they should get the pencil for him, but he shook his head and walked off, feigning confidence and mastery of the language he was about to speak. Up until this point the only English speaking he had done was in his primary school English class. He had learned quite a bit, a fair amount of vocabulary and could even boast to speaking a few sentences to his classmates. But this was different. As he walked towards the register to ask to buy the pencil the desk seemed to grow in size with every step. He tilted his head back further and further to look up into the shopkeepers eyes and said with as much confidence as he could muster, “Can I have a pencil please?” Büth, so exuberant at his success in speaking English to the shopkeeper, exhaled with relief. He had done it! Now the only problem was that the shopkeeper was talking to him. What were these words he was saying? It was too fast. Was that an amount? Did he just ask for money? He scrambled in his pockets for his spare change and handed the shopkeep a handful of bills and coins. To this day he doesn’t know if he was given the correct change or even what he paid for that pencil, all he knows is that from that point on he was sold. This new language was interesting, and he had actually spoken it to a native speaker and would even live to tell the tale. As he walked out of the shop holding his pencil tight to his chest as if it was his trophy he beamed to himself and thought, “what’s next?”
ReplyDeleteTayo Oni is a nineteen-year-old college student at SUNY New Paltz. Her name itself fully Olutayo, says a lot about her culture and gives you an insight into the unique experiences she has had only about a quarter way through her life, that most people would dream of. Tayo was born in one of the hearts of America, New York City, and although she still currently resides there when not at school, she is no statue and has traveled and lived in other countries around the world.
ReplyDeleteTayo has been on planes multiple times, and for a girl who went on her first plane at the age of twenty, this seems like a dream come true. Tayo lived in Nigeria until the age of 7 when she came back to America. Her dad currently still lives in Nigeria, allowing Tayo to go back and visit the place she spent 6 years of her childhood. Being around her family and visiting, allows her to stay connected to her Nigerian Culture, something that is also unique as most individuals lose a sense of where they came form once coming to America.
What also makes Tayo stand out due to the things she has experienced is that her mother also does not live in America, but in Middlesex London. Both parents being away can be tough on any child, but Tayo gets to experience living and learning about three different cultures as she often makes trips to London as well.
Having family based in multiple countries and continents can easily give a person the travel bug. Not only does she connect and travel to the places her parents are, but Tayo has also been to France. Traveling gives her a chance to sit back, relax and enjoy the show as she gets an insight into different cultures around the world.
“I love travelling but I hate being on airplanes. I just love the feeling of getting to be like completely relaxed cause I travel alone and don't have to worry about you know dealing with people i know,” is Tayo’s view on her traveling experiences.
To most people under the age of twenty opportunities like that are only things they can imagine, and don’t see it as reality. For Tayo, this is the way of life she has always known and continues to as she gets older and time moves on.
Eight pairs of shoes line the floor of the closet. In the back there’s a pair of silver and blue Puma track shoes. Scattered are three different sets of Adidas sneakers. Each holding nearly indistinguishable qualities; a white one inch rubber outsole lift on the bottoms, a mostly smooth but sometimes spongy suede outside, similar patterns in the stitching, the Adidas symbol proudly displayed on the heels. There are also three pairs of dress shoes. Two black sets. One of which shines when exposed to light, is of the French Canadian, Aldo brand. It’s still got some luster, especially next to his Italian made, Mercanti Fiorentini brown leather pair, whose bottom heel has been mostly eroded in the back, the dark brown façade chipped away revealing a layer that’s less slick, and more jagged. There’s a shoe for every occasion.
ReplyDeleteSmaller than any of the shoes, is an iron, placed between the Pumas and a pair of Adidas. Most students don’t need to perm press clothes, but when in your closet you have sixteen button up, collared, dress shirts, it would be silly not to.
Four shirts are plain white. Another four are a variation of deep reds, purples, and pinks, many with stripes, and one with a plaid design. Three more are shades of blue, one with lines, another with plaid, and a last one with vaguely nautical art and sailor symbols. The rest are a mix of yellows, greens, and blacks.
The far end of the closet is home to three suit jackets. There’s one winter coat. It’s waterproof, but is light height and flimsy. When it gets into the colder fall and winter months, the coat is probably supplemented with the scarves that hang on the hook opposite.
The top shelf bears three fedora-like hats.
Sitting in a chair at the island in the kitchen, Jeremy Thompson seems to be in a relaxed state of mind but his fidgeting and texting with his iPhone and his eyes darting back and forth from “Keeping Up With The Kardashians” on TV to me, tell me otherwise. His farmer tanned arms, from working with his father all summer, cross in front of him as he leans back in the chair. He adjusts his camouflage Under Armor hat, scratching his tussled light brown hair that matches his eyes and his “Kevin Thompson Excavating” t-shirt, his father's company, which compliments his worn out denim jeans. He left his black Nike sneakers at the door, like a gentleman. A big smile that touches his rose colored cheeks comes to his face when we start talking. I ask him about his room, and he begins to tell me that he lives with his mother. "I'm still living in 9th grade," he laughs talking about living with his mother and as he describes his never changing bedroom. His walls wear posters dating from 2001 of all sports action including motocross and skateboarding but most importantly, snowboarding. Thompson's trophies and medals add a bronze, silver and golden shine to his almost neon colored room. A Yankees baseball flag with Derek Jeter's name hangs on his wall, even though Thompson admits he doesn't like baseball anymore. The only adult content Jeremy has in his room is his collection of hunting guns. The accent of the shotguns and rifles in his 9th grade room humor Thompson as he mentions he has some painting and redecorating to do, which he jokes saying he will not do it.
ReplyDeleteThe first time Chucho went to the US he turned 12 years old and went to sea world. He was baffled when everyone went inside for the whale show and left their strollers and bags outside. When he came back everything was still there. “You cannot do that here in Mexico…If you leave something where it’s not supposed to be it’s lost and that’s it.” That was the first time Chucho discovered other realities than his own. “When you grow up you think that’s the way things are,” but Chucho’s curiosity quickly showed him that things in Mexico aren’t the way they should be.
ReplyDeleteHe pauses with a smile on his face. “Did you know that when people get to a parking lot in Germany they park in the last spot so that those that are late get the first spots?” His expression is warmly bewildered. He shakes his head as if he himself doesn’t believe what he just told me. The more Chucho talks the more you start to feel his fascination with humanity.
When Chucho was little his mother would tell him about kids in Africa that would die from hunger and like any four or five year old he’d ask the question why. In Chucho’s mind it didn’t make sense. “Why would kids that had no guilt and no responsibility whatsoever be dying from hunger when I have food?” Granted, Chucho was no ordinary child and his mother drilled that into his head. He took an IQ test when he was little and got a 153. Anything over 140 is said to be genius. “Yea I really feel like a genius,” he rolls his eyes and laughs a little when he tells me. He goes on to explain to me that IQ tests are irrelevant and cover such a limited part of a child’s psyche etc. I’m secretly impressed.
When his mom found about his “Genius” potential she pushed Chucho not to set boundaries for himself. He felt the responsibility to use his “gift.” At that point all he wanted to be was a pro skater.
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ReplyDeleteA crescent shaped scar arching under his left eye, a convex semi-circle of dark flesh, the product of reconstructive surgery to remedy a shattered orbital, is the only outward indication that Matthew Mueller challenged a subway train to a fight two years ago. The train, who met Mueller on the tracks of the Houson street redline, is no worse for the wear. Past the scar, Mueller is all smiles -- although they mostly slither across his face in the form of skeptical smirks and are accompanied by a challenging flash of his hazel eyes. He is a naturally born cynic, which his cautious, dynamically self-reflecting speech and mannerisms betrays; he prefaces potential buzzwords with “so-called” and “quote-unquote”, and holds up an index finger as if calling a time-out, before bringing it to his lips contemplatively, even as they curl up at the corners like someone who has found a puzzle worth their time. A fan of cosmicly themed graphic Ts, trendy snapbacks, and flashy Nike sneakers, the 22 year old black studies major of linebacker build totes an impressive array of necklaces ranging from Mardi Gras beads to self-crafted mandalas of PLACEHOLDER origin.
ReplyDeleteAs you make your way up the hill to Murphy’s Pub & Restaurant on a Tuesday night, there is no shortage of chaos in sight to soak in. A fog of constant cigarette smoke creeps down to the abyss of main street, as glass beer bottles fall off the wooden fence that holds in the large sea of SUNY New Paltz students. The bouncers are positioned aside the fence, and at the peak of the hill, which allows them to tower over those seeking entry into the bar in the most intimidating manner. Looking down from Murphy’s you will see an array of freshmen anxiously studying their fake ID’s preparing for the test that will determine the fate of their night’s fun. The bouncers stand up high on their invisible pedestals, sizing up their next victims as they approach their station of scrutiny. The freshmen crumble under the inspection of the bouncer’s laser eyes gazing back and forth between their face and ID like a bobble head on a dashboard. The bouncer shows the ID to his fellow bouncer, and they share a laugh in unison at the legitimacy or lack thereof of the ID. The shared inside joke between the bouncers is followed by a question of their choice, “What’s your birthday?” “Tell me your zip code” and the real killer, “What’s your zodiac sign?” A single hesitation or failure to perfectly recite the answer results in immediate rejection, and walk down the hill deprived of your dignity.
ReplyDeleteHis wild energy and confident manner exudes from his charming smile that has the ability to light up an entire town. His pearly white teeth are even more noticeable due to his naturally-tanned Russian-heritaged skin and the way that his buzzed cut hair lays so low against his scalp, gives him a look like he is already preparing for the Police Academy. He stands 5’11” with a muscular build although his stance does not give off a threatening energy because looking at his well-put-together face gives you the idea that Dylan Wood is a good-hearted charismatic individual. His eyebrows are defined and make an upside down “v” when he’s smiling and when he laughs his unmistakable wild laugh, his eyebrows push far up into his forehead as his eyes widen and his jaw drops low. The sound of his signature laugh is a rather high-pitched “ha ha” with the second “ha” even higher than the first and is mostly heard when he is laughing confidently at his own humorous jokes.
ReplyDeleteThe tone of Dylan’s voice is always confident. He is more than aware that he “is a good-looking dude” and has no problem flirting with any girl that comes his way nor talking to everyone and anyone. He will have no problem expressing what is on his mind and it doesn’t matter to him if your feelings are hurt or not. When he has something to say, he says it because he “speaks the truth”. This is a characteristic that will help him with his career as a police officer. His way of communicating is blunt and perfectly straight-forward, ideal for a getting a point across.