Hw - 18 Health & Illness Feasting

This year's family thanksgiving was more festive than it was in it's previous years. Maybe it was because of the family member who was new to hosting. In the home that the Thanksgiving holiday was not held in the traditional way where everyone sits at the table and say grace just before we eat. It was loud music, loud talking, children playing video games, and eating as much food as you like moving in and out of the kitchen. The vibe of constant movement provided more of a lively feel that made everyone feel comfortable. It was a party. At first we weren't sure about how this Thanksgiving would go because of how different it was, it almost foreign even with close family members by your side, but like all natural human beings, we adapt to our new surroundings.

The food that was provided this year was like most of the previous years where each family cooks and brings food to the party and it's up to you to decide what you want eat even though most of my family persuade you in eating what they brought even if you don't want it. Most of the food that is brought to the Thanksgiving, the food I only enjoy would be the food my mom cooked only because I trust what my mom cooks. Each year is like that. I don't know why I do that, and its not because some of the other food taste bad, but its that I just don't feel comfortable eating other people's home cooked meals.

During the festivities, most of the elderly that had join in on the party stayed seated and were cared to by the adults such as getting the food and drinks and how/who they were going home with. They sat in the most comfortable chair, and each and every grand child was introduced and said there hello's to them. The adults made sure we hugged and kissed the grandmothers' and shakes the hands of the grandfather's like if they were not getting enough love by now. Like in my previous blog, this huge association with the sick and dying and the elderly go hand and hand with making sure that the sick and dying are cared for the most because it is something needed.

Hw - 17 Initial Thoughts on Illness and Dying

My initial thought about illness and dying happen to be nothing at the moment because personally I don't know anyone personal who died or is ill. Experience is the best teacher, and I have no experience with both of these topics but I know that eventually everyone will suffer from one of these topics. So how do I cope with this then? I avoid it. I avoid it as much as possible because of the known sadness is brings to people. I've been taught to see illness and dying as being concerned and aware. I should be concerned for those who are ill and aware of the dying and deceased to be respectful. Being concerned and providing care seems to go hand and hand to be a good solution to aid people who are in need of help. That is another thing our culture has attended too. The association with help and caring for the ill and dying. We have this sense of giving back to those in dire need by providing them with "help" in what worries them most. As messed up as it sounds, another thought I had about illness and dying were the elderly people in our culture. We treat them with a different kind of respect because of this category of illness and dying they fall into. For example, my grandmother is in her 70's now, so I treat her completely different then how I would treat my younger sister who is 13. When my grandmother needs help with anything, I give her my immediate attention making sure she gets what she needs and because she is elderly I make it sort of my job to make sure she gets what she wanted. As for my sister, when she asks for anything, I give her the run around, or I just don't do it. And that's not because I don't love her, but because she is capable, and is not nearly as close to being elderly. What does this even mean then? Is it the fact that I am associating sick and dying with elderly people as a problem, or is it just appropriate to do so? To treat those who are going to meet their end, with ultimate kindness. Is there more than just associating help and kindness with illness and dying? Or is there more illness and dying could be implying?

I've also come to notice that after the passing of someone, there is a period of grief and then coming of moving on. Our culture tends to do this because we accept the lost we have encountered, and we try to make the best out of it. Basically saying, the gain in something we loose. I can't say from experience that I have lost someone dearly and gained a new benefit from it. But I can say something that is relevant to this; When I had lost my iPod there was a period of time that I missed listening to music on bus, later on I figured instead of just sitting on the bus now with no music, read or finish homework which the end result was getting better grades in school. I now own a Zune player. It's interesting now that I see it, I replaced what I had before after "that period of grief and then moving on" which is another thing our culture does. We replace what is missed, for instance a pet that has passed, many people will adopt a new one to cope with their feelings.

Hw - 12 Final Project 2

Thesis: The dominant practices in our society are large corporations contributing to knightmarish atrocities that are held in secracy furthermore affecting the population.

Supporting Claim: The Food industry has become one of the many reasons why our population is suffering in health.

Evidence: The huge recall in meat products in nations history that was infected with E Coli.
"25 million pounds of ground beef was consumed after 35 millions pounds ground beef was recalled."- Food Inc.
Evidence: The cost in health care spending due to America's obesity.
"$147 billion every year to treat obesity. It costs another $116 billion each year to treat diabetes,and hundreds of billions more to treat cardiovascular disease and many types of cancer."(http://abcnews.go.com/Health/Healthday/story?id=8184975&page=1)
Evidence: The government shielding the public eye from certain meat products.
"Agribusiness interest lobbied the CA state to keep labels off meat that came from cloned animals and they're excuse for doing that was ["it would create unnecessary fright."] - Food Inc.

Supporting Claim:

*TO BE CONTINUED