Blog 4= Computers and Communication

From generation to generation the way people communicate changes tremendously. My grandparents use to always write letters, or even make personal visits that were sometimes lengthy trips for the day. My parents depended on the telephone. Today, I depend on the internet for communication. It is interesting to see this vast change in the means of communication overtime.
About a couple times a month, my dad will always ask me to look online to find something for him. Sometimes this could be annoying, but more so I find it interesting how the internet is not what is familiar to him. He wasn’t raised on the internet. Its weird how through the invention of technology, like phones and computers, make such a drastic change in the way people communicate.
Today, my siblings and my friends we use instant messaging to chat with friends, and e-mail. Just today I was thinking about all of my e-mails from teachers at school. I was just amazed. I wonder how professors use to contact their students when computers and the internet didn’t exist. I love being able to contact whom ever I want right at my fingertips. Through college I have taken advantage of this quite a bit.
I do wish though those computers weren’t so influential in people’s lifestyles. I wish I had what my grandparents had. For example, to just walk a mile to visit someone and talk would be ideal for me. Also, my sisters all they do is sit on the Internet. I don’t like this because they abuse the advantages of having computers. If it weren’t for Myspace they would be lost.
It’s interesting to see how with the introduction of technology, customs of the means of peoples communication changes. It’s weird how some means of communication would be favorable for me that was of generations years ago.

Blog 3 = Making a Big Deal

Do you ever wonder if what is bothering you most is important, or should be talked about? Do you ever think, I shouldn’t even bother with this because it will only make things worse in a relationship? Constantly, I get this feeling towards my boyfriend. I am always upset or bothered by little occurrences that are just assumptions. I hate having to bring them up because I don’t want him to get frustrated and sick of my complaining. I know that nothing would come between us, but then why do I always get these feelings? I could tell my best friends in the whole world how mad I am at him, but that doesn’t change the feeling in my stomach. The only way that feeling goes away is if I tell him. Good now that feeling has escaped and I am not stressed out, but then I just see this disappointed look on his face. I always get the same reaction. The poor guy is always telling me to not make a big deal about the small stuff, but it is so hard because it ruins everything else in my life because I am in a very bad mood.
Through the course of this year I have mainly experienced this. I have learnt that this is a key part to language. One of the hardest things for me to do is to communicate my feelings and that is crucial in being open, and having a good language in the relationship. Also, I have learnt that speaking clearly and using a language that both people of the relationship respect will save one from having these little occurrences of annoyance. The more and more I think about the things that bother me and disappoint me about him, the more I think about how language is an important factor. Tone is a key part in knowing whether he is happy or not, and this has helped me fight through the little annoyances and forget about telling him of them. As I think about language my relationship with my boyfriend improves.

Blog 2= Speaking a Different Language

Having seven brothers and sisters it could get a little hectic at the house. I am the second oldest so there are a lot of younger ones. My older sister goes to Illinois State University and I commute to DePaul so it is nice to be able to have my room all to myself while she is at school. However, she is home this semester because she is going to Germany at the end of February and can’t start a new semester at ISU. As she gets ready for school, yes as early as January, I have learnt a little bit about language.

My sister is going to Germany as a requirement for majoring in German Education. She wants to become a German teacher. The more I think about it the more I am amazed by the whole situation. I can’t believe that she is going to be living in a foreign country for three months, and on top of it speaking a foreign language everyday. This just astonishes me. I took four years of German in high school and I understood it very well, but I was never really passionate about it. It had its difficulties, and I wonder to myself that must be difficult to teach high school students a foreign language. I never really was affected by it though. However, now my sister will be speaking German all the time. It will be like a second language to her. It is unbelievable how someone can learn a totally different language and then teach it. I always thought of language as the words one said growing up. The language that was normal, everyone else was speaking. It’s more than that though.

As I watch my sister prepare to get a better understanding of the German language with real life experience, I realize just how unique culture really is. It will be very interesting to learn about the culture of a different country from my sister’s perspective. I hope to even get a chance to visit her in Germany. I wonder what it will be like in July when she gets home. My little, four year old brother will probably be bilingual because she will always be speaking German. I think that is wonderful that someone has the opportunity to speak a different language.

Blog 1= Communication

Communication has played a role in people’s everyday lives since they were born. Parents would talk to their newborn, and the newborn would just sit there. However, it felt like a long conversation because the parent didn’t expect a reply. Sometimes a giggle was the only expectation of the parent. Soon the child was able to talk and it was a milestone. Although, as the child gets older the parent wishes that he or she didn’t talk. As people grow up the importance of language and speaking clearly becomes more serious. As adults look to work it is necessary for them to have good communication skills.
When applying for a job communication is crucial when it comes to being interviewed. One’s future boss is mainly looking at the way one carries oneself. When discussion is poor, or even their etiquette the boss is distracted by the traits the qualify one for the job. Yet he sees a huge disadvantage to one’s communication skills. Communication skills are closely looked upon when hiring people.
Comfortable and open is what bosses wish upon their employees. They want their employees to communicate when ever there is an issue. Bosses won’t see all activity going on in the workplace that is why they look for people with good communication skills. Bosses want to know if someone is stealing, if someone is cheating, if inappropriate behavior is taking place, and of issues interfering with work. With a lack of communication the business isn’t functioning at its full potential.
Through one’s life communication plays a crucial role. When growing up parents rely on their child communicating with them, throughout the teenage years friends look for communication amongst one another, and businesses turn to communication when hiring people. Language is crucial in one’s everyday life, and it is interesting that it changes who it affects most overtime.

First Post for English

Hi my name is Amy. I am a commuter to DePaul University. Friends and family are really important to me and I like being at home. I have seven brothers and sisters. So far college is awesome. Last semester I went three days a week and now I only go two days a week.