Oo...GG

Everyone always has that crazy great grandma who gives you the funniest stories to tell your friends. So I am sure you know where I am going with this...I have the great grandma of all great grandma's, but we just call her GG. This lady can be so intimidating, one of my first crazy memories of GG was when my cousin and I had been visiting her at her home, and my cousin said a cuss word, and the fact that she was only 6 years old and using cuss words really made GG mad when she heard it. However I hadn’t realized that GG had entered the room and heard my cousin say this word until I turned around to see my GG hitting my cousin in the back of the neck with her cane.

In GG’s older years she has really become senile, GG has had 3 birds who have all died, and which all were given the name Mickey by my GG. Our family makes the joke that the name is cursed. One afternoon GG was over at my grandmother’s home, and my grandmother has a bird named Joey. While sitting at the dinner table I proceeded to watch GG look at Joey and say “Joey, I called you Mickey for a week and you liked it.” It took all I had not to laugh and pray that Joey wouldn’t soon die. Later that night I saw that GG was having a slice of cake before dinner, and since this is something I know that I would get in trouble for doing, I asked GG why she was having dessert before dinner, and she replied, “Im on a hunger strike, I only eat enough to get me through the day.” Once again I held back tears of joy, I didn’t understand why if she were striking against hunger she would stop eating, it was completely contradictory.

The next summer I went down to visit my grandmother, the stories seemed to get funnier. My aunt, GG’s daughter, had taken GG to look at an Old Folks Home that my aunt wanted her to live in. At their arrival at the home my GG had taken one look at the people sitting outside the place and said, “they look like Jackasses” Since GG did not want to be taken to a home she made up the only excuse which she found applicable at the moment. A few days later GG was over at my grandmother’s house and my sister and I were watching a TV show called “What not to wear” as we were watching it, out of the blue, GG says “ That girl looks like a jackass” This time I don’t think either my sister or I could hold back our laughter, she was so crazy, there was clearly no reason for GG to be calling this lady a Jackass, and so we found it hilarious.

This weekend when my grandmother came to visit she filled me in on the latest GG stories. GG had apparently overdosed on some medicine the hospital had given her and so she started hallucinating, which meant that at 4 in the morning she was calling numbers off of the front of the phone book and telling the people that there was a midget and a tall person in her apartment trying to murder her, and that there was a man in her bed. The cops showed up and found GG wandering in the parking lot, hiding from these people who did not even exist. It’s sad to say but my GG is definitely losing it, at least I know I will have some great stories to tell about her.

Weekend of Generations

This weekend was parents weekend, as you all know, at Virginia Tech. For me this meant that my mom and her mom, my grandmother, were coming down. My younger sister had homecoming the same weekend and so my dad stayed up with her. I was excited to see my mom but most excited to see my grandmother, who I usually only saw about once or twice a year. This past July, my second grandfather passed away and since then I have seen my grandmother twice, including parents weekend, which makes this year a total of 4 times that I have seen her.

This is quite unusual for the average year.
Ever since I was a little girl I would spend each summer visiting my grandparents at the beach and then either we would visit again for Thanksgiving or Spring Break. So I feel as if my grandfather's passing has brought my grandmother closer to the family. Which is something I definitely enjoy. Though it was hard losing my grandfather, I am an optimist and so I saw it as a chance to get to know my grandmother better and to get closer to her. I went and visited my grandmother 2 weeks after my grandfather had died, and I had already started to notice some changes, for the better.

My best friend, Jessie, and I were going down to Myrtle as a kick off to the summer and also to spend time with Grammy. I was nervous bringing Jessie there since I remembered every summer when my family visited my grandparents they would get annoyed of us easily and always yelled at us, I was afriad this would happen while Jessie was there which would put a damper on the whole vacation. Luckily, there was only once when Grammy asked for us to do something and she was totally cool about it, the entire time Grammy didn't complain or yell at us. I was surprised and a little taken a back.

However, this made me realize that it was never Grammy that was so upset about us leaving lights on in the rooms when we left or having our toys all over the place, it was Poppy, my grandfather, and since he was always stressed about it he would yell at my grandmother who would then yell at us. I also felt like she was also a little relaxed more now as well. I really started to enjoy my grandmother's company instead of worrying about her yelling at us.

So this weekend I was very excited, I had never just spent time with my grandmother, mother and I. I really realized how much alike my mom and grandmother were and how I was quite different, but had similarties with both of them. My favorite part of the whole weekend, besides the fact that I actually felt tall for once considering that my grandmother is 4'9 and my mother 4'11, was when we went and took a picture together. Now the three of us all have a picture of 3 generations, I know that when I get older I will look back at this picture and think how cool it was, and remember this special day. I also hope that one day I will be able to take a picture of Grammy, my mom, I and a future daughter of mine, where there are 4 generations.

Swine Flu Extravaganza

On Friday, I met up with my best friend, Jessie, for lunch just like we do four days out of every week, just to be greeted with a not to happy look. When I asked her what was wrong she told me she wasn’t feeling well. So just like I do when anyone else tells me they’re not feeling well I assume it’s just some beginning phases of a cold and nothing too serious to worry about.

Later that night Jessie and I went and met up with some friends, went to Squires to shoot some pool and had a good time. I could tell Jessie wasn’t feeling well or being herself and I even got annoyed at the fact that she didn’t want to chill more after pool. However, I got over my selfishness and realized it was probably best for her to get some rest and so we called it a night.

Saturday afternoon I awoke, realized I had slept for a long time, and the checked my phone just to see that Jessie had not texted me, which I thought was weird because by this time on most Saturdays she would be lunch or figure out plans for the day. So naturally, I called her and she picked up with a sad voice, apparently I had woke her up, which again was abnormal for Jessie to sleep in so late. She told me she wasn’t feeling well and I asked if she wanted anything to eat. I then stopped by Deet’s on my way to her dorm and grabbed us some breakfast and Jessie some hot tea.

When I walked into Jessie’s dorm I could tell there was seriously something wrong with her. We ate our breakfast as she explained to me how she was feeling. I asked her if she thought it could be Swine, both of us laughed at the idea, until she searched the Swine Flu symptoms and told me she had all but one. This was the first moment in which I began to take her being sick seriously. Then she told me that when she was in the shower she put the water temperature as high as it could go and she still had goose bumps. This really frightened me, then we found out that she Schiffert Health Center closes at 12 on Saturdays and is not open on Sundays. I felt Jessie’s head and a rush of panic came over me, I could tell just by the touch of my hand she had a fever.

This began the search, I had Jessie on her lap top looking for nearby doctor’s offices or urgent care centers while I was on the phone with her mom describing what was going on. Her mom wanted me to talk to her R.A. and find out if she knew of a place. I ran down the hall to find out her R.A. was in Cali. I came back and Jessie told me she found a place online, I called them and they told me they were a hospital. I then called back Jessie’s mom and she asked me to see if there was another R.A. I ran to the room of the second R.A. on Jessie’s floor and read her white board, saying “In Richmond for the weekend.” This infuriated me how could the only two R.A.’s on this floor both be gone, what if someone were to get hurt. I called again, Jessie’s mom and she was just as upset so she told me to find another R.A. and that she was going to all some friends in Blacksburg she knew. Jessie still had not found a place closer than 43 minutes away and she said she really didn’t want to go that far.

I than ran downstairs to find the hall office, when I couldn’t find it I asked someone who just so happened to be an R.A., I told him what was going on and he called VT Rescue, the ambulance service. I talked to them on the phone and they told me if they were to come they were going to take her to the hospital. In my quick decision making, I decided that taking Jessie should go to the hospital, I wasn’t going to have my best friend suffer all weekend just because the doctor’s office wasn’t open.

I returned to the room told Jessie not to panic but she was going to the hospital. I got on the phone and called both of her parents to let them know. While in the mean time I got a nasty text from Jessie’s boy friend wanting to know what was going on and why hadn’t I told him. I told him not to worry and that she was going to be fine that I just didn’t want her to go without seeing someone. The VT Rescue help showed up and took Jessie’s temperature which was a 101 and also told me she had a high blood pressure of 160. I responded with take her to the hospital. I then took my first ride in an ambulance as a non patient and texted more people at one time then I had in my life. Everyone was worried and wanted updates of what was going on. When we got to the hospital they made me wait in the waiting room for a good while, they then allowed me to come back in the room with her.

The nurse asked me to call her mom and find out what medicine it was that Jessie was allergic to, this surprised me I never knew this about my best friend. When I called her mom she told me Jessie wasn’t allergic to any medicine. I told Jessie she wasn’t allergic to anything and she said “O that nurse is gonna be mad at me, I told her I was allergic to a medicine that started with a “D.” I looked at her puzzled and asked if they had given her any medicine that would justify for her acting so strangely. She told me no and then said when the lady asked me if I had Tuberculosis I said Yes. I replied with “what” Jessie had never had Tuberculosis. I guess it was the fever, but either way Jessie was not in her right mind, so I had to set the doctors straight.

After a couple hours and some testing they came back to say Jessie most definitely has Influenza and that they were pretty sure she had the Swine Flu. It was crazy to think just a few hours ago we were laughing at the thought. The nurse then warned me that I might get it. So far I’m good and I know that if I am to come down with the Swine Flu that Jessie will be there to take care of me, just as I have for her.

Better Than Handmade

The Saint Vacant shoe advertisement which is labeled “Better Than Handmade,” features a picture of two feet working on a shoe with the clever slogan, “Better Than Handmade.” This advertisement does a great job of being straight forward, clever, and humorous. The main purpose of this ad, getting people to buy their shoe, is constructed well. People pay attention to eye catching and humorous statements and so these factors alone make one want to go out and purchase the shoe.

The feet hard at work making the shoe emphasizes that this type of shoe is specifically made to fit your feet, because “it is your feet which are making the shoe.” The expression “Better Than Handmade” fits very well, people love handmade items and so the fact that these shoes are “better than handmade” was a great choice of slogan made by the shoe company, and also that they are made by your feet, and so giving the assumption that they shoes are designed perfectly for your own feet.

There is definitely an emotional argument being used here as it draws on the humor of the intended audience. Here the audience can be anyone, but the specific group the ad is targeting is men, which is noticeable by the tools and the garage/basement setting. As well as the actual shoe being displayed, which is a men’s style. As one flips through the paper or magazine the ad is very eye catching, as one does not usually see feet working on a pair of shoes as a societal norm. So the ad immediately draws the audience’s attention by the visual. Even without reading the slogan one could get the point of the ad just by looking at it, which is another important part of advertisement; simple and straight forward.

Another key factor with the “handmade” or rather “footmade” idea one gains a sense of trust, as one does when he/she hears something is handmade, there is something special about a product that has been handmade. He/she trusts that the person took special care in making the product versus mass producing it and so the as does a great job of creating that trust as well.

The background of the picture also does a lot to persuade the audience that the shoe company is hard working as there are tools, a fan, and the light on, meaning its night and the person has been hard at work if they need a fan on them. Also the picture makes one feel as if they are experienced in their shoe making abilities, they have the right tools, a designed place to work, and a very specific shoe making stand in which the shoe is propped up on. All around, the ad does a very good job of getting across their point and achieving their purpose. After seeing this ad it most definitely makes one want to go out and buy a pair of these shoes.

Big Families

When I think of family, I think of a large group of people who are all connected by blood and marriage, and who are all close to each other, love, laugh and support each other. For me, I have loved having a large family. I have three siblings, who I am very close to. Thought two of my siblings are half, because my older sister and brother came from a different mother than my younger sister and I, I do not say that they are, because to me they aren’t only half there, or only half love me, they are my whole siblings.
I treat all my siblings the same and that is because my parents taught us too, they never treated us differently, we were all equal. I was as close to my older sister as any other younger sister to an older sister, if not closer. My older sister and brother came to our house every other weekend, due to custody. However, when my sister was there and I was just a baby, she was the one who would wake up in the middle of the night and carry me around when I cried. She was so excited when she learned that my mother was pregnant, and knew that she could not wait until she have a younger sister to take care of. The bond between my older sister, Candice, and I has always been crazy strong ever since.
When I was a young child I grew to become inseparable from Candice. She used to tell me how annoying it was sometimes when she had to sneak out of the house if she wanted to play with her friends, because if I saw her leaving I would want to go with her. It was also very hard for me to understand the concept when my sister and brother had to leave after only being there a few days, every other weekend. Again, my sister, brother and dad would all have to sneak out of the house to take them home. My mom told me a story of how one time when I was young, they had all snuck out of the house to take them back to their mom’s house, and when I realized that my sister wasn’t around I went and checked behind the couch for my older sister, which was the spot she had always hid in when we played hide-and-go-seek.
Eventually I learned to understand that this is how things were, and so I started going with my dad to drop off my older sister and brother. I had a ritual cry after we dropped them off and I would watch out the back window of our blue mini-van until I could no longer see their house. My dad would then stop by the local convenient store and he would let me get candy, however he made me promise not to tell my mom. My dad felt bad that I was so upset and so he would always let me get whatever candy I wanted and since my mom did not usually let me eat candy it was a very special treat that I always looked forward too.
These moments and long trips back from dropping off my older siblings were what started me and my father’s relationship. However me and my dad did not start to get to close until I my later years when I started to grow into my own person, which just so happened to be a female microcosm of my dad. We loved sports, and loved to be as crazy as possible. I also inherited my dad’s prankster reputation. Every Sunday and Monday nights it was us in front of the TV, watching football. My dad said there was no reason for him to yell at the TV anymore because I had taken that over. My dad was also my softball coach and together we won two championships and then afterwards we would go in our basement and rock out to “We Are the Champions” by Queen. I would share stories of the pranks I played on people at my school and he would share stories of the pranks he used to play in his younger years.
When I was three my younger sister, April, was born. The first time I saw her was when she was in the hospital my mom said that when my dad had brought me in I looked at my mom holding my baby sister and asked “Where is she?” my mom responded with “Right here.” Apparently I thought she was going to be a lot bigger. My grandmother described my relationship to my younger sister, at this age, as one to a pet. One time I called my grandmother up and asked her if she wanted to come pet the new baby. My relationship to my sister did not change much. We did not get along ever, I hated the fact that she stole away my attention, which made me constantly fight for the attention in the oddest ways. We fought like no other, and I loved that I could intimidate her, well that was until she grew to be taller than me.
Last year was the first year April and I grew to be close. I found her hanging out in my room a lot more and me not having the urge to kick her out. She was a freshmen in high school and I a senior. So she came to me for advice a lot, she had many of the same teachers I had once had, she thanked me later for the reputation I left her. I helped her with boys and friends, and so when it came time to drop me off at Virginia Tech I found her goodbye the hardest. I did not want to leave her. I realized then that I had never once really been without her, though we fought so much, she was always there if I ever wanted someone to talk to or play with.
There are many other special bonds I share with each member of my family, which is why I love having one. I always know that I have a lot of people at home who all know me well, care for me, and will do anything for me. I love knowing that, and so I plan on having myself a big family when I get older so that my kids get to experience this same feeling.