Memoir of a 5 year old

The Big Accident

       As luck would have it, I have been home alone with just my oldest brother and my dad. My brother who has a mini apartment in the garage goes out there to do whatever it is 16 year old boys do and my father has fallen asleep on the couch while waiting for my mom and brothers to bring home dinner. With so many older people in my house, I have never been really left alone to get into my own trouble as I am usually always left in the care of someone who is enjoying telling me what to do. So for me to be hiding in the kitchen with a bag of chocolate chips, I am excited at the idea of having them all to myself. With a house full of 5 other people besides myself, I am never left alone long enough to really get into trouble. I am the youngest of 4 and the only girl so I am constantly the one being blamed for things to minimize the outcome for my older brothers.   

     Today, however, I am alone looking through the cupboards at our home for something sweet as my mom didn’t really buy a lot of them. I finally find a bag of chocolate chips that my mom had on hand for cookies. I excitedly look around for something to open them with. I cannot find scissors and at my age, am not strong enough to get the bag open myself. I spot on the counter our set of knives and even though I have told a hundred times not to play with knives, I remember none of those conversations at that moment. I climb up on the counter and retrieve a serrated knife which my mom still has to this day. I grab the knife and while holding the back with my right hand shove the knife through the bag, as the knife tears open the bag it also slides down and rips through my finger.

  

 I am in total shock and for a minute or two just stare at my hand as the blood begins to pour down it. I then somehow find my way to the bathroom and try to rinse the blood away. As the blood continues to gush out, my mom comes home and just stares at me in shock as I stare back at her in fear. She screams for my dad to wake up and manages to simultaneously yell at him while putting pressure on my hand to stop the bleeding. After about 10 minutes, they decide they have to drive me to the nearest hospital for help. As they drive towards Starke, FL which is about 15 minutes away from where we live, I remember sitting in the backseat of our car wondering if they would punish me when we got home. 

            When we arrive at the ER, I remember spending about 10 minutes arguing with my dad because I did not want to ride in a wheelchair into the hospital! They rushed me right back into a large room and after 5 different types of bandages, they manage to get the bleeding under control. They schedule me surgery as I have cut a nerve and artery in my finger and fear that not repairing the artery as soon as possible may lead to more uncontrollable bleeding. I remember hiding under the sheet as they wheeling me around the hospital towards the operating room and only wanting my mom. As they took me back to surgery prep, all I could do was hide and hope they would just leave me alone. A really nice nurse came to talk to me while they took me to the operating room and I remember seeing about 10 people in the room which was sterile and white. They put the mask on me and told me to count to 10, I remember getting to 3 and from that moment on everything is blank until I am getting ready to go home. They were able to repair the artery but the nerve was not repairable so while I only have partial feeling, I go home with a large cast on my arm and a follow-up visit in a week. 

     My mom gives me a lecture on the way home about knives which believe me was understandable but not needed. The lesson I  learned through-out this whole ordeal that sometimes it is better to ask an adult for something than to try and use something that I have been told not to use. I did not try to use a sharp knife again until I was much older and wiser.

New Food in Town

        

       When we first drove up to the parking lot at the Cheesecake Factory, it was packed and you could see people standing outside waiting for a table. When we got inside, the first thing that hit me was the noise level, it was busy and filled with friends, families and couples laughing and eating. There was music playing just loud enough to be enjoyed but did quiet enough to where you could hold a normal conversation without having to yell. The décor was modern and upscale. The wait staff was dressed in business casual clothing of black and white. The smell of freshly baked bread was unmistakable and I immediately began to feel hungry. We were given the option to eat either outside or inside and we chose to be seated outside. The wait was supposed to be 30 minutes but we was pleasantly surprised that we were called in about 15 minutes and taken to one of their 2 outdoor patios. It was typical gorgeous but sunny New Mexican day outside but immediately noticed a large bamboo shade that kept the sun out and kept the patio at the perfect temperature.  There were a variety of people outside dining but what caught my attention is that there were no small children out there only groups of friends and couples which was a nice getaway from our normal home life of two children.

     The tables outside looked like very expensive outdoor furniture with overstuffed padding which made it cozy to sit on. The tables were a dark brown and large enough to easily sit 6 people comfortably. The napkins were white and soft to the touch and the water were drinking was ice cold and fresh. The menu was large enough that you could appease any appetite but was well organized and descriptive that you knew what you were getting with no surprises. The only disappointment of the afternoon came as we were ordering our food and they were out of the Club sand-which that I was craving. The service was apologetic about not having my sandwich and once my order was placed, the food was there before we knew it.

     I chose the Chicken Parmesan sandwich "which costs $13.95" (cheesecakefactory.com) with Marinara and a side Caesar salad as my alternative sandwich. The first bite of the sandwich was about 3 different flavors hitting my taste buds all at once.  The chicken was juicy and soft, the marinara sauce was warm and flavorful and the French bread roll has a crispy but an incredibly soft inside. The side salad tasted fresh and crisp, there was the right amount of cheese and Caesar dressing that all blended together to one of the best salads I had have.

     My husband Joe chose "the Chicken Madeira which costs $17.95" (cheesecakefactory.com) with Asparagus, mushrooms and red skinned mashed potatoes and when they came out, they did not disappoint. The portion size could have easily fed two adults and I loved the presentation. My husband stated that the food was amazing. He thought the chicken was mouth-watering and the grave they covered it with was warm and flavorful. The asapagus and mushrooms were the perfect consistency. He thought the red skined mash potatoes were good but he thought they were a little unflavorful compared to the rest of the dish, until he took a bite of chicken with the potato's together. His overall impression was "a great place for all to come and enjoy themselves with great food at a great price."

    

         For dessert, we chose the Salted Caramel cheesecake with a blond brownie crust. The blend of salted caramel, cookie crust, cheesecake and the whipped cream was a good blend of sweet and salty. The crust was more like a cookie which was a good combination to the sweetness of the cheesecake. Overall, I think that the Cheesecake Factory has lived up to the hype that it created when it was built here and I am excited to go there again.

Work Cited

http://www.thecheesecakefactory.com/

Macek, Joseph. Personal Interview. 8 March 2016

End DWI Now

Sarah Macek

February 27, 2016

Professor Ridgeway

ENDWI 

    

      This billboard has been put up to get the attention of people of all ages, those who are driving currently and those who will be driving in the future. The picture of the State policeman and will an authoritative statement is there to intimidate people and hopfullt remind people that the police are everywhere and not to drink and drive is not a hard concept to understand. This billboard was first put up as part of the ENDWI initiative started by Governor Martinez in New Mexico and as the New Mexico State Police Website states: "The ENDWI campaign is a cross-government effort involving NM State Police, the Department of Transportation, the Governor’s Office, and local and county police. I believe they chose to use a billboard message for this campaign because unlike TV and radio, it will be seen by everyone whether you are a driver or a passenger. Many people do not watch the local stations for tv or listen to local radio stations so a billobard is a sure fire way to make sure everyone in New Mexico sees the message. Who doesn't drive or ride in a vehicle and they have placed them strategicly by the interchange where everyone must use as it is the fastest way to get across town. It is a program which allows good drivers on New Mexico’s roads and highways too quickly and effectively report suspected DWI drivers through the use of a toll-free number, or cell phone convenience key." Ethos are used for the purpose of making you think because of the fact that every time you see it, you see a state trooper looking down at you. Police are some of the most respected and sometimes intimidating people we have in authority over us. They put themselves in dangerous situations for the good of the community and because of that, putting a picture of them on the billboard reminds people that DWI is breaking the law.  They are a prominent part of the community and a symbol of justice and the right thing. They are the backbone of the ENDWI campaign and seeing them on the billboard reminds you who you will have to deal with if you get caught.  The author usese the same officer from the video on the billboard as well, with the hope that when you see this billboard, you will remember him from the commercial and trigger the pathos of the officer informing that wife that her husband is now gone.     

                   

   

 Another thing that I see when I look at this billboard is the author using pathos when it come to what the term DWI really means. It means drinking and driving, it means getting arrested, going to jail, hurting or killing another human being. There is a lot of emotion tied into this billboard. The thought of killing someone else because of my poor decision is something that sticks with you the rest of your life. In Albuquerque in November 2015.

Police say Jaramillo was driving while “extremely intoxicated at the time of the crash which is a contributing factor to the crash.”All three of those people were killed. They have been identified as Roberto Mendez, 27, Sergio Mendez-Aguirre, 23, and Grace Sinfield, 20." He will be booked on three counts of vehicular homicide, aggravated DWI, and red light violation.”

      This is what comes to mind when you see that or any of the ENDWI billboards.  Lives ending for everyone involved. Could you live with yourself knowing that you killing innocent people? 

The author of this billboard uses Logos by putting it into a question form "what part of ENDWI don't you understand" to show that there is more to a DWI then just getting into trouble. They hope to make you think of all  the repercussions can be far more devastating to others. The center for disease control states: “Every day, almost 30 people in the United States die in motor vehicle crashes that involve an alcohol-impaired driver. Thankfully, there are effective measures that can help prevent injuries and deaths from alcohol-impaired driving.”

This graph shows that  billboards like these are helping the ENDWI campaign continue in making a difference as DWI arrests continue to decline. People are thinking before they get behind the wheel and taking accountability for not only their lives but also the lives of others. This billboard is making a difference for the lives of so many, showing people that they do have the power to make a difference and help save others in their community. This billboard helps to put fear into the people seeing it because no one wants to be arrested by the man in this picture. He will show no mercy and you will either end up in jail and/or have your car seized in the process.  This billboard will help people to stop and understand that while there may not be an officer in the area and you think that you are getting away with driving while intoxicated that you never know who is in the care next to you. They may be on their phone right now, calling law enforcement to put an end to your drinking and driving.

One of the last things that the author wants us to see when you look at this billboard is the hope that people will start making the correct choices when it come to responsible drinking. The author wants us to now only see that you will get caught but it is also a hope that instead of drinking and driving, you will make the decision to stay where you are and not drive, to call a cab or safe ride, or that someone else will stop you and offer you a ride. There are consequences to every action and it is the realization that you do not have to get behind the wheel and hope that you make it home and that there are other options out there for you when it comes to drinking. There are safe options so that your involvment will the ENDWI initiative will be a positive one and you will not have to face the officer on the billboard.

Work Cited

·       ENDDWI CAMPAIGN , Albuquerque, New Mexico 2011  http://www.endwi.com

·       http://www.madd.org Albuquerque, New Mexico 2015

·       Krqe News 13  Albuqueruqe, NewMexico  www.krqe.com Published: November 29, 2015, 7:28 am

·       Center for Disease control Atlanta, Georgia http://www.cdc.gov/MotorVehicleSafety/Impaired_Driving/impaired-drv_factsheet.html  November 24, 2015

·       New Mexico State Police Albuquerque, New Mexico 2011 http://www.nmsp.dps.state.nm.us/index.php/endwi/