Memoirs - Course 3 - Week 4

Write roughly a page (200-300 words) of narrative that’s meant to be read aloud. It can be about absolutely anything, any true-life scene from your experience that may (or may not) be included in a final memoir or essay you write, but it should be confined to one specific scene. Use onomatopoeia, alliteration, repetition, rhythmic effects, made-up words or names, dialect - any kind of sound-effect you like - but NOT rhyme or meter. Prior to submitting, have the scene read aloud to you by someone else.

Do not steal for the owner.

I really want to talk about this. I got my first internship. The boss, my direct boss, was Ambrosio. Ambrosio warned me of everything, everything. I loved the guy. Rest in peace. COVID took him.

Ambrosio told me about a company where he worked. Called Ramirez group. An automotive manufacturer company.

Small hardware stores went to Grupo Ramirez and made proposals of being a provider. The hardware store would give credit and would give gloves, boots, hammers, etc. All needed it for the factory workers and the working line. The purchasing department boss, when a new provider offered something, used to say “yes” at the moment. Small business owners felt amazing; they had a giant client that required 100 pairs of boots, 100 hammers, etc.

The trick is that this big company did not pay, and Mister Ricardo, boss of the purchasing department, liked to close deals with small business owners. Then the company wouldn’t pay, and the small business would go into bankruptcy. Piece of shit he was.

This practice was among all companies, if they fired you if you quit, etc. They were stealing from their peers and people with dreams, but they were still stealing for the boss. The utility went for the boss. All those savings were for the boss.

Mister Ricardo was then fired; he did not have any proper skills, and many people in the industry of procurement departments hated his guts. You know what happened, right?

For years, Mister Ricardo went to Ramirez group begging for money. They actually paid him all, like 80% of what they owed him, but it took him 5 years and constant lawsuits, supplicating them, and a lot of coming and going.

Memoirs -Course 3 - Week 3

For this assignment, I want you to write about safety. Most of the narrative - in total, 750 words or so - should focus on the first time you were aware of feeling afraid. Pay attention to the details as we've discussed throughout so far. The piece should conclude with a depiction of how you make yourself feel safe, again with consideration paid to the detail.

As I boarded the elevated subway in Monterrey, Mexico, I was on my way to high school. I typically took the connection between Line 1 and Line 2, usually around 10:30 AM. This time was ideal, as the peak hour had passed, and the heat wasn't as intense as it would be later in the day. My journey involved six stops before reaching my destination. After leaving the subway, I would wait for the school bus."

"The subway ride usually took about 12 minutes, with approximately 2 minutes per station. However, on this particular day, the atmosphere was different. Many of my classmates were openly discussing their atheism, boasting about how intellectually superior they were to those who believed in religious concepts like Jesus Christ. This was a common occurrence at my school, which was known for its English-language curriculum and selective admissions process. I had been awarded a scholarship to attend the school, having been chosen from among the less affluent students in the state."

"Returning to the main point, I was wearing a crucifix around my neck. This was a stark contrast to the attitudes of my classmates. While they dismissed religion, I openly displayed my faith. I believe that neither side was entirely correct."

"As I rode the subway, wearing my uniform and carrying my backpack, I was standing near the door in the middle of the car. I was only a few stops away from my destination when something extraordinary happened. I was 15 years old at the time. The train stopped at the Edison station, and as the doors closed, I experienced a sensation that I can't quite describe."

"It was like a severe case of sleep paralysis. I was frozen, terrified, and overwhelmed by a sense of evil. The feeling lasted for what seemed like an eternity, although it was probably only a few seconds. I was unable to move or speak. It was as if my body was paralyzed, and my mind was filled with fear."

"I know it sounds strange, but I felt a deep-seated knowledge within me—a sense of love, safety, and evil. In that moment, I understood what evil felt like. After the feeling subsided, I tried to figure out what had caused it. I looked around the subway car, searching for anyone who might have emitted such a negative energy. But everyone seemed normal, going about their day."

"I wasn't sure how to regain my sense of safety. I tried to rationalize the experience, asking myself questions like 'Where am I?' 'What am I doing?' 'Why am I doing this?' and 'Where am I going?' By focusing on these questions, I gradually began to feel more secure. If that hadn't worked, I would have disconnected my mind and body and become a human shell. It works sometimes. It is a coping mechanism.

Memoirs - Course 3 - week 2

For this assignment, you will actually write four short pieces. In each, you should consider what you want to write about, then set a timer for exactly three minutes and begin. When the timer goes off, finish your sentence and stop, even if the overall thought is incomplete. Then repeat for the next topic. You will submit all four pieces at once, unedited. Then you should write a short reflection piece - 250 words or so - discussing how you thought about each item. For example, was one more difficult than the rest? Easier? Why?

The topics are:

1. A memory of breakfast - today's or any other

2. A quarrel with someone you care about

3. An item of clothing you loved

4. A major community event that you didn't attend

A memory of breakfast - today's or any other 

My family and I were at a very nice restaurant in the richest part of our state. We were having an amazing breakfast. I really like to take Mom, Mayra, and the baby to these fancy places. It is something that I really enjoy on my own and to take my family out of the ordinary.

Mom asked for some chilaquiles, Mayra the same, and I for some Benedict eggs. The baby was on his bad behavior as always, but he needs to get used to being taken to different restaurants. As it is something that is going to happen throughout his life.

This was the last time I took them there. While the food and service were good, it seems that my family does not feel so comfortable in this type of breakfast place. The place was all in black and wood, it had oil paintings, and the waiters were all wearing a formal uniform.

A quarrel with someone you care about

Talking regarding my dad. My dream about getting rich. Silly dreams. Right? He is always in this divergent position. Where he wants to teach me to generate money and be a better leader but is afraid to make bad mistakes.

He is afraid that I ended up doing money laundering or any type of white-collar crime. I reply to him: “Do you think that I am dumb enough to steal a convenience store?”

“No, but I am afraid that you will sell land that is not yours and make a Ponzi scheme.

On my interior, I felt very proud. Dad at least sees me as able to be a maniac white-collar criminal. It means that he trusts in me to be a creative man.

An item of clothing you loved

I really love my new shorts. I had worked so hard to be able to buy this type of clothing. I went to a very expensive store in Mexico. In this store, they sell Ralph Lauren, the Ralph Lauren brand. The original and expensive one. The shorts were 100 bucks each. I bought two of them.

I know that I need to invest in my image because I go to the office, and my peers and managers are that kind of snobby people.

I am able to buy this type of stuff. As a teen mom, I was unable to do anything, and my dad and his depression were a landmark on my life.

A major community event that you didn't attend

On my country, the music based on accordion is something very special. There was a man called Celso Piña. He was known worldwide as the master of the accordion. He unfortunately died very young. He did not take care of his health and came from a very common place. Poverty and domestic violence. While he was actually a good guy, he did not have the proper skills or perspective to take care of himself.

After his death, the whole state made a free massive concert in memory of the fallen hero, the poor and complicated who reached the highest level of success. The event was amazing. But depression and anxiety at that moment of my life stopped me from attending such an amazing event.

After I got married, I understood that I cannot let my beautiful wife be affected by my own sadness. I need to provide her with a great life experience, so now, even against my own laziness or controversial feelings, I stand up and enjoy the most of life. And you know what?

I am a lot happier now.

Reflection

Each item was difficult to write. Talking about my own life and talking about my parents it is difficult. I mix a lot the need of therapy with the feeling of writing. I am not sure where the line starts or where the line stops. While I wrote the four scenarios, I saw how depression and insecurities have overcome my own existence many times, also I am really happy now and how my life has changed. Desi toxication, being away of my parents, trying to be a better dad and husband to my wife. 

A main realization and my own message are several steps. 1 Being able to recognize an inherit hurt or ache. This part is difficult. 2 Realize that it is possible change. 3 Make the actual change. Putting on the awkward position to be free of those terrible chains

Memoirs - course 3 - week 1

 Over two pages or so, write about a meaningful mistake that you made. Provide the setting and provide the information necessary to understand the process in which you were involved. When you are finished describing how you made the mistake, write about why you made it. Draw on at least one or two of the nouns you came up with earlier in this module as you think about your story.

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During my studies at university, I constantly worked on electric circuits and electronic boards. My bachelor’s degree is in mechatronics, which is the union of mechanics, electronics, and software development. It was the last days of the semester, and everybody knows what that means: it is time to deliver the projects that will determine a passing or failing grade. In my eighth semester, I was taking the most famous and difficult subject, robotics architecture.

There is a me before and after this specific subject. Children become real engineers. The project consisted of providing a fully articulated robot arm with four degrees of freedom. The project required a team of students to design the mechanical arm, then develop the electronic circuits, and finally create the software development. The robot’s main tasks were twofold. First, it had to move the arm on the x, y, and z axes, also known as direct kinematics. Second, it had to reach a specified position in space, requiring inverse kinematics calculations to determine how to move the arm. For this, the arm needed to know its own dimensions.

The project involved not only physically moving the arm but also simulating it through SolidWorks and MATLAB. This made it a truly difficult and challenging project because of the careful motor selection required.

Servo motors were forbidden; the professor insisted on using direct current motors. He was a terrible teacher. Everything went wrong with this project: logistics, administration, design, and everything else.

I asked my dad to lend us the credit card. We spent almost a thousand dollars on materials. The rest of the team repaid me, and I returned the money to my mom. My team was awful. My friend Angel designed the robot, and I had to purchase the parts. My dad bought materials. My friend Ruben developed the code for the robot. I spent all day trying to make sense of it all. I should have bought a book and fought against the teacher’s bad decisions.

The robot could not perform inverse kinematics because we were using encoders with the motors, which was almost impossible to manage. We didn’t know how to correct the direct current motors with encoders.

My heart aches knowing how terribly I failed this subject. I felt completely alone. I saw everything going wrong. I should have focused from the beginning on the mechanical design of the robot and learning new things at Home Depot and hardware stores. Instead, I put everyone through a terrible experience.

Memoirs - Course 2 - Week 4

 Think of a mission statement for your essay or memoir. That is, what is the overall argument you want to make or the question your want to pose? Now write a page or so (say, 400-500 words) exploring that idea, explaining what you learned over the course of the events you are going to be describing in your piece, and what you think this experience means or says about life and/or the specific topic you are contemplating. In the final, full-length version of your story, you may of course be subtle about this, but for this exercise be entirely direct. In straightforward language, simply try to articulate for yourself what it is you are getting at, what you mean to say.

You did not need to lose your own peace to make a point.

In this personal essay, I am going to explain how I was affected by the rush, by adrenaline. Being young and dumb, or immature, is something familiar to everyone. It is part of life and part of finding a path to follow on this strange thing called life.

But what is not a part of common development is being mad. I remember being constantly annoyed, angry. Everything was an explosion to me. The desire to be annoyed, awaiting a reason for a disclaimer, a reason to be violent. Too many bad and odd feelings. In this essay, I will talk about how God, life, and friends have changed this mindset of mine. How from the desire for imprudence and my own doubts has emerged an inner peace.

I am glad you are here next to me because it tells me that we might have similar issues. The need to be the strongest of all, the fact that help means weakness, that crying is a burden. That our women need us, our children need us, our parents need us, our teachers, our society, our nation, everybody needs us. At least a tiny bit.

To be honest, nobody needs you. The only person who needs something from you is you.

Through the following pages, I am going to present myself, my virtues, but especially my sorrows. The night that a friend of mine changed my perspective on life. The day I woke up as happy as only my dreams could reach, and the nights that life has provided to me, the challenges of saying goodbye to a father, to a mother.

The shame, the rejections, and the terrible feeling of betrayal that have consumed my soul. How with a change of my own perspective and a change in the perspectives of life, I have started to see my past self as an alien, as the terrible result of not feeling loved and isolated.

While I would like to tell you that it was my conscious working for me to be in a good state, to be true it was my deepest wishes that my unconscious and soul were working to gather them. 

We are going to see my early childhood, my teens, and my twenties, now I am about to turn 30 years old. I am eager for this new chapter in life. I am going to receive 30 as a great and loved number, because I am a life, and I am healthy. 

Memoirs - course 2 - week 3

 Select a simple and very short anecdote that you can tell in a single paragraph—I might tell the story of losing my luggage on a recent trip, for instance. Now write it up four different ways: make the first version funny or lighthearted; the second yearning and nostalgic; the third gloomy and dark; and the fourth angry and prickling. You are telling the same story in all four paragraphs, but you will select language that colors the tone of the story, and the emotional impact conveyed by the voice of the narrator.

First scenario And then I was about to kiss her. I had just confessed my love to her, and she gave me a look. She loved me back. In that exact moment on the night of Monday at the Park we were hugging each other and were face to face. When Cynthia did not stop calling me. Mayra told me to answer her. “Cynthia what is happening?” “Matias just got Robbed” She replied to me. I turn my head to the side and then got back to Mayra: “Matias just got rob!” and Mayra replied in the smartest way possible. “Wait here I am going to look for him”. Matias, my friend, was my partner in crime and helped me to gather courage and went to declare myself to Myara. Matias did not have cash and went to a nearby ATM walking while Mayra and talking, so I was there seating expecting Matias and Mayra to get back while I oversaw our backpacks from school.

Second scenario Ten years had already happend from that delighfull night with my now wife. The moment I confess my love for her. I was at third semester of college. She was working to help support her mom. After classes I was with my very best friend, Angel Matias. I was watching him talking with Cynthia. Matias falled in love of Cynthia from the very first time he saw her. i was at the same situation. i was deeply in love of Mayra. I asked Matias if he would partner with me at the adventure of going to Mayra house and tell her I want to be with her. We went to a park in the city of Santa Catarina. i saw Mayra there, waiting for me. I was so happy and eager to confess my love. matias told me he need it some cash and was going to search for an ATM.

Third scenario Cynthia was just telling me. "Matias got robbed". i was so afraid. how was it possible I left him all alone? While I was with a girl. My friend. My brother in crime. He was just looking for an ATM nearby. I am going to never forget myself how Matias got robbed while he was just trying to help me.

Four scenario Cynthia was calling and calling. This girl always get in my nerves. Mayra was hugging me and was feeling how my phone was ringing and ringing. She got mad also and said to me: "answer the phone, might be important". It was just Cynthia. Annoyed I answer the phone: "Cynthia I am busy". She then via the phone yells at me: "Matias got robbed". Oh f. Matias always does the same. i asked him no to go far away. We did not have a dime to spare, but at least we were safe being at a public park with Mayra and familires around us. "

Memoirs - Course 2 - Week 3 - Exercise 2

 Write a embarassment moment of your life. Do the writting in the first persona but described as in the third person description. As some one else watching

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"Today is the day. Besides, we are on winter vacation. I know Natali is going to be there at school. I am going to give a gesture of my feelings for her." How dumb I was back there. Without a plan or an objective, but I remember how the heartbeat was so fast, and I was so happy to make something nice for her.

Natali, a few months back, had just lost her dad, and being 16 was already difficult enough. She was crying one Saturday at poetry club, and seeing her like that gave me a new perspective of her.

The months went by, and last semester of high school was a dream come true. We were preparing ourselves to make a little bit more. Dad did not have a job, and mom was able to provide some. I gathered some bus money and was able to do so. I was going to give her a dozen red flowers to her.

I was at the laboratory. That Thursday, Natali went to high school. I had a dozen flowers already. I went out of the lab and followed her, and I gave her the flowers. She asked, "What for?" My greatest imagination was only able to respond, "Just because."

My friends have made fun of that for the past 12 years.