Blog #2: Utopia and Dystopia

"U·to·pi·a

noun /yo͞oˈtōpēə/ 
Utopias, plural

An imagined place or state of things in which everything is perfect. The word was first used in the book Utopia (1516) by Sir Thomas More"- Google.com

"dys·to·pi·a

noun /disˈtōpēə/ 
dystopias, plural

An imagined place or state in which everything is unpleasant or bad, typically a totalitarian or environmentally degraded one" - Google.com

     In all honesty i had never heard of these two words in my life so at first it was difficult for me to understand. I continued to read and research these words passed just definition.  In a way Utopia and Dystopia to me are two words that are used to describe or paint a picture of how your life will be depending on your actions. In another way the state of Utopia or Dystopia depends on individuals. What might be perfect to one person might be unpleasant to another. Example people who belief in Christianity believe in Heaven which is their utopia and Hell which is their dystopia. Christians belief that if you do not belief in Jesus do not admit your guilty when you sin and do not ask for forgiveness you will not make it to Heaven their utopia. In Heaven as they say everything is perfect nobody is sick old or sad. Their with their Heavenly father resting their soul in peace. But if you do not belief in Jesus and your a sinner who does not repent and asks for forgiveness your going to hell. In hell your soul will be tortured for eternity it will never be at peace, you'll never feel joy just sorrow. That same example can be individualistic example people who are atheist belief that their is no God. They do not belief that when people die they go to a better place (heaven) or to hell to them simply death is death. Nothing will happen to you after you die they feel no sympathy. The terms Utopia and Dystopia mean nothing. In my opinion everyone is entitled to their own opinion on Utopia and Dystopia because we all clearly don't feel the same way about everything in life.

Blog #1 autobiographical

November 29, 1994 Tupac Shakur was shoot five times and miraculously survived. While he was being rushed to the hospital I was born. My mom told me the story about how when she found out she was pregnant of me she wasn’t planning on having me. See she had already three kids before me and was only 24. She told me she was laying on the hospital bed ready waiting for her abortion to take place until a nurse came in and spoke. She asked my mother why is she doing this and told her she shouldn’t that I could be the little girl she always as good for the best child out of 4. I never met this nurse but I wish I had because thanks to her I am here where I am now because somehow she got my mother to change her mind and keep me. My life was soon going to be over before my first breathe but I was saved by miracle. I am the youngest out of four since after my mother gave birth she tied her tubes she was serious about the no baby thing this time. I have two brothers and one sister, the nurse lady in a way was right though because out of 4 I was the only one to graduate from high school. It sometimes shock people but from where I’m from it’s pretty much expected. When a child comes from a place where their teacher’s friend’s neighbors and even their own family expect them to fail they start to believe it themselves and fail. I’ve seen middle school honor students turn in to criminal charged with 5 to 10 years in prison. I’ve had a couple friends not be able to make it to their 21^st birthday yet alone high school graduation yea it sucks but we still have to go on. That’s what thing about life and time it doesn’t wait on anybody to catch up. In a way it’s hard but it another I thank it because it’s what has me here in school and it guided me towards my major psychology/counseling. I want to be able to go back and help children that go through things just like I did and I want to be able to guide them and tell them there are better things out there then where you’re from.  Tell them that the hood shouldn’t hold you back that should never be an excuse instead it should make them hungry for better. Hopefully one day I can. I just started college so hope and determination is all I can really have. When I was struggling in high school to be able to graduate on time hope and determination was all I had. I manage to find a afterschool program that helped me catch up quicker because the credits earned depended on my ability on how quick I could do work. But like I was determined I was in that after school program everyday day didn’t matter if there was a snowstorm outside I was in there working I was determined to graduate on June 2012. When graduation day came that was the first time I noticed I worked hard and it paid off. When my name was called and tears of joy were coming down my family members faces as I walked on stage my heart smiled I felt satisfied with myself.  It was like when a mother carries a child for nine months and even on the day she’s giving birth she complaining about all the pain but when she sees her child all the pain vanishes for that moment because she is too happy her heart smiled. That just makes me think of my own mother all the pain she went through to have me and all the struggles she went through and is still going through to raise me but when she sees me getting ready to go to school or work she tells me I’m so proud of you. I know she’s not thinking of the struggles and sacrifice and that time because at that particular time her heart is smiling.

-         Jessica Valdez