Memoir Essay Example

Madden’s Family Restaurant
(1146)
It was the beginning of my junior year of high school and I had a job interview scheduled for the first Tuesday in September at a daycare.  However, as a spur of the moment decision, I walked into Madden’s Family Restaurant on Monday to pick up an application.  They offered me an interview for that Friday.  I expected to be a hostess, but when Friday came, they handed me a menu and a list of the restaurant’s policies, and told me to return in one week to be quizzed to become a waitress.  One week later, I was hired and I began waitressing after a week of training.  My job was to greet and seat customers, and wait on them for drinks, meals, and desserts.  Beyond just waiting on people, I also had side work to complete every night to keep the restaurant clean and stocked for the next day.  I hoped that through this job I would learn time management, as well as people skills, and of course the money was helpful in paying for the car I just bought a few months earlier.  I think people underestimate what it takes to be a waitress.  I would come home and share stories with my family and my sister would always say she did not know how I did it.  Although at times I wanted to quit, I can not think of a better first job.

When I was younger, I used to go to Madden’s Family Restaurant for my birthday.  I always got the chicken fingers, waffle fries, and the kitchen sink ice cream sundae.  It was weird for me at first to work there and see what happened beyond the dinning room area.  After walking through two old doors, customers were met by a Christmas tree, which turned into a Valentine’s tree, followed by a Saint Patrick’s tree, and so on.  Mrs. Madden loved the tree and it brought up many interesting discussions with customers.  The top of the walls were lined with baskets and there were always seasonal decorations that gave off the feeling of being in one’s own home.  On weekend mornings, I would walk in and be greeted by the smell of coffee and the breakfast buffet.  I could never figure out what Maddens smelled like because there was no other smell like it.  I would come home and say my clothes and hands smelled like Maddens, which I guess could have been a combination of soap and food.  Sometimes, people in the section closest to the bathroom would ask to move because of the nauseating smell, which occasionally even filled the restaurant and was followed by Mrs. Madden spraying too much Lysol, making the smell even worse.  The restaurant was always crazy and noisy on weekend mornings, but other times were hit or miss.  There would be times where it was just the noise of the employees goofing off because it was a slow night or kids running around on Thursday’s kid’s night.

It was the first Saturday morning this past March, and the restaurant was buzzing with laughter, pagers beeping, and coffee machines trying to keep up with the demand.  It was my last day of vacation and I was so exhausted that my legs were ready to give out at any minute.  Over half of the wait staff had gone on vacation, and through out the week one waitress quit and another became ill.  Working almost the whole week of vacation left me tired and ready to be anywhere but work.  I just had to get through my six hour shift and a quick staff meeting at three and I would finally be done, well, at least until the next week.  When 3:00 p.m. rolled around, the time finally came for the meeting, but I had just received a table.  The meeting was only for the part-time staff, so Lynn, who would take every table if she could, offered to take care of them for me.  I was very thankful, besides, the few dollar tip did not matter to me after working hard all week.

My legs barely carried me down to the section in the far back corner of the restaurant.  I had been down there many times before for kids night, waiting on large parties, and cleaning, but today it seemed different.  Everyone looked around at each other, unsure of what Mr. Madden, the owner of the restaurant, had to tell us.  I figured that he changed something on the menu or a policy and needed to let us know.  He talked  for a little while and then he said these four words that left me unsure of how to react, “We sold the restaurant.”  I knew the Maddens had been trying to sell it, but I had hoped it would not sell until I left for college.  No one was too shocked because we all knew it was going to happen eventually, but the difference between knowing it was a possibility and actually hearing him say it, made it reality.  Someone then asked a question that I had not thought of, “How much longer are we staying open for?”

“If you had not noticed, we have been running low on many things lately and making frequent trips to Shaw’s.  With what we have left, I do not think we may even be able to make it through tomorrow”, replied Mr. Madden.

“Tomorrow?!”, I thought to myself.  It all seemed so quick.

I walked into Madden’s the next day for the last time.  I was greeted by the chatter of customers and other employees that I knew would no longer exist after that day.  The whole moment was filled with bittersweet feelings.  After only a year and half of working there, I had considered my co-workers to be family.  We spent our evenings, weekends, and vacations together.  We all got along and worked together well even though each of us had different sets of friends in school and there were a variety of personalities.  The restaurant’s feeling of home was replaced with emptiness.  The last sound I heard was the click of the lock as Lyndsey and I locked the door forever.

As much as I dreaded working at Madden’s, when the time came to look for a new job, nothing seemed to match up.  It was the perfect first job that taught me work and life skills, especially that things change with time, and even if I do not like it, I will need to adjust my mindset and be open to new things.  The next time I am in town, I will drive by the newly built Starbucks and think of the building that was there before, with all the memories it was home to, both good and bad, but never forgotten

Heroes Cool Hand Luke One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest

  It is during our youth that we most need good, healthy adult role models who demonstrate exemplary behavior.  But adults need heroic models as well.  Heroes reveal to us the kinds of qualities we need to be in communion with others, and to act effectively in our milieu. McMurphy in  One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest and Luke in Cool Hand Luke acted as heroes. What qualities did they reveal for the men who were confined with them? Why were these qualities needed? Refer to both stories and cite examples from both.

How to read a poem

• Who is the speaker?
• What circumstances gave rise to the poem?
• What situation is presented?
• Who or what is the audience?
• What is the tone?
• What form, if any, does the poem take?
• How is form related to content?
• Is sound an important, active element of the poem?
• Does the poem spring from an identifiable historical moment?
• Does the poem speak from a specific culture?
• Does the poem have its own vernacular?
• Does the poem use imagery to achieve a particular effect?
• What kind of figurative language, if any, does the poem use?
• If the poem is a question, what is the answer?
• If the poem is an answer, what is the question?
• What does the title suggest?
• Does the poem use unusual words or use words in an unusual way?

Kentucky Fried Chicken

https://bostonpoetry.wordpress.com/tag/doug-holder/

Barbie Doll Poem

Barbie Doll

This girlchild was born as usual
and presented dolls that did pee-pee
and miniature GE stoves and irons
and wee lipsticks the color of cherry candy.
Then in the magic of puberty, a classmate said:
You have a great big nose and fat legs.

She was healthy, tested intelligent,
possessed strong arms and back,
abundant sexual drive and manual dexterity.
She went to and fro apologizing.
Everyone saw a fat nose on thick legs.

She was advised to play coy,
exhorted to come on hearty,
exercise, diet, smile and wheedle.
Her good nature wore out
like a fan belt.
So she cut off her nose and her legs
and offered them up.

In the casket displayed on satin she lay
with the undertaker's cosmetics painted on,
a turned-up putty nose,
dressed in a pink and white nightie.
Doesn't she look pretty? everyone said.
Consummation at last.
To every woman a happy ending.

Sample Art Exhibit Review

This student review is a short paper therefore avoid using long quotes from wall texts in the exhibition or brochures, and outside sources (which you must cite). Look carefully and use your own words to communicate what you find compelling or weak about the exhibition. Provide descriptive details to give your reader an ‘insider’s’ view of the exhibition.

Sample Exhibition Review
 I went to the International Center of Photography and saw the "Harper’s Bazaar: A Decade of Style" exhibit. I decided to see this exhibit because I love fashion. I actually felt like a kid in a candy store. It is something I want to pursue in the future and I am really interested and I thought it would cool to see fashion in another medium. When I first walked into the exhibit I was greeted by a huge sign the said “HARPER’S BAZAAR”…and it gave a brief background on the magazine, its editor and a few of the photographers that have contributed to the magazine over the years. Some of the photographers included are Karl Lagerfeld, who is the mind behind Chanel and Fendi, Peter Lindbergh, Jean-Paul Goude, David Bailey, William Klein, Patrick Demarchelier, Sølve Sundsbø, Tim Walker, Mario Sorrenti, Hiro, and Melvin Sokolsky. Many of the photos also included some designers and pop celebrities including Marc Jacobs and Lady Gaga, my favorites.

Going to the exhibit I got to look at the pictures differently. Instead of looking at them as if just flicking through a magazine, I actually paid attention to detail, the way the photo was taken, and what might be the meaning behind them. For instance in one particular photo by Nan Goldin, "Marc Jacobs at the Plaza Hotel NYC, Sept 2010," when I looked at the photo I felt a sense of emotion in Jacob's facial expression. The camera is focused on him sitting in a chair in his towel, with dim lighting. He looks as if he’s in deep thought and the background helps play into mood of the picture and the room. You also get a sense of personality from the picture and you can feel what he feels through the picture. I think that’s why this picture struck me so, because looking at it draws you in.

I liked how the pictures were displayed around the room. All of the walls were covered with pictures, the two longest walls had big portrait type pictures on them and the smaller walls had pages from the actual magazine displayed, and then at the corners of the room and in the middle of the floors there were glass cases that held magazines that were open to specific pages. Some  showed just the covers. The format of the room added to the exhibit, and gave it some movement.  The room also had different colors on the walls that contrasted with the colors in the photographs. One example is "Stephanie Seymour, Feb 2002," by Patrick Demarchelier. It is an Andy Warhol style photo, yellow background, prominent red lips and blue eye shadow with a blue-- tinted shadow outlined the figure. The colors are so bright that they pop out at you as soon as you see it, so that you couldn’t miss the photo at all.

I also think that the way the museum placed the pictures was a good way to attract  patrons. Next to the large sign that gave a brief biography of the magazine was a photograph by Terry Richardson, "Lady Gaga, May 2011." This photograph conceivably attracts a lot of people that walked into the exhibit because Gaga is one of the more popular celebrities  today and she is known for her eccentric fashion sense. And this photograph didn’t disappoint, the background is all black and so is her outfit. She  has   her sky high shoes and eye make-up. Her hair is a pale pink and her face has a spotlight on it. This is the highlight of the photo because it’s the first thing you see .  And the pose she affects and her shoes give the photograph some structure because her body is viewed at different levels. 

   One photographs that caught my attention and I thought was interesting was by Jean-Paul Goude "Linda Evanglista, Karl Lagerfeld, Jean-Paul Goude, Stephan Gan Dec, 2003". I love the whole concept of this picture. It’s full of people in which seems like a ballroom.  Linda E and Karl L.  are the focal point of the picture  in the middle of the floor. There are huge pieces of confetti falling from the ceiling. It looks like a fun picture... like there was a party going on. The gleam of the confetti is what first catches your eye in the picture because the light in the room bounces right off of it. It’s also interesting because Karl is dressed in all black as usual and Linda in dressed in all white with a head piece on. Their outfits don’t fit the setting of background, but it makes for a great picture.

Going to this exhibit and looking at the photos showed me how much photography has changed.  This exhibition contributed to my knowledge of the history of photography by showing how the art of photography from the past has evolved and contributed to what we can do today. It illustrated how you can tell stories through photos and clothing and how a pose or  a simple facial expression could add to a photo and give it more meaning than is immediately apparent.

Jamaica Kincaid Reads Girl

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2wfzue

Sample Research Paper Video

https://search.yahoo.com/yhs/search?p=Sample+MLA+Research+Paper&ei=UTF-8&hspart=mozilla&hsimp=yhs-002

Paraphrasing Video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ral3ldBxQxA

Leary and Rechy

Both Timothy Leary and John Rechy wrote about the youth culture of their respective scenes. How can you link the "Acid Heads" of Leary's essay  with the male hustlers of Rechy's milieu? What qualities do they share other than their youth?  Make sure to cite examples from both readings.

If Connie met Sammy

If Connie from Oates' story met Sammy of Updike's story what do you think their inner monologues would concern based on your reading? You should discuss specific things that happened in each story that would bolster your vision of their monologues. Also invent an actual monologue in one of the character's head.

ENG 101 Quiz Oct 1, 2015

 IN THE  "TAXI DRIVER," AND IN "THE MIDNIGHT COWBOY," THE MALE CHARACTERS
 REVEAL THEIR PERCEPTIONS OF WOMEN THROUGH DIALOGUE, ACTION, ETC... WHAT DO YOU FEEL IS THE COMMON THREAD AMONG THEIR VIEWS ON FEMALES? USE A MALE CHARACTER FROM EACH STORY TO PROVE YOUR POINT. MAKE SURE TO BACK
UP YOUR ARGUMENT WITH RELEVANT QUOTES FROM THE TEXT.

The Next Better Place Quiz Sept 8, 2015

 In your opinion--how does the author use physical description to illustrate the characters' personality and conflict. Take either the father or son--and give me three examples from the book to make your point.

ENG 108 Quiz

Metaphor is an essential element of poetry. Marge Piercy and Anne Sexton were poets of  feminist sensibilities. Using the poems "Barbie Doll" by Piercy and "Cinderella" by Sexton, show how these poets used metaphor to get their points across about the role of women in society in their era. Use at least two quotes from each poem.

cOLLYER bROTHERS qUESTION aPRIL 17, 2015

COLLYER BROTHERS QUESTION

Obviously the Collyer Brothers were severely mentally ill. What factors do you believe were the main cause of their illness? Be sure to engage the text--with quotes. And what have you observed in your own experience of people isolating; are they similar or not to the Brothers? 

Girl by Jamaica Kincaid

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FlhIko1YRuI

Lobster for Sale

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2jcFLyid2Vc

A Good Man...

The sky is an image used throughout "A Good Man is Hard to Find." It is used several times in the story--after the grandmother was shot, shortly after we meet the Misfit, and other times. In a good short story nothing is thrown in there for the hell of it. What do you think the author is up to with her characters' description of the sky? How does it set the tone, reinforce the plot, add to the tension or conflict?  Give  two examples ( quote from the book) and explain them.

Concept Paper

The Concept of Marijuana as Medicine 

By Doug Holder

Marijuana is usually associated as a recreational drug. But this drug, often referred to as "grass,"weed," etc... has some other uses as well.  It has medicinal uses that treat the eye disease glaucoma, and has uses with cancer patients. It is no wonder that marijuana has been legalized in many states, and is dispensed in specialized clinics.


One medicinal use of marijuana is for the treatment of glaucoma. Glaucoma is a leading cause of blindness in adult populations. According to Dr. Joe Smith, in an article in the New England Journal of Medicine titled "Marijuana and Eye Disease," he states: "Because of increased eye pressure, left untreated, the eye will become damaged, and eventually it will lead to blindness."(242). According to Smith the use of medical marijuana reduces eye pressure to levels that are acceptable and will not cause damage. (24).


Medicinal marijuana can also  be used in the treatment of cancer. Often cancer patients have painful side effects from their treatment with chemotherapy. Marijuana is shown to reduce those side effects drastically. In one study titled "Cancer and Cannabis," conducted by Mike Brown for the Mayo Clinic News Bulletin, he reports: "Patient side effects were reduced 70 per cent with treatment with Cannabis" (212).

In conclusion, instead of thinking of marijuana in the realm of  blank-faced stoners, think of it in the realm of approved and effective medical treatment.

How to write a topic sentence

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l2nOzN6DllY

Kill Bill

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jYrKqg2TqUo

The Comforts of Visiting a Funeral Home

By Doug Holder

 In the essay by Brian Cable, "The Last Stop," Cable undergoes a transformation.  When he entered the Goodbody Funeral Home, he had the stereotypical idea of what it would be like: dark, gloomy and depressing. But the funeral director showed him that being in a mortuary is supposed to be more comforting than unwelcoming.

Mr. Deaver, the undertaker at Goodbody Funeral Home, was a key player in Cable’s transformation. Cable found him comforting and easy to talk to. Instead of engaging in some morbid talk, Deaver, according to Cable, talked like any man or woman doing business. Cable stated: “His tone was that of a broker conferring about the Dow Jones.” (page) So death was business as usual, and all too common.

Even the décor of the funeral home was comforting. Cable reflected: “The lobby looked more or less like an old hotel… but it had a homey, lived-in look.” (page) Certainly this was the opposite of what Cable probably expected to see.

In conclusion, Brian Cable underwent a profound transformation. He found, much to his surprise, that a funeral home can be a comforting place. And indeed, so did I.

Patti Smith Reads about her first dog....

http://channel.louisiana.dk/video/patti-smith-reading-woolgathering

Free Grammar Checker

http://grammarcheckforsentence.com 

When the Walls Came Tumbling Down" by Trey Ellis

In the memoir essay " When the Walls Came Tumbling Down" by Trey Ellis,  Ellis writes a piece concerning his experience with his father's death from AIDS. I strongly agree with the son's viewpoint that the disease was not an all together bad experience.  Because of the illness the father and son became very close, where before they were distant.


Before the illness father did not reveal much about his personal history to his son. Introduce the quote   ( Use a quote from the story to support this.)


After the father found out he had AIDS, he opened up to his son.  Introduce the quote  ( Use a quote to support this)


In conclusion,  AIDS was a good thing for the father/son relationship.  (Summarize why)

Calling Home

Calling Home

In the essay "Calling Home" by Jean Brandt, I strongly agree with the store's action of sending 13 year old Jean to jail for stealing a 75 cents Snoopy button.  Although some might say this punishment is too harsh for a young girl, I think she learned a lesson that will serve her well throughout her life.

Brandt wrote that the thought of jail terrified her. In this passage, Jean thought frantically about her predicament: "The thought of going to jail terrified me, not because of jail itself, but because of the encounter with my parents afterward." (21) This fear of her parents' disapproval is a powerful one, and one that will deter her from committing similar offenses.

When the incident was finally over, Jean thought about its lasting effects. Here, she describes looking at her father and mother: "As I looked from my father's eyes to my mother's, I knew this ordeal was over. Although it would be never forgotten, the incident was not mentioned again." (23) Although the crime would not be mentioned again, Brandt will certainly remember it, and this will steer her from future offenses.

 

In conclusion I think that the action the store took for shoplifting a 75 cents item by a 13 year old girl was not excessive.  The girl learned a lesson in life that she would never forget.

 

Article Exercises

http://www.ihbristol.com/free-english-exercises/test/esol-smc-articles-a-an-the

 https://owl.english.purdue.edu/exercises/2/1/12/

Tom Brady Thesis

INTRODUCTION:

•Thesis:____Tom Brady deflated  the football during the playoff  game with the Colts because of his win at any cost philosophy. ____Brady knew it would be a rainy day and he wanted to make sure he could grip the ball better. He deflated the ball even though he knew it was against the NFL   rules.____________________________________________.

II. BODY PARAGRAPH 1:

•Opening Sentence:_____Brady’s win at any cost philosophy made him disregard NFL rules.______________________________________.

•Detail 1:_____The NFL rule is……_______________________________________________.

•Detail 2:__Brady stated to a Globe reporter that he would sell his own brother down the river in order to win a game.__________________________________________________.

•Detail 3:____________________________________________________.

III. BODY PARAGRAPH II:

•Transition/Opening  Sentence:____Brady realized his performance would suffer during a rainy day, so in order to win he put his finger up to the rules._____________________________.

•Detail 1:___Brady’s record in the rain…_________________________________________________.

•Detail 2:______Explanation of why a deflated football is more effective under these conditions.______________________________________________.

•Detail 3:____________________________________________________.


VI. CONCLUSION:

•Reconfirmed Thesis:___Because of Tom Brady’s win at all cost philosophy, he deflated  11 footballs and flouted NFL rules.______________________________________.

Protests! I 93

http://www.whdh.com/story/27856668/protesters-shut-down-rt-93-in-milton-medford