Author: smatthews

In my essay, I spent the most time revising aspects of my essay concerning emotion. Talking about my emotions in a narrative is one of my weakest points with writing, and I needed to spend extra time making sure I described the way I felt vividly enough to connect back to my thesis in a meaningful way. The drafting process didn’t differ from my high school experience much in terms of the overall process, but the steps within the overall process were much more streamlined and useful. In high school, when doing peer reviews, it would often consist of people saying my essay was good, and pointing out a few grammatical errors within it. Personally, even if someone else’s essay was terrible, I would tell them it was good so I wouldn’t hurt their feelings, something that wasn’t useful for them at all. Here, the peer review was very helpful with allowing me to add my feelings at the right points within my essay. It also helped me to form a stronger thesis and conclusion, as well as organize the description of my grandparents better. The approach to this project matched most of my expectations for the class. I found that meeting with the teacher allowed me to fix the broader issues within my essay and narrow my focus better, and the peer review helped me to fix smaller, more specific problems. Overall, if I were to change anything, I would like to do the peer review in class, so I can talk to people about their essays right after I have read them, and give them the best feedback I can (as well as receive the best feedback I can). Aside from that, the process was very smooth and streamlined, and I found it to be beneficial to my learning.

The Meal of a Lifetime

It was that time of year again; my brother, dad and I were in New York City, staying in a beautiful hotel on East 53 street in Manhattan. It was almost time to leave for dinner at one of my grandparent’s favorite restaurants. We all started getting dressed, choosing what clothes to wear for this very special occasion. My dad would iron the clothes my brother and I chose to wear, since we were too young to do it ourselves. Once we got dressed, we went into the hotel elevator and down to the lobby, where the doorman wished us a good evening. We stepped out of the cool, air-conditioned hotel air into the hot and heavy air of New York City. The sun had gone down, but heat was still diffusing off the warm pavement. The smell of gasoline, coupled with the occasional smell of trash or sewage, permeated the air. Despite some of the unpleasantries, the skyline was beautiful; skyscrapers made of marble and glass illuminated the night, turning the sky a shade of orange unlike anything in New Hampshire. We walked down the busy streets, gazing up at these massive buildings surrounding us on our way to my grandparent’s apartment. It wasn’t too far a walk, and soon enough we could see my grandparents, Pop and Joanne, standing on the sidewalk waving to us. It was wonderful to see them again; it felt like it had been so long, and it was such a wonderful experience the last time we visited. These visits were something unique; not only did I get to experience some of the best quality food in the world, I got to experience my grandparents, their enlightening personalities, and get to learn who they are as people. We all embraced, and I could feel their sunglasses hanging from their shirts push hard against my chest, just as they had done the last time. We quickly hailed a cab, filled with anticipation about the meal to come. We piled in, and drove to the Palm Restaurant.

The restaurant itself looked very much like a typical steakhouse. The supports were made of aging wood, and the tables were a dark, smooth and polished. The seats were covered with maroon leather, with plush padding underneath. The one thing that made this restaurant unique was the walls; they were covered with professional paintings of actors and actresses, famous news anchors, TV personalities, and frequent visitors of the restaurant. I looked around, trying to find some recognizable faces with my limited knowledge of famous people. Joanne showed us her and Pop’s painting on the wall across from us. They visited frequently enough to have their faces painted on the wall, as well as have their own favorite waiter whom they could request at the beginning of the night. Pop is in his seventies, with a heavier build and a balding head which he strategically hides by combing his hair over his forehead. He is a very social and very intelligent person, who loves telling stories and the history behind them. Joanne is about 15 years younger than Pop; she’s about 5 foot 7, has a light frame, and has brown hair and eyes. She has quite the personality; she is a kind and loving person, a strong, resilient leader, and one hell of a businesswoman. If her requests aren’t met down to the finest detail, she won’t be satisfied. This ensured that we always got the best service possible, something that I love about her. Her drive to be kind and giving to the people she loves is beyond anything I’ve seen in anyone other person I’ve met.. Luckily, the restaurant staff knew her well, and did everything perfectly for her.

To start, we decided to order some appetizers. The waiter handed us the menu, and we all began to browse over the different foods we could get. While my dad, Pop and Joanne discussed different options, my brother and I tried to decipher the fanciful names of the spices, sauces and styles of preparation mentioned in the descriptions. After asking what these were, we narrowed down our options to a few different dishes. We knew we wanted to get the prawns because of how much we loved shrimp, but we couldn’t decide between the crabcakes or the scallops. When Joanne heard us trying to decide between them, she told us not to worry and ordered both for us. She was a foodie, and loved giving us the experience of trying new types of food. It made the experience so much more memorable and meaningful, having someone so kind allow us to try all these different types of food.

While we waited for the appetizers to come, we started catching up on what had happened in our lives recently. Pop and Joanne asked my brother and I what we had done recently, and we talked about how school was going, the sports we were playing, and the hiking and swimming we had done over the summer. Overall, the stories were relatively boring and uneventful, especially compared to the ones Pop and Joanne told. They started with their visit to Africa, and the safari they went on. Then, they transitioned into business trips they had taken to Shanghai, Hong Kong, and other major Asian market cities. They also talked about their trip to Cambodia, which they had taken over 10 years ago. This transitioned into my brother and I asking Pop about his time in Vietnam. He talked about his time as a Green Beret, and a mission he went on with a pilot dive-bombing in Cambodia. He went into great detail about the experience, flying over the jungle into territory that he technically wasn’t legally allowed to be in, which he joked about. He told us about the intense G-forces as they plummeted at the ground towards their target, and how he passed out when they pulled out of the dive. He was always so good at telling stories. He could hook people in with ease, and describe events in vivid detail while also providing a comedic aspect to even the most serious of stories. It was fascinating; I never knew how many adventures they had gone on together. I always thought they stayed in New York City most of the time living lazily in their apartment, not out exploring the world.

When The appetizers arrived, they looked amazing. Joanne said they “weren’t just food, but  pieces of art… they’re beautiful”. The prawns were huge, almost the size of my hand, hanging around a beautifully designed glass cup filled with cocktail sauce. The crabcakes were small, filled with color from the vegetables with pieces of orange and white crab dispersed throughout. The scallops were golden brown, perfectly cooked on a plate with sauce and vegetables decorating the edges. The prawns had just the right texture; they were thick, and firm, but not too chewy or fibrous. The crabcakes were just the right balance of vegetables with rich, sweet crab. The scallops were sweet and salty, and practically fell apart in your mouth. The food was gone almost as quickly as it had arrived. Joanne asked us how it all was, and we all told her it was delicious. A smile grew across her face; she loved giving us this experience, and it made her happy to see how satisfied we were.

After the appetizers, we ordered our entrees. Pop and Joanne decided to split a steak together, while my brother, my dad and I each got an 8 ounce steak with lobster. While we waited anxiously for the food to arrive, Joanne shifted the conversation away from them and towards my brother and I. She asked us if we kept up with current events or politics. I was just starting to become interested in these sorts of things, so I was glad she brought it up. She asked us about political candidates we were interested in, different issues occurring in America and around the world, and what topics we were most interested in. She did this in a way that didn’t make either of us feel like our opinions were being threatened, so we were able to talk about everything and how we felt. That was a really nice experience, being able to share my opinions without someone constantly interrupting and attacking my thoughts and ideas. Then, Pop, my dad and I started talking about history, mainly medieval European times, but a bit of Middle-Eastern and Asian history as well. The conversation made me feel even better than the food did.

When the Entrees arrived, the smells of the food followed with it. Joanne had described the steak here as having “fat marbled throughout the meat and cooked perfectly, so that the meat isn’t hard to chew, but still retains all of its juices and flavor”. It was just as good as she described it. The seasoning smelled delicious, and the scent of the steak fats and lobster mixed in the air with it. I cut into the steak, and it required almost no effort. Juices spilled out of the meat, and the colors that were exposed were amazing. The middle of the steak was red, which faded into a light pink and eventually into the brown at the surface. I took my first bite; the outside was crisp and rich with flavor, and the inside was tender and easy to chew. The lobster was a hardshell, which made it difficult for me to break into. Joanne called over the waiter, who promptly broke apart the shell perfectly and exposed all the meat. The lobster was sweet and rich, with a hint of saltiness. It was one of the best meals I’ve ever had. Once we thought the meal was over, Joanne asked us if we wanted dessert. We were given the dessert menu, and were promptly drawn to a seven layer chocolate cake. The cake was about 5 inches tall, with fluffy cake sandwiched between layers of thick, creamy chocolate frosting. It was a great way to end a fun, eventful and beautiful evening.

At the time, these dinners were a great time to spend with family, eating delicious food and telling each other stories. I got to experience some of the best food in New York City, and spend quality time with some of the people I love most in life. However, looking back on these events, they have a newfound, greater importance to me. About a year ago, Pop was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. It was devastating, watching someone who was once the best storyteller I knew now have trouble remembering his daughter’s name. As it has progressed, forming complete sentences has become hard for him, and he now uses gestures with his hands to make up for the lack of words. As depressing as it is, I’m glad I was able to experience these dinners while he was still able to to tell these wonderful stories in all their grandeur. It allowed me to experience him the way my dad did. I got to see what kind of person he was, hear of the adventures he went on and the history he knew firsthand. I got to see the love and compassion between Pop and my dad, and how much Pop’s behavior influenced how my dad raised me. Not only this, but I was inspired by Joanne’s incredible personality. Her strength, kindness, and ability to organize the most extravagant of events is awe-inspiring. Seeing her strength and perseverance, even in the face of the most daunting hardships has helped me to deal with pain in my own life.I am incredibly grateful for this, and especially thankful towards Joanne for making these wonderful meals happen.

The comments I found best from my peers were the ones that helped me to reorganize my thoughts, form a better thesis, and describe my emotions at the right time. These were helpful to me because I struggle with these aspects of writing a personal narrative, and getting advice on these topics was very helpful with connecting my concluding ideas into certain parts of my essay. The best comments I was able to offer my peers had to do with essay reorganization, mechanics, and adding detail. This is the area of writing where I am strongest, so I was able to offer a lot of feedback concerning these topics. Some points that weren’t captured on the page that were discussed during class had to do with expanding off of the ideas given to me by my peers. For example, there were points written down on my paper where something seemed out of place, but after a group discussion we were able to find another point in my essay where that topic would fit best. Something I wish came up during the peer review was how to best describe my emotions. I was told where I needed to add things, but I made the mistake of not taking the time to ask what kinds of emotional aspects I could add to my writing.

 

Juicy,​ ​perfectly​ ​marinated,​ ​tender​ ​baby​ ​lamb​ ​chops.​ ​Crisp,​ ​crunchy,​ ​fresh​ ​vegetables. Golden​ ​brown,​ ​cooked​ ​to​ ​perfection​ ​french​ ​fries(sentence structure; french fries, golden brown and cooked to perfection).​ ​This​ ​describes​ ​my​ ​favorite​ ​meal.​ ​Not​ ​only​ ​is​ ​it my​ ​favorite​ ​meal,​ ​but​ ​it​ ​symbolizes​ ​my​ ​culture​ ​and​ ​many​ ​family​ ​events​ ​from​ ​my​ ​childhood. Lamb​ ​is​ ​a​ ​very​ ​symbolic​ ​meat​ ​in​ ​the​ ​Greek​ ​cuisine,​ ​and​ ​it​ ​is​ ​present​ ​on​ ​every​ ​important​ ​holiday, especially​ ​Easter,​ ​birthdays,​ ​and​ ​big​ ​family​ ​events.​ ​Although​ ​my​ ​favorite​ ​style​ ​of​ ​lamb​ ​is​ ​baby lamb​ ​chops,​ ​there​ ​are​ ​many​ ​ways​ ​to​ ​cook​ ​it.​ ​My​ ​Dad​ ​is​ ​the​ ​one​ ​who​ ​learned​ ​all​ ​the​ ​tricks​ ​from his​ ​mom,​ ​my​ ​Yiayia.​ ​She​ ​grew​ ​up​ ​playing​ ​the​ ​true​ ​women​ ​role​ ​while​ ​my​ ​Grandfather​ ​worked, and​ ​brought​ ​my​ ​Dad​ ​and​ ​Aunt​ ​to​ ​the​ ​United​ ​States​ ​when​ ​they​ ​were​ ​7​ ​and​ ​8​ ​years​ ​old.​ ​They​ ​all are​ ​amazing​ ​and​ ​authentic​ ​cooks,​ ​but​ ​my​ ​Dad’s​ ​lamb​ ​chops​ ​and​ ​my​ ​Aunt’s​ ​Greek​ ​salad​ ​have​ ​a special​ ​place​ ​in​ ​my​ ​heart.​ ​Although​ ​many​ ​people​ ​may​ ​just​ ​view​ ​this​ ​meal​ ​as​ ​a​ ​classic​ ​dish​ ​for Greeks,​ ​there​ ​is​ ​a​ ​much​ ​deeper​ ​connection​ ​to​ ​it​ ​within​ ​myself.(good introduction- I like how you introduce both the food and your family well, but not with too much detail)

All​ ​throughout​ ​my​ ​childhood​ ​I​ ​was​ ​immersed​ ​in​ ​the​ ​classic​ ​Greek​ ​culture.​ ​The​ ​laughs that​ ​could​ ​be​ ​heard​ ​by​ ​people​ ​in​ ​the​ ​country​ ​of​ ​Greece,​ ​the​ ​bickering​ ​back​ ​and​ ​forth​ ​between family​ ​members,​ ​delicious​ ​(what​ ​felt​ ​like)​ ​twelve​ ​course​ ​meals​ ​being​ ​cooked,​ ​were​ ​all​ ​too familiar​ ​for​ ​me.​ ​If​ ​you​ ​have​ ​seen​ ​the​ ​movie​ ​​My Big Fat Greek Wedding, ​​then​ ​you​ ​know​ ​that Lamb​ ​is​ ​a​ ​for​ ​sure​ ​classic.​ ​We​ ​serve​ ​it​ ​on​ ​easter​ ​especially​ ​because​ ​it​ ​is​ ​in​ ​honor​ ​of​ ​God​ ​who​ ​was sacrificed​ ​and​ ​rose​ ​again.​ ​I​ ​have​ ​always​ ​eaten​ ​lamb​ ​and​ ​can​ ​remember​ ​having​ ​the​ ​lemon marinade​ ​fill​ ​my​ ​lungs​ ​as​ ​I​ ​stood​ ​by​ ​the​ ​grill​ ​and​ ​my​ ​dad​ ​cooked.​ ​Although​ ​this​ ​meal​ ​is widespread​ ​all​ ​over​ ​this​ ​culture,​ ​my​ ​Dad’s​ ​lamb​ ​chops​ ​are​ ​my​ ​favorite.

An​ ​old​ ​Grandma’s​ ​cook​ ​book​ ​with​ ​tons​ ​of​ ​ancient​ ​ancestor’s​ ​recipes​ ​could​ ​be​ ​compared to​ ​all​ ​the​ ​ways​ ​there​ ​are​ ​to​ ​prepare​ ​lamb.​ ​You​ ​can​ ​get​ ​baby​ ​lamb​ ​chops​ ​and​ ​grill​ ​them,​ ​roast​ ​it​ ​in the​ ​oven​ ​with​ ​potatoes,​ ​roasted​ ​on​ ​a​ ​spit,​ ​with​ ​red​ ​tomato​ ​and​ ​cinnamon​ ​sauce,​ ​a​ ​white​ ​and​ ​egg lemon​ ​based​ ​sauce​ ​and​ ​so​ ​many​ ​more.​ ​In​ ​my​ ​opinion,​ ​my​ ​Dad​ ​makes​ ​the​ ​best​ ​lamb​ ​chops(already mentioned, somewhat redundant).​ ​I think​ ​the​ ​reason​ ​I​ ​like​ ​them​ ​so​ ​much​ ​is​ ​because​ ​he​ ​likes​ ​strong​ ​flavors​ ​just​ ​like​ ​I​ ​do.​ ​My​ ​Dad​ ​will usually​ ​pick​ ​up​ ​1-2​ ​pounds​ ​of​ ​baby​ ​lamb​ ​chops​ ​from​ ​the​ ​butcher,​ ​but​ ​they​ ​definitely​ ​need​ ​to​ ​be fresh.​ ​His​ ​basic​ ​recipe​ ​includes:​ ​“Taking​ ​the​ ​meat​ ​right​ ​from​ ​the​ ​marinade​ ​and​ ​throwing​ ​it​ ​on​ ​the grill.​ ​He​ ​Grills​ ​both​ ​sides​ ​for​ ​2-3​ ​minutes​ ​each​ ​or​ ​until​ ​medium​ ​rare​ ​temperature​ ​is​ ​reached”. Even​ ​thinking​ ​about​ ​it​ ​to​ ​this​ ​day,​ ​I​ ​can​ ​remember​ ​the​ ​specific​ ​view​ ​of​ ​him​ ​preparing​ ​this​ ​meal. The​ ​towel​ ​over​ ​his​ ​shoulder​ ​making​ ​him​ ​look​ ​like​ ​a​ ​classic​ ​chef.​ ​The​ ​salty​ ​sweat​ ​dripping​ ​down his​ ​forehead​ ​and​ ​the​ ​side​ ​of​ ​his​ ​face​ ​as​ ​he​ ​uses​ ​the​ ​sleeve​ ​on​ ​his​ ​shoulder​ ​to​ ​wipe​ ​it​ ​off.​ ​His​ ​big hands,​ ​glistening​ ​with​ ​olive​ ​oil,​ ​massaging​ ​the​ ​meat​ ​as​ ​if​ ​they​ ​are​ ​his​ ​old​ ​arthritis​ ​filled​ ​knees. This​ ​is​ ​the​ ​routine​ ​I​ ​have​ ​grown​ ​up​ ​watching​ ​my​ ​dad​ ​follow,​ ​and​ ​you​ ​can​ ​definitely​ ​say​ ​it​ ​is​ ​my favorite.​ ​One​ ​of​ ​my​ ​favorite​ ​components​ ​is​ ​smelling​ ​the​ ​deliciousness,​(get more specific; what smells are there? Is there the scent of cooking fats mixing with the lemon marinade?) ​even​ ​from​ ​my​ ​bedroom window​ ​above​ ​the​ ​deck.​ ​You​ ​can​ ​watch​ ​the​ ​meat​ ​crispen​ ​and​ ​get​ ​its​ ​juicy​ ​texture​ ​while​ ​the marinade​ ​soaks​ ​into​ ​it.

The​ ​next​ ​part​ ​of​ ​my​ ​favorite​ ​meal​ ​is​ ​a​ ​Greek​ ​salad,​ ​but​ ​without​ ​the​ ​lettuce.​ ​For​ ​this,​ ​the preparation​ ​is​ ​pretty​ ​simple.​ ​My​ ​Aunt​ ​gathers​ ​the​ ​ingredients:​ ​onions,​ ​cucumbers,​ ​fresh​ ​tomato, kalamata​ ​olives,​ ​feta​ ​cheese,​ ​olive​ ​oil,​ ​vinegar,​ ​salt,​ ​and​ ​pepper.​ ​She​ ​stands​ ​there​ ​with​ ​her​ ​sharp knife​ ​and​ ​chops​ ​it​ ​all​ ​up​ ​while​ ​listening​ ​to​ ​the​ ​knife​ ​hit​ ​the​ ​cutting​ ​board.​ ​Then,​ ​she​ ​tosses​ ​it​ ​all​ ​in​ ​the bowl​ ​and​ ​drizzles​ ​about​ ​⅔​ ​olive​ ​oil​ ​and​ ​⅓​ ​vinegar(,)​ ​letting​ ​it​ ​coat​ ​each​ ​individual​ ​piece.​ ​She​ ​then adds​ ​a​ ​pinch​ ​of​ ​salt​ ​and​ ​a​ ​pinch​ ​of​ ​pepper.​ ​I​ ​sat​ ​by​ ​her​ ​side​ ​ever​ ​since​ ​I​ ​can​ ​remember,​ ​my​ ​mouth watering​ ​as​ ​I​ ​craved​ ​the​ ​salad​ ​for​ ​so​ ​long.​ ​The​ ​last​ ​component​ ​to​ ​my​ ​favorite​ ​meal​ ​includes​ ​the french​ ​fries.​ ​All​ ​you​ ​have​ ​to​ ​do​ ​for​ ​this​ ​part​ ​is​ ​skin​ ​the​ ​brown​ ​protective​ ​layer(peel the skin off)​ ​of​ ​the​ ​potatoes​ ​and chop​ ​them​ ​up​ ​into​ ​fries​ ​like​ ​rectangular​ ​prisms.​ ​Then​ ​boil​ ​some​ ​olive​ ​oil,​ ​toss​ ​the​ ​potatoes​ ​in,​ ​and wait​ ​until​ ​they​ ​are​ ​a​ ​crispy,​ ​golden,​ ​brown.​ ​Although​ ​this​ ​meal​ ​makes​ ​my​ ​taste​ ​buds​ ​extremely satisfied(how does it satisfy them? What are your favorite flavors in the meal, what types of textures stand out most? Being satisfied is too broad for such a specific meal),​ ​my​ ​favorite​ ​thing​ ​about​ ​this​ ​meal​ ​is​ ​the​ ​thoughts​ ​that​ ​fill​ ​my​ ​head​ ​with​ ​joy​ ​from​ ​my childhood.

Most​ ​of​ ​my​ ​fondest​ ​meal​ ​memories​ ​are​ ​with​ ​family​ ​and​ ​my​ ​Dad​ ​cooking​ ​lamb​ ​chops​ ​as​ ​a child.​ ​As​ ​my​ ​Dad​ ​said,​ ​“Christina​ ​was​ ​three​ ​years​ ​old​ ​and​ ​I​ ​remember​ ​her​ ​coming​ ​by​ ​the​ ​grill and​ ​standing​ ​there​ ​watching​ ​me​ ​cook.​ ​She​ ​kept​ ​constantly​ ​saying​ ​how​ ​good​ ​it​ ​smelled​ ​and​ ​that she​ ​wanted​ ​to​ ​try​ ​a​ ​piece.​ ​I​ ​must​ ​say​ ​it​ ​was​ ​love​ ​at​ ​first​ ​bite.​ ​She​ ​ate​ ​the​ ​entire​ ​lamb​ ​chop​ ​licking the​ ​bone​ ​to​ ​the​ ​very​ ​end”.​ ​Clearly,​ ​I​ ​was​ ​very​ ​young​ ​when​ ​my​ ​Dad​ ​first​ ​introduced​ ​me​ ​to​ ​these mouth​ ​watering​ ​slivers​ ​of​ ​meat.​ ​At​ ​any​ ​family​ ​event​ ​we​ ​host​ ​or​ ​attend,​ ​I​ ​ask​ ​my​ ​Dad​ ​if​ ​he​ ​will​ ​be making​ ​them.​ ​As​ ​a​ ​child​ ​I​ ​aspired​ ​to​ ​be​ ​the​ ​next​ ​Cake​ ​Boss,​ ​making​ ​me​ ​indulge​ ​in​ ​any​ ​cooking or​ ​baking​ ​that​ ​was​ ​happening​ ​around​ ​me.​ ​I​ ​loved​ ​being​ ​by​ ​his​ ​side​ ​to​ ​steal​ ​a​ ​piece​ ​of​ ​meat​ ​to foreshadow​ ​what​ ​was​ ​to​ ​come,​ ​almost​ ​like​ ​a​ ​seagull​ ​at​ ​the​ ​beach. (good organization. The description of you watching him make the meal is excellent, as well as the relationship you had with your father while making it.)

As​ ​a​ ​child,​ ​my​ ​Dad​ ​spent​ ​a​ ​lot​ ​of​ ​time​ ​traveling​ ​for​ ​work.​ ​He​ ​would​ ​go​ ​to​ ​Japan​ ​every​ ​six weeks,​ ​and​ ​in​ ​between​ ​that​ ​travel​ ​to​ ​the​ ​West​ ​coast​ ​as​ ​well​ ​as​ ​various​ ​other​ ​places.​ ​I​ ​learned​ ​to get​ ​used​ ​to​ ​this​ ​lifestyle​ ​because​ ​I​ ​know​ ​he​ ​was​ ​working​ ​and​ ​making​ ​money​ ​so​ ​that​ ​my​ ​four siblings​ ​and​ ​I​ ​could​ ​have​ ​everything​ ​we​ ​wanted​ ​and​ ​more.​ ​I​ ​am​ ​extremely​ ​appreciative​ ​of​ ​him and​ ​all​ ​the​ ​hard​ ​work​ ​he​ ​does,​ ​but​ ​this​ ​was​ ​also​ ​a​ ​difficult​ ​aspect​ ​of​ ​my​ ​life.​ ​By​ ​not​ ​having​ ​my Dad​ ​around​ ​for​ ​some​ ​major​ ​events​ ​because​ ​he​ ​had​ ​to​ ​be​ ​halfway​ ​around​ ​the​ ​world,​ ​it​ ​made​ ​me appreciate​ ​having​ ​him​ ​home​ ​even​ ​more.​ ​Growing​ ​up,​ ​when​ ​we​ ​would​ ​have​ ​lamb​ ​chops​ ​for dinner​ ​or​ ​for​ ​a​ ​special​ ​occasion,​ ​it​ ​meant​ ​that​ ​my​ ​dad​ ​was​ ​home​ ​with​ ​us​ ​to​ ​cook​ ​them.​ ​It​ ​meant that​ ​he​ ​wasn’t​ ​half​ ​way​ ​around​ ​the​ ​world,​ ​it​ ​meant​ ​that​ ​I​ ​could​ ​sit​ ​down​ ​with​ ​him​ ​and​ ​catch​ ​up, and​ ​it​ ​meant​ ​that​ ​my​ ​family​ ​would​ ​be​ ​whole​ ​again.

My​ ​other​ ​connection​ ​to​ ​this​ ​meal​ ​is​ ​with​ ​the​ ​salad.​ ​My​ ​Dad’s​ ​sister,​ ​my​ ​Auntie​ ​Georgia, makes​ ​the​ ​best​ ​version​ ​of​ ​this​ ​mixed​ ​perfection.​ ​I​ ​am​ ​very​ ​close​ ​with​ ​her​ ​as​ ​she​ ​is​ ​my Godmother,​ ​but​ ​she​ ​has​ ​cancer.​ ​The​ ​crispness​ ​of​ ​the​ ​onions,​ ​juice​ ​of​ ​the​ ​olives,​ ​taste​ ​of​ ​the​ ​feta cheese,​ ​and​ ​all​ ​the​ ​ingredients​ ​mixed​ ​together​ ​is​ ​like​ ​a​ ​party​ ​in​ ​my​ ​mouth.(this would fit well after your description of how the salad is made)​ ​One​ ​of​ ​the​ ​main​ ​things I​ ​like​ ​about​ ​this​ ​salad​ ​is​ ​how​ ​there​ ​is​ ​no​ ​lettuce​ ​in​ ​it,​ ​which​ ​allows​ ​you​ ​to​ ​get​ ​the​ ​full,​ ​powerful taste​ ​of​ ​all​ ​the​ ​individual​ ​ingredients​ ​without​ ​the​ ​lettuce​ ​making​ ​it(making it what?).​ ​My​ ​Auntie​ ​Georgia​ ​is​ ​a​ ​very important​ ​part​ ​of​ ​my​ ​life​ ​and​ ​the​ ​way​ ​she​ ​prepares​ ​it​ ​for​ ​me​ ​with​ ​crisp​ ​bread​ ​every​ ​time​ ​I​ ​go​ ​to her​ ​house​ ​makes​ ​me​ ​happy(seems like it makes you more than just “happy”. Maybe describe more).​ ​I​ ​enjoy​ ​the​ ​meals​ ​that​ ​I​ ​get​ ​to​ ​have​ ​this​ ​salad​ ​because​ ​it​ ​specifically reminds​ ​me​ ​of​ ​her.​ ​Many​ ​memories​ ​from​ ​my​ ​childhood​ ​make​ ​this​ ​my​ ​favorite​ ​mean​ ​to​ ​eat.

When​ ​I​ ​was​ ​around​ ​10​ ​years​ ​old,​ ​I​ ​found​ ​out​ ​that​ ​my​ ​Auntie​ ​Georgia​ ​has​ ​cancer.​ ​My​ ​Dad took​ ​us​ ​to​ ​a​ ​local​ ​ice​ ​cream​ ​shop​ ​in​ ​our​ ​hometown​ ​called​ ​Stillwell’s,​ ​and​ ​I​ ​remember​ ​him​ ​sitting us​ ​down​ ​and​ ​breaking​ ​the​ ​news.​ ​I​ ​could​ ​feel​ ​my​ ​eyes​ ​fill​ ​with​ ​tears​ ​as​ ​my​ ​appetite​ ​for​ ​my​ ​vanilla soft​ ​serve​ ​with​ ​rainbow​ ​sprinkles​ ​went​ ​down​ ​the​ ​drain,​ ​which​ ​has​ ​never​ ​happened​ ​before.​ ( good details, but organization seems a little off. It jumps between your aunt’s cancer and the reasons the salad is special. Maybe focus on one first, then transition to the other)

Since my​ ​aunt​ ​is​ ​sick,​ ​I​ ​think​ ​the​ ​reason​ ​I​ ​love​ ​her​ ​salad​ ​so​ ​much​ ​is​ ​because​ ​it​ ​means​ ​that​ ​she​ ​is​ ​safe and​ ​I​ ​am​ ​still​ ​able​ ​to​ ​spend​ ​time​ ​with​ ​her.​ ​I’m​ ​not​ ​sure​ ​how​ ​many​ ​more​ ​times​ ​I​ ​will​ ​be​ ​able​ ​to​ ​eat multiple​ ​bowls​ ​of​ ​this​ ​salad​ ​with​ ​her​ ​in​ ​my​ ​presence,​ ​but​ ​I​ ​do​ ​know​ ​that​ ​whenever​ ​I​ ​take​ ​over​ ​the role​ ​of​ ​making​ ​this​ ​salad,​ ​I​ ​will​ ​always​ ​have​ ​her​ ​in​ ​mind.

Lamb​ ​chops,​ ​Greek​ ​salad,​ ​and​ ​french​ ​fries​ ​may​ ​seem​ ​like​ ​just​ ​an​ ​ordinary​ ​meal,​ ​but​ ​I have​ ​a​ ​deep​ ​connection​ ​with​ ​it.​ ​The​ ​Greek​ ​culture​ ​that​ ​I​ ​grew​ ​up​ ​in​ ​is​ ​a​ ​huge​ ​part​ ​of​ ​who​ ​I​ ​am and​ ​why​ ​I​ ​love​ ​this​ ​meal,​ ​the​ ​way​ ​my​ ​Dad​ ​prepares​ ​it,​ ​and​ ​the​ ​memories​ ​that​ ​flow​ ​back​ ​are​ ​the most​ ​important​ ​reasons​ ​why​ ​I​ ​love​ ​this​ ​meal.​ ​The​ ​smell​ ​of​ ​the​ ​chops​ ​cooking​ ​,​ ​crispness​ ​of​ ​the vegetables​ ​in​ ​the​ ​salad,​ ​and​ ​comfort​ ​in​ ​the​ ​french​ ​fries​ ​bring​ ​back​ ​many​ ​memories​ ​which​ ​fill​ ​my heart​ ​with​ ​warmth.​ ​It​ ​isn’t​ ​just​ ​the​ ​deliciousness​ ​of​ ​the​ ​food,​ ​it’s​ ​being​ ​able​ ​to​ ​have​ ​my​ ​Dad home​ ​with​ ​me​ ​and​ ​my​ ​Aunt​ ​safe. (Solid conclusion; touches on all the points in the essay, and reiterates the emotional connotations of the meal itself)

Overall, the essay has a good level of detail and emotion, with great descriptions of meal preparation. It is easy to visualize you by your father or aunt making these meals and watching them cook and get put together. However, the descriptions of the food and how it smells/tastes is lacking in some parts of the essay. Simply stating the food smells or tastes delicious or is satisfying isn’t enough, especially considering how vividly you described the process of making it. Adding descriptions about the tastes, textures and smells of the meal would add a great amount of depth. Also, there seems to be some disorganization and redundancy within some paragraphs, specifically paragraphs  3, 7 and 8. The ideas in paragraphs 7 and 8 seem to be similar enough where they can be molded together, taking the best parts from both and eliminating the rest. Aside from that, the essay is solid and the overall organization of ideas works well.

More Than a Meal

I shove the door to my grandparents house open and immediately I am hit with the dense, warm aroma of a delicious thanksgiving meal being cooked. My mouth instantaneously begins to water and my stomach growls like an angry pack of wolves. I hug my grandparents and although I am happy to see them, I can’t help but remain focused on the exquisite meal that I am about to devour, and they understand because they feel the same way I do. The seconds feel like hours and the minutes feel like days as I await for the feast to be complete, and when it finally is, I can’t even decide what I want to put on my plate first. My eyes survey the soft mashed potatoes that look like moist clouds, the golden-brown stuffing, the flakey rolls, and most importantly, the tender, yet perfectly moist turkey. I put a little of everything on my plate and sit down and begin to attack my plate. Every bite is utter bliss and despite my extreme hunger, I savor every bite and enjoy the moment because I recognize that the remaining Thanksgiving dinners I’ll share with my family is unfortunately finite. I look around at the rest of my family surrounding me at the table and notice how they interact, laughing and joking with each other, yet still creating a lingering feeling of togetherness.(Im assuming this is your thesis statement; it does a very good job connecting to the rest of your essay. It addresses both the happiness in the moment and the future importance the meal will have) The Thanksgiving feast that my grandparents cook for our family every year never ceases to amaze me and is my favorite meal, not only because of the varying delicious foods that comprise it, but because of the enlightening effect it has on my family, the vivid memories of eating the meal as a child, and the positive feelings of happiness and love mixed with the feelings of nostalgia and that arise while eating it.(Excellent introduction. Honestly have no negative feedback for this)

For my family and I, our Thanksgiving celebration and our delicious feast signifies more than meets the eye; the meal has a deeper value for us. I feel that many people really forget the true meaning of each holiday and we begin to take them for granted and just think of them as a day where we get together and eat food, and in some instances give and receive presents. Although my family does participate in those practices that hundreds of millions of people also participate in world-wide, we never forget the true meaning and value of each holiday. When I look at the meal in from of me on Thanksgiving, I see more than just turkey, stuffing, potatoes, and vegetables. I see the value and the meaning of it. When I look down at my filled plate, I think of how lucky I am to be able to have such a loving family, be eating such a wholesome meal, and how lucky I am to live the life I live. The meal also signifies time I get to spend with my family catching up and visiting with them. I don’t see my family too often because of how busy all of our schedules are, as all of my cousins, including myself, are either in college or have graduated and have busy jobs and my aunts and uncles all have hectic adult lives as well. But, when we do get together, it is very special and I value the time I spend with my family very much.(The only thing I would add is what your family is like. What are their personalities, and how does this impact the importance of the meal?)

The wonderful Thanksgiving dish also evokes many feelings from within me, one of those being a certain sense of nostalgia. Although my Thanksgiving celebrations with my family aren’t in my past, when I look down at my plate and see the same food I have eaten every Thanksgiving for my entire life, it brings me back to when I was younger and what my perception was at that time. I can remember one Thanksgiving in particular, I was probably about six or seven years old, and I sat at the table and thought about how much younger and smaller I felt than everyone else. I am the youngest in my family by about two or three years, so when I was younger, everyone else was much bigger than me. I don’t know why, but I think about how I felt at that Thanksgiving every single year and laugh at how much things have changed some twelve years later. Although somewhat depressing and pessimistic of myself, the meal also evokes some sadness in me because I know that I won’t be able to have that meal forever and some day, I won’t celebrate Thanksgiving with the people I have for my entire life. Yet, at the same time, I feel happy because for the time being, I still have time with my family left, and many delicious Thanksgiving meals courtesy of my grandmother left to eat.

Upon talking to my grandmother and grandfather about what this dish means to them, no matter what they said, their answers always went back to the reoccurring theme of family. My grandmother, when asked what making the dish meant to her, she explained that “[she] had always taught the kids that family was the most important thing. Thanksgiving isn’t only about the food, it’s about family. Family is the biggest thing” and that is what they thought about while making the dish. (quote implementation is good and makes sense, and is well integrated into your writing)My grandparents had always instilled the value of family into my mom and her brothers, and it is very evident because they all live within a ten mile radius and talk several times every week. Although my grandparents have explained the value of family to me hundreds of times, they didn’t really think that the reason I liked the dish was because of the family aspect. My grandmother thought that I liked the dish because of just the food and my grandfather exclaimed “He doesn’t have to make it!”, which lined up perfectly with his humorous personality(what other aspects are there to his personality and your grandmother? What is it like interacting with them outside of thanksgiving, and what effect does this have overall to the meal?). But, to their surprise, I explained to them that most of what I had written about was how much the family aspect of the holiday meant to me and how the meal signified something larger than just food. They both agreed that this was also their favorite meal, as my grandmother stated that “On Thanksgiving, the whole family usually can make it so we are all together, but on Christmas sometimes people are working or have other places to be, so its really special when everyone is together” which truly resembles the essence of a holiday.

Overall, this dish is so meaningful to my family and I not just because of the food we are actually eating, but because of the value and the feelings that it brings. It means that my entire family comes together on a day to give thanks for what we have and truly appreciate each other. Although some people of my age may not understand the true meaning of holidays and think they are cheesy, which at some times can be true, to be able to come together with your family to share a meal is an unbelievable privilege. At the end of the day, holidays are more than what we are actually eating, but what we are doing while we eat and who we share the meal with.

This essay is very well-written and organized. The thesis statement is solid, quote implementation is seamless and makes sense, and the descriptions of the food are vividly detailed. In terms of what could be added, I think the biggest thing is describing your family more. The reader knows that you have a good relationship with them, but doesn’t know much about their personalities aside from that. Adding more parts like the one describing your grandfather’s comical personality will help the reader empathize with and understand the importance of the meal more. Also, adding a more detailed description of how your family interacts, what their personalities are and why the meal dynamic works so well would really drive the point of how important the meal really is. If you’re looking for more details to add aside from that, maybe talking about how the food tastes in more detail could add some depth. However, your excellent description of what the meal looks and smells like may be enough.

In this section of They Say I Say, new methods of writing, particularly argumentative and academic essays, are investigated. Typically in a high school level writing class, students are taught to formulate an opinion on a particular issue, gather evidence in support of that issue, and write an essay on it. This only presents the reader to one very narrow point of view on an issue, and leaves no room for insight or questioning. This section, however, introduces methods and templates to combat this mundane style of writing. It teaches the reader how to employ not only the thoughts and ideas that support you more effectively, but also teaches how to use the words and opinions of dissenting voices within an essay. It does this by providing templates of introducing different types of quotes. The part of the reading I found most important was how to explain quotes in context. If quotes are simply inserted randomly within an essay, then the reader is left confused about what the point of the quote is. However, when the quote is properly introduced and explained, the reader is able to see why the quote is important and draw more information from it. It also shows the reader how to use opposing opinions by explaining why the opposition has a point, but then providing counter-evidence, thus nullifying their argument. This is important because it answers the reader’s questions about the opposing opinions, broadening their perspective while also strengthening your argument.

In the piece of writing Consider the Lobster by David Foster Wallace, the idea of the Maine tradition of cooking lobster, as well as cooking lobster itself, is looked into with much greater detail than would normally be used. He discusses the cruel ways in which lobster is cooked, from being boiled alive, steamed, or having it’s limbs and tail cut off. It forces the reader to question the humanity of these traditions, and whether or not this tradition should be continued as a result. The reason this piece of writing is so interesting and unique is because it not only explores an obscure topic, but also because it provides evidence and perspectives from both sides of the argument. It employs people from both sides, using their opinions as well as quoting them, to build an overall broader perspective on the issue. Normally, writing like this uses perspectives from one side, supporting an opinion that is usually held by the writer. The implications of these unique aspects of his writing is that it opens up the reader to a different way of looking at things. Rather than grab evidence in support of your cause and using it in an argument, this opens people up to the idea of gaining a full perspective on an issue before formulating an opinion. It also forces people to factor in the unknown, and accept that not everything can be known about every topic being investigated. Sometimes, these unknown bits of information could be the deciding factor in winning an argument. However, without this information available, different areas information must be investigated to form the best possible opinion.

Throughout my writing career, I’ve had many different experiences drafting my own writing projects. With certain topics, writing comes easy to me, and all I need to do is create a broad outline of my ideas and develop them as I write. Other times, drafting can be extremely difficult, and I need to rewrite an entire essay to convey my ideas properly. However, My drafting process usually follows the same general layout and accomplishes the same goal every time. Before I start writing, I always create some type of outline for my work, and sort out where I want to put the ideas in my head. Generally, I think of the body paragraphs first, so I can properly introduce the ideas I have and want to convey in my writing. Once this is done, I gather my evidence and sort it in a way that will make the most sense and impact on the reader. Once this is done, I plan my first paragraph and create a broad introduction with a hook that relates the introduction to what I’m writing about. Then, once I write the essay, I check to see whether more evidence will better support my point, and if the order the essay is in makes the most sense. If not, I begin editing, rearranging and gathering more evidence to fix the problems. After this is done, I check what will be my final draft for simple sentence and structural errors, and make sure that I tie my evidence to my ideas in the best way possible. Once this is done, I edit my introductory and concluding paragraphs so they match all my new ideas.

Throughout my writing career, I’ve had many different experiences drafting my own writing projects. With certain topics, writing comes easy to me, and all I need to do is create a broad outline of my ideas and develop them as I write. Other times, drafting can be extremely difficult, and I need to rewrite an entire essay to convey my ideas properly. However, My drafting process usually follows the same general layout and accomplishes the same goal every time. Before I start writing, I always create some type of outline for my work, and sort out where I want to put the ideas in my head. Generally, I think of the body paragraphs first, so I can properly introduce the ideas I have and want to convey in my writing. Once this is done, I gather my evidence and sort it in a way that will make the most sense and impact on the reader. Once this is done, I plan my first paragraph and create a broad introduction with a hook that relates the introduction to what I’m writing about. Then, once I write the essay, I check to see whether more evidence will better support my point, and if the order the essay is in makes the most sense. If not, I begin editing, rearranging and gathering more evidence to fix the problems. After this is done, I check what will be my final draft for simple sentence and structural errors, and make sure that I tie my evidence to my ideas in the best way possible. Once this is done, I edit my introductory and concluding paragraphs so they match all my new ideas.

Throughout my writing career, I’ve had many different experiences drafting my own writing projects. With certain topics, writing comes easy to me, and all I need to do is create a broad outline of my ideas and develop them as I write. Other times, drafting can be extremely difficult, and I need to rewrite an entire essay to convey my ideas properly. However, My drafting process usually follows the same general layout and accomplishes the same goal every time. Before I start writing, I always create some type of outline for my work, and sort out where I want to put the ideas in my head. Generally, I think of the body paragraphs first, so I can properly introduce the ideas I have and want to convey in my writing. Once this is done, I gather my evidence and sort it in a way that will make the most sense and impact on the reader. Once this is done, I plan my first paragraph and create a broad introduction with a hook that relates the introduction to what I’m writing about. Then, once I write the essay, I check to see whether more evidence will better support my point, and if the order the essay is in makes the most sense. If not, I begin editing, rearranging and gathering more evidence to fix the problems. After this is done, I check what will be my final draft for simple sentence and structural errors, and make sure that I tie my evidence to my ideas in the best way possible. Once this is done, I edit my introductory and concluding paragraphs so they match all my new ideas.

It is a warm, breezy Spring day in the middle of a busy Pennsylvania highway. The air is sweet, fresh with the scent of fresh grown leaves and grass. The breeze is cooling, enough to prevent sweating but not so much to create discomfort. The sky is free of clouds, and the sun sits in the center of the sky. The scent of emissions begins to pick up, as more and more cars travel along the road. The sound of cars passing by increases; the rubber of the tires gripping the road, and the air whizzing as cars pass through it. Sunlight reflects off the car paint, sparkling sporadically and beautifully with great luminescence. Suddenly, something goes awry. A small, blue car loses control, screeching as it fishtails back and forth across the road. The brakes scream and rubber burns off the tires, leaving distinct marks on the road. The front right side of the car smashes into the back left side of a small white pickup truck, crumpling the metal and sending the truck into the center of the lanes. More cars come from behind, unable to stop in time to prevent a collision. They too crash into the truck, demolishing it and the front of their vehicles. Metal crumples and bends as the force of the impact tears it apart, creating a deafening sound. Windows shatter, and people can be heard screaming in their cars. The collision is over as fast as it started; the smell of gasoline permeates the air, whisking away the pleasant smell of spring. The breeze brings more unpleasant scents with it: burning rubber, fuel, and oil. People begin to get out of their cars, bloodied and injured. Glass spills out of car doors and off of dashboards. The bent hinges squeak as they are forced open. Light reflects off the newly created bends in the metal, sending beams out in random directions. The beauty of spring fades, as a new scene of carnage emerges on the highway.