Midterm Assignment for Sociology

This is my midterm for my Sociology Class. It is self examination of why were are who we are today.
I will use the suggested 5x5 writing style. That is 5 paragraphs each with 5 sentences. The first paragraph is your theseis. The first sentance is the intro. the middle 3 sentences bring up the points you want to discuss. Those three sentences are the basis for the middle 3 Paragraphs, The final Paragraph restates the points in the opening paragraph and then wraps stuff up.

Now that I am finished, it turns out that I broke out of the above format. I find that I think about stuff visually and so putting those thoughts down on paper is very hard sometimes. Trying to keep to the above format was to restraining, i had to let it flow abit more. Anyways here it is...

Chris Faulkner
Intro to Sociology Midterm
07/15/05

My name is Christopher Charles Faulkner. I would like to give credit in a way to 4 major parts of my personality. My parents, I believe, by not pushing me into any one thing and being very supportive of me I have been able to develop my own thoughts on many social issues of the world. Another thing that helped me step out from the norm as a teenager, and even now, is Skateboarding, which I attribute so much of my positive attitude to today. While my parents left the door open and Skateboarding allowed me express my freedoms, the person that gave more focus, I guess that is how you would describe it, to my thoughts was my wife, Sarah. I also have to touch on my, almost painful at times, shyness as it effects much of my life also.

Looking back I don't think my parents had a certain parenting style in mind. I feel that we had/have a good relationship which curbed some of the rebellious nature that a teen-ager can go through. While some of their views on religion, racism, and other social issues may have been apparent they were never pushed on me and allowed me to develop my own opinions on those issues. My parents have never blocked any of my decisions and in most cases have done what they could to try to support them.

"How long have you been skating?" A teenaged skater asks me. I smile. " I started in 1984." I say. Some quick math and we both realize that I have been rolling since before they were born. Skateboarding has been huge part of my life. While skating was light for the later part of the 20 years, a solid 7 years saw me skating every day I could put my wheels down on a dry surface. Skateboarding empowered me to express myself and not to be caught up in what people thought then and think now about me. I feel that it today allows me to try things that some may shy away from because of what public perception of themselves, as “adults” may be. It keeps me thinking and feeling young. I could wax poetically about skating for along time, even when skateboarding wasn't a daily activity for me it was always on my mind. I feel the same passion of for it now during my lunchtime sessions as I did back then; it is a big part of me.

Sarah helped to focus my views and to expand my world even more. I doubt I would have ever had the healthier natural lifestyle including vegetarianism had I not met her. I don’t think that I was un-compassionate before meeting her but I think that because of the experiences she has brought and continues to bring to the relationship, my compassion for people, places, and things has grown because of her. Sarah's spiritual searches have exposed me to many forms of spirituality although I still stand firm in my atheistic views.

One trait that has been a detriment to me has been my shyness. Public speaking, confronting people, calling people even talking to current or old friends brings on this anxiety that can sometimes bring on total inaction on my part. It caused me to fail to give oral presentations in high school, apply for jobs correctly and enter into confrontations that needed to be dealt with. I’m not sure were to attribute this to. I do think it may stem from seeing my parents argue when I was very young which may be the cause for me avoiding interactions that may lead to confrontations.

Generally I think that I have a very positive attitude and am very accepting and adaptable to change. I have a very secure family atmosphere and know that I can count on my parents for support in decisions that I make. I have skateboarding to define myself and keep me young at heart. Sarah continues to open new paths and keeps me thinking about things. I am happy with how I have so far turned out and look forward to future changes that may come about.