Cause Essay

Gun Control

I remember when I bought my first Pistol, a black Smith & Wesson .45 caliber M&P. I had many guns. Rifles and shotguns I used for hunting and trap shooting, but not a handgun. I had always wanted one and finally I had one, but I was not nearly as excited to tell my wife about my new purchase. 

“Why the hell did you buy that thing?” She asked. “Well, I needed it.” “Give me three good reasons why you need a handgun in my house.” “Well OK I will”, and at that moment I had nothing, not one single reason that would wipe that smug wife look from her face. I knew I had reasons for buying it, but what would satisfy my wife and mother of three? “Amy I got the gun for Protection, Piece of mind, and for the kids.” I told her. “Oh really explain that for me will yeah?” was her response.

“Look around Amy this is not the same world we grew up in. Bath Salts on the streets of Banger, Maine, kids killing each other over drugs. I’m not talking about a few beers or a hit off the peace pipe here. This is serious and here in our own back yard, armed robberies, stabbings, and home invasions. Look at the facts; we have mass unemployment, rapid home foreclosures, and a host of methadone clinics. We are not living in the same times anymore and I want to be ready to protect our family if need be.  When we got married I told you I would love and protect you at all costs and that’s what I’m prepared to do.”

           “Secondly I feel much safer knowing I have the pistol with me at all times. I took the handgun safety class and got my concealed carry permit. I keep it locked up in the gun cabinet so the kids can’t get at it and hurt themselves. You must feel better knowing I’m prepared and trained to use the gun. Do you remember last year after a day of hunting when I told you about the pack of coyotes that followed me through the woods?” “What does that have to do with you having a pistol?” She said with a smug look. “If I had a pistol with me I would have been better prepared to defend myself. Now I can feel safer know it is with me while I’m hunting and you can have peace of mind knowing I’m prepared and safe.  You also know how I feel about observing my rights as an American, and in my mind owning this weapon demonstrates those convictions.”

            “And when my time in this world is up I will leave behind this gun and a legacy for our children. They will have my gun to use and all the memories of me, how I used to love hunting and shooting. How I always wanted them to be safe and have good things. They will remember how I stood for what was right. How I loved this country and our many rights as Americans. And as long as they have my gun they will always have a piece of me and I can stay with them forever.”  I hoped that if I through the kids in she would let me keep the gun.

            Bang...Bang...Bang...Bang, Bang, Bang, Bang, Bang, Bang, Bang. How I love the sound of emptying a clip from my old Forty-Five. It is like a part of me, it goes where I go. I carry it on my hip out in the woods, under my shirt in public, and under my arm rest in the Chevy.  As you can guess my dear Amy let me keep my pistol and since has even asked when I’m going to buy her a gun. I don’t know what it was that changed her mind. I hope she realized that the best way to control guns (“Gun Control”) is to control the people who have the guns. I wish more people observed the second amendment, took safety classes and carried. If this was the case we may have less mass shootings at colleges and movie theaters. We the people could be ready and able to stop these horrific events instead of relying on the police and the courts to find and prosecute these criminals!

You have the right not to observe the second amendment, but please respect my decision to uphold and embrace it!

Graf #14 I-Search Plan

I-Search Plan A

I will search the Internet for creditable sources and help sites. I think this will point me in the direction of some good groups and organizations. Most of these I suspect will be for landlords and tenants. 

I have some real estate related books I will skim through, but I fear they will be of little help answering my questions. 

I don't think my questions are yes or no type questions nor is there a right or wrong answer to most. I will need to sift through the information and opinions collected in order to reach a consensus. 

Because I feel like the answers to my questions are opinion based the bulk of my research will be conducted through informal interviews with local landlords and tenants. (If approved by Mr. Goldfine.)

I plan on talking with three landlords and six tenants. I also plan to speak with the town manager of Winterport and a local lawyer. 

I feel it is important to get information from local people since my business is local rather than from web sites from around the country that may not speak volumes or relate to Maine.

My goal will be to have completed all research including interviews by the end of October at the latest. I will then interpret my findings and begin writing my I-search paper. 

The only issue I can foresee is scheduling conflicts and a possible unwillingness of interviewees to meet. Lucky for me I'm good with people and there are a lot of landlords and tenants in the greater Bangor area. By allocating such a large amount of time for research I should be able to overcome any of these issues and find other available interviewees if need be. 

I am really looking forward to meeting with tenants and landlords alike and comparing there views.

Outro Graf Cause Essay

Bang...Bang...Bang...Bang,Bang,Bang,Bang,Bang,Bang,Bang.

How I love the sound of emptying a clip from my old Forty-Five. It is like a part of me, it goes where I go. I carry it on my hip out in the woods, under my shirt in public, and under my arm rest in the Chevy.  As you can guess my dear Amy let me keep my pistol and since has even asked when I’m going to buy her a gun. I don’t know what it was that changed her mind. I hope she realized that the best way to control guns (“Gun Control”) is to control the people who have the guns. I wish more people observed the Second Amendment, took safety classes and carried. If this was the case we may have less mass shootings at colleges and movie theaters. We the people could be ready and able to stop these horrific events instead of relying on the police and the courts to find and prosecute these criminals!

You have the right not to observe the second amendment, but please respect my decision to uphold and embrace it. 

Intro Graf #2 Cause essay

Gun Control

Bang...Bang...Bang...Bang,Bang,Bang,Bang,Bang,Bang,Bang. How I love the sound of emptying a clip from my old Forty-Five. It is like a part of me now, it goes where I go. I carry it on my hip out in the woods, under my shirt in public, and under my arm rest in the Chevy. Some people don't believe in guns they say that guns kill people, well if that's the case then forks made me fat! The bottom line is, people kill people, Period.

There are many like it, but this one is mine, without my gun I am nothing.

I got my first handgun about two years ago for a few important reasons:

1. Safety
2. Protection 
3. Because I can!

Intro graf #1 cause essay

Gun Control

About two years ago I bought my first Pistol, a black Smith & Wesson .45 caliber M&P. I had many guns. Rifles and shotguns I used for hunting and trap shooting, but not a handgun. I had always wanted one and finally I had one, but I was not nearly as excited to tell me wife about my new purchase. 

Why the hell did you buy that thing? She asked. Well, I needed it. Give me three good reasons why you need a handgun in my house. Well OK I will and at that moment I had nothing, not one single reason That would wipe that smug wife look from her face. I knew I had reasons for buying it, but what would satisfy my wife and mother of three? Amy I got the gun for you and the kids, for protection, and because I can! Oh really explain that for me will yeah?

Graf # 13 sample cause

I really liked the cause essay on falling in love and the tomato lover essay. I see how the flow should be. Taking the intro and expanding on the reasons one paragraph at a time. I think it will be hard sticking to why and not falling into how something happened. I hope to show how certain effects or reasons caused the event instead of showing the effects of the cause. This will be a tricky essay to nail down.

Graf #12 Place

The Wedding Place

May 28, was a warm day and the grass at the church was still wet from the nights rain. I was nervous even a little anxious to see my bride. My new father in law gave me a pep talk outside of the church that day, but his words seemed to drown out as I stared at the peeling paint on the church walls hoping she would say yes. My groomsmen and I gathered in the pastors office and sipped whiskey from a flask as I awaited our introduction. The whiskey never tasted so good, and I had never been more afraid. I starred out at our guests sitting in old wooden chairs, gathered in an old run down church that had hardly been kept up. It was not a grand hall, or a magnificent church but it was all a young couple could afford. Our family members took pitchers and taped the ceremony to save money. From an old CD player the wedding music began to play and out came the bridesmaids. One after the other walking on old green shag carpet to the front of the room. It was now or never, my knees shook and my palms began to sweat. Out from behind an old dusty curtain came a beam of light, brighter then I had ever seen before. The glow on my brides face lit up the dark room and brought a smile to my face. She was here and awaiting my embrace. The room went silent as she walked down the isle. I had never seen a women look more beautiful in all my life. Up on a rickety old stage we held hands in front of our family and friend under gods watchful eye. We exchanged vows, rings, and a kiss. Just like that all my worries and fears drifted away in the spring breeze. I was now a husband, someones everything. I still drive by that old church from time to time, but I don't see an old building in need of repair. I don't think about the old carpet inside to me it is a beacon of light, a beautiful memory.

Graf # 11 research history

Old Blood or New Blood

Its that time again and we as Americans have a choice to make. Do we reelect President Obama for four more years and keep on the path he has laid for us, or do we elect Governor Romney as our president and bring in some new blood to the white house? It is a simple choice, one man or the other, and you cant vote wrong. All we need to do is vote for the man whose values, morals, and ideals are most inline with our own.

As Americans we have the Right to vote and as far as I'm concerned the obligation to do so. I have educated myself on the background of each of these men. I feel that in order to understand where the candidates are going we need to understand where they have been. It is easy to see where our current President will go with another four years in office by looking at his last four years of presidential rein. I had to go a little deeper to find out about Governor Romney, but this is where the internet and public records come in handy. 

I have watched almost all of the Republican debates, and yes at times I wanted to shoot myself. These events are good because you hear the good, bad and the ugly about a candidate. I also was able to see what ideals are important to Governor Romney, what visions he has for America and what he says he will do. 

Next comes both the Republican National Convention and the Democratic National Convention. Yes I put myself through  seven days of political propaganda and listened to both sides. I like these events because not only do we get to hear from both candidates, but also from some of each parties most important members. We hear from the loving wife, the VP's, and a host of party supporters.  After these events it should be pretty easy to Aline yourself with one party since both are insanely opposite especially in this election.

I watch both CNN and Fox News to get both points of view on these two men. I learn what the president is doing and see how he is handling situations. I see the reactions to these actions from Governor Romney. Both stations will give you all the strengths of a candidate and all of the weaknesses of the other. I watch both so I can validate the other and hear both sides. We will also see a host of political T.V adds, it is my opinion that 90% of these adds are crap. Each candidate attacks the other in hopes of making the uneducated voter hate their competitor.

It is important to me that my children and grandchildren have a bright future that is not restricted by the debt of my fathers generations. I wish them to live in a free country, plentiful of jobs an opportunities that are not hindered by illegals, or oversea job loss. I wish them to sleep safely at night knowing that our country will defend itself from all enemies both foreign and domestic. I wish them the ability to own a home instead of a foreclosure wasteland. I wish for them a country with many low cost energy options, low gas prices, and superior education that focuses on financial education as well as traditional text book learning. 

For all of these reasons and so many more I have decided which candidate has the best chance of accomplishing these tasks and I will vote for him in November.

Graf # 10 Person.

There are some people in this world that are natural athletes who beat everyone, win everything and make everyone look bad. We feel like no matter what we do or how hard we train, the result will be defeat. We spend all of our time hoping someone will put them in there place or that they will just die. In high school I competed against this animal.

Eric was a winner, a natural who beat everyone on the wrestling mat. He was tall, the girls loved him and he had a body that Greek Gods would be jealous of. He was fast, strong and the best technical wrestler I had ever seen. At the start of the season his coach told reporters your looking at this years State champ no one is going to touch him. Eric had already received a full wrestling scholarship to Penn State. Eric won every dual meet, and every tournament our senior year. He pined everyone or won by points before the six minute match was up. At the Rhode Island invitational, Eric beat the two year state champ in one minute thirty seconds. His competitors were like rag dolls he played with until he was board, and when he was done you got pined. At tournaments no one wondered who would win, but rather who would Eric beat to win, unfortunately that was usually me. At the regional tournament I decided I would not allow myself to get pined. In the final match Eric did not pin me, he won by four points. My coach said it was the best match I'd ever wrestled. Be proud he said no one has done that well against Eric, you cant expect anything more.

At the state tournament I won my first match and then a second. After winning my semi final match Peter from Salem said to me "kick his ass Jeremy" referring to Eric. Coach stopped me to remind me of what our jackets say on the back " Success is a journey, not a destination" This pissed me off to think my own coach had no faith in me. I told him my journey is over and my destiny is on that mat. I was ready for my last showdown with Eric. After six minutes of hell we were tied 10-10 and headed for sudden death. Physicaly exhausted we circled each other looking for an opening. Eric racked his hands across my face sending me into an instant rage, I grabbed him and applied my favorite move the firemen's carry sending him down to the mat for two points. As we stood and my hand was raised, the new state champ I felt a turning of the tides I'd beaten the man and never again would I be second best, not ever!

Graf #9 Object

4301002

State of Maine, Maine drivers licence # 4301002. Issued by Maine Secretary of State Bill Diamond. This is what you will find printed on my most adored possession a Maine drivers licence from 1992. You will never see it, but if you did you would say whats so special about that? Its cracked, faded, hard to read, and you can't use it for anything. Well I use it as a time machine, as a way to go back to a special place were love was enough. Let me show you.

Hair: Brown or what was left of it. Pepe had cancer so I never knew him with hair. I used to like to pat him like a dog, it felt so cool. I have always had a shaved head for as long as I can remember, always wanting to be like him.

Eyes: Blue, just like the sky at the park we used to go to before his kemo treatments. We would hang out feed the ducks, and sometimes get ice cream. 

Height: 5'10", but you would not know it cause he walked with a slight hunch. As a kid he seemed ten feet tall and bullet proof. 

Weight: 165lbs of skin and bones. I remember most of the time he was like a stick, always sick. He never ate very much I guess it was to much energy or to hard to handle when it came back up. I can remember a time when I was very young when he was up around two bills and strong as an ox. He used to make home made spaghetti sauce from scratch. I can still smell it simmering on the stove. He cooked it for three days. The meatballs were the size of baseballs and oh so tasty. 

Sex: Male A mans man who loved working outside. He cut wood for the winter and took me out all of the time. We would go up to camp and he let me drive the boat. When I was young I remember him taking a blood sucker off my foot with his pocket knife. He always had a pocket knife and a .22 pistol with him. 

Restrictions: A for corrective lenses. Tan Miami Vice style glasses. I remember at night how he would place his glasses on the night stand before bed. I would put them on and run around the house. Once I even tried to stock the wood stove.
 M for medications. Pepe was on all sorts of meds. I never new what they were, but he would take a handful every night and I would get a vitamin too. Mom said the doctor offered him medical marijuana, but he said not a chance I have grand kids. 

The last thing he said to me: "Hey kid, Pepe loves you."

We used to walk down the road to get fresh eggs for breakfast and pick Meme up from the fudge shack as I called it. There was always milk in a glass jug and red hot dogs in the fridge. On the stairs leading to the basement there was an old, blue tool box. I used to take the knife in it outside and use it to dig up rocks. On my eighth birthday Pepe gave me a red Swiss army knife. He told me to be careful not to cut myself because the knife was very sharp. In less then a few minutes I cut my thumb. I cried like a baby until he picked me up in his arms and got me a band aid. 

At dinner he would always sit at the head of the table and help me cut up my food. He was always the first one done. I suppose his eating habits came from his days in the army. He was apart of the trucking company in Korea. He never spoke much about his time at war. He always said he was trying to stop bad men, and not to worry about it quickly changing the subject. 

We used to sit together in his chair and watch MASH. I remember watching him closely studying his every move. He would take out his old corn cob pipe and pack it. It was always cherry, vanilla flavored pipe tobacco. He kept his pipe in his blue jean jacket, next to a small leather bag full of tobacco. Next to his chair was a cool glass container filled with tobacco and a rack that could hold four or five pipes. I remember how he would bite the end of the pipe and every so often take a puff. He always smelled like pipe tobacco, and I loved it. To this day when I'm feeling blue I sometimes can smell that tobacco. When I was little he bought me a small corn con pipe of my own, so I could be just like him. No tobacco of course. We had the same velcro shoes and hair cut. 

When it was time for bed we would go into the bathroom and shave before bed. He used a ceramic bowl with soap in it and a whisk. He would lather up and shave with a straight edge. Sometimes I even got to shave too. Every night Pepe would have a package of Zebra cakes and a glass of milk for a bed time snack. When he knew I was coming he would buy an extra box just for me. He always wore blue pajamas, and set his teeth on the night stand. He had a hairy chest and wore a necklace of Saint Christopher. When I had trouble sleeping I would play with his big, old, floppy ears until I fell asleep. I have no idea how he could stand it, but he did. 

October 27, 1993 was the day the cancer won and the day he left me. It was a cold fall day in Maine not to uncommon. The leafs had changed color and begun to fall, but not as hard as a little boy who had just lost his best friend. 

So this is not a normal drivers licence, it is a licence to travel in time. A way to relive the past or step back in time, even if only for a moment. It is my way of finding that which has been lost, and my way of remembering what was, what is, and what will be. 

Lester F. ST Louis

Rest In Peace 

For ever your loving grandson Jeremy.

Graf #8 Reaction to I-search samples

I read three sample I-searches tonight and all three were very different. I thought one was boring as hell. This one had limited information and repeated itself many times, it also seemed short. Another one was very long and had a lot of information almost to much. The third I thought was very good, it had ample information and kept my interest from start to finish.

I think each one was good because each topic was important to the writer. You could tell that each writer had tons of passion and a personal connection to their topic. I want my paper to show my passion.

I was having trouble and even doubts about a topic, but reading these samples helped. This assignment will be even more difficult then I originally thought.

Graf#7 I-search brainstorm topic ideas

Money
Small business
houses
apartment
presidential election
guns
sex
beer
hunting/fishing
cars
food
family
End of the world
Military

Saving money

Savings bonds

Mutual funds

Stocks

Investing

Real estate investing

Apartment buildings

Hand guns

AR-15

Reloading equipment

Farming

Vegetables

Ice house

World war 3

Armageddon

Survival 

Safety

Family compound

Could I keep my family safe if the world fell apart?

Would I be able to survive doomsday?

Do I need a survival plan?

Where would I go who would I take with me? How would I get food and water? Do I have enough weapons and ammo to defend my family? Would biker gangs run the country? What if there was no heat,lights,grocery stores? 

Graf #6 Unique

5'11, 230lbs, an American man born in the USA. I'm from a blue collar family with big dreams of a white collar life. I lead when others follow, I succeed where others fail, and I help when other turn their backs. I believe those with the ability to give have the obligation to give. I believe if it isn't broken don't fix it. I don't believe in black and white so I spend most of my time playing in the gray. I know that the world meets nobody half way and if you want it you have to take it.

I work my ass off everyday so that one day my kids wont have too. I run my family business during the day then change my shirt and run my property management company in the afternoon. I'm a father, a husband, and at night a student. I support my community and local non-profit organizations. I volunteer at my children's school and still manage to play poker on Friday night with the boys.

I love big trucks and playing in the mud. I like to walk in the rain and splash in puddles. I love the smell of fresh cut grass and rain on hot tar. I respect the men and women of our armed forces who have given everything so I can have rights and enjoy freedom. As a sign of respect I observe all of these rights.

I'm a hillbilly who loves country music, a redneck who rides shotgun, and a fun loving son of a gun. You are most likely to find me in the woods hunting or fishing then at the library. I'd rather be on the gun range then on the road. As an Eagle scout I support the BSA and as a republican I support the NRA. I have two dogs Lucy and Maximous. As you can tell I loved the movie Gladiator. My favorite t.v. show is Sons of Anarchy.

I played defensive tackle on the field and whooped some ass on the wrestling mat. I hold black belts in two different styles of martial arts and have a cabinet full of guns, so think twice before you mess with me or my family. I'm a tattoo loving, bud light drinking Mainer with to many guns. I like taking shots of whiskey and smoking cigars.

In conclusion all I can say is "Don't hate me, cause you aint me"

Graf #5 reaction to I-search brainstorm sample

My first reaction to this sample is WTF ( what the fuck) does Goldfine want me to do with this? How is this going to help me write the best I-search paper Goldfine has ever seen?

I wish I had this many interests. My mind is stuck on: Making money, work, god, school, food, beer, my family, the election and of course sex. I see the process find topics, narrow the field until you find the right topic and strike. It kind of reminds me of dating.

I look at this sample and wonder how I could write a paper on any of these topics. They seem so simple, even lacking substance. If there is one think I have learned it's that there is more then meets the eye.

My previous learning experiences have not been anything to brag about so I will try this concept and see what happens. I'm enjoying this class thus far and I'm sure this is another tool that will help with my writing. I really hope that I will be able to come up with a great topic that will allow for a great paper.

In my head right now I'm sifting through multiple topics and wondering how good they would be for an I-search.

More to come! My brain is in overdrive as we speak. Time to move on to the I-search brainstorm, it's like hurricane Issac in my head.