Author Archives: Brvndon

Glossary conclusion

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Profligate

Impoverished

Promiscuity

Achingly

Metropolis

Motley

Drab

Impediment

Ethics

Antiquities

Abhorrent

Activist

Atrocities

Pragmatic

Cognition

I enjoyed doing the glossary project throughout the semester because not only did it help me understand certain texts that we read in class better but it also help me strengthen my vocabulary. Me being the person I am , I love to replace regular everyday words with strong words that you don’t hear too often. For example “drab”, I use that word to describe something boring or something that doesn’t really interest me. Some of these words I actually heard before  but I still never understood the actual meaning and how to use it in a sentence. Like the word activist. I always assumed it just meant somebody who takes part in politics. But no it actually means a person who campaigns to bring about political or social change. Well I wasn’t entirely wrong but now I know what it truly means. This is the first English class that I’ve been in that has done something like this and I can truly say that this will help me in the long run. Looking at my fellow colleagues definitions as well will certainty help, even if we have the same words, their definitions could be a different version of the word. I would definitely recommend this other than a thesaurus.

 

Profligate

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Profligate (adjective): recklessly extravagant or wasteful in the use of resources.

” And it’s also why if you’re profligate with information about yourself, you have precious, little to offer someone really special.”

I encountered this word while reading the article, “WE want Privacy, but Can’t Stop Sharing” by Kate Murphy. This is my first time encountering the word so before looking up the definition, I searched for synonyms so I can find a word that I do know with a similar meaning. I came across words such as wasteful, extravagant, and prodigal. Basically means someone who spends money wastefully.

Impoverished

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Impoverished (adjective): reduced to poverty

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/impoverished

“Those who are institutionalized  for criminal behavior or ill health, children and the impoverished have less privacy than those who are upstanding, healthy, and wealthy.”

I encountered this word while reading an article from class, “We want more Privacy, but Can’t Stop Sharing” by Kate Murphy. This is my first time encountering the word but I instantaneously assumed it had to with poverty.

Promiscuity

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Promiscuity (noun) : the fact or state of being promiscuous

“Congress has so far been disinclined to protect citizens from their digital promiscuity or halt the data grabs perpetrated by Internet companies.”

http://www.dictionary.com/browse/promiscuous

I encountered this word while reading the article “We want Privacy, but Can’t Stop Sharing” by Kate Murphy. I used context clues and I know it had to do with personal mishaps of somebody. Or in other words things that happen in your daily life. Before knowing what promiscuity meant I had to learn the denotation of promiscuous. Promiscuous means characterized by or involving mingling or association, especially having sexual relations with a number of partners on a casual basis. An example of the word promiscuity in a sentence ; When I log onto Facebook I see the utmost promiscuity from kids I used to go to high school with.

Achingly

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Achingly (adverb) : In a way that arouses or expresses intense sorrow or longing.

” Moreover, it’s hard to argue for the value of privacy when people eagerly share so much achingly personal information on social media.”

http://www.dictionary.com/browse/achingly

I came across this word while reading the article “We want Privacy. but Can’t Stop Sharing” by Kate Murphy. I tried using context clues to help discover the denotation of this word but it wouldn’t help. I then analyzed the word, “achingly”, it sounds like aching like a pain in your knee or back. I searched to see if achingly was a synonym to ache or aching and no they are not. The words have no correlation between each other. So after I just searched up achingly synonyms and words such as “painfully”, “sorely”, and “bitterly” came up. After that I finally searched up the definition. I gained an understanding of the word “Achingly” after finding out that it’s an adverb which means that its used to modify other verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs. An example of the word in a sentence would be “and because of that, it is achingly funny.”

 

Aesthetic Mapping 4

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Whether its being held up on an over-crowded train, walking in between a throng of people, or just waiting for your bus to come, a New Yorker’s commute can really determine if you’re going to have a good day or not. In my morning commutes I try my best to find the fastest, most time efficient ways to get  to school. Being the fast walker I am absolutely dislike to be held up by foot traffic, especially if I’m running late to class. Therefore, I mapped out several routes that I can take to and from school that won’t have me feeling drained or put me in a bad mood for the remainder of the day.

The first route which is the first route I began taking and probably the worst is the Jay Street route. This route is fast but only in the mornings. After school you would have to deal with people coming out of school and to and from work. It’s busy and the sidewalks are packed. This route starts off by leaving the Namm buildings main entrance and walking south of Jay Street. I usually take a shortcut to avoid the large amount of people walking on the narrow sidewalk. This shortcut is a little pathway that leads under a walkway that is used for the Marriott Hotel. At the end of the pathway is Rocco’s Tacos restaurant which is at an intersection on Adams Street. Crossing Adams Street will lead up to elongated steps which lead into Columbus Park, which is where the Kings County Supreme Court  is located. I take the 4 train which is accompanied by the 5 train on Borough Hall which usually doesn’t take too long to come. Consistently having to bop and weave people, and the petrifying smell of the second hand smoke that you receive from cigarette smokers isn’t worth walking down Jay Street, so I had to find an alternate.

The second route is the the B41 route. This route is more convenient if you need food in the morning or after class. If I don’t eat breakfast in the morning, it’s very difficult to pay attention in class and I tend to fall asleep. A healthy breakfast in the morning is how you get your vitamins and nutrients to help fuel your day. I learned that from reading the article “Benefits of eating a Healthy Breakfast” by Karen Fifield. Without knowing this I would’ve continued to eat junk food such as waffles which provides nothing for me but sugar, which actually increases my chance o crashing in class. Now I indulge in an orange with a small bowl of cereal , which helps energize my walk to the bus. The bus stop is a about 3 blocks away from my house, and that travel alone is tiring. Taking the B41 straight from my neighborhood all the way to Livingston and Nevins. This route is a little more time consuming but its worth it. Getting off the bus you would be right down the block from Fulton street. Fulton street has a variety of places to eat, you got McDonalds, burger king, shake shake on the farther end of Fulton street and many small pizzerias and Chinese spots. If your not in the mood for that, continue walking down Fulton until you approach Jay Street. Yes I know, for the several reasons on why Jay Street is not a preferred street to walk on this is only if you really want lunch a little more pricey . If you continue to walk down until you hit the Jay Street Metro-tech train station there is a Chipotle and Five Guys just around the corner. It’s usually busy around the afternoon hours , but Chipotle is life right? After enjoying your Chipotle meal you would have to endure that dreadful walk on Jay street where you can enter City Tech through the main entrance. It’s important to ensure that you’re well fed throughout the day because hunger leads to lack of energy and lack of energy leads to tiredness.

The third route, which is the most alluring route and the route I take now is the Columbus Park Route. After getting off the 4 train on Borough Hall I walk straight up Columbus Park. Admiring the Statue of Christopher Columbus and walking freely with way more space than Jay Street sidewalk. Barely anybody walks this way and I love it, If i’m in a rush I wont have to worry about pedestrians getting in my way. You can take the same route if you’re coming from the 2 or the 3 station as well. It’s mostly quiet , the most noise I would here is from a dog barking from playing fetch with it’s owner. This route is perfect for the morning when all you need is a clear mind. Finding a better route can help exercise your brain, as well as preparing you for the day you have ahead of you. I wouldn’t have known this if it weren’t for the article “Top 10 ways to improve your commute” by Alan Henry. As you continue to walk straight through Columbus Park, you begin to notice several statues, whether it’s the Robert F. Kennedy statue, the Christopher Columbus statue, or the Henry Ward Beecher statue. Finally you should come across Johnson street where you should make the right turn which eventually leads to Adams Street. Cross Adams Street and the main Namm building will be right there, you can enter through the Adams Street entrance, which in my opinion is more convenient since its already on the 1st floor as oppose to being on the ground floor. I’m really lazy in the morning so this really comes in clutch. I noticed that ever since I started taking this route I wouldn’t be as tired as if I were to take the others. I also notice that my performance in my classes are far greater.

Going to a community college in the downtown area of Brooklyn can be a drag, especially with the throng of people, slow walkers, and “boagie” smokers all around can upset anybody. This is why its beneficial to have more than route to avoid all that exasperation. With the aid of my English professor I was able to establish this new found route to get to school that has relinquished my hatred for commuting to and from City Tech.

Works Cited:

  1. Miller, Brian. “Extreme Commuting” New York Times, July 21, 2017
  2. Neff, Michell “Tips for staying healthy in the fall” MSU Extension, September 26. 2017
  3. Tarbell, Elizabeth. “You have a bad commute? Try Four Hours and Three Trains” New York Times, July 21, 2017
  4. Fifield, Karen. “Benefits of Eating Breakfast.” MSU Extension, 22 Mar. 2013,
  5. Henry, Alan, “Top 10 Ways to Improve Your Daily Commute”, Weekend Roundup, September 9th,2016

 

New York City’s Alteration

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Old buildings are being transformed into newer ones and new buildings are being constructed in order to maintain a modern outllook. In one instance there’s a large skyscraper under construction in the city of Manhattan that overlooks a shabby factory building located in Dumbo, Brooklyn. This is a good example of how , although the city of New York is advancing in architect there are still buildings that still stand from years ago. Many overlaps such as mine are described by Colson Whitehead and Patrick Mcgrath. Both giving their own perception on how New York goes through changes thus relating to my own juxtaposition.

Although New York is a modernized city there a still instances of pieces of history scattered all throughout the city. I came across an example of this while journeying through Downtown Brooklyn’s “DUMBO”.  On Water and Main Street there is a shabby and decrepit factory building that seems as if it were there from the 1800’s. At first it peaked my interest because Dumbo has already fell victim to gentrification and most buildings around it has already been modernized to fit the lifestyle of incoming yuppies and hipsters. What really got me interested was the large high-rise building being constructed in the distance. It precisely overlooks the factory building in such a way that it seems as if were meant to be built that way. It was my first time being in Dumbo so I was curious to see how long that building was there for. I went to google maps and I was amazed. I searched the address of the building and the latest image of it that came up was in September 2014. As I analyzed the photo the factory building was still in the same tattered and run-down fashion. What really amazed me was that the skyscraper that was being constructed wasn’t there.  This really appealed to me because it shows how fast a large change can be made in a city in just a matter of years.

 

In this day in age, especially in the city of New York, new buildings are being constructed in order to keep up with the modern era. An example of this is the skyscraper that overlooks the old factory building located in Dumbo, Brooklyn. The skyscraper is the Moinian’s Hudson Yards office tower located in 34th street Manhattan with a colossal height of 1,050 feet. The construction of this building began in 2016 (which is the reason why I couldn’t find it on Google Maps) and is projected to be completed in Fall of 2018. This building is being constructed in  the Hell’s Kitchen area of Manhattan which is known for its vast amount of actor and actresses and acting opportunists and also a hub for gay culture. I have been there once to watch my cousin perform at cousin perform at a cafe. I was really young at time and i’m pretty sure the are is nothing like what it used to be. ” Maybe one day we become New Yorkers the day we realize that New York will go on without us.” This was said by Colson Whitehead and he’s trying to say that as New Yorkers we shouldn’t fall victim to the change and keep traditions and cultures the same.

New York is home to many buildings that juxtapose one another. The denotation of juxtapose is to place two different things side by side as to either compare or contrast or to create and interesting effect. The Water and Main Street old factory building versus the Moinian Hudson Yards office tower is a suitable juxtaposition that emphasizes old vs. new. Although they are not exactly side by side, the angle in which the skyscraper is being built overlooks the old factory building in such a precise way it seems as if they are right next to each other. These two buildings are a fitting example of how city can be modernized but still withhold instances from history. New buildings are being created everyday, while old ones are being renovated to be replaced with a Starbucks or Trader Joe’s. Gentrification has been victimizing small pockets of the cities for years now and Dumbo, Brooklyn certainly is one of them. This old factory building is abandoned but still stands today. Why is that so? This building may become a historic landmark in the near future if it’s not transformed into something newer and up to date.

Although these two buildings are of far distance from each other, the overarching size of the sky scraper seems as if it is very close to the old factory building. This juxtaposition really is a good example of how old things will eventually be replaced with something of a more modern taste. Also it compares and contrast Old vs New , and it’s an instance of gentrification. Many people would just walk past this and pay little to no mind to this juxtaposition but this can be made into a bigger picture. A perspective on how cities are advancing and adapting to modern technology.

Whitehead, Colson. “City Limits.” The Colossus of New York: A City in Thirteen Parts. New York: Random House, 2004. 1-12. .

McGrath, Charles. “A Literary Visitor Strolls in From the Airport.” The New York Times, December 6, 2006.

Water and Main Street Juxtaposition

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While my colleague Joe and I ventured through Dumbo we stumbled across what seems to be an old warehouse building and in the far distance a large skyscraper under construction is overlooking it. It peaked my interest as soon as I lay eyes on it because it’s ironic to see such an old  factory building in an already gentrified area and overlooking it a high-rise building that is just being constructed. The exact location of the old factory building is 35 Main Street & Water Street, and the location of the yet to be complete skyscraper is difficult to find. The second photo got me even more interested in the this juxtaposition. it’s the same spot but the photo was taken in October of 2007. I love seeing photos from the past and comparing it to what it is now, it’s the best way to relive a moment of a time that I wasn’t there for.

Metropolis

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Metropolis (noun): the chief or capital city of a country, state, or region.

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/metropolis

“Over a lifetime, that adds up to a lot of neighborhoods, the motley construction material of your jerry-built metropolis.”

I encountered this word while reading an artifle that we are discussing in class, “City Limits” by Colson Whitehead. This isnt my first time hearning of the word metropolis but I never fully understood its denotation. With the help of context clues I got the idea that metropolis was just another word for large city. I wasn’t wrong but I wasnt entirely correct. An example of a metropolis would be Manhattan.

Motley

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Motley (adjective): made up of many different people or things

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/motley

“Over a lifetime , that adds up to a lot of neighborhoods, the motley construction material of your jerry-built metropolis”

I encountered this word while reading an article we are discussing class “City Limits” by Colson Whitehead. This is my first time hearing of this word and it wasn’t easy decipher it by the use of context clues , so I went straight to the internet to find the denotation. It means made up of many different people or things. I finally understood what he meant ” the motley construction material of your jerry-built metropolis”. He basically means that the readers version of New York City is built with different materials of poor quality. An example of the word motley in a sentence would be, ” The motley protesters outside city hall included people of all races and economic classes.”

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