Aaron Wesselmann's Blog

Memoir Prompt: Dec. 5

aaronwesselmann — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 05:55:01 +0000

Surprisingly my first kiss was with a girl. Most guys would have gotten something out of it, but I never did for obvious reasons. She was one of the most attractive girls in middle school. She could even be labeled the most attractive. If you cannot catch on, I am gay. Her name was Lara Prescott and her mother wrote the plays we preformed in church. When we kissed we were actually at bible camp during the summer. I am not sure that is what you are supposed to at bible camp, but we did. The plays were for things such as Easter and Thanksgiving. Her and I are still friends and we used to hangout while I was still attending Iowa State. It was a little awkward seeing her and her boyfriend walking around campus holding hands. It was awkward because I always tell her that she is the reason I turned gay. She has always considered herself horrible kisser and I just liked rubbing it in. She honestly was a good kisser but I found it humerous each time I put her down by saying that he was so horrible at kissing that it was what turned me gay. The kiss overall was average. I honestly think they are pretty much all the same. The reason why I treat her’s differently is that it was more of a peck. Kind of like the kid a mother gives her son before bed. It even makes me laugh while thinking about it.

Book Assignment: Dec. 5

aaronwesselmann — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 05:12:28 +0000

While reading the character chapter I came across the portion on the character journal. This exercise sounded fun so I decided to try it. I ended up actually doing it in the MUC. One fun thing I do regularly with my friend Theresa is people watching. I love watching how people react to situations or even coming up with background stories. We come up with their stories by their mannerisms and also even the way they dress. One example would be the man with a cat on a stick. There was a day in the MUC when a older man with a gray beard walked by us while we were having coffee and the U. Brew. He had this sort of walking stick and there was some sort of furry object on the end of it. We ended up coming up with a story in which he had grow up with serial killer parents in the 1960′s and while he was growing up he was taken from his parents. He was placed ina psych ward and was never fully cured. He now walks around VErmillion hunting cats taking out his frustration and influence from his parents out on stray cats. I know it is far fetched but it gives a person a good laugh. We do end up making fun of them but it is not personal. It is just fun seeing the variety of people and how they all react to certain situations differently. Sometimes it is even fun imagining people as animals kind of like in the movie “Mean Girls”.

In Class Exercise: Dec. 3

aaronwesselmann — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 20:49:37 +0000

We were driving to my cousin’s house. My grandma was in the front seat on a rant. She was going on and on about how the roads need replaced she said, “Why are there so many pots holes? Can’t they fix them after five years of the same ones being there? This is bullshit?” I just sat there astonished and finally said, “Grandma, you said a bad word.” She kept on insisting bullshit was not a bad word. She looked back at me through the mirror and made clear that it was not a bad word because she was not calling anyone by that name. She kept saying that if you do not direct “bullshit” towards a person, it is not a bad word. Then there was silence. She just sat there twirling her hair nervously. After about five minutes she started up again saying that she apologizes and that it is actually a bad word. She told that I cannot use it because I she was referring to the work someone had done poorly and that by using that expression it makes a person sound less intelligent. She again sat silently. I thought to myself how stupid this is. Fighting over a simple word. Then we fially arrived at my cousins, a perfect end to her conversation.

In Class Exercise: Nov. 24

aaronwesselmann — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 21:14:24 +0000

Alice, Ben and his parents went out to dinner for Thanksgiving. As they sat down at the table Alice suddenly became upset. As she reached across the table, for her roll, Ben grabbed her hand.

“What’s wrong babe?”

“I just feel like our relationship is going no where.”

Ben replied, “…and what exactly did I do wrong now?”

“You didn’t do anything wrong in particular.” “It’s just I feel like you don’t respect me…and I know it has been hard for you.” “You have been more accepting but it is obvious youre not.”

Ben looks up at Alice and is astonished. Alice never said anything about once being a man. How can a person deal with this? I mean, do you blame him? What would you do if you had found out your girlfriend was once a man?

“This is great!” ”I mean terrific.” My fiance was once a man!” ”Does that make me a fag?”

“Stop this!” ” I thought you would understand…”

“I can’t believe you’re bringing this up in front of your parents.”

“The only people that know about my secret are my parents!” That’s all!”

Ben’s mother replies, “We need to leave.” “I can’t believe you are dating this freak of nature”. “Whatever it is is a sinner!” We have ourselves to worry about.” Not others!”.

Ben’s father adds, “I think I’m gonna be sick.” My son is a fag and he didn’t even know it!”

Ben’s mother and father stood up and stormed out of the restuarant. They left through the kitchen door because they were so ashamed of their son that they could not even bare to be in the presence of the current conflict.

Ben shouts, “How long were you going to wait before you told me?” “You stupid bitch.” I thought I loved you until you decided to tell me this.” You’re not even who I thought you were!” “You’re a monster!”

In Class Exercise November 17

aaronwesselmann — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 04:40:33 +0000

I can remember, I think two years ago. Yeah, that sounds right. Two years ago. My douche bag brother and I were fighting over who bought dad a gift. Earlier that day we had broke into dad’s room and had stolen fifty dollars from him. Its not like he would notice anyway. We had taken the moeny from him so we could buy him a present for his birthday without knowing we did. We just wanted to surprise him. We ended up buying dad a shovel so he could scoop the snow. The Hell if we were going to! Once we had finally reached the house my brother starts bragging on how he did it all himself without my help. ” Bullshit!! I helped too!! ” I said. He still denied it so I grabbed the shovel and told him that if he did not include me then I was going to hit him across the head. Like a dumb asshole, he would not admit that I played any part. So what did I do? I leveled the son of a bitch. I took the shovel and hit him across the face. He looked up in amazement then starts crying and running after me. I of course left him in the dust because I am younger and faster. This was the last time he was going to treat me like a piece of shit. I am not going to tolerate anymore crap from him. I will no longer we alked all over by that fat ass again.

Nov. 8 Memoir

aaronwesselmann — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 05:48:49 +0000

I actually never had anyone labeled as my best friend. I have always been an open person and could easily talk about anything personal. If a stranger were to walk up to me I would tell them all about my life. I do not care about what other people think of me because I am not ashamed of anything I have done. I believe no one has a place to judge, so why worry about what people think. It’s what you know is true. However I would consider my best friend right now to be my life partner Jesse. Jesse and I met through my friend Taylor. He used to live in Kansas City then moved to Vermillion to live with me. He has a very sarcastic personality, so never take him seriously. He has bronze skin with a receeding hair line that I tease him about. He could pretty much collect solar energy off of his scalp I tease him about it because I am older than him but he seems to be aging faster. He also has sea foam green eyes and a smile that would trigger the most depressed person to smile in return. He has a complxion as smooth as glass and fuller lips than a trout. I trust all of my friends but he is the person that has always been there for me. We have been friends for as long as I can remember and it will remain that way. We have definitely fought, but usually for stupid reasons. We trust eachother completely and it will remain that way.

Nov. 22 Memoir

aaronwesselmann — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 05:30:34 +0000

An event that brought me closer to my religious devotions was the death of my Great Aunt Barb. I was always close to her and her husband Basil. She was the nicest person I know. I don’t even think she had ever even said the word stupid. She was one person that was as saintly as I could think of. She would always tell me how I was her favorite nephew and we would always spend the sumers together up in Minnesota. In 1998 she was diagnosed with breast cancer. She was told that she would only live for six months but ended up living for two more years. At times it looked like there was hope for her and that maybe she would pull through. She would get better for a couple of weeks then everything would get just as worse each time. We tried treatment but it never worked. I prayed every night and that did not work either. I spent nights in the hospital sitting with her spending as much time with her as I could just hoping she would get better. I never understood why god could take a perfect person away from this world. I needed her and she was taken away. I did not lose faith completely but I did lose some. The death of Barb brought me closer to my Great Grandma Fern as well as Basil I can not feel comfortable around Basil anymore however. Eveytime i see him I think of Barb. I think of the pain he had to suffer. The love of his life was taken away.

In-Class Exercise: Nov. 5

aaronwesselmann — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 20:46:25 +0000

Name: Sue Cidle

Birth: 9-30-1989

Birth Place: Salem, Connecticut

Height: 5’9

Weight: 134

Hair Color: Auburn

Eye Color: Blue

Habits: Tends to play with hair when nervous and also a distinctive feature would be her enormous hands.

Clothes: Brighter colors and clothes that are more fittted to show off her assests.

Residence: She lives in a one bedroom apartment but spends most of her time at her boyfriends house. It is kept very tidy but that is because she does not spend much time there.

Friends: She is very well liked by all people but never hangs out with them. ashe spends most of her time with her boyfriend.

English Usage: Her vocabualry is very extensive but she only shows it in her work enviroment because she does not want attention drawn to her.

Money: She does not view money as important.

Future: She lives in the moment.

Leisure time: It is spent with either her boyfriend or studying for classes, there is no time for friends even though she wishes there was.

Sex:Wants to wait till marriage.

Religion: Believes in a higher being but is losing faith because of the recent death of her father.

Alcohol and drugs: Refuses to do either because she feels that if it takes drugs to make your life enjoyable then you should seek help.

Emotionally distant becuase she feels they are her problems and no one should have to deal with them.

Currently in college.

Is a full time student.

Mother played an active role in her life but there was no father figure.

She fears the thought of being alone.

What she wants from life is just to be happy.

Description of the grocery store:

The entire store smelled of death. The scent of roasting ham and raw hamburger from the meat counter engulfed the entire store. Each aisle is crowded to where small children were losing sight of their parents in only seconds. Evryone seemed to be exhaling at the sametime which seemed to make the temperature increase to where it was as if the store was a kiln and it had just been fired up.

Response to Reading: Nov. 8

aaronwesselmann — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 05:11:11 +0000

The beginning of chapter 10 is all about the theme. Whenever analyzing a book, or even a play we look for themes. Sometimes they are easily seen, other times they are not because they are not always revealed at the beginning of stories and we must wait and see what they are. In plays however we analyze the character’s goal and what they are trying to achieve or obtain from other characters or figures. That usually helps us find the theme. One example would be ”Death of a Salesman”. One of the themes is the “American Dream”. The audience is exposed to this through Willy Loman’s character. He wants his family to be well liked to where they can become wealthy businessman, whether they like like it or not. Another theme could be false reality because Willy seems to think that he, himself, is successful when he is not in reality. Literary works can have many themes but their always seems to be one that “out shines” the rest. Short stories are obviously the same way. They can have many themes and flow perfectly. Many people first develop a theme and then begin writing. I do not. I frist begin by writing and then eventually develop a theme that I fall back on. Then all I have to do is cut segments of the story I wrote rather than struggling to figure out what works and what does not. People are correct when they say just write. If you keep writing, eventually, something will just naturally happen. I do find the theme that hardest component in writing however in that the story relies on it.

In Class Exercise: Oct. 26 – Nov. 1

aaronwesselmann — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 04:36:14 +0000

School Lunch.

I can still remember the flood of kids all walking down the stairs to enter the lunch room. All of them walking out of order and sometimes even nudging each other as if they had not eaten in four days. They all flocked for the lines of burgers and fries. I had packed my lunch. I refuse to eat their so called “healthy food”. The food was the same. How they made it healthy was that they switched to wheat buns. It was bull shit. I had usually brought a peanut butter and banana sandwich made with whole grain bread. The peanut butter clinging to my palate left nothing more to be desired. On the side I would usually pack some carrots. For my beverage I had a bottle of water with a Crystal Light packet mixed in. I preferred the fruit punch. What bothered me the most was watching the kids act as if cattle, walking single file towards their troughs. The moaning of their starving stomachs, and most of the kids ate so much they might as well had two. Them munching on the fries with their mouths hanging open, chewing in that same circualr motion. The thought of the food itself made me quiver. The fries acted as a mirror in that I could see my reflection in its grease. I would even share the knowledge with people that greasy food causes ache but they never did respond. They enjoyed the food I considered crap. I stayed full faster and I lived a healthier lifestyle. So why should care. You are what you eat.