Dinner Time

I have had some unusual experiences at dinner. My family isn't very religious so we've never really said grace before at dinner. My grandparents however are very religious and before every meal they say grace. One time we were visiting them in Florida and we all sat down to have dinner. Little did I know I would have to be the one to say grace. When my granddad insisted I say the prayer, I had no idea what to say. All I said was "Thank you for the food" and after that the dinner was very awkward. Since then I have practiced my prayers to say before dinner.

Namesake

I love my name for what it is. I am so happy my parents have picked it because I have never had trouble with my name. I like the way it sounds and I get a lot of compliments on it. When I was born my parents wanted to name me a  inch of weird nines like dazzle dazzle or speck but luckily they decided with Jack. I think having a foreign name like Gogil would be hard because you could get teased for it or it just doesn't sound good to you. Knowing the background of your name can help a lot as well to make your name more bare able.

Heritage and Tradition

Tradition is very important to me because my dad was born outside of the U.S.  His culture was similar to the U.S. when he was growing up, but there are subtle differences.  Because Australia was colonized by the British, its culture shares many similarities with that of the United States.  As a result of this, I have grown up experiencing both Australian and American traditions.  I celebrate the Fourth of July, and I eat vegemite on occasion, for example.  Although my traditions and heritage may not be as diverse as those of outer students whose parents are both first generation immigrants from different cultures, I think that it has made my life and experience a lot better because of it.  I consider myself American, and I was born in the United States.  At the same time, I think my traditions are important because they are a part of my identity.  Without my dad and his Australian heritage, and without my mother and her heritage, I would be a completely different person.  I would not be Jack Dickinson.

What Actions Do We Judge

I believe that I am more defined by my irrational actions. That is only because I believe I do more irrational things than rational things. If I did more rational things then I would be considered rational but if I'm being honest, I am considered more irrational. It's all based on which actions you do more of and how you act. Also irrational actions are looked upon way more strongly than rational actions. Whenever I do something irrational I get a response like "That's Jack for you" as if they are used to me doing irrational stuff. That is why I believe I am more judged by my irrational actions.

Contradictions

The thing about contradicting myself is that there is always to reasons that apply. Some things in life work like that where you just can't have an answer for why you do them. Every person has a different preference on at least one thing which is part of what makes us all different and human. Contradicting ones self is actually healthy because we are providing ourselves with reason to decided for ourselves in life.

Feminism

I do not consider myself an active feminist but I do support the beliefs of feminists. We are all humans in this world and nobody should be treated less than society because of something that defines them. Women do so much in this world today and to take away their rights is ridiculous. They contribute the same amount men do to this world. They are the sole reason we can reproduce in this world and should be treated with the most respect possible. You can't just judge a woman for being a woman, you judge someone on their character. I do not consider myself a feminist because I'm not out there calling people out for being sexist but I do support women's rights.

SOUR SWEET OR BITTER SWEET?!?!?!?!

  The title of Sour Sweet by Timothy Mo has multiple meanings.  In one way, it represents the generalization and prejudice that the Chinese face when they immigrate to other countries.  Sour sweet is a type of Chinese cooking, but it is very westernized.  Still, it is one of the most popular types of Chinese food and for many people it is the only type of Chinese food that they know.  Just like the food, the Chinese family are put into a collection of stereotypes by the people around them, who see them from this view, instead of looking at who they really are.
   The title also reflects the overall tone of the book.  The book has a lot of happy parts, but it also contains many dark elements, like the triads and poverty.  Because of this, the book is not completely sweet.  It is bittersweet.  It is sour sweet.