Blogging with Mayo

Mayowa Oroyemi

Professor Penaz

English 2150

5/12/09

Being Successful in the Big Apple

You could choose to live anywhere in the United States and live a simple and humble life but there is no city like New York. If a person chose to move to New York they not only would have to have a secure way of making money but also they have to know how to manage their money. The question: what does it take to make it in New York? Is one that I have heard many times. The first thing I say to that is making it in America itself is let alone New York. Many people that live in other countries automatically assume that because you live in America that you are rich or have some kind of money.

This happens with my own family in Nigeria. The last time I went to Nigeria many of my aunts and uncles were asking me how many cars I owned and if I could give them money and I was just shocked. I told them what kind of work could some my age be doing that they would be able to afford more than one car and be able to support family members also. A lot of people seem to forget that hardship exist everywhere, even in the most successful of countries also. But there are many factors that determine not only how successful a person can be but also to their means of production.

Many people argue that in New York you can only be successful if your family is already rich or you know people that know people. I believe that this is a small factor in becoming successful. I say that the key to becoming successful is by going to a good college and getting the best education that you can get yourself to better prepare yourself for the real world and the real money that comes along with it. The main reason many of us go to school is to be able to get good or higher paying jobs that will put us in a better financial position.

Not only does a good education get you a good job with good pay but it makes you smarter as a human being also. A person also becomes successful in the sense that when they are educated they know how to carry and conduct themselves around their peers and others. Education teaches us how to socialize with not only others but people from other cultures and backgrounds. For instance in school they might teach you that certain societies take off their shoes when going into a holy place like a church or temple and just from knowing this you know how to act when you are in that situation also.

Education shows us how to look for jobs, how to speak to employers when we are seeking good rewarding jobs. Without education even if we had the money we wouldn’t know what to do with it, how to manage it, and how to conduct ourselves because there are many people that have money but do not know how to act. In New York to be successful you must have a good education because there are so many people waiting to take advantage of you and use you in there scheme to become rich or successful. I believe that being successful in New York means more than just being rich though.

To me being successful means have a good amount of money but also being able to look at myself in the mirror and say “wow look at what you have accomplished Mayowa”. I want my children to look at me and not think that they don’t have to work hard because my money will be theirs but I want them to strive to be even more successful than I am. I want my children to accomplish things that I couldn’t accomplish. A successful person In New York is someone who knows the in and outs. You have to be very sharp in New York because there are a lot of swindlers out here.

I have heard many stories from my mother and father about friends of theirs who were renowned doctors and lawyers back in Nigeria and they then come here and become security guards and janitors not because they stopped striving but because education in some countries are worth more than others and these people have to start their education all over again like a person who is just entering grad school. They motivate me though because they didn’t give up they knew that it would take hard work to be successful and go their PhDs and MDs and became what they once were and began making even more money than they would have made if they were still doctors or lawyers in Nigeria.

Education goes a long way if you have the best education that can be given to you and you utilize it and take advantage of it, it doesn’t matter what country you go to you will be recognized and in New York that makes a big difference because there are so many competition for the little jobs that are available out here in New York and the person with the more education and more knowledge on his or her resume will most likely walk away with the best job at the end of the day. Education plays a big role because like I said a person has to be able to manage their money and know their limits and without education how can a person know such things. Education can take us so far because it is the stomping ground and the base for a lot of aspects in life. So I leave you with this thought can you find yourself being a successful person in New York? The answer is yes you can if you strive to get the education needed and feed yourself knowledge.

Mayowa Oroyemi

Professor Penaz

English 2150

5/11/09

Cool blog sites

There are many blog sites out there on the internet some interesting and others really hard to comprehend. What is a blog site you might ask? A blog is a personal diary. A daily pulpit, a collaborative space, a political soapbox, a breaking-news outlet, a collection of links, your own private thoughts, memos to the world, your blog is whatever you want it to be. There are millions of them, in all shapes and sizes, and there are no real rules. Blog sites are basically web pages where people can express their feelings or share what’s on their minds. I think that blog sites are the next best thing since the right to freedom of speech.

One of my favorite blog sites has to be Fifty Cent’s blog site thisis50.com. This blog is like everything in one. Fifty Cent has everything on his blog from personal thoughts to sharing links, news, and videos of other artist or artist he has beef (problems) with. One thing I can always give Fifty’s blog is credibility because he always has the truth on his blog even when he has beef with other artist like Rick Ross and he digs up information on them it is always accurate information that even the person he writing about cannot deny.

Fifty Cent’s blog connects with people from not only the slums like where he grew up from to people who want to start there own business. Fifty has a nice design on his page that not only promotes his albums but other artist albums too, the designs on his page make you look twice while not being distracted from what’s actually on the page. Fifty also puts good information on his blog from his tour dates and other musician’s tour dates to information on what is going on in the economy. Another thing that I like about Fifty’s blog is that he allows other people to post information and blog on his site also.

Fifty’s blog site is the place you want to go if you are looking for entertainment while being educated on what is going on in society. I like how thisis50.com keeps everything straight with not cuts and gives everything to you like it is with no bull. You can go on Fifty’s blog and watch music videos or read about what’s going on in politics, the world, and in the music world, from controversies like nude pictures or videos of famous people being leaked out. Fifty Cent’s blog is going to be a blog site that I visit for a long time although I don’t really like him as an artist his blog site is like eye candy and captures your attention while feeding you knowledge also.

Mayowa Oroyemi

Professor Penaz

English 2150

4/29/09

Hardship of New York Nurses

When speaking about our New York nurses the first question I think a lot of people will ask is what is a nurse? A nurse is a highly trained and skilled professional who cares for the sick and infirm. A nurse helps to educate patients in issues of healthy living and wellness as well as any current or chronic disease process and treatment. A nurse performs treatments and procedures as prescribed by physicians, physician assistants and nurse practitioners. Nurses combine the fine art of caring with scientific knowledge and skills acquired throughout their education and careers. Nursing is a lifelong learning experience. Nurses work in many different settings and perform duties related to the setting in which they work. A nurse’s Scope of Practice is defined by the level of education and license earned.

Nurses need to have a great deal of compassion for their fellow human beings. They have to have good communication skills in both listening as well as speaking and writing in the language of the area in which they practice. Nurses have to be patient and they often have to have a thick skin. Patients are usually ill or concerned about their health status and are not at their best. (http://healthfieldmedicare.suite101.com/article.cfm/what_is_a_nurse_#ixzz0EURxShR1&B) These are some of the characteristics and requirements needed in order for a person to either become a nurse or even think about choosing nursing as a career.

Living in New York already has its high demands and being a nurse isn’t as hard as being a New York nurse. This being because it is already very hard to secure a job in New York. Looking to get a job in New York is like trying to find Santa clause in Hawaii. Nursing jobs in New York are very demanding and unless you have something over the next candidate like education or experience then you will have the toughest luck trying to find a job as a nurse. The funny thing is that there are so many open positions for nursing because hospitals are always looking it is just being the person that they are looking for that is the problem.

My mother is a nurse and she is one of my hero’s. When you first start off you don’t make the kind of money that you expect to make and sometimes the benefits promised to you aren’t given to you unless you go through many processes like calling up your union and demanding it from your job. The hours that you are looking for aren’t always available and you have to either take whatever hours that they offer you or leave empty handed and with so many bills that New Yorkers have to pay I don’t think anyone would want to leave with nothing even if it isn’t what they expected to get. I had an interview with my mother about her recent experience at the hospital she works in.

Me: Hello Mrs. Oroyemi how hard is it being a nurse?

Mrs.Oroyemi: Very hard, it is a very demanding job

Me: Tell me some things that make this job hard.

Mrs. O: For one you have to deal with supervisors that don’t really care about you and your needs. Then you don’t always get the hours you want, you might want to work weekdays but they will only give you weekends and part week days.

Me: I had no idea it was like that.

Mrs. O: Well when it comes to nursing people don’t think that nurses go through a lot of problems also.

Me: Well what does your typical day consist of?

Mrs. O: Well today I could be assisting a doctor with a patient and tomorrow I could be taking care of a bitter elderly person who no one knows why they are as bitter and mean as they are.

Mrs. O: Sometimes some of the patients don’t even give you the same respect that you give them but that is where you have to keep on showing them respect because it is part of your job.

Me: Do you get paid vacations?

Mrs. O: We are supposed to get paid vacations but sometimes it depends on how long you have been working there, and vacations are hard to get.

Me: Tell me more; what is your biggest worry?

Mrs.O: Well you know that your father and I have to pay bills, your tuition and the family needs and when you are working in a job that could be paying you the money needed to get what you need done but isn’t doing so it not only frustrates you but it almost brings you down as a human, but like I said you can’t really do anything but keep your head up in hopes that you get what you deserve when God thinks the time is right.

There are many other nurses that go through what my mother was talking about in her last answer. New York is one of the most, if not the most expensive city to live in an if you own a home instead of an apartment in areas like Brooklyn then chances are that you are paying not only bills but mortgages. This means that a person must be able to secure a good paying job if they hope to not only live a comfortable life but a stable one. My mother told me about a lot of her friends who were nurses also but they could not meet ends meet with their rent or mortgages and either had the homes repossessed or had to move to another state like states down south because of how cheap homes are down there and how less expensive it cost to live and maintain yourself out there.

In order to become a nurse in New York, besides the educational requirements you must have the metal requirements, you must have the mind set knowing that you may start off with low wages and may not get the hours or vacations that you should be getting but you have to still work hard in hopes that things will change. This is what I think New York nurses have over nurses in other areas. Due to this I believe that being a New York nurse is even harder than trying to be a nurse in Georgia, South Carolina, or any other city and state. New York nurses understand that they have to endure the hardship that they go through and I think this makes them stronger and even better suited to work as a nurse in any other state or city if they so choose to leave New York.

This recession makes it even harder on the nurses in New York. People say that because nurses work in an environment that demands them all the time they won’t get laid off but Yes … the economy always has and always will have an effect on the nursing job market. In some places, new graduates are already having a very difficult time finding jobs any jobs. As the economy worsens, hospitals feel the financial pain and start to tighten up on their hiring to save costs. Perhaps more important, nurses who are already employed by the hospital volunteer to work extra shifts because their family needs the extra money. Spouses get laid off, food and gas prices increase, etc. People who once were able to work only part time now want to work full time. That gives the hospital the ability to cover its needs without having to hire a lot of new people (http://allnurses.com/new-york-nurses/economic-crisis-affecting-337714.html). All in all I believe that our New York nurses understand the hardship that comes with the job and I believe that they will pull through this recession and the problems they have with getting the pay they deserve.

Mayowa Oroyemi

Professor Penaz

English 2150

4/23/09

New York Hero

A hero in Greek mythology and folklore, was originally a demigod, the offspring of a mortal and a deity,^[3] their cult being one of the most distinctive features of ancient Greek religion. Later, hero (male) and heroine (female) came to refer to characters (fictional or historical) that, in the face of danger and adversity or from a position of weakness, display courage and the will for self sacrifice that is, heroism for some greater good, originally of martial courage or excellence but extended to more general moral excellence. But a hero doesn’t have to have super powers or be invincible. A hero can simply be someone with good morals that you look up to.

My New York hero is anyone that takes their talents and makes use of it every day in this city from the guy in the subway playing drums on buckets to the guy dancing in the subway carts or playing a certain instrument in the carts. The reason why I say this is because anyone can decide to become a doctor, policemen, or a business man/woman but not a lot of people would go to a public place like the train station or the corner if a street and begin to do something that they possess a skill with like doing a magic trick or playing an instrument. You may look at it like what they do is nothing but I can bet twenty dollars that while they are doing what they do that you are probably not only being entertained but saying to yourself “that takes skills”.

Being a performer myself I understand the bravery it takes to get up and perform or try to entertain a group of people that you don’t know, because you never know how they will react to whatever it is that you are going to do. You will always have one person who just dislikes you for your talent or the one guy who has had a bad day or something that is just waiting to take their anger out on anyone and you putting yourself on the spot makes you a major target and also you will also have to face the people with harsh criticism. This is why I chose our New York street and public performers as my heroes.

Mayowa Oroyemi

Professor Penaz

English 2150

4/6/09

Cultural diffusion in Dancing in New York

When you look at a city one of the questions that arise in your mind is what makes this city unique and bring the people in this city together. When I think of New York I think of many things but one of the first things that come to my mind is Dance. New York is known as the Mecca of hip hop and thus the birth of hip hop dance. Dance started off as a way for people to tell stories and pass them on down to the next generation and also a way for them to communicate to the opposite sex and express their feelings without using words. In today’s society Dance brings us together in many ways but in New York it does much more than that.

Dance is, in general terms, human movement with an implied purpose such as the communication of an aesthetic or emotional idea, participation with music, and/or the achievement of certain mind-body states, sometimes spiritual-mystical ones, sometimes as simple as physical fitness. In this way, dance is contrasted to utilitarian movement–such as walking, hammering, typing, lifting weights, etc.–that has a direct “materialistic” purpose. There are other forms of human activity that can be classified as not strictly utilitarian, such as pantomime and sports. However, dance differs from these other forms of activity insofar as the dancer’s movement diverges from necessity–insofar as the dancer’s movement is shaped primarily by an aesthetic or emotional concern rather than by the need to run faster, leap farther, or communicate a concrete, discursive idea. A dance also refers to a specific form of this movement. Specific dances have names that are recognized, and the specifics of the dance may be formalized. Examples of specific dances or families of dances are waltz, jig and salsa (http://www.knowledgerush.com/kr/encyclopedia/Dance).

A person might ask what makes dance in New York different from dance in California or any other state and the first thing I say is that one of the most popular dance styles (hip hop) originated in New York and if it wasn’t for hip hop a lot of other dance styles from other states like Krump from California or Bucking from Memphis would not exist. New York paved the way for many other cities and states to create their own dance styles that they could use to communicate and bring the people in their communities together. A lot of dancers come to New York just to go to school for dance because they know that New York can offer more than they would be able to get in their hometowns.

Dance is a way for people to relax and have fun. If you were to ask a dancer why he or she dances, if they are a real dancer they will tell you that dancing isn’t just a hobby but a way of life of them. I believe that saying because I am a dancer and I know what that means. Dancing is a way to just have fun or to let your emotions out. There have been many times when I either lost someone close to me or just had a lot of drama going on around me that I wish could go away and the one magical way that I could make it go away without having to do anything dangerous was to dance my pain away. A lot of people in New York turn to dance as an alternative to selling drugs or being in the gangs.

When you come into the dance world you meet a lot of people from different races, countries, and cultural backgrounds showing that there is definitely a big cultural diffusion going on in New York. You can’t look at dance in New York and say that only a specific race or ethnic group does hip hop, salsa, ballet, or any other form of dance because that would be a lie. When it comes to dance I’m into hip hop and reggae and when you break that down, in hip hop I do popping and locking, waving and original dance style from New York own borough Brooklyn and it is called flexing which a combination of popping, waving, and tutting. You can find Hispanics, African Americans, Caucasians, Asians etc doing this form of dance and it brings us all together.

This type of dancing and other dancing lets us come together and show each other our talents and it lets us pass on what we know to each other and this is done during lab sessions (practice) when different crews come together to practice with each other and have either friendly battles or battles to settle arguments or beef going on between them. When you go in a club and you hear a song like chicken noodle soup or you hear a song like stanky leg being played I guarantee that if you look around the club you will find that everyone in the club will be doing the dance. You can never go to a dance battle or dance club and find only one ethnic group. Dance in New York is a big way for people to network and be known.

Dance is also a way for a lot of people especially the young teens in New York to Prove themselves and get a name for themselves. Two of the ways to get a name for yourself that New York has that no other city or state that I know has are Dcole’s “dark wars” and Upperclassmen’s “battlefest”. Dcole actually has a get your name up dance session at his dark wars where he lets people dance on camera to get the spotlight and let their name and presence be known and he post the videos on his YouTube page, and battlefest is a place where people who flex and do hip hop can come and battle to make a name for themselves and win prizes for their accomplishments. And even if other cities have things like battlefest and dark wars I can guarantee that theirs is nothing like us our battles are just so New York!!!.

Dance in New York is just like no other we have our own swagger and there is just an aura about how we organize our competitions and the way we get together at clubs and parties and show everyone our sweet moves. New York will always be New York and dance will always be dance but dance in New York can only be found here in New York so copy cats and imitators beware because our style is not to be taken and you cannot find it anywhere else but you might find dancers that were once from New York carrying on the job and spreading dance to other cities and spreading the culture.

Us shoppers I believe are viewed as the prey and the sales people are the predators; their jobs are to lure us to whatever it is that they are selling and then to catch us by the hook or in this case our wallets. They use every trick and tactics that they have been trained to learn and use them very well on us, just look at the axe commercial that says if you spray yourself with axe females will flock you. We are being preyed upon and we don’t even notice it but that is New York for you, It will never change just look at how people got preyed upon by pocket pickers back in the 30’s the only thing that changed is that the pocket pickers have become the department stores. I then make my way up the escalator to the next floor and hunt (browse) for something I might like. But going into these stores really does make me feel like we are animals. I remember the last time I went to the polo store inside and I was looking for a specific sweater and I asked an employee if they had a medium and I noticed that another person seemed to be looking for the same size in the same sweater as me, the employee tells me there might be one or two left and where to check and suddenly I see this other person walking twenty miles per hour towards the area and we are both searching and he’s looking at me and I’m looking at him.

Mayowa Oroyemi

Professor Penaz

English 2150

2/22/09

Walk through Fashion Avenue

Everyone has a certain street, block, or area that they walk or drive by that has an effect on their everyday life. This effect can be something so great that it sums up why they live their life the way they do or how they became who they are. I have always wanted to walk a certain street and be influenced by that street so much. I never thought I would be able to say walking down such and such street has done this or given me this opportunity. But I have been influenced and I am very glad because its help shape the person I am today, it has shape me in the way that I dress now. Before I would just put on anything but now I think hard on what to wear and how they will match, and also it has made view New York a whole different way. This being that a lot of stores prey on shoppers and impose their styles on us, they make us want to buy their fancy clothes and we don’t object to them either.

Fashion Ave. is also known as the fashion district or garment center in Manhattan. New York has been the fashion Mecca of America since the 19^th century. The main item that shows up all around fashion ave is “buttons”. Walking down 7^th ave one of the things that always catches my attention is the fashion walk of fame similar to Hollywood’s own walk of fame. It briefly tells about the history of fashion ave and shows the accomplishments of certain designers and their stores. This area is what tells you how fashion ave came to be; through the blood, sweat, and tears that many designers put into their work to bring it to life to share with the rest of us their ideas and dreams.

Another thing that catches my eyes while walking is the sign behind the fashion center kiosk. There is a giant model of a button about the size of a can if not bigger with a huge needle, almost if not taller than a house going through it. When I look at this it symbolizes the hard work and effort put into developing this district, because when people think of fashion and clothes one of the first thing that comes to mind are buttons which are one of the key essentials to keep the clothes together. So I think this represents how the fashion district was brought together store by store and designer by designer.

When I come to fashion ave after I come out of Penn Station, I like to start on 34^th street by the H&M store a huge store with tall glass windows that allows you to view the whole street from the inside and take a gaze at the merchandise from the street view. They have beautiful cardigans and from grey to purple, some with designs or with the buttons placed in certain areas to just plain sweaters. I love walking down this street so many lights from giant store signs with multi colored lighted signs that are arranged with blue, red, green, and yellow. I love fashion; it is a way to express yourself and your style that is why I like to get dressed up a lot even if it is not to go to a party but if I am just coming out to the city to walk around.

After leaving H&M I like to go to Macys. But before I get to Macys and sometimes even before I get to H&M I go through the ritual of trying to cross the street with about a million others. You have the people that are rushing and just don’t have time to be wasting, then you have the people who walk ultimately slow as if they have nowhere to be, then you have the people who just don’t know where they want to go or what they want to do. Trying to cross the streets is like fighting an army and only the strong and fast survive. If you’re smart and know how to maneuver you way around you will make it across the street before the light changes, if not then better luck on the next light.

Journeying into the second main store I like to visit, the good old Macy’s. As soon as I walk in the first thing I notice are the 300 different smells lingering in the air, These are the smells of the different colognes and perfumes being sold on the first floor and almost like in a cartoon I start to float in midair towards the different stands searching for the perfect one which never happens because I smell one but I see another shaped like the body of a woman that smells equally good but the shape makes it more appealing. Then I have a beautiful sales woman using her gender to persuade me into buying her cologne. Walking into these stores I feel as if I am in the animal kingdom. There are clothes that you look at and say “wow, who could ever afford this” and then you say the rich or the “bourgeoisie”. Its either you have money or you don’t.

Us shoppers I believe are viewed as the prey and the sales people are the predators; their jobs are to lure us to whatever it is that they are selling and then to catch us by the hook or in this case our wallets. They use every trick and tactics that they have been trained to learn and use them very well on us, just look at the axe commercial that says if you spray yourself with axe females will flock you. We are being preyed upon and we don’t even notice it but that is New York for you, It will never change just look at how people got preyed upon by pocket pickers back in the 30’s the only thing that changed is that the pocket pickers have become the department stores. I then make my way up the escalator to the next floor and hunt (browse) for something I might like. But going into these stores really does make me feel like we are animals. I remember the last time I went to the polo store inside and I was looking for a specific sweater and I asked an employee if they had a medium and I noticed that another person seemed to be looking for the same size in the same sweater as me, the employee tells me there might be one or two left and where to check and suddenly I see this other person walking twenty miles per hour towards the area and we are both searching and he’s looking at me and I’m looking at him.

You could almost feel the tension just pricking at your skin if you were there. After like two minutes that felt like an eternity I find the sweater and he looks at me like “Damn it” and I look at him like “sorry buddy this one has my name on it”. You can never get enough of fashion when you are on fashion ave, any store you go into I can guarantee will have at least one item that grabs your attention. There is nothing that you can’t find if you look in the right stores from rainbow silk dresses that feel as if they about to melt in your hands to thick wool sweaters that feel like a woolly mammoth is snuggling against your skin.

These are what make New York, New York. The whole “craziness” from the train ride to the stores is compelling. Riding with new faces that you might not ever even see again, to shops that will always be around no matter how old you get. A lot of these stores are many years older than us but their themes and tactics in getting into our pockets have not withered instead they have improved with the years. They change their ways of getting into our pockets as the years go accommodating and adjusting to the way people shop and spend money in order to have the money come their way.

These vids are from an event that my crew and other crews had recently enjoy and tell me what you think ^_^

My teacher aka Big homie Krumping

The Bro Krumping

Dreamz Krumping

Flexin

My names is Mayowa but all of my friends call me Mayo for short…The nickname has been with me since I was in like 1st grade lolz. I love to read anything that is worth reading and is interesting, anything that can keep me awake because I get bored easily lolz. I love food even though I dont think I eat alot…atleast I hope I dont. I love dancing and im with a group called EO squad(entertainment only) and I have been dancing for about 2 and a half years now…I do choreography but I like freestyle much better because when you are freestyling you can dance how you feel. When It comes to hip hop I am into to dance styles one is called flexing and it originated from brooklyn and some of the people that taught me were on Americas Best Dance Crew recently and the other form is know as Krump(Kingdom Radically Uplifting Mighty Praise) this dance style originated in California and has been grabbing alot of attention, some famous people like chris brown and even T-pain have been seen getting into this style. I am a very nice person I like making friends… I dont discrimintae anyone so if you wanna talk you can jus randomly come up to me if you want lolz…I am a weirdo but the coolest one that you will probably ever meet…I think being normal is overrated ::laughs::… Awww man there is so much I want to right lolz…My favorite color is purple I dont even know why it just is. I love hanging out with my friends because when we are together all hell breaks loose lolz… If there is anything else you would like to know about me you can always ask either in person or right on my blog and I will put up some vids of the dancing styles I do to get you familiar with them d(-_*)b