So, readers, how many of you have ambitions? I’m not talking about dreams of becoming a banker, or an engineer. No, I’m talking about those dreams you had as a child. Like when you used to say, “I want to be the president of the USA.”
Those were the times when ambition was unbridled, and our imaginations roamed free. On April 16th we were graced with the presence of someone who achieved her dreams and becomes a famous author: Melissa de la Cruz. Thanks to the Mochila Review for bringing her to campus. Though it isn’t filled with heartbreaking hardships, her story gave hope to writers and aspiring novelists. It wasn’t a tale of luck like J. K. Rowling, who has written an incredible series herself, but it was very realistic. Melissa started out writing while working as a programmer. After her writing started to take off, she then went back to school and acquired an MA degree in English. And now look at her; she’s written 45 books. Some of which have been adapted to television and movies. While adaptations seem to take on a slightly different light than the original text, it is every writer’s dreams to see their work come to life. And Melissa de la Cruz shows us that this is actually possible; even if you have to publish almost fifty books to do it.
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By: Daniel Holaday
A lot of people ask me why I’m pursuing a degree in English. Luckily, I’ve been supported in my journey by my friends and family, but it isn’t always that way. We can’t deny that the world needs engineers, doctors, scientists, and business men. These roles, and many others, are extremely necessary to our modern society, but does the study of our written and spoken word insignificantly compared to these others? Over the last few years of my studies I have learned two things: One, people are having a more difficulty than ever when it comes to actually expressing thoughts and ideas. Two, the world would be a lot more boring without content developed by creative writers, designers, and directors. My cousin is an engineering student at UMKC. I love him, and always try to do whatever I can to assist him in his efforts to succeed. That being said, he is less than skilled when it comes to writing his papers, and sometimes he doesn’t have the right words to convey his point. As a future engineer, his words need to carry a certain weight. Especially because engineering firms compete for high-level contracts all the time. During a presentation to a client, one wrong or misplaced word could be enough to lose their patronage. This applies to all company/client relationships. So, there is an ultimatum: either work extensively on your own language skills, or utilize a language specialist. By Daniel Holaday
Things are getting pretty dicey around this time of year, Missouri Western. Deadlines for project, papers, and even the dreaded finals are at our doorstep. Fear not, for if we continue our course through this field of strife there is a silver lining. Well, two silver linings. One, you’re that much closer to achieving the goal of owning a piece of paper. I would hope that you’re an expert on whatever that degree says you are, but so long as you have gained the required skills then it’ll likely turn out fine. Two, summer is just around the corner. We here in Northwest Missouri, are so tired of winter, and it’s been a long and dreary one. Usually, I’m a fan of the cold, but this season has been jarring. More times than I can count, we’ve had alternating warm and cold days. We, as humans, adapt to weather conditions to a degree. However, when the weather bounces back and forth like an eight-year-old on a Halloween sugar high that adaption is thrown out the window. If you think I’m crazy look at mother nature’s April fools gift of snow on Easter. I’ve lived in Missouri for around fourteen years, and I’ve never seen snow on Easter. Plans were ruined, and roads were slick. Not a great Easter by most standards. So, from all of us here in Missouri: Mother nature, please just move on with the seasons. By Daniel Holaday
Attention Missouri Western, we are in the home stretch. These semesters can wear on some of us, but the horizon is in sight. Whether you are cheering or cramming, I think everyone is looking forward to a time where no deadlines need to be met. To those of you that have survived this year, I commend you. Many of us college students have things outside school as well that add to the burden we have to deal with. Families, jobs, volunteer activities, and regular chores are things that everyone has to do to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Personally, I think that the mothers that are pursuing an education are incredible. In the majority of cases, I’ve seen them working, raising kids and doing their school work. My own mother went to college, but never received anything higher than an associates in general education. I love her to death, and I have seen the amount of work she does to keep the family running smoothly. If I take that and apply what work she does for the family, and then add on work and college, let’s just say that many of us guys out there would go insane in a week’s time. So, for those of you that still live near or under your mother’s wing, do something nice for her. Make her breakfast or handle some of the chores for her this week because she did a lot to get herself and you here. |
AuthorDaniel Holaday is the blog writer for Canvas, Missouri Western State University's literary journal. Archives
April 2018
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