Reflection on my Cyberhood Experience

Myspace, Facebook, Blogspot, Match.com are all different forms of online communities. Some are promoting their community as "A Place for Friends" while others are promoting romance and love. However so someone looks at these online communities, there are a few credentials that are not met in order to truly have a community-based relationship with other people. In congruence with Barlow's beliefs, I found that through by experience with the cyberhood community, both prana and other less in depth, but equally important, qualities found in neighborhood communities make or break relationships and played a vital role in the un success if growing closer through our blogs.

Throughout my blogging experience I have realized how impersonal cyberhood communities can be. By both seeing my classmates in class and than trying to make relationships with them online as well, it was very easy for myself to compare and contrast both communities and my relationships I have made from them. From our class blog I have learned a few interesting things about some of the people, like if they have a passion for sports, movies, etc. However, just knowing someones' likes and dislikes will not help me establish a relationship with them. In contrast, from class discussion and face to face interaction I have been able to learn about my classmates' hearts, their motivations in life, and what truly is important to them.

In Barlow's article, "Cyberhood vs Neighborhood," he discusses a Hindu term prana. He describes prana to mean breathe and spirit; "the vital element in holy and unseen ecology of relationships." My interpretation of prana is the face to face interaction someone has in conversation and the physicality of a neighborhood community. In my opinion the only way I can develop a relationship with someone is with the presence of prana because the physicality of one's breath while speaking, the tone carried in their voice, as well as their physical body standing before you is what creates interaction.

I did enjoy the blogging experience but it was not because of the relationships I developed. It was because my blog was like a mini-journal for me to write about things in my life that are special to me. The topics I chose to write about make me happy so by writing about them I was able to encourage myself and realize how truly important my family, my horses, and my health are to me and how I never want to lose any of them to anyone or anything!

I owe it all to my family...

“What family situation?” I asked my Principal when she called me into chat about a newspaper article I was soon to play the main character in. “Oh! Do you mean about my brother and sister?” I questioned her. “Yes, that situation” she replied.

I always find it interesting that when people ask me about my family they often seem somewhat apprehensive. Or even worse, they seem to feel sorry for me. My family may be "unique" but it is all I've ever known and I've always considered myself very lucky to have been blessed with such an incredible family.

The “situation” my principal was so curiously referring to is about my brother and sister. Both my sister Kelly, 24, and my brother, Kyle, 22, were born with disabilities. My sister, one of the happiest people in the world, is autistic. While my brother, my real-life hero, has a very rare syndrome known as Marshall-Smith’s, which has caused him significant physical and medical challenges.

I have learned so much from my siblings and my parents. Perseverance and courage from my brother from those many times he spent days, even months, in the hospital, his main concern being for everyone around him. He didn't want anyone to be sad. He taught us all how to make every day count. From my sister I have learned to always see the good in people and simply be happy and appreciate life. My parents have shown me the importance of love and laughter in every day. They never look at things as being a problem but instead as a challenge that can be overcome. Through my siblings' and my parent’s actions I have become the strong, independent, and persevering woman I am today.

I am so thankful for the family I was blessed with. From my grandparents who watched me for days on end while my brother was hospitalized to my brother and sister themselves for teaching me what is really important in life I will be forever grateful.

The racetrack: What's it about?

A few years ago my family and I went to Del Mar Thoroughbred Racing Club outside San Diego to watch the races with my cousins. While hanging are arms over the rail, screaming for the horses to "Go, Go, Go!" my cousins asked me how I can watch this. I told them that the racetrack isn't what most people assume it to be...

By being any equestrian in the sport, beside a jockey, it is assumed that I am against "the racetrack". Most horse people not part of the racing profession find the racetrack as a cruel, abusive, and derogatory way to propagate the inborn talent of the equine. I may not be entirely for the racing of horses however I do enjoy some aspects of "going to the track". Here is a brief summary of some of the straight facts about the good and the bad of the racing industry.

Horses, especially thoroughbreds, have an inborn competitive nature. When two horses are put eye to eye (similar to Seabiscuit) their natural way of being is to race. In addition, the whips, more commonly known as crops in the horse world, are far from physical abuse to horses. So, when the horses are on the turf and the race begins, most of the performance is coming from the horse's heart and the horse's desire to be lead horse.

On the other hand, because of the racetrack horses are sometimes ridden before their growth bone is completely mature resulting in horrendous and usually, untreatable injuries. Once horses complete their racing career at the age of four they are usually turned into jumpers or show horses, however, ex-racehorses tend to be handfuls in the arena and also are accompanied with minor but many joint and ligament problems.

***Note***Beside the physical ailments, the horse racing industry does consist of many illegal performance enhancing drugs and training methods that can erratically destroy a horse both physically and mentally.