Avik's ENGL296 Blog

     Instead of focusing on a single poster child, I'd like to observe and discuss several poster children that all represent the same cause: asthma awareness and research. Asthma is a disease that causes swelling and constriction of the lungs, making it very difficult to breathe. My own younger brother has asthma, so I've seen secondhand how difficult it can be to manage in day-to-day life. He takes an inhaler everywhere with him, even if he doesn't plan on participating in strenuous physical activity that could trigger an asthma attack.      What I immediately notice about charities and foundations dedicated to asthma awareness and research is their significant emphasis on children. As Longmore writes in Heaven's Special Child , "through much of Western history, disabled and sick children were central to the practice of charity..." and "disability charities drew on the cult of sentimentalism's traditional tropes as they focused public attention on t...

 I play competitive video games. While I do enjoy sitting down and playing a single player adventure game from time to time to relax, I find the real engaging fun to be in competitive games, where I can outplay or outsmart other people. Maybe this stems from my hypercompetitive nature; I've always strived to be the best at anything I do, and games are no exception. Maybe it stems from the rush of being in a situation that requires fast-paced thinking and acting. In any case, I find that competing in video games is one of the best ways to access easy entertainment and happiness.  I've played video games for as long as I can remember, beginning with my first Nintendo DS to when I built a computer from parts solely to play games two years. Beginning in seventh grade, however, I found what I consider to be my favorite game of all time - Rocket League. You may have heard of it, but if not, it's pretty simple to understand: soccer with cars. That's it! Three cars (that can al...