tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4863436480138935860.post2567772004197082930..comments2021-10-12T20:47:11.480-04:00Comments on What They Don't Teach You in Deer River: Out of Despair~Juliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15630711945679604201noreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4863436480138935860.post-72879650061906091582012-03-21T09:13:52.205-04:002012-03-21T09:13:52.205-04:00Oh, thank you! Yes, they definitely are a strong ...Oh, thank you! Yes, they definitely are a strong breed!~Juliahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15630711945679604201noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4863436480138935860.post-12575534491909253042012-03-20T22:44:44.555-04:002012-03-20T22:44:44.555-04:00"Out of the ashes we rise"...how very tr..."Out of the ashes we rise"...how very true. Midwesterners are famous for the endurance of their hope, and you illustrated that beautifully.TMWHickmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11099277984216556857noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4863436480138935860.post-28495656816332315652012-03-20T21:33:16.508-04:002012-03-20T21:33:16.508-04:00Oh that's so neat that you did that! Yes, we ...Oh that's so neat that you did that! Yes, we were about a 3 hour bus ride. You are both right- stronger words would probably help in a limited word exchange. Thank you so much!~Juliahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15630711945679604201noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4863436480138935860.post-30275491635908556952012-03-20T21:29:22.154-04:002012-03-20T21:29:22.154-04:00Wow- sounds like you had some amazing experiences-...Wow- sounds like you had some amazing experiences- probably both good and bad. Thank you so much for the advice- I always value your inputs. Thanks for the grammar catch too! :)~Juliahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15630711945679604201noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4863436480138935860.post-57067870635155862322012-03-20T21:25:22.896-04:002012-03-20T21:25:22.896-04:00Yes, we definitely left as changed people. Thank y...Yes, we definitely left as changed people. Thank you so much!~Juliahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15630711945679604201noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4863436480138935860.post-45161731039428527052012-03-20T21:19:17.901-04:002012-03-20T21:19:17.901-04:00Yes- that's what stands out in my mind most as...Yes- that's what stands out in my mind most as well! Thank you so much for reading, Melissa!! :)~Juliahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15630711945679604201noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4863436480138935860.post-26844510983507890642012-03-20T21:17:40.641-04:002012-03-20T21:17:40.641-04:00It definitely was an unforgettable experience. Th...It definitely was an unforgettable experience. Thank you so much. The best part of the facts- despite everything there were zero lives lost.~Juliahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15630711945679604201noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4863436480138935860.post-78694419896083637042012-03-20T20:51:32.544-04:002012-03-20T20:51:32.544-04:00Great suggestion- thank you! I took you up on it!...Great suggestion- thank you! I took you up on it!~Juliahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15630711945679604201noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4863436480138935860.post-66216074852835081132012-03-20T20:50:52.833-04:002012-03-20T20:50:52.833-04:00It definitely did. I know- that was what I found ...It definitely did. I know- that was what I found so interesting too. That's what stood out in my mind more than anything about the experience.~Juliahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15630711945679604201noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4863436480138935860.post-63841199802740978202012-03-20T16:03:09.290-04:002012-03-20T16:03:09.290-04:00I remember this. I tried to organize donations at ...I remember this. I tried to organize donations at the Sears store where I worked.<br /><br />I got so caught up in your narrative, I forgot I was supposed to be looking for concrits. Shelton's comment is a good point. I thought you were a resident of Grand Forks, so it threw me a bit to hear you talk about flood survivors as someone apart from you. I looked at your sidebar and saw MN--so obviously you were bussed in to help. What is the distance? Was it a hardship, and how did that factor in to the total experience? Perhaps it can't be evoked in 400 words, but in any case, I hope that is helpful feedback!Kathleen Basihttp://www.kathleenbasi.com/blognoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4863436480138935860.post-77954981258886880772012-03-20T13:48:01.725-04:002012-03-20T13:48:01.725-04:00I volunteered as a teen alongside my father for th...I volunteered as a teen alongside my father for the Red Cross emergency/disaster assessment pod for our local area. It was something I felt I should do. I had my Amateur Radio License (Way back before cell phones) so I was a core part of the emergency communications team and I saw some pretty horrific stuff during those years. I also met some really amazing people who had the strength to endure the aftermaths. Teachers in my high school thought I was most equipped to deal with life, citing to my parents on numerous occasions that I was the most grounded teen they ever met. <br /><br />This event definitely shaped you. You took the time to do research about the facts to ensure that your readers could grasp the big picture. Overall this is a powerful piece.<br /><br />Concrit: I got the impression that you were trying to distance yourself a little from the emotions that you experienced during this. Don't be afraid to expose the raw, core emotions Choosing descriptions like "haunted" or "harrowing" could add another layer of despair to the mix which will also showcase the contrasting "hope". <br /><br />A grammar question: "scholarships applications" I think should be "scholarship applications" but to be honest I forgot some of the rules about multiples.<br /><br />Anyway, thank you for sharing the snapshot of this tragic event. It's the perfect response to the prompt.Shelton Keys Dunninghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10551666631783476472noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4863436480138935860.post-5318069195684362912012-03-20T11:35:57.891-04:002012-03-20T11:35:57.891-04:00Wow, what an experience. Kudos to you and the othe...Wow, what an experience. Kudos to you and the others for helping for whatever reasons originally motivated you. I'm sure by the end of the day the reasons were forgotten. It's so tough for people who are used to being on the giving side to be on the receiving end. I love this line: "I wanted to take her home with me."Barbarahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11074104063769255190noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4863436480138935860.post-31779377182546585512012-03-20T11:30:35.759-04:002012-03-20T11:30:35.759-04:00I remember doing this. And its funny, the biggest ...I remember doing this. And its funny, the biggest thing I remember is the lady telling us that the people weren't taking enough. Accepting help, even in the aftermath of disaster, can be a very humbling experience. Great job capturing the feeling there. I always look forward to seeing what you'll write about next. :)Melissa Collinshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06112207737333917093noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4863436480138935860.post-67480500885822634302012-03-20T11:16:21.789-04:002012-03-20T11:16:21.789-04:00What an amazing experience for you to have as a te...What an amazing experience for you to have as a teenager! We had terrible flooding here 2 years ago, and your stories truly resonate with me. I especially like this line:<br />Hope is what they drew on for strength to survive the worst of circumstances.<br /><br />Without hope there is nothing. BTW, really enjoyed your inclusion of the facts.Melaniehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01830964784682748651noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4863436480138935860.post-40055609418428263552012-03-20T09:15:35.874-04:002012-03-20T09:15:35.874-04:00Experiences like this are life-changers, across th...Experiences like this are life-changers, across the board. <br /><br />You know that line about the prom dress? That would be a killer first line. <br /><br />This made me think of my own moments when the self-centered nature of youth faces the reality of poverty, hardship, etc. It's like taking baby steps outside of myself. That moment when you hugged the woman is especially powerful, and easily could be exploded into a snapshot with dialogue in and of itself. <br /><br />This is a story about hope, but also about discovery. I enjoyed experiencing that discovery with you.Nancy Chttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04313721217543578257noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4863436480138935860.post-52034517225231278442012-03-20T08:34:14.417-04:002012-03-20T08:34:14.417-04:00I bet this made a huge impression on a teenaged mi...I bet this made a huge impression on a teenaged mind and helped shape you. So interesting to me that people had to be encouraged to take enough. I would think the instinct might be to grab and hold onto what you could after losing so much.Mayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03485338098212307793noreply@blogger.com