User:CariBearLeigh

CariBearLeigh's Page
This user page is a work in progress. More details to come.

Basics
I am a life-long multi-generational Appalachian with a strong interest in Appalachian topics. I have dropped back into college as a non-traditional student at Pikeville College in Pikeville, Kentucky. I have obtained an Associate of Art and Science, and am working towards a Bachelor of Art in English. I expect to graduate with that degree in May 2015. I am heavily considering a double major in Biology, however, which might delay my graduation date.

As an English major, I am a member of the honor society, Sigma Tau Delta. I received a 34 on my English ACT score, but in all honesty, I do not have a high interest in grammar. I think that language is far too arbitrary and abstract to be so stringently adhered to. It is in constant evolution, and its variations reflect cultures which are unfairly dismissed by dialect bias. I am far more interested in the capacity of language to express, create, teach and connect. My scholarly interests- as they apply to my field- are literature, literary analysis, creative composition, and journalism. I began my personal foray into standard journalism this semester as a member of the school newspaper, The Bear Facts. Prior to my stint with The Bear Facts, I reported on events in writing and video, but in a more personal and narrative way.

In addition to being educated in English, I have also had formal instruction in metal working, and crafting jewelry. I like to work with refurbished and recycled materials. I have sold my work in the past, and hope to obtain further formal instruction next semester. I also enjoy belly dancing, creative writing, music, hiking in the hills, crafting mixed media art, reading, and watching movies. I am interested in a plethora of topics including politics, religion, science, health, arts, world cultures, and more.

Contributions to Wikipedia
As a survivor of TTP, I have made a small edit to the page to add a secondary cause of TTP. I have supported my amendment with multiple sources.


 * 1) REDIRECT Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic Purpura

Relationship to technology
Like most people, I suffer from a technology addiction. I can acknowledge that the advancement of technology has brought benefits with it. I am not, however, a blind devotee to technological "progress" which often brings the very opposite of advancement and improvement. I have a love-hate relationship with technology. I guess you could say, I mostly hate the drug, but still crave the fix. My grandfather, an Old Regular Baptist preacher, used to think TV was a sin. Part of me agrees with him after seeing the devastation caused by our exploitive energy use, and realizing how much time we lose plugging into objects rather than the real world.

Philosophy of Wikipedia
I think freedom of information is an important tool against injustice. With that said, sadly, many people do not care about significant issues, but would rather focus on trivial distractions. The good news is, Wikipedia makes it easy to navigate around the trivial in order to find important information. No single individual possesses the depth of knowledge that a collective pool has. Therefore, I can see the intellectual importance of coming together to share what we know. I realize that there are those who will use the opportunity to troll, but I also believe that there are people here who are genuinely invested in the site. I am disappointed to hear, however, that the site is not particularly female friendly. If freedom of information is not simply an intellectual tool, but also a tool against injustice, how effective is it if an oppressed group barely picks it up, and is scolded when they do?

Languages
English and a small amount of Cherokee (Oklahoma dialect).