Week 6: A Piece of Cake

Post 1:

Summary: With Cup's new job she was paid much more money, which for her meant more drugs. She continued to smoke crack and pretty soon it became a horrible problem. Cupcake had an inkling that she had a problem but "solved" it by switching different drugs, or not doing one as much. Daddy's Father had died and left a stash of money under his bed and she stole some for dope money. Once he returned Cup told him of her doings and he was heartbroken and moved out. To top it all off, they spent all of their money on dope so they were put out and Cup left Tommy. She now had moved in with Mona and James. With the years of drug use, Cup had developed depression and became suicidal. She was still figuring out her plan, so she would go to her "dope spot" and smoke until she figured out how to kill herself. She met her dealer there and he had left the rocks on the table and stepped aside for a moment. So, she took two rocks and slipped them in her shoe. He then threatened to kill her and he induced him to shot her. She woke up four days later, in a dumpster, filthy and smelling horrible. Looking at reflection she decided right there she needed help. With that she walked sixty blocks to her boss's office to confess she had a problem and she would be quitting to receive help. Ken being the man he is, called several hospitals and facilities to do what he could. She eventually got into the Mesa Vista Rehabilitation Center. She went to meetings, got a sponsor and was released. Now living on her own she only relapsed once, and quickly got back on track. At one of the meetings she met Brett, she fell in love with his charm. They dated for the first to years of her recovery and were engaged but, it soon started going down hill. He also was a recovering fiend and was getting high more and more. Unfortunately he choose dope over Cup. After two full years of sobriety Cup decided (with help of V) to follow her dream and become a lawyer. With determination and hard work she got into SDSU. On a trip to the local prison Cup chatted with her Professor Sutton had convinced her to tell her story. NBC News wanted to interview her and after she received no negative feedback. After eight and a half years of community college she had finally finished and would become a graduate. Now was law school, where she was accepted into USF and gave her a scholarship. Soon enough she graduated and and received the Judge Harod J. Haley Award for Exceptional Distinction in Scholarship, Character and Activities. The End


Post 2: I did the alternative final assignment

Week 5: A Piece of Cake

2. Summary: The newly wed couple after living with each other for a couple of months began to fight. Both of them being loaded all the time didn't help either because it effected their perspectives. Cupcake was now working as a legal secretary at a large firm outside of San Diego. Her new boss Dave absolutely adored Cup and defended her constantly when she was tardy to work, or missed work because a late night partying. Cupcake was informed by work that Dave got into a bicycle accident and would come a quadriplegic. Unfortunately, she was soon "let go"after is absents because he was the only person who liked her and defended her. So Cup went back to the newspaper to find yet another job. Luckily, she found one at another firm that paid very well and she was allowed more days at leave. She quickly started to take advantage of this by pretending a relative had passed away. Tommy and her fights were starting to get worse and worse. Cup one time had to call the police because he had beaten her so hard that her face was severely bleeding. The couple also learned about credit cards and would buy everything with it. They also would rent their furniture and needed money for drugs they would sell it. Their debt began to grow larger and larger. And to top Cup's stress level her Daddy moved in with them and they began fighting as well.

Week 4: A Piece of Cake

1. Quote:

"Is it the white folks that made you leave out those parts of your past, or is it

your own pain in remembering them? Could you be blaming white folks for your own

unwilling ingress or inability to deal with your past?" (217) Cupcake Brown, A Piece of Cake

This quote really hit me and caught my attention because doesn't this apply to everyone? i know every normal person (or possibly just me) has things in their past that they don't like, wish they could change or are unsatisfied on the out come. Do all just think of their pasts as horrible things to cover up with a band-aide, so that to the appearance everything is okay and the "normal". This quote caught my attention because that isn't how i want to live my life. I don't constantly want to put on a band-aide.

2. Summary: At Cup's new job she quickly learned that everyone was on something during the third shift. Working from 11:00pm to 7:00am, She had the perfect hours. All the women during her shift would chat and gossip about their partying antics. Pretty soon, after missing days because of her free-basing habit Cupcake was fired. After being fired Cup wanted to get another job. This is when she figured out that she would quit before anyone could fire her. After several jobs, Cupcake found herself her dream job; Legal Secretary. She replied to the add in the newspaper, was interview and got the job. Cup was now working as a legal secretary at Baker Firm. Having lied about previous jobs, and schooling in her resume brought her many troubles. Luckily, Jack (her boss) desperately needed her so he was patient. At home Cupcake was getting desperate for money so her boyfriend and her would take place in illegal activities. Once while robbing a house, Tommy, Cupcakes boyfriend asked her to marry him. After thinking about it for a while she decided to marry him. Tommy quickly took over for planning the wedding. They were married at a park in Lemon Grove and then went off to their honeymoon. At some points she would begin to think she was addicted, but then she would say to herself that she has a job and that she is doing something with her life so she cannot be an addicted.

Week 3: A Piece of Cake

Part 1:

1. Cupcake, after being emancipated, moved into her own apartment and got a job that paid quite well. She was now working on the night shift of a security company and on the side was a drug dealer. Soon enough her drug habits drained all her money and had to move out. Surprisingly was a nice deal because she ended up moving in with her dad at the "complex". Together they joined forces and sold their drugs, Cup selling weed and her Dad selling pills. Cupcake soon after her eighteenth birthday received her trust fund money (left from her mom), with that she bought a car. Cup's daddy soon was sick of the complex and dealing so he decided to move in with his old girlfriend Lori and her daughter Kelly. Cup and Kelly instantly became friends, both with the interest of partying. After Cup and Kelly graduated their college (or paid for their graduation) they moved out into their own apartment. Partying was their daily schedule. Kelly soon became sick of Cup, and Cup got sick of Kelly. With that, Kelly moved back in with her mom. Cup one day went out clubbing and met a man she thought would only be a one night stand. Tommy fell in love with Cupcake and they were soon inseparable. Tommy helped her to talk "white" so that she could get a job. It took her roughly 6 months to try and perfect her speech. Soon after she got a job typing at a title company.

2.biography on Cupcake Brown

As a child Cupcake (birth named La'Vette) grew up with her mother and father. One day waking up to her mother who had swallowed her own tongue to death. After her mothers death is when her life took a spin. With violence, abuse and gang relations before she was even 13. Cupcake grew up with even more turbulence to come. Eventually She sought out help for her drug/alcohol abuse and has been sober for the last 18 years. Now she is an author, attorney and an sponsor for others trying to seek out help from drugs. Cupcake lead an incredible life of mishap and turned it around 180 degrees to live her fantasy "Marsha Brady" life.

Part 2:

So far in the book there has been many crises and changes in Cup's life. She has lead a hard life and was continuously struggling how o stay alive. The book get a little repetitive at times when taking about drug use or running away. Other than that I think its very compelling and very good memoir. It helps you to realize how thankful you are to be in a safe community, with loving people, that support you.

Week 2: A Piece of Cake

1. Summary: Cupcake returned to Lancaster for what finally would be the last time. She went back to school and met some friends who would help her to escape later. But, before then Cupcake came home and found out the her boyfriend from L.A. had gotten her pregnant. Cup only fourteen , Diane not ecstatic about the pregnancy and wanted her to get an abortion but Cupcake was against it. So Diane took measures into her own hands and had the other foster kids "jump" Cup. Defenceless she couldn't do anything but cover her stomach; Cupcake lost the baby. Soon after she wanted to run, so her friend from school helped her escape "The system" or Diane's. After she left she went to live with her Aunt Becky and her three boys. Cup became very close with the oldest, Fly. Fly was in a gang and introduced Cupcake to them. Soon enough, she was apart of the Eight-tray Gangstas. She soon learned to "toot" Sherm (PCP), hoo-bang, and even shoot a gun. After an almost fatal shooting she decided to stop "bangin". So Cupcake moved in with her father(not biological but had grown up with him) and filed to be emancipated. After her papers went through she had finally become emancipated she found a job and an apartment.

2. Loaded Words:

1. bitch- pg.85: This is a loaded word because it's harsh and there are alternatives to using bitch; woman, girl, mean person, etc.. It's connotative feeling is mean, and almost looking down upon. I believe the author used this word because this is how she spoke and wanted people to know the harsh words that were used against her and that she used towards others.


2. hatred- pg.106: This is a loaded word because it gives off mean vibes and can have different words used in its place. It's connotative feeling is yet again harsh and ire. The author used this word because she wanted to show how much hate she had towards another person.
   
3. cuzzz- pg. 108: This is a loaded word because its commonly used in slang and can give off different meanings. It's connotative feeling is calm, loving, and friendly. The author used this word because while "bangin'" she used this term often and if she didn't use it her gang would seem a lot different then it was.
   
4. asshole- pg.111: This is a loaded word because it's a describing word that isn't often used and can have different feelings. It's connotative feeling was mean, hated towards or harsh. The author chose to use this word because it is a commonly used word with her, and if she would change her vocabulary it would change her character.
   
5. rage- pg. 112: This is a loaded word because it can have many connotative feelings. A connotative feeling of rage would be intense anger, off the wall, or even crazy. The author used the word rage because she wanted to show the impact and how mad she was.


6. Sherm- pg. 114: This is a loaded word because it is a uncommonly used word, a slang term and can have different feels for different people. It's connotative feeling would be gross, amazing, and disgusting. The author used the word because it was something she would used often and changing the word would change how comfortable she was with it.


7. gat- pg. 120: This is a loaded word because it is a word with many connotative feelings. One connotative feeling would be rough, gangster, and superior. The author chose this word because she wanted a rough, gangster exterior look.


8. bangers- pg. 124: This is a loaded word because it is a word with many different feelings. Some connotative feelings towards bangers would be scary, family, tight. The author used this word because her gang used slang and that was her vocabulary.


9. boyfriend- pg. 125: This is a loaded word because it gives off feelings of love and commitment. A connotative feeling could be loving, abusive and fad. The author used this word because she wanted to show her commitment and liking of her lover.


10. hoo-bangin'- pg. 142: This is a loaded word because most people would feel different when hearing this word. A connotative feeling towards hoo-bangin' could be scary, dangerous, vicious. The author choice to use this word because this was apart of her life and the slang she spoke.

3. Reaction: My reaction to the section I read was quite shocked. To think before even 16 she had been, raped, prostituted her own body, family death, run-away, gotten pregnant, joined a gang, shot someone, and had done a countless number of drugs. I'm impressed on how well she was for have survived intense events.

Week 1: A Piece of Cake

Pages: 1-78
So far in A Piece of Cake the main character, Cupcake Brown, has discovered her mother lying on her bed, dead. Cup has been taken away from the only family she has to go live in an abusive foster home. Diane the foster parent beat her day after day. Pete (Diane's nephew) and Diane were once drinking and Pete brought some of the "feel good" over to Cupcake to drink and told her to me him in the bathroom. She did as she was told, only to await getting raped. She became sick of the abuse. So Cupcake ran away. After running a few miles she came up to a coffee shop to stop at. This is where she met Candy. Candy soon taught Cupcake how to prostitute herself or "turn tricks". After turning Cup's first trick, she figured out she didn't want to become a prostitute, so she ran. The police then found her and returned her to Diane's house. Once Cupcake was returned is wasn't very long until she decided to run again. This time she decided to get out of Lancaster, Cup went to the side of the highway and stuck out her thumb. Soon enough she was picked up and she turned yet another trick to be drove to Thousand Oaks. After a couple days of hustling on the streets she was picked up by the police and brought to another foster home. That home wasn't physically abusive, but verbally abusive. Cupcake started school there and wanted to join the Cheer leading team and this this where her foster father started his abuse. Instead of bringing her practice she would park in front of the Kmart and he would get her "loaded" with alcohol, LSD, cocaine, and many other drugs, then he would rape her. She soon left there and was brought back to Diane's. There she was abused some more and ran once again. Staying there for a while Cup soon got into trouble with the police which brought her back, once again, to Diane's.

I thought this week of the book was quite an eye opener to my life. Cupcake has been through so many tragic events and I'm very amazed to see how she is turning out. I wonder what she is going to do next.

Day 2: Response

The thing I am most anxious about at Edina High School is being with my friends and the homework that we will get. I think that it will be very fun and different with all my friends at the high school. I also think that the homework will be alot more intense than last year, so I am excited/anxious to see how it will be. I am anxious for high school and can't wait until in gets into full swing.

One goal i want to set for myself this year as a sophomore is doing well in school and turning in all my homework. In past years I haven't done very well in that aspect. So this year I want to prove to myself that I can do well in school by just turning in my homework ontime and quality.