Prewriting
Next week you will write a memoir. A memoir is a piece of writing that describes a memory. Memoirs also include reflection on lessons learned. This exercise will help you prepare for one of next week's assignments.
As you know, prewriting helps writers create and develop ideas to explore in more depth in a longer writing assignment.
For this prewriting assignment, you should do the following:
Create a list of at least five memories you could write about.
For each memory you list, include a lesson you learned or a question you were left to think about because of the experience.
Now, provide the three most important details for each of the five memories you listed.
Submission Requirements:
Submit your response in a Microsoft Word document.
First off, after reading the first step in this exercise “five memories”, my list grew in terms of content and exponentially (as did this paper, you will see) after each item listed. With each draft I had to decide between a mixture of personal, professional and life altering. And by the way, 6 choices would have been much easier both mathematically AND psychologically, there might be a few family members that are upset that the Godfather to their child did not make the list. You can’t please everyone, right?
Okay here goes:
1 and possibly 2 depending how you look at it would be the birth of my two sons Michael III (12 years of age) and Matthew (11). The lesson was easy, try to have all my ducks in order for when I planned on starting a family, which is a great concept albeit not that practical, realistic or attainable by today’s living standards and environment. That includes quite a few variables including and in no particular order; educationally, emotionally, financially, personally and psychologically.
For the most part I did what I could to make all of the pre-requisites listed above a reality. What I fell short of in each category I matured enough over time to make a pretty good life for my sons and I. They want for nothing, even though I am no longer married to their mother. In a lot of ways they have it kind of easy when I think back to what I had to deal with when I was their age. I had to LEARN to be an adult at a much younger age while they ARE MORE adult then I was at their age, by default based on information available and at our fingertips.
The birth of my sons Michael and Matthew brought so much more into perspective and I am sure everyone who has a child understands the following:
My life, regardless of what I had going on prior to birth of my child (ren), has now and forever been changed. There is NOTHING and I repeat; NOTHING I would not do for my children.

Important Details, Kids are expensive, Kids require 24x7 care and Kids speak their minds.

Questions for 1 & 2,
What was I thinking? How will this affect bowling night? Does this mean I get a Tax Break each year? All that and the million other, that went through my head within the first 5 minutes of them being in my life. Even at 32 years of age I am not ready for this.
3. Hmm…..getting Married; or as I refer to it as “That day when I broke my own spirit and balls; with the BIGGEST and most incredibly STUPID thing I could’ve ever done to myself, even if I lived a million years”. A bit long in the tooth description wise, but I could add to it and it still would do it justice.

Questions: I could actually start this off with the last paragraph of my previous 2 choices above, you know that whole “What was I thinking? What about bowling night? So on and so forth. But I choose to keep it short and sweet with this decision/memory. Regrettably the source of my children is also the source of quite possibly the biggest mistake ever, right behind Adam and Eve having fruit for lunch.

Important Details: I was not ready to marry, anyone. Never ever take the responsibilities of taking care of other man s children and never ever dismiss your mother’s advice on women,