I know it is ironic that my farewell words are late but oh well that is just my luck. My last words are good bye. Simple, yes, but that is how I feel. We have had good times during this class together and now it is time to say good bye. If I were to leave BYU (which I am for two and a half years) I would want someone to remember me; remember something about me. This has been a big fear of mine for a long time. I have always feared being forgotten, that I would have no impact on anyone anywhere. This fear has driven my actions for years, it is why I dress the way I dress and act the way I act. All these things are meant to help me stand out from the crowd, to be different. But this isn’t enough for me; I fear that I need to do more. So that is why I try to excel in everything else I do. I try to do my best in everything in the hopes that I will rise above mediocrity.
My final advice to the world would be to slow down and pay attention to what is going on in the world. There is so much going on that nobody knows about. Get involved with the community, learn what is happening with our country. I have noticed that in the world around me that people just accept what is told to them, they never question or analyze things for themselves. Now, I’m not sure why I am going on this rant right now, but this is what I’m feeling strongly about right now. In my political science class we have been learning about things happening in our country and it just sickens me to see where we are at right now as a nation. When I hear about certain things happening in our country, I literally clench my fists and have to calm myself down. This country is not where it needs to be and it is all our responsibilities to change what we don’t like about our country. So my advice to the world before I leave would be to see the world as it is and try to change it to what it should be.
So until we meet again, farewell! I hope you do well in the subsequent semesters at BYU and I hope to see some of you graduated by the time I get back. Don’t do anything stupid and stay close to God in all aspects of your life. Live by your moral compass that guides and directs you and never sell your values for a quick reward, you are better than that. So until we once again reconnect, Mookle wishes you warm regards and the best in all your endeavors. I hope you didn’t mind my political rant, but what would my last words to you all be without one of my good ole fashion rant? Bubye
Saturday, December 12, 2009
Friday, December 11, 2009
Prompt A: Last Words
I wish I had more time—there is not enough of it to do all that I want, all that I dreamed of. I will never meet the love of my life. I will never look into my children's eyes. I will never know if I am worthy of these gifts and I will cease to be in my loved ones' lives. I don't know how to say good-bye, so maybe saying what needs to be said will suffice.
I feel it is important to know that I have no regrets in my past. I would not be who I am if everything that has happened in my life, didn’t. I only regret not having a future. The plans unfulfilled and the dreams deferred taunt me. Yet I know that because I am happy--happier than I can say I’ve been--I do not need for the years I have lived to have more substance. I have experienced a quality I had not afforded to this life and have been amazed by the blessings I have received.
There is so much beauty all around me. I feel the power of God in every living thing I see. The fact that we can speak, learn, hurt, and love is testimony that He lives. I cannot express the comfort I take in knowing that because I am able to doubt, to think for myself, to communicate these thoughts to others and have them relate, there must be a greater design.
Art and creation have always fascinated me. We all have this spark within us to make something original, unique to us that others will view and connect with. Just putting something out in public is satisfying to human nature. I have caused change. I created something that forced someone to stop, and want to look deeper. I wish I have more time to make more; to have a mark attributed to me. I wish my affection could be more apparently seen in my work. We must all take the time to produce what is meaningful to us. Not what we think others will envy or want from us, but something that we are proud of and holistically represents all that we are, or even just a facet. Setting aside the moments to indulge our spirits makes life more than bearable; it causes us to become fruitful and the creations we produce nourish our souls.
I am happier when I write. I feel a deeply rooted peace when I can write down what I have been ruminating on or the ideas clustering themselves in my head. The mind is too often filled--my mind is much too busy for me to take pleasure in the single moments. Writing, performing, drawing, singing release all my energies into a focus. I breathe easier when I let things go, when I let my true nature override my hard swallowed etiquette. I am less critical of myself and therefore, I give more of myself. I feel like I am emulating my Savior when I do what I love. We all need to use our talents to their full and infinite potential. It is when we shine in our own capacities that we can fully embrace our divinity.
The most important message I can convey is drink it all in. There is no sweet without the bitter and no love without pain. I hope you know I love you.
I feel it is important to know that I have no regrets in my past. I would not be who I am if everything that has happened in my life, didn’t. I only regret not having a future. The plans unfulfilled and the dreams deferred taunt me. Yet I know that because I am happy--happier than I can say I’ve been--I do not need for the years I have lived to have more substance. I have experienced a quality I had not afforded to this life and have been amazed by the blessings I have received.
There is so much beauty all around me. I feel the power of God in every living thing I see. The fact that we can speak, learn, hurt, and love is testimony that He lives. I cannot express the comfort I take in knowing that because I am able to doubt, to think for myself, to communicate these thoughts to others and have them relate, there must be a greater design.
Art and creation have always fascinated me. We all have this spark within us to make something original, unique to us that others will view and connect with. Just putting something out in public is satisfying to human nature. I have caused change. I created something that forced someone to stop, and want to look deeper. I wish I have more time to make more; to have a mark attributed to me. I wish my affection could be more apparently seen in my work. We must all take the time to produce what is meaningful to us. Not what we think others will envy or want from us, but something that we are proud of and holistically represents all that we are, or even just a facet. Setting aside the moments to indulge our spirits makes life more than bearable; it causes us to become fruitful and the creations we produce nourish our souls.
I am happier when I write. I feel a deeply rooted peace when I can write down what I have been ruminating on or the ideas clustering themselves in my head. The mind is too often filled--my mind is much too busy for me to take pleasure in the single moments. Writing, performing, drawing, singing release all my energies into a focus. I breathe easier when I let things go, when I let my true nature override my hard swallowed etiquette. I am less critical of myself and therefore, I give more of myself. I feel like I am emulating my Savior when I do what I love. We all need to use our talents to their full and infinite potential. It is when we shine in our own capacities that we can fully embrace our divinity.
The most important message I can convey is drink it all in. There is no sweet without the bitter and no love without pain. I hope you know I love you.
Prompt A Week 14 Last Words
My Last Words
I know I have procrastinated in writing this blog. Waiting until the last possible moment, I have put off thinking about death. I know it happens. In my mind it happens to everyone but not to those that I love. I hate change. What type of legacy would I want to leave behind? What would I want to be known for? I think of all the accomplishments I make in life, of everything I will ever do, my children will be my biggest accomplishment. My choices will affect future generations so raising my children will be my biggest responsibility. I would gather my family together and talk to each of them. I always think of Lehi speaking to his family before he dies. Each comment he says to his children is so heartfelt. It was not simply a “I love you” it was a plea to stay strong in the gospel. This is because Lehi knew that he wanted to see his family on the other side. I would sit down and tell each of them my favorite characteristics about them: their beautiful eyes, their smile, the dimples in their cheeks, and their involuntary habits. I would then end with a plea, begging them to stay strong in the gospel. I hope that they will learn from my example, my mistakes, my trials, and my joys. I would want my legacy to be as a caring mother. It may sound cheesy or be overused but that is what I want my legacy to be. Education is important to me and a career is important to me. Ever since I was a child I was motivated in school and wanted nothing more than to be the smartest doctor. I wanted the prestige, the fame, the money, and the attention (what young child doesn’t want that). I want both a career and lots of education but I know that my children will be more important. Those chunky thighs, toothless grin, and soft hands will take my breath away. I think at that moment I will know that I have been entrusted with one of God’s most precious gifts. With this in mind I will give my children all that I have. This means that all throughout my life I will give my children all that I have. That is why I don’t know what I would say for my last words. I hope my life and my actions have been enough to show how I care and how I want them to grow up righteous. If I live my life the right way my last words will not be the most important aspect of my death. Instead it will be holding my family and not saying a word.
40 min
Prompt B
According to the Oxford English Dictionary, literacy is “The quality or state of being literate; knowledge of letters; condition in respect to education, esp. ability to read and write.” This definition seems to fit but I do not feel like it covers all the aspects of literacy. I believe literacy is not only being able to read, but actually reading. Reading many different genres and learning from each piece of reading, even if that something is very trivial. Literacy is when you read because you want to, because you get to escape for awhile. Literacy is writing outside of school, even just a personal history in a journal. Literacy is being able to critically analyze the world around you because of the things you have read and written. Literacy is being able to hold an intelligent conversation about the issues of the society in which you live. Maybe literacy could even be applied to the arts and being able to appreciate them. Listening to an orchestra, watching a Broadway play, or enjoying a painting. Literacy is an overall knowledge of the world around you and the beautiful things in it.
I am grateful for the basic definition of literacy given by the Oxford English Dictionary because it makes life that much more enjoyable. One morning I watched a talk show (I believe it was the Ellen Degeneres show) where one of the guests was a 75 year old man who had recently become literate. After 74 years in this world he decided it was time that he learned how to read and write. Previous to this he struggled on a daily basis to complete the tasks most of us do not think twice about. He talked about the hassle it was to go to the grocery store. I never realized how much reading is involved in going shopping. I look at the signs above the aisles to see where the item I am looking for is located. Rather than be embarrassed by asking for help, he would walk around the store until he found the item. He said some trips took him three hours to complete his shopping. There were so many things that we take for granted, I was amazed at his life. I am grateful that I know how to read and write so I can do these simple tasks without thinking twice about them. I am grateful for my deeper definition of literacy as well. I am grateful that I can enjoy reading a book. There is a comfort in snuggling up in your bed and getting lost in the pages of a book. I really believe that the arts give us a chance to escape from the realities and stresses of life. I am grateful that I can be informed about my surroundings and the issues that are present in our society. Being literate is an important part of being a productive member of society. It impacts the way we live our lives and the way that we view the world around us. I think literacy brings a new level to the routine of life.
519 words
Lilly Pyle
Last Words
Starting out the semester, I thought I could do it all. I never thought of endless papers and tests. I was hopeful that I would be able to do everything and then have a great social life after. I was wrong.
My last words to my first semester at BYU. Goodbye. No more extremely heavy workloads in one semester, it's not very healthy. Almost every day this semester I got up early to go to my practices. After practice I would get ready for school and then go to my classes. When school was over I went home and did as much homework as I could squeeze in before it was time to go to bed. It never got all the way done, surprise surprise I know. I would shower, then repeat the cycle over again the next day. A lot of weekends were spent in my apartment studying or getting ready to go to a football game. Then I would get up early Sunday morning and prepare my lesson if I had to teach because that was the only time I could fit it in (what I plan on doing this week as well).
The whole thing was never ending. There was always something to be done. Cheer here, write there, do this, do that. Lists were always running through my mind so I wouldn't forget something important that I was supposed to do. Most of the time I remembered what I was supposed to do, but sometimes something would slip from my mind.
Wondering where the social life fit into this? Well it didn't. Sad, I know. I wanted a social life so badly, but that would have meant letting my grades suffer. I wasn't about to let that happen.
I feel bad for my parents. They received multiple calls about how stressed I was and I wasn't having any fun and how I didn't want to be in school anymore. I told them I wanted to quit, but deep down I knew I wouldn't. I would be so ashamed of myself for not getting a degree. But what to graduate in? I still have no idea what I want to study. There were many tears over the phone to my parents about all of my worries and stresses, and they were always there to comfort me.
I went home to my family as often as I could. I needed to get away from school and all my worries for some weekends. Going home was the highlight of my semester. It was somewhere where I didn't have to think about my tests or papers that were due the next week. I could actually sit down and watch something I wanted to watch without my roommates beating me to the T.V. and have them watching something during my favorite shows. I had real food while I was at home too. Getting good wholesome meals felt good to my nutrition deprived body. Home was just a place of relaxation and good times with my family. I'm grateful for only being an hour away from home so I can go home.
Next semester I am going to take a lighter work load. That way I won't feel so burdened and weighed down all the time by school work. Don't get me wrong, it is college and I know there is still going to be lots of work to do, but hopefully not as much. I am going to fit in a social life somewhere so I can get relief from school and the stresses of life. Goodbye bad first semester. Hello hopefully better second semester.
40 min.
Class Evaluation
A. What are your last words? What would you write if you knew your time was up (in life, in a relationship, in a place, etc.)? What would you notice in the world around you? What is important for others to hear?
Well, it been real. I had a lot of fun, even though it was not a terribly pleasurable experience. If they're wasn't the pressure to attend once you had a certain number of absences, and if they're wasn't the work was not graded only critiqued, and if the class was at a different time. I really did like the other students and the instructor though, its just the class isn't something I find at all agreeable.
B. What is literacy? Expand your definition. Write on why you are thankful for literacy and how it impacts your life.
Literacy as I understand it is the ability to read and write. To expand the word
"literacy" you could say that it is another way to communication with your fellow human beings other than visual, verbal, or telepathy. I am thankful to be literate because it helps me to communicate and be able to interact with other human beings and groups of human beings. Literacy impacts me in a variety of ways. I find it especially important in this time of my life as I learn and attain new knowledge. Without literacy this process would be incredibly diffeicult. One could only attain knowledge by hearing or seeing it. Literacy plays a huge part of my life.
C. Write the obituary of our class. Personify what you learned. Praise it, excuse it, justify it. Tell its story and bid it a loving or condoling farewell.
I feel like I knew what I learned on a personal level. In fact I almost feel like I could name it Jeff. Jeff was a good man. Getting to know Jeff may have been a slightly abusive process. But in the end Jeff taught me a lot about life, or at least how to site a online article. But any way you slice it Jeff was an important man to know. I'm slightly sad that Jeff is leaving but then again I never like Jeff all that much to be honest with you.
Well, it been real. I had a lot of fun, even though it was not a terribly pleasurable experience. If they're wasn't the pressure to attend once you had a certain number of absences, and if they're wasn't the work was not graded only critiqued, and if the class was at a different time. I really did like the other students and the instructor though, its just the class isn't something I find at all agreeable.
B. What is literacy? Expand your definition. Write on why you are thankful for literacy and how it impacts your life.
Literacy as I understand it is the ability to read and write. To expand the word
"literacy" you could say that it is another way to communication with your fellow human beings other than visual, verbal, or telepathy. I am thankful to be literate because it helps me to communicate and be able to interact with other human beings and groups of human beings. Literacy impacts me in a variety of ways. I find it especially important in this time of my life as I learn and attain new knowledge. Without literacy this process would be incredibly diffeicult. One could only attain knowledge by hearing or seeing it. Literacy plays a huge part of my life.
C. Write the obituary of our class. Personify what you learned. Praise it, excuse it, justify it. Tell its story and bid it a loving or condoling farewell.
I feel like I knew what I learned on a personal level. In fact I almost feel like I could name it Jeff. Jeff was a good man. Getting to know Jeff may have been a slightly abusive process. But in the end Jeff taught me a lot about life, or at least how to site a online article. But any way you slice it Jeff was an important man to know. I'm slightly sad that Jeff is leaving but then again I never like Jeff all that much to be honest with you.
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Prompt A: Last Words
My last words. I don't know quite where to start. I have to say I haven't lived long enough to feel like I have a lot of wisdom, so my final words will have to be based on the short 25 years I have lived. If I have learned one thing about happiness in my life, it is to focus on what REALLY matters.
What makes a life successful? I think success is different to everyone. A good friend of mine wrote a blog post some time ago about how she hopes someday she can make more of herself than she is today. Her idea of success was having plenty of money to travel and see the world and have the nice things she dreams of. I was saddened by that measure of success. While I see the merit in having lofty goals, I don't think without money and travel that someone's life is a failure. I remember commenting on her blog that if I never have any more money than I do today, but I have a loving family and relationship with my family, and become a better person every day, I will consider my life a success.
While that sounds really cheesy, I truly feel that way. I don't know if I will ever have the money to travel to Ireland and play golf as my husband and I would like to. But if I really think about it, will it change my life much? Not really. Will it make me a better person? Beyond exposure to another culture, probably not. What will change my life is the relationships I have with others. The way I treat other people. The relationship I have with my husband. The sacrafice of being a mother if I am given that opportunity. Those things will change my life on a daily basis. Those things are the important things to me.
Today on my lunch break I was thinking about life in general. I concluded that life is good. My husband and I are blessed regularly to have the money we need to survive and then some. We have a wonderful marriage, a nice home, good jobs, and a lot of extras. We have our ups and downs. There are some live that seem better than ours, and some lives that seem worse. I have heard once that if we all hung out trials out on a clothes like, you would pick yours and I would pick mine. I usually would pick mine over those of people around me. I know how to handle mine. I am grateful every day for the blessings of being able to handle them.
I am not an expert at life, and I don't believe I will ever be. Realizing the abundance, the good things, and the blessings in life seem to be the key to happines for me. Will I have a successful life? Who knows, I guess I will wait and see.
42 min
What makes a life successful? I think success is different to everyone. A good friend of mine wrote a blog post some time ago about how she hopes someday she can make more of herself than she is today. Her idea of success was having plenty of money to travel and see the world and have the nice things she dreams of. I was saddened by that measure of success. While I see the merit in having lofty goals, I don't think without money and travel that someone's life is a failure. I remember commenting on her blog that if I never have any more money than I do today, but I have a loving family and relationship with my family, and become a better person every day, I will consider my life a success.
While that sounds really cheesy, I truly feel that way. I don't know if I will ever have the money to travel to Ireland and play golf as my husband and I would like to. But if I really think about it, will it change my life much? Not really. Will it make me a better person? Beyond exposure to another culture, probably not. What will change my life is the relationships I have with others. The way I treat other people. The relationship I have with my husband. The sacrafice of being a mother if I am given that opportunity. Those things will change my life on a daily basis. Those things are the important things to me.
Today on my lunch break I was thinking about life in general. I concluded that life is good. My husband and I are blessed regularly to have the money we need to survive and then some. We have a wonderful marriage, a nice home, good jobs, and a lot of extras. We have our ups and downs. There are some live that seem better than ours, and some lives that seem worse. I have heard once that if we all hung out trials out on a clothes like, you would pick yours and I would pick mine. I usually would pick mine over those of people around me. I know how to handle mine. I am grateful every day for the blessings of being able to handle them.
I am not an expert at life, and I don't believe I will ever be. Realizing the abundance, the good things, and the blessings in life seem to be the key to happines for me. Will I have a successful life? Who knows, I guess I will wait and see.
42 min
Monday, December 7, 2009
Class review
1. What was most helpful to your development as a writer, reader, and thinker? Why?
The variety of the prompts and the shear amount that we had to write; because we wrote so much I think I explored other ways to write just to keep it interesting.
2. What can you do to continue/improve this development?
I could continue writing about new prompts and revise and look over the work I've already done.
3. What did you learn from the reading in this course? Which essay(s) did you enjoy the most? Why? What did it teach you about good writing?
Things I've learned from the reading in this course reading is very opinionated process and it was a good experience to see and hear everyone’s reactions to the reading. The variation in our own class was pretty amazing.
4. Describe the writing process that you find most beneficial for you. Why does it work? How can it be improved?
I find that it helps me to start at the beginning and work back chronologically. This is usually the best method for me, it helps to organize my thoughts and I can better plan what should go next.
5. How has the blog been beneficial to you as a writer and as a person? How? Why?
It has given me the opportunity to write and think on a wide range of topics. I think that the prompts and the available ways to respond to those prompts really helped me to try new things and
6. What was your favorite assignment of the semester? Why?
I liked the blogs a lot. I liked the way they changed from week to week and were never really the same topic. They just had you write and think.
7. What was your favorite part of class? Why?
Peer editing was one of the highlights of the class. It was nice to work with other people. The round table discussion with the teacher and other students was very beneficial.
8. How is the final portfolio beneficial to you? How do you think differently about your writing because of it?
The final portfolio is beneficial to me because I get a chance to review my writing and re-work some assignments that maybe needed more revision. I think differently of my writing because I know that it has changed and will continue to change.
9. Why is submitting your work to a public audience (on the blog and to journals, etc.) beneficial?
Submitting your work to the public is beneficial because you are able to receive feedback on your work. You are also helping to spread ideas and maybe inspire someone else with one of your ideas.
10. If you were to take this class again, what would you want to change and what would you want to keep?
I would change the hours to sometime in the morning and be to make up classes easier. There is a lot of things I would like to change but without them it wouldn’t be an English class anymore.
11. What did you learn in this class that you will apply to other situations? How?
I learned to have more fun while writing. I will use this in my jobs, so if I ever have to write something I will be able to do so with much more confidence and happiness.
12. What makes good writing? Why? Give examples. How can you contribute to that sphere of good writing?
I think what makes good writing is if it is enjoyable or interesting to someone somewhere. Not necessarily me, but someone out in the world. An example of this would be any fifth grader’s paper they write. It could have the most atrocious grammar the planet or humanity has ever seen, but I guarantee you that the parents or guardians of that child are still going to enjoy that jumble of words for years to come, at least that what my parents tell me.
13. Anything else you need to get out about the class.
I sincerely do not like writing or English classes but the class and the instructor made it about as enjoyable an experience as it could be. I often left the class really excited to write and explore ideas, unfortunately this feeling was gone by time I reached my dorm, but the feeling was there none the less. I had a really good instructor for English in high school, I would even get out of the class I had after English just to go back to English and hear the lessons again. This class brought back that excitement. But to be honest, I just really hate to write.
The variety of the prompts and the shear amount that we had to write; because we wrote so much I think I explored other ways to write just to keep it interesting.
2. What can you do to continue/improve this development?
I could continue writing about new prompts and revise and look over the work I've already done.
3. What did you learn from the reading in this course? Which essay(s) did you enjoy the most? Why? What did it teach you about good writing?
Things I've learned from the reading in this course reading is very opinionated process and it was a good experience to see and hear everyone’s reactions to the reading. The variation in our own class was pretty amazing.
4. Describe the writing process that you find most beneficial for you. Why does it work? How can it be improved?
I find that it helps me to start at the beginning and work back chronologically. This is usually the best method for me, it helps to organize my thoughts and I can better plan what should go next.
5. How has the blog been beneficial to you as a writer and as a person? How? Why?
It has given me the opportunity to write and think on a wide range of topics. I think that the prompts and the available ways to respond to those prompts really helped me to try new things and
6. What was your favorite assignment of the semester? Why?
I liked the blogs a lot. I liked the way they changed from week to week and were never really the same topic. They just had you write and think.
7. What was your favorite part of class? Why?
Peer editing was one of the highlights of the class. It was nice to work with other people. The round table discussion with the teacher and other students was very beneficial.
8. How is the final portfolio beneficial to you? How do you think differently about your writing because of it?
The final portfolio is beneficial to me because I get a chance to review my writing and re-work some assignments that maybe needed more revision. I think differently of my writing because I know that it has changed and will continue to change.
9. Why is submitting your work to a public audience (on the blog and to journals, etc.) beneficial?
Submitting your work to the public is beneficial because you are able to receive feedback on your work. You are also helping to spread ideas and maybe inspire someone else with one of your ideas.
10. If you were to take this class again, what would you want to change and what would you want to keep?
I would change the hours to sometime in the morning and be to make up classes easier. There is a lot of things I would like to change but without them it wouldn’t be an English class anymore.
11. What did you learn in this class that you will apply to other situations? How?
I learned to have more fun while writing. I will use this in my jobs, so if I ever have to write something I will be able to do so with much more confidence and happiness.
12. What makes good writing? Why? Give examples. How can you contribute to that sphere of good writing?
I think what makes good writing is if it is enjoyable or interesting to someone somewhere. Not necessarily me, but someone out in the world. An example of this would be any fifth grader’s paper they write. It could have the most atrocious grammar the planet or humanity has ever seen, but I guarantee you that the parents or guardians of that child are still going to enjoy that jumble of words for years to come, at least that what my parents tell me.
13. Anything else you need to get out about the class.
I sincerely do not like writing or English classes but the class and the instructor made it about as enjoyable an experience as it could be. I often left the class really excited to write and explore ideas, unfortunately this feeling was gone by time I reached my dorm, but the feeling was there none the less. I had a really good instructor for English in high school, I would even get out of the class I had after English just to go back to English and hear the lessons again. This class brought back that excitement. But to be honest, I just really hate to write.
Only Child
She walks behind me. Following in my shadow. Yearning to learn, she follows my footsteps. From my example she learns what not to do and what she needs to do. I take inches and in my shadow she is able to leap feet. I envy her spirit, her ambition, her way with words, how she has been able to do right everything I have done wrong. In the same breath, I love her, she is everything I am and more. She is my best friend and worst enemy. It is easy to fight her and even easier to forgive her. She and I are the closest any two people can be but I have never met her. I have never had a sister.
I have always wanted a sibling. Someone I can confide in. Someone who always has my back no matter what happens. Over the years I have tried to fill that gap with friendships but they never last. They fail over drama, lies, and pain. No, there is nothing that can replace that bond that I see with in a family. Sure, I have a family. There is me my mom and my dad. The three of us, but is that really enough? Being the only child has given me so much. College, moving out, anything I have ever needed I have gotten. I am not spoiled and yet I am. I have never seen debt, or come close. There are disadvantages and advantages to being the only one.
I can hear a pin drop in this house. The sounds echo and reverberate off the walls and nothing can be done in this house without someone hearing your every step. That is the quiet of a three person family. I have grown accustomed to the silence. It is weird to be around noisy families or big groups of people. At parties you will find me with a small group of people discussing things instead of being in the middle of the crowd. During other peoples family things, the few boyfriends families I have gone to, I find myself in a small corner away from everyone. People think its because I’m shy but really I just like the sound of nothing. It gives me peace. Having quiet scares some people, it makes them nervous. Me, I love it.
“Under pressuring pushing down on me pressing down on, Under pressure.” Being the only one around things fall to you. Things that normally would be given to other siblings or would be more spread out among siblings. When I screw up, its all on me. I’m the only one they have so I can’t mess up. For the most part, this hasn’t been a problem for me. I love school and have enjoyed getting good grades. I have been a good kid. I haven’t screwed up to bad yet. Sometimes though, I feel like the pressure is to much. Like the walls are closing in and there is no way to jump out. I think that my perfectionism comes from that. The feeling that if I fail I am failing much more then myself. I know that every teen feels pressure. It is something that comes with being that age but being an only child hasn’t made this part of my life any easier.
Girls need people they can confide in and tell things to. Some girls tell their friends but a large majority tell their sisters. I haven’t ever had friends I could trust telling my secrets. Not until I started hanging out with boys, and even then I couldn’t always trust them. I have only had my mom to tell things. This has its ups and downs. She is a good sounding board sometimes but she always gets to caught up in my life. It my life. I am supposed to decide what to do with my friends without her being involved all the time. Sometimes it hurts more than helps when she hears my problems. So, I keep them inside of me. I don’t choose to share many of my secrets with anyone so when I do, I must trust that person deeply.
I would never take back my memories but I wish I had more people to share them with. I have to forgive my parents for giving me everything I need except a sibling. They weren’t able to give me that.
Class Evaluation
What was most helpful to your development as a writer, reader, and thinker? Why?
The most helpful part of class for me as a writer was the development of a structure that I can use for my writing process. I didn’t ever really understand or utilize the first draft and then improve method. I wanted my first draft to be perfect and so I would sit and stew and delete far more than I wrote. The class helped me to realize that I can begin at a place that I am not happy with, and then improve from there. I was also challenged in this class. I don’t feel like I was able to sail by, as I was in high school or other English classes because I was above the curve. I was assessed on my ability and made to improve from there.
The blog was a joy for me. I found that I did some of my best writing for the year on the blog. I was able to capture an emotion in my writing. I have some pieces from there that I will really treasure.
As a reader I was given a whole new genre. I had never really read essays before this class. I have something entirely new to discover and to love. This has given reading new life for me. I really enjoy the idea that so much can be said with so little. I love to try and coax new meaning out of a sparsely worded piece.
As a thinker I grew to understand, or had to make, connections to why I feel the way I do. I had to not just write down my conclusions but to take the reader step by step through the thought process. It was very difficult for me but I learned about myself and about the writing process and I discovered that although I felt like some times I was stating the obvious e.g. that the extreme things women do for beauty are wrong, that when I did walk through them the things I had to say became much more powerful and personal rather than just stating them.
What can you do to continue/improve this development?
To continue and improve I must write more. I need to write for me, not for a class or assignment, but for me. That is where there are no boundaries and grammar rules or MLA formats. In that place I have found that I do my best writing. I need to confront some of the serious things in my life. When I write for me it is usually a simple log of my activities and feelings for my journal. If I were to start writing for myself, but tackling the serious issues in my life, I would be going somewhere.
What did you learn from the reading in this course? Which essay(s) did you enjoy the most? Why? What did it teach you about good writing?
I learned what the essay really is. That is has much more potential then people give it. It is an underutilized writing type. There were all kinds of great snippets that I picked up from the readings. It is hard to put them all down here. I learned that I was really adverse to the conventions. I knew I hated grammar and punctuation, but I didn’t realize how much. I learned that I am afraid of having children because of that little bit at the end of A Farewell To Arms when the wife and child die. I don’t want to put the person that I love most in the world into that much danger and pain and chance. I pulled that out of Anchovidad. I really liked that piece. It was humorous but it brought up a serious point that we learn to know and love our children. I guess I would learn to know and love a child, but I am afraid of risking someone I know for someone I don’t
I loved the knife, and Rooster Fish. Final comprehensive. Roughly taught me something that I already know. You fail fail fail before you succeed. I just think it is stupid to purposefully put so many failures in front of people that they don’t make it through them. Why physical science for a writer? I don’t need that. Don’t go on about how “you may learn something that you will write about, or you will be able to converse about science, or you are learning how to learn.” my TO WRITE ABOUT: folder is brimming already. I can hardly get to the material I have because I have to be troubled about wither or not electricity is a wave or a particle. Let me learn how to learn on things I WANT TO LEARN! I fell like Matherly was going through the same feelings that I am in this period of time when she wrote this essay. Those are just a few of the things that I learned.
Describe the writing process that you find most beneficial for you. Why does it work? How can it be improved?
I need alot of time to work on something before I turn it in. I also need no distractions. I want a pure week of writing and revising before I can turn in an essay. Ideally this would be the best writing process for me. I learn about an assignment and I begin work early. I have a completed draft about a week in advance. I can take the draft to my writing circle and have them look it over and call me on my bull. Then I take it back and I write again. Back to the writing circle, and more changes. I want this to happen three times before I finally have the real essay, the changed and refined writing that I am proud of ready to turn in.
To improve this process I think that I need to plan to give myself time, and actually work when the time is available. I also need to get further south or buy a sun lamp or something. This winter business is just too much for me. It saps all the drive and life and love out of me for some reason. So to improve I need to utilize my time, plan so I have the week, and get out of the house and to my writing circle.
The writing process I have works because I am honest in my writing, and I have to come down to the How/why’s of things. I am challenged to be better and not accepted for the first piece of writing I put out.
How has the blog been beneficial to you as a writer and as a person? How? Why?
Well the blog has made me a better writer. It stretched the scope of things that I believe I am capable of covering in my writing. It also made me read and react to writing in a more sophisticated way. I wrote with a certain goal in mind. I tried to evoke a certain emotion or reaction from a reader where previously I threw things out there and didn’t really pay attention to what they did to people or me when they were read.
As a person the blog has been beneficial to me because of the things it has captured that I would have other wise let slip by. The writings in the blog have been things that I will treasure and things that I am proud of.
What was your favorite assignment of the semester? Why?
My favorite assignment of the semester was the short personal essay. I felt like we had the most freedom and space for creativity in that essay. As the year went on the creative factor was harder and harder to squeeze into essays because of all the MLA formating, research and conventions. I am not saying that I didn’t learn alot from those or that I disliked the writing I did in their boundaries. That pure freedom to write something meaningful and creative and have it taken seriously was very wonderful.
What was your favorite part of class? Why?
The writing conferences. I felt like the energy and the learning and the development in that setting was great. I think that was a significant part of the development I gained in this class.
How is the final portfolio beneficial to you? How do you think differently about your writing because of it?
I believe the final portfolio made me take my work seriously. It let me see it in a book with a title page and a cover and I got to put some creativity into the portfolio which was cool. I really am glad that we are not having a final about grammar and conventions and MLA formating. So the portfolio saved me from that. It also let me present my work to people in a serious way. To pitch what I have written to people and tell them why I think it is important and significant. That is something I will hopefully do in the future so it was a positive experience to have some practice doing it.
Why is submitting your work to a public audience (on the blog and to journals, etc.) beneficial?
I would love to write for my living. To submit what I have written is a real step I have to take. To be forced, or guided more so, to take that step was nice because now I have that experience under my belt and I know what I will take and what the process will be like and what to expect sort of. I think it will be a good thing to know. I also loved the feed back that I got from people in the class and from the journal i submitted to.
If you were to take this class again, what would you want to change and what would you want to keep?
I would throw all the conventions and MLA stuff out the window. I would focus on the creative and the truthful and emotional and real. I don’t want to come across to negatively on what I will call the “restrictive” part of the class, because I learned alot even in those restrictions, but I felt like what I was learning in the “free” part of the class was so much more important. I wanted to focus on that.
What did you learn in this class that you will apply to other situations? How?
I learned that walking the reader through a thought process and explaining details can be much more meaningful than just stating a conclusion that I came to. I am going to apply this to my personal relationship. I can communicate much more effectively with my parents if I tell them, step by step how I came to a conclusion rather than just state it and try to defend it.
I learned that my writing improves with time and attention and work. That I can develop success over time. I learned that if I plan and am ready in advance that things go much better for me. I am going to take this to other classes, and to my place of employment. To my next college program and to relationships.
What makes good writing? Why? Give examples. How can you contribute to that sphere of good writing?
Good writing for me is a combination of many things. There is a certain feeling or energy in the writing that I connect to. I would call that the pace or the tempo.
Speech is something that is difficult to capture, so good writing must do that. There have to be conversations that I feel are real and compelling. I love to be able to feel like I was a part of an interesting conversation in reading. I pick up most of my speech patterns from books and writing.
Kind of on that same note, I want the author to connect to me on a personal note. I feel like the best writing is written to me and the author is letting me into his inner circle and having a personal aside with me.
I can contribute to that sphere of writing by making sure that my writing does the things that good writing is supposed to. I can check to make sure it does by having people I trust read my writing and be honest with me about its potential and strong points.
Anything else you need to get out about the class.
I don’t have anything really it was a great class. I am just sad that I have to disconnect kind of and move on. Wish I could have it as a permanent class on my schedule.
The most helpful part of class for me as a writer was the development of a structure that I can use for my writing process. I didn’t ever really understand or utilize the first draft and then improve method. I wanted my first draft to be perfect and so I would sit and stew and delete far more than I wrote. The class helped me to realize that I can begin at a place that I am not happy with, and then improve from there. I was also challenged in this class. I don’t feel like I was able to sail by, as I was in high school or other English classes because I was above the curve. I was assessed on my ability and made to improve from there.
The blog was a joy for me. I found that I did some of my best writing for the year on the blog. I was able to capture an emotion in my writing. I have some pieces from there that I will really treasure.
As a reader I was given a whole new genre. I had never really read essays before this class. I have something entirely new to discover and to love. This has given reading new life for me. I really enjoy the idea that so much can be said with so little. I love to try and coax new meaning out of a sparsely worded piece.
As a thinker I grew to understand, or had to make, connections to why I feel the way I do. I had to not just write down my conclusions but to take the reader step by step through the thought process. It was very difficult for me but I learned about myself and about the writing process and I discovered that although I felt like some times I was stating the obvious e.g. that the extreme things women do for beauty are wrong, that when I did walk through them the things I had to say became much more powerful and personal rather than just stating them.
What can you do to continue/improve this development?
To continue and improve I must write more. I need to write for me, not for a class or assignment, but for me. That is where there are no boundaries and grammar rules or MLA formats. In that place I have found that I do my best writing. I need to confront some of the serious things in my life. When I write for me it is usually a simple log of my activities and feelings for my journal. If I were to start writing for myself, but tackling the serious issues in my life, I would be going somewhere.
What did you learn from the reading in this course? Which essay(s) did you enjoy the most? Why? What did it teach you about good writing?
I learned what the essay really is. That is has much more potential then people give it. It is an underutilized writing type. There were all kinds of great snippets that I picked up from the readings. It is hard to put them all down here. I learned that I was really adverse to the conventions. I knew I hated grammar and punctuation, but I didn’t realize how much. I learned that I am afraid of having children because of that little bit at the end of A Farewell To Arms when the wife and child die. I don’t want to put the person that I love most in the world into that much danger and pain and chance. I pulled that out of Anchovidad. I really liked that piece. It was humorous but it brought up a serious point that we learn to know and love our children. I guess I would learn to know and love a child, but I am afraid of risking someone I know for someone I don’t
I loved the knife, and Rooster Fish. Final comprehensive. Roughly taught me something that I already know. You fail fail fail before you succeed. I just think it is stupid to purposefully put so many failures in front of people that they don’t make it through them. Why physical science for a writer? I don’t need that. Don’t go on about how “you may learn something that you will write about, or you will be able to converse about science, or you are learning how to learn.” my TO WRITE ABOUT: folder is brimming already. I can hardly get to the material I have because I have to be troubled about wither or not electricity is a wave or a particle. Let me learn how to learn on things I WANT TO LEARN! I fell like Matherly was going through the same feelings that I am in this period of time when she wrote this essay. Those are just a few of the things that I learned.
Describe the writing process that you find most beneficial for you. Why does it work? How can it be improved?
I need alot of time to work on something before I turn it in. I also need no distractions. I want a pure week of writing and revising before I can turn in an essay. Ideally this would be the best writing process for me. I learn about an assignment and I begin work early. I have a completed draft about a week in advance. I can take the draft to my writing circle and have them look it over and call me on my bull. Then I take it back and I write again. Back to the writing circle, and more changes. I want this to happen three times before I finally have the real essay, the changed and refined writing that I am proud of ready to turn in.
To improve this process I think that I need to plan to give myself time, and actually work when the time is available. I also need to get further south or buy a sun lamp or something. This winter business is just too much for me. It saps all the drive and life and love out of me for some reason. So to improve I need to utilize my time, plan so I have the week, and get out of the house and to my writing circle.
The writing process I have works because I am honest in my writing, and I have to come down to the How/why’s of things. I am challenged to be better and not accepted for the first piece of writing I put out.
How has the blog been beneficial to you as a writer and as a person? How? Why?
Well the blog has made me a better writer. It stretched the scope of things that I believe I am capable of covering in my writing. It also made me read and react to writing in a more sophisticated way. I wrote with a certain goal in mind. I tried to evoke a certain emotion or reaction from a reader where previously I threw things out there and didn’t really pay attention to what they did to people or me when they were read.
As a person the blog has been beneficial to me because of the things it has captured that I would have other wise let slip by. The writings in the blog have been things that I will treasure and things that I am proud of.
What was your favorite assignment of the semester? Why?
My favorite assignment of the semester was the short personal essay. I felt like we had the most freedom and space for creativity in that essay. As the year went on the creative factor was harder and harder to squeeze into essays because of all the MLA formating, research and conventions. I am not saying that I didn’t learn alot from those or that I disliked the writing I did in their boundaries. That pure freedom to write something meaningful and creative and have it taken seriously was very wonderful.
What was your favorite part of class? Why?
The writing conferences. I felt like the energy and the learning and the development in that setting was great. I think that was a significant part of the development I gained in this class.
How is the final portfolio beneficial to you? How do you think differently about your writing because of it?
I believe the final portfolio made me take my work seriously. It let me see it in a book with a title page and a cover and I got to put some creativity into the portfolio which was cool. I really am glad that we are not having a final about grammar and conventions and MLA formating. So the portfolio saved me from that. It also let me present my work to people in a serious way. To pitch what I have written to people and tell them why I think it is important and significant. That is something I will hopefully do in the future so it was a positive experience to have some practice doing it.
Why is submitting your work to a public audience (on the blog and to journals, etc.) beneficial?
I would love to write for my living. To submit what I have written is a real step I have to take. To be forced, or guided more so, to take that step was nice because now I have that experience under my belt and I know what I will take and what the process will be like and what to expect sort of. I think it will be a good thing to know. I also loved the feed back that I got from people in the class and from the journal i submitted to.
If you were to take this class again, what would you want to change and what would you want to keep?
I would throw all the conventions and MLA stuff out the window. I would focus on the creative and the truthful and emotional and real. I don’t want to come across to negatively on what I will call the “restrictive” part of the class, because I learned alot even in those restrictions, but I felt like what I was learning in the “free” part of the class was so much more important. I wanted to focus on that.
What did you learn in this class that you will apply to other situations? How?
I learned that walking the reader through a thought process and explaining details can be much more meaningful than just stating a conclusion that I came to. I am going to apply this to my personal relationship. I can communicate much more effectively with my parents if I tell them, step by step how I came to a conclusion rather than just state it and try to defend it.
I learned that my writing improves with time and attention and work. That I can develop success over time. I learned that if I plan and am ready in advance that things go much better for me. I am going to take this to other classes, and to my place of employment. To my next college program and to relationships.
What makes good writing? Why? Give examples. How can you contribute to that sphere of good writing?
Good writing for me is a combination of many things. There is a certain feeling or energy in the writing that I connect to. I would call that the pace or the tempo.
Speech is something that is difficult to capture, so good writing must do that. There have to be conversations that I feel are real and compelling. I love to be able to feel like I was a part of an interesting conversation in reading. I pick up most of my speech patterns from books and writing.
Kind of on that same note, I want the author to connect to me on a personal note. I feel like the best writing is written to me and the author is letting me into his inner circle and having a personal aside with me.
I can contribute to that sphere of writing by making sure that my writing does the things that good writing is supposed to. I can check to make sure it does by having people I trust read my writing and be honest with me about its potential and strong points.
Anything else you need to get out about the class.
I don’t have anything really it was a great class. I am just sad that I have to disconnect kind of and move on. Wish I could have it as a permanent class on my schedule.
Final Blog Assignment
A. What are your last words? What would you write if you knew your time was up (in life, in a relationship, in a place, etc.)? What would you notice in the world around you? What is important for others to hear?
B. What is literacy? Expand your definition. Write on why you are thankful for literacy and how it impacts your life.
C. Write the obituary of our class. Personify what you learned. Praise it, excuse it, justify it. Tell its story and bid it a loving or condoling farewell.
B. What is literacy? Expand your definition. Write on why you are thankful for literacy and how it impacts your life.
C. Write the obituary of our class. Personify what you learned. Praise it, excuse it, justify it. Tell its story and bid it a loving or condoling farewell.
Sunday, December 6, 2009
What was most helpful to your development as a writer, reader, and thinker? Why?
Having a variety of writings required helped broaden my horizons of writing. If we'd written one kind of essay over and over again it is true that we would improve our ability to write one kind of essay. Writing encompasses so much more than one form or one ideal. By writing many different essays we're able to discover what kind of writing we most enjoy and experience a sliver of the vast expanse of writing.
What can you do to continue/improve this development?
I can keep writing. It's like everything else in life, the more the you do it the better you get at it. Like violin or speed reading you improve by meaningful repetition. Luckily I have several writing projects lined up that will allow me to continue writing
What did you learn from the reading in this course? Which essay(s) did you enjoy the most? Why? What did it teach you about good writing?
The readings taught me that there is no one best way to write. Writing isn't about trying to appeal to everyone and doesn't always have to be about some deep deep dark truth. It can be about a light subject and still be philosophical.
Describe the writing process that you find most beneficial for you. Why does it work? How can it be improved?
I'm a firm believer in Anne Lamott's idea of “shitty first drafts” they're the best way for me to start to writing process which is the hardest step for me. After I get the first draft down it's just revision after revision after revision until it's done which is probably never.
How has the blog been beneficial to you as a writer and as a person? How? Why?
The blog has useful in the same way that the diversity of essays was useful. They were each another mini essay.
What was your favorite assignment of the semester? Why?
Personally I thought the portfolio was the best project. It was a nice book end to the semester. Taking the time to look back on and improve many of the writings I did throughout the term helped show me what parts of my writing had improved and the parts that hadn't.
What was your favorite part of class? Why?
I enjoyed the in class discussions. Everyone had their own opinions and the classroom environment was such that people didn't even hesitate to make that opinion known.
How is the final portfolio beneficial to you? How do you think differently about your writing because of it?
See above for benefits.
The portfolio helped me view my writings not as individual and singular pieces but as parts of a whole.
Why is submitting your work to a public audience (on the blog and to journals, etc.) beneficial?
It's the way the world works and getting used to jumping through the hoops in the submission process is good practice.
If you were to take this class again, what would you want to change and what would you want to keep?
What did you learn in this class that you will apply to other situations? How?
I think the writing process that I've been using for this class will be helpful in all my future writings.
What makes good writing? Why? Give examples. How can you contribute to that sphere of good writing?
Good writing can't be defined by one set of heuristics. There's good writing in all genres, sometimes that may only be a few paragraphs but there's good in all writing. The literary world has become so broad that a writer must find their niche and excel. I'm still looking for my niche so I'll have to get back on the specifics of what I'll be contributing.
Having a variety of writings required helped broaden my horizons of writing. If we'd written one kind of essay over and over again it is true that we would improve our ability to write one kind of essay. Writing encompasses so much more than one form or one ideal. By writing many different essays we're able to discover what kind of writing we most enjoy and experience a sliver of the vast expanse of writing.
What can you do to continue/improve this development?
I can keep writing. It's like everything else in life, the more the you do it the better you get at it. Like violin or speed reading you improve by meaningful repetition. Luckily I have several writing projects lined up that will allow me to continue writing
What did you learn from the reading in this course? Which essay(s) did you enjoy the most? Why? What did it teach you about good writing?
The readings taught me that there is no one best way to write. Writing isn't about trying to appeal to everyone and doesn't always have to be about some deep deep dark truth. It can be about a light subject and still be philosophical.
Describe the writing process that you find most beneficial for you. Why does it work? How can it be improved?
I'm a firm believer in Anne Lamott's idea of “shitty first drafts” they're the best way for me to start to writing process which is the hardest step for me. After I get the first draft down it's just revision after revision after revision until it's done which is probably never.
How has the blog been beneficial to you as a writer and as a person? How? Why?
The blog has useful in the same way that the diversity of essays was useful. They were each another mini essay.
What was your favorite assignment of the semester? Why?
Personally I thought the portfolio was the best project. It was a nice book end to the semester. Taking the time to look back on and improve many of the writings I did throughout the term helped show me what parts of my writing had improved and the parts that hadn't.
What was your favorite part of class? Why?
I enjoyed the in class discussions. Everyone had their own opinions and the classroom environment was such that people didn't even hesitate to make that opinion known.
How is the final portfolio beneficial to you? How do you think differently about your writing because of it?
See above for benefits.
The portfolio helped me view my writings not as individual and singular pieces but as parts of a whole.
Why is submitting your work to a public audience (on the blog and to journals, etc.) beneficial?
It's the way the world works and getting used to jumping through the hoops in the submission process is good practice.
If you were to take this class again, what would you want to change and what would you want to keep?
What did you learn in this class that you will apply to other situations? How?
I think the writing process that I've been using for this class will be helpful in all my future writings.
What makes good writing? Why? Give examples. How can you contribute to that sphere of good writing?
Good writing can't be defined by one set of heuristics. There's good writing in all genres, sometimes that may only be a few paragraphs but there's good in all writing. The literary world has become so broad that a writer must find their niche and excel. I'm still looking for my niche so I'll have to get back on the specifics of what I'll be contributing.
Final Questions
- What was most helpful to your development as a writer, reader, and thinker? Why? The amount of good writing we read, wrote, and thought about was incredible. I did not know that such amazing material was available or that writing so personal could be so touching. My writing ability grew through our continuous discovery of how to better the way we approach writing, the way I approach writing.This semester, my view of an essay has changed for the better: I now see essays as truths and the ruminations of my mind, instead of ambiguous prompts that we must fulfill for a grade. It was such a crisp realization to learn that everything I'd learned in high school was undeniably false. It is not wrong to put myself in my work; in fact it's better for it.
- What can you do to continue/improve this development? I can continue creating work from a personal place, access a type of writing that represents my own experience, even if it's just an echo. I believe that viewing writing as expressin what's inside of me is a much easier way to see it. It also helps me be freer, lets me let go and forget the editor in my head. I can use this knowledge to improve my writing by always implementing it when I am doing a paper or other creative works. I will write what I think and write the way I think. That's when my opinion shines as its own and my voice is revealed.
- What did you learn from the reading in this course? Which essay(s) did you enjoy the most? Why? What did it teach you about good writing? I learned the broad range of essays available and the various styles of essayist I admire. Mimicing or incorporating the techniques I saw in their writing helps my own to become more developed and unique. I enjoyed Doyle's "Rich, rich, rich," both of Matherly's pieces, Selzer's "The Knife," and A.A. Milne's "A word for autumn." They were essays with grounding and I felt a great depth from them. I found that I enjoyed essay that didn't apologize. They were how they thought and just live in their world whilst opening it up for my own.
- Describe the writing process that you find most beneficial for you. Why does it work? How can it be improved? I start just writing down everything that comes into my head in a sort of written spew that touches on the swarming thoughts that come from ruminating. Once it's all out, I get to the dirty work. Revise, rewrite, revise, rewrite some more. I go in and try to be more personal, more consistent, more concise, more creative, etc. Repeat for eons til I get it where I want it; a suitable essay. It works because letting go is the hardest part. Then the work or polishing is easy because I know, or at least have ideas, of how I want it to turn out. I believe it is a wonderful method, tried and true. Yet I had to discover the most crucial concept: the initial just writing.
- How has the blog been beneficial to you as a writer and as a person? How? Why? Well, for one it gave me a deadline and consistency that I don't normally enforce upon myself. There is also an openness to the blog that I loved. It was a break for all the tedious schoolwork I had and let me be myself. Though it is still for a grade and is in front of my peers, there wasn't a need to be perfect or competitive. As a writer, I grew by knowing that I could let go and be respected instead of judged. I also loved reading my peer's pieces and see the spark catch fire in them as well. The prompts were all so creative that I had to stop and assess which I wanted to do most, something new for me. Other classes would just force me into a corner with dull assignments, but with the blog, I had options. I write better without restrictions. Breaking/bending the rules has always benefited me in essays in this class. I am rewarded for the risks I take. That's how it should be.
- What was your favorite assignment of the semester? Why? I loved the blog, but lately it had been the final portfolio. I squeeze out all the art in me and make something, create something I am proud of. It's wonderful to look back at all of the wonderful work all of us have create over the semester and then combine the highlights for a beautiful project. I also enjoy the fact that I can see my growth and development as a writer, because during the class I felt I couldn't progress fast enough. I see now that it is a process.
- What was your favorite part of class? Why? I loved learning all the general knowledge about classic essaying, but moreso the adapted, modernized version of the essay. I truly hadn't the slightest that this type of writing was available and encouraged. Discovering new voices was incredible and developing my own was wonderfully gratifying.
- How is the final portfolio beneficial to you? How do you think differently about your writing because of it? It lets me directly see how I've grown and the difference approach makes. I love being able to creatively put together my pieces in a way that is unconventional. I love pushing my writing and craftiness to the areas were they take on a life of their own. I think of my writing as a children that needs attention and love, nourishment and care. Also a lot of patience and persistence that have been tested this semester. I feel that I have a better sense of direction and a "core" in which I can work towards.
- Why is submitting your work to a public audience (on the blog and to journals, etc.) beneficial? I gave me the audacity to submit. I stopped worrying about it being perfect and just revised as much as I could. Just because I am young and thus uneducated does not mean that what I have to say it's valuable and interesting. My mind works differently, yes, maybe unrefined compared to the works of the greats, but I still have one. The thoughts that cross it are just as valid as any other and the craft and style I use to express them is unique and my own. It gave me the guts to just do it. Worry about the results after. It was liberating.
- If you were to take this class again, what would you want to change and what would you want to keep? The blog needs to stay and the final portfolio! They are wonderful assignments and facets of the class. I hated the analysis essay but that is only because it wasn't my style and I couldn't seem to put my myself into the essay nearly as much as I wanted to. I also didn't think the constant feedback of the class was needed. I loved the class and wanted to keep doing the assignments and dicussing the works we read. There was so much to process and learn I fell in love with the class. The need for validation became like the wet blanket of neediness in this relationship. Yes, I really do love you. I'd love you more if you didn't have to ask. Let's do more of the fun stuff together. The "work" never was becoming tedious until it asked if it was so.
- What did you learn in this class that you will apply to other situations? How? I learned to learn, observe and gather--let my thoughts run wild, then record them the way they are. Granted they will need some elbow grease to make into essays. I've also been told that school is not for the learning of information, rather it is for the learning to love learning. So loving each new assignment or challenge has helped me become a better student, a better person. I have also learned that great advantage taking risks gives. Putting myself out there in the cold, plain sight is much better than hiding in the shadows, longing for recognition.
- What makes good writing? Why? Give examples. How can you contribute to that sphere of good writing? Good writing is honest and unique, sincere and brash. Good writing doesn't apologize. That is the greatest thing I learned this semester. Don't back down. It's worthwhile to follow through. Good writing open eyes and connects with something inside the writer because it took so much for the writer to dig it out. "Blind Imagination" rocked me with its bravado and that's what I believe is necessary. Cassie's "Heart Sounds" connected with some part of my humanity and I still can't quite describe how I was affected. The sincerity of most of the pieces we read really took me aback. I can contribute to this same cause by being as honest and real as I possibly can. I will write works that are so hard to rip out but feel so good to be read and loved. Giving of myself has always given me more blessings than holding back and forfeiting. I will write as long as I have this life within me.
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