Philadelphia Freedom

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: once the capitol of the United States of America, the founder of the cheese steak, and the home of our country’s independence.  Some call it The City of Brotherly Love, but I like to call it home.  The natives of Philly see the close up of the city (bums on the street corners, trash thrown everywhere, and too many tourists).  The tourists see the city in a much different way.  They see the history and vast land of street lights and skyscrapers.  Through all native eyes there is beauty and filth.

One mention of the city and people envision the scene from Rocky Balboa  as he runs up the Art Museum steps in victory.  They too dream of this victory that Philly brings.  They see Love Park, the worldwide icon of brotherly love.  In a place where crime is seen daily and violence is nothing new, there stands a statue of love.  It is not “Always Sunny in Philadelphia” in the literal sense, but the city shines with the street lights of South Street.   When little children around the world fall sleep, South Street comes to life.  With stores like Condom Kingdom and magnificent restaurants, no one can resist the sinful temptation of Philly’s most notable street. 

Philadelphia is known for its overzealous sports fans and their big egos.  One can only learn to appreciate their “phaith” and “phight” after they walk in their shoes through Citizens Bank Park.  One can always expect a game to be playing in this city.  Even if you are not a phan, the pride these people have in their city causes one to feel the phever.  The streets of Cottman and Frankford Avenues look like the average Philadelphia intersection with bustling cars and road raged honking drivers on your average day.  But if there is a win (no matter what Philly sports team), you can expect the streets of Frankford and Cottman to be packed with screaming supporters.  Usually at this time the night sky is dark and the only source of light comes from the street lights.  Everyone in the whole city (even a few South Jersey folks who wish they lived on the other side of the Delaware River) comes together in sheer bliss for their home team.  For one night, everyone loves everyone else in Philadelphia and there is no news of harm or violence.  For one night, the city is at peace.  Nowhere else can you find this freedom, this “Philadelphia Freedom” that takes over you from the inside. 

Speaking of the inside, Philly sure knows how to satisfy your stomach.  The hardest question is not what to eat, but where? Geno’s or Pat’s?  It doesn’t matter if you’re a local or a visitor.  It doesn’t matter if it’s a hot summer’s day or a cold winter’s night, for there will always be a line for a real Philly cheese steak and you will never be disappointed.  If you’re not in the mood for a cheese steak, you can have your pick of crab from Chickie’s and Pete’s on Robbins Avenue or a Philly soft pretzel.  Only a true Philadelphian knows that here, we have “wooder” not water and it is called a hoagie, not a sub.  The smell of the divine food always travels through the air and into the streets.  In Philadelphia, you put two condiments on every meal, cheese and grease.

As you step foot onto Arch and Chestnut Streets you feel the patriotism of Philadelphia.  The home of the American Flag and the signing of the Declaration of Independence.  The American figures involved in these monumental events are long gone, but on these streets they live on forever.  Betsy Ross sits on her rocking chair outside of her house and sews the flag every day.  John Hancock stands in Independence Hall ready to write his signature into history.  Benjamin Franklin still greats every visitor from the top of the capital building.  He is no longer the highest point of the city thanks to the Comcast Building and many others, but all eyes still fall upon him.  People travel far and wide to set their sights on a bell with a crack on the side of it that misspells Pennsylvania.  Years ago, the Liberty Bell hung from the tower of Independence Hall and rang to declare our country’s independence from England.  It no longer hangs is the tower or rings to let the nation know of our independence.  It may no longer ring, but just the sight of it sitting in The Liberty Bell Center makes one proud to be from Philadelphia, an original.  

11 of 12 Are visual arguments writing?

Yes. They are writing without words.  Writing is expression.  Pictures are expression.  Writing is thought.  Visual arguments are thought.  Writing is love.  Pictures are love.  WSC 001 is love.  R.I.P.

Say what you need to say before it's too late.  Pictures, words, acting.  They are all ways of expressing ourselves.  They are writing with photography, words, and movement.  They all come together as one.

Philadelphia Freedom: my feelings as I edit this paper...goes into 12 of 12

I read my first draft to my best friend who attends East Carolina University.  She started to cry.  She has not been back home since August and the images that this paper gave her brought her to tears.  Now, here I sit editing it...crying.  I feel like a New Yorker trying to ruin what my hometown has brought me.  Whenever I read this paper in my head, I read it with a South Philly accent.  I am not crying that I miss home so much, but that I am ruining what home means to me and every other Philadelphian.  The changes may be phonetically and grammatically correct, but that ain't want Philly is about.  As Freddy Jones once said in The School of Rock, "Rock isn't about getting an A. Sex Pistols never won anything.Don't let The Man get you down".  Philly is all about imperfection.  Why else do you think we have a cracked bell and a statue of a fake boxing hero?  We just do what we want to do and what we were taught to do.

That is my advice to future students who take this class.  F up.  Do it.  Stick it to the man.  You are your own person and no one can take that away from you.  Yes, I am going to edit this paper, but I am going to keep the original close to my heart.  Future class, don't think too much and never stress.  There are no rules to writing no matter what Bolter and Trimble try to tell you.  Lay tells you to do what you know.  If you feel overwhelmed, blog about it.   If you feel like s#!t, say it.  There is no rule book or manuel for you.  Be who you are and write the same way.  Do not try to be perfect.  Being yourself is the closest thing to perfect we have in this world.  Hey, if you want, be someone else, as long as it's who you want to be.  Stay classy and blog for life!

Rage Analysis

“The world told is a different world to the world shown” (Kress 1).  My four-letter word project was on the word rage, and it consisted of pictures of shadowed figures over children being yelled at, children being slapped or hit, children crying, bruised faces and bodies, small caskets, and grave stones of children.  The final picture is a concrete angel which symbolizes the purity of these children and how they will be hurt no longer.  The song I chose to play while displaying this visual presentation was “Concrete Angel” by Martina McBride.  This song really sums up my visual argument.  It backs up the meaning of the pictures.  The presentation argued that rage can lead to abuse, more specifically child abuse.  Thus, the argument is explicitly: we need to stop this abuse and save the lives of these innocent children. 

Part 2

J. Anthony Blair considers something to have truth value if it can be accepted or rejected.  Rage can lead to parents abusing their children.  The pictures of the shadow yelling at a crying or scared child prove that these parents are angry.  The pictures of the parent about to hit their child show that this rage has lead to abuse.  This expression has truth value.  It affirms visually that rage can lead to the abusive of a child and that this needs to be stopped.  The pictures of wounded children and grave stones further affirm that this rage and abuse need to end.  We need to save a child.  My visual argument can be accepted.  The rage leads to abuse that can lead to death.  The presentation has truth value. 

Part 3

            The reason for my presentation is to show people how rage can turn into abuse.  The claim is that rage can be destructive.  It can lead to the harm and even death of an innocent child.  We need to stop the rage in order to save these children’s lives.  These claims are shown all throughout the project.  The order of the pictures shows how anger can lead to abuse.  The abuse then can lead to bruises and injuries which can unfortunately lead to the death of a child.  All of the pictures show this progression.  These claims are expressed very successfully.  Some pictures are a bit graphic, but they really get the point across.  The viewer gets to feel the pain of the children through these graphic pictures.  The claims in my opinion were expressed in the best way possible.  The pictures showed you how bad rage and abuse can get.  The pictures of the tomb stones at the end of the presentation made the rage real.  The viewer can clearly see that these children died too young and it needs to end.

Part 4

            The visual presentation was predictable in that children would show up in every picture and that they would be feeling pain in some way.  It was predictable right off the bat that the song playing was not a very joyous one and all of the pictures that followed were not either.  The images support the expressiveness of this project by making you feel for these children.  They are touching images that have obvious meaning when put together.  They tell a horrific story of the abusive and sometimes short life that some children go through. 

Part 5

            The order of a visual production is the key to the whole presentation and argument.  It tells a story.  The story of my presentation was rage which lead to abuse which lead to pain and eventually death to those who were not saved.  Visual productions are ordered in a way that presents meaning to the viewer.  It makes your argument known.  The organization of the video can make or break it.  It is the difference between the viewer understanding the video and being in utter confusion.  The order of images sets the tone and makes your argument stronger if done correctly. 

Part 6

            Visual arguments can be successful if done correctly.  Of the presentations I viewed in class many made meaning and were successful, but some of them left me confused and bewildered.  Some people like Anna and Mike back up their work with a lot of underline meaning.  Visual arguments need to be to the point to be understood completely.  Too much hidden meaning can cause confusion.  Images can do what writing does if done correctly.  If the presentation is done to get a simple but powerful point across, images can do what writing does.  There are limits both writing and visual.  I believe that minimal writing with images is the ultimate argument.  The images put you in the scene and make you feel while the words let you understand.  Images can definitely do things that writing cannot.  I would have not been able to write about the child’s bloody face or even the small casket and tomb stones.  The images of these things hit you so much harder than the words could ever do.  Blair says in “The Possibility and Actuality of Visual Arguments”, A single visual image can probably be more powerful than a single verbal assertion (23).  For some, they also capture your attention much more than words.  On the other hand, writing opens up your imagination to endless possibilities outside of this world.  It can explain a situation more in depth.  Images and words together are like peanut butter and jelly.  They are both good separately, but put them together and your sandwich is complete.  

10 of 12

Never waste your alcohol.  Never waste your words.  Once we put it out there, we can never get it back.

You don't want to regret what you say or do.  You cannot take back spoken word and when we delete something we write, someone may have already read it.  If they read it, it once existed and you cannot take that out of their head.  Think before you act and keep the thoughts coming.  In Rodney Jones' case it's drink before you act and keep the alcohol rumming.

9 of 12

When I put on text, I expect people to read it most of the time.  Sometimes I don't even realize that I'm wearing text.  We wear these texts because we find them appealing.  We buy them to capture our own attention and we wear them to capture other people's attention.  This question is actually really fitting at the moment.  I enjoy writing on blogs to write for myself.  I don't need anyone else to read my writing and accept or reject it.  It makes me feel awkward and vulnerable.  I am writing for myself, my health, and my sanity.

I don't think I have any readers on Twitter considering I don't have a Twitter.

The texts we wear and tweet succeed at making meaning.  They are what we feel or what we do.

Corrections Corrections Corrections!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Pantene

Pantene over exaggerates their point just to sell their product.  It captivates their audience with a story about a deaf girl who learns how to play the violin. This girl falls in love with the instrument.  Playing the violin takes her to a place where she feels like she can hear the music and is free from harm. Pantene tries to tell us that its shampoo is the reason behind her success.  They want us to think that she receives a standing ovation because Pantene gave her the confidence to shine.  The message of this commercial is that if we buy this product, we can achieve extraordinary things and have great hair all at the same time.

The violinist finds her place with the help of her mentor, a lowly street performer.  This place is a figment of her imagination. It is a field with tall grass that blows in the wind.  This is the place that her mind travels to when she plays music.  In the commercial her mentor says, music is a visible thing.  When her hand touches the grass in this field, the motion represents the way she can feel the music.  The image of the grass and the sun in the field is symbolic of her being able to see the music. In this field she is free from everyone who has ever told her that she can’t play.  All of their voices are silenced and all she sees is beautiful music.  She sees this music in the grass blowing in the wind and the sun shinning.  The deaf violinist is free to be herself.  She is free and alive in this place.  Pantene tells us that by using their product, we will be able to find a place where nothing can ever go wrong.  This place allows us to shine.

AT&T

AT&T has a commercial with Hansel and Gretel.  They walk around the streets of a large city by themselves.  These two small children use AT&T’s service to find their way around. Hansel and Gretel start out on their journey at a walking pace. They only start to skip when they use the GPS on their AT&T phone.  Their skipping implies that they are extremely happy that they have AT&T to assist them.  AT&T wants us to think that these children feel safe and secure with the quality of their service. They want their audience to believe that AT&T will always be working for them when we are in a predicament.

The purpose of this commercial is to inform us that AT&T’s service is the best and that the customer will feel confident and safe as long as you have their product. Do people always feel this comfortable and secure while using technology? The answer is absolutely not.  AT&T is my cell phone provider and I still speed up my steps when I am walking alone. I have never once started to skip with a huge smile on my face because I felt safer having my phone with me. AT&T wanted to make a point that we will be happy with their service. They want parents to believe that their children will be safe walking random city streets alone once they purchase AT&T merchandise.

Heineken

  Heineken has a commercial with a German woman who shows her friends her new house. She opens up a door and all of her friends scream with glee at the sight of her walk-in closet filled with clothing.  In this same commercial, a man who lives in the same house shows his walk-in closet to his friends.  It’s a room full of beer, but not just any beer, it’s Heineken.  The man’s friends scream the exact same way that the woman’s friends scream. One bothersome  observation is that the man had beer and the woman had clothes. I can see that Heineken's audience is men. The commercial was played during the Super Bowl which backs up the fact that it was made for guys to watch. This commercial stereotypes males and females. It tells us that men should drink beer and be manly while women should care about clothing and the way that they look.  

                Why doesn’t the woman have a closet full of beer?  Why do the men get to drink alcohol while the women shop for clothes? Heineken’s commercial was made for the male audience, but they could have included females also.  They are going along with the stereotypes of society.  They want to show that a room full of their product is like a room full of nice clothes. Girls can get giddy over clothes while guys get excited about beer.  They are saying that if you have Heineken, you are living a life of luxury. Heineken focuses their commercial on what males like.  Heineken can still make a successful commercial without downgrading men and women by using stereotypes. 

Doritos

  The commercial that I chose was Allen's commercial about Doritos.  It involves a man who is going on a date.  He is quickly told the guidelines by his date’s young son.  The son smacks the man across the face and makes it clear that the man should not touch his Momma or his Doritos.  He is really protective of these two objects.  You can tell from the commercial that the boy does not trust this man, because he is trying to take the two things that the boy holds highest.  The woman's son sets these house rules right away so that the man knows that he meant business. 

The young boy does not want this man anywhere near his mother or his Doritos. Why does this commercial compare these two things?  Doritos wants to make it a point that its product is as important to you as your own mother.  This concept is ridiculous, but they want to get it stuck in your head that you need Doritos in your life just like you need your mother.  The Doritos Company is really stretching this motion.  They want you to question if these chips are so amazing that you cannot go another minute without them. Doritos tells its viewers that these chips are so amazing that they will not want to share them with anyone.  The commercial gets the point across that we should all protect our mommas. But more importantly, it tells us to protect our Doritos.

Part 2 of the Bolter Quiz Corrections

2A. By calling "layered reading and writing natural", Bolter means that the reader can go through the writing to a different page or link to read or see a different part of the writing.  This is natural to us and writing because the text flows from one thing to another without a break.  It is natural for us to get moer information on a certain statement.  We continue through these layers without even realizing we've changes pages.  Layered writing is a natural process that has been with us for years.

2D. Bolter uses phrases like "flatters the text" and "offers a writer little help in conceiving its evolving structure" to clarify how he feels about word processors before they are connected to the web.  He writes that we should be using the evolving technology in the best way we can.  Word processors can be connected to the web which can help to layer our writing and bring it up to date.  Bolter is anticipating that network will grow and evolve.  Word processing will be succeeded by some technology just like codex and scrolls have been replaced by paper and pen.  One day we may do all of our writing on networks, which will become the norm for writing.  Writing is our ever-evolving process.

2F. The order that the hierarchy of print text makes can always be challenged.  Bolter says that the source of this subversion is text behind the text.  The words always mean more than they say and thoughts always seem to get out of order.  Print text tries to create order in a world where order does not really exist; only ideas on pages.

2C. Bolter's definition of topic is "literally a place, and ancient rhetoric used the word to refer to commonplaces, convention units or method of thoughts"(29).  The term is useful to discuss remediation because it is still appropriate to use for technology.  Topics exist no matter if it is printed or computer text.  Topics will always be important in any type of writing.

Quiz Correction on Bolter ch2

10/10/11
A. The computer helps to organize information.  It is a part of the newest form of writing.
B. Writing is making oral ideas into visual aspects.  The medium we use to store our ideas are a part of the writing process.
C. Technologies like computers are agents that assist our writing process.  Writing makes it possible to share ideas between writers.
D.  Writing is using new technologies to connect what we write with the materials we use.  The material practices are being reached through the new technologies.
E.  Technology and the way we view writing may change, but writing has forever and will forever be a part of our society.
F. Technology gives us new ways to write.  Linear writing is in books and we can use linking in writing done on the computer.
G. Books that were printed with codex became known for linearity.  Technology advances are forming a new style of writing just as codex has changed writing.
H. Every time a new technology comes along, our whole form of writing changed and grows.  These are remediation.  The new way replaces the older one.
I. Remediation causes products to in a sense fight to prevail in society.
J. Transparent presentation means that the technology we use should not be seen, but used to view the writing.  The other idea of visual media is the opposite.  Hypermediacy makes us aware of the media that is being used for the writing.
K. Writing by electronics is just a continuation of printed text.  It is here to try to make writing better and make us feel more apart of the literature.

Half Quiz Corrections Half Unfinished

1. In my opinion, Bolter does not really condemn or celebrate the end of print text.  He states the facts and accepts the changes.  Bolter understands the change in technology that is occurring and he accepts it.  In his book, it says that some people think that the computer will never replace the printed book and then he gives us the advantages of a printed book.  Bolter then reveals that technology is quickly changing.  He explains that the computer is becoming smaller, more portable, and easier to read from.  Technological advances have changed the way we read.  We use both printed and computer text, but the future may only consist of digital text.  Bolter tells us that electronic writing is not a bad thing and that is has made significant advances.  He says that Jurassic Park has been bought and read by thousands electronically and that this may just be the future of writing and reading.  Bolter celebrates print text, but he is welcoming in the new era of electronic text.

2.  The homogeneity that the computer pro-pates(I think that's what I wrote?) is productive.  It brings our society together.  We can now read from anything all over the world.  I don't have the question to this and I don’t remember what it was so I can’t really finish it.  

reaction to 6 of 12

I went on Twitter. I still don't care about a guy who punched a moving car at Hofstra. It still sucks. I deleted it. Bye Twitter.

6 of 12

I really enjoyed the "Twouble with Twitter" video, but I always feel a little weird answering questions about Twitter.  I really don't know enough about it to do it justice, but then again I am not brainwashed by it.  Who are you talking to? I have no idea.  I'm pretty sure the people "tweeting" have no idea either.  Anyone can follow you.  I made a Twitter, never used it, and still have five people following me.  How does that happen?  This is one reason why I do not like Twitter.  You can have stalkers and you can't do anything about it.  People can actually listen to you unlike real life.  In my mind Twitter is an illusion, but I do like blogs.  I like to write whatever I feel like without anyone caring.  I like the opportunity for people to read, but the reality that chances are it's not going to happen.  I think that my relationship with my online audience is great.  I'm pretty sure it's just Professor Lay and God, but that's alright with me.

I think I bashed Twitter enough in my 4 of 12 blog to even write anymore about how useless I think it is.  I do like the idea of microblogging, but some people just share way too much information.  I don't care that you found a parking spot or are eatting lunch.  Keep that to yourself.  What is the purpose of microblogging?  To make people seem popular.  I know of girls who think that they have so many friends because of Facebook and Twitter, but if they would just step back into reality they would realize that they don't know any of those people.  It's a sad truth that I might just actually see what Twitter is all about for a week just to back up my thoughts.

5 of 12 (President vs. Poet)

Zadie Smith discusses the voices of poets versus the voices of presidents.  She states that presidents tend to give only one voice.  If they give more than that, they are seen to be liars.  Poets give out many voices depending on what they are writing or how they are feeling.  We have grown to expect our president to be one sided.  The political parties have made it this way.  All of these people cannot share the same mind 100% in all of their views, but the government and the parties make it seem this way.  Presidents do not get the freedom that poets do.  Poets are praised for having different voices.  They are seen as being brilliant for doing so.  Poetry requires different voices to create the pure beauty that is poetry.

Smith suggests that it would be refreshing to have a president who had many voices like the poets.  The president should be able to feel two ways on a subject.  They should not lie and go along with everything, but they should be able to express their opinions freely without being harassed.  The political parties put their candidate up because they know they will be representing them.  This puts a lot of pressure on the candidate to do what they are told instead of what they want.  The president should share the voices of his or her people.  He or she should be able to communicate with the many different crowds of our nation.

8 of 12

                                          Priyanka J.
     I believe that the flexibility of voice
leads to flexibility in all aspects.  The 
ability to manipulate language to 
a situation enhances communication 
skills.  Adapting to different styles 
allows more interaction with different 
bases & gives room to reach out to 
different audiences.  I mean like its 
all about survival of the fittest.  
Why I reck'on that y'all need to 
be many thangs to intract with all 
them different folks.  

7 of 12

Priyanka uses the crayon to display many different colors which shows her flexibility of voice and writing.  She wrote in straight lines and did not draw any pictures.  She could have been more flexible with her work, but she did step out of the box slightly.  Priyanka used the words reck'on and y'all to show a change in her voice.

This is quality writing.  She changes her voice to show that she can be flexible.  I know that this is good writing because I actually paid attention to it.  She changed her voice throughout the piece as she changed the colors she wrote in.  She uses words and statements that capture your attention and force you to focus.  I think that her writing is beautiful and that the crayon only makes the writing better and more colorful.

3 of 12

What I really think about the writing space that twitter affords is ________________________.  That is exactly my answer.  When I think of twitter, absolutely nothing comes to mind.  I made a promise to myself that I would never use twitter and I have kept that promise.  Facebook is enough of a distraction for me.  If I were to use twitter, the writing space would scare me.  I don't like the idea that you do not get to choose who can follow you.  I like keeping my thoughts to myself.  I even like to write just to get it out of my head.  I  hate reading my own work after it's complete.  Twitter exposes your ideas publicly.  I don't have a problem sharing my thoughts here because at most about three people are reading this.  That's not going to start a movement.  In my opinion, twitter can either give you confidence (because you are hiding behind a screen) or it can put fear into.  In my case it is definitely the fear factor.


I do have to agree that tweeting is writing.  Writing is expressing ourselves and our opinions.  Tweeting is definitely doing that.  It would not scare me if it wasn't.  Tweeting is like published writing.  People can judge you and they will.  Your tweets can be liked.  People can express how they feel about them. I can honestly say that I have no idea what a tweets purpose actually is.  I think that twitter and tweeting is stupid.  In my opinion, it has no purpose.  Why do you need a twitter when you can just change your facebook status?  If I had to compare a tweet to a status, I guess the purpose of a tweet would be like a public diary.  You want everyone to know what is happening at every moment of your life.  You want your follower or reader to enjoy your pain, happiness, awkward moments or jokes.  Twitter does not make any sense to me, but for everyone else it seems to be a place where they can get everything off of their chest.

2 of 12

I'm not sure why so many people wear texts on their clothing and on their skin.  Perhaps they feel that such portable writing serves to express the way they feel or view something.  My best friend has a tattoo on her ribs that says "love conquers all".  It is a quote from the Bible.  She wants people to know that she feels strongly about this quote.  She feels like it sums up everything.  It is a powerful enough statement for her that she displays it like a billboard on her body.  "Love conquers all".  Nothing else can fix absolutely everything except love.  This friend has recently gone through hell and back.  She fought through an eating disorder.  She could not have done it without the love and support she got from her friends and family.  To her, love really does conquer all.  She wears this text so that someone else may also be inspired by it.


Tattoos and text are also there as a reminder.  My friend uses it to remind her of how far she has come with the help of her loved ones.  It reminds her everyday to love a little more.  I saw someone with a tattoo that says "time makes you bolder".  The tattoo was on the man's forearm.  I think that he got this tattoo to remind himself of what he has gone through and to push harder everyday.  The quote probably means to him that the hard times are in the past. Now that he has completed it, he can do anything.  He wants others to know this too and that is why he displays it.  Tattoos and text are worn to motivate or remember.  They give us a little push to get through the day, the week, and even the year. We wear them to show other people what we have been through, what we are going through, and how  far we have come.  Texts on shirts or bodies are like statuses on Facebook or Twitter.  They let people see who we are at a glance. 

1 of 12

Hass's argument is that our vocabulary has limitations.  Some things are just better left unsaid.  Sometimes we have no words to describe an event.  Seeing something can be worth much more than the words we use to try to describe what we see.  Hass cannot seem to find a word to describe the tree's motion.  We need to see it for ourselves or visualize it.  Words can put images in our heads, but in situations like this there are no words to describe the beauty of an action.

The italicized text in my opinion can mean two things.  The first is that the tree and the writer are having a conversation.  The writer cannot find a word to describe what the tree is doing.  The tree is speaking through its movement.  The reader is also dancing.  They are dancing around the text trying to find out what Hass is trying to express in words, but cannot.

4 of 12

1. Zadie Smith writes about having two voices.  She said that she lost one to gain the other.  "I regret it; I should have kept both voices alive in my mouth.  They were both a part of me.  But how the culture warns against it!" (180).  Why does Smith wish she would have kept both voices?  How does one lose their voice in this sense?

2.  "There's no quicker way to insult an expat Scotsman in London than to tell him he's lost his accent" (180).  Why do we hold accents and voices at such a high level?  How do they define us?

3. Smith uses Pygmalion by George Bernard Shaw as an example throughout her essay.  How does this novel relate to Smith's argument?

4.  Smith talks about a Dream City.  "It's a place of many voices, where the unified singular self is an illusion" (184).  What does she mean by this?  What exactly is Dream City?

5. Smith discusses the difference of being proud and loving who she is.  "I'm not proud to be female either.  I am not even proud to be human-I only love to be so.  As I love to be female and I love to be black, and I love that I had a white father" (188).  What is the difference for Smith between these two words?

6.  "For reasons that are obscure to me, those qualities we cherish in our artists we condemn in our politicians" (189).  What does Smith mean by this?  Do you agree or disagree? Why?

RAGE

Mental Breakdown...Venting

The title explains it all.  Too bad this happens everyday.  I hate this class and that is the honest truth.  I never have any idea what is due, what it's due and how to even do it.  Looking at past papers, trying to fix them up, drives me crazy.  Of course I didn't answer every question.  10 minutes is not a sufficient amount of time to answer 5 questions fully and now I cannot even remember the questions.  I haven't even written half my blogs because I find the questions completely unanswerable or just plain frustrating.  You would think that Thanksgiving break would be a peaceful time, but not when you realize that there are two weeks left of class and you have every single paper to finish that you didn't even get back.  Maybe, it's the fact that I have a Twitter project, but I refuse to make a Twitter.  I find it a complete waste of time to keep me distracted from the rest of my work.  Apparently a paper was due.  I have no idea what that's about.  I don't have time to finish everything in two weeks.  At the rate i'm going I would need two months.  I need an A and it's not going to happen.  Its worth more to keep my health and sanity by failing then to work for the next 336 hours straight that will put me in a mental institution.  To be completely honest, a response to this will stress me out even more.  This is not to be read, but to be said.  Now that it is said, nothing has changed.  I'd still rather be dead than write these papers, blogs, and rewrite all of what I already did.  fdjkhfisoghuaifnjdksfjsfasiofhnauighaoghojdhjioasfhashgufdghdughoasngjoancvjdhnjaskdjfhwieuoagadhngjoas

Guys and Dolls

Boy                       Girl
guy                        lady
fellow                    doll
dude                     female
bro                       chick
male                      ho
chap                     angel
lad                        woman
gentleman             babe
man                      baby
son                       darling
gent                      buttercup
brother                 angelface

Billy Collins

Billy Collins feels two ways about the places he writes about.  In the first stanza of Advice to Writers he says, "Even if it keeps you up all night...".  He is saying that your study is a place that you can either get work done very quickly or you can spend countless hours on one page.  He states that you have to keep your study clean because cleaning will make you think and clear your mind of all other thoughts.  On every page of his poems he tells us how he feels about certain places.  He puts the good with the bad.

Baby on iPad

It makes me upset that this child will grow up with no interest in magazines and she will only live off of technology.  This is so relevant to the topics we discussed in class.  Technology builds upon each other until the original is in a sense eliminated.  The parent of this child grew up with magazines being a large part of society.  That is where they would get the news, information, or entertainment.  Their child is growing up with the iPad.  She sees the magazine as useless.  It proves the point that technology is becoming the new norm and print text is going out the window.

The rhetorical move the person who made the video uses is showing short phrases that summarize the video that follows.  The writer makes you read; then, visualize what he or she has just written.

My Project Three

I keep thinking about my project three and I'm pretty sure my next rhetorical move will be to use more metaphors and similes.  I need to engage my reader and capture their attention.  I also need to make them remember what I'm saying and metaphors will definitely help to achieve that goal.

What I think of Project 3

I've been thinking about my own draft for Project 3 and I have to tell you that I feel like I cannot write too personally about it or I might start to get home sick.  I feel as if I wrote any more it will ruin what I've already states.  I thought it'd be easy to write about my hometown, but it is hard to do the place any justice in words.  To be completely honest, I haven't really been thinking about my own draft at all.

Anna's Beautiful Paper

I am peer reviewing a colleague's draft on Project three and my first reaction is simply wow.  I wish this paper was a book that I could purchase and read over and over again.  I want to know more.  The vivid and beautiful language flows like a dandelion in the wind.  I expect a lot from the rest of this paper.

The Roller-coaster of Writing

A sentence starts like the beginning of a roller-coaster.  You do not know what to expect from the ride.  You can be excited or nervous or even both.  It can captivate you or build-up the drop like the first sentence builds up your paper.  You do not really know what to anticipate.  You have only gotten a taste of the journey.  You may wish it will be great, but you know it could make you sick.

A Vision of Students Today

Wesch argues that the classroom is no longer up to date with learning. Students don't get done half their work and they do not even pay attention in class. We need to become more focused on educating our future and keeping the students interested.  He argues that students need to learn by doing instead of listening and writing. Sitting in a desk does not help a student learn.  Having over 100 people in your classroom does not give you the attention you deserve for being educated.

Project 2- We May Need to Kill Some Babies

Writing is constantly changing and growing.  The main purpose of writing has stayed the same, but the technologies and mediums we use to help us write are forever evolving.  In the book, Writing Space, Jay David Bolter quotes Victor Hugo and says, “This book will destroy that building” (1).  Will the printed book go extinct with the new technological advances? Bolter brings up this topic and it is ultimately the center of his book.  The mediums used for writing will continue to change with new inventions, but the question is will the old methods stick around or become extinct?  They will certainly never be forgotten, but they will eventually need to move over and make room for new technology.

              The spaces in which we write change the way we write.  Our thoughts and ideas stay the same, but the format and the way we express those ideas can drastically change the way we write.  Through the computer and internet, we can now use hypertext to layer our writing.  All of the ideas are the same as they would be in a printed book, but now it is organized in a different way.  “Hypertexts remain linear and booklike at the level: they remediate the printed book as if by tearing out its pages and reordering them before the reader’s eyes” (43).  Hypertexts change the appearance and order of a piece of writing.  They do not change the thoughts and words of the writer, but they change the way in which we view their words.  In the Prezi that my group presented, we showed a video of a man tearing the phone book in half.  This showed the literal act of ripping out the pages of the book and reordering it.  With hypertext, we are figuratively tearing the pages and reorganizing our writing.  Writing from my own blog proves the point that the appearance is changed, but not the writing itself.  “Mali really used facial expressions and he put emphasis on certain words for certain reasons.  In the Spoken Word video, you still get to see the expression and meaning behind each word by seeing where it was placed and how it was written.  The performance and writing space of these two videos really captured my attention.  Each word gave a new meaning”.  With new machines, we can show more meaning through our writing.  We can write in different angles, fonts, layouts, and colors to express our feelings for what we are saying.  We can also show our writing in different ways like blogs and videos.  These sources make it possible for us to have different paths, structures, and layouts.  The writing space can take our words and sentences to a whole new level.  With new technological advances, it makes it easier for us to fully capture the attention of our readers. 

            These progressions of technology have reinvented a whole new way of writing.  “We now have the power at our fingertips to type a sentence within seconds, drag a paragraph to another location, delete an entire section with a single stroke.  The possibilities are endless” (Example K).  The technology that we have opens up the door to so many new and more efficient ways of writing.  Before the invention of the computer, one would have to start all over again if they made a mistake.  They would have to use countless amounts of whiteout and their handwriting would have to be legible.  Technology has made it so that we can spend less time rewriting and more time improving what we wrote.  The printed book improved the scroll and the computer improves the printed book.  The mediums we use change the way in which we can write.  With typewriters you can only write in a linear form.  New machines make it possible for us to layer our writing and to change the form all together.  Technology has improved the efficiency and effectiveness of writing.

            The remediation of writing has changed the way we communicate with each other.  Instead of writing letters and mailing them through the postal service, we now have email, texts, and communicate through social network sites.  The new ways are a lot faster, but they have their downfalls too.  People are now spending all of their time using these technologies instead of socializing face to face.  We also do not get much privacy with what we say.  “To reply to a given message is to link your text to that message, and both the message and the reply will circulate for days around the network provoking other responses” (Bolter 39).  These messages are hypertexts.  They are a new form of writing that the World Wide Web has made possible.  Blogs and networks such as Facebook provide us with spaces of writing where anything goes.  We are free to speak our minds without interruption.  “If you are to write vulgar books the books are looked down upon or banned, but you can’t ban a used from writing on the computer” (Sample O).  We have more freedom to express our thoughts through the internet.  These thoughts are soon seen and judged by the rest of the world through the World Wide Web.  People have the ability to respond positively or negatively about what they read, but they cannot ban us from using the internet altogether. 

The print text of letters is not completely obsolete, but it is slowly becoming the thing of the past.  Even college acceptance letters are being sent through e-mail instead of through the postal service.  We are slowly leaving paper, pens, and ink behind and moving towards newer advances.  These technological advances have become like second nature to us.  We do not worry about slow mail or papers getting ruined.  We do not have to worry about our letters getting lost in the mail or having to wait a week to receive a response back.  Through the formation of the internet, we receive responses much more promptly.  The advantages of digital text are causing print text to become extinct.  The print text is slowly dying and digital text is taking over. 

            Bolter is correct in saying that writing as a process is essentially the same, but the way in which we perform this act will forever be changing.  “When in the history of writing a new technology appears, it may supplement an established technology or replace it” (Bolter 32).  We are constantly building upon our previous technological advances of writing.  There are so many examples of this in our culture.  The Kindle is one of the newest forms of reading and writing.  There is now no need for the printed book.  We can simply download books from the internet onto this portable and handy technology.  This little Kindle is home to thousands of books.  It has made reading more convenient for our generation. 

Bolter is correct in saying that new technology replaces the old, but he seems to have this idea that the printed book will not be going anywhere.  The feather quill, papyrus, and scrolls have all become obsolete in modern writing.  We recognize them as once being a central part of the writing process, but they are no longer the smartest choice for writing.  The printed book will soon follow their fate.  With the Kindle, computers, and iPads, there will soon be no need for the printed book.  It will forever remain an important part of the writing history.  Group 5’s Prezi made the point that the old ways of writing are dead.  They used the image of a dictionary with OMG and LOL written on it.  These acronyms are mocking the book for not being as up-to-date as modern technology.  The same group also spelt out R.I.P. with the information in their Prezi.  Writing is not dead, but the old printed text is on its way to the grave and making way for digital text.  Bolter does not realize that the printed text will soon follow its predecessors to eventually becoming “dead”. 

Writing comes from our mind and our own thoughts.  It can only die when our brain dies.  The process of writing is constantly changing.  We replace each technology with something newer and greater.  “And as the new technology comes together it takes the idea of the old style and fix it to make it better, like the codex to books to digital computerized text” (Sample J).  Writing now has many different factors that affect the whole writing process.  The spaces, mediums, technologies, and advances have all changed the development of writing.  We now have so many options for how we want our writing to look, sound and appear.  Bolter supports all of the information he gives us about the evolution of writing.  It will never truly die, but the equipment we are given to assist with our writing will eventually fade into inexistence.   

           

Home Might be...

 Home might be like the ocean.  It may be beautiful at a distance.  It may be quite ugly up close.  You may leave it, but it will always surround you.  Home may sink ships.  It may be the source of icebergs.  It may scare you.  Home may be home for millions of other things.  It may be a wasteland, a filth.  Home may cause distruction.  It may be calm.  Home may suffocate you.

Home is Not

Home is not like:
open fields
the ocean
a starry night
a love story
a stuffed animal
a broken road
this English class
my cheerleading coach
a small child


Home is not like a love story.  There is not always a happy ending.  It does not make you cry.  Home is not sappy or romantic.  Home is not sweet or cute.  It is not a dream come true.  Home is not a powerful kiss.  It is not something you treasure or wish to have.  Home does not steal your heart. Home is not a fairy tale. It does not have a "happily ever after".  Home is not one person making you happy.

Coney Island of the Mind

I pressed play on this video, expecting to be bored or not interested.  The words that the writer uses are so captivating.  I could not take my attention away from the screen for even a second.  The words flowed like music and the story itself catches your attention.  It reminds me about a paper I once wrote on Peter Pan.  We never really grow up in our mind.  As long as we keep our childhood and memories alive, they will never die.  I never knew the Coney Island she talks about.  I never knew Coney Island at all except for in the movie, Uptown Girl.  In the movie she see Coney Island the same was the author does.  When they were younger, it was the greatest place in the world to them.  Now, they relive that memory in their head.  It will never die.  They will always live on as long as we keep the inner child inside of us.  This was a beautiful piece of writing that I will continue to watch forever.  It has touched me and brought me back to my childhood.

Home Sweet Home

Home is like a warm cheese steak.  It comforts and satisfies.  It's a taste of heaven.  It brings together all of the best things into one small package.

Inkshedding

The point that Bolter makes is that the devices we use to help us write can be seen or seen through, depending on what the writer wants.  An example of this is a computer.  You can use links in your writing which make the reader aware of the medium that is being used.  In some writing, the writer only wants you to see what they write.  They don't want you to take notice of the medium.  They want all of your attention to be on the meaning of each word.  Some people really enjoy this because they fall deeper into the story.  On the other hand, many people enjoy seeing the medium used.  Just like in museums where there are paintings really using the medium to bring out the true meaning of the work.  This makes a person have to take the image as a whole and not just as individual brushstrokes.  This shows a hypermediacy at its finest.  In many ways, despite its technological sophistication, hypermediated art/writing can lose its initial purpose- to portray the artist's gift and present the view of the creator.  a more transparent experience lets teh creator's work shine; unless, of course, the creator intends for his/her art to literally be the hypermediated medium.  In the frame of post-modern writing and art, this is often the case.  It cannot be said that either does a "better job".  On the other hand, looking at popular writing forms, we see typewriters are heavily extinct.  In schools, computers are the norm.  Pencils and paper were once the staple school suppliers, yet today even the government recognixes the importance of technology in the classroom.  Funding is provided for those who cannot afford a computer for education or purposes because they give student the opportunity to learn in different mediums.

The Final Prezi- Chapter 3

The argument of this Prezi was very clear.  The old way of writing is dead and obsolete.  Old is out and new is in.  Technology of our time is taking over the traditional style of writing.  This group went against Bolter's claim that ordinary writing not die, it will just be built upon.  This group's point was that it will die and that the newer style will take over completely.  They used a picture of a dictionary with LOL and OMG written on it.  These two acronyms are mocking the dictionary.  They are laughing at it.  They think that the book is outdated and "dead".  It is not up to speed.  Writing is forever changing.  They argue that the old is dead and gone and the new will soon see the same fate when something better comes along.

The Best Group Ever's Prezi! Chapter 3

The argument of our Prezi was that hypertext has evolved writing into it's next stage.  Older processes and forms of writing build upon each other like the layers of a pyramid.  They create a path to the current technology and way of writing.  The older processes are seen as important to the invention of the newer one.  Each stage of writing is possible because of the earlier form.  Hypertext forms a path along a piece just like writing forms a path to newer processes of writing.

How you perform or show a piece of writing plays a huge part in what it really means to us.  How you say and read alone can make a piece more meaningful.  Taylor Mali's diction and clarity of voice really caught my attention.  He also moved around stage, using his hands to capture the audience's attention.  Mali really used facial expressions and he put emphasis on certain words for certain reasons.  In the Spoken Word video, you still get to see the expression and meaning behind each word by seeing where it was placed and how it was written.  The performance and writing space of these two videos really captured my attention.  Each word gave a new meaning.  If I were to read this poem from a sheet of paper, it would definitely not mean as much to me as it does now.  

In the first video, the poem is more visual.  You see how Mali feels and you realize how ridiculous our generation  sounds.  The second video shows the poem as words.  You get to be more involved.  As you read each word, the meaning sticks with you.  You also have to pay attention more because of the layout of each words.  The two poems are exactly the same, but the meaning changes with the view.  

Spoken word can mean so much more than written.  You can feel the emotions of the person and how they really feel about each individual word.  The way you speak can also affect the meaning.  If you enunciate and use a well developed vocabulary, what you say will be respected so much more.  If you used words such as "like" and ask statements as questions, people are going to be too distracted.  They will not retain the thoughts you speak no matter how intelligent they are.  The textual writing space plays an important role in the transmission of meaning.  The layout of the words captures your attention.  They make the meaning of each word stand out and grab your attention.  The words mean so much more in the unconventional textual writing space. 

Prezi 3 Argument

At first, this Prezi confused me beyond belief.  The words and quotes mixed together and flipped around causing me to get lost in the text.  It was not until they showed the whole picture that I understood their argument.  The argument was that we still need humans to communicate with technology.  For this Prezi, I needed the people in the group to communicate with me to tell me what was actually happening in the Prezi.  The text confused me because I was only letting the computer speak to me and not the humans also.  The group may not have done this on purpose, but it went along perfectly with their argument.

Prezi 2 Argument

The main argument of this group was that the main focus of writing has always been the same, but what we use to write has dramatically differed.  They kept going back to this point by saying that what we speak is oral writing.  At any point in time, someone can be writing down or repeating what you are saying.  It could live on forever like writing.  They also said that we run the computers and they are a tool for our writing.  This proves their main argument that we are the same, but the technology is different.  I really liked the last thing they wrote on their Prezi.  "Writing is technology that is an active part of culture and the social world".  This point sums up everything they stated and it is a great closer.  Writing will always be here even though the technology we use with it may change.

Jaques Derrida

I am not afraid of writing while I am in the process of doing it.  I share that feeling with Jaques Derrida.  When I am in the moment, I say what needs to be said.  When I look back or think about what I just put down on paper, I quite frankly want to burn it and start to cry just thinking about how others will view it.  Writing terrifies me, but excites me at the same time.

I do take writing as seriously as Derrida.  I do not think about it as much as he does, but I know that not everyone will look at my writing and see the same thing.  I know that one person may love it and agree with me while another may despise it.  In the end, this factor just adds to the thrill of writing.  Each word, each period, and each space can change the reader's mind.

Diction

Trimble gives us three things that all writers need in order to improve their writing.  They are conciseness, vigorous verbs, and freshness. In my opinion, I need to improve in all three of these areas.  If I had to only pick one, it would be to improve my verb choices.  I tend to write exactly how I speak which causes me to use words that you hear in everday language.  The verbs that I choose do not contribute to the flow of my writing.  I really need to start focusing on using vigorous verbs that catch the reader's attention.  This has always been my week point.  I also tend to settle for the first draft instead of going back and adding in bigger and better verbs.  After reading what Trimble has to say, I will definitely be more aware of the verbs I choose.   I will also correct my mistakes and proofread to make my writing better.  Whenever I read a book or paper that uses vigorous verbs to get their point across, I always wish that I could write like that person.  Now I know that I can if I take the time and focus on the verbs that I choose.  My writing needs those verbs to really pull the reader in to what I have to say.  Writing will also be a lot more entertaining and enjoyable if I use these vigorous verbs. 

Doritos Commercial

           The commercial that I chose was a Doritos commercial that I found on Allen’s blog.  It involves a man who is going on a date.  This man is quickly told the guidelines by his date’s young son.  The boy smacks the man across the face and makes it clear that the man should not touch his momma or his Doritos.  This boy is really protective of these two things.  You can tell from the commercial that the boy does not trust this man because he is trying to take the two things that the boy holds highest.  The boy sets these house rules right away so that the man knows that he meant business.

The boy does not want this man anywhere near his mother or his Doritos. Why does this commercial compare these two things?  Doritos wants to make it a point that their product is as important to you as your own mother.  This concept is ridiculous, but they want to get it stuck in your head that you need Doritos in your life just like you need your mother.  The Doritos Company is really stretching this concept.  They want you to question if these chips are so amazing that you cannot go another minute without them.  Doritos tells us that these chips are so amazing that you do not want to share them with anyone.  The commercial gets the point across that we should all protect our “mommas”. But more importantly, it tells us to protect our Doritos.

A Stressful Glimpse into my Writing Process

In the video, Chel White says that he writes a bunch of words that turn out to be garbage.  I feel like everything i write at first is garbage. When i read it over, I wonder what was I thinking? White says he crumples the paper up and throws it in the hole he dug outside.  I wish I could do that so that I could let all of my frustration out.  When I write, i need to kill a few babies before I get a product that is good enough to be read.  i usually have no idea what I am writing at first.  After i read it, I really have no idea what I wrote.  Writing is a long and stressful process for me.  I always want it to be perfect, but i always find imperfections.  I wish that I could be like Chel White and throw every paper I write into this huge hole and burry it under ground.  Life would be so much easier that way.  What makes it even worst is that I am writing on a blog so everyone who wants to can see all of my crazy, random thoughts.

Commercial

http://www.youtube.com/user/OldSpice?v=gzowzUsq6iY&feature=pyv&ad=7083922097&kw=funny%20TV%20commercials

Heineken Commercial

               Heineken has a commercial where a German woman shows her friends her house.  She opens up a door and all of her friends scream with glee at the sight of her walk-in closet filled with clothing.  In this same commercial, a man who lives in the same house shows his walk-in closet to his friends.  It’s a room full of beer, but not just any beer, it’s Heineken.  The man’s friends scream the exact same way that the woman’s friends scream. One thing that bothered me was that the man had beer and the woman had clothes. I can see that the audience that Heineken is trying to reach would be men. The commercial was played during the Super Bowl which backs up the fact that it was made for guys to watch. This commercial stereotypes males and females. It tells us that men should drink beer and be manly while women should care about clothing and the way that they look. 

                Why doesn’t the woman have a closet full of beer?  Why do the men get to drink alcohol while the women shop for clothes? Heineken’s commercial was made for the male audience, but they could have included females also.  They are going along with the stereotypes of society.  They want to show that a room full of their product is like a room full of nice clothes. They are saying that if you have Heineken, you are living a life of luxury. Heineken thinks that men are mostly watching their commercial and that is the reason it is focused more towards them.  Heineken can still make a successful commercial without downgrading men and women by using stereotypes. 

12 Questions about Heineken Commercial

1. Why did they stereotype women with clothes?
2. Why does the woman have a German accent?
3. Why do the e's turn at the end?
4. Why do they all scream?
5. Why is the woman wearing a black dress?
6. Why was it a male who had the closet full of beer?
7. Why do they each have three friends?
8. Why was the setting a party?
9. Why is beer compared to clothing?
10. Is Heineken only for wealthy people?
11. Who is this commercial trying to target?
12. Why do they not show the beer until the end of the commercial?

12 Questions about AT&T Commercial

1. Why did they pick that annoying song?
2. Why did they send two little children out on their own?
3. What city was it?
4. Why are they in a city?
5. Why didn't they use the GPS initially?
6. What audience were they trying to target?
7. Why were they wearing those clothes?
8. Why were they carrying around a basket?
9. Did they achieve success from this commercial?
10. Why was it sunny outside?
11. What is this commercial trying to say to children?
12. Why did they use the buildings to show the raising the bars sign?

AT&T Commercial

AT&T has a commercial where Hansel and Gretel walk around the streets of a large city by themselves.  These two small children use AT&T’s service to find their way around.  Hansel and Gretel start out on their journey at a walking pace. They only started to skip when they use the GPS on their AT&T phone.  Their skipping implies that they are extremely happy that they have AT&T to assist them.  AT&T wants us to think that these children feel safe and secure with the quality of their service. They want their audience to think that AT&T will always be working for them when we are in a predicament.

The purpose of this commercial is to inform us that AT&T’s service is the best and that you will feel confident and safe as long as you have their product. Do people always feel this comfortable and secure while using technology? The answer is absolutely not.  AT&T is my cell phone provider and I still speed up my steps when I am walking alone. I have never once started to skip with a huge smile on my face because I felt safer having my phone with me. AT&T wanted to make a point that we will be happy with their service. They want to let parents know that their children will be safe walking random city streets alone once they purchase AT&T merchandise.

Pantene Commercial

Pantene goes to great lengths just to sell their product.  They captivate their audience with a story about a deaf girl who learns how to play the violin. This girl falls in love with the instrument.  Playing the violin takes her to a place where she can hear the music and is free from harm. Pantene tries to tell us that their shampoo is the reason behind her success.  They want us to think that she receives a standing ovation because Pantene gave her the confidence to “shine”.  The message of their commercial is that if we buy their product, we can achieve extraordinary things and have great hair all at the same time.

The violinist finds her happy place with the help of her mentor, a lowly street performer.  This place is a figment of her imagination. It is a field with tall grass that blows in the wind.  This is the place that her mind travels to when she plays music.  In the commercial her mentor says, “Music is a visible thing”.  When her hand touches the grass in this field, it represents the way she can feel the music.  The image of the grass and the sun in the field is symbolic of her being able to see the music. In this field she is free from everyone who has ever told her that she can’t play.  All of their voices are silenced and all she sees is beautiful music.  The deaf violinist is free to be herself.  She is free and alive in this place.  Pantene tells us that by using their product, we will be able to find a joyful place where nothing can ever go wrong.  In this place, we can shine.

9/12 Trimble

I think that John Trimble's case is very interesting. Writers do have to defend and back up what they write about. After reading Trimble's view on writers, I feel like I need to defend my writing more like a warrior. I have to use the pen as my sword and defend the words that I put down on paper. Writers have to stand up for what they believe in and what they write about. Warriors stand up to their opponents and defend their people and country. Reading what Trimble says makes me want to put more effort and thought into what I write. The more that I think about it, the more I feel like a warrior in battle trying to prove a point to my reader.

Blogging?

So here I am at Hofstra and I am blogging.  Writing online makes me feel kind of stupid. I vowed to never ever get a blog or twitter and here I am doing exactly that. I don't like letting other people see what I write because it makes me vulnerable, but this is college. I'm doing things I never thought I'd ever do. I hate the idea of blogging because it ruined my senior year. My best friend's boyfriend made a blog and he full out trashed my other friend and I in the blog. It ruined a friendship. Sometimes people need to keep their thoughts to themself, but then again here I am sharing everything. Writing online scares me to death. If you say one thing, people take it a million different ways. The internet can get you into so much trouble so fast. I hate writing online. I feel awkward doing it right now. I also feel really stupid because it took me about five hours to figure out where this thing was. I love to write and share my feelings, but I hate when other people read what I write. I dont like being vulnerable. I don't need their acceptance. I just want to feel free from my mind and put it on paper. Well, in this case blog about it. I don't even know if I am doing this right. I feel so uncomfortable right now. Are the 12 minutes up yet? I do not have a clue what I got myself into. Writing online makes me cringe. I don't really see a point to this but I'm doing it anyway because I have to. I feel really ancxious right now because I just want to be done with this. kdgjaoejgaopsejgpoi. That was me letting my anger out. Writing online makes me feel tired and it makes me want to go to bed really badly. Well, I guess that's all folks until next time.