Today, and for the past week honestly, the thought of the intricacy of life seemed to consume my mind. We as people go through every single day, yet we refrain from truly thinking about the seconds, minutes, hours, and moments that trickle by. We not only meet various people, compete our tasks and errands, but most importantly, every part of our day enables us to grow. That growth can be in the form of spiritually, academically, and mentally. Focusing on the mental and academic traits that I have grown in, I can safely say that my writing has been the recipient of that growth. My passion for the written words has always been noticed the lingering feeling that cause my hands to itch with a will to write, my heart to feel the overwhelming breach of emotion, and my mind to seem as if it goes into a drowsy numbness. Through this semester, those feelings have only become more fierce. The reasoning behind that is my performance in writing has improved. I do however, claim that modestly. I can say that I have the ability to recognize my audience better and simplify my writing using concision. Also, the two improvements that I have made seem to go hand-in-hand. With audience, comes a certain tone, and that tone may require either the simplification or poetry of words. Although, I highly prefer being poetic (as I am doing so now- I believe) oftentimes, the audience that is being targeted is not in need of poetry, but “to the point” type of writing. I can proudly say I recognize that and can transition from certain types of writing to suit the audience.
Tips that I would recommend to a FYC student:
1. Read the book- it does have some helpful things in it!
2. Music helps you write- need to write a paper? Don’t hesitate to put on some classical music… it helps the mind calm down
3. Don’t think too much- writing is about emotion, thought, and art. It is like a stream, the words should just flow onto the paper. Revision can come later! But start with your basis.
4. Love it- sitting by your computer and grumbling about how horrible it is that you need to write something won’t get it done. Pick a topic you’ll enjoy, and that you are passionate about. Passion is the match and it can put the fire in your paper.
5. If you stumble, stand back up and face things. Improvement won’t happen from being cross with yourself. Improvement happens because there is a will for it to occur.
Monday, May 3, 2010
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Friday, April 16, 2010
Journal 5
To me, tone is the color in a work of art, while voice is the expression of that color. For example, if I paint a painting with dark colors, the tone is somber. The way I use those colors to paint the picture is voice. If, with dark colors, I paint a sad person, then the dark colors indicate a serious and dark tone, while the voice is the sadness of the person. It is the feeling that speaks out to you whilst you observe the painting.
First, the main thing that constitutes a well developed tone is consistency. First, I think to myself, “what is the mood I want to use in this paper? Do I want be serious, laughable, articulated, boring?” When building a house, it is best to start with a foundation, and then build up. Once I have chosen the tone I want to take in my paper, I begin to write. But, keep in mind, while I write, the tone stays constant. I won’t write a paragraph that is completely serious, and then write a second paragraph that has a happy tone. It will confuse the reader, and diminish anything stated in the serious paragraph.
My favorite part of writing is the voice. It is the feeling I pour into my paper. It is the flow of my words, the construction of a sentence, and the meaning that sentence beams toward the reader. My voice is the poetry of my soul. The best advice for establishing a voice is just write what you feel. Write with your heart. A body cannot exist without blood to provide the heart with life. Likewise, a paper cannot breathe without what makes it alive, which is the feeling. Don’t write papers halfheartedly; write it with the energy and feeling that moves from your heart to your hands.
To me, tone is the color in a work of art, while voice is the expression of that color. For example, if I paint a painting with dark colors, the tone is somber. The way I use those colors to paint the picture is voice. If, with dark colors, I paint a sad person, then the dark colors indicate a serious and dark tone, while the voice is the sadness of the person. It is the feeling that speaks out to you whilst you observe the painting.
First, the main thing that constitutes a well developed tone is consistency. First, I think to myself, “what is the mood I want to use in this paper? Do I want be serious, laughable, articulated, boring?” When building a house, it is best to start with a foundation, and then build up. Once I have chosen the tone I want to take in my paper, I begin to write. But, keep in mind, while I write, the tone stays constant. I won’t write a paragraph that is completely serious, and then write a second paragraph that has a happy tone. It will confuse the reader, and diminish anything stated in the serious paragraph.
My favorite part of writing is the voice. It is the feeling I pour into my paper. It is the flow of my words, the construction of a sentence, and the meaning that sentence beams toward the reader. My voice is the poetry of my soul. The best advice for establishing a voice is just write what you feel. Write with your heart. A body cannot exist without blood to provide the heart with life. Likewise, a paper cannot breathe without what makes it alive, which is the feeling. Don’t write papers halfheartedly; write it with the energy and feeling that moves from your heart to your hands.
Journal 5
In my opinion, the statue is telling us that you need strength and perseverance to get through the toughest of trials. I base my opinion on the following interpretations:
The “trial” is the wall the beings are attempting/not attempting to go through. The length of the piece of metal represents a wall because the ratio of wall height to human height seems to be approximately that of the statues. The metal mesh at the stop of the wall is just undermining the difficulty of the trial. Metal mesh, or what could be seen as barbed wire is what makes things so difficult.
Furthermore, I believe that it is strength that is needed to get through the toughest of trials because the beings (or what represent man) seem to be either trying or not. Two of the beings seem to be trying to push through the wall, and the muscles only accentuate that. The other two being seem to be more laid back, not really trying nor caring. They also seem rather defeated. The defeated beings are a representation of the human spirit abandoning its perseverance.
I would define the tone as “strong” and “outspoken”. The strength is determined by the muscles showing on the beings. The muscles are so strongly highlighted on the being that you can’t mistake them as muscles. Also, muscles are an representation of strength. The outspoken tone is brought forth through the color. There is no light color on the work of art, just dark, rough colors that really stand out.
Overall, the statue may lead us to conclude (depending on one’s interpretation) that the toughest of trials can be overcome through the most adamant of perseverance. Anything is accomplishable if one is willing to put the strength and thought into it. Defeat is not a feeling one wants to experience, and if a person does experience defeat, it is by their own choice. We all have the chance to make things work for ourselves.
In my opinion, the statue is telling us that you need strength and perseverance to get through the toughest of trials. I base my opinion on the following interpretations:
The “trial” is the wall the beings are attempting/not attempting to go through. The length of the piece of metal represents a wall because the ratio of wall height to human height seems to be approximately that of the statues. The metal mesh at the stop of the wall is just undermining the difficulty of the trial. Metal mesh, or what could be seen as barbed wire is what makes things so difficult.
Furthermore, I believe that it is strength that is needed to get through the toughest of trials because the beings (or what represent man) seem to be either trying or not. Two of the beings seem to be trying to push through the wall, and the muscles only accentuate that. The other two being seem to be more laid back, not really trying nor caring. They also seem rather defeated. The defeated beings are a representation of the human spirit abandoning its perseverance.
I would define the tone as “strong” and “outspoken”. The strength is determined by the muscles showing on the beings. The muscles are so strongly highlighted on the being that you can’t mistake them as muscles. Also, muscles are an representation of strength. The outspoken tone is brought forth through the color. There is no light color on the work of art, just dark, rough colors that really stand out.
Overall, the statue may lead us to conclude (depending on one’s interpretation) that the toughest of trials can be overcome through the most adamant of perseverance. Anything is accomplishable if one is willing to put the strength and thought into it. Defeat is not a feeling one wants to experience, and if a person does experience defeat, it is by their own choice. We all have the chance to make things work for ourselves.
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Additionally
I thinkt the library needs to be warmer. I keep wondering if there is a reason they make it so cold. Is it so people don't fall asleep?
Just a little conflict
I really wonder what makes time go fast. If I were anywhere else, if I were laying along the blue, standing amid a green, or enjoying a few peaceful moments to myself, would time go just as fast? Or, why is it that time seems to rush through the moments we lease want it to, and go unbearably slow at those moment we wish would pass us by quickly? The past few weeks have seemed to pass me by and I haven't even able to experience them. I wonder how 12:00 in the afternoon quickly tranfers to 6:00 in the evening, and I didn't even have a chance to blink? What is life if you cannot even breathe through it? What is a day if it means nothing? What is a week, if you cannot even recall it. What is life, if it is like I am sitting on speeding train, and the scenery I long to see through the window is blurry because of the speed? What worth is my trip, if I can't even experience what is around me.
Sunday, April 11, 2010
Annd.... one more
I had a friend tell me that he doesn't believe in love.
Really? I don't think it is that love doesn't exist. I
believe it is the selflessness in people that is hard to come by.
Because to truly love, one needs to be nearly selfless.
Really? I don't think it is that love doesn't exist. I
believe it is the selflessness in people that is hard to come by.
Because to truly love, one needs to be nearly selfless.
Summer
Although I feel as if I'm making really odd posts... I'll just keep going.
I cannot wait until summer is here. I'll be so happy!! Although summer school isn't something I'm looking forward to.
I cannot wait until summer is here. I'll be so happy!! Although summer school isn't something I'm looking forward to.
Sunday, March 21, 2010
12 Common Errors
Honestly, I found the “12 Common Errors” resource to be very interesting. Those errors tend to take away from a persons writing, regardless of how excellent the content is. What I believe is my main error when writing is having sentence sprawl. While I do not exactly write sentences that may span a paragraph, I tend to add on unnecessary words that negatively impact the sentence. My style of writing is very “flowery”, which in moderation is a good thing, it is negative in excess. I believe I write this way because of the books that I’ve read. I’m very interested in classics such as Jane Eyre, Wuthering Heights, Sense and Sensibility, and the like. Reading novels such as those, I have found that writing is something that should be beautiful. Words cannot just be tacked together and be called a sentence. A word in a sentence is it’s own entity, it itself has a deeper meaning that should thread into the sentence itself. Words need to flow, to tie together, and make up what should be meaningful reading. Anyone can create something, but that something is not always meaningful to anyone. But that is not to say that my writing does not need to be trimmed down. I need to also consider that sentences can be beautiful without the ornaments. It is possible that a tree can be beautiful without the Christmas decorations.
Random
Also, besides being upset that break is over, on the bright side, I'm glad I finished unpacking. I don't even know why I bother to bring so much stuff back home.
Journal 3
Journal 3
The most recent argument that I have made was one with my mother. In which, I must admit, those arguments are often times the best kind of arguments. The argument was whether it is the right choice to be in a relationship during college. My opinion is that it is fine as long as it does not interrupt with school, while my mother absolutely opposed the idea claiming that the only focus a student should have is on academia.
My reasons for saying why I feel that is fine as long as it does not interrupt with school are the following: school will always come first, although school is very important, a student should a life outside of it, and lastly, you can’t live in a box all your life.
On my first line of support, my assumption is that school will always come first only in the event that the relationship does not become too complicated. I assume that it is all “smooth sailing”. Which, rightfully, I was wrong to assume because relationships never work that way. For my second point, I am assuming that being a relationship is the only kind of life I can have outside of school. That is clearly wrong because friends work just fine. As for my last point, the assumption I am making is that not being in a relationship means one lives in a box. That is faulty (and I do admit my weakest point of the argument). The only evidence I have had is that I know many students who can keep up with their grades and be in a relationship at the same time. Although I cannot show clear data, it is my integrity that basically carries the support of my claims.
In opposition to my argument, my mother’s reasons to say that a student’s only focus must be on school are the following: relationships make like more complicated, thus school will become either less important or I will be too stressed out (which was a point that countered my first), there is time for life outside of school when I’m done with school, when one is in school he/she should focus on school and nothing else.
With her first point, the assumption she made was that the relationship may become complicated (something that obviously cannot be proven or disproven). Her second point bears the assumption that the time I have after school will have enough time for a relationship. The final point about one should focus on nothing except school while a student is that she assumes that the mind can tolerate nothing else but school.
Her only evidence was that she is an adult and she knows what she is talking about. (Also, I have admitted to her once that I find it extremely odd that no matter what, in the end she is right.) The her being right point was one that really solidified her argument.
The areas where both our arguments went wrong were we did not want to understand the other person’s views. I did not want to see, nor understand her claims because frankly, I was so caught up in my own views that I blocked hers out. I’m pretty adamant in the belief that she felt the same way. Knowing my mother, what she thinks is always right and nothing will change that. In essence, it is the relationship that flaws our argument. As the adult, she will always believe she knows what is best for me and nothing can change that. As the child, I will tend to believe that she lives in the past and doesn’t know what she is talking about. But the worst part of it is, I will think about the argument later and try to understand her point.
The most recent argument that I have made was one with my mother. In which, I must admit, those arguments are often times the best kind of arguments. The argument was whether it is the right choice to be in a relationship during college. My opinion is that it is fine as long as it does not interrupt with school, while my mother absolutely opposed the idea claiming that the only focus a student should have is on academia.
My reasons for saying why I feel that is fine as long as it does not interrupt with school are the following: school will always come first, although school is very important, a student should a life outside of it, and lastly, you can’t live in a box all your life.
On my first line of support, my assumption is that school will always come first only in the event that the relationship does not become too complicated. I assume that it is all “smooth sailing”. Which, rightfully, I was wrong to assume because relationships never work that way. For my second point, I am assuming that being a relationship is the only kind of life I can have outside of school. That is clearly wrong because friends work just fine. As for my last point, the assumption I am making is that not being in a relationship means one lives in a box. That is faulty (and I do admit my weakest point of the argument). The only evidence I have had is that I know many students who can keep up with their grades and be in a relationship at the same time. Although I cannot show clear data, it is my integrity that basically carries the support of my claims.
In opposition to my argument, my mother’s reasons to say that a student’s only focus must be on school are the following: relationships make like more complicated, thus school will become either less important or I will be too stressed out (which was a point that countered my first), there is time for life outside of school when I’m done with school, when one is in school he/she should focus on school and nothing else.
With her first point, the assumption she made was that the relationship may become complicated (something that obviously cannot be proven or disproven). Her second point bears the assumption that the time I have after school will have enough time for a relationship. The final point about one should focus on nothing except school while a student is that she assumes that the mind can tolerate nothing else but school.
Her only evidence was that she is an adult and she knows what she is talking about. (Also, I have admitted to her once that I find it extremely odd that no matter what, in the end she is right.) The her being right point was one that really solidified her argument.
The areas where both our arguments went wrong were we did not want to understand the other person’s views. I did not want to see, nor understand her claims because frankly, I was so caught up in my own views that I blocked hers out. I’m pretty adamant in the belief that she felt the same way. Knowing my mother, what she thinks is always right and nothing will change that. In essence, it is the relationship that flaws our argument. As the adult, she will always believe she knows what is best for me and nothing can change that. As the child, I will tend to believe that she lives in the past and doesn’t know what she is talking about. But the worst part of it is, I will think about the argument later and try to understand her point.
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Earth's Axsis and Time
I skimmed an article on MSN.com (I lack the time to read an entire article- how sad is that?)about the earthquake in Chile and how it caused earth to shift from it's axis casuing our days to be shorter. If I recall correctly, days are about 1.26 milliseconds shorter. So, all in all, I'm losing 1.26 milliseconds to my day. Vital, irreplacable, and extremely necessary time. For, as of this semester, I constantly am under the feeling that I have no time. Either it is slipping away agonizingly through the many (I put great emphasis on many) hours I spend trying to understand math (much to my despair, I still don't understand math), or it is dissapearing through visits to office hours, meetings, and other necessary academic activities. Although, what is most perplexing about it all is that I simplly cannot fathom why this semester is worse than last semester. The saying, "It is what you make out of it" just came to my mind, yet to counter that, I am attemping to, quite adamently to make it into a positive semester, yet the odds are not working in my favor. The neat, structured system I have built last semester for my academic and other school (all productive) events does not seem to support this semester's obligations. The closet continues to fill up, the shelves have no space, and the door looks like it will burst open any moment, letting loose a torrent of everything that needs to be done, taken care of, worked on, completed, and studied for. Then, where does that leave me? It leaves me amid a sea I can barley swim out of. All I can do now is tell myself, I will not escape, I will overcome, and I will do so with the attitude opposit of that exhibited in this little writing blog. Although the door looks as if it will burst open, I refuse to let that happen. I will walk into that closet, and continue, with a fighters attitute, to battle everything that needs to be done. (One I complete what I have to do at the moment, that is). I will surive this semester, and as long as I know I did my best, in every area, I will take what it gives me, and I will move on. Including my horrid, unbearable, extremely poorly taught, and agonizing Math 115 A class. I will survive.
Yes math, including you.
Yes math, including you.
Sunday, February 21, 2010
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