My overall reflection

Wow...where do I start? I would first like to start with saying Amanda, I really enjoyed your class! Going back to school at age 34 after many, many years of not attending was a shock for me, even more so with having new technology like this blog site, wiki use and posting, and online classes in general. I think this whole writing experience has definitely oiled a few rusty gears as well as installed completely new ones! Yahoo! I really believe I have learned a lot with this class. In looking back on the first paper I submitted, and comparing it even with the second, and especially the remaining others, I can definitely see a big improvement on paper structure, i.e. paragraph layout and detail, but especially on overall thought process projected onto paper. In the beginning, my thoughts were jumbled and I kind of rambled on (like I am doing now!!!). But in looking at my papers further down the line, I can see an improvement in the organization of what I am trying get across. It has been so long since I have had to write formal papers, and it has been many years since even high school. We were never taught MLA format, or on how to organize a thesis for a paper, or even on counterarguments and rebuttals, so this is all new stuff! I really liked learning how to use a wiki, as well as discovering what a blog is as well. The class was well set up; Amanda you are very clear in what is expected and also in what our assignments are every week, well done! There is really nothing I can say negatively about this class because my instructor did such a stellar job! I guess I can say the only thing I didn't really like is the posting comments to other people's comments or papers on the discussion board, not because I didn't understand or was confused, but because I really didn't want to hurt anyone's feelings on their papers and thoughts. I know personally from some of the struggles and frustrations I felt as I wrote my paper (it wasn't reading the way I wanted it to, or I couldn't find the reference I needed to put it all to paper, etc.), so I didn't want to step on people's toes or tick them off because, man!! I struggled too, who am I to judge?

But, we all struggled, we all learned, and we all survived, and overall, I think the layout for this class is great! This class has set the standard of how I will judge my other online classes I will be taking this upcoming and future semesters! Thanks!

Criteria

Why is it important to evaluate criteria? Think of your own daily routine, how often do you evaluate criteria to make a decision? Give a personal story of when you evaluated criteria in your own life or give examples from the "real world" that evaluate criteria.

It is important to establish guidelines and criteria for something that you are evaluating because it is the expectations and measures you are using in order to complete your evaluation.
We all evaluate criteria everyday, from making small decisions and judgments, to large ones. One example would be when an employer is searching to fill a job position. The employer establishes the criteria (qualifications) in which he/she would like to the prospective candidates to meet, thus providing a guideline in which to examine or evaluate anyone applying for that position.

Essay #4 TV Show

If you were going to make a TV show based on Essay 4, what kind of TV show would it be? Who would be the main star in it? Have fun with this blog post!

I would make it a reality tv show, similar like that ones that are currently out there, but the focus would be the reasoning behind why a person gets a tattoo. The camera crew and anchorman would travel all over the world dropping in on tattoo parlors and interviewing (with their permission of course) and taping individuals getting tattoos or piercings. They would focus on why that person a) is getting a tattoo, and b) the significance of the particular tattoo they chose. For example, say someone is getting a tattoo to commerate the passing of someone they cared about. After finding out the whys, the show could then focus on the story behind the tattoo.

Speculation

Why is it important to speculate causes? How can speculating causes be useful in the "real world"?

Although sometimes it is difficult to do, it is important to speculate causes because it helps us determine why things are the way the are, and why people do what they do. It helps us research something and than come up with viable answers of why things are the way they are. In doing so, we are able to find solutions on how to fix it (if we feel it is broken), or how to improve it and make it better.

Trends I have wondered about

I have always wondered about people with tons of piercings or tons of tatoos, and why they get them, and how they feel about them as they get older. Another trend I have currently wondered about is ear gauging. Not that I am being judgmental in any way. Up until a couple of years ago I had my navel pierced, and my father and brothers all have tatoos, though I do not. When I went to school, having your ears pierced several times was a big thing, but I don't know why that started. Now the trend is piercings and sometimes even tatoos on every part of your face or body. Ear gauging has been something around for a few years, but I have always wondered why people, including women had it done. At least with piercings you could take it/them out when you went to work, and with tatoos you could have placed them in areas on your body that was easy to hide with clothing if need be. With ear gauging there is no hiding it. Even if you took the gauge out, the huge hole in your ear would be evident.

October 18, 2007

I think that most people who examine a problem or a set of problems everyday would like to have fresh input from an outsider who has contemplated the same issue. Fresh ideas and suggestions are always welcome. Similar wording was stated by the Sheriff officer Amanda interviewed concerning the domestic violence/Alicia's Voice. If new suggestions are given to people who have the means to implement them, great changes could be made to improve life for all in many ways!

Problems

What's a "problem" that really gets under your skin? Global warming? Inappropriate pictures on Facebook.com? What is that you could rant and rave about? Blog about problems that you're passionate about. What solutions for those problem can you see working?

Something that has most recently really bothered me is the lack of interest in and in participation for people exercising their right to vote. Recently, I spoke with some people I was having lunch with and asked who they were considering voting for. I was appalled that the majority stated they didn't vote, or hadn't voted for years, or really didn't care one way or another who ran for and was elected into office. When asked why they didn't vote, I received several answers. Several stated it was too hard to keep track of everything, and that the tv ran tons of lies and persuasive trash talking commercials, so you never knew what was right/accurate or wrong/lie. Others claimed ignorant laziness, and didn't care to make an effort to research or for that matter vote. While others stated that they really never knew who to vote for because tv never clearly defined what, and it was too confusing. My favorite was the comment of "Why bother, my vote doesn't really count anyway". This one unfortunately came out of the mouth of my very own mother. After listening to everyone, I believe there are several simple solutions. I believe I will be writing Essay 3 on this topic, and may possibly present solutions such as education and maybe even induction of motivation and excitement, and hopefully others I haven't quite figured out yet.

ONLINE CLASS

What is your response to our online class thus far? What aspects are beneficial to you? What suggestions do have?

So far, I have really enjoyed this online class. I have always enjoyed writing, even as a young girl. This class is very beneficial in many ways, mostly though, due to the fact that it has helped me clean up my sentences and grammar. It has been 15 years since I graduated from high school, and a few things (especially grammar) gets a little rusty and fuzzy over time. I also like learning about the new technology of wikis and blogging, since, until this class, was all 'greek' to me! I really don't have any suggestions. I believe this class works well the way it is set up, and my instructor is great with feedback, constructive criticism, and suggestions. I

Week 5

Prompt: Besides the fact that you are required to use two sources for Essay 1, what other differences do you see between these two essays? You might want to discuss how your writing process has changed or how you see the progression of essay writing skills in our class.

The biggest difference between the two essays is that I feel I really struggled with this one. I find it hard to incorporate my thoughts and beliefs in with quotes and statements from other sources, and I think it shows when I write. I also felt another difference was having to make an actual, concerted effort to back up my thoughts, beliefs, and general knowledge with stuff. I think this stage of writing is very important in that it prepares me for more formal professional writing in the future.

I plan to use (hopefully) many credible sources for my essay, including the internet, news articles and books and magazines. With the internet, I will know they are credible if there is a clear author or organization who hosts the website, if the date on the website is current, and if there are other links that will take me to other resources within the internet. Credible sources are important because you are using them to support your thoughts, thesis, and main points of your writing.

My Final Draft Thoughts

You've turned in your final draft, how do you feel about it? What was your writing process? What would part of your process do you plan to keep for the next essay? What part do you want to change? Why?

After turning in my final draft, I felt quite a few emotions. The major one is relief that the task is completed. Mostly though, I feel good about what I had prepared, especially after the advice that Amanda gave on my rought draft, I think it reads better this time around. I do have a habit of writing like I talk, which sometimes in not a good thing. My writing process began late in the evening. My husband works second shift, and I have three boys that always have at least 3 hrs (combined) of homework each evening, one being in 5th grade, one in 7th grade, and one a sophomore in high school. It's just me in the evening doing the family thing with supper, dishes, homework, housekeeping etc., so I don't have a lot of time then, but believe me I'm thinking about the project and what needs done! I think I do my best work late at night, when the house is quiet, and I can work uninterupted. I enjoyed working on the little details of the paper, and revising and reading, rereading again and again until I left it was better. I think the part of the process I would keep for the next essay would be formulating all of my thoughts in the VES before I write the paper. Amanda stated that it is such much easier when you have complete thoughts and sentences, and you take your time preparing the VES. It works, and helps you narrow your thought pattern into the key points you want to center on. I think the part I would change for the next essay is staying up until 2:30 am in writing it. I keep forgetting I am older, and not as able to "bounce" back from lack of sleep like I could in my 20's. I need sleep, and although I do my best work at night, if I split it up over a few nights and quit around midnight instead of 2:30, this woman will not be dragging butt so horribly the next morning when preparing for work! I also want to spend more time on creating structured paragraphs. It is important to keep the goal of your paper, and the main thoughts that you want to convey in the forefront of your mind. For me, I tend to "get lost" in revision, and have to constantly reread it to be sure that I am still heading in the same direction.

Preparing Essay 1

Essay 1 is definitely a work in progress. The changes I have made from the rough draft to the draft I have submitted was major. I started out with a basic outline highlighting my key points, it was very basic and general, and the majority I mulled over in my head over the past two weeks. I think there will probably be many changes I will need to make before the final draft is ready. What I may think sounds great or is putting forth my best, usually never is, and any work could always use a little (and even major) tweaking here and there. Sometimes I forget how I am addressing my audience, whether I am speaking to them first person, and then change my point of view midway which is wrong. Also as I read it, I added alot, or changed a view things after reading it several times. I think maybe my beginning is a little lengthy, but I was "trying to capture the audiences attention" though I am not sure I accomplished that task. We will see...

What are my feelings going into the first essay?

I am excited about starting school and especially this class, as well as looking forward to my first assignment. It has been many years since I have been in this kind of setting, but have always loved to write stories and poems. The Writing Center appears to be a wonderful resource that students can turn to when in need of help, advice, or direction. I believe that I will utilize their resources to help me prepare my essays, and heh! At my ripe age of 34, it is very easy to forget things that you remembered from school many, many years ago, grammer being one of them. Have you ever wrote a word many, many times, said it, knew what it meant, etc., and then one day wrote it and it didn't look right, you felt it peculiar, an odd word, or even speculated at how someone could create such a weird word? Happens to me all the time, and The Writing Center will help eleviate some of that stress!