December Already!?

Comp I was extremely enjoyable, and I find it hard to believe that it is already December. I feel like after taking this course I have developed my writing skills better, and have attained a higher level of understanding in regards to writing papers. After this course, I have become very familiar with the formatting of research papers, like MLA. Since this course was a hybrid, I have also improved my own personal skills like making sure I check my email daily, and it has made me rely on myself a lot more, which gives me the dependence I needed. When I was in High School, I always felt like the English classes were not difficult enough, and that the teachers where just trying to teach us “fluff” to pass time. However, in Comp 1, I was given the freedom to write whatever I wanted, about topics that I felt strongly about, and if I did not feel strongly about them at the time the assignment was being assigned, I would feel strongly by the time I was finished.
I intend to keep my blogger account still and post poems and journals that I have written, or have yet to write. I am very excited for Comp 2 where I need to improve on my procrastination. Since this was my first semester, I was able to test the waters and see how everything really works. For next semester, I want to be able to revise my papers more thoroughly, and attend the Writing Center more frequently.

Effortless Change

For these last few days, I have been putting in effort to see the ways in which I can become more sustainable. I wanted to take on the approach of effortlessly making a difference. This experiment made me become more aware of my surrounding and encouraged me to lower my ecological footprint. When leaving a room I would turn off the lights (although I usually do that anyways), and although we do not pay for water where I live, I still would turn the faucet off while brushing my teeth or washing my face. I now feel guilty when I litter, and now I pick up everything I drop, putting it in its proper receptacle.
These tiny differences don’t seem to impact us now, however if we can get more people to make tiny, effortless decisions when it comes to our environment, then we can move mountains. I have gotten my whole family to make a compost pile where we put all of our biodegradable scraps, and I have also gotten them to turn off the computers after using them. Although these things won’t seem to directly effect our environment, over time and with a developed habit for recycling and conservative energy use, we can all make a difference and become more sustainable.

Plenty of Trash to Burn

I , along with all my peers, would like to give a helping hand to keep our environment afloat. I want to be able to make a difference, without feeling like I’m going out of my way, and I believe this is key. To be completely sustainable, is to pick up trash off the ground without being told, or to turn off the running faucet like a reflex. We must all do our share, but do it without even realizing it, and that is essential. As a daughter of Mother Earth, we should protect and take care of her by showing respect to the ground we walk on.
For my sustainability challenge, I will individually do small things to make an impact, and minimize my ecological footprint. I can do so, by not quitting cigarettes, but by simply picking up all my cigarette filters. Or , I can turn off my computer before I go to sleep at night. All these things require very minimal energy, yet over time, they will make a difference.
Something that I will not do to “save the environment” however, is to recycle. Lately, I have been curious to know what really happens to our wastes after we put them in our trash bins, and set them at the end of our driveways, and decided to do some research. I managed to stumble upon an article online at http://globalvoicesonline.org/2009/10/07/china-plenty-of-trash-to-burn/, with the title being China: Plenty of Trash to Burn. In this article, they explained the large trash-burning landfills in China that produce many harmful dioxins and pollutants that could be more harmful to the environment then beneficial. These incinerators that are meant to burn our trash are producing many harmful emissions, leaving many of the locals in the dark.

Environmental Stability

My goal throughout this experience is to make a difference without having to do very much. I want to be an efficient recycle-er, by doing simple tasks like turning off the faucet when I brush my teeth, printing on a paper front and back, turning off my computer at night, and even driving less. But then, it makes you think, are all of these small little details, really gonna affect you? Many people feel this way, and some even state that recycling is worse for the environment. Either way, on this upcoming paper, i want to tackle both sides of the case to really decide which way is more efficient.

When time stood still

Every time I smell the sweet aroma of pine needles, it takes me back. While inhaling I close my eyes and I am 7 again helping my mom make pine cone ornaments by our Christmas tree. I can still feel the sap gluing my fingers shut. When I was younger I lived in a small town called North Haven, Connecticut. The winters where always long and cold, as if the ice made time tick slower. My mom would bundle my sister and I up with layers on-top of layers on-top of a snow suit with socks for gloves. Then, she would open the doors and we would bolt into the knee high snow, tripping every other step. The air was crisp, even hurting your nose if you breathed in too quick. We would stay outside until our legs went numb, frolicking in the Winter Wonderland that was my yard.
In writing, nostalgic details help create a stronger influence on the reader. The writer is able to remember back and pull out real details that are coherent and relatable. Often times the reader can close their eyes and see all that you are explaining, because I similar event has occurred to them. When I write, I want to be able to take the reader back in time to a time and place where they can relate to by using descriptive words, and tone.

Writing Goals

This semester, I want to become more fluent, and elevated in my writing style. Thus far, I can already see improvements, and I am excited for further progress. I want to be able to “dig deep” and find something new that I didn’t even know existed. I want to be able to surprise myself with my own writing and discover hidden talents. I have always enjoyed writing, and I am even considering changing my major, or maybe even minoring in English...if that’s possible.
To attain all this, I need to stay focused. I always tend to start off strong, and then as the weeks go by, I lose steam. This can not happen, so my procrastination needs immediate improvement. I always say that I work better after I procrastinate, and a lot of the time, I feel like that is true. However, time-crunching and stressing last minute is never healthy.

nobody likes stale bread

Considering that this was the first essay of my college career, I feel proud for having finished it, although I see room to grow. For this paper, I feel like I had a good thesis. It certainly took time and revising to finally come to this thesis, but none the less, I feel reluctant to have made it comprehensive. However, I am positive that I could have edited it more. Writing is like art, you have your idea of how you want it to look, but you must sculpt it and transform it into a masterpiece.
For the future, I intend to think it through more thoroughly, and to be more creative. On essay number 1, the topic was played out, and stale like old bread. All of the ideas I had already heard of, or had been thinking about for months prior. But on the other hand, I guess the fact that I had it in my head for so long, made for a good essay, since I had more opinions on the topic. For upcoming essays, I want them to be refreshing. I want to be able to “think outside the box” more, and for the reader to be intrigued and interested in what I have to say. For this upcoming paper, I want it to be memorable, rather then the first essay, where the ideas seem to flow into a cluster of things you already knew.

A photograph is usually looked at - seldom looked into

In order for me to write a good paper on this next essay, I want to choose a topic that I feel strongly about. I want it to reflect my emotions and how I have currently been feeling. It is said that a picture has a thousand words, but I think its more than that. I photo captures a moment in time, that you can never have back. Some of them may be bad photos, that you may not like, however they are memories, and those last a life time. As soon as I heard the topic for this assignment, two pictures immediately popped into my head. One was with my family, in our living room, dressed up and ready to go. In retrospect, this picture is flawless. My brother, sister, mom, dad and I are all in it. However in reality, this picture is a front.
Another picture popped into my head. It was a photo of my ex girlfriend and I. We are standing on top of a massive tree, cascading over downtown Naples. It is from the point of view of my sister, she is a photographer. In addition, although we are not together anymore, that photo is beautiful. The lighting, the atmosphere and the love. In a way, I want to write my essay on this for closure.

Yes, i am calling you a fool.

Writing applies the thoughts in your head written down on paper. It is a concrete way to voice your oppinions and ideals, therefore, in a paper you do not have to say "in my oppinion", or "i believe." This is already obvious that this paper is YOUR point of view, and there is no need to be redundent. When you write you have to be strong to your conjectures, and show conviction and confidence in the point that you are trying to state.

When you watch the news, you don't want to listen to a reporter who THINKS that the health reform is okay.You want to listen to somebody who is stern to their beliefs, telling us that the health reform will be a complete bust. I rather read an article that opposes my beliefs with strong evidence and passion, then read an article that trys to tell me what i want to hear, and is impartial.

In this upcoming paper i intend to do just that. In recent papers, i have had difficulty picking sides and showing full confidence in the character of my writing. However, now i plan to state what i mean vigorously, without apologies, showing no mercy. I also intend to better enhance my vocabulary using colorful words to paint a beautiful picture of language.

Bringing Honor to a Village

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By educating one woman, you can educate a whole village. In recent years, Greg Mortenson has been building schools across Pakistan and Afghanistan in attempts to increase female literacy rates, educating girls. For this upcoming paper, I would like to highlight how essential female literacy is to a community, and how the governments suppression on these rights must be diminished. While Mortenson was building schools, he had a series of fatwa’s against him. These didn’t slow him down, yet gave him more steam. He kept moving despite much opposition against the education of girls, and the building of girl’s schools.

By building schools for girls, Mortenson has given many people optimism and opportunity to become something special. In an area as remote as the mountains of Pakistan many are illiterate. Shakeela, a village girl who received an education says, “ I’d like to become a doctor and go to work wherever I am needed.” By having an education, Shakeela wants to help others around the world, and is influencing her village also, and is “bringing honor to the village.” A village with an education gives the village pride, and opens many doors for children to grow. Mortenson also says, “ Once you educate the boys, they tend to leave the villages and go search for work in the cities, but the girls stay home, become leaders in the community, and pass on what they’ve learned.

These quotes are important because they emphasize the impact education has on the community, and how a woman’s education and ambition can open many doors, giving hope to those suppressed by the government.

Blog on Blog

Blogging is an interesting way to reflect on your own writing, and for others to share their opinions with you. In blogs, the stage is yours, and you can write how you feel, your emotions and ideals down, without any interruption or fear of scrutiny. Here, you have a voice, whether you are writing a blog just for personal reflection, or if you are trying to inform millions of people. You can express yourself however you want in blogs and people can make comments either agreeing or disagreeing with the content.
In a good blog, there has to be some emotion, or something that you can relate to. You have to captivate your reader by pulling them in with interesting facts, or even humor. I believe that a good blog has to be enlightened. When the reader walks away, they should feel like they obtained some strand of knowledge or emotional benefit. Blogging is the soul speaking out without disturbance.

Initial Itroductory Comment

I am thrilled to have blogging as a part of this course. This will give me a true oppurtunity to reflect on my writing, and is an enjoyable way to share my thoughts and ideas.