Reading Extreme

From the chapter reading it seems like reading at the college level is practically an Olympic sport. You have to stretch by previewing and reading is the actually activity where as your cool down is when you go back and annotate. I understand that it is important but who has the time? I usually do these things quickly or subconsciously. I flip through originally to see what i'm getting myself into, than read, and than i think about it a bit or i have a reaction. When ever i read a bout reading it always makes it sound like it is some big process, like i consciously have to sit down and go "alright and now i shell reflect". It makes it sound a bit silly, but i do like annotating to a certain extent. I like it when it's on my own terms, when teachers make you turn in an annotated paper i think it goes to far, because i might not need to annotate as much as someone else to be able to remember anything important. I hate things like that, where it's one size fits all, i'm a good reader and i need notes less. But it is important to have reading skills.

just the facts ma'am

After reading the about analyzing a text i can't say I'm very excited about it. There are two types of papers that i find fun/get excited to right: creative papers like narratives and stories, and research papers where you are trying to convince the reader of your point of view. From the time i was young teachers always said the strongest parts of my paper were my 'voice' and it's a God thing i had that because before computers and spell check my grammar and punctuation were awful. But i like to but my personality into my writing, which is pretty difficult to do in this type of situation. I have to write a paper analyzing something, no real creativity there, and my opinion on the subject is no real part of it, so no real convincing. I do have to find different levels on which to analyze whatever it is, but to me that is more a use of intelligence than creativity or personality. And i use intelligence in every other class.
All in all I'm not thrilled about this assignment but hopefully i can make it fun for myself or at least interesting. It's not like all those sample ones were boring to read, I'm just not sure how much fun they would be to write. They one about the painting got Hotel California in my head, which was a bit annoying after a while but it is a good song. I was glad i read it though because i had been confused on how to write one of these things so now at least i have many examples to draw from so that is a plus. I always work better when i have an example.

Edit, Undue, Right Click, Spell Check

This chapter on editing and proof reading was very good for me to read. Proof reading and editing our my Achilles heel. I hate how people often attribute bad punctuation or spelling to laziness, that was little to do with it. I never really learned about commas or semi colons, don't get me wrong, i have had many classes since middle school that have done the whole "what's wrong with this sentence" work sheet. What i mean i i don't remember learning about it when i was in elementary school. I know i learned the multiplication and division tables in third grade though, and i don't even like math.
When i was younger i always thought it got in the way of real writing, i fully understand that if you read something with a lot of errors you tend to tune out, but my brain moves faster than i can type or write error free. It also really annoys me to have to go back and read what i rote but i do it, because i have something to say and i know people will listen better if all my commas are in the right place.

First times always a little rocky

There were many points made in chapters 24 and 25 that i agreed with. One is not revise what you write for yourself. I think to many people i n this society have that problem, i get so annoyed if i write a quick post on a friends wall and they correct my grammar. It's a wall post of Facebook, not a paper to be turned in for a grade.
I also really agreed with the list of questions you need to ask someone who is reading your story. You need to know that they understand and that all the points you were trying to make came through. I think that is really hard for some people, to make sure people understand what they were trying to say.
I read the section on rewriting but i can't say its really for me. I rewrite paragraphs and ideas, but i have never rewrote a whole paper from a different point of view or genre. Actually it does sound pretty interesting for an exercise, but i wouldn't do it on a paper to paper basses. That would e a fun assignment though, write something than rewirte it for a different genre or point of view or only dialogue or something. It reminds me of the acting exercises we use to do at theater school.

Just Enjoy

After reading all about different ways to formulate ideas i think that listing is best for me. I like to just write things down my own way with little structure. Free writing has too much pressure, knowing there was a time limit would freak me out. Clustering or an outline feel too structured. But reading about all of them made me think about how some forms i think would screw me up would really work for someone else, everybody has their own style which is cool.

I definitly agree with the book when it says you should write your first draft in one sitting. Something i hated in school was when your first or second drafts would be graded, i never thought they were meant to be, especially hte first. To me me that has always been jut a jumble and sort of like raw clay to be given more definite shape with the second draft.

My favorite of all the narratives was Potato Chips and Stars, mostly because i could relate to Rose talking about getting lost in books, that's how it was always been for me. I keep saying how much i love narratives, it's beucase you get to pull people in and you're don't have to change their minds or even teach them anything, it's just there. And you might want them to learn or think differently after reading it but even if they don't it's okay, as long as they enjoyed it.

Turning the Key

For me writing has always been like driving a car. You just turn the key and it starts. Now i know a lot of people are saying, "But Meg, it's not that simple! There is a lot more going on than just you turning the key!". Well, I know that, the way i see it is as long as the car starts I'm good. My behavior towards my writing has often followed the same philosophy: I put pen to paper and it just happens.
Now of course, my "car" is not perfect, I sometimes get my ideas out there so fast that i don't pay attention to accidentals like grammar or punctuation, but i digress. Reading these chapters was very enlightening to me, because it was like seeing all the gears in the car. Some of these elements, like stance and audience, have always been instinct. In contrast the section on genre really gave me a lot to think about.
Chapter 6 really got me excited though, because narratives are my favorite form of writing. And i also love to read and really enjoyed the sample stories, especially the one about the man and his father. I'm big about last lines, that comes from forensics, I've seen how powerful they can be. And his last line, "I am trapped there still." really reached me and had me reeling even as I closed the book 12 pages later.

Early Hours

Next semester I'm going to try not to have an 8am class. This is class is cool but very early. I want sleep.
This blog is going to be a chronicle of my time and readings in English 103. I plan to make it as interesting as possible.