final reflections.

Throughout this ten week course, I definitely feel like I’ve made some changes as writer – for the better. From the very first blog I’ve ever written, it sounded as if I lacked confidence in writing when it came to arguments and making analysis’; now I feel a lot better as a writer. Also in that first blog I noticed how I thought I was going to hate blogging. Well, blogging was terrible and I hated it. Just. Kidding. Blogging was not as bad as I thought it was going to be and somewhat enjoyed it at times.

This quarter I spent most of my time trying to better the argumentative aspect of my writing. I wanted to better my skills in making arguments in my essays because it felt like one of my weaker areas. I definitely found an improvement by the end of the year.

All areas of writing could always use some improving. I don’t think I’ll ever be perfect as a writer. I’ll be perfect at everything else just not as a writer. Just. Kidding. Again. Anyway, I’m sure I’ll continue to find ways to improve. I’ll find ways to improve my vocabulary, my argument skills, my use of quotes, my indenting, my essay headers, and things like that.

Thinking about my writer identity, I would say it depends.  In my blogs, as a writer I had a very imaginative personality. In my essays, I had more of a sophisticated and serious personality, trying to get my point across in a professional manner.

ohk. 'til next time. if their is a next time. :]

course reflection part two.

How have I developed as a writer and a critical thinker?? I feel like I've improved areas fairly well.

Looking at an article used to take a while. Now, I can analyze an article in my sleep, sort of, all thanks to all the articles and argumentative essays that we wrote throughout the quarter. Critical thinking helps when deciding what to use in an article to argue within the essays we wrote. Critical thinking is still pretty tough for me but Imma getting better.

Writing became a bit easier throughout the course. I was pretty used to writing long essays and argumentative essays like this in high school, so it wasn't a huge difference. Basically, the essays we wrote here was like high school, so I take advantage of these opportunities to better my skills. Blogging was different. Writing for a blog was something I never did before so I just tried to have fun with it and really write about what went through my head - regardless of how weird the thought might be.

course reflections part uno.

Since the start of this course, I feel like I have made a fair amount of improvements, thanks to this course.

How do my abilities stand for engaging in a close reading? They stand better, not quite as high as the statue of liberty, but it’s an improvement. I always felt like I was decent at locating key points within an article and being able to determine whether the text is scholarly or not. Now I just feel a little stronger in those areas. Try and compare it to levels; I started as a starter level 8 and evolved to level 15 by the end of the quarter.   

As a researcher, I have definitely changed – for the better. Before this course I just used the magical search engine known all-over the world as “Google” to research. Now I have been exposed to a new world, similar to a new born bird breaking out of its egg seeing light for the first time, with the library resources. Although I’m not a complete professional at using the library resources, I understand the gist and that it’s the preferable option for research.

ohk. peace. to. be. continued. later. some. time. ohk.

revision.

What does revision mean to me? It means a lot, I guess. I would totally prefer doing something else like going out and catching a tiger to be my pet, but revisions are important. Without revisions, everything could, perhaps, sound terrible. Revisions allow you to look over the words find a way to make them flow that much better. And it starts with this...performance, feedback, revision. Somehow you can compare it to life as mutations with the constant changes - not always being for the better - like Baba, who is apparently a lyrical genius like Lupe Fiasco but that was because of...performance, feedback, revision. Ohk. I'm done. Stop before that gets annoying; unless it already is. My. Bad. But seriously, revisions are important everywhere in everyday life, notably in a writing class where your final essay is going to be graded and your trying to get a nice-looking grade. Without revisions you could just spit nonsense like me is the cool world two red jeans corn especially though running the. What? Is that Soulja Boy?

ohk bye.

the state of my second essay.

I finished my second essay draft a couple days ago. My essay is at the borderline state of sanity and unsanity, somehow. I thought the essay was all right but could definitely use some working on. Compared to the first essay. The writing is like a mountain range, with some high and low points. I thought this one was slightly more dificult.

One thing that I wasn't sure I did well enough in the essay was clearly establishing the identity that I got through the blog posts of this blog. I just decided to reveal a quirky thinker and serious literature student as the idenitites of my essay. Anyway...

happy turkey day!!
bye.

progression of my essay.

I have a general idea of where I plan to go with the second essay. In my essay, I plan to pick apart my blog like famished baby pterodactyls in order to uncover this well hidden identity of myself in my blog. I want to elaborate more on Kathleen West’s brilliant idea of a scholarly blog that still contains a sense of personality. I also found another article that argues the concept of the social-identity vs. the self-identity, which perfectly fits into my essay like a two-thousand piece puzzle.

The main struggle I have is classifying my identity within a blog. It should not be too hard considering all the blogs posts but it’s still pretty difficult. Obviously I can tell what the social-identity is for my blog, which is the super duper professional sophisticated scholar. I am yet to come up with an identity that properly fits me? Am I a rebel? Am I a pop culture specialist? I don’t know.  I’ll figure out, not tonight because of the harry potter premiere. Yay!

article findings.

So I’ve decided that this next essay is going to be tough, like a gorilla, to write. Yet, it will be interesting, like basketball, as well. So this essay is going to be like a basketball playin’ gorilla? Uhm. Yeah. Anyways...

I found this article online that I think would help write the second essay. It’s a scholarly article from a journal that helps better establish what an identity is, things that affect identity, and ways to identify them.  The most important part of the article was the comparison of a self and social identity, kind of what Kathleen West was talking about in her own article. Both authors in their articles argue that there is an identity within a person’s blog. 

There’s plenty of information I can use to implement it into my own research. I could use their ideas of self and social identity to talk about similar things that I find in my own identity. Whatever. Somehow I’ll make this essay work towards my advantage. I will come out with the W in this fight.  

adios.

essay thoughts. sort of.

For this second essay I plan to take the original prompt and write about my own blog entries and determine how I express my own identity.  I feel like I got plenty of blog posts to analyze and find an identity. One thing though is that it will be troublesome to try and find my own identity. Now that I think of it, this essay seems kind of tough.

Looking through my past blogs I’ve noticed a couple things. I try to have as much fun as a blogger can have while blogging. I tend to make jokes, funny or not, while I’m blogging. My blog posts aren’t all just fun and games; I don’t just rant nonsense about how gorillas might prefer apples over cantaloupe, but I incorporate the assignment somewhere within the post. I still show the web-literate serious English student voice in my blogs.

Although I haven’t established an identity for myself I got some ideas sitting around in my head chillin’.

much love.

engaging with kathleen west.

It was a nice relaxing Sunday afternoon when I was faced with making a decision that is crucial for my future. Should I lounge around all day and watch football and “Back to the Future” or go read Kathleen West’s article regarding weblogs in an English class. Being the responsible scholar that I am, I decided to take some time and read the article.

From reading the article I thought the most significant part was that, “all [students] construct distinct socially situated identities in their blog posts…the three of them build identities as “serious literature students” and “Webliterate communicators” within their entries” (West 596).

I found it interesting how each student had created their own identity through their blog. Not only were the students able to create their own identity but they were still able to preserve a scholarly professionalism. This is evident in our own class because not one person blogs the same as another; everyone has a different style of writing, kind of like a bag of assorted flavored jelly beans.

mmkay  peace!

my thoughts on this first essay.

I don’t consider myself much of a writer; I actually think I am quite terrible when it comes to putting my thoughts on to paper but I still end up usually getting a pretty good grade.  

For some reason I was pretty comfortable in writing this essay so my experience wasn’t completely dreadful. From the first draft I seemed to get most of the things I needed done, such as finding an identity and providing an analysis of how it’s portrayed through the blog. Then before the revised essay was due I just tried to add a little more context to it.

My paper writing habits aren’t the best. I blame technology for any bad writing habits I have. I sit down in front of my laptop ready to write a paper and the next thing you know I’m watching Kobe dominate the NBA while eating sour gummy worms. Weird! But after a couple hours I get it done.

The research was definitely the most helpful part of learning because I was actually learning something. I’m glad I chose movie blogs as my topic because movies are just so interesting. I enjoyed reading the bloggers opinions on the reviews and how they compared to my own opinions. I actually plan to stay updated to this blog after this class is over with.

applying they say, i say to my paper.

From reading Gerald Graff and Cathy Birkenstein’s, “They Say, I Say,” I have learned a couple techniques that appear helpful in revising my research paper regarding identity. The book provided some templates that could be of some assistance the next couple of days when I’m revising my essay; however, I don’t plan on copying the template word for word – that’s madness – but rather engrave my soul into the words. Some things I plan to do are connect the ideas within my essay a little better. I am also thinking about finding ways to incorporate Jill Walker Rettberg’s “Blogging” to my essay as well. I just haven’t really found any ideas that connect to the topic of my essay. It’s like trying to connect mega bloks to little legos, somehow. Once I find an idea though, I’ll take some examples from “They Say, I Say” and attempt to make my essay sound more articulate.

ohk bye.

a reflectshun of my presentashun.

Presented my information today and, overall, thought it turned out pretty well. Surely there are things that were worthy and things that could use some enhancement pills to get better.

I think my biggest strength for the presentation was the information that I had gathered.  I completely obliterated the task of collecting information and connecting it to my identity leaving it with about 2 hit points.  I believe I provided a sufficient amount of information, provided examples and images, and was clearer than a window in identifying the identity I wish to focus on, hopefully.

One thing I know I need to work on is presenting the presentation.  I tended to just stay in a bubble and read off of my paper with notes etched on it, occasionally making the quick glance at the audience to see if people were still there. I have always had this large obstacle in my path when I have to present something.  

Moreover, I believe I was successful and got my research across quite fine.

peace, love, lol!

a sense of rettberg in my essay.

My essay explains the identity of a man with a subtle maniacal passion for movies. This man displays his passion through his blog. From Rettberg’s Blogging I have learned that, “we create a reflection of ourselves in a weblog” (Rettberg 120). This blogger’s passion is a self-reflection of who he is and who he wants to be perceived as.  This blogger, according to his birth certificate goes by the name of Erik Samdahl, is the moderator of filmjabber.com and is an avid movie buff. I emphasize throughout my essay how this passionate side of this movie blogger is expressed through the many movie reviews that he has written.  This fanatic focuses on movies and not about his plans for Friday night in his blog. His personal life is not a part of his blog. Rettberg states that, “we use our blogs to veil ourselves, not telling all but presenting only certain carefully selected aspects of ourselves to our readers,” this veil being his personal life (Rettberg 120).

revising intentions.

From the writing conference, I learned a couple things that would help me improve my essay. One thing I intend to do is establish the identity of the blogger more specifically. In my first draft of my essay I did not exactly state the identity of the blogger. Whoops! So during round two of writing this research paper I plan to establish this so-called identity of the blogger. During the workshop, I also got help on the identity that I was trying to get across to the readers. I explained throughout the essay that the blogger I’m following is passionate, devoted, and holds an avid interest for movies. Thus, I could classify him as a class-five bounty hunter – or something more suitable – a movie buff-fanatic-fan-boy.     

the progressional outlook of my research.

After hours of negotiating in my head and the accompaniment of two banana cream pies, I have decided to research blogs of the entertainment genre; more specifically, I will be studying the movie aspect of entertainment.

The blog that I’m following writes about everything movie related. Instead of looking at every single blog entry, I will research the blogger’s movie reviews in order to answer, “Can a blogger be identified through their blog?” Why only look over the movie reviews? They are great for identifying a person’s identity. From a movie review, one can gain a plethora of information regarding the writer behind it.

After reading so many posts, readers will begin to find patterns about the types of movies the blogger enjoys. For example, a movie critic who rates horror movies low may hate horror movies possibly because they had a traumatizing childhood involving scary movies- or those movies were just completely dreadful.

Other ideas involve finding the bloggers passion for movies and the type of personality the blogger has through his diction and syntax.

As far as struggling goes, I could always find more ways the identity of the blogger is found through the movie reviews they write.

Ohk bye.

imcomplete reflection? funhouse mirrors. not really.

I went face-to-face against an Eiffel towering task of reading, “Blogging: Digital Media and Society Series,” and today was the day I claimed my victory. It wasn’t very special; no shiny trophy, no day of recognition, not even a baseball team was named after me. (Instead of the New York Yankees, it would be the New York Brian Biscocho’s. Actually - bad idea - scratch that.) My unconscious was chanting, “Pizza party, pizza party, pizza party,” but I resisted temptations. Anyways…it may not have been special, but what’s important is that through reading this book, I have grown more knowledgeable about the history, the progression, and the impact of blogging in today’s culture. Yay!

One particular part of the book that got my pistons moving was how blogging is used as a tool for self-exploration by, “[creating] a reflection of ourselves in a weblog” (Rettberg 120). My definition of blogging is the ability to freely say whatever sense or nonsense that a blogger ponders and wishes to display, whether it is about current events, personal problems, or their weird obsession of frogs (which could be a personal problem). I found it interesting how my concept of blogging could relate. I silently started to deliberate.

Blogging is one’s chance to define who they are to the individuals of the online world. However, a person’s blog does not reveal every single aspect of a person’s life; there are thoughts that are ohk to be posted, thoughts that should be kept secretive, and thoughts that are meant to be kept secretive but are posted anyway. The blogger has control of generating a blog to whatever they want it to be - whether it be fake or not. Thus, the blog could be a self-reflection of who the blogger wants others to perceive one as; I call it an incomplete reflection because it’s not their entire life or the entire truth. Blog followers, stalkers, groupies, or whatever assume they perfectly know the person behind the blog like they were bestest buddies but sadly they’re not.

A tough idea for me to grasp, so luckily I found this quote that expresses this conclusion I’ve come to. Ready?

In conclusion, blogs should be, “characterized…simultaneously as mirrors and veils,” by the way the blogger takes control of displaying and censoring parts of their life (Rettberg 120). peace!

choosing an interest in blogging.

I have a large field of interest; a field larger than an airplanes runway or the circumference of the Earth - with some exaggeration. Trying to pick a single interest is kind of like trying to perform brain surgery with only a banana, paper, and a light bulb. Sort of. I love a little bit of everything: food, movies, music, football, basketball, video games, gizmos, television, shoes, and many many many other things.

Considering most of my interests are aspects of entertainment, I should follow blogs that are related to the economy of China. Just. Kidding. I should follow blogs that pertain to entertainment. My day revolves around entertainment. I find myself watching television, jamming to music, engaging in video games. and checking out movies throughout the day. As far as TV goes, I watch shows like the tuneful Glee to the nerdy Chuck to the  why-am-I-watching-this Jersey Shore. I listen to many genres of music: from Journey to Blue Scholars to Taylor Swift to Bruno Mars to the Beatles to Snoop D-o-double-g (Dogg). I love movies that make me cry of laughter, keep me on the edge of my seat, and scare me enough that I scrunch into a ball of safety. I play all video games. Enough said. However, choosing one specific aspect of entertainment will be a toughy.

From researching entertainment blogs, I hope to gain a better understanding of, not only the bloggers perspective of entertainment, but the actors, actresses, or artist's behind the magic as well. I'll enjoy telling people that their opinion is wrong and that mine triumphs over thee. Just. Kidding. Again. These alternative outlooks will give me a better sense of entertainment as a whole. peace!

who am I as a writer?

I believe that I am a fairly decent writer, formally and informally. When I need to write formally, I have the necessary skills to perform in such a manner. However, from the blogging standpoint, I like to write with obscurity and take the chance to express a more creative aspect of my mind. It’s a chance to pull away from the standard writing conventions and formats and create your own style and rant about whatever is on your mind.

The topic of writing determines my comfort level. Familiarity and interest will allow ideas to pop into my head like millions of balloons inside a room with trillions of pins covering the walls. Extraordinarily sharp pins. Extraordinarily sharp pins that have been in a heated quarrel with balloons for centuries.

I enjoy writing - regardless of my mediocre talents - but to a certain degree. To what degree is this degree? 48? -4.2? Fahrenheit? Celsius? Basically, I like writing about things that interest me. Nope it’s not just a coincidence that enjoyment positively correlates with interest. For example, would I like writing about the metamorphic process of a caterpillar’s growth? Nope.

Blogging is a new world for me. Hopefully I enjoy it or I will dread every bearing minute of doing this. peace and love!