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!