"Good Enough"

In this chapter Heidi Guth Bowman shares that even the best writers have trouble starting their papers. Bowman really enjoys the idea of writing her papers but getting started is the hardest part. I used to think that having difficulty with writing only involved those who were not good writers to begin with, but now i see that it is a very common problem even for the best writers. I can definitely relate to her feeling overwhelmed while writing because i felt the same way while trying to start my social action paper. Even though i knew what i should have been writing on, the process of actually putting my thoughts on paper was easier said than done. This goes along with another good point that i learned from the text. She talked about how its okay to simply throw your thoughts on paper for the rough draft instead of expecting perfection to begin with. Sometimes it takes multiple drafts to be satisfied with a paper and there is always more you could add on. This is how i started my research paper. I wanted to collect the data and have all my research down on paper before i began to write about it. Planning is definitely a important process for me when writing such as it is with Bowman. Lastly and most importantly I was able to relate to how she shared her feeling about never quite feeling happy with her writing. She shared that even after many drafts she still feels like more could be changed and continues to over analyze what she has written. It is okay to feel like a piece can use more improvement although the writing can also be considered "good enough".

Linguistic Landscape Project

For my Linguistic Language topic I would choose "Equal rights for LGBT community". I am creating a poster to get my message across. I think making a poster will be the right chosen genre for this topic because I can create it however I like and I will be able to use any words, colors, etc. This type of genre has many good features. It includes the different font sizes, layouts, formats, title, colors, creativity, etc. People usually have the title at the very top of the poster. The message that they try to convey is usually in a bigger font than the rest of the information. The details of the event/message is in smaller font because the author is trying to catch the readers attention with the title and message. The main point is to attract the reader. When that happens you must keep the reader interested so he/she will keep reading. The best place to display a poster is somewhere a lot of people walk by. Even by a trash can, in a bus or in a classroom, anywhere that people will usually have the time to read it.

A Bullet for Your Arsenal

This article explains how advertisements, tv, commercial and the media in general impact viewers. Susana  Rodriguez focuses on Apple I pods. She states "Almost everything people are meant to look at... is a carefully constructed package meant to deliver a controlled idea and meaning to an audience: the viewer". (pg 64) This means that all of the media and ads are a well constructed package that's trying to convince us to purchase the product as if we need it. She looks at four layers that construct the package. First is the Subject of the Image/Iconography. This is looking for who or what is being focused. The second is Colors. The color wheel has a huge impact on the different colors that are used together in order to produce or show something. The third is Imagine Composition/Layout. This is how everything is placed to make up the image, it helps create more meaning. The last thing Susana looks at is Perspective. This is where the viewer stands in relation to the picture. All of these layers are important aspects in created a well constructed package. I really likes this article, it makes me take a second look at advertisements and other products shown by the media. The message they are all trying to send is that we "need" the product, it will make our lives easier and make us look more "hip". Next time you come across something you really think you want, take that second look and realize what the real message is trying to convey.


4. perspective

Visual Text 2

This street painting is demonstrating a personal view of smoking in which many can agree on. It is very creative and interesting. The sewer is in place of what would be the person's mouth/throat. Every time you smoke, it is filled with nasty intoxicants. The person drawn seems to be having a difficult time breathing and very unhealthy. The author of this painting looks as if he or she may be a college student or young adult. This painting is anti-smoking. It is trying to persuade the audience not to get involved and the effects of smoking. Everyone is directed towards this as the audience. They're trying to get their perspective across about thinking twice before smoking or if someone is smoking, they should probably stop.

Visual Text 1

This street art is conveying more of a cautious message. I am not quite sure who produced this but it seems to be a work from more of a young adult. The message is more of a cautious one regarding death with transportation. It looks as if it is geared towards the younger group of children. There are three signs. The first one is showing  a bike, a person walking and a car all doing their own thing. The middle sign says "Not one more death". Given the text, it is cautioning people to be more aware and careful because people die of these incidents a lot more than we think. The third sign shows the person, bike and car all colliding. There is also a "Repsect" text at the bottom. This revolves around the other two signs explaining what could happen and how we need to look out in order to prevent future deaths. I just noticed a construction cone laying on the ground. This is demonstrating how not many people pay attention to the law. It made me think of someone driving and hitting a construction cone because they weren't aware of it since they might have been distracted.

Interviewing a Classmate

In class we were instructed to interview one of our classmates in order to learn more about their backgrounds. I interviewed Kevin about his different language and cultural ways. Kevin and his parents are from Illinois but his grandparents are originally from Ireland and Italy. He does not know any fluent languages that relate to his culture but he does remember growing up and having his grandparents interact with him in Italian. They taught him a few words as he got older but he never stuck to it or was ever determined to learn more. Kevin and his parents/family interact at home and in public speaking English. Growing up, Kevin also remember being involved with the Irish culture. He has been celebrating St. Patricks Day almost every year. Although Kevin is not very based with his culture/language, he still celebrates and continues to represent where his generations are from.

Getting Personal

Personal essays are a form of writing in which the author must trust themselves enough in order to ensure that they convey the meaning that they are attempting to display. It is not simply based off of grammar and punctuation like a normal essay but instead is more importantly about conveying a message. Personal essays are meant to connect to the reader on a more emotional level instead of simply informing them about a certain topic. They engage the reader and force them to think about the opinions of the writer. They are broader than a simple informative paper and can have many depths to them.