"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.

Changing Genres

Genre is important when trying to inform the reader of the message that the writer is trying to convey. For every piece of writing there is a genre in which it would be most appropriate to bring meaning to the piece. You would not want to choose a genre that inappropriately conveys the message. If the writer chose an inappropriate context of conveying their message than it could lead the piece of writing to be misleading for the reader. We must all learn the context in which we are trying to give purpose to the piece. This is an important skill to have so that you can be a informed writer and have the reader accurately interpret your writings.

Language

I came to the United States when I was four years old. It was very hard to adjust to the "American Culture". School was an even harder task. I had to attend ESL (Enlgish Second Language) for a couple years in order to learn English. I had a big accent when i was little. Like Mellix, I was able to take the "Standard English" language and transform my accent. My family is very big on speaking Egyptian at home. My parents knew English beffore we moved to America, they believed it would be better for me to learn Egyptian when I was young and to essentially be taught English in school. They do not want me to forget it and feel it will help me in the future with school and jobs, they always tell me I should pass it down to my future children. I feel that I have grown into the "American Culture" and learned the language very well. Although it was difficult, I am glad I was able to adjust at a young age. I feel that it is harder when you are older and have to learn and adapt to new situations, especially when it involves language and culture change.

From Outside In Discussion Questions 2 & 5

Growing up, Mellix learned to use two different types of English. As a child, Mellix used "Black English" in her everyday speech. It was easily accessible for her because that is what the people around her (family, friends, etc.) were accustomed to. On the other side of the spectrum, she had to learn how to utilize "Standard English" to the best of her ability in order to accomplish her goal of becoming a teacher. Mellix now feels accomplished that she was able to transform her speech from "Black English" to "Standard English". 

Throughout school, Mellix was able to learn "Standard English" by the teachers speaking "Black English". In order to learn the language, she had to imagine herself as apart of the culture of that language. She had to write, rewrite, practice, and experiment to achieve her language skills. She discovered "that through writing one can continually bring new selves into being, each with new responsibilities and difficulties, but also with

new possibilities". 

Short Narrative - My Sister

Have you ever had a friend that you never thought in your lifetime would impact you in such a good way? My best friend, Marion Mitchell, was one of the biggest influences in my life. I met her six years ago in highschool. We were hesitant to start speaking at first but we soon found ourselves talking up a storm. She is the kind of person that I can still go to even when we are fighting because I know we are mature enough to put the arguments aside to help each other out. She is always one to put others before herself and knows how to cheer anyone up with a good laugh. Her advice giving and listening skills is what I admire the most. Marion does not hold back on what she thinks of any situation or advice I may need. We are bluntly honest with each other, but we understand that we mean nothing to help. She is one of the few people in my life that I can tell anything and everything to. I know no matter what, she will not judge me. We can go a week without talking and pick up the phone as if we spoke earlier in the day. We have been through so much from fighting for days to two week family vacations together. Marion is half Japanese, half African-American. She is very cultured with her family, just as I am with mine. We teach each other the languages and we can even speak back and forth with understanding everything. Marion and I have gotten so close over the years, I truly consider her as a sister to me.

Three Different Genres (Emailing-Facebook-Essay)

The way we read things differs depending on the type of genre that is given. E-mailing is different all around. The person we e-mail distinguishes how we write it. For example, writing to a professor must be in proper format and must include a respectful greeting, good subject, you should introduce yourself, and describe what it is you are looking for or need. Facebook is a form of free writing. You don't have to follow a specific format, you can post anything on your own status which any of your friends can see. Writing an essay also needs a different structure to follow. It depends on what the instructor expects and what kind of essay is given. You usually have an intro, 3 body paragraphs, and conclusion to follow the right format. You can write a variety of different essays like persuasive, narrative or informative.

My first post

This is my first blog