Technical writing

One frustration I had with technical writing was figuring out how to explain to the person who was writing the directions down what I did.  Another frustration was understanding the other person's directions when some of them were unclear.  However, there were some triumphs with the technical writing.  One triumph was being able to have a finished product.  Another triumph was being able to somewhat comprehend the other team's directions to be able to make their product.

Reader

Tan's teachers encouraged her to pursue a career in math or science because she got better grades in those subjects and got in a better percentile.  They also encouraged her to pursue these careers because she was got lower grades in english than in math and science.  They miscalculated her ability in english because she wasn't getting good enough scores on papers and on achievement tests.  Also, they didn't encourage to pursue a career in english because of the english which she had grown up with which could have impacted her scores.  These are all reasons why she was discouraged to pursue a career in english.

The point that Tan is making with this story is that she uses different ways of speaking depending who she is with.  For example, when she is speaking in public she uses a more formal english and when she is with her mom she uses simpler english.  This shows that the different people that she is with has an impact on how she speaks to them.  She does not speak formal english with her mom because her mom does not speak english very well.  Her mom does not speak english well because she immigrated from China and did not grow up speaking english.

This point fits in with the larger argument of "Mother Tongue" because the title of the story suggests that there is something to do with language.  Also, the story talks about her journey with being a writer and how she speaks to different people.  The story mentions that she did not have much support from her teachers to become a writer.  As well as this it talks about how she would often have to pretend to be her mother in order to get certain things accomplished.  This is a good story because it talks about how there are different ways to talk to certain people.

Digital Story topic

My digital story topic is my experience volunteering at the Rainbow Centre in Peru.  I chose this topic because it made an impact in my life.

Journal 3

Digital storytelling can help 'revolutionize' the narrative experience because it helps people have some record of a memory.  Also, it allows people to show off their creative side when creating the story that they want to tell.  The "Digital Story Cookbook" says, "Stories are the large and small instruments of meaning and explanation that we store in our memories".  This is the definition that Roger Schank gives in the Cookbook.  There are different ways to tell a story, but digital storytelling is the one that is used with modern day technology.

Digital storytelling allows people to have a chance to be able to tell their story in a different way.  They can use different techniques, such as the music and the images being used, to convey their story.  The seven steps that the cookbook talks about are useful in order to create a good story.  Each of the seven steps is important for the digital story because each step helps to strengthen the story.  They also provide some guideline to the story because for some people it is harder to come up with a story to tell.

Journal #2

The article "Student Metaphors of Themselves as Writers" is organized by categorizing the different metaphors by different themes.  This helps organize the article because it makes it easier to distinguish the different types of metaphors that the students wrote.  The sections that follow one another for the most apart are the opposites.  For example, metaphors of process and speed and metaphors of fear and courage follow it.  In my opinion, these types of metaphors are opposite from one another in terms of confidence with their writing.

The central claim of each section of the article is a different type of metaphor.  The different metaphors are process and speed, fear and courage, control, silence, and invitations.  This shows that there were multiple ways that the students thought of themselves as writers.  Also, the central claim of each section is that every student thinks of themselves as different types of writers.  Each section helps to guide the article together.

The overall thesis of this article is that having the students write metaphors is to help them figure out what kind of writer they are.  Each section that the article has gives examples of their metaphors, which helps with the thesis.  Also, all of the metaphors that were given as examples help to support the idea that the author has.  The thesis of this article talks about how a teacher had students write metaphors about them as a writer so he can get to know them better.  This article is good because it gives different ways that the students wrote about themselves as writers.

Journal Entry

I agree with Middlebury's College's policy because Wikipedia is not the best option to get information from.  However, the links that the pages provide could help with getting more accurate information.  Wikipedia could be used as a starting page to jump off from, but it should not be used as a primary source of information for a paper especially in college.  I agree with the policy because students need to realize that there are better sources of information than Wikipedia.  The policy is set in place because the faculty think that something should be done about the number of students using Wikipedia for one of their sources.

The other policies mentioned in the article are fair because it will teach students not to use Wikipedia.  It is a good idea for some deduction to be made in the grade if Wikipedia is used.  These policies are in place for a reason because too many students are using Wikipedia to get information for their papers.  The policy that is mentioned in the article are not to use Wikipedia as a primary source, which is a good policy.  To deal with the problems of Wikipedia the faculty could deduct some points from the paper to make the students realize that they should not use Wiki as a source.

Entry 9

After watching the first part of Into the Wild and reading the book it is obvious that are many differences. One of the differences is that the movie used more detail to describe Chris and what he did on his many adventures.  Another difference is in the movie it talks about his parents during their graduation and the book does not mention that at all.  Also, the film shows the parents getting mad at Chris because he did not want a new car as a graduation present. A similarity between the book and the movie is that they both follow the storyline of Chris's adventures.  However, the film depicts Chris better than in the book.  The film also does a good job showing the scenery.

The film does paint Chris in a different light than Krakauer does because it uses different techniques to describe Chris.  The film often shows Chris with the different jobs that he acquires on his adventures, such as the grain elevator.  The film and the book both show Chris as being a hard-worker through Krakauer's words and the actions showed in the film.  The light that the film paints Chris is hard-working and shows his emotions better than the book does.  Films are normally better to show emotions because films are meant for viewing and books are meant for reading.

Film does screw our sense of reality and romanticize tragedy because no one would watch the movies.  Film is one of these things where it takes away a sense of reality because sometimes reality is not kind to us.  It romanticizes tragedy because films like to play with our emotions and make us feel certain ways.  This is true in many movies, such as the Disney movies.  Films often do things that are not possible in reality and that is what makes people want to watch a particular movie.

Entry 8

My initial perceptions of Chris were that he was foolish and stupid because he went into the wild with barely any supplies.  Also, the majority of the weight of his backpack was filled with hardcover books and he tried to survive on 10 pounds of rice.  My perceptions of Chris have changed from being foolish to being adventurous because he liked to explore different places.  He is adventurous because he did a lot of things in the wild alone and that is what he liked to do.  However, some of his actions that he did were not the best ideas in the world.  For example, killing the moose and not knowing how to preserve it properly.

When Billie and Walt visit the bus where Chris died the feelings of them is a calm one.  For Billie she does not cry surprisingly and leaves a suitcase full of survival things for the next hiker.  Walt understands Chris a little more but he is still confused by things.  Billie thinks that Chris must have liked this place and thought that he was brave for doing this on his own.  Their perceptions of Chris at point are that he was peaceful in this area.

Some things that Chris did were important because he needed to kill animals in order to eat, but other things that he did were stupid.  The actions he did at the start of the trail were stupid because he did not have many supplies and did not have a map of the area.  However, near his death he learned that happiness is better when around people instead of being alone.  Right before he died the last picture of him showed him looking peaceful.  He was probably looking peaceful because he loved nature and being in the wild.

Entry 7

I feel that Krakauer interrupted the story with Chapters 8-9 because he wanted to talk about some of the other people who did similar adventures in the wild.  Not surprisingly, all of the other people ended up dying just like Chris McCandless did.  This shows that it was not just him who had tried to survive in the wilderness alone.  One of the people who died mistakenly gave the wrong hand signal to the pilot and was out in the wild just to take pictures.  Another person survived being in the wilderness and made plans to live out of his backpack, but he was found dead with a knife in his heart.

We change our names to better "fit" our personality for various reasons.  One reason is based on what we grew up with such as religion.  Another is we outgrew our childhood names and wanted to have a more adult version of our names.  These are some of the reasons that we change our names and some people choose not to change their names.  People might also feel that their name does not reflect who they are and create a nickname that better reflects their personality.

The question "What's in a name" is a question that is open-ended  Some people might say that memories are in a name because some people are named after dead relatives.  It really depends on what the parents want to name their child.  Some might want to name their children with the same letter, and others might just like a particular name and they just go with that.  As well as that, certain names have a really good meaning behind them and that is another way to choose a name that "fits" your personality.

Entry 6

I think that the 2 epigraphs from chapter 3 influenced Chris in the fact that he did not to stay in the same place for long and he liked his freedom.  They also influenced him because they mention that having some freedom is more exciting than doing the same thing everyday.  Also, Tolstoy talks about how sometimes people's energy is too much for boring everyday life.  That influenced Chris because that was the type of person that Chris was.  He did not want to live with plastic people his whole life, he wanted adventure.

The 2 epigraphs from chapter 3 say to me that sometimes getting away from normal everyday life is a good thing.  They say that to me because being stuck in one place and doing the same thing over and over again can get boring after a while.  Also, having the chance to go out and do something different can help with the boring aspects of life.  What they also say to me is that being free from society can prove to be a good thing rather than a bad thing.  These 2 epigraphs are powerful because they cause you to just think about your life.

I do agree with the 2 epigraphs given from chapter 3.  I agree with them because it is sometimes necessary to take a break from your everyday life and have an adventure.  Having an adventure in your life can make a difference in your happiness.  It can make a difference because an adventure can help to relieve some of the stress from life.  Also, it doesn't matter what kind of adventure that you have because just getting away from society is a adventure on its own.

Entry 5

I don't know if I would reinvent myself, but depending on the situation I might try and reinvent myself a little.  As of right now I really couldn't tell you if I would reinvent myself, but who knows someday I might create a new identity.  Other people would create a new identity for themselves because they want to start over, but I just don't know if I would do that.  Reinventing yourself can be for the best or it can end up hurting in the long run.  It can hurt in the long run because the things that you do can risk your health or get injured.

Reinventing yourself can be liberating, but it can also be foolish depending on the ways that you reinvent yourself such as doing something dangerous.  One way that it can be liberating is to go and explore another culture.  It can be dangerous because of the risks that some activities have.  In general, reinventing yourself can be a good idea to have a new chance at life.  Having a new chance at life gives you a clean slate.

If I were to reinvent myself I would travel to different countries whose culture is different than ours.  This will be a good thing because I would be getting away from the materialistic culture that we have.  I would travel in different parts of the world such as South America and Africa because their culture is completely different from ours.  The scenery there is also really beautiful and they have a lot of history behind them.  Travel is a good way to reinvent yourself because it allows you to see life in a different way than you are used to seeing it.

Entry 4

After reading the article, I felt that Chris was somewhat foolish in his endeavor because he did not have any basic supplies that he needed.  Also, he went off into the Alaskan wilderness when there was still snow and ice on the ground.  This proves that he was somewhat foolish because the weather conditions were not great .  As well as this, no one knew where he was going and he did not have any identification on him.  He also changed his name because he did not want anyone to know who he really was.

As far as Chris being an idealist it is possible that he is an idealist.  He is an idealist because he had a goal of going into the Alaskan desert and making it out alive.  His goal might have been short lived because he was found dead in the bus by some hikers.  However, he did manage to survive over 100 days in the wilderness by shooting different animals.  The sad part was that if he had walked 2 more miles upstream he might have been able to survive.  He could have survived if he had just gone a little bit further he would have found his ticket out of the wilderness.

Chris seems to have been following part of the Transcendentalist movement because he liked to go on solo expeditions in the middle of nowhere and just explore.  This movement basically talks about being in touch with nature and having it mean something.  He is also following the transcendentalist movement because he has not been in contact with his family for a while.  Not having contact with his family shows that he is separate from them and is a little unique.  That falls under premise 4 of the transcendentalist movement.  He is also unique because even as a kid he would be doing things that were different than the other kids.

Entry 3-In Class

Nature does somewhat affect me because nature is a different world than what we are used to living in.  Most people do not take the time to go out into nature because they are so wrapped up in the technological aspect of life.  Nature is very peaceful and beautiful when taking the time to go on a hike in the mountains.  I have done many hikes on different mountains in the world, gone exploring on beaches and hills overlooking the beach.  The scenery for every mountain is a little bit different, but it gives you a chance to be in tune with nature and be away from technology for a little while.

I do take some comfort in nature because it has a different kind of energy to it than the energy of all of the technological gadgets that we have.  Nature also has beautiful scenery that is good for taking pictures and just reflecting.  For some people being in nature does not please them, so they choose not to be in nature.  When I am in the middle of nowhere exploring mountains and other parts of nature, it makes me feel happy because the vibe is peaceful.  I like to have technology but sometimes going without technology for a little while is a good thing.  

There is a 'need' to return to nature because having all of this technology does not allow us to express our imagination and creativity.  Also, having this technology does not give people the chance to run around and just play.  Nature can help to bring out the inner child in us because we get a chance to use our imagination.  There can be a relationship between nature and our spiritual side depending on the person.  Nature can be somewhat connected to our spiritual side because of the simplicity that it provides, but I do not think that I have a connection with nature and my spiritual side.

Entry 2

After reading Leo Tolstoy's short story, "How Much Land Does a Man Need?"it can be assumed that the main character is a reflection on man.  His short story talks about how he got greedy for more and ended up dying from all of his greed.  The moral of that story was to never make a deal with the devil and not to be so greedy.  It is a reflection on man because the culture that we have today focuses on material items.   The materialistic culture that we have has people buying a lot of things that they don't need.  This culture that we live in causes people to think that they have to buy things to make them happy and can cause them to not appreciate what they already have.  Having the culture that we have can bring out the worst in people because they will stop at nothing to get what they want and will get shallow about what they have.

Our materialistic culture is not on the right path and we should take a more 'simpler' path.  However, getting that to happen is easier said than done because the USA already is materialistic and will be hard to change.  Taking a more 'simpler' path will be better because it will allow people to appreciate what they have instead of what they want.  Being materialistic can make people think that they need higher end merchandise to make them look good.  Another way that a more 'simpler' path will be better is that people will not have as much debt and they will be happier.

When I was in Peru this summer, I noticed that while most of the people did not have much they were happy.  This shows that having less can make people happy in a different way.  Also, having less can help people learn to appreciate each other and possibly have better relationships.  Even though people in third-world countries have less they usually are happier and able to make their own fun with less.  In short, having less materialistic things is always better, but that does not always happen.

Entry 1- Jan 19

I feel that since the first day of school in August, I have slightly grown and developed.  I feel that my writing skills have improved since the first semester of the CWS course.  Hopefully, I can improve a little more this semester to help with writing college papers and beyond.  Having the first semester of CWS completed, I feel that it has helped with my writing skills.  This semester I hope to improve on the structure of papers and grammar.

A goal that I have set for myself this semester in general is to not procrastinate so much on schoolwork.  This is a goal for me because I tend to procrastinate when it comes to homework.  Hopefully, procrastinating won't be too much of a problem this semester.  I also hope to start to figure out what my POE should be.  Those are my two goals that I have for myself this semester.

What are some new things about me ?  I suppose what's new about me  is that I am trying to volunteer in special education classrooms at my elementary school.  What's also new about me is that I tend to learn things the hard way for it to sink in.  That happened to me over break when I dropped a flash into the ocean by mistake.  I learned that electronics and salt water do not mix which forced me to have to buy a new one.