Response to Why Write? Reading... from awhile ago...

I really liked the section Essential Elements of Arguments. I also really enjoyed the analogy to the peanut butter and jelly sandwich because I love PB&J! I have one nearly every day! Personally, I do not like to argue face to face with another person. I like being able to think about what my arguments are before I say them because sometimes I think I can say some pretty silly things. Arguing in writing is definitely my preferred method to get out my opinions.

Reflections on Writing 150

I have really enjoyed this class. At first, I was skeptical of my abilities as a writer because I hadn’t taken a writing class in quite some time it seemed. However, I loved Sister Elliott’s energy and zest for teaching. I could tell that she really loves doing what she does. In face, in the beginning of the semester, when I was homesick, she made me feel more at home because she reminds me of my own mom. I love when I see people doing what they love. Because of this energy, it made me more willing to put more work into my writing. I will admit, I miss many reading assignments, but I made sure to go back and read them at a later date. I learned many new things this semester, especially with the rhetorical analysis and research paper. I felt like those two units were my strongest, but that didn’t necessarily mean they were the easiest. I loved the challenge of these papers and I loved the feeling of having them done! I really appreciated how much time Sister Elliott took to make sure we understood the expectations for each assignment. I never felt like I was lost or unsure of what was going on. I can see how much Sister Elliott cares about her students and that means a lot to me. This really was a wonderful semester. Great class, tons of learning, wonderful teacher, fun atmosphere, makes for a great learning experience. Thank you Sister Elliott!

Diane Rehm Podcast

I listened to the podcast entitled Healing at the Speed of Sound, which was very interesting. The author, Don Campbell, talks about many of the psychological aspect of listening to sounds. There are many factors that I would not have thought affect the way our brains process sounds. Campbell said that the rhythm, rhyme, tempo, frequency and texture all affect the way people are able to process sounds. The human brain is most able to open with even rhythm, which I found so interesting! While I was listening to this podcast, I was evaluating the types of music and other sounds I listen to. I was also thinking about which types of music I like to listen to when I am feeling different emotions. I realized that I sound give my ears a break! I am listening to something all day long and most night I even fall asleep with relaxing music to help me mentally let go of the previous day and prepare for the next day. I started this habit last year when I had a particularly difficult ballet class every morning. I made sure to take the time to prepare myself for the tough class that was ahead, so that there wouldn't be any shock the next day. I found using music to do this to be very effective. I liked being able to escape into the music for awhile. I have also found that different types of music change my heart rate or how I am feeling about myself. Music has a very powerful effect! I learned a lot from listening to this podcast and I am going to experiment with a few changes to see if changing the sounds/lessening the amount of sound improves my mental health. This was a great podcast.

My favorite Movie??

I really don't know what my favorite movie is! They are so many great movies out there with wonderful messages. Some movies are just plain funny and I definitely like those too! If a book that I really love has been made into a movie, then I usually really like both of them. I have a friend who is extremely picky about movies and how they are presented. I tend to see the overall idea and appreciate it for the work that was done. Unless the movie is obviously terrible, outdated or inappropriate, I usually won't have strong feelings about it either way. With all that being said, I can't think of my favorite movie! I really love The Lion King, which was my favorite movie as a little girl. I really love documentaries about ballet and recorded performances of ballets. A few years ago is my AP US History class, my teacher had us watch Forrest Gump. I had heard that it was a really great movie and people we always quote the "Life is like a box of chocolates" idea. However, I did not like it at all. I felt like there were a lot of inappropriate parts and I actually left the room. I am unsure if others will agree with me on that one, but it doesn't really matter if they do or not. I just think it means I have a very different taste in movies.

Issues Paper Done!

My Issues paper is done! I really enjoyed writing about Obesity and I felt like I learned a lot. Maintaing a healthy lifestyle is something I am really passionate about. I see people everywhere, everyday who do not take take of God's greatest creation, their bodies. It makes me sad because the have no idea how much their body is capable of doing. As a dancer, I am always being pushed to my physical limit. While this may not see appealing to some people, I can definitely say that I have felt such happiness in overcoming physical trials. I like to watch weight loss shows about people who overcome their physical trials. If the contestant has the right mindset, the right attitude and commitment, they always come out of the show happier.

My Research Paper Topic

I have decided that I am going to write about the obesity epidemic happening in the United States and whether or not it is a disease. This is a topic I am very interested in, so I am glad I get to research and write about it. However, this topic will be a little tricky too because I can see both sides of the argument. And I know people who are perfect examples of both arguments. I will need to carefully discuss both sides, so that the topic is understood.

The End of Rhetorical Analysis

I really enjoyed the rhetorical analysis unit. I felt really good about my paper when I turned it in. The one thing I did have trouble with was figuring out what was too much information and what was not enough. I had two larger paragraphs, but my last paragraph was really short. I hope this is not a bad thing. I felt like this unit went really well and now I am excited to move on to the Issues paper!

My progress on my Rhetorical Analysis paper!

The article I originally found turned out to not be a substantial piece of reading, so I started searching again. I had a hard time picking an article because I wanted to find something that was really interesting to me. After about an hour of searching, I decided that I would take a break to study for American Heritage. While I was reading, I found an essay entitled "On the Condition of Women in the United States" by Sarah M. Grimke, which I really liked the first time I read it a while ago. I like how easy it is to understand what she is saying. She is very clear and to the point. There are also many appeals to pathos, logos and ethos. I have a good idea of what i want to say in my paper, the question is just how I am going to say it.

Assigned: Response to Letter From Birmingham Jail

I have read this letter several times for many different classes and each time, it seems as if I learn something new each time. It really is a remarkable piece of writing. In the letter Martian Luther King Jr. is speaking to those who are wondering why he ended up in jail and why he went to jail at the time he did. He is informing the people of his rationale. He is very effective in his writing because of his emotional, logical and credible appeal. This letter was quiet emotional engaging is many parts, but the part I remember most clearly is where he wrote about his children asking him why colored people have less and different rights than the white people. He also writes about family members that have been mistreated. This is a long quote, but I think it is a great example of how he used emotional appeal, " But when you have seen vicious mobs lynch your mothers and fathers at will and drown your sisters and brothers at whim; when you have seen hate filled policemen curse, kick and even kill your black brothers and sisters; when you see the vast majority of your twenty million Negro brothers smothering in an airtight cage of poverty in the midst of an affluent society; when you suddenly find your tongue twisted and your speech stammering as you seek to explain to your six year old daughter why she can't go to the public amusement park that has just been advertised on television, and see tears welling up in her eyes when she is told that Funtown is closed to colored children, and see ominous clouds of inferiority beginning to form in her little mental sky, and see her beginning to distort her personality by developing an unconscious bitterness toward white people; when you have to concoct an answer for a five year old son who is asking: "Daddy, why do white people treat colored people so mean?"; when you take a cross county drive and find it necessary to sleep night after night in the uncomfortable corners of your automobile because no motel will accept you; when you are humiliated day in and day out by nagging signs reading "white" and "colored"; when your first name becomes "nigger," your middle name becomes "boy" (however old you are) and your last name becomes "John," and your wife and mother are never given the respected title "Mrs."; when you are harried by day and haunted by night by the fact that you are a Negro, living constantly at tiptoe stance, never quite knowing what to expect next, and are plagued with inner fears and outer resentments; when you are forever fighting a degenerating sense of "nobodiness"--then you will understand why we find it difficult to wait." I am sure these two examples hit the heart-strings of those reading this letter and convinced them that his time in jail is worth it. He also used many allusions to past famous people, such as Socrates, which made him sound very intelligent and philosophical. His logical appeal was also embedded within his words. He gave many reasons as to why he has acted the way he had and backed up each of those reasons. He also addresses many of the questions he thinks the people will ask him. This makes him seem very in-tune to the needs of the people. He also used the derogatory term thats black people are called, probably to elicit more intense feelings from his audience.

Assigned: Response to C.S. Lewis

This essay by C.S. Lewis was a persuasive essay and quite possible an informational essay too. I did not feel like he was trying to convince the reader of anything or sway their religious beliefs, but in the last paragraph he says, “I am trying here to prevent anyone from saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Him: ‘I’m ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don’t accept His claim to be God.’” Based on my reading, I believe that his central message is that there are many different views in religion and one shouldn’t jump to foolish conclusions. There are some that come close to the most correct than others, but most religions have gaps and holes. Based on this essay I believe that C.S. Lewis thought that different religions of the world hastily judge each other and they do not have an accurate understanding of Jesus Christ. Lewis appeals to the readers logic by explaining things in gradually more complicated terms. He starts with the basics and works up from there.
I had to read this essay three times before I felt like I had a semi-understanding of what was written here. And even now, I am not quite sure hoe to interpret was what said. Maybe I am having a stupid moment, which happens a lot when I read deep things. I think I am going to have to go back through and re-read it again because I am not sure of Lewis’ opinion. I know he has good intentions and I know he is a proponent of Christianity, but I am still very confused with how he wrote about it.

Assigned: Analytical Response to Veil of Fears

Before I write my response, I would just like to apologize for the late submission, I was having trouble posting! Ok, now on to bigger and better things!

Genre: Persuasive and informational essay

Purpose: to inform the reader about the purpose of the veil in Muslim culture and convince them that it is not associated with terrorism.

Central Message: The veil worn by muslim women is not a terrible aspect of their culture. Americans have created false ideas about the reasons for the veil.

World View and Assumptions: Cultural practices are sometimes interwoven in religious beliefs and should be separated

Use of Tools and Evidence: The author acknowledged both sides of the argument and took time to explain the Muslim culture.

Assigned: Done With the Personal Narrative

I am not sure if it is appropriate to shout for joy when finishing a paper, but I did! I felt so relieved when I crossed “Turn in personal narrative” off my calendar. That paper was the first of its kind that I have written in a very long time. As is evident from previous posts, I was unsteady in the beginning and quite nervous to embark on this writing adventure, but the long minutes I spent looking at the word document on my computer paid off. I found the peer reviews to be extremely helpful. Both Philip and Emily gave me good advice that would improve my paper. They also helped me catch the little grammatical errors that I frequently and absentmindedly skip over. I was happy to hear that they enjoyed my paper. Thank goodness! I struggled figuring out how to include a central message subliminally, but not too obscure that my audience wouldn’t be able to figure it out. In my final draft, I think I ended up being a little bit too explicit with my message. Finding the balance in the “message” department, was definitely a challenge. Another obstacle I faced, was creating an effective title. I have found that titles have a huge impact on the reader. When I pick up a book at the bookstore, the title is what influences me to keep the book or put it down. I hope that as I grow as I writer I will be able to work my central message in seamlessly and create a title that will immediately engage my audience.

Assigned: Update on my Personal Narrative

A few days ago I was almost certain that I was going to write my personal narrative about the first day of my sixth grade year. I wanted to write about something that I remember vividly, as I thought that would make my narrative full of rich detail. I remember everything from what I was wearing to what the hallways smelled like. I remember how I didn’t want my mom to leave me. However, now that I have the blank word document staring at me, I do not know how to put the experience I see in my memories on paper. I also do not know how much background info to give. I definitely don’t want to bore my readers! To get out of my writers block, I tried typing everything I remember from the event, which is quite a lot, so detail is not a problem. The chief reason I am having a difficult time beginning this essay is that I am not entirely sure how I will be able to end the experience with a lesson that changed me. It sometimes seems as if I am still in the process of learning the lesson! At the moment, I am considering changing my topic to something more substantial, but not something a reader would have trouble relating to. I have two different experiences that I have been wanting to write about, so I think this assignment is a good opportunity for me to do so. I am going to write out ideas for my different topics to see which one take me the farthest and whichever one does, will be the one I write about. I sometimes wish words and images would go straight from my brain to the paper, but writing isn’t that easy.

Assigned: I read the excerpt Night by Elie Wiesel

The first time I read Night by Elie Wiesel, I do not think I understood the horrors illustrated in this novel. While it may only be 100 pages more or less, the images and impressions always impact the reader. I decided to read the excerpt from Night because I wanted to compare how I felt after reading a snip-it more than 5 years later than my first encounter with the shocking and emotionally draining literature. As I read the excerpt this time through, I found myself re-reading certain paragraphs to make sure I actually read what I thought I had. I cannot imagine a single emotion the people in the Holocaust felt. I am very grateful that I have a hard time imagining what these people must have felt. I have seen many movies that depict devastating events in history, and each time I come away with a better perspective. I have found that there are many terrible things that happen to good people, which reinforces the fact that trials are apart of our lives. Reading about and watching movies about events throughout history has made me appreciate the life I have. I know the world, and the United States isn’t perfect, but I am very grateful for the life I have here. I am very happy that I can be in college right now and not in some form of bondage or war. Elie Wiesel has captured me time and time again through his honest words.

Walking in Another’s Shoes, Or Trying to, Anyway...

The personal essay entitled “Families (that have been torn, re-cut with dull scissors, and then messily glued back together) Are Forever” had a profound effect on me. While I have not experienced the effects of divorce in my own life, I have observed several families and their children that are watching their family unravel right before their eyes. I have often tried to imagine how these broken wives, husbands and children must feel, but my feelings can only go as far as sympathy. However, when I read this essay, I was opened up to the seemingly contradictory ideas of frustration and progression. At the end of this essay, the author writes that even though she and her stepmother forgave each other for their misdoings, they still have occasional problems, but that was all apart of the process of learning to love her. The very last line seemed to resonate with me, “It is these few years on Earth that we are given to forge relationships that will last for all time.” While I cannot directly relate to this author’s experience, I do understand that creating and building relationships is not easy. Reading of experiences such as this one, not only make me more grateful for the family I have, but also of the pliability of the human spirit. As humans, we are able to recognize faults, correct the mistakes and implement change. On the surface, this essay was about a new family that was having trouble making a functional life happen, but deeper it is really about learning from trials each of us are given in life.

Me in 100 (and a little more) words

I have two parents, two siblings and one little, puffy puppy. I am from a suburb in north Atlanta, Georgia. I have not had a “real winter” in a very long time, so I am feeling anxious as the Utah winter approaches. I throughly enjoy cleanliness, clear, crisp mornings, season changes, holidays, mountains and Myrtle Beach, Carolina. I cherish the time I have with family. After I graduate from BYU as a dance major, I hope to get my Masters of Fine Arts and teach dance at a university level. When I have free time, I find myself reorganizing things, creating ballet combinations and choreography in my head, and dreaming of seeing my family again.