Hearing is Believing/ Photographic Icons

When I began to read Photographic Icons, I immediately realized how I overlooked the fact that pictures in the newspapers or magazines can be edited to completely altar the image. Especially with the technology used today, someone can take a picture and do absolutely anything they wanted with it. The part, "The impulse to define, perfect, or heighten reality is manifest in a roster of iconic photographs that have come to reside in the world as truth." really spoke to me in multiple ways. When the selection spoke of the fact that a man known for battlefield photographs never stepped foot on one blew my mind. After consideration I can see how this is completely true, I mean Facebook for example, you cannot tell me that the pictures of people on there haven't been altered in anyway. I think it is due in part that no one wants to look bad, or for their work to look bad. No one would be interested in a terrible photograph of a body on a battlefield, but by moving a few things around it paints a completely different picture in our minds.

In Hearing is Believing, I completely agree with the fact that the lyrics in the song are always going to be less important than the music itself. If the music sounds horrible who is going to want to stay for those lyrics. I never knew that the song mentioned that was banned, even existed. I find it amazing they judged the piece on the simple fact it sounded like it was bad or dangerous. I love the way the sounds that the comedian described perfectly painted the picture of the hot chocolate, whipped cream, and cherry. I think that sound effects paint an even better picture because everyone paints their own, your imagination allows you to see all the details you could ever well... imagine.

Famous Learnig Styles

Van Gogh:

Van Gogh would definitely be a visual and spatial learner. He could put colors together to make a full picture. His paintings weren't just solid colors he used different colors together to resemble what he was painting. He was certainly not an intrapersonal learner. He didn't really understand how to relate with other people. He cut off his own ear and sent it to the woman he loved, that's not necessarily "socially acceptable." This incedent is also a supporting factor in why he wasn't logical/mathematical. A more logical person would simply try to explain how they felt about the person, and if they didn't feel the same way they would probably accept that, at least enough to avoid cutting off their own ear.

Melanie, Amanda, Beth

Celebrity Learning Styles (Tecia, Brooke, Julie & Kenny)

Taylor Swift would be considered a musical learner because she plays the guitar and makes music. Musical learners like to sing and listen to music in order to do music on their own. She listens to different pitches and rhythms when writing songs. She is also a linguistic learner because she writes her own music to tell stories. Swift is also interpersonal because she has to interact with fans, other musicians and celebrities. This makes her really outgoing and able to relate to different people. She shows she is a leader by being a good role model for her young fans. Swift also persues her own interests and dreams which make her an intrapersonal learner. Taylor Swift has a combination of many different learning styles that include musical, linguistic, interpersonal and intrapersonal that helped to shape her into who she is now.

Free Weezy

The Celebrity that we chose was Dwayne Carter (Lil Wayne). One of his learning styles would be musical learning because obviously hes a musician and would learn from music that he hears and makes. Another learning style of Lil Wayne is Linguistic, he writes his music and he also tells stories through his music. We would also say that he is interpersonal. Our reasoning behind this was that he performs concerts and talks to his fans and learns from them and what they like. With the many ways Lil Wayne learn there are also way that do not pertain to him. He is not an intrapersonal learner, he works his other to help create his music to come up with beats and lyrics and whatever else he needs.

Kevin, Greg, Todd, Ben

Marilyn Monroe's Learning Style

Chrissy Ellie Laura

Marilyn Monroe is an interpersonal and visual learner. Monroe is an iconic figure that is portrayed as one of the most beautiful women in history. Along with her whole look and personality she was able to create an iconic representation of her self that could be considered her own art. As an actress she was successful because she was able to appeal to many audiences as well as many different individuals. Her personal life included many relationships which show how social was, and that relationships with people were an important part of her personality. She also was interpersonal for how public her life was. Many people know about her and what went on in her life.

Lady Gaga

Katie Allison, Robin Kline, Kaitlyn knapik, Erin Harding, Aarin Frazee

Lady Gaga would be a Visual and interapersonal learner. She is very Visual by the music vedios she makes, how she interperts things, and where she gets her influneces from. She wears very crazy cloths. Modona would be one of her influences and well as mikeal jackson, and syndy Lauper. she interpets the things she sees and does by people. she gets ideas in her head about offits and in inspired. she is very crazy and wild with the way she dresses she makes statements. "I ve always loved rock and pop theater" Queen is a big influnce that is how she got her name.
she would be Interapersonal because she is her own person. She is not one to go with the flow she likes to stick out in a crowd and make a name for herself. she stands out and stands up for what she believes in. Lady Gaga has deffently left a mark on this era she stands out she is bold and unqic and she is loving it!

OPRAH (Gabby, Kyle)

Oprah has a couple dominant learning styles that one can pick up immediately after seeing her. She is a social and linguistic learner. Socially she has her own television show, and has been in several movies and documentaries. This is all successful because she is a people person and gets involved in communities everywhere. Oprah is a very smart woman who takes upon herself to talk to various audiences of all ages about various topics. Oprah also seems to be a linguistic learner because of her passion for reading and books. She has her own book club which is internationally known. Countless authors have submitted their books into her book club after Oprah had recommended them to viewers on her show.

Hearing is Believing

http://www.ruthshat.com/ksupj/hearing_is_believing

Audio essay on sound and aurality. Consider:

1) What is the main point?
2) How does it relate to the course theme?

Your blog may answer these questions or explore any aspect of the essay.

The sound quality is far from perfect (esp. for an essay on sound), but this should not detract from its overall feel.

Also for this wee: READ (mostly pics) CON: Photographic Icons: Fact, Fiction, or Metaphor? (pp. 208-218).

Response to Joan Didion's Why I Write

It made a lot of sense for Didion to say she writes because if she's interested in something she isn't important enough for people to listen to her talk about it. I think that could be a very god reason to write. If you enjoy something, then you know a lot about it, and therefore writing about it would be easy. I also like her approach to writing as a way to make people agree with you, it is your chance to say something you strongly believe and make your reader pay attention. It made writing seem much more powerful from the writer's standpoint. From a reader's standpoint it made me realie the effect something i read can have on my own opinions. Are the things i believe in coming from things i've read? Probably not all my beliefs, but some of them probably are, and i probably tend to read things that agree with my beliefs more than go against it.

It was interesting how Didion discovered she was a writer, she said there was a good chance she would have never found out if it wasn't for the summer she spent teaching a class. I think that is an important thing for everyone to have. A lot of people don't know what they want to do with their life and she randomly had an epiphany of what she was to do, and it ended up being something she enjoys. Meanwhile she probably had these "pictures" influencing her all along but it just took her awhile to realize what to do with them.

Didion, Why I Write (Kevin)

Joan Didion's, "Why I Write," was a lot easier to read than last weeks reading, and that is something I really needed this week while studying for all my exams on Thursday and working on my final draft for this class. One thing I really liked about this reading was that Didion did not call her self a "good" or "bad" writer. That is smart because she can not actually judge her self as a writer, it all depends on who is reading her writing. One person may think her writing are amazing, other may find them horrible. Take our blog posts for example, after I write one I don't sit there and say, "Wow! Thats a good post." I look at it and say to myself, "I hope Phil doesn't leave a bad comment on my post." Also now that were going over learning styles i would have to say that Didion's learning style is very visual. The reason why I think this is because she talks about how she see the "shimmer" that you can only see if you are a schizophrenic or if you are on hallucinogens. She also talk about having images in her head when she began the novel, "A Book of Common Prayer." Now I do not know my learning style yet, because of the problems with the website. But I do know Didion is a very visual learner and I think I may be somewhere close to that.

Joan Didion Why I Write

This reading assaignment was interesting to me. I like to see and understand how people write the things they write, and she explained it quite thoroughly. She made the "how" and "why" very easy to understand. For her, the stories reveal themselves, she is a medium through which they travel. It seems like she sort of figures out the story as she goes along, a few lines will come here and there and then, all of the sudden, she knows what the story is.

I love the last paragraph of the piece, and I agree with her completely. If she knew the answers to all those questions she was aking herself, there would have been no need to write a novel about it. Sometimes when you write, even you need to figure out why you are writing and what is going on in the piece, because if you already knew, then that means others knew, which means you don't need to write about it, and they don't need to read about it.

Why i Write Article (Gabby)

this was definetly more interesting. the main message i got out of it was what writing really means. some write to express their ideas and some write to see what their ideas actually are. i agreed with the concept that writing is merely an attempt for the writer to penetrate the readers most private space, the mind, and influence or sway their thinking. The author is either aiming to be persuasive, informational, or expressing their opinions. most writing is done for a reason.
Its interesting that the author of this article expresses that she does not have free flowing ideas all the time. From reading it it seems that she has all of her thoughts organized in some way and its entertaining to read. as mentioned in the article, it can be hard to get your ideas on paper in a logical, organized way. i thought it was cute how the author used such ananlogies like the passport to the realm of good ideas. this style of writing can often help people understand the message. many writers consider themselves to be average with no special talents. i know i couldnt write an essay like this one anytime soon because i do not have the training for it.
i also liked the part about writers who write based on past images that pop into their heads. i often write off of past images and experiences to mesh my writing together. these images and life examples often end up helping complete a story or big picture. for me its like the dots or numbers in a connect the dots picture. Writing for me, is the lines inbetween that CONNECT THE DOTS.

didion-why i write

I definitely found this week's article to be much more interesting and easy to read compared to last week, thank you. I agreed with Didion where she explained that when a person writes it forces the reader to see things in the writers perspective. I never really thought about writing that way, but I can totally agree with the point she is making. I in a way found it humorous about why she stole her title to explain her passage is going to be about why she writes and nothing else. Sometimes I feel like I can get off track very easily with my writing and my title or thesis statement kind of helps pull me back into what is the point I am trying to make and to help keep me on track, just like Didion was trying to say. I like that about writing that the reader has to listen to the beliefs you have and they cannot argue with you. I thought it was interesting that Didion is a very descriptive writer. She really makes you imagine the things she is trying to describe and almost put you there with her in the setting she is describing. I found it sort of strange the way that Didion used pictures so often. I did not realize that some writers imagine pictures and objects so often when she writes. It almost sounds as if she creates this story in her head and then just write down everything she came up with in her head on paper. I do not think I could ever be as creative as she is.

Joan Didion "Why I Write"

I thought that this reading was easy to understand and was some what interesting. The one thing I easily picked up in the reading was that she states she is neither a good or bad writer, just simply a writer. I don't really think you can label yourself as being good or bad because it really matters on the audience and who sees it to judge it and not yourself. Another thing that stood out to me was the fact that she visualizes a lot. I feel that I am the same way. When I read I like to visualize to give me a better understanding of what I am reading. Even if I am learning something new, I like to see it first because if I do then it stays in my head and I don't forget it. This sentence really stuck out to me, "The arrangement of words matters, and the arrangement you want can be found in the picture in your mind." The point she is making is that when you are writing everything has to make sense and it all comes from your mind. I totally agree with her on this. When I start to write I always think of so many things I can write about in my head and how i want it all to look in the end. After it is all said and done you really need to make sure everything makes sense, if a word is in the wrong place it makes your writing look bad. If you give it enough thought the outcome will come as a picture in your head.

Why I Write [TH]

When reading this passage by Joan Didion at first I had no idea where she was going at with it, but as I kept reading it all started to make sense. At first she started talking about how in college she had no idea what she wanted to do. She talked about how she was interested in Marine Biology but wouldn't follow that for a career. As she kept talking she said she was glad she didn't have all her credentials because if she did, she would have never come upon writing. Joan has a very good point in the story she states that she's not a good writer or a bad writer, she was a writer because she had a passion for it. This shows me that in whatever you do in life you should have a passion for it. I also liked the way that Joan described grammar to a piano, or the angle of a picture. I had never thought about grammar this way. It is a very true statement because if you think about it both angles of pictures or type of grammar you use can change what your trying to say. Joan also states that when she's writing something she looks at pictures. I can agree with her on this because when you look at a picture you wonder what their doing, why their doing it and things of that sort. This type of method I think would be a good way of coming up with ideas. Overall, I think this reading was a lot better than last weeks but not better than the story about the man selling all his stuff.

Joan Didion "Why I Write"

I agreed with various things that Joan Didion said in the passage "Why I Write". In the first couple pages she mentions how she isn't a "good" or a "bad" writer, she states that she is just simply a writer. " A person whose most absorbed and passionate hours are spent arranging words on a piece of paper". This shows a valid point that I somewhat go by. Shes saying that there is only one way to judge whether you're a writer, and that's if you enjoy it or you love devoting your time into writing. I also liked how she said writing is the way she get her emotion out and all of her creativity. Sometimes the best way to express yourself is to write something whether it be how you feel or on a blog talking to someone. I liked the perspective that she added on it by saying its how she knows what she's thinking ,and feeling Etc. I totally understand where shes coming from because when I sit down to write a paper it serves me best to brainstorm and just write all of my ideas out so i can sit and collect on what i was just thinking about.

Joan didion -why I write

In my opinion Joan Didion was a little hard to understand so it made the reading hard to follow. This was probably because it was hard for me to focus on the reading. I did understand a little bit though. One thing I did like that she talked about was how authors use imagery to form their story lines when they write. I thought this was interesting because when I read a story I automatically make the story into pictures in my mind to help me better understand the story. I never really thought about this but imagery goes every which way. It writes the story for the writer and it reads the story for the reader.I have to visualize almost everything in life to completely understand it. If I can not picture it in my mind, I most likely do not understand it. I also really like how she talks about that one word can change a sentence and one sentence can change a paragraph. I thought that was very interesting because I have never sat down and thought about it. One word can most definitely change a sentence. One word can turn the whole meaning of a sentence around or one word can make the sentence more hard to understand or easier to understand. It all depends. One sentence in a paragraph can do the exact same thing. Its actually really crazy to think about. Another thing that I found that was interesting or unusual was how she says "Let me tell you one thing about why writers write: had I known the answer to any of these questions I would never have needed to write a novel." I never really thought about this either. It would seem like writers would know everything they are going to write before they write but in actuality they really don't. They write their novels, etc. as the ideas or images come to their mind. Which I find very fascinating.

JoanDidion BBReading

This reading was quite interesting. There were many things that Joan said that I could relate to which made it easy to follow. I liked how she talked about the imagery that she uses in her writings. I had never thought about the author's thoughts when writing novel; how they have to find words that link harmoniously. They have to decide what details to put in and leave out.
Every time we read a book, we visualize in our minds the story that is playing out. We make our own movie in a sense. When I read a book, the author starts out with a character or a scene or a thought and I picture them in my mind. I think about all of the details that he/she had described and I paint my own picture. As the story goes on and the plot progresses, more details are released about the different people and my painting is edited. The most interesting part about it, is that the author controls what you can and cannot see. They decide what is necessary and unnecessary visually as well. They leave out the details that are not crucial for the plot line. They visually describe in many different ways. Sometimes the author comes right out and says it from the narrators point of view. Other times they give the images through other characters. They add details in their lingo and even into their thoughts. It wasn't until reading Joan's article that I realized authors not only have to create a story, but have to also detail the story in a way that makes sense to a range of people. They have to decide how to word their sentences perfectly and add just the right amount of details so that the story is portrayed the way that it is meant to be.

why I write reading

In the reading i liked how it said I I I as in why I write listen to me and what I have to say. That was a good point when you write people get to read your thoughts emotions and what you put down on the page. she was very random and hard to follow in the beginning while she was talking about her learning style which i believe is visual. this relates with out new topic that we were just assigned. Joan Didion said when someone writes they saying what they believe in, or telling a life story...I liked how she said it was like a secret bullying. "All I knew then was what I wasn’t" I can related to this because I am undecided and am having a hard time figuring out who i want to be seeing as i will be stuck with that for a while. I don't want to be someone who hates their job and is miserable. I also liked the quote "I write entirely to find out what I’m thinking, what I’m looking at, what I see and what it means. What I want and what I fear. This can be true writing helps people express themselves. this quote touched me and i found it interesting. Also when she brings up how one word can change a sentence, and on sentence can changes a paragraph, and so on. that is true to be a writer you have to be smart minded on the work you are putting out. This reading was much better then the last one. It makes me realize i am indeed not a writer, i will just have to settle for reading other peoples work.

In class: Why Write?

I think people write different things for different reasons. Sometimes I’ll write because I feel creative and inspired by something. Sometimes I write because I have to.

There are other times when I write because I have something to say, a point to be made. For me, it’s one of the best ways to get out full thoughts and not have it all jumbled up and confused. I can organize what I want to say before anyone can interpret it the wrong way. On the other end of the spectrum there are times when I write because there is something that I don’t want to say. This is usually in a journal, or hidden somewhere in a story.

Writing is a good way to manifest your emotions so that you don’t have to carry them around wherever you go. Writing is also a way of sharing ideas with mass amounts of people. It’s a way for your ideas and emotions to take a physical form, so that you won’t forget them.

Some people write to teach a lesson so that others can learn from the mistakes they’ve made. It’s an amazing way to connect with people on a different level. There are a lot of things people will write but would never say out loud.

Why Write? (In-Class Blog Week 5)

Why write? Well let's see here. I write because I'm told to, like now we are blogging/writing about why to write. So that's a pretty valid excuse on why to write. Many people write because it is either their profession or source of money, so that's pretty understandable. But, when I hear of people who write just because they like to or they have a passion for writing I get kind of irritated because I don't like writing. Who I am to judge though, people do what they love. Maybe one day I'll write because I like to. I'll be honest with you guys here. I started a journal when I came to Kent because I was a homesick and I missed my friends and family. It started to help me a little bit and it's only a weekly thing and I sum up my week and to be honest it makes me feel good when I write about myself and experiences that I had that week. It is funny that this is whaat we are blogging about because earlier today I got a message on Facebook from my cousin telling me that he also had a tough time when he went away to school in NYC and he wanted to go home and didn't like it there, but he wrote a very long story about his home life and his transition into college. He said that really helped him out a lot. So I guess I write almost every week to make myself feel a little bit better about being away from home. Almost every week I think about the "what if''s" and it makes me sick to my stomach but writing about it calms me down a lot.

why write?

I think that there are many reasons why people write and for each person there's a different reason. Some people write because they're like Dideon, they think of the start of a story and have to keep it going because they don't even know how it's going to end. Some people do it to relieve stress and write down whatever emotions they're feeling. Some write what they went through that day because they don't have anyone else to explain to. Some people do it even if they don't want to because they have an "itch" to write like hypergraphia. Some people do it just because they're bored. I don't think there is a reason more important then the other of why people write, I think the final product, what they actually wrote, is more important. Some people can put so much thought into a story because it involves they're emotions and is coming right from the heart and have a paper that's just as good as someone who was forced to write for school and put no effort into it at all. For me I usually write because I have to for school and then when I start to write I get more into it and put emotion into it. I don't believe that the question "why write?" can be answered with a simple answer because no person is the same. We might have a very similar reason as to why but i don't think any two reasons are identical there's always something a little bit different.

hmmm....why write??

People write for many different reasons. Some people write to inform, and many write for entertainment. People can write for personal enjoyment while many others do this for the money. I write because its a form of communication and in my opinion illiteracy is a major setback. The vast majority of people write on a daily basis whether it through a text message, via email, typed, oir simply on traditional pen and paper. I write because as a college student there is no way around writing. I write on a daily basis and personally could not see, or imagine myself not writing at all. Writing should be as natural as thinking. If you can think, unless you are illiterate, you can write in some kind of form. It may not be advanced, but writing is simple. Besides tthe way society is today, there is no way possible of living in America not being able to write, unless you're filthy rich and sitting on billions and billions of dollars, that is.Umm...no I still can't imagine it. You have to write to live, unless you have a person who does all of your writing for you. I don't think that anybody has the time or patience for this anyways. Writing is also a way to express emotions and can be a relaxation technique. I mean even people that hate writing writes. Some people don't enjoy it but rather writes just because they have to, not because they want to. Like I said there is no possible way around it, unless somebody just extremely hates it and brainstorms how to live without writing.

In Class Blog: Why Write?

I believe you should write to express your feelings. When you’re feeling a certain way you can try writing about it and it may help you. Writing also helps to organize your thoughts. If you are thinking about a lot of things getting them out on paper may help you figure things out better. It’s easier to read things rather than to keep them in your mind. Writing things down frees your mind from all the random thoughts and allows your mind to process one thing at a time rather than thinking about a lot of different things all at the same time.

I sometimes write when I am bored because it gives me something to do. When I’m bored a lot of random things come to my mind. I like to create little funny stories for my brother when I’m just sitting there and I have nothing else to do. I don’t usually write these down but lately I’ve been thinking about creating a short story children’s book, but I don’t know whether or not I will do this for sure. If I do this I will be writing to entertain young kids and to take up some of my free time. Writing can be a punishment for some, but a leisure time activity for others. Why you write depends on your personality, likes and dislikes.

why write

Why write? many people write for many different reasons. Many people write to express their feelings about a event or how they feel a certain situation. A lot of people write these feelings in a diary or journal. Writing feelings on on paper allows someone to almost lift their problems off of their shoulders. It is almost like venting to someone else except it is only to yourself. Keeping something inside of you like really be uncomfortable and is sometimes a lot to carry. Another reason people might write is for a job. They may or may not love the job depending on the circumstance. If the person has a writing job they may only be doing it for the income that it provides for his or her family. So it may be a money issue. Others maybe love to write, maybe might work for a newspaper or something in which they do not make that much money. It really all depends. I believe you must love your job though. People in general may just write for fun. Writing anything that comes to mind such as stories, songs, or poems. In my personal life I really do not like to write. I wished i did enjoy it because I feel like I would definitely enjoy the process more and maybe be a better writer but I really do not like to. Writing does not come easy to me. I have to think long and hard when i write something in order for it to sound alright.

I seriously dread anything and everything I have to write but i do deal with it. I know I must write and practice because I will write things for the rest of my life.

why do I write? robin k.

I write for many reasons. I write for one because sometimes I have to for a class or for homework. Sometimes I write whenever I cannot talk to my friends either in person or on the phone, so I communicate through e-mail, texting, facebook or IM. Sometimes I also write whenever I am frustrated and just want to get out my thoughts that I cannot actually say to someone and then I just close the word document after I am done and just never send it or do anything with it. Expressing my thoughts like that helps get rid of my stress or thoughts that I cannot personally express to someone and keeps me out of trouble which is nice. I think it would be impossible not to write. If you did not write you would not be able to express yourself. People would not be able to keep up with the constant growth of technology if they did not write, since most communication is through writing online. Writing also helps people that are really shy express themselves as well because they have trouble expressing themselves out loud, but can they express themselves through writing. If people did not write we also would not have any books to read because of no one writing.

why write?

why write... well sometimes you have to, for school or letters or emials and so on. sometimes writing can be used for fun to. my fav. kind of writing is free writing, or in a journal. about things and topics that are easy to right about, and easy to get on paper. I hate being forced to write papers. i like righting about topics i know about or that would be usful to write about. writing is everywhere you go. there are all kinds of types of writing you can do.

I write for papers, for school, for work, to leave notes, and so on. I write all the time it is part of your everyday life. writing can be fun at times and others not so much it just depends if you like to write or you like what your writing about. people should right to express the way they feel get out there emotions rather then keeping them all inside. writing is key to a lot of things. the way you write can make people feel the way you do or know how you feel. my one friend writes very well and i love reading her work. i write just to right i am very random and mess a lot of things up. i never right for fun though, cause to me its not fun. but writing is everywere and somethings you just have to do its part of life and writing will always be there!

WhyWrite

To me, there are many reasons why a person writes. Any type of writing is a form of expression. It is used for ventilation, therapy, and as a passageway to someone's inner thoughts. When I write, it is normally for an assignment. That is not to say that I don't enjoy writing about topics that I am interested in. I recently learned, and by recently I am referring to last week, that writing can be enjoyable. When this class first began, I was very skeptical because I never understood all of the hype about blogging. I couldn't fathom the idea of going online and typing about my day to day life. I thought that people just wouldn't be interested. I thought that blogs were just for people that had no one but the internet to vent to. It wasn't until I started blogging myself that I would fully appreciate it. I enjoy blogging because it is a way to gather my thoughts and put them into words. When I blog I actually have to tame my thoughts and put them consciously into sentences. This way, I learn more about what I am reading because I have to think deeper into the reading to pull out the meaning. I like the type of learning that gets me thinking as oppose to learning chemistry or biology which I don't understand at all.

Oh and another thing, I'm only going to admit my enjoyment of blogging on my blog. :)

Why Write?- Ellie Dudding

The reasons why I write change with what I write. Sometimes I write because I need to for an assignment or a favor, sometimes I write to keep track of my thoughts (like Joan Didion) and sometimes I write just because I have something to say. When I write for myself I find comfort in what I'm doing. As I have stated before, I enjoy keeping a journal. One reason I write is to keep a record of my life. In twenty or fifty years from now I can read the journal that I'm keeping now and remember my experiences as a college freshman. Even when I die there will be a physical record of the happenings of my life.
Sometimes, if I come across an idea or issue that really moves me; I'll write an essay about it. Saved on my computer right now I have one essay on beauty and one on the apathy of my generation. I'll send my essays to a certain friend or my sister but other then that I tend to keep them to myself. Although most of the things I write will never reach an audience it doesn't matter. Whether it's a record of my life, an idea that I wanted to put on paper or the release of frustration, I write for myself.

Why Write?

I feel like there a multiple reasons why people write. Personally, I tend to write when it is assigned. I am sort of unique I guess, I only write when it is assigned but I am going to school to be a journalist. Normally, journalists love to write and do it often for enjoyment. I definitely am not like that, but I do not mind doing it. When giving an assignment I am not the student who absolutely hates it, I get it done to best of my ability. I like to read write about topics that interest me, so if given an assignment that falls into that category I am even more excited to write it. If given the option to write a paper or do math problems, I will always hands down choose writing. In fact English class was something I always excelled in at my high school. My high school was very strict with their writing process. In fact Thomas Jefferson in the Pittsburgh area is actually known for their English department. Therefore, I have the ability to write a good paper, at least I think I do.

Why Write?

For many people writing is something that is forced upon them. For example, right now I am writing a blog because Phil told us to even though I don't want to. Depending on what job you have or what your intrests are, why you write can be for a variety of reasons. In modern society I believe not many people write because they want to, they do so because they have to. Not the average person sits down and says "Hey, I think i'll write a paper". They do it for school, work, or anything else saying write this about this. It also doesn't mean that people write alot. What I mean by that is some people log on to Facebook everyday and feel the need to write about their day to thier friends or tell everyone what they are doing/thinking. In essence I suppose that why write means that it's about what you want to write about. I guarantee you ask any student whether they would rather write on Facebook or write a paper and 9 times out of 10 they would say Facebook. Even if the parameters were the same, such as page length or number or words, Facebook would win everytime.

In Class Blog: Why Write

I think that writing is the best way to get your emotions out. I know that some people might say that it is girly for a guy to write down his emotions, but it is no different than a girl writing in her personal diary. It is a way to talk to someone and you don’t even need someone there to say it to. I know that the things that I write down would be awkward to say in front of someone. To me, writing is essential in my life. Now I can say that I would much rather write about something that I am interested in or about my life, rather than getting a boring topic to write about. I think that writing is all about expressing yourself in a way that you usually wouldn’t. I do not write every day, but there are some days that I need to just get things off my chest. I believe that writing is like an escape to somewhere else. I know that sounds all cheesy and what not, but I think that it is a good way to get you mind off of things. Without writing I think that I would be a much different person.

Why I write - in class post

When I write it may be about how I a feeling at that particular moment of the day or how life is going in general. I may be writing about what I am thinking in my mind of made up stories. Writing is a very complicated thing and I really don't write a whole lot. The main reason that I write is probably because I have to for a homework project or assignment but I do sometimes write for fun. When I write for fun I am mainly writing down how I feel and what I am probably going to do to fix my problem. If I am mad or frustrated about something I can sometimes get my anger out by just writing down and exspressing how I feel and try and tell myself that everything will be ok and that things will go smoothly in the end, and sometimes after I do that it works and my frustration goes away and sometimes it don't. I can not stress enough that writing can be a complicated thing and that when you write out your feelings you don't have to be as proper or well written as like an essay would be just write down how you feel and I guess if you wanted to change your thoughts to a story you can later but as for me I wouldn't care to. I will have to say that writing is just a great way and technique to get out all your anger from work,school, home or any other place you might have trouble and just write down what you feel on paper and you will feel I bet 100% better.

Why Write (in class blog)

We write to relay a message, to communicate, to express feelings, and sometimes just to pass the time quicker. Writing is a stress reliever to some and a past time to others. Some people hate to write, some do it only when they have to, and others write daily. In my opinion writing all depends on who is doing it. I am more likely writing to communicate then to just randomly sit down and write a story. I would bet that today everyday of your life you write for something, unless you like live way out in the woods all alone. Writing is a form of expression, when we write... regardless of whether it is in a text message, a note, a letter, an essay, or a novel we show emotion. It is sometimes easier to write how you feel compared to saying it straight to a persons face. To be able to put your heart and soul into something you write down in a lot of ways is a lot easier then to go up to a person and actually watch how they react to what you are saying. People can write to hide behind there true emotion in fear it may be rejected.

Overall I believe that to sit here and try to list the reasons why people write could take days, people write everyday because they are bored, or an assignments due, or just to write.

Why Write?

When someone asks me "why write" many different answers come to mind. One of the first things that comes to mind is related with history. It is important to write because it documents what happened and when so future generations will not make the same mistakes. Also, by writting down facts people in the future will have a better understanding of the past and how life has changed. In my history class we learned about the Native Americans and how they were more of a verbal culture and didn't write things down. Since they had a verbal culture, once the disease of Europeans set in their history was lost forever and now we have to guess what it was like. Another reason that I think we should write is the fact that you can sometimes express emotions better on paper than phisically. Also, writting lets you spread your thoughts to many people easier by things such as internet, newpapers, or even books. Another major reason that we should write is based on law. If we didn't write, we wouldn't have any laws written down so people would do what they wanted when they wanted. All in all, I think writting is one of the most important things in our lives because if we didn't write schools, law and mostly everything else would be impossible.

Why Write? (Kevin)

I think everyone should write because it is a way of expressing yourself, along with a way of learning something new. Some people write poetry, or stories or keep a journal, this is a way of expressing their feelings without actually having to tell someone. Some people find this easier because they feel like they might be judged if they express themselves to an actual person. Writing is a way to get around that, the paper will never judge you. Writing, I think, is also a way to learn new things. Take writing papers for a class, most of the topics we write about are not things that i know. It causes me to look up my information on the computer, in books, or from other people and that is how I learn something new. Take our last essay for example, even though when I do communicate with someone I do focus on their look before what they actually say, I do not necessarily notice myself doing it, but after writing our first paper I notice it a little bit more and I try not to do it as much, i try to listen more. Now even though writing is not one of my favorite things in the world to do, I do feel it is necessary to help you grow and communicate without actually having to talk to someone.

Why Write?

There could be multiple reasons for an individual to write. Believe it or not some people actually love to write, and most times when someone truly loves to write they write to either express themselves or just clear their head of the things that might be going on in their life. Most times when i write its because i have to, but others maybe to memorize like when i study for a test. More often then not though people have a designated purpose for them to write. I know many people do blogs such as this to express themselves and discuss topics openly with other people. This helps people to talk to other people about an important issue and sometimes replaces the use of talking person to person. Sometimes certain ideas cannot be expressed in the same whether it be person to person or over a telephone. Writing provides a means for people to write everything that they are feeling down and then arrange the words into how they want it to sound or come across another person. Without writing this cannot be done because when you are having a conversation with another person you say what you think , there isn't any hesitation or rearranging.

WHY WRITE? - Julie K

Why write?

The simplest way to answer this question would be to say for many reasons. Why do I, personally, write? I write because I have to. I write because they make us write for school. I write to express myself. I write because I like to. I write because then I don't have to remember as much. I write because I want to tell people how I feel. I write because it's a way to get my ideas down on paper/screen. I write to express opinions.

For example, everyone has to go see the May 4th video. For my FYE class all we had to do was post a little writing on what we thought of it and prove we actually saw the video. After the video I had a lot to say. The people I went to see it with definitely got an ear full of everything I was feeling about the video. When it came time to write my post, I found that I had lost that fire that I had had before.

If you write what you feel, when you feel it, it can be rewarding. Maybe you'll find when you read it later that you don't feel that same, maybe you'll find you forgot you felt that way at all, maybe you'll laugh at yourself for being dramatic. I think that you can only benefit from writing.

Greg Knapp- Why Write

I believe that everyone writes for a different reason. Some people write when they have no other choice. They have to write to get things out like emotions, angers, feelings etc. Some write because writing is their safe haven. Without writing, some people would be nothing. Some write to tell stories to millions of people. Musicians tell a story in every song they write. Sure they make a bunch of money from it, but they started with nothing but an empty sheet of paper. Whether it is good or bad, they want to tell you something about their life, and they want you to listen to their lyrics. Write to free your mind from your skull. Free it from all of the thoughts trapped inside your head; thoughts that can only be released by picking up a pencil and simply writing. Write because you can. Some people out there would die to learn to read and write, so don’t take advantage of this gift. Write when you’re feeling down or because you are mad at the world. Release your pain and frustration with a pencil and paper. Write just because it’s a Monday in September.

Why Write?

There are so many reasons for why we write. For me I only write when I have to which is usually for school when essays are assigned. I'm really not into the whole writing thing especially when I have to write about a topic that does not interest me. I do like writing when it is about a subject I like because I can actually write something good since I am familiar with the topic. When I don't struggle with writing a paper I actually find it fun to write. Sometimes there are occasions when I randomly will just write when I get bored to express some of my feelings that I don't want to talk about to anyone. Some people write for fun all the time which I would never be able to do. I feel that there are different things that everyone likes to do and some you may not like to do but at some point in time you will have to do them anyways. Whether you like it or not writing is part of your life all the time. There are places you would least expect it to come up but writing will always be in your life.

Why Write (BG)

Why write? That’s a good question. I think that writing is a big part in education and even everyday life. Writing provides a chance to get thoughts, emotions, opinions, arguments, stories, lives etc. on paper to share with others. Writing gives a chance to let others know your view, thoughts and take on topics. In school we are asked to write, I believe, because the teacher doesn’t have time to listen to every single student go on about a topic or question. Writing gives a chance to hear the whole story, and understand why they feel that way, and even get a better understanding of where the writer is coming from. Writing is also a way for others to express themselves without being judged, writing things down they don’t want to say helps get what they want to say out. Even when trying to be romantic, people write stories, poems even songs. Writing is so universal that everyone uses in different ways every day. I guess what I am trying to say is instead of asking why write, I guess the real question in my opinion is why not write? We all do it every day wither we realize it or not, maybe you don’t write as a job, but you write every day. Writing is a tool that everyone uses.

Why Write?

I think people write because it is a way of perserving thoughts and ideas so that other people can see them later on. Especially in history the ability to write and record things was a huge deal, and there are many documents that are still referenced today. Writing makes our thoughts more permanent and can provide future generations with a view of what the past was like. As for writing for enjoyment it can be a good way to express yourself artistically. Writing is also a good way to clear your head. Sometimes for me if there is a lot bothering me i just write about everything, whatever im thinking and i do this because it can relieve a lot of stress and let me vent without making someone listen to all my little problems.

why i write

When i first started the reading I was a little confused by where she was going. I felt that she was just rambling about whatever popped in her head and she would occasionally make some good points. Towards the end however i had a more clear picture at what she was saying and how it all went together. I really liked her statement that writing is bullying because in a lot of cases it is. Your pushing your ideas so hard onto someone else especially in persuasive essays that in some cases (at least for me) you might even get mad as your writing good points on your subject and think "duh why wouldn't you already know this." I also like her points about not being able to think in the abstract, mainly because I'm the opposite way. I can look at an object and see so much deeper meaning into it i don't just look at a painting and say "it's a painting" I have to go into much deeper thought about it. The emotion that's shown by the strokes of the brush, what the picture is really trying to say, etc. I also like how Joan had no idea what she wanted to do or be and being a writer isn't really something she wanted it just came to her like it chose her. Writing is something that obviously comes naturally to Didion. Certain events in her life trigger random stories that she feels the need to write because once she starts a story, she wants to know more about it. She has to know how it ends, she doesn't just start it off already having a conclusion and a moral all picked out. She just starts it wherever and her knowledge about what's happening in it doesn't going on until the story goes on. I really like that she said that because i feel the same way if I'm writing a creative writing piece for school I don't have a story already planed out I just write and see where it takes me. Joan proves she feels the same way in her last quote "Let me tell you one thing about why writers write: had I known the answer to any of these questions I would never have needed to write a novel." I think this sums up all writers thoughts perfectly.

Why I Write (Blog Week 5)

After reading this I realized that it was quite interesting. Me as a person today I have no clue what I want to do in life. I just dropped my major and a two classes here and I am transferring next semester. I'm going back home because I feel like Kent is not the place where I feel fit to stay for four years. I don't even know what interests me as a career. I sound kind of like person who doesn't like the places he goes but Kent State is not really the school for me, I guess that's what I'm trying to say here.

I feel like I haven't gotten the status of being call a "man," I feel more like a teenager/child still. I've never had a job and I can't seem to make some people close to me happy. I feel like a failure sometimes but I eventually move on with everything and keeping your head up is key to being successful most of the time. Didion talks about failing and moving on. It's a part of life and it goes on. This reading was a lot more interesting then last weeks for sure! I related to this because I'm having a tough time in my life right now. Can't wait for next week's reading, hopefully I can related it my life again.

Why I Write.

When I first started to read this, I was a little confused. Actually, by the end I was still pretty confused. What I took from this was that people develop their creativity from different places. If Didion would have not failed or had not done what she has done, then she would never have figured out that she is a writer.

To start I think it's crazy that she compared writing to bullying. I think that's so true. You are trying to get people to agree with you. You're putting all your work out there, all your knowledge out there to get people to see things your way. In papers where my opinion doesn't really matter, I find it hard to tone down my feelings on the topic and write strictly fact based. Writing this way however makes it difficult to write a paper when I don't agree with the topic.

Moving on, the fact that Didion's plans didn't go as planned gave her reason to write, which I think is pretty cool. The way her stories come together is pretty cool as well. The idea of writing with "white space" in mind seems extremely challenging, but the way she described her story using that idea was really interesting. She can create characters that can do whatever they want, they can be whoever she wants them to be.

I also enjoyed hearing about this "shimmer." The way she compares herself to someone on hallucinogens or someone that has schizophrenia is just crazy. But to me it also seems magical, like her creativity is visible, only to her maybe, but it seems real. She sees things in a different way, and I think that most people do not see things the same way, or else we would all love and hate the same things.

Why I Write

This reading was interesting. I like how Joan began by talking about her college experience. I feel like I can relate to her because my major is currently exploratory. Although I know what I want to go into there’s a possibility that I may change my mind so like what she said “all I know now is what I’m not.” I like how she describes writing as putting out your life story. I believe thing that comes to mind can relate to you even if it’s just a little. This takes me back to her “why I write…I I I” statement. I agree with this a lot. When writing you are writing for other buts it’s mainly for yourself. You write because you like to or because something interesting has come to mind. Like her you may get a picture in your head that you just may have to write about to get it out of your head.

Joan made a lot of good key points when talking about writing and imagery. I like the way Joan compared the “shimmer” of the picture to the “grammar” of writing. Joan says “Let me tell you one thing about why writers write: had I known the answer to any of these questions I would never have needed to write a novel, this means writers write because they are picturing an image that they have a question that needs an answer. The only way for the writer to find this answer is to write this novel and read it at the end. All of the questions should be answer then, if not it’s time to write another novel.

Why I Write

I think he has a good point when he says that no matter what, anytime you put words on paper that it is a secret tactic of bullying. The reason I agree with this is because that whenever I write a paper, I somehow always jend up putting my opinion in that paper. I believe everyone does because it is human nature, you always want people to know your opinion. Even if it has nothing at all to do with your life or anything concerning you. Another good point he makes is that when you try to force yourself to do something, in his case learn, that you often find yourself thinking about something else that puzzles your mind. Sometimes when I am in class I find myself wondering if I locked the door or what the place we ride dirt bikes looks like if its raining. Your brain just thinks of anything to keep itself going. He also says that on his trips to Sacramento that he does not remember much about what Milton but rather the smell of butter. For some reason I find this to be true with almost everyone. When you go some where and you smell a particular smell, it seems to stick with you no matter how long ago it was. Hospitals, in my case, are the most notable smell that I will never forget or always recognize. No matter where I am in the world or if it is thirty years from now, I always will know the smell of a hospital. I was confused by what he meant with the whole picture and there was shimmer behind the cat.

Why I Write

I really enjoyed this reading. Actually, anything would enjoyable after the last reading, but I did like this reading. I think it relates to me a lot more than I thought. I can relate to how Joan felt in college. As of right now I don't know who I am. Coming from a small town to Kent has been a huge transition and I am still getting used to it. Just like Joan, I am trying to decide what I want to do with the rest of my life. Even though I have a major in mind right now, that does not mean that I won’t change my mind.

Didion says in a simple two word sentence, “I failed.” I like this sentence because it says so much in two words. I have failed at so many different things and I am still going. Just like Didion I did not give. Even though things might get hard, you cannot just throw in the towel. There have been plenty of times that I have just wanted to call it quits. (Even within the last month.) Then I think of all the people that I am making proud and what I will accomplish after all this hard work. I think Didion is trying to say that you will find out who you are one day. You might be 18 or 50, but you will eventually figure it out.

Why I Write (BG)

This reading really was more enjoyable than the last reading in all honesty. I agree that writing speaks louder than actual words most of the time. One word can change a sentence, one paragraph can change an essay, and one chapter can change a story. When writing you can really get into what your saying and let ideas flow right from your mind to the paper. Joan brought a lot of good points and backed them up very well. You write how you talk. When I write I am always saying what I am writing as i am writing it in my head. But at the same time when writing a report for class, you may write a little different because if you would give the presentation you would talk a little different than you normally would. when reading there are sometimes words that some people would wonder why its in there, but when just reading you automatically know what it means. you don't need to stop and think about what it means, you just know from reading the sentence. Overall, every writer has a different writing style that makes them their own writer. this reading was good and i enjoyed it, but it just makes me think about when we were asked if you conceder yourself to be a writer. After reading this assignment, i can honestly say that i still feel the same way, and i conceder myself not to be a writer.

Why I write

In '" Why I write " Joan didion was explaining that when someone writes a story they are pushing either their life story or they are saying what they believe in, and she said it was kind of like a secret bullying type of deal. I believe that is a cool way to put it. When you do write and you get really into what you are writing about you could become some type of bully but not the kind that is straight forward it is kind of like she said a secret bully. I also thought it was really neat in the way she explained her title. In the title "Why I write " you hear the sound of " I I I , in which she said explains to all of us what writing is about, you talk about what you believe in or what you are wanting to write about and I absolutly believe that is about 99% true. The reason I say about 99% true is because I believe that sometimes when you write you are doing some report and you have to but in a way you are still trying to get your point across, just not by your choice. Didion again also brings up a good point about words like imagery. You can sometimes come across words like imagery and know exactly what that means with out even being told that because you could tell by the word that somebody wrote what exactly that means without really giving it any second thought. I believed that this artical was very interesting, Joan had brought up some very good points and I backed up every single one of them very nicely.

Greg Knapp- Why I Write

In many ways I was able to relate to Joan Didion. Didion talked of her life in college. "All I knew then was what I wasn’t". I can relate to this in the way that I have no idea what I want to do or who I am yet. I am looking for that missing piece of the puzzle much like Didion was at one point of her life. I like when she refers to writing as a secret bully. This made a lot of sense to me. She states, “setting words on paper is […] an imposition of the writer’s sensibility on the reader’s most private space”. After reading this a few times it made me think. Even if you are not writing a persuasive paper, you are still making the reader second guess his or her thoughts. When a reader reads someone else’s thoughts, their own thoughts are open to change. She had a very valid point.

This reading reminded me of the blog that we had to write over whether or not we considered ourselves writers. Didion states, “I write entirely to find out what I’m thinking, what I’m looking at, what I see and what it means”. I wrote something to this affect on that blog. I stated that a writer is someone who writes when they have no other way of expressing themselves or when they have uncontrollable urges to simply write. She is obviously a writer. She speaks of a “shimmer” which is what I believe to be something that a writer possesses. She can easily make a story up of anyone one she wants to which gives her the power to be a writer.

Why I Write by Joan Didion

In her essay Joan Didion wrote, "I write entirely to find out what I’m thinking, what I’m looking at, what I see and what it means. What I want and what I fear." This statement is not only very beautiful, but for me, it sums up the reason I like to write as well. I keep a journal and I've found it to be enormously helpful when dealing with dilemmas. If you can look at a situation from the perspective of coherent thoughts gathered on a page, then it's easier to make a clear-minded decision.
I also enjoyed what she had to say on imagery and the imagery she incorporated into her piece. Imagery is something I look for when I read and a skill I would like to further develop in my own writing. The descriptions of her experience on the Greyhound bus to Berkley were very vivid.
Her opening statement sparked my curiosity for what it was that George Orwell had to say on writing so I looked it up. Interestingly enough both authors brought up Paradise Lost in their essays. For Joan, Paradise Lost didn't seem to make an impression but George Orwell claimed it was when he "discovered the joy of mere words, i.e. the sounds and associations of words". Joan Didion made a similar comparison when she said she's "a person whose most absorbed and passionate hours are spent arranging words on pieces of paper." I too would categorize myself as someone who enjoys words for the sake of words- the way they look, sound, and everything they can stand for when placed juxtaposed to one another.

Why I Write

This selection was much more enjoyable than last weeks. In the beginning of the passage I almost felt that she had attention issues the way she talks about how she would start to write, and then begin thinking about something else. I am the exact same way, my work always seems to take way longer than it should because I just begin thinking about something else. It is not because I have attention deficit disorder, sometimes I just think about everything. This makes me think that I can not be a writer. The way she almost defines a writer as "a person whose most absorbed and passionate hours are spent arranging words on pieces of paper." That is not me at all, there are times when I may feel like writing but I would not consider myself the type of person who gets extremely passionate about what I write, I just want the assignment done.

I completely agree that grammar has infinite power. I mean one word change and the sentence can mean something else. I think people underestimate grammar a lot in the world today. I like the way she says she sees everything in her mind. I am also alike in that manner. I have a photographic memory and when people describe something, such as an assignment I almost paint a picture in my mind of what I want my assignment to be. Overall I enjoyed this reading, but like I said previously... it just makes me believe even more that I am not meant to be a writer.