Advice. (12)

     In Ron Koergt's piece he is advising writers to stray away from the traditional notions and concepts about writing. The process of writing is not always linear. Actually, it is more like a messy scribble. He is telling writers to explore life and think outside of the box. Our experiences throughout our lives should motivate our writing and become a part of it. Writing is more than just words...writing is a type of art. Writing should be creative.
     If I could give advice to students that will be taking WSC001, it would be to relax. After taking this course I have learned to accept that nothing I write is going to be perfect. When you sit down to write, just write whatever is on your mind...even if it doesn't make sense. Challenge yourself. That is the point of writing. It's a process. You write, and you rewrite, and you rewrite again. Be creative and exciting when you write. Don't write about things that are boring or bore you. Be honest. If the topic you need to write about was boring to you--find ways around it to express true, exciting feelings. These feelings don't have to be 'good' or positive feelings. Honest writing is the most real writing. It is the most empowering writing for a reader to read. Let go of the formulas that you learned in your twelve years of education outside of college on how to write. Write freely, creatively and most importantly, honestly.

Writing. (11)

What is writing? I don't know. Are the four letter word projects considered writing? Good question. The first thoughts they came into my head when reading the prompt for this post was how writing is words on paper or on a screen... That writing is reading. But when I started to type out my post, I realized that writing is more than just words. I don't know what writing is. I think (maybe) that writing is expressing. Whether it be through words or images or video or dancing or singing. But then that doesn't make much sense...if writing is dancing then what is dancing? I don't know. Are the four letter projects, writing? Yes. Yes they are. But at the same time, no. They are not.

Rodney Jones. (10)

I think that Rodney Jones is arguing that images cannot do what language, or writing does. Jones states in his poem,"no image like the image of language" meaning that words are more powerful than images. I think that throughout the poem Jones creates an image in the reader's mind through his writing and I think that is exactly what he is arguing-- that with writing images are formed through language and that a tangible or viewable image can't always be interpreted the way writing can.

Twouble With Twitter. (6)

I think that when one tweets, there really isn't anyone in particular that they are speaking to. "Who are they talking to?" is an excellent question to ask tweeters. Who am I talking to when I tweet? I do have my own personal twitter aside from the one we made for class. To be honest, I'm not sure who I'm talking to. I think I just tweet thoughts because I want to write my thoughts down and twitter provides a place to do so. I don't tweet to a specific audience unless I'm replying to someone or actually tweeting at someone. Sometimes I'll tweet at someone and wonder why I didn't just text or call them. I'm not sure who is reading my tweets...maybe those who follow me because my twitter is a private account. But to be honest, I don't really care who reads my tweets. So why do I tweet? I think I tweet for selfish reasons. Twitter is a blog. I micro blog my thoughts.. Usually pertaining to food or if hungry or if I think someone looks/smells/seems weird (nice right?). I originally made my twitter to follow my favorite bands and artists and I didn't tweet at all. Eventually I started to and I have been ever since. I agree with the video when it says that tweeters tweet to "no one and everyone at the same time." I also agree with the man who basically says how stupid twitter is and how in our generation we keep on making more and more pointless programs/websites/technological things that we get addicted to. Twitter is stupid and pointless and I think a lot of people that have an account agree, yet we (as tweeters) all still have a twitter and continue to tweet. It's a weird addiction.

Anticipating Readers. (9)

When I put on text, I sometimes anticipate readers, depending on what I'm wearing, why I'm wearing it, when I'm wearing it, where I'm wearing it and what kind of mood I'm in. For example, if I were really passionate about supporting a specific cause and I wore a t-shirt representing it, YES! I most definitely am anticipating readers. I want people to know about whatever cause I'm supporting and maybe even assist in getting word out or joining me in supporting it. Other times, I just throw on a shirt or pants that may have writing on it that I don't really anticipate readers. If I wore Uggs which I do quite often to class, I don't really anticipate readers to read the text on my boots. And yet other times I do anticipate readers but I don't at the same time. I may put on a Hofstra shirt (REPRESENT) and I don't really look to anticipate readers, but I wouldn't mind if a conversation sparked. I think wearing text is definitely a way to present your personality to the world in a discrete yet so open way, and it invites people--whether they be people you know or strangers, to get a glimpse of who you are.

Taylor. (7&8)

I think Zayde Smith's argument that the flexibility of voice leads to a flexibility in all things is true.

The flexibility of voice implies the ability to not only see another's perspective, but to explain, give light to, and illustrate that perspective to other people.

The more perspectives one can see, the better able one is to understand a situation as whole, not broken into me vs. the other. The more perspectives one sees, or flexible one becomes, the situation changes from me vs. the other, eventually eliminating the other (because one then becomes the other). The more voices one can give voice to, the better able one is able to understand different perspectives and reason differently.

Taylor is influenced by the writing implement she uses. The different colors she uses are different sections of her thoughts-- a pretty way to organize them! I don't think she is more or less expressive as a result of the physical constraints of the crayoned page. I think Taylor expresses her thoughts clearly, to as much of the extent her words will let her. This writing is good! I know this is good because she and I seemed to have very similar thoughts on why Smith's statement in true...but I feel as if she hit the nail more than I did. For some reason I couldn't think of the right words to use as I was writing my opinion but it was as if Taylor thought of the right words to use for both her and my opinion.

Presidents and Poets. (5)

To conclude her essay, Smith discloses: "In this lecture I have been seeking to tentatively suggest that the voice that speaks with such freedom, thus unburdened by dogma and personal bias, thus flooded with empathy, might make a good president" (192). However, she rejects this claim by advocating for the many-voiced role of the poet. What is the difference between the rhetoric of a president and that of a poet? Does Smith suggest there should be a difference?

Smith states that Obama "doesn't just speak for his people. He can speak them" (182). When speaking as a president, you must always be able to speak the voices of your nations' citizens. This is because you are representing the leader of the nation, and you often in time must speak what your country's people want. You know what they want to hear, because you know what they want you to accomplish. Unfortunately this rhetoric of a president does not please everyone, as he can only speak some of the ideas of his people, not all. This inevitably causes a dislike for the president from different groups that see differently. This causes tension between the president and the citizens, but there is really nothing one can do. A poet on the other hand has no issues with different voices. That is one of the factors to the art of poetry. The poet or the poem is often an enigma...giving the reader or audience to interpret the work on their own. By having several voices, the poet may give cause a reaction in the reader that he or she may not have intended to create. There is no significant difference in the rhetoric of poets and presidents, only a slight one, as poets reach the wants of their readers in a discrete way, allowing the audience to decide for themselves how to interpret what they are saying. Presidents on the other hand must be speak as a confident leader, disclosing their ideas clearly. However, both need to be able to open up their voices and ears to their audiences and be flexible with their words as much as possible. I think Smith views this in a similar sense as she states, "I believe that flexibility of voice leads to a flexibility in all things. My audacious hope in Obama is based, I'm afraid, on precisely such flimsy premises" (194).

Speaking in Tongues. (4)

"Speaking in Tongues" by Zadie Smith (Hitchens, 179-194)

1. In the first paragraph, Smith uses the word voice six times --"This voice...English voice...not the voice...this was the voice...have the voice...this voice..." (Hitchens 179). What is/are the voice(s) the author is referring to?
2. Smith states the claim that many societies believe that "Voices are meant to be unchanging and singular...our voices are who we are, and that to have more than one, or to use different versions of a voice for different occasions, represents...at worst, the loss of our very souls..." (180). What are your views on this claim?
3. Do you think that the voice represents our souls as mentioned in the last paragraph?
4. "For Obama, having more than one voice in your ear is not a burden, or not solely a burden--it is also a gift" (183). Do you think having more than one voice is a burden or a gift? Or is it both?
5. "...I'm not proud to be female either. I am not even proud to be human-- I only love to be so. As I love to be female and I love to be black, and I love that I had a white father" (188). Why is Smith stating these thoughts? Why are they relevant? What is she trying to say?
6. What is the point of Smith's work? What is she arguing? Do you agree or disagree?

Tweet tweet. (3)

What I really think about the writing space that twitter affords is that it's creative. It gets whoever is tweeting to think about what they have to say as concisely as they can. Although it can be annoying, as some people enjoy sharing quotes or lyrics by tweeting and can't fit it in the 140 character limit. I think it's interesting that the creators of Twitter made it this way. It's kind of like they're saying "keep it short and sweet," to whatever you want to say. It's a way of expressing oneself without putting a mouthful of words into text and into a reader's eyes and/or mind.

Putting on Text. (2)

I'm not sure why so many people wear texts on their clothing and on their skin. Perhaps they feel that such portable writing serves to portray who they are. Wearing text on clothing and/or skin is like a producing and presenting a show to an audience about themselves--obviously, people are going to read the text, and obviously one knows that. Wearing clothing that says "Bacon" gives me the idea that you like bacon. Getting a tattoo of "Hope" and a pink cancer symbol gives me the idea that you are a supporter of helping cure breast cancer. Wearing text is like a small door of your personality that remains open for others to enter.

The Problem of Describing Trees. (1)

In the poem The Problem of Describing Trees by Robert Hass, he is arguing that words can't describe what he's trying to describe...and that it's not always possible to clearly express thoughts through organized words. Sometimes a puzzle, like a poem, is the only substitute for it. Poetry acts as a tool to create images in the mind without actual images.

In regards to the line: "Dance with me, dancer. Oh, I will."

I think Hass is speaking to the reader. Not about legitimately dancing, but telling the reader to follow him...to try and understand what he's trying to say even though words are limiting what exactly he is trying to describe.

Four Letter Word Project.

My four letter word was fall. I tried to portray the different ways that a fall can occur, whether it be physically, mentally, positively or negatively.