English Final Reflective Essay

I think that as a writer, I have grown a lot this year. I have been introduced to many different writing styles and authors, and it has opened my eyes to the world of writing. as I look over my blog posts, I really see how i have developed as a writer. As I look back at the book reviews that I have done, I see my progress in how I comprehend the books I have read. I like having my blog because I feel that the feedback that I get from my peers is very very helpful. It helps in the sense that I am getting feedback from people my age. It was also interesting when I looked at my blogs stats and saw which of my posts were the most viewed. To my surprise, my most viewed post was one of my first post and the first debate that we did in Mr. Sutherland’s class.

           I really like having a blog, but sometimes finding ideas what to write about is difficult. A lot of the time I post on my blog because we are assigned to in our English class, but sometimes I decide to post freely. Whenever I decide to do that, I encounter one of two problems. I encounter writers lock where I get stuck in the middle of writing a post, or simply not knowing what to write about......See it just happened. I didn’t know what to write about thus the “.....”. Actually even this post is a blog assignment for my English class assigned by Mr. Sutherland, and I am still encountering writers block. Even though I do encounter writers block, I feel as if I actually learn from it. I learn from it because of the various ways that I overcome the writers block. Sometimes this means stopping and coming back to the writing, or simply taking a deep breath. These various techniques that I have learned by writing on my blog has not only helped me develop different strategies for writing, but I have developed strategies for overcoming obstacles overall in life.  

           I think that the more open minded writing I do on my blog is much different from more structured writing assignments like in writing class in one major way. On my blog, I am allowed to write about how certain things make me feel, and my opinions about those topics. I really like this type of writing much better because it fits me better. Trying to write about something that does not interest me or do research on something that does not interest me is a little difficult. Those are the type of assignments that I do not like very much, so in comparison I like the writing I am able to do on my blog much better. I think that as a person, having this blog has actually helped me handle with various life problems that I have had over the course of this school year. It has allowed me to get a lot of things off of my chest in more suttle ways, and I really feel like that has benefited me greatly as a person. Who knows, but maybe this has even helped me get better grades this year. I some ways I see some correlation in my blog posts and grades. In the beginning of the year, we ere posting a lot more and my grades were better in the first semester. This semester we did not post as much and my grades  have not been as good a last semesters, but maybe that is just a coincidence. Who knows?

           I am going to recall on a previous post of mine. Clouds & Sky Symbolism (Due: 3/11/11). In that post, I wrote:

Clouds and sky are a recurring theme throughout the book, that my classmates as well as myself picked up on.  I believe that clouds and sky are a sign of freedom and hope to Esperanza. I feel like her hope has diminished throughout her life, because of emotional insecurity due to hormones and growing up. She discusses much insecurity about herself, and relationship status. She wants a man that will hold her and be there for her, and for the majority of the book she does not find the right person. On page 60-61, she writes this poem…

In this post, we were assigned to pick up on silent and non apparent themes with in a book, and that is what I posted about. That skill of picking up this type of symbolism is not a skill that I think I had last year in eighth grade.

Another post of mine that I recall is, “Why I agree with Justice Toailoa on Changing your Child's DNA”. In this post I said, “I think that one thing Justice could have added to her debate, was the very possible chance(s) of genetic mutation and other types of mental illness. By changing or messing with the child's DNA before it is born could leave to these genetic defects. I am going to use smoking as a example. When expecting mothers smoke while pregnant can cause birth defects, than imagine what tampering with their DNA could do. Other than that, I felt that justice's opening statement was very well rounded. The only thing that I would have changed was her evidence. I felt that there was no sources which was ok, but in order to make her arguments valid, sources are needed.” The reason why I found this post of mine special, is because of the fact that I was not only comprehending a book, or article, but a friends work. This is something that I have never done before.

           These are the types of things that I found having a blog allows me to do and I am extremely happy that I have one. Overall, even if we are not assigned any blog posts next year, I strongly believe that I will use my blog for the rest of my life.

English Final Sign ups

Post a comment of what you are bringing please...thanks.We especially need:
-forks
-cups
-chips
-drinks
-and add anything that you are willing to bring

this is about to be hella fun!

My Responses

Beatrice Zulu: I could not make any response or comment on her blog because she did not post her book          review draft. The one up there now is an old half book review that we did before spring break.

Jessica Chen: Hey, there are a few grammar, spelling, and formatting errors here and there but other than that I think it is great. I think that this is definitely good material and I feel that it can most definitely be used for the final. The only thing that I would do is look over it and proofread to fox those few mistakes that there are.


Kasia M.: She also does not have a new Book review. The last post she has is dated back to before spring break as well, so I can not comment on hers. 

Final Book Review: Wisdom of Insecurity

This book has really opened my eyes about the way we as humans act and live our modern day lives. Allan W. Watts does a wonderful job assessing the patterns of actions and attitudes that people live by and live their lifestyles. My English teacher Mr. Sutherland was the one who got me interested in the book, and I really thank him for that. After reading this book, I have somewhat of a better understanding of why people act the way they do, and why they do what they do. Alan W. Watts has addressed the issue of anxiety of today modern society. This anxiety caused my various situations in our modern busy lives. He writes, "We have been accustomed to make this existence worth-while by the belief that there is more than an outward appearance-that we live for a future beyond this life here." What he means by the, is that in today modern society, we always try to push ourselves to create a better life for.us in the future. People do this in many different ways. Religious or not, we find ourselves doing this sometimes even subconsciously. In the case of religious people, they thrive to do good deeds, and keep from doing sins for what? So that they will get into heaven or a better afterlife. This is a bigger view, but what about people who are not religious? They do it too. For example, the average college student. He or she let's college kick their butt so that they will be able to get a better job and make a better life for themselves. I think that Watts writes this book to help us realize. To help us realize the over activity of our modern day lives. To help us realize that we do all of this for something that may it may not actually happen or come true. There are may suggestive themes throughout the book that back up thus idea if over activity in our lives, and the anxiety if what is yet to come. Because we do not know what is yet to come we try to make it the best in the future, but while doing that sometimes making our present lives suck.

He also said "In the ordinary way, we know this as a matter of information but do not feel it to be true. Certainly, most people feel separate from everything that surrounds them...I feel cut off only because I am split within myself, because I try to divide from my own feelings and sensations." This is an issue that I see all the time around me, specially as a teen ager. People generally have a hard time accepting the truth, and because of it they turn themselves into something that is not themselves. For example many teen age girls these days, try their hardest to fit in with the crowd, but in the process they are denying the fact that they are turning themselves into something they don't want to become. Their sense of identity becomes blurred at if not caught in time, they can live a good part of their lives walking in the shadow of someone else. Not showing the world who that person really is. I find this very fascinating, because of the fact that it is all around me. I am sure that I have done it. I 'm sure that I have done numerous times, but of course it is more obvious when you see it in others.

            I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who is interested, because it will explain a lot. Of course the book is completely opinionated, but good nonetheless. There are things that I do not agree with in the book, but those points got me thinking. It got me thinking about what I though about these points and I found myself going really far in depth about the points. I just never really thought about how much of an “act” we as humans and especially teen agers put on to please others, or reassure ourselves on things that we don’t even know is true. Allan also said, "In the ordinary way, we know this as a matter of information but do not feel it to be true. Certainly, most people feel separate from everything that surrounds them...I feel cut off only because I am split within myself, because I try to divide from my own feelings and sensations.". This is an issue that I see all the time around me, specially as a teen ager. People generally have a hard time accepting the truth, and because of it they turn themselves into something that is not themselves. For example many teen age girls these days, try their hardest to fit in with the crowd, but in the process they are denying the fact that they are turning themselves into something they don't want to become. Their sense of identity becomes blurred at if not caught in time, they can live a good part of their lives walking in the shadow of someone else. Not showing the world who that person really is. I find this very fascinating, because of the fact that it is all around me. I am sure that I have done it. I 'm sure that I have done numerous times, but of course it is more obvious when you see it in others.

In todays day and age, we call that "fake". Something that can be taken very offensively among the teen age community these days. The thing that I hope my readers take away from this, is simply being yourself. Not being afraid to recognize the truth. The truth in various forms. Wether it be realizing what type of person you are and affiliating yourself with the right people. Or simply catching yourself when you start to deny yourself the truth. Something that is easier said than done. I believe that Alan Watts wanted us to take this message away from his book, and I certainly have.

The Wisdom of Insecurity Part.2

     Once again, I am reading The Wisdom of Insecurity by Alan W. Watts. As I am nearing the end of the book, I am starting to understand and truly realize some of the things that he is saying in the book. He writes,

"In the ordinary way, we know this as a matter of information but do not feel it to be true. Certainly, most people feel separate from everything that surrounds them...I feel cut off only because I am split within myself, because I try to divide from my own feelings and sensations."

     This is an issue that I see all the time around me, specially as a teen ager. People generally have a hard time accepting the truth, and because of it they turn themselves into something that is not themselves. For example many teen age girls these days, try their hardest to fit in with the crowd, but in the process they are denying the fact that they are turning themselves into something they don't want to become. Their sense of identity becomes blurred at if not caught in time, they can live a good part of their lives walking in the shadow of someone else. Not showing the world who that person really is. I find this very fascinating, because of the fact that it is all around me. I am sure that I have done it. I 'm sure that I have done numerous times, but of course it is more obvious when you see it in others.

     In todays day and age, we call that "fake". Something that can be taken very offensively among the teen age community these days. The thing that I hope my readers take away from this, is simply being yourself. Not being afraid to recognize the truth. The truth in various forms. Wether it be realizing what type of person you are and affiliating yourself with the right people. Or simply catching yourself when you start to deny yourself the truth. Something that is easier said than done. I believe that Alan Watts wanted us to take this message away from his book, and I certainly have.

The Wisdom of Insecurity Draft

Alan W. Watts has adressed the issue of anxiety of today modern society. This anxiety caused my various situations in our modern busy lives. He writes, "We have been accustomed to make this existence worth-while by the belief that there is more than an outward appearance-that we live for a future beyond this life here." What he means by the, is that in today modern society, we always try to push ourselves to create a better life for.us in the future. People do this in many different ways. Religious or not, we find ourselves doing this sometimes even subconciously. In the case of religious people, they thrive to do good deeds, and keep from doing sins for what? So that they will get into heaven or a better afterlife. This is a bigger veiw, but what about people who are not religious? They do it too. For example, the average college student. He or she let's college kick their butt so that they will be able to get a better job and make a better life for themselges. I think that Watts writes this book to help us realize. To help us us realize the over activity of our modern day lives. To help us realize that we do all of this for something that may it may not actually happen or come true. There are mAy suggestive themes throughout the book so far that back up thus idea if over activity in our lives, and the anxiety if what is yet to come. Because we do not know what is yet to come we try to make it the best in the future, but while doing that sometimes making our present lives suck.

Response to Vignette Project

I was looking over Stanley Anderson's Vignette Project, and I found something that caught my eye. He talks about many things that happened to him between 6th and 9th grade, and I found myself relating to a lot of it. Maybe it was because I was friends with him whole a lot of this stuff was going o, but maybe not. As I read through his vignettes, I came to the conclusion that friends meant a lot to him as he was living this time of his life. In the majority of his vignettes, he talks about girls and school. I think that this represents not only the obvious in his life, but maybe the not so obvious. Maybe just maybe girls and school are a metaphor for something much larger. Symbolizing his entire life story in a couple of short vignettes. As a friend of his, I can definatley relate to these things that he talks about. Now moving onto Christy's Vignette project. She writes, "I promised myself that I would try to be confident and leave my quietness/shyness behind. New school , New beginnings, New friends. I knew that I didn't want to be the old Christy. That one that turns bright red, the one that stutters during author’s chair." To me, this explained a lot about what some of us went through, and maybe still going through as we made this huge transition between middle school and high school. She talks about being shy and not really wanting to reach out and apply yourself, and I found myself really relating to that. I know that may be hard to believe at first because of my loud and outgoing personality. But I was shy and a little bit scared as I made this huge transition. Both Stan and Christy in a way summed up how I felt through out middle school and through out the transition between 8th and 9th grade. I feel that they both did a wonderful job addressing the problems that teen agers face during this time of their lives.