As the rollercoaster reaches the pinnacle, I can't help but to sneak a look over the edge of the car. There is the ground, seemingly thousands of feet below me. Closer and closer the rollercoaster inches. The wooden tracks shake. Thoughts race through my mind. And then I'm plummeting downwards, uncontrolably to what is surely my death.
Would I do it again? Probably. The thrill and adrenaline are a blast. Still, convincing myself to get on that rollercoaster was no easy task. Whether it's a hundred foot high rollercoaster, a sky-scraper, or a large bridge, I can't stand it. I'm the type of person who thinks of all the things that could go wrong when I'm high up in the air. The elevator could break sending me into a free-fall; the rollercoaster tracks could snap sending the car careening off; the bridge could crumble, causing me to crash into the ocean.
The thought of bridges is probably what terrifies me the most. I also have an innate fear of drowning, which, coupled with traveling across long bridges, tends to make me nervous. Small bridges don't bother me, it's just the ones that stretch across large bodies of water. If the bridge happens to break when I'm in the middle, I'm screwed. Assuming the fall doesn't kill me, I then would have to escape my rapidly sinking car and somehow swim to shore.
When it comes down to it, I'm not petrified with heights. Heights just make me think about some of the more unpleasant things that may happen to me. That's not to say I will never go skydiving--but for now, I'll save it for another day.
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Presentations-- Good or Bad?
When Mr. Kunkle first mentioned that everyone would have to do a presentation at some point about an article of their choice, the first thought that popped into my mind was, "Great... another speech." After only two presentations, my view has completely changed. Our class does an excellent job of reading and thinking about the essays people present; we also get involved in the article and discussion.
I have noticed that during the presentations, debates start to happen because many of these topics tend to be controversial subjects. Still, everyone stays respectful, and I think a lot of good ideas and explanations surface. I'm glad to see that our class respects each others' opinions, because without respect, I don't think the discussions would be nearly as deep.
These essays also help with critical reading. We have to analyze the information and determine our own point of view on the topic. When I read the essays I usually develop a personal stance on the topic, and in doing so, I try to think of reasons to support my stance. This helps not only understand the essay more deeply, but it also makes you challenge the writer's ideas (which may not be correct!).
In the end, I think this assignment will turn out to help everyone. It helps the presenter because they have to make a 'speech,' but it also aids the audience by creating a situation for critical thinking. I can't wait to see what new articles people will share!
I have noticed that during the presentations, debates start to happen because many of these topics tend to be controversial subjects. Still, everyone stays respectful, and I think a lot of good ideas and explanations surface. I'm glad to see that our class respects each others' opinions, because without respect, I don't think the discussions would be nearly as deep.
These essays also help with critical reading. We have to analyze the information and determine our own point of view on the topic. When I read the essays I usually develop a personal stance on the topic, and in doing so, I try to think of reasons to support my stance. This helps not only understand the essay more deeply, but it also makes you challenge the writer's ideas (which may not be correct!).
In the end, I think this assignment will turn out to help everyone. It helps the presenter because they have to make a 'speech,' but it also aids the audience by creating a situation for critical thinking. I can't wait to see what new articles people will share!
Thursday, September 3, 2009
How I Write
If I had to describe how I write in one word, which would never do it justice, it would be a simple task: Vivid. When I write I try to immerse my reader in my world. Not only am I a stickler for detail, I also use a wide array of words to better help me get across a point or tell a story. I have found that my best writing is saturated in detail.
A simple trick I have learned to make writing look, sound, and flow much better is to avoid starting sentences with the same word. Oftentimes, I will write my paper and then go back during the editing phase and circle words that repeatedly start a sentence. It is usually an easy fix and makes the whole paper sound much more sophisticated. Likewise, I try not to repeat the same adjectives and verbs all the time. There are usually many different synonyms; the trick is finding the appropriate one to fit the context and situation.
A very important skill I learned early on and have begun to master is varying sentence structure throughout my papers. Changing the length of the sentences not only keeps the text fresh and interesting, it helps to keep the reader focused. Short sentences are excellent for dramatic, intense scenes whereas longer sentences tend to work well for descriptions and imagery. It is also extremely important to use advanced punctuation such as semi-colons, hyphens, colons, and ellipses.
As a final thought, I have learned that your introduction AND conclusion paragraphs are extremely important. The introduction should be clear, concise, and imformative. It needs to capture the reader's attention and make them want to read more. A strong thesis is essential to a well written paper because it gives the reader a preview of what's to come. The conclusion is important because it ties up all the loose thoughts. It's extremely common to see a solid paper up until the conclusion where it is evident that the writer just wanted to get finished. I can't express how important it is to tie your conclusion back to your introduction, and, oftentimes, leaving your reader asking a question makes your paper that much stronger.
The goal of my writing is to make the reader see what I see- to enjoy what I'm writing about. I want them to form their own opinions and to question what I'm saying. Hopefully after reading what I wrote, they will be interested in the subject. Who knows, maybe they will even research it themselves!!
A simple trick I have learned to make writing look, sound, and flow much better is to avoid starting sentences with the same word. Oftentimes, I will write my paper and then go back during the editing phase and circle words that repeatedly start a sentence. It is usually an easy fix and makes the whole paper sound much more sophisticated. Likewise, I try not to repeat the same adjectives and verbs all the time. There are usually many different synonyms; the trick is finding the appropriate one to fit the context and situation.
A very important skill I learned early on and have begun to master is varying sentence structure throughout my papers. Changing the length of the sentences not only keeps the text fresh and interesting, it helps to keep the reader focused. Short sentences are excellent for dramatic, intense scenes whereas longer sentences tend to work well for descriptions and imagery. It is also extremely important to use advanced punctuation such as semi-colons, hyphens, colons, and ellipses.
As a final thought, I have learned that your introduction AND conclusion paragraphs are extremely important. The introduction should be clear, concise, and imformative. It needs to capture the reader's attention and make them want to read more. A strong thesis is essential to a well written paper because it gives the reader a preview of what's to come. The conclusion is important because it ties up all the loose thoughts. It's extremely common to see a solid paper up until the conclusion where it is evident that the writer just wanted to get finished. I can't express how important it is to tie your conclusion back to your introduction, and, oftentimes, leaving your reader asking a question makes your paper that much stronger.
The goal of my writing is to make the reader see what I see- to enjoy what I'm writing about. I want them to form their own opinions and to question what I'm saying. Hopefully after reading what I wrote, they will be interested in the subject. Who knows, maybe they will even research it themselves!!
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