I think one of the most important things that I've learned while taking this class is the improvement of how I word things. I stated at the beginning of this course that I'm not very good at putting words down on paper to reflect what I'm thinking. Well I think with the writing process that I've done (examples of different outlines and prewriting rough drafts), I've learned to grasp a better sense on combining the necessary words and forming the correct sentences.
I think with this semester, I've used more prepositions in descriptions. I think back on what I've written in the past in other classes and I don't think I did a lot of that. I think with using more of the preposition format, I've made my writing more intriguing and has improved my writing skills.
I think I've improved on editing a rough draft and also on my final copies as well. I use to have a major problem of not creating new paragraphs of new subjects. I used to jumble many various things into one area and in which would help me not make any sense and to question where the focus is at. I also think I've been more descriptive in my writing which helps with supporting the topic of the paper and makes the paper more interesting to read. I do think I still need to touch up on not writing too much of one thing though. Like I've mentioned before, sometimes I get carried away with wording and can write too much of unnecessary things down when I let my wording ramble. (like now) I also KNOW I need to improve on the correct MLA work cited format. A bit confusing, but hopefully with more practice, I'll be able to be more knowledgeable with that as well.
I think the strongest paper I wrote was the memorable piece that described the tragic day of my abandonment from my adoptive parents. I've always loved writing short stories and narrative pieces. So naturally, when I first learned about the assignment, I dove in enthusiastically. I put a lot of feelings and emotions into that paper to reflect how it affected me as a child. I had hoped that who ever had read it would be intrigued and affected by what they saw. I think it worked by the reviews I recieved from my peers.
I think the weakest paper I wrote was the evaluation one that picked apart the movie, "Passion of the Christ." Oops me turned the paper in late and therefore, I wasn't satisfied with whipping up the paper at the last minute and felt I could of done a lot better. But I wanted to turn it in in a timely manner and in doing so, tried to make the evaluation as intellegient as possible. Well I learned that I did the horrible habit of writing too much of one subject and not enough of another. That right there shows that I still need to improve on knowing when to describe something and how much I should explain of it. I also struggled with trying to make it an evaluation of the movie to convince the readers of why the movie was great. I thought it would be an easy task but at times, was hard when I noticed that in my rough draft, I would tend to make it a more personally writing piece of what I thought, and not pointing out the stronger points of the movie to support the evaluating thesis.
The one paper that I think I would of redone was research paper on adoption. The more I think about, it the more I agree with the instructor's dislike of the format approach of the who, what, where, when, why, and how. I struggled with how I was going to lay out the research paper at the time, that seemed to be the only solution. I agree that I should of went a different route and I do wish I wouldn't of done that format at all.
Sunday, July 27, 2008
Friday, July 11, 2008
"Ordinary People" - John Legend
JOHN LEGEND LYRICS
"Ordinary People"
[Verse 1] Girl I'm in love with you, this ain't the honeymoon, past the infatuation phase. Right in the thick of love, at times we get sick of love, it seems like we argue everyday.
I think the first part of the lyric is very raw and straight to the point. It states the reality of how real love is discovered after the infatuation passes at the beginning of a new relationship. Many people mistaken infatuation as being "in love." But the many dating experts discover that real love can be discovered after the first initial giddiness and butterflies pass. The ending part of the verse says how a love/hate relationship can feel. When times are tough, being "in love" can feel impossible when negative energy is present in a struggling relationship, even if the love in the relationship is heightened by strong and emotional connections.
[Bridge] I know I misbehaved and you made your mistakes and we both still got room left to grow. And though love sometimes hurts, I still put you first, and we'll make this thing work but I think we should take it slow.
This explains how a person can admit their flaws and wrong doings. He also states how the couple can learn from their mistakes and improve on what they've done wrong. He also states that love can be painful and how he still puts his woman first no matter what the situation is. I get the feeling that he knows what unconditional love is but in order to show it, he feels that things should progress in a slow motion in order to fix any problems. Admiting that something has gone wrong in a relatinship is always a healthy step to fixing a problem, or in this verse, a wounded heart.
[Chorus] We're just ordinary people. We don't know which way to go. Cuz we're ordinary people. Maybe we should take it slow. (Take it slow oh oh ohh) This time we'll take it slow. (Take it slow oh oh ohh) This time we'll take it slow.
The impression that I get from this is the vulnerability the guy is feeling as a person. He understands and wants the other person to understand that he's a human being of flesh and blood. Many people learn from their mistakes through life's experiences, wether good or bad. I feel that in order for someone to find their own identity and be comfortable in their own skin, they have to learn from life's experiences through mistakes and heart aches. In this verse, he seems to understand that he's like everyone else. He's not a flawless human being and in order for him to stop making the mistakes in the troubled relationship, he needs to take his time to growing and learning from them. (and vice versa)
[Verse 2] This ain't a movie, no. No fairy tale conclusion ya'll. It gets more confusing everyday. Sometimes it's heaven sent, then we head back to hell again. We kiss then we make up on the way.
This verse explains the reality of a REAL relationship. Many people would like to have the fairy tale story of being saved and swept off their feet by a heroic prince/princess. But in the real world, a relationship can have plenty of fire breathing dragons, wort infested toads, and many tortureous hurdles to go through in order to be happy. The ending part of the verse also explains the ups and downs of relationships. How one minute people can feel like they're walking on air with the high feeling of being in love. Then the next minute, their life can feel shattered with a broken heart until the crumbled bridges in the relationship can be mended again.
[Bridge] I hang up, you call. We rise and we fall and we feel like just walking away. As our love advances, we take second chances. Though it's not a fantasy, I still want you to stay.
This explains the frustrations of how to deal with problems and with each other. Sometimes peoples' emotions can get the best of them and many people spontaneously think with their heart and not with their brain. At times when things may seem overwhelming and doesn't seem like things are going to improve in a relationship, the feeling of throwing in the towel can over ride the logical part of trying to solve a problem or trying to end a fight in a healthy way.
[Chorus]
[Verse 3] Take it slow. Maybe we'll live and learn, maybe we'll crash and burn, maybe you'll stay, maybe you'll leave, maybe you'll return. Maybe another fight, maybe we won't survive, but maybe we'll grow. We never know baby you and I.
This verse is so clear on how there are many risks when being in love. Many people take chances in trying to be in love and trying to make love work. This person seems to understand the many ending possibilies that could occur after each fight, or after each mistake is made. He also seems to understand that he doesn't know what the outcome of their relationship is, but he's willing to gamble with his heart. He's willing to continue to be a fool in love.
** I absolutely love this song. When I heard it for the first time on the radio, I thought the lyrics were raw and real. John Legend did such a great job in explaining how being in love can affect a relationship. I think the lyrics are straight to the point and I also feel that he has an original style of writing that I haven't seen in other musicians in a very long time. **
"Ordinary People"
[Verse 1] Girl I'm in love with you, this ain't the honeymoon, past the infatuation phase. Right in the thick of love, at times we get sick of love, it seems like we argue everyday.
I think the first part of the lyric is very raw and straight to the point. It states the reality of how real love is discovered after the infatuation passes at the beginning of a new relationship. Many people mistaken infatuation as being "in love." But the many dating experts discover that real love can be discovered after the first initial giddiness and butterflies pass. The ending part of the verse says how a love/hate relationship can feel. When times are tough, being "in love" can feel impossible when negative energy is present in a struggling relationship, even if the love in the relationship is heightened by strong and emotional connections.
[Bridge] I know I misbehaved and you made your mistakes and we both still got room left to grow. And though love sometimes hurts, I still put you first, and we'll make this thing work but I think we should take it slow.
This explains how a person can admit their flaws and wrong doings. He also states how the couple can learn from their mistakes and improve on what they've done wrong. He also states that love can be painful and how he still puts his woman first no matter what the situation is. I get the feeling that he knows what unconditional love is but in order to show it, he feels that things should progress in a slow motion in order to fix any problems. Admiting that something has gone wrong in a relatinship is always a healthy step to fixing a problem, or in this verse, a wounded heart.
[Chorus] We're just ordinary people. We don't know which way to go. Cuz we're ordinary people. Maybe we should take it slow. (Take it slow oh oh ohh) This time we'll take it slow. (Take it slow oh oh ohh) This time we'll take it slow.
The impression that I get from this is the vulnerability the guy is feeling as a person. He understands and wants the other person to understand that he's a human being of flesh and blood. Many people learn from their mistakes through life's experiences, wether good or bad. I feel that in order for someone to find their own identity and be comfortable in their own skin, they have to learn from life's experiences through mistakes and heart aches. In this verse, he seems to understand that he's like everyone else. He's not a flawless human being and in order for him to stop making the mistakes in the troubled relationship, he needs to take his time to growing and learning from them. (and vice versa)
[Verse 2] This ain't a movie, no. No fairy tale conclusion ya'll. It gets more confusing everyday. Sometimes it's heaven sent, then we head back to hell again. We kiss then we make up on the way.
This verse explains the reality of a REAL relationship. Many people would like to have the fairy tale story of being saved and swept off their feet by a heroic prince/princess. But in the real world, a relationship can have plenty of fire breathing dragons, wort infested toads, and many tortureous hurdles to go through in order to be happy. The ending part of the verse also explains the ups and downs of relationships. How one minute people can feel like they're walking on air with the high feeling of being in love. Then the next minute, their life can feel shattered with a broken heart until the crumbled bridges in the relationship can be mended again.
[Bridge] I hang up, you call. We rise and we fall and we feel like just walking away. As our love advances, we take second chances. Though it's not a fantasy, I still want you to stay.
This explains the frustrations of how to deal with problems and with each other. Sometimes peoples' emotions can get the best of them and many people spontaneously think with their heart and not with their brain. At times when things may seem overwhelming and doesn't seem like things are going to improve in a relationship, the feeling of throwing in the towel can over ride the logical part of trying to solve a problem or trying to end a fight in a healthy way.
[Chorus]
[Verse 3] Take it slow. Maybe we'll live and learn, maybe we'll crash and burn, maybe you'll stay, maybe you'll leave, maybe you'll return. Maybe another fight, maybe we won't survive, but maybe we'll grow. We never know baby you and I.
This verse is so clear on how there are many risks when being in love. Many people take chances in trying to be in love and trying to make love work. This person seems to understand the many ending possibilies that could occur after each fight, or after each mistake is made. He also seems to understand that he doesn't know what the outcome of their relationship is, but he's willing to gamble with his heart. He's willing to continue to be a fool in love.
** I absolutely love this song. When I heard it for the first time on the radio, I thought the lyrics were raw and real. John Legend did such a great job in explaining how being in love can affect a relationship. I think the lyrics are straight to the point and I also feel that he has an original style of writing that I haven't seen in other musicians in a very long time. **
Plan on Revision of Research Paper
As I've stated before; writing a research/informative paper isn't exactly my cup of tea. I'm not very confident in putting facts, information, statistics, and own personal words together to making a paper or a subject make sense. So before I had started my research paper on adoption, I hesitated and held my breath before diving head in first. The thesis paragraph was a cinch, the rest.....ehhhh...could of been better.
As much as I hate my own criticism after completing a hard working piece of anything, I do appreciate opinions and criticism from instructors, teachers, etc. I've always been a fan of literature and writing and if I can learn something new from my own instructor, I greatly do appreciate the negative/positive responses.
When I read over my rough draft, I wasn't surprised of the many revision suggestions that my instructor had commented on. One thing that I did agree with along side his suggestion was not being that enthusiastic of making the outline of the paper into a "question style content." I did the typical Who, What, Where, When, How form and believe me, that form wasn't the first thought that came through my mind when figuring out how my paper was going to be layed out. I struggled with the outline for a day or two and finally settled on the form. I'm not exactly thrilled about it but I felt it was the only route to go with how I wanted my informative paper to be perceived.
I took everything that my instructor suggested in changing certain things in my rough draft to heart. I may not be the best writer, but in my eyes, I try to be a perfectionist and if I can improve my paper, then damn it, I'll revise the whole paper if needed! One thing that I'm not exactly thrilled about is matching the facts/statistics that I had located to the sources that I had found. I have some long hours ahead of me because of the mistake of throwing away all the information that I had collected when I had finished the rough draft. So unfortunately, I'm going to have to research again for my final draft....yeah.
Even though I have some revision and touching up to do on my research paper, I'm looking forward to the finished product. I'm always thrilled to improve in what I lack and I'm always thrilled in improving my writing style and techniques.
As much as I hate my own criticism after completing a hard working piece of anything, I do appreciate opinions and criticism from instructors, teachers, etc. I've always been a fan of literature and writing and if I can learn something new from my own instructor, I greatly do appreciate the negative/positive responses.
When I read over my rough draft, I wasn't surprised of the many revision suggestions that my instructor had commented on. One thing that I did agree with along side his suggestion was not being that enthusiastic of making the outline of the paper into a "question style content." I did the typical Who, What, Where, When, How form and believe me, that form wasn't the first thought that came through my mind when figuring out how my paper was going to be layed out. I struggled with the outline for a day or two and finally settled on the form. I'm not exactly thrilled about it but I felt it was the only route to go with how I wanted my informative paper to be perceived.
I took everything that my instructor suggested in changing certain things in my rough draft to heart. I may not be the best writer, but in my eyes, I try to be a perfectionist and if I can improve my paper, then damn it, I'll revise the whole paper if needed! One thing that I'm not exactly thrilled about is matching the facts/statistics that I had located to the sources that I had found. I have some long hours ahead of me because of the mistake of throwing away all the information that I had collected when I had finished the rough draft. So unfortunately, I'm going to have to research again for my final draft....yeah.
Even though I have some revision and touching up to do on my research paper, I'm looking forward to the finished product. I'm always thrilled to improve in what I lack and I'm always thrilled in improving my writing style and techniques.
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