I was fourteen years old, a freshman in High School when the album Slowly Going the Way of the Buffalo by MXPX was released. I was given it on cassette by a friend of mine at the time, just as I was heavily getting into different music. I remember playing this album constantly, always having it in my Walkman with my headphones in, wherever I went. I especially had it playing in my ears when I was in school, as well as during class. It was my escape. The album was different than their others before it, having a sense of despair, lyrics of loneliness, mistakes, regret, but somehow I still found comfort in it. The atmosphere was in sync with what I felt at the time to me, and in some ways they were saying all the things I wanted to say but could not. I still have a very vivid memory of a day I was in my cooking class. It was raining out, and overcast, and I was supposed to participate in a five person group project that involved cooking a certain amount of given recipes together. I never felt like I fit in with them, or anyone else in the class. I felt alone, and wanted to be alone. Instead of participating, I kept my headphones on, listening to this album with my head on my book bag looking out the window watching the rain. The teacher came over to me asking why I was once again not choosing to participate, and I told her I simply had no interest in doing it with them. She warned me of my slipping grade if I continued, but I preferred to be engulfed in the thing that comforted me, the music. That was nineteen years ago. It meant a lot to me back then possibly because of a comfort, it was shelter from the storm. Now, at thirty three years old with a five year old son, and finding happiness in things, I grew out of the person I was those years ago watching the rain outside the window, isolated and alone. I still play that album, and every time it brings very strong feelings back, and I recall what it felt like to be that boy. Although, it is looked at differently through my older self. It has a meaningful impact to me as an adult because it is a reminder of how far I’ve come from the person I was then, to the person I am today. It’s a reminder that it doesn’t rain all the time, and better days were ahead of me. I am happy, and proud of how far I have come. Now I find I look back on those songs as just a memory of my youth, and strangely enough, the album will still bring me comfort when I feel lost.
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My outward appearance most of the time reflects my identity as a fly fisherman. It is something very integrated into my life and my passion, and the clothing is usually fishing brands, from hats, shirts, or fishing gear representing that. As I am surrounded by fly fisherman over the years of doing it, I notice I pick up on this look and possibly want to feel a sense of belonging or pride in that particular culture, since I identify with it closely.
My behaviors and practices like the coffee I make in the morning is tied in closely to what I do at my job as a barista. The routines and steps to making my coffee are the same ones used every day in the workplace. I find I do this every morning, even on my days off, always making a bagel for breakfast when I am home, and having a specific order to my morning, as I do at work to ensure my day goes according to plan. My beliefs and values are heavily influenced by my personal interests. My opinions are formed around how the given subject affects me in one way or another, commitments and how they affect people around me as well as myself, and principles as a parent are influenced by how I was raised. I grew up in a polish household, and I find a lot of the meals eaten are of polish cuisine, especially during holidays. My mother cooked all of our family dinners every day, and I find that I also like to cook as it has a way of bringing everyone together. I find myself always finding comfort in the foods I grew up with eating, since it is most familiar to me. Growing up in New Jersey has influenced living a fast pace of life in a very densely populated area. Distance is measured in time not miles, and I feel everyone including myself is rushing from one place to the next. I think this creates at times a very impatient state of mind, always feeling like you need to obtain things quickly or in a rush, and that even meals are created to be eaten “on the go.” I have noticed in the past a few instances where my sense of humor was misunderstood and taken the wrong way. I grew up in a family where we watched a lot of comedy shows, some of which were pushing boundaries as to what was considered socially appropriate at that time. When I used the humor I grew up with and is an integral part of my personality, people have not taken the humor with the intended light heartedness as I did, leading me to have to apologize or explain myself to ensure it was said in jest. After reviewing the discussion forum on how my peers generate ideas, I have noticed I take an alternative route to the process. I read that the majority of them mention staying focused, or mapping thoughts out on paper, making lists, etc. For me, generating ideas falls into the creative side of my mind. The creative side of me does not generate ideas in any of those ways. I will start by reflecting on what it is of the subject that I am trying to expand on, and allow my mind to take me in a direction I either want to explore, or not. If not, it will be “cancelled” in my mind, and another route is taken. I feel I always take the approach of remembering you cannot fit a square peg in a round hole. If you are forcing something to happen, it will usually cause frustration and I will back off from the process. I find it best to let it rest until later, and then revisit the subject. An idea is like an ember, and when I notice one starts, I kindle it. Once it starts to build a momentum, I can take a set of options I have and see where that road leads. If I find it successful, I will continue to keep that idea moving and expanding. If I find it leads me to a dead end, I will start back at the small “ember” of an idea I have and begin the process all over again until I find it is I feel I am looking for in the subject.
My peers’ contributions to the forum about alternative ways of generating ideas have revealed processes that I could also consider using that I have not before. I found it interesting some people browse the internet for inspiration, or some come from books they have read. To a degree, I perhaps also get ideas from internet sources, and I am sure I am influenced by many books I have read in my life. I am open to try making lists and mapping it out on paper to see where the creative process takes me. Writing has played a large role in my life. Since I was a teenager, I find that I am able to convey what I want to say to someone on a much deeper, concise way if I put it into a form of writing, whether its hand written or typed. I can see the language that is being used, and like puzzle pieces, fit together or are rearranged so they are executed with precision. I was always fascinated at how a younger person has tendencies to use a lot of words, most of them overused, without actually getting to the point until much later. In contrast, a Buddhist monk, who’s ability to teach a student powerful dharma lessons at times, no more than a sentence or two before the student has a realization. This personal goal of precision in language keeps me in a constant state of learning, and trying to better my communication.
My previous writing experiences, as stated earlier, have not been in an academic setting in a long time. I feel I have a very good sense of what good writing is, and how I would like my own to sound to the reader. I used to keep a journal for many years, and would also write letters often, finding that these all would have a major influence on me coming into this course. Even as I write this sixth journal, I see my writing is starting to develop even more, and has changed since the first entry. I find that I am able to have more of a free flow of ideas as I work, not as intimidated to start writing about something, and not feeling like I have to mentally prepare as much when I decide to sit down and just start writing. This comfortability in writing is going to have a very positive affect in my future compositions. The area in which I feel is unknown to me thus far, is citation. I know as the writing course advances, this will be something I do often in my work, but is a part of composition I am unfamiliar with up to this point. What I hope to gain from this writing course is more tools and techniques to make my writing advance in ways that will lead to successful projects I may encounter in my life. I understand the importance of this class, and how it is the foundation for everything else I will do in my academic career. The expectations I set for myself, and probably as well as my fellow peers, is for us to find our own voice in our writing. We are all individuals with very diverse ideas, thoughts, and purposes. To be able to find a vehicle that transmits these things to a wider audience, to make an impact within yourself or others, is an extraordinary tool to have developed for oneself. I would describe Rhetoric as simply an effective or persuasive way of communicating with a particular audience. The rhetorical situation is what you face in that particular moment of addressing your audience, and making the right choices given what you know about them to effectively get your point understood. The awareness of this concept affects my writing and behaviors in many different ways. It allows me to reflect and contemplate my subject before I begin the writing process, asking myself “Who is my audience?” “What do I want to say?” “Is this the best way to discuss this subject with them?” I feel asking these kind of questions to yourself will give you a better direction in your writing, and in a face-to-face situation, being aware of your tone, emotion, facial expression, and word choice can have a dramatic impact on the situation.
I find myself frequently in these situations in the workplace. I am a supervisor for Starbucks Coffee Company, and have barista’s that I supervise and teach on a daily basis. Having effective conversations and creating sustainable behaviors amongst the team is something that takes a lot of practice, and in a sense, uses a type of rhetoric. When I was faced with the challenge of engaging these same kind of conversations with my other supervisors though, I found this particular “audience” was a bit more challenging as peers, instead of me being in a superior position. One situation that was happening that needed to be addressed were the inventory counts being done at the end of the day, and how certain actions in the morning were also influencing inaccuracy in the counts, leading to high food waste. I realized in the beginning of these conversations, scolding them and just pointing out errors were not having a positive impact. My tone was very serious, and my frustration was causing me to not be understanding, or to consider other possible reasons to why this was continually happening. Reflecting on this, and contemplating why I was not getting the results I desired, I was misreading my rhetorical situation. I needed to change my rhetoric to something that would persuade them into seeing things from my point of view, and why this was a serious problem that needed to be fixed. When I lightened my tone, started showing them what I was seeing in the counts, how it was effecting our waste, what can be done to change this, and offered help if they needed it, I saw a complete change in behavior, and soon the counts were being done more carefully with the waste eventually dropping within our target range. Appealing to my audience is what I needed to get this result. I see this understanding of rhetoric and rhetorical situations affecting my writing projects to be crucial in writing a successful piece of work. Having the opportunity to have practiced these type of situations for over eight years now, have really given me a deeper understanding to the importance of reading a rhetorical situation correctly. As the WPA Outcomes lists Rhetorical Knowledge first in the list of outcomes, I could not agree more that this should be the very first in the list when it comes to writing. I feel like everything is based off of this knowledge, and is the fabric in which a writer is deemed credible and trustworthy to me. Reflecting on the notion of writing collaboratively, and how it challenges my sense of what a writer is and does, I think bringing other minds to the table can sometimes enhance an overall idea. In another sense, the challenge of working well with others could also create difficulties for a writer that struggles to keep an open mind to other peoples ideas.
I personally find the concept of collaborating on my writing to be exciting more than intimidating, in that I am very curious to hear what other people think, and to listen to ideas that might possibly enhance what I am writing, or bring concepts to the process that I did not initially think about. The perspective that online collaboration also could facilitate participation to group members who are often quiet in face-to-face meetings, and making them feel less inhibited to participate or contribute, offers a fantastic solution for those type of personalities. Allowing your group to be able to access and work on a project remotely, without dealing with the challenges of schedule constraints to gather all group members in the same room at the same time is a great feature brought forth by our modern technology, and gives us a chance to get projects done by more efficient means than in the past. I feel the reason why the WPA Outcomes value the “collaborative and social aspects of the writing process” is that we are going to find ourselves in many different situations in our lives where we need to work together with other people to achieve a desired result. Most likely we will find this in the work place, and even when it is not a formally written project, the experience and techniques one learns from collaborating will make us more successful when the time comes, and how to better approach a group effort. Reflection is something I find very familiar to me. Not only in writing, but in almost everything I do in life. Another word I like to use to describe this is “mindfulness.” Being aware of your own actions, your own thoughts, intentions, and reflecting on those, help us grow into better people. You realize how these things effect the people around you. In a writing sense, your audience. Reflecting on a completed piece of writing would have the same impact, and I would gain a deeper understanding as to the direction of my chosen subject, my intent, and my purpose in what I am writing. My rhetorical decisions would be made with my target audience in mind, and reflection on my work would allow me to make better choices to have more effective results.
Some of the ways I would reflect on the writing I do for this particular course would be using the previously read essay by Sandra L. Giles, where she presented us with the concept of a cover letter to our essays to ensure we uncover problems in our writing before it begins. I would do this reflection in a place I find peace, at my desk in my room where I do all my other writing. Rhetorical Knowledge is the WPA Outcome I feel is most directly related to reflective writing. Learning to reflect on purposeful shifts in tone, voice, formality, composing and analyzing a variety of texts, and composing in many different genres is how I would understand rhetorical decisions with a variety of audiences. I feel that one learns to write from the influence one has from what they read. The writing I do is very much influenced by all the books and authors I have read my whole life. Authors like Jack Kerouac, Charles Bukowski, Henry Rollins, Lewis Carroll and many others all have a style of writing and personality that most likely hold traits that I myself have, which make them relatable to me. Another major influence are the people I surround myself with in my life. From teachers, to friends, family, and everything in between, they all have a lasting impact in the way I communicate. Whether it may be written, verbal, tone, style, I see this influence in every part of the way I interact. It is a mix of everyone I have ever known that has had an impact on me for one reason or another. The learning process is personal to everyone. I have developed a certain way of learning that I know has worked successfully for me in the past, and so I continue to use that method knowing it works for me.
For example, I am an avid fly fisherman. The learning process for this sport is one that never ends. Every day for me, it is a chance to practice what I know, or an opportunity for me to work through new concepts. I never feel like I get to a point where I can say to myself “I have learned everything there is to know.” When an individual can say this to themselves about any subject, they have closed themselves off to any new concepts, and will never be open to new ideas, different methods, or anything that would generate a sense of growth. In learning to write, I take the same approach. Right now, I am starting the process of learning how to formally write, how to compose my writing, and all the processes I will gain from English Composition. I am confident I will see growth in my writing as the course goes on, discard the things I find negatively impact my writing, and embrace the tools that allow me to be successful in my writing. I feel this differs from my peers since I know everyone is not the same. What might work for me, might not be as effective for another person. Memorization, copying, and repetition may be approaches my peers use, or taking and reviewing notes. I find that when I take notes, I stop listening, and is therefore something I have to be aware of if I choose to do so when someone is teaching. It may be beneficial for me to take the notes to review later than it is to listen, and sometimes I feel I will absorb the information if I am mindfully engaged in the discussion. Having a discussion board with my classmates allow me to talk about what we are learning, and will be conducive to understanding our subject matter. What I find most surprising about the course outcomes is how I am naturally fascinated at different ways of communicating with people. In my current profession communication is at the basis for every customer interaction, and sometimes groups of people. Developing purposeful shifts in voice, tone, and level of formality, as found under rhetorical knowledge, is crucial to getting the desired outcome in a conversation. I am excited to see how developing this principal in a writing sense is going to help me at bringing those concepts to a written format, and achieving the same desired outcomes based on my intended audience.
What I find confusing about the course outcomes I feel is simply a lack of knowledge in what is referred to as genres of writing. I know that this will become more clear as I move through the class, and will get clarity on what this exactly means before I finish. I realize I do not have much experience with formal writing in this manner, and reading a diverse range of texts that show patterns of organization, verbal and nonverbal elements, and their functions will help me in my future writing. In regards to academic writing and what the course outcomes tell me about it, I realize their is much more planning, organizing of thought, and research that go into a final writing project. It also shows me how important structure and mechanics are in writing, being useful in every aspect of our lives, whether civic, personal or otherwise. To develop our writing skills is another way of developing linguistics, just as we continuously develop ways of verbal communication in our every day lives. This is similar to what I strive for in my writing in other contexts of my life, including tone, grammar, use of intellectual property, proper citation, and composition. I feel that my experience with the amount of reading and frequency I do and have done since I was a child has helped me in many ways. Different authors, and genres of books have given me an opportunity to explore not only many different subjects, but different approaches to how these writers choose to communicate with the reader. |
AuthorI am 33 years old and residing in NJ, just starting college courses toward a degree in Fisheries Biology. ArchivesCategories |