Peer Review Recap

I thought that the difference between our first googledocs peer review and this one was the fact that we are now more comfortable with the programs and using this computer technology to conduct the peer review of classmates work. Usually we are peer reviewing hard copies of our classmates work in the classroom environment for a limited about of time though in these three peer reviews we are able to have ongoing disucussions outside of the classrooms about our work and ultimately benefit a great deal more from these online editing sessions. I have learned through these online peer reviews how simple it is to share our work with our peers in a productive and less restrictive style than the tradition manner of doint review work. The fact that out papers appear as one document that is edited by many is helpful to the writers who are trying to take in the suggestions that have otherwise been scribbled in on various copies by often unreadible hand writing. I find these peer reviews have increased the productiveness of peer reviewing, simplified the process for the writer and the reviewers, and overall increased the communication between writer and editor to, perhaps, encourage the quality and readibility of our work.

The philosophical cat/dog relationship

I read Rachelle's blog entry about the comic 'pup' which is a cartoon online which is based on the relationship of a philosophical dog and his gullible friend the cat. The title of the cartoon she discusses is "Deep Thoughts" which can be viewed at: http://www.drewweing.com/pup/04pup.html. Rachell does a very good job in discussing the technical and stylistic asspects of the comic in relation to to McCloud's, Understanding Comics, using many of his terms to describe the layout and representation that the comic uses to illustrate it's contents to it's readers. I found the comic to be simple yet unique and felt as though it did a nice job of relaying a humorus and simple idea to the reader.

Closer in Comics

http://www.iranian.com/Books/2002/November/Satrapi/

I choose a chapter/comic strip from the complete Persepolis comic that is a compilation of comics that together formed the memoir of Marjane Satrabi. This particular comic is titled The Trip and takes place in Iran during the war that was taking place in the late 1970's and into the early 1980's. Most of the frames in this particular comic use the closure that Scott McCloud discusses called subject-to-subject. Closure is when we as human being's get closure from our learned experience and use it to put together incomplete images seen by the eye. In comics, we as readers must find closure in the images and the way that they are intricately placed upon the page. We find closure from using our past experiences to put together fragments of a whole idea. In The Trip Satrabi uses subject-to-subject transitions by using the illustration and words to create closure for her readers as well as using scene-to-scene transitions. Both these transistions are used to illustrate to her readers closure in the way that they understand what it is she is trying to explain and/or show her audience. This comic does a good job of using these two types of trasitions to illustrate a sense of closure to the audience that is easy to grasp considering the seriousness of it's contents and therefore I believe that The Trip can be successfully understood by an audience and ultimately will enable them to find closure in the ideas she is attempting to project through her comic.

Ecojustice

http://www.ecojusticeeducation.org

I chose to look at the website Ecojustice Education, this website is directed toward educational idea's and links about the current ecological situation we face around the world. The website interlinks the subjects of not only our physical Environment but also our cultural environment and the way's in which all aspects of our social existence and understanding of our surroundings effects the larger ecosystem. This website has a compelling design that play's on the color green which is universally associated to the enviornment. The information is symetrically layed out with the text at the center of a green frame. There is a quote on the home page that states, "All the flowers of the tommorrows are in the seed of today and yesterday" (anonymous quote) which reflects a metaphor about how the past has created the present which will in turn create our future. This quote represents the basic idea of the website which is to conserve and practice eco-friendly lifestyle behaviors so as to sustain the ecosystem of the past and for the future. There is also a sense of comparing and contrasting on the home page in the section that brief's what the website is about. Here the site compares and contrast the past generations in history and thier ways of living to that of today's generation reflecting how the past generations that concerved and worked the land as individuals rather than as a corporation should be considered seriously by today's generation as a lifestyle habit we reincorporate in our own lives. Overall I thought the site was very informative and well laid out considering the seriousness of it's contents.

Peer Review 2

I found this way of doing peer reviews was much more effective in communicating with other writers about their papers as well my hearing what others had to say about my own work. I also liked the fact that we could browse through more than a select few papers because it was educational to see the different points of view several of the same style rules had. I found that I had a great deal of helpful information from my peer's and these comments have ultimately helped me to reach a more satisfied point in my ability to accept my own work. I have also found that my ability to complete assignments, as a student, should not be over analyzed and/or overdone to the extent that I over think the assignment and ultimately buckle from self inflicted idea's of expectation.

Peer Review & The Flu

Though I have had the flu for the last few day's the web access in this class has enabled me to continue to participate in our assignments leaving me feeling that 'Google Docs' is quite handy indeed. I hadn't had the chance to complete my whole paper but did end up posting the portion of it I have thus far been able to finish. In peer editing another persons paper through this website I found it to be much more proactive than doing so in the classroom primarily because we can continue a conversation about our work outside of class as we are going through the process of creating our final drafts.
Overall I have found this tool to be useful and efficient in assisting us in the peer review process. Though it took me a minute to figure out how I would make the corrections I wanted to on the papers I read, I eventually figured it out and was quite impressed.

Style

I like to write on paper the most primarily because it was the first writing technology I was introduced to. As a child I would write in my diaries, that later turned to journal’s, usually with a pen. Watching the wet ink dry behind my turning thought’s inspired me to continue on. It is a hobby I have been infatuated with for much of my life. Last year I bought my first computer with money my grandmother left me after she died and I tried to familiarize myself with the tool so as to write down my thought’s and save some trees. Try as I may I can’t find myself able to completely abandon the bound pages beneath a leather journals smooth cover. The texture of the art is part of the cycle itself. It seems strange to forget how it began. It isn’t that I avoid the computer rather I use both these tools equally in practicing a pastime. Right now I find myself to have stumbled first upon the keyboard to compose this blog entry. When time is in a pinch and things need to be done in a timeframe I find myself using this particular tool and not bothering with the pen and paper at all. I find that having a variety of technologies to use in composing a piece of literature is an advantage, for expression is a reflection of all surrounding components.

Nothing In Particular

The dictionary states that style is something particular. In attempting to answer the question for today's blog, "What is Style?", it would seem rather complicated to lay down some distinct and particular answer. In today's world style is a thing that is placed upon a pedestal in the world of fashion and if one were to fall off of this particular categories pedestal one is left in shame and open to criticism. In the world of writing there are a number of pedestal's from which to fall. Due to the large variety of writing styles an author must first establish themselves within a particular category of writing and than be scored accordingly with whichever group they assimilate to. Recently I have found myself to think much more deeply about writing and critique. It seems that no matter the category one chooses to be placed within one is susceptible to criticism none the less.

The world of writing is a harsh world to be a part of because there is always some way of doing things that is most favorable to the elite few we feel are worthy enough to tell us whether or not our work is good. To me it seems silly that writers are so turned off from sharing their work with the public because of this system of critique. I find it disheartening that so many writers are left questioning their work primarily due to the definition of style. Style should be something unique and open to change with nothing placed upon it so as to fit inside some particular idea. If not for the worlds vast majority of styles there would be nothing interesting for us at all. Therefore I think style is anything and everything that anybody finds fitting with him and/or herself.

My First Blog

Not really sure what to write when there is no given topic to center my thought's around. Usually I write about whatever it is that's on my mind when I'm in front of a blank screen and/or sheet of paper. I have kept journal's since I could write. The first few book's are difficult at times to decode and I find myself in awe of how much I had to say when I could barely say anything at all. It was because of those journal's and their uncanny ability to put my emotional character at ease that I originally thought I would major in writing and make a living out of it. Though as I have grown older I have come to realize that I prefer writing for myself more so than for anything and/or anyone else. My grammar skills and spelling have always been mediocre and thus have left me frustrated and unwilling to specify my studies on perfecting my pass time activity. Last semester I finished my last required class for my Women and Gender Studies Major and this semester I am beginning to conquer my minor in writing. I guess I wanted to learn more about the things I think about the most so I could write about them more clearly and therefore change something through the art of writing. Knowledge is power as you know and thus I figured knowing as much as I could about the things that I think about would ultimately equate some form of literature.