When I first saw this in the list of articles for us to read I was a little irritated. Even now, three years after this article was written, this is still a pretty hot topic. We can't seem to escape it.
While I don't entirely disagree with everything the article said, I'm not completely convinced that the Internet is keeping us from deeply thinking on our own. It has definitely altered our lives very much, but I haven't noticed that much of a difference at least in my life.
I don't know about everyone else but I've always skimmed articles and essays when I've had to write a research paper. I don't really enjoy reading informational things like that, so I always hunt and peck for what I'm looking for. Since the Internet has become more and more used I haven't noticed any difference in the way I do research papers. Besides the Internet I still use books and magazines too. Sometimes though, it's just more convenient to use the Internet because it's faster than looking through a book or magazine. Plus, when I'm reading a book, long or short, I don't get distracted like the author said he does. I don't notice any difference, unless I honestly don't enjoy the book, I keep reading, getting caught up in the characters and story.
A sentence that really caught my attention was, "it is clear that users are not reading online in the traditional sense; indeed there are signs that new forms of "reading" are emerging as users "power browse" horizontally through titles, contents pages and abstracts going for quick wins." Why are these new ways of reading? Why read a whole article if you just need one piece of information that may not be at the beginning? That's not to say you should always read like that, it's just a tool to help you with something like writing a research paper.
Another thing that came to my attention was, "our writing equipment takes part in the forming of our thoughts." I've never really noticed a difference in my writing, but then again I've never really paid attention. That kind of blows my mind that your writing style could change depending on if you're using a pen and paper or a computer. I guess I'll have to pay more attention when I'm writing!
One thing I definitely agree with is that the Internet causes us to be "scattered brained" as my grandma says. There are so many distractions. You could be writing a paper, chatting on Facebook, and watching a TV show all at the same time. Obviously, this can't prove to be a good thing. Your paper would suffer because you're so distracted, your friend would be put on hold many times throughout your conversation, and you wouldn't catch half of the TV show you're watching. Besides that, your mind wouldn't be able to take in and manage all that going around you. You might not remember half the things you would have if you had been focused on one thing.
The Internet has really helped us, but I guess we really need to draw boundaries. Too much of anything isn't good.
Thursday, August 18, 2011
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
We All Dream, Even Skunks
Well, where do I begin? At the beginning of this story it was easy for me to read, I was intrigued by the fact that a skunk was sleeping on this girl's legs. I can't even imagine what it would be like having a skunk sleep on me, I probably would have tried to get out of my sleeping bag. One thing for sure, I most likely wouldn't have gotten any sleep that night!
As I kept reading I found myself questioning the authors sanity. From the sentence, "I have found my best dreams come to me in cheap motels," on, I felt like she was a little, not to be rude, nuts. This confused me because she went on to tell a story and I couldn't tell if it had happened in real life or in her dream. Reading further on though, it seems the bit about the motel with the tissuey, brown sheets (gross) is real. I can't imagine having to sleep with all of my clothes on because my bed isn't good enough.
And then there's her dream.
It surprised me how much of her dream she remembered. While I remember many of my dreams and probably more detail than most people, she remembered very specefic details that even when awake a lot of people wouldn't remember. I wonder if this is when her facination with the woodsy wild began? After this dream it seemed that everything and anything she talked about had to do with nature and animals.
I also thought it strange that she thought of the dream so much later in life. Sometimes I think of dreams, but only a couple days after I've had them, not years. And then, when she finds the hunting area for the Blue Mountain Forest Association the story gets really weird for me. The fact that she dreamt about it and now it was in front of her is a little freaky. It must have been destiny that she found it?
I have so many questions after reading this piece. Have I ever had dreams that will come true in the future, will I? She said she fell in love, with who? Are there many places like hunting area for the Blue Mountain Forest Association? Was the author going crazy? Is she obsessed with Skunks?
Lastly, I have to agree with Adam Phillips that without obstacles we would never feel accomplished. And I've never connected in dreams that we are rewarded with no challenge (well, most of the time). Why is that? Maybe because "a dream is a wish your heart makes?" :)
As I kept reading I found myself questioning the authors sanity. From the sentence, "I have found my best dreams come to me in cheap motels," on, I felt like she was a little, not to be rude, nuts. This confused me because she went on to tell a story and I couldn't tell if it had happened in real life or in her dream. Reading further on though, it seems the bit about the motel with the tissuey, brown sheets (gross) is real. I can't imagine having to sleep with all of my clothes on because my bed isn't good enough.
And then there's her dream.
It surprised me how much of her dream she remembered. While I remember many of my dreams and probably more detail than most people, she remembered very specefic details that even when awake a lot of people wouldn't remember. I wonder if this is when her facination with the woodsy wild began? After this dream it seemed that everything and anything she talked about had to do with nature and animals.
I also thought it strange that she thought of the dream so much later in life. Sometimes I think of dreams, but only a couple days after I've had them, not years. And then, when she finds the hunting area for the Blue Mountain Forest Association the story gets really weird for me. The fact that she dreamt about it and now it was in front of her is a little freaky. It must have been destiny that she found it?
I have so many questions after reading this piece. Have I ever had dreams that will come true in the future, will I? She said she fell in love, with who? Are there many places like hunting area for the Blue Mountain Forest Association? Was the author going crazy? Is she obsessed with Skunks?
Lastly, I have to agree with Adam Phillips that without obstacles we would never feel accomplished. And I've never connected in dreams that we are rewarded with no challenge (well, most of the time). Why is that? Maybe because "a dream is a wish your heart makes?" :)
Wouldn't You Like to be the "Talk of the Town?!"
Like most Americans over the age of 13, I remember 9/11 distinctly. I was in 2nd grade, going to Beverly Gardens elementary school on an air force base located in Dayton, Ohio. We were sitting in class when we were told we had to go home. Our parents had been notified and arrangements were made for every child to go home or somewhere they could be taken care of. Living down the street from the school, I walked, quickly. I had no idea what had happened, but from the way the teachers were acting, I knew it was bad. My mom was home from work early (she and my step dad were in the air force), and when I went to turn on the TV she said, "There's nothing on. The news is on every channel." Of course, being in 2nd grade, I didn't believe her. I soon found her to be telling the truth, every channel was showing the same thing: two planes crashing into the Twin Towers. I didn't understand, but I was scared.
John Updike's account of that day is outstanding. I could feel the hairs on the back of my neck rising as he told of what he and his wife were witnessing. The way he explains it in the first paragraph like watching a TV that has perfect reception is a dime. How could you witness something like that without the thought that it was unreal? Something so horrible couldn't possibly be happening right in front of your eyes. The sentence that really caught my attention in that first paragraph was, "it seemed, at that first glance, more curious than horrendous: smoke speckled with bits of paper curled into the cloudless sky, and strange inky rivulets ran down the giant structure's vertically corrugated surface." On TV, you had the choice of turning it off, but for most of the people of New York, it was there in front of them, in plain view, and they had to watch it. Not knowing what to expect, of course they would watch, slowly realizing they were in the midst of a nightmare.
And then it hits them, "we knew we had just witnessed thousands of deaths; we clung to each other as if we ourselves were falling." I can't imagine that feeling, realizing you were in the front seat a Hollywood movie come to life.
Updike goes on to make many good points about freedom in America. While it is a good thing and should never be taken away from anyone, it comes with its risks. You can board any plane you want, get on any bus, walk down any sidewalk, but there is always the risk that something bad will happen to you. The plane or bus can crash, and while you're walking someone could come up next to you and hurt you.
I also like Susan Sontag's essay. She was very straightforward with what she had to say. Right off the bat she said that while some say the men that caused 9/11 were cowards she highly disagreed. She also felt that the politicians were lying to us, they kept saying the United States was fine, when quite frankly, it wasn't.
The paragraph that really caught my attention from Sontag's essay was the conclusion. She makes point after point after point. The strongest point of this paragraph for me is, "lets by all means grieve together. But let's not be stupid together." She is so right! It's alright for any group of people to be said together, help each other up again, but there is a line. Don't lie to make the others around you feel better. I'd rather know the truth and what needs to happen than a lie to make me feel better at the time.
John Updike's account of that day is outstanding. I could feel the hairs on the back of my neck rising as he told of what he and his wife were witnessing. The way he explains it in the first paragraph like watching a TV that has perfect reception is a dime. How could you witness something like that without the thought that it was unreal? Something so horrible couldn't possibly be happening right in front of your eyes. The sentence that really caught my attention in that first paragraph was, "it seemed, at that first glance, more curious than horrendous: smoke speckled with bits of paper curled into the cloudless sky, and strange inky rivulets ran down the giant structure's vertically corrugated surface." On TV, you had the choice of turning it off, but for most of the people of New York, it was there in front of them, in plain view, and they had to watch it. Not knowing what to expect, of course they would watch, slowly realizing they were in the midst of a nightmare.
And then it hits them, "we knew we had just witnessed thousands of deaths; we clung to each other as if we ourselves were falling." I can't imagine that feeling, realizing you were in the front seat a Hollywood movie come to life.
Updike goes on to make many good points about freedom in America. While it is a good thing and should never be taken away from anyone, it comes with its risks. You can board any plane you want, get on any bus, walk down any sidewalk, but there is always the risk that something bad will happen to you. The plane or bus can crash, and while you're walking someone could come up next to you and hurt you.
I also like Susan Sontag's essay. She was very straightforward with what she had to say. Right off the bat she said that while some say the men that caused 9/11 were cowards she highly disagreed. She also felt that the politicians were lying to us, they kept saying the United States was fine, when quite frankly, it wasn't.
The paragraph that really caught my attention from Sontag's essay was the conclusion. She makes point after point after point. The strongest point of this paragraph for me is, "lets by all means grieve together. But let's not be stupid together." She is so right! It's alright for any group of people to be said together, help each other up again, but there is a line. Don't lie to make the others around you feel better. I'd rather know the truth and what needs to happen than a lie to make me feel better at the time.
I'm in love alright, with my crazy, beautiful life...
Well hey there beautiful people!
I sat here for awhile pondering where I should begin. What do people want to know about me? What do they already know? But after much thought I figured, it doesn't really matter much what other people want to know so much as what I'm willing to tell.
We'll start at the basics, family and friends! I live with my grandparents, Alexa and Dennis Law, to whom I owe the world. I've lived with them for quite some time because my mom passed away when I was 9 years old. My dad lives close by in Madison and I often visit him, my step mom, and my little sisters. I also have a 11 year old brother, Montez. He lives in Texas with his other grandparents. I have many friends, but my close knit group consists of crazy, funny, caring, smart, gifted people that make me smile and laugh everyday. We constantly find ourselves at Culvers, driving around aimlessly, singing at the top of our lungs, spitting some rhymes, dancing like no one's watching, watching movies, and in awkward situations.
Now for the fun, or rather, hardest part...describing myself. Where do I begin? I talk too loud, smile too big, laugh too hard, sing at the top of my lungs, hum when you're talking to me, dance everywhere, cry over the simplest things, love music, old movies (new too), purple, Batman, summer, eyes, the New Boyz (especially Legacy), Vinny Guadagnino, Chris Brown, Neville Longbottom, Harry Potter (books and movies), musicals, pictures, dancing, reading, smiling, laughing, walking barefoot, watching sports, art, root beer, and life. I'm constantly quoting the New Boyz, the Jersey Shore cast, imagining my life as a musical, and watching movie after movie.
This too, like the beginning, took much thought. I didn't know what was left to say, what more I could tell you about myself, or the people I enjoy spending my time with. I wanted to end with something that everyone could relate to, something that every person has thought about at least once in their life time. And then it hit me, we all have hopes and dreams. While my dreams may not be the same as many other people, this common ground of wanting something more in life can bring us together. I have many dreams, both big and little. I want to travel, have an adventure, meet new people, fall in love, and be happy. I dream about being on Broadway, conducting a symphony, and having a family. Besides the serious I have the typical teenage dreams too. I daydream about making a song with Chris Brown, singing a duet with Frank Sinatra (in digital form, like Elvis and Celine Dion),hanging out with the New Boyz, and being in a movie with Paul Walker, Hayden Christensen, Sandra Bullock, Zoe Saldana, Denzel Washington, Will Smith and many, many more. Who knows, maybe one day all of these dreams will come true.
Don't worry though, I won't forget you when I'm famous. :)
I sat here for awhile pondering where I should begin. What do people want to know about me? What do they already know? But after much thought I figured, it doesn't really matter much what other people want to know so much as what I'm willing to tell.
We'll start at the basics, family and friends! I live with my grandparents, Alexa and Dennis Law, to whom I owe the world. I've lived with them for quite some time because my mom passed away when I was 9 years old. My dad lives close by in Madison and I often visit him, my step mom, and my little sisters. I also have a 11 year old brother, Montez. He lives in Texas with his other grandparents. I have many friends, but my close knit group consists of crazy, funny, caring, smart, gifted people that make me smile and laugh everyday. We constantly find ourselves at Culvers, driving around aimlessly, singing at the top of our lungs, spitting some rhymes, dancing like no one's watching, watching movies, and in awkward situations.
Now for the fun, or rather, hardest part...describing myself. Where do I begin? I talk too loud, smile too big, laugh too hard, sing at the top of my lungs, hum when you're talking to me, dance everywhere, cry over the simplest things, love music, old movies (new too), purple, Batman, summer, eyes, the New Boyz (especially Legacy), Vinny Guadagnino, Chris Brown, Neville Longbottom, Harry Potter (books and movies), musicals, pictures, dancing, reading, smiling, laughing, walking barefoot, watching sports, art, root beer, and life. I'm constantly quoting the New Boyz, the Jersey Shore cast, imagining my life as a musical, and watching movie after movie.
This too, like the beginning, took much thought. I didn't know what was left to say, what more I could tell you about myself, or the people I enjoy spending my time with. I wanted to end with something that everyone could relate to, something that every person has thought about at least once in their life time. And then it hit me, we all have hopes and dreams. While my dreams may not be the same as many other people, this common ground of wanting something more in life can bring us together. I have many dreams, both big and little. I want to travel, have an adventure, meet new people, fall in love, and be happy. I dream about being on Broadway, conducting a symphony, and having a family. Besides the serious I have the typical teenage dreams too. I daydream about making a song with Chris Brown, singing a duet with Frank Sinatra (in digital form, like Elvis and Celine Dion),hanging out with the New Boyz, and being in a movie with Paul Walker, Hayden Christensen, Sandra Bullock, Zoe Saldana, Denzel Washington, Will Smith and many, many more. Who knows, maybe one day all of these dreams will come true.
Don't worry though, I won't forget you when I'm famous. :)
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