Grow Reflection

1)    At first all you can see is a ‘g’ and an ‘r.’ Then the camera pans out to reveal the word ‘grow’ glowing against a mutant-green background. The scene blurs and the next image is a spinning globe. This is how the video “Grow” starts. As innocent as it begins, it does not stay this way. The production encompasses many of the terrifying effects of population growth, from overcrowding all the way to trash. It plays off the emotions and fears of the viewers in order to prove a point: growth, specifically in terms of population, can be detrimental to our society and way of living.

2)   The most terrifying moment comes seventeen seconds in. The music starts to get scary while the video shows a trash mound, slowly zooming out to reveal a bigger and bigger pile of trash. This moment definitely has truth value as it proposes a consequence of population growth that can be proven to be accurate, just as J. Anthony Blair states that it must. It convinces the viewer of the dangers of growth.

3)    The claim of this production is that the boom in population growth is bad. This is expressed through the dramatic use of music and images meant to play off the emotions of the viewer. In addition, in almost every still the camera zooms out in order to show growth. The fast visual pace also serves to illustrate how soon the population can spiral out of control.

4)    This visual production is predictable in that it plays off the passions and emotions of the viewing audience. Most (if not all) of the videos seen in class did this, from “Play” (feeling bad for the less fortunate children) to “Hope” (sadness for abused animals), making this a very predictable aspect of visual productions.

5)    In this production, the order of the images is meant to shock. It starts off pleasantly, with the word grow and a globe, however this leads to a more sinister strand of trash, space junk, traffic and more. Finally, to rub the message in some more, the video shocks the viewer. The order was really intended to fit the music, with the scariest parts (trash) appearing when the music was most intense. This helps the viewer grasp the severity of the situation.

6)    In some situations, images can do more than writing, however we must recognize that images cannot be the sole way of communicating. This project was meant to be all about images and a single four-letter word, however in reality more than one word was used. It was not enough to search “grow” in Google Images. I had to search many different terms in order to get the right pictures for my video. In fact, I had to figure out what the right terms were before I could get an image. The terms ranged from “overcrowding” all the way to “deforestation.” Therefore, words are still necessary and relevant in conjunction with images.

Works Cited

Blair, J. Anthony, and Christopher Tindale. Groundwork in the theory of argumentation: selected papers of J. Anthony Blair. Dordrecht [etc.: Springer, 2012. Print.

Kress, Gunther R.. Literacy in the new media age. London: Routledge, 2003. Print.

Spitzer-Rubenstein, Jessica. "Grow - YouTube  ." YouTube - Broadcast Yourself.  . N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Nov. 2011. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1hEoUyseU1o>.

Blog 12 of 12

From my observations in Dr. Lay's class, there are two kinds of writers. There are the ones who are comfortable writing, and those who are not confident in their writing abilities. My advice to these different types of writers is, understandably, different.

For those who are uncomfortable writing, don't get stuck in the thought that you can't write. You can. You just need to give it a chance. Maybe you feel like you can't because your writing was put down in the past. I know that was definitely me. I came into this class with a bad attitude. I was ready for it to be my worst class, the one I dreaded every day. Imagine my surprise when I realized that I enjoyed the class, and even more, I enjoyed writing for it! Give it a chance; it is just trying to find your voice, but in text.

And then there are the ones who are confident writers, used to the usual essay writing. Don't get stuck on the fact that you are writing in a different form. That is just what it is, different. A new way of doing things. Keep an open mind. Experiment with ways to improve your usual writing with new media. It improve your essay if you link to a video source. Try new things, and enjoy a change of pace, a challenge.

To all the writers, sit down, and let the words flow. If they aren't coming, take a break. When you come back, read an article or two that relates to your topic. Let it give you ideas. Then, try free writing again. Revise, revise, revise.

Blog 11 of 12

Our four-letter word projects are not writing. Writing is an inscription of letters. While those letters can be inscribed on paper, clothing, computers and the like, they must still use letters. The four-letter word project is more accurately defined a composition, as it uses many different elements, from images to our single four-letter word, music and movement.

EDIT: Response to Comments
I agree that hieroglyphics are writing because they were in fact originally inscribed on stone or parchment. However, pictures are not inscribed; they do not have only one single meaning to them, only one word that can describe them. There are a multitude of words that describe one picture. This is not the case with hieroglyphics.

Blog 10 of 12

In Hubris at Zunzal by Rodney Jones, Jones argues that all writing is good (or at the very least, workable), and that there is "no image like the image of language." He invokes a scene of throwing a bottle into the ocean, and then realizing that he "was not finished" with the bottle. This can be seen as a metaphor for writing, or more specifically throwing out writing only to realize seconds after it is too late to recover it that it may not have been so bad. Jones is telling the reader not to trash work, but rework it, to save it for later.

Blog 9 of 12

When I put on clothing with text, I do not anticipate readers. Sometimes I don't even know what my own clothing says. In fact, I have a shirt (September 25, 2011) that I love. I wore this shirt for months before someone told me they liked it because it said "simple math" under a peace sign, and math equations in the background. What? Math equations? I never saw them! Now that its been pointed out to me, of course I see it and wear the shirt because the message is smart: peace is simple and has an answer, like math. But I did not wear it for that reason originally. I wore it because it has a nice blue color to it, and because it is soft.

Blog 8 of 12

Words sometimes are easy. Images & other visuals sometimes are hard. However, if we build up our picture or image bank, like we have built up our vocabulary, then of course we can argue in images. We can even be flexible too, like Zadie Smith states, if we learn how to effectively communicate with images.


Can every argument be viable, even in images?
(stick figure drawing of two men. One says "I'm flexible." The other says "Cool man... I don't think I am.")
Why can't every argument be flexible?
(Another stick figure says "oh wait. I am flexible.")

-Andrew Marks

Blog 7 of 12

The writer of the crayoned paper I am reading was definitely influenced by the writing implement he used. In addition to writing text, he also drew a cartoon and decorated the word "easy." The writer is more expressive as he places emphasis on the words "easy" by circling it a number of times, "learn" by underlining, and "images" by using a different color. This could not have been done in the normal pen and paper format, and had to use crayons.

I do believe this writing is good as it uses humor and expressiveness. Even the stick-figured cartoon was successful as it took the voice of teens today in a humorous fashion.

Blog 6 of 12

"The Twouble with Twitters"

The trouble with twitter is that most of us don't know who actually reads our tweets. It could be that other twitter users actually care what we have to say, but it is more likely that your twitter situation sticks to one or more of the following scenarios. One, it is possible that no one cares that you love cookies. Two, it is also possible that people you do not know will see your updates, and will care in a bad way or spam you (I know I've gotten a follower that seemed like an inappropriate spam account). Three, your real friends might actually find your constant tweeting annoying and rude, as it takes you away from social activity.

That being said, there is a place for microblogging. For example, I understand the use of twitter in the case of celebrities. I understand the use of twitter as a marketing tool. I understand the use of twitter for comedic purposes. But not as social network.

Blog 3 of 12

What I really think about the writing space that twitter affords is that that, while twitter is a place with writing, it is not necessarily* a place for writing. Twitter is a micro-blogging service. It is meant for short thoughts or statements, not well thought out arguments. The writer is limited to 140 characters which inhibits the free flow of thoughts and makes informal abbreviations a necessity, which in turn detracts from the quality writing. 140 characters is not enough space to persuade.


For example, if this blog post was written on twitter, the first sentence would not have been complete. The * indicates where the tweet would have to end. Therefore, twitter is not a space for writing. It is a space for linking and sharing, but not smart, insightful, analytical writing.

Blog 2 of 12

I'm not sure why so many people wear texts on their clothing and on their skin.  Perhaps they feel that such portable writing serves to express their personalities. However, most of the time portable writing shows a trait that the wearer would (or should) not want to show, such as a vulgar comment. Sometimes people just throw on whatever is clean. Other times, the wearer believes the sarcastic comment is actually funny.


We need to think about what our clothing says about us. Why is the reaction different if the text is written on our body than if it is written in an essay? Both medias express ourselves, so why is it more accepted to say "I gave one too many F***S" (November 3, 2011) on a shirt?

Fanfiction

Jessica Spitzer-Rubenstein

Professor Lay

WSC 1

December 2, 2011

Fanfiction

What is writing? According to the New Oxford American Dictionary, writing is “the activity or skill of marking coherent words on paper and composing text.” However, in 2011, this definition seems inadequate given the technological advancements of the modern era. Writing today does not just include pen and paper; writing is not only written for “printed reproduction or publication” (New Oxford American Dictionary). Now, writing is done on computers and published online. Anyone can do it, and everyone can read it. The genres of writing have changed as well. Now, a very common online genre is fanfiction. UrbanDictionary.com defines fanfiction as a written work where “someone takes either the story or characters (or both) of a certain piece of work, whether it be a novel, TV show, movie, etc, and create their own story based on it.” Fanfiction has brought a new group of readers, writers and editors into the mix. But is fanfiction really literature?

It can be argued that fanfiction is not a novel concept. In 1614, an anonymous writer published the Second Volume of the Ingenious Gentleman Don Quixote of La Mancha, an unauthorized continuation of Miguel de Cervantes’ Don Quixote. In it, the author used Cervantes’ characters to make his own story, which by definition is fanfiction even if he did not write the book out of admiration for the original work. However, despite the existence of fanfiction that predates even the most rudimentary of contemporary technology, fanfiction is a “modern phenomenon”(Wikipedia).

In the early 1900s, fanfiction was used to describe original science fiction works created by novice authors and published in fanzines. After 1965, however, the definition of fanfiction changed to a more modern version. However, The growing interest in fanfiction is due mostly to the Internet’s interactive and participatory qualities. Sites like fanfiction.net now encourage readers to review the fanfiction they read in order to better the author’s writing in a constructive manner. Both the readers and writers tend to be fans of the original work, but being a fan is not required.

There are many examples of fanfiction that succeed. In 1966, Tom Stoppard premiered Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, a highly acclaimed play based on the characters of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern from Shakespeare’s Hamlet. In 1995, Gregory Maguire published Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West, a Wizard of Oz fanfiction novel following the life of the Wicked Witch of the West, a character Maguire lovingly names Elphaba, instead of Dorothy, as the original did. It soon became a hit Broadway musical, earning around $1.6 million each week.

However, one big question remains: is fanfiction literature? Much of the online fanfiction is not of great quality. Fanfiction cannot be purely original, as it uses other’s work for influence. Because of this, many will argue that fanfiction is in fact not literature. But literature is “all writings in prose or verse, [especially] those of an imaginative or critical character, without regard to their excellence” (Webster). This definition of literature most certainly encompasses fanfiction. Fanfiction is most commonly in prose, fulfilling the first part of the definition of literature. Authors of fanfiction imagine situations for their favorite characters, thus fulfilling the second part of the definition. The final part of the definition states that it does not matter if the writing is good or bad to be literature, so therefore fanfiction is, by definition, literature.

Works Cited

Abate, Frank R., and Elizabeth Jewell. The new Oxford American dictionary. New York: Oxford University Press, 2001. Print.

Bolter, J. David. Writing space computers, hypertext, and the remediation of print. 2nd ed. Mahwah, N.J.: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, 2000. Print.

"Fan Fiction Statistics - FFN Research: March 2011." Fan Fiction Statistics - FFN Research. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Nov. 2011. <http://ffnresearch.blogspot.com/2011_03_01_archive.html>.

"Fan fiction - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia." Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. N.p., n.d. Web. 6 Nov. 2011. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fan_fiction>.

"How Harry Potter Became the Boy Who Lived Forever - TIME." Breaking News, Analysis, Politics, Blogs, News Photos, Video, Tech Reviews - TIME.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 9 Nov. 2011. <http://www.time.com/time/arts/article/0,8599,2081784,00.html>.

Mistaki. "Urban Dictionary: fanfiction." Urban Dictionary. N.p., n.d. Web. 6 Nov. 2011. <http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=fanfiction&defid=1904435>.

Morrison, M.. "Tips for writing a great fanfiction story - by M. Morrison - Helium." Helium - Where Knowledge Rules. N.p., n.d. Web. 9 Nov. 2011. <http://www.helium.com/items/1749167-tips-for-writing-a-great-fanfiction-story>.

Neufeldt, Victoria, and David Bernard Guralnik. Webster's New World dictionary of American English. 3rd college ed. New York: Webster's New World :, 1988. Print.

"Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia." Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. N.p., n.d. Web. 9 Nov. 2011. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosencrantz_and_Guildenstern_Are_Dead>.

Quiz 4: Blair

1. Truth value is a proposition or claim that can be accepted as true or rejected as false. Either way it is taken, anything with truth value proves a point.
2. While Blair asserts that arguments are not only linguistic or verbal, this is not the case. In fact, an argument is an exchange of differing ideas. This exchange can only happen with dialogue between two or more parties, or two or more parts of a whole. Linguistics give us the power of logic, of reason and persuasion. It gives us a way to create that dialogue between multiple parties.
3. Visual productions are predictable in that they appeal to emotions rather than logic.

Blog 1 of 12

Robert Hass' argument is that there are limits in what words can show. Sometimes visuals are more effective than words. Words are abstract things, intangible. In fact, when we says a word like "tree," we are speaking of a representation of a tree. Unless you see the tree right in front of you, you will imagine it. Words are representative of a real object, and therefore are limited in how they can affect someone and what they can do.

A very interesting portion of the poem happens when Hass writes "dance with me, dancer. Oh I will." He introduces this by saying that "it is good sometimes for poetry to disenchant us," and that is exactly what happens. He specifically disenchants the reader to prove a rhetorical point.

Grow: A Four-Letter Word Project

Note: My idea changed drastically from my prewriting. My argument is completely different, but I'll leave it up to you to see what it is. Enjoy!

Four-Letter Word Prewriting

My four-letter word is grow.
I find this word fascinating because it shows change.
I am arguing that growth is necessary and beautiful.

First Thoughts

I've been thinking about my own draft for project 3, and I have to tell you (Prof. Lay) that I only have two pages. It isn't my best work, but I like where I am going with it. It is a narration of a day at Hofstra, which I feel is more sentimental than analytical, and the instructions said to not be sentimental, so I do not think I did the assignment correctly.

I am peer reviewing a colleague's draft of Project 3, and my first reaction is that this draft is good. I like the use of the quote. It adds a lot to the essay. The rhetorical questions work in that they allow the writer to define what home is to her.

A Sentence Starts Out Like...

A sentence starts out like a chainsaw, hacking through the forest of ideas. It makes such noise that it alerts everyone around, saying "I HAVE AN IDEA! LISTEN TO ME!" When the writer successfully cuts down the right idea, they can refine it and make it into paper.

What is Happening to Writing - Wordle

What is Happening to Writing?

If These Walls Could Talk...

The way our education system is today does not match the current cultural workplace. In middle and high school, a bell rings to tell us that class is over. We sit in rows and listen to one person who has complete control over us. The system was set up this way many years ago to prepare students for the jobs they would have: factory jobs. Today, as Michael Wesch points out, if these walls could talk, learning should not come from a single place. It should not come from being told something is true, but rather from doing.

My Reader is like a Flea

My reader is like a flea, itching me to write, an always constant reminder of the work I have yet to do. I could live without them, but then I'd never get anything done. This tiny insect might feel insignificant at times, but I couldn't function in school or work if I didn't have them. That flea read my college essay, gave me suggestions on how to make my personal statement better. I could not have gotten into college without my personal pest. Sometimes, a tiny pest can make all the difference.

Hofstra is not like a comfy blanket

Hofstra is not like a comfy blanket. It cannot be automatically adjusted to. It does not make everything better like a blanket. It does not make you warmer on a cold winter day. It is not comforting like a blanket when something goes wrong. It instead takes adjusting to. It is a school, community and home. It is a place where everyone holds the door for the next passerby, whether they know them or not. It is a place where you can work on a mossy stone bench in a green secluded place. It is an opportunity to expand upon yourself and learn a lot on many different subjects.

Hofstra might be like...

Hofstra might be like high school. It has the same drama, and friends act the same. I know my professors as I did my high school teachers. I have the same struggles with my workload as I did two years ago. The support system at Hofstra mirrors my high school support system: caring, helping, and more.

Hofstra is not like...

Hofstra is not like high school. Hofstra is not like anything I am used to. It is not easy. Hofstra is not like Los Angeles. Hofstra is not like an urban city. It is not an uncaring place. Hofstra is not like New York City. Hofstra is not like a comfy blanket.

Home is like....

Home is like a comfy blanket. It is cozy and warm. Safe and comforting. Home smells like food. Home is nice and happy. "Home is where the heart is."

Inkshedding Exercise

Media comes in all different forms, from text to pictures and even video. What these have in common is that they express an idea. The remediation of photography led to video. As such, videos express more than a still picture can thanks in part to the auditory possibilities. Remediation is the improvement of media to help users better portray their ideas. Remediation is changing the media to adapt to the changing world and new technologies.

Bolter Chapter 3 - #2 - Hypertext Makes Reading More Natural

• What is Hypertext? -A link between two different things
• Plain text is flat
• hypertext redirects to other pages
• like a footnote
• People thinks exclusively verbally
• Insert other media
• User can navigate
• Creates cloud and network

Bolter Chapter 3 - What is Their Argument?

Is Hypertext a More Natural Way to Write?

-Unlimited possibilities
-Learning
-Connections
-Evolution
-Association
-Links
-Connections
-Different paths
-Conversation between reader and writer
-Connect ideas in word processors
-Write as we think

HYPERTEXT IS WRITTEN HOW WE THINK

Derrida

Are you ever afraid to write? Do you take writing as seriously as Jacques Derrida?

I am always afraid to write. I am afraid that my writing is not good enough, that my writing does not get my point across. Like Derrida, I worry that I may have offended someone. The fear stops me from being able to write. It creates a wall for me that I cannot get past.

Bolter Chapter 2 - What is their argument?

Wordle - text being refashioned
The evolution of writing
Materials you use for write affect your writing

Digital text redefines writing as a technology.


Group 2
Codex - recording
Printing press - more text able to be printed
Connections around the world
Online print - remediation
Social Networking - Facebook - another way for people to connect
Blogs - tumblr

The evolution of writing

The Endless Possibilities of Digital Text

The possibilities of digital text are endless. We are trending away from print text and towards digital text. Embrace it or fight it. The choice is yours. But here are some advantages of digital text as opposed to print text.
http://prezi.com/-dno7samj35r/bolter/

Taylor Mali Poem

How does the poem differ in its two recensions? What reading does spoken word (orality) privilege? What does the textual writing space (unconventional as it is) play in the transmission of meaning?

In the two different versions of the poem, the same words are spoken. However the textual version speaks more to the intent of the argument. By having different sized words, with bigger words being more important, the intonation of the poem is more apparent than in the live performance version. The performance version has the advantage of using hand gestures, and does convey meaning through this. The writing space makes a big difference in how we perceive the intent.

Prezi Group Collaboration

1. Closer is the most emphatic part of a written work
2. A writer should think twice before defining their closer
3. A closer should revolve around the main point of the essay
4. Leave the reader with the main point
5. Don't be afraid to go back edit the closer

Enjoy!

http://prezi.com/yzbnc4bpx3hy/closers

Writing is a Technology: Is the Machine Using Us?

Web 2.0: is the machine using us?
In some cases, the machine does use us. There have been many stories of parents neglecting their children due to their dependence on and addiction to machines, however machines are meant to help us, to automate processes for us. I believe they accomplish this task. It is not the machine that uses us, except in very extreme cases, we use the machine.

Vigorous Verbs that Show, and don't Tell

In John Trimble's book Writing with Style, Trimble dedicates a whole chapter to diction. In it, he makes a point that really speaks to me. Trimble wrote about vigorous verbs, his way of saying show don't tell. This  piece of advice really helped me with my college essay and seems like a necessary fact of writing.

The Beauty of Heineken

Most (if not all) commercials for alcoholic drinks show well-dressed, seemingly affluent young adults having a good time, and this commercial is no exception. In it, a well-dressed woman gives a tour of her walk-in closet filled with fancy looking clothing to a few other women. After getting very excited about the clothes, they abruptly stop screaming when they hear men screaming. The men are in a walk-in refrigerator filled with Heineken beer, and are very excited about it.

The point of the commercial is to instill in the viewer the association of Heineken beer to wealth and beauty. While the commercial does not make the claim that the product will give the consumer wealth and beauty, it does associate those qualities with Heineken, therefore making the viewer more likely to buy their beer.

Hansel and GPS

Traditionally, fairy tales have been used to teach children lessons, such as in the Grimm's Fairy Tales' Hansel and Gretel, which teaches children not to wander from their home. In this commercial, AT&T uses that same classic story to explain why a person should have an AT&T phone, and it uses a scare tactic to accomplish this. The commercial plays off parents' fear and worries over their children by showing the young kids in a bad neighborhood, and the kids are only able to get back to their cottage because they have AT&T GPS.

Hello Ladies, How Are You?

Most commercials have one purpose: to sell a product. Usually that translates to an advertisement showing the consumers' wants and desires being fulfilled if and only if they use or buy the product. This Old Spice commercial, however, is unique in that it does not fit the usual commercial mold. The first thing the spokesman says is "hello ladies," implying that he is speaking directly to women. This contrasts sharply with the intended consumers of the product: men. So why does Old Spice advertise this way?

Old Spice advertises this way because men are more likely to buy this product if they believe that women are attracted to it. The commercial also establishes a woman's dream man, a man who is good looking, adventurous, handy and tough. According to this commercial, a man will become a woman's dream if they use Old Spice body wash.

Focus Free Write: A Painful Glimpse Into My Writing Process

What is your writing process like?

My writing process is nonexistent. First I freeze up. I stare at the page/computer screen for a very long time. Then I give up. After that, I pretend the assignment doesn't exist; I stick my head in the sand, so to speak. In a few days I will realize that the due date is very soon, and churn out very poor rambling writing. I then get a C.

The Man Your Man Could Smell Like

AT&T Hansel and Gretel Commercial: 12 Questions

1. Why are they dropping breadcrumbs?
2. Where are they going?
3. How is this specific to AT&T and not another phone company?
4. What city is this?
5. What does the music convey?
6. Why the Hansel and Gretel story?
7. Who is the target audience?
8. Where were they coming from?
9. Why are they in a modern town but in old-time clothing?
10. Why does the young girl have a cell phone?
11. Why are young kids out when it gets dark?
12. Where are their parents?

Heineken Beer: 12 Questions

1. How can you relate the narrative of the commercial with the product?
2. Why do the men need a refrigerator just for beer?
3. Why are the men so excited?
4. Why aren't the women screaming for Heineken?
5. What does the Heineken commercial say about men and women?
6. Who is the intended audience of this commercial?
7. What language are they speaking?
8. Is the living space new?
9. Are they having a party?
10. Is it new money?
11. Why are the women excited?
12. Did the men get a tour of the new living space?

Fifteen Things That Baseball Players Do

1. Warm up
2. Practice
3. Spit
4. Throw
5. Slide
6. Play Baseball
7. Score
8. Hit home runs
9. Eat
10. Endorse products
11. Interviews
12. Work out
13. Curse
14. Itch
15. Chew tobacco

Thai Pantene Commercial

In my composition class, we watched and wrote about a Thai commercial.
In the commercial, the deaf violinist finds her freedom, her confidence and concentration in a field of wheat. When she gets to this field, she is able to shine in her musical abilities. This, however, is not the main point of the commercial. By the end of the commercial, the viewer realizes that this is an advertisement for Pantene and it becomes apparent that the field of swaying wheat represents and looks like hair, and pretty hair at that. According to the commercial, you too will shine if you use Pantene.

Focus Free Write: John Trimble

Prompt: John Trimble makes the case that all writers are like warriors, defending claims and fortifying arguments. How do you respond to this trope, this figurative turn?

John Trimble states that "all writers are like warriors, defending claims and fortifying arguments." While there may be some exceptions to this analogy, in general this is true. An author's job is to make a point and prove it, and the warrior analogy fits with this. I can picture a writer at his or her computer, with heavy metal armor on. It allows me to see exactly what he means by this.

So here I am at Hofstra and I am blogging. Writing online makes me feel nervous. I don't like writing and I don't feel I am very good at it. I don't like to share my writing with even my closest friends, so this is even more anxiaty-producing since the whole internet ready world can read this. I'm worried about writing in college because I don't feel I can write a two page paper, and most of my classes require 5-7 page papers. I guess I'll have to see what I can do. I do find that I am better when I rewrite though. Now that may not come as a surprise to most people, but I tend to not rewrite mu papers because I don't feel like I can improve it. But apparently I can. This freewriting is really hard for me. I don't have much more to say, but... oh hey! My timer just went off!