This past week in my Advanced Composition class - I have been introduced to a whole new was of looking at blogs and posting blogs.
Linking.
Have any of you heard what this is?
According to Dictionary.com a link in Computer Science is "a segment of text or a graphical item that serves as a cross-reference between parts of a hypertext document or between files or hypertext documents." Sounds easy enough, right?
From what I have been learning this week - linking is a great way to advertise other websites, connect blog readers to the information being used in the post and builds credibility of the blogger page. I find this all interesting, because I have never used blogging except to portray my opinion. And that is fine. But not everyone wants to see just my opinion, web users want to see if others agree with my point of view and even see if people disagree. From now on I am making a firm decisions to link atleast once in every blog - it will give more visual play to my page and help readers see how my thoughts are played out in other websites across the internet.
A question I have had since I have been introduced to linking is: What is the benefit of linking? What are its pro's and con's? There are two places that gave solid reasoning behind the need to link and the first one gave a Top 10 list of reasons to link. The most interesting reason to me was how it would build search engine trust in your site. I didn't even know that it was possible to build the trust of a universal search engine - there are probably alot of benefits! And I am curious to see what it could do for a website. As for the second one, it goes through different words and describes the benefits of marketing on the Internet and how linking really helps. There webpage goal says "Internet Marketing Search Engine Optimization." That is exactly what it is doing, helping web users optimize the search engine the best for their business and/or blog.
Hope this is helpful and am looking forward to utilizing my new "linking skills" throughout both of my blogs.
Sunday, February 1, 2009
Sunday, January 25, 2009
What Makes a Good Blog?
This question was posed to us this week and here was some of my answer:
"In many aspects, blogs are a place where people can share about what they love. Whether it be their family, their work, their academic career, political issues, poetry...the list can go on and on. But when someone can write about what they love in a way that grabs the reader - I think that makes a good blog. And a good blogger has to be a journalist in some apsects, they have to have interesting sentences, facts and information that keep the reader wanting more.
Not sure if my answer it the right one, but I think blogs are good when people write about what they love and the reader is able to gather that."
Not sure if my answer it the right one, but I think blogs are good when people write about what they love and the reader is able to gather that."
A motto from my Economics Class in highschool was
Do what you LOVE
and you'll never feel like
you're working.
That is how it should be with blogs! We should enjoy writing about a topic that inspires us and causes us to keep writing/blogging about other items that make us passionate. I am passionate about my Lord and Savior - that is why I have a whole other blog dedicated to my thoughts from the Bible and my personal time with Him. It's so much fun and uplifting in many ways!
While I am still thinking about the topic "What Makes a Good Blog,"
here are some sites that might answer that question better than I did!
Sunday, January 18, 2009
Another Semester of Blogging!!!
Hello Blog World : )
Looks like I will have the wonderful priviledge of blogging my thoughts once again as I enter into this Spring Semester. My Advanced Composition class is a 9-week intensive course of working online and one of my class assignments is to build a blog (which I already had for my previous semester) and write something on it every week about things I am discussing/learning in my class.
This week, we have talked abit about T.V. and viewing habits we had as a kid and how they have or have not impacted us. Overall, television has not impacted my life because my parents never wanted it too...praise the Lord! Here is my response on my class forum...
---
Growing up, I was homeschooled. And for some people that may seem like easy access to T.V. whenever I wanted.
-
Um - not quite!
-
There were 5 of us kids in my family and my Mom saw it as a great joy and honor to teach us kids at home until we entered college. We had one television in our home and an old 50's black and white television set in a mustard yellow that was hardly ever used. Watching the television was never permitted until everypiece of homework and school was done -typically around 3pm. After that we were only allowed to watch 2 episodes of a show Mom and Dad approved of - this made it quite difficult with 5 kids! But it worked and it made us take turns watching our favorite shows. The television was used for movies at times, mostly educational movies and the occasional Disney Classic movies.
-
Honestly, the television isn't really big in my memory as a child...most of my time was spent sewing with my Mom, cooking dinner with my sisters or playing games at night. We did alot of activities with other homeschool families throughout the day - which limited our time infront of the television. And this is exactly how my life is today. Most of my time is spent doing things for others, working on projects and spending time with friends/family...television is mainly used when a big event is going to be televised or a movie is being shown that everyone in the family will enjoy. I'm thankful for parents who kept me active physically and intellectually and didn't make the television a top priority.
Looks like I will have the wonderful priviledge of blogging my thoughts once again as I enter into this Spring Semester. My Advanced Composition class is a 9-week intensive course of working online and one of my class assignments is to build a blog (which I already had for my previous semester) and write something on it every week about things I am discussing/learning in my class.
This week, we have talked abit about T.V. and viewing habits we had as a kid and how they have or have not impacted us. Overall, television has not impacted my life because my parents never wanted it too...praise the Lord! Here is my response on my class forum...
---
Growing up, I was homeschooled. And for some people that may seem like easy access to T.V. whenever I wanted.
-
Um - not quite!
-
There were 5 of us kids in my family and my Mom saw it as a great joy and honor to teach us kids at home until we entered college. We had one television in our home and an old 50's black and white television set in a mustard yellow that was hardly ever used. Watching the television was never permitted until everypiece of homework and school was done -typically around 3pm. After that we were only allowed to watch 2 episodes of a show Mom and Dad approved of - this made it quite difficult with 5 kids! But it worked and it made us take turns watching our favorite shows. The television was used for movies at times, mostly educational movies and the occasional Disney Classic movies.
-
Honestly, the television isn't really big in my memory as a child...most of my time was spent sewing with my Mom, cooking dinner with my sisters or playing games at night. We did alot of activities with other homeschool families throughout the day - which limited our time infront of the television. And this is exactly how my life is today. Most of my time is spent doing things for others, working on projects and spending time with friends/family...television is mainly used when a big event is going to be televised or a movie is being shown that everyone in the family will enjoy. I'm thankful for parents who kept me active physically and intellectually and didn't make the television a top priority.
Sunday, October 5, 2008
The Heart Tells More Than You Think
This is going to be a character analysis post of a character in Virgina Woolf's book titled "Mrs. Dalloway." Should be interesting.
Come back in a bit...
Come back in a bit...
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Dieing to Live
There were several texts this week that I absolutely loved and I had the hardest time deciding what text to analyze this week. But, after putting aside T.S. Eliot and W.B. Yeats, I decided to look into a short story written by James Joyce entitled "The Dead."
Here is a link to the text: http://www.online-literature.com/james_joyce/958/
The funny thing about titles to books or poems is that we automatically assume that the title will be a give away as to what the story is about immediately at the beginning. This story doesn't proove the value of its title until the last few paragraphs of the story. That information does not mean you are allowed to skip to the end of the story and see how it turn out...hold out - it's really good!
"The Dead" is based around different types of people but it's main character is Gabrielle Conroy. He is an influential man in his circle of friends...one that has gained much prestige by traveling around, having good family connections and being academically smart. Each of these characteristics of Gabrielle are emphasized throughout the novel. He had it all! He had a beautiful wife, money, family, friends and an overall great life. He should be happy...and he is happy, to an extent.
The extent that he is happy, seems to be a dim shadow compared to the larger picture of how Gabrielle longs to be found and noticed. Different incidents brings this awareness to light. One is with the servant Lily - he is disturbed by her brutish attitude about marriage and is rattled by it, so he decides to give her money to relieve his heart cry to understand her. Another encounter is his preparation for the speech he is to give at the dinner, he is nothing but nerves because he is analyzing how everyone is going to judge the way he talks and says things...all of this being based on his "better education." He can't seem to put this reality out of his mind throughout the evening. A third encounter is when he is talking about his traveling habits, how he wants to be in other places and see new people; whereas those around him at the ball don't seem to understand his point of view. He also has a ringing conscious about Miss Ivors and how she sees things in her older generation versus how he sees things in his younger generation.
Each of these encounters are like building blocks for the reader to see how insecure this affluent man really is and he is doing everything to be something to everyone and yet, he really isn't getting anywhere.
At the end, his wife throws on him this story about a young man she used to love named, Michael Furey. Michael died for Gretta, his wife. She can't seem to put this scene out of her mind and as she graphicly describes it to Gabrielle...we see his demeanor change. Gabrielle realized that dying for someone and loving them fully is actually something worth being and something worth understanding. He sees how he has done nothing but pretend all his life..."better pass boldy into that other world, in the full glory of some passion, than fade and wither dismal with age." He no longer wants just a great name that his mother named him...but rather he wants to boldly pass on saying that "he did not wish to live" all because of love. Gabrielle has not experienced this and it seems is puzzled as to what he should do by the end of the story. Should he forget the someone he "used-to-be" and throw his life into one passion and purpose? To die?
This story relates alot to me and it should to everyone else who reads it. Gabrielle is a figure of a man searching for meaning and answers to life. And once the "story" has been told about a man dieing all for love for his wife, he no longer sees things the same. He wants to understand the love Michael had and he also wants to understand why his wife, Gretta, is so enraptured with this passion the young man had.
It connects so easily with my life because I too was searching for answers and meaning to life. Who isn't? But,, I was told a story once about a Man, Jesus Christ, who died for me. All because He loved me and wanted me to be with Him for all eternity. I embraced the story - I accepted what Jesus Christ did on the cross for my sins and he rose again in three days to prove that death did not have dominion over Him! Jesus conquered death for me and you! Once I accepted this truth, I had to come to the conclusions that only Jesus Christ matters now...my desires, my passions, all who I am is found in Christ alone. "I have been crucified with Christ, it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me." Galations 2:20
There is dieing in order to really live...Gabrielle is grappling with this truth and hasn't made a decision, but we see that just as the snow falls everywhere around him, "upon all the living and the dead," we have an imagery of purifying and cleansing with the snow falling outside. Perhaps Gabrielle has embraced the fact that this life is not worth living unless we have a purpose. And we all were created for a purpose...to KNOW GOD. Thus the snow falling about him gives a "cleansing" affect and reminds me that I was lost in my mirky, dark and cloudy sins until I let Jesus Christ cleanse me from my sins.
Just as Gabrielle comes to face the fact that dieing is really living...
I too must face the fact that "for me to live is Christ, and to die is gain." Philippians 1:21
Here is a link to the text: http://www.online-literature.com/james_joyce/958/
The funny thing about titles to books or poems is that we automatically assume that the title will be a give away as to what the story is about immediately at the beginning. This story doesn't proove the value of its title until the last few paragraphs of the story. That information does not mean you are allowed to skip to the end of the story and see how it turn out...hold out - it's really good!
"The Dead" is based around different types of people but it's main character is Gabrielle Conroy. He is an influential man in his circle of friends...one that has gained much prestige by traveling around, having good family connections and being academically smart. Each of these characteristics of Gabrielle are emphasized throughout the novel. He had it all! He had a beautiful wife, money, family, friends and an overall great life. He should be happy...and he is happy, to an extent.
The extent that he is happy, seems to be a dim shadow compared to the larger picture of how Gabrielle longs to be found and noticed. Different incidents brings this awareness to light. One is with the servant Lily - he is disturbed by her brutish attitude about marriage and is rattled by it, so he decides to give her money to relieve his heart cry to understand her. Another encounter is his preparation for the speech he is to give at the dinner, he is nothing but nerves because he is analyzing how everyone is going to judge the way he talks and says things...all of this being based on his "better education." He can't seem to put this reality out of his mind throughout the evening. A third encounter is when he is talking about his traveling habits, how he wants to be in other places and see new people; whereas those around him at the ball don't seem to understand his point of view. He also has a ringing conscious about Miss Ivors and how she sees things in her older generation versus how he sees things in his younger generation.
Each of these encounters are like building blocks for the reader to see how insecure this affluent man really is and he is doing everything to be something to everyone and yet, he really isn't getting anywhere.
At the end, his wife throws on him this story about a young man she used to love named, Michael Furey. Michael died for Gretta, his wife. She can't seem to put this scene out of her mind and as she graphicly describes it to Gabrielle...we see his demeanor change. Gabrielle realized that dying for someone and loving them fully is actually something worth being and something worth understanding. He sees how he has done nothing but pretend all his life..."better pass boldy into that other world, in the full glory of some passion, than fade and wither dismal with age." He no longer wants just a great name that his mother named him...but rather he wants to boldly pass on saying that "he did not wish to live" all because of love. Gabrielle has not experienced this and it seems is puzzled as to what he should do by the end of the story. Should he forget the someone he "used-to-be" and throw his life into one passion and purpose? To die?
This story relates alot to me and it should to everyone else who reads it. Gabrielle is a figure of a man searching for meaning and answers to life. And once the "story" has been told about a man dieing all for love for his wife, he no longer sees things the same. He wants to understand the love Michael had and he also wants to understand why his wife, Gretta, is so enraptured with this passion the young man had.
It connects so easily with my life because I too was searching for answers and meaning to life. Who isn't? But,, I was told a story once about a Man, Jesus Christ, who died for me. All because He loved me and wanted me to be with Him for all eternity. I embraced the story - I accepted what Jesus Christ did on the cross for my sins and he rose again in three days to prove that death did not have dominion over Him! Jesus conquered death for me and you! Once I accepted this truth, I had to come to the conclusions that only Jesus Christ matters now...my desires, my passions, all who I am is found in Christ alone. "I have been crucified with Christ, it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me." Galations 2:20
There is dieing in order to really live...Gabrielle is grappling with this truth and hasn't made a decision, but we see that just as the snow falls everywhere around him, "upon all the living and the dead," we have an imagery of purifying and cleansing with the snow falling outside. Perhaps Gabrielle has embraced the fact that this life is not worth living unless we have a purpose. And we all were created for a purpose...to KNOW GOD. Thus the snow falling about him gives a "cleansing" affect and reminds me that I was lost in my mirky, dark and cloudy sins until I let Jesus Christ cleanse me from my sins.
Just as Gabrielle comes to face the fact that dieing is really living...
I too must face the fact that "for me to live is Christ, and to die is gain." Philippians 1:21
Saturday, September 27, 2008
WEBSITE!!!
I am SO So so proud of myself : )
At the moment, it is 11:30pm. But I have spent the past 5 hours, since 6:30pm on the computer creating my very own website for my English Literature since 1800's class. And...I feel like I just climbed a mountain! I will give you all the link, but I have to let everyone know that this website isn't something super amazing and the graphics are pretty lame. But for spending only 5 hours studying html codes and building a website - I think I did a pretty good job! : )
One other thing, this website is all about that wonderful book by Mary Shelley titled "Frankenstein." Of course, everyone who thinks "Frankenstein" these days assumes it is the name of a monster. Well, it is technically a story about Dr. Victor Frankenstein, who happens to be the creator of The Creature in "Frankenstein." My part of the bargain is to build a home page with links to everyone's sites and information about our project. I also have to write an overview of what our plans are for the webiste on the homepage. Everyone elses job on my team is to create a webpage and hand it over to me so I can then publish it onto the lovely webpage that I worked on. Let me tell you all - designing a webpage is HARD work!!!
Enjoy the fruits of my website : )
(and now I need to rest my eyes...they feel abit strained)
Sunday, September 21, 2008
Plethora of Quotes
Charles Dickens is one of the most influental and powerful writers of London during his time. He accurately portrays orphan life and the down-side's to London's "greatness" and aristocracy. In his book "Great Expectations," which we had to read this week, I enjoyed looking at how Dicken's portrays different people and his descriptions about different events, people and places.
Sooo - I have taken it upon myself to find funny, humourous and/or beautiful quotes from "Great Expectations," write them down and then share them with you all. The imagery, the similes and Dickens wording is picteresque of how Pip, the narrator of this long tale, would sound.
Sooo - I have taken it upon myself to find funny, humourous and/or beautiful quotes from "Great Expectations," write them down and then share them with you all. The imagery, the similes and Dickens wording is picteresque of how Pip, the narrator of this long tale, would sound.
Looking towards the window,
I saw light wreaths from Joe's pip floating there,
and I fancied it was like blessing from Joe -
not obtruded on me or paraded before me,
but pervading the air we shared together.
---
All this time I was getting on towards the river;
but however fast I went, I couldn't warm my feet,
to which the damp cold seemed riveted,
as the iron was riveted to the leg of the man I was running to meet.
---
Cleanliness is next to Godliness,
and some people do the same by their religion.
---
I think the Romans must have aggravated one another very much, with their noses. Perhaps, they became the restless people they were, in consequences. Anyhow Mr. Wopsle's Roman nose to aggravated me, during the recital of my misdemeanours, that I should have liked to pull it until he howled.
---
"If you bring the boy back with his head blown to bits by a musket,
don't look to me to put it together again."
---
There I was, on Joe's back, and there was Joe beneath me,
charging at the ditches like a hunter,
and stimulating Mr. Wopsle not to tumble on his Roman nose,
and to keep up with us.
---
I saw reawakening appetite in the Roman nostrils of Mr. Wopsle...
"Enough of this parsley," said the sergeant.
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