Rules for Writers Chapter 3

This chapter was about revising your work. Sometimes work might be too long or too short or not enough detail to support the thesis. Revising can be difficult because people don't like to read their work from an audience point of view. When you do revise from an audience point of view certain questions have to be asked such as, "What is the main point?" or "Why are the paragraphs in the order that they are in?"

After revising the essay you have to edit the essay for errors, create the final product then proofread. When proofreading it has to be slow and precise. Proofreading out loud will help when reading your own work so that you can make sure you are not reading it how you intended on writing it.

I think this chapter was talking directly to me. I thought it was funny when it stated that it is hard to read your own work. That's me! Just how actors probably feel when they watch themselves acting, I feel the same way when I read my own work. In fact, I don't even like when someone else is reading my own work out loud to me. It is hard, but I have to get past that. I know how hard it is but I have to start to learn how to read my own work from an audiences point of view and be ok with it for one and two reread it seriously to revise. Proofreading is very important. I do it now and will continue to do it. I do have to say that I don't do it all the time and that is what I have to improve on. I have to make sure that every single time I write anything, even a text message, I have to proofread. I have to tell myself even if I am in a hurry, proofreading is very important and most important especially when I'm in a hurry. 

Coming Home Again

Why does his mother regret allowing him to attend boarding school?

His mother regrets sending him to boarding school because that time she wishes she could have used to spend with him. She regrets it because she knew that she was going to die and that her time was limited. Although, that wasn't wasted time because he was getting a good education, but she felt that she could have used that time to spend with him since now she has no time left.

His mother also knows that before he left to boarding school was the only time that all of the family was home together. She obviously didn't know that she would be sick or else she wouldn't have sent him away. She felt that she made a mistake by sending him there. She even stated, "Because I didn't know I was going to die." That is why she regrets sending him to boarding school.

I think that is so hard. You never know what will happen in life. I guess we should all treat our lives like our time is limited so that we will never have any regrets, cause it is.

Rules for Writers Chapter 2

When doing a rough draft of an essay it should include an introduction, a body and conclusion. The introduction should capture your audience and it should be introducing the main point of the essay. The introduction should be from 50-150 words. The body of the paragraph should have evidence that supports your main point. When writing a rough draft, write a paragraph about each idea that you have that supports your main idea. The conclusion is a brief summary of your key points. It is to reiterate the main ideas to your reader and to have them leave with thoughts to consider.

What I will do next time in my essay is to attempt to make a memorable conclusion. I will end with a quote or an image so that whatever my conclusion is could stick with me readers. Another thing that I will do with my rough draft is to write a paragraph on every point I have that supports my main point. That will help me to be organized. 

The way we lie

I have to say that I do agree with Stephanie Ericsson and that eveyone tells a lie. Everyone has told a white lie in their life. When I think of a white lie, I think of when a person says something to not hurt someone's feelings. For example, that dress does look good. People have a hard time telling the truth especially if it will hurt a person's feelings.

The lie that was told about the Sargent that new one of his men was killed but didn't be honest about it. Instead he listed him as missing was the worst of a white lie. That is the ugly side of white lies. I understand that it's hard to be honest when you feel that a person will be hurt, however, something as big as death shouldn't be lied about. The thing about a white lie or any lie for that matter is that you will have to continue on with that lie, whether it be internal or external. For example, when you said the dress looks good and it didn't. You are walking around with that person knowing that the dress looks bad, so internally you are thinking about it and that negativity will actually cause you more stress than if you would have just been honest.

Essay One

This picture is very important to me because the people in it mean the world to me. This image is of my dad, my niece Samiyah, which is one, my niece Hayven, which is eight and in grey, and my daughter Angelina, seven, in the striped dress. I wanted to share this picture because it captures a moment which I love.

When I took this picture, I just snapped it. None of them were ready for this picture, although they looked ready. All of the kids were around grandpa and I thought it was perfect just to quickly take a picture.

These girls are the only grand-kids in the family.

I love this picture so much. I love my dad so much. I am truly a daddy’s girl. My heart melts when I see grandpa with the girls. They love him and enjoy being around him. I know that these girls get the feeling of love when they are around him, just like I did when I was little. My dad is getting old, or shall I say older. That scares me. I appreciate every day I have with him.

In this picture, the baby, Samiyah, had just flew in from her home in Atlanta, GA with my twin sister Nicole. Hayven and Angelina spent that whole evening playing with their baby cousin. Samiyah had fun being chased around and following the “big girls.”

Christmas is the only time my whole family is together throughout the year. That is how it has always been growing up. So, although it was Christmas time when this image was taken, the Christmas tree symbolizes togetherness. Throughout the whole year, my family is all over the place. Everyone is constantly on the move but when it’s Christmas time, nothing else in the world matters except family. The Christmas tree represents family time, closeness, affection and harmony.

Another thing I love about this picture is the diversity. These girls are the new generation. My daughter is half Black and Mexican, my niece Hayven is half black and white, and Samiyah is full black. When I see the girls in this picture, I think of it as my dad looking down at the new era. It keeps reminding me that America will soon be a country where race is too much to pin point. I think soon it won’t be that easy to just check a box that says black or white, it will be irrelevant.

Again, this picture means the world to me and I am glad to share it with you.