Didin't Do a Thing

How is it my fault?
I don’t say a thing
And you expect me to take it.
I told you what I thought
And you yet you continue.
So don’t start crying
You’re not a baby anymore.
Grow a pair and face me.
So you overheard my rant.
Big fucking deal,
I blow up sometimes,
Everyone does.
But to cry about what you heard?
Suck it up.
I’m trying to confront you
Now that it’s in the open,
But you run away.
You want sympathy instead of closure,
An apology instead of what’s right.
Don’t play innocent,
Because I can see through those tears
Into an immature brat.

Know It All

Stacy Schiff wrote about Wikipedia as though it would be a very good source to use in any research project. She does go on to point out some of the down sides of Wikipedia, but on the whole, her tone seems to be approving of the site. She mentions IBM and their input, but I’m not sure why. It seemed as though she just needed another source to quote from, but she never explained their relationship to Wales or Wikipedia.

Schiff did speak with authority however. Even thought I know that Wikipedia shouldn’t be used as a source because so many people can edit it, and there are only so many watching over it, in the middle of the article, I found myself agreeing with what she was saying. It seemed as though she never doubted herself on her point of view, and had enough evidence with interviews from Wales and Sanger but somehow, the article continued to point in favor of Wikipedia.

It was weird to be able to tell what side she was on, despite her never saying anything about it. And though she put the ups and downs of the site, I could tell what side she was on. I thought the history of Wikipedia was interesting, if a bit much. I was like half-way through the article when I realized I haven’t even gotten to the argument yet. Wales seemed a bit fishy to me, like he didn’t know what he was supposed to say, he just knew he was supposed to defend his website. It also seemed like she didn’t get a whole lot of point of view from Britannica; it could’ve been they all agreed encyclopedias should be kept to the experts, but it just seemed like there wasn’t much in on their behalf.

Coordination

Falling down towards the bottom

Having nothing to grab onto

Slipping and sliding

No way to stop

Only to pray for its end.

I get up at the bottom of the stairs,

Laughing at my grace.

The early morning joggers stare,

Not really knowing what happened.

But it’s just another klutzy moment

And I shake my head and move on.

As he Himself Puts It

Quoting always seemed tedious to me. I understand the importance, showing that an expert or at least another person in the world shares your point of view, but finding that one quote that would fit the thesis perfectly, bores me to no end. I try to find quotes that don’t need much explanation, which isn’t always the best thing, but, it doesn’t take that much effort, and when I’m writing a paper, I want it as effortless as possible.

So, needless to say, I never caught on to introducing quotations or putting my interpretations of them right before and after the quote. It seemed that if I had chosen the right quote, an explanation wouldn’t be needed. However, no one’s corrected my quoting methods before, so I assumed that I was doing everything right. Yeah, it was just lazy teaching, and I was doing it wrong.

This chapter really simplified what I was supposed to do, and even though it will require effort, it’s not as much effort as I originally thought. The resemblance of “…quotations are orphans” not only tickled me greatly, but was able to put into perspective of what I was supposed to do, like the why of it all. It went on to explain which quotes needed to be explained, which was good, because then I can put even less of an effort into a paper.

I hate writing papers, but these articles and chapter don’t make it sound too bad. Unlike the textbooks that I have read in my previous years of school, it seems that this book, even though I have only read the two chapters, actually wants people to learn how to write a decent argument, and not learn enough just to get by. Using quotations doesn’t seem that intimidating anymore, now that I understand what I’m supposed to do.

Her Point is

I’ve never been taught a set way to summarize; my teachers have always said “explain in your own words,” and it was for a reading from a textbook that they didn’t want to read aloud, never for an argument. This chapter, with its structured outline of rules and things to keep in mind, with good and bad examples helped make the information click.

When describing the argument, and how to begin, the chapter used the phrase “entering a conversation.” Upon reading this, I realized that when I’m debating with my friends about a Harry Potter fan fiction, I summarize the story, and use it to my benefit. So when put into that context, summarizing for an argument doesn’t seem so bad. If I use it in speech, why not use it in writing as well?

The examples on “what not to do” were a great help. I’ve noticed that teachers rarely use “bad” examples, probably so no one is embarrassed. But this chapter not only gives examples on the wrong ways of doing things, but how to avoid doing them, and why they’re considered wrong, or bad; like “list summaries,” the chapter explains what they are, why they shouldn’t be done, and how not to do them.

The satirical summary is confusing to me. I understand what they are, but I’m not sure how to do one. But the example of the Daily Show was useful, relating it to something that’s common. However, I think that it might take some practice before I even get the regular summary down, let alone the satirical one. I didn’t realize words mattered that much, but when the right words are put together, I realized that the argument could have much more or an impact. Using words instead like “said,” use words like “emphasized” and the argument won’t be monotonous and boring.

Day of the Dead

Tossing and turning in bed,

With tears streaming down my face,

I can’t help but think about it.

My family is an old one,

And it’s bound to happen.

But going through that pain again,

Knowing another one is lost,

Never to be seen again.

Yes they are still in our hearts,

But what is that worth?

They aren’t here,

And that kills me.

Everyone I have looked up to,

Is gone or going.

It won’t be long until the siblings are left.

To see all the elders age,

Slip away,

Decompose before our eyes,

It tortures me.

There’s nothing that can be done,

And for that I hate the world.

To be so helpless,

Not being able to save,

But just being there in their final moments,

Until the very last breath is taken,

And their spirit slips away,

Leaving behind a sack of bones that look nothing like the owner.