Commenting Review Week

I think the commenting section of this course is very important.  The fact that this course is an online format means that discussion is very important.  Since we aren't in a classroom setting comments are one of the only ways for us to connect with our classmates and bounce ideas off of one another.  I appreciate the comments section of this course because they work to stimulate conversation between the class as a whole.

The comments I write I usually try to include comments on all aspects of the post.  The writing, the ideas, the editing, the layout, and other aspects.  I try to keep my comments very positive because these posts are an expression of creativity.  The positive validation of the creative mind is very important, I would never want to criticize someone else's creativity.

In the same light the comments I have received are all very positive and are therefore very validating.   Positive comments help you to strive to continue to do well.  I think the comments are a good way to motivate individuals to do their assignments well.  The knowledge that your peers will be reading your work makes you take an extra sense of pride in your writing.

Personal Photograph
LVI 2015

The photo I have chosen for this post is a photo that is inspiring to me personally.  In February I traveled to Las Vegas for several days to play in the Las Vegas Invitational.  A rugby tournament for 7s teams.  This tournament is the biggest rugby tournament in Northern America.  Playing in Las Vegas was an incredible experience for me and playing with and against women that far exceed my talents only helped to make me a better rugby player.  After playing in Las Vegas I felt more confident on and off the pitch.  My first league match after returning from playing the LVI I received the honor of being woman of the match, which I attribute to the things I learned at this tournament.  The team we played in this photo was from New Zealand, where rugby is played at one of the highest levels across the globe.  I got absolutely wrecked in this game, I got hit with a double tackle that I think I will forever see stars from.  However, it was a great match and these are some incredibly talented players.

Writing Review Week

My writing experience for this class so far has been relatively positive.  I think that the writing is creative and therefore its something I view as being enjoyable.  The writing isn’t taxing or something that requires hours of stress or worry.  Being creative with writing for this class is something that I think can be considered an outlet in a certain light.

My storybook project is the writing assignment that I am most looking forward to and most focused on for this course.  The topic I selected is not very widely known or written on therefore my stories are somewhat harder to find.  However, the stories I have found are very interesting and provide me with enough information that I can fill in the blanks freely.  With written stories few and far between I can be more creative in my storytelling for my project.  I plan on incorporating elements of stories I find and then expanding upon them with my own characters and ideas of how this fantasy realm could function. 

I think that writing stories for this course is easier when you think about how you could use a story as you are reading it.  Trying to come up with an idea and then making it fit into the story is significantly harder.  I think as I read the stories I am continuously thinking of things I could or would change and how the story would make me feel more connected.  Thinking of ways to make the story more modern, more understandable, more relatable, changing things you thought were poor, those are the kind of things that make the storytelling posts easier. 

Image from keep calm-o-matic

I selected this image because I just came from rugby practice before sitting down to write this post.  Therefore, I am on a fitness kick at the moment.

Reading Review Week

This class so far has been a really unique course experience in contrast with the rest of my classes taken at OU.  While the work load is on an essential day to day basis, the work is by no means strenuous or stressful.  I rather look forward to doing work and writing for this class.  I think this is because of two main things.  One: the materials for this class are interesting and different than the rest of my ordinary classes.  Two: the writing is more of a creative outlet, the writing assignments allow for expression and the ability to try new things without being penalized.  Essentially I have come to think of this class as a means of stress relief.  I can still accomplish academic goals and learn about new cultures and new writing techniques but the environment is completely stress free. 

The reading diaries have helped to keep me motivated and accountable.  While my reading diaries are not my best or most involved writings for this class they do help me with other components of the course.  They help to organize my thoughts about certain stories units or to note the various stories I want to write my storytelling piece on.  The reading diaries are a very effective way to make sure I am staying on top of my readings and taking them seriously.  I find the stories for this class very enjoyable, the reading diaries work to make sure that I still keep academics in mind while reading the various units that I select every week.

I read a lot for pleasure during the summer and breaks.  Since I take such a heavy course load I don’t have much time for leisure reading during the semesters.  It becomes much harder for me to justify reading endless novels for my personal satisfaction when I have an unyielding amount of research papers, journals, textbooks, and articles flooding in from all of my classes.  As a criminology major I encounter all kinds of interesting research in my classes.  However, once you have read one theory dissertation you have essentially read all of them on that theory and sometimes my classes become repetitive.  This is another element of this course that I really appreciate.  The readings are very similar to the kind of things that would interest me if I had the time to devote to personal reading. 

I love this course and think it is brilliantly designed. 

Quote from Buddha
Image taken from Quotespick.com 

I chose to use this image because I think this quote is extremely true.  I have gone through many changes. Personal changes.  Personal growth. Physical changes.  Weight loss.  Muscle gain.  Emotional strengthening.  I’ve become a senior in college.  I’ve become a rugby player.  I’ve become so many things because I put my mind to it.  Making the decision to be something is half the battle in my mind.