Freewrite: in the dark

  I think that the first time I realized that language and writing could get me something that I wanted was a couple years ago when I was a sophomore in high school. I really wanted to do a forign exchange program that would allow me to spend a semester abroad i n Spain. I brought it up almost everynighgt at the dinner table and everyday on the car rides home from school. I would look up websies adn show them to my parents to try and convinvce them to let me go. I had funally gotten my mom to agree but it was taking my dad a little longer. That is when I decided to start writing.
   I met with my principle at school and we started looking at the different programs that I could choose from. I started printing out the applications and filling them in. I got recommendations adn everythjing. Finally and I dont know how, but my dad was on board. I really really wanted to go and I made this happen by using spoken and written language. My dedication to the application process showed that I was serious adn I shouldn't wait around for things to happen. but I need to go out and make them happen.

Response to Prezi

"How does this electronic space refashion its predecessor?  How does it claim to improve on print's ability to make our thoughts visible and to constitute the lines of communication for our society?"


The electronic space gives a new dimension to printed text. The text can be different colors, in different direction, spread out over the page, and even made to be upside down, making the viewer pay attention in a different way than when reading text. Nowadays this style of presenting text is needed to keep the viewer or readers interest. Our minds need to be constantly stimulated. The use of pictures and videos are other ways to represent what our mind is thinking, sometimes creating a clearer image for the viewer.

Writing Space Chapter 2

In the chapter "Writing is Technology" Bolter takes the reader through the different materials used to write with from scrolls to computers. All these technologies of writing are different in the style they are written (by hand or printed), and they style of how they look. However, the writing space is almost the same on all of them. "The technology of ancient writing is not only the papyrus, the ink, and the techniques of making book rolls; it is also the styles and genres of ancient writing and the social and political practices of ancient rhetoric. The technology of modern writing includes not only the techniques of printing, but also the practices of modern science and bureaucracy and the economic and social consequences of print literacy" (19). Both styles of writing are technologies, but are looked at differently. When I see an ancient scroll I see a lot of thought and effort put into writing every word. When writing on a scroll, in a sense, you only get one chance to get it right or you have to start all over again, where when writing on the computer you can re-type and edit the text. I enjoy how Bolter relates the ancient technology of writing to the new technology of writing.

Sample R

In Sample R, the writer mentions Kress' argument about the differences in the ordering of text and images. Although writing is supposed to be sequenced whereas images can jump around, can't this work vise versa? When we created our montages in class, different people were trying to get across different messages with their montages meaning that the images needed to be put in a particular order to get across that particular message. For example, if someone is supposed to representing the a progression in time, then the images need to be in chronological order. Although images do not always need to be in a certain order, sometimes to convey a certain argument the images do need to be in a specific order. However, I do agree that most of the time text needs to be in some sort of sequence to make sense.

Stitch Bitch Inkshedding

"Hypertext is schizophrenic you can't tell what's the original and what's the reference."- Shelley Jackson

Others Responses

- If you're reading something online and there are links connected to only certain words it can be difficult to keep track of what is original text and what words are being used as a reference and are therefore linked to. Using schizophrenia as a metaphor to describe the hypertext is personifying and gives a sense that the final text, including original and hypertext references, does not know it's true identity. It's constantly switching back and forth. 

-Hypertext is a confusing state bouncing between original text or referenced work. There is no clear cut identification with hypertext.

Responses Put Together

Throughout "Stitch Bitch" Jackson uses a lot of personification when describing hypertext. In this particular sentence Jackson relates hypertext to being schizophrenic. With schizophrenia, thoughts jump around and it is hard to pay attention. Jackson relates this to hypertext because it is difficult to tell what is the original text and what is not, also with hypertext it easy to jump around through different and to get distracted.  

Writing Space

Writing Space- By: Jay Bolter
Chapter 1- Reflection

     Originally I thought the chapter was going to be all about the history of writing, but I was wrong. I like how Bolter opened with "The Late Age of Print" moved to "The Future of Print" and then discussed both together. Although I do enjoy books, I don't know if it is the book itself that I enjoy or the idea of the book. Like Bolter said "the printed book remains the embodiment of text." People still view books and other printed texts as more intelligent or reliable. I like the feeling of a book in my hand, but for some reason I get just as distracted reading a book as I do on the internet, it's just a different kind of distraction. When I am reading I wander off in my mind, where on the internet, I wander through links and then more links until I am so far away from my original intention for being on the internet in the first place.
    Many people today publish text through the internet. From blogs to articles, the internet has become a fast and easy way to get published. Although the text is changeable, it never disappears; once published online it is there forever. Some people write just to write, not for any purpose, but solely because they can. The fact is though, nowadays is publishing a book and publishing on the internet really so different? Where are most books written or typed, on the computer right? However I do agree with Bolter that it is easier to change what is published on the computer than what is printed. I have written an essay, printed it out, and then realized that I made a mistake and I had to re-print the whole page, where on the computer, I simply just re-typed the mistake. I like when Bolter writes how we believe that we are "traveling" or "visiting" a web page, because that is exactly how it feels; like a journey. But sometimes, when I get really absorbed into a book, I feel like I am journeying through with the characters through the book.
     Personally I like having a book, I like the feeling of the pages, and the look of the printed text. But I have nothing against computers. I like that everything is so easily accesible and that most of the time all it takes to get from one subject to another is a click of a button.

"Like You Know" By: Taylor Mali

Personally I enjoyed the text video more that the one of Taylor Mali. I liked how the text changed depending on what the word was and what the emphasis on that specific word was supposed to be. For example when Mali spoke louder or with more force, the text was written larger or bolder. Or whenever Mali said "like" it was written in a cursiveish font almost giving it a somewhat sarcastic feeling. In the text version of the video I appreciated what Mali was saying more. The video had more dimension and angles and gave a different feeling than the video of Mali did. The use of fonts, sizes, and style played a role in how the words and their meanings were perceived. Yet only black font was used, so there were no colors to distract the viewer. And there were no other people or images to distract the viewer from what Mali was saying, where in the video of Mali himself, I was constantly trying to read what his shirt said under the word "Scrabble" or looking at the people in the audience. However I did enjoy how animated Taylor Mali was while talking; he was constantly moving his hands and making gestures, which I really enjoyed. It felt as if he was trying to include his audience and really make them feel as if they are a part of what he is saying.