Blog #7- Blog Design

I would describe my original blog design as serene and peaceful.  This is the type of mood i like to give off when i write.  The blog is a great way to express our writing in a public journal, so it is important that the tone is set in a comfortable way for both me and my audience.  However, I don't think this is an ideal design for a blog.  When making it, i was exploring blogger for the first time and wanted a feminine, somewhat plain design.  I think though, that the font is a bit too light, which makes it difficult to read, and my design should stand-out more, yet stay professional and appeal to both genders.  The font has also changed throughout my blog entries which has angered me a bit and ruins the organizational flow.  It is definitely appropriate for a college student and a college class, but it does not define me.  As a writer, I see myself as a creative, emotional, and detailed story-teller.  Therefore, my design should be fun and unique to reflect who I am as a writer.   Currently, it accomplishes the purpose of adding “a bit of Morgan” to each story, along with setting a peaceful tone to the readers of each blog entry.  The purpose of my blog is to express myself within the assignments English 15 instructs us to do.  I express literary knowledge, insight, and opinions on each blog.  All of those elements are a huge component of who I am as a writer.  I love to write and I plan on improving my blog design to make it appeal to both my audience and me more than it currently does. 

I was a nerd in middle school.  I was known as a “xanga queen”.  That is another blogging website, and I was a queen because not only did I blog frequently, but I also made layouts.  I have always had a keen eye for design, but at the same time I do not consider myself to be an artistic person.  Nonetheless, I somehow knew how to use the html to design my own “layout.”  On this website I had no idea how to do that, so I just used a template and designed it with my favorite type of style: vintage/floral.  Inspired by Lily Pulitzer and her website along with the freepeople website.  Both websites are inviting in their own way, and as retail stores, they display their taste from the minute the page loads. Both of the websites have warm colors and a girly look, and I did the same thing with my redesigned page.  I was inspired by those two websites and my own personal style, to use a simple and floral layout with darker colors highlighting the important text.  This way, everything seems more organized and easier to read.  The changes I made will help others read it in a more organized way, and the website as a whole will be more inviting to its audience.  By going on my blog, “Diary of a Penn Stater” you can learn about me just based on the appearance.  Showing who I am before anyone gets to read I think will prove that I’m letting people into my world in a way.  My English 15 blog will be enhanced because it will seem like more of a public diary than a blog.  Hopefully people will enjoy reading what I have to share more now because of my new design. 

(before redesign)

Blog #6- Investigative Report Prep

 Part 1: Description of a Place- Canyon Pizza

It’s 3 am and through a glowing fluroscent sign, a huge line of loud and uncontrolled young adults can be seen all the way down Beaver.  Females often are carrying there shoes, eyeliner smeared everywhere with tight skirts and dresses on, while guys sport their backwards hat and are soaked in beer like a typical fraternity brother. Why would there be such a crowd at this time?  After a long night of partying and probably drinking, nothing tastes better than the ridiculously unhealthy Canyon Pizza. Penn State’s famous late night snack would be the one dollar slices offered at Canyon Pizza; Many times while people eat it, they probably are incoherent to how unhealthy what is on their paper plates truly is.  While dipping it in ranch and flinging it all over the mucky floor, the pizza is consumed and not really felt until one wakes up the next morning.  Loud, grossly-delicious, and cheap, nothing beats Canyon Pizza for late-night Penn State students.  At this time, the calories consumed can be extremely harmful.  They may be the cause of the infamous, “Freshman Fifteen.” But is it more the greasy pizza or the drinking that was filled with a ridiculous amount of calories that would cause weight gain?

Part 2- Interview Questions and quotes 
Interview with Natasha Cooper, a freshman who does not drink alcohol.

1.     Since getting to state college, do you feel like your health-habits have changed?  (This includes eating, exercising etc.)

Since getting to State College, i think i have actully gotten much more healthier! For the most part, exercise is a part of my daily routine between walking to classes and actually going to the gym! Everyone is very into working out which is nice because u always have people to "push" you and get you more enthusiastic about excersising! Also, the food they serve at the dining halls always has nutritional facts so that helps you decide what is healthiest and least fattning to eat!

2.     Do you think there is a difference in your weight?

3.    I think i have gotten into more shape and lost some weight from excsersising and doing so much walking around the campus.

4.     Do you think changes in weight would more likely be caused by irregular eating habits or drinking?

I think the changes in my weight are due to my healthier eating habits and my daily routines.

5.     Do you think the freshman 15 can be prevented?  How?

think freshman fifteen can definitely be prevented by choosing what to eat that is a healthier diet and by going to the gym or even attending fitness classes that the campus has to offer.

Part 3.  Research facts found form different sources

1.     “Pizza becomes your enemy at 2:00 in the morning after you've already had dinner. Staying up late usually means eating more, and late-night snacks tend to be on the unhealthy side. You're better off planning for late night snacks by eating a little less throughout the day. You'll enjoy your pizza a lot more knowing that you're not adding extra calories to your diet.”

Source: http://exercise.about.com/cs/exercisehealth/a/freshman15.htm

2.     There are 55 calories in a single shot, and 110 in a can of light beer.

http://www.shapefit.com/alcohol-calories.html

3.    “The freshman 15 challenge is to stay fit and eat healthy while maintaining a very busy schedule. Most college students are constantly on the go, which makes it more difficult to find time to exercise, and to eat right instead of just grabbing "fast food". Challenge yourself to make healthy eating and regular exercise part of your daily routine to help avoid the freshman 15.”

http://www.freshman15.com/

4.     “Your body processes alcohol first, before fat, protein, or carbs. Thus drinking slows down the burning of fat. This could account for the weight gain seen in some studies.”

http://www.shapefit.com/alcohol-calories.html

Part 4- New ideas and changes of direction since starting research

At the beginning of my research process, I was planning on simply writing about whether the freshman 15 is caused by new, irregular, “on-the-go” eating habits, or the consumption of alcohol.  In reality, it is caused by a mix of both and a lack of exercise for most students.  I want to research this more, and to do so I think I want to interview both people who think they are gaining weight and contrast/compare them to students who feel like they’re losing weight or staying the same.  Then, I will evaluate each of their habits to see what they eat, drink, and how much they exercise.  There is no true answer to how you gain the freshman 15, but I want to evaluate different students to strengthen the various causes.  Also, upon research, I found out that many freshman girls only gain about five pounds.  So why is it called the “Freshman 15” then, when that title only scares us more?  I want to research the myth of the freshman 15, and see how it was started to add great background to my report. 

Blog 5- #1 Party School

1. What is the issue of the piece? 
Alcohol is a big issue at Penn State, giving the University the rank of #1 party school. The school has tried many different approaches to eliminate this dangerous issue that effects students of Penn State and residents of State College.  But, it is extremely difficult for university administrators to fix.  


2. What reasons are given for why the issue needs to be investigated?
Penn State has earned the infamous reputation of "#1 Party School"; the campus is getting out of hand.  It comes with many dangers; including the death of a freshman, Joe Dato.  The amount of drinking is obviously unsafe.

3. Who is the intended audience?
People who are looking for information about Penn State.  I think parents of current or potential future students would want to hear about it so they are aware of the party scene. Also, i think administrators of Penn State should listen to hear how Penn State is perceived, and then they can take action to fix the issue. 


4. What facts and details are given to explain how the issue affects different groups that might have an interest in or connection to the issue?
I liked hearing the details of how college students live on the weekends, from students, employers, and police officer's point of view.  The student point of view shows how they all have a great time, drinking the cheapest alcohol available but still being the "hero" when they bring it.  Also, the party scene at fraternities is discussed.  Then, when seen from the Police point of view, we see how much trouble the students can be for being publicly intoxicated, like urinating in public.  Also, most students who end up in the hospital have BAC levels of 3x the legal limit.  This proves how although going the the #1 Party school seems like it's all fun and games for students, it causes serious legal and health issues that we should all be aware of because we as Penn State students can all relate to it.



5. What conclusion is drawn by the end of the report? 
You reduce risk by limiting kids availability to alcohol. The less alcohol available, the less students will drink, which will lead to less regrettable things.  They believe, essentially what needs to happen is a police crackdown. There has been a shift from earlier eras though however, with Spanier and other associates who want to make a change and they have to keep working on it to fix the issue.


6. What research and interviews were included in this report? 
Police, students (drunk and sober), other colleges who have cracked down on alcohol, bar owners, and residents of State college were all interviewed.  By obtaining these interviews he got the view of the drinking/partying issue at Penn State from all different types of people.  Research was conducted when they found information on how other colleges cracked down on the issue, like University of Nebraska at Lincoln.


7. What narrative techniques were used in this report? 
This American Life includes dialogue and multiple interviews, creating a successful array of opinions from various people.  Since it is on the radio and therefore there are no visuals, they use catchy music and actual sound clips to draw in the audiences' attention.  The beginning started with an anecdote/ story that we could visualize, drunk students, and it ended with the nutgraph that the culture of Penn State is extremely difficult to change, but if the amount of alcohol is limited that would solve most alcohol related issues.  It ends in a catchy way that leaves us remembering it, as it summarizes the issue and then we hear the, "WE ARE!" chants.


Did you like it? Why? Why not? What worked for you? What didn't? What would have liked to hear more of/less of in the story? 
I really enjoyed this story.  Despite the length, i was entertained because i can understand everything that was discussed.  Now that i am adapted to college-life, i have heard of all of those places and a lot of the anecdotes made me laugh because i have witnessed or experienced some of these things on my own.  What worked for me how relatable yet informative this story was.  Being the #1 party school seems like an honor to some, but it really is a serious issue that the administrators have found nearly impossible to fix.  What didn't work for me was how a lot of the information was brought back up in several different sections where it didn't relate.  Football tailgating kept being brought up unnecessarily, for instance.  I would have liked to hear less about alumni and whether or not we can ban them drinking for tailgating, because as Spanier said, we obviously can't prohibit drinking for those above the legal age.  I would have liked to hear more about how parents or elders feel about the drinking at Penn State, and would have liked to see if that would have effected whether or not parents would pay for their children to get an education here.  Those people probably aren't as aware as the party scene as we are.  However, the views of all people interviewed provided great insight to the pros and cons of once being titled, "The #1 Party School."

Blog #4: Bird by Bird- final analysis

Anne Lamott's sarcastic and down to earth tone makes it easy to learn writing techniques.  She uses vivid descriptions, flashbacks, and amazing metaphors (such as the picture frame, polaroid, and "bird by bird") that help us relate to writing, even if we don't particularly like it.  To expand upon this concept, her chapter about polaroids really had a memorable effect on me.  As a writer, i like to get through my first draft all at once, and i usually like to have a clear idea of what exactly i will write before hand.  However, Anne Lammott dismisses the idea of perfectionism in first drafts because she says they are meant to be "shitty first drafts."  We must let our story unfold like a picture develops; one piece at a time.  I think the idea of mystery with how your first draft will turn out is brilliant. This piece of the novel moved me the most because of how opposite i think while writing.  As stated before, i am a perfectionist who likes to have everything planned out on my head and on post-its prior to starting my first draft.  However, if you just sit down and write freely, not knowing where your words may take you, a surprising masterpiece often shows up in your work; creating a totally different tale than what was expected. THAT is what writing should be about.  Getting lost in the words and creating something "magical." And, if the opposite of this occurs, Anne Lamott makes us realize it is OKAY to have poorly written first drafts, or as she says "shitty first drafts."  In her chapter titled Perfectionism she quotes, "Tidiness makes me think of held breath, of suspended animation, while writing needs to breathe and move."  Her chapter about having people edit your work also made an impact on me as a writer.  In my life, i always need friends or family to read my work in order for me to feel "complete."  I especially always seek help from teachers at least once before feeling as though i can turn it in and receive a good grade.  As I write my papers, i need incoming feedback.  Anne is somewhat opposite of this.  She is afraid to reveal her work to others because she doesn't want their opinions if she doesn't think they're opinions matter.  She is very defensive of her work and acts as though she will lose friends from it, so she is careful who she shows her work to.  Although i am very opposite of this in my ways, i understand Anne completely.  If i was criticized on work that i was proud of after writing it, i would be furious.  While i love having my work read and opinions gathered, i hate when people who i think have less knowledge than i do try to correct me.  What i just discussed is compiled of more than one concept, and that is why Anne Lamott's book made such an impression on me.  In general, she says to let the story come to you, to develop like a polaroid.  Perfectionism is bad, our first drafts aren't meant to be tidy, because often gold can be found in the depths of our extra, unnecessary and messy work.  First drafts are not meant to be perfect.  With all of these techniques, Anne inspires me as a writer and a person.  Each of her teachings can be a lesson on life as well.  However, with writing, she proves that writing should be done with purpose; as a gift, or because its something one truly loves to do.  I truly love writing and Bird by Bird was an inspiring book that really encouraged me to improve upon techniques and continue to write throughout my life.

Blog #3: Memoir Analysis of "Confessions of a bad teacher"

In Confessions of a bad teacher, John Owens tells his unfortunate tale of his teaching journey in the New York public school system.  The story begins with a clear, exciting beginning; showing the goofiness of his hard-to-control 9th grade writing class as they sing the Star Spangled Banner.  In poor neighborhoods with conflicted kids, John Owen practically embraces a daily battle with his classes.  He transitioned from being a professional writer, working in the corporate field, to teaching.  He was confident, with a goal to change the lives of students and set out to teach in the South Bronx, but his journey was short-lived and disappointing due to his inconsiderate students at various levels and his apparent racism that did not actually exist.  John Owens was a bad teacher.  The conflict in this story is Owens' inability to successfully control and teach students.  He was facing a constant battle with both his students, Mrs. P (founding principal), and the NY Public school system.  After switching classes several times, John still feels as though he is living a nightmare.  He tried to succeed in teaching and reach his goals, but his corporate job was a suited a lot more for him, so why not go back to it?  The resolution of the story was how he realized he must say goodbye and leave this job for good.  The purpose of the story is to share his tragedy of teaching, and prove how sometimes jobs won't always work out for the better.  However, that doesn't mean that certain goals aren't worth trying; John goes back to his old job and proves that one often has nothing to lose.  We are not all meant for everything, and John realizes he is not meant to be a teacher.  But, we should all go for our goals no matter what the outcome.  This story is particularly timely and relevant not only because it teaches a lesson that could be useful to everyone, but also because it is that time of year again!  Back to school, the fall, the season that gives us all butterflies each successive year.  This is the time of year that we set new goals for ourselves and see if we can achieve them, and we try new things.  The intended audience will most likely consist of mostly teachers and students, but i think it could be enjoyed by anyone.  John Owens makes us laugh in this memoir, and he also teaches the viable lesson of trying new things, and moving on if they fail.  He uses memoir techniques such as using very detailed descriptions and metaphors.  For example, I particularly enjoyed this description: "Ms. P kept her hair pulled back tightly. Her eyebrows were long, thin and very expressive, moving up and down like a caffeinated drawbridge. Ms. P's large mouth, set between grapefruit-size cheeks, was in a constant frown." I plan on using metaphors and details like these in my own memoir about my Grandmom, allowing my audience to evoke different feelings in the way I did as I read Confessions of a bad teacher.  I also really enjoy how he opens up with an exciting opening, and then it ends with that same class saying goodbye.  He adds background about his previous job and experience after he talks about his 9^th grade class, and I plan on setting up the scenes of my memoir in a similar way.  His transitions are clear even though he doesn’t stick to a strict chronological order; it is easy to follow.  I like how John Owens added bold font before separate little anecdotes within the memoir, to almost add a chapter sort-of effect.  The techniques used in this memoir have inspired me to write a story as appealing as his.  All audience members can easily feel how John Owens felt in his tragedy of teaching, and visualize exactly what he went through.  Confessions of a bad teacher was a great memoir and taught me not only to reach for my goals, but to also write a remarkable memoir. 

Blog #2: School Lunches

I walked into the bleak, cold, and noisy cafeteria; complete with a stage and old stained and rough-textured carpet, which currently smelled of bleach.  With my brown bag in hand, I followed the current line leader of Mrs. Shimp’s first grade class.  Most students found this time to be the most fun part of the day; food and recess, what could be better?  I, however, was the pickiest 7 year-old to ever exist. While my friends sported colorful designs on their re-usable lunch boxes, I refused to use nothing other than my brown paper bag with my mom’s quasi-cursive handwriting of my name and a smiley face.  Meanwhile, lunch ladies splattered gooey green beans, puke looking mashed potatoes, and greasy fried chicken onto sterilized trays to those other friends of mine who had no problem at all eating cafeteria food; my worst nightmare.  As I sat down at my assigned table with my other classmates, the disgusting smell of their food evaporated into the high, almost endless, ceilings.  I put my bag upright to avoid looking at their disaster of a tray, and then focused on what my Mommy was so gracious to pack me.  Yum!  Little picky me got home-made peanut butter crackers instead of a sandwich.  As I opened the aluminum foil, I smelled the nutty and sweet taste of my Jiff smooth peanut butter.  Taking a bite, I heard a big crunch as the ritz crackers shattered into a million little crumbs that would soon disappear inside of my mouth.  Next to my so-called “sandwich replacement” lay a bright pink rectangular pouch of juicy-juice, exactly what I needed to quench my thirst after the dry crackers.  On this juice box was a character from “Arthur”, which as a first grader, was entirely too immature for me.  I sipped the liquid fruit punch down and it tasted so sweet and refreshing.  Peeking into my slightly-destroyed brown bag, I reached for my next tasty treat.  I found a bright, vivid, and colorful pouch with rough edges surrounding it.  TROPICAL FRUIT FLAVORED GUSHERS!  My favorite sugary snack, high in artificial flavors, that would soon splash and burst and make my hands extremely sticky.  Oh well, it was worth it..  I ate the green colored succulent watermelon first, then the citrusy orange, sweet pink strawberry, and then finally, my favorite, the blueberry.  It oozed and after each bite I had to wipe my hands on my dirty napkin.  When there was only one gusher left, I had to ignore the stickiness of the pouch and eat the last one in sadness.  Knealing on my scabby knees I found my last snack, another unhealthy delight that made my mouth water.  I opened the bag, the bright orange nickelodeon-esque color illuminated within the darkness as if it were gold in a mine.  The smell reminded me of my traditional late-night after dinner snack, because these Sunshine treats were my absolute favorite.  Perfectly square and symmetrical, Cheez-It’s were my final snack to devour, and I was so excited!  The baked snack softened in my mouth,I chewed it, and then afterwards swallowed in pure bliss.  As I wiped off the crumbs from the beaten up table, I thought of how thankful I was that I didn’t have to use $1.25 to eat an icky array of food groups from the lunch ladies, all I needed was my colorful and unhealthy lunch, made perfectly by my amazing mom.  I skipped in a girly and childish manner across to the center of the cafeteria, crumpling my trash into one complete ball of junk and tossed it gently into the trash can that was splattered with nauseating meals, knowing ill always remember how abnormal my eating habits are.

Blog Entry #1

As a writer and rhetor, I love to embellish details and create a story.  I'm a lover of the arts, so any type of story that paints a visual in my mind sparks my interest.  Therefore, one of my strengths is adding a catchy opening with sensory details from the start and continuing them through the entire story.  Another strength of mine is writing with emotion.  Not only do I like to write how I’m feeling; I like to share my feelings and therefore cause the reader to feel the same way.  If I can give my audience an emotional reaction, then I know I have completely moved them with my writing.  In contrast, my weaknesses relate to the concept of writing for a topic out of my comfort zone.  Research papers usually cause more stress for me because I am unfamiliar with the information, and the format is much stricter.  Finally, my other weakness is staying away from cliché’s.  I admire happy-endings, so I constantly want to write about two characters falling in love and living happily ever after, despite how unrealistic this truly is.  I would like to improve to become a more confident writer, being able to better assess my own work.  Currently, I love to write but I constantly feel the need for someone else to give one’s opinion before I feel as though it’s complete.   I would also love to broaden my range and step out of my comfort zone, writing different genres and staying away from clichés.  I make these improvements by seeking help and finding another type of writing that I am good at.  I feel as though English 15 will greatly improve the areas I wish upon because the topics of our upcoming papers are all extremely different, interesting, and my professor can help build my confidence by helping me as I write.  An inspiring source for me recently has been the lyricism of Adele, her words spark emotions and relate to many members of her audience.  She’s a brilliant writer and when music is added to her words, it creates a passionate form of art.  Also, The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald has always been a favorite novel of mine.  The meanings behind the symbolism are both clever and remarkable, and the setting he uses paints a perfect visual as it is being read.