A Place for My Stuff

This guy is a trip and a half! I don't know about anyone else but to me he seemed to make people sound very materialistic. Which is true. It could almost be described as greedy, because we have so much stuff and we always want more.

He made me think that if we would just stop and look at what we have and think, do we really need so much? The things we own and hold in such high regard aren't that important in once sense. But in another view, they are. I guess those things we have make us feel safe, because they are "our" things. We paid for them, maintain them, and have memories attached to them. That is why other people feel awkward in other people’s homes, because it is not "their" home, it is not "their" stuff.

No matter where we go, or what we do, we always want/have to have something of ours there to give us that sense of security. To an extent, our stuff is our sense of security, a portion of our personality in a sense. That is a problem for people who hoard stuff. The item itself doesn’t mean much, it is the memory they have attached to it that makes it difficult to get rid of.

In the beginning, that is what started Freyer’s journey. After selling his stuff to people all around the world. The memory was still there as well as the curiosity to see what they new owner has done with it. He was able to let go of it though, because maybe he found out that it was just stuff. If you thing about it, that’s all it is. People need to realize that the memory will still be there weather the object is or not.

Greg House

The person we picked to blog about would be a character from the TV show HOUSE, and it would be House himself We think that his character and his traits that he uses most are Solitary, Logical and Verbal. He uses these traits in conjunction with each other to form his personality. He likes to work alone and be solitary he's a very logical thinker always choosing the quickest and most reasonable way of action despite the consequences or outcomes and he's very verbal in his communication telling people how he feels about them or a given situation without worrying about the effects it may have on people.

Kris, Luke, Alexis, Brian

Jeff Dunham Learning Style

Jeff Dunham is a comedian who uses a puppet in his acts. We believe he is a visual learner because he uses his puppets with his jokes. He's also very verbal since he's always communicating with the audience and talking with his puppet. He is also a physical learner because he uses a puppet, and social because he's always talking to a large group of people.

Emma, Abby, Brad, Cameron, Rachel, Laumara

"Kobe Bryants learning style" Patrick, Allision, Autumn, Calvin

A person who has a very broad learning style is, Kobe Bryant.
Being on a basketball team he is very physical which is a given, due to the action on the court during both games and practice. He is also a visual learner because of the team work on the court; passing the ball between players and keeping an eye on both his team mates and the opposing team. Aural learning is essential for any basketball player. He has to listen and learn from the coach about plays as well as listen and understand ideas from the other players. Verbal is included due to telling the other players what play they are going to do as well as give enthusiasm and courage to the other players during a game in which they are losing. A logical learner is needed in his situation. To be able to view and comprehend what is happening on the court and have the ability to make judgment calls in which will benefit the team best. Being on a team, social learning is a must, if he did not work well with others then he couldn't be on the team. furthermore, being a pro basketball player, having the spot light and camera on you for millions of people to see, he has to have the social skills to work well with them.

Learning Styles Blog

LeBron James possesses many learning styles. He is visual because he has to run plays and space correctly. He is verbal because he has to call plays and make his presence felt. He is a leader and is constantly communicating with his teammates. LeBron James is also physical. He prefers to use his body when driving to the basket. He has to be physical because he plays a sport. LeBron James is also logical. He has to run offensive sets and defensive plays. Cleveland basketball is a system. He is also social because he plays with teammates and works in a system. At the end of a game LeBron James becomes solitary. He takes over and prefers to work alone when needed. :)

Harveen Sandhu, Stephen Phillips, Joe Sendelbach, Katie Iarussi, Brandon Sekerak

Joe, BreeAna, Stephen Phillips - 'Old Flash Bulb Flash' Item For Sale

For our group, we decided on taking a looking into the 'Old Flash Bulb Flash' ('aka' an old camera flasher).

A person who would probably buy this item likely seems to be someone who would likes to collect old antiques, taking old black-and-white pictures...perhaps in their 80's in terms of age (because hey, who likely would buy this than perhaps someone who's used to taking pictures with one of these hardcore babies?) :D

\m/

Talking Japanese Keychain

We picked the talking japanese keychain because it looked funny and we didn't think anyone would buy it. We thought about it and came up with a 40 year old virgin buying this keychain. We think that because no one else would buy this.The person who bought it lives in Ohama, Nebraska. And nothing exciting happens there so we figured a 40 year old virgin with no life would collect action figures and key chains like this. He was interested in this item because he collects key chains and other trinkets. This keychain would be a valuable item to his amazing keychain collection!
Alexis,Kris,Sami, and Doug.

Mouth Wash

What kind of person bought the item?

A nostalgic person who maybe had a good relationship with their dad because in the description Freyer talks about his dad.

Why you think it sold -what about it interested the buyer?

We don't think the buyer thought the object itself was worth anything, but they just wanted to be part of the story behind the website. Plus it was cheap.

Calvin, Autumn, Allison, Patrick

Katie and Alex and a pair of safety glasses

The item we picked was the pair of prescription safety glasses. We racked our brains about the type of person who would buy this pair of safety glasses. After thinking long and hard we narrowed it down to a stripper, a social worker, or a carpenter. These three choices seemed the most logical. But in the end the carpenter sanded his way into our hearts. The stripper came in at a close second, but Jesus was a carpenter. We figured that this would be a useful tool for him or her in the workplace. It is essential to their overall performance in the workplace. Why do we think it sold you ask? We think it sold because not only are they practical but also stylish. What interested him or her most in these glasses was the fact they make it simple to look professional and sexy at the same time.

Who Would Buy This?

We chose the Disco Mixer. The kind of person who would buy this would be someone who's interested in music and maybe interested in retro things. They were probably a teenager when Disco was around. This item most likely sold because someone wanted to be part of this guy's website's story since it is a very unusual thing to do to sell all of your stuff.

- Emma Berry, Abby Vidic, Cameron Ball, Luke Wilmot, Rachel Sheets, Laumara Springer, Brad Biben

A Place For My Stuff

"A Place For My Stuff" was very interesting. To me it was basically about how materialistic we are and how sometimes our "stuff" means to much to us. I know personally that I care about the things I have too much sometimes and there are things in life that mean a lot more than what you have...like your family and friends and just people you care about it general. I think George Carlin is basically telling us that we need to figure out what matters most to us, and it shouldnt be our "stuff" or our material things. I think he's telling us to write it down on paper and that would be a place to put our stuff, meaning our thoughts about what we have.

Why I Write?

The first thing that caught my attention was how she liked the way the tittle sounded. The way the three words incorporate the sound "I". I think she likes it because it's why she writes and it makes it personal. In the second paragraph she made sure to make the words "listen to me, see it my way, change your mind" are stood out by using italics. I think this is the reason why she writes. She writes so she can put forth her opinion and if you have a different opinion she wants to change your mind. Of course when you hold strong opinions you think your right so you want people to agree with you. Then she starts talking about how she doesn't believe in abstracts. She doesn't like looking at things with an abstract mind set. She likes the straightforward things in life, and she likes observing and writing about things she sees and understands. I kind of like this about her. I don't really have an abstract mind myself. I like the things I understand. Abstract thinking doesn't necessarily take more thinking, but I think you need a more artistic mind to see things out of the ordinary. She considers herself a writer. Not a good writer not a bad writer but just somebody that puts words on a piece of paper. I don't agree with that. If just writing down words on a piece of paper made you a writer everybody in this world would be a writer. Like I said in my previous blog I can make mac and cheese but that doesn't make me a cook. I sing in the shower, but that doesn't make me a singer. I can dance a little, but that doesn't make me a dancer. You have to be good at it and excel in it.

A place for my stuff.

Being a long time George Carlin fan, I can definitely appreciate his sense of humor. He can be dry at times, but you'll notice he always has a point. He makes several interesting points in this performance regarding humans and our need to have "stuff." I have one sister, and between her and my mother I cannot begin to tell you how much stuff they really do have. He is trying to ask us at what point do we have too much stuff, and how much emphasis are we really putting on it? I have been condensing my stuff on and off for the past year because I've transferred from Kent to Hocking, and then again back to Kent. I feel like I'm living out of a damn suitcase at times. I've learned to look past my stuff and on to what stuff really is important.

I think George Carlin brings up a great point about our homes as well. What is it exactly that makes our homes our homes? Its our stuff. Its how much crap we can shove into it in a specific order. I personally believe (and I think George does too) that we value our material items more than we should. Sure they are nice but doesn't that just seem to be the perpetual cycle? What stuff can I sell to get more stuff? What stuff can I do so I can get that stuff? I enjoyed listening to this piece very much.

Things & Stuff

One of the main points I noticed when listening to "A Place for Your Stuff" by Carlin, is that despite the fact that everyone has various amounts of "stuff", this stuff can relate to the ideas and thoughts of people, and by packing it, it can relate to writing or placing the information down on paper. He spoke of how everyone has stuff, in retrospect this can mean everyone has ideas. For example, people who think more seriously and more often may have a larger thinking stream as opposed to someone who rarely takes time to think about situations in general (i.e. the size of your house). Another thing I noticed is that when we have to pack for a trip we take a portion of our house with us, the same applies when we write with the exception that we lay down our ideas in some form of recording. When you continuously revise a paper or an essay its the same as having to always pack when travelling from one place to another carrying less and less "stuff". The more you revise something the more concentrated and focused it is, as opposed to being a tangled jungle of words. By using less topics or subjects, we can actually increase the focus point of the message we are trying to convey (meaning we are packing "less and less" as Carlin may say). In conclusion, everyone has "stuff" meaning everyone has ideas, how we pack and place them to focus on our main point determines how much "stuff" we really had in the first place. Makes you think doesn't it?

The Meaning of Stuff

I really enjoyed reading the short story about one mans journey to sell all his personal belongings to me something like that takes a lot of courage because I can actually be nostalgic at times. It may not even be an item that I know exactly where it is however once I happen upon it I will all the sudden realize how many memories I’ve had with the said item or picture and can’t bare to part with it. All people want at least in my belief is to be remembered they want their legacy to carry over to the net generation and if that’s no possible they want somebody to remember who they were. If you have no physical form for people to remember all that’s left are the things that represent you the best, and what you’ve done to impact the people who are attached to them, which brings me back to the very reason why I could never sell my personal things. Now if it was personal things associated with something negative, then of course that will be the first to go. But chances are it’s already gone so I needn’t worry about that.

About George carlins a place for my stuff I saw the angle he was going for especially when he talked about all a house is, is a place for your stuff. You have to really let the meaning sink in to understand why he’s talking about a house as a place to keep your stuff. It isn’t so much that the house is a vault but it’s the fact that people tend to like things a certain way, they want to feel at home and in order for that to happen they need stuff that belongs to them surrounding them. Which is why he worked the angle that if you travel you need to think about what stuff you want to bring in order to make yourself feel most at ease. I don’t know a single person who would just up and leave with cash and a plane ticket just so they can buy a couple new outfits for the few days they’re out of town. It wouldn’t be right.

STUFF.

“All My Life for Sale” -> I thought the article was kind of cool. I could never sell all of my stuff to someone else I didn’t even know through eBay. A lot of my things hold sentiment, and just to give them to someone else without them caring what I’ve done with it is weird to me. I also think its weird this guy decided just to up and move & sell all of his stuff. As I got deeper into the essay and I came across the part where he actually MET these people, I thought it was super creepy. How did Freyer know these people weren’t freaks? But I do like the idea of people’s possessions reflecting who they really are. Because it’s true, think of all your stuff- it represents who you are as a person. Your tastes, style, likes and dislikes can be discovered through the belongings in your room. Not so much stereo-typing but to some extent you can read a person by their possessions.

“A Place for My Stuff” -> I could see where Carlin was going with the whole…a house is just a place for your stuff deal. However, a house just isn’t a place for your things. A house is actually a home, a place for safety and security and being with your family. It need make me realize how materialistic some people are though. How everyone is so concerned with their “stuff”. I thought it was funny what he was talking about sleeping in someone’s guest bedroom. Everyone’s been there when you’re in a room full of someone else’s crap and you wonder why they are still keeping it. I will say by the end of the clip, I didn’t wanna hear the word STUFF anymore- I don’t think he could have said it anymore times.

All my life for sale.

I enjoyed reading All My Life For Sale. I agree with saying that the things we own define who we are to a certain extent. You can tell by the clothing a person owns if they are laid back, preppy, conservative, or outgoing. Also the music they own also. If a person owns mainly Hip Hop albums, most likey you will be safe to say that they are probably from a city not a rural area. If they were to mostly country albums I would think they are form a small rural town. I think he titled it the way he did because the objects were not just "things" to him, they symbolized parts of his life. Like the jacket, the jacket was part of a certain event in his life that he probably wont forget. The flying fish patch represented a family tradition. I also have objects that I keep that reminds me of certain stages in my life. They keep me sane lol. I still have many toys from my childhood years.
As for the Carlin mp3 file, I did not like it. I did not find it humorous. When he said that the only reason for houses is to keep stuff, I think that is false. A house is for shelter and safety. Many people have empty houses.

"Why I write"

I liked this story. Even though it takes her a while to get to her point she still stated her thoughts about herself directly. She does not see herself as being a genius in what she has an interest in and she does not believe herself to be a good or bad writer. Just a writer.

When she tells the story about her college life and how she had to go to Sacramento to talk about the cosmology of "Paradise Lost," I was able to relate to her when she said that she could no longer recall the central question of the story but rather the ride there and all the unimportant details of the journey. I think we all have moments like that, where we cannot recall what we need, but rather the trivial moments that catch our eye.

She states that the arrangement of words matter to how we perceive the message. This is very true. Texting a friend, for example, you can say something to them and mean one thing, but depending on how you stated it they may take it in a completely different way.

"The picture tells you how to arrange words and the arrangement of the words tells you, or tells me, what is going on in the picture." The way she mean this may be different then how I took it, but when I read that I thought how true that was. Almost like when you want to say something, you know what you are talking about but you just can't seem to put it into words. The picture in your mind tells you what to say and how to say it, but it is up to you to put it into words so the other person can understand the picture.

place for my stuff

when i listened to this i actually realized how much junk almost everyone i know owns. almost all the stuff we have now a days is not even needed. i guess we all just need junk to make us feel better. most people like to have junk so they can show off. they are like hey look at this awesome new phone or TV when in reality they do not need it at all. people do not realize how easy there life is when they can buy junk

Stuff In Our House!!

Well...what to say about this subject?

Okay, first off, George Carlin: excellent comedian (my personal favorite!)! May he rest in peace for his ingeniousness!!

He knows his knowledge about topics around the world, to stuff at home. He points out the most simplistic things in life, in a humorous way that we never take a chance to look at... and, although he has his share of cussing, he does it... in a much suitable, friendly way, comparing it to many of today's comedians.

... Sorry, got off topic! Anyways, in his album recording on 'Stuff', he describes through his way of a profession to talking about how stuff affects us. Literally, as he said it, a house is a place that keeps an eye on your stuff.

Have too much stuff? You gotta get a bigger house.

If stuff wasn't such a big deal, than we wouldn't be minding moving around, living in different parts of the world, without the burden, or the need, to keeping that stuff.

...Going somewhat off-topic with this, a home is a place where you feel most comfortable living at. A lot of people, including myself, have troubles accepting the hospitality to sleep at another friend's house, because we're not in our 'natural habitat' (our 'house'), where your 'stuff' creates that mood, that comfortness. The feeling that you feel secure about doing things around the house that you don't normally do elsewhere. It’s because of not only the house itself, but the stuff as well.


Going into John Freyer's introduction to his book... I'm not quite 100% sure what he learned through this experience, but I'll give it a shot.

As it reads, he wanted to move to a different state, and to do so, he had to sell his stuff at his home. He creates a website, auctions stuff, and... before you know it, he travels out to different parts of the States to see these people.

Through this, he wonders if the people that got his stuff, if they will appreciate it as much as he did.

At the end of it all, he was pretty much where he left off in terms of money, but enjoyed the experience, and the lessons behind the project. After all that, he felt that the stuff he had, all bunched up in his basemen, made him to who he was today, and reflecting himself upon that, he ditches the idea of moving, and decides to never 'restart’ life again.

LSI (for first essay)

Take the Learning Styles Inventory here:

http://www.learning-styles-online.com/inventory/questions.asp?cookieset=y

Essay 1 is due next Friday. If you were absent, you can download it at the Vista/Blackboard site.

Phil

george carlin

I found George Carlins piece, “A Place for My Stuff,” to be really funny. I think I find it so funny because it is completely true. We as human beings have become so reliant on “stuff” it’s ridiculous. Some people have a personal attachment to their belongings while others can look at their stuff as a way to make themselves look better- attempting to up their status. When you honestly look at it though how important are material objects? I can understand sentimental things or something that reminds you of a happy time but when you think about it do you really need that “thing?” And why do we need it? Because it’s something solid to prove something existed? It makes you wonder if it is even possible to rely on memory or a person to stand in place for the way the belonging made you feel. On the other hand, looking at “stuff” in a completely materialistic sense is something that happens a lot. I personally don’t get how people can be so dependent on something so insignificant in order to give themselves a sense of entitlement. I hate when I see somebody who you can tell just by the way they carry themselves or the way they talk that they are materialistic, and in most cases self absorbed. It’s something that we have all probably done and a lot of people do, it’s sad but unfortunately it will probably never change. Overall I liked the George Carlin piece and how it took a humorous approach to the dumb things we do.

we are what we own

for the longest there has been the same reoccurring question. do we (the people) make what we own ours, or does what we own make us who we are? i believe that what we own (materialistically), makes a person who they are, soley based on how society tends to hold a person to a certain stigma all based upon their 'looks' or 'appearance', and even 'location'.
when you look at the people who live on rodeo dr in beverly hills, what comes to mind. big houses, with sun rooms, in ground pools, designer bags and clothing, expensive jewlery, and the latest models of the newest cars. therefore we tend to think of the people as being, 'classy', materialistic, and someone of high socioeconomic status. the people who have only husbands that work while the wife sits home and blows all her monies on shopping sprees, without having the fears of even having to question whether their lights will be on in the morning, or if the water will be hot..these types of people have acquired so many material things n which they base their lifestyles on...by any means will they go to the extreme to continue living this lifestyle because without the lifestyle, they are nothing.

in contrast, what comes to mind when you think of someone who lives in an area where the trash isnt collected regularyly, where little kids roam freely, and the parents arent of the highest socioeconomic grace? they might not wear the latest trends, or brand name clothes, because they have to make sure the bills are paid and their kids are fed before giving themselves 'luxury' items. we assume that they are classless, savages, broke, and probably on welfare. we assume their dirty, ghetto, and maybe even 'theives'.

its funny that the way a person dresses, where their from and what they have (materially) constitutes who they are. i feel that no matter how much money yo have or dont, how 'grand' or 'somber' yor life may be, we each share the same everyday issues, such as depression and stress, family drama, financial stability and so forth. we as a people assume that those persons with money have not a single worry, although they do . but they hold themselves so high up on a pedestal that they cant even ask for help.vice versa, society looks at those who are without, only have 'problems' and that theres no 'joy' in their lives.

i feel that since society has such as a influence on how ppl live, everyone feels they should live their life how society labels them, although its not what they are or who they really are. i found a famous marilyn monroe quote to broaden this idea '..i never fooled anyone, i let them fool themselves.they didnt bother to find out who and what i was, instead they would invent a character for me, i wouldnt argue with them.they were obviously loving someone i wasnt.when they found this out they would blame me for disillusioning them-and fooling them'. and i feel this is how society makes everyone feel.

example of this include.
*episode of the show REPO: there was a wealthy couple with obvious amounts of monetary values. the repo truck showed up to reposess their vechile and the wife went nuts saying that the repo ppl had to have the wrong address and that her husband paid the bills, while pulling shopping bags from the back seat. well the wife had a shopping addiction and to solve the prob, the husband stopped paying her car note. she finally settled bt told the repo ppl to be quiet when taking the car cuz she didnt want the neighbors knowing.
*you see someone strggling to carry the groceries to the car, their dressed bummy and they need help. they have an hygiene disorder, u just think their dirty and dont wash, so you dont help. they might be the nicest person bt u will never know.

Writer or not: BreeAna Melick

I would call myself a writer because thats mostly the means by how i express my feelings. thats what i think it means to be a writer, bein able to express ones thoughts and emotions throughly or to the extent needed to be reached. i like writing mostly because when i speak how i feel on certain aspects the words dont come out how i want them. and that could be very bad in some cases, because you can never take back the words you say. i once heard this sayin that 'if you trip you can always catch yourself before falling, but if your tongue slips you can never take back those words', and with writin i can always go back and edit what i dont like and make it more tasteful. Fo r me writing is like a hobby, I do it more for free time activities than anything, and I like to reflect on how I felt or what I wrote from time to time.

A Writer?

Do i consider myself a writer? I dont like writing and dont think i am good at it there for i am not a writer. I would rather do other tihngs but i dont hate it so much i cant do it. To be a writer you have to have dedication and alot of thought into something and thats something i cant do. I think if people are good writers that they are very dedicated to what they do and if that is something you like than you have to be dedicated. Like i am a nursing major and i am dedicated to that. Its something i look and want to do. I takes a lot of time to write and i just want to do it fast. I dont have the patience for it.

A Place For My Stuff...

When listening to Carlin's "A Place For My Stuff", it made me laugh. No one really thinks about how much we do rely on our "stuff". He made me put things into perspective. Like, why do we actually have houses besides for shelter? It is just a place for our stuff. Our day to day lives rely on our stuff. I do not think our stuff defines us as a person 100%, but it definitely contributes on how we are looked upon. There are some people out there who are very materialistic and then there are some who just don't care. Our stuff can show what we do and don't like. It can show our hobbies and what we like to do. It can show our wealth and how we spend our money. But, just by looking at someone's things doesn't give us a full insight into how someone really is.

I thought Mr.Freyers story was very interesting. I tried to think about what I really do and do not need. The only think I really NEED in my room in a my bed, but it's the luxury of having more. There are a lot of things that I have that I would not sacrifice or sell on eBay to make a point. I love almost everything that I own, but I will admit there are definitely some things that I do not use and could definitely get rid of.

Why I write,...

I believe that when writer Joan Didion asks the question why I write to further understand her own thoughts and I ideas on certain subject that she and most writers tend to write about. For example she states in her writing that when she write she pictures what she writes about before she puts it to paper. She even writes to organize her own ideas. When she does this she tends to go indepth about things most would over look. The writing at first was kinda of confusing because I could not understand what point she was trying to get at until literally the very last pages of the writing. I can relate to Joan in the sense tht we both write to organize i deas and ask questions on the in-depth of certain things.

Do I Consider Myself a Writer?

I think everyone who can write is a writer. What does it actually take to be considered a "writer"? Some people are better at writing particular things than others. So, I do consider myself a writer. I may not be the best, or the worst, but I still write to the best of my ability. I, personally, could never write a book if I tried. I believe I do not have the creativity to write anything more than 30 pages. But, what am I doing right now? I am writing. I can write short stories, blogs, messages, emails and more so I believe that does consider me a writer. Many people are more talented than me at writing though. Writing is a way of expressing themselves and many choose that way to express themselves, including me. Yes, I do consider myself a writer.

I am a writer!!

I call myself a writer bcuz, well plain and simple writing is something I do often and it is also something tht I am very good at. I use writing as a way of expressing myself when I cnt find the right ways in other means (such as talking out the problem). To me being a writing is mush more than actually writing. To be considered a writer (in my perspective) also means you have to hav a somewhat creative mind about the topics you choose to write about. Things tht grab the readers attention and make them want to keep reading the piece you hav written. Also a writer has to hav a wide variety or writing style nt jus limit him/herself to one (such as creative writng, or poetry). I feel tht I myself hold allof these qualities tht lay behind a good writer. This is one of the reasons I consider myself to be a writer.

Me? A writer?

Do I count myself as a writer? I would have to say no. I think of a writer as someone who is either paid to write, or has their work published. Published either in a book, magazine, journal, newspaper- whatever it may be. I think of a writer as someone who writes even when they don’t have to. I am not one of those people. I do enjoy writing I think I’m pretty good at it and people have told me my work is good. When I was little I remember getting on the computer and writing stories when I didn’t have to. I loved creative writing and having the freedom of being imaginative. I would write tons and tons of stories and have my mom and family friends read them when they came over. Now days, being a college student, I don’t have the time to be creatively writing. I have real essays and projects due that can’t be successfully completed by making up stories about the thoughts in my head. I just re-read what I wrote and I’ve changed my mind (haha) I think I could count myself as a writer, not a serious one, but yes- a writer. These blogs are exactly what I would call “published” but they are online for anyone to see, and I do think about what I’m writing on here and I can write pretty much whatever I want, of course staying on topic. So I guess I am a writer, but not what I typically imagine a real, professional writer to be.

A Writer, Am I??

Well, defining yourself if you're a writer or not could mean in so many different ways. It's like saying if you're musician, an artist, or some other form of a profession.

Unless you had NO idea about what you're doing in the area you're wanting to accomplish, then we ARE whatever we desire to me. Writing is no different than anything else; just takes a different type of skill, that's all. We grow as people, we grow with the talents we have. We'll never be at our best, no matter how much practicing you do...but it doesn't mean you can't strive for something great.

Personally, I would consider myself a writer. Why? Because, going through a phase a year, two years ago, creativity was beginning to form as that sort of thing I love to use as a form of expression. With expression, I can play guitar, I can sing, I can vocal-scream, I can play a few other instruments, but with varied skills.

Writing is no different than any of those. It's a different form of expression. To me, I personally love to create fictional stories. They help your mind take you places, face obstacles of where you want the story to lead off to, and...just the fact you're accomplishing something much better than sitting on your ass all day, doing nothing (pardon my language!).

Writing can be a labored thing, yes. I'm not saying I'm bad at writing things for school (well...not TREMENDOUSLY bad!), but it's not normally my style. My style of writing lays within creativity, going from stories, to poetry.

A writer will have his/her bad days, just like anyone else, but (s)he ends up enjoying the experience at the end of it.

Do I consider myslef a writer?

I do not consider myslef a writer. I've never really written anything that hasn't been assigned to me at school or at work. I think that only certain people can be writers and they have to be creative and patient, which I am definitley not. I think its a natural talent that some people have and some people dont. I do believe that it takes a lot of work to be a good writer, but I still think that for some people no matter how hard you work at it, you will just never be an amazing writer. I am not creative at all, so its hard for me to make up stories and things to write about, because i can never choose what to write about. When I'm assigned things for a grade though, i do a lot better in writing. I guess it just gives me more motivation to try and write well when i know that im going to get a "good grade" on an assignment. So in conclusion my answer is no, i do not consider myself a writer, but I still think I am a good enough writer to do well on writing assignments.

AM I A WRITER ??????

When people ask questions like do you think you are a writer and do you think you write well, i be completely honest and say no. Writing is not one of my strong points at all. When i write i try to just put down what comes to heart and how i feel, but sometimes it dont even come out how i want it to. I would never look at myself as a writer. If i did i would just be lying to myself the whole time and thats one thing i can't do. I kno some people would read this and say i shouldnt have this type of attitude, but i dont look at it as anything negative, i look at it as being completely honest with myself and let myself know what im good at and not good at. After being in school for twelve years, i know where i stand when it comes to my writing abilities. Im not the worst writer but im definately not one of the best.

Am I a writer?

I do not think I am a writer. I only write when I have to. But what classifies a person as writer anyway? Is it if they have a novel published? Or could it be as simple as writing in a diary daily? I dont think I am one because I dont find myself doing it frequently. Just because I do it for school does not mean I am one. I think you are a writer if your work is recognized or published. Either of which I am not guilty of lol. Writing is an art form. I am not an artistic person what so ever. When I was younger I actually did write stories in notebooks. But like I stated earlier, you are considered a writer only if your work is recognized or published in my book. So ultimately I am not one.

Writers Delight

I consider myself a writer, but not a book based writer. I am a songwriter, which is a more relaxed and free form of creating a story or writing a poem. I let the lyrics flow freely from within my own mind and I paint a picture for others to see. I have been writing for the past 5 years on a journey towards a career as a solo R&B recording artist. By writing my own material, I know exactly what my limitations are and how my voice will sound on a particular song, so by blending my musical knowledge of chords and how they sound with the freedom and creativity of my own mind, I am able to accurately describe a picture of what, where, and even how it may be happening. I am not a professional writer, and I do not see myself becoming a professional writer anytime within the near future, but only time will tell.

i do not call myself a writer i would actually call myself the opposite of a writer. i actually avoid writing at any cost. i really do not even enjoy typing. just thinking about the writing process makes me sick. i would rather do almost anything besides write a essay. i think that if there was some kind of machine that could just take what you want to say out of your head and write it down for you. then maybe i would write. just the act of having to process in my head what i want to say then having to physically write it down just tires me out. so i am definitely not a writer.

Feb 1- Writer or not?

Everyone has to write something at some point. You really can't avoid it. My definition of a writer, though, is someone who writes and actually enjoys it. Going off that, yes I would call myself a writer. I like to write songs. Well, I like to start to write them anyway. Interestingly enough I've never finished a song. Usually two stanzas, and I move on to a different one. I also think it would be a blast to be a writer for Saturday Night Live. Another thing I've considered is that maybe one day I will write a book about my life. Not that it's out of the ordinary or anything, but if you're a good writer people will be interested in what you have to say.

So I would say my writing abilities and interests are kind of limited. I don't think I could write fiction novels, or even an awesome essay.

Do I call myself a writer?

Do I call myself a writer? No I do not. I dont have that sort of creativity. I dont have the dedication that one needs to be called a writer. I am not the sort of person who puts there thoughts on paper or who expresses themselves in a lyrical verse. I am not the sort of person who can create a short story or a grand novel. I will never be the sort of person to pump out a literary masterpeice. So in that sense no I am not a writer. If you count creating music as writing than yes I am a writer. I find writing music a much easier way of expressing myself than the old pen and paper method. So in the normal sense of the word no I am not a writer but in another sense I might be considered a writer.

Do you call yourself a writer?

I do not consider myself a writer. I neither hate writing or like it. I do it because I have to. I do not spend my spare time writing, so I don't consider myself a writer. I don't think I have the talent to consider myself a writer either. I only write when I have an assignment or if I'm taking a class that requires me to write. Writers in my opinions are the one's that are good at it. They are the one's that create masterpieces. They are the one's the write books. I also consider those people writers who do it for a career. The people that write in magazines, newspapers, and journals are the people that I consider writers. A writer also has to enjoy writing. If just writing made your a writer, everybody in this world that knows how to write down words on a piece of paper would be considered a writer. But that is not the case in my opinion. Everybody is capable of writing, but the one's that excel at it are "writers". For example I can play basketball, but I don't consider myself a basketball player. I can draw stick figures, but I don't consider myself an artist. I can make mac and cheese but I don't consider myself a cook. I can sing in the shower but I don't consider myself a singer. I can write when asked too but I don't consider myself a writer.

Do you call youself a writer?

To be a writer depends on how you define what a writer is. On a day to day basis, doing work online or talking to friends, yes, I am a writer. As far as formal writing goes. Yes, I do think of myself as a writer. Only because I do not write my thoughts down on paper or on a computer. However, it is part of the writing process to "think" of what you want to write about. I have a plethora of thoughts every day that could make great stories to whoever would want to read or even hear them.

Is a parent that makes up bedtime stories for their children considered a writer? I think so, only because they do the same things a normal writer would do but they do not write the stories down. So to me, a writer is nothing more then someone who makes a story and decides weather or not to share it with the world. It all depends on how you define a writer.

Do I call myself a writer? that question could be dissected in many different ways, but here is m personal view on it. First of all you have to determine what the title "writer" means to you. Some can simply define it as someone who writes, while others think it is someone who writes because they love doing it, or have a talent for it. I lean towards thinking we are all writers in our own way. So yes, I consider myself a writer. Everybody has written at some point in their lives whether it be for an assignment or for fun. I like to consider every type of writing some sort of art form in the sense you are expressing yourself to some certain degree. A letter to somebody, an e-mail, or even a poem-it's all writing and we've all done it. No matter if we enjoy it or not some part of us is being brought out in our writing. If writing isn't your talent, it will probably show. If writing is something you love to do, it will probably show as well. I like to think even if writing isn't something you consider yourself to be good at, your best is brought out when you aren't even trying.

Am I a Writer?

I do consider myself a writer, everyone should. we all write something down on some sort of paper or computer everyday, even if we dont realize that we are writing something down we are. i write notes in my notebook, i write something on my friends facebook, i write down a message when someone calls my house for my mom or dad. i may not be a writer for a living, but i still am a writer, everyone is. at some point in everyones life they write which makes us all writers. i dont always like to write because i have nothing to write about or because i just dont want to, and im sure other people are the same way. its not that i hate writing its just that its not something fun for me to do. for some people it is fun to write because they have so much to say about something or because they want to write a book because its fun for them. for the people who love writing it comes natural to them, its like second nature, but for others like me i just dont have that natural ability to sit down with a pen and a pad infront of me and write a novel, or a paper right off the top of my head. i am a writer i just dont like to write.

No, I don't call myself a writer.

To consider yourself a writer is pretty tough to determine. What qualifies someone as a writer as opposed to someone who isn't? We all write at one time or another. Since no definition of a writer is given, I'll supply my own. I consider a writer to be someone that has something to say- whether that be a point or an opinion. The only times I truly write are for school, and that is because I have to. Its a requirement. Sure, I can piece together sentences and make them sound just jolly and fun. But to consider myself a writer? No. Frost was a writer. The Beatles were writers. I'd like to consider myself a writer one day. But until I feel I have something worth saying, or say what I really would like to, I will remain a writing drone, with not too much to say.

Am I A Writer?

When I hear the writer I usually think of someone who writes books, novels, that sort of thing. In that way, no I am not a writer. But to me, when it comes to music than yes I am most definitely a writer. Music is my passion and always will be. I am constantly playing my guitar and "writing" guitar parts or finishing writing a song I had written a while ago. Almost any part of the writing process for a song you will find me doing.

I think in a certain way we are all writers, maybe not in the way that most people think. Like I said earlier, when someone hears the term writer, they automatically think of an author. I try to stay away from this way of thinking. I write music, maybe not on paper with a pen or maybe not on the computer with my keyboard writing out each note but its there in my head. I do sometimes use a tablature program to write out a guitar part so that I won't forget it and it'll be there when I went to come back to it.

So do I call myself a writer? Yes I do.

Writer?

I am not a writer. What we have said of writing so far involves primarily working to please your audience. Why should I have to do that? If I have some practical need to write, some urgent thing to communicate, should I be punished because the reader is fickle and shallow? If I am writing for the sake of writing, wouldn't it be better to produce something true, so that those people whose thoughts resonate with mine will appreciate it? Or should I alter my original work, so I can sell more copies to society's lowest common denominator, or to the professor who doesn't share my opinions? Without the ability to write freely, I'd rather keep my thoughts to myself.

A place for my stuff

I thought both stories were pretty good. They both made me think a lot about my stuff and if it defines me and if the stuff I have is necessary or not. I dont think that stuff defines the person. I think that you can tell a lot about a person from there stuff. You can tell there likes and dislikes. You can tell what kind of music they listen to and what kind of books they read. But I dont necessarily think that stuff defines the person. I think a person is defined by there actions and since actions are determined by the person I believe that it is the individual that defines themselves. When I read the story about that man who sold all his stuff on ebay it made me think about if all my stuff was really necessary or not. After I thought about this for a while I realized that most of the stuff I have is rather unnecessary. I have all these projects from grade school that I probably will never look at again but I keep them in boxes for some odd reason. I understand that somethings we keep are for the memories but but some things we keep are just plain silly. I think that at some point we should be able to discern between what we actually need and what we just hold on to because we cant let go.

Why are we so obsessed with stuff?

To a small extent we need stuff to survive, and stuff can be a great thing! If teenagers parents provide them with necessities, a car, and gas money why do they need to get a summer job?..Because they want stuff! I'm not saying you shouldn't be allowed to get a job unless you desperately need the money, I'm just saying that everybody likes to use their extra money for fun, and pretty things. And this is perfectly fine. So we all like stuff, and some of us like stuff more than others.



But often in this materialistic world, people let their want to accumulate things get way out of hand. Whether it be for social status, getting bored way too easily, chronic impulse buying, or the fact that they're a hoarder. My reasons to covet things and want to buy them have been a mixture of these. For instance why is my room at my parents house so messy?-Because I want to hold onto things, and can't bring myself to throw away these unused memories. And plenty of times I've asked myself, "Why did I buy this? I don't need it, and I'm not even sure if I like it". And I'll admit, especially in middle school, I would look at the stereo type popular girls' outfits and try to copy them in the hope that I too can be "cool". And I do own a lot of stuff for entertainment reasons. CDs, DVDs etc. And I will say I like clothes and getting my highlights done a little too much, so you definitely could say I can be materialistic. In my case, objects don't rule my life, they just make life a bit more enjoyable.



In conclusion, life should be about the quality of your life, not the quantity and quality of your latest purchases.

All My Life For Sale/ A Place for My Stuff

A very interesting story. I would never think to sell all of my things on ebay or anything like that. I guess I'm just used to throwing "stuff" away. Especially smaller, insignificant items that really have meaning to me. Why would someone want something like that? I really do not know. It amazes me that people bought these items and mainly because of the "concept" behind it all. I don't think I could convince myself to buy an item and invite him (Mr. Freyer) to my house so he could "check up" on this item that once used to be his. My guess is the people who bought from Mr. Freyer wanted to be able to say that they were apart of what he was doing. You know, to just have a story.

I have some things at my house that should have been thrown away or given away a long time ago but I kept them around because it does hold some kind of significance to me. Why? I have no idea, just the story behind them or how I got them, so I can understand that part of the story but still can't really understand the reason behind selling these items on ebay and on a website made solely for these items.

The Carlin clip is really funny and clever. I am a big fan of Carlin simply because his jokes are clever. He always thinks of things a totally different way than I do, very out of the box style thinking I think. In a way I agree with him when he says that we have houses so we can put our stuff there. I can relate to this in a way because back home I lived with just my dad and in every room there just seems to be stuff kind everywhere. Especially in my room. My dad is now moving into a smaller house and we have to get rid of all this stuff laying around because we won't have enough room. I feel like this relates perfectly to what Carlin was saying. Also when he was talking about going on vacation and packing a "2nd version of your stuff". To me Its the same as moving into a dorm here at Kent. I had to figure out what stuff I needed to bring and what I could leave back at home.

All my life for sale

After reading all my life for sale, i agree with some of the key points and disagree with many other ideas. I agree when it is talking about the objects we own describe our personalities. At many times, you can look at a person by the way they dress and tell what type of gender music they like or what they are into to. Also at times it can tell what type of person they are. Sometimes this is a mis prejudgement but alot of times it isnt. I have friends that have dreads and gold teeth, and many people are scared to walk past them or leave there doors unlock around them because they are afraid they might attempt something. In reality if you really get to know them they are the friendliest and nicest people you could get to know. On the other side i have friends who have gold teeth and have dreads who are not so friendly people. So Its all about getting to know them before judging someone. When continue to read all my life for sale , i really didnt agree with selling objects that you dont want anymore. im all about giving to the less and poor , so i would take my items to a homeless shelter or give it to someone who is in less needs.
As a place for my stuff , the recording wouldnt play on my computer so i cant give an honest opinion about it. Overall everything was pretty good. Somethings i didnt a agree with but everyone have there own personal views.

A Place for My Stuff - George Carlin

Listen to the MP3 here (only about 4 minutes):

www.ruthshat.com/ksupj/carlin_place.mp3

The sound file is also available on Vista/Blackboard.

Phil

Blog 1

The introduction on page two was very interesting. The whole idea of people writing as a way to understand the various things around them is something to ponder. It's almost like you teach yourself as you take ideas out of your head and write them down. I really liked the billboard on page seven, where it gives statistics about the Oscars and it's winners. The billboard was a clever way to present the thoughts of the Guerrilla Girls. The creators of this billboard used aspects of design. It is important to find your abilities as an communicator as stated on page twelve. You have to know your strengths as a communicator so you can use those things in your writing. The main purpose of writing is to communicate your views and ideas to an audience. I personally love writing persuasive papers. Trying to convince the audience that the views you hold on a specific issue are right, so I found the reading on page eighteen to be very interesting. I learned the difference between formal and informal arguments. I think informal arguments are more enlightening because they direct attention to a new idea or a different direction. Informal arguments make you think! No matter how I feel about an issue, I always leave some room for persuasion by the other side. I am not right 100% of the time! I found the chart on page twenty to be very interesting. The top ten reasons for people frequently give for plugging their ears when those with whom they disagree talk. I love talking politics and I love debating on the main issues that come up. The list on page twenty made me laugh because I am guilty of a few of those things! But I'm going to try harder to listen to the other side.