English 1B, Monday 5/11/20

6-6:10pm:  How are you…?  What have you been writing for yourself?

6:10-6:20pm:  Narrative final drafts?  How do you feel?  How do you want the reader to feel?

6:20-6:45:  ALL IRBY… What did you think?  What about her writing and ideas do you most value as a reader?

6:45-7pm:  Your notes on Irby…. What did you find yourself noting most?

7-7:07pm:  BREAK

7:07-7:20pm:  Journal entries, OPEN MIC

7:20-7:40pm:  I have an idea, as to how to end this semester…. It will be a “take-home”, even though we’re all locked in our bloody homes so that’s a moot qualifier….. I’m asking for logical responses and ideas here… what do you want to write about for your final?

7:40-7:50pm:  What have you learned about yourself while being “sheltered”-in-place?

7:50-8pm:  Closing… thoughts… tonight’s page.

HW:  Final reaction to Irby, TYPED…   That is, your final assessment of her work.  If you want, add onto what you’ve already typed..

Final Prompts will be emailed to you before next class, and you will have three days to complete.

368 Comments Add yours

  1. mikemadigan's avatar mikemadigan says:

    Presence in a class is for NO ONE but YOU. Honestly… colleges need to do something stop this grade and score obsession.

    Like

    1. Dasha Hall's avatar Dasha Hall says:

      Agreed. Seems to hinder creativity and add pressure to pass instead of learn, if anything.

      Liked by 2 people

      1. mikemadigan's avatar mikemadigan says:

        Exactly… and that’s bullshit. The point of education should be self-realization and creativity more than anything. Pressure is poison, unless it’s self-assigned..

        Liked by 1 person

      2. theresadevine's avatar theresadevine says:

        I completely agree Dasha. The level of pressure to just get through it (NOT this class, but classes in general).

        Liked by 1 person

      3. mikemadigan's avatar mikemadigan says:

        It takes away from precisely what education intends. WHAT THE FUCK.

        Liked by 1 person

    2. ava powers's avatar ava powers says:

      Couldn’t agree more. It makes school systematic and robotic instead of aiding creative individuals in achieving their goals and desires.

      Liked by 1 person

      1. mikemadigan's avatar mikemadigan says:

        Just a thought, but there is it. Good to see you..

        Like

  2. mikemadigan's avatar mikemadigan says:

    Samatha Irby… more than the other writers, I keep re-reading her pages…

    Like

    1. chrisfilice's avatar chrisfilice says:

      I have to keep re-reading her writing because I feel like I keep missing things. There’s a lot of information packed in there.

      Liked by 1 person

      1. mikemadigan's avatar mikemadigan says:

        Hey Chris! Yes… information, confession, and so much antagonizing of the reader..

        Like

  3. mikemadigan's avatar mikemadigan says:

    I’m in the mood and morphed mode to WORK tonight… who’s going to out-produce ME???????????????????

    Like

    1. Dasha Hall's avatar Dasha Hall says:

      Your response game is too strong

      Liked by 1 person

      1. mikemadigan's avatar mikemadigan says:

        #professormikey can’t be touched son..

        Like

  4. Stephanie Neeley's avatar Stephanie Neeley says:

    Hope everyone is doing well. I am doing aright this week. Still no unemployment so I am getting concerned about that. I went back to work Saturday but my work decided to open to the public today which were not allowed to. So it got shut down for the third time in this. It has been interesting. Overall I am well. Oddly adjusted to this stay at home time. The dog has liked us being home more, so she’s happy with it. I don’t think my job will be operating after this time law enforcement shut us down. More at home projects! Writing for me this week has been our class assignments and plans for work. I have set up a meeting to help my work improve and it has been an interesting process. Stephanie Neeley

    Liked by 1 person

    1. mikemadigan's avatar mikemadigan says:

      Crazy times.. know many in the same boat.

      Like

  5. mikemadigan's avatar mikemadigan says:

    I love the rain…You?

    Like

    1. theresadevine's avatar theresadevine says:

      I LOVE the rain when I’m inside hearing it outside my window. And the way the earth smells after it rains. Fresh and new.

      Liked by 1 person

    2. Alexander Tustin's avatar Alexander Tustin says:

      Definitely, its nice to take a break from the recent hot weather.

      Liked by 1 person

    3. Dasha Hall's avatar Dasha Hall says:

      Love, love, love. Makes me feel okay for being cooped up inside. Get lost looking out the window instead, making breakfast and sipping coffee, watching the rain fall. Makes me happy just thinking about it. Sounds like movie nights and warm blankets to me.

      Liked by 1 person

      1. mikemadigan's avatar mikemadigan says:

        You and I have the same mind with rain.. a time for collection and introspection.

        Like

    4. ava powers's avatar ava powers says:

      I love the rain and the smell of the earth after the rain. Everything is like a fresh start, but I am not a fan of the gloomy grey skies.

      Liked by 2 people

    5. Haley Solich's avatar Haley Solich says:

      The rain is my favorite weather! It always gives me a calm and cleansing feeling!

      Liked by 1 person

    6. Gilbert's avatar Gilbert says:

      i love the rain, especially at night, as it always makes me sleep like a baby.

      Liked by 1 person

  6. mikemadigan's avatar mikemadigan says:

    Funny… the escalation of productivity toward semester’s end. This is natural, but the escalation should be consistent from DAY ONE.

    Liked by 1 person

  7. theresadevine's avatar theresadevine says:

    Hi colleagues. I’m doing ok this week. The pressure of homeschooling my kid finally got to me, and I have resigned to whatever he can get done, great, otherwise I have to realize that my best will have to do. I had a good Mother’s Day, my brother and his girlfriend came up from San Francisco and surprised my mom which was so nice. I got out of the house for the first time in a week and a half and went to Walmart with my bestie and then to Home Depot for some flowers to plant. It was nice to get out of the house, but damn that social anxiety coupled with a hard to breathe in mask was intense. I’ve been crocheting and jamming out to good tunes and trying to make the most of things. All in all I’d say I’m doing pretty good all things considered.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. mikemadigan's avatar mikemadigan says:

      Happy Mother’s Day… homeschooling is tough!! Be good to yourself so you can the same do to others!! 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  8. Andrew Mckamey's avatar Andrew Mckamey says:

    Hey everyone, it’s crazy how the semester is almost over. I’ve been doing well, I went running in the rain today which was a total flip from the weather we had last week. I’ve been preparing for AP tests this week so those are a bit stressful, but to cope with that stress I’ve been listening to a lot of records, especially the ones my mom gave me from her teenage years. Also for mother’s day I continued with some of my GPS drawings and spelled out mom and created a heart right after it, the heart was definitely one of the hardest drawings I’ve done. I’ve been writing about music lately as that has been something that is heavy in my life right now. I enjoy listening to it more on a record rather than digital because there is something more personal about it. So I’ve been writing about that and my thoughts on certain albums. It’s been a week!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. mikemadigan's avatar mikemadigan says:

      More about this music writing, please…

      Like

      1. Andrew Mckamey's avatar Andrew Mckamey says:

        Yeah for sure! I listen to a variety of music across many genres so as my record collection grows, the diversity of it grows. The other night I was listening to the album Stadium Arcadium by the Red Hot Chilli Peppers and I was on the first disc of a four-disc LP. The second song of the album is Snow (Hey Oh) and it’s a fairly well-known song, I had heard it many times on my phone. Though every time I listen to it on vinyl it has a deeper and more real sound that I like. I wrote about how much emotion is put into singer Anthony Kiedis’s voice and about the guitar work done by John Frusciante. It’s one of my favorite songs just because of the emotion and calming vibe of the song. As I listened through the album I wrote about the songs that really struck me. I wrote this about the self-titled song on the album, “Anthony continues his lyricism with the background of strong drums and a light base, then the song explodes into a guitar solo by John that slowly ramps up filed by added sounds that adds to the track’s uniqueness, there are no lyrics, just pure emotion from the guitar. Then it ends and John slowly plays along with the main rhythm of the song by himself, then Anthony and the rest of the band come in to join him.” Just an excerpt from what I wrote about.

        Liked by 1 person

  9. countrygirl1001's avatar countrygirl1001 says:

    I like listening to the rain, I find it calming. The sound of the rain makes me more into art for some reason. When I used to write song lyrics I found I was more focused with the sound of the rain. Raining weather also gets me in the mood to want to bake things all day, comfort food.

    Liked by 2 people

    1. mikemadigan's avatar mikemadigan says:

      Rain is like its own beat that can’t be replicated ever, no matter how many tried you log, or how much equipment you use.

      Liked by 1 person

    2. Dasha Hall's avatar Dasha Hall says:

      Agreed! I’ve been painting all afternoon, you lose track of time with the constant grey skies. Comfort baking sounds like it would pair well though, I’m sure whatever you can make is actually edible (mine most definitely isn’t).

      Liked by 1 person

  10. Alexander Tustin's avatar Alexander Tustin says:

    I’m still doing ok. For writing, I had to do a Chemistry book report this weekend. I thought two days would be enough to write the paper and make the presentation until I realized the report was supposed to be ten pages! He told us before that the report would be college level so I was thinking five, six, maybe seven, but no ten damn pages! I worked all day yesterday till five this morning finishing writing and creating that presentation and I am so ready to go to bed after this class. I am only taking a Chemistry 42 class, the intro to general chemistry. I was not expecting at least ten pages.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. mikemadigan's avatar mikemadigan says:

      Love the production! Cheers!!

      Like

  11. Kyle Hirth's avatar Kyle Hirth says:

    Hi colleagues! I’ve been busy. Finding time to run, do homework, and play the violin is a job unto itself. But, I enjoy what I do and it makes me happy. Even though the parks are open, I have been exploring Windsor on my longer runs, as I have never seen the whole town. My only regret at the moment is that I am beginning to feel burnt out from the isolation of quarantine.

    Like

  12. Anna Zoia-Buescher's avatar Anna Zoia-Buescher says:

    Hi everyone. I’m doing alright, taking things day by day. I don’t know, we are moving onto what, week 7 of the shelter in place order? It’s starting to get to me a little bit but I’m keeping updated through the CDC and the news has kept me in check, and made me remember I’m still safe and healthy and I have a lot to be thankful for. So day by day, I’m not only trying to live each day out to the next, but I’m trying to be productive and push myself through with things to keep me busy till the next day of productivity. Of course the semester is coming to an end here so finals have kept me plenty busy. Hope everyone is safe and doing well.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. mikemadigan's avatar mikemadigan says:

      Day by day is beneficial for work, play, thought, and self…

      Like

  13. Rizzie Vermont's avatar Rizzie Vermont says:

    I’m doing alright. I feel like I’ve been a ball of anxiety the last few weeks, but I’m doing better and better everyday. I’m really trying to learn how to control my anxiety. I’ve been writing about my feelings within my relationship lately. It has been really nice journaling about it.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. mikemadigan's avatar mikemadigan says:

      Rizz!!! What it is!!!!! Glad you’re doing okay…. My sister told me yesterday about her anxiety. I get it. Journaling is certain a solve, but as well an instructional body and universe, orchestra…

      Like

      1. Rizzie Vermont's avatar Rizzie Vermont says:

        Thank you 🙂 yess anxiety can be killer but journaling definitely seems to help

        Liked by 1 person

  14. ava powers's avatar ava powers says:

    Hey everyone!
    I’ve been writing for myself quite a bit lately. My family has been struggling, quarantine aside and it’s been a little chaotic and worrisome so writing has been a great pressure relief. I’m worried about everyone right now and this gloomy whether has not been helpful. On the bright side I’ve begun a daily at home workout routine. That’s something in my control that makes me feel good right now and I’m glad that my sister has decided to do it alongside me! 🙂 I hope everyone is doing their best in quarantine!! I miss seeing everyone and listening to each other on Monday nights!!

    Liked by 2 people

    1. theresadevine's avatar theresadevine says:

      I’m going to be working with a personal trainer starting June 1st. A friend of mine was recently certified, and I need help holding myself accountable to the workout routine.

      Like

      1. ava powers's avatar ava powers says:

        That’s so great!! What a cool perk! It’s great to workout alongside someone else! It definitely helps you stick to a routine, which can be really hard, especially now when all of our schedules are wild!

        Liked by 2 people

    2. mikemadigan's avatar mikemadigan says:

      Enjoy those workouts!! Fitness provides mental framework!! ❤

      Liked by 1 person

    3. Gilbert's avatar Gilbert says:

      If you want control, there is nothing better than fitness to help you master it. It is difficult getting into a routine at first, but eventually it’ll become a habit, and one that will change your life for the better. Good luck!

      Liked by 1 person

    4. Dasha Hall's avatar Dasha Hall says:

      Working out! Dude go you, definitely good for actually getting up in the morning. I tend to sleep until noon otherwise, so any kind of routine is nice, for sure! I’ve been alternating days, sometimes I’m simply too sore to roll out of bed. I hope things improve with your family though :/

      Liked by 1 person

      1. ava powers's avatar ava powers says:

        Thank you!! Things will get better :)!! They always do! Getting up early is not an easy task and I certainly have not mastered it. Enjoy your sleep!! It’s good for you.

        Liked by 1 person

  15. Jose F's avatar Jose F says:

    Hello All! Hope everyone is doing well. I have been recently writing more about the conspiracies that have risen over the pandemic. There have been a few patients who have mentioned Bill Gates as the origin of the pandemic and global population control or microchips being placed in the upcoming vaccines for the virus. I think all the time that people have had to be indoors has really let there minds run wild.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. ava powers's avatar ava powers says:

      Ooooo!! I love researching conspiracies and hearing so many differing opinions. It really makes you question our society and governmental structure. You don’t necessarily have to believe, but it’s great to question what you do currently believe. Expanding the mind is always important.

      Like

      1. mikemadigan's avatar mikemadigan says:

        Conspiracies want attention….

        Like

      2. Jose F's avatar Jose F says:

        Yes I agree. Always good to question what you believe because sometimes you just believe things because you have never thought about alternatives. Some of these conspiracies have been a real stretch but it never stops me from asking about how people get to there current stance.

        Liked by 1 person

  16. Haley Solich's avatar Haley Solich says:

    Hi everyone! I’ve been in this endless cycle of work and zoom classes. I’m going mad with this horrible new sleep schedule. I feel like my body is a separate part of myself and I’m just a zombie moving along. I miss being able to go to new surroundings to find inspiration.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. countrygirl1001's avatar countrygirl1001 says:

      There was an article about the microchip thing. I saw one but don’t remember the source. Stephanie

      Liked by 1 person

    2. mikemadigan's avatar mikemadigan says:

      CHITOWN!!!!!! Find that same “inspiration” with your own envisioning…

      Like

    3. Jenna McGovern's avatar Jenna McGovern says:

      I totally get the zombie feeling, it’s as if life moves without you moving with it right now. Leads to a lot of self-reflection for me

      Liked by 1 person

  17. Kyle Hirth's avatar Kyle Hirth says:

    In my writings, I’ve delved into larger, life questions. The isolation plus my running allows me to start thinking about subjects such as empowerment and commitment. Using these ideas and beliefs I come up with on my runs, I jot them down in my journal.

    Liked by 1 person

  18. countrygirl1001's avatar countrygirl1001 says:

    Far as the music writing I started when I was in high school, it was my escape. I continued with writing music into my early twenties. After my 4 year relationship ended I threw my music out. I had notebooks full of them. Stephanie Neeley

    Liked by 1 person

    1. mikemadigan's avatar mikemadigan says:

      You may throw out music, but it always stays with you.

      Liked by 1 person

  19. Jenna McGovern's avatar Jenna McGovern says:

    I’m okay this week. Quarantine just keeps going downhill. Lost my dog this Tuesday to heart disease and I miss him a lot. Feels like one blow after another. Been trying to keep up with this cyber-lifestyle but it’s hard when the real world is so messy. I’ve been writing about my dog this week and changed my narrative topic to be about him. It’s helped me cope a bit and I love reflecting on the memories I have of him when I was young. Hoping this month will get better as I’ll be virtually graduating high school at the end of it. Looking forward to being done with that part of my life.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Luis Quezadas's avatar Luis Quezadas says:

      Hey Jenna, sorry to hear about your dog passing away. Losing a companion who is family is difficult to lose, but I’m glad that instead of writing your narrative about yourself. You decided to choose your dog. That’s sweet and very loving. I always look back at old memories to help with anything I’m feeling in that moment. I’ve realized that no matter how many things leave your life. The one thing that you can always count on are the memories that were shared. Those will never leave.

      Liked by 1 person

  20. Gilbert's avatar Gilbert says:

    Hello everyone! I am doing well and feeling great. Today has been a strangely delightful day, mostly due to the rain that we so desperately need. I have not been writing for myself as much, more of writing to myself in order to keep track of everything that has to be taken care of as the semester comes to a closing.

    Liked by 1 person

  21. diana mendez's avatar diana mendez says:

    hi everyone! I’m doing pretty good! The change in weather has been nice, I felt it was starting to get a little too warm for my liking, so I enjoyed waking up to rain today. For writing, I’ve been focused on our essay for this class and writing that I’ve had to do for my other classes too, like my child development class.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Luis Quezadas's avatar Luis Quezadas says:

      I agree, the change of whether has been nice, but now I just want to stay in bed and be lazy and not do anything. The rain seems to make me relax and enjoy the moment. Online school work is way more difficult than just showing up to class and doing the work then. It’s more effort and less engaging. You only do the work but get not satisfaction on learning the material.

      Liked by 1 person

      1. diana mendez's avatar diana mendez says:

        oh absolutely! That’s literally been my day so far, just laying in bed for the most part. I agree with you about online classes, it’s really only about getting the work done. I definitely miss being physically in class and having that engagement and interaction with everyone else.

        Liked by 1 person

      2. mikemadigan's avatar mikemadigan says:

        Rain is lovely, but our reaction to it defines direction.

        Like

    2. mikemadigan's avatar mikemadigan says:

      Balance with classes is tough…. Difficult if not impossible to master..

      Like

  22. Luis Quezadas's avatar Luis Quezadas says:

    I’m tired of doing school work online. I miss the social interactions. I miss the faces that smile back. I’m just cooped up in my house doing the same thing I could. Now that the Spring semester is coming to it’s end. I’ve just been getting more and more lazy as time passes. I hate the fact that we will probably never have a good year where there isn’t something that all of the sudden makes us stop everything and have to work around it. I hate the fact that all I do is think about what I want to do once this pandemic is over. I’ve been writing my own thoughts. things that scare me, things I wish I could be doing right now but I’m not, fixing my room even though there’s nothing to fix, changing my attitude in how I face things. Mostly just keeping up with classes. I hope everyone is doing well and enjoying this long Spring Break ^_^

    Liked by 1 person

    1. mikemadigan's avatar mikemadigan says:

      You’re not the only in this regard.. Keeping up is one challenge, knowing where you are in time’s palm is another..

      Like

    2. Alexander Tustin's avatar Alexander Tustin says:

      I couldn’t agree with you any more! I can’t wait to talk to people other than my family, even though I love our conversations, but I really want to be able to talk with others.I want to be able to hang with people again. I was disappointed to hear that classes in fall would be online, but I hope that in Spring everything can finally turn back to normal.

      Liked by 1 person

  23. Leon Peralta's avatar Leon Peralta says:

    Hey everyone I’m doing alright this week kind of just felt like another boring week doing the same things over and over again. For me this is going to be the hardest week of the semester I think. Im gonna have tests and assignments coming left and right from my five classes and I know that its probably gonna mean that I go to bed late but I don’t care because I think this is the environment that I thrive in.
    I’ve been writing a little bit of what Im gonna do this summer. Go back to work, take some summer classes, and also try to do some projects at home.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Luis Quezadas's avatar Luis Quezadas says:

      Hey Leon, I think this is going to be a difficult week for most of as we all are coming in to the final stretch of the Spring semester. Not only will we be assignment test, essays, research papers, and more, but we have to take into consideration the fact that we may be stuck like this for awhile. I enjoyed the statement you made about doing some at home projects which had me thinking about things that I should just remove from room and what I should keep.

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Leon Peralta's avatar Leon Peralta says:

        Hey Luis, I think that this summer is going to be a crucial part moving forward for everyone and especially students. I’m think we should take this summer as a reset button to adjust our learning environment using what we’ve learned form this semester which unfortunately most of us weren’t able to adapt to as a way to better prepare ourselves for next semester. For me this is gonna include better time management and also a dedicated space for school.

        Liked by 1 person

  24. chrisfilice's avatar chrisfilice says:

    Hey Colleagues,
    I’m doing alright. Excited to go back to work next week as the semester comes to a close. I’ve been doing more introspective writings. It’s difficult for me to notice patterns in my life that are not helpful to me or connect certain things so getting them on paper helps me realize where I need to improve. It makes it more tangible. Other than that I’ve been playing a lot of basketball, watching the Last Dance. Crazy documentary about the 90’s Bulls. Cooking a lot, painting, drawing and going on walks. Went on a hike for the first time since the quarantine and it was so nice to be out in nature and really made me grateful for the little things in life.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. ava powers's avatar ava powers says:

      I’ve been trying to cook, paint, and walk more as well! I certainly miss hiking. Where do you enjoy going to hike? 🙂

      Liked by 2 people

      1. chrisfilice's avatar chrisfilice says:

        The foothills in Windsor is my favorite spot in the world. I grew up a couple of blocks from there so there’s the nostalgia of it but it’s also really beautiful.

        Liked by 1 person

    2. ava powers's avatar ava powers says:

      Ohhh that’s rad!! I’m from Sonoma and haven’t spent tons of time in Windsor, but I’ll have to check it out 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

    3. mikemadigan's avatar mikemadigan says:

      Hey Chris…. Good to stay active. Quarantine is only as significant as WE assign.

      Like

  25. Dasha Hall's avatar Dasha Hall says:

    Hey everyone!
    I’m doing okay. If tripping over nothing and breaking a carton of 12 eggs constitutes okay. That was this morning. I don’t consider myself clumsy, but man. It’s not everyday that you spend your morning cracking already broken eggs into a bowl, slapping on some cling wrap, throwing it in the fridge and calling it a day. A nice surprise for everyone else in the house. Hopefully they’re in the mood for an omelette, in that case I’m a Godsend, not a klutz. I’d much prefer that. As for writing, I haven’t done as much as I would like, as I’ve been trying to bang out discussions and essays as fast as finals will let me, but I’ve opted for writing down when funny things happen to me in quarantine. Hence, the eggs.
    I hope you guys are hanging in there ❤️

    Liked by 2 people

    1. pashatoub's avatar pashatoub says:

      I always enjoy your style of sharing what’s happened. You’re funny Dasha!! Also, I would say that ‘constitutes okay’ haha

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Dasha Hall's avatar Dasha Hall says:

        Glad to have a second opinion, sometimes you tell yourself everything is fine so much you actually start to believe it. Not in the good way. Just in the lyingtoyourselftoavoidreality kind of way. But thank you! I enjoy your writing too! It makes mine look like shit ahah

        Liked by 1 person

      2. mikemadigan's avatar mikemadigan says:

        Yes, and further understand and KNOW the shit..

        Like

    2. mikemadigan's avatar mikemadigan says:

      Cooking and writing, as writing IS cooking. You follow your own recipe..

      Like

  26. Kyle Hirth's avatar Kyle Hirth says:

    Writing the narrative final draft made me very content. I was happy with how the writing turned out, and how I resolved my inner qualms about my experience. After I shared my writing, I found that my readers were guided to a feeling of pride and conclusion, which I had hoped for.

    Like

  27. mikemadigan's avatar mikemadigan says:

    TALK TO US ABOUT THE SUBMISSIONS!!!! HOW DO YOU FEEL??? WHAT DO YOU WANT FOR THE READER?

    Like

    1. Dasha Hall's avatar Dasha Hall says:

      I ended up doing what I thought I might, and simply scrapping what I originally wrote. New story, more embarrassing, morally questionable but is a good reminder as to how fast things can negatively spiral when you lie.

      Liked by 1 person

      1. mikemadigan's avatar mikemadigan says:

        Can’t wait to read it, and you should enjoy the act of submitting your pages…

        Like

  28. leifdinger's avatar leifdinger says:

    Been working scripts mostly. On the days I don’t write, I kick back and read the paper. I bought a huge tank of coffee once quarantine started, and this entire time I haven’t made a dent. Still, this is the perfect weather for it.

    Like

  29. Alexander Tustin's avatar Alexander Tustin says:

    The final draft of my narrative went very well! I feel satisfied with what I included into the writing even though I feel there is so much I wanted to add. I want to keep adding to it until it becomes a full story for me. I wanted my readers to feel bittersweet when reading my narrative. I don’t want them to feel pity and sad nor do I want them to feel happy and excited. I want them to feel that in between.

    Like

  30. I’m doing pretty good today. I had lots of plans on things to get done this weekend but found myself feeling cranky and sluggish. I woke up this morning with a better attitude and have been able to accomplish much of what I need to do.
    Writing my story has led me down a rabbit hole of memories. I branched off from my final draft once it was finished and kept on writing a new collection of ramblings that aren’t part of my story but related to that time period. I have also been writing about Irby, as well as some challenges and observations I’ve had stuck inside.

    Liked by 1 person

  31. Markus Ong's avatar Markus Ong says:

    Hey everyone,

    I’ve been doing a lot better recently because I’ve been getting out more. Since the parks have been half open I’ve been able to play tennis again. It has been really refreshing to get out daily and get more active since the majority of my days are just looming around my house looking for something to kill the boredom with.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. mikemadigan's avatar mikemadigan says:

      Welcome Markus…. movement solves a lot.

      Like

  32. I feel pretty good about my final draft but there are portions that I wish I had devoted more time to. I became caught up in all the emotions that the experience brought up and wrote much more than I needed to. I would like the reader to feel like there is light at the end of the tunnel when choosing their own path seems too daunting. I want readers to know that they don’t need to hesitate when making decisions that sacrifice immediate comfort in exchange for greater happiness longterm.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. mikemadigan's avatar mikemadigan says:

      Good to hear!! A path should always be one WE decide.

      Like

    2. pashatoub's avatar pashatoub says:

      For me, that’s where the best writing comes from. Those are also goals for the reader which show how important your story is to you. I’m interested in your draft 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  33. countrygirl1001's avatar countrygirl1001 says:

    For my final draft of our life story assignment I fell good about my paper. I reviewed it multiple times I think it has a little flow to it when I go over it. I feel that my story shows some hardships and struggles and hope which is what I want readers to get from my story as well.
    Stephanie Neeley

    Liked by 1 person

    1. mikemadigan's avatar mikemadigan says:

      Glad to hear it!

      Like

  34. theresadevine's avatar theresadevine says:

    I’m pretty happy with the way my narrative final draft turned out. I didn’t find that I had to change much for it to reflect what I wanted to say, which was a nice change of pace in terms of my writing. I want my readers to feel inspired and know that change is possible, as well as perhaps a different perspective of the “crazy” or “degenerate” people out there.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. mikemadigan's avatar mikemadigan says:

      To enjoy your own writing gives new life to YOU, and then any future writing you might do.

      Liked by 1 person

  35. Jessica M.'s avatar Jessica M. says:

    Lately I have been writing through my problems. I have had a difficult past week as the isolation is really starting to get to me and to the people around me. I wrote about my personal relations and what I can do better and what parts I might just have to let lie. I’m hopping that I can find a way to keep things together so I can get through my finals on a strong note.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. mikemadigan's avatar mikemadigan says:

      Write through and OUT of them….

      Like

  36. pashatoub's avatar pashatoub says:

    Hi guys. It’s crazy week: AP testing! Shortened versions online. Bleh. I used my writing to distract myself from studying, and not to toot my own horn, I’m pretty proud of the pacing of my story. I worked on my language a lot, and I think I’ve been able to seem more engaging, and control the reader’s attention. Also, sort of inspired by Lawson, my story ended with introspection, which is new for me in narrative.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. ava powers's avatar ava powers says:

      Good luck on your AP exams, Pasha!! And nice job keeping up with your other classes simultaneously! I remember college classes on top of a high school load- it’s hard work!! Not to mention with our strange quarantine school schedule nowadays! Keep it up:)

      Liked by 1 person

      1. mikemadigan's avatar mikemadigan says:

        Being a student IS a job.

        Liked by 1 person

    2. mikemadigan's avatar mikemadigan says:

      Yes, everything now is different.

      Like

  37. ava powers's avatar ava powers says:

    The narratives were a favorite of mine once I decided on a topic. It’s a very personal piece for me and I’m pleased with how it came out. I took to heart that rough drafts should be nearly final drafts and was quite happy with the minimal editing I decided to do to the final this morning. Overall, it was something out of my comfort zone since I’m typically best at research papers and book report-type essays. I love writing about personal topics and attempting to include some sort of poetic flow to my writing. This isn’t something I’ve gotten to do in many english classes, but more so just in personal journals. Instead of sounding robotic, I could hear my voice in my writing and see myself expressing the phrases in my own way. It was homey and different for me all at once, and overall a success!

    Liked by 2 people

  38. Jenna McGovern's avatar Jenna McGovern says:

    I feel good about my final draft. I want the reader to feel reflective. Since it’s about my dog, I think it has a lot of experiences others can relate to which I think creates a nostalgic tone. I want readers to see the good in everything negative and to remember to reflect on the good times, as well as to cherish each moment. All that sounds a little cliche, but it ended up being the bulk of a lot of my essay and I actually enjoyed writing in that style.

    Liked by 1 person

  39. chrisfilice's avatar chrisfilice says:

    I feel really happy about my writing. It was a bit more wordy than it could have been but I feel like it would have taking away from the authenticity if I cut it down because that’s how I talk/write. I almost wish I could have made it longer. It felt good to open up. I want the reader to gain a new perspective and understanding. I want them to feel a sense of pain that can be overcome and ultimately to hope. Also that people can change and not judge based on superficial, first impressions.

    Liked by 2 people

    1. mikemadigan's avatar mikemadigan says:

      Good to hear, Chris..

      Like

  40. Rizzie Vermont's avatar Rizzie Vermont says:

    Irby is a handful and I totally love it. She is so blunt and extreme. I like that she talks openly about sex… I feel like that is really rare in today’s world. I really appreciate her writing style… it’s great for an ADHD mind. She keeps things interesting by having sections in her essays as well as writing in all caps periodically to grab the readers attention.

    Like

    1. mikemadigan's avatar mikemadigan says:

      Like a storm, a wave that you’re trying to swim out of.

      Like

  41. Anna Zoia-Buescher's avatar Anna Zoia-Buescher says:

    As for Irby, I felt like she told us so much about herself and her story, that I could actually visualize what she looks like (besides the picture on the back of the book and the previous research I have done on her), and visualize what kind of person she is, how she acts, and what her mannerisms are. She knows exactly who she is. I read the back of the book and in my opinion it’s spot on… AND it’s kind of the message I think she wants to give her readers (similar to Lawson); “Sometimes you just have to laugh, even when your life is a dumpster fire”. I actually wouldn’t call her hilarious, I’d call her human, and with each chapter, I could feel herself using some humor to accept herself, and I felt like she spoke to us. While reading, I felt like she was talking directly to me, without fear of being judged, or being ashamed or embarrassed. Between having awkward sexual encounters and not finding her true love, to having the worst cat, to growing up poor and now not knowing how to spend and save money, to her mother being in the hospital and her father passing away, to liking to stay indoors and to herself, I think she knows that her life is far from perfect and she is far from perfect and she used her book to show people exactly that, and that it’s okay. She’s human. She knows how to laugh and live life in a different perspective and that is how her and Lawson are similar.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. mikemadigan's avatar mikemadigan says:

      Great response here…. Dumpster fire, or fireWORKS?

      Like

  42. mikemadigan's avatar mikemadigan says:

    What can we do to tell our narratives with more ferociousness… for the future…. This semester is odd, and I’m having trouble keeping up with y’all tonight… but I think that a self-examination of your own composition is beneficial to future production.

    Like

  43. Luis Quezadas's avatar Luis Quezadas says:

    The final submission went very well. I was pleased with my work even though I defiantly had my ups and downs. I was getting more and more frustrated because I couldn’t think of anything and that was my problem. I was thinking too much about other things that I wasn’t letting my thoughts flow in the direction I wanted, but after taking a breather and getting myself together again. I figured that I would be okay with starting right where I left off. Not only was I pleased, but I was happy to have received an assignment like this because it makes me think back and some wonderful memories. Moments that we only dream of getting back. It was definitely a much needed and meaningful task for me.

    Liked by 1 person

  44. diana mendez's avatar diana mendez says:

    I’m feeling good about my essay. After reading it again, I felt like there wasn’t a whole lot that I wanted to change about it, so I just made minimal changes and left it where it was at because it was good where it was at. I want my readers to know that there’s always going to be something better so don’t settle for less. 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

    1. mikemadigan's avatar mikemadigan says:

      There you go!

      Like

  45. Jose F's avatar Jose F says:

    I feel great about my submission. It’s a very personal story that I have not told to many people. It was a way for me to externally process the cards I have been dealt in life. I want the readers to know that sometimes the journey of life can be difficult and full of risks, but you should stay on course.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Rizzie Vermont's avatar Rizzie Vermont says:

      I really really appreciated reading your story!!

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Jose F's avatar Jose F says:

        Thank you for taking the time to read it. It was great sharing it with you and talking about it.

        Liked by 1 person

    2. mikemadigan's avatar mikemadigan says:

      Looking forward to reading!

      Like

  46. Markus Ong's avatar Markus Ong says:

    My submission is something I feel not bad or good about but different since it is one of my only submissions that I decided to just scribble things on a page and organize later. This is something I generally don’t like doing because I want what I write to be very carefully thought out and calculated rather than a mesh of words disguised as a paragraph. That’s not to say I didn’t edit very carefully, but the writing experience and the way I approached this assignment was a lot different than how I’ve done it in the passed. I’m scared but also curious to find out if this new approach or style is something that I should consider in the future. In the end, I am a little proud of myself for sticking with this new style and not giving up halfway through but I guess I’ll find out if its worth it based on the feedback/grade I get.

    Liked by 1 person

  47. countrygirl1001's avatar countrygirl1001 says:

    Irby, I love this book. Things have been crazy for me this past week but I have enjoyed reading our book. At first I was unsure about how to follow the book. It ended up I focus reading better later in the day. But! Her humor to me is similar to Lawson plus both had poverty growing up and they way they describe their experiences is different. This stood out to greatly when irby stated about money habits and what it was like to unlearn behavior someone grew up around. Comparing it to Lawson it was more descriptive and personal regarding poverty with Irby.

    Stephanie Neeley

    Liked by 1 person

    1. mikemadigan's avatar mikemadigan says:

      Glad you responded to her work!

      Like

  48. Jessica M.'s avatar Jessica M. says:

    With my final draft I ended up changing a lot less than I was expecting to. I really just went back and rewrote my final paragraph and split it into two pieces. Over all I’m feeling very confident about the quality of my writing and I’m happy with my results. But I did have a moment where I was regretting choosing the topic I did considering how venerable I feel about it. Like I have mentioned before, I chose a topic I typically prefer not to talk about so digging this part of my past up was very hard and now I’m feeling very on edge about my choice to share it. But I’m also proud of myself for getting through my essay and feeling like my product turned out very well.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. ava powers's avatar ava powers says:

      That’s exactly how I felt!! I didn’t change much whatsoever with the final, yet I’m quite happy with it!! I like the idea of having a pristine rough draft. For years I would have a bare minimum rough draft and the final would be overwhelming. This philosophy is a great tactic for concentration and really allowing you to fine tune your work.

      Liked by 1 person

    2. mikemadigan's avatar mikemadigan says:

      Good to hear! What can you teach us? That is, how can we feel the way you do? Sure the colleagues want to hear… 🙂

      Like

  49. I still love Irby’s writing, probably a bit more now that I’ve read further into her book. One thing about Irby that I especially value is the way she presents many options in life. She’s aware enough to know that she isn’t stuck but she also has the self-confidence to make the choices that keep her happy.

    Liked by 1 person

  50. leifdinger's avatar leifdinger says:

    I didn’t feel one particular way on that final draft. I wasn’t sure what my objective should be in writing a personal story. I think the pacing could have been improved upon, I really thought on that one for a while. I get the feeling that when I put more years in between me and that story it will end up being better for it. Some more experience under my belt, sort of thing.

    Liked by 1 person

Leave a reply to Dasha Hall Cancel reply