Writing Project 1 Summary

For my space I observed one of my friend’s room’s. I chose the space since it was familiar to me and I could make a lot of in depth observations. For my applied lens I used Frank Vanclay’s Making Sense of Place. I figured that a lens would be interesting if the person I was observing the space through actually owned it. For observation of the space I asked my friend a couple questions about the space and what she felt about it. Vanclay asserts in his passage that some who invests in their space goes through a process of place making and establishes a biophysical connection with their space. I wanted to explore this assertion and see how place making works. I also explored Vanclay’s ideas on pluralities of space. He argues that different people can have different feeling about a space based of their experiences and how they relate to the space. I felt that since she personally lives their and I only visit from time to time we may have vastly different views of the space which would be a very interesting idea to explore and see how our views differ from one another. Through my observations I have come to really respect Vanclays ideas and observations and now have a much more developed and broader perspective. 

Olive's Room

To the naked eye room 311 would seem like a just another insignificant dorm space in the back corner of Hassayampa building C. This much is not true. Their is much to explore in this room for the eager, "tourist" as Mark Twain talks about, and as Vanclay says, place does matter.

 You walk in through the front door greeted to your left by an assortment of bright blouses, torn jeans and short shorts, striped t-shirts, canvas shoes, and boots. One might say a typical, hip, adolescent girl's wardrobe. Walk a bit further in to find in the corner an old strung up guitar hoisted with some old tied up bandanas. Next to the corner on the adjacent wall is a window with a considerable view of the campus. Adjacent to this window is a bench stacked with small boxes, decorated cups and, pencils. Your typical artsy desk space completed with a Macbook laptop computer. Along the walls are little decorations and stickers of trees, posting birds, a caricature, and art pieces. On either side of the living space are a simple bed stand and a string of pictures above the bed to keep it company.

This may seem to be the typical, standard Hassayampa dorm space. But, the careful eye would see that their is much more. For example each item of clothing that greets you has their own story to tell. A pair of jeans worn out from an exhausting day treading about on a warm summer day during a concert. A sundress worn out for an exciting first date. Even a pair of space designed tights worn on a memorable halloween night. Simple, yet memorable stories the unobservant viewer would easily miss. There is a lot to learn from viewing a simple space. Even a couple scuffs on a pair of jeans can  have a story to tell.

Something about the room is very welcoming yet daunting. Entering room 311, one might feel in some ways like Mark Twain's, "tourist." There is a mystery and wonder to being welcomed in room 311. So much space is occupied with art and pictures, and creatively placed clothing and objects. The way the room is set up, is such that their had to be some very careful consideration and effort. To witness and really understand the process and consideration is really some kind of a treat. Almost like reading a metaphor from a book and not necessarily understanding it; but, having an appreciation and a curiosity to explore the meaning behind it. 

The walls themselves with the guitar, the pictures, and the drawings even have their own significance. The guitar in the corner is a gift from an old friend. Despite the ratty, beat up guitar seeming to be just another instrument, it holds the old memories of a faded but meaningful relationship. The guitar stays in the corner to stand as a remembrance of a past friendship that still holds its bond. The carefully placed boxes and pencils on the desk show the patience and careful consideration of a creative mind. And one box holds a ring also as a remembrance of a old relationship. The pictures on the wall above the bed are a reminder of past experiences, old friends, and family. The walls even hold their own memories and stories.

The room has its own stories to tell and its own bonds to share. The room is a physical embodiment of a girls mind, plastered about a room in its own special way. 

Constructing A Lens Blog 3

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Vanclay's Place Matters conveniently establishes the importance of place-making. An observer needs to understand that "place" has its own character and its own context for that character. Experiences truly can establish how somebody views a location, whether it be bad or good, and sometimes an observer needs these experiences to reestablish feelings about a location. Occurrences such as a wedding, first kiss, or meeting a new friend can establish a positive view of an area while experiences like a break up, a death, or leaving a loved one could leave a negative view. Places in and of themselves have a persona that goes beyond their physicality.

Polk Street talks about the progression of a day in a city through the eyes of an older gentleman. He is fascinated by the rustle and bustle of the young and moving city. In the hustle and bustle there is so much youth, and fascination, and excitement. But, in the late hours of the days things calm down and seem to become much less intriguing. This older gentleman yearns for the excitement and the movement of the city and is bored of the mediocrity.

Plagiarism can be an result of failing to digest information and reestablish it in a creative and original way or a result of pure laziness. All writers must be aware of the issue and not only be original but also be able to have a high level of integrity and honesty that follows along with their work. Being an original and attentive writer is much more rewarding in its own way than stealing from the minds of others.

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Mesa Trail bears the beautiful description of an old hiking trail. The speaker uses imagery concerning different aspects of the nature that surrounds them. The surrounding is very serene and calming. The speaker's description of the trail gives it character and it feels almost as if the reader themself was walking through it. The trail is almost a living and breathing entity. Even the description of the fox and the coyote, the "killers of the pure love of slaughter", bear their own beauty in their everyday activities. Simply the speaker's description of the surroundings give the entire trail its own persona.

Lens can be an incredible and very valuable tool. Being able to view the world objectively can be tasking but very helpful especially for a writer. Lens are not simply views of the world but in essence are the physical embodiments of ourselves. Being able to construct an objective lens takes time and effort since the observer is basically becoming somebody else and putting themselves in someone else's shoes. To create a practical objective lens one must observe their environment or subject and be willing to sacrifice their own opinion and take a new view of the world around them. It does take effort but if done right it can be a interesting experience.

Blog 2 Analyzation and Becoming an Engaged Writer

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It can be difficult to be an observant and attentive reader and writer. It can be a complicated process when someone is trying to find their own voice as a reader and writer. From personal experience, I can say that at times it is hard to write mainly because sometimes you just don't have anything to actually say. Sometimes if I am given a particular document or subject to write about I simply have no real interest or intent when reflecting on the subject. Being able to really read and reflect on subjects is a talent that I feel as a writer takes time to develop. 

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I believe the biggest problem is that we try to rush our writing and reading assignments and that we don't take the time to realize that both practices require patience and an inquiring mind. It takes time to write and develop truly thoughtful and genuine ideas, and the only way to fuel that is to practice and reflect on yourself as a writer. Also taking time to analyze other peoples' styles and reading good literature can only help you in developing your process. Everybody works differently and taking time to find a process that caters to your style can only help you. Palmquist gives a couple examples of these processes such as free-writing, looping, clusters, or maps (Palmquist 34-37). Personally I like to map out my ideas before I write. I am a more visual person so when I map out and organize ideas i begin to notice different connections that I previously may not have (sort of like a word puzzle or connect the dots). Yet, I do like to free-write my ideas if I'm doing a personal reflection simply because I like to let my ideas float freely while they're still fresh in my mind. I feel that when you really take the time to be engaged in your reading and writing and truly express yourself it can be quite enjoyable - even to the point where it can take your stress away. 

Being a better writer does take time and asks of you to be more engaged in your subject but, if you give it the right attention, and have a good attitude about it, truly it can become an enjoyable process. You must become more inquisitive and ready to ask yourself questions. Good writers are capable of engaging themselves as well as there reader and leaving not only the reader with new question, but themselves as well. Writing is not some stale and dull practice. Writing and literature are rich, fascinating, and provide several opportunities for readers to really challenge themselves, ask though provoking questions, and truly build their knowledge. Writing and literature and excellent way for people to share ideas and information in a creative way. They are tools that we have constantly neglected and that if approached and used in the right way, can be quite fascinating.