Memoir Writing and Brainstorming have a lot in common. When we Brainstorm, we try to delve into our own heads and create a visual representation of what is going on in our own thought process. When we write memoirs, we try to delve into our own heads and create a written explaination of something important to us.
Both work hand in hand in developing good writers...
Examples of Mind Mapping:
Time
Joe
global warming
Generic Mind Map
Examples of Audio Memoirs:
Dael Orlandosmith's "When You Talk About Music"
Colin Quinn's "Toast"
Dan Savage's Man of Perpetual Sorrow
This American Life's "Tales from the Net"
HOMEWORK
READ: Chapter 2 “Invention”—Play close attention to the checklist on Page 21.
Chapter 7 “Description”
WRITE: Freewrite on the topic you want to write about in the comments section on the blog. Give me at least 2 paragraphs.
BRING TO CLASS: Pictures, artifacts, technologies, or other items that are important to the story you want to tell. Be prepared to do a “show and tell”
Bring your Mind Map
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Introduction of Communication Memoir and Brainstorming
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In working with students that don’t speak English I’ve had to come up with some interesting ways to communicate with them; from exaggerated facial expressions to using a picture dictionary to ask a question as simple as do you have to use the bathroom. There is one specific incident that comes to mind.
A little over a year ago we received three students from Myanmar, formerly known as Burma. These children were living in refugee camps in Thailand before immigrating to the United States. Before coming here they had received little to no prior schooling. As a result they were mostly illiterate in their first language. This obviously presented an interesting problem. Most kids that come to King High at least know how to read and write in their native language so they can use their heritage dictionary to communicate with us. However these four kids, Jo Ma, Ha Ze Ma and Ma Met Ka barely knew how to sign their name in Karen (one of the many dialects spoken in Myanmar).
At the end there I wrote "four" when it's obviously only three. Sorry.
As I get older I realize that to much precious time has been waste in life on silly grudges and immature personalities. So I swallow my pride and write a heartfelt letter to my father whom I haven’t seen or spoken to in over 11 years. It is easier for me to write down how I feel about my absent father than to tell him face to face what is on my mind. This is not because I am afraid to face him but because of the fear that I might forget something important that I wanted to bring up to him. I do not know what will come of this letter to him, if anything. I don’t even know how he feels about me but at this point I feel that I don’t have anything to loose anyway.
It took me weeks to finally sit down and think about what I wanted to say in this letter. I had so many questions and comments and a lot of built up resentment on things that I needed clarification from him about. What stunned me the most was the tears that were rolling down my face as I thought about what I wanted to say to him. I had heard through a family member that he was looking for a photo of himself and his new corvette that was taken back in the 60’s. Well, I have this photo. So I figured that would be a good opening in my letter to him. In my letter I stated that I knew he was looking for this photo and that I was giving it to him hesitantly because it was the only photo I had of my father. And I mentioned that I thought that it was sad that I only had one photo of my father.
Free writing/brainstorming homework
ENC1101 86289
There is so much in my life that I can start writing about on my memoir but I really do not know where to start. I am 40 years of age have three children who loves to use the new technology of cellular phones they taught me how to text and how easy it and how better it is to communicate to more than one person. I’m so use of using three-way on the telephone landline. Technology has change throughout the years from transportation, computers, telephones, even designing clothes. You need to keep going to school or have multiple friends and family members that are use to using different types of mechanisms. You need to know technology even to apply for jobs now. If you do not have at least a desk top computer or cell phone you will be out of loop. Even to use this blog you need to know how chatting online, twitters, and myspace are used for experience.
I know after mind mapping and outlining my paper will have something to say about how technology evolved around me. The real challenge is being able to writing so much in a short time I may have to quit my overtime job, LOL. I always want an interesting paper for English writing but I sometimes have trouble picking the wrong topic or details to support my papers. I am glad that Mr. Ancheta is combining our homework with our current writings which I’m sure will help me. However, my paper will involve my experiences with technology of how I use it and my generations ages use technology. Technology of communication is changing everyday and I want to stay in the loop.
Annie Pittman
“Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans.” - John Lennon
While growing up in Russia, I had a very good life. I finished high school and graduated from the Novosibirsk State University. I had a nice place to live and an interesting job. My family was always close by, and I had many friends since I have been living in the same city for twenty-four years. While in college, I had a few opportunities to travel. That gave me a chance to experience other cultures and meet people who lived with different values and compare their way of living to my own. At that time it seemed like I had everything any twenty four year old person needs. If someone had told me then that I would end up moving somewhere, I would have never believed it.
One day I met someone who completely changed my life. I had to make a decision… I decided to leave everything behind and start over in another country, thousands of miles away from home, family, friends, and everything I was so familiar with. It has been almost two years since I moved to the United States. It was a very difficult decision both for my family and me, but I don't think I will ever regret it! That decision was definitely a turning point in my life, both challenging and exciting at the same time. I would like to share this experience in my memoir.
Alexandra Starzhevskiy
It all started many years ago when my friend introduced me to a forum. From there, my life had seemed to include first AIM and now MSN for much of out-of-state communication. As my network of friends grow, shrink, then become mostly exclusive, I’ve discovered that no matter who you meet, most people are generally nice, polite, and curious. In fact, they’re not much different than anyone you will meet in your day-to-day life.
My goal is to communicate unique the experience of speaking with people from around the country and world and how much you can learn from these people. I’m going to focus on my friend James in England. Without the power of the Internet and instant messaging, the across-the-puddle relationship would not be possible.
Whenever somone thinks of a drug Addict they usually think of a late 30's to early 40 year old guy, begging for money on the corner!
What if I told you it was a fourteen year old??? I look back at it now and I laugh at the idea that somone of my potential was hanging around a bunch of scummy people but that I enjoyed it too??? No way!!!
I hate talking about all the things I did to people when I was in that state but it is somthing that I think helps you to heal and grow as a person.
College was somthing that was never on my "To do List". It was not that I did not want to go, but I felt like I could never acheive it. Well, I am proud to say that I made it. Against all odds, I was able to acheive a level of success for my age. I hope that this success continues into my later life....
Wow sitting here reading the beginning or ideas for the assignment I am amazed at all the things that I am reading. I am so inspired by these. But I am still here wondering, what I will write about, what do I have that is so significant to say. And to tell you the truth, I have nothing. This is probably the hardest assignment that I have ever been presented with. When I think of a memoir, I define it a presenting an experience from your perspective, explaining how it affected you and others around you. Well I have had many life altering experiences in my somewhat young life, which ranges from being left at the hospital at birth by my drug addicted mother, to having my heart broken by the person that I loved for about six years of my life and losing them. I have been that friend that you can call at 2:30 in the morning when you just need an ear to listen, or a shoulder to cry on. I’m also a daughter, a daughter to a disabled mother that adopted me. I love my mother with my every being, if it hadn’t been for her I don’t know where I would be. My greatest fear is to not succeed, to come short of my greatness. In my heart I know that I am destined for great and wonderful things. I can talk on and on about the people that I encounter every day, I work at a shoe store and I see and interact with all types of people, from all walks of life. Saying that, it makes me go back to the first day of class when Mr. Ancheta asked “What is the question that you wished people would ask?” I remember a lot of people saying that they wished that people would ask “How are you doing”, I ask that question about fifty million times a day and I get some of the craziest responses. Working in retail has taught me that sometime the meanest looking people are not so mean; they only want to be approached. Occasionally I do get the grouch from Grouchland, or should I say Sun City Center, but most of the time they just want someone they can talk and relate to. Back to this assignment at hand, I really don’t know where to start or what to say. Can someone help? Please…
In middle school I played both the french horn and the bass. This is story about the french horn.
I'm musically gifted, though not to the degree some people are. I can play any instrument I've tried so far, and in elementary I was in the all county chorus. So naturally, in middle school I took up an instrument. Everyone got to pick what they wanted to play, and since no one else wanted the french horn, I picked it. I did an acceptable job, as long as you didn't want really high notes, and I was really good at low notes.
For those that don't know, in middle school for both band and orchestra you play at a judging event towards the end of each year. Unlike high school with it's marching bands and football games and other tomfoolery, one can practice your pieces the full year before getting judged, meaning you often get quite good at them.
In 8th grade we had been practicing our selections for over half the year by now, and everyone knew it pretty well. Most of us likely had it in motor memory, and all it needed was fine tuning in certain areas. One piece was particularly fun to play, a march if I recall correctly. One day our instructor was away near the beginning of class, and we decided to practice the march with out him. Some one elected themselves to count off the beat, and then we were playing. A quarter way through the march, I felt a peculiar sensation.
Have you ever heard of a runner's high? Well, musicians have them too. Some people call it being in the zone, but I think it's slightly different. Whatever you want to call it, I had one during that piece, and it was amazing. I could hear each instrument section independently, building up into the whole. I could feel the music, and it felt good. It was the most fun I ever had playing music. In a way it was better than an orgasm, if only because of the rarity.
I've never experienced it again. In high school we had to do marching band which I didn't enjoy, and the whole feeling was different. It probably didn't help that as a brand new school, we were the first people to be the school band. The last nail in the coffin was the band director, who had never taught high school before. He was a great guy, my elementary music teacher in fact, but he didn't know how to deal with teenagers.
So that was the only time I ever experienced it. Although very rarely, a song on the radio will start and I'll fell a small shade of that feeling, and think back to middle school, the french horn, and the music.
I have always considered myself to be a technology friendly person. It probably started way back with my first pager and computers with windows 98. Over the years my professional career in sales taught be to learn to use technology to the best of my ability or risk not being competitive in my job.
I have many examples in my life of how technology has made me much more efficient. However, I thought it only fair to also share some of the true examples where technology has also gone all wrong. From company databases crashing causing loud obscenities in a corporate environment, to a GPS leading me into a sand pit in the middle of nowhere. I have found that technology is great, when it works!
In my memoir I've decided to write about a painting that's very important to me. It's not just any painting, it triggers memories and feelings. Memories of my father and it represents the wonderful friendship we have today. When i was about eight years old some unfortunate circumstances took place in my family that prevented me from being able to see my father for nine years.
When I was 17, and without my mothers permission I found him again. We talk on the phone at least once a week now and have become the best of friends. It's not the ideal "father/daughter" relationship. After all I consider him one of my best friends, but im glad we got the opprunity to have a relationship at all no matter the type. I dont want to tell you just yet what the painting is of but during today's "show an tell" you'll all find out.
I made one of the best decisions of my life last year! I decided to go to college. My parents never pushed me to go to college after I graduated high school and I really didn't plan on going. If I could turn back the hands of time, I would have lived at home and gone to school full time. Now I have to work full time and go to school but it is worth it. I look forward to the future having a promising career and a happy stable life. I look forward to the day when I graduate and become a nurse. I know my parents will be proud because I will be the first in our family to go to college and graduate. I feel like the future holds great things for me and I plan on living the best life I possibly can.
I made one of the best decisions of my life last year! I decided to go to college. My parents never pushed me to go to college after I graduated high school and I really didn't plan on going. If I could turn back the hands of time, I would have lived at home and gone to school full time. Now I have to work full time and go to school but it is worth it. I look forward to the future having a promising career and a happy stable life. I look forward to the day when I graduate and become a nurse. I know my parents will be proud because I will be the first in our family to go to college and graduate. I feel like the future holds great things for me and I plan on living the best life I possibly can.
I really don't know what to write. Im actually a resevered person and I have to know someone real well before I actually open up. This memoir has to be one of the hardest things to write just because its about yourself and I really haven't had any important things happen to my life to rite about. Hopefully I'll find someting to inspire me to write but the only things I'm thinking of is my family or my cellphone which I've had for about a year or so. While writing this comment i just thought about how my cellphone bought me closer to my family so I think I'm going to write about my family and the technology is going to be my cellphone. It's werid that I actually thought of this while doing this. I'm actually glad I wrote this and didn't blow it off like I was going to do.
If there’s one thing that I would say was the worst experience of my life, it would have to be when I was arrested for a DUI. It happened on April 25, 2008 but I can still remember like it was yesterday. I went out to the Hard Rock Casino with one of my good friends not knowing what the night had in store for me. Everything started off good; we both drank several drinks and enjoyed the live band. I think it’s safe to say that I was ahead of myself because once the alcohol sank in I knew that I was done for the night.
As we parted and went our separate ways my friend said to call her when I made it home safely, who was to know that it wouldn't be until later that afternoon. It was on Bloomingdale Ave, a block away from my home when I flicked a cigarette out the window and it decided to come back in the car. My sudden reaction was to swerve and when I noticed a pole on the other side I yanked the steering wheel back. Needless to say I lost control of my vehicle and did a 360° turn in the road. Once the car came to a complete stop I saw the flashing lights and an officer approaching my car.
After observing me the police man decided he should have another officer come to the scene for sobriety tests. Officer McCalla arrived and asked if I would agree to do the field sobriety test, I figured if I did well I was off the hook so I accepted. Big mistake, it is quite obvious that no matter how well I thought that I did, Mr. McCalla thought otherwise. He brought me into the orient road jail for booking where had to stay for eight hours and was released at 1:00 P.M. To add to the embarrassment of being arrested, I was on the front page of the paper with Hillsborough County's weekly arrest inquires.
Well,since I'm only 16 years old, I really don't have many experiences that I would like to write about.However, I have to write about something,so I'm gonig to write my memoir about when I recieved the first electronic device that belongs to me, with no strings attached.
The first electronic I recieved, and can actually say it belongs to me is my iPod touch. I recieved this cool gadget the Christmas of 2007. This was a life changing event for me because it improved my life, made it simpler and it keeps me busy. This is the most innovative piece of technology that allows me to communicate.
The only thing I ever knew in my life that made sense to me was music. As a young child, my father always was playing music either in the house, the car, or even outside. At an early age I was introduced to blues music, and I feel in love with it immediately. By the age of 15, I was consistently listening to music, and playing any instrument I could get my hands on. I played almost five instruments while in band during middle and high school, and enjoyed every minute of it.
During a piano recital for my sister, I was introduced to the idea of playing electric guitar. I heard a young man playing electric guitar and was immediately enamored with playing guitar, and spent the majority of my teenage years in my room practicing guitar. As time went on, I learned more and more about what the blues meant to me.
During the summer of seventh grade, I received my first guitar. By eighth grade my friends and I had already started holding jam sessions. In ninth grade, these jam sessions had evolved into something more, we had started a band. By the end of the year we actually had enough songs written to put together a demo CD. I headed the recording and we actually got together a decent sounding CD by working with one microphone, mixing software I got from a friend and my room.
We didn't do it for the money, we actually put the CD up for free downloading. We played music because we loved it. We went through the effort to screen print our own t-shirts just so we can have enough money to break even. Ten dollars for both a CD and a t-shirt, we sold nearly fifty of these combos. Our songs received over 15,000 plays on music sites like myspace. Now, some may say that isn't that impressive, but to a couple of fifteen year old boys working strictly alone, we found it pretty impressive for a summers worth of work. Two years later that band has come and gone, but the thrill of playing music with my friends still lives.
I am unsure what to write about for the memoir. Still brainstorming. I think I will be writing about Cell Phones for my memoir.
Can you believe how people were able to be without cell phones in the past. How we feel today the need to have our cell phones at all times. We have come a long way in technology to communicate with one another.
Communications technologies have evolved through out time, through many different forms. From when a person is born, to when a person dies, and lastly into the after-life; technology continues to grow. What I am thinking about focusing my topic for my project is my relationship with my car. Transportation has changed throughout time from sailing, to riding a train, horseback riding, walking, flying, and riding or driving in a car.
Everyone always remembers what their first car was. Mine was a 1992 Honda Civic Ex Vtec SOHC. I loved my car! I felt such great independence with my car besides having a job and paying all my bills. I raced it of course, consequently; I had an accident and Allstate declared it a total lost. So for about a month I was driving my Dad's truck. It wasn't bad at all. I still had my independence, maybe because I'm my "Daddy's Little Queen", until another present came along. I was at work at the time, and my Daddy surprised me at my job with my brand-new second car! You can guess this already, but it was a Honda! I literally was in tears when my Daddy gave me another car. It is a sliver, two-door, 2002 Honda Accord Ex Vtec SOHC with black leather interior! Thank you Daddy I love you so much! In other words, besides being my Daddy's Little Queen my car has made a difference in my life. I mean what's a girl without her Honda LOL!
Technology, don't rely solely on it.
Wow, that New Orleans traffic was ridiculous. Thank God for that drive-thru daiquiri place on the way here. I am so glad we finally made it. Look at all these people. Dude there has got to be a half a million people here. Fifteen stages all different kinds of music. We need to keep it moving if we want to catch that first show in the congo tent at 11:00. Everybody got their cell phones? Its real easy to get separated in here and this place is huge.
From retail to nursing, true passion.
As my regular customer Ross walks in, this is what happened....
"Gosh Ross you always come in after work and you look so happy. I see you have scrubs on, do you work at a hospital?"
Ross says "I love my job. I am currently a cna and going to school to be a nurse."
"I wonder if I could be a nurse, but I have never gone to college, it will take forever."
Ross says "no, sweetie it is never too late, you can do it too."
I make a phone call to my husband at 7:15 am. and tell him "hunny, I am going to be a nurse!!!" And that is how it all started.
Im working as a medical assistant in a pediatric office right now and plan on going on to be an RN. Im thankful for the opportunities that I have in today's society to be able to do that. Growing up I remember my mother telling us how she worked in a hospital as an aid and that she dreamed of becoming a nurse. Although back then it wasnt as easy to go to college and raise children as a single mother. There wasnt as many programs and the support that we have today. I think that my mom back fourty years ago felt that she didnt have the means to go to college because of being a single mother. Maybe it was partly because the incouragment that we have today wasnt felt back then. What ever it was Im just glad things have changed in the world as far as continued further education oppertunities that are available to every person in every situation.
Sweat was glistening as it rolled down my face, my arms were on fire and they felt as if they had become rubber. My hands were battered and sore, they had become slick from blood. Crimson flashed in and out of sight as my rifle continued its rotations from one hand to another. Each time my hands made contact a distinct TAP reverberated from the rifle. Entranced by the methodical beat I drifted into a different world, a world of escape. At that point I caught myself looking back and thinking “It was never this intense when I first began”.
Once I returned to the states I made the decision to move back to Florida just in time to attend the Nationals 2009. Now that I have returned, Andres and I are now a couple. We drill together and can relate in many different aspect of life. Through my passion and deep dedication to one thing, I inherited an amazing gift along the way. *TAP*
The communications technology memoir I have relates to my car. Cars are a important means of communication because you could ddeliver a message personally instead of using the phone or computers. Without cars people wwould have limited means of transportation. Almost everybody needs a car to get to places that they need to go.
I can remember that I bought my first car when I was sixteen. Before I got in my car accident I was always getting traffic tickets, and had only one or two points left on my license. Being able to drive cars has changed the way I am able to get around to different places, and driving is a privelage not a right.
Tyler had the anonymous post!
This is my 6 word statment about my paper......... Change:not taking advantage of opportunities.
At first i found it difficult to find a topic. Then out of nowhere it hit me it aws perfect. Unfortunately i was arrested for running from the police numerous times and they have proof that it was me everytime. What luck i have right? After all this happened it taught me a valuable lesson and gave me a new appreciation for life. As much as i hate that it happened at least something positive came out of if
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