5 writing tips

1. Read as much as possible. Reading helps your writing in a way that introduces your mind to new ideas and at the same time you are processing the ways of writing, such as grammar and sentence structure. Whether you are noticing it as you are reading or not, reading helps you to understand structure and order in writing and the flow of sentences together.

2. Don't procrastinate! This has always been a bit of a problem for me. Your writing will not become the best it can be if you put it all together in one night. The key is to start early with a draft and from there continue to shape it and to form it into the final piece you are expecting. In most cases your final draft will be very different from your original piece.

3. Write every day. Practice makes perfect right? Writing every day will most definitely improve your writing skills. It will increase your use of correct grammar and punctuation. Not only that, but it will also allow you to establish what kind of writer you are and what types of writing you enjoy most.

4. Proofread. It is important to read over your work several times before finalizing a piece of writing. This may introduce you to things that you want to change or that should be worded differently. You wouldn't want to publish something with careless mistakes would you? That can all be avoided with proofreading. I would recommend doing this 3-4 times. Maybe a friend could look over it as a second opinion.

5. Start a blog. I love blogging. It's a different form of writing and expression. It's a fun way to write about whatever you are feeling at that moment. It is more like a journal of some kind and can end up sparking your best ideas.

What am I lying about? :)

I lived in Hawaii for the first 3 years of my life until my dad was transferred for work.

I am not only a citizen of the United States, but of Switzerland as well.

I have a hole in the back of my left eye from a soccer accident, giving me a blind spot in my central vision.

That 70's Show :)

That 70's show has pretty much always been my favorite tv show. The cast consists of many of my favorite actors/actresses. It revolves around a group of teens in the 70's who are best friends. They're constantly going through this cycle of relationships between each other. It is a full on comedy and couldn't be more perfect for putting you in a good mood.
It's always on late at night which I have found to be great on those nights I just CAN'T fall asleep. Another thing that I really enjoy about this show is that it relates to my life in many ways and to my group of friends. I can honestly say that not one line goes by me without a giggle. Something funny will be said and it will cause an initial laugh, but I will find myself laughing even harder because of the fact that it is illustrating something so true in my life.
 Behind all of the comedy, the show portrays the social issues of the 70's such as feminism, recession, teenage drug use, etc. If you're a sucker for sarcasm, jokes, humor and amusement there is no doubt in my mind that you will love this show!

Op Eds

The first op ed i read was Facebook Relationship: It's Complicated. This piece was very interesting to me because of the fact that so much related back to me personally. She is discussing how facebook is such a huge part of our lives, whether you are a middle school student, college student, parent or grandparent. She uses ethos throughout the piece to get the point across to the reader that "we're stuck with facebook and may forever be trapped in a digital world of 'pokes' and 'likes'." Her opinion on the subject was very strong and for the most part negative. She explains how there are so many things she could be doing and would love to be doing, but instead it is more likely for her to be on the internet chatting away on facebook. I agree with this article, as much as I love facebook, I do realize that it might very well be a progressing problem in our society. We have become reliant on it in terms of communicating and finding people of our past.
The second piece I read was The Things I Think I Think: You Say Tomato, I Say Taste Bud Changer. The author despises tomatoes and includes information explaining that some tomato companies have made it so that while you are eating a tomato your taste buds change and are flipped upside down, increasing your desire. I didn't agree much with this article because I feel like he is using a large amount of persuasion, which is fine, but I do not think that the wool is being pulled over our eyes. I believe that I undoubtably do love tomatoes :)
Lastly, I read Sex Column: There's No 'I' In Threesome. The author of this article felt it to be acceptable to experience a connection and or start a relationship with more than one individual at a time. He believed that it was much better to experience as many people as possible as long as it's keeping you excited and "grinning." I felt it to be a bit ironic that a BOY/MAN would be the author of this particular piece. Hmmm..? :) But I did not agree with it at all. Cheating is cheating, and what this boy is writing about is portraying just that.

Personality!

My enneagram tests claim that I am a perfectionist, I am very adventurous and have a somewhat high level of anxiety. I agree with the first two. I am a very organized person and love to get my work done on time and most always have my priorities straight. Normally I have an agenda that I follow or always write down my "to do's" for that day. I have a strong adventurous side, I love trying new things and living life on the edge a little bit. I would say a word that would fit me better would be spontaneous because I have the most fun just going with the flow and coming across the good times instead of going out of my way to find them. I, however, do not agree with the anxiety status it provided me with. I don't handle stressful situations in the most calm and relaxing way, but I do keep my cool and try not to blow things out of proportion. For the most part these tests didn't take me by surprise but I enjoyed doing them and was presented with an image of myself!

Garbage!

Up until now I haven't given the idea of garbage collection a whole lot of thought. As the article mentions, in most cases the garbage men and sanitation companies are taken for granted and ignored, and I think this is true regarding the average person. I use something or eat something and throw it away, roll my garbage can to the curb on garbage day, and as far as I'm concerned it's taken off my hands and placed into somebody else's. This article was the first thing to bring garbage collection to my attention. Currently I am still living at home so my habits as far as consumption haven't changed, as well as the amount I throw away. I believe that these issues do not occur to me due to the fact that meals, clothes, and other things are still being provided for me. If I had to care for myself and buy these things with my own money I would be much more cautious about the things I throw out. I can honestly say that I do not recycle. Many view this as an inconsiderate and selfish act, but the truth is, in the past I haven't focused on this process enough. My perspective on garbage collection was sincerely changed when I became more aware of the significance of sanitation workers in our world and the consequences that come along without them. In the future recycling will play a much larger role in how I handle my garbage, and I will be sure to recycle anything that has further use.

Sustainability

I have chosen to write my paper on sustainability regarding the hotel industry. My dad manages the Double Tree Hotel here in Missoula and I thought that it would be interesting to find out all of the things hotels are doing these days to conserve energy in hopes of becoming a more "green" establishment. I'm not too sure how I am going to organize the paper in a way that presents the facts in a persuasive fashion yet.

I would appreciate any comments and suggestions! Thank you :)