Monday, September 27, 2010

Hi guys--again, so sorry about last Wednesday. But we can get back on track with no problem. Basically, combine everything for 9/27 AND 9/29 on your syllabus and we'll do it all on 9/29. So for Wednesday you're reading the handout "The Toughest Indian in the World," you're reading "Verbs" if you haven't already and then we'll discuss "Put Your Shirt on Fabio" IN CLASS, so I'll give it to you on Wednesday in class. And your narrative exercise (explanation in syllabus) is still due Wednesday 9/29 as is in the syllabus. And then we'll be on track again.

Journal #9: Fictional Narrative

Pick one of the pictures below. Imagine that this is a crucial day in the life of this person, that a photographer managed to swoop in and capture the critical event or moment in their lives that was going to change everything. Write about it for 10 minutes.

Saturday, Sept 25, 2010

I added one thing to the syllabus: Read "The Toughest Indian in the World" for Oct 2 as well as the other assignments. I couldn't find a copy of this online, so if you missed class I will leave copies of this handout in my mailbox in Rm 313 to pick up.

Don't forget to bring three copies of your Narrative rough draft with you next week. We'll also workshop Jenny's as a class.

Journal #7: Fictional Narrative

Pick one of the pictures below. Imagine that this is a crucial day in the life of this person, that a photographer managed to swoop in and capture the critical event or moment in their lives that was going to change everything. Write about it for 10 minutes.

Journal #8: Fictional Dialogue

Pick a different picture from below. Now do the exercise again where you tell the story taking place in the picture, but this time focus on using dialogue. Let your character speak, and try and capture their voice. Write for 10 minutes.

Class Cancelled Wednesday 8/22

Hey Guys--
So sorry to cancel class at the last minute on you--my son is sick and had to stay home from school. So we'll just push everything we were going to do today until Monday and we can look at the schedule on Monday and juggle as needed.

I won't get a chance to remind you or invite you in person, now, but if you want to attend and write up a literary event for extra credit, this Friday I will be hosting and reading at the book release of The Mix Tape at the Mercury Cafe. Hope to see some of you there!

Nancy

Monday, September 20, 2010

I look forward to reading all your descriptive essays! Let's move on to Narrative Writing.

Journal #7: Your Signature Story

Okay, so for this entry I want you to think of a story you've told many times. This could be something funny or sad or whatever that may have happened to you or someone else...whenever you have an audience you like to tell this particular story because it gets a certain type of reaction. This should be a story you've told at least 5 times before. Think about how you've altered the story as you've told it, maybe made it longer here, funnier here, whatever. Each time you've told it, you've tried to improve it...so now write that story, exactly as you tell it, the way you tell it. Write for 10 minutes.

Journal #8: Coming of Age

Think back to a moment or event in childhood that "grew" you up. Maybe you even think of your childhood ending at that point, or maybe you just see it as when you became more adult. Write for at least 10 minutes.

090-026 M/W 11:30 Switching Rooms!

Very important!! If you are in my 11:30 class we are SWITCHING ROOMS (finally!) Meet on Monday in Central Classroom Room 227. (If you are in my 1:00 class, obviously stay where you are).

Saturday, September 18, 2010

I look forward to reading your descriptive essays! In the meantime, feel free to refer to the readings we did in class today for more examples of dialogue formatting for you assignments for next week. See the syllabus for a complete description of the narrative assignment.

Here's another site that might be helpful: Dialogue Punctuation


Journal #5: Your Signature Story

Okay, so for this entry I want you to think of a story you've told many times. This could be something funny or sad or whatever that may have happened to you or someone else...whenever you have an audience you like to tell this particular story because it gets a certain type of reaction. This should be a story you've told at least 5 times before. Think about how you've altered the story as you've told it, maybe made it longer here, funnier here, whatever. Each time you've told it, you've tried to improve it...so now write that story, exactly as you tell it, the way you tell it. Write for 10 minutes.

Journal #6: Coming of Age

Think back to a moment or event in childhood that "grew" you up. Maybe you even think of your childhood ending at that point, or maybe you just see it as when you became more adult. Write for at least 10 minutes.

Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Very important!! If you are in my 11:30 class we are SWITCHING ROOMS (finally!) Meet on Monday in Central Classroom Room 227. (If you are in my 1:00 class, obviously stay where you are).

Don't forget to attach your rough drafts with workshopping to your final descriptive essays DUE MONDAY. If you didn't participate in workshopping today, it will be your responsibility to go to the tutors and include their notes with your final to get full credit.

Electronic Link to Salvation by Langston Hughes.

Journal Prompt #6: Your Very First Memory

Think back to the very first memory that you can recall from your life. It might not be a complete memory, that's okay. Describe it with as much detail as possible. Write for 10 minutes.

Monday, September 13, 2010

Okay everyone, make sure to bring your rough draft of your descriptive essays to class on Wednesday with THREE copies! Brendan and Ashley, thanks for volunteering to let us workshop yours as a class first!

Journal #5: Your perfect meal

Describe your perfect meal: What are you eating? Smelling? Tasting? Who is with you or are you alone? Where are you? Focus on smell and taste for this one, but let the whole scene come alive, real or imaginary.

"My Quiet Place" by Eva Williams

Every morning, after I wake up and thank God for it, I go out to my stairwell to look at the beauty of the day. I live on the third floor and have a glorious view.
As I lean over the rail, to the left I see the mountains. Some mornings, they are quite clear. On others, there is a fog that makes them look as though they are covered with snow.

Right in front of me, there is the golf course, all green and bright. There may be geese resting in the shade or ducks swimming in the lake. If you know what you are looking at, you can see the fish swimming towards the top of the water. Every now and then, I may catch one or two of them jumping out of the water.

There are actually golfers out at this time in the morning. I can see them shoot their first hole. The ninth hole is right there in front of me! It is a shot that goes right over the lake. I can see and watch ball after ball go right in the lake. It’s a good laugh!

To the right, depending on how early I get up, I can watch the sun rise. It’s a heartfelt sight. To see all of the glory that God has created, everyday! I can sit and just look. I can pray in this spot. It’s quiet and peaceful at this time.
Welcome to my quiet place!

Saturday, September 11, 2010

Great job workshopping today!

Don't forget to include your workshopping with your final descriptive essay next Saturday. Staple them all together with your final on top. If you met with a tutor, be sure to include that--it counts!

Electronic Link to Salvation by Langston Hughes

Journal #3: A Place

We've done a lot with people watching, now let's switch to places. Think of a place that you are very familiar with--it could be someplace you go now, a place from childhood, a place you go when you need to get away. It can be in nature or urban. A house. A van. A place you go to in your imagination. Put yourself in that place and describe it. What's the weather like? What time of day is it? What are the sounds, smells, tastes and sights of the place? How do you feel there? Are you alone? Who else is there? What happens in this place? Feel free to make something happen there if you like. Write for 10 minutes.

Journal Prompt #4: A Concert or Musical Event

Think of a concert you've been to. It could be a rock concert, an opera, symphony, country concert, folk fest, hoe-down, wedding band, etc. Bring the scene alive: where are you, who else is there, smells, sights, sounds, etc. I want you to also spend time trying to describe the music...we're focusing on describing sounds, here. Write for 10 minutes.

"Park Bench" by Joshua Martinez

As I’m sitting here on this park bench, I take in the view. It’s around seven thirty, and the sun is fading/falling behind the mountains. I can feel the air around me getting cooler, as if the warmth followed the light behind the mountains. As a cool breeze hit my face, I looked up to the heavens to see the beautiful pink and purple sky. I look further west to see a blanket of black clouds hovering over the mountains. As the night is approaching, twilight is trying to find some balance between sunset and darkness. My senses were heightened by sounds of a fox scurrying around for food. I look further to see that a lot of nocturnal creatures are emerging from the surrounding. As night arrives, I sit here on this park bench, under a lamppost, looking at the lake. I can see the brilliant colors of light reflecting off the water. If I listen, I can hear the waves from the lake lapping against the shore. In the distance, I can hear the wind blowing the trees around. The night holds such an ominous beauty sometimes you have to listen to see it.

Wednesday, September 8, 2010

Hi all!

NOTE: Syllabus change. We'll be reading "Shitty First Drafts" for Monday, 9/13 NOT Wednesday, 9/15. Everything else is the same.

Thanks to Brendan Scharig for kicking us off on the blog posting. Make sure to read his descriptive assignment below. I look forward to reading all of your assignments.

Also, don't forget that if you are in my SATURDAY class check the posts that begin with "Saturday." If you are in my MONDAY/WEDNESDAY class, check the posts that begin with "Monday" or "Wednesday." The two classes are on different schedules and you will get confused.

Here's a link to "Shitty First Drafts" by Anne Lamott.

Journal Prompt #4: A Concert or Musical Event

Think of a concert you've been to. It could be a rock concert, an opera, symphony, country concert, folk fest, hoe-down, wedding band, etc. Bring the scene alive: where are you, who else is there, smells, sights, sounds, etc. I want you to also spend time trying to describe the music...we're focusing on describing sounds, here. Write for 10 minutes.

"Campus Village Apartments" by Brendan Scharig

On a hot and sunny Labor Day, I walked out of my dorm room to meet my parents. Coming out of campus village, I got hit with the stench of disgusting, harsh cigarettes buds. I glanced over and saw four college students smoking like chimneys taking up the only spot with seats and shade. That awful smell forced me into the hot blinding sunshine to wait for my parent’s arrival. I felt like I was going to burn up from the sun’s blazing hot rays. Then the group of college students thankfully left and I could escape horrible heat. I walked over to the shady spot and sat down. It felt beautiful to feel the freezing temperature in the shade. The cement felt like a cold ice block when I sat down.

I saw a 2000 black Ford Excursion turning off Auraria Parkway on to Ninth Street then on to Walnut Street. From behind the Excursion, I was blinded suddenly by a glare. When I looked closer I realized it was the Tivoli student union building standing proud in Denver’s landscape.

Suddenly the RTD light rail appeared. I could see the sun’s blistering heat rays hit the sidewalk. I saw the sun’s rays make the sidewalk ripple like a mirage in the Sahara Desert.

Out of nowhere my parents appeared in their Excursion to drop off clothes, and groceries. As my parents vanish I could still feel the warmth of their hugs.

Saturday, September 4, 2010

Rough Drafts of your first major essay, your Descriptive Essay, are due Saturday with THREE COPIES. So the idea is you can write about whatever you want, whatever moves you, whatever you want to spend time thinking and writing about. But use description to move your piece along...I look forward to reading them all. Make sure to type it up in proper format and come to class with three copies. Ann, thanks for volunteering to let us all workshop yours!

Also think about the bigger meaning--it's not just enough to describe, but what does this MEAN to you, and what do you want it to mean to your reader? Remember Virginia Wolfe's moth? It was a descriptive story, yes, but there was a deeper meaning...

I could not find an electronic version of "Coming into Language", but you could check out the entire book by Jimmy Santiago Baca, Working in the Dark, and it is the first chapter, I believe. Also if you go to Amazon you can read the first few pages...

Here's a link to "Shitty First Drafts" by Anne Lamott.

Here's a link to "10 Things to Stop Misspelling"

Journal Prompt #2: Dreams

Think of a particularly vivid dream that you've had--the more recent the better. Write it down using as much detail as possible. Think about using strong nouns as well as lots of sensory details (what it looks like, smells like, sounds like, feels like, tastes like). Try to bring it to life and make it as vivid as it was when you dreamed it.

Wednesday, September 1, 2010

I could not find an electronic version of "Coming into Language", but you could check out the entire book by Jimmy Santiago Baca, Working in the Dark, and it is the first chapter, I believe. Also if you go to Amazon you can read the first few pages...

I look forward to reading all your descriptive assignments on Wednesday. More details are in the syllabus. Make sure to type it up in proper format.

Journal Prompt #3: Dreams

Think of a particularly vivid dream that you've had--the more recent the better. Write it down using as much detail as possible. Think about using strong nouns as well as lots of sensory details (what it looks like, smells like, sounds like, feels like, tastes like). Try to bring it to life and make it as vivid as it was when you dreamed it.

Have a great holiday!