As a writing arts major, you would think that I would be used to reading something, picking it apart, and analizing it as a writer. That is not the case at all, since I do not know what "Read as a writer" really means. Why does it make a difference if I read as a writer or just read in general, is there even a difference at all? Half the time I am lucky if I can successfully put my thoughts on paper. Usually reading professional pieces bore me, but the way Pagnucci approached his piece " Living the narrative life" struck my senses more than usual. Although it was meant to inform, it was also a narrative because of the incorporation of his childhood. I enjoyed learning more about him, while learning how to better understand things as a writer. The setup did not hurt either; splitting different scenes into different chapters made it easier to understand, and it allowed my brain to take a break and relax before jumping into the next story. Although it was set up in chapter though, he went back and incorporated different memories into other stories, such as being hit by a car when he was six years old. The fact that he could show us how childhood memories can help us with different parts of our writing, helped me to better understand how to approach my own writings in the future. Ondaatje, author of " The collected works of Billy the kid", had a similar approach to his writing as well. On page 34 a large white space is used, almost to let him gather his thoughts and process what is real, and what he must say back. This was used instead of chapters, which I feel is less effective but a good judgment on his part. I also like the fact that repetition was used, words such as black, seen frequently, expressed the loneliness that the narrator had felt, and allowing us to relate to those feeling. It was an effective approach on his part.
Honestly, I wouldn't be fooling anyone if I told them that the internet was not my number on priority, so I will admit, it has become my life almost. In a nutshell my day consists of waking up, checking my electronics for texts, messages on my wall, etc., making time for class and learning, and once again checking electronics because I hit the hay for the night. I wish i could make it more exciting, but then it would all be a lie. Unfortunately, the internet is the number one tool for people in my generation. I walk around campus hearing statements such as "I'll post the link to your wall later", "I totally had to re-tweet that last night", "Tumblr is just full of cute hipsters". Like Stites, many of us are listed on different networking sites, searching for a place to fit in and for people that we can call our "friends".
I will admit that I am linked to multiple sites, some that I now don't associate with, such as Myspace, but only because Face Book took its place. My social life has fallen to the mercy of the internet, more of my time being spent glued to the computer screen chatting, rather than out talking with friends in person. School doesn't make it any easier to avoid either, homework assignment being posted online, tweeting class notes rather than writing them in a notebook, Youtube videos being played rather than classic boring lectures. Books and Handwritten assignments now rarely occur, there are kindles and apps for that now. But what happens when the internet or computer crashes? I guess i'll be forced to show my face to the outside world. Let there be light!
"This reading is boring, let's check out Facebook". Well that is funny, I go from reading one thing, to reading a news feed and checking up on people's lives. yeah, I am guilty, way too much of my homework time is taken up by the wonderful world of Facebook, and the other exciting things that can be found on the internet. Sometimes I think that the creators of those sites do it on purpose. "Hey lets see what we can create that will keep kids from paying attention to their very important career paths".
Although I would like to blame it on the inventors of the internet, they cannot receive full credit on this topic. "So it generally isn’t that Digital Natives can’t pay attention, it’s that they choose not to" (Prensky, 4) This statement, is the most honest statement that I came across when reading Prensky's "Do they really think differently". As a student, I know for a fact that I have the ability to concentrate, but the internet tends to catch my interest more than writing a lame essay. Having a social life also contributes, but homework is the last things most students want to do. I often have to have a friend change my password during finals week, its tough to admit, but the computer has unfortunately taken over my life.
Because we can find impossible amounts of things that interest us online, it is easy to get distracted by it, and I feel without it, I would get so much more done. Same thing goes for my cell phone, If I didn't have one, I feel as if I would be more active. Some people may disagree with me, and be great at multitasking, but when it comes to my work, there is nothing stopping the internet.
Reading Prensky's "Digital Natives, digital Immigants", I have multiple pages running on my computer, my music soundtrack blaring in the background, and my phone buzzing at my side. If that doesn't answer this question, well then I do not know what will. Growing up, I had one computer at home, one computer that only I used regularly, and I mind you that I was only in first grade. At that time it may not have been Facebook or some chat site, just the innocent games that children play, but I knew how to work the "Brain sucking machine" as my mother called it. She hated that thing, it's only use was to check her email, and even that she had a problem with. "Why can i scroll with this thing? Why isn't the screen popping up?" Now, about thirteen years from then, I still hear the same complaints when I am home. Except now, she has a laptop that she received for Christmas, and right away she needed a wireless mouse because "The stupid touch pad will not let me click things".
I realize that my parents, and everyone in their generation are not as high tech as my peers and myself. My dad can't even work his new smartphone, which I do not even have and can still make my way around it. I find myself always connected to some form of technology, the internet is my best friend. I admit that when homework time roles around, more time is spent on my Tumblr and Twitter, a trait that I wish I could end. It becomes hard to focus with all of this technology, and I get why my older professors frown upon electronics in class. Pen and paper is the way to go in their eyes, no need for distractions, but to me, typing on a computer is more efficient. I concentrate more on what I am reading, and typing increases my speed by a minute or so.
I am always learning new things, for instance, this site is included. I am not native to Weebly, but there are sites that I have come across as similar. It was no surprise when I figured out how to work this sit on my own, no instructions needed. As a digital native, I can say that I am independent, that is when I don't need the internet to answer the questions that my professors cannot.
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