Speaker: Samantha Caltabiano
Topic: Family Room Comments: Family is important to a lot of people, and each one has their own stories. It is a great thing to feature as a Twitterive, but the creator must know where he/she wants to go with it. Samantha did not. I felt that she had so many ideas and directions that she wanted to take her story, that she could not limit herself and create a polished draft. When you don't know much about a persons background it is hard to give them advice. In my opinion, the idea of secrets in her life could be focused on. It could feature the secret of her father cheating, and the fact that she didn't know about her brothers until recently. Speaker: Alexa Kalin
Topic: Hunting for the perfect house Comments: Overall, I felt that this Twitterive was headed in the right direction. I enjoyed that the perspective on buying a house was given by the couple to be and the mother, but I felt as if there was not enough depth to it. It was mostly covered by writing, and if more genres were incorporated I feel as if more emotion could be felt by the readers. I will point out though that I enjoyed the diary entry that was placed in the beginning. It would be nice for her to possibly turn that into her repetend. Speaker: Sam Olenowski
Topic: Grandfather's Story Comments: For Sam's Twitterive, there was not much constructive criticism that I could give her. Overall, it seemed to be complete. One thing that I will point out, is that I loved the incorporation of the bible verses with her Aunts and Uncles names, since they were all featured in the bible. It was a very creative genre. She represented the character of her grandfather to the fullest, and I was able to understand and respect the man that he one was. Also, the ending, where she tied both of their lives together with a picture, was a great added touch. It showed the ability to have a connection with someone in your life that passed away before you could have the chance to meet them personally. Speaker: Michael Youngkin
Topic: limbic space Comments: In all honesty, there is not much that I could say about this piece. It is tough to offer someone suggestions when they themself have no idea what they are looking to pursue. One thing that I will point out, is that I enjoyed the idea of the loss that he expresses, he just needs to figure out exactly where to go with it. Does he want to associate his Twitterive with that feeling in general? o r does he want to concentrate on what caused that feeling? It is something that a lot of us have been through, so I believe that the finished product will be both moving and relatable.
Speaker: Stephanie BowserTopic: Life with Dance Comments: Stephanie's presentation honestly moved me. I had been in her TLC2 class, so I remember her mentioning her Turrets and Dance when we presented our "Me boxes", but I never got to know her enough to realize that she danced as an escape. The fact that she turned to dance to feel "normal" inspired me, and I loved that she does not let her flaws take control of her. I could not imagine dealing with something like that everyday, and for her to make a joke out of it and laugh it off made me grow respect for the person that she is. One thing that I really enjoyed about her Twitterive was her confessional style video. It allowed me to get to know her feelings towards her Turrets, and it put a highly emotional twist into her story. The only suggestion that I can make is to move it too a different spot in her narrative, maybe as an intermission, because it shows emotions that should be expressed on their own. Speaker: Katie CollinsTopic: Relationship with father - Alcoholism Comments: Listening to Katie's story about her lack of relationship with her parents, especially her Father because of his tendencies to abuse alcohol, made me realize how grateful I am to have a strong and supportive relationship with both my mother and father. She gave us great background information about her feelings towards her fathers abuse and her respect for her grandparents, but I found myself wanting more. She made it clear that her grandparents became her parents, but as I read her twitterive I noticed that some information was missing. Where was her mother during this process? Her siblings? During our discussion she told us that her mother spent her life taking care of her husband, and that she was barely in her life also. If it was included, I feel that a better connection would be made between her and her readers. One thing I did enjoy though, were her letters to her father, which gave her twitterive a sense of emotion. Speaker: David LucasTopic: His battle with cancer Comments: I will be honest, David's presentation made my eyes tear up. I give him credit for having the strength to tell us such a personal story about his battle with cancer. I could not imagine dealing with such a life changing event. I know I have been through some rough patches, but nothing that can compare to the challenges that both him and his parents went through. I wish my thoughts could be beneficial and that I could offer changes, but I felt that the Twitterive that he presented to us today could be his final draft. It is hard to tell someone to add or take out things when it is such an emotional topic. I felt like I gained a sense of what he went through, and the picture story really helped. Speaker: Darren GuantTopic: A day in the life of a child Comments: I have always wondered what little kids see in today's world. It is hard to draw my thoughts back to my childhood and remember how I saw and heard different events, so Darren's twitterive came as interesting to me. I love how he took his job and used it help show us how children see things and view adult situations. His genres also helped me gain a good sense of children, especially when he had one of his preschoolers carry around the camera. Something I also enjoyed was the day in the life of a preschooler schedule. A few suggestions that I would make though, is too add his own dialogue to the video, rather than having just a walk through. It is possible to make the video more of a comedic genre by talking like a child and going through his thought process while he makes his way through the school.
In all honesty, my life revolves around technology. Whether it be social networking, my iPod, or my cell phone, I am always connected to the technological world around me. As I jumped into this assignment I was not hesitant when it came to using my online resources, but I was however stumped on how to incorporate them into my theme. I did not want to overwhelm my Twitterive with just one form of technology, but at points I felt as if pictures and writing were the only things that would fit correctly.
As I have mentioned in my previous blog posts, I am a terrible procrastinator. It took my two weeks into the class to start tweeting, but now that I have began I am constantly on that site, which also contributes to my terrible habit. I was not nervous about my choice to procrastinate until the day before my Twitterive was due. With my luck, the lovely Rowan Internet Connection was lagging, and it tended to kick me off often. It was if it was saying "HAHA! Serves you right! begin sooner next time." I needed to find a song on Youtube, and of course each time I tried to play it, it would freeze. Trying to post things to Weebly? Forget it: "This site is currently facing issues". AWESOME! My goal was to incorporate a video of myself into the program, well lets just say the fact that my camera died and You tube didn't seem to want to show my video to the world stopped that from happening.
Finally, as the due date of my Twitterive came, my issues were pushed behind, and i was pleased with my finished product. Although the internet rebelled against me, the combination's of technology that are in my piece bring out my story, and I am satisfied with it. Yes, there is still more to add and fix up, but as a first draft it does justice. Let's just hope my procrastination comes to a stop, and the technology of the internet becomes my best friend before the end of this semester!
Today in class, we made it through a whopping four presentations, each person expressing something different. The following paragraphs express my feedback to each speaker: Speaker: Alissa FranciscoTopic: Missing softballOpinion: I loved this presentation, solely because I could highly relate to her heartbreak from leaving the game that she played for so long. I also played, since the age of five, and ended up calling it quits before my senior year of high school, and it is something that I still regret today. It turns out the Alissa and I played each other while playing for our travel teams; small world. Alissa expressed her theme well, and every mode that she used expressed her feelings fluently. The only suggestion that I made, was to use more dialogue, maybe a screen play of her interactions with her coach when she finally quit. Because that had a big impact on her emotions towards softball, it would be great to feel as if was there. @alissafrancisco totally relate to the feeling lost after quitting softball, i miss it so much! still cant believe you were on the breakers -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Speaker: Christie JohnsonTopic: Outer Banks Opinion: There was a lot of meaning put into this Twitterive, but her theme could go one of two ways: Outer Banks or Family. She talks of her reunions in the Outer Banks, but a lot of her modes refer to her family. I really enjoyed the usage of pictures to show both her family and the activities that they do throughout the day. Also, the "Recipe for a Good Bonfire" was both creative and a good addition. One thing that I noticed was there wasn't a clear repetend, it could be the pictures of her family, but I do not think that it is strong enough. Maybe she could consider using her tweets, by taking screen shots of them and adding them in occasionally where they will fit best. @ChristieJo77 loved your twitterive! The pictures were so cute! :) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Speaker: Rebecca CrawfordTopic: Summer 2012 (unsure) Opinion: Rebecca added a lot of detail and creativity to her Twitterive, but I felt that she didn't know where she was going. The theme was unclear, but she is headed in the right direction. I enjoyed the part about her house and her roommates over the summer. The layout of their house, and the description of her roommates made me feel a connection to her excitement. My suggestion would be to incorporate her past summers and how they have prepared her for the upcoming summer, but she should focus mainly on her future. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Speaker: David ReyesTopic: Procrastination? (unsure) Opinion: David's twitterive seemed like it was heading in a good direction, but it gave me the feeling of confusion. Maybe that's what he was aiming for? I felt as if it was all over the place, and just thrown together, but it seems as if he wanted it to be that way. One thing I did enjoy was the catharsis video at the end, but maybe he should edit it and take out the part where you forgot to turn of the camera, it takes away from the meaning. One suggestion, make the theme more clear, and state it in the prologue so that the readers are not as confused as I was while looking over it. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
WHO are the characters in your story?
My narrative features myself, my thoughts, my ex boyfriend, my Rowan Christian Fellowship group, and god.
WHAT is your story? WHAT genres/modes are you using for your story?
Getting out of a relationship and falling into a state of depression and heartbreak. I am looking into getting over these things and finding relief in god.
I have used pictures, a recipe, a play list, letters to god, to-do lists, and narratives.
WHEN does your story take place?
It takes place over the last for years, focusing a lot more on the last few months.
WHERE is your place?
I am unsure of my place, but I am leaning towards overcoming heartbreak.
WHY do you feel a connection/lack of connection to place?
This is something that played a great role in my life, and has affected the person who I am today. It shows my lack of relationship with my feelings and my previous relationship and my new connection with my faith and religion.
HOW do you show your audience your connection/lack of connection to place?
I show this through my letters to god, in the beginning I show that I am angry with god, and my letters become more loving and meaningful towards the end.
The first day that I was informed about the twitterive, I fell into a slight state of shock. I am not someone who is good with expressing my feelings, nor do I do well with piecing small things together to create a bigger story. I had NO idea where I wanted to go with my twitterive, and it seemed as if my tweets were of no help to me at all. Then I began to look beyond the meanings of my tweets. There were a lot of bible verse, sappy love songs, and sentences that expressed the feeling of heartbreak. Then it hit me. I had been through a really bad breakup within the past few months and it caused a mixed amount of emotions, the big one being depression. I then realized I was taking steps to conquer my emotions by turning to god. My only problem: I had no idea how to narrow it down to a theme.It is extremely hard for me to make final decisions, and I often doubt myself and my work. On top of that, procrastination is like a form of art work for me, it is my job to wait to the last minute to complete things. I knew that I could not do that for this assignment and I told myself that I wouldn't, but I failed. I admit, I will wait till the last night to piece things together, not because I choose to, but because the pressure allows me to think best.Heading into our group assessments I am worried, but excited for the feedback as well. This is something that I know I can not figure out on my own, so my groups opinions will e highly beneficial. Below are questions that will further help me create a twitterive that I am fully satisfied with. - What could I consider my theme? My place?
- Is the heartbreak to finding love, mainly in god, a good transition? What could be done to make it more fluent?
- Can you identify the main characters? Main Point?
- Will the "letters to god" make for a good repetend? Why or why not?
- What styles could I use besides letters/diary entries that will tie this twitterive together?
During my Writing, Research, and Technology class, we were given the task of creating a wedding that we would blog about and then perform during class. To start, each person drew a random number; our role in this wedding depended on the number that we ended up with. In the beginning, I was a bit iffy when I found out that I would be the bartender. As a minor, I do not drink too often, but I have been a waitress for a bar in the past. I never realized how beneficial being friends with a bartender could be, until now. It took forever to finally decide on the two drinks that I would "make", but I knew I wanted to create a brides and a groom's choice.
Because most bride's are picky when it comes to the set-up of their weddings, I decided to relate her drink to the theme and the colors of the wedding. I figured that the red theme of the wedding could be brought out using cranberries, which are also a fall flavor. I then decided to make the drink feminine by adding sugar around the rim to give off a crystallized effect. It took a significant amount of time to choose flavors that would work well together, but after talking to my friend, we figured out the perfect fruity combination.
As for the grooms choice, I knew right away that I wanted to create a recipe including chocolate. I decided on this mainly because it would be the exact opposite of a fruity drink, creating a variety for their guests. It was tough figuring out what flavors mix well with a chocolate liquor, hence why only different flavored chocolate liquors were mixed with vodka. I then decided to add a strawberry, because what is better than the classic chocolate covered strawberry?
Last but not least, was creating the names for the decadent drinks. Because it was a wedding, I decided to tie into that theme. "Berry-ly ever after" being created based off of "Happily Ever After", and Cocoa covered kisses based off of the couples first kiss. Overall, the process of this assignment was long, and figuring out liquors that would work together was hard, but I had a fun time using my creativity. Who knows, turning 21 could result in the real making of these signature beverages a la Ashley.
As the bartender for our WRT Wedding blog, it was my job to create to signature drinks for the "Wedding".
Brides Choice: Berry-ly Ever After
Ingredients:
-5 Cranberries (muddled)
-1/2 oz of fresh squeezed orange juice
-1 ½ oz Vanilla vodka
-1 Egg white
Preparation:
-Muddle the cranberries and orange juice at the bottom of a mixing glass
-Add the vodka and egg whites and shake
-Add ice and shake once more
-Dip the rim of a chilled martini glass into fine sugar
-Strain the finished product into the martini glass
-Add a few frozen cranberries for garnish
Groom's choice: Cocoa Covered Kisses
Ingredients:
-1 oz Godiva Chocolate liquor
-1/2 oz Godiva White chocolate liquor
-1/2 oz Vodka
-Chocolate Shavings
Preparation:
-Dry shake the liquors in a mixing glass
-Add ice and shake again
-Strain liquors into a chilled martini glass
-Add chocolate shavings to the top of the finished drink
-Garnish with a strawberry on the rim
The Following poem is comprised of tweets that I have posted on Twitter in the past few months. Inspired Tweets
Take me far away before I melt into the ground, and my words get used against me. more huntchbacks of laundry world walking in! Time to get out of here#strangeplace #twitterive. De-lofted my bed, the view looks so different from down here! #twitterive. Picking up the peices and sewing them together for my #twitterive. The key to fixing a broken heart, baking until you can't bake anymore #twitterive. That moment you realize that you are not over it #twitterive. What felt good, turned into something so wrong. #twitterive. God grant me the serenity to just get through this off day! #twitterive. No motivation to crawl out of bed, i'm stuck! #twitterive. Not sleeping tonight #thedevilinside Find My way Back
Take me far away,
It’s time to get out of here.
The view so different.
Im stuck picking up the pieces,
Fixing a broken heart.
That moment, turning into something so wrong.
Just get through this,
No motivation.
No sleeping tonight.
This post consists of two pieces of micro fiction. Each piece consists of one tweet that inspired its background. The tweets are in bold above each short story.
"The key to fixing a broken heart, baking until you can't bake anymore"
Sappy love songs blasting on the radio and a dainty apron tied around her tiny waist, the only two things piecing her together. He left yesterday, leaving her hopelessly dreaming for his return, but she understood that it was for the better. “I’m doing this for you”, those words playing in her head over and over, the music slowly fading from her mind. She picked up a wooden spoon, swirling her fresh made cake batter in circles, making its roughness gradually become smooth. Something so simple gave her hope, making her realize that these tough times could only get better. After carefully pouring, she placed the cake in the oven, returning to the daydreams of her lost lover. The heat from the oven made her ponder the worst; how was he surviving on the front line? Would there be a day that could be his last? Twenty minutes left on the timer, if only that was the countdown until she could embrace him in her arms again. These were the days she needed him most, the days that no one else could begin to understand. How could he help her now, what are you supposed to do when the one who helped you at your worst is the one who is causing your heart to tear in half. The timer interrupts her mindless rambles, for a minute she forgot how her thoughts began. A new recipe complete, if only there was one for her broken heart.
"The world is so stereotypical today! Note to self: A size zero still isn't going to be perfect."
Hanging helplessly over her porcelain throne, she can’t concentrate, the perfect body overwhelming her thoughts. There it goes again, her stomach convulsing with pains, but saying goodbye to her previous meal is no problem for her. The same procedure every day, three times to be exact, hiding her horrible habit from the world, but it is easier said than done. She cannot remember the day it started, but it does not matter now, as long as she can see the results in the mirror. Her body weak, but she does her best to stand, to regain the pride that she previously had. “This is not my fault, I have no control.” She tells herself over and over again, covering up the guilt that she feels inside. Now, standing in front of the mirror, a white ghost staring back at her, how could this happen? Her focus goes to her frail figure, but she can’t see what her viewers see. “Mirror, mirror on the wall, I am the ugliest of them all”, she fails to realize the truth. Running her hands up and down her body, her protruding bones have no influence over her thoughts. “Only a few more pounds to go and then I will stop, summer is just around the corner”. The likelihood of that happening, slim, her beach time will be spent in a hospital bed, IVs keeping her hostage.
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