Week 15

If I knew my time was up at Brigham Young University I would have many emotions. I would be excited to be graduating and moving on to bigger and better things, but I would also be sad and nervous to be going into the real world. If I knew I would be leaving Brigham Young University in only a few weeks after graduate this is what I would write:
Dear BYU,
I have enjoyed my last several years attending such an outstanding university, but I must admit I was not all that excited to come to school here, and I almost chose not to go here. In fact, I almost went to your biggest rival, the University of Utah. Please forgive me. I never wanted to come to school here and the main reason I ended up coming here was because I felt pressured by my family and because the tuition is cheap. It is a family tradition to attend BYU, so I decided to come to school here half-heartedly, and showed up on move-in day, attended orientation, and started classes. I did not like it here at first. I was home-sick and struggled with being 2,000 miles away from my family. But then I decided that I was going to be here for the next four years so I might as well make the best of it. After I decided to drop my prejudices against you and make the best out of being here, I started to realize how much I liked it here. The professors are highly skilled, the people are nice, and the standards are high. I am so glad that I decided to give you a chance. Over the years I have learned so much and grown immensely. Being away from my family has made me a more independent and responsible person. I am so grateful for the whole atmosphere I have had and all the amazing people that I have met. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to come here. Without the opportunity I would have missed out on immense spiritual and personal growth as well as meeting my best friends.
Love, Nicole

Week 15- Life is Like a Box of Chocolate...

Honestly, I have no real inquisitive and miraculous advice when it comes to living a happy and successful life. I thought the best advice to offer someone is from the AWESOME movie "Forest Gump." "Life is like a box of chocolate...you never know what you're gonna get." In the beginning of this semester, I felt that I had everything planned out: I would receive good grades, work hard, and hang out with certain people. But I was wrong! Almost everything that I planned out didn't really come true. You can't plan out your life the way you want it to, there will always be something that will come unexpected and you'll have to find a way to deal with it.

The world is something that can easily undergo change at times when most unexpected. The world that surrounds is can be thought of as cruel and difficult as we go through times of hardships and trials. But I strongly believe as we look back on our mortal existence, I think we will look back at those difficult times and see how much of a positive influence that the event had on us. Something else that I would notice the world around me is the importance of living every minute to its fullness. I'm not talk about always partying, but just always becoming a better person than you were.

So life is like a box of chocolate, something that lets us become surprised. Kind of like Christmas! I'm really glad that I can't tell the future, then life wouldn't be as risky, stressful, and fun! The future provides everyone with hope and wonder with how our lives will look. Learn from the past, live in the present, and hope for the future. I hope everyone is able to realize how the little things in life are generally the things that provide us with the most happiness. Such as playing a board game with family and friends, taking a nice walk, or just talking with someone. I'm so glad to have such an awesome writing 150 class. Of the various classes taking this semester, this one I would probably miss the most. Thanks!

Week 15- Living Life to its Fullest

I’m not one who loves thinking about dying. It’s sad and frankly kind of scary. But at the same time, death is a joyous time as well. Death is a time when we reminisce on our lives and those that we love. We laugh about the funny times, we cry about the sad ones. Life is full of so many different experiences and at death we remember them all. If I were going to die, I would want people to know how much they meant to me. To those that changed my life, whether it was by making my day when I was sad or by giving me much needed inspiration, I would want them to know how much they meant to me. I would want to bear my testimony. This is no time to let back all that I love and believe in. This is a time to let the world know of my beliefs.
This earth has always held a fond place in my heart. I have spent so much time exploring its many wonders throughout my life. From sea to shining sea; I have loved every minute of it! I hope, before I die, to explore the many wonders of the rest of the world. To stay in a castle in Scotland, to stand on the Eiffel tower with my sweethearts arms encircling me; these are the dreams of my life. Before I die, I would notice the true beauty and majesty of the world around me. I would notice the rich colors of the leaves in fall; I would hear the soft crash of the waves on the sea shore. But not only would I notice the earth and its beauty, I would notice the beauty of the people around me. I would revel in the rich traditions and cultures of the earth and notice the many good things about each one. It will be sad to leave this earth with its glorious landscapes and wondrous cultures. But I know that life will be beyond what I can imagine after I die.
To those that I love I would say, thank you and remember to look around you each day and to praise the Lord for your many blessings and opportunities. Live your life to its fullest, grabbing at every opportunity handed to you. This is no time let back! Explore, share and dream; let your life be the one you want it to be! As Grandma Moses said, "Life is what we make it, always has been, always will be." I would implore to all those that I love, make life what you want it, live it and love it!

Week 15 - My last words if I died at 105

It is to my great fear but also great joy that I cross over from this life to the next. At 105 years old I have lived a full life and have tasted of both the bitter and the sweet fruits this life has to offer and through it all I can say that it has been worth it. Do not be saddened over my passing for I know that I will see you again in a place happier than this world and it will be a joyous occasion. Take this event as a time to rejoice in what you have! There is so much to be thankful for, you just need to dig down deep and uncover the things that really matter. Money and personal belongings may, at times, seem most important but it is the memories, friendships and family we create and surround ourselves with that bring the best out of our lives.

Over my long years I have come to realize just how wonderful the world we live in is even considering that evil seems to permeate everywhere. For one, the world has so much complexity it really brings one to be humble. Our bodies for example carry out thousands of functions every minute and on top of that they are designed with the utmost care. Ever since I took that Anatomy class so many years ago at BYU I have been dumbfounded by anatomy in general. If this isn’t a testament that there is a God, what else would convince you?

The world is a place full of things to discover and if we only take a break from our lives to realize this, we can get so much out of living. Daily life requires much from us but if we get caught up in this we cannot reach our full potential. A final word of advice for everyone is to go through life doing what you love doing. You never know when this life will end so cherish every moment of it. That is how I lived my life and it turned out fantastic.

I wish you all the best in life and remember, this is not the end.

(If only I could live this long) haha

Week 15-Goodbye WRTG150

My dearest writing 150 class; now that you are gone, I can hardly even believe it. If only I spent more time with you, and made every minute worth that time, I would feel so much better about myself. You had so much to offer, if only we looked for it and did our best to utilize it. Every day I thought about you, and every day I would put you off, until I finally had to give in to spend hours and hours with you. Now that you are gone, I am feeling awfully guilty for being so stingy with you and our time together. Why would I put off something so wonderful for as long as I could? Writing 150, you are hardly something that isn't worth it. I have learned so much from your constant guidance and care for my own education. You tried so hard to get the people around you to learn and apply the principles of a good writer. We have gone through a lot together, and yet I still feel like it wasn't enough. I have grown so much with you, and still I feel like I could have grown more. I am now a master at persuasive writing and using rhetorical techniques, but I still feel inadequate compared to you. You gave so much to people, without getting much in return; and that is a quality that not many possess.

If only I could explain how many people you have affected during your lifetime. You have been there in the good, bad, and the ugly from the very beginning. However, I misinterpreted your existence, and only spent so much time with you because my grades depended on it; meaning I really had not other choice. I feel so guilty about this now! Little did I know that writing, although a lot of work, could be so enjoyable. I actually learned how to enjoy writing because of you, but I didn’t realize it until you were gone how much that I really would miss you. As I move on in my life, I hope to always remember you and all the things that you taught me, because I know that they will be useful to me in the future. I thank you for all that you gave me, and I am sorry for not giving you much in return. Rest in peace.

Week 15 - Goodbye Section 28

It is with great sadness that I report the passing of Writing 150, section 28. Section 28 was born on September 1, 2010. Although his life was short, it was one filled with greatness and learning. Section 28 especially loved to practice his grammar, and became quite accomplished in this art. He also loved to write, but had only just begun to skim the surface and discover his true passion for writing before his tragic passing. However, it is said that he could write a mean persuasive argumentative essay if necessary. Aside from learning, though, Section 28 also liked to have fun. Often he could be seen laughing with his friends, or sharing a delicious treat with his classmates. On Halloween, he even dressed up as anything your imagination desired!

Section 28 leaves behind a legacy that will always be remembered. He will be dearly missed by his mother (Amy R.), many brothers and sisters (who are too great in number to name), and by any of those who had the great privilege of knowing and associating with him. The funeral service will be held on Wednesday, December 15 2010 from 11:00 am to 2:00 pm in room W006 of the Benson Building on BYU Campus, Provo, Utah. Come support section 28’s family as they say goodbye to their dear son and sibling.

*Note: cash donations and/or refreshments are welcomed, in fact they are encouraged. If you do wish to donate, please take your items to Karen Low, who was one of section 28’s biggest fans. :) Thank-you.

Week15 It'll be okay.

Time’s up. The bomb has been ticking and steady rhythm has begun to tick slower and louder like that of a drum. Pumping louder and echoing the sound of each difficult beat of my heart. I never imagined my life to end this way. I expected to get married, have a family, and grow old. I always pictured an old couple—my husband and I—walking hand in hand smiling and laughing at one another. It’s hard to imagine that it’s ending before it began. Who would have ever guessed my life would be taken from me before it had the opportunity to fully bloom. 

I wish I could go back and heal every wound I ever caused on me or others. Mom and dad you are the best parents anyone could have asked for. Dad thanks for letting me be your little girl.  I know you love me, the best part is we won't be apart forever just for a short time. I'll be patiently waiting to see you again.

Though I say I wish I could go back and change all the things I should’ve been less concerned about it’s not true. Those stupid things I filled my life with in high school they shaped, built, and eventually molded me in a good way. I discovered all the things I never wanted to be a part of my life. Each mistake I made brought me closer to the person I needed to become.

However, though it my life is shutting down there is a strange sense of a beginning. I feel connected to a future that has not yet shown itself to me. Every ending is just the start of a new beginning, who knows what’s coming next. This is now an opportunity for me to be a new person and start fresh in being exactly the person I have been trying to be. This world is hard we all fight to leave a mark, to be the greatest, and to make it to where we are supposed to be. Though mine is cut short I hope that at times I had a tight grasp on reality and what was most important, and that I will be remembered for doing great things no matter how small they may have been. It was great while it lasted. 

Love Karlee

Week 15- Graduation Story

My life will never be the same. I'm in a super crowded basketball stadium called the Patriot Center. I'm in some ridiculous looking cap and gown. Before I though ceremony was a pain and just a long bore. I thought about not going and having them mail me my diploma. I didn't need a big ceremony to tell me I was done with high school, I had figured that out. However, when I got close in line about to walk across the stage I actually started cherishing the moment. In two days I was gonna move out. Most of the other students were gonna stick around all summer and maybe finally move out and go to school a few hours away. My mags were already packed, I was flying out the next day. The plan was to start BYU during the summer, in order to move out as soon as possible. I was gonna be my own person. From now on I wouldn't be my parents child, I would be supporting myself, and doing whatever I wanted in order to make my wildest dreams come true. This meant the end for the "one size fits all" educational plan that the government sets for everyone. From now on I could do anything, I was going to school, but for a very different reason. It was no longer because I had to, it was because it was what I wanted to do. I did a good job in high school. I definitely prepared myself for college and I got a good sense of what I liked in life. Most importantly, I learned how to work to get or become anything I wanted. I left that stage knowing that there was nothing in the world I couldn't do if I set my mind to it. High school set me up to set my sights high. If there's one thing I regret about high school is that I set my sights to low. I spent to much time doing things I didn't like because I didn't realize that I could spend all my time doing what I wanted to do the most.

Live like you were dying...

I read this assignment and the first thing that popped into my head was the song, Live like you were dying by Tim McGraw. I honestly think that this is the way that I want to do it. Sometimes we take life for granted and don't get out there and live it. Other times we take for granted that there is always a tomorrow and put off the things that we should do today, like forgiving a friend or asking for forgiveness in return. I could go on all day trying to eloquently portray what the song says but I think the lyrics basically speak for themselves:

He said: "I was in my early forties,
"With a lot of life before me,
"An' a moment came that stopped me on a dime.
"I spent most of the next days,
"Looking at the x-rays,
"An' talking 'bout the options an' talkin’ ‘bout sweet time."
I asked him when it sank in,
That this might really be the real end?
How’s it hit you when you get that kind of news?
Man whatcha do?

An' he said: "I went sky diving, I went rocky mountain climbing,
"I went two point seven seconds on a bull named Fu Man Chu.
"And I loved deeper and I spoke sweeter,
"And I gave forgiveness I'd been denying."
An' he said: "Some day, I hope you get the chance,
"To live like you were dyin'."

He said "I was finally the husband,
"That most the time I wasn’t.
"An' I became a friend a friend would like to have.
"And all of a sudden goin' fishin’,
"Wasn’t such an imposition,
"And I went three times that year I lost my Dad.
"Well, I finally read the Good Book,
"And I took a good long hard look,
"At what I'd do if I could do it all again"

Like tomorrow was a gift,
And you got eternity,
To think about what you’d do with it.
An' what did you do with it?
An' what can I do with it?
An' what would I do with it?

"Sky diving, I went rocky mountain climbing,
"I went two point seven seconds on a bull named Fu Man Chu.
"And then I loved deeper and I spoke sweeter,
"And I watched Blue Eagle as it was flyin'."
An' he said: "Some day, I hope you get the chance,
"To live like you were dyin'."

Week 15-any last words?

If I knew my time was running short, I would make my last moments worth it. I would make sure to do those things on my "to do before I die" list. Some of these things include sky diving, riding a mechanical bull, going surfing, running a marathon, visiting Europe, and going sailing in the caribbean. These are some of the more materialistic things I want to get done before I die. The more important things though would probably be spending time with family and friends. I would want to resolve any unresolved conflicts or grudges that I had or others had towards me. I don't really want anyone to be happy when I die. I would also make sure I was completely repented of every sin I've ever committed. I definitely want to end up in the Celestial Kingdom because I'm pretty sure that's where the rest of my family is going. It would also be very important for me to let all of my family and friends know how much I love them and how much they mean to me. I would want to tell specific people how great of an effect they have had on my life and helping me to become the person I am today. I would live my last moments to the fullest and make the most out of everything I do. I would give others the advice that you never know when your time will be cut short, so make the most of it. It goes by way too fast, so make it worth it. Love everyone, make lots of friends, be crazy, don't worry about what other people think of you, laugh ALWAYS, have fun, don't be afraid to cry, go out of your way to be kind to others, serve often because it will benefit both you and the receiver more than you know, go to church, do what's right, be smart, but not stingy, let loose every once in awhile, don't be afraid to dance like a fool, and smile big! These are some of the things I have learned up to this point in my life and so that is the advice I would want to pass on.

Week... ummm which ever one this is.

On cold, dark, and snowy days when you can't enjoy the great outdoors for fear of getting frost bitten in less than a minute many people like to play video games with their friends, or pop in a movie, or even just sit in front of the TV and aimlessly channel surf; this is not me. My favorite-est, most enjoyable, and entertaining thing to do on such gloomy and dismal days is curl up in front of my fireplace in my most comfortable and warm pajamas with a cup of hot cider and a good long novel. I honestly spend the whole day in that one spot, never leaving, except to eat my favorite apple and cheese snack or grab a few more logs from outside for the fire before it dies down too much. I can't think of anything more enjoyable or relaxing.

I love to read just about anything: science fiction, biographies, autobiographies, historical fiction, political ( actually I lied, I tried reading a few of them but they were too boring and monotonous even for me. I don't think anybody could make politics sound interesting or exciting) fantasy, romance, mysteries, non-fiction, you name it. If I were forced to choose which genre I like the most I would have to choose historical/realistic fiction. I love to read about history, but sometimes history books can be a little bit too dull. They will focus so much on sharing all the information that is known on the subject that they hardly ever focus on the individual people that lived during such times. Historical fiction solves that issue. It not only covers the historical side of thing but it also allows you to see a little bit into the lives of the people, turning a 2-D piece of literature into a 3-D world where you can relate and get to know the character in the novel.

Reading has helped me so much over the years. Not only did I see a difference in my grades (especially in my writing classes) but I noticed that I just randomly know a lot of different things. I don't know what it is about me, but I can have a difficult time remembering stuff for school, but I'll know a lot of random facts and trivia that normally not everyone would know. It helps a lot when your playing Trivial Pursuit let me tell ya.

Pleasure reading is my number one favorite hobby, hands down. Ever since I could comprehend basic stories I've been enthralled with the wide, unlimited worlds of books. I've always had a talent for literally falling into a book - living, breathing, seeing, and feeling everything the protagonist or main characters do. When I'm lost in a good book I won't eat, sleep, or interact, so it's both a blessing and a curse. I get to experience so much diversity, adventure, and emotion, but at the cost of sometimes neglecting my own. Still, I would never trade this talent of mine because I've experienced and learned so much more than if I was only immersed in my own world.

Another wonderful benefit of reading is a wide vocabulary along with a wide repertoire of experience. I love learning new words; often when reading a difficult text I'll keep a dictionary beside me to both understand it better and increase my vocabulary. Reading is the key to writing. I hope someday to have my own work read by others as passionately as I have read throughout my life. One of my fondest dreams is that I will contribute something beautiful, and of value to the library of literacy.

The ability to read and my cultivation of it has been my single most important skill throughout life. I've identified with spunky Anne of Green Gables, had my mind racing with Nancy Drew, sighed with any number of romantic heroines, flown on two types of dragons in Eragon and Anne McCaffrey's series, explored different dimensions, etc... There are no limits when it comes to the written word. Reality often seems dull in comparison; my friends are accustomed to me living "in my own world" half the time because imagination is much more satisfying. And yet books have not only fostered my imagination, but taught me more about real life than I could ever learn through personal experience.

Week 14

Call me a dork, but the Harry Potter series and Junie B. Jones books are what I read for pleasure. The Harry Potter books have always been intriguing and exciting to me and once I pick them up I can’t put them down. I read the Junie B. Jones books even though they are meant for children because I find them humorous and because I grew up reading them. I enjoy reading both of these series. When I read for pleasure I feel relaxed and at ease. On the other hand when I am reading assigned readings I feel stressed and pressured, trying to remember every word I read. In addition, I read the news for pleasure because I like to be informed of what is happening in our world and country.
Reading for pleasure is important because it is good to enjoy what you read. If you only ever read books that you are assigned for class and don’t enjoy then you are going to develop a poor relationship with reading. Reading is a wonderful thing and the more we read the more intelligent we become. Reading for pleasure is also good because the more we read the better we become at writing .
I make writing more pleasurable for me by writing about things that I am interested in. I try to pick topics that I am already knowledgeable in or subjects that I would like to learn more about. I also make writing more pleasurable by writing frequently. When I write frequently I become better at writing, making it more enjoyable. When writing for this class and for other academic purposes I make it more pleasurable by breaking up my writing process. I first start with an outline to get me on the right foot. I then go through and write the first little bit of each paragraph. Then I go and add on to each paragraph one at a time. I work for 30 minutes at a time because taking breaks makes it a more pleasant experience for me. I also listen to soft music as I work to make it more pleasurable.

Week 14 - Books... for Pleasure?

Honestly, I'm not a big fan of reading. When I was little, I would flip through picture books and just gaze at the pictures and just create my own story. My parents tried to read books out loud to us as we were laying in bed, but I wouldn't pay attention. My mind would simply wonder off, thinking of anything...but books. There are those rare occasions when I decided to crack open a book and read through the first 100 pages, and would eventually just give up with boredom. There have been few books I have enjoyed reading.
One of them is...erm...J.K. Rowling...anyways, the genre I would read most consistently are action and informative books such as the Bourne series and the novel Angels and Demons. These are probably the only types a books I read for pleasure.
Reading for pleasure is definitely important! I am just not a huge fan with reading. Reading for our own motive of just enjoying a book helps build a vocabulary for those instance when a teacher would make you read an assigned (and sometimes difficult) book such as The Scarlet Letter (shiver). My roommate enjoys reading every type of book imaginable, and as a result, he has developed a huge vocabulary and is able to provide deep insightful analysis.
A way that could better enhance my degree of pleasure when it comes to writing is to make it interesting for myself. I actually found that the issues paper wasn't that difficult once the interest became a factor in writing, rather then just the grade involved. Not only discussing interesting topics for writing makes it pleasurable, but inserting opinions and suggestions can bring more interaction into the paper, creating an atmosphere of almost face-to-face debate with someone that wouldn't agree with you. So overall, reading for pleasure can help assist making someone's mind more alert in logical thinking and can build the reader's comprehension level. Maybe, one day I could appreciate books as much as people like my roommate or people in our Writing 150 class. Reading for pleasure is something that can help an individual in every way.

Week 14- Classical Pleasure

Reading is something I have enjoyed my whole life! I have enjoyed everything from picture books to classics. When I was younger I only enjoyed reading non-fiction books. I loved a good mystery such as Nancy Drew or the Mary-Kate and Ashley mystery books. Yes, I have always had a fond spot in my heart for mystery books! But as I began high school and took honors and AP English classes, I suddenly found myself immersed in literally thousands of pages of classic books. At first I loathed it, wishing that I could read whatever I wanted. But as my repertoire of classic books expanded over the years I realized that I actually enjoyed reading the classics. Granted some of them were boring and hard to read, but many like any Jane Austen book or one of the Bronte sisters’ books and of course Bram Stoker’s Dracula, were quite enjoyable to me. Now-a-days I find myself choosing to read a classic book. It is amazing how your tastes can change over the years! Who would imagine that I would go from Mary-Kate and Ashley adventure books to Tess of the D’Urbervilles?
Since my years in advanced English classes and having to read so much for a grade, I have truly realized the importance of reading for pure pleasure. When you must read for a grade it is easy to just skim so that you can get through the amount of pages you need for the grade. Pleasure reading, on the other hand, allows you to immerse yourself in the story and understand what is going on. This is a wonderful opportunity to relax the mind and let it wander into the depths of your imagination. Many a time I have needed the sweet escape that a book offers. I find it so relaxing to read a book and become the character as you read. This kind of reading helps you to relax and escape from the everyday stress you are subjected to.
It is much the same in my writing. Sometimes my academic writing is part of that everyday stress. But I find that if I allow myself to put my own personality and imagination into the writing that it is enjoyable to me. My favorite type of writing is the writing that I do simply for pleasure. I know, writing for pleasure seems a preposterous idea, but I find that if I let my imagination go on paper, it can be just as relaxing as reading someone else’s words. Maybe one day I will be able to use my enjoyment for boos and imaginative writing and create my own book!

Week 14— Reading

Personally, I am not too fond of reading. As I was growing up, I never really got into any books, which quite possibly attributes to my disinterest in reading now. However, there have been a select few books which I have really enjoyed, namely Twilight (of course), Fahrenheit 451, and The Great Gatsby. Though each of these books are completely and respectively unique, they all have a single similarity: plot strength. I think that each one of these maintains a strong plot, which inevitably draws me into the books and makes them page-turners in my eyes. They each withhold peculiar mysteries romances that keep me wanting more. As a result, I would say that I have the tendency to read romantic mysteries for pleasure.

Although I don't read too often, I strongly believe that reading stimulates your cognitive skills, and brain as a whole, more than most other forms of entertainment. I'm sure that many of your parents have told you time and time again that watching too much television will turn your brains to mush. I know mine have, at least. And I believe them, being that watching television is essentially staring at moving pictures for hours, and usually doing nothing else simultaneously. I really don't think that you can read TOO much. Reading for pleasure not only entertains and comforts you, but you only get better at reading if you read a lot. Back in high school, I had to read a lot of different novels for my AP english classes. We would typically have exercises that would coincide with our reading assignments, thus challenging our critical thinking skills. These exercises would literally make us think more carefully about the story's plot, characters, and literary devices. Though most of the high school novels I read were completely boring and uninteresting, two of them turned out to be my favorite books (The Great Gatsby and Fahrenheit 451). Because I developed such an affinity for these books, I did much better on their corresponding quizzes and tests than on those for any other book. Because I found myself reading for pleasure, I was able to get significantly more out of the books. They helped challenge my reading skills, as well as prepare me for later books to come.

Over the years, I have found that the only way I can even begin to enjoy writing is if I pace myself and make sure that I have set aside enough time to write. For example, for my Bio 120 class, I was supposed to compile a paper about a young girl who got her dismembered hand grafted to her leg. Being that I am relatively inclined to anything medical and biology-related, I thought this paper would be fun to write. However, I ended up waiting to write it until the day before it was due—BAD idea, obviously. Instead of it being enjoyable to write, it ended up being excruciating and stressful. That would have been a pleasurable writing experience, if only I had begun it a few days earlier. When writing the Issue Paper for this class, I probably spent about three weeks writing and perfecting it. Since my topic was also biology-related, I enjoyed writing it for the most part. Basically, I guess you could say that I find pleasure with writing by picking a topic that generally interests me and allowing ample time to complete my writing.

Week 14--Reading is Fun!

I have been reading ever since I was 4 years old. My mom would read to us and teach us to read as young as she possibly could. My mom read me so many books, ranging from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory to Ramona the Pest. Every night she would read a chapter to me before I went to bed, and I would be begging for her to read another. Once I finally learned how to read on my own, and finished all the books that we never got to, and got involved in some new series of books, such as Mary Kate and Ashley and, of course, Harry Potter! I was even reading the Book of Mormon at a really young age. I owe my love for books all to my mother, who taught me to love it. I have noticed that reading actually expanded my own vocabulary as a child, as well as made me more aware of the world around me. As I got older, I found that I had less time to read, but during the summers I read David Eddings, Jane Austen, and basically anything else that I could get my hands on at the library that was a 5 minute walk from my house.

I think the reason that I can read as quickly as I do was because of how much I read when I was younger. I never realized until how school how much reading would affect my reading and writing potential once I got into high school. I was able to actually appreciate the books that I was assigned to read in high school, write thorough and analytical responses about them, and read the books quickly; making more time for me to do my other homework. I realize that this doesn't all depend on how much I read when I was younger, but I do know that it has a really big affect.

I wish that I had more time to read books for fun now, because there are still so many on my list that I would love to read. However, college seems to get in the way and I end reading 3 entire textbooks by the end of each semester. In the blog prompt it asks how I can make writing more pleasurable to me, and I think the best way to do this would to choose things to write about that I actually care about. For example, for the issues paper I chose to write about obesity in children because I am planning on majoring in dietetics, meaning that I find issues in nutrition very interesting. If I hadn't chosen something that I wasn't even remotely interested in, I would not have enjoyed writing the issues paper as much as I did.

Week 14 - love Love LOVE to READ

So I got really excited when I saw the topic for this week’s blog...because I LOVE reading!! I was definitely one of those kids in elementary school who always had their head in a book. I just love reading all the stories, because when you are reading your imagination can take you anywhere you want to go. I started out reading the classics—Arthur, The adventures of Mary-Kate and Ashley, and Junie B. Jones, etc. Those were the good days when I would sit on the coach and read for hours! Unfortunately I don’t have time for that anymore, although sometimes I wish I did. As I got older, I started to read series of books such as the Work and the Glory Series, Arianna, and many cheesy LDS romance novels by Rachel Ann Nunes and Anita Stansfield. I loved them all! However, one of my favorite books I have ever read is the Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom. Before I read this, all of the books I had read were of a similar genre. The Hiding Place opened my eyes to other types of books, though, and from then on I tried to vary what I read. Currently, I love anything by Marcia Lynn McClure, though J

I think reading for pleasure is extremely important because it not only helps stimulate the imagination, but it also helps with basic literacy and reading skills. My English teacher in high school always said that the people who score the highest on reading comprehension exams are usually those who love to read. Reading increases one’s vocabulary as well as increases one’s ability to analyze and comprehend literature.

I believe that an increase in these skills can also help a person to write better. I make writing pleasurable by writing about things I am interested in. I also love to just free write in a journal or a notebook. For me, writing in a journal is a way I can relax, vent, and get out my secrets. A journal is the perfect listener!

All in all, I am SO grateful that I can read and write. They both open up a world of possibilities! Possibilities that I love to explore.

Week Fourteen - Reading

Reading is something that I would do all day if I was given the opportunity. I read anything from Nicholas Sparks to J.K. Rowling and even a little George Orwell from time to time. I also like reading biographies or autobiographies if I find an interesting person. I read Memoirs of a Geisha and it was a great book. It pulled you into the life she was forced to live and the things that she went through. I love being taken away into someone else’s story and see what will happen to them. Most books that I read are fun loving books that can brighten my days, but I also like to read the more serious books as well. This may sound weird, but I really like reading about the Holocaust. I think that it is fascinating. I will read almost anything given to me, or I will at least try it to see if I want to continue reading. Books are my escape from reality. They can cheer up my day or make me realize that I do not have it as bad as I sometimes think. Books to me are simply amazing.

Reading for pleasure is very important. It helps to improve vocabulary and knowledge. It is also a way to get away from all the things of the world and just be relaxed. It gives people a drive to want to learn more. If a certain topic sparks an interest they will want to read more about it. Reading is something productive to do instead of just sitting around watching television all day. Reading for pleasure just makes reading for an assignment that much easier, if you already read regularly, than you are used to it.

To make writing more pleasurable for me I try to find a topic that is the most interesting to me. If I can find a connection somewhere the writing will be a bit easier. I try to write throughout the day. I have various amounts of journals stacked on my shelves. All have a different purpose. Some are for the daily activities, while others are more for spiritual things. The more I write in these the more I enjoy writing in any form.