Web 2.0 What Does It Really Mean?

Here is a post for my CSIS 1000 class, practicing use of Web 2.0 and such. Check this out. Actually, you might not want to... My thoughts and comments on the video? Not worth your time, but I am a diligent student and do the work asked of me. Three cheers.

And Thus it Continues...

I haven't died. I think I'm the only one who reads this thing anyhow, but nonetheless, my apologies for pathetic blogging. I have an easier time keeping up with my other blog because it has purpose and direction. Here, I feel no purpose and direction.

Books I have recently read, reread, or started:

• The Outsiders, S.E. Hinton. Yes this was my first time reading The Outsiders. I really enjoyed the voice of Ponyboy, but it sounded a lot like a girl trying to write like a guy (which it is). And the plot was a little too far fetched for me. But it was a fast and enjoyable read.
• Tex, S.E. Hinton. I enjoyed Tex much better than The Outsiders. I like how fast and smoothly Hinton's novels read. Basic plot line: Coming of age story. My question is, what happens to Tex after Mason goes to college?
• Animal Dreams, Barbara Kingsolver. I loved Kingsolver's Poisonwood Bible, so I was excited to read another book by her. Animal Dreams started out good. It was a little slow and reflective for my tastes, but I liked it. Then about ten pages to the end I lost all interest in the plot. I skipped ahead to assure that things turn out okay and gave up on it. Beautifully written book, but not what I hoped. Basic plot: Woman returns to hometown to look after (sort of) her alzheimer inflicted father and comes to find herself and falls in love.
  
• Madame Bovary, Gustave Flaubert. I got about a third of the way through and haven't finished yet, though I still might. It was painfully slow. I have a feeling the remainder of the novel is much of the same. Basic plot: Deeply unhappy Madame Bovary searchs for happiness in all the wrong places.
  
• Out of The Dust, Karen Hesse. It's a children's book, supposedly, but I love it and if you haven't read it, please do so. It's a novel written in simple, beautiful poetry. Great plot. Great poetry. Loved it. Basic plot: Coming of age story in the Dust Bowl, but that's almost simplifying it too much.
  
• The Memory Keeper's Daughter, Kim Edwards. I enjoyed this book, but I felt as though it was trying to be too much. I got bored with all the lengthy side stories and their deeper meanings. Still, good plot, interesting read, and beautiful. Basic plot: Unbeknownst to his wife, a well-meaning doctor gives up his newborn Down Syndrome daughter. Unbeknownst to the doctor, she thrives in a loving family. Story of how the two families grow through the years and the effect giving up this baby has on both families.
• Long After Dark, Todd R. Petersen. This is a collection of short stories and a novella. The author is my English professor, and it's been really interesting to read his work. The stories are sharp, different, and curious. Cool read. I haven't finished it just yet.

Is unbeknownst a word?

What's Coming

This semester has been busy! I guess that's good.

What I'm working on right now is an audio recording for my English 2010 class, a piece that would fit into a show of This American Life, a Chicago Public Radio show. Writing the show is the easy part, recording is the hard part. I am using the Audacity program to edit the recording, but I haven't yet figured out how to do the actual recording. Any advice? I think I will borrow a recording mic from the school and hook it up to my laptop. If I can get technologically advance enough, I'll try to post the recording.

Other work has been research essays, a poetry analysis or two, and essays for Critical Lit--all to dull to post here.

To post: Recently read books, pictures of life, recent writing, etc...

January

I have been disloyal to the name of the blog and have neglected to post any recent writing... Well, there hasn't been much recent writing. I am working on a short story right now, and we'll see where that winds up.

It is January. And it's cold! I don't think I said much about Christmas. It was wonderful to be home with the family. I should post some pictures of the break, but I'm feeling pleasantly relaxed and lazy and don't really want to.

I'm going to go cook myself some food. I apologize for the lackluster blogging. I have been restless lately and I don't write much when I'm restless. I am waiting for lightning blots to rain from heaven. What would you like me to post?

Recommended

I have a rather serious addiction to books. I set aside grocery money every week to stalk the book sections of Deseret Industries and the Catholic Thrift Shoppe. I love used books. It is fantastic, of course, to find a used book in mint condition for cheap, but sometimes it is more fun to find a clearly well loved copy. I have also found recommendations of a creative writing I took this fall to be superb.

As of lately, down time at work has afforded a fair deal of free time to read. So, here goes some recommendations of recently (as in the past few months) read books.

I am an ardent lover of poetry. For those who share a similar love I recommend:

• The McSweeney's Book of Poets Picking Poets
  
• Poetry 180, Billy Collins
• Good Poems, Garrison Keillor

I have recently discovered the short story. For those learning to love it try these short stories in particular and others from the collections in which they are found:

• "Keith," The Hotel Eden, Ron Carlson
• "Note To Sixth Grade Self," How To Breathe Underwater, Julie Orringer
• "A Temporary Matter," The New Granta Book of the American Short Story, Jhumpa Lahiri'

For those interested in creative nonfiction:

• In Fact: The Best of Creative Nonfiction, Annie Dillard

And lastly, the novel. Here is where I ask for recommendations. It has been too long since I was entirely engrossed in a novel. I did try a few of the popular reads, like Memoirs of a Geisha and The Kite Runner. I would recommend the latter, as for Memoirs of a Geisha, it was beautifully written, but a frustrating plot. Any suggestions of purely engrossing novels?