Oh Taylor Swift...

Well, first of all I never really got into her music...it isn't angry enough for me, I'm more into Nirvana, and Radiohead, and Pearl Jam. So the article we read didn't really affect me either way accept to make me realize why I didn't like her that much. I agree with the author that Taylor Swift the person is really likable, but her music is pretty simple- not that simple is bad, just that it isn't for me. My favorite part about the article was the pictures!!!! I thought it was a really perfect way to demonstrate the author's points. The old adage "show don't tell" is true, who knew?! It was refreshing to have a visual element to enhance an essay. Overall, I thought it was a really well made piece of writing!!

Ethos, Pathos, or Logos?

I think the most important aspect of rhetoric is pathos. I chose pathos because no matter how credible you are, or how many wonderful and relevant facts you can cite, none of it matters unless the reader is emotionally involved. In other words, making my reader truly care about what I have to say is my most important goal. My "Into The Wild" paper was very pathos based. The emotional connection I feel with Chris's story is what makes my argument strong, and pathos is the most useful way to communicate that. I did, however, use logos enough that it doesn't just sound like I'm ranting about the book.
On the other hand, my English Lit paper is way more logos focused. This is because I was trying really hard to sound like I knew what I was talking about, and I wanted to remove as much of my own opinion as possible past the point of saying which side I was one. Logos is handy when you are trying to write in an academic manner, but my personal writing style is focused mainly on pathos.

So What Do I Think About Chris Now...

I liked Chris from the start, and the most recent chapters I read make me like him even more. The beginning of the book made it seem like Chris might be a little on the crazy side, but the further he goes in his journey and the more people he meets, the more personable he seems. However, I noticed that there are two very distinct sides to Chris; the side that is moody and quiet and a little weird, and the side that is talkative and full of life and excited. The real world makes him seem cold and distant, but these chapters were more about his free, adventurous side, and that is clearly the side I like best. At first I thought of Chris as a bit of a recluse, but these chapters proved that once he is around people he can identify with he is very lively, and the people he got closest to on the road made it clear he was a pleasure to be around. At the same time, I feel bad for Chris because he just doesn't really fit in the real world at all, and maybe if he could have fit a little better he wouldn't be dead now. There is not much of a place in our society for such a hopeless idealist.

What I Learned From Boot Camp

I learned that this is not going to be one of those English classes where you can get by just turning in ok stuff. I'm glad Rachel let us know right away that this class wouldn't be easy. I think that learning the importance of revision was the most important thing I will take from boot camp. I think it is good that we will spend a lot of time editing our work because I know that every time I revise my paper it gets a million times better than when I started. And I really do want to be a good writer so that is the goal!

Introduction

My name is Kayleigh Curtis. This is my first year at WSU and I came here from Spokane, WA. In high school I was a cheerleader, but here I am a small fish in a really big pond! I came to WSU because of the Murrow College of Communication. I wanted to go to film school, but my parents wanted me to go to college so WSU is the best of both worlds. Ever since I can remember I have LOVED movies, they are like my religion so "when I grow up" I want to produce or edit movies. The communication college offers a Broadcast Production major, so I figure I will start out working at news stations and work my way up the ladder.

I also love music! I play the guitar and sing, but I don't really write songs. I think having a creative outlet is really important for everyone and music is mine :)

As far as my writing goes, I have always done well in English. I don't really follow outlines (or even make them) so my writing can start out pretty out there, so I'm glad we will be getting lots of feedback. I do enjoy writing...most of the time, but I like reading more. I just really want to take all of the classes for my major (aka the fun stuff!) but hopefully I can make it through this semester first!