Mixed Tape

I think the mixed tape was one of my favorite assignments we had so far this year. I think that doing different projects that are some form of art, such as a mixed tape, opens a whole new door to what writing and composition can be defined as. Once again, it shows that there are no clear defining rules of what writing is and how it should be composed.

I put together my mixed tape for my grandfather. It is a CD that chronologically lists the songs I have played for my grandfather since I began playing the piano. I ended with a song I had composed and recorded in a recording studio for my grandfather. I thought that was a nice conclusion and gives the listener a reason to keep listening all the way through to the last song. Another reason I did this chronologically is because the songs I have played for him got more and more difficult the further down the playlist. The way I organized this is what I consider my ‘flow.’

This flow is my writing style for this project. The main thing it has taught me is that an individual’s flow does not have to necessarily be seen directly or in the standard fashion to prove a point or be considered correct. This does not mean that there can be no organization and still flow. I believe that once the audience is established and the main purpose for the CD is clear, then the choosing of the songs can take place. One thing I think helped this CD a lot is the addition of liner notes. For reasons that might be clear only to the reader, it helps prove a point or reemphasize one. It is also a representation of your songs by written word. Overall, this assignment has taught me that writing and composition is not the only standard text book, thesis-driven essays that we are taught in every English class, but goes beyond the thoughts of writing and is taken over by the imagination, where it can then develop and grow to its fullest.

Mixed Tape Preparations

We talked a lot about the perfect mixed tape and I think it was very interesting hearing everyones thoughts about what truly makes a "perfect" mixed tape/cd. To me, it cannot begin without establising a person to present the CD with, and a meaning behind this action. Even if you choose to give it to this person just for fun, that's still a reason. I'm choosing to give mine to my grandpa and I want to show him how much I care about him and audibly present him with some memories he can think about. I think that giving someone a gift like this is often priceless because it shows how much thought and effort go into doing something for someone else. I look forward to seeing how mine and everyone elses mixes turn out.

Art How We Make It

I thought this assignment in class about sampling was very interesting and difficult in the end. I love art and any thing that brings out creativity, especially when it’s not so direct. What I found difficult was trying to have it not really make sense. My ‘collage’ had black and white photos in the background and small fragments of sentences on top of it. What I took out of this is that many things, objects; subjects seem so cut and dry and black and white, true and false, all with areas of gray. When words that do not particularity make sense are placed on top of all that, it shows that our imagination and creativity are what we make it, and no one can define who we are. I think that ties into appropriation because although those black and white areas will always be in our minds, it is what we do with it through our creativity that matters.

Writing Styles

I thought it was really interesting talking about changing out writing style and even views when it comes to our professors or whoever is grading our papers. I have in the past written accoring to how I think a teacher might want to see my paper written. I remember in high school I had to give a debate against the use of stem cells, knowing that my teacher is pro-stem cell research. Knowing this, I actually brought up the other viewpoints way more than I would have, because I wanted to show him I understood his personal views. I was frustrated doing this, but at the same time I thought it was a good learning experience because I would not have researched the other point of view if Idid not feel I had to in order to get a better grade. My question is, is it always a bad thing to change how you might do something to satisfy a teacher or professor?

Ads, Ads, Ads! Oh, and Spooky

This week’s reading assignments brought a whole new thought into my mind about this whole semester of authorship. I thought the exertion and discussion about Appropriation helps reinforce a thought that we all live through every day. The immediate thing that was brought to mind was a statistic I once heard: According to Publicity.com the average American is exposed to 3,000 advertising messages a day. I think this shows how crazy the marketing world today has gotten when technology has permitted them access to our minds through television, radio, email, and even cell phones. With all these advertisements reaching our minds every day, it is no wonder companies feel the need to compete so that consumers adapt to their messages.

I just wanted to mention one part of “Rhythm Science” that I found ironic and pretty much sums how I felt the first time I starting reading it: “The beginning. That’s always the hard part. Once you get into the flow of things, you’re always haunted by the way that things could have turned out. This outcome, that conclusion. You get my drift.” This beginning, like many other novels of stories or articles that I have read begin with a complex introduction then work themselves out. I greatly enjoyed the readings from this week and look forward to reading more from Dj Spooky

Sampling For Creativity

I was most excited about this project than any of the previous because I have always enjoyed art and the numerous ways to look at one piece of art and determine so many different aspects that you never would have thought of previously. My first experiment consists of Google images I found and composed in the form of a collage. The main portrayal is a man who is writing who symbolizes the universal being. Over his right shoulder is a picture of God looking down angrily. This symbolizes the disapproval of what seems to be a higher being because what he is writing (which is his creativity) could be against the law in forms of copyrights. Straight in front of him are all the positives that have come from the creativity and advancements in technology, society, and creativity, all of which could not have been done if there were strong boarders against doing so. Preceding this completion, I would have thought the second experience would be easier. This experiment came more easily to me though, I think for a large reason due to the unlimited amount of resources I could use. Because I was able to use the entire internet, I felt that I can take all the pictures I intended to and create this collage that helps present my view of authorship and copyright. My goal was to show that although a higher being or authority may look down on someone who is displaying creativity, the major advancements have all come from an advancement of another, and from that, springs creativity. I wanted to show the more positive side of authorship and believe this experiment was more argumentative in doing that.

My second experiment contains pictures found from the Creative Commons along with my own personal drawings. I took a more simplistic view in this second piece that takes deeper thinking to find the meaning. The 2 top pictures are meant to symbolize two distinct climates and because of the extremes of their temperatures nature in particular has difficulty surviving and flourishing. The two climates are meant to symbolize the strict copyright laws that seem to prevent, rather than increase creativity and advancements. From these 2 climates is a picture of a flower that arises from them. The flower overpowers the two though, and brings forth a man holding the world in the palm of his hand. The picture next to him shows that world with a lock inside of it, symbolizing how our own world seems locked down with what we can do with it because of laws. The last picture is the world with the lock released. It is at this point, that that symbolic flower in the middle can survive, regardless of the law. In the end, the world is ours ultimately ours. I also attempted to show with this experiment the positive side of authorship that, once again, will not be disrupted by copyrights and the law.

This project helped strengthen my thoughts about how authorship sparks creativity and advancements, and that by limiting that from our society, fear will flourish in place of the good that comes from all this. By displaying my thoughts visually I think that I personally captured a better understanding of the good from authorship and the detriments copyrights bring forth.

The Boundaries of the Public Domain

After reading Chapter 10 in Lessig’s book, and after our discussion in class, I am baffled with the example of the Adobe eBook Reader. I know that the government and organizations are attempting to crack down on pirating and illegal doings, but I believe this is crossing the line. As many Americans are already afraid and question if their actions are against a copyright, by the government interfering with that in the public domain, it will create problems and creativity will be at a standstill.

When guidelines have been more distinctly set, that in the public domain seems to give us a breath of fresh air. For once, creativity can spark and build off what is readily and legally acceptable to build on, learn from, and use. When the government draws lines against that, what is there left to use? I understand that companies are attempting to cover for themselves and lawsuits, but this seems to cross the line. I think that this will downsize creative accomplishments, and increase the aspect of fear. As Americans, fear is already endowed upon us in the news and media, this just adds to the chaos. My question is, does the government have the right to decide for us what we can and cannot use, when we were once allowed to use it?

Free Culture and the Pathway to the Future

I guess you never should judge a book by its cover. After picking up “Free Culture” from the bookstore I immediately let out a sigh and thought this is going to be one of those boring required reads that you hope to stagger through. I was actually greatly proven wrong. I have so far enjoyed the readings from “Free Culture” from the style of writing to the examples given. One reason I find this book so appealing is because although the examples are extreme cases, it shows, in a sense, that this whole issue of copyright is actually extreme in many cases.

After watching Good Copy Bad Copy in class, one of the main parts of the movie I enjoyed the scenes with Laurence Lessig. I thought the point he brought up that people should be able to use someone’s work if it is for good use without personal profit sums up how this whole system can be improved. If this were the case, imagination could exceed, along with creativity, which would promote innovation and invention. My question is, with so many people participating in file sharing (such as ‘illegal’ music downloading) do you think industries will try for years and years on end to bust people, or will eventually give up and see that physical harm is not taking place?

Plagiarism Reflection

I found the plagiarism experience intriguing, yet frustrating. As if typing a paper on a Friday night after a long week isn’t frustrating enough, I became more frustrated on how time consuming the actual experience was. When we were assigned this paper, my immediate reaction was that this will be one of the simplest papers I’ll be able to whip up, without too much heavy thinking. In fact, my paper entitled “The Modern Epidemic” dealing with the current issues of obesity, had me searching through numerous articles and textbooks, becoming more and more frustrated that they were not using the same tense of voice I was, or for using words I would have never thought up on my own. This paper opened my eyes to a whole new view on plagiarism and also made me realize I will probably not be doing much plagiarizing in any future writing assignments.

Prior to this assignment, my ‘cut-and-dry’ definition of plagiarism is directly stealing an article, word for word from another, and inserting it into a paper that you claim you have written independently. After this experience, I have come to an addition to my definition: stealing a particular style of writing or even thoughts that do not belong to you. During my paper I would read a section in my Nutrition textbook and then when I began to put it in my paper (not part of the plagiarized part) I realized that I could not do that if this had been an actual scientific paper without citing that source, because although it makes sense to me now and almost like common knowledge, I would not have known that had I just read what the author of that textbook had written.

Dealing with style, the articles I found on the internet few were quick articles that made the point it was trying to reach directly. This style is opposite of mine because I like to elaborate more when I attempt to get my point across. Even if I was not trying to plagiarize this paper, I feel that if I stole this writing style, created by another individual, that this would be a form of plagiarizing, simply because it is not my own.

Given the university’s plagiarism policy, I seem to agree more on the point of stealing from another individual and calling it your own. “Stealing” could be more highly defined, though, in my opinion. Is stealing simply just stealing words directly from another or a text, or is stealing related to a person’s style or the way they word things? As I the simple word “plagiarize” could not be defined more in depth, this experience has defiantly changed my mind.

Ghostwriting Reflection

My younger brother, Mike, is currently applying to colleges right now and his application for the University of Wisconsin-Madison, which he is about to begin, requires a personal statement for the essay requirement. I met with him this past weekend and discussed his experiences and achievements in the last four years of his high school career. I acted as a ghostwriter and wrote his personal statement for him.

As I was writing his personal statement, I was working diligently and quickly because so many ideas were flowing that I did not really stop and react to what I was actually doing. It was after my introduction that began with a story he had experienced, that I encountered my first quick feel of uneasiness. It was hard for me to write “I” and “my” when it came to feelings, when I was not actually that person feeling that way. On the other hand, the easy part of ghostwriting this for me was that I knew my brothers achievements and work ethic because I had gone to school with him and also worked at Fannie May with him. Come time to the reflection of his achievements however, it was difficult to write because I still am unsure if I pinpointed the exact feelings he described to me. In the end, this experience left me feeling somewhat uneasy and guilty.

I think that my experience is typical to other students in this class who have completed the assignment, yet I do not think actual ghostwriters who are professionals in this field feel the same way I do. I feel this way because they have chosen the path to become a ghostwriter, therefore knowing what they are getting into, and I have been (in a way) forced into completing an assignment that has made me into a ghostwriter. I believe that someone who would write a presidential speech most likely does not feel guilty or uneasy, but rather honored and proud.

I believe that this worked helped change the relationship I have with my brother slightly. Like I stated previously, I have understood his accomplishments and extracurriculars, but not to the extend of how they made him who he is today. I often felt proud writing his personal statement as an older sister to have a brother that has accomplished so much in a small period of time. It was this pride that helped create a stronger relationship with my younger brother.

Upon completing this assignment, it has really made me reflect on what I have so far learned about what an author is. It confuses me because I do feel like the author of this paper, yet an author has been set in my mind as someone who is the originator of the work. My brother told me what to write; therefore I am unsure if he would be considered the author even though he didn’t write it. He came up with the ideas and I put them on a document. I was a “writer” but maybe not an “author.” Overall, this assignment has made me feel slightly uneasy, strengthen a relationship with a sibling, and reflect on the principles of authorship.

Fear and Plagiarism

After reading about ghostwriting and plagiarism this week, I started to reflect on the ghostwriting assignment due Monday. I am choosing to do a personal statement for my younger brother because I originally thought it would be simple because I am his older sister and know the majority of extracurricular he has participated in. I sat down to write an outline for it and I actually think I am going to feel guilty talking about accomplishments and reflections as if they were my own. I feel like a plagiarist.

After reading Howard it really opened my eyes to all the different forms of plagiarism and the different consequences. Growing up, plagiarism was never an option for me, because I felt I would always get caught and end up in far more trouble than it was worth. I think by administering fear in policies of plagiarism, it reflects how that person writes. When I do any type of scientific paper, I am so scared if a teacher enforces strong rules about plagiarism, that I honestly think my paper will turn out worse that if fear wasn’t so incorporated. My question is, if fear was less of an issue, would plagiarism occur more often?

Unethical Writers

I know we haven’t gotten into too much discussion on ghostwriting, but the topic has always really fascinated me. I do not understand how a person has it in them to think it is ethical for someone to write a book for them and then take full credit for it. Being a student where the consequences for this are extremely high, I cannot help but to look at it the same way for grown adults. If you take credit for something that is not yours, not only your name should be damaged, but also your bank account and whatever other measures are necessary to get the point across to other celebrities or politicians that are doing the same thing.

One question I am thinking about is whether or not that book would sell, had the real author been listed on the cover. I think than in one way, people are purchasing it solely because they like that person, and if someone else wrote it, it wouldn’t make much of a difference. On the other hand, I would never purchase a politicians book because I always have the thought that maybe there is a ghostwriter behind it. I guess my question would be what types of people (celebrities, athlete, politicians, etc.) does it seem to be less of a crime if a ghostwriter is behind it?

"What Is an Author" and who is our 'Community'

Although I thought the reading “What is an Author?” was a hard one to understand, I think it held some great points about authors and the “author function.” What I liked about the reading is that it made me think strongly about the points made about the possibility to forget who an author is without taking away from the texts. I think that is an extremely hard thing not to look at an author and be judgmental for whatever reason. For example, I think this was brought up in class, but if I was more interested in global warming and saw “An Inconvenient Truth” written by Al Gore I would be more hesitant to personally pick up that book than if there were an actual expert who wrote it. I know it shouldn’t happen, but I personally do think I judge a book too much based on the author. On the other hand, I think it is good that we have authors listed because we ARE then able to pick out people that have background knowledge opposed to people that feel they need to stretch the truth or blatantly lie.

On our talk of “Smart Mobs” and dealing with ‘community’ I was thinking and I was wondering if we get to choose who our community is. We do by the people we surround ourselves with, but sometimes our privacy is invaded because we choose to put it public. By choosing to do that, does that mean we ‘chose’ that as our community?

"The Great Unwashed" and Literary Boundaries

After today’s class on my way to work, I further ran over some topics from class that left me with some questions and assertions. To begin with, in the writing “Modern Authors” by Rebecca Moore Howard she discusses the notion of high/low culture with “The Great Unwashed.” I, like her, feel the need to criticize the assumption that students are lower in society and culture because they do not have their PhDs or are published. The main reason for my defense in due to the fact that those people that are “high” in society, such as doctors, have all once started out as students. They are not born a pure genius without any direction or teaching from outsiders. Therefore, they could not have been at the place they are at now, without starting out as a student. The same goes for the people who have felt the need to title students as “The Great Unwashed.” The reason they are published is because they were once taught how to read and write.

My other concern was with putting the Classical authors in this boundary of their own, which brings up problems dealing with leaving out other great writings that might have a been falsely judged. For example, last week in my Food Science 301 class we found out that Glamour magazine was rated the second highest of top magazines purchased for displaying nutrition and food science accurately in their magazines. For the reason that many people judge magazines like this based on what would be coined “useless” articles, such as the latest fashions, are also being neglected on a nutrition and health related aspect. Maybe if there were less false accusations, society would be better informed on how to maintain a healthy body for better quality and quantity of life. Or maybe I’m just a dietetics major who’s a little too obsessed with nutrition!

About Me

Everything happens for a reason. I am a firm believer that every curveball thrown at me during my life is done so to make me a stronger person. I am goal-oriented and hope to one day be a regsitered dietician specializing in outpatient care with a certificate in pediatrics. Right now I am a sophomore at the University of Wisconsin and love spending time with my friends and family, traveling, running, reading, and listening to music. I try to take everyday as a blessing and live my life to the fullest.