This week I set out to develop a plan for navigating through my blog, revising and editing some of my previous work, completing the peer review assignment, and writing my online journal. All in all, this week did not present a great deal of content compared to previous weeks. I’d say that the assignment that took me the most time to complete was setting up ways to navigate through my blog. Actually, I am still not completely finished with this assignment because no real specifics were given on the assignment sheet about what exactly must be completed. I already know that when people enter my blog, they will find a short paragraph revealing the purpose for the blog and a general idea about the contents. Then I want to provide at least two different ways that people can access my blog. One, of course, will be the Table of Contents that I created earlier in the week, but I am unsure about what the other will be. I know that people can access all of my actual genres through my unifying genre, the letter to the employer, but I don’t want to present this as a link on the first page, because viewers probably wouldn’t understand it if they haven’t read the other pieces of my work. As far as presenting my blog as a credible source, I have not done a very good job of this so far because I have not included my sources in all of my genres yet. I guess that is one huge goal that I am going to try to get accomplished very soon, if not by tonight. I really need to go back and view some of the information on credible sources of information on the web, because I have already forgotten a great deal of the criteria. In regards to the peer review assignment, I did not have to spend an incredible amount of time searching through others’ blogs for my responses or looking for ones that helped me in revising my content. For the most part, I remembered the comments I made to people about their work’s content and it was easy for me to find where I left them. Also, it didn’t take me long to choose three of the most beneficial comments on my work because these are the comments I have already used to help direct my revising efforts. I guess what surprised me about that assignment was that we, as peer reviewers, were not really suppose to focus on mechanics. I mean, is that some unwritten rule or something? I really had no idea. It’s possible that I read the peer reviewing instructions too quickly and overlooked that specific information, but honestly, sometimes the person’s content didn’t need changed when I reviewed it. It’s definitely a lot easier to pick out mechanical areas in others’ work because this is an area that we all have had a great deal of experience with. On the other hand, it was difficult for me to address content issues in others’ work because I haven’t researched that person’s topic and I am unfamiliar with most of the issues related to content. Therefore, I just tried my best to chose areas in my group members’ work that were unclear to me since I didn’t know the specifics of their topic. The primary process that I used to complete this week’s assignments was to get some of the work finished early on in the week and some of it later. As usual, I was not able to spread little chunks of this work out throughout the week. I’m sorry, but my weeks are way too hectic for that. Besides, I hate thinking about the computer and this class everyday. I have enjoyed this course and am proud of the work I have completed for it, but I have to give myself time to reflect on my work by not doing anything computer-related for a day or so at a time. On Monday, as soon as the assignments were posted, I began constructing a table of contents. I’m glad that I now have this finished because it will be easier for me to construct the way that I want to have people browse through my weblog. I also spent some time on Monday going back to some of my group members’ comments about my work and then revising in places that I felt needed it. Over the weekend, I completed the rest of the assignments and found that they really weren’t too time-consuming. At this point I have no questions, but I do have goals regarding areas that I need to improve upon in my blog. For instance, I need to just sit down and cite…everything! It’s driving me bonkers that everything is not cited and that I did not do this along the way. I guess it just slipped my mind, but I don’t see how because that is such an important factor in creating credible work. This won’t be too difficult for me, though, because I pretty much know exactly what information sources I used in each one of my genres. Another goal of mine for next week is to perfect the ways to navigate through my blog. This week I just got a general idea of how I wanted to do this, but I feel that it is not good enough yet. Therefore, next week I am going to work on revising all components of the “Tie the Threads” assignment, because I definitely still feel that the threads of my work are very loose. I believe that is all for this week. We’re getting closer to the end, but I still don’t feel that my work is nearly close to the way I want it. I guess that means all Thanksgiving break will be spent on the computer. Oh well! I think the quote below provides a good example of why I, as well as, some of my other classmates, are in dire need of Thanksgiving Break this year. Until next time…

“You can always find reasons to work. There will always be one more thing to do. But when people don't take time out, they stop being productive. They stop being happy, and that affects the morale of everyone around them.”
--Carisa Bianchi TBWA/CHIAT/DAY San Francisco, in Fast Company

The week’s are slowly, but surely, dwindling away and I am becoming more and more overjoyed. Soon, all that will be visably left of this fall 2002 class will be our weblogs and all of the various work found there. Despite this, I will take from this experience a greater understanding of the research process, accessing and analyzing online information, and how to apply this knowledge to create a one of a kind research project. Anyway, in regard to this week’s assignments, I set out to complete peer reviews on two pieces of work done by each of my group members, draft the about the author, preface, and acknowledgements sections of my MRP, make revisions to my genres, and complete my online journal. I must say that although the assignments did not appear to be too lengthy this week, it took me a great deal of time to complete the additional MRP sections. I guess since I was so use to writing the research-based genres, it was difficult for me to “switch modes,” to write about myself and the MRP. I don’t know why this was difficult because I am use to writing about these topics in my online journal every week, but it was for some reason. I looked at the summer blogs for some examples of ways to incorporate information into these sections and I found that this was very useful. Everyone had a unique way of creating these sections, while still addressing what was required. The peer reviews were fairly easy to complete this week. I used the same thinking processes that I always do when I reviewed my group members’ unifying genres, but when reviewing the references, I had to rely upon both the previous knowledge I had about APA style, as well as, the current 5th edition APA manual in order to provide accurate feedback about the citations. Also, I made a few changes to some of my genres, but I still must continue to revise them in the following weeks. I tried to get most of these assignments finished earlier in the week, but was not successful in this task. I know this is the worst time in the semester to be losing interest and motivation, but that’s what appears to be happening. I have spent so much time thinking about, planning, drafting, writing, revising, and reviewing these genres that I am getting very burnt-out on them. I just need some time to sit back and reflect, I think. But, alas, it is not to be...at least not until the end of this semester, anyway. Maybe a good pep talk would reignite my interest. I really don’t have anything else to say for this week. I have been at the library for six straight hours working on various projects (which is not at all unheard of for me) and I have not stopped to take a break once. I am hungry, tired, stressed, burnt-out, angry, and in desperate need of some visual stimulus beside this computer screen and these bright white lights. I’m glad this undertaking is getting closer to being finished because I can’t handle too many more nights like this. I often wonder why it is that I obsess over this class day and night, no matter how great or minuscule the task is that I must complete. I guess the answer to this lies in my drive to succeed, though I often wish I could just find a more time-efficient path in this quest. Until next time…

Surprisingly, this week flew by and wasn’t as stressful as usual. If by the end of a week, I don’t want to quit school for good, then that’s a good sign. I actually would never really do that, but I’ve seriously thought about it several times during this semester from hell. Well, I was getting use to only having a couple real assignments to do, so it took me a little more time to complete the few more assignments that were given this week. I knew that this weekend I was going to go to the country (way out in the sticks) with one of my friends, so I went to the library earlier in the week to complete some of the smaller assignments such as the peer reviews and the reference list. The peer review process is one that has become rather familiar to me, so I just relied on the processes that I always use to complete them. I have the format memorized now, so it’s pretty much second nature to do these. The reference list was also a task that didn’t require a great deal of work. I already knew what sources I used for my Power Point presentation, so I just copied and pasted those. The other sources that I have used in my different genres were already listed in my project prospectus, so I did the same thing with those. I haven’t really added any new sources, but I have chosen not to use some of my old sources (like the ones that dealt with Maslow’s hierarchy of needs and Gardner’s Multiple Intelligence theory). Maybe if we are required to do a sources consulted list, then I may include those under that section. Another assignment that I completed this week was an email to the instructor requesting a review of two of my genres. I thought this was a great idea to attain some much needed feedback on my power point and interview (two genres that I previously did not feel confident about). Of course, it’s always helpful to read peer reviews of my work, but in the end, they aren’t the ones responsible for making a judgment about the overall quality of my work. Therefore, it was nice to receive some suggestions from the head honcho in charge of this department. After reading the instructor reviews, I feel a little more confident, but not much. I still have TONS of work to do on my genres to get them perfected, and frankly, I haven’t the slightest bit of extra time to make the necessary changes and revisions. Maybe that will be a goal of mine for next week…but then again, it’s only discouraging for me to set unrealistic goals for myself because I know next week will be a whirlwind of papers, observations, diagnostics, and tests for me. There really won’t be extra time for me to do this. Just a little note…my mom just called me today and told me that she bought me a plane ticket for the day after my last final to come to New York until Christmas. I can’t wait and I’m so glad that I don’t have to drive this year! I think that will be the perfect escape for me and I surely won’t even LOOK at a computer until I have to come back to school. Believe me, there have been days where not only do I want to jump out a window, but I want to throw my computer out as well. Geez…I have a lot of built up hostility toward this semester. I swear I’m not a pessimist, I just think I’ve long surpassed my “breaking point.” Ok, back to the topic at hand. I remember back at the beginning of the semester when I was so worried about making my online journals “good,” and long enough. I have since realized that length really doesn’t matter as long as the most important topics are addressed and that the format is somewhat followed. I mean, I don’t exactly follow the format, but all of the pertinent areas are always covered. I’m just amazed when I think that completing the journal was a stressful task for me. Now, it’s like my weekly online journal is a form of stress relief. It’s also a great way to reflect on past assignments and organize my thoughts for future assignments. I know sometimes if I wouldn’t have written down my ideas or plans for a certain upcoming genre or assignment, I most definitely would have forgotten everything by the time I started to work.

Well, now for the biggie…the unifying genre. I have to say that this genre has caused me great angst. During the last MOO meeting, I decided that I wanted to do a power point as a unifying genre. However, once I thought more about that, it came down to a decision about time. Did I want to put off the Power Point, which requires a great deal of time and effort, until the last genre…or did I want to use the extra time when it was available to me last weekend to complete it then as a regular genre? Looking back, I am glad I went ahead and completed my presentation. I think it turned out decent for my first time working with that type of program. Reading my peer reviews and instructor review helped me to realize that I did an adequate job on that genre. If I would have waited until now to complete the unifying genre Power Point, I don’t think I would have gotten it done in time. I probably would have had fifty slides! Plus, then I wouldn’t know if the final and supposedly most important genre was completed correctly. Although I’m glad to have the Power Point presentation under my belt, I am now left with the dilemma of what exactly to do for a unifier. I guess the one thing my peers and I didn’t discuss in the MOO meeting was “back up” plans for our unifier, if for some reason, we couldn’t use the type of genre we previously decided on. So, here it’s Sunday already and I am still stuck. I’ve come up with a couple of rough drafts during the week and have thought a lot about what I could do, but nothing has really suited me. I guess if I can just get something posted, I can always revise it later (if I could ever find time) or even completely change the genre if needed. The ideas that I have come up with so far have been to do an interview for a TV or radio show, write some type of a letter, or do a newsletter that dealt with SLP’s working with ESL clients. I think the latter idea is best idea so far…but I just wish I knew more about how to do this properly. One question I have is if we are allowed to use a certain type of genre twice, such as an interview or journal entry. I would think the answer would be yes as long as we have completed the genres that are required to use and as long as the genre is on the list. I may go back later on this evening and write about my work on the unifying genre, but for now, I can’t say much because I don’t have any great ideas. I hope that next week’s assignments aren’t abundant, but I have a feeling that they will be. I know there is still a lot of writing and reflection that must go into this project. Even though after tonight, my genres will be complete, I still feel like I only have completed half, or not even half, of this project. The other part will be comprised of reading, revising, and reflecting upon the work I’ve completed for the MRP. I just hope that these tasks will come easier to me than the researching and genre completion. I believe that’s all for this week. The quote below makes me wonder if good ol’ Martha would have felt the same way if she were a senior CD. major this semester? Hmm?!?!
Until next time…

“I’ve learned from experience that the greater part of our happiness or misery depends on our dispositions and not on our circumstances.” --Martha Washington