Style Academy - Exercises

Combining Sentences

Those who are highly creative and productive learn to acknowledge, embrace, explore, and learn from their failures.

In last 1990, when I could no longer see my feet, I made an appointment with a Paris eye doctor who ran some tests and sent me off to buy some glasses. I’d like to blame my choice of frames on the fact that I couldn’t see them clearly. Or maybe that they were forced upon me, but neither excuse is true. I made the selection of my own free will, because I thought they made me look smart and international. The frames were made of dark plastic, with rectangular lenses not much larger than my eye. THere was something vaguely familiar about them, I could not put my finger on it. I spent a great deal of time in front of the mirror after I picked them, and prepared to share intelligent comments about the state of the euro.

Imitation

Sometimes, according to Edwin Teale, a gall gnat larvam which does not resemble the adult in the least, and which has certainly not mated, nevertheless produces within its body eggs, live eggs, which then hatch with its soft tissue.

Imitation: Sometimes, according to an unknown source, the best things in life which honestly differ between people, and which are usually not physical things, nevertheless are free, which usually means they can be shared freely too.

Style Academy

I wish there was really a school called Style Academy...
http://styleacademy.byu.edu

Anyway, I am really interested to start exploring this website more. Honestly, I probably won't do it on my own time, but if/when we have to as an assignment, I know it will be worth my time (and not just 'cuz of the grade.) I really liked the video about learning to combine sentences. I feel that, for me at least, the idea of run-on sentences has been drill into my head for most of grade school. They are bad, and you have to keep your ideas concise! But now, they are opening us up to a new style of writing. Yes, the ideas still need to be coherent within one sentence, but it makes it more interesting to embellish it a bit.  You don't have to sound like a robot while writing - WOW!

Not to sound shallow, but I also like how short the videos are. If a teacher asked us to go watch a 45 minute tutorial on how to use an oxford comma in the proper way . . . I might be a little hesitant to comply with that assignment. Don't get me wrong, I might find that fascinating, but I have to be in a particular mode for that lengthy of a video. And I mean a very particular mode. Because the videos on Style Academy run at 10 minutes or so, I am not only more willing to watch them, but I can recognize that the information they are giving is exactly what I need to know, without all the convoluted fluff to make them sound smart. ("The Oxford comma, also known as the Harvard comma, originated at - Princeton")  

So ya, I like to learn new, minute bits of information, but I don't like spending hours trying to find the answers I am looking for. This is a perfect mindset for our internet-run generation, and also a pretty good one for learning new things on Style Academy! I also hope that the activities in the videos will help me synthesize the information as I am learning it.

GASCAP Article

Sincerely, One of the Many Girls Who Cares
https://bemalleable.wordpress.com/2013/12/31/sincerely-one-of-many-girls-who-care/

G - She makes the assumption that most, if not all, the boys in her audience have had to deal will pornography to one degree or another, or have fought off the temptation of pornography.

A - She makes the situation more familiar by noting everyday instances in which sexual images may show up, "advertisements every week showing half-dressed women," "the beach or your neighborhood pool," "scroll(ing) through Instagram on 'women crush wednesdays'"

S - She makes the general claim that - If the world is telling you this is how you should see woman, then it makes sense why boys are struggling with this addiction."

C - She also discredits the assumption that when a boy struggles with this addiction, he will never be good enough for a Godly girl. 
We can still repent.

A - She acts as an authority by what she states in the title,"One of the Girls Who Cares" - she has seen the same articles, and been to the same beaches, she can see what is being thrown at them.

P - She is writing under the idea that most people think pornography is a moral issue, she appeals to us as the audience by addressing those who struggle with it, and not blaming those who may be the cause for it. 

Too Much Influence - Theses Proposal

Social Media has become a very big part of everyday life, and for good reason. There are so many good things to be done through social media; you can share your religious beliefs, catch up with faraway friends, conduct group work for school and your job, and help promote your business. Still, there is a noticeable unhealthy effect social media is having on the rising generation. As we become more and more dependent on social media, so does our self-esteem, and we become less dependent on face to face interaction. Here are my reasons why:

1.Social media has created unattainable standards for teens and their lifestyle. With all the images of famous icons and better ways of living, they put too much pressure on themselves to live the “right way.”

2.Social media causes people to make false comparisons with their peers. Posts are always showing the beautiful and adventurous parts of life, but it causes us to falsely assume that every moment of their life is beautiful and adventures, so we feel we are doing something wrong when those same results do not happen to us.

3.The pressure to look good on social media has become too time consuming for pointless reasons. We are too caught up in up dating that we fall to see the lack of vault that such routines have.

4.Social media is teaching that self promotion is an important activity, and it has blinded us to the rest of the world. We are constantly fixated on our next selfie, and fail to think of more valuable things around us.

5.Social media has caused us to become reliant on others of the wrong reason - components. If our selfie does not have enough likes, or post does not get enough hits, we mark ourselves as valueless. We are constantly reshaping our opinions to match those of the popular point of view, regardless of what we actually knew about the issue before.

I you have any questions or ideas about my reasons, or comments about the claim - please respond below! I would love to hear your opinions on this!

Indecisive-ness...OP-ED Free Write

So, I have never really tried to have a strong opinion on the popular topics in society. Honesty, my believe is that the more you blurt out your opinion to the world, the more the world will...throw it back it you, for lack of a better term. It seems there is always someone who wants to pick a fight, and is just waiting for the next innocent optimist to say something. (I have had teachers that admit to being this person) I realize this may sound like a very depressing opinion on things - but that doesn't matter to me. Although I understand the importance of learning from others and sharing your insight - I don't know if I am looking for the approval of others. I don't often share my opinion, because I am not looking for someone to agree with me.
That being said - what should I write this essay on?
Well, I don't want to write it about tv, or movies, or any of the hot topics right now (because, contrary to my first sleep-deprived post, media does not run my life.) Although entertainment and social media are being an increasingly important part of life, I do not think it should be the center of life. If I had the resources to go out and DO something - I might actually stay away from social media altogether.
Maybe that is something I could write about - the increasing dependence we as a society have toward social media, and how it affects how we see ourselves and relationships?
Hm. A stab at social media, while posting on a blog...yup.

Introducing - Yours Truly (that's - that's me)

Welcome! To my blog! Ya! 
Incase you are not sure of what you have just stumbled across, this'here's a Blog for my Writing & Rhetoric Class at BYU - (what a find!) You are welcome to keep reading if you feel so inclined, but if you were searching for a blog about the adventurous life of a Stay at Home Mom, I'm afraid this is not it. 

So, this is a bit about me. This is my first real blog, so bear with me. (I am not counting that silly blog that was made back in jr. high, when we all thought we were cool and had something important to say to the world - don't act like you don't know what I am talking about, we have all been there)

My name is Megan, and I am a 19 year old college student. I am still trying to figure out the "real world", but I like to think I am cool now that I am on my second semester. I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (jurst one of dem Mormons!) , and I have lived here in good ol' Happy Vally all my life. 
I am studying Illustration - and if you reeeeally want to, you can check out my art work on my instagram account - 

knutmegg.art (please, please, hold the applause)

(ya' know, just incase you're interested *cough cough*)

I enjoy many typical things - reading, food, TV, sleeping, the occasional video game, some social media.  My main passion is art, pretty much any kind of art. I have dabbled in musical theater, and I really like to dance - tap dancing is what I especial enjoy. 
I can also be described as a major geek, but I try not to obsess abundantly. Though, I will say my main squeeze is Percy Jackson. Please and thank you. Those books have been with me since I was 12, and they have carried me right though my childhood. I would say they are like my Harry Potter, but that might cause some confusion and contention about the hierarchy of book. But, I must move along, or we will be here all day. 
I enjoy TV shows such as Avatar: The Last Airbender, Dr. Who, Adventure Time, Sherlock, Gravity Falls, Psych, Over the Garden Wall, and Star Trek. If that is not enough for you, I also enough movies such as The Hobbit, Frozen, Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, idk - there are a lot of them. Anyway, that should give us something to talk about. Right? Maybe?

TV! MOVIES! This is what I live for!!

Well, now that I have just proven to you that media runs my life, I am at a loss for what else to write about. I guess if you have anymore questions about me, comment below and I will do my best to get back to you with an answer (or just write some completely ridiculous response)

Fair-faring friends, and I hope you enjoy the next blog you stumble upon!