A Writing History Essay -- Personal Narrative Writing

A Writing History Every great writer, whether it is a poet, novelist, journalist, or any other type will share a common beginning with every person, this I see. Where they take it from there is up to them, the choice is free. The common beginning is simple, even quite easy. It usually starts in kindergarten learning the ABC's. From there you learn to form and read words-the first step of literacy. In my opinion, writing can be fun, but it did not always seem that way to me. This paper will give a brief background on my steps in the writing experience; this is my writing history. Kindergarten, the first step. This is where I started to hate writing; it all began with the alphabet. Writing had a bad first impression on me. Every day or so I would write that long list of loathsome letters repeatedly for an hour or three. With that mastered, words soon would follow. This was not such a big step, not too hard to swallow. At first I learned simple words, things like dog, cat, and colors (if memory serves). In fifth grade I wanted my writing to be sophisticated and distinguished. That is when I discovered calligraphy-the Old English. It was like winning a shopping spree for the mind. Little by little I memorized the style. I used it all the time. I suppose I compare learning calligraphy to a "shopping spree" because it cost me nothing to learn it. It was all free. I used calligraphy on any project that allowed me to be creative. I got so used to calligraphy it became native. It was in me as if I was born into it; my birthright. When I used this art form time was lost; I would write day and night. Although I now hardly use this classical style in my art (writing poetry and lyrics), calligraphy will forever remain in my writi... ... beginning made on what I wrote; the changes the break up made were just as exciting. I wrote the "break up" poems just to get it off my mind and on to something else, like paper. Here's an example of what I was writing: "My heart is too much of a hole to to tell you to hold. So I say goodbye and remember you till I'm old. But I still live the day I found your love was fool's gold." When I was finished with writing "ex-girlfriend" poems I went back to my old style. I felt normal again. I was all warmed up like a track star that just ran his first mile. I won't blow off creative writing assignments like I did in junior high. Now they'll be all mine. And that's just about it-the brief background of my writing history. I don't know if I'll always write poetry and lyrics, I'm not sure. I could write less or write more. That's up to my writing future.

Building Aspirations

Educational identity is the most significant principle of becoming a successful student. There are many different majors a student can chose that it can become overwhelming. Young learners may not know what they want to study or take up as a career. I believe people need to find out who they are before they know what they want to study. If we know what we are passionate about we can find out what our strengths are and use them to decide what to major in. This was an easy question for me to answer because I always wanted to be an architect even before I knew the rod â€Å"architect† existed.The key word here is â€Å"knew' because I can't explain how a child would know such a thing. I can tell you the exact moment this decision was clarified in my head. It was Christmas day, 1994, when I was 7 years old. That year I received from Santa Claus: a T-square ruler, a clear 45 degree triangle, and a drawing board, which was Just a 24†³ x 30† polished piece of wood. I didn 't know what these things were, but I remember having this conversation with my dad. I said, â€Å"I'm so excited, I can't wait to cut this board up into something cool! † My dad laughed and said, â€Å"Oh son, that's not for outing! That's for drawing. I said, â€Å"How can I draw with a piece of wood? † He explained I was supposed to draw with paper on the board. Despite the change of thought, I was still excited. My parents always encouraged me to draw, build, or Just create in general. I loved to draw and I especially loved to build things. I would build Logo sets, birdhouses, puzzles, and Just about anything I could get my hands on. So I guess it Just came naturally that I wanted to become an architect by putting my drawing and building skills together. A few things happened between that moment almost 20 years ago, when I decided I wanted to be an architect, and today.Despite me thinking from an early age that I knew what I was going to do as a career when I grew up, I had several occasions of self-doubt where I questioned my ability to actually be an architect. These moments were almost always followed by an overwhelming sense of panic, the type of panic that occurs when you lose your sense of purpose and self-identity. At these critical moments I would tell myself that if I couldn't be an architect, I would become a nurse. I guess it was because my mother was a nurse. I didn't want to be a nurse, but that was my back up plan. In high school I took some art classes and a couple drawing classes.They made me think artistically, but not in the way an architect should. I went to La Sale High School, which was also a college preparatory school, but they offered no architecture classes. The classes they had for drawing didn't offer anything in respects to drafting or technical drawing. Drafting is the backbone of architectural drawings and to not have taken any classes on that type of drawing skill worried me. I was excellent at math and I was v ery well organized. Those are two strong traits to posses going into architecture classes. Despite some challenges I thought I had it all figured out.When I started my first classes in the architecture program at Pasadena City College, I painfully became aware that the skill requirements had separated the strong from the weak. The amount of time and effort that was required to produce the work was astounding and I felt I was simply not prepared for the demands. As a result, the work I generated was average and some days I would feel embarrassed to pin up my work next to my superior classmates. I shortly entered one of those panic modes I described earlier where I thought being an architect was all I ever wanted to e and now I'm terrible at it.I didn't know what I was going to do. Some of the students' were spectacular at drawing and I my drawings were Just mediocre. I didn't want to give up on my life long dream. I needed guidance and inspiration from someone or something. I looked to the architect Louis l. Khan. He said, â€Å"An artist can make a cart with square wheels, but an architect can't. † That quote made me feel better about my drawings. They didn't have to be pretty or pull some sort of made up meaning from them. The drawings Just had to work. Kahn expresses that architects communicate through drawing.It isn't about making art. It is about conveying an idea. That is what I want to do with my drawings. I was also lucky enough to find a teacher and a place to do Just that. My instructor, Professor Lee was strict, but she knew what techniques to show us young architects in order to become successful. She showed us proper ways to draw, build models, organize work, and how to research other project for reference. The class wasn't easy and there were massive amounts of work, but as long as we put in the effort and did the work she was there to guide us in the right direction.I was ailing a little less discouraged at this point, but I still wasn't s ure I could hack it in the program until we went on a field trip. I had no idea that this visit would have such an impact on my educational identity and make me confirm my thoughts about wanting to become an architect. We visited the Cathedral of Our Lady of Angels built by Spanish architect Rafael Money, which is located in downtown Los Angels, off Temple Street and next to the 101 Freeway. His modern-contemporary design conveyed a spiritual Journey that reflects the cultural diversity of the people of LosAngels. It is made from poured concrete, is 11-stories tall, and every angle is acute or obtuse. We entered the cathedral from the South. Unlike most Cathedrals we did not enter through a rear door near the last pews. Instead, we entered the ambulatory, which circles the interior of the Cathedral. This makes the spiritual journey longer because you are walking from the front of the cathedral to the back, and then to the front again. When you are inside looking at the altar you see a huge cross, which is a series of windows made from alabaster, a naturally occurring stone.The alabaster gives the interior a warm even glow. The milky light it gives also makes it very spiritual because it makes the cross look like it is floating. In this moment looking at the cross with light pouring out around it I knew this is what I wanted to do. I wanted to be an architect. Every move Money made in his design had a reason and purpose that was thoughtfully planned. He was not Just drawing plans to a building, he was making a connection with the people who entered the cathedral. It had become clear to me that being an architect was not about being the top in class r whose design was the best.It is about the concepts you make and how you can relate them to the people who are using the space you create. Piper explains it is a â€Å"†¦ Writer's Job to connect people†¦ † Together on earth. We are all different, but we have needs that can be addressed through readi ng and writing. Piper also expresses that â€Å"change writing† involves original thought and engagement. That is what architecture does. It promotes original thought from the architect, but at the same time requires engagement from the people using the building. It connects the people together who have multiple points of view.Even though I knew I wanted to become an architect at an early age it didn't mean I would automatically be successful. I had my doubts, but I never gave up. I still had to find out what I was passionate about. I could then use those emotions to create designs that connect to people. I hope that through these designs people will expand their knowledge. It is important to find yourself first in order to find your strengths. You don't have to know what you want to take as a major or what career field you want to be in at young age. So don't be afraid to explore.

Flowers Of The Attic, V.c. Andrews - 1188 Words

In her book, Flowers in the Attic, V.C. Andrews describes the tragic life of the Dollanganger children when their mother, Corrine, moves them to her parents’ house, Foxworth Hall, after her husband dies in a car accident. When the four children, Chris, Cathy, Cory and Carrie, arrive at Foxworth Hall, their grandmother, Olivia hides them in the attic. Olivia and Corrine must hide the children from their grandfather Malcolm, so they can still inherit his wealth. In the beginning, Corrine visits her children often, but eventually fades the children out of her life and abandons them for a new, rich husband. When Olivia oversees their care, she verbally and physically abuses them. At one point, she even pours tar in Cathy’s hair and poisons Cory with arsenic. Eventually, Chris and Cathy plan an escape, but they do not leave Foxworth Hall undamaged. As the children develop, they face various psychological and behavioral problems due to their extreme conditions. In particular, Cathy faces serious challenges in peer relationships, parent-child relationships, and sexual maturation. In the story, Cathy is not given the opportunity to development healthy peer relationships because she is trapped in an attic with only her siblings. Normally, during adolescence, teenagers begin to spend less time with their family and more time with their peers (Berk 2014). The development of friendships allows teenagers to explore themselves, develop an understanding for others, create a foundationShow MoreRelatedFlowers in the Attic by V.C. Andrews823 Words   |  3 PagesFamily history The movie Flowers in the Attic follows the Dollangangers as they try and survive the abuse perpetrated by both their mother Corrine Dollanganger who is approximately 36 years of age, and their grandmother Olivia Foxworthy, who is approximately 60 years of age. Olivia is known by the children as the grandmother. The movie opens with what looks to be a normal American family in the 1960’s with two boys Christopher Chris Dollanganger, Jr., who is approximately 16 years old, CoryRead MoreEssay about Analysis of Flowers in the Attic by V.C. Andrews1076 Words   |  5 PagesAnalysis of Flowers in the Attic by V.C. Andrews Flowers in the attic that’s what four children thought of themselves. They were born so brightly colored, but fading duller as their long dreary nightmarish days, held prisoners of hope, and kept captive by greed. The Dollengangers were a loving and happy family. Chris had meet Corrine when she was fourteen. After she turned eighteen they eloped. They had four beautiful children. They all had blond hair, blue eyes, and fair skin. ChristopherRead MoreElements Of Criticism In Flowers In The Attic820 Words   |  4 PagesIn V.C. Andrews’ novel, Flowers in the Attic, the elements of classic Gothic literature are present in profuse quantity, relating directly to the ideologies outlined in Noà «l Carroll’s The Philosophy of Horror, or, Paradoxes of the Heart. Andrew’s novel dements the ideologies of a late twentieth century America, directing her focus towards the perversion of the family unit through her incorporation of incestuous relationships and inconceivable familial abuse. The characters draw heavily on Carroll’sRead MoreWhat Do You Think Your Granny Will Be Like?1071 Words   |  5 Pageslittle Maggie feeding off it of all people. What can I do, though? We†™ve never met our mom’s mother Gertie before, so I think it’s better for her to picture an impeccable character out of a fairy tale instead of maybe a V.C Andrews villainous Grandmother from Flowers in the Attic. Well, on the bright side, will only be staying with our grandmother for our entire winter break. Then, on another note, while we re away, our feuding parents can articulate about their cookie-cutter marriage andRead MoreAnalysis Of The Book Flowers On The Attic By J.k. Rowling Essay1186 Words   |  5 Pagesalong with me being an extremely creative individual. My teenage years were long before J.K. Rowling penned the first word of the Harry Potter series and even longer before Stephenie Meyer’s had the idea for her vampire love story. V.C. Andrews’ series â€Å"Flowers in the Attic† was the most memorable and influential work I read during this period in my life. Not only was I wrapped up in the dramatic storyline, it was the longest continual story I had ever read, spanning three books. As an adult there