Entry Twenty One: Different in POV

Told from Kailey's point of view...

Thinking to herself.. "This rain is really coming down, I can barely see"

Pulling into Tracey and Elizabeth's apartment complex the car plows through the already expanding puddle.

Kailey gets out and pulls her hood over her long brown hair. 

"Shit! Shit, shit, shit!" Kailey screams as her size six feet jump from puddle to puddle on her way up the wooden stairs. Outside for only a matter of seconds and she is already soaked. Bounding up the stairs she notices that all lights are off in Tracey and Elizabeth's apartment; "Those bitches better let me in quick, it's freaking cold out here"

As she walks towards the front door she knocks and waits....and waits....

Knock, knock, knock rapping on the door more forcefully, thinking "What the hell is going on?!?"

She pulls out her phone and dials Amanda's number. No Answer. 

Seconds later Kailey feels her phone vibrate in her hand, the screen reads "Roommate"

"Hello? Amanda where are you?!?" says Kailey her anger fuming

“I’m sitting at Tracey and Elizabeth’s apartment and there is someone outside the door!”

"“Amanda! It is me outside! Remember I told you I was going to come over? Let me in it is pouring out here!!!”

Entry Twenty: Character Biography

Elizabeth Brown biography:

Twenty years old

College student

Born in a small town in Missouri

She has two brothers, they get a long most of the time--want to kill each other the rest of the time

She goes to a big University

Excellent student but refuses to admit it

Plays basketball

Majoring in International Business

Parents: Dad is CEO for a large corporation and Mom stays at home

She has a Great Dane named Lucy

Entry Nineteen: Memorandum

It is hard to determine what my goal is for this short story. I do not like where it is at the moment and I am not really sure where I am going to go in terms of improvement. I want to write a story that demonstrates that I am capable of writing more than just memoirs and analysis papers. I want readers to enjoy reading my short story and not grimace at the end because it was too cliche or not interesting enough. I expect this writing to be better than the original copy, but I don't expect it to be better than any of my other final drafts and I am not planning on this piece making it into my portfolio. As far as expectations for my readers, I expect them to understand that this  kind of writing is the most difficult for me and that this piece probably won't be my strongest.

Entry Eighteen: Dreams

I am woken up by Lucy, my fawn and black colored Great Dane, who has decided to bound on my side of the king sized bed and lick my face mercilessly. The sun streams in through the huge window at the other end of our master suite. I love summer vacations. My husband left for work about an hour ago, but not before leaving me a post it note saying that he loved me and would see me tonight at sand volleyball; which we play with a few other couples every Friday night. I get up and go across the hall to check on the kids, knowing I should let them sleep a little longer before waking them up. We will go visit my parents and swim in their neighborhood pool, despite the fact we have our own in our backyard. I love getting to see my parents regularly and so do the boys, probably because they are spoiled by Grandma and Grandpa Barnes. I wake up and eat a bowl of cereal and let Lucy outside. After I've taken care of somethings around the house, I go outside and sit on one of the chaise lounges and read my book occasionally throwing the ball to Luce. I laugh as she runs across our freshly mowed grass; her long legs striding as though she is a horse in the Kentucky Derby. I hear a commotion upstairs and I know the boys are up. "Better go inside and get breakfast ready!" I say to Lucy and she runs inside insisting on getting to the kitchen before me. Sleepily they shuffle into the kitchen and ask if we are still going to "Grams and Pops'" today. "As soon as you eat breakfast and get your trunks on" I say. The scarf down a bowl of Lucky Charms and race upstairs to be the first one ready. Twenty minutes later we load up the SUV and drive the twenty minutes to my parents. When we pull in, my mom is already outside watering her plants saying that she has been waiting for us to show up! As we walk inside my mom hands me a big glass of iced tea as we head to the pool for the rest of the day. . .

Entry Seventeen: Conversation Revisited

The two athletes (presumably football players) are sitting across from each other eating lunch...

"Dude, I gotta tell you something"
"What's up?"
"You know Ashley?"
"Yeah man, obviously I know Ashley...why are you asking?"
"Well after you left last night, she kind of stayed over..."
"Are you kidding me? What the hell man?"
"I know I'm sorry, but you weren't going to do anything right? And I mean she came on to ME, what was I supposed to do?"
"Not hook up with her, that's what you should have done."

The one gets up and storms off, the other is sitting there looking like an idiot.

Entry Sixteen: Response to "An Interview with My Husband"

In "An Interview with My Husband" Debra Di Blasi uses formalism to add depth to her situation with her husband. I was able to gain a greater insight to the love she felt for her husband and the insecurities that grew out of that love. I felt sad for her because I don't think love should increase one's insecurities and I hated her husband for not showing concern or care for the fact that his wife was hurt. She used the techniques of flashbacks and lists to demonstrate the love she had for Javier and the lack of love she received in return. I enjoyed this piece and how it was written and think it added a lot to the story.

Entry Fifteen: 50 Proud Moments

1. Being Senior Class President
2. Achieving a 4.0
3. Being chosen as a Peer Advisor
4. Getting my subbing certificate
5. Staying close with my high school friends throughout college
6. I was able to go to Europe for two weeks without my family
7. I learned how to change a diaper and burp a baby
8. I go to mass regularly
9. When my niece and nephew were born
10. Organizing a philanthropy for my Uncle in Iraq
11. Maintaining all of my scholarships throughout college
12. I've had the same best friend for sixteen years
13. I'm close with both parents
14. When I passed the C-Base the first time
15. When I got into the College of Education
16. This summer I got A's in both of my 500 level classes
17. When I opened my bid for Sigma Kappa
18. I got slated for a position my first semester in college
19. I'm proud of my knowledge of KU Basketball
20. My friends can come to me with any of their problems
21. My friend Mikayla asked me to be her maid of honor
22. The friends I've made in college
23. I'm graduating early
24. I did well in my mock interview
25. I can make my friends laugh when they are sad
26. I have a close relationship with my grandma 
27. I also am very close with my aunts, uncles, cousins
28. I'm proud of my Irish heritage
29. I've worked at Hy-Vee for over four years
30. I've been told I will make a great teacher
31. When I got into Northwest
32. Each year, I grow closer and closer to my two brothers
33. I'm learning how to cook
34. I'm eating healthier
35. Of the writer I have become over the years
36. My morals
37. My inability to stay mad at someone
38. Having skipped less than ten classes my whole college career
39. I call my mom every day
40. My excellent memory
41. My ability to quote movies
42. My knowledge of pop culture
43. My planing abilities
44. My communication skills
45. Being asked to help coach the freshman girls team my senior year of high school
46. Winning Courtwarming Queen
47. I'm a loyal person
48. I'm forgiving
49. Skipping a grade
50. I'm proud that I was able to come up with fifty things!

Entry Fourteen: Nature Walk Poem

As I walk to my car I’m surrounded by darkness

With the moon as my sole savior

Shadows move around me

Making me question whether or not I’m alone

Even the crunch of the grass sounds eerie

I get in the car and lock the doors

The sound of Taylor Swift calms my apprehension

For the time being

Driving home I notice the stars

I wonder why they weren’t there a few minutes ago

When I was walking in the dark

Then a truck comes from the opposite direction

With lights so bright, they seem to mock me

And my fear of what is happening in the dark

I pull in the parking lot

And see that dumb cat lurking on around the place

I hurry into my apartment

Locking the door

Leaving the eeriness of night behind me

Entry Thirteen: Response to 'Follow That Cab'

I really enjoyed this short story. The form is what made it interesting for me because I was able to put myself in the shoes of the husband and wife as they were running around frantically trying to find the taxi and their suitcase. I think had the author of the story not used such choppy sentences, then the effect would be lost amongst readers.

Entry Twelve: Reflection

To be honest, I have not stuck to my weekly writing plans so far this semester and the only excuse I have for it is lack of time. I know that seems like a lame excuse, but I feel like I am constantly doing homework or projects or papers. Not to mention all of the extra stuff necessary for me to do for my sorority and my job as peer advisor. And when I actually have time to myself, I don't really want to pick up a pen and start writing, in face I just want to sit down and watch Lifetime movies with my roommate while doing the occasional facebook creeping...yes I'm guilty...
Now that Homecoming is over, I do think that I will be able to devote more time to my writing, and perhaps I will become more comfortable with it as well. I am not really sure how I feel about the fact that I haven't been writing mainly because I don't feel like I have stopped because I am constantly writing something for classes; but maybe if I make time I'll start to make sense of things that have been bogged in my head that I haven't had time to get out of my head....maybe that time is now...

Entry Eleven: Rewrite of "Praise the Tortilla"

I praise Irish Soda Bread in memory of my Grandpa
who so loved this treat, with its raisins and green colored sprinkles
whose face would light up when we took it to him after chemo

I praise Irish Soda Bread because it is so dang delicious
and thank God it is only sold once a year or I would be more voluptuous

I praise Irish Soda Bread because it's a symbol of my heritage
and the family I have been given for whatever reason
It reminds me where I came from and who got me there

Entry Ten: Poem Review

Lorna Dee Cervantes' poem "Poem for the Young White Man Who Asked Me How I, an Intelligent, Well-Read Person, Could Believe in the War between Races" appears to be coming from a person fighting a very serious internal battle. Cervantes finds herself in a conflict between the world she lives in when she secludes herself inside versus the real world that awaits her outside the door. I think this poem could make a case for being canonized as a great poem because it speaks to an issue that so many Americans find themselves battling. Throughout the poem the theme of conflict shines through as she uses words like "my land" versus "this country" clearly defining a separate feeling for each one. Many people will find this poem easy to relate to, which is something that I think needs to be considered while determining whether something is "great" or not.

Entry Nine: "Two Ways to Belong in America"

Reflecting on the reading, "Two Ways to Belong in America" and how the two sisters took two different approaches to adapting to their new life in America. After reading and thinking about my own life and my own values and beliefs, I would have to say that if I were to permanently move to a new country, I would find myself somewhere in the middle of whether or not I was supposed to conform to the identity of that culture or carry on with the identity that has been created for me here in America. I think at first, it would be difficult to dive into that new culture just because it would be new and scary and completely different. However, after spending significant time in that country, I think it would be important for me to adapt to the customs of their culture and try and integrate myself into the working community. I think that if I were to want to be successful in that new country, adapting to their ways would be almost a necessity and if I wanted to live their long term, I would possibly consider citizenship of that nation in order for me to have a more permanent sense of belonging. I do think it is important to remember where you came from, and for the most part my values and beliefs that have been instilled in me as an American would remain the core of my value system.

Entry Eight: Nature Walk

This might be difficult without any adjectives, but here it goes....

I walk out the main door of my friend's apartment and as always I'm slightly overwhelmed with how dark it is. Her apartment doesn't really have street lamps and when I leave at 10:30 at night there isn't a whole lot to illuminate my walk to my car. Luckily tonight, the moon is my guide and as I click the unlock button on my car, that anxiety heightens in my stomach just a little bit. Shadows kind of creep me out, especially when I'm not sure is casting them and the lack of sound is so deafening that I wish her usual party animal neighbors were outside going crazy right now. The grass crunches under my feet from the cold air, that consumes this place as soon as the sun goes down,. I get into the front seat and turn on my car, turn up the Taylor Swift CD that is permanently in my player and wait for my car to heat up. As I pull out of the parking lot, the anxiety in my stomach begins to subside. The stars are lighting the streets ahead of me and I see a couple pushing a stroller along the sidewalk. I think to myself, "What in the world are they doing walking their baby at this time of night?" as I momentarily pass judgement regarding the couple's decision for their own late night nature walk, I'm blinded by the brights of a truck that looks as if it could demolish my Camry. I turn onto my street and pull into my parking, turn off my car and walk to my door. The eerie feeling is still there as I watch the same cat walk across the parking lot that is there every week. I walk into my apartment and lock the door, leaving the eeriness of the night behind me.

Entry Seven: Response to a Blog

I randomly picked Jake's blog for this assignment and I decided to respond to his posting about the two buildings, which we wrote in our writing journal. When I started reading his post, I neglected the title (which gave away the name of the building) but I automatically knew what building he was talking about. As soon as I read the words "Its Saturday night. The mood is hyped up, the music is loud and the line to get in this old, rugged building is seemingly never ending," I knew that he must be talking about the Outback. I think it's cool that Jake was able to use so few words to effectively describe a place to the point that readers would know what he was talking about. I was put in the moment by what he wrote and was forced to think about that long line that leads into the bar and how cold it can be waiting outside, especially in the winter, because no one dresses weather appropriate and the atmosphere that is created once inside the bar. At the Outback, everyone is just so happy to see each other and forget about the stresses of school and other obligations and just have one night to have fun; and that is what was going through my mind as I read Jake's piece.

Writing Schedule

I will try to write for 15 minutes every day.

Entry Six: Fictional Biography

Biography for guy #1 (The one convincing his friend to go to Mug Night)

                My name is Brett and I’m a twenty one year old business major from Kansas City. I’m tall, dark, and definitely handsome. I work out every day because I am always trying to look good for the ladies. I would have a girlfriend but I can never choose which girl I want to be with. I come from a well off family and drive a really nice car that my parents bought for me as a graduation present. When I'm not working out, I like to party with my boys and pick up the ladies on the weekends. I like to play sports, especially football and basketball with my roommates. I like to have fun and am up for anything.

Entry Five: Public Conversation

·         Union during lunch time

·         Two big guys (look like they could be on the football team)

·         Plates full of nachos from Twisted Cactus

“Dude! These nachos are the shit!”

“Oh, dude, I know, MUCH better than those shitty nachos last year”

“So, you going to Mug Night tonight?”

“I don’t know man, we’ve got that test at 8:00 tomorrow morning…”

“Come on man, you know Ashley is going to be there”

“Yeah, that’s true. Well, man what time you heading to the bar?”

“I don’t know, we’ll probably start drinking at 9:00 and then head over around 10:00 or so.”

“Okay, well I’ll give you a call tonight when I’m heading over”

“Sounds good man, don’t worry about our test tomorrow”

“Nah, I’ll look over the nights before I come over…professors really need to stop assigning this stuff the morning after Mug Night”

“No joke! What are they thinking?!”

They finish their nachos and get up from the table, walking with more swagger than they probably earned and one winks at a girl at an adjoining table. 

Entry Four: Word Association Story

It's a Fall Friday night in a small town in Middle America. The air is cool and becomes even more chilling as the sun fades completely. The aroma of hot dogs fill the stadium as parents, teachers, friends, and classmates fill the metal bleachers waiting for the action to start. The lights shine bright on the field, as though the green field is a shrine dedicated to those fortunate enough to walk it. My dad is down there on the sidelines, the same place he has been every Friday night during the fall for my entire life, and for the majority of his. He's easy to spot with his tall frame and graying hair that once used to be as dark as mine. He lives and breathes football, it's part of who he is, his demeanor. Everyone in the stands knows him, and many of them are watching as he coaches their sons the same way he coached them fifteen years prior. As his players take the field he stands with a slight crouch watching to see if they are "doing their job" and "making their block" his voice is gruff but he isn't' at least not really. He takes pride in his job and is passionate about the sport, and it kills him when players don't act and feel the same way. After each series, he takes his players to the bench and depending on how the series went; fans might be able to hear him from their seats. People always look back to my mom and I and laugh saying, "Coach Barnes won't be too happy tonight!" to that my mom and I laugh in response because no one really knows my dad. To them he is intimidating and one of the consistent faces of Ray-Pec football. But Mom and I know that's not the case. We know that no matter what at the end of the game, we'll walk over to the sports building and wait for Dad to come up to us. He'll hug me and kiss my mom and thank us for coming, and then he'll talk about what his players did and did not do correctly and tell us when he'll be home. Usually the other coaches come up and talk to Mom and I and ask me how I'm enjoying school, we make small talk until we are both tired and cold and we are sure the traffic on School Road has died down a little bit. We say goodbye to Dad and notice that he looks a little tired, but if you really look you'll see that he's in his element. This is what he does. This is where he belongs.

Entry Three: Situational- Positive Outcome

It was perhaps the best decision I made here at Northwest. As soon as I met with my advisor and he told me that I would be able to graduate early, I new it was what I needed to do. It wasn't a hard decision at all, I didn't have to think twice or question my choice or ask my mom what she thought I should do. It was as though I was overcome with this huge feeling of relief and I new that it was going to be the right decision for me to make. As I left his office, I called my mom and shared the good news with her and ever since  I have never looked back.

Entry Two: Situational-Negative Outcome

It was one of those decisions that one regrets making as soon as it happens; yet it was one that I could not go back on. I decided that I was going to graduate a semester early, since I had enough hours completed and I thought it would save me some money. Yet, here I am regretting that decision with each day that passes. As I sit in my apartment and think about everything that I will be giving up by graduating early, a knot of apprehension tightens in my stomach and I am forced to think that maybe perhaps I shouldn't have made this decision.

Entry One: Introduction

My name is Emily Barnes and I am a Junior English Education Major here at Northwest. With this being my first blog ever, I'm not exactly sure what characteristics I'm supposed to include and to be honest it will probably one boring blog! I am from Kansas City, more specifically Raymore, and I live with my parents when I am not here at school. I have two older brothers and a sister-in-law and twin niece and nephew. My parents, brothers, and sister-in-law are all in the education field as well and I'm beginning it's just an undiscovered gene that we all share!  In regards to writing, I'm not good at creating fictional stories and that is what has always scared me away from creative writing. I can write reports and analysis papers but as soon as someone tells me to create, I freeze up. So most of the creative writing I do is non-fiction and usually involves my family. To me, my family is the most important aspect of my life and they provide me with so much material that I feel safe when I'm writing about them.