too long to type (Assg. 12)

1. Writing a play was neither fun nor easy. The process of formatting was both challenging and frustrating. It was tough coming up with a good plot, characters with personality, and flat out writing it in general. I don't think I'll ever be too interested in writing plays unless I'd be getting payed a shit-ton of money... money I can use so I can retire early and go paddling for the rest of my life. The form confused me and seems ridiculous.

2. I'm still nor sure exactally what a personal essay is because I didn't listen much. Whatever the case I'm going to write about paddling or backpacking because it's what I like to do. It's nice because i can relate the wilderness to absolutely anything and gives me a broad topic. I'm sure in my personal essay I will take the story strraight out of real life and make it work. Any story from trail would work. Stories from paddling through the BWCA would work. Stories from the Quetico would work. Stories from Jellystone would work. Stories from virtually any trip ever would work just fine.

3. If i had to give advice to any kid growing up today I'd tell them to do what they do. Kids need to learn how to grow up in their own way. Advice can really screw them over because who am I to teach them how to be? They're not me. I wouldn't want to mess with what they have going for themselves whether it be science camp or play-doh. Growing up today is no different than growing up 100 years ago. There are different challenges and things to deal with, but challenges none the less. Kids will be kids and I'm not one to intervene with that.

4. I didn't find anything of what they had to say interesting. the sound on my machine didn't work. TADA!

way too long (Assg. 11)

1. Theme is not very important in anything I write because I don't care all that much. A great piece of literature doesn't have to have theme to be great. Take biographies, there is no definite theme in plenty and yet I'm sure you could find someone who finds it important anyway. I'm sure you could find plenty of other people who see a theme in everything. Sometimes you're better off without a theme because I have read plenty of books with themes that sucked that would have been better off without any. Honestly I don't really care, if it's good it's good and if it's bad it's bad.

2. I think knowing the right people keeps literature around for long periods of time... and having natural skill. I couldn't see myself writing something that would last that long or at all because I don't spend much time writing. Writing is not a passion of mine and if it came down to writing or paddling I'd pick paddling every time. I like reading books, just not writing and I'm okay with that. Authors and pieces of literature come and go and that's just part of life. There isn't enough space in the brain to retain everyone who ever wrote a good work.

3. If i could have a lasting impact on the world with literature I'd hope it'd be a haiku because those are pretty sweet. As a writer I could make that kind of impact by writing a sweet ass haiku awesome enough to withstand time. It's really not all that important to me. It'd be sweet, but I'm not going to spend my time at home watching Disney movies and secluding myself from the real world to come up with it. If it happens it happens and if it doesn't I'm okay with that. I'm gonna go paddling and backpacking and live my life.

"I am a thinker and I think this" (Assg.10)

1. I see a lot of trash in our world that could be recycled and this concerns me. It's ridiculous how much stuff we put in landfills that could be composted or recycled. I feel concerned because I'd like to have an ozone layer and be able to breathe?
2. All of my buddies have pretty dynamic personalities and I'm not about to write about one of them on the Internet... that's creepy and unsafe.
3. Wagon Wheel written by Bob Dylan (and then added to by Ketch Secor of Old Crow Medicine Show) is a piece of writing I like a lot. It's inspired me to go paddling more.

Happiness (assg. 9)

1. Happiness is the act/feeling of being more than content.
2. I define happiness by the same as above. My greatest source of happiness is paddling with my good buds and just sitting around in camp or on trail. Paddling and such brings me happiness because it's what I enjoy doing.
3. My friends and school kids have the greatest influence on my happiness because they're who I spend the most time with. My friends my relative happiness because I care about them and tend to feel what ever kind of vibe they're giving off.
4. Everyone influences everyones happiness, even if its in the smallest way.
5. My greatest need in life is to be paddling or packing in the wilderness or just hanging out up at camp with my good buds. This influences my happiness by making it better when I'm there.

Preview to Photostory (Assg. 8)

Possible Topics

camp, engaging, trail, canoeing, backpacking, summer, minnesota, friends

Assg. 7

1. I enjoyed writing haiku's this quarter, they're fun.
2. My strongest piece this quarter was probably "Home". It was decent because I was writing about things I enjoy and have interest in.
3. This quarter I have learned that writing is difficult and that it's neither enjoyable nor boring.
4. I'm not sure what kind of writing I'd like to pursue. I'm up for anything.

Creating Fear (assg. 6)

1. I'm not a fan of being scared. The only time I'm okay with it is when I know I'm not in any real danger and I'm with friends.
2. A lot of things scare me, like my basement when it's dark.
3. Madness is when someone is odd to the point of nonsense. To be considered mad by my book you'd have to say weird stuff that makes no sense.
4. Drugs can make people go mad, but utter confusion does too.

First Lines (asg. 5)

Part One:
1. Adding a core value, and the wrong one at that, TayFay was going down.
2. It was this morning they noticed the addition that had been made to the dining hall wall. Where the four core values were once draped above the kitchen doors now hung a fifth, slightly higher than the rest.
3. All remained the same as before. All but for a 4x12 plaque of wood suspended above the kitchen doors.
4. "Patricks not gonna be happy"
"I sure as hell don't want to be around when he sees it"
5. He had it comming, guess being in-camp cooking all summer got to him.

Assg. 4

Task One:
B. Connie's character draws the reader in by her neurotic personality. I think she's just a confused kid who doesn't know what the hell is going on, and doesn't get it. Joyce Carol Oates has Connie represent how our society can corrupt kids into basing life solely on the way things look and totally disregard all other senses.
D. This story most likely doesn't appeal to very many people because of how odd it is. It's written pretty intensely and can bring a sense of discomfort to the reader.
E. In the end I think everything clicked for Connie. And then she called the cops.

Task two:
1. one centralized character
2. easy to follow plot
3. regular sized font
4. small number of characters
5. one centralized setting
6. totally relatable
7. or totally ridiculous (none of this in between business)
8. no science-fiction
9. or fantasy
10. narrated by someone

Poems (assg. 3)

In-Camp

Abstained from showers
Becoming one with nature
Yeah, smells like success

Trompin' down board walks
Searching for the missing link
Oh look there's Taylor

Six rounds of cocoa
Loads of Apples to Apples
S'what camp's about man

Relaxed and easy
Hanging out with my good buds
Meaning where I am

Paddlin', swimming, good.
No place I'd rather be at
When we going back?


Home

Stepping off the pontoon to the boathouse dock
Time ends

You can see it in our eyes

We sit patiently in the city waiting until we can breathe again
Until we can live again

The daze that once surrounded us gone
No longer do we wander about aimlessly
Life is back

Hours of dishes and wood hauling await
And we couldn’t be happier

Because this is where we love to be
This is where we were meant to be
This is where I want to be

Sitting front row of closing camp fire
Leaning in on one and other
Knowing that it's the last for now but not for ever

Our smiles extend over the endless horizon
And life is infinite

assg. 2

Wagon Wheel written by Bob Dylan (and then added to by Ketch Secor of Old Crow Medicine Show) is a piece of writing I like a lot. I heard it first when I was on a bus from some place to some place and it seemed to stick. Every summer there's a song, that song that every time it comes across on the ipod play list the knob seems to turn itself up and blast the song over and over again. Last summer it was The General, this summer it was Wagon Wheel. It's not so much about the lyrics as it is the memories it brings back when I hear it. Hours of dishes, countless campfires, just being in such an awesome place with some awesome kids. It brings back the memories I miss the most.
The chorus goes:

So rock me mama like a wagon wheel
Rock me mama anyway you feel
Hey mama rock me
Rock me mama like the wind and the rain
Rock me mama like a south-bound train
Hey mama rock me

Sitting front row of closing camp fire, leaning in on one and other, knowing that it's the last for now but not for ever.

Prompts for the kids in my group:
Where is the place you miss the most and why?

Is there a set of lyrics that remind you of a time or place you love? What are they and why do you like them?

Autobiography (Assg. 1)

I'm Zoe and and I like anything outside. Trees, grass, lakes, it's all pretty bomb. I like climbing trees when I'm in the city and backpacking or canoeing when ever I have the chance. Over the next four months I'm planning on climbing the giant maple tree in my front yard and working a bunch to help pay for a backpacking trip this summer. I'm a big fan of T.C. Boyle, his writing style is relaxed and easy to read, each time you read over a passage you get that much more out of it.

Haiku:
grass trees rock lakes stick
don't sit at the computer
just go climb a tree