Journal Entry

Dealing with an Illness

When I started my blog I thought that I would be dedicating myself solely to creative endeavors. However, as writing is a wonderful way of dealing with one's emotions, I decided to reflect on what is going on in my family at the moment. How do you deal with the fact that you might lose someone? This is a question that has been at the forefront of my mind for some time. I have never been comfortable with expressing my emotions, so the last two years have been a real challenge for me. My husband's older brother has been battling stomach cancer. He has led and continues lead a gallant fight. I truly admire him, though I lack the words to say it. It has been one of the most difficult things that I have had to deal with as a wife, a mother, and a sister-in-law. I cannot imagine what goes through his mind on a daily basis, or where he draws his strength from. What is clear is that he loves his family and that he will do anything to beat the disease, including facing painful experimental treatments. On Monday we thought we were saying goodbye, today we have been informed he is being released from the hospital. It is such an overwhelming sense of glee to know that he is heading home and has made it through another scare. If anything, what I have learned from this experience is that cancer is a bitch of a roller coaster that no one wants to ride, but when forced to some people can truly amaze you. My brother-in-law is definitely a force to reckoned with.

Reading Acrostic

R ite of passage for everyone
E ffective citizenship is the goal
A ttitude is half the battle
D iverse perspectives and approaches prevail
I ndividual transaction varies
N egotiating life's course, the end product
G enerally indispensable

Writing Acrostic

W racking my brain for an idea
R eading up on the subject
I nventing new ways to say it
T aking a breather when I need it
I nfusing the piece with my voice
N ixing ideas that don't work
G etting another's opinion

Commentary on Week II Assignments

I remember really struggling with creative writing assignments when I was in high school. However, this is not to say that I disliked these kinds of assignments. I actually really enjoyed being given the chance to express myself in a variety of ways. Getting away from the traditional research paper was a rare a joy.

When we were given the assignment to create a writer's workshop blog, I thought that it would be interesting to see how I would do with my own assignment, essentially "putting my money where my mouth is". Therefore, I decided to try my hand at poetry because it has never been a strong suit for me. In some ways it is even a bit of a bugaboo! I find poetry to be a fascinating, thought provoking medium. I have even employed it in my own classes though it is not something that most people would usually associate with the social studies. Typically, I will introduce a piece of poetry and explain its connection to the historical content that we are currently studying. However, my students exposure to poetry does not stop there. I have also asked them to write poetry much to their collective dismay. In the past, I have had my students write acrostics. These acrostics are usually developed as simple mnemonic aids. However, I will also ask my students to use them as a creative means of connecting with course content. Therefore, in a deciding upon what to do for my first post, I went for the obvious choice given our current endeavor - acrostics on the subjects of reading and writing. As I was attempting to draft both poems, I felt out of shape. I can't remember the last time I dusted off my poetry hat. I am sure that my blogmates will notice that I probably should have sent the hat to the cleaners first! :) My poems are quite stilted in my opinion. I am sure practice and time would make all the difference. Maybe by the end of the course I will be able to crank out an item that rhymes and follows a specific meter. Who knows?

Great Sites for Writing Prompt Suggestions

For anyone who is struggling for an idea...

http://creativewritingprompts.com/
http://www.thewritesource.com/writing_topics/
http://www.timesaversforteachers.com/index_page0010.htm
http://www.creative-writing-solutions.com/creative-writing-prompts.html
http://www.davidrm.com/thejournal/tjresources-exercises.php