You know, I hate introductions. For some reason, I never start off all that well. Once the first sentence is down, I usually have an idea on where to go, but plopping down that first sentence is as hard as nails to me. Sure, I could start somewhere else in the essay, maybe the body, and then work my way back from there. But if I try that, I usually have to sit there just as long before I finally get something on the paper. I freaking hate introductions.
Conclusions, on the other hand... Well, they don't come easy to me either. While I might have trouble finding a spark in the beginning, I have just as much trouble in trying to bottle up that spark in the end. I always want to add one more sentence, or paragraph, or heck, maybe another page. Maybe a couple more pages! Maybe I should splice all my pages together and form a book.
These two problems are what precisely describe me as a communicator; They exactly describe who I am. It takes me a while to warm up, to put that first sentence down. But once I have that firm start, I get involved. I want to spill all my thoughts out onto the paper, or into the speech, or take more arty photos, or make long, rambling blog posts that you can read down below if you dare. In order to do anything, I need to get into a zone; Once I'm in my frame of mind, I can go on as long as I want while ignoring everything else that happens around me. I get into my frame of mind, and it can take a bit of luring in order to get me out of it.
When I write papers, I usually do it all in one siting. Sure, I go back and edit, trying to make the rambling argument make sense. But when I edit, for good or bad, I usually don't change a whole lot -- maybe a word here, a sentence here, perhaps a bit of clarification. I don't even do much outlining, since the outline I made constrains my argument. It makes me want to hit every point without much detail, and I guess I like that detail. It's what I try to put into my writing. Sometimes I succeed.
I usually try to put down my thoughts in a quiet room. Sometimes I need to go somewhere else in order to escape the video games and the loud, cruddy MTV. Maybe thats why I like to pour out my thoughts late at night, when my roommate is asleep and the worries of the day are put to rest. It's when I can concentrate best with no annoying distractions. The cool darkness adds its own reflection underneath my big loft, and that air is perfect for laying out my soul.
Visual communication is what I most improved upon, I think. I tried to overlay my blog posts with a few pictures, just so the reader can get the drift and the direction. I've noticed that a pictures purpose varies with it's context -- sometimes, the picture takes center stage and states your thoughts in one tidy frame, and sometimes it's a bit of scenery on the side that draws you into the written word by proxy. Written communication was always my forte, the thing that I was best at when it came to getting my point across. Maybe electronic too, but that's just written plus visual.
I know that this course really changed me for the better, in a way. It seems to me, however, that the best way to learn these skills are to go out and do it, and then listen back to see if the message got through. Thats where, of course, the assignments came in. I liked the blog entries and the radio broadcast the best, however, since both involved playing around with technology. The oral assignment was great, since I stepped up and worked though the editing process, although we all did our fair share. Actually, as I look back, everything but the plain old writing stood out for me. It gave me a taste of another way to get my point across. But I am far from a perfect communicator, of course. I still have a lot of crap to learn about my communication and my life. But I definitely grew a bit in that crucial skill.
Conclusions, on the other hand... Well, they don't come easy to me either. While I might have trouble finding a spark in the beginning, I have just as much trouble in trying to bottle up that spark in the end. I always want to add one more sentence, or paragraph, or heck, maybe another page. Maybe a couple more pages! Maybe I should splice all my pages together and form a book.
These two problems are what precisely describe me as a communicator; They exactly describe who I am. It takes me a while to warm up, to put that first sentence down. But once I have that firm start, I get involved. I want to spill all my thoughts out onto the paper, or into the speech, or take more arty photos, or make long, rambling blog posts that you can read down below if you dare. In order to do anything, I need to get into a zone; Once I'm in my frame of mind, I can go on as long as I want while ignoring everything else that happens around me. I get into my frame of mind, and it can take a bit of luring in order to get me out of it.
When I write papers, I usually do it all in one siting. Sure, I go back and edit, trying to make the rambling argument make sense. But when I edit, for good or bad, I usually don't change a whole lot -- maybe a word here, a sentence here, perhaps a bit of clarification. I don't even do much outlining, since the outline I made constrains my argument. It makes me want to hit every point without much detail, and I guess I like that detail. It's what I try to put into my writing. Sometimes I succeed.
I usually try to put down my thoughts in a quiet room. Sometimes I need to go somewhere else in order to escape the video games and the loud, cruddy MTV. Maybe thats why I like to pour out my thoughts late at night, when my roommate is asleep and the worries of the day are put to rest. It's when I can concentrate best with no annoying distractions. The cool darkness adds its own reflection underneath my big loft, and that air is perfect for laying out my soul.
Visual communication is what I most improved upon, I think. I tried to overlay my blog posts with a few pictures, just so the reader can get the drift and the direction. I've noticed that a pictures purpose varies with it's context -- sometimes, the picture takes center stage and states your thoughts in one tidy frame, and sometimes it's a bit of scenery on the side that draws you into the written word by proxy. Written communication was always my forte, the thing that I was best at when it came to getting my point across. Maybe electronic too, but that's just written plus visual.
I know that this course really changed me for the better, in a way. It seems to me, however, that the best way to learn these skills are to go out and do it, and then listen back to see if the message got through. Thats where, of course, the assignments came in. I liked the blog entries and the radio broadcast the best, however, since both involved playing around with technology. The oral assignment was great, since I stepped up and worked though the editing process, although we all did our fair share. Actually, as I look back, everything but the plain old writing stood out for me. It gave me a taste of another way to get my point across. But I am far from a perfect communicator, of course. I still have a lot of crap to learn about my communication and my life. But I definitely grew a bit in that crucial skill.
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