In-Formation

Author: Yulia Funnye (Page 2 of 2)

“Navigating Genres” by a professor named Kerry Dirk

I am comfortable to post things on Facebook or anywhere else. Although, I don’t do it often. I guess, I’m next level of introvert. People much older might have other difficulties with online posting. They are not exposed to social media at the same degree or at all. They don’t have as much connections to write to. They are less flexible in their habits. Speaking about habits, when they do post, they might use too formal language or sound like a written latter.

From  a few examples of titles in The Onion (a newspaper that was founded in 1988 at a college) the first one that made me smile were “I am under 18 clicked for the first time in history of Internet”.  Why? Because it’s close to the truth, for one thing, and “history of Internet” sounds peculiar for some reason.

On page 258, Dirk describes the rules we carry around in our head before we start writing in a particular genre. Some of the rules I carry around in my head are use shorter sentences; think of thesis first; thesis needs to be accompanied by three reasons. I struggle to write in logical manner. There is no shortage of ideas, but when I write it looks like I’m jumping from one to another. In reality, it’s hard to follow my logic, because I skip some steps assuming that it’s obvious. “Nothing is obvious” should be another rule in my head. The difficulty is all that omitting process happening unconscious in the background.

Chapter called “Shitty First Drafts” in author Annie Lamott’s book, Bird by Bird

Finally, somebody voicing an honest opinion about difficulties of writing. I’ve been waiting to hear this for so long! “Shitty First Draft” is  what I’ve been doing all my life, I just called them “drafts” and more then the first were “shitty”. So, no, I am not surprised at the chapter’s title, I am relieved!

Do you write a “down draft,” an “up draft,” and a “dental draft” like Lamott says? Ha-ha, very funny! I usually write those and more, because ” there is no limit for perfection”, meaning you always can make it better. The problem is finishing. When do you decide that this is it? I’m still not clear for that question…

I’m old fashioned I like to write by hand using pencil on a paper. Next step is to stop, go have some tea or do something else. Then with fresh eyes I’d go through the text with a marker. After this I’m ready to type and fix all my marked places. Next, I would print that out and after another break I’ll fix the printed version again and the process  of typing and printing repeats at least once more… or endless times.

P.S. Reading this chapter made me interested about the whole book. Maybe, someday, when I have the time I read it.

Faces of Freedom

Student’s name: Yulia Funnye

Course/Section: Eng1121/E106

Instructor’s name: S. Shcmerler

Date: 2/25/2019

Facets of Freedom

 ‘Go, be free!’ says my husband, when I leave him with our baby boy to go do some things that need to be done.  For me, it’s almost offensive: how can I “be free” while I’m away from my boys?! It does not feel like freedom. It feels like I’m ripping half of my heart out and leaving it at home or, at the very least, an arm. I step outside and look at the blue sky, white clouds and shining sun. The world is still there. Surprisingly, universe did not crumble down only because I left home. Now I can feel the freedom.

I believe, freedom is very individual thing, like a fingerprint. For example, freedom for one person could be the worst confinement for another. My grandmother likes to live alone, she feels like her freedom is violated when guests are staying too long. On the other hand, my mother can’t find freedom and peace when her husband goes on a business trip. Freedom can be different even for the same person at different stages in the life. I used to think that only odd people go to the movies alone, now I am that odd person, because it makes me feel good and free. Freedom has numerous facets. Now, let’s look at some of them.

Ultimately, freedom seems like a luxury. According to one of the most accepted developmental theories: Pyramid of Needs theory by American psychologist A. Maslow (1943), human development can be viewed as “climbing” a pyramid from survival needs at the bottom to self-actualization (or Ultimate Freedom, as I see it) at the top. In general, this means you can’t even think about freedom, or even about trying a new hobby, until you have air to breath, food to eat, roof other your head and, maybe, some money. Good example of priority to satisfy you survival needs first can be found in the autobiography of American minister and human rights activist Malcolm X, which he wrote in 1965. Malcolm X shares his memories about the time he spent in Charleston Prison. Malcolm X explains, how for the first time in his life he was able to focus. Imprisonment allowed Malcolm X to improve his writing and reading skills, probably because there he didn’t have to worry about what to eat or where to sleep.

Escape from reality is a form freedom. Have you ever lost yourself in a book? I know I did. It happens when you lift your gaze from the written letters of a book and blink confused to the world around you. You don’t see letters when you read, you, actually, see what you’re reading about. Lost in a book is the feeling when the whole world is in your head and it’s beautiful, and colorful, and full, and whatever you want it to be. There you can be free from rules, limits, and even yourself. Malcolm X shares similar experience of escaping reality in reading: “Let me tell you something: from then until I left that prison, in every free moment I had I was reading 
 months passed without my even thinking about being imprisoned. In fact, up to then, I never had been so truly free in my life”.   

Kids have a special kind of freedom: imagination. For instance, one of my son’s favorite games is to crawl around the living room, while hidden under a blanket and to bump into me, couch, fridge
” Oh! Who’s that? And where’s my Max?”, I exclaim, acting surprised, and my two-year-old is laughing contagiously. The limits of society, the “dos” and “don’ts” are not yet pressed upon kids. The freedom to see magic everywhere and believe in what you see. Magical thinking and imagination are qualities that should be greatly appreciated in adults, too. Imagination is very hard to carry into adulthood, but it gives you all the freedom you want, and that makes it so valuable.

Freedom has many facets. Freedom is luxury, self-realization, escape, reading, imagination, magic and much more. For me, freedom is now: when I turn the key in the keyhole, I hear my son running to the door: “Mama! Mama!”; when I walk in and breath in the delicious smell of food, and see my husband is standing in the kitchen with a just-flipped-omelet on a skillet. Ironically, family, new roles and obligations have allowed me to realize who am I and what I like to do for the sake of myself. Today, I feel more free than ever.

The Fear by Yulia Funnye (without jgpyq)

Sometimes I fear to look around and see that this life was a dream. What I have around me now is so unrealistic, so unbelievable, so incredible, so fine – it is almost unnatural.

Different cultures, different continents, different voices, different looks, different views
 and still we found each other and did not let it vanish and fade. This is the miracle of life, the treasure and I am afraid to lose it.

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