LOTSA LIP LULU

Journal Entry 111

By: Lori Zeth

September 1, 2016

My English professor's latest assignment was to write an essay that explains my thoughts about reading other essays about writing. We read several articles and passages about how to write, writing in college vs. high school, how to ramble on for five hundred words without ever saying much, taking different approaches than the mainstream would take, and much more. So, I am to write an essay about reading essays that discuss writing essays? I have to chuckle; and why wouldn't I? The irony is hilarious.

 Although I did learn a lot of new (to me) information, my favorite is that people do not write the way they speak. Inexperienced writers will write all chaotic and hardly make any sense at all. I would rather use language that every person in the universe would understand, and sound "dumb" than use language that doesn't support my personal voice. I enjoy words, speaking, writing, reading, and even listening. I wouldn't enjoy hearing or reading something I couldn't understand. I prefer to understand and relate to the text I am reading. If I am writing something, obviously, I want my readers to understand what they are reading.

I truly enjoyed Ken Macrorie's article, "The Poisoned Fish" from his book Telling Writing. I can relate to his opinions and views. I find myself judging people for several reasons, but mainly because they just look like idiots when they do not put any effort into their projects – work or play. People are lazy and either do not have a passion for writing (or speaking), or they are just uneducated. I feel sympathy for those that do not have the proper education and training to read, write – hell, people can't stop texting long enough to walk a straight line – or speak grammatically correct. I am not a know-it-all but I cringe when people just ramble, not making any sense at all. I wouldn't want to talk like I didn't know my ass from a hole in the ground. I wouldn't want someone else looking at me like I am an idiot. I know what I think when I'm judging someone. My own personal judgment toward others has motivated me not to be a cookie-cutter, in a dough-filled world.