Lyric Essays

The last essays that were read during this unit I found very interesting.

I especially enjoyed reading The Death of the Moth by Virginia Woolf. I thought it was amazing how Woolf could expand her writing so much about a very small event in time. Who hasn’t seen an insect die an agonizing death at their windowsill? Throughout the reading I just wanted to tell the narrator to free that moth of its burden. I guess she did not do so due to the same reason I didn’t release the creature of its misery, reason being that I didn’t find the creature significant enough to save. I liked her indirect way of speaking about life and death through the subject of the death of the moth. She implies rather than states what it is that she is feeling/thinking through this particular scene. Because I am not that great at expressing my feelings I think that this type of writing is one that I could get away with.

Another essay that I enjoyed reading was Three Voices by Bhanu Kapil Rider. I love the way that she has written this piece, in the collage format that was mentioned in our readings. I would like to achieve this type of writing, being able to compose something that may not make sense to anyone else but makes perfect sense to me. And maybe that’s what really drew me into this piece of writing, trying to understand the point of it all. This format I would like to take into some of my own writing, I tend to follow that standard essay format and don’t allow room for creativity.

Peace ------>>

The wind embraced me as we walked over to the playground. I was away from home but I felt closer than ever. I felt like I was flying. While the rest of my classmates ran around the sand pit, went up the slide in reverse direction, I took in the moment and took a deep breath. I felt peace.

*

Again I felt myself zoning out and yet I was so focused. The air was salty. The breeze cleansed my soul. The smooth sand caressed my feet. I was alone but very much accompanied. Though the water brushed painstakingly past my legs I no longer felt it after a while. I was immersed in love with the beauty of nature.

**

Where did it all go? My mind races but nothing is accomplished. I no longer have that tranquility.


***

A Walk Down Cellular Lane

In high school, I had no other means of technology related communication besides my house phone. My parents did not think that it was necessary for me to have a cell phone and I really did not care for one anyways. I did not have a real need for it, all I basically did was go from home to school and back and if I did have a need for it there was always somebody else with a cell phone. But my friends thought that it was weird that I didn’t have a cell phone. I recall a picture that my friends and I took at a football game; the pose was pretend to be talking on your cell phone and there I was smiling happily using my hand as a cell phone.

Nowadays, my phone is always on me. Yesterday in particular, though, I was rushing out the door, and I forgot my phone at home. I always somehow manage to remember to get my phone off my bed, but today I picked it up from my cozy bed and placed it on my keyboard… mistake. It didn’t take me long to realize that I had left my phone behind. I don’t even use it that much but I could tell how much I am attached to it. Throughout the entire day I had no idea what time it was, clocks now seem to be nonexistant. Finally, I arrived at home, 9 messages awaited me.

I use my cell phone as an alarm clock. I set it every night according to my schedule for the next day. I have set it to ring the most annoying sound that it could possibly make to wake me in the morning. I think I may be traumatized with that alarm clock sound. I hate it so much that it forces me to wake up and turn the racket off. But if I were to have it any other way I would probably just snooze right through it.

Short-lived

Though this assignment seemed simple I soon realized that it would be more difficult than I thought as I made several attempts at looking out a window in various locations. I first attempted to look out the hospital window where I volunteer but I kept getting interrupted, go figure! Then, I again attempted to complete the assignment while looking out the light rail window but the smooth motions of it kept putting me to sleep. Finally, I was able to concentrate at Noble library… well sort of.

The days have been absolutely beautiful lately. It is neither scorching hot nor cold enough that a sweater is necessary. The weather is perfect and can be felt even as I stare out the cobweb infested window. Students have shorts and tank tops on as well as stylish sunglasses on. I see a cute summer dress that I want.

I continue to stare out the window and realize that I had never seen so many bike racks before and wonder whether they have just been installed. I’m pretty sure that they haven’t because I would have seen more activity in that area as I pass by this area at least every other day. My attention is then drawn to a guy that is riding his bike with no hands and am impressed and wish I could be as talented. This ambition is short-lived though when I see another student whizzing by with a yellow bike similar to one that I own. This bike now sits in our garage collecting dust; the frame is crooked as a result of an accident that I had with it. I crashed into a stationary car.

Out of the corner of my eye I detect a back and forth motion. I direct my attention to this moving object. The student is walking from side to side while on his cell phone. He then hops on top of an elevated brick wall and begins to use it as a tightrope. When I am finally relaxed and enjoying the balancing act I realize that I am much too comfortable and that I need to be worrying about the assignments that I have due tonight and the practical I have yet to prepare for. I begin to panic a little. I pull out my laptop, another short-lived moment.

Dining Experience: Past & Present

As I opened up the door to the entrance of the Taylor place dining hall, I caught my reflection in the transparent door. A slender girl with more arms and legs than body stared back at me. My hair pulled back and held together with a headband, because there was no time this morning to actually put any thought or effort into a decent hairstyle. I was joined by a few others from work who wanted to dine in an inexpensive way and at the same time still eat as much as one possibly could take, thus the buffet menu was the perfect choice for us.

The dining area is very chic, the dangling string separators, the neon chairs and the accompanied pop music invite the college vibe into the place. Although classier than my elementary school cafeteria, consisting of a bunch of hyperactive kids sustained by rows of long tables, I can’t help but reminisce back to those times. The only big difference is that this place actually serves soft drinks and French vanilla cappuccino. The only drink that was allowed on school premises was that of 2% milk or my favorite, chocolate milk. I invite my coworkers to reflect along with me, but not all were in agreement of having missed such dining experiences.

Before long I realize that I only have a half hour break and rush to stuff as much food in my mouth as I could handle. Not too much different from what was experienced in the cafeteria/auditorium of my grade school, but instead of scrambling to be released into the great outdoors of the playground I am forced to enter into a confined space with only a computer screen to stare at. The drive for the rest of day is the to go M&M cookies I snuck off with.