Blog Post Reflection - Cox Hall

        The Cox Hall blog post was my favorite post to write so far this semester. I liked that I could interview classmates, and that it was about a place we have all been to and experienced. I actually wrote that blog post in Cox Hall, hoping that my feelings on the environment there would show through in my writing. Both interviewing, and going to Cox Hall myself were various styles of research that I used in writing this blog post. Writing my post in Cox Hall also required me to think critically about which details are the most important to include in an ethnography. I felt that I did a good job of incorporating personal anecdotes with factual information about Cox: “Since the dining hall serves everything from tacos to coffee, the cavernous room has a refreshingly unique smell that is inviting and makes my stomach growl”. This sentence is one such example.

       While I really enjoyed how this blog post turned out, there are still a few things that I would change. I used the same sentence structure for the majority of the blog post. If I were to write a revision of this post, I would try to incorporate more of a variety of sentence lengths instead of only using long sentences. “Cox is the perfect place to go with a large group of friends because of the long tables, but might not be the best place to sit and eat your meal if you are there alone like I was”. This sentence can easily be split into two smaller sentences to really accentuate my point.
      Overall, I really enjoyed writing this blog post because it gave me the change to try out writing in a new genre, practice incorporating research into my writing, and thinking critically about which details to add to my blog post.

Proust excerpt analysis

“The Cookie”, and excerpt from Marcel Proust’s novel Remembrance of Things Past, is an eloquent tale about the wonders of childhood. The story begins with Proust explaining that his life and his existence no longer have any meaning for him. He accepts a cup of tea and a cookie from his mother, which he normally refuses. When he first takes a sip of tea in which he had dunked the cookie, Proust experiences such intense pleasure. “And at once the vicissitudes of life had become indifferent to me, its disasters innocuous, its brevity illusory - this new sensation having had on me the effect which love has of filling me with a precious essence; or rather this essence was not in me it was me” (Proust).

This feeling is that of nostalgia and wonderful memories of the past. The cookie represents the simplicity and ease of childhood as compared to the emotionless present. Proust explains, at the end of his story, that just this one sip of tea allowed him to see the world as if he was a child again, with wonder, curiosity and amazement. “The whole of Combray and its surroundings, taking shape and solidity, sprang into being, town and gardens alike, from my cup of tea” (Proust).

Heading Home Pie

I am going to name my pie Heading Home Pie because that is what is dominating my life right now: thinking about going home to see my family. I am going to line the pan with a thick layer of crust and fill the center with a mixture of crushed cranberries and brown sugar. I am going to put a layer of weaved dough on top to give it that classic and traditional look, perfect for the holidays. Then I will top with a puff of whipped cream and sprinkled with pumpkin seasoning. I want to make my pie Thanksgiving and fall themed in anticipation for the holidays.

My pie is created from my feeling of anticipation and excitement of going home and for the holidays. Fall and the holidays are my favorite times of the year because my whole family comes together to celebrate seeing each other and staying close. It’s during the holidays when I fully appreciate my family and friends for all they have done for me, so I want to make this pie in anticipation of my favorite time.  

Peer Review Reflection - Blog Post Drafts

I got some good suggestions on my blog posts that I will take into consideration. One of my suggestions was to get more variation in sentence structure. This is a good idea because I don’t want every sentence to be set up the same way, and I want to add more interest to my sentences. I also need to work on my transitions between paragraphs, so that I provide a smoother flow from paragraph to paragraph.

There was one comment that I don’t think I will use in my revisions. It was to use photos in my blog posts. My posts are on the more academic side of the majority of the blogs, but I like that it is more professional. I feel that adding photos will make my posts seem more “fun”, but I am not really writing about a fun topic.

Overall, I got some helpful comments on my posts that I think will make them better.