It's Only the Beginning...

Although this semester has come to an end and our Monday meetings will no longer take place, I feel confidant that I leave this semester a better writer. I enjoyed multiple aspects of this class most importantly the knowledge I have obtained. Unlike past classes I'm sure that this knowledge has been embedded into my writing conscious. My goal is to continue this journey and evolution. Writing has been and will be an important aspect of my life. My experience with writing is vital to my teaching endeavors and my ultimate goal.

My ultimate goal some day is to make a living writing stories that impact generations and tell stories that defy social norms.

I challenge myself today to write this summer and start drafting a manuscript for a collection of short stories titled 'Train Stations & Laundry Mats'.

The Drive for Adrenaline

The guy that sky dived and created the flying suit with Red Bull was such an inspiration. At times I believe people are bored for a specific reason. People like recording artist tend to allow me to think this way. People are extremely talented and use their talents in a positive way. They have drive for what ever they are passionate about.

This guy was driven by the adrenaline and the idea that he could defy gravity even if it was just for a few seconds. He worked years for only seconds and minutes worth of results and that is a reflection of his dedication.

Open Mic Night

Open mic night was cool. Initially I was skeptical about how this was going to come about but in the end I enjoyed the experience. Watching and listening to everyone was fun and exciting. Even reading my piece was not as nerve wrecking as I thought it would be.

I hope that the next open mic is done in a room setting so that the distractions are minimal and the experience can be more personal. I think the connection between the literature and the audience will be greater in a room setting than out in the open.

Overall, I enjoyed the experience. Next time I will be more animated and add more character to the read.

Please Vote!!

UM-Ann Arbor sponsored a University of Michigan only video competition to create the best 30 second - 1 minute video to get students to fill out their 2010 Census.

We would greatly appreciate your support as fellow UM-Dearborn students to help us win and represent our university!

You are allowed to vote twice a day, every day until March 16th, so please get out there and vote!

Go to this link:

What's been happening...

During the break and this last week I've been focused on my documentary. Also, I have been filming and editing some side projections. I've come to the conclusion that I really enjoy film making. It combines my passion for writing creative pieces and storytelling and an artistic visual outlet to enhance my work. I don't think I'll change majors, education will always be my number one interest. However film seems to be a hobby and a way for me to express myself artistically.

I've also been planning some volunteer work for this spring/summer. This year I will be able to participate in A.S.B. in Biloxi, Mississippi. It will be a great experience to go down there and join forces with Habitat for Humanity. I will also be filming with my buddies and working on a piece we will show at our bi-annual showcase.

Outside of these items, I've been trying to relax and get rest.

Post Secrets

The posts on Post Secrets can be similar in many ways. The posts give us images. Just like in poetry imagery is key in a powerful piece. Also, there is a underlining meaning that may not be obvious if read or viewed literally. These posts have meaning and relate a story, or message. They are short, and depending on your prior knowledge or life experiences you can understand or take a different meaning from the post just like a poem.

A Shipwreck I Am

A Shipwreck I Am

When the waters flood the imperfections that make you who you are

It humbles you to understand you can not explore alone,

the navigator can never be you alone;

After the first storm has passed you recover and set out to sea,

but after many storms you seem to never recover,

you carry the irritation of the tides the corrosion of the winds,

damaged just a little more every time;

Waiting for the calm seas to arrive in the mist of the whirlwind,

for a moment you come to a surmise,

perhaps I should allow to be swallowed by the sea;

At that same moment the thunder no longer roars,

Your position has been shifted,

and once again you are blemished with the scars of the storm;

This time you look at your reflection,

Your carves figure is lacerated,

You begin to float ashore in many pieces,

not sure if you will ever set out to sea again;

When pain transcends the boundaries of your emotions,

compelling you to confront the past of your journey,

it allows you to realize how grateful you should be, just to be afloat.

A shipwreck I am.

Haiku

In An Instance

Slippery roads, STOP!

Lights, signs, sidewalk, people, CRASH!

Breath, heartbeat, no more.


by: Daniel J. Rodriguez

Lo Que Esta Pasando...What is Happening...

I'm currently working with the school of education in Ann Arbor to find scholarships for next year. Since I will be transferring after this semester, I have to make an impression on the SOE in Ann Arbor. They have pressured me to complete many scholarship applications and it feels like I have another course this semester - Scholarship 101. Do I feel a bit overwhelmed right now? Yes. However, it's through the pressure and adversity that we grow.

The poetry segment we are starting has been interesting and fun. I have been able to indulge myself in an area I've always wanted to learn more about. Poetry seems to be under appreciated due to the influence of music on young people. Although lyric is a type of poetry, there is something powerful about the silence behind the spoken words in poetry. I'm embarrassing this topic with open arms and can't wait to learn more.

The Valley of White Flags

As I walk the field I mourn,
Nothing here seems to ever soar,
Slight whispers of fear and pity,
This is a valley not a city.

The spirit that lingers here speaks softly,
Yet pleasing it is costly,
A heartbeat has always been its foe,
That is why the story is never told.

Many lay on the pavement,
White and without pigment,
Each one looking exactly the same,
Yet each one a different name.

There seems to not be any hope,
All have decided they could not cope,
This is how they chose to go,
Their flags wave as the wind blows.

It is the ending of false torture,
Due to a superficial culture,
They indulged in a fatal serenity,
Now loneliness is an eternity.

by: Daniel Rodriguez (Inspired by a photo)

Poem Reflections

The Shout

by: Simon Armitage

This poem presents a scenario that is not common. It begins describing the author with a young man. The poems message or meaning is not easily understood. We know from the details provided, they are in Australia. I find it very interesting how the author ends the poem. "The boy with the name and face I don't remember, you can stop shouting now, I can still hear you." It is powerful how he can not remember the young man's face or name, but he can still hear him. Can it be that he his haunted by this young mans death? Can he hear the agony of the young man? Does he in some way feel responsible for this young man's death? All this questions allows the reader to make many assumptions as to the purpose of the poem. This is why I find this poem interesting.

Names We Sing in Sleep & Ange

by Amaud Jamaul Johnson

I found this poem interesting because it "hit so close to home" with my own personal life. I too had my three best friend from high school join the military. All three are in dangerous territory, in the middle east. I found it surprising how similar the poem was to my own emotions. I find it bitter sweet to know one day I will come across their path and have an education and career and not know where they will be in their life. If they are even alive at all. I think the ending to this poem is thought provoking. Do our military men face life at a faster speed than we do here in are everyday life? I think so, they face death as young men, while we may face death later on in life. They come to terms with losing loved ones, before we ever do. This poem is will written and the emotion can be felt through this poem.

Color

by Christina Rossetti

This poem's pattern is what I found pleasant. The questioned followed by an answer was interesting and enticing. The rhyme in the poem also helps the flow of reading. It's interesting to see how people view colors. I have my own ideas as to how I would express colors. Everybody has a different perspective and that is what makes this poem original and pretty cool.

Deep in Our Refrigerator

by Jack Prelutsky

Funny! I found this poem humorous and yet thought provoking with much more substance than its surface may seem. I could relate to the other, because my mother at times does the same thing. I have never thought of a poem about it. I think it's interesting how it seems simple to just throw away the useless items into the garbage, yet his mother won't do it. And the cycle continues and continues... How about how this relates to life in a deeper meaning? This is now one of my favorite poems - interesting.