As a consumer, it is important to remember that, though we want the best product, the company selling it is out there to do one thing: make money. However, even keeping this in mind, there are conventions that seem like they should not be broken, even just to make a dime.
Pepsi, Chocolate Chips, and Pizza (Or How I Got My Degree)
I soon graduate with my Bachelor’s degree, and that’s no small feat! As an English major, the main facet of my education is reading books and writing papers. On average, I read between 20 and 30 books a semester, depending on the particular courses that I am taking. I average upwards of 20 hours for writing a single term paper; I normally compose about three at the same time. I also work for the Library on my off days. Needless to say, my time is in high demand.
Arguably, the Ides of March is known most for its mention in Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar. Some people are even able to recall the exact date by heart, March 15th. However, knowing the actual significance of the term is a different matter entirely. So, what is the Ides of March?
Academic writing is completely different from any other kind of writing; it requires a type of thinking that has to be learned and developed over time. The first step in writing an effective research paper is choosing a topic. For me, coming up with the idea of what to write about always happens one of two ways; it either begins with a vague thought that develops into a general idea the day before the proposal is due, or it strikes all at once in a moment of manic epiphany complete with excruciating detail demanding to be composed immediately.
After this last round of considerable snow, I made a discovery. Snow has this amazing tendency to highlight little things, tiny little details that don’t really have a bearing on your life at other times. For instance, the fact that I don’t own a shovel generally has zero impact on my life. Looking at the three foot pile of snow blocking my car in the wake of the snow plow, however, causes this tiny little detail to suddenly become the most egregious oversight of my entire life.
Hollywood has been converting books into movies for ages. However, in the more recent years, there has been a surge of popularity in this method. This, at first, seems a little odd. After all, doesn’t the public want to see new, creative movies with shiny new storylines? I know that I personally love nothing more than a good story. When you think about it, though, making movies out of books is a very smart move for filmmakers.
Normally, grammatical infractions don’t bother me, at least not in conversation; I chalk them up to dialectical differences. However, one thing that drives me crazy in literary discussion is the use of the descriptors "classic" and "classical" interchangeably. These two terms are not synonymous.
Having recently moved to living on my own, I’ve discovered that fish don’t make the best companions for daily life. However, in choosing a new pet, I ran into a series of problems. I’m not a dog person. I’m allergic to cats. I don’t like the smell of hamsters. My apartment complex would not let me have a reptile, and birds make far too much noise. It seemed to be a dismal plight – I was doomed not to have a companion.
I recently had both the necessity and the pleasure to do a close reading of Ralph Ellison’s book, Invisible Man. The prose is incredibly frantic, but in that way that perfectly complements the mentality of the narrator. The imagery is vivid, bordering on the edge of graphic. The content is wrenching as it strips away the illusions of society and exposes the raw flesh of a man beaten by social expectation. However, I have to posit that Ellison’s true genius is in the blank spaces, in what he doesn’t say.
The Mayan Doomsday passed, leaving me to celebrate a very, merry holiday season with my family. However, as the sun came up over the horizon of 2013, I found myself uneasily looking at the aftermath of my Christmas wishes. Admittedly, I teeter on the precipice between book love and book obsession, so it really isn’t difficult to figure out what to get me for Christmas. With the passing of another year, I find that I’ve added even more to the list of books that I need/want to read.
