This week was a whirlwind of writing. The process of writing is always interesting to me. I like writing things out rather than typing it into a computer. I say this because often when typing in a computer I erase the previous work. I like looking back on where I started and then realizing how far I have come.
I know what I would like to accomplish with this project. It seems to have become a sort of self expression piece given the opportunity to write a poem for one of the genres. I like what I wrote to begin with but I know I will probably make more changes.
This week I tried to work on my powerpoint project. I struggled with putting music to the slideshow. I also haven't found pictures I'd like to include yet. I hope to spend more time on the design. The research I have done has all the information I want posted in the powerpoint project, I just want to make sure I gather the right photographs.
It was interesting to see how everyones moving along on the genres. I think the editorials are the most difficult to write because they must include supporting evidence. I find it hard to take evidence that I have found and formulate my own opinion. This usually take me a lot of time. I read the information again and again and finally I start to write. I just keep reminding myself to ask myself why do I think this evidence is saying this or why do I agree or disagree. Its a long process for me.
I looking forward to getting some feedback from my group and Mrs. McComas. I tried on my peer reviews to include suggestions on how each person could move forward from what they have already written. I dont expect them to take my advice but I didnt want to not get some sort of suggestion.

This will be my second time doing this journal entry. I did a previous entry but unfortunately it was erased. Computer Glitches. You have to love those.
I have to say this week I set out to finish the previous weeks assignments and than try to conquer week fives assignments. I was caught up in trying to refine my essential question and foundation questions. I knew what I wanted to research but I needed to centralize my focus and that took most of my time. I felt like a hampster running on a running wheel. It was on the tip of my tongue but I just couldn't narrow it down. After completing that, everything seemed to just fall in to place.
I enjoyed doing the website evaluations, it amazed me how much detective work you should perform while looking at information on the internet. I realize any old person can say what they want to say and that you must be careful at the authenticity of information on the internet. I'm glad I was given the tools to make sure I didnt' just believe everything I have read. My first frustration came when I had to research information within the databases of Marshalls library. It took a while for me to remember the steps we had discussed on the first day of class. When I researched my keywords on ERIC I couldn't come up with anything. I included Boolean operators to make sure I covered all keywords. The only time I got a response was when I used the word "aphasia" only. I got 0 results when I included other identifiers. I eventually found some information in Academic Search Elite when I used the keyword Aphasia. I found that I had to look through an enormous amount of results to find information pertaining to exactly what I wanted to include in my project. This searching was very time consuming. I hope in the future I can figure out a better strategy for searching within those databases. I think they will be very helpful in my future classes and they are a viable source to use when researching.
I really enjoyed meeting the class for learning how to do powerpoint. It gave me an opportunity to ask questions pertaining to previous assignments and catch up on how everybodys summer was going. I'm really looking forward to doing a powerpoint display for my project. I think it will give me a great opportunitiy to show my creative side. Hopefully it will shine through.
I feel I have reached a concrete moment in this project where I have touched on information that I feel I would like to share with my class and learn something along the way myself. I realize the weeks to come are going to be quite revealing in terms of expressing my creativity and pulling everything together. I took time to view how other people in class are coming along with their research and it seems we are pulling things together pretty well.
I'm going to start tackling things a little harder this week now that I know what I am looking for. I gathered that information this week. Now, its just a matter of sifting through that information and pulling out the most important facts and representing them in my genres.

This week I set out to complete assignments from week three and hopefully begin the research for week 4. The assignments for week 4 involved a lot of researching and evaluating the information we find. I searched all kinds of avenues for compiling the information I wanted to include in my project. This was to fulfill the planning part of my project. I come up with all these ideas of what I could include and then get frustrated in the process of trying to organize them. I need to come up with a plan for my plan. If that makes sense. I am experiencing that learning frustration thing. I spent a lot of time this week just reading other peoples inputs and assignments. I didnt respond like I normally do. I sort of played the silent lurker role. It seems a lot of people are moving right along with their projects. I still feel stuck in the decision of the essential question. I keep reading more and more information and wondering if I should change the route I was on. I know I want to research what I am interested in within the speech therapy profession. I know that the most important to me right now is getting more clarification on alzheimers. But I dont want to share the same output of information as Andrea. I tried to put a different twist on my essential question but it still pertains to the same information as her essential question. I thought about discussing more of the caregivers role and relationship with the speech therapist who provides therapy for their loved one. It's difficult to narrow it down. I'm still working on that frustration.

Also this week I spent time with people I dont get to normally spend time with. The elderly lady that lives next door to me, is always asking me to spend time with her. I hate when I have to say I am busy. This week I made time. She lost her husband a couple of years ago and they had always created such a wonderful garden. So I spent time walking through her garden while she explained every detail. I also spent time with my best friend and her 17 month old. Her daughter and I made dinner if you can believe that. She is a very smart 17 month old. Her daddy is the owner and chef at the restaurant where I work, so she gets lots of time practicing in the kitchen when he cooks at home. I also drove my dad up to Kanawha Falls where the Glen Ferris Inn is located. We walked and I sang to him his favorite songs. It was a week well needed.

I guess I could say this week was a learning week in more ways than one. I have come to the conclusion about my project. I need to continue the reading but jumpstart on the applying. I think I am being to cautious. I need to start laying some groundwork. I never really search a lot on the internet and I am finding myself getting sidetracked by the enormous amount of information. Before I know it I have literally been at my computer for three hours and still find myself in the same place. I will move forward tommorrow.