DSP reflection

It was extremely interesting for me to read the essay that I wrote over the summer. Not only did I get to see how much I've actually grown and changed as a writer in these few short months, but I was able to see how it was I actually changed. It's funny - you never know you are changing while its happening, kind of like how you never feel yourself getting older. When someone asks you on your birthday: "Do you feel older?", obviously the answer is going to be no. I did not think that my writing style had changed so dramatically. I almost did not even recognize the essay as my own writing! At the time, of course, I was confident that I had written a good essay. Now, writing a peer review to myself on how I could have changed and improved many many aspects was extremely easy - almost too easy. It it easy for me to be hard on myself, because that's just how I am, but I was able to have an objective perspective on this essay and critique myself in a healthy way, especially knowing what I know now.


Although this class is coming to a close, I look forward to improving my writing through the next LHSP course and/or writing course I take. I am excited about how much I have learned.

Thank you, Scott, for such a great semester!

A Word on Words (also social identity)

        Words are symbolic, you know? They have this sic quality called Arbitrariness. Spelled: A-R-B-I-T-R-A-R-I-N-E-S-S. It, like, basically means that words--like-- don't have to be related to what they mean. The relationship is arbitrary (look it up on Websters Dicktionary if you're seriously still confused).Think of the word stomach. What kind of visual can you get from that weird ass word? Like you can't really, it doesn't even really spell out like how it sounds. English is weird, like look at another word--a type of tree--Dogwood. Ok? Like I get that trees have wood so the part of wood in the name makes sense, but why dogs? Because they pee on trees? Well it's not like they only pee on Dogwoods. Nah, dogs be like, "Imma mark my territory on all these stumps cuz I ain't no chump," dogs will/do pee on Cherrys, White Pines, Red Oaks, Elms, Sugar Maples, Amur Corktrees, Japanese Zelkova, and even those lil bitch-ass trees that really just need to be classified as bushes. Dogs don't care. The tree probs has some deep, mystical linguistic history as to why it's called Dogwood, but, like, since no one knows or really cares about this history, the relationship between the tree and its name is halfway totally fucked. Word.

   So I like hope you get it by now. Words don't gotta be anything like what they mean. They're aren't like people, man. People, you know cuz hopefully you're a person and not a dog on the internet who's completely snapping in praise for my eloquent moment of clarity on the topic of nondiscriminatory peeing viewed as a cultural ritual and biological necessity in the Dog community, are judged by what they appear to be in society. Like I can have a sick tan, be under 5 feet, have the visible anatomy of a female, and be judged exactly as so. Like, what I mean is that people will view me as weak, like I need to be protected or that since I'm without protection, I can be taken advantage of easily. Don't take that to mean the complete extreme that you might be thinking. People can be taken advantage of in many subtle, discreet, and culturally accepted ways. Often, I feel that my voice is silenced, from my physical description, people will assume that I'm weak or shy, vapid and/or unintelligent--like a vegetable, apparently I can't take care of myself. Admittedly though, many days it's unreal how gullible or unobservant and hard of hearing I can be, but that's just me and doesn't mean all people with a comparable social identity need, or are, this way. These qualities and the frequency with which they manifest, add to the presumptuous attitude, based on certain factors of my social identity, that people have.

   But, to be real tho, I gotta confess to you, my fams, that I have in the past, like used the "faults" of my social identity to my advantage. Like, if I need something pulled off a tall shelf am I gonna get the chair, climb on that shit, risk injury or embarrassment,  and still struggle to reach what I want? Or, am I gonna get the tall kid and ask him or her, if they haven't taken the initiative to help my "weak" and "disadvantaged" person, to kindly reach what I need in a timely and effortless manner. Come on! If you were me and tired of the sympathetic bullshit people are spittin at you then you'd really get the hang of manipulating their bullshit to your advantage. It's a dog eat dog world (another shout out to dogs) so you gotta sharpen your teeth or let others sink theirs into you. Word.

  Once again, I hope you got it by now. Everyone's got an identity that society views and makes judgements about. These judgements are hella annoying, persistent, and something we all gotta deal with, some of us on a more daily basis then others. Like, even dogs have a social identity that people make judgements on! Dafuq is that! We even judge animals--living creatures that don't talk, mind their own business, and can't actively take part in human society! Like in The Lady and the Tramp, yeah once again a sic movie about dogs, the dogs are judged on their social fucking identities. Like the pure-breed cocker spaniel, The Lady, and The Tramp, that mixed breed Mutt, can't really be together cuz of the judgements society imposes on their different backgrounds and identities. But you and I both know that when tramp and lady mistakenly go for the same string of spaghetti and they their snouts almost touch that none of that society bullshit matters! They love each other and that's that. Like holy shit, who knew a Disney movie about dogs was such a powerful tool and way of teaching kids about the ludicrous necessity of society to pigeonhole certain people into certain social categories that they are unable and forbidden to disprove and move past?

  Like I said, dogs are the shit, words are arbitrary, and social identity is a curse we all gotta live with in order to make "sense" of the world. Word.

  If you're bored af, or were deeply enlightened and moved by this shite piece of writing, idk what to call it, comment about your social identity that manifests physically and the assumptions that society makes about it. If that's too personal, and you wanna talk about dogs, that's chill too, I'd love to hear that shit. if you're a cat person, and this did not resonate with you at all, GTFO. Literally.

When You Really Like Someone, but You don't Know How to Tell Them...

When You Really Like Someone, but You don't Know How to Tell Them...

You're like fancy organic fish food,

I'd pay $40 for you anyday to avoid fish cannibalism.

You're lactose in milk and I fear I'm intolerant...

intolerant because I can't speak in front of you

When you asked for my highlighter, it's like you asked for my soul

And I hesitantly gave it to you.

Like an indiscreet sunset--you--make--me--glow.

Bring the highlights in my hair out

Make me listen to Whitney Houston while sipping creamy jasmine tea.

All the bullshit I've never seen me doing,

I see now with the glare of your sunset making love to my eyes.

Oh God, did I really say that?

I know we are soulmates and you feel the intangible tension too.

Thanks for having the most perfectest smile and laugh,

How'd you know those were my fav qualities in a person?

You knew cuz I know that you know that we belong

Like we're supposed to sit next to each other in class

But you sit in the seat directly behind me.

The glare of your sunset taunts me from behind,

I wish to muster up enough courage to stare into the sun one day.

Ode to Cherise

                                                                 Ode to Cherise

Im the once and irreplaceable Cherise,

Don’t try and see me in light other than what I shine on you.

Let me go, so you are forever enticed by me.

Gouge my eyes out, 

slap me red and silly,

I’ll patiently wait here trying to write for you and about you.

Like a father and mother, you have been.

Five years old, ball of innocence wearing the plushy mask of childhood.

You, mother and father, bundle me in red blankets of passion.

Lift my feet and take my shoulders. 

I’ll swing back and forth like the restless summer shandy in my warm belly.

My brothers are jealous of my warmth.

Magnify the light on them

Reap these ants of life.

It’s a bug’s life after all.

I’ve never seen you click the safety on your gun,

And I’ve been shot many times. 

Build me up with smiles and eyebrows, defined and chiseled,

only to turn the magnifying glass in my direction,

I hope I did you justice,

kiss me goodnight before bed and tuck me in real tight,

Like Mother—like Father.

No, it’ll never be the same.

*This is an excerpt of a poem I wrote to my dear friend and artist Cherise Arthur, she taught me a lot about life over the course of our friendship.

Personal Narratives

Personal narratives are hard.  I remember feeling a sort of relief when it was announced that a personal narrative would be our final paper.  After spending a good week stuck in regards to what topic I would write about, I know now that I'm pretty clueless about myself.  I finally decided to just write about a recent good memory, one that I very thoroughly documented and thus won't forget any of the details (which happens a lot).  I still haven't gone in and made any changes to my first draft yet, but it was a really cool experience to see my own personal memory be communicated to other people.  Their opinions are really helpful, and I am working to write in a way that my memories will be preserved. 

Danny Ziegelman #7

Blog #7: My life and sports 

Danny Ziegelman

December 10, 2015

My life and sports have always been intertwined.  I loved playing basketball and flag football in middle school, but baseball was the sport that I dedicated myself to.  I had the best time being on a team sport and having a sense of belonging.  I think its definitely important to have a core group of friends you can call brothers.  That is why when I came to college I either wanted to be on the baseball team or in a fraternity.  Having a group of friends to support you and have your back at all times is really important to me.  Travel baseball gave me the opportunity to build relationships with kids that I didn't go to school with playing for my high school team (which was not very competitive) was a lot of fun to meet new kids from other grades and share something in common.  Each team had my back and I had theirs.  That is an important detail about sports, everyone there has the same interest as you, so its easier to get along.  I am proud of the background in sports that I do, I know how to get along with others, be a team player, get to shine when the opportunity presents itself, and have the support from everyone around if things are not going well.  

Danny Ziegelman #6

                                                     Blog #6: First Semester in college

                                                                                                                                      Danny Ziegleman
                                                                                                                                   December 10, 2015

            My first semester in college has been crazy for lack of a better term. I have never before in my life been in a situation even remotely similar. I had never really been away from my parents for more than a few weeks at a time and quite simply, I have never had to be on my own. During drop off, I was so scared I could barely speak. I was extremely sad and didn't know really what to do. Leaving my little brother was also very tough. He just turned 14 years old, but still is in 8th grade, so he still feels young and will always be my baby brother.
            I knew I always wanted to come to Michigan and it is the right school for me, but its size was frightening at first. A lot of fear at the beginning of the term. When things started to settle down after a few weeks and I was more accustomed to being a college student and rush was coming to an end, pledging began. Pledging has been an extremely difficult process so far, it isn't over yet. I can almost see the light at the end of the tunnel but when the day comes for initiation I know I will shed some tears. I have gone through a lot, and that just makes the end that much sweeter.