Three Heads Are Better Than…

Research.

What emotions does that word inspire within you? Do you think of pleasant hours spent in the library pouring over ancient tomes? Or do you envision a more modern scene of hunching over a computer screen hoping for that perfect reference to magically appear on the little LED?

In today’s technology-driven world, the idea of actually reading a book to use as a reference for a paper is all but obsolete. Databases and eBooks are increasing in popularity, meaning that students need no longer rely on a physical building to access credible sources. Research can theoretically be done just as well at four in the morning as four in the afternoon.

With all this said, no amount of open access to information has saved three students from sitting in the library tonight frantically searching for one perfect source to fit the last criterion for a bibliography. Library books? Outdated. Journal articles? Too vague. Websites? Not reliable. What are students to do?

Perseverance is the key. Determination is the method. Success is the catalyst. Grades are the nemesis.

Research on!

Paper Pals! Session A, 2009

By popular demand (and we are talking begging, pleading, and threats here), the English Club is doing the Session A round of Paper Pals! this upcoming week.

Join us in the back of the  first floor of the Library from 7-9 pm on Monday the 28th and Wednesday the 30th. As an added bonus, Wednesday night we will also be reading though Othello for a class, so feel free to bring your Shakespeare and join in!

So, you may be wondering right about now “What is Paper Pals!?” Allow me to tell you! As I’m sure you already know, we have an amazing Writing Center, and if you have serious paper questions we really encourage you to make a free appointment with them for a 45 minute session. However, most of us undergraduates tend to work on our papers at night, and that’s often when the problems start popping up. When that happens, sometimes it is just nice to have a peer read over your paper and give you some encouragement, pointers, and cookies. Enter us!

The fact is that we love reading and we love editing work, so we offer our help and advice to you, our Regent Undergraduate friends. What do you have to lose? Bring a paper, and make a pal!

Any questions at all? Don’t wonder- email us at typeoh (at) regent (dot) edu!

The Write Motivation

I’ll be honest here- I don’t always like to write. Correction: I don’t always like to write what I am assigned. Take now for instance. I have six major writing assignments due in the next three weeks (in addition to the little writing assignments) and I’m sitting in the library all ready to do research for them, yet I’m writing this post instead.

Shocking, I know.

I mean, what normal student would rather write a personal, conversational, no-rules-or-minimum-word-count blog post instead of scholarly research projects? Rest assured; I am being sarcastic here. Please don’t get me wrong, I love writing for school. Little feels more satisfying to me then looking at a well-completed paper neatly typed, printed, and stapled for handing in. However, my motivation is lacking at this moment.

So, I turn to my secret weapon, the one thing (the only thing) I have found to help me over this lethargy. It is a quote I found by the author Barbra Kingsolver: “There is no perfect time to write, there’s only now.” If that doesn’t snap you into action, nothing will. Tomorrow is not the right time to do my bibliography, now is. The weekend is not the time to catch up on my notes, now is. Next week is not the perfect time to write my introduction, now is.

Does this mean I will stop periodically checking my various message centers to see if there’s anyone who needs me, in hopes of getting a moment or two of a brain break? By no means. Does this mean that I’m going to stop writing this post now? Apparently…

Story Hour- September Issue!

Well, tomorrow is a Monday in September, which means… story time!

We have moved our location, for the time being, to Regent Village in the Community room. Hopefully you busy Regent parents will be able to carve out an hour of time to run over and have some fun! Here are the details:

What? The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales by Jon Scieszka

Where? Regent Village Community Room

When? Monday, September 14th at 10:30 am

Why? Because we love reading, we love kids, so why not put the two together?

How? Just come on by! You can email us with questions though at typeoh (at) regent (dot) edu.

Salad Days

I am a salad maker. Since the first time I picked up a head of lettuce and began to chop, I’ve found that whatever I would make would be met with great enjoyment and delight. Perhaps this is because I have never looked at a salad as a side dish (even though I usually make them as side dishes), but rather as an accessory to the meal. Just as you wouldn’t throw just any belt with any outfit, I’ve never been content to throw some lettuce, some cheese, and some dressing in a bowl and serve- it is much more labor intensive. I blend my greens to suit the type of salad I want to make. I decide whether to chunk it up in big pieces, or pulverize it to a chopped consistency. I choose the additions- nuts, cheeses, veggies, fruits, breads. Then, with careful consideration, I suggest dressings- Italians, homemade, vinaigrettes, creamy, store-bought, whatever. As a result the humble, boring, everyday ingredients take on new life and inspiration.

The same holds true with writing. Some people approach writing like they would approach a basic salad. They take a few standard words and string them together in a “good enough” fashion and then move on to bigger and better things. Others treat writing the way that I treat salads. They see it as a chance to take humble “ingredients” and create a masterpiece. They choose their words carefully, finding just the right words with specific and descriptive meanings. They blend them together into literate harmony, and then they suggest the best places to show them off whether for a blog, a journal, article, or book.

So, what sort of writer are you?

A Fair! A Fair!

We are very excited to be participating in the Campus Connection Fair this Thursday. Students, feel free to stop in anytime between 11 and 5 to visit us, as well as the other great campus groups Regent offers. Hope to see you there!

Starbucks Storytime- The Second Time Around

Our first Starbucks Storytime was met with so much enthusiasm that we were super excited to do it again! So, on August 10th, we sponsored our second read.

The reading selection this time was taken from the tales of the incomparable Beatrix Potter. While Emma read The Tale of Peter Rabbit, everyone coloured pictures of Peter Rabbit and Mr. McGregor’s cat. After reading The Tale of Jeremy Fisher, Michan led us all in singing a couple of fun songs about frogs!

Our next Storytime is scheduled to be in the Regent Village on September 14 for all the Regent Moms (and Dads) and children who are looking for a great way to start the week. Allison will be reading The Stinky Cheese Man and other fairly stupid tales- you don’t want to miss it! Email us at typeoh (@) regent (.) edu for more information or with any questions.

Starbucks Storytime July 13th, 2009

At the first “official” meeting of the English Club board, one of the things we all agreed on was that we wanted to reach out to our community. By a strange coincidence *coughGODcough*, the mangager of the Princess Anne Starbucks was looking for people to sponser a community children’s read. The opportunity was too amazing to pass up!

On Monday we did our first ever read, and it went beautifully. Allison read to us The True Story of the Three Little Pigs by Jon Scieszka and handed out a cute colouring page of the mistreated wolf to the children. Michan did an interactive retelling of the traditional story, complete with props! The children enjoyed being read to, the moms enjoyed the humour, and we enjoyed the chance to interact with everyone. We will be doing more in the near future, so watch the blog for dates and times. We would LOVE to see you there!

Allison reading The True Story!

The children colouring their wolf picture and watching Michan build the pig houses.

Dr. White and Emma doing “crowd control” and lending moral support.

Michan’s final pig houses: one out of drinking “straws”, one out of chop “sticks”, and one out of building “bricks”!

For bigger sized pictures, feel free to visit the pictures on Photobucket.

The Poetess at (nearly) 30

I am big thighs and burnt bread,

Wife and mother—

From bursting heart to pounding head.

I am sacrifice and sandcastles, torn apart and built upon;

I am jealous green-eyed envy

Singing proud Redemption song.

I am woman, soft and supple, underneath my husband’s hand;

I am liberated hippie-girl,

Too deep to understand.

My cup measures passing years and tears and chamomile tea

While joyful, cluttered chaos

Reminds me I am free.

So what then, Mr. Hughes, has happened to my dream deferred

By years of skinned knees and diaper pails,

Burying deep my written words?

Has it festered or exploded in its lengthy waiting game;

Or is it simply (as I suspect)

An infant love-child waiting for a name?

My dream deferred, you see, in fact grows stronger as it waits;

The mighty mama-bear,

It simply hibernates.

As stronger through life’s circumstance

I grow while children ‘round me dance

And love like morning glory plants,

My dream beholds its second chance.

How to write when you have nothing to say

How does one overcome writing blocks? Forcing myself to get something on here, there is nothing I could say that hasn’t been said before. My mind is filled with empty thoughts. What should I drink this morning – tea or coffee? And should I drink it with cake or honey? When should I call so and so and how should I do such and such? I can reiterate isms, repeat the churchy cliches, but there is nothing worth saying. Life, in actuality, is a petty journey of three meals a day, and saying hellos and goodbyes.

But in art, one should be a rebel. Wrestle, accuse, and express your disgust for humanity – these things will capture all the secret sentiments and passions of people.  It is amazing how much individual problems stir up so much connection with the rest of humanity. However, you may not be liked. So there is no way to win peoples’ hearts; you simply write, and be both embraced and rejected.