Wikipedia

Wikipedia plays quite a roll in my everyday digital life. For example, when I’m engaged in a conversation and I don’t understand the meaning to a certain thing brought up, it’s easy to pull out your phone and search it up online, get a definition on Wikipedia then be able to have an understanding or a refreshed memory of the topic then be able to simply chime into the conversation with clear understanding and better knowledge. Interesting how that works though because I personally find Wikipedia to not be the most reliable source of information. I believe choosing a different more reliable source such as a library, will have you feeling zero doubt with the information consumed through the books you read and researched for a direct source of correct information. Teachers have passed along their awareness about the potential risk of reading and receiving false information given within Wikipedia. You can read and refer to the writing skills but receive incorrect information about what you’ve just read. It’s known to lead reader’s into finding out 10 different things, negative or positive, false or true about a specific thing searched but doesn’t give you one direct source of key information like books in the library would. Therefore, I agree with my teachers opinions about being careful and not always relying on Wikipedia for correct information. Doesn’t mean each and every single thing you search and read is going to be false but it’s always better to go the safer route by going to your local public library to search and find the correct information within the books they offer.

Nicholl Small

This I Believe (Draft 1)

A deep belief of mine is morals. I believe it is truly important, especially in today’s day and age with how society is, to build on the little amount of morals we have left. Our generation lacks’ morals and proper manners. People often forget to use please and thank you on a daily basis and we need to realize that because this is being overlooked, our current generation of children aren’t getting the proper knowledge and demonstration of respect. I’d like to share a couple of examples that lack morals that I know frustrate and offend not only me, but others as well. Picture yourself driving down the highway and the lane you’re in is closing, you need to get over into the left lane and people driving in that left lane, pretend to not see you and avoid letting you into that lane. But there comes along, that one rare respectful person that waves you in. Someone with morals would wave thank you back to the person who let you in the lane. But what you see now frequently is people not acknowledging when you do let them in, they tend to not wave back in a thank you manner and it comes off as though they are entitled. Speaking of entitlement, these days people feel that they are entitled and don’t have to work for anything. Researching into our past generations, such hard work had to be done for one to have bread on the table for their family. Morals include others going out of their way to help out when they see hard work being done, always willing to lend a hand even if they have something of their own to finish. But what I’ve been picking up in our current generation is that social media takes away from morals and life. Back in the day, people would drop anything they’re doing to help another out, but now if someone is in need of help, one can’t seem to find the strength to put down their cell phone to lend a helping hand. Not to mention social media takes away from family time, historically it would be all about love and stories around the dinner table but now you can witness families sitting down at their tables for dinner and adults or kids are guilty of being on their phones instead of hearing how each other’s day was. There is such a huge change with manners and morals that it even has changed the way people communicate in love and relationships. One of my favourite quotes from the bible is, “In everything, do to others what you would want them to do to you” Matthew 7:12. That stands for manners, morals, respect. People don’t realize the true importance in life; morals, love, and family. We should take a moment each day to appreciate the good in life, not be so bitter and be thankful and good to one another.

You’ll Inspire Others

In Joshua Becker’s article “15 Reasons” the thought that stood out to me the most was number 8, “You’ll Inspire Others.” For starters, blogging and writing can give you a different view of your own life and can also give the reader a different view of their life. You learn new ways to express yourself and doing so can give others that longing of self-expression and confidence to write that maybe they’ve been lacking   for years like I have. It truly is an act of giving by sharing your thoughts and experiences through writing for others to read about and doing so can lead to magnificent changes in your own life or the reader’s life. For example it can make whomever is reading your blog, take a step back and realize they want to get in contact with their inner and creative thoughts. The outcome of making a reader feel that drive to get out there and write, express their thoughts and open up about their views in all depths of life is an example of inspiration. Acknowledging those who choose to be selfless and expose their thoughts to the public are truly inspiring and that’s just what I hope to accomplish within writing and blogging. I believe I will be allowing myself to open up in many ways that I’ve shied away from for multiple years, all within writing. So therefore, if I allow myself to open up confidently and allow my readers to read my views and thoughts in life, I’d consider that one step closer to inspiring another to do the same. All in all, I truly hope my readers take the steps I’m taking now to try to inspire others simply through writing and blogging.

Nicholl Small

How “Shitty First Drafts” reflects my anxieties as a writer.

I’ve put a lot of thought into how “Shitty First Drafts” reflects my anxieties as a writer. For starters I’d like to point out my main anxiety about writing and that is, that I find it difficult to get my thoughts together in my head to write them down and it not come out all scrambled. It definitely calms my anxiety knowing I’m not the only one out there who can’t have words and sentences flow perfectly out of my mind and onto paper. It sure is a fascinating process within the mind trying to get all your thoughts and ideas organized enough to flow out smoothly and correctly. It’s intimidating wondering what people will think of my writing and thoughts so to think of people reading my first drafts of anything I’ve written or will write, sure enhances my anxiety. It’s very comforting though, knowing it typically takes more than one try to get the final draft you’re working hard for and that goes for pretty much everyone.  Also, “Shitty First Drafts” gave me the realization that it’s a good idea to walk away if the anxiety builds up to the point you can’t continue writing or when your mind goes blank. By walk away I mean, go meet up with a group of friends at a coffee shop, relax, go do something you love to do, let your mind re-energize and clear out the haziness. Letting yourself unwind such as doing the things I just mentioned, can help you go back to your writing with new ideas, new insights that you received from your friends during your coffee meeting. Focus on doing things that will lower your anxiety levels, that’s what I plan to follow through with to maintain and that’s the direction “Shitty First Drafts” article led me to dealing with my anxiety as a writer.

Nicholl Small

First blog post

This is your very first post. Click the Edit link to modify or delete it, or start a new post. If you like, use this post to tell readers why you started this blog and what you plan to do with it.