Blog #12: April 28, 2009: Writing with a Time Limit

I always thought that blogs should be done patiently with as much time needed. I still somewhat think that, but I decided to try and put a time limit on myself when writing one of these. As I type this, I realize how writing with a time limit is great practice for SAT writing and formulating and organizing your ideas quicker and more efficiently. When writing without a time limit, I have noticed that I am not prepared as well as I would be if I had a time limit. Here is a quote by a teacher called Mr. Maven to his studen struggling on timed writings. "Because my boy, that five minutes you take preparing an outline will save you 10 times the minutes in writing. The outline allows you to create your essay in your mind before it's created on your paper. That's another trait of the great ones. They always see the creation before it's been created." With a time limit, now that I have confidence in my ideas since they are organized and straightforward, I can concentrate on actually formulating my paragraphs. I noticed I could create stronger sentences, just concentrating on the structure of a paragraph and the sentences. With a time limit, I could pace myself. Writing knowing that I have a specific time to be finished, I feel a bit more pressured in writing. With all this pressure upon me, I feel that I am more concentrated on this certain topic, clear distractions, and open my mind.

When I work within the comforts of my own home with all the distractions such as videogames and tv without a time limit, I would deduce that it would take me much longer to finish this blog. With a time limit, I feel compelled to stay away from these distractions and focus on this blog. Pressured by time, I will not fiddle with silly sites such as Twitter, Facebook, and Myspace. With this time limit, we can ensure that our work would be much higher in quality than the same blog and topic without a time limit. And by high quality, I dont mean a long essay. Im sure readers do not want to read a really long essay with gramatical errors and that strays away from the main topic. Im confident that readers want to read an essay that is formulated well and is clear, even if it is short.

Even practicing timed writing is helpful as a technique when writing in an unstructured, unplanned way for a short amount of time. This practice is basically training to become more productive. Here are 11 Keys to Double your Productivity. Im sure reading that article and connecting it to our writing, we can be more efficient in our writing. Timed writing will deny any perfectionist thinking, and at the same time overcome procrastination.

Post #11: April 21, 2009: The Baddest Man on the Planet

Not that intimidating right? Mike Tyson, a very interesting person indeed. When I look at this man and recall all the popular news about him, i seem to forget that there is a completely different side of him. Before reading an article of Newsweek "A Fighter Disarmed," I always viewed Tyson just as a tough heavyweight champion boxer, only known for his aggressive behavior inside and outside the ring. Because of his aggressive attitude, when I heard about him going to jail after being convicted of raping Desiree Washington, I was not even surprised. But after I read the newsweek article, I have a better understanding and respect for this man.

I never considered the fact that Tyson faces many criticisms and negative comments from many people. I never considered what Tyson actually thinks when he has to confront these criticisms, and how he could keep his composure. I know I couldnt keep a solid composure if I was faced with grueling comments about me, despite my success in a specific area. According to the article, when he was making a speech, he heard voices saying that the people he was making the speech too were clapping, but they still didnt like him. He must experience or have that thought many times a week, and it must be hard. Its hard for him, but we dont realize it. I think we must come to realize that people who are troubled and act completely different from the norm I have feelings also, no matter how tough or mean they may be sometimes.

"Whenever stuff goes well for me, I just wait on the bad stuff to come." -Mike
Tyson

When a man realizes that people around him are his enemies, you know that his life was very tough and he had faced a lot of struggles. Besides the fact that he has to confront all the criticisms towards him, Tyson also has gone through drugs, being convicted of rape, and his past wasnt so dandy either. He lived his young life not knowing whether the man living in his house was really his father. He was fat and was beaten up constantly. He was forced to rob people to survive. I could imagine that he took up boxing to get rid of all his insecurities and fix the problems that have tormented his childhood. But those difficulties in his past have made him the man he is today, and still no one respects him. Tyson admits that he never expected to be idolized or respected, but is that how he really feels?

"Ive never been anybody to idolize, and i know that." -Mike Tyson

This man has clearly changed ever since his retirement and his rehabs. Less threatening to people, I think we can get a better understanding of Tyson besides his past of boxing success and scandals. Looking back at his life, Tyson realizes that all the appalling actions he did were not right, and to me, this is a great step in his life to admit this.

"I didnt like that Mike Tyson, so i gave all that stuff away. He wasnt a good
guy. He was just somebody I created to give people something to talk about."
-Mike Tyson