Essay: Technology of Writing

1.Okay
2. Hard
3 Really freaking hard
4.Okay
5. Really hard
6. Impossible
7. Really easy
8. Really easy
9. No thanks
10. Easy
11. I don't get the joke, but easy
12. Hard

The purpose of this assignment was to analyze what punctuation, capitalization, and other writing elements are the most critical to my reading success. The first difficulty in reading arose whenever the words were written in ALL CAPS without spaces or punctuation. There was one joke written in this fashion that I actually made me surrender. I think the major factor in what made reading the ALL CAPS onslaught was that as a reader I was so used to reading one capital letter per sentence or so. I see lower case letters combined in long strings everyday, and so when the caps are combined it gets crazy.

I'll let you have a try: THISISRIDICULOUSHOWCANANYONEREADTHISIKNOWICOULDNTWHENEVERISTARTEDTHISASSIGNMENTIMSORRY THISWASMEANANDISHOULDNEVERHAVEWISHEDTHISTERRIBLEUPONTHELIKESOFYOU

This brings up my next point, which was the all lower case and punctuated properly, that all lower case is pretty easy to read, especially with normal spacing. I did notice, however, that when I read something in all lower case I read it with an inner voice much younger than mine currently. I have a couple of friends who only post in lower case whenever they are on Facebook because they save their capitalized writing for assignments and proper papers, not online (I'm sorry, friends, but it only makes me think you're a tad pretentious).

I thought it was amazing that the all lower case, bunched into clauses, but properly capitalized text was pretty easy to read. I did notice, however that I read the bunches of text like a stream of consciousness.

In conclusion, I found the parts of writing that most aided my reading were spacing and punctuation.

A New Punctutation Mark - The wiggin ♎

How to use this punctuation mark: ♎

The wiggin is to be used in those awkward statement-questions when you are unsure whether to use a period or a question mark. Sometimes it can be something simple as: "I was wondering if you could take me to school ♎" Usually you would end this in a period as it is a statement, but since there is some sort of interrogatory element to the sentence, the wiggin was used. 

The wiggin is also therefore used as a way to signify a tone of uncertainty in the author's statement. For example: "We think that the capital of Oklahoma is Norman ♎" This usage of the wiggin is useful because now the reader knows you are not attempting to make an accurate statement as much as you are guessing.

One of the disadvantages I foresee in the usage of this punctuation mark is its incorporation into cursive script. It is clearly separated into two entities, so a free-flowing writer will once again have to let the pen off the page or make a modification of the original mark. I chose the symbol of the wiggin because I liked how it looked like an underlined Omega-- which can be used to signify the end of a passage with some other emphasis (like uncertainty).

I think more succinctly, this punctuation should be used to signify the presence of indirect questions.

Examples:
I'm asking whether you like blue or green ♎
I'm not sure which shirt to pick ♎
I'm inquiring about where to sign up ♎

Cartoon Essay:

I enjoyed writing a small essay over the cartoon so much last time that I decided to do it all again. This cartoon is near and dear to my heart -- and despite being a student at a major public university, I witness this mistake far too often.

What makes this cartoon funny? First of all, the inclusion of an elderly couple in any subject immediately makes it a little funnier and a little more adorable. There is something about old people that makes them hilarious. They don't hold back thoughts, and they have enough experience with this mortal realm that makes their responses completely palpable. Now to dive in to the cartoon itself. The conversation begins with an innocent question: Are you making a New Year's Resolution? This response in itself is plain, and doesn't appear to be loaded whatsoever. Next, Opal reveals that she often finds herself criticizing her husband. It is not disclosed what the husband's resolution was, but I like to think it was something about dieting or physical health.

 The following sequence is where the grammar travesty is committed. Either he says "your" in such a way that it could never be understood as "you're", or the Opal in the cartoon just knows he is missspelling and misusing the word in his head. My girlfriend and I actually argued over this for a few minutes, whether part of the point of this cartoon was to show the woman's flaw in assuming her husband would use the incorrect word or if it was to solely show the irony in her original resolution.

The cartoon finishes with a little more of its adorable charm, with the old man quirkily responding, "We're both great." This is a nice ending in which he continues on his path of blissful ignorance.

Cartoon Analysis Essay: Week 11

For my analysis I chose the cartoon above, chiefly because of its tie-in to something that is near and dear to my heart: Optometry. As I have previously mentioned, I am preparing to go to Optometry school after graduation from OU.  I absolutely cannot wait to be able to serve patients like this little one, hopefully being able to correct his eye insufficiency while also correcting this point of view. I think part of what makes this cartoon appeal to me is that it is inherently true, but not in the way the boy thinks. The glasses are simply a corrective instrument that allows one to better interpret information, but cannot read or comprehend anything on their own.

This blissfully ignorant idea from the child in the cartoon is quite beautiful -- being able to read by solely by wearing these magical omnipotent frames. The first thing that comes to mind that makes this cartoon effective is the title over the glasses display that reads, "Reading Glasses". The child comprehends this as "glasses that read" instead of the intrinsic meaning, "Glasses that better allow you to read".

 I also found the right-center child's expression to be particularly hilarious, especially when considering the situation. Judging by his eyes and his leaned position while gazing at the frames, I can tell the child is having a tough time resolving the frames and signs around the room. His mouth also appears to be agape, which conveys a sense of either shock or wonder at the magical lenses that are presented in front of him.I think the cartoonist has done an excellent job of conveying the lack of resolution power the child has in his eyes currently.

In addition to the main character, there are some parts of the environment that add to the cartoon's humorous appeal. I like to imagine that the other child standing near the speaker is confused by the boy's statement. He could either be thinking, "This stupid guy over here thinks the glasses read for him", or, "I had NO idea that they had glasses that read for you. I gotta get me some!"