Novel Blog Post #1 (Bird by Bird)

From even the first page I have really liked the conversational, story-telling style that the book is written in. When this assignment was first explained that we would be reading books about the writing process I think everyone gave a bit of a groan (mostly internal, some external) but I am enjoying it as much as any good novel that I've ever read. She recounts her childhood in a way that makes you want to keep just drinking the stories up. I guess it should be expected that a book about writing should be written well, but I suppose I was a bit of a skeptic. But every part is really well written. The descriptions of both characters and events are superb so far. I looking forward to the rest...

Factoid Friday #12

This one was less facts and more interpreting a plethora of personal stories and accounts and realizing that a common thread is the often unstatement but exceptionally negative connotation of institutionalization among people dealing with mental illness.

About Mental Illness. (n.d.). NAMI. Retrieved November 18, 2013, from http://www.nami.org/template.cfm?section=about_mental_illness

Commencement Personal Reflection

I was interesting to go back and write a commencement speech for the eighth grade 3 years after I gave one as an eighth grader. It's baffling to see how much has changed. I reread what I had written and the aspects of my life that I held above all other then are almost unrecognizable from what's important to me today. I really liked the nonspecificity of the prompt. It was freeing to spend just a little bit of time rambling about advice I would formally give to my younger peers. I think that we often have advice, just never a good venue in which to share it. Humans are almost obsessed with sharing our experiences and trying to influence others before they make the same mistakes as us. It's the reason we teach history to our children. At the same time I realized how much of a distaste I have for formal speeches, they always seem to fall flat to me. Even those that are passed around the internet. But oh well... A very self-reflective project overall.

Thesis. As of right now.

Despite a movement started altruistically in the 70's to remove the mentally ill from institutions, there are many factors, both economic and moral, to consider in the debate about the best way to to treat mental illness.

Running Reference Page

link: Google Doc

Infomercial #2

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=yM3WUdBR0wE&feature=youtu.be&desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DyM3WUdBR0wE%26feature%3Dyoutu.be

Factoid Friday 11

A new study conducted by Oregon State of California's mental health care systems that were implemented in 2004 has interesting new evidence. They found that, in most cases, comprehensive, community-based mental health care has helped those with mental illness transition to more independent living and may actually save the state money while reducing the negative effects of institutionalization on patients' lives.

Yoon, J. (2013, October 2). News & Research Communications. California's new mental health system helps people live independently. Retrieved November 14, 2013, from http://oregonstate.edu/ua/ncs/archives/2013/oct/california%E2%80%99s-new-mental-health-system-helps-people-live-independently