How has technology impacted your writing/composing?
    Well, it has impacted my writing in negative and positive ways. Positively, I can find information fast. If I want to write a fiction piece about Alaskan fisherman, I can easily and quickly find information on my topic. In addition, I sometimes use my Twitter account as  kind of journal for story ideas. When I hear or see something, I pull the Twitter App up on my phone and tweet away. This way, I don't forget my ideas, which often happens to me.
    Negatively, technology distracts me. Friends text me and I text them back, wasting precious time. My phone also houses cool Apps where I can androidify myself and play Scrabble with my friends all day. It doesn't get much better than that. In addition, Facebook sucks the most time away from my writing. I start something, and then I space out, checking my Facebook page. Pretty soon I am on my friend's page, then I click on some random person in a photo, then I surf on their page for another 20 minutes. One of the writers in 'TwentySomething Essays by TwentySomething Writers' explained this phenomenon. It is almost unavoidable. Well it is avoidable, but I just can't help checking my page. I'm a bit of a Facebook stalker.

How has technology connected or made you more mindful of your writing and place?
    I would say that since I can easily access my classmates' writing, it makes me feel inadequate as a writer sometimes. Unfortunately, I tend to compare myself against other too much. Although at times, it can be a good thing because it forces me to write better. Other times, it completely hinders me. I stop trying and I give up--never taking risks with my own pieces. Lately, I have just been checking other people's blogs and stuff as reference. I don't spend too much time reading what they have. That way I do not get too discouraged.
    As far as helping  me with my place for my Twitterive, it played a big part. I was able to drive by my old house and take incognito photos of it without having the new owners notice me. I also set up a YouTube account through my phone so I could show the videos of my students playing the piano. I never made or posted a video before this, so I was so happy I finally did it. The videos do a much better justice than me writing about my students. Since my focus was piano and music, having videos was a great addition to concept.

How has technology impacted your identity construction?
    I am pretty much the same person in real life that I am online. I don't lead a double life--it's not in my nature. However, there are things I'd like to post and say on my Facebook and Twitter pages that I know I just can't without later being shot in the foot for it. For instance, I have to be mindful of every picture I post on Facebook as a future teacher. Though I do not hang out at bars like some of my peers, I can't really even post a picture of me in a bikini at the beach in the summertime without running the risk of being fired for it. I have heard so many horror stories of teachers holding a drink in their hand while having dinner with their husband and being fired for it. If that isn't an invasion of privacy, I don't know what is. But I guess that is the technological savvy world we live in.
    In addition, I would like to start a political blog, or at least actively contribute to an already established one. There are things I would like to say about politics, but I have to hold them in considering my future field, which is flooded with the Left Wing. Who wants to hear the rantings of an Conservative teacher after all?

Opps....I may have just ruined my chances.


 
    Thus far in WRT, I have already tried things in different genres that I never have before in a writing class. Such as reading a story and writing my own microfiction inspired from it. I focused my tweets to figure out something that meant a lot to me that I could make into a narrative. And I wrote poems based on my own stories. To be honest, it has been a little tough so far, but I have enjoyed the challenge. I used Twitter in a previous class for a kind of narrative as well, but I don't think I really made it the heart of the assignment during that class. I wound up with a pretty decent story, but I am definitely more excited about what is going to happen with my new, upcoming twitterive for WRT.  In regard to the poetry from the last blog, I will admit it is not my best, and this also made me realize that I need to be more descriptive in my tweets, especially if I am using them for generative purposes. I never realized how convenient Twitter really is. I can almost use it as a writing journal to jot down ideas throughout the day. But I just have to make sure my tweets are descriptive and full--not sketchy and lacking, so I'm going to work on that.  I am looking forward to the rest of this class because I do see improvement in my process as a writer already. I see myself looking at things differently, and I am eagerly awaiting to see where that will take my future blogs and upcoming assignments. I am hopeful, and that is a good feeling to have as a writer.