Reflections: A Writer’s Journey PW6950 Week 6 Blog

This is my sixth and final blog entry. After reflecting on the journey it took to get me here. I find myself once again closing my eyes and taking the proverbial deep cleansing breath of victory. First I give glory to god for helping me get this far. It was a long road to travel, but I loved every minute of it and I’ve enjoyed all the wonderful people I’ve met along the way. Thanks be to God for your presence here in this universe.

My professional and personal goals as they relate to my life, can not be expressed properly without reflecting on the course that completed the final steps of my journey here, the current term that introduced us to “Portfolios in Professional Writing,  and the end results that have culminated into A Professional Writing degree that is now right at my fingertips.

This course has allowed us to share the importance of our prior work in a manner that is both easily accessible to us as well as to others we hope will be advantageous to our careers. It has literally and professionally integrated all the work we’ve done, over the past year and a half, into a snapshot that beautifully showcases our best efforts. Hopefully, it will connect and introduce us to people looking for just what we have to offer.

I have many plans, goals and aspirations for the future, all much clearer now because of the decisions I’ve made. I’d love to continue my connection with the ALS Care Project, working on grants and proposals and helping with fundraisers or charity walks. Never stop giving, never stop dreaming and never stop learning.

Reflections: A Writer’s Journey PW6950 Week 5 Blog

This is the fifth week and my fifth blog. It’s amazing how time passes so quickly. I’ve accomplished more than I thought i could, but remain baffled by some parts of the mysteries of WordPress. For instance, I Accidentally trashed this blog entry a few minutes ago. It was set in place days earlier. If trial and error makes perfect, then I should become the world’s best blogger any minute now…Suffice it to say folks, The storm rages on.

I’m still in the process of choosing work from my many professional writing assignments so that I can add them to my academic and marketing portfolios. I must also introduce to my perspective viewers the reason behind these choices. So far, I’ve added two assignments in each portfolio. I’ll quickly add one more to the marketing portfolio and approximately 8 to the academic portfolio.

I’ve submitted a rough draft of the digital storytelling assignment. It is still being developed.

Reflections: A Writer’s Journey PW6950 Week 4 Blog

As I continue to develop this portfolio, my frustration is gently starting to fade away in this fourth week. I’ve set in place parts of the blog entry process that I didn’t understand last week. Some of it was due to my own persistence with the procedures of WordPress and the rest came from group members that could see the missteps of my struggle. Nothing compares to the solitude of reflection.

Right now, I need to create the proper presence for my “home page,” as it stands right now, it’s not functional. After all, the home page makes it clear why the writer is there and why the reader should care.  Also suggested to me, and I concur, it might be best if I place my name in the URL. There are other issues I’ll have to address this week as well.

On the agenda this week is the polishing up of content on the blog.  Adjustments to images may have to be re-done, more documents need to be added to my academic portfolio and my marketing portfolio and a resume entry at the top of the page needs to be included as well.  I need to make sure all pages are in agreement with links and text.

The digital storytelling process is a way to use digital tools to tell a story in a compelling and moving way; it gives us a chance to tell our truth through our own voice as we combine photos, videos, music, narrative voice etc, covering an array of digital narratives for those who wish to express themselves in this manner, in yet another extension to the ancient art of storytelling.  I expressed my digital narrative in a draft this week, reflecting my journey as a graduate student pursuing a degree in professional writing. Graphics that support this blog will be added later.

Reflections: A Writer’s Journey PW6950 Week 3 Blog

In reflection, I have to admit the pursuit of this professional writing degree has been quite a journey; one I’ve handled very well I must say, even though I’m stumbling a bit to get across the finish line in the final phase of it. But then prudence is the reason why “slow and study wins the race; hard work is never a bad thing.

Specifically, during this project it took me a minute just to get my title going, add a tag line, then put in an emblem through the Gravatar Service to be used in place of a profile photo; then I went about the business of getting  my post to appear correctly. My blog presentation is not as beautifully done as some of my fellow classmates, but I hope I’ll be able to accomplish what’s required of the assignment. It’s a maze of information here at WordPress. I found out that the hub of its explanatory existence lolls within the “learnwordpress.com” page.

  Profile Photo

Even there, your focus and mindset has to stay on course; because if it doesn’t, whatever instructions WordPress gives to accomplish a task it simply won’t come out right. I’m still missing something. But, before I open my front door and throw my computer out into the snow, I have to take a deep breath, re-focus and re-direct my brain’s lens to the start all over position again.

What’s left to do?  I still need to put information into these links (Home, About Me, Blog, Academic Portfolio, Marketing Portfolio, and Contact); in other words, bring them to life so that when clicked on by me or other visitors to my blog the information that needs to be seen will be available. I need these to appear at the top of my page. Apparently, I need more pages; and I’m pretty sure the files I’ve chosen to upload concerning the Academic and Marketing Portfolios can be done under media, “add new,” then “Upload New Media;” only then will the end of the mission look as though it’s coming into view. Growth is indeed the essence of life.

Reflections: A Writer’s Journey PW6950 Week 2 Blog

This has been The most trying week of this entire Professional Writing program. Never have I been so confused about anything in my total life. Lots of deep cleansing breaths are what sustained me and my stubborn inability to never give up when I’m challenged. Trying to get this whole blog and portfolio thing up and running correctly has really tested my patience and my resilience.

I diligently worked on it everyday for a week, my eyes literally popped open at 6:00 am this past Sunday morning with a few epiphanies that helped me out; I’m sure it’s because of the prayers I put in Saturday night before going to bed asking for clarity. I hope to get the same clarity for the academic and marketing portfolio.

 

This brings me to the Web 2.0 technologies, that are in association with and in regards too my portfolio development. I had to thoroughly read and view the presented material for transparency about these innovative technological advantages, some of the video material worked; some did not because I could not view it. However, the article on “The Future of Web 2.0,” tells us that professionals are beginning to recognize that ePortfolios may be more effective than standardized test scores when it comes to documenting student learning, and employers are feeling the same as far as hands on documented skills are concerned, which is in complete collaboration with our efforts to present such a document during this term to showcase our best efforts.

Unfortunately, ePortfolios have their limitations and other alternatives are being examined, but our focus is on the academic and marketing portfolios we have been ask to develop. So, taking into consideration the vastness of Web 2.0, one has to gather parts of it in order to make full use of its technical rewards.

Reflections: A Writer’s Journey PW6950 Week 1 Blog

Writing a blog entry is not exactly new for me; but certainly I’m no expert at it. I’ve blogged maybe a handful of times. I must admit I’m intrigued by it though, especially in the sense of sharing information, the receiving and giving of interpretation on any given subject matter, and a general overall sense of solidarity shared by kindred spirits out there.

I have a vested interest in the portfolio process. It’s a great tool for the development and enhancement of future endeavors. It’s also an excellent way to DISCOVER the many merits an Academic portfolio has to offer, like building your digital identity, publishing a video online, adding voice to the portfolio and being in control of what will be included in your collection of work. It really is an exciting and electrifying method to master.

Once the portfolio is completed, I hope to have a professional document that can be shared with future employers, a reference point to refer back to when needed, updates can be easily added to resumes and it is a great confidence builder during interviews that goes far beyond what is included in a standard resume.