On this blog site, you will be completing your reader response assignments. You will have 2-3 a week. Your information is safe; only the members of this class and I have access to this site. Do not pass out your log-in information.

Respond critically to each piece. You may also respond to your classmates' comments.

Make sure your comments are proper, respectful, polite, and meet the word count assigned with the article.

Have fun! :)

Friday, January 31, 2014

Putting in Time

Visca--Putting in Time


Read the following article by Visca.  Respond to the following questions:
1)  Do you like or dislike Visca's outlook?  Why/why not?
2)  Find a line in this article that you feel represents your writing process.  Copy it and explain how it describes or relates to you.
3)  Find a line in this article that you feel is important in living your life.  Copy it and explain how it describes or relates to you.

Word Count 150-200

Due TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 4th.




Putting in the Time (Gerry Visca, Canada’s Creative Coach®)

As I sit here in my creative studio, I gaze outside and marvel at the spectacular day in front of me. I can’t help but observe the growth of the ivy that continues to envelop my house. It has now managed to weave its way along the perimeter of my porch. Somehow it has achieved what it set out to do: artlessly grow! It puts in the time — daily, weekly and monthly. Its focus is centered on one key objective: continual growth. It maneuvers itself forward towards the light, slowly blanketing each bit of surface.
The audiences that I inspire often comment, “Gerry, it’s easy for you to create. It comes naturally to you. You’re a super achiever.”
My audiences only witness the final product: a new book; an article; a magazine; an audio recording or a new presentation.
What they don’t see is the perspiration and the daily discipline behind the curtains.
Have you ever driven past a new subdivision that appears to suddenly spring out from the ground? We underestimate the tremendous effort involved in its creation. So many of us are infatuated with the future as a destination for happiness and peace. We also overlook the beauty and the wonderment that is directly in front of us. We can’t speed up the future no matter how hard we try; similarly, we can’t force a plant to grow no matter how much we will it to.
What you can control is the daily, weekly, and monthly actions thatyou intend for yourself in the present.
What I know for certain is that we all have a life purpose — and when you fixate on “putting in the time” you will uncover your true potential and you’ll help others live “in-spirit” with their why — the true path to being inspired.
At the end of 2008, I declared to myself — and then to the world — that I was going to live a life of inspiration. My life goal became aligned with a purpose of inspiring one million people to action across 33 countries. In the past 3 years, I have put in time and taken incredible action through the delivery of a myriad of inspirational presentations, publications, articles, and events.
As I leaned into my life purpose with determination, passion, and enthusiasm, I discovered I was able to shift my perspective of time. Through this process, I have managed to achieve greater results in far less time. My process consists of daily visualization combined with stillness of mind. I focus on harnessing new levels of energy and I align action with tremendous belief. When you create with this new mindset, then anything is possible.
Plato argued that time is constant and life is the illusion. Einstein noted that our understanding of time is based on its relationship to our environment. He further noted that the faster you move the slower time moves. Reality is merely an illusion albeit a very persistent one. There is no difference between past, present, and future time.
As I continue to live a life in-spirit, deeper levels of awareness for what I can “shift” have opened up. I have become fascinated with two significant concepts: The ability to create in less time and the power to completely re-create oneself.
For example, what used to take me a year to create now only takes several weeks. How is this possible? If time is an illusion, then I have demonstrated that we are the only ones that determine just how long it will take to reach a goal. As I continued to step into my greatness, discomfort and challenge presented itself. The more discomfort, the more disciplined and focused I became. I recognized the power in the statement: energy flows where my attention goes. I allocated energy towards what I wanted. When fear presented itself, I focused on what I could control by visualizing the end result of all that I was creating and taking action through creation.
My Process of Creation:
Imagine it
Believe it
Take daily action
Receive it
Putting in the time for me means living a disciplined program that starts at 5:45 am with my hour of personal power. Thirty-five minutes of physical exercise followed by 25 minutes of stillness and meditation. I quickly recognized that I needed to harness new levels of energy, so I adopted a new diet that included healthy smoothies, juicing, an explosion of greens and supplements from Usana Health Sciences. I carve out the time with very specific coaching days so I can pour myself into select clients who are on a path of doing great things. I continue to allocate writing days with a goal of publishing 17 books and producing monthly articles, tips, and inspirational audio productions.
Over the past three years I have reached incredible milestones, however this year has been the most impactful for me to date. I truly believe that when you are living your life “on purpose,” you reach a state of flow. As I write these words and glance at my past books, I ask myself, “When did I produce all of this? Was it me or something more powerful working through me?”
Everything that I do whether it’s writing, recording, coaching, extracting, presenting or inspiring everything is aligned with mywhyto creatively inspire people and ideas to action.
This year was by far one of the most challenging — and equally the most fulfilling — times filled with tremendous personal and professional growth. Audiences often feel that inspirational speakers and authors like us never endure discomfort, sadness or fear. Well, let me set the record straight, we are human just like you. This year I was presented with some of the most life-challenging situations. In spite of these challenges, I managed to write over 1,000 pages, publish two books, produce 100 articles and tips, record over 50 audio and video productions, launch a 24-page glossy magazine, launch 12 major events and creatively coach 25 amazing DEFYENEURS, my inspired breed of entrepreneurs.
This year, I have even experienced a deeper and richer love. I spend more quality time with my two amazing daughters and travelled to 12 incredible destinations with my life partner.
This is your time to uncover your why and achieve your goals by putting in the time. Here is how you begin:
1. Go to the art store today, purchase a canvass, and paint that beautiful art that has remained dormant in your mind.
2. Get some clay and sculpt that magnificent form that has always been there.
3. Write that manuscript, regardless of what you think of it.
4. Draft that article and send it to a magazine publication for consideration.
5. Download an audio recording program and produce your first cd-rom with those beautiful poems and songs that you have stored in the abyss of your soul.
6. Stop what are you doing this very moment and grab your loved one sitting next to you and embrace them with the most passionate kiss ever.
7. Spend time with an expert in the field and ask them thought provoking questions to kick start your dreams.
8. Begin to THINQ and live a daily powerful question like: What would make this the biggest and the best year and live it for thirty days.
Keep putting in the time. You are the architect of your life if you don’t design it, then someone else will.
20120906-175620.jpgGerry Visca, Canada’s Creative Coach®
International Speaker | Author | Consultant
RedchairTM Branding
www.gerryvisca.com
gerry@redchairbranding.com
905.528.6032
--
© Anthony R. Michalski/Master Key Coaching | | (0) Comments


http://www.masterkeycoaching.com/

Tuesday, January 28, 2014

A Very Controversial Article - By Athena Louise

A Very Controversial Article - By Athena Louise

This article is an online editorial article. I chose it because there are two very touchy social subjects and the author is very clearly against them. I'm not supporting or denying either of her claims at all. I wanted you to read something very emotionally written and respond to it. :) If you love her or hate her, (you all won't be in the same category) I hope you appreciate her passion & the sense of voice her writing contains. Your response should be 100-125 words. Include a word count.

Please remember no matter how you react to this article, your response must be respectful, as everyone will not agree with you. We can disagree and still get along, so be nice. Support your claims, but do not personally attack anyone or make general assumptions about groups of people.

http://ezinearticles.com/?A-Very-Controversial-Article&id=308782

Your post is due FRIDAY, JANUARY 31st.

Wednesday, January 22, 2014

The Lowest Animal--Mark Twain

The Lowest Animal - Mark Twain

In the comment box below, you will be writing a reader's response.

Remember to READ CRITICALLY. Amaze me with your brilliant responses. Feel free to read each others' responses, but do not copy others' ideas. I want original thoughts.

Use the questions in the right margin to help guide your responses, as well as:

How does the time period and author's voice affect this piece?


How does the author feel about this subject?


How is this shown in his tone and approach?


What point is he trying to make, and specifically how do you know that?


Why might an author write this piece?


Who is the intended audience?


Will this piece affect them?

You do not have to answer all these - they are just a guide to help you.

Your response should be between 100 and 125 words. No more. No less.

Include a word count at the end of your comment. You may want to write it in MS word, get a word count, and then copy and paste it into the comment box.

MAKE SURE you COMMENT ON THIS BLOG, not the blog on which you read the essay piece.

Read the following excerpt:
http://thevegantruth.blogspot.com/2009/11/excerpts-from-lowest-animal-by-mark.html

This blog is due TUESDAY, Jan. 28.