"The Start of My Paper"

1.26.2007

This week was definitely a better week for me in this class than last week was. I really started to understand the class a lot more, which is typical to understand something after you are involved in it for awhile. I also noticed that a lot of people were on the same page as me, which made me feel a lot better that I wasn’t the only one lost in class the 1^st week, wondering if I was really ready to take this class or not! I soon learned that I was as ready as I will ever be, even if I am not the greatest writer.

I also started thinking more and more about my paper (wanting to be as prepared as I possibly could be) and finally came up with what book I wanted to base my paper off of. I came up with the fact that out of all the Nicholas Spark’s books I have read, The Guardian had made the most influence in my life. It had many things going on throughout the story and always made me think and put my thoughts to what it would be like if I were that specific character. This was a fun activity while reading this book because there were SO many characters and they each had very different characteristics. The main character of the book, Julie, is a sweet young woman who has already gone through a lot in her life and now has to chose between Richard, a smart business man who doesn’t end up who she thinks he is, and Mike, her (dead) ex-husbands best-friend, who will do anything to be there for her and put her 1^st in their life.

Besides all of the thinking I have done for thoughts on my paper, I have started putting together sentences on what I hope can be the introduction paragraph. I am not the best paper writer, so I really have to take my time and make sure I am including all the sentences that make up an introduction paragraph!

"Pre-Paper Thoughts"

1.19.2007

When I first started looking over the directions for the paper I was a bit scared. Just from reading the directions I had a lot of questions and concerns. For me, this was not a good way to start off the semester, especially for an internet class when you can’t personally sit in class and ask questions to make sure you are on the right track with your thoughts.

After a second well-laid-out explanation of more what the paper was supposed to be I feel more prepared and ready for this class than my first impression had brought me. This is my 3^rd internet class, and I really understand the value of being able to ask questions and get answers right away since the questions can’t be asked face-to-face.

Once I understood the requirements of the paper I was able to start thinking about what I really wanted to base my paper off of, and what I had read recently read that has really made an influence on my life. Since I am a huge Nicholas Sparks fan, his books are about all I have read recently in my rare-found free time. As far as what book of his has made the greatest influence in my life is a really good question and is exactly what I am going to have to look into before I start writing and compiling my paper. Is it A Bend in the Road where one has to put aside their fears of what has happened in the past to move on and live the life they have always dreamed of, or is it The Guardian where a fake identity turns into an over-powering stalking case? Those are two of many that will come into factor when deciding which one influenced my life the most.