The Ultimate Blog of Supreme Success

I hope you are like, like, liking each other’s posts—it’s a great, quick way to show support.  Yet another way to be engaged in the conversation is to comment on each other’s posts.

We went over Disqus commenting in class, but I hope you all get in the habit of commenting on each other’s posts regularly as well.  Though the very best comments are academic—the ones that make you think, ask hard questions, and are engaged with the topic—all comments do not HAVE to be academic.  You can leave a comment just to show support, to express your own opinion, or to say how much you enjoyed the post.

A general rule on commenting—we are a SUPPORTIVE community.  It’s fine to disagree, but do so respectfully.  Also, don’t waste time or energy commenting on grammar.  We all make mistakes sometimes, and it’s not really interesting to comment on them (leave that part to me!)

Occasionally, you might get a comment from the outside world.  I think that’s awesome!  But what do you do when you get a comment?

Blogging etiquette dictates that when you get a comment, you give one back.  If you get a compliment, say thanks!  If you get a question, try to answer it.  If you get an argument, attempt to say why/how you disagree, or consider changing your stance.  If you ever get a plain old insult, feel free to delete it—it’s your blog, and you never have to tolerate insults in your (cyber)space.

Happy commenting! 

These Little Rascals: Controversies About Education

caitlinscollegecareer:

Should schools require uniforms?

This issue is controversial because some people feel very strongly that students should be required to wear a uniform to prevent bullying and save money while others feel that uniforms are taking away students freedom. When reading about this issue, it is…

I’m reblogging this excellent post because it does a great job of explaining five controversies in the context of her blog on education.  The author begins each section with a question, and doesn’t just list these issues, but thoughtfully explains both sides of the argument, and some of the possible motivations behind each.  Nice work!

I’m loving all the new avatars!  This week, I’m focusing on “liking” posts. 

On your dashboard, you should be seeing your classmates’ posts as they write them.  At least once a week, I skim over the posts, and often I see amazing stuff.  If a post catches my eye, I will read it through more carefully.  I love learning new things from students, appreciating a well-written passage, and seeing all the creativity!  

So, when a post impresses me, I “like” it, or press the heart button next to the post.  This shows the author some support and appreciation for his or her hard work. 

I want you to do this too!  When you see a post you think is awesome, “like” it to show your classmate support.

Lending A Paw: Blog 4: End of the Road

jennpierce14:

In her opinion article, “Deciding When a Pet Has Suffered Enough” (2012), Jessica Pierce expresses her views on when she feels the right time to end an animal’s suffering is. She uses the despairing decline of her dog, Ody, as well as various different health problems to provide…

I want to share this excellent post because it not only follows the assignment guidelines very well and thorough reading of the article, but it also engages personally with the topic.  The author of this post reflects honestly on her own experiences related to the article, which is interesting and all the more credible due to her involvement.  Awesome post! 

I’ve noticed that some of you have a rather boring avatar, or profile picture:

Yuck!

An avatar represents your character as a blog writer, and can build or take away from your ethos.  A blank avatar actually takes away from your ethos—it shows a lack of care in your design.

So, how do you add an avatar?

First, consider the character you want to portray.  Do you want to be seen as academic, cute, quirky, professional, serious?  How can you establish yourself as someone worth listening to on your subject?

I suggest picking a picture you own for your avatar—one that you or a friend has taken, or one that you’ve created.  Your avatar can be a photo, digital art, words…an image of you or something else.

Please do not choose a copyrighted image like Mickey Mouse.

Also, choose a picture that looks good even if it’s tiny—your avatar shows up in the tab on your webpage.

Once you’ve chosen an image, click on the “settings” icon in your dashboard.  It looks like a cog wheel and is next to the log out button.  In “settings” you click on your page title on the left side, and look at the avatar picture upload button.  Use that blank to find the image file on your computer.

I look forward to seeing some interesting, captivating, beautiful, and serious avatars soon!

Source

This painting was created by Andy Warhol. This is an important work of modernist art.

Pop Culture Icons of the Past: Andy Warhol's Running Wild in the Metropolitan!

icons-from-the-past:

In the recently published article in the New York Times, “The In Crowd is All Here” (2012), author Roberta Smith critically reviews the new exhibition, “Regarding Warhol: Fifty Years, Sixty Artists” in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, claiming that it is poorly organized and lacks…

I LOVE this entry.  The author takes a New York Times Review of an art exhibit and comments on both the article and how she believes she would react to the exhibit.  She has some real basis for these opinions, including photos and mentioning some articles with opposing views.  Along with the photos, which are really necessary to capturing what the exhibit is all about, the author includes commentary and correct citation.  Much moreso than a factual post would, this author has convinced me: I want to see this exhibit, too! 

Running Wild: It Should Be Boring

alongfortherun:

My friend and I were sitting together at lunch one day, when she asked me a question about running that I had honestly never even considered: don’t you get bored when you run? I had been telling her that I was planning on running eight miles that day, and she could not fathom the thought of me…

“Running Wild“‘s author takes on an interesting question in this very well-written blog post.  What makes this post so good is that the author creates a story and with only a few key details, effectively puts us in ‘her shoes.’  We can imagine the rhythmic monotony of running, through her definitely-not-boring prose.

Photo Credit: The Poodle Club of America  This poodle is black.  This photo symbolizes freedom to paint dogs whatever color you wish.

We Never Stop Recovering: Passion for Counseling

hopeafteraddiction12:

After about 6 months of recovery; I decided to continue education. I’ve heard several people say not to make any big life changes before your first year of recovery. This was probably the only suggestion I didn’t listen to. However, my therapist at the time strongly encouraged it. I think it was…

Wow—this is an amazing personal reflection post, a break from the author’s more factual posts. It details some of her motivation behind her blog choice and career choice.  It is a very thoughtful reflective narrative, well-spoken and pathos-driven.  I hope the author forgives me for sharing this amazing narrative, but it was just too compelling not to.