I created this Digital Poem after I read this article. I enjoyed what the authors discussed in creating lessons for students and how that looks and feels. They also touch on some issues of being careful of only teaching the tool(s)/platforms used in Digital Writing versus teaching techniques of writing. Check out my original poem and give me some feedback. Thank you for reading.
My Digital Poem


http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/JAAL.00014/abstract

Discovery

     This patch of road was familiar to him. The trees with the gray green moss, thick bark and strong limbs spoke to him. He knew he was close to home. The stranger picked up his pace. The leaves scattered as his heavy boots heel-dragged, disturbing everything in it's path. His heart was pounding, the pulse reminded him of something close to him. He felt . . . better. Maybe the past was not as bad as it seemed. Then, he found it. The ground was covered with fresh soil, twigs and rocks. The disarray mocked him as he stared downward. The past was as bad as it seemed. Feeling sick to his stomach, light headed, he turned to leave. The agent's hand tightly grasped the strangers thick wrist. He asked sternly, "Is this her?"

Politics Are . . .

07.18.12

Freewrite this morning and I feel like making a comment about politics. Politics are not cool. Politics are not fun. Politics are dirty, in the most literal way. Politics smell. Politics are not necessary. Politics are stupid. Politics are smart. Politics are conservative. Politics are liberal. Politics are black. Politics are white. Politics are in your face. Politics are sneaky. Politics are zombies. Politics are rash. Politics are irrational. Politics are misconceptions. Politics are stereotypes. Politics are not good conversation. Politics are rude. Politics are sexual. Politics are sick. Politics are the worst kind of television advertising. Politics are flag bearing. Politics are racing. Politics are brainwashing. Politics are allegorical. Politics are metaphors. Politics are veils. Politics are not good bed partners. Politics are fickle. Politics are constituents. Politics are restricting. Politics are bullshit. Politics are whores. Politics are religious. Politics are religion. Politics are racist. Politics are misleading. Politics are not policy. Politics are pimples on the face of culture. Politics are manipulation. Politics are George Orwell. Politics are family. Politics are friends. Politics are communities. Politics are punishment. Politics are misdirection. Politics are fallacy. Politics are heresy. Politics are truth. Politics are diarrhea. Politics are punctuation errors. Politics are a dirty word. Politics are toilets. Politics are runny noses. Politics are expensive. Politics are free. Politics are freedom. Politics are war. Politics are bad eyesight. Politics are fancy shirts. Politics are dark. Politics are red. Politics are blue. Politics are not crayons. Politics are highlighters. Politics are states. Politics are boundaries. Politics are foreign. Politics are consensual. Politics are abusive. Politics are spayed and neutered. Politics are priced. Politics are money. Politics are greed. Politics are caring. Politics are working. Politics are lazy. Politics are evil. Politics are heavenly. Politics are God. Politics are mean. Politics are . . .

5 Frame Story "Take a Breath"

This is my 5 Frame Story. I titled it "Take a Breath".

Reflection: I love making movies/digital stories using photos and words. This short piece is just a sample of what could be. I need more time to develop the idea, so view this as a rough draft.  The site Kathy shared with us today was great (Days With My Father). I was stirred emotionally and I felt an instant connection to the narrator. Also while I was reading/viewing the story the movie Big Fish came to mind. The picture that his father took of him and the author (Phillip Toledano) wrote, "I wonder if it would show how much I love him?" made me turbo weepy. I almost lost it. Mr. Toledano has created a brilliant piece of art. He has inspired me. I found myself completely engrossed in the story, much the same way I can lose consciousness in a book or movie.

Podcast Take Two

The new "refined" podcast for class. I had trouble using the media devices that were suggested, so I went with something that I knew about. Then I added some music, some graphics and a jazzy picture of me with my son Aiden. This podcast revolves around the idea of freewriting.

The Podcast

The Podcast-First Day O' Class

The first task we set to embark upon was "the podcast". I have to say that the simplicity in the assignment does not fit with the complexity of making it work. So goes it, working with technology. Recording my partner (Evan) was not an issue. Creating some fodder for a discussion, also not an issue. Having the right software to record-issue. Easily solved from the nokia apps store (call recorder *Free*). Next was getting the interview and using the software. Again, very easy. Once we had our recordings we had to get the document (our interviews) to the platform to create/edit our recording. Evan needed access to the recording so I uploaded the interviews (used my Windows phone) to SkyDrive. Easy enough. So far everything was completed with my phone.

Once we had our respective interviews we had to upload to Audacity. We discovered the formats needed to be changed. We used Zamzar.com to convert the Mp4 to Wav format required by Audacity software. My first attempt with Audacity has revealed that I don't think the software is user friendly. I know I need more time to play with the program.

So, phone to SkyDrive to computer, to Zamzar, back to computer to Audacity. The file sounded pretty good and now it is time to upload from  computer file to The Penumbra (blog).

One hour later, need a hosting site. Used Archive.org and found a way to use as public domain-again *Free*.


Click here to hear.