Sunday, February 21, 2010

Welcome!

This is the course blog for our Writing class. I will use it to post announcements and homework questions. You will use it to post your homework answers, and any questions you might have for me.

So it would be helpful if every student could post one test "comment" by clicking below. This way I will know whether you are able to use the blog successfully. (If you do not have a Google or Blogger account, it may be necessary to create one.)

I look forward to meeting all of you soon.

Announcement: There will be no class meeting on 2/24. The class will meet with the TA (Ms. Chen) on 3/3 to do a diagnostic writing assignment. Aaron will return to teach the class on 3/10 and thereafter.

Syllabus: You can read a preview copy here. I will print you a finalized copy on 3/3. But if you notice any mistakes in the syllabus, or any confusing parts, or if you have any suggestions for improving it, now is a good time to tell me! (You can use the comment feature below.)

Textbooks: If you've seen the syllabus, you know that there are several books to purchase for the class. Unfortunately, I've been having some problems with the order because none of them were available in Taiwan. So we will not be reading Easy Writer at all. Black Swan should arrive in time for later in the semester. But Moneyball, They Say I Say, and Blink will arrive to the bookstore on 3/3, so please buy them!

18 comments:

  1. Hi Aaron,

    This is the test comment by Kim.
    I'm looking forward to the first class meeting as well!

    btw, I have a very unrelated question about this blog...why "frog"?

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  2. Thanks for getting the comments started, Kim. To find out about the frog, you have to read the syllabus.

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  3. Hi,
    This is the test comment by Alice.

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  4. hi,
    I'm Elsa.
    I'm junior in the FLL Department.
    Hope to have great learning in the class.

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  5. Hello Aaron, my name is Aaron ,too. haha
    See you next week!!

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  6. Hi Aaron,

    This is the test comment by Tiara.

    See you in the next week!

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  7. Hi Arron,

    I'm Jenny!
    I'm really looking forward to seeing you next week. But I'm also a little afraid that I couldn't afford so much reading. But I'm expecting myself to try my best in this class.

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  8. This is a testing post from Esther.
    After reading the syllabus, I suddenly feel that it seems I am on a thief's boat! :p

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  9. Hi~~~
    This is the test comment from Cathy.
    hahahaha~~~

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  10. Jenny... when you say "afford" the reading, do you mean the cost of purchasing the books? This is an important concern, of course. I will purchase an additional copy of each and make them available for students to borrow. Also it is OK if you purchase a copy with one other student and share together. If you mean "afford the time to read," I'm afraid I can't help with that! The reading will be heavy during certain weeks.

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  11. Esther... please explain the idiom of the thief's boat; I am unfamiliar with it. Am I the thief? What did I steal? Ha ha.

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  12. I just astonished by the reading quantity. It seems that it won't less than the quantity we need to deal in the American Literature class even though this class has only two credits!

    As for the thief's boat, I think it can be explained as that we (who take your class) become accomplices of your crime (giving us many readings and homework :p). Because usually a thief is clever, he can pursuade people to participate in his scheme or at least convince people that his behavior has its legitimacy. No matter people believe in or participate in the thief; in some scale, they are on the same boat.
    The idiom on the other hand stands on the position of victims. Since the thief's silver tongue is so powerful, not until they are cheated did they finally found they are cheated. That's why we say "I mistakenly get on the thief's boat."
    From the above, you could be and could not be the thief. It depends on you :D

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  13. Esther, a follow-up question. At the time when this idiom was developed, perhaps hundreds of years ago... what was the punishment for thieves?

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  14. Actually, I'm not sure when is the time that this idiom has come into being; thus, I can't say for certain of the punishment for stealing. But basically, the form of punishment depends on the dynasty the thief lives in. Besides, it is also influenced by the booty the thief steals and from whom the thief steals. The punishment varies from bastinado to death penalty. But more often, the government will pillories the thief in front of market as part of punishment as well as warns the public.

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  15. Hi, I'm Peter.

    I finally know how to leave a message here.

    See you the day after tomorrow. :)

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  16. Hi Aaron
    This is the test comment from Catherine

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