My Odd Video!

There is more I should post I guess.  For one, I am not really sure how to link my paper, or rather how I should.  Should that be included on Youtube, or on here?  That will be included with this blogpost as soon as I finally get some sleep for the first time in a few days.

Anyway, making this video seemed a bit odd.  I realized that I had to write a bit of a script so I would know what to say, and not stumble on my words.  Just ignore the fact that my eyes follow a weird pattern... yo do not see that!

How to Richard, A Literary Journey

So, where should I start?

First of all, my process for anything is never the same, but very particular.  Even though things are always different for me, there are certain patterns I go through.  Call it something obsessive, or maybe even compulsive, but my writing is like my drawing.  All of my art is like each other.  As in drawing, I will erase
over and over and over and over and over again.  There is something about not getting something just the way I want it that bugs me.

This isn't to say my writing is perfect, but I liked this paper.  It actually would have been a much better paper to go with for some kind of dissertation or something... that way I could fully explore every single relationship, and how they relate to literature through different stories.  Granted, I am kind of happy with the page requirement.

Funnies While Working/ Richard Enjoys His Paper

So...

I have been working on my paper and was on the topic of my thesis.  The general idea is that Jay Gatsby is not like everyone else in all works involved in my paper.  Can anyone guess what song popped into my head?

This song popped into my head.

By the way, I want to go off on a slight tangent right now fueled by my adhd perspective of everything and anything and all thing....s....

Did anybody ever watch Sesame Street when they were little?  I didn't realize how old all of that was or is.  When I was younger, the puppets/monsters looked more believable or realistic to me.  But I look at it now and I can't help thinking, "What kind of fabric did they use on Cookie Monster?"

Be Enthused! Please?

So, this finding enthusiasts when I want to seems to be harder than I expected.  I find enthusiasts for things every day for literally anything.  I can be on the bus.  I can be waiting in line for some burger.  I can be looking at a poster in the HFAC and strike up a conversation about composers with two random girls.

The thing is, finding enthusiasts is easy until you need to.

But, I have talked to a person I know going to university somewhere in Australia.  I have not gotten a response back for a little more than a day, but we were talking about books being like old friends that you love to meet again and again.  Long story short... I need to work on my transitions.

I have tried contemplated posting in a couple of random forums I know of.  And now... I am kind of lost on how to find other enthusiasts.  Any suggestions?

Sea Shells and Such

I still do not have a physical something that I can post on here for everybody to see for a shell for my paper, but I thought that it wouldn't hurt to at least post the general idea and direction I have for my paper.  Everyone should expect a few graphical or illustrative representations later.

First, my book is The Great Gatsby.  I will be making connections, or at least conversing with, ideas between that and the two Carroll works we have read for this class.

Here is where I can make a physical something to show:  I am going to do one of those webs or connection things to show how everyone connects to Jay Gatsby.  I might even try to make connections from AIW and TTLG to him as well.  That might not focus so much on the actual characters, but maybe more so on the themes or ideas.

Now I am treading into waters that make me feel uncertain.  I know that I do not want to focus too much on themes.  But I do want to show how the characters are connected to my main idea of random, and Gatsby being outside of the mold.

Maybe somebody can help me with this part, but I am a bit uncertain on how to tie more literary elements to my paper than just talking about characterization and plot.

Anyway...

1)  I am thinking either Digital America or the literary magazine Kristen works on, Criterion.  Then again, I am not sure what kind of stuff that they want.

2)  Maybe the BYU English Symposium, maybe a couple of others.  I would feel comfortable staying close to this sorta home, but maybe breaking out of that would be nice.  Any ideas?

3)  I really don't know on this one.  I might just do what a lot of other people are doing for this one.  Granted, many of us are thinking along the same lines.

Peers, Shells, and Something, Good Something

First of all, I am happy to say that I do have peers.  Now if only I could figure out how to make new friends... but that can wait until later.

Anyway, I circulated my thesis idea to some people in my art class.  I got a few interesting responses.  A girl named Maren/Marin told me that she had never actually read The Great Gatsby.  After half a minute of explaining the general plot, guy falls in love with girl, guy disappears, guy comes back and makes something of himself, she made an interesting comment.

Even if we do not intimately know either book, we can see one stark difference between Jay Gatsby and Alice.  That idea focuses on the idea of fate.  Alice goes along with fate, and takes most things as acceptable, or normal.  Jay Gatsby fights against fate.  We could go on for hours, and possibly days and months, about the class problems implicitly and explicitly shown in the whole of Gatsby.  But focusing on that detracts too much from the main idea; Gatsby fights his fate.

Another girl, Sidney, had some good points about the story too.  Gatsby wasn't at all random.  At all.  There is nothing random to the plot of The Great Gatsby.  The characters are random, as is everything in AIW and Looking Glass, but the plot and Gatsby himself are not.  Gatsby breaks from the norm of the random and pointless, and largely fake, people and events.

Again, he fights fate.

By the way, I have to admit that I did not finish anything that resembles the shell for my paper, I just did not know what to state for my thesis.  I changed my ideas a few times on what to state, or really focus on.  My sister Jenny, friend Jeremy, and the two above mentioned ladies, helped me to cement my idea to where I finally know what direction I am taking.

Expect the bone structure of my paper very soon!

Open Casting Call For Peers!

Do you love to congregate and share in the collective knowledge and intelligence of other people?

Do you love to think about deeper issues or thoughts beyond the pretty colors soandso wore?

Do you find it hard to find people to talk about your ideas with?

Do you fear ridicule for expressing ideas that are not the boring norm?

Do you want to create a network of profound intelligence?

Then look no further.  Richard Boyce, and Richard Associates (ie Richard himself), is looking for peers to share ideas with.  He is looking for people that are equals for all intents and purposes.  And, he isn't even sure if he has anybody that considers him a peer so he is scared to approach people about it.  If you are in need of a peer, or feel like helping him find a peer, look him up... or just talk to him.  He probably would be more than happy to talk... about anything and everything and then some more.

(Sorry about the cats, folks.  Seemed kind of funny to me.)

Why did the chicken cross the road?

There literally was a chicken crossing the road as I walked home.  So many jokes and thoughts come to mind, but I was trying to apply this to my possible thesis ideas and such.

Maybe the answer is that there is no reason?  It is hard to believe that there is anything in any literature that is there for no particular reason.

Btw, I want to bring up the point that I was able to get the social aspect of our blogging to work, or at least get a response, while we were in class.

The power of text messages.

HELP! I Need Somebody, Not Just Anybody!

First of all, is it weird that that song popped into my head first thing when I started this post?  Honestly, I am not sure what to make for a thesis statement here.  I am not sure how to even connect the works of Carroll with F Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby.  Then, that means that we need to start with the basics.

What do we know about Carroll's works as far as formal elements go?

What do we know about Gatsby as far as formal elements go?

There is very little I can point out as an overlying or common theme in either AIW, or Through the Looking Glass, unless you consider the random nature a theme.  Random nature with no true goal?  Random nature with no direction?  Random nature that leads to waste?  Random nature that can seem almost fake?  (The last question is an idea from my sister Jenny.)

At first, I find several thoughts and more racing through my head, I do not know where to go.  Where to start?  What to say? Bringing two separate works together, almost at random, seems like a daunting task.

So I take a breath.

I try to relax.

I am left with this general idea; Isn't so much of what happens in Gatsby seemingly random?  We see random waste and fake aura/atmospheres around people.  We see a lack of general direction, except for in the case of Jay Gatsby himself.

So, my working thesis involves the idea about random everything, and how Jay Gatsby is a little outside that... but not completely.

By the way, as an aside, I am suddenly thinking about a friend named Patty who just finished teaching some kids in her class about Gatsby.  One of the kids said the book was written by Jay Fitzgerald.  (Btw, Patty Rocks!  (Inside joke... like literally inside.  Like inside my microwave, refrigerator, and oven inside.))

People Like Me? We Have Fun?

New things are always something to be explored.  That is sort of a universal truth with me.  So, what does this mean, or do I ever follow through on explorations?  Honestly, it can be pretty difficult for me to break outside of my "comfort bubble."   Most people do not believe me when I say I am shy.  Think about that for a moment.  I love to talk to people.  I love being around people.  Have you ever heard of an introverted extrovert.

So, being the kind of person that loves people, I also like to control my interactions.  But we all do that.  Anyway, one topic I like to bring up around friends and family is the idea of a fatal flaw.  We all have though of our flaws in one way or another, we all know we have them.  And if you don't think you do... well, let's just say that could be the flaw?  Mine?  I want to be loved by anyone and everything.

I love people, and love to talk to them, but there are very few people that I feel comfortable enough to share my deep, dark feelings.  There is probably only one person I can say literally anything to and I won't be judged, ridiculed, or made fun of.  Granted, thinking that saying what is on my mind will make things bad for me might just be part of my confused mind.  If anyone is wondering, it is the sister person standing in the middle, and her nicknames from me include Suz, Suzbucket, and Susieoozieanne.  (I think I have her listed as Suz in my phone.)

Insecurities seem to be creeping in.  How many people here can relate with randomly feeling awkward or wondering why you are talking about something?  Maybe I am complaining, but it gets tiring when you have people who may or may not be friends and family saying you are awkward, or talk too much, or say what is on your mind too much.  To be fair, I probably don't even say half of what is on my mind.

Nobody wants to feel attacked.  Too often we find ourselves being wronged, or we feel hurt for one reason or another.  Because of who I am, and things I have experienced, I feel this far too strongly at times.  But when I can find a friend that doesn't make me feel like a child or judged as an irresponsible whatever, that person becomes a treasure.  We might not keep in touch as much, life happens.  People get married, have kids, go to new places, but they remain in our hearts and minds... hopefully.  By the way, I don't know if my friend Kevin will ever see this blog post, but he is one of those people that I know will always be there if I need help.

So, here's to those who love and care.

My Journey: A Long Journey!? Good or Bad!?

Where to start where to start?  Bear in mind, any of you purveyors of this post, I like most books, and can talk about most anything in most of those.

Up until 6th grade, my repertoire of “reads” included mediocre books at best.  If I can remember correctly, I remember one series called Boxcar Children, and another called Animorphs.  The first one was about some kids that lived, of all places, in an abandoned train boxcar.  Maybe it was two brothers and two sisters, but the only things that I remember are that they were family, they were children, and they lived in a train boxcar. 

Animorphs… now that was a guilty pleasure read for me even a bit of the way into middle school.