Hello to whomever is reading this entry,

For writing assignment 3, the research journal, I have decided to write and research on the singer and artist Norah Jones. I have always been a big fan of her music and find her songs and lyrics facinating. However, I really don't know the background of her life or where her motivation and inpiration come from when writing her music. I have heard that she may have had a troubled home life and a rocky relationship with her father, who was also a musician. I think it would be reallu interesting to research and learn the background of her life in order to see if it is at all reflected in her music. Also she is a celebrity who has really managed to stay of the radar, or out of the public eye. This can be very hard in our society for the A- Litsers today. I find it cool that she has kept such a low profile even though she has stayed and become so incredibly successful. Well, I would love any and all feedback on my topic. I have a long was to go but I know that my topic is neither too broad or too narrow due to the small amount of looking around I have already done. Thanks for your opinion and good luck with your research paper as well!

-Joelle

"Coming of Age" really drew me in

I really enjoyed reading Coming of Age in Mississippi.I found myself not being able to take my eyes from the page. The author, Anne Moody, does an incedible job of drawing the reader in. Though her story is not one that I can directly relate to, she writes in a way that you can feel her emotions right along with her.
Out of the four stories that we have read in the past two weeks, I was most impressed with Eva Hoffman's Lost in Translation. She was the best writer of the four woman and I found her story to be one of self accomplishment which I really iked to read. However, I was most interested in the Moody selection. She was such a string young girl who really stood up for what she believed in and I found myself reading her story with admiration. Her writing seemed almost like a diary at times. I like that in an autobiography. She really described the way she was feeling and how events changed her. My favorite quote from the whole selection was after the Taplin's house burned down she described how the following night in Centreville was. "It was so quietand still. The quietness almost drove me crazy. It was too quiet for sleeping that night, yet it was too restless for dreams and too dry for weeping." I love the irony in this quote and in this moment in the selection I realized just how affected she was by the racism and I think this is interesting to look back on as she becomes a part of the movement.
I have found all of the women authors that we have read interesting and honorable. I though that Moodys story was the best and I really wanted to keep reading at the end of the selection. I hope to read more stories of women as strong as these four!

I had the best time reading my blog! I chose Stephanie Klien, a girl who just tells it like it is. Dr. Smith used her last year in class and my roommate who is a former student of hers loved the writing, so I thought I would check it out. First of all since she is a writer he blog is very established. The websit is creative with pictures and frequent posts that recieve at least 50 responses to each. She seems to have been broken by a divorce and she writes about how to cope with her new life. My favorite thing about the blog is a secton where she has a list of rules for herself, a list of things she learned from mom, and things she learrned from dad. Other than being comedic the lists are relatable much like her blog writing. She lets reader know about what she has not each day and elaborates on any thought or concepts that she felt were important to her that day. I get the vibe that this thirty year old woman learns something new everyday, and she shares it with her readers. I like that. She just recently gave birth to twins and is an incredible photographer. She frequently posts pictures of her little ones, which she calls beans. Klein is witty, funny, and a woman who admits her life is not perfect but tries to make the best of it. I am enoying her book, Straight up and Dirty, which happens to be the reason I chose her blog. I look forward to read more of her interesting thoughts.

-Joelle